Current Energy: 13
Saturday, January 8th, 2011
Hebert Household, Brockton Bay
It was sometime in the early morning when you finally decided to chime in on the dubious topic of your Master starting her own team. Despite your misgivings on the subject - your Master doesn't really need anyone but you - you don't really have strong feelings one way or the other with regards to Daniels insistence that Taylor join a team of some kind. For 'Protection' he says.
You find this ironic, since Taylor's primary concern is actually him. As amusing as you find it to watch the pair fail to agree with each other despite being mutually worried for one another, you can't help but point something out that, to you at least, is fairly obvious.
"That Lung guy, he was a badass right?" You ask, thoroughly derailing whatever topic your Master is currently talking about. Something about witness protection?
"Yes Emmy, he was very strong and I'm very proud of you," Taylor says dismissively, brushing you off the same way a mother might dismiss a child.
"Oi. I ain't bragging." You grumble back irately, then continue when the Hebert duo blink owlishly at you, as though only just remembering you were even physically present.
"He was the kinda go no one wanted to mess with right? The 'Strongest guy in town' you said? Didn't we just beat him like a bongo drum? Shouldn't that matter?" You ask curiously.
"Armsmaster suggested we not go public that it was us." Taylor offers, jogging your memory. Her Father snorts in response.
"I doubt that will last long. Kaiser made such a huge production of it that he'll have to tell his own people what happened at least. Even if the Protectorate never announces it, everyone will know by tomorrow night." Danny puts forth, sipping at his mug and frowning when he realizes it's empty.
"Right! So, doesn't that make us the biggest badasses in town?" You continue, hoping that the Heberts will finally take your point and let you continue.
"...okay..." Taylor says doubtfully. Hm. Maybe your next Emulation should be someone smarter. Having your Master doubt your ability to make good decisions kind of sucks.
"And tons of people with Powers end up in the gangs cus they don't want to get killed right? They got no support or have shitty powers so they gotta cozy up to someone who does?" You continue triumphantly.
"...yes?" Danny says, clearly as doubtful as his daughter.
"So we can be that guy! 'Join our team, we killed the dragon guy!' It's perfect!" You explain with a smug smile.
Taylor and Danny glance at each other, then back to you. Then back to each other.
"...could we?" Taylor asks hesitantly.
"I don't think it would be impossible but...Teams cost money. You would need a base of operations. Support staff, lawyers-" Danny begins to list off immediately.
"New Wave doesn't have any of that." Taylor points out quickly, apparently warming to the idea.
"Carol Dallon is a lawyer, and New Wave hasn't done anything that mattered since they got rid of the Marquis," Danny responds.
"Glory Girl-" Taylor tries again, her face turning red as she grows more heated.
"Is the superhuman equivalent of a teenager driving her sportscar around town looking for trouble." He counters again.
"...I still want to do it." Taylor says petulantly, squinting at her father as though waiting for a rebuke.
"I didn't say you couldn't. I was just listing what you would need to make it work. It's not my fault that sounds impossible to you." Danny says, chuckling at the venomous glare his daughter is levelling at him.
Damn. Did you just find something Danny was good for?
"So..." You say into the silence as father and daughter square off.
"...We would have to do research first. Who would you even recruit? You can't just walk into the streets carrying Lung's decapitated head and call for all the other Vikings to join you in Valhalla." Danny says dryly. "And that's just to see if the idea is viable. If you're going to be recruiting Capes that were afraid of the Gangs anyway, I don't see how you expect them to ward off said Gangs."
"That's just it Dad!" Taylor jumps in, a light in her eyes and a sensation of smugness rolling off her as she speaks.
"Alone, no one can really stave off the gangs, but together they can! It's just like forming a Union! The PRT can bully whoever they want because they go after individual independents, but they never bother New Wave because they're a group. Dad, we need to unionize the capes!" She crows, and Danny flinches at her as if struck a blow.
You glance between the two, wondering what about that specific argument is so important.
"Taylor I don't think you can... unionize superpowers," Danny says uncomfortably, clearly on the backfoot.
"Sounds like something an anti-union goon would say." Taylor continues, leaning forward in her seat.
"You... you're making me argue against my best interests," Danny says in annoyance, a look of realization flashing across his face.
"My Dad is kind of a big Union man." Taylor says nonchalantly.
"Is he now," Danny says flatly.
"SO..!" You jump in again.
"...Fine. We'll go to the library later. " Danny concedes. "For now, I need a nap. Wake me up at..." He glances at the clock.
"Noon." He grumbles, before trundling off to climb the stairs to his room.
Your head swivels to stare at your Master, a look of obvious expectation on your face.
"Emmy... no." She says resolutely, following her father up the stairs.
"But-" You complain only to nearly bite your own tongue off shutting your mouth when Taylor glares at you.
"If you say the words 'Training' or 'Sword' I'm going to... ground myself. From Training." She finishes lamely.
"...Fine." You grumble, lamenting all the lost time your Master spends sleeping.
"Looks like it's just me and you buddy." You say companionably to the toaster as you settle in to wait for the requisite - you glance at the clock, it's 7:34 in the morning - four hours before you wake everyone up for the day.
The toaster, of course, doesn't answer.
Saturday, January 8th, 2011
Central Library, Brockton Bay
"Okay so, our options are looking kind of... slim, kiddo." Danny says from the seat next to your Master, scribbling something in a notepad and frowning at it.
The library was not particularly well travelled by most people on a Saturday afternoon. In fact, you would go so far as to say the area is basically entirely empty save for your Master, her Father, and the ageing librarian whom you've caught falling asleep on at least two occasions since arriving here. Even still, the Heberts still opted to have you find all the cameras and invisibly direct them to two computers that were difficult to see from them. Evidently, they were going to have to lay low until they could pull the bare bones of this plan together.
Not that Danny was willing to let Taylor avoid going back to school on Monday, claiming he would be staying with the Dockworkers for the majority of the day and would, therefore, be safe.
"I mean... there's Parian?" Taylor whispers back dejectedly.
"...who's power is thread control and who has made a point of not fighting crime in any way shape or form? That Parian?" Danny asks, causing your Master to sink into her seat in defeat.
"This one looks promising though. A monster cape who hangs out in the old trainyard and doesn't like to be bothered." He continues, leaning back so Taylor can look at his screen.
"Monster Cape is rude Dad." She answers offhandedly, obviously deep in thought.
"Well.. besides him and Parian there's just that guy that's been harassing the Merchants recently. But people aren't even sure if he has Powers it says. He might just be a bodybuilder or something."
"There's Purity." Taylor points out, only to be immediately glared down by her Father.
"No." Danny says immediately.
"But PHO says-" Taylor counters weakly.
"Nazi." Danny states adamantly. Your Master doesn't look entirely convinced, but you suspect that's just because she's been looking at pictures of the aftermath of this Purity's attacks, and has been sufficiently impressed.
"So that's it for today then?" Taylor eventually asks, glancing towards you and her father curiously.
"Unless you want to try and meet one of these people today," Danny says with a sigh.
'There's always training~' You chime in, drawing a wince from your Master.