AUTHOR NOTES: As "Mr Balls" is using a guest account and cannot be simply blocked or addressed directly, I'm forced to put this here. You are never going to be happy with what I write for stress relief, and your commentary is not constructive. Please go read other stories and stop reading mine. Thank you.
In the cards
* Brockton Bay General Hospital Jan.7 2011 *
"There's a reason you wanted me here?" asked Director Piggot.
Armsmaster pointed to the image on one screen, then handed her a report. "Patient name is Taylor Hebert. She was locked in her school locker with approximately twenty-five pounds of used feminine hygiene products among other bio-hazardous waste."
"Good lord," said Emily Piggot. "Why would that be MY concern though?"
"Which she had been locked into by Emma Barnes, Madison Clements, and Sophia Hess," continued Armsmaster.
Director Piggot went still for a moment. "Oh. Really?"
"Yes, from some talkative individuals, we discovered that she was bullied quite extensively for almost two years. Escalation eventually leading to this," said Armsmaster.
"That explains why I'm being read into the situation and how it concerns me," said Director Piggot. "Not why I am here and looking at Miss Hebert's MRI."
"She has powers but is not a parahuman," said Armsmaster. "Which I would have thought impossible as all individuals with powers have the same brain structure though with individual variations. Until today."
"What kind of powers?" asked Emily Piggot.
"Manifestation of a deck of cards," said Miss Militia, showing a few photos. "If the cards leave her immediate vicinity, they vanish and reappear on her person. It was noted by the paramedics after she was pulled from the locker, which was what brought her to our attention initially."
"A deck of cards?" asked Emily Piggot.
"Twenty-two cards, similar to the Major Arcana of a usual tarot deck, but the artwork is different from established decks," said Miss Militia. "Normal cards also don't have artwork that moves, which some cards do manifest."
"So, some kind of Stranger effect?" asked Director Piggot.
"It gets worse," said Armsmaster.
* Two hours later *
"You're ready, Miss Hebert?" asked Director Piggot.
"Right, I only did this once and I don't know what card I'll get when I try," said Taylor, getting up and putting out her right hand - palm up. The cards appeared on that hand in a flick of not-light.
"And you can only draw one at a time, it tires you to do so, and some of the cards will have other limitations?" asked Director Piggot.
"That's what they tell me, but I have trouble understanding them," admitted Taylor, swallowing nervously before she said a final word. "Invoke!"
The cards flew off her hand, spreading out into a rotation around her hand before all but one vanished. That single card fluttered down to her hand face towards her until she flipped it to reveal the face to the others.
An old woman on some kind of throne in a marble cavern, three luminous eyes hovering around her. Her clothing looked vaguely Ancient Greek but in shades of white and blue. She appeared to be weaving thread.
"The High Priestess," identified Miss Militia. "At least that's the closest match from what my research showed."
"Questions Three," said Taylor in a voice that echoed strangely in the room. Her eyes opened and shone like blue flashlights. "Only three times a single day may I answer. Only three questions may you ask. Beware your questions for there are many who regret having answers."
Director Piggot went with the first question she could think of to try and determine how accurate this was. "What have I got in my pocket?"
"Car keys, wadded up tissue, three bullets, and a pager," answered Taylor. "Also some lint. Question the second."
"How may I build a room temperature superconductor?" asked Armsmaster, thinking to test this himself.
Taylor fumbled with her hands as if blind, then found the paper and pen she wanted. She quickly wrote out on the paper, then handed the result to Armsmaster.
"Chemical formula... hmmm," said Armsmaster. "I'll need to test this and see if this is accurate."
"Third and final," prompted Taylor.
"What's the greatest threat currently facing my territory?" asked Director Piggot.
"Scion will end the world in two years, three months, five days," answered Taylor. "Unless you change things. To you specifically or this city, Coil within nine months."
The clothing faded back into her hospital gown, and Taylor sagged to the point where she nearly collapsed.
Director Piggot glanced at Armsmaster. "Let me know if that checks out."
* January 9 2011 *
Gallant glanced over at Armsmaster. "You know how weird this is?"
"I want you to confirm what we've been able to determine," said Armsmaster.
"When she draws a card, her personality and emotional state change rapidly," said Gallant. "She doesn't even feel like the same person."
"That's what we determined as well," said Dragon's voice. There was a loud click to indicate that she'd turned on the speakers in the test room. "Okay, Taylor. It's been an hour. Try one more and we'll stop for the night."
"High Priestess gets that oracle with the three questions per day," said Armsmaster. "Chariot gets a Tinker/Mover combination. Fool seemed to do nothing. Sun was a flying Blaster."
Taylor flipped a single card revealing a courtyard under a full moon to the observation booth. "The Moon? What's..."
Dragon was analyzing as fast as she could, which was very. Armsmaster stared. Gallant took two steps back.
"Rage," said Gallant, reporting what his emotion-sense was telling him. "Hunger."
Easily seven feet in height, the heavily muscled werewolf threw her head back and howled. Revealed were long white teeth. Her gaze, now yellow-eyed, searched the room and they could hear the snuffling sounds as the wolf searched the room with the very canine nose.
Taylor stalked back and forth, teeth bared and growling.
"Containment foam sprayers are prepped," said Dragon.
Armsmaster shifted, the beast somehow triggering some fight-or-flight response.
BEEP! went the door to the test room. The beast shifted its attention to the opening door, looking ready to pounce.
Corporal O'Reilly entered the test room. "Here you go, Taylor. Burrito with egg, cheese, and sausage. Sorry, that was the healthiest thing in the vending machine."
Taylor's ears and tail went up and she gave a thumb's up with one claw.
"Corporal O'Reilly? How did you know it was safe to approach Taylor?" asked Miss Militia as Taylor/wolf happily accepted the treat.
"Ears and tail," said Corporal O'Reilly. "You know, a lot of the stuff in the vending room looks really unhealthy."
Taylor growled something, throwing the empty wrapper in a wastebasket.
"You're welcome," said Corporal O'Reilly.
* Cauldron HQ, January 11 2011 *
"-so that wraps up on the new villain Snotty Girl, I'd honestly be surprised if she survives another month with the cape situation in San Francisco," said Agent Feldon as she clicked buttons. "Glue-like resin that she can sneeze doesn't really stack up against some of the threats she'd face. That brings us to Tarot in Brockton Bay. Notable in that she is apparently not a parahuman in the lack of a Corona Pollentia and also has powers which manifest in a set of cards. She draws a card and gains a different powerset with each card."
"Yes, I've read about her," said Doctor Mother. "Fascinating case. That she apparently does not have any connection to the Agents or Scion makes her interesting even without the versatility of her ability."
"Different powers per card?" asked Eidolon, a bit interested in someone having someone around whose powers were even vaguely similar to his own.
Agent Feldon clicked a button to pull up a display. "This is her 'The Moon' form. Werewolf has increased strength, greatly increased speed, some regenerative ability, but also an increased appetite. Was able to eat four Breakfast Burritos in rapid succession, so some sort of high metabolism."
"That looks like something I would not want to see in a dark alley," admitted Number Man. "I'd imagine your average street ganger would see that racing towards them and need to change their underwear."
"High Priestess can only be accessed once per day and can answer any three questions," said Agent Feldon. "Came up twice during testing. Answers have so far been completely correct including the chemical formula for a room-temperature superconductor that Armsmaster assures Director Piggot can completely... is something wrong?"
"ANY question?" asked Doctor Mother, having stood up. "Contessa? Please contact Tarot and see what you can find out."
Contessa nodded, adjusting her fedora slightly.
"Fool is apparently a 'default' or 'rest' state," continued Agent Barbara Feldon. "Chariot manifests as a form of Tinker/Mover - she is able to repair, operate, and enhance vehicles. She gave a 'tune up' to a PRT transport that increased gas mileage to 130% and added containment foam grenade launchers in a pop-up roof turret."
"I take it that modifications remain after switching to another card?" asked Doctor Mother.
"Oh yes, their garage is trying to determine what all she did so that they can duplicate it," said Agent Feldon. "Sun is a nonhuman. Seen here with orange skin, green sclera and irises and otherwise conforming to human other than on a genetic level. Absorbs solar radiation to increase strength,fly, and fire concentrated blasts of heat and light."
"My labs are still going over the genetic samples," said Doctor Mother. "It is human compatible, but not human. Quite intriguing actually."
"Finally there is this one she manifested, which apparently is exhausting to maintain," said Agent Feldon, advancing the photos. "Temperance, as in the act of tempering metals by beating the impurities out while undergoing great heat. Taylor became a human torch. Fire aura surrounds her with flames, and she is able to fly and project flames in this form. Attempting to reach her highest temperature was apparently the part that exhausted her to the point testing was suspended. At the point of exhaustion, she had generated a plasma lance of 993,000 degrees. Which was followed by catastrophic failure of the test equipment, the near total consumption of oxygen within the test room, and Armsmaster having to replace his glare filters in his helmet."
"That is a ridiculously high temperature," noted Doctor Mother. "I suspect the actual number is lower but was sufficiently high as to spike the equipment during their failure."
"The normal at-rest temperature of her plasma field was 415 degrees Celsius," continued Agent Feldon.
"That's only six cards," noted Eidolon, ticking them off on his fingers. "Moon, Fool, High Priestess, Chariot, Sun, and Temperance. Out of ... twenty-two."
"Part of the problem in that regard is that she's still not at full health due to her trigger event," said Agent Feldon. "It has been confirmed that Sophia Hess and two other girls were responsible through a long bullying campaign and the locker incident. Bringing up the photos..."
"Shadow Stalker's status?" asked Alexandria.
"She was under probation as a Ward," said Agent Feldon. "She currently is on monitor duty only as the investigation continues."
"Shadow Stalker's abilities are potentially useful, but she doesn't show any respect for authority or desire to fit in," said Doctor Mother. "Her psychological assessment was summed up as a 'loose cannon ready to sink her own ship' given any stimulus to do so."
"Putting Tarot on the same team as the one who triggered her might just be unadvisable," said Numbers Man. "Just saying."
* Taylor *
"You want me to join the Wards. With Shadow Stalker there. Who is actually Sophia Hess?"
"Yes, we can train you in your abilities and provide some security to your family," said Director Piggot.
"You want me to work with someone who has been attacking me for two years, and locked me in my locker. Where I was infected with three strains of diseases and had an infestation of bugs that required Panacea be brought in to heal me?" asked Taylor.
"You're fifteen, you should know by now that adults have to work with people they don't like all the time," said Director Piggot.
"Work with people they don't like, sure," responded Taylor. "Work with people who regularly assault them - not so much."
"Suck it up, Miss Hebert," said Director Piggot. "I am not allowed to do more than restrict Shadow Stalker to base unless and until the paperwork goes through."
Miss Militia was still standing there, still wincing.
Armsmaster, as clueless as he could be, was pointedly not looking in the direction of either Tarot or the Director.
Tarot held out her right hand, the cards circled, fanned out, and one settled down where she could grasp it.
"Judgement?" asked Director Piggot as she saw the card.
* Miss Militia *
I knew that Armsmaster would be recording all this for later analysis, so I simply analyzed as I watched.
The cards seemed to vanish in their usual manner, to reform out of nowhere as they did when one had been invoked. That was the only part of this that seemed to follow the usual pattern.
Taylor threw her head back in a silent scream as her flesh burned away, becoming flecks and ash that vanished as they drifted away. Within the space of three seconds, Taylor was gone and only bone and fire were left.
This was different from Temperance - in that instance she and her clothing had seemed to become flame and there had been no indication of pain. This had obviously hurt.
Body language was completely different. Taylor seemed to flinch and tried to put a brave face over some insecurity. This was confident, almost arrogant in posture,the fiery skeleton seemed to regard everyone present as something below her notice. No, HIS notice - the way the skeleton stood was definitely registering as something more masculine.
"That isn't Taylor," said Armsmaster, sounding unusually uncertain.
The skeleton seemed to regard him for a moment.
"Taylor probably wanted to get High Priestess to answer questions," I guessed. The skeleton nodded, and I decided that was encouragement enough. "Who are you?"
Those eye sockets met my gaze and after a brief hesitation the skull answered in a voice that sounded like it belonged on something that tormented the damned. "You - innocent."
"Some sort of Master effect?" asked Director Piggot, drawing that fiery gaze away from me.
I decided I didn't want to see what anyone else's judgement would end up as, just some hunch it would NOT end well. "Judge, do you have a name?"
It regarded me again, then it said something.
I realized I'd been driven to my knees and the others in the room weren't doing any better. I worked out the Name which had been spoken, and tried to translate it in my head to something that simply had sounds like a human would utter. Which gave me a name that had me wanting to get this OUT of the building immediately.
"Judge, will you please return Taylor?" I asked, because I do NOT want to try my power against a literal Flame of God. "I promise she can leave the building without any further difficulties."
The fiery skull regarded me, nodded, and abruptly Taylor was there and falling to the ground. I caught her, though I felt a bit woozy myself.
"Why did you promise that..." Director Piggot slowly picked herself up and sounded extremely unhappy.
"Because THAT was Zarathos, who serves directly under Uriel," I stated. While I spoke, I guided Taylor to a chair. "Anyone who has 'Wrath of God' in their job description, even when they're just a minor aspect called the Ghost Rider, is not someone we want lingering anywhere near us."
"On the other hand, if we could point her towards Ellisburg at some point..." offered Armsmaster.
"She'd burn it to the bedrock," I said, just the lingering impression from that brief gaze into those eye sockets made me sure of it. If Judgement literally came to Ellisburg I had no doubt that it would cease to be a concern in very short order.
"All the more reason for Miss Hebert to grow up and join the Wards," protested Director Piggot.
"It may be unadvisable to change the terms of agreement offered to this 'Ghost Rider' without very good reason," offered Armsmaster.
"Well, at least that's likely the most powerful card she has," said Director Piggot.
"Have you seen some of the other cards in the Major Arcana?" I asked.
* Cauldron HQ. January 15 2011 *
"How bad could it be?" asked Eidolon.
"The Judgement card got something that could eradicate Ellisburg in less than an hour if the threat assessment based on Armsmaster's sensors is correct," said Alexandria. "Contessa tried to Path to knowing and controlling on what exactly Judgement called forth. Her eyes are being regenerated."
"Her eyes were injured?" asked Eidolon.
Doctor Mother shuddered and made a face, which concerned Eidolon immediately. Considering some of the things that the woman had seen or actively participated in - that was a worrisome sign.
"Her eyes were melted in their sockets. Melted. We had to dampen memories of that to stop her from screaming." Alexandria shook her head. "Whatever empowered Tarot, whatever it is she's accessing, it's dangerous. It's just a question of if it is a dangerous we can use."
"When she's not using a card she's as vulnerable as anyone," noted Doctor Mother.
"It's the randomness that bothers me," said Eidolon after an uncomfortable silence. "Going into an Endbringer fight we might want Judgement and get Fool."
"Or you might want to get a few answers and instead of getting High Priestess you get Chariot," added Number Man.
* Taylor *
The feeling of being shoved aside by the card she had drawn was very uncomfortable for her.
Not that this was completely unexpected. All of the cards did that to some extent. High Priestess was the most comfortable in some respects, being sort of like being on a phone call with something vast. She'd only pulled Chariot once and that had felt like an excited child pulling her along and pointing out that if she did this and that then you managed to get this result. Judgement though - that had been like a vast shape pushing her aside and barely acknowledging her as it took control.
Judgement was scary. It had felt vast and old and complicated in ways she couldn't understand.
Everyone thought Fool was a "default" but she'd felt something in there. Like a word that you couldn't recall when you needed it, or maybe the answer to a question on an exam that you knew you had studied but couldn't quite recall for whatever reason.
Sun was joyful. She could fly and fire energy beams and it felt like any positive emotion she felt was turned up a couple of notches. Just being out in the sun, charging her batteries, felt positively wonderful. Temperance was inhuman, calm and determined - with a singleminded focus.
Now, with her father watching, she drew again to see what she ended up with.
"Oh, that looks ominous," said Danny Hebert.
She felt the presence and Something was just there, looking her over in the back of her mind.
"Ominous, meaning that it feels like an omen. Appropriate," said her lips.
She turned her head to see what she could in the mirror. There was a woman there, wearing a hooded cloak in deep purple trimmed with eyes.
"The High Priestess sees What Is, the Tower sees What May Be," said the voice from Taylor's lips. "There is some overlap, of course. But the High Priestess is mainly Clairvoyant while I myself am more a Precog."
"Who are you?" asked Danny Hebert.
"A good question," said the Tower. "My name is Atropos. The High Priestess is my sister Lachesis."
Danny was silent for a moment. "The Greek Fates?"
"The Moirai we have been called, there are always three," said Atropos. "If you have a question, ask. Otherwise I shall retreat again from the world lest my summoner be burned from the burden of my presence."
Danny shrugged. "Can I get the winning lottery numbers?"
Atropos cocked her head. "4, 27, 29, 38, 45. Also 5."
Taylor slumped as the Tower left.
Danny stared before he started searching for a pen and paper. "I honestly didn't expect that to work."
* January 30 2011 *
"Slaughterhouse Nine?" asked Director Piggot.
"Message from Tarot regarding High Priestess questioning indicates they are heading here. Apparently due to a PRT report leaking online. They are coming after Tarot specifically." Miss Militia looked up from her clipboard.
"ETA?" asked Director Piggot.
"Sometime in the next week. Apparently too many variables for High Priestess. Tower is the precog and she isn't coming up," answered Miss Militia. "On the other hand, we have some information we didn't earlier about Tarot's power. Her father came up with the idea of asking High Priestess directly about her powers."
Director Piggot blinked. "That worked?"
"Yes, and according to High Priestess it is because Tarot uses the cards but hasn't mastered any of the cards. Once she masters one, she'll be able to pull that one out regularly. Still random, but better chance of getting what she's after." Miss Militia flipped a page. "She has also drawn the cards of Strength and Hermit. Strength is apparently a Brute package, high level, with green skin. Hermit is a grab bag with some technologically based abilities."
Director Piggot considered. "I need a sniper ready to deal with Tarot if it looks like the Nine are angling to recruit."
Miss Militia frowned underneath her scarf. She saw the need, but didn't like it. She also understood that she didn't have to like it as this wasn't something that involved her beyond getting her people out of the way if it became necessary.
"In any case, what are the odds that-" Director Piggot checked her computer as it dinged. "Hang on. How did Tarot get... Right."
"I take it that High Priestess doesn't like the idea of getting shot?" asked Miss Militia.
"Tarot tells me that Tower is the one objecting. That the Nine will be in town next Friday in a particularly battered Winnebago. Use no capes as Jack Slash can sense them if I want to have any chance of surprising them."
Miss Militia blinked as Director Piggot was doing something she didn't do very often. She was SMILING.
"Oh yes, I hate surprises," said Director Piggot. "Giving someone else a surprise party? I do believe I can make time for that."
"Oh?" asked Miss Militia.
"This does not leave the room since we obviously have not closed all our little security leaks," said Director Piggot. "The e-mail from Tarot had some sort of self-unpacking encryption. I'm guessing that the Hermit was involved."
"Likely from what her father informed us about Hermit's capabilities," agreed Miss Militia.
"Tinker maybe?" mused Director Piggot.
"Possibly, if so - specialization would be different from Chariot's upgrading of existing vehicles," noted Miss Militia. "While the cards seem to have some overlap, they each have different areas of specialization."
* Hebert Household *
"Seriously? Everyone you turn into is someone out there in some... multiverse?" asked Danny Hebert.
"I think they call it an omniverse," said Taylor as she rebuilt a pile of assorted parts into a pen that could be used as an explosive device.
"So - the Hermit is some kind of Tinker?" asked Danny.
"Not quite, and whatever gave me my powers has a sense of humor," said Taylor. "Hermit is just a reflection of a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist in another universe altogether."
"'Playboy'?" asked Danny.
"Some people have issues," answered Taylor as she used the computer. "Tony Stark has volumes. Graphic novel bound sets of his 'best of' issues. Hero, no doubt about it when the chips are down, but issues don't even begin..."
"Uhm, so what are you doing?" asked Danny.
"Investing the lottery winnings, diversified portfolio, then putting together a couple of patents to generate income," said Taylor, her fingers practically racing across the keyboard. "Some people make money out to be inherently evil, but it's a tool. Tools aren't evil. How you use the tool can be all sorts of wrong, but that's on the user. One thing money gets you are options that you don't have without it."
"You aren't doing anything illegal, are you?" asked Danny.
"Nope," said Taylor, not even looking up. "And... probably need to get that lawyer friend of yours to help with this. Having the winnings of that ticket go to the Dockworkers Union Investments was a good move. Keeps people from breaking our door down looking for money hidden in the walls if nothing else."
"I thought that parahumans using powers would be against the law, NEPEA I think," responded Danny.
"Stupid laws, forcing anyone who might have abilities to participate in that whole cops-and-robbers mentality instead of trying to make a life for themselves outside it," answered Taylor. "On the other hand, this skirts those laws because I'm not using a power. I'm using knowledge of patterns and what Tony Stark's technology can manage. Oh, hello Dragon."
"Dragon?" asked Danny.
"Dragon. The Canadian cape. Who Tony tells me is probably an AI from the response time and pretty darn thorough investigation she's doing of what I have been doing. She opened a chat window. Huh. Thanks, D, I did miss that one. Okay. Done."
"So, we have independent income?" asked Danny.
"Yeah, releasing Hermit. Oh, that's a pretty bad headache."
"Not surprised, you had Hermit going for quite a bit over an hour." Danny held out the bottle of Excedrin.
* February 5, 2011, Tattletale *
"Find out what you can about the cape known as Tarot, also known as Taylor Hebert." The call had been short and to the point. Just Coil putting out that brief message then hanging up.
Internet searches had pulled up that Tarot/Taylor was a student of Winslow and publically known. That she'd been flagged by the ambulance workers as a cape with anomalous effects on the trip to the hospital. That the PRT had gotten involved and had made enough of a fuss that the HIPAA laws had been tossed right out the window, though capes had always been a gray area there due to so many powers messing up medical treatment options.
From there it had been easy enough to bring a fishing pole and tackle and then her and Brian could set up at a section of bay and fish. In more than one sense.
Sure enough, there was Danny Hebert by the picture she'd found online. And there was the girl in question.
[Self-conscious. Been bullied recently. Has massive headache.]
Lisa felt a bit of sympathy, as many times as she got Thinker headaches it would be hard not to.
[Father is feeling very protective. Father feels that he has trouble relating to daughter. Distance developed during mutual tragedy.]
Lisa blinked as the girl held out one hand and cards swirled around it.
[Not parahuman.]
[Cards manifestation of outside forces. No physical presence.]
[Outside forces - ERROR ERROR ERROR.]
Lisa blinked as a spike of pain went through her own head.
[Identity of manifestation - ERROR.]
Lisa blinked again as Taylor's clothes changed. She found her own voice whispering what the girl in the fenced-in area was saying. "Change! Change! The form of man. Bring forth the prince born of the damned. Free the might from fleshy mire! Boil the blood with heart of fire. Gone. Gone. The form of man. Rise, the demon Etrigan!"
Brian looked over at her. "What the hell was that?"
[Potential evidence of there being a genuine Hell-dimension.]
[It sees us.]
[It is smirking.]
[Several heavily armed Dockworkers have their attention on us at this point.]
[Several heavily armed Dockworkers have their weapons ready to shoot.]
[Not the most powerful card she has.]
[Card was pulled because Lung is approaching area.]
[Card is entirely appropriate and can we leave now?]
Lisa stared for a moment as her power was actually feeling like it wanted to go hide somewhere?
* PRT ENE HQ *
"Tarot has requested aid. Lung is approaching the Docks with a large group of normals."
"It'll take a good half-hour to get mobilized and there. ETA on Lung?"
"Three minutes. Well, Velocity can be there in one."
Armsmaster considered options and discarded most of them. "Prep a rapid-response team. Velocity should attend and concentrate on getting bystanders out of the way. Has Tarot pulled a card yet?"
"Caller indicates the card was the Devil, and she's now some pyrokinetic Brute. Exact capabilities unknown."
Armsmaster nodded. "Tarot is requesting aid, and the PRT shall answer. Dispatch team as soon as they're ready."
"You've watched 'Lord of the Rings'?" asked Dragon.
"Ever since then I've wanted to re-enact the Ride of the Rohirrim," admitted Armsmaster, already heading for his motorcycle.
* Docks *
"What does the ABB want with us?" asked Danny Hebert from the fence. "We had an agreement. We leave you alone, you leave us alone."
"I heard you have a new cape," said Lung. "A strong one. Show me how strong!"
A guttural voice spoke up nearer him than he would have thought. "Strength it is you wish to measure. Battle it is you rightly treasure. Warrior dragon your fire burns, tell me now what are your terms?"
Lung actually had a smile at that. It wasn't a nice smile, or genuine amusement, but it was there. "Fifteen minutes or until one of us is incapable of fighting. Is this then your strongest?"
"Not the strongest, I admit." The yellow-skinned demon smiled its own cruel smile. "Though for you it seems a fit. Strength and fire both we wield. Fifteen minutes or until one yields."
Lung nodded, then turned his head slightly to address his minions. "Stand clear. Don't interfere. Damnit. Now you've got ME doing that!"
Etrigan shrugged and settled down into a combat stance as they waited for the groups of onlookers to get out of immediate danger.
* Armsmaster *
Even over the engine, the sounds of combat were sufficient to give an exact location.
That and the laughter, if you could call that laughter. It sounded like what a concrete mixer might sound like if it was at least slightly deranged and having fun.
Lung was obvious once he got to visual range. So was this 'devil' that was apparently Taylor Hebert, aka Tarot.
"Monitor perimeter," ordered Armsmaster over the open channel. "Keep an eye out for the battle to spill over."
There was a chorus of acknowledgements that he idly noted, though his primary attention was to the extending antennae on his bike. "Dragon?"
"Accessing sensors," acknowledged Dragon. "Lung is ramped up to fifteen feet and Taylor's 'Devil' form is keeping up."
Etrigan was tail-slapped through a concrete wall.
"Mostly," appended Dragon.
Etrigan burst back out. "Struck thee did and did it well, but now we bring you slice of hell."
Flames against a ramped-up Lung should have been inconsequential. They were apparently not completely ineffective though as Lung roared in pain when the demon's fire-breathing blast slammed into him.
"Something odd about that fire," said Dragon, sounding a bit distracted.
"So the Devil card transformation has Brute and Blaster ratings," noted Armsmaster. "Brute 5 perhaps?"
"The Blaster effect seems to require a charge-up period as well, he took a deep breath before discharging the attack." Dragon hmmmed as she analyzed. "Calculating impact force by the shockwaves from those punches may put the Brute rating a bit higher. Seven maybe."
The back and forth continued, Lung developing wings as they fought.
"Surprisingly contained," noted Armsmaster.
Danny Hebert had arrived to stand next to them, not commenting until that. "I asked if there was a way to contain things. Etrigan said yes and erected a containment field that stretches through several warehouses and Pier Seven. Nothing in that area of real value, so..."
"That sounds incredibly handy," noted Armsmaster.
"It is," agreed Danny.
"Etrigan?" asked Armsmaster. "I'm not sure of the language for that name."
"Three minutes!" shouted out Danny towards the two fighters.
The fighting intensified.
"Etrigan is holding back," said Dragon's voice in Armsmaster's open communication band. "Might be something of a berserker as he seems to enjoy tanking some of Lung's attacks."
"Definitely seems to be one of those cases where Miss Hebert's personality is displaced by the personality of the summons," said Armsmaster aloud.
"Yes, well, my daughter doesn't enjoy pain," responded Danny. "Etrigan apparently differs."
Armsmaster nodded as he wasn't surprised that the girl's father had picked up on that.
* February 6, 2011 *
"It's better if we just do one card a day and I have time to explore what it can do," explained Taylor.
"Cameras are running," said Danny. "Dragon?"
"Online and monitoring remotely," agreed one of the tinker-cameras supplied.
Taylor held out a hand as the cards flitted around her. One settled into place.
"Oh, that's a differe-" began Taylor.
"Card identified as Hierophant," said Dragon's voice. "Common meaning is 'teacher' or 'keeper of traditions' in modern parlance. Tarot? Does this one have a name?"
"Miach," said Taylor. "Healer. Teacher. Specializing in biomechanical and biosynthetic tissues."
"The Tuatha De Dannan?" asked Dragon.
"Yes," said Taylor/Miach. "Dragon. You are... I see."
"This is not me, I am operating this camera remotely," said Dragon.
"So, if you are a teacher, what can you teach?" asked Danny.
"Medicine, physics, wrestling, biomechanics, runecraft," said Taylor. "A variety of subjects."
* February 24, 2011 *
"So what do you think you'll get?" asked Armsmaster as they watched the display showing the Endbringer inbound.
"I usually get one I've already pulled, a new one is the rarity," said Taylor. "Etrigan or Ghost Rider would be best, I think."
"Three minutes," said Armsmaster.
Taylor let out a breath and got ready to draw a card. The time limit was the main reason to wait until literally the last minute. Some cards had a set amount of time they could manifest or a limit on uses of their abilities. The more powerful the card, the longer the recovery time. She was still learning about what she could do and how each card manifested after all.
"One minute," added Armsmaster.
"Draw," said Taylor as the cards shuffled, circled, then one settled into her hand.
(BONG!) tolled a bell somewhere, the sound strangely echoing.
The sky cracked.
(BONG!) went the bell sound again.
More cracks like glass breaking appeared in the sky.
"Tarot?" asked Armsmaster.
(BONG!) went the bell though the ground and air both seemed to flinch from the sound.
Dragon's servos jittered a bit as she turned focus from the Simurgh to where Taylor had been a moment ago. Instead there was someone who flicked from one form to another but had never changed?
There was a skeleton in tattered black hooded cloak, a scythe at her hand. There was a girl of bone-white skin wearing a sort of goth rocker costume. There was a young Japanese girl in a figure-skating costume holding an odd spear-like polearm. There were rusted gears and torn wiring in a semblence of human shape. There was an actor her database identified as Julian Richings. She was a tall woman whose headress bore branching antlers. She was an old crone who bore a pair of scissors. She was a hooded cloaked woman with a white raven mask.
"Oh," said Armsmaster.
"YES," said the figure in a voice that sounded like words chiseled on a gravestone. Which sounded completely illogical to Dragon but she was sticking with that description because right now she was standing right next to the scariest thing on the battlefield.
Everyone, including the Simurgh, had just come to a complete stop to stare at what had just appeared.
One hand came up to point. "YOU."
The Simurgh fled.
00 Fool - Taylor (Enhanced Learning Speed)
01 Magician -
02 High Priestess - Lachesis (Clairvoyance) (Greek myth)
03 Empress -
04 Emperor -
05 Hierophant - Miach - Teacher/Healer/Tinker (cybernetics/enhanced teaching speed) (Celtic myth)
06 Lovers
07 Chariot - Lucius Fox - Tinker specialization: vehicle upgrades/maintenance (DC Comics)
08 Strength - She-Hulk - Strength/Durability (Marvel)
09 The Hermit - Tony Stark - Tinker (Marvel)
10 Wheel of Fortune
11 Justice
12 Hanged Man
13 Death - Death. (various)
14 Temperance - Human Torch - pyrokinesis (Marvel)
15 Devil - Etrigan - Brute/Blaster/Striker (DC)
16 Tower - Atropos - precognition (Greek myth)
17 Star -
18 Moon - Werewolf - Brute/Striker regenerator (Darkstalkers)
19 Sun - Starfire/Koriand'r - solar energy absorbtion/energy blasts/flight (DC)
20 Judgement - Ghost Rider (Marvel)
21 The World -
if someone has a suggestion for an alternate choice, or for one of the as-yet unused cards - that's what comments are for.