Chapter 22: Aftermath – Taylor
Danny groaned as he released the box he had put down, pressing his hands against his back as he got up. He was barely near his fifties, yet he had the body of a man half-again his age. Maybe he should take a leaf from Taylor's book and do some jogging. Or hit the gym. Assuming there were any still in business.
Grimacing, he bent down to grab the box again. He was beaten to the punch by someone bigger and stronger. "Let me get that for you, old man." Kurt said, smiling. "The way you're moving, we thought you might have a hernia." He hefted the box easily, slotting it inside the moving van. "I guess age is finally catching up to you."
"That's not age. That's geek physiques." Alexander shouted in gentle ribbing. "It's a terrible affliction that only happens if you sit on your ass all day."
"We can't all be bulging with muscles. Some of us are just born skinny." Danny shot back. Kurt, his wife Lacey, and Alexander were his closest friends. People he got to know well at the docks, before it had been shut down and every attempt to get more work met a brick wall. But despite all that, they remained close friends. "Skinny is in my genes."
"Is that your excuse when people ask you to do some real work?"
"Well someone's got to make sure you no-necked Neanderthals get looked after. Save you guys from straining yourself thinking." They all laughed at that. Danny may not be as strong, but he could give just as much as he got.
Lacey came out of the house, hoisting a large box marked for the kitchen. "Hey Danny. Saw you left a few appliances on the bench. Are those going in a box too?"
He shook his head. "They're pretty beat up, to be honest. I was going to leave them behind to be scrapped. I can always get newer ones."
"You really think the government is going to pony up on the money?" Kurt ask as he and Alex worked together to lift the wardrobe into the truck. "That's a lot of money we're talking about here."
"It's in their best interests." Danny replied. "They want to give people a reason to leave Brockton Bay. After all, how many people would want to move out of their homes to try and fight two dozen people for property elsewhere?"
"Guess it makes a bit of sense." They grunted as they shoved the wardrobe in, pressing it against the cabinet. "So, where are you moving to? New York? Washington?"
Danny shrugged. "I'm honestly not sure. Right now, I just want to get Taylor out of this place before something else happens. Leviathan, Slaughterhouse Nine, now Zeus and his Pantheon. Brockton Bay's going down, and I don't plan on being on board when it sinks."
"I hear you. Heard they need more workers over in Nashville. Could be the break we need."
"Here's hoping they don't screw us over." Lacey added.
"Well, I'm happy that you know what you're doing. With your work records, you're sure to get those jobs." Danny managed to push a box filled with books into the truck. "I'm going to pack up Taylor's room for her. Could you guys keep loading for me?"
"Sure." Danny headed indoors, until Kurt called out to him. "Have you actually told her that you're both moving?"
Danny shook his head. "Haven't been able to get in contact with her. I don't see her as much ever since she…" He stopped talking.
Ever since she moved out.
He put on a brave face. "She'll understand. Things haven't been easy since Annette died. Maybe a new home will help her recover." He turned and headed inside, going up the stairs to her room. It was still the same it had been when she left. Bed made and waiting for an occupant; Curtains wide open; schoolbooks waiting to be read and used. He brought up boxes, and started packing everything. He'll wait till they get to their new home before sorting these out. He didn't actually know what she wanted, and what she didn't.
He had just moved into the pictures she had arrayed around her room when he stopped. Before him were two pictures. One from ages ago, and one more recent. The first one was the whole family together, enjoying a day in the park. He remembered that day well. His fingers brushed the glass, passing under Taylor's gap-toothed smile. He then looked at the other picture; one he had taken the year before. Taylor in her school uniform, looking actually happy for a change. Before the bullying started. She looked so much like her mother. Tall and skinny. Annette used to joke that they were a family of lamp posts, and should wear headlamps at night. The pictures were a bit out of date, but he could easily see her as she was today. Shot up like a sapling, as skinny as a rail, long curly brown hair crashing down on her shoulders.
A chill ran down his spine, his synapses making impossible connections. He dropped the picture frames as his body went numb. Tall figure. Skinny. Long brown hair.
It couldn't be.
Kurt looked up as he stumbled out of the house, walking like a zombie. "Yo, Danny. Something the matter? Did you find Taylor's porn collection?"
"I… no." He said quietly. "I… I just… need to check up on something." And then he turned and walked away, a photo clutched in his fingers.
Kurt shrugged. "Ok. We'll keep packing for you then." But Danny wasn't listening. He kept walking in a daze, somehow finding his way to the bus stop. Thanks to the Pantheon, the roads were cleared enough to get to most places. No need to walk across the entire city.
He ignored the sounds of people around him, lost in his own little world. He only moved when the driver announced that they had reached the Boardwalk. Stumbling from his seat, he somehow got out in time, the bus rolling away behind him. He walked out of civilisation, and into the territory of a villain.
Swarm.
People were milling around, completely at ease with the state of the world around them. Maybe living under the control of a villain had made them jaded; what does it matter if their lord serves another? It wouldn't change much in the end. He quickly stepped back as one of the Infected scuttled by, carrying large timbers in its mandibles. He watched as it stopped by one of the damaged houses, another Infected sitting around the structure, supported by thick legs. Gripping claws reached down, grabbing timber and lifting it. The plank was held in place, and regular people sitting on scaffolding started using tools to hammer in nails. As they did that, more hands grabbed more planks, holding them in the air. An arm, its fingers fused into a giant blade, measured the plank, before rising and slicing it into pieces. Those pieces were them pressed against the completed frame, where other people were working. Insulation was pressed into the wall; bricks were piled up and set into place. Another infected with a huge mouth waddled over to a trench being made, head spinning slowly. It tilted over, vomiting concrete up into the trench. Big monsters held the timber in place, their bodies completely still.
And everywhere, there were bugs flying about.
He felt one settle on his sleeve, made to swat it. It buzzed away, but immediately came back, this time landing on his back. Swarm, probably keeping an eye on everyone in her territory. Turning his attention away from the monsters marching around him, he headed further in. Trying to find the villainess herself.
It didn't take him long.
There she was, in all her glory. Completely covered in a pitch-black body suit, armour plating covering the suit. A half-cape draped her shoulders, and she had added a simple tiara to her outfit. Insects scurried everywhere around her, and she was standing next to a giant insect. Some kind of beetle; but a closer look revealed similarities to the monsters made by Zeus. Long brown hair fanned around her face, curly and frizzy.
Danny looked at picture, ten at Swarm. Then the picture, then Swarm again. Same skinny figure. Same brown curly hair. Same height. Swarm turned slightly, spotted him, and halted completely. They were both statues, staring at each other from across the street.
Taylor – His little girl – was Swarm. She was a supervillain. The knowledge broke something inside of him.
They both stared at each other for what felt like forever, the bugs flying around freely as her attention wavered. But then eventually, Swarm looked away, the bugs back under her control. She stood there, while in the distance bugs formed a humanoid cloud and started talking to someone. Danny turned away, stumbling through the area until he came across a fire set up in the centre. He stopped before a bench, and plonked himself down on it. The photo fluttered from his fingers. He would've probably just sat there forever, too scarred to care anymore, but he was startled awake as someone held a plate under his face. He looked up to see a young woman with red dreadlocked hair standing over him.
"Here you go." She said. "You look like you need something to eat." Part of him wanted to just throw the plate; do something to get her out of his face. But he was too defeated to get angry; he took the plate and started eating. The woman sat down next to him. "I'm actually a bit surprised. I figured that everyone would be getting enough food now that Zeus took over. Maybe there really is a shortage." She sat down next to him. "Are you going to be ok, sir? We've got some spare space if you don't mind sleeping on the floor."
He tried to say something. But the shock had rendered him mute. He could only shake his head in response. He glanced at her again, and noticed something he missed because of his addled mind.
This young woman was wearing a black domino mask.
"You… You work for her?" He rasped out. The woman looked confused at his reaction.
"Uh, yeah. I work for Swarm. It's not the worst thing I could do. She's actually a good boss." She replied.
A good boss? His little girl was a 'good boss'? What did that even mean for a villain? Did she let her workers have free reign to do whatever they felt, to hurt or steal whatever they wanted? Or was it… Or was it more like his idea of a good boss? Someone who cared about the people under their protection, who was trying to make things better?
He desperately hoped it was the latter.
"Well… I should get back to work." The woman said awkwardly. She turned to walk away.
"Wait." He said quickly. "Stay. I want to know about Tay… Swarm. I want to know what she's like." The woman stopped, but then returned and sat back down.
"Ok. I guess I know her the best around here, Mr…"
"Call me Danny."
"Sierra. So, what exactly do you want to know?"
"Is she… ok to live under? She doesn't ask things of you that you're not comfortable with?"
"Not at all. I was worried about that too, but I've been working for her for weeks now, and I haven't been asked to do anything criminal. No drug deals, no hits, no threatening people. She just has me finding people who need help with things, point out crises we've got, and generally just help making lives easier." She paused. "She was actually the first, you know. The first villain who decided to help out the little people. Maybe Zeus got the idea from her or something."
"Does she hurt people? Or is it just intimidation?"
"Oh, she hurts people alright. I mean, you can't exactly be a villain without some ruthlessness. But she only hurts people that threaten us. She took care of some Merchants and Chosen that were trying to muscle in on our territory. Had her bugs swarming them until they scampered. They never returned, even before Zeus chased both gangs out."
Their talk was interrupted by a commotion not far away. A large family was waiting outside one of the warehouses, the head of the family arguing with a slight girl wearing a domino mask. Another of Taylor's minions. The girl seemed scared. Danny didn't blame her.
Taylor immediately approached, her giant beetle by her side at all times. She quickly took over the talk, letting herself be the centre of the man's ire. Danny felt a bit of heat flush his face. If that man raised a hand against his daughter, he would march over there and slug him in the face.
But maybe being in the heart of her territory made him reconsider. The man settled for glowering at her. Taylor didn't react; she simply bent down to the youngest child, talking to him instead. Then she stood back up, and the boy started counting to himself. In just a minute of counting, a trail of bugs came out of the warehouse, carrying a line of dead rats outside. Dozens, then hundreds. Multiplied by the lack of sanitation around. The insects deposited the rats in a pile, and one of the Infected approached it. Tendrils snaked out, and started melting the pile into a mess of matter. When the last rat had been deposited, another Infected rose up and scurried off to work. Taylor looked away from the Infected, and talked again to the man.
He was surprised. This wasn't the defeated girl he worried about last year. This wasn't even the happy child he raised before then. This was something else. Morals tempered by steel.
He wasn't sure if he should be happy for her or not.
"See? He'll complain about something or another, but she helped out. That's just the kind of person she is. I think calling her a villain is a bit of a misnomer."
"I see." He said slowly. "Thank you. That answered… a lot of questions I had." He stood up, handing the half-eaten plate of food back. "Thank you for your hospitality." And then he walked off.
He waited until he was outside the areas officially designated Swarm's territory before he texted her. Once that was done, he hurried back home as fast as he could.
'we need to talk. asap. please.' That was the text I got from my father. Barely half an hour after I saw him in my territory, staring at me like I killed someone.
I wanted to believe this was a coincidence, but I seriously doubted it.
I had made excuses to get away, gotten changed out of my suit, and hurried away as fast as I could. As far as people were aware, Swarm was inside her lair, plotting, while a young woman looking similar to her had left to see family. I missed the first bus, so I had to wait for the second one. It took me forty minutes to get home.
Imagine my surprise when I saw a battered moving truck sitting outside. I opened the back just enough to look inside. It was practically full.
Maybe this was what he had to talk about. Deciding to move us without telling me. I had to find some way to convince him to stay. I had to stay.
It wasn't that I didn't trust Alex and Dana with Brockton Bay. I'd just feel better if I was still around to keep an eye on things. And I had people depending on me. That was what I told myself.
"Dad?" I called out, knocking on the doorframe. "I'm home." No response. I tiptoed inside, taking note of how forlorn the place looked without everything. I found Dad in the kitchen, packing a bag with food. Perishables; things that could be eaten in the car. I knocked on the frame, and he seemed to stop moving. "You wanted to talk?"
"…Yes." He said, sitting down. He pressed one hand firmly against the chair. Almost like a direct order. I immediately sat down. He cleared his throat, but he seemed to be at a loss for words. The silence pressed down on us.
"Are we moving?" I finally asked. My mind was already thinking of anything I could say to convince him that we should stay.
"We are." He replied. "The government is offering funding to anyone wanting to move out of Brockton Bay. I figured we could use that money to start fresh somewhere else."
"But Brockton Bay's always been our home."
"It was our home. But now there's a dangerous villain taking over, along with a legion of other villains. We simply don't know what they'll be like. Who's to say that one of them won't just snap one day and start murdering us? Or what if they want to 'cleanse' the city? I'd feel safer being anywhere but here."
"But Brockton Bay's safe. Safer than anywhere else. The villains are keeping crime down, and Zeus has pretty much strangled the drug trade." I grimaced. There was no way regular Taylor would've known about that. "At least, that's what I heard."
Dad didn't seem too surprised. "Perhaps, but that's like saying somewhere is safe because every criminal is under the thumb of one lone crime lord. It's true, but it's not ideal. And there's still over a dozen villains under his control. What if one of them decided he didn't like following orders and started a coup? And what about if the world finally figures out how to destroy Zeus? We could be held hostage at best, at ground zero at worst."
"But… But I like it here."
"You do? After everything? Why?" He didn't sound surprised; just tired.
Why did I want to stay? No, why did Taylor want to stay? Swarm was easy; Taylor was hard. What did I have to gain from staying.
I floundered. "My friends are here. Lisa, Brian, Alec… They're all staying. They're not worried. If I leave, I'll have to make new friends. And I don't think I could do that." I stared him in the eye. "This place may not be much now, but it's home. And Zeus is fixing it up. In a few months, we'll be a regular city again. We'd…" I paused. "We'd have to leave Mum."
Dad just kept staring at me before he spoke. "Well, at least you had some good reasons." He zipped up the bag, the sound surprisingly loud. "But I know that it's not the real reason you want to stay."
A chill ran down my spine. He did know. "Dad…" I croaked.
"No." He cut me off. "I don't want to hear excuses. I don't want you to spin me a tale to try and lie to me." He looked me in the eye, and he was almost tearing up. "I know that you are Swarm."
Those six words – those six simple words – rang like a bell. The whole world went silent to me. I tried to come up with something to say, but my mind was blank.
What exactly do you say when your worst nightmares actually happen?
"Did you really think that a suit and a mask would fool me forever?" Dad was saying. "Or were you just planning on never letting me get close enough?" He pressed his hands to his face. "It was the locker incident, wasn't it? That was your trigger. A 'school prank' was enough to… to…" He couldn't get the words out. He took a shaky breath. "And of all the things you could've been, you immediately decided to be a villain?" He nearly sobbed. "Tell me the truth, Taylor. Where did we go wrong?"
"Nowhere." I replied quickly. Dad gave me a look, like he didn't believe me. I had to explain. I had to tell him the truth. "I wanted to be a hero; I really did. The first night I went out, I went out to stop bad guys and prove myself as a hero. I managed to hurt Lung on my first night. But then I met the Undersiders, and they thought that I was a villain like them because of my look." Dad looked up from his hands, wiping away tears. "Armsmaster told me that they didn't have much on the Undersiders, and so I decided to go undercover. Pretend to be a villain until I had enough information, and then turn them in. I figured that would help my career as part of the Wards."
"You…? Taylor, do you have any idea how dangerous that is? This isn't like cartoons. Most villains wouldn't hesitate to kill you to keep you quiet."
"The Undersiders are different." I retorted.
"They still would've beaten you half to death if they found out. If you wanted to join the Wards, you should've told me about your powers and gone through the legal channels." He shook his head slowly. "So, the fact that you're still Swarm means that despite everything, you're still playing the mole? Or are you in too deep?"
I breathed out. "Neither. The Undersiders didn't act anything like villains. They were definitely a lot nicer than some of the heroes. And the longer I stayed with them, the more they became…"
"Lisa." He interrupted me. "Brian. Alec." He gave me a look. "They're the Undersiders, aren't they? Lisa must be Tattletale, Alec's too small to be Grue, so he must be Regent. And Brian…" He paused. "Are you in love with him, Taylor?"
I felt it would be an insult to pretend otherwise. "Yes. But it's one-sided. He's too busy to reciprocate."
"So… you haven't…?" I got what Dad was asking, and we both blushed. "Well, that's a relief. But that doesn't fully explain why you're still a villain. Or… does it?"
I paused, then shrugged. "I decided I wasn't going to betray the only friends I had. And Alex… Well, you'd have to be insane to piss him off."
"Another reason I want you as far away from him as possible."
I shook my head. "I can't, Dad. I've got people who need me. I can't just leave them like this."
"From the look of things, Zeus has things covered. He's got teams and an army cleaning this place up. Nothing would change if you leave." Dad shook his head. "Taylor, why are you so against leaving? We could go somewhere safer. We could get you applied for the Wards. True, they'd put you on probationary status, but it's not like you've done anything too bad. As long as you kept your nose clean, you'd be an official hero within a few months."
I scoffed. Well, nearly. "People would never let me forget that I was a villain, especially amongst the Wards. I'd be the runt of the group, always getting picked on and bullied because of my past. And what if they look at what my position was instead of just my deeds? I managed to rise up to be one of the top villains in Brockton Bay before Alex took over. They might just lock me up instead."
Dad gave me a strange look, and then glowered. "That's just excuses, Taylor. I am getting tired of these excuses. I want…" He stopped, taking deep breaths. He pressed his hands to his face. "I want the truth. The honest truth. No excuses; no lies. Please Taylor. Just tell me the truth."
I paused as well. I thought I had been telling the truth. Those were all ideas I had ever since people started leaving. They were all worries that I had for my future. They had to be the truth.
Right?
Dad gave me time to think. I mulled everything over. I originally became a villain as a mole. Then I stuck around, because I had friends that I liked, and because I was afraid of Alex. But then Alex found out, and didn't do anything about it, and my reasons were just to be with my friends. And then we took over, and I helped people. And after that, Alex took over. Dad was right. I wasn't needed anymore. My people would be cared for. Others would just take over my territory. Tattletale, Grue, Regent, and Imp. I could trust them with my people; I would trust them with my life.
So then, what did I want? What would I lose if I left?
Then I thought about how people were quieter around me. How my arrival could silence a room, how people stopped fighting whenever I got near. I thought about how strong that made me feel.
And then I knew the answer.
"Before… I was nobody. Weak little Taylor Herbert; an easy target for bullies. But now I'm Swarm. I'm in charge of an entire city district. I've taken down capes bigger and tougher than me. In here, I'm important. Out there…" I waved a hand vaguely. "I'd be a target. Both as a hero or a villain. People would look at me, and see just a weak little girl. I don't… I don't want to give up that kind of power."
Dad looked me in the eye. "So that's why you want to stay? Because you're important here? Because you're powerful?"
"Truthfully? Yes." There was a finality to those words. I had made up my mind. And there was no changing it.
Dad got up from his chair, and approached me. I worried that he was finally going to lose control; to hit his criminal daughter. But what he did surprised me even more.
He hugged me. He pulled me up and held me close. We stayed like that for so long.
"I love you, Taylor." He whispered into my ear. "And I wish that I could go back and make things better. Maybe if I had done something else, you wouldn't have to worry about being seen as weak. You wouldn't have to worry about bullying." He let me go, held me at arm's length. He had a sad smile. "Just promise me that you'll stay a good person at heart."
I felt my heart break at those words. "You're leaving." It wasn't a question.
Dad got up. "I am. I'm… afraid. I know you think this place will be safe, but I'm not so sure." He handed me a slip of paper. "My phone number. So we can still talk sometimes. I'm sure a big bad villainess like you has her own phone."
"Where will you go?" I asked, brushing away tears.
"I'm not sure yet. Wherever they need a union worker maybe. It just… It just has to be anywhere other than here." He grabbed the bag, and started heading outside. "I felt all your stuff in boxes up in your room. I figured that if you were staying, you'd want it all." He stopped at the door, and looked back at me. "Take care of yourself, honey." And then he was out the door.
I was left standing in a truly empty house, alone save for myself. My bugs could feel Dad getting into the truck, could feel the vibrations as it started. I made it out to the front door, watching as he pulled out. He glanced at me one more time.
I used my bugs to spell out words. 'I heart you'. He smiled, and then he was gone.
And now it was just me. All on my own.
I'd like to pretend that I was a big tough villain, heart too cold to feel tears and loss. But truthfully? As soon as I got back to my lair, I locked the door to my bathroom and cried my eyes out. It was stupid, I know. But my Dad just left me. All because I was too stubborn. Maybe I should've agreed with him, tried my luck as part of the Wards…
No. I couldn't be like that anymore. Weak and meek and willing to go with the flow. I had to stand up for myself. Even if it was against family. I couldn't afford to be too soft now. Even though I working under Alex, the same rules still applied. Be tough. Be fearsome. Make sure everyone thinks twice about starting something with you.
I cried until there were no more tears. From now on, I had to keep Taylor separate from Swarm. I didn't have many people to fall back on, so I had to look strong and in control. I had to be strong and in control. I was now head of my own household, with hundreds of people under my watch.
An idea came to me. One last thing I could do for Dad. And maybe help out people in need.
I wiped away my tears. And then I put my mask back on. Time to get to work.
The guards around Mount Olympus barely paid me any attention as I flew in on Nemean. Not that surprising really; I was flying in on one of them. That meant I was allowed in. I landed near the entrance, and Nemean started rooting into the ground. Transmitting data and receiving enhancements probably. As I approached the front gates, a butler Evolved rose from the middle.
"Greetings Swarm. How can Mount Olympus help you today?" He said politely.
"I wish to speak to Athena about the docks. I have an idea for them that could be beneficial."
"Of course. I will inform her of your presence." He went silent for a moment. "Lady Athena has agreed to your request. She is waiting for you in the 'War Room'." The doors opened wide for me, moving dramatically slowly. The carpet shone bright red, showing me the way. I found Dana sitting at a giant table, head resting on the tabletop. I figured it would be polite to knock.
Dana started, looking up. She gave me a tired smile. "Hey Taylor. Please tell me that this idea is going to make my life easier."
"I'm not sure." I replied honestly. "Have things really been so difficult?"
"Like you wouldn't believe. Problems everywhere. Too much water here, not enough supplies there; garbage everywhere; and then there's all the shit needed to actually run a city." She sighed. "I think Themis might be right about getting elected officials in charge. Then I can finally dump this crap on someone else."
"How are we doing on getting around the Embargo?"
"We're slowly getting there. I've managed to reach some people, savoury or otherwise. But Alex doesn't want to just hand out Blacklight willy nilly."
"He's worried someone might use it as a weapon."
"Yeah." She took a deep breath. "But enough about me. What's the idea you want to talk to me about?"
"I was thinking that… we should open the port again." I said carefully.
Dana stared at me for a while, before taking a deeper breath. "And why should we? I've got enough shit to do without having to get the port repaired and working again."
"Because it would mean a lot of jobs for people. You'd have to have ships to get in new supplies, and some of the people still have skills in fixing up cargo ships. And you would be generating more goodwill from the people."
"Haven't we done enough already? We're fixing up the city, we're handing out free food, and we're dealing with crime here. I'd consider that enough if I was civilian."
"We need all the goodwill we can get." I reasoned. "We're pretty much stuck in the middle of being loved and being hated just by being villains. The port could be the difference between people standing up to the military, and turning us in when things get too hard."
Dana spent far too long staring at me. "Wait a minute. The port was your Dad's dream, wasn't it? He told me that he wanted to get the port opened so that there'd be more jobs. Why isn't he here petitioning me for this?"
I looked away. "He left. He didn't feel safe staying here." I paused. Before deciding to tell her the rest. "He knows that I'm Swarm."
"Oh. Shit." She said. "That's… That's gotta have been rough."
"It was. Things could've been worse, but not by much." I looked back at her. "I want this to show him that I really do want to be good."
Dana paused, but then gave in. "I've got a few wealthy businessmen interested in owning some territory. I'm sure I can find someone I can foist this onto." Her wrist-computer chimed. "I've gotta go. I need to talk to Themis' candidates and make sure they're not going to try and kick us out. I promise that I'll get the port up and running as soon as I get some free time." It was a dismissal; I had to leave.
I nodded. "Thank you, Dana." I left Mount Olympus and returned to Nemean. A few people stopped and watched as I felt, but I imagined that would stop once they got used to us heading into Mount Olympus.
When I got back to my lair, I was surprised to find Brian waiting for me inside. He was lying back in one of the seats, mask off and eyes closed. As soon as I closed the door behind me, he opened his eyes.
"Hey." He greeted. "Your lieutenants said that you had headed out. Figured I'd wait for you here."
"I went to see Athena in the War Room." I replied.
He smiled. "I didn't know we even had a War Room."
"Guess Alex decided he needed one. Just in case." I pulled my mask off, and grabbed some biscuits from the cupboard. "So, what brings you here?"
Brian looked embarrassed. "It's about… Remember when you told me that you had a… thing for me?"
I blushed, remembering the embarrassing event. "Vividly. You said that you were too busy with everything to ever consider love."
"Yeah, I know. It's just that my workload's gotten easier ever since Alex took over. We don't need to worry about committing crimes to please Coil anymore; money's not an issue anymore. And Someone high up pulled strings to get Aisha placed under my custody, so I don't need to worry about that anymore." He shrugged. "And I thought, maybe I should give romance a shot."
I gave him a look, my heart fluttering. "And you immediately thought of me?" I asked.
"Funnily enough, I don't get many people asking me out. To be honest, you were the first in a long time."
"What about Lisa? You two have never…?" I trailed off.
He chuckled. "Nope. Don't get me wrong, I like Lisa well enough. But it's a bit creepy dating a girl who can read you as well as she can. I'd feel like everything I did might end up pissing her off. And besides, Lisa's not much for dating. Her power makes things a bit…"
"Awkward?" I guessed.
"Pretty much."
I won't lie; this was what I wanted. Ever since he let me down gently, A tiny part of me kept hoping that one day he might change his mind. But now that it had happened, I was feeling a little cynical. "This might not work out." I said. "We could end up realising that we're not as compatible as we thought; have a giant row or something."
Brian shrugged. "Then we'll take it easy. Go slowly. If either of us don't feel comfortable, then we can go back to being friends. Sound good to you?" He stepped closer to me. "I'm not good with romance either. This could go miraculously well, or become a complete disaster. But the way I see it, you won't know until you try."
I smiled. "I think I know what you mean. I keep reading stories where two people are in love, and yet never admit it because they're worried things won't go like they wanted. It always annoyed me." I took a deep breath. "Alright then. We'll give it a shot. No promises; no strings attached."
"Cool." We stood there awkwardly. "So… do we start with a kiss, or just stick with hugs for now?"
I thought about everything that had happened over the last few months. Rising up as a villain, helping a bit against Leviathan, becoming one of the masters of the city. The old Taylor would never have been this brave. If Dad said we were moving, she would've argued but eventually agreed. But the new Taylor was made of sterner stuff. She was willing to stand up for herself, to make choices.
I leaned in, and pressed my mouth against his. He went firm, before going soft as he embraced me.
So far, it felt right.
And that's Taylor interlude done. I know I started with Danny first, but that's because it felt right to me. I always felt that unless you hide most of your distinguishing features, someone who knows you would probably recognise you in costume. I mean, Greg did in canon, and he's just her classmate. If he could've, then Danny could've once he connected the dots. Some people might call foul on them leaving on good terms, but I figured it would be too cruel to have her father disown her or something because she's a villain.
I was originally planning on starting with Prometheus attacking Swarm, but I changed my mind in the end. Besides, it'd be kinda obvious how it went. They came, they fought, Swarm tried her best but got taken down, and then Alex took down the PRT and they gave up.
Ok, maybe it's only obvious to me. But I just feel too tired to go back and add that scene in.
Next chapter, the last Interlude. Cauldron. And we can finally move onto the time skip. Just as soon as I have a short break.
PS: Ok, so apparently not many people were hpapy with the next interlude. In fact, public opinion has been that I am a lazy writer and that this was a cop-out. I feel like that's a bit unfair simply because of how broken and overpowered Scion is, but whatever. I'm too annoyed to really give a fuck. Someone pointed out that I could've built up to this event over the next fifteen years, which I feel is a proper bit of constructive critiscism because they're offering me an idea instead of just complaining. So fine then. I'm deleting Aftermath Cauldron and our time skip of whatever-I-feel-like starts from here. If anyone can come up with a way to kill of Scion that isn't just have Alex absorb every parahuman and launch an army of Infected at him (my second-best idea) then please let me know. Don't just assume that I'll come up with something, because having overpowered characters rip him apart was my best plan.
And to anyone who hates having all those characters from other series in the first place... well, fuck you guys. Until I get a better idea, I'm sticking with it.
