Read aloud to me alt Taylor

by Kahlil Johnson

Dnd

12. Dd

This is a bit scary. First time posting and showing writing? Jeez. I've read Worm twice in total and millions of words combined for fanfics which inspired me writing in general. I've always wanted to do a game crossover as an alternate power but never found games I knew enough or liked to do it. Still I've been playing games like Slay The Spire, Warframe, MTG and other games that inspired this particular power. Alas that's just unimportant information y'all readers don't come to this subforum for, right? We all came for Taylor (or SI's if that's your kick) to mash it up with superpowers.

Disclaimers:

This story is in the Worm universe which was written and is owned by Wildbow. Thanks to them for writing a wonderful masterpiece.

This is an alternate power fic.

For the impatient: Taylor triggered with the ability to seal things into cards and unseal them. Also as a bonus she can combine cards.

Give me all the criticism, hate and various feedback if you want. It nourishes me (as a writer).

Updates will be slow and sporadic because life, jobs and hobbies. No different than usual for fanfics though.

Front Page Edit/Update!

Fanart/Omakes will be listed and loved preciously, oh so preciously. My preciouses...

They may already be temporarily threadmarked to broadcast it to the world.

Canon Omake: Aegis' Training by a_ghost - Post Link

Vista Omake by a_ghost - Post Link

The Cheesy Ending by Kailandi - Post Link

Heroes Debriefing by Kailandi - Post Link

The Museum Omake by Bladeruler - Post Link

Odd Purchases Miniomake by Slowpokerface - Post Link

Costume! by nuvalewa - Post Link / Imgur

Discard Card by Metaphorical Grapevine - Post Link

1.1 Vicissitude

-

Life was funny sometimes.

It was the only thought that came to mind as I readied myself for what was to come. For what I was about to do. It wasn't that it was genuinely funny, for life is rarely that. Sometimes it's ironically funny in the right light but mostly it's a dark, sarcastic humor that catches you. How else would you explain a girl, by all rights wanting to do good and be a hero if she ever had the chance, psyching herself up for her debut as a villain?

Sure they were just labels that the media put on. I realized that not everything is so black and white in the view of things. Oh how I wish that view was actually true. Where the heroes are knights in shining armor, Gallant notwithstanding if the rumors were anything to go by, and villains were all dastardly and wicked. Well, that last one may be true considering what Brockton Bay's gang reputation is like, but I'd put my doubts on it being a one hundred percent case now.

With the PRT putting out their public relations and propaganda to the masses that propped up the image of Heroes, capitalized for dramatic effect, who would actually believe they were human beneath the masks? That they were just people at the end of the day trying their best, and failing sometimes, to do the right thing? Because it was easy to dehumanize those that don't show their faces. Television and media had made it easier to target masks. Symbols, really, instead of making it about people. I suspect it's also why secret identities and cape names were such a big deal.

Where was I going with this little introspection about costume life one might ask? Well...

I was going to rob a bank.

Crazy, isn't it? Taylor Hebert, an ostracized victim of bullying, not even fully a young adult yet even if I'd comment that fifteen easily qualified, doing the biggest common crime of all? No jaywalking doesn't count as a crime and I meant something along the lines of famously done. Something real villains absolutely didn't do and were something only from comic books or stories. I could've started with something easy like a jewelry heist, something else common in fictional media because that's the only type of villainy I know of. I decided on a bank because this is the first, most important step of my career.

Making it sound professional does ease the guilt of knowing it's a crime. Starting small sounded nice, similar to how a fresh hero would start on muggings or, well... muggings were incredibly common so you couldn't really start elsewhere. What would you do, jump right into a cape fight? Back to why this was my first crime.

I had powers. I felt it on the edge of my mind, a constant tug of war between two polarities like positive and negative charges of a magnet. The negative side told me, urged me to pull things in. It was visceral and unrelenting. Was this what a kleptomaniac felt? A hoarder perhaps. I simply thought of it as collecting because it felt in theme with my powers. The positive side? It told me to give. Not even a third of the strength of the other side, mainly because it was a reluctant give in a way that it meant that the things weren't going to be taken back. It was really an obtuse feeling but one strong enough that I needed to take. Gather, collect, steal.

All this thinking about the morality of the cape world and my own feelings was because I really didn't want to be a villain, but I didn't think I could become a hero. At least not with the PRT and Protectorate. Yet I didn't feel like I had a choice in which side I chose, but I had a choice in how I presented myself in that side.

I did research on the cape scene in Brockton Bay. Heroes were the easiest to look up what with Parahumans Online and the PRT shamelessly selling merchandise and such on them. They were scary, to be honest, but it was more likely they wouldn't do drastic measures, injuring and possibly killing me, in comparison to the villains. Yes, the villains were truthfully the worst. The biggest gangs were horrible people as far as the research went, although my personal experience with the Empire 88 confirmed their side being worthy of dehumanizing, the Azn Bad Boys being weirdly honorable and equally deadly and the Archer Bridge Merchants being the scum of the earth. A few independent villains were around but never lasting long, which frightened my prospects, and the smaller teams like Uber and Leet or the Undersiders were laughing stocks or quick and unseen respectively.

So where did that put me in villainy? Nowhere yet.

The deep urge inside me yearned for more. I had put that it off for long enough. I stepped into the public bathroom of the Brockton Bay Central Bank and started checking under the stalls. Of course, if I was going to hit a bank it would have to be the biggest one, and therefore the most guarded and likely to have Heroes respond. No feet under the stalls, none of the doors locked and no one else nearby, Good enough.

I pulled out a deck of cards from inside my hoodie and inspected them. They were the size of tarot cards, long and thin with a black background and a display of intricate golden webs on one side, most of them similar. Two of them, in particular, had a silhouette of a spider on them. On the other side were various pictures of items or objects with a simple plated name at the bottom. In fact, they were a cross between a trading card and a tarot card.

With no cameras in the bathroom or at least none that I could see, I drew one of the cards with a spider on it and sighed. It was the last moment I could call this whole thing off. Go home and be content with my lot in life. I wanted to say this was my common sense talking, which I seem to have lost somewhere in between a week ago and now, but that was a bit defeatist. Over a year of bullying and being put down will ingrain that kind of thought processes into you whether you want it to or not.

No, I pushed the thoughts of school, the public humiliation and of Dad out of my mind. I couldn't live like that anymore, not with my newfound need for claiming things that aren't mine. I read the title of the card, bold black letters on a simple gold frame at the bottom of the card: The Magician's Mask.

A lovely black dovetail coat with matching long sleeve undershirt and golden vest, frilly black and gold dress bottom that seemed like something out of the victorian era, a strikingly white frowning theater mask, and to top it all off a small golden hairband that held one of the old-fashioned decorative tiny hats on it.

I didn't even mean for it to look anything like this, but it was something that was mine, so I was going to use it. The positive, giving feeling inside me surged through my arm and into the card. It was nearly instantaneous even if it felt longer, and in between one second and the next Taylor Hebert disappeared. Or it would seem that way as I was now wearing the magician outfit. My heart was beating so loud I could hear it in my ears.

"Now... It's showtime."

I ran my thumb over the deck of cards which were in a small open case on the inside of my long sleeves. Unfortunately I wasn't wearing gloves due to needing to actually handle the cards quickly and anything that covered the hands were unwieldy. I counted each groove one by one confirming I had all twenty-one cards I had prepared. Which was a strong word to use considering it was all the ones I owned.

Card counting was not a skill I had but was something to look into. For now I had just roughly memorized the order in which the deck was prepared. Pulling out a card swiftly, which I had hoped would look like I pulled it from my sleeve rather than me fumbling at it, it was the one I wanted.

Again the feeling of giving flowed through me but not as strong as before. It made me feel good and tingly for that split second before the card was energized and ready to activate. It was weird but I could feel the card in the back of my mind merely waiting for the signal, my will for it to be played unlike before. Something I've noticed but haven't really worked on.

I cracked open the bathroom door and flicked the card into the room full of innocent civilians. They didn't deserve to be inconvenienced by my selfishness but life wasn't always fair. I pinged the link in my mind and peeked through the crack of the door. The card caught a few people's attention before it erupted into a massive cloud of smoke. The dense gray smoke filled the room far quicker than any smoke grenade and gave me my timing in.

It wasn't that I could see through the smoke because that would be far too convenient a power. To deploy something that blinded others and could see through it too? Vision was an all-important factor of everyday life. So instead of moving in a perfect manner and with confidence, I bumbled around to where I remembered the security guards were stationed at.

My memory wasn't too bad as only three civilians were ran into as they themselves flailed about, and found the security guard crouched down.

"Stay down, sir or ma'am! I think this is a robbery," he explained to the robber. I didn't find any humor in the irony but I did look him over. He was looking around and didn't focus too hard on me. I saw my target, his stun gun at his side, and reached out for it.

The bottomless greed, the need to take and own, burned through my arm in an instant. A cold feeling to the warmth of the positive half. As my finger touched the taser, I admittedly couldn't remember which one was which, it vanished and was replaced by one of my cards held between my fingers. At the same time I felt my breath hitch as if I stopped suddenly in a car. Something was taken from me, stamina or vitality or something that made me feel alive, and in its stead I gained a card. The polar opposite of what I felt when I reactivated them.

I didn't know if I hated or loved my power. It made me need to be a thief. That wasn't in doubt at all. Despite the cold lack of breath I recovered in a couple of seconds and rushed over to the second security guard's area despite the first looking a bit bewildered as I disappeared into the smoke.

It felt good to own a new card. Something inside me was satisfied for the moment. It never felt worse or raged when I made a card activate, yet the feeling of satisfaction never came if it was something I had already 'taken'. The second guard acted similar to the first and was relieved of his electricity gun weapon as well. Wasn't it far too easy to do so? I was in a costume for crying out loud.

I pushed through the screaming and wailing crowd to the front of the teller's desk and patted down my costume. Had to look presentable after all or this would all be meaningless. I steeled myself for what was going to come next. There was a reason my garb was called The Magician's Mask. It was a stage costume, something to wear in front of an audience, and most of all it meant I had to act. Something I was incredibly nervous about and loathed to do.

With a wave of my hand, and a surge of negative energy, the dense smoke disappeared as if it had never been there at all. The loss of breath hit me lightly, a double meaning perhaps since all this smoke was literally nothing but gas. Why the room didn't implode due to the lack of anything to fill the void left was beyond me. Power nonsense perhaps.

Right, back on track. My mind tended to wander nowadays what with the lack of speaking up almost literally beaten into me in school. All I had to do now was public speaking in front of a literally captive audience. Not for long though as I didn't intend to take hostages.

"Ahem." I fake-cleared my throat. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please?" My voice sounded strange to me as I put a lilt into it, even if it was still a teenage girl's voice. Non-threatening was what I was going for because I really didn't want people to be threatening back.

All eyes turned to me, faces ranging from crying to enraged. The two security guards near the door reached for their tasers and felt them missing. Why didn't they do that in the first place?

"Cape! Run for your lives!" someone screamed and that invoked a frenzy. I couldn't have that as people might be hurt. Or myself, considering I was just a girl in a costume.

I pulled the bottom five cards out from my sleeve and fanned them out while shouting, "Stop where you are, my audience! Or else I'll be forced to play a dire trick indeed."

Most of the crowd froze, no doubt survival instincts from living in the cape central of America or just living in a town overrun with gangs and crime. They eyed me, then my cards, and then back to the few who weren't stopping. I would've sighed if it didn't break my concentration on the situation.

I picked a card, the image showing a silhouette of a person and rope binding them tightly. Three of those cards were like that. A girl could only afford so much on an allowance and the costume's material wasn't free. My aim wasn't power assisted and I had little practice, so I counted my blessings when I flicked the first one and it struck one of the instigators, a tall bald man looking around thirty or so. I activated it and the card vanished.

The man fell onto his side as he was now bound in the rope. Setting up that trick was an interesting experiment and something I would buy, or steal, a mannequin for in the future. I spoke and couldn't help but add my annoyance at the situation, "Now, please be seated during the performance."

They listened even as the security guards were talking into their radios and the teller behind me, eyes brimming with tears, repeatedly mashed a button on the underside of the counter. I stared at her and she froze. "Ah, my apologies ma'am, and my audience. Worry not for this heist will be over before you know it."

The audience, for I had to keep that in my mind instead of the hostages I didn't want to take, were fidgeting about. Right, why was I forcing them to be here again? "If it would please you all, anyone who does not wish to be here may leave now. Calmly. Except for you, ma'am. I do apologize for the inconvenience."

A few people stood up and one woman even asked, "Really?"

I nodded at her while holding out the hand with the cards pointed at the security cards. "Yes, you may all leave as long as you don't try to be a hero today. No doubt they are on their way here as we speak."

Hesitantly the audience got up and left in something I wouldn't call orderly but also not a scramble. Somewhere in-between perhaps? All that was left was the security guards still looking wary, hands on their batons and the lady teller behind me. Her hair was a long ponytail and incredibly frizzed out for some reason. It couldn't have been more than five minutes since I left the bathroom. Was working in a bank that stressful?

"We can't leave you here with a hostage, uh, you villain?" the chubby guard asked. At that I nodded. "Right, never heard of you but we can't just leave you in here with her."

The other guard frowned as he looked around. "As everyone else did. No one wants to be caught in here with a lunatic." His eyes widened and jerked towards me. "Not that you're a lunatic!"

Ah, so I wasn't the only one nervous. He had my thanks for that as I felt a bit of tension leave me. Three people were far easier to deal with than twenty plus. "No need to fear incurring my wrath," I said even with the distaste on my tongue. This felt like fancy speak that Mom would always teach me about. Just another way to act and separate the image of Taylor and this new villain. "I am merely here to make a withdrawal from my account."

"R-really?" asked the teller.

"Yes," I lied. "If you could show me the way to the vault it would please me greatly. If you gentlemen wish to escort the lady, that would be fine too. At a distance, mind you. I would hate for things to turn unpleasant." A truth and lie at the same time.

They all nodded and the lady made her way to the back using a key card to get past the doors. I followed acting perfectly at ease even as I wasn't. My costume was layered enough to hide my jerky and hesitant movements. The guards stayed several feet behind me, hands still on their batons, and trading glances with each other. I had no clue what that meant.

When we reached the vault door it was everything I really didn't want it to be. Imposing, made of metal, blocking my path and needing a passcode to enter. It did annoy me it wasn't like ones in movies as a gigantic circular slab of metal and more a really thick safe door. I looked toward the teller who was actually crying now as she noticed the authenticator. "You wouldn't happen to know it by chance, would you?"

"Yes, I mean no, no I have no clue. Usually that would be the manager but this is my seventh day and I don't know what to do and I didn't think there would be a robbery and you've been nice and all but-" I shushed her with a wave of my hand and glanced over to the guards. For some reason they relaxed at that.

"Really sorry about all this then. No matter," I said as I dramatically flourished my hands to hide the fact I stuffed the cards back into the deck inside my sleeve. The negative energy roared through me as I touched the vault door and, in an instant, the door vanished and reappeared as a card in my hand.

It was like being punched in the gut by a heavyweight boxer. I couldn't breathe and had to stifle a gasp to pull in fresh air. That was by far the worst feedback I've ever gotten. My legs felt weak as I took a slow step trying to show confidence I didn't have. "T-there we go. A magician always makes an entrance."

They stood there stunned at either the display of my power or they heard the weakness in my voice. I hoped it was the former because those batons looked mightily dangerous right now. Inside the vault was as you'd expect, or you would if you watched movies. Unlike the mounds of cash they had in the films, it was a table with a meager amount of bills and a lot of those lockboxes for valuables storage.

I passed the teller girl and went inside heading for the cash. A hand wave, as I had to keep up the act of dramatic flair, let a finger brush atop the money making it vanish into four cards each denominating a large mound of cash. I stowed those away and made my way back out of the vault. I don't know how much cash I had gotten, most likely a lot more than I would've ever made in a meager job for several years.

Now... now the easy part was over. All this? Yeah, that was the easy part of the plan. It clearly showed at how bad my planning was as I passed two stunned guards, both warily not moving an inch as I passed between their shoulders. My hands fell to their batons and transformed them into cards. I needed a term for when I did that, something to say I did it but with a dramatic tone.

"That will be all, sirs and madam. You may leave if you now wish," I stated factually as I walked around the front counter and sat on it, crossing my legs under my long skirt to try and show an easygoing manner.

They all headed toward the door, unsure of what was going on. "Um, aren't you going to escape?" asked the teller. Was it curiosity, unease or the world's quickest case of Stockholm Syndrome?

"No. I am waiting for my true audience."

"A hero?" The next one was clearly curiosity or unease as all of them looked at me like was a lunatic. I would've done the same if I was in their shoes.

"Yes, my dear, a hero. An assistant for my performance if you would." I held out my arms, palms up, and dearly wished I didn't sound as goofy as I thought a young girl using such language would. "I am in need of the help to display my act, and no better would it be for a rival to arrive. So go along now for they shall... be here soon."

I tapered off as the sound of a motorbike, quieter than I would have expected but the building was surprisingly quiet at that. I could see through the glass doors the red and blue lights of the Brockton Bay Police surrounding the bank as well as the telltale vans and troopers of the PRT. Not too many, a couple vehicles each at least, but it hadn't been that long and I could see the blue super motorcycle out front matched with an instantly recognizable hero.

Armsmaster.

Fuck me.

The three rushed out of the door as they also sighted the hero leaving my temporarily alone with my thoughts. I wasn't idle as I pulled out my deck, fanned it open and arranged a few cards on the top and bottom that I would be using. Sadly most of my deck, my assortment of tools for my power to use, was actually garbage. I only had a week! Patience is a virtue my power did not want me to have. Even if I deemed it garbage, it was still mine and still useful. A collector doesn't collect useless junk.

I tried and my power didn't care.

"Right, easy part over, hard part coming. Make or break it..."

I went still. How had I never thought of it until now? I planned, prepared as much as I reasonably could, and even acted today. Yet how had I not come up with a name!? Fuck, this was not something I wanted to think of right now. Armsmaster was walking toward me! I could see him cautiously examining the building as he approached, his head never tilted too far so that I wasn't in the line of sight.

Okay, calm down. I went for a magician theme because my cards were, well, cards. They sort of resembled trading cards, but what would a dress even be like to match that theme? Um, names, right. I think you couldn't use the same name as other capes, even if they weren't in the same city or even a hero or villain. Trickster was out as I think he was a villain in Boston. Magic Hand, Man, or Woman were somewhere in Florida as a trio. Okay, maybe not a magic name.

Collector? No, that was almost definitely taken. Hoarder, The Seal, or Diviner sounded lame even if it was based on my motives. Diviner though was based on the tarot shape of the cards. Wait, these cards? No, I refuse to do it. I know it's not taken because of how silly it is. Hell, I know names get silly as there's some cape near our region named Pretender of all things, but to take that name for myself?

I've heard the horror stories of having the public or PRT name you and it definitely wasn't something I wanted. Yet a silly name might work even better than I planned. It was for an image, this whole ordeal. To display my powers a bit and put up a literal act. To show that I am not one of the deranged villains and show that maybe... maybe I would be on the levels of Uber and Leet. As much as people make fun of them, they're still alive and active despite the years of success and failure that they have. It's because the public and heroes don't see them as a threat.

My power is most definitely able to be a threat. However, I didn't want to be. I wanted to be a hero but circumstances and the way actual heroes acted ruined that for me. Could I still help people? I planned on it somehow down the line but I won't be viewed in a good light. I knew that in the back of my mind, that raw void wanting to take all that it can really prevent me from doing so. If it just didn't feel so good to steal things I would have suffered silently as I did with my bullies. Like how I did with Dad.

Yet I wasn't going to give this up.

Armsmaster opened the door, his height either naturally tall or boosted by his power armor, walked through with such confidence that it exuded from him. This was a true hero, experienced and calm that led the local Protectorate and had years and years under his belt in many cities including one of the worst: our own.

To say that I was scared would be an understatement. To say that I was excited would be far too true. To say that I was more worried about ruining my act than I was being arrested was a bit worrying actually. Yet to say this was all going according to plan was incredibly scary.

"Villain, lay down on the ground and surrender. You are under arrest," Armsmaster stated as if merely saying it would make it true. Such was the air he had. Was I exaggerating? Maybe my act was making me think more dramatically, but it really felt as if his word was law. I might have also been a fan of him even if he came off as unsociable. For some reason this made him more human to me than the robotic armor he wore displayed.

I uncrossed my legs, held my palms out, upward and level with my chest as I hopped off the counter. "At last, my assistant has arrived. I could do a show solo but it wouldn't please the crowd. How do you do, Armsmaster?"

"I repeat, get on the ground and surrender."

What was I expecting, some villain and hero banter? Actually, I was. It sort of depended on getting him to play ball as it was the type of image I wanted. "Really, that's all? I can do that if you help me out a little."

"Is that so?" It felt like that wasn't directed at me. Did he have a radio in his helmet? Of course he would. "It seems resolving this peacefully would be best. Talking has no negative penalties for you aren't a Master."

"Master?" I asked. It rang a bell somewhere but I wasn't sure where.

He cocked his head to the side, listening to whatever was talking to him I guessed. "You haven't heard of the PRT designations?"

I clapped my hands on purpose and exclaimed, "Oh! So that's why I remembered something similar. I have heard but I never remembered what it was. I think there was a catchy jingle for civilians to remember."

Armsmaster had his halberd out in one hand where there was nothing a second before, its long and ominous blade pointed towards me. I hadn't seen him grab it. It sort of annoyed me since that was my trick but just showed how dangerous experience was. I think he was what they called a Tinker? For some reason I remember researching powers but categories slipped my mind. When he saw nothing happened he angled the blade away from me but didn't put it back to... wherever it was before.

"So you're a new villain then. I recommend surrender. New villains rarely last beyond a month of activity before being killed or absorbed into one of the local gangs. Defeating you here doesn't earn me any favors or notice. If you surrender I will try to handle your case and get you a lenient penalty. So far your crimes can amount to attempted robbery. A few other minor crimes in association but nothing damning," he rattled off in monotone as he assessed me. I could feel him looking for bags of cash or the like. Had the guards and teller not told them details on my powers? I didn't know what to think of that.

"Thank you for your kindness," I said. Armsmaster grunted in response. "But now I myself am not feeling all too generous. Surrender, I think, is off the table. Just because that is said though I don't think we couldn't work something out?" I asked hopefully. False hope because a hero would never negotiate with a villain.

He stared at me in silence. Was that a yes or no? He shifted his body a little and said nothing. Okay then, time to talk. Here is where the villain gets the monologue. To tell the hero of their dastardly schemes and motives. Did I want to be completely truthful? I'm sure they could help me with my problem. This would truly be the last chance I had to stop this madness. To pull out and really surrender to the heroes. Yet that would be giving up my freedom, my choice to a government agency.

I hadn't had much luck with those watching over me.

"You see, dear hero. Armsmaster," I stated. Was it silly to hear a girls voice trying to sound dramatic? This whole scene was fairly strange to me, but I continued. "Did you not wonder why a villain, self-proclaimed I add, would be waiting in a bank for a hero to arrive? To walk through that front door with a guard let down and a snide dismissal?"

"Trap!" he yelled and dove behind the security desk by the door.

Nothing happened.

He stood up, looked around and walked back to the doorway.

"Um, yes, that would've been a good thing to set up actually." It really was. Why didn't I think about that? My power is really good at setting up traps now that I think about it! "No!"

"No?"

"I meant... well now my whole dramatic speech feels weird. To explain my motives and the such. It's to be a great thief, like the ones in old tales. Mesmerizing the police with incredible heists and collecting treasures. To spread my name around the city, the state, and have them know of my grandeur!"

It was only half true. I really wanted treasures, not really the infamy, but I figured that was the only way to truly be safe. To have a reputation so much a fact that it would handle how people and capes on both sides approached me. I credit that idea to the videogame duo.

"And who are you?"

I swept my coattails to the side, which was weird and I thought stylish because it made my skirt shimmer as well.

"I am Discard!"

--

Armsmaster was annoyed at the moment. It wasn't that he was pulled away from tinkering time, for he had been on the last run of his patrol. It certainly wasn't that he had got an emergency help alert from the Brockton Bay Central Bank detailing it wasn't just a robbery, it was a cape robbery. That what was made him hurry and arrive on the scene before any other heroes could. Definitely not because he wished to have the glory and prestige associated with taking down a villainous heist by himself. Actually, that last one was something he wanted but wasn't why he was annoyed.

No, it was because the PRT communications were a mess. His helmet camera was doing a livestream to the PRT outside, the PRT HQ, the Wards HQ and directly to the PRT Director. Somehow Clockblocker had arranged for them to get the feed as well as somehow gaining access to the voice line.

As such he was currently hearing a rather busy voice communications going on in his helmet, a line he couldn't dismiss due to the Director detailing it a priority.

"Is she for real? Is this real life? The one time us Wards weren't quick enough to be deployed before Piggot said we couldn't and it's a cartoon villain!" complained Clockblocker on the comms he really shouldn't be talking in. The punishment would probably be something he deemed 'worth it' but Armsmaster doubted it.

"Clock, be quiet. Armsmaster, continue the peaceful line of surrender. So far she hasn't made any threatening moves. Arrest her quietly and maybe we can salvage this and gain a new hero," Director Emily Piggot stated calmly. You could tell she was furious exactly due to how calmly she was talking.

"I second that notion, Armsmaster. The security guards reported that her power was akin to matter disintegration or teleportation. They couldn't be specific but stated that she made the vault door disappear in less than a second with no aftershocks of air displacement. A useful power and something not too threatening. Be wary though as we don't know her limits," reported his friend, most likely someone he would call kindred spirit if he were poetic, Dragon.

He grunted in response to all that. Normally he wouldn't be covert in his responses but the girl in front of him was holding a dramatic pose for at least a minute. They kept telling him to peacefully arrest her. To make her surrender with talking.

Armsmaster wasn't the most social of butterflies.

In his entire career he didn't think he had a single peaceful surrender or arrest. He figured that it was actually impossible for a villain to give themselves up before at least trying to escape or defeat the heroes. Yet here was a villain, self-proclaimed, that had taken over one of the main banks of the city using smoke and theatrics. Then after that released everyone save for three people, was witnessed breaking into the vault and then walking out and releasing them as well. Even further the girl stayed in the bank and waited for a hero to arrive.

He wasn't entirely sure of what the most efficient method to do was in this situation.

"Miss Militia and Dauntless are en route E.T.A. five minutes. Stall her so she has no way to escape," stated the Director.

"Aw c'mon Miss Pig-got," started Clockblocker. His slip and save was something the Director probably noted. "Me and Vista can be there in two minutes. Arcadia isn't that far and we're already sitting in a PRT Van costumed up. Let us go! Look, she's been standing there this whole time waiting for a response. This is a Wards level villain and you know it."

"Negative, Clockblocker. We don't know anything about her. She could be a deranged lunatic hiding it behind a mask," the Director stated most likely unaware of the pun she dropped. "And stay off the line!"

Armsmaster lowered his halberd and flicked a switch prompting it to go into a bladeless mode. Non-lethal measures making his polearm merely a pole. At this the girl, no, the villain Discard finally moved. He could hear her breathing as she had struggled to hold the pose for so long with his enhanced sound receptors.

He actually felt bad to leave her waiting. "Discard then. A combination of card due to the magician theme and discord for chaos and strife?"

"You revealed the secret! How would you like it if I revealed your name was a combination of Arms for the weapons you make and Master as something you likely strive to be?" she replied in a theatrical tone. Like an actor in a play reciting a line they knew were cheesy but did so with intense focus. It was something that put him off guard.

He had been trained alongside Mouse Protector after all.

That and the fact the girl, for there was no doubt she was anything but a teenager, was dressed in a very professional costume. The whole ensemble was gold and black, a combination of a victorian skirt that reached to her ankles, a dovetail coat with corset, shirt and a hairband and small hat combination. Overall something he could see in a play or stage production.

The white frowning theater mask that hid her face put him on alert though. It clashed and matched the costume as well as setting a tone. Why not the neutral, angry or smiling one? Why frowning? With such a level of detail to the costume there was something behind that with meaning, as well as the name.

No, he would take her seriously. A new villain didn't come out of the woodworks with a fully tailored uniform and making a play at the largest bank in the city without weeks or months of forethought, planning and confidence. This Discard knew her role and how to play it well.

"I wouldn't mind at all. That's exactly why my name is Armsmaster."

"Oh," she muttered and huffed. "Where were we? Ah, the ruined reveal of my dastardly plan. Or was it motives? Nevertheless—"

"Dastardly? Nevertheless? Seriously, this is prime Wards stuff," whispered Clockblocker over the comms.

"—I think a surrender isn't in store for us today, Armsmaster. The stage is set, the actor and her assistant aboard it with the spotlight shining down on us, and it demands we play our parts. Villain," she said gesturing toward herself. He caught her swipe something from inside her sleeve but missed the detail.

"Hero," she slowly gestured with a hand toward him. It swung out toward the glass doors revealing onlookers and the officers barricaded around vehicles. "Our audience."

"This isn't a play or a game, Discard. This is real," said Armsmaster. From her tone she knew it as well but he had to state it. Piggot was pushing for a peaceful resolution for once and he wouldn't hear the last of it if he didn't try. "You could be hurt or killed, if not arrested here in a controlled situation, then out there in the brutal cape underworld. The statistics don't lie. The likes of Lung or Kaiser will not be kind."

She scoffed. Hands on her hips and scoffed! "As if those aspirant dictators have any notion of what they would be getting into. Petty kings of tiny fiefdoms fighting one another and making the land around them die in the struggle. Brockton Bay, I think, needs to know what a real villain is capable of. One who isn't a warmongering lord or bigoted tyrant."

Armsmaster was wary. That… wasn't too far from the reality of things but said in a dramatic manner that could take the seriousness of her words away. He didn't like that the Protectorate took willing criminals and rebranded them as heroes sometimes, even if he recognized some needed a second chance. Discard hadn't done any true crime yet, at least beyond the robbery. It was even done in a way that avoided any conflict or injuries which was more than he could say about some junior heroes.

"Reinforcements arriving in two minutes."

He didn't think he could stall for much longer as her speech was building up to a fight. If it devolved into that he had no notion that it would be as easy as it seemed. Him in his power armor and pole versus a teenage girl with no armor. Powers leveled the field a bit but if she was new she didn't have anywhere near his experience.

"So surrender is off the table. Then you are under arrest. Will you come peacefully? I am required to ask this." He wasn't but Director Piggot was already asking why he wasn't continuing to stall for time.

She nodded, her expressive body motions odd. Was she sad she couldn't surrender? Perhaps that was why the frowning face. It bothered him now that he had thought of it. "Do you want to do this?"

Her movements slowed, almost to a languid pace as she looked at him directly in the eyes. Or face to face considering both were wearing a mask or helmet. "I have to.

"For my dreams!" She regained her vigor after a second, a hesitancy that even with his social discrepancies could read as strange. He made a note to rush his lie detector sooner than later.

"Showtime!" Discard yelled and reached into her sleeve. He was determined not to let her and end it quickly. He rushed forward and raised his bladeless halberd into a sideswipe. It wasn't going to be a fight. He was determined to take her in without too much injury.

At least that was the plan until a large sheet of metal appeared between her and his pole. He struck it hard sending it careening into her. He was worried it would injure Discard but in the next second the metal disappeared leaving her gripping a card.

"Oh. That's why Discard."

Dragon chimed in, "Must be a matter teleporter of some kind. Perhaps using the cards as a manner of tagging similar to Mouse Protector's power. Each card might be keyed to outside locations or nearby items, trading the item for the card and vice versa. That explains how the vault door and smoke appeared. Discard must have unkeyed cards that can be paired with objects. Be wary of letting her use a card to tag your weapon, Armsmaster."

"Let's go with that for now until proven otherwise," stated Director Piggot.

"Wow that was close. Oh, right, the fight has started," muttered Discard in a tone she must've not thought he could hear. So she really was a new villain. All the more imperative to get her into the Wards. Not only is her ability useful it would be a mark on his reputation if he recruited a troubled teenager from villainy before she ever got started. Yes, that was something he could fight for.

He didn't twirl his polearm or do any flashy moves. Armsmaster was just that and he fought efficiently and methodically. A side slash here, blocked by a broken brick wall. A thrust struck a cement pillar. A rising slash stopped by a dumpster. It continued as Discard panicked despite her bluffing otherwise and teleported in many obstacles. Using a long weapon was becoming a hassle to fight with as in the next minute the floor was littered with such obstructions.

"Where are you getting all of this garbage?" he asked as she ducked behind a pile of sandbags.

"It's my garbage, mister! You better not be thinking of taking any of it." Discard sounded genuinely angry at the thought of him taking it. He gazed at the stuff he really couldn't call anything but garbage, one being a literal garbage dumpster. "Fu- er, blasted all. Six left?"

Six? He reassessed the situation. She had come planned but not for a fight per se. A show then because all these were just instruments to escape with. "Surrender now, you cannot win."

Discard stood up warily and backed off. Six cards were in her hand as she pushed her chest out and laughed. It was a dramatic laugh, one she probably practiced until perfection considering the amount of condescension that was put into it.

"Oh, can't I?"

He shook his head. "No, you cannot."

Discard faltered at his insistence. "Well then."

She threw two cards at him. Dragon's warning came to mind as he dodged them instead of blocking them with his polearm. It proved both right and wrong as they materialized as two sets of intertwined rope.

Four to go.

He stepped forward as Discard stepped back.

Her head tilted to look at the cards in her hand then back to him. With a flourish one became a taser. A second of her fumbling on how to use the tool let him dodge when the twin needles shot out to electrocute him. Not that it would've done much since his suit was guarded against such electrical attacks.

Discard tossed it away as she put one card in her mouth slot, holding it there as she held two cards in each hand.

"Wait, five cards?" Didn't she only have three left?

"Aha! So you could hear me whispering. How devious of you to have some sort of enhanced hearing. I thought it was weird but you were listening to me mumble. I mean, I magician never mumbles! Sorry, I'm really tired. I guess this is how capes stay so fit." Discard said while breathing heavily.

"Then surrender. The promise of leniency is still there." And it was. If they could train up such a powerful teleporter, or at least find what her limits were, then the logistics of moving materials or transportation and other objectives could be useful. Especially when it came to arrests. If she could teleport a cage around a person?

Such thoughts came back to him but in the guise of a villain. If she learned how to properly use her power she would be a nightmare to fight. Even just making the bank floor covered in heavy obstacles could make him see how an untrained girl was lasting in a fight against him.

Apparently he wasn't the only one to be thinking about these things. Director Piggot sounded livid as she yelled across the comms, "Arrest her, Armsmaster! Miss Militia and Dauntless are there. This is a direct order: do not let her get away!"

And as it was said the pair of Protectorate heroes entered through the front door. Dauntless, the spartan themed hero, entered with his shield already energized with the white electricity and spear pointed at the floor. Miss Militia strode just a step behind him with a shotgun he recognized that she used to shoot beanbags.

"And the stagehands arrive at last!" shouted Discard. Her tone wasn't the charismatic inflection she had been using. No, it was excitement and panic. "I guess it's time to exit stage left. Er, I used stage twice. I need to come up with better material. Sorry for the poor performance, my heroes."

"There won't be any time to do that, villain, for where you'll be going you'll have all the time in the world to do that," stated Dauntless with clear confidence.

Armsmaster took a moment to process what he said because it made no sense.

To her fault Discard did as well because she faltered when Dauntless used that moment to his advantage. A swipe of his Arclance, a spear of white lightning that could extend faster than the eye could see, struck out at Discard from all the way across the bank.

She raised her arm to block even when she was slow to react. The spear struck her and Armsmaster expected her to fall over. It was well known that even if the physical force of the blow, as it wasn't dampened at all despite the long reach, wasn't enough it also had a taser effect. However, Armsmaster couldn't help but smirk behind his helmet even if he knew it wasn't a good situation because Dauntless clearly wasn't listening to Dragon's analysis.

The Arclance disappeared and a single card appeared in Discard's hand. She did get thrown to the ground though but to her credit she was quick at scrambling back to her feet. He noted the taser effect never even activated.

"Whoo, I felt that one! I mean, aha! You fell for… actually no this wasn't a trap or anything. You scared the living daylights out of me, sir hero!" She inspected the card and chuckled in genuine joy. "I thank you though. As I was saying, it's time for my—"

A beanbag pelted her in the face.

Both armored heroes glanced at Miss Militia who stood there with the shotgun at hip level. She at least seemed sheepish about the shot. "I meant to hit her chest. Honest."

Discard coughed and muttered so low he barely caught it, "Sonuva…"

A card flew out and a beanbag nailed it spot on. He had a feeling that headshot wasn't an accident. The card exploded into thick smoke that filled the bank.

"Damn, she's getting away!"

Armsmaster pulled on his halberd and twisted a small switch while holding a button down in the middle. A complex combination rendered habitual with training. His blade popped out of the end and vents appeared along the top and bottom to create a steady stream of air.

In a minute he cleared the area of smoke and stared at the far wall. A massive hole was taken out of it and coated in even more dense smoke that filled the street. He grunted as he stepped up to the hole in the wall and examined it. It was jagged and sharp as if dug with a mechanical tool instead of atomized or severed at a molecular level as it should've been if it has been teleported. Maybe they weren't correct in her power analysis.

Miss Militia stepped up and had a smile on her face even if it was hidden behind her scarf mask. "It seems she got away. A terrible shame."

Dauntless walked out from the back area and frowned deeply. "Yes, even if I don't like your tone. She stole thousands of dollars and my Arclance, Miss Militia."

That caused the heroine to lose her smile. Armsmaster had no idea why she would be happy about this travesty of a situation. A new villain, one seemingly harmless, managed to escape from three experienced heroes. They could chase but on foot with her being able to teleport in walls or smoke? The alleyways were her domain.

"I want you three back here to report everything immediately. I don't know how you let a fresh villain outwit you and I don't care for your excuses. Get your asses back here immediately. Director out."

"Oh boy she does not sound happy," said Dauntless. "And I am definitely not. My Arclance, Militia!"

Miss Militia idly switched between a combat knife and a pistol. "Yes, but I think you will have a chance to reclaim it soon enough. Perhaps if you paid attention to the comms then you would've realized the danger?"

"But Clock was going on and on about how she was Wards level. How was I supposed to know she would be able to escape?"

Armsmaster had heard enough of his whinging. He already didn't like the man due to his ease in rising in fame within the Protectorate. No work put into it but his power and his lackadaisy attitude toward heroing was grating at best. It was something he almost respected in this new villainess, Discard.

The amount of resource gathering, planning and forethought that went into this heist was respectable. Her attitude toward it was perhaps a bit irritating but he deemed that part of the persona of her cape identity. Some capes had quirks that needed to be satisfied and he figured this was one of them.

"She's dangerous," he said aloud without meaning to.

It caught the other heroes attentions as they turned toward him prompting him to explain. "All this was planned and executed very well. Perhaps not perfect due to her inexperience, but she played off it well. The robbery portion went off with zero problems and every civilian escaped without harm, despite some protests and bruises from an initial panic. She gained her prizes, yet she waited here for a hero to arrive."

"So? That means she's arrogant," said Dauntless.

"I didn't read that in her mannerisms," stated Miss Militia. "I didn't even see confidence. It was odd but I saw a conviction to continue her act even in the face of what should've been a hopeless situation. Now we know it wasn't entirely hopeless but facing us three isn't something to shrug off."

"Exactly," agreed Armsmaster. "The obstacles she brought would've hindered any of us except Velocity. Creating a battlefield where she can learn and adapt. A flying hero would've been best, but we weren't going to send in a Ward against an unknown villain. So she planned for one of the Protectorate. If she got Battery or Assault it would've been riskier, but if she could steal weaponry? She landed the perfect lineup."

That made him frown. Did she have access to patrol routes or times the heroes were on rotation? No, that was being too paranoid. Still, he made a note to check for any breaches in security about that information.

"So you're saying this was all planned, even the speeches and escape? That's a bit much for a new villain, especially one as much as a joke as this one is. I agree with Clock on this. Total Wards villain. Still, I better get my Arclance back."

Armsmaster didn't think so but he didn't voice it. Arguing would do no good over a single interaction with this new villainess. If it was going to be like fighting an evil Mouse Protector… may Scion have mercy on him.

--

My heart was pumping a mile a minute as every muscle in my body burned from the physical exertion I was put through. Tears were flowing as I held back a runny nose. What the ever loving fuck was three heroes doing here so quickly? Either I underestimated response times or I didn't notice the time go by so quickly. Was it luck that I got Armsmaster by himself early? They hadn't come to take me so I assumed I was safe. My costume was sealed back into its card and I was just regular Taylor Hebert again.

Sitting inside the bank's bathroom stall atop a toilet definitely reinforced that feeling. I had used my only other rare card, if that was what it was when there was a spider on the back, on faking my exit. The Portable Hole.

There was another facet of my power that made me think of it as dangerous. The sealing, for that was what I decided to call it when I transformed something into a card, was already useful enough even with all the damn downsides. Coupled with the ability to unseal it anywhere I want? Good.

Yet it was weird that I had a second ability, or third if you wanted to nitpick. Some capes had a separate ability or theme that granted them similar stuff. Lung being a dragon somehow made him a living goliath and a pyromancer. I didn't see why I shouldn't have a second facet to my power.

If only it wasn't so weird in how it fit into my theme.

I held the two baton cards I sealed from the security guards and held them together. They felt like magnets attracting. I suppose my negative and positive polarity comparisons come back into play here, except I could do this with any card. Sometimes it ended up weird and complete trash as was usual when breaking some physical laws. Other times I get something like my [Magician's Mask] or [The Portable Hole]. Something amazing in quality over what I had.

They snapped together and fused. Still the same card cover on the back but instead of being a [Police Baton] as the plate on the bottom said it was now [Combat Baton]. It was similar in shape as the normal batons yet sleeker and sturdier looking, a gunmetal grey material instead of the hardened black plastic.

I glanced at my other hand which held a new card. It had a golden spider instead of a silhouette on black webs instead of gold.

[Arclance]

Yeah, there was no way I was ever giving this one up.

Getting out of the bank's bathroom was easier than I thought it would be. It was an early January morning when I committed one of the strangest bank robberies imaginable. Maybe due to how nonviolent the whole incident was and the bank deciding that it was losing more money than allowable it reopened its services to the public in a few hours. Every minute I waited was another I thought the heroes would finally bust in and grab me which proved stressful over the long wait.

When the murmur of people became common enough I exited the bathroom, with no odd looks my way, to a bank that was busier than when I had robbed it. What the hell? People appeared to be deep in conversation with the few words I managed to watch was about my villain persona and blatant slander of what happened inside during the fight.

I certainly didn't remember tossing a wrecking ball at him which he then split in two with some sort of super atom-cutting halberd. The debris and various bricks, cement or metal barriers I used were still in the bank for crying out loud! Yet that didn't deter the gossip from ranging anywhere from calm discussions to theorizing how the bank didn't implode due to the sheer amount of firepower that was tossed around between three capes all capable of mass weaponized destruction and a villain that could teleport in entire walls or blow them out, as shown by [The Portable Hole] in the east wall letting in sunlight.

I slipped out of the bank with only an odd glance from the guards, cops or PRT officers that had cordoned off a section of the bank's front area. No idea why they did so when people clearly were walking under the tape detailing no trespassing and into the crime scene to continue their daily business.

Honestly one can't underestimate the fortitude of a brocktonite.

When I was a ways away and on my walk back home I pulled out my nine remaining cards and stared at them with glee. Something inside me warmed very noticeably at taking stock of my collection. Sure I lost a lot of garbage, a minor hurt in the back of my mind, What I gained was so much better though. Four cards were absolute mounds of cash, easily a couple bags full combined. My costume, baton and a taser being three. What I was going to do with the vault door I had no clue. Maybe build a trophy room?

Then I swear I salivated at the [Arclance]. I must've looked like I was crazy, walking down a street staring at cards drooling over them with a weird smile. That or I looked like an enthusiastic trading card collector. It was pretty intense the amount of feeling I got just from these cards as it completely left me blindsided when a growl and bark scared the shit out of me.

In my defense, I had just experienced one of the most stressful events of my life so I should be forgiven on how I reacted.

I stowed all my cards but one away and immediately activated it, blowing my secret identity and materializing the gunmetal baton in my hand. Said baton was readied in a completely amateur manner ready to defend myself.

A girl probably about my age stood a few feet away from me giving me the most deadpan no-shit-taking stare I have ever seen given in my life. Her jacket was a faded denim with a tattered fur collar with a blood red shirt and torn up jeans that all in all weren't worth even a hundred dollars combined. In her grip were a set of chains and following those chains with my eyes were a set of dogs all growling and giving the odd bark between them at me.

Honestly immediately assessing the worth of her clothing before noticing the damn dogs made me feel like I had my priorities screwed up.

"Oh. Shit," was all I could muster up. I revealed myself to a girl walking dogs.

Said girl was twice my size even if we were similar in height making me somehow feel that she could take me no problem by herself. How did she make me wary when I just battled it out with heroes I didn't know. Maybe I had a phobia of teenage girls? Between Emma and her cronies I could believe it.

The dogs barking intensified for a moment as we stood there, her with her dogs in hand and occasionally pulling on the chains to quiet them and me with a baton out feeling very exposed. A glance around showed we weren't being viewed by any passersby. Did I take a wrong turn while giggling like a schoolgirl over my damn prizes?

"Who the fuck are you?" the girl asked in a tone that matched her stare.

"Uh. Fuck me. Sorry, your dogs scared me." I lowered the baton and tried to show confidence in my posture but the growls were putting a primal fear of being eaten alive in my head.

"Good. We gonna fight?"

Wait, what?

"You deaf too?"

I must've said that aloud. "No! I mean, no I'm not and no we aren't. I'm sorry?"

She snorted and gestured with her head. "Then get the fuck out of my way."

Okay then. I stepped to the side giving more distance than I should've. "You aren't going to out me?"

"For what?"

I gestured to the baton in my hand and made sealed it back into its card form. Why I gave a demonstration in case she had just missed it before I have no idea. I still say the bank thing was making me act weird. I felt like I recognized the girl from somewhere but shoved the thought aside. Not all teenage girls went to Winslow and were evil. Probably.

"Who the fuck cares? Whatever." She tugged on the chain leashes and walked off without another word.

I really didn't know what just happened. Okay, I counted myself lucky and made a quick beat back home. It wasn't a boring walk anymore as I went over the scary girl and the events at the bank several times in my mind. Some feelings surged at the thoughts even if I couldn't quite place them.

All that was wiped away when I opened the front door.

I checked the clock on the wall to make sure it said two in the afternoon. The daylight agreed with it.

Dad sat in the recliner that he had turned toward the door with a dour look and an unopened beer bottle in hand. His eyes bore into me as I stepped through the doorway, closed the door behind me without ever looking away and obediently went to stand in front of him.

"Taylor, kiddo," he started finally averting his eyes down to the beer bottle. Dad didn't drink often, very rarely around me if he did, so I understood it was more a symbolic thing that he did without meaning to. Implying that I'd drive him to drink. I could hear the exhaustion in his voice. "What am I going to do with you?"

This is the point every kid fears to face. To be honest, to lie or to respond in the only defense mechanism known to teenagers: sarcasm. I am ashamed to say I chose the latter.

"Oh I don't know, nothing as usual?" I winced even as I said it.

Dad flinched but didn't deny it. How could he when we've basically been strangers for the years since Mom died? When all he could do was complain effortlessly at school when I came home and finally, finally confided into him about the bullying. Not to the full extent because that delved into questions and deep feelings I'd rather not think about, but the locker was too far gone to be a prank or something to shrug off.

Sure I managed to dodge what the Trio had planned for me because Greg Veder of all people pulled me aside before I could even get near it and told me that someone had filled it with something foul enough that everyone in the locker hall could smell it. I don't know if it was misguided guilt or the obvious fact that he was crushing on me over what I assumed was that we were both losers of the school but I am really deep in debt to him.

"Kiddo, please. I'm trying to understand but I can't." I held back another sarcastic dagger that I knew would cut deep. "I got a call from the school today telling me you weren't in."

"Okay, yeah, I skipped and went into town. Needed to clear my head," I gave in half-truth smoothly. Lies might have been hard but I've been spilling half-truths and deflecting for years.

"They said you haven't been all week. Not since..." He trailed off and finally looked up from the bottle.

It was my turn to flinch.

Dad got out of the seat and gave me a hug. I didn't resist as he pulled me in and squeezed me tightly. "Walking around town after what had happened? What if they recognized you or worse? The Empire is dangerous, Taylor. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

I half-heartedly replied with bitterness, "Sounds like you don't know a lot of things."

He broke the hug and looked so crushed I immediately regretted speaking. "If you need a break from school I'll see what I can do to get you a leave of absence. Just... be careful, okay? Tell me when you're going out or leave me a note or something. Call me at work if you have to. I can't not know where you are."

"Yeah, okay." What else could I say to that when Dad was just worrying I'd have a repeat of the worst day of my life. Losing Mom was hard and suffering under an intense bullying campaign was miserable even if it could be excused, which it couldn't, as kids being kids.

Being mugged by the Empire Eighty-Eight, the local white supremacist gang, then being dragged off to an initiate rally and put up in front of a crowd to be executed? I shook my head to clear the thoughts as a wave of nausea passed over me as the image of Victor draining other people one by one before a new racist member finished the job to be sworn in.

"I love you, kiddo."

"Love you too, Dad."

He sat back down in the recliner and went back to staring at the beer in thought. "I'm going to order us pizza for dinner if you're okay with that?"

"Yeah, sounds good." I headed to my room with a glance back at my Father. It was a conflicting emotion that I didn't have words for. Would he be crushed if he found out what I did? Would he put his foot down for once and prevent me from doing what I needed to do? Or would he tell me to be careful and actually open that beer.

I didn't want to know the answer.

My bed wasn't as comfortable as I'd like it to be but it felt like heaven. I laid on my back and stared at the cards in my hands with the ceiling as a backdrop. Elation and joy filled me with just their sight. Yeah, I couldn't not be a thief. To finally feel something so wonderful after these last few years? I… don't really know what I'd do to prevent ever losing that feeling. I do know what I'm going to do to continue it.

I sat up and unsealed the money cards. Stacks of bills flooded atop my comforter showing that I now had a lot of freaking money. Do places trace bill serial numbers? I knew money laundering was a thing but I wasn't sure of the whole process. Surely if I bought a few things it wouldn't hurt.

Buying things satisfied that void-like craving like eating a snack worked for a meal. The feeling staved off for a little bit but returned with a vengeance if not properly fed. Was I feeling snackish? Hell yes, all the time. Metaphorically speaking of course.

My stomach clenched as maybe I was literally starving as well.

I turned my mind back to my future villainous career. I succeeded in robbing a big bank and escaping heroes. Wow just thinking about it feels weird. It did feel like they were going easy on me. In hindsight Miss Militia could've pegged me with anything to put me down over a beanbag so why didn't she? They didn't even chase that hard when I made me smoky exit.

Something to look into. Maybe it was a weird cape rule thing?

Wait, let's back up a moment. Step two needed to be put out before I derailed and toyed with my [Arclance]. Somewhere secluded perhaps. I wasn't sure if the Protectorate put trackers on their gear but I was definitely going to see if anyone could use Dauntless' gear. His power was just making things better, right?

I slapped my face lightly. Step two. I needed a vault. That was the most important thing I could think of. To stash my ill-gotten goods and put them on display. Carrying them in card form would be easy but I needed to be able to see them in their glory.

Right?

"Hmm." I feel like that's wrong somehow but I don't know what's wrong about it. Oh well, I'll need to gather up some more tools and supplies for my next heist. A jewelry store or just raid a department store for something like to make a base with? No way I was going to work out of my house as long as I could help it.

Also maybe look into a way I could help people. What was it I said while channeling Mom to my best ability? Petty fiefdoms? I didn't really want to fight other capes, at least in an injury-or-death way. Maybe a way to improve people's lives.

"Taylor, pepperoni or three-meat?" called Dad from probably the same chair he had been sitting in. I think that sometimes I inherited his famous temper and he somehow reverse-inherited my brooding introspections.

I sighed, left the money on my bed because I really liked the way it looked and headed to conversate with Dad. If I didn't do it now I don't think I would when things got busier.

At least I was pretty hungry.

--

Lisa Wilbourn leaned back in the chair and pinched the bridge of her nose. What had she done to deserve being called up by her bastard of a boss in the middle of the day and immediately told to look at the video he sent her and to recruit a new villain. She felt stressed talking to the mysterious employer, even if she knew his villain persona and wished she knew his real identity, on even the best of days.

To receive a call and not be allowed to decline or get in a word edgewise was definitely done as a power play and to keep her on her guard which only added more stress. It grated that she had to put it aside and focus on the email that she just received.

It had two files attached to it and from an email she would probably have to use her power to decipher where it was sent from. One was labeled with radio and the other without a title and a small note in the email telling her to use it if she needed.

Great, that wasn't cryptic enough. Now though she had to make an important decision. Watch it first and then tell the gang or watch it with them?

Lisa looked up from the laptop to see who was actually in their lair. Alec, lazy rascal that he was, was laid up on the couch playing some shooting video game on the widescreen television. Brian was in the kitchen cooking lunch, something about needing a strict diet and not being able to depend on the others for it. She agreed and appreciated the gesture. Alec would order whatever takeout he liked when it was his turn for food and Rachel would repeat the process but try to buy whichever was cheapest.

Lisa at least went through with grocery shopping even if it was for easy to cook stuff. Her power helpfully telling her how she was fucking every step up and adding more detail than the three steps on the box did not make cooking an enjoyable activity. Much like it ruined a lot of activities that used to be fun.

Without a human element life wouldn't be fun at all.

"Doofus, where's Rachel at?" Lisa asked.

Alec replied without bothering to look her way. "Dunno, walking her dogs maybe? Oh, yeah, get wrecked scrubs. I am the king of this hi—fucker sniped me."

She sighed and didn't know why she asked him first. "Brian, help me out?"

"Alec was right. She went out on a walk and should be back soon." He washed his hands and turned off the stove. The smell of stirfry was distracting in a good way. "Why, what's up?"

"Yeah, not like you to not know something!" Alec laughed.

Brian frowned but didn't disagree. "Oh shut it. The boss called and wants us to recruit some new villain. Sent a video and I haven't opened it yet. Figured it might as well be a team thing."

She glanced back at the video and let loose her power for a second.

Two files; one for watching and other for use.

Villain recruitment; videos of new villain; video of the villain in action.

Okay, something obvious but at least confirmed her thoughts. "Since it's a video of them in action."

At this Alec looked up and grinned so smugly she wished she could've punched it off his face. "Oh, my, god. Do I know something you don't? Finally! Maybe if you watched—"

She couldn't have that.

Smug, knows about new villain; has seen new villain; has seen on the news; news reporting crimes; a recent major crime.

Crime to make news; a robbery; bank robbery.

"Yes, I know they pulled off a bank robbery," she said interrupting him. The grin going to a neutral smile told her she was correct. "But I don't know who did it."

"Discard did it," he said smirking. He hopped off the couch and walked around to get a look at the computer.

Damnit. Did the PRT already give this new villain a name so quickly? That usually takes a while. Brian flanked her, tall and confident while she knew he was thinking on the proposal. A new recruit wouldn't be bad if the power was well rounded and fit their style. They had been looking for more firepower.

Lisa glanced at him while hovering the mouse over the file. "Want to wait for Rachel?"

He ran a hand through his cornrows. "No, we'll repeat this when she shows up but I need to know how to handle her. She won't like us looking to recruit. Our last two tries went to hell because of her. At least if the boss is pushing for it she doesn't have an excuse."

Alec laughed in his odd way that she knew wasn't genuine. "Since when has Bitey-McGrowl ever needed excuses or reasons?"

Lisa opened the file while silently agreeing. She liked her team well enough sometimes but other times she wished she had the option of fleeing the damn city and be done with it all.

It started out simple. A feed from a camera that surprised all three of the villains to be Armsmaster's helmet camera. How the hell did the boss get this?

"What the fuck? Should we be watching this?" Brian was understandably paranoid. Some PRT files were easy to get or look through, Lisa abused her power at any chance she could against their databases. This though was video file from a renowned Tinker. Everyone knew tinkers were such bullshit that the video itself could somehow feedback to the damn tinker and link to the camera to watch you as you watched the video.

Of course, she doubted the boss would fuck them like that.

"That's private communications between all the heroes and the PRT," added Lisa just so the boys knew that all that talking was actually important. It told her a lot but she left going over it in depth to later.

It played up to the part where this Discard named herself.

"Holy hell," said Brian.

"That is totally not our style. The costume is. The whole speech and flair? Haha, just what even the fuck. Only those losers would ever do stuff like that." Lisa knew that he was referencing the videogame duo.

"It's fake," she said.

"The video? Looks pretty real to me," said Brian.

"No, the act. That's exactly what it is: an act. It's all a bluff. That's far away from what she's really feeling. She's doing it for…" Lisa ran through her power, focused and refocused on lines of thought. "Reputation."

Brian nodded in agreement. He had an important rule about reputation. "Image. She doesn't want to be a villain."

"Robbing a damn bank solo is a hell of a way to prove that," added Alec. He was at least interested as the fight between Armsmaster and Discard progressed. "That part that pissed on Lung and Kaiser was brilliant. Summed up as if they weren't shit."

"So, she doesn't want to be a villain. Why do this then?"

Lisa sighed. This recruitment pitch was going to be harder than the peaceful arrest the heroes tried. "To show she's not a threat and because she didn't lie. She has to. I think her power is making her crave stealing. Power-induced kleptomania."

The video ran its course and ended with the heroes walking out of the bank and informing the officers and masses that everything was resolved and the villain had retreated.

"Her power is ridiculous though. Perfect for a thief. The boss was right to want us to recruit her. I just don't think it'll be easy," explained Lisa.

Brian was smiling though. "She would be really useful. I'm sure you can talk her into joining, right?"

His implication wasn't really a question. It made her happy he had such trust in her and her power, but capes were unpredictable even at the best of times. "Sure."

The door opened and the clacking of dog claws on tile made them all glance up. Rachel strode into the lair looking as bored, if mildly less angry than usual. Walking her dogs was one of the happier things the girl did.

"All yours, boss-man. I'm down either way," said Alec as he went back to his game.

"Down for what?" Rachel asked. She was going through the motions of unleashing the dogs, checking them for mud and brushing any off their fur in the doorway before loosing them in the lair.

"The boss, our employer, wants us to recruit a new villain," said Brian. "I know you've had issues—"

"No. We don't need more people."

Brian tensed. "We need more hitters and utility. This new cape brings a lot to the table."

"We're enough. We haven't needed help yet." Rachel brushed off Brian yet the whole time talking she met his eyes. Didn't dare look away. Lisa knew this was her way of challenging Brian since he was the team leader. She stayed silent for once, even if it annoyed her, because an angry Rachel was not fun to deal with.

"This isn't up for discussion. The employer, our boss who pays us, wants us to recruit this cape. We'll try. If she doesn't take or work out then she's gone, but you will not be acting like you did with the others. No attacking them."

Rachel snarled, a real snarl more animal than human. Lisa swore she was going to spit on the floor too before she averted her gaze and stomped over to the computer. "What cape?"

Lisa replayed the video but clicked it right as the fight began. Rachel would've complained if she had to listen to talking.

It was odd, then. There were so many categorized responses Lisa had of Rachel's personality. To be dismissive, angry or undermine the cape at first glance. It was all in the way each of those emotions was expressed. Interested wasn't one of the ones she expected.

Apparently Brian didn't expect it either but stayed silent until the fight finished.

Rachel snorted. "She's useless. Didn't even fight back. We don't need a pushover."

That confused Lisa since they just watched the fight. Always hating that she didn't know something she used her power on Rachel. Seriously, how the fuck did two of her laziest and disinterested teammates know more about this new villain than she did was stressing her out.

"You know Discard? No, you've met her?" She ran through more lines of thought. "Recently. On your walk. You've seen her unmasked. She didn't attack you? No. What is going on with today?"

"Rachel, you've seen this Discard unmasked?"

Rachel shrugged. "Wasn't paying attention while walking, the idiot. Angelica scared her and she pulled a weapon. Would've fought but didn't want to ruin the dog's walk. She backed down like a wuss."

That… was a lot of talking from Rachel. "So, what's she look like?"

"Fuck off. Not helping you recruit a wimp." Rachel stalked off after her dogs into the basement and angrily slammed the door.

"I don't understand her sometimes," said Brian.

"Try all the time. Damn, don't think we're going to get the details out of her. What do you want to do, leader?" Lisa leaned back in her chair and projected her curious face.

"Can you guess when she'll hit something up next?"

That was a good question. She opened some of the local news sites and had the video playing again in the corner on loop and did what she did best. Lisa thought.

"This girl, Discard, won't accept being recruited. Seriously, what I'm getting off her is so much distrust that I doubt she had any friends or social life. Asking her to join won't work because this greed I'm getting will be like Rachel. Sharing profits is a deal breaker."

"So what you do suggest?"

Lisa grinned widely. It was a very specific grin that she used only when she was Tattletale, and that was exactly what she was going to do. "We make it so that she has to come to us."

AN: I know I know, less talking more action scenes.

Last edited: Oct 31, 2018

1215

Glazt

Oct 21, 2018

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Threadmarks 1.2 Vicissitude

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Glazt

Glazt

Writing for hate and no profit...

Oct 21, 2018

#63

Now, I read and hear all feedback and I'm in love with it. Much appreciated to all commenters and lurking readers who give me their time. Thank you.

I know my writing needs improvement and the only way to do that is practice and get feedback on what needs improving. Some things are just bad habits in how I write. Word choice being king among those so sorry for folks who find it a slog to read. I'll try to work on it but no promises.

One thing is shorter chapters. Yes, the beginning is long and really... I got nothing for that. I didn't want to put up a fic without a decent chunk of words to read. It's my first SB post so formatting is new to me. Google Docs is not import-friendly.

A card list is something I'd like to do but maybe when Taylor actually has enough important cards to keep track of.

So while it probably isn't what people wanted here's another chapter. If it IS what you wanted then awesome.

--

1.2 Vicissitude

-

The next morning my body was aching something fierce. Not just due to yesterday's fight but because I had started exercising. I wasn't sure of the proper way to get in shape, something to research at the library later, so for now I was doing what was common. Sit-ups, push-ups, squats and star jumps.

Dad was at work after checking if I had any plans today. There was a bit of guilt when I told him the library and maybe going to the boardwalk. A half-truth, something I was getting good at since my other plans were something he wouldn't approve of.

I ate breakfast while being conflicted on whether having oatmeal six days in a row was bad or cooking something harder was worth the effort. My body wasn't something I was proud of except for my hair. If I was going to be doing cape activities often I needed to shape up. I just didn't realize taking care of yourself involved so many things.

I sighed and added it to the list of things I would look up or take care of. Said list was getting rather long.

With my cards tucked into my pocket as well as a few thousand dollars in various bills rolled up alongside them, I set off. It surprised me that I had that much and barely dented what I had stolen. I sealed what I didn't think I'd need and put the rest away in my pockets.

While walking I had a normal deck of playing cards in hand and was practicing my finger dexterity. Earlier in the week I had checked out a card magic book, which I was returning today, to help me out.

Sleight of hand was going to incredibly important since my biggest weakness is the cards themselves. A few kids on the street waiting for their bus for school noticed me doing a card spring and looked entertained when I flubbed it.

Yeah, not quite there it.

I gathered the cards up off the ground and repeated the process as I made my way to the public bus stop. Definitely not going to school today.

Out of habit when I got on the bus I immediately headed for the back seats and sat near a window. The Docks weren't in complete disrepair here near my neighborhood but as we went further north it got progressively worse. Gang tags littered the walls and wooden planks boarding up buildings were no longer the minority.

The only reason the bus even ran this way was to stop near Lord's Street Market. Before that though I got off and made my way toward the Trainyard. This area of the docks was contested between the ABB and the Merchants if the tags and people were any clue.

I tugged my hoodie tighter and ignored the cold sweat down my neck. I was a cape now. I could handle a mugging or two. The thought didn't help as I eyed the small groups of men and women wearing green and red or looking filthy that the colored armbands were the only color that could be seen on them.

Except they didn't bother me. I got wary looks and a few wolf whistles but my ragged jeans and hoodie, stained in places with some of the things the Trio used I couldn't get out, helped me blend in.

Soon the number of people died down and there was only a straggler here and there that I could make out. Good. Last time I visited the junkyard downtown but thought that the same girl showing up a week later might be suspicious.

The Trainyard was just as bad, or good. One man's trash is another man's treasure is a term often used to talk about the class gap. For me it was a bit more literal. I hid in a torn out boxcar and pulled out my cards.

It wouldn't do to be seen nabbing stuff as my regular self. I was fortunate that the junkyard had lax security. I unsealed [The Magician's Mask] and became Discard.

Putting on my costume felt… calming. Like slipping into a second skin. I could taste words on my tongue I normally would never use and paid closer attention to the way I walked and moved than normal.

I did wonder where my normal clothes went since I wasn't wearing them under the costume. They came back if I sealed my costume so they existed somewhere. Same reason air doesn't implode when I seal things I'd guess.

Since I was deep enough in the Trainyard that only strung out druggies or truly unfortunate homeless would be with me it was time to get playing. I would've done it in my basement but you never know with cape things.

I unsealed the [Arclance].

White lightning was in my hand. The spear was shorter than I imagined being only four feet long. It felt like a thin pole that barely weighed five pounds. The texture was smooth and firm, weirdly unlike metal and more like hard plastic. I couldn't tell due to the whole thing looking literally like lightning tipped like a needle.

In the back of my mind I felt a presence. An energy that waited patiently to be noticed. I didn't think I would've paid attention if it wasn't so similar to how I used my own powers. Instinctive knowledge told me that it was the [Arclance]. Was it Dauntless' power or my own subverting his so that I could control it?

I swung it lightly and pulled on that energy. My mind's eye felt enlarged as math, distance calculations with force and reach being components along with other vectors I had no idea what meant what.

The barrel across the yard was smashed to the side as I felt the feedback through the [Arclance]. It surprised me that I saw sparks dancing off the metal barrel. Shit, was this thing electrified? When I was hit in the bank I only felt the impact before I stole it.

An inspection showed nothing electronic or something like a tracker. If no hero showed up to arrest me in the hour I'd know for sure.

I moved several barrels and scraps of metal into a line using my power. I kept a couple of them for later use. Okay, mental focus time. I am Discard, thief extraordinaire. I can't be fighting like an amateur or street thug.

I thought back to dancing movies or a few of the plays Mom took me to when I was younger. Back straight, head high, feet apart just like so. A twist in my side and holding the [Arclance] steady at the waist.

The clang of metal was loud but I didn't care. Again. Again.

I twirled on my foot and kept using it as a pivot as I performed exaggerated slashes. Sweat built up under the costume but I was grinning crazily. It was exhilarating. I was mostly dodging and running away during the bank but this? This felt amazing. No need to worry about my reach as each slash and thrust was accompanied by a pull on that mental energy. The [Arclance] cared not for distance as no matter how I attacked I felt the satisfying thump against metal and the screeching tearing of barrels being torn apart with sparks dancing off each strike.

Faster, faster. My arms burned and hands hurt from the vibrations as I could barely catch my breath. Anger at my everyday life, from the school to villains in the news that tread upon citizens. How I was so powerless to let three girls ruin my education and probably what would've been my life was poured into a fury that left metal torn asunder and scraps no longer fit for anything but the trash heap.

I fell back onto the boxcar's lip and stared at the destruction I caused. It felt good. It was terrifying. Discard wasn't a villain that would do that. Taylor's problems weren't hers. Discard's problems weren't going to be Taylor's as long as I played everything right.

I sealed the [Arclance] and brought out the [Combat Baton].

It was a gunmetal gray stick, the type of baton that like a bad style of tonfa. Other than the coloration it felt a lot like the [Arclance]. Somewhere between metal and plastic. What made it 'combat' instead of a police baton?

I walked up to the standing remains of one busted barrel and positioned myself. Stylish, with a flourish, I struck from the side. I barely felt feedback from the hit even as I watched the metal dent in worse than it should have. I was not that strong. It was subtle, maybe putting out a bit more damage than normal.

Not unlike the [Arclance]. Was my power similar to Dauntless'? His seemed to power up anything he used to so-far untold heights. No upper limit. I don't think if I kept combining batons it would make it any stronger. Not without better materials or something.

The temptation to combine my two weapons was incredible but I wouldn't risk it. However…

I sealed the [Combat Baton] and pulled out the sealed taser. I had my stolen hero weapon. Couldn't I take a little risk? The void inside me cursed at even the mere thought of losing two items for a measly one, let alone if it messed up. Yet my curiosity was stronger.

The magnetic pull between the two cards intensified and merged seamlessly. There was no flash or flair to the process. Two cards became one with a single exception. A spider silhouette was on the back.

[Shock Baton] was written on the nameplate with simple elegance.

I honestly didn't know what I expected to happen. Perhaps the baton and the technology from the taser messing it up to an unrecognizable mess? I had it happen with some of the early tests, like the one with a broken toaster and baseball bat. What were the factors in success?

My head hurt from the list of shit I didn't know. I unsealed the [Shock Baton] and hefted it in two hands. It felt maybe a pound heavier with a yellow coloration marking the handle and tips. Two prongs stuck out like a tuning fork that glowed an ominous yellow.

"Well then." I went back and did a test swing against the scrap metal heap. I don't know what these barrels did in a past life but they made up for it. The metal barely dented even as I swung harder than I did with the [Combat Baton].

Except electricity didn't comically surge over the metal for a second last time. Yellow arcs like on those plasma ball globes you see as decorations covered the metal for a mere second. I didn't fancy testing it out of myself.

So it wasn't an upgrade and more like a side-grade. Traded power for shocking the shit out of whatever it hits. I swung again and got no sparks. The prongs at the end weren't glowing yellow.

And it has a timer. Actually, how did it have electricity at all? I checked it over and didn't find a battery. This was stumped me and I thought back to [The Portable Hole] I used at the bank. Did… was my power capable of making magic?

Sufficiently advanced technology could be seen as magic. Tinkers are a prime example of this. Yet they're stuff has to follow sense. For that fact where did the electricity for the [Arclance] come from? Okay, no, chalk it up to power nonsense and be glad that my power is beginning to look like bullshit.

I stayed for the planned hour while making a lot of scrap barrels, pallets and fencing my pitiable targets. A few of each were also sealed away for future use. It was a drop in the bucket for my craving but it helped.

Before leaving to go to the Market I wanted to test one more thing. I had stolen the [Vault Door] that sat in my card holder with the worst blowback I had ever gotten. So far I've noticed the amount is based on a few factors but primarily on weight.

I stood next to a whole train car. Was it heavier than the door? Probably by magnitudes. I hadn't seen my upper limit on what I could seal or what it would feel like if I couldn't. This was about as controlled a situation as it got.

The negative energy welled up inside me as I felt it flow through my arm. I set my hand on the boxcar and willed, pleaded for the energy to go slow. It ran along and into the boxcar and tried to suffuse the metal. Sweat beaded on my back and under my arms as my stomach squirmed and breath hitched. My vision blurred as more and more energy was taken from me. Somehow I knew that not even a tenth of the boxcar was ready to be sealed. When it got to a fifth of the way done I was collapsed on my knees and had to pull all the energy back.

It wasn't possible. If it was I didn't want to find out what would happen. As the energy flowed back into me I felt normal. As if nothing happened. I spied a shipping container over across the yard. It was a thinner metal, a simple rectangular shape compared to a boxcar. Surely it would work?

I repeated the process of slowly pushing out energy. A slower control left me feeling better than an instantaneous shift. It didn't even take half of what I had put into the boxcar before the whole shipping container vanished into a card in my hand. Sure my legs felt like jelly and my insides were aching but it was worth the satisfaction the void gave me.

No heroes in sight after over an hour. Must not have a tracker or they were playing a long con. I waved that off. If they knew where a hero's weapon was they wouldn't spare anything to get it back. I know I wouldn't.

I recuperated for several minutes, idly toying with my deck of playing cards and trying to flick the cards in a precise manner. I had gotten the flick of the wrist down in a normal throw. With the throws that Discard would be using, mainly over the top and wide throws, they were harder and many of the cards swerved off target.

My fingers were getting used to counting the edges of the cards and pulling them out of the deck. Nothing an expert couldn't do but I was glad about my progress. I gathered up all the thrown cards without much thought, cleaned off the dirt and put them back in their box.

I sealed a second shipping container and left the Trainyard.

Of course I was back into my normal clothes while I walked towards Lord's Street Market. I wanted to buy stuff. It wasn't an aimed feeling, merely a way to give to people. Buying from department stores and retail shops was paying to an organization. Here, down in the street, it was people that were selling things.

Items with memories and sentiment, with history and maybe more affordable prices. I knew that whatever I bought would go to that person behind the counter. It wasn't heroic or something they would thank me over but it was something I could do for now. I just had to be careful not to show too much cash.

The walk was silent even as the crowds started getting larger. People of all walks of life started showing up and I found myself staring at them. No, staring would be pleasant to what I found myself doing. I found myself assessing people.

Their appearance in particular. The condition and quality of their clothes, the differing levels of hygiene and effort they performed, what they were carrying and how they carried it. The walks and talks, the accents and postures, the colors and styles.

If they were a threat or not.

The old man in a battered muscle shirt sitting on a flea-bitten blanket selling wooden carvings of animals. A whittling knife in his hand even as it rested on his knee. A friendly smile and scrutinizing gaze.

"Hello," I said. His carvings didn't have any price tags. I'd been to the Market before but never by myself or using my own money. Last time was an outing with both my parents. "How much for the bear?"

He was silent for a moment before grinning widely. Several of his teeth were missing yet the others were pearly white. "Three bucks for you, missy. Five if you get two."

I fiddled in my back pocket for a ten dollar bill and pulled it out. Several bills of each amount were in different pockets so I didn't have to pull out any wad of cash. "Ten for three?"

He slapped his knee. "For sure! Pick whatever ones ya want."

I took the bear, dog and cat carvings. They were crude enough but still recognizable at each animal. Not something to put on the mantle over a fireplace but a shelf in the back of the room would be fine.

That display room would happen at one point.

I handed him the ten and was about to walk away when he chuckled.

"Ya lookin' for somethin' in particulars, missy? An old eye could help guide ya for a buck or two."

I looked back and his gaze was sharp. That's how it felt anyway. I thought about what I wanted and shrugged. "Hunting or camping supplies. Maybe something pretty."

"Try further down the street that'a way and turn left at the turtle shop." When I handed him two dollars he went back to his relaxed posture and fiddled with the whittling knife.

"Thanks." I started down that way.

I was a bit hesitant to actually follow the directions. It was an open market and there were plenty of people around. Nothing was going to happen.

That hesitancy left me when I saw an old lady selling small turtles out of a green, mossy tank. As much as I wanted one of the little nibblers I didn't have the time to care for a pet. Taking a left put me in a sparse section of the market. Less open rugs and shoddy stalls and more tents and racks.

If the first area was knick-knacks and hobby selling this would be something they did for a living. A grizzly muscled man with shaggy hair rocked in a chair behind a table full of various containers with a pitched tent behind him. Canteens, jugs and bottles that each were filled with various fluids. I definitely didn't know what they were and did know that it probably wasn't legal.

I nodded at him and he returned it. "Camping supplies?"

"Jim's stall," he said pointing at a set of wooden racks and a long table across the way.

A thin man with round spectacles and a comb-over greeted me with a friendly smile and wave. He spread his hands out in a dramatic sweep. "Welcome, welcome. What can ole' Jim do for you today, young lady?"

I sort of liked him. I gave a weak smile feeling naked without my costume to back me up. "Heading out for a camping trip. Need stuff for that or hiking."

Jim nodded enthusiastically. "Sure can do. I got rope here, tents, pitons and hammers and clips for rock climbing. Everything a sporting good store can do you for and more. Say, aren't you a bit young to be buying this stuff?"

"Yes, I am a bit. Is that okay?" I didn't think my age would be a problem here as it would be in an actual store.

"Oh, just wondering. You need a bag to carry anything in? I got backpacks and duffle bags of all sizes.

"Yeah, sure."

Jim pulled out a few bags and let me choose between them. I went with a nice black duffle bag that was two sizes larger than what I could carry. "Alright then. What'll it be?"

I surveyed his wares and found it satisfying. He wasn't lying when he could sell you anything a store could. Jim probably stole or bought used goods from said stores and resold it for profit. No idea how you would handle this much stuff otherwise on a regular basis.

"Hmm. Well, to start I guess some rope. A tent, some of those stake things," I started.

"Pitons, yes."

"Clips, that knife on the—no the other one, flashlight, the repair kit, some of those canisters." He said they were empty and used to fill up with whatever you found out in the wilderness. "You have first aid supplies?"

Jim nodded and brought it up the counter. A pack and several bags full of swabs, gauze and disinfectant. As well as some fluid I suspected was alcohol. I rambled off on whatever looked like I might need to him and he cheerfully grabbed it and put it inside the duffle bag. A compass and watch were probably the oddest buys but I pushed it out of my mind.

I had a few heavy things to drop in combat from the Trainyard. All this was in case I needed to stakeout a place or to test combining things with. "Last thing. You wouldn't happen to have a compact mirror, would you?"

Jim whisked one out of a small chest. "I'm impressed, really."

"Haha, no problem, young lady. So, now we come to the most important moment." Jim grinned but his eyes weren't smiling. "You got the money to pay for this?"

I glanced around the area and noticed that a few eyes were on me. A memory of two guys pulling me into the alley came unbidden. The screams for help that no one heard. No one but a shadowy figure crouching on a roof watching it all. I grimaced at the distaste in my mouth.

"Yeah, how much?"

Jim cracked his fingers and shrugged. "Eight hundred."

That… was more than this was worth. Not a lot more, sure, but if I could guess that's like a twenty percent markup. A nasty feeling arose inside me at the mere notion I was being stolen from. I shut it down while sort of scared that it existed in the first place. What the heck?

I slowly, staring into Jim's eyes, pulled several fifties and a lot of twenties out. I counted them in the corner of my eye and fished out the tens and fives to round it off. I stepped back and took stock of the area again. At the sign of cash everyone that had watched went back to their own business as if none the wiser.

Jim himself started counting the bills and didn't notice how the duffle bag full of the supplies I just purchased vanished off the table. I pocketed the card and waited until he looked up.

"All good, lady, good good. It was mighty fine doing bus-i...ness? Where did the stuff go?" Jim's hands twitched over the bills protectively.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The stuff, you know, that you bought. C'mon, lady, we just spent twenty minutes over this." Jim gazed around and stepped back with the bills clutched in his hand.

"Ah, did we? If I bought stuff it would've been at a fair price, you know? I'm not one to be ripped off." I gestured around us. "So clearly I didn't buy anything."

"But the—" Jim glanced between the bills in his hands and me. I could hear a gulp and wasn't sure why my hands were clenched. "S-sure. Well, if you ever need anything you can count on ole Jim to help you out of that pickle."

"Sure." I walked out of the street and glanced at the grizzled man near the entrance. He gave me a wary look but averted his gaze.

My shopping wasn't done with but I think I had all I needed for my next heist.

--

AN: I KNOW, SO MUCH NOT-ACTION. IM SORRY OKAY? (Do people just want snippets and to make this series crack?)

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Glazt

Oct 21, 2018

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Threadmarks 1.3 Vicissitude

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Glazt

Glazt

Writing for hate and no profit...

Oct 22, 2018

#94

Okay, so the comments I got even if it's only been a day have been wonderful. I love it all, except that coke and pepsi mention. Evil, vile liquids. I'm a green and half-in-half tea drinker myself.

Thank you all for taking the time to read and comment on my writing. It's practice and I know I'm not that good yet. Don't let that stop you from telling me so and pointing out plot holes or flaws! Seriously, please do. Writers are human, probably, and we need perspectives. It nourishes us.

I've had a slow weekend (more or less) which led to a lot of writing. I do edit and reread my own stuff, but again, probably human.

The fic still hovers between sort-of normal and crack, I know it doesn't jive with everyone but it does with me. I will never be the TECHNO QUEEN (KRAKA-THOOM) levels of crack or awesomeness, but reading it at everyone's mentioning did at least understand what was being referenced.

As usual updates will be sporadic and random. Probably-humans have lives and jobs. It was an eventful weekend.

1.3 Vicissitude

Sitting in the library staring at web-pages load pixel by pixel was not my idea of a good time. On the desk were a couple of magic books, primarily sleight of hand and card magic, and a book on basic hobby construction. I wasn't actually going to build that display house but knowing how to maybe fix it up with my power would be interesting. At least the knowledge would be useful in some way.

Right now I was looking up local jewelry stores. A couple were down on the Boardwalk but I didn't want to tussle there. Getting three heroes at the bank might be easy compared to how much the city favors the Boardwalk. The way Dad talks about it when mentioning the ferry to the mayor makes it seem as if it's the only place aside from Panacea's volunteer cure-alls holding this city's economy afloat.

The website for J.R. Royals was loading at a fraction per minute. I was hoping for some pictures to go along with the address that put it around the edge of downtown. I would be scoping it out in a little bit anyway but the extra information never hurt.

My shopping didn't end with the camping kit purchase. A few various decorations I liked or were excessively shiny were bought and this one lady sold me over sixty candles of various scents and colors. The only other notable thing I had bought was something I had to have even if I knew they didn't work as they did in the movies.

A grappling hook.

I was hoping that my power could make it into something amazing but I only got one try. The thought of what to combine it with was floating around in the back of my mind. One bank robbery wasn't much, yet the experience told me a lot. I had no armor so I needed to come up with defenses. Maybe armor up [The Magician's Mask] somehow. Again the thought of messing it up with a bad combination worried me. A lot of the clothing that went into making it was from Mom's college days.

The other thing was mobility. With my two new shockingly awesome weapons I had that down for sure. A grappling hook super powered to work would be a key tool. I'd think on it later.

Finally, the website loaded. The pictures inside showed exactly what I wanted. Blueprints were maybe important for unpowered criminals and people looking to get away unnoticed. Discard wasn't one to go unnoticed.

Although I did plan to make it a night crime. I'd have to sneak out of the house when Dad went asleep but the whole hostage and civilian incidents made me feel uncomfortable. I looked at a few other pictures to get a good frame of reference for the place and closed the site.

"All done?" asked the librarian as I came up to the front desk.

"Yes ma'am. I'd like these."

She scanned the three books and took my library card to confirm it to me. "Have them back in a week. Okay?"

I nodded and was on my way out. Perhaps I was being too impatient not even waiting two days to rob another place but I felt I needed to do one more. Money and a shiny toy were enough to satisfy a week-long craving but I wanted to do this soon. Before information about me settled.

To have a free week to plan freely.

The bus ride home was uneventful as I'd expected. Somehow the idea that being a cape came with constant vigilance to being outed, attacked or involved in some sort of conflict at all hours of the day was ingrained in me. If the news was any indicator it wasn't far from the truth.

"Dad, I'm home," I called out when I got through the front door.

No answer.

I checked my new wristwatch and it was five o'clock. He should've been home by now. Cape paranoia was one thing but Dad being late was sadly normal. His job was his life and he dove headfirst into it to avoid everything else. Including me.

I went down to the basement to do a final preparation and test. Some of the wooden planks, chopped up and half broken, were unsealed onto our concrete floor in a big clearing I had made a week ago. I picked up the bottle of accelerant that Dad used for the grill and gave the boards a bit of a soak. One match later I had a mini bonfire and huge puffs of smoke.

It wasn't nearly as harrowing at doing it the first time. Negative energy pulled at the smoke and infused it no matter where it had drifted off too. All of the black smoke vanished, including the light stains it was making on the ceiling, into a card in my hand.

I repeated the process for half an hour as the fire burned down. If I could've read while doing this I would've but using my power took constant thought. Being constantly disrupted while reading is far more annoying than sitting with one hand swiping at smoke every minute and another practicing one-handed deck shuffling.

Sad to say I lost several cards to the fire.

I stared at the glittering flames and had an important thought. I can gather smoke which is a gas. Why couldn't I seal fire? I knew I could do it with water but in my mind liquid was just more physical than fire. A fire was energy.

But to seal it I have to touch it. I wasn't scared to willingly stick my hand into a roaring fire. I wasn't. If I did it fast enough it shouldn't burn me.

I swiped at it. My power met the living energy of a primal element and absorbed it with zero effort. The crumbling wood was blackened to the point of ash. The card in my hand was a roaring flame simply named [Fire].

Curious, I touched the wood. It was normal room temperature with not even a hint that it had been burning a second earlier.

Okay, power shenanigans were definite. This changed a lot. What to do with this new information?

I thought on it as I gathered up dozens of smoke cards and began the process of combining them. Sometimes my power acted like basic math. Some smoke plus other smoke means more smoke in one card. Other times it acts like it's trying to create something and loses its thought process.

Four smoke cards about the same strength as last time were complete. If I was quick enough I could reuse one before the smoke dissipated. Was I worried about smoke inhalation? A bit, but the way my power took even stains off the walls made me think that it somehow removed it from people's lungs too. At least I didn't feel any after effects from breathing it in at the bank.

I sighed. I would like actual smoke grenades or tear gas the police used but it felt unusually cruel. Maybe I could get them to use it on me?

Now that I knew that my power held fire or kept something lit, because how else would the fire not simply die inside the card, I thought of a useful gimmick. It would be appropriate to her cape persona. Maybe put those camping flashlights to good use.

The [Fire] card was useless to me on its own. I didn't want to throw fire at people, not even capes that could take the punishment. Then what to do with it? I would hold onto it and ponder on that thought while going to make dinner.

I had an eventful night planned and so far it was looking that I might have to put it off.

Hours later after I had cooked some spaghetti for Dad and me to eat when he eventually got home, he didn't. It was past nine now and the sun had long since gone down with no sign of my parent. I wasn't going to starve so I had already eaten.

Instead I sat in a recliner toying with my no-longer-full deck of playing cards, of which I was getting good at handling, and staring at the door.

Said door jingled. Dad slowly opened the door trying not to make any noise. With our broken step out front and the hinges needing oiled you could really tell when someone was trying to be stealthy. It always failed.

He stepped inside and immediately noticed me. There was a silence as the irony of this scene being replayed was not funny at all. To even walk a minute in his shoes cut deep to what I was doing to him.

"Taylor. Honey." He took a breath and couldn't muster up whatever he was planning to say. "Work ran late."

"You didn't call," I said.

"I forgot."

"Dad." I got up and gave him a one-armed hug. "It's cool. Spaghetti is on the stove. I know you didn't eat yet. I'm going to bed, okay?"

He was sheepish considering I was the same way. We forget the small things when we get focused on something. "Thanks, kiddo. Love you."

"Love you too."

I did and so did he, but it felt like we had to say it each time we met. To reconfirm our feelings because sometimes it didn't feel like we did. A lot of the time it felt like we forgot. To make sure it was always the last thing we heard no matter what.

I tore away from that train of thought and focused on tonight. I went to my room, locked the door and began preparing the small things I'd need. So much preparation to do this properly.

The night waned as I heard Dad eat and go to his room to sleep. I didn't expect him to be more than thirty minutes considering how worn down he looked coming home. Once the clock hit ten-thirty I was out of my window and jogging lightly toward Downtown.

I was crouched in an alleyway across the street J.R. Royals feeling extremely lame. My deck was sorted properly and ready for me to costume up in a moment. I actually have two decks this time each with over forty cards. It might seem like a lot but one was for combat and the other was for preparing the scene of the crime.

"Okay. One o'clock." I jogged a lot of the way and picked a late bus when my legs tired out. I didn't want to be worn down by the time I had to perform and made a note to look up mobility options.

I unsealed [The Magician's Mask] and became Discard. I slotted each of my decks into a case inside my sleeves and was about to begin. My power was incredibly convenient for theft. I could waltz over, take everything from the door to the nails in the floor with ease, and walk out. Yet it wouldn't accomplish the goal of creating an image I wanted.

It wasn't being caught that scared me so much as how I'd be taken by other capes. There were no delusions about the fact that I would run up against one of the more dangerous capes in Brockton Bay eventually. I planned to steal from the gangs once I was comfortable. Perhaps I was making light of the heroes but I guessed I was using them as training for the real deal.

Because if they caught me at least I wouldn't die.

I unsealed my grappling hook and aimed it at the corner of the building I was next to. A slight hiss and puff of air sent the hook up and over the edge. The hook and tether was in good condition and could hold my weight. I thought to get the gloves out so I didn't chafe my hands but it turned out to be a moot point.

I couldn't hold up my own body.

Fuck, they never tell you how hard it is to climb a rope without something to stand on like a ladder. I didn't even make it two feet before I had to give up. Okay, rooftop surveillance was stupid anyway. I sealed the grappling hook and tried not to be upset.

If I could walk into a bank I could walk into this no problem. I made my way into the street and noticed the front cameras had seen me. With a swish of my skirt and cloak for dramatic flair I posed for a moment before jogging up to the front door.

Said door was a nice glass door without a frame and shiny brass handle on it. A bit of negative energy later and feeling like shit for a moment I now owned it. The other door, for it was a pair of double doors for an entrance, joined it. Wouldn't want to break up a set.

The alarm didn't ring loudly as I expected it to. Movies were seriously ruining this for me. I unsealed my [Shock Baton, gave it a twirl and stabbed at the cameras in each corner of the store.

I was going to go break open the casing to steal the displayed jewelry before I glanced back at the cameras. Fried, sure, but it didn't mean useless completely. Four [Shocked Camera] cards joined the doors for my Jewel Heist deck. There was a pit forming in my stomach as I smashed the glass display cases, being careful to use my baton and not cut my fingers, and sealed everything I could touch.

Rings, necklaces, lockets and watches. Wristwatches, pocket watches, small clocks and anything else with silver or gold in the color. All in all, it didn't take more than a couple of minutes. I had such a large card deck that it felt uncomfortable to actually carry it.

Well then, time for power shenanigans. I unsealed an empty duffle bag and poured positive energy into the large deck of sealed cards in my hand. All the vigor that I had lost surged back to me, or at least a portion of it enough to make me feel wide awake. The riches from the store fell into the bag and I winced at the thought of some of those being damaged or scratched. A mistake to make sure never to do again.

I didn't have [The Portable Hole] this time to have an easy exit or distraction. I would've made another if I could remember what exact combination of trash I had from the junkyard formed it. I did know it involved a broken power saw and a bucket.

One combination was easy to remember. Chain combinations were something I would need to make a notebook for. What power needs a manual to be used properly?

Tinkers came to mind but I dismissed it.

I didn't know what heroes I was going to get this time but I had only a couple minutes to put on the finishing touches.

Discard wouldn't do a frantic rush to finish things though. It was a good thing the cameras were destroyed and taken because such actions couldn't be seen. I had to be in the proper mindset and couldn't get into the habit of doing this every time. The mentality should be with me when I'm costumed up even if I'm alone.

"Are you sure she's still here? I don't hear anything and it's dark," said a boy in a curious tone. It was a teenager or the world's most youthful man.

"Yeah, Console had a break-in reported to them and a description matching her from the bank." Oh, so security companies already had my image. That was good, probably.

"Dauntless is on his way as soon as he can find his boots," said the first one. Hurry up and walk through the damn door already. So far it sounded like there was only two.

"What about the others?"

"Same thing. Clockblocker is pissed he's stuck on console duty, ain't that right?"

They both laughed at something a second later.

Then they stepped through the doorway, for those doors were mine now. It would've probably been better to actually have doors to open but some compromises weren't worth it.

Two of the Wards stepped into a crime scene knowing of the danger. They had sworn to fight crime and uphold justice when they earned their powers through strife and misfortune.

"It's showtime, boys."

I snapped my fingers and let loose the mental connection I had to thirty cards that laid about the jewelry store. I sat on a chair positioned on top of the register counter in the middle with my legs crossed and one hand on my lap.

Candles sparked into being all around the store casting eerie orange light across everything. In that light, it revealed my foes. Two red heroes, one in rust-red armor with silver trim sporting a shield symbol and the other in red and gold armor with a sporty haircut and opaque red visor.

The latter had very fancy pistols at his side and an odd futuristic skateboard on his back. Something drooled inside of me at that sight.

"For you have willingly walked into the performance of the night. To uphold your ideals and bring about the law. What do you have to say, you young paragons?" I chuckled low as if amused at the thought. I sort of was but not in the way that I was trying to portray.

Both heroes were caught off guard at the sudden light show and appeared tense as I spoke. In the silence I thought I heard something from Kid Win's visor but wasn't sure. Of course, rule number one was to always expect tinkers to have communications in their headgear.

Aegis stepped forward bravely, back straight and hovering slightly off the ground. Okay, that was freaky. I forgot he could fly. Tasers worked on him, right? "Discard, you're under arrest for breaking and entering and theft. How do you plead?"

Wait, what? I glanced around the store, shattered display cases and nothing valuable in sight. The scene set to the spooky light I hoped it was. Do I admit I was guilty? I was, of course, but this… Okay, this was good. Banter or talking was good. Further that image I wanted.

"Of course, Aegis! I plead guilty, naturally these profitable valuables are mine for the taking as is my right for being the dastardly thief that I am." I stood up and flung my coattails out. Kid Win un-holstered his pistol but hadn't pointed it at me yet. "How do you plead?"

"Us?" asked Kid Win.

"Dude, we're the Wards. We plead for justice and uphold it with our fists," said Aegis.

Kid Win spun his pistol rather expertly. "I actually uphold it with my tech, but to each their own."

"Then it seems we're at odds. Each sliver of gold and platinum, each gemstone painstakingly cut to perfection will have the pleasure of sitting upon my displays inside my collection room!"

"Wait, you have an actual trophy room?" asked Kid Win. Aegis nudged him.

That actually hurt somehow even if it was calling my lie. My response slipped out in defense before I could fix it, "It's a work in progress, alright?!"

"So, before we fight and take you down and I'm totally not stalling for time so our allies can get here, can I ask a question?" asked Aegis. This time Kid Win nudged him.

What could I say to that? No, you can't ask questions because I don't want you to be stalling? That I don't care if you want allies to help you when I'm alone? That I enjoy being asked questions because I have a stunted social life?

I giggled at that absurdity. Er, shit. Um. "Of course, go ahead."

Aegis had a strange body expression. All I could see was his eyes unlike Kid Win's face only half covered. Was he nervous? No, that wasn't it. Damn I hated not knowing things.

"Why did you wait for us to arrive?"

Hmm, that was a good question. One I thankfully had a good answer for. Well, good for me and maybe them but it was something I prepared to answer if ever asked. "Well I—"

"I mean, isn't that exactly the opposite of being a thief?" Kid Win cut me off.

"Dude, c'mon."

I stared at him.

"Sorry, go ahead. Sorry again. This is just so surreal. Usually it's straight to fighting and danger with villains, even Uber and Leet. We've never had them wait for us!" Kid Win complained? Was it a complaint? "Er, go ahead."

Right. Time to test if I don't fuck this up. I slowly stood up from my chair and clapped my hands. As I pulled them away I had swiped the bottom of my weapon deck taking the [Shock Baton] in hand and a [Metal Barrel] in the other.

"Why, you ask, that the daring and wily thief known as Discard would patiently await the forces of good to arrive. Surely they are her opposition and she should not give up the upper hand."

"Seriously, third person? Clock was right," whispered Kid Win while he took his time checking his pistol and grabbing his second in his other hand.

"Because, dear heroes, villains of today have no class. No taste or texture! Violence is rife in our eternal war of good and evil with little to no style behind it. Villains push drugs onto kids and families like a rampant disease. They eat away at our livelihoods and give nothing in return. All crimes of nefarious deeds so ugly that it spoils my tongue by the merest mention."

I don't think I could say this with a straight face if I hadn't practiced whenever Dad wasn't home. "You say that I am similar? That I am but an unrepentant thief selfishly abducting whatever catches my eye?"

"Well…" They shared a look.

"You'd be right. However! I have standards to uphold. What would thievery be if I didn't allow you young, selfless protectors the chance to foil me? That would be too far! One side taking in greed without a single chance given to their enemies? Call me mad, call me insane; a lunatic, deranged, unhinged."

"Uh console, are you recording this?" muttered Kid Win but I couldn't care less.

Finally, I was giving a speech and it felt good! "A little of all the above, perhaps, but know this. I test you so-called heroes of the public. I do so as a concerned citizen of our fair city."

I snapped and released two more charged cards. A bonfire roared behind me casting a dark shadow over the two heroes. A metal sheet fell down from above the wall lining to cover the doorway.

"For I compete in our ideals. Stop me with whatever you have, any tool in your hand and feeling in your heart. If you cannot? It was not worth more than my own. Heroism? Glory? A feather in your cap and a days pay earned?"

I slashed at the air with my card and unsealed it. The [Shock Baton] appeared in hand and glowed an ominous yellow amidst the orange candle-wicks and fire.

"Oh fuck, that gave me goosebumps," said Aegis. "In places I didn't know I could get them."

"Console, E.T.A. on Vista and Gallant?"

I kicked the chair into the bonfire behind me.

"Let's see if your dream is worth more than mine."

AN: *hides under the bus* I promise action, I swear. It's just, uh, under maintenance. Still not sure if I want it from Discard's PoV or everyone elses.

Last edited: Oct 22, 2018

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Glazt

Oct 22, 2018

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Glazt

Glazt

Writing for hate and no profit...

Oct 23, 2018

#178

Another update? But I said it was sporadic and random! Yes, they will be because I don't believe in proper scheduling like a true businessbeing. Also someone asked for smaller chapters and it was listened to. Some will hate it, some will enjoy these updates while they last, others will wonder where the heck my sense of timing comes from. All in all it's better not to question it. So will these updates still be coming at such a pace? IT'S SPORADIC AND RANDOM OKAY? They'll slow down whenever I run out of planned material (in the immediate sense, not the broad sense. Ten word outlines are different from a hundred word planned scenes.)

But that's just writer nonsense. Who cares about that? Y'all want words to read!

As usual, thank you all for your time and eye-beams that devour what I put to screen. Criticism and feedback are always loved, especially negative stuff (people plz I can't live solely on ham. Turkey is a good meat too).

Lights. Camera. ACTION! (it'snotalie)

1.4 Vicissitude

-

This was it. A fight, my first real fight with heroes, was about to begin. The bank was more of me putting up an act and running away. An introduction and a way to get rid of this stage fright. A slight bruise on my forehead and a lot of muscle exhaustion were the only stakes involved.

The [Shock Baton] in my hand showed my intent.

Aegis started off by sharing a look with Kid Win. It told me they were trained. Not as experienced as the Protectorate but more than me. They began circling me, separating themselves from each other and trying to flank me on my sides. A crackle of the bonfire behind me signaled the start.

Oh shit, the bonfire.

Aegis rushed at me through the air, fist reared back ready to knock my head off. He was a Brute, right? I remember he had the ability to take heavy blows and walk it off easily but I wasn't sure about pure strength. Normal strength was bad enough.

Kid WIn leveled his blaster pistols at me and fired off a few shots. Testing shots to see how I reacted considering some of them were wide. I channeled positive energy into the [Metal Barrel] card I had in hand and threw it at Aegis. He tried to swerve out of the way but only to dodge a small object. It suddenly became a large barrel, empty because I didn't want it to devastate anyone, and knocked him out of the air into one of the display shelves.

I winced at that. Not even ten seconds and I've already hurt somebody. I wasn't sure what I expected but I was determined not to let that be me. I dove around to the ground to avoid the blaster shots, the odd pop like static electricity was loud when they struck the walls.

"The battle has begun! Let's test your mettle," I said while crawling around the counter to the bonfire. It did occur to me that Discard shouldn't crawl like a common person but the pragmatic side of me said fuck that. Kid Win has guns!

I touched the bonfire and sealed the roaring flame back into a card minus the burnt wood. It was good for a dramatic flair but I didn't want to burn down a good jewelry store. Missing all their display items, as I never went to loot their back store due to time constraints, and their doors would be damaging enough. I did notice the smoke from the fire stayed even after I sealed it. Power, where was the consistency? Please explain it to me.

"Aegis, you okay?" called Kid Win as he fired several more blaster shots to keep me down. I heard the metal barrel roll across the floor.

"Yeah, fine." I peeked over the counter to see Aegis standing up. I was relieved it was nothing major even if I knew it wouldn't last long. I'd rather not get hit after all. "Three."

Three?

They sat on each side of me. At the same time they dashed forward to surround me. Crap, couldn't have that. What to use as a distraction? "A clever attempt but that is nothing to a magician of my skill!"

I swiped two cards off the bottom of my deck and one off the top. My [Shock Baton] was still in hand so working with only one hand was tricky. With a small shake of my hip and a hand flourish I sent two cards flying at Aegis as he rounded the counter and dashed at me. Two because my aim still wasn't good enough.

I didn't stay still to watch as I unsealed the cards when they were close and sprinted at Kid Win. He stopped, not expecting me approaching him for a melee, and backpedaled firing frantically. I could see his head was tilted toward my weapon clearly wary of it. "Shit, this is why I hate fighting indoors."

"Indeed," I slashed twice with a twirl hoping it looked as cool as I wished. Probably appeared like an amateur pretending to be a professional. It was practice, I told myself. Everyone started somewhere. Kid Win proved adept at dodging.

I did a small thrust and he parried with his pistol. "Flight should never be forsaken."

The glowing prongs of my [Shock Baton] released their electric payload and covered the blaster pistol like an electric spider. Kid Win yelped as some of it touched his hand and dropped the pistol to the ground. Tinkertech was such a temptation that I briefly forgot myself and reached to steal it.

Kid Win's foot kicking me in the chest hurt my pride more than my ribs. As I fell I caught a glimpse of Aegis struggling with the tire that had surrounded his upper body, the other tire spinning on the floor, and at least didn't wonder if I was going to be blindsided.

My recovery was not worthy of my name. "Damn that hurts."

"You're telling me. Since when were you a tinker? I can't feel my hand!" said Kid Win shaking his hand to try and rid it of numbness.

A sick grinding sound came from Aegis. Okay, definitely a regenerative brute of some kind because whatever he did to his shoulders to take that tire off made my stomach queasy. "A magician never reveals her secrets! Although if you're making an offer..."

He holstered one pistol and picked the other up off the ground and I could tell he was giving me a dirty look. "Do you have any idea how much effort these were?"

"Not re--" I barely unsealed my third card into a wooden pallet with enough momentum to block the tire Aegis threw. Both crashed to the ground as he jogged over to Kid Win. "How's your hand?"

I twirled the [Shock Baton] casually and used my free hand to count cards in my deck. Third from the bottom and fifth from the top were the ones I wanted. Kid Win cast a worried glance at his hand. "Hurt for a moment, barely touched me. and now I can't feel anything in it. Not even pins and needles."

"It work?" said Aegis.

"Yeah." It was nice to know the effects of my weapon weren't lethal.

I chuckled and fed energy into my two cards. "Let us see if we can remedy that, shall we?"

"Your pistol okay?" Kid Win fumbled at it with his numb hand, clearly it was pretty bad for dexterity, and handed it to Aegis. Both were keeping me in sight with their eyes on my weapon as its prongs lit up a bright yellow once again. "Charged on a timer, ten seconds. Electricity was abnormal. Not purely electricity. I can-"

"Ideas later, Kid." Aegis took the pistol and slowly leveled it away from me as to not restart the fight just yet. I had no problem with that. This whole performance was like I said in my speech. A test for the heroes and for myself. If I got caught, well... I could imagine several scenarios on how it would play out. If I won it proved that my selfishness was worth more than their justice. Of course, that's just fancy speak for me trying to ease my guilt at stealing stuff and to get experience.

The pistol fired fine. Electricity would normally fry technology. Electric shielding on the pistol or just tinkertech shenanigans? I blanked as I muttered, "Oh, damn. Now both of you have guns."

They didn't even wait for a second before both immediately opened fire on me. Yeah, who brings guns to a baton fight? "If that's how you wish to play it, so be it!"

I sealed the baton and took one card in each hand. I crawled along the display case side as electric bullets pelted it, rolling and springing up to my feet rather well. I saw the two heroes adjust their aim but my throws were quicker. The cards flew true, of course then tilted upward because I still suck at throwing them dramatically.

They unsealed and released one tent canvas and a large comforter onto the heroes. "Lay down and take a load off!"

I didn't think I was funny but such lines were expected of Discard. I unsealed the [Shock Baton] and ran over to zap them before they pushed off the sheets.

"The hell, man? I see why Halbeard didn't like fighting her," complained Kid Win as he fought the comforter. He was going to go down first. I was sure that the stun effect wouldn't last long enough on Aegis.

Which is exactly why I shouldn't have been surprised when Aegis tore through the tent canvas with some ease and jumped in front of the overhead slash I intended for Kid Win. The yellow electricity surged across his entire body and without an exaggerated convulsion or something similar that movies once again lied to me about Aegis flopped to the ground.

"Shit, Did he die?" I muttered. Aegis' eyes rolled up to look at me. "Oh thank god."

"Aegis? Aegis!" Kid WIn was flailing under the heavy sheet and having Aegis' body on him.

"Well then, it looks like the show has ended. Time to exit backstage," I said with my best arrogant tone. I jogged for the front entrance and cast a worried glance back to the duo heroes. Sure, they'd be fine. I figured this counted enough as a win to get out anyway. My chest was tingling and I was beginning to feel the fatigue set in. I sealed the metal sheet in the doorway and stepped out.

Gallant and Vista were walking side-by-side toward me from across the street.

"Nope!" I blocked the doorway again with the sheet metal and tried to head back toward the back of the store. Naturally this was Kid Win finally escaped the clothy confines and Aegis was beginning to shakily get to his knees. Kid Win had his numb hand at his side and a pistol trained on me with zero cover to hide behind.

"It's been a blast," he stated.

"Shit!" His quip annoyed me because I flubbed mine when I saw him pull the trigger. I could only watch as the electricity built up into a round bullet and ejected from the barrel towards me. I held my hands out in front of me desperate to guard any vital shots.

I may have been overdramatic for what I knew was a stunning shot.

Negative energy surged out and waited in my panic. As soon as the bolt hit me I felt the tingle that was beginning to rise into a full power strike before it disappeared. Vanished, along with the feeling of being electrified. That was probably how I survived being tasered from the [Arclance].

In my hand was a card depicting a white ball of energy with a little comet trail. [Blaster Bolt]. Why wasn't it something like plasma or energy was beyond me. It was oddly specific. Was it because of power interactions between mine and a tinker weapon? That or my power somehow reads intent for things. More mysteries about my power.

"Uh." Kid Win was at a loss so he fired six more shots. Each vanished as they struck me making my stomach turn as if in vertigo and exhaustion worsen.

"That was a real shock," I said after I scoffed loudly and channelled positive energy. Four of the seven [Blaster Bolt] cards were flicked out of my hand and unsealed. Two missed and scattered over the windows behind him and two struck him dead center of his chest.

He was sent back and tripped over a kneeling Aegis. Kid Win looked stunned at least as he was groaning and struggling to move. Nailed it. I stashed the other three into my deck and twirled my [Shock Baton] letting it leave a pleasant yellow trail in the air amidst the darkness. "I think my show is over."

The grinding of sheet metal made me remember what I came back in for. "But it seems the audience wants an encore. Normally I'd be happy to oblige but you two didn't pay the entry fee."

Vista stepped through as Gallant was dragging the metal with his power armor. I barely noticed the short heroine over drooling at taking that armor for myself. Of course I wouldn't. I mean, stealing a tool is one thing but stealing someone's costume? That's cape blasphemy.

"You two okay?" asked the green-clad heroine as she adjusted her visor. A lot of heroes had visors instead of helmets. I understood the feeling since my own hairband hat showed off my hair I was proud of. "Clock, this is not at all what you said was happening!"

A crash of metal came from outside as Gallant called, "Got it!"

Kid Win gurgled something unintelligible while Aegis nodded. Wait, did he understand that? Secondary power from being whatever he was? A lot of powers appeared to have secondary uses. "Console fucked up, or HQ did. Her power isn't teleportation at all."

Oh, so that was what they went with.

Gallant stepped through the doorway and put his hands on his hips and thrust out his chest. Holy hell, heroes actually did that? It got even weirder. "Vile villain of vexatious intent. Know now that us Wards are united you shall never escape."

Fuck me. Okay, this is something that Discard would love even if I thought it was awful. It was like the feeling of playing a game and someone wanted to be the same character as you. A dangerous feeling of wanting to both upstage them and dread of what you'd have to do for that to happen.

Vista gave Gallant an odd look, her mouth scrunched up and lines on her forehead creased. If only I could see her eyebrows it would've made whatever she was expressing clearer. Then she too put her hands on her hips and chest out. "Yes, for we allies of justice don't fear evildoers!"

"Kill me please," said one of the boys to my side.

"Sorry folks, no pay and I don't stay." I sealed the window behind me and was about to make my escape. Four against one was bad enough. I had the [Smoke] cards ready to go but Vista screwed up escape attempts easily enough. I was about to drop out before Gallant smirked.

"It's not evil to be a coward. Don't worry, we wouldn't tell anyone."

Okay, not even going into how that is a lame bait it didn't make logical sense. How was I a coward for fleeing a four versus one scenario after having taken down two of them? Their whole job was to stop me and they failed. So if you get reinforcements suddenly your side is in the clear somehow?

He changed his bodily stance to something I didn't like. It resembled one like the girls at school whenever they were going to berate me. It pissed me off far more than it should've. Gallant hesitated before continuing with his little rant, "Of course according to your ideology if you ran away it would mean we won. Justice triumphs and you would be the loser."

Loser. Loser!?

I jumped, flung myself really, from the window and sealed my [Shock Baton]. With still-improving sleight of hand I swapped it for another and slashed out dramatically. The card was held between my two fingers and I laughed mirthlessly. Positive energy did nothing to quell the dark feeling inside me.

I called the [Arclance] to my hand.

The silence reigned with the only thing being heard was the flicker of the candles' flames and the sound of Kid Win's muttering, "That made no sense, how did it work?"

"Trying to upstage the performer, white knight? Uneven odds are the prime number." I slammed the [Arclance] against the floor showing sparks from the impact. "Know that retreat is a luxury and you've lost yours."

Vista sighed. "Weren't you the one retreating?"

Rational thought was beginning to be lost on me. I pivoted on one foot spinning my leg and hips to swish my skirt and coat as I did an uppercut slash. The mental cue awaiting me now that the [Arclance] had been unsealed was eager to be used. Time, space and mathematical formula that I assumed made up the universe or something filled my mind and was instinctively answered.

Gallant blocked the slash at Vista with his arms and was pushed back a couple inches. Power armor wasn't for show then. The space around the shop was distorting. Floors unnaturally stretched and the roof became shorter, pathways left and right curved and it hurt my eyes to look at it directly.

Surprisingly the [Arclance] didn't care about spatial distortions. As it passed through whatever Vista was doing to the shop you could barely see the white lightning shaft in a dozen places like a broken mirror. Once again Gallant blocked the slash and I was starting to dislike him.

Kid Win fired off more shots hoping to strike me unaware but I released that negative energy pulsating with the desire to devour whatever touched me. Each blast was converted to a [Blaster Bolt] card which I released within the same second back at him.

Aegis took those shots for him, the paralysis from the [Shock Baton] having worn off.

Two people attacking me and two guarding them. This was when the cramped space of the jewelry store was a disadvantage to me. Sure two of them could fly if we went outside but at least then they would stop being bodyguards. Range didn't mean anything to the [Arclance].

"Didn't your mothers ever tell you not to roughhouse indoors? Let's take this outside, shall we?"

"Right, like we'd do that," retorted Vista.

Aegis facepalmed. "Please don't say stuff like that to her. She threw a tent at us. Who knows what she has up her sleeve?"

"Okay, her talking is infectious. I bet you didn't even know you punned," said Kid Win.

"Fuck."

I did, in fact, reach up my sleeve to pull out one of my [Smoke] cards. Gallant's fists began to glow when I threw it down like the smoke bomb it was. I had forgotten he could shoot laser blasts with his fists. They also did something else but what was it?

Thick, black smoke filled the area violently. The force of it decompressing pushed me back a step and I glimpsed glowing balls of energy miss not two inches in front of me. Hah, fortune favors the bold.

A thick set of coughs began to make around as I crawled my way out of the open window and into the alleyway bordering the sidewalk. Actually, Kid Win and Aegis were recovering there, right? Mm, smoke inhalation would be bad if you couldn't get out in time. I touched the cloudy wisps flowing up out of the window and sealed the smoke again.

I peeked inside and saw four wards all in a state of bumbling turn to look at my head appearing on the bottom edge of the window. Or that's how I thought it looked. "Only you can prevent jewelry store fires."

An energy blast whizzed by my head as I dashed into the open street and gave myself a breather. My muscles were burning but I was in a good spot for an escape. Four [Smoke] cards, the [Arclance] in hand and several obstacle cards at the least if I had to ditch into an alleyway. Two of them could fly and Vista was a space warper but escape shouldn't have been impossible. It wouldn't matter if I beat them into submission, right?

I unsealed a chair as the Wards were taking an awfully long time to exit out. Perhaps I should've left the inside smoky? No that would just be hazardous to their health and ruin the nice store's interior more than we already had. I held the [Arclance] under my arm and browsed my deck to memorize where stuff was at now and order them how I wanted. Preparation was key to my power after all.

Seriously though, what were they doing in there?

AN: Next chapter is Wards PoV. Not sure if I want Aegis or Gallant. Thinkers are so hard to write. (Damnit Tattletale!)

Last edited: Oct 24, 2018

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Threadmarks 1.5 Vicissitude

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Glazt

Glazt

Writing for hate and no profit...

Oct 24, 2018

#250

Seriously, what are these updates? Daily? That won't last long of course. They're getting shorter and shorter! Soon it'll take two short chapters to make a full one. Probably. Don't look at me like that!

I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this chapter. I need practice in other perspectives I guess. Here's two of the cool Wards doing Ward things. No worries, we'll get back to Taylor next time.

Thank you all for taking your time to read things I've written. A heads up is that there was an art piece drawn of an approximation of Discard's costume. I threadmarked it for now so all can behold it's glory, but it'll be moved to Media eventually and I put up a link to the post and image in my first/opening post. Much love to nuvalewa. Yes.

I'm sure feedback will be split on this chapter, but hey! ...I got nothing. WORDS!

1.5 Vicissitude

-

"Seriously though, what are we still doing in here?" asked Vista. She was walking around the store and surveying the damage. "She's going to escape."

"No she won't, not for a little bit," said Gallant as he snuffed out flame after flame of the lit candles. Many were knocked over and threatening to spread their small fires.

Aegis nodded, agreeing silently. He was stretching and limbering up his body, flexing each section of muscle. It was weird, having adaptive regeneration as a power. Most things that caused him to use it also somehow didn't squick him as much as it did his teammates. Losing a limb and regrowing it was almost boring compared to being blinded and seeing with sound and the light from your pores in a mixture that made synesthesia look tame.

Kid Win was watching him closely while unhooking his hoverboard with one hand. The difficulty of using his other hand made it worse so he stopped. "How can you move already? I still can't feel my hand."

Vista glanced at him. "So it's numb. Shouldn't be that bad, right?"

"If it wasn't a tinker weapon!" yelled Kid Win. "HQ and whatever thinkers they have got her power oh so wrong. That or she has a partner behind the scenes."

Gallant walked over to the window where Discard had made her escape and spied at the villainess through it. Aegis wondered was he was watching. "Just so we're clear, do not let her zap you with that baton. I doubt you all could be feeling with muscles and moving using flexible bones."

"Woah, wait, what?" Clockblocker said over the comms. "Dude, are you going to be okay?"

"Scratch that, am I going to be okay?" asked Kid Win slightly panicked by the thought of having one hand forever.

"Don't worry, robotic hands should be easy for you or Armsy to whip up."

Gallant clapped once, his eyes not leaving the outside. "Not much time. She's still out there doing... whatever villains do while waiting for heroes."

"You'll be fine in maybe ten minutes or so. The electroshock baton she was using, not sure if it was made by a tinker or Discard, makes you unable to feel anything at all. It also relaxes your muscles contrary to normal shocking. I... don't feel as if my nerves are damaged, more like they're simply off and my brain hasn't figured out how to turn them on again." Aegis pointed at Kid Win's hand. "Ten minutes for a glancing blow. A direct hit might put you down for thirty."

"Moving using muscles and bones with no brain? Sounds like a bad zombie movie."

Vista snapped. "That's rude to Aegis!"

"Moving along--"

"Don't ignore me. Oh, you'll be getting it later," muttered Vista.

"Yeah Discard's power totally isn't teleportation. It's transmutation. Different school of magic."

Gallant sighed. Aegis was starting to get curious about what he was watching outside that was more interesting than the short team meeting. "Please don't start bringing fantasy magic terms into this."

Kid Win grinned. "Transmutation is right. Anything she touches she turns into one of those cards. Vice-versa as well. Non-living material and energy types. Fire, electricity, my blaster bolts." He hopped onto his hoverboard and found a good balance. "Not sure if she could take your emotion blasts. I'm not willing to believe she can transmute everything."

Vista eyed Gallant. "She still out there?"

"...Yes." Okay, Gallant was being weird.

"You're being weird," stated Aegis. He had to say it. "What was up with that entrance, or that speech? Normally insulting the villain as they escape makes them run faster."

He shrugged, eyes not leaving outside. "It was the only way to prevent Discard from escaping."

"If you say so, but we're discussing all this at length in a debriefing. We need to know why that worked."

"Because a magician doesn't like having her performance called into question. Duh. It's like someone calling a tinker out on how their gear works. Their minds take a left turn and common sense leaves the building."

Kid Win sighed. "He's not wrong."

"Back on track, boys. If she can steal whatever she touches how in the heck do we arrest her?"

A not so subtle cough came over the comms and they could all imagine the smug grin Clockblocker had. "Bet you guys wish you had me out there."

Vista huffed. "About as much as I want Stalker here."

"Low blow, Vista. Too low, considering your height."

"Clockblocker," started Gallant. His tone set them on edge. "You're operating the console, our information and communication relay. Be professional."

"Sorry. That was too far."

Vista crossed her arms but said nothing.

Aegis knew the space-time duo had a good friendship but sometimes one of them would take it too far. He was thankful Gallant could calm both of them down so easily. He doubted it was because he was an empath and more because he genuinely cared about them. Not that Aegis didn't. His team was wonderful, even with its broody member.

"Okay, she's starting to justify getting ready to leave. It's time to go," said Gallant walking away from the window and toward the doorway.

"But how do we capture her?"

Aegis sighed. "Either we find if her ability has a limit or it's human handcuffs."

Kid Win laughed at that. "Not it."

Aegis playfully punched him in the shoulder. "You couldn't anyway; two hands required."

Vista laughed.

"Oh, I see how it is. Bias, I say. Bias!"

"Let's go arrest a villain," said Gallant leading the charge.

Four Wards walked out into the street ready to confront an enemy. Heroes versus villains.

Three stopped at the sight of the villain leaving Gallant alone walking to meet their foe.

"That's…" started Aegis.

"How does that work?" muttered Kid Win.

"It's been like two minutes!" Vista threw her hands in the air.

"No one asks how magicians test their tricks," explained Clockblocker sagely.

"It's time to end this," yelled Gallant defiantly.

Discard had her back turned to them as she inspected her carnage, for Aegis could not describe what he saw as anything else. At her feet was a chair of wood and rebar that was also entirely made out of acrid, black smoke. Parts were floating away in wisps but as a whole it maintained shape. Off to the side of the asphalt was a car, or one without a frame and engine as well as completely on fire. Its radio was playing a mellow eighties tune with the occasional static-burst skip.

A tire was melting like jelly without any visible source of heat near a lamp post that had a rope thrown over it and a cinder block tied to one end. No, what caught the eyes of everyone was floating above the smoky throne. It looked like someone had over-engineered a grappling hook by putting a motor on it styled as a rifle stock, with small chains and belts spinning in loops over rumbling pipes and a coolant tank off to the side, and then attached four security cameras onto it. One on each side. The grappling hook itself was elongated and warped spinning who knew how fast to keep the whole monstrosity aloft.

Discard whipped around to face the team, her cloak billowing out behind her as she threw an arm out dramatically. Her head tilted up and she laughed haughtily. "End this, Gallant? Why, it's only beginning!"

Vista could honestly say that Discard was insane. She had to be. It was the only explanation for anything that the villainess did. Rob a bank and then wait for heroes? Okay, sure, maybe that could be explained at wanting to arrogantly prove your threat as a debut. Robbing a jewelry store and then wait for heroes, again? The same thing, maybe to flaunt or brag.

To wait yet again after heroes get reinforcements when running away would be super easy? It made no sense but she believed Gallant knew what he was doing. Being an empath gave him insights into the human mind she couldn't even begin to comprehend.

Doing… whatever she did to make these things break the natural laws of physics while she should've been preparing for another fight? Insanity.

"I really am sorry for the mess. I really shouldn't let people see my failed projects. It ruins the magic and glamour," explained Discard in a way that only made Vista want to punch her in her probably pretty face.

"I knew it was transmutation! Gaseous Form for the chair and Control Flame for the car. Tire too, probably." Clockblocker was such a nerd sometimes. She almost wished she didn't get his references.

Kid Win whispered into their comms, "She must not be high enough level to fly then."

"Think she could Polymorph? Oh god, no. That would mean she has no manton limit."

Vista snapped, "Shut up and be serious. We have any Protectorate inbound?"

"Um, let's see. Dauntless was supposed to be heading out but I haven't gotten a report in from him since he last asked. A, B and V are with Stalker fighting the Empire over on Kingsley Street. Halbeard is in his shop and Missilitia is still prohibited from going near Discard."

She didn't need to ask about Triumph. One of his rules for heroing was being able to spend time with his family. "Shit, just us then?"

Aegis put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "We got this, it's only one girl."

Vista knew that. She was confident she could stop Discard, let alone with her team. Stopping was one thing, but keeping her arrested was still a problem. "It will depend on you and Gallant, you know?"

Gallant was trading banter with Discard. Normally she paid attention to everything he said but she could only talk and listen to so much at the same time. It didn't help that both young capes were going at it with so much exaggerated nonsense that she didn't think they even knew how to stop.

Actually, it didn't look like they were going to. Vista tapped Aegis on his back and nodded. "Go."

Warping space was simple to her, breaking reality to suit her whims with such ease that she could do it in her sleep. Stretching and thinning space was grade-level to her. So it made sense that it was also her fastest and most trained skill.

With a rotation of her wrist and a clenching of the fist, something rote that she used in combination with her powers to help focus, the distance between Discard and Aegis thinned to two steps.

It also let her hear Discard better. "—brilliant, shining armor could never, holy crap!"

Aegis stepped through the spatial warp and tried to tackle Discard. He got a metal barrel to the face for his trouble. It knocked him into the smoke-seat and then through it leaving massive holes in its existence even as what wasn't hit stayed in form.

"Nice going," said Gallant. "Wards, attack!"

Another twist of the wrist let Gallant get up close and personal with Discard. Kid Win took off on his hoverboard and began firing blaster shots, some single and others in pairs as he tried to find an angle Discard couldn't see him.

She could hear him over the comms, "Testing to see if she needs line of sight. Vista, can you warp a few into blind spots?"

"Got you covered," she replied.

Discard was surprisingly nimble. Each step or dodge looked graceful with her height, her longer legs hidden under the dress skirt giving her a wider range of motion than Vista would expect. Gallant's power armor improved his strength but also made him slower. Aegis was flanking with him but both were being hit with junk and heavy garbage. Where did she go to pick up all this crud?

While she moved Vista noticed she always kept Kid Win in her view. Every stun shot from him vanished the moment it made contact with her and a card appeared in one of her hands or between her fingers.

"Now—damn you guys don't stop—now shall we step into the final act?" Discard flourished her hands and a card fell into each. Vista blinked and the cards had vanished.

The Arclance and the electroshock baton were in her hands. "My turn."

Vista saw Discard step forward with the baton, yellow prongs at the end glowing dangerously, and swinging for Gallant. Aegis seemed sure that it was non-lethal even as what he described was abhorrent. To have your nerves turned off?

Not on her watch. She swung an arm out in habit and widened the distance by several feet between Discard and Gallant. He nodded in thanks to Vista.

"Not again." Discard slashed out with the Arclance at her!

A twist of the wrist and Gallant was moved without ever taking a step into the strike. He already had his guard up expecting the maneuver. A backslash from the Arclance was sent at Kid Win.

"Woah!"

Dauntless' damn spear messed with her powers in a way she didn't know she hated until today. She could move things into its path if she didn't affect the spear itself, but trying to make the spear miss by messing with it didn't work. A nuisance indoors but outside where they weren't cramped?

Kid Win was shifted several feet up letting the spear slash out beneath him.

That was when Aegis tackled her from behind. "Got you!"

"Ah fuck!" cursed Discard. Yes, go Aegis! "I mean, curse you!"

He held her arms out pinning her so she couldn't stab him with either weapon. His body weight and muscle triumphed hers. Kid Win hollered and Gallant nodded in what they expected would be their victory.

They didn't notice that she had a card in her palm hidden because of her gripping the Arclance. "Please don't manhandle the performers. That's harassment."

Vista pinched space together and jumped through trying to kick the card from her hand. The PRT and Protectorate hated when she got into melee with villains. Her age and power made them believe she should sit in the back. It didn't help that she knew she was as good if not better than half the team in close-quarters combat, only really beat by Aegis and Shadow Stalker.

She got close enough to hear the villain whisper to Aegis, "Really sorry if this hurts you too badly."

Discard maneuvered the card into two fingers and flicked it at Aegis. Right before it struck him it turned into a blaster bolt. Except it was twice as bright and eight times as big.

Aegis soared across the street and slammed through a window of a hat shop.

"Aegis!"

"Wow, damn, that was worse than expected. At least the glass broke his fall."

Vista snapped and whirled to punch Discard in the stomach. Her small size belied her strength. Being a hero for years even as a child made you excessively fit.

Two yellow prongs didn't care about fitness.

Spidery arcs of electricity covered her form as she felt everything and then nothing at all. Every muscle in her body went lax causing her to fall like a ragdoll into Discard's arms. She was kind, even gentle in laying Vista on the ground. "Yeah, learned to catch people from Aegis there. Full force falling hurts."

Her eyes and ears worked fine but it was like her mind didn't know how to move her body. There was no feedback, no sensations to pair with the normal muscle movement or air on her skin. It was frightening. Clock's comment on zombies earlier made her think of Aegis' super strength. It was only due to him abusing his body beyond sane limits, even if they were normal human limits, that gave him that strength.

Vista imagined how easy it would be to hurt herself moving without pain or a sense of touch.

Gallant was several feet away from them. "Is she okay?"

Discard muttered something Vista couldn't hear and backed away. "Of course, Gallant, just not well enough to continue interfering in my plans!"

Was Vista truly down? Just because she couldn't move?

No.

It was harder without the rote movements to guide her focus but she managed. Space warped Gallant and Discard to within a step's distance.

"Damnit, Vista," said Discard.

Vista expected Gallant to tackle and disarm Discard as to secure their victory. He instead scooped Vista up into a bridal carry and retreated. Her stomach fluttered even if she was mad at him for wasting his chance.

"Um, well okay then. Two defeated yet again! Admit defeat, young heroes. You have failed, well damn you recovered fast Aegis. One defeated and one injured then!" Aegis hovered out of the hat store looking horrible. His suit was a certain color for a reason.

"Fine, you've shown you aren't what I said you are, without a doubt. I apologize for my earlier comments. Just answer me one thing?" asked Gallant in a defeatist tone.

Discard cupped her chin in thought. "Sure, a reward for your efforts."

"What's justice taste like?"

What?

"What?"

Gallant, while carrying Vista, shot out two blasts from his hands at Discard. Something no one expected him to do. Her spatial distortion was never released so the distance between the two was far too short for Discard to dodge.

Both blasts hit her dead center.

Both disappeared as they touched her.

"Hah. Hahaha." Discard stumbled, catching herself using the Arclance as a crutch. "Hahahahaha!"

The laughter wasn't the villainess' dramatic chuckling or the haughty tone she spoke in her rants. It wasn't genuine, uplifting laughter in good humor. It was high pitched cackling that sent chills down Vista's spine.

"What did you do?" cried Clockblocker.

Gallant faltered. "I thought anger and laughter would disrupt her. I mean, her emotions were—"

"Justice, Gallant? Heroes can't talk to me about justice!" The baton in her hand vanished and she traded it for another card. Discard held the Arclance out in clear threat toward Gallant and Vista. "Where was the justice when I needed it half my life? When I was about to die!"

Aegis jumped off and flew, prepared to tackle before anything happened.

"Stay down!" she yelled and threw the card down between Aegis and herself. A shipping container larger than most of the stores on the street slammed into the asphalt shattering the road and embedding itself into the ground.

Kid Win mumbled over the comms, "Oh fuck."

And as quick as it came the emotion vanished. Discard's posture shifted immediately. Her shoulders tensed as she looked between Gallant and the shipping container. "Yes, well then. Don't toy with a girl's emotions, okay?"

Gallant slowly nodded.

No one was sure what to say in response to that.

Then Dauntless dropped from the sky to land atop the container with a hard rumble. "Discard! Give me back my Arclance!" he yelled.

Vista rolled her eyes and decided to let them deal with it. She didn't want to move from Gallant's arms anytime soon.

AN: *whistles* Vista is a cool cat. Turns out Taylor can't seal emotions even if she can the blasts. She needs a power manual.

Last edited: Oct 24, 2018

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Oct 24, 2018

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Threadmarks 1.6 Vicissitude

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Glazt

Glazt

Writing for hate and no profit...

Oct 25, 2018

#360

So, what am I doing here yet again? I just need to stop. I know, I can hear all y'all readers screaming at me for proper pacing and for weird meats! Of course this is where the chapters will slow down as I build up more crud in the writer's background spreadsheets or tables or charts, you know. That stuff we tell people in order to delay chapters or explain whatever it is we do with words.

Still, daily updates will probably stop being a thing. Maybe move on to bi-weekly or something.

Thank you all for your time and dedication to make it this far, even if its not much compared to those hundred thousand or one million wtf are you doing word wormfics out there.

This chapter will be controversial. Really, I know. Feel free to yell at me in the comments or seethe in your lurkerdom promising to never open the story again. Either way I love you all unequally (I play favorites).

--

1.6 Vicissitude

-

My mind was the eye of the storm. Calm amidst the chaos around me, most of which I had caused. Whatever the heroes had been talking about left me bored as I avoided the issue of simply escaping, which in turn led to playing with card combinations trying to figure out how in the hell it worked. A number of failures later and they finally emerged.

The ensuing battle was quick and ended up with me as a victor, at least I thought of myself as the winner. Two for two when outnumbered. Maybe I was better at this whole fighting thing than I thought? No, it was because my power trumped theirs most of the time. It was an inevitability that some hero did the same to me.

Why was I thinking about powers while I stood in the middle of five heroes? Gallant's emotion blasts really hit me hard, harder than I read about. Maybe the energy I use somehow made the effect worse? I didn't think that his power usually left people extremely clear-headed when it wore off.

"Discard, surrender my Arclance at once!" yelled Dauntless.

Right, and then there was this guy.

Aegis shuffled out from behind the shipping container Dauntless was standing upon and reunited with the other Wards. He asked Dauntless, "Don't you mean surrender?"

"That too." Dauntless crossed his arms. My eyes were attracted to the lightning shield and boots with white sparks coming off of them. He could keep his boring spartan armor. I wasn't sure it did anything and my costume was way more suiting to my image.

The [Arclance] he was speaking of was being used as a crutch by me. Aegis and Gallant got in a few decent hits but it was mainly complete exhaustion that was taking its toll. Now with there being five heroes, even if Vista was down she proved she could still use her power, I was really not up for a third fight.

How do I get out of this situation?

"Dear, naive Dauntless. Don't you know the rule of 'finder's keepers, loser's weepers'? I stole this nifty spear fair and square. Clearly it's mine now," I said. I was searching for routes out of the street to escape into. The alleyway near the jewelry store led into a small park I scouted earlier and a bit further down the street led into a winding back-alley outlet mall. Plenty of places to hide and ditch the costume.

"What, that's childish!" he yelled.

"Exactly like you're acting. It makes perfect sense," I retorted without much thought, The mentality of Discard was becoming easier to slip into. I barely had to think too hard about lines and was getting better at not cringing externally while delivering them. It didn't stop the internal wince and embarrassment though.

"I am not!" Dauntless stomped a foot denting the metal he stood on. Okay, maybe his armor actually was empowered. I'm beginning to hate power armor if only because I didn't have any.

"Tell you what," I twirled the [Arclance] with two hands and sealed it into a card. I flashed it towards Dauntless, the picture detailing a crisp spear of white lightning with exaggerated lightning in the background. Most cards didn't have backgrounds. Was it because of the rarity? "I'll trade this card for a different one. Has to be fair though, this one is a rare."

"You're taking trades?" Kid Win laughed.

I flipped my hair with a hand and a twist of my neck in response. "Sure, if the deal is good. A collector knows how to do proper business, after all."

Gallant, with the help of Aegis, set Vista down near the doorway of the store and stood guard over their teammate. They traded words into what I guessed was communications, because everyone had radios or something in their helmets or visors, and Kid Win floated around behind me leveling a blaster just outside of where I could see.

I couldn't watch him and Dauntless at the same time.

"There will be no trades! No deals, no offers, nothing! You stole what's mine and you'll give it back to me," he stated, his voice lowering to a threatening tone.

Shit, could I seal something I couldn't see? Probably, but Kid Win's pistols were quiet. It was the blasts that were loud when they hit something. I thought to what I still had left in the way of obstacles and cursed. Nothing I wanted to have to leave or get damaged except one large wooden crate. The rest were absolutely littered across the battlefield.

Junk didn't grow on trees, damnit!

"No deal? Then I'll be on my way." I pointed my hand I had the [Arclance] card in at Gallant as I pulled the [Wooden Crate] out into my other. "I won our contest, both of our little bouts. Best of luck next time, young heroes of Brockton Bay!"

Dauntless seethed but spoke sternly. "There will be no next time, villain."

His boots sparked out forming bright trails as he flew at me. I admit his speed was a lot faster than Aegis', but I would've figured they had learned the lesson by now. I threw the card at Dauntless, feeling its positive energy ready to release the crate within.

Lightning sparked from Dauntless' gauntlets and he caught the card in mid-air. Immediately I felt the void inside me become hungry as the positive energy I had inside the card vanished as well as the mental link I had to it. The duality of loss and need made my stomach lurch in response.

Dauntless' leg nailed me in the side. My vision swam as I felt my body bounce off the asphalt, my skin tearing from the rough friction even through my costume, and slide to a stop against the curb. Pain exploded throughout my left side making my throat dry as I swallowed for air.

"No more tricks," stated Dauntless. I couldn't see very well as everything was blurry. Not because of my mask's lenses but because I couldn't focus on any single thing.

"No more talking." His boots crunched on the road as he neared me. I tried to scramble up but my hands spiked with agony with I tried to push off the ground. Damn, black dirt and blood made them look ugly. Maybe I should've invested in gloves.

His gauntleted hand gripped my collar and hoisted me off the ground making my guts squirm. I felt my feet and heard his push off and I noticed we were hovering a few feet in the air.

In my periphery, I could see Kid Win and Aegis talking to each other while Gallant was running toward us. Were his hands glowing again? I couldn't tell.

"You'll do whatever it is you do to give me my Arclance and then you're going to jail. Understand?"

I scrabbled at his gauntlet with my free hand and tried to fill it with negative energy. It bounced back like it hit a wall. Dauntless noticed and laughed in a way a hero shouldn't. "Power nullifier gauntlets. There's no escaping now."

Okay then, fuck you too. I held up the [Arclance] and showed it to him. Maybe it was the constant pain I was in or hearing whatever the Wards were shouting about but the situation never seemed more ridiculous to me. It just reminded me that capes, heroes and villains, were just people at the end of the day.

"I-Is this your card?" I didn't find it funny.

Neither did Dauntless. "Stop joking around!"

"Dauntless, stop!" Was that Aegis or Gallant?

"Give it back to me!"

I had something on the tip of my tongue to say to that, except his arm spasmed and dropped me. I tried to catch myself and grabbed onto his feet. Something deep inside of me pulled but didn't think of it when Dauntless kicked me in the ribs.

And then we were both falling.

It would be my luck that I would land on my already hurt side making my day truly horrible. As much as it hurt the second time I was able to work with it instead of being crippled into inaction. Although I seriously wanted to lay there and cry.

"Fourth store we had to check, Tats. Definitely not on your A-game today," yelled someone loudly enough in a hushed tone so we could all hear. Was that a stage whisper? I didn't know of anyone who did that.

"Fuck you, Regent."

I managed to get to my feet, even if I was a bit unsteady, and went to almost getting knocked down as three very large somethings made the street shake when they landed near us. Exposed muscle, bone, and other stuff I didn't want to think about were shaped like large creatures I hesitated to call anything but monsters.

Darkness flooded everywhere causing me to panic. It was thick and oily in a way darkness should never be. I could feel it around me, which made my reaction instant. I pulled at the void inside me and its energy swelled faster than it ever had. It suffused everything around me and pulled all of it back in.

The darkness vanished leaving another card in my hand. It also left me surrounded by four costumed people. Well, three costumes and one broad girl who wore a cheap plastic mask. "The hell? She can steal Grue's darkness? Broken power I say, broken!"

Gallant grabbed Dauntless' arm and spoke in a harsh way I hadn't thought he could speak. He had been nothing but brilliant and matching my performance every step of the way. "Dauntless, you have to stop! It's five against five. We have to retreat. We have two injured."

Unlike when they faced me there was no talking or hesitation. Kid Win started firing his pistols at us, his hand now working properly. One of the monsters blocked the shots and covered for us.

Dauntless growled. "I should've known you were with the Undersiders. Petty thieves, all of you!"

The name rang bells inside my head but it was hard to think straight. That was a group of villains, right? I couldn't be captured by villains! I reached for my [Arclance] but didn't find it anywhere. I could've sworn I was holding it earlier. I put all the cards in my hand away and unsealed my [Shock Baton].

"Hey, relax," said a girl. "We're here to rescue you."

Gallant shot some of his horrible feeling energy blasts but missed when Dauntless tried to charge forward at us. Power armor didn't let a young adult hold back an equally empowered hero adult with one arm.

"Rescue? A magician rescues themselves out of traps," I replied even I wasn't feeling it. I wasn't feeling much except pain and a horrible, aching burn across the side of my body. "Stay back, fiends."

I swiped at them with the [Shock Baton] but fumbled the execution when I went for an exaggerated slash. It hit the ground and shed its electric payload over the purple-suited girl's legs. She, I think he called her Tats, cursed as it swept her legs out from under her.

"Damnit, we're trying to help you, idiot," Tats swore at me. "Grue, get her on a dog. Regent, quit staring and help me up."

Grue, the big guy in a skull helmet and black biker leathers, blanketed the heroes in darkness and ran to help me up. I flailed at him which equaled nothing at all. Either he also had power armor for strength or I was really light because he hefted me up with barely a grunt.

"No," came a no-shits-given voice. It sounded familiar.

"Damnit, Bitch. Pull her up."

More of Kid Win's laser blasts hit something and exploded with their signature pop. "Not with me."

"Name-calling is rude," I mumbled. I intended to resist their kidnapping me but walking didn't feel like a good idea right now. Still, in my mind being tortured and maybe killed by villains was worse. I reached into my sleeve and tried to pull out a single card. Instead, I got two and unsealed them both.

A plate of spaghetti hit Grue in the face, but I didn't see it for long due to smoke exploding over us. Now the battlefield was half smoke and half darkness. Grue dropped me in surprise, which at least let me land on my knees instead of my bad side, and I began the arduous process of crawling away. Blinded, lungs burning even as I tried to hold my breath in the acrid smoke, and hurting more than I can ever recall. I stumbled into a clearing a moment later.

Sounds of combat reassured me that the two groups were either fighting or at least retreating aggressively. Deep howling came from the rooftop nearby. Instinctive fear cleared my mind as I hobbled to freedom.

I collapsed behind a dumpster in an alleyway two streets away. It just wasn't possible to move any further without catching my breath and trying to regain my bearings. The sounds of those large monsters were coming from somewhere nearby along with shouting. Nothing to do other than wait it out.

Time went by, minutes or an hour as I sat there holding my side and waiting for everything to die down. I didn't know what to do. What was I expecting in cape fights? To never be hurt? No, of course not. I remembered I had a first aid kit along with other supplies. Problem was I couldn't do anything with it until I was safe.

Tending to wounds in a dark alleyway, especially if it required my clothes being removed, sounded like the worst plan imaginable. Then again I had no plan at all beyond getting home. There wasn't any time to continue acting as Discard with her usual flair.

I pulled out my other deck of cards, the one with all my valuables and supplies, and rifled through it. There was a lot of stuff for a variety of situations, mostly related to being lost or out in the woods. I knew I didn't have a crutch but I did have a sturdy hiking stick.

It would have to do.

I sealed [The Magician's Mask] turning me back into a brooding teenager, one who happened to feel like she got run over by a bus. I tentatively poked at my ribs and side, then muffled a scream. Okay, bad idea to mess with wounds. I didn't know how bad it was and hoped nothing was broken.

With the hiking stick as a smaller makeshift crutch, I made my way home. I can't remember how time passed, only distance and blurry thoughts on what I should've done different, how I was going to fuck up Dauntless the next time I saw him, and to figure out who exactly the Undersiders were. They said something about a jewelry store in a way that it sounded like they were searching for me.

I only had one heist before tonight! How could villains already be trying to track me down? Maybe Armsmaster wasn't lying to me about that month-long survival statistic. At least I felt good about my rewards. That craving inside me seemed pleased and happy enough to last me a week or two minimum. I was going to need if it I was going to be recovering.

Home came into view and I remembered the past couple days. The front door and steps made stealth a no go. I went around the back way, picked up the key from inside the dead flower garden for if we were ever locked out, and made my way inside as quietly as I could. I left the walking stick sitting outside against the wall as to not wake up Dad.

I didn't realize that the last dozen feet to my room were going to be so torturous. Finally, finally, I was safe and secure. Away from heroes, villains, and capes of any other intent. I wanted to do nothing else except fall into bed and pass the fuck out, yet knew it would just involve rolling over and screaming in pain when I twisted something I shouldn't have.

I reached for my cards and didn't find any. Right, my mind was all over the place. I only had a couple in my hoodie's pockets and the rest were sealed inside my costume. A quick unsealing and rifling through cards later I had the first aid kit unsealed on my bed.

Inside the fairly large metal box was a whole slew of items and bottles. Luckily, or not because it was a required item, there was a manual with it. I recognized the pain reliever pills and may have swallowed several before bothering to pick up a book.

I had already walked and fought with my injuries. Reading a book on how to maybe fix them wasn't going to do much worse. Shit, normal recovery was going to take ages. Wasn't there something I could do? Go to a clinic or hospital? Yeah, sure, they'll ask me how I got hurt or ask for ridiculous amounts of money. Getting there would be a treat too. Who would I ask to take me?

I was not going to explain anything to Dad. I stared at the costume laying on my floor. Yep, sealed that back into its card and stashed all the cards into my nightstand's drawer. I'd deal with that in the morning after I figured this out. I wasn't feeling better per se but the pills had started to affect me and it helped with thinking. All the typical answers on how to get help for injuries was stupid.

I had powers. Powers that sometimes resulted in great things. Also terrible things but that wasn't important. There was a certain... rhythm to combining cards. Expectations, maybe. A sort of sideways math that involved specific steps to reach the right answer. Not like normal math because this skipped over entire sections of needed steps.

I sighed. This was either going to be a big waste of my time and leaving me in a lot of pain while I was doing it or might save my life in the future with a brilliant discovery. Thanks a lot, power. You made making decisions so easy. I took the deck of cards back out from my nightstand because I was going to need several things more.

First was a vanity mirror. Time to test my math skills. I took out [Compact Mirror] and [Plank of Wood, letting the magnetic pull combine them into [Wood-Framed Mirror]. It wasn't too big, about the size of a table mirror. Clearly you would want to add more mirror to wood in order to make it bigger, yet I took out another [Plank of Wood] and combined the two.

I stared at the [Framed Mirror]. Power, I think I'm starting to understand.

I had to stop myself from throwing the card in anger because of the incredible pain it would cause me. Instead I let it flutter to the ground beside my bed and unsealed it. As I expected it somehow turned a small handheld mirror into a vanity mirror five feet tall and about three wide. If I had combined another mirror inside it I just knew it would instead make the mirror break some sort of natural law instead of enlarging it. Perhaps a [Wooden Two-Way Mirror] or something as dumb.

Here came the worst part of it all. I sealed my hoodie and then shirt instead of taking it off manually as an idiot would. Just moving my arms over my head and the fabric rubbing—couldn't even finish the thought. The cold air hit me but I ignored it.

Getting hit by a bus might not have been an exaggeration. That or maybe like a person who had a motorcycle accident. It looked like someone took a cheese grater to my skin leaving skinless scabs, a few exposed muscle tears and angry red welts that were starting to turn color. Already the spot where Dauntless had kicked me was turning purple. My hands were no better, blackened by dirt, soot from the smoke and blood. My face… I wasn't vain anyway.

Dad would kill me if he saw this. I had to figure out a way to hide it, or at least make it better. My power was really my only hope. Turning back to the first aid kit on my bed in front of me I studied the contents.

Fuck, where to start? I grabbed the gauze rolls and scissors to begin cutting long strips off. They weren't for use but for power testing. Sealing them gave me [Bandage]. Thank you, power. Your naming conventions continue to mystify me.

I shook out a couple pills of ibuprofen and sealed them by the single pill. That gave me [Ibuprofen Pill]. What?! Then why wasn't the other damn one [Sterile Gauze]? I didn't need to get my body any more worked up than it was. Okay, calm, calm.

What if I combined pills? The two cards merged together to give me a simple picture of a slightly larger pill. The name is what pissed me off again. [Pain Relieving Pill]. No, it made a weird sense with my power. It didn't care for specifics or chemicals half the time, or so I assumed. Maybe…

I sealed the entire gauze roll and got [Sterile Gauze Roll]. Okay, you made your point, power. Sometimes things get modified and are no longer exactly as we see them. The two pills are not exactly just a larger pill. It has altered effects so of course the name changes.

So if following idiot logic if I combined the [Pain Relieving Pill] with the [Bandage, yep I got [Pain Relieving Bandage]. Why did it feel like my power was somehow a five-year-old child? Damn, I didn't care if it made me hurt any fucking less.

I took my [Black T-Shirt] and combined it with the [Pain Relieving Bandage]. I inspected the card in my hand. The back of it had the spider that told me it was a rare card, or whatever counted as it. Uncommon? Magic? Did that make the [Arclance] legendary? Actually, yeah. Nevermind.

I unsealed the card and sighed in immediate relief. The shirt was no longer black cotton cloth. It was instead that dull white of gauze covered in bloody spots and slightly itched. Of course considering almost immediately I could feel my body stop hurting and throbbing every second was it worth whatever demon controlled my power combinations.

I repeated the whole process but instead made [Pain Relieving Pants]. It didn't stop me from tasting the outside of my face but I was six hundred times better than when I first walked into my room.

So I can at least sleep without screaming in agony, even if my body isn't healing. Not yet at least. The clock said it was three in the morning. Not like I was going to school tomorrow, or today? Two hours until Dad woke up for work.

Before I started working I pulled out a sleep journal from the nightstand and pencil. If my power didn't come with a manual I needed to start one. My memory was good enough for card memorization but to note everything combined and the order? Taking extensive notes wasn't anything new to me at least. I already had another journal, after all.

Over the next hour I tried many combinations, mostly using the same ingredients but in different orders. Apparently, the order mattered a lot. I would say it was like a Tinker or Thinker's ability to make rapid jumps in logic, except my power did it with whatever combined.

I got a number of ways to create pain relieving items and even the ever-scary [Blood Relieving Salve]. That was sealed into the forbidden deck with a few other scary pill cards. Merely the name made me never want to unseal it.

Something was missing. What did I need in order to make some kind of healing item? I wasn't exactly looking for a potion or some other kind of miracle. Nothing like nanomachines or super science either. Just something so I didn't take months to heal!

Oh. Right. Everything in front of me was tools or products of science. I very, very carefully got out of bed and crept out to the kitchen. I glanced at Dad's bedroom door. No lights on yet.

I went through the spice cabinet and grabbed a few bottles as well as some packs of tea. Yes, this was it. Herbs and spices, the stuff old medicinal remedies were made of. Making my way back to bed I then spread my new packages out. Sure, spices and tea weren't exactly the flowers or roots normally needed. Yet I didn't think my power would care too much.

The amount did matter though. I emptied the bottles and bags of tea into whole piles and cut each into two before sealing them. [Ground Basil, [Ground Ginger, [Ground Garlic, [Ground Chamomile, [Ground Sage, and [Ground Rosemary]. Simple kitchen spices but fuck I was out of options.

I combined one of the basil and ginger cards to get [Ground Herbal Spice]. Doing so with the chamomile and rosemary got the same thing. So, they're different base ingredients but get the same name. The pictures were different colors though. Slowly I combined those two cards.

[Ground Medicinal Herbs]. No rare card background on it. I had six kinds of spices though. I combined the remaining to into [Ground Herbal Spice] and then that into the [Ground Medicinal Herbs].

Hold up. Still no rare spider on the back on the card. Yet its name was [Ground Healing Herbs]. Maybe eastern medicines weren't crazy after all. No, I needed to make it a rare card. Something about rare cards had a strange power effect.

Damnit, herbs need water. Even if my body was numbed I could still feel the pain of moving my body so much now that it had gotten a taste of resting and adrenaline wasn't flooding my veins.

I was about to get a glass of water when I had an epiphany. The ice pack in the freezer!

The house groaned as Dad got up from his bed. No time to think about it. I grabbed the ice pack and rushed back to my room despite regretting every hurried step. It was sealed and quickly combined with my only hope.

Finally, a rare card. I love you, power. I regret and take back all those nasty things I thought before. [Healing Ice Pack]. Sure it wasn't going to make me have super regeneration but seriously, I was blessed with such a bullshit power. It just takes a lot of work, time and materials to do anything with it.

Wait, was this what being a Tinker felt like?

I cleared off all the shit on my bed and stood the vanity mirror over in the corner. Of course I made one more [Ground Healing Herbs] before I slept but kept it in reserve. I had unsealed it just to see how much it actually was. It ended up being the size of a tea bag. Size mattered to an extent when combining. An ice pack or drink was optimal, but I just knew if I tried to combine it with a piece of clothing it would do something stupid as hell like turn the entire shirt into useless grass.

Never forget the [Smoky Throne] and the [Motorized Grappling Copter Spy Drone].

Actually. A couple of minutes later I found the jar of burn cream that came with the first aid kit. It was small and practical, right? Never let it be said that my curiosity ever stopped me. I squinted at [Burn Cream Jar] and [Ground Healing Herbs] and overlapped them. The magnetic pull of energy between the two cards synced and one card sat between my fingers. A black spider on the back.

[Creamy Healing Herbs] stared at me with a picture of herbal plants that were made out of cream.

I threw the card across the room and grunted as a shock of pain struck me like lightning.

"Taylor, you awake?"

Of course, of course. I channeled my inner Discard and all of my recent acting experience.

"Mmn, yeah. Kicked my toe on the edge of my bed," I said in my best sleepy tone. Dad's shadow appeared next to my door. He wouldn't open the door, never while I was awake and in here. Not to respect my privacy, but because seeing me sometimes was too hard and what would we say to each other?

"Ah, okay. I'm going to work, alright? Um," started Dad. I already knew what was coming and loved that he was trying. I just didn't care. "Are you going to school today?"

"I… don't think I will. You said you were going to get me a leave of absence for a while, right?"

"Sure, kiddo. I'll try. Just don't get your hopes up, okay? It's been a full week already and, your principal is sort of. Well, not the easiest person to talk to." Yes, Dad, I understand more than you possibly know. "Okay, I'm going now. Call me at work if you're going to go out or need anything. If I don't pick up Lacy should be there instead."

Talking through a door was something most people might find uncomfortable or awkward. It was saddeningly normal for us as it made everything easier. "I got it, Dad."

I watched his shadow stay there for a minute of silence.

"Love you, Taylor."

"Love you too. Have fun? At work."

"I'll try."

Another minute of silence as his shadow stayed there. His footsteps were achingly loud in our house. Our house filled with us yet very empty. Guilt rose up like bile in my throat but I swallowed it. Buried it down deep. The front door closed and soon the rumble of the truck pulled out of the driveway.

I crawled out of bed and got my dumb card. I used the weird unnatural healing plants on my chest and side injuries along with my hands. The ice pack was laid across my face after I had edged back into bed.

"I'll try too, Dad,"

AN: I warned everyone. Some things are explained, some aren't. Powers are bullshit and Discard's is one of the biggest ones.

Last edited: Oct 25, 2018

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Glazt

Oct 25, 2018

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Glazt

Glazt

Writing for hate and no profit...

Oct 26, 2018

#616

So, a small interlude of dubious quality. Like, doing PHO shit is hard even when using a helper. Diss me on it, I dont care! I know it's not great but this is what you get damnit. There are fics made entirely out of PHO threads if you need a fix, you junkies!

As usual thank you for commenting, reading and just thanks in general. I read every comment even if I don't respond. Like you wouldn't believe.

So, quick thing. Word of True God (Wildbow) describes Dauntless' power different than what he shall have in this fic. Not like, Alt!Power shit or AU, but WoTG it takes months to a year to really get shit out with his power. Yeah, that just seems ridiculous compared to basically every other power, especially actual tinkers. So my Dauntless will have a quicker ramp up but fall off / evening out as well. Not the month to even get an item a power but days/week and it'll be a months to get something like the [Arclance] up instead of just boosting durability and then power. Sorry if this breaks immersion but seriously, years? His Shard was being lazy.

I had to rewrite this chapter twice and I still am not really satisfied with it, but it at least hits most of the notes I want. If I was a perfectionist I wouldn't publish anything ever. Casual!Fic writer forever...

1.p Interlude

-

Emily Piggot was not having a good morning. In fact it wasn't what she would call her morning due to working around noon and so late into the night the sun would rise before she slept. It was understandable between needing dialysis for her kidneys that had all but destroyed her once trained physique and being the Director of the local Parahuman Response Team that she rather enjoyed her sleep.

"—the hell were you thinking?! Villain or not she is a teenage girl without any brute ratings! Probably around the same age as the Wards for gods sakes, and to act like that in front of them? Gallant and Aegis should get fucking medals for pulling your ass out of—"

Here she was, at her desk in her office at eight o'clock in the morning berating a hero. One of her heroes she was supposed to work alongside and help advise. In Brockton Bay that equated to control and reign in because the cape scene was far worse than other cities. On a good day in her city there were at minimum two crimes reported caused by villains alone. When she got into the amount of gang or basic human crimes that were sorted between the BBPD and PRT? Her staff felt like a skeleton crew without legs.

"—kicked so hard she went flying. Flying! Are you an idiot? Of course when you fly at them momentum will carry, not to mention your armor gives makes you stronger. What do you mean you forgot?! Gods, if this is a nightmare please wake me up or kill me now. After making the villain into a ragdoll what do you do? You hoist her up by—"

Armsmaster was standing in the corner at attention, his helmet covering his face and with his body posture strictly neutral. Emily knew that he had a disdain for Dauntless. Not enough to make the man be unprofessional. After all, Dauntless' success reflected back on him as the leader of the Protectorate East-Northeast. It also went for his failures, but Armsmaster had privately stated his dislike of how Dauntless got an easy ride with his power. Perhaps if Dauntless had also shown to put in as much effort training or had acted respectfully it would be different.

She knew there was a smile under that helmet. Not too bad on a normal person, but on Armsmaster? The man who said his stoicism is due to 'efficiently expressed emotions'? It was akin to a shit-eating grin.

"—bad enough you had orders to not engage! I told you personally that since she could steal your Arclance you weren't to go near her until we got more information. Armsmaster got the same warning. Not only did you disobey me, but you also didn't report it to the Wards' console operator. They didn't know your orders or get the same instructions because Kid Win has pistols and everyone else doesn't use weapons. Of course they don't! Stalker only gets away with her shit because—"

Her voice was getting hoarse even as her anger rose with each thing she read in the after action report. Not Dauntless' report, because it had been brief and full of lies by omission. She had read Clockblocker's report of all things because it was the most detailed and unbiased of the lot. The other Wards tried but didn't have enough time to get it all down on paper properly. Clockblocker was uncharacteristically serious when he handed it to Emily the moment she walked into the building.

"--and in the end she stole another piece of gear! Losing your mobility when you are our second fastest responder is a fiasco. Velocity, god he tries, is more fit to deal with the unpowered criminals. Now Armsmaster is our fastest anti-brute responder and he has to cover over twice the area of his standard patrols because of this."

She paused to catch her breath. Her throat felt like sandpaper and she could feel the blood rushing to her head. Emily sat down in her chair and with the force of will to defeat the impending heart-attack she felt coming she asked the question she knew she wouldn't get an answer she liked to.

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

Dauntless stood there without his helmet so she could see him. See the person behind the mask. Eric Raysor looked like a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar. The man was clearly regretting his decision, but it looked like it was only due to the fact that he got caught and fucked it all up. Not that he shouldn't have done it in the first place.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Director Piggot Ma'am. I was, well, thinking over the bank battle until I heard the Wards were engaging Discard. I..." He clenched his jaw trying to word his damning thoughts. Emily could read him like an open book. He was far, far away from the level of bullshitting that Assault got up to. "When I heard it was four to one I thought it would be an easy arrest. In order to get my Arclance back. The thought really got me focused, and then I got upset over how I let it get stolen and pushed that blame onto DIscard. When she taunted me I...

"I know I fucked up. I fucked up bad. Just, after she took my boots too I could only see red."

Piggot clasped her fingers together and agreed. "You are to write both Gallant and Aegis an apology and commend them on their actions in the field. In fact, you're writing an apology to all the Wards as well as to the public for your actions. Don't worry, we'll run it by the PRT Public Relations Department to make it the best we can."

The color drained from Eric's face. "Public apology?"

"Oh yes, we're truly up shit creek without a paddle. Somehow a few hours after this whole incident and before I was ever informed, someone put everything up on that damned website PHO. Videos of both the bank robbery and the jewelry store battle."

It pissed Emily off to an extent she thought hazardous to her health. "Fucking hell, they used Kid Win's helmet camera and whatever that abomination Discard had made to get the entire shitshow on film. We know it was the Undersiders, just not who and how exactly they got their hands on that material. It implies that we have a leak with access to our databases."

Eric, Dauntless, sometimes it was hard to think of capes as more than damaged people or faceless masks. He stumbled back and caught himself against the wall, aghast at the implications Emily dropped. "There are a lot of people denouncing you, Rising Star of Brockton Bay. Of course the lunatics and victims of villains defend your name but a majority of the public wants blood. They don't see Discard as an insane villain, but a young girl making jokes while performing victimless robberies. Who plays with the kid gloves when fighting Wards, children who they desperately don't want to view as child soldiers in the war against evil. Children they think you traumatized."

"But, I didn't—I mean this city, they've seen far worse than—"

"That doesn't mean it's right or that the public cares, Dauntless. As of right now you're suspended for two weeks and on probation for another two weeks. I'd make it far longer if we didn't need every damn hero we can get in this city. The review board will be processing your case as soon as it can."

"O-okay."

"Continue powering your new gauntlets and see if you can find a way to get mobility back. Don't hold your hopes on recovering your stolen equipment. We as the PRT and Protectorate will do anything we can to help, but there will be no more incidents like this. Is that understood?"

Dauntless glanced between Emily and Armsmaster. "Yeah, sorry, yes. It's understood."

"Dismissed." Emily waved him away. Dauntless put on his helmet and walked out without a word.

Emily covered her face in her hands and refused to scream in rage. It was okay to show a bit of a personal weakness as long it was only Armsmaster in the room. They had worked together well and understood more or less what the other's objectives were.

"His punishment is too light. The public will never stand for it," Armsmaster stated.

"I know, but we'll use everything we can so they don't bench him or ship him off to another city. We cannot lose a hero as versatile as Dauntless right now. It seems like the status quo is being held up but there's shit rumbling underneath. We need all hands on deck if we're going to do anything other than sink."

"Agreed," said Armsmaster. "It is odd how Discard managed to steal equipment from Dauntless. I didn't think of it, but isn't his gear bonded to him somehow? I don't ever recall hearing him having ever lost any before."

Emily scowled. "Yes, it is. The fact that she can take it, in addition use it with no problems, means she has a hefty Trump rating. Right now she's tentatively labeled as a Striker slash Trump 7."

Armsmaster grunted. "Slash? The same as Dauntless then?"

"It's clear that she isn't a tinker, yet she can empower items that in addition to transforming items into cards. A shipping container is thousands of pounds. We have no idea of her limit yet but even that itself implies that she's capable of very dangerous things." Emily went through Clockblocker's report once more. "And it seems she's only getting more creative or experienced with it."

Emily tapped on the paper report. "It says here she offered a trade. Now, I wouldn't ever condone negotiating with villains but Dauntless isn't going to be worth more for at the least a month. He can burn a daily charge as he did against Discard to temporarily empower an item for a couple minutes, but that won't work at all. We need him for more than one minute a damn day."

Armsmaster shifted in a way Emily guessed was discomfort. It was so slight in his power armor that if she didn't know the man it might've just been her imagination. "A trade?"

"I'm not suggesting any of your work, of course. It's an avenue to look into."

"Understood."

"Send Gallant in."

Armsmaster opened the door to let in Dean Stansfield. His shoulders were tense, posture perfectly straight and head held high. "Director Piggot."

"Gallant," she waved him forward. "I'm not here to reprimand you for anything. I should be commending you and the other Wards. Everyone performed exactly how they should've."

"Thank you, ma'am," said Dean. "We could do better now that we know more about Discard's power."

Right, this new small-time villain's power. A power that she desperately wanted in her Wards. She had watched both videos before speaking to Dauntless and what she saw scared her. An ability akin to instant teleportation of anything up to two tons easily? Somehow creating things that were powered by themselves? The ability to transform any blast taken or weapon that struck her into her own?

If Watchdog, her character profilers and the videos didn't all say the girl's personality was sandbagging her encounters as well as reacting horribly to hurting anyone seriously she would have had the girl brought down immediately. Hell, she wished they could have taken her down in the bank.

No, Emily needed to put up her speedster or brutes against the girl to catch her. They needed to employ teleporter tactics against her.

"Gallant, why do you think Discard reacted to your blasts like she did?"

"I've been thinking on that. Everyone reacts to emotions differently, and Discard was very cool-headed and pragmatic during our fight."

This was surprising to Emily. "You're sure? Of course you are. Go on."

Dean nodded. "Everything she does in with purpose. The preparation, the dramatics and flair, it's all so she can cultivate an image. That's how I read her anyway."

"A stage persona. Playing up the magic angle?"

"Yes, similar to Mouse Protector, The Sun Knight, or Myrddin if we're going by nearby heroes. Except she takes it extremely seriously." Dean paused. "Perhaps more than that, if she even noticed.

"I didn't get to finish my report but it was how I kept her from fleeing. The girl in the mask was exhausted and wanted nothing more to run, but calling her out made the cape who is Discard need to prove she earned her riches."

Emily did not need this in her city, but at least it was better than another Oni Lee. "She has something to prove or something she needs doing. Have Aegis bring this up in your debriefing: play along with her and keep it on the level. We have eyes on us now, but know that if you get a confirmed shot at taking her down? Do it."

"Ma'am," said Dean. "I think Vista and Clockblocker will be crucial to capturing her."

Emily groaned. "That's the last thing I want even if I agree. Fine, he's off punishment duty. Be prepared, Gallant. Something is stirring and I want us ready to shut it down when it pops. Dismissed."

Dean exited her office leaving Armsmaster standing at attention. "Same goes for Miss Militia. If she can show restraint and not act a fool just because some villain reminds her of Mouse Protector she can get off her punishment duty as well. Make sure she knows that we can't make any more appearance mistakes, especially after her headshot joke is being shown without context."

"Understood. By your leave?"

Emily waved him off.

She brooded in her office alone as two videos ran side by side on her computer and one report of a hundred more was in her hand. Emily tapped her intercom. "Sandra, I need my usual coffee ten minutes ago."

"Yes ma'am!"

It was a pain in the ass but she needed to bring in an expert on how to fight her latest problem. Someone who was experienced in the particular lunacy Discard was playing up and also knowledgeable about detaining teleporters.

She grabbed her phone and dialed.

"Hello?"

"Director Armstrong, I need your assistance. If I remember correctly you had the number of—"

——

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Topic: Discard, Not-So Phantom Lady Thief?

In: Boards Places America Brockton Bay Discussion (Public Board)

AllSeeingEye (Original Poster) (Verified Psychic) (The Girl In The Know)

Posted on January 26, 2011:

It's everyone's favorite psychic detective, AllSeeingEye! Now, the spirits told me of some very juicy gossip.

Folks, we have a new villain in our midst. Earlier today the Brockton Bay Central Bank was robbed by a villain by her lonesome! Now, don't worry about the folks that happened to be inside the bank because the villainess let them leave. No hassle, no problem!

She then went on to rob the vault of all its money, leaving behind all the precious items in those little deposit boxes, and then waited for the heroes to arrive.

Yes, my loyal tin-foil hatted companions. We have ourselves a villain right out of the storybooks, but before we get into the discussion everyone must watch the show in action.

Link 1 / Link 2

The first is security footage so I apologize for the quality. The second was something I ran across on the less unsavory parts of the web so please don't ask. Hushush, whisper whisper it belongs to the PRT.

Her name is Discard and it appears her powers are keyed teleportation. Oh ho, is she similar to a certain other teleporter?

@ Feline_Arrester

Edit: Woah kids, this next video is not for the faint of heart. Be warned at 7:44 that it gets mean.

Another robbery, another great video. Except until Dauntass appears.

Link 1 / Link 2

Yes, the first video is another PRT owned stream. The next was actually sent to me directly by an anon, but I suspect it's definitely of nefarious origin.

Kyaah~

(Showing Page 32 of 35)

PunyGod (Verified Not-Loki)

Replied on January 28, 2011:

Now, let's not all jump to conclusions, because there's nothing that seems to justify how Dauntless acted. However, hear me out, what if there was information we're missing?

It's easy to see how Discard's personality can send someone into a frenzy.

Dead_Horse_Beaten (Is A Real Horse)

Replied on January 28, 2011:

Holy shit, what even the fuck? I was thinking this was a good ride, plenty of ham and cheese with the Wards even playing along (I love you Gallant) and then Mister Jerkface drops out of nowhere to dropkick our new girl? I don't know about you all, but that costume doesn't look armored.

Tackle_Gnoll (Not A Dog)

Replied on January 28, 2011:

Honestly, what did she expect? What did we expect? There can never be any comedic villain in BB. What did she call the ABB and E88, petty tyrants?

This is why we can't have nice things.

Germination_Station (microbe warlord)

Replied on January 28, 2011:

@ Deer_Kid

Dude, it doesn't matter if losing his equipment somehow equates to a possibility of civilian risks in the future. That's a fact of living in the Bay, sad as it is to fucking say. If they can't just throw Dauntless at it they would grab Armsmaster or Miss Militia.

It does not allow him to kick the everloving shit out of a teenage cape, villain or not. Did you even watch the video? The Wards and her were going soft on each other. Gods, you can hear it when she breaks character in concern.

Lord Doomitron (Verified Cape)

Replied on January 28, 2011:

This is just pure inappropriate behaviour for a hero! I would be appalled to fight such a hero in my town, especially if they had the gall to act like a petulant child at the mere fact that I had performed a crime.

The girl is clearly a thieving magician (for all magicians are thieves. I'm looking at you Myrddin.) The Wards had that handled even if they were suffering setbacks.

And what about these Undersiders? Did Miss Discard get herself a team in so short a time or is this what they mean about gang recruitment when they talk about Brockton Bay?

Deer_Kid

Replied on January 28, 2011:

@ Germination_Station

All I'm saying is that Dauntless had reasons for what he did. His power on the wiki says that it takes him a month at minimum to have something start showing good progress. Losing his main weapon wouldn't allow him to handle any cape fight, let alone a major crime. Hell, look at the video. He couldn't even take the Undersiders and they're a low-time group that runs away half the time! His method was wrong but the law is on his side. Discard is the criminal here, not a Hero with one mistake under his career.

Winged_one (Confirmed Angel)

Replied on January 28, 2011:

Interesting...

Joshin_Da_Love (In Love)

Replied on January 28, 2011:

This is fake. That blood is clearly red dye and her sounds are cheaper than the plastic her mask is made out of. Don't fall for it guys, she's a stage magician! Of course she's faking it all to turn us against our heroes.

Dead_Horse_Beaten (Is A Real Horse)

Replied on January 28, 2011:

@ Joshin_Da_Love

Are you an idiot? Discard is fucked up bad, jeez you can just hear the damage done with that scream. Dauntless was flying fast AND he's known to be strong in his armor. Fuck, the video cuts out after the smoke blows up. Did she die? PRT WE NEED ANSWERS!

Pbthhhht (Super-reader)

Replied on January 28, 2011:

Did anyone else notice that she yoinked his boots?

End of Page. 1, 2, 3 ... 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35

Topic: Bay Walkers Beware (IMPORTANT!)

In: Boards Places America Brockton Bay

TDH (Original Poster) (Verified Health Nut)

Posted on January 26, 2011:

Citizens of Brockton Bay,

Beware. The local gangs have been antsy as of late and there have been a lot of movement from the ground level thugs. As a target of all three notable gangs I take great care to be peceptive of when I'm safe.

There have been more sightings of Empire 88 thugs and even a few of Cricket or Stormtiger down near the Boardwalk.

Oni Lee had a battle with Hookwolf down in the Docks.

Don't know much about the Merchants but you should always be wary of strungout drug addicts.

Todays health tip: Buy good running shoes. A slip or stumble will be detrimental to your overall health.

(Showing Page 4 of 4)

ChockaBlocka (Word Warrior)

Replied on January 28, 2011:

There was a large gathering of the ABB near Elton Way. That's further out than their usual hanging spot.

Scizor (Temp-banned) (Scissor)

Replied on January 28, 2011:

look we aretn lookin for trouble oaky? come near the merchants and you lose ya money and maybe dem toes. STAY OUT!

Blue_Moon_Groupie (Cape Groupie)

Replied on January 28, 2011:

I live Downtown so it's pretty nice and we don't have too many gang problems, but I've been seeing more gang tags on the walls in my neighborhood.

Lochart and Fourth FYI.

SupaSpoon

Replied on January 29, 2011:

guys, did anyone see the prt and discard shit? Off-topic but maybe not. movement might be because dauntless is out of action!

ChockaBlocka (Word Warrior)

Replied on January 29, 2011:

@ SupaSpoon

Fuck really?

TDH (Original Poster) (Verified Health Nut)

Replied on January 29, 2011:

I've seen the videos and will not comment on how Dauntless acted or his justifications against a villain such as Discard. It explains the gang movement to an extent at least. Please keep posting areas to avoid as it could save a life.

End of Page. 1, 2, 3, 4

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Card_Captor: So I just send a picture?

Tin_Mother: Yes, something with your username in it.

Card_Captor: Sent.

Card_Captor: Hello?

Tin_Mother: Oh, yes you're all good. Thank you for your patience.

Card_Captor: Uh, hello? Why do I have two tags?

Card_Captor: What is this second tag?

Card_Captor: Why is it magical girl?

Last edited: Oct 27, 2018

1228

Glazt

Oct 26, 2018

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Threadmarks 2.1 Pertinacity

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Glazt

Glazt

Writing for hate and no profit...

Oct 27, 2018

#803

Once more is a chapter that is but a bit slice of life and all about relaxation, nothing too long and just enough to start that steady climb back to shenanigans. Not much to comment on this one except that we'll get back to the ham and cheese soon enough! Alas I, as the author, feel that incessant need to put a drop of reality and a dash of angst to this cooking pot so it's not all sweet and soupy.

Now, yes yes, I've been hearing all the comments about needing a beta and improving my writing. People, please, feedback and criticism are something I always want! Of course I might complain about your complaining about my co- well you get it.

So many thanks to Doctor_Shenanigans! (Perfect name btw) I'm thinking about multiple betas but I don't want to slow down chapter publishing too far even if it'd probly help the minor errors two people can miss. I have no doubt it'll pace down eventually, for real, so I'm keeping it going as long as I can until my fingers fall off and I need a necromancer to help.

As always thank you to the readers for giving me their time.

2.1 Pertinacity

-

Waking up after having slept nearly fourteen hours wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. I imagined twisting the wrong way and getting a full course of agony with a side of torture, or perhaps seeing my flesh melt off because my power lied to me about being able to heal from kitchen spices. A pounding migraine, blurry vision that wasn't because I needed glasses, and feeling like my skin was paper was an overall positive compared to last night.

The [Pain Relieving Sleepwear, for I had combined the shirt and pants together being reasonably sure that it would make it a set of clothes, was a godsend. It made me functional when I wasn't even sure how I stayed conscious enough to walk home. Still, fourteen hours of pleasant sleep meant that I had to get out of bed and be presentable when Dad got home.

That is if he got home seeing as it was long past dinner time. It wasn't anything new or something that surprised me, maybe something I was even thankful for right now. No, on second thought, I'd rather have my Dad back to his old self.

Crawling out of bed was harder than robbing a bank.

I went through a thorough inspection of my injuries and how they were doing. The beige colored junk that was the [Creamy Healing Herbs] were hardened and crusty like a bad scab. When I very carefully washed it off in the bathroom it revealed pink, purple and yellow flesh beneath. My entire side that was a massive bruise with parts clearly showing new skin and muscle where it was torn off yesterday.

My legs fared a little better since there wasn't enough of the cream to cover the less important spots, but overall I didn't look like a horror movie victim. The results of the [Healing Ice Pack] were far less dramatic, yet still noticeable enough. Was it the difference between an item with a single use and a reusable one? Either way, I was on my way to a bullshit recovery that would take up at least a week.

A long, miserable week of staying home and resting.

If Dad managed to get a leave of absence then I could avoid school for a while longer. My grades were so tanked that I was likely going to repeat the year. Come to think of it, did I need to go to school anymore? There were other ways to get a proper education other than going to the cesspool that was Winslow High. Options that cost money, but that was something I had quite a lot of now. I could explain it away to Dad as applying for a scholarship or a grant, something he might question considering it would need his approval but he rarely looked at anything closely anymore.

I laid back down into bed, draped the somehow still cold ice pack over my face, and tried to clear my mind. Not even ten minutes passed before I grew bored and went to the living room to watch television. There were so many more important things I could be doing, such as inspecting all my loot I gathered, testing combinations, or cooking a healthy meal. Instead, I grabbed the salt and vinegar chips, plopped down in the recliner and clicked the remote.

Sometimes I had to be a teenager and if not when I was injured and recovering, when would I? Nothing good appeared to be on at the moment, or rather everything was on and I didn't care as I flipped between the channels. A romantic drama about a villain and hero; the documentary of the rise of The Three Blasphemies; footage of last night's fight; the latest episode of the Mouse Protector cartoon; some series about red guys versus blue guys.

Wait just a damn moment. I flipped several channels back to the news.

There was footage of my battle with the heroes in the corner of the screen playing silently as a pleasant looking lady in purple was talking. "This is Lisa Lavender with BBN coming out with a shocking news story that has the public crying for punishment. Early this morning we had a heist pulled by a new villain that goes by the name Discard. Nothing new to us Brocktonites, I'm well aware."

I couldn't help but stuff my mouth full of chips as I stared on in interest. Conflicting emotions fought inside me as I really hated the idea of masses seeing me at all and Discard loving and needing the attention to her image. Also how in the hell was there footage? I destroyed all the security cameras, or at least taken them and made them unworkable, and this didn't look like a tape recorder or camera phone filming.

"So why, you may ask, is this a shocking story? Because it has our own Rising Star crossing lines that make the parent in us all cry out." Video began to play with sound starting with my dramatic opening from when Kid Win and Aegis showed up. I cringed at the lines just as much as at the mistakes I made in movement and timing since it was being shown to all of Brockton Bay.

"A teenage villain, one who cracks witty lines and acts with a lighthearted flair, is not something we've come to associate with our villains. A criminal she may be, and I do hope she is arrested soon, but it should never be like what you're about to see.," said Lisa Lavender with a frown that still made her look pretty.

Watching Dauntless kick the everloving shit out of me as I ate chips was a bit surreal yet satisfying to know. "I, for one, support the heroes that do battle with the forces of evil. Yet, it's a struggle to support a hero who reacts violently when there was little need. The topic is an intense debate on the popular website Parahumans Online where the videos first originated. This is the first mistake our hometown hero has made in his career, or is it the only one we know of?

"The PRT has issued a response saying that Dauntless will be giving a public apology on his actions and motivations later this week. Full details will be during a press conference with the PRT's Director Emily Piggot. In other news about our cape locale, the Protectorate successfully crashed an Empire Eighty-Eight rally at the same time this was going on. A good change in fortune compared to the incompetent display of last week's similar incident."

Now that was a little bit unfair. A public apology for beating up a villain? Half the heroes perform excessive violence all the time! Heck, New Wave's Glory Girl is infamous for her tendency to destroy property in every appearance. Who's to say she doesn't do the same to the criminals she captures? Okay, I admit he was being very unheroic with throwing a fit over me having stolen his stuff, but I think I'd react similarly.

I turned back to the cape romance drama and relaxed in the recliner. Perhaps my reaction wouldn't be so childish, for Discard would never be that, but dark emotions bubbled inside me at the thought of being stolen from. Excessive violence might not be completely off the table.

Still, I should plan to make a showing at his apology if only to tell him I forgive him. Do I actually forgive him? I'm leaning toward hell no, but it would be the thing to do as Discard in order to reinforce the image she represents. I was surprisingly not as angry as I think I should've been over the ordeal. I was clearly in the wrong for the most part, and I had stolen his main weapon he used against other villains. Maybe I'd be looking up for revenge if I didn't have recovery boosting items or had to languish in pain every second of the day, but I didn't so I wasn't.

Just for one day I was going to forget about cape business, about the devouring void that rested inside me that was currently appeased with my actions, about school and the Trio who made my entire high school existence hellish.

The house phone rang twice before I bothered to pick it up off the stand sitting next to the recliner. It was the natural spot to have it since Dad rarely moved from the spot when he was home. "Hello, Hebert residence."

"Hey, kiddo. How are you doing?"

Well, it looked like I couldn't forget about Dad. "Fine, just watching t.v."

"Okay, I guess that's okay. I called earlier and there was no answer." Him not-so-subtly implying I left the house without telling him annoyed me since it would be the first time I didn't do so and him noticing.

"Yeah, I just woke up a little bit ago. Wasn't feeling very well last night and my body crashed."

"Do we need to visit a doctor?" Yes, I do.

"No, no, I'm feeling better." Technically I was. "When are you coming home?"

"Ah. about that," said Dad, That was his way of starting bad news. "Kurt was attacked by one of the gangs and I'm currently at the hospital with him. I hate to leave you by yourself, but, well, you'll be fine, right?"

"Of course, just means I don't have to cook for two. Is he alright?"

"Yes and no, we're still waiting on information but he'll live. It doesn't look like I'll be home 'til tomorrow."

The salt and vinegar chips tasted a little sourer. "Alright."

Dad tried to start up again, no doubt to explain to me or something along those lines but each breath died in his throat. "Love you."

"...Love you too, Dad."

I hung up.

That ruined my mood, appetite, and willingness to be a teenager all in one. Relaxation time lasted thirty-four minutes and then died a miserable death. I turned off the television and went to do what I should've started the morning with: organizing my ill-gotten gains.

I think that sitting on my bed and taking stock on what cards I owned could be a very teenager thing to do. Collectible cards of all sorts, especially cape cards, were fairly popular with younger kids. My collection was spread out over my sheet covers and in my hand as I organized them.

It was a lot less than I wanted, yet the quality of many cards was something that made me happy. There wasn't a single solid obstacle card left anywhere. Sure, I had ones like the [Vault Door] or [Glass Door] cards, but those were for my display room! There was one [Shipping Container] much to my regret of using the other.

A pit was forming in my stomach as I did a double-check of my inventory, and worsened when I finally realized what was wrong. Both the [Arclance] and [Shock Baton] were missing. Last night was a blur after a certain spartan hero throttled me, but to have lost both of my amazing weapons?

The situation wasn't exactly dire but pissed me off that I had lost something that belonged to me. On the other hand, I had gotten an absolute ton of shiny valuables that appeased me much more than my bank robbery. Nothing I could directly use, unlike the cash, but it offset the nasty emotions.

Then there's the true rewards for my troubles: the power cards. My hands are always moving while I'm Discard so it didn't surprise me that I managed to store a dozen [Blaster Bolt, two [Concussive Blast] cards that must've come from Gallant, and something called [Deep Darkness]. Of course, the best one of them all also made me feel equally guilty.

Two silver greaves covered in white lightning amidst a thunderstorm background, the golden spider on the back declaring it an ultra-rare or legendary card, and the nameplate beneath the picture: [Skysteps]. I admit to squealing like a giggling girl for once in my life because I didn't recall ever stealing them. Power, you have my permission to steal more stuff like this if you're doing so behind my back.

Dauntless' naming sense continued to be lame, even if I had no ground to stand on since my Power named everything I touched. I unsealed the [Skysteps] and immediately resisted the urge to toss them across the room. Not only would that physically suck because they were heavier than they looked, I really loved them and didn't want to damage them. The fact that I was sure I couldn't damage Dauntless' gear in any way didn't matter.

The fucking boots were too big for me. I was about the right height to wear them, even if it was a bit unwieldy, but I had no muscle to fill them in and Dauntless' gigantic feet ruined it for me. There was literally no way I was giving them back because flying sounded super cool and was something every ground-bound human dreamed of.

I was never one to stop when I should though, and just because I could never use them as Discard didn't mean I couldn't put them on. From the moment I touched the [Skysteps] I could feel that familiar trigger inside my head waiting to be pulled and controlled. Doing so lit up the boots in lightning and began to pull me off the ground.

It shouldn't have scared me but it did, so they were sealed and I plopped back onto my bed unhurt except in pride. One does not simply fly in boots large enough you feel like you might fall out of while being seriously injured. That and the oversight of not testing whether or not it had a tracker was stupid, especially after I had stolen the [Arclance].

So outside of the mangled mess of supplies left from what I bought at the Market and my cards I was most definitely going to be using in combinations, there was one sitting off to the side. I didn't want to look or think about it at the time because it still made me think of happier days and the reason why those didn't exist anymore.

The [Disposable Cellphone] was a card I hesitated to touch. It wasn't something I bought, for I wouldn't buy a cellphone after what happened to Mom, and I don't remember stealing one from somebody for the same reason. Power, you no longer have my permission to steal things without my say so.

What to do with it? The curiosity of knowing was creeping up on me with its claws bared ready to strike. Careful was a word I wasn't being today because I unsealed it in my house. Waiting a few days until I was capable of going out was definitely not happening. It's okay, I was just looking.

It was a simple black brick phone, the brand having been scratched off and buttons barely used. The contacts list was a string of numbers or simple letter combinations that were shorthand or code that was making me suspect I had a phone of legal dubiousness in my possession.

The phone rang.

Yeah, no, that was immediately sealed. Not in my home or anywhere near it. I put that card out of sight to keep it out of mind and focused back to the important fact that I had no weapons and the [Skysteps] were useless to me even if they were lovely.

As much as I wanted to keep them they were far more useful to me as a combination ingredient. The idea of messing them up didn't seem to be possible considering as long as I didn't do something idiotic like combine them with a jar of pickles or cinder block they would be enough.

"Actually," I mumbled pulling out [The Magician's Mask]. It depicted my costume but it lacked two things: gloves and shoes. I'd been wearing my trainers because they were comfortable and dark brown to blend in.

I held the two cards inches away from each other. This is a decision I could never take back. Okay, it sort of was as my costume could be replaced with a similar version. Losing the [Skysteps] wouldn't do anything except make both myself and Dauntless cry.

Do I do it? I weighed the pros and cons versus each other and eventually, the pros won. The combination logic was something I was beginning to understand anyway, and I had a very good feeling about this. I couldn't exactly predict the result, but it should give me at least some variation of mobility.

That or turn my costume into immaterial lightning that floats.

Fuck it. The two cards touched each other and merged into a singular card. At times like these I really wished there was a flash of light or some sort of accompanying flair because it was fairly boring otherwise.

At first glance nothing changed and the [Skysteps] had simply disappeared. Of course, I knew that was impossible because my costume was a rare card, not a legendary like this new one. The background was a theater stage lightly illuminated by a spotlight, and in that light was my costume almost as it formerly was.

The only differences were the black single-strap comfort shoes barely hidden behind the skirt and the nameplate reading [True Magician's Mask]. I bit my lip as I wanted to equip it to see what the difference was, but the mere idea of being outside of my [Pain Relieving Sleepwear] sounded like something I'd immediately regret.

I lasted seconds versus my curiosity as I enjoyed how the [True Magician's Mask] felt extremely comfortable. I had really tried hard to resist this time.

As comfortable as it was, and it was far more so than it had been, there was nothing like Dauntless' item's normal presence in the back of my mind. I carefully took several steps forward, the clothes brushing against my injuries and sending flares of pain across my body, with nothing different.

That brief moment I had floated in the [Skysteps] came to mind. Damn, was that the closest I'd ever get to flying? I went back to my bed and nearly tripped against it. Damn thing hit me in my shins.

My bed which normally reached my waist. Oh, I was standing on empty air.

I broke out in laughs. Fuck yes! Not flying, sure, but it was a form of flying. I wasn't beating Legend in any contests, but this was subtle as hell compared to the lightning boot-wings. It also fit my image and that was super important.

Each step hit something solid even as I was a foot off the ground. My body was crying for me to stop and go relax in my nice bloody gauze clothes, but screw that. I checked myself out in my vanity mirror and admitted I was awesome. Yes, that feeling of confidence and assurance that those bullies beat out of me? They couldn't take this away. I was better than them, above them literally, and if they wanted to demean this for me? I wouldn't stand for it.

A stitch in my ribs made me calm down from my twirling around so I calmed down from my elation and made my way back to my bed. Or at least, I tried to. Not sure how my bed ended up on my ceiling, but I have it on good odds my power was bullshit.

The ceiling lamp was next to my foot telling me that gravity often didn't mean shit to flight. I had barely noticed because normally you'd feel the blood rushing to your head or stomach flip, yet I felt fine no matter my directional orientation.

"Well then," I stated as if it summed up everything. Which it did.

I was definitely attending Dauntless' public apology. He deserved one of my own.

AN: I always feel bad for Danny and Taylor, but I swear it might possibly be leading to something. Or not. A bit of life, drama, introspection, and card combining. A small homely chapter for all! I'd like to do more pure card combination chapters but it would slow the fic down and I have the need to push on with the story. So while we might get on the fly combinations, it'll be solitary moments like this or explanations after-the-fact. I need to get back to that action everyone craves. Ham? I'm a turkey person myself.

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Glazt

Oct 27, 2018

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Threadmarks 2.2 Pertinacity

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Glazt

Glazt

Writing for hate and no profit...

Oct 28, 2018

#939

So, I think I end up writing the Undersiders badly because fanon and late canon have corrupted me so hard. Forgive me for that, haha. Thinkers in general are horrible, and props to all Thinker!Taylor authors out there. To all those card combination posts, lovely lovely stuff. Sadly she doesn't spend all her time experimenting because she already has so many things to be doing (on-screen and the author is lazy about writing off-screen combos) but we'll see if she makes proper time for some real preparation!

Here we are again, still far too often but I think I'm taking Sunday's off (and the entire week. Week on, week off? Who knows, I said stuff last weekend too.) These little author startings mean nothing to binge readers but hey, I love you all whether you've been with me every day or are just reading it in one go.

Thank you all for your time and patience. Give your love to Doctor_Shenanigans for beta reading this awful mess I call words!

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2.2 Pertinacity

-

A few days later it was the start of February and the chill weather was warming up, which was why I was enjoying the scenery of the local dog park. The [Disposable Cellphone] card rolled between my fingers as I practiced my finger dexterity, my thoughts revolving around the black brick. It was fairly certain that this phone belonged to one of the Undersiders and I wasn't quite sure what to do with it.

I was back in decent health, my injuries having died down to mere bruises, so this was my first day truly out and about. Dad thought I was visiting the library to try and keep up with my studies, something I actually should be doing, and it irked me that he didn't think to ask anything more. Was it that he trusted me that much or that he didn't care enough to think further than my lies?

I unsealed the phone and tossed it up and down in my hand, half wanting to drop it so that I might be rid of the problem is caused, when it rang. That was abnormally quick, and it did that the last time I unsealed it to. To pick up or not pick up, that was the question.

Well, why not? I answered and got nothing but static. No, not static but the sound of air and ambient background noise. Seeing as I had time and the day in the park was nice I sat there for over thirty minutes with my ear to the phone simply listening. Footsteps came and went, some distorted sounds of a videogame or action movie, and dogs barking were all I got for my trouble.

"Wait, is this on?" said a female voice. "F-"

I hung up.

So, either my power was making the phone magically connect to another phone or someone had something automatically calling and forgot about it over the week. The latter was likely, but I could never discount when my power was trying to prank me. The phone rang once more and I habitually picked up.

"Finally, do you know h-"

"Hello, H-"

I hung up again. Fuck, you never realize how easy it is to say or do something you're used to when not trying to change it. Okay, time to get into Discard Mode. Think funny of quips, annoying puns and the ruining of heroic careers. It was harder to do when I wasn't wearing my costume because as Taylor I wasn't good at any of those things.

I dialed back the number and cleared my throat. As soon as it picked up I laughed, "Hello, my wonderful fan. Sorry that I was too preoccupied to take your call this week, but you know how the show business is. How can I help you today?"

"Do you do this on purpose? Yes, you do." Ah, the voice was Tats, or Tattletale. "Hi, how are you doing? Good? Oh, actually good? Damn, you're really okay, that's great. We thought Dauntless killed you and tossed you into the bay."

Wow, that's morbid if not something impossible given how the fight went. "Truly, I'm astonished at your lack of faith in my abilities. I admit it was a rough patch, but we entertainers are nothing if not persistent. My real question is how one of my adoring fan's phone ended up in my pocket."

"Hah, laying it on thick even out of costume, huh? Yep, relaxing at home? No, outside, at the dog park?" My finger immediately went to hang up. "Wait, wait! I'm not trying to scare you off, but we were serious about that rescue. Didn't appreciate the whole tasering you gave me, but hey, we'll call it even if you meet up with us."

Mentioning my whereabouts out of costume was a pretty awful way not to scare me. Was the phone trapped or something? My memory of the night was hazy but I trusted that my gut when it said that there were hidden motives here.

"The phone isn't bugged, I'm just that good. So about that meetup?"

"No, my time is pretty valuable. Places to be, fans to greet and all heists to do. Perhaps some other time."

"We have the [Arclance]! It's useless to us since it's a card, but meet us and we'll give it back."

"Where?" No hesitation.

"Depends, we talking casual or fancy clothes?"

Out of or in costume? "How dare you, I don't own anything but fancy clothes."

Tattletale gave me directions that were close to here, of course she would considering she guessed where I was at. "Forty minutes and on top of the roof good for you?"

"Sure thing, Tats. I'll bring autographs," I said and hung up before she could reply.

I had been wondering where the [Arclance] had gone off to along with my [Shock Baton]. Sure, it was dangerous to meet villains, doubly so for ones who were telling me they were trying to help, but what could I do? They had my shiny stick and damn did I want it back.

When I neared the building they talked about, some squat diner with a drive-in movie screen, I slipped into my costume. The place was practically deserted due to it still being daylight and I doubt anyone came for the food. Instead of waiting for them like I do heroes, I kept near the shadows until a trio of heavy impacts came from the roof. Using monsters as a ride around town was a style I could appreciate even if a bit horrifying. Nothing said you were down for business like a bus-sized creature of bone and gristle snarling in your face.

I nodded as I counted down from five, mentally syncing myself into the persona of Discard. Each second counted I took a step up into mid-air slowly climbing up to the roof on an invisible set of stairs. As I crested over the edge I took in the Undersiders in their full glory. I was impressed with the level of quality they put out, although that might be because one of them was holding back three beasts using chain leashes that could eat me whole.

One thing about the [True Magician's Mask] wasn't that it gave me the ability to fly, but gave me the ability to move however I pleased in three dimensions. It appeared impressive when I acted like I was climbing a ladder, pulled myself up into a handstand, and landed on the roof all the while in mid-air.

Regent, the one in the old medieval garb, whistled. "And now she's part mime. Got any other tricks?"

I scoffed. "Of course, what do you take me for, a hack?"

"In more ways than one," he shot back.

"If I had a saw I'd show you real hacking."

"Psh, the world couldn't handle two of me."

The one in black leathers, Grue, facepalmed. "We aren't going to stand here all day so you can trade banter."

I put a hand on my hip and leaned into it. "And why not? I always have time for other players in the trade, even if their jester uniform could use some work."

"Please, as if my crown needs bells to attract attention with a body this good," said Regent tipping the crown forward like a hat. I was growing to like him over the brooding tall guy.

Tattletale stepped forward and flashed a familiar card. "Gotta agree with Grue here, Regent, There'll be more time for that later."

"You're just mad you owe me a hundred bucks. Finally won a damn bet," snarked Regent.

I wondered what they bet on exactly, because that there was a later was news to me. "There will? You said I got my card back for meeting you. Well, I've met you all now. We're halfway done here."

"Ah, yes, our trade." She grinned in a way that I could only say was haughty. Not so much arrogance, but feeling superior over me in some way. Frankly, it pissed me off. I didn't think I did anything different but she lost the grin right after. "Really, just a little addition to the deal. Let's talk."

Grue looked at his teammate and I swear if he wasn't doing that shadowy skull thing it would've been a glare. "You agreed only to a quick meet?"

I sighed wishing I had a chair to pull out since my last one floated away. "A talk about what? I'm not really interested in anything except getting back what's mine."

"Sure, you'll get it, but we're the first capes you've actually talked to, right?" I was going to answer but she continued. "Thought so, and I didn't mean banter or joking around. See, villains that go solo never last long so they often group up or get absorbed into one of the gangs."

"Yes, yes, Armsmaster told me that I'd die in a month or so. And?"

"And you were beat down bad earlier this week. I don't know how, oh your power, damn really? Okay, so you can heal yourself quicker than normal, but you've seen how fights could get. That's an easy fight compared to some of the things other capes do."

Which was exactly why I was putting so much damn effort into creating an image as well as only fighting heroes. I was going to reply with something but she cut me off again.

"And you know that, not trying to say you don't, but it'd be safer if you weren't alone. Backup is a good thing to have when you're in a bad spot. What, er," Tattletale looked back at Grue.

His voice was eerie in a pseudo-hollow way, like someone talking in a spooky bathroom. "I think you'd be a good addition to our team. We stay low and under the radar doing mainly break-ins and theft. In and out without no one the wiser."

Ah, a recruitment pitch was it? I should've expected as much since they qualified as a gang. I wanted to reply with something clever when it occurred to me I didn't actually need a chair. I sat down on air and crossed my arms. "Ah, that sounds like something I wouldn't do. No glamour or flair! That's free publicity you know?"

Tattletale laughed at that. "No, It sounds exactly like something you would do. Except that isn't what Discard would do, am I right? You wouldn't need to do dramatic displays or cultivate a persona that is only taken as a joke by other capes in order to survive. Having a team to have your back would be better than that."

True, it would solve a lot of issues I have, and yet...

"You don't call the actors out when they're performing their character, Tats."

"Yeah, Tats," said Regent. I could probably work with him at the very least. "That's bad manners. Like asking for an autograph but not bringing anything to sign. By the by, autograph?"

A card appeared in my hand without any motion on my part. I tossed it his way, where he caught it and unsealed it into a pre-signed framed autograph sheet. I hadn't been kidding about bringing autographs, although I had exactly four just for this meeting.

"Sweet."

Tattletale glanced between us. "Sorry, didn't think you took the thing that seriously. We could use you on the team, and we make quite a bit per run, split evenly. Ah, that's a problem then? Power related problem; a need to steal?"

"Do you prattle on all the time like this?"

"She does. Never shuts up," said the girl with the cheap dog mask sitting atop, well, I guess they would be dogs, right? It fit the theme, and capes took themes seriously when it came to costumes. All five capes on the rooftop could attest to that.

"Like you would not believe!" said Regent.

"Okay, we can work with that," continued Tattletale.

"This isn't going how you said, Tattle," said Grue, his darkness getting even more billowy and restless looking. Creepy yet mesmerizing to watch.

We had about fifteen feet between us, myself sitting over the ledge because I was paranoid about the dog things eating my face, so I couldn't hear them when they began their scheming. What else would you call low hurried whispering while wearing a villainous outfit?

"Don't need nobody else anyway," said the girl I really needed a name for.

Regent laughed at Tattletale and Grue, who were clearly arguing, and walked over to my side of the roof. "They're trying to recruit you cause our boss told them to. Bitch there doesn't want to split money with anyone else. At first, it was cause you were a wuss, her words not mine, but after the other night it's just the money issue."

The two capes were now in a heated argument of hushed, angry whispers. "They aren't even paying attention anymore. If you guys got a boss who isn't one of you, who's the leader here?"

Regent shrugged and sat down on the actual ledge, not my floating bullshit ledge. "Mainly Grue, but Tattletale is the Thinker and we all get to vote. You'd be a cool add to our group, and hear me out, it could be cool to have another person who isn't boring around. But."

Well, this was refreshingly honest. "But?"

"Don't tell them I said so, but I wouldn't join. We benefit far more than you do, but hey, what do I know? If I was in your shoes I'd have already bailed. You made major racks on your two only hits after all. Kick up your feet and coast until you need more."

Damn that sounded nice.

"Doesn't it?"

"I didn't say anything."

"But you were so clearly thinking it. Power problems suck, I know." He ran a hand through his curly, black locks. "But hey, if you see a winky face emote in the phone that's me. Hit me up sometime."

"For crimes?"

"Nah, for whatever," he said as his two teammates finally agreed on something. He swung back onto his feet and casually strode back, hands behind his head, whistling in that fake innocent tune.

"Okay, so... damn it, what the hell did you say, Regent?" Tattletale bit her lip. "No, no, that... Discard, about—"

I stood up and dropped down to the roof. "I've met, I've talked, and I waited. My card now, if you would?"

I could see her thoughts racing a mile a minute before she sighed and smirked. "Think about it, really. Next time you're in trouble, feel free to call, okay? We always got an open spot for you."

She tried to toss the [Arclance] my way, but didn't have my skill and sent it far off to my side. I reached out to grab it; the card appeared in my hand. It was one of the other perks that the [True Magician's Mask] gave me, probably to make up for the fact I can't fly a hundred miles an hour or whatever I could've done with the boots. I could teleport anything small enough to hold into my hand from about five feet away. The only quirk to it was that it couldn't be held by a person. Sometimes I can't tell if my power loves or hates me because I couldn't teleport that stuff anywhere out of my hand!

"Cool. Can you do a rabbit next?" asked Regent. I rolled my eyes even though they couldn't see me do it. I couldn't tell by sight but already knew it was the real [Arclance] the moment I touched it. Still, I filled the card with positive energy and unsealed it just to show it off. That display room needed to be moved up in priority.

"Trouble, huh?" It made sense and actually did reassure me there was someone I could call if I was in a bind, like if I was bleeding out in an alleyway after a nasty fight instead of having to hike it all the way home. Damn, hindsight is a bitch but I was damn sure I couldn't trust them yet.

Maybe Regent and Bitch, maybe, but Grue and Tattletale seemed to be schemers. There was also that mysterious mentioning of a boss.

"That or if you ever want your weird camera copter thing back," added Regent. Tattletale shot him the dirtiest look I could imagine. "Just saying."

"Oh, huh, I wondered what happened to it. No, it's pretty much garbage, you know?"

"Yes, it's garbage, which is why we didn't mention it, Regent."

Obviously, it didn't have a controller to operate it with and I didn't see any way to actually retrieve data from the thing. Not to mention it was loud, ugly and a complete waste of a good grappling hook. "Okay then?"

Grue nodded in agreement. "Remember the offer and good luck. Dauntless was brutal as far as heroic fights tend to go, almost breaking the rules."

Wait a damn second. I was about to drop off the ledge to do a dramatic exit scene but had to put that off for a moment. "There are fucking rules?"

Three capes stared at me and Bitch was busy petting her monsters. "Yeah, the unwritten rules?"

I threw my hands up. "What's the point of rules if they're not written?!"

Tattletale cursed. "The heroes didn't mention anything? No, of course they wouldn't because they want you in their Wards."

They do? I felt my paranoia creep up to max levels.

She was about to give a speech, I could see it as Tattletale took a breath. Regent got to it before she did. "Three rules: No unmasking, no killing, no going after cape's families. The killing thing really means don't escalate the fight too much. If you're beaten stay down or run."

"That... makes sense. What about Lung or Hookwolf? They're known killers."

"If you're strong enough you can get away with it. Most people and capes can't fight a dragon and living blender."

"Damnit, Regent," muttered Tattletale.

"Yeah, okay, thanks for telling me. Note to self, don't steal other cape's costumes off them. It would be bad manners." I pointed a finger dramatically at Regent. "You, sir, are my new favorite!"

He turned to Tattletale. "Jealous?"

"So I'll owe you one!" I bowed with a sweep of my hand. "Farewell, you've been a mostly pleasant audience."

With that, I jumped off the building. My flight was more of invisible, weird physics that were based around my body rather than simply flying, and it didn't stop the momentum from falling. It did let me reorient myself to make gravity affect whichever way my feet were.

It was scary doing it off a building for the first time so instead of the backflip or something fancier, I went with avoiding the fall entirely and ran down the face of the wall, continuing back to my hiding spot I waited for them in the first place. So unmasking a cape was a rule? That really explained a lot of why capes weren't being raided at home or having their identities released upon arrest. I waited a while before sealing my costume and walking out without being too worried about them at least.

I went off to get lunch at Jake's Crab Steaks while thinking on the Undersiders' offer. Accepting it and joining their team was off the table for sure. The mere thought of having to split my earnings two ways, let alone five, was ludicrous. As allies of convenience though it wasn't an entirely bad option. It meant that it went both ways and I should keep the phone on me more often, but it was a nice reassurance.

Tattletale was a weird character for sure, what with the muttering and mumbling and trying to talk but getting sidetracked. Regent said she was a Thinker, so maybe her power affected her in a way like mine did? I'd guess a need to know things she shouldn't, given that she was a thief, might've been it. Did all powers come with parts that made your power suck or changed you personally? That list of things I hated not knowing about and to research in the future was growing rather long.

Grue and Bitch, and it is weird to have a cape name as a swear word, were quiet and seemed like decent people. It was odd because they were most certainly villains, but all four of them were close to my age and I myself was a villain. I'd like to consider I was a decent person at least.

I ordered a hamburger and fries at the restaurant, an affront to their business considering they mainly served seafood, but I blamed Discard still being at the forefront of my mind. It was a type of order Discard would do.

Heroes could act cruel, brutal or enraged just as easily as villains. On the other hand, some villains are like me are in crime for their needs, willingly or not, or due to circumstances they can't control. The black and white morality of the cape scene that the PRT propaganda pushes is once again broken by what I've seen.

It didn't make crimes any more justifiable or justice not worth being upheld, but that each side could do good or evil at the drop of a pin. Well, something along those lines. I still had no idea how I was going to be a heroic thief if my power and I weren't willing to give up any spoils. That meant I had to do it through actions!

I ate my hamburger quickly, not wanting to linger inside a restaurant that smelled like weird shrimp, and was pretty satisfied with it. Who knew a seafood place couldn't be masters at the grill? They didn't have steak in their name for nothing.

Was it ironic that not twenty minutes later as I was walking down the street I ran across a mugging? It was almost cliche in how it was happening, just off the beaten path into a small children's park that was so decrepit that no sane mother would let their kid near it with a ten-foot pole. Three guys surrounded a shorter man, each with a different weapon, as the man cowered on the ground pleading for mercy. I admittedly hesitated for a moment because all four of them wore red and green.

I stopped and hid behind a tree and some bushes that were overgrown due to neglect listening in on the conversation. Yes, I was a villain but I wasn't about to let a guy get beat up or worse, even if they were friends or in the same gang.

"I don't know what happened, I swear!" pleaded the guy getting ganged up on.

"Sorry, Hae. Yous the last one seen with da money so yous da one held responsible," the dude with the baseball bat said. That wasn't an asian accent, more like somewhere in the western states.

"Yeah, buddy, orders from above'n'all. Ya understand, right?" said the gangly one picking at his nails with a pocket knife.

The third one, a slab of fat instead of muscle, merely grunted and pounded his fist with his knuckle-dusters.

Okay, I was feeling kind of racist considering each of these guys that wore Azn Bad Boy colors spoke in different american accents and one grunted! Was I a racist for expecting it to all be in Japanese or Chinese? I think I heard Chinese wasn't even the name of the language. Shit, I didn't want to be stereotyping people or worse, ignorant.

Just off that exchange it was clear the man was going to get beaten. That was enough for me to step in. I did a quick verification that no one was watching me, and doubly so for security cameras to be nearby. Of course considering this is in the Docks and in a rundown part besides, there was nothing and nobody.

I swapped into the [True Magician's Mask] and debated on the appropriate entrance to make. Did I have to make an entrance? Well, none of them had guns so that was an automatic yes.

Alright, I got the plan. I walked out around the bushes out of their line of sight and stood there. The guy in the middle took notice of me, his eyes going extremely wide, but I put a finger to my mask in a shushing motion. I didn't want him to give it away.

I should've known asking a victim to stay quiet is like asking a fish not to swim.

"Help, I'm being attacked!" he yelled.

All three of the gang members, Shorty, Gangly and Chubby, turned towards me.

"Cape!" called Shorty. "Oh wait, checkit out fellers, it's da girly on da news. Da one ole Dentass kicked to the curb!"

"Hah, that's a good'un, Lee," said Gangly.

Chubby grunted.

"My amazingness is wasted on you three." I unsealed the [Arclance, fucking glad to have it back in my hands once more, and took all three men down in an instant. The taser effect was extremely boring to watch compared to my baton I lost, but it put them down with a single hit. I don't think I ever appreciated this weapon before and was starting to see how losing it would suck for Dauntless.

Hae stood up, dusted off his pants, and started kicking the three while they were down. "Hah, you thought you could beat up the mighty Hae Jo? Idiots, how dare you ever think of going against me. Fuckers, scum, traitors, just because I swiped some cash off the top you think you have the right? Fuck you and fuck Lung."

He spat on Chubby and proceeded to walk off.

"And where do you think you're going?" I asked tapping the [Arclance] against the rusty swing-set.

Hae froze and stiffly turned around. "O-Oh, right, thanks for the help. Don't worry, I'm on your side with the whole Dauntless thing. All you did was steal his toy and he pounded you into the asphalt for it. Guy has no respect for us thieves."

"Ah. Right, us thieves." I laughed genuinely at the thought that we were anything alike. "So, just between us thieves, you'd do me a favor right?"

Hae turned around and sprinted for his life. He didn't make it far before I flying tackled him. Turns out that my flight ability let me essentially dropkick anyone very easily. I stabbed the [Arclance] into the dirt a foot in front of Hae Jo's face, my knees digging into his back and keeping him from getting up.

"Fuck the ABB and fuck Lung, right? So," I said with my most pleasant of voices. "Where would a thief need to go to steal a dragon's hoard?"

AN: Not enough action you say? I'm working on it, maybe. The moment you all dreaded (or you few wanted) has passed, or has it? Next on The Impractical Adventures Of Discard: Insert Spoiler Here.

Last edited: Oct 28, 2018

1198

Glazt

Oct 28, 2018

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Threadmarks 2.3 Pertinacity

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Glazt

Glazt

Writing for hate and no profit...

Oct 30, 2018

#1,118

Whew, you know when you spend a lot of time writing and then just don't? Well, it makes you want to get back into it! Like petting a dog, actually... a needy dog that wants all your attention and if you don't pet it everyone thinks you're neglecting the poor animal and then they- WELL ANYWAY! Yadayada, all the usual stuff about enjoyiing updates while they're frequent and whatnot.

Here we have Taylor doing Taylor things, in her natual habitat. Honestly that girl, she has way too many irons in the fire. Thank you all for reading, commenting, liking, really don't know why no one is subscribing imeanyouwatchbutcmonwhere'smysubscriptionbuttonat?

Much love to Doctor_Shenanigans for the beta reading. Have at thee!

2.3 Pertinacity

-

"Do I need to call my manager?"

I glanced up from my book on hobby magic to see the concerned look of a lanky guy not much older than me. "Uh, no? Why?"

"Because all this—" he gestured toward the slow-rolling checkout counter. Atop it was over a dozen varied large containers that each held a different spice along with a variety of other items. "—is really fishy."

Sure, I could see that. Why else would I be buying it close to midnight at a third-rate department store? "It's for a party."

He proceeded to slowly check out each item. "Uh huh. A drug party."

That was a rude assumption, but with my torn up hoodie that still had faint blood stains showing from my hike home and my jeans in even less decent shape, I couldn't say he was being unreasonable. A couple pretty wristbands and a twitch in my neck could disguise me as a Merchant.

"Barbeque party."

"The spices?"

"We don't like bland meat."

"Fog machine?"

"Practicing magic," I said showing him my book.

He scrunched up his nose. "Megaphone and frying pan also for magic?"

"Of course." Just not hobby magic.

He reached the last item and deadpanned. "Pepper spray also for barbeque?"

"It's scary out at night."

"The Super Soaker 9000?"

"Got to put out that grill fire somehow."

He bagged all my items and was nice enough not to throw them at me.

I waved. "Have a good night."

Jeez, from the dirty look he shot my way you would've thought I kicked his dog or something. Maybe working night shifts at SchadenFred's didn't pay a lot? I sealed the bags as soon as I was out of the store and out of sight.

As I made my way down the street back home, I wondered about the rate I was sneaking out at night. It was making me start to worry about Dad because I wasn't even trying to hide my coming and going anymore. Sure, I stayed quiet and left a note, but I could see the lines on his face deepening for a while now. Kurt's accident was pushing it over the edge and he held that beer even while walking around the house.

At least he got me a leave of absence from the school, despite them being weirdly insistent that I return. Turned out that I had a legitimate reason enough to dodge everything: trauma. I wasn't exactly going to a therapist like was suggested, but I did have to visit the clinic after I got my powers. It annoyed me that the school would only allow one more week before I automatically I had to take a lot of remedial classes.

My schedule was becoming full of things I needed to do. After stopping yesterday's mugging that in turn ended up with me mugging the guy I rescued for information, I needed to make sure I could ever survive pissing off Lung. The location Hae had given me was a gambling den. I wasn't sure how lucrative that kind of place would be, but information was priceless considering my research capabilities.

First thing first, however, was preparing for my next heist. That gnawing void had been sated from my jewelry store robbery, as well as me upgrading my costume, but now I could feel it waking up. It was just a feeling for now, a chill down my spine calling for some pleasant heat.

I really needed a base or place I could go to in order to experiment. Staying around junkyards was not something I wanted, and doing it in my house was risky at best and dangerous at worst. It would also be a place for that display room.

It was scary in a way at how used to I was at walking around the city at night. The thought of it used to terrify me a month ago, but now I barely got a look from anyone I passed by. Some called out trying to peddle their drugs or made lewd gestures, stuff that I ignored and resisted doing something worse back.

Could I rent an apartment or building? No, that would cost money I didn't want to spend. They say that the docks are often full of abandoned warehouses or factories in disrepair, but that sounded awfully gross or unsafe.

Power, I think I need your help. There was a show on the Discovery Channel about making houses out of shipping containers, stacking them on top and near each other. I wasn't sure how much space I needed but a single container was close to my safe limit I could seal.

If anything I could just add doors to it so I had someplace to call my own for now. Well, that was decided and it was something to do sooner than later. I was passing through one of the more rundown neighborhoods on the way back home, and stopped by a boarded up and broken brick apartment building.

There was a moment of conflict about stealing from people worse off than me, if anything lived in there at all. I took a moment to go through the quick process of sealing and unsealing to get the pepper spray. It made me less nervous when I went in.

Dirt, trash, and stains I didn't want to think about littered everything, and what wasn't was covered in graffiti or missing the drywall entirely. There were some squatters here and there as I made my way through the upper floors, my hands sealing any unneeded wooden doors and in one case a rather nice yellow couch that looked brand new.

I couldn't describe the emotions I felt seeing these people, some elderly and more young adults to teenagers, all living in such squalor. Fuck it, I could do something to help even if it wasn't much. The doors could be considered payment of sorts anyway.

A hundred dollars was left near each person I saw before I left the building.The void inside my soul rumbled in punishment for giving away something I owned, but it was settled back by my knowledge that I helped. It didn't matter if they used that money to buy alcohol, drugs, or their daily water and food. That was their choice same as it was mine to gift it.

I slipped into an alley and unsealed the [True Magician's Mask] to become Discard, then took off to a nearby roof. Since I had gotten what I wanted I wasn't going to wait to get home for the testing. It would be easier to write it off if it ended up as a failure and visit the Trainyard while it was still nearby.

There were eleven door cards, several with a damaging descriptor like [Cracked Wood Door] and [Broken Wood Door]. Combining five together left me with a [Sturdy Wood Door] so I repeated that with the other. I couldn't think of what to do with the last door so I pocketed it as an obstacle card.

I was still learning the weird logic, if I could even call it that, which my power used in combinations. Sometimes it felt literal, like how stacking doors removed the damage and made a door that was a sum of all the door's combined in quality. Other times it leaps into a theme as it did with combining my costume with the [Skysteps]. Common cards followed mostly a basic formula but when it started to get into rarer cards it became sketchy.

Tossing a [Sturdy Wood Door] at a [Shipping Container] yielded, as I expected, a [Shipping Container] card but with wooden doors set into the end instead of the thick metal ones. The metal doors might have been more useful for protection, but if I could seal the entire container back? Not really a problem.

Normally adding another door would get you a second door somewhere in the container. Combining the other [Sturdy Wood Door] with it turned it into a [Large Container, no more doors shown. It instead changed the name of the card, something I was noticing to be extremely important.

Power, you're laughing at me, aren't you?

I didn't swipe that nice couch for no reason, although I would've done it anyway considering I really liked the color. A couch and a container should end up with something odd, a thing someone could build normally. I sighed in relief as it ended up as a [Cozy Container].

In a nearby vacant lot, I set down the [Cozy Container] and unsealed it with anticipation. It wasn't anything fancy, the sleek grey metal with a local company name on the side having been unchanged. The doors were thin wood with long handles that opened outward, and with a pair of sturdy deadbolt locks that fastened them together from the inside.

Then there was the interior. The floor, walls, and ceiling were that pretty shade of yellow I liked as well as also apparently being a thin layer of cushion. Not too soft that it was unsteady, but not as hard as tile or wood flooring. A temporary base that I could hide in, which it wasn't any worse than my cramped basement full of packed boxes and other things we had to hide over the years.

Of course there was only one way in or out, and it lacked any way to see outside, but it was a work in progress. For now it would only look like an odd container in the middle of a lot. I locked the doors and did some hand and arm stretches, tips I learned from the hobby magic books about needing to care for my hands.

Minutes later I was sitting at a small foldable plastic table, minus any chair thanks to my flight, lit by a pair of lanterns and a candle. The irony of the store clerk saying I was going to be cooking drugs when I was about to be mixing up herbs was not lost on me. All the spices I had bought earlier, namely ones that were commonly attributed to herbalism or were healthy like the ones I used days ago, were out along with a dozen varying metal rings.

The ability to create healing items, a literally priceless ability, was something I was far too aware of. Some research into folklore and the fantasy genre put two things up for the most common healing item. First and foremost were potions, a liquid made from alchemy using a variety of herbs and animal ingredients. The second were enchanted items, such as rings or bandages.

Given that I actually had an example of the bandages and the [Healing Ice Pack] wasn't far away from potions, it was time to move on to jewelry. I chose simple metal bands, none of the silver or gold ones, to start with.

I wasn't going to experience that awful night again if I could help it.

I was about to dump each container of spice out onto the table so I could seal it up but realized that I could skip that. Five combinations later, following the recipe from before, I had a [Healing Spice Shaker]. It wasn't a rare card, just like the ground herbs weren't, but it was curious. I used the other spice containers, after testing with smaller amounts, to follow the same formula as before. Make three [Herbal Spice Shaker] cards and then combining them together to create another [Healing Spice Shaker].

The thing was that the image in each card was different, even with the same name. Combining the two together ended up as I thought, with a spider on the cover telling me that it had made something that was abnormal. I could guess what a rare card that was called [Restorative Spice Shaker] did.

I unsealed it and got a shaker just a bit bigger than a pepper grinder. Okay then, it actually ended up half again as small as anyone container. Considering that all it took to create damn magical healing spice was common shit I could get from any grocery store was fucking baffling.

There was no way I wasn't going to abuse this. Was this what Panacea felt like with the ability to cure anything short of brain death with a touch and a bit of effort? No wonder you hear about her volunteering basically everywhere she can when she wasn't in school. With time I could help her out, although giving items I couldn't monitor away would be horrible if it got into the hands of villains that weren't me.

Potions would be the easiest because even if they were stolen they wouldn't be permanent. Something to think on, but I wasn't sad to say my own safety was priority. It was time to get to the core of the night.

I started with a pinch of the rare spice and grabbed a decorative metal ring. Sweat beaded on my back from the container being pleasantly warm as well as my nervousness. It was definitely noted that [A Pinch of Restorative Spice] was a rare card.

The two cards combined. I let out a breath and relaxed because it ended up exactly as I expected. [Spice Ring] was a common card of a ring made out of ground spices. The first failure of the night and it wasn't going to be the last.

Power, you like it when there's a lot of different base cards, don't you? The rare spice was a combination of over a dozen base cards, so of course combining a small amount of it with a single crappy common would lower its rarity. It made sense in the right context, like building a chair with good wood and a single rotted leg. Overall it was an inferior product compared to using decent wood throughout.

I scooped up the metal rings and began combining them together, each different ring changing the combined ring in some manner. One made the image in the [Decorative Ring] shinier, another added more grooves and the last making it wider.

Since quantity mattered in a way, I dumped out the rare spice and made four [Restorative Spice] cards. I combined one of those with the new [Stylish Metal Ring] and couldn't help but feel proud despite myself.

[Metal Ring of Restoration] was a pleasant grey ring twice the width of a normal ring with stylized green engravings on the outside. There was no doubt as to what the rare card did, but did surprise me when I put it on. Every ache from my muscles to a minor headache I had slowly gone away over a minute.

"Fuck me," I muttered. I really did it, or my power did. I had used all my plain rings to create it and was already unsealing my rarer metal rings like silver and gold. Nothing when gemstones, not yet because I had a feeling I would need something more than common spices to work with those.

Only minutes later I had two more rings, only they were [Silver] and [Gold] instead of [Metal]. Putting them on felt the exact same as it did with only one, which I sort of assumed. My power was quirky in that way, not letting the same ability stack. In this case, the ring affected my entire body, so having two more did nothing more.

It was making more sense the more I combined. Once you got into the Rare Card stage, it needed more and more quality ingredients to move up. Kitchen spices are good to make this level of cards, which was still amazing, but I would need more to advance.

Either I needed to reach a healing ability using a different avenue to combine with the rings, or I needed to get something from other capes. Seeing as how Dauntless' gear started off at a rarity higher than what I could make myself so far, that much was clear.

Wait, didn't I have some of those?

A quick check told me yes, I did.

The [Arclance] was a wonderful weapon, yet I wanted another. What kind of magician would I be if I limited myself to a single tool? Creating another [Shock Baton] would require me to raid the police or well-equipped security guards, which I imagined would happen in time. Until then, however, I had ideas.

I was going to combine [Smoke] with the [Super Soaker] to finally be able to control the stuff, but realized the smoke cards I had were pretty lethal if I got careless. Thus, I purchased a fog machine. Not only was it not dirty black soot, but it also came in different scents!

And yet I found myself staring at the [Blaster Bolt] and [Concussive Blast] cards. Kid Win and Gallant showed that ranged attacks were handy to have, pun intended for Gallant's case. I just wasn't sure which one I wanted to use more.

I shrugged and decided to do both. Ten [Blaster Bolt] cards were kept and combined down into two. Then those two higher quality [Blaster Bolt] cards were each combined with a [Concussive Blast] making another common card, if one I had no doubt would pack a punch.

Two [Force Blast] cards were dancing between my fingers. One was going to go into the water gun, no doubt making it a rare card that did something cooler than shoot water. As for the other, well, my [Hiking Stick] served me faithfully and deserved to be rewarded.

The night was still young and preparation was the key to my success. Tomorrow, my next heist was going to go well.

The Forsberg Gallery was one of the more unique buildings in town, a massive twenty-six stories of tempered glass and steel girders arranged like a near-finished Jenga tower. Every spot on it was illuminated by lights that change colors depending on the time of day.

It was an ugly pink and orange similar to the sunset on the horizon. A bank, jewelry store, and now an art gallery. Truly, my mind is a complex web of diabolical planning to that the heroes could never decipher. What would be next, a museum? Actually, that wouldn't be too bad if Brockton Bay had any beyond its own History Museum. The only thing robbing that place would give me would be shame and depression.

This was going to be my most lucrative theft yet, but also one of the most useless because it was art. Sure, I was able to appreciate art for more than its pretty colors or pleasant shapes, but it meant nothing to my power, and I doubted I would be able to sell it anywhere. Still, stealing art was just something thieves did!

I sprinted across the air to reach the top of the building, the dizzying wind howling at this height and the skyline looking beautiful under the evening light. There was an appeal of standing this high above the ground, but I couldn't really grasp why someone would build a gallery this tall. Was it all floors of art displays, did they section them off by type, or were there only a few floors that held art and rest were offices and the like?

The skylight showed that the top floor was more of a massive meeting hall that held a few paintings or a sculpture to give it a good atmosphere. Or it would've if it there were any. The display ropes surrounded empty spaces and the 'No Touching' signs had been defaced with a black marker.

I sealed the glass for a moment to drop down through and then replaced it to cover my trail. It was eerie at how silent it was, given that the time of day should've had the gallery pretty busy. Were there renovations going on on this floor?

I had come all this way to steal things, and dangit I was going to do so! Between the options of taking the stairs and taking the elevator, I opted for the stairs. As comical as it would be to ride down with random civilians as Discard, maybe signing an autograph before telling them to flee for their lives or something silly, I wasn't sure what was going on and it spooked my paranoia.

The twenty-fifth floor was another gallery, a wide open space with spotlights on the walls showing nothing at all because the entire place was cleaned out. Well, this was unsettling. I went down the next four floors to similar results and was getting a bit upset when began to smell something strange.

It was light, faded in a strange way that you could guess it was stronger not long ago, and had the hairs on my neck standing up. My paranoia was proved right when I saw the body of a security guard, an elderly man with more flab than his shirt knew what to do with, between the stairway door.

My flight response kicked in and I was about to bail on this murder scene, but against my survivor's judgment I rushed over to the man and checked if he was okay. His breathing was slower, but not shallow, and had a knife in his leg that was bleeding.

Damn, it looked like someone had beat me here. I unsealed one of my healing rings and slipped it on the man's finger, all the while pulling out the knife and sealing it away. I didn't wear gloves and definitely didn't want to have a bloody knife with my fingerprints on it, but I couldn't say the same for why I stole his handheld radio and keys.

I tore open his pant leg to see the knife wound slowly stop bleeding before my eyes. The muscle didn't stitch itself up and the wound close all in a few seconds, but it did scab over within a minute. Did I feel bad for testing my ring on someone? No, because I wasn't going to hurt myself in order to do it! Once it looked like the man wouldn't bleed out on the floor I took my ring back and went through the door.

A lot of people were out cold all over the gallery, and the smell was slightly stronger inside. Only now did it hit me that it was some form of knockout gas. Damn, pretty sure if I didn't have my ring I would've been on the floor already. It didn't make me immune to being gassed, but most likely fixed the small amounts I breathed in every second.

Oh, and this gallery still had two large, fancy paintings on the walls. They weren't really my kind of art, what with being weird abstract shapes and large splashes of color slammed together. This was what I was going to steal and was worth thousands of dollars; rich people had no sense at all.

A faint humming and the jingle of bells came from the stairway. Shit, here I was as Discard and didn't have a flashy introduction for whoever was coming up the stairs. Signs pointed to the thief but it didn't matter in the end, only that it was someone. I had a reputation to keep up!

Yet the scattered people on the ground really made it hard to do something with fire or fog, so instead I flipped upside down and sat on the ceiling in a thinker pose.

It was a clown. Really more of a jester theme, with a pink and blue bodysuit with large buttons and tassels, the white domino mask at least letting me tell it was a young woman or older girl, and a fool's cap with dangling bells on the tips. I swore I heard of this villain somewhere, but it wasn't on any of the major gang info pages.

"Aha, so the thief returns to the scene of the crime, just as expected," I said.

The thief was startled for a moment but recovered quickly looking around for me. Yeah, one thing you learn when you have flight is that people rarely ever look up. "Of course, since the crime was partly done."

I stood up and she immediately looked at me. "Oh, if it isn't the darling of the week? So sorry, but this time you're beaten to the punch. Run along with your coattails tucked between your legs, for there is nothing here for you today."

Wow, that was rude, what were the chances we timed our heists at the same time on the same day in the same place? Taylor's paranoia was infecting Discard, yet it was making sense. I did a flip from the ceiling to land on the floor and took a bow. "So you know of me, the nefarious Discard, magician extraordinaire. I'm afraid I don't recognize you, do forgive me for that. Bit players are hard to keep track of, after all."

She touched her heart and look shocked. "Never heard of Circus, the stylish thief of the Bay? Wow, I'm heartbroken." Circus giggled. "Then let be the first to welcome you to the Bay's underworld, since you've only gotten the heroic taste so far."

Circus jumped over a display stand, spun in mid-air and sent three knives at me. Oh hell, straight into a fight? I stepped to the side of one knife that went for my leg and swiped the other two out of the air when they got into my range, the teleport killing all momentum as they appeared in hand handle-first.

"Playing with knives should be done by professionals only." I threw the knives to the ground because I didn't want to risk hurting Circus or worse, miss and hit one of the people on the floor.

Circus laughed as she kicked off the wall, seriously dashing all over the place with supernatural grace. "Wow, you didn't settle down after old Dauntless gave you the boot. Already worked up some new tricks, darling?"

More knives appeared in Circus' hands and were sent my way, each flying straight and unerring. I grabbed them out of the air and tossed them aside as quickly as I could, given that I wasn't going to risk having one run me through before I could seal it. I unsealed the [Arclance] and sent a wide slash at Circus.

It extended across the gallery in a blink, hitting her in the side. Yet just before the hit she jumped with the blow, rolled to safety, and was back up on her feet looking none worse for wear. Well, damn, I definitely couldn't do that. I flourished the [Arclance] in triumph. "What would a magician be if they kept using the same tricks over and over? New material is our bread and butter."

"Well, you're certainly a tough cookie to break." Circus sprinted at me, rearing her hands back to the side. "Let's see if we can't nail that down!"

I tried to lean out of the way but I wasn't sure what she was even doing. The sledgehammer materialized in her hands mid-swing and with all the force of its namesake. It clipped my left wrist, just long enough to send spasms of pain through my arm and brain, before it vanished into a card which I dropped reluctantly.

"Fuck!" I backpedaled, nearly tripping over an unconscious woman, and felt my recovery ring already start to heal the wound. Villains didn't play around like the heroes did. "Fell for my own trick, how shameful."

Circus picked up the [Sledgehammer] card and clicked her tongue. "This one was my favorite. Any chance you'll undo it?"

"S-sure," I winced while keeping my wrist steady at my side. "Trade you for it, even. I heard there were some nice paintings here, but imagine my disappointment when the whole place was cleaned out."

"Sorry, darling, but no can do. Got a buyer lined up for those, you see?" Circus' hand exploded in flame as the other toyed with the card. "How about this? Turn it back and we won't see your career go up in flames."

"Oh please, juggling fire is a carnival act," I retorted. She tossed the fireball at me, which strangely enough I couldn't call it to my hand, but sealed it on touch sending it back at Circus. She grabbed it and made it disappear to, well, wherever she was pulling out her weapons. I was getting a taste of how annoying it could be to fight me.

I ran at Circus, not on the floor but instead using the air as my steps, and swung with the [Arclance]. It didn't have enough power to do much other than stun her with its taser effect. She blocked it with a knife and pushed back. "Rubber soles, dear. Thievery one-oh-one, don't get stopped by mall cops."

The [Arclance] was sealed and put back into the deck, not as subtle or quick as I liked as my wrist hurt like hell. "Thank you, Circus, for the introduction. It's been a blast."

I dropped from the air to dropkick Circus, who rolled out of the way. As she stood up she froze like a deer in the headlights. "A water gun?"

"It's a blaster." I pulled the trigger of the [Super Blastair 9001] and sent a loud, cacophonous roar as something barely visible slammed into Circus point blank, sending her flying across the room and into a wall. It also snapped several people out of their sleep and hurt my ears. Damn, maybe I pumped it too hard? The former super soaker shot out solid air and sound as a force the more I used the air pump.

Circus got up, her legs shaky and using her hands on her knees to stay upright. "Well fuck me, that's some bad info right there." Blood dribbled out of her mouth and nose. Yeah, definitely too much. She touched a finger to her ear and said, "Pull out."

Everyone and their mother had communications of some sort and I was feeling jealous. "I'll be remembering this, thank you very much, and hope you have an awful night."

I honestly had no clue how she was going to escape since Circus couldn't fly. She pulled out yet another sledgehammer, ran at and shattered the tall glass window with a swing, disappeared her hammer back to its space, and pulled out a two-piece folded up sheet.

Oh, it was a fucking glider. There wasn't much I could do to stop her considering I needed two hands to pump my air gun in time or to swing the [Arclance]. Circus assembled the glider and took off in what was sort of terrifying to watch.

I stood there watching Circus disappear into the distance and behind a building, her words in the back of my mind. My wrist had settled down into a deep, throbbing pain that would be gone within a day or two, and reminded me of my ruined heist. Someone had figured out I was going to go here today, I doubted it was Circus, and then got the thief to steal it all before me. Thirty more minutes and I would've arrived at an empty gallery and nothing to explain it.

Well, not all the floors but all the best goods would've been gotten.

"Halt, villain, for now you shall meet your doom!" called a heroic boy. I looked over my shoulder to see a Ward, his white full-body suit covered in clocks that showed all different times. "There is nowhere left for you to run, Discard!"

He was panting between words and took a moment to hold a stitch in his side. "Did you run up twenty or so flights of stairs?"

Vista appeared behind him looking perfectly fine. "He did."

"S-shush, smaller heroic girl," he said. "The elevator was broken, okay?"

"Uh, she looks fine," I said pointing at Vista.

"I cheated." She grinned and poked Clockblocker in his side. "He didn't want to wait."

"Oh. Well then, young heroes of justice!" I started but suddenly realized one important thing. "Uh, sorry, but I'm just going to escape, okay? I didn't steal anything at all and Circus banged up my wrist with a sledgehammer."

"What?! Aww, c'mon," said Clock.

I tossed him a card and unsealed it into one of the prepared autographs I had. "Well then, heroes. Until next time!"

Vista huffed. "Oh yeah, how are you going to escape?"

I blinked. Right, I haven't shown the heroes yet. "Oh dear, oh no, you're right! You've got me cornered with nary a plan of action. I guess this is the end. Goodbye, cruel world!"

I jumped backward out of the window and got a full view of Vista gesturing with her hand as Clockblocker ran forward, In an instant, he was in my face, something I was beginning to dislike about fighting Vista, and he tapped me on the arm.

It was like a blink. One moment there I had a hero in my face and the next Aegis was below me and Kid Win hovering right by my side with his arms under my armpits. Clockblocker and Vista were staying a couple feet from the window talking.

"--etimes it's a minute and other times its forever. I swear I can't tell if my power loves or hates me sometimes," said Clock.

Well, shit. "I got her!" yelled Kid Win as he tried to catch me from falling. The only problem was that I was standing on open air. "Or not."

"She can fly?" asked Aegis. "She's not wearing Dauntless' boots."

All Wards sighed in relief as I felt bad for giving them a scare. "Oh, shit, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you all."

"We have you surrounded now, Discard! There's nowhere to run!" exclaimed Clockblocker.

"Wait, didn't you just say that?" I asked.

"No, it's been like eight minutes." Right, his power was to freeze things in time.

"Uh, well, can't I just escape then? I didn't actually do anything other than fight Circus" Heck, I actually stopped a crime in progress! Let's just ignore the fact that I was here in order to do the same crime, I was basically the hero of today.

Aegis chuckled. "That's not how crimes work. Escaping doesn't excuse it."

"Is that a water gun?" asked Kid Win. "It doesn't have any water in it, and the nozzle looks weird."

"Guys, you're ruining this for me."

Oh right. I sealed the [Super Blastair 9001, which set all the Wards on alert. I slowly put it into my semi-functional hand. "Yes, it was a water gun. Now, I'm going to run away now. Follow me and you'll sincerely regret it!"

Before any of them could move, I jumped away from Kid Win and Aegis, a [Fog] card teleporting into my hand before I unsealed it. It exploded into thick fog that smelled like watermelons and began whirling away as the winds sheared into it. Of course this was when I fell sprinted full tilt across the street, following Circus' exact route because it was the quickest way out of sight.

Space was warping around me, and a glance back showed Vista working her magic on the air. Kid Win was holding onto his hoverboard, not wanting to fall off or hit the something with his vision blocked. Aegis, however, was hot on my tail through warped space.

"Sorry, Aegis, I won't be captured for a theft I didn't perform! I'm not so petty a magician to steal someone else's performance," I yelled over the winds. Vista's warping had me running longer distances, making my legs feel tired. My [Metal Ring of Restoration] at least kept the fatigue off me for a lot longer and kept my stamina up.

I took out two more [Fog] cards and unsealed them around me. It didn't affect the warps Vista already put in place, but it did at least cut off her line of sight. Aegis flew through the smoke and tackled me in the air. I rolled across invisible ground, my odd flight magic at work, and threw Aegis off of me. My wrist screamed in pain that had me biting down one of my own.

At least Gravity and orientation affected Aegis as he fell pretty far before he got his bearings.

By that time I had ducked through a window into a nearby office building, although the window was sealed instead of broken, and I had put it back immediately once I was through. Aegis flew up to it when he saw me and tapped on the glass. "Hah, a young Ward would never willingly do property damage!"

Aegis cupped his ear and shook his head. Must be the winds and glass muffling my voice. "I said, a young ward wouldn't willingly do property damage!"

He shrugged and tapped his ear. I sealed the window and said, "Haha, a young ward would never—oof."

Aegis tackled me onto the floor and locked one arm behind my back while pinning my legs down with his. "Can't believe you fell for one of the oldest tricks in the book."

"You mean you could hear me? Why, you're a right fiend for tricking me!" Hot pain shot through me when he twisted my hurt arm. "Ow, hey, go easy on the wrist. Pretty sure Circus cracked it or something."

He relaxed it a bit. "Sorry, sorry, this better?"

"Yeah," I said. "You're the hands-on type of hero, huh?"

I could hear the smirk in his tone. "Only way to capture such a slippery thief like yourself. Seriously, ties or cuffs don't work cause you can just vanish them."

Right, that made sense. "Console, I got her pinned at, hmm. I don't know, follow the GPS?"

"I'll steal your costume if you don't let me go," I said wryly. Not that I would, of course. It's apparently against the rules and breaks a bit of ethics. I had no desire to see what young heroes wore under than suits, although I suspected thermal underwear.

"That's against the rules. Wait, could you?" he asked warily.

"Tch, forcing a magician's hand is bad for business!" I only had one way to get out of a grapple right now, and I made very serious plans to ensure that I had multiple ways in the future. A card unsealed in my bad hand into a sleek hiking stick, one that resembled a cane with its long grip handle. I barely managed to tap the bottom end into Aegis' stomach and thanked him for releasing his grip when he was blasted off of me.

I shakily stood up, the aches in my knees and shoulder not fading away even with my ring. The fatigue of all the fighting was probably being healed and it wasn't a miracle worker. I twirled my [Mountain Stick] after tossing it to my good hand.

Aegis was already on his feet dusting himself off. "More weird weapons? Kid Win is already obsessed with that baton, and the whole water gun thing and a cane?"

"It's a [Mountain Stick, please and thank you." Escaping was becoming difficult if he wouldn't give up the chase. The thought of what Regent had told me about them wanting me in their Wards made his actions make sense. "I love all my adoring fans, but being so clingy gets annoying after a while."

He edged forward in a martial stance, hands open for grabbing instead of closed fisted. "It's the only way to get your attention it seems. Clock's already complaining about how you had to ditch early."

I shrugged. "Wasn't my crime, not doing the time. I don't need to justify it with a show. You Wards and Protectorate will have more chances to battle wits and wallops with the great Discard in the future."

"Attendance would be criminally expensive," he replied.

I whispered in a loud, hushed manner, "You're really on the ball today. Did you practice or something?"

He laughed and gave a quick shrug. "A bit, it's more embarrassing when you can't trade banter with the villain."

"I'm going." He rushed at me, hands trying to grab my arms. I twisted and turned, literally gliding in the air as our battle of cat and mouse turned from two-dimensional to three-dimensional. His flight was good, but I had sharper turns and easier change momentum stops, letting my [Mountain Stick] take his occasional punch or to thwack his hands away from me.

The sirens of the police or PRT, I wasn't sure if they differed, grew louder from below. I jumped off the roof of the room upward to the floor, turned to orient myself right-side-up, and was going to jump out of the window. Aegis noticed my plan and turned to block my way. "Finally, it's time to end this. It was a good showing, Aegis, especially by yourself."

"My team is with me in spirit, and also on the comms coming as we speak."

I ran at him and slashed at his side with the [Mountain Stick]. After the first initial burst that got him off me, he was wary but after getting hit or blocking it multiple times he was lulled into a false sense of security. It was a mysterious stick now, my power having granted it a unique ability to absorb kinetic energy up to a point. Said energy could be sent out by holding the little button on the handle.

The blast sent Aegis out of my way, not too far as he guarded it, but far enough. I was out in open air and sealed the window back into place before he could follow me. He tapped on the glass, then spoke into his comms. I wasn't waiting for him to get permission to break the window or something worse, like Vista showing up. I bailed out through the air and down to the ground taking a long route in order to lose confuse anyone trailing.

After hiding out behind a boarded-up store and seeing no sign of pursuers I sealed up my costume and weapon with relief. The Wards were getting more skillful on how to handle me, which meant I needed to up my game for them. Still, I would've done more or even considered myself bested if it had been my robbery.

I chewed on my tongue as the void was getting hungrier by the second, wanting its fill of stolen goods. Whoever had organized to ruin my heist, whoever it was who was buying Circus' stolen art, they were definitely not in my good books.

AN: Sure got some action here, and we're seeing a bit on how the capes are reacting to Discard. Really there's a bit of everything that makes this fic, well, this fic in this chapter. All except the obvious shipping. Maybe next chapter?

1212

Glazt

Oct 30, 2018

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