Broadcast Across
New York City
"Good Evening New York! Our merry band came to this crown jewel of the Empire State for a reason. We came to referee a contest that was in dire need of a bit of structure. You see both the Teeth and Forsaken are looking for the contents of this little case here.
"Now while they were content to have a boring and regular brawl over it, where is the fun in that? No, we have decided to elevate this unsportsmanlike behavior into a proper contest of champions. We debated the format it would take and came up with a winner. Dear Bonesaw was quite excited to hear we have chosen a scavenger hunt. The first to bring us the items on our list will be the winner of this fine assortment of oddities. We require a surviving member of the Orginal Wards, a current Ward, and one of the Punks, a group that so recently slew our companion Hatchet Face.
"While the contest is ongoing we will be scouting for new members. However, should the contest end before we have finalized our selection we will move on. As such it is only fitting we open the contest to any and all who wish to see us leave early.
"Good luck contestants!" Jack finished with a dazzling smile.
Emergency Meeting at
Cauldron HQ
"I swear to you Keith that is all of it." Alexandria finished
"I want you to know I am hurt, betrayed, and furious at you all. I am also too emotionally drained to maintain any of that in the face of what we have going on back home."
"Hero had a way of talking to you of making you understand the necessity of these sorts of things a talent we didn't have. It was never supposed to go on this long or get this bad we just sort of kept digging deeper the wider the gulf became." Eidolon added.
"Got out of hand, David? Your damn right it's out of hand it's completely off the rails! What are we even doing? How can we consider ourselves heroes when we are doing things that sound like they'd be up Bonesaw's ally?"
"That's a bit harsh. The Case 53's are volunteers who would have died had we not intervened. They signed up for a war against our extinction." Alexandria started
"Did Chris know? Do you think he'd have been proud of this?" Legend asked
"That's not fair asking her that," David interjected
"I don't need you to defend me, David. There wasn't as much not to know then. We hadn't noticed the shielding effect the 53's had against Scion's vision. The Endbringers hadn't driven us to desperation. We sought something to hold the line till we could find a way to deal with them. I like to think if Hero- that if Chris hadn't died we wouldn't need to do all of this not even half." Alexandria admitted.
"I want to know why, this wasn't avoided. With the damage this is causing us. The disunity it has pushed to the surface has to be disruptive to the future of our plans." Doctor Mother said eyeing Contessa.
"The first thing you have to bear in mind is that the paths do not always reveal the future. The path is what I must do not why. I had long wanted to clear the air between the rest of us and Legend. It was a weakness in our organization. One I could tell from the steps the path pushed forward that it was a vulnerability. At some point Legend would find out and our unity would fragment at the worst possible juncture. Every variation I checked was maneuvered into dead ends. I ran into unpathable zones or had side effects that were worse than the near disintegration of Cauldron. Everyone until recently. A window opened up where a new previously impossible solution was available." Contessa replied.
"This was part of a path?" Legend said eyes narrowing.
"A path I would not have followed if I had not received information. Information that assured me it would be safer than the alternatives. Information that came in time for me to ask you to give the Punks your trust."
Contessa reached behind her and pulled out a stacked folder and a book. She sat down at the table. She leafed through the pages.
"In their efforts to research the origins of powers on what we've been calling the Aberrent Earth the Dragonslayers found something interesting. There are quite a few hints that mysterious unexplained things were going on there even back to the bronze age. Every powerful organization has a file on the period from 1890 to 1910."
"I haven't read anything about that period yet," Alexandria said in puzzlement.
"This report is new. That period is referred to as the Aetheric Era."
"Like their ship? The Aetheric Traveler?" Legend asked
"Not changing the name was clever. If the name drew suspicion they would know we had sources of information that we shouldn't"
"That's well and good but what is this Aether then." Doctor Mother inquired.
"Aether could be used to completely mutate and change the human body, create items of inexplicable power, form gateways through space-time to other dimensions or parallel timestreams. Its most amazing power was to make complex often retroactive changes to the timestream. Changes that would alter history and reality in a manner only resistible by other Aether users or effects."
"It-It does what?" David sputtered.
"It Spins new patterns into the timestream making otherwise impossible things happen. It works even if it has to change history or the basic rules of reality to force it to happen."
"But paradox the continuity of existence the primacy of cause over effect. Logic and order. That isn't possible." Alexandria exclaimed
"No? Well, the power of aether and its users didn't seem to care one bit for any of that. Despite the danger inherent in aether's use and the instability of the continuum, the end of the Aetheric Age was brought on by external threats.
"During the height of the age around 1905, an alien race came to the Aberrant Earth's solar system. They set up a base on Mars and then began to explore multiple timelines of Earth. In each, they harvested all the Aether they could while slaughtering anyone in their way. The main Earth resisted and the other ones drained of their Aether collapsed.
"The governments and corporations of the day rallied behind Great Britain. Aether users joined the war effort en masse. They were able to finally wipe out and erase the invasion of Earth from even happening.
"However, the world leaders recognized this power was just as dangerous as it sounds. the alliance decided to prevent such emergencies from happening again. The bulk of aetheric users and phenomena managed to erase themselves from the timestream. The rest were erased by order of the world powers of the time. They sent specially trained units of unwinders against them. Aetheric users train solely in how to undo existing changes to the exclusion of all else.
"Most of the powerful governments most notably Germany, Britain, America, and Japan retained some few trinkets of that time. Things that somehow resisted the temporal erasure. Things that retained power. Aether being a catalyst for their creation rather than a fuel."
"The Prognosticron?"
Contessa opened the book. "Legends of the Aetheric age from Her Majesty's royal library. Complied originally by the agents of Queen Victoria copies are very hard to come by. They are considered a state secret. This book included all known or suspected items left over. Including those whose vanishment was suspected to be a smoke screen.
"The Prognosticron is six and one-half feet in height. The bottom three feet are brass shaped in a cube containing unknown workings within. The upper portion is a glass hollow, and within rests the upper torso of a mechanical man. It is dressed in an outlandish fashion as either a Turk or Gypsy depending on whom one might ask. It wears silken clothing, the robes being gold, and a turban amethyst in coloration.
As the name indicates it foretells the future in accordance with a set of occult and arcane rules. It was last seen in the possession of the American adventurer Laurance Drake. Reportedly lost at sea with its owner aboard his ship Aetherial Traveler. An infamous smuggler and blockade runner." with that Contessa spun the book indicating a page with Drake and his devise
Legend nodded "That is the device alright and that is him. That is Clock Punk."
"The information we have this device predictions cause the future to skew in ways consistent with no predictions. It was described as an engine that drove finite improbabilities to occur. The truly impossible was beyond it. The virtually impossible seemed to be accomplished with regularity." She finished
"We need this device!" Doctor Mother exclaimed.
"He said misfortune hits those who try to take it." Legend countered.
"I can confirm that both from the path and from the reports I've read on it. However, that doesn't mean we can't make use of it. It already has put us on a path to reconciliation. We can and should reevaluate our actions and find a compromise that returns us to harmony. We can do this well before we have to face the end. We should not squander this gift" Contessa pled.
"Agreed we need all of our strength for the future." Alexandria declared.
"It resists stealing but at the right juncture, it might be used where it stands. The machine seems to have no problem being used if it's not taken. It could answer much-needed questions. David mused.
"I have to wonder what they asked for that caused this device to open this pathway. Perhaps they too are trying to protect the world." Doctor Mother pondered.
The New York City rooftops
Mouse Protector teleported again. She looked around carefully. Jack Slash's ultimatum had sent the Fallen, Teeth, most of the local villains, and a few antiheroes chasing after her. She had to admit she was an easier target than Cheveiler. The Protectorate had offered her their protection but going to ground wasn't her style.
So long as she could stay one step ahead she was contributing to victory. Pulling away foes would otherwise attack the kids in the Wards or newbs in the Punks. She could take the heat. If not? Better to die a brave hero than a cowardly rat. Better to be the punning clown than the depressed downer. Story of her life really. You couldn't pick your circumstances or how you felt inside but you could choose what face to show the world.
Securing her backpack she blinked away again only to have pain explode in her leg. She nearly fell off the roof. Dropping to her ass she saw the arrow lodged in her leg. Pain again hit her as she struggled to get up. This was different it was not from a single point but everywhere. Its source however was clear. It was standing right in front of her.
"Jack Slash once embarrassed the Teeth embarrassed me! Now I will show him! Show the world!"
The possessed former hero reached down and pulled Mouse Protector to her feet. Protector struggled against her assailant. The Butcher's superhuman strength and durability made winning a fight unlikely. Mouse Protector didn't seek to win. She needed to buy some time to clear her head so she could focus her power. A couple of quick slaps stopped those efforts. A twist to the arrow in her knee brought the arrow out of her upper leg. This sent Protector back to her knees as she vomited from the pain coursing through her body.
The Butcher pulled a knife and made some quick slashes. Mouse Protector's backpack shield and sword in scabbard fell to the ground. The Butcher lifted her
"You won't die yet. Live bait is better."
A quad-rotor drone rose from below and fired two missiles. With her danger sense the Butcher barely had to twist to avoid them. She called upon her power to teleport away before whatever explosives in the warheads triggered. only to find her power did not answer.
Explosions were not what the danger sense was warring of. She found a sudden stab in the back announcing the presence of another foe. Before the Butcher could turn two more foes lept onto the rooftop from below. The Butcher dropped Mouse Protector and clashed blades with Cyber Punk. The knife she used was well-built to stand up to her super strength. It holding despite taking on a super-heated glow from parrying the energy blades
Ray Punk shot her but her resistance to pain meant the electro-lasers had little effect. She grabbed Ray's helmet with her off hand and squeezed till the bubble dome shattered. She watched in confusion as he dropped the ray guns and his hands morphed. The fingers elongated into bird-like talons that slashed and cut at the Butcher's arm. She kicked Cyber away as she attempted to rescue her companion.
The butcher could see multiple hearts and many thin veins running through the being before her. She knew he was flesh, not plastic. It had diffuse anatomy with multiple redundancies. Her attention suddenly pulled away. Behind her, the gas-masked formed of Atom was perched atop a power main. The drone had moved between her and the Butcher. Atom was attaching a cord to the Transmission line. The cord ran to the crossbow quarrel buried firmly in the Butcher's back. The source of her original pain.
The Butcher tossed Ray into Cyber before she could stand up and drew her bow. She could aim around the drone her power would let her find a shot either past it or through the damn thing. Which it did but she lacked the time to move her arms into position and pull the string.
Over three hundred kilovolts raced into the Butcher. The power flow only lasted a second before the cord was vaporized. The Butcher dropped to her knees senses reeling.
"Now you know how it feels asshole!" Mouse protector spat from the edge of the roof she'd been crawling away the entire battle. Eyes blurry head temporarily clear Quarrel looked up to see the drone close in from above. Restraints lowered from it's center leaving a hollow frame. Something was floating towards the restraint. Objects from Mouse Protector's backpack and the two missiles. They were glowing. She realized this was it the nightmare was finally over as her mind wound down into a dreamless sleep. Blessed oblivion overtook her.
"You think you guys could have taken any longer? What the fuck were you doing knitting a sweater?" Mouse Protector griped.
"Sugar you knew this was risky as hell when you signed on now hush a bit while we make this ready to transport." the supposed drone admonished.
Ray reshaped himself again. "I can heal you but don't tell anyone. I don't want to deal with the fame that causes. Leave the arrow completely out of your report."
"Yeah fine but I hope you can kill the pain. I've been through some rough shit but this. This is on another level. It's not just the arrow and beating. My teeth hurt just from being near that frying she took."
The rooftop door opened and Steam walked out. "Speaking of keeping things out of the reports I don't think we can report this quite yet. The Protectorate will try to take custody of the Butcher. With the Nine in town, they have no facility secure enough to keep say the Siberian from freeing her.
"What and you do? What other miracles are you hiding cure for male pattern baldness perhaps?" Mouse Protector quipped.
"Why my dear lady even our secrets have secrets. These things tend to happen when you make deals with the Devil. But worry not we will not be holding the Butcher long term. Ours is a rest stop on the way to judgment. Having studied up on the Siberian I have rendered our vessel impervious to her. It's the perfect place to stash our bagged villain till the Nine are dealt with."
"Dude. you need to tone it down. I am known for being hammy and I think that's a bit much. You are at like a ten and need to pull it back to about a seven."
"Then I shall attempt to reign in the verbose nature of my bombastic statements. What I won't do however old girl is tarry for the breeze is coming and our hindquarters are hanging out."
"Yeah, let's get the fuck out." Mouse Protector agreed.
Brooklyn
Cherie was creeped out in a way she had seldom felt. Her plans to gain an in with the Slaughterhouse Nine had been derailed by Hatchet Face's death. Even with her power, it was unlikely she could cause either Siberian or Crawler's death. Chuckle's mind was too alien to reliably effect in a timely fashion. Burnscar and Shatterbird moved around too much. So she scouted Bonesaw and Mannequin.
However, every time she started to scout her prey oddities started. People would randomly blurt out bits of inner dialog or raise their voices during a portion of their conversation.
"That's not." a man said to her wife.
"A good plan." said another looking at a cellphone add
"You!" a woman exclaimed on seeing her mother waiting in surprise for her.
"Dumb bitch." what looked like a pimp said to a woman near him.
She was the only one standing in the right spot to notice. The only one who felt the mental pressure that prodded at each. It loosened their tongues just enough to make that happen.
Cherie deviated from her planned route. She moved down an alley. She sensed no active minds down there. She could get away from the crowd for a bit and lose whatever was following her. Whatever was looking at her through their eyes and manipulating their words.
An alley cat stepped very deliberately into her path and sat staring her down. She eyed the animal in distrust. She looked back the way she came when she heard a voice from a side ally call out.
"You might as well come down and stand near me. Running isn't going to help you."
Clutching her switchblade she made for the voice. She was getting the oddest sensation from the mind. It was inebriated diseased beyond the ability for clear thought. But something similar to her power was pressing on it. Manipulating it as she neared the man she noticed more cats filing in from behind. If they thought a pack of strays would hold her they had another thing coming.
"Who are you?"
The old homeless man sat in a heap he turned his head her way but didn't look directly at her.
"The eyes aren't much good on this one. The ears and tongue work fine so it fills the need. You are a ludicrously stupid girl Cherie Vasil. You have all the survival instincts of a rat with toxoplasmosis."
"Did you bring me here to insult me?" She snapped.
"No that's just a bonus. I brought you here to save you from certain death, you self-destructive dimwit. Really? Joining the Slaughterhouse Nine to escape your father? That's like drinking Drano to lose weight. I mean technically it works but the side effects are far worse than the weight."
"You don't know shit about my family!"
"Oh yes, I do I know your brother for one."
"Jean-Paul? He sent you?"
"No. I don't let myself be sent anywhere. I decided you were interesting. I have chosen to make you an offer. I can give you safety and power. It's a far better deal than you will get from the Nine. I will even kill your father too. I had already planned on doing it as a surprise gift for Jean-Paul. I can speed up the timeline as a gift to you. That is IF you will do something for me. Are you up for a little test? A spot of kidnapping and mind control to bond over?"
"What?"
"I need a test subject someone morally objectionable who if they die I couldn't give a damn. You almost fit the bill but I think I'll see if you are salvageable for Jean-Paul's sake. Also, I hate your father and all he stands for. Working with the children he begot to erase his legacy tickles my fancy."
"Who? Who do you want me to kidnap?"
"Why Valefor of course. Your power should work at a far greater range and with the right precautions you should be in no danger from him. At least if you are clever. If you are not then well you're hardly worth any further effort on my part are you?"
"And where should I bring him when I capture him?"
"Oh, I think you already know that." the drunk slumped back over and the cats dispersed. In the distance, someone turned up their stereo. The voice of Otis Redding sang out about sitting by the dock of the bay.