Disclaimer: I don't own victorious or any of it's characters. Schneider's bakery and Nickelodeon have the rights. However, you will agree, not giving the characters super powers, probably a mistake.
:}
It was on the road, after Eric picked her up, that it hit her. 'How much does Tori know? Am I gonna have to tell her about Dahlia? Blue Steel's okay with me dating her, but does that mean she knows who he is? Who I am? And if not, how do I keep that from her? I need this relationship, cause it feels so damn good to need someone, to care about someone. I wanna be there for her, do this for her. I wanna be the best me I can be, maybe a reserve police Meta, just to protect her. I did so much for Grandpa, and I'll continue to do that for him. But I need to be fighting for something, someone, and lord knows I don't consider myself worth the effort. So, Tori, where does that leave us…' Her blue eyed watched the road passing by. "I know, I'll ask Mrs. V!" Jade exclaimed.
"Ask her what?" The assistant social worker asked.
"I'm dating someone, and the whole honesty problem just hit me." Jade explained, not wanting to add any complications to the mans job.
"I guess you will need to talk to the director then." The man replied. "We're almost there. Just relax, cause it's showtime."
Despite the grandiose deceleration, they weren't using some drive in entrance, or other spectacular way of getting down to the facilities. No, they parked where they usually parked, then took the same elevator they usually took down to the training area. Jade would have felt disappointed, except by now, this was normal for her. She entered the facilities, and made her way to her room, to get changed and ready for the day. 'They make me wear my costume, like all the time now. Misses V claims it's good practice, and she's right. Just like the code names, we wear the uniform of the job, so as to get used to being that other person.' Her elegant black dress hugged her curves, letting her know she was ready.
Jade then made her way to where the directors office was, a place she was told, on her first day, she'd only ever see once. However, different director meant different rules, and the budding super was allowed to speak to the director, assuming they both had the time. Jade had a few minutes, and a purpose. She knocked on the door, not even sure her boss was there.
"Jade, please come in." The directors voice cut through the air. Warm and inviting, Jade knew that such tones could well be a distraction from the roof falling in. "So glad you made it. I have some business I wanted to talk to you about. Also, since I read your all caught up in school, we might as well start the more intensive police training after we finish this little meeting. Get ready to learn the law, to the point where you'll know every code the police might use."
"So..." Jade felt suddenly small, almost insignificant, but not in that dark, ignored way she had in the past. Nor in the dehumanizing way Masters pushed. No, she felt almost like a child entering her parents office, or maybe the elementary school principals office. Not an equal, but still someone the person had an interest in, and maybe even cared about, just a bit. Regardless, she had lost her words.
"Please, sit, and choose a card." The director placed four three by five cards face down, watching as her guest looked over the blank backs before her.
"Um, yea, it's just, by now, you should know about me and Vega, er, Tori..." Jade found it hard to push through, with old fears edging into her mind, taking away the fact that she was far more potent then anyone in the facilities, leaving a nervous girl talking to her lovers mother.
Holly looked to the cards, finding the subtle markings she'd placed on each, knowing which was which, and turned one over. "So we're starting with Tori, huh?" She asked.
"Well, we're dating, so I was wondering, how much am I keeping from her?" The mystic wondered aloud.
"Most things." Holly replied. "Both girls know who their father is, though it was only cause he's been a hero a long, long time, and it's hard to keep that kind of secret sometimes..." Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "You do remember, he has a phone, right? Anyways… Now, you wanna include this, Dahlia, in her life, I say, make sure you trust her enough. My girls know what kind of people I work with, but I see no reason to bring a civilian into the lair. No, they'd have to be a part of the projects, one of the two or three the city is running, in order for me to risk including them in of any of my work based secrets. Soo, make sure things are gonna last before you drag her into this world. Other then that, be as honest as you can. My girl understands more then you might think..." Her mind seemed to catch on something, but the idea was there, and she moved on from that topic. "Now pick another subject, or a card. We have a lot to get through."
The second card was just a picture of the crown her grandfather used to transform into Pandion. "Um whats this?" The dark haired girl asked.
"We kinda need a mystics help to use the crown." Holly explained. "Now Dante, our mystic expert with the department, he suggested that maybe we need some kind of ritual to transfer the crown to a new owner, and it may well be different then the one used to activate it by your grandfather, so…."
"You wanna know if I know that ritual?" Jade asked. "Better ask Sikwoitz, cause..."
"Mister Abra." Holly reminded her. "We may be a bit more informal, but it's best to remember to use code names when talking about our meta identities. Dante suggested that the crown was between owners when your grandfather claimed it. Said it probably only had to be attuned to in order to use. Dante also suggests that the crown is easy enough to transfer along bloodlines, but other then that, not so easy. Now, we certainly don't want you to claim the crown, cause it's been given to the department as a part of the plea deal your grandfather made. However, it may take a lot of power to force the crown to accept a new master before the old one is dead, or gives it away. We're hoping you can help in some way as we give it to a new owner." She watched the blue eyed girl for a reaction. "Plus, will you freak out seeing someone who looks like Pandion walking about?"
"Maybe." Jade replied. "I never dealt with my grandpa in that form, but I knew it was him, and it makes me nervous thinking of what may be in that crown, in addition to the powers of an ancient hero."
"What if we let you have a hand in choosing the next wearer?" Holly asked.
"Not sure that would help." The witch replied. "Maybe, but really not sure. Let me talk with Abra, see what he can help me deal with, and get back to you."
Holly reached for another card, turning it over to reveal it was a clone of the last card. "I have a candidate, but he hardly seems the type." Holly said as she reached down to her briefcase and retrieved a folder. "Still, he was recommended, has a talent we could use, and may have the right mystic potential to use the crown." The folder was pushed across the table. "Honestly, boy comes with a LOT of negatives. But he comes with one positive as well..." She watched as Jade pulled the folder open. Inside was Robbie's yearbook photo, smiling back at the goth.
"NO!" Jade was emphatic.
"I'd hoped the fact that you knew him would make it easier." The director of Project Redemption said. "Maybe give you more time, put him down as a soft maybe?"
"He's a coward." Jade started to rant, and was cut off right there.
"Yes, we know all the negatives. We also know he has a few positives, and we hope to help push him in an even more positive direction. Yes, the power of the crown may be more then he can handle, but compared to the Infinity Codex. How'd you even get your hands on a copy, anyways?" Her face showed her usual calculated compassion.
Jade looked at the last card. "Any chance that card is about my book learning?" She asked.
"It's about mixing students from this project and The Blue Generation Initiative." Mrs. V said. "Metahuman children of super powered police, hero's, and others we found young enough. Some of them are quite promising. Take Warpath. She's very impressive, lots of potential, and has only started learning the police procedural aspects of the program, so we were thinking of having her, and maybe a few others as they're ready, train with you. And I want to talk about that with you, cause I don't need you feeling so isolated. But, before we do, I need to know about the Infinity Codex. How and why?" Holly knew she was pushing what had been only a theory, but it felt right. 'Besides, time to remind her we do care, and don't want her to die on us. Jade the person has value too, enough so that I can be upset at her for bringing us The Black Dahlia. So come on, Jade, admit how you got so powered up.'
"Simple, if your ready to make that trade, your life for the power, anyone can find the book." Jade said. "The Codex Infinitous exists outside our reality, and requires only a small sacrifice, proof of one's willingness to give it all for power. However, as you know, it's the tool of the desperate, those with the skills to figure out that ritual, summon the book, and the drive to give their very life for that power. In the end, I think it also requires some kind of goal, and while I suspect the power doesn't fade, that goal has to be a driving force for the person. I used to think my will to save my grandfather was what drove it. Now, I think I screwed up, cause what drives me is the desire to pay him back for being the one person out of my whole family who loved me..." A tear slid down her porcelain face.
"The book comes to need, and then requires a test of commitment to that need." Holly rephrased what Jade had said. "Then there's a limit on the power, something that keeps the mystic from feeling like a god. So, in short, you got ungodly lucky..." Holly felt a smile pushing it's way towards her face, but held it down. 'Tori, is it possible your power intervened, somehow pushed through time and space to make it so that Jade would survive? Probability altering powers are always so hard to quantify...'
"Anyways, it took my time, over a year, to master the power once I had it." Jade continued. "Then, as soon as I had control, I struck, before I knew what I was doing, cause it felt like I'd waited too long as is. And you kinda know the rest..."
"It wasn't worth it." Holly stated. "Don't care that it worked, it still wasn't worth risking your life like that. I can't imagine that the codex is done once you fail. There's usually some kind of long term negative to wanting that power, and I'm betting death was hardly the end."
"So you don't want me to do the ritual again?" Jade asked. "Misses V, this was a one way trip. I have the power, and will pay whatever price there is for the power. That's all there is to it. I just, I wanna do some good with my life first, and make it in Hollywood, cause that's what my grandfather wanted from me."
"And training with Warpath, and the others, as their ready?" Holly asked.
"Go for it." Jade replied, feeling oddly better. "As I said, might as well do some good."
"Think about Robbie for the crown." Holly repeated. "I have a hunch that he'll be a good choice for the power, and if he is, it may just help having a friend, or at least someone from your social group, along to talk to. Just, lets get Dante and Mister Abra working together to figure out just what this crown does first. May be we find someone else better suited to that power."
Jade agreed that knowing more about the crown would help, but was disturbed by the thought of her grandfathers crown being used by Robbie. 'I mean, if it has to be one of our group, why not Beck, or Andre, or Cat. I could stand working with any one of them, now that Masters is gone. Then again, if someone like him were to take over, I'd hate to have any of my group stuck with me. Even Robbie. But could I really stand to see that body, that Greek Adonis body, being run by anyone but Grandpa? Or... Could I find a way to change the looks, so that I won't be reminded how I got int this mess to begin with? Yea, I really hope I get mentored tonight, cause I have questions...'
Holly, for her part, was smiling. 'She's already on the hook. Question is, which, if any, of her friends will she want to wield the power of the crown? Already got Shapiro cleared, so he's actually becoming the ideal, what with Oliver being trained in the Steel Copper armor. Man, that thing needs a batter name...' She smirked, even as her hand reached for her office phone. "I need to talk to Sikowitz, Asap."
A few hours later, as Jade was finishing her studies, both the police required reading, and the homework help that the program now offered, she saw a tall, intimidating woman walking into the facility. One of the armored guards detached to see who this was, and how they got in.
"Excuse me, miss, but can I see your authorization?" The modulated voice asked. The woman handed him a card, and the guard called it in.
"Warpath, huh? Part of the Blue Generation Initiative? Guessing you have better facilities then this, right?" Now the guard felt like he was making conversation.
"Where's Dahlia?" Warpath wondered.
"This way… She's just finishing today's reading." The guard told the budding hero.
Warpath, being Trina, knew instantly which one was Jade, even if it wast obvious with the long black dress and veil. She made a bee line for the goth, ready to get this done. "So, you're Dahlia, huh?"
"I know the drill." Jade sighed. "Yea, I don't look like much, and yea, I'm really as strong as their tests claim I am. So, do I have to prove myself again, or are we good?"
"You realize not everyone was a bully once upon a time." Warpath told the blue eyed witch. "I just wanted to introduce myself. Mrs. V wanted me to study police procedures with you, but that hardly felt like any fun. I figured, given everything, we could do something more amusing, like work on your teamwork skills."
"Teamwork?" Jade felt confused. "I… No one mentioned teamwork."
"Given how powerful everyone claims you are, I'd say they figured you wouldn't need it." The tall woman stated. "I think, however, that's precisely why they need to teach you. Think, what happens if one of your teammates gets in over their head? I know, you may be able to handle the threat, but can you do it in one to two actions, while still dealing with your own assigned problems? Teamwork is as much that one well places shot that opens the opponent up for someone else's attack as it's coordinating to take down a potent foe, like what Constable and Blue Steel did to you. Soo, when your ready to stretch your legs, we can go through some simulations."
"Okay, how we do that?" The reforming villain asked.
"That's kinda gonna be a problem, give the limits of our tech." Warpath said. "I figured you could magic up some kind of illusions or something, and we could work chiz out. You ready?"
"Whatever." Jade groaned. It took her maybe ten minutes to create, in the open training room, a scenario that met the other girls requirements. However, once it was built up, Jade quickly realized that things were instantly more complicated then she'd thought it would be. The situation included a hostage situation, someone holding a simulation of Cat in peril, a deterrent that would keep Dahlia from using a wide variety of offensive actions, as well as a threat to civilians other then the hostage, and lots of potential victims as a clock ticked down to who knows what. It was more complicated then the young woman had expected, and she found herself wracking her brain on how to solve it, even with a second meta present to handle some of the conflict.
The first three times they ran through it, the hostage, and several others, all got killed. One of the armored guards spoke up. "Masters would have called those losses unacceptable, but I'm thinking he wouldn't have had a clue how to reduce the damage to a level he'd accept, other then wanting you to waste the hostage, and the guy behind her."
"And that's the misdirection." Warpath told the guard. "Think. This simulation is all about Dahlia. It assumes that she's the big gun, and the people she's trying to deal with are focused on keeping her out of action. Teamwork here isn't about some spell, or action, it's about using her to her best advantage in the situation. Like in this situation, it's about keeping their attention on her while the others, those the bad guys don't realize are a threat, can take action, reduce the threats and make things better. Now, lets try it with Dahlia here making herself a target, using her magics to both enhance her defenses, and keep them focused on herself. Won't be easy, cause it'll involve using her spells without being obvious. Betting that's one of her weak points. But if she can do it, I think we can drop the body count quickly."
The next run though was significantly better, with Jade playing the distraction, drawing the attention of the bad guys, letting them know she was the big gun, and using her spells to protect as many as she could while keeping the guy holding her Cat illusion talking at her.
Warpath, for her part, started along the periphery, taking down threats and gunmen, while working her way inwards. The tall girl was quick and strong and knew what she was doing, so the numbers dwindles as the bad guys watched Jade for some hint that she was doing whatever was happening.
Jade spent a lot of time talking at the man holding her Cat image, trying to talk him down while keeping everyone focused on her. She never mentioned distraction, just promising that she wasn't doing anything, and that she doubted anyone would take a risk with her there.
Finally, as Trina had trimmed the numbers down, Jade realized that the only way to Save Cat was a drastic action, and cast as subtle a spell as she could, swapping places with the cheery girl, even as she tossed her strongest defensive magics over her best fiend.
The simulation ended with a loud pop.
"Self sacrifice, seems like a good idea, right?" Warpath asked. "You defended your fiend, taking the bullet for her. Now, let me ask you, how long does that defense spell last after your dead? Cause, they're gonna shoot her, and even if she survives, she's gonna be traumatized, both by being shot, and the death of someone right in front of her. And imagine what happens when your perception filter goes down, and she finds out who died protecting her…?"
"Than how the fuck do I win?" Jade snapped.
"Sometimes, you don't." Warpath warned. "I get it, that being willing to die for someone is noble and chiz. Only, that's not why you died this time. I mean, if you could have swapped places with her, why not just pop her away?"
"Easier to exchange." Jade growled, admitting she had limited options, despite her power.
"And it had to be you?" The would be hero asked. "Not saying to send some cop to die, just, what were your options?"
"You, but that's hardly better." Jade sighed. "Not that I like you that much, but to send someone to their death is kinda dark magics, and I try not to use that kind of chiz."
"I'm armored." Warpath told the younger girl. "Both my costume, and my skin. That gun, it may, if he got lucky, have inflicted a minor wound. Well withing your ability to heal. And if he didn't manage to hurt me, I would have shown him just how dangerous a girl can be. Best part, if you let me know that's what you're gonna do, I can get into a place where Cat would be safe, and you'd have all your defenses."
"Oh..." Jade tried to wrap her mind around that.
"See, Dahlia, the big thing you did wrong was you never even tried to find out just what my abilities, or my limits, were." The taller woman said. "Next time, you communicate with your partners, quickly if possible. Also, and this is very important, this is the reason we train together. We do it so we know one another's strengths and weaknesses, can cover those weaknesses, and present a situation where everyone gets out alive."
"I get it, I screwed up." Dahlia almost shouted.
"In a very noble, self sacrificing way." Warpath added. "Just, lets find a way to make things happen that doesn't get you killed. We may need you in the future. Not saying that's a bad attribute, willing to die for another. Just saying, lets make sure willing is a theoretical thing, and you aren't placed in a situation where it's needed. Good?"
"Sure, whatever." Jade growled, still very mad with herself.
"Anyways, it's probably time for you to head home, so I'm gonna go check in with Mrs. V." Warpath give a wide smile. "Nice training with you."
As Jade finished up her shower, ready to head home, Warpath made her way into the directors office, intent on talking with her mother. "Okay, mom, I came, I trained with her. Lets be honest, she has a lot of potential, but girl has minimal tactical sense."
"Tactics can be taught." Holly stated. "Experience, learning, those things can help develop a tactical sense." She stood up to walk towards her eldest, who in this form towards over her. "I noticed you chose to work with her, physically, instead of doing what I asked of you."
"I get it, we're trying to give her time, help her heal." Warpath said. "But babying her isn't gonna help. We're training a potential hero here." She stopped to find her thoughts.
"I'd hoped we were training two." The mother responded.
"You know I have other plans..." Trina all but begged.
"I know, dear." Holly waved off her daughters next statement. "I know you wanna be in entertainment, and despite your skills as a fighter, not to mention street theater, you have no talent for that kind of make believe. You can't seem to find your voice, not as a singer, or an actress. Hell, you're an aces fighter, and yet you can't seem to work out the dances. How does someone do that?" Her hand went up, stopping a response. "Doesn't mater. The thing is, you do have talent. Fighting, critical thinking in a crises, you're good at those. Plus, you get people, can figure out what they might do, just as long as it has nothing to do with Trina Vega, cause you're your biggest blind spot. Good thing that doesn't happen with Warpath."
"You done making me feel better, cause I don't know how much more of this cheering up I can take." Trina replied, trying to not take what her mother said too personally. "But you know how hard I work. That has to count for something, right?"
"Oh, darling, it does, it does..." Mrs. V cupped her daughters cheeks, offering the altered girl as much comfort as she could. "I just hate to think of you wasting your potential. This isn't just about the Blue Generation Initiative. You're a natural. The way you handle yourself on the street, in a crisis, it's what most police should strive for. I just think, given your talents, and potential, law enforcement would be a good choice, one you'd succeed at. You can make a decent living, be the hero that people believe in, if you want to." Her smile broadened, in that way Trina knew she meant she wanted something. "Plus, you could be on posters, pictures, billboards, all over the city. Think of the fan clubs..."
"I thought that was Dahlia's job?" Trina sniped.
"But we wouldn't need a perception filter on you, cause your face changes." Misses Vega noted. "Heck, even your fingerprints change. That makes you ideal for so much more then just stopping the bad guys. You could be the poster girl for the entire Los Angeles Metropolitan area Police Meta Program. Just think about how much we could use you for. Practice saying 'Stay clean, and make something of your life.' I tell you, people will listen."
"Most tagged face in Los Angeles." Trina joked. "What? You know that's how the gangs will respond. No one respects authority figures, just celebrities."
"I'll support you in whatever you choose, but I'd hope you'd choose something you'd succeed at." The mother lamented. "However, thanks for coming over, working with Jade. Now, if you can just learn your police codes..."
"Bye, mom." Warpath said. "Going to the mall now, cause this is the kind of thing one celebrates by trying on shoes."
"Love you, dear." Holly said, smiling a more motherly smile, before watching as her girl walked out. Then, her finger depressed a button on her desk "Doctor, please give me an evaluation of Dahlia's training with Warpath, as soon as you can figure it out. I need to know how they progressed today."
:}
So, Dahlia met Warpath, and I'd say the latter made quite the impression. What will she do when she discovers that Warpath is Trina? Guessing I'll find out later, when I write that part. Until then, thoughts? Also, how'd you enjoy how Misses V handled the business with Jade? Thinking she'll appreciate being involved in so much of the decisions about her life.
Thoughts?