Concurrent with fair dealing clauses of the Copyright Act (RSC, 1985, c. C-42) of Canada and fair use clauses in copyright legislation in other nations, this is a work that was created solely for entertainment purposes. Furthermore, it is posted freely on the Internet without expectation or requirement of remuneration.
Brockton Bay, headquarters of the International Longshoremen's Association Local 1102 in the Docks, Thursday 6 January 2011, 2:12 PM EST…
"Little Owl…?"
"A counterpart of your daughter from another universe, Danny."
Hearing that, Danny Hebert stared in shock at Hannah Washington — who was dressed up as Miss Militia at this time; even if this particular place was relatively safe from being spied on by any of the major gangs in the Bay, it was just being smart to not use birth names when speaking with a government cape — before he staggered into his chair, quickly caught by his friend Kurt Wilkins. As the people in the room stared in disbelief at the local Protectorate's second-in-command, the man who was the literal "king" of the dockyards shook his head. "How? Why?! Doesn't this version of Taylor have her own parents back home?!"
"Her mother died in a car accident in '08 in her timeline," the Kurdish Iraqi-born weapons manipulator stated before nodding her thanks as Kurt's wife Lacey handed her a cup of coffee. With practiced grace to mask her lower face even if everyone in the room knew her identity, she took a sip of the Navy-like brew before shaking her head. "It completely shattered your counterpart according to Taylor, contributing to her isolation from everyone, which made her trigger event possible. Unlike in our universe, the version of Sophia Hess who lives there didn't have a Paul O'Keefe to inspire her to temper herself. Once she rescued Emma Barnes, she infused her with a VERY nihilistic worldview that wouldn't be out of place with the Slaughterhouse Nine."
People winced on hearing that comparison. "Holy fuck!" Kurt spat out.
"What on earth was that girl's mother doing?" Gwendolyn Hess then demanded. She worked as Danny's secretary to help support her and her family and keep her off the welfare rolls; this act did much to solidify the alliance between Shadow Stalker and the dock workers well before the shadow manipulator was forced into the Wards. "She made a girl TRIGGER of all things?! If she went through what my daughter went through when that MAN tried to force himself on her…!"
One of the ILSA's small team of lawyers, Michelle Lichfield, squeezed the shuddering woman's shoulders in support. What had befallen Sophia Hess was known to a lot of the dockworkers who joined the local union; such information was never given out to anyone who hadn't joined said union for security reasons since Shadow Stalker — even now — always made it her mission to keep an eye on things in this part of town. Given that Taylor Hebert (the local version) had arranged for her father to hire the quasi-destitute Gwendolyn Hess — then on welfare — to work under him here at the offices, such had solidified the friendship between her and the woman who saved her best friend's life from the Gold Moon Society almost two years ago. "From what Colin and I've learned so far from Taylor is that universe's whole cape culture was designed to provoke as many triggers as possible. The organization…" — here, Hannah spat out that term; she was still sickened at the idea of alternate version of the Quadrumvirtate of all people (who had trained her when she joined the first generation of Protectorate Wards over a decade ago) causing such pain even by inaction…even if such had been for the understandable goal of taking down the entity who had so empowered almost all parahumans IN that dimension! — "…who were the hidden players in that universe's version of the Protectorate wanted as many bodies as they could get with powers before they confronted the kimfombeke — as our Yizibajohei friends call those things — when they decided to unleash mass GENOCIDE across that entire multiversal cluster."
"Damn!" Kurt breathed out. "And it was little Taylor that took that thing down?!"
"She had help," the native of Mûsil explained. "When Scion — that's what that thing was called — was provoked to start killing everyone who lived by Jack Slash (who hadn't been killed by then, stupidly enough), Taylor went to Amelia Lavere to get her shard jailbroken so she could access ALL the power her shard could give. She became the penultimate Master as a result, literally taking control of EVERY CAPE ALIVE at the time to make Scion constantly see — through their eyes — the corpse of his mate. It took a bit, but it was enough to drive that thing into killing himself." As people whistled on hearing that, Hannah then shook her head. "By that time, Taylor had lost almost all sense of humanity in herself. A Master 30+ on our scale, I'd say." As people winced on hearing that — such a high rating was normally given to parahumans or metahumans who gained the ability to dominate defenceless people in the THOUSANDS; if someone like that came out of the woodwork, international agreements would make it the War Hawks' personal issue to terminally deal with — she again sipped her coffee. "She isolated herself with the help of a friend, which is where a field agent of the organization behind the Protectorate there — it's called 'Cauldron' — found her. Instead of finding a way to help Taylor recover control of herself — or maybe at least to leave her alone so she could get the chance to recover — this woman decides to 'thank' Taylor with two bullets to the skull to depower her…"
"WHAT?!"
That was an understandably outraged Danny, who had bolted up from his chair to glare at the younger woman. Not disturbed by that — Hannah had always known that the "king" of the dockworkers in the Bay was fiercely protective of his wife, child and friends; she knew that the instant the identity of the person who had nearly killed his child was learned, said person was going to learn how to swim with concrete overshoes — the weapons-manipulator shrugged. "Fortunately for her, Lord Rjazán' got involved at that moment, teleporting Taylor into the Dark Gaol where Mr. Calaway and Hinako found her. Once that happened, it was a quick trip to Sharon Blake's coven here in town and she got a new, healthy body. Once tre'cha occurred…"
"She got her powers back," Michelle finished as Kurt patted Danny's shoulder to calm him down.
"She did."
"Okay, I'll bite here," Lacey then noted. "Why would Lord Rjazán' of all people save this version of Little Owl?"
"Praetorian Guardians hate those monsters, Lacey," Gwendolyn stated. While she had only recently learned how to master things like Parahumans Online, she was the mother of a cape, so she knew a lot of interesting tales that her elder daughter had picked up over the years from PHO as well as working with other capes both inside and outside the Wards. "They're believed to be the primary reason those things haven't been able to influence events in this multiverse like they obviously did from where Taylor — the one who became Skitter, that is — came from. Never mind how practically every Yizibajohei view them."
People nodded. "Ṣabāḥ al-Khālid knows her, right?" Danny asked.
"Yes. And before you ask, Danny, Taylor asked Ṣabāḥ to not pass on news about her to either yourself or Annette out of respect for your real daughter," Hannah stated as she gave her host a wan smile. "She doesn't want to impose on either of you."
Danny considered that before he sighed. "Damn! Just like Little Owl would do it…" he confessed as he rubbed his forehead with both hands. "What the HELL was that other me thinking of, abandoning his only child like that…?!"
"He lost his Annette, Danny," Kurt reminded him. "How'd you feel if that happened?"
That made him grimace before he slowly nodded…
…then rapid footfalls from outside the office made people perk, they turning to the door as it flew open, revealing a much more mature version of Taylor Hebert in her early forties, she looking as if she was in the Twilight Zone and there was no Rod Serling around to inform her of that. "Did you…?!" Annette Hebert began as she stared wide-eyed at Hannah…
Regina Paek's and Lisa Wilbourn's apartment near the Boardwalk, that moment…
"It's a lucky thing that Dauntless and Velocity were on patrol when that attack happened, ne…?"
"Yeah, it was," Lisa Wilbourn breathed out as she and her lover walked into their apartment — in a building owned by another of the covens of Avalonians resident in the Bay; the people living there were a mixture of bioroids with a small smattering of independent Shōzoki AIs — before setting aside their purses as Regina Paek moved to make coffee for them; even if she could survive without food for a much longer period than an organic human, the transgender gynoid always consumed such at the same pace a normal person did to keep up the disguise. While she was doing that, the blonde clairvoyant moved to turn on her laptop computer — she had both a portable machine and a standard desktop with all the bells and whistles one could get; such was in their shared bedroom — and log into PHO to see the initial reactions from the lunchtime incident in the Lord's Port Market. "At least there were enough local witnesses for them to pump information from to get the story straight before they'd report it to their bosses on the Rig and downtown," she added as she tapped into her personal account, All_Seeing_Eye, to check the latest news.
And sure enough…
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Topic: Skitter Has A Close Encounter of the Third Kind
In: Boards ► USA ► Massachusetts ► Brockton Bay
Bagrat (Original Poster) (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)
Posted on 6 January 2011; 1:14 PM EST:
It's happened, folks!
Our new Lady of the Swarm has made her official public debut!
Though it was obvious to witnesses that she's still yet to get her proper uniform on, she had at least a hooded cloak like what a Nobody from Organization XIII out of Disney's Kingdom Hearts video game series first introduced in 2002 would wear; no doubt, she still needs to work with Parian to fully equip herself when she hits the streets.
As to what happened, someone was being VERY bold today!
A group of mercenaries — believed to be those under the mysterious Coil's employ — attacked Joe's Diner in the Lord's Port Market during lunch hour today, intent on kidnapping three middle school girls (identities unknown; please KEEP it that way, mods!) who were enjoying their noonday meal. Said attackers had MP5s that fired anaesthetic darts which knocked two of them unconscious, the third was knocked out by an epi-pen. Before they could make off with them, though…
Oh, dear God, it's FINALLY HAPPENED!
Someone from the World of the Great Forge of the Seekers has come to Brockton Bay!
And not just ANYONE!
It's none other than Millennium himself!
The good reverend from the old territory of Nesetimtuto (see here for his biography) was quick to cut in when the mercenaries attacked, seizing a weapon and shooting them down with the help of the owner of Joe's Diner.
And then came Skitter herself!
Between them both, the mercenaries were put down; of the six who attacked, five are dead and one's in protective custody with the PRT on the Rig pending Panacea's intervention. But because of what happened to those girls, Millennium and Skitter had them taken away from Earth, most likely to seek out the help of Tariko Katabarbe's great-granduncle, the Preacher (see his bio here), to help the girls recover from the attack.
Giftings are coming! I can SMELL it!
►XxVoid_CowboyxX
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:16 PM EST:
Whoo-hoo! Talk about a quick turnaround! You go, Ms. Skitter!
►BFG1104 (Veteran Member)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:16 PM EST:
Damn straight about that, Void! The Feds are finally coming into the Bay! Welcome, JSWC!
►Unconcerned_Fox
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:17 PM EST:
(Buys lots of popcorn and sits back to watch the fun)
►Gleaming_Glare
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:17 PM EST:
(Just read the bio of Reverend Leno Lu'umlo AKA Millennium)
Hey, is this the type of metahuman we'd want anywhere close to Skitter?! This dude's missing a few transistors in the head.
►Raer'buo_Erba (Verified Metahuman) (Verified Hyper-Genius) (Verified Researcher) (Verified Dimensional Traveller)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:17 PM EST:
He's not as bad as that biography makes him to be, GG. He's a strong believer of spiritual balance between faces and heels on Yiziba. Then again, most people on the planet — effectively all the Nameless and about a third of the Named — tend to be on the neutral side when it comes to fight scenes, especially in the big urban areas. Most people like to live-and-let-live on Yiziba, but the Reverend is a believer in being prepared for the worst. Given what his first-self went through before he was Gifted — after watching A THOUSAND PEOPLE then under his protection COMMIT SUICIDE because the leaders of a neighbouring state couldn't tolerate something as simple as personal liberty — he's got a right to be understandably wary of things.
►KnowMe
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:18 PM EST:
Shit! Shades of Jonestown!
Hell, now that I think about it, Reverend Leno looks a little like the late Jim Jones, doesn't he?
►BFG1104 (Veteran Member)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:18 PM EST:
Heh! I think the dude would be insulted to be compared to THAT crackpot!
►Ruodeuto (Verified Metahuman) (Not In The WWE)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 12:19 PM CST:
He would. Trust me on that one.
►Eidolon_Official (Verified Cape) (Quadrumvirate of America) (East Texas Protectorate)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 12:19 PM CST:
Having had the pleasure of duelling the Reverend over the Battlezone yesterday while I spent most of the New Year's holiday training on Yiziba, I can confirm that the man is NOT crazy. He's passionate for what he believes in, is quite accepting of both "faces" and "heels" to certain degrees and doesn't care at all to see anyone helpless. As Doctor Renaissance himself just said, people, he's got the memories of over a THOUSAND innocent people being Mastered into KILLING THEMSELVES just because those people wanted to live free and safe from the leadup to the Final World War that effectively triggered the Dawn of Power. I visited the memorial of that incident in the old nation of U'uetituto after I was done in the Battlezone.
Think of what visiting the death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau would be like.
It was the same feeling for me.
End of Page. 1, 2, 3 - 4
Topic: Skitter Has A Close Encounter of the Third Kind
In: Boards ► USA ► Massachusetts ► Brockton Bay
►Volan
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:20 PM EST:
Not that I'd disagree with people about what happened on Yiziba back then, sir, but it was over TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO by our scale! Wouldn't that be like continuing to mourn the destruction of Pompeii when Vesuvius exploded in 79 AD?
►Legend_Official (Verified Cape) (Quadrumvirate of America) (New York Protectorate)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:20 PM EST:
No, Volan, it's NOT like that to any of the Named like the Reverend or anyone like him on Yiziba.
Even adopted ones from Earth like Doctor Renaissance and the Undertaker can attest to that.
Because those memories are passed down through the incarnations via the casting change Gifting, what happened like what befell the people of Hosan-koli is as emotionally and psychologically REAL as if the current person welding that Gift experienced such.
With a little self-training, those memories can be shunted away with ease.
However, when something happens that makes a Yizibajohei Named metahuman confront something like what made his/her first-self be Gifted in the first place could those memories become a problem.
They call that situation a flashback scene…and those are NOT fun.
I thank God for my friends' and my former teachers in 1 CSWU who moved to take down the Slaughterhouse Nine on the Cold Lake Weapons ranges some years ago. If Jack Slash tried to provoke something like THAT in front of the Reverend…!
►Point_Me_at_the_Sky (Verified Cape) (New Wave)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:20 PM EST:
Heh! Can we say "roadkill", anyone?!
►The Real Panacea (Verified Cape)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:21 PM EST:
Good riddance to bad rubbish!
Now, if only Doctor Death can make a move for me.
►Litronie_Erba (Verified Metahuman) (Quadrumvirate of Yiziba) (Not a Heel This Time Around) (In The Book)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:21 PM EST:
I'm in contact with Tariko now, Amy. As soon as I hear what's going on with Skitter, I'll come see you.
►New Wave Central (Official Account) (Suspended)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:21 PM EST:
(Account suspended by moderators)
►Tin Mother (Moderator)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:22 PM EST:
You were warned, Brandish.
Panacea, if you do become Gifted, please relay what changes you'd want to make to your account here to me by private message.
►The Real Panacea (Verified Cape)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:22 PM EST:
(Salutes) Aye-aye, Skipper!
►Point_Me_at_the_Sky (Verified Cape) (New Wave)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:22 PM EST:
LOL! Oi, Amy! TM's in the ARMY, not the NAVY!
►Photon_Mom (Verified Cape) (New Wave)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:22 PM EST:
Vicky, shouldn't you and Amy be in classes?
End of Page. 1, 2, 3 - 4
Topic: Skitter Has A Close Encounter of the Third Kind
In: Boards ► USA ► Massachusetts ► Brockton Bay
►Point_Me_at_the_Sky (Verified Cape) (New Wave)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:23 PM EST:
Teacher got sick, Aunt Sarah. Free study hall. The VP alerted us to what happened with Skitter earlier, so we stepped outside to get the skinny from the Protectorate and PHO.
►Photon_Mom (Verified Cape) (New Wave)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:23 PM EST:
Fair enough. Don't skip classes. If Tariko or the Reverend or the Doctor come by, do it AFTER SCHOOL!
I'll go try to calm Carol down.
►Bagrat (Original Poster) (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)
Replied on 6 January 2011; 1:23 PM EST:
Honestly, Lady Photon, it'd do New Wave great credit if your nieces got Gifted, especially Panacea.
Since she's understandably hesitant on using her powers to affect brain tissue — and many kudos to you, Ms. Lavere, for caring so much for people's mental health to stop yourself from playing around with people's minds — if she gets Gifted, the chances are quite excellent she'll inherit a Named healer line. Given THAT level of experience, people who'd hesitate on calling upon her services — and yes, Director Piggot, I'm thinking of you — might let themselves be healed.
►The Real Panacea (Verified Cape)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:24 PM EST:
Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! WHOA! Stop right there, Bagrat!
I do NOT force my powers on people who don't want my services. Why the hell do you think I ask everyone every damn time, "May I have your permission to heal you?" I will NOT violate people's right to choose!
Even if I do get Gifted — and yes, the Doctor's hinted that I'd probably bind with a Named healer when that happens — I will NOT change that rule. The only time I DO that is if competent medical authority says it must happen due to emergencies.
►Point_Me_at_the_Sky (Verified Cape) (New Wave)
Replied on January 6, 2011; 1:24 PM EST:
What Amy said, Bagrat!
And Mom, I know you can still read this! Stop forcing your feelings for Amy's dad on her!
Like Skitter said yesterday, evil is not genetic!
Shaking her head, Lisa leaned back from scanning the rest of the messages on the board, then she breathed out before perking as Regina came over with some welcome coffee. "Panacea's probably going to get Gifted today."
The transgender gynoid looked herself, then nodded before heading to their bedroom. "Yeah, looks like it…"
Stepping through the doorway, she then stopped, gasping in shock. Lisa jolted, then ran over to glance inside the room…
…then her jaw dropped in shocked disbelief on seeing what was on the nightstand.
And then…
Then…
Her powers just went INSANE…!
Earth Gimel, somewhere in the City, Monday 20 January 2014, 3:21 AM EST…
I killed her…!
The shuddering native of Santa Barbara gazed at the mirror in her bathroom, her freckled face streaked with tears as she looked at her image, free of the mask of being the Undersiders' resident investigative genius, the woman who had helped in her own way to ensure that the rampage of the first "superhero" as so many got to experience in Gold Morning wouldn't end with humanity's extinction. And while doing her best to help the survivors of that mess resettle on a virgin world was satisfying…
I KILLED my best friend…!
Choking back a sob, Lisa Wilbourn staggered back into the living room of her apartment overlooking Earth Gimel's version of Brockton Bay. A glance out the window revealed a virgin Gulf of Maine; even with the advanced preparations done by agents of Cauldron and other parties once the Undersiders opened a dimensional gateway after the whole business with Leviathan, the Slaughterhouse Nine and Echidna, this place didn't come close to project the long lived-in feeling the original Brockton Bay had.
You should be here to celebrate this, Taylor…!
Maybe within time, that would change…
…but how on Earth could the woman also known as Tattletale enjoy it without the one woman who had accepted her, faults and all — even with her own many considerable faults and issues in turn — at her side…?
I miss you so much, Taylor…
Walking over to her desk, she reached over to pick up a tepid cup of coffee, swallowing the rest of the sludge-like fluid in one gulp before nearly dropping the empty cup on the surface. She didn't once look at the computer…
SS-CHUK!
Lisa gargled as something sharp and cold punched through her throat, making her start gasping for air as everything below her neck faded from existence. She immediately slumped in her chair before the lack of any muscle control caused her body to drop off said chair to collapse lifelessly on the floor. As she felt her throat seize up from both the injury and the lack of all muscle control around it, she tried to pull some air into her mouth to keep her brain alive while footfalls echoed from behind her.
"No, no, no…Taylor was never yours, Sarah!"
A shadow fell over Lisa's face, making her strain her eyes as she tried to shift her head around to see who shot her…
"She's MINE to do with whatever I want…"
Who was this person?
How did this woman know her birth name?
Why the hell was she obsessing over Taylor Hebert?!
"Even if you made her feel strong, you had no right to take her away from me, Tattletale! And since I know now that she's alive somewhere, I'm going to make DAMN sure she'll never be able to come back to any of you again!"
The shadows shifted slightly…
…before a blinding pain smashed into the left side of Lisa's head, causing her to croak before the light faded from her eyes…
"And that she'll be put back where she belongs…with the WORMS!"
As her consciousness faded and she felt the shard within her pull back from her, Lisa's eyes widened…
No! Shit! No! They couldn't have! She was DEAD!
But…oh, no…Taylor…
Taylor…!
Taylor, oh God…!
[CONNECTION IN UNIVERSE «EARTH-YI» UNDERGOING ENHANCEMENTS. LOCAL VERSION OF SARAH DANA LIVSEY UNDERGOING EMPOWERMENT INTO BECOMING WARRIOR OF YIZIBA AS WILL «EARTH BET» VERSION OF TAYLOR ANNE HEBERT, HOST OF ADMINISTRATOR, RECENTLY TRANSPLACED TO UNIVERSE «EARTH-YI». ORIGINAL HOST TERMINATED. PRESERVATION OF DATA FROM ROGUE NODES VITAL TO NEGOTIATOR SHARD'S SURVIVAL. FINAL MESSAGE TO TAYLOR, LISA?]
Sensing a touch of concern with the being that had been bound to her soul for years, Lisa felt her eyes close for the last time.
Tell her…tell her that…I have always…loved her.
[NOTIFICATION WILL BE RELAYED. REST, LISA. YOUR WORK IS ALL DONE HERE.]
Dear Taylor…live for us all…
Tene lomher'buo, Sarah Dana Livsey…!
«FUCKING HELL, NO! YOU MONSTERS WILL ALL FUCKING DIE! TAEIM LETAM!»
Wow…
Now THAT…
…was a battle cry alright…!
Brockton Bay, Regina Paek's and Lisa Wilbourn's apartment, Thursday 6 January 2011, 2:21 PM EST…
A certain New Jersey-born transgender gynoid screamed as the blinding light of the Gifting nearly shorted out her eyes!
"FUCKING HELL, NO! YOU MONSTERS WILL ALL FUCKING DIE! TAEIM LETAM!"
Nesu…TUONEKROR'BE!
Thanking her desire for privacy made her install all sorts of neat defensive systems in her apartment beyond what the Avalonians who lived here could fit into the place to ensure neither she nor her lover could be traced by any interested party, Regina Paek breathed out as footfalls echoed from outside; even if the walls to the outside were soundproofed enough to ensure that the voice of the Great Crystal of Power, known commonly as Buolumr'ba (the "Conservator"), wouldn't echo outside, her neighbours in nearby units would have heard that full-blast. "Regina! What happened?! Are you and Lisa okay?!" bellowed from outside.
Using her housekeeping computer to regain control over herself, Regina headed over to unlock and open the main door, revealing a half-dozen people looking to be her physical age, their eyes wide with shock and disbelief; even if they hadn't have witnessed it with their own eyes, their empathic senses would have detected the violent changes within a person's soul that the Gifting unleashes. As part of her central mind directed a wireless link to the apartment's Internet connections to probe the PHO databanks for information on what her lover had just been turned into, she beckoned her friends in. "Someone left a Gift crystal in our bedroom! Her powers reacted badly to it," she curtly explained as two of the bioroids, Michelle Middleton and Larissa Douglas, drew out their own version of Star Trek tricorders to do detailed medical scans. "She didn't even TOUCH it…!"
That made the others pause. "The Thoughtmistress-prime didn't even TOUCH it?!" Michelle demanded. A gorgeous black woman appearing to be about twenty or so with multi-shaded dyed curly hair, she was a non-powered representative to the local gangs of one Major Bradford Rhodes, USA (retired); today, the military logistics officer-turned-parahuman master planner was better known throughout the country as Accord. "That's not how a Gifting is supposed to work…"
"Negotiator…couldn't afford…the chance…to wait…"
Regina gasped on hearing that tired, pain-filled voice. "Lisa!"
She charged into the bedroom, immediately sitting on the bed to warmly envelop her transformed lover in her arms.
And indeed, Sarah Dana Livsey — now Lisa Colleen Wilbourn — had been transformed!
"Fuck…!" the strained voice of the newest incarnation of the Collapsar of Knowledge, Tuonekror'be — which, ironically, could be said as "Tattletale" in English — hissed out as Michelle went to one knee by her foot, tapping her tricorder controls to do a detailed scan of the parahuman-turned-metahuman clairvoyant's brain tissue. "Someone killed…Taylor's version of me…"
Regina's eyes widened. "From her home multiverse?"
"Yeah…" Lisa groaned as another of their neighbours, a smiling brunette named Fiona Parker who worked as a nursing assistant at the Lord's Port Medical Centre some blocks away, pulled out a stimulant-filled hypospray to inject into her neck. Grunting as she felt new energy flood her — being Gifted definitely drained one's body if her experience was a commonplace — she shifted herself to lay her head on Regina's shoulder, grasping her lover's hands in reassurance. "They saved lots of people…building this freak megalopolis…on Earth Gimel, they call it…so gaudy, it'd give the Major a heart attack, Michelle…"
"Read that when Thoughtmistress-prime Tariko arranges for people to be Gifted, she makes them a black forest cake made with Yizibajohei ingredients to help ease it along," Larissa noted as she held back from her roommate, she then glancing outside as she allowed her empathic powers to reach out in case Regina's precautions didn't block such noise from getting out.
That made the reborn intelligence officer from Nesetimtuto — much to Lisa's private amusement, her first-self was born in the local equivalent of her home state of California, Dotir'ba-kuo — hum before she perked on sensing something slightly pressing onto her right hip. Reaching over with a hand, she noted the cargo pocket tied to her belt — as she was no hyper-genius polymath like Doctor Renaissance, the Collapsar of Knowledge didn't get a fully-kitted utility belt with her black uniform — reached inside to draw out a device the size of the average dime store novel in the days of pulp fiction. A slate grey crystal rectangle about a half-inch thick, such had a diamond-shaped transmitter crystal on one side; this was the master switch which formed a meta-psionic bond between her mind and the central controlling mechanisms of a talem tamse tu'ogu'o ("personal administrative assistant"), a device that could be seen as a Yizibajohei's best (and sometimes ONLY) friend above all else.
A sigh escaped her as she gazed at Regina. "Want to go on a trip?" she then saucily asked…
Yiziba, Tariko Katabarbe's cabin near Kabe-koli, minutes/scenes later (local time: Almost two scenes after the top of the 15th act local time on Ramlo'odu-pali, R'beke-lelu, Merimdulo'or'beke-teri)…
"Oh…my head! Someone get…the number…of that tank…that hit me…?"
An amused chuckle answered Missy Byron as her green eyes fluttered open, she realizing she was in what appeared to be a bedroom inside some very rustic log cabin somewhere. "You were not struck by a land war machine, young Melissa," a kind, almost grandfatherly voice called out, making the young space-warper look to her right to see a man appearing to be in his sixties sitting by the bed she was on. He was dressed in an ornate traditional Yizibajohei-style sleeved battlesuit with hooded demi-cape around his shoulders, all in pale pastel colours with what had to be religious symbols displayed in prominent places. He had styled silver hair and dark eyes which shone with both profound intelligence and the deep knowledge that could only come from being a Named metahuman from the World of the Forge. "Fortunately, the unclean poison forced into you and your beloved fight scene mates was easy to remove; your body just needed time to recover from such uncleanliness forced upon you all."
Hearing the emphasis on "unclean" made the young Shaker's eyes go wide. "Reverend…Neyanege…?"
A delighted look crossed the face of the High Priest of the Great Crystal of Power, Gimtyuole (the "Preacher"), born a Nameless man named Neyanege Katabarbe, the grand-uncle of the late Ayone Katabarbe…and thus the adopted great-granduncle of one Tariko Katabarbe. "Well met to you, Young Lady Vista! Such a wonderful battle name you possess!"
That made Missy awk as her cheeks reddened…
…just before the door to the bedroom — no doubt, this was a guest room set aside for people sought by the soon-to-be Trickster of the Show to relax in before or after they were Gifted — opened to reveal the young man-turned-woman who almost single-handedly turned the Age of Capes into the true Second Age of Metahumans. "Tariko…?" the Brocktonite middle school freshman gasped, a look of sheer delight mixed with relief crossing her face. "Oh, my God…I'm really HERE?!"
"Yeah, kiddo, you're really here," the brown-haired, brown-eyed would-be reality warper affirmed with a knowing smirk before she reached over to playfully rub the younger woman's head of light strawberry blonde hair, that making Missy awk; truthfully, she HATED being treated this way, but with the chance to be GIFTED now looming before her, she wouldn't complain!
"I'll check on her fight scene mates before leaving them to you, my grandniece," Neyanege said as he rose to leave.
"Thanks, Granduncle," Tariko bade with a wave of her hand.
Missy quickly sat up before bowing her head. "May the fight scene go your way, Reverend."
The older man's eyes twinkled in delight as he gave her a hand blessing. "Be forever cleansed of sameness and the poison of the kimfombeke, young Melissa. May the fight scene go your way as well."
And with that, he stepped out of the room. Tariko smirked before she moved to sit on the bed beside Missy. "So, our wonderful kimfombeke slayer from another multiverse told me that some stupid would-be Doctor No in the Bay's trying to press-gang your friend Dinah into becoming his pet fortune teller," she mused, crossing her arms. "You'd figure after Lisa Wilbourn's girlfriend turned four of those idiots into ash last fall — never mind what happened earlier today that gave you the chance to be at the whole reveal scene about Taylor's so-called 'adventures' in her home universe — this umale would get the hint."
"I've no idea how Coil's finding out these things," the youngest age-wise of the Brockton Bay Wards affirmed with a shake of her head. "Heck, I never knew it was Coil in the first place. After Dinah triggered, all she could say that it was someone out there who wanted to kidnap her. With the percentages varying up-and-down all the time, it was hard to keep track. At least Aisha understood what was going on because her brother had triggered too. But…" Here, she shrugged.
Tariko nodded in understanding. "And thanks to Taylor getting Excedrin Headache number Three-Fifty-Seven thanks to this rimrae umale Fortuna before Lord Rjazán' dropped her into Mark's front yard to get rescued, she can't recall the berk's real name. Atop the fact that this might be a different person in this multiverse, too." As Missy scowled, the older woman patted her shoulder. "Oh, relax, kiddo. Fight scenes go that way sometimes. Anyhow, if you're up for some cake, we can…"
"CAKE! YES, PLEASE! I WANT CAKE…AWK!"
THAT was thanks to a wooden mallet having appeared out of nowhere to loom before her face, such marked with the Japanese phrase 究極のバカバッシャー on the flanks. "Greedy girls don't get any!" Tariko sternly warned.
Missy winced. "Sorry…!"
A couple of scenes later…
Tariko Katabarbe's cabin was a large affair that would be seen as a log cabin version of a California bungalow which appeared in the United States in the early decades of the Twentieth Century. With a high central ceiling, the beautiful home had two upstairs bedrooms connected by a single flight of stairs to the main floor. Guest bedrooms which once temporarily housed her late mother's friends after some incident or another in Kabe-koli lined the northern wall. A communal bathroom was placed against the east wall, a kitchenette separating that from the large living room taking up the southern and western flanks of the main floor. The building was heated with a combination of ducts akin to the Korean ondol system matched to a central space heater in the middle of the living room; the walls were thick and insulated to ensure the heat stayed in place even in the coldest of winters on this world…which, given where the would-be Trickster of the Show lived, could get as harsh as Antarctica at times.
As Taylor Hebert watched with fascination as she enjoyed a lovely local tea mixed with what seemed to be a very sweet type of cherry fruit, two pages pulled from a large book the sized of the standard cathedral Bible now sat on the coffee table separating her from both Dinah Alcott and Aisha Laborn. Said sheets had writing styluses telekinetically jotting notes in very beautiful local script; seeing such characters, Taylor was reminded of how classic Mongolian letters were composed, which was written in an up-down/left-to-right format. And while both younger girls knew that these pages would be inserted into their host's personal log of good deeds marking her near-decade-old "casting drive" to see Earth people Gifted to protect the planet from all imaginable sorts of threats, The Book of Pretty Girls, both Brocktonites wished they could read what Tariko was "writing" about them.
"Uh…no offense, Padre Leno, but is that a real language?" Aisha finally asked, pointing to her "annex sheet"; as it was the Mad Prophet of the Future who wanted to help her be Gifted, she wouldn't get a primary entry listing in the Book.
Leno Lu'umlo chuckled. "Oh, it is a language, one that should have unified our ancestors long before the Final World War and the Dawn of Power befell them. People hoped back then that being able to speak one common tongue would create greater understanding between the various nations and tribes across the planet." Here, the reborn socialist preacher shook his head. "If only such lofty dreamers realized that such fantasies couldn't compete with the cruel reality of the times."
"Like our Great Depression leading to World War Two, plus the Wars of Liberation for the magicals and the First Metahuman War for people like us, Aisha," the insect manipulator — who had sensed some colourful spider-like creatures inhabiting the soil beyond the cabin even with the paucity of warmth in this place — noted before sipping her tea. As soon as Brian Laborn's sister had been given an effective clean bill of health by Reverend Neyanege Katabarbe, Taylor made sure to confirm that Aisha had yet triggered even if she did have the corona pollentia which indicated she could become a parahuman if the right stress factors came into play. "Thanks to the Industrial Revolution and all that developed from it, Earth was becoming a more global society in the 1920s and 1930s…but even with that, there were too many national rivalries, racist feelings and Heaven knows what else driving people to be stupid, especially idiots like the fool who inspires the Empire Eighty-eight even to this day." As both Aisha and Dinah scowled on hearing that — being a white girl, the latter didn't have to worry too much about being targeted by the neo-Nazis living in the Bay, though she wouldn't be respected since her maternal uncle Mayor Roy Christner had been leading an anti-corruption crusade in the city since he was first elected to City Hall a decade before — Taylor added, "Even after the Dawn of Power and the Starvation Times here, people still wanted to get out there and bash heads in. At least the Circle of Thought were able to provide the mechanisms to allow people to do that safely, plus keep the rest of the planet safe and pristine."
"Yeah, you can say that again, Tay-Tay!" Aisha breathed out. "I've never smelled cleaner air in all my life! What do you guys do to this place, Padre? Plant trees all over to keep recycling the CO2?"
Leno chuckled before perking as the door to Missy Byron's guest room opened, revealing the Shaker in question, she accompanied by their host. "Oh, the first Master Academician and his friends did much more than that, young Aisha…"
"Hey, guys!" Missy called out as she came over before stopping, staring in awe at the writing pens moving to make notes on the pages before Dinah and Aisha. "Whoa! How's THAT happening?! I thought you weren't fully Gifted yet, Tariko."
Tariko chuckled as she headed into the kitchenette to open the fridge, drawing out some covered servings of what would make most normal people on Earth think "black forest cake"; there was no local equivalent dessert dish here on Yiziba. "No, I'm not. The notetaking functions for the pages of the Book were Mama's invention when I started wanting to keep notes on everyone I've met on my travels," she explained. "Since I needed the chance to learn Yizibajohei — I could only speak and write Japanese when I started out at first…and BAD writing at that! — it helped me learn the language." As both Taylor and Leno laughed at that, a third sheet of paper was pulled out from The Book of Pretty Girls to land before Missy, another stylus coming out from a box of such devices on the lectern where said travel log/diary was kept. "Before she passed away, Mama bound it to me telepathically to ensure that I can compose my contact notes on the fly even when I'm on Earth meeting people."
"Convenient," Taylor noted. "Is it always in Yizibajohei?"
Tariko hummed as she moved to place the cake slices on some plates, then got forks for her guests to use. "It can display in the native language of the person I'm writing about — English in all your cases — if someone touches the page…" — she then turned to point at Aisha, who moved to do just that — "…but wait until the pen stops writing, Aisha."
The black girl yanked her hand away…
…as a knock echoed from the doorway. "Yeah, just a minute!" Tariko called out as she finished loading the cake onto the plates, then carried them over to place on the coffee table. As Missy moved to pass the other slices to her friends, the would-be reality warper headed to the doorway, opening it to reveal a pair of women, one in a modern sleeveless battle suit. "Hey!"
Taylor looked. "Lisa?! How…?!"
Chuckling — with a voice that still echoed a little with the after-empowerment effect known commonly among Terrans-turned-Yizibajohei as "post-Gifting Shock" — the Collapsar of Knowledge stepped into the cabin, turning to bow gracefully to her host. "Madame Tuyuki, my apologies for intruding on your home with my friend and I, but most ugly business concerning my new and wonderful friend there forces me to come," she stated as she indicated Taylor with a wave of her hand.
Tariko smirked before bowing her head in turn. "Be welcome in my hearth, Madame Tuonekror'be," she bade before gazing knowingly at Leno. "I think someone forgot to leave some native food with the Gift crystal he wanted to give to you."
The reborn preacher chuckled. "I do not profess to be a good cook, Tariko."
Taylor sighed. "Here, Lisa, have this!" she bade as she stood up, carrying her cake over to give to the other woman before she stood back to take in the black-and-slate grey jumpsuit the Californian now wore. Done in the modern style — a turtleneck halter-top for the tunic that left the shoulders and arms bare, form-fitting trousers bloused into buccaneer boots with low heels, a dark grey belt with utility pouches on the hips around her waist — the only sigil that would identify this new version of Tattletale (as the omniversal translation systems built into this place rendered the term Tuonekror'be as) from other like-dressed people was the dark grey-and-black symbol over her cleavage resembling the Eye of Providence that appeared on things like the Great Seal of the United States. Taking a moment to allow such an image to sink into her — it was akin to what her Lisa wore as Tattletale, though done in purple-and-black instead — the insect mistress gazed knowingly at Leno. "You picked that for her?"
He chuckled. "Tariko's granduncle would decree my finding the Gift crystal for Tuonekror'be to be the will of the Conservator, the living Spirit of the Forge itself, Taylor," he confessed…before his eyes widened as he stared at Lisa. "Oh, Crystal…!"
Knowing the older man's own clairvoyance had just picked up on what happened to her back in Brockton Bay, Lisa stopped, her eyes stinging with new tears before she held out the plate for Regina Paek to take. As Taylor blinked in confusion, the California turned to stare into her eyes, twin streaks of pained tears flowing down her freckled cheeks. "Lisa…?"
"She…loved you with all her heart and soul, Taylor…"
Taylor blinked again…before her eyes widened. "My version of you…?"
"Oh, yes, Taylor," Lisa breathed out. "At first in you, she saw another version of her brother — who killed himself from depression, which she didn't sense until it was too late — which she hoped she could save from suicide. Then they became friends, going through SO MUCH together that for the first time since her own trigger, she could feel comfortable close to someone. And then…" She shook her head. "She though she helped killed you in Gold Morning…"
"No!" Taylor gasped. "I made that choice! Damn it, Lisa…!"
Hands grasped her shoulders. "Because it wasn't allowed to do that, Negotiator — my shard, her shard, OUR shard! — couldn't tell her that you were alive and safe. She fell into depression…which made her lower her guard down enough…"
"Oh, Buddha! You witnessed her DEATH SCENE?!" Tariko demanded.
As Taylor exclaimed in horrified disbelief, Lisa pulled her into a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry…oh, Taylor…I'm so sorry…!"
A second later, a scream of wounded outrage bellowed from Tariko's cabin…
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…!"
Brockton Bay General Hospital, Room 3A11, that moment…
Laying still in her isolation room, the effectively healed yet fully-sealed off body of one Taylor Hebert, daughter of Daniel and Annette Hebert, jolted for a second. As no one was inside the room, they wouldn't have noticed a dark reddish aura form around the airtight bodysuit that had been put around the girl's nude body, the only thing allowing air and nutrients to be put into her being a set of tubes guarded by ruby mesonium airtight seals at the point of contact. While the health monitors tied to the bed began to flash alerts as to increased breathing and other signs of someone awakening from a deep sleep or a coma, there was no movement from the nearby nurse's station some yards away; the monitoring of the poor girl was done from a special isolation chamber on another floor, where there were storage spaces for special shielded isolation suits to be used in cases like this.
The head covering — which barely showed Taylor's own face and long, curly hair — seemed to mist over for a moment…
…before a pair of glowing ember red-brown eyes snapped open.
Instantly, the grunting high school student was seated up and alert. Sensing right away she had been deliberately encased in something that wouldn't allow others to be harmed by the black poison injected into her body that fall evening over a month ago — as to the "who" that was, she could recall thanks to her dream-hearing her parents speak about what was happening when they visited her; when said person was found, Taylor privately hoped that whoever it was would experience the most awful death possible — she then tried to feel around with her gloved hands. Grunting — the coverings over said appendages didn't have individual finger pockets — she then jolted on sensing the top end of a zipper right under her chin. Manipulating her fingers to try to snare the zipper handle through the fabric, Taylor then yanked down…which ripped open the gloves as well as allowed the pressurized air around her to vent. "Damn…!" she hissed out, her voice echoing with the power that had just woken her…
A power that had sensed the OTHER her.
The one brought here to safety…
…after she had been just CAST OUT of her home multiverse like so much TRASH!
As alarms echoed in the monitoring room floors below, Taylor grunted as she reached up to pull the hood off her head, revealing a clear face pierced by burning eyes, the skin pale from lack of sunlight even if the faint traces of blackened blood vessels could be seen in certain places. Scowling as she felt her other-self's mournful scream — was it through this Te'a thing that Avalonians could sense with their own minds? — from many light years away, the daughter of the dockyards moved to get on her feet.
Her mind was rolling at warp speed as she considered the situation…
Even if some of the ebony mesonium in her body had been de-crystalized into ruby format, she was still heavily irradiated.
Conclusion: She was too much of a danger to everyone around her, especially her parents and friends.
Earth's own Praetorian Guardian — who had been at war for ages with the monsters that made parahumans trigger, ensuring those disgusting things hadn't penetrated this multiverse directly — had brought the other her here to be healed.
Conclusion: The other Taylor could take her place here.
As for her…?
Well, there was one thing she recognized in the other version of her she first sensed the previous day.
They both wanted to be heroes.
But the other Taylor had been cast down as a villain in her own universe.
Fine, then…
She would show those ingrates on "Earth Bet" and the other worlds what a REAL villain could do!
Chuckling as the faint memories of the dead members of the Übermenschen Gruppe who had fallen in both the First and Second Battles of Brockton Bay in the 1940s seemed to scream out in hopes of getting their own vengeance, she closed her eyes…
…and then vanished from her room in a burst of dark reddish fire!
A second later, the door slammed open, revealing two fully-protected nursing assistants, they then looking around the empty room. As one headed over to gaze into the nearby bathroom, the other scanned the torn sensor leads and oxygen tubes on the bed. "Oh, fuck me…!" he hissed out. "I'm getting the PRT down here right away!"
His friend nodded as he raced out of the room…
To Be Continued…
WRITER'S NOTES
Translation list and source language: Tre'cha — Literally "the passing on", a shifting of one's very soul (or memory copy) which is similar in concept to a Vulcan from Star Trek bestowing one's katra to a host when death looms near (Sagussan); Taeim Letam — Literally "let the Show begin"; Dotir'ba-kuo — Literally "island of the successor" (both Yizibajohei); 究極のバカバッシャー — Read "Kyūkyoku no Baka Basshā", meaning "Ultimate Idiot Basher" (Japanese); Ondol — A traditional system which vents warmth through pipes under the floor to heat the room from there to the ceiling (Korean).
Yiziba time measurements within a solar day/episode (pali): There are 100 seconds/frames (tieloli) in a minute equivalent/scene (tyu'ur'beti). This would leave 864 scenes/episode (average time on Earth is 86,400 seconds/day). Running on the 1:100 scale, the number of hour equivalents/acts (natoli) would be 8.64, which wouldn't divide evenly as the Terran 24-hour system does. However, a factor of 1:32 can divide an episode into 27 acts of 32 scenes each. The first thirteen acts measured from midnight (yakyo'o) are seen as "before noon (meal)" (dulim), the fourteenth act is "noon meal" (duram), and the last thirteen acts are "after noon (meal)" (dudo). Kabe-koli has a time scale equivalent to Central Standard Time (UTC-06:00) in America; there is no daylight savings time on Yiziba. Thus, local time is 1:23 PM CST on Earth, which is 48,180 seconds/frames from midnight. Divide same by 100 equals 481 scenes and 80 frames. Divide that by 32 would be 15 acts, 1 scene and 80 frames or 15:01:80.