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Yui POV, 5 days later
"I play Shadowfang Serpent in attack mode, and use its effect to destroy your Cerberus Sentinel."
I handed the card over to Labyrinth so that she could read the effect. Here I was, playing Weavercard with a future international criminal. She was pretty fun during her moments of rationality, which were much more common than what I remembered from reading Worm.
As she read the effect of the card, she remarked in an annoyed tone. "Really? Destroy any 1 creature on the field? That's bullshit."
Feeling the opportunity to spread the glorious culture of Earth (not Bet), I responded with one of my favorite phrases: "Seems like a skill issue to me."
Elle just stared at me, unblinking before letting out a giggle. As we resumed our game, she casually asked "So, do you play other games like this? It's pretty fun!"
I leaned back, a faint smile playing on my lips. "I've always enjoyed strategy games. It helps keep the mind sharp." Too bad Fire Emblem didn't exist here, though that might be a good thing because I would prioritize it over Scion.
She nodded, shuffling her cards with practiced ease. "I can see that. It requires a keen sense of observation and adaptability, much like our line of work."
I raised an eyebrow. "You find similarities between card games and our... professional endeavors?"
Elle chuckled softly, her expression lightening. "In a way, yes. Both involve predicting your opponent's moves, evaluating risks, and seizing opportunities when they arise."
"That's a stretch. Though, I must say, playing with someone as skilled as you adds an extra layer of challenge."
She grinned. "Flattery won't save you from your imminent defeat."
As the game progressed, we became more relaxed with each other. Laughter occasionally punctuated the air as we pulled off unexpected strategies or countered each other's moves. The dynamic between us was strange but surprisingly enjoyable.
Ultimately, Elle emerged victorious, but I couldn't help but feel a sense of fulfillment from our duel.
"Well played," I said, offering my hand in a friendly gesture.
She shook it, a smile gracing her features. "Likewise, Yui. It's been quite some time since I've had this much fun."
The sentiment surprised me, but I couldn't deny that I felt the same way. I don't know if it's a good or a sad thing that my best (and only) friend in this world is a child soldier from a mental asylum who regularly has lapses of lucidity.
Her ability was valuable, playing a vital role in the defeat of Scion and generally being useful all around. If she ended up working with Scrub, like in the canon timeline, I could probably get in on the interdimensional portal business.
It had been almost a week and Elle was well on her way to recovery. As the night grew darker, Elle and I eventually decided to part ways, each of us having our own duties to attend to.
While I had been training for the past few days, I hadn't taken any significant actions because I didn't know what to do. I had many enemies for the foreseeable future, most notably Coil and Kaiser. However, I didn't want to make a move on Coil yet due to his absolutely broken timeline ability and the fact that Cauldron might disappear me for ending their experiment early.
On the other hand, Kaiser likely wanted me dead for the information I had on the E88 capes. I had probably kept him distracted with Coil, as he was a much larger threat than some newly debuted cape. But as soon as he realized he wasn't going to get anything done trying to attack Coil, he would likely switch targets to me.
Both of these were pressing threats to my existence, but dealing with either or even both of them wouldn't help to defeat Scion. I frowned, contemplating the sword of Damocles that was the Warrior entity.
I considered simply giving Cauldron all of the information I knew about the warrior entity and let Path to Victory do all the work, but that was a last resort. Cauldron wasn't trustworthy at all and I didn't have the power or influence to join as an equal right now. It was definitely an option for the future though, as we shared the same goals and a similar mentality.
No matter. Now was not the time for introspection; I had to keep moving forward. During the day, I was busy with Faultline's crew - whether it be preparing for missions, training, or taking minor jobs. However, my status as a noctis cape was once again proving its value, as I was free to pursue independent activities during the night.
I donned both layers of my cape attire, put on my gloves, and grabbed my visor. It was time for some cape work. These past few days, I'd been using the local gangs as a grindstone for my powers, raiding a few of their unimportant dens to hone my skills. Not only did it give me precious fighting experience I sorely lacked, it would also better my reputation with both the PRT and the public.
While I was definitely going to be a villain, improving my reputation would hopefully make the PRT see me as less of a priority threat, especially because I'm sure they're busy with the E88 and the ABB.
Today, I planned on attacking a major drug warehouse and hopefully getting into a fight with one of the capes. The organization I was raiding was a minor drug group known as the Iron Ring, and they were responsible for shipping narcotics from out of state.
I had initially planned on attacking the Merchants, however, I was surprised to learn how little influence they actually had. The Merchants were pretty much a joke, controlling territory nobody bothered to fight them for. The main reason they weren't absorbed into the ABB or Empire is that they were afraid the other would intervene should they start a gang war. They were literally meth addicts dealing drugs under a bridge.
The Iron Ring was headed by 2 capes, Bloody Princess and Luminous Prince. The duo was rather new to the cape scene, and had only debuted six months prior. However, in their short reign, they had become infamous for their brutality. There were multiple accounts of them repeatedly torturing defeated gang leaders in their consolidation of several minor gangs located in the trainyards.
Due to their disproportionate levels of violence, they had pissed off pretty much every single player in Brockton Bay - making them the perfect target for my training.
Under the cover of darkness, I slipped out of my house as Invictus, clad in my silver and blue armor. The city was alive with the hum of distant traffic and the faint glow of streetlights. The night was my ally, masking my movements as I made my way towards the outskirts of town, where the Iron Ring's drug warehouse was located.
With each step, my heart pounded in my chest, nervous anticipation coursing through me. This would most likely be my first fight with a cape alone outside of the one with Dauntless—though I got thrashed so badly I wouldn't exactly call it a "fight". I needed this test to gauge my abilities and prove myself as a formidable force even without Faultline.
The wind whispered through the streets, rustling the leaves of nearby trees. Although my costume wasn't exactly conducive to stealth, the combination of my movement speed, lack of pedestrians or cars, and cover of the night kept me undetected.
As I approached the warehouse, the stench of illicit substances filled the air, a sickly sweet odor that assaulted my senses. The building loomed before me, its metal exterior reflecting the faint moonlight. I crouched behind a stack of discarded crates, carefully observing the area for any signs of activity.
My heart raced as I reached the metal wall, my gloved hand pressing against the cold surface. In the distance, I could see the faint glow of cigarette embers, indicating the presence of guards patrolling the perimeter. I flinched as one of the guards suddenly spoke out in a loud tone.
Their conversations were anything but discreet, so I pressed my ear against the wall and attempted to listen in.
"Heh, you hear about the big shot comin' to meet the boss?" one guard slurred.
"Yeah, man! Some rich prick from outta town. Boss is all worked up about impressin' him,'' another guard chimed in, laughing raucously.
Huh. Didn't think they had it in them. Well, as interesting as this conversation could be, I didn't really care about the Iron Ring kissing up to some rich asshole.
In a blur, I dashed forward, closing the distance with astounding speed. Their eyes widened in shock as they realized something had materialized before them.
Before they could react, I delivered a swift and devastating blow to the first thug, sending him crashing into a wall. He struggled to regain his footing, but I was relentless and continued my assault.
By now, several other members were coming out due to the commotion. They opened fire, and I instantly stacked 3 bubbles on top of them. My enhanced reflexes and speed allowed me to move effortlessly between them.
I weaved through the gunmen, ripping the weapons out of their hands before they could react. They stood no chance against me, and I cared little for these drug-addled fools.
"You're outmatched," I warned, my voice carrying a hint of menace. "Leave now, or face the consequences."
Their resolve shattered, the remaining thugs stumbling over each other in their haste to escape. I let them flee, hoping they'd draw in backup. The more damage I could do tonight, the better.
While normally I would act with far more caution against a gang, particularly one with Parahumans, I wasn't at all afraid of anything the Iron Ring threw at me. I was confident in matching up to Bloody Princess or Luminous Prince. Even if they came at me together, I could probably fight to a draw. In the worst case scenario, I could always flee.
For now, I would clean up this warehouse of all the goods that were within. While I could "repurpose" the drugs, taking over the dealer's jobs wouldn't exactly give me the best reputation, and that was the whole point of defeating them.
I stepped into the drug warehouse, my visor casting an eerie glow in the dimly lit space. The room was filled with crates upon crates of illicit substances, each containing the poison that they spread through the city.
I moved further into the warehouse, my footsteps clanging against the concrete floor. Unlike Toybox's warehouse I had visited previously, the crates were haphazardly arranged with no sense of order.
I occasionally encountered groups of gangsters, most of them wandering around high, but they were easily dealt with. Eventually, I found myself in an administration room, filled with papers, documents, and computer monitors.
Guess even gang leaders needed paperwork to manage their criminal empire, huh. I perused through the documents, uncovering information on their drug supply chains, customer lists, and internal personnel records. It was a treasure trove of valuable intel that could be used to dismantle their criminal network.
Before I could make any decisions, I heard faint footsteps approaching from the corridor outside. I entered into a combat stance and prepared myself to dispose of whoever entered. As the door opened, I saw an african-american woman walk in, with a frail build and a large scar on her face.
Seeing that she clearly wasn't a gang member, or at least not muscle, I turned to her and asked "So, who exactly are you?"
She glanced up at me, and her face froze up upon seeing my costume. She immediately turned to flee. In response, I placed a bubble in the doorway. This could be my chance of gaining some valuable intel.
I raced up to her and grabbed her shoulder. She tried to escape my grip, but I pressed in, using my brute strength to lock her in place. She looked up at me with a dazed expression.
"Are you going to kill me?"
"Maybe, that depends on whether you answer my questions or not." I said firmly, hardening my grip on her shoulder.
She seemed to relax slightly, but her wary expression remained. "What information do you want from me?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Didn't expect her to be so forthcoming, but I wasn't going to complain. "Well, let's start with your name and position in the Iron Ring."
She hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I-I don't know much about their plans or capes. I mostly handle the paperwork and keep track of their inventory. My name is Eliza."
So, a typical paper pusher. I probably wouldn't get much information out of her, but it was worth a shot. She'd likely have more than the drug addicts outside. I loosened my grip and proceeded with my questioning. "So, how many customers do you get on a monthly basis? Do you know of any other major locations besides this one?"
Her eyes darted nervously as she processed my questions. "I don't handle the customer records directly, but I think there are hundreds of customers... maybe more. As for other locations, I'm not sure, but I think there's another warehouse on the other side of the trainyard."
The trainyard was huge, saying that there was another warehouse there was essentially as good as saying nothing at all. "Hundreds of customers, huh? That's quite the operation they've got. Give me an estimate on how much this particular location makes yearly."
The woman's eyes widened as she tried to provide an estimate. "I-I'm not sure about the exact numbers, but... it could be in the tens of thousands, easily. The demand for their drugs is high, and they have a steady flow of customers."
That's a lot for one location, especially in a city with a population of 350,000.
Before I could continue my questioning, a loud crash echoed through the warehouse. Startled, both of us turned our attention to the source of the disturbance. Through the wall emerged 2 capes, the joint leaders of the Iron Ring - Bloody Princess and Luminous Prince.
"Looks like a rat has entered our nest." Bloody Princess sneered, her voice dripping with malice. She wore a bloodstained tiara adorned with pitch-black thorns extending outwards. Her crimson gown flowed as she languidly approached me.
Beside her stood a man dressed in an elegant white tuxedo, with a blue tie running down the center. Surrounding him were several fluorescent lights of varying colors and brightness. At the top of his head lay a golden crown with an exquisite sapphire inserted within. He had the appearance of a dignified businessman, but his bloodthirsty smile revealed his cruel disposition
I rapidly went over the information I had gathered from my raids and PHO. Bloody Princess was said to have some sort of Brute rating, though specifics were nearly impossible to find. Her most documented ability was some sort of Striker power to make wounds inflicted by her last longer. On the other hand, Luminous Prince's power was well-known. He could create orbs of hard light and launch them at his enemies.
I didn't know the threat level of either cape. As they weren't present in Worm at all, I couldn't estimate it either. It was in times like this that I really wished I had access to the PRT files like Coil, as they were sure to have collected detailed information on them.
Luminous Prince chuckled softly, his voice smooth and calm. "Indeed, dear sister. It appears we have an ambitious intruder. How delightful."
Ignoring their provocations, I swiftly activated a bubble centered around me, accelerating time within. The world around me seemed to slow as I dashed toward Luminous Prince, aiming to engage him in close quarters combat. It was a tried and true strategy I had learned from MMOs to target the squishy backline mage first.
Luminous Prince jumped backwards, but not before I landed a punch squarely into his stomach. He staggered back from the force of my blow, but it was clear he was near the peak of human physical capability.
I turned around just in time to block a flurry of blows from Bloody Princess, my metal vambrace shielding some of the impact. However, with each strike I could feel a portion of the force reaching my arms, each hit feeling like a hammer smashing onto my bare skin.
"Oh, it seems like you're a Brute too? I'm going to have some fun with you after we're done here." Bloody Princess sneered, before firing another series of attacks in rapid succession.
Her fighting style was a counter to mine, as I could never afford to do anything more than block her relentless series of attacks and thus didn't have time to maintain contact and age her.
I quickly placed a bubble around her to get me some breathing room, and she slowed down. Before I could capitalize on her weakened state, a searing burst of energy slammed into my side, scorching my armor.
The impact sent me hurtling sideways, crashing into a wall. My breath caught in my throat as pain radiated throughout my body. Their teamwork was almost perfect, and I wouldn't be able to gain much momentum. It looked like this fight would be much harder than I had expected.
Gritting my teeth, I pushed through the pain and forced myself to my feet. I turned my attention back to Luminous Prince, only to find him struggling to regain his footing as well. It seemed my earlier attack had done some damage.
Without hesitation, I pivoted on my heel, shifting my focus to Bloody Princess. The temporal bubbles I had placed earlier became my lifeline against her far superior brute strength. I swiftly positioned myself to block another barrage of punches
However, the expected barrage didn't come. Instead, she let out a small laugh and reached into her dress, pulling out several knives. I barely managed to erect a bubble around myself, slowing down the projectiles enough for me to dodge them.
Luminous Prince then conjured another barrage of hard light orbs, hurling them at me with renewed determination.I twirled through the air, narrowly avoiding the orbs as they whizzed past. My mind raced as I balanced the need to engage both opponents simultaneously. I couldn't afford to let Luminous Prince gain tempo and unleash another devastating attack, nor could I allow Bloody Princess to exploit her extremely synergistic abilities and chip away at me defenses.
I twisted and weaved between their attacks as the world around me seemed to shift and distort, the boundaries between fast and slow, real and altered time all blurring together. I couldn't afford to lose here, against these street-level capes when I had to be fighting a god soon, damnit!
I continued my deadly dance with Bloody Princess, both of us spinning through the air as we attempted to break out of this deadlock. On the other hand, Luminous Prince was noticeably lagging. It looked like he couldn't keep up with two Brutes in melee for long.
I seized the opportunity, launching a kick towards his back. His eyes widened as he tried to dodge, but he was trapped in my time bubble. My strike connected, tearing through his tuxedo. He groaned, collapsing onto one knee.
Pain surged across my back. I stumbled forward, vision blurring as agony threatened to overwhelm me. I turned and saw blood pouring down through my armor, seeping into the ground. Standing behind me was Bloody Princess, a triumphant grin on her face.
The world immediately slowed once more as I reached out to dislodge the knife that had pierced past my armor. The knife came cleanly off, and I saw a gaping hole where my skin used to be, mangled bits of flesh still visible.
I went for a backhand strike, but Bloody Princess sidestepped, dodging my clumsy attack. Shock was still visible on my face. First Poltergeist, and now this bitch, did anyone really care about the unwritten rules? Attacks like that could easily prove fatal!
Hell, if the rumors were true about how long the wounds inflicted by Bloody Princess could linger, I might still be at risk of dying! I stacked 3 time acceleration bubbles on myself once more. A headache bloomed immediately, and it was all I could do to stand.
Although the bubbles would greatly increase my speed, they also increased the rate at which I was bleeding out. I couldn't keep up this fight for much longer.
I gazed at the duo with grim resolution. If I continued fighting, I likely wouldn't make it out of here alive, however, I would do my best to bring them down with me. I still possessed my poison gas capsules, which I had yet to use because of their indiscriminate nature.
What happened next wasn't something I was expecting. Bloody Princess let out a scoff and picked up Luminous Prince, who was still struggling to stand up. She blew me a kiss and leapt away, pausing only to deliver one final line. .
"Well, that'll be something to remember me by."
I let out a sigh of relief. While I had been prepared for death, it certainly wasn't a feeling I was ready to experience again. In fact, the very notion terrified me more than I would care to admit. I was lucky in this scenario as Bloody Princess seemed to care for her brother, and thus ended the fight. However, I might not be so fortunate next time.
I turned to Eliza, who had hidden in a corner for the entire fight, and let out a chuckle.
"So, how are your first aid skills?"
***
Interlude - Labyrinth
"Alright, that'll be all for tonight," Dr. Jenkins' voice echoed in my ears, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Make sure you remember to come back in a week for your follow-up."
"Yes, doctor. Thank you for your help."
I left the hospital building and started on my way to Palanquin, my mind's eye shifting between countless realities made their presence known — from beautiful and vibrant paradises to desolate hellscapes.
Each represented a different point in my life, from my greatest triumphs to my worst failures. They were further influenced by my state of mind, which had been steadily improving after Faultline had rescued me.
I turned my attention to my most recent world. After the debacle with Poltergeist, I had realized that I needed stronger defensive options. While I could generally create walls to shield myself, it took too long to protect my allies, especially from a distance. I needed faster defense; being even a second too late could have catastrophic consequences.
When I had constructed this world, I had initially meant for it to solve those issues. It was a castle with several statues of knights, each holding a shield and a sword. The statues were immobile, but could block or slice when activated. Their compact size meant I could summon them far faster than walls or fortifications.
However, I had gotten sidetracked after accomplishing my objective. Just to the left of the knights was a grand hall, filled to the brim with an assortment of puppets. I sighed as I looked at the monstrosities that Yui had somehow convinced me to create. Most of the puppets were based off of weavercard creatures, and some even had their in-game effects added in.
For example, the Noxious Serpent had an in-built poison dispenser that fired off at will, reminiscent of its ability in-game. If that was all I had to create, I would have happily done so. After all, the creatures were useful despite being odd. But no, apparently that wasn't enough for Yui.
For every game of Weavercard we played, we had a rule that the winner could choose a minor favor from the loser. Perfectly innocent, I thought. After all, what's the worst thing that could happen? I would run a few errands? Past me was so naive. Whenever Yui won a game - which was relatively often as I was just getting into card games - she would make me add a device that allowed for a creature to say a pre-recorded line.
The puppet modeled after my favorite card, Avian Impostor, would now scream something about the color red being suspicious every time it took flight. What did that even mean? One by one, every single creature I remotely liked was forcefully changed to mutter random gibberish upon being summoned into reality.
Worst of all, it was spreading. Somehow, several of these phrases got stuck in my mind to the point where I would speak them unconsciously during a conversation. My power took this as a sign that it should intervene, and now every time I created a weavercard monster, I would have to make a conscious effort to remove its voicebox.
Of course, these puppets were unlikely to ever be used. Their internal workings were simply too complex for an extremely simple effect, and this combined with their sizable mass meant that they took an extremely long time to appear in reality. Still, it was the principle that mattered.
Despite Yui's random eccentricities, she was the first friend I had made after her. Faultline, Newter, Shamrock, and Gregor didn't count—they were family. She was the first person after them who saw me as Elle, not the cape Labyrinth or a mentally damaged girl.
Sure, Yui was extremely interested in my power. She had tried to hide it, but I had noticed. A split-second stare when I created an object, some unsubtle inquiries into my limits. Every time I mentioned or used my power, she would get this calculating gleam in her eye––the same one she had when she first met me. Really, I was a lot more perceptive than people gave me credit for.
However, I had also noticed her slight smiles while playing weavercard, her passionate ramblings when trying to get me to create something, and most of all, her sincere enjoyment of my company.
That's why when she would inevitably ask me to use my power for whatever she was hiding, I would accept. Because what else were friends for, right?
"Miss? Miss?" a voice rang throughout my head.
I cycled through countless realities. Holy Temple? Nope, nothing there. Ruins? Not even going to check. That random world I created in a fit when Faultline wouldn't buy me the doll I wanted? I doubt doll-Newter would call out to me.
Ah, there it is, the "real world." I looked downward to see a boy who could be no older than 6 tapping my arm.
I smiled and asked "Yes?"
The way he jumped when I finally answered him would forever be etched into my memory. He tapped his fingers together and said "Um, the street light thingy said we could cross like a minute ago! But you were just standing here, so I wanted to make sure you were okay!"
Ah, he must have been worried seeing my blank expression for a while. Whenever my mind's eye decided it wanted to activate, I would enter what looked to be a dreamlike state. I rubbed his hair and reassured him. "Don't worry, I'm fine. I just get lost in my thoughts sometimes, you know?"
He smiled and went off, likely back to his parents. Meanwhile I took a moment to ground myself in reality. When the next crossing signal came, I continued on back to Palanquin. The crew would be expecting me.
***