Chapter 11: In the Dark of Night
Beta note: Sorry this took so long peeps. Life, me and Lemons. Take them back damn it!
AUTHOR: Thanks Major!
"Are you sure we should be doing this?"
"No, I'm not sure. I've never had to do anything like this before." Sabah said, the tension in her voice caused Taylor to flinch slightly. Sabah put a hand on Taylor's shoulder as a chill winter wind blew through the empty park.
"It's not your fault, sorry, I'm just tense. This was bound to happen sooner or later. AS much as I might wish I could… I can't hide in my studio forever." The doll girl's shoulder dropped as she sighed.
Feeling a bit awkward at the touch, Taylor tried not to let it bother her too much. It was unsettling and she wanted to flinch and yet part of her wanted to lean into the touch as physical contact was so rare for her.
Pushing her feelings aside, Taylor reached out and patted Sabah on back, returning the gesture.
"I understand, I mean, it's been over a week and a half and now Kaiser wants to meet? If he wanted to punish us or something, you would think that he would be more punctual." Taylor said, fiddling with the zipper on her new coat's front. Sabah absently mindedly pushed her hand away and readjusted Taylor's hood.
"Are you sure I look... heroic enough?" She asked Sabah, a hint of nervousness coloring her voice. Sabah nodded at her, probably hiding a smile behind her mask.
"Since Mog and I design this, I can say without a doubt you look heroic. At the very least, you look like a professional hero now." Sabah said with pride. Her voice had become a lot brighter as she talked about Taylor's costume. Her professional pride practically forced her to trail her hands over Taylor's cloak, smoothing out creases.
Taylor ducked her head to hide her smile and tried not to fidget as Sabah looked her over, relishing the attention. Sabah had been extremely strict, yet passionate when she had transformed into Parian, the fashion cape. Parian had then forced Taylor to stand still whilst the doll faced cape tried to smother Taylor in so many different fabrics that Taylor was still picking threads out her teeth.
Still, Taylor's costume wasn't all Parian's work. Mog contributed by throwing in some of his own ideas and design choices.
The cloak was white with a comfortable hood that she kept up at all times. A huge zipper, which began at her hood, trailed the length of the cloak down the middle. With a zipper at each end Taylor kept the top half zipped whilst the bottom, from about her navel down, was unzipped to allow her legs to actually move in what amounted to a trench coat.
As she looked down, she ran a hand over the jade green symbol supported by not one, but two belts, at different angles to her waist forming an X. It felt excessive and she'd said as much, but Taylor was overruled by Parian and Mog. Holding the belts in place and being used as some kind of decorative clasp to keep them connected was a green buckle. Made of metal the buckle took the shape of a four way cross with the top point turning up into a stylized heart shape. Taylor... liked it. She liked it a lot, but she didn't really know why.
As Sabah fussed over a crease in the sleeve, it gave time for Taylor to eye the spreading vines over her arms. On each arm was a single vine that sprawled down the hem of the cloak, to just above her hands. Where more zippers sat.
There were zippers on her front, on her arms, and on her boots. When asked, Sabah pointed to Mog in defense. When Taylor had turned her glare on Mog, he simply shrugged before responding with a single word.
"Tradition."
Despite pestering him, Mog had refused to elaborate on that answer.
Completing the overall design was a keyhole design on her back. Out of the keyhole grew a rose stem with vines that seemed to grow and spread up to her shoulders before starting down her arms. As for the rose, its petals were a deep red and serrated like on the Melody of the Lost.
Taylor had to admit, it looked pretty awesome.
But the coolest part of the entire outfit was the hood.
Mog had vanished and reappeared with a bag after the costume was finished. Inside the bag was the strangest assortment of baubles and gems Taylor had ever seen.
Some looked hollow with colorful gases in them, others looked like they kept changing shape whenever Taylor blinked or looked away. Some of the gems hummed.
"Material's, kupo, this world is full of them. It's strange, kupo, you can only usually get them in very strict ways. But they're everywhere here, just lying about. They don't do you much good though unless you have magic, kupo, can't interact with them otherwise." He explained.
Sabah had been furious when she realized this meant Mog had been leaving the safety of the studio without telling her. Watching Mog apologize had been funny though.
Still, Taylor had been skeptical until Sabah said she could only see a sort of fog inside the bag, to her the gems were perfectly clear. However, when Sabah, at Mog's urging, touched the Keyblade and looked inside, she had gasped as beautiful gems suddenly appeared.
After that, without really explaining first, Mog had rushed over to the assortment of machines he had "fixed" in the corner of the studio he'd claimed along with Boco. There was some kind of device that looked like a miniature oven, except inside it glowed yellow; another looked like a child's toy with letters and symbols in primary colors; a third looked like a chemistry set except the glassblower had a bad case of hiccups.
When Mog started messing with some of his creations, the following explosions and loud noises had forced Sabah to reassure her neighbors several times that yes, she was fine and no, she wasn't doing anything illegal.
The machines had done the job though, whatever that was, but many of them were now smoking, cracked, or had shattered glass, oftern all three.
After performing a few final additions by hand Mog came over with a jar of darkness. Taylor wanted to say it was a liquid but it... moved unlike anything she had seen before. It kind of looked like someone had managed to persuade smoke that it was just confused and really should be a liquid.
Then, with screams of horror from Sabah, Mog had poured the jar into the hood of her new costume. It floated in the hood for several seconds before it realized gravity was a thing and sunk down into the hood yet didn't move at all. When Sabah checked it over, the result was the strangest thing Taylor had seen in… Well, not the past week, but it was strange.
No matter which direction the girls looked at it, inside the hood no details were visible, like somehow the majority of the hood was perpetually in shadow. They even tried shining a flashlight into it and still couldn't see the back.
When questioned Mog had just shrugged and said "A blind spell in a bottle, but turned inside out, be careful, kupo, I won't be able to make much else for a while. I need better tools, kupo."
Returning to the present, Sabah continued to fuss over her costume, probably squinting behind her mask like she'd done in the studio when making, .
Satisfied with smoothing out the almost imperceptible creases in Taylor's new costume,, Sabah stood up and nodded, her blonde curls bouncing slightly.
"You look good and don't worry, I'll keep your hood up if things go south. Just remember to run and stay close. Hmm, we'll have to see if Mog can come up with a solution to that." Sabah said and Taylor felt a snug pull from her hood as it tightened a little under Sabah's powers.
"Thanks, if any of the E88 saw my face, I'd most likely be conscripted and… I couldn't stand for Kaiser or anyone else to have that kind of power of me." Taylor said, her chest going cold at the thought of putting her dad in danger. He didn't even know where she was right now, let alone she was a cape.
"Except me, apparently." Sabah remarked dryly.
Taylor blinked at her. "Why would I worry, we're partners aren't we?"
"No Taylor, we're friends. And I don't betray my friends. It's odd really, you know,, how close we've become in the last few weeks." Parian shot what Taylor thought was a nervous look at her, it was hard to tell with the other girls porcelain mask on.
Taylor nodded stiffly, hardly daring to believe it. "I… Yeah. Friends."
Sabah seemed to relax at that, her voice sounding warmer. "I thought it weird at first, until I thought about it. I mean, normally I never made friends, not since coming to America. At first, everyone was too different, but I adapted and it wasn't so bad. Then when I got into College, the other students in my old courses were too different, they treated me differently , more serious… sexist."
This last bit was said much quieter.
Taylor looked nervously at her, yes, her friend. "I'm sorry. You…"
"Don't be. not that I'm complaining. America is a lot better than home and my new course much nicer. Fashion is amazing compared to engineering. Still, I never had someone I could really relate to before. So even if I have to face down Kaiser tonight… If someone told me this would be the price of being your friend, I'd pay it again. Besides, who else could I count on to watch Boco and keep him from eating something important as I work?" She said with a laugh.
Taylor gulped, turning away to face the park as her eyes prickled. Someone… someone really did care. She had a real friend again.
"Well, it's weird for me too I guess. As little as I'm worth, I'm glad you're my friend. I kind of got used to being alone but… It wasn't..." Taylor trailed off, lost for what to say next. How did you tell someone 'thank you for saving my life?'
Taylor felt Parian's gaze on her and turned back to look at her immaculately dressed friend.
"What?" Taylor asked, feeling aware of every shadow suddenly. Sabah shook her head.
"I was alone because of circumstance and then because I'm a workaholic. You were alone because stupid little girls tried to make themselves feel big. It's not fair to compare us, it's not even funny. I'm sorry, that you were alone for so long." Sabah said as she turned away, her arms hugging herself.
"Sabah..." Taylor trailed off as she didn't know exactly what to say to this honest statement. What could she say? Parian, Sabah… Taylor felt…
Her thoughts were interrupted by the crunch of tyres on gravel, a car pulling into the park by an access road.
It was hard to make out any details of the car itself as it was black, almost invisible in the night's gloom. Continuing forward the car slowed to a stop, pulling up not far from them. Taylor supposed it was her costume in particular making them stand out in the dark, white was not a very stealthy color, heroic, but visible.
The car remained still for a few more seconds before the all four doors swung in sync and several people pulled themselves out of the car.
Kaiser, Menja, Othala, Rune and Viktor. A full company of Nazis.
All thoughts vanished from Taylor's head as the de facto leader of the Neo-Nazis of America and ruler of Brockton Bay's Empire Eighty-Eight strolled towards them.
Kaiser looked imposing, his metal armor appeared brutal, like it was made of inter-connected blades instead of metal plate. What made him elegant though, instead of a thug, was his posture; it was the posture of a man who not only had everything he wanted but expected to get anything he didn't. Entitled, arrogant, or perhaps his continued success at controlling the largest collection of white supremacists in America gave the man a walk like a king.
A few steps behind him came Menja… or was it Fenja? Either way, the Valkyrie themed cape was almost as imposing in her armor and full face helm from which her blonde hair spilled. A side from from her hair not an inch of skin or anything identifying was visible beneath the metal scales shaped like wings. In her hands she carried a shield, a sword slung at her hip to complete the Viking look. She was one of Kaiser's big hitters, both literally and figuratively. She and her twin could grow to three stories high, including any equipment they were holding.
Taylor had stumbled across a whole thread debating if the twins had the same power, since their powers couldn't affect organic matter or if one grew herself and it worked on her twin as they were identical and the twin grew the gear. Twin capes were rare and identical twins are all but unheard of, so the debate was mostly theory.
A few steps behind her walking side by side with a third cape was Othala, her red suit showing up enough to show that she had both hands clasped behind her back, appearing confident.
Sabah and Taylor had brushed up on any local knowledge on E88 capes in case this very situation happened and they had both agreed that Othala was likely going to be present at this meeting. Kaiser was showing he was willing to talk, under his terms and with his trump in toe, in case they had the PRT waiting in ambush.
Othala could dish out powers to people she touched. This was included, but reportedly not limited to: pyrokinesis, super speed, invulnerability and regeneration. A person could only have one power at a time though, so if they could throw fireballs they weren't invulnerable. The real problem came because of lack of information, it was debated if , like the infamous Teacher, Othala could give powers to multiple people at once. Having her on the battlefield meant short of death nothing would keep one of the Empire's capes down for long.
The sole draw back it seemed was that Othala couldn't give herself any of those powers, making her a true support piece in Kaiser's arsenal. This meant that if at any time Othala was left undefended it was possible to take her out as easily as a normal human. However, that might not change much. Taylor and Sabah had been unable to find out if Othala's effects vanished if the Trump was unconsciousness.
Walking beside Othala was Viktor the odd duck of the group, since he wore no mask. His bright red shirt, blood red, Taylor thought darkly, and black slacks made him seem ready for the night at a fancy party. The black breastplate sort of ruined the image though it made him look dangerous, not silly somehow, like Taylor expected.
As for Viktor's power, he was skill thief if the PHO wiki and PRT were to be believed. Apparently he didn't need to know what skills he was after able to somehow sense what someone was good at and if he wanted their skill. The he needed to spend sometime in the company of the original owner of the skill to steal them giving himself that skill permanently. Fortunately for his victims the loss was sort of temporary, as known victim's had been able to re-learn their skills and muscle memory ridiculously quickly after Viktor had stolen them.
Still, he was considered a master of martial arts, computers, knifes, explosives, guns, sniping, assassination, trap making, driving, finance, appropriation, torture and interrogation, body language, cold reading, and the piano.
It was enough to make Taylor feel slightly impressed, even if the skills were stolen and her distaste for what he used such skill for.
Rune was taking up the rear and she looked the same as last time Taylor has seen her, well, except not covered in dust and dirt. Taylor could feel Rune's eyes on her as they approached, watching from the darkness of her hood.
Kaiser and his entourage stopped a fair distance away, but still within hailing distance.
"Ah, Parian, Keynote. Thank you for coming with such short notice and under somewhat unideal circumstances." He said, his voice smooth like silk, charming yet strong. It irritated Taylor that such a despicable person, a Villain, could sound so nice.
In response Taylor felt her mouth move before she could stop it.
"It's actually Portunes, the PRT stuck me with Keynote." Taylor said, her voice quivering just a little towards the end, either with anger or fear not even Taylor could say. The Empire group shifted just a little at her voice, Othala murmuring quietly to Viktor. Kaiser paused, taking a moment to consider this, then tilted his head in acquiescence to Taylor's preferred name.
"I wish you luck on changing it this late in the piece. Everyone is calling you Keynote now, they know you by that name rather than Portunes I'm afraid. Perhaps if another, equally well known organization were to make it know your name was Portunes?" Kaiser replied, sounding slightly amusemed.
Taylor bristled at his last sentence though? He was trying to recruit her? Here, now? Seriously?! Sabah put out a hand to stop Taylor as she went to take a step forward.
"I appreciate the meeting under the white flag and a promise of safety. However, I would like very much to get down to business." Sabah said, her tone taking on clear professional tone. Kaiser nodded at this.
"Like wise, shall we?" He said, gesturing towards an empty table a little ways off the path they stood upon across the dead grass. Taylor though it looked like a chess table, and it was probably used as such during the warmer times. Sabah nodded and then looked at Taylor.
"I'll be back soon." She said, the clear message of 'play nice, please.' Evident in her tone. Taylor gave her a sharp nod, still annoyed at Kaiser's blatant ploy.
As Kaiser and Sabah headed out to take their respective seats at the small table, the remaining Empire members took a pair of benches beside the path and sat down to wait.
Taylor blinked as Viktor pulled a book from somewhere. Othala sat down next to him, leaning against him slightly while they waited, whilst gazing out at Kaiser. Menja sat down and picked up pebbles, beginning to flick them, each pebble growing slightly as it landed, each one bigger than the last, seemingly playing some kind of game with them. Marbles? Rune sat down closet to Taylor the youngest Empire cape looking at her, even if Taylor couldn't see any of the other girls face.
"You've never done this before have you?" Rune asked sounding happy for some reason. Taylor's mind had stalled at the sudden casual scene and the question caught her off guard. Shaking her head in pesonse was all Taylor could do, lost for words as she was.
Rune yawned, her arms stretching to either side as she relaxed.
"Expecting a Clint East wood show down right? Blood shot eyes promising death to each other, powers cocked and ready like a showdown at high noon?" She questioned, her fingers making a gun motion and mimed pulling the trigger.
"I guess." Taylor said, her eyes spotting Kaiser casually gesticulating something to Sabah, his fingers pointing to different things on on a map he'd produced. Parian nodded back and Taylor heard the sound of her voice but not the words.
Catching Taylor's attention as the robed girl stood, Rune walked over to a child's sand box about 30 feet away.
"It can sometime be like that, yeah. If we were going to meet the chinks from the ABB, or those scummy Merchants, or even the Protectorate or Wards, we'd be a lot more wound up, you know? I don't mean to sound like a bitch, but we out number you guys and you aren't really a huge threat. Heh. You didn't even want to fight." Rune said as she sat on one of the wooden board keeping the sand in. Rune pulled back a tarp covering the white grains and softly ran a hand over them.
"That makes sense; I mean we're here because I couldn't keep my nose out of things and the Shadow Stalker sort of dragged me into her battle with you." Taylor felt odd admitting that to the girl, who just a week previously, was trying to kill her.
Rune laughed.
"When me and Stormtiger came across you, Shadow Stalker looked pissed, nice job on that by the way. Bitch deserves a dose of her own medicine, know what I'm saying?" Rune said. Taylor felt awkward at this casualness, this friendleness Rune was showing to her. A Super-Villain was being more friendly to her than people she'd gone to school with for over a year. That was kind of sad.
Taylor fumbled for something to say whilst she tried to sort out her own conflicting feelings on that. "Ah, are you okay? I mean, I knocked you off your platform pretty high up."
"Don't worry about it. Bruised ass, but Othala fixed me up." Rune waved her off as the sand began to shift and rise.
Taylor took a hasty step back as the sand rose above the edge of the pit, Rune's hand still stroking the growing mass. Slowly, the sand shifted together into a figure. The only clue Taylor had to the identity of the sand statue was the hood and sword.
"You made… me?" Taylor said with surprise. Rune made a disgusted sound and let the sand collapse back into the pit.
"I was trying to. It's hard to control small things, even harder to control lots of small things." She said with a sigh. The sand whirled again and made smaller shapes.
Balls, hands, spears, spikes and so on.
"So, Parian finally hooked you up with a new outfit? Got'ta say Key, looking good. How you doing the hood thing? No matter from what angle I sit, I can't see past your chin, got a Grue power effect as well as the giant key? Heh, fucking grab-bags, eh?" Rune said, curiosity coloring her voice. Taylor took another step back, still unused to the darkness effect, it was barely noticeable to her and after a while she'd adjusted and ignore it altogether.
"Rune, stop it. You were told to behave; you're in enough trouble as it is." Othala said sharply.
Rune let the sand fall back to its inert state and stood.
"I was being friendly. I saw her eyes before and we can all see her chin a little. She's pretty and white, so chill." Rune answer back in annoyance. Othala sat a bit straighter, but was cut off as Viktor laid a hand on her leg.
"It's fine, Othala, it's better to let her burn the energy off like this than by starting another pointless battle. If she starts to float cars again, Kaiser would be... unpleasant during the ride back." Viktor said. Taylor took an instant dislike to the man's voice. He was cultured in a way similar to Kaiser. However, where Kaiser exuded confidence and power, Vicktor's did not and that made his tone seem like he was just trying to show off his importance, not enhance it. Othala looked ready to argue with him, but then relaxed and settled back as he brushed a hand against hers.
Rune gave them an odd look, her hood twitching. Without a sound she sat on a bench quite far from the rest of the E88, but not any further from Kaiser. Feeling awkward at being the only one left standing Taylor decided she'd tak e a seat herself. That unfortunately left her with the choice of sitting down next to Viktor or joining Rune on the other bench. Taylor really didn't want to know how deeply her opinion of Viktor could sink and sitting next to him would probably let her find out. So she followed the robed girl over to the other bench, taking a seat along from Rune.
"Othala thinks she is in charge of me cause we're distant relatives, it's a joke. I barely talked to her before I got powers and came to Brockton and now she tries to act like she's my mum or aunt or somethin'." Rune complained, trailing her hand over the bench, it was a gentle, lingering touch. Taylor had a feeling that Rune really wanted to make it fly, was ready to make it fly.
"It's nice to have a family." Taylor offered as she wriggled a little, trying to get comfortable on the cold wood. In the distance Parian leaned back and shrugged at something Kaiser has pointed out. The armored man was slowly letting his lower mouth become more visible, the armor opening up as the conversation went on. So… It wasn't a pre-made suit of armor then, one made by his power… Or was it premade and his power just let him adjust it?
Rune snorted, leaning and propping her elbows on the back rest.
"My family study German politics like Saturday cartoons. Well, extended family. My folks try to stay out of the whole thing. I was annoyed at them for it, but after everything, I kind'a see the appeal of not having a dictatorship ordering your family about." Rune said wistfully. Taylor cocked her head at this.
"Your family is in the E88?" She asked, trying not to sound too curious. It was the same as Rune trying to peek under her hood, identity clues and the unwritten rules Parian had explained to her. Rune shook her head.
"Only Othala, but they have strong ties to the E88. I got into a spot of trouble, went to juvie and shit. Some nigger bitch tries to shank me though and next thing I knew I was throwing tables, and chairs about. So they shove me in solitary but I'm let out less than a month later, despite havin' 3 months to go. Outside there's this car waiting for me and stuff so I get inand there's Kaiser, waitin' for me. Turns out he's got a couple'a moles in the prison juvie thing, for busting his own out and like. Anyway, so he asks me how I liked my freedom and you know, I tell him it's great, 'cause it is. Then he asks for me to join the E88, not that it was really a choice, as if I said no I knew damn well I'd be thrown back in juvie to finish my sentence. He just likes to make people think they have choices. It's Kaiser's thing." Rune said with a sort of glum resignation ending with a snort.
Taylor managed to nod along to the girl's story. It… that was kind of sad really. Press ganged into the E88 because you had powers. That was exactly what Taylor feared happening to her. Though that bit about Kaiser and making you think you had choices… She shoot Parian a worried look.
Parian, Sabah was her friend. It was almost too good to be true that Taylor sometimes didn't believe it, she had nightmares about Sabah standing side by side with Emma. Laughing at her, telling her how stupid and pathetic she was. Other times she woke up sweating as Sabah confessed she only kept Taylor around for her powers, that they weren't friends and Taylor was stupid for thinking it. But as the days went on, Sabah hadn't asked her to use her powers, hadn't asked her to do any favors, hadn't... done anything.
Sabah hadn't forced her to do anything against her will, not like Kaiser and Rune it seemed. Taylor felt a little sorry for the girl. Sure, she'd been in jail for something but that didn't mean the Empire should get to press-gang you.
Taylor looked back at her friend talking with that… monster in metal armor. She felt her stomach clench, worry gnawing at her. Would… would her friend be forced into such a non-choice as Rune had?
Taylor decided not to think about it, there really wasn't much she could do right now, not when so heavily outnumbered. Well, that and Sabah would be angry with her. Taylor really didn't want to upset the older girl, her only friend.
Friend.
Sabah was her friend.
Sabah just liked being around Taylor because she was Taylor and that threw her for a loop. She didn't know how to show gratitude for Sabah's friendship, it was one thing to be a cape, it was another thing entirely to share the experience with someone who knew what she was going through and wanted help her, if not to be a hero, then to at least stay off a villainous path like Shadow Stalker had drifted down. Sabah had explained some of the easy mistakes and subtle shifts that could change her from hero to villain, or brutal sadist like, again, Shadow Stalker. Taylor still wanted to be a hero, she wanted to feel good about herself like when she'd saved Cherry, but what she had begun to realize, that what she was getting now, being a well, Mercenary of sorts for Parian, a Rogue… It was just as good, made her feel even better really, to know someone cared, that she had friends. Either was worlds better than her previous life though.
Taylor didn't like to think where she would be if she didn't meet the doll cape and now that same girl was bargaining with one of the most dangerous capes in the city because she couldn't let Shadow Stalker be. Couldn't control her temper.
Taylor felt her fingers dig into the fabric of her gloves And her fists clenched, despratly trying not to call upon the Keyblade.
"I wouldn't worry, this place is good for a meeting between the two. Kaiser's a shark, but he really is interested in hashing this out without a fuss." Rune said after Taylor fell quiet.
"What's so special about this place?" Taylor felt compelled to ask, her curiosity winning over her useless worry.
Rune scuffed her boot on the ground, drawing Taylor's attention to the dirt.
"It's all nature-y. Kaiser works best on solid surfaces, he's kind'a slow on soil, and Parian is surrounded by non-fabrics and didn't bring any of her mascots with her. Both their powers are weaker than usual here, so it's a good meeting place. 'Show's trust through weakness' and all that jazz." Rune said with a wave of her hand, clearly quoting the metal king.
Musing over that Taylor shot the red and black robed girl a look, wondering how to voice her next question.
"It's not that I'm ungrateful, but, er, why are you being nice to me?" Taylor asked, her confusion no longer willing to be ignored. Taylor had fought her, hurt her and even humiliated her. Rune was supposed to try to make her life miserable now. Hateful speeches, plots to smash her under a road or at very lest call her names. Yet Rune was just sitting next to her, gossiping like they were friends.
Rune blinked and then made an 'ahh' sound.
"I forget how new you are to all this." Rune gestured at the word 'this' with a waved of her hand towards the rest of the Empire capes.
"We fought, I got knocked on my ass, you nearly got crushed, it evens out." Rune said.
Taylor was inclined to disagree but decided not to argue the point. It wasn't really worth the effort, she thought.
Rune continued, leaning forward and lacing her fingers together.
"We fight, not because it's personal or anything. I'm Kaiser's solider and you Parian's security guard and maybe dyke lover. It all boils down to that we leave our bosses problems to them and we figure out where we stand in the scheme of things. We might even end up working together in the future, you never know. Crazy shit happens in this town, especially with Lung around."
Taylor spluttered as she digested Rune's words.
"I'm not her lover." She managed to say. Rune shrugged.
"A lot of the E88 would kill you for that, but I think as long as it's white on both ends, what's the harm?" She said, slightly incredulous at the old Nazi way of thinking. Taylor felt bad for the twinge of amusement of the idea of Rune seeing Sabah unmasked caused. White on both end huh? Heh.
Hmm. Maybe Rune could be brought around if Sabah smothered her in clothes? Rune was a clear fan of her costume, judging by the glances and seemed to appreciate Parian's magic touch with clothes.
Kaiser and Sabah suddenly stood and shook hands. Seeing this Rune stood and beckoned Taylor to follow. Together they walked briskly back to the other waiting group while Kaiser walked towards them, appearing to have not a care in the world, Sabah trailing at his side like a minor footnote. The rest of the E88 capes gathered around him as he arrived back at the car and Rune gave a cheery wave as she got in after Othala.
As the car drove off Sabah remained quiet, just standing next to Taylor and watching the black car vanish into the night. Once it was out of sight she visibly sagged.
"Sa-Parian are you okay?" Taylor asked, unsure if it the park had been bugged during the E88's visit and trying to remember to use cape names when in costume. Taylor still slipped sometimes, it was harder than most people thought.
Sabah nodded tiredly.
"I felt like I just went ten rounds with a tank with the attitude of a peacock. That man is infuriating and hard to say no to without resorting to threats." She said. Sabah stretched and began walking back the way they had come.
"I'll explain when we get back, I need some tea to relax before I try explaining that. How did it go on your end?" Sabah asked tiredly.
"The E88 thinks we're lesbian lovers." Taylor said with a frown. Sabah stopped walking, frozen. Taylor didn't notice until she turned to ask something.
"Lovers?" Sabah said faintly. Taylor felt her mouth twitch.
"Weird, right? I mean I've only known you for a few weeks. There's all sort of things I don't know about you. Wait, do we act coupley?" Taylor asked with amusement and slight embarrassment.
Nodding to herself, Sabah began to walk again, slowly returning to her normal pace.
"I'm glad that's your concern in all this, that I might have dark secrets or something." Sabah said, her voice still sounding slightly off.
Taylor blinked at her from under the hood.
"Do you?" She asked hesitantly. Sabah just shook her head and walked faster.
"We are not having this conversation right now."
Rune sat bored in the middle of the car, between Othala and Menja. Kaiser sat in the passenger seat while Viktor was driving. It was Othala who broke the silence.
"How did it go? Parian seemed like an agreeable young lady." She asked Kaiser who had let the helmet of his armor fade away, giving himself some breathing room and preventing helmet hair. Rune rolled her eyes, she thought everyone but Rune was an 'agreeable young lady.'As for Kaiser removing his helmet, every E88 cape in the car knew who the others were out of costume so it was a non-issue.
Kaiser, Rune never though of him as Max, turned in his seat to face Othala.
"She was indeed an agreeable young woman. Nervous, but firm. The mess has been fixed and appropriate topics were covered and buried with recompense distributed. I have gifted two small pieces of territory Parian."
This made the rest of the cars heads snap to Kaiser. To gift someone else territory, let alone two virtual no names without the power to face the Empire… It was unheard of, Kaiser never just gave anything to away.
Still, to Viktor's credit, or more likely the skills he had stolen, he kept the car firmly on the road despite his head snapping round to stare at Kaiser. Rune's mouth had fallen open whilst Othala twitched. Only Menja remained unphased.
Viktor was the first to react.
"Sir, may I ask why you gave the doll girl pieces of our territory?" Viktor asked, almost demanded in his haste. Kaiser slowly turned to him and held the gaze of the other man till Viktor flinched.
Rune was so glad she wasn't Viktor right now, even she could feel the steel in that gaze. Slowly though, Kaiser nodded, acceding to Viktor's 'request.'
"I suppose you can. I will even answer. It may help settle everyone's nerves if I explain. I gave Parian two blocks to protect as her own, neutral territories in which the Empire Eighty-Eight will not operate and will officially belong to no gang. It will, however, be Parian's responsibility to maintain that neutrality. As for the territories themselves… The streets surrounding her shop 'The Doll House' and the block upon which Keynote fought Rune last week, where I assume she has her home or a base of some sort. Both areas are of little consequence, each for their own reason." Kaiser said, his voice calm and words softly spoken, but Rune didn't relax, the air in the car felt suffocating all of the sudden.
"The Doll house, is surrounded by our land on all sides, it gives no one else a true footing in the area that we can't wipe out, this area was little more than a formality really. The Doll House occupies one whole side of the street and the buildings behind are unoccupied. It is simply a peace offering to Parian and, by and large, any other rogues that suddenly felt threatened by the attack on Keynote and Parian's home. I do not need, and nor does the Empire, any other opportunistic groups trying to recruit those Rogues or having them run off to them. We hardly wish to drive neutrals into the arms of the Protectorate or worse, the Elite. I do not wish for those opportunists to gain a foot hold here." His body straighten out as he talked, going into full on rabble rousing speech mode, as Rune like to think of it.
"The second area is adjacent to ABB territory, this is a riskier move on our part but no less benefical. The area itself is poor and we made minimal money in protection fees or drugs in the area, barely keeping to cost. More, I do believe once information has spread about this little deal, the ABB will certainly refocus their attention and efforts to gain more land and push towards the town center. If they think one little opening is only protected by Parian and her guard dog..."
"Then they'll crash through that one street in particular and kill them, leaving it open for us to simply reclaim it." Menja said, bored with the whole spectacle already. Kaiser nodded and everyone relaxed. Rune thought it was a typical Kaiser deal.
Say and do one thing, while really saying and doing the opposite. The proverbial coin flip, head's Kaiser wins, tails you lose.
"Exactly, I do know what I'm doing. Having to repeatedly prove it, is… bothersome."
A sudden screech made Rune tense. Two spears of metal had grown from the ceiling and car door on the driver's side, effectively trapping Viktor in. The ceiling spear slowly continued to grow, drawing closer to Viktor, who was trying not to flinch in this sudden game of chicken.
"So, for future reference, Viktor, do not question me again." Kaiser's voice was hard and as uneyilding as the spear that brushed against the side of Viktor's neck. The man in red nodded calmly despite the trickle of blood beginning to run down his neck.
"Of course sir, please forgive me. I was taken by surprise, it won't happen again." Viktor's stress handling skills made him voice smooth, despite being so perilously close to death. After a few more moments of tension the spears retracted and Kaiser leaned back into the seats leather cushioning.
"Good."
Rune watched this play by play and thought it'd be nice if some game or other wasn't always being played. Rune bet Keynote didn't have to deal with death threats if she messed up.
Thinking of the curious girl with no face made Rune's stomach turn a little.
Poor girl had no idea what Kaiser had dropped her in.
"So Kaiser turned two of his areas neutral? He just gave them to you?" Taylor asked, her face shocked whilst sitting with Parian on the couch back in her studio.
Sabah nodded as she drained the last of her tea cup.
"Yes, though they're not exactly my areas, but i got the impression that I'm responsible for them now. This is going to be a nightmare, the PRT will think I'm ready to reveal my 'evil master plan,' capes might try to muscle in, I'm now in a secret, but not so secret, deal with Kaiser and I've got to juggle this on top of all my deadlines for the shop." Sabah said, sounding miserable.
Taylor felt the guilt form earlier rise up, bubbling up her throat like bile. She swallowed desperately, feeling nauseas.
"Sabah, I-I'm sorry. This is all because…"
"Because Kaiser is a dick with an agenda." Sabah said, cutting her off. Taylor bit her lip as Sabah stood, walking over to the sinkand rinsed her cup out where Taylor had already left her own to dry.
"Taylor, this world is filled with dicks and monsters. And you are not responsible every time one them takes a swing at us." Sabah said, her voice soft in the late night.
"But if I hadn't fought Rune..." Taylor started, not sure where to go with her argument, simply because she wasn't sure what she was arguing for.
"Then Shadow Stalker might have become a murderer, or she might have died, caught between Rune and Stormtiger. You probably saved her life, even if you didn't and Shadow Stalker's more capable because she sure isn't smart enough to flee and she'd have survived on her own. Who knows? Either way you had the right reasons and I think trying to do the right thing shouldn't be punished, by anyone, least of all yourself, Taylor." Sabah replied, her eyes, a shade of blue that stood out against her dark skin, matching Taylor's. They were pretty, not the colour one would expect Taylor thought.
Taking a breath, Taylor let it out, releasing some of her own tension and nodded. Sabah smiled at her, which she returned with a small one of her own.
"Besides, you're speaking like you're not going to help me Ms. Security Guard." Sabah teased. Taylor shook her head.
"Of course I'm going to help you. I owe you a lot." Taylor said, thinking of the last few weeks and the fun she had. Taylor couldn't remember the last time she'd had reason to smile, to laugh, to be… happy.
Sabah gave a sad smile as she walked past Taylor on the couch, lightly touching Taylor's shoulder as she passed.
"You've helped me more than you think, Taylor. I'm going to get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning." The older girl said as she headed towards her bedroom.
Sabah past Mog at a his own bench, still typing softly on Sabah's old laptop, which for a moment Taylor would have sworn was glowing green, but looked fine when she blinked.
"Good night, Mog." Sabah said with a yawn. Mog bobbed his pom-pom at her.
"Night, kupo."
"Good night, Boco." She said as she closed the door set into the wall. Taylor settled down on the couch, pulling a blanket off the arm rest and over herself. She'd just been sitting there in a shirt and underwear, like she'd used to do with… It, it felt good to reconnect to happier times like that, to do the things she used to do, be the person she used to be before everything. Even if caused Sabah to look away whenever she stood up. She wondered why?
Maybe she would invest in pajama bottoms to be polite.
She wiggled a little as Taylor settled herself down for the night on the unreasonably comfortable couch using one of Sabah's fluffy cushions as a pillow. Looking up at the dark ceiling and listening to soft click clack of keys as Mog typed away, no doubt designing new machines to create fabulous magical items… Or ruining her image again. Scowling slightly at the memory of Mog's mistake Taylor thought back on the nights events. Tonight was Saturday, so she still had tomorrow off to help Sabah with her shop, which would mark her first proper appearance in her new costume and her first proper day as Portunes, Doll House security.
Taylor imagined it. The waving to crowds, countless people, adoring fans chanting her name...
Taylor eyes began to flutter close before Sabah slammed the door back open and caused Taylor to fall to the floor as she summon the Keyblade in a awkward angle.
Taylor stumbled to her feet, trying to free herself from the sheets as Sabah rushed past her.
"Wha'? What's happening? Is it the E88?" Taylor asked quickly as she finally kicked the sheet away from her, standing up even if she was just in her shirt and underwar.
Sabah climbed Boco's nest and gave a moan of despair. Tunring to Taylor she looked at her for a moment. "Where's Boco?"
Taylor felt her stomach drop. Had Boco even been here when they got back? Sabah stumbled down the mound and was quickly rushing towards Mog when the door opened and Boco walked in…
Covered in everything.
"Wark!" He cried seeing Sabah and Taylor. He quickly wobbled over and nuzzled Sabah, smearing her with what Taylor hoped was mustard.
Sabah, without touching the mustard, pointed at the bathroom. Boco's gaze followed her finger.
"Go." The mustard smeared girl commanded.
"Wark!" Boco said happily and vanished behind the white door, somehow opening it without hands.
Taylor stood looking at Sabah, Keyblade gripped loosely.
"Should I give you hand?" Taylor said with no emotion in her voice. She was thinking that if she smiled right now, then Sabah would smother her.
"Please." Sabah groaned.
Taylor imagined when she was waving to the crowds that she'd be more... inside.
The plan, Sabah had told her during the ten minute drive to the Doll House from the studio, was that they park out back and get changed before slipping inside through the 'Parian' only door. Why they had get changed in Sabah's old junker of a car though? Because even if they nominally worked for her, Parian's employee's might still try and steal a look at the cape, now capes, they worked with.
Taylor had questioned the safety of changing where passersby might see them but Sabah had assured her it was perfectly safe. After all, nobody expected the 'fashion cape' to travel in a car that looked it came from a time before mankind. The cramped metal space and foam seats made slipping into the white cloak more hassle than Taylor thought it would be, though she did appreciate the ease of access all the zips added now.
That gave Taylor a thought. Did Alexandria ever have to hop towards a crisis, trying to put on one of her super shoes on in a hurry?
She really wanted to know.
After slipping in, Sabah introduced her to the main woman in charge of PR, finance, security, events, costumes, uniforms, the color of paint in the bathroom and overall, kept the Doll house from exploding. Ingrid Mars was a woman who exuded energy and breathed caffeine.
Taylor felt like she ran a mile just from talking to the woman in a suit. Ingrid was pleased to have another addition to the lone roster in what she hoped to be one day a chain of Doll houses across the country, each sporting their own Rogues and fashion related capes. She called it brining Capes to the ordinary man and woman.
In a world where murderous angels, sea demons and walking nuclear-bombs wiped out cities on a strict routine, where the Slaughterhouse Nine and Three Blasphemies prowled… Fashion and clothes were still very important and prominent on the world stage.
After finally halting her manager's word flow Sabah explained that she wanted Taylor on the roof, walking the edge every so often to catch people's eye. She should be visible but mysterious, enough to tantalize the passing crowds, but not close enough to freak people out.
Ingrid was delighted at the idea. Taylor somewhat less so.
Still despite her protest five minutes later Taylor found herself stepping onto the roof as the door shut behind her, Sabah's promise of refreshments echoing up the stair well.
Taylor felt extremely lost. This was not how she envisioned things were going to end up when she woke up today.
Still Taylor took a deep breath and stepped closer to the edge and looked down. The street was busy as it approached 12 and the lunch crowds began. Below, people were walking passed in such numbers that Taylor had trouble picking out anyone in detail. She took a single step up on the waist high ledge and sat with her legs dangling over the edge, finding it easier than she expected to balance there. Apparently three stories wasn't enough to give her any bad sense of vertigo, and instead Taylor found the wind blowing through the gravel roof pleasant despite the winter chill.
Remembering that she had an image to project, Taylor stretched her hand out and in a flash the Keyblade appeared in her hands, reassuring her as it always did with its presence. The flash got the ball rolling as a few people turned their heads to find the source of light and stopped walking to stare.
This very quickly led to large amounts of people stopping to whip out phones, point or stare depending on the individual. Taylor pulled her hood down, worried.
Had Mog tested his stuff on cameras? If her face was blasted all over the news, then she was so screwed and… Oh god, what would her dad think?
"Dad would kill me." Taylor groaned. Still, too late now.
Standing up on the edge felt almost natural so Taylor began a slow walk around the front of the building, cameras following her every move. With the keyblade slung over her shoulder, Taylor gave a little wave to some of the younger children in the crowd, no in her audience. These people were here to see her and this was her show. She smiled as a number of them waved back excitedly. She remembered what it was like to love heroes, to have one wave at her…
She turned around and began walking back, noting the conversations popping up through out her audience. Probably asking who she was, Taylor thought. Logically not that many people had probably even heard of Portunes or… Well, Keynote. Stupid name. Even if they had though, they wouldn't have seen her in her new costume.
Still, even if Portunes wasn't a house hold name yet, she hoped one day it would be and seeing a few people, even if they were just kids, encouraged by her wave made Taylor feel like today had mattered. That even if it was something as minor as making some children smile she'd made a difference.
After a few minutes Taylor hoped off the ledge, vanishing from the view with a flurry of her cloak. The thought made Taylor giggle to herself, the theatrics of it all and playing to the audience. It felt great, like she was a kid again, stealing her Mom's towels to play capes.
This made Taylor slow to a stop.
What would her Mom think of her doing this?
Would she be angry? Would she think she was wasting her potential? Or would she give Taylor her blessing? Kiss her head and tell Taylor she was proud of her. Taylor felt warmth emanating from the Melody of Lost, the keyblade which so reminded her of the flute she'd lost. Her mother's flute. She smiled, Melody approved and Taylor liked to think that her Mom would be proud of her for being a hero. It brought a light feeling to her chest even as her eyes pricked.
Taylor loved it.
News had clearly spread about her.
The white vans and the chattering reporter pointing up at her was proof that people were talking about Taylor, well, Portunes anyway. They were reporting on her of all people, she the once friendless loser and social reject of Winslow High School was a Cape on TV!
The surrealism was only upped when Sabah dressed as Parian peered over the edge when she brought Taylor her lunch, giving the crowd a wave of her own.
"New capes are quality news; any one of those reporters would give their camera man to the devil for a chance to interview you right now." She said as flashes went off, snapping the image of Parian and Portunes, together.
"We've had Jessica take up detail at the foot of the stairs. Ingrid had to drag two of our usual employees into her office and give them a chewing out for trying to sneak up with their phones. Jessica insisted it was a bad idea and they took her advice." Sabah said with a hint of amusement.
Taylor sat listening to Sabah with her mouth open.
"I get new capes are interesting, but this seems, well, excessive." Taylor said, hearing the chaos below. Sabah nodded, sipping from a thermos of tea, retreating to sit closer to the door, where the dress wearing cape had a blanket spread out complete with picnic lunch. It was very... Sabah.
"It's usually not, most new capes that are in position to be interviewed are inducted by the PRT. New Wards or Protectorate members are hidden away until the PRT can re-design them, market them, hash out their cape persona's and display them in the best possible light where they can. It's very clockwork and the paparazzi know they just have to wait until the invitation to a conference is sent in the mail." Sabah said before taking another sip of her tea. Taylor smiled as she opened her flask and took a sip, the aroma making the surrounding air seemed relaxed, like they were at a cafe instead of on a roof with a crowd waiting for their appearance.
"With us? Rogues or Independents? It's more exciting, we don't have hordes of PR people running after us, trying to fit us in to the kid friendly costume version of Barbie and the nutcracker. We don't have all our lines carefully scripted and our every word inspected by a PR team. It's more real and with us, first dibs on the money shot." Sabah said with a scoff. Taylor froze, a sandwich halfway to her mouth.
"That's pretty harsh, bad experiences?" She asked. Sabah fiddled with one her fake curls.
"Sort of, I was approached before by the Wards and I didn't like what I saw. Ha! As if that wasn't insult enough, I'm 18! Stupid height." Sabah groused.
Taylor paused at that. She supposed it was true, Sabah was shorter than her but then most girls were. Not many girls were around 5'9" after all. Taylor snorted as Sabah continued.
"It's not just that, I mean, I could clear that up easy enough. No. It's how they focus on appearance, you know? I don't mind looking good, that's more or less my job. It's that it's… false? Living a lie. They put all this emphasis on being a Hero, doing good, yada, yada, yada. But they just mean catching criminals, fighting villains, violence… Wards die, you know? Not often but they do. Protectorate members even more. If I joined I'd be expected, forced, to fight and maybe die. And they try to make it all seem okay like a smile and nice costume wash all the blood away. I don't like fighting, I don't like violence. I don't want anyone trying to tell me who I am or what I have to do. Not again. I just want be Parian and make dresses and do kids shows and… I… I just… I just want to be me, you know?" Sabah kept talking, becoming more and more passionate. Yet Taylor could sense the hurt, the pain hidden behind the older girl's words. It was the same pain Taylor felt whenever she was confined, when someone reminded her of… that… place…
Blood, dripping. It stank so bad! They were crawling in her hair!
Taylor shuddered, squeezing her eyes shut and focusing on her friends voice to drown the images out.
"I mean, some of them are okay, some I really respect, but it's hard to forget they have bosses and those bosses have bosses and they all just want you to do what you're told, when you're told. I… I couldn't do that." Sabah finished, shuddering.
Hesitantly, unsure if it was appropriate, Taylor reached out and put her arm around Sabah. The older girl leaned into her when she did so Taylor assumed it was the right move and gave her friend a reassuring squeeze. It felt… nice to give back the comfort she'd taken.
"I considered joining them before I met you, but now after Shadow Stalker and what you said just now ..." Taylor said, uncertainty in her voice. Sabah shook her head before moving it to rest on Taylor's shoulder.
"Ignore me, don't let me form your opinions for you. Or Shadow Stalker for that matter. I'm sure you'll meet them and you'll like them. It's just you met the… Oh what was the phrase. Um… Ah! It's just you met the token-evil-team-mate first." Sabah said with a smile in her voice.
They stayed liked that for a few minutes more, just enjoying each other's company. Reluctantly Sabah pushed away and rose to her feet and began packing their late lunch away. Looking at Taylor she nodded and gave Sabah a thumb's up.
"Break times over, I got to go put an appearance in again before they start invading the office building opposite us and getting sniper cameras, wish me luck." Taylor said with more enthusiasm than she really felt, sad that lunch with her friend was over. Sabah put a finger to her chin, in mock concern.
"Make sure you're head doesn't get too big or you might fall off the edge." Sabah teased as she left.
After a few hours, the audience had eventually died down from its previous fever pitch to just a few curious gazes, but Taylor felt her first day as an official cape was a success.
Granted, she hadn't really done anything, just stood around on a roof and looked cool. But that also meant that she hadn't done anything wrong and that was an improvement over her last two outings. It had been nice really, no one trying to kill her, no one getting hurt. The worst she'd had to deal with people waving really enthusiastically at her, which she returned in kind. The sun was beginning to dip towards the horizon as it approached five and people finished work for the day and soon she'd go back to the studio with Sabah.
Today had been awesome and Taylor was feeling on top of the world instead of a just three story building.
That's when the roof of a nearby building suddenly contorted and bent, letting a smallish figure step between the buildings like it was a small creak instead of a 50 foot gap. A mixture of forest green and whites and a red visor clued Taylor in that she was looking at Vista, the youngest but longest serving member of the Brockton Bay Wards.
If Taylor was remembering correctly and given the display just then she thought she was, the younger girl's power made space and distance bend in such a way that distance and direction were merely polite suggestions rather than hard fact. The overall effect made a really powerful Shaker, an area danger cape. Unbelievably powerful if online rumors were correct.
Before Taylor could think what to say to Vista, who had spotted her and raised a hand in greeting, another figure descended from the sky.
A rust red costume with a helmet covering half his face in the same color accented with silver trim. On his chest was a blue shield surrounding the Wards emblem.
Aegis, the newest leader of the Brockton Bay Wards.
Apparently he was some kind of regenerating brute and could fly, fairly standard Alexandria package but no less cool. What? Taylor had always dreamed of flying and whilst the Keyblade was fantastic… Taylor still wanted to fly.
Snapping back to the present Taylor watched as Aegis landed in front of her while Vista walked closer. Holding out his hand Aegis spoke first.
"Hi there, you must be Keynote." He said with genuine pleasantness.
Taylor twitched as she made a mental note to kill Mog later.
Little Pom hair, by little Pom hair.