I rush home quickly, it's Friday and only a little after noon, dad wouldn't be home until around 6 tonight. I'm dead set in my new path. I'm going out in costume Sunday Night. I have around six hours to work on finishing up my costume and I plan getting a lot done. I arrive home, get changed and head right to the basement where I'm storing my costume and black widows. I work until I hear dad's car pull into the driveway and start putting everything away but take one last look at it for the day. The body still needs the arms and legs capped off but the mask is done and looks amazing. The mask conveys a bug theme perfectly with mandibles along the jaw line and large amber eyes reminiscent of compound eyes. It's almost exactly how I pictured it and conveys the picture of a hero just how I wanted. Hell you'd have to be a moron to think I was anyone but a hero.
I finish putting it away and exit the basement and leave the hallway just in time for dad to come through the door. He sees me and I can see that he's trying to come up with some proper greeting. He has tried to connect with me and be closer ever since the locker incident, but it's like there's some wall he just can't scale when it comes to talking with me. Since mom died we drifted apart but I didn't know it was so bad to the point that we basically forgot how to at least greet each other. Knowing that our relationship may never recover from mom's death hurts, it cools and anger I've felt since lunch as he tries to find a way to say hello in a caring and fatherly way and just leaves behind a hollow pain.
Dad finally found something to latch on to and says "H-hey Taylor, how did your day go." dryly, like he couldn't figure out what inflection or emotion he should use.
"Um, not to bad, eh and you?" like I was any fucking better. Being socially starved for almost two years doesn't help with reconnecting with my dad. I mean the only positive social experience I've had recently is talking with Owl and that's sad. And there's that hollow pain again. God I'm a mess.
"Work wasn't to bad today, but I'll be going in this weekend to finish up some work." Then he lights up a little will an idea "Hey I could make dinner for the both of us tonight."
Fixing our relationship is going to be a give and take for both sides, but I just can't open up yet "I ate earlier so I'm just gonna go to my room for the night." I tell dad with a bald faced lie. I haven't eaten since breakfast but I just want to escape the pain and bury myself in more work for Sunday night.
"Oh, okay well goodnight, S-see you tomorrow." He looks at me for a second sadly then walks into the living room to put some of his stuff away. And now I feel worse, come on day just keep the hits coming. With a sigh I go up to my room.
I pull out a couple maps I have of the area around my neighborhood and the greater docks area and spent the rest of the night plotting out the patrol route I want to take.
I woke up late Saturday morning to someone knocking on the front door. After a few minutes and repeat knocks at the door and I figure I have to get up and answer the door. When I get to the living room I notice dad's work stuff is gone, he must already left for the day to try and keep the Dockworker's Union afloat. I take a peek through the peephole and see only pink and blonde shifting back and forth quickly. Damn Owl is here wondering where I am. Well my as well open the door.
"Tay Tay, what took you so long, wow you look horrible did you sleep upside down." Tactful, thank you Owl. I grunt and look in the small mirror near the door. Damn I have drool marks going down my face and my hair looks like kindergartners were playing with it.
"I had a hard night Owl." No point in lying to my probably only friend in life right now.
She gives me a look up and down for a second "Hey do... do you want a hug, you don't look great right now."
Shit, she cares and I don't know how to feel about that. It's been a while since someone cared, the last person was Emma and that didn't last long. And thinking of Emma is just bringing yesterday's pain back to the front. The bugs in my range are being rather jittery, oh I'm doing that. Oh I think I just hit my limit. Well in for a penny, in for a pound.
"Yeah Owl, I think I need a hug." She suddenly embraces me as soon as I finish the sentence. When I feel her basically cradling me in the doorway I finally break down and cry into the crook of her neck. All the grief of the past year and the anger and hate of yesterday flow out of me as Owl slowly leads me into the house and to the couch to sit, but never lets me go.
After a while I recover enough to lean out of the hug " Owl why do you care so much." I choke out.
"I don't know what made you sad Tay, but we're besties so I'll be there for you no matter what." I give a little laugh. "You're here for me and care but we only met Monday."
It's Owl's turn to laugh as she lets me go and sits back into the couch "A friendship has to start somewhere, and I don't usually stay in an area for very long so I try to make great friends as fast as possible."
Wow, what happened to airhead Owl.
She ended up staying with me for a few hours and eventually left when she was sure I was okay and giving me one last hug on the way out.
We didn't end up talking about anything really important, just sat together and babbled about nothing and it was one of the kindest moments I've had in a long time. I couldn't open up about what happened though, it's just another hurdle in a long line of them that I don't have the energy to get over, yet. Instead I told Owl that we'd go jogging again starting Monday. I eventually got off the couch, made some food and went back to prepping for Sunday night.
The next day and a half past by without any more incidents, thank god. I don't know if I could keep going with this roller coaster of emotion, I'm just drained but by Sunday night I've hyped myself up and get ready to go.
When it's late enough and I'm sure dad has fallen asleep I pull out my finished costume.
It looks beautiful. Sleek black, armored in the areas I think I'll need it the most. I even had enough time to make pockets. I pull on my mask and shimmy out my window and head north.
I've been walking around for a while with my bugs scouting and looking for trouble, any crime at all really but I haven't found anything yet. Man if crime could just announce itself like in cartoons this would be much easier. Oh wait, my bugs are picking up a group of people, and this big of a group out this late must be up to no good. I hope the rest of my cape career is this easy.
I slink my way closer through alleyway towards where those people are and collect more bugs along the way. I start to hear voices that sound vaguely Asian, so they might be ABB goons. I find a fire escape and climb it for a better vantage point. Looking over the edge I see a collection of guys in front of a store, all of them holding weapons some have baseball bats with nails in them and pipes, while others are holding pistols. It looks to be about 10 people all together. Then I see one without a shirt on, damn he's pretty beefy, and look up farther and see a steel dragon mask on his face. FUCK that's Lung, fuck I was checking him out. Although they have to be up to no good I can't take on Lung of all people, he curb stomps the local Protectorate for fun. Just as I start to back away and search for the closest pay phone with my bugs I hear him start speaking.
"Quiet! Those foolish children have disrespected us, so we'll go teach them a lesson. I don't want any of them alive, if you see one on the ground shoot them again, I want them dead." Oh he sounded angry.
But I can't just let them go now, they're going to kill kids. What kind of hero would I be if I let them kill kids. With that thought I gather my swarm to attack. I set my insects to descend on them like biblical locusts on the Egyptians. Wasps and bee go for their soft, squishy faces while spiders spin thread between their legs as ants and other ground based insects make the long trek up the gang members legs. They all scatter, screaming and trying to get away. Except Lung, he yells then explodes in a ball of fire, killing any bugs near him. I take that as my cue to leave now and start walking away across the gravel roof.
"YOOOOOOUUU!."
Oh is he talking to me, wow it's like he could, hear ... my footsteps. Shit. Of course super rage dragon has super hearing. I look behind me to see a large hand grab the edge of the roof as Lung hoists himself over and onto the roof. I can see the beginnings of scales start to peak through his skin and he looks taller.
"Ha ha, just some little girl made my men scatter, well let me pay you back for this insult." He then starts to advance on me.
I back into the edge of the building that the fire escape is on, but Lung is between me and the ladder.
Then I have a genius idea and if it works I'll escape and live another day. When Lung gets close enough I spray him in the face with my pepper spray and try to dash to the ladder. There's only one problem with that plan, Lung. He roars and covers his face with one arm and back hands me with the other with enough force to send me over the edge and into the opposite buildings wall. I hit it, fall and bounce off the lid of a dumpster in the alleyway and curl into a ball of pain on the ground. I roll over and look up and see the entire roof of the building explode in a ball of fire.
Lung then stumbles over the edge himself and falls to the ground with a heavy thud. I'm stunned for a moment but he starts to twitch and fight his way back to standing so I swarm his face with as many stinging, poisonous insects as I possibly shoots off bursts of fire to get rid of my bugs but I send more at him and try to get my feet under me. He doesn't seem to be growing any more and his mask must of came off with the fall so I'm able to see his swollen face.
"Oo bish." then drunkenly lunges forward and gives me a flaming front kick to the chest, shooting me back 15 feet and colliding with the side of another dumpster, my head hits it with a crack and I just sit their slumped against the dumpster moaning in pain.
He walks over to me hunch backed to finish me off. Then I look up and see a figure jump off a roof of a near by building.
The person dive kicks right into Lungs back and rides him down until he hits face first into the ground, then the person front flips off Lung.
They then look down at him to see that he's still moving a little so they reel back and kick Lung in the side of the head with a crack, sending him into a horizontal cartwheel towards the alleyway entrance and more importantly, away for me.
When he stopped I saw that the side of his head was caved in. Ohshitishedead!
Wait, no his head is slowly healing but he's not moving. Thank god, whoever that is knocked him out.
I look up to see who saved me but I'm surprised when all I see is a hand, blonde and pink. Hold up it couldn't possible be-
"Hi, I'm Owl what's your name" It is. Why is Owl there now?
"Hey that was pretty fun" Did my friend just jump off the 6 story tall building?
"That was a cool kick right. Hey who's that guy I kicked?" Did she just knock out Lung?!
"You smell nice. Oh you smell familiar, do I know you." "Owl it's me, Taylor"
She looks surprised for a moment, then gets very excited. "Tay Tay what are you doing out here."
"Um..."
"Wait a minute, you're out late, wearing a mask so no one knows you, and you have a costume. Oh no Tay are you a weird fetish hooker?"
What! "No! I'm a cape." Fuck. Wasn't suppose to tell anyone.
"Yay"
Hold on "What do you mean 'yay'" I say, honestly surprised.
"Well I'm happy, that means me and my best friend are both capes."
"You're a cape?!"
"Well yeah of course." She just says like I should have fucking known that fact.
"Wait Owl, why are you here?"
"Oh, I saw cool explosions so I thought I could find something fun to do." Then she smiles "Wanna do anything fun if you're free, I've got some free time."
"Owl I'm in a lot of pain right now, do you think I could have some help home." Fun currently being far down the list of priorities.
"Yeah sure why not." She then walked over and picked me up like I was nothing in a bridal carry.
The sudden movement let me know that my body disagreed with be moved. The back of my head ached something fierce. And it hurt to breathe. The front of my chest stung in a way that let me know I probably have burns there. God I hope none of my costume melted to my skin.
"So who has that guy you were playing with anyway?" Owl asks after she done settling me in her arms and starts walking towards the alleyway entrance.
"That was Lung, He's one of the toughest guys in the city." Does she seriously not know who he is?
"Awesome, does that mean I'm now the toughest?" She asks , completely unfazed by what she just did.
"That definitely could be the case." Someone says behind us as we turn and see four people and three lizard monsters walking towards us from the far end of the alley. One is a girl in a purple and black catsuit with a domino mask, the tall guy looks like he rode a motorcycle here with all the leather and his full helmet painted like a skull, there's a Renaissances fair guy with a stick, and a beefy girl with a cheap dollar store mask.
"Who are you guys." I'm a little afraid of what they could be here for, if it's to continue the fight I wouldn't be able to help Owl and I don't think she could take all of them.
"Don't worry we're not here to fight" The purple one throws in. That's good to hear but how'd she know I was worried about it. "I'm psychic, it's what I do, no we came here to thank you. We're the Undersiders and Lung was after us so thanks for the save." She responds.
Damn, she can read minds? And aren't the Undersiders villains. Did I come out as a hero tonight and just end up saving villains for another villain.
"You guys are villains right, so what you're going to thank us then rob us."
Owl looks down to me then whips back up to look at the Undersiders. "Wait you're villains, that means you're bad guys. Do you wanna fight me, ooh that could be lots of fun." Owl's smile kicks up a notch or five after saying that.
The purple one raises her hand up as if to interject but stares at Owl a little and her hand starts to tremble. She then leans over to leather guy and whispers something to him. He shoots her a quick glance then turns to us. "No, no, we don't want a fight. We just wanted to thank you. Well if that's it we'll uh, get going." They then start walking to the lizards while whispering to each other, hop on their lizards, and make what I can say looks like a hasty retreat. Well that's weird. Owl looks at me then kind of shrugs and continues to walk out of the alley. We both hear an engine and look to see Armsmaster rocketing down the street in our direction. He must see us because he pulls over. Thankfully some one is here to help finally.
As he's getting off his bike he takes a second glance at us, tenses, then quickly jumps off the bike and pulls off his halberd and levels it at us.
"Owl, unhand that person and surrender." He yells at us and looks to be talking to someone over his radio in a hushed tone.
"Hey Armsy" Armsy? "I can't fight again right now, my friend needs a hand." Fight again?
There's a pause, then "I'm going to have to ask you to come into custody peacefully, no one wants anyone to get hurt."
Custody, this is ridiculous. "We just fought Lung what do you mean, what's she in trouble for any way?"
He keeps his halberd leveled at us and replies while keeping his eyes on Owl. "Where is Lung, is he still alive?"
"Yeah he's still alive, he's Lung, he's knocked out in the alley." This is weird what's his problem.
Owl looks down to me and leans in to whisper "Tay I think I need to put you down now so you don't get hurt, I think I need to leave." She then helps me into a standing postion.
Armsmaster then gruffly asks "Owl do you agree to come in peacefully."
"If I say no do I get to fight you again. It was pretty fun last time." Oh my god is she crazy, she can't fight him.
I look over to Armsmaster as he takes a second to reply, before finally pointing his halberd away from us. "I've been instructed to not engage you in combat tonight."
"Awe, well If you don't want to fight I guess I'll be leaving then." She then waves and runs off
Armsmaster keeps his halberd lowered as he watches Owl leave before turning to me and growls out "You, are you an associate of hers."
"What does it matter, Lung's over there why is she in trouble." I didn't know one of my hero's is such a dick.
"The Owl is wanted for several kidnappings, and has been linked to multiple homicides."
What. Sweet, airheaded Owl is a killer. No that can't be right.
"Are you a villain?" What do you mean vill-
"No! I'm a hero."
He looks me up and down "If you're a hero then wait there, I need you to come in with me, but I need to secure Lung." And gives me a glare before grabbing something off his bike and walking past me while glaring.
As soon as he goes into the alleyway I weigh my options and hobble away, towards home. I don't like his vibe. Besides he got Lung so he probably doesn't need me anyway right. And he made Owl leave so you know what, he can fuck himself.
I eventually make it home with no more excitement for the night. I make my way to my room and lay down and think about tonight's adventure. Wow i fought Lung and lived. And found out Armsmaster is a dick while on the job, and Owl has fought him and is a possible killer.
I don't know how to feel about that one. She's so nice, but killers can be nice sometimes to I guess. But kidnapping, that's, I mean really, Owl?
Well I still don't really know her so it's possible. But she's my friend I couldn't just turn my back on her like that right. I still don't have all the details. And if I just drop her for no reason I'd feel like Emma.
That settles it, I don't know all the facts so I can't just stop being her friend and I refuse to treat her like Emma treated me.
With that thought I finally pass into unconsciousness for the rest of the night.
AN/ Taylor might seem to be reacting oddly to certain things but I think and feel that Taylor finally making a friend after so long, then almost hurting a lot of people in anger, and then having said friend care about her would set her off. If it was like canon and she had the whole weekend to bury the pain then she might have been fine but having Owl right there so soon didn't give her a chance to. I also feel she would end up latching onto Owl pretty hard and defending her. After a year and a half of hell she finally finds someone that cares. She isn't badass Skitter yet, she's still just a traumatized girl that's been socially neglected so I think it would have to get pretty bad for her to leave Owl behind. I know some of her character interactions might be weird so I just wanted to explain part of my inane reasoning. Thanks for reading. If you have any thoughts or criticisms please leave a review, I'd love to hear what you think.
-Killa