[Brockton Bay]
"Yes, Brockton Bay Police Department? I'd like to report a crime." Taylor Hebert murmured into her phone.
Two people along the path where she was jogging- innocent enough, right? Taylor thought so too at first, but after a flash of paranoia, she decided to scout ahead. And what did she find? A crime in progress.
"Please state the nature of your emergency and location."
"I'm at the uh... western end of Fessenden park..." Taylor informed the dispatcher, "And I'm pretty sure there's this older woman having sex with a teen boy on a park bench?"
In better cities, some steamy public sex would be nothing at all, but this was Brockton Bay. Even before Dragon's renovations to the city, you tend to hear it happen from time to time.
Older women, mostly former prostitutes themselves, suddenly coming onto clueless younger men and leading them to sus places with the promise of sex... Only for the young, dumb and full of cum teens to be lured into an ABB ambush and pressed into sexual slavery- forced to commit whatever degenerate acts pleased their highest bidder. Age of consent laws existed for more than just that reason too, but this was a pretty big one of them.
"I think it might be the ABB's honeypot tactic again. She's latina, black winter running jacket and black sweatpants, I think. Can't see much else right now. I'll try to get video evidence and send it to the police department. Sorry, this was more of a courtesy call than anything."
"Wait, don't hang u-"
But Taylor did- ending the call with a frown. Being an independent hero meant that she had to distance herself from established authorities after all. She gave them a heads up, now she was going to get things done her way.
Yes, that sounded just about right. Sneaking closer, she made sure to approach from the cover of the vending machines by the footpath.
"On a park bench with a sixteen year old fondling my bare chest…It's not supposed to feel this good." A sultry feminine voice breathlessly moaned.
"I'm cheating, and when was the last time you've even been touched like this? Or like this..." The clueless guy's voice playfully chided before a muffled slap rang out through the winter air.
"Hey, who said you can spank my ass?" the woman faux warned, "You're almost a third my age, don't think I won't do the same for you."
"Let me make it up to you then..."
"You'd better...Mmmm~ Like that... your hands are surprisingly warm."
Taylor frowned.
It was worse than she thought. This sicko was clearly getting off to taking advantage of a minor. The number of times this woman would focus on their massive age difference was the clearest red flag.
He was just sixteen too- likely just a few months older than Taylor herself, and she was- by her own admission- thrice his age. However, Taylor didn't know what to do right now. Does she walk out into the open and hope that's enough to scare away the woman? Does she use her powers when she has neither a proper swarm nor a costume yet?
"Hey!" the victim called out, and Taylor's brown eyes widened in dread. What was happening? Was the woman making her move?
"You've been getting too comfortable doing all the groping...it's my turn now." the woman said with a particularly visceral relish in her voice, "Mmm. Impressive, I can't fully wrap my fingers..."
Taylor couldn't help but blush at the implication of her words and had to restrain herself from making a letter O with her fingers. The woman was giving him a handj... Anyway! The situation was changing, and she still didn't know how to proceed. So, she turned to her one inspiration.
'Think, Taylor! What would Alexandria do in this situation?'
= T =
Alexandria in her iconic all black costume floated down from the sky.
"Lustful old hag, your days of luring teen boys to slavery with easy sex is over!" She declared, her black cape billowing dramatically in the winter breeze.
"Alexandria!" the older woman immediately went on her knees before the legendary heroine, "Wait, It was just a harmless handjob! I repent! I won't touch another minor for as long as I live!"
"Tell that to the judge!" Alexandria frowned, "Police take her away."
A squad of SWAT suddenly rappelled down from a helicopter and cuffed the latina.
"Alexandria, my hero!" The stupid teen victim shouted in relief, "May I gift a kiss to my heroine? Like in the movies but with the tropes inversed?"
"Nay, citizen." She replied with a righteous nod of her head, "For unlike that wrinkly cougar, I am not into teen boys just as a normal forty-something woman should be. But if there was truly someone you should thank, it would be Mysterious Insect Heroine Z for her vigilance."
Taylor stepped out from behind the vending machines- already dressed in a black costume that she had planned.
"I am just doing what is expected of me as an independent heroine, ma'am." Taylor cooly answered in a cool, mysterious voice.
"I am flattered by your basing your cool costume on mine, Mysterious Insect Heroine Z." Alexandria nodded in approval, "Come! Be my Cape apprentice and learn the ways of being a true Heroine!"
"O-okay!" Tay- Mysterious Insect Heroine Z agreed, "I want a cape like that though!"
"Done!" The legendary heroine replied, and with a flourish, pulled out a spare black cape from her pocket to hand to Taylor. "Wear it well, Mysterious Insect Heroine Z."
Taylor tried not to squeal in excitement as she put it on.
"I am the justice of the night. I am Mysterious Insect Heroine Z!"
[Back in reality]
Unfortunately for Taylor, Alexandria wasn't here to hand her a cape, but it did give her an idea to go on.
Use her power to disrupt their sex? No, they'd just run off and continue later somewhere else. Police response? Despite the generally lowered crime rate of upper Brockton Bay, she didn't think they'd respond to something like this quickly enough. So, that left her only option being... the video evidence she promised to send to the BBPD.
This was the moment of truth. She'll do Alexandria proud this day.
Lifting up her phone, she sneakily peeked around the vending machines and immediately realised that she was in grave danger... specifically, her heterosexuality was in grave danger.
Taylor's phone almost slipped from her hand as she actually caught sight of the amorous couple in question. A blond and vaguely familiar blond teen was being straddled by a smoking hot latina. Her back was turned to Taylor- obscuring her face.
But it wasn't like Taylor didn't have a good eyeful of the woman. Long luxurious black hair, her sinfully shaped figure vaguely muscular, and a toned, bubbly ass in black sweatpants made you want to take a big bite out of it… Er, objectively speaking that is.
And Taylor was less sure of her mission now... Women in her mid-thirties don't look this young, do they? Were they just roleplaying this entire time? Her face felt like it was on fire, and it wasn't from the sight in front of her either. Oh god, had she just called the police for nothing? Maybe they'll just chalk it up as a prank call?
"You're throbbing so much in my hand." Taylor heard the latina note aloud- a silver of pride in her voice. "Where'd my life go so wrong that I'm pleasuring a boy almost a third my age?"
Taylor blushed at the woman's tone of voice, even she could tell that the older woman was getting off on the idea. Speaking of which, that's right... She was still breaking age of consent laws, wasn't she?
That meant that she should keep watching right? Gather info and evidence on the crime? Taylor glanced at her phone that was still recording. Yeah... this was good practice for being an independent hero.
"Well, if you're facing jail time, let me make it worth it at least?" the blond asked as his fingers fumbled for the latina's sweatpants, and Taylor's blush turned nuclear.
"Here? Now? Are you insan- mmmph?Mmmmmm~" the older woman moaned into the guy's mouth, "Oh, what am I doing agreeing to this...?"
Taylor froze. Were they actually going to have sex in public? She guessed that they could get away with it- the park was pretty secluded after all. Especially empty this time of year... except for her.
Taylor gulped. The right thing to do was to just leave and give them some privacy, but this was also a crime in progress and she was a key eyewitness... maybe the actual right thing to do was keep watching?
However, before she could finish wrestling with homoerotic desire (And winning of course), Taylor slipped on a spot of frozen puddle and met a face full of snow with a loud icy crunch.
Immediately, the blond teen spotted her. His blue eyes meeting Taylor's own brown ones, and his mouth opened, likely to scream 'Peeping tom!'
"Hey, it's Taylor!" He greeted her instead with a sheepish grin as he pulled up his pants, "What an unexpected coincidence! We didn't notice you!"
A cold pit formed in Taylor's stomach. That was even worse than being called a peeping tom! Of all the people she could have been caught peeping on, it had to be people who knew her!
"Uh, hi!?" She stammered as she scrambled to her feet- dusting off the snow and desperately trying to act natural and not like she had been peeping on the two make out and arrive at third base. "If I'm interrupting, I'll just leave- uh, not that I saw anything!"
"It's fine, we shouldn't be doing this anyway. Not in public at least." the blond quipped with a smirk as he fixed his clothing. Taylor's wandering eyes- momentarily catching a glimpse of abs and she breathed a sigh of relief.
That was good, men still turned her on... Only for her relief to turn into arou- horror as she caught a glimpse of the latina's delicious brown abs as she fixed her clothing. The only sign of her inappropriate levels of public affection being her slightly messed up black hair that looked sexy in all the right ways... ahem, objectively speaking.
'Wait a minute...' Taylor realised, 'I know this person.'
"Good morning, Taylor." the woman sighed as she fixed her clothes and hair- her lips drawn into a thin, unamused line. Yeah, Taylor figured that even she would be unamused if she got interrupted with a cute boy.
"Rebecca, right?" She half guessed while hiding a wince. "You work at the restaurant car in the subway?"
She wasn't the type of person who paid attention to faces, because it usually meant risking being caught looking at people's faces. But she'd been taking the subway with her dad on the regular the past few weeks, and the head waitress was certainly a face to remember.
Now she knew they were just roleplaying- Rebecca couldn't be any older than 19! Technically still illegal, but... a 19 year old and 16 year old? Two teens three years apart was definitely in the blurry line of what's socially acceptable.
"Got it in one." Rebecca replied with a small, but enviously pretty smile, "I remember you too. Danny's daughter. You usually order the truffle lasagna while Danny orders penne shrimp formaggio."
"Didn't know we were regulars..." Taylor murmured- grateful for the topic shifting from where she was peeping on them, "Or that you were on a first name basis with my dad."
Rebecca just laughed.
"The 'meatbags' who work for Magos have a tight-knit community." She explained with a shrug, "There aren't exactly a lot of us despite the Mechanicus being a multi-billion dollar company. So, we tend to remember each other's names and faces. Especially people higher up like Danny."
That gave Taylor pause. Was her dad really that important? Wow, maybe she underestimated her dad's job all this time, but she should have seen that coming- he was always humble about what he did.
Meanwhile, the blond teen just arched an eyebrow.
"You remember your waitress, but you don't remember me?" he asked her.
"She sees me almost everyday." Rebecca readily came to Taylor's defence, "The two of you have met only once, I think."
"Ah, my bad." He smiled good-naturedly as he shook her hand, "Aoicus McHann, we met at Fugly Bob's. You were with Glory Girl and Panacea, remember?"
"Oh... uh, sorry for not remembering you." She apologised, "You had your back turned to me and Amy for most of that time then. And I uh... I kinda have a lot on my mind right now."
"That's fine... Hey, would you mind if we join you on your run?" He asked Taylor before briefly glancing at Rebecca, "You good to continue our run?"
"We have to burn calories one way or another." She replied. "If Taylor is okay with the company that is?"
"S-sure. I was just going to do a few rounds in this park before turning back." Taylor awkwardly nodded. After cockblocking them, it was the least that she could do to make up to them.
"It's actually been a while since I've had a run since..." Rebecca trailed off with a small smile, "I'll establish a comfortable pace."
Of course, Taylor couldn't help but take a quick stare as Rebecca stretched a bit.
"She's packing some junk in her trunk, right?"
"I know." Taylor whispered back with a nod... Only to freeze as she realised who was talking to her.
Aoicus just smirked at her mortification.
Oh god, this run was going to be awkward.
(A little later)
Taylor's HP (Heterosexuality Points) took another hit as she lagged behind them to catch her breath, and the meantime, she was treated to the sight of her two new jogging buddies and their toned asses. No, it was dipping into the yellow numbers now. She wasn't ready for bisexuality just yet!
So, it was kind of a relief when they stopped at a water fountain for a break.
"Running like you owe someone money?" Aoicus chuckled as he and Rebecca came back for her.
"Kinda?" Taylor replied with a big exhale- trying not to think about that $3000 that she had blown on getting Alexandria inOverwatch: Battlefront.
"Short on rent?" he assumed with a laugh, "Eh, we've all been there once or twice. I remember my brief stint squatting beside a landfill... Hey, Rebecca, wasn't the train you're on looking for a part-timer in the first class car? The hours paid a lot better than most part-time jobs if I recall correctly."
"That's true..." the latina hummed in agreement- her brown eyes looking over to Taylor, "You're around sixteen, right?"
"I'm fifteen, but..." Taylor answered with an arched eyebrow- feeling slightly suspicious at how helpful they were being, despite her cockblocking them, "We don't know each other that well?"
"Not true!" Aoicus chirped with a grin- apparently not bothered by her comment, "Vicky knows you, and she'd be cross with me if I didn't make an effort to get along with her friends. Amy too, I think."
"I don't think I'd count as her friend... we're just duplex neighbours." she murmured. After the shitshow with Emma, she wasn't ready to make friends just yet. Especially with another popular girl.
"Heh, don't let Vicky hear you say that." he warned with a smirk, "She'll take it as a challenge."
"Maybe. Thanks for the offer, I guess." She replied- rubbing the back of her head, "But a part-time job isn't what I'm after right now."
...Except for the fact that she had been weighing the pros and cons of being an independent hero on Whitelist this entire time.
"If you change your mind, Taylor, hit me up." Rebecca smiled and Taylor once again tried to suppress the butterflies in stomach with her power. "I'll help you get a better chance at landing the job."
"Thanks."
Taylor felt her mouth quirk into an almost smile. It was a good feeling... almost like having friends and people she could count on. A shame then that the moment had to be ruined by a trio of asian gentlemen blocking their path. Hard-eyes looking straight at them. Tattoos peeking out of their sleeves of their winter coats. Even in Brockton Bay, the gangbangers were apparently enjoying the fruits that fell so close from the Mechanicus metallic tree of heavy industries.
"Hey, you." the lead yakuza-looking one with the shoulder-length hair and goatee called out... to Rebecca? "Yes,you. We want to ask you a question."
But instead of replying to the ABB gangster, the latina looked over to Aoicus.
"Are they..." She trailed off, and the blond teen shook his head.
"No, I actually don't know these people."
"So, they're really accosting us in broad daylight?"
"You've been here for around a month." he pointed out, "You should not underestimate Brockton Bay."
"And you have been here for three months? But I suppose you have a point..." Rebecca sighed before turning her attention back to the yakuza-looking gangster, "Out with it. What is it that you want?"
Taylor had to admire the balls on the woman- arms crossed over her chest as she stood utterly fearless against the gang that was the boogeyman of young women in the American North-east. In contrast... Taylor's brown eyes glanced over to Aoicus. He was faintly muscular, but more in the 'Hollywood boy band muscular' than anyone actually physically imposing. He didn't look like he would last a second against the real gritty violence of Brockton Bay gangsters. He was lucky that Rebecca was willing to stand up for them.
Just in case things got ugly- and knowing Brockton Bay, it was definitely about to- Taylor began gathering a swarm in the surrounding trees.
"We are not here for any trouble." the ABB gangster still insisted- lighting a cigarette, "We wish to know who your employer is so that we may have a... civil discussion with him. Just a name or an address, and we will leave. Peacefully."
"My employer's name is Magos, and his manufactorum is right there." Rebecca dismissed- jabbing her thumb at the gargantuan spires that rose up from the city's southeastern edge, "Now move out of the way."
"Don't play coy." He almost snarled- meeting Rebecca eye to eye. "We are not looking to harm you, girl. This is just business. With the migration of people from the surrounding cities looking to share in the prosperity of Brockton Bay, Lung has been quick to discover that vermin often travels with them- stealing ripe fruits from ABB territory without his blessing..."
He glanced at Aoicus for a moment- likely noting the blond as a 'ripe fruit' for the ABB to 'harvest' later on.
"... And we have- as you Americans say- 'heard from the grapevine' that you have been part of such unsanctioned operations. And I will repeat myself for the last time, we are not looking for violence, only a name and an address."
"Clearly you heard wrong." Rebecca scoffed, "I'm just a waitress in one of the church-trains."
It was at that moment that Taylor realised... This was all her fault. After all, it only made sense that the Azn Bad Boys- fat and rich from leeching off Brockton Bay's newfound prosperity- would have insiders in the BBPD, and they'd use that connection to find and eliminate competition to their human trafficking empire. But she didn't think that they'd act so quickly! Have the Azn Bad Boys really grown this influential?
"I think you should come with us. All of you." the lead ABB gangster said in a growl, "That is not a request."
"Rebecca... Just stay calm and don't do anything reckless. Things will handle itself, I'm sure." Taylor heard Aoicus say and she couldn't keep the sneer off her face. Was Aoicus really not going to make even a peep of protest? Spineless coward, probably never had the balls to do anything in his life.
"Listen to the boy, or I cannot guarantee that you will not be harme- Augggh!"
Naturally, Taylor had different and more violent ideas... like shoving a fistful of cockroaches into the ABB gangsters' mouths for one. The rest of the swarm soon followed.
A buzzing black cloud of insects emerged from the snow-covered trees and covered the three gangsters as they flailed desperately in the snow. She guided the insects through openings in their clothing and had them bite whatever skin was exposed.
Taylor liked to think it's what Alexandria would have done.
"Well, they're definitely dead from that." Aoicus noted out loud, and that was enough to snap Taylor out of her fury. At her will, the swarm receded to reveal the yellow-skin of the gangsters had gone pockmarked with angry red bite marks.
"Fair citizens of Brockton Bay, we were in the vicinity and heard a commotion." Two Chloe-Skitarii greeted as they arrived running, armed and armoured in their usual blue Taser weapons and red robes.
"Oh, some of Magos' Chloes!" Aoicus breathed a sigh of relief, "What good fortune, we're saved! And so are they, I suppose."
"No injuries detected." One Chloe observed as her robotic blue eyes looked at them before moving onto the fallen gangsters who were whimpering pitifully in the snowy path.
"Anaphylactic shock detected, administering epinephrine." The other Chloe-Skitarii observed as they began jabbing needles into the gangster's thighs, "Further medical attention required. Notifying emergency services... Response acquired. Acknowledging ambulance dispatch from Brockton Bay General Hospital, ETA: 12 minutes. Engaging defibrillation subsystem... condition stabilising. Incoming police response, ETA: 8 minutes."
Panicking, Taylor glanced at the twitching bodies of the barely alive gangsters as the Chloes shocked them. She doubted that they would have been alive otherwise... Oops? And self defence wasn't going to be a valid defence when she used her powers in her secret identity.
Should she run? No, wait. That would look incredibly suspicious. How about she just play dumb instead? Yeah, that bug-controlling cape must be somewhere else right now. It was a good plan on preserving her secret identity if not for...
A hand rested on Taylor's shoulder.
"I think this is the part where you join the Wards." Rebecca advised her- a serious look on her face.
"Rebecca... ease up." Aoicus chided softly, "That's up to Taylor, isn't it? She could join an independent cape group or New Wave or something."
"No, she had her chance until just now." Rebecca argued with the blond, "And there are already too many independents and rogues and villains. You know that Earth-Bet needs to be more stable, and we do that by consolidating and integrating Capes, not excluding them. Seeing her power and her... eagerness to use it, being an independent is the last thing she should be."
"What's wrong with being an independent?" Taylor couldn't help but ask.
Rebecca's brown eyes glanced at the swelling up gangsters on the ground before back at Taylor.
"Unless you plan on killing them, the ABB now knows what you look like out of the mask." She calmly explained, "They'll come for you, and every other Cape group will either shun you or strongarm you because of that animosity with the ABB. Youneedthe protection of the PRT, and the PRT needs capes like you. I know you have your heart in the right place, Taylor, you have that heroic look to you. And even if you tried, you're now too hot for the Whitelist. Being an independent is already an arduous and risky path especially when you're just fifteen, but with a major gang after you? I doubt your chances. The Wards were established specifically for people in your position."
So many questions ran through Taylor's mind. Was Rebecca secretly a PRT officer all this time? Why was she working for the Mechanicus then? What will she actually do now that Taylor pretty much outed herself to them? But right now...
"I don't know how this is in any way your decision to make for me." Taylor replied with narrowed eyes. After Winslow and the trio. being in the Wards just seemed more of that, to be honest. Surrounded by petty, teen drama elevated to the stresses of being on a Cape reality show.
Rebecca- however- was unbothered by her protest, an austere statue-like expression on her brown face.
"It's not so much that I'm making the decision for you, it's more that I'm pointing out the only right answer."
Taylor really, really didn't like that kind of self-assured 'I know what's best for you, so you should be thanking me' attitude. It reminded her of Principal Blackwell's usual tactics when covering for the trio's bullying.
But just before Taylor could tell Rebecca where to stuff her right answer, a policewoman with a navy winter jacket walked up to them- data-slate in hand.
"Sorry to interrupt your chatting, just wanted to check up on you all." She asked them- a strong Canadian accent colouring her voice, "Since the Chloes aren't fussing over any of you, everyone got out of this unharmed, eh?"
Taylor gave the three ABB gangsters a quick glance.
"Everyone that matters at least, officer." she answered.
"That's good to hear. Wish I could hear it more often." the cop nodded tapping at her data-slate, "If it's not too much of a bother, I'll just take your witness statements."
"We will happily handle that for them, officer." one of the Chloes answered with a smile, "Especially since we were involved."
"Alright then." the Canadian police woman nodded- a bit bewildered, "This will actually be the first time I take a witness statement from a sex doll. But when in Rome... eh? So, unless you have other concerns, I'll leave you to it."
Taylor saw how Rebecca was eyeing her, and she just knew that the older woman wasn't about to get off her back about joining the Wards. And she had to wonder if Rebecca would go so far as to tell the PRT about her, just to get her in the Wards.
She bit her lip, wondering what Alexandria would do in this situation.
"It's Alexandria!" Rebecca cried out- pointing at the legendary heroine as she descended from the sky.
"Yes, I am!" Alexandria declared before pointing a finger at the cowering latina, "And I won't let you force my cape assistant into the Wards, you kid-diddling hussy. Take her away!"
"But Tay- Mysterious Insect Heroine Z will be safe in the Wards!" Rebecca pleaded as the camouflaged SWAT officers walked out of the bushes to handcuff her.
"Hmph!" Alexandria scoffed- flicking her gorgeous black hair over her shoulder, "Mysterious Insect Heroine Z doesn't need to join the Wards to fight on the side of Good. Heroes must be free to do what is right. Besides... I think the PRT will have a powerful ally in her in the future regardless."
She glanced at Taylor who was perched atop a convenient lamppost- her own black cape billowing in the wind.
"Whenever the PRT needs help in fighting the Good Fight, I will be there." Taylor coolly agreed, "But I must not and will not be constrained within the Wards and highschool drama."
"Well said, Mysterious Insect Heroine Z." Alexandria approved with a nod. "Come with me, let me introduce you to the local Protectorate and Wards. I'm sure they'll be happy to see a new independent hero being their ally out on the field."
"But that's so far, and I haven't figured out how to fly yet..."
"Not a problem."
A red Land Speeder glided around the corner- like the one he gifted to George Lucas as part of his deal to buy Star Wars.
"Here, one of Magos' Land Speeders, may it help you in your battles against evil." Alexandria said as Taylor ran her hand across the hood before glancing at the Triumvirate heroine.
"I want it in black!"
"Just so."
Another Land Speeder, now in all black, glided around the corner and parked beside the first.
"Take the wheel, Mysterious Insect Heroine Z." Alexandria beckoned as she climbed in the passenger seat, "Impress me with your intended plans of heroism as you drive us to Protectorate ENE HQ."
"I will!"
Wait... kid-diddling hussy? That gave Taylor an idea.
"Actually officer... I actually made a call earlier." She spoke up. "The one about sex with a minor?"
"Wait, what?!" Rebecca squawked in surprise which Taylor relished.
"She fits the description you gave, eh?" the policewoman said, pulling out her handcuffs and raising an eyebrow at Rebecca.
"Yes, officer. This woman right here." Taylor confirmed with a smug smile as she pulled out her phone and replayed the recording that she took. Unmistakably Rebecca on Aoicus lap just a few minutes ago- the latina's voice speaking.
"You're almost a third my age, don't think I won't do the same for you."
"Let me make it up to you then..."
"You'd better... Mmmm~ Like that... your hands are surprisingly warm."
"Taylor! What the hell!?" Rebecca shouted in panic, "No wait, officer! He's actually eighteen!"
Both Rebecca and the police woman expectantly looked at Aoicus. The former did so more desperately than the latter. But the blond teen just smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry, it also says that I'm sixteen on myactually legallearner's permit." He said with a shrug, "And with the PHO rumours about me being GG's boyfriend, it's publicly known that I'm sixteen."
...
The click of locking handcuffs rang through the cool winter air, and the policewoman read Rebecca her Miranda Rights.
"Unbelievable. Of all the things I get arrested over..." Rebecca groaned out loud as she looked at the handcuffs around her wrists before staring at Taylor, "Really, Taylor? You're going to get me arrested so that you can avoid a conversation?"
Taylor just looked away- refusing to meet the latina's eyes.
"When you put it that way, it does sound bad, but... It's what Alexandria would have done." she nodded, and the handcuffed latina just sputtered in stark disbelief.
"What do you mean 'It's what Alexandria would have done?!'"
"I think Taylor here is a big Alexandria fan." The blond accurately guessed, and Rebecca's brown eyes lit up with hope.
"If she's your role model, then she'd definitely want you to sign up!" Rebecca assured, but Taylor just looked at her with a critical eye.
"Not to be rude or anything, but... How wouldyouknow what Alexandria wants? You don't even seem the type to follow her social media."
"Yeah, Rebecca. She has you there." Aoicus snickered beside Taylor somewhat confused that he was taking her side on this, "You definitely don't follow Alexandria's social media. You wouldn't knowanythingabout Alexandria."
"But I'm- how is that in any way- Ugh, forget it!"
Taylor just nodded with a satisfied smile. It felt good to win an argument. She sure destroyed her with facts and logic.
"And you!" Rebecca growled at him. "You're having too much fun with this! This is serious!"
"Yes, I am. And yes, it is indeed serious." Aoicus conceded, "I just think what you're suggesting is the wrong move... if you can recall our previous conversations about the PRT."
"Aoicus! Get her to sign up!" the latina desperately pleaded to the blond- switching tactics. "That would be hilarious to you if she signed on and actually met Alexandria in person, right? Right?"
"Realistically..." Taylor hummed in thought, "...even if I signed up, I don't think I'd ever meet Alexandria. In person, I mean... What's so funny?"
Rebecca just palmed her face, and Aoicus just chortled into his fist.
"That would indeed be very amusing..." He nodded sagely as they walked her to the patrol car, "But no, things will work out best this way- trust me."
"Can you at least do something about this? Legally?" Rebecca asked Aoicus as she lifted up her handcuffs, and Taylor felt sort of bad. Sort of. She kind of deserved it.
"Don't worry about jail time or getting charged with a sex crime!" He reassured her with a grin, "I'll see that a couple of Chloe-Attorneys come and clear things up once you arrive at the station."
"Those Chloe-Attorneys better be good, I amnotsleeping in a cell." Rebecca sighed. "...Or getting on a sex offender registry."
"Of course, of course." He nodded before catching the latina's lips in a deep kiss, "I'll even take you out on a nice apology dinner after this."
Meanwhile, Taylor and the policewoman just shared bewildered glances as the two kissed. A silent agreement between them that anyone who tongue-kissed a minor that passionately definitely belonged in a sex offender registry.
"I hate how good you are at that..." Rebecca muttered softly before the policewoman shut the door, and they were off. With Aoicus' girlfriend taken away by the police, that left her alone with him in the snowy park... and she didn't know how to start a conversation with him after getting his older girlfriend arrested. Maybe apologising for cockblocking him?
"Aoicus? I'm sorry that I got your girlfriend arrested(kinda?).But she was uh... threatening me with PRT, so... yeah."
Good enough apology, she supposed.
"No harm, no foul." he shrugged, " The District Attorney of Brockton Bay is very understanding when it comes to anything regarding Magos. The maître d on his trains getting arrested? Knowing the Chloe-Attorneys, she'll be out in about twenty minutes."
Right... Taylor forgot all about that- how Rebecca was the head waitress in one of his trains. Having some legal help at the ready seemed like a great perk for the job. But that came with a question that Taylor didn't like at all...
"So, Magos knows? About me, I mean." Taylor asked him. And as the snow began to fall lightly around them, Aoicus smiled an almost predatory smile- all teeth.
"Of course Magos knows." He said with that smile, "The Chloes were there, weren't they?He may as well been here all this time."
Taylor wasn't stupid. She was familiar with the tropes and could put the pieces together. The way he said it... the shine in his eyes... the cheshire cat smile... the sheer familiarity with the Chloes... Taylor could only come to one plausible conclusion.
"You're a corpo-cape who answers to Magos, aren't you?" Taylor surmised with a suspicious look, and the blond eyebrow he raised just confirmed that she hit the nail on the head.
"You know that you're definitely not supposed to ask that."
"Why not? It seems pretty obvious now." She insisted- loving the feeling of going on the verbal offensive as she thought back to the clues laid out in front of her, "You didn't so much as blink when swarms of bugs fly out of nowhere. You seem to be a lot more privy to how the Chloes work. And... you didn't answer the question."
Aoicus just shook his head in exasperation.
"Seems you're unfamiliar with the Unwritten Rules. That's fine, we'll bring you up to speed." He noted, "And yes, I am indeed a Cape: I'm that teleporting Cape that evacuated Glory Girl from that fight with Bastard Son."
"Called it." Taylor smiled- satisfied that she was already establishing an identity as being observant, "And it must be nice having a Mover rating though. Teleportation is one of those powers that a lot of people dream of having. But... do you have a cape name though? Even PHO hasn't settled on a name yet."
"I am not interested in growing my brand." He scoffed. "I'm already gainfully employed for the next century at least, so I'm not concerned with making a name for myself."
"Not like Magos, huh?" She chuckled, glancing at the ostentatious manufactorum in the distance, "Your boss must be compensating for something."
The blond teen just aimed a flat look at her.
"What? It's true!" She defended herself, and Aoicus just shook his head.
"I just had the sudden urge to call you a stupid, mouthy meatbag on behalf of Magos." He sighed, before looking down the lightly snowing streets, "Our ride is almost here. I know a Rogue team looking for a new member. Locally based, and around your age. They've been looking for a new member lately and I think you'll be a good enough fit."
"Hold up." Taylor protested with a skeptical expression, "I didn't agree to joining any group just yet. I don't even have a costume yet, and... why are you even helping me?"
Aoicus just rolled his blue eyes.
"Firstly, youcouldstill go independent, yes." he said with a tone of voice that said he was humouring her, "But you can be sure that the moment you go out in your costume as 'that bug girl,' the ABB is going to recognise your power. That man you fed with cockroaches was pretty high up if you couldn't tell by his fluent english and professional disposition."
"If I was scared of going against Villains, I wouldn't be trying to become an independent hero." Taylor half-lied- the thought of having to face Lung or Oni Lee scared her shitless.
"Nothing is ever certain with cape fights." Aoicus said simply and solemnly. "The only certain thing is that Danny will inevitably be dragged into this if you go Independent; and if he's involved then- by extension- so is the Mechanicus. And as much as Magos no doubt prizes your father's services, he isn't going to be happy fixing the ABB problem for you... Unless you redirect their attention elsewhere."
It was like a punch to the gut for Taylor- knowing that his dad was going to get tangled up inhermess. And as if to match her melancholy, the snow began to fall just a bit harder than as well- the white snow dusting her underdressed shoulders.
"And that's why I'm helping you." He nodded, "Because this IS a Mechanicus matter now. Which means that it's my job to smooth things out as best as I can."
"Fine, you've made your point." Taylor frowned as she found this- everything about this situation that she was in- to be extremely frustrating. "So, I'll get roped into the Mechanicus by default if I don't join any other cape group, huh?"
"Joining the Wards is also on the table." He shrugged. "It'll be socially draining being one of those prized media darlings of the PRT, but you'll sleep with a clean conscience, and rub shoulders with bona fide Heroes."
"Hard pass." Taylor grunted just as the sleek black sedan of a Chloe-Cab stopped on the road in front of them. "We taking the cab to that cape group?
"Not exactly." Aoicus grinned as he pulled open the door to reveal the occupying blonde girl who was definitely not expecting her ride's door to suddenly open. Her bottle-green wide open in surprise over her pale freckled cheeks.
"Who the hell... Oh, hey bo- Aoicus! Hitching a ride with us?"
"Yes, make some room." Aoicus gestured to her, and the blonde girl complied as she slid inwards to make space for him, and all the while, she silently looked at Taylor with a curious expression.
Taylor looked at the Chloe-cab's warm interior before glancing at the empty park all around her- the snow falling even more now to coat everything in white. Now, what did her mother say about getting into cars with strangers?
She got into the car- sitting beside Aoicus with the blonde girl seated across him, and...
"Wait, is that the streamer Jean16?!" Taylor squawked at the guy(?) seated across from her. Soft brown hair slightly ruffled, and a litany of feminine features that Taylor wished she had: A delicate facial shape, flawless soft skin to long toned legs clad in thigh-highs and a miniskirt that looked all too good on him. Now, she really didn't know what was going on, "Are you having me join a team or a streamer collab? Because I'm definitely not going to be shaking my ass for money."
"It seems my reputation precedes me." Jean16 smiled serenely, "I don't say this often, but... Thanks, it was just what I needed after today."
"Uh, you're welcome?"
"So,Aoicus..." The blonde girl cut in. "What's the deal with her?"
"She assaulted an ABB 'talent recruiter' while she was unmasked." he promptly explained, "And now, she's looking for a group to avoid the usual ABB retaliation. So, congratulations, you have that heavy-hitter that you've been looking for. From what I've seen, she has fine insect control in more than a 40 metre radius- everything from cockroaches to spiders to beetles and possibly everything else. And likely a mild Thinker rating allows her almost infinite multitasking in controlling her bugs."
The other girl's green eyes stared at her with a strange intensity, and Taylor felt that cold shiver down her spine again. Oh no, what had she gotten to now...
"Interesting." the blonde commented as her mouth stretched into a fox-like grin, "So, the Undersiders finally have their first hopeful wanting to join the team, huh? You look like a serious kind of gal...My name's Lisa Wilbourn, and I think you're going to be anexcellentfit."
"Wait, the Undersiders?!" Taylor gasped as she recognised the name from her internet browsing and immediately rounded on the Aoicus, "They're villains! You're crazy if you think I'm going to join a Villain team!"
"We're leaning towards more heroic work nowadays." Lisa shrugged, "It may not have been widely known, but we helped the PRT out during the Bastard Son fight. So, our total score is about a 30-70 split between Heroic and Villainous intentions."
"No! Just no! I'm not going to go Villain!"
"Forgive her naivete." Aoicus told Lisa- the both of them clearly unbothered by Taylor's vigorous refusal, "She doesn't know how the Cape world works just yet. The Unwritten Rules, the Cops and Robbers masquerade or even a good costume... So fill her in, train her up, give her pep talks, andmake doubly sureshe doesn't escalate conflicts."
"Sheesh, the whole enchilada huh?" Lisa clarified with an arched brow, "No wonder she wound up unmasking herself."
"Hey! What do you mean by that 'no wonder' part?!" Taylor protested... only to be ignored again as Lisa's hands met together in a clap.
"Alright, new girl!" the blonde girl grinned, "Let's educate you with some boot camp before we pop your Cape cherries: Your first gig, your first fight against other capes and your first big payout. Oh, it's going to be a fun ride! But first!..."
Lisa smirked almost lustfully at Aoicus.
"What are the magic words, handsome?" she purred, and he rolled his eyes.
"I'll forward my recommendation to Magos about giving you all a corresponding pay increase." He sighed.
"'Corresponding pay increase.' Oh, I love it when you talk dirty." Lisa grinned before waggling her blonde brows at him, "And you'll say hi to Magos for us, won't youAoicus?"
"... I will."
Taylor felt like she was missing out on some inside joke the two had going.
"Speaking of pay..." Aoicus muttered out loud as he looked at the femboy seated across Taylor, "Hand me your panties."
"Really? Right here, right now?!" the brunette femboy excitedly said, "I thought you'd never ask!"
And to Taylor's horror, Jean16 reached up his skirt to slide those blue-striped panties down his long legs. Her mind filtering out the sight of that feminine penis for the sake of her own sanity. So dumbstruck was she that she forgot to protest when Aoicus placed the panties into her palm.
'Still warm to the touch.' Taylor thought with dull horror.
"Consider it your signing bonus." Aoicus told her with an indulgent smile of a boss giving his employee their bonus, "They're very valuable especially since he had Void_Cuwuboy's face grinding against them for a while."
Taylor's sanity took additional damage as her mind parsed the words and she realised that he got into a fight with Greg and ground his crotch into his face.
"Got that skirt-stealing skank good." Jean16 chirped with a satisfied nod and smile, and it was then that Taylor regained control of her mouth enough to form words.
"Couldn't you pay me in cash or Omnicoin?!" She shrieked, at the very edge of freaking out.
"But they're worth $2500 at least."
Taylor froze at the quote, and she found her hand traitorously refusing all attempts at throwing the warm panties to the floor.
"Hey! I know some people who'd gladly go $4000 for that!" Jean16 disputed with a disturbingly cute pout on his pink lips before looking over to Aoicus. "Hey, since I gave Taylor my panties, do you want a quickie?"
"Not it." Aoicus replied, and Jean16 looked to Lisa.
"Not it." She snorted. Then everyone looked at Taylor expectantly.
"Oh come on, you know you want to~" Jean16 purred as he crossed and uncrossed his thighhigh-clad legs- flashing Taylor his- Nevermind, her blush turned nuclear.
"I-I don't swing that way!" She almost shouted. "Wait, I do, but just not with- No wait, that's homophobic. Wait, are traps gay? Shit, was that a slur?! But the point I'm trying to make is- Aaarrrgghhh!"
Lisa and Jean16 shared a matching set of grins, and Taylor felt that shiver run down her spine again.
"She's so serious over femboys. Like Brian." Jean16 mentioned to Lisa.
"Exactly like Brian." the blonde girl agreed before aiming a sadistic grin at Taylor, "Oh, this is the start of a beautiful working relationship. Let me help you move those panties. If anyone deserves a $4000 signing bonus, it'll be you, champ."
Taylor looked down to the panties in her hands. She didn't know what was worse: That she was actually relieved to have them, or there was a microscopic part of her (read: her libido) that was waking up from this. This whole day has been just a rollercoaster ride for her sexual preferences.
What would Alexandria do in this situation?
(A few weeks later)
"Halt, Mysterious Insect Heroine Z!" Alexandria frowned at the sight of Taylor and the Undersiders at the PRT Rig. The entire Protectorate ENE with Armsmaster, Miss Militia, Triumph and the Speedster Trio all standing in a line before her.
"You have betrayed the cause of good and brought Villains to our doorstep, Mysterious Insect Heroine Z!" Armsmaster accused with a dramatic flourish of his halberd and pointed its plasma blade straight at Taylor.
"No... let her speak." Alexandria calmly spoke as she pushed down the halberd with her bare hands. "She was brave enough to stand up against the ABB and apprehend that reprehensible child-molesting latina... there has to be more to this."
"Don't harm our hero! We're here to turn ourselves in!" Lisa cried out- throwing herself to Alexandria's feet. "Mysterious Insect Heroine Z infiltrated the group, curbed our worst impulses while lifting up all our heroic ones. We now want to permanently convert to the Path of Good!"
"I want to wear pants now!" Jean16 added, "But not because Mysterious Insect Heroine Z was homophobic or anything, but because I don't want to flash my feminine penis at anyone (who doesn't like it) ever again!"
Alexandria merely smiled a small smile.
"I knew it..." She spoke- her voice watery with bittersweet pride, "Mysterious Insect Heroine Z... you never strayed from the light, did you?"
"I walked the path of darkness, so that others need not." Taylor said with a cool, hoarse voice as she stood there with her black cape billowing in the bay's breeze.
"I- We were wrong about you, Mysterious Insect Heroine Z!" Armsmaster cried out- tears streaming down his cheeks. "How can we ever repay you for your selfless service?!"
Taylor coolly turned her back towards the gathered heroes.
"Furthering the cause of good is its own reward..." She replied- glancing over her cape-covered shoulder like in the movies.
"Please, let us make a toy line, a trilogy of movies and a single by Canary in honour of your noble sacrifice!"
"If that will inspire others to become heroic... then okay!" Taylor humbly allowed. "But I want to be part of the movies' production team!"
"Of course." Alexandria nodded, "But first, there are a few reporters about to give you an interview."
Suddenly, a crowd of reporters came to ask her questions- chanting her name as they held up their cameras and microphones.
"Mysterious Insect Heroine Z!" One piped up, "Is it true that your story started when Jean16 gave you his panties and you used the $4000 to buy all sorts of cool gadgets to help you in your heroic acts?!"
"Yes... it was an absurd start to my career, but we all start from somewhere."
Watching Taylor, I thought replacing my biological brain with a blessed machine would preclude myself from having a headache, but here I was- nursing a phantom migraine.
"Boss..." Lisa whispered to me as we both watched Taylor space out. "... Is there any particular reason why this girl is a few sandwiches short of a picnic?"
"She becomes lost in her thoughts easily." I whispered back to her, "Subconsciously offloads her emotions to her swarm, but when there's little swarm to be found like right now during winter?"
"...She becomes a normal socially stunted 15-year-old. I gotcha." Lisa finished with a subtle nod.
I expected to do a lot of things today. Deflowering a 42-year-old virgin tomboy, entertaining myself watching a biokinetic coomer wrestle with her growing addiction for blonde sex dolls, and calling in that sexual favour from my AI Overlord girlfriend to get her to wear a french maid outfit during sex. But instead, I have to play babysitter to the person who would kill this universe's equivalent of a xeno god.
Just look at her! Sitting there with that spacey smile on her face as she holds that pair of femboy panties!
I gave her three days to not screw things up, and she didn't even lastfifteenminutes after meeting us. The ABB, clued in to both Taylor's existence and her power. Alexandria, almost becoming a registered sex offender facing up to four years in jail, and Taylor had taken her Alexandria hero worship and turned it into an almost schizophrenic delusion... which I am half-convinced is her Shard influencing her.
The bar was already set so low that it was a tripping hazard in hell. But there Taylor was, limbo-dancing with the devil.
Fucking Taylor.