*Notes and pages to three stories I was working on literally burn* Huh, might be a sign.
Interlude 2 (Unbeta'd)
-0-0-0-0-0-
Closing the display on his screen the man leaned back into his chair with a contemplating frown. The situation he found himself in was complex, to say the least, infuriating and confusing to say more. He was facing an unplanned impossibility, something very rare in a world filled with Superheroes. And for the first time in a very long time unsure on how to proceed.
On one hand, he could direct them. Use the chaos they would undoubtedly bring to his advantage. Use them to weaken his enemies. From the transcripts, he was receiving from his various recording devices they were very likely to do that anyway. They've already taken the Merchants Tinker, they planned to attack the PRT building, and try to ensure one of the Empire's heavy hitters didn't fold back in.
It was a series of actions that he could most definitely take advantage of, especially since it seemed like they would be calling him soon for assistance. Assistance he will most graciously give. He had but one concern. The Techno Queen.
Leaning back in his chair he began to wonder exactly who Techno Queen wanted to help and why she was so secretive. Or why she seemed so sure the Tattletale would be so eager to aid her.
If he was honest with himself he knew why or at least had a very good idea. The answer came to him simply when he pondered on who Tattletale would be so eager to strike out against.
She wanted to save Dinah Alcott.
Such a leap of logic wasn't that out there. Tattletale wouldn't hesitate to act against him given the chance and it would explain why the Techno Queen was so wary to talk to Skitter about. A Tinker of any caliber would have been able to see at least one of his bugs in the room, and if she planned to work against him talking about it where he could hear would be… unwise.
Calmly moving out of his chair the man picked up a thin manila folder from his desk and walked towards the door at the back of his office. The door opened to a small spartan room with a little girl shivering on a thin sheeted bed.
"Hello, Pet." The man greeted as his consciousness split into two near identical realities, "I have a few questions for you."
"Everything hurts." She complained to him both worlds, her eyes staring at him with hope and pain. "Candy?"
"Maybe after a few questions, Pet." He said in a soothing voice in one reality while in another he called for Mr. Pitter to get the girl's 'candy'. In the second reality, he waited, not wanting to push his luck just yet, but in the first, he opened his folder revealing a number of pictures. "Now, Pet, what are the chances the girls in these pictures will act against me?"
"Everything hurts," the girl complained even as she looked over the pictures and stopped to clutch her head with a groan of pain, "Urrgh, the numbers go against each other. They keep changing."
Irritating but not altogether unexpected. As was stated before they were dealing with a supposedly impossible situation, even other impossibilities had to be scratching their head. Still, they had received similar results before when they tried to map out a plan against Lung who's escalating power kept changing his Pet's numbers. And just like, in that case, they'd either have to get into very specific actions or ask questions about the possible target instead of the possible attackers.
"Now, Pet, what are the chances that my base will be attacked within the next week." He grimaced as he heard the number, now sure about his suspicions. Not unexpected but certainly disappointing. So with a sigh, he continued to ask the girl questions.
Gathering information not to only plan for the inevitable attack but to strike first if need be.
-0-0-0-0-0-
Jostling his way passed the door he smiled as he saw his girl already hard at work within the room. She hummed a tune as she played with her new toys. He spared her a fond smile as he walked passed her by, leaving her to her fun as he made his way to the window.
After brushing the broken glass the man leaned out the opening and took in a refreshing breath of air. A smell not too dissimilar to a barbecue made its way to his nose, making his face scrunch in distaste. He had gotten rather tired of that smell over last few months. It had gotten rather boring, bordering bothersome.
Casting a glance across the street he could see a few of the others having their fun. Some getting a bit to eat, some playing tag with some of the local kids, one even taking a nap. Not that he could blame old Ned, things in the town just weren't up to the man's speed.
Keeping things interesting for everyone in his little group was difficult but in the end worth it, for both the entertainment value and survival in general. That wasn't to say he disagreed with Ned, the town was boring. A place they had to visit out of need rather than want.
He felt as if he had to make up for that. That he had to find something that would put a bit of zest back into their lives. Maybe they could head back to one of the bigger cities?
At least that way Ned could have some fun and the songbird could see her song. It, in all honesty, be good fun for all of them. The only question was what city should they visit.
Staring across the field the man began to ponder where they could go. They were in the North East and there were a number of cities where his little band of misfits could find some entertainment. Though, New York may be a bit too much of a headache to deal with.
A lot of bad blood there. Not that it wasn't well earned but it was rather bothersome.
Frankly, Boston had its own appeal. Not only was there a Tinker there that would surely pique dear Bonesaw's interest but there was also a Thinker lead group whose leader seemed like he'd make for some interesting fun.
Even still, Boston just didn't seem like the right fit. It was close but it just didn't… feel right. And after his long career, he had learned to listen to his little gut feelings. Especially when his little gut feelings seemed to be tugging him in a certain direction.
Eventually, his mind drifted to a mid-sized city on the coast he had visited once upon a time. If his memory serves him right only one of the original gangs remained from his last visit. It was just too bad that the most promising of the new gangs had recently gotten too ambitious for its own good, they had shown such promise.
Looking on the bright side, some of his best recruitments came from pulling jailbreaks.
If nothing else Ned would have a good time. And Alan would have someone he could play his little game with. And Hatchetface would have plenty of his preferred prey in the city. The more he thought about it the more he liked the idea.
Not stopping his musing or planning he made his way over to the room's only other living occupant. Tapping her on the shoulder he asked her, "How do you feel about a trip to Brockton Bay?"
Grinning up at the man the young girl nearly bounced as she answered him, "Sure!"
-0-0-0-0-0
His kingdom was a large one. It could swallow worlds and engulf systems with its vastness. And he ruled it completely.
Everything the eye could take in, everything that existed, was his to own and control. And yet… and yet he was so alone. He was the sole speck of life in his kingdom, he ruled over nothing but lifeless space.
It galled him to see, especially when he peered into other worlds. To see them teeming with life. To see other intelligent life interacting with each other.
So much to see, so much to hear, to learn. So much to be jealous of. He wished to have it all.
Craving though was not possessing. Every time he reached out and tried to claim land or people from these lands something pushed him back. Boundaries, walls, windows blocked his way leaving him to only look on from a distance.
One day that all changed. From beyond space, from one of the worlds he could view, a girl wad been dragged away. Streaming across his realm she was delivered to a new world, leaving cracks against those windows he once could only look through.
Many of these worlds were similar, eerily so. Boringly so. But it gave him a crack, an influence he never had before. As small as they were.
In one instance, however, he had more than one small crack to reach into. Instead, he had seven. Large enough to send something through even if he couldn't enter himself.
Not that such a thing would deter him.
Gripping out with his power he summoned clouds and swarms of dark orbs, willing them to work. He had an idea but in order for it to work, he was going to need help.
-Day 2 End-
This has literally been four paragraphs away from being done this entire time… please don't hate me. My excuses are my wedding, my honeymoon, and the academy followed by lazy hesitation. I make no promises but I'm hoping to get another day out before… life. Knowing my luck I'll either end up in the hospital or a father before that happens.
Still, hope you enjoyed.
(First letter of every paragraph)
Edit: Dammit I missed Thursday