A/N The Daily Lives, of The Newest Wave
Alt title: Oh shit, Reread the first bonus of Ch. 52, then go to the very end of Ch. 17
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You all got, really defensive over Carol being a control freak and being strict. Like she was always stated to be.
Like, that whole line, was paraphrased from something my dad told me when I was fourteen. The only difference? He followed through. For four months I had nothing but a tote for my clothes and a mattress with a blanket to sleep on. Not even a bed frame.
Worst part? He made me watch as he locked all of my stuff in my closet.
I don't even remember what I did! I just remember having to rewrite the bible and I only got everything back when I was done.
…
When I write it out like that, it sounds a lot worse than how I remember.
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Casanova5424: Hey! You're first this time.
I don't really like it when a gag is thrown in, and then just dropped. Like, 'Hey remember this thing? Yeah, whatever happened to that?'
So, this is symbolic of the story being put in horny jail. No more horny! Which means this will feature Missy's perspective less, unless she's away from Kitsu or they're patrolling or it's genuinely romantic and she's not in a situation for her mind to wander.
I love coffee! I have a makeshift coffee bar in my room. It took three weeks and nearly $500 to make. With a coffee machine, a mini fridge, an electric milk frother, 20 kinds of liquid creamer, 6 kinds of powdered creamer, a bunch of espresso sauce additives. Whipped cream of three varieties, a cabinet full of different coffee from forgers to death wish to donut shop to black rifle company. Milk, almond milk, dark chocolate almond milk. I have a problem.
And remember, Kitsu's powers were relatively tame until recent when she started being able to store energy on a more consistent basis. The Everclear incident was on the news, but it was local news.
Something like, homeless little girl seen car surfing.
SainthoodSaint14: I hope you understand that I cannot answer that in any way without it being a spoiler. Though, that probably gives you your answer.
DancingLeaf: Brandish's Conflict Drive acted up. She went further than necessary, but not too far. She meant that line of "By someone who lives in my house only because I allow it." To be more, "I pay your bills, give me the respect I'm owed."
Kitsu, wasn't threatened at all. She knew it was likely her shard acting up, it did kind of come out of nowhere. That's why, not long after, she was fine.
And yes, you're reading too much into the "I still love you." Line. It's something my mother would tell me after anytime she chewed me out.
Fernizer: Kitsu was upset, but not too upset. Carol is strict and controlling. And Kitsu has mentioned that Carol gets scary when she's disrespected. So, she took it in stride and recognized it as Carol being herself. That was her way of laying out what she did wrong. Was it, the best way to do so? No. But if everyone made the right choice all the time, no one would have problems.
As for what is going on with Rebecca, reread the first bonus of Ch. 52, then go to the very end of Ch. 17.
DuplicateUserName: The horny is officially being toned down. And Carol has always been a control freak. If you go back, you'll remember she was planning to find a reason to turn Kitsu over to the PRT until she discovered the trick to controlling her. I didn't intend for it to come off as emotional manipulation, but that's my fault for not conveying that better.
T4ndoris: Drunk Kitsu will steal your girl!
Kaykaykaykayan: The last bonus was intentionally a misdirect.
Grimnosh: She learned how to cook by being forced to live on her own for years. She's not a grillmaster, just the closest thing the family has.
SonicTundra: Yeah, but hey! At least it'll mean quicker releases! Maybe.
Deyu19: You're welcome.
Nullblaster: You're catching up! I wrote this, twenty minutes before your review of chapter 51. And Mechanic is twenty seven.
RadChaos897: like I said, MONTHS!
How's it going boys, girls and squirrels?
And yeah, there will be tragedy. Kitsu needs to remind people why they fear her after all.
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Disclaimer: I don't own Worm or any other characters in this work, other than my OC. All other characters belong to their respective properties.
-Date, Time-
'Thoughts'
"Speech"
[Shard]
(Text)
*Sounds/Actions*
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-Sunday, July 18th, New Wave Ferry Station, Residence, 10am-
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Jenny Wakeman POV
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"Yeah! This is awesome!" I say over the phone to Vicky. "Oh! And I finally found a brand of makeup that works for me!"
"No shit? That's awesome!" She says. "I'll come over later to help you out."
"Gotcha! Can't wait!" I say excitedly. "Oh! Can we stop by the mall!? I got my monthly allowance and I wanna shop!"
"Totally! I'll bring Chelsea and Ellie! And we can bring Dean along." Vicky says.
"Why Dean?" I ask. "Isn't this a girls trip?"
"We need someone to carry the bags, duh." Vicky says.
"We both have super strength." I point out.
"Well, yeah, but I still like feeling like I'm a normal girl from time to time!" Vicky defends.
Okay, that one hits too close to home.
"Oh, alright!" I say cheerfully. "See you when you get here!"
"Bet on it!"
*Click*
Hopping off my titanium frame bed and walking over to my shower. My room is on the first floor. My six hundred pound frame makes it, a bit of a hazard to have me upstairs too much. Like, I can go up there! But elevators are a no, and stairs aren't meant to take six hundred pounds stomping up and down them on a daily basis.
But that's fine! Gully is in the same boat as me. Being five hundred herself. Or, four fifty now. I swear, going to a biokinetic is the biggest cheat for weight loss.
Ironically said biokinetic is also in the, weight effected by mutation club. Yeah, Kitsu weighs a lot less than what she looks like. She looks like at least fifty, and at most seventy. But she's only like, forty five. Because her muscles are mostly empty according to her.
I head to my connected bath. Fill it up an inch with water, go to the sink and grab the vinegar and baking soda from it. Yeah, I have a special routine for cleaning. Regular water makes me develop rust spots. And those are so ick!
After a quick scrub down. I use dish soap and a grill brush to wash. Looking in the mirror as I take the electric buffer and make sure I get extra attention to my face.
"Nice and shiny!" I say with a giggle. "Now, where did I put my brush?"
I have two grill brushes. One for my body, one for my hair. Red and black respectively so I don't get them mixed up.
Oh I wish I could braid my hair, oh it would look so cute! I saw this one braid on TV that would be amazing! But, my hair is too rigid for that.
After I brush my hair, I head back to my ten by ten room. A little on the small side compared to what I had back in Tremorton. But it's enough for me! And it was made with me in mind! Even the bathroom! Everything is metal reinforced, the tub and sink look porcelain, but it's just a special plastic cover over metal appliances.
"Let's see here?" I say to myself as I go through my clothes.
I end up settling on a sky blue tank top, grey hoodie, and blue skinny jeans.
"Awesome!" I say to myself as I look in the mirror.
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-Earlier, 9am-
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Pinky POV
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*Rm* *Rm* *Rm*
*Smack*
"Mhm, what is today?" I mumble to myself.
Looking at my alarm clock, and seeing nothing. I blink the sleep from eyes, still a blur.
"Urgh!" I groan.
It's gonna be one of those days.
Rolling over in my bed, I rub the sleep from my eyes and look back over to check the time.
(09:12)
(Sun 07/18)
'I have patrol with Vicky and Gully later today.' I realize.
It was going to be with Vicky, Gully, Crystal and Kitsu. But Crystal is out for medical reasons. Won't say what' but my bet is that aunt flow came early. And Kitsu's grounded.
I get out of bed, ignoring the plastic crinkles and squeaks of the mattress protector and blanket. My body will produce acids of various strength, all on its own, based solely on my mood. Even when I'm asleep. So, my bed has a Teflon coating. My mattress has a Kynar plastic, rubber protector. And so does my blanket and pillow.
Also, my bed is built on a purposefully lowered section of the floor to collect the acids that occasionally spill over when I sleep.
I sell them to the PRT. It's a little weird. But it's decent money on the side!
Only issues are that, well, I have to sleep naked, I'm still paying Crystal back for her mattress, and it's a little uncomfortable to sleep in. But you get used to it.
Better than using cardboard as a blanket.
I check the tank by my bed for any acids. Nope, empty. So I had a dreamless night.
Well, bath time!
I don't have any special hygiene needs like the others. Though I can create my own soap! Just not scented. So I buy some anyway.
I also can't get my hair under control no matter what! And I have to be careful with the horns. They're not sharp, large, or even all that pointy. Just, annoying when washing my hair.
Stepping out, I dry off and check myself in the mirror. No pimples or zits. Nice! Stepping back and turning around, I stretch and check my back for any. Nope! All good, flawless skin!
I head back to my room proper and get dressed for the day. Kitsu and Vicky sent me a bunch of recommendations for clothes. Though similar advice, Vicky's is more, flaunt it. And Kitsu's is more, this will really make your colors pop!
Basically Vicky focuses on figure when choosing clothes, while Kitsu focuses on color.
They both recommended mini jackets though. So, I'm wearing a tan mini jacket with a purple, blue, and pink tie dye shirt and dark blue jeans. And cute tan boots! I don't have a real hero costume yet. But Kitsu is trying to set me up with a tailor who can hopefully make something that'll work with my powers.
But before that, I need to check my channels metrics. I have a computer I'm paying off and I'm doing gameplay vids. I need to get a set schedule, Eric says consistency is a large part of success in the field.
Going to my computer, I log into my accounts, and pull up my metrics and emails.
Okay, got the viewer metrics. And, holy crap!
I blew up!
"Four million views in three days!?" I say in astonishment. "Seven emails for sponsorship deals!?"
Eric was right! This is lucrative! I don't even see how! Do people really like watching others play games that much?
"Um, crap, how do I deal with sponsors?" I ask out loud. "I'll just ask Eric later, he always knows."
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-Earlier, 7am-
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Gully POV
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Checking myself in the mirror. I once again find myself entranced by my new appearance.
I don't love it. But I love it as compared to how I was before. I still wish I could pull off more cutesy dresses and outfits. But I suppose I'll have to settle for just being able to pull off the color pink.
Besides! I hear there are guys who love muscular women! And WWE is a thing. Though, none of the woman on there are really as muscular as me.
At least now people can tell I'm a girl!
And I no longer have joint pain! I almost couldn't believe it. I've had it for so long I just, never realized. My shoulders, neck, lower back, knees. I was so used to it that I just, never knew it was there until it wasn't. It was like I was wearing a weighted vest on all my joints, and they just disappeared.
My body feels so much freer.
And I can fully see now! The skin growth over my eye was always just in the way.
"Hrm, maybe I should go to the mall today?" I ask myself.
I need new clothes now anyway. Before I just wore overalls and a shirt. But now I can wear more! Kitsu and Vicky are good with fashion! Oh, but Kitsu is grounded. Vicky isn't.
I'll have to call her later. Set up a mall trip.
It's rather ironic that I'm so muscular now. Considering I can't exercise. My skin is too thick to sweat, so I overheat too easily. And my muscles are too dense. So I can't swim either.
Now that I think about it, that's also going to limit the clothes I can get. It wasn't an issue before. My clothes were always baggy because those were all that would fit me. Now I'll have to actively keep heat retention and breathability in mind.
Now that I'm thinking on this. I wonder what issues the others have due to their powers. Talking it over might be a good bonding experience. I know the things they need in their rooms, but that's about it.
Oh! I also became a sort of defacto leader for the others! My experience in heroing gave me that. At first everyone thought it'd be Lady Photon or Brandish. But both took a backseat, what with everything that was going on. Then we thought it'd be Kitsu, who outright laughed and refused any form of leadership. Then we thought Firebreather because he was the oldest. And we all agreed that was a no. Nothing against him. He's a great guy, good heart, just, really dumb.
Ben wanted to be leader. His reasoning being that he was arguably the most powerful out of those left, and was therefore the most qualified. No one listened to him.
So, I'm the unofficial leader of The Newest Wave as we started calling ourselves.
Not an official leadership position. But I'll take it! It's so much closer to my dream than what I got before! Just thinking about it makes me want to cry out of happiness!
I tried so hard! For so long! And I finally found somewhere that accepts me! And I know they accept me, because they haven't treated me any different from before or after my procedure.
Speaking of leadership. I need to help Firebreather move in later today. He's taking the mid sized balcony room on the third floor. He doesn't have a lot of living needs asides from needing room to stretch his wings.
I hope that doesn't conflict with anything- darn it! I need to write up a new chore sheet. And get ahold of Sarah for advice in team coordination.
Part of being a leader is knowing my teams needs. Pinky needs acid resistant materials, Jenny needs heavily reinforced furniture and special cleaning products, Kitsu needs special clothes that are tailored for her tail, hearing aides, special soaps for her tail, I assume, and prefers dim lighting. And Firebreather needs a little more room as well as a steady diet of coal. And tailored clothes for his wings.
"Well, now I wait." I say to myself as I lay down on my bed.
I wake up earlier than everyone else. So, not much to do.
…
"I should invest in a TV."
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-12am-
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Firebreather POV
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"You won't need this." Gully says as she sets aside the pan I use over my fires. "Or this."
The tarp.
"Or this."
The sleeping bag.
"Or this."
The hand crank radio.
"Okay, I'm keeping that." I say and put it back in the duffle bag. "That was not easy to get. I'm not going to just toss it."
"You'll have your own radio in your room, why would you need a hand crank powered one?" She asks.
"What if there's a blackout?" I suggest.
"We have back up generators." She says.
"Well, sentimental value." I say, not willing to part with it.
It was hard to find! And I've had it for nearly a year. Aside from my jeans that's the longest I've held onto something.
She stares at me for a bit before sighing. Standing back up to her height of six and a half, ish, feet. A head above me despite being, three? Four? Years younger.
Age is a, tricky thing for case fifty threes. Heck, throw baggy clothes on Kitsu and she looks anywhere between eight and twelve. Gully looks twenty something. But insists she's around fifteen. And that's confirmed by Amy.
"Right, let's get that tour started." Gully says. "I'll show you to your room."
We walk through the visitor center. Still full of people despite the Ferry being down for repairs.
"Yeah, the shops are still open and the empty spaces being rented out to store owners. Making this a sort of tourist mall. It's annoying, but it's connected to our living space." Gully says. "Not super close. But unless we want to trudge up the fire escape we need to go through here."
Several people are pointing and taking pictures as we go to a guarded area. It's a set of double doors guarded by two security guards.
"John, Terrance." Gully says with a nod.
"Gully, this Firebreather?" One of them asks.
"You can just call me Fire." I say with a nod and put a hand out to shake.
"Nice to meet you." He says as he shakes my hand. "My name's Terrance, I'm one of the guards keeping people from bothering you guys."
"Is it that big of an issue?" I ask as we finish our handshake.
"You guys are basically local celebrities and the whole reason this place is here." The other one, John, says. "We have basic security in place until it's deemed necessary that we need to up it."
"If we're concerned about regular people, then what about villains?" I ask.
"Yeah, everyone saw how that turned out. One of the biggest attacks the merchants have pulled since they lost Skidmark, and only one death?" Terrance chuckles. "Only the newest and some of the youngest are housed here. And no one wants to piss off the veterans of New Wave."
"To say nothing of the Endstopper." John adds.
"Who?" I ask.
"Kitsu." Gully answers.
"How'd she get that name?" I ask. "I mean, I know a few of her nicknames, but not that one."
Most of them were from Vicky, relayed to me by Crystal.
"That's her most well known nickname. From when she beat back Behemoth." Gully says.
"Who?" I ask.
They all stare at me for a good while.
"What?" I ask.
"What rock did you live under?" John asks.
"A grey one in the middle of the desert." I answer.
…
"Wait, you're serious?" John asks.
"Yeah, was I, not supposed to be?" I ask back.
"Oh, um." John says sheepishly.
"We'll just unlock the door for you." Terrance says.
He goes over to a black pad on the wall and puts a badge to it.
*Clunk*
Gully walks past and opens the door for me.
"Thanks." I say with a nod as I walk past.
She follows after me and the door shuts with a beep and another click.
"So, are we stuck in here?" I ask.
"No." Gully says as she walks past to lead. "The doors are locked one way. We can leave easily. But anyone who wants in needs to be let in."
"Gotcha." I say.
She takes me around the lower floor. There are five bedrooms here, each with a connected bathroom, and a community kitchen with five fridges and a large cooler. Kept stock with basic foods and generic brands. There's a sheet to keep track of the food taken and who took what so we can keep it stocked appropriately.
"And dishes is a rotational job, doesn't matter if you eat here or not. You live here, you do chores. You can trade chores with others, so long as it gets done and you're not skimping out." Gully says. "Mark and Sarah come around every other day to check on us and see how we're doing. But other than that we're expected to be responsible."
She guides me out of the kitchen to a living room area. With a large U couch around a coffee table. All facing a mounted flat screen. A couple cabinets off to the side.
"This is the living room." She says. "We have advanced cable and we're working on getting a game system in here. We just can't decide on what."
"Neat." I say. "Though I've never been much for games."
"That's alright." Gully says.
There's a laundry room as well, next to a supply closet for janitor stuffs. If we make a mess, we clean it.
She guides me upstairs to the second floor. Which has five more rooms and not much else. Being a lot smaller than the ground floor. Most of the extra stuff is on the first floor. The rest is housing.
"I will say, each room's bathroom has a set amount of hot water." Gully says. "Enough to last twenty minutes at a time and it takes an hour to refill."
"Not a problem for me." I say. "Temperature doesn't really bother me."
"Alright, then let me show you to your room." Gully says with a smile.
Another short walk up the stairs and we're on the third floor.
"Here's your room." Gully says as she hands me a key. "Don't lose that, it's a pain to get it replaced. You have one of the larger rooms due to your wings, and you get a balcony. It's not much of one. But it lets you stretch your wings in the morning."
"Is everyone okay with me getting a bigger room?" I ask. "I don't want to upset anyone."
"We each get our rooms adjusted based on our needs." Gully says. "No one is upset your room is a little bigger. I won't speak for the others, but I live on the first floor due to my weight and the fact my power makes me uncomfortable to be away from the ground."
"Alright." I say unsurely. "Is there anything else I need to know?"
"The others are on a shopping trip, you get a hundred dollars every month to do as you please. If you break anything, up to half of that gets taken every month until it's paid off. You get a phone with unlimited minutes, text and call, but no data. Other than that? You're good." Gully lists off. "If you need me, I'll be downstairs writing you into the chore chart."
I don't even know what data or unlimited minutes mean.
"Alright, if anything comes up I'll ask." I say.
Gully gives a nod and heads back for the stairs as I head to my new room.
I unlock the door and head inside. It's rather spacious, but that could be because it's mostly empty. Just a dresser, a bed, a trunk at the end of the bed, a desk and that's it aside from the door to the bathroom and the sliding glass door to the small balcony.
I walk over to the bed, set the duffle bag on the floor and lay down.
You know, until I started dating Crystal I never slept in a bed. And now?
It feels weird to be in one with my pants on.
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-The Mall, 12:30-
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Victoria "Glory Girl" Dallon POV
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"They'll be here, I swear okay." I say to Chelsea who's getting impatient.
"I just don't see what's taking so long, can't one of them fly?" She asks.
"Yeah, but Pinky can't." I say.
"So can't she carry her?" Chelsea persists.
"Oh my god Chelse." Ellie says. "Cool it already."
I pull out my phone and text Pinky.
(Hey you good?)-V
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(Bus)-P
'Oh, that makes sense.' I think to myself.
(They won't take us.)-P
"The fuck!?" I shout.
"What!?" Chelsea asks as she flinches.
"Vicky chill! I don't want to be banned from the mall as well!" Ellie says.
"Hang on." I say as I call Pinky.
…
"Yeah?" Pinky asks, sounding stressed.
"What's going on?" I ask.
"The bus won't accept us!" Pinky says. "They're accusing us of being with someone called Faultline!"
Of course.
'Do people not watch the fucking news?!' I think to myself.
"Which bus stop are you at?" I ask with barely restrained anger.
"Um, the station with the red roof." She says.
"Pinky." I moan. "They all have red roofs. Look for the number somewhere at the station, it should be on an old timey clock pole."
"A what?" She asks.
"Old, looks like a street light, but instead of a light they threw a cube with clock faces on it." I clarify.
"Um, I'm not, oh! There it is. Forty three." She says. "How did I miss that?"
"Alright, give me a second." I say as I hang up.
I call dad.
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-1:40pm-
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*Thunk*
"Thanks Mr. Dallon!" Pinky says with a wave.
"You girls have fun!" Dad says. "But not too much fun! Don't get a record now!"
"Dad! Stop embarrassing me!" I say to the man.
"I'm your father, it's my job!" He says as he drives off.
"He seems nice." Pinky says with a smile.
"Yeah, just wait till you live with him." I say with a roll of my eyes.
Don't get me wrong, he's better than he was. It just seemed that not long after I got powers, he shut down even worse than before. And he only got better when Kitsu showed up.
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That one line, pissed me off inside.
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Ignoring that!
"So where's Jenny?" I ask.
"She's flying over." Pinky says. "She uh, couldn't fit in the car."
"How?" I ask. "She's the same height as Firebreather."
"Height? Yes." She says before whispering slightly. "Weight, on the other hand."
'Oh, right.' I remember. 'She's like, six hundred pounds.'
"Hey Vicks?" Ellie taps me on the shoulder. "Can I talk to you? Over here?"
"Um, sure." I say as I turn to her and follow her a few feet away. "What's up?"
"What's up? How about the fact your bringing along the next top pornstar!" She whisper hisses.
"The fuck?" I ask. "Ellie, the hell do you mean?"
"You know what I mean!" She says with a glare. "How old is she? Fourteen? Fifteen? She's got the figure of a playboy centerfold!"
"Wow Ellie, didn't know you swung that way." I say with a teasing grin, though I already know what this is about.
"You know that's not it!" She hisses. "There is no way in hell those are natural, you said Amy doesn't do cosmetics and now I see this!?"
Ellie is super insecure over her looks. She's sixteen, and is still a rail thin A-cup. Hell, if you put her in a hat and a hoodie, she'd look like a guy. Doesn't help that her older sister is a swimsuit model and her younger wins beauty pageants.
She's also the go to example Amy uses for people requesting bigger boobs.
Personally, I just think she's in the closet and doesn't want to admit it.
"Hate to break it to ya Ells, she's all natural." I say.
"Bullshit." Ellie says.
"Nope, five foot two, D-cup, stretch jeans." I tease.
Ellie glares at me some more before stomping off towards the bathroom.
Maybe I shouldn't have invited Ellie. She's a great girl, but, I really should've seen that coming.
A small part of me says that maybe Kitsu was right about my friends being superficial gossips.
As I think on that. I hear the sound of Jenny touching down behind me. Not something that's easy to ignore. She literally develops rocket feet.
She touches down and greets Pinky as she hops around, putting her socks and shoes back on.
"Hey, sorry I wasn't here sooner, there was a flock of birds I had to fly around." Jenny says. "Where's your other friend and Dean? I thought there was supposed to be more of us."
"Dean got stuck at home. His dad is making him review corporate stuffs." I explain. "And Ellie is just going to the bathroom."
Cooling off.
"Oh, well it shouldn't be a problem." Jenny says. "Oh I can't wait! This is my first shopping trip ever!"
"Wait, seriously?" Chelsea says before turning to me and grabbing my shoulders. "Vicky, this needs to be perfect!"
"Yeah, I know." I say as I roll my eyes. "It's why I asked you and Ellie here, and not Adeline or Beatrice."
"You are a smart woman." Chelsea nods.
Ellie is from a family of models and fashion designers. And Chelsea is just big into fashion.
"Oh I can't wait!" Jenny says.
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-Pelham House, 2:20pm-
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Eric "Shielder" Pelham POV
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Where is it?
"Mom!" I call out.
"What?" She says from downstairs.
"Did you go through my room?!" I ask.
"What?!" She shouts.
"Did You Go Through My Room!?" I yell back.
"Come down here!" She yells.
I get up with a sigh and head to the kitchen where mom is looking through the mail.
"Did you go through my room?" I ask.
"No, you know I haven't gone through there since you turned twelve." She says, not looking up. "Why?"
"I can't find my Call of Duty Modern Warfare Two game." I explain.
"Didn't you take a bunch of games to Carol's?" She says. "Maybe you left it there."
"Damn it." I exclaim.
"Language, don't make me get the swear jar again." She says.
"Sorry."
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-Meanwhile, Dallon House-
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Kitsu POV
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"Would you really beat up a little girl?" I say into the mic.
"Bitch I'll use you as a magic eraser to mop up your own blood!" The angry gamer says over the TV.
'Holy shit that was good!' I think as I hold in a laugh.
"Bet this cunt's using a voice changer." Another says. "Probably some fatass in his mothers basement."
"Probably can't even count to the color purple." Another says. "This game's probably all he's got in life besides jacking it to furry porn."
"Aww, you all sad a little girl is better than you?" I tease.
"Get a life pussy!" Someone else says.
"What the heck am I hearing?" Dad asks as he walks into the living room.
"Who the fuck is this *****?" another guy says as the map is queued.
"Whoa!" I say. "No slurs!"
"Eat a dick!" He says as the game starts.
"The hell?" Dad asks from behind me.
"I'm playing Call of Duty!" I say with a smile.
"Well at least they're on our team this time." Someone says.
"Hey kid, I will LITERALLY pay you not to use the nuke." Another guy says.
"I'll wait a minute after I get it." I say smugly.
"Better than last round at least." Another says.
"Kid, we need to play zombies on Black Ops sometime." Another guy says.
"Dad can we get Black Ops?" I ask the horrified, wide eyed man on the couch.
"Um, sure, I'll a, need to talk to your mother first." He says.
"My dad says he'll talk to my mom about it!" I say excitedly.
"Wait, you're actually a squeaker?" The guy offering zombies asks.
"Yep!" I say cheerfully.
The game starts in terminal and I head out with my Ak-47 and secondary shotgun.
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-2 minutes and 40 seconds later-
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"Tactical Nuke!" The game sounds.
"Really!?"
"Fuck!"
"Come on!"
"Hacks!"
I watch in satisfaction as the game ends in my victory. Forty three kills. three deaths.
"Burn in the fires of purgatory!" I say as I laugh maniacally. "Fear my fluffy wrath!"
I'm totally cheating. I'm enhancing my perspective and giving myself slow time to head shot people when they enter my view. And every few seconds I spin in a circle to check all around me so that I don't get flanked.
But is it really cheating if I'm just using my own given abilities?
"Should I be concerned?" Dad asks.
"Always." I say with a laugh.
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-The Mall, 3pm-
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Jenny Wakeman POV
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"But it's soooo cute!" I whine as I hold the blue floral sundress.
"You only have a hundred bucks, and with the skirt and top you got, all you have is fifty." Vicky says. "You need to save up."
"How was I supposed to know good clothes were so expensive?" I ask.
"I'm with her on this one." Pinky backs me up. "I only brought a hundred as well. I didn't think jeans were nearly twenty a piece after tax."
"Wait, you had more than a hundred?" I ask as I look down to her. "How?"
"I sell my acid to the PRT." She shrugs. "The lab guys love it."
"Isn't that a little weird?" Ellie asks. "Like you're selling your sweat or something?"
"I mean, a little yeah." Pinky says as she gains a bit of purple dusting on her face. "But when your sweat can go for fifteen bucks a gallon? I try not to think about it too much."
"Uegh, I wish I could just sweat money." Chelsea says.
"Trust me, no you don't." Pinky says.
"Guys, there's a cheaper shop on the second floor." Vicky says. "We can check that out."
This is not turning out how I hoped.
"Yeah, that sounds fine." I say as we head out.
We put the stuff we were trying out back on the racks. And head out.
*Bweeyouyouyou* the alarm sounds as I step through the door.
"Again!?" I whine as a guard comes up to me.
Turns out I'm a walking security trigger. Every store I walk into and out of. Has their detector go off.
After a quick explanation and search, for the fourth time today. We're allowed to leave.
We all step onto the escalator in-
*Krrcchhh*
The moment I step foot onto the escalator. It stops with a loud clack.
"Haaaaaa!" I groan in frustration as I walk off the step. "I'll just take the stairs."
"Sorry Jenny!" Ellie calls.
"I can carry you up if you want." Vicky offers.
"It's fine!" I say as I trudge my way to the stairs.
"Freakin, janky, worthless, weight discriminate machines." I grumble as I walk up the stairs. Earning several stares and murmurs from the people around me.
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-The Towers, Anders Condo, 3pm-
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Max "Kaiser" Anders POV
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"You will not speak to me like that!" I yell at my oldest.
"I'll speak however I fucking want!" Ed yells back.
"I am your father!" I reinforce. "You will not-"
"You're my sperm donor." He says. "Far as I'm concerned any fucker with a dick can get drunk and pop out a kid."
"I, raised you." I say as I feel my temper rising. "You will respect me!"
"I ain't gonna respect a fucking nazi who, on top of using racism to control others." He says as he leans over on my desk. "Is a complete and utter hypocrite! You don't even believe your own principles! You're not misguided, you're pathetic."
I rear my hand up and backhand the ingrate. Knocking him over onto his amputated stump.
"I raise you, feed you, teach you, put clothes on your back." I say as I circle around my desk to him. "You gain powers, and I invite you into the upper echelon of my empire. And this is how you choose to refer to me!?"
"It's not even your empire." He says as he gets to his knees and spits a bit of blood out onto the floor. "You just inherited it because daddy didn't have another heir."
I reach down and grab him by his collar, hoisting him up to eye level and looking him in the eye.
"You will obey me." I say. "Or I'll-"
"You'll what?" He challenges. "You'll kill me? You'll take my other arm? Please, you have nothing, just a throne of rust and nothing to show for it."
"It's still more than you boy." I sneer.
"For how much longer?" He asks. "What are you gonna do when the local fox gets bored again, and comes to dig the rest of the rats out of its burrow."
I take a deep breath. And drop him. Letting him fall to his feet as I walk to look out the window of my in home office.
"Get out, and send Theodore in." I say as I watch him in the reflection.
"Oh, gonna give him the same sales pitch?" Edward challenges. "News flash, we all feel the same. I'm just the loudest."
'On that, we can agree.' I think stressfully.
"Do as your told, Edward." I stress.
"I thought we had an understanding." He says. "I don't listen to you."
"If I need to exercise force, I will." I say as I turn to him. "Don't, make me repeat myself."
"What, you going to mutilate me like Hookwolf does to his, unruly subordinates?" He says mockingly before speaking in a dead serious tone. "Do it. Take my other arm, take a leg, an eye. Just know you'll need to take my tongue right after."
He flips me off with his one arm as he leaves. Passing through the door and closing it.
With a sigh I return to my seat.
'Is this the dreaded teenage rebellion?' I ask myself. 'Why can't he see? I thought I raised him better. Power is about control, and if there's an easy method to control you should seize it.'
"He'll come around." I reassure myself. "It'll just take time."
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Edward Anders POV
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'Fucking pansy ass bitch.' I think bitterly as I hold my cheek. 'Lashes out any time he doesn't get what he wants.'
"Typical." I mutter.
"Ed!" Theo says as he rounds the corner and runs up to me. "What, what happened? Did, did father-"
"Don't call that man father." I say with utter hatred. "He's far worse than we thought."
"What, what do you mean?" He asks.
"Oh you'll see." I say. "He wants to see you next. Heads up, you see how I left. Try not to back sass him. If you do, well, be loud. I'll come running."
I go to pat him on the shoulder, only to get a surge of pain in my hand. The hand that isn't there.
"Argh!" I exclaim as I grab my stump of a shoulder out of reflex.
"Ed!" Theo calls in worry.
"I'm fine!" I say reassuringly. "Just, phantom pains. Nothing serious."
"Oh, okay." He says with a sad look.
Theo and Al blame themselves for what happened to me. No matter what I say, they won't stop.
"You dumbass, stop worrying, that's my job." I say with a smile. "Don't take it from me."
"You're only older by a minute and a half Ed." Theo says. "You-"
"Theodore!"
"I think you should go before the old man needs to change his tampon." I say with a grin.
"That's not funny." Theo says as he walks past.
"You just have a shit sense of humor!" I call back to him.
He disappears around the corner. And I'm left to think on what I just learned.
This whole time. We thought he was so absent because he was putting business before family. Or going out to party. Sex, drugs, rock and roll and all that.
No, turns out the shit wad is leading the single biggest shit stain on the city. He's the god damned leader of the Empire 88!
But more than that, he expects us to join now that we have powers!
I'm not an idiot. I was intentionally pissing him off. Getting him angry, hell if he cut something off that'd be perfect.
Because he still doesn't know about the camera I hid in there to get dirt on him.
If there's a fewthings that bastard ever actually taught me. It's that power equals control. And to gain control, you need to be smart. And letting someone have control over you, is giving them power.
"Have fun while you can, you sack of money and divorce papers." I say as I head to my room. "Cause I'm gonna take away all of your power."
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-Monday, July 19th, Dallon House 8:30am-
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Kitsu POV
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"Does anyone here want the rest of the chocolate chips?" I ask the empty room.
I'm the only one up this early. And I made pancakes, forgetting that fact.
"No?" I ask. "More for me!"
And so, I sit here and gorge myself on chocolate.
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-1 hour later-
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"What have we learned?" Dad asks.
"Chocolate is a sometimes food." I groan on the floor.
"No, well, yes. Don't eat an entire one pound bag of chocolate chips." He says.
"But they were so good!" I whine.
"Do you feel good?" He asks.
"No." I groan.
*Zzrt*
Something smells, familiar. Slight ozone. And coupled with the soft sound of crackling electricity.
*Ring*
*Ring*
*Ring*
*Ring*
*Ring*
Suddenly, all five of the cell phones in the house go off at once.
"What the hell?" Dad asks as he pulls out his phone.
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock* someone knocks on the door.
"Crap, Kitsu stay here." He says.
The lights flicker as he says that. And my fur stands on end. Adrenaline pushing my nausea to the side as for the first time in a while, I get an ominous feeling.
"Dad, don't go answer the door when-"
"Yeah I got that when the lights started doing a horror stint." He says.
"Kitsu!" I hear Mom call. "What did you do!?"
"Aaaand the lights flicking woke up your mother." Dad sighs as he finally answers his phone. "Hello?"
"Be advised, Static Shock has gone AWOL and is believed to be headed towards the Dallon residence." The robotic voice of the hero app Wade made says.
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
I answer my phone as well.
"Be advised, Static Shock has gone AWOL and is believed to be headed towards the Dallon residence." My phone says.
*Ring* It goes off again. Only this time the caller ID says it's Missy, well, it says My Baby. But it's Missy.
"Hello?" I answer.
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock* *Knock* *Knock* the knocking is getting more intense.
"Kitsu! Permafrost turned up dead at Brockton Bay Precinct and Vergil thinks you have something to do with it." Missy says. "He overheard Armsmaster talking to Miss Militia about it, misheard a few things and stormed off!"
Shit.
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Bonus
Drunk Kitsu cont.
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Mark "Flashbang" Dallon POV
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"La~ lala~ la laaaaaa la~" Kitsu giggles.
"You know that'd be a good song if you actually remembered the words." I say.
"I am good. Yes." She giggles. "It's how I got a fun dad, a mean mom, a cute girlfriend, an annoying Vicky, a fun PanPan, a cute girlfriend, a fun dad." She says as we get to her room. "Wait, why is everything greyer?"
"It's darker because we're in your room." I say.
"Oh, color no good in dark. Except flowers. Flowers glowing, gleaming night." She says. "Hey, wanna know something?"
"Sure." I say as I set her down on her bed. Intent to keep an eye on her.
Can't have the resident Endstopper loose and drunk.
"You know, I know where Case Fufty Dree's go from." She says with a grin that is both somehow dopey and devious. "But I can't say. It's a secret!"
"Of course it is." I say as I roll my eyes. "Anything else the great loremaster has to say?"
"You're handsome." She says with a giggle. "You deserve a hug." She says as she sits up and opens her arms.
"Okay." I say with a laugh as I lean down for her to hug me.
"Rmm, biiiig squeeze." She says as she squeezes me.
"Alright kiddo." I say as I pat her back and let go. "Try and sleep, okay?"
"Nooo!" She whines. "I want more loving! Gimme love! Stay!"
She reaches forward and grabs my arm and pulls me down.
"Woah!" I exclaim in surprise as I fall to the bed.
"Mine." She says as she cuddles the side of my head. Pushing my ear to her chest as she hold me there. "My daddy. You're mine. No one else can have you."
"I already belong to your to your mother." I say with a chuckle.
"No! Mine!" She says, before she starts rubbing my cheeks and giggling.
"What's so funny?" I ask.
"Smooth, scratchy!" She says as she rubs my stubble. "Smooth, scratchy! Like one way sand paper!"
"Gee, thanks." I say with a roll of my eyes.
"You're welcome!" She says. "I love you."
"Love you too kiddo." I say with a chuckle.
"Sweetie?" I ask as her tail curls around my face and she starts nibbling on my hair.
She's asleep.
Damnit.
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Bonus 2
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Francis "Trickster" Krouse POV
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"And with that, I believe I'll be letting you go." Accord says. "It's a shame, but I can't condone the behavior of such, unruly and chaotic factors."
'OCD addled piece of shit.' I mentally sneer.
The fucker's pissy because Noelle had an episode during our meeting a week ago. Now he's letting us go because we won't allow him to get rid of Noelle, or, terminate the unruly element, as he said.
"Unfortunate, I do wish things could've turned out better." I say with a practiced bow. "But, not all endeavors are destined to be fruitful ones. I nonetheless wish you success in your future ones."
'Choke on a dick.'
"You may leave." He says.
I do so without another word. Keeping my posture and cadence as I leave the building. The moment I'm out of sight and head to the tunnel base. I pull out a pack and light up.
"Fuckin, over controlling, dick wizard, fuck nuggit." I mumble as I flick the lighter.
Taking a deep breath. I calm down as the smoke fills my lungs.
"Haaaaa, damn, the guys aren't gonna be happy." I mutter as rats scurry out of the way.
Making my way down, past several memorized turns. I find my way to the boarded off subway station, accessible by a closed off maintenance tunnel. Used to be full of homeless people. Then Noelle had an episode. Now? Well, waste not want not. And we needed the space.
We weren't happy about it. But we all abandoned our morals ages ago. They're a luxury we simply can't afford.
"Hey guys, your glorious leader in acting is back!" I say as I step back into my dickhead persona.
It's the only thing I know to keep everyone together. Give them a common enemy.
"Yay." Luke says disinterestedly as he roasts a hot dog over a bonfire.
"Oh come now, is that any way to greet your leader?" I ask.
"You aren't our leader." He says with a glare.
"My actions, uh say otherwise Lucas." I say with a smirk and a slight bow.
Lucas isn't his name. And he hates it when called that.
"Fuck off." He flips me off.
"Hm, a decent suggestion. Perhaps I will, where are the others?" I ask.
"With Noelle." He says as he juts a thumb behind him. Gesturing to the area that once would've been the waiting station.
"All of them?" I ask.
'That's, unusual.' I think to myself.
Tensions are high. I'm not stupid, I see the writing on the walls. We have two goals, help Noelle, and get home. And I have no delusions that at this point, half of the team would abandon the first for a chance at the second. Should it come down to it.
"May I ask as to what the occasion may be?" I ask.
"Fuck if I know." He shrugs. "Oliver saw something on the news that got him and everyone else excited. I wasn't paying attention. Oh, and we need more bread."
"As helpful as ever I see." I say as walk past him.
"I'd shove this stick up your ass if I thought it'd fit next to the one you've already got up there." Luke says.
"Always a poet, you ever so have such a way with words." I say as I leave him to guard.
Making my way through the station to the open area. I hear the others excited chittering. And it has me nervous.
Turning a corner, I see them all on their phones with Jess on her laptop.
Noelle has grown larger. Her lower half is the size of a small car now. And I fear she'll keep getting bigger. Until there's nothing we can do.
"Hello my good friends!" I say with a wave. "What's got everyone in a-"
"Look at this!" Oliver says as he runs over with his phone.
Giving him a raised brow. I nonetheless take his phone and scroll through the page.
'Blah blah, Medhal, blah blah, Endstopper, blah, Ferry, blah blah, fixing Case fifty threes, blah bla-' My mind grinds to a halt as I find what has everyone so rabid.
It has an immediate effect on me as well. My heart racing, tears ready to spill in sheer excitement. A smile, a genuine one, creeps its way to my face.
It's something so insane, so rare. Something we lost long ago and I thought we'd never truly find again.
Hope.
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A/N
Seriously, reread the first bonus of Ch. 52, then go to the very end of Ch. 17
If you still don't get it, here's another clue, subject one, the mother, died in 2007.
Go to the timeline on the Worm Wiki, and take a look at 2007
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So, everyone with an active shard, has a conflict drive unique to them. And it effects how they act.
Whether it be a need to exert a sense of control over others- Carol
Recklessness and rash behavior- Vicky and Crystal
Picking fights without a second thought- Sophia
Tendency towards violence as a means of dealing with problems- Kenta
Manipulating others for a goal- Scarecrow
Or the inability to relate to other people- Collin and Lyra
A conflict drive doesn't make someone violent or aggressive, or even more active. It just turns their behavior towards more, conflict causing actions.
If Kitsu had a conflict drive. Carol's talk, would've started a fight. And yes, Carol did intend to be harsh, but her conflict drive acted up and turned it from a 6 to an 8.
Her saying that the only thing in the room would be a bedframe and a mattress, was saying she'd take away everything and leave her with a bedframe and mattress in her room. Not saying she'd kick her out.
Not to say she wasn't going too hard in the first place. But if the conflict drive wasn't there, she would've stopped at "I will not be disrespected in my own home little lady." Rather than continue to say Kitsu is only there because she allows it. Implying she would kick her out.
She wouldn't. Not unless given a very good reason. Morals and ethics aside. Kitsu is too good for the movement. Yeah, all the paperwork and nuances are done by Sarah, Carol and Tony. But Kitsu is the one who put gas back in the car so that they can drive.
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QUESTIONS!
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FOR NEWB!
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FOR KITSU!
DancingLeaf: Do you have a list of "In case things go FUBAR" set of powers you normally wouldn't consider?
Kitsu: Yes.
Let me put it this way, ever seen MHA? You remember the scene of Overhaul merging himself with another to gain their powers?
I'll leave it at that.
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FOR ONE TIME ONLY!
FIREBREATHER!
RadChaos897: What's your earliest memory since becoming a Case 53? What were the first things you did and what was your impression of Earth Bet.
Firebreather: I woke up in the middle of the desert. Confused, dazed, scared. I remember it so vividly. I wandered around for days in that barren wasteland. When I finally found people, I was, happy, I found help, I was starving.
They pulled out a shotgun and fired at me. I shouted in surprise and melted their trailer by accident and they called me a Firebreather.
Not the best first impression.
RadChaos897: How did you come to learn that you could eat coal? Did you fly past a train and smell the coal from the coal cart?
Firebreather: days after that first encounter, I was starving. More hungry than before, I was swallowing my spit every few seconds just to get the illusion of having something in my stomach.
When I came across an abandoned camp site, I dug through the coals of what was the campfire. I found a burnt hot dog, and I lost myself as I devoured it. When I finally took a second to notice what I was doing. I had already eaten half the coals in the fire pit.
RadChaos897: How hot can your fire burn?
Firebreather: Um, I can make it turn white. I don't know what, measurement that is, but it hurts my throat to do it. Dries it out real bad.
RadChaos897: Since you're immune or at least highly resistant to fire and heat, does that mean you could say: handle red-hot metal and molten glass?
Firebreather: Um, damn, why hadn't I thought of that?
NEXT TIME! ERIC!
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