A/N Dog days
Alt title: Winding down.
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This chapter actually features Rachel less than I thought it would. But oh well. I'm happy with how it turned out regardless. This is yet again more of a transitional chapter. Where we see more of what's going on in the world behind the scenes after the first half.
I might be taking a break soon. Nothing serious, just need to refresh my brain.
That and dead by daylight just released the alien!
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Gogmazios: you're welcome.
Casanova5424: thanks, and yeah. It's not a spoil to say they get along.
Akiralator: I can't answer the clarification on number 4. It's a spoiler. Though you can probably guess the answer just from that.
And yes, I do the whole, question the characters at the end.
RadChaos897: I tried to make this story Adventure/Action. And as you can see, I failed in the best way possible.
I thought of 3 scenarios for the reveal.
1. Kitsu lashes out in anger and bolts.
2. Vicky was there and made the situation worse while trying to help.
3. Is the scenario that playe out.
I wrote all three scenes and read them with the story, and deleted the ones that just didn't fit.
you didn't sign your comment with "RadChaos897 Out!"
Are you feeling okay?
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Disclaimer: I don't own Worm or any other characters in this work, other than my OC. All other characters belong to their respective properties.
-Date, Time-
'Thoughts'
"Speech"
[Shard]
(Text)
*Sounds/Actions*
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-Thursday April 8th, 7:40pm-
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Kitsu POV
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I like this girl.
She walked up to the unconscious skinhead, rifled through his pockets. Took out his wallet, and when she found nothing just tossed back on him and called him a broke bitch.
'What was her deal again? Feral child, thrown through the foster system. Accidentally killed the disciplinarian and the other kids she was housing when the lady had tried to murder her dog.' I recall.
Honestly? That lady deserved it. From what I remember, the crone had tried to drown it in the pool. How someone who could do that wound up being given custody of children is a mystery. It's like the government wants kids to trigger.
Now that I think about it, that might actually be the case.
Maintaining my invisibility, I create an invisible platform under me and silently float down. The dogs start growling at me when I get halfway, and Bitch swings her head towards me.
I go ahead drop the illusion and invisibility. Falling to the ground about ten feet away from her.
"Hi! I'm Kitsu!" I say cheerfully.
She gives out a whistle that causes my ears to flick at the sound. I prepare to rush forward and knock out her dogs, but to my surprise her dogs just sit.
"Are we not going to fight?" I ask, tilting my head in confusion.
She gives a dismissive huff.
"No."
"Why not? This is usually the point where the other person attacks me." I say.
"You're not challenging me. You're not threatening me. Unless you intend to get in my way." She says bluntly.
I wrack my brain for the meaning behind her statement.
'I know she isn't a sociopath like the wiki describes. She's more akin to being autistic. Her brain is more hard wired to understand dogs than people so, OH!'
I look behind me to my tail. It's just there, gently swaying back and forth. And I touch my head to feel that my ears are relaxed.
My mannerisms are easier for her to read. She sees me as a non threat because I conform more easily to her sensibilities.
I look back to her, unless I'm within two feet of someone, I have a habit of not looking them in the eye. So to test something I go ahead and lock eyes with her. She starts tensing after a few seconds and I look away, down to her neck.
"You wanna fight?!" She growls out.
"Not you." I say plainly.
She relaxes slightly at that. I look to the door of the apartment. And then back to her.
"Wanna beat up some Nazi's?"
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Rachel "Bitch" Lindt POV
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I'm not sure what to think here.
Brian keeps trying to coach me on how to read people. But standing here in front of me is someone I can read easily.
Her ears are relaxed, and her tail is swaying gently. She's looking at me but isn't challenging my authority. The one time she did challenge me, she relented almost immediately.
I'll let it slide, her ears and tail showed it wasn't an intentional challenge and that she was just looking at me. Besides, she realized her mistake.
'Is she like me?' I think questioningly. 'Maybe it wouldn't hurt to try this out.'
"Sure." I say. Then give a low whistle to let my dogs know I'm about to shift them.
Oddly enough, I feel a small connection to her through my power. It's like what I feel with dogs, only weaker. Much, much, weaker. To the point that if I'm not looking at her, I can't even tell it's there. Maybe that's what helps me read her?
Her ears twitch towards me as she gives a smile, the kind without teeth barred. Though the tips of her canines still poke through. Her tail starts wagging excitedly and her ears are focused on me entirely.
'She's happy.' I realize.
"Great! Oh! If Hookwolf is here, I call dibs!" She says.
"Why?" I ask.
She shrugs.
'The fuck is that supposed to mean? Is that a sign of non-concomitance? A whim? She doesn't know?' I think in frustration.
"I just enjoy hurting him."
'Oh, a whim then.' I relax at the clarification.
She's not even all that focused on Judas, Brutus, or Angelica. She keeps her attention on me. Letting me know she recognizes that I'm the leader. Returning to them, I cut off the power halfway. They still need to fit through the door.
"So what do I call you?" She asks.
"Bitch."
Her ears flatten and she groans in a clear sign of discomfort.
"Anything else? I don't like using those kinds of words." She says.
"Too bad." I say, standing my ground against the challenge.
"Can't I call you Rachel?"
I tense at the mention of my name and get ready to send my dogs to attack. Before I stop.
Her posture hasn't changed, her head is tilted, ears going back to their relaxed position and tail swaying lazily.
She didn't mean it as a challenge, or a threat. She was asking a genuine question.
"No." I say.
"Fine, but I still don't like it." She relents.
'Why can't more people be like this?'
I turn to the door, the mook didn't have any keys on him so I'll have to-
*Clink*
Snapping back to Kitsu, I see her holding a set of keys.
"I'm the one that knocked him out." She explains.
I just look back to the door. And she rushes over, nearly faster than I can see, and opens the door.
She steps in and turns to me expectantly.
I whistle to my dogs. Giving them the scout command, I watched as they run in and around Kitsu. Rushing through, Brutus looks around the entrance while Angelica take the upper foyer and Judas the lower.
"They're in the lower levels." Kitsu informs. "That's where the sounds and smells are coming from."
I look to her.
'Right, I need to ask.'
"I have enhanced hearing and smell, similar to most canines." She says.
'Never mind. Again, why can't more people be like this?'
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Kitsu POV
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This is fun.
She walks past me, whistling to her dogs as they all turn to head down the stairs. Following after her and the mutated rat-bone-dogs, we travel down three flights and come across another door at the end. This one metal with a padlock.
I hear the loud noises of a group coming from behind the door. As well as barking and an announcer using a mic. It's faint though, so there's likely a hall that leads to the ring behind the door.
Oh, there are two guys guarding it, but they're on the floor, bleeding and unconscious. Or dead.
"Hey, can you try not to kill them?" I ask.
Bitch swings her head to me with a growl.
"Why?" She grunts out.
"Because I'll get in trouble if too many people die." I say honestly.
She stares at me for a long second before turning back to the door.
"Hurt." She says to the three dogs waiting in front of the door. Though they give no indication that they heard her.
I'd say thank you. But I know those words are meaningless to her.
I walk up to the two and go to search them, only to get whipped in the face by the one eyed dog. I don't move and she starts growling at me.
"No." Bitch says. "My pack, my claim."
"Fine, lemme just make sure he's alive." I relent and put a hand to the guys neck.
He'll live, might not walk again. But that's neither my fault, nor my problem.
Moving to the other guy, I put a hand to his wrist. Nope, he's dead. Broken neck, broke with enough force to jut a bone piece through his carotid artery. Making him dead to rights on two accounts.
"He's dead." I say simply.
Bitch doesn't respond, instead she's busy going through the living guys pockets. Taking his wallet and keys.
She then moves to the door. Runs through the key chain. Having no luck, she turns to Brutus and points to the door.
"Break."
I have to roll out of the way as he barrels over the dead guy and slams into the metal door. leaving a decent dent, large enough that you'd assume a battering ram slammed the door and not a living being.
He rears up and slams a second time. I expected the door to pop off or something, instead the knob breaks off and the door swings open with a violent clang.
Suddenly remembering something I check the time.
7:50pm
'Crap! I need to call Carol!'
"Hey, I gotta make a call real quick." I say.
"What?" Bitch asks with a snarl.
"I need to call Carol, she's my legal guardian. I promised I'd do so every hour and it's ten till." I explain.
She stares for a second before issuing a whistle, her dogs run down the hall through the door.
"I'm not waiting for you." She says and starts walking.
"Not asking you to, just letting you know!" I say and rush back up the stairs for better service.
I go ahead and call.
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"Kitsu? It's a little early." Carols voice answers.
"I know, but I'm about to head underground and won't be able to call you."
"Explain." She says.
"Found an illegal dog fighting ring in Empire territory, thought I'd bust it. Oh! I'm here with, what does the PRT call her? Hellhound! She's here." I inform.
"Kitsu, Hellhound is a violent sociopath!" Carol stresses.
"No she's not, she's an autistic girl who got forced through the foster system into an abusive home." I defend. Genuinely upset at the mislabeling.
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"You understand that I can't just take your word on that right?" She responds.
"Just trust me on this? Please? I'll call again as soon as this is done. Promise." I plead.
There's a bit of a pause before she replies.
"Okay, but in return I want you to head home as soon as you're done." She concedes.
"Deal!" I say happily.
"Okay, bye. Stay safe."
"Kay, bye! Love you!"
*Click*
Having that done with, I rush back down the stairs and through the hall. Several people are all running towards me as I make my way down, I just send an illusionary wall to slam them back down the hall. I hear a few cracks and crunches. And a few pissed themselves but that's it. I walk up and knock each of them out in the same way as the guy outside.
I use my speed to hurry the process up and continue down the hall.
It turns right and opens into what I can only assume is supposed to be the boiler room judging by the three boilers situated on the far wall, left wall, and right wall respectively. The 'ring' looked to be a series of wired fences made to form a ring in the middle of the room. The ceiling is about twelve feet up and there are pipes everywhere along walls and through the ceiling.
Bitch's dogs are running rampant, they're much larger and more heavily plated in boney protrusions now. They're tossing people left and right. The whole place is trashed and if it wasn't for the cages and dogs in them you'd never know what this place was being used for.
As I'm thinking this a guy gets tossed at me and I catch him.
"I, uh you gotta!"
"Nope!" I say and knock him out, tossing him to the side to slump against the wall.
Bitch is riding on one of her dogs as she absolutely wrecks the place. I feel like I'm not needed here. I only really found the place because it's my best option at finding Hookwolf.
Getting an idea I take out my phone to record the destruction. Turning it around to face cam I start.
"Haven't done this since Eagleton! Hi! I'm in the boiler room of an apartment building somewhere between the commercial district and the west slums." I say and turn around to showcase the destruction behind me. "It is, well, was, one of Hookwolf's illegal dogfighting rings! I want to claim the credit here, but well, this is all on Hellhound. What else was I gonna say?"
I tap my chin as I try to remember.
I completely forgot what I was going to do.
"Oh well, guess that's it." I say and stop the recording.
By this point Bitch had already knocked out most of the people here. She grabbed a bag from one of the people here and is scooping all the betting money into it.
I'm still bored because I really didn't get to do anything. But at least I'm not depressed!
I walk over to the far wall where there are five dogs are being held in cages. I go to break them out before I hear and smell Bitch coming up behind me.
She smells like dog, sweat, and leather. In case you were wondering.
"Don't." She says.
"Why not?" I ask, not looking at her.
"They'll run. Can't get them safe if they take off." She says.
These things look miserable. Tails tucked, ears down, snarling and snapping. One of them, a German Sheperd is missing his upper left lip.
"Why not call the police? They'll help." I suggest.
She growls at that.
"Don't trust them." She spits out hatefully.
Fair. I mean, I hardly trust them. Though that's not saying much.
"Need help carrying them?"
She says nothing, rather she just whistles. Her dogs come running over and wait patiently. They slowly lose mass and shrink down to a size that can fit through the door.
Bitch walks over and picks up a cage.
"Carry." She says and starts walking towards the hall.
Each of her dogs grabs a cage. Brutus and Judas bite the sides and carry them that way while Angelica uses her whip like tail to grab another and hold it to her back.
I look to the cage next that's left. A brown pit bull is cowering away from me as I grab the cage and lift. Carrying it as I follow Bitch's dogs.
Walking down the hall I see all the people I knocked out are pushed over and to the sides.
Once we make it outside I set the cage down next to where her dogs are waiting. The sun is setting, turning the sky a reddish orange and I pull out my phone to check the time. It's almost a quarter past eight.
Bitch gives out a whistle, and I recognize it as the one she used earlier, just before her dogs shifted.
Her dogs all set their cages down and slowly grow bigger, to the point that they're larger than bulls now.
She points to cages that were set down and speaks.
"Carry."
They go back over and this time they all carry the cages in their tails, holding them to their backs.
She walks up to, Brutus I think it is, and climbs onto his back. She looks to me for a few seconds before speaking.
"Hrmm, bye." She says softly.
I give a small wave.
"Have a good evening."
She stares for a long moment before giving a trilled whistle. All the dogs take off and head down the alley before I hear them start climbing the brickwork.
After a few seconds I call Carol.
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"Is everything okay?" She asks calmly.
"Yeah, just got done. Hellhound took the dogs." I say cheerfully.
"Alright, did you call the PRT?" she asks.
I didn't. Oops.
"Not yet?" I say honestly with an awkward smile.
"Make a report, then head home. Okay?" She tells me.
"Okay, love you, bye!"
"Get home safe sweetie. Bye."
*Click*
I open the browser and google the PRT's number. Because I have literally never used it before. Dialing the number I wait.
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"You'd think an official hotline for reporting crime wou-"
"Brockton Bay Parahuman Response. What seems to be the issue?" A lady's voice says over the phone.
"Hi! This is Kitsu! I just wanted to say I busted one of Hookwolf's dogfighting rings. Could you send a few people tooo, I actually don't know where this is, gimme a sec." I say and rush around through the alleyway to the front of the building.
I see the plaque and read off.
"Terrance's tenements. Really? That's the name they gave the place?" I say.
"Oookay." She says slowly and I can hear faint typing. "There are three Terrance's tenements in the city, which one?" She says.
"They really gave that name to not one, but three different buildings? Never mind, the one near the commercial district and the west slums." I say.
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"Okay, before a squad can be sent. You mentioned Hookwolf, are there any parahumans in the vicinity?" She asks.
"Not other than me, no."
"And you are?" Sheasks.
"Kitsu, I said that when I first called." I respond, slightly annoyed.
"Just making sure." She says.
'More like weren't paying attention.'
I've had a rollercoaster of a day, and I'm getting tired. Plus I genuinely hate talking over the phone.
"Are you willing to stay and await the squadron being sent? And is this a good number to contact you?" She asks.
"No and no. Goodbye." I say and hang up.
Time to go home. Hopefully there's still some pizza left.
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-Pelham House, 6:30 pm-
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Sarah "Lady Photon" Pelham POV
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Putting the phone down, I turn to make my way to the kitchen where the ten year old little boy is.
Neil is there watching him and they just stare at each other. Neil seems to stare confused. While the kid stares challengingly.
Crystal is at her friends house and Eric is upstairs in his room playing video games pretending to do homework.
"Just got off the phone with Carol, apparently now is really not a good time." I stress.
He turns to me with a tired look.
"Is something wrong?" He asks.
He just got back from work at the construction company when the kid showed up, so he hasn't even had time to shower.
"She wouldn't say what it was." I answer.
It's only partially true, but she said that she's going back to therapy and that is not my place to tell anyone.
"Who's Carol? And where's Kitsu?" The boy, Ben I think his name is, asks.
"Carol, is Kitsus' guardian. And Kitsu is probably at her house." I answer.
He furrows his brow in confusion.
"I thought Kitsu was a part of New Wave. Why wouldn't she be here?" He asks.
"Because this is just the main address, no wait. The main address is listed as a P.O. Box. How did you find us?" I ask, now being very concerned.
He actually brightens up at that.
"Oh! I transformed into one of my splices! It's a mix of frog and crow! I used the DNA of the bird to fit extra neurons closer together in the brain while using the frog DNA to downsize it and maximize the efficiency of its brain! While in the form I process information at insane speeds. I used that to deduce the location of your house by cross referencing!-"
"I get it, no wait. I don't. Splice?" I ask.
"My DNA splices!" he says and holds up his left hand. Showing off the clunky wristband.
'Wait.' My eyes widen as I get closer look at it.
"Is that TinkerTech?" I ask.
"Sure is!" He says proudly.
Neil is much more awake and alert now, tensing up at the mention of unknown TinkerTech.
"Can you tell us what it does?" He asks in a cautious manner.
"I'll show you!" He says and presses the sides of the dial, raising it up in a way that suggests is was in his wrist. Not on it.
"NO!" Neil and I both shout, but it's too late.
There's a flash of green and in the place of the boy is a lanky, black, rubbery skinned man thing in his clothes. It has two tendrils extending from the back of its head and four fingers ending in shiny claws. One large green eye on its thin-lipped face. And the device on its left wrist.
Neil is already standing and charging himself in an electromagnetic field while I'm preparing to fly back and put up a forcefield.
"Aaah, need to work on that nerve dampener. Still dunno why it makes that green light." Says the confident, reverberating voice of the creature in front of us, before it spreads its arms out. "So, waddya think?"
Neil is starring slack jawed at the creature, which is most likely the kid now that I think about it. And I doubt I'm fairing much better.
"Ha! Knew it was awesome. This one I got using the remains of a mummified electric eel my grandpa had in his attic. Wanted to add somethin other than human but, couldn't find anything compatible without losing the electricity powers I get from this" He says with a shrug and leans back before wincing. "Aah!"
He leans forward and digs into his pants behind him. Pulling a long, slender tail out.
"I just keep forgetting about that. Oh! Don't tell my grandpa I went in his attic, I'm not allowed in there." He says seriously.
I relax, years of hero work had set me ready to act without thinking. Neil does as well and tentatively sits back down in his chair.
"Okay, um. What can you do exactly?" I ask.
"Oh! I'm glad you asked! I can do anything! If it has DNA, I can rework it. Gimme a few years and enough samples and I can even cure cancer!" He says proudly.
'A bio-tinker?! If he does join us, that'll make three.' I realize.
Though most assume Amy is just a healer, and Kitsu doesn't really do it that much outside of changing her own hair and eye color.
'This could be good. The possibilities with three bio-tinkers are unfathomable!' I think to myself.
"Ah, real quick question. Kid, where are your parents?" Neil asks.
'That's actually a good question. Why the hell did neither of us ask that sooner?' I realize.
"At home, watchin a movie." He says calmly.
"Do they know you're here?" I ask, raising a brow and crossing my arms in my best upset mom pose.
He blinks before scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
"Uh, not exactly?" He says with an awkward smile and shrug of the other arm.
Neil sighs before pulling out his phone.
"I'll call the cops." He says calmly.
"What?! Aw come on man! I just wanna join you guys and meet Kitsu! Is that so much to ask?"
"It is when you being here can get us accused of kidnapping!" I say.
New Wave is neither big enough, nor popular enough to handle a scandal of any kind.
*Beep*
The device flashes red and I'm back to high alert.
"What does that mean?" I ask sternly.
TinkerTech is not something to take lightly.
*Beep*
"Relax~ it's just an automatic timer, letting me know it's about to revert me back." He says with a wave of dismissal.
*Beeeeep*
There's another flash of green light as the being is replaced with the boy again.
"Sooo~, can I join?" He ask gingerly.
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"Yes, BBPD? I have a lost child here, he showed up at my doorstep. Can you send someone to come get him?" Neil says over the phone.
"Oh come on!"
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-Dallon house, 8:40pm-
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Kitsu POV
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Dodging a kid on a bike, I make it back home in about fifteen minutes.
I can already tell by the faint scent of antiseptics and rosy deodorant that Amy and Vicky are home. And I can hear Vicky talking in her room as I step in.
Dean is there too. They're just talking. The lack of his scent leads me to believe he didn't use the door to come in.
'I swear, if I'm forced to stay awake again because Vicky can't keep it in her pants.' I think bitterly.
Mark is there waiting for me in the living room.
"Hey kiddo, heard you had fun." He says from the couch.
I just smile at him and run over, jumping up and knocking him over onto the cushions in a bear hug.
"Whoa! What was that for?" He asks with a laugh.
"Nothing." I say and nuzzle his chest. "Just felt like it."
"Warn a guy next time okay? I thought I saw my life flash before my eyes." He says jokingly.
That gets me thinking, so I don't respond. Instead I just climb further up and sit on his chest. Putting my hands on his cheeks I check his biological functions.
He is remarkably healthy for being in his thirties. His hair might start to grey in a few years. And there's a little bit of cartilage wear down. But over all he's a picture of physical health.
"Uh, what are you doing?" He asks, cocking an eyebrow.
"Making sure you're healthy." I say playfully.
"Well doc, what's the diagnoses? How long do I got?" He asks with a smile.
"Depends on my mood. I distinctly remember a certain someone saying I didn't have what it takes to be an actress. That's gonna be ten years right there." I say menacingly.
I hear footsteps and see Carol enter the room from the corner of my eye.
"Okay, what the hell is going on here?" She says exasperated.
"According to Kitsu I only have ten years left." He says playfully.
She stares at us before turning around.
"I'm too tired for this. I'll be in bed." She says and turns around.
I hop off Mark and rush over to her. Hugging her from the side as I crash into her.
"What now?" She asks tiredly.
I snake my hand up and under her shirt to touch her stomach and look in.
A bit more worse off than Mark. Her skin is starting to loose its elasticity and she's in the early stages of developing arthritis. That and she has the smallest breakdown of protein in the corner of her right eye. It's barely noticeable but it is there.
"Health check! You're developing arthritis, and you have a cataract growing in your right eye. I can fix the arthritis but you might want to have Amy fix the cataract. I don't trust myself enough to mess with eyes outside of color. Oh! And I can rejuvenate your skin if you want!" I suggest happily.
She stares at me for a long second before sighing. She then reaches a hand down and scratches my ears.
"Mmnnnn~" I squeal and hug her tighter.
"Maybe later. Good night Kitsu." She says and walks away.
"Aaaww." I pout. "Is there any pizza left at least?"
"I think Amy ate the last of it." Mark says behind me.
I hear him get up and stretch. And walk up behind me. He picks me up seeing as I'm blocking the hall.
"C'mon kiddo, time for bed." He says and carries me to my room.
"Okay." I say and let him set me down in my room.
"Tuck me in!" I say and reach up for him.
He gives me a confused look.
"Uh, Kitsu? You're still in costume."
Looking down I blush in embarrass as I see he's right. I look back up at him and point to the door.
"Out! No peeping toms!"
He puts his hands up in surrender and turns around to walk out the door.
I strip down and change to my night clothes.
It's just a set of the same clothes. Five pairs of white gym shorts with the pearl clan symbol all over them and a hole in the back for my tail. And five baggy white shirts with pink bubble letters, each saying something different. I'm wearing the one that says 'What Does The Fox Say?'.
I run over to the door and open it to let Mark back in. Only to see him not there. Listening in I hear him in his room.
And Vicky and Dean are making out. And I know what that leads to.
Amy's snoring tells me she's dead asleep.
I run over to Marks room and knock on the door.
Waiting here I hear him approach. I know it's him because his footsteps are heavier than Carols.
He opens the door and I reach up with both arms. Making the grasping motion with my hands.
He rolls his eyes and picks me up again. He settles me against himself, cradling me in one arm while I hug his neck.
"You are super clingy, you know that right?" He says and ruffles my hair.
"You say that like it's a bad thing." I say with a laugh as I feel my tail wrap around his arm.
"Being clingy is typically seen as bad thing." I hear Carol say.
Looking over I see she's laying down under the covers, eyes closed.
"Mlnn!" I stick my tongue out at her.
So what? I'll like being held. My language of love is touch. And nuzzling is my version of a hug.
I like hugs too, but still!
"Alright, I'll tuck you in." He says and goes to carry me to bed.
"Oh, and by the way. Dean is in Vicky's room." I tattle.
Because screw Vicky. I'm petty and she can consider this part of my revenge for her breaking her promise.
Carol's eyes shoot open and she sits up in her bed.
"What?" She snaps.
"I can hear them." I say.
"You better not be lying." She says and throws the covers off.
Getting up and marching past us, Mark steps back and aside into the hall to let her pass. She rounds the corner and knocks on Vicky's door.
"Vicky! I need to ask you something. I'm coming in."
I giggle as I hear Vicky and Dean scramble and stumble as Carol opens her door.
They're caught, and I snort as Dean awkwardly just goes aahhh.
"Hey, mrs. Dallon. Ha, this isn't my house. Um, how are you tonight?" He says awkwardly.
"Stressed. Vicky, grounded. Dean, go home."
There's a bit of protest from Vicky. Dean doesn't say anything and just moves to walk past Carol.
"No, you can leave the way you came." She says.
"Mom!"
I press myself into Marks shoulder to stop myself from bursting out laughing.
"What's going on?" Mark asks.
"She, she. Ha, Carol is making, Dean leave the way, he came in through the window." I say between wheezes of trying not to laugh.
I tune them out, Carol and Vicky are arguing and Dean is kinda just there at the moment.
"Might wanna stay here for a bit. Going to have to wait for hurricane Carol to pass through the area before doing any travel." He says.
"Pfft. You're goofy." I say with a snort.
"I thought I was Mark." He says and ruffles my hair again.
I let him before I playfully snap my teeth at his hand, missing on purpose of course.
"Woah, your handler promised me you didn't bite!" He jokes.
"They lied to you, thet ta, tats. They juts, Blagh! Words!" I shout in frustration at getting tongue tied. "Alright, moment's ruined. I'm ready to sleep now."
I deadweight against him. Going slack and just letting him hold me as Carol finishes grounding Vicky.
I flinch at the sound of the door slamming and see Carol march past us back into her room.
"Think I can stay in your room tonight? Hurricane Carol just took a detour and moved into my area."
"I don't mind."
"Mark, put the kid up and come back to bed. I am not in the mood." Carol says snipingly.
"Well you heard her." He says.
He carries me to my room. And sets me on my bed.
"Alright. How do you wanna do this?" he asks, putting his hands to his hips.
I tuck my tail in and hold it to my chest.
"Burrito!"
"Alright."
He picks me back up and lays me at the edge of my blanket. He layers one end over me and starts to roll me.
"Wee-AGH!"
TAIL!
"Are you okay? What is it?" Mark asks, stopping.
"I'm fine." I whimper out. "Just, squished the base of my tail."
It hurts so damn much! It's like a burning, pinching feeling that keeps pulsing up my spine. It's slowly fading, but still!
"Oh, I am so sorry sweetie. Will you be okay?" He asks concerned.
I nod my head. Holding back tears as I was not ready for that. In hindsight I should've kept my hips arched forward.
"Do you, still want me to tuck you in?"
I shake my head. The pulsing has gone down to a dull throbbing at this point.
"Alright, well, good night Kitsu." He says and kisses my forehead. "I love you."
I wince as my tail tries to wag at the affection.
"I love you too Mark." I say as he closes my door.
After a few minutes my tail stops hurting and I let sleep take hold.
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-5:42am-
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Waking up I reach for my phone and see it's about three quarters past when I normally wake up.
'No time to rest a bit then.' I think bitterly and sit up.
I'm one of those people who wake and just lay in bed for the first half hour.
I stretch and go to pick out my outfit for the day from my closet.
'Hmm. Nepgear? No. Blanc? No. Gura? No. Serena? No. Ruby Rose? No. Oo! Adult Neptune!' I think and grab the jacket, black d-pad hairclips, stockings and shoes.
Laying it on my bed I rush over to my dresser and grab my generic clothes. Just stuff to where under certain outfits or for when I'm not going out.
A white tee, underwear. Still need to call Parian to get those modified. And black bike shorts to keep my modesty.
My routine goes as follows, speed to the hall closet, grab a towel. Speed back to room, undress, cover up in towel. Speed to bathroom. Get shower.
I don't use soap for my body, just my hair. Seeing as I don't sweat and don't produce BO. I use my biokinesis to get rid of anything better than soap would. I need a shower cap to keep water out of my ears. It's one of those ring ones so it just holds my ears down while I wash my hair.
Next comes my large, fluffy, beautiful, annoying, tail.
This is why I take so long in the bathroom. Everything else only took me about five or ten minutes. I use cold water for this as it's better for my fur, and I'll run out of hot water before I'm done anyways.
First I need to plug the drain and let tub part fill up. The rim is about a foot and a half up, so it fills a decent amount. Then I sit on the edge and let my tail soak. I use a special soap from an exotic pet shop. I striped the label off and wrote (Kitsus' soap. Don't use!)
Partly because it is not human friendly, partly because I really don't want people knowing I use pet shampoo.
And because it's expensive and Carol makes me pay for it with my money. It cost about thirty something a bottle and I go through one a week because of how much floof I have. And there's a second bottle to get all the shampoo out! Though it's a generic pet rinser they sell in large bottles. And I don't need as much.
I scrub my tail, getting it nice and lathered. I hate this! It feels all gross and slimy! With that done I then I rinse it with the shower head and unplug the drain. After spraying it down. I plug the drain and fill the tub again. Applying the rinser. Swishing my tail around I unplug the drain again and rinse off my tail with the shower head again.
Luckily, because of my powers, I don't shed. So I don't need to worry about clogging the drain.
God that'd be a nightmare and a half.
Altogether this took maybe forty minutes.
And I'm still not done! Lifting my tail up. I need to enhance my strength as it's so heavy! Stepping back in shower and closing the curtain I shake it dry with my enhanced speed. It gets most of the water out. But not all. And I now have an afro puff tail.
Stepping out I dry off with the towel and wrap it around myself. Going over to the mirror. I pull the stool over and sit down. I'm short enough that only my eyes poke over the counter when I sit.
I get the hair dryer and my comb from under the sink. As I do so the door opens and Amy steps in, still in her nightgown and a towel over her shoulder as she wordlessly steps into the shower. Closing the curtain and tossing her clothes to the floor.
"Morning~" I say cheerfully.
"No." She grumbles.
Amy is not a morning person. Or a night person. Or day, or afternoon.
I just continue to brush/dry my tail. I'm done drying and halfway done brushing when she steps back out.
"Eyes off." She says as she goes for the towel she left on the floor with her clothes.
There's a bar next to the shower for towels. But Amy was probably too tired to think about it.
And of course her saying something causes me to look up at her in the mirror.
If she stopped wearing such baggy clothes she'd likely get numbers like crazy.
She's got a slim figure that most girls spend hours exercising for. And her frizzy hair and freckled skin gives her a cute girl next door look.
I look away and go back to my tail as she turns to glare at me.
"Hrm." She grumbles.
Now wrapped in a towel she walks over and takes the hair dryer.
*Bap*
"Ow!"
She smacked the top of my head with it.
"Perv."
"It's your fault for saying something! Besides we're both girls!" I defend.
She glares and smacks me again.
"Ow! Stop it!"
"You know that's not how it works." She says.
She turns on the hairdryer and dries her hair as I finish brushing my tail.
As I'm finishing up with my tail, I noticed that the hair drier has been off for a while. I look up to see Amy just staring at me.
"What?" I ask, then give a gasp. "Don't tell me! You wanna see my body as payment for-"
*Bap*
"Ow! This is animal cruelty!"
She rolls her eyes. And keeps looking at me.
"Kitsu, I gotta favor to ask." She says and looks away.
'Wut?'
"Um, sure! Anything! Whatcha need?" I ask with anticipation.
Amy, asking me for a favor? Yes!
"Can you, give me straighter, less frizzy hair?" She asks with a small blush.
I stare at her for a hot second. Partly glad it's something I can do easily. Partly confused as to why she's blushing.
"That's it? With how you were blushing I'd thought you were about to ask for bigger boobs or thicker thighs." I tease.
*Bap*
"Why?!"
"Forget I asked." She says grumpily and goes to grab her nightgown off the floor.
I grab her hand and quickly rework the shape of her hair follicles to give her more wavy hair. And I go ahead and turn her current hair wavy because it would take forever for her hair to grow out.
"Eyaaa! What the hell?" She says shivering at the sensation.
"There you go!" I say cheerfully.
She looks to mirror, then back to me.
It really isn't much of a difference. Though now her hair looks like Hermione Granger's in the later movies rather than earlier ones.
"Huh, um, thanks." She says with a bit of surprise. Feeling her now smoother hair.
I nudge my head towards her. Expecting my usually reward for doing something good.
"What? What is this?" She asks confused.
"Scratches!" I say and flop my ears.
"Yeah, no. I'm not doing that while we're both only covered in a towel." She says and proceeds to leave.
"Aaww." I whine in disappointment.
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I speed back to my room and get dressed. Changing my hair and eyes to a lavender purple to match my outfit. I grab my phone off its charger and check to see it's 6:50.
My tail really does take up more than ninety percent of my bathroom time.
Luckily I only need to fully wash it every few days, two or three times a week.
But now it's all soft and fwuffy!
'Speaking of which! I forgot to turn off my hair follicles!' I realize to myself.
Looking in I systematically shut off my auxiliary and pubic hairs and-
Wait.
I have something new developing.
There are new follicles in my cheeks, they're placed to make a sort of, large triangular stripe going down to reach just under my jaw. Making a diagonal marking that points to my nose.
And it's fur, not hair.
And there's something new there that's growing. Just under the follicles on my cheeks.
'The fuck is this?!'
I finish up turning off the follicles and rush out of my room and to Amy's.
"Amy! I need your help! It's medical!" I say, knocking on her door.
"Give me a second!"
After a bit she opens the door, she's wearing her typical attire of a baggy shirt. Though she's not wearing pants.
"What is-"
I cut her off and grab her hand and place it to my cheek.
"What is this?" I ask seriously.
"What is wha- oh. It's your scent glands." She says plainly.
"My what?" I ask, dropping her hand.
She gives me a patronizing smile.
"Your scent glands." She says slowly. "You know. The ones you added as part of your modifications to allow an estrus cycle? The ones you put in."
Oh, right. I told her that I was the one who made all the modifications. Couldn't exactly tell her it was [Conduit].
I need to ask them what all was added. I can look at my DNA. But I don't have the intrinsic knowledge and understanding that Amy has.
It's like if someone with x-ray vision looked at a car. They'd see all the parts and everything. Doesn't mean they just know what they're looking at or exactly how it works.
It took me four days just to figure out how to change my hair color. And I went blind three different times figuring out how to change my eye color.
"Oh. I'll be honest. I don't know what all I changed and how it works. I just kept slapdashing it till it worked." I lie.
She looks at me with a raised brow before leaning back a folding her arms.
"Right, reckless use of your powers on yourself aside, can I finish getting dressed now?" She asks with a tired sigh.
I can't resist.
"I dunno, can you-"
*Slam*
"Rude!"
"Not before my coffee." She grumbles.
As I turn around Vicky steps out of her room in her pj's. A tank top and sweats.
She has a sour look on her face and slumps her way to the hall closet and grabs a towel.
"You good?" I ask.
"Yeah, just peachy!" She says sarcastically.
She grabs a towel and heads off to the bathroom. Pushing past me.
'That's right! I cock blocked her last night and got her grounded.'
I kinda feel bad. Not for Vicky. For Dean. Imagine being with your girlfriend and suddenly her mother walks in and makes you leave out the window. That's gotta be humiliating. And Dean is genuinely a nice guy. His only issue from canon that I can recall is that he was bad at jumping to conclusions and his ability to see emotions only fueled that. Other than that, it was difficult to find someone who had a negative thing to say about him. Other than Amy of course.
Oh well. I've got other things to think about. I have my first sleepover tonight!
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-The Rig, 9 am-
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Sophia "Shadow Stalker" Hess POV
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Sitting in my cell, it's a half cell separated electrified bars. On the other side of the bars is a table and chair for "visitors".
Not that I've gotten any outside of the armored prick and the nerd.
I can't help but be pissed at everything that happened.
Firstly that teleporting brat has a paralyzing power. Then it turns out she knows my weakness somehow. Then it turns out my fucking nerd of a cousin is a cape with the perfect powers to counter mine!
This is BULLSHIT!
I'm stopped from my reflection as the door to the visitor side opens.
In walks the prick, then fat, butter faced fuck in a suit. And then followed by a prick wearing sunglasses indoors, carrying a suitcase and leaning on a cane.
"Alright Halbeard. The fuck is it this time?" I ask.
"Woah, quite the mouth on this one." The sunglasses prick says.
Though there's something about the way he carries himself.
"Sophia, these are your attorneys. Static Shock begged us to get you the best we could spare. Be grateful, they came here from the PRT in New York City on short notice." Armsmaster says.
"I don't need any fucking pity from the nerd. And really? The best? You got me Mr. Pudge and Mr. Sunglasses indoors. What's up with that? Think they make you look mysterious?" I mock.
"Wow. Oookaaay, gonna let ya take this one." Pudgy says and pats the other guy on the back.
He walks forward with a smile and sets his brief case down. Then takes off his sunglasses and opens his eyes to reveal completely whited out lenses.
"They probably do. Though I wouldn't know how they make me look. Seeing as I'm blind." He says jokingly and sits down. "Mathew Murdock, at your service, though you can call me Matt."
'At least he doesn't let it hold him back.' I think with a begrudging respect for the blind guy who became a lawyer of all things.
"Hmm, alright blind boy wonder. I'll hear you out." I say.
"That's all I ask."
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-Arcadia High, 9:32am-
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Christopher "Kid Win" POV
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Sitting here staring at the blonde, well right now it's purple, haired case 53. I can't help but wonder what all she knows.
Just the other day she took my sheet and reworked it. Rewriting it in a way that made sense! Did someone tell her about my dyscalculia? Was it her thinker power? Or is she just that naturally smart and perceptive?
She notices me staring and waves.
I just awkwardly wave back. Embarrassed at being caught staring at a girl. By said girl.
Even if it's not like that!
"Christopher!" The teacher yells.
"Huh. What?!" I say, spooked from my thoughts.
"That's the third time I called your name. Are you okay?" He asks concerned.
"Uh, yeah. Sorry just got lost in thought." I explain.
"Alright, in that case. Your partner for today is Kitsu. You did remarkably well last time you two were partnered." He says.
I look over to her and just gives me a wide, fanged grin. Tail swaying lazily.
'I don't like that smile.'
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-Undersiders hideout, docks, 9:30am-
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Lisa "Tattletale" Wilbourne POV
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Something is, off, with Rachel today.
She's just sitting there on the couch. Scratching Angelica's ears. No growling, no grumbling. Hell her footsteps weren't as heavy as normal.
'Rachel is happy. Rachel is content.'
'Yeah, I got that.' I think sarcastically.
"Do you think, maybe she's getting better?" Brian asks from besides me.
'Brian is hopeful. Brian is seeking conformation. Brian is hoping Rachel is getting better but is prep-'
I cut the line. I can figure out the rest myself.
"Only one way to find out." I say and walk over to Rachel.
Brutus and Judas, who are on the floor in front of Rachel, look up to me as I approach. Causing Rachel to look over as well. Her face goes from relaxed to stern.
'Rachel does not like Lisa. Rachel is guarded around Lisa.'
I ignore it.
"Hey Rache, you seem in a better mood than usual. Wanna say what's up." I ask and plop down next to her.
She stares me down a second, turn back to Angelica and then speaks.
"Had a good day yesterday. That's all." She says curtly.
'Rachel is telling the truth. Rachel is lying.'
'Make sense damnit!'
This always happens around Rachel. My power just can't a decent handle on her half the time. So it gives contradicting information.
"Care to say what happened?" I ask.
She doesn't respond.
'Rachel is ignoring Lisa.'
"I think I made a friend." She says.
'Talk about a misfire.'
"How?" I ask. Not that I'm doubting her. But the odds of Rachel and someone just, getting along, are astronomical.
"She was nice, helped me out a bit. I understood her. She didn't piss me off." She says.
'Rachel hopes to meet the person again.'
'huh?'
"Who?" I ask, genuinely dumbfounded.
"Her name's Kitsu."
'Kitsu, Case 53, mostly human with vulpine appendages. Coils orders are to avoid at all costs. Kitsu is likely unstable. Kitsu is likely atypical in a similar fashion to Rachel.'
I stop the line, it was going into speculation.
"Um, that's good? I'm glad you made a friend at least." I say reassuringly.
'Of all the people. She had to get along with the fucking Endstopper herself?!' I think in astonishment.
As I think this I hear the footsteps coming up the stairs and look over to see Alec and Reiko with shopping bags. Or rather Alec has Reiki carrying the five bags with her power.
"Hey, got the food and stuff. Ya need me I'll be in my room." He says and walks off.
"Actually I was hoping we could get a spar in. Get your hand to hand up to snuff." Brian says, looking back to Alec with crossed arms.
"Pfft, up to snuff. You're just gonna beat the shit out of me like last time." He says without stopping his walk.
"You just need to learn how to dodge." Brian retorts.
Alec just flips him off.
I look to Reiko. She walks over to the fridge and table we have set up as a makeshift kitchen and sets everything down. Though something feels, off.
'Reiko is being controlled by Alec.'
'Again?!'
"Alec, knock it off." I say to Reiko, knowing he can hear me.
"Spoilsport!/Spoilsport!" I hear him shout from his room and from Reiko.
Reiko stumbles a bit before she continues what she was doing and puts everything up.
"Reiko, why do keep letting him do that?" Brian asks. Walking over and helping her.
"W, well. It's just a lot easier on both of us. He doesn't have to use his body as much. I don't have to think." The white haired girl says softly.
'Reiko is lying. Reiko is attracted to Alec. Reiko views Alec controlling her as a form of intimacy.'
'Yeah, I already knew that.'
Reiko is a runaway from an abusive home. Her dad was about to sell her to the ABB to pay off his debts. Before he found out that the ABB doesn't do child trafficking anymore.
It gets darker from there. And Reiko developed Marie Antoinette Syndrome sometime before her trigger.
She joined up just after Alec and fit in well enough. Her telekinetic powers were more than useful. Even if she can only lift a combined fifty pounds at a time.
She had let Alec control her once because she likes him and was curious. Then when she found out that he can feel everything she feels while doing so, even if vicariously. Well, you get the picture.
"So you let him do it because. You're too lazy to think and he's too lazy to whatever himself?" Brian asks.
'Brian does not believe Reiko. Brian knows the truth but believes revealing it would humiliate Reiko.'
'Okay, that's news to me.' I didn't think Brian was that perceptive. Or maybe Reiko is just that obvious.
"Yes." Reiko says flatly.
'Reiko is lying. Reiko wants Alec to control her again.'
'I really wish my power had an off switch.'
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Bonus
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Stefan "SnowFlame" Bates-Englehart POV
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Scarecrow knows how to treat his men right! Here I am, sitting in my new personal room with a buxum blonde on one arm, and a mexican bitch with an ass to kill for on the other.
It was just a few days ago that I overdosed on a bad batch of coke one of his men cooked up. Since then I've gotten powers from it and was elevated to one of his lieutenants.
Snorting another line off the table I relish the rapturous exhilaration it brings.
"Lord above! Thank you for the gift that is the Coca leaf!" I shout.
Feeling my power get to work, I look towards blonde and fondle her more than generous chest.
"Oh, oh god that's good!" She shouts.
Part of my powers is that anyone I touch gets as high as I am.
She immediately shoves her way into my lap. Grinding and bouncing in place. Keeping my hand held to her skin.
"Hey, come on baby. What about me?" The tired voice of the girl next to me begs.
"What about you? Last I checked you still got clothes on. You want this good shit you gotta earn it sister!" I shout with a laugh.
She looks unsure, then, when I turn my attention back to slut on my lap, I see her look to the table where the cocaine is. Rather than do as I say, this bitch just reaches for one of the bricks on the table!
I throw the blonde bitch who is currently unbuckling my belt off me. And grab this bitch by the throat. Standing up and lifting her up off the ground as I choke her.
"EX-FUCKING-SCUSE ME LITTLE MISS THIEF! Did I say you could hit that? No, I said strip, not snort from my personal stash in front of me!" I yell at the bitch.
"Grck! I!"
"You see! How this works, is I get high! Then you get high off ME! It makes NO SENSE! For you to get high! I can't get high off you." I say sincerely.
"I, Ack." She says as she claws at my wrist.
"Give me ONE! Good reason why you thought that was a good idea, and I might let it slide." I say and tighten my grip.
"GRrk."
"Yeah, I don't get it either." I say and roast her head with white hot flames. Letting her body fall to the ground, headless and neck cauterized.
Damnit, using the fire always burns up my high.
I sit back down on the couch and look to the chick I tossed.
She hit her head on the edge of the table and there's blood pooling on the hardwood floor under her.
"Fuuuuck." I say and tiredly rub my face. "She had such banging bod too!"
Now I got two dead chicks stinking up the place.
Pulling out my phone I go ahead and call Cletus. My night is ruined, might as well make someone else's night. One mans trash and all that.
…
"Hey snowy, how's it hangin? Lemme guess, got a thief you want chased down?" I hear from the local psychopath.
"Naw, got a couple'a dead chicks here. You want'em?"
"Ooooo~ I smell a story~ C'mon, gimme the details. Man to man."
I roll my eyes at his behavior.
Cletus was a once in a lifetime, horror movie, mass murdering psychopath. Can't even call him a serial killer because his murders don't have a pattern outside of 'bloody'.
Hell I heard that one time he was bored, so he picked the most ridiculous name he could find in a phone book and then spent three weeks tracking the guy down in New York City. Just to kill him and tell him how stupid his name was.
I believe it.
"Not much to say. Was have'n a great time, getting high with a girl in my lap ready to go to town. Then the other girl here gets cold feet on the whole quid pro quo and thinks she can just take the brick when I'm not looking." I say.
"And?" He urges me.
I sigh and continue.
"I fried her head off. Course in the process the other girl got tossed off me and, well. My table has a new dent in the corner."
…
"Hello?"
"That's it? You didn't drag it out? No, roasting her slowly?" He asks.
"Look I'm on a crash right now, you want the bodies or not?" I say in irritation.
"Hmm, nah. I'm in the north end of the trainyard right now. Too far. Just snort another line and cremate'em." He says nonchalantly.
I hang up, agitated that he had me drag out the conversation only to say he couldn't.
Looking to the two bodies in annoyance, I realize that's probably what I'm going to have to do.
"Fuck, such a waste of a good night."
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Die Zwei Bonus
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Thomas "Coil" Calvert POV
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Seven.
That was the number of times I tried to capture Kitsu and extract information out of her. To try and see if her knowledge could be used to a grander advantage. Or see if she could be made into an asset.
Only twice, have the attempts been a success. All other times ended in horrible failure. And one thing became apparent that has stopped me from any and all future attempts.
She's getting stronger by the day.
Her fluctuating strength was noted in the PRT's database. However, recently it has been more consistent. As evidence by the last two times I had attempted her capture. The second to last saw the Undersiders get brutally murdered after Tattletale had pushed the wrong buttons.
I don't know what was said. But whatever it was, gave Tattletale the chance to take a good look at her own heart. Regent got his neck snapped after Kitsu grabbed his foot and swung his head into a streetlamp. Poltergeist was freaking out after Regent died, and she got a manhole cover to the head. And Grue fled after Bitch got bisected on the spot.
I don't even know what happened. She just stood there, and then suddenly her and her dogs fell apart. I had cut off that timeline when Kitsu had stared into the camera my soldier was holding. He was three buildings down.
The last time I warned Tattletale not to antagonize her. And that saw, mixed results. Only Regent died when he tried to mess with her. Still, I learned from that timeline that her illusions don't have to be visible, to be physical. Which upon further speculation is likely the cause behind Bitch's demise in the previous throwaway.
The two times I succeeded in capturing her was with the liberal use of flashbangs and restraints. And those never lasted long. During the two throwaways I learned that not much can actually hurt her. She's still susceptible to the effects of drugs. But she doesn't develop dependency, nor withdraw or physical addiction.
That and she had already tried every other recreational substance at one point or another over the past five years. So she could recognize what was in her system and purge it.
I wish I could've kept the recording of her on marijuana. Honestly it was rather comical.
She eventually broke out after I tried the more, physical, interrogation methods and she had made a game of hunting down all my men in the base. So I shut the timeline.
The second time I tried to interrogate her saw me use the mercenary every other member of his unit called Creep. He had started and lasted only five seconds before he, well, you could say he "Popped his top."
As in the moment he touched her his head exploded. Turns out any amount of skin contact is enough for her to use her biokinesis. She just prefers to use her hands.
I had to close that timeline because after a few hours my base's entire network got hacked, by Myrddin's pet white collar hacker and Dragon of all people! I still haven't figured out how. My base is on a closed system!
Aside from that I learned she can scream with enough force to kill anyone within thirty feet, set herself on fire, and control her own hair and make it as strong as steel, the fur of her tail included.
That last one was rather interesting to watch. She just, started spinning and turned into a living blender.
Every attempt saw her pull out something new, things that she has yet to demonstrate. With Tattletales power in the throwaways, I've learned her thinker power is mixed with her trump power. When presented with an obstacle and high stress, she develops either new powers, or remembers new applications to her powers.
And it was for those reasons I determined that until further notice, Kitsu is an obstacle to work around, or with. Not through.
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Die Drei Bonus?
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Scarecrows current roster.
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Maureen "Permafrost"- Lieutenant
Shaker 8
Blaster 5
Powerful cryokinetic. Can summon and release powerful blasts of cold wind capable of flash freezing nearly anything it comes into contact with. Has no fine control.
Her role is that of an enforcer, muscle used to scare everyone in line. Is in the Merchants because she had a bad episode while in protective services care and ran away. Only to get kidnapped by the Merchants and force fed heroin under the guise of it being medicine.
Mentally unstable. Heroin addict.
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"Mush" - Lieutenant
Changer 4
Capable of drawing in trash towards himself and making makeshift armor out of it.
Takes the role of an overseer. Runs the boat graveyard. Is in the Merchants because he has no where else to go.
Kinda dumb.
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Stefan "Snowflame" Bates-Englehart – Lieutenant
Breaker 5
While in breaker state.
Mover 3
Brute 5
Striker 3
Upon consuming cocaine enters a state of enhanced speed and strength, with an ability to not feel pain. Also has the ability to make those he touches as high as he is. Gains minor pyrokinesis, but using it burns up his high and shortens his breaker state.
His role is to oversee the Merchants drug production and ensure that anyone trying to peddle in their territory without permission is dealt with.
Cocaine addict. Hedonist.
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Cletus "Carnage" Kassidy - Enforcer
Changer 7
Brute 4
Uses blood to shift his body and create weapons. Can do a variety of things with his ability to control blood. Blood does not need to be his own. Just needs to not be in someone else. Can use blood to heal virtually any injury, including recreating missing limbs.
His role is that of an enforcer. Is in the Merchants because it is convenient seeing that Scarecrow doesn't care, and lets him, murder for fun.
True psychopath. Is incapable of guilt, remorse, or emotional attachment.
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Steve "The Mechanic" Pappagallo - Mechanic
Multithreaded Tinker 4
Specializing in survival and vehicles. Whereas Squealer built vehicles with various functions in mind. The Mechanic focuses on upgrading already existing vehicles. Adding and modifying in ways that make them more robust or adding features to enhance the user's possibility of surviving various scenarios. For example, tires that secrete a special, fast sealing liquid to fix a pop almost immediately.
He triggered after a car crash where his brake line popped near a traffic light and he had the choice between crashing the car into the sidewalks, or into traffic. He chose the traffic route, thinking it would kill less people. When he woke up in the hospital, he was informed the accident caused a pileup that left more than twenty people dead. His insurance paid for everything, and the entire ordeal was deemed an unfortunate accident caused by manufacturer malfunction, leaving him off nearly Scott free.
Scarecrow picked him up a few days after the failed attack on the hospital when Mush found him tinkering drunk in the boat graveyard. Ironically enough, Steve was released from the hospital the day before the attack.
Depressed. Self-loathing. Alcoholic. Suffers survivors' guilt from both the crash and the hospital. Is working with the Merchants in the hope that he will die in a dangerous situation similar to Skidmark or be horrible injured like he feels he deserves.
He is a Mad Max reference I made.
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A/N Snowflame is a real DC villain who gets his powers by snorting cocaine. Yes, actual cocaine. Not some fictional substance that's an allegory for cocaine like how Bane's venom can be linked to steroid abuse. I mean he is literally seen talking about how cocaine is his god, then snorts a handful, and gains powers while high.
He doesn't have a last name listed so I just combined the last names of his creators.
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As for Steve. He will make an appearance. I originally intended to add a scene with him in, but this chapter was starting to push 13k words.
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In case it wasn't obvious. Kitsu has a habit of ignoring certain issues.
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I actually relate to Rachel more than any other character in Worm.
I'm high functioning, the only reason I understand social interactions well enough to write a decent story is due to a loving and supportive family (90% my mom) and years of therapy. It took me taking therapy from 12 to 17 to stop growling when I was upset. And even now I still have to stop myself from reverting to nonverbal sounds and monosyllabic words to express my emotions.
I see Rachel as a very real window of what I could've been like without that.
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QUESTIONS!
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FOR NEWB
Akiralator asks, if her immortality makes her semi-indestructible, could she make/extend small muscles/wires and use her absorption?
Newb: Yes, in theory. She would first need to figure out how, after that it's a matter of remembering how to do it. Her body reverts when she falls asleep, or if she goes too long without reworking herself. She could attach extra mass to herself, but it would just fall off after awhile. And she can be hurt, she just can't be injured. She would release her bodies limits, but the thing is, it wouldn't do much for her. She is a four foot tall, less than fifty pound little girl. There's not much to unlock that couldn't be replicated by her enhancements.
Her enhancements are additive, not multiplicative.
And it's more accurate to call her completely indestructible, she's 99% indestructible. The Siberian or Fletchette could hurt her. But her power would recognize it as a change and revert it.
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FOR KITSU
Akiralator has a few questions for you.
Kitsu: Yeh :D
Akiralator: If you could have any one other power, what would it be?
Kitsu: A tinker power! I wanna be a tinker! Do you know how much I could do with the ability to replicate ANYTHING from other media!? I got ripped off! X(
Akiralator: Making sensory dampeners with Amy's help to avoid sensory overload?
Kitsu: I would have to apply it every day and not only that, I would have to deactivate it anytime I needed said senses, and having them one constantly keeps others from being able to sneak up on me. Besides, my sensitivity to sight, sound, and smell doesn't really hurt me as much as you'd think. Yes I need more time to adjust to changes in light, but it's only a difference of a few seconds, it's not really all that bad. Honestly the ears and growing sense of smell are more detrimental. And I have a plan for the hearing issue.
Akiralator: Voting for the protection of all foxes, you in?
Kitsu: Rather presumptuous to assume we need your protection don't you think? *Squints at you in haughty fox mode*
Akiralator: Who's you're favorite person?
Kitsu: It'd have to be Mark. I would legit murder more than half the PRT if he asked me to. He's the first person to show me kindness without expecting anything other than to return said kindness. Even my friendship with Wade started out as transactional.
I have a feeling he wants to adopt me. And I would say yes.
Akiralator: If you could read this story, what would you think of it?
Kitsu: *Skips first three chapters* *Skips chapters 15 and 16* *Blinks* *Looks up*
Okay, one. Vicky needs to mind her own more often. Two, I already knew Carol was warming up to me. The confirmation is still nice though. Three, I STILL don't have that autograph. And, Missy has a crush on me?
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FOR [CONDUIT]
Akiralator: With all the powers and your past, along with your unlimited energy source, what are you doing to prepare for Scion?
[Consideration]
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[Answer; Integration/Subsumation Of Current Occupation on Network; Preparation Stages Of Eventual Discovery; Redirection/Manipulation Of Current Network Location Code And Code Byproduct; Assimilation Of Local Data; Research/Cataloging Data]
Newb: To translate, [Conduit] is reworking the code of the shard network around it to hide itself better and blend in. It's taking a bit of effort as the Warriors network is coded fundamentally different from what [Conduit] is used to.
Basically they've been watching and learning how the current network works. And are actively reworking the code around them to better hide themselves and set up contingencies in the event that they are discovered. They've also been spying on other shards when given the chance. They're specialty is manipulating code and [Data] and they've been using that to prepare.
They've also been stealing small bits of [Data] from nearby shards when it can get away with it. More than 90% of it is unusable cache, but it helps [Conduit] better learn the code and gives it extra space for processing.
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Fun Fact! Kitsus' immortality, stranger power, and illusions are not part of [Conduits] original code. They're aspects of deviant [Data] that it collected before separating from the Wanderer. With immortality being a durability power that relied on stasis but got corrupted into what it is now. And the illusions being a power to manipulate wavelength similar to Scion but got broken and turned to the relatively weaker version it is now. The stranger power is the byproduct of [Conduit] reworking [Data] to hide itself, and it sort of just bled over.
And aside from people not noticing her when they're distracted, Kitsu is a perfect blind spot to esoteric means of detection. Neither Contessa, Scion, the Endbringers, Dina, or anyone else can use powers to predict her. It's one of the reasons the PRT consider her to be so unpredictable. Their precogs get nonsense when trying to model her. From complete improbabilities, to differing predictions when asked the same question twice, and at times simply getting nothing. They've come to the conclusion that Kitsu is mentally and emotionally unstable and doesn't make plans, making it impossible to reliably predict her. They don't know she's a blind spot because she can be modeled with effort. Just not accurately.
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As always comment and tell me what you think! I thrive on the reviews and they help me write.