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.

34. Chapter 34

Chapter 23.2: And Broken Hearts

Happy birthday Ecchi!

_

Taylor felt the truck rumble as it drove along the road, the slight vibrations helping her relax ever so slightly.

Leaning back against the metal wall of the van, Taylor found that, if she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine the bench at the back of the van as a very solid massage chair. She could do with a massage or a cure spell. It had been a really long and stressful day, and there was still more to go. Taylor could feel phantom pains across her body from where she'd been hurt today, her legs and stomach, her chest, and her throat, all topped off with a tenseness in her shoulders that was beginning to ache.

Sabah sat opposite her, her demure posture making her seem smaller than she actually was, the dust and grime stuck to her dress and mask did nothing to diminish her look of serenity, helped by the fact that her outfit was now dry again. Taylor had always wondered how Sabah managed to dry the washing so quickly. Turns out her trick with removing water from a napkin at dinner worked on clothes too.

Looking at Sabah's immaculate posture, Taylor wished that her friend felt as relaxed as she looked, but Taylor knew that it would take a lot of cake, showers, and time to process it all, before her friend got anywhere close to feeling relaxed again.

Miss Militia sat next to her, her fingers slowly drumming on her leg. In her other hand was a bowie knife that the heroine was idly dropping into the bench repeatedly, digging a little hole that got deeper with each impact.

It was perhaps the most human thing Taylor had seen the Protectorate cape do yet.

"Does it still hurt?" Taylor had to ask, wondering if her spell, Cura, had been cast wrong. If it had…they might have to rebreak Miss Militia's leg to heal it.

Taylor grimaced at the idea. She didn't even know what she did to her cure spell, she had just told it to be better. In fact, she had pretty much forced the spell to be better, stronger and faster working.

What if that had broken the spell?

"It feels fine. No… Better than fine. I can't put my finger on it. May I ask what you did?" Miss Militia said her eyes somehow meeting Taylor's despite the magical darkness of her hood.

Sabah leant forward.

"I assume so you may add it to your reports for your superiors?" Sabah asked nonchalantly, but her dress rippled slightly with a non-existent breeze.

Miss Militia's bowie knife was now calmly resting in her hand, gripped just a little too tightly for it to seem like a relaxed state.

"So that I know if I still need to get medical help." The hero answered in the same tone as Sabah and Taylor looked between them, the situation suddenly very tense.

Aegis, who was sitting next to Sabah, sat straighter in his seat.

Taylor was tired, tired of fighting. Uber, Leet, Hookwolf, Cricket, Stormtiger, the dinner, Ultros appearing, The Undersiders robbing a bank, The Travellers and Gilgamesh. Was that not enough trouble… for one damn day?

"Parian, it was a harmless question, it's okay," Taylor said, her voice firm and confident, trying to convey to her friend the fact that she didn't mind .

Sabah turned her head towards her, looking like she wanted to argue, but then sagged and nodded, she turned away so she was facing the wire mesh window separating them from the driver.

"I'm just… being careful. You're never talking to just one person when you talk to the Protectorate, Key, there's always someone they report to." Sabah said softly, her demure look wilting away to a tired hunch.

Taylor nodded and leant forward, putting a hand on Sabah's knee, the fabric soft under her gloved touch as she gently squeezed.

"Let them, I won't stop being friendly because people have sucky bosses, it just isn't fair. Miss Militia kept you safe when I chased Genesis, she's not a bad person. Aegis helped keep Genesis busy, Mouse Protector saved me in the fire cage, Armsmaster even came to tell us in the first place. They've helped us in more ways than one, " Taylor reminded her.

Sabah sighed.

"Key, you turn the dagger anymore I'm going to die from the guilt." The doll masked girl said in a deadpan tone but put her own hand over Taylor's.

"Do what you want, I have your back no matter what. I'm just being paranoid." Sabah added.

Taylor could hear the smile in her voice, even if it was a weak one.

Miss Militia leant back as Taylor turned back to her.

"It was my power, it's supposed to pull ambient air and energy together to form the mass and materials you need and rebuild your injuries to peak condition. Well… That was the first level, I think I broke through to a new understanding of it, now it… does the same thing but better?" Taylor fumbled.

Miss Militia raised an eyebrow.

"Better than peak condition or simply does it faster?" Militia asked, sounding interested.

Taylor shifted forward, slightly eager to show off.

Most heroes got to explain their powers to a large audience in some form or another, Protectorate and Wards at press conferences, Villains to their gangs or team-mates. Taylor hadn't had that opportunity yet as Sabah hadn't learnt the specifics of what she could along with her.

"Both, I think it repairs old wounds and mends general wear and tear. So I think your leg might have lost a few years of damage but kept the muscle mass and conditioning, so it's not a regression or anything. At least that is what it felt like when I cast it on you and Aegis." Taylor explained and then nearly slapped herself.

"Cast? Like magic?" Aegis asked, sounding interested and perhaps a little amused.
Taylor felt her brain stall as she tried to think of something, Armsmaster accepted her word for it, on the basis it that it was super science or something along those lines.

Other people? There was a good chance she'd be smiled politely at by people who would start laughing as soon as her back was turned.

Sabah tensed and Taylor had a moment of realisation that made her pause, in between the bouts of panic.

So?

So what if they think she's a little silly for believing in magic?

She summoned demons, magic keys, and talked to her Dad on an astral level.

It was all real and even if no one else believed her. If no one else wanted to… then fine. She wasn't a hero, she did not have to worry about other people's comments. She was a Rogue, a businesswoman and all that mattered was the money she earned and the friends she made. So people talking about her, calling her names behind her back, laughing at her? That was the whole reason she went into costume in the first place, to escape from it all.

If she couldn't do that now, couldn't be confident with herself, then what was the point?

If the people closest to her already believed in her. And as long as Sabah accepted her? As long as dad was proud of her? Then no one else's opinion really mattered.

"Yeah, I'm not a traditional cape, the Espers, uh... Mog and Ifrit, they taught me magic." Taylor said, managing to keep her stuttering to a minimum as she said it.

Taylor stared hard at Aegis and Miss Militia, almost looking past them a where a larger truck followed behind them, Ifrit, Mouse Protector and the wards riding inside.

"Parian's dolls… taught you how to set things on fire?" Miss Militia said slowly, slight incredulous apparent in her eyes and her tone, her American scarf looked dull and grey from the dust that had stuck to it, shedding some of the drying grit as she talked.

Taylor nodded determinedly.

"How to freeze things as well, oh and how to shoot lightning, not the healing though I learned that one myself," Taylor explained.

Miss Militia digested this for a moment then nodded back.

"It's possible I guess. If the dolls are their own entity, it's possible they carry powers to pass on or skills to teach you… 'magic'. For the sake of the Director's health, I would suggest calling them Trump Toys. It would help keep her blood pressure down." The heroine said, sounding a little too calm.

Taylor squinted at her.

"I just told you magic is real and you're… fine with that?" Taylor asked suspiciously.

Across from Taylor, Aegis nodded, his helmet hiding his expression.

"I'll admit, I'm not sure if you're just keeping her happy or actually agreeing with her." The Ward added apologetically, Taylor wanted to know that well.

Miss Militia sighed, slouching slightly.

"In this town alone we have a cape who can grant pure invulnerability to any one person she desires. Another that can replace parts of this earth with another earth in another reality, a young girl who can smudge land masses together if there is no people standing on them. So she could theoretically pull the moon to the earth. A boy who can lock you in an inviolate temporal stasis, a girl who we've just seen produce a sun in her hands. So the idea that a bunch of stuffed dolls can teach you to throw about thermal energy and manipulate biomass is not really that high of list of insanity in Brockton Bay. In fact, I would say that it is pretty tame in the grand scheme of things." Miss Militia explained.

Taylor and Sabah stared at her.

Aegis nodded.

"Makes sense." Aegis agreed.

Taylor frowned.

"But magic is real." She pushed.

Miss Militia just nodded.

"Could be, if it is, then the PRT will most likely contact you to see if you'll agree to teach their workers if it is feasible." she replied.

"What about Ifrit and when we fused?" Taylor asked.

The patriotic hero looked amused at the slightly offended tone that Taylor used.

"From plush to 'real' is simply a matter of creating a shell of his desire and transporting his conscious or perhaps even building the shell around the doll, different shells, different powers.

Your fusion was estimated to be a mix of a shell and a forcefield overlay, giving you powers without changing your basic shape, it runs off energy as the PRT have observed, most likely by… 'eating' Sundancer's sun you drastically increased the duration of Ifrit's shell." Miss Militia answered calmly and thoroughly.

Taylor stared at her and so did Sabah.

"...I had a horn!" Taylor said when nothing else coming to mind.

Miss Militia agreed.

"It was a good horn. But it was mostly a shell of energy." Militia said with a crinkle to her eye.

Taylor once again felt like today would be the death of her as Miss Militia… wasn't wrong, just… not right.

Sabah tilted her head questioningly from her hunched position, slightly hard to see in the sparse lighting from the ceiling lamp.

"Do you have an explanation of Ifrit, Boco and… Mog's intelligence? They know far more than I or Keynote possibly could." Sabah asked.

There was a small pause before Miss Militia shook her head.

"Not yet, theories mostly, AI's, another cape speaking through them, Case 53's, but the general agreement is that they might be a collective from another dimension, slipping into ours as more and more capes appear. Perhaps one cape's powers tore a hole somewhere and these beings slipped in? But we honestly don't know." Miss Militia told them, the bowie knife back and now spinning around in one hand. Miss Militia's version of fidgeting Taylor imagined.

Sabah crossed her arms as the van took made a sharp turn.

"Why? Why tell us? Surely this is all highly confidential?" Sabah asked sharply, her suspicious words simply bouncing off Miss Militia , who looked relaxed.

Taylor had to admit she had also wondered about that.

"Trust, pure and simple. The Director might make it sound different, but it all comes down to the fact that you are simply too powerful for us not to, at the very least, try and build a good working relationship with. Hence why Armsmaster has protected your identity from the rest of the PRT, or why you were allowed to participate in the operation just now. We, that is to say, the Protectorate and the PRT, would rather you want to help us and work with us, rather than say Faultline or the Adepts in New York. Not necessarily criminals as far as we can prove, but of questionable morals at the very least." Miss Militia added.

Sabah looked at her, her body language in the dark gloom looking shocked at the admission and Taylor felt her jaw click closed after a second.

The PRT, the heroes, were afraid of her?

Yes, they… they were afraid. Afraid of what she could do, if she ever went rotten.

Thinking back, of what she did to Lung, Hookwolf, and at the bank...

She couldn't blame them, and didn't that sound arrogant?

She didn't think about it, hadn't thought about it, about where she ranked in the system of threats. How scary she could look to those who were suppose to fight her if she ever hurt someone, broke the law and so forth.

For the Wards… Vista's space warping? She could cancel it. Clockblocker's time locking? She could undo it. Aegis' adaptation? She could fry his entire nervous system. Kid Win's tinker-toys? They would do no better than Aegis. And Shadow Stalker had already been brought down by her Keyblade, the Wards shadow state no hindrance to her strikes.

The Protectorate, however? Tricky, she had never seen them go all out. The threat of collateral damage being too high.

Armsmaster in a straight fight maybe, he had all sorts of gadgets, but he was only human and she was… not. Miss Militia could have any weapon she wanted, and if the heroine escalated enough she would lose. Battery could overpower her or could Taylor dispel her energy and render her powerless? Assault, the unforgiven, could be a problem, but he was primarily a melee combatant and she had a sword. There was also Dauntless, would her Keyblade struggle, or could she deplete his weapons or simply power through his lightning? Redirect it like Gilgamesh had? Velocity wouldn't be able to hit her for while moving fast, but the same held true for her. More time magic maybe?

No, no time magic for now, she needed practise before trying that again, damn flies.

All these scenarios swirled around in her head then another thought popped into the forefront.

Taylor wasn't done, her powers were still growing, reaching new heights every day and that was without adding the Espers into the equation.

Taking a deep breath, Taylor tried to imagine fighting herself and...

Holy shit.

An evil her could… would destroy cities if she put everything into it. Freeze water ways and burst pipes destroying roads and infrastructure, overload the power grid, start fires that couldn't be put out, and be nearly invincible healing away any damage she took. Worse, one charged attack from a fully powered Ifrit would reduce everything to…

To ash.

Sabah's hand appeared on her knee, a mirror image of earlier.

"You're a hero. You always have been. The government are idiots if they think you're ever going to hurt someone. You risked your life for dogs against Hookwolf. You, Keynote, are the most softhearted hero I've ever met." Sabah said, her voice confident and… full of pride.

Taylor smiled, her cheeks turning red.

Aegis cleared his throat.

"She's right, you are really scary to be brutally honest. But from the few times we've talked, I get the feeling you're not a bad person, quite the opposite actually." Aegis stated with a small smile.

Taylor nodded at him.

"Thank you, I just try to live up what I thought a hero was. I guess my powers just became normal for me. I didn't see myself as… as a threat. I'm just… me." Taylor admitted.

Miss Militia smiled at her.

"It takes a lot of courage to look at yourself objectively and not look away in shame or fear. My powers can leave behind holes where cities used to be." Miss Militia told her while looking at her intently.

Aegis looked at her with a snap of his head, this was news to him as well.

"My powers allow me to create any modern weapons, weapons being restricted to anything created with the intent to hurt, which includes nuclear weapons. There was a very real chance I could have had a very different childhood, made one wrong choice and decided that the world was better off as a smoking crater. I… It took a long time for me to come to grips with that possibility, knowing that my powers could never be used to save a life, be a shield, find lost loved ones, heal, or even be wondrous." Miss Militia paused, staring at her… no, though her. Miss Militia wasn't looking at the here and now as she continued speaking, she was somewhere in the past.

"My powers are instruments of pain and death, that is their intent, and so, in essence, I am a weapon, I am every weapon. I am pain and suffering, death and destruction. I am both the gun and the shooter. But... I choose not to be." The heroine paused as if to make sure she had everyone's attention.

"I'm not saying this to find comfort, I've long since come to terms with this and moved on in the best way I can. I'm telling you because some of your powers are like that as well, powers that could destroy, powers that are meant to destroy. But It doesn't mean you have to see yourself that way, I'm a hero, I protect people because it's the right thing to do, regardless of my powers intent. It's not our power that defines us, but our choices and our actions. Good is not something you are, it is a thing you do." Miss Militia added as the van pulled to a stop.

Aegis opened the doors, looking slightly stiff as he moved, Miss Militia's words seeming to have had an effect on him.

Taylor slid along the bench before setting her feet down on the tarmac, the large van now Parked on the far side of the employee parking lot of the PRT building, a tall obelisk of steel and glass.

Taylor held her hand out for Sabah who took it with a nod and used it to help herself down to the ground as the truck pulled up beside them. As the back opened up, Ifrit stepped out and stretched, he had shrunk, Taylor noticed, to a mere six something feet, plus the horn.

He stomped over to Taylor and men poured from the building, black kevlar, chainmail and full-face helmets. The troopers didn't raise their guns, but they stood at the ready.

Miss Militia walked over to the nearest soldier and talked to him as Sabah stepped closer to Taylor.

"All those guns make me nervous," Sabah admitted quietly.

Ifrit leant down, his leather kilt making creaking noises as he did so.

"So what's happening? This director gonna fight us or speak to us? Cause so far this just looks like a dick measuring contest." Ifrit rumbled, his voice carrying, making Miss Militia looked back, her eyes wide.

Taylor turned and looking past Ifrit and for a second saw Mouse Protector, Vista, Clockblocker, Kid Win and someone in a blue outfit who had to be Browbeat pour out of the truck as well.

"Wasn't it cramped in there?" Taylor asked instead of answering.

Ifrit shrugged.

"I shrunk. The time mage seemed amused. The blue carbuncle impressionist was very jealous of my physique, it was cute." Ifrit grinned.

Taylor rolled her eye.

"His name is Browbeat, the time mage is Clockblocker." Taylor reminded him and Ifrit choked and then burst out laughing.

He turned and pointed at Clockblocker.

"Time mage! Your name, I find it very amusing!" Ifrit yelled.

Clockblocker paused and looked back from where he was making his way inside the building. Seeing Ifrit pointing at him, the Ward bowed.

"I aim to please." Clockblocker drawled and started walking towards them instead of heading inside.

"Hey Key, I heard you kicked ass in the bank. Your friend here is pretty… hot stuff." Clockblocker said with what Taylor was sure was an eyebrow waggle, despite the full face mask.

Ifrit chortled some more.

Taylor wondered if she could murder him quickly and stash his body under the truck before anyone noticed.

Not likely, but she could dream damn it.

"Clock, don't encourage him, he's as bad as you already," Vista said, sounding like her ride to the PRT had been far less filled with wisdom and more likely filled with puns, bad jokes and a buildup of inner fury.

Barely a minute and Taylor was already feeling twitchy and Vista must have suffered far more.

"Huzzah Womba's and Wards, I, the great and wonderful Mouse Protector have safely exited the vehicle." Mouse Protector said calmly as she joined the group.

Clockblocker turned back to Taylor.

"What's a womba and how do I apply?" The clock themed Ward asked seriously, leaning towards Taylor in a mildly conspiratorial fashion.

Taylor shrugged.

"Hang around Mouse and wait. I literally have no clue beyond that." Taylor answered exasperatedly.

Clockblocker nodded.

"Secret clubs forming, breaking up dog fights, courtroom shenanigans, and missing the best part of the bank job, seriously? I'm missing everything…" Clockblocker trailed off and then tilted his head to look at her.

"Did you really eat Sundancer's boot while screaming that you weren't Satan?" The Ward asked, waiting with baited breath for her answer. Even Vista looked interested.

Taylor's face went blank, the memory pushing its way into her mind without her consent.

"I deny everything." She said quickly.

Ifrit, the traitor that he was, nodded though.

"She did," Ifrit told them seriously, giving Taylor a thumbs up.

Clockblocker's shoulders shook with silent laughter while Vista made a face at Ifrit's words.

Maybe thinking about eating a boot would make your face sour.

"How did it taste?" Clockblocker said, his voice filled with mirth.

Taylor refused to answer, but Ifrit did it for her anyway.

"Like rubber, if you must know, her sun was much better, Key ate it in one gulp. It wasn't an actual star, which is kind of sad, it would have been pretty metal to eat a star." Ifrit explained wistfully.

The Wards stopped laughing and stared at her.

Taylor needed to cut Ifrit's internet access if he was picking up terms like 'metal'.

Browbeat spoke first, his hulking form had inhumanly large in muscles and the blue spandex hid nothing, while there was a blue crystal on his forehead, because it was superhero logic apparently.

"You… ate a sun?" Browbeat asked, his voice not as gruff as she had expected.

Taylor cleared her throat self-consciously.

"Just a small one!" Taylor defended herself.

Beside her, Ifrit nodded.

"We shall aim higher next time." The demon-man agreed.

Taylor groaned. She looked up at him and glared.

"I'm not eating suns to keep you entertained. It's not like you need more entertaining, just go watch your shows, I'm sure somewhere around here there's a tv." Taylor snapped.

Ifrit shook his large horned head.

"No way, this is far more entertaining. Anyway, Rose is finished, next season isn't for another two months, it's just re-runs 'til then." Ifrit said, somewhat sadly.

Vista's head snapped to him.

"You watch Rose of May?" Vista asked her voice radiating surprise.

Ifrit clenched his fist.

"The tale of such a lady warrior, a finer story could not inspire me more." The musclebound demon said with passion.

Vista took a step closer.

"I… uh… have the box set. You can borrow them if you want, they have deleted scenes and stuff." The green Ward offered, looking shell shocked at the thought of the massive demon… liking her apparently favourite show.

Ifrit bowed low and spoke seriously.

"My deepest thanks lady Vista, I would owe you a boon." Ifrit said seriously.

Taylor jolted for a moment before darting between the pair, desperately waving her arms.

Clockblocker stared at her.

She was afraid that this 'boon' was a literal contract thing. Espers were becoming a minefield. The image of a tiny Ifrit themed Vista throwing goons and thugs about was a real threat after seeing Gilgamesh and her Dad.

"Just say thanks." Taylor hissed at him.

Ifrit rolled his eyes.

"We're already bonded, you and I , what's the worst that could happen?" The demon demanded.

Taylor stiffly pointed at Mouse Protector, who was making laser noises as she slowly swung her new glowing red sword through air, fighting an invisible foe.

Ifrit scratched his chin with a black-clawed finger.

"Oh. Yeah." Ifrit muttered.

Meanwhile Clockblocker had walked over to Mouse.

"Where did you get that?" The white Ward asked, looking far too interested for Taylor's liking.

Mouse Protector stopped swinging her sword around to look at Clockblocker.

"I have been granted this lightsaber by the one known as Ifrit. It's awesome!" Mouse added, grinning at the Ward.

Clockblocker nodded in agreement.

"What does it do, besides cut people?" Clockblocker asked.

Mouse Protector turned and slashed into the air.

To Taylor's horror, the sword moved through the air, leaving behind lines of fire.

Mouse Protector cut 'MP' into the air, the two letters ablaze as they hung there for a few seconds before fading away.

Clockblocker stared with awe as the final few embers faded away

"I want one." Clockblocker said simply.

Mouse nodded.

"I got the sweetest loot in the fight." Mouse Protector agreed. Vista eyed the glowing weapon.

"Piggot is going to explode." she said simply.

Taylor pulled her eyes away and glared at Ifrit.

"What does that thing actually do? Come on, I know that can't be it." Taylor pushed.

Ifrit used one of his claws to idly pick his teeth,

"It's just hellfire crystallised. Nothing big, it will burn… almost anything after awhile, anything non-magical anyway." The muscled demon replied innocently.

Taylor swallowed hard.

"Anything?" She repeated harshly.

Ifrit grinned, as Miss Militia approached.

"Eh, it feeds on rage. Giving it to the hammy one is the safest thing I could have done." Ifrit defended himself.

Taylor sighed, wondering if she would wake up tomorrow and see Brockton Bay burning with marshmallows over every fire.

Miss Militia looked between the pair, decided she didn't want to know, and carried on.

"The Director is ready to see us… Mouse? Stop drawing genitals in the air please, there are Wards watching...and the security force...and most likely Piggot from a camera." Miss Militia said with a sigh.

Vista covered her eyes in shame and Aegis turned away.

Clockblocker was of course offering tips and critique.

Ifrit guffawed and Taylor couldn't help but smile a little.

This was… sort of nice, being able to laugh, even when things should be serious.

"Mouse, I swear to God, if you start writing swear words, I will strangle you." The army cape warned and stalked towards the caped cape.

Sabah just put her face in her hands and mumbled something as Ifrit started to offer suggestions as well.

Taylor felt a sense of kinship with Miss Militia.

She just didn't know why exactly.

-
Entering a second lobby like area, Taylor shot a look back down the corridor to the entrance lobby with it's ceiling mounted rotating foam turrets, which were still tracking them as they waited for the lift. Miss Militia had explained that the turrets automatically turned on if a yellow or higher alert was declared, such as had been declared and not rescinded ever since Paige's kidnapping at lunchtime.

Perhaps a six foot tall horned demon and an close enough to that Keyblader would cause a few alarms to go off.

Shooting a brief look around the spartan room Taylor noted that the room only contained a few chairs and a coffee table with some old magazines strewn across it and a solitary potted plant skulking in one corner. The room was apparently a waiting room for the elevators, separated from the main lobby, likely as a security measure in case they were attacked. Or, as Taylor was now realizing, to prevent an easy escape if you'd willingly walked in.

There was a ding as the elevator, a large round one, unlocked, metal doors gliding backwards near soundlessly. Taylor whistled lowly, impressed. It looked like something out of Dune or another of the sci-fi stories she'd read, even if she preferred fantasy.

As the doors to the industrial sized elevator began to close, Taylor smirked at the glowering face of Ifrit, who has been asked to take the stairs due to issues with his horn.

The image of Ifrit huffing up four or five flights of stairs on hooves made her feel happy in a vindictive sort of way.

'Laugh it up. Just remember that I'll be there when you meet this leader, this Pig Got. Tell me, how many hogs has the woman caught to be called such?' Ifrit asked in her mind.

Taylor tried to suppress a snort of laughter, as the elevator started its calm jingle and began moving upwards.

Ifrit's voice had a hint of movement to it as he began his climb up the stairs with Mouse Protector guiding him along and a very large squad of security personnel following him.

Thankfully the box was big enough to fit her, Sabah, Miss Militia, and the Wards.

"We normally go down for our room, but there's a second lift near the Director's office. I guess we're going that way." Aegis mused.

Taylor was surprised until Clockblocker bragged it was the Wards access lift, made to accommodate the entire team in emergencies before returning her attention to Ifrit's question.

'Piggot, one word. It's just her name I think and behave, this meeting is important. This woman has a lot of power and I'd rather not make enemies where I don't need to.' Taylor, thought back, blinking as she came back to a conversation in progress in the elevator.

"-talking to Ifrit, they have a mental bond." Sabah offered, sounding unsure about if she should be saying anything to Clockblocker about it, her instinctual distrust of a controlling system seeming to nag at her.

Clockblocker seemed to do a double take.

"She has telepathy?" The white Ward asked, sounding both interested and impressed.

Taylor turned to face them.

"Only with Ifrit, so don't panic, Ifrit is sorta made up of energy, so I'm not sure it's true mind speak or not." Taylor assured him.

Vista smiled.

"Good, I was worried you might look inside of Clock's head and get lost in that vast empty space." Vista added without batting an eye.

Clockblocker put a hand to his heart.

"Ouch, just… ouch." The time Ward said in a wounded tone.

Ifrit's voice sounded in her head before she could say anything else.

'It will do you no good if this woman wants to be your enemy. This is her castle, so to speak, and by coming here, your respective powers will clash. It is unavoidable. All warriors test each other, in combat or in words. Do not let her title of 'hero handler' sway you, look with clear eyes and remember, she is the hand that holds the golden leash, not the leash itself. ' Ifrit warned and his voice faded from Taylor's mind.

Taylor sometimes wished Ifrit would stay a simple demon with simple pleasures. His sudden bouts of wisdom made her wary, it was so easy to forget that he was ancient beyond measure.

Still, he had a point. The Director was a human at the end of the day, appointed by other humans.

"Be honest with me, please, what is Director Piggot like?" Taylor asked the heroes in the elevator with her and Sabah, knowing very well that Piggot could be listening in.

But if the heroes didn't answer or were evasive, then… wasn't that an answer in itself?

Clockblocker hummed before answering.

"She's hard, doesn't let us get away with most things, but she doesn't go the extra mile to make us suffer." Clockblocker told her bluntly.

Vista hesitated a moment before nodding.

"Rules and responsibilities are a big thing with her, anytime we take risks in the field or mess about, she comes down us to remind everyone that in the end of the day, there are consequences to every action. It's not a punishment or anything, but she makes us look at ourselves in difficult ways. She's honest, her agenda's aren't hard to see and that's on purpose." Vista stated, her words coming out like a careful report.

Browbeat shrugged.

"I dunno her yet, only joined a few days ago." The blue Ward added, his body slowly returning to a more realistic looking physique.

Aegis spoke next.

"She isn't your friend, but she is someone who takes her work seriously." The rust red Ward concluded.

Taylor nodded then looked at Kid Win.

The Tinker frowned.

"She doesn't let me test out many of the things I make, well, not the flashy stuff anyway." Kid Win corrected himself.

Taylor blinked, scrounging up what she knew about Tinkers, they all kinda had a theme right?

"So what stuff do you build? Equipment? Handheld stuff?" Taylor asked, genuinely interested, as the elevator reached the top floor.

Silently the doors slid open and Miss Militia stepped out first and held up a hand.

Bulky black figures in imposing armor lined the wide hallway. Their faces were obscured behind reflective full-face visors and each was armed with an assault rifle or one of the flamethrower like containment foam launchers .

More nervous people with guns that were scared of Keynote, she'd had enough fighting for a week, let alone one day.

"We'll wait on the others." Miss Militia told them as the rest of the group edged out of the elevator behind the Protectorate cape to wait in the hallway.

Kid Win hadn't answered yet, but when Taylor looked back at him he was staring down at the boring brown classroom like carpet, that travelled down the hallway.

"Dunno, haven't pinned it down yet." Kid said with a shrug, that managed to convey a more negative tone than just mere indifference before he continued.

"I thought maybe if I saw your Keyblade, since it did so many things, it would help, you know? But I didn't really get anything from it, just ideas that don't form properly, half done at best." The gold and red Ward told her.

In a flash of light Taylor idly summoned the weapon in question to examine it.

Suddenly the security forces were no longer standing still, instead bursting into motion and bringing their guns to bear, every weapon brought up the same time, as Taylor practically felt a dozen laser dots bloom on her chest.

Taylor stared at them, her hand trembling as she struggled not to act. In her mind, she was already casting her new shield spell over her and Sabah, wondering how many troopers she could take down with a single strike raid or if her new move, that she decided to name Sonic Blade due to the vibrations it sent through her body, would be better.

The fear of being shot still pumped through her veins, but it was drowned out by the thundering blood in her ears, the feeling of glee slowly curling in her stomach.

That worried her, maybe Ifrit was rubbing off on her more than she wanted to admit.

As the tension soared, and Taylor felt her magic stir, a spell coming to her lips…

Miss Militia stepped in front of her, the heroine placing her own body in the way.

"Stand down, you were all warned about the activation method of weapon-K." Miss Militia said loudly and authoritatively.

Immediately all the figures abruptly pointed their guns down to the floor and engaged their safeties with a round of clicks.

Miss Militia sighed and looked back at Taylor.

"Apologies, everyone is wound up with the all the mess that's happened today, we're all on edge and the Director has been pushing everyone hard to beef up our security." Militia told her.

Taylor breathed out slowly, her magic settling along with the pounding of her heart. If Miss Militia had waited just a few more seconds...

"I should have given warning, sorry about that." Taylor said reluctantly, aiming her words at the soldiers, very few nodded back. She still felt wary of them and on edge from their sudden threat and implied violence.

They had been going to attack her or her them...

The steady crack of hooves on concrete approaching distracted her, coming from the stairwell along with voice getting louder.

"-I dunno big guy, burning my initials into the Director's desk would be a quick way to earn surveillance duty and my lord is that boring." Mouse Protector said and someone grunted loudly in response.

Then the doorway next to elevators opened to reveal Ifrit, his head turned sideways so his sweeping horn could get through. When he emerged, Taylor tried not let her mouth fall open as she saw that the demon was carrying Mouse Protector.

Bridal style.

And Ifrit wasn't even sweating carrying her weight.

Seeing them standing there, Mouse gave a jolly wave, her sword held in her other hand.

Taylor had to fight really hard to suppress the urge to groan, facepalm, or both. Thankfully, the pair had broken the lingering tension the troopers had created.

Then Mouse apparently decided they all looked way too stuffy.

"Mouse Protector has arrived." The woman herself cheerfully proclaimed by way of greeting.

Miss Militia just stared at her.

"Mouse, get down before the Director sees you." The military cape told the mouse themed one, who promptly leapt from Ifrit's arms.

Landing on her feet in a way that looked more like a cat than a mouse, Mouse Protector grinned at the gun toting hero.

"Gotta tell ya Missy, those arms are fine." Mouse said with a voice that sounded like an eyebrow waggle.

Ifrit snorted with pride, flexing slightly and the all the soldiers held their guns a little bit tighter but managed to remain disciplined and not bring them up this time.

Aegis moved back a little as Ifrit's huge arms nearly knocked him over.

Vista stared, her mouth open at Mouse's antics.

Clockblocker grinned.

"I do believe I have won our bet, so as the reward states, I get to name the sword." Ifrit said with obvious pleasure.

Mouse knelt on the floor and held the sword up with two hands.

"The honor is yours dear Ifrit, name it well," Mouse Protector said seriously.

Miss Militia's eye twitched.

"Five floors, it was only five floors." Miss Militia whispered to herself.

Ifrit rubbed his chin, thinking.

"Ifrit's Fang, so it shall be." The demon-man declared dramatically.

Mouse stood and posed with the both hands on the sword, pointing it to the ceiling.

"Huzzah!" Mouse Protector cried and the point glowed.

Quickly Ifrit put a single finger over the point and the glow vanished.

"Maybe don't point it at anything for a day… maybe two, until the magic settles." Ifrit suggested.

Mouse nodded and hugged the sword.

"It's really warm." The heroine commented.

Ifrit nodded and patted her shoulder.

"It will serve you well, just remember to kick Gilgamesh's ass for me." Ifrit grinned.

Taylor narrowed her eyes. She knew he had some motive for this.

Surprisingly, she wouldn't be against Mouse catching her Dad. She would do her best to fight fairly, as best she could, and without blaming him for Gilgamesh's antics.

"Mouse, let's go." Miss Militia said in an odd tone and Mouse Protector sighed and stood straight.

The sword was held formally in one hand and her posture switched to a more neutral stance.

"Let's get this over with." Mouse agreed with a sigh.

Taylor was startled at the sudden business like attitude from the normally hammy hero.

"Miss Militia , did you… just… flip her switch?" Clockblocker asked, his tone incredulous.

Miss Militia nodded.

"Something like that." The older woman agreed and began to walk forward.

Taylor followed them down the hall, still wary of the soldiers who were lining it, feeling Sabah draw up behind her, almost shivering. The hallway soon split in two directions, a T junction placed seemingly at random inside the building.

Miss Militia looked over her shoulder at the group following her.

"Aegis take the Wards to your headquarters, the Director will be seeing you all soon." The gun cape told the rust red Ward, who nodded.

The Wards trudged off down the hall, Vista looking back once, before they turned a corner inside the almost maze like interior of the PRT headquarters. Maybe it really was a maze

"This way please." Miss Militia said, leading Taylor and Sabah, followed by Mouse Protector and Ifrit down the other hallway. This corridor ended in another T-junction with a door in the middle of the connecting hallways.

'E. Piggot, Director of the East-North-East Parahuman Response Team' was stamped on a tiny black strip clipped to the door.

Standing before it, the door looked a lot… bigger than it actually was.

Miss Militia nodded to Taylor and Sabah, before turning the handle and pushing the door open.

The room wasn't exactly spartan, but it was more efficiently furnitured and less decorated than one would guess for someone who was supposed to lead the defenders of the city.

As she stepped inside Taylor was surprised to find no overflowing paperwork or filing cabinets fit to burst like in her dad's office. There were no large screens, no cork board with pictures of capes and notes plastered across them, no map of the city. There wasn't even a trophy case filled with various nick-nacks from defeated villains. All there was, was a large dark wooden desk. The only thing that made this office any different was the window, which took up the entire back wall giving an unspoilt view of downtown and the bay beyond, the Protectorate base visible slightly off to the right.

In fact, the only real personal touch that prevented the room from being completely spartan was a calendar hanging on the side wall, it had pictures of different tropical places, one for the current date and yesterday's that was flipped to the back.

It didn't match Piggot, in fact, the room looked sterile. As if it was constructed and only had the paint dried a few hours eariler.

Taylor knew that she should be looking with 'clear eyes' but it was oddly disappointing really.

Shifting her focus from the room itself, Taylor looked at the person she and Sabah had come to see.

The woman, Piggot, was sitting behind her desk, the chair turned almost right around so that she was looking out the window.

She turned briskly at their entrance and Taylor looked the woman over.

The first impression she had of the Director, was that the woman reminded Taylor of a bulldog; compact, angry looking, and a bit overweight from what she could see.

Taylor wiped that thought away and tried to look closer at the woman.

Blonde hair, dyed. Not a bad job, but roots were just showing through. Her skin was pale and the makeup failed to hide the bags under her eyes. The woman looked unwell at Taylor's guess, but maybe it was just how stressful the day had been. Still, the Director was clearly prim and proper; her dress suit was well fitted and immaculate, clear of any filth, so there wasn't a bag of cheetos hidden in her desk or anywhere nearby.

Or maybe the woman was a neat freak and just left no evidence?

Her desk suited her, curved, but solid. On the desk itself there was a computer that looked slightly on the small side, but was angled just so that Taylor could see a document open, but not the words. Her lamp was a mundane looking but flexible one. Across the desk was a stack of reports and a filing tray with more reports in the inbox… Not surprising really, given that it was Tuesday.

Armsmaster stood to the side, his polished blue armor at odds with the surrounding colour scheme of browns and greys.

Piggot looked at them and her eyes dug deep. Taylor tried not to react to Piggot's stare. But it was hard.

It reminded her of Blackwell. Which was never good in Taylor's mind.

Piggot gave them all a tight, humorless smile.

"Welcome, Keynote and Parian, I appreciate you taking time to see me on such short notice." Piggot opened with.

Ifrit coughed disparagingly.

Piggot paused and eyed him.

"Esper… Ifrit, am I correct?" The blonde woman said slowly.

Taylor tried not to fidget as Ifrit nodded in confirmation. To hear anyone from Earth talk to Ifrit like that was… unsettling.

Sabah walked forward and took a seat without waiting for an invitation.

"Please excuse me, today has been very long one." Sabah said to Piggot who nodded.

Piggot glanced at her desk and the stack of reports there, then back up.

"I noticed. Please make yourselves comfortable, would you like some water? It's the only thing I have available right now." Piggot offered, gesturing at the seats Sabah had already claimed one of.

Taylor hesitated for a moment before sitting next to Sabah, dragging her seat a little closer for comfort.

Ifrit eyed the little chairs and snorted, then sat on the floor, hooves crossed in a sort of Lotus position and made 'carry on' motion at Piggot.

Sabah glanced at Taylor who minutely shook her head.

"We're fine." Sabah answered for them as Taylor waited, to see what would happen next.

Piggot clicked something on her computer and then leaned forward,her body slightly sinking inwards to let her do so.

"My name is Emily Piggot, Director of the PRT here in Brockton Bay. I have asked for your presence here tonight to discuss how we, the PRT and you, the Dollhouse Crew, will act towards each other. This is necessary as it has become very clear that you, Keynote, seem to throw yourself into any sort of trouble that comes across your path." Piggot said, her tone prickly.

Taylor bristled. The accusatory tone, the stance suggesting that she was already in the wrong… If Piggot had reminded her of Blackwell before, then she was now certain that the woman was starting to look like she was cut from the same cloth. She took a deep breath through her nose though and slowly let it out, she'd just have to keep her cool. She had to, for Sabah.

Every action she took now reperesented Sabah, Ingrid and the Dollhouse. Taylor held them more closer to her heart than giving Piggot a reaction.

So focusing on something Piggot had said instead of the woman, Taylor shrugged, feigning nonchalance and looked at Sabah who also shrugged.

"Dollhouse Crew?" Taylor asked uncertainly as she turned back.

Piggot paused and her eyes flicked to the computer screen for a brief second.

"I was working with the assumption that was your chosen name for your team of Rogues. Was I wrong?" Piggot asked interestedly.

Sabah spoke before Taylor had a chance to digest Piggot's words.

"No, we just didn't know it was public." Sabah said and Taylor fought very hard not to snap her head around to stare at Sabah in surprise as her friend continued speaking. She hadn't known that.

"As for 'throwing herself into any sort of trouble that comes across her path', Keynote wants to make sure that we, the Dollhouse Crew, do not stand idly by while people are hurt right in front of us. We are of course, first and foremost a business and our primary goal is to make money by legal means. But we are still human, with deep empathy for other humans. We would prefer not to have to involve ourselves, to be forced to fight. But if the alternative is to simply walk past when we see a crime being committed, a person's life threatened, or worse, it is not something we can morally do." Sabah said, her words hesitant at first, but she calmed quickly and her words became stronger, more confident. Sabah dipped her head when she finished.

Taylor tried to follow Sabah's thought process, but she was missing several important pieces of the puzzle. Still, she felt she got the gist of it, if not the finer details.

They wouldn't go out of their way to find trouble, but neither would they stand idly by when they did find it. Taylor just hoped that it would stop finding her all the time.

Piggot frowned at them.

"That was what we had gathered from our observations of your group. It was noted that you were generally pacifistic before, may I ask what changed?" Piggot asked as she leaned back.

Taylor narrowed her eye, still not liking the woman's tone but she let some of the tenseness out of her shoulders, the woman seemed to be more reasonable than Blackwell if just as abrasive, but then again, Blackwell wasn't aware of Taylor could do now. Piggot was angling for some power play by casually knowing Ifrit's title and name, then taking the reigns of the conversation right off the bat.

Sabah shrugged, pausing to look up for a moment as she found the right words.

"I used to survive by being seen as too weak to bother with, protected myself with my own weakness. But now I don't have to, Keynote can protect me, so I guess I'm not afraid anymore. That's why I help people now, because I'm no longer afraid." Sabah paused again, glancing at Taylor who smiled back. Sabah took a deep breath before plowing on.

"Key though? She was helping people from the outset, that's what she wanted to do with her powers. When I met her, she was stopping a mugging in a little back alley and when she got into trouble, I had the chance to save her. I did so and I will always do so. I do not like fighting, I do not like violence, but I will not stand by while people try to hurt her. I do not seek trouble, but I won't sit idle anymore either. Keynote is very determined to do what's right, she's a hero, not a Protectorate one, but a hero nonetheless. It's inspiring." Sabah replied smoothly.

Taylor could practically hear her friends grin as she spoke. The confidence and faith Sabah placed in her… that she made Sabah feel safe? Taylor felt a traitorous blush creeping across her cheeks despite the situation.

Praise was still a very weird concept to her cape persona.

Piggot nodded thoughtfully.

"I can see that, Lung, Hookwolf, and the bank tonight. You do not aim low, do you?" Piggot shot the question at Taylor who thought about it.

She tilted her head then nodded decisively.

"It's like Parian said. When I was starting out I admit, I did go looking for trouble. I wanted… I wanted to be a hero, to do something worthwhile with my powers. But then I met Parian and I found there are more worthwhile things than fighting, things I would rather do, rather be." Taylor paused and shot Sabah a look that she returned with an encouraging nod.

"So… I don't look for trouble anymore, I don't go out at night and wander in the docks. But I can't just sit back and ignore what's happening right in front of me. Now that I'm a parahuman I have the power to do something and I will. I won't just stand aside, because if I did, I would be no better than the people who stood idly by while I suffered. I'm better than that, better than them. I won't watch others suffer because it's easier than helping." Taylor admitted quietly.

Piggot's face had gone blank.

"So, you think since you have powers, you are entitled to do as you wish? That you are better than other people?" Piggot asked softly, dangerously.

The accusation caught Taylor off guard. She sat up straighter, hands clenching into fists on her knees as she chastised herself for letting her guard down. Just because Armsmaster was here and had been reasonable with her, even if he was busy right now examining Mouse's sword, that didn't mean Piggot would be. She represented an authority… No, an institution. Like Winslow who wouldn't help her and just left her to the mercy of her bullies, like the police who just shrugged and said 'not enough evidence', and now the PRT who seemed to have decided she was a problem before hearing her side of things. That was always the way, wasn't it? It was always her word against someone else's and she was never taken seriously, never believed, just brushed aside by everyone

Everyone except, her Dad, the Espers, Sabah and then Ingrid.

Had Piggot pulled them here to play the blame game?

Well to hell with that. Taylor's mind race to find the approaite words that wouldn't get her in trouble and still give the impact she wanted, but it was hard.

As Taylor opened her mouth to issue an angry retort she felt a hand come to rest on her clenched and shaking fist. Looking to the side, Taylor saw Sabah shake her head forestalling her outburst.

As Sabah took a deep breath of her own to reply in a more civil , if somewhat annoyed fashion… Ifrit snorted loudly, stealing her thunder and drawing all eyes to the demon.

"Ah the path of morality, I was wondering how this would proceed. Let us kindly skip a few hours here and save Keynote years of angst and just point out that yes, having powers and abilities that separate her from her kinfolk means that she has to make choices that others do not, choices that will have to be made by her. She chose to help, she chose to do good, she chose to rise above the torment she suffered, she chose to be a hero. Will you be punishing her for that today? Should she have chosen differently, as Lung did?" Ifrit rumbled and then spat, his saliva making the pale grey carpet sizzle and smoke.

Taylor saw Armsmaster fiddle with his helmet, having handed the magical sword back to Mouse Protector… whose expression was sour as she leant against the wall, her lips thin, as she pressed herself into the corner.

She wondered why Armsmaster was fiddling with his helmet though… was he recording this?

Piggot's eyes narrowed at Ifrit.

"Her help involved collateral damage so great, that she has officially bumped Glory Girl off my auto-fill when I do damage reports. Perhaps you haven't been back to the street where you fought Lung and drove him off the scales of power we have recorded for him so far? Power not seen from him since he fought Leviathan alone. The street is a molten, cracked, hellhole. Most of that was your doing, if I remember correctly, Esper Ifrit." Piggot said, heat in her voice as she narrowed her eyes at the demon.

Taylor face felt like grantie, but inside she did feel a little guilt for the street. If she acted faster, was stronger, better at maggic...and so much more. Taylor was only human, there was only so much she could do with a dragon breathing down her neck.

Ifrit didn't look impressed, his lip curling into a snide smile.

"You would rather treat the symptoms then perform the painful operation to remove the cause I see. Lung is imprisoned, there will be no more molten streets, no more dragons that haunt your paperwork, no more monsters hiding with a human face." Ifrit snorted, his face shifting to a condescending look.

"Keynote and this Canary did what you would not and in one night alone at that. Buildings can be rebuilt, but not while the fire is still going, you need to cut out the heart of your disease first. Hmm.

Tell you what, Director, I shall rebuild the entire street, by hand alone, greater than it was. I shall do this free of charge, starting tomorrow, if you let Lung out. Surely you will do so if you feel the cost of bricks, mortar and metal is of greater importance than people's safety, who am i to disagree with you?" Ifrit finished with a cruel smile.

Piggot's expression turned glacial and it was her turn to snort.

"Tempting, but I shall decline. What of the people who had lost their homes? Will you tell them that everything is as it should be. I don't think it will have the same effect." The Director fired back.

Taylor gritted her teeth, her compsure breaking. This woman was talking like she hadn't lost her home and Sabah hadn't had her flat destroyed? Like Taylor hadn't tried to stop that. If she hadn't fought Lung, he would have chased the Undersiders even longer, ramping up and moving through the city, she had kept him contained to one spot!

It took a lot of damage, but Taylor had to wonder if it was better to have one really bad burn or lots of potential dangerous burns across the city?

It was something she still thought about.

Only Sabah's hand still resting on hers kept Taylor from speaking out, despite the tremors she could now feel shaking her friend.

Sabah spoke up loudly.

"We are those people, my home, our home, was destroyed. Years worth of work, projects, keepsakes, and memories, gone. I lost nearly everything but the clothes on my back and my friends. And yet despite that, I feel a lot better knowing that Lung is locked up, never to walk the streets again." Sabah said frostily.

Piggot looked at Sabah calculatingly.

"Of course, but you have someone to fall back on, friends you could stay with. I had to put a family with a child in a broom closet of a room, because the number of people needing emergency shelter doubled in just one night." Piggot stopped and took a deep cleansing breath and visibly tried to calm herself.

"You had Lung in this city for quite awhile, the fact that you refuse to deal with him is one thing, but being so unprepared for his fallout is another thing." Sabah said cooly.

"Perhaps… We should take a step back. Lung is an issue with no one right way to go about it. The street will be rebuilt, the people will return, and Lung is indeed in custody. I would like to, however, impress on you both, especially you, Keynote, that when you act, you also take responsibility." Piggot paused to shoot a narrowed glare at Taylor before turning back to Sabah.

Ignoring their words, pushing the nice fact of how they lost as well to one side.

"I was well within my legal right to to charge the Dollhouse for these people's needs. I did not, I decided that your actions were well intentioned, if misplaced. However ignorance hurts far more people than it helps." Piggot slowly stood, her frame wobbling as she got to her feet.

Taylor watched her pasued as she stood, and had to wonder, as the memory of the PRT standing on the bottom of the street, watching as Lung burned everything, had to wonder how many people Piggot's non-ignorance had let Lung sell woman into service, peddle his drugs and extend his power.

"If you were in my position, how would you deal with one hundred twenty nine people, suddenly homeless, scared and angry, coming to you, the Director of all things Parahuman and demanding their life back?" The Director asked them.

Taylor grit her teeth to control her scowl, turning her hand to take Sabah's, locking their shaking fingers together. Piggot was just another bully. Here the woman was, running the cities PRT division, in charge of the protectorate, and she wanted to blame them? If Piggot hadn't wanted her to deal with Lung the PRT should have done something other than just leaving her and Sabah to fight him, had Velocity ask them to come with him and leave.

But Piggot hadn't, she hadn't extented her protection to Taylor and Sabah when Lung had them, just pulled out the Wards. No skin off Taylor's nose now, there was no favours owed.

Taking a deep breath to stop herself from shouting at the woman Taylor counted to 10 just like her dad had taught her. Once she would have just taken this because she couldn't win, because fighting back had meant a worse retaliation. And if it was just herself, she could have taken it. But it wasn't just her, Sabah had come here, because she trusted Taylor and now, the very thing Sabah railed against was talking down to her.

Seeing Sabah shake her head again when she looked at her friend Taylor squared her jaw and bit down the protests she wanted to make. She'd trust Sabah's judgement on this. To distract herself, she tried to imagine what she would have done in the Director's position, how she would respond to the damage she'd caused. So how? How could she give people back their homes? How...

How could she give back what was gone forever?

"Allocate quick funds to rebuild the street, maybe offer the people wages for helping in the clean up effort so they don't have time to sit around and let negative emotions build?" Taylor offered, here eye narrowed at the Director while thinking of the Dockworkers and their eternal quest for work.

Piggot just scoffed.

"Funds? What funds? Every part of the PRT is budgeted conservatively and still we need more money. So tell me, where should I cut money from? Security? The paper pushers that keep us afloat? The Wards? The Protectorate itself? How do I justify myself to the people who are injured because I cut funding? We can't be sued for the scar, we didn't cause the damage, you did. We would have had every legal right to drain the Dollhouse of every penny it had to support these people. But I didn't." Piggot said, clasping her hands behind her back.

Piggot took a moment to take a deep breath and…

Sabah stood up, tugging on Taylor's hand still clasped with her own.

"Come on Keynote, we're leaving." Sabah said icily, glaring at Piggot from behind her mask.

Piggot just stared at them cooly as Taylor joined Sabah on her feet.

"Sit down." Piggot said in a voice used to being obeyed.

"No." Sabah said, turning and pulling Taylor towards the door as Ifrit stretched and rose to his hooves.

Armsmaster cleared his throat and stepped forward but Piggot shot him a withering look before turning her gaze back to the retreating Rogues.

"Wait, there is more we need to speak about." Piggot repeated her tone frosty, Taylor stood in front of her, protecting her from Piggot.

Strange, with a master of tech, a woman who could have any weapon and Mouse Protector with a demon sword, it was Piggot that set Taylor's sense off.

Sabah turned back then, tilting her head as she looked at Piggot.

"Are we being detained?" Sabah asked her voice deceptively calm.

"No." Armsmaster said, shooting the Director a look.

Piggot ignored him.

"And if you are?" Piggot asked lowly.

"Then we have nothing more to say until you contact our lawyer. In the meantime, please take us somewhere else." Sabah replied in a tone of steel.

Taylor felt lost and angry, unsure how agreeing to willingly meet the Director had somehow gotten them arrested.

Piggot continued to stare at them for a few moments.

"Luckily you are not being detained but this meeting is not over yet as I still…" Piggot began to say.

Sabah cut her off, hand knifing through the air.

"Not over? Not over?! After you threaten to bankrupt my business? After your threaten to arrest me for obeying the law? How about we talk about your crimes then, Director? How about dereliction of duty, aiding and abetting a known villain, and conspiracy to commit murder?!" Sabah seethed, pointing at Piggot who just glared back.

Miss Militia stepped forward.

"Murder? I'm afraid Parian that you must be mistaken. Neither the PRT or the Protectorate would ever condone murder or conspire to commit it, nor the other crimes you've just accused us off. While I understand you're stressed you have to understand that saying such…" Miss Militia began.

Sabah rounded on the patriotic cape, pointing at her now.

"Oh?! So I'm wrong that when Keynote stepped outside our home to look for our missing pet and was attacked by Lung you did nothing for 20 minutes? That you neglected your duty to protect people from villains? That you deliberately didn't come to our aid because you would rather Lung simply killed us and moved on because that's easier for you to deal with and maintains the status quo and your precious 'reputation'? Am I wrong?" Sabah snarled, stepping forward until she was mask to mask with older cape.

Piggot cut in then, before Miss Militia could respond.

"Yes, you're wrong. And those are baseless accusations. Within 10 minutes we had a force ready to deploy and were awaiting Protectorate back up to deal with the problem. And while I will admit capturing Lung has altered the status quo we did not simply, as you put it, 'leave you to die.'" Piggot replied cooly, her hands clasped together on her desk.

Taylor could see the woman's knuckles were white though.

"Oh really?" Sabah began, but paused as Taylor tugged on their still joined hands.

The older girl looked at her and Taylor caught her gaze before looking at Piggot.

Sabah had told her and then Ingrid had shown her, no one had the right to make her feel small, weak, ugly or anything less than amazing ever again. She felt very small right now...

Taylor lips twisted in a ugly scowl.

"I may have caused people to lose their home, but I lost mine as well. I didn't call Lung, I didn't force the fight, if he stopped, I would have stopped, but he didn't, he kept pushing, trying to kill me, even before hethrew me through a building, he was faster than me. I couldn't run if I wanted to, this whole idea of letting Lung cool down, is a joke, he knows he runs this city, he knows that he can brazenly walk around his areas and you won't do crap." Taylor said, the heat venting through every word.

Piggot lip curled and-

"Enough." Ifrit rumbled, stamping forward.

Looming over the Director's desk the demon gazed down at the woman.

"I have tolerated your words because I see in you an old soldier put to pasture, a warrior whose body has failed them but whose heart still longs to fight. But this is not your battleground, this is not your fight. Today, we came here as allies under a white flag. We came here to talk, to listen to you, and answer your questions. In return you were to treat us with respect, and all of your subordinates, your Master of Arms, Militia Leader, and Mouse Hero, they have done so. In turn we respected them." Ifrit rumbled, crossing his muscular arms.

"But from the moment we arrived, you and your men have offered us nothing but threats and insults. You have attacked us, tried to make a battle from nothing, and as much as I would enjoy a fight, now is not the time." Ifrit snorted as he finished, releasing twin plumes of smoke.

Armsmaster nodded slowly.

"While I must confess I was distracted by the odd weapon you gave Mouse Protector, we have been somewhat less than optimal hosts. I am not one for social niceties, but would you be willing to hear the Director out?

I think we've all been pushed to our limits today, while the Director may not have fought the battles you have, she has been here fighting battles here, stalling arrest warrants, handling situations of unrest and more." Armsmaster trailed asked, shooting the Director a look.

Piggot sighed.

"Forgive me, it has been a trying day. Keynote, Parian, I will not apologize, but my intent was not to offend you, even if that is how you have taken it. I am trying to make you see, make both of you see, what happens when you're done playing hero for the night.

Your actions have consequences. When you fight it is not only you who is put in danger, not only you and yours that is gambled. It is the life and lives of others, their homes, their jobs. When you fight, no matter your intent, you put others at risk.

And while I could have sued the Dollhouse." Piggot said, glancing away as Sabah managed to glare from behind her porcelain mask.

"I did not, because I did not wish to. I approve of you two, and your choice to be Rogues, to opt out of the normal violence capes perpetuate. To have sued you would have been a slap in the face of your choices and counter productive as by destroying your livelihoods I would not have saved the city money, or made 'other people people feel small so I feel significant'. I would likely have created two new Villains." Piggot held up her hand to forestall the protest from both capes she could see coming.

"Instead, I opened one of the Endbringer shelters and tried to make people comfortable as we begin to slowly rebuild what you destroyed. Keynote, you might have saved us millions from the damage Lung would have caused long term, but right now I have to deal with hundreds of people whose homes have been destroyed." Piggot said, her voice sounding tired but still held a smooth, clinical tone, unburdened by excess emotion.

Piggot leant forward, elbows propped on the desk and hands spread wide.

"It's very easy to be a cape, at end of the night, you're allowed to take off the mask, to return to you civilian identities and leave all consequences behind. I however, cannot stop being the PRT Director, I cannot leave the consequences behind.

I will not tell you not to fight, I will not tell you no to help. But I ask that you to think of consequences, because if you don't, then it is me, it is Armsmaster, it is Miss Militia, it is even Mouse Protector who will pay for it." Piggot told them.

Slowly, warily, Sabah returned to her seat, pulling Taylor down to sit next to her. But their hands remained clasped and their postures tense, eyes narrowed as they listened. Taylor disagreed with her words. Regrets and nightmares don't fade with a simple mask is pulled off. When Taylor closed her mind, she sometimes still saw Sabah burning.

Taylor could no longer stop being Keynote, the Director was free to quit at anytime, she didn't have powers that made her aware of every crime that she could have stopped.

Piggot was… a hardass bitch. The Wards had warned her thought but when she wasn't trying to threaten them… maybe, maybe, she had a point, Taylor conceded grudgingly.

Still, what trust Taylor had placed in the PRT was gone, not the Wards or the Heroes, so much, but the suits that ran them, as Sabah said, they always reported to someone but Piggot looked like she was expecting an answer.

Taylor shot Sabah a look but her friend was just staring straight at the Director in a pose Taylor knew meant she had her eyes narrowed and was totally prepared to wait.

Taylor wasn't.

"I have been, ever since Lung I've been thinking about the consequences." Taylor told the director, her voice frosty.

Piggot raised one prim eyebrow.

"Hookwolf?" The blonde asked snidely.

Taylor didn't flinch, her lip curling slightly.

"I stalled him, I waited to attack until I wouldn't hurt the dogs or the bystanders, even if those scumbags deserved it." Taylor pointed out.

Piggot shook her head.

"You engaged a parahuman known for working for the largest villain organisation in Brockton Bay, I would hope you know what happens next." Piggot pushed.

Taylor stared back at her stubbornly, unwilling to yield.

"I challenged him, he accepted. Hookwolf only has himself to blame." Taylor retorted.

Piggot shook her head exasperatedly, bob cut hair ruffling slightly.

"You're thinking too small. It doesn't matter what Hookwolf agreed to or thought. You see him as the man who can turn into a metal wolf instead of seeing him and his position as Kaiser's right hand thug. You cut that hand off and you think Kaiser will let that pass?" The blonde asked, her tone almost mocking.

Sabah sat straighter, no longer silent since Taylor hadn't.

"So you would have her let Hookwolf go? Let him go, because you're afraid of Kaiser's response? No wonder we're swimming in villains." Sabah said bitterly, her own voice taking a mocking tone as well.

Piggot's lips thinned.

"Please, keep that attitude when Kaiser declares war on you. The reason we perform sting operations and takedowns, is because as an organization, Kaiser is already at war with us. We fight, hit his bases, and try to take his pieces.

And for all his strength, Kaiser does not dare attack us in our base because we are stronger than him and we have no easy targets." Piggot tilted her head, studying the pair of Rogues.

"Where as you, Parian, have a clothes shop, an easy target. Kaiser will attack your shop, burn it down, and smoke you both out. And while Keynote is strong, against the Empire with all it's members, all it's capes, she is not stronger than all of them.

No, with the power Kaiser has at his disposal it means that everyone and anyone around the Dollhouse will suffer." Piggot said, her voice almost soft, but it still grated.

Taylor shook her head.

"Even if I accept that Kaiser will attack us, attack the Dollhouse… I can take them. I won't let them touch a single brick. I already beat their dirty man, Hookwolf. The rest won't be any harder." Taylor said, her voice cold.

Piggot raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"You have seen Rune at work, and the damage she can cause, but have you seen the twins? Fenja and Menja? They turn into literal giants. How about Alabaster who is immune to all forms of damage, how will you stop him? Or what about Fog, a living cloud of poison gas?

I'm sorry that I have to be blunt, but this isn't about you. If you fight them you will fail. So, if you wish to be a hero, then I beg of you, stop putting innocent people at risk." Piggot sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Sabah leant forward, tugging on Taylor's hand lightly.

"She won't fail, Keynote won't be beaten so easily. We won't be beaten so easily. Fog? How would he handle having his power disabled as a cloud of gas? Fenja, Menja? How would they withstand Ifrit's fire? As for Alabaster? How would he deal with being frozen in ice? And while I admit my store may be vulnerable, it is well insured and it is only bricks and mortar. If they wish to attack us there, I might take up that offer from the Boardwalk to shift my shop there if I need to rebuild." Sabah said, her voice still cool with undertones of anger.

Piggot nodded slowly.

"I suppose you could. But what of your workers, what of their safety? Will you risk them too? No, I do not think you would. So, while I applaud you for being rogues, choosing to use your powers for a legal purpose, it is a choice I deeply respect when you could have easily hurt and taken what you wanted in life and please do not think that I am saying if Kaiser is attacking you, to lie down and accept it. I do think you have placed yourselves in an untenable position and I want you to think of more options than simply 'attack on sight'." Piggot said, once more raising her hand to forestall Sabah's objection.

"Hookwolf was a secluded target, a good choice to attack, the backup from Cricket and Stormtiger can be laid at the feet of Uber and Leet for streaming live, and it was a far better option than what you did with Lung. But there will be consequences for you and those around you I do not think you are prepared for." Piggot finished.

Ifrit hummed, tilting his horned head.

"So your problem is less the 'delicate' balance of power, and more that you wish to mitigate the effects of destruction that Keynote so easily causes. This Kaiser has been humiliated by his soldier, he won't will sit back and do nothing as he wishes to keep face. Typical. But if he is still ruling, then he is cunning?" Ifrit asked with a sly grin.

Piggot's lips pursed as if she was either about to grimace or smile.

It was hard to tell and Taylor found she really didn't care.

"Kaiser had the fortune of coming to power after his father, Allfather, fell so he inherited a large force already built. It was also at a time when most of his serious competition, Marquis, Butcher, and the Merchants were caught, driven away, and decimated respectively.

Kaiser has ruled in a comparatively peaceful era. His power and charisma have attracted and maintained a sizeable force of his own, but his actions are tame in terms of destruction, he is too busy pulling political games within his own group to maintain his power to truly pose a serious threat." Piggot informed Ifrit, finding the topic more calming, letting her stress fade slightly.

Taylor blinked, that was a piece of Brockton Bay history that she had not heard much about.

Butcher was infamous, but this Marquis was news.

"Hm. Then why does he continued to rule, if he is so unthreatening? Surely you could have squashed him by now, or at least caused his group to splinter if it is really so fragile that their leader must spend his days preventing infighting?" Ifrit asked, leaning forward having retaken his seat on the floor.

It was Armsmaster who answered.

"It's who he surrounds himself with that makes him dangerous. Twins who can turn into giants, a man who becomes a cloud of toxic gas, a cape who can create an army of phantoms that bypass all armor, a girl who can hurl cars like baseballs, and a healer that can also make someone able to shoot fire or immune to all forms of damage." Armsmaster took a moment to clear his throat before continuing.

"There are other capes as well, he has a roster double the size of our own. More though, Kaiser has the support of other criminal organizations across the country, many who share his ideals, and connections to larger crime syndicate in Europe that sends him fresh capes and support in the form of money.

He also has known links to another extremist group that has a similarly high cape number. Kaiser is just one part of a larger problem that heroes across the world are struggling to combat." The Tinker added and tilted his head to look at Taylor.

"I would be interested in seeing if you negate Alabaster, Fog, or Othala's effects as effectively as you did Rune's. If so it would make things much simpler to deal with." Armsmaster mused.

Sabah eyed him critically.

"Hopefully it won't come to that." Sabah said softly.

Miss Militia coughed.

"Of course, we don't want the Empire knocking on your door, Armsmaster is just getting lost in theories as usual, your Keyblade is out and he is easily distracted." Militia said, shooting her superior a look and Armsmaster grunted.

Piggot drummed her fingers on the table.

"Your powers are a concern, but honestly unless they're hurting someone or causing problems, it is honestly none of my business. I would appreciate if you took advantage of our facilities to gain a deeper understanding your powers and reassure us on what exactly you can do, but that is a request at best." Piggot asked, eyebrow raised questioningly.

Taylor stiffened. This woman had insulted them, threatened them and now wanted her to reveal her powers? Even if she'd sort of apologized and tried to warn them, she was an arrogant bully. There was no way she would ever...

Ifrit grinned evilly and beat her to replying.

"Keyblades and their wielders are not so easily read or analysed. Civilizations far greater than yours have tried and failed to glimpse even a fraction of the power held within the blades." Ifrit warned with a mocking laugh.

Piggot locked her eyes on to the demon like a hawk on a rabbit.

"Keyblade wielders? Keynote is not the only one with a… Keyblade?" The blonde woman asked a little too quickly.

Ifrit examined his claws and Taylor buried her face in her hands. Ifrit just had to bring that up, didn't he?

"Director, there have been Keyblade users since the dawn of the current order. Keynote is not a 'cape', she is the newest member of a long lineage of warriors that guard the very fabric of creation from the deepest darkness and the most blinding light. I mean, that's pretty metal when you think about it." The demon added, scratching his chin once more.

Piggot's lips did purse towards a frown this time.

"I don't believe you." Piggot stated simply.

Ifrit raised one finger, dropped it, looked lost before he just waved vaguely at Taylor.

"Explain her then?" Ifrit asked.

Piggot clasped her hands together.

"I do not need to, I just need to tell her off and tell my superiors that I did tell her off. If she is the third coming of Jesus then to put it simply, it's not my department. I deal with Capes, and you say she's not a cape? Then she's not my problem.

But forgive me, I am a hard woman to convince at the best of times. Magical aliens of chaos and magic keys is peddling something I'm not buying." Piggot explained.

Taylor felt vaguely passed over and annoyed at that. Now she was being dismissed as well as bullied? Why were they still here again?

Mouse Protector raised her sword and waved it, Piggot looked up at her and clenched her teeth, pointing threateningly at the mouse themed cape.

"Do not get me started on you right now." Piggot warned.

Mouse Protector wilted back down as Piggot faced Sabah, Taylor, and Ifrit again.

"But as much as I would love to pass her on to someone else, she is here and until I see evidence otherwise, then she is a Cape. Thus it comes down to me to find a middle ground between the PRT and you, Keynote. So, I must ask, now that you've heard me, do you feel like anything I said has worth?" Piggot asked warily.

Taylor frowned, her forehead crinkling and single eye narrowing.

"I… understand that you aren't trying to recruit me or tell me to stop, which helps I suppose. And whether you're a bully or not matter little when you straight out insult me, and worse, threaten Parian.

But, I know that I have made mistakes, that I cost a lot of people their homes and belongings, myself included. But, if you gave me the chance to do it over… No. I would not run. I would fight smarter, strike harder, faster, not worry about killing Lung and so prevent myself from taking him down quickly…" Taylor trailed off for a moment, before she nodded, her resolve firm.

"But I would still do it, I would still fight Lung, I would just make better choices and beat Lung before the battle even started. I would still fight Hookwolf, even after learning about Kaiser. I will not back down and run, I will not skulk and hide and hope the bullies of this world pass me by. I would still go to the bank. I would still do all those things because what went wrong, doesn't cancel out what went right. I will be more careful, but I'm still going to help people, cape or not.

Because even if you disapprove, I don't care. Because all it takes for villains to triumph is for heroes to do nothing." Taylor said, her voice filled with determination as she gazed with mild disdain at the Director.

Sabah tightened her grip on Taylor's hand, the action so sudden that Taylor turned to blink at the girl. Sabah didn't look at her though, keeping her gaze locked on the Director.

Piggot eyed her and their clasped hands as the woman leaned back in her chair.

"If we're throwing phrases about, then how about: 'the road to hell is paved with good intentions'. Though I suppose that could be said about my own actions tonight, pushing you two to come here after what I assume has been a trying day. Based on your attitudes, I think Keynote at least, would like nothing more than to hit me. However, regardless of your preconceptions, the PRT would still prefer if we were able to work in tandem with the Dollhouse Crew, as we do with New Wave. Why you ask? Because to put it simply; the world needs more heroes, of any cut." Piggot admitted as if was painfully obvious.

Taylor had to agree, even if she was still pissed with the woman… Piggot had a point. The world did need more heroes. Villains were always at the back of people's minds, always ready to draw a breath of fear when they were mentioned. But that fear was also always swept away when someone thought of Chevalier, Myrddin, Narwhal, Dragon, The Triumvirate, or even Scion. If things got bad, if villains attacked… Heroes would appear to set things right.

But…

They were only people. At the end of the day, even Alexandria was human, she'd take off her helmet and go home, have a shower, eat dinner, have tea or cake, and go to bed.

Like her.

And she realized, that even her favourite childhood hero was only one person, only human. It was because the way Taylor, the way everyone else must see her as a super-human who swooped in to save the day, healed the injured, and left again, as it should be. But no one thought about where she went to sleep, no one realized she'd once been a bullied girl who wanted a friend more than anything.

Had Alexandria been bullied? Was that why the world's strongest woman was a hero? Because she too wanted to help stop others from hurting, by setting an example?

Slowly, Taylor took the Triumvirate off of the pedestal she had put them on as a child.

Looking at them as people was hard.

To admit that maybe they might not be great people or that they might have flaws or even be insecure like herself.

Still, even if they were only human, they saved the world on a daily basis, every day they faced the worst the world could throw at them and still came back the next day to do it again. Because that's what heroes did. So, Taylor supposed that what she felt was no matter.

If Alexandria was a bitch in real life, that didn't change the fact she saved someone's life an hour earlier. Alexandria was a hero because of the good she did, not because of the person she was.

Looking at Piggot, putting aside her own anger, ignoring the fact the blonde woman wasn't a cape, Taylor tried to apply the same looking glass to her.

She scrutinized the composed face. Piggot had fat cheeks and a double chin, pale unhealthy looking skin and bags under her eyes, poorly hidden by what Taylor could now tell was cheap makeup. The woman had a steely gaze and set jaw that didn't waver.

This meeting was supposed to be a meeting for them to come together, for her to answer a few questions about her abilities and possibly give a statement. It was supposed to be for the PRT to reassure them, to make everything seem better, to show that the heroes had her and Sabah's backs, but this?

This was a dressing down, a meeting to 'discuss' her behavior. She felt like Piggot was about to tell her off for not participating in Glady's class.

Clear eyes and a clear head were becoming harder to keep every second.

'Can you just… take away my anger?' She pushed at Ifrit, who didn't even react.

The demon responded in her head.

'You will never learn to control yourself that way. If I were to do it for you every time you get angry, then I would only be stunting you.'

Taylor resisted the urge to sigh, even as her eye prickled. She felt betrayed, not by Ifrit, but by the system. She should have expected it, she had expected it even. It hurt all the same, especially after Armsmaster and Mouse Protector had been so nice to her.

Refocusing, Taylor looked at Piggot once more.

The woman was in charge of a team of superheroes, she didn't tolerate those people holding their powers over normal people, like they were somehow special. Which they were. Having powers like hers meant she simply had choices normal people didn't. And Piggot was a normal person, she couldn't kill a person just by getting angry. But... Ifrit had called her a warrior. Perhaps… Perhaps Piggot had experienced what a cape gone off the rails looked like?

If Taylor was the Director and she looked at her, or the Wards, what would she see?

A boy that locked people in time for laughs, a preteen girl that could change the land on a whim, a living emotion detector that invaded your privacy and could mess with those same emotions, a Shadowy wraith who got her laughs by torturing people?

Okay, okay. If she took away her feelings, didn't think of the Wards as people… Well, what was the point? Hadn't she just realized they were people? The power didn't define the person, the person defined the power. It's why they were heroes, because they chose to do what's right.

So what if Vista could be a nightmare? The girl wasn't. Vista was sweet and cute, but also experienced and tough. The girl had known so much when they'd patrolled together.

Though… There was Shadow Stalker. The shadowy 'hero' had decided to attack someone over rumors about Boco, to torture him because she could. Then, when Taylor had called her out on it, the the girl had attacked her, tried to kill her. Shadow Stalker was a bully and waste of powers.

So, is that what Piggot saw, was that how she pictured them? Did she see all parahumans as bullies just waiting for an opportunity to lord their power over normal people like her?

But… When the chips had been down, the Wards had rushed in to save her from Lung. Gallant had used himself as a human barricade, Clockblocker had his ribs broken trying to keep Lung frozen and then protected her and Sabah from Ifrit's attack, Aegis had literally been ripped in half trying to buy them time.

How she see, people just trying to help, as threats?

Because even if Vista could have been the villainess 'Warper' who twists cities for her own amusement or Clockblocker became 'Time killer' throwing invulnerable nets into traffic...

If Keynote was instead Discord summoning demons and monsters to make her pain go away...

Taylor gulped and looked at Sabah, her mouth dry.

If Parian was Puppet Master, using her threads to bind peoples limbs and puppet them instead of her dolls. Parian with a living magical bomb in her chest...

Taylor took a deep breath and pushed the dark thoughts away, letting her anger at Piggot ground her, almost anyway.
Because the point was that none of that was true. It was all 'maybes', 'what if's', and 'might have beans'. Just because their powers could shatter peace and bring ruin, did not mean they had to. Heroes were human too, with all that entailed, and yet they had still chosen to do the right thing. They weren't threats, no matter how threatening they could be.

That was the difference, that was where Taylor and Piggot clashed. Where Piggot just saw the power and the harm it could cause, Taylor saw the person, the hero who had decided to do good. Even if someone wasn't a Hero, if they were a Rogue, or a Villain, it was how they chose to use their powers that defined them, that made them good or evil. There was no simple answer.

And that was exactly where Piggot pissed Taylor off.

Piggot refused to let the aspects of people, the content of their character, their actions and virtues, change her fear, too afraid of 'what if.' Taylor chose to believe it was the person you judged; that it was people's choices, their actions and intentions they should be judged for. Jess, Leet, Uber, and Bad Canary. They were people all of them.

In a way, Taylor pitied the woman who had clearly seen terrible things, in another way, Taylor was appalled that this was the woman in charge of the super heroes.

"I also wanted to meet you personally by request of my superiors. To see what kind of person you are. The steady increase in power and sheer diversity of powers that you keep pulling out is making you a bigger influence every day within Brockton Bay's general populace. And with what you've displayed tonight, that will only continue to climb. You even caught the eye of Chief-Director Costa-Brown, that is why I insisted on this meeting, even though it is late. As soon you will be asked a lot of questions. Where do you stand on the law? What do you believe is right and wrong? Do you think you can do things better and such. The PRT would like for our respective groups to project a friendly image at each other, to show a sign of strong hero ativity in the city." Piggot pointed out.

Taylor eyed her wearily. She'd caught whose eye now? Wasn't one shadowy conspiracy group enough to deal with?

Sabah spoke up before Taylor could though.

"So you want to make sure that Keynote isn't going to go out and start telling people that the PRT is failing to keep a lid on the uprising villain problem. Because the last thing you want is a popularity contest between us and yourself, with New Wave off to the side, who already hold major sway with Panacea? Because you're afraid of losing some of your oh so precious reputation?" Sabah asked derisively.

Ifrit snorted, looking pleased at her words.

Piggot looked like she had swallowed a lemon.

"Indeed." The Director replied tartly.

Taylor shrugged.

"I don't want to cause trouble, not for the PRT at least, I don't know you and honestly? I don't like you one bit. Still, I won't go and bad mouth the PRT, not for you, but because I like the Wards, I like Mouse Protector, I like Armsmaster, I like Miss Militia, and causing hassle for you, causes hassle for them." Taylor told the Director, her voice cold.

Piggot nodded slowly.

"I appreciate your honesty and I can accept that answer. Very well, I shall take note of this and push it up the chain, it may help my superiors get a read on you, which makes things easier for everyone here. Good intentions or not, you are a person we rather not have to fight at the end of the day. " Piggot said gruffly.

Sabah nodded.

"If there is anything else?" Sabah asked, looking ready to leave as she gathered her skirts.

The Director sighed.

"Just one. May we discuss the Espers?" Piggot asked, sounding tired.

Sabah stood suddenly, while Ifrit stared at Piggot, eyes narrowed.

"No. Thank you for having us." Sabah said quickly, but Ifrit put a hand Sabah's shoulder, stopping her. Taylor felt nervous.

Sabah looked at Ifrit and the giant demon tilted his head slightly.

The doll girl looked like she was about to shake her head again, but then crossed her arms and sighed, looking down in defeat. Her silent permission, tainted with her disapproval. Taylor saw Piggot's lips turn white at this.

Taylor could guess why, projections don't often argue with their capes.

Turning away from Sabah, Ifrit faced the Director and walked forward, leaning down to rest his hands on the woman's desk while he loomed over her.

"A question. I will answer a question. One. So ask carefully Director Emily Piggot of the East North Eeast Parahuman Response Team, ex soldier, current leader, sick in body, but not in heart, she who reeks of hatred and pride, but does not let it consume her, I find you interesting, so one… question and in return, a question of my own?" Ifrit almost whispered, grinning manically, eyes glittering with malicious glee.
Piggot's look heated to such a glare that Taylor was glad Ifrit was fireproof.

"Are you invading Earth?" Piggot asked bluntly.

Ifrit snorted, made an amused choking sound and then let loose a roll of deep laughter.

"Invade? I think you have us pegged quite wrong indeed. We espers have zero interest in ruling this tiny barren world at the edge of the far beyond. Why obsess over a sprout of a world, one that is has only begun to flourish, when we can freely move amongst the forest? There are a million worlds out there I would rather be on, a thousand I would love to destroy. But this world? No. This world is a curiosity, a barren world that sprouted a Keyblade." Ifrit paused, and tilted his head, grin peeling back to reveal glistening fangs.

"I have seen worlds that made people weep at the beauty of it, I have glimpsed worlds so dark that hearts have turned into monsters, I have been to worlds wracked by endless war, and yet others where no mortal has ever set foot. Your world is not special or interesting in and of itself. Rather, it is Keynote, who makes this world of interest to us, a Keyblade not bound by the light or fallen to darkness, nothing more. But if we wanted to invade, your world would be ours little mortal. You could not withstand our might. But again, you misunderstand us, we are bored, not hungry." Ifrit told the director.

Piggot stood slowly.

"If that little speech was meant to intimidate me, then it failed. You speak of stars and hearts, I deal with facts. Perhaps I wasted my question, and such a flowery response does nothing to reassure me of your intentions." Piggot said, sounding dismissive.

Ifrit's muscles clenched, knotting and curling across his body as smoke curled from his mouth and nostrils, anger visibly rippling off of the demon in the form of a pulsing heat haze.

Taylor watched, feeling like Piggot had perhaps made a fatal mistake.

She assumed Ifrit had the patience of a human. That his strength was dependent on Taylor.

Ifrit leaned forward, bending low so he no longer loomed over the desk but was now almost directly in Piggot's face, the desk smoking beneath the demon's claws.

Piggot didn't flinch, meeting his gaze head on.

"When you accuse someone of lying, you offer insult. If I was another Esper, perhaps one that gave two pieces of crap about decorum or form, I would have demanded a duel of honor, or perhaps something more… bloody." Ifrit snorted a billow of smoke into the Director's face.

Even as Armsmaster approached, halberd drawn and Miss Militia created a shotgun in her hands, Ifrit ignored them both, still locking eyes with the blonde who had insulted him.

"So, once again, to cut long grudges short, I will say this: Your world, regardless of your ego, is not the centre of the universe, it is in fact a very small, very tiny, speck on the edge of the realm. If you think I am lying then your judgment of character is almost as abysmal as your skill in diplomacy. So, Emily Piggot, meet… my… eyes." Ifrit rumbled darkly.

Taylor felt herself tense as Miss Militia stood straight, bringing her shotgun up as Armsmaster, gripping his halberd, reached Ifrit and put a hand on the demon's muscled shoulder.

Taylor heard Mouse Protector's cape move behind her, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from Ifrit.

Piggot was glaring, but slowly her face went white.

A second later, Ifrit leaned back, leaving black burn marks in the shape of his hands on Piggot's desk that were still smoking.

Ifrit turned away and sniffed.

"I see… Director, I think we understand each other a little better now. Most mortals pass out at such a gaze, but you held on, my respects for that. Now for my question."Ifrit said calmly, as if nothing had happened.

Piggot swallowed loudly, not in fear, but reflexively, as if biting back a curse.

"What?" Piggot said through gritted teeth.

Ifrit blew out a ring of smoke and Taylor wondered if the smoke detector would go off soon and soak everyone.

There was a chance Piggot's dye job might run if it was fresh…

"Why do you present the PRT as being in control… when clearly it is this golden man that rules your world?" Ifrit asked, so innocently that Taylor didn't understand his question at first.

Golden man… unless Ifrit knew that robot from Star Wars, there was only one person, one man, that matched that vague description enough to matter.

"All your rules, all your strutting, all these… courtroom antics. They are nothing to him, you are nothing to him, not even these Endbringers that ravage your lands can best him." Ifrit paused as if the name was something he tasted first before speaking.

"You die by the million to those monsters and yet instead of building an army, you squabble over sticks and stones, pathetic little power plays like tonight. While this golden man, this Scion, is the one who saves you. So, I ask this, why do you think the PRT has any power over… well, me?" Ifrit said so smoothly that Taylor had the faint idea that he knew exactly how to push the woman's buttons now.

Taylor wanted to lean back and enjoy the show, but was afraid doing so might throw Ifrit's game off.

Piggot's face slowly changed from white to red.

"Scion is an anomaly, a hermit, our rules don't apply to a man who doesn't live with people, he flies around the world and we-" she stopped as if halting a script she was about to read out.

"Need him, use him? Assets are a powerful tool, am I right Director?" The demon-man smiled, his fangs now quite unsettling.

Piggot's practically turned to stone.

"Just… Get out of my office. Get out!" The blonde woman snapped.

Taylor stared at the woman and snorted. The outburst of anger was the most human and honest thing Piggot had displayed since they entered the room.

Ifrit smiled.

"Feisty! Looks much better on you than calm politician, see you later… Lady." Ifrit walking towards the door.

Piggot slumped back rather heavily in her chair.

"Miss Militia escort them out of the building. Armsmaster, set up a minor Master alert on myself. I… can't describe what just happened, I'm taking no risks." Piggot snapped.

Sabah yanked on Taylor's hand.

"Come on, before she changes her mind and sends her goons after us." Sabah whispered, following Ifrit out the door, as he turned sideways to get his horn out.

They quickly exited the room, Miss Militia right behind them. The Protectorate cape gestured for them to them to follow, though she remained silent and wary now.

As Taylor let Sabah pull her along the corridor, still lined by armed men as they followed Miss Militia. Glancing over her shoulder at Ifrit as he followed them, Taylor had to ask.

"Ifrit what did you do?" Taylor half-whispered, trying not to sound too curious.

Miss Militia's head turned slightly, looking at back at them, as she led them back towards the elevator.

Ifrit wrinkled his nose before answering.

"The Director and I… looked at each other very closely. We understand each other now. So us sticking around? Not going to help anymore, she knows this, I know this." The muscled demon said nonchalantly.

Sabah blew out a sigh.

"I can't take you anywhere." Sabah said almost to herself and Taylor agreed, feeling a little better at seeing Piggot lose her composure.

She didn't want to hurt the woman or wish harm on her, but giving the woman a little scare was... nice.

Ifrit grinned and gave them a thumbs up.

"I am banned from most Esper debate meetings, they say I don't get the spirit of it. I think I solve everything pretty fast. Burn this, insult that, swap some power with who, and never ask why. Then boom,world peace! Well… sometimes. Other times it's just… world, since, you know, all the people died. Still counts if you ask me, not like there's any more fighting." Ifrit mused as they piled into the elevator.

Miss Militia stared at him as the metal doors closed.

"You're joking right?" Militia asked.

Ifrit looked down at her.

"I am. I always ask why, so I can insult people." Ifrit told her.

Taylor thought that Ifrit was a logic nightmare.

She fully expected Piggot to have them assassinated now.

And she couldn't even really blame the woman now.

Ifrit was getting too smug for his little doll boots.

Seeing the bond in her head, she twanged it and Ifrit yelped. Taylor ignored the golden wire, trying not to smirk, but as she ignored the bond, and focused on the space in left behind.

Something… odd rushed at her.

A cool winter's breeze.

Taylor blinked and exhaled.

A cloud of mist billowed out in front of Taylor, frosting up the elevators window and Ifrit paused in his cringing.

"Don't do that. You're really not ready for her." Ifrit said seriously.

Taylor felt a bit of panic rise up.

"Her?" She half demanded half panicked.

Ifrit just sighed.

"Just… let it go… for now anyway. Please?" The demon asked.

Miss Militia looked between them with speculative eyes as the doors opened.

Seeing the hero's gaze Taylor turned away, reaching into the darkness of her hood to massage her temples.

"You're right, I really don't want any more trouble tonight. I just want to go home and sleep." Taylor agreed, almost peacefully.

Sabah muttered under breath as they left the lobby, and Taylor barely caught it and probably wouldn't have except for long the practice she had in picking up on Sabah's grumblings.

"I need cake."

Taylor filed that away for later. Cake she could do, Taylor could make lots of cake.

Maybe there was a spell for that?

Cakera?

The alternative was to bake.

Or punch something.