"It's… hmm… great, Lio. But I have a question…" Taylor answered with an uncertain tone.

"Yes, Tay? What is it?" He asked excitedly.

"For what reason do you need to conquer the world? Besides, how a plan for world domination has anything to do with becoming heroes?"

Lio's face frozen and his head snapped in board's direction. A panicked expression suddenly appeared on his face. He rushed to the board moving it, so its other side faced Taylor.

There was once again written something by blue marker, this time it was the phrase "Plan to Become the Hero. Part 1."

Once again, there were a lot of different photos and pictures connected by streaks of different colors. This time the number of familiar faces was much bigger for Taylor. Director of the Brockton Bays Protectorate Emily Piggot, Brockton Bay Protectorate team leader Armsmaster, and The Triumvirate. There also were images of known supervillains such as Lung, the leader Azn Bad Boys, and Kaiser, the leader of Empire Eighty-Eight. The other thing that caught the female twin's attention was rough sketches and photos of Endbringers and Slaughterhouse Nine.

For some reason, the picture of Leviathan, the middle brother of the force of natures that is Endbringers was circled with a red marker. There also was a map of the city with several points also were marked with red paint.

"So, allow me to explain my plan to you, my dear sister. First and foremost, we need to create a reputation for ourselves. This phase involves designing costumes, working on a general plan of our actions, and preparing the ground for our entrance on the scene of professional heroes. We need to train and train hard. So, let us start with an obvious. Our powers" He stopped his movement around the floating island and looked at Taylor with a hinting glare.

Taylor looked at him for a few seconds like a stunned and then started to carefully remember everything about her powers that she managed to find out so far.

"My powers allow me to control bugs. But not only them, but spiders too. Probably things with a carapace or just with a really basic mind. I need to use verbal commands, but the more I tried to use fewer words and sounds the easier it becomes to command them using only my thoughts. Radius… is… a few meters around a body, I guess? Control of bugs is the main ability; the other allows me to split my perspective and share it with a controlled bug. Each split allows me to see more things, also, each of the hosts of my perspective creates an additional field of control around themselves. Each field also increases the size of other fields." She started to carefully explain her powers.

"So, if you split your vision with, let's say, two and three bugs respectively, in case of three bugs the field around you and other two bugs is going to become bigger then with only two bugs?" Lio asked with a rather interested tone.

"Yes, but there lays the problem. The more I split my perspective the less I comprehend each individual vision. I tried to split for more than four-time and I was barely able to move my body without falling on the floor. There also an issue in my area of effect. It small, even with increasing from a split. I can, in a weird way, program bugs what to do and they will continue following the orders even out of my range, but the moment something unexpected happens or the order is complete they will return to their ordinary self." Rather detailed answered Taylor.

"Do they continue to operate even when you are not awake? And what happens when hosts of your perspective are destroyed?" With an awful amount of the enthusiast said the boy.

"Well, I tried to order the spider to simply spin the web, while I have fallen asleep. You remember when I came out screaming and run to the bathroom covered in the web?"

The male twin simply nodded.

"The spider did indeed continue to build his web, even after I succumbed to sleep. So I say it's safe to assume that while they are following orders I can sleep without any problems. Death of the host doesn't really do anything, except giving me a headache and a bunch of unpleasant memories. Do you even know how gross it feels when your eternal organs are transformed into a mush?"

"More than I probably need to…" A wave of shivers descendent down his spine.

In reality, he simply shook his head from side to side and mused.

"So, great ability for assassination and spying. For tracking too. Probably, really hard to fight against and the amount of the venomous stuff is quite honestly terrifying. Forgive me for saying this, Tay, but you are a terrifying woman. But I must admit… your ability seems quite cool and useful, not really heroic, though."

"You know that you could have not said the last part, you know? I know that my ability is kinda gross and dangerous, but I know that there some good things I capable of doing with it. Also, what was that part about assassination?" She answered defeated.

"Nothing important… for now. Hmm. So, I guess my turn now?" This phrase made Taylor's eyes to fill with anticipation.

Her brother's ability honestly until today was a major mystery for her. She only had two examples to go from and both of them from today. It seemed like an ability to create barriers with different properties. So far he has used it only two times in her presence. The first time he managed to completely cut the outside sound and reduce her control radius. The second time is probably creating an expanded and separate space between two objects.

Her train of thought stopped the moment she noticed an amused grin on her brother's face.

Kirschtaria Wodime was born impossibly lucky in the eyes of other Mages. The giant quantity of high-quality magical circuits combined with him being incredibly talented was made far better by him being the Average One.

Being Average One meant that as a magic-user he holds control over five elements that are a foundation of the world itself. Earth, Water, Wind, Fire, and finally Ether. Which roughly translates to Solids, Liquids, Gases, Plasma, and Energy as Ether. Most mages had an elemental affinity to one or two at best and most of the time it is indeed was enough.

To control ordinary metals and earth, the affinity to Earth element was plenty. However, to control things of a mixed nature, several connections are required. For example, to control mercury one need an affinity to Water and Wind. Why not Earth and Water as mercury is liquid metal? Simply because not all things in the world of Magecraft are to be taken literally. Sometimes the Mystery and Concept behind the material and spell are far more important than just physical form.

However, it is possible due to special circumstances and discovery of the ones Origin to warp or to create an entirely new element. Most of these unique cases receive a Sealing Designation and disappear into the darkness of research facilities of other mages. The only reason such information is mostly known because mages even if cold and pragmatic are still most of the time than not, lack even a hint of common sense.

Well, for the outsiders' mages may look smart and calculated, but Wodime who seen both worlds and lived long enough with ease can say that nearly all mages are idiotic. A select few are, true, can be called smart, but most of the old families are too far in the past and new promising generation is mindlessly following older. While it is the nature of Magecraft to move towards the past, towards the Age of Gods, it is the nature of Magecraft, not its users.

The existence of Chaldea and the Atlas Institute is enough of the proof that mages should be more in touch with modern technologies. After all, the further technologies are the more capable Magecraft can become. Everything technologies can do, Magic can do too. Magecraft is essentially allowing its user to cheat and skip steps to do things faster. Instead of taking the lighter, filling it with gas, and lightning cigarettes with it, Mage can simply summon a small stream of fire.

Magecraft and modern Technologies move towards the same ending point. True Magic is simply something that can't be achieved through ordinary magecraft and tech.

The other thing that affects the power of magecraft and its efficiency is Mystery behind it. Two contradicting theories that were popular in the Clock Tower. First goes along the lines that the more people know about magecraft as a whole the less potent mystery behind it is. The other essentially comes to the other end of the spectrum. The more people wiled a certain type of magecraft the stronger mystery is behind it.

First mostly used by old families that were not thrilled with the idea of sharing the precious magic with low-blood "scum" and used as a weapon of propaganda. In addition, as Clock Tower was at times more of a power struggle between different families than a place where young mages taught and new information researched such propaganda had rather a lot of effect.

While Kirschtaria himself wasn't too fond of blood supremacy idea, it would be hypocritical for him, especially for him, to say that blood in the world of Magic doesn't matter. It does and rather a lot too.

No, he would be a fool if he tried to reject facts about the importance of a family legacy and good heritage. He himself was a perfect example of careful and pedantic breeding and clinging to the idea of being pureblooded. His previous body was a result of the efforts of countless magical families. High-quality magical circuits with a thousand yearlong history and his family Crest that was even older.

Not that perfection has done anything good to him in the end. Being attempted to be assassinated by his own father while still being a student at The Clock Tower was not a pleasant experience, but necessary for him as a person. Without a failed attempt to end his life, Kirschtaria would not have opened to the truth of the world. To the fact that compassion and sacrifice for others were the keystones to the brighter future of humanity. To the fact that his own life was nothing compares to the life of an innocent child that sacrificed his life in an attempt to nurse Wodime back to health out of sheer pureness of his soul.

But in the end he lost everything that made him one of the most powerful mages. His previous body destroyed; he lost all his superior circuits and his magical Crest. But truth to be told, they weren't all that much use to him in his previous state. His circuits were damaged beyond repair, his Crest too was partially destroyed thanks to the weapon that assassin used.

No, after the years Wodime understood that what was really important was knowledge and experience. Moreover, he had a lot of it. He memorized everything that was in his Crest a long time ago.

In the end, his arsenal was rather wide, but for now, he lacks means to fully access and use it. His personal Magecraft, Magecraft of Animusphere family, Magecraft of Wodime family, Magecraft of Chaldeans, and the knowledge acquired using an infinite library of Olympus. He also managed to get his own authority, but to access it he needs to reactivate Gaia. Which is something he cannot do in a foreseeable future.

Therefore, he decided to make his own "ability" from rather well-known and even mundane in these world powers. Using his ability to control and shape Elements, his knowledge of basic Alteration and Strengthening magic, and his ability to "read" stars, he decided to do a simple Shaker, Brute, and a minor Thinker combo. The ability to control nature with strength enchantment is probably the most common mix of powers there.

Anything beyond that could be problematic to explain and could grab unnecessary attention to him and Taylor. While, Wodime mused about an idea of making himself a second Eidolon in the eyes of others, ultimately he decided against it. Nevertheless, if the situation forced him to he would have no choice, but to use everything in his disposal.

The other limiting factor was his amount of magical energy. While thanks to lack of mages in this world since its birth and him being an only magic user on the whole planet, his spells were very much efficient, his magical circuits would not allow him to use a lot of powerful spells. In the Olympic Lostbelt, his Magecraft was at its peak thanks to the fact that it was built with a Greek concept of the cosmos in mind. There thanks to wills of the celestial bodies repressed and the lack of Counterforce he was able to somewhat manipulate them and draw energy from them, but the amount of time and effort needed for it was just too much to use in a fight without any preparations.

He wasted around ten years on creating and adapting magical circuits inside this body, another four he spent adapting his spells and magecraft for this world's sky and foundation and building this place where both twins resided now. While the preparation for everything tedious and painful process, from now on, Wodime was sure, things are going to become easier when it came to his magical art-

"Hey, Lio… Earth to Lio!" The concerned voice of Taylor brought Kirschtaria to reality. She was waving her hand in front of his face that still was painted with an amused expression.

He awkwardly coughed in his fist a few times. While trying to remember what they were talking about.

"It would be much easier to demonstrate." Said Lio Hebert with an enthusiastic voice. With this, he dropped the white coat from his body, revealing his bare upper-half.

The sound of an explosion in his mental landscape accompanied the activation of his magical circuits. The "sound" was his so-called mental trigger for activating his circuits. Most of the mages have one; some of them connected to their magecraft or were chosen by the mage for the simple reason of likening the sound.

Kirschtaria's was chosen by himself because it perfectly corresponded with the two most important moments of his life. First was a sound of a bullet being shot that crippled his as a mage and the other the sound of an explosion that ended his life the first time around. Before the first incident he preferred to think about it as a metaphorical sound that ravages the world when a new star is born.

He lifted his right hand and carefully started to reinforce parts of his body. Bones, muscles, tissues, and skin. In Magecraft, when you reinforce something you don't just make things more durable, no, you strengthen the item's ability or a characteristic. Improper reinforcement can easily result in your bones being shattered by the strength of the muscles, your skin ripped apart and you can have your internal organs explode.

The lines on his body that represented his magical circuits lit up all over his bare chest and arms. There were also several extremely small around the eyes. He tried to modify them to acquire some form of Mystic Eyes, but quickly stopped when he understood that he has no clue how to do it properly. And he really didn't want to explain why all of a sudden he needs to delete several nerves around his eyes.

Then he moved his right hand and made a fist. He could feel a pleasant sensation of his muscles filled with magical energy. Then he simply punched the ground. Instead of his bones breaking and his hand bleeding, there was a dent on the ground.

"So, first of all my power provides some enhanced strength, regeneration, and increase in reflexes. Nothing special really, probably the level of low-Brute. Then comes the most fascinating part!"

He flexed his fingers and then his circuits glowed a bit brighter for a second. He commanded his magic to form small spheres that represented the four out of five elements.

The ball of concentrated fire appeared above his hand's palm. Then another made of water. A small part of the ground was ripped and flew to the other two spheres. The last of was one of Air, which was a barely visible ripple in the form of a circle.

"Elementumkinesis is my main ability. I hold control over four elements that create the world. Though… my control radius is at best seven to eight meters." For now, he added mentally.

"The main weakness is I can't directly affect living things by it. So, sadly no burning from the inside or robbing people of metal in their bodies. I can manipulate existing fire and other elements and that is less taxing then create things for me to control out of nowhere."

Well, part of it was a lie. He could burn people from the inside, but it takes an ungodly amount of energy and only works against people without power. Whatever it is that gives people power, it also granted them a weird form of resistance to energy manipulation.

It was probably so called effect Manton that he read about another day. Apparently, it was either a psychological barrier or a forced limiter on powers. Which was really weird, because his Magecraft had nothing in common with other powers. While normal could be affected, the parahumans were untouchable to direct manipulation. With direct contact he could probably affect them in some way and in all honesty it was a great detector. He could simply try to heat a part of their skin that was visible and feel the resistance of the normal human or the resistance of a cape.

Before Taylor managed to ask about something, her phone rang. With a surprised expression, she took it from her pocket and looked at the screen. An unknown number. Female twin looked at the male twin with a wondering expression and he simply shrugged his shoulders muttering something about a moment being ruined.

"Hello?" Answered the call Taylor with an uncertain voice.

"Taylor? It is you, yes? Where are you with your brother?" A female voice asked.

"And you are?"

"Kids these days… Your grandmother, Diane Boucher. Poor Annette how could she marry a man that didn't tell her kids that their grandmother is about to visit them…" The voice sounded disappointed, but at the same time there was a note of regret and sorrow.

Her brother that appeared to stand near her with his ear pressed to the back of the phone nearly facepalmed himself.

"I don't want to sound rude, grandma, but aren't you supposed to be visiting at the weekends?" With flat tone muttered Taylor.

"Well, I managed to finish things faster than I anticipated and decided to visit my grandkids a bit earlier!" Her voice was unnaturally sweet, compared to what both of them heard from dad's previous calls to her.

Both of them looked at each other in the eyes and simultaneously said.

"Fuck!"

"What was that?"

"Nothing! Nothing to worry about! Where are we? Ah, we were taking a breath of the fresh air in the park! Yes. We will be home soon… See you later!" A bit awkward and in panic Taylor ended the call.

"Well, on the positive side of things, we can try to reunite the family. On the negative side… it will now take a lot more effort to sneak out and prepare for our debut…" Said Lio somewhat optimistically.

"Remind, what is the name of our duo?"

"Ah… To be honest, I haven't thought about this part until now." A bit dazed answered teen.

"Just great…" Muttered Taylor while massing her temples.

With a heavy sigh, Lio moved and grabbed his coat. Then he swiped his hand along a void and twins appeared in between two familiar boxcars.

"How are we going to explain you being clothed like a male stripper?" A bit concerned asked Taylor.

"Who said I wasn't?" Seriously asked Lio. "After all, we need resources to operate and do things!"

His sister froze in place and looked at him with wide eyes.

They proceed to go home in complete silence.