Current Energy: 6
Current Training: Boundary Manipulation (5/10)
Monday, January 24th, 2011
The Heap, Brockton Bay
You are awoken that morning by your Master's insistence on 'training' despite not actually having any training scheduled with you. You would have assumed that - like any sane human being - she would have done a lap around the block and left it at that, but unfortunately, your first Emulation left Taylor with certain proclivities that you suspect you will resent until the day this cycle ends.
"O...oppose...Ne-Nemesis" Your Master haltingly strains to say, for the third or fourth time that morning. Sweat is pouring down her body in rivulets, and she is shaking with the effort of remaining standing. The first time she did this, she managed to maintain the transformation for roughly two minutes before the strain became too much and she was forced to stop. The second time, she managed to last for two minutes and twelve seconds. And so on and so forth. The painfully incremental increase in her uptime is apparently tolerable to your Master, a fact which boggles your mind even now.
Is... whatever the hell her sword is doing... useful? Yes. Certainly. And you are doing everything in your power to trying and analyze what is happening for later reference. But really, does she honestly need the slight improvement? It isn't as though she won't continue to acquire powers from you with time. Most Parahumans didn't even have the ability to improve over time. They got what they got and had to innovate with it or die.
Also, seeing your Master spend over two hours on what amounts to soul pushups is deeply distressing for you, given that you have no idea mechanically if souls can be... strained? Is that the correct word? Whatever.
"Don't you think we should move on with the day dear?" You say sanguinely as your Master blurs through a number of sword strikes with her new khopesh, her left hand occasionally striking out independent of her right to unleash harmless blast of blue-ish light. The movements of the free hand are sloppy and unrefined, however. Taylor is accustomed to using both hands to wield her sword, and as such, the addition of her Onmyoudo skills and a change in weapon has somewhat stunted her skills while her sword is 'released' as she puts it. You suspect that she would have no problems were she to focus solely on her swordsmanship - but trying to incorporate her other skills into her style has proved slow going, even with the prodigal skill she has acquired from your previous Emulation.
"Just... one... more..." Your Master hisses through her teeth, her breathing haggard and struggling.
"Master, you've sweat so much I can just about see through your shirt. Is that something you want Trainwreck to wake up to, or would you prefer to find a place to shower?" You point out sweetly. You also make a mental note to thank Trainwreck for being such a lecher. He makes an excellent deterrent in situations like this.
Then you erase that mental note because you refuse to thank Trainwreck for anything.
"...Fine." Your Master answers once your words penetrate her tired mind.
Monday, January 24th, 2011
Downtown, Brockton Bay
Forty minutes and a shower later, you find yourself invisibly following your Master through the streets of downtown. She is dressed in what you would loosely describe as her 'nice' clothes, if 'jeans and a black hoodie' can qualify as 'nice'. Honestly, the fact that your Master more or less lives her life in sweats has to be one of the greatest tragedies you have ever come across.
'What exactly are we doing today?' You ask your Master out of curiosity.
'Going to see Parian. She's part of the team but we haven't really spoken since... you know. So I thought we could check in on her.' Your Master explains easily, pausing occasionally to allow the streetlight before her to change, despite being able to leap the entire intersection casually.
You gather that she is attempting to go 'incognito', since she is pretending to be normal right now. You can't help but find the way that a number of passersby are staring at her regardless deeply amusing.
You pause for a second to reassess that thought and your surroundings, noting that most of said passersby are young men.
Okay so... maybe these people don't recognize her. It isn't as though your Master walks about with an identifying feature so obviously out of place that no one else could replicate it.
Twenty minutes later (mundane travel is miserable and you hate it), you and your Master find yourselves in the same residential neighbourhood that she once walked Sabah through.
Then stops.
'You don't know which house is hers do you.' You tease, smile widening when your Master reddens slightly.
'Well, it's around here somewhere right? How hard can it be?' She asks you hesitantly.
'If you were to obtain a good cup of tea we could divine the location.' You suggest leadingly.
'You just want a cup of tea.' Your Master accused you as she continues to walk.
'Guilty. I could search the homes nearby for you?' You suggest more seriously this time.
'Didn't I bad you from walking into other people's houses?' Taylor returns to you slyly.
'Ah, but that was a different me now wasn't it? And with that foolish hairstyle. Hideous.' You pout.
You banter pleasantly with your Master like that for a solid fifteen minutes, not once getting close to resolving your problem. You don't mind really. It's nice to to just coexist near Taylor. Soothing even. You suspect your Master must feel the same way, as she appears to be in no particular rush, and is humming a jaunty tune as she walks.
Of course, all good things must come to an end, and the two of you are eventually stopped when an exasperated Sabbah steps out of a house to your left and quickly.falls into step with your Master.
"You could have just messaged me on PHO if you wanted to find me you know." Sabah says wryly.
"I wasn't busy. I like this neighbourhood. It's quiet - but not in an 'Everyone is depressed and has no job' kind of way." Your Master says, screwing her face up in consternation.
"Most of these houses are rented out to college students. I share mine with four other people." Sabah says with a shrug.
"I guess we are near the College. How'd you know I was here anyway?" You Master asks curiously.
"You walked past my house often enough that one of my roommates asked if we should call the police," Sabah says with a giggle and another shrug then smiles impishly at your Master.
"So what do you need me for?" She says curiously.
"Me? Nothing. I just wanted to see if you needed anything or wanted to check out the Headquarters." Your Master answers, sticking her hands in her pockets.
"Oh. I guess I just assumed we would only talk if something was happening, or you needed a new costume." Sabah says blinking.
"...Oh. Sorry I just thought-" Your Master says in a small voice, slowing her gait to allow Sabah to pass her.
"No it's not- look don't be offended okay? I don't mind talking to you. You're nice. I just assumed you would be busy is all, patrolling and such. Since I don't want to fight I just thought..." Sabah says trailing off.
"The whole point is so no one has to fight though. Ignoring you when you aren't useful would just be stupid." Taylor points out shrewdly, having relaxed a bit after the other girl's explanation.
"That's true isn't it? I... wouldn't mind seeing the base I suppose?" Sabah says carefully after a second.
"Do you need to change or...?" Your Master asks.
"Probably. I'll do it when we're partway there. I don't think walking out if my home in costume is wise." Sabah says with a nod, shifting one shoulder to highlight the large back she is carrying under one arm that presumably has her costume in it.
An hour later and the two Capes have found there way back to the Heap. Sabah, Parian now, takes one look at the outside of the building and pauses, tilting her head comically, presumably because no one can see her frown behind her mask.
She does it again when your Master leads her inside, and a third time when she see's the buildings interior besides the garage.
"Taylor." The doll-like Cape says suddenly, pausing to stare hatefully at the oil-covered mess that makes up Trainwrecks side I'd the garage.
"...yes?" Your Master answers nervously, obviously somewhat worried that her team's base has disappointed the other girl.
"I've been saving up. I wanted to open a store you see, one of my own." She explains, her voice a tranquil sort of furious.
"...O...okay?" Taylor answers.
"I am going to remodel this place with that money." Parian states bluntly.
"I- I wouldn't want you to waste any-" Your Master tries to cut in, attempting to stop Parian who has already begun measuring walls.
"It isn't a waste at all. I'm part of the team am I not? So naturally, I can simply build my store into the base. Simple." She continues.
"If you tell me what you need, I can warp space to create new rooms and floors." You offer quickly, a glint in your eyes. Well, you won't be doing it, but you can draw up all the instructions your Master would need to flow to achieve the same effect.
"I don't think-" Your Master tries to cut in again.
"How much space?" Parian asks you gamely.
"Enough for you to build an entire home above your two story boutique. Would you be opposed to adding some bedrooms? Your power would make remarkable blankets." You says.
"I have concerns." Your Master states plainly.
You both ignore her.
Sometime later, you and Parian are interrupted by Trainwreck, who has been characteristically yelling disagreements across the garage at you without actually offering any alternatives to you or Parian's design choices. The large man trundles his way across the garage to where you are located, one giant metal hand scratching at his rear end - which is something you know he does just to annoy you, since he can't actually feel his armour.
"Hey, Boss? There's a kid in a gas mask outside, says you wanted to talk to her." He says, gesturing over his shoulder with a thumb.
"...In a gas mask? Is she a-" Taylor perks up to ask, having been about as attentive towards a conversation about decoration as might be expected from a girl who considers jeans the height of fashion.
"She says she ain't a Nazi." Trainwreck adds with a toothy grin, apparently having expected the question - probably because he asked it himself.
"...Alright then. Soooo, looks like I have to go do team leader things! You two have fun!" Taylor says quickly, standing and marching off towards the front door. You and Parian share a look, then silently and mutually agree to pause the conversation so you can see what your Master is doing, inadvertently condemning her to yet more of the same once she is done.
With quick easy steps, the two of you - who's clothing actually matches fairly well stylistically now that you think about it - follow after your Master just in time to see her leading a wary looking girl in a tattered looking set of thick clothes and an army surplus gas mask inside.
"That's Emmy, this is Parian, and Trainwreck is out in the garage tinkering. Aspirant is- I actually don't know where Aspirant is right now." You catch your Master explaining as she walks in, gesturing towards you and Parian in turn.
"He's likely on the roof. Meditating." You explain, waving at the newcomer, who looks to be about Taylors age if noticeably shorter. Although, most people are shorter than your Taylor. The girl waves back at you hesitantly, obviously on guard and tense.
"This is Spitfire. She-" Taylor starts in her typical, mile a minute way whenever something concerns the growth or success of her team.
"You're still recruiting, right?" Spitfire says bluntly, then flinches slightly as she realizes that she just cut your Master off.
As she should.
"Yup! Combat or Non-Combat?" Your Master asks easily, causing you to raise an eyebrow at her.
'It's a valid question!' She complains to you mentally as she notices it.
'I'm assuming the girl has fire powers. Not exactly useful for arts and crafts.' You point out.
"Is the pay better if I fight?" The girl asks hesitantly.
"The- we haven't really set up a pay structure yet. We're still waiting on the PRT to payout all our bounty money." Your Master says, now slightly nervous.
"...But we do get paid right?" Spitfire says, flicking a finger back and forth between herself and Parian.
"O-of course!" She says, then in a smaller voice "...eventually."
"Uhuh. Do I get a place to stay?" Spitfire continues. You think your Master might be slowly realizing that - outside of the promise that she will absolutely destroy anyone who crosses the people on her team - she doesn't have that much to offer. Overwhelming force is nice when you're in a hostile environment, but not very good for people that want the usual out of a job.
Like money.
"Yes, we were just discussing the new layout of the building. We'll be expanding upwards mostly I expect." You say smoothly, keeping your smile on your face and gliding - you don't typically walk unless forced to - over to your Master to stand behind her.
"Cool. I uh, I've got another interview across town in a bit but it was... nice?" Spitfire says, flinching again. For a girl who seems so remarkably straightforward and blunt, she is awfully wary of reprisal. Although you suppose that might be why she is wary of reprisal.
"Oh... sure... you can contact Aspirant on PHO if you need anything," Taylor says, now obviously trying to hide her disappointment.
"Sure." Spitfire answers and then turns to leave - having not gotten more than partway into the building.
"So, I get paid?" Parian asks with some amusement once the door has completely shut.
"Well, now you do!" Taylor says, flinging her hands into the air.
"That's nice. Student loans are no joke. Anyway, I was thinking a bay window right over there." Parian says jokingly, obviously not actually caring too much about being paid given her intentions for the building. Then she jumps right back into the conversation the two of you had left behind to see Spitfire.
You pat your Master soothingly on the back as she begins to groan.