Disclaimer is in chapter 1. So apparently Tenhawk has resumed posting fanfiction on one of his own sites ( t . evancurrie . ca ) and on patre on (username tenhawk).

The Rig.

Emily Piggot was not a well woman and anyone could tell it with only a glance at her, but she refused to let her infirmity slow her down one iota more than it absolutely had to. Getting into her Office in the morning she went about her routine as normal, black coffee made to Navy specifications and the report from the night before was her usual wakeup.

This time she had reason to pause and glance over some information before reaching over to buzz Armsmaster.

"Yes, Director?" He asked over the line.

"What's this about detecting a new Cape?" She asked seriously.

"Possible detection, Director," He said. "Unusual disturbance on the gravity detection suite, high powered enough to be detectable as far away as Vancouver, but definitely originating somewhere on the East Coast and probably just outside of the city. Nothing else confirmed, however, but with readings that high we're looking at a high level Shaker or Mover I would estimate."

"Great. Are we sure it's not Strider or another known cape?"

"Doesn't match known signatures. There was also a report of a new Cape taking down an Empire member just outside of town. Robbery attempt at a 7/11."

"Did you pull the security video?"

"Yes Ma'am, it'll be linked in your morning report."

Emily glanced down the file and found the link, quickly opening it and watching it while Armsmaster waited. When it was over she leaned back, "Is he the source?"

"If he is his blaster power wasn't high strength enough to register, so we don't have a reading."

She snorted, "If it had been high enough to register he'd have turned the Empire goon to pink mist."

"That… is a possibility," Armsmaster agreed uncomfortably.

"Facial recognition?" She asked, her tone clipped.

"No match. Anywhere."

"Changer power perhaps, Stranger?" She speculated.

"Not enough data to determine, however he does seem unconcerned about it." Armsmaster said. "Turned up on a PHO discussion about the event just minutes later, in fact. Calls himself Alexander Magus."

Emily grimaced, "Oh God, not one of those powers are magic people?"

"It would appear so," Armsmaster's tone indicated an agreement with her disdain that didn't surprise her. "He did also express some rather pointed disdain for Empire 88 and Nazis in general as well."

"Alright, well standard drill for the moment. Soft approach, attempt recruitment, try not to drive him off."

"Yes Ma'am."

"Thank you for your time," She said, dismissing the Cape before getting back to the rest of her morning.

The City.

Xander yawned as he slipped out of the cubby hole he'd made in the wall on the roof of what seemed to be an abandoned building. The previous night had been interesting, but it was clearly time for him to get more serious about working out where the hell he was.

"Myx."

There was a brief pause before a feeling of pressure built around them until it popped like a soap bubble and the little guy appeared.

"Damn, McGurk, you landed in a strange one." Myx said as he pulled the bowler hat off his head and wrung it out, squeezing a small flood of sweat onto the rooftop. "I almost bust a gut getting here."

"Really?"

"Yeah, some schmo put a barrier around the whole dimensional branch," The imp complained. "I wouldn't have even found the joint if you hadn't been the one to call."

"Huh, I was wondering why you didn't show up to annoy.. ah, offer advice… earlier," Xander smirked at the Imp, who mimed holding his heart in pain at the accusation.

"That hurts, Mcgurk."

"I'm sure," Xander snorted, but quickly frowned as he considered the rest of what the Imp had said, "but you say someone put up a barrier? I didn't notice any problems getting through?"

"Mmmm… Lemme check something, boss."

The Imp popped away, leaving Xander alone on the rooftop. He wandered over to the edge and looked over the city he was now in, seeing in daylight for the first time. Nothing he saw much changed his opinion from the night before, but then he supposed there wasn't much to be expected from a city that was occupied by a literal Nazi criminal syndicate.

A pop behind him signified the return of the Imp, causing Xander to turn back.

"Big BIG problem, Mcgurk," Mix said, clutching now at his bowler hat, looking honestly scared.

"What?" Xander tensed up. Anything that legitimately frightened the Imp was not to be treated lightly.

"We're stuck here. Barrier is one way permeable, whole damn place is Hotel California if you get my meaning, Boss."

"Seriously?"

"Like a heart attack if, you know, I could have one… which I damn near did," The Imp complained. "Didn't even think that was possible. Anyway, nothing gets out."

"Nothing?" Xander frowned, "Ah, no, my Spell Phone reached home ok."

Myx paused, considering that, "You used the familiarity principle to build those, right? Ok, right… that's a hole in the net, might be able to work with that… I'll look into it, but it'll take time."

"Be careful and keep me in the loop," Xander ordered. "If something cut off this universe…"

"Not universe, Bossman," Myx corrected quickly, "Universal Branch. They actually cut off a small chunk of infinity from the rest of the multiverse."

"This gets better and better," Xander mumbled, "ok. Fine then, be even more careful. Anyone who can do that is not to be messed around with, not even by you."

"Don't need to tell me twice. I'll snoop around, see if I can figure out what and who. You take care yourself," Myx countered. "Our terms may for your lifetime, but you're way too much fun for me to want to end it just yet. See ya, Mcgurk!"

Xander rolled his eyes as the Imp popped out, leaving him alone again in the city.

Well, might be some sandbox for the local Pantheon of Gods, but if so Myx should be able to get us passage out easily enough. Hiding from the rest is suspicious… but then I've seen some of the assholes out there, so whoever it is might just not want busybodies poking their noses in… still…

His mind went back to what he'd read the night before.

If it is the local pantheon, why are they trying to murder everyone with those damned Endbringers? Everything I've seen says that those things are beyond the current human capability to fight, even with super powers. Pantheons usually have rules about not giving people more than they can handle, even if just barely. Throwing monsters at children isn't a test, it's murder.

His guts roiled as he considered a possibility that he really didn't like.

Hellgod Pantheon maybe, snuck out of the Hell controlled dimensions and sealed off a playground for themselves? Bad news if that's the case. Shit…

He needed more information, that much was certain.

"Well, suppose I should start right here, at least until I have a better place to look," He sighed as he opened up his jacket and reached in, pulling out a case that was clearly too big to have fit in there.

Opening the small brief case, Xander whistled and waited a moment as the sound echoed a couple times. Then a return cawing sound made it to his ears as a green parrot appeared, landing on the edge of the cage and perching easily.

"Hey Krypty," Xander said, nuzzling the bird's beak for a moment. "I need a second set of eyes, ok? Fly around, check things out, let me know if you find anything hinky."

The bird cawed before hopping out of the case onto his free arm, spreading its wings, and then launching into the sky. Xander watched him go for a moment before closing up the case and returning it to its spot under his jacket.

With school still out for the rest of the week Victoria Dallon, otherwise known as Glory Girl, was taking the opportunity to get in some flying time disguised as a patrol.

There were a lot of downsides to being an outed cape, though she wouldn't admit to most of them in public since being part of New Wave made that a distinct no-no, but there were also some very distinct upsides as well.

The most important of those being that she could just step outside her front door and take off if she wanted, no worries about being spotted or outing herself. Flying was one of the greatest things in the world, right alongside beating up bad guys and saving innocents.

The snow was more mud than snow, the weather in Brockton wasn't exactly fit for a traditional Christmas at the best of times but they'd gotten lucky with a snowfall before the holidays and the city had been white until a couple days before the New Years.

Now it was sludge more than snow, but still cold enough that she was happy her powers kept her from feeling the freeze.

Angling toward the boardwalk, Glory Girl put on some speed and let out a whoop of excitement as she blasted over the buildings with gusto, focusing on the shops she would shortly be visiting in preparation for her next visit to the area with Dean.

A squawk from her right caused her to peel off in shock as a green Parrot dropped out of the skies beside her, looking over at her with a curious gleam in its eye.

Victoria stared back, looked down to confirm her air speed, then back to the bird in confusion.

"How are you flying so fast?" She stammered out incredulously.

She wasn't the fastest mover around, to be sure, but her top speed was near up on eighty miles an hour.

"Are birds that fast?" She asked, trying desperately to think of any time she'd encountered birds in flight. "I don't think birds are that fast…"

The Parrot squawked again… and started pulling away from her.

"What the? Oh hell no!"

Victoria growled, pushing as hard as she could to close the gap again, struggling to fish out her phone as she hit the speed dial.

"PRT Console," a young voice greeted her cooly. "Is something the matter, Glory Girl?"

"Vista… how fast are parrots, and do they live in this area?"

There was a long pause.

"W… what?"

"I was flying toward the boardwalk," Vicky explained, shouting over the wind howling off her shield, "and this green parrot dropped into formation beside me, squawked twice after checking me out, and is now pulling away from me."

"D… don't you fly like eighty miles an hour?" Vista stammered out as Vicky could hear rapid typing in the background.

"Yes! I do, which is why I'm calling."

"Ok, ok, I'm checking… uh… looks like most can't do much more than 50," Vista responded after a moment, "but some can do quite a bit more. Maybe it's one of those?"

"I guess," Vicky said uncertainly, "but they don't live around here, right? I mean, I'd know if they did… I think?"

"No, Glory Girl," Vista said, "they don't live around here. An escaped pet maybe?"

"Maybe… Damn, I was seriously thinking it had to be Parahuman something at play," Vicky grumbled. "Stupid parrot. Faster than me..."

"Not everything is Parahuman in origin, Glory Girl," Vista said, "has to be cold for the poor thing up there, though. They're more tropical birds. Think you can catch it? We could see if anyone reported it missing."

"What part of pulling away from me are you having trouble understanding, Vista?"

"Sheesh, don't take your bruised ego out on me, Glory Girl, I was just saying…"

"Stupid bird. Nothing that size should be that fast in the straight away," Vicky whined.

"Size? How big was it?"

"Big. Wingspan was almost as wide across as I can reach, tip to tip," Vicky said, watching the bird steadily drawing away.

"Ok, that's strange. The faster parrots are usually smaller ones."

"So maybe it is Parahuman?" Vicky perked up.

"Not the strangest changer form I've ever heard of, but close… Can you follow it?"

"Maybe, for a while anyway."

"Ok, I'll check with someone here. Call you back."

"Got it, thanks…" Vicky stared at her phone when the connection went dead. "Vista… she's too young to call a bitch, Vicky. Don't get pissed at the twelve year old, even if she is asking for it…"

Taking a few deep breaths Victoria focused instead on pushing her speed to the max, trying to keep up with the bird as it raced through the city.

Xander cocked his head as he felt a bit of pressure at the back of his mind, accepting the magical feed from Krypty.

Oho, interesting. Found a flyer already. Good bird. Ok, lead her this way, I'll be waiting.

He finished up the fast food egg and muffin sandwich, washing it down with a hot cup of coffee as he finished packing up the rest of his things from the table he'd taken up in the shop. After dropping purloined Nazi gold cash on the table to cover the bill plus a decent tip, Xander headed for the door, conscious of the number of people watching him.

Landing outside might have been a bit much, I guess, but I would have expected people to be used to it with all the super types running around. Oh well…

Once outside the shop, Xander dropped his glasses back over his nose as he looked up into the clear sky and activated the charms in his suit, lifting off with a rush of air.

Over the rooftops, he quickly spotted Krypty on approach with a flyer in pursuit. His glasses focused in on her, leaving Xander mildly amused and a little disturbed by the white cheerleading outfit topped by gold accents and an honest to god Tiara.

"Oh god, It's an airborne Buffy."

Glory Girl was stressed and worn as she chased after the bird, noticing it suddenly curve in to a street ahead just as another flyer popped up over the buildings. She slowed abruptly, feet dropping down as she tensed up in case she was in for a fight.

The Parrot she was chasing beelined in for the Parahuman she was now watching, looping in a tight fast spiral, and dropped right onto his outstretched arm with a perfect precision landing. She was almost jealous.

Easing way back on her speed, Vicky warily watched as the unknown Parahuman climbed up to match her altitude but didn't make any aggressive moves. As they got closer, she took in his costume… such as it was.

It looked more like biker wear than most Parahuman costumes, but was pretty clearly custom tailored at the very least, and seemed to have armored padding as well. The lack of a mask was interesting, since she only knew of one Cape in the area that was reported not to wear a mask other than her family.

"You must be Magus," She said dryly. "I didn't know you had a bird. Is it a projection?"

"Krypty?" He asked, petting the bird's beak as it rubbed against his hand. "Not sure what a projection is exactly, but I doubt it. Krypty is… well, complicated."

"I bet."

He looked her up and down, almost causing her to flush in both embarrassment and anger at being checked out.

Finally he spoke again.

"Damn, aren't you cold in that?"