Chapter 2: Conflicting Emotions

September 30th, 2003 - 4:08 PM - Birdcage - Glaistig Uaine

I sit in my small room, set up with simple decorations but not lacking on quality. The table for my tea party is made of the finest wood, while my choice of tea is such a wide array of options. While most would consider this place a disgusting and unwanted location to be anywhere near, it is my kingdom and I expect to be properly treated as the Royalty I am.

I am Queen HostessGlaistig Uaine, queen of this castle known as the birdcage, the only place where ALL of my subjects can be of the proper lineage. I could travel around and visit other lands I suppose, but I do not wish to aggravate the High Priest and his band of thieves. It is too soon for a confrontation between two such as us.

My previous guests have already left, Dictator and Adjuster needing to be put back into their places just because Shaper has been spirited away. While I am looking to clean up the previous affair, my fairies tell me that the seat across my table is still filled. I already know part of what is to come from my observations of the outside world. So, this will be our first meeting in the flesh? Perhaps it will be our last.

"Outsider. Why have you come to my domain? You have already taken one of my subjects from me, did you come to demand more?"

I turn to look at her as I speak, giving her at least that much courtesy. My fairies have seen her enough to where I can judge her. She dresses as a harlot while attracting the attention of everyone around, partly to irritate those who consider her a monster and partly for her own amusement. A slight scowl marks her face at the tone in my voice, but she is the one here uninvited.

"Do you truly dislike me so much as to try and offend me on our first meeting? I hardly remember doing anything to you?"

"We all have the roles we were cast for, Outsider. Then you come in, take the script out of the playwright's hands and place your name in the list of actors. Why should I entertain anything you say?"

"I am on the casting list though. Does it matter how I got there if I perform on the stage all the same? I AM playing the role I was meant for, I merely had to write myself into the story."

"You took Shaper from my castle and force him into your service. You take no heed to the gifts given to us by the fae, altering their dance with your own whimsical ways. Why are you here?"

"Well, I guess I can respect your dedication if nothing else. No matter how much power I shove in your face, it makes no real difference. After destroying so many lives through proxies and people still not immediately dismissing me, it's nice to find someone who has some standards they stand by consistently."

I grow tired of this one-sided conversation, as if she is talking at me instead of with me. It's dismissive of my place, my rightful rule.

"I will ask once more, why have you come?"

"Hm? Oh, I guess I get sidetracked at times. Anyway, I have a deal to offer you."

"I may be willing to allow your existence, but I will not work for you, Outsider."

"Heh, 'willing', as if you can do anything about it. Regardless, that wasn't even what I going to ask that. No, see I respect you enough to let you get back to your assigned role, but the thing is that by doing your collecting, you are taking from me."

…..What did she say? The audacity.

"Are you calling me a thief? Choose your next words wisely."

"Even knowing the chance of beating me is zero, you're still willing to go against me for a slight? Though, I suppose this is another reason why I like you. No hesitation. Silly things like rules and other's expectations are thrown out the window compared to what you want. Souls of people like you stand out all the more, whether that color is the brightest white or the murkiest black is unconcerning to me."

"But am I calling you a thief? An accidental one perhaps, but one all the same."

"Speak clearly, Outsider."

"You're the one telling me that? Really, you? Heh, very well."

"When I touched those 'fairies' of yours, I gave them my own powers to make them greater than their former selves. However, that arrangement was only until the death of their other halves. Why should I allow you to keep what is mine? Now that it is done being borrowed, I should have the rights to reclaim my property, correct?"

"Your words do make sense, but what does that have to do with my court? I can not even gauge your strength but I know you have more than enough power to claim what is yours far before the fairies manage to reach me."

"Yes I could, but a proper discussion is far better. After all, I would hate to decide this single handedly without involving you. What do you say that I let you keep this power of mine with your new subjects? And all I ask in exchange is one small thing."

"You wish to bargain with me?"

"Well, they say never to make a deal with the fae, but I think more people are afraid of selling their soul to the devil and it's already too late there."

"I wish for your continued ceasefire with all matters pertaining to me. I might grab a person or two from your little community, but other than that I will leave your castle the way it is right now. We can both see each other when the final act has arrived. In return, I will allow you to keep the beautiful work I've done on the fairies of my contenders that you gain when you collect them, until we become enemies at least."

"What do you say? Do we have a deal?"

"You're an element that is not accounted for in the grand design. A rogue actor."

"I just enjoy adding lines to others when I feel their characters aren't properly displayed. Sometimes I have to jump on the stage and let everyone be the best star they can be with a little help! Nothing has changed other than the importance of some and the early departure of others. So, have we reached an accord?"

While willing, I can't truly fight her and expect to be victorious. This I know. There is really no other choice lest she sets her sight on me and mine. She will find it is not so easy to take back something once given.

"...Very well, until the day you go against the final desire of all the courts, we shall have a peace between ourselves."

"Excellent, enjoy the gifts until the possible day we become enemies, your majesty!"

.

.

.

.

I call the three of the four new fairies that have joined my court. A woman with a permanent scowl locked on her face, a young man whose spirit is so uncomfortable with its previous flesh that even as a specter it is mostly metallic, and a coward at heart that tries his hardest to show a strong front to the world.

I believe the world has known them as Brandish, Genos, and Kaiser but I care not. That is not their identity once they come to my table.

Welcome to my court, Flesh-Machine Union, Light-Shift, and Iron-Formation. I can see the changes the Outsider has done to you, my little fairies. Your wings are accented with lines of red reminescent of her own colors while your features stand out all the more from your fellows, far more sharp and dangerous. Uncrowned Queens all of you may be, but you are uncrowned all the same.

You will learn proper manners of course, you no longer are playing in the wider world. You are here in my realm, and I expect obedience from my subjects.

They obey, I can see an endless number of weapons forged of light that I can shoot at will. Ideas spring to my thoughts from one fairy whispering in my ears, designs I know would never normally be allowed to be given by the fae. The coward should at least be good for cleaning up my home of all its defects.

Until the play has ended, you will remain with me. Now that you have joined me, she shouldn't find you so easy to get back.

I wonder how this Outsider has changed up the script? Even I can't see all of her edits, scratched through lines and freshly written ink covers the pages and blocks the epilogue from my sight. Maybe I will see a different kind of story?

I may be willing, but even I don't look forward to my curtain call.

? POV:

Hmmmmm, what should I do today? I already had tacos for lunch so I'm not hungry. My gamer friends are either working or not online. My shift for the week was two days ago so I don't have to do that, thank god.

Suddenly, I can hear my phone begin to ring across the room where I left it on the counter.

*RING**RING*-*RING**RING*-*RING**RING*

"Ugggggh….fine"

At least that'll get me up. I don't think I've got out of bed today except to grab food. I quickly stand and pick up the phone, hold it to my ear, and answer the call. The voice of my boyfriend is heard from the other end.

"Hey honey, how are you?"

Typical. He can't stand to not hear from me every chance he can get. Oh well, I love that about him.

"Nothing much baby, just sitting around bored but should you be calling? You're at work right now."

"Nah, we have a bit of downtime right now so I wanted to call. I also knew you wouldn't be getting out of bed if I didn't get you to do it. Feeling okay?"

"Yes I'm okay. Geez, you shouldn't worry just because I don't get out of bed until 1PM. That's pretty normal when you don't have to go to work and play games all night. it's not like I'm going to get fat."

"Hah, I know, I know, honey. But it gave me a reason to hear the sound of your voice."

Awwwwww.

"Hey, come on and get back to work, break's over!"

And just like that the moment's ruined. Hmph, 'downtime' is it?

"I heard that baby, covering your phone isn't going to help. Get back to work! The sooner you finish, the sooner you can come home to me."

"Okay, okay. I'll see you later then. I love you, Noelle"

"I love you too, Krouse" *CLICK*

I see myself in the phone's reflection and still marvel at how beautiful I am now. Then I look at my outfit.

Honestly, I never dressed so scantily before but when you're this pretty it hurts to cover it up. What did Osiris call it, comic book pretty?

I used to be such a shy girl but now I barely wear anything that goes below my knees. I'm thankful and just full of appreciation for my current body after turning into that THING. You want to feel like a ten everyday, just remember when you were a negative five. Then again, I am actually a ten after that change.

Most of us usually just sit around the large apartment and play games together. This world's gaming industry sucked until Toybox made those computer games and full-dive equipment for people. Since tinker-tech doesn't break down inside Egypt's borders, thanks to Osiris, Toybox went a little true to their name and started creating everything that could attract people.

Ordinary people don't really live here too much, but spending a large amount of money gets you a pass that tells everyone not to mess with you for a while. Even with the costs of the pass, being able to experience all the different powers with their commercial and entertainment uses drove people here for their vacations. Our country's tourism is booming. Guess when you don't have to worry about being safe, you can get a little goofy with your powers and entertain people. I still remember how we got set up here.

We came to this city out of a little hope with some help, then Jess got her legs cured by Panacea who introduced us to Osiris. After we asked Panacea about ways to go to another earth since Panacea guarantees confidentiality and really knows EVERYBODY, she introduced us to her 'Big Sis'. We weren't expecting to come face to face with an Endbringer that day, but I'll say it worked out.

"Hmmmm, 3 years. From February of 2010 to February of 2013, if you all work for me then I will send you back home and remove those powers if you're so sure you don't want them. I won't ask you to kill anyone, but your powers do have plenty of uses for this country. I won't say I love all the people who live here in these lands but it's a little like SIMS once you get down to it. You just can't help but to want to see how good you can make your city before the game ends. Accept now and I'll cure you of the damage that my little angel did to your heads."

It wasn't the worst deal we ever made. Better than crime, which is what we would be doing considering we have no other official documentation. Then again, maybe we would do the same thing we are now considering this country would accept anyone with powers.

Hell, I only have to work once a week. Even if I hate every minute of it, a three hour a week job is a job. I hate every second of turning back into that THING, but the creatures I make are quickly mastered and put to work with many deadman switches implanted into their bodies. Evidently, they don't count as powered beings but merely creations/property by this countries' logic. Something about my intent while creating them.

Marisa works three times a week, using her power to create mini-suns at an tinker-tech power plant to help produce energy for the country. Krouse works in the shipping industry, moving containers.

Jess is usually out and about, giving those legs Panacea helped her fix a good work out. When she needs to work, she uses her master projection to help with dangerous experiments since the results could be wrong if a powered human was in the area and could get hurt.

Ballistic is usually doing border patrols or helping with requested evacuation missions. Magneto created a website with tinker support that allows any parahuman to ping their location so they can be brought to Egypt. We should know, that's how we got here after getting out of Madison. A team of thinkers help verify the information so the evac team doesn't get brought into a trap. Krouse also helps occasionally when Magneto is too busy with other things since his power is good for retrieval.

As for Cody, well…..he runs a weird shop. Since he could bring people back to their state from five seconds in the past, the only commercial use he found for himself is a snuff shop. People who wish to willingly kill themselves to try the experience or take their S&M to the next level come to him since he is backed by Osiris. She claims that she won't take their souls before he has the chance to bring them back, a guarantee she doesn't give everyone. There are plenty of people who still don't believe her but hey, why risk it?

Oliver just works in the service industry like most people with far weaker powers. Occasionally some of the temporary power-granting trumps will pick up some of them to help work around other areas, so there's that as well.

Well, we're all gainfully employed, doing good work(except maybe Cody), and enjoying our time off since most of us don't work more than 20 hours a week. Life could be far worse. We're also pretty appreciated, any member of The Game Wardens here in Cairo usually is by the parahumans. At the very least, people don't try to cause problems with us.

Though everyone else is out of the house at the moment, we usually have enough time to get together and play gaming tournaments with other enthusiasts. I'm glad we stay in the non-parahuman lobbies for normal people and people whose power wouldn't help, those parahuman lobbies get insane with thinker shenanigans and everything else. I barely lived through the embarrassment that the Winged_One served us.

I quickly turn to the full-size mirror and shoot a quick picture, sending it off to Krouse. There, that should do it.

I think my new looks have given me a bit of a exhibitionist fetish, I can't help but show off my perfect skin and body!

I know he'll enjoy that, he's shown plenty of appreciation to my new form ever since I got it and Osiris cleared our heads. Everyone's getting along so much better after we started working here.

I wouldn't even care if I looked plain, but never again will I be forced to be that thing. A couple of hours a week under constant supervision is all I'm willing to handle.

I would prefer we were all home, but things aren't too bad. Not bad at all. If life continues this way, will we even want to leave?

Victoria Dallon POV:

Another shitty day.

I blocked out the whispering from the other girls at Arcadia once again, finally glad the shit is over with for the day.

Do those PRT bastards expect me to be happy with them after all this and join the Protectorate when I grow up? Yeah, 'Victoria Dallon can't be privately tutored instead of having a public education in order to have more positive relationships growing up, integrating her with the non-parahumans' mentality and naturally making friends.' Fucking Youth Guard.

Even then, I can't even have the satisfaction to be around my own family.

Eric is in another town as a ward since us children of the state can be pushed around as they feel. Crystal had enough and got on the Brotherhood Hotline the second she got old enough to outgrow the wards, leaving all of us for Egypt. She would have gone earlier, but Magneto usually holds off taking kids if they're wards. It would still cause problems for their international trade if they become too excessive.

Uncle Lightstar has visited once or twice, but Fleur's death alone broke the man. He can't help me.

I actually don't blame Crystal for leaving us here. You would think they would treat us nicely when we obviously have better options. Only thing is you have to be okay with having an Endbringer for a neighbor, and to be fair to her Egypt is the only place that probably hasn't been harmed by her after the first wish.

The rest of the world, well we are definitely taking hits. I was too young to really understand at the time but the war of 2004 is really called 'The worst event in human history' and 'The Collapse' for a reason. I probably still don't understand the true scale of what happened. There's a reason everyone thought that was the end.

History aside, I finally make it to the secret entrance of the Protectorate building, sneaking in so that my identity wouldn't be revealed. At least nobody hates me when I'm in costume, I couldn't imagine being maskless like my mother. Luckily, my power is different enough to stop people from noticing the similarities.

I suit up and move into the more public side of the building before reaching the door to the wards common area. I buzz in then wait the typical 30 seconds before I could enter. The buzzing ends and the door unlocks, allowing me to finally enter the room.

I look around the living room of the area and see the only other person living in the building. Should probably see how she is, us wards of the state have to stick together.

"Hey Lily, are you doing okay?"

"Wah? Oh, Victoria, what's up? I heard the door open a while ago but the sensors confirmed the person was known so I just zoned out and forgot about it."

Makes sense, that thing goes off all the time with PRT agents coming in and out. The Director took the 'integration' part of the PRT mission seriously and has kept us in constant contact with our PRT counterpart.

"Nothing much, just checking up on you. How are you feeling about the city? I know you've only been here for 3 months."

"Oh, everything is fine except for the fact that March followed me to this town. There were concerns of sending an asian girl here with the ABB active but with their collapse they felt it fine to send me. Sounds stupid to me, send all the asian heroes away so all the local civilians can see are asian villains. Sounds like a setup to get people to hate us by negative exposure."

Ahhhh, Lily. A conspiracy theorist that makes an uncomfortable amount of sense. Never change.

"Yeah, well I was talking more about you personally. I thoug—" *RONG**RONG**RONG*

Ughhh, I hate that buzzer. I can see who they are on the cameras before they walk into the room. Well, one person I love and one I hate. Should I be happy or mad?

Dean and Dennis come into the room and greet us. Well, there's four of us here so that's half the squad. I can already tell Chris is probably still downstairs tinkering. Ever since Iron Man did a session with him and helped him discover his speciality he has been splitting his time between tinkering and worshiping the man.

"Hey little hand, come on over and hug big hand over here! It's 3:15 right now so we should be touching each other!"

He could really do with some better material but that's part of why I love him I guess. It's nice to be with someone who can just sit back and try to laugh through the pain. Still, does he really have to calls us 'little hand' and 'big hand' sometimes just because we both have time powers

"Hey 'big hand', if you call me that again you're going to lose your kissing privileges."

I say that, but I still walk over and give Dennis a hug and a kiss on the cheek. The world feels wrong for a second and I find everyone in a different place while I was stuck in a stupid looking position with my lips puckered.

"DENNIS!"

"Oh shit, I really made her mad."

My boyfriend, everyone. Dennis Dynamite. Never let anyone know how cool I think his last name is to me.

I can see Gallant telling him off for acting 'unchivalrous' but I'm already ready to come to my man's defense. Yes I'm still mad at my boy, but I get to rip into him for his actions. Not you.

I hate his fucking white knight routine. It only works on little girls who think that being nice alone can fix the world. How Vista fell for it I'll never know, she's usually smarter than that. Not to mention, I know exactly what this guy has been doing to me after I figured out his power.

Dean, who I now know is Gallant, was constantly watching over my emotional state and trying to get close to me, asking me leading questions back when I didn't know his power. Most of the people I now know as wards were trying to interact with me at school. Constant PRT presence near me back then.

Do they think I'm stupid? I know that second-gens like me trigger easier and I KNOW they were just waiting for me to suffer. That way they can have another person on the line. Well congratulations, you got me for one more year before you can kiss my ass goodbye.

Only reason I gave Dennis a chance when I figured everything out was discovering he didn't give a fuck about any orders and that he always jokes around to hide his real feelings. I can relate. I won't say that him saving me from that angry mob didn't help, you usually remember everything about your trigger event.

My power is even theorized to be a weird crossbreed between his, my mother, and my father, Manpower. My family couldn't even die in peace, internet warriors researching and figuring out my mother had me through an affair with her sister's husband. Whoever went through the effort to gather all of our DNA and prove that, I don't know and fuck you.

The conversation turns more informal between everyone after Dean gets off his 'perfect' routine and everyone just hangs out together. Man, I'm going to miss some of them when I leave.

At least I don't have to leave Dennis behind when I pull a Crystal since he decided to join me. With how strong our powers are, the Brotherhood's pickup squad will make an exception for his powerless father, bring him along, and heal him.

Dennis isn't stupid either, being forced to be on the wards only to keep his father's bills paid by the PRT. I may hate Osiris but I can stand a shitty neighbor if it means getting out of here. Thank God for Egypt giving us a place to escape from idiot organizations.

"You rang?"

"JESUS CHRIST!"

Everyone immediately bolts out of their seats and turns to stare right behind where I was after I jump away. There she stands, the scourge of the world, Osiris.

"Oh, he's not answering right now. You'll have to settle with me. Hello little Victoria, how are you today?"

Everyone is in position to attack but nobody obviously does. The world still remembers what happened to the last person to attack Osiris and he was so much stronger than everyone here put together that it's not even funny.

"Jeez, so hostile. And here I am coming all this way to congratulate you? I don't know why I do nice things anymore, everyone is so ungrateful."

"Congratulations?"

Wait, why am I just speaking with this monster in human skin? Why is everyone just standing in place in her presence? Are we in shock?

"Yes, no need to repeat what I said, little parrot. Obviously you don't know since I blocked off all communications to this room a little before I got here, but my barriers are up around the town. I decided to start a new war here! Brockton Bay Part 2: Electric Boogaloo!"

Silence greets her exclamation. What do you say in response to knowing your world is about to be turned upside down.

I can barely find the breath to speak, but she seems to be patiently waiting for me in a manner she usually doesn't do for people.

"A-a-a-and why are you here? You don't care about our opinions!"

I manage to put a little anger in my voice, but she seems ready to answer. She gives that devilish grin that has been recorded time and time again, usually right before someone has their life ruined.

"Because little Victoria. You. Are. In. My. Game. I already added the information on your new upgrades to your head, just think about it to know what you got going on~~~"

Before I could even reply, she continued on and left me in the dust for this conversation.

"Good luck and hopefully do better than your mother. Everyone will be watching, your family doesn't need to disappoint the world twice. See ya, It's a busy day and I got other things to be doing!"

And with just as sudden a flash as when she appeared, she vanished.

I believe it took us all five, maybe ten, minutes before any of us could move. Nobody was really looking at the clock. Screaming was involved afterwards, but it's not like Osiris is really giving me a way out. Nowhere to go but forward. I considered hiding my status from the PRT but Gallant's little pretty boy ass would snitch.

No time to waste then, I immediately headed to the Director's office. It's normally far harder to enter for security purposes, but there are a couple of codes we have to get immediate access under emergencies. This definitely qualifies.

Between entering an extremely short-term key on my PRT issued phone and his door simultaneously, it opens and I'm allowed to enter and greet the Director.

I look at Director Calvert. He took over back in 2004 after the previous director Piggot or something resigned in disgrace. Apparently she was the reason that heroes weren't deployed during the war, but the story gets more complicated the more people look into it. I hear she died soon afterwards of a heart attack, all the stress must have got to her. He looks up at me and gives me his full attention.

"Director Calvert, Emergency Request 84."

He takes an even closer look at me and takes a deep breath before solemnly stating,

"Given that you've entered my office with that access request and the shimmering red barrier covering the city, I'm going to just guess you got chosen?"

"Yes sir, the other wards were also there when Osiris...congratulated me on being picked."

"...I see. Are you alright? This will be a stressful time for everyone and seeing the Kingmaker in person is probably a traumatic experience. It's nothing to be ashamed of if you are afraid, heroes who have worked longer than you have been alive fear these wars."

Huh, Director calls her the Kingmaker? I still remember that forum I read once about how you could tell someone's personality by which of Osiris' titles you use.

"People who call her the Kingmaker are those who wish for control, to be made 'king'. A deep seated desire to have power over others and be able to use it. They want it all and will do anything to get it."

Well whatever, probably nothing. Shouldn't read too much into those stupid online blogs anyway.

"Yeah, I'm fine director. Still in a bit of shock and I guess it hasn't really set in for me yet. I mean, this is technically the thing that everyone on earth dreads more than anything else."

"I see. That is often true but it could be an opportunity if we can finally get it right. Are you aware what wish you would want? You know all the heroes usually band together, but the PRT and Protectorate try to work to get kills to the hero that has the most beneficial wish. Hasn't worked yet, but there is always hope. This will be the 4th war on America soil after all, we might manage this time."

"Well, I never really thought about it too hard. I thought about ending the Endbringers but even if we did, some stupid parahuman would probably be our end eventually. I think I would wish to set everything back before all this stuff happened with the knowledge of everything that happened. You know, give humanity a second chance to make the right decisions. I don't know yet."

"I understand, most people joke about it but people probably don't truly understand what it is like to have the fate of the world in your hands. Well, you're the first to arrive in my office but seeing that light above my door means we're about to have some visitors."

A slight buzzing sound and the door to his office opens again, revealing one of the most venerated heroes in the world. Iron Man. America's, if not the world's, greatest tinker and the salvation of Brockton Bay. This city wouldn't even exist without him and his work. When I look to his side, I see another male.

This one's my age though and rather scrawny looking. He lights up to my vision and I'm completely clear on why he is here, the power that Osiris has given every contestant since 2005 activates for me.

The ability to know who other contestants are on sight. Considering that he's here, I guess he's a hero or ward. So, this is what I'm working with against whatever horrible villains Osiris decided to throw into the ring?

I'm not impressed.

Contestant 2 out of 7 For the Ninth Holy Grail War - Victoria Dallon AKA Aeon:

Original Power: A full body shield that can take one hit and gives superstrength and flight while working. When the shield is broken, it releases a shaker effect that freezes everything within 5 meters of her for 5 seconds at the moment of breaking. Brute 7, Mover 4, Shaker 4

Upgraded Power: Gives full body shield three charges and increases super strength and speed. Added to the shaker effect, it also freezes and alerts her to the position of the most responsible living being for her shield breaking, regardless of range. Brute 9, Mover 6, Shaker 6, Thinker 2(additional shaker and thinker rating given for infinite range on part of her ability).

AN: So, Glory Girl is different(still part Brandish and Manpower, but now part Clockblocker), Noelle is healed-ish and has a human body, and Glaistig Uaine is getting all the enhanced shards of the dead contestants.

I think the fact that Gallant's shard was a dead shard was part of the reason Victoria got her power, but I didn't read Ward and I don't care for the specifics of the reason that much. I like my change.

and no, I didn't include the NSFW image of Noelle(as P5 Best Girl) just because it's QQ. I thought it helped display her obsession with her new body and her trying to override her memories of what she once was with evidence(pictures and videos).

Was the Glaistig Uaine section okay? I don't feel like I captured her personality too well.

Look forward to the recap of the 2nd War within the next day or two.