Hope Through Overwhelming Firepower 4.2
Taylor didn't even entertain the thought of not going. She hadn't backed down from Lung, why would she back down from this? It crossed Taylor's mind that she might not be able to contemplate backing down...
It probably wasn't worth worrying about. What will happen, will happen. Maybe her sudden utilitarianism about the topic is-
Taylor dropped the thought.
A knock on her door. "Taylor, we need to go, that was an Endbringer alarm. Now, I've looked up where the nearest shelter is and..."
Well fuck. How was she going to get past her Dad?
Taylor quickly hid her scarf and goggles on her person, and then opened the door. "Sorry, Dad, I can't go to the shelter with you." She responded. "I have some friends I need to see and-"
"Friends?" Her father questioned. "Why would you need to see friends on the eve of an Endbringer attack?"
Taylor didn't quite have an adequate response for that.
Seeing her lack of response, Danny Hebert sighed. "Taylor, what's going on in your life? This is the second time in a row that you've come home looking terrible. And now you're leaving for places unknown right before an Endbringer attack."
"I..." Taylor didn't know what to say.
"Please." Her father begged. "Let me in; tell me what's going on."
"...I'm going to fight the Endbringer." Taylor answered with a heavy heart.
It took a moment for the truth of what that implied to sink in. "You're a Parahuman." Her father whispered.
"Yes."
Her Dad sank into a nearby chair. "Taylor... for how long?"
"Three months or so." Taylor replied.
"Three- You've been doing this for three months!" Her father almost shouted.
Taylor winced slightly. "No, I've only been going out for a week or so."
Her father sagged back down. "Well, at least I'm not that terrible a father." He muttered morosely.
"Dad-"
"Taylor." He interrupted. "Must you go? Can't you just... stay home, and leave it to the professionals?"
"No." She answered firmly. "I can't stand by and do nothing, when I have the power to do something."
"I-just-Taylor, it's an Endbringer, dammit. Hundreds die every time one attacks, something like half of the Parahumans who show up are guaranteed to do so. Please, Taylor, I can't lose you." He begged.
"Dad, I can't. I need to do this." Taylor remained firm.
"Why, Taylor? Why? Just leave the fighting to the others, and stay safe."
"Dad I... I'm fairly powerful. I'm no Legend or Eidolon, but I can make a difference. Keep perhaps one more cape alive that might die otherwise." It broke Taylor's heart to see her father like this, but she had to remain steadfast.
"Then-then... promise me you'll stay alive." Her father asked.
"I can't do that, Dad. As you said, Endbringers are serious things."
Her father's body trembled, and then he roared and punched a wall, a few lines of red blood trickling down from the impact point.
"Dad!" Taylor said, shocked.
"Just go!" He shouted. "Go and leave me behind."
"I-" Taylor stuttered
"Go!" Her father shouted out again.
Taylor, not having anything more to say, turned and ran from the house.
"Goddammit!" Taylor heard her father scream out to the sound of something breaking. A few moments later, she also heard a faint sobbing.
Taylor kept running.
Considering how close she was to a crying, Taylor was moderately surprised she still remembered to put on her costume for when Aegis flew down.
"Buster." He greeted. He briefly glanced at her. "Are you okay? You... don't look all that well."
"It's nothing." She assured him.
"Like hell it is. What happened?" He continued.
"I told you, it's nothing." Taylor scowled.
"And I'm telling you that as a friend, and a leader, I cannot let someone into battle against an Endbringer in less than top shape. So you better tell me what's wrong." Aegis crossed his arms.
Taylor's scowl deepened. "Alright, fine. I just had a little conflict with my Dad, wasn't happy about me getting into an Endbringer fight."
Aegis winced. "Yeah, they're never very happy about them. Although you must have it easier than most, with how durable you are showing yourself to be."
"I... never actually told him I was a Parahuman before today." Taylor offered hesitantly. "And he doesn't keep up much with the cape scene, even the local one, so telling him 'I'm Buster' wouldn't do much."
Aegis blinked. "So, you basically just told your father that you had a fifty percent chance of dying in the next few hours. Did you expect him to take this well?"
"Yes! No! I don't know! I just... never wanted him to know." Taylor deflated. "He- he became so angry when Mom died that... I just didn't want to hurt him. And now I've gone and done it anyway." Taylor finished morosely.
Aegis sighed. "It's not my place to judge your actions, but that seems like, to be quite frank, a dick move. Now come on, let's get going. I need to get you there ASAP."
"What ever happened to 'I cannot let someone into battle in less than top shape'?" Taylor questioned.
Aegis shrugged. "That was a bluff. I suppose I could just leave you here, but then you would probably have Alexandria coming by to pick you up."
Taylor paused. "Wait, what?"
"The Triumvirate wants to see you." He continued.
Ahahahahaha-what?