Yui POV, 3 Days Later
The training area was a dimly lit room within the base, and I found myself facing Faultline. We had both agreed not to use our powers during this spar, a test of our combat skills and hand-to-hand prowess. I had watched her in previous sessions, and it was evident that she was a seasoned fighter, capable of taking down opponents with ease. I knew I would have to rely on my unorthodox techniques to hold my ground.
Faultline assumed a combat stance, her expression lax but not devoid of respect. "Ready, Yui?"
"Always," I replied, my voice steady and composed.
We circled each other, our eyes locked in a tense gaze. Faultline was quick and agile, and I had to remain on guard for any sudden movements. She launched the first attack, a swift kick aimed at my midsection. I sidestepped, narrowly evading the blow, and countered with a series of calculated strikes. However, she parried each one effortlessly, her movements fluid and precise.
As the spar progressed, it became apparent that Faultline was more experienced and skilled in hand-to-hand combat. Her techniques were well-honed, and she had a deep understanding of martial arts. Despite my efforts to analyze her style and find openings, I couldn't seem to land a solid hit. She anticipated my every move, leaving me with no room for error.
We continued to exchange blows, my strikes becoming more focused and my footwork more refined. I felt the adrenaline surging through me, heightening my senses as I tried to anticipate her next move. It was as if I was unraveling the intricacies of a puzzle, seeking a weakness in her defense.
Faultline's eyes narrowed slightly, sensing my determination. She pressed on, increasing the intensity of her attacks, but I managed to hold my own. Even though I couldn't match her strength, I discovered a speed advantage. I decided to capitalize on this revelation, opting for swift, precise strikes that aimed at exploiting the gaps in her defense.
To my surprise, my new approach started to yield results. My strikes found their mark more frequently, and I could see a flicker of surprise on Faultline's face. She adjusted her tactics, but I stayed one step ahead, adapting and countering with unyielding determination.
The spar intensified, both of us pushing ourselves to the limit. Despite her experience and my initial struggles, I refused to back down. My newfound style was a blend of observation, analysis, and swift action. It was a reflection of my personality, calculated and efficient.
We both paused, catching our breath, and Faultline looked at me with a mix of surprise and admiration. "You've been holding back. That was impressive."
A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips, a rare display of satisfaction. "Thank you. You're an excellent teacher."
And I was being truthful. Although I didn't exactly like the way I was forced to join, Faultline ensured that I received regular training and regularly interacted with the other members. Although she was a harsh taskmaster, her methods clearly worked, or else I wouldn't have been able to improve so much in such a short amount of time.
As I made my way through the base, Labyrinth approached me, a slight smile on her face appearing through her beryl mask. "Yui, we're planning our approach for the next mission. Your insights would be valuable."
With a reserved nod, I followed Labyrinth to a secluded corner. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, focusing her powers. A gentle tremor ran through the ground, and the area around us began to shift, forming an intricate three-dimensional map of the mission site.
I couldn't help but be impressed by the level of detail Labyrinth's projection provided. Every building, alleyway, and possible escape route was laid bare, allowing me to analyze the terrain with precision. It was a remarkable display of her abilities, and I couldn't deny the usefulness of this information.
"Remarkable," I murmured, unable to hide my appreciation. "This will be incredibly useful in planning our approach."
Labyrinth's smile grew, and I noticed a glimmer of pride in her eyes. She seemed to find comfort in her power's usefulness, and it was clear that she cared deeply about her contributions to the team. A part of me acknowledged that relying on others could be advantageous, especially when their skills complemented mine.
As the mission preparations continued, I found myself slowly meshing in with the crew. Our interactions became more frequent, and though I remained diplomatic and professional, I couldn't deny the tiny spark of camaraderie growing within me. It was as if I was observing the crew from a distance while simultaneously being a part of them.
Yui POV, 4 Days Later
Everything is done, are you ready for pickup?
- Big Rig
Yeah, thanks
- Khonsu
I glanced up from my phone with satisfaction. The past few days, I had been waiting for the correspondence from Toybox like a kid on Christmas Eve waiting to open their presents. I rushed out the door and headed towards the location that Big Rig had specified earlier, even occasionally using my bubbles to speed up my progress.
Upon arriving, I regained my rationality and cautiously approached the warehouse. While I trusted Toybox, simply because the damage to their reputation from betraying me wouldn't be worth whatever they could gain from the act, it never hurt to be cautious. As I pushed open the door, it made a soft creaking noise, and walked in to see rows after rows of boxes.
Although I had previously been inside this warehouse before to drop off the cash, I was only now getting a proper look at it. The warehouse was vast, with rows upon rows of neatly stacked boxes, each labeled with various codes and markings. The air was filled with a faint smell of dust and mildew, indicating that this place hadn't been frequented often. It was a perfect cover for Toybox, a place where they could work their magic in secrecy.
Upon closer inspection, the boxes seemed to be filled with layer upon layer of bubble wrap. Huh. I guess it makes sense they wouldn't actually store anything in here, as its use was primarily for their deals. I popped a few pieces of bubble wrap and let out a satisfied smile at the feeling. Still incredibly fun to do, no matter what world, I guess.
I pulled out my phone and texted Big Rig.
So, where exactly do I go? I'm at the warehouse.
- Khonsu
- Big Rig
After opening the pdf, it showed a path through a web of crates and boxes. I carefully navigated through the maze of crates, following the directions Big Rig had provided. Eventually, I reached a section where the boxes were arranged in a peculiar pattern, forming a sort of makeshift pathway. Fucking tinkers.
Finally, at the end of the path, I found a large crate, distinct from the others. Upon opening it, I was greeted with my costume in all of its glory. There it was - a sleek, ebony suit with small gears imprinted on the shoulder and chest areas. The small blue lights embedded throughout the material added a futuristic touch, giving the outfit a high-tech and sophisticated look.
Next to the basic suit lay a metallic exoskeleton shaped to look like a human. The exoskeleton itself was shining silver, with light blue highlights added throughout. Attached was a small silver mask, which contained a thin glass-like protrusion. After putting the mask on, it seemed like that it would grant me thermal vision and allow for me to maintain voice communications with my allies.
Finally, a pair of gloves was resting by the exoskeleton, with small openings for my fingers to slip through so I could use my Striker ability. On the palm area, a clock was woven into the fabric. After putting the gloves on, I felt like I could instinctually activate the poisonous spray on my exoskeleton via thought. Overall, it seemed like Toybox deserved its reputation, they matched and even exceeded my expectations in all areas.
Alright, time to make haste! Still have a mission to get to, after all. I stuffed my costume back into its crate and called Faultline to pick me up. While I could simply carry it over with my brute strength, a young girl hauling a massive crate would certainly raise some eyebrows at the local PRT. I traced my way back out of the warehouse and then stood there, waiting for Faultline to arrive.
Faultline's van pulled up, and I climbed inside with the crate carefully placed in the back. I gave Newter and Labyrinth a polite nod and took my seat in the back. Faultline immediately closed the van doors and drove off towards the reported location of Poltergeist. Along the way, we made some small talk and spoke about our plans for the mission.
As we reached the docks, the atmosphere inside the van became tense. We parked a short distance away from the target area, and Faultline signaled for us to gear up. I retrieved my costume from the crate, putting on the suit and securing the exoskeleton in place. The visor rested comfortably on my face, bolstering my senses and enhancing my communication.
We immediately rushed towards his reported location at a breakneck pace, breaking through or severing any obstacles that lay in our way. While an ambush would likely be the most optimal use of Labyrinth and Newter's power combination, Poltergeist could reportedly sense all small objects in a small radius as a side effect of his ability - speed was of the essence.
Faultline took charge, her strategic mind working overtime. "Newter, Labyrinth, keep him on the move! Slow him down with time bubbles! I'll find an opening and hit him hard!"
We nodded at our instructions and were about to take off to perform our roles when a small knife moved at an incredibly fast pace towards me. Labyrinth turned in surprise and a stone wall arose from the ground to block the attack. However, the knife pierced through as Poltergeist's abilities also increased the durability of the objects under his control.
Using my instincts developed from the brief training I receive with Faultline, I immediately placed an acceleration bubble around myself and leapt out of the way. The knife ended up crashing onto the sidewalk where I was standing, and the asphalt burst into several pieces which went flying in every direction. Weren't cape battles supposed to be non-lethal!?
Tracing back the trajectory of the attack, I turned my head and saw an imposing figure, wearing a long black robe and a red-colored owl mask. On his robe was the symbol of two intertwining snakes, likely the insignia of his cell of The Elite. He called down in a smug tone "Did you really think I wouldn't see you coming?"
When he saw that none of us bothered to respond, Poltergeist shrugged and several random objects around him started levitating. His power was extremely applicable in nearly all situations, as he could turn an object as small as a penny into a lethal weapon. A barrage of household items then rained down upon us, each object pulsating with a dim red light.
However, this time we were prepared, and Elle instantly erected a large barrier to shield us from the bombardment. Several platforms then rose up from the ground and led up to Poltergeist, who leapt away from us. Remembering the plan Faultline had explained to us earlier, I swiftly placed him in a bubble of slowed time and created another bubble to speed up Newter and Faultline's advance.
Although maintaining three bubbles at once was still taxing for me, it had become much easier since the training with Faultline. Poltergeist's grin froze and he slowly moved in the bubble, trying to avoid the incoming assault. Although he managed to barely slip out of the bubble, Faultline managed to land a solid punch to his gut. He coughed up some blood and retreated back into the building.
Knowing that the house was likely to be full of ammunition for Poltergeist to throw at us, Faultline decided to send the most durable member first. Unfortunately, the most durable member happened to be me - the only one with metal armor and a brute rating. Faultline handed me her RIOT shield and I cautiously entered the building, taking cover behind the shield as best I could.
I was immediately met with a rain of endless items, this time primarily kitchen utensils such as forks, knives, and even a spatula. I quickly placed a bubble of extremely slowed time in front of me, and the objects appeared to grind to a halt. However, I knew that they would immediately pick up their pace the moment they left the bubble, as my power didn't actually lower their speed or momentum.
I managed to position my shield to block much of the incoming hail, and slowly advanced into a narrow corridor, now with Faultline, Elle, and Newter behind me. Through the corridor, a toaster suddenly flew towards me, and I easily blocked it with the shield, not even bothering to bubble it. It seemed Poltergeist was a one-trick pony, and couldn't do much else now that his main strategy had failed.
As we pressed forward, Poltergeist's attacks intensified. The narrow corridor worked in our favor, limiting his ability to use large objects effectively. I kept my shield up, deflecting the barrage of projectiles as we advanced. Every so often, a stray item managed to slip past my defenses, but Elle's quick reflexes prevented any serious injuries.
I realized that Poltergeist was gradually retreating, leading us deeper into the building. He was trying to gain distance, but we weren't about to let him slip away. Faultline called out a quick plan through our comms, suggesting that we split up to cover more ground and corner him.
I headed down a side passage, accompanied by Elle and Newter. As we turned a corner, Poltergeist lunged at us, unleashing a torrent of small, razor-sharp metal shards. I reacted instinctively, creating a time bubble around us to slow down the projectiles. The shards moved slowly mid-air, giving us a moment to regroup.
Newter took the opportunity to rush towards Poltergeist, though he only managed to nick him with a tiny bit of his fluid before Poltergeist retreated further. While even a drop of Newter's hallucinogens could knock out a regular human, Poltergeist apparently gained a minor Thinker rating due to being able to control so many objects at once. Thus, he was able to continue functioning, though disoriented.
Suddenly, Faultline broke through a wall to the side of the room, likely having heard the sounds of combat. Poltergeist let out a small laugh, held up his hands, and took off his mask. His expression appeared to be one of resignation, and he had accepted his defeat. However, his face quickly morphed into one of determination, and the several metal shards that were laying on the ground next to us rose up and launched themselves at us.
Poltergeist's desperate assault caught us off guard. Despite his disoriented state, he still managed to accurately launch the fragments that we had blocked prior. As the shards of metal were in extremely close proximity to us, he barely had to move them before they embedded themselves into our armor and flesh. Using my enhanced reflexes, I immediately accelerated myself and leapt towards Newter, shielding him with my armor from the worst of the fire.
However, Labyrinth and Faultline were still struck by several shards. Elle's emerald green robes were torn, and blood was oozing out of her wounds. Faultline was comparatively better, as she wasn't close to many metal pieces at all. Luckily for them, Poltergeist's deluded state of mind meant that the final attack had lacked much power, and several shards had missed their mark.
Faultline shouted "Enough!" and ran towards a pillar, instantly severing it into 2 pieces. The rest of us heard a loud rumble, before a portion of the roof had collapsed in on Poltergeist. Being in the best shape of all of us, I hauled out his barely-alive body from the rubble. Faultline seemed to have the ability to sense weak points in any structure or individual, something which I didn't think was mentioned in Worm at all.
Dragging ourselves back into the van, we returned back to Palanquin, victorious. Along the way, me and Newter managed to use our nonexistent first-aid skills to bandage Elle, though the work was obviously shabby. After we had finished, Faultline said "Bringing back Labyrinth with such serious injuries probably wouldn't look good for our reputation. Some gangs might even make a move on our territory, she is one of our heaviest hitters after all. We will likely have to keep her in an alternative location."
As she said this, she and Newter conspicuously turned towards me. I knew what they were trying, and I wasn't going to be tricked, damn it! They stared harder. After nearly a minute of this, my will to resist collapsed, and I said "Fine, I'll keep her in my apartment for now. You better give me full pay for this." Faultline snorted and said "Don't even think about it." I sighed and looked downwards exaggeratedly.
That being said, it wasn't that terrible of a decision for me as I would gain some brownie points with the rest of the crew for helping Elle out, and I could likely build a better relationship with arguably the strongest Shaker in the world. If she had the experience she did at the start of canon, she could have likely soloed this entire mission without any help.
Faultline shamelessly and obviously changed the topic as she asked "You know, the major players of Brockton are going to wonder who the new cape that took down Poltergeist was. What should I tell them?"
I see, so this was her unofficial compensation for taking care of Elle - the credit for Poltergeist. Well, I would have done it for free but I wasn't going to complain. As a new cape, reputation was one of the most important things I had to gain. I pondered for a moment, and memories of the countless threats that lay ahead flashed by in front of me. However, unlike before, I instead remembered an old poem from Earth and smiled before replying "Well, what about Invictus?"
AN: So, you might be thinking: I've already seen this. Well, you're right. I ended up rewriting much of the first chapter due to advice from several commenters on Spacebattles as well as some of my friends who read it. I think the new version is much better and suits the tone of worm. Like always, I'm always open to feedback and changes you think I should make to the story. DM me on discord (a_zur) if you want to beta-read chapters before they come out. Additionally, I've decided I rather like this fic, thus I'm going to continue it past this point.