Choosing her Path, part 1
* Earth-Bet *
Some things just happened. Some things were common enough to multiple instances of the timeline.
Some were not.
Taylor being bullied by the trio of Madison Clements, Emma Barnes, and Sophia Hess was a regular thing.
Being kicked off the roof of Winslow High School during lunch and falling three stories onto a concrete planter was considerably less regular.
The snap of bones was also less regular.
The startled swearing from the Janitor (Mister Esteban Javier Villalobos Rodriguez in this universe) who'd just popped out for a quick breather was also less common.
What Taylor saw in her field of vision was also not common.
[Serious Wound! -8hp!]
[Internal Bleeding! -1hp/minute.]
"Wha?" asked a barely conscious Taylor Hebert.
"Calling an ambulance, this ain't the sort of shit the School Nurse can handle - IF she ain't been drinking." Mister Rodriguez jabbed a couple of numbers on his cellphone. "Ain't seen this sort of shit since Seattle."
[Taylor Hebert]
[Species: Metahuman]
[Status: Bleeding]
[Level: 1/20]
[HP: 5/13, MP: n/a]
[Atk: 1, Def: 1, Magic: 0, Agi: 2, Rank: D-]
[Special Skills:]
[Inner Strength: 2]
[Titles: None]
[Description: The protaganist of our story, whose life or death will determine if the world lives or dies when (Redacted) begins the next part of the Cycle.]
"What?!" managed Taylor Hebert before she passed out.
* Ambulance *
"Something weird here, patient might be a cape," stated the paramedic.
While outing a cape was against the rules, and sharing medical information was against HIPPAA laws, not knowing some information about a patient could end up killing that patient. Since some capes had altered physiology (not just the Case 53s), knowing that someone was a potential parahuman was noted in the charts.
"Weird how?" asked the driver as her main attention was on weaving through traffic but abandoning the vehicle if the patient erupted in flames was also something that she needed to know about.
"As soon as I applied bandages, the bleeding just stopped altogether," said the paramedic in the back. Ed was an old hand at this sort of thing, and various things that didn't add up to just another blunt-trauma wound were noted. "Rapid eye movement. Pupils are... definitely a para. Eyes have a faint glow and are a shade of green that you don't normally see without special contacts. Indications of multiple old bruises, so she's not a regenerator like some Brutes."
"Still unconscious I take it," shot back the driver.
"Yes, no medications given though considering possible altered physiology," said Ed. "Calling in to ER with her status... OH MY FREAKING?!"
"What happened back there?!" asked the driver.
"I just had a little blue box appear in front of me, asking if I wanted to join Taylor's party," said Ed.
"What? Like a game?"
"Yeah," said Ed. "Exactly like some RPG or MMO thing."
There was some brief silence. "The minute Uber and L33T find out, she's a target. Did you accept?"
"Yeah. I gets weirder."
"Tell me if it gets 'abandon vehicle' weird."
"Not that kind of weird, but noted," replied Ed. "Huh. I wonder if I can extend an invite to anyone else."
"Not me, I don't need the distraction the way people drive around here."
"Let's try..." said Ed, thinking.
* Uber & Leet, secret base *
"What the hell?!" asked L33t.
"Blue box appeared in front of you, asking if you wanted to join 'Taylor's Party'?" asked Uber.
"Yeah," agreed L33t.
"Invitation cancelled and box disappeared. Do you know a 'Taylor'?" asked Uber.
"No, but I am quite intrigued," admitted L33t.
* Cauldron *
"Who the hell is Taylor, why is she having a party, and why did a blue text box appear in front of me?" asked Rebecca Costa-Brown.
"I have no idea, but both Legend and Eidolon have sent text messages asking about these messages," admitted Doctor Mother.
"And Ed just canceled the invite. Who the hell is Ed?!"
"Also don't know," said Doctor Mother.
* Armsmaster Lab *
"Dragon?"
"I got it too."
"I'm aware it's one of those phrases that precedes disaster, but I wonder what this does?" asked Armsmaster.
[Armsmaster has joined the Party!]
[Dragon has joined the Party!]
"There's a map function," observed Armsmaster. "Intriguing."
"Check the boxes to the side," noted Dragon.
[Armsmaster, Tinker (Miniaturization/Efficiency), Lvl 24]
[Dragon, Tinker (Freewheel), Lvl 26]
[Taylor Hebert, class not chosen, Lvl 1]
[Ed Simmons, Paramedic, Lvl 9]
"The box said 'Taylor's Party' so I'm guessing that Taylor Hebert is the cause of this effect," mused Armsmaster. "The presence of a paramedic might indicate either a fight or..." Armsmaster's voice trailed off as he considered.
[Lung has joined the Party.]
[Lung, Escalation Shard, Lvl 32]
"I don't even want to know," said Armsmaster.
"Colin. Click on her box."
From the seriousness of her voice, Armsmaster thought this was sounding troublesome.
[Taylor Hebert. hp: 5/13. Status: Sad, Stressed, Unconscious, Bruised.]
[Current Quest: So This Is My Origin Story?!]
"Do you see that?" asked Dragon.
"So, it's a Trigger Event," noted Armsmaster.
"Did you read it?" asked Dragon.
Intrigued further, Armsmaster reached out to toggle the box.
[Quest: So This Is My Origin Story?! Level 1]
[You have triggered as a metahuman, not a parahuman, so]
[some things are different. Though you have endured a]
[whole eighteen months of bullying that has strayed right]
[into assault, battery, attempted murder, and now being]
[Triggered by the trio of Sophia Hess, Madison Clements, and]
[your former best friend Emma Barnes, your health and future]
[remain uncertain. That you are the hero who could save this]
[world, or the villain that could doom it, is unfortunately]
[more stress on your plate.]
[Trigger Event: 1/1.]
[Choose Class: 0/1.]
[Unlock Dungeons: 0/1]
[Unlock Party System: 1/1]
"What?" asked Armsmaster.
[Ed: I have no idea. This is all cape stuff and I'm just a paramedic.]
"What was that?" asked Armsmaster.
[Lung: It's inter-party chat. Haven't you ever played an MMO before?]
"That's really Lung?" asked Dragon.
[Lung: No, I'm really Peter Pan come to whisk you off to Neverland.]
[Lung: I really expected more from the number one Tinker in the world.]
[Ed: So... this isn't normal for capes, I take it.]
[Ed: We're pulling in to BBG Emergency. How do I un-party?]
[Lung: Dismiss Ed.]
[Motion to dismiss Ed from party. Vote Y/N.]
[Lung: Y]
[Dragon: Y]
[Armsmaster: Y]
[Ed: Y]
[Ed leaves the party.]
"Lung? You are familiar with this sort of thing?" asked Dragon.
[Lung: What do you think I do in my off-time? Spend all my days playing Candy Crush?]
[Lung: I have actually played video games when I was younger. And I may have played one or two afterwards.]
[Lung: One of my people read a lot of manga prior to Kyushu. Metahuman is a term used by some of the superhero comics prior to the collapse of the industry when parahumans appeared.]
"Okay, that was unexpected," said Armsmaster.
[Lung: Are you going to share any intel or is the burden entirely mine?]
Armsmaster let out a huffing noise before speaking. "Truce?"
[Lung: At least during the duration of current events or my leaving the party, yes.]
Dragon decided it was her turn. "This Taylor Hebert is a new Trigger, apparently unconscious, and -"
[Taylor Hebert awakens.]
[Taylor Hebert status change: panicked.]
[Party disbanded.]
Armsmaster considered what to say about this. Finally he went with the obvious. "Well, shit."
"At least we know who and where to go," noted Dragon.
"True," said Armsmaster, grabbing a few items and hooking them into his armor before striding for the exit to his lab.
"Panacea and Glory Girl are currently listed at Brockton Bay General Hospital," said Dragon. "Contacting them."
"Are you sure they should be brought in?" asked Armsmaster. "I'll be there in ten minutes."
"That's if the traffic isn't bad," said Dragon. "Meanwhile we have a new Trigger with unknown powers panicking in the Emergency Room."
Armsmaster hit the elevator button. "You have a definite point there, but the Director will not like it."
"The Director will not like a lot of this," noted Dragon.
"Dialing Miss Militia," stated Armsmaster as he thumbed the garage button in the elevator. "Miss Militia? Armsmaster. Code 7-Z on SS. Just received evidence she may have broken probation. Check with her case worker, though if it has been going on as long as the indication listed there may be some reluctance."
"Dragon here. I've already accessed the level records I have access to. Wording is repeated in every report. Minimal or no details on any incidents."
Miss Militia hmmed over the connection. "Collusion or incompetence then? I'll see what I can find. What am I looking for in particular?"
"Eighteen months. Campaign of physical and emotional harassment against another student, attempted murder or at least assault," responded Armsmaster. "To the point where the target Triggered."
There was a pause, and Miss Militia's voice was harsh when she responded. "I'm on it. Out."
The elevator dinged and Armsmaster headed for his motorcycle. "Are you on your way, Dragon?"
The on-screen avatar from her usual communications mode nodded. "Two hours out before I can physically make it to your location. Keep me informed, Colin."
* Brockton Bay General Hospital *
* ED Room 12 *
The room was normally four sets of curtains to mark off an area around a bed. It had been a call as to potential parahuman though, so there was actually a room involved. Privacy concerns and the potential threat to nearby patients meant that the patient couldn't simply be thrown into general admission/observation.
"She was a blank until just a moment ago, I couldn't get ANYTHING off of her," said Panacea. "Then came that party invitation and suddenly I could get a reading."
"Did you read her first quest? That's messed up," said Glory Girl.
"I knocked her out, but I have so many questions," said Panacea.
"Yeah, well, if Beardmaster is coming - I don't think we'll get any answers," noted Glory Girl.
[Glory Girl, Aura/Force, Level 9]
[Panacea, LifeShaper, level 10 (Status: Charmed)]
"What do you suppose that means?" asked Glory Girl, pointing at her sister's status display.
"I... have to think about that," admitted Panacea. "I'm waking her up but releasing some endorphins."
"That isn't affecting her brain?" asked Glory Girl.
"No, that's the endocrine system, entirely different," said Panacea.
"Ungh," said Taylor. "Wha-"
"I'm the ever-famous, ever-fabulous, Glory Girl and this is my amazing sister Panacea - best healer in the world!" declared Glory Girl, slipping into Exposition Pose #3. It wasn't quite as striking without a breeze getting her cape flowing behind her, but one must make sacrifices for the situation.
"Uh... Taylor..."
"Yeah, Taylor Hebert. No cape name, you'll want to fix that real soon," said Glory GIrl. "We looked at your Quest. Bullied for eighteen months? Man, you must have the patience of a saint - I'd have smacked someone through a wall by then. Even before I triggered."
"She's not entirely wrong," admitted Panacea. "This is the strangest Trigger Event I've ever heard of."
"My 'quest'?" asked Taylor.
"Yeah, there's a whole bunch of stuff in there that's blocked off. We just were able to read the first text box and the quest requirement section at the bottom," said Glory Girl. "Apparently you've done this once before. The paramedic from earlier tried to heal you and your power invited him to a party. Same thing happened with my sister trying to heal you. Got to say, I'm disappointed - if we're going to have a party there should be a cake or something. Maybe brownies. Hey, you think your power can provide brownies?"
"Not that kind of party, Vicky," complained Panacea.
"I know. I was just interjecting some humor here. So... was she supposed to turn that white?" asked Glory Girl.
"Taylor? Taylor? Look at me. It's all right. Whatever is in those extra text boxes we couldn't read and you're okay now." Panacea kept a hand on Taylor though, as the spike of panic was slowly eroded.
"So, what's the 'Choose Class' thing?" asked Glory Girl.
"We should wait for Armsmaster," said Panacea.
"That guy's the worst stick-in-the-mud in the entire Protectorate. I heard he had to remove his sense of fun because he couldn't fit it into his armor load-out." Glory Girl tsked about that.
"We should still wait," said Panacea.
"Well, how about we talk about these girls who were bullying you? I could explain to them why that's a bad idea. Damn, I can't get my knuckles to crack." Glory Girl directed her attention to the door. "That sounds like No-fun-master now from the clankin... Uh oh."
The man entering the room was large, wearing a tasteful-looking suit, and immediately recognizable. "Panacea. Glory Girl. Taylor Hebert."
"Uhm, you're..." said Glory Girl, who wasn't sure she could take Lung on.
"Kenta, I'm an associate of Lung here because the PRT clearly had no clue what was going on and were fumbling around as if they have one brain among them and were passing it around," identified large Chinese guy.
"But you're..." began Glory Girl.
"Unwritten Rules," stated large Chinese guy. "I'm Kenta Ling. According to the paramedic my employer was included in a party by that same paramedic accidently while trying to work with Miss Hebert and Lung's name was one of the few capes whose name he rattled off. As I am somewhat familiar with certain video games played when I was a bit younger - I was sent to see that Miss Hebert and her potentially great power were not abused."
"Lung plays video games?" asked Glory Girl.
"And I see evidence that the PRT are not the only ones with cranial insufficiencies," said Kenta.
"HEY!" protested Glory Girl, who then turned a wounded look towards her sister who had just let out a sound that might just have been a barely suppressed snicker.
"I see, then a state of truce between your employer and individuals involved with Miss Hebert's care because your employer was involved," said Panacea, cocking an eyebrow.
"Exactly," said Kenta, inclining his head towards Panacea.
"I don't understand ANY of this," protested Taylor.
"You've just undergone a Trigger Event, you have an excuse," said Kenta with a little dismissive gesture.
"What's in the box?" asked Glory Girl suspiciously.
"I've spent time in and around hospitals before. I am familiar with the food," said Kenta, moving a little bedside table over and putting the box on it. He opened the box and a smell drifted out that was neither particularly sterile or unappealing.
"Potstickers?" asked Taylor.
"Jiaozi, or if you prefer - gyoza," replied Kenta.
"oooh, potstickers," said Glory Girl as she peeked into the box.
"Gyoza," repeated Kenta.
"Which kind?" asked Panacea.
"Pork," said Kenta, pointing at one end of the box. Then he pointed at the other end. "Beef."
"I'd like a beef gyoza," said Panacea.
"You certainly may have one," replied Kenta, offering the box. "Being such a polite and well-respected healer."
"What? Amy!" Glory Girl sounded faintly offended or betrayed.
"Mmmm. Fresh." Panacea nibbled at the little offering. She didn't mention checking the composition of once-living materials as her lips touched the product and determining that there wasn't anything untoward in them.
"One of Lung's businesses include a Chinese kitchen where such things are available and of high quality," stated Kenta with a certain tone of pride. "Shall I put your name down as a favored customer?"
"I wouldn't mind trying it out sometime," admitted Panacea.
"What is going on here?" asked Glory Girl.
"In games of such types, it is often said - if the healer is content then the party thrives," said Kenta. "I'm not sure what the English phrase would be but I'm sure the philosophy is known."
"I'm sorry it took me so long to... Lung?" asked Armsmaster as he entered and immediately assessed the group.
"I believe Lung doesn't wear a shirt," said Kenta. "As I am wearing a shirt, and a silk one at that, then I cannot be Lung. Kenta Ling, an associate of Great Lung."
"Uh, right," said Armsmaster. "Understood."
"I take it that Dragon is tapped into your armor's communications systems?" asked Kenta.
"I am," said Dragon's voice.
"Excellent," said Kenta. "Taylor? What comes up when you tap the section of your quest that requires you to choose a class?"
"Uhm," said Taylor, plucking a potsticker, dipping it in a sauce and then momentarily losing track of things when the flavor struck. "Damn, these are good."
"Nekohanten at the most Dockwards end of ABB territory," said Kenta. "I'll put the word out that you and the healer are there at Lung's invitation. Don't start anything and anyone bothering you would face Lung's wrath. And he has considerable wrath."
"Uhm, class. Here we go," said Taylor. "Huh. More boxes. Can you see them?"
"No, you'll have to read them out," said Kenta, making a gesture towards Armsmaster and then the box of gyoza. "If you're anything like I've heard about Tinkers, you may be lacking in sleep and regular meals. You may want to get a snack while we do this."
"I don't know what any of these terms mean," protested Taylor.
"Just read them off, and I'm sure with this many people we can intuit some of it," said Kenta.
"Black Mage," said Taylor.
"Final Fantasy, an aleph Japanese series of games," said Kenta. "The black mage is a specialist in destructive magic, able to throw elemental forces against their enemies. The disadvantages are a lack of armor, and a dependence on an internal energy called 'mana' to manifest those effects."
"Oh. Uh. White Mage?" aksed Taylor.
"Healer, also from Final Fantasy," said Kenta. "Starts out being able to heal a single individual a small amount. Ends up being able to heal large numbers of people at extended range and possibly raise the recently dead. May be able to throw various protective effects around as well."
"Raise the dead?" asked Glory Girl, thinking zombies and making a face.
"Recently dead, and probably weakened until given the chance to recover," said Kenta. "Don't dismiss such a thing too quickly, it would be invaluable in any kind of natural disaster."
"Or an Endbringer fight," said Armsmaster. "That's why you're here, isn't it?"
"I'm here because the paramedic who inadvertantly activated the party system ending up involving Lung. Lung sees possibilities in this young lady's abilities that could bring money into the area, which would benefit his own interests. Among other things," said Kenta, sounding slightly offended.
"Uhm, Magical Girl?" asked Taylor.
"A genre of Japanese stories involving a girl who usually has a mix of offensive and defensive abilities," said Kenta thoughtfully. "Based on what I know of the genre, it would probably be a Changer ability to a Breaker state that gave some minor Brute and Mover abilities but otherwise be Blaster and Shaker."
"Ninja?" asked Taylor.
"Probably the mythic ninja type instead of the more traditional spy or assassin," said Kenta. "Still the shadow warrior is a stealth type so probably starting off with some Stranger ability."
"Psionicist?" asked Taylor.
"An esper, telekinesis or telepathy or clairvoyance or precog or a mix of various abilities like that," said Kenta. "Thinker, Shaker, Blaster perhaps."
"Samurai?" asked Taylor. "I think I know this one."
"The counterpart to the ninja. Where the ninja is the silent blade in the night, the samurai is the warrior of sword and other weapons. Usually some skills with the spear and bow as well." Kenta eyed the thin girl and figured this didn't sound like a likely match.
"Techknight?" asked Taylor.
Dragon's voice spoke up. "Probably a combination of Tinker and Striker or Blaster from the name."
Kenta nodded. "Reasonable."
"I try," responded Dragon.
"Monk?" asked Taylor.
"Martial artist, possibly using a martial arts form that uses chi to increase the power of your strikes," said Kenta.
"There is no such thing as chi," stated Armsmaster.
"You have someone in this very town who can turn into a dragon and fly with wings that would not support that much mass," pointed out Kenta.
Armsmaster was silent for a moment, then inclined his head. "Point."
"Wizard? Really? That's a choice?" asked Taylor.
"Probably a combination of black mage and white mage," offered Dragon. "Not as focused on either role, able to access some of each."
"Paladin?" asked Taylor.
"A Western-style knight, possibly able to use some limited white magic," said Dragon. At an inquiring glance from Kenta she explained. "Online database about common character tropes."
"Ah," said Kenta, satisfied.
"Summoner?" asked Taylor.
"If it is the Final Fantasy version, that is a potent choice eventually," said Kenta. "Summoning aspects of reality to assist you. Like all the others, start small and gain power gradually."
"Builder - that's probably some kind of Tinker, right?" asked Taylor, making a couple of passing motions. "Oh. This one has sub-categories. Machines, robots, spirits, machine spirits..."
Kenta startled. "Ship-girls. That... that is a possibility with potentially frightening or incredible capabilities."
"A lot of these seem to have that," said Armsmaster. "If your interpretation is accurate."
"Uhm. Kemonomimi is listed under Builder as a subcategory," said Taylor.
"Probably don't want to do that one," said Glory Girl. "Having minions means a Master rating and that makes people really nervous."
"Though if your creations are not capable of self-replication, that's considerably less likely to have people reacting negatively to you," offered Panacea. "Dragon is quite capable of sending drones out and nobody gives that a thought."
"True, to some extent," admitted Dragon.
"Druid?" tried Taylor. "Like those guys in Britain that worship Stonehenge?"
"Most likely someone who can change into various animals," offered Dragon.
"Last one is Berserker," said Taylor.
"Doesn't sound like a good choice," said Glory Girl. "We already got one in Brockton Bay. His name is Lung."
Kenta opened his mouth to say something, visibly considered, then nodded as it wasn't entirely without accuracy.
"What should I choose?" asked Taylor. "I feel like I need to choose something."
"It's your choice, it will determine what path you take for the rest of your life," said Kenta. He reached for another gyoza and realized someone had gotten them all in the meantime.
"No pressure, right?" asked Taylor. "Except it feels like I do need to choose."
"Well, I've never heard of someone being able to choose what power you end up with," said Glory Girl. "Honestly, considering some of the stories I've heard about capes with powers they really don't want - that's better than ending up like that at least."
"Like the pyrokinetic in Miami with a crippling fear of fire?" asked Armsmaster.
"Or the guy with all the allergies who can control plants, yeah," agreed Glory Girl.
Taylor chooses...
Choice A) Class
Choice B) Group (Independent, New Wave, Wards, Something else)