Think of Sophia's knives as the assassins blades from Assassin's Creed, never bothered mentioning that in the old story...my bad.
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So there is a point in a girl's life where she has to acknowledge that she had completely and utterly fucked up in the planning department and had to just accept the fact that, well, shit was about to get stupid.
Really. Sophia Hess, Track star, hottie sporty girl, able to torture a fellow student with impunity for two years without anyone doing anything to stop it regardless of the severity of torment.
When one stopped and thought about it that didn't make any sort of sense; that sounded like the premise to an after school special on how to avoid bullies for fucks sake.
Said bitch being a Cape though? That, that...well made things make more sense.
That's what the Force told Taylor as the raging teen she held before her shifted into shadows and a moment later became solid again.
Taylor inwardly scoffed as Sophia jerked her wrists in a weird fashion that had a pair of two inch long blades eject from her sleeves and suddenly found herself in a bit of a dilemma.
Side step the psychotic bitch and let her fall flat on her face, or allow her to stab her in a none vital area and get her thrown into prison?
As the blades slide through her ribs, Taylor muttered, "You're a Cape!?"
Decision made.
Then a fire extinguisher slammed into the now unmasked Shadow Stalker's head sending her to the ground in a heap.
Taylor couldn't help it, she laughed despite how much it hurt.
If this had been in the Harry Potter universe, that, that right there would be Patronus fuel.
Staggering Taylor fell to the floor while her 'savior' dropped the extinguisher and rushed to her side, "Shit, oh fuck you've been stabbed!"
No. Fucking. Shit.
"I've had worse, should have seen the first time she tried to murder me, way nastier and much more methodical. This was almost...insulting"
The senior who had brained Sophia bit her lower lip and then quickly pulled a shirt from her bag and soon tore it into strips to use as bandages. Unhygienic, sure, but much better then bleeding out, thanks.
"What's your name," she asked, and Taylor figured it was an attempt to keep her focused on not passing out so didn't mind replying in a kind tone.
"Taylor Hebert, has 911 been called?"
"Yeah," the older girl replied with a sigh, "As if that will do a lot of good in this neighborhood. Name's Penelope Metzger by the by."
"Penny Butcher, heh..." Taylor scoffed out, but rather then offending Penelope it only made her smile as she replied.
"Know a bit of German then eh?"
Taylor, now truly in the throes of shock as blood trickled from the corner of her mouth giggled in reply, "I'm French and Italian by descent honey, knowing how to speak German is only to my benefit in the long term."
"Clever girl," she muttered as Taylor stopped giggling and took in a sharp breath.
"Shit, oh fuck that hurts. Also, an aside, loved that Aleph movie."
"What's to hate about it, dinosaurs are cool," Penelope muttered as she heard approaching sirens and continued on,. "So, tell me more about yourself, got a boyfriend, go to church, anything truly interesting?"
Taylor scoffed, then held her ribs in pain before replying, "Trying to keep me coherent eh? Nothing interesting in my life really, certainly have no boyfriend at least. I go to school, try my best to not get noticed, haven't attended church since mom died because I couldn't really stand the hypocrisy, and I do my best to avoid that psychotic bitch."
With a chin motion she indicated Sophia which had Penelope nodding slowly, "Right..."
As the ambulance arrived, and Taylor along with the very comatose Sophia were carted away, Penelope quickly typed out a message on her phone.
Me: I know I am over stepping my bounds but I have to make it known that I may have a new parahuman recruit. Precog who has glowing yellow eyes when active, very combat effective. Just tricked Shadow Stalker into unmasking herself.
Penelope stared down at Hebert's stained notebook on the ground and a moment later picked it up, after quickly leafing through it for a few minutes she couldn't help her growing grin.
Me: Also likely a Tinker. Suggestion, do NOT treat her poorly, she's a white Christian girl, all she needs is to be shown the proper way, being overtly threatening won't help recruitment.
There was silence for a time, then her phone vibrated, Penelope nearly shit herself when she saw the sender.
Krieg: That is your personal observation?
Fingers fumbling she quickly tapped out her reply, now terrified beyond words.
Me: Yes, she is grace under fire, she did not react with violence until Shadow Stalker instigated it, even then she tried to deescalate the matter up to the point where she was stabbed. That was when I intervened.
Shaking violently Penelope ran her hand down her face slowly, then received a new text.
Krieg: Send me any video footage of the confrontation you have.
She had it all, she had every single member of the E88 send her what they had recorded, and hell she even had the security footage taken just as the Ward bitch herself confronted Taylor instigating the fight to begin with.
Taking in a deep breath, Penelope let it out, then nodded.
Me: On its way boss.
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PRT Director Emily Piggot stared at the monitor before her for an extended period of time after viewing the edited video that the E88 had just posted, clearly ignoring her subordinates in the process while rubbing the bridge of her nose in consternation.
Finally she spoke up after letting out an airy sigh.
It was not due to a lack of material to discuss, or a sense of disquiet that kept her quiet up till this point, no. It was actually all due to having this minor thing known as 'common sense' screaming at her in pitches that would shatter glass that she was completely and utterly fucked.
With that feeling noted, she opined not for the first time that she, was, undoubtedly, not paid enough for this sort of bullshit.
"So, let me get this straight. Shadow Stalker, our poster child for Ward disobedience, in a fit of rage, after being unable to coax her personal punching bag into fighting back against her long term bullying campaign, attacked said girl who not moments before accused her of attempted murder. Then proceeded to have her ass verbally handed to her by said girl who had done everything in her power to deescalate the matter away from violence, then she stabbed said girl moments after unmasking herself and got it all caught on tape!?"
Armsmaster sighed, then nodded slowly, "That is the correct synopsis of the situation ma'am."
She didn't bother with him after that, Emily needed the more human touch for this, thus, she turned her gaze towards Miss Militia.
Meeting the director's dark gaze and fidgeting at her raised brow Hannah couldn't help but dart her eyes to the side while muttering, "Ma'am Shadow Stalker is now in a secured containment unit while she awaits treatment for her concussion."
Director Piggot stared at her a few more moments before raising the other brow while drawling out, "Annnnnd?"
Hannah sighed, then nodded, "And Miss Hebert has also been isolated in a hospital suite but has no pending charges pressed against her due to the fact that, putting it bluntly, she was the victim in this entire fiasco. Miss Hess's family has been moved into protective custody, Miss Hebert's father as been informed about the assault, and the E88 is having a field day exposing the insane PRT supported black Ward attacking the studious white girl minding her own damn business at seemingly random. Complete with the well edited video file you just watched spreading across social media as we speak."
Emily was silent for a few moments, glanced towards Armsmaster a heartbeat, then slumped her shoulders, "Well... Shit..."
Hannah could only shrug as she muttered through her star spangled scarf, "Yes, that is... About where I am at the moment ma'am."
Through the tense silence Colin wondered what Dragon would think about this entire situation when Miss Militia finally spoke up again, "Do you think the Hebert girl is a parahuman?"
Armsmaster did not hesitate as he stepped forward and nodded, "A combat precog at the very least, and if what I was able to gleam from her ruined notebook, likely a Tinker as well."
Emily nodded slowly at that , then her lips formed a facsimile of a smile as she replied, "Shadow Stalker has effectively imprisoned herself for the foreseeable future. Gaining a new Tinker out of the situation, well..."
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Taylor's head was fucking killing her nearly as much as the wounds in her chest were, to top it off the drugs they'd given her were if nothing else distracting more than anything.
She could handle pain without having her senses addled, hello, survived being eaten alive and poisoned by plague infested bugs in a locker.
Shit.
But.
But, it didn't make it all hurt any less though.
That fucking bitch...
No, seriously, Taylor hated Sophia more than ever after she unmasked herself because, surprise, her many, many enemies would now target her parents and siblings, and...
Damnit... Maybe she wasn't meant to be a villain, because...fuck as much as she hated Sophia her family was innocent of her crimes and...and...
"Hello? May I come in?"
Taylor wiped away her tears and took in a deep breath before calling out, "Yes, sorry, just, trying to deal with... All of the things."
The man who entered the room a moment later wore a well tailored suit, a charcoal grey over coat, and a heavy red scarf. He had close cropped blonde hair, deep blue eyes, and bore a rather large grin as he extended his hand towards her.
"Oh, it is no trouble at all little one, I actually must apologize for imposing myself upon you in such a manner after you suffered such a great trauma. Yet, the nature of the beast that is commerce is that those who strike first strike truest, and after reviewing your grades before you were forced to attend that farce of a school known as Winslow? Well, let us just say that those of us at Medhall would very gladly make your acquaintance after a brief proficiency test."
Taylor's eyes widened perceptibly at the man before her as he grinned wider at her reaction while she squeaked out, "Medhall!?" as she took his hand and shook it frantically.
"Yes," he replied with his ongoing smile, "Oh, and my name is James Fliescher, a pleasure to meet you miss...?"
She was well aware the man had to know her name, but this was all part of the pageantry wasn't it? Quickly gathering herself Taylor still couldn't help grinning in return, "Hebert, Taylor Hebert. But you knew that already, right? I mean you'd have to wouldn't you?"
James laughed and nodded lightly as he shook her hand, "Yes I did know this but an introduction is an introduction. Now, you seem like a driven young lady, and I happened to catch a glance at that notebook of yours in the video posted online, is there any invention lurking behind those dark green eyes begging to be made into reality?"
Taylor was practically vibrating in glee as she gushed out, "How does Medhall feel about clean nuclear fusion?!"
James quirked an eyebrow at that while tilting his head to the side, "Why do you ask little one?"
Taylor grasped his hand and pulled him down to meet his gaze evenly while she rasped out, "Get me deuterium and I'll give D cell battery sized nuclear fusion fuel cells by the end of the week!"
James could only grin in reply
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"So how did the interview go?" Max asked as he flicked his fingers over his liquor collection.
James laughed, "Oh you have no idea how amazing it went. The girl is a definite Tinker, what level of Thinker I'm not sure, and she's practically vibrating with glee over being given a proper workshop to fiddle about with. Her first project? Clean, compact, nuclear fusion batteries. After that she wants to work on plastic based armor that she calls 'Plasteel, because, get this, it is plastic, but it's more durable than steel. Then there is the combat robots she wants to make and holy shit, seriously Max, we get her under our Aegis, we are set for the foreseeable future."
Max decided on vodka, and poured a pair of glasses as he responded, "Is she a believer?"
James actually scoffed as he snatched up his glass and downed it, slapping it back onto the counter he shot Max a grin while shaking his head quickly, "Fuck no she's way too smart to fall for any of that. Play it straight with her, give her what she wants, and don't feed her the party line, and I think we've got her sold. Plus... Well, the bitch that put her in the hospital was black so we could ween her in off of that at some point."
Max snorted at that, downed his drink, then shrugged, "Well, since you seem so certain, go ahead. Let's see what Taylor Hebert has to offer the Empire."
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Taylor: Ok so don't freak out, I got stabbed today by my psycho bitch bully, who, I can't believe this, outed herself as a cape, Shadow Stalker none the less.
Lisa: GIRL WHAT THE LITERAL FUCK WHY DO YOU NOT ANSWER YOUR FUCKING PHONE!? I know about that shhit because I watched it on fucking youtube! Are you ok!? NOO SERIOULSY, YOu, OK?!
Taylor: Relax, I'm sorry, yes I am ok, and youtube, seriously? Also didn't answer my phone because I was in the hospital, they don't approve of them being on because of...reasons?
Lisa: ...I'm wrapping you in bubble wrap and shoving you in the closet to keep you safe for the rest of your life.
Taylor: No, you are not. Huh, I didn't realize I could italicize things in text messages, neat. Plus I'm already out of the closet.
Lisa: You know what I meant, and I beg to differ. I very much think I could get you undressed and properly wrapped up.
Taylor: Ok when was undressing added to this scenario? Not complaining but would most certainly like to be kept in the loop. Also, no to being shoved into the closet I've recently escaped, thanks. Segue! I've got a new job! Well, internship really, but it's a foot in the door!
Lisa: No shit!? Go you babe! Where at?
Taylor: Medhall, I start next Monday.
Taylor: Lisa?
Taylor: Babe?
Taylor: Seriously kinda getting freaked out here.
Lisa: ...Fuck...