Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works; all other characters and worlds belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing with them.
Betad by: Priapus, Marethyu, Beans, Mike God of Lore, Old man of the mountain
The Celestial Roulette
Chapter 22: Aftermath of the Nine
— Dean Stansfield (Gallant) —
The entire world was celebrating the aftermath of the Behemoth fight, and rightly so. An Endbringer had died. For the first time, they had proof that the Endbringers could be stopped, and it was all because of a hometown hero, Sugar Rush.
Unfortunately, his mind was on what happened after the fight, the video of Vicky dragging him off to a tent with a grin on her face.
He'd seen all the jokes about Glory Girl being Sugar's reward for slaying Behemoth, with rumours that he had a threesome with Panacea and Glory Girl in the aftermath. People had pointed to how Glory Girl had acted around Sugar during the charity event, her clearly flirty actions only adding fuel to the fire.
In truth, he'd barely seen Vicky lately. Despite them being 'on' at the moment, she'd barely spoken to him since they'd broken up for winter. He didn't miss that her sudden, uncharacteristic silence aligned with Sugar's appearance.
He tried not to jump to conclusions; he really did, but how was he supposed to take everything?
He wanted to trust Vicky, but no matter how he looked at it, it seemed like his girlfriend fucked the Endbringer-slaying hero. Maybe, maybe, he could get over it if it had been a one-off, passions running high after the fight, likely booze involved at the after party, but that didn't explain how she'd acted around him long before he was the legend he'd become.
Plus, Panacea claimed Sugar was her boyfriend, but why would Vicky be flirting with Amy's boyfriend? Why did Amy not seem to mind starting all kinds of rumours about her being a cuckquean who liked to watch her man fuck other women?
Too much just didn't add up, not least of which was the fact that the entire New Wave seemed to have suddenly gotten stronger, faster, and better in every way.
With them wiping out the Merchants, New Wave was on everyone's lips again, and the biggest question was, 'why did Sugar Rush empower them all'?
Rumours that Vicky and Amy were essentially pimping themselves out for these upgrades naturally started circulating online, even if most people didn't take them seriously. Some went further and insisted that Sugar Rush was giving all the New Wave women a serving of his cream behind the scenes, but they were best ignored. Vicky was too prideful to ever whore herself out, of that he was sure. So, what was he missing?
Finally getting a response from Vicky, agreeing to meet him later, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He genuinely didn't know how this was going to go.
– Felix Dallon (Sugar Rush) –
Feat Achieved: Drive Gallant to Paranoia (100cp). 100cp granted, 100cp needed for [Vault of Catlacan].
100cp granted, [Vault of Catlacan] unlocked. 0cp remaining.
Ah. Dean isn't having a great time? I do feel a little bad about that, but he and Vicky are constantly breaking up anyway. I have bigger things to focus on than Dean and Vicky right now as I scour Shatterbird's mind.
Burnscar is a victim of her own power; she can't stop herself from using it if there is fire around, and the more she burns, the more her emotions become warped, removing her empathy and impulsive control and altering her emotional state.
Bonesaw is a tragic villain. I've seen what Jack did to make her trigger, how her mother's dying words have become her entire being. She is obsessed with being a 'good girl', but Jack has destroyed and warped what being good means to her.
Shatterbird… Shatterbird is just trash. I have been searching for anything resembling a conscience, anything redeemable about her. She sees Mimi, Burnscar, like a little sister; she loves Jack but beyond that? She is an unrepentant murderer, hateful and proud of the destruction she has caused. She loves being the Nine's opening act, killing thousands with her scream; mentally, she even compares her scream to the Simurghs.
I've gone over her entire life and found nothing redeemable. She got dosed by something, awoke with powers and then killed thousands within the hour.
Looking down at the sleeping woman, I briefly consider mastering her and fucking her for the extra points before I stop myself. I am not like Heartbreaker, and for Shatterbird, there really is only one possible outcome.
[Skills of Miach] gives me an incredible knowledge of anatomy, but just as it can save lives, it can end them just as fast. One strike and her heart stops; Shatterbird passes away peacefully without ever awakening. It's better than she deserves.
As for the other two?
My enhanced senses pick her up long before she lands, gracefully landing in the campsite as she looks around.
"Sugar Rush. You've certainly been busy since we last spoke," Alexandria says calmly, looking around and pausing at the sight of Bastet. "Is that-"
"One of my allies has… commandeered Siberian. William Manton is dead, over that way, but the Siberian still has its uses," I say, making her pause before she nods. "We need to speak privately once we're done here."
"Oh?" Alexandria asks, head tilting.
"I know what group you're a part of; I know who you're preparing to fight. He was going to attack within the year. One of my powers warns me of universal-scale threats. After I killed Jack, it switched to almost twenty years," I explain, making her pause before she nods grimly.
"You kept these two alive?" Alexandria asks, making me sigh.
"There's a chance they can be redeemed, but obviously that comes with issues. They're both powerful, Bonesaw especially; they might be useful," I say pragmatically, and for a moment, I catch her smiling. "Burnscar's power alters her brain chemistry, but I've got experience fixing that. I think I can fix it, change how it alters her mental state."
"And if you can't?" Alexandria asks.
"Then I'll have to kill her. She's killed thousands; she'll kill thousands more if she isn't stopped. Same with Bonesaw, I hope I can fix the damage Jack did to her, but if I can't, I'll finish her off once I'm done disarming her traps," I say grimly, not looking forward to the idea of killing a child, even if she was a serial mass murderer. "The rest are dead; Bastet killed Manton and Crawler; I killed the rest."
"I've arranged for a transport to gather the bodies. Are there any traps inside them?" Alexandria asks, making me shake my head.
"Bonesaw has several apocalyptic diseases inside her; the others just have minor enhancements. Nothing dangerous," I say, lifting the pair up as I wave my hand and open the portal. Alexandria doesn't hesitate to follow behind me, watching me lay the pair down as I take a seat. "Full disclosure, I know what Manton knew. I know who you are under your mask."
She pauses for a moment before Alexandria sits down and slowly reaches up, removing her helmet. Rebecca Costa-Brown stares back at me, though she looks far younger than she does on the television.
"What do you know?" Rebecca asks.
"I know Scion is going to destroy the world in around two decades. I know Cauldron formed to fight him, that Manton was one of you before he left, that you're responsible for the Case 53s," I say, making her nod simply. "I know you make vials from the remains of Scion's… mate and sell them. I know none of it is going to matter if we can't stop Scion."
"That is the entire philosophy of Cauldron. If we can stop the Enemy, nothing else matters. It's far more than just Earth Bet that he poses a threat to. If he rampages, trillions will die," Rebecca agrees, a thoughtful frown on her lips. "Why did you go after the Nine?"
"I gained a new power, one that will tell me how to achieve anything. I asked it what the fastest way to cause my power to grow was, and it told me to fight the Nine," I admit, and for a brief moment, I detect her shock. In her mind, I sense her thoughts on Contessa and her Path to Victory. "My power does have a solution for Scion; I simply need to keep growing until I draw on the right power."
"You seem sure of that," Alexandria says, making me laugh.
"I think it is very clear that I am not a normal cape. I didn't trigger; I don't have a Corona Pollentia. My power calls upon powers from the multiverse, reaching out into other universes and giving me copies of other powers, creatures as summons, and powerful items," I admit. "Somewhere out there, there's an answer to Scion. All I need is time."
– Rebecca Costa-Brown (Alexandria) –
Felix was confident, but could she deny his words? He wasn't a normal cape; that much was laughably clear.
"Did you get much from fighting the Nine?" Rebecca asked, making him shrug.
"Not as much as I hoped. My power is random in its draws. I can guarantee that I get the energy I need to pull new powers, but I have little control over the pulls themselves. I got my improved looks, which is actually a racial change, incorporating the "Veela" race from another world into my body. I gained the ability to master any power I get much faster, a counterattack that always fires with the same power as the attack itself and always lands first and finally, I got this," Felix explained, gesturing for her to follow her as another portal opened. "Welcome to the Vault of Catlacan, currently empty."
"What's so special about it?" Rebecca asked, looking around and making note of the strange pool located in the middle.
"What is special is that this vault turns wealth into power. Any gold, jewels or fine art placed in the vault empower it, deepening the pool as a source of energy I can call on," Felix said, making her eyes widen slightly as she caught on to why he was showing her this.
"You want your bounties paid out in more physical wealth?" Rebecca said, making him nod.
"I can't just put down my credit card," Felix said with a shrug, and she nodded.
"Frankly, the sheer size of your bank account would make translating it all into precious gems and metals hard but far from impossible," Rebecca agreed, her mind running through plans to fill this vault to the brim. She didn't know if Felix was truly the silver bullet she needed, but he was their best chance so far. "What do you plan to do?"
"Clear up my city. The Empire and ABB have overstayed their welcome, and frankly, I can gather a lot of energy by beating them. After that, I'm going to start hunting. Every villain out there is a potential power, and anything I can do to increase the odds of drawing the perfect power is going to be worth it," Felix explained. "I also plan to start waging war against the various warlords in Africa, it's a fertile hunting ground and also the site of my first major victory."
"The PRT currently has orders to cooperate with you as much as possible; it's no over-exaggeration to say that you're the world's biggest star right now. Once word gets out of your victory over the Nine, that will only grow," Rebecca said, making him smile softly. Despite his fame, he was a rather humble boy, wasn't he? "You should know that both the Teeth and Fallen are starting to make moves towards Brockton Bay. The Butcher wants to become you, and the Fallen want you dead."
"Good. They're just free food at this point," Felix said, and she smiled slightly. When he took out the entire Nine with seemingly so little effort, she could imagine just how powerful he felt right now. "The Fallen have a lot of masters, but my entire family have taken golden apples, gaining the same resistance to masters that I have. My team won't be far behind for those who haven't already taken one. The Butcher is the only real issue, and I have my ways."
"Then all I have left to say is welcome to the conspiracy, the select few who know about the true threat to our world," Rebecca said. She'd already planned to try and subtly bring him into Cauldron; having him learn of Scion independently only helped ensure that outcome. "I would ask that you greatly limit who you inform, though those who have your Thinker resistance may be safe."
"I plan to tell my team; I've already hinted at it to Overwatch," Felix admitted, making her frown.
Squealer and Tattletale did not inspire confidence in their ability to keep a secret.
"Very well, but make sure they do not tell anyone else. We're arranging for Flechette to be transferred to Brockton Bay, and working to keep the city clear of villains will ensure that our secret weapon remains safe," Rebecca said, making him nod.
"I plan to give her an apple of thinker resistance, but without the master immunity so I can hijack her if needed," Felix explained, making her nod. A part of her wondered if Felix and his apples could fix Contessa's power and get rid of her blindspots, but she didn't bring it up just yet. It sounded like Felix had his own version of Contessa's power, which was very intriguing.
Felix's power didn't seem to come from the Warrior, but it also wasn't from Eden. She wasn't sure what the source of Felix's insane power was, but it may just be something that could catch Scion off guard.
"Probably wise. The Simurgh has made no movements since Behemoth's death, but you never know what she is planning until it's too late. We can't assume she doesn't know," Rebecca agreed. "I should get back to the clearing. For now, I'll say that Bonesaw and Burnscar both had deadman's switches, and you've taken them alive to disarm them."
"Understood, and thanks," Felix said with a small smile, opening the portal again. 'Bastet' watched her as she left, and Rebecca couldn't deny that she was somewhat nervous about the unknown figure. As her eye proved, Siberian was one of the few things that could truly hurt her. Still, it was better than losing such a powerful warrior. "Before you go, do you want me to heal your eye?"
Rebecca paused, looking at him.
"Healing powers don't work on me; my body is essentially in stasis," Rebecca explained, making him chuckle.
"Normal healing powers don't work on you. To be perfectly honest, I just think restoring your eye would be classed as a feat and get me more energy," Felix admitted candidly, and she paused before reaching up and removing the prosthetic.
She didn't expect him to be able to fix her eye, but she'd let him try as he approached and placed a hand over her empty eye socket. For the briefest moment, she felt the stasis that gave her her invincibility falter, making her gasp before the feeling ended moments later, his hand moving away, making her blink rapidly as her vision cleared.
Two perfectly functioning eyes stared at the smiling Felix, her mind racing. Did he just turn her power off to heal her?
"How-"
"Just a little reality warping, that's all. It's the same thing I did to stop Behemoth's Kill Aura from working but on a smaller scale," Felix explained with a grin. "Once you weren't in stasis anymore, fixing your eye was child's play. I was right, by the way; healing you was classed as an epic feat."
She stared at him in true shock for just a moment before she relaxed. It was unnerving to have her power disabled, but Siberian was right behind her. If he wanted her dead, she'd be dead.
"The transport is almost here. Thank you, Felix, and good luck with those two," Rebecca said, giving him a small smile as she remasked and turned away.
The Siberian- Manton- had been one of the few things that Cauldron had been responsible for that she couldn't condone, not after it had killed Hero. She'd rather the monster was gone entirely, but she'd take it under someone heroic's control. Its new appearance meant that nobody would be able to connect Bastet to Siberian. With the Egyptian-themed name, it was more likely that people would believe that Felix had picked up a new recruit from his many fans in Cairo.
As the PRT arrived, she got to work with a satisfied smile on her face. Felix could predict the timeframe; she believed he was right because it was the same power that had warned him of Scion. Having two decades to prepare instead of a year was a very good start. Now, she just needed to see if Felix could gain a power that would allow him to deal with the Enemy.
Feats, huh?
Interesting.
– Felix Dallon (Sugar Rush) –
Feats Achieved: Join Cauldron (200cp), Heal Alexandria's Eye (200cp). 400cp gained.
I am not entirely sure about Cauldron. Manton's mind has revealed a lot, but with the knowledge that they are right about Scion, I can accept that I need to focus on the real threat. The fact is, I'm growing so fast that once Scion is dealt with, they won't be a threat to me, and if I decide they have to face justice for their crimes, they can't stop me.
And if we fail, it's not going to matter, is it?
I told Alexandria that much because I can see how pragmatic she is in her mind. She'd do anything to increase the odds of beating Scion by 0.01%. Convincing her that my power holds the key means I'll have her full support in growing stronger, and since she's both a member of the Triumvirate and the Chief Director, that means a lot.
If I told her that fucking capes counted as Feats, she'd have let me rail her right there on the table next to the sleeping Burnscar. I just might, because banging Alexandria has to be worth a lot, but baby steps.
[The Horus Jumper] - 100cp, 300cp remaining.
The blood of gods flows through you, Divine One, and you possess the strength and hardiness of a dozen true soldiers. You are larger than life: standing taller than almost any other living mortal, every townsperson will look up to you, literally, if not figuratively. Your divine bloodline is easily perceived by other gods, should you not wish to conceal it, and will find yourself treated worthy of their consideration at the least.
Ah. This is both useful and problematic. I think people might notice that I just got a foot taller. That's the kind of thing that you can't just ignore. Was I really going to go back to college? With my learning buffs I can probably smash through the entire course in a matter of days anyway. Does it really matter if people learn that Felix Dallon is Sugar Rush when I'm this strong? I think not.
'One step closer to true divinity, honey.'
True, there's that as well as Bastet manifests next to her projection, making me pause. I know I knocked her up, but… surely she shouldn't look so clearly pregnant already?"
"Oh, honey, you didn't expect me to spend nine months carrying a baby, did you? That's not how Gods work. This little one will be ready to pop in a matter of days, not months," Bastet giggles, making me sigh and rub my forehead.
"Yeah, that makes far too much sense," I admit. Great, I'm gonna be a dad by the end of the week. Lovely.
[Boundary of Reality] - 1000cp, 700cp needed.
"You have complete control over all boundaries, such as between distances, night and day, even relatively abstract ideas. You can see into every dimension simultaneously without being affected by information overload. By manipulating the boundary between night and day you could easily create a night that lasts forever. By manipulating the boundary between dimensions, you could travel between Gensokyo and the Outside World, Heaven, Hell or similar alternate dimensions. By manipulating the boundaries of distances, you could travel anywhere easily, including to other planets. Nor do you need to target yourself; you can open (ominous-looking) gaps anywhere you could affect with your power or manipulate the boundaries of nearly anything you can perceive. This power's real limit is your imagination.
That is a laughably expensive power… but by god, is it a strong one. My most expensive yet, but this makes Vista seem like a joke. I know that the real Scion is hiding away in a pocket dimension, but with this, I can force him into wherever I please.
I need it, which means I need to get to work. First things first, Bonesaw's diseases need dealing with. Bonesaw sits up, her eyes blank as I puppet her. With my [Quick Learning, my mastery over [Moondragon] has skyrocketed, and this is easy for me.
Between my own healing and Bonesaw's puppeted power, her little surprises are no threat at all.
– Victoria Dallon (Glory Girl) –
She couldn't deny that she was a little nervous as she arrived at the park, Amy giving her a reassuring smile as she approached her boyfriend. Dean looked up, but she could already tell that he wasn't his usual cheerful self.
"Hey, Dean. Guess we've gotta talk, huh?" Vicky asked, sitting down on the bench next to him.
"Somethings changed," Dean said quietly, looking between her and Amy. "I can't sense Amy's emotions at all."
"Yeah, a gift from Sugar Rush. He can share his Thinker immunity," Vicky explained sheepishly, seeing the suspicion in his eyes. "I can explain."
"Can you? Because I've looked at everything over and over again, and no matter how I look at it, it looks like you're having an affair with Sugar Rush," Dean accused; his tone was soft and nowhere near as harsh as anyone else in his position would be.
Vicky went to deny it, but her words died in her throat. Dean's suspicion only grew, but she couldn't bring herself to just flat-out lie to him.
"Vicky-"
"It's Felix," Amy cut in, arms crossed as she rolled her eyes.
"What?" Dean said, surprised. The park was fairly empty, and nobody was nearby.
"Sugar Rush is Felix. Tell anyone, and I'll make your balls drop off," Amy added as an afterthought. "Vicky worked it out and decided, like the genius she was, that the best way to get Felix to admit it was to flirt with him to make him uncomfortable. Felix, being as stubborn and stupid as Vicky, decided to flirt back as they tried to one-up each other and make the other one admit they had worked it out. Yes, it is exactly as dumb as it sounds."
Dean went to speak, closing his mouth several times as he looked over at her, seeing the embarrassed blush on her cheeks.
"I thought you were dating Sugar Rush?" Dean asked, making Amy snort.
"I am dating him. I'm adopted, and Felix is the best man around," Amy admitted shamelessly. "Plus, it started as us trying to throw Vicky off even more."
Dean blinked, but he was too nice to say anything. Or maybe he was just scared of Amy.
"You almost got me, but I figured out that Felix told you first," Vicky admitted.
Dean went to speak again, but his phone rang, and he paused.
"It's Dennis, could be work," Dean said, giving them an apologetic look as he answered. With the Heart-Shaped Herb, they both had better hearing than before, so hearing the words on the other end was easy.
"Check PHO! Sugar Rush just took down the fucking Nine, man. They were coming here!" Clock's voice said through the call, making all three of them freeze. Dean looked at them, and they shared a look.
What the fuck was Felix doing fighting the Slaughterhouse Nine? She pulled out her own phone and typed rapidly, just as Amy did the same.
'Oh yeah, not surprised word got out that fast. Had to take care of them before they could become a minor annoyance. Don't worry, the whole thing took me five minutes tops.'
Vicky stared at her phone in bafflement, showing Amy and Dean Felix's message. Despite herself, she felt herself become a little wet at the realisation of how powerful Felix really was, and her mind whispered to her that he deserved another reward for such a victory.
— Quest Section — VOTING CONCLUDED
Should Felix give Contessa an Apple?
Yes
No
Author's Note: This chapter was written in Flamingo Land, in a caravan. Family trips are fun but finding the privacy and time to write is hard
Priapus' note: as predicted.
Beans' note: Ah the old "admit that he's fuckin one of his sisters so noone thinks to ask if he's fuckin the other one" play. It never fails.
Old man's note: Just as Priapus predicted.
Written: 07/08/2024
I am entirely motivated by praise and interaction, so leave a review, and I'll probably write faster. I do read every review/comment, because it gives me the happy brain chemicals and motivates me to write more. My body is a machine that turns positive reviews into new chapters.
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The Advance Chapters
Diamond: The Gambler Ch14, The Illusive Mage Ch08, The Supervillain Ch28, Guide to Conquest Ch09
Plat: The Cursed Ch05, Sorcerer's Legacy Ch09, The Planeswalker Ch09
Gold: The Nightmare Ch14, The Celestial Professor Ch03
Basic: The Game Master Ch08
Quest: The Celestial Roulette Ch23-26 (Final), The Celestial Inquisitor Ch01
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