Amelia Claire Lavere
"What the fuck are you doing!"
Bitch snarled but Amelia continued to ignore her, focusing on her work of art in front of her eyes. It was a marvelous thing. She had heard about Hellhound's power back at the PRT but seeing it to work with your own very eyes, was something different entirely: to watch the dog bursting from his insides, spraying blood and gore over everyone present. She couldn't help but feel pride at the notion that only she and her mother, didn't flinch at the sudden red shower. How could they? It felt so natural.
Even then, the showering paled in comparison to the inside mechanisms of the augmented dog. Instinctually, soon as the transformation was over, she placed her gloveless hand over the massive canine. So much information, so much to learn. This isn't just a dog-dreadnought, this is a walking, breathing living Bio-thinker encyclopedia! She thought as she drank deeply from the cup of knowledge that was offered to her: Muscle tissue, tendons, ligaments, bones, exoskeleton, endoskeleton, and the list goes on. It took all her willpower to don't moan in ecstasy for the massive amount of information her power was processing, assimilating and metabolizing.
"Are you listening?!"
This isn't a step toward the creation of a beast. This is a ten-thousands of steps!
And the central unit! What a marvel. Turns out that Bitch's dogs weren't augmented as it looked like from the outside. The dogs were closer to a flesh suit, constructs piloted by an unaugmented canine, kept safe inside a sack, and connected to the augmented body but a neural framework. Could she replicate this? Of course, she could! By reserve-engineering this specimen, she could finally circumvent her rule with brains. She could finally start some practical experimentation!
Still, Bitch really needed to do some work on the aesthetics. She reflected. While the insides of Undersiders powerhouse's pet-monster were a biotechnological marvel, the outsides left something to be desired. Patches of oily skin, fur, visible muscle tissue, and spikes of bones. How crass. Did somebody ever tell her to pick a design and stick with it? You don't mix a flayed aesthetics, a bone plated aesthetics, the hulked-out aesthetics, a furry aesthetics, and then pray for what comes out. This is what happens when you give a pseudo-Biotinker power to a brute with no artistic sense.
Finally, Amy was snapped back to the real world by a hand gripping her arm still placed over the dog. The crow-feather cape turned her head, meeting a pair of eyes burning with hatred.
"Get. Your. Hands. Off. Brutus."
The Undersider was gripping her arm so hard that one week ago she would have probably left a permanent mark on the small girl. Emphasis on a week ago, as Amelia effortlessly freed her arm from the bulker girl's grip with a single movement. Chalice, after Chalice her strength had increased enough to be qualified as a very low low-level brute.
"I was running a diagnosis…" She snarled back. "Checking if your mutt had any health problems… you know I don't want him to have a heart attack because he got scared by one Bakuda's explosion…". She somewhat lied. Probably she could do it but at the same time, Bitch's tissue was incredibly hard to work with it. It was dead and alive at the same time and Amy was sure that any changes she did to the dogs would be instantly canceled as long they stuck near their owner.
"My dogs don't get sick…" The larger girl replied, still surprised by the fact that the smaller girl had been able to so easily shake off her grip. On the other hand, her tone lacked previous hostility. She seemed satisfied with her answer.
"I didn't know until now." The young hunter lifted her hand from the beast and put the gloves back on. "All yours…" Bitch grunted before hopping over the large canine by grabbing on one of his bone-spikes and starting to walk towards the direction that Kaiser's indicated.
To think about how everything started… Amy reflected on the previous night. All she wanted to do was to take a look, spent a night the farthest away than possible from that shithole that was Dallon's House and maybe (big maybe) talk with some cool villain. Before she realized she had thrown herself into a blistering rant about her father and her origins, only because she wanted to prove a point with Tattletale. She could feel her cheeks color of red under the beaked white mask for the embarrassment. Now, she understood how people feel after they do some pretty stupid shit while drunk.
Emilia spent the entire day making compliments for her for the way she had acted, telling her that she acted just like Marquis would and how proud she was of her "little villain lumenflower growing up". She wasn't mad for her stealing her spotlight, as Amy feared, not in the slightest, but all those compliments didn't help in making her look less like a bloody-red tomato for the embarrassment even if it felt nice for one to have a parental figure expressing his approval about her (admittedly awesome) exploits.
Yes, she did a good job, especially in concealing her emotions, just one step closer to be like Father, even then she was sure that Tattletale had already picked up with her stupid bullshitting psychic powers, her massive fear of her tearing her new life into shreds but the Simurgh-lite seemed more amused than anything. Probably this was for her just a game…
The Biotinker and Thinker were locked into a stalemate, both able to deal a crippling blow to the other (one physically, the other mentally) but both had no intention to pull the trigger until the other attacked. Then again, she doubted that this will stop that vulture to play with her food. Fine, she could play this game too, now…
Yes, let be know that Amelia Claire Lavere has no problem dancing a masochistic tango with a cute blonde…
…
Hold on, that came out wrong.
…
On second thought, that came out EXACTLY right. Let's face it, Victoria and the Doll aren't enough for me anymore… Still, I would rather rot out in the hospital than go out for a date with that psychic bitch…
"Hey" She heard a voice calling her, a pair of familiar orange lens staring at her and… her axe? What she never saw an axe before?
Ugh… Bug Girl, now going Skitter, she had forgotten that they were put on the same team. Why she couldn't be put on the same team with Hookwolf? I bet that he knows the sickest metal bands. Victoria's taste in music didn't match hers.
Oh God, did you want really to ask Hookwolf musical recommendations? He is a Nazi! A small traitorous part of her that still belonged to Amy Dallon's mind screamed.
Yes, a Nazi that can turn into a wolf made of knives. How do you get more hardcore than that? Amelia fought back.
Do you really want to consort with the likes of Hookwolf? Auntie Jess murderers? How could you do that to Victoria?
Wolf. Made. Of. Knives.
...
I guess that the villain train has no brakes.
Amelia sighed internally, after having pondered on the wonderful moral trainwreck her life had become.
Skitter was still staring at her, waiting for an answer, maybe, maybe not, it was hard to tell. "Uhm… Hey…" She saluted back. Orange lenses and beaked white-mask staring at the other in silence, having no idea of how continuing the conversation. A little bloodthirsty part of Amelia's mind was urging her to grab the Hunter's Axe and split the girl skull but then again, the rules were clear. No bloodshed among team-mates… for now…
Then again, the majority mind wasn't focused on murderous thoughts, no, the majority of Amelia's mind was focused on a different thing entirely… on how fucking cool Skitter's costume was.
How could she have noticed it the first time, she met her? At the bank all she was focused on was her being a villain and that a villain that was touching her. A villain that had to be fought. A villain that Carol hated, and therefore she hated. A villain that was pointing a knife at her neck.
She stared at the chitinous material of the plating; it was natural? Yes, it was without a doubt. She can control bugs, does that means that she made the costume by herself? That means... The silk of her costume… it that spider silk? Oh, THAT'S. SO. COOL. I thought that it was just a cheap imitation made of plastic but, no, it's a handcrafted product! And the plating. Oh, the plating. Finally, somebody that understands fashion sense! Nightmarishly creepy and terrifying without looking over-top and impractical.
Oh, god, that's Vicky's talking. Amy mused. Of course, constantly listening to her cape-fashion rants had rubbed her off at some point, even though their tastes were diametrically opposed. She still remembered her rant, after the robbery about "how Skitter didn't even try aesthetically to don't look like a monster…"
…A monster that kicked her ass, hard.
At some point, the crow-feathered cape realized that staring wasn't polite… Is she a tinker too? Can make other bug themed gear? Can she make a copy of her costume for me too? Questions for later. "Uh, so Skitter, uh?"
Finally, the cape recovered from the silence. "Uhm, yes couldn't decide on a name so the media sort of picked one for me."
"Yes, I saw the whiteboard at the PRT HQ, somebody had suggested stuff like Maggot or Worm. But turns out that is bad PR to get your ass kicked by somebody called Maggot, so Skitter it is."
"Really?"
Amelia nodded.
"Yes, somebody else had suggested Pestilence or Stinger but they were already taken…"
"Well, that's interesting but... I want to talk…"
"…About what?"
"About what happened at the bank…"
The gaze of Amelia narrowed, under the pale mask. "Go on…"
"I wanted to say sorry about…"
"About what?! Tattletale destroying my life? About you pointing a knife at my neck?" She felt her voice rising. She was beyond that. She wasn't weak anymore. And yet she couldn't help but think about how she would have handled the situation, now.
"Yes. Sorry. It wasn't my intention. Glory Girl was on us. I didn't know Tattletale would have acted. And there is also another thing…"
Skitter got closer, checking around for somebody trying to listening to them. Good Hunter was near them but she seemed only to stare at them intently. Skitter was probably using her swarm to be sure that was going to say wasn't heard by anybody else but them.
"I am an undercover hero…"
What? WHAT?
"What did you just say…"
"Uh, I mean… it's complicated. You see… one thing, lead another and I am a member of the Undersiders. It wasn't my intention to join but I decided to because I want down our… their secret boss. It wasn't my intention to hurt you but I had no choice…"
She isn't lying, isn't it? Amy couldn't believe. Skitter was a hero! A hero! She joined a team of thieves by accident. That was so stupid, so arsine. As if a heroine could end up for a series of absolutely contrived coincidences as a villain, going around committing atrocity after atrocity with a (while admittedly awesome) extremely creepy costume. That's so stup-
…
...
"…"
I am really ONE HELL of a hypocritical bitch, aren't I?
Skitter, fortunately, ignorant of the crow-feather cape's epiphany, continued. "I had talked with Armsmaster before the robbery. I had told him about it… But everything went wrong. Again, I am sorry…"
"ARMSMASTER KNEW?" Amelia squeaked, almost screaming. Skitter was quick to shut her up.
"Quiet"
Meanwhile, Amelia went from fighting the urge to scream to fight the urge to ram her head against the closest wall. Armsmaster knew. Armsmaster knew and he still managed to screw everything up. It was his fault. Because he was an idiot, I had to suffer a mental breakdown. Once again I have to be the one that gets fucked up because nobody can do his job decently… How can somebody fuck up so many things in so little time? Just like with the tranq-
Hold on...
"IT WAS YOU!" Now Amelia screamed, even having a few heads turning towards her. In the talking, both girls had ended up at the tail end of the group. The bug girl jumped on her feet, as the Biotinker pointed her finger at her.
"What!?"
"You! You took down Lung." Everything made sense. The poison, in Lung bloodstream, matched that of multiples wasps, honeybees and whatever. How could she have not thought about it before? It was Skitter that fell the dragon. And Armsmaster stole her credit.
"How do you…"
"I was the one sent to patch him up…" Amy said, placing her hands over her hips. "He was dying. Armsmaster did a shitty job with that tranquilizer and Lung regenerative system failed to fight both it and your poison. It isn't your fault, don't worry…" Why I am reassuring her?
"Oh, I see…" Skitter mused, pondering on what she had just learned.
"I can't believe this…" Amelia continued. "You took down the most dangerous parahuman of the North-Eastern coast alone, without a team and what he does? HE STOLE YOUR CREDIT" Amy's without even realizing, defended Skitter, her Hunter's side speaking through her. That was so against the rules, so wrong. To steal somebody's prey... somebody hunt...
"It's not that big deal. We had agreed on this. To avoid an ABB's reprisal."
"Oh yes, that worked perfectly…" Amelia remarked with poisonous sarcasm, pointing at the city in shambles. "You kicked Lung's ass. You CASTRATED him for fuck's sake! And how does he repay you for risking your life? STEALING YOUR CREDIT? Then, you risk your life again by helping him against your team-mates and what he does? He sends his dogs, the Wards so that he can arrest you all and take all the glory? This is a hero? Fucking good to nothing glory hound..."
Even in her scorned pride, Amy managed to somehow keep her tone low so that nobody could ear the last part. Her anger toward the girl for threatening her had vanished at this point. She felt… empathy? Could she feel empathy for Skitter? Yes, she was. The bug girl wasn't that much different from her… She had worked her butt to do the right thing, to be a good person and how did Caro...Armsmaster, repaid her? Marking her as a monster and antagonizing her at every opportunity, while still reaping the fruits of her hard work no less. Yes, that's right. She didn't have to hate her. Besides hating her for what? Being a villain? Hating villains was a remain of Carol's toxic mentality that she showed down her throat so that she could wallow in her own self-loathing herself for the rest of her life. And she has a sick costume... Honestly, how can you hate somebody with a costume that cool?
And also, she didn't reply to her accusation. Because she knows I am right ...
or... maybe because she is a teeny little bit surprised that I am defending her…
Holy crap, I am defending Skitter…
"Sorry…" Amelia replied somewhat embarrassed. "I-I got carried out…"
"It's okay…" Skitter waved. It was hard to understand what was going on behind her mask. Was she relieved that I understood her or was she creeped out by my rant? With that mask is so difficult to tell.
"Another thing…"
"Yes?"
"Panacea, why did you decided to become a villain?" Skitter finally asked. "I get that apparently, you're Marquis' daughter but why? Yesterday, you spoke about the city, your birthright… I don't get it, it's because of what Tattletale did to you, of what I did?"
Oh, she asked about that. She mused. How could she answer that question? She thought about her later feeling of empathy for the girl. How quickly (too quickly) she went from hostility to mild form of... understanding? Perhaps it wouldn't be wrong to open herself up, just a little bit?
"Well, that rant was a spurn of the moment. I just wanted to show Tattletale that I wasn't scared anymore of my origins, of my powers, of myself. One thing leads to another… and I am boasting to birthrights and whatever. Honestly, I don't know yet what I want to be: villain or not. But… I've changed a lot this week. I've done things, some good, mostly bad and those things changed me. I don't want to go back. Nothing of this has to do with the robbery. Even before the bank, I was in a really bad state of mind. People hated me, I tried to earn their love, I fought as hard as I could for their love but no matter what they hated me. Nobody truly cared about my efforts. They treated me, like trash, like a monster, pushing me down day after day in the hole that I had dug for myself for them. It's a horrible feeling to live your life devoid of any hope for the future...
But now that I have embraced what I am... that I've accepted it... I feel better about me and my powers..."
Her words were full of sadness, a sadness that she didn't felt from days. The sadness of little Amy Dallon the girl that had nothing besides a place in Victoria's shadow. Perhaps, at that moment she truly realized how much she had changed in what? just a week? In a week, she had gone from beating a villain with a fire-extinguisher to confide to said villain things she had never told to anybody. Not even Victoria... And that villain had done the same, telling her secrets that she didn't tell anybody! Right in the middle of a raid. Okay, maybe she did that because she was overcome by guilt for having accidentally unleashed the second coming of the Nilbog... But point is that she was talking about her insecurities. With Skitter of all people! What happened to push her to such a change?
Well, for starting she died. Many. many times. and she made a contract with an Eldrich God. Oh, she embraced her power... the legacy of a father who loved me so much to go to the Birdcage for me...
Yes, after going throughout so much what was a little leap of fate? Just a little hope... that she will be able to understand... not everything about me, just a little...
Skitter stared at Panacea in silence, she had even stopped walking. There was something in the air that made Amelia think that she had just put Skitter in an incredibly awkward position. Did I opened up too much and I had upset her? Why I did that? That's why you don't have any friends, Amy...
Skitter took a deep sight.
"I understand what does feel like to find yourself in a hopeless situation. You are struggling and nobody is coming for help. I can understand it all too well. I wanted just to know why you were doing this. If it makes you feel better, that's okay... Again sorry for the Bank. I had no idea of you being in such a state..."
She... understood? Somebody... understood me? Amelia struggled hard to keep her cool. Be like your father, she repeated at herself, Conceal your emotions You are a Hunter. Don't act like an awkward teenager girl, don't act like an awkward teenager...
But she WAS an awkward teenager that for the first time of her life found the closest thing she could to an actual friend. Well, more like a warped one-sided mockery of friendship... Enough. Damage control. Damage control. Act cool. How I am acting cool? I don't know: throw some jokes!
"Really, nobody will blame you for not having suspected that the girl that beat you with a fire extinguisher and gave you the headache of your life, was a nervous wreck..." Amelia joked with an embarrassed chuckle, Skitter again stared at her in silence, that was so fucking awkward, but they both resumed walking so was it a win?
"Jokes aside I am getting over it..." Yes, I am finally getting over it, over Carol, over my problems, everything...
"That's good to hear..."
"Exactly! So... now, because you asked me sorry, I forgive you for the Bank. Don't ask me to forgive your purple smartass friend, okay?"
Skitter nodded. "I wasn't expecting it, just don't kill her, please..."
No promises are made. "So… Why we don't ... you know?... forget about the bank and we act like… Uhm… we never met before? That sounds good?"
"Yes, that's sounds good…"
I can't believe, you are doing this. The last remains of Panacea seethed. She pointed a knife at our throat! She is a villain!
She understood me more than Victoria ever did.
(because you never talked about your problems to Victoria, fucking narcissistic imbecile) And besides, you want to say no to that super cool Bug Armor?
She. Pointed. A knife. At. Your. Throat.
Sweet. Sweet. Sexy. Bug Armor.
Oh, fuck me and my new Biotinker-induced Nightmare fetishism.
"… We should hurry up, we have to reach the others…" Skitter hurried, as the duo accelerated her movement.
"What do you mean that they left us?" The crow-feathered hunter squeaked, pointing at the lack of the three distinctive figures of Kaiser, Fenja, and Menja.
"You were late" Was the calm reply of the orange salamander-like cape. Newter, she guessed was his name. I must get a scan of him before the raid is over. Amy had absolutely no idea of what was his power but lizard data was too interesting to pass out. What could go wrong with a little touch?
"We were settling down some issues so that things like this wouldn't happen."
"Complain with them, not me" the salamander boy shrugged off. "We have no time for this. Let's make a plan and hurry up..."
Skitter wanted obviously to continue to discuss. But she apparently realized that was a fool's errand and she calmed down. Still looking a little stiff...
"Okay, I have dealt with Bakuda before. She likes to set up traps, I'll send my bugs first to clear up and confuse anyone inside…"
"That's step one. Bitch will go to clear the ground floor? Good Hunter, you are a low-level brute and mover right, will you go with Bitch too?"
Both Bitch and the Good Hunter gave a curt nod in response and they went to their position. Amelia mused that her mother became much less talkative when it came to action, usually just shrugging, nodding, and never saying a word. Probably she got used to that back in Yharnam or whatever...
"Okay, Sundancer, you told me before that you are an artillery cape but you are not sure that you can use your power without hurting people, will you protect Labyrinth"
The Traveler nodded.
"Coil soldiers are already taking the position on the rooftops. I'll go to the second floor…" The salamander boy continued.
"I'm going to second too…" That's sounded like a great plan, stick to the orange boy, until I can get the sample of how his biology works. She never had the opportunity to study the anatomy of a Case 53, unless you count those smutty fanfictions she had read occasionally on the Internet.
"Aren't you a healer? It would be better to stick here with Labyrinth and Sundancer…"
Amelia, taking the challenge, grabbed the large Hunter's Axe that rested on her belt, partially hidden by the large feathered cape. She raised the weapon, holding it with both of her hands before slamming it on the ground, with all the strength she could muster. The impact leaving a sizable hole in the concrete of the street, shaped like the blade of the Axe.
Everybody was staring at her dumbfounded.
"Sorry, I couldn't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am" She flashed a cocky grin under her beak-shaped mask.
"Panacea, what the hell…"
"What? I started to work out… And don't call me Panacea, I have to pick a new name." She said, holding her axe over the right shoulders with one hand. Again, Skitter was impossible to read but there was no little doubt that was extremely curious about her sudden increase of strength.
"Fine, you are coming with me…" Newter admitted defeat. He took a glance at the watch.
"Five seconds… Skitter, when you want"
The Undersider nodded, sending her swarm through the building. After a few seconds of studying the silence of the street was suddenly interrupted by the loud sound of an explosion. One of the Bakuda traps had triggered, it seemed. The explosion was followed by another pair before Skitter gave the command to move.
Newter dashed going straight for the fire-exit. Even when running the fastest she could Amy found quite difficult to simply keep up, even with her enchanted speed. Meanwhile, half-naked men and women were trying to exit to building now in flames. Those who met the Case 53 suddenly lost consciousness at the physical contact. Those who met Amy that was chasing the salamander boy were simply trampled over by the girl. She couldn't be bothered with those small fries. There were naked. Her prey was something else: she wanted a piece of Lung. Both metaphorically and literally. How many secrets she could unlock by studying his flesh?
The sight of the second floor was at least more interesting. Men were shooting at Newter who was already covering himself. Skitter bugs were present like always, supporting the orange boy by diving into the eyes and nostrils of the firing men.
With these at least she could have some fun, while Newter was busy taking them down with a touch, Amelia decided to take a page out of his book. She lunged at the closed men, swooping on him like a literal bird of prey. Before the poor fellow could realize it, she had already grabbed him by the neck and removed her glove, slowly choking the man while her power took her tool.
She thought back at her conversation with Skitter, how her poison had caused Lung's crotch to rot away. What a wonderful, idea! But why limit yourself at just the crotch? She focused her power on altering the biology of the ABB thug so that the effects of the poison could be reproduced even without it. Black spots started to appear over the mean arms as he started to scream in pain, oh so lovely…
Full body necrosis… In a few minutes, both his arms and legs will fall from his body in the most painful way possible. It will live as a pained the crippled for the rest of his life. Then man continued to scream in pain, she had made sure that nerves of his arms will be the last thing to decay…
"What the hell you did to him?" The former thin smile over the orange boy had disappeared, replaced by an expression of mixed disgust, contempt, and fear. I guess that Fall-in-line Group wasn't as hardened criminals as I thought...
"Just a little work of art… Don't worry, he'll live even if he will probably go insane for the pain… Don't you like it?" She grinned over the sound of screams. What powerful lungs, for keeping screaming so much. Did she augment them without even realizing it?
"What the fuck… are you cra-" Newter exclaimed, his disgust getting better than his common sense even if for a few moments. He never finished that phrase...
Because his body became suddenly ten or eleven pounds lighter…
Amy wasn't sure of the exact number because she had never weighted a head before.
Amelia could only take a glance at the executioner and he had already disappeared into dust. But she recognized the military outfit, the weapons, and most of all the Japanese mask. She recognized it from the stories, the stories that Carol and Mark told to Victoria before going on patrol. Stories about which villain she could fight, and from which villain she should run as fast as she could...
The stories of the Demon who made even the New Wave veterans' blood freeze into their veins for fear.
The Demon was back, now lunging at the crow-feathered cape with a blade of oriental design, too long to be called a knife but too short to be called a sword. Amelia was quick enough to block the hit with the side of her axe's blade. But then, the assassin turned to dust…
And she felt something warm deep into her abdomen…
She looked down and noticed an identical blade protruding from the middle of the stomach, covered in blood. Her blood. Did one of his clones stab her in the back?
She stumbled back. Netter's body was on the ground, the blood coming out from where his head used to be had started to form a multicolored puddle and the last expression of revulsion on his face has been immortalized even if warped by the lack of stimulus from his facial muscles. He was dead, not even Panacea could heal a decapitation… So much precious data lost…
…Then again, she had probably gained back something even better. What was the little salamander to the Demon after all?
The Demon was now inspecting the corpse of the man she had experimented with, finally, he had stopped screaming, probably because there was now a massive slash over his neck. Did slit his throat as an act of mercy of all the screaming had become annoying? Skitter bugs were going on a frenzy, trying to attack him with no avail. How cute, she actually cares…
Amelia stumbled back but she did not fall back.
No, she grabbed the blade with her free hand, and under the Killer watchful eye she pulled out the blade from her stomach, savoring every single instance of pain. Pain was different here in the Waking World, this was the first time she experienced pain here, some real pain. It tasted differently, but it was wonderful to taste nonetheless… Death after death inside the Labyrinth had sculpted pain, honing it into a part of her, like her breath. A wonderful, marvelous part of her to treasure forever. To be hurt was to feel alive!
She jammed a vial into her right leg, it had become a reflex at this point. She could feel the wound in her stomach, closing, kitting together, disappearing like it never existed in the first place.
One down, fourteen to go… She counted her vials .
Yes, this will be a worthy prey, a prey worthier than Newter's biology, worthier than Lung itself. After all, what is a Demon to a Hunter?
She activated the trigger of her Hunter's Axe, mechanism, extending the weapon until it was a pole-arm longer than herself. She pointed the Axe at Masked cape. The Demon understood the message behind the act, like any predator, no matter the species, understood the meaning of baring the fangs. He unsheathed two of blades like the one she had just pulled out from her stomach, wielding one with each hand. He probably many more on his body, together with bombs, grenades, many of them tinker-tech.
"It's shame that this roof is covering it, there is such a beautiful moon on the sky, right now…" She was outgunned but she liked the odds. The Demon was staring at her, ready to fight, never blinking, never muttering a word.
"Now then, Oni Lee, shall we dance?"