A/N: This chapter is mostly the SI planning. Probably not too interesting to most, but I wanted to provide some insight to his thoughts.
1.5
[B]Date Unknown
Late at Night[/B]
After my fifth or so passed rest stop(I honestly lost count), I zip over to the available restrooms, pull back my cowl, and puke my guts out. One toilet vomiting session later, and I'm stumbling over to the sinks(with my cowl back up of course). What stops me is my reflection. It's not any change to my body, though I'm not as scrawny as I was, or the red lightning flickering around my suit, but my eyes, which are completely covered with a thick red glow.
It takes me breathing in and out and a lot of focus, but I push the blue tint, which has been here the entire time down to a manageable level, and reveals more of my eyes. As I suspected, the pupils are black, and the irises the same color as my lighting. Well, I guess my identity is safe at least.
It's this thought that sends me into a small bit of laughter, which lets me push away the last of the blue. In this state, my eyes are completely normal, so at least I'm not barred from going out in civies. Oh, right, I should plan for what's next.
Protectorate and the PRT are off. If I wasn't on their shit list before, I'm pretty sure I am now. While I could probably get off it by joining on probationary status, I'm pretty sure I don't exist here, which would raise questions I don't think I can answer. It's not like I can just see what'll happen, after all, I can't abuse my power to save scum via time travel. Plus, I would have to deal with re-branding and PR teams. Yuck.
I still think that Brockton Bay is my best bet. The town's such a shithole that I can't possibly make things work by my mere existence, and the PRT/Protectorate should be to busy to deal with me. Joining the gangs is straight out. Only the minor one are somewhat appealing. I'm not a Case-53, and the Undersiders are firmly in Coils pocket, and those are the only 2 that I'm even willing to consider. New Wave is the only other option I can think of, and while unmasking shouldn't be a problem if I'm a non-entity, but I can't imagine they'd want me. Independent is the only option I see here, and I don't think that the PRT would just let me waltz in and sign up.
I know that independents aren't supposed to last long, but I don't think anyone can trap me or otherwise forcibly recruit me. The convoy proved that. Actually, now that I think about it, I wonder if I have a shard that's simply mimicking Zoom's power. If that's the case, then being horribly underpowered makes a lot more sense than 'lol, the CYOA did it'. If I don't though, then I should be immune to powers that rely on shard connections.
While I don't want to hunt down Jack Slash or Hatchet Face to prove a point, it's still an interesting question. If I don't have a shard, then theoretically I should be slowly progressing until I reach full power. A least, that's what the CYOA says…. I think. Shit.
I can't afford to forget everything yet. I should try to write down what I remember when I find a place to crash. If I have the thinker immunity perk, interacting with Tattletale should be fine, though I'm not really willing to risk it. I think I can try selling information to her, if I am immune to thinkers, which I'd rather do than rob a store.
I think Skitter joined the Undersiders on April 11th or something. If I'm before then, then I can try to stop Coil from kidnapping Dinah. As much as I'd like to take out the other gangs, breaking the stalemate seems like a terrible idea. Coil's group and Merchants are the only territory holders I think I can take out. I don't even know if killing Lung is possible right now, and, sad as it is, E88 is the only one stopping him from holding the city, and the inverse is true. I don't even know if I can hurt Hookwolf, and Fenja and Menja are powerful enough to make me worried. Everyone else I'm simply too fast for, and aren't durable enough to tank blows from me.
The rest of the city doesn't really worry me. The Protectorate should have better things to do than chase me around. Armsmaster might be able to cook something up to stop me, so I'll just have to avoid engaging him in particular. All the other heros don't concern me too much.
Pondering done, I take in the general road map before heading towards the east, and Brockton Bay. It's time to get this show on the road.