The newscaster smiled at the camera. "And next, several people were injured during a fight between the Undersiders, the Wards and an unknown Parahuman at Brockton Bay Central Bank earlier today. The injuries occurred when Glory Girl entered the bank through the wall"
Images of the bank exterior popped up on the screen in the corner of the room. "And later, when the unknown Parahuman unleashed their powers. Panacea of New Wave was among those in the bank and was hospitalised as a result of the unknown Parahuman's actions which caused serious burns to all present. The Undersiders were uninjured, but were apprehended at the scene."
Images. I flinched, but I made myself keep watching. This is what happens when I don't take care. The result of me losing control. The images ended, and I restarted the newscast. I was sitting in an internet café, spending cash I couldn't afford on this. Burning my wrongs into my mind. This was different from the robberies that I usually did. I had hurt people.
Eventually, I would have to leave the café, but for now I tracked my remaining funds... and found that they were gone. External interference the Hierophant supplied. The Nobleman started ranting, and the Queen's laughter took on a hysterical edge. I stood up abruptly, and headed for the exit. The Fourth sighed and the sound of his voice sent shivers down my back. Vengeance and forgiveness began a war in the back of my mind as my world, my goals, my future crumbling around me.
Vengeance won, and pushed to the front of my mind when I got home and saw the PRT dragging my father away.
Aegis and Shadow Stalker sat across from each other, silently. "You know her." Aegis said, not for the first time. "No." Shadow Stalker snapped back. "I know some loser who looks like that psycho bitch, a two-bit twerp that won't amount to anything"
Silence. "I think you're in denial." Aegis said, raising his hand before Shadow Stalker could go ballistic on him(again). "Not that I care. Either she is, and we can pay her back by locking her in maximum security, or she isn't and we'll have to start over at square one." The almost hungry look in Aegis's eyes excited Sophia. Finally, someone other than Emma who was showing signs of becoming a decent predator.
She smiled.
The Hierophant was not good at revenge plots. Neither was the Queen, and the Nobleman wasn't much better. I turned, mentally, to the Fourth. It made a suggestion, and I smiled. Driving them to repentance sounded good. Driving them to madness sounded better. Lost in thought, I turned a corner, only to come face to face with Assault and Battery. It would've been too much to hope they wouldn't recognise me.
Assault had already stepped forward, and Battery was charging up. "Taylor Hebert" Battery said. "We need you to come with us for questioning." The Statue pondered, while the Nobleman began pushing forward. The Hierophant still refused to really help me, and with all the light the Queen couldn't come out at all. I considered lying, but figured that that would be pointless.
The Nobleman's face flowered over mine, complete with mask. A sword appeared in my hand, and I raised it cockily at Assault. "Have at ye, white hats!" The Nobleman hijacked my mouth. Assault snorted, Battery blinked and then my world was pain. Battery's blow sent me skidding back, and Assault was already doing … something. I lunged forwards with my sword and managed a glancing blow on Assault. He yelped as the cut opened on his costume and I danced back from his counterattack.
I was also holding my breath, and keeping my upper body ramrod straight. I was pretty sure that without the Nobleman's shell I'd be out for the count, but either way there were bruises forming everywhere, and every breath hurt. Didn't that happen when ribs were broken? Assault tapped me and I went flying. It was much gentler than Battery's punch, at least. I turned my fall into a flip, and landed on my feet before lunging forwards again.
The fight had been going on for about three minutes by the time their backup showed up, and my every movement hurt. On the other hand, both of them had a number of shallow cuts, and costumes in a general state of disrepair. However, now they had a dozen PRT officers on their side, and they were already prepping their sprayers. So I did the only sensible thing: I threw my sword to cut open a tank of foam, and kicked Battery into the errupting tank
Assault took a step towards me but I summoned a new sword to my hand and pointed it at Battery. "You lose." I pointed out. Assault shrugged. "You're hurt." He pointed out. "We can just pick you up from some hospital or another when you go there. Could you please stop pointing a sword at her?" The Nobleman laughed with my mouth. "If you foam yourself first, sure. Can't have you CAPering around after me like a MADman" Assault's eyes widened. "Flattery?" He said sardonically. "Sorry dear, I'm taken, and on the side of the Angels"
"Oh, how dreadful." I responded. "But the side of the demons is such fun!" Assault laughed. "My side gets dental cover." He said. And then something dropped on the ground behind me. Foam erupted behind me, and covered me fairly quickly. "Blackguard! You cheated me!" I called out to Assault. He just gave an extravagant bow.
"Why do you think we will take this deal?" Piggot said. Armsmaster sat next to her, facing Tattletale and the rest of the Undersiders.
"Because I can tell you about the powers of the new cape that took down the Wards and us all by herself?" Tattletale said, almost innocently. "The sort of info you need when taking on an unknown Parahuman?" She looked Piggot right in the eyes, with a wide grin on her face. It was all the director could do not to punch the young villainess.
"For example, and as a complete freebie..." Tattletale raised an eyebrow and waited for Piggot to nod. "Containment foam won't work on her."
Assault was annoyed as the new villain walked out of the containment foam, the shell of hardened chemicals crumbling around her. "Now that's just not fair." He muttered, dodging the sword. The fact that it could cut him was bad enough, but he had the vague notion it was stretching just a bit, turning near misses into glancing blows.
"Life isn't. What do you think of the name Opera by the by?" Another flick of the sword which he dodged by taking a step back.
"Trademarked.. You could join the Wards and work out a deal for it?" Assault offered.
"Nah. Villainy works better for what I need. And since I'm a villain what do I care if it's trademarked?" The newly-dubbed Opera smiled at him.
"Come on" Assault said. "I can tell your ribs are broken. You can't keep this up forever. Give up, and we can talk."
"I think not. Leperello." Assault was grabbed from behind by a vague shape. Opera saluted, and turned down an alleyway. Assault struggled but whatever was holding him still wouldn't budge until it suddenly vanished ten minutes later. Battery and the PRT agents had been freed with the help of some police, and at least three videos of the fight would be up on the internet that Assault knew of. He could already imagine the lectures he would be getting from Piggot, Armsmaster and the blasted PR department.