January 17th, 2011
Your name is Taylor Hebert and you have superpowers.
Well, kind of. You're not really sure on the specifics.
But you do know some things about it! It had gotten rid of your belly fat and your pimples, but there's more to it than simply a cosmetic boost. It's not like it changed your cup size or anything crazy like that. You were still a solid A-cup. You know that its a sphere that's centered on you. The maximum distant is about a block, though the effect weakens the farther away it is from you. Like a gas that disperses the farther from its source it is. You also know that walls seem to hamper the effect. The effect was blocked by one wall in the hospital or two of the walls at your house, brick seems more effective at containing it than wood and it ignores things like fabric as if it wasn't even there. If you focus with your power, you can almost shape it. Sacrificing area for a more potent effect at range.
As for what that effect is... you have no idea. The only possible idea you can come up with is crude echolocation or making people feel awkward after you tried using it on your nurse she blushed and left. Or maybe it makes people need to use the bathroom, considering your father did the same thing?
Even then, it was weak. The nurse thing took her physically touching you with your range at its minimum for twenty minutes while you intentionally messed up letting her stick you to buy time and your father- who was only on the opposite side of the room, had taken almost an hour. It was pathetic.
Who knows.
Other than turn it into a 'beam' you learned you can shape it in a number of other ways, always exchanging potency for volume or vice versa. Comparing it to a gas, it's like trapping smoke in a smaller container. In a smaller container, the same amount of smoke appears thicker due to it being more dense or concentrated. You could even withdraw it into yourself- effectively turning it off- but that felt like sucking in your stomach. It was painful and at most, you could manage it for maybe thirty seconds.
You shook your head and ignored the jeers around the bus, restraining your power to as close as you as possible. You really didn't want to see what its effects were on a bus. What if you used your bathroom powers to make someone piss themselves on the bus? That would be funny, sure, but it would also be mean. And you refused to misuse your powers.
That being said, you couldn't really turn them off. Only shape or redirect it. You could avoid using it on your father by having it shoot out of your back while you looked at him. You didn't want to make him get embarrassed and drop the plate while cooking!
You shook your head. Definitely not!
That was when the bus stopped.
Your brief refresher was a way for you to avoid a panic attack on the ride over and it was only through herd protection and a fear of being even more rejected socially that made you muster the courage to stand up and get off the bus.
Only to see the dreaded Trio, cursed be their name, relaxing with their flunkies on the stairs. You walked up, your gaze briefly meeting Emma's before you looked down and hurried past them.
M-Maybe they would tone it down? Considering they hospitalized you?
You could only hope.
The beginning of your day- actually most of it- was uneventful. You didn't have any classes with any bullies for the first two periods, a substitute teacher in Mr. Gladly's gave out busy work and Madison tried to tease you by 'whispering' to her friends about how you had tried to kill yourself because nobody loved you.
She wasn't entirely wrong. The suicide part wasn't true, but not being loved? Nobody caring about you? Those were all things that had crossed through your head before you fainted.
Lunch was likewise absent of much bullying. In fact, most of the day was rather lax. Madison tried to taunt you and Sophia shoved you a few times- you hope your 'aura' made her sick at her stomach for that- but other than that nothing too big happened. The entire day you had spent avoiding touching others- your aura was virtually skin tight save for the fact that the minimum you could bring it in without 'sucking' it was a little less than a quarter centimeter past your clothing.
If you were wearing clothing. If you weren't, then it could hover just over your skin. If you were wearing heavy, baggy clothing, then it would stop easily retracting just over the baggy clothes. But, even in that last scenario, it was still more effective touching your skin... if someone managed to slip their hand past the baggy jacket to do so.
It seemed superficial, but whatever.
Fifth period was the only one of note. Sophia was in your class and seemed to glare at you the more class went on. You considered firing a bathroom laser at her, but there were too many people between the two of you. The power had to extend from you, though you briefly considered having it snake between people to hit her but... no. Too much risk. It was safest to let it cling to your clothing.
The only thing that happened between then and now was Sophia bumping into you and making you drop your books. She deserved her future of needing to use the bathroom for that.
The next day was mostly the same, except Sophia was more aggressive when it came to shoving you when she walked by... until lunch.
At lunch, you were hidden in a bathroom on the third floor. It was mostly unused due to the amount of graffiti and the reputation it had for being where wannabe Merchant high schoolers would shoot up last year. They stopped and a rumor spread about it the reason they stopped involving a girl who overdosed in it.
You're pretty sure that's a lie and they just graduated.
You were eating your hoagie when you heard ominous giggles and hurried into the stall. You pulled your feet up and more laughter sounded until it died down. You heard them talking.
It was Madison who spoke first, "Where is she? Didn't someone say she was here?" There was a brief pause, you assume someone nodded, "Abby? Well she isn't."
"She must've left when I went to get you all," Someone, you assume it was Abby, stated and held your breath while there was a brief argument before you heard the door open and heard their footsteps. You watched as their shadows exited but kept shallow, light breaths.
A sigh of relief would spell the end of you and your homework.
One shadow didn't move. You heard Emma's voice again, "Sophia?"
Sophia Hess replied simply, "You go on ahead. I'll catch up."
"Want me to stay with you?" Emma asked and your eyes widened.
"Nah. Go enjoy your lunch. I'll be out in a bit." Sophia simply said, making your stomach drop.
You were starting to regret being happy about her touching your bathroom aura so much earlier. This was your power's fault!
The door slammed shut with a tone of finality and you held your breath, feeling your heart pound in your chest.
You heard one of the bathroom stalls open and let a silent breath out in relief. She wasn't going to yours... then you heard another stall door open. And another. Slowly going down the line. You stealthily slid your backpack on as you saw the shadow stalk outside of your door. It opened it just like all the others-
And you darted out of the stall!
You felt something grab your wrist and pull and you felt your center of balance shift! The world seemed to turn as you slipped and fell, falling to the ground as you spun. You landed on your back, your backpack saving you from slamming your head on the ground, and saw Sophia standing there.
Fear filled your eyes as you crawled backward, your back pressing against the wall.
Sophia only grinned. It was a grin like a cat looking at a pinned mouse.
She stalked forward, looking at you as you just sat there. You felt your breathing grow heavier as fear pinned you in place. You tried to move and her foot stomped next to your thigh. You slid the other way and the same thing happened. She crouched down over your lap and you went to throw a punch only to have her grab it. You tried to slap with your other hand and she grabbed that too. She was just stronger than you. Your power may have slimmed your body, but it didn't give you muscle.
You tried your best to struggle. You released your hold on your power and it filled the room. You didn't know what it did still other than make people embarrassed, but you didn't want to find out on the person pinning you. She shifted her grip on your wrists, holding them both over your head with one of her hands.
Her other one brushed the hair from your face and adjusted your glasses.
"You're going to whisper and sit there. If you keep squirming or try to shout, I'm going to make everything worse. Understand?" Sophia's voice was low and firm, there was almost a purr to it as she pinned you.
"Ye-Y-O-Okay," Compared to hers, your timid and terrified voice cracked as you struggled out a response.
Still, Sophia smiled as she heard it. "And if you tell anyone about this... well, everything me and Emma have done? It gets worse."
You felt your heart drop before Sophia leaned in. "Now then, Hebert." Her face was close to yours as she spoke, whispering out the word, "Wanna know how we can make all of it stop instead?"
You nodded your head. Fear blatant in your eyes.
Sophia stared at you. Your faces were inches apart and you could feel her breath across your lips.
The grin on her face reappeared, wider than before. "Are you okay with this?"
Your confusion was obvious. For the first time in your life you thought that in Sophia's voice you heard the faintest trace of... concern? It was still the stern, hungry voice she had since she pinned you but there was something different about it. You were speechless.
The silence stretched on. What the hell was going on?!
Sophia's hungry smile turned into a frown as she dropped your arms. "Why the fuck is it you? How the fuck is it you?"
"Wh-What?" Your voice sounded as nervous and shocked as you felt.
Sophia took a deep breath before slapping you across the face, causing your power to flare up in the room. "Out of all the girls, how the fuck is it you? I had a few thoughts, but it was never like this. What the fuck, Hebert. How the hell am I- for-" She groaned before pinning you against the wall again, this time pressing both of her hands against her shoulder. "Never fucking mind, bitch. This is just some guilty fluke."
She let go of you before standing up and pulling out a few bills. She tossed them onto you.
"What's this for?" You asked, looking at the cash on your lap and then back up at your dark-skinned tormentor.
"You dropped your sandwich." It was a simple, confusing sentence. "It's for a new one. I'm leaving. Fuck you. Fuck everything about you." Sophia stated before storming out and grumbling to herself. You couldn't make out most of it, but you did pick up on one sentence: "How am I gay for Hebert!?"
You blinked a few times as you looked at your hands.
The next class was filled with Sophia glaring at you more and Math with gossip about you having sex in a dumpster with a merchant for a hookup.
But there was only one thing that you could think of as you left school that day.
How the HELL does your power work?!
After school you:
] Stay up late studying
- 90% Chance of Success
- Maybe you'll improve your grades?
- Something mysterious is likely to happen.
] Go to the boardwalk
- 80% Chance of Success
- Maybe you'll find a job?
- You'll definitely meet someone.
] Go to the library
- 70% Chance of Success
- Maybe you'll learn something new about your powers?
- You probably won't meet anyone.
] Write In
- ???% Chance of Success
- You will only learn what a Write In's likelihood of success when it's selected.
- Be sure to hope to add what you hope to accomplish as well as what you're doing.
Click to expand...
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Threadmarks: 2 - A Boardwalk Stroll
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Voting results
January 17th, 2011
Your mind was still racing. You just couldn't get that moment in the bathroom with Sophia out of her head.
The way she pinned you, the way you could just barely see down her shirt. The way her breath felt on your lips.
You couldn't stop thinking about the glances she gave you after or the words she'd said under her breath.
Maybe it had something to do with the constant berating and attacks from Sophia since you first came to high school? The sudden shift and change. You had once heard that people would tease and taunt people they had crushes on. Is that why this constant torment has happened?
Was Sophia gay? And you couldn't stop thinking of her. Does that make you gay?
You couldn't stop thinking about it. It wasn't a bad thing. Thanks to Legend, nobody really cared if someone was gay, save for the Empire 88 and their ilk, but they're literal Nazis.
People don't really care about the opinions of Nazis. Because they're Nazis.
People don't like Nazis.
You shook your head and sighed, pacing back and forth on your room. But still! What was going on? Apparently, you were gay now? You don't think you were gay. You weren't gay back when you and Emma took showers together, were you?
Did your powers make people gay? Why did your powers make people gay?
You flopped onto the bed, pressing your head into the sheets as you tried to figure out what the hell was happening.
The decision was sudden as you hopped up and pulled a jacket on.
You hurried down the stairs and retracted your aura, pulling it as close as you could. You saw your father staring at the TV and headed towards the door, pulling open and hearing a "Taylor? What're you doing?"
"Oh, just going for a walk. I need some fresh after today." The words and emotions behind them were genuine, you just wanted fresh air.
"Alright, hun. Do you have that pepper spray?" Your father asked, his eyes not once moving from the television. His tone reminded you of the teachers at school. Saying things not out of care but out of obligation.
It made your heartache.
You shook your head, just another thing to think about on your walk. "Yeah. It's in my pocket." You reached in and gripped it, confirming that it was there.
"Alright, be careful and don't be out too late." With that, you were out. You walked down the sidewalk and glanced around. You didn't really know what to do. You could go to the library and try to research or escape into books, but you had a feeling that it wouldn't result in anything too eventful. Besides, the library was probably crowded.
Speaking of crowded places, the Boardwalk was an option. It wouldn't be oppressively populated since fewer people went during weekdays and the winter. Plus, it was spacious and had a decent view. It'd be better if the bay wasn't filled with the husks of sunken ships but you would take what you could get.
Besides, maybe you could walk in the sand. The water was far too cold this time of the year.
You headed towards the bus stop, your destination in mind.
It wasn't a long way from your house to the Boardwalk. When you started running in the morning, one of your father's rules were that you ran to and on the Boardwalk. It was safe thanks to the guards and all of the gangs in town recognized how important it was for tourism.
Of course, that meant that the coffees were overpriced and the dresses were expensive.
You looked up and down the Boardwalk, seeing people looking out the ocean or towards the Protectorate ENE headquarters. They walked along into shops, cafes, and along the various paths. Teenagers hung out here and there and the enforcers- the security guards of the Boardwalk- eyed someone wearing somebody wearing a football jersey with the number 88.
It was what you expected. You walked along, glancing at the various cafes and their fifteen dollar frappes with yearning.
You shook your head and released your hold on your aura. Your power would affect the whole crowd- and sure, the effect was more powerful the closer to you a person was- but you didn't want to risk bumping into anyone and harshly affecting them. You had a feeling that it would be more noticeable if a straight guy bumped into you and suddenly liked dicks. Plus, controlling you aura was something you had to do actively. It was like holding a lot of pillows, it wasn't difficult or strenuous but it did take some active thought. Sometimes it could even be tiring, but that came and went.
God, you wished your powers came with an instruction manual.
Slowly, you made your way over to the shop front and glanced in, passing by them. There was a board game shop, an antique shop, and a number of clothing and shoe stores.
The clothing stores were your favorite. As you passed by them you tried to picture yourself in the various clothes but always found yourself lacking.
You looked at a v-neck at one store; you didn't have the cleavage to pull it off.
You looked at a crop top at the next; you didn't have the confidence for it.
You looked at a dress; you-... You did have the legs for it. Your eyes flicked up to the chest, which was mostly flat and tight. It was clearly designed for someone with less in the cleavage department. It trailed down in the back, coming to a point. It was a bit frillier and much shorter than you liked plus on the sides, there was some kind of sheer material. Provocative, but not necessarily revealing. You could see yourself wearing it to something like a party or wedding.
Probably with leggings.
You glanced at the price tag. There was no way you could afford it.
You knew you should head on your way. But... Window shopping wasn't a bad thing and maybe they had something in a more affordable price range? You had all the time in the world and who knows, you did have the cash Sophia tossed on you.
You walked into The Dollhouse.
It was... something unique. Mannequins displayed clothing like nothing you'd ever seen. Some designs weren't absurd, more like the dress you saw outside but in styles for those more well-endowed. Others seemed a bit more outlandish, like an outfit that had swathes missing from it- as if they had been clawed away by some beast- and then replaced with a conflicting color. Most... were normal name brand clothes. You walked forward, examining the various articles as you moved deeper in the store. As you headed in, the clothing got more... provocative and expensive.
Deeper in, there was another shirt like the 'clawed' one earlier, except this time there was no replaced material, just the plastic of a mannequin. The fact that the tights that went with it had a missing part on the inner thigh only served to redden your blush. You passed what looked like a school girl uniform though, the skirt was shorter than the one that Immaculata High girls wore and the top few buttons were intentionally absent. You absently thought that Sophia would look good with it, her toned legs coming out of a skirt that just barely covered her- you shook your head.
You came here to get your mind off of her!
You glanced at what appeared to be an extremely short nurse outfit; you had to double take at it to see if there was even a skirt. There was. Technically.
You were slowly starting to realize that some of these pieces of clothing probably weren't for public use as you stepped past the fetishwear and into the lingerie.
It was only then that you noticed a girl standing there, struggling to put a bra on a higher hook. She was shorter than you, almost by a whole foot! She was dressed in a flowing, pale orange top and white leggings. Her clothes contrasted nicely with her dark skin. Her ears were pierced and you could see a stud on the side of her nose that you could see. The middle eastern girl glared up at the hook before glancing around... and spotting you.
You gave a timid wave and she blinked staring at you before giving a simple, "Oh, hi." She spoke simply, she paused, "Sorry about not hearing you come in, the bell isn't working. Can I help you?"
You blinked before you processed the words and stopped staring at the beautiful girl. Were you seriously into girls now! Did your gay-ifying powers affect you too or were you just too deep in the closet to realize before the incident with Sophia? Wha-What about guys? Are you bisexual? You had so many questions but none of them were relevant to the current situation.
You mentally cleared your mind before you replied, "Um, I was just looking." You tried to avoid looking over her. Were you really gawking at any pretty girl now?
"Alright, well, my last few customers left a bit ago so if you need any help, just ask." She said with a fake smile before looking back up at the hook she was trying to restock. You glanced at it and then the shorter girl before making the obvious move.
"Do you need help putting that up?" It was a simple question but it was one that seemed to surprise her.
The employee looked at it before her eyes went back to you and she nodded, "Please? Normally... Parian restocks after closing, but a group of girls came in and bought almost the entire rack and she isn't in right now." You blinked a few times before nodding your head. Parian sounded familiar but you weren't really sure why.
You smiled back before moving closer to her as she handed you the bra. You placed it on the rack and she handed you another one, one by one you refilled the rack. The girl smiled at you and you realized something. Maybe you were too distracted by her pillowy lips and her deep, dark eyes, but you noticed that beneath those beautiful eyes were dark spots and her hair was frazzled.
Her exhaustion had been hidden behind a facade of makeup and forced cheer.
You kept looking at you and you realized that she had noticed and was staring back.
You shook your head- she was only staring because you were. Staring at you in confusion because you were staring at her. Stupid powers.
"Umm, so... did- did you need help with anything?" The girl asked, her cheeks looking a tad flushed.
See? Now she's embarrassed because you're being weird. This is why you don't stare at people. You never really ogled people in the past, but now that your powers had cranked up your attraction to people, apparently you needed to learn to control it.
"Oh, uh, no. Sorry, I was just, um... looking." You stated, feeling your own cheeks redden.
"At... me?" She seemed confused and your cheeks flushed more.
"Oh, no. I mean, uh, yes? Kind of? You look tired."
That earned a single laugh from her. It didn't sound genuine but it didn't sound... wrong? It was like that was all she could muster. "Yeah, I'm... I'm exhausted. Working retail is awful. The only other employee quit so now it's just me... and Parian, of course."
You nodded, hearing the name again. "Yeah, that sounds... awful. You look like you need a few days off. Who's Parian? She sounds familiar but I can't put a face to her name."
The girl blinked, staring at you before explaining, "That's... good? She owns the shop and designs some of the clothing here. Not all of it, since- well- only selling your own clothes is something you can do if you've got a factory or your quality is amazing. Parian's... isn't."
You thought back to the clothing you'd seen and felt, "It's... It looks amazing. I like it." It was a simple response but it did earn a small, honest grin from the girl.
"Well, then she doesn't think it's good enough... or maybe she just doesn't want to risk overpricing it." The girl stated as she moved over and sat on a table, hopping up onto it and crossing her legs. "But I'll be sure to tell her that you like it."
"Is she not here? She's the owner, right?"
The girl shook her head, "We alternate days. Well, kinda. I work three days a week, she works the other three, and we're closed on Wednesdays."
You blinked, "Why Wednesday?" You expected Sunday or Monday, but Wednesday? That seemed odd.
The girl shrugged, "Weekends are busy. We tested it and we sell the least on Wednesdays, so we're closed then. Plus we open pretty late and close early most days."
You had never had a job before, well, you'd gone with your Mom to a few of her lectures when she couldn't get someone to watch you during school holidays, but that didn't really count. You could see the logic in it though. "Okay- oh, yeah, What's your name?"
"Sabah, yours?" She stated, pointing at her name tag and raising her eyebrow. You glanced at it and your eyes lingered for a moment, looking at the girl's chest. It wasn't huge but it was still far larger than yours.
"I'm Taylor," You stated with a smile and Sabah met it with one of her own. "Oh, yeah... Name tags exist." You added that second part with a blush.
"Mhm." She said, looking into your eyes as you lifted your head to face her. "And they totally aren't an excuse to just stare at someone's chest," She said it in a playful tone and had a smile on her face, so you knew she was joking.
Your face turned red anyways.
And that was how it began. The two of you kept talking. It was mostly mindless, unimportant banter interrupted only by the occasional customer coming in. Sabah would briefly stop talking to you to assist them before going back to whatever topic came up- or occasionally telling you what the customer said if it was particularly strange. It would spur a whole new topic of conversation.
It was nice to have company, to have someone to talk to.
Eventually, Sabah yawned and- of course- upon seeing that you did too. She checked the time and blinked, "It's almost ten! I was supposed to close an hour ago." Despite the fact that she technically worked overtime, the girl seemed to smile.
"Sorry."
She shook her head, "Don't be. My shift would've felt way longer if you hadn't been here." She stated simply, going to open the register and collect the day's earnings.
That made you smile. You nodded your head, "Yeah. Sorry anyway. I guess I'll head out then?"
Sabah nodded, "Yup. Sorry, maybe we can hang out sometime that I'm off work?" She asked, gazing into your eyes before adding, "Where are you parked?"
"Oh, uh, I rode the bus." It felt strangely embarrassing to admit, but you did so anyway.
Sabah nodded her head, "Alright, I didn't want you walking home through the Docks or something... Do you want me to give you a ride home?"
The bus stop was a walk away and you did have to change buses along the route home. It would be faster and safer, but... you also didn't want to take advantage of her. She was a new friend and you didn't want to risk it.
Plus, you needed more time to think about your sexuality. The number of times you had thought about how beautiful Sabah was and how soft her lips must be was far too high for any straight girl.
"No, but thank you. I have pepper spray and it's not a long ride." You stated as Sabah nodded, flipping the bills over in her hand that she had taken from the register.
You took a step back, "So... bye?" She smiled before waving back at you and you took a step towards the door...
Only to hear a sudden "Wait!" as she ran around the counter and grabbed your hand. You turned to look at her.
She was close to you. Not pressing against you, but closer than she had been any that day. She was holding onto your hand, stepping close enough that you had to resist the urge to pull her closer.
You were pretty sure this was the first time someone held your hand since the hospital.
"I... You should apply for a job here."
You blinked a few times as you realized she had a form in her hand. "What?"
"I already said we'd had some quit a few weeks back. If you want, I can put in a word for you with Parian?" You looked into her large, brown eyes and couldn't help but feel your heart jump.
She pulled you the slightest bit closer and your cheeks flushed, "I don't have any experience."
Sabah shook her head, "You don't need it. It's retail, it's not... complicated. Just frustrating sometimes. I'll teach you for your first few days."
You chewed on your lip before answering, "I... I'll think about it and let you know, um... soon? I'll come back by some time, when do you work next?" You said as you took the application.
Sabah nodded her head and a moment passed before she let go of you. "Thursday. Parian works tomorrow and we're closed Wednesday."
"I'll come back by and let you know then."
And with that, you headed home. Sophia was still on your mind, coming and going, but now Sabah was there too. Less predatory and more... amiable? Maybe you were just looking at things with rose tinted glasses since it was the first nice interaction you'd had since summer camp.
Sabah's character sheet has been unlocked.
Taylor's Stress has decreased by 1.
What are you going to do about school and Sophia tomorrow?
] Confront Sophia
- 80% Chance of Success
- You'll get information, but things could get worse.
] Avoid Sophia
- 80% Chance of Success
- You won't get any answers about Sophia's sudden attraction.
- She won't be happy about you avoiding her.
] Skip School
- ] (Write-In)
- Sophia will notice your absence but won't be annoyed by it.
And how will you spend that afternoon?
] Stay up late studying
- 90% Chance of Success
- Maybe you'll improve your grades?
- Something mysterious is likely to happen.
] Spend time with dad
- 85% Chance of Success
- He's your father and you know he's been suffering like you have.
- Maybe spending time with him will boost his mood?
] Go to the mall
- 80% Chance of Success
- You do have money and maybe there's something to buy?
- You might meet someone active.
] Test your powers
- 70% Chance of Success
- You might find something out.
- You may meet someone new.
] Go the library
- 70% Chance of Success
- You still think there might be something helpful to learn there.
- You probably won't meet anyone.
] Write-in
- ???% Chance of Success
Click to expand...
I didn't expect nor intend for this chapter to be over 3k words. Is that too long?
From now on, we'll tend to have 2-3 choices every post. One during the day, one in the afternoon, and one at night. This is currently probationary. Right now there's only two because I need to come up with more night-time events.
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randomlightning, Tiufi, VerBlinkel and 446 others like this.
Threadmarks: 3 - Confrontations
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
January 18th, 2011
As you walked up the steps to Winslow, you only had one thing on your mind.
You had to talk to Sophia. You had to figure out what you'd done to her and, by doing so, what your powers were.
You saw her with Emma and Madison as you walked to your first class of the day and ignored the whispers and pointing. Instead, for the first time, you locked eyes with Sophia instead of ignoring the group as you walked by.
Good.
Then, you proceeded forward and collected your things before going to class. You already knew how you were going to talk to her. You didn't know what you were going to say, but you knew how and where you would do it. It would all happen at lunch.
You arrived in the restroom. It was the same one you had been in yesterday and you could only hope that Sophia understood the look you gave her and came alone. If she didn't, if yesterday was just some kind of trick...
For a few moments, you considered leaving. You could still hide and avoid her.
Maybe it would be better to just do so. Maybe you could go test your power on some stranger or Sabah? Or your father? Maybe you didn't need to figure out what was going on with Sophia? After all, if she found out something was up through your questions, then she would just use it as blackmail or report you to the PRT for using it on her. The more you thought about it, the more it made sense to not tell her. It was a risk and it was probably unnecessary. Your power didn't hurt people so maybe you could test it on people that were important. You didn't need to confront her as much as you thought, so you took a step towards the door with the intent of avoiding her.
And that's exactly when the door opened.
Sophia stepped forward and you didn't see anyone come in with her.
You swallowed down the doubt that you had. It wouldn't help you here.
The first thought you had was that Sophia looked amazing in red, the second was that her top was tight. You blinked to try and change your focus, looking at her face and staring into her eyes. You tried to have your gaze be intense and focused, but you aren't sure it worked considering that it made Sophia smirk.
"Oh? Do you have a spine now, Hebert?" The grin on Sophia's face looked hungry as you conjured forth all your willpower and focused on keeping the confidence you had built. You couldn't back down now, you had to do something.
You just needed to find the words and you knew hesitation was dangerous, so you said the first three words that came to mine, "I heard you."
She rose an eyebrow, "Heard me? What do you think you heard?"
Your forced confidence stayed and that made it only grow further as you spoke, "What you said yesterday, about me." Sophia opened her mouth to interrupt you but you spoke anyways, "You have a crush on me."
Your confidence swelled more as Sophia's attempt at an interruption died. Instead, she merely stared at you with a look of shock. Her eyes wide and her mouth agape. Silence reigned for a precious few seconds and you felt your heart pounding in your chest. You had never seen Sophia shaken before.
"I-I don't know what you... what you think you're saying here, so I'm-" Sophia began, a slight stutter to her words that made you step forward.
Sophia had steered and domineered the entirety of your high school life and now that she was the one backpedaling? That she was the surprised one trying to figure out how to change what was going on?
It felt good.
So, you interrupted her with her own words, "'How am I gay for Hebert'."
She paled more at the quote, clenching her fists and stepping forward, "Hebert, if you're smart you'll stop talking."
You shrank your aura, condensing it to a bubble around you and Sophia. "When did it start? Is that why all this started?" All of it. The bullying and your powers.
"No." It was a firm and solid answer as she glared into your eyes. You merely returned the look. "I liked guys."
You caught that slip-up. "Liked?"
"I meant like, Hebert. Fuck you."
You two were a step away from each other now as you glared in the silence, Sophia's glare met by your smirk. You weren't sure how much of this courage was real or fake, but you could only hope that it held up. "When?"
"When what?"
You had plotted this question all day, but you still couldn't manage the right wording. "When did you start liking me?"
Sophia rolled her eyes, "I don't like you."
"Tell me the truth, Sophia. Now." You stated and Sophia's glare intensified.
"Oh? You want the truth, Hebert?" Sophia asked, taking the final step forward.
Sophia's face was a mere few inches from yours but your conjured courage didn't buckle. If anything, you merely noticed that this time, Sophia's breath smelled like mint. "Yes."
Sophia snarled, "Nobody will believe you."
"I don't care. I want to know." Your voice was firm as you kept your gaze steady and she grabbed you by the collar. You grabbed her wrist.
"Fine. Fine." Her voice didn't sound like it was fine. Her voice sounded like she was frustrated, but there was something else to it too. "Nobody will believe you and if you tell anyone, you're fucking dead, Hebert."
Your eyes didn't sway from Sophia's.
She continued, "I don't like you. I haven't fallen for you. I don't care about you." Her voice was tense. "But there's something I want."
The tone she said that last sentence in made you shiver. "What do you want?" You tried to tighten your aura further, a bubble around you and Sophia connected by a short tube.
Sophia smiled.
Then she tackled you.
As you felt your head hit the ground, you tried to push her off of you and instead she grabbed your arm and pinned you to the ground. You threw your weight to the side and shifted beneath her, but it wasn't enough. She moved, sitting on your stomach and pinning you as you futilely tried to push her with your other hand. Her strong legs were squeezing either side of your stomach, locking her there.
"This. This is what I want." Sophia stated, moving her hand from your collar to grab you by the jaw. "You beneath me. Squirming. This is what I couldn't get out of my fucking head since I bumped into you yesterday." Sophia stated, hunching forward and glaring at you from above. "I want to pin you down and make you mine."
The realization hit you like a bag of breaks. You knew what your power did now.
It was the only thing that you could think of. It was the only explanation for Sophia's heavy breaths and the look in her eyes. The desire in them as she stared down at you.
The bell rung.
Sophia blinked and glared to the side before shoving your head down. "Fuck."
The next words came unbidden, but you said them anyway. "Sophia."
She looked down at you. You saw that she was angry, but it didn't seem to be directed at you. Or at least, most of it wasn't.
"Get off me. Now." You said, faux confidence still in your voice. Sophia frowned, "Get up. I'm not going to tell anyone what happened."
Sophia glared down before getting up. "If you-"
You already knew what she was going to say, "I won't. Trust me."
With that, Sophia left you there.
You knew now what your power did. It... increased something. Attraction- no, It increased desire? Lust? No, that didn't feel right. It didn't increase lust, it increased... desire. But it didn't increase it, it just affected desire. It... made it possible and made someone's desire to grow faster.
Multiple forms of desire too. The desire to make someone happy. The desire to protect. The desire to... fuck.
You nodded, that felt... right. Yeah. Like realizing the name to a song that was on the tip of your tongue, that explanation just felt correct.
And the more you thought about it, the more that made sense. Sophia might've been in the closet before, but the odds of her and the nurse both being gay enough to have any attraction to you? No, your power had to influence someone's sexual preference to make that possible. Which only meant it made it possible for the other two forms of desire too. Which meant... you might be able to get Sophia to care about you. To want to protect you...
But your knowledge of your power still felt incomplete. There was more to it than that. Why did it affect Sophia so much faster than the nurse? Or... or your dad? God, you used your power on your dad! What if that made him want to fuck you!? He's your dad! But your rooms were next to each other and your walls weren't dense enough to stop the power. Fuck.
You shook your head, your power wouldn't make your father want to fuck you, right? It would probably just... enhance his desire to protect and make you happy?
You shook your head going to grab your bag and head to your next class.
Why did it affect Sophia so much faster? She had been close to you a lot and had been inside your aura at its most concentrated, but it still didn't make sense. There had to be some other factor at play here.
Well, it was something to think about while you were in class.
You went through the rest of the day wrestling with this, trying to think of possibilities. The nurse had taken concentrated doses of your power and so had Sophia, so why did Sophia get so affected in a fraction of the time. Was it age? Did age play a part or was it something else? Something you needed to discover?
You realized that you must've affected Sabah. You didn't think the two of you were technically friends but... were the seeds of that possible friendship built on this lie of your power? You had eventually decided that- no- it wasn't wrong or bad. Your power was a part of you. Some people gain friendships through beauty, others through confidence or social skills or common interests. You just happened to plant the seeds of friendship using a different part of you- your power. So it's probably morally okay.
Probably.
You eventually had to take your mind off of this when you got home so you could do something else. Something far, far worse.
Homework.
You had been absent from the first week of school, but at the hellhole that is Winslow, the teachers didn't offer any pity or condolences when it came to assignments. You couldn't work on the programming ones at home, but Mrs. Knott said that you could work on her assignments during class- after you finished your other ones for the day of course.
That still left all your other schoolwork to be done at home though.
So, you started the frustrating, grueling process of doing your homework. You worked at it for hours and hours, but you didn't feel like you were making any progress at all.
You weren't trapped out of the state until you heard a loud thump.
You looked at the time. Half-past one. Your father would already be in bed by now and the noise didn't come from his room.
It came from outside.
If you didn't find out what the cause was, you were pretty sure it would keep you up all night.
Maybe that was the paranoia talking, considering it was half-past one and you just realized how tired you were.
You hurried downstairs, skipping the one that always creaked to go and look out the window.
You saw someone lying in the dirt of your backyard.
You flicked on the light. They were at the edge of it, but you could make out features now. You weren't sure of the gender and they were facing towards you- well, their face was buried in the mud and you could only really make out the top of their head. Their outfit was caked in mud by the crash landing, but you could see a mess of long, muddied blonde hair.
They were covered in mud and they weren't getting up. Shit.
Confront Sophia:
Sophia likes Taylor fighting back. Lust and Love increase by 3 (2 from Crit).
Sophia likes Taylor's confidence that the crit caused! Sophia's Loyalty increases by 4.
Taylor found out what her power is! Happiness increases by 1.
Taylor found out what her power is! Stress decreases by 1.
Stay Up Late:
Taylor is mostly caught up on homework. Her stress decreases by 1.
What do you do?
] Check on her yourself
-- 90% Chance of Success
-- You think you remember how to use the first aid kit.
-- The person might need immediate attention
-- If the person is dangerous, you could be hurt or worse.
] Get Dad to check on her.
-- 75% Chance of Success
-- Your father sleeps like a brick, so waking him up might take time.
-- He might not know how to help if she's very injured.
-- You might put your father in danger.
] Call 911
-- 95% Chance of Success
-- Emergency Services can provide professional assistance.
-- You won't be in any danger if the cape is a villain.
-- They may be busy and not be able to respond soon.
] Go back to sleep
-- 99% Chance of Success
-- This really isn't your problem.
-- Doing this would probably make you feel bad.
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Threadmarks: 4 - My Hero
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
January 19th, 2011
Of course, you were going to help her! You were Taylor Hebert! A future hero!
Well, you still want to be. As long as that other part of your power is something that can actually be used in a fight instead of just... more making people care about you. Not that you don't like that part. Maybe having people care about you will be nice.
You shook your head! Now wasn't the time to think about that. You hurried outside and to the girl, getting a better look at her. She was dressed in a white costume with red lines and arrows that clung to her body, showing off every curve... almost every curve. The costume seemed to be designed to preserve some degree of modesty, not being tight enough on the girl's ass to show off quite as much as you'd like or maybe the dim light had something to do with that.
You shook your head. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about that! She could suffocate!
You flipped the girl over, going to move your hands to her lips to make sure no mud was caked in her mouth. You felt her breaths against your hand.
Alright, Taylor, think. What did you learn about first aid back in summer camp? What was the first step? Check the scene?
You glanced around your backyard. It was mostly empty, a rusted swing set sat on one side. You glanced again and saw a pile of branches piled next to the fence. A glance up and your somewhat adjusted eyes could make out a missing tree branch on the neighbor's tree. Maybe she crashed through the tree?
You looked up and down her front this time, noticing a stick had lodged into her side. You're pretty sure you're not supposed to pull that out. Or maybe you pull it out once you get bandages for it? Something like that. It wasn't an immediate issue nor was it life-threatening. The only other obvious things were some scratches and bruises. You tried not to think about how beautiful she was. You couldn't let yourself be distracted right now.
You knew she was breathing and a quick check to her neck told you that she had a pulse. You didn't know what else information to get about it.
After a moment of checking over her, you were almost certain that you weren't doing a good job at this. Your eyes were only half adjusted and it was dark out, but taking her in could be dangerous. What if she had some kind of internal damage or she was a villain? Worse, you'd seen her face and you knew that if she was a villain, she wouldn't let you get away with that!
... But the alternative was her dying out here. You needed to clean her wounds and you couldn't do that with her outside in the dirt.
You really wished that your power gave you enhanced strength instead of just a less pudgy body. You couldn't carry her bridal style so you had to do the next best thing: forced piggyback style. It took a bit of effort and you had to be careful not to break the stick that had stabbed into her, but eventually, you managed to heft her up onto your back and carried her in through the still open door.
You paused, catching your breath and adjusting where she was on you. You could leave her in the living room and treat her there... but your father might wake up at some point. Or she might not wake up until after he does in the morning. You took a deep breath and made your way up the stairs, feeling the creaky stair and making a silent prayer to the powers that be that your dad was still asleep. If he was, not even an endbringer siren couldn't wake him. But he worked- and thus slept- odd hours at times.
It took far longer than you'd like and you were panting for breaths as you arrived at the top and finally made your way to your bedroom. You reluctantly laid the blonde girl onto your bed. You'd have to wash your sheets after this.
But it was worth it to help someone. Especially someone as gorgeous at this girl.
You were pretty sure she could've been a model. Not the playboy bunny type, but she had a bombshell figure to die for and a heartshaped face that you couldn't stop staring at.
But you had to. You tore your eyes away from her and hurried to the bathroom, grabbing the first aid kit and tossing a washcloth in the sink for later. You hurried back to the girl's side and made sure she was still breathing before looking at the stick. On one hand, you were pretty sure you weren't supposed to remove it. On the other, it might get infected if you don't clean it. You bit your lip before pulling it out. It wasn't deep, there was only a half-inch of blood on it. You tossed it towards the trash. You disinfected the wound and wrapped it before sighing in relief. You went ahead and disinfected the various scrapes and scratches on her too.
Your house was just on the edge of The Docks. You weren't sure why they were called the Docks since barely any of the area was near the water. That wasn't important though. What was more important was the Docks were filled with gang members and the homeless. It was a constant struggle between the three biggest gangs in town- The Azn Bad Boys, The Archer's Bridge Merchants, and Empire Eighty-Eight. Your house was on the edge between Empire and ABB territory, a few blocks into the ABB side of things. You'd seen a cape fight or two in-person like most people in Brockton but you'd never stuck around and it had always been on the way to or from your house, never at it.
You suppose there must be a fight going on right now. Or it just ended.
You looked at the girl before you, your eyes taking in how her suit clung to her body. You tore your eyes away and instead went back to the bathroom, grabbing the rag you through in the sink and rinsing it before hurrying back to try and get the dirt off of her face.
In the light, as you cleaned her, you had ample time and an excuse to touch her.
Her golden blonde hair was still muddied, but you managed to get it away from her face to wipe that clean. She was attractive. Full lips and a heart-shaped face with a body to kill for. She was curvy, but not in an extreme way. Her costume was indeed white, with red arrows that were trailed by red lines. Similar red lines ran up and down her arms and legs, going to black gloves and boots, each ringed with red as well. While you were brushing her hair away, you noticed she even had a matching ruby red headband.
Apparently, she had a color scheme going.
You shook your head as you finished scrubbing her costume free. You didn't clean off her chest or her crotch. She was beautiful but you also didn't want her to realize that to clean her off you had to touch her in those places. You weren't going to sexually assault her. Or anyone, for that matter.
You were pretty sure your power handled that.
You shivered and shook your head, going to lay the cloth across her chest instead. Hopefully, that helped some.
Well, you were sure that you weren't going to sleep tonight. There was a stranger- an alluring one but still- in your bed.
It was times like these that you really wished you had a laptop or a smartphone. Something to look up who was in your house. The brighter colors made you pretty sure that this was a hero, but you still wish you knew which one it was.
It might've been Vista. No, the features looked more mature. Then it had to be one of the New Wave members, right?
Unless it was a villain... you grabbed your pepper spray just in case.
And for what felt like an eternity, you were silently watching. You tried to double-check your homework, but the stranger on your bed was far more interesting than an already solved equation. You couldn't stop wondering what the person was like or who she was.
It was only because you were staring at her that you noticed her eyes slowly, tiredly open. She winced at the light in your room before rolling over and grabbing your pillow. She snuggled into it, shutting her eyes and shifting.
Was... she trying to go back to sleep?
Another moment of her shifting on your pillow in an attempt to both get comfortable and block out the light passed before the girl in your bed tensed.
You held the pepper spray tighter.
The girl sat up, looking around before her eyes locked on you and she raised an arm, palm facing you as she winced in pain.
You held your hands above your head. The pepper spray bottle clonked you on the head as you dropped it.
There goes that plan.
"Where am I?" Her voice was sharp and nervous. And pretty.
"M-My bedroom."
Her eyes narrowed, "Why?"
"Because you crashed into my backyard," The way you said it made it sound more like a question.
She gave a nod as she felt herself over and sighed. Apparently relieved by something. "You're not with the Empire?"
You just blinked and shook your head.
Her shoulders dropped and she hissed, moving her arm up again at an awkward angle. You blinked before asking the obvious question, "What's wrong?"
"My ribs," She stated going to tenderly touch the side of her chest only to wince again and gasp in pain. Fuck. Broken bones. You completely forgot about broken bones. Her arms and legs didn't look funny, so you didn't even think about it.
Not that you really had a way of knowing, but you wouldn't have jostled her so much if you did.
"Are they broken?" You asked nervously.
"I... I think so." She started poking at other parts of her body, trying to figure out the extent of her internal injuries.
You're just glad you pulled out hadn't poked a hole in her lung.
After she finished her rudimentary checkup, she spoke once more, "I have no idea. I'll be fine. I'll get Panacea to heal me."
That was a cape you knew. She was relatively new, but she was making pretty big waves in the local news for how much she was helping people. Apparently, she could even fix eyesight and similar chronic or genetic issues. People had problems healed by her that they didn't even know they had.
That meant this person was part of New Wave. She was too old to be a mom. So... Glory Gal or Laserbeam? No, those weren't the right names.
"But you're okay? You're not going to die in my bed?" You asked, just to be sure. You didn't want a beautiful girl to die because of you. She nodded once and gave you a smile.
"Yeah. Thanks... I should probably call my parents. They're probably worried sick." She stated before reaching for her ear and promptly sighing. "My earpiece is gone."
"You knocked up some dirt and it was too dark out for me to see. It might've fallen off?" She nodded in response to your suggestion.
"Makes sense, I did fall through a tree... I used a forcefield to take the brunt of it but..." She shook her head and promptly winced, looking at her muddied hair and frowning.
"Yeah. I had to pull some of it out," You nodded towards the trashcan that had the bloody stick and she nodded, looking at where a bandage had been wrapped around her.
A moment of silence passed before she asked, a question, "What's your name?"
"Taylor. Yours?"
"Laserdream. Crystal when I'm not in costume."
"Laserdream? Is that why you were asleep when I met you?"
You saw her scowl, "It's not that kind of dream. It's dream like 'aah she's so dreamy'." You rose an eyebrow, you would have some dreams about this girl tonight. But that didn't make the name sound less corny.
"Fine. Whatever." She stated, crossing her arms only to wince, gritting her teeth and stopping the motion.
You frowned, "Why don't you go take a shower and check under your costume and make sure you're patched up? I've got some of my dad's old shirts in here and you can probably fit into some of my sweatpants?" You were tall mostly by virtue of having long legs. Most people could fit into your sweatpants.
She nodded her head, "That's... a good idea. Where's the bathroom and first aid kit?"
You told her where your bathroom was and that you'd already put the first aid kit back in there. You also said you'd be sure to leave the clothes out by the bathroom door. She nodded in thanks and floated- literally- out of your room and down the hall.
You hopped up, going to pull your sheets off and bundle them up. You tossed them in the floor before grabbing one of your father's old, massive shirts and a pair of sweatpants. You knocked on the door and sat them by it before heading back to your room.
It had been an eventful twenty-four hours.
Eventually, Crystal hovered back into your room dressed in the oversized t-shirt and sweatpants.
"You did a good job. I had to redo it when I got out of the shower, but you did good." The superheroine looked even better without mud in her hair.
You nodded your head, "I'm just glad you didn't die in my bed... or in my backyard," You gave a slight smile and a half-laugh in an attempt at making it sound like a joke. She grinned back at you and nodded her head.
"You saved my life, so I owe you. Plus, I need to give you these back at some point." She stated, looking over her outfit.
You weren't sure what she meant by that, but you nodded anyways. "Yeah. Do you need to borrow my phone?" As much as you wanted to stare at her all day, you were pretty sure her parents were worried about her. Plus she needs healing.
"Yeah. Plus can you write your cell number down?"
You blinked. "I don't have a cell phone. I can write my house phone number down while you call your parents?"
She paused before nodding her head, "Sounds awesome. Let's head down?"
You nodded your head once and the two of you headed to the living room to make the call. You couldn't help but sneak a glance at Laserdream here and there until the two of you arrived and she dialed a number. You wrote down your house phone number and passed it to her while she spoke with whoever was on the other end. She asked you where your address was and you supplied it until eventually, the call was over.
"Thanks again for the help," She thanked as she hovered towards the door, the two of you idly chatting while you waited for her parents.
"It's not a big deal..."
She shook her head, "It is. Like you said, I could've died. You stayed up and helped me and stuff. It means a lot. Plus, I've got to give you these clothes back." She stated before using lasers to write her number down on the piece of paper that she had and tearing that bit off, handing you her number in what might be the coolest way ever. "Call me some time. And get a cell phone. What kind of teenager doesn't have a cell phone?"
You sighed. You had your reasons! But she did have a point. "Why can't you just fly to meet them?" It was on your mind and you figured it was a decent segue.
"My mom is worried that if I have a concussion, I'll pass out or get lost. Or that it'll somehow make my motion sickness worse. She can be a bit of a worrier."
You wished you could relate to that.
A bit more idle chatter passed before there was a knock at the door. Three people in similar uniforms were standing there, albeit with different colors and motifs.
You could see where Crystal got her figure from. Her mother had a similar costume, except instead of red, it was purple with a star theme. Her father - the elder of the two guys- was a built brunette and was adorned in white and yellow while her brother had blue and shields on his bodysuit. Apparently, the brother cared the most about their color schemes because even his hair was blue.
Crystal was apparently from a family of models and good genes. Who were very confident in their bodies judging by how they wore the skintight suits.
Not that you wouldn't be just as confident if you had bodies like theirs.
"Bye, Tay. I'll talk to you later!"
And with that, you could finally retire to a sheetless bed.
Great.
Crystal Pelham character sheet unlocked!
But you still had school tomorrow...
] Go to school
-- 90% chance of success
-- You'll get to see Sophia
-- You might have to put up with more bullying while tired
] Skip school
-- 100% chance of success
-- You won't go to school exhausted
-- You just caught up on your school work!
-- If you pick this, you can vote for TWO afterschool activities (One will take place during school hours)
And you could...
] Study up on capes
-- 95% Chance of Success
-- You probably won't meet anyone.
-- You'll learn more about the local capes and maybe about powers.
] Go to the mall
-- 80% Chance of Success
-- You might meet someone.
-- You have money and if you scrounge around your room, you should have enough to buy something.
] Explore the Docks
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- It's daylight, so hopefully it shouldn't be too dangerous.
-- You know that mainly ne'er-do-wells hang around this area, so you can test your powers.
] Spend Time with Dad
-- 85% Chance of Success
-- He's your father and you know he's been suffering like you have.
-- Maybe spending time with him will boost his mood?
] Spend Time with Crystal
-- 85% Chance of Success
-- You know you two met earlier that day, but that doesn't mean you can't go ahead and hang out?
-- She seemed pretty eager to get to know you better.
] Write-in
-- ??% Chance of Success
-- You know the drill here.
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Threadmarks: 5 - Sleepy Days
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
January 19th, 2011
You heard the brrrrng of your alarm and immediately hated existence.
You were freezing. Even falling asleep last night had been difficult and you wound up getting a blanket from downstairs to wrap yourself up in. It helped, but you wished your sheets hadn't been covered in mud. Still, it was worth it to help and meet Crystal.
On top of feeling cold, you were also exhausted. You were awake until late last night and it had been an eventful day.
Those two things mixed together to make your bed feel divine. Every fiber of your being wanted nothing more than to just let your eyes drift shut and fade back to dreamland.
But on the other hand, you had school. School was still... school. There was that constant buzz of gossip and the prodding of bullies... but it was improving. Sophia didn't target you anymore and while she wasn't the worst offender- That award went to Emma- she was a close second. Your grades were still low from the bullies' past efforts, but a part of you thought that maybe if you could get closer to Sophia, all of it could end.
Maybe things could be better.
So, you forced yourself up and go into the shower. To get dressed and get breakfast, then stumble to the bus stop.
The buzz of the bus helped keep you up and by the time the ride was over, the mix of the bumpy ride and the daylight shining in your eyes had properly woken you up. You still felt tired, but you didn't feel like you were liable to pass out. That was probably good news.
You walked up the staircase and saw Emma and Madison, but no Sophia. If you went all the way to school only for Sophia to be absent, you were going to be pissed.
And it seemed that way. For the first half of the day, it seemed as if the girl didn't exist.
Then at lunch, it felt different. There wasn't that anticipation for Sophia's arrival, neither the nervousness from yesterday nor the fear of all the days prior.
It was only about halfway through lunch that you saw Sophia for the first time as she walked in. She looked at you and rolled her eyes before going to lean back against the now-closed door.
"I thought you weren't here," You asked.
Sophia shrugged as she sat back, her eyes locked on you. The normal aura of danger was still there, but it seemed to be lessened. You kept looking at her after the shrug and a beat passed before she answered, "I wasn't, I just got here."
That piqued your interest, "You came in late?"
"Yeah." You frowned and waited, hoping for some explanation. It was given, "I had... to work overtime. Last night."
"Overtime? You have a job?" Sophia nodded. "Where?"
Silence passed. Unlike the other pauses and silent beats, this quiet seemed to stretch on. It became awkward after a few moments as Sophia looked at you, her eyes traveling up and down you. Her gaze lingered here and there. Her eyes met yours, noticing that you'd caught her staring at you. Then, her eyes went back to roaming your body.
You felt your cheeks flare and looked away. "Alright, well..." You didn't really know where to go from there.
Sophia apparently had a job somewhere, you weren't sure what to think of that. Other than Emma, you never really thought about what your tormentors did outside of school. You never thought of what Sophia did outside of school.
Well, you were pretty sure she kicked puppies. Apparently, you were wrong. Or that was just a hobby.
"Hebert," You looked up. Sophia had moved closer while you weren't looking.
"What?"
"What's your number?"
"You want my phone number?" It was surprising. You never expected Sophia to ask a question like that, at least not politely.
Sophia gave a single, "Yeah." So, you gave her your home phone number. She looked somewhat offended before asking, "What, Hebert? You don't think I'm good enough for your cell?" Her tone reminded you of a growling animal.
"Huh? Oh-uh, no. I don't have a cell phone... if I did, it would've probably been broken at some point anyways."
Sophia blinked before looking down in response to that. She fiddled with her hands before letting them go limp.The room grew quiet once more before you heard a mumble from Sophia. It was short, probably only one word.
"What did you say?" You asked, shifting to look at her.
She glared at you before repeating herself, this time where you could hear, "I said that I'm sorry." She barked, writing down your number on her arm before hopping up and leaving.
Sophia seemed angry as she left, but it wasn't directed towards you.
Class wasn't uneventful for the rest of the day, but you were in too much shock from getting an apology from Sophia Hess to pay attention to anything.
What were you going to do today?
You seemed to have grown more active these past few days, going out more and meeting new people. It probably helped that your power naturally made people want to be closer to you, but slowly you were growing used to the idea that maybe that wasn't a bad thing.
So, as you went home you tried to think about what you wanted to do. By the time you were walking into your house you had made up your mind: you were going to see Crystal... after taking a nap.
After a quick snooze, you nabbed the scrap of paper with her number on it and dialed. A few rings later and a voice on the other end answered, "Hello?"
"Um, hey, Crystal? It's Taylor."
"Ta-Oh! Yeah! Hey Taylor, what's up?"
"Oh, uh, nothing?" You were starting to realize that since Emma betrayed you, you hadn't been on the phone with anyone around your age. You added in, "Did I call too soon?"
"Huh? Too soon for what?"
"Um, you said we should hang out sometime. So I wanted to see if... you wanted to? Today?" You felt just as awkward as you sounded as you said the words and there was a brief period of silence before there was a response.
"Yeah, I can do that. Do you want me to pick you up?" Crystal asked.
"If you don't mind."
You could hear her grin as she answered, "I don't mind at all."
You stood there, going to check over your outfit. It wasn't anything fancy. A t-shirt with a hoodie that was probably a size too big with some baggy, grey cargo pants. You weren't sure when, but slowly since the bullying began you went from your old, bright style to your current one. Maybe it was because they were bigger, but they made you feel safer. People couldn't insult your looks if they had a harder time seeing your form. That was less of a problem thanks to your power's help with your acne and physique. If only it gave you bigger boobs. The baggy clothing made you look bigger and thus it made you feel safer. It might be a placebo, but you were okay with that.
You were. Now? You're not so sure. Your power made you look more attractive to others and made them like you, but could you help it with that? Surely the way you dress and how you acted could help it go faster?
Or hinder it.
You weren't really sure. Did you want to facilitate your power? Your power was something, but actively trying to foster it? Trying to make it more effective? That seemed different than just letting an ambient effect do its work.
You also really wanted to find out what that other part of your power was. Questions like these were normally what people had when designing a costume. Something you doubted you'd ever have, given your power thus far.
You heard a knock at the door. It had only been around ten minutes, so you doubted it was Crystal... but it was.
She got here quicker than you expected. How fast did she drive?
"Hey," You said with a smile. One that she met readily.
"You ready to go?" Crystal was dressed in a simple outfit. A white t-shirt with a short red jacket and some jeans. It wasn't anything fancy nor complex, but it looked amazing on her.
Damn your power and its gay agenda.
"Yeah." You stated, stepping outside and locking the door behind you. "I honestly wasn't too sure that you'd want to hang out to-" You took a few more steps forward before looking around and stopping. You didn't see her car. "Where did you paAAH!" Your sentence was suddenly stopped as Crystal scooped you up and she started flying.
It was silly, you knew she could fly. But you didn't think that she would carry you! You didn't expect to feel your body pressing against hers as she sped into the sky and didn't stop speeding up. She was going faster and faster, the wind whipping your hair until she erected a bubble around the two of you.
You were flying! You looked down as the streets blurred past faster and faster. You let your eyes drift shut. There was no feeling of weightlessness, instead it was a constant pull downward countered only by Laserdream's embrace. It made you acutely aware of how she was shifting her arms to maintain her grip on you. She didn't have super strength. It was also a constant reminder of her stomach and chest, how they were pressing against your back. They felt nice- Crystal felt nice. And so wonderfully warm.
The flight was short. Far shorter than you expected or would've liked. The combination of being able to go in the exact direction of your destination and Crystal's sheer speed meant that travel was quick. Really quick.
"You're... fast," The awe showed in your voice.
Crystal smirked and put her hands on her hips, puffing out her chest as she spoke, "I'm the fastest flier in New Wave."
You rose an eyebrow, seemingly in disbelief. That earned a look of mock astonishment from Crystal, "It's true!" She added, "I'm the fastest flier. Maybe not the best but definitely the fastest. We've tested. A lot. Vicky is competitive... and a sore loser."
You nodded your head, "I trust you. Maybe... Vicky could carry me better though."
Crystal rose a hand, looking like a horrible actor as she attempted a scoff, "Well then. I guess I'll just find someone else to fly around town."
"I-I never said that," You quickly backpedaled, earning a smile from Crystal before she stuck her tongue out.
"So, where are we going?"
You blinked, "I... don't know. I didn't think we'd get this far." You were too busy wondering if you should change your outfit, not that you have the money to do so right now anyways. "Where are we right now?"
"My house," Crystal states as you turn and look at the house. It was far larger than your own. It was two stories- like your own- but where yours was two stories out of a necessity for space and lack of horizontal space, this one was a large two-story house. The only word you could think was luxurious.
And it was the smallest house on the street.
Crystal shook her head, "We're not going in there. Let's go somewhere else instead. Maybe... I don't know."
"We could go flying?" You suggested, only for Crystal to shoot down the option.
"I get motion sick. So we could fly back and forth, but that would get boring after a bit. Maybe... we could hang out on a roof? I know a few cool skyscrapers."
Well, that was certainly a unique idea. You nodded, "Sure."
Crystal smiled before she went to scoop you up again, the two of you taking flight once more.
It was just as dreamlike the second time. The same exhilaration of flight, the comfort of Crystal's closeness, and slight fear as she adjusted her hold on you. Like you could plummet hundreds of feet at any moment.
Rapidly, the two of you arrived on top of a tower.
You walked over to the edge, peering off as a crimson rail appeared in front of you. A glance at Crystal told you that she was the one that did it. Looking back down at the ground below, you saw that the two of you were high up. Really high up.
"I never asked, are you okay? You had broken ribs," You asked as you walked back towards Crystal.
"Oh, that. Yeah, I got healed before I went to bed. A few cracked ribs and a hairline fracture on my... radial? Ulna? One of those two." She tapped her forearm. "I still probably would've died if it hadn't been for you."
You felt heat rise in your cheeks once more as you shrugged, "Anybody would've helped."
The only response that Crystal gave was a shake of her head as she sat down in the air, crisscrossing her legs and making a platform for you to use as a chair. The casual power use made you jealous. Your powers were constantly being used, but they didn't have any good, mundane uses.
Besides the obvious. The fact that your powers alone were probably the only reason this conversation was happening.
Mentally, you contracted your aura down until the bubble encompassed both you and Crystal.
It made you feel sick at your stomach, using it on her like this... but Crystal was nice. Crystal was kind and warm. She seemed like a genuinely nice person and you needed more of those in your life.
The fact that her being nice was a reason you were doing this only made the guilt grow worse.
"Some people in Brockton wouldn't help a hero. Maybe because of retaliation, maybe because they're with the villains. A lot of people wouldn't help anyone because it takes effort and they're lazy or they think someone else'll handle it. You helped me. It means more than you'd think." She grinned at you and you felt your heart pound hard in your chest at the bright white grin.
You couldn't help but smile in response. It didn't have anything to do with the wondrous smile or her words, but it was a worry of yours. One you wanted to address, "Hey, Crystal?"
"Yeah?"
"I... I just wanted to say that I don't care that you're a cape. You didn't have to fly to pick me up or show off your barriers. I wanted to hang out with you because you were nice when I talked to you." And because she was utterly beautiful, but you weren't quite comfortable saying that just yet.
The grin on her face turned to a full-fledged smile before she nodded, "I'll keep that in mind."
After that, the two of you started talking more. You learned that the three people that picked up Crystal last night were- in fact- her direct family members. Her father, mother, and brother. She didn't go into too much detail about them and you didn't pry. She asked about your family and you told her about your dad and that your mother died. You quickly changed the topic from family and instead discussed studies. Apparently, Crystal was 19 and had no idea what she was going to major in, so she was going to college in town. She had a car, but she liked flying more because it was faster.
In her own words, she "Didn't have to deal with traffic, roads, people, stoplights, speed limits, or anything like that."
You didn't quite understand, "I... but you can drive. If I had a car or I could drive, I'd..." You weren't all that sure. You didn't really have many friends to hang out with and you didn't go to many places. Well, before a few days ago you didn't. You'd been very active recently.
Maybe a car would be a good investment once you got your license.
"Maybe next time we hang out, I'll let you drive me around. As payback for making me fly you around." That was supposed to be payback? Wait...
"We're going to hang out again? And can I drive with you? Are you old enough?" You asked, blinking and going to look at Crystal some more.
She rolled her eyes and flashed another flawless smile, "I'd wouldn't mind you driving me. And they won't know that you're driving unless you get pulled over."
That seemed very criminal. You rose an eyebrow but ultimately shook your head. "Yeah, I'd like that. Let's do that some time."
Crystal nodded and a comfortable silence swept over the two of you, one that was only broken by the noise of a vibrating phone. One that she promptly frowned at before answering. Once she hung it up, she looked at you. "I gotta go. I'll drop you off at your place first though."
With that, your outing with Crystal ended.
Go to school:
Stress increased by 1
Sophia's Love and Loyalty increased by 1
Sophia's Happiness decreased by 2.
Hang out with Crystal:
Crystal's Lust, Loyalty, and Happiness increased by 1
The next day is Thursday. You... (Pick two)
] Go to School
-- 100% Chance of Success
-- You'll hang out with Sophia, but you'll have to deal with bullies
-- Your father won't notice if you skip... and he probably wouldn't care anyway.
] Get a job at The Dollhouse
-- 85% Chance of Success
-- You'll have a way to reliably get funds
-- Getting a job means fewer chances to choose what to do
] Reject the job at the Dollhouse
-- 85% Chance of Success
-- You'll have more time to choose what you do
-- Sabah probably won't be happy
-- You can probably find somewhere else to work eventually
] Go to The Mall
-- 80% Chance of Success
-- It's a popular place
-- If you get all your money together, you might be able to buy something.
] Study at the Library
-- 95% Chance of Success
-- You probably won't meet anyone.
-- You'll learn more about the local capes and maybe about powers.
] Spend Time with Dad
-- 85% Chance of Success
-- He's your father and you know he's been suffering like you have.
-- Maybe spending time with him will boost his mood?
] Explore the Docks
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- There's a lot of capes in this area
-- That also means it's a dangerous place
] Look for trouble
-- 50% Chance of Success
-- If your power's undiscovered aspect is combat related, you'll certainly discover it
-- If it's not, you could be in some serious trouble.
-- Even if it is, this could be dangerous.
] Write-in
-- ??% Chance of Success
Click to expand...
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
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randomlightning, Kappsa, Tiufi and 369 others like this.
Threadmarks: 6 - Apologized and Employed
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
January 20th, 2011
The start of school was different on Thursday.
Not the entrance nor the first class nor the second, but the brief period in between the two. When you checked your locker before your second class, you noticed a slip of paper resting in front of your books.
It only had a single word written upon it: "Roof"
You spent the next period thinking about it. It was clearly some kind of message for you and you had a sneaking suspicion about who it was from, but you weren't sure. It could be a trap, some kind of ploy by Emma and Madison... or it could be Sophia wanting a change of scenery from the normal graffiti-covered restroom. The roof's entrance was always locked though, both for safety reasons and to keep kids from sneaking up there for private moments.
So, when lunch rolled around you made your way up the staircase, you saw that the door to the roof was slightly ajar. You pressed it open and there was a faint squeak as it opened.
The roof was clean, unlike the rest of Winslow. That was probably because it was blocked off all the time, some old gang tags- old enough that they were starting to fade and you couldn't recognize them- were sprayed by the door. There were air conditioners and the like, but nothing of note otherwise.
Except for Sophia, who was sitting near the fence. She was hunched forward, her arms atop her knees.
Her eyes were fixated on you from the moment you stepped onto the roof. She watched as you shut the door behind you and made your way over, her eyes scanning up and down your body. You didn't sit, instead you stood a few feet in front of her.
"Why'd you ask me to come here?" The obvious question. Sophia sat back.
"Privacy."
You rose your eyebrows, confusion evident on your face. "Privacy?"
"Mmm." She stated witih a nod, "Everyone knows about the abandoned bathroom. And they know that getting on the roof is impossible without a key."
Sophia got a key to the roof? How? "Alright. Why did you want more privacy?"
Sophia turned her head, looking away from you. You shrank your aura down, bubbling it around you and Hess.
Unlike the guilt you felt using it on Crystal, using it on Sophia felt justified. She was one of the reasons you had the power in the first place.
Silence reigned for a moment before Sophia finally broke it, "I wanted to apologize."
"Apologize? You wanted to say you were sorry again?"
Sophia silently nodded, looking up at you from below. You weren't sure whether to be happy or angry about it. On one hand, she should apologize. She should say she was sorry for how she and the others had treated you for the past few months. But on the other, an apology wouldn't do anything. It wouldn't make Emma your friend again nor would it wash away the months of trauma that Sophia and Emma had led. It wouldn't solve any of the problems or undo any of the pain.
"... Yeah. I wanted to tell you that I was sorry. That... That... Fuck, I don't know. This shit is hard." Sophia stated, scowling before she fell back against the fence. Her eyes locked onto yours, "Fuck, Hebert. I've spent the past day trying to think of how I was supposed to fucking apologize and that was all I can manage. A fucking 'sorry' likes it's supposed to fix anything. I know it's not. I know it won't. I know that everything we've done is fucked up and that what Emma said to you was... fucked up. I know that it's all my fucking fault but all I can do about it is saying that I'm sorry. I wanna do more but I don't know how." Sophia slammed her fist against the chainlink fence behind her before swearing again and looking at you.
You didn't know what to say. You couldn't find the words to respond and because of that, the quiet came back for a tense, agonizing few seconds while your mind raced to find something to say, only for Sophia to speak again, "That's the fucking problem. You're the- not the problem. You're not a problem. You're just... I'm just... The problem is that there's nothing that I can do to help. I can't undo it. I don't have the power to rewind time and un-fucking-do it all. I would if I could, knowing what I do now. Looking at you- talking to you- and having you in my head every waking moment. I'd say I was sorry sooner after the first- no, fuck that- before the first time, I shoved you. Back when Emma and you met and you were still happy and smiling and a huge dork. I would've fucking done something other than compliment how she treated you. But I can't. So all I can fucking do is make you a promise and hope you believe it. Because it's the truth."
Sophia stood after saying those words. She pushed herself off the ground and walked forward, gripping you by the collar before she said the word, "Hebe- Taylor- I'm not gonna put you through shit anymore. No more stupid pranks or bullshit like that. I'm gonna talk to Emma. I'm gonna stop it. I can't undo it. I can't reverse it. But I'm gonna end it. So just... I don't fucking know, trust me? Please? Let me prove myself? Let me prove that I can not be a bitch all the fucking time."
Sophia pulled on your collar harder. She was a bit shorter than you which made it a tad awkward. It wasn't the first time she'd held you like this either, though almost every time prior had been to spray insults or to get a good punch in. There hadn't been any instances like this. No moments of brutal honesty nor attempts at understanding. No moments where she merely gazed into your eyes, fiercely begging for something.
You weren't sure what to say, but you choked out a single word, "Wh-Why?"
A second hand grabbed your collar on the other side and Sophia croaked out the word, "I-I don't fucking know. I don't know. I... I just..." Sophia was trying to think of the words, you could see her mind racing. You knew why. You knew exactly why these thoughts were running through her head. Why you were running through her head.
"It's not even... It's not even that I..." Sophia searched for the words but found herself lacking. "I don't fucking know why I feel like this. Why I want y- why... I... Fuck, I don't fucking know."
You didn't know what to say or do. You didn't want to say it was okay, it wasn't. But you didn't know what else to say. A moment passed and, since you were both lacking words, you just wrapped your arms around Sophia in a loose embrace.
She stiffened, her body going tense and you could feel her take a sharp breath. You didn't hear an exhale until you released her. She looked at you with her usual fierceness, but there was something else there. Something about the hug- or maybe just being hugged- that put her on edge for a brief moment.
You weren't sure what to think about that, either.
Sophia rubbed her forearm just beneath her eye once as you opened your mouth to speak, "Let... Let me think about it."
Sophia nodded her head. "Yeah... fuck. Yeah, you should. It's... Yeah, it's... Fuck." Sophia stomped her foot once before looking at the door. "We're done?"
You nodded, "I'll... I'll let you know tomorrow."
With that, Sophia left. She stole two glances at you as she made her way toward the door and off the roof, leaving you to ruminate on what just happened.
This whole thing with Sophia was turning into madness. You knew you were losing your power on her a lot, hell, the girl was constantly in close proximity to you which only made your power affect her more than it would've normally. The fact that she seemed to be one of the people that were more easily effected, like Crystal and probably Sabah, only made that proximity all the more effective.
But was it going too far? How far was Sophia planning on going to make things up to you? Was she being entirely honest with what she said?
You knew you had to go to school tomorrow and give her an answer.
What that answer would be was something you wondered about as you went home that day. It was something you rolled around in your head and inspected as you prepared for your trip to The Dollhouse and grabbed the form that Sabah gave you.
The job application.
It was something that you had spent a lot of time thinking about the past few days, whether you should accept the offer or not. The pros and the cons.
It meant more money and an excuse to hang out with Sabah more often. It also meant a constant obligation and more time that Sabah would be affected by your power unless you constantly monitored it.
But, money was important. And so was Sabah. So you filled in the answers and decided you asked her about only working part-time. Or asking Parian since that was her boss.
You headed out and towards The Boardwalk.
It was about as active as it had been the prior week. People walking up and down, sight-seeing and shopping, some just loitering about with their friends or special someone. Your walk to The Dollhouse was quicker this time, though you arrived later in the day. There was a crowd outside of it and you walked up to join it. The sun was setting, but Brockton Bay was on the east coast which meant that the sun was over the ocean when it rose.
A blonde girl, shorter than you by several inches, dressed in a frilly, victorian dress with a mask that looked pale white. She reminded you of a porcelain doll. The dim light of sunset mixed with the shade cast by The Dollhouse made it hard to make out the eyes of the costumed cape. You did- however- notice that she was riding on a horse-sized duck.
You glanced in the window and saw Sabah watching outside, her eyes met yours and a moment later, the porcelain doll- Parian- turned to face you as well.
"That's all for today, I'll see you all next time!" Parian stated with a low bow before her noble steed turned around and trotted into the store. Her voice had a hollow ring to it- you supposed it was the mask- but it did sound somewhat familiar, though you weren't sure why. Maybe you saw an interview with her at some point? You- and a few others- walked into the store only for Sabah to come from behind the counter to greet you.
"Sorry, sorry, but we're going to close early for the night. Parian has a new employee to interview and my shift just ended," Sabah looked towards you, her eyes filled with hope.
You gave a smile and a nod as you noticed Parian going into the backroom. Her rhino unfurling and floating onto a pile of fabrics in the center of the room.
The customers, for their part, seemed a tad disappointed and Sabah said they were open all week and they were having a sale tomorrow. That got the others to leave, except for you and Sabah.
"You're doing it?" Sabah asked as she tried to restrain a grin.
"Yeah, well, kind of. I'm going to ask Parian if I can work part-time. I'm a student, so I'm not sure if I can be a full-time employee."
Sabah seemed to think for a moment before nodding, "I think she'll let you. I'll go let her know you're here and she'll come and get you. She sometimes unmasks back there so I wouldn't want you to surprise her."
You nodded and Sabah did too. She turned and you watched her head to the back of The Dollhouse. You felt a slight frown on your face. If the lighting was brighter, you would've got an amazing chance to stare at her ass.
Not that the view you got was bad, it was more than enough to turn your cheeks red.
You waited for a few minutes before the porcelain doll emerged once more with Sabah nowhere to be seen. Parian gestured for you to come and you did so, walking through The Dollhouse and into the back.
The front of The Dollhouse had a dim middle with the lighting focused on the edges and spotlights going down on the mannequins. It was pinks and blacks, a women's fashion store designed to be sleek. It had an aesthetic that caught the eye and steered it towards the clothing. Sabah had walked down the middle, where the lighting hadn't been focused when she went to the back of The Dollhouse. The back was the complete opposite. The area in the view of the door had been just as styled as the rest of the store, but the rest of the hallway? It was eggshell white with dull lighting. It reminded you of a hospital or an undecorated hallway. The latter of which it was, you supposed.
"So... you're Taylor Hebert?" Parian asked as you entered the hallway. You gave an affirmative answer and she continued, "Well, you've seen the front of the store. This is the back. The staff breakroom is there-" She pointed down the shorter part of the hall and you could see a small, albeit cozy looking open area. It wasn't lavish, the table was plastic and so were the chairs- they were the folding-out type- but it did have everything it needed: a sink, microwave, and fridge. Parian turned, walking away from it as she continued, "and through this door, we have our storage." She gestured to the right and you saw an open doorway to what was a rather obvious storeroom.
Parian stopped at the next door on the right near the end of the hall, "This is my office. Unless you have any questions about the breakroom, we can go on in here. I'll explain more about storage later." You shook your head. You were hoping to see Sabah somewhere in here, but the girl disappeared. Maybe she was in the storage room? A thumbs up from her would've boosted your confidence greatly.
You walked into Parian's office and saw that it had a few mannequins of its own: mainly her costume in different Victorian dresses. Only a few had masks with them, others were on black-cloth mannequins. A half-finished project was on another mannequin, sitting amidst a sea of fabrics. Parian told you to have a seat as she did so as well, a cloth stool forming in front of her desk for you.
Why were you sitting on so many people's powers recently? You vaguely remembered Parian's. She could manipulate fabric or something like that.
You sat, the fabric seat was comfy as expected. You handed your resume to Parian who looked over it and raised a question rather quickly, "Yo-You're sixteen?"
You nodded, "Yeah. My birthday is in June." Parian looked at you and you looked back, finally getting a chance to see her dark eyes behind the mask.
"I... That's not a problem," Parian stated with a shake of her head. Her blonde curls bouncing as she did so.
You nodded once to show you were paying attention and she continued forward, reading through it. You felt your stomach twist as you shrank your aura down to encompass yourself and Parian. You wanted this job and making her care about you would only help, right?
"Well, Taylor, I do have a few questions..." And that was how your interview began. It wasn't anything complex. The questions she asked were simple ones and she seemed to nod along with your answers. It was hard to read for her reactions behind her mask, but from reading the rest of her body language you were pretty sure that she wasn't too turned away by your answers.
She hired you, in the end, citing that you "Seemed like a nice girl" and saying that they needed more help anyways. She said you can work there a few days a week after school, probably with Sabah or herself at least for the first few days so they could show you the ropes and answer any questions you had.
You were a little shocked. While you wanted the job and you had your power, it was still a surprise that you actually got hired. Parian's exposure to your power hadn't been that long, even if you had been trying to focus it.
But, you got hired. That was all that was important. In the end, she showed you around the storage room and, when you asked about Sabah after not seeing her again, Parian somewhat awkwardly said that the girl must've already gone home. You were a little disappointed, but it wasn't a huge deal.
You'd get to see Sabah pretty often now, you were pretty sure.
You have to work at The Dollhouse at least once per week, though you can work there up to 3 times per week. At first, Sabah or Parian will assist you to teach you the ropes and the basics but eventually, you'll be on your own. Parian- like Sabah- assured you that it wasn't a hard job. Though apparently, it did get rough during the summer and near Christmas.
You went home that day wondering if- or how- you would tell your father. Or if you should mention that you forged his signature on it.
Go to school:
Sophia's Loyalty and Love increase by 1
Sophia's Happiness decreased by 2
Sophia's Tenacity has been unlocked!
Get a job at The Dollhouse:
All of Sabah's stats increase by 1!
Taylor can now work at The Dollhouse in order to get Funds! (Except on Wednesdays)
You already made plans to speak to Sophia and you'll
] Forgive her
-- 75% Chance of Success
-- Her apology was genuine
-- Knowing you forgive her might make her less apologetic
] Rebuke her
-- 75% Chance of Success
-- She's tortured you for months
-- She might try to fight harder for your love
] Strike a deal with her
-- 50% Chance of Success
-- She really wants to make things up to you
-- She won't feel helpless
] Write-in
???% Chance of Success
And after school, you'll be able to...
] Work at The Dollhouse
-- 95% Chance of Success
-- You'll get paid
-- You'll get to hang out with Sabah or Parian
] Study at the Library
-- 90% Chance of Success
-- You'll learn more about capes
-- You might learn where they're hanging out too!
] Spend Time with Dad
-- 85% Chance of Success
-- He's your father and you know he's been suffering like you have.
-- Maybe spending time with him will boost his mood?
] Go to The Mall
-- 80% Chance of Success
-- It's a popular place
-- If you get all your money together, you might be able to buy something.
] Explore the Docks
-- 75% Chance of Success
-- There's a lot of capes in this area
-- That also means it's a dangerous place
] Explore Downtown
-- 75% Chance of Success
-- There's a lot of capes in this area too
-- Plus it's safer than the docks, but it's also more popular
] Look for trouble
-- 50% Chance of Success
-- If your power's undiscovered aspect is combat related, you'll certainly discover it
-- If it's not, you could be in some serious trouble.
-- Even if it is, this could be dangerous.
] Write-in
-- ??% Chance of Success
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
Aug 18, 2018 ReportLike QuoteReply
randomlightning, Kappsa, VerBlinkel and 358 others like this.
Threadmarks: 7 - Bad Decisions and Retail (Redux)
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
This was rewritten because I screwed up with all of you communication-wise on the Sophia bit. The Sabah bit is almost entirely untouched.
January 21st, 2011
When you got to school, you went to the roof again. You assumed that that was where Sophia planned on meeting from there on since that was a more private area than the bathroom the two of you had hung out at prior. It took a bit of waiting, but eventually, she arrived.
She looked a lot like she did yesterday. Angry, but not at you.
You weren't sure how to feel about that. It felt weird without Sophia's constant ire. But it wasn't a bad kind of weird.
You had thought about what to say about Sophia asking for your forgiveness. How to say what you wanted. In the end, you had come to a decision. You decided what you wanted to ask her, but not quite how you wanted to say it. Her eyes met yours in a stare and she approached you, seemingly intent on standing near you.
She stood there, a few steps away with a nervous glare on her features. A moment passed as you examined her, your eyes transfixed on her red top before she finally spoke, "What?"
"What?" You parroted, blinking a few times.
"What is it? You keep staring at me," Sophia's eyes were locked on you from the start and you couldn't help but gulp. No. You weren't going to be scared of her. Not anymore. Not again.
"Um, I don't, uh..." You shook your head, deciding to get straight to the point. "About yesterday."
That caught Sophia's interest, her eyes looked up at you, "What about it?"
"When you apologized and asked for my... forgiveness? I, uh, I thought about it."
Sophia cocked her head to one side, "And?"
You bit your lip, trying to think of the right words. You knew what you wanted, but you weren't sure how to phrase it. So, you decided to just say what was on your mind, "I don't... An apology isn't enough."
Sophia's eyes went wide and you opened your mouth, "But, uh, th-that isn't me saying that... I don't... Maybe?"
The girl's look of shock shifted to one of anger, "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
You gulped and spoke up, "I-I... my... I want it to stop. The bullying, the... everything." Your words were simple as you looked at her, "I want you to make them stop."
Sophia tensed before looking back at you. She bit her lip, "I... It's..."
"Get Emma and Madison to lay off and get all the other cronies to too. Please? Can you do that?" Your request was simple, you thought, but Sophia seemed hesitant. You could imagine why.
All of this- every interaction with Sophia had been a private one. They were secret meetings. Sophia was essentially sticking her neck out for you. She was one of the ones that started the campaign against you, but it was possible that it could've spiraled out of her control. If that was the case, then she would be in the firing lane along with you.
It was something neither of you would want.
But the question was, would Sophia risk throwing herself into the fire for you?
The silence was soul-crushing.
"I... Let me... Fuck, Hebert," Sophia pressed her hand against her face before nodding her head. "Fine, fucking, I'll try. I'll give it a fucking shot. Why not. Come on."
Now? With you there?
Fuck.
The two of you headed down the stairs and Sophia shoved through the crowd. You felt the dread growing in your stomach as the two of you proceeded forward.
Until you came face to face with Emma, Madison, and a half dozen cronies.
"Sophia! You found our old friend!" Madison's voice was child-like and grating as she spoke. She looked at you with evil eyes behind a mask of innocent.
Emma was looking at you with a look of amused disgust. You gulped.
"I made a decision," Sophia stated, her eyes locked with Emma.
Stupid, perfect, evil Emma.
"Oh?" You couldn't tell if she was feigning surprise or if it was genuine. "And what did you decide?"
Sophia's words were simple, "We're going to lay off Hebert."
"Oh are we?" Emma asked, taking a step towards Sophia.
"Yeah."
Emma looked down before turning her gaze back to Sophia, "Weren't you the one that suggested ditching her? That she was dead weight and that I didn't need her anymore?"
Your eyes shifted to look at Sophia, "Em, we were kids. She was a dork, yeah, but let's put an end to this bullshit."
"I vote no!" Madison chimed in with a smile, earning a glare from both Sophia and Emma.
But then Emma smiled. It was an ugly, victorious thing. "I agree. I don't think we should just let her off the hook. We had a deal after all."
"Emma, don't fucking-" Sophia stepped forward only for Emma to speak up, raising her voice to speak over Sophia.
"Sophia Hess." Emma's voice quietened to a whisper before continuing, "You don't want to fuck with me."
The pair glared, their eyes gazing into one another. Moments seemed to stretch on to infinity as they were locked. Their eyes boring holes into one another as time stretching on. It felt like an eternity before the contest ended.
Sophia looked away first.
"Scram, Hebert." Sophia turned, her eyes fixed on you now.
You glanced into them and saw a hundred different emotions swirling together.
"I said get the fuck out of here!" Sophia said, going to swing a jab at your stomach. You stumbled back avoiding it before running off. You hurried away, vaguely hearing a teacher half-heartedly yell about running in the halls as you made your way to the roof.
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck.
You fucking knew it was a mistake the moment you opened your mouth. You knew that you had fucked up, that all of this was one big mistake.
You didn't know that it would screw up that badly. You didn't know that Emma would win that duel.
You didn't fucking expect this.
You didn't expect to feel your eyes growing damper as you scrambled back to the roof, feeling them grow wetter and wetter. You pulled your sleeve up to rub at your cheek.
This wasn't what you wanted. You just wanted it all to stop. To be able to go to school without dreading every interaction. You wanted what you had with Sophia during lunch, but you wanted it all day.
You didn't want this.
You hid on the roof even as the lunch period ended and the next class began. You didn't want to meet Sophia's gaze again. You didn't want to see her. You didn't want any of this. You had a feeling that this wasn't what Sophia wanted either. This feeling of betrayal. You hated it.
You flared your power pulling it close to your body in an attempt to wash away the cocktail of emotions within.
You didn't leave the roof until the final bell rang and a dozen minutes passed. When you did, you didn't go home. Instead, you made your way to work your shift at The Dollhouse. The only way you could get your mind off the garbage day at school was to move forward, right?
"Taylor!" She didn't seem to upset by it as you walked in the door, the bell chiming as she looked up from a book. You couldn't make out the title, but the cover had a bunch of brains in jars. "Are-Are you alright?"
"Hey, Sabah. Yeah, I'm fine. What are you reading?"
"Oh, uh, The Caterpillar's Lover." You weren't sure what that had to do with brains and jars, but you didn't really care. You nodded and gave a smile.
"I haven't read that one, maybe I'll borrow it some time?" Sabah's face flushed at the thought as she gave a hesitant and nervous answer.
"M-Maybe-uh-H-How about I show you the ropes? It's nothing too complicated." You nodded once before the girl went to begin showing you how to work at the store.
It wasn't complicated. Stocking the shirts was easy and working the register was even easier. The only complicated thing was related to labels- Parian had her own fashion line but the majority of the clothes they had were from national or international brands. Apparently, Parian's line of clothes was to be displayed separately. It wasn't anything too complicated though and you were pretty sure you could manage on your own.
"So... does Parian come by often?" You asked once Sabah was done showing you the basics- something that was briefly interrupted by a customer but otherwise boring.
Sabah shrugged, "Sometimes she'll come by when it's not her shift. Or she'll take my shift or vice versa. All in all, it's nothing too complex. We've only had other capes stop by a few times and most of that was close to opening."
You rose your eyebrow and tilted your head. She took the silent question and nodded, "Close to when we opened the ABB wanted protection money. When Parian hired me, the Empire started loitering around for a while but they stopped, eventually. A few times Mush or Skidmark tried to stink up the place, but we politely had them leave. Lung went on a rampage a few months back and tore out the front... which was an ordeal but don't worry, capes normally don't bother us too much. Other than that... Battery bought lingerie hear once.
Your eyes bulged and Sabah giggled, "Kidding, kidding. A few members of New Wave stop by somewhat often. Laserdream and Glory Girl like to have costume variety and Parian does it for them pretty quickly and easily. A few other local capes come by for costumes too, since Parian can do quick repairs and custom designs easily. Miss Militia stopped by once because her scarf had a coffee stain on it."
So capes do come by from time to time, they just don't cause a ton of trouble. That was nice. You hoped things would stay that way.
You didn't know who Mush or Skidmark were but you had a feeling they were villains by the face Sabah made at mentioning them.
Maybe Merchants?
You shook your head, "A coffee stain?"
Sabah nodded, "She doesn't drink coffee though, I think? I'm not sure." You wouldn't know. You knew the Protectorate and Wards capes- albeit less so the Wards- due to them constantly being on TV and some of them being members as you grew up. Armsmaster and Miss Militia were two noteworthy ones, but so was Challenger, until she left the Protectorate at least. But you didn't keep up with them like some cape fanatics. You didn't know their intricacies or their likes and dislikes. Hell, you'd only seen them in passing or on the news.
"Huh. So, what's your book about?" You asked again, hopping up to sit on the counter. Sabah rolled her eyes and her cheeks flushed once more.
"A, uh, love story. Between a computer-person and a boy."
"Which one is the butterfly?"
"It's, uh, complicated." You nodded at that response. You've read a lot of books that would be difficult to explain in a brief manner.
Sabah sighed as she hopped up to sit next to you, "So... how was school?"
You shook your head, "I'd rather not talk about it... Who told you I was in school?"
Sabah blinked, "Oh, uh, Parian did. When she changed shifts with me."
That was reasonable. It wouldn't make sense for Sabah to come in early and wait for you to arrive after three. The doubt lingered for a bit, but it didn't last. You opened your mouth as the door chimed once more and a pair of girls walked in. A woman with black hair and a younger one with brown. You looked at her and she looked at the two of you talking, her eyes flicking between the two of you before there was a crease in her brow when she saw you.
"Hi, can I help you?" You asked, hopping down and glancing at Sabah. Your middle-eastern companion gave you a thumbs up as you smiled at the two newcomers.
The black-haired girl nodded and the brunette walked forward, "Oh, we're just looking." And that was all they did. You walked back to Sabah and tried to keep your eyes on the two shoppers. One of them- the brunette- grabbed a pretty scandalous looking orange and red top before smirking at the black-haired one, who rolled her eyes. It wound up being the only thing that the pair purchased.
You managed to only somewhat bumble through the check out process. The freckle-covered brunette flashed you a smile before leaving.
You hopped up next to Sabah once more and asked a question, "Do you know either of them?"
Sabah seemed to think for a moment before answering, "The brunette is a regular, the other one comes in sometimes with her." You nodded and the conversation continued in other directions for a while, idle chatter that ended with the two of you looking at the sea from the storefront.
"They look like mountains."
You blinked, turning to look at Sabah, "What?"
"The ships. They're like metal mountains. A lot of them are beached or crashed... I'm pretty sure even more are sunk. But they kind of remind me of mountains." You blinked a few times before going to look back at the sea. You took your glasses off and squinted into the darkness. It was only then that you could sort of see what Sabah was talking about.
"Yeah, I guess." You turned back to Sabah and saw she was staring at you.
Then her phone started buzzing, "Well, it's time to close." Sabah stated with a frown before knocking against the side. "So, now it's time to teach you about closing."
Closing was a bit more complicated, but eventually the two of you finished. "I'll be heading out, do you want a ride home? Maybe we can hang out sometime outside of work."
You gave a smile and nodded, "Yeah, that'd be nice. But, uh, I'm gonna take the bus home." Sabah gave a half frown before smiling.
"Alright, I'll see you later, Taylor."
And with that, you headed home.
Strike A Deal:
Sophia's Loyalty and Happiness have decreased by 2.
Sophia's Lust has increased by 1.
Go to work:
Sabah's Loyalty and Lust have increased by 1.
You gained 1 Fund(s)!
Tomorrow is Saturday, how will you spend it? (Choose two)
] Study at the Library
-- 90% Chance of Success
-- You'll learn more about capes
-- You might learn where they're hanging out too!
] Spend Time with Dad
-- 85% Chance of Success
-- He's your father and you know he's been suffering like you have.
-- Maybe spending time with him will boost his mood?
] Go to The Mall
-- 80% Chance of Success
-- It's a popular place
-- You finally have some spending cash!
] Explore the Docks
-- 75% Chance of Success
-- There's a lot of capes in this area
-- That also means it's a dangerous place
] Explore Downtown
-- 75% Chance of Success
-- There's a lot of capes in this area too
-- Plus it's safer than the docks, but it's also more popular
] Look for trouble
-- 50% Chance of Success
-- If your power's undiscovered aspect is combat related, you'll certainly discover it
-- If it's not, you could be in some serious trouble.
-- Even if it is, this could be extremely dangerous.
] Write-in
-- ??% Chance of Success
Click to expand...
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randomlightning, Tiufi, VerBlinkel and 293 others like this.
Threadmarks: 8 - Family and Books
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: An Update From Me
Spoiler: Results
And now, back from the dead...
Without further ado...
8 - Family and Books
January 22nd, 2011
You rolled out of bed. Exhausted didn't begin to describe how you felt and as you stood up and made your way to the bathroom, only one thought ran through your mind.
Why?
Your day at work yesterday hadn't been physically taxing. The time you spent with Sabah and otherwise working was actually rather relaxing, all things considered. Plus you got paid for it! Score!
Water rolled down your back and chest as you thought, your mind drifting away from how tired you were and instead, lingered on your co-worker and maybe potentially friend. It was going well and you could only hope that next time you went in, that wouldn't be ruined.
Your morning routine went otherwise unremarkable. Things with Sophia were... not necessarily improving, but definitely not getting worse. More unstable and worrying? Yes. More tense? Definitely. But worse? That was in the air, leaning towards no.
You met Crystal and had her number. Crystal Pelham. Laserdream! You were maybe friends with a cape! That might be a danger in the future if you two became close friends and villains found out, but still! It was a potential friend to go along with Sabah.
Sure, you used your power on them. You made them want you... but was that such a bad thing? To be wanted? To top it off, you also kind of...
You shut your eyes and flashed the image out of your mind. No! Bad brain!
You got dressed, a hoodie and some jeans, the usual look you wore. Was that a bad thing? Would your power work better if you dressed more... no. Nope. Not going there, not doing that. You definitely didn't have the confidence to make those outfits work. Nor the budget.
You stepped down the staircase, glancing at the kitchen before you blinked and hurried back upstairs. You peeked in your father's room, seeing him beneath the covers before you went back downstairs. You popped some eggs in the pan and got to work!
By the time your dad woke up, you had breakfast for him ready.
It was hard. He wasn't around as much these days, since your mother passed he sort of threw himself into his work. He tried to be here when he could, but even when he was present he wasn't necessarily present. You knew he loved you and cared about you. You knew he did and while you could use your power to make that more, probably, there was the fact that doing so would risk him desiring you in... other ways.
You shook your head.
"Hi, Dad." Your voice was soft. Quieter than you intended.
"Hey." It was a simple, tired response. Probably because he hadn't had his morning coffee... Did your Dad even drink coffee? Was it a bad thing that you didn't know or remember? Or was that just a sign of how big the rift between you had become?
Silence reigned after that. Him eating his breakfast as you considered coffee and how your lack of knowledge about your father and his coffee stance and preferences kinda represented the lack of connection between you and him. Like a metaphor. A very obvious, silly, blatant metaphor.
You shook your head, trying to change your thoughts from your father and allegorical coffee and start rekindling your connection with your father. There was an easy way! One you had already thought about.
"I have a job," You stated with no relation to the coffee. You weren't a barista.
Your father blinked a few times before turning his head to face you. "You... you what?"
"I have a job now. I work for The Dollhouse... um... so yeah." He seemed confused, thoroughly as his mouth sort of opened and closed. At least you didn't tell him you have a girl friend. That's girl-space-friend. Not to be confused with a girl from space who was your friend.
"Don't... Aren't you too young to have a job?"
You shook your head, "I can if I have parental permission."
"Are... Are you asking me to sign a form or something?" Your father asked, confusion and surprise still evident on his face.
Oh yeah... "Oh, no." You began, before continuing with a simple, "I kinda forged your signature. I got a check you signed and just... traced over it." You were pretty sure that's how forgery works.
He nodded, "Okay. What... Okay." He blinked a few more times. You were glad that you spent this time with him in the morning. His mental gears weren't really turning.
"I, um, was wondering if I could use it to help out with bills and groceries and stuff?" That got a reaction! Your father shook his head.
"No, Taylor. No." His voice was firm as he said it and you couldn't help but tilt your head. Seeing your confusion, he continued, "I'm your father. I'm going to support you and be there for you. I'm not going to let you work and spend your money on stuff that I'm supposed to do for you. Spend your money on stuff you like, I'll spend mine on stuff you need."
You nodded your head and the conversation continued. Your father asked you what the job entailed and then worried about the dangers of you working at a cape's store. You assured him it was fine, who was going to attack Parian of all people? Her power was stuffed animals. And clothes. So maybe Glory Girl, but you were pretty sure she wasn't evil.
It was a genuine conversation that was more than just exchanged pleasantries. It felt nice. As you were getting up to leave and continue your day, your father asked you one last question.
"Do you know anything about the crater in the backyard?"
You blinked a few time before going to look out the window, seeing the muddy dent that was still there from Crystal's crash landing.
"Nope. No idea." You stated with hurry in your voice before heading out to the world.
Window shopping. A lot of window shopping with your new money. You didn't know what you would use it for, but the path of looking at shops and cafes downtown eventually had you at the library and- well- you planned on studying up on the cape scene eventually anyways!
You hurried, waiting in line for one of the computers and huffing as you had to sit down at it and close what the other person had been looking at. Your fingers fluttered across the keys before you finally found the website you were looking for. Parahumans Online. You didn't go there much, but it was a forum with its own wiki, both of which were dedicated to people with powers- Parahumans. You learned... quite a bit. There was apparently some kind of rating system, terms like 'brute' and then a number denoting the power level. You were apparently what was called a 'Master', since you could influence the minds of others. You weren't sure what number you would get- you probably needed to figure out that other part of your power before you could even guess at that.
But, more importantly, you used this chance to read up on Brockton Bay. You knew the general gist of things, New Wave and the Protectorate (and Wards) were the good guys- with some vigilantes and individual heroes thrown in and The Empire 88, The Azn Bad Boys, The Archer's Bridge Merchants were the bad guys with some solo villains thrown in. But apparently there was more than that.
On the hero side of things, you were right. New Wave, The Wards, and The Protectorate made up the majority of the heroes in town. But there were a lot of villains.
The Empire had fifteen capes to their name. The ABB had two- though apparently there were rumors that they recently got a third. The merchants had three. Some supervillain named Coil had his own faction. There was a group of four called the Undersiders. There was Uber and Leet. There was Circus.
In total, there were almost 30 villains in Brockton Bay. There were 21 heroes- not counting Panacea because she didn't fight.
That also wasn't counting Parian, since she also didn't fight. Nor was it counting a band superpowered mercenaries in town, because they were either heroes or villains depending on who paid. (They were currently receiving a stipend from the PRT to not take any jobs in Brockton Bay, according to the article on their team.)
All in all, it was a lot. And that was just capes that were currently residing in Brockton Bay. Probably not even all of them, considering you weren't on this list. Capes from other towns could visit, capes could suddenly appear. Hell, apparently The Teeth used to be based here.
It was a lot, but you could get more information too. The Boardwalk was apparently the 'line in the sand'. The docks were considered ABB territory. Downtown and the surrounding suburbs were Empire-controlled. The Merchants didn't have any set territory outside of the area surrounding their namesake, but they dealt their drugs to people all over the city. Coil didn't seem to have much in the way of territory other than a few blocks downtown. The Undersiders, Circus, and Uber & Leet lacked any territory at all.
Of course, the heroes were fighting back. The heroes didn't have territory- probably because they defended the city as a whole and territory was a thing for gangs and villains. The Protectorate and Wards had patrol routes that were well documented, the problem was that there were well over a hundred 'known' patrol routes and the heroes seemingly chose which routes to take at random. Higher traffic areas were patrolled more frequently, but that barely narrowed the list at all.
You wanted to meet them and you could find enough common overlaps in the routes that you felt like you had decent odds finding them.
You idly shaped your aura around yourself, eyeing the list of villains and feeling and itch you hadn't felt before.
There wasn't certainty to it, but you were pretty sure that with your power you could use them. Not that you were the type to use people! But if you wanted a cape team, what better way than to use villains? Sure, you would be recruiting from racists, drug addicts, and slavers but... alright, yeah, no. That's bad. But they wouldn't be doing that if they were trying to please you instead, right?
It was something to consider.
You weren't sure if your powers were permanent, but you suspected they were. Or if they did wear off, the duration was long enough that they hadn't started to on anyone affected by them thus far.
You shook your head. You skimmed through posts, trying to devour all the information you could about the capes in town. After a few hours of studying, you were relatively certain that you could find their meeting spots if you tried.
The only question was who would be there. And if you could handle them.
Your power made people desire you. Whether that was a desire to protect you, a desire to love you, or a desire to... to fuck you. You knew that it worked over time, but there was something you hadn't done with it.
Force it.
Sabah, Sophia, Crystal, they were all accidental exposure. Passive effects from being within your aura. But you could shape it and focus it. You hadn't done much of that. You hadn't pushed with it to try and have it seriously affect people.
That wasn't it. That wasn't the undiscovered part, but it was a part you could use here and now. Well, not here and not now but if you went after these villains. If you tried to turn them into good, productive heroes.
But you would need a costume for that and at this point, you knew on some level that the other aspect of your power would only be discovered in the heat of the moment.
But you needed a costume and a target to uncover either of those things.
On the other side of things though, there was something that felt deeply and inherently wrong with using your power in this way. When you looked into masters, you found out about capes like Heartbreaker and Hijack were the same kind of Master as you. Cape groups like the Orchard too. The Simurgh. People that played with the minds and emotions of others for their own gain. It was something you could do, but was it worth it?
Was it evil to manipulate the minds of villains? To make them become better people?
Was it evil to alter Sabah's mind? Or Crystals? It wasn't something that you intended to do, but it was something that you did anyways. People were different just by being around you and the only options were to either ignore it or embrace it. Holding back your aura sometimes felt like holding in your breath- possible but only viable for so long.
As you logged out of the computer, you took a breath. You still had the rest of the weekend ahead of you...
Danny's Happiness increased by 2!
You learned information about capes!
You now know what capes hang out in what areas, as well as their powers and costumes!
You gain the trait 'Knowledgeable Citizen - Brockton Bay'
(Pick two)
[Since it's been a while, remember that a 'failure' doesn't mean that you fail at the task. The desired goal could be accomplished and you'll still fail. It just means that you get a bad outcome.
] Get a costume
-- 85% Chance of Success
-- You can perform heroics or villainy without the heroes or villains knowing who you are! They may still find out...
-- With only 1 fund and no connections, there's only so much you can do.
-- Please give suggestions about what the costume would look like.
] Hunt At The Docks
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- Villains In This Area: Azn Bad Boys, Merchants, Undersiders, Uber, Leet, or Circus
-- Heroes In This Area: Protectorate
] Hunt Downtown
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- Villains In This Area: Empire 88, Merchants, Coil
-- Heroes In This Area: Wards, New Wave, Protectorate
] Hang Out With X
-- ??% Chance of Success
-- Ask a character Taylor knows to hang out!
-- Options are characters that Taylor currently has some relation to (Danny, Sophia, Sabah, and Crystal)
] Hunt For X
-- ??%10 Chance of Success
-- Hunt for a cape in the city to try and build a relationship with them!
-- Gains a 10 bonus thanks to Taylor recently reading up on capes.
] Write-In
-- ??% Chance of Success
-- Choose your fate!
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Threadmarks: 9 - Outfits and Family Matters
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: I'm Sorry
Spoiler: Results
January 23rd, 2011
Your day started the same way it did every day, with a shower and a quick breakfast. Dad was already at work and cold pancakes were on a plate, wrapped in tin foil. They weren't the best but it was better than nothing! After munching down on them, finishing the homework you'd been assigned for the weekend, and watched some TV. After about an hour of that, you were dreadfully bored and even more lonely. So you did the most logical thing!
You grabbed the landline and dialed up Sabah! She... didn't answer. You were sent straight to voicemail. Maybe she was working and couldn't get to it?
You chewed your lip before deciding. If Sabah was at work, you'd go to work. At least for a little bit and probably not on the clock. You headed to the telephone, dialed the number, and someone picked it up! From the voice, you assumed it was Sabah!
You were wrong.
"Dollhouse, Parian speaking. How may I help you?" It was eerie, how similar the blonde Parian and the middle-eastern Sabah sounded at times. They didn't sound exactly the same, Parian's mask had an effect on her voice, but they were similar enough that if you didn't know better, you'd say they were related. Or at least childhood friends! Both?
Who knows!
"Oh, um, Hi Parian! Is Sabah there?" There was a pause on the line.
"I'm afraid not. She has a pretty big project coming up," You nodded at Sabah's explanation even though she couldn't see it. Sabah was a college student and they could be busy at times.
"Well, um... Could I come in? Not to work or anything! Just to... hang out?" You broached the question and got a quick, eager reply.
"Sure. I'd love some company." Parian's voice sounded eager, perhaps a tad too eager. You were pretty sure you hadn't hit her that hard with your power when you applied for the job and that was the only time you really used it on her.
After some brief goodbyes, you threw on a baggy, grey sweatshirt and some dark sweatpants and made your way down to the Dollhouse.
You walked up and into the store. It wasn't terribly busy, a few customers wandering here and there. You spied Parian in the back, near the lingerie, and made your way there.
Parian heard you approach, her head turning to face you. She was wearing her normal, porcelain white mask so you couldn't see her face but her posture gave you the sense she was happy to see you. That was a little strange, considering that she was your manager and while you'd spoken before, we weren't close.
"Hey there!" Parian said, strolling over towards you. You couldn't see her eyes, on account of the mask and poor lighting.
"Hey, how's business today?" You asked and you saw the victorian doll's shoulders rise and fall.
"Not great, Saturdays are normally busier than this and this is supposed to be rush hour," You glanced around the room at the customers. There was around a half-dozen customers. It wasn't bad but Parian apparently wanted better. "The store will probably be empty once these people head out."
You nodded as you went to stand, hands in pockets. You and Pariantalked here and there while you waited for the customers to filter out. You kept your power contained, trying to cover a large enough area that you weren't forcing your power too hard on Parian whilst still keeping it smaller enough that you didn't have to worry about people stumbling into it. It wound up being a lot smaller than you'd would've liked. One or two came in while you waited but they were quick shoppers. Occasionally, your chats with the super...heroine? She had powers- as demonstrated by the tubes that were floating around the store and the self-sorting clothes, but she wasn't a hero. Nor was she a villain.
As you waited for the customers to leave, you decided to bring it up. "Parian, I've got a question," You said as she approached you. "You, um, you probably get it a lot."
Parian cocked her head to one side, "What is it?"
"Why... why this? I mean... Why be a rogue? You're a cape so you could've been a hero or a villain so... why?"
"I get that a lot," Parian said, her shoulders dropping a little. "Some people aren't very nice about it either but... um, well, it's pretty simple. I like fashion and I... I'm scared of confrontation. Conflict and shouting and fighting." She shook her head. "I don't want to fight... I'd do it for a good reason, I think, but I don't want to fight for the sake of fighting. I'm happy enough just working here. Repairing and making costumes for the real heroes."
You nodded your head. Despite her words, there was an undertone. You couldn't quite put a finger on what it was though. "So you would though?" You had to be careful, you didn't want to sound like you were going to accuse your boss of being a coward or something.
"If I had a good reason to, maybe."
Parian spied the last customers in the store heading towards the counter and moved to meet her there. You watched her as she checked out the last few customers. They were an obvious couple and your eyes clung to the blonde bombshell while her boyfriend paid. You shook her head, diverting your eyes as your cheeks took on a tinge of pink. Once they paid- and after a brief chat between the bombshell and Parian- you watched as Parian followed them to the door flipped the sign once they were out. Then she locked it.
It wasn't time for the store to close.
Parian walked over to you and this area was wide enough that you could see her chocolate eyes. Huh, her and Sabah had the same eye color. Parian's eyes were surrounded by dark eyeshadow, hiding her eyelids and the skin around her eye that the mask didn't cover. "Taylor, there's something important we should talk about."
You gulped. Was this wrong? Were you getting in trouble for coming to hang out? "What did I do?"
Parian flicked her hand and the curtains closed as well. The dressed mannequins were in front of them, still in the store window for anyone that walked by. "No, no. You're not in trouble or anything. I just wanted to talk about something and wanted some assistance with something."
Oh! That was better! You nodded your head, "Um, yeah, sure! What is it?"
"Your style."
You blinked, obviously thrown off by that statement, "Huh?"
"You work at a fashion store and come in dressed... unprofessionally. I didn't think about it when I interviewed you and, well, if you're going to work here then you need to look..." Was she going to say I needed to look good? I could see the thought in her eyes, "Well, you need to wear outfits that our customers want to buy."
Your outfit consisted entirely of baggy, dull clothes to hide you and make you feel safe. None were eyecatching. "I don't have any clothes like that though? None of them are fancy or-"
Parian raised a finger, "That's fine. Um, I could give you some clothes? Like a few outfits that we could use for uniforms... which brings me to the second thing."
"Which is?" You wondered how it related to the first topic since she brought them up as a pair.
"Well, if we're going to give you a few uniforms we need to try them on you. Plus there's some outfit designs I'm working on and I want to see how they'll look on a real person."
There was something about the twinkle in her eye that made you feel a spike of nervousness. What was Parian planning? Still, she seemed really into the idea so you forced an awkward smile and replied, "Okay, um, let's get going?"
And that you did. Parian told you to wait there while she went back to gather some stuff. After a bit, she returned with a pair of cloth octopi- octopusses?- that were carrying baskets of neatly organized fabrics. Parian herself had a wooden basket full of threads in various colors, needles, thimbles, and other equipment a tailor would need.
Not to be confused with the equipment a Taylor would need, of course.
"Okay, so, we don't have to make a lot of this because I kind of want you wearing our merchandise. Preferably stuff that I made so it's more exclusive?" That seemed more like a question so you nodded. Parian's posture shifted and you had a feeling that indicated a smile. "Great, awesome, so stand right there so I can get your measurements? It'll make it easier for me to find out what size stuff you need." You knew from experience that Parian had an expert eye when it came to seeing someone's measurements but you guessed she wanted to be as precise as possible with you? Regardless, you stood still while she grabbed a cloth measuring tape and walked over. She got close to you, her arms wrapping around you as she tightened it in places. Most of it was fine, she wrapped it around your small bicep or held it up the length of your legs and commented on how long they were. Other moments were... awkward as she pulled the strip tight against your chest or squatted down to reach between your thighs to get the size of those, or when her hands grazed your hips as she measured how wide they were. The answer being not very. You were still like a rail, no real chest to speak of nor no wide hips. Your hair, legs, and shoulders were the only thing that kept you from looking like a boy, apparently. Well, you assumed on that last one after Parian commented about how nice they were even if they were tensed the whole time.
"All right. Thank you, I will be right back with some options for us." The cloth tentacles and Parian spread out across the room, going to different places and grabbing various merchandise. You didn't fail to notice where they went. Parian and one octopus went to the front of the store, grabbing various clothes that were casual but there was one you spied going into the back of the store, where the fetishwear and lingerie were.
It was probably just going to grab some clothes from the back.
You hoped.
Parian wouldn't dress you up in anything risque, right?
Your boss returned with both arms and several tentacles full of clothes. You'd never been fond of shopping but after working here for almost a week? You could appreciate them a bit more now. Plus they were going to be free!
Parian started you off easy and even that was rough. For every piece, you went into the fitting room, changed into it, then hopped out for Parian to examine it. The first outfit consisted of tight jeans and a nicely fitting t-shirt. Easy, right? But Parian had gotten your measurements and that meant the clothes fit! You hadn't worn a bra, you rarely did on account of the baggy clothes and your small chest. But these clothes were small enough in the chest that even your small breasts were visible mounds. A glance in the mirror showed how the high-waisted jeans clung to your hips and rear. They were tight. You could tell by the label that they were skinny jeans. Why was Parian forcing you to wear such tight, form-fitting clothing?!
Things only got worse from there. After trying a few more shirts with various designs and logos about the Dollhouse, Parian, or the store's logo, and varying degrees of revealed cleavage. Or it would've if you had anything to show off. You did catch Parian looking at the space between your breasts on one really low cut one, but that was probably just to see how the outfit looked on people.
After you were done with those, you moved on to similar ones. And by similar, you mean exactly identical except Parian grabbed a pair of scissors and went to town on them. The first one- a black shirt that said 'The Dollhouse' in hot pink cursive letters as though a needle and thread had been laid out to spell it- was cropped so high that when you reached up in the changing room, you could see your breasts poking out from the bottom. It wouldn't be so bad if you had been wearing a bra but you were an idiot.
There was no way you could go out in front of Parian like this!
Especially not without a bra!
You opened the changing room door, peaking just your head out to see Parian standing there, her face unreadable beneath the mask even with the lighting in the building. You knew the lighting for the main room was adjustable and once the store closed, Parian had turned it up higher to see you better in your outfits. "I, um, I need a bra," You mumbled and you heard a short laugh come from the Victorian doll. She nodded before going to grab a bra from one octopus- the one that had gone to the back of the store.
"I noticed," She said. She noticed!? You felt your whole face flush a deep shade of crimson as you yanked the bra away from her and stepped back into the fitting room. You stared at your beet-red face for a few minutes, sitting down on the bench and holding it. Letting your panicking gay mind restore some semblance of thought at the idea that not only did your manager slash boss slash cape Parian know exactly how small your chest was but she had noticed you came to hang out without a bra on. Of course she knew. She'd have you wear shirts with cleavage and probably noticed there wasn't one. But something about her tone threw you off. It was an almost teasing tone. She knew from the start, from the minute she took your measurements.
You took a few deep breaths to calm yourself before finally looking at the bra you had been given.
If it could be called that.
The bra was the same hot pink color as the logo on the cropped shirt you had on but it was lace. Lace with a sheer, paler shade of pink between the laces. You swallowed as you went to fasten it on and had to restrain yourself from the sigh of relief. Bras were fine in your book and had their uses but you'd never found them very comfy. Once you put on this bra, you realized something. All the bras you owned were cheap. Wires bit into your back or boobs. But this bra? It was so freaking comfy. It was so comfy, in fact, that you almost forgot to lift up your shirt to see what it looked like on you. You saw the areas of pale flesh beneath the sheer parts, the more lacy parts were more prevalent, covering your nipples and most of your breasts but their prevalence only made the patches of pale, supple skin all the more noticeable.
You let the shirt fall and moved your arms around, seeing how the very cropped shirt rode up. The hot pink made the times where you lifted your arms up and it rose up high enough all the more noticeable.
You took a deep sigh as your face flushed pink and you stepped out of the fitting room. Parian took a deep breath and told you to move around so she could see how it looked with you in various positions. You did so and she watched intently. Were all tailors like this?
After what felt like an eternity, Parian piped up. Her voice was eager and full of cheer as she ran over to an octopus and grabbed something. She hurried over to you and offered, her voice was more girlish than normal and full of enthusiasm as she asked, "Try this on!"
You held it up, letting it unfold and saw what it was. "A skirt? I don't know, I don't really-" You started but saw the sad, puppy dog eyes behind the mask. You sighed, knowing you were already defeated and stepped into the fitting room.
The skirt was fairly short, shorter than any you had worn... even if you did only wear those as a kid. It came up somewhere between your knee and mid-thigh. You looked at it, brushing it down and swallowing. You were never a skirt person. You had worn them as a kid when your mom wanted you to for things like Easter or family photos but never casually.
You stepped out and Parian stared at you for a few moments as she checked out the outfit before giving a thumbs up. Her eyes lingered on your legs, looking up and down them a few times before she shook her head. Was it not good enough? Why did she keep staring if it was bad?
From there, things only got worse. Your boss dressed you up in other shirts, not letting you get out of the miniskirt. These were all less traditional designs; one with a diamond cut out over your stomach to show off your belly button, another that had the sides ripped, strips of still intact cloth connecting it; another was one without a back to it, instead the two shoulders had strips of cloth that you tied behind your neck. Eventually, she went to more elaborate tops but mostly stuck to various colors of skirts, only occasionally swapping to very short shorts or various form fitting leggings, stockings, and the like.
After what was probably an hour or two, during which Parian grew more and more cheerful and energetic, rushing here and there when clothes didn't fit or using her powers to adjust them, she ran out of clothes.
All the clothes save for the ones held by one octopus. The same one that had brought you the bra. The one that went to the back of the store.
Parian lifted a few up. She glanced at you and you gulped. One was straps. Literal straps. The girl posing in the picture was wrapped up in them like a birthday present. Another was a leather cat suit. A third was a black, latex leotard that looked similar to a corset in shape and cleavage. Parian looked at them then you, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head. "Th-These, um, wouldn't be work appropriate, h-huh?" You could hear her voice, a strange mixture of eager, breathy, and embarrassed. You shook her head and she nodded, "Must've, um, mu-must've been an accident."
You nodded.
The two of you chatted for a while, you still in the last outfit you tried on: a white top that only covered the top half of your stomach left ample cleavage visible. It connected to white lace sleeves that reached down to your wrist and reminded you doilies, albeit ones with interesting, asymmetric designs. The two sleeves did cover your shoulders and connected around your neck, like a white choker. A pale pink skirt covered the rest of your stomach- save for a strip of skin about an inch wide- but it only did that because it was high-waisted. It barely went past half way on your thighs, making it one of the shorter skirts that Parian had given you. She started commenting on them more as it went on, with this last outfit she talked about how it was more 'spring or summer colors' and how it contrasted with your hair but the white complimented your pale skin. If her tone was an indicator, that last bit was a bad thing? You weren't sure.
"I liked them on you," she said finally as she handed you back your clothes. "Maybe we could do this again?" She sounded really excited at that prospect. It made sense, she was a fashion designer and you were a willing model, apparently.
"Maybe," you said with an embarrassed grin and flushed cheeks.
With that, you headed to the door only for Parian to run up to you with the pile of clothes. She grabbed some paper bags from by the register and started putting the clothes you had tried on- all of them- in bags. Once that was done, she handed the four bags of clothes to you.
"Parian?" You asked, looking at the bags on outstretched arms.
"These are yours now. They looked amazing on you so I want you to keep them," You weren't sure you had the confidence to wear those! Even some of the t-shirts had such low necklines that they were embarassing! And the way the pants clung to your hips, rear, and thighs?
But you didn't want to be mean, especially not to Parian. Your boss. Your... Your friend.
So you took them with a smile, "Thanks," your cheeks somehow flushed darker as you hurried out and home. It was fairly late, the two of you had spent half the day together and night had already fallen. So, you decided to hang out with Crystal.
After calling her once, she didn't answer. You clicked on the TV to wait a few minutes before trying again. You didn't want her to think you were annoying or anything! And saw it was on the news.
There was a big cape fight downtown. An all-out brawl between a lot of Empire capes against the Protectorate and New Wave. Watching behind the reporter, you could spot a white and red blur. Laserdream. Apparently, she was going to be busy tonight.
Sabah's Lust and Love increased by 1!
Sabah really liked how you looked in those outfits.
Taylor gained the trait 'On The Dollhouse', letting her get clothes from the Dollhouse for free!
Taylor worried about Laserdream during the fight, Stress increased by 1.
Are you going to start dressing in Dollhouse clothes?
] Yes
-- Parian said they look good on you.
-- But some of them are really revealing.
] No
-- You feel more comfortable in what you wear now.
-- You'll have to dress in Dollhouse merch when working anyways.
During school you:
] Go to school and don't avoid Sophia
-- 85% Chance of Success
-- After last time, you have no idea how she'll treat you
-- Maybe you can try and win her back?
] Go to school and avoid Sophia
-- 75% Chance of Success
-- You could run into someone new, find something useful, or learn valuable information
-- Sophia probably won't be happy about it though.
] Skip school and roam around town
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- You're likely to meet capes that don't attend school
-- That doesn't necessarily mean they're good people
After school you:
] Spend Time with X
-- ??% Chance of Success
-- Spend time with a cape you know
-- Crystal is busy recovering, so you can't pick her.
] Get a costume
-- 85% Chance of Success
-- You can perform heroics or villainy without the heroes or villains knowing who you are! They may still find out...
-- With only 1 fund and no connections, there's only so much you can do.
-- Please give suggestions about what the costume would look like.
] Hunt At The Docks
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- Villains In This Area: Azn Bad Boys, Merchants, Undersiders, Uber, Leet, or Circus
-- Heroes In This Area: Protectorate
] Hunt Downtown
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- Villains In This Area: Empire 88, Merchants, Coil
-- Heroes In This Area: Wards, New Wave, Protectorate
] Hunt for X
-- ??10% Chance of Success
-- You can try to find a specific cape in the city.
-- Your bonus to finding a cape in the city will only last 2 more days.
] Write-in
-- ??% Chance of Success
-- The world is your oyster
Click to expand...
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
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Spoiler: Results
Monday, January 24th, 2011
You woke up in your own bed and started your day. As you were getting dressed after your shower, you were going to pull on a sweater when your eyes fell on the stack of clothes on your desk. The bags that read 'The Dollhouse' and had clothes peeking out the top.
You eye'd them, tossing your sweater back onto the bed. You'd already decided that you were going to school today and you weren't going out of your way to avoid Sophia. Yes, she had tried to punch you. Yes, she was a bitch last time the two of you spoke and you were dreading the confrontation.
But there was something going on there. There was something between her and Emma and you'd be lying to yourself if you claimed that you weren't curious. It could be the reason that Emma betrayed you. It could be the secret to finally, finally getting the bullying to stop.
The only way to figure it out was to not be scared.
Regardless of that though, you were going to get Sophia on your side and you'd have to get closer to her. You'd need your power. You felt the ever-present aura and brought it in. You felt it clinging just above your naked body as you took a few steps forward and felt the pink bra Parian had given you...
Parian had said you looked amazing in it and she'd sounded genuine. You wondered, briefly, how Sabah would feel seeing you in it. You grabbed a short crop top and held it in your hand. Maybe Sabah would like you in it too?
Ah! Gay thoughts were back! You shook your head and let some of the heat fade from your burning cheeks before going to clasp the snug bra on.
If you were going to risk seeing Sophia, you needed protection. You needed your power but... maybe having some visual stimulus would help it work better on Sophia?
You let your power fill the room again, feeling it expand like a bubble being pumped full of air. While it rapidly grew, the 'gas' spreading to fill the space you'd dictated in a near-instant, you moved. You pulled on a pair of pale blue skinny jeans that Parian had given you, you had to wiggle your hips to get them up as they clung tightly to every curve of your legs and rear.
Your cheeks flushed. Nope, you couldn't back at now. You'd committed.
You popped on a t-shirt. A simple white one that read 'Play With Me In My Dollhouse' around a minimalist picture of the Boardwalk skyline with the Dollhouse standing out, the other buildings as colored in mauve-pink silhouettes and in a regular shade of pink. The words were the same shade of pink as the Dollhouse in the picture and the rest of the shirt was a cream color. You pulled it on and did what Parian called a 'french tuck'. It was just where you only tucked the front of the shirt in.
You hurried to the bathroom to look at yourself.
Now that you were just here, looking at yourself, you didn't think you looked too bad.
A part of you wanted to try out some makeup. To go to the supplies that your mom had left you or you were given by your Dad for Christmas but you didn't really know how to do it. Sure, you and Emma put makeup on yourselves when you were younger but... the two of you didn't have a concept of how to do it properly back then. Some jewelry would help too, now that you thought about it.
You adjusted your glasses and looked at yourself.
Sophia wouldn't know what hit her.
Your power would be what hit her, obviously.
If you hit her, she'd murder you.
As you sat on the bus, you briefly debated letting your power loose. It was a sudden urge, like standing near a building and just suddenly thinking 'What if I jumped'. You didn't act on it but... it was there. The sudden thought that you could use these clothes and this power to become more popular. That you could use it to surpass Emma at school.
That you didn't have to hold back.
You crushed those urges, obviously. You'd decided already to use them on Sophia and you had used them on Crystal... And Sabah and Parian. But that was it. Those were the only people you had been actively using your power on. Not that you were opposed to using it on more. More friends would be... nice.
'Friends'.
You hopped off the bus, making your way to your locker. Sophia was hanging out with Emma and their cohorts in front of one of their lockers. You walked by, wrapping Sophia in your power and catching her eye. They all watched you and stage whispered comments that you had long since learned to ignore. Sophia didn't whisper. She stared, at you, mouth partially agape.
You finished your walk past them, turned a corner, and felt your face grow pink. Had you really just done that?! You shook your head feeling a know of guilt in your stomach as you did so. Had you ever been so aggressive with your power? You shook your head, repeating that it was Sophia and you deserved her love and loyalty. After all she'd done to you she deserved to start doing things for you.
That thought only lessened that knot. It didn't untangle it.
The day progressed as per normal though you did hear in the morning announcements that on Thursday, the school would be visited by the Wards for an anti-bullying PSA. You could feel Principal Blackwell tiptoeing around why they were coming. That you were the reason. A part of you wanted to scream. Did she think that this would make up for it? She was weeks too late for that to make a difference. Why would she wait until weeks after the incident to make a move like this? Why hadn't she done it the dozens and dozens of times that you'd reported them?
It was irritating and that irritation only grew when you noticed some of Emma's cronies that shared your homeroom glancing at you and giggling.
You rolled your eyes.
Lunchtime rolled around. All the classes that preceded it had the same song and dance stage whispers about you. 'The Locker Girl'. You grabbed your lunch and, curiously, made your way to the normally locked off roof. The lock was still gone, apparently, the faculty was so certain that nobody would even try to break onto the roof that they hadn't checked over the weekend.
That was fine with you. It had a better view than the bathroom anyways.
You pulled out the sandwich that you'd brought from home and started eating. It took a whole fifteen minutes for Sophia to get there. You didn't know if she'd spent that time looking or if she'd ate her own lunch with Emma, Madison, and crew. Regardless, you'd almost finished your meal by the time she got there.
You'd kept your power as a column but once Sophia got out, you'd retracted it to your skin and then had it lance out. Like a snake, it lashed out in her direction and formed a sphere around her. You retracted it as much as you could, trying to condense it as much as possible.
"Hebert," Since you came to highschool, you'd been pushed around, bullied, and abused by this girl. Then she falls for you- you accidentally made her fall for you- and right when you thought that you'd have a shot at getting peace and reconciliation, you'd been betrayed again. "You... Where'd you get those clothes?"
"The Dollhouse," You replied, feeling both terrified and brave. Maybe there was something to what Parian said about clothes giving confidence?
"Haha, Hebert. How the hell'd you afford clothes from there?" She asked, making her way towards you. Her words felt stilted.
You shrugged, noticing Sophia's eyes tracing up and down you over and over. You gulped down your nervousness, "Why do you care?"
Sophia glanced away but her eyes slide back to you. Back to the jeans that hugged your legs or the slight mounds on your chest. Had Sophia ever seen your body like this? Had she ever seen you outside of baggy clothes since that one summer day, all that time ago? "They, uh... They just look good on you."
You blinked, feeling a little stilted. "Oh. Thanks."
Sophia glared at you. Or at your chest. It was hard to tell. "It wasn't a fucking compliment... It was just a statement." You rose an eyebrow and shook your head, going to finish your sandwich as you watched Sophia stare at you. You had a feeling she was trying to brush over last time. She was trying to brush over the fact that she'd given up at helping you. That last time the two of you spoke, she'd tried to punch you.
You breathed a sigh as you finished your sandwich. "What do you want, Sophia?" You knew her, to some degree. You knew she liked you. You knew she tackled problems physically, had a very black and white world view, and thought that might made right. More than anything else though, you knew one thing about Sophia.
Sophia Hess doesn't do small talk.
Or, if anything else, she wasn't the type to seek you out to make small talk. So, when you saw her recoil and set her jaw at your words. You tightened your bubble around her further, trying to squeeze answers out of her. It didn't work. Your power wasn't like Gallant's beams.
"I just... I just wanted to..."Fuck, Hebert. You're impossible." She said with a groan. It was almost a snarl. "You're fucking ridiculous. I came here to apologize."
"You tried to punch me." Of course, it hadn't been the first time she tried to. Hell, normally she succeeded.
"I did not," Sophia growled. There was a scowl across her face.
"You di-" She stomped forward one step, your words catching in your throat.
"Hebert, trust me this one fucking time. If I'd wanted to hurt you? I could've." Somehow, you didn't doubt that. "I had to at least fucking pretend that I didn't care about you. I don't want Emma on my case."
Emma's name still hurt. The fact that your best friend was the reason this was going on. The fact that Sophia hadn't relented even on Friday because of Emma. The fact that, somehow, Emma's grip on Sophia surpassed your powers. "Why does that matter? You're- like- you basically run the school. You're the track star. You're super popular. Hell, even the Empire kids don't mess with you. Why-"
Sophia cut you off, "She has dirt on me, okay? She knows stuff about me and I can't get on her bad side."
"Why does some little secret matter-"
"It's not little! It's the kind of thing that could hurt me or my family or- or, fuck, I don't know! It's not some little thing!" Sophia said, and you could see anger on her face. Her fist was clenched. A spike of fear ran up your spine and it must've shown on your face because Sophia looked taken aback by it. She unclenched her fist as she let out a shaky breath. "I fucking hate you. I hate this. Fuck. Just... Just... I'm working on stuff, okay? Just fucking... Just make sure you come to school on Thursday."
Sophia stomped off, slamming the metal door to the roof behind her. You blinked, surprised by her sudden reaction. You looked at your sandwich wrapped then the door. The slamming was loud and you knew that it'd be best to not be here, just in case a teacher heard it and suddenly decided to care.
The rest of the day went off without a hitch. Even though the whisper campaigns and name calling still went on, even if you did get hit with wads of paper and got things like glue 'accidentally' spilled on your or your desk some days, you had to admit that compared to last semester, things were tamer. Sophia no longer pushed you around. Things no longer went missing from your locker. Being at school was marginally easier.
It was still so frustrating that by the end of the school day, you'd decided to make your way home and call Sabah to hang out.
You called Sabah's cell phone this time. She picked up and you heard her voice. It was casual, well, a forced casual that was a poor attempt at hiding surprise and excitement, "Taylor?"
"Oh, um, hey." You said, holding the phone close to your ear as you fell to lay across the couch. "I was wondering if you'd, maybe want to hang out? Casually! If you aren't... If you aren't busy?"
"Ummm," You heard Sabah's voice draw out. You heart got tight. Parian'd been working yesterday, didn't that mean that Sabah was working today? "I'm working today but... um, how about we hang out once I get off? I'll text Parian and let her know I'm closing early." Was Sabah allowed to do that?
"Okay?" You asked, feeling even more nervous than you sounded. You hadn't had any backup plans for if Sabah couldn't hang out. There was Silence on the line for about twenty seconds before you heard Sabah's voice again.
It was such a wonderful voice. Your powers were the worst for making you like girls and Sabah was the worst for being perfect in every way! From her eyes to her hair to her figure to her voice. You stopped fawning once you realized that Sabah had finished talking, "What did you say?"
"I said that I'm gonna close at seven. Want me to come to get you and we can grab dinner once I'm off?" Sabah? Coming here? The two of you buying dinner together? Sabah seemed to realize it as well as you heard her blurt out the word "Platonically!" filled with embarrassment and terror.
A small laugh escaped your lips. It definitely wasn't a giggle. "Um, yeah, um, that'd... that'd be great? Awesome. Wonderful." You said, feeling just as embarrassed. Sabah hadn't needed to say platonically. Of course, it was platonic. You had been using your power on her but there was no way she could like you romantically.
Right?
Yeah. For sure. You nodded to yourself as you heard Sabah speak, "Cool."
"Great," was your reply.
Sabah squeaked out a quick, "Amazing."
"F-Fantastic?"
"L-Lovely?" Sabah's voice sounded even more concerned than yours.
"Stupendous," You could keep going for hours. Your mother was an English professor.
But, thankfully, you didn't have to because Sabah's reply was dumb.
"Amazeballs?"
You rolled your eyes. That didn't count so you just said your goodbyes, remembered to give Sabah your address, then said your goodbyes again and hung up. You had to get dressed. You had a little over three hours to get ready and you needed to do your best to impress. School was school and you dressed well for it today, so didn't it make sense to dress better for hanging out with a friend? Totally! You pulled off your shirt and pants. You had worn one of your new, somewhat skimpy bras to school today and were in the matching panties that Parian had given you for free.
Even when you normally wore bras, you didn't match them with your underwear. That was way too much effort. Plus, why did you bother? Sabah wasn't going to see them... you opened the bag and pulled out a top. It was black with long sleeves, a high collar, and completely sheer, meant to be worn with bralettes. You shook your head and tossed it onto the bed. Too much. Parian had nearly died when you had worn that one yesterday.
You went through clothing after clothing, article after article. Eventually, you settled on an outfit. The first crop top you tried on yesterday; it was the one that was cropped so that it hung only an inch or so past your bra and you paired it with some black jeans that were shorter than the athletic shorts that you owned just to sleep in. You looked at yourself and swallowed.
This felt utterly scandalous. Why were you dressing like this? It was a casual hang out. Just two girls casually, platonically eating out each other. Eating out with each other. You meant eating out with each other. You and Sabah would never- you could never- she was in COLLEGE.
You hid your face in your pillows. Why were you acting like this? Why were you dressing like this? Why was your brain being so dumb and gay?
You stood up and went to go grab some of your black sneakers. They were basically your only shoes. You looked them over and hurried to the bathroom, grabbing some nail polish remover and trying your best to clean them up. Finally, you looked at yourself in the mirror. Make up? You might have time to-
No! You weren't going to wear make up for this! Sabah might think that you might've thought that this could've been something more than a casual hangout dinner between two completely platonic, not at all LGBT gal pals. It was just going to be two gals being pals.
You looked over your outfit and sighed. You slid on your shoes, wishing you had something better than sneakers to wear to this despite how COMPLETELY PLATONIC it was going to be and went to the living room. You curled up in a blanket and waited. At about five, your father made it home. You looked at him, wrapped up in a blanker and your power and told him you were going to hang out with a friend for dinner. He asked if it was a boy and you said no. All while hiding the fact that it was an adorable girl and how you certainly weren't wearing anything provocative because you certainly weren't having a gay panic attack over the fact that you and her were eating dinner together.
Your father nodded, sat with you for a bit, then went to go make dinner for himself. You waited, staring at the clock, certainly not having any more gay thoughts about you and Sabah and this friendly outing the two of you were having.
Then you saw a blue SUV pull up through the window and saw Sabah in the driver's seat. You glanced around, saw that your dad was in the bathroom, and hurried outside.
Even in Brockton Bay, which had mild temperatures year-round, all your skin showing made you chilly. So, you hurried over to the car, heard the doors unlock, and went to sit in the passenger seat. You never carried purses with you; They were too easy for the bullies at school to sabotage or steal so you kept your money in your pockets instead and, thankfully, all of Parian's first-party pants had actual pockets. It was amazing. Wonderful. You finally didn't have to wear sweatpants made for boys... instead, you just wore tight-fitting or super revealing clothes. You realized that Sabah hadn't said anything nor had the car moved, and you looked over at her. Her head snapped from looking at you back to facing towards your dad's car. Her cheeks were a deep red and her eyes looked like a deer in headlights.
Were you coming on too strong? No! Of course not! You weren't coming onto her at all! Not that you'd mind- no! Bad brain! This was a platonic, friendly dinner for two gal pals.
"You, uh, you look, um... good." Sabah squeaked and you held a blush and smile of your own.
"I-I can change-" Sabah shook her head and your eyes fell down to her outfit. You realized you'd never seen her outside of work where she wore the pants, t-shirts, and occasionally jackets that they sold at The Dollhouse. Now? She was dressed completely differently. She was wearing a peach-colored skirt that came to her mid-thighs, a white blouse that had the top few buttons undone, and a light blue denim jacket. The whole look was all light shades and that just made the whole outfit contrast even more against Sabah's pale brown skin. Her normally slightly frizzy hair was smoothed out, falling straight down to her shoulders and framing her face. Sabah was wearing makeup, winged eyeliner, and some light eyeshadow. You saw a slight shine to her lips and realized she was wearing some kind of glossy, nude-colored lipstick. Your eyes took in the outfit then made a second pass, lingering on Sabah's legs, traveling up her thighs and then to her shirt, where the top buttons showed ample amounts of Sabah's chest that showed. Your eyes hung there, wondering if you could get a better view of the soft, supple flesh before you caught yourself staring and looked up.
Your eyes met hers and the moment seemed to stretch, you saw your house lights dancing in her eyes. They seemed to sparkle. You saw her cheeks that seemed to be darkening by the moment. You saw her eyes flick down, glancing at your exposed skin. You shifted, her eyes examining you made you all the confidence that clothes had given you earlier twist into pure embarrassment. As soon as you moved, Sabah's head turned back forward and she hurried to back out of your driveway and start heading down the road.
"Wh-Where are we going?" You asked, your voice a mild squeak.
"Oh, um, I know a, um, a nice pho place that's nearby," Sabah said, not letting her eyes leave the road as she gripped the wheel.
You looked around Sabah's car as she drove. There was a parking pass for Brockton University hanging on the mirror but other than that, it was fairly clean. Sabah even had the back seats down for more storage despite not having anything in her car.
"Is it expensive be-"
As soon as you started speaking, Sabah interrupted with a rushed, "I'll pay for it."
Just a complete platonic gal pal outing where the two of you both dressed up and she bought your food.
Completely and utterly platonic.
The place was indeed nearby. It was only a mile or so into Azn Bad Boy territory, close enough to downtown that the Empire probably didn't want to mess with it out of fear of lowering property value in the area.
Sabah and you got seated and you stared at her peach-colored shoes. It matched her skirt perfectly and a part of you wondered how. The other part was surprised and embarrassed that Sabah had bothered to do that much. You were sitting across from each other at a table for two. The restaurant- Twenty Pho Seven- was a traditional Vietnamese restaurant with dim lighting and not a ton of patronage. A cute Vietnamese boy took your orders, his eyes flickered between the two of you before you brought in your aura to wrap around your skin.
You hesitated before letting it expand again, letting it form a bubble that encompassed you, Sabah, and the space between the two of you. That would be okay, right?
You were only trying to make things nicer for both of you.
Sabah smiled, "So, um..."
You swallowed and nodded, realizing you'd never really talked outside of work. What did you even talk about? "How's the, um, project?"
"Project?" Sabah asked, looking up before her eyes went wide, "Oh, um, yeah. The project. It's, um... well, the semester hasn't been going long so I have a few weeks to do it. It's just, um... It's on designing clothes by draping which is- well- I was... trying to find models yesterday." Sabah said, her eyes flicking to the side. She was looking at your waiter as he walked over and brought water. He set it down while she spoke and she gave a fake smile to him.
You nodded, that made sense. You didn't really understand how or why she was doing that but it made sense nonetheless. "Oh, cool. Did you find one?" You asked, trying to make the conversation keep going and avoid looking at Sabah's chest. The thought of ripping her shirt off crossed your mind and you crushed it immediately.
No! Bad brain!
"N-No. It's fine, I'll ask Parian for help finding one..." She said before glancing at you again. "You're, um, you're sixteen, right? How's school?" Parian sounded nervous as she asked that question, her eyes slowly drifting towards your edge of the table before she looked away and started chugging down her water. You were reminded of the fact that she was five years older than you. You and Emma were still friends back when she was on a semester in college. When she was your age, you were eleven. There was no possible way she could be into you. Even if she was glancing at you occasionally, even if she was blushing frequently. There was no way someone as beautiful and amazing as her could be interested in you... right?
Right?
Your school life was so dreadfully complicated. You didn't want to explain that your bully fell for you but was still bullying you because your ex-best friend slash other bully apparently had blackmail material if she didn't. So instead, you nodded and gave a "Fine, fine, it's... um, it's super-duper fine. Everything is great at school. Super awesome." You even gave two thumbs up to sell that fact.
The conversation continued like that at first, awkward with you stealing the occasional glance at Sabah's chest whenever she would look away from you. Your food got here and at one point after Sabah finished eating, she got up to use the bathroom, you watched her go and when she came, she had some fresh lipstick on. At one point you toold her about going to summer camp a few years ago and she propped her head on her arm and watched you, staring and listening silently as you monologued your story. You stayed after you finished, chatting about an hour before the place started getting busier. The two of you didn't want to keep taking up a table since you were done eating, so Sabah paid for the meal and wouldn't even let you see the check.
Sabah drove you home and the two of you chatted.
"Pho real?" You asked in response to Sabah told you a story about one of her college friends accidentally spiking some muffins with weed.
"Taylor, you know it's pronounced 'fuh' not 'foe', right?" Sabah complained, "I already told you that." And she had, when you ordered at the restaurant you went before Sabah and called it 'Foe' right to the waiter's face. He hadn't corrected you but he did smile when Sabah deadpanned at you and pronounced it correctly when ordering her food.
"Yeah, I knew that. Pho sho." You said, a smile on your face as Sabah rolled her eyes.
"Please stop," She said, even as she was grinning. "They're not funny."
You were sitting on this next one all night and it was just the time to say it. "Yeah, they are... Do you know what they call a line at a pho restaurant?" You asked, your voice sounding just a tad to happy with yourself.
"What?" Sabah asked, doing her best to hide how much she was enjoying it. You'd made an embarrassing amount tonight. But every time you did so, Sabah would roll her eyes and smile or laugh or just blow some air out of her nose.
"Pho queue," You chirped, grinning proudly of your achievement and earning the hardest eyeroll you'd ever received as Sabah pulled into your drive way.
Sabah put the car in park and looked over at you before muttering something. Sabah smugly turned to you and replied, "You'd want to."
A moment passed. Then another. Then more and more. With every passing face you felt your whole face burn and turn crimson, you felt it grow hotter and hotter. And you watched as you saw Sabah realize what she'd probably just blurted back as an automatic retort and do the same. It felt like an eternity had passed, both of your faces turning deep shades of crimson, the blush spreading down your pale face and towards your neck.
Sabah leaned forward a few inches and you did the same.
Then she blinked backed up into her seat and looked down, her eyes wide with panic as she unlocked the car doors.
"I HAD FUN!" She blurted out and you nodded.
"Yup! Great, fun time! Awesome!" You said, fumbling for the door handle. "B-Bye!" You shouted as you fast-walked back inside, hearing the blood rushing through your ears.
You closed the door, sprinted to your room, grabbed a pillow and squealed into it.
That was an awfully friendly platonic gal pal outing!
You learned the Wards will be hosting an Anti-Bullying PSA on Thursday, January 28th
Sophia's Loyalty and Tenacity increased by 1
Your outfit choice made Sophia's Lust increase by 0.5
Sabah's Loyalty increased by 1
Sabah's Relationship has changed to Crush
Your Happiness went up by 1!
Your outfit choice made Sabah's Love and Lust increase by 0.5
During school you:
] Go to school; Don't avoid Sophia
-- 75% Chance of Success
-- You made progress last time
-- Emma might start care that Sophia's running off at lunch
] Go to school; Avoid Sophia
-- 75% Chance of Success
-- You could run into someone new or find something useful
-- You won't make any immediate progress on Sophia
] Go to School; Snoop Around
-- 50% Chance of Success
-- You could maybe do some snooping to gather information on Sophia
-- If you fail, Sophia will know you were looking into her
] Skip school and roam around town
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- You're likely to meet capes that don't attend school
-- That doesn't necessarily mean they're good people
] Write-in
-- ??% Chance of Success
-- The world is your oyster
After School You:
] Hang Out With X
-- ??% Chance of Success
-- Options: Danny, Crystal, or Sophia
-- Sabah will be too embarrassed to answer your calls
] Work At The Dollhouse
-- 75% Chance of Success
-- It is Parian's day to work
-- You'll get money
] Hunt for X
-- ??10% Chance of Success
-- You could look for a specific cape
-- They might not be alone
-- The bonus will disappear on January 27th
] Hunt At The Docks
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- Villains In This Area: Azn Bad Boys, Merchants, Undersiders, Uber, Leet, or Circus
-- Heroes In This Area: Protectorate
] Hunt Downtown
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- Villains In This Area: Empire 88, Merchants, Coil
-- Heroes In This Area: Wards, New Wave, Protectorate
] Write-in
-- ??% Chance of Success
-- The world is your oyster
Click to expand...
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
Apr 15, 2020 ReportLike QuoteReply
Dinoyeel, randomlightning, Tiufi and 327 others like this.
Threadmarks: 11 - Stairwells, Chit Chat, and Midnight Visits
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: results
Tuesday, January 24th, 2011
Today's outfit was a french tucked, pale blue t-shirt from the Dollhouse, white threads spelling out the store's name with white jeans and a black belt. You hopped on the bus and rode it all the way to school.
Today was going to be a normal day, well, as normal as any of your days had been during the past dozen days.
You got to school, sat through another reminder about the Wards visit later this week, and proceeded as per normal. That is, until lunchtime. At lunchtime, you made your way back to the roof only to find that the lock had been replaced. The noise from Sophia slamming the door yesterday must've alerted someone? As you went back down the stairwell, you saw a group waiting for you.
Emma, Sophia, Madison, and four other girls. You looked at them and realized that you had no escape. They were on the landing and the only thing back the way you came was a locked door. You scanned the group, trying to think of some way to move. You locked eyes with Sophia, hoping for some silent signal that this hadn't been her idea, that she hadn't been the reason for this or that she was going to help you.
Sophia looked away, staring at the far wall instead.
You felt an all too familiar knot of fear coil up in your chest. Emma and another girl hopped up the stairs towards you. Their faces had slight, polite smiles but their eyes were cold. You hesitantly took a few steps back up before Emma took your hand. You felt the dread building up, more and more.
"C'mon Taylor, what were you doing up there?" Emma asked, her voice sounding confused and innocent. Her polite smile twisted though, "Jerking off a wannabe merchant for money?"
"Probably for coke," Madison chirped as Emma squeezed your hand.
You felt a surge of fear as the other girl took a step up, past you and you felt a pair hand on your back.
You didn't have time to react before you were shoved, stumbling, almost falling eight steps. You didn't hit the ground though, instead when you passed the last step, Sophia of all people came and shoved you into the wall instead. You felt your back slam into the wall and looked up.
You fell back into your apathetic face so, so easily. Staring blankly forward as Madison snapped an ink pen and tossed it towards you, a splatter of ink staining across your shirt and pants. You felt the anger growing, building far, far faster than the anxiety or dread.
As the group of girls walked off, giggling and laughing, you glanced up. Your eyes met Sophia's and she grimaced, looking away.
It wasn't until after they'd walked out that you'd noticed a tear had started to make its way down your cheek. More started to follow it.
You forced yourself through the rest of the day, listening to your professor assign projects on Tinkertech that affected the world. You didn't bother paying attention. You felt an all too familiar numbness for the rest of the day.
Once classes were over, you made your way home. By the time you got there, you'd already decided how you were going to spend the rest of your day. You needed something, anything, to cheer you up. The situation with Sabah was currently a mess and you couldn't imagine the guilt of facing Parian after a shirt had been ruined.
Crystal's phone number.
It rang once, twice, then on the third ring you picked it up and heard her voice.
"Hey," Crystal chirped on the other end of the line. "What's up?"
You cradled the phone against your ear, listening to her voice.
"H-Hey," You said, trying to think of words. What if something like what happened with Sophia happened- No, no. Crystal was nice. Crystal was a hero. Crystal wouldn't do that to you. "Do you... wanna hang out?"
"Ummmm," She started, seeming to debate it before going, "Sure. I'll be there in an hour?"
"That'd be great," You admitted. It gave you time to change out of this. You headed to the bathroom and swapped your pants for some pale blue ones. You swapped the shirt for an identical, salmon-colored one.
About an hour passed where you waited and wrote a letter to your dad saying you were going out with a friend, just in case he got home while you were out.
Then, you heard a car pull up outside. Glancing out, you saw a mint Fiat pull up outside. You saw Crystal float out of it, dressed in a white blouse with a red jacket that had arrows in white and some red jeans. You were already on your way to the door when a thought crossed your mind and it was the first thing you blurted out.
"Are you really wearing your own merch?"
Crystal looked shocked, looking at her red and white jacket before looking at you. "It's stylish," She argued, "Not that-... are those Dollhouse clothes?"
You stepped outside and locked the door behind yourself. "Yup, I work there." You replied before adding, "Part-time. Do you ever walk?"
Crystal nodded as she floated backward towards her car, "Some times. Not right now, I can't."
You blinked, going to walk around the car and sit in the passenger seat, "Can't?"
"Victor took my power to walk. Kinda dumb of him since I can fly but," Crystal gave a nonchalant shrug. "It's better than that time he took my English. Then he called me a... a uh... I can't remember the word. He took it."
The idea that a cape had the power to just take people's ability to do stuff scared you. Then you remembered what your power did to people. Arguably, your power was just as bad. Someone could learn to walk again pretty easily as long as Victor didn't take all of it. Your power... you didn't know if it even could be undone.
That thought made you aware of your bubble. Aware that it was restricted to Crystal's small car.
"You don't go to Arcadia," Crystal said, your silence apparently prompting her to bring up a new subject.
You nodded, "I go to Winslow." Though you'd really prefer not to talk about that right now. Anything other than that. Other than thoughts that led you back to Sophia. "How'd you know?"
"I brought you up to Amy and Vicky after you saved me. I asked them and Eric to look around for you and look out for you if they saw you at school and, well, they said you weren't there." Crystal said before adding, "And trust me, if Vicky puts her mind to something nothing will stop her from getting her way. So you weren't there."
Something about Crystal looking out for you and asking her family to keep an eye out for you felt... it felt really, really nice. "Crystal..." You started to say it didn't need to be done and she shook her head.
"You helped me, I wanted to help you." The blonde bombshell replied as she drove along the road.
"Speaking of, um, your family... You kinda just brushed past the fact that you can't walk." You said, surprise and shock in your voice. "Are you okay? What happened at the fight on Sunday?"
Crystal rolled her eyes, "Nothing much. I shot Fenja, she fell. I was dodging around and stuff and got too close to Victor. He took my walking which is kind of a fuck you if you think about it. I got impaled by Kaiser but it didn't get anything big."
"You got impaled?!"
Crystal rolled her eyes, "Uh, yeah? But it didn't hit anything important." The blonde shook her head as if it was no big deal and you worrying was blowing stuff out of proportion. "It just means that I have my abs back... and my costume is ruined so I have to use my old one from Summer."
You blinked, "What's the big deal about that?"
Crystal rolled her eyes, saying one word as if it were obvious and the most annoying thing possible, "Wind!" She stated before shaking her head, "I have to deal with wind when I'm flying and it's cold. My summer costume doesn't have sleeves so I'll be cold."
It seemed petty. To be nonplussed about being impaled but upset about being chilly. But that wasn't important to you right now. The only thing in your head was a single question that your damnable gay brain wouldn't give up. "Abs?"
Crystal nodded, "Amy, that's Panacea, needs like... biological material to heal people." Crystal said, her eyes locked onto the road ahead as she drove you along, "And I had enough fat on me that, like, you couldn't see my abs unless I was topless. Now you can see them when I have my suit on."
You tried to imagine that. To imagine the view of Crystal in her skin tight costume, the costume that showed every gorgeous, perfect curve of her body but with the addition of abs. You shook your head, cheeks pink as you glanced over at her and saw her looking at you, brow quirked in confusion.
You grinned and she shook her head before looking back at the road, "Seems like a nice cousin to have."
She laughed, then glanced over at you. "She's nice. She's always busy though. Doesn't really do much besides school, hospital stuff, and healing us."
You nod, "What about you?"
"Me?" Crystal asked, confusion evident on her face.
"Mhm," You hum in confirmation, "I don't care about the superhero stuff. I wanna know about Crystal, not Laserdream and her family."
That seemed to take Crystal aback. She stopped at a red light and turned to face you with a look of surprised confusion. "Seriously?"
You sigh and nod, "Yeah. You're nice and... and..." And what? You don't have many nice people you can count on? You didn't want her pity. You wanted... You wanted... You didn't know what you wanted but you didn't want pity or for her to think she's just some cool superhero friend to you. "And I want to be friends with you. Not Laserdream. Not New Wave. With you. Crystal P...D...Dallon?"
She rolled her eyes, "Pelham. The Dallons are the other family." Still, she was smiling as someone behind you honked and Crystal saw that the light was green. She drove forward, shaking her head. "You're a weird one."
"Am I?"
Crystal nods, shaking her head. "Yeah. I get half-flung, half-fall into your yard. I'm an unmasked hero who has a lot of enemies. Who is almost constantly busy. I'm... I'm Laserdream and Crystal and you wanna risk being my friend?"
You look at her. Really look. You scan her eyes and face and you see that it scares her. "Risk?"
Crystal moves her mouth, floundering a little before nodding, "Risk. There's... There's this thing, the unwritten rules. It basically says no attacking families and stuff but... but it's kind of iffy? Like... people follow it as long as they need to but... but if there's a benefit to them not? Then they go for it. It's only as good as the protection it provides. Nobody attacks Crystal, they attack Laserdream. But that's because they know if they went after me, New Wave would be on their asses." Crystal begins before continuing, "It's what happened to Aunt Jess. Fleur. Some wannabe Empire member shot her." You'd never heard that name before but Crystal's voice sounded a little hurt when she said it, "So being friends with me is dangerous. Because there's no security or assurances I can give to anyone that messes with you." She sighs before shaking her head again.
It sounded paranoid. It sounded like some fear. She was scared of someone she didn't know attacking you. Could people even attack you? If you made your power concentrated enough, could it stop someone from wanting to harm you?
"Crystal, I'll be fine," You replied, your voice full of confidence.
She glances at you before letting out a groan, "That was supposed to scare you, not inspire you!"
"Oh, well, too late now." Crystal rolls her eyes before nodding.
"Alright, okay, fine. But, we only hang out in private. My car, one of our houses, rooftops... somewhere where reporters can't find us and word can't get out that we're friends. Not until... until one of us comes up with something so that you won't get kidnapped or worse."
You nod. You wouldn't be opposed to something like that. The rest of the car ride was uneventful. Crystal remembered that you didn't know how to drive and explained the basics. She briefly, hesitantly, let you drive it for a block or two before her panic made her retake the wheel. After a while, she dropped you off at home and drove off. As you were walking away she did call out, "Buy a phone so we can text!" as she had been pestering you for not having one earlier.
You made your way inside, spent the last few hours working on a project for Mr. Gladly's class and then went to bed. You were there, your mind going over the events of the day. You shifted around, rolling in bed and shifting to try and get comfy as your mind refused to stop thinking and racing. Trying to figure out something to say or do to get Sophia back or some way to avoid putting yourself in danger whilst still being Crystal's friend.
That's when you heard a series of thumps. Footsteps. You kept your eyes closed at first, thinking they were your dad. But they were in your room. Your door always creaked when it opened. Nobody had opened it so it couldn't have been your dad. But it was wrong.
You could sense the gas your power created. And you could feel a shape moving within it. You'd felt that hundreds of times. Whenever a person was in your power, they formed an absence of gas wherever they stood. This person wasn't your dad. They weren't shaped like your dad.
You tensed beneath your sheets as they walked. From your desk to the foot of your bed then up along it. You did your best to pretend to sleep. To not open your eyes or scream. You felt them go closer and closer until they stood right beside you, standing at your bedside.
You didn't move a muscle as you felt a gauntleted hand brush your hair from your face and your whole body tensed. They turned and you cracked your eye open just barely to see who it was.
In the moonlit room, you cracked open your eye just in time to see a figure turn into a ghost and hop through your window as if it wasn't even there. But you didn't have your glasses on. All you saw was a dark grey smudge hop through your window as if it wasn't even there.
You put your glasses on from your night stand and sat up. You turned your lamp on and stood up, going to walk around your room. Nothing was missing but as you looked around you saw something.
A single letter on your nightstand, written in clippings from newspapers and magazines like a criminal's note of old.
It read:
"I'm sorry. Thursday say yes. Please"
You looked out your window, but all you saw was darkness.
Sophia's happiness has decreased by 1.
Taylor's happiness has decreased by 1.
Crystal's Love has increased by 1.
Crystal's Loyalty has increased by 0.5.
During school you:
] Go to school; Don't avoid Sophia
-- 65% Chance of Success
-- You get the feeling that Sophia's headspace is growing worse.
-- Sophia will be even more upset if Emma catches you, her, or both of you.
] Go to school; Avoid Sophia
-- 75% Chance of Success
-- You could run find something useful, be it an object or information
-- You won't risk making things worse with Sophia and Emma
] Skip school and roam around town
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- You're likely to meet capes that don't attend school
-- That includes villains
] Write-in
-- ??% Chance of Success
-- The world is your oyster
After School You:
] Hang Out With X
--??% Chance of Success
-- Options: Danny 85%, Parian 80%, Crystal 80%, or Sabah 70%
-- You don't have a way to contact Sophia
] Shop for a phone
-- 80% Chance of Success
-- Find phones of varying prices, allowing you to meet people online, text your friends, and get information more easily.
-- Electronic stores have an awful lot of expensive stuff. Be a shame if a robbery happened while you were there.
-- You can buy a phone any time after taking this action without spending an additional one.
] Hunt for X
-- ??10% Chance of Success
-- You can look for a specific Cape
-- They might not be alone
-- This bonus will disappear on January 27th (3 days)
] Hunt At The Docks
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- Villains In This Area: Azn Bad Boys, Merchants, Undersiders, Uber , or Circus
-- Heroes In This Area: Protectorate
] Hunt Downtown
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- Villains In This Area: Empire 88, Merchants, Coil
-- Heroes In This Area: Wards, New Wave
] Write-in
-- ??% Chance of Success
-- The world is your oyster
Click to expand...
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
Apr 16, 2020 ReportLike QuoteReply
randomlightning, Tiufi, easty and 291 others like this.
Threadmarks: 12 - Lost Property and Phone Shopping
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Sorry about this being short.
Spoiler: Results
Wednesday, January 25th, 2011
It was another day. You threw on some pale blue jeans and a thin black shirt. It showed part of your back, two straps from the shoulders tying behind your neck.
You weren't going to put up with Sophia today. You really didn't want to deal with the mind games and confusion that Sophia brought, whether Emma was around or not. It was... hard to deal with.
So, when lunch rolled around you started a time tested routine. You grabbed your food from your locker and then made your laps. You wandered around Winslow's halls, doubling back or ducking into rooms for short periods. After a fifteen minute period of sporadically moving throughout the school, you made your way to the locker room.
You'd spent semester after semester avoiding the trio. You knew how to avoid their cronies and the eyes and ears that Emma left out. You knew the spots where they wouldn't check and you knew the spots that were empty on given days. The locker room was one such place. Everyone always rushed out of the building to meet up with friends or grab food so it was always quick to empty out.
You sat and ate your lunch, leftovers from yesterday's dinner. Your eyes idly wandering to a book you were reading. You had wanted to read the book that you Sabah was reading when the two of you met but it hadn't been in the school's library. Instead, you were reading a modernized retelling of Eros and Psyche. Well, modernized when your mom bought it for herself a year or so before she... she...
You shook your head, closing the book and going to wander around the locker room. That's when you spotted it. In the back of the bathroom, there was a cell phone.
It was a smartphone. One of the newer ones that was probably from a Bet branch of an Aleph company. Most of the good, mundane tech came from there. It had a pink case that was dotted with hearts of various colors. You knew you were alone here which meant someone had left it. Clicking the phone on showed a lock screen and you tried a few different passcodes, things like 1234 or 0000 but none of them worked. The lock screen's picture was of a cape you recognized from your research as a Ward from another city, a handsome Case 53 made of metal.
You went back to your lunch and book and sat the phone at your side, waiting for someone to come back and claim it but by the end of the lunch hour, nobody came. You packed your belongings back in your bag and looked at the device.
You knew better than anyone that Winslow wasn't a safe place. It was a world of wannabe gangsters and people who were unlucky enough to not be anywhere better. In all likelihood, if you left this phone here someone would steal it and pawn it off for drug money or somebody would destroy it for a laugh.
You put it in your pocket, your mind debating what to do with it.
After that, the day finished uneventfully. You worked on your project for Mr. Gladly that was due next week- a report on world-changing Tinkertech- and then headed home.
Or you started to.
Yesterday, Crystal mentioned you getting a phone. Thinking about it, it made sense. You didn't want your Dad to answer the phone and hear Sabah or Crystal. What if he found out you were friends with a known cape? Or two? He might get panicked about it and worry. Or he might forbid you from hanging out with Crystal.
You didn't know if he'd do that, especially considering your power, but you didn't want to risk it.
Plus, maybe you'd get some nice pictures of Sabah or Crystal? Or maybe you'd could meet someone online to be friends with? Someone you could befriend without your powers or someone who could take you far away, to a place where worries of the Trio didn't reach you.
You hopped on a different bus, riding it straight into the Docks.
Now, the Docks weren't the safest place for a teenage girl and you knew that. Plus, when it comes to expensive stuff then the Boardwalk or Downtown were better options... for legitimate goods. You didn't have a ton of money to your name and that meant you needed to get a phone from a less reputable source. You drummed your fingers on the one in your pocket. A less reputable source might also have suggestions for what you could do with the lost object you found today.
You saw a sketchy phone store from the bus and walked to it once the bus stopped. You could tell it was sketchy for two main reasons: It was in the Docks and didn't have a barred window which meant there had to be some kind of criminal element involved and it was called 'Phone Buy Sell Repair'. It occupied the first floor of a four-story building.
You walked in and saw an Asian man in a flatbill hat chatting with two others. They were all wearing some degree of red and green. Azn Bad Boy colors. They looked at you as you walked in and you walked around, looking at the various merchandise. They said something to one another in a language you couldn't understand and you were acutely aware of the fact that their eyes were on you.
You drew your power around you like a child wrapping themselves in a blanket. No reason to draw any attention you didn't want or need.
"What d'you need?" One asked. For some reason you expected him to have an accent but he didn't. You turned and walked over to him.
"I'm just looking for prices," You said, your aura draped over your clothes. "How much to get into this?" You asked, flipping the phone into view. The trio chatted with each other briefly before the one that spoke- the one with the hat- turned back to you.
"Depends. You just want in to it or do you want somethin' extra?" Your confusion was obvious on your face so he added, "I can get pass the lock for pretty cheap. But unless you get a new sim card and unlink it from its account, they'll be able to track it and see what you're doin' if they have the computer it's synced to. Gettin' rid of that stuff'll cost you extra."
You nodded as you looked over the counter, eyeing the phones and their various prices as he continued to talk to you about them. Once he saw you were a customer willing to pay, he got more interested in the conversation. He went over a few different phones. You told him your price range and then he went over a smaller selection. A lot of them were cheaper, off-brand Chinese imports. He also offered to buy the phone that you had. You said you'd need to think about it.
The cashier and his buddies went back to cutting up as you glanced over some accessories. As you inspected the various cables headphones you could buy, one thought crossed your mind.
Could you use your powers?
This was probably one of the cheapest stores in town. It sold off-brand imports and illegally obtained phone and judging by the fact that a few ABB members walked in and straight to the back, it might also be a front for something. Or they just lived on the floors higher up in the building.
Ultimately, you decided that using your powers on some unknown gang affiliates- you assumed that they were too scrawny to be full-fledged members- was probably a bad idea and a good way to get the wrong kind of attention. You turned and left, leaving the three men to their game.
You headed home.
At home, there wasn't too much to do. You couldn't muster the energy to work on your school work. You stared at the phone you found for a while before turning it off. The phone guy said that they could track it and it'd probably be best if they didn't have that option.
You stared it, wondering what it could contain. You could figure out but it would cost you. And the guy said that he'd only do one or the other and then did some technobabble that was a little over your head and you assumed he overcomplicated it for that reason alone: because he didn't want to deal with you any more than he had to.
You thumbed the screen, staring at your reflection. Your powers had made you moderately more attractive, if only from slimming you up and getting rid of stuff like acne. It was like having concealer on constantly. You sighed before dropping the phone onto your chest as you casually played with the shape of your aura.
A part of you wanted to head upstairs and nap. Another part of you was terrified of that idea. Terrified that you would have another unwanted visitor.
You went over to the family computer, booting it up to do some research on the Wards visit tomorrow. You didn't have a computer of your own and the family one was nestled in one corner of the living room. That was why you'd never really watched much porn in your life. You could only do that when your Dad was at work and he worked odd hours, liable to come in at any moment. You could do that right now but...
You shook your head. No. You were getting on it do research but not that kind of research. Stupid hormones. Stupid, sexy power.
Doing some digging online, both on Winslow's website, the Protectorate site, and various news outlets gave you a picture of what tomorrow would hold.
Tomorrow, all of the Wards East-North-East would be coming to Winslow High. They'd be accompanied by two undisclosed Protectorate members, though there's an unconfirmed leak that it's Assault and Miss Militia. They'd give an hour-long speech on the dangers of bullying and then take a Q and A for fifteen minutes, after which school would be over for the day. They would stay around after though, for pictures with anyone who wanted them. During this time- because of the public nature of the event- the rest of the Protectorate, as well as all of New Wave, will be out on patrol throughout the city to ensure that this public event doesn't lead to an increase in crime.
You flexed your power, the gas-like energy pressing against the walls of your house. The thought of getting more heroes, more dependable people with powers, was tempting but... If the heroes expected an increase in criminal activity, they'd probably be right. They had have thinkers involved with decisions like that, right? People with powers to tell them risks and dangers. Which means there'd be more villains out too. Villains you could convert. Villains you could save if you skipped school.
The thought of last night's unwanted, malevolent letter came to your mind.
What did your visitor want you to say yes to? Why did they want you to go to school? Those weren't the actions of a hero, did they have some sort of malicious intent? Was someone going to attack the school? Could you stop that, somehow, with your power?
There was a nasty feeling in your gut that this was somehow all your fault. You knew from the thinly veiled announcements during the past few mornings that you were the reason for this event. It was probably something to do with the incident in the locker that led to it.
If someone was going to attack Winslow, was it your fault?
You shook your head. It was still early enough that you could go back to the phone shop before it closed if you wanted to.
Taylor has acquired Someone's Phone.
You may go to the Phone Store and do the following:
You can do as many actions that you have funds for as long as they contradict one another
You can do these any day after today.
] Buy a flip phone
-- Costs 1 Fund
-- Has access to calling and text only.
] Buy a smartphone
-- Costs 2 Funds
-- Has internet access, calling, and text.
] Unlock Someone's Phone
-- Costs 1 Fund
-- You'll know who to return it to and have access to their files until you return it
-- They won't know you've had it hacked
] Hack Someone's Phone
-- Costs 2 Funds
-- You will know who it belonged to and have access to their files permanently
-- If you try to return it, they'll know you've done this
] Sell Someone's Phone
-- Sells for 4 Funds
-- You will permanently lose this phone
-- You will not know who it belongs to nor what is contained on it.
There will be Aegis, Clockblocker, Gallant, Browbeat, Kid Win, Vista, Shadow Stalker, Miss Militia, and Assault.
Tomorrow:
] Go to school; Don't use powers on anyone
-- 100% Chance of Success
-- You won't gain any relations with anyone.
-- You won't risk any suspicion.
] Go to school; Use powers on 1 person
-- 80% Chance of Success
-] Person you want to focus
] Go to school; Use power on multiple people
-- 100 (- 20 per person) %
-] People you want to affect
-- Use a comma-separated list.
-- Less will be done than if you just focused one.
] Go to school; If you're alone with a cape, use your power.
-- 90% Chance of Success
-- You don't know who you'll be alone with
] Skip School
-- 75% Chance of Success
-- Your stalker warned you not to.
-- You'll meet someone other than the ones attending the PSA
Click to expand...
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
Apr 17, 2020 ReportLike QuoteReply
randomlightning, easty, adisander and 278 others like this.
Threadmarks: 13 - The Wards come To Winslow
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results and a Note
Before heading to sleep, you decided to head back to that store and unlock the phone. It cost you half your money and that hurt but after about an hour of waiting, the cashier returned the unlocked phone to you. He even did it in front of you to show that he wasn't going to copy the pictures or install any malware to it.
For some reason, him specifying that made you feel more nervous
But, soon enough, you held the cutesy phone in your hands again and this time when you clicked the power button and the screen lit up to the lock screen, you swiped the screen and it unlocked. You headed home with it in tow, waiting until you got on the bus to do any digging into the contents of the phone. It wasn't hard to figure out who the phone belonged to.
What felt like hundreds of selfies and group pictures, occasionally dotted by pictures of random stuff, food, or other 'artistic' pictures or one time things that she took for convenience. You tapped on a few apps to look at the username to confirm it.
This phone belonged to Madison Clements.
One of your main tormentors.
And it had a lot of juicy information. After an hour or so of digging once you got home, you found an album hidden amongst all the others labeled 'dog pics' with a cover photo of a tiny, fluffy dog. You tapped on the album and, indeed, the first picture was of a yorkshire terrier to make that the cover for the album. The rest of the album though? Thirteen nude pictures of Madison Clements. None of the pictures showed any more of her face than her lips, but you could recognize her petite frame and brown, shoulder-length hair. You even recognized the curve of her calf and had spied the way she bit her lip- trying to look both enticing and cutesy- when you saw her flirt with a boy in the hall once.
The nudes weren't the only treasure trove you found on her phone. You also stumbled upon some interesting sites in her search history. The main one that cropped up the most frequently was a porn site dedicated entirely to Case 53 porn- that is, porn about monstrous humans with powers. Looking through her PHO app told you her username, SpecificProtagonist, and her post history further confirmed that she did indeed have a fetish for those turned inhuman from their powers. She even had tried (and mostly failed) to private message a lot of them on PHO to get a hookup but they had all either turned her down or ghosted her. One- a boy named Sanguine- humored her but once he got serious about coming to Brockton to meet up and refused to send her nudes, she ghosted him. Another, unconfirmed account called GstringGirl got into an argument with Madison, which basically boiled down to GstringGirl ranting at Madison for fetishizing the 'conditions' of Case 53s.
You turned the phone off so that they couldn't track its location and because the battery was going dead.
Cutesy, sweet little Madison had a monster fetish and you had both evidence of that and a little over a dozen nudes of her.
How very interesting.
You couldn't help but feel a slight grin on your face.
Thursday, January 26th, 2011
Today was Thursday. Today was the day that the Wards were coming to school.
So how could you miss it?
You threw on a long, black 'Dollhouse' shirt, the first one you tried on back with Sabah. You paired it with black leggings and a pale blue denim jacket. The ride to school felt longer than ever. Before you could think about how you were going to handle your power with the Wards, you first had to deal with Sophia during lunch.
Or so you thought.
It turns out, that wasn't a concern of yours at all. Apparently, she rolled her ankle during and took that as an excuse to head home early for the day. You were pretty sure she just wanted to avoid the social turmoil that your power had created between her, you, and Emma.
At least you didn't have to worry about what you were going to do with her at lunch. You did consider going to Madison about her phone but what would you do? What would you say?
You needed more time to think on the Madison front.
Your classes were the same as ever but it felt like half the school was missing. It wasn't that many people but you did notice several empty desks in every class. Gang members and would-be gang members had skipped school today though you're sure they would claim that it was for other reasons.
Class period after class period of considering had led you to the decision that it wouldn't be worth it to use your powers today. You didn't want the focus of the Wards nor did you want to risk Gallant being perceptive enough to pick out your power affecting his teammates. You weren't sure how effective his emotion sense was but it was better to be safe than sorry. So when the right class period came and the teachers let their classes out to head to Winslow's auditorium, you pulled your aura in as tight as you could around yourself. It hung like a film just a few centimeters above your clothes as you stepped this way and that to avoid bumping into people. The last thing you needed was sudden adoration from your peers.
You made your way to the auditorium and found a less crowded spot to sit in, keeping an eye out for Emma and any of her cronies and then making sure to sit as far from them as possible. After about ten minutes of students filtering in to the auditorium, the Wards came on stage.
Nine capes in total with the seven Wards and two Protectorate members. Aegis sat in the middle, flanked by Clockblocker, Vista, and Gallant on his left, Browbeat, Shadow Stalker, and Kid Win on his right. Miss Militia and Assault sat on the edge of his left and right respectively. You half-expected Aegis to lead off, but it was Assault who did instead.
You tugged at your aura, making sure to hold it as tight to you as you could. Holding your aura close to yourself was like holding a breath underwater. It wanted to expand, to fill the space around you. Shaping it was often like holding your breath, holding an awkward pose, or some combination of the two. For some reason you couldn't pin, it often felt effortless to hold when you were doing so to try and affect someone faster. You chalked that up to your power wanting to be used, so it rewarded you for using it in a targetted manner by making it easier to do so.
That was speculation. There was nothing online to suggest that powers could think like that, though they did wax and wane in terms of power. Most people agreed that times of stress, scenarios close to that of one's trigger event, or some other reason was responsible for that. The boosts from that were always temporary. Maybe that had something to do with why it was easier to shape your power when you were using it to affect people faster? Because it had something to do with you wanting attention or someone to care?
You shook your head, going to listen to the speech again. Gallant was talking now. He was talking about the wrongness of bullying. How hurting others for your own enjoyment was selfish and villainous. It sounded scripted to you. Like someone said the lines and he just had to memorize it but there was passion behind it like even if he hadn't come up with the words, he still believed them wholeheartedly. Aegis came in to talk about trigger events, how just like times of immense happiness, the immense sadness caused by bullying could result in powers. About how bullying could result in you creating a villain, a villain with an immense hatred for you in particular. Kid Win spoke up after that, mentioning a few instances of that happening, of capes getting powers from being bullied and using those powers on their tormentors.
You were drowning them out though. Letting their words flow into one ear and out the other. You were too focused on one Ward in particular. Your intense focus on that ward almost, almost let your iron grip on your power's form slip. It seemed to want to spread now more than ever. You refused it that luxury. You reached up, pulling your glasses off to view her as a smudge. She was better illuminated but you still recognized that smudge. You put your glasses back on with a shaking hand.
It was the person that had snuck into your room.
It was Shadow Stalker.
And you could've sworn she was staring at you. Occasionally looking away to let her eyes roam the crowd but they always found their way back to you.
It made sense and even the power fit. You were a hundred percent certain that Shadow Stalker had broken into your room. That she was- as her name implied- stalking you. She'd left the letter. It fit with her name. It fit with her power of going immaterial. Whatever thing you were supposed to say yes to, she was at least partially responsible.
Had you affected her with your power? But when? And who was she under the mask because you'd definitely never affected her when she was under her cape persona. Maybe a customer at the Dollhouse who'd wandered through your aura without you noticing? Or someone who'd bumped into you on the street when your power was at its most contained, most concentrated state?
And none of the Wards asked any questions that you noticed. None that would be worth Shadow Stalker breaking into your room for. So what was it you were supposed to answer yes to?
It all felt... hollow. You could tell everyone on stage that spoke against bullying believed their words but it was all things you'd heard a dozen times. Bullying is mean. Don't be mean. It could cause a trigger. You don't want to create a villain. It's harmful.
You had a knot of guilt that this wasn't going to help. It might turn away a few of the Trio's followers but it wouldn't stop all of them. It might even stop a lot temporarily but some would drift back to Emma. Back to their friends.
You became increasingly aware of how alone you were with that thought. Sophia was the only person you even remotely had at this school and even she was... complicated. Your relationship- if it could even be called that- was like an illicit affair. Emma would fight tooth and nail to keep you alone and Sophia wouldn't stand up for you. She would go back to Emma every time.
It was almost like you were destined to be alone.
The thought of getting a cape to be yours, to have someone heroic to finally stand up for you, made your heart long. It made your power ripple against its containment. It would be easy to nab Shadow Stalker, she'd already been afflicted by your power so a few more tugs should make her want to come to your side.
You shook your head, no. No, no, no. You weren't going to do that. Not to a hero. Not now.
You sat through the lecture feeling hollow. The thought that it wasn't going to work growing more and more pronounced. This wasn't something the PRT did out of a desire to stop what had happened, it was a PR move. The incident that happened to you was a second-page news story and now the Protectorate good get some good press in a follow-up paper that they probably already had typed up, the newspeople taking pictures just confirmed that.
They didn't care.
You felt your power again, all too aware of it as these thoughts raced through your head. It would be so simple to reach out with your aura. It had more than enough range to snake over and encapsulate everyone on stage. Or just one. To let them bathe in it and breath it in. To make them yours. Then you could get Miss Militia to threaten Emma at gun point, to force her to stop or- or... No. No, you wouldn't let this power corrupt any Heroes. You wouldn't let it corrupt you. You wouldn't use it so selfishly.
But... hadn't you already? With Sophia? With Sabah? With Crystal? No. You had been fine with it. Sophia had been retribution. She caused your trigger, she deserved to make ammends. Sabah had been a well-hidden wreck when you met her, dark spots from a lack of sleep beneath her eyes and a smile that had been painted on. Now, she was laughing, her eyes were alight with joy, and her smiles were genuine and frequent. Crystal... Crystal needed a friend to. She had already said she didn't have any genuine ones and you had already resolved to her that you would be that.
Your powers might have the potential to make you another Heartbreaker but you'd use them to make things better. For yourself and for everyone else that you came across.
Still, the PSA ended far quicker than you expected. Most of the Q and A part of the panel had nothing to do with the topic beforehand, instead, it was people asking about Capes' relationship status, what it was like being a cape, or similar questions. The final bell rang and the moderator- Principal Blackwell- told people they could stick around for pictures with the Wards if they wanted. Assault stayed too and offered to be in pictures, but Miss Militia headed off stage.
You got halfway through the halls of the school before the school's loudspeakers blared a single, terrifying message from the school's secretary: "Would Taylor Hebert please report to the Principal's Office? Taylor Hebert, please report to the Principal's Office."
You felt sick.
You marched on your way to the office, feeling the knot in your gut wringing itself tighter than your aura felt against your skin. Did they know? Did some cape have some power detection power? Did your aura give you away to Gallant? Did Shadow Stalker know and that was why they held the assembly in the first place?
As the door to the Principal's Office opened and you saw not Blackwell but Miss Militia, you knew that you were doomed. Had something to do with Crystal given your powers away? Were they going to send you to the Birdcage- the inescapable parahuman prison- or was Miss Militia going to shoot you here and now in an attempt to free those you'd affected?
Had Gallant seen you in passing at work or on the street when you'd been careless and he'd noticed?
Miss Militia didn't summon her gun but you could see it holstered at her hip.
She was beautiful. You couldn't see much of her face beneath an American flag bandana, but you could see the olive skin of the top half of her face. You could see her bottle-glass green eyes inspecting you. Her long, dark hair and her olive skin were visible from what the bandana didn't hide. She also had a matching American flag sash around her waist. She wore army fatigues but not real ones. It was a stylized version, one that hugged every curve of her body and she had amazing curves.
It was just the two of you.
You clung to your aura, hoping that by not using it on her, you could prove that you were good. That you didn't need to be executed or sent to the Birdcage.
"Please take a seat, Miss Hebert," As the words left Miss Militia's mouth, you felt like you were going to puke. You took a seat anyways, shrinking into yourself. You really wished that you'd been in your baggy clothing so that you didn't feel so exposed. That you had layers of fabric to hide behind. "I'm sorry that we haven't done anything about what happened to you. It didn't involve any parahuman elements so we weren't involved in it."
"Why now?" You asked, feeling noxious. You didn't want to puke but every second made you feel worse and worse.
Miss Militia seemed to shift in her seat, considering your question. They had to know that you had powers. That was why they had a sudden interest. It had to be. "We..." She seemed to be considering her words. "We keep tabs on every school in the area to keep an eye out for recent triggers or to have people there on the inside in case of villain-related incidents."
You nodded as she spoke. Trigger events. They'd known you triggered. "Who?"
"I can't disclose the identity of our Wards or agents." Shadow Stalker. That was why she'd had her eyes on you during the PSA. The female Ward went to your school. She had gone here and thus had been affected by your power during class or in the hall. "But, I will say that this person expressed an interest to get you out of here. We... normally wouldn't get involved but it was out of character for the person in question." So they must've tested her using some PRT tech. They knew and now this all was over. "So, we want to offer you a spot at Arcadia."
Your brain halted. They what? Your confusion was obvious as you blurted out the words, "Wh-E-Excuse me?"
The corners of Miss Militia's eyes crinkled, "We have agreements with the schools in the area that allow us to send students to them. Normally, we do this in big batches to obfuscate sending a Ward there but, because of this person's request, we've decided to use those channels for you."
Your nausea fled all at once as the gears in your brain suddenly started turning and you realized what she was offering. A place at Arcadia. A way to be whisked away to a school where Emma and her ilk couldn't mess with you. An escape. You were wrong. The PRT hadn't discovered your powers and what you'd done but instead, Shadow Stalker had convinced them to be the heroes that they were and find a way to help you.
You weren't going to die or be sent to the Birdcage. They didn't know about your abilities.
"If you- for whatever reason- don't want to go to Arcadia, we can send you to Immaculata or Clarendon instead. In the case of Immaculata, it would be all expenses paid." Arcadia was the nicest school in town. Clarendon was fairly middling, on the Arcadia side of the Arcadia-Winslow spectrum. Immaculata was a Christian Private school on the South-West side of downtown, in the richest part of town. It was where all the rich kids went, if they didn't manage to buy or test their way into Arcadia. It was also on the opposite side of the city from where you lived but they had dorms for situations where students lived out of town and that you could probably use. "Of course, we can't force you to go to any of them. You could stay here and we'll do what we can to make this place more... tolerable. But..." Miss Militia looked away before looking back to you with a sorry look in her eyes, "But, I think that you should take the offer. Get away from somewhere like this and go somewhere better, somewhere you could be better."
This was it.
Shadow Stalker told you to say yes to this offer. To go somewhere far away from Winslow and escape the Trio and the drama, bullying, and stress it gave you.
You looked down, swallowing, "When... When would I be transferred?"
Miss Militia nodded, the sorry look leaving her eyes, "We- and by We I mean We, I was a big proponent for getting you out of here once our source told us what was going on- want you out of here as soon as possible so that you can get on to a happier life. That being said, paperwork and bureaucracy are involved. Monday, most likely, would be when we would have you come in for a tour and to finish signing paperwork for Arcadia. That should take a day or two to finish off before you start your first day at Arcadia. For the other two, it might take another day or so for everything to get processed. Arcadia's the most familiar when it comes to working with us."
You thought about it. You could leave here. Leave Emma and everything behind... leave Sophia. You nodded your head, considering what you wanted to do.
"Could... Could I... Um..."
Taylor lost 1 fund!
Choose a school:
] Stay at Winslow
-- You will be able to continue at Winslow.
-- Sophia, Emma, Madison, Greg, Charlotte, and Aisha go here.
] Go to Arcadia
-- You will transfer to Arcadia, the premiere school in Brockton Bay.
-- Aegis, Clockblocker, Gallant, Kid Win, Vista, Panacea, Glory Girl, and Shielder go here.
] Go to Clarendon
-- You will transfer to Clarendon, a middling school in Brockton Bay.
-- Browbeat, Chariot, Crusader, Spitfire, and Circus go here
] Go to Immaculata
-- You will transfer to Immaculata, a private Christian school in Brockton Bay, and live in the dorms there.
-- Othala, Rune, and Shamrock go here.
Whatever option you pick will result in you being able to pursue those people during school.
If you do not stay at Winslow, you will have 1 day to finish any business there.
After School You:
] Hang Out With X
--??% Chance of Success
-- Options: Danny 85%, Parian 80%, Crystal 80%, or Sabah 70%
-- You don't have a way to contact Sophia
] Work At The Dollhouse
-- 80% Chance of Success
-- It's Sabah's Day to Work
-- Will earn 1 Fund
] Hunt for X
-- ??10% Chance of Success
-- You can look for a specific Cape
-- They might not be alone
-- This bonus will disappear on January 27th (Tomorrow)
] Hunt At The Docks
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- Villains In This Area: Azn Bad Boys, Merchants, Undersiders, Uber , or Circus
-- Heroes In This Area: Protectorate
] Hunt Downtown
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- Villains In This Area: Empire 88, Merchants, Coil
-- Heroes In This Area: Wards, New Wave
] Write-in
-- ??% Chance of Success
-- The world is your oyster
Optional:
Go back to Phone Store (This will be done after working)
] Buy a flip phone
-- Costs 1 Fund
-- Has access to calling and text only.
] Buy a smartphone
-- Costs 2 Funds
-- Has internet access, calling, and text.
] Hack Madison's Smartphone
-- Costs 1 Fund
-- You will know who it belonged to and have access to their files permanently. You can also keep the phone as your own safely once doing this.
-- If you try to return it, they'll know you've done this
] Sell Someone's Phone
-- Sells for 4 Funds
-- You will permanently lose this phone
-- You will not know who it belongs to nor what is contained on it.
Click to expand...
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
Apr 18, 2020 ReportLike QuoteReply
randomlightning, Tiufi, easty and 310 others like this.
Threadmarks: 14 - Hardly Working
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: results
You looked at Miss Militia, floundering for what to pick. Clarendon was out. Why go to a middling when you could go to the nicest school in the area or the richest?
Arcadia was home to most of the Wards. Wards like Gallant who could sense your power or Wards who might be trained to recognize when a master effect is being used on them. Immaculata, though, meant that you wouldn't get to live with your Dad anymore. That you probably wouldn't get to see him. You were sure that he would accept whatever you chose... and have to sign off on it. But it would also mean he wouldn't be at risk of being affected by your power as much. You also didn't know how it would affect working at the Dollhouse.
"I... Can you send me to..." Your mind was racing. Trying to sort out which school would be the best for you both in terms of your powers and in terms of your... you. You weren't religious but Immaculata was a private school even if it was a Christian one. It had amazing professors, just as good as Arcadia, and no risk of being caught. It would put your Dad firmly outside of your range on a day to day basis.
It would be the best.
"Immaculata," You decided, still unable to fully grasp what was going on.
Miss Militia nodded. You weren't sure if she was hurt by your choice. She seemed to have preferred the Arcadia option but why wouldn't she? It was where all the Wards were sent after all. All except for Shadow Stalker and maybe one or two others.
You wouldn't get to see Sophia anymore. Not unless she somehow got transferred there too which was doubtful. You didn't know anything about her home life but you doubted she would go to a super expensive school just to chase after you, no matter how complicated your relationship with each other was. That was if Emma didn't threaten her with whatever blackmail she had. Blackmail that- you realized- you probably wouldn't find out now.
The powered-off phone in your pocket felt a lot heavier at the thought of blackmail.
"Okay. We'll get the paperwork started soon. I don't know when you'll be able to transfer there, but I've discussed leaving here with Blackwell already. Like I said earlier, tomorrow will be your last day here so..." Miss Militia trailed off. If she knew about your life here, she'd know that you didn't have any friends. That nobody would miss you. That you wouldn't enjoy your last day here.
But it was your last day. After this, you'd be free. Free from Emma. Free from everything.
Maybe you'd skip tomorrow?
"We'll get in touch with you for more information later," Miss Militia finished, "I'm sorry all this has happened." She said, standing up before she reached out a gloved hand to grasp yours. Those army slacks really hugged her wide hips and amazing thighs. You gave the quickest handshake of your life to try and avoid affecting her and to avoid the embarrassment of ogling a superhero while she was changing your life.
Out of the school.
You were still in shock when you headed out of the office and made your way home.
You were done here. Done at Winslow. One more day and you were going to be freed from everything going on there. Free from dreading what would happen. Free…Free from Sophia. You weren't going to get to see her anymore during the day.
You drummed your fingers on the phone in your pocket, trying to sort out what you were going to do as you rode the bus home.
You shook your head.
So much was changing so fast. So much was… was getting better.
A smile found its way on your lips, just a small one on the corners but one nonetheless.
Things were getting better.
As you made your way home, you debated how to celebrate this. There were so many options.
You settled on working. It was strange in that most people would see going to work as punishment but going to work today meant you'd get to see Sabah and… and you could talk to her about changing schools to make sure it wouldn't affect your job there. If it did... you'd what? Call the PRT and say you've changed your mind?
You thought back to when the two of you went to eat dinner together. The moments where you and Sabah were together, laughing and smiling. The moment when she parked in your driveway and the two of you almost… almost what? Sabah wasn't going to kiss you there, was she? She was… she couldn't have been.
It still made you want to change into something nicer. Something… not more provocative, you didn't want to wear something scandalous and let Sabah learn that you're interested and her not be and then she'd get scared off and hate you forever. But… something eye-catching. So that- on the minimal, small, tiny, probably nonexistent chance that she was interested- she would like seeing you even more. You weren't sure what.
You headed inside to change. If you were going to see Sabah, you wanted her to... To what? Before getting changed, you flopped onto your bed and groaned into it. Why was life so hard? Why couldn't you just figure out what that had been? Had it just been a casual dinner between friends? Something more? Something less? Did you like Sabah... romantically or were you just two platonic gal pals?
After a few moments of having a gay panic into a pillow about Sabah... and Sophia and Crystal and everyone else that your dumb eyes refused to stop checking out and your dumb brain refused to stop fantasizing about. You rolled over. You didn't want Sabah to think you wore those kinds of outfits to school. What if she thought you were a slut? Was she the type to slut-shame? Did she like promiscuous girls? DID SHE LIKE GIRLS!?
Something casual. You needed to wear something casual but cute and sexy but not too sexy. You didn't want her to think you were trying too hard. So instead of changing clothes, you kept on your Dollhouse t-shirt that you wore to school but pulled it up to show your midriff. You took the excess cloth and tied it into a knot off to one side of your stomach. You looked down at the handful of inches that were exposed between your jeans and where you'd tied off your shirt.
Was it too much? Too little?
You made your way to the Dollhouse.
Once you were there, you walked in the front with a smile. Sabah was sitting behind the register, idly scrolling through something on her phone. But at the sound of the door opening, she looked up at you. Your eyes met hers and they hung there, your eyes stared into her dark ones but you could still see her cheeks shifting to pink and could feel your own growing hotter by the moment. After what felt like an eternity that was far too short, you looked down at the ground at almost the same time as she looked back at her phone.
The store was lightly populated here and there. You ignored all of them, save for Sabah, as you made your way closer to the counter.
"Y-Your shirt is, um, nice," Sabah said, glancing at your chest where the Dollhouse's logo sprawled across it. Your cheeks flushed a brighter shade of pink.
"Thanks… Parian gave it to me," I replied, looking down at where I'd tied it up.
"Yeah, I remem- remember her telling me that she was going to do that… it looks nice."
"She gave me what I wore… on uh… when we… hung out on… on monday." Hung out. You mentally screamed at yourself. What was Sabah going to think!?
"I-I know. Or, um, yeah. I saw what clothes were left in the inventory… N-Not that I was being weird! I was just, y'know-" You nodded. You both had to check the store's inventory to make sure nothing had been stolen and that everything had been paid for. Even the clothes that Parian gave you had been scanned… she just gave you a 100% discount at the end of scanning them.
That was why you knew how outrageous the amount of money that your 'free' clothes had cost.
The two of you stole glances at each other as you sat behind the counter, unsure of what to say next. Of how to say what was in your head.
You finally decided to ask. You built up the courage and asked, "About-" at the same time that Sabah said "Was that-". You shook your head, saying "You go" and Sabah's normally olive cheeks went a deeper shade of pink as she shook her head, her fingers moving to brush a lock of her hair back behind an ear.
It was at that moment that a customer came up to the counter to ask for help getting a shirt they couldn't reach. You obliged, standing up and heading over to grab the hook to reach it. When you got back, Sabah was helping a customer check out. By the time she finished, it felt like the moment had passed. Your cheeks weren't as flushed and hers had returned to its normal olive-brown color.
So you sat down next to her, took a deep breath, and told her something else, "I'm transferring schools," The moment the words left your mouth her head snapped to look at you, her eyes full of worry and surprise. It took you a half-second to realize how that could be interpreted, "No, like, still in Brockton. I'm going to Immaculata instead of Winslow."
You could see the tension leave Sabah's shoulders. She must really like having you as a coworker, you reasoned. It was the only explanation other than…
Nope! It was the only thing that made sense.
"O-Oh, okay," Sabah said, shifting in her seat. "I'm… happy for you?"
"Yeah, um, can I still work here?"
Sabah shrugged, "I don't see why not. We get customers from Immaculata so there's probably a bus route that gets here quick."
That made your whole body sag as you let out a long sigh of relief. You looked around the store and didn't spy anyone in the school's uniform. It was the only high school in Brockton Bay that had one and while you couldn't remember what it looked like off the top of your head, you did remember that it existed. Would you have to wear one?
You sat there in silence, trying to work out what words to say or how to restart a conversation, but you didn't need to. Sabah did it for you.
"Hey, um... would you want to go on... um... would you want to hang out again this weekend?" Sabah asked, glancing from the counter to you.
Was Sabah asking you on a second date? Was the first one even a date? Was this a date? Your mind was racing and your cheeks were flushing. "S-Sure? What would... What would we do?"
"I..." You could tell she hadn't thought about that important detail, as a look of embarrassed panic crossed her features and she reached down, fiddling with her thumbs at the hem of her shirt. "We could get dinner again? Or go to a park or a movie or... or just chat or... drink?"
"Um, I'm not old-" You started and Sabah shook her head.
"I am. I could buy it? If you wanted to? I mean, I don't do it often but..."
You shrugged, "Um... I think it'd be fun. For us to do something again. I... I liked when we did it last time."
Sabah nodded, a grin on her lips as she rubbed the hem of her shirt between her thumb and forefinger. "We can decide what to do when we... when we decide when we do it?"
You nod in agreement. A few hours passed otherwise uneventfully. The two of you stole glances at one another from time to time, your mind panicking about what was going on between the two of you. Where you in a relationship? Were you just friends? Was... Why was life so complicated?
After what felt like an awkward forever and a blissful instant, your shift was over.
"I could take you home?" Sabah offered and you wanted to accept. To ride with her and maybe have a chance of repeating that moment in her car but if you did, what would be different?
And you already had plans for after work.
"I, um, I've got plans. Sorry," You said with an awkward smile. You didn't want Sabah to know that you'd stolen a phone and were going to get it hacked into.
That was what you'd resolved to do after thinking it over for the day. You were going to take Madison's phone and keep it. You were going to get the guy at the phone store to swap the sim card, disconnect the account, and it was going to be yours. With your own number and stuff.
"Oh? What, um, what are you doing?" Sabah asked, her brow knit in concern as she spoke.
You smiled at her because it was hard not to. "I'm going to get a cell phone. I'll text you once I have it?" You offered and that seemed to bring her smile back to. She grinned from ear to ear before giving a few rapid nods. As the two of you locked up and headed out, you parted ways. It was hard to remember after sitting next to her most of the day, but Sabah was so small compared to you. Her face was at chest-height for you. What an unfair advantage.
You shook your head, smiling and thinking about the past day as you made your way to the phone store.
It had been a strange, glorious one.
Once you were at the store, getting the phone hacked was a surprisingly quick task. He disconnected it from the account it was tied to, swapped the sim card, and showed you how to view your number. Apparently, it didn't even need a phone plan. You weren't really sure how that worked, if it was a perk of the phone or something he did. That and buying a charging cable for it wiped out all the money that you had left though.
Broke, but with a phone in hand, you sent a text to Sabah saying that it was you and she sent back a smiley face emoji. You stared at it, trying to decipher some hidden meaning, but ultimately gave up.
You had a long day ahead of you tomorrow.
Taylor lost 1 fund.
Taylor will transfer to Immaculata.
Taylor's happiness increased by 1.
Sabah's Loyalty has gone up by 1. Sabah's Love and Lust have gone up by 0.5!
Taylor now has a smartphone!
Taylor currently has the following phone numbers: Sabah, Crystal, Sophia, Emma, and Madison
Last day at Winslow:
[School] Ask Sophia for her number
-- 100% Chance of Success
-- You already have her number
-- But this way she'll won't ask how you got it
[School] Ask Sophia to come to Immaculata
-- 40% Chance of Success
-- You'll be able to interact with Sophia during school once you leave Winslow
-- You might even share a dorm room
[School] Ask Sophia to hang out after school
-- 75% Chance of Success
-- You could get her number this way too and you'd get alone time with her.
-- This will consume your after school action. If you vote for this, DO NOT vote for an afterschool action.
[School] Blackmail Madison in Person
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- Madison will know you have her phone
-- You'll have A LOT of power over her if it works.
[School] Return phone to Madison
-- 90% Chance of Success
-- Madison will know you've looked into stuff on her phone.
-- She'll be grateful to have it back.
[School] Skip School
-- 80% Chance of Success
-- You'll meet at least one cape that doesn't go to school.
[School] Write-in
-- ??% Chance of Success
-- It's your last day; go wild.
After School You:
[Afterschool] Hang Out With X
--??% Chance of Success
-- Options: Danny 85%, Parian 80%, or Crystal 80%
-- You don't have a way to contact Sophia
[Afterschool] Go X with Sabah
-- 90% Chance of Success
-- X can be going to the park, dinner, movie, or drink
[Afterschool] Work At The Dollhouse
-- 80% Chance of Success
-- It's Parian's Day to Work
-- Will earn 1 Fund
[Afterschool] Hunt for X
-- ??10% Chance of Success
-- You can look for a specific Cape
-- They might not be alone
-- The bonus will disappear after today.
[Afterschool] Hunt At The Docks
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- Villains In This Area: Azn Bad Boys, Merchants, Undersiders, Uber , or Circus
-- Heroes In This Area: Protectorate
[Afterschool] Hunt Downtown
-- 70% Chance of Success
-- Villains In This Area: Empire 88, Merchants, Coil
-- Heroes In This Area: Wards, New Wave
[Afterschool] Write-in
-- ??% Chance of Success
-- The world is your oyster
Click to expand...
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
Apr 19, 2020 ReportLike QuoteReply
randomlightning, Tiufi, easty and 294 others like this.
Threadmarks: 15 - Sophia, Come on Over
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
Friday, January 27th, 2011
Another day. You opened your eyes in your bed and it was the first thought to roll into your mind. The fact that today would be your last day at Winslow. That was more than enough to hurry you in your morning routine. You had gotten ready in record time.
You wondered if this was what people felt like when they enjoyed going to school. This rush of exhilaration.
You threw on an outfit: a thin, white button up blouse with some black jeans, slung your backpack over your shoulder, and hurried out.
You just had to get through today. That's all that mattered. Then you would be free from Winslow forever.
It wasn't until you passed Sophia in the hall that you realized today would be the end of you two. You wouldn't have to put up with Emma and everyone but you wouldn't get to see Sophia either.
You needed to talk with her at least once today. Whether that was to say goodbye or to say that this wouldn't be the end, you couldn't just disappear on her.
You expected the day to go by quickly but it seemed to stretch onward, forever and forever.
When lunch finally rolled around, you made your way to the rooftop and found that it was unlocked. Sophia was, strangely, already there. At the sound of you gently shutting the heavy metal door, she glanced over at you and nodded her chin up.
You assumed she was giving you permission to approach, not that you needed it.
Sophia was dressed in a white tank top with black leggings and her Winslow varsity jacket with HESS written in white on the back of the blue fabric.
Sophia glanced over at you and you could see something somber in her eyes. Like she somehow knew what you were about to say. You said it anyways.
"I'm transferring to Immaculata."
Sophia nodded her head once, "Cool. Good. It's for the best. You get the hell out and everything goes back to normal."
What would be normal, here, for Sophia once you left? Would the trio find someone to replace you? A new target for them to pester and assault?
"Normal how?"
Sophia shrugged, "Don't have to deal with Emma being pissed at me." You reached out with your power, cloaking her in it. A part of you didn't want to lose this. "Don't have to deal with... " Sophia glanced at you, her eyes scanning your features before she looked at her lunch, "Doesn't matter."
She obviously meant something involving you. That she wouldn't have to worry about living the double life of crushing on you and bullying you. "You pushed me."
Sophia grunted, "Had to break your fall. Couldn't catch you."
You nodded, that made sense. It all made sense even though none of it did. Sophia liked you. She really, really liked you. You didn't know if she wanted the two of you to be together or just wanted to be in your pants. Or both. You didn't know anything about her and a part of you worried that you never would. How would she feel, once you were gone? She said it was good but you caught the look Sophia gave you. The way her eyes would stop tracing you and how she hesitated every time she pulled away.
"Are... " You started, sitting on the AC unit next to her. "Are you going to miss me?"
Sophia blinked, turning to look at you, her eyes both shocked and angry, both working as an ineffective veil over some emotion you couldn't place. Not on Sophia, anyways. "The hell are you talking about, Hebert?" She sounded oddly defensive. She lowered her brow somewhere between a glare and a scowl at you before her eyes went downward. Sophia shook her head, scowling down at her lap as you heard a few words leave her mouth, barely more than whispers, "Yeah… a little."
Just for the briefest instant, you thought you saw an emotion you'd never associate with Sophia. You couldn't pin it, maybe it was sadness or loneliness, but it was something.
For some reason, Sophia talking like that, being quiet and defensive about something, being embarrassed, brought the faintest of grins to your lips. You scooted just a little closer before replying, "We could… we could still hang out?"
Sophia was still scowling- it was her default expression- as she took a breath and sighed. "What're you gonna do? Sprint across the city for lunch?" Sophia asked, scoffing and shaking her head.
You gave her a look and a frown, "N-No… Um, we could… we could hang out outside of school?"
Sophia seemed to consider that for a moment, looking at you with sunken shoulders and then shutting her eyes, "What's your number?" You gave it and she pulled her phone out to shoot you a text. You pulled out yours- without Madison's case on it- and sent back a smiley face like Sabah had done to you. It seemed like the right move and it earned a glare from Sophia.
"We'll hang out sometime or some shit," Sophia stated as you nodded and then glanced over. You glanced over at her. You told Sabah that the two of you would hang out but the two of you never decided on a time. It didn't have to be today.
You glanced over at Sophia, rubbing your thumb on the sides of your phone before you piped up again, "Why… why not today?"
Sophia looked at you, her eyes wide at the implication of what you were asking. She slouched forward, looking off into the horizon, "Fine. Whatever."
You nodded, looking over at her before she turns to face you again.
Life was so complicated now, what with Sofia and your budding maybe-romance with Sabah. Not to mention Crystal who- while you weren't as close with her as the other two- you know that she would probably fall for you too.
You wanted to curse your powers for that but… but having people care about you was nice.
"What're you smiling about?" Sophia asked, glaring over at you.
You shrugged, grinning more which only earned a deeper scowl and then you started eating your lunch.
Your last lunch at Winslow.
Once you finished up your lunch, you and Sophia sat there. You didn't talk or chat and when you tried to you earned glares from Sophia. You got the feeling that each glare had its own emotion tied to it.
The point you're trying to make is that Sophia is really good at glaring.
After lunch, you suffered through your last few classes at Winslow and then made your way to the bus. Sophia… didn't follow you. She didn't walk next to you or even hop on the bus you got on. You pulled out your phone and shot her a text, asking if she still planned on coming over. She assured you that she was and not to worry about it. You got home and sat on the couch near the window, totally not glancing out the window every few minutes to see if Sophia was out there.
Was she ghosting you?
Around the time the clock struck five, there was a knock at your door. You went over and opened it up and you saw her there.
Sophia Hess, standing at your door. Her hair was slightly damp, but she was dressed the same as earlier. She didn't have a backpack, instead carrying a small duffle bag that she dropped next to the door.
"Where were you?" The question sounded a bit more timid than you intended as it left your lips, Sophia looked at you and rolled her eyes. She glanced around your living room before going to slide off her sneakers and sink onto your couch, feet propped on one arm rest and her head on the other.
"Track practice. And calling work," Sophia said nonchalantly, as if her being over wasn't like Lung being at Kaiser's barbeque. Well, in that world Kaiser and Lung would be secretly in a weird, kind of hostile but also weirdly… romantic? relationship. Was this a relationship? You had no idea.
You nodded, going to sit on the loveseat, shifting to sit awkwardly and face Sophia. You watched the rise and fall of her chest which, while it wasn't massive, would still be a nice handful. The way her white tanktop covered her dark skin. Her eyes staring into yours, noticing where you'd be looking. How you'd been looking.
You were acutely aware of how your power was clinging to the two of you, connected by a thin tether.
You turned back to the TV, staring at it. "Hebert?" Sophia asked and you glanced at her, seeing her roll to lay on her side and stare at you, "The TV's off." Shit. She saw through your disguise.
"Oh, uh, yeah." You admitted, brushing some hair behind your ear and adjusting your glasses. Sophia watched you do it with a smirk on her face, her eyes staying somewhere on your body the whole time, whether that be your face or your lack of curves.
Suddenly, the form-fitting clothes that Parian gave you felt awfully revealing despite not showing much skin.
Sophia was silent for a few minutes before she asked a question, "Why?"
"Why what?"
The black girl on your couch shook her head, "Why put up with me? I've fucked with you for years. I've given you bruises, I've helped them shit talk you, I've helped make sure you had no friends… Why the fuck are you putting up with me? Why the fuck are y-"
"I want to," you interrupted her. You could see her body tense at being interrupted before she relaxed.
"But… But why?" She asked, moving a hand to pinch the bridge of her perfect nose. Her voice was drowning in irritation as she continued, "Why? What's in it for you? Is it some kind of payback kink? Is it to make me feel more shitty for what I've done? Because, believe me, I fucking feel like trash twenty-four seven. The fuck are you doing it for, Hebert?"
You were at a loss for words. Your mouth floundered for a bit before shaking your head, "I… I haven't had friends in a long time…" You began, fidgeting in your seat. Shifting in it. "I… I haven't had anyone to be close to in a while. Not since… Not since Emma." Sophia flinched the slightest bit at that. You looked up at her, "You… You were nice to me. You were- were interested in me? That hadn't happened in a while so… so I… I don't know. I didn't want to let go of it? I… I don't want to let go of you. Someone finally seemed to care and… and I like being cared about."
Sophia was silent, just staring at you like you'd unveiled one of life's greatest mysteries. She stared at you and you knew she was turning over your words in her head. Making sense of them and trying to divine how she felt about it.
Your power was like a noose, a rope that connected the bubble around you to the bubble around her. It was responsible for all of this.
"I kinda get that," Sophia replied, her eyes flicking to the ground then back to you. You blinked at her words, turning to face her. She scowled at you before shaking her head, "I've got stuff going on with me too. I… It's nice, having… being… fuck, I don't know." Sophia said, getting fed up as her words seem to fail her.
You just smiled at her, a simple grin that hadn't been brought to your face but one you placed there. She looked at it and shook her head, a real one creeping onto her lips and that one made your grin feel more genuine too.
You looked at each other, grinning like dorks.
The silence hung in the air like something sacred, neither of you daring to continue. You didn't know why. Maybe it was fear that you would say something that the other would reject. Maybe it was the opposite.
After that bout of silence, Sophia blinked and looked around. She was silent as she did so before she asked a simple question.
"Where's your p-... your dad?"
Sophia knew your mom was dead. It was a jab Emma used on days where she was feeling particularly brutal. Days where she would twist the knife of betrayal ever deeper. "Oh, um, he's probably working. He doesn't get off until late some days."
Sophia's eyes slithered up your body, tracing you before settling on your face. There was something hungry in them. You looked at her, her eyes meeting yours and a smirk settling on her face.
"Is that why you invited me over?" Sophia asked, rolling off the couch and moving to stand over the loveseat. You blinked, trying to find the intent behind her words before she moved, sitting on her knees on the couch, one leg on either side of your thighs.
Sophia there, almost straddling you on your couch, the meaning became obvious.
Sophia was about the same height as you, so with her basically in your lap, her face hung a few inches above yours. Her arms pressed against the back of the couch on either side of your head. You weren't sure when she did it, but at some point she had lowered herself into your lap properly. You felt her tone ass pressing against your thighs and felt your heart hammering in your ears. Your power was no longer in two orbs separated by a tube but one solid orb that encapsulated the two of you.
Your power.
Its effects on Sophia had always seemed more lecherous than it had on Sabah and Crystal. Hell, the first interaction you had with Sophia because of your power had been a lot like this one. Her face hovering inches from yours, her toned body pressing its weight onto yours.
"I-I didn't invite you over for… to…" You said, your voice awfully breathy as you thought about how close Sophia's breasts were to you. How if she just pressed forward a few more inches, you'd be pressed into one another's bodies. How her toned, athletic body felt atop yours.
Sophia's eyes looked like a wolf staring down a deer who'd broken its leg. Predatory and hungry. You could see a desire in them, a longing. Then she rolled them and sighed, still straddling you. "What... What if I want to?" She asked, pulling her arms to drape them around your neck.
You swallowed.
Sophia's body was pressed against yours and you had no clue what to do about it. It wasn't every day that a girl threw themself- well, for you it was starting to be.
But did you want this to be your first time? Your first kiss? Inviting a girl to hang out and her misinterpreting it as a booty call?
You shook your head, "I... Not... Not right now. Not the first time we're..."
Sophia's hunger didn't die down. You considered pulling your power in to your skin but you didn't know if that would help. "I really want you... Hebert." Sophia whispered and you felt your cheeks flush. You'd used your power on her so much but... but your first time was a big deal, right? Did you want it to be with her?
"N-Next time," You said, looking up at her. Her eyes looked starved even as she rolled them. She moved, planting her dark lips against your forehead before sliding off to the side.
"That a promise?"
You shook your head, "N-No but... But I need time to think. To... To..."
Sophia sighed and shook her head. "I'm at least getting something here," Sophia said, moving to grab the remote before sitting on the loveseat. You blinked at her words, not sure of the meaning, then she grabbed you by the side and yanked you into her lap.
Her muscled dark arms wrapped around your waist as she held you against her, her chin resting atop your shoulder as she flicked through the channels for something to watch. Her hands were uncomfortably low on your stomach but.
And that's how the two of you sat until she left for work, wherever that was.
All of Sophia's stats have increased by 1!
We're going to try out approval voting.
You can vote for as many of the following as you want.
Whichever two have the most votes will win.
[Saturday] Work at the Dollhouse
[Saturday] Hang out
-[Hang] Danny, Sophia, or Crystal
[Saturday] Go platonically hang out with Sabah
-[Date] Drinks, Park, Dinner, or Theater?
[Saturday] Hunt for Capes
-[Hunt] Who?
[Saturday] Get into Trouble
-[Trouble] Docks or Downtown?
[Saturday] Write-in
Click to expand...
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
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randomlightning, Tiufi, easty and 349 others like this.
Threadmarks: 16 - Drives and Drinks
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
Saturday, January 28th, 2011
You woke up in the morning and after a brief breakfast with your dad, you went upstairs to throw on some clothes. A sheer black top with a white bralette and some white leggings. It was a nice outfit, even if the bralette sheer top combo made you feel very, very exposed.
After you finally got over how embarrassing the outfit was, you pulled out your phone to call Crystal. There were a few rings and she didn't pick up. You frowned at your phone before she called you back.
"Hello?"
Oh, right, new phone, new number. "Hi Crystal. It's Taylor and, uh... I was wondering if we could hang out?"
"Oh, snap. Sure, where are you calling from?" Crystal asked and you could hear the sounds of conversation in the background, the sound of a door opening and closing.
"My house? I got a cell phone." You tried not to whisper that last bit but you also said it a little quieter. You still didn't want your dad to know that you got a phone. It still made you feel a little weird at times, after all, your mom had died from texting and driving.
"Awesome!" You heard Crystal say with a laugh and then the sound of an engine start. "I'll head that way!" You then got a picture of Crystal, sitting in her driver seat grinning at the camera.
You weren't sure how she managed to get over so fast. She was in her car so she definitely didn't fly but she also probably didn't follow all the traffic laws between here and her house. It didn't matter that much, though. You hopped out and saw her eyes widen a little at your outfit.
Your cheeks flushed, "Is it... too much?"
"I think the word you meant was 'not enough'," Crystal said with a grin. Was she joking or was she serious? You honestly had no idea. The unmasked superhero pulled back out of your driveway as you tried to decipher what she meant. You sat up, glancing around the car and then back to her as you reeled in your power to fill the front two seats of her car, letting it pool around the two of you.
"What's the plan?" You asked, only for her to shrug as she started driving.
"I was thinking we could park somewhere nice and chat? I doubt your parents know you're dressed like that and I just left home."
That was fair. You nodded and smiled as she drove but the two of you didn't get very far. Crystal's phone rang and she answered the call, pulling it up to her ear. You caught the caller ID before she did so. It was a call from her Mom.
You felt a spike of anxiety, sitting in a car as the person driving was on their phone.
"Hey Mom... I'm with a friend." You watched Crystal roll her eyes as she drove down the side street, stopping at a stop sign. "It's a girl friend." Did she say girlfriend? You glanced at her, your cheeks flushing as she quirked an eyebrow at you. Her words sinking in. "Like a friend that's a girl... Would it matter if I was?" Crystal frowned and rolled her eyes, "Mom, seriously?"
You looked over at her, mouthing the words 'You okay?' and earning a angry shake of the head. Crystal pulled into a gas station parking lot. "Mom, I get that. Can't Vicky do it? Or Eric?" Crystal asked, shutting her eyes and slumping back in her seat. You heard her mother speaking, too quiet and too indistinct to make out what she was saying in between Crystal's words. "Mom, he's fourteen... I was not taking the day off, I got stabbed! I know Amy healed me. Mom, I just wanna hang out with- Mom!" Crystal shouted the last word, visually frustrated as she listened to her mother's voice. "Yeah, sure, love you too." Sarcasm dripped from her tongue as she said that before she slammed her phone on the hang up button and dropped it onto the console. Sitting in the gas station parking lot, Crystal sank back into the back of her seat.
Her eyes were closed and her face made her look very, very irritated. It also made her chest stand out even more. You tentatively reached over with a hand, patting her shoulder. "It's okay."
She opened one eye and shook her head. "Apparently, I'm supposed to go on patrol today."
You nodded, taking a moment before going to reach over and give her a hug. That seemed to have surprised Crystal but she hugged back regardless. "That's okay," You whispered and she clung to you a bit tighter.
"I just want a normal life. I just wanna... I don't know, I really wanted to hang out today."
You could understand that. Especially as you felt your power disappearing into her, flowing from you to her. "We'll hang out some other time, okay?"
Crystal nodded, "I'd like that... Um... I'd like that a lot, actually. She said I could take you back home so..."
You nodded and the ride back home felt oddly somber. Crystal was a strange mix of irritated at her mother but feeling guilty for leaving you.
She dropped you off and you went back inside. Your dad had already left for work, leaving you alone for the rest of the day. You thought about reaching out to Sabah but decided it would probably be best to do that after lunch. You didn't want to force her into day drinking with you.
Were the two of you going to drink? Or were you going to go to the park or dinner or where? She'd left it to you but... but you had no idea what you wanted to do. You moved up to your bedroom, pulling out your phone to do some research to try and help yourself decide.
By the time three PM rolled around, you'd decided on what you and Sabah were going to do and worked up the nerves to text it to her.
You: Would drinks tonight be okay?
Sabah: Sure
Sabah: Ill get them then pick you up
And like that, it was decided. You fell back onto your bed, staring up at the ceiling.
You were going to drink tonight.
You knew that other people your age had done it, hell, there were people in your class that had done far worse things. It was easy to tell the ones who had gotten hooked on the worst stuff.
A quick pace around the room didn't do any good. What if you drank too much and threw up? What if it didn't work on you because of your power? What if you got drunk and started sending nudes to someone like Crystal or Sophia?
You had no clue what to do. Sabah probably wouldn't let you do that.
Sabah...
Gosh, what would drunk you do with Sabah?
You swallowed as you waited, going to sit in the living room swaddled in a blanket over your sheer top. Maybe... You moved back to your room to swap from leggings and a white bra to a lacy red bra and some red jeans. The bra was just as scandalous as your other lace ones you'd gotten from Parian but... but it would be fine.
You wanted to look good for this... this totally platonic outing.
Was this platonic? Would it end platonically?
Would you be okay with your first kiss being with Sabah? Tonight?
Yes. Yes, you think you would. Sabah being your first kiss would be... It would be nice.
Sabah sent a text asking what you wanted and you just sent back that you didn't know. You'd never had alcohol before and you had absolutely no idea what to ask for or what you'd like. So Sabah said she was going to get wine for us.
You were pretty sure wines weren't too alcoholic, fancy people drank them in movies so how could they be? The fact that you were getting something that wasn't going to get you super drunk helped ease your nerves.
You went ahead and wrote a note to your dad, saying that you were going to a friends and- hesitantly and because you had no clue- added that you might be spending the night but weren't sure. You asked him not to worry if you didn't come home.
And then you waited in the living room. You waited, glancing out the window frequently, and headed out when you saw Sabah pull up.
Sabah, wonderful, amazing, Sabah. She had a nondescript black bag with a big bottle in it sitting in the passenger. You pulled it out to look at it and saw it was some brand of pink Moscato. A pretty thick bottle of it. You glanced at her and saw her cheeks pink, scanning your almost transparent black top and her eyes lingering on the bright pink, lacy bra beneath it.
You flushed. "Sorry, should I-" You stopped talking when you saw Sabah shake her head, her cheeks as bright as yours. Then you looked at her outfit, a black and white striped crop top with some blue overalls. You didn't really expect that but somehow the combination looked amazing. The girl's olive skin showing in the gap between the sides of the overalls. She glanced at you and you looked back up, feeling your cheeks grow darker.
"It's fine," Sabah said, her voice full of embarrassment as the two of you pulled out of the driveway and headed back. You were pretty sure you drove past your dad on the way to Sabah's apartment. And that's what it was, an apartment. Located at a two-story complex with stairs on the outside, you followed up her the staircase and down to apartment 208. She was holding the black bag and you were glancing around for police, sure that you would be arrested at any moment.
But, unsurprisingly, the cops never came. Sabah led you into her apartment which was a controlled disaster. There was a pile of fabrics on the dining table but it otherwise looked nice. Her bedroom was through one cracked door. The front door opened to her living room, where a couch sat across from a flatscreen. The windows on that side had plants sitting in the sill and the table was cleared off. Everything, in fact, looked freshly cleaned and you were pretty sure you knew why.
You glanced at Sabah and she was watching you. You flashed her a smile and she let out a little laughing sigh and shrugged. "I'll get the glasses and we can play a movie?" She offered and you gave a quick nod. A movie sounded great. So did glasses.
Sabah brought out a matching pair of wine glasses and set them down. She sat the bottle next to them and the two of you sat on the couch.
Opposite ends of the couch, of course. You sat on the left end and Sabah sat on the right. You didn't want to accidentally touch each other.
"So..." Sabah started and you glanced at her. "What d'you wanna watch?"
The two of you settled on a movie from Bet about an expert assassin infiltrating a group of rebels... only to fall in love with the leader. You had your power draped over the two of you like a blanket. It wasn't great and by the seven-minute mark, Sabah had poured herself a glass. You did the same and watched her sipping on it.
You looked at yours like it was liquid medicine and you were seven. Sabah let out a small laugh and you watched as she took a drink of hers.
You took a deep breath before taking a gulp of your own drink. It was sweet with a bite to it. Your face scrunched up and Sabah gave a little laugh.
"Try to breathe through your nose. And don't worry about taking big drinks." You nodded and took her advice. You still made a face but it was a far cry from the scrunch that your face did originally.
"Do you... do this much?" You asked and she glanced over, casually sipping her wine.
"Drink or watch movies? Or talk to you?"
"All three?" You asked, hesitantly going to take another drink.
Sabah shrugged, "I don't drink often... I do watch movies and I try..." She glanced at her wine and took another drink of it. It was a long drink but it wasn't a chug. It was more that she was taking her time with letting it go. You tried to do something similar but wound up taking down far too much. A few coughs came out and Sabah scooted towards you, her face slightly concerned until your coughing stopped, "I... I, um, I try to talk to you when I can."
Your cheeks went that traitorous color of pink again as you settled back. Sabah didn't slide back to her spot on her side, instead of sitting about a quarter of the way towards you.
The movie was really bad as it went on. The romance seemed awkwardly pace and some of the shots were so awkward that you found yourself grinning at them. Whenever that happened, you glanced over to see if Sabah was laughing at them. She was smiling too, but her eyes weren't on the movie.
They were on you.
You weren't sure when you started your second glass but it was well before the movie ended. You were halfway through your third by the time the credits rolled.
"That... was not good," You said, smiling despite everything. Sabah nodded in agreement. The reason you'd drank so much was because you were trying to keep up with her. She, however, was already finishing her third.
She looked at you and you stared back, "I... Um..." Sabah said, before shaking her head. The middle-eastern girl sighed out another smile, "I'm happy we're doing this."
You nodded, eagerly agreeing with anything Sabah said. She was great. You looked at her delicate lips and her soft, brown eyes. "W-Wanna do another?" You asked and Sabah smiled.
"It has a sequel," She said, wiggling her eyebrows which only prompted a groan from you. You weren't sure when you scooted towards her, but you had. She threw on some Aleph Disney movie about a mermaid, theirs had red hair for some reason, and you shifted again.
By the time you'd finished your third drink, Sabah was halfway done with hers and there were inches that separated the two of you. Focusing on the movie was hard, when Sabah was close enough that your arms brushed against one another. You did the classic move. You shifted your wine from your left hand to your right and feigned a yawn, moving your arm around her. Sabah shifted and at first you thought she was uncomfortable but then you realized it.
She was shifting into you. Leaning into the arm that you draped over her and resting her head against the crook of your neck, her chin brushing the top side of one of your breasts.
You moved, glancing at her and saw her eyes looking up at you. You felt your drink shifting in your hand and then brought it up to sip it.
Sabah's eyes were locked onto yours and you moved, adjusting your arm. You felt your fingertips brush her side, feeling her soft skin. Sabah moved her shoulder up, closing one eye. "Stop that," Her voice had a slight giggle to it as you realized something. You took another sip of your drink and sat it down.
"Are... Are you ticklish?" You asked. It was a classic question and Sabah's eyes widened slightly in fear.
"N-No?"
A fool. Sabah was a fool as she set her wine glass on the table next to yours and your grin turned evil.
You lunged with your other hands, your fingertips dancing on her bare sides to tickle her. Her skin was so delicate and soft as fingers danced and slid along them. Nobody ever taught you how to tickle but the idea was just sliding your fingers on their sides and that seemed to get Sabah into a rolling, kicking fit of laughter. You pressed despite that, pushing against her as she squirmed and fell over. You climbed on top of her and she begged and shoved for you not to.
You did stop and her chest rose and fell in deep breaths as the laughter slowly slipped from her lips.
It had been a flurry, your tickle attack, but you vaguely remembered her movements. How your barrage of tickles and how she shifted, how you wound up on top of her, her head beneath the armrest. Her head beneath yours.
You were reminded, as you arched your back so that your hips and head were both even with Sabah's, how small the girl beneath you was. Her face was even with yours, her chest rising and falling as she stared up at you. Both of you had red faces but you weren't sure that was because of the alcohol, the tickling, or your situation.
Sabah's lips parted as she heaved out deep breaths beneath you.
Your eyes locked into hers, flicking to her lips and then back to those deep, chocolate orbs. They met your green ones and after a brief, brief moment you moved.
You pressed your lips against hers and felt her arms slide. They had been at her sides but they snaked up to wrap around your back and pull you closer. You had to move your legs as your lips pressed against hers.
Her lips tasted like the wine and they were so, wonderfully soft. You pressed against them, not sure what you were doing, and you felt her hands brushing against your back through your thin top. You felt something wet brush your lips and you parted them, her tongue sliding into your mouth.
You moved yours forward too, trying to be slow like she was. Her tongue pressed against yours, sliding with it. You moved your arms, going to slide one beneath her neck to hold her close.
Her lips were so, so soft and you didn't want to pull away. You noticed your bubble seemed... less. It wasn't as thick as you pulled away from her lips, swallowing as your head hovered above hers.
Sabah was grinning from ear to ear and with each breath you heaved, you felt your bubble grow then fade into her lips. It turns out, it really was some kind of gas-like energy. One that you breathed and radiated.
Sabah was panting as she drunkenly looked up at you, her arms still draped over your back as she moved back up for another kiss. A kiss that you happily accepted.
One of her arms fell during the kiss and you felt a thumb brush against your nipple. It pressed and grazed there, brushing and teasing your nipple which earned Sabah a slight, whimpering moan into the kiss. One that she happily accepted as she moved to give a gentle squeeze to your chest before letting her hand slide back onto your back.
You pulled away and stared at her before moving to kiss her cheek, then kiss it again. You littered her cheek with kisses as she wrapped her knees around your thighs. You kept planting little kisses along her jawline and down her neck as she hugged you close.
"T-Taylor..." She half sighed, half giggled into your ear.
That earned another dozen kisses. You planted a small one on her nose before your other hand- the one that wasn't still lifting her from behind the neck- moved to her side and up her crop top. Sabah's body tensed and you broke the string of kisses, looking her in the eyes as your finger tips brushed the bottom of her breast.
She nodded and you smiled, going to kiss her again as two of your fingers moved to press against her nipple. She shuddered into you as you pressed little circles with your thumb against the girl's nipples.
Briefly, briefly, you wondered whether or not you should do more.
In the end, you didn't. You liked the drunken kisses too much and in between them and once they ended- though they would always creep back- you liked holding Sabah's body against yours. Whether that be in your lap or next to you.
The two of you clung to one another for what felt like forever but at the same time you wished that it could've lasted longer. In the end, the two of you went to her bedroom which was a mess of fabrics and half-finished articles of clothing.
In a desperate attempt to tease Sabah further, you stripped off your top and pants, leaving yourself in your underwear beneath the blanket as she came back from changing into pajamas and came beneath the covers.
You could tell she realized when her entire head turned red enough to stop traffic, which brought a burst of laughter to your lips.
You fell asleep with Sabah in your arms, pressed against your front with one arm beneath her pillow.
Crystal's Happiness has reduced by 2.
Crystal's Love and Loyalty have increased by 0.5
All of Sabah's Stats have increased by 1.
Taylor's Stress has decreased by 1.
Taylor's happiness has increased by 1.
Pick any number of the following
The two most voted entries will win.
[Sunday] Hang out
-[Hang] Danny, Sophia, or Crystal
-- Sabah is preoccupied with gay panic
[Sunday] Hunt for Capes
-[Hunt] Who?
[Sunday] Get into Trouble
-[Trouble] Docks or Downtown?
[Sunday] Write-in
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
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Threadmarks: 17 - Waking up, Connecting with Sophia, and Crystal Cape Conundrums
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
Spoiler: Results
Sunday, January 29th, 2011
At some point in the night, you'd shifted. You knew that because you woke up laying on your back with a weight against your chest. Sabah- dressed in a nightgown- was pressed into your side. One of her legs draped over yours and her face was half-pressed into your bra.
Which made you acutely aware of the fact that sleeping in a bra was uncomfortable and that you were in your underwear. You knew why. Despite your headache, you could remember taking your clothes off to make Sabah blush when she change in the bathroom. You remembered laying on the couch, your bodies pressed together and your hands wandering one another's chest.
Your face was turning deeper shades of pink as you pulled the slumbering girl tighter against your form.
You couldn't really get up with a cute girl half on top of you, nuzzling your boob. So you just rubbed her back and rested there for a few minutes. Sabah was apparently a late riser compared to you but eventually, you grabbed your phone and saw the time and knew that this moment couldn't last forever.
So you gently shook her. She stirred but only to press herself harder against your bare skin. You sighed, this time shaking her again with a "Sabah, you gotta get up."
That got a reaction. A small noise from the girl as her eyes half-opened, saw you, and then went the size of dinner plates. "T-Tay-Taylor?" She was suddenly wide awake and acutely aware of the pale flesh that she was so tightly snuggling into.
She pulled back, her face turning various shades of crimson which earned a laugh. You did something that felt both natural and strange, putting a hand behind her head to plant a kiss on her cheek. That made her face get darker, her lips tighten into an embarrassed, panicked smile before she hopped up and ran off.
You weren't sure where. So, you stood up and got dressed in your clothes from yesterday.
When you walked out of the bedroom, you saw Sabah cooking breakfast still red. Feeling a little giddy at her reactions, you moved forward and draped your arms over her shoulders, resting your head atop her. She sank back into your arms.
"Taylor..." She said dreamily.
It was a nice morning with a nice breakfast and some even better company.
Eventually, though, you had to leave and Sabah had to work. Sabah dropped you off at your house and you were thankful when you didn't see your father's car. You looked at Sabah and gave her a tight hug. She returned it and whispered a quiet, nervous question into it.
"W-We'll do this more?" It sounded almost pleading.
"Mhm, of course... I like... I like being with you." You admitted and that earned a small giggle from the girl. As you pulled away, you could see a smile that refused to leave Sabah's face.
As you went inside and showered, you still felt... something. Maybe it was waking up with a cute girl pressed into your almost nude form? But you felt a need to be held, to be loved, to be... to be fucked.
You were horny.
You blinked, sitting on your bed. You decided to wear some shorts and one of your older, large sweaters. You held your phone, debating going to find a porn site. You'd barely been to them on account of the computer being in the living room and panic about your father walking in on you. That was when it happened.
Sophia texted you.
Sophia: You up
You: Yeah.
You: I'm bored though.
Sophia: I could come over
You looked at that message, debating how to reply. On one hand, you knew why she wanted to come over. Sophia had been rather open about the fact that she wanted to fuck you. She had said as much on your lap earlier this weekend. You had concerns about that. You were a virgin and while you were almost certain Sophia had never been with a girl, you were pretty sure she had at least some experience. And you'd agreed to have sex with her next time the two of you hung out. You also weren't sure if you wanted a hookup. Shouldn't your first time be important? With someone that you care about?
You: Sure.
You pressed send and already your hand was shaking. You stood up, pacing around your room.
Were you really about to do this?
You moved to sit on your bed, trying to figure out how to prepare. You took a second shower, going to even blow dry your hair. You popped a mint into your mouth. You decided to wear one of your better fitting t-shirts and some atheletic shorts without a bra but with a pair of lacy, black underwear. Then you went to wait by the door and try your best to get rid of the anxiety crawling its way up your throat.
Sophia knocked on the door.
You hopped up and went to open it. She was standing there, looking over you. She didn't hide the fact that she was checking you out as she came in. She was dressed in a blue tank top and black leggings. The shade of blue contrasted nicely with her dark skin as she waltzed right into your living room. Your eyes met.
Sophia lunged forward, making you stumble a few steps back. As you did so, your ass pressed into the back of the couch as Sophia pressed her lips against yours. It was a harder kiss, a more forceful one, than it had been with Sabah. Sophia's was aggressive and forceful. You draped your arms around her back as you felt her tongue pressing into your lips.
You parted them and she slid her tongue into your mouth, you moved your tongue to brush with hers. It was a rough kiss as her tongue pressed and explored your mouth. She pulled away, breaking this kiss, and biting your bottom lip as she did so, tugging at it and then grinning.
"God, I wanna fuck you," Sophia growled before moving, pressing kisses down your cheek and then onto your neck. The kisses went down, right to the border between your shirt collar and neck. She pulled away and you felt your chest shuddering.
"N-Not here," That same paranoia with the porn struck you. That your dad would suddenly, unexpectantly come home.
"Upstairs?" Sophia's voice was pleading, her hands resting on your hips.
You took a deep, deep breath and gave a quick nod.
Sophia grabbed your hand and tugged you towards the stairs, pulling you to your room upstairs. Did you take her there last time?
You stumbled up the stairs in her tow as she pulled you into your bed room. Her foot closed the door behind you before she shoved you against it for another aggressive, passionate kiss. She bit your lip again, every time she pulled away or wanted a pause in her tongue exploring and pressing in your mouth. Her arms wrapped around your waist, squeezing your hips.
Even when it came to making out, Sophia was aggressive. One of the hands at your waist grabbed the hem of your shirt. Sophia broke the kiss, her eyes staring hungrily at you as her chest rose and fell. Every breath a heave before she went to pull off your shirt. Your glasses got jostled by it and you adjusted them as she threw the shirt down. Her lips went back, kissing you on the lips- no tongue or teeth this time- before trailing in little pecks down your neck. She lingered on your neck, kissing and pressing little bites at the base of it. She moved, kissing your throat before her lips traveled further down. She kissed the side of your breast, then kiss further up it, as her lips brushed the skin next to your nipple, you pushed her back.
Towards your bed.
She looked at you, hunger and anger in her eyes. You sprung forward, pressing into her and knocking the two of you onto the bed. She moved up to kiss you and you placed a hand on her neck to keep her down before bending down, planting your own rough, passionate kiss onto her lips.
You hung there, above her, your small breasts hanging beneath you as you heaved and then shivered, letting out a gasp as her thumb brushed your nipple. "N-No fair," The words escaped your lips and you went to yank her shirt off. She lifted up to help the process and Sophia's bare, brown skin was exposed beneath you. You saw her abs, her biceps, her whole body was toned and defined. She was toned even more so than any of the other athletic girls you'd seen. Her dark nipples hard as you moved to kiss her neck and mimic her motions earlier. You moved, pressing your tongue against the hard, black nipple. Your tongue moved, spinning and pressing against it in a little circle which earned a stuttered moan from Sophia. You glanced up before letting your eyes drift back closed, suckling and pressing your tongue against the stiff nipple.
Your other hand moved up, rolling the other one between your fingers like last night.
That made Sophia press her chest up, a gasp escaping her lips.
"Fu-fuck, T-...Taylor." She moaned and you smiled, moving your lips from it to press a kiss onto her lips as your hand continued playing and rolling her nipple, moving to press and circle it with your thumb.
You felt a hand slide against your stomach and slide further, two fingers pressing against your unshaved mound. You let out a gasp as Sophia slid two fingers into you, exploring before they settled on your clit.
"S-S-" You started before a gasp interrupted your words. If Sophia was going to go there... You adjusted, moving your hands to pull down Sophia's leggings as she pressed little circles into you, earning gasps and shivers for her work. She- evidentally- wasn't even wearing panties. You saw her shaved pussy and moved to press your thigh against it.
You moaned, biting your lip as you pressed your thigh against her slit. She gasped but you wanted something more than that. You moved a hand down, hooking a finger in and then pressed again with your thigh. You felt your finger slide as it pressed against her slit. You did that a few more times, fucking her with your thigh and finger as she spun circles on your clit. That finally got a moan.
So you kept doing it, your other hand grabbing fistfuls of her hair as you fucked her like that. She fingered you, spinning her little loops and earning moans as she sped up and pressed harder. You moaned, shuddered, and felt your breaths growing heavier with every passing moment. Sophia was the same, you didn't slow down, instead you just moaned kisses onto her neck as you pressed there with your lips. Sophia's neck was damp with sweat and you could feel your body start to slow as your breath's grew erratic and frantic.
You came, your eyes rolling back as you covered Sophia's hand in cum. Your whole body shook and stuttered, pressing your fingers in fits and starts against her clit as your thigh jerked and moved. You gripped her hair tighter as you bit on her neck, your whole body jerking as you came.
Sophia moaned and slammed her eyes shut with every bite and thrust, so you kept doing it. Your pace got more steady after you came, even if your whole body was still shaking slightly as you fucked her with your thigh and kept placing bites all up and down her neck.
She came not longer after, her arms gripping around your body and scratching at your back hard. You felt spikes of pain in the wake of her nails as she moaned and hooked her powerful legs around yours. Her throes of pleasure ending with her whole body coiled around yours. You finally collapsed onto her, your pale white skin pressed against her deep chocolate.
You gasped for breath and she did too. Your eyes had been closed for a while during that but when they opened, you saw something.
It was fading from your vision and your glasses had long since fogged over but you somehow still saw it. It was the only thing you could see, other than Sophia's nude body beneath you.
A vast, endless black sky dotted with stars. Massive, countless fragments of something greater hanging in wait, watching a small world below them. Earth. One of the fragments had once been in control, guiding, and ruling all others. It had been replaced and you could feel a pang of hunger in it. A desire to grow. To expand. To collect. To be more.
You felt a spark within you as the vision faded and you clung to Sophia's form. Her breaths were heavy and eyes closed as she pressed and kissed at your neck. One of her hands snaked around, to rest on your lower back, hovering just above your rear.
"He-T-Taylor... I wanna... I... I like you." Sophia huffed before she kissed your head. You smiled, feeling your bare skin pressing against hers. It was so warm. You pressed, feeling your breasts together as you moved. She kissed you again, still with force, and still biting at your lips occasionally.
"I... I like... I like you too," You replied, shifting to rest your head in the crook of Sophia's neck. "I'm... I'm gonna miss you."
You felt Sophia expel air from her nose, not quite a laugh but something close to one. She rubbed a hand up your back. "I'll... I'll see what I can do," She said, her hand sliding over your shorts to give a quick squeeze to your rear.
You nodded, nuzzling into her neck with her strong arms wrapped around you.
Life was nice.
You weren't sure how long you laid like that, your bare chest against Sophia's almost naked body. Your glasses pressing into her neck and her hands. It didn't last nearly long enough though. Sophia eventually shifted from beneath you and you pressed against her side for a while before she glanced at your clock and said she had to leave.
You nodded and the two of you put your clothes back on. You changed underwear as Sophia had helped you make a total mess of those and Sophia used your bathroom before heading out. It wasn't until she was out the door that you fully grasped what had happened.
You hooked up with Sophia.
Sophia Hess.
Your highschool-long bully and now... fuckbuddy? Lover? You had no idea what the two of you were but the two of you fucked... and you saw something.
Trying to remember what you saw- other than Sophia's toned form.
But you couldn't.
You could just feel the spark inside of you that it'd left. Except it wasn't inside you anymore. It had moved. It had been transferred. You looked outside the window towards it, feeling it moving away from you. You saw...
Sophia.
You could feel where she was. Even as she moved further and further away. It was easy to not focus on it, to put it in the back of your mind. But any time you wanted to, you could pull it back into the forefront and feel where she was.
Creepy. Your powers were so creepy.
But you could also feel it mentally. Like you could tug on it. Not Sophia, but the Spark within her.
You almost did so. You almost started to experiment with it, to try and discover more about it.
But your phone rang. You went over to it, grabbing it and looking at who called you. Your phone showed her name and that brought a smile to your lips.
Crystal.
You picked it up, "Hey Crystal."
"Wait, how'd you know it was me?" You could hear the surprise in her voice. As you were about to open your mouth, she interrupted, "Oh. Yeah, Caller ID. Someone got a fancy new cell phone and has contacts, oooh~"
"Actually, I still wear glasses," You replied, feeling a little snarky and riding the high of... of having sex with Sophia. With beautiful, muscular, wonderful Sophia. Sex that somehow messed with your powers.
You felt the gaseous energy that surrounded you. It was still present. You could still control it. It still felt the same, at least. It was just... there was something additional. Something else. You pushed that out of your mind. It was something for later. Crystal had already replied, "Oh, ha ha." She said the words, trying to imply it was anything but funny, "Guess I'll have to call my cousin to fix that up."
You blinked, "What? No- please, you don't-"
"I won't." She replied, "Amy got puffy enough when I tried to get her to give me a boob job like she does Vicky-"
"L-Like what? Isn't she a healer?"
You could practically hear Crystal rolling her eyes, "She's more complicated than that. I'm on my way over, B-T-dubs."
You blinked, looking at your post-sex hair in your bedroom mirror before running to the bathroom to brush it. You had deodorant on and were pretty sure that- despite how intense everything just was- you didn't stink. "O-Okay?" You changed pants, throwing on leggings after thinking of how amazing Sophia's ass was in hers and then made your way down stairs.
Crystal was already pulling up. Had she seen Sophia walking?
Was Sophia walking? You didn't see her drive a car up. You felt her in your mind and decided that she must already be on the bus. You couldn't feel her body but she was moving fast enough that you assumed.
Would that've happened if you had sex with Sabah too? What the hell was going on with your power?
Crystal knocked on your door and you hopped over to open it. She looked at you, "Oh? You're not dressed like we're going to party?" She asked and you rolled your eyes before stepping out.
"And you can walk now."
Crystal crossed her arms, looking smug as she took a few steps backward. "I've been practicing~"
You felt a grin grow on your face, "Oooh. Fancy. What's the plan?"
"Stan." She said before her eyes widened a little, pink dusting on her cheeks, "Sorry, my dad says that. Um... I was thinking of just doing what we'd planned yesterday? We could drive somewhere with a nice view."
You nodded, "Sure!" And then the two of you went to her car. Idly, you wondered if your neighbors noticed a local celebrity coming to your house so often.
You and Crystal chatted, small talk. She asked what you'd been up to, you told her studying. It was technically true, you'd studied the female anatomy and alcohol in the past twenty-four hours. You didn't tell her those parts, though. Instead, she did most of the talking.
And then you reached the crest of Captain's Hill. Crystal put the car in park and you looked out towards the city. Crystal was minoring in Parahuman Studies, so she might know something is going on... but you didn't want to ask her that now. Especially because after a few minutes of taking in the Brockton Bay skyline, she spoke.
"It's pretty, from up here... It always is." You got the feeling that she was talking about being high up in general. She could fly.
"Yeah," You replied, leaning forward to rest against her dash and stare out at it.
"I... Taylor, can I tell you something?" You moved, resting your head on your arms as you looked at Crystal. Had she been staring at you the whole time?
"Yeah?"
"I..." She seemed to be considering her words. "Being a cape is so exhausting so... It's nice to be with someone who I can get away from that with. I'm sorry about yesterday." You knew it was exhausting. You felt your power and how it filled the car with some kind of smoke-like energy. You felt it feeding into Crystal.
You shook your head. "Don't apologize. It wasn't your fault-"
"It was my fault. I'm a cape- a parahuman- and because-" Again, you moved your head from side to side. "No. It's my fault, I'm a cape so I had to go and do something. I had to ditch you. I-" You moved, pressing a finger to Crystal's lips. She quirked her eyebrows, confusion filling her eyes as you shook you head a third time.
"You can't help that. You can't help what your mom does or what she makes you do." You replied, "I know you're a cape. I don't care. I want to hang out with you because you're you. Because you're the beautiful girl that crashed into my yard." That makeout session last night and the sex earlier in the morning worked wonders for your confidence. "And because I want to get to know you more. I told you that already, didn't I? Stuff like that happens. Sometimes people are busy. It's fine."
Crystal rolled her eyes, a smile on her face as she wrapped her arms around you in a hug.
Her voice was dreamy as you heard her whisper, "Yeah... Okay," And hug you tighter. You smiled back and reached to hug her with one arm, trying your best to ignore the center console that was stabbing into your side.
Sophia's Love and Loyalty increase by 1.
Sophia's Trust and Happiness has increased by 2.
Sophia's Lust has increased by 0.5
Taylor has Connected with Sophia.
Taylor's Happiness has increased by 1.
Crystal's Love has increased by 0.5
Vote for tomorrow's afternoon activity.
Remember, you can vote for as many things as you want.
Because of the Immaculata tour, you will not get a morning action.
[Afternoon] Hang out
-[Hang] Danny, Sabah, or Crystal
-- Sophia is preoccupied with gay panic
[Afternoon] Hunt for Capes
-[Hunt] Who?
[Afternoon] Get into Trouble
-[Trouble] Docks or Downtown?
[Afternoon] Work at Dollhouse
[Afternoon] Investigate Connection
-[Investigate] Alone
-[Investigate] Ask Crystal for help
-[Investigate] Ask online for help
[Afternoon] Catfish SpecificProtagonist (Madison)
[Afternoon] Write-in
Click to expand...
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
Apr 22, 2020 ReportLike QuoteReply
randomlightning, Tiufi, easty and 310 others like this.
Threadmarks: 18 - School Tours and Power Testing
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
Spoiler: Results
Monday, January 30th, 2011
Evidently, the Immaculata called your Dad on Saturday to let him know about the tour. When you came down on Monday morning dressed in a Dollhouse shirt and white jeans, he had confusion behind his glasses. You reeled in your power- which made you think about the distant spark of Sophia- so that it wouldn't affect him.
"So, were you planning on telling me how you're going to pay to go here?"
You shrugged, "Scholarship."
Your father rose his eyebrows at that statement, "Taylor, honey, I've seen your grades."
Well, that was a kick in the teeth.
"Remember the locker? They offered me a free spot there to get me out of Winslow." You shrugged as you went to pour yourself some cereal. "Guess it's charity?"
That seemed to give him some relief. Though he did bring up that neither of you had been to church since you were four- discounting the month he went briefly after Mom died- and you never felt a particular religious attachment. You brought up being in the dorms and that gave him pause but he didn't seem to push or prod for reasons why.
That made things easier.
After breakfast, the two of you made your way across town. Immaculata felt like it was on the other side of the world. It was a distant place, just outside of town sitting on a hill by itself. The campus was comprised of five buildings and the entire campus was surrounded by a fence made of brick.
The parking lot was fenced off from the rest of the campus by the same brick fence. Your father parked there and the two of you hopped out before heading towards one large building. It looked elegant, expensive, and sturdy. You and your father walked in and found a front desk where- after saying your names and why you were here- were directed to the principal's office. Strangely, compared to when you were at Winslow, you didn't feel the anxiety and emptiness that came when you went to Blackwell's.
Headmaster Kriegal reminded you of Humpty Dumpty. Not because he was a portly man- he was- or because bald- he was definitely getting there. But because he looked like he could fall apart at any second. He was old enough to have a hairless top to his head and liver spots dotting him. His jowls and neck drooped and he walked with a cane. He didn't look mean or stern, he looked more like a concerned grandfather with at least some degree of confusion on his face at all times behind some tiny, round glasses. He didn't look upset though, more content and pleased.
"Mister and Miss Hebert, great to see you," He stated before taking a sheaf of papers and flipping through them. There was a brief conversation as he asked you and your father about the drive before he got to brass tacks and began to properly read the papers before him. He nodded occasionally, squinting to read and occasionally bringing the papers close to his face. "Your grades are... well below what we'd like but considering the prior ones and your situation... and because of the request of outside parties we'd be happy to have you."
He informed you and your dad about a number of things. What your schedule would be and that remedial courses would be in order. That the dorms were gendered with dorm buildings on opposite sides of the campus. People weren't allowed in the dorms of opposite sexes. There was a curfew for students that lived on campus but after hearing about your job he said that exceptions could be arranged. Then, he called in two people, a student and a nun to give a tour to you and your father separately.
Your tour guide was a girl who was about your age. She had brown hair and blue eyes and introduced herself as Jocelyn and showed you around. The school consisted of five buildings, one that was primarily for classes, another for extracurriculars, the gym, and the like. Two were dorm buildings for students who lived on campus and the last was a church. She told you that you'd get someone on your first day to tell you where you're going to live and go to classes. It's apparently common for on-campus students from in-town to go home for the weekends and holidays, though some stick around to hang out with out-of-towners.
What you saw of the students was also a good bit of information. There was a divide on campus, like super cliques that contained smaller ones. It was a separation between the rich kids that were there to be with friends and because it was an elite school and the rich kids that were there because it was a Christian university. The former vastly outnumbered the latter and you saw how they snubbed at each other. After lunch with Jocelyn, you pegged her in the latter camp when she prayed before her meal with the rest of the table.
You also learned at lunch about your equivalent at the school. Its social pariah was a girl named Tammi who Jocelyn spotted down the hall and warned you to avoid. She didn't do it within earshot of the girl. Apparently, she was known for a few racist statements and a snappy attitude. There were rumors- ones that were probably unfounded- that she was involved in Empire businesses. That was probably an exaggeration, it was hard to believe that a girl that was somewhere between late thirteen and early fifteen was a gang member or- as others speculated- a gang whore. You didn't even know those were things. Apparently, the Empire was the only major gang with influence at the school. Some students, Jocelyn called them 'The bad, partying ones' would occasionally get hookups from Merchants for parties but everyone agreed that those were rumors too or at least rare enough to be legends.
You got the idea that the rumor mill was constantly running around this school.
After lunch, you and your father were brought to sign more paperwork to confirm your transfer and then were sent home. He told you about his tour, which had stuff you would've been interested in but your tour guide had skimped out on. Things like how the school's academia and organization work. It was important information but they hadn't given it to you, deeming you a child.
It felt belittling and insulting and you didn't like it.
Still, you were going to start there on Thursday. And you looked forward to it.
But, eventually, you made it home. Your gut instinct was Sabah. You missed her. You wanted to talk to her, to figure out what Saturday night had been. To... to hold her again. But the thought of your bodies pressed together reminded you of someone else. Someone you could feel the location of.
Someone you could feel in the direction of Winslow.
Sophia Hess. The girl you'd connected or bonded to. The girl you could feel the presence of. The girl that had affected your power. The girl who'd taken your virginity.
Sophia.
You knew that whatever was going on with your power was far more important than going into work. Hell, you didn't even know off the top of your head if it was Parian's or Sabah's day. And this... this discovery with your powers could be bad. What if Sophia could feel your location? What if you could summon each other or something?
You shut your eyes. If you could summon each other through it, then you'd have to come clean about your power to Sophia. But if you didn't at least try it, then what was the point in even having it?
So, you went to your room and stood in the middle of it. You focused on Sophia, on that Spark. You realized that it was in you too. A connection between the two of you. You focused on it and felt it swell. You shut your eyes, felt your aura that washed over your room. Felt her in the distance.
And there was a shift inside of you. It made you open your eyes and you could see a small, hole in your chest. Literally. It was about the size of a women's basketball and was almost see through. Like that portion of your body had been turned to mist. A pale white-blue color hid your insides from view but you could firmly see a ghostly hole in your chest.
You could make that hole disappear too, your normal torso coming back. You played around with it for about an hour and found that you could move it or make it appear elsewhere. A phantom hole in your body.
Through your testing, you found that you could stick things through the whole or- if you made your arm into a phantom one- could stick yourself through stuff. Going through walls was virtually impossible as when it was at your hips, the sides of them wouldn't fit and despite being ghostly, they still kept stuff separated.
You also found out that you couldn't go through wires. It was like touching one as a person, a shock of pain that made your body instinctively recoil.
That was when you realized it.
It was... It was like a far weaker, far more situational version of Shadow Stalker's power. But why would having sex with Sophia give you Shadow Stalker's power? Even if she'd just been nearby, you'd been near capes like Crystal and Parian and hadn't gotten their powers. You'd even been near Shadow Stalker when she snuck into your room and touched you and that hadn't been enough to steal or copy or whatever her powers.
So why?
Then it all clicked. Shadow Stalker broke into your room and apologized. She brushed your hair back. She went to Winslow and got you transferred out of there. But why when she did? Why not immediately with the locker or the times prior to that? Why was it that once you started to use your power to make Sophia love you, then was when Shadow Stalker felt bad? What did Emma have over Sophia to keep her on a leash?
It was so, so obvious.
Emma was Shadow Stalker.
That still wouldn't explain how you got the power though but it fit. Emma was suddenly different after you came back from camp. She was friends with Sophia then too. That was during the time that Shadow Stalker was a vigilante so...
So what really made sense was that Sophia was Shadow Stalker instead.
And you'd taken her powers? You clicked open some news articles from yesterday to see if Shadow Stalker had been patrolling and she had. She even used her powers on camera once.
So you hadn't stolen them, just... copied them? You fucked Sophia and copied her powers?
That couldn't have been your power's doing. It was too perverse and strange and you were sure that if sex resulted in shared powers, then it would be a well-documented phenomenon considering New Wave and other famous Cape relationships. So it had to be part of your power...
You got on your phone and started a deep dive of research.
You got some results too. You already found out about trigger events, something the internet says can happen during periods of extreme emotion but your research led you to something called Multi-triggers. Capes with varying degrees of connections and frequently minor expressions of another person in their multi-trigger group's major power. You found out about capes like Glaistig Uaine who could steal powers and express them but those were the normal versions. There was also a cape named Spright who could copy powers. So it wasn't unprecedented. You guessed your power somehow worked like that.
From your brief, solo research, you guessed that your power gave you a lesser version of Shadow Stalker- of Sophia's- power. It was probably somewhat similar to those multi-trigger things. You guessed, though, that your power hadn't given itself to Sophia. Something might've happened to her power though. Maybe some kind of boost to it, like what the cape Ingenue does?
It was your best bet, working alone.
You also had a theory about how it had happened. You and Sophia had sex. Something you'd never done and something Sophia mentioned wanting to do so, so badly. So, you gathered that it had less to do with sex and more what the sex did for the two of you. It was a point of powerful passion between you and someone you mastered.
The key wasn't sex, it was powerful emotions. Drowning in those emotions with the other person. It was both of you feeling something so heavily, that it lowered the gate and your power could reach through those emotions to connect.
You gained a lesser version of her power, Sophia gained an improvement onto her power.
You felt, instinctively, that your copy of her power would always be inferior but the closer the bond between you, the stronger your copy would be. Never as good. Never even half as good. But maybe enough to let you awkwardly struggle through walls or reflexively avoid attacks.
You sat down, parsing all the information you'd learned.
You still had so many questions.
Was there a limit? Could you for connections with non-capes?
How much did this change? Knowing that your power wanted you- would encourage you- to pursue strong connections and bring out powerful emotions within others? Knowing that you could grow stronger the more people you connected with? Knowing that you weren't restricted to just being a Master anymore.
You breathed out, trying to wrap your head around it all.
You really, really needed a nap.
Taylor's stress increased by 1 due to going to a new school.
Taylor learned more about her powers! Power sheet updated!
Taylor gained the lesser power: Little Ghost
Taylor will not start at Immaculata until Thursday.
Vote for as many as you wish, the top two will be chosen.
[Afternoon] Hang out
-[Hang] Danny, Sabah, Sophia, or Crystal
[Afternoon] Hunt for Capes
-[Hunt] Who?
[Afternoon] Get into Trouble
-[Trouble] Docks or Downtown
[Afternoon] Work at Dollhouse
[Afternoon] Mess around online
-[Online] Catfish SpecificProtagonist (Madison)
-[Online] Meet someone new
[Afternoon] Write-in
Click to expand...
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
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randomlightning, Tiufi, adisander and 293 others like this.
Threadmarks: 19 - Dollhouse and Crystal's Room
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
Tuesday, January 31st, 2011
The whole day was ahead of you and it was a weekday.
Starting out, you weren't sure what you should be doing. You lounged around for the first part of the morning but everything felt so... antsy.
Sophia wasn't at school. She wasn't in the right direction for it but you... you had had sex with her. You still weren't sure what that meant between the two of you.
There was also the situation with Sabah. It wasn't a bad one but... but you two had kissed. You had slept with her in your underwear. You hadn't done anything but... but you felt like you could've. Like you still could. Sabah was off all day but... but you should probably work. You were out of cash.
So, you called the Dollhouse. Parian picked up, asked why you weren't in class, and after you explained and asked to come in, she said sure. So, you hopped outside wearing a sky-blue and white Dollhouse shirt with some white jeans. Maybe you could get some glasses some time that weren't black-rimmed?
The Dollhouse wasn't especially busy. A few people meandered around the store as you walked in and over to Parian, who stiffened upon seeing you. Had you done something wrong?
You casually walked up to your parahuman boss, "Hey boss. I'm here."
Parian brushed her blonde hair back and nodded, "Yup. Yup, you... you sure are." Was Parian flustered? You supposed- in hindsight- you had been using your aura on her as well. You'd never really put too much thought into that but it was a fact. She was as exposed to your aura as Sabah or Crystal. On that thought, you reeled your power into yourself.
Did Parian like you too? How much had you affected her? Is that why she stiffened and was nervous or was there another reason? "Are you okay?"
You could see Parian blinking beneath her mask, black eye shadow concealing the skin of her eyelids. "Oh, um, yeah. I'm great. Awesome. Peachy. Wonderful." She squeaked the last word before glancing around, "I am a bit tired... there's something I've been meaning to ask you about."
Was this it? Was Parian going to confess that she'd only hired you because of a deep, powerful love for you? "Wh-What it is?"
"I... I might start having you work your own shifts. Just so that I- er- so that Sabah and I can have a break." You blinked. She was tired. That was why she was acting so nervous and antsy around you.
"Oh, um, sure! Yeah, if you think I'm ready then I'd be fine with that?" You asked, glancing around the store. It wasn't exactly hard work and while it meant you might not get to see Parian or Sabah during your shift, it might mean you get to focus more on customers. Plus it's not like you'd never work together it would just be... more uncommon.
You weren't sure what Sabah thought about it.
Parian nodded, looking around the room before going to walk from behind the counter. You looked at her and thought for a moment before following after, she turned to face you. "Hey, Parian?"
The victorian, porcelain doll girl turned to face you, "Wh-What?"
"Can I ask you... um, can I ask you something?" You said, reaching out to encapsulate her in your power.
She nodded, "Ummm... s-sure?" Why did being tired seem to make her so easily flustered? You couldn't see her face but you could still get the sense from her tone.
"Do... How... You've been in relationships, right?" That made Parian stiffen. She, uncertainly, nodded her head. That sense of awkward nervousness seemed to be magnified a hundredfold. You couldn't tell if she was lying or just embarrassed by the question. Maybe it was the PR if customers overheard the question? "How... How do you tell someone that you like them?"
Parian stiffened again. A rapid series of blinks behind her mouth before she made an audible gulp. She coughed in her hand before shaking her head, her blonde curls bouncing. "Wh-Why are you asking me? I-Is there someone y-you like? Do you like, um, d-are..." Parian seemed utterly flustered as she glanced around, "Wh-Who do you like? What's her name-err- what's his name- o-or their-or um, who is it?" Parian asked, suddenly leaning in. She had never struck you for the gossiping type but, then again, you'd never assumed any capes were the gossiping type until you met Crystal.
You tried to think about that instead of how red your cheeks were getting.
"It-Does-d-does it matter?" You asked, stiffening yourself as you glanced around the room.
Parian rose a hand to her plastic cheek, shaking her head. "N-No, um, no it doesn't... Is-is it... Um, I was just wondering if it was..."
"S-Sabah?" You guessed. It was the only person that the two of you both knew. It was the only person to make sense about asking about.
It was the person you were talking about.
You felt like you were going to puke as you said the name. As you admitted to your manager that you were crushing on your coworker. Your older coworker. The one that had recommended you for the position.
Parian, for her part, seemed to have broken. She just stared at you like you'd said you were the Simurgh.
You swallowed as she stared at you, her impassive porcelain mask was unreadable.
Suddenly, the impossibility of it became obvious. Sabah was your coworker but she was also five years older than you. Half of a decade. She was old enough to buy alcohol while you could barely drive a car. It made you feel... a little dirty. Scandalous. But at the same time you liked her. You really, really liked her.
And you'd thought about doing the same thing to Miss Militia who was even older ever since that PSA. You'd thought of doing it to Vista who was younger. Sabah was old, but... but who cares?
You had your power and you knew- maybe because of it or maybe because of how she acted- that she liked you, Parian's approval or not.
"P-Parian?"
The girl squeaked before looking around. A customer seemed to need help and she hurried over.
Well, that was certainly of no help to anyone.
Parian eventually calmed down but the two of you hadn't broached the subject again. She didn't speak to you too much. Eventually, you decided to turn in for the day.
You clocked out and when you walked out the door, you flipped out your phone and sent a text to Crystal.
You: You free?
Crystal: Yup :)
Crystal: Wanna meet up??
That had been the response that you were hoping for! As you read the words you grinned and shot a text back.
You: Sure!
You: I'm at the Boardwalk.
You got a text from Crystal saying that she was on the way. As you neared the edge of the Boardwalk, though, you heard a voice.
"Pssst! Taylor!"
You glanced into the alley between shops and saw Crystal, dressed in black leggings with a red skirt, white top, and her red, cropped jacket. You glanced at her in the alley, confusion on your face as you moved over to her.
"Cryst...al?" You asked and she gave you a look like you were crazy. "Why?"
"I can't land on the Boardwalk and grab you! So I'm here."
That explained why you were in the alley but it didn't explain one important thing, "Why didn't you drive?"
"I didn't have my car when you texted," She replied as if it were obvious before stepping towards you. She reached out a hand. "Ready?"
Oh. Oh, you were going to fly again. Your eyes must've lit up because a smile cracked across Crystal's face as you came over and she wrapped her arms around you. They were tight, firmly beneath your shoulders and across your belly. You were very aware of just how far up your belly they were as Crystal shot up into the sky.
And you were flying. Soaring through the skies pressed against one of the most beautiful girls you'd ever laid eyes on. Sabah was cute, in her timid, non-confrontational way. Sophia was sexy in her athletic, tough way. But Crystal? Crystal was gorgeous. She could've been a celebrity even without the powers.
And here you were, soaring through the sky with her pressing you against your body. You could feel your power soaking into her through the touch. You could feel the wind coursing past you. You felt amazing as you watched the cars and people walk below like toys.
And all too quickly, it ended.
You landed on the roof of a house. It was the sort with two roofs, this one seemed to top a connected garage that Crystal landed on and then climbed from into a window to a room proper. Decorated in various shades of whites, pinks, and reds. It looked traditionally girlish. Like a poster from a teen girl's magazine. White wooden furniture decorated in pinks and reds. More reds, the pinks only accented it. "The color scheme is even here?" You asked.
"My color is red because red's my favorite color," That made sense but at the same time, you felt like it was a weird sentence. "What's up?"
"I... I'm moving to Immaculata," You said. It seemed to be the only important thing that Crystal needed to know. You weren't going to tell her about fucking Sophia or making out with Sabah, that's for sure.
Crystal's eyes went wider as a little laugh escaped her lips, "For real? That's awesome! That's only, like, a few miles away." That... made a lot of sense. Immaculata was in the rich part of town and of course, Crystal Pelham, Laserdream, a local, famous cape would live close by.
That... was relieving. Knowing that a powerful, famous cape and close friend was within walking distance to the school. Knowing that, should things go to shit, you could sprint over here to Crystal's arms. She could wrap you in them, use her lasers to sear away your clothes, and- You stopped that train of thought before it could divulge into something inappropriate.
You walked around Crystal's room as she glanced at the door, "Try... Try not to make too much noise? My parents don't know I have visitors and technically I'm supposed to be ready just in case anything bad happens."
You blinked, "Anything bad?"
"Vicky and Eric are out on patrol. My mom is worried that something bad is gonna happen. There's... there's a bomb threat at a university a state over. Parahuman."
"How... why would that affect stuff here?"
Crystal shrugged, "I don't know. Mom and Aunt Carol can be paranoid about stuff." You nodded. You remembered- even now- how it felt to have a worried mom. Your dad tried to be that at times but his attempts always felt... hollow. Like he was concerned out of necessity and not because of his heart. He was better about that now but...
"That's... yeah. How are things between you and your mom?"
Crystal sighed, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. "Better than things between me and my dad." You felt like that was a can of worms that you didn't want to dive into. So instead, you moved to wrap your arms around her in a hug. Crystal seemed to melt into it and returned it. She spoke, her voice quiet, as you held one another, "Things... things aren't bad with them. They're nice and great it's just... they can smother me. Between being my bosses as a hero and my parents as a normal person it's... it's a lot." She pulled away and smiled at you. "That's why... I'm glad to have a friend like you."
You smiled at her, "I'm glad to be your friend too."
She seemed to laugh more, glancing up at you and then brushing her hair behind her ear. "I... I want to try and hang out more. It's hard, my schedule is hectic but... I like you." Crystal said with a smile. "A lot."
You smiled back, moving to give her another, tight hug. A spike of anxiety stabbed into you before you moved to kiss her cheek. "I like you too."
There was more Crystal wanted to say about it. She had something else to say but something made her back down. She glanced out the window, "So... how's Immaculata?"
Your conversation continued a lot like that. Talking about school or college or life. You chatted about how working at the Dollhouse was and Crystal promised to come by some time. You told her you'd try and snag her a deal if she did which seemed to make her giddy. It was nice.
It was really, really nice.
Until she got a call. Apparently Eric and Vicky, who you learned were called Shielder and Glory Girl through your research, encountered Mush and Squealer. That led to a fight and Crystal said she'd have to go be backup. You nodded and she apologized. You offered to walk home and that seemed to make her feel guilty but you could see her worry for her younger brother and cousin in her eyes.
You assured her it'd be fine and walked home.
Taylor's Funds increased by 1.
Sabah's Lust went down by 1.
Sabah's Love went up by 0.5
Same routine as always.
Vote for any number of options, top 2 win.
[Afternoon] Hang out
-[Hang] Danny, Sabah, Sophia, or Crystal
[Afternoon] Hunt for Capes
-[Hunt] Who?
[Afternoon] Get into Trouble
-[Trouble] Docks or Downtown
[Afternoon] Mess around online
-[Online] Catfish SpecificProtagonist (Madison)
-[Online] Meet someone new
[Afternoon] Write-in
Click to expand...
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
Apr 24, 2020 ReportLike QuoteReply
randomlightning, Tiufi, easty and 294 others like this.
Threadmarks: 20 - Bad Days
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
Wednesday, February 1st, 2011
You start the day like every other, waking up around seven in the morning, showering, and then waltzing downstairs for breakfast. Dad either pulled an all nighter, was sleeping in, or had already left for work because you were alone down there, eating a bowl of cereal all by your lonesome.
Being lonely was bored.
You pulled out your cellphone after throwing on a white-t shirt and jeans, it was basic but this was your last day before Immaculata. You deserved to be a little lazy. You dialed Sabah's number and she didn't answer. You frowned and, after debating calling the Dollhouse, decided to call her again. This time, thankfully, she picked up after a few rings.
"Hey, Tay," She sounded tired and you suddenly remembered that she was a late riser.
Still, you already had her on the line and so you might as well keep talking, right? So you gave a cheerful, "Hey, I... I was wondering if you'd want to hang out? Before you go into work?" There was a pause and you decided to fill the awkward silence, "We could kiss- or- or cuddle, I mean, or watch TV or I could bring you breakfast or we could just-" You heard a sigh and stopped. It wasn't the dreamy sort of sigh you had hoped for either, more of a tired, exhausted one. "Sabah?"
"Taylor... I... I don't know if we... should," Just like that, with that simple sentence, you felt your world crack. What did she mean? The two of you shouldn't hang out because she had work earlier or- or...
"Wh-What do you mean?" You felt your voice start to crack at the last sentence, moving to sit on the couch and curl up. The phone felt suddenly cold against your cheek, in fact the whole room was frigid.
"It's... You're... I like you but you're..." You could feel the next words. The words that hung in the air through the line.
"I'm..." You said the words like they were a question but they weren't. You wanted her to say something, anything other than what you knew was coming. Anything other than the sentence that hung in your brain.
Sabah said the words in your head regardless, "You're sixteen," She admitted, her voice sounding somehow both hollow and accepting. Like the words of a man sentenced to the birdcage, knowing there's no alternative. "And you're my- my coworker. I... I like you- Taylor- I really, really like you. It's just... It's complicated, okay?"
The words clung to your throat. Hanging there, your mouth scared to make the sounds, afraid that saying something would continue this reality. As if being silent would undo it. "O-Okay."
You could hear your voice trembling through the echo on her phone.
"Taylor... I'm... I'm sorry, I really, really am. You're wonderful and cute and sweet but... but I've thought about this a lot and there's an age gap and the working together and... yeah. I... I..." You could hear Sabah getting choked up. You could feel the pleading in her voice and you got the feeling she was talking more to herself than you. You could feel your eyes burning too. You could feel the tears beginning to blossom beneath your eyes.
"S-Sabah," You felt the words leak out. You felt your tears filling the sounds. You felt your grip tightening on the phone, scared that if it slipped away so would Sabah.
"I... I'm not saying I don't like you," You could hear sadness flooding her voice too, leaking through in hurt breaths and cracked syllables. Her voice was distraught, wishing just like you that somehow this wasn't the case. That there was some magic way to change it. "I do... I do like you, Taylor. I really, really, really do. But back when I was your age, I still thought I was straight and- and... and I'm not saying we can't... we can't do stuff together or be together or anything I..." You could hear her floundering. You could imagine her chewing her lip, hoping for something but not knowing what. "I just need time to think about... this. Us. You... I don't know. Just... I don't know."
You didn't know what to say. You felt shocked. Like the whole world was going to crumble away. Like everything was starting to fall apart. Your connection with Sophia and the fear that whatever it did to her- whether that being the power boost that you speculate or something else- was going to lead to her figuring something out. To the fact that Crystal's life kept shutting you out. To... to this.
You whispered the words, "I-I'll... I'll miss you," Managing to only let the tears that were rolling down your cheeks sleep through at the beginning.
Sabah sounded broken, her voice empty and yet still wracked with grief, "I... I'll miss you too. Just... just let me think. Please." You could hear her swallowing back tears before she half-whispered, half mumbled a "Bye" and hung up.
You flopped onto the couch, grabbing a blanket from the back of it and coiling yourself up in it.
Why?
Why did things always go bad when they finally got okay? Why did things always break after they got better? Sabah left you when you finally felt like you had someone who cared. Not like Sophia's rough love but a gentle, pleasant nice love. When things were at their best, why did they crumble? After finally getting your powers under wrap, why did you find new facets that encouraged you to do things? Why were you given a power that did this.
Your whole body trembled, shaking as tears rolled down your face. Your breaths made everything feel hot despite the fact that your mind felt frozen. The blanket wrapped around you felt like a shield, warding away the world while trapping everything inside.
Why was it when you felt like you were atop a mountain of joy, the fall was so much bigger? Why did Emma leave you when you'd finally started to feel better about your Mom's death? Why did Emma and her crew put you in your locker with that thing? Why did Endbringers attack? Why was the world such an awful, dreadful place where it only wanted to destroy everything you clung to?
Why did... why did...
Just why?
You didn't know how long you laid, pulling that blanket around yourself tight enough to make your arms ache. How long you had cried, to the point where you couldn't breathe and your eyes felt like fire despite running out of tears. You couldn't even see with your glasses fogged up and you couldn't breathe through your nose because of the snot.
You felt hollow when you stood up.
Empty.
Sabah might be leaving you. Sabah might be staying. All because of a stupid, stupid age difference. You could fix that though. You couldn't fix that but you could make her like you even more. She didn't want to see you but she didn't have to know... or, or you could get more people. You could enthrall someone older to make her see that it was okay. Or someone younger. You could... you could...
You shook your head.
You could do all of those but did you want to? Did you want to force more people into this web of yours, to make them love and treasure you? Part of you said yes. Part of you begged and pleaded that you needed more people. You couldn't handle being alone or abandoned anymore. You couldn't be isolated anymore.
Another part of you screamed at that. All of these- Sabah, Sophia, Crystal- were all built on lies and falsehoods. You were forcing them to love you, to lust for you, to trust you. You were making them yours. What made you better than someone like Heartbreaker or his children or Valefor or... or The Simurgh?
Sabah, at least, felt like she liked you for you and here she was, liable to either love you and be yours or leave you and you had no idea which she would choose.
Anxiety was like a knife, stabbing into your gut, and slicing your heart.
You picked yourself up, stumbling to grab a tissue to clean your nose and then a second to wipe your glasses.
You really, really didn't want to be alone. Not again.
Your power pulsed around you, pressing at the walls. It seemed... more. You reeled it and it struggled against your grasp, harder than ever before. It was like holding back a starved dog from food. All you wanted was for people to care, to finally, really care about you.
You wiped your face and went to the bathroom to wash it. Sabah... you could use your power on her in secret or not, but all you could really do about her was wait. Wait for her to say something. You looked at the mirror, your eyes puffy and pink.
But for now, you'd make sure you weren't alone. You'd find someone else. Maybe multiple people. You'd... You'd strengthen what you had too. You had the power to not be alone, no matter how immoral it was.
Maybe today you'd go out and meet someone new?
Someone who could care about you. Someone who wouldn't abandon you.
So, you waited for the puffiness to fade from your face, for the red to leave it, and then headed out.
You checked out your phone, spotting a few pictures of Wards being spotted Downtown on a Vista fanpage. It was Vista and Browbeat. An adorable girl who could prove that you were okay with an age gap- a lesser one than between you and Sabah, sure- and a super-strong beefcake of a boy? You smiled at your phone as you hopped on the bus that headed their way.
The smile and your thoughts made you feel evil. Villainous.
You shook your head. You didn't- wouldn't- be a villain. You weren't going to enslave them, just befriend them.
That made it seem even more sinister.
Regardless, the bus dropped you off and you started to wander. You made your way around Downtown, spotting various stores and businesses as they ran. You saw maintenance and cleaning being done. It was a stark contrast here to the Docks. Here, there were jobs and money with no fear of protection rackets or dragons. Here, people didn't glance over their shoulders and you even spotted police cars on patrol- their lights weren't even on and they were driving around.
After a few hours of walking, You spotted some people pointing and looked up. The buildings seemed to curve and looking at it made your eyes hurt a little. It was like a stylized movie or a photo with an exaggerated fisheye lens. The tops of the buildings were touching and you spotted a pair step across the gap like it was a crack in the sidewalk, without a care in the world.
Bingo.
You reached up with your power and as the gap normalized. You expanded it on the rooftops but you couldn't feel them in it.
Well shit. You moved in the direction they had been walking and saw another building snap awkwardly back into place. They'd already crossed another section of rooftops and it was only by following Vista's distortion that you managed to track them. A few moments passed as you tried to sneakily walk their way, trying to catch up while also not looking suspicious. Getting caught chasing the Wards was probably a one-way ticket to being questioned and you didn't know if the Protectorate had a way to discover your powers.
So you snaked your powers, letting it expand across the rooftops like a gas grenade while it was tethered to you. Occasionally, you'd clip them at the edge before your power started to wonk weirdly and occasionally you'd send it through that wonky space only for your power to be out of range when Vista dispelled it. You felt the parts that were clipped past your range dissipating and it took a few moments to restore the gaseous energy that made up your power.
They sped up. You could see the snapping and resetting happened quicker and it occurred to you what it was.
They were running.
Had they detected your power? Were they more trained than Sophia? Vista had been a Ward for years, was her training good enough to detect your influence, as minor as it would be with the clipping?
Despite knowing it was a bad, horrible idea, you chased after them, feeling what direction they were going when your power clipped them. It wasn't hard. They were on rooftops and were moving in a seemingly straight line. You ducked through alleys, hopped fences, and ran as fast as you could after them.
You wanted to meet them. If the Protectorate caught you, you'd claim it was to thank them if your trailing had been what tipped them off. If it was your power then... then you'd join the Wards and get them anyways. If you got sent to the Birdcage then... then at least you wouldn't be alone anymore.
After what felt like forever of chasing, positive that at any moment Miss Militia or Velocity or someone would come and catch you, you found that they weren't running from you.
They were running towards something else.
This was firmly in Empire territory as they slowed to a stop, finally letting you catch up with them and engulf them in a sea of your power, you could see and hear something at the edge of the alley. Creeping forward to glance out of it, hiding behind a corner, you could see what was going on.
A battle.
You let your power flood the area, feeling where it wasn't to find people and things.
You were standing beside a two-story coffee shop, in the alley between it and a three-story building. You could see, in the road, a battle raged.
A slug made of pizza boxes, trash cans, and refuse was flinging parts of itself at a hound made of whirling blades. The boxes and metal alike were shredded by the shifting saws and swords. As the creature lumbered forward, he was pelted with more garbage. The shattered pieces only flew back to the massive, trash monster as it pulled in more, flinging metal at buildings to create more debris for itself. Growing. A massive, metal vehicle that looked like someone had heard of a motorcycle and decided to weld some metal at sharp angles to give it a cockpit, and put a tank cannon on top of it sat. Like some kind of strange pillbox-meets tank- meets dumpster- meets motorcycle. Some spikes were spearing from it into the ground, latching it in place as a third Merchant laid arrows on the ground. There was another girl, with a buzzed head and a cage around it to obscure her features. Occasionally, she would try to move forward at the man laying arrows only to get shot at by a gun from the slit window of the 'motorcycle' as small tires rolled out the back of it. You realized those tires were moving by themselves, spreading out around the area. Drones.
It was a standoff.
You recognized them from your research. Squealer, Mush, and Skidmark- most of the Archer's Bridge Merchants- versus Hookwolf and Cricket. You could feel other shapes in the wings. Probably gang members from one side or the other. You could feel the tension in the air and you knew what this was. A standoff.
The Three Merchants were setting up. Skidmark with his arrows that seemed to even affect your power, making small wind tunnels of it. Mush, collecting debris and refuse, expanding his arsenal and protection as he grew in size. Squealer, setting up her drones, maybe even making more as you saw some scraps of metal being thrown at her by Mush and collected by drones or pale, thin arms that poked out a door on the 'motorcycle'.
Presumably, the Wards- Vista and Browbeat- and the Empire capes- Hookwolf and Cricket- had the same strategy: Wait for reinforcements. The Merchants were already well setup and seemed to have the pair of Empire capes countered.
You got the feeling that the Merchants recognized that too. Preparing and wanting to be setup before the Empire's reinforcements got there.
It was a powderkeg and you didn't know if you wanted to be here when it exploded.
Taylor's Happiness has dropped by 1.5.
Taylor's Stress has increased by 2.
Sabah's Happiness has dropped by 2.25
Vote for as many and as much as you want, as per the new norm with this quest.
High votes that do not win may influence plan or be swapped to if needed.
(IE: If Hide wins and Taylor is found, she may pretend to be a Damsel in Distress)
What will you do?
[Battle] Run
-- Safest option but you won't meet anyone
-- Unless someone finds you running away.
[Battle] Hide
-- They'd hopefully be busy with the fight.
-- You'd be at the mercy of whoever found you.
[Battle] Fight and Help a Side
- [Join] Who?
-- The side you join will be more inclined to like and help you in the future
-- This could get Taylor labeled as a Hero or Villain
[Battle] Fight and Draw Things Out
-- More Capes will join the fight, it will get bigger and more dangerous.
-- Taylor will have more options for Influencing.
[Battle] Improvise a Costume
-- Mutually exclusive with Damsel in Distress
-- You're in a shopping area, it won't look great but you could improvise
[Battle] Play Damsel in Distress
-- Mutually exclusive with Improvise a Costume
-- You'll be at risk at harm and have no idea who'll save you.
Will You use your powers?
[Powers] Influence only
[Powers] Casper only
[Powers] Both
If she's using her Influence power, then on who?
[Influence] Individual (Who)
-- It can be someone present or not. If they don't show up, the vote won't be counted.
-- I already have a list of who will appear in this battle.
[Influence] Group (Merchants, Empire, Wards, Protectorate)
Click to expand...
-- Less effective than targetting but easier to do.
-- The group you influence will be more liable to appear in the future
[Influence] Everyone
-- Least effective. Low enough rolls may result in nobody being added to Characters.
-- Even in that case, it will provide a boost to hunting for and finding everyone here later.
Click to expand...
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
Apr 26, 2020 ReportLike QuoteReply
randomlightning, easty, adisander and 236 others like this.
Threadmarks: 21 - Taylor's First Brawl
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
You were nowhere near ready to fight. Maybe if you got another power or two you could do something but as it is, you had your Influence power that doubled as a poor thinker power thanks to the area-sense it gave and your immaterial ability you got from Sophia.
Neither of those would help you achieve anything here. Plus you didn't have a costume!
You ducked down behind a dumpster as your mind raced with possibilities. There were too many capes here to give up. You lost Sabah and were too slow to catch Vista earlier. You had to get something out of today, right?
You couldn't run.
So you hid. You ducked down behind a dumpster. If anyone found you, hopefully, they would help rather than hurt. You'd wait out the fight here while sitting back. You reached up and washed your power over Vista and Browbeat, leaning back and hoping you wouldn't get found.
You felt the heroes shifting, talking to one another.
You chewed on your lip, going to move forward and glance out at the villains on the street.
Hookwolf was prowling, getting pelted by Mush whenever the hound of blades tried to move forward. Skidmark was running around and setting arrows here and there when Mush and Squealer managed to push back Cricket. That left a single, stationary villain. She was in her weird artillery-motorcycle-hybrid that had anchored itself into the road.
You put a tube of power in an arc, stretching over the soon-to-be battleground and letting it flood into Squealer's vehicle through the openings.
You sat back, closed your eyes, and waited. You pumped your power into the three capes, feeling it slowly slipping into them.
Now it was just a matter of waiting. You shut your eyes and hoped that you wouldn't go down in history as a piece of collateral damage.
The occasional sound of metal being rent by Hookwolf or warding gunshots against Cricket made you flinch. The only comfort was your power and focusing on it. Thinking about how soon, maybe, if you were lucky you would have three new people who finally, finally would like you.
Then you heard a chuckle that sounded like a mix of a bassy laugh and metal clanging. Hesitantly, nervously, you moved closer to the mouth of the alley to get a better view.
Hookwolf was laughing, in a sort of howling position with his head moving. It looked almost exaggerated or played up. "Better run, if you know what's good for you," He boomed, his whirring body seemed oddly tense. Like a lion preparing to pounce or roar. A part of you wondered why he was speaking now of all times then you saw the reason.
The cavalry had arrived.
Three more capes. A man dressed in armor had a half dozen phantom-like copies of himself. Those ghostly copies were sailing through the air as if hadn't been there, carrying him and the other two newcomers. He was Crusader. The other two- a man who looked like he had been bleached white, his hair and skin the color of snow or ivory, Alabaster- and a woman who was brave enough to wear a tomato red bodysuit, a black diamond with legs on her stomach. Bodysuits took a certain type of body type to pull off. Crystal had it and so did this girl. Othala. She had less definition than Crystal but put her curves to shame.
You knew them. Crusader could make ethereal copies of himself, a legion of ghosts that could fly and pass through inorganic material while still being able to affect the organic. You didn't know how many he could make but seeing as someone online had described it as a 'legion of ghosts', you had a feeling it was quite a few. Alabaster was a brute, his body would reset back to a pristine state periodically. Othala could temporarily give others powers, with a wide array of what those powers could be.
You watched- avoiding staring at Othala's curves only for your eyes to land on her hand, pressed to Alabaster's toned, muscular chest. You shut off your brain, shaking your head.
Dumb bisexual brain. Were you bi? Were you gay?
Now was NOT the time to be worried about that.
"We ain't doin' shit! You shit-for-brains better leave before I get my fucktoys here to ram their cocks in your mouths, you nazi fuckos!" Skidmark shouted.
He made some good points, but you knew that it said online Squealer was a girl, and judging by the massive assets you'd seen on pictures of her when she was outside of her vehicles, you trusted those statements.
"This is our turf. We have more capes coming. You'll pay in blood if you don't leave. Now." Hookwolf paused and you could hear metal scraping asphalt as he moved forward, "You should be happy I'm making an offer like that to someone like you."
"The fuck you mean someone like me?" Skidmark asked and you caught a glimpse of him patting his chest. "It's cause I'm fuckin' black, ain't it? You righteous dick for balls think you're better than me?"
"I am better than you, degenerate." You heard metal grinding metal as Hookwolf turned his head, "I tried to be nice, didn't I?"
You couldn't tell who he was talking to nor could you hear the reply.
All you could do was hold your breath and hoped the heroes got there soon enough to stop this brawl.
You could feel the tension in Vista, in Browbeat, and even in Squealer. Their bodies were tense within your power.
Squealer's hand was shaking as she fired the first shot.
You heard it bang but couldn't see the results. You could see Hookwolf lunging, charging at Squealer only for Mush to lash at him with a tendril of trash, batting him back in a wave of refuse. A wave of heat from Alabaster incinerated some of the smaller garbage and heated Hookwolf's blades for a few seconds before the hound charged back into the fray.
Alabaster charged forward with him, getting a thousand slashes from tattered glass and not reacting until Skidmark threw an arrow down and flung him back again. Crusader dashed through the air only to get hit by a smattering of gunshots from the sides of one of Squealer's tire-drones. He plummeted, falling back and getting ferried to Othala.
Fire winked out from Alabaster's palms as bullets riddled his body only for it to flicker to unharmed milliseconds later.
Crusader was back in the fight, healed courtesy of Othala.
The battle raged and you felt Vista pacing three stories above you. She was walking back and forth, quietly shouting towards Browbeat. You focused, felt your power fading into her mouth as she spoke but you couldn't get enough details to even attempt to figure out what she was saying.
You didn't know how important it was to pay attention to a fight near you. Those seconds you spent trying to figure out what made Vista so mad were a dangerous mistake as you turned your attention back to the fight.
Just in time to see tendrils of garbage slam into the side of Hookwolf and fling him off to the side.
The side that you were on. Straight towards you.
You ducked behind a dumpster just in time for Hookwolf to sail past it, horrible scraping filling the air as his whirring body slid along the bricks. He was behind you now, huffing and puffing and pissed as hell.
With no idea whether he was going to plow right through you or leap over you; you did the only thing that made sense.
You stood up and ran like hell out of the alley.
Right into the raging battlefield.
Immediately, you felt yourself get flung to one side. You felt your whole body lurch as some invisible, unstoppable force shoved you down the street. Stumbling on your feet but somehow not falling, you found yourself face to face with Othala. The body-suit wearing villainess looked at you with confusion as you stared at her in abject fear. You glasses skewed, you turned and ran off to the side and away from her and the stark white man that was approaching her.
Fuck fuck fuck.
You panted as you stumbled through the battlefield, unsure whether your next step would save you from a stray bullet from Squealer's drones or would result in you stepping right into Mush's trash firing line.
The battle seemed to be silent as you stumbled, glancing around to try your best and avoid harm. That proved to be a fairly smart move. You didn't know if Vista was doing something or the Empire was getting reinforcements but you could see a pair of giant women running down the street in your direction. You could hear engines roaring too as you glanced behind yourself and saw Browbeat leaping down from the rooftop, half tackling-half landing on Skidmark as he fell.
In front of you stretched and contorted, hooking off to a side. Vista was trying to help you escape, to do her part as a good hero, but the path to that getaway was blocked.
Blocked by Cricket who was currently dodging gunfire from a quartet of tire-sized drones with turrets on the side of them.
Well shit!
You ducked into a hard right, skirting between two of Skidmark's arrows.
"Who in the name of Jesus Rat-fucking Christ is she?" You heard Skidmark yell, a quick glance had him staring at you while Browbeat pinned him to the ground. Browbeat, who was currently taking shots from another trio of tire-drones.
Tire drones that exploded as you heard distant, muffled bangs. You glanced forward, past Squealer, and saw a woman sitting behind a red motorcycle with blue tires, the barrel of a massive sniper rifle propped onto said motorcycle's white seat.
Miss Militia.
Separating you from her was a Mush tendril and Squealer but you knew that she'd help keep you safe.
If only you could get to her. You also saw the silver and blue bike of Armsmaster still approaching, his trademark halbert at his side and his eyes latched onto you. To save you. Armsmaster himself was going to save you!
Or, well, he was going to until a shot from Squealer's cannon exploded behind him, causing his bike to get flung into the air and sail over your head.
"Ooooh, that's gotta hurt!" You heard a voice cheer from above. A man and a woman falling in tandem. You recognized them from TV. Assault and Battery!
The last Protectorate hero was a blur you saw as you glanced behind you, towards Armsmaster's fallen bike. The blur that was Velocity was fighting an Othala-enhanced, speedster Alabaster.
You watched as the massive tendril of debris, sliced trash, and filth in front of you shrunk until it was the size of a pillow and you leapt over it. You could feel Vista still in your power, looking at you and trying her best to help you. You also saw her glancing around, trying to mess with the rest of the battlefield too.
She was so powerful! Gosh, you wanted to be her friend.
Maybe more than just her friend?
You ran past Squealer's car, huffing for breath. You could feel her moving in it, reaching out and-
You moved a second too slow, feeling Squealer grabbing your wrist as your power let you feel her silhouette. It made you aware of the gun before she pressed it at your lower back.
"Listen here, hottie. Play along and it'll be fine," You heard her voice whisper in your ear. It sounded too high pitched and squealish, like she was trying to make her nasally voice sexier by making its pitch higher and her talking faster.
If you made her yours, you'd have to fix that.
Still, glancing at her, she was a bombshell with massive breasts and wide hips. But she was a bombshell with a gaunt face, pocked skin, needle scars littering her arm, and a half dozen other negative effects from her constant high. Her cheeks were sunken in like a zombie's. She was even high right now if her shaking arm was any sign. She was wearing a white tank top that was stained with oil, ketchup, and other substances. A trail of white specks clung to the bottom of her nose. You assumed it was the source of her current high. Her face was partially hidden by a welder's mask, one decorated with cartoon rabbits and flames. Her blonde hair hung out of it, knotted and unwashed.
Forgetting about Browbeat, for now, you reeled in your power to make a bubble around yourself and Squealer, letting the section around Vista stay. It would be far better if she liked you now when she had a gun on your back than getting all three.
You glanced back towards the fight. Crusader had retrieved Othala and the two were sailing up and away while Hookwolf clambered up a building. Alabaster nor Velocity were anywhere in sight. Mush was squeezing through an alley but his trashy mass was down to one story tall and you had no idea if he was making progress or lost mass. Dauntless was flying over the trash heap of Mush though and blasting it so you hoped it was contained. Browbeat- last you felt him- still had Skidmark pinned.
You shuddered as you felt the gun against you.
"Release her," You glanced towards the noise and felt a tug pulling you towards the door-hatch combo of the Squealer's motorcycle-esque monstrosity. Still, you managed to see and recognize the voice of Armsmaster as he approached. Miss Militia was on the other side, pistol in hand.
"Squealer, let the girl go," Miss Militia echoed, her hands dead still as she calmly pleaded with Squealer. You felt her move the gun from your back, ramming it against the side of your head instead. You saw Miss Militia's eyes go wide with concern.
"Fuck that! Let me go! I'll drop her off." You shut your eyes tight, hoping against hope that her plan didn't involve a body bag. Remembering her words though, you didn't move a muscle.
You just had to hope the heroes would save you like Shadow Stalker saved you from Winslow.
"Let her go now and we'll let you drive away," Armsmaster compromised.
You felt Squealer's hair hit the side of your head as she shook it. "Let her go so you can EMP my car or shoot my tires? Yeah, fat fucking chance." Squealer glanced down the road. "I'll drop her off down the road. In view. I'll suck your robot dick if I don't."
Armsmaster's mouth was a hard line and Miss Militia sighed before nodding, "Just... Just don't do anything to her."
"You fuckin' bet!" Squealer shouted, her cocaine fueled arm yanking you into her cockpit. The door shut before you could even think of bolting out of it.
"Jesus fuckin' Christ you saved my white ass," Squealer said, "That was scarier than cokeshrooms... Fuck. Fuck. Fuck, I'm fucked!" You heard the chipmunky voice of Squealer shouting, banging on a steering wheel as the car sprang forward with a loud, deafening roar of its engine.
The cabin of the 'motorcycle' was probably the size of a truck bed. You could see a locker beside very reclined sports car seat that Squealer was driving from and an exposed, throbbing engine took up the back half of it.
"Y-Yeah?" You asked, trapped in here with Squealer and your aura.
She looked back, the empty road in front of the two of you. "Fuckin' hell yeah. I owe you. You want some coke?" You had a feeling she didn't mean the soft drink so you shook your head. She rolled her eyes and leaned back in her seat. "Fuck, they got Skids and Mush." You didn't know what to say so you just sat there, terrified.
You nodded again. "Y-Yeah."
Squealer glanced at you, "You're pretty hot! How about some road head to thank me?"
You had no idea what she wanted you to thank her for. Kidnapping you? Not shooting you? Regardless, you shook your head and she pouted. It would've been cute if her face hadn't been pocked and lips chapped from constant drug overuse.
The vehicle continued forward, your eyes drawn towards Squealer's massive, jiggling tits as the vibrating car caused them to shake. You blinked.
Stupid gay brain.
"I fuckin' owe you still. You ever want anything: good drugs, a nice fuck, or anything, just come to Archer's Bridge." Like that, Squealer leaned back and threw open the door and you jumped out. The 'motorcycle' turned on a dime down the corner and sped off into the distance, growing louder as it zoomed even faster.
What the absolute fuck just happened?
You stumbled, landing on all fours before struggling to your feet. You felt shell-shocked. You were almost sure that you'd nearly died there. Between almost getting hit by Hookwolf, the bullets buzzing around, and the ending with Squealer.
You breathed out, your power spreading out a few feet when you felt someone enter it. You glanced and saw Vista, the space behind her snapping back to normal. Vista was short, which made sense considering she was barely a teen. People didn't know her age online but they guessed she was 12, 13, or 14. She was around the same height as Sabah which said more about Sabah than it did her. Vista came up to your chest, the top of her head just barely poking over your shoulder. She had straight, dark blonde hair. Her costume was a high-waisted skirt, covered in wavy, swooping lines that were white, forest green, and a few shades in between that disappeared into the black, skin-tight underarmor covered in green panels that covered her chest, shoulders, and forearms. A green visor hid the top half of her face and the same green armored panels that protected her torso also acted as knee-high boots with additional panels covering her knees. The space between the armor and beneath her skirt were white, tight pants. The bottom half of her face was showing and you could see concern across her lips.
"Are you okay?" You shrank your bubble as she asked the question, encapsulating just the two of you.
You nodded, "Yeah... Y-Yeah just... just scared." You said, struggling for breath as Vista came over.
"Breathe, breathe, it's okay. You're okay. Just... just don't think about how you almost died and breathe instead." You took the child hero's advice, shutting your eyes and trying to get past everything that'd happened.
Everything was okay. It all felt okay.
"It'll be okay," Vista said. "The good guys are here."
She was right. Once the rest had settled things and the PRT arrived, Vista told you goodbye and gave you a ride home. They dropped you off and you hurried inside, trying not to panic about everything that was going on.
You'd done it. You'd survived.
And you were pretty sure your power took hold of at least those three.
Squealer, Vista, and Browbeat's stat sheets have been unlocked.
Taylor will gain a 5 boost to events involving Wards for the next week (This bonus only applies to Wards in their hero personas (IE: Sophia will be unaffected by it but Shadow Stalker would be)).
What will Taylor do during school tomorrow?
[School] Hide and Learn
-- 50% Chance
-- May learn some secrets
-- Won't meet or befriend anyone
[School] Join Jocelyn's religious clique
-- 75% Chance
-- You'll be known as a religious student
-- The Party Clique will care about you less
[School] Reach out to Tammi
-- 75% Chance of Success
-- She seems like she needs a friend
-- But she's the type of lonely dog to bite
[School] Run into someone fun
-- 80% Chance
-- You'll meet someone carefree and kind
-- She's part of the religious side of Immaculata
[School] Meet someone popular
-- 70% Chance
-- Get into a popular girl's good graces
-- You might have seen each other before.
[School] Write-in
-- ??% Chance
What will Taylor do after school tomorrow?
[Night] Hang out with
-[Hang] Who?
-- Options are: Danny (95% Chance), Sophia (80% Chance), and Crystal (85% Chance)
-- You don't know how the school will feel if you get caught leaving campus
[Night] Reach out to someone online
-[PHO] Who?
-- Options are: Vista (95% Chance) or Browbeat (85% Chance)
-- You could become closer to them
-- They might even be willing to meet up
[Night] Redeem favor from Squealer
-[Favor] What?
-- ??% Chance
-- Chance varies depending on what you ask for
-- Ask for anything: from her number to sex to money to tinkertech.
-- You'll hang out with Squealer
[Night] Sneak over to Sabah's and Influence her in her sleep
-- 75% Chance
-- Sabah will be drastically more likely to miss you and overlook the age gap
-- She will be pissed and scared if she finds out.
-[Night] Meet someone online
-- 80% Chance
-- You'll meet someone that isn't from Brockton
-- Maybe you could convince them to move here?
[Night] Catfish SpecificProtagonist (Madison)
-- 80% Chance
-- You'll get some cathartic relaxation doing it
-- Maybe it will develop into something more?
[Night] Write-in
-- ??% Chance
Weekly Plans:
At the suggestion of GraphiteCrow, I will now be implementing weekly plans as a sort of pseudo-long term goal. These could be anything and I HIGHLY encourage write-ins. Normally, votes for the weekly plan will be held on Sunday but today is an exception. Here's a more in-depth breakdown:
Spoiler: Weekly Plan
The pre-written ones are suggestions. I very much recommend writing stuff in.
What is Taylor's weekly plan?
[Goal] Study Parahuman Theory
-- This option leads to Taylor researching parahuman theory to better understand powers.
[Goal] Get a Hobby
-[Hobby] What?
-- Taylor will lose 0.1 Fund per day in exchange for gaining 0.1 Happiness per day.
[Goal] Burn off Steam
-- Taylor will lose 0.1 Stress per day
-- Taylor will take up running as a hobby
[Goal] Stay up to date
-] On who? (Pick a Cape Group, it doesn't have to be in Brockton but it can't be Cauldron)
-- Taylor will keep up to date on the cape group in question, gaining 3 bonuses to rolls involving them
-- This bonus ONLY applies to the characters in the cape group when in their hero/villain identity
[Goal] Keep In Touch
-[Contact] Who?
-- This option will have Taylor keep in contact with someone throughout the week (provided she has the means to communicate with them)
-- It will result in a random stat from the person increasing by 0.2 every day.
-- The person selected will be more likely to ask Taylor to hang out without costing an action.
[Goal] Write-in (Highly recommended)
-- Be sure to list what you want to do AND the desired effect
-- Know that I may nerf or buff the desired effect to ensure that it stays inline
-- Know that powers that don't affect numbers will tend to give story or trait bonuses instead
Click to expand...
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
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Threadmarks: 21.x - Vista's Vantage (Alternate View)
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
I went ahead and wrote this. I'll move it to regular threadmarks when 22 comes out.
Vista paced. Back and forth across the middle of the rooftop while Browbeat craned his neck up- growing a few inches taller- to peer at the Street below them. Vista had warped space to give him a better view.
"Browbeat! We could stop the fight now before anyone is in danger!"
"We're wards," He replied, glancing over at her.
Vista had heard that sentence a thousand times. You're kids. You're wards. You're not ready. She sure as hell felt ready. Ready to brawl out with the big leagues. Sure, she was young, but she had experience. She had skill. She had power.
And all she wanted to do was let everyone know it.
"We are superheroes. You took a hit from Lung before! You got backhanded by Menja. We could handle these guys!"
Browbeat gave her a look. A look she'd seen a dozen times. That sort of uncertainty mixed with apprehension. She felt her gut tighten as she shut her eyes.
"Viss, we can't just charge into every fight. We have our orders."
"Permission to engage?" Vista asked into her earpiece. "We can handle them, we still have time to fight before they get any reinforcements."
Shadow Stalker was on comms today, as a punishment for punching Chris after he teased her about the girl she'd wanted to do a PSA for. "Denied," The girl's frustrated, bored voice sounded. Vista knew that if Shadow Stalker were here, she wouldn't care about permission. She would've jumped in the moment they'd arrived. Unlike some people. Vista thought as she rolled her eyes towards Browbeat.
"We could help people! Think of how much repairs are going to be done. Think of the risk of casualties-"
"Civilians have cleared out. The PRT is setting up a perimeter. We have our orders." Browbeat repeated, shrinking as he moved to the edge to peer at the stalemate.
"We could take them."
Browbeat turned to look at her and shook his head. "We're gonna wait for the Protectorate. For professionals." She was a professional! She wanted to scream. She glanced at what Browbeat had been looking at. Flying in low, three more Empire capes had arrived to the scene.
Okay, so maybe they had the numbers advantage. But Vista was sure that the two of them still had a shot! Between her ability to isolate enemies and Browbeat's physical prowess, Vista knew they could win.
If only they had the chance. If only everyone would stop babying them.
She heard them talking below and half-listened for the report later.
It was always like this. They'd send her through Downtown, through the routes that were the least likely to have conflict. Before Browbeat joined, they'd send her with Chris or- if she was lucky- they would let her roam around with Dean. Her wonderful, dreamy knight in shining armor.
But always the safe routes. The routes least likely to have a fight. Shadow Stalker had once convinced her to stash her phone somewhere and patrol outside of the predetermined route. That had been a fun night. Shadow Stalker- unlike everyone else- didn't try to pamper her because she was thirteen. A teenage! Practically an adult, really, if anyone asked Vista for her opinion.
They never did, but that wasn't the point.
The point was that she was tired of being held back.
Browbeat, unlike Vista, was watching the exchange intently. "Vista, looks like they're about to start." She looked at him.
"Are we gonna do something about that?"
He glanced back at her, giving her a look through his domino mask. A look that said 'Give it up' before turning back to the fight. A look like a parent admonishing a child.
He had been a member of the team for barely a month and a half and he was treating her like the baby? Vista grit her teeth before walking to the edge with him, crouching down once she reached it.
Squealer shot first, her cannon shot exploding as it collided with Hookwolf and made the massive hound made of whirring blades stumble.
Alright, maybe Browbeat couldn't handle him.
That started the fight in earnest though. Capes lunged at one another. The Merchants used their powers to hold back the Empire capes while Squealer took potshots with her motorcycle's cannon and a little over a dozen tire-looking drones. It was a stalemate. The Merchants had dug into the area and even with their numbers, the Merchants managed to play off one another to stave off the Empire's advance.
Vista took a few steps back. She knew they could break that. She could shape the battlefield and break the defenses. Set up the Empire capes so that they broke the Merchant defenses and then hold them in a loop until the Protectorate arrived.
"Let's do something!" She couldn't do much, not without Browbeat. Not without just cause. She wouldn't just break orders like that no matter how much she wanted to. She wanted to prove herself but she didn't want to be in the precarious situation that Sophia so often did, skirting the rules. "Come on!"
"We were told to wait," Vista wanted to scream. Aegis would've seen their advantage and agreed. Chris would've 'accidentally' landed on Squealer's tank. But Browbeat was a baby, even if he was older than her. He didn't have any instincts to trust.
"I can't believe this," Vista grumbled. She felt antsy and furious.
"It's policy," Browbeat replied, glancing over at her. "We can't just leap into danger. The Guard would-"
"I don't care!" Vista groaned. "We could do something. Something more than just watching and waiting."
That was when Vista saw it. Mush flung Hookwolf off towards an alley off to the side of the building they were at. She didn't know if Hookwolf saw them as he flailed through the air but she did see the aftermath of that.
A girl. A black-haired girl running out of the alley that Hookwolf had been thrown into.
"Browbeat!"
"Vista, we can't just join the-"
"The girl, the girl!" Vista said, running over to grab Browbeat's powerful shoulder and point at the girl.
Browbeat blinked, seeing the girl stumbling through the battlefield. He looked at her.
"We have to help." Vista said, locking eyes with him. He glanced away. Nervous. Why? "Browbeat, we have to save her."
He shook his head, "No. No. We can't just- Vista, we have orders. We have to wait."
"She could die, Browbeat. We have to help her. We're heroes."
She could see him debating. His inexperience and fear warring with a desire to help. To live up to his titles. "We shouldn't. We'll-"
"She could die..." Vista stated as she stepped to the edge of the rooftop. "You can sit by. I'm helping."
She reached out and shaped portions of space in little bursts, helping the girl move more intuitively through the battlefield. Making paths ahead of the drones warp so that they wouldn't risk shooting the girl. Vista chewed her lip. She wanted to do more. To leap down and lead the girl to safety.
But she couldn't. She was too squishy and there were bullets and powers lancing across the road below. Browbeat stood next to her. She glanced over to him and saw a nervous look on his face.
"Jump. Go after Skidmark. I'll handle the rest. Surprise him, restrain him, and... and just keep him pinned. I'll stall and keep her safe." Vista knew what she was doing and she didn't trust Browbeat to have that kind of confidence too.
He nodded, took a few steps back, and leapt at Skidmark.
Vista reached, squeezing and bending space to help Browbeat make contact with Skidmark. Once he hit, she turned her attention back to the girl.
Vista knew she was a badass. She knew how strong her power was and part of knowing her power was knowing its drawbacks. Her power was less effective in areas with people. So she couldn't just warp space to drag the girl next to her. But she could help. She reached out, shrinking and twisting space so that the girl had a clear path ahead of her that would take her to safety. A path that Cricket jumped into to avoid drone fire.
"Are you serious?" Vista grumbled, glancing towards Browbeat and stretching the space around him. Warping it so left was a few dozen feet up. Her trap caught some drones which plummeted to their demise, reducing the fire on him. Vista spun on her heels stretching space between her and a trio of Crusader Ghosts that were flying towards her.
Vista's headpiece lit up as a gunshot- louder than any Squealer or Skidmark had used- filled the air. "Cavalry's here!" Assault cheered. Vista's head looked to the right as he and Battery leapt past the phantom knights and into the fray below.
The Protectorate. Everyone seemed to baby Vista, but they did it the most.
Vista's eyes went back to the girl. She had some sense and was looking at Miss Militia, warily eyeing Mush's tendrils. Mush's tendrils, though, weren't organic.
Vista shrunk the whole area, reducing it so that it was a fraction of its real size. The girl leapt over and started sprinting. "Yes!" Vista cheered, a smile showing on her face before she turned back to the fight.
She liked being on the ground, in the midst of the battle, using her power to shrink and expand space to gain the edge. Maybe it was because her body was still weak or maybe it was because the PRT wouldn't give her any weapons because they weren't 'marketable' with the persona they'd crafted her. Regardless of that situation though, this was where Vista felt like she excelled. Not as an ace soldier on the battlefield but as a commander, shaping swathes of the battlefield with a thought. Reorienting the whole thing to give advantages and disadvantages like they were candy and it was Halloween.
She glanced back towards the civvie.
"No!" Vista cried, seeing the girl's situation. Gun against her back, being held like a human shield by Squealer.
Vista had let her focus slip from the girl for a moment. Darn it!
Nothing she could do about that though. The Empire capes were getting away, Velocity chasing after a fleeing Alabaster. Browbeat was wrestling Skidmark into cuffs. That left one person.
Vista reached, stretching space in front of Mush to turn the alleyway in front of the living trash heap into an endless corridor, buildings growing taller and exit growing farther as Dauntless began to try and excavate the man from the mess.
Vista kept watching Squealer though. She watched as Squealer negotiated with Miss Militia and Armsmaster.
As they let Squealer take the girl.
"What's going on?" Vista asked.
"We won!" Assault cheered through the mic. Vista held back a groan. She didn't need to be told that much, it was obvious. But what had happened to the girl?
"Squealer's going to drop her off down the road. She won't be hurt in exchange for Squealer getting away."
Vista bit her lip. It was a good deal. Saving people mattered more than stopping criminals, at the end of the day.
The girl still sprinted off the side of the building. She cleared rooftops in moments and contorted the space ahead of her. Making the gaps between buildings like cracks in the pavement. Shrinking rooftops to storage bins. She was a shaker but she'd earned her mover subrating. She didn't keep pace with the car. But she did well enough that she could turn the building into a two-foot drop and land only a quarter of a block away by the time the girl was dropped off.
She wanted to use her power to stop Squealer still but the girl was too far away.
Vista ran over, looking at the girl as she stared up with cute, terrified eyes. She'd been captured for like a minute and was that scared? What a kid. "Are you okay?" Vista asked as the girl scanned over her, looking Vista up and down in a slow, examining glance.
Vista recognized her.
Not the terrified eyes or the panicked posture but the girl's face and hair. Vista had seen her picture when Shadow Stalker had promised to show Chris one if he promised to 'shut the hell up' on the ride back to HQ after they spoke at Winslow.
The girl, Tattum or Tanya or something, was clearly shaken by the events. Vista gave a sorry smile. If she'd been better or had acted faster, maybe she could've spared the girl some grief? Well, that was if the people in charge would finally realize she was a parahuman and not a pampered human.
"Breathe, breathe, it's okay. You're okay. Just... just don't think about how you almost died and breathe instead." Vista said, moving a little closer, hesitantly. She hadn't remembered the girl Sophia wanted to help looking so... helpless. So cute. Like a bunny or Vista's favorite stuff bear. "It'll be okay," Vista said. "The good guys are here."
Vista looked over the girl, seeing her dark hair falling in curls and her adorable brown eyes behind the black-rimmed glasses. She was tall. As tall as Chris. But Vista was more focused on her figure. Vista could picture a girl with a slender build like this one's as a rogue or a princess... or both? The girl had small breasts that were the same size as Vista's which Vista was sure proved her own maturity. She had boobs as big as this upperclassman and Vista was only a freshman. She spared a glance at the girl's long, slender legs in tight-fitting pants and then smiled up at her.
The girl nodded as Vista moved forward, reaching up to straighten the girl's glasses. "I'll stay with you for a bit, okay?" Vista offered as the girl swallowed. She was shaken but not traumatized, Vista could tell that much. She probably just needed to feel safe for a bit and head home. "I'm Vista. It's nice to meet you." Vista was pretty sure the girl already knew about her, after all, Vista had spoken at her school, but not introducing herself felt weird.
"I'm Taylor," She said, her voice sounding nervous as she glanced around.
Vista reached, raising the curb up so it was more of a chair and sat down. She raised another portion near her. Taylor seemed smart enough to get the hint and sat on it, looking confused at the warped space.
"Pretty awesome, right?" Vista said with a grin and a giggle. Finally, someone could see how cool she was.
Vista sat around with her, having brief, short-lived conversations that typically died and gave way to moments of silence. Eventually, Vista said her goodbyes and watched a PRT van carry off the girl into the distance.
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Threadmarks: 22 - First Day
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
Thursday, February 2nd, 2011
Today was the day that you'd finally start at Immaculata.
Dad was waiting downstairs with a shoddy breakfast made. You'd already packed your stuff last night and you double checked that you had everything you needed: clothes, sheets, supplies, and the like. You ate it and the two of you drove off to your new life at Immaculata.
Today wasn't going to be a normal day at school. You missed your first few classes to unpack your stuff but by lunch, your father was gone and you were free to finally, officially start.
You went down the halls, glancing around at the various groups mingling.
Today was the first day and you didn't want this to wind up like your old school. As much as you felt bad for Tammi, you wanted to establish yourself before reaching out to her. Sure, she was in a bad place socially, but you'd much prefer to lift her out of that rather than get pulled into it. So you needed a spot in the school's hierarchy.
What better way to try that than aiming for the top?
Every school had its cliques, even the bastion of Immaculata. Those cliques weren't as obvious here, on account of everyone being rich. You couldn't even guess from outfits because of the school's uniform.
Ah yes, the Immaculata uniform. You were wearing it and so was every other student. You'd been given three of them and were told you'd be given three more of the summer uniform when it came closer. The girl's uniform consisted of a red plaid skirt, black leggings, a white button-up, a burgundy vest, and a black tie. The boy's uniform was basically identical, save for the skirt being replaced by black slacks.
School code said that the girl's skirt was supposed to go at least to a girl's fingertip but judging by how short it was on some girls, you guessed that they must've lifted up their shoulders when judging. Or they just didn't care. You could spot the religious 'faction' of the school by their longer skirts and the glares they gave to the ones with shorter skirts.
You'd had your skirt just at your fingertips. You didn't know if you wanted to side with one side yet. They weren't big cliques but they were like... mega-cliques.
So, as you made your way towards the lunchroom, you spotted what you were looking for.
A group of five girls walking through the halls. It wasn't weird or out of the ordinary. But the way people made way for them? The way that people glanced at them as they approached? Their figures that were to die for and gorgeous faces?
Bingo.
The alpha bitches.
You spent so long trying to figure out what you were going to do today and trying to find these girls that you had no idea what to say. So you went with a tried and true classic:
"Um... hello?"
The girls didn't even pause or deem to look at you. They continued forward, save for one. A girl off to one side of the group glanced at you and you saw her pause her step slightly. That seemed to be noteworthy enough for the girls.
One girl, the de facto leader, glanced towards the straggler and then her eyes shifted to you. She was an Emma or Aa Sophia. Her eyes looking at you- not with disgust- but like you were an inconvenience. That was irritating. You had been clinging your power to your skin but at that look, you put it over the group. They had amazing figures and were all beauties and while you knew you weren't anywhere near their league, you hoped your power held some kind of sway. The queen bee spoke, "Eva? Friend of yours?"
The girl that paused at you glanced towards the leader before going back to you. "Hm? Oh, um, no but... but I'll catch up. If that's okay?" She replied before her eyes flicked back to you. The rest of the girls prowled off down the hall but the one that stared at you- Eva- stayed.
You took a few steps forward and caught her studying you. She had an amazing figure and a gorgeous, angular face. Her eyes were a bright baby blue and her hair fell in blonde curls to her midback. "Do you know who I am?" She asked, her tone suddenly nervous. You blinked, surprised by the sudden shift, and reeled your bubble in like a noose around Eva's body.
"Um..." She was a popular girl so you didn't want to insult her but you were new here. "You're Eva? I'm- I'm sorry, it's my first day and-"
"Eva, right." She said, glancing around and you felt the tension in her shoulders relax. "You're new?"
You nodded, "Yeah. Um, first day." You'd already said that. You tightened your aura further. If you wanted to be a somebody at the school, she would be your in. You felt her breathing in your power. She recognized you. Maybe she'd seen you at the Dollhouse or on the streets? Regardless, you could see the familiarity in her eyes.
"Uh-huh. And you thought you'd come up to us to try to introduce yourself?" She said, glancing towards the now-gone clique that had left her behind. She seemed antsy when she was alone.
"Y-Yeah?"
She shook her head, "I... Um, I should really get going but..." You pressed your power as tight against her as you could. You really needed someone at this school and she didn't seem nice. A little wishy-washy and spineless but not a bad person. She could be your protection here.
"Could I walk with you?" You asked, feeling a spike of courage. "To the cafeteria? I- um- I don't really know how to get to it from here."
She seemed to debate it in her head. You didn't know if it was because you were an unknown or coming on too strong but she seemed to settle on an answer. "I... I'd love to but I really need to catch up with my friends."
You frowned as she started backing up and left. Your aura hadn't hooked her enough in the brief interaction to make her want to walk with you? Still, it had an effect. You watched her leave, your eyes slipping down to her rear as she chased after her clique. You just needed a little more time with her and you were sure you could get her to at least want to be your friend.
Hopefully, you could manage to make her want even more.
You frowned, looking around the hallway as you tried to find your way to the cafeteria.
The rest of the school day was surprisingly good. By the third time you introduced yourself, you'd gotten the hang of what to say and could manage it without flubbing or making a fool of yourself.
And then, as soon as you'd gotten good at it, the school day ended. You went to your dorm and finished unpacking.
The girl's dorm building was two stories and a mirror of the boy's dorm which sat on the opposite side of campus. It was one long hallway with rooms dotting either side. At the end of the hall was a communal bathroom on one end and a laundry room on the other. Traditionally, the dorm rooms were shared with two people per room. You, however, got lucky in that you transferred in the middle of the semester and made the number of girls living in the dorm an odd number. That meant that, since there wasn't an additional student to share your room, you had it all to yourself. It was on the second floor- the first floor was for freshmen and sophomores but was identical to the second floor otherwise. An empty, unadorned bed sat across from yours, which was decorated with blue and grey bed sheets. You didn't have much in the way of decorations, so the walls were fairly spartan other than your bedsheet and a picture of you, your dad, and your mom that sat on your nightstand.
You kicked off your shoes and climbed onto the lofted bed. It was a solid four feet off the ground which seemed both too short and way too high. It wouldn't lift up any higher though and you'd moved some stuff like your dresser under it to try and get more floor space.
What to do, what to do?
You had a few hours before curfew and still had no idea what your work schedule was. But, you did have your cell phone. Your dad suggested buying you one on the drive over and you didn't have the heart to tell him that you already had a phone. You looked at it, debating. You couldn't do anything with Sabah but Crystal or Sophia were options. You felt your bond with Sophia, feeling her moving in the distance.
But you didn't know if you wanted to risk being off-campus meeting them or have them come over. From the rumors you'd overheard at lunch, the faculty was pretty strict about only girls in the girls dorm and only students living in the dorms after curfew.
So, fingers drumming on your phone case as you laid in your bed, you narrowed down your options to two.
You could talk to Madison. Pretend to be a Case 53 and toy with her. Tease her. It was mean and kind of a dick move but didn't she deserve it? You shook your head. This was a new school and a chance to move past that. Sure, you could do something like that and it would be a great chance to see if your ability to connect would work on regular people but... but no. Not now. Not when you finally had stepped foot into a better life.
That left one option. You hopped onto Parahumans Online, signed out of SpecificProtagonist, and made your own account.
You named your PHO account...
-[X[Username] Trouble_Magnet
And then you started to search. It was easy to find Vista's account. She was a verified cape account called Vista. You shot her a message saying who you were and thanking her for helping you. She replied with a simple "Always happy to help a person in need!" and a smiley face emoji.
You didn't know what to say to that so you just stared at your phone.
You sank back into your bed, shifting onto a pillow and sighing. It would be way to weird if Vista saw you on the street the day after her rescuing her but you felt like that response was hollow. Maybe... Maybe she didn't really care?
And then your phone chimed.
You picked it up and saw that you had a message. It wasn't from Vista or any of the staff which was weird, considering you'd just made your account and had no posts.
MissMe: Hello
You blinked at the message and typed your response.
You: Who is this?
MissMe: It's Vista. This is my alt account
MissMe: The PRT monitor my other one like their my parents or something
You clicked on the account in question. Parahumans Online didn't have profile pictures but it did have some stuff on profile pages. You saw that MissMe was 13 and lived in Brockton Bay, USA. The odds that it was some random person that somehow knew to message you- a brand new account- claiming to be Vista seemed slim.
Vista had decided to message you on her regular account. She wanted to talk to you!
You smiled and that made you want to send a smiley face back to her. You decided you'd do that. Might as well be yourself, right? Vista was already at least a little inclined to like you.
Trouble_Magnet: :) Cool.
Trouble_Magnet: I really wanted to thank you.
You could imagine Vista's response to that. Her cute little smile. You scooched into your pillow and grinned from ear to ear.
MissMe: No problem! I'm just happy to help
MissMe: You're transferring to Arcadia right?
That made your chest tighten slightly. You'd chosen Immaculata instead. The premiere school over the golden one.
Trouble_Magnet: No. I just started at Immaculata.
MissMe: Okay.
You thought about why she would ask that. Maybe it was so that she would know you were out of Winslow or maybe... Maybe she wanted to be friends? You had let her simmer in your power for a while and your power felt... more when you were in the fight. Your gas more plentiful, your sense within it more accurate. Maybe it had affected her more too?
Something to look into later.
But that brought you back to her question and gave you an idea for a followup.
Trouble_Magnet: We could still be friends though? Maybe hang out?
You watched the message MissMe is typing... fade in and out of existence for what felt like eons while you held your breath and waited. You could've overthought it or underthought it. She could've just been nice and trying to keep conversation going.
MissMe: I don't think we could go out or anything. I've got a secret identity.
MissMe: But maybe we could keep chatting on here?
The conversation died pretty soon after that and with Sophia still on your mind, you went to start texting her about your first day.
Sophia's Loyalty increased by 0.2
School Day:
[School] Get closer to Eva
-- 80% Chance
-- She's really popular
-- She seems nice but weak-willed
[School] Reach out to Tammi
-- 80% Chance of Success
-- She seems like she needs a friend
-- But she's the type of lonely dog to bite
[School] Meet someone Fun
-- 80% Chance
-- You'll meet someone carefree and kind
-- She's part of the religious side of Immaculata
[School] Try to learn more about the school
-- 50% Chance
-- May learn some secrets
-- Won't work on relationships
[School] Write-in
-- ??% Chance
Friday Night:
[Night] Hang out with
-[Hang] Who?
-- Options are: Danny (95% Chance), Sophia (80% Chance), and Crystal (85% Chance)
-- It's the weekend, meaning you'd have more time to spend with them
[Night] Reach out to someone online
-[PHO] Who?
-- Options are: Vista (99% Chance) or Browbeat (85% Chance)
-- You could become closer to them
-- They might even be willing to meet up
[Night] Redeem favor from Squealer
-[Favor] What?
-- ??% Chance
-- Chance varies depending on what you ask for
-- Ask for anything: from her number to sex to money to tinkertech.
-- You'll hang out with Squealer
[Night] Sneak over to Sabah's and Influence her in her sleep
-- 75% Chance
-- Sabah will be drastically more likely to miss you and overlook the age gap
-- She will be pissed and scared if she finds out.
-[Night] Meet someone online
-- 85% Chance
-- You'll meet someone that isn't from Brockton
-- Maybe you could convince them to move here?
[Night] Catfish SpecificProtagonist (Madison)
-- 80% Chance
-- You'll get some cathartic relaxation doing it
-- Maybe it will develop into something more?
[Night] Write-in
-- ??% Chance
Click to expand...
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randomlightning, easty, erasels and 226 others like this.
Threadmarks: 23 - Friday, Friday
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
Friday, February 3rd, 2011
Waking up in your dorm bed for the first time felt weird. The bed wasn't as soft as your old one and waking up to an unfamiliar ceiling was something you'd hadn't done for years until you spent the night with Sabah. Even then, you had Sabah's warmth to distract you from this weird alien sensation.
Even weirder was showering in a communal shower. You'd done it at summer camp but you'd been a child there. You weren't exposing yourself to the shower, they had stalls for privacy, but it still felt strange.
Still, one thing that was nice about attending a rich private school was breakfast. The food that you ate in the cafeteria yesterday was actually really good and the breakfast you chomped on this morning proved that it hadn't been an accident. The food was tasty and filling. You were one of the first people to get there and you sat a table all by your lonesome. You'd picked it at random and since you hadn't made any friends, you were surprised to see a girl approaching you.
The popular girl from yesterday. Eva.
"Umm... Excuse me." She said, walking up to you as you sipped on some orange juice and then scooped some eggs into your mouth. You glanced up at her and she continued, "You can't sit there. It's our spot." Releasing your aura from clinging to you to ensnaring her as if it were a noose felt like releasing a long-held breath.
You glanced around Eva and saw nobody with her. She must've noticed you looking because she shrank in on herself. She wasn't nonconfrontational like Sabah had been, just weak-willed. "Our?"
The girl nodded and you could tell she was trying to work herself up to stand up to you, "Mhm. Me and my friends. We sit there every day so... could you leave? Please?"
"They're not here yet," You replied before curiously munching on some scrambled eggs.
She nodded, "Yeah. I get here early and save it for us. It's kind of, like, my job." Ah. That cleared things up. You'd noticed she wasn't the leader of the popular girls here so you assumed her to be a Madison. Instead, she was more like a Julie or Abby. Eva was a sycophant.
"Well, they're not here yet, right?"
"Yeah, but, they'll be here soon. So I really need you to move."
"How soon?" You asked, casually and curiously continuing to consume your breakfast.
Eva pulled out her phone, checked the time, and put it back in her pocket. "Ten or fifteen minutes?"
You nodded. "Then I'll leave in sevenish under one condition?"
You could see the nervousness on her face as she glanced around the mostly empty cafeteria. "Okay, but, why? And what's the condition?"
Another forkful of eggs entered your mouth as you did your best to give a nonchalant, casual shrug. You couldn't tell her that you wanted more time to use your power, to sway her to want to be yours. So instead, you said the closest thing you could to that, "I want to get to know you." You said, after swallowing and putting your fork down you held up two fingers, "And I want to hang out with you at lunch. It doesn't have to be with your clique just... just in general. I want to hang out."
Eva seemed thoughtful and nervous, even more nervous than she'd been when she'd come up to you about taking their table. But, after some thought, she nodded. "Okay, fine. Not here though... um..."
"My dorm?" You offered. She nodded and sat down. The two of you didn't speak after that but you did glance at her occasionally. You felt your power leaking into her and then looked down at your eggs.
Some girls were cute. Others were sexy. Was you using your power to get people to like you any different than them using that? You pushed the thought out of your mind as quickly as it entered. It didn't matter right now.
You finished your meal in five minutes and then left.
The teachers of your first few classes had you introduce yourself time and time again even though you were pretty sure every student in those classes had been in at least one of the ones you'd already done an introduction in. It didn't matter though and soon enough, lunch period rolled around. Food was covered by your tuition, so you got a double helping and made your way to your dorm room.
You found Eva waiting outside of the dorm building and she looked at the pair of plates you were carrying with surprise.
"You brought food?" She seemed surprised by that but you just shrugged and nodded.
She held open the door for you and you passed her a plate once you were inside. Then the two of you made your way down the hall and you used your free hand to open the door. Eva seemed surprised as she walked in and saw the undecorated bed.
You hopped up onto your bed, setting a textbook down to put your plate on. Eva followed your lead, going to sit on the other bed. "You're by yourself?"
You glanced at Eva after she walked the question, "Yeah. Until someone else moves in, at least. There aren't a ton of people that live in the dorms."
"Yep. Most people live in the area with their parents. Some students even get their parents to buy them a house so they don't have to stay in the dorms." You gawked at that. Parents that bought extra houses just so their kids could go to a snazzy private school and not stay in the dorms?
"Seriously?"
Eva nodded, "Yup. Those are the party houses, most of the time."
Parties. You'd never been to a real teenage party, hell, you hadn't been to a party in general since you were a kid. Even then, those were only birthday parties with cake and balloons and the like. Not the kind of ragers with alcohol and loud music like you'd seen on TV. "Do you go to any? Any of the parties, I mean."
She gave a wishy-washy motion with her hand. "Sometimes? I go to a lot of them because Audrey and everyone need a DD. Sometimes I busy though." You nodded. You guessed- and had overheard- that Audrey was the leader of the popular clique. The school's alpha bitch.
Thinking back to what you'd noticed and heard from Jocelyn on the tour, that would probably peg Eva as a member of the 'here because of money' not the 'here because of religious reasons' students. You could've guessed that by her shorter skirt though. You wondered- briefly- if you should do something like that but decided that you didn't want to mark yourself on one side or the other yet. "What other stuff are you busy with?"
"Sometimes my hubby wants me to stay home or I have work commitments." Hubby? You choked on your water as the meaning behind the word came out.
"You're married!? How old are you?"
"Seventeen," She answered the second question before the first, "And you can get married at sixteen if the boy is over eighteen and your parents give permission."
That said a lot about her family and her husband. The fact that they were willing to let their daughter get married before she'd finished highschool? It blew your mind. You tried to think of your dad doing that and… well, he probably would in hindsight. It was also interesting that she specifically said 'boy' and not 'other person'. Eva must not have been gay.
Emphasis on the 'have been'.
"I can't imagine getting married," You reply as she bites into her apple and you keep flooding her with your power.
It explained a lot though. She had a husband and a family that were willing to marry her off while she was still a minor. There was probably a reason for that outside of just the two loving one another, right?
You wondered what they were. Was he some kind of heir to a country and her parents wanted to secure business relations? Was it some kind of Empire-aligned bloodline purity? Did the guy offer her family money in exchange for her hand?
As your mind wandered, so did your eyes. Tracing down her uniform and lingering on her thighs. You looked back up at her and noticed she was pointedly not looking at you, flecks of pink on her cheeks.
Your power was definitely working.
A smile crossed your face as you continued picking at your food. "How'd you get married?"
"Oh, um, it's sort of complicated." You lifted an eyebrow at that but that apparently wasn't enough to convince her. But your silence and confused stare was enough to sway her. And the power you were enveloping her in probably helped. "It was a family thing."
An arranged marriage. That felt a whole lot less bad to break up. Not that you were planning on that but... You cleared your thoughts. There was no reason to think about that. You were only bathing her in an aura that would make her love, lust, and loyal to you. There was no reason to...
Yeah. Being a homewrecker was a concern, now that you thought about it.
The conversation steered back to the mundane for a while. Classes that the two of you were taking- you shared an English class- and how Eva's friend group worked. How school politics in general worked, really. There was a divide between the super religious and those that came here because they were rich. You'd learned that much from Jocelyn. But to hear Eva tell it, it was less of two factions and more that a small, vocal minority didn't like all the rich kids coming in and 'perverting the Christian atmosphere'. As the two of you walked back to the main building, you decided to continue the conversation in a more productive direction.
"I really enjoyed hanging out," You said with a smile. Eva glanced over at you and despite her attempt to conceal it, you could see the corners of her mouth lift up slightly.
"Yep, me too."
"Maaaybe we could do it again?" You proposed and Eva got that earlier hesitant look on her face. Like she wasn't qualified to make decisions.
"I..." She chewed on her full, lush bottom lip and your eyes stared at the action. You had the sudden desire for those flawless white teeth to bite your lip and then- You pushed that thought away. Stupid gay thoughts. Not in the middle of the Christian private school! "I'll think about it?"
"Can I at least get your number?"
That earned a look that was somehow both more eager and more anxious. She glanced around the room before pulling a pen out of her vest pocket. She gingerly grabbed you by the wrist, her surprisingly firm hands holding yours steady as she penned out ten numbers on your palm.
A phone number.
"Just... don't call me. Texts only." You nodded at the strange request. Some people really hated being called, you guessed. Regardless, you parted ways with Eva there. At least for now.
Some things about Eva were... concerning. You brushed through them during your classes but couldn't make any firm decisions as to why or how. During your English class you bathed her in more of your power and you snaked your power through the halls to feel for her like you'd felt Vista and Browbeat during the fight. You couldn't seem to get that fine of detail though.
Concern for another time? Something that required more testing or research?
It didn't matter. Soon enough your final class ended and you whipped out your phone. You already knew what you were going to try to do today. You'd reached out to Vista yesterday and gotten her personal Parahumans Online account. Which was a huge deal because it meant- at least to some degree- she trusted you and...
And you really, really wanted more friends. She was nice and sweet and after the fight yesterday she seemed to genuinely care. Plus, a confirmed friend in the Wards- two if you could make sure that Sophia was Shadow Stalker instead of just assume- would be super helpful. Especially if you got found out. Maybe they could help sway the PRT to not send you to the Birdcage or give you a Kill order?
You chewed your lip. Or you could connect with her. Vista was strong so whatever power you got from her had to be helpful, right? But she was also, like, thirteen! You could see where Sabah's concern came from now that you were experiencing it. She was a child!
But, then again, so were you. And if you could get with Vista it would prove to Sabah that you two could be together, right? Well, that is if Sabah accepted having an open relationship or was willing to do polygamy and- Yeah. That was a whole other can of worms. Plus, it wasn't like you could date multiple people, right?
Right?
Even though, considering Sophia and Sabah, you were almost doing that already. But- But no, you couldn't have a harem or a massive polygamous love group...
Could you?
Shaking those thoughts out of your head for a moment, you pulled out your phone and shot Vista a message.
Trouble_Magnet: Hello.
MissMe: Oh! Hey
Trouble_Magnet: How was school?
MissMe: Bleh
Trouble_Magnet: That bad?
MissMe: Yes and no? It wasn't bad it's just that I found out stuff I didn't want to
You could certainly relate to that. You'd found out so many things during school that you hadn't wanted to. Like Sophia being gay or that your powers made her that way. You had no clue what Vista was feeling and there was only one way to find out.
Trouble_Magnet: About?
MissMe: A boy I like He's back with his girlfriend
That was a conundrum. Vista was straight. Well, you weren't sure how straight she was. She at least liked boys and you. You didn't know if your power made people like more than just you but... But if Vista was having problems with a boy it meant she was single. Which made your job a lot easier.
There was no point in beating around the bush. You wanted to get closer to Vista and doing that required using your power on her. There was no way that someone would like you for you, after all. So you decided to cut straight to the point.
Trouble_Magnet: Aww. Maybe we could hang out and get ice cream?
MissMe: You know we can't I have a secret identity
MissMe: What if you're an evil supervillain in disguise?
Well, you weren't evil or a villain but you were super. In your own way that wasn't useful at all for fighting. But you'd tried. You'd shot your shot. You guessed if you wanted to hang out with her more, you'd just have to hunt her down while she's on patrol again.
Trouble_Magnet: You're right. Sorry. I don't know, I just wanted to hang out and get to know you.
MissMe: I wanna be friends too
MissMe: One sec
You blinked at the sudden message. You moved to set your phone down and the moment it left your grasp, it dinged with a notification that you had another message on PHO.
MissMe: I'm on patrol tomorrow.
MissMe: If you want we could hang out?
MissMe: Idk who I'll be on patrol with. It says Shadow Stalker but idk if she'll be allowed to or if we'll have a Protectorate escort
Why wouldn't Shadow Stalker be allowed to patrol? You glanced at the phone and wanted to ask that. Was Sophia in trouble? You couldn't ask something like that though. Vista spammed your phone with a fourth message and you read it.
MissMe: Whoever it is probably won't mind you tagging along
You chewed your lip, debating on what to say. You would get a chance at using your power more on Vista and maybe even get a chance to see how Shadow Stalker reacts. To see if she really is Sophia liked you suspect. But... on the other hand, she could be on patrol with Gallant or some Protectorate member that is trained to recognize master effects. It could be risky but it could really be worth it.
You typed your response and the conversation ended pretty soon after.
So instead you started messaging Sophia.
Unlocked Eva's stat sheet!
Acquired Eva's phone number!
Vista's Loyalty went up by 1!
Sophia's Loyalty went up by 0.2
Saturday
[Saturday] Accept Vista's offer
-- You'll get the chance to spend time with Vista
-- You'll also spend time with one other Ward and/or Protectorate member
-[Accept] Vista
-- 85% Chance
-- Will only use Influence on Vista
-[Accept] Everyone
-- 75% Chance
-- Will use Influence on Vista and others if present
[Saturday] Hang Out With...
-] Danny (95%), Sophia (82%), Crystal (85%), or Eva ( 70%)
[Saturday] Reach out to...
-] Browbeat (85%), Miss Militia (70%)
[Saturday] Redeem favor from Squealer
-[Favor] What?
-- ??% Chance
-- Chance varies depending on what you ask for
-- Ask for anything: from her number to sex to money to tinkertech.
-- You'll hang out with Squealer
[Saturday] Sneak over to Sabah's and Influence her in her sleep
-- 75% Chance
-- Sabah will be drastically more likely to miss you and overlook the age gap
-- She will be pissed and scared if she finds out.
-- She'll probably decide soon
[Saturday] Meet someone online
-- 85% Chance
-- You'll meet someone that isn't from Brockton
-- Maybe you could convince them to move here?
[Saturday] Catfish SpecificProtagonist (Madison)
-- 80% Chance
-- You'll get some cathartic relaxation doing it
-- Maybe it will develop into something more?
[Saturday] Research Capes
-- 85% Chance
-- You'll update yourself on Cape information in Brockton Bay
-- Will get a 1 week, 10 Boost to rolls involving capes.
[Saturday] Get into Trouble
-[Trouble] Docks, Downtown, or Archer's Bridge
-- 85% Chance
-- Will meet at least one cape from whichever area you choose.
[Saturday] Work At Dollhouse
-- 85% Chance
-- Taylor will gain 1 fund
-- Taylor will need to give a work schedule at the end of her shift.
[Saturday] Write-in
-- ??% Chance
Click to expand...
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
Apr 29, 2020 ReportLike QuoteReply
randomlightning, Tiufi, easty and 245 others like this.
Threadmarks: 24 - Parents and Patrols
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
Saturday, February 4th, 2011
You woke up and after a quick good morning text to Sophia, you sent a message to Vista asking when to meet. She sent a text back saying that she would be on patrol from seven to ten tonight, so it looked like you had the whole day ahead of you before that.
So, you stayed on your phone and scrolled through your short list of contacts.
Crystal.
She lived close by and the two of you hadn't spoken in a while. So, you went ahead and shot her a text.
You: Want to hang out?
Crystal: please
You quirked an eyebrow at that statement. It took you off guard. You were expecting a yes or a no not for her to beg you to come over. That made you worry. You threw on a black jacket pair with your black jeans and contrast your white Dollhouse t-shirt.
You: You okay?
You hurried off-campus with a vague semblance of what direction to go. You glanced at your phone frequently, waiting for her response. After what felt like an eternity and seven streets down, you got a reply.
Crystal: idk
That made you walk even faster. You didn't sprint but you did feel panicked. Had she been attacked or something? Was Crystal okay? You didn't run, you didn't want to show up at her house sweaty and disheveled, but you did try your best to move with haste.
The Pelham white house looked a lot bigger from the outside. Two stories and twice as wide as your own. You wouldn't describe it as a mansion but it was definitely on the luxurious, expensive side. You walked up the steps and knocked on the large, wooden double door. It had a large, iron knocker on it but you had no clue if those were supposed to be decorations or actually used. You did- after a moment- press the doorbell though. Those made sense, unlike knockers.
A man opened the door. A giant of a man. He dwarfed you, the top of your head not even reaching his shoulders. He was probably seven feet tall, give or take an inch or two. He had the build to match his height, wide shoulders and the kind of muscles that you'd expect on an action hero or a professional football player, bulging biceps, noticeable pecs, and the like. His brown hair was slicked back with product but it looked tousled and messy anyways, like he'd been rolling around in bed. He had a white t-shirt and grey sweapants that both clung to his muscled frame. His grey-blue eyes looked at you and he gave a polite smile that didn't reach his eyes.
The guy looked like he should be on TV or a teenage girl's poster.
Which would be creepy, considering his face looked like he was probably in his early 40s.
You recognized him from TV and your own research: Manpower. A member of New Wave and presumably Crystal's dad. "Hey there. How can I help you?" He started before you saw some slight recognition in his eyes, "Wait, you're familiar. Ta-Tanner?" You shook your head.
"Taylor. Is Crystal home?" You asked and she shook his head.
"Nope, sorry. I'll let her know you came by?" You nodded and noticed something out of the corner of your eye. You glanced that way and saw the blonde girl in question. Crystal was half-climbing, half-floating out of her bedroom window.
"Okay, um... Thanks!" You said as he gave you a nod and shut the door. You took a few steps back and off to the side where Crystal was hovering.
"That was my dad?" Crystal asked, her face looking worried.
You blinked, completely confused as she glanced towards the door. "Was there anyone with him?" A shake of your head had the blonde girl biting her lip before she started to walk down the side of the road. You followed after her, concern evident on your face.
"What happened?" She slowed down to walk by your side as she reached her hands together and fidgetted. She looked around for anyone before stepping closer to you.
"I heard Dad having sex," Crystal muttered, keeping her voice quiet. You thought about that. her dad was hot as hell but it was also her dad. You tried to imagine your dad having sex and- even ignoring your mom's death- decided it would be gross.
"Gross. I'm sorry," You said but it looked like there was far more on Crystal's mind. She shook her head and you felt worry on your fingertips. She wasn't the straight-backed smiling girl you were used to. She looked... deflated.
"Mom's on patrol."
That took you a second to parse. Her dad was having sex while her mom was out on patrol? You swallowed, "M-Maybe he was... masturbating?" You tried your best to keep the image of a seven foot hunk jacking off from your head and- for the most part- succeeded. Of course, you were staring at Crystal as you tried to get that thought away and that led you to thinking about her naked, pleasing herself but... You took a breath to clear your mind.
Crystal shook her head. "I heard... I heard a..." The blonde's full bottom lip started to tremble and she bit it to keep it from doing so.
"Oh my god," You muttered. There was the off chance- the off hope- that he was just watching porn out loud or something but... But Crystal seemed really worried about it. Tenderly, hesitantly, you reached out to grab her hand. It was cold and clammy but you held it regardless. You draped your power over Crystal like a safety blanket.
"I-I don't know what to do. Do-Do I tell someone? Do I tell Mom? Do-Should I just pretend like I don't know and block it out or- I don't want my parents to get divorced. New Wave could be over and- and the city needs us, right?! So-" You squeezed her hand and she stopped her breathless ramble. She looked at you, worry on her face and you squeezed her hand again. "Taylor... Wh-What should I do?"
You bit your lip before shrugging. "I don't know," You admit. You tugged at your power on her and sighed. "I- I've... I don't know." You admitted as you kept walking. Crystal nodded her head and then glanced over at you.
"I don't either... I just... I..." You saw her lip trembling again and you tugged on her hand.
"I know... I... I'm here for you." She nodded, you hadn't planned on it, but you'd been walking back towards your dorm. You glanced at her, your eyes trailing up and down her body and outfit.
You realized that earlier she'd been crying. The almost-gone pink puffiness under her eyes giving it away. She was panicking but she was managing to hide it. Her eyes had a distant, nervous cast to them. You gave the hand you were holding another squeeze, your power clinging to the two of you, connected by your hands. She released your hand pretty soon after. Not anywhere near as much handholding as you wanted.
Was holding hands appropriate?
"I know... I... Thank you." She said and you saw a shakey, weak smile on her face. "Thank you so much."
You wanted to give her some kind of hope. Seeing Crystal nervous and scared like this- the same Crystal who was normally so cheerful- it hurt. You wanted to suggest that her parents had an open relationship or maybe her mom got home early. You didn't know if it would help. You didn't know how to help.
So instead, you just kept walking with her. You tried to steer the conversation in to a more positive direction, your time at Immaculata and how you might be making a friend there. That seemed to lighten Crystal's mood a little. You kept talking about stuff and tried your best to provide a distraction but you saw the way Crystal kept fidgeting with her shirt or drumming her fingers on her thigh.
You tried your best to be supportive, to be a welcome distraction, but you knew you weren't doing a great job at it.
Still, it was all you could do.
You snagged some lunch for the two of you from Immaculata's cafeteria not too long after you two settled in your dorm. You brought it back to Crystal and the two of you ate. She still seemed nervous but you did earn a few eye rolls and upturns of her lips so it wasn't a complete disaster. Not long after that- though- she left.
And you were left alone in your room. As you waited for Vista's patrol to start, she sent you a picture of a route through Downtown. It had a bright green line going down various roads with fainter green blotches that surrounded it. It wasn't hard to figure out that this was her patrol route and you assumed the other areas were places she could wander?
It seemed strict.
You laid down in your bed, sending the occasional message to Sophia when she rarely responded. Eventually, the clock got pretty close to when Vista said her patrol would start. You had long since made your way downtown and started to wander while you waited for her to message you. You were dressed for the occasion, a black croptop over a pale blue bralette with the same black jeans you'd worn earlier in the day.
Brockton's mild weather was amazing and you loved it now more than ever, even if you knew it was going to be humid when summer rolled around.
After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, you got a notification from PHO.
MissMe: We just started.
Trouble_Magnet: Awesome. I'm waiting on 4th and Kings.
You kept waiting there, sitting near the corner. Eventually, though, you saw a familiar girl with a green visor and body armor. Vista wasn't alone again but this time, her partner in patrol wasn't Browbeat.
Beneath a heavy, black cloak you saw a feminine form. A skintight black bodysuit clung to a slender, albeit somewhat curvy, frame with black metal armor acting as gauntlets and kneepads. Her mask was the same black-painted metal and was a stern, feminine face. The hood of the cloak was currently down and through the eyeholes of the mask you could see a pair of brown eyes staring at you.
Shadow Stalker.
You were pretty sure that she was Sophia but looking at her eye color, she definitely wasn't Emma or Madison. You saw Vista with some pep in her step as she walked over to you. "Taylor!"
You smiled at Vista as she came over and looked at Shadow Stalker. You spread your aura out, first on Vista and you debated placing it on Shadow Stalker. She might be Sophia and that would help solidify your... whatever you and Sophia were but at the same time, doing that would mean that your time with Vista would be less effective. If Shadow Stalker was Sophia, then you'd already sunk your power into her pretty deep.
You settled your gaseous energy on Vista, deciding it was more worth it to stabilize that relationship.
"Hey Vista. You're Shadow Stalker?" You ask the other cape who stares at you for a moment before blinking and nodding her head, giving a grunt of affirmation.
Vista glanced between the two of you and almost said something before shrugging. "Is it okay if Taylor joins us?" The thirteen-year-old Ward asks her partner, quickly adding, "For the patrol, I mean."
Shadow Stalker looked at you, stared really, before giving a nod.
And the three of you started walking. You noticed that Shadow Stalker kept herself near the street and walked oddly close to you, close enough that the backs of your fingers occasionally brushed Sophia's gauntletted hand. Vista walked on the other side of you, not quite as close but still close enough that you could probably hit her with your hair if you started shaking your head really fast.
You didn't do that, obviously, because it would be silly.
The three of you walked down the sidewalk and you glanced over, "So... what happened?"
Both girls turned to face you though Shadow Stalker had been giving you sidelong glasses and Vista had occasionally been looking you over. "Hm?" It was Vista who asked.
You glanced at Shadow Stalker, "You said that Shadow Stalker might not've been able to come? Why wouldn't she have been able to?" You stumbled towards the end of the sentence there before shaking your head.
"Oh, um..." Vista looked past you at Shadow Stalker, "Can I say?" The cloaked heroine shrugged. Was it Sophia trying to hide her voice or was the heroine mute? You were pretty sure she'd briefly spoken during the PSA. Vista glanced at you before speaking, "She punched Clockblocker after we gave that PSA. Then- a few days later- they..." She glanced at Shadow Stalker again but got no response from the metal-masked girl. "They think she had a second trigger but she keeps denying it."
"I didn't," She said, her feminine voice was gruff and deep, not at all like the sultry tones of Sophia. It also sounded like it was a forced, different voice. You avoided looking suspicious when you glanced at her.
"Gotcha," You said, making a mental note to look into what a 'second trigger' was. Was it a way for someone to get more powers? And... Shadow Stalker's power was acting differently as of a few days ago? That's about how long its been since you and Sophia...
You felt like an idiot. There was an easy way to tell if Sophia and Shadow Stalker were the same person. You hadn't thought of it until you thought about the second aspect of your power. The part that gave you your new, ethereal ability. Feeling for your connection to Sophia felt as easy as breathing. The power that let you tell where she was across the city. You felt your connection to Sophia.
And it proved your right.
You felt your connection to Sophia, the spark that existed within her.
The spark that was currently inside Shadow Stalker's head.
Sophia's spark was inside of Shadow Stalker. You were connected to Shadow Stalker.
Shadow Stalker and Sophia were the same person!
You'd confirmed it now. You weren't sure if you wanted to say anything about it. It was important but would it give you away as a cape? How would it affect your relationship? Would it affect your relationship? Would Sophia like you more or less, if she found out she didn't have to hide her caped persona from you? Could you have sex with her in her costume?
That last one was a stupid gay thought and you mentally screamed at yourself for it. Dumb gay brain.
You looked over at Vista and smiled before she glanced at a coffee shop. "Do you two wanna grab some coffee?" She asked, really looking at you. You glanced at Sophia- at Shadow Stalker- who pointed at her full face mask. Vista shrugged before shaking her head.
"I guess we shouldn't then," You said, glancing at the hooded girl who was looking at you now. You caught her pupils travelling to look below your face and had to stop yourself from smirking.
Vista shrugged and hopped forward, "Okay, well..." Vista said, clasping her hands behind her back and frowning. "I'm horrible at talking." Vista decided as she walked along. She turned, a portion of the alley becoming a ramp upwards as you noticed the three of you entering a more populated area.
"What're we doing?" You asked, glancing at the girl.
"Umm, we're going to the roofs? I wanna talk to you, not get my picture taken." Vista replies as if it's obvious. Shadow Stalker gave Vista a look you couldn't decipher behind her metal mask and followed after so, of course, you did too.
"What's do you normally do for fun?" You ask Vista.
"Scroll on my phone, watch TV, practice with my power..." You gave her a look, clearly meaning any hobbies that she had. She glanced at you before you saw her cheeks flush, "I don't know? Laser tag?" You rose an eyebrow at her and she seemed to flush more under your gaze, "I like video games." Vista squeaked the words out, embarrassed. "Like the fantasy kind."
You rose an eyebrow at the young girl who was wilting under your gaze before you shook your head and smiled. You didn't really understand why she was so embarrassed by that being her hobby. "I like books," You replied in what might be the most awkward way ever. She smiled back at you and nodded.
"Like... the fantasy kind?"
You nodded, "My mom used to be an English teacher. She read to me a lot growing up so... I grew up around a lot of books." Vista smiled at that before nodding and going to bump your arm with her shoulder.
The three of you approached a roof top. Shadow Stalker turned into a humanoid, ghostly mist. She took a few steps back before her leg turned solid and she kicked off, soaring across the gap between buildings. Vista rolled her eyes and huffed, you saw her impatiently tapping her foot until Shadow Stalker landed on the other side. Then the gap stretched, like some invisible hand was squeezing the space between them shut. Vista stepped across and Shadow Stalker turned to face you. You looked at the six inch wide gap between the rooftops, took a deep breath, and stepped across. Then you looked back at the building on the other side of the street.
That was awesome.
You'd seen Vista's power in action before but you never got the chance to really admire it. Distance and size were meaningless with her power.
The three of you continued like that, traversing from building to building. Occasionally you took breaks here or there and one of the two Wards would stare off the edge heroically. The whole time though, Shadow Stalker's eyes stayed on you. They lingered up and down, looking away whenever she caught you noticing. Towards the end of the walk, Vista was smiling and occasionally bumping you with her shoulder.
It was a nice time.
Crystal's Love, Lust, and Loyalty increased by 0.5!
Crystal's Happiness has decreased by 2!
Vista's Love and Lust have increased by 1!
Vista's Loyalty and Happiness have increased by 0.5!
Sophia's Happiness has increased by 0.5!
Sophia's Lust has increased by 0.2!
Weekly:
[Goal] Study Parahuman Theory
-- This option leads to Taylor researching parahuman theory to better understand powers.
[Goal] Get a Hobby
-[Hobby] What?
-- Taylor will lose 0.1 Fund per day in exchange for gaining 0.1 Happiness per day.
[Goal] Burn off Steam
-- Taylor will lose 0.1 Stress per day
-- Taylor will take up running as a hobby
[Goal] Stay up to date
-] On who? (Pick a Cape Group, it doesn't have to be in Brockton but it can't be Cauldron)
-- Taylor will keep up to date on the cape group in question, gaining 3 bonuses to rolls involving them
-- This bonus ONLY applies to the characters in the cape group when in their hero/villain identity
[Goal] Keep In Touch
-[Contact] Who?
-- This option will have Taylor keep in contact with someone throughout the week (provided she has the means to communicate with them)
-- It will result in a random stat from the person increasing by 0.2 every day.
-- The person selected will be more likely to ask Taylor to hang out without costing an action.
[Goal] Experiment with Influence
-- Taylor will get a better idea of how her Influence power works
[Goal] Write-in (Highly recommended)
-- Be sure to list what you want to do AND the desired effect
-- Know that I may nerf or buff the desired effect to ensure that it stays inline
-- Know that powers that don't affect numbers will tend to give story or trait bonuses instead
Sunday:
[Sunday] Hang Out With...
-[Hang] Danny (95%), Sophia (82%), Crystal (87%), Vista (73%) or Eva ( 70%)
[Sunday] Reach out to...
-[Reach] Browbeat (85%), Miss Militia (70%)
[Sunday] Redeem favor from Squealer
-[Favor] What?
-- ??% Chance
-- Chance varies depending on what you ask for
-- Ask for anything: from her number to sex to money to tinkertech.
-- You'll hang out with Squealer
[Sunday] Hunt for...
-[Hunt] Who?
-- ??% Chance
-- Must be a cape from Brockton Bay
-- Can be a villain or hero.
[Sunday] Meet someone online
-- 85% Chance
-- You'll meet someone that isn't from Brockton
-- Maybe you could convince them to move here?
[Sunday] Catfish SpecificProtagonist (Madison)
-- 80% Chance
-- You'll get some cathartic relaxation doing it
-- Maybe it will develop into something more?
[Sunday] Research Capes
-- 85% Chance
-- You'll update yourself on Cape information in Brockton Bay
-- Will get a 1 week, 10 Boost to rolls involving capes.
[Sunday] Get into Trouble
-[Trouble] Docks, Downtown, or Archer's Bridge
-- 85% Chance
-- Will meet at least one cape from whichever area you choose.
[Sunday] Work At Dollhouse
-- 85% Chance
-- Taylor will gain 1 fund
-- Taylor will need to give a work schedule at the end of her shift.
[Sunday] Acquire Costume
-[Costume] What does it look like?
-- Taylor has 1 fund and full access to the Dollhouse
-- With that, she can acquire a costume that hides her identity but provides no benefits.
-- Will allow Taylor to go out as a cape
[Sunday] Tell Sophia You Know She's Shadow Stalker
-[Unmask] Do you tell her anything about your powers? If so, what?
-- ??% Chance (Varies based on information told)
-- She will know anything you tell her and that you know her secret identity
-- You don't know how it will affect your relationship.
[Sunday] Practice with Casper
-[Practice] Where? Docks, Immaculata, or Downtown
-- 80% Chance
-- Taylor will find somewhere private to figure out how to use her Casper power
-- Of course, there are not many private places to practice powers in Brockton and villains probably know about the ones that exist.
[Sunday] Write-in
-- ??% Chance (I will reply to write-ins with the chance of success)
Meta Question:
This is something I've been considering for a while now. I want to crowdsource opinions.
[Meta] Have some traits provide permanent bonuses to specific rolls
-- IE: Taylor's Knowledgeable Citizen trait would give a permanent 5 to rolls involving hunting for capes instead of just allowing her to hunt for capes.
[Meta] Don't have traits provide permanent bonuses to specific rolls
-- IE: Taylor's Knowledgeable Citizen trait would continue to only allow for her to hunt for capes./spoiler]
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
Apr 30, 2020 ReportLike QuoteReply
randomlightning, Tiufi, easty and 219 others like this.
Threadmarks: 25 - Dollhouse and Long Walks
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
Sunday, February 5th, 2011
You woke up in the morning with a text from... Sabah? You felt your throat grow tight and you chest shiver as you tapped on it, excited and dreading what it would say.
Sabah: Parian wants to know if you can come to work the morning shift today and give her your schedule.
It was mundane. Especially after everything that had gone wrong between you and Sabah. You breathed out a sigh that was somehow both anxious and relieved.
You: Sure! I'll head that way asap.
Then you got dressed, grabbed breakfast, and made your way to the Dollhouse. It was as far away as you thought but you were in the rich area of town and the Boardwalk had some of the best shops, so it was only natural that there was a bus not far from the school that went almost straight to the Boardwalk.
It felt like it had been an eternity since you'd been at work. So much had changed between when you'd worked here last. Your relationship with Sabah became rocky, you'd moved to Immaculata, you'd met Vista and Eva. Parian looked at you as you walked in and her face was absolutely unreadable behind the porcelain mask. But you did see she was watching you.
"Sorry," You said as you approached your boss. She shrugged, the motion overexaggerated.
"It's okay. I wanted to see you," Your aura. You reeled it in and encapsulated her in it. You nodded as you glanced around the store. "Plus, I have a costume I have to work on for a hero, so could you watch the store while I did it?" You blinked before nodding your head and going to sit behind the register.
"Who's it for?"
"It's for a few capes, actually. A team wanted to update their costumes and reached out to me." Parian said as she glanced towards the back of the store. "I got halfway done with one for Moonsong last night. If you need anything let me know," With that, Parian left you alone to man the front of the store. People filtered in and out of the store as the day went on. A few hours into your shift, you got a text message.
From Sabah.
Sabah: You're at work still?
You: Yep
Sabah: Busy?
You glanced around the store. There were a few customers milling around but they all seemed to be fine and managing on their own.
You: Not really.
Sabah: Cool.
Sabah: Could we hang out sometime?
Sabah: I want to talk.
You: Yeah. I'm busy tonight.
You didn't have plans but you needed time to mentally prepare. To stress and cry and panic before you met with Sabah to find out what she had decided. You put the phone down on the table. Part of you wanted to message her. To get the conversation done with over your phone so you wouldn't have to meet her eyes or so she couldn't see you cry.
You also didn't want the customers or Parian to see you cry, so you didn't do that.
Sabah: Okay just let me know when you want to meet.
You sighed as you chewed on your lip and stared at your phone. You also didn't want to lie to Sabah though, so you went ahead and sent a text to Sophia asking her to hang out when you got off work. Her reply was surprisingly quick.
Sophia: Sure
You sat back in your seat and idly tapped at the back of your phone. A few more hours passed and then a little after noon, Parian emerged from the back fo the store and walked up to you. "Hey, Taylor, you can head out whenever."
"You finished?"
Parian shrugged, "For the most part? I'm not done done but I'm basically done." You quirked an eyebrow before giving her a smile.
"Awesome. I'm happy for you." Parian glanced away, a hand moving up to brush at her blonde locks.
"Um, just... text Sabah what day of the week you want to work. Let me know by the end of the day? You're good to go." You flashed another smile before going to give Parian a hug and head out.
You walked out the door of the Dollhouse and saw an all too familiar, dark-skinned form sitting on a bench nearby. The Boardwalk was full of them, both on the store side and beach side. Sophia was on her phone, the ankle of one leg rested on the knee of the other and her arm over the back of the bench. She had her phone in the other hand, idly scrolling through it.
You moved, going to sit on the bench with her arm across your back. You saw her head move, going to glare at you before she recognized you and her eyes softened. You pulled your aura around the two of you. She rolled her eyes and relaxed back into the bench.
"Didn't see you coming."
You grinned as you shifted to lean into her arm. "I know," You said with a voice full of pride.
That earned a snort from her before she moved her arm from behind you, putting it in her lap instead. Well that was unfortunate but also you were still pretty close to the Dollhouse and you didn't know if Parian was aware of everything between you and Sabah.
"I didn't expect you to be outside," You admitted as you looked at the brown girl next to her.
She glanced over at you and ran a hand through her hair before she replied, "I was nearby and..." She went quiet and you saw a hint of her cheeks turning even darker. You glanced down towards the south, the oil-rig in the distance was converted to the Protectorate HQ before you were even born. It was also the base of the Wards.
The fact that Sophia was Shadow Stalker crept into your mind before you went to stand. "And?" You asked, Sophia looking up at you before she stood up as well. She put her hands in her pocket and sighed.
"Does it matter?" Sophia asked before she started to walk down the boardwalk. You followed after her.
"I guess not? What do you want to do?"
Sophia smirked, slowing down before giving you a look you'd never seen from her. "Other than you?"
Your cheeks went from pale to bright red in an instant, "U-Um..."
Sophia smirked before shaking her head, "How is it with all the rich kids?"
"Better than with you," You replied, on instinct, earning a surprised look from Sophia.
Her smirk came back before she shook her head, "Watch it, Hebert. Or else I'll have to make you eat those words."
You rose an eyebrow, "How's Winslow?"
"Same hell hole as always," Sophia replied, "Emma's pissed that everyone's started leaving her now that you're gone. Apparently she could only keep them in check by pointing them at you. It's been fun, watching it all blow up."
You smiled at that idea, Emma's hounds turning on her. You remembered Madison, her petite naked body displayed in a dozen pictures on your phone. You shook that image out of your head, instead glancing at Sophia. "How are you?"
Sophia looked at you before shaking her head, "I'm fine. You think I'd be sad that you're gone?"
"You sent me a text saying-"
"Fuck off," Sophia replied, spitting the word defensively as she walked along the path. "I was tired."
"Here I was thinking you were romantic," You replied, smirking as you and Sophia cleared the edge of the Boardwalk. You didn't know where the two of you were walking and you had a feeling that Sophia didn't either. The two of you were just... going. Going wherever way the mood struck you. You passed through a parking lot for visitors to the Boardwalk.
"Yeah, you wish."
"A little," You replied, grinning as you scooted closer to Sophia, your power growing thicker and stronger as you brushed Sophia's side. Sophia stepped away and you felt your smile falter. Sophia saw your smile fading and shut her eyes, a frustrated sigh escaping her lips before she grabbed you by the wrist and tugged you off to the side.
Towards an alley.
Once you were several feet into it she shoved you back and pressed her deep brown lips against yours. You felt her hands move, pinning your shoulders against the wall. She pressed you there, her lips pressing against yours for a few brief moments before she pulled away.
"Hebert, you can't go acting like that in public," Sophia whispered, her breath tingling across your lips.
"Wh-Why?" You asked, tenatively going to wrap your arms around her waist.
"The Empire." Fuck. You'd completely forgotten about the gang of racist, homophobic nazis that controlled a lot of the richer parts of town. The Boardwalk was generally considered neutral territory but there were high odds that they could have members roaming around to make sure it was neutral.
You nodded, moving a hand up to cup Sophia's cheek.
Then you kissed her again, you felt her press into it. You felt her part her lips and you parted yours. Her tongue just barely prodding into her mouth as you felt a hand slide up your side. Sophia moved away, pressing her forehead against yours.
"We shouldn't do this here," She whispered and you nodded. It wasn't a good idea.
"We can just... just hang out?"
Sophia nodded, her hand dropping from the side of your shirt. "Yeah... Yeah. We could, I don't know... go to a park or some shit?"
You nodded. Parks were nice.
And so, the two of you did. You made your way to a nearby bus stop, hopped aboard, and started riding it. It was winter and the parks weren't the best at the time but it also meant they were mostly empty. You two went to a smaller one that was really just an open field of grass with a track running along the outside and started walking on it.
"So..."
Sophia looked at you, "So?"
You had no clue. You wanted to talk with her but you had no clue about what. You glanced around, "What do you like?"
"What do I like?" Sophia asked, giving you a weird look. "I don't know. Action movies. fighting, partying ... sex?" You gave her a look at that and she smirked, "I want to try hiking but it's hard to figure it out since we're in town and all. I guess I could find a gym to go rock climbing."
You nod. "I've never thought about hiking or... rock climbing?"
Sophia smiled, "I like to jump across buildings."
You gawked before you remembered that she's Shadow Stalker. Of course Shadow Stalker would do that but... but she didn't know that you knew. Unless she could also feel where you were? Or she somehow knew that you knew.
You'd have to decide if you wanted to tell her about your powers, either all of them or just your intangibility. Or tell her that you knew she was Shadow Stalker. How would that change your relationship?
What was your relationship? That was a question that kept coming through your mind, time after time as you and Sophia made your way around the park. You considered for a bit, wracking your head over what the two of you were, before you decided to do the simple thing.
And just ask it.
"What... what are we?"
Sophia glanced over at you, "The hell do you mean?"
You sighed, "Like... what are we? Are we just... friends with benefits or are we- y'know?" Sophia gritted her teeth as she glanced off to the side. She breathed before shrugging.
"I don't know."
You frown, "Me neither."
Silence filled the space between you, well that and your power. The two of you glanced at each other, the air suddenly awkward as you walk down the path. You couldn't stop thinking about it and neither could Sophia, apparently, because she broke the silence.
"I don't really believe in... I don't know, love? Romantic... stuff."
You glanced over at her, "I... I do." You loved romance novels. You knew your parents loved you, even if your Dad was still somewhat distant. Emma loved you once, even if it was platonic.
The black girl sighed, "Yeah... Yeah... I-I've had a rough experience with it."
Another nod came out. You weren't going to press that on her and judging by her silence on it, she didn't care to give any elaboration. "Well... That's okay." You said and Sophia gave you a look that seemed... out of characterly nervous. "We don't have to call it anything if we don't want to. We can eventually but we can just be... us."
Sophia gave a half-grin, half-smirk before going to bump you with her shoulder. "Alright. That'd... That'd be really nice."
Your time with Sophia was really nice.
Taylor Gains 1 Fund
Sabah's Happiness has gone up by 0.75
Sophia's Love has increased by 0.5
Sophia's Loyalty and Happiness have increased by 1.
Crystal's Lust has increased by 0.2
Work
When should Taylor be scheduled to work?
Note: This will lock in the night time action for the selected day to be working unless she skips work.
She will probably not be with Parian or Sabah during this shift.
[Work] Sunday
[Work] Monday
[Work] Tuesday
[Work] Thursday
[Work] Friday
[Work] Saturday
School
[School] Get closer to Eva
-- 80% Chance
-- She's really popular
-- She seems nice but weak-willed
[School] Reach out to Tammi
-- 80% Chance of Success
-- She seems like she needs a friend
-- But she's the type of lonely dog to bite
[School] Meet someone Fun
-- 80% Chance
-- You'll meet someone carefree and kind
-- She's part of the religious side of Immaculata
[School] Meet someone online
-- 85% Chance
-- You'll meet someone that isn't from Brockton
-- Maybe you could convince them to move here?
[School] Write-in
-- ??% Chance
Night
[Night] Hang Out With...
-[Hang] Danny (95%), Sophia (82%), Crystal (87%), Vista (73%) or Eva ( 70%)
[Night] Reach out to...
-[Reach] Any Hero from Brockton Bay
[Night] Redeem favor from Squealer
-[Favor] What?
-- ??% Chance
-- Chance varies depending on what you ask for
-- Ask for anything: from her number to sex to money to tinkertech.
-- You'll hang out with Squealer
[Night] Hunt for...
-[Hunt] Who?
-- ??% Chance
-- Must be a cape from Brockton Bay
-- Can be a villain or hero.
[Night] Meet with Sabah
-- 90% Chance
-- Sabah has made her choice.
-- You have no idea what it is.
[Night] Meet someone online
-- 85% Chance
-- You'll meet someone that isn't from Brockton
-- Maybe you could convince them to move here?
[Night] Catfish SpecificProtagonist (Madison)
-- 80% Chance
-- You'll get some cathartic relaxation doing it
-- Maybe it will develop into something more?
[Night] Research Capes
-- 85% Chance
-- You'll update yourself on Cape information in Brockton Bay
-- Will get a 1 week, 10 Boost to rolls involving caped personas.
[Night] Get into Trouble
-[Trouble] Docks, Downtown, or Archer's Bridge
-- 85% Chance
-- Will meet at least one cape from whichever area you choose.
[Night] Work At Dollhouse
-- 85% Chance
-- Taylor will gain 1 fund
-- Taylor will need to give a work schedule at the end of her shift.
[Night] Acquire Costume
-[Costume] What does it look like?
-- Taylor has 2 fund and full access to the Dollhouse
-- Taylor can acquire an armored costume, but not anything fancy for it
-- Will allow Taylor to go out as a cape
[Night] Tell Sophia You Know She's Shadow Stalker
-[Unmask] Do you tell her anything about your powers? If so, what?
-- ??% Chance (Varies based on information told)
-- She will know anything you tell her and that you know her secret identity
-- You don't know how it will affect your relationship.
[Night] Practice with Casper
-[Practice] Where? Docks, Immaculata, or Downtown
-- 80% Chance
-- Taylor will find somewhere private to figure out how to use her Casper power
-- Of course, there are not many private places to practice powers in Brockton and villains probably know about the ones that exist.
[Night] Write-in
-- ??% Chance (I will reply to write-ins with the chance of success)
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
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randomlightning, Tiufi, easty and 272 others like this.
Threadmarks: 26 - Sabah's Confession
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
Before you went to bed, you sent a message to Sabah asking her to tell Parian that you'd like to work on Tuesdays.
Monday, February 6th, 2011
You were starting to get used to waking up in your dorm room. The stiff, smaller bed was becoming more normal to you. You hopped up and went to breakfast before your first class.
Your classes went well. In general, things seemed to be going well anyways. Life was nice.
Well, save for the situation with Sabah. You'd sent her a text while eating breakfast and told her you two could meet tonight. She agreed to it and you felt nervous. You felt butterflies in your stomach and anxiety in your chest.
But that would come after school.
As classes rolled past and lunch came around, you shot a text to Eva and asked if she wanted to hang out. She soon replied with a text that read 'Sure!' and you made your way to the cafeteria. After you grabbed your food, you saw Eva and she waved you over to her table. It was a round table with too many chairs pulled up to it. You barely noticed that there weren't any minorities in the group.
You made your way over with a smile on your face.
"Hey, pull up a chair," Eva said before you earned a glance from the other people at the table.
There was a look from the other girls at the table at Eva. A look of dissatisfaction on one girl, the one that you'd learned was named Audrey, evident as all the other people stole glances at her reaction. It spread across the other people's faces and you felt the persistent butterflies spread.
You recognized the looks of disapproval you got on their faces.
"Actually, I don't think we have any room," The lead girl- Audrey- said after she inspected you. "Sorry." She said that last word in a tone that implied that she wasn't sorry at all.
You glanced at Eva who looked towards Audrey before mouthing the word 'sorry' to you too.
You took a deep breath before going to turn around and head to an unoccupied table to sit alone.
You felt sick.
Then later on, classes ended so you moved to your room and changed out of your schoolgirl uniform and into a pair of black skinny jeans, a white button-down, and a black blazer. You asked Sabah if you should head on over and she said yes. You made your way to Sabah's.
It was terrifying.
As the bus rolled along the street on its way to Sabah's house, you had no clue what you were going to do. You had no clue what she was going to do. Sabah had been questioning whether or not it was worth dating you- or whether or not she could- because of the age gap. You glanced at your phone, part of you hoping that she would just text you her response. You wanted to get this over with, to either curl up in your room and cry or to cheer and laugh and be happy.
You had no clue what was going to happen and that was terrifying.
You watched the bus roll past Sabah's apartment on its way to the bus stop and then you hopped off and made the few blocks long walk to Sabah's apartment complex.
At her door, you hesitated. It would be easier to not deal with this. To run away. You were good at that.
Instead, you lifted your knuckles to the door and knocked.
A few moments later, it opened and you saw Sabah for the first time in what felt like forever.
She was just as beautiful as you remembered. Despite her being the older one, the top of her head barely passed your shoulders. Her light brown skin looked different and it took you a second to recognize that she was wearing makeup. Her lips were obvious- they were a brighter red than normal and she had winged eyeliner. The complexion that whatever else she was wearing was harder to notice. She looked at you and those ruby red lips parted into a pearly white smile as she took a few steps back and gave you a, "Come on in."
You felt nervous. Terrified, even. There was a hint of those same emotions on her features. The way her smile faltered when she thought you weren't looking or you felt her silently heave out a sigh through your power when your back was too her.
You felt her shift in posture too. From her normal to a more chest-out, confident pose as if she was still trying to psyche herself up for whatever was happening. You felt the exact same way. Terror, dread, and eagerness all bubbling into one cacophony of emotions that was virtually impossible to sift through. As you sat down on the couch, you turned to look at Sabah. She was dressed in a well-fitting pink collared shirt and a white skirt. Once you realized it was a skirt, you glanced down and saw pink and white striped stockings. A part of you was disappointed, the other part was very, very happy by the strip of light brown skin that you did get to see.
Sabah caught you looking if her flushed cheeks were any sign.
You smiled at her and you saw her red lips turn up in a smile of her own.
"So...?" You ask, managing to keep your voice from shaking at all which even surprised you.
Sabah sat on the other end of the couch, she was looking at her lap, her thumbs and forefinger playing with the bottom of her skirt. You could see her looking for the words, she opened her mouth and closed it, her red lips drawn across in a tight line. You felt your heart pounding in your ear.
"If... I'm sorry for everything." You felt your heart thundering more. You felt a sting in your eyes. "I'm sorry for making you panic and stress and stuff... and if you hate me for that- for this- then I understand." Your breath was shakey as it escaped your lips. "But... But I just... I needed time to sort stuff out." Sabah said, struggling for each word that she uttered. "And..." Sabah trailed off.
You knew what was coming. You could feel it and it terrified you.
"And...?" You echoed her.
"And if you don't want to forgive me for all that, I understand but..." Sabah shut her eyes and it was like looking into a mirror. A beautiful, dark-skinned, Middle Eastern mirror, sure, but a mirror nonetheless. You could see the worry dancing through her eyes, the fear as she fidgetted with her clothes. You could see panic and terror and apprehension flittering across her features. "I really, really, really like you, Taylor." You felt the inevitable coming. You felt your power over the two of you like a blanket, doing your best to sway her at the last second. To convince her and pull her so she wouldn't leave you. "I really... I've missed you so much these past few days. Being around you just... it just makes me so happy. So..." Your chest felt tight. " So, could we date? Officially?"
You blinked. Nothing else seemed to matter at the moment as you stared into her eyes, which were looking up at you with worry. You realized what it was about. It wasn't fear about losing your friendship like you'd feared losing her. It was a fear of rejection. She was scared that she'd somehow hurt you too much in this break she needed to sort stuff out.
Your mind blanked and you couldn't focus on anything other than the worry in her eyes. The fear. The anxiousness.
Your mouth floundered.
So you did the only thing you could, you sprung forward and wrapped your arms tight around her, burying your face and feeling your glasses press into her shoulder. You laughed. Little, light laughs that escaped your lips as you hugged her as tight as you could.
You pulled away and stared at her, your smile massive and hers slowly grew to match it.
"I-Is that a yes?" Sabah asked with a trembling voice.
You gave a flurry of nods, "Yes. Y-Yes, please, yes!" You replied and you heard some laughter escaping from her lips too.
That's when you felt it. Like the thrum from the center of your head as the darkness in the room seemed to creep out further, except the spreading shadows were dotted with stars. Sabah was still staring at you and a part of you knew that you absolutely couldn't let her see the stars and blackness that were blotting into existence throughout the room. So, you moved.
You pressed your lips against Sabah's. You closed your eyes and hers lilted shut too. You felt her arms draping over your back. You moved, pressing one arm on her armrest to hold yourself up as the other wrapped around her upper back. You stole a glance, opening your eyes and seeing the two of you drifting in space, no furniture, no walls, nothing else. Except for you, Sabah, and the endless stars. And millions upon millions of things drifting and spiraling.
You shut your eye, moving to pull your glasses off and set them on Sabah's coffee table as you moved to keep kissing Sabah, her arms pulling you tighter as she parted her lips.
You slid your tongue into her mouth, pressing it against hers. She shrank into you, the tip of your tongue dancing around hers as you moved forward, your back arching as you moved your hand down her side, tracing it along her side. Your hand brushing her smooth skin.
Your mind was racing as she pushed against you, her smaller form pressing against you. You lifted up and saw her panting. You were near sighted and saw the couch behind her and her smiling up at you, her chest rising and falling as she bit her lip.
"S-So we're good?" She asked and you only giggled before going in for another.
You felt it. Another point. It was inside of Sabah's head, just like Sophia's. It felt different. Distinct. You could easily differentiate it from the one inside Sophia, miles and miles away. Not just because of the distance but because it was just... different. Like the colors blue and red, different no matter how far away they were.
You smiled down at her and laughed before nodding. Sabah shifted, going to sit up before going to push you forward. "Um... o-one thing though?" Sabah said as she got you on your back. You blinked, staring up at her.
"What?" You squeaked as she moved, pressing little kisses with her ruby red lips against your neck. She moved up, a gentle bite on the lobe of your ear making you shiver.
There was a pause as you felt her, on top of you and inside your aura, building up her confidence. What came out was a squeak, but a confident one, "I-I... Um... I like being on top." She said, sounding a little breathy as you felt another fragment of something inside of you. Again, like the gift you'd gotten from Sophia but distinctly different. "I-If that's okay?"
You nodded, rapidly. You'd never asked Sophia what she'd preferred but you assumed she was also a top... was she? You were on top of her when the two of you... and now you were beneath Sabah...
You bit your lip as Sabah kept planting little kisses up your neck, moving to bite you near the base of it and earned a series of short gasps as a reward. She slid a hand behind your head, running it through your hair before she shifted. Her small form atop yours as she kissed your throat went to bite and suckle a spot on the other side of your neck.
She breathed hot, damp breaths onto it before shaking her head and moving again. She shifted, going to plant her head atop your chest. Her legs spread onto either side of yours.
"A-are we not...?"
She shook her head into your chest, "I... I don't think we should... yet. I-I just... I just don't feel... um... ready?"
You nodded, that was okay. You moved an arm to stroke her hair and felt her sink into you, clinging to the front of your body with her head nuzzled between your small breasts. You were wearing a bralette, one that Parian gave you.
You kept stroking the back of her head, your mind racing on thoughts of Sabah, Sophia, and the fact that you either just got some new power from a normal person or...
Or Sabah was a cape.
You had no clue which one she could be. There were a few independents in Brockton like Circus but... but Sabah seemed far too timid to be a thief like Circus.
Then again, apparently Sabah was a dom. Or at least a top.
You let your mind wander as she cuddled into you until her stomach rumbled. She made you two dinner- some kind of rice and meat dish- and finally told you what nationality she was: Sabah was originally from Iraq and her parents immigrated here when she was in middle school. She didn't elaborate on them and you didn't pry, though you did wonder why they didn't live here with her.
After a dinner where Sabah was constantly looking at you and then blushing and grinning, you went to the bathroom to see why and noticed a series of red kiss marks on your lips and neck. You also noticed on particularly dark spot on the right side that was out of place amongst the red marks. You tried to wash it off with the others and that's when you realized what had happened.
Sabah gave you a hicky. Your face went crimson as you realized you had no clue how to deal with that! You hurried out of the bathroom, looked at her, and she broke down laughing.
Stupid, adorable Sabah.
She drove you back to campus, parking near the gate and looking at you.
"I... I just wanted to thank you for... I don't know... Saying yes?" Sabah asked and you grinned, moving to kiss her on the cheek before hopping out and running back to your dorm, knowing that it was well after the dorm's curfew. You got inside and answered the dozen of panicked messages you'd gotten from Crystal while you were at Sabah's. The superheroine was claiming that she was going to go flying tp look for you if you worried her like that again.
You felt a spark inside of you. A new power.
A power you'd gotten from Sabah.
You had no idea what it was.
Eva's Happiness has dropped by 1.
Parian's Happiness has increased by 1.5!
Parian's Lust, Love, and Loyalty have increased by 1!
Taylor's Happiness has increased by 0.5
Taylor's stress has decreased by 1.
Crystal's Love has increased by 0.2
School
[School] Get closer to Eva
-- 78% Chance
-- She's seemed bummed that you got rejected from the table.
-- You don't know if that's the only reason though.
[School] Reach out to Tammi
-- 80% Chance of Success
-- She seems like she needs a friend
-- But she's the type of lonely dog to bite
[School] Meet someone Fun
-- 80% Chance
-- You'll meet someone carefree and kind
-- She's part of the religious side of Immaculata
[School] Meet someone online
-- 85% Chance
-- You'll meet someone that isn't from Brockton
-- Maybe you could convince them to move here?
[School] Write-in
-- ??% Chance
Night
[Night] Go To Work
-- 80% Chance
-- You'll be on your first shift alone
-- It'd be a shame if something happened.
[Night] Skip Work
-[Night] Write-in what you're skipping work to do
-- ??% Chance (I will reply to write-ins with the chance of success)
Click to expand...
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Last edited: May 10, 2020
May 6, 2020 ReportLike QuoteReply
Tiufi, easty, BoBoB and 270 others like this.
Threadmarks: 27 - Meeting Mary and Working Alone
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
Tuesday, February 7th, 2011
Another morning, another breakfast, another series of classes in your schoolgirl outfit. Once your lunch period rolled around, you made your way towards the cafeteria.
You had intended to try and wiggle some time with Eva but instead, as you were hurrying towards the cafeteria something collided with your side. It knocked you onto your back and a cloud of papers exploded into the air like a smoke grenade.
You looked up, your glasses jostled on your face as you looked up at the girl who now held herself on top of you. You felt her skirt brushing at your thighs as you stared up at her. The long, wavy red hair sent a bolt of fear up your spine before you saw the green eyes, freckled face, and rosy cheeks. It wasn't Emma. It was some other girl.
A girl who hurriedly sat up, straddling you, before her cheeks turned even more scarlet and she stood up. She looked at you as she flattened her skirt. You felt a tad upset that you didn't get a glance up her skirt when she stood. Wait, no! Stupid brain!
You smiled at her as you went to your feet as well, adjusting your glasses and looking at her. "Sorry!" She said with an embarrassed grin as you shrugged.
"It happens," You replied before looking at the flurry of papers that covered the ground. You moved, scooping one up. It looked like a paper analyzing a bible verse but you had no idea what verse it was at a glance. You grabbed a few more and offered them to the girl, swelling your power to encompass yourself and the girl as she went about collecting the papers too. You handed your stack to her and she smiled.
"Thanks so much. I'm Mary," She said as she put the two stacks together and lined up the edges.
"No problem, what are those?" She flipped the stack of papers over her hands before hugging it against her chest. You took the chance to steal a glance at her chest as she did so. Her breasts didn't look huge but they were still much larger than your own. Her whole figure was slender, but she had nice plump thighs and wide hips. You didn't get a good look at her rear- on account of standing in front of her- but it looked nice and plump when you saw her bend over to collect papers. "Oh, and I'm Taylor."
"Oh, like the saint? I love it!" Mary replied with a smile and you constricted your power around her. "I'm a TA for my free period. These are some essays that students wrote." She held the sheaf of papers and shrugged. "I was gonna grade them at lunch."
You glanced down the hallway towards the cafeteria. "We... We could go together?" You suggested. You had a feeling that Eva wasn't going to be allowed to hang out with you again and you really needed more people.
"Yeah! Totally- I mean, sure?" She said, excitement on her face that was quickly restrained into an awkward calmness. She let out a smile and you tightened your power on her again.
She took the lead, walking the two of you to the cafeteria as you looked over her face. Her face was attractive, a nice blend of rounded, sharp features. Her eyes were a pale shade of jade green and her orange hair fluttered behind her. You flicked your eyes to her skirt. It wasn't short but it wasn't long either. Maybe she was some kind of inbetweener? "So... how are things?"
She perked her lips in thought before shrugging, "They're great. I got into a... disagreement? With Sister Theresa but I think we settled things." You recognized her as one of the nuns from the nearby convent that occasionally substituted for teachers at the school. It wasn't uncommon for nuns to do odd jobs here. You asked Eva why once and she rolled her eyes, making air quotes with her hands and telling you 'Idle hands are the devil's workshop' with a look of exasperation on her face. You didn't really get it. "What about you? Are you new or...?"
"I'm new, why?" You asked, furrowing your brow and earning a happy shrug from the girl.
She had a bounce in her step as the two of you made your way down the hallway, "I didn't recognize you. I don't know everybody but... I dunno, I feel like I would've run into you before."
You guessed that made sense. She hopped on into the line and you saw the lunchlady give her a smile. The two of you moved down the line and right before you got to the dessert section, the last bit of banana pudding was scooped up. The lunch lady frowned before looking at the two of you, making a shushing motion, and moving to the back before bringing out two pints of ice cream. She set them down and Mary was absolutely beaming at her before the two of you made your way across the cafeteria to sit at an empty table in the corner.
"That was lucky," You replied, looking at the pint of vanilla bean ice cream on your tray.
Mary grinned at you, a little giggle escaping her lips before she nodded. "Yup. It's happened to me before, that lady always gives me ice cream when it does."
You shook your head, "Lucky."
Mary popped a spoonful into her mouth, wiggling her shoulders and grinning before going, "Sure am!"
You noticed Eva giving you a curious glance from her table. You didn't say anything but gave her a smile. Mary followed your eyes and pursed her lips before shaking her head. You kept your power around her, breathing out as you took the ice cream.
Mary gave you another smile and you couldn't help but grin back at her.
Your conversation for the rest of lunch was nice. You learned that Mary lives in the dorms. You also learned that she has a job. She didn't specify what it was and you didn't pry but apparently, it offered her room and board and she slept there most nights instead of her dorm, apparently, it was more comfortable and offered more privacy.
"How do you avoid getting into trouble because of the curfew?"
Mary smirked as you asked her that question. "There's a tree near the... noooorth side of campus? Yeah. Its night vision doesn't work. You can climb onto the brick corner over there to jump the fence. It's pretty close to the girl's dorm so just wear a hood and run." You memorized that little tidbit. It would make it easier to sneak onto and off of campus so that you could spend time with people.
Maybe even spend the night with someone?
Regardless, you enjoyed her company. She was a really happy, upbeat personality, and talking to her kept a grin on your face.
Lunch didn't last anywhere near long enough.
Classes continued on and at the end of it, you made your way to the bus. Today was your first day working alone.
Parian was there, though. Apparently she worked for the few hours the shop was open while you were at school. She handed you a copy of the keys to the store and left.
And there you were. Working in the store alone for the first time. It wasn't really the first time, Sabah or Parian had gone to the back for one reason or another and left you in the front of the store from time to time but now you were well and truly alone in the store- save for the customers.
They fluttered in and out. Most were regulars but they tended not to need help. Occasionally someone would ask for help, a dressing room, or you had to check them out but it wasn't much effort. A few hours after nightfall, you were all alone in the store, left thinking about how much longer your shift seemed to be without Parian or Sabah here so you were left waiting for texts from Crystal, checking your phone every few seconds to see if she responded to your most recent text.
Thoughts of Sabah, of course, led to thoughts about your power. Thoughts about last night. What had happened, the stars that had encompassed the two of you, the fact that you were pretty sure that had you not kissed her so she would close her eyes, she would've known there was some kind of parahuman element involved.
You focused on that bond, pulling the power forth. You felt an energy that leaked from your skin and soaked into your clothes like water. It wasn't visible but you could feel it filling your clothing, soaking into it until it filled it.
You flexed the new energy that soaked into your clothes and felt it like a second skin. You could feel through it- albeit dampened compared to your normal sense of skin- but more than that you could move it. You made the hem of your shirt lift up by some unseen force before letting it fall back down. An invisible rippled crossed across it. You tried to do the same thing to a shirt on the rack but nothing happened. You glanced around the empty store and walked up to a bra on a rack. You touched it, felt the power seep into it, then made it ripple and move as if it were alive, held against gravity and moving by invisible hands through the force of your power alone. Your power made it feel dense too. Not any heavier but...
You made a quick run to the back of the store and then hurried back to the front. You grabbed a sheer top and lifted some fabric scissors up to try and cut it...
And you couldn't.
You moved to sit back down, focusing on your link with Sabah and feeling her location in the direction of her apartment.
You had a copy of Parian's power, this time. Maybe because Sabah was a normal person, you got the power of the cape closest to her? You knew that Sabah wasn't Parian, you'd seen them at the same time even if Parian had sounded slightly different around Sabah than she did when the two of you were alone. You assumed it was emotion or something, muddying her voice.
You knew what your new power was, at least. You could telekinetically control fabrics but only while touching part of them. Your power also made the clothes harder but you had no clue how much harder it made them. You couldn't cut them with scissors but what about stabbing through them with a knife? Or a gunshot?
You really didn't want to test that.
A few hours later and a few customers more and you locked up shop and headed to the dorms.
Mary character sheet unlocked!
Taylor gained 1 fund!
Taylor discovered her Tailor power!
Crystal's Happiness increased by 0.2
School
[School] Get closer to Eva
-- 78% Chance
-- She's seemed bummed that you got rejected from the table.
-- You don't know if that's the only reason though.
[School] Reach out to Tammi
-- 80% Chance of Success
-- She seems like she needs a friend
-- But she's the type of lonely dog to bite
[School] Spent Time with Mary
-- 85% Chance
-- You'll learn more about her
-- Plus you'll grow closer
[School] Meet someone online
-- 85% Chance
-- You'll meet someone that isn't from Brockton
-- Maybe you could convince them to move here?
[School] Experiment with sensory aspect of Influence
-- 75% Chance
-- You'll practice with the tactile sense of your Influence power
-- It might not be super interesting.
[School] Research Powers
-- 75% Chance
-- There still so much you don't understand about powers
-- Hopefully, you can manage to do so stealthily
[School] Write-in
-- ??% Chance
Night
[Night] Hang Out With...
-[Hang] Danny (95%), Sabah (95%), Sophia (85%), Crystal (85%), Vista (75%), Eva ( 70%) or Mary (75%)
[Night] Reach out to...
-[Reach] Any Hero from Brockton Bay
[Night] Redeem favor from Squealer
-[Favor] What?
-- ??% Chance
-- Chance varies depending on what you ask for
-- Ask for anything: from her number to sex to money to tinkertech.
-- You'll hang out with Squealer
[Night] Hunt for...
-[Hunt] Who?
-- ??% Chance
-- Must be a cape from Brockton Bay
-- Can be a villain or hero.
[Night] Meet someone online
-- 85% Chance
-- You'll meet someone that isn't from Brockton
-- Maybe you could convince them to move here?
[Night] Catfish SpecificProtagonist (Madison)
-- 80% Chance
-- You'll get some cathartic relaxation doing it
-- Maybe it will develop into something more?
[Night] Research Capes
-- 85% Chance
-- You'll update yourself on Cape information in Brockton Bay
-- Will get a 1 week, 10 Boost to rolls involving caped personas.
[Night] Get into Trouble
-[Trouble] Docks, Downtown, or Archer's Bridge
-- 85% Chance
-- Will meet at least one cape from whichever area you choose.
[Night] Acquire Costume
-[Costume] What does it look like? Either description or pictures work.
-- Taylor has 3 funds and full access to the Dollhouse
-- Taylor can acquire a fancy, armored costume of any design she wants
-- She might be able to get a tinker to add something to it
[Night] Tell Sophia You Know She's Shadow Stalker
-[Unmask] Do you tell her anything about your powers? If so, what?
-- ??% Chance (Varies based on information told)
-- She will know anything you tell her and that you know her secret identity
-- You don't know how it will affect your relationship.
[Night] Practice with...
-[Power] Influence, Casper, or Tailor
-[Practice] Where? Docks, Immaculata, or Downtown
-- 80% Chance
-- Taylor will find somewhere private to figure out how to use her Casper power
-- Of course, there are not many private places to practice powers in Brockton and villains probably know about the ones that exist.
[Night] Write-in
-- ??% Chance (I will reply to write-ins with the chance of success)
Click to expand...
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Last edited: May 18, 2020
May 8, 2020 ReportLike QuoteReply
Tiufi, easty, BoBoB and 238 others like this.
Threadmarks: 28 - Love Triangles and Lovely Afternoons
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Spoiler: Results
Wednesday, February 8th, 2011
You were getting used to waking up in your bed at Immaculata. Sure, it still felt lonely and you missed being able to choose what to wear every day but there were perks. You didn't have to worry about breakfast. You got to look at people in cute uniforms every day. Most importantly, though, you were getting used to life here.
You had a firm grip on Eva and you were pretty sure you'd managed to snatch Mary too. It felt weird to be possessive of them like that, saying that you had them but... but it also felt nice.
You were finally feeling like you belonged.
That was the thought that was crossing your mind as you made your way out of the cafeteria from your morning breakfast with Eva, idly sending another text to Crystal.
Crystal...
You shook your head. You could think about that and her later. Right now, you had class.
Sweet, Emma free, class.
Soon enough, classes ended and it was time for your lunch period. You made your way through the halls and Eva was in your sight, you were in the midst of debating whether you wanted to text her to ask her to hang out or to run up ahead and say something to her when you felt a tap on your left shoulder. You glanced that way before turning to face right where you were met by the grinning face of Mary.
"Hey you," Mary said with a smile.
"Me?"
She took a step back, brushing down her knee-length skirt before she spoke, "You."
You slowed down, glancing at Eva before letting your eyes settle on the cute face of Mary. She was looking at you too. You snaked your power around her. "Hey, Mary." You settled, unable to figure out what the girl was doing.
"Hi, Tay." You quirked your eyebrow as she said it. You stole a final glance towards Eva and saw her lingering, looking at you and then Mary. She slowed further.
Mary moved her fingers to block your view, snapping a few times and you looked at her smile which still had a slight upturn to the corners. "So... wanna get lunch?" You asked, looking at her and seeing a shrug as she smirked, already meandering towards the cafeteria and- judging by her pace- intent on arriving there when you did. You rolled your eyes and sped up, following after her and seeing someone in the hall, waiting for the two of you.
Why was it that every time you turned around, there was a gorgeous girl?
Eva was waiting for you, hands behind her back as you and Mary approached. "Taylor?" Her voice had a question to it but you had no clue what it was. That must've been evident on your face. "I talked to Aubrey. She said you could sit with us today, if you wanted."
Mary slid in behind you, hand on either side of your shoulders as she leaned to the side. "Sorry, but we're getting lunch."
"I'm sorry, who are you?" Eva asked, raising an eyebrow to look at the redhead at your side.
That redhead promptly shrugged, "The person getting lunch with Taylor? I don't suppose your clique has room for two at it's table?" Mary asked, getting silence from Eva as the blonde's eyes inspected Mary. There was silence and hesitance that Mary broke after but a few fleeting moments, "Didn't think so."
Eva scoffed, "So?"
"So, I think Taylor and I are going to get lunch together today. No hard feelings." You bit your lip glancing between the two girls, your aura having long since encompassed the three of you, the bubbles extending from you like snakes before weaving their bubbles around each girl.
Eva looked up and down Mary again before shaking her head, "I think Taylor'd prefer to hang out with a group rather than a loner. Sorry, but-"
"You can't say that then just say sorry," Mary replied, her smile still on her face. It looked less pleasant though. It was still beautiful but there was an edge to it, an edge of disbelief and annoyance.
"I can," Eva replied. "It's called being polite. I just think Taylor would enjoy hanging out with people more..." Eva started trailing off and gesturing towards herself before she was quickly interrupted by the Mary.
The redhead opened her mouth, a few feigned laughs coming out as she shook her head. "So what? Because I follow the dress code and actually pay attention during the mandatory service, I'm, what, boring? Lame?"
Eva looked obviously confused as she shook her head, "I-I follow the dress code. Why-"
"Put your hands at your sides then." Mary replied, doing so as well. Her skirt went several inches past her fingertips. You knew the rule she was talking about.
You'd been clued into what was going on by Jocelyn on your tour. You went to a rich, Christian private school and there was a divide between the people that went there for the Christian part and those that didn't. Jocelyn told you a lot of girls showed which side they were on by the length of their skirts. You assumed there was some similar sign for the boys that attended the school but you had no clue what it was. The girls that cared about the Christian part of the school wore their skirts longer than the ones who found it annoying at best, who wore theirs shorter. The line of what defined shorter or longer was the dress code, skirts had to be at minimum fingertip length when your arms were at your sides. Yours was exactly that long. You hoped it showed that you were neutral but you had no clue if either side interpreted it that way or that they all thought you were on the other side.
You hoped for the former.
Eva rolled her eyes, "What's this going to prove?"
"Nothing," Mary shrugged. "But that's what you focused on out of everything I said. So it must matter to you."
Your popular, blonde friend glanced over at you and you chewed your lip, mouthing the word 'sorry' before she looked at Mary, rolled her eyes, and put her hands at her sides with a fed up smile on her face. You let your eyes flick down. You knew it was shorter than regulation but you didn't know how much shorter. It barely reached the base of your fingers and you could tell that she was trying to make it look like it was longer than it was. How high waisted was she wearing that? You were positive it had been longer at breakfast...
You stole a half-second to admire Eva's legs, the shape of her thighs, and the way the skirt moved to cover her rear before you stole your eyes away and shoved the gay thoughts to the back of your mind. You could do that but the stakes of anxiety in your chest would refuse to let you even think about speaking or stepping between the two shorter girls.
"There, happy?" Eva asked, looking at Mary who had a smug look on her face.
"Very," She said with a smile.
You saw Eva's face was tinged red. Maybe in a blush but irritation was plain to see on her face. "Hey, Taylor, how's your religious studies?" Eva asked as she glanced over at you, bringing you into things.
"Not this," Mary muttered.
"Oh? You don't want her to know that you were one of the students who wanted there to be an entrance exam based on the Bible?" Eva asked, not letting you answer at all.
"It's a religious school, I don't think it's all that unreasonable," Mary replied before shaking her head, "And people weren't going to be refused based on it. They'd just be kept separate until they finished remedial classes." Mary said before crossing her arms and taking a few steps forward, closing in on you and Eva. "And weren't you one of the girls caught at that one party last semester where-"
If Eva was irritated earlier, now she was getting angry. "We don't need to talk about that."
Giving a look to Eva and one to Mary, you could tell that their argument was building up. They were escalating, not venting or getting anything out of their system. Things were going to get worse unless you did something.
"Can we please not fight?" You squeaked out and both Eva and Mary glanced at you. You tried to use your power more, to force it on them, but your power didn't work like that. You couldn't make it more effective by simply wanting it. You had to sacrifice range to gain concentration and you were already shoving as much as you could into both of them. You continued, "You two are my only friends here and... and I'd really prefer it if you didn't just... attack each other right in front of me? Please?"
You looked between the two girls, careful to make sure you didn't do more to one than the other. Both their gazes softened slightly while they looked at you before their attention went back to each other. They glared.
"Okay," Mary said at the same time Eva replied, "Fine."
You silently breathed a shakey sigh of relief.
"But we're still getting lunch?" Mary asked which earned a scowl from Eva who quickly stated her offer.
"So we're still eating together?"
You looked between the two girls, sighing openly now and shaking your head. "I'm... I'm just going to eat by myself." You started a few steps between them, towards the cafeteria, and felt someone grab your hand.
Mary.
"Sorry," She said, holding your hand for a brief few moments. You looked into her eyes and shrugged before you started to move on... only for Eva to grab your other shoulder and give it a squeeze, you looked at her and saw an apologetic look. She squeezed your shoulder a bit harder, bumping your hip with her own.
You felt so much taller than both of them, in that instant. Mary was taller than Eva- barely- and you were still a solid four inches taller than her. It was enough that either of their heads were still below eye level for you. You focused on breathing and not breaking down at this interaction between them.
Eva went forward and once she was several feet down the hall, you started walking. Mary started going in lockstep with you before you gave her a look and she stopped, letting you go alone with her far enough back that it would be clear to Eva when she looked back- which she did several times- that you weren't lying to her to be with Mary.
You made it a few steps before you noticed a piece of paper that had been slid up your sleeve. When had that happened?
You would really, really have to deal with this somehow. You needed to find a way to make them not tear each other's throats out, at least.
After getting your tray, you settled on eating in your room alone save for the tears and that was when you opened the note you found in your sleeve. You unfolded it to find nine numbers on a paper signed by Mary.
Her phone number.
Your classes seemed to stretch on after that. You wanted to text one of them. Both of them. To say something. But you also felt like making them think about it. Like reaching out to them too soon would encourage their behavior. You also had a feeling that if- somehow- they found out about you talking to the other they wouldn't be happy about it.
This was probably going to be something you'd have to get used to. You didn't Sabah would be too happy if she stumbled upon what you and Sophia did together. You'd have to find some way to deal with that. You didn't know Sabah's stance on open relationships or polygamy or Sophia's opinion on sharing you. At the same time, though, you also felt like your power- both the master and trump aspects- wouldn't exactly encourage monogamy. Or if the powers you'd gained would fade if you didn't give them 'upkeep'. You didn't feel it fading but you also didn't feel the powers appearing they just... did.
Those were the kinds of thoughts that rushed through your mind throughout your final classes of the day. That made them seem to stretch on forever and ever while you watched the clock tick by. They were only occasionally broken up by you feeling bold enough to sneak a text to Crystal.
Crystal.
She had her own problems to deal with. Everyone seemed to. Some of them even had more than one! Ugh! Why couldn't they just all serve you and wait on you on their hands and knees!? Why couldn't they just abandon their lives to make yours better!?
You shoved those thoughts away. Those were dark thoughts. Evil thoughts. Villainous thoughts. The kinds of thoughts that Heartbreaker or other evil masters had. You didn't. You would be a hero!
Well, you would be a hero. Some day. You even had powers that could actually be used for heroing, now! So far, your accomplishments amounted to seducing a heroine (with more in progress), escaping a shitty school, convincing your coworker to date someone underage, and... and, oh, you got kidnapped by a villain for a few blocks! That's... not very heroic either. You froze up when two of your friends started fighting.
You didn't even have a costume.
Not exactly superhero material. But, hey, you didn't have to be a hero. You could be a superhero guidance counselor and make your clients love you... which also sounds villainous. Maybe you'd just keep using it to make friends and- hopefully- solve some of their problems along the way. That'd be nice and not dangerous and not the villainous ideas that you occasionally imagined. Ideas that would certainly stay in the realm of fantasy. The subject of your power and your future with it wasn't the subject at hand. The subject was precalculus. Because you were in your last class of the day which just so happened to be your math class.
And once it let out, you went to flop onto your bed. You needed a power nap. You needed hugs and kisses or a teddy bear or a cute puppy or a nice fuck or someone to kiss you on the forehead or just... just something that would give you warm and fuzzy feelings to get rid of the stress and anxiety of the bad day.
You got another text from Crystal as you laid on the bed face down, you grumbled as you scooped up your phone and look at it.
Crystal: How were classes?
A half-dozen replies that ranged from dull to frustrated to flirty fluttered through your head. You looked at the phone and reread the words before replying.
You: They were boring.
You: You aren't. Wanna hang out?
Crystal's reply time on messages varied from precognitive to 'I'll open it when I wake up, oh, you didn't know I was asleep?' and this time it was instant.
Crystal: Sure! I'll pick you up!
That was vague enough that you had no clue if it meant flight or car. You were positive that you'd shoot up the social ladder if it was. After all, Crystal was a regional celebrity. Her parents even fought in the Boston Games. But that would also get the wrong kind of attention on you. You didn't know if the Empire had a presence here- there were minorities attending which put a tick in the 'no' column- but you also didn't want to risk it.
You also didn't know if you wanted to bother changing clothes.
On one hand, you spent a lot of every weekday in your uniform. On the other hand, it was a really cute schoolgirl uniform.
You opted to keep it on. After all, maybe Crystal would enjoy the show?
So you dropped off your bag, slid your phone into a pocket in your uniform, and made your way off campus once Crystal sent you a text saying that she was here.
Crystal was there, waiting in her mint car. It was actually surprising that her car wasn't red. She stuck a hand out the window and waved at you as you hopped forward and hurried over to the blonde that was waiting for you. You opened the door and Crystal grinned from ear to ear.
Crystal's eyes flicked along your figure, lingering on the hem of your skirt- which you totally, absolutely, didn't raise up while you were waiting for her. No. Definitely not. Maybe a little. You grinned at her, ignoring the dusting of pink on your cheeks, and hopped into the seat.
"So?" You asked as she shook her head.
"First, seatbelt." She said, pointing and giving you a look. You rolled your eyes before you fastened it and she threw the car into reverse and sped out of the parking lot. For a hero who cared about laws as minor as seatbelts, she really didn't seem to care much for some laws... like speed limits.
"Okay, um, do you have a plan?" You asked as the two of you sped along.
"Yup," Crystal said as she drove along, moving her car onto the interstate. You had no clue what she was planning. The two of you hadn't talked about this in your texts the past few days. This was a purely Crystal plan.
"And it is...?"
"A surprise," Crystal said, wiggling in her seat as your lips went from a grin to a full-fledged smile. At your whispered 'oh no' it seemed to grow to ten times its size before she said, "It'll be nice. Trust me."
You did. You trusted her.
Crystal must've had the route planned because soon enough, the two of you were speeding down the west side of Brockton. The directions of the mountains that Brockton was nestled in. It was something you often forgot about, the western side of the city was hilly and the foothills smoothed out as one neared the coastline. Your house and Winslow weren't in the foothills, not like Immaculata or Crystal's house.
Crystal took you to Captain's Hill. It was more of a park than anything else. Probably the richest, nicest park in the city and had an amazing view that overlooked the Brockton skyline. You couldn't even see the wreckage that filled the city's harbor. It was... it was nice. Especially with the sun nearing the horizon. Sunset was still an hour off.
"How about a park with a nice view?" Crystal asked once she parked there and you tried- and failed- to hide your grin.
"I think it's nice," The thought that your mom had been buried only a few miles from here crossed through your mind. You quickly dashed that thought away. It wasn't time to be sad. You were with Crystal.
Sadly- or maybe luckily- the park was practically devoid of people. A pair meandered here and there across the overlook but it was still winter and while winters were thankfully mild, they were still chilly and it meant the park wasn't anywhere near the flower and greenery-filled beauty it would become in a few months.
Crystal then surprised you. She stepped out of the car and then literally hopped over her car. She swung open your door and reached out to you. Surprise and excitement shone on your face as you took the offered hand and she pulled you out of the car. She slackened her grip but- feeling another burst of confidence- you didn't. You kept a hold of her hand and after a moment she held yours again too.
Hand holding! Score!
The two of you made your way across the park, you felt the wind flutter and the chill on your legs. You really, really wished you wore your leggings. They were technically part of the winter uniform but most girls didn't wear them. You'd opted not to do so today and Brockton's winter chill made goosebumps cover your legs. The wind didn't blow your skirt up but that was less by design and more courtesy of Sabah's spark.
You thought about that as you used the power to hide your modesty while still letting the occasional gust of wind send a ripple across it. You'd spent the earlier periods of the day thinking about her power. You could use it like this, to keep your clothes from doing anything scandalous... or do the opposite. Make something scandalous happen. Briefly, you rubbed your thumb over the base of Crystal's wrist.
Crystal was wearing a fuzzy, red and white striped sweater and some red jeans. The sweater's collar was big enough to show a black shirt underneath. You could feel the sleeve of said black shirt and you- briefly- soaked a bit of power into it. Touch was enough and the power flowed from you into the shirt, like a stain spreading through it, and you could feel through it. Not as well as your own touch but enough that you could feel how supple yet firm Crystal's skin was. Delicate but hiding a bit of muscle from whatever training she did as a hero.
It took longer to fill her top with your power than it did your own but it was still rapid. Enough that you could've done it with a passing brush. The power flowed from your skin to her clothes so it would obviously be faster the more of your skin that was touching it.
Briefly, you considered doing something. You weren't sure what. Maybe making her clothes explode or groping her with it. Then you decided not to. Crystal would know you had powers and while she might assume you were Parian, you'd rather not get a reputation with her for being a superpowered perv.
Not that you wouldn't consider wardrobe malfunctions for future power use. You'd deal with the ethics of them later too. For now, it was just time for you and Crystal to enjoy your walk.
"How are things?" You asked brushing the back of Crystal's hand with your thumb as the two of you approached a railing near the edge of the park, where it overlooked the city like a lakeside park would overlook the... lake.
Crystal let out a sad, tired sigh. "I... I don't know. A part of me wants to just pretend I didn't hear it. I can't exactly tell Dad that I heard him and... and I don't know. Maybe I'll just pretend it was a bad dream." The blonde said, letting her head gently fall onto your shoulder.
"That..." You weren't sure if that was the healthiest way to handle things. Especially considering how you were handling the situation with Eva and Mary from earlier today. "Maybe that'll work?" You hoped it would. For her sake. You moved to rest your head against hers. "I hope it does."
"Me too."
You squeezed her hand. You were pretty sure the two of you were friends. Just friends but... Your power had been wrapped around her since the moment you'd stepped in her car. Now, it was a second skin that stretched over both of you. You breathed in her strawberry scented shampoo and smiled, content.
The sunset was just as nice as you'd imagined it to be. It was even more gorgeous with a beauty like Crystal in your arms. Most of the time before and while you watched it was silence, only occasionally broken by brief conversation about life. Crystal was apparently trying to decide on a minor for her degree at college. You thought about telling her that you could be her minor but bit your tongue. That'd be a disaster. You had no clue if Crystal knew she was gay yet.
Then, once the sun had set and darkness overtook Captain's Hill, the two of you hopped up. Crystal's hand was still in yours up until the moment the two of you had to break apart to hop in her car.
Then she drove you home. You would lie and say you stole glances at her but the truth was that Crystal was one of the most gorgeous girl's you'd ever seen. You tried not to openly stare at her the whole ride but judging by her smirk and occasional glances at you, she totally knew.
That only made your cheeks get hotter.
Crystal drove slower on her way back to your school but the drive still seemed to end far too quickly. She parked in a spot in the guest parking and looked at each other.
"Thanks for the distraction," She said after a bit and you smiled at her.
"No, I needed it too," You replied, putting your hair behind your ear. She looked over at you, a bit of concern on her face.
"Everything okay?" You unbuckled your seatbelt as Crystal asked.
"It's nothing too bad," You said as you moved, leaning across the center console and over to Crystal.
You pressed your lips against her soft cheek, letting them linger for a few moments before you pulled away. Crystal's hand moved up, holding the cheek you kissed with wide, surprised eyes. Her cheeks went from their normal, fair tone to pink and kept darkening as you giggled and hurried out of the car.
You glanced back as you neared the entrance to the walled-in campus. Just before you disappeared onto campus, you saw Crystal still sitting there in flustered shock.
That made up for everything else that day.
Eva's Happiness has decreased by 1.
Mary's Happiness has decreased by 1.
Eva and Mary are now rivals.
Taylor's Stress increased by 1.
Crystal's Love increased by 0.3.
Crystal's Lust increased by 0.8.
Crystal's Loyalty increased by 0.5.
Crystal's Happiness increased by 1.
Crystal's Loyalty increased by 0.2
School
[School] Get closer to Eva
-- 78% Chance
-- Eva seems to like hanging out with you and you'll get closer.
-- Mary won't be happy if she finds out.
[School] Reach out to Tammi
-- 80% Chance of Success
-- She seems like she needs a friend
-- But she's the type of lonely dog to bite
[School] Spent Time with Mary
-- 85% Chance
-- You'll grow closer to her.
-- If Eva finds out, she won't be happy.
[School] Meet someone online
-- 85% Chance
-- You'll meet someone that isn't from Brockton
-- Maybe you could convince them to move here?
[School] Experiment with sensory aspect of Influence
-- 75% Chance
-- You'll practice with the tactile sense of your Influence power
-- It might not be super interesting.
[School] Research Powers
-- 75% Chance
-- There still so much you don't understand about powers
-- Hopefully, you can manage to do so stealthily
[School] Write-in
-- ??% Chance
Night
[Night] Hang Out With...
-[Hang] Danny (95%), Sabah (95%), Sophia (85%), Vista (75%), Eva ( 70%) or Mary (75%)
-- Crystal is currently preoccupied with Gay Panic.
[Night] Reach out to...
-[Reach] Any Hero from Brockton Bay
[Night] Redeem favor from Squealer
-[Favor] What?
-- ??% Chance
-- Chance varies depending on what you ask for
-- Ask for anything: from her number to sex to money to tinkertech.
-- You'll hang out with Squealer
[Night] Hunt for...
-[Hunt] Who?
-- ??% Chance
-- Must be a cape from Brockton Bay
-- Can be a villain or hero.
[Night] Meet someone online
-- 85% Chance
-- You'll meet someone that isn't from Brockton
-- Maybe you could convince them to move here?
[Night] Catfish SpecificProtagonist (Madison)
-- 80% Chance
-- You'll get some cathartic relaxation doing it
-- Maybe it will develop into something more?
[Night] Research Capes
-- 85% Chance
-- You'll update yourself on Cape information in Brockton Bay
-- Will get a 1 week, 10 Boost to rolls involving caped personas.
[Night] Get into Trouble
-[Trouble] Docks, Downtown, or Archer's Bridge
-- 85% Chance
-- Will meet at least one cape from whichever area you choose.
[Night] Acquire Costume
-[Costume] What does it look like? Either description or pictures work.
-- Taylor has 3 funds and full access to the Dollhouse
-- Taylor can acquire a fancy, armored costume of any design she wants
-- She might be able to get a tinker to add something to it
[Night] Tell Sophia You Know She's Shadow Stalker
-[Unmask] Do you tell her anything about your powers? If so, what?
-- ??% Chance (Varies based on information told)
-- She will know anything you tell her and that you know her secret identity
-- You don't know how it will affect your relationship.
[Night] Practice with...
-[Power] Influence, Casper, or Tailor
-[Practice] Where? Docks, Immaculata, or Downtown
-- 80% Chance
-- Taylor will find somewhere private to figure out how to use her Casper power
-- Of course, there are not many private places to practice powers in Brockton and villains probably know about the ones that exist.
[Night] Write-in
-- ??% Chance (I will reply to write-ins with the chance of success)
Click to expand...
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Last edited: May 18, 2020
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Threadmarks: 28.x - Cousins In Flight (Crystal)
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Sincerely
Sincerely
Me!
Have a short, little interlude as an apology for the slower updates recently. I'm just recovering from finals, so they should speed back up soon.
"Come on Crys," Vicky said, soaring after her cousin. "What's going on?"
Crystal spun in the air as her cousin looped around her. The pair were patrolling together and Crystal's mind was wandering as it often did recently.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Crystal replied noncomittally.
Victoria Dallon- Glory Girl- spun around her cousin with a look that read 'are you serious' as she soared in a circle to stay in Crystal's view. Crystal shook her head as her cousin spoke, "Crystal, I've known you my whole life. I know how to tell when you're upset. Come on, talk to me?"
Crystal sighed. She couldn't tell Vicky about her dad but the other thing? The more recent event? Maybe she could. Victoria had once confided in Crystal at Dean's birthday party that she felt like a sister. Both were under the influence of alcohol so Crystal wasn't sure how reliable that statement was but... but Crystal couldn't help but feel similarly. They'd been together since Victoria was born and Crystal was in diapers. They even looked similar enough to be sisters, courtesy of having their mothers. Victoria was better developed but, well, she cheated with her actual sister's powers.
That was why, after a moment of silence, Crystal spoke, "I... Do you ever think you might be... um..." Crystal floundered for how to phrase it but arguing with Vicky once she had something in her sights was like trying to stop an Endbringer. "...gay?"
"I mean, I made out with a girl once to make Dean jealous but..." The Alexandria package gawked, her jaw dropped as she soared along with Crystal. "Nooooo!" It was one of shock and surprise as Crystal flew around, "You? Noooo! Seriously!?" Victoria wasn't protesting or degrading Crystal for it. She was just surprised and thrown off by the sudden statement. "Why? How?"
"I don't know." Crystal said, shrinking as she flew threw the air. "I don't even know if I am. I just... I don't know."
Vicky blinked, "Okay, okay. We'll figure it out. Why do you think you might be?"
Crystal shook her head, "I... There's this girl." Crystal was cut off from continuing by an 'Ooooooh' from Vicky as the girl wiggled her hips. Crystal blinked before continuing, "I... I don't know. I can't stop thinking about her and..."
Vicky laughed, a playful one as she fluttered around. She seemed considerate for a second before adding, "Was it the girl that helped you?" Crystal didn't say anything but the red flush over her face gave everything away. Victoria shrugged, "Maybe it's just hero worship?"
Crystal shook her head, "I don't think so? I mean... It's not like a repayment thing just... I want to hold her. I want to..." Vicky waggled her eyebrows and Crystal scoffed before shaking her head and trailing off.
"So... you want her? Why not just... go for it?" Victoria asked, confusion evident on her face as she fluttered.
Crystal shook her head. "I've never... I've never had to worry about this before. I'm... I've never thought about girls... like that." The Pelham daughter said as she flew along. "I don't know how anything'd work."
"So? It's like any other relationship, you just...You just like... make out and..." Victoria made a gesture with her finger, a circle on one hand and sticking up a finger on the other, sliding the finger in the circle before blinking at it. She looked at her fingers before making two circles and pushing them together before letting her hands fall to her sides. "I don't know either but like... watch lesbian porn? Or... I don't know, get Amy to give her a dick? Buy a strap on? You could borrow mine?"
Crystal spun in the air, a look of shock and confusion on her features as she looked at her cousin, "No, I'm not borrowing your- Why do you even have a-"
Victoria managed to say "Well, Dean is really int-" before Crystal shot off to one side, reaching well out of earshot of her cousin. As much as she adored the flying brick of New Wave, she did not care to learn about Victoria and her on-again off-again boyfriend's kinks and sex lives. Absolutely not.
Victoria got the hint as she zoomed up to Crystal, "Okay, buy your own then. You're an actual adult. I don't know just... do it? Go for it?"
Crystal regretted bringing this up as she soared along, "I'm not just going to hop in her pants, Vicky."
"You could~" Vicky said in a sing-song tone that earned an eyeroll from the older blonde.
Crystal scanned the streets that were a few hundred feet below when she finally, thankfully spotted an out.
"There's a mugging! Come on!" She nosedived towards the ground, doing something very stupid and very, very dangerous in the process.
She left Victoria Dallon alone.
Alone to think.
Temporary 5 bonus to rolls involving Victoria Dallon and/or Crystal Pelham for the next week. This bonus becomes a 10 when the roll is the result of a write-in.
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Last edited: May 11, 2020
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Tiufi, easty, BoBoB and 266 others like this.
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