Hope Through Overwhelming Firepower 4.3

-

After a brief flight over Brockton bay, which was currently in a sort of organized chaos, Aegis touched down. "Here you go. Sorry, but I really do have to go now. I need to organize the rest of the Wards. Ensure Clockblocker hasn't frozen someone important, you know." He joked. "Anyways, see you on the battlefield. Someone should be coming by to show you around soon." He finished with a wave.

Taylor waved back, and then stood there awkwardly for a moment. What was she supposed to do now?

Her question was answered a moment later. "Are you Buster?' A PRT officer asked her.

"Yes." She replied.

A nod. "Come with me."

"Alright..." Taylor followed the man off into a large, but otherwise nondescript, building she could see other Capes entering. She noticed the Wards in a conversation with Aegis, and waved. Before she could get a response though, the PRT officer motioned her onwards. Following him, she eventually reached a fairly plain door.

The man knocked. "Come in." A male voice sounded.

The PRT officer opened the door and walked in, Taylor following in after.

Taylor took in the scene. Legend was giving speaking into a cell phone, presumably giving out orders to someone. Eidolon, who gave her a slight nod upon entrance, was leaning against a nearby wall. Alexandria was nowhere to be- a 'whomp' of displaced air signaled her arrival, as she and a man in a featureless white bodysuit teleported in.

Taylor wasn't surprised to see Nowhere was present; the 'Narwhal of teleporters' was probably the most famous member of Alexandria's team outside of Alexandria herself. He didn't quite have the worldwide range or the huge amount of additional tagalongs Strider did, but his ability to ignore the Manton Effect with regards to teleportation was well known. After all, his debut onto the cape scene was ripping one of the S9 members in half with said teleportation. He was shortly after asked where he had sent the other half, he flippantly remarked 'nowhere'. And the name, much to his dismay, stuck.

"Thank you, Nowhere." Alexandria spoke. "You may go now."

"Brusque as usual, my dear Alexandria." Nowhere replied. "Alas, I must take my leave." He waved at Legend, and vanished.

Alexandria turned towards her. "Buster, I take it?"

"Y-yes, ma'am." Taylor stuttered.

"Calm down, Buster. We're not going to bite your head off." Legend spoke up.

"Uh, yeah..." Taylor offered hesitantly. "...What, exactly, did you want me for?"

"Well, we received an interesting report about your capabilities." Legend replied. "And as we have a few minutes before Leviathan arrives, I thought we should take a moment to speak with you."

"Alright..." Taylor finally got confirmation that it was, indeed, Leviathan that was attacking. It was fairly obvious already, but the confirmation was nice.

"There isn't much time." Alexandria spoke. "So, in the interests of expedience, I will get to the point of this conversation. We have received a report stating that you effectively managed to defeat the ABB on your own. It has also come to our attention that something happened to Bakuda during the process. Something which made her ignite every bomb she had a direct connection to. What do you remember of those events?"

"Not much, to be honest." Taylor answered. "Just a vague memory of something... automatic maybe?" Taylor was fairly hesitant about offering this. But if she couldn't trust the Triumvirate, who could she? And she really did need help... "And a memory of... power. Power many times superior to what I can normally produce. Other than that, nothing."

"Hmm." Alexandria put a hand to her chin. "Is this the first time one of these black outs has happened?"

"No, it has happened in the past. I think the first time was when I fought Lung."

"That was your first combat experience, correct?" Alexandria questioned further.

"Yes."

"I see." Alexandria nodded to Legend.

"Thank you for your time, Buster, It's always nice to speak with up and coming heroes." Legend cut in. "I believe Armsmaster is coordinating the local heroes. He would likely be your best bet for where to go next."

"Uh, goodbye, then." Taylor turned for the door, and stumbled slightly.

Eidolon was still there, leaning against the wall, but he had apparently taken up staring at her at some point. Apparently realizing his blunder, he quickly turned away.

That was odd.

-

"Buster, you're here." Armsmaster pronounced. "As I was explaining to the others, I believe I have a method of at least holding off Leviathan until the main forces arrive. However, it becomes more difficult to do so the more variables are in the equation. So I am off to attempt to convince Legend to keep all the others away while I hold off Leviathan for a bit."

"Isn't that... kind of crazy?" Taylor asked. "This is an Endbringer. Even a member of the Triumvirate can't hold off one single handedly."

Armsmaster frowned. "I am confident in my abilities, and the abilities of my technology."

Still spinning from her father's breakdown, and meeting the Triumvirate, Taylor couldn't really bring herself to care all that much. "Alright then, you are the boss."

Armsmaster, seeming slightly happier with her pronouncement, walked off in search of Legend.

"Buster, right?" Came a voice from behind her. "I'm Panacea, nice to meet you. Haven't really had a chance to thank you for saving me during the whole bank thing." Taylor turned around and saw a fairly plain looking brown haired girl in a coat with a red cross on it.

"Yes, I'm Buster." Taylor reached out to shake Panacea's hand.

"Ah, sorry, but I heard what happened to Clockblocker and would prefer not to get a migraine right now." Panacea pulled her hands back with an apologetic look on her face. "Current theory is that your power nullification is more violent in regards to strikers than others."

Taylor lowered her hand. More problems for her, Taylor moped slightly.

"Yeeeeeah, not a happy experience." Clockblocker cut in. "Probably the most painful thing of my life."

Taylor wilted.

Vista smacked Clockblocker. "Look what you're doing to her you idiot! It's not her fault that her power is so awesome."

"Hey, why didn't you smack Panacea?" Clockblocker complained.

"Because she's a girl." Vista replied frankly.

"Thanks, Vista." Taylor sighed. "But I can understand, I wouldn't want a headache either." And she really could understand, whether she wanted to or not.

"No, she's right. I shouldn't have been so blunt about things." Panacea spoke.

She was grateful for Vista's attempt to cheer her up, but she was a bit mentally preoccupied. Why did the Triumvirate call her in, on the eve of an Endbringer attack no less? Legend claimed it was a 'convenient opportunity', but surely they had better things to do? Eidolon didn't even really add anything to the conversation, why was he there? He could be teleporting off in order to help move capes from around the world in. There was something more going on back there, Taylor was sure of it.

But even that was overshadowed by her father. In his current state, would he even manage to get to a shelter? Would he survive the night? Those questions worried Taylor more than anything; she resolved to tell her Dad the whole truth after the fight.

The intercom came on, interrupting Panacea's angry scowl at a kissing Gallant and Glory Girl. "Armsmaster has a plan to hold off Leviathan. No cape is to enter battle until a signal is given, or Armsmaster falls. That is all." Alexandria's voice pronounced.

"Wow, he even managed to convince the Triumvirate." Kid Win muttered. "I wonder what he built?"

Suddenly, everyone around her vanished. Taylor glanced around awkwardly. "What just happened?"

Nowhere appeared in front of her. "Damn, doesn't that immunity of yours have an FoF?"

Taylor shook her head.

Nowhere blew out a raspberry. "Gonna be annoying, I'll BRB." He said, actually pronouncing bee arr bee.

He quickly vanished, and then reappeared, holding a wristband. "Alexandria, beautiful women she is, anticipated this. This is a prototype constructed by Dragon intended to serve as an updater for Endbringer battles. Although right now it only serves as a map. So go to this." He pointed at a spot on the wristband. "Location, that is where we are gathering. See ya." He vanished.

Taylor stared briefly, and then ran off