A Skittering Heart

by stewart92

Taylor's trigger was interrupted by a very different source of power. With Keyblade in hand, Taylor must open the way.

31. Chapter 31

Chapter 21: To Claim the Key

_

Jess had never thought about what trying to hold onto a giant octopus might feel like.

It was honestly something she might think she should never have had to frigging imagine.

But that had been silly of her, in a world where capes could have cracked the moon, Jess should have been prepared for anything.

Her new buddy, Ultros, stretched another one of his arms out, whipping it out onto another building and the two of them swung, in a stomach filled with butterflies freaky kind of way, across the street.

Jess had always prided herself on being a fast adapter, and this was a little beyond anything else she had ever done or prepared for, but she soldiered on as Ultros seemed to giggle at her command and pun, whipping them away from the hotel in a single motion.

Ultros was strong, unbelievably fudging strong, hauling himself and Jess away like nothing.

It would have been the cherry on top of everything today, except for one little thing.

"Uh... I hate to point out a problem, but we're being followed by someone." Ultros said and detached all his limbs from the building, sending them both flying as he slapped another tentacle down on a different side of the same building, effectively turning a corner.

Jess craned her neck and saw what the giant octopus meant.

It was fucking Battery... Maybe, she was kind of glowing, making her features hard to see as she thundered after them, and behind her was a red blur bouncing rapidly to keep up.

Battery and Assault.

Jess frowned. Didn't she entrust Assault with Dinah? What was the muscle head doing chasing her?

Jess grinned slightly as she paused.

Muscle head? That was a new one.

"Can you go any faster? Those guys are... would, be a pain in my ass to fight." Jess half yelled over the wind, rushing past.

Ultros's eyes moved up to look at her, which was easy enough since they were frigging huge.

"Uwee... They won't catch an octopus of my calibre!" Ultros cried and suddenly Jess found herself holding on much tighter as Ultros slapped harder against the buildings in an effort to lose the heroes behind them.

"You're frigging light years ahead of any other sea life I've ever meet." Jess hollered with a smile.

There was a noise like thunder and Jess turned in time to see Battery, turned fully into some sort of pure energy form, as she crashed into the back of Ultros, the octopus letting out a squeal.

It was enough force to send them all hurtling onto a parking garage roof. Which was good since, while Ultros cushioned her crash, it was still pretty far down.

Battery landed heavily too, her appearance returned to her green circuit outfit.

"Fucks sake…" Jess moaned as she pulled pieces of gravel from her knee. Battery standing up made Jess turn her glare on to her.

"That fucking hurt, you tackle people to the ground often?" Jess asked with a snap.

Battery glared back.

"You kidnap kids often?" The heroine retorted.

Jess blinked.

"Kidnap? What? In case your friggin' eyes don't work as well as your sense of height, I rescued Dinah, she would have be long gone before you and the fucking merry men turned up." Jess defended herself.

Battery's stance didn't change.

"You can answer that to your lawyer, that and the list of charges with your name on it." Battery said and walked towards Jess, keeping an eye on Ultros, whose own eyes looked like they were revolving in a daze.

Before they locked onto Battery's... costume.

"Uweee uwe! Hello beautiful!" The octopus said with a happy tone and instantly regained his balance. Battery took an instant step back, her fists rising up, making Ultros giggle and blush.

"Feisty! I think we should get to know each other." Ultros said, his wide mouth stretching wider.

Jess eyed him, if he turned on her for the first pretty face…

Battery made sudden move to the left as one of Ultros's arms crashed into the roof where she was standing.

"I know that look! Don't tease the octopus or you're going to have a bad time." Ultros promised and yanked Jess uptight with his spare arms.

"Me and the babe here... We got a little something going on, so why don't you ink off?" The purple esper asked.

Battery snarled, her hand, now crackling with static electricity, reached out to grab Ultros's tentacle, where she managed to grab the end of it, making the octopus yelp as his body convulsed.

Jess didn't even think, throwing her knife at Battery's arm, her aim excellent even after being thrown about the city.

Battery wasn't a coil thug however, her form blurred as she moved out of the way, the knife sailing past before Jess called it back to her waiting hand.

Ultros made a throaty noise and slammed the roof, cracking it violently.

"Seafood is not on the menu!" Ultros yelled and threw his entire body at Battery, making the woman throw herself to the side, landing behind a S.U.V. Ultros reached forward and simply wrapped his tentacle around the vehicle and lifted it without a single problem, throwing it aside.

Jess whistled appreciatively, she knew Ultros was strong but that was impressive. She could have used his many... talents on a few jobs that got fucked up during her career.

Battery lashed out with another fist, but Ultros oozed back, sliding across the gravel with his two rearmost arms.

As he went he gave a deep gurgling noise and black ink shot from his mouth, hitting Battery as she tried to fall back.

Battery managed to only be covered from the stomach down, but the roof gravel became slick with the ink and she slipped, falling on her ass.

Ultros' many tentacles wriggled happily.

"You didn't ink I would play fair, did you?" The octopus half choked at his own joke. Jess wasn't sure if she needed to get involved... at all really.

Ultros was kicking ass.

Battery glared up at him and slammed her fist into ground, causing the already damaged surface to crack, dropping them all down onto the next floor, the only car on the roof having been thrown away by Ultros earlier.

Jess yelped and covered her eyes as she landed... on her ass again.

Slowly the dust settled and when Jess risked taking a look, Battery was swinging a motorcycle into Ultros who was upside down, his arms going crazy.

Ultros gave a squeak as the bike hit him and practically flew across the garage, crashing into a boring black car, the back hood crumbling instantly.

Jess winced and hoped whoever owned it had insurance. At this rate, her charges would soon include 'grand auto massacre' on the list of charges they would nail her with.

Battery huffed and dropped the bike, her feet half sliding on the solid concrete.

"That... thing is just the sort of creature I would expect you to have. A case 53? Tinker monster? Projection? It doesn't matter, the PRT will charge it as well... If it's aware of what's going on. I can at least add sexual harassment." Battery said, walking towards Jess, looking pissed.

Jess had a feeling that her and Battery... Would not be friends.

Just a feeling.

"He's a new friend I made after you dropped me." Jess said casually.

Battery froze.

"Excuse me?" The heroine said, sounding a little strangled.

Jess smirked and pointed her knife at the Hero.

"You forget already? Me, you, a hotel... Sounds steamy, well, it did until you fucking pushed me off the edge of a window." Jess said with a smile that was just a bit too wide.

Battery's hands clenched.

"You were going to fall, you were dead either way." Battery spat.

Jess shrugged.

"I could have made the ledge, my fingers were there, then I sit on the ledge and work my way in, but too late now. You tried to kill me." Jess said again, making the other woman tense up.

Battery shivered for a second, almost vibrating with rage and… something.

"Enough, come with me and shut up-" Battery started to say but, her feet were suddenly swept from under her by a purple tentacle.

Ultros had been making his way over from his crash landing, his suckers making no noise as he slid over the concrete. They'd let him get the drop on the heroine and the octopus loomed over.

"Miss me?" Ultros grinned.

Battery rolled from where she landed, but Ultros grabbed her foot, dangling her upside down.

She tried to reach up and smack at his arm, but she simply couldn't reach that far, getting shaken about whenever she got close. Jess raised a hand towards Ultros, who without even pausing to look, smacked it with his own tentacle.

Battery gave a shout and her entire body flashed for a second, making Ultros's grip loosen as his tentacle began to smoke.

"Yaoouch!" Ultros shouted and threw Battery to the side, flailing his limb wildly, trying to cool it off.

Jess chased after her, but a red blur suddenly leapt over the balustrade making up the wall on this floor of the parking garage, landing in front of Battery.

"Sheesh, I lose you all for a few streets and you're kicking the crap out of each other, with a giant octopus involved. Can you imagine I missed this?" Assault asked Battery.

The green clad hero looked up and gave him a look that would have withered lesser men.

"The horror…" Battery replied in a perfect monotone as she stood up.

The two standing there brought back a pang of nerves to Jess.

These guys were no third rate capes like herself.

Assault had some fucking insane control over motion energy. Battery was... Well, a battery, storing energy and using it to beat the crap out of people.

They were a good team, from what the gossip said of their fights... It would be best to friggin' split while they were distracted, before this could escalate any further.

Ultros made some sort of bouncing motion then, his tentacles coiling about as he faced the pair of heroes.

"Eh?... Oh! Who's the muscle head moron? This ain't a party for more than one man!" Ultros said, wriggling his tentacles at Assault with some annoyance. Jess felt the 'slip and run' plan, do a 'slip and run' of its own.

Assault looked over Ultros and whistled.

"Wonder how much squid I could get if I chop you up?" The red clad hero asked, bemused.

Ultros seemed to double in head size for a moment as his face went dark with anger.

"Squid?!" Ultros squawked indignantly.

Jess put a hand on him calmingly.

"Easy... He's trying to rile you up." Jess said with a sigh. Ultros was a bit slow on the uptake it seemed.

The beast paused.

"I knew that... It all was part of my plan to lure him into a false sense security before I jumped him." Ultros said with a straight face.

Jess patted his bulbous head.

"Of course it was, but Assault here is no stranger to mind games, he's a master at the friggin stuff... So leave him to me." She winked at Ultros, who's cheeks went pink in delight.

"Okay! Leave the angry lightning rod to me, she's no match for a royal octopus like myself!" Ultros said proudly and Jess ran to the side, hoping to get Assault to follow.

"Hold on baby! A little gift for you, a little something something." Ultros yelled as Jess began to run and then haul ass like she had never done before.

She cleared the entire parking garage floor as the feeling of living energy settled into her veins, making her entire body feel invigorated like that time she'd tried fucking speed.

Assault chased after her, but despite his speed she had plenty of time to turn, look at him and dodge away before he got close.

As they danced around each other Assault's steps seemed to be equal, measured, easy, like he wasn't actually getting any more tired by chasing her.

Right... Motion energy control. He was reusing the same energy he landed with to push off again.

This would be annoying. While Assault couldn't stop himself from being hurt... He could do a lot to avoid it.

Ultros gave another loud giggle, as he closed in on Battery and Assault looked back, a frown visible despite his domino mask.

"He isn't going to hurt her… Is he?" Assault asked casually.

Jess opened her mouth to answer…

"I'll-ask-best-to-know-now-before-he-does-something-too-bad…" Jess blurted out and Assault gawked at her, but Jess called over, not taking her eyes off Assault in case he went for a sucker punch.

"Ultros! Don't-kill-her... Or do-things-to-her." Jess shouted and Ultros gave a salute with his back arm.

"I'm-sure-it'll-be-fine, why-so-worried? You-sweet-on-her?" Jess asked with a grin and Assault stared at her.

"You sound like Velocity after he drank Arms 'special' coffee." Assault finally said with an odd look.

Jess tilted her head, not getting what he meant, if anything he was speaking slowly.

"So-we-doing-this-whole-heroes-versus-bad-guys-thing?" Jess asked, raising her dukes.

Assault shrugged.

"I can get her to stop, explain that you saved the munchkin, Dinah, and you're a badass Hero, I mean, Rogue and we can all go skipping down the lane to the muffin shop. How about it? I mean your purple friend there might get us a few odd looks or screams of terror, but I've patrolled with Armsmaster before. So nothing new there." Assault offered and Jess felt her lips tugging into a smile.

He was funny.

"The-muffin-shop-on-4th-off-or-5th?" Jess asked.

Assault beamed as Ultros was thrown past them with Battery charging after him.

"Is there any other?" The hero asked, keeping an eye on Battery.

Jess smiled deviously and leaned in.

"Do-you-know-the-muffin-man?" Jess asked quietly, and Assault gestured to step away as Battery hopped back when Ultros covered the ground in more ink. Jess sat on a red cars hood next to her, to keep her shoes clean.

Assault sat on a pickup truck, mirroring her.

"The one that works on cherry lane? Yeah I know him. Personally." Assault smiled and watched as Ultros jumped to the ceiling, sticking there, out of reach of Battery, who leapt to a car, then landed on Ultros's face.

"Uweee wee! Feisty!" Ultros cried, swinging back and forth as Battery tried to pull him down.

Jess and Assault watched them with fascination.

"She-nearly... killed me, I don't think she meant to, but I'm still kinda friggin miffed." Jess said, feeling the energy leave her. She could fight Assault, but at the same time, Jess had a feeling he could have chased her at the start, but didn't…

He was going to let her go. She was sure of it.

"Bat has some... control issues and some problems with stalking pretty people, don't be too hard on her. So giant octopus was never in your profile, is that a new theme or…" Assault said, waving his hand in the general direction of Ultros as the octopus crashed on top of a junker car, making the alarm go off until Battery smashed it when Ultros rolled out of the way.

Coming back upright, Ultros leered at the heroine.

"Having fun yet? Come on! I'm barely using 3 arms here! Show me some hot stuff! Or I'll end up bored... and then I'll have to get creative!" Ultros said pervertedly.

Battery just huffed and charged him, intending to flatten the octopus into the nearby wall. She crashed into his body alright but Ultros shot his arms out, wrapping around the support pillars on either side, making his body stretch widely before Battery was flung back as if from a sling-shot with alarming speed.

"Uwee wee, my body is always ready!" Ultros laughed.

Despite the rebound Assault just looked amused.

Jess eyed him.

"Aren't you worried about her? She got thrown pretty fucking hard." Jess asked.

Assault smiled.

"Puppy there... Hasn't done any work away from a desk in a long time. She's got energy to burn." The laid back hero said as Battery blurred back, glowing with energy once more.

The heroine took a few slow steps towards Ultros… Then vanished.

"Uwee~?" Ultros said, his laugh dying as he looked about.

Battery flashed in behind him, her fist cocked back as she smashed it into Ultros.

"Gurk." Ultros managed before he crashed through one of the support pillars, and almost out of the garage entirely.

Jess winced and stood, wincing again as the ink soaked into her shoes. That would be a bitch to get out.

Assault eyed the ink and leaned back onto the windshield.

"Octopus, 1, Puppy, 1." Assault said, making a gun gesture and shooting it at her.

"Can you get her off my ass? I'll try to get Ultros away and we can pretend I ran the frig away." Jess asked.

Assault popped his lips.

"Hm. I think I can, but are you sure? Offers still open you know? I can help you... I can get you somewhere safe if that's what you're worried about. And if this guy is your... friend… pet... thing, then the PRT will bend backwards to get you." Assault said and Jess smiled, shaking her head.

"I... I already have a team, a good team, and they're fucking heroes. I want hook up with them." Jess said, her eyes meeting Assaults through his visor.

Assault grinned, and hooked his fingers into invisible belt loops.

"Oh, anyone I know?" The red clad hero asked conversationally.

Jess opened her mouth but before she could answer Ultros crashed back as Battery approached them.

"You'd think that would take me down? Too bad!" Ultros yelled, his red eyes glowing with anger, a red miasma appearing around Battery.

But before he could finish whatever he was about to do, he flew forward as if hit by a wrecking ball.

Behind, on the ledge of the garage concrete wall was a giant, yellow, bird.

It took a moment for Jess to place Boco, which was sad as hell since she had never met another giant bird of any colour.

When the bird landed, she spotted another colour on its back. Blue.

Sabah, Parian, slid off Boco's back and wobbled.

Not a, 'I just rode a giant bird' wobble, but an 'I'm one glass away from being Irish' wobble.

Oh yeah, the girl was friggin' knocking back whisky last Jess saw her. Which made this whole situation more disastrous and, potentially, more funny.

Might as well have a laugh as before Parian strung them all up by their underwear.

Not that Ultros had any...

Bad thought. Jess shooed it away and focused back on Parian who looked around, spotted Jess and began making her way over, nearly tripping on her blue dress, before being caught by Mog, who floated in behind her.

"J-...uh you, annoying pain in my ass clown!" Parian said loudly, making everyone stare at her.

Jess waved slowly.

"Hi... doll girl, I do not know." Jess said slowly.

Assault turned away as he bit back a laugh at her tone. Battery looked wild.

Not as wild as Parian though, who looked as if today had frayed her nerves enough that the first person to look at her funny would be getting punched.

"I came here... because Teynote... Keynote, is making me grow grey hair and wrinkles. I don't want them, but... You know Keynote... Whoosh and bang!" Parian said while waving her hands dramatically.

Mog gave a sigh.

"Kupo, she saw Boco and got on, refusing to get off until she had caught the… 'next doll' so we came to see if you've seen anything... weird? Kupo." Mog asked and Boco chittered behind him, making the little moogle look at where Boco's leg was pointing, to the wiggling backside of Ultros, stuck in a van.

Mog froze for a few seconds before…

"Kupo! oh Alexander damn it to kupo!" Mog cried making Pairan clap a hand to his mouth.

The doll themed cape glared at the little esper unsteadily.

"No swearing, it's rude!" Parian cried, barely slurring.

Mog floated up out of her reach, slapping her fingers away.

"Ultros! Kupo, what are you doing here? Why are you here?" Mog asked Ultros'... rear.

Ultros stopped moving.

"That voice… I know that darling little voice!" Ultros said and with a screech of metal tore himself free, turning to see Mog, who had his hands on his hips, looking pissed, well, to Jess at least.

Battery stared at Mog as did Assault, but he seemed to be eyeing Boco more and more.

"Kupo…" Mog threatened.

Ultros just giggled.

"You are still as cute as a button, do you have a new toy for uncle Ulty?" The octopus cooed.

Mog bristled.

"I am not a button and you shouldn't be here, kupo." Mog said, sounding more frustrated than Jess had ever heard him.

Parian spotted Ultros and paused.

"Mog... There's a weird squid over there." She said bluntly and Jess winced. She already knew that was a bad thing to say.

Ultros eyed her, his eyes moving up and down over Parian's form.

"Heh... What's this Mog? You never said you brought a cute friend. Her dress is good, but it is not match for the eye of Ultros! Scan!" Ultros said and there was a flash from his eyes and a residual sparkle.

"Don't you dare, kupo!" Mog said, sticking himself in between Ultros and Parian.

"Yatta… yattaa… Weaknesses: Tay something... Attribute, pure neutral... weird... Aha! Measurements! The Ultros special Scan!" Ultros cried, only for Boco to plant his foot into Ultros open mouth, shutting him up.

"'ello… sir... 'oco." Ultros said around the clawed foot.

"Kweh." Boco said quietly and Ultros nodded, then Boco leaned in very close.

"Wark... kweh?" The chocobo said and Ultros nodded furiously.

"Oh 'ourse!" Ultros said.

Battery held up her phone, taking a video recording of everything, her face in pure mental breakdown state, held together with fury at Ultros and bafflement at the appearance of Boco and Mog.

Battery looked appalled at Parian's personal details taken just like that while Assault was hunched over, his head between his legs as he shook.

Laughing.

From disbelief or humour she didn't know. But Parian hiked up her dress and walked over to the octopus.

"You, the orthodontist's nightmare, did you come here by the bladekey?" Parian asked, pointing wildly at the purple esper.

Ultros wiggled his non-existent eyebrows.

"'Ho's 'sking?" Ultros said, managing to flirt even with Boco's foot in his mouth.

Parian pointed her thumb at her chest with importance, adjusting slightly when jabbed herself in the breast.

"Parian... dressmaker." Parian said and Boco nuzzled her with his head, Parian accepted it without a fuss, her stance not changing.

Jess' face hurt... it was hard not to smile when this was happening. Or laugh.

Boco removed his foot and Ultros crept closer to Parian... one arm reaching up around her waist.

"Uwee wee! The pleasure is all mine, I am Ultros, Esper of Infiltration and Tracking. Nice to meet a very good new... platonic friend of sir Boco's!" Ultros said, seeing the bird peer at him over Parian's blonde curls.

"Kupo, Ultros, why are you here?" Mog repeated.

Jess moved forward as Ultros began to coo at Mog again.

"It was me... He appeared because of me... I think." Jess said.

Ultros blushed, waving her off with a tentacle.

"Oh I was already coming here... You were just the lovely push I needed to get in. Bahamut hired me for a job! So saving a lovely maiden in the nick of time was just the icing on the cake uwee wee!" The octopus cackled.

Mog looked at Boco who shook his head.

Jess was sort of relieved and a little sad, she didn't summon this guy entirely, her powers weren't that much out of whack, but she was also just a fucking side dish for him.

"Lord Bahamut? Kupo, he doesn't hire many Espers outside his group. What made you so important?" Mog said, crossing his arms and Ultros stopped cackling.

"Hmm? I'm on the hunt. Another guy broke in a while back, Odin got all uppity about it and Bahamut, as far as I know, told him to cool off, he, or was it she this time? He said he'd have it handled. Then Bob's your uncle and I got hired. The old wyrm was lucky, I just finished my a stakeout in this other world... It was filled with all these stuffy folk, I guess having an evil dark lord around would do that to people... I tried to 'play' with them and they shot an arrow at me! I just wanted to look at their small people…" Ultros ended up muttering to himself.

Mog nodded as if he too had that problem.

Jess opened her mouth, but closed it again when nothing witty jumped to mind.

There was a mouse fairy bear, talking to a giant purple octopus, with a giant yellow bird the size of a fucking horse standing next to them.

Some things... didn't need a sarcastic comment.

Jess turned to Parian, but found she was gone. Startled Jess turned around, looking for the other girl, finding her standing by Battery.

"Hey... hey! You look sane. These things are mine, right? You government beau... beau… nerds aren't allowed them." Parian slurred at Battery who looked like Parian had slapped her.

Jess guessed Battery wasn't called a nerd every day. Assault walked over and slung an arm over Battery's shoulder.

"Ah don't worry, we don't have any cages for them, so us neeerds will have to let them go this time." Assault said, stretching out 'nerds' near Battery's ear.

The woman shivered and pushed him off.

"Mam, you're intoxicated in public, please don't cause a scene. We're currently chasing Circus, as she is involved in a crime so if you just let-" Battery tried to calm Parian, ignoring the Espers as best she could as they didn't seem to be aggressive any more, but Parian had spun on her heel, stomping towards Jess.

"What did you do? Did you break into another house? Seriously woman... man... you! I left you alone for a few hours and you cause a scene?" Parian said, waving her arms around wildly in the usual uncoordinated manner of the properly fucking sloshed.

Jess shrugged, looking over at the two heroes.

"She's drunk, I've never met this woman before." Jess said, spinning her finger in a circle near her head.

Battery shut her phone off and turned to Assault, outrage on her face and a twitching eye.

"This… is not happening. I don't understand why I attacked an octopus, or why you're not helping me or why Parian of all people is here, but I am about to scream or punch someone." Battery heaved, her teeth gritted, breathing like an angry bull.

Assault went to rub her back, but she pushed him away again.

"Circus, you and your slimy asshole of a pet will lie down on the ground, and stop... doing anything!" Battery shouted.

Parian turned back to Battery, finger waving drunkenly.

"Don't you yell at her! That's my job." Parian yelled at Battery, who looked red in the face. Ultros stopped talking to Mog and Boco, slowly turning to look at Battery.

Battery just scowled.

"Parian, I need to remind that you are interfering with official PRT business. If you continue to stop me from doing my job, then I will have you arrested." Battery said through gritted teeth and Parian tried to take a step towards her, but failed to make any distance as Jess held tightly onto the back of her dress.

"Sab... you need to calm the fudge down." Jess whispered and Parian stopped pulling, she took a deep breath.

Assault took this time to shake Battery slightly.

"So, newsflash, the girl, Dinah? Circus rescued her... So you can stop trying to kill her for that." Assault said casually.

Battery spun to stare at him.

"She what?! Circus?! The thief and villain?!" Battery demanded and looked at Jess who finger waved.

Mog floated around to Parian, who snatched him out of the air and hugged him, burying her face into his head, muttering angrily.

Ultros, sank in on himself slightly as he bathed in the sun that was streaming through the collapsed roof, deflating like a balloon. Clearly looking refreshed for some reason.

This was the most quiet Jess had seen him since the octopus had appeared.

"Well I guess she had didn't like hurting kids... It's like not all villains are heartless monsters eh?" Assault said, his tone... heavy.

Battery looked him hard in the eye.

"Not everyone is… like that. She might have saved her own skin by saving the little girl." Battery tried to argue.

Assault shrugged.

"If she had followed Coil's plan then she'd be scot free and no doubt rolling in the green. Face it puppy... you might be wrong." Assault said quietly.

Battery clenched her fists.

"And her other crimes?" The heroine asked quietly.

Assault smiled and ruffled her hair.

"Not our problem right now. Though…" Assault trailed off, turning to look at Jess.

"Hey, where did you say Coil was hanging out?" Assault asked. First Jess made sure Parian wasn't going to fucking tackle Battery like a drunken ox before answering.

"Construction site on the south of town, near Green, just off Castle. The big building, off block still under construction. In the basement there's a double door, looks like a storage shed. Inside you go down a tunnel, goes pretty deep. Down there's his base and it's like a fortress; blind corners, check points, and full of hired killers, few capes, and probably booby-traps so... Have fucking fun with that." Jess said finished with a wave of her hand.

Parian smacked her without looking.

"Don't swear." She mumbled.

Jess rolled her eyes.

"Don't get drunk in public." Jess countered.

Parian smacked her again.

"Stop hitting me!" Jess cried and stepped away.

"Don't sass me…" Parian slurred without shame.

Assault looked between them.

"You two have great chemistry for people who have never met. I mean besides having really weird animal friends." The hero commented.

Ultros wriggled pervertedly.

"For a muscle head, he's pretty sharp hehe." Ultros said.

Battery glared at him.

"What are you anyway? A cape? A projection?" Battery snapped, her attempt to rein in her temper failing.

Ultros moved and draped a tentacle around Jess's waist.

"I'm just a poor octopus who got booted in the head by a mean old witch." Ultros taunted.

Battery snarled, but turned away.

Jess smirked and patted his head.

"He's a projection of mine. Made him myself." Jess boasted.

Assault smiled knowingly. He clearly wasn't convinced.

"I've heard of summoning bears, but I don't think cephalopod summoning has reached the ears of the PRT. Didn't your buddy Ultros there, say that he was already coming here? That sounds... strangely independent for a projection." Assault pointed out.

Jess waved him off.

"I'm a grab bag who met keynote. She let me grab from the bag again." Jess smirked as she heard sirens in the distance.

"Backup blues." Jess commented.

Assault nodded.

"We're mostly stalling." Assault agreed and Parian looked up, startled.

"I can't get arrested! I have got to be home for cake! Key baked coconut!" Parian wailed and rushed to Boco, throwing herself onto the bird, who lowered himself politely so she could clamber on.

"They'll never take me alive! Not while I have people... wait! I got to go pick up Key. She has no ride! She was fighting Hookwolf and now she's stuck. I'm a terrible friend and now she won't bake anymore! No!" Parian blubbered.

Mog looked ready to follow her, all fluffed up, but Boco warbled at him and he paused.

"Kupo... I suppose. But it's Ultros!" Mog whined and Boco nuzzled the moogle and then turned to leap off the building, carrying a hollering Parian off with him.

"I just got abandoned so she could go hit on her girlfriend?" Jess said, a bit incredulous.

Ultros giggled.

"This world is fun. That girl... She felt nice." Ultros commented.

Mog coughed lightly.

"Leave her alone, kupo, or I'll set you on fire." Mog warned.

Ultros patted Mog like a pet.

"Of course you will." Ultros said an amused tone, pulling the moogle close, still patting him on the head.

"Now you just sit there while Uncle Ulty deals with the wicked witch." The octopus finished, placing Mog on his head.

Battery turned from looking for the first signs of police to looking at Ultros.

"Deal with the what?" She said tightly, almost choking with rage.

Assault shook his head.

"That octopus has got a death wish." Assault muttered.

Jess looked at him.

"What now? I mean... You know I saved Dinah, but what?" Jess asked a little more worried now. The sirens were getting pretty close.

Assault frowned, crossing his arms.

"Honestly? If you get arrested they'll throw everything at you, make it seem as bad as they can, make jail time a serious threat, and all that. Then they'll psych test you. If you aren't a loony, they'll press you to give it all up for a chance of working your crimes off as a hero. Own you right down to your little shoe bells shine. Thieves aren't as bad, so having no murders on your rap is a big push for that." Assault said.

Meanwhile Battery swiped her hand in front of her.

"Listen here you little perverted ball of slime, you make one more crack about... anything about me, then I'll make sure you go to the nearest sushi bar." The heroine threatened.

Ultros waved his arms at her, acting frightened.

"Oh scary, I bet you know where the nearest one is, that costume doesn't hide much does it? Uwee wee wee!" Ultros laughed lewdly.

Battery's hands flew to her hips.

Assault winced.

"He didn't…" Assault said.

Jess couldn't help but grin, Ultros was fucking hilarious, if perhaps a little suicidal.

"He did." Jess replied.

Battery pointed a finger at Ultros her face red again.

"I run every day, I go to the gym! I am not fat, I am a perfect body weight for my work!" Battery said loudly, almost shouting.

Ultros' eyes rolled wildly as he cackled.

"Scan! I see, I see! Age, Height, boring!... weight is... Oh? Oh! Tsk tsk." Ultros said waving one tentacle reprimandingly at Battery who froze.

"Super heroes get super meals do they?" Ultros laughed and Battery launched herself at the laughing octopus with a nigh-primal snarl, before Assault calmly caught her, his left leg twitching as the ground below him cracked.

Ultros cackled.

"Oh? Have I been a mean octopus?" His tooth filled grin seemed to grow even larger, "So sorry, so sorry!"

Mog who was watching this go down from his perch on Ultros head buried his face in his paws and groaned.

"Bats. You are just too easy, though, it's usually my gig to wind you up... Why don't you go wave down the blues and direct them up here?" Assault offered.

Battery huffed as she glared at Ultros.

"I... will end him." Battery swore quietly.

Assault nodded sympathetically.

"Course you will, now go do you job and cool off." Assault said, directing her to the ramp that lead down.

Battery took a deep breath and nodded, walking fast before Ultros could set her off again.

Assault watched her leave and then eyed Ultros.

"You got a talent for getting under peoples skin, don't'cha?" The hero asked.

Mog sighed.

"You have no idea, kupo." Mog muttered.

Ultros shivered at the words.

"Such praise, even a muscle head cave man can appreciate my glory!" Ultros said, grinning to himself.

Jess smiled and went to sit on his wide head, next to Mog. Ultros didn't seem to mind, in fact, he leaned into her.

"Ah... that feeling." Ultros murmured and then Jess felt something odd and familiar, but at the same time in such a way she had never felt it before.

Ultros began to flicker like a bad image before he vanished.

Mog and Jess gave a cry as they both landed hard on their backsides.

Jess felt like her stomach was suddenly turbulent. Her space was a sea of motion and there was so much odd sensation, so much not-motion and roiling guts that she curled up, trying not vomit.

Slowly the feeling subsided and Jess took shallow breaths while Assault helped her sit up.

"Woah there, you vomit on me and I'll send you the cleaning bill for the costume, it ain't cheap." Assault joked, sounding half serious.

Jess looked at him debating if it would be worth it.

"...Thanks." Jess managed after a few moments.

Mog floated around her.

"Where did Ultros go? Kupo, where did that bonehead get to?" Mog moaned, sounding concerned, rather than angry at the other Esper.

"Ultros?" Jess called out, wondering if he knew how to teleport…

'Yeesh... where the heck am I? The ocean is a little weird here.' Ultros said and Jess felt her space... her stuff... her possessions, get moved aside.

As Ultros swam about.

"Ultros?" Jess repeated and the moving stopped.

'Hottie? Where are you?' Ultros asked aloud and he moved... up?

Jess groaned at the sensation and Assault looked at her seriously.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Jess shrugged.

"I got a rumbly in my tummy…" Jess complained.

Assault grinned.

"Rescuing little girls makes you hungry?" Assault asked cheekily.

Jess just closed her eyes before lying back down.

"I think I ate Ultros." Jess groaned.

Then Mog said the perfect thing to capture how Jess felt.

"...kupo."

Assault turned as the sirens got louder. His face went stoic as thoughts raced through his head. He came to some sort of conclusion and stood.

"If you can, just go." Assault said, walking away.

Jess snapped her eyes open.

"Go? I'm not a hero or anything so maybe I'm missing a few things...but isn't this the... opposite of what heroes do? I thought you capture the bad guys?" Jess said incredulously.

Assault looked at her over his shoulder.

"Yeah, we do. But I don't see any bad people here, I'm sure Dinah would agree." Assault answered and then walked down the ramp, out of sight.

Jess was stunned and was slow to respond as Mog pulled her to her feet

That guy... What kind of hero was he? Letting her go like he was some sort of... badass.

'Babe? I'm in an ocean of junk, any ideas?' Ultros asked her, his voice ringing out in her head,

"It's not junk... it's my treasure." Jess said weakly, her body twitching as her head was becoming fuzzy.

'...Of course it's treasure! I was just blind. Great stuff here, one of a kind! Except that, I saw another one of those back there…" he said to himself and Jess wobbled to the side of the building.

Shaking her head to try and clear Jess ignored the octopus still muttering in her bag and focused on her more immediate problem as she looked over the edge. Three stories up is a lot taller when you're up there.

"Any ideas on getting down?" Jess asked Mog.

The moogle nodded.

"Kupo, hanging out with Sabah gave me a stockpile!" Mog answered her, then his pom-pom floated up and glowed red.

"Float!" Mog said enthusiastically and Jess... floated funnily enough.

"Great, but can you push me down to the street? I can't seem to steer here." Jess pointed out and flung her arm out, still mentally feeling Ultros swim about when… Out of her hand shot a giant purple tentacle that smacked into a large bin in the alley below them, leading away from the garage.

'My arm is gone! It just vanished... and I feel something... cold and metallic.' Ultros said, sounding confused.

Jess stared at the tentacle, the cloud of fuzziness in her head not helping.

"I'm an octopus…" Jess said feeling very perplexed and Ultros fumbled about moving backwards, the arm reeling Jess in like a fishing line.

She landed a bit harder than she meant to but bobbed back into the air after a few moments as the tentacle vanished back into Jess's hand.

'Found it!' Ultros said happily.

Mog floated down next to Jess and stared at her fearfully.

"Don't eat me, kupo!" Mog cried and floated back as Jess turned to look at him.

Jess nodded, distractedly. She felt so damn... tired. How the fudge did Taylor do this kind of stuff all the time?!

"I'm full, I think you're fine... Ultros... stay still." Jess warned and then before Ultros could respond, his head popped out of Jess's palm, like a big round purple spot with teeth, a miniature version of himself.

"Fresh air! ...Hottie? When did you get so big?" Ultros asked looking up at her, his voice higher pitched than before.

Mog looked at the mini-Ultros and was speechless.

Jess just stared at the palm of her hand equally stupefied.

"What?"Ultros squeaked.

Frig her friggin life.

_

Taylor bent down in front of the cage making eye contact with the injured canine inside, then lifted the Keyblade slowly above the enclosure, so as not to spook the poor animal within.

"Cure." Taylor said softly and the green sparks gently floated over the shivering animal, some crossbreed that seemed to give it a solid build, a pit bull of some kind.

Taylor was thankful the beautiful day was lasting; she didn't want to find out that it was going to pour down after having Gallant and Kid spend so much time hauling the poor dogs outside.

The animal gave a snuffle as it calmed, its raw sides turning from an angry red to a softer, healthier pink.

Taylor smiled and let the brindle dog sniff her fingers, it daintily licked her fingers through the cage bars.

She always kind of wanted a dog when she was younger, but it was along the same vein as wanting to be a princess or a dragon.

After her mom died, a lot of childish wishes faded away.

But now, seeing all the various dogs get checked over by a professional, it brought back a little of that childhood glee.

Taylor quietly clicked her tongue and the dog's tail began to wag furiously, the licking intensifying.

The mere idea that someone wanted to throw this dog into a blood sport for cash... sobered her up. Taylor stared into the big brown eyes, the way the dogs ears were pinned back to show happiness, tailing wagging furiously and it... It made her swallow hard.

Taylor took a breath, trying to calm down, before she did something else…

But sometimes Taylor got tired of filtering herself, checking each emotion as they happened for triggers for her powers.

Sometimes she just wanted to be pissed off and not potentially end the world. Sad that even though she helped these dogs, there was dozen or more rings kicking about, unseen, filled with more big sad brown eyes.

Her grip on the Keyblade was painfully tight, but she smiled as she stood. The dog watching her with interest.

"You're gonna be fine, you'll go to a good home now." Taylor told the dog, as if he could understand her.

The dog whined and pushed its nose through the bars and Taylor smiled, scratching the muzzle with her fingers.

"He likes you." Gallant said, his armoured form coming to stand next to her.

Taylor looked at him with surprise before smiling.

"You sound so sure." She teased, feeling happy... After everything was done, the bad guys were caught, Paige was safe, and the dogs were going to be okay.

After everything, this made her feel like a hero. For the first time, she felt like a proper capital H Hero.

Beating Lung had come with a cost, but this... this felt good.

Gallant shrugged.

"I don't read animals as well as humans, but they're pretty simple as far as emotions go. This one is happy, a little confused, but happy." Gallant said and his own tone was…

Sad.

"Gallant?" Taylor said and wasn't sure what question to follow up with.

Gallant seemed to understand though.

"I heard the animal control guy back there talking to Mouse Protector, he's waiting on a pick up crew to help transport the dogs…" The Ward trailed off.

Taylor felt the heroic feeling fade very quickly.

"But what?" Taylor pushed and Gallant tried not to look at her Keyblade too closely, half staring out to the mess of people going to and from the warehouse.

"He said most of these animals won't even be taken to shelters, that Brockton Bay doesn't have many shelters to begin with and most of them are already full. That they're fighting dogs so people won't want them." Gallant continued and Taylor felt her chest constrict as she followed his words.

If people didn't want them then…

Taylor ignored Gallant's next words, feeling her feet carry her over to the man in the blue jump suit all on their own.

He was an older guy, looked like he had been born grim and hadn't changed much throughout his life as attested by his salt and pepper hair.

"Excuse me." Taylor interrupted the conversation, cutting Mouse Protector off.

"Is it true? Is it true that you're going to destroy these dogs?" Taylor demanded, trying to stop herself from snapping at the guy.

The animal control guy's jumpsuit had a name tag.

Daniel.

Taylor felt her anger rise irrationally, it was too close to her Dad's and with everything else, it was a reminder of another person she had failed to save.

She would not let the same happen here. She didn't care if they weren't human. They felt, they cried and they smiled just like people! They deserved a chance.

Daniel took a step back at her tone and looked confused to see Taylor there.

"Miss, uh... Yeah the dogs are getting checked over, but we've never had an entire ring bust like this before, we can't handle the numbers." He tried to reason with the Rogue hero.

Taylor shook her head in anger and denial.

"So it's easier to just kill them?" Taylor spat venomously.

Mouse Protector put a hand on her shoulder.

"Keynote... Please calm down, this man is only doing his job." Mouse said, her usual loud tone reduced to a more serious one. Taylor bit her lip and the sudden jab of pain helped clear her thoughts a little.

"There has to be… There has to be something else that can be done, a farm, a centre, or a professional?" Taylor asked, almost begged, turning her anger into desperation.

Daniel sighed.

"Listen, I would, but there's nothing. Other than turning them wild on the street, we can't support them. We're too short staffed and so far over budget that I can barely afford the gas in my car. If you have any suggestions, I'm open to them." Daniel asked her, his own voice gaining a touch of anger.

Taylor's mind raced, but nothing came up.

There was no where she could think of, no one she could think of.

Daniel looked up as a large truck reversed into the warehouse grounds.

"The transport team is here, I need to go tell them what to do." He sighed and walked off, leaving Taylor standing there with Mouse Protector.

Mouse Protector placed a hand on Taylor's shoulder, squeezing comfortingly.

"Keynote, it sucks. I know." Mouse Protector said, her voice quiet and Taylor nodded, not trusting herself to speak yet.

"No one wants to kill them for fun, you have to understand that." Mouse continued as Kid Win walked over with Gallant, leaving Über and Leet under the watch of two PRT officers.

Taylor gulped, looking at the dogs as men made their way over to the cages.

"But no one wants to save them." Taylor replied.

Mouse sighed.

"Everyone wants to save them, but no one is in the right place to do it. You can't force people to accept a dog and love it, you adopt a dog that you think is a vicious beast and you'll treat it differently than a dog you wanted. It picks up on that, it doesn't understand why you don't love it, but it puts up with it. But it might snap one day, it becomes so confused or unsure it lashes out and hurts people. It's not its fault… but we can't allow it either." The heroine explained.

Taylor looked at the row of cages, at the dog she had petted.

"This isn't fair." Taylor said through gritted teeth.

Mouse nodded while Gallant took a step away and Kid Win didn't meet anyone's eyes.

"Life isn't fair, sometimes it's so unfair you get superpowers and you save the world and other times it's so unfair you can't even save a bunch of poor dogs. Life is unfair because it doesn't have rules, Keynote, life just is." Mouse Protector said pulling Taylor into a one armed hug.

Taylor was taken surprised by the action, not expecting such a personal interaction.

The Protectorate cape gestured at the warehouse, at all the dogs and everyone standing there.

"You did more for those dogs than anyone else, don't forget that. They might end up... asleep, but you did everything you could. You saved them, stopped their suffering, healed them, and protected them… But you have to let them go. You can't let it haunt you, it's something you can't change." Mouse whispered and Taylor nodded, feeling her eye water.

Mouse Protector was right, but it didn't make Taylor feel any less crap.

"Thanks, but I... want to make sure the dogs get treated right… As much as possible." Taylor said with a tight throat.

Mouse patted her on the head.

"I'll be here if you need me." The heroine said and gave her a thumbs up.

Taylor wandered over to Daniel who was directing the three young workers who were slowly lifting the first cage into the truck.

There was about twelve or so dogs and the truck looked spacious at least, that was good.

Daniel saw her coming and steeled himself, but Taylor ignored him, going for the girl near the cage.

They all wore white overalls and black shirts, with white caps with the company's logo on it.

'Dirge's Moving Company'

"Hey." Taylor said and the girl froze, the girl slowly turning face to face her, some sort of cloth mask covering the lower half of the girl's face.

Like the dogs might have some infectious disease. Taylor managed to stop her lip from curling at their appearance, and kept her tone polite.

"Listen, I know what the guy said... And these dogs are getting put down, but if you have any alternative or idea to save them, I would really appreciate it." Taylor said and the girl looked at her.

When she spoke it came out sort of muffled, but at the same time…

There was something eerily familiar about it, like someone she had heard a while ago.

"Sure, me and my co-workers here were thinking it was a shame they were getting put down, a real shame." The girl said brightly and Taylor blinked, not expecting this response from someone who transported animals to their death.

"Uh thanks! Do you know anyone or a place they can be taken care of?" Taylor asked excitedly and the girl nodded, looking like she was enjoying the talk.

"I got a friend in the business, she would love to help these little guys out." The girl assured Taylor, and another worker came to help her lift the next cage.

"You flirting with the hero? I'm sure I can handle this little pooch if you want some time to get her number." The guy said, his curly hair slightly peeking out from under the cap.

He had a nice voice, but he seemed to enjoy trying to upset the first girl.

Again, that feeling of deja vu.

The first girl, whose name tag read as 'Terry', rolled her eyes.

Taylor didn't think she looked like a Terry, but then again what did she know about people's names?

After all Sophia meant 'wisdom' and Taylor was sure that was not the first word that leapt to mind when she thought about her bully who vanished into the daylight.

Bitch came to mind. Psychotic was another.

But like Emma, Taylor was beyond them, done with them. They were her past and… The best revenge was a life well lived. She could manage that.

Still, wherever Sophia was, Taylor hoped it was a place she would never run into her again.

Terry huffed as they lifted the cages onto the back of the truck where another girl waited, her body language different from the other two.

Mostly it said 'fuck off' but maybe Taylor was reading too deeply into that.

The driver leaned back in the driver's seat, making his features hard to see in the side mirror.

Taylor grabbed the next cage, feeling a bit surprised that she lifted it entirely without much strain, but lugging around a giant key must be great strength training she supposed.

Not that she ever felt any weight from that.

Taylor carried it to the truck, passing it to the girl at the back door.

"Your friend over there said that she knew someone who might be able to save these dogs, is that true?" Taylor asked her.

The other girl stopped and stared at her.

"Suppose." The rough girl finally said.

Taylor bit her lip.

"Please... Please try to save the dogs. They don't deserve to be put down because of how people used them." Taylor said, in a slight babble and the girl stopped strapping the cage into a harness and looked back at her.

"You're right... they don't deserve that." She agreed and carried on with her job.

Taylor wasn't sure if that was an agreement or a promise. Still…

"Thanks…" Taylor muttered and moved out the way as the next cage was passed up.

"Don't worry, we're the nice dog people, see our friendly faces, you can totally trust us." The guy said.

Taylor looked at his eyes, not feeling very trusting of this one. There was just something… dark about him. Sinister.

"Sure." Taylor said, walking back to Kid Win who was watching the whole thing.

"How do you get into a business of collecting animals from crime rings when you're our age?" The Ward asked sounding confused.

Taylor shrugged.

"Connections? Family business?" She offered.

Kid pondered that.

"I think you would still need license and training, but animals aren't my thing." Kid Win said.

Taylor eyed his hoverboard.

"I can tell you like your toys." Taylor said.

Kid smirked.

"I love my toys." The red and gold Ward agreed as Taylor's eye wandered to Über and Leet. Both of them standing outside the police car, Leet's Pixelblade laid flat on the trunk.

"So what about those two?" Taylor asked, gesturing with her chin.

Kid Win followed her gaze and frowned.

"Before today, I would have said lock them up and throw away the key, but they kinda ruined their crappy villain image by not being crappy or villains. Helping you and supposedly helping Canary, fighting the Empire 88, and then surrendering without a fuss…" Kid listed off and then sighed.

"I even kinda didn't mind talking to Leet, in a shop talk way. Besides Armsmaster, I don't get to meet many tinkers, and Leet's case is weird enough to be interesting." The Ward admitted.

Taylor… Yeah, she felt the same.

She liked the duo, in a sort of bemused way. They were idiots and could, had, hurt people, but…

They tried to impress her and seem to enjoy the chaos they caused without malice. They didn't mean to hurt people, didn't enjoy suffering, they just didn't think. They just wanted to have fun. And when the chips were down? Well, that's why they were here wasn't it?

They wanted to do the right thing.

Like the dogs though, there wasn't anything Taylor could do to help them at this point.

Unlike the dogs, neither of them were cute enough for her to try and bargain for their safety, however.

Well... Über's body was pretty... interesting in a suit, but that was beside the point.

There was a crunching of gravel as Gallant walked towards them.

"I think... It depends on what can be swept under the rug. I mean they might be charged or slapped on the wrist if they go along with it, then they might be allowed to do time or service then be allowed to join up under a new rebrand. Hero's are a much needed commodity." Gallant said, coming to stand next to Kid Win, his talk with Mouse Protector over.

"Will the PRT even think of offering those two a chance?" Taylor asked, interested in knowing more about the organization she'd considered joining.

Kid Win and Gallant nodded without even thinking.

"They can't afford not to. Anyone short of a complete psychopath or a murderer is considered. Über and Leet, at worst, have committed assault mixed with self-defense, until their kidnapping charge is settled anyway. Most of their crimes are petty enough that strings can be pulled if a power is useful, I mean, if Gregor the snail is arrested, they won't deal. He's a case 53 that isn't all that useful power wise, but say you get Othala who wants to defect? Then the PRT will bend over backwards for her." Kid explained.

Taylor frowned as she thought about this.

The idea that someone's crimes were swept away in trade for their service if they were useful enough made her feel... dirty at the thought.

Petty crimes were fine, but how high could you go? Murder by association? If you were the next Panacea...would they politely ignore the trail of bodies you left in a neat line to their office?

Taylor had maybe felt Sabah was a bit paranoid about the PRT, but how could you feel safe around people who looked at the criminals they fought for recruits? That the heroes supposed to be protecting you were once those attacking you? It wasn't right. Sure, Über and Leet were harmless enough but…

Taylor wanted to believe that there was a line, a line that if a villain didn't cross, then there was hope. But beyond that, if they crossed that line… then they lost that hope, that chance.

Then again, not everyone murders for fun…

What if was a trigger? No control?

Or they were going to kill you first? What if you were forced to defend yourself? What if you were so low or desperate that you became someone else's tool?

How far would you have to go to save yourself... and at the same time keep yourself together?

How could the PRT calmly analyse these factors and know who deserved their golden star of redemption?

Taylor... didn't envy them. Perhaps until she walked a mile in their shoes, she shouldn't mock their efforts.

To need heroes so badly and to find none would make anyone desperate.

However… It took more to be a hero, more than a good power, a good costume and a PR team.

There had to be that... desire to help people. Capes were just people, people who got given powers after the worst day of their lives.

Not all those people were good people.

There was no easy answer.

"Hello?" Kid Win called out, his gloved hand waving in her face.

Taylor blinked and looked at him.

Gallant crossed his arms.

"I could feel you going pretty deep there. What's up?" Gallant asked quizzically.

Taylor shook her head.

"Just that I really don't know anything about being a hero." She answered.

Kid grinned in response.

"Admitting it is the first step to solving it." The tinker replied.

Taylor rolled her eye.

"Are you saying I need to go to Capes Anonymous?" Taylor asked half-jokingly.

Kid nodded seriously.

"If you are addicted to saying one liners and having spandex far too tight then I'm afraid it's time for an intervention." The Ward said. As one the three young capes turned and all looked at Mouse Protector in the distance, who spotted their looks, giving them all a big thumbs up, her cape billowing in the wind.

All three of them attempted to hide their grins.

The truck finished loading up, the back door slamming shut, sounding like a note of finality to Taylor.

Terry and the guy jumped into the front of the truck and the vehicle came to life and slowly crunched away across the gravel and onto the road.

There was a sudden commotion near the police car and the officer leaned in to pull out his dispatch radio.

He seemed to listen to something, his neck craning to stare at the departing truck. He dropped the radio and ran towards it.

"Stop!" The officer yelled and the truck roared as it took off.

"Mam, one animal transport truck was reported stolen en-route to this location, the driver was attacked by several people, including one girl who had giant beasts that they rode on!" The officer shouted at Mouse Protector who nodded, watching as the truck vanished around a corner.

"Hellhound, master, specialty canines. Grants boosts to dogs under her command, uncertain if boost grants Hellhound direct control over them, dogs become large, powerful and durable, no hard limit to her numbers known yet, but is usually seen with three dogs in particular. Weakness is that she herself remains unpowered, human base level with increased signs of aggression. Currently aligned with the Undersiders, consisting of Grue... Tattletale... Regent and potential others not seen yet. Known for her direct responses to dog cruelty, mostly dogfighting rings of late; documented fact that she often goes after people known for abusing animals, emotionally unstable in this regard. But the stolen animals seem to appear in shelters later, in peak health, previous injuries vanished, showing her intent is to help, not build an army." Mouse Protector stated, making Taylor stare at her.

What the heck was wrong with her?!

Mam, you need to chase her! I'm the only patrolman here just now, everyone else is responding to several other threats and won't be here for short while, I can't leave Über and Leet here." He half shouted.

Mouse Protector shrugged.

"See this is why I tell the big wigs that I need a proper Mouse Mobile. Can't chase them on foot." Mouse said with a sigh and looked at Kid Win.

"Can you fly?" The mouse themed cape asked, strangely. It was an odd tone that was all smiles.

Kid shook his head.

"Nope, can't do it. Boards busted. Darn." Kid Win replied.

Gallant looked up.

"I can't catch them... star's aren't aligned." Gallant said airily, following the odd joke Mouse Protector seemed to have started.

Taylor stared at them.

They all turned to look at her.

"Apprentice? Do you have any more creatures from the primordial ooze you wish to summon, in an attempt to follow the capes whom have kidnapped those poor animals from death row?" Mouse Protector asked.

Taylor blinked.

Did she what?

"Uh, no?" Taylor said questioningly.

Mouse Protector turned back to the officer.

"Our group has discovered a huge flaw in our current dynamic, none of us have a way of following them." Mouse said bluntly.

The officer grimaced.

"Understood. I'll call it in, maybe a squad can intercept them, but if it's the Undersiders... I'm not sure who to call, the PRT?" He asked Mouse Protector who nodded, whipping out a pen from her belt.

It had a mouse shaped cap on it.

"I shall grant thee the number of Director Piggot, she will be happy to help to coordinate a task group between our departments!" Mouse Protector cried and grabbed the officer's hand, writing a number on it.

He looked at it and then nodded, turning back to his car.

Kid Win looked ecstatic.

"Piggy is going to kill you." The tinker said brightly.

Mouse smiled.

"She'll be too busy wondering how someone got her private number, along with everything else that has gone wrong today, to be able to efficiently set up a task force to track the Undersiders down." Mouse Protector said happily.

Gallant tapped his foot.

"Is it... really okay to just let them go? What if Hellhound uses those dogs to hurt someone?" Gallant asked and Taylor privately agreed.

She remembered the girl from the night she fought Lung, and Hellhound wasn't the name she used.

Bitch was rough, but she had helped dig Taylor out.

But Taylor didn't know her and Bitch was a wanted murderer.

Mouse nodded.

"I think Hellhound is fine, the rest of the Undersiders are an unknown factor, while she is known about, not even having a secret identity, most of the other members don't even have footnotes in their wiki. Complete mysteries, so if anything they could convince her to use the dogs in some criminal way... But I doubt it." The mouse cape said, stretching.

Taylor thought about it.

Grue, Regent, Tattletale, Bitch.

She only knew them from running into them, before that, Taylor didn't even know they were players in Brockton Bay.

"What do you know about the Undersiders?" Taylor asked aloud.

Kid Win quickly turned his board on and off, with a grin.

"Not much, Mouse pretty much said what we know about Hellhound, we know a little about Grue from Shadow Stalker, fields of darkness with sense damping and nothing on the rest." The gold and red Ward answered.

Gallant took over.

"They've only been active for a short while, about three months. In that time they've mostly performed hit and run jobs on other gangs, so we've left them alone mostly. But I think Mouse is right, that many dogs is going to be a space issue for them as well, and if Hellhound is an animal rights fighter then she won't let them starve either, or use them for fodder in a fight." The silver Ward pointed out.

Taylor nodded, she thought that as well.

Kid Win hummed as drew out a screw driver from a pocket near his waist

"I think Hellhound might have a rundown place or somewhere nearby as a sort of off the grid animal shelter. We could track large amount of dog food sales and track them if we wanted. It might be an easy catch." Kid pointed out.

Mouse shrugged.

"We could, but I think we would be in the same boat, only worse. If Hellhound wants to look after the dogs in a way that doesn't hurt anyone then I think we should let her. The charges against her are very iffy as it is and honestly, no court will charge her for being stressed enough to get powers and losing control." Mouse Protector said.

Taylor looked at her.

"What happened?" Taylor asked quietly as if somehow that would be more respectful to Bitch.

Mouse tilted her head back, as if thinking for a moment before looking back at Taylor.

"Short story short, she triggered and the dog she was looking after in secret ravaged her foster mom. The investigators found dog hair in the pool and under the woman's nails, and Hellhound's beast usually lose all their hair when transformed. So it was likely that the woman was teaching Hellhound a lesson by drowning her dog, it went too far and Rachel triggered, but we don't know anything concrete because Rachel vanished off the grid for about two years before reappearing here in Brockton." Mouse Protector said, making Taylor grimace.

Every trigger scene ended up being far worse than her own, Sabah's father's death, Bitch's lesson with a pyscho Mom. What made each person's threshold change so dramatically, how did two hours of enclosed, disgusting, death filled, overpowering stench, insects that kept biting, her nails on metal, her screams loud…

No. They weren't worse, not... exactly.

Sabah had made this clear. When she talked about her Dad, she had said something that stayed with Taylor, forever clear in her mind.

It was one of those odd nights where Sabah felt nostalgic, and just... talked. They ended up on the subject of those bad days. The days before their powers came.

"It's not the level of suffering that makes it worse or more horrific, I think... What I went through and what you went through, I won't compare the two, because they aren't things that can be compared, Taylor. My suffering doesn't out do yours, my trigger doesn't make yours less. The way we suffered, the way it affected us, it was our own worst experience. And when you endure something that cannot be endured… You change. We're different people because of our triggers, the experience will never leave us, and in the end, that's all that it comes down to. My trigger was a long drawn out break, while yours was a slow build up finished with a short sudden shock. Our pain doesn't erase each other's pain, nor can we compare the two. No, it only makes it clearer that we need love. Being with people who can pick you up when the pain gets too much, and choosing to let yourself be picked up... I think that's what makes you a hero, Taylor. Not letting your pain turn you into a victim nor letting it turn you into the very people who hurt you, but letting it make you stronger for it." Sabah had said. Taylor remembered her words clearly. The way she looked out the window at the rain, her costume still on but her mask missing.

She had looked so sad, but... she was still smiling.

Sabah was always smiling.

What Bitch went through was something that affected her on a level Taylor would never fully get, but she understood that Bitch still carried it with her to this day.

Like she carried the locker with her.

"Good, if she takes care of them, I'm not going to raise a fuss." Taylor said and the others half shuffled and half nodded.

Kid Win sighed.

"I remember when I didn't have to think about if the villains were people, I just hit them with my hover-board and arrested them." The tinker complained.

Gallant just shook his head then paused.

"I'm not going blind am I? I don't see Uber... or Leet." Gallant said looking around the open area and everyone snapped around and Taylor's eye bugged out slightly as she saw Gallant was right.

Taylor ran over and past the first bewildered officer, and around the car, where the second officer was face down.

Rolling him over she was glad to see he was breathing and mostly unharmed. A quick cure made the downed officer's eyes blink open, groaning he put a hand to his neck and tried to sit up.

"Ugh... That hurt... Uh, sorry miss, the big one, he put his hand on my neck, and I think I blacked out. Leet, I think, he was doing something with one of his wrists. A wristband or something, they stole my walkie talkie, I didn't notice until dispatch came through and my radio was gone…" The officer said, sitting up.

Mouse stood over him, hand to her chin. She had instead rushed over to where the Empire villains were cuffed and frozen to the ground, still in sight at all times, but far enough away not to hurt anyone. From her expression, nothing seemed wrong on her end.

"Were these wristbands... crackling?" Mouse asked as she walked back and the officer nodded. Taylor caught on before Mouse Protector even opened her mouth.

"The teleporters! I forgot they had them. After the fight with the Empire... I forgot. Crap, but Leet said they were busted." Taylor groused to the mouse themed hero.

Mouse Protector shrugged, nudging the remains of the walkie talkie on the ground with her toe.

"Evidently not anymore." Mouse mused, pulling out a cell phone.

"Missy, send someone to the courthouse again, I think Über and Leet just reversed their course. It'll be too late to stop them, but it's best to look like we tried." The Protectorate cape said cheerfully, a voice murmured over the phone that Taylor strained to hear.

"I know, right? What even is today? Brockton Bay is fun, you should have told me ages ago Missy, I'd have come to visit much sooner." Mouse Protector said cheerfully.

Taylor wondered how she could be so calm when she had just lost two villains on her watch.

Then again, so had she…

Mouse snorted next to her.

"Chin up; I can see the rain clouds hovering over you already." Mouse Protector said, snapping her phone shut.

Taylor didn't reply as a black van drove up, slowing to a stop before the warehouse without a sound as the doors slammed opened and people in black body armour poured out.

The riot like gear, the helmets with a protective shielding and the PRT logo in the front, typed neatly on a breastplate told Taylor exactly who they were.

PRT officers were the normal people's response to Parahumans gone bad.

They were big, scary, decked out in the best equipment and trained to the point they could be relied on to take down a cape burning down your neighbourhood.

Watching them move as a squad, almost as a single being, covering each potential direction a threat might come from, was intimidating.

There were some days Taylor wondered what her life would have been like had she not be chosen by the Keyblade.

What might have happened.

Would she have triggered as a cape? Would she have gained powers that might have made more sense? Would she still be a hero?

Would she still have met Sabah?

Looking at the armed forces move up to the downed Empire capes, weapons drawn as a single person carried a large sprayer connected by a hose to a pair of tanks on their back moved in and started firing, covering Hookwolf, Cricket and Stormtiger in a creamy foam that quickly encased them, expanding to spread across their limbs in a frothy mass.

"We let Über and Leet slip away, the Undersiders stole the dogs and I... ch-chopped Hookwolf's arm off... Isn't that going to come back to bite us?" Taylor asked quietly, looking sideways at the woman who claimed to be her mentor

Mouse Protector shook her head.

"Not really, it would have been a nice bonus to catch them, but at the end of the day, we caught three members of the Empire, rescued the little doggies, and busted up a dog fighting ring, all with no one getting badly hurt or irreparable damage inflicted on them. Well, besides Hookwolf, but I'd wager his other arm that he won't let that keep him down for long, and it was self defence in your case, he was trying to do far worse to you. Über and Leet are… acceptable loses, the Undersiders were a risk we couldn't gamble on chasing and the dogs aren't high on anyone's list of worries." Mouse Protector explained, watching the PRT force work with a quick efficiency to secure the villains.

Taylor felt that cutting someone's arm off, even Hookwolf's, was pretty high on her list of worries. So were Über and Leet.

What if they got caught? The police might be trigger happy with everything going on today, or what if they got a harsher sentence for escaping?

Which they did deserve for escaping but... Well, it felt off to Taylor.

Mouse Protector reached up to rub her chin as her mouth quirked thoughtfully.

"I do wonder how the Undersiders knew that the truck was on its way?" Mouse mused.

Taylor blinked at the random thought.

Of everything, she was thinking about that? Not about possible Empire retaliation, or what Bitch might do with the dogs, or even if Hookwolf might get... rust from his open stump?

Thinking about it now though... It was a bit weird.

"When did the guy phone in a truck?" Taylor asked Mouse Protector, who pulled back her red glove to reveal a Mouse Protector themed wrist watch.

It had a picture of Mouse Protector behind the two hands and numbers. The thumbs up stance was almost perfectly mirrored to the one she had given earlier.

Kid Win walked over to the PRT forces, talking to them while Gallant stood off to one side, staying away from the swarm of agitated soldiers.

Mouse clicked her tongue before answering.

"There was about thirty minutes between the call in and the truck arriving." Mouse said.

Taylor frowned, thinking about the Undersiders.

That wasn't a lot of time... They would have to know about the call in, know the route, know the best place to ambush it, ambush it, and get into character all within that time.

She went through the Undersides in her mind, the group as a whole mostly pushed to the side after the Lung fight.

Ifrit had been a lot more of a pressing issue at the time.

Thinking about the little fire demon made her feel... funny.

_

"Seriously, I just get abandoned. Taylor will suffer most horribly for this! I will throw away all her teabags…" Ifrit grumbled, his claws pressing keys on Ingrid's computer, rewatching Taylor's fight with the bastard child of Alexander and Fenrir.

Clicking the pause button, Ifrit's eyes closed softly.

The golden thread in his mind, an ever constant glowing piece of power, was thrumming softly.

Ifrit waited to see if it did anything, but it just quivered.

Feeling bored, he twanged it in response.

_

Taylor yelped, making Mouse Protector snap her gaze to Taylor.

"Keynote?" Mouse asked quietly.

Taylor raised a hand placatingly.

"I bit my tongue." Taylor said quickly.

Mouse Protector nodded seriously.

"I once bit my tongue and it was terrible." The Protectorate hero said solemnly before walking off to supervise the troopers as they began loading Hookwolf into the van.

Taylor watched Mouse Protector stand to one side, not saying anything, but making every officer relax an iota.

How could she say something so casually and still be so... heroic?

Returning to her previous musing on the Undersiders, Taylor checked off Bitch; making dogs into monsters was powerful, but it couldn't have gotten them that information. Grue was also out, darkness generation wasn't exactly helpful. Regent could 'play with people's nerves', he could have stopped the truck by making the driver press the brake but that wouldn't have helped them in knowing about the call or where the truck would be. No, it was most likely the girl who couldn't look at her Keyblade.

Tattletale. It was most likely her power that gave the group the forewarning.

Capes powers acted differently around the Keyblade, so when Tattletale went oracle on her before, maybe it wasn't too far from her actual power?

Could Tattletale receive visions? Could she see the future like an oracle of olden times?

Could she use that... to track a dog truck?

Taylor snorted.

"I for see... a truck of fur and biscuits." Taylor said under her breath and felt herself smile, the absurdity of today overpowering the professional look she was aiming for.

Still it was likely that Tattletale was the group's brain. Depending on the type of person she was, that could be a very good thing, or a very bad thing.

There was a crunching of gravel next to Taylor that made her look up.

"Mind if I stand back here with you?" Gallant asked from beside her.

Taylor shook her head, suddenly aware of the large space between her and anyone else.

"I'm not antisocial." Taylor quickly told him.

Gallant shoulders shook slightly as he chuckled.

"No, I get the feeling you're just shy. Which would be cute if you hadn't just gone and kicked Hookwolf's ass, making you a certified badass." The Ward pointed out.

Taylor groaned.

"Is this worse than Lung?" She asked bluntly.

Gallant shook his head.

"You only destroyed a wall this time. You're going to have to do a lot better than that to blow up the PHO website and Piggot's temper." Gallant answered.

Taylor could practically hear the grin in his voice.

"I'll aim higher next time." Taylor promised dryly.

Gallant patted her shoulder in a mildly patronizing manner.

"Shoot for the stars."

_

Ifrit flopped back as Ingrid kindly shooed him away, claiming that she had work to do.

Ifrit knew better.

She was going to stream her soaps and drink whisky.

So here he was, bored. He could go downstairs, but being pulled apart by demonic children didn't sound that appealing today and Mog had locked the attic, making sure Ifrit couldn't get in.

Taylor could get him in, her and that Keyblade.

Which gave Ifrit an idea.

Alexander's high and mighty, holier than thou attitude had pushed this whole bond thing out of his mind, but…

If it was as the old castle said…

Then Ifrit could mind control Taylor!

Well... not mind control, that was an art he had no patience for, but the bond was just sitting there, unused and unseen on Taylor's end.

So why not see what it could do?

Ifrit felt himself grin as he mentally grasped the wire, feeling himself become charged.

Then, with a shimmering haze of heat, Ifrit felt himself... grow.

_

"I'll tell you what. Next time I'll knock the baddies clean through to the other side of the building. Do I get bonus points for bringing down the roof?" Taylor said, with a grin.

Gallant stopped, his head snapping to her.

"Wha…" Gallant began but stopped, completely flummoxed.

Taylor had begun to hop from foot to foot, lightly jabbing at Gallant, arms raised like a boxer.

"I'll give them the old one, two, three. Show them how Keynote does it!" Taylor said, pretending to dodge incoming punches.

Gallant seemed to struggle speak as he looked around Taylor, staring at the air around her.

"Keynote... Are you okay? You just snapped to a totally different emotional range in about a second." Gallant asked, sounding slightly alarmed.

Taylor paused to think about that.

And since when did she shadow box?

"Eh... I feel fine, maybe the adrenaline finally kicked in?" Taylor asked.

Gallant shook his head.

"Maybe, but it's a very delayed reaction. Do you feel anything odd... Something you don't normally feel?" The knight cape asked her and Taylor struggled to stand still, the urge to move, to do something... to laugh at Gallant's mothering.

He was right, this wasn't normal. In fact, as she stared around, she felt a new urge rising.

A familiar one.

"I want to burn things." Taylor said and slapped herself, trying to get the feelings to fade away. She stomped over to Mouse Protector, Gallant hot on her heels.

"Mistress of Ham!" Taylor shouted and slapped a hand over her mouth in horror.

Mouse Protector turned slowly to face her, a wide smile of her face.

"Apprentice, what a boisterous tone! How may I help?" Mouse asked and Ifri… Taylor held out a hand.

"May I borrow your phone? I need to swear at someone." Taylor asked.

Mouse Protector's black phone hit her palm before she even finished speaking.

"Thanks." Taylor said as she began to dial Ingrid's number, memorized at the nagging of Sabah.

"You have reached Ingrid, speak fast mortal." Ingrid answered and Taylor rolled her eyes. Ingrid had taken to this espers from the gap between worlds thing, better than her or Sabah.

She was surrounded by crazy people, Taylor decided as she pushed the fire demon in her head down.

"Ingrid, Keynote, where is Ifrit?" Taylor spoke slowly and there was a beat of silence before Ingrid answered.

"I'll go find him. You alright hun? You sound like someone injected caffeine into you." Ingrid asked.

Taylor nodded, before remembering she was on the phone.

"Ya, I'm on fire, got energy to spare and I'm going to kill Ifrit." Taylor said, making Gallant choke.

Ingrid hummed down the line.

"I feel like that sometimes. The little bugger hid my whisky for fun. It took ten minutes for me to find it after I stuffed him into the bottom drawer of my desk." Ingrid said airily and Taylor honestly thought they had to get Ifrit a giant exercise wheel or something, he was getting restless.

Messing with Sabah's fabrics, hiding booze, and now possessing Taylor.

"He was in the employee's lounge last time I sa- Oh my god!" Ingrid screamed, making Taylor jump.

"Ingrid?!" Taylor shouted and everyone stared at her.

"Sweet Eidolon's left nipple! Ifrit?!" Ingrid asked.

Taylor felt herself twitch as she waited.

There was some distant mumbling and Ingrid whistled.

"Hey... Hun, I think our pet fire demon is on steroids. I dunno if we encourage this or spray him with water." Ingrid told Taylor with a light voice.

Taylor swallowed.

"What happened?" She asked, more quietly.

Ingrid made a noise somewhere between panic and laughter.

"Ifrit comes up to my chest now. He grew like a real boy... I am way too sober for this, here, talk to her." Ingrid said, thrusting the phone away from her voice.

There was fumbling sounds before Ifrit managed to angle the phone correctly.

"-oolish woman, I need more hot-pockets! I can finally reach the microwave!" Ifrit cried.

Taylor felt her stomach gurgle, another demon to conquer.

But first, the fiery one.

"Ifrit! What did you do?" Taylor said through gritted teeth.

Ifrit paused and then answered casually.

"Hello... When did you get a phone? Unlike most mortals, you seemed adverse to them." Ifrit asked.

Taylor sighed.

"It's a friends. What did you do?" Taylor repeated a bit louder.

Ifrit yawned.

"I pulled on the metaphysical connection between us formed in the heat of battle, strengthened by trust, and tested by death. The very bridge between your heart and mine, a bond that transcends time and space, unbreakable by all but the strongest objects in the universe... I also ate your sandwich." The demon added.

Taylor's lips thinned.

"You don't have a stomach." Taylor finally said.

Ifrit made a slapping noise of skin on skin.

"The sound of your sandwich being digested says otherwise." Ifrit answered smugly.

Taylor took a deep breath, trying not to scream.

"Listen, I suddenly got very... Uh…" Taylor tried to find the right words.

Then Gallant finally spoke up.

"Passionate." The Ward offered.

Taylor blinked, she'd forgotten she was surrounded by people.

Mouse protector was standing there with her arms crossed, a strange expressionless look on her exposed chin.

Kid Win was shaking his head at her and the various soldiers were trying very hard to look like they weren't listening in.

"Ifrit? As in the giant demon thing that fought Lung?" Kid Win asked his fellow Ward.

Gallant nodded.

"He can apparently answer the phone now." The knight agreed and then looked like he was slightly amused and alarmed.

"He's the receptionist from hell…" Gallant muttered.

Taylor ignored them.

"I'm acting like when you were with me, louder, cocky, and all that." She said.

Ifrit hummed, a deep guttural noise.

"The bond is still new, growing, I must have taken a portion of your magic and in return... given you access to my power again. Are you growing my magnificent horn?" Ifrit asked somewhat seriously and Taylor panicked, shoving a hand up her hood, feeling the smoothness of her forehead.

Sighing in relief, she shook her head.

Pausing, she blushed before actually speaking.

"No, skin is still pale too." she mumbled, feeling embarrassed having to talk about herself in front of so many people.

Mouse snapped her fingers.

"Back to work guys, I want Hookwolf drugged until he's seeing pink elephants. If you can't drug him, causes he's all metally inside, just shock him till he wishes you could drug him." Mouse Protector said flippantly and the PRT men scattered away, suddenly spurred into action. Mouse gave Taylor a thumbs up before dragging Gallant and Kid away, a hand on each of their backs.

"Come on fella's, give a girl some room, she's feeling for lumps." Taylor heard and groaned.

She appreciated the help but did Mouse Protector have to say it like that?

"How do I fix this?" Taylor asked.

Ifrit made a noise of thinking, but she also heard the employee room's fridge open in the background. It had a rather distinctive clunk.

"You could burn the energy off, figuratively speaking... Or you could actually burn something, that always makes me feel better. You could try to see if you feel the bond on your end, maybe try to take your energy back? I don't really know, I'm usually not the heart to heart kind of guy." Ifrit said and Taylor sighed.

"You're really unhelpful." She pointed out.

Ifrit laughed.

"If I just told you how to do everything, then you would never learn anything." The demon said, disconnecting the call.

Taylor squinted at the silent phone.

"If you don't tell me anything then I won't learn anything anyway." She mocked his tone, making fun of his faux wise man accent.

Bond? What did a bond feel like? Taylor always thought that kind of thing would be intimate or private... A bond with Ifrit felt really dirty.

Taylor felt silly, but she closed her eyes there and then.

All the kung fu movies had the character visualize their powers with their eyes closed... Maybe she could do the same?

Taylor stared at the back of her eyelids...waiting for the magical bond to snap into her mind's eye.

It didn't and Taylor felt more stupid by the second.

That lying little demon was going to have her Keyblade shoved so far up his Esper-

Oh.

There it was.

It was kind of hard to miss now that she... felt it? Had it always been there? Just out of mind, humming along with her thoughts?

Maybe. Or had Ifrit made it visible with his latest act?

Taylor didn't want to think she was that self-blind…

She tried to stimulate it, it didn't really react though, until she tried throwing thoughts of Ifrit at it... After running out of insults to call him, she tried to remember Ifrit during her fight with Lung, where Ifrit stood tall, roaring his triumph at Lung, then glowing as he fused with her.

Lung's massive form, Ifrit's power and in the middle... Taylor.

The Keyblade began to hum rapidly and there was a flash that made it through eye lids and her hand was suddenly warm.

_

Ifrit stopped eating the donuts he had found in the shelves above the fridge, he had to climb up to get them, but it was worth it.

He looked at the direction of the power flow.

What in the In between was that girl doing?

Ifrit belched a burst of sparks and then wobbled and fell of the counter top as he began to grow. Scrambling to his feet Ifrit found himself still growing until he was taller than the fridge.

_

Taylor opened her eyes slowly and looked down at the Keyblade.

It wasn't The Melody of the Lost, her beautiful flute and rose adorned Keyblade.

It was a coiled dragon and magma.

Slumbering Rage.

And everyone was staring at her again.

Fuck.

Well, at least things couldn't get any…

"Keyyy! I've come to sweep you off your feet!" Someone screamed.

Taylor turned to see Boco fluttered gently to the ground, having leapt over the barbwire fence.

There was a thump and Sabah fell off, Boco craned his neck to see if she was okay before warbling and wandering over to Taylor, nuzzling her heavily.

Seeing Sabah here, safe and sound… Taylor felt like a weight she hadn't been aware of had just been lifeted off her shoulders. She felt safe. Sbah was here and, well, not everything would be alright.

But with boco nuzzling her and her best friend sitting there looking at her… it sure felt that way.

"Good to see you again, Bo, is she alright?" Taylor asked as she scratched the affectionate chocobo.

Boco chittered, which Taylor roughly interpreted as, 'she is, but god help you'.

Taylor was proud of her Choco-ese.

Walking over she helped Sabah stand and the girl put her arms around Taylor's waist.

"I saw the fight! Hookwolf? Hookwoolf? Why don't you just shoot me and get it over with?" Sabah wailed.

Taylor awkwardly patted her on the back and tried to ignore how pleasant getting hugged was. And awkward.

"He was going to hurt the dogs." Taylor said quietly.

Sabah held her tighter, squeezing.

"I know... and that's why I looove yooou, you big heroic idiot." Sabah said with a slur.

Taylor felt her blush racing so far and so hot that it hit the roots of her hair, in fact her face felt so hot it was like her hair had practically burst into flames.

Sabah had never said that so publicly. And… And it was still so wonderful to hear. That someone… That Sabah really, truly…

Mouse was still nearby and her smile was searchlight bright, her hands clasped tightly together. Her head snapping to Sabah and Boco.

Gallant seemed to be staring at Sabah and tilting his head at her before turning to look at Boco and freezing.

"It's back." Gallant whispered fearfully.

Kid Win sighed, putting his hover-board under Gallant, as the knight sat heavily.

"Gal... You need to get over this talking doll phobia thing. Otherwise you're going to crash every time you see Keynote at this rate." The tinker muttered and lead Gallant away, the hoverboard doing most of the heavy lifting.

Still, that wasn't important. What was important was Sabah who seemed to be trying to burrow into Taylor's waist. Taylor felt her own arms wrapped around the older girl, her best friend, the person who made her feel happier than anyone ever had.

The girl who loved her and who she…

Taylor swallowed

"I... I love you too, Sabah." Taylor said, very quietly.

Sabah pulled herself up, and despite the mask Taylor could tell her friend… lover? That Sabah was beaming. As Sabah swayed a little Taylor steadied her and the older girl paused, examining her.

"You feel red. Red is so not your colour... Let's go home. I need cake." Sabah said drunkenly.

Taylor smiled, and shifted so she was supporting Sabah, one arm around her friends waist. In her other hand was the Keyblade. Pausing as she adjusted Sabah again, she looked at her new Keyblade... Was it new if she'd only used it once?

Still the dragon looked a lot less friendly than her rose.

She shook it slightly, but it didn't transform back to her Melody.

Sabah squirmed out of Taylor's grip then, but reached back to take her hand. Then she stumbled forward, laughing as she began to lead Taylor over to Boco.

Taylor looked at Mouse Protector who thought about it before shrugging and giving her a thumbs up. She had Mouse's permission to leave.

Maybe Mouse Protector had endured just a little too much of Taylor's weirdness.

Taylor thought it was pretty sad the even Mouse Protector could only take so much of her.

As they reached Boco Taylor threw Mouse her phone back, the hero snatching out of the air deftly. Then she climbed up onto her feathery friend who had obligingly crouched for her before pulling Sabah up to sit in front of her.

Sabah yawned and leaned back, sinking down between Taylor's arms, which were holding onto Boco's neck, nuzzling her masked face against Taylor's exposed cheek. Taylor felt her blush return to fiery levels as Boco stood up, forcing Taylor to wrap her arms around Sabah to stop the drunk girl slipping off.

She promptly ignored Mouse Protector taking pictures and urged Boco back to the Dollhouse. Taylor was looking forward to sitting down with Jess and Sabah have no more weirdness happening.

As Boco picked up speed, Sabah squirmed back to get more comfortable, shifting her masked face so she could speak into Taylor's ear.

"Jess has a giant purple octopus now…" Sabah mumbled and Boco snorted.

Taylor felt the nice mental image of relaxation burn up into little pieces of ash.

Maybe she should take up drinking?

No…

She didn't need substances, she had her sandwich.

It was a large cold cut of chicken with extra bacon and tomato and... And Ifrit ate it.

Taylor began to scream on the inside as Sabah squirmed back even more using Taylor as a pillow and falling asleep to what she thought was Taylor humming.

Boco ran calmly on, wondering how he ended up knowing such odd humans.

_

"Uwee wee wee…" Ultros cackled, his bulbous head sticking out of Jess's shoulder like an odd parrot.

Taylor stared at him. Words failed her.

"Stop staring at my frigging lumps." Jess said with a smile.

Taylor, nursing a cup of tea, sat in the window seat as Sabah was laying on the couch, an ice pack on her head. Meanwhile Jess was planted into the office chair, slowly spinning around. None of them were in costume.

None them had any energy left.

"So I fought Über and Leet, then the Empire... Then lost Über and Leet... and got conned by the Undersiders." Taylor began, Jess looked impressed by this, but kept quiet. Taylor carried, now gesturing at Jess.

"You, betrayed Coil, saved Dinah, summoned Ultros, beat the crap out of Battery, and then ate Ultros?" Taylor continued numbly.

Jess gave a lazy thumbs up.

"Pretty much." Jess said with a grin.

Taylor took a sip of her cup, before she carried on listing the days… insanity.

"Sabah got wasted and called Assault and Battery nerds. Then she declared her love for me in front of everyone, with Mouse Protector taking pictures, causing the PHO boards to ship us so hard that Clockblocker ordered us flowers?" Taylor listed calmly, pointing to a bouquet of white and red flowers on the table at the end. Sabah made a pathetic noise as if to erase the last few hours by willpower alone. Taylor ignored her and carried on

"Then, Ifrit used a magic bond to become closer to his true form and in return I went a little bit emotional and transformed my Keyblade." Taylor concluded.

Jess nodded smugly.

"I thought I had a frigging bad day, but you go girl!" He, for his jeans, ratty sneakers and cap, were making quite a statement, said.

"Today... Let's not do it again." Taylor moaned, draining her cup.

Mog floated over and patiently refilled her mug, adding two sugars from a nearby bowl. Normally she didn't like sugar but right now? She really, really needed it

"Kupo... I'm impressed and slightly scared at what you managed to do to Ifrit. He's grown, but Boco put him down as always when he tried to sit on me." Mog said casually.

Across the room Ifrit opened one eye from the armchair he was curled up on.

He closed it with without a word, enjoying his nap far too much to get worked up, and being the size of a big dog meant there wasn't room for anything else in the chair so he didn't have to share.

Boco flapped his wings slightly, blowing a small breeze across Sabah's form, making the girl sigh.

Sabah sat up slowly, blearily looking at Taylor.

Then Ultros grabbed their attention.

"So... You're the big scary Keyblade master? I thought you'd be… older. Ah well, you're a real cutie when you smile, right? Come on, show us a smile!" Ultros beckoned with a tentacle and Taylor gave him the frostiest look she could manage over a cup of tea.

"What's the matter? Never seen an octopus as handsome as me?" Ultros grinned.

Taylor wondered if she would be doing Jess a favour by cutting Ultros off…

Something about Taylor's face must have got to him because Ultros rubbed his head and looked away.

"Why did she summon a bonehead like Ifrit? That look has Shiva written all over it." The octopus muttered.

Jess looked at him as his head moved down her arm, swimming through Jess's skin.

Taylor shivered a little at the action. It was creepy.

"Shiva?" Jess asked and before Ultros could answer, Ifrit spoke.

"The Esper of Ice Everlasting and Isolation, a moderately powerful Esper, cold, calm, collected, tactical, cruel when the mood suits her, but a shard of kindness inside her heart... and my bitch of a little sister." Ifrit said, staring at Ultros, daring him to say more.

"What the bonehead said…" Ultros grumbled and Mog floated over him and sprayed him with a water bottled, making the octopus preen into the spray.

"Ah, that's a good Mog, Uncle Ulty gets dry in here." Ultros said.

Jess made a face.

"Then why don't you leave?" He asked without any heat to his voice.

Ultros shivered.

"Too barren out there, there's so little magic. I'll shrivel up and disperse! No one wants that!" The perverted octopus wailed, causing Mog and Ifrit to look at each other.

A silent agreement of opinion formed between them.

Taylor watched the chaos and shook her head.

Standing she put a hand on Sabah, letting waves of cure wash over the smaller girl.

Sabah leaned into her touch and sighed again.

"That feels great." The Arabic girl muttered and Boco stood, stealing Taylor's spot by the window, sitting like he was guarding a nest.

"I need you to be in top shape for tonight, dinner at six." Taylor said with a grimace.

Sabah looked like she'd rather curl up in a corner and die.

"Yippee." The older girl managed instead before walking to the hall and disappearing into the bathroom.

Taylor felt a stab of panic rise, if Sabah didn't get a second wind, then she would end up going alone to the dinner.

"Mog, you have to help her." Taylor begged the moogle who watched the door to the bathroom close.

Mog stroked his chin with a tiny paw.

"Kupo... Fetch me a mug." Mog said seriously.

Taylor looked at her tea and then swallowed the lot in two gulps, then handed Mog her empty cup. Mog fluttered over to the kitchenette, crossing the double office, and filled the mug up halfway with warm water.

Why a large office had a bench and sink still baffled Taylor.

Shaking her head clear, Taylor watched as Mog floated over to Ingrid's desk, pulling out several bars of chocolate from beneath the false bottom of a drawer, before letting them melt into the water. Taylor thought he had a good idea going until he plucked one of Boco's feathers, using it to stir the mix.

He floated over Ifrit and held out the mug to him.

Ifrit looked bored.

"Kupo, do it. You got magic to spare." Mog insisted.

Ifrit looked like he was thinking.

"Only if you let me into the attic." Ifrit offered sinisterly.

Mog stiffened.

"Why do you want in there, kupo?" Mog asked softly.

Ifrit grinned.

"Because you don't want me to." The demon answered.

Mog's fur bristled, he turned back to Taylor and saw her pleading face.

Sighing he turned back to Ifrit.

"Fine… kupo." The moogle said in a voice heavy with regret. Ifrit cackled and put one claw over the chocolate drink with the chocobo feather in it.

"One touch of fire to get the blood pumping." Ifrit said and his palm glowed, making the mixture bubble, a single ember fell into the mix.

The chocobo feather fluffed out as it went from plush fakeness to an actual real feather, the feather glowed slightly and then melted into the chocolate.

Then the scent of delicious chocolate filled the room, the smell making Taylor's toes curl in pleasure.

Mog held the mug like it was an explosive.

Ultros cackled to himself and dipped back into Jess's skin, vanishing.

Jess was drooling.

There was a large glint in his eyes and Taylor, for a few seconds, feared for the Moogle's safety.

"Mog... What did you make?" Taylor asked, trying not to drool herself.

"One spirit booster, kupo. It's an old remedy that a black mage and chocobo can make, kupo, but me and a friend made this originally, it's called 'Stiltzkin's old faithful'. It's enough to make anyone want to go adventuring!" Mog said and softly placed the mug down.

Taylor felt the urge to sip it rise, but forced herself not to take a step towards the mug. Jess was already halfway out of his chair and moving towards it before Ultros stuck his tentacles out his back like droopy pieces of rope, anchoring him to the chair, making him stop abruptly.

"Whoa, slow down babe, you drink that and you'll be bouncing off the walls." Ultors said with a grin, appearing on Jess' arm.

Jess frowned.

"Just want one sip, I promise!" He said.

Mog shook his head.

"No one ever wants just one sip, kupo." Mog said in a deadpan voice and then Sabah walked back into the room, grabbing the mug on the way to the couch and draining it in one large gulp.

Everyone froze.

Watching for the reaction.

Sabah stared at the cup, licking her lips. She licked her lips some more, then began to lick the inside of the cup.

Taylor watched in fascination and a rising blush as Sabah seem to perk up every second, tongue darting about the cup in a lewd… Taylor clamped down on the thought.

When Sabah had deemed the cup licked clean she stared around the room. In response Ultros vanished into Jess again, Mog flew up to the lights and Boco opened the window latch and climbed out , jumping up onto the roof with a fluttering of wings.

Leaving Ifrit lowering his head behind the armrest of his chair as if he was in a trench.

Sabah lifted him up, so they were eye to eye.

"I need more." Sabah said very quietly.

Ifrit shook his head.

"As the rest of the Espers are cowards, I will have to say it. No. Hell no! Alexander's polished brass balls, no! One cup a day is what a human can handle, anymore turns them into raging magic chocoholics and that's how Moogles and Chocobos start getting hunted." The demon said calmly, trying to pull himself out of Sabah's grip.

Sabah held on tighter.

"Okay... I can deal with that." The arab girl said calmly and lowered Ifrit gently back down onto his seat.

Walking stiffly to Ingrid's desk Sabah pulled out more candy bars, eating them with a greatly dissatisfied face.

Ifrit sighed quietly, trying not to be heard, but Taylor quirked an eyebrow at him.

Ifrit shook his head.

"She's the one person I can't afford to set on fire... It's kind of a bitch." The fire esper explained.

Jess, who had been stunned by the Sabah's reaction, looked at him.

"What makes her so special?" Jess asked, then clicked his fingers.

"The whole magical spring thing, right?" He asked with a grin.

Ifrit looked at Mog, doing that whole Esper silent talk thing.

"It's more than that... But it doesn't matter." Ifrit said before he slunk out of the room while Mog flew out the window, heading up to hide with Boco. Even Ultros didn't reappear.

Jess blinked and looked at Taylor.

"Do you get the feeling we just stumbled onto something frigging big with them?" He asked.

Taylor shrugged.

"They won't tell us until they want to." Taylor agreed.

The sound of munching stopped then and they both turned to look at Sabah, who had a large chocolate stain on her chin, she stared back.

"What?"

Taylor wasn't sure what had made the Espers scatter... but if it had something to do with Sabah, then she would get to the bottom of it... after dinner and after she'd resisted the temptation to lick up… She squashed the thought again. Because before she could lick up that chocolate, there was a more pressing matter.

"Mog! How do I change my Keyblade back!" Taylor shouted out the window and then realized she wasn't wearing her costume, ducking back in with a wave of panic.

"Kupo…" Mog's head appeared at the top of the window, upside down.

"Think of what you did with that Keyblade, you said you thought of Lung and Ifrit, right? So just think of what happened when you got the Melody, kupo."

Then vanished again.

Taylor blew out a sigh, that was what she was afraid off.

Sitting down she summoned the Keyblade, Slumbering Rage.

Think of how she got the Melody…

Skip the Locker... or should she?

Should she think of that place?

The place of light, dark and glass?

The place where everything was so bizarre, where the voice talked to her…

Told her that she was the Key... Where she had fought that... thing.

That person…

The idea of staying strong for her Dad, forcing herself to keep going, so she could see him again.

The idea that she would leave him behind like her Mother did. Her Dad couldn't live with that.

So she had to win.

Then she… woke up.

And there in her hand, like it had never left…

Was the Melody of the Lost.

Taylor smiled.

_

Brandish... Carol Dallon opened her door, her conservative top and pants distinctly at odds with the costume she wore as Brandish.

Her respectable haircut and the expensive car parked in the driveway made her look at home in the neighbourhood, with every house having trimmed lawns and almost artificially green grass.

Taylor stood to one side of Mouse Protector with Sabah on the other, all of them in full costume.

In one way, they could pretend it was Halloween and they had just knocked on the door a woman who had zero candies to give along with her cares.

As tempting as it was to get back into the rental car and drive away before Carol's death beam reached operational power levels… Sabah would kill her.

After the Stiltzkin drink, Sabah had perked right up and reorganized the entire back store room within the hour, then she cleaned every window she could find and was about to personally paint the staff bathroom before Taylor managed to drag her away to get changed, the smaller girl twitching slightly.

Jess had promised to watch the Espers in their absence, a promise that did nothing to reassure Taylor in the slightest.

After all, Jess could get in trouble with an elastic band and a target; adding Ifrit and Ultros to that mix was just making Taylor angsty.

Sabah seemed to have obtained some mystical level of Zen on the drive over, her twitching slowing to relaxed finger drumming as her other hand had gripped Taylor's own. It had been… nice, holding hands.

The drive itself had been remarkably smooth, considering who was driving.

Mouse Protector had picked them up from the Dollhouse.

The white rental car entirely at odds with her, until Taylor had noticed she had painted a mouse symbol on the bonnet.

"It washes off with water." Mouse Protector had promised, but Taylor had heard teen horror stories that started exactly the same way.

And now here they were at the front door with Carol staring at them, her lips a thin line.

No one had said anything yet and the silence was getting…

Painful.

"You have a lovely home." Sabah said with a gracefulness that Taylor envied. Carol's attention latched on to anything that wasn't Mouse Protector.

"Thank you, I'm very proud of it. It took a long time, but it's finally ours." Carol said quietly, she paused and then sighed.

"Please come in." Carol said in the most broken voice Taylor had heard from her yet.

Mouse Protector grinned and opened her mouth to say something that would either offend the woman, stump her, or make her smile.

Or all three if Mouse was on her game

Carol raised her hand.

"Just... Just wait until I have a drink in my hand first." The lawyer asked, almost begged.

Mouse's mouth clicked shut.

Carol turned and lead them all into a home that was…

Normal.

Utterly, completely, normal.

Taylor was sure they were in the in the wrong house.

Where was the super weights? The holes in the wall from a pissed off Glory Girl? The trophies from defeated Super Villains, like Marquis' bone mask or something. Where was the...Wave Cave?

The floors were wood, the rugs tasteful, the walls a deep cream that would make any stains easily seen, but there were none.

The air smelled of flowers and... chicken.

Taylor tried not to drool.

Sabah's masked faced followed Taylor's, looking around and taking the place in.

"I'm more of a studio person myself, but this place is beautiful." Sabah said, turning to admire the bookcase and art sculptures spread tastefully around.

Carol smiled, seeming to like Sabah.

Both being business women of serious attitude and capes as well, seemed to give them something to like about each other.

Not being Mouse Protector probably helped Sabah more than she realized too.

There was talking coming from the kitchen and Carol lead them in that direction, opening the wooden door with a push of her hand.

"-but, then I have to make a new sport, I miss basketball. No one wants to play with Glory Girl, so I was thinking maybe making Capeball, the most brutesy game of ball since, ever." Victoria Dallon said to another girl with a small smile on her face, Amy Dallon.

Both their faces were widely known with their family's fame… and slight infamy on Victoria's part if PHO was to be believed.

Though apparently Taylor herself was now vying for the coveted title of 'Patron Cape of Collateral Damage'.

Looking at them, Victoria was unchanged since Taylor had fought alongside her so long ago…

Well, it wasn't long ago, not really, but it just really felt like it seeing her there in jeans and a blousy thing that Sabah could most likely tell her the model, make, maker, style and season off.

Sabah knew those things.

Taylor knew it was nice, it looked comfy and she would never wear it herself unless it was under a jacket… or if Sabah frowned at her.

Amy seemed to be the yang to Victoria's yin.

Where Victoria glowed, Amy blended in.

Even in her own home, Amy seemed... tired.

"Vicky, bruteball would be banned in so many countries that it wouldn't be funny." Amy said to the waiting girl.

"Bruteball... Yeah, that works!" Vicky said, rubbing her chin.

Amy rolled her eyes far enough for her to spot them.

"Mom?" Amy said, fitting a lot of questions into that single word.

Vicky and a man, most likely Mark Dallon, aka Flashbang, turned from their assigned chopping or seasoning task to stare as well.

"We have... guests. Amy? Can you grab spare chairs from the living room?" Carol asked, walking to the pantry and pulling out a bottle of wine.

Amy eyed Taylor and her plus two.

She didn't say anything, but Taylor was sure Amy was sizing them up.

Trying to sort them into boxes in her mind.

Taylor did the same herself, all the time with new people, new threats.

Vicky smiled so wide and brightly, Taylor was surprised ships in nearby seas didn't mistake her for a lighthouse.

"Key!" She said, wiping her hands dry from salad juice, before rushing at her.

Taylor squeaked as Vicky wrapped her arms around her.

"I haven't seen you since we kicked Lung's... rear! Not that you haven't been busy, Hookwolf eh?" Vicky said, lightly digging her elbow into Taylor's side.

Taylor shuffled her feet.

"That was an accident." Taylor defended herself.

At the counter Carol snorted.

"We could use more accidents like that." Carol muttered.

Vicky grinned at her mother's comment before turning to Sabah.

"Parian right? Last I saw you, you had a…" Vicky began to say before she choked and quickly changed directions.

"You're looking better." The blonde finally settled on.

Sabah nodded.

"Thank you, I'm glad you weren't injured by Lung." Sabah replied politely, staring at the arm Vicky still had slung around Taylor's neck.

Taylor could understand, Vicky had some weird super strength, and the costume was pretty hard to repair on the fly.

Taylor smiled and ducked under the blonde girl's arm to stand next to Sabah.

Mouse Protector stood there, drinking in the room, worryingly quiet.

"Are you okay?" Taylor asked her as Amy passed by in the hall, a chair under each arm.

Mouse Protector slowly looked at Taylor.

"I... I've never been invited to dinner before." Mouse admitted loudly.

Taylor wanted to wince as Carol gulped her wine in response.

"You sort of invited yourself." Taylor pointed out.

Mouse grinned.

"So I did! Emotional crisis avoided. So, what's for dinner?" The Protectorate cape said, stomping cheerfully over to Mark, who blinked at her.

He looked at Carol who stared so hard at him, he blanched.

Taylor really wanted to guess he mentally asked for help over the Wave Caves secret network and got shot down hard.

"Uh... Seasoned chicken with mash and veggies." Mark said.

Mouse Protector held out her arms and Mark stared, confused.

"I would like to mash the mash." Mouse said brightly.

Mark hesitantly passed over the bowl with lumpy potatoes in it.

"You're the guest?" Mark asked, sounding unsure, as if Mouse Protector was somehow a glitch in his normal world.

Taylor sympathized, she truly did.

Turning back to Vicky, she searched for something to say and found herself blurting the first thing she thought of.

"I can shoot lightning now." Taylor said and then pressed her lips together as everyone stared at her.

Traitor, she cursed her mouth.

Vicky's eyes grew brighter and grin wider, if such a thing was possible.

"You have to show me!" Vicky said.

Carol slammed her glass down so hard everyone jumped.

"Not in the house, or anywhere near the house!" she said and Vicky slumped, perking up again as Amy walked in.

"Ames! Key here can shoot lightning." Carol told them, sounding like it was her own personal achievement.

Amy blinked and then looked at Taylor with a frown.

"How good are you with it?" Amy asked.

Taylor felt like it was more an interest in her control than her abilities.

"I've never scarred anyone. Mostly tasered." She answered honestly.

Amy seemed to think on that before heading off to take a bowl of vegetables to the sink.

"I heard you heal. Do you know how it works?" The petite brunette asked and again, there was that feeling of... more to the question.

"I fix injuries with matter drawn from the space around me, transforming tiny particles of air or light into whatever parts the body needs." Taylor said, reciting Mog's whiteboard lecture perfectly.

Amy paused mid step and looked at her, her face a mismatch of emotions.

"That sounds... perfect." Amy said finally, her tone bland. She dropped the bowl into the sink and turned on the tap.

Carol watched them interact, somewhat intensely, and looked around the kitchen.

"Food is as ready as it's going to get... Mouse Protector, the mash is beyond mashed... It's soupy." Carol commented dryly.

Mouse gave her a thumbs up.

"I am a mice-tro of the mashing." Mouse Protector agreed.

In response Carol grabbed the wine bottle, holding it tight to her chest.

"To the table people, the faster this is over the less painful it'll be." The older woman ordered and people picked up various plates and bowls, following Carol to a dining room that looked well used.

The seven chairs were a tight fight around the dinner table, but Sabah and Taylor sat so close together that it eased the pressure of everyone else, their hips actually touching. And while it would make cutting her food awkward… it was nice.

As the food was passed around though, Taylor noticed a problem.

Sabah did too and fingered the bottom of her doll mask. It was a hard solid piece. Full face too.

Everyone stopped as they noticed the problem.

Carol seemed to manage to both freeze and grow at the same time, filling the other end of the table as she leaned forward.

"I... didn't think. I could move a chair to the kitchen?" Carol offered and Vicky slipped a piece of chicken into her mouth, being rather bad at pretending to be frozen by the problem like everyone else.

Sabah shook her head.

"It's okay. I... came prepared." Sabah muttered as Mouse Protector pulled something out of her belt, it was long, twisting and green.

It took Taylor a second to recognize it as a crazy straw with Mouse Protector's symbol on it.

"Partner of my apprentice, we could blend your chicken!" Mouse offered brightly.

Sabah shook her head, leaning away from the straw like it was a medieval torture device.

"No, it's okay." The doll girl said and took a deep breath. She turned to Taylor.

"Remember when you and Ifrit... bonded and he grew? Well... I asked Mog if something like that was possible between us." Sabah said quietly and her fingers idly played with her dress. Taylor leaned in and after a second raised an arm, using the wide sleeve of her coat to make a barrier between her and Sabah and the rest of the table.

It was a comfort thing more than an actual sound buffer.

"I don't see any pom-poms on your head. Is this why you took so long to get ready?" Taylor pointed out.

Sabah sighed.

"It's worse…" Sabah moaned and pulled off her mask, much to Taylor's surprise.

Because under Sabah's mask... was another mask.

Sabah's chin was exposed, but the mask was green with two puffed out ears and paler green stripe in the middle, the eye holes were large like some Mexican wrestlers mask, but the largeness of it seem to hide Sabah's features better than she would have thought.

But what really caught Taylor's attention was the giant, yellow, cross on her forehead, and the fake pom-pom cheerfully bouncing back and forward on top as Sabah shook her head.

"I was in a hurry and I needed a back-up mask and I couldn't find my theatre mask... So Mog offered to make me one… or create one really fast, he wasn't very clear. So I drew on his energy, like he told me, in a panic and this thing appeared. He called it his... Hero mask, mark X." Sabah said and Taylor dropped her coat in surprise.

Letting everyone see Hero X Parian.

There was a beat of silence and then Mouse Protector made a noise.

It was... unlike anything Taylor had ever heard.

Something between an internal scream, a moan of deep need, and a snort of amusement. Vicky's mouth dropped so far open a piece of chicken fell out. Amy blinked as Mark inhaled a piece of celery and started coughing. Carol's nostrils flared.

"You're... Not what I expected." Vicky said, making a thoughtful effort to avoid saying anything possibly offensive.

Sabah scratched her cheek, feeling the exposed skin.

"Not white? Yeah…" Sabah said, staring down at her doll mask, her grip tight. Taylor frowned and eyed the Dallon's, mentally daring them to say something.

Amy made a humming noise across the table from them.

"I think it's a powerful statement, if you choose to go public." Amy said, pushing her chicken about with her fork.

Sabah blinked at her.

"Yeah, that was what I was thinking. With the Empire and all." Sabah agreed as Amy finally forked the chicken, giving the Arabic girl a soft smile.

Sabah also smiled, somewhat sadly at the doll mask in her hands.

"And something about standards and expectations." Sabah muttered.

Amy's eyes snapped back to her.

"What would you say about them?" The healer asked, sounding curious.

Carol shook her head.

"Amy…" The lawyer began, but Sabah waved her hands, interrupting.

"It's okay, really. This could be my warm up session for when I go public…" Sabah quickly said, making Carol's frown grow, but the woman didn't say anything else. Sabah placed the doll mask on the table and itched at her hero mask with a twitch of irritation, before looking at Amy again.

"Expectations… People shouldn't expect people with powers to bend backwards and give everything to the public, that sometimes it's okay to not want to risk your life, or work yourself to death every day for people you don't know. That it's okay to choose not to be a martyr, or even that its okay to not want to help people you don't know, to not be in charge of countless lives when something goes wrong. You shouldn't expect every cape to be a hero, or that they look just like you. We're people too and we each must make our own choices." Sabah spoke loudly, passionately, and without shame.

Taylor smiled at her, knowing that Sabah tried to live by those words, but at the same time, never condemned Taylor for choosing to do all those things herself.

The power was in the choice.

Turning to her own plate, she saw Vicky frown at the words, but Amy...

She looked shocked at Sabah's words, as if they were in some odd alien language.

"If you have the power to help people, you should." Amy said, and Carol nodded, as did Vicky.

Sabah hummed as she forked more chicken.

"Of course, but only if you need to, as in, if something happens in front of you, or an emergency happens, you should help. But going around, spending your time, your life, waiting or looking for trouble is when it goes too far. When is it acceptable to stop living for yourself to help other people? When is it wrong of people to keep asking more of you? When is okay to say no, I want to live my own life? If you do nothing but help, and help and help, then you're no longer doing it out of empathy or compassion. You're doing because you have to, because it's expected, because you feel guilty if you don't." Sabah fired back and Amy leaned back.

Sabah drank some of her own wine. Making Taylor discreetly move the wine glass away from Sabah when the girl put it down to carry on talking.

If the night ended up with Carol trying to kill them, she didn't want Sabah drunk again, making it worse, for whom Taylor didn't know.

"So when that happens, it builds up and people break. People aren't machines, you can't just demand they help, force them to, force yourself to. At the moment when someone gets a power that helps humanity, then they have to resign themselves to never stop helping. It's expected because millions of people would rather let a teenage girl solve every problem that comes their way rather than trying to solve it on their own. So I say you shouldn't have to, it's always your choice. Because no matter how many people an individual can help, how many crimes they can stop, villains they defeat, discoveries they make, or even people they heal, there will always be more. No single person has to shoulder the world because they have the power to, because that's expected. Because when that happens they stop seeing you as a person and start seeing you as a thing, a commodity. We're people and we deserve to live our own lives as well, to make our own choices. Everyone has a responsibility to help, not just you, just as everyone has the right to live their own life, as do we." Sabah finished resolutely.

Carol leaned forward her fingers steepled.

"What about when someone with powers blows up a hospital? If someone had a power to prevent that, then doesn't it make it harder to stay uninvolved, make someone feel guilty for not trying? It is a responsibility we all have to protect others, to ensure they are safe. We have the power to do so and it is therefore our responsibility to protect them." Carol countered and Sabah smiled as she reached for her wine glass, the half wine glass of booze gliding across the table to her hand.

Taylor tried to reach for it, but it neatly scooted out of reach of her fingers. Curse Sabah's telekinesis!

"Unless that person's power is seeing when terrorist attacks happen, not really. You can't expect a single police officer to guard the hospital every hour of the day; that would be illegal. So why should a cape be any different? Anyone who knew about such an attack would of course do something about it, a cape whose power foresaw it, or someone who overheard the people planning it. When something bad happens somewhere in the world, say in Africa, no one here would feel guilty about not having stopped it, because there was nothing we could do. To say we should do something because we can would imply we should all move to Africa and start cleaning it up, helping the people there, because we could. But we don't because it's not realistic. We don't have to. It's just guilt… And guilt as a motivator is a terrible idea. The cape might one day feel so driven by guilt they'd do anything to stop it, to make it go away, to just let them rest. That can be a far worse result." Sabah said smoothly back.

Carol raised her glass, giving Sabah the round.

Taylor stared at Sabah, who looked at her and gave her a small smile.

Taylor thought about her words, mixed her own experiences into them, and watched as they soaked into her past actions.

Guilt had made her want to murder Bakuda... It still did sometimes. Guilt had hit her so hard, along with rage, that she summoned Ifrit.

Guilt was a poison and Taylor drank it daily. Sabah... She made the world better, made it seem more real in so many ways.

She never pushed Taylor to try harder, do more, or grow more powerful.

Sabah was happy when Taylor cooked waffles and deep down... so was Taylor. She was happy just being… herself. She was happier seeing Sabah smile, or hearing Sabah say 'thank you' than any amount of fans asking for autographs ever made her.

While being a hero made her feel good, having her own life is what let her feel happy.

Amy watched the two women, the meal forgotten.

"But what if you could save everyone?" Amy asked in an odd tone, almost desperate.

Taylor stared at her.

Those words... They sounded a lot like what she sometimes thought.

Keybladers saved worlds, according to Mog, that kind of legacy loomed over her sometimes. How could anyone save... a whole world?

But Mog seemed so sure…

Sabah tilted her head, recapturing Taylor's attention.

"No one can save everyone. Not even Scion. There will always be bad days and there will always been mortality. Sometimes... It's okay to save just one person and call it a day." Sabah replied quietly shooting Taylor a soft look.

Under the table, Taylor felt Sabah's hand take her own, and Taylor squeezed, feeling truly thankful that she had such a good friend.

Carol looked across the table at Amy... Her gaze looking not at the girl, but through her, as if looking at a time long ago.

"Sometimes." Carol agreed finally and waved her hand in the air.

"This topic is too heavy for a Tuesday night. Vicky, how's Dean?" Carol asked.

Vicky snapped out of the bewildered state she had been in. Like Taylor, she too had been caught off guard by the duel like debate that ended as abruptly as it had begun.

Mouse Protector watched everything with a smile, her mouth chewing the mashed potatoes with an oddly satisfied look.

"Dean's been feeling down, he had a headache today, not really sure what's wrong with him yet." Vicky answered and shrugged.

Carol deemed this acceptable and eyed Amy.

"How was your shift?" she murmured and Amy met her gaze, not expecting the question.

"Fine, there was ruckus on the third floor, something about one of the patient's beating up an orderly... Who turned out not to be one and he escaped? I didn't get the details, I was regrowing an eye at the time." Amy said and Taylor idly scratched under her eye patch, feeling the puckered scars.

She could have met Amy a long time ago, if she had agreed to see the healer about her eye.

Could have.

What might have changed? Where would Taylor be? Where would Amy be?

It was like all paths not taken, one she could never know, and Taylor forced herself to stop fiddling with her eye-patch.

"Gross." Vicky objected.

Amy rolled her eyes.

"What did you do then today then?" Amy asked, passing the baton of conversation to Vicky.

The blonde bombshell smirked and sat up straight.

"I watched Keynote kick Hookwolf's shiny metal ass!" Vicky replied with a grin which wilted under Carol's disapproving gaze.

Mouse Protector snorted into her wine and Sabah smiled.

"Which was very educational." Vicky corrected herself and then turned to Taylor.

"So spill, what did you do? How did you go through Hookwolf like that?" Vicky leaned in like Taylor was going to share a life changing secret.

Which Taylor could do, she had several by now.

"Uh... I asked Mog and he said I used... 'Energy to ignore the laws of the physical world by using myself as a point in which'... uh... I moved through Hookwolf." Taylor tried to remember what Mog had said, but there had been a lot of big words, most of which Taylor had never heard before.

Vicky digested this.

"You ignored the physical world and moved in a different layer of dimensions." Vicky concluded, making Taylor look at her, surprised.

Vicky grinned.

"I take advance physics, and capes get brought up a lot as examples of rule breaking. Drives the teacher nutty, she says it's going to kill us all one day, all this rule breaking." The blonde girl said cheerfully and Taylor had to grin back.

It made Vicky... more human in Taylor's mind when she thought of Glory Girl attending class, having a teacher.

"Ignoring physics, healing, projections, energy control, mover." Amy listed off, not looking impressed so much as slightly pitying.

"People must think you're the second coming of Eidolon." Amy offered with a wry smile.

Taylor shook her head.

"I'm not. I have to work at mastering my spe-cial skills. Sometimes it's easy, other times it's not. I've been thinking about offering my skill at healing at the hospital like you, any advice?" Taylor questioned.

Amy looked pained for a second, as if Taylor's words were something she'd rather not have heard.

"Don't spread yourself too thin." Amy muttered.

Taylor felt the barb in the words.

Carol's face was already narrowed as she turned and Vicky looked startled at Amy's worlds.

Mark… who had been very quiet throughout the dinner, finally looked up.

"Amy." Was all the lone male said and the girl sighed, wiping her lips with a napkin.

"Sorry... Rough day." Amy told the table, and then focused on Taylor.

"Listen, it's great you want to help, but the hospital isn't something you should consider doing unless you're really want to give it your all. It's not a job that stops... ever." Amy said directly to Taylor, and Taylor saw it.

What Mouse Protector might have brought her here to see.

What had worried the happy caped cape.

Amy Dallon, Panacea, healer of those who needed her, was tired.

When her eyes met Taylor's, there was a tired crusader in the teen girl's brown eyes.

For that moment, nothing else existed.

Only Taylor and Amy.

Sitting opposite each other.

Amy eyes, dark pools of warning and pleading. Her body language was that of someone who was fighting a losing battle with her words. Her actions heroic and right, her words correct, her results undeniable.

But her eyes. There was a deep sadness to Amy that Taylor hadn't noticed when talking to her before.

No…

She hadn't noticed because Amy refused to let it show. But for this one moment, this one, tiny, slow, painful, second.

Amy's soul was laid bare, telling Taylor one thing about all.

She was so very tired.

Then the moment was over and Amy's eyes… were just eyes again.

Her look casual, as were her words.

"So maybe drop by, you never know, you might have a knack for it." Amy finished.

And Taylor nodded, not sure how to go along and play pretend with Amy.

Not sure how to treat Amy now.

Taylor swallowed her chicken, mouth suddenly dry.

"Sure, maybe you can show me the ropes on your day off?" Taylor offered.

Amy looked reluctant.

Then Vicky cut in, her bright smile and exuberant look seeming to lighten everyone's mood.

"Ah, that'd be great Key. Amy gets so angsty, she could use someone to cheer her up... You know, when she re-grows people's things." Vicky agreed for Amy and Taylor felt something... like a wave of warm air, but it passed quickly.

Sabah leaned towards Vicky, smiling. Even Carol seemed too looked amused at Vicky's antics.

Amy looked ready to protest, but in the end just sighed.

Taylor wondered if she had offended the girl somehow. Maybe she was against summoning giant fire demons and fighting metal wolfs?

Taylor looked at Sabah, struggling not to smile at her mask, Sabah saw her lips twitch and rolled her eyes.

Carol looked at the generally empty plates and sighed in relief.

"Dinner's done... Thank God." Carol said mostly to herself and Vicky stopped poking Amy, making the brown haired girl smile, despite her mood.

Odd, that Amy was so down, yet Vicky seem to cheer her up so easily.

"But Mom, you said there was cake? That's why I didn't go to see Dean tonight." Vicky asked, confused and Carol looked her in the eye and drained her wine glass.

"The cake was a lie. If I had to suffer this dinner... everyone did. Mouse Protector is insane and I will not suffer alone." Carol pointed out.

As one everyone turned and stared at Mouse Protector, who had built an aerodynamic airplane out her napkin and pieces of gum she had in her pocket.

She looked up and without a hint of humour spoke.

"I'm not insane. I just happen to know where all of you sleep." Mouse Protector stated and then thought about it.

"Except my apprentice and her partner... Who I assume sleep in the same place." Mouse waved her hand vaguely in Taylor and Sabah's direction.

Taylor nodded.

"We do, it's a tight fit, since there's only one bathroom but we're moving to a bigger place soon, but between rebuilding at the scar, and work, it's taking a while." Taylor said, thinking about the spare bedroom Sabah slept in, wondering if she was comfortable.

Sabah spat out her wine.

Coughing she dabbed at the wine stains with Mouse Protector's airplane, ignoring the woman's cries of 'Frederick the third!' and tried to remedy the situation but the wine just spread further.

Huffing Sabah waved her fingers and the cloth twisted itself upwards making the wine fall down onto to the napkin.

Taylor stared.

"You can control liquids?" Taylor asked in surprise and Sabah nodded idly.

"Up to a certain amount, it has to be more than droplets, but not bigger than a bathtub, and it only goes one direction... down. I make things heavy so I can't control it like hydrokinetics, but I can make it move. Dolls work better because I can fill the layer part and move everything else. Water doesn't really keep my power contained very well." Sabah explained.

Carol looked interested.

"You have to fill a shell with your energy?" The lawyer asked and Sabah nodded. Carol thought about that.

"What if you just throw energy out?" Carol questioned.

Sabah shrugged.

"It just floats there, it doesn't do anything. I have to direct it into an object for it to do anything." Sabah said.

Carol taped her fingers, and appeared slightly flushed, from the wine or curiosity, Taylor didn't know.

"Let's see." Carol said and everyone looked at her. Carol didn't budge or look abashed at her request and Sabah raised one hand, looking unsure at the sudden request.

The air above Taylor rippled, just a small part of it, then it settled. Sabah leaned back as Carol poked the space.

"Hm... I feel something odd, but I can't be sure." Carol mused.

Meanwhile Vicky looked almost giddy and leapt to her feet before jamming her finger into the same spot.

There was an odd noise like a balloon popping and Vicky's skin glowed and her shield vanished.

Vicky blinked and Sabah's mouth fell open.

"I... didn't mean-" Sabah tried to say.

Vicky interrupted, shaking her fingers as she spoke.

"Felt like I got a static shock." Vicky mumbled and sat down.

Carol eyed the space.

"Your energy is gone. I saw... the space bulge slightly." Carol commented musingly.

Sabah nodded.

"It just... dispersed." Sabah explained.

Mouse leaned in then, examining Vicky's skin which was already lightly glowing again.

"I hate to be a party pooper, but testing powers like this might be a tad bit dangerous…" Mouse Protector pointed out wisely.

Carol nodded.

"I was curious. Seeing her using her powers so casually had lead me to think it was an interesting, but safe subject to bring up. Whenever one of our family triggered, we had them practice at gatherings, different points of views to see what areas they were best in, or which could do with improving on." Carol explained and Taylor realized Carol liked Sabah.

Wanted to help her.

Carol carried on.

"Regardless, her powers are far more interesting than simply telekinesis. But I think anything that can short out Vicky's shield is dangerous enough to not play with at the dinner table." Carol said standing and began to gather the dishes, ushering her children to help.

As everyone began to pack up Taylor guessed that was it.

She had survived the dinner, made it through with only the slightest of hitches. Sabah mostly dominating the table, but it was good none the less.

Now Taylor, filled with chicken and potato, was ready to go home.

So it was an ominous sign that the Dallon's front door sounded out with three loud knocks.

Taylor turned in her seat, willing the knocker to go away or for it to be some friend of Carol's. Sabah gripped Taylor's hand again, looking serene under her Mexican hero mask from the space fairy.

Mouse Protector grabbed the drowned remains of Frederick the Third and looked ready for war.

But, as Taylor tried to relax, in her gut... there was a bad feeling.

Carol strode to the door and Taylor followed, pulling Sabah after her.

It was still Tuesday, and that meant that the Slaughterhouse 9, the Endbringers, or even worse, Sophia, could be behind that door.

Ready to ruin a good night.

Carol opened the door to reveal Armsmaster, his blue power armour easily visible even in the gathering dark.

Carol looked like she was deciding whether to close the door on him or not, but ended up standing aside to let him in.

"Thank you, I'm here to talk to Keynote. It's... personal business." Armsmaster said, trying to politely shoo away Carol.

But Carol Dallon would not be shooed on her own door step.

"Then you can take it outside, I will not have my house turned into some superhero soap opera." Carol said, and jabbed a finger into Armsmaster armour.

Meanwhile, Vicky floated above Taylor, getting a better look over the taller girl.

"I wonder if this is about that giant purple squid…" Vicky asked Amy, who shrugged, Taylor walked outside to meet Armsmaster, pausing to look back and caught the two girls attention.

"Ultros is an octopus. Or so he claims anyway…" Taylor trailed off and closed the door behind Sabah as they both stood outside, the fading faces of a stunned Vicky and Amy making Taylor smile. As the cold air hit her face, she turned to see Armsmaster looking serious.

"Listen. I don't know anything about the purple octopus, nor how or why Mouse Protector convinced me to come here-" Taylor began to list off every defence she had.

Armsmaster raised one hand stopping her.

"While the energy octopus is fascinating and slightly disturbing, I'm afraid I'm here for something else." The Tinker responded.

Taylor stared at him, wondering what was wrong that Armsmaster came to find them personally.

Sabah cleared her throat, having pulled her normal doll mask back on now.

"How did you find us?" Sabah asked instead.

Armsmaster put his hands behind his back, taking a relaxed posture that also looked vaguely military.

"I phoned Miss Mars and after telling her my number was related to my civilian life and I could not risk giving it to her, she informed me that the both of you were here, which was close enough that it warranted me to come see you personally, as you deserve that much." Armsmaster informed them.

Taylor felt a cold sweat break out on her skin.

"What's wrong?" She pushed and for the first time, Taylor saw Armsmaster hesitate.

Sabah slipped her hand into Taylor's the act of support keeping Taylor from fidgeting.

Armsmaster tilted his head back, looking uncomfortable as he shifted his shoulders.

"Key... Taylor. As of earlier this afternoon, your father went missing. He escaped from his hospital room after assaulting several individuals disguised as nurses and hospital orderlies. Unfortunately the imposters escaped so we don't know who they were. More importantly though, as of twenty minutes ago, your father has reappeared at Brockton Bay's Central Bank, leading a group of villains, the Undersiders, in a fight against the Wards and Miss Militia. We think he triggered and is now going by the name Gilgamesh. We followed his trail of crime, as he made his costume... 20 minutes ago now he appeared as the Wards were about to capture the Undersiders and prevented the villains capture. As of now, they're listening to him and have holed up in the bank with numerous hostages. I need you to come with me and convince your father to stand down. He is acting... odd." Armsmaster finished sombrely.

Taylor felt her world tilt, unable to speak.

Sabah did so in her stead, gripping Taylor's hand so tightly it was the only reason Taylor didn't need to sit down.

"Odd, how?" Sabah snapped, her voice rigid and determined.

Armsmaster was silent for a few seconds, thinking, before he answered.

"He painted his face white and red, danced on top of the bank roof wearing armour resembling a traditional Japanese set, then said to Miss Militia 'I want it, gimme that gun' and then tried to steal her gun." Armsmaster said in the blankest tone possible.

Mouse Protector fell from the second story window in her attempt to sneak up on Armsmaster and landed on her rear in a bush.

"I am here! Who is this dastardly villain? I shall show him my sword of justice! Apprentice, help me out of this bush. New apprentice! Summon the Mouse Mobile!" Mouse cried exuberantly.

Behind her, Carol closed the curtains.

Armsmaster looked down at Mouse Protector and sighed. His night was only just beginning.

Taylor really didn't like Tuesday's.

She was bored.

That was nothing new. There was never anything to do here…

Screw it, she could go for a walk.

It's not like anyone was going to stop her. Her mom would be... somewhere and her dad would be at the bar, drinking his problems away; not that it ever worked or anything, or everyone would drink.

Slipping out of her window she shimmied down the pipe that was so rusted she might die from touching it.

Maybe.

At least that would be a little bit exciting.

That's how bored she was.

Still the night air was nice, for air.

She spun in a circle and chose a random direction.

Let it never be said that Aisha Laborn was predictable.

Twenty minutes later, let it also be said that walking into known Merchant territory was a stupid idea.

The cracked streets, the boarded up windows and the trash of life were a pretty big clue to her current state of safety.

The crooked yellow teeth and sores on the men made Aisha wince in pity.

"Come here, sweetie. I'll treat ya real nice." The older one said, leering at her.

Aisha was unimpressed by his woo.

"No thanks. I'd rather walk off a pier. Bye." Aisha said, beginning to leave.

Then the other guy blocked her way, a knife in his bony fingers.

"Maybe you didn't get the memo, but you don't got a choice. Give us those fancy piercings." The junkie sneered.

Aisha rolled her eyes so hard she though she saw the back of her own head, even as a little bit of panic rose in her chest.

"Seriously?" She asked and took a step back as the pair closed in on her.

Maybe this had been a bad idea?

As the men reached for her again, someone's voice snapped out at them.

"Enough. Get the fuck out of my sight." A woman said and Aisha turned to see dark haired girl standing there, her clothes marginally less poor than the crack-heads, but the men didn't seem to sneer at her.

In fact, they recoiled away from her in fear.

"L-listen, we didn't mean anything, tell Skid we were just playing, yeah?" The older rapist to be begged.

Aisha was impressed. This girl had them pissing themselves in two seconds flat.

The girl stared at them and the younger crack-head with too many teeth missing swore and laughed, charging her.

But there was a sudden mass between her and the crack-head.

A titan of a man seemed to have materialized behind the girl. Then there was sound of steel on stone as something dragged itself towards the commotion. Another person.

It was a junk pile... but instead of a metal head, there was a metal mask and round goggles the head being the only human skin visible on the huge machine body.

The two giant figures stood on either side of the girl, the young crack-head caught in the first titan's grip.

"Please, he's my boy, he didn't mean no harm." The older one said.

Aisha grimaced and the girl looked at him.

"The knife says otherwise." The girl said calmly and the titan shook the guy slightly making him panic.

"C-come on, please Smartass, I'll set him straight." The guy begged and Smartass looked at the struggling man in the titan's grip.

There was a few beats of silence before she spoke.

"He's good with cars, did you know that? Can make them turn on and fly away before the alarm even knows what's happening. Squealer needs parts, get him to work and I'll make sure Skidmark doesn't know about his attitude." she said before nodding to the large muscular man, who dropped the apparent car genius.

As soon as the younger man hit the ground, both of them fled into the shadows.

Leaving Aisha to stare at the girl flanked by the hulk of flesh and the metal man.

She looked so tiny in between then it made her laugh and that caused Smartass to look at her.

"Well... What do you know? Troll? Train? I think we just saved a damsel." Smartass said wryly.

Troll quirked his head at her, he grunted and followed her as Smartass walked forwards, the street light revealing Troll's features in more detail.

He was, in a word, ugly. A large bulbous nose and pockmarked cheeks, low overbearing brows and a pair of blubbery lips with yellow teeth jutting out from a bad case of under-bite. He looked almost cartoony in a way, almost too ugly to be real. But as he walked he seemed… peaceful, a touch of nature in the cape, relaxing more with each step, along with what appeared to be a growing smile.

Train sniffed and each step he made cracked the street slightly, he paused and must have readjusted something that Aisha couldn't see because his steps became much lighter.

Smartass leaned in close and whistled. It was a sad sounding one.

Aisha crossed her arms and gave the other girl a lookover from from top to bottom.

The dark hair was slightly matted, her skin looking pale and clammy, long sleeves and pants made her seem older without making her seem more mature and her features were plain if not for the intense look of focus in her eyes, visible through the eyes holes cut in the black bandana tied around her head.

"You're one of us... No... Not yet. You don't glow, but there's a spark. Eh, whatever. Want a piece of advice? It's worth something around here, people beat the crap out of each other for my advice, hold 'events' so I can tell them they're worth something, good at something, that just maybe... they aren't total pieces of crap. So listen closely." Smartass said in voice that was rough, oily and somehow… reverent.

And Aisha wanted to, she wanted to listen. There was something alluring to Smartass's voice, something she felt curious about.

"You're good at finding trouble, good at laughing off almost anything, but you know nothing…" Smartass trailed off and then she looked straight into Aisha's eyes

"Since you know nothing, you can understand fucking nothing, so run, and don't ever come back. Or I'll make you one of us. I can almost see... Almost understand what buttons to push to do it. It won't be a good time and you won't ever laugh it off."

Aisha pursed her lips, and flipped her the finger.

"I know this." Aisha said and Smartass laughed, walking away, still chuckling as her monsters trailed after her into the dark.

Aisha was going to go home, think about her life and change absolutely nothing.

Smartass had done the worst thing anyone could have done.

She stopped Aisha from feeling bored.

That made Aisha smile as she snuck back into her bedroom window.

Poor girl had no clue.

Secret Report 13

-

I feel them, beings lost to the ages, appearing here, on this world.

All sneaking in somehow, did they find doors I did not? How could they...I searched for so long.

But they are beings of a different nature...more so than I. Where as I am soaked in Darkness, they are exploding with Chaos.

My prison is less then I would hope, but more interesting than it seemed.

In all my time of research into the heart, I have never seen one quite like this.

The heart is there, that much is easy to see, but on top, as if rammed in by a crude child, is a large jagged glass piece.

Inside is cloudy, not from fog, but from the images of a thousand images so close together I cannot make them out. I feel no desire towards this intruder, it was here before me.

The heart consumes it, empowered, the glass is quickly covered by the heart, hiding it beneath its oceans. For a split second I hear a voice, like the one before, but different. Colder, empty, and pained. Prime material for me, but again, my prison is less than so.

I feel power grow around me, the very space becoming enriched, it was marginally better than when it was flooded with flames. What a wretched state for the place to be in to become that destructive, but all things are calm.

I ponder about home.

I...think of a treat that i loved, and consciously lick my lips, trying to summon that old feeling of desire.

Desire for home...and sea salt ice cream.

But nothing came, only more dark hunger for everything.