Quest Chapter 6: Pro4, a 3x3 eyes fanfic

A/N: Everyone can thank Enetious for this update - he made the Character sheet I was thinking of wasting today on, you see.

Spoiler: Choices:

[X] Follow up with the PRT. Again. (Danny is still missing a finger.)

[X] Continue Training. (Swordsmanship)

Spoiler: Current Emulation Status

Zaraki Kenpachi

Teachable Skills

- Swordsmanship

Zaraki Kenpachi has a mastery of swordsmanship best described as 'Prodigal'. Despite being an entirely mundane skill, anyone who inherits it would be easily capable of fighting dozens of combatants at once.

- Hand to Hand Combat

Despite fighting primarily with a sword, Zaraki Kenpachi grew up as nothing more than a grimy street kid. His skills in hand to hand aren't great enough to qualify as a 'power' but do push the peak of what a normal human is capable of.

- Beastly Combat Perception (Learned!)

Teachable Powers:

- Spiritual Power Usage (Learned!)

- Asauchi (Learned!)

Current Energy: 8

Currently 5/10 - Swordsmanship (Cost 5 to Teach) *Everyone can thank Narasan for this boost.*

Monday, January 10th, 2011

Hebert Household, Brockton Bay

It's four-thirty in the morning, and you are standing over your Master with your Zanpakuto drawn and ready. You don't want to do this. It's easily one of the dumbest things you have ever done. But your Master hasn't given you a choice.

Yesterday evening, she refreshed your core memories on exactly what School would entail. You were 'born' with her memories of the place, but only really the ones that related to her Trigger Event after all. When you hear the word school, the only thing you can think of us the Soul Reaper Academy - an upstanding place where people are taught the fine art of murdering monsters with a sword. Among other things. You wouldn't know - your Emulation never went.

Your Master, quite unfortunately, bulldozed those dreams of yours. You were thinking it would be fine to let her off without any training today, since she would be spending all day at school, and then going with her father to the PRT building afterwards.

You were so, very, very, wrong.

School doesn't teach sword fighting. It doesn't even teach 'fighting' fighting. It's all just useless stuff like Math! You didn't ask for this! Your Master doesn't need it!

It was a thought you figured your Master would thoroughly agree with. After all, nothing good has ever happened to her there. But as you are increasingly finding, your Master has a certain amount of attachment to a whole lot of things that 'aren't fighting or training'. You seriously don't understand why.

So you, now backed into a corner, made a decision. You are going to wake your Master up early.

To that end, with a slow gesture very uncharacteristic of your normal swordplay, you lift your blade - and bring it down on your Master. You do it slow, so slow that that you couldn't possibly hurt her even if you actually touched her with the blade. But regardless, to your Master, it still registers as an 'attack'. Something she is no longer really capable of ignoring.

That's why, before you are even halfway through the half-assed movement, your Master's eyes spring open, and she withdraws her own blade from somewhere on the bed next to her, plunging it mindless towards your throat. A killing blow as it were.

You dodge of course, pushing off lightly with one foot and landing on the opposite side of the room in a rush of air, but your Master freezes with her dagger still held aloft, eyes wide with panic that doesn't go away even after she fully awakens, and takes in the situation.

"Oh my god! Emmy are you okay?!" She yelps, scrambling out of her bed and over to you, dropping her Zanpakuto without a second thought.

"Eh, been worse. You know one time this guy with the dumbest hair basically eviscerated me? It was-" You pause, then blink and shake your head once then continue. "Eviscerated this guy?" You finish.

Taylor looks at you with obvious worry, and, ignoring your statements that she didn't even actually hit you, marches up to grab you by the jaw, lifting your head up so she can peer at your unblemished neck. Once that's done, she steps back from you with a scowl.

"What the hell! It's not even five yet! I can't even control this stupid Thinker power so why are you making me worry at this hour!?" She bellows at you, her aura doing that ominous spider thing as it flares behind her. You're kind of afraid of telling her it's there. You know for a fact she isn't aware of it, and you positive she won't take it well. She'd call it things like 'villainous' or 'evil looking' or something you're sure.

"Well, when else are we gonna train, huh?!" You explode back at her, waving your sword in the air in frustration.

"...I'm going back to sleep." Your Master says, frigidly, turning away from you to march back to her bed.

"Come on! You have to go to 'school' all week! This sucks!" You complain. Complaining is actually all you can really do if you're being honest. If your Master gives you the absolute order to let her sleep, you kind of have to. You could punish her for it by wrecking the house like a neglected dog or something, but that just feels wrong to you.

Taylor pauses mid step, then turns to peer at you over baggy eyes.

"Emmy are you jealous or something?" She asks you dubiously, obviously not certain of her assessment.

Which she should be! Because you aren't! It's not like you think hanging around invisibly doing literally nothing while a bunch of stupid kids gawk at your Master and then getting to do nothing with her all day is shitty or anything!

Something on your face, apparently, tells your Master the opposite - something you have mixed feelings on. On the one hand, she's absolutely wrong. You're a power. Powers don't get jealous. That'd be stupid. On the other hand, she grabs her Zanpakuto off the floor and stumbles out of her bedroom and down the stairs in her nightclothes, blearily grabbing her glasses as she goes past them.

Then she pauses in the doorway to glare at you.

"Well?" She says, before mumbling something under her breath about pet ownership and going on walks.

You choose to ignore the statement in favour of following her out to the backyard to train.

Monday, January 10th, 2011

Winslow High School, Brockton Bay

The pair of you are driven to school by Danny. Well, Taylor is driven. You dart about the area invisibly checking for ambushes as the car crawls it's way forward. Taylor, for her part, sleeps most of the way there.

The school day itself started out fairly bland, as far as things go. Taylor takes two steps into the building, and then, spotting a gaggle of girls happily chatting away further up the hallway, hunches her shoulders and grimaces, before carefully going blank-faced and doing her best to speed walk past the group.

'I could-' You start but she immediately foresees what your offer will be and cuts you off.

'No killing. Just stay invisible all day unless Hookwolf attacks the school or something. Please.' She answers you in a huff.

This is exactly why you didn't want to come here. It's boring and your Master has to pretend as though you don't exist, because apparently an invisible adult roaming about a highschool makes some people uncomfortable.

Given a complete lack of anything better to do, you decide to spend the majority of your mindless following behind your Master. It's not like you couldn't be doing something, but you just don't care. However, as the day goes on, you begin to notice something. In your minds eye, your purloined memories see these kids as mirthless shadows in the distance. Malignant figures just out of eyesight, speaking down at your Master with an almost cutting whit.

Right now all you're seeing is the three-foot radius around your Master through which literal not a single person is willing to pass. And the fear. Literally so much fear. It might be that your Master is so accustomed to keeping her head down that she doesn't realize it... but the people here are terrified of her. A terror that manifests in half a dozen empty seats in nearly every class your Master attends.

It isn't until her last class for the day, that someone has the balls to actually tip your Master off to this fact.

"Hey, Taylor! I just wanted to say um, thanks for getting rid of them." A blond haired boy says as he drops into a seat next to her. Your Master appears to startle at his sudden presence, but you are positioned just right to notice her slowly easing the tension in muscles that were set to punch this kid in the sternum.

"Hi Greg." Your Master says with a pained tone in her voice, as if silently lamenting this development.

"And you know, I know a ton about Cape stuff! Like, like, you know powers are totally just aliens messing with us you know? O-or that Miss Militia is actually like, always holding back! She could totally make a Spartan Laser if she wanted to but she can't go lethal because the higher ups want her as a secret weapon for when-" The blonde kid begins to blurt excitedly. Suddenly you understand why she had a face as if encountering a great trial.

"Greg- Greg stop. What are you doing, what is this?" Taylor asks him when he pauses to catch a breath. Very diplomatic of you honestly. You were figuring she would just gut punch him and jump out a window.

"I mean, I heard you were a Cape now and I wanted to you know, help you out?" He offers lamely.

"With... Greg, you don't even have powers. We're not even friends!" Taylor hisses at him angrily, causing the boy to wince.

"I mean, I just thought since we were both kind of picked on-" Greg mumbles dumbly, as if not having seen this development coming.

"Greg, I was trapped in my locker for hours. Your locker is like one hallway away from mine." Taylor responds angrily.

Greg looks like he wants to respond to that - he really does - but he deflates when the teacher walks in and begins the lesson, something your Master turns to focus on with an almost ardent intent.

"I- I just thought - I mean -" He bumbles for a bit before turning his eyes away from your Master, with obvious tears gathering in their corners.

"I just thought I'd help." He mumbles under his breath.

God what a whiny little bastard. You feel... actually you feel kind of sorry for him.

'Hey, Master, he said you got rid of some people?' You ask curiously, noting something the kid said at the beginning of the conversation.

'Probably Sophia, Emma, and Maddison. The school would have to expel them for something like this.' Your Master says confidently.

'Yeah but... he said it kinda like he figured you killed them...' You point out, causing Taylor to freeze, then glance towards Greg, who is apparently still doing his best not to cry, a proposition he obviously isn't succeeding at given he sort of trapped himself inside of your Master's bubble of personal space before the class started.

Still, she adamantly refuses to turn back towards him and passes the rest of her schoolday largely unmolested.

Damn, kids crying sucks. Is this one of those negative feedback things?

[ ] Convince your Master to hear the idiot out. Danny did say she would need minio- support staff.

[ ] You'll pass on this feeling. You don't like it, and you don't like Greg for making you feel it.

Monday, January 10th, 2011

PRT Headquarters, Brockton Bay

Ah the PRT building. It's only your second time here and you already hate it. Today you have chosen to show up invisibly, in order to allow Danny to participate. Your absence was noted by Armsmaster, who for some reason has continued to be your liaison with the PRT despite him being a punk and a goon, but well...

"He's currently occupied," Danny says brusquely, putting a comforting hand on Taylor's shoulder. She isn't wearing her costume. There isn't much point to it when you're just going home after this.

Also, the thing is full of holes from its rough treatment at Oni Lee's hands. Absolutely none of those tears were a result of overzealous sparring. Nope. You were definitely going to be forced to help your Master replace the damn thing, weren't you?

"I see. If you will then." Armsmaster says, maintaining his usual calm tone.

"Can I ask how long this will be? She has school tomorrow." Danny fires off the second Armsmaster has turned away to begin walking.

"...about that. If she were to join the Wards we would be more than willing to-" Armsmaster begins only for Danny to speak over him.

"A time, Armsmaster. I asked for a time. Punctuality is important." He says blithely, probably referencing the abysmal response time of he and his team to your confrontation with Lung.

"...This shouldn't take long Mr.Hebert. As promised we have asked Panacea to look you over, so please be patient." Armsmaster answers, practically gritting his teeth. You chortle at the sight, something only you can see because of your position relative to anyone else. It seems like Danny does have one arena he's capable in at least.

"Thank you." He answers pertly, nodding once to Taylor who is now looking at him like she just met him.

Several twists and turns later, you find yourself situated in another one of those definitely-not-an-interrogation-rooms from the last time you were here, with Danny and Taylor politely situated on one side of the table, and a morbidly obese blonde woman who looks like she might be part rottweiler on the other.

"Mr and Miss Hebert, I will be blunt. Your situation is terrible." She says to open the conversation.

"Oh? Care to explain?" Danny says confidently, glancing at your Master reassuringly. So far he has done nearly all the talking.

"Mr.Hebert, your daughter is clearly powerful. Extremely so. So you have to understand that finding what amounts to a child with a heavy weapon at the site of over a half dozen deaths is an unpleasant and disturbing trend." The woman says, turning slightly to face Danny head-on.

"First of all, We gave a verbal report of why that was to Armsmaster when he first arrived - I assume you've heard it by now or you wouldn't even know what you were talking about - and second, I am a working man. Not a stupid man. Please don't insinuate that my daughter murdered those men without any proof to back it up." Danny growls lowly, narrowing his eyes at the woman who gave her name is Piggot when she arrived. The woman takes Danny's verbal assault stoically, obviously considering something.

"And what about you Mr.Hebert? We tried to look into it, but the fact that the Empire managed to both find and hold onto you with such perfect timing seems somewhat suspicious as well." The woman says, adding on; "We have no report as to what your circumstances were at the time you see."

"That is why we're here today after all Director. The failings of your organization aren't any fault of my own." Danny counters.

They continue to fire verbal barbs off at one another, neither one giving ground or even really making a point as far as you can tell. Taylor glances back and forth between them as though deeply distressed by the occurrence, and so you decide that you might as well be useful. Not bothering to go around them, you walk through the table and its occupants to stand behind Piggot, and begin to read what few notes she has left for herself off the memo she has carefully angled to only be visible to her.

'Let's see... blah blah prospective Ward recently hospitalized, nearly drowned, blah blah, budget, blah blah- ah here we go. 'Offer the Heberts the Carrot instead of the Stick'?' You transmit to your Master as you read, then snort as the ongoing argument between the Director and Danny reaches a standstill, leaving the two of them silently glaring at each other.

You get the feeling this isn't going the way it was supposed to.

"Mr.Hebert - You must understand how dangerous it is for your Daughter to simply be left to her own devices! The Empire has already stated an interest in her! Even if you don't care what will happen to the Bay should they get their grubby little hands on her, think about the hell that she would go through once they ship her off to Europe to be 're-educated'!" Piggot growls angrily.

"Which is exactly why-" Danny starts up again, but pauses when Taylor makes it clear she wants to speak.

"Which is exactly why we are taking steps to protect each other. Dad?" She says with barely restrained annoyance. Her father, taking her meaning, rolls his eyes at her, but does as she says, his previous angry demeanour fading away like it was never there. With quick, practiced ease, he withdraws a thick bundle of papers, then deposits them on the table in front of them.

"And what's this?" Piggot asks.

"Ah, that would be... hm. My statement, done to police standards, that's six pages, Taylor's statement, that's a bit longer at eight pages, a written complaint referencing the lack of apparent action on my daughters assault a week ago, a copy of the letter I recently sent to the Mayor on the topic, and an application for status as the leader of a new Independent Hero team." He rattles off easily, with a devious smile on his face.

"If you had this the whole time then why might I ask, did you decide to quibble with me over it?" Piggot asks through gritted teeth.

"Well, it's not like we weren't going to give the PRT a chance you know. But the second I got you made you started in on the threats. You didn't mention last week's incident even once. I can't trust my daughter to people like that." Danny states flatly.

"My wife had strong opinions on you guys. I'm starting to see why." He adds after a moment, almost wistfully.

"Are you aware that Non-Parahuman's cannot apply for Independent Status, let alone for leadership of a Team?" Piggot asks shrewdly.

"Oh, it's not my team. It's hers." Danny says cheerfully, seemingly perfectly happy with the slight twitch of the jaw that was Piggot's only response to the statement at first.

"And on that topic. I believe Lung had a bounty?" He asks pleasantly, all traces of any anger or annoyance gone.

'Dad is kind of scary when he's negotiating huh?' Says to you privately.

'Just a bit.' You concede.

When you leave the building that evening, you get the distinct impression that it won't be long before you come back again. Hopefully, not so Panacea can regrow another finger though.

What was the Team Name you ended up putting on the paperwork? (Feel free to debate this one for a while).

[ ] Write-In

School Again Tomorrow huh? Lame. Pick 2.

[ ] Go to the Trainyard to talk to the Monster Cape there.

[ ] You might be able to convince Parian. Master needs a proper costume anyway.

[ ] Technically, Danny doesn't have to know you went to meet Purity.

[ ] Continue Training. (Swordsmanship, 5/10)

[ ] Complete Training. (Swordsmanship, Cost 5 Energy) (Choose a Third Action)

[ ] Ask your Master about the local threats. (Babies first Patrol.)

- [ ] Call someone to assist

[ ] Write-In

A/N: So, Danny might end up a bit out of character in this fic, mostly because he tends to get written out of stories where he's too much of an obstruction, and if you guys decide to convince Taylor to abandon him, I would prefer it not be over something as petty as 'he was annoying'.

I realize Piggot is usually better at negotiation, but remember that WoG is that she's really more of a Soldier than a leader. Most of the people she deals with are scared parents who believe most of the PRT propaganda, not a Disillusioned Single Men who's Late Wife was part of Lustrum's gang and almost certainly had a low opinion of the PRT in the first place. She's often demonstrated going straight to threats when things don't go her way, but obviously this isn't a new concept to Danny, who has had all week to prepare to do the one thing for his Daughter he's noted as being stupidly good at, even if he didn't plan on using it in this particular way. Also, christ these just get longer the further we get huh? But I guess that's the natural result of more stuff actually happening. See you all tomorrow.

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Bowler Hat Guy

Jun 19, 2020

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Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Jun 19, 2020

#2,332

The Vote for your Team Name has been deferred. I will repost it at the end of this update - it's currently tied across three names, without that many actual votes, so I want to give that one a bit more time and care.

Spoiler: Choices:

[X] Convince your Master to hear the idiot out. Danny did say she would need minio- support staff.

[X] Continue Training. (Swordsmanship, 5/10 - 7/10)

[X] Complete Training. (Swordsmanship, Cost 5 - 3 Energy) (Choose a Third Action)

[X] A Kenpachi Sendoff: Your Kenpachi form is running out of energy and you want to do him some justice by letting him go out fighting so you ask Taylor to give him a good fight to the end

Current Energy: 4

Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

Winslow High School, Brockton Bay

School. Again.

Yay.

The school day is, how to put it - miserable. It's not that anything bad happens. But it's not like anything good happens either. Honestly, the simplest way to describe it is to say that nothing much happened at all.

Mostly.

You admit that you felt a certain sort of... damn what's the word. Pity. You feel pity for the blond kid that your Master decided to ignore.

It wasn't just that your Master nearly made him cry. It was... more than that you guess. Having already ascertained your Master's social wellbeing - in so far as 'everyone is too afraid to make fun of her' can be called 'doing well' - you choose this second day of school to play walkabout. More often than you would like, however, you come across Greg.

The first time would have been easy to ignore. He was in gym class, so it wasn't like there was a shortage of stupid kids running around. But you wondered why, at a certain point, it seemed like the only thing the team opposed to him was doing was 'accidentally' hitting him with the ball, or bumping into him.

For the you who's core was built around a hatred for this kind of behaviour it made your chest hurt a little. But well, you quickly dismissed the feeling. Spending time on anyone but Taylor was taboo for you after all.

But. It just. Kept. Happening.

No matter where he went, no matter what he did, that Greg kid was always, mostly, alone. Even the times when he was around other people were pitiful. Never letting him speak for more than a second. Making unreasonable demands of him. Blithely insulting him with a smile, like it was okay because they were 'friends'.

You didn't have to see the cramped look on the kid's face to get it. This Greg kid, he was just like Taylor had been.

And you just couldn't stomach that for some reason.

'Oi, Master. That guy, Greg. Can you be a little lenient with him?' You send to her, just as she makes it to the one class that she shares with him.

'Why?' Taylor asks, clearly suppressing her annoyance in the face of the concern you are, for the first time, showing for someone beside her.

'Ah, you know. I was following him around all day and now I kinda wanna kill all your classmates?' You reply uncertainly, not sure how to explain this sensation your feeling.

Outrage? Disgust? Discomfort? Some combination of all three? Humans need better ways to convey information than this.

'If it's just listening then I guess...' Taylor finely answers you hesitantly.

With obvious trepidation she picks her way across the classroom to where Greg is, sitting by himself, and then seats herself next to him.

"...Sorry I was rude yesterday." She opens after a moment, noting with a certain level of dark amusement the way half the class shifts to new seats around her as she takes a seat.

"That's cool! I was being retarded anyway. There's no way I know more about Capes than you." Greg admits in a self-deprecating way, scooting his chair slightly away from your Master.

You sort of want to appear and yell at him for wasting this opportunity you have so graciously given him but pause when the girl herself tilts her head to look at the chair itself.

There is a dark liquid dripping from the seat, staining the boy's pants that he is studiously refusing to acknowledge, though he does begin to pinker slightly under her gaze.

"Greg you-" Taylor begins in a subdued voice but stops when a new voice enters their conversation.

"Hey, Taylor. We noticed the freak bugging you yesterday so-" A pasty looking brown haired girl says with faux confidence, sneering at Greg as she does so.

"Shutup." Your Master says succinctly. She doesn't release her Aura, but for just the briefest of seconds - not enough that anyone else would notice, you're sure - her eyes glow a thin blue. In the blink of an eye, all the ambient chatter stops. Everyone turns in your Master's direction. Or rather, everyone who was surreptitiously paying attention to her begins to openly stare.

"Come on, it's no big deal. He's just some retard. My uncle said-" The girl tries to continue, her sneer faltering.

"Empire right? Did he tell you to look out for me? You know, you people used to call me a heeb. Am I suddenly less Jewish now that there might be repercussions for it?" Taylor asks rhetorically, exhaling and straightening her back.

It bares saying but, this week of training, it hasn't been for nothing. Your Master was once fairly average looking. Skinny. Ill proportioned. A bit extra around the stomach. But - and you don't know if it's because you've had her struggling under inhuman pressure since meeting her, or if it's just a side effect of your ability to give her your Emulation's powers - that scrawny girl, she doesn't really exist anymore now. The other students hadn't noticed - couldn't really - because of the natural posture and quietness of the bullied girl called Taylor Hebert, but right now, that possessed a body that was quickly approaching that of a greek heroes. Firm shoulders. Strong legs.

This Master of yours, with only physical strength alone, she was already, without doubt, someone who had the bearing of a Hero.

The thing is, you aren't sure if even she realizes it.

"You know if even one of you had stretched a hand out to me back then, this would be a lot harder. But since I can't respect you any less than I already do, I'll only say it once." Your Master declares suddenly and brazenly.

"Bullying, Trafficking, Gangs. None of these are going to be allowed in my school anymore. Got it?"

'Master, it's leaking, just a bit.' You point out to your Master at the climax of her speech, indicating the flecks of blue energy beginning to drift around her as she speaks.

"A-anyway. You were saying something, Greg?" Taylor says quickly, all the intensity draining out of her as her posture returns to normal and she turns to regard the boy next to her.

"Uh..." He says, gulping, turning to look past Taylor at the girl who was insulting him, and then back to Taylor.

"I- I mean yeah! New Capes always do the Docks right? But isn't that stupid when everyone knows that's where you look for new Capes?" He blurts out, then proceeds to explain his thoughts on the matter. Taylor doesn't seem that interested, aside from a mortified moment when she realizes she's never been on a patrol, but it doesn't really matter, because at the very least - she's smiling.

Neither teen acknowledges the other girl as she stiffly walks away.

Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

Ship Graveyard, Brockton Bay

That evening, while contemplating your remaining energy reserves, you make a decision. It's a hard decision, even though you don't know why it feels so difficult. Logically it just makes sense. But the longer you stay 'Zaraki Kenpachi' the more you feel like you wouldn't mind continuing on, just like this.

Unfortunately, your configuration is already set. There's no changing it now. So the only thing left to do, is act.

"Hey, Master. Can you hear me out?" You say pensively, again, very out of character for y- this Emulation.

Your Master - who is presently frowning at the extremely old computer the Hebert family keeps around, doesn't miss a beat. In fact, you would like it if she would maybe act a bit more solemn about this. It's a big moment for you after all. Instead though, she just gets up and pulls her dagger shaped Zanpakuto from... somewhere. Seriously, where the hell is she keeping the thing?

"It's Taylor, Emmy. Just Taylor." She harumphs, filling a water bottle at the kitchen sink and then walking out into the backyard like nothing.

"No- I mean wait. Ma- Taylor I'm serious!" You call after her, scrambling up and then following her out into the yard.

"Uhuh. What is it today, avoid one hundred decapitating strikes and you'll give me the power to fart rainbows?" She quips at you. Where is this version of your Master at school dammit?! When did she learn how to make jokes like that huh? Who taught her that!?

"No I-..." You pause, thinking.

"After this, I won't have anything to train you in anymore." You say instead, immediately catching your Master's interest in a way that would be impossible to ignore for her.

"O...kay..." She says, gesturing for you to continue while staring at you with a newfound intensity.

"It's just... there might be some collateral damage, so if we could do it somewhere with a lot of open space?" You question, relying on your Master for that important detail.

"There's the docks again?" She offers. You consider the size of that space, the one you fought Lung in. Then shift your head in a so-so gesture.

"I think I've got the walk on air thing down I guess? We could go out over the bay?" She asks, apparently considering the problem.

That, you think, could work.

So it is that you, your Master, and annoyingly, her Father drive out to an area of beach that has clearly seen better days. This isn't the exact same spot you fought Lung. In fact, it's probably not anywhere near that place. But really, all you need is access to the Bay and the Ship Graveyard beneath it.

Once the pair of you step out onto the dirty and trash filled beach area, you glance at your Master's side profile, and smile.

"Keep up." You order her, leaping high into the air and creating a foothold to allow yourself to yet higher.

"'Keep up', 'Dodge','Dodge better'. You are a terrible Teacher." Taylor calls after you as she shakily ascends after you, settling in the air in the center of the Bay with a jittery look on her face, as though to say 'Does it have to be this high?'.

"O-kay." You say, exhaling once and plastering your fearless grin on.

"This time it's gonna be reaaaal simple Master. For five minutes, don't die." You say.

Then you flare your power as far as it will go. You wish you could go further. Could do more. You wish you had taken the time to show your Master the true extent of that seed of power you had planted in her. But your energy reserves... they're just shy of the real deal.

So you resolve yourself to teach it to your Master as best you can. The swordsmanship that earned you your name.

You leap at her with all the fury of an angry boar, drawing and slashing with your sword so swiftly that she nearly doesn't block in time. You force yourself not to hold back, and with just barely a second to spare, your Master spins in the air to intercept your blade with her own.

"That's a fail." You say, as they make contact, and she is sent careening through the air far enough that she nearly becomes a spec in the distance.

'Emmy, what the hell is-' She tries to ask you but you can't stop. This is your swan song after all. You can't go letting her break your flow.

Energy: -1

Your power flares again, and towards that tiny spec that is your Master in the distance - you release it in a golden wave crested by a demonic skull. You hold your metaphysical breath. Will she dodge it? She should but-

Suddenly you lose track of her, your Master, who's location you always know. Then she is right in front of you, swinging her blade at your throat and baring her teeth at you, like a big cat pouncing on its prey. You evade, stepping backwards to avoid the pitiful range of her dagger, and are surprised when she once more appears before you. It's not the Flash Step. Not... really. If you had to describe it, it's more like, in the blink of an eye, she's using all her strength and power to accelerate. If you had to guess you'd bet your Master can't even really see while she's in motion. It's novel.

It's not enough.

"Faster! Stronger!" You cry out, stepping forward instead of backward to avoid the next blow, placing yourself inside her reach slamming her in the gut with your hilt. Taylor makes a choking noise as all the air leaves her lungs, and you laugh happily as lean over her, kicking her down and into one of the many wrecks in the graveyard with enough force that she bounces off of it and back into the air several meters before recovering.

"Come on! This is the last time you know? Do you wanna do this again tomorrow? Huh!?" You yell at her, patiently awaiting her return.

Taylor stares balefully up at you for a moment, then stops to concentrate for a second, allowing that dagger of hers to stretch into a shape better suited for a real fight. You guess she had forgotten why she kept it that way in the first place. It was because it was convenient to hide. Just that, and nothing more. But what you're teaching her, it isn't how to wield a dagger. It's how to wield a sword.

With another explosion of force, she arrives once more before you, her lips pressed together in a thin line. You can feel your energy draining as she acclimates to the technique.

"Better!" You declare, swiping at her horizontally and being pleasantly surprised when she flicks your sword upward, pushing it over her head and leaving you open. Her sword flashes out, causing a huge gash in your chest that begins to bleed immediately.

"Sh- Emmy are you-" She pauses, stopping in her follow up to attempt to check on you.

You don't let the mistake go unpunished, bringing your sword down on her shoulder and grazing her shoulder before she manages to leap backward, clutching tightly at the relatively minor wound.

"Emmy seriously, that looks really bad!" She continues, not mentioning her own wound.

"You don't get it Master! This is it! The end of this Emulation! Tomorrow I won't be me anymore! I'll be a different Emmy! Different memories! Different skills! A different M.E!" You bellow back, firing another charged blast of power at her.

Energy: -1

To your surprise, a blue light meets it. Just slightly though. A weak pulse of blue energy, one that is quickly consumed in your own ferocious attack and erased. Taylor - apparently having though that would work - takes the blast head-on, and is once again sent flying into the distance.

You don't give her the chance to initiate this time, instead bending your legs and chasing after her.

"So I wanna go the way I want! I want a fight! I want a strong Master! I want to go wild!" You declare, unleashing a flurry of blows on your Master that she only barely manages to parry with one hand, her teeth grit in pain the entire time.

"Thats! Why! I keep telling you!" She yells back at you, raising a trembling hand to grasp her sword in two hands for the first time, and swinging at you with it all her might.

"Stop calling me Master!" She yells after you as her attack lands, scouring another deep cut across your front.

"Hah... hah... are we done now?" She asks you, clearly frustrated with you.

"Come on Master~ you can make me stop anytime you know. But well, if I got a choice, I gotta say- no." You croon, raising your hand to fire your third blast.

"Seriously!" Your Master complains, gathering her power around herself and schooling it into a perfectly serene and calm pool around her. The complete opposite of the raging storm your aura presents as. For a second, the whisps behind her form that spider, and an empty hourglass presents itself to you.

'Outta time huh?' You think wistfully.

Then your hand drops, and you can feel yourself begin to fray at the edges where your energy isn't enough to maintain the cohesion of your form.

Energy: -1

"Haha, it was a good one Master but with this-" You chuckle, but then stop when something peculiar happens. Your Master, she doesn't even try to dodge. Instead, she flicks her sword forward in a motion you are certain you never learned or taught her.

And then her own aura fires. Unlock yours, it is condensed. Unlike that kid with the orange hair, the one who this Emulation fought so long ago, it is more uniform, more solid. As if to say 'Only attacking matters', that energy, it pierces straight through your own attack, the amount of power condensed in that single strike, there is no other way to describe it.

It was marvellous. Ah, she's gone and done it now, that Master of yours. There's no way you can't respond to this. Even if it'll hurt. Even if it's just for a second, you want to show her. Show her the heights.

"Aha! Ahahaha!" You laugh, then stop to cough and glance at the bleeding hole where one of your arms once was.

"Really, you Humans. Taking what we give you and being so interesting with it!" You laugh happily, momentarily forgetting that you phrased that in a way you absolutely should not have.

"Emmy I don't want to do this anymore." Taylor says wearily and in a small voice as she approaches you.

"Just... one last thing. Your sword, you know, it's basically magic right? You gotta be super~ nice to it, and it'll let you do something cool all right?" You chortle, then cough again.

With your one good hand, you raise your sword aloft, then whisper;

"Drink, Nozarashi." Your sword changes. It isn't the simple size changing that Taylor has seemingly mastered. This is the most important thing for a Soul Reaper. A thing you neglected for so long that it makes you feel stupid now. A friend that was standing right next to you, but that you couldn't see.

Energy: Error

It's just too bad you won't get to use it anymore. Times up.

You fuzz at the edges. Then your form begins to blur. The mighty war cleaver you had just summoned, it is the first to vanish, disintegrating into whatever the stuff you use to Emulate things is. Taylor is staring at you with a conflicted expression, like she wants to say something, but knows it's pointless. Like she wants to cry but knows you wouldn't approve. It's that kind of face after all.

Then you get hit by a minibus or something and disperse back into your Spirit Form to avoid dying once your Emulations supernatural durability leaves you.

"Vicky!?" Taylor cries out.

"Hah! I knew that guy was evil! High five!" The blond croons, sticking her hand in the air and smiling at the deeply confused Taylor.

"No- that- you-" Taylor splutters, apparently too confused to be mad.

"Yeah, we saw the light show from my place. I figured it had to be that Line Drive guy. He wasn't actually a projection, right? Probably a Master." Glory Girl mutters under her breath.

"We were just sparring!" Taylor finally yells, pointing rudely at the other girl. Glory Girl looks at Taylor, then down, to where all of your blasts have been systematically tearing apart that Ship Graveyard thing Danny never wants to shut up about. Then back up to your Master.

"...Do you wanna talk about it?" She asks eventually.

"Yes!!!" Taylor screams back.

Heh. The kids are all right. Time to shuffle in a new 'You' you guess.

Once More Unto the Breach! Choose a setting! Today's theme; Magic!

[ ] Harry Potter

[ ] The Dresden Files

[ ] Nasuverse (Fate Stay Night basically)

[ ] Magic The Gathering

[ ] Write-In

School Again Tomorrow huh? Lame. Pick 2. Training Options are currently Locked.

[ ] Go to the Trainyard to talk to the Monster Cape there.

[ ] You might be able to convince Parian. Master needs a proper costume anyway.

[ ] Technically, Danny doesn't have to know you went to meet Purity.

[ ] Ask your Master about the local threats. (Babies first Patrol.)

- [ ] Call someone to assist

[ ] Write-In

IMPORTANT NOTE! I'm putting a Moratorium on this! Don't vote now! It won't count! Talk about it! This vote will decide a large portion of how this Quest moves forward from now onward, and I don't want anyone to be disappointed with the outcome! The options I present for new settings are just some themed stuff for people who might not want to go through every reply to figure out how to vote. Pay it no mind if you have something else you want to try.

Was the fight scene okay? I did my best all right TT.TT?

897

Bowler Hat Guy

Jun 19, 2020

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Threadmarks Interlude: Amy Dallon

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Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Jun 20, 2020

#3,295

Spoiler: Current Emulation Status

Master Po Ping

Teachable Skills

Panda Style Kung Fu: A highly specialized form of Kung Fu based around a strong body, and focused on counter-attacking against failed attack attempts. Would be impossible for a baseline human to perform, as they lack the requisite physical durability.

Inner Peace: A form of meditative trance that allows it's user to perform superhuman physical feats. While this is a component of Chi usage, it is not, in and of itself, a Chi ability. Rather, it allows it's user to perfectly Master the self, making every movement planned, and allowing them to draw their bodies strength and flexibility out to its the absolute limit.

Teachable Powers:

Dragon Warrior: Po often displays an ability to master techniques in days that others would frequently take a liftetime to do the same. Dragon Warrior allows Taylor Hebert to do the same - easily mastering mundane skills mere moments after being exposed to them.

Internal Alchemy: Due to the intense and strenuous nature of the Martial Arts, some Masters learn to convert their internal life energies into other beneficial energy formats, such as Chi. This powers is required in order to Master further Chi abilities, and can be used by Taylor Hebert to convert her Spiritual Power to another output type.

Current Energy: 20

Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

Brockton General Hospital, Brockton Bay

"Seems like that's everyone in ICU hun. You should head home for the night." The nurse said kindly, handing Amy a steaming hot cup of hot chocolate from the break room dispenser.

"If there's anyone else I don't mind staying." She answered swiftly, maybe too swiftly.

It had been a day since she had encountered that girl - Nexus - and her father, and she had been less than happy over the occurrence. Carol had insisted that she go help the man once the PRT had requested it, apparently having heard the girls sap story from Vicky at some point. It didnt hurt that there shouldn't have been anyone in New Wave unsympathetic to the situation at the time. An unmasked Cape having a family member kidnapped and maimed struck something of a cord with the elder Dallon after all. Amy's own aunt had experienced much the same.

Unfortunately, Amy still had vivid memories of the condition Vicky had been in after her first encounter with Taylor Heberts supposed projection, and, having temporarily forgotten the type of person Carol was, had attempted to refuse to heal such a superficial wound when she could be better spent at the Hospital where new people showed up half dead nearly hourly.

Or that was her given excuse anyway. Truthfully, she just didn't want to heal the man because she didn't like Nexus. In fact, it wouldn't be remiss to say that she felt a certain amount of antipathy towards the girl. Vicky hadn't just been hurt, she had been just this side of pulped, and yet noone seemed to care. Sure, she had healed her - it was the first thing she did in fact - but the damage had existed. The possibility of death had been real. And to top it all off, she had even felt a certain level of righteous indignation on behalf of Nexus, when she had assumed the girl was merely another victim of Line Drive.

So yes she had refused. Carol had insisted. There had been a brief argument.

And now she was doing everything in her power to avoid going home that evening.

"It's pretty quiet tonight dear. I think something's got the locals spooked." The nurse said with a chuckle and a wink.

"...Yeah. I'll just call Vicky." She said flatly, doing her utmost not to betray her frustrations.

This was the other aggravating aspect of things for her. It hadn't even been a few days, but most of the city knew who had taken Lung down, and more importantly, that she was (supposedly) a Hero. There was a certain dark amusement amongst many. No Brocktonite really expected Nexus to drive off the gangs. The more informed among them even had the wherewithal to note the kind of collateral someone like her could leave in her wake. But the idea that, even for a short while, the gangs would get some come uppance, be forced to live in fear of some other Lung tier threat, was somehow gratifying. Shadow Stalker had experienced a surge in popularity for much the same reason. For many a Brocktonite, the saying was merely 'Do Unto Others' without anything else attached.

And Amy had spent the last few days carefully not saying what she really thought on the topic. It was frustrating, especially knowing that Vicky had taken a liking to the girl and had gone to see her at one point. Who was she to vent to? Who would even listen? If Vicky wasn't mad, why was she? Even she could tell how illogical it was.

But she still felt that way.

These were the thoughts that filtered through her mind as she stood on the Hospitals roof, waiting for her sister to come pick her up.

It was the perfect capstone to a perfectly shitty day for her, when, just as her sister landed on the roof next to her, someone else loped across the air to come to a skidding halt by her side.

"Hey Ames! I caught Taylor on the way over and we both wanted to avoid spending hours talking to the PRT so I figured I'd just bring her with me to pick you up." Vicky chirped at her, indicating the other girl with a casual wave.

She was... tall. That was her first impression of her. Tall, and lean, with a whip cord like posture and musculature that made her seem oddly dangerous. Like a coiled viper, waiting to strike at any provocation.

This was a bearing that was, ruined, of course, by her shoddy glasses, torn up sweater, and tightly cinched but baggy sweat pants. It was like looking into a funhouse mirror. This was a Cape with no secret identity. There was no regard for personal image. No posturing, no carefully managed hair or clothes. She looked like she had just come out of a dirty laundry hamper.

She was also, bleeding quite profusely from a slash to her shoulder.

"What were you making out with Hookwolf or something?" Amy said, half in jest, while doing her utmost not to let any venom seep into her tone.

"Sparring with Emmy." She explained flatly. If the girl took offense to the statement it either didnt show, or she didn't care.

"Emmy?" Amy asked automatically shifting into 'work' mode. Most injured people liked to talk. It kept them distracted from being wounded.

"Her Projection, you know, Line Drive? Hey Tay does shampoo work on him by the way? His hairstyle is just... yuck." Vicky chimed in, sticking her tongue out in mock disgust.

"I tried once but at the time he was a lot stronger than me so he just threw me across the room." Taylor explained in a relaxed tone, readjusting her stance to give Amy better access to her wounded shoulder.

"Threw you? Taylor you might be the only person I know who's powers come with domestic abuse." Vicky answers seriously.

"You get used to it. Kind of how I pick up new powers anyway." The dark haired girl answered tiredly.

"A Trump too huh?" Vicky snorts.

Amy began to tune the conversation out as she approached. For someone with a wound that might have required she have her arm amputated she was surprisingly unbothered. Granted, she had no reason to assume Amy wouldn't heal her, and since Vicky was here there was no way Amy could refuse but...

"I got it." A new voice called jovially from directly next to her, causing her to startled and step backwards.

What was standing next to her flabbergasted her.

"It's a Panda." She blurted out incredulously, followed by quickly darting a look towards Vicky to see why she hadn't punted the interloper across the roof yet.

"Oh my God! You said he'd be a different guy but, he's a talking Panda! Taylor you have to join New Wave!" Vicky squealed, running up to the full sized Panda wearing a pair of pants in the middle of the roof hugging the thing like a plush animal.

"Heh. Yeah. I get that alot. Oh, hey one sec!" The... Panda... said, turning to Taylor and laying one of its huge paws across her wounded shoulder. The appendage quickly began to glow, and energy began to suffuse the wound quickly closing it.

"How's that?" The Panda asked almost tenderly, leaning back with Vicky still hanging off its neck.

"Good. And I kind of can't. I'm... actually starting my own team." Taylor said sheepishly, answering Vicky's question and rotating her shoulder gingerly.

Then her eyes lit up and she too jumped on the thing.

"Emmy! You're a talking animal! I love it but please let's not do this again!" She yelled joyously as the, and Amy couldn't stress this enough, full sized bipedal Panda with thumbs, spun her around.

"Nope. I'm a cooool dude now. Beat up bad guys, hang out with ma pals, eat a few dumplings. Mmm... dumplings..." The thing - Emmy she guessed - responded before shaking its head.

"Also I can do this! Boom!" He said dropping onto his back and allowing Taylor and eventually Vicky to bounce on his belly like a trampoline.

"What." Amy finally said, shaking off the sense of disconnection she was getting from watching all of this as a third party.

"Yeah, pretty great right? You want some of this?" The Panda said pleasantly, poking its belly hard enough to cause the entire thing to jiggle.

"No." She stated flatly, stepping slightly away.

That thing, whatever it was, could heal with a touch. She didn't know how close to her own power it was, but in her experience, no Parahuman power was just healing. And there was no way she was going to trust anything that Taylor Friggi Hebert put in front of her. The girl was already way to close to Vicky for Amy's comfort, having landed in a heap with her fellow Brute when the Panda turned towards Amy.

"Aw come on Ames, it's fun!" Vicky laughed, sitting up.

Amy scowled, and resolved to hint to Carol that maybe Vicky should avoid Nexus for a while.

Just until every villain in the city wasn't watching her at least. She doubted that would ever happen.

Nexus hadn't exactly demonstrated a propensity for subtlety so far.

And now, since we got caught up voting for a new emulation. I'd like everyone to put some thought into these. I'll see you all tommorow.

What was the Team Name you ended up putting on the paperwork? (Feel free to debate this one for a while).

[ ] Write-In

School Again Tomorrow huh? Lame. Pick 2.

[ ] Go to the Trainyard to talk to the Monster Cape there.

[ ] You might be able to convince Parian. Master needs a proper costume anyway.

[ ] Technically, Danny doesn't have to know you went to meet Purity.

[ ] Begin. The. Training.

[ ] Ask your Master about the local threats. (Babies first Patrol.)

- [ ] Call someone to assist (Current Numbers: Muscles, Glory Girl)

[ ] Write-In

Last edited: Jun 20, 2020

882

Bowler Hat Guy

Jun 20, 2020

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Threadmarks Tribe 4.5

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Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Jun 21, 2020

#3,664

Spoiler: Choices:

[X] OATHBOUND

[X] Ask your Master about the local threats. (Babies first Patrol.)

- [X] Call someone to assist (Muscles)

[X] Begin. The. Training. (Dragon Warrior 5/10, Cost 5 to Complete)

Spoiler: Current Emulation Status

Master Po Ping

Teachable Skills

Inner Peace: A form of meditative trance that allows it's user to perform superhuman physical feats. While this is a component of Chi usage, it is not, in and of itself, a Chi ability. Rather, it allows it's user to perfectly Master the self, making every movement planned, and allowing them to draw their body's strength and flexibility out to its absolute limit.

Teachable Powers:

Dragon Warrior: Po often displays an ability to master techniques in days that others would frequently take a lifetime to do the same. Dragon Warrior allows Taylor Hebert to do the same - easily mastering mundane combat skills mere moments after being exposed to them. (QM note: This power will now add 1 to the training value of any combat applicable skill. It still offers roughly instant pseudo mastery of skills she learns on her own time with relation to combat)

Current Energy: 19

Current Training: Dragon Warrior (5/10) Cost 5 to Complete (Everyone can thank creativity's_darkside for this Omake bonus)

Wednesday, January 12th, 2011

Hebert Household, Brockton Bay

You have such mixed feelings on past you right now. On the one hand, 'You' managed to successfully ensure your Master survived for the duration of 'Your' lifetime.

On the other hand, 'You' have trained her to be a twitchy reflexive murderer who's current powerset seems to be 'execute your problems'.

Honestly, what were you thinking? Probably not much at all honestly you guess. That didn't seem like your previous Emulation strong suit much at all.

"Emmy?" Taylor asks you blearily as she and her Father descend the stairs.

"Taylor! Danny! I was just sitting here last night when I thought - hey you know what everyone likes? Dumplings! And you know, I realized you have no ingredients!" You say, whirling around on them with an old cooking apron straining to contain your bulk as you move. In a single deft motion, you deposit a plate of steaming hot dumplings in the center of the kitchen table.

"Then, when I was looking around your kitchen - great place by the way Mr.Hebert, very well maintained - I realized, 'hey, anything can be a Dumpling if you put your mind to it!' And so, I give you, The Bacon & Egg Bite!" You declare loudly, flourishing one hand and bowing to the obviously flabbergasted duo.

"...Taylor." Danny says in an almost conversational tone.

"Mm?" She replies tiredly, a wry smile on her face.

"Is he getting... weirder do you think?" Her father asks conversationally.

"...Maybe that's my real power. I call upon the infinite multiverse for an ever growing number of weirdoes." Taylor says blithely, stepping around the kitchen table and moving to pour herself a bowl of cereal, which she promptly begins to munch on while ignoring your offering.

"Don't joke kiddo." Danny says with a put upon sigh of his own, gingerly taking one of the comically oversized dumplings - they're easily the size of a human fist after all - and dropping it on a small plate in front of himself.

"Go ahead! Oh, uh, don't worry about eating them all. I can handle whatever you don't finish." You grin at him hungrily, glancing sidelong at the remaining dumplings as you put out a pot of coffee for Danny.

"I'm sorry but... don't you dislike me?" Danny asks you, perplexed.

"What? Never! What gave you that idea Dan the Man." You blurt out in confusion.

"You barely speak to me, tend to refuse to respond to me unless Taylor makes you, and frequently call me an idiot?" Danny offers, seemingly nearly as confused as you yourself.

You wince. Your last Emulation had no respect for Family as a concept. He was a murderous street rat that became a murderous authority figure and that was about it. He was pretty much just an Axe Murderer that lucked into a position of respect. Your current Emulation knows very well the pains of growing up with a single father, and as such, can't help but respect the man for everything he's done.

But it's hard to explain that to Humans, who generally consider continuity of the mind a fairly important aspect of being alive.

"Yeah, okay, I deserved that. But! I'm a new M.E! Just you watch Danny I am going to rock this thing!" You say, pumping one fist while surreptitiously flipping several dumplings into your mouth and chewing.

"Mm... bacon..." You croon, only to realize that the Heberts are staring at you again.

"I didn't know you could eat?" Taylor asks you hesitantly.

"Oh, I totally can. Sleep too. I just don't." You explain with a shrug.

The rest of the morning follows apace after that, with the Heberts mostly ignoring your eccentricities in favour of preparing for their days.

Just as everyone exits the front door, however, Taylor pauses to ask her father a poignant question.

"...Is it sanitary for someone with fur to be cooking?" She asks rhetorically.

Danny - the only person who ate any of your food besides yourself, gags.

Wednesday, January 12th, 2011

Winslow High School, Brockton Bay

School that day is awkward for a number of reasons. The first one being that, as Taylor arrives at school, there appears to be something of an altercation going on. There are a large number of students - almost perfectly split between Asians and Caucasians you notice - milling about in front of the building.

Taylor approaches the large group with you - as ever - following invisibly behind her, and steps past them to enter school grounds. Or rather, she tries to anyway. She is rather summarily stopped by an Asian boy who - if the looks of the caucasian kids present are anything to go by, given their sudden look of amused glee at the action - has no idea who your Master actually is.

"Oi, no Empire in the school." The kid says firmly, crossing his lanky arms in front of his chest.

"That's nice. I'm not Empire though so - " Taylor says meekly - always meekly at school for some reason - trying to step around him only to have him shift to block her path again. You gaze worriedly at the boy as he does so. He doesn't realize it, but if your Master really wanted to she could travel through the space he's standing in so fast that he would probably die without actually slowing her down.

A fact that the group opposing his own, the Junior Empire you guess, seems to both be aware of and find massively amusing.

'What's his problem?' You ask curiously, glad your previous Emulations driving need to punt the little bastard across the street is only a mild tingle in the back of your head, easily suppressed by your current peace of mind.

'I don't know but I really don't want to do this right now.' Taylor answers you tiredly.

There is a pregnant pause while both crowds of people look on in mild interest, happily awaiting what happens next, when your Master sighs and turns to look back at them.

"Hey, I said this yesterday but, if you want to beat your chests out here that's fine. Keep it off school grounds and I won't have to do anything about it." She says, obviously still mildly grouchy about being awake. Your Master, you realize, is not a morning person. And she is becoming less of one as time goes on for some reason.

Ignoring the mildly dumbfounded looks of the ABB and E88 kids who were no doubt expecting some kind of fight to break out, Taylor eyes the roof of the building as if judging the distance, taps her foot against the ground once, and then leaps clear onto it in a lazy parabolic arc.

'Emmy, can you stay out there and make sure no one gets hurt?' She asks you as you prepare to follow her, no longer having the same ability to move about as your Master has. In a pinch, you can probably keep up with her, but your current Emulation is a lot less passively inclined towards tremendous physical feats, so you would prefer not to waste your Energy that way.

'Kay. Say hi to Greg for me!' You answer easily, not having wanted to challenge the stairs anyway. It wouldn't have been difficult, but it wouldn't have been fun either.

By the afternoon, the fact that you have been studiously ensuring no one in front of the building gets 'accidentally' punched, beaten, stabbed or otherwise accosted has spread throughout the school. Enough so that people spend nearly the entire lunch period hastily looking over their shoulders to ensure the invisible Panda isn't watching them.

And you find it hilarious.

"It's because Lung is gone. They have to put up a strong front so the ABB is being super aggressive. I heard they've given the go-ahead to just indiscriminately kill anyone they end up against. To bad most of the Empire is immune to guns though." Greg is explaining to your Master as the pair pack their things up at the end of the day.

"I don't know about 'immune' to guns. The one with the... uh... the cage thing? On her head? What's her power even?"

"On PHO everyone's best guess is enhanced reflexes. There are a couple videos of her dodging bullets so..."

The conversation drones on like that, with the pair heading towards the exit of the school. Taylor still doesn't seem entirely comfortable with him, and he's not very good at not ogling her when he thinks she's not looking, but they seem to be getting along fairly well.

And Greg is a pretty good substitute for doing your own research, which is good because research is boooooring.

Wednesday, January 12th, 2011

Hebert Household, Brockton Bay

"What if he doesn't answer?" Taylor asks you hesitantly as you gently prod her towards the phone.

"Then he won't answer?" You answer nonplussed.

You've been arguing with her for the last 15 minutes about the most 'appropriate' time to get in contact with your one and only prospective teammate. Usually, you wouldn't be too concerned, and let things progress at a speed that your Master finds comfortable, but a number of the kids at the school of hers were fairly verbal about their resentment for her mild chastisement that morning.

They're only kids, so you doubt anything too untoward will happen, but those kids have parents and brothers and cousins. Most of whom, you're sure, are part of the Empire - who probably won't take kindly to their non-aggression to this point being snubbed.

Not that you have voiced any of these thoughts to your Master, who seems to be only just now getting accustomed to a semi-normal schedule and life. You are somewhat hesitant to take that away from her by increasing her worries, possibly needlessly.

"Emmmmmy!" Taylor whines at you when you eventually pick her up and put her back down in front of the phone like a misbehaving toddler.

"Masterrrrr!" You respond playfully mocking her tone.

"Fine. But only because we aren't training today." She says with a huff, turning to dial the number.

You make very sure not to change your facial expression in response to her (incorrect) statement.

"Hi, it's Taylor? We met the other day." Your Master says politely like she is making an appointment at a doctor's office.

"I was wondering if I could take you up on that offer to patrol?" She continues after pausing for the person on the other end of the line to talk.

"Okay, uh, cool. Should I bring anything or-" She pauses, taking the phone away from her head to look at it in brief confusion.

"No good?" You ask worriedly.

"No, he said we could meet down at the Docks tonight, but he hung up right afterwards. I think I heard someone talking to him so maybe that's it?" Your Master says, obviously feeling mildly hurt but not taking it too personally.

"Great! Now! Come 'ere!" You say, sweeping your Master up into a Panda sized hug that she makes only the barest attempt to resist.

"Soft. Um. I mean, where are we going right now?" Taylor asks, briefly relaxing into your hold before realizing you are carrying her into the basement.

"Basement, duh." You answer.

"You don't really do 'days off' do you." She answers you bitterly.

"Never heard of 'em. All right. Here we go." You say, dropping her in the clear space at the center of the room. Then you plop down onto your rear and cross your legs. After a second, Taylor sits across from you, awkwardly mimicking the posture.

"So what is it today. Punch each other in the face until I learn to make injuries go away with violence?" She asks you dryly, causing you to cringe at the methodology she had apparently picked up from your previous Emulation. You admit that training in the art of combat has it's ups and downs, and you've definitely gone to bed bruised and tired before, but what that guy put your Master through was blatantly inhuman.

"No! Look just-" You pause leaning forward to prod your Master into a better sitting posture.

"Okay. Tell me about the boxes." You say patiently, gesturing around the room.

"...They're full of Mom's stuff. We didn't have anywhere else to keep it. Is this going to be a distraction thing? You're going to attack me randomly in the middle of the next sentence right?" Your Master tries to deflect weakly.

"Master, you know, you matter a lot to me, right? So keep that in mind when I say, the last guy who trained you was a psychopath. I want to teach you what it means to be you. You're so sad when you aren't doing anything else. I think half the reason you accepted that kind of training from me, was because it was better than the alternative to you, and that's horrifying." You explain gently, waiting for your Master's facial expression to shift away from apprehensive.

"...I don't really want to talk about Mom though. Can't you just teach me that healing thing?" Taylor tries again desperately.

"Sorry Master. I have just a bit more agency than that." You say with a shrug.

Taylor turns red briefly, apparently trying to contain all her pent up feelings on the topic, before exhaling, going limp and relaxing her shoulders.

"Fine. But I'm not doing this every day." She says adamantly.

Then she begins to speak, at first sadly, and then wistfully, about the life and times, of Annette Rose Hebert.

Tonight is your Patrol with Muscles. Do you prepare or bring anything with you?

[ ] Write-In

A/N: So the team name is tentatively chosen here, but so few people voted in general on the topic that I'm hesitant to take it as a guaranteed thing. I'll keep Oathbound on the line and when there's more of an actual team and history to work with, I'll let you guys consider it again. That said, Oathbound did win, so I'll be writing the groundwork to set it up as a sensible name from here forward.

Last edited: Jun 22, 2020

857

Bowler Hat Guy

Jun 21, 2020

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Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Jun 23, 2020

#3,922

Spoiler: Choices:

[X] Plan Ultra Preparation

-[X] Cable ties

-[X] Flash light

-[X] Snacks

-[X] Phone

-[X] A pen and notebook for paper

-[X] Bottle or two of water

Spoiler: Current Emulation Status

Master Po Ping

Teachable Skills

Inner Peace: A form of meditative trance that allows it's user to perform superhuman physical feats. While this is a component of Chi usage, it is not, in and of itself, a Chi ability. Rather, it allows it's user to perfectly Master the self, making every movement planned, and allowing them to draw their body's strength and flexibility out to its absolute limit.

Teachable Powers:

Current Energy: 19

Current Training: Dragon Warrior (5/10) Cost 5 to Complete

Wednesday, January 12th, 2011

Hebert Household, Brockton Bay

You spend a few hours with your Master, dragging out her life story. It's unpleasant, and painful for her, and leaves her emanating a constant sense of loss and simmering anger that you wish you could simply snap your fingers and make go away. Every word is like pulling teeth, and she somehow seems to find the entire ordeal somehow more distressing than being violently assaulted by an axe murderer for hours on end.

By the end, you can tell she is nearly glad to be preparing for her first official patrol, despite the innate awkwardness of meeting her prospective teammate.

You can tell she's annoyed with you because she doesn't bother talking to you much when she sets to begin packing things. You try to help a few times, suggesting things she could bring that might help, but even you have to admit that your current isn't very well suited to the activity. In your Emulations memories, there is very little investigating to be had. Most of the time, bad guys from this Emulations world just sort of... announced themselves. Usually quite brazenly. You think it might be a Kung Fu thing, but you can't be quite sure.

Regardless, your Master ends up packing a number of things that you hadn't thought of. A flashlight, some bottles of water, a notepad, and some white plastic straps, along with a small wad of cash.

You point to that last part as she stuffs it into her ratty brown backpack.

"Whadda we need cash for? Oh! Are we gonna pay of an informant or something? Ooooh, this is so cool!" You partway squeal which is an interesting sound when it is coming from a Panda.

"I need a cellphone," Taylor answers you through grit teeth, as though enduring some great internal strife.

"Makes sense. Oh! If we have any leftovers can we get something to eat?" You ask clapping your hands together.

"I-" Taylor tries to start speaking but you sort of talk over her as your excitement ramps up.

"Oh! Snacks! Hang on, wait right there!" You say, rushing down to the kitchen to quickly whip up some celery snacks.

'Are you going to be like this the entire time your this guy?' Taylor sends to you from upstairs with a touch of exasperation.

'Are you still mad at me?' You ask knowingly.

'...No.' She admits, seemingly slightly annoyed by that fact.

'Then totally!" You say, transitioning to physical speech as you return with your snacks carefully sealed in a little plastic bag.

"You're just so high energy." Taylor sighs in exasperation, although you can feel a wave of fondness roll off her at the notion.

"Alright, the Terrible Two ride out!" You declare, then frown in thought.

"Hmm. No that ones not right. The Deadly Pair! No, too evil sounding. Hang on I just-" You begin to mumble, scrambling for an appropriate name. You wish Taylor would hurry up and recruit three other people. Then you could just recreate the Furious Five.

And also start on a new slew of action figures. Seriously, Taylor needs some butt-kicking friends or she's going to go stir crazy. You know she occasionally talks to Victoria, but she seems hesitant to go out of her way to see the girl for anything resembling 'fun'. Greg's much the same. You couldn't call them 'friends' but even still, the second the boy is out of sight she practically forgets he exists.

"...Right." Taylor faintly acknowledges as you step out of the house.

Then she makes sure the straps of her backpack are properly cinched, casts an eye towards the horizon and leaps skyward.

You realize in that moment, that you have made a mistake.

Because you, while many things - a Master of Kung Fu, capable of even flight, given the right expenditure of power - are not capable of keeping up with your Master when she is running on literal air at a speed that makes a Car look like a unicycle.

"Wai-" You screech as you are taken apart and reformed in the air, only to begin falling to the ground at a ridiculous pace. You can see the houses below, slowly becoming more sparse as they are replaced by shops and building developments the closer your Master gets to the city. Realizing that dying right now would be inconvenient, you get about three feet away from a building and using your masterful skills in Kung Fu, push off of it, landing on a wall across the street and sliding down it to the ground.

Then you are taken apart again and reform in the air.

"Okay-"

"I get-"

"That you're-"

"Mad!"

You yell at your Master, stringing the sentence together across several adhoc teleportations. You weren't even sure if she was noticing what was happening, given how loud the wind was at the speed she was moving, so it was with tremendous glee that you find yourself suddenly reforming above a rooftop.

"Ohohohoh man! I missed you so much ground! I will never complain about you ever again!" You say as you materialize kissing the concrete beneath you fervently.

"Is that a... Panda?" A male voice asks, drawing your attention to the side.

Taylor - who's costume still hasn't actually been fixed or replaced so she's just wearing sweats - is standing next to Muscles, who is likewise dressed although he has a sort of makeshift facemask in addition. Your Master, who appears to have been about to say something, clamps her mouth shut and turns away from you as if to deny your existence upon the question being asked.

"Not just a Panda, I am the Panda buddy. The Dragon Warrior!" You say, springing up and posing. He stares at yo uncomprehending for a second, before turning to your Master as if you hadn't spoken.

"So is this guy part of your so-called team or...?" Muscles asks with a worried tone.

"Unfortunately..." Taylor answers him with a half-hearted shrug.

"Huh... So, I haven't patrolled with someone else before. Do we just run along the roofs until we see something or...?" Muscles asks your Master.

"How should I know? You've been out here longer than I have. What do you usually do?" Taylor answers, quickly accepting the topic change for the lifeline it is.

"I haven't been on a single patrol. I just know where the Merchants are so I attack them when I see them being pests." Muscles explains, gesturing for your Master to follow him along the rooftops as he turns to leap to another building. Thankfully, your Master is limited to the pace Muscles sets, which gives you more than enough leeway to keep up.

Several minutes pass wherein the three of you don't do much but bounce from building to building. Muscles seems perfectly comfortable in the silence, but your Master becomes increasingly agitated as time goes on.

'What's wrong?' You asked, serenly running along part of one wall in order to make it to a good angle to spring to a slightly higher rooftop.

'What do I do?! I'm trying to recruit him but were just running! Should I ask him what his powers are? His name? Oh my god we never asked for his name!' Taylor panics at you.

'I've been callin' him 'Muscles'. Nice. Short. Works.' You offer.

'I'm not calling him that! Just... help me!' Taylor wails at you.

Honestly, you were going to do it anyway but you find it interesting that your Master is capable of maintaining and absolutely blank face and unbothered body language while simultaneous more or less crying for you and radiating confusion and inadequacy. It's like there are two completely different Taylor's, and only one gets shown to the world around her.

You hope she meets some people she can open up to soon. And in service of that...

"Hey. You got a name yet? I've been calling you 'Muscles', like, in my head. Does that hurt by the way? It looks like it hurts." You note, indicating the mans almost cartoonishly oversized musculature. By rights, and as a martial artist with significant knowledge in the way biology is supposed to function, if only so you can subvert it to your will via your fists, you feel like the guy shouldn't be able to lift his arms above waist level, let alone move with the degree of control he seems to posess.

"I haven't thought of one yet. I was thinking I might just leave it to the Protectorate. I don't think it actually matters." He says lightly, causing your Master to trip slightly as she makes her most recent landing.

"He- wait, so you're going to join the Protectorate?" Taylor asks, doing her best to hide how dejected she's obviously feeling.

"I haven't decided yet. They do have a few benefits though. Armsmaster was at my house today - when you phoned me." He explains.

"Oh... so... I guess that's why you hung up." Taylor says sadly.

"Eh. Honestly, the big thing I want is practice. My power isn't that strong. I mean, I'm tough and strong, but if I compare myself to any other Brute in the Bay I'm just middling." He explains plainly, as though not overly bothered that he has most likely just deeply offended your Master.

Again, you can't help but be thankful that you aren't that psycho anymore. You probably would have needed to be told not to-

'Don't do it.' Your Master absently tells you, apparently having reflexively countered a murderous impulse you don't actually possess. You find it deeply worrying that what she was forbidding hardly even bothered her to contemplate but well... for now...

"I guess I don't really have much to offer huh..." Taylor says dejectedly.

"What are you kidding? Do you even know what the purpose of the Dragon Warrior is?" You jump in grinning.

"Sorry- how old is this guy?" Muscles asks curiously. He clearly doesn't mean it as an insult, but you kind of feel insulted regardless. Still, you continue on.

"Ma- Taylor, the Dragon Warrior isn't just a Master of Kung Fu, it's someone who helps other people Master Kung Fu!" You exclaim, jumping upward and doing a few kicks at the air.

"That's... impressive... but I need help with my power." Muscles pushes, obviously assuming you haven't grasped his point.

"You're power is punching people! Kung Fu is punching people!" You explain, drastically simplifying what Kung Fu means to you.

"My power isn't-" He says then shuts his mouth as if electrocuted.

You peer at him, then at your Master, who is looking at him curiously herself. You consider the situation. You're pretty sure you could help this guy with his power. Maybe not right away but... creating new Martial Arts is basically the same as breathing for you, and eventually, Taylor. You doubt there's a Martial Art in this world that's designed for people with powers, but even if their was, it would be too all-purpose to be useful to most people. What would really bring out a Parahumans strength is a Martial Art tailored specifically to their power. You know 'Powers' don't get stronger over time. They just get used more or less efficiently. And in that respect, what you can provide would be a force multiplier - like swinging a weapon instead of a palm.

The problem is, that would be a significant time investment for each individual you - or Taylor - would want to train. It'd be like having another Taylor entirely to handle, one who you aren't sitting on top of twenty-four seven. It would also require your Master be okay with you teaching that person, which - if he doesn't join your team - is doubtful.

What do you do?

[ ] Leave out the special Parahuman Based Martial Art part. You feel like maybe that's a pretty big card to reveal to a guy you've met twice.

[ ] Fully explain yourself. No way this guy rejects Master once he sees what you can do!

Your Master and Muscles spend the rest of their time awkwardly running around and failing to find any actual crime to stop, which is something Muscles tells you he has simply gotten used to. At one point, the pair stop so your Master can pick up what Muscles calls a 'Burner Phone', something he is amazed to find out she doesn't have already. As much as Brockton Bay is the crime capital of the country in most respects, it doesn't actually have a drug dealer on every street corner. He does, however, note that the streets were oddly quiet that night, which your Master notes down to ask Greg about tomorrow at school. Speaking of tomorrow...

School Again Tomorrow huh? Lame. Pick 2.

[ ] Go to the Trainyard to talk to the Monster Cape there.

[ ] You might be able to convince Parian. Master needs a proper costume anyway.

[ ] Technically, Danny doesn't have to know you went to meet Purity.

[ ] Continue Training (Dragon Warrior currently 5/10, Cost 5 to Complete)

[ ] Complete Training (Dragon Warrior, Cost 5 to Complete) (Pick Another Action)

[ ] Ask your Master about the local threats. (Babies first Patrol.)

- [ ] Call someone to assist (Current Numbers: Muscles, Glory Girl)

[ ] Write-In

A/N: Fun fact. I have a random encounter table. The odds of strictly 'nothing' happening are - well not 'vanishingly' small as much as I like that descriptor - but very low. I was needlessly tense over a bunch of shit when I was rolling this chapter. Nothing to do with all the caffeine in my system I assure you.

Sips Monster and Shakes slightly*

When I was researching Browbeat I learned that he basically only cared about learning how to use his power better. He wasn't very social, and found dealing with other people tiring because of how frequently the way he thought was considered 'weird'. I felt like he's the type of guy who wouldn't see silence as awkward, and wouldn't have problems being direct about what he wants, if not necessarily rude. He doesn't really have a lot of characterization in the actual stories, so I wanted to do him as someone who occasionally says offensive things without realizing they're offensive - because to him, if it's true then it's true, so why dance around it? He's kind of like Regent if he wasn't a sociopath I guess.

812

Bowler Hat Guy

Jun 23, 2020

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Threadmarks Tribe 4.7

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Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Jun 23, 2020

#4,006

Spoiler: Choices:

[X] Fully explain yourself. No way this guy rejects Master once he sees what you can do!

[X] You might be able to convince Parian. Master needs a proper costume anyway.

[X] Go to the Trainyard to talk to the Monster Cape there.

Current Energy: 18

Current Training: Dragon Warrior (5/10) Cost 5 to Complete.

Wednesday, January 12th, 2011

Archers Bridge, Brockton Bay

"Wait ok, I've got it. Look just - tell me your power. Or Part of it. I swear we won't tell anyone else." You say hurriedly, raising your hands in a warding gesture towards Muscles.

"That's not really as reassuring as you probably think it is." Muscles states flatly, then continues; "I don't really have a reason to trust you guys. Taylor you seem nice but-"

"You do! I don't have a secret identity. I can't afford to piss people off everywhere I go, the gangs are already coming for me. My Dad..." Taylor responds sharply, trailing off in pensive thought before clearing her throat and continuing.

"My Dad's all I have left. I'm an open Cape in Brockton Bay. I stand by everything I say. I don't break trust. I won't break a promise." Taylor declares confidently. Ah, there she goes again, saying a bunch of heroic cool guy stuff with all that intensity like she's about to march into the sunset and I fight an army with her bare hands. You've noticed it before, but your Master has a special kind of charisma when she manages to shake off her blank outer shell and showcase that determination she keeps just below the surface. She says things that would otherwise sound very canned, or fake, but that coming from her you can't help but believe. It's not a power, not really, but it is something special about the person named Taylor Hebert that you wish the girl herself would notice someday.

Muscles stares at her pensively for a few seconds before scratching his head and sighing as if unable to deal with your Master's firm look.

"...I'm a personal biokinetic. I can rearrange my body at will. It's why I can move when I'm, you know, like this." He says, gesturing to his body, which looks like the result of years of steroids made manifest.

"Ohohohoh that is so cooooool!" You crow, then stop when your Master coughs slightly into one hand while looking askance at you.

"Oh. Right. Okay let me give you a taste of the Dragon Warrior~" You say forcefully, marching towards the other man.

"Uhuh..." He says doubtfully.

"Alright first, punch me. Right here." You say, pointing at your stomach. "Hard as you can."

"You know I have Super Strength right? I can lift cars." He points out, eyeing you like you might be a lunatic.

"Don't sweat that kinda stuff. We're learning Kung Fu man! Just punch me! Come on, do it!" You shoot back.

Still looking at you dubiously, Muscles eventually takes a boxing stance and shoots a straight towards your belly with all his might. You give it a B. His forms okay but nothing to write home about.

You yourself, take only a single step back from the blow.

It is probably worth noting at this point, that you, in fact, a bipedal bear. A panda bear yes, but still a bear. The moment Muscles fist impacts against you, your entire body shifts, your fatty tissue absorbing the first of the kinetic energy and giving you time to twist your hips and flex your calves in just such a way as to disperse the force of the blow into the ground behind you.

Not that an amateur would be able to see that. Overall it should just look like you are very, very, durable. Which is fine, since you are presently making a point.

"Okay, so, I give it a 4 outta 10. No offence." You say as Muscles furrows his brow and looks at his fist as if unsure of why you are still standing.

"You've got a Brute power too I guess?" He asks.

"Nah. I'm just fat." You explain, before leaning forward to poke him in a bunch of muscle groups.

"Can you change these? Punch me again, but when you do, step forward with this foot, while pressing down on the other-" You start, pointing at a bunch of places and miming steps for him. All things told, what you are showing him is a relatively simple series of movements that you have thrown together from a half dozen styles you know. Using Monkey Style as the basis, you weave in a few tricks that other styles use, but that only someone with a supposedly variable biology could possibly use, explaining each trick as you go.

It takes twenty minutes, and Muscles seems highly dubious as to the effectiveness of all the changes, as his body swells and shifts in equal measure. Still, you eventually find yourself once more in a position to be struck.

"Ready?" You say, bracing yourself for a hit you probably should just avoid.

"Sure..." Muscles drawls.

Then he springs forward, and you can see the Machine that is his body engaging all that you have taught it. The difference between the strength of the blows is like night and day, and despite the fact that you might be able to diffuse most of the force if you used some Chi to enhance your efforts, you take it head-on.

Well. Belly on.

Still, the moment his palm impacts you, you find yourself flying backwards through the air, rebounding off of the wall of a building adjacent to the one you are standing on, and rolling to a stop at your Master's feet like some kind of demented rag doll. A loud whipcrack noise rings out as it happens.

"Emmy?!" Taylor cries out, leaning over to check on you.

"I'm good. I'm good." You say weakly, pulling yourself to a standing position.

"What the hell was that?" Muscles asks incredulously.

"I wanna call it Conquering Buddha's Palm! It's soooo cool! I never thought I would find anyone who could do it! Oh man this is gonna be so awesome! We can call it... Human Style? No that's weird, your all Human..." You shout, then trail off in a muttering fit that leaves your Master shouldering you up in exasperation.

"I'm... not calling it that." Muscles says after a moment, only now slowly stepping back and out of the position he was in when he hit you.

"So?" Taylor asks hopefully.

"So what? I have to go to the PRT Headquarters tomorrow for Power Testing and then they want me to meet the Wards." He says with a shrug.

"But you said-!" Your Master says angrily.

"I'll let you know my decision after I see the Wards. Even if I wanted to join you, they PRT knows my identity so..." He trails off with a shrug.

"...Fine." Your Master huffs, returning to her sullen, much less charismatic self.

Thursday, January 13th, 2011

Winslow High School, Brockton Bay

School that day is mostly fine. In fact, it's almost disturbingly peaceful. Your Master doesn't outright order you to patrol for anything untoward - probably because she'd get in trouble if she was too open or forceful about it - but you spend a majority of your time wandering about the school attempting to locate trouble anyway if only to ease your own peace of mind.

Defending the school gate was technically the first order your Master ever gave you after all. Almost everything else has been of your own will.

Things continue largely apace with like that, until the afternoon, when you usually join your Master for her brief talks with Greg, which you are about to do, until your Master contacts you herself.

'Emmy? Have you seen Greg? He hasn't come to class.' She asks you worriedly.

'No? Hang on, I'll do a lap around the place.' You answer diligently and proceed to do so. It is an unfortunate fact that you can't be in two places at once, and so, it is entirely possible that some nefarious deed has slipped past your awareness.

Unfortunately, your thoughts on the matter appear to be right, as you eventually come upon a bank of lockers that have a huge windmill shape spray painted upon them. One of the lockers - which you recognize as Greg's, is jerking slightly, shaking periodically while someone attempts to make their way out.

"Hello? Look I get it- I'm a retard and I should mind my betters! Guys!?" You can hear Greg faintly calling from within the box.

You barely even think about the repercussions. You appear in the blink of an eye and, as you had for Taylor weeks ago, apply a blinding flurry of blows to the handle of the locker, bending it enough that you can wedge a paw into the crack a d wrench the door off.

Greg comes tumbling out, though you note that he isn't covered of in offal or otherwise injured. If anything he looks fairly resigned.

'Master. I found Greg.' You state sourly.

'Is he okay?' She asks you worriedly.

You are about to answer when Greg stands up, and shoots you a shaky smile.

"Thanks. You're Taylors power right?" He asks you curiously.

"Yeah. You all right there?" You ask, not questioning why he recognizes you when you're fairly certain nearly no one knows you've changed from your previous psychopathic form. You assume Taylor told him. Or that he's very smart.

You're pretty sure it's the former rather than the latter though.

"Could you um... not tell Taylor about this?" He asks quietly, in a small voice. You raise an eyebrow at him.

"It's just, you know, I think I might be Lois Lane." Greg explains forlornly.

"...What." You say flatly.

"It's an old comic book from Earth Aleph. There's this guy - Superman? He has a whole bunch of powers and always saves the day and - uh... anyway he's got this girl... this friend! That people tend to kidnap because they know it'll bait him." Greg explains plainly, frowning in thought.

"...And you don't want Master's help with this... why?" You ask entirely perplexed.

"Because..! If Taylor gets mad and uses her powers here they might expel her! And then I'll be alone here!" He jumps up, yelling at you.

You consider the statement. He's... not wrong. Your Master didn't exactly learn a whole bunch of restraint when she was with previous 'You'. Most of what she has now comes from her own impressive well of patience. But that well was running dry even before you were born so...

'He's fine. Just had to use the bathroom.' You answer placatingly.

You resolve to keep an eye on Greg when you're at school, regardless.

Thursday, January 13th, 2011

The Boardwalk, Brockton Bay

After school that day, you are still contemplating the question of what to do with Greg when your Master decides that her relative 'success' with Muscles is enough of a push to do the rounds and meet the other Capes on her list.

She starts with Parian, who is surprisingly easy to just walk up to in the afternoons. You would guess it makes sense - the girl does puppet shows on the boardwalk for children, children that no doubt have school, which means that your Master is almost guaranteed to be able to find her provided she goes to the right location.

The afternoon is bright, and the mood of the people in the Boardwalk area is surprisingly upbeat considering the overall sense of a looming gang war the rest of the city seems to be feeling. Children run back and forth while their parents watch on, and mean in dark suits patrol the area for trouble.

In deference to the kind of panic your Master says a sentient Panda would cause in the area, you have chosen to stay in your Spirit Form unless something happens. Your Master, having come straight here from school, fits right in with the crowd, even if her clothes aren't quite as expensive looking as everyone elses.

As you meander upon the Boardwalk, occasionally shooting looks of admiration out over the Bay towards the huge superhero base that is apparently situated over it, your Master picks her way towards a slowly dispersing crowd of onlookers.

In their center is a girl wearing an old victorian dress, with a porcelain mask and a blonde wig situated atop her head. She is politely chatting with a small handful of people who have apparently chosen to stay past her shows end while she packs away her various dolls and props.

Your Master waits patiently for the crowd to disperse before approaching.

"Hi. Um... Parian right?" She asks the other girl cautiously.

"Yes. Can I help you? I'm afraid I'm quite unable to take new commissions right now." Parian answers immediately, in a business-like but not unkind tone. If you had to guess, you imagine a lot of teenage girls probably approach her for help with superpowered haute couture.

"What about costumes?" Your Master asks curiously, causing Parian to freeze in place as if processing.

"A-are you perhaps an intermediary for a Cape friend?" Parian asks hurriedly, her eyes darting across the surrounding crowd as though in warning.

"No. I'm a Cape." Your Master says conversationally, either missing or completely disinterested in the unspoken warning.

"I... see... are you with New Wave?" She asks after a little while, returning to the packaging of her things.

"No, I was... I was actually hoping to start a new team. For rogues and independents. So we can stand together against-" Taylor begins animatedly only to be cut off.

"I'm not interested, sorry," Parian states, some slight frigidness edging into her voice.

"That's okay! I was just... I just wanted to tell you that I'm here. Um. If you ever need help or anything." Taylor says lamely. She cringes slightly when Parian turns slightly to look at the Protectorate Headquarters out over the bay and then back to her as if asking what help she could possibly give.

"Thank you for your concern but I am not presently interested in a career in law enforcement. If you leave me your contact information I would be happy to find the time to talk to you about your costume - but I have to be going now." the doll-like girl states, finishing what she was doing and beckoning the two animated stuffed animals behind her to help pull the two massive suitcases her stage is packed away in.

"I... uh... yeah..." Taylor says weakly, telling the girl the number for her burner phone before watching her walk away.

'That could have gone better.' You point out.

'Let's just go to the next one.' Taylor says dejectedly.

Thursday, January 13th, 2011

Abandoned Trainyard, Brockton Bay

The trainyard is an area that you have heard much about, but have yet to actually see. A curious side effect of their adjacency to the Docks, and therefore, the Dockworkers Association. When Taylor and her Father were originally researching the area, it was noted that what passed as the trainyard nowadays actually gave access to a large portion of the northern part of the city, where the rails from the station originally were meant to travel in order to bring goods to the dockyards.

It was also noted, that the sheer number of scrapped or abandoned trains in the area meant that getting any aspect of the yard up and running again would be... difficult.

You can see what Danny meant by that now. This area you walk into looks more like a junkyard than a trainyard. Huge chunks of scrap metal lay spread throughout the area, empty train containers lay rusted to the tracks, with some of them tipped over to lay on their sides in the middle of the yard. The singular building, which you assume would have been used to switch tracks for incoming trains, is a dilapidated heap, with the roof of one of its sections almost entirely caved in.

'What a dump.' You say with the mental equivalent of a whistle.

'Just another victim of the riots. No one wanted to maintain it for free, and by the time anyone realized how bad things would get without it, it was too late.' Taylor answers sadly, apparently intimately familiar with the history of the area.

The two of you continue to travel through the trainyard in relative silence, picking your way through a path that seems to have been manually made in the otherwise disorganized piles of debris and scrap here. As you make your final approach towards the old Engine house, you begin to hear the faint sound of talking in the distance, and without thinking overmuch about it, decide to scout ahead.

Quickly ghosting through several empty containers, you come upon what looks like your target, conversing with two other people. One was a pink skinned midget with a too large nose and a sickly complexion who appeared to be barely paying attention to the conversation. The other was... well, if you had to describe him in a single sentence you'd probably just say 'Drug Addict' and leave it at that. He was a tall gangly black man wearing cut up pieces of a blue tarp over his head as a mask, and over his shoulders as a cape. The rest of his attire was more or less just plain clothes, though with a neon blue shirt that hurt the eyes to look at. Across from the pair, was what you could only really describe as a sentient train engine. Titanic metal limbs covered in rivets and welded steel plates made up the majority of his body. A round, acne covered face with its hair drawn back in a ponytail sat atop the hulking machine, nearly dwarfed by its own body, with its eyes covered with makeshift welding goggles.

"-fucking cum sucking chinks are done, man. Stalker and that new Cape she's with got Oni Lee last night. You think inde-fucking-pendents are gonna exist after this man? Those Empire fucks are gonna roll over the city like a fuckin' plague now that there ain't no chance of Lung getting out. You're either with us, or you're with them. Now, which is it." The man in the blue tarp mask spits acerbically.

Your target, the metal man, as it were, hums pensively at the ultimatum.

'Master?' You ask, knowing she's been watching the entire exchange through your eyes.

What's the plan?

[ ] Leave it be. They might leave, and that will give you the chance to make your pitch.

[ ] Time for the Dragon Warrior to show them why you shouldn't bully transients.

- [ ] How much energy are you willing to use? How do you plan to fight?

[ ] Write-In

787

Bowler Hat Guy

Jun 23, 2020

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Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Jun 24, 2020

#4,079

Spoiler: Choices:

-[X] Tell Taylor to behave cool and start our with "You could also be with me", since it's perfect moment tell her to hurry up with that and come up with rest afterwards

Spoiler: Current Emulation Status

Master Po Ping

Teachable Skills

Inner Peace: A form of meditative trance that allows it's user to perform superhuman physical feats. While this is a component of Chi usage, it is not, in and of itself, a Chi ability. Rather, it allows it's user to perfectly Master the self, making every movement planned, and allowing them to draw their body's strength and flexibility out to its absolute limit.

Teachable Powers:

Current Energy: 18

Current Training: Dragon Warrior (5/10) Cost 5 to Complete

Thursday, January 13th, 2011

Abandoned Trainyard, Brockton Bay

'I think I can target Skidmark from here if you keep an eye on him. I can't see well when I go that fast but if I use you as my point of view then-' Taylor immediately begins, analyzing the situation and deciding on a course of action immediately.

It takes you a few seconds to realize that her intent is to charge from her current position to this 'Skidmark' with such speed and strength that all the intervening obstacles are likely to be scattered to the four winds in her wake. Now, as cool as it would be for your Master to explode through a steel wall like the monster in a horror movie, you have some qualms with this particular approach.

'How do you know to stop?' You ask pointedly.

'I'll probably manage?' She asks you hesitantly, as though unsure why you are meeting her proposal with anything less than your utmost approval. The answer to the question being, quite obviously, that you are not a psychopath. The fact that that particular answer seems to be rather common for you nowadays is something you don't like thinking about.

'And if you don't?' You point out, gently guiding your Master to the conclusion you want.

'I might hit him but... oh. He'd... probably die.' Your Master thinks at you slowly, as though the idea that she could kill someone by mere accident so ludicrous that she had to travel through several other possibilities before it occurred to her.

'Correct.' You answer, using this Emulations 'Teacher' tone.

Despite ostensibly being the greatest warrior of his people and teacher to dozens of students, it is a tone he uses surprisingly little.

'Now!' You fire back, once more jovial sounding. 'See that corner over there? I bet you could get there and walk out from behind it really quick, all mysterious like!'

'...and then ambush them?' Taylor asks hesitantly.

'No! Where's the drama in that?! Announce your presence by jumping into the conversation all like 'or you could join me'." You explain to her.

'...Won't they just attack me?' Taylor asks, annoyed. Clearly she doesn't understand the mysterious ways of the Kung Fu Master. Showing up unannounced to disrupt things with mysterious wisdom is just the basics!

'Well if they do, then you can attack them! Now come on, go!' You prod her, walking over to stand next to the weird goblin looking guy in your Spirit Form.

"Say I do join ya. What's in it for me?" The ironclad Cape asks, leaning against a container with one shoulder and crossing his metallic arms.

"We're the fucking Merchants! The fuck do you want? You barely even gotta do fuck all. Show up and fight once in a while and I'll hook you up with more drugs and bitches than you know what to do with! Look at this fucking guy, he look fucking pretty to you? He never goes to sleep alone you know?" The blueclad one - Skidmark you suppose from Taylor's statements - brags proudly.

"Or." Your Master calls out awkwardly, stiffly walking around the corner you had indicated and presenting herself in a nearly robotic manner, her face screwed up in concetration so deep it made her expression appear as though she was scowling.

"You can join me." She says, crossing her arms insecurely in front of herself. You seriously don't understand your Master sometimes. If you had told her to enter the scene by suplexing one of these guys, you're pretty sure she would have done it with a smile, but the second she has to talk she just falls to pieces.

"Who the fuck are you?" Skidmark asks in confusion.

"Bit young." The metal cape adds thoughtfully, his voice low and gravelly.

"Wha- I'm not a prostitute!" Your Master spits back indignantly, tightening her arms around herself.

"Then what the fuck are you doing here? What, didja see me come in and figured maybe I had the goods on me? Fuck it. Here. Piss off rugrat." Skidmark says snidely, withdrawing a baggy of something from a back pocket and throwing it at your Master like he might toss a dog a treat.

Ah. You see what's going on here.

'It's because you aren't wearing a costume.' You explain belatedly to your Master as the realization comes to you. Well, that, plus your Master's wardrobe is often only just barely one step above looking like she might be a vagabond, but you refrain from saying that.

"Hey, I beat the shit out of Lung! Also! My team won't be full of crack heads!" Your Master yells at them as her ire is peaked.

Everyone present seems momentarily stunned, before the Case 53 turns to Skidmark, jerking a thumb over one shoulder at your Master with a shrug.

"Point." He says conversationally.

"Bitch are you- No fucking way you're the cunt who iced that silvery turd!" Skidmark scowls, pointing at your Master.

The Case 53 turns back to your Master, and makes a so-so gesture with one hand before speaking.

"Eh. Might be kinda weird to take orders from a preteen." He admits.

You get the impression he finds the entire situation amusing somehow.

"See? Listen, if you've got powers you're gonna wanna join up too. I mean, it's us or the Nazi's legs." Skidmark says, leering at your Master in a way that is decidedly inappropriate.

This, your Master apparently decides, is quite enough for her. With a quick nod towards your target and a quickly spoken apology, her Aura flares up, and the menacing image of a black widow spider bursts into existence, dwarfing the small area everyone is speaking in and illuminating everything around it.

Skidmark and the Pink goblinoid hit the ground basically immediately. They didn't strike you as particularly physically resilient in the first place, so this doesn't surprise you. What does surprise you, is the way the metal man maintains a standing position, although he does have one hand firmly burrowed into the metal plating of the wall he is leaning on for support.

"What kind of name is Skidmark anyway?" You ask curiously as your Master ceases her oppression of the area and you materialize behind Skidmark. With a deft hand, you pinch his shoulder, the acupuncture point there immediately forcing the malnourish man into unconsciousness. Another deft set of steps takes you to his companion, who has begun to collect a shell of jagged metal about himself, and you repeat the process.

"So... do you have a benefits plan or are we just going with 'or else' here?" The Case 53 asks, his gruff tone slightly more polite than it was previously.

"What? No! I- I'm starting a Hero team!" Taylor complains, the blue aura of her spirit dying around her as she withdraws her Burner phone and begins to call the Protectorate.

"Huh. Do I gotta sign anything?" He asks again.

"Uh. Maybe?" Taylor says hesitantly.

"Do I gotta leave my place?" He continues.

"...Maybe?" Taylor answers again.

"...Do you wanna come back when you can answer any of my questions?" He asks, seeming kind of confused now.

"Wait no! Look, I have another guy I'm working on recruiting and I have this really cool idea for a union kind of and-" Taylor begins to blurt out then clamps her mouth shut.

"You think I'm stupid don't you?" She asks after a couple seconds of silence pass. The man lifts a hand to place his forefinger and thumb about an inch apart in answer.

"...Fine. I guess everyone I talk to today is going to tell me I'm too inexperienced for this. Do you have a name so I can immortalize this moment properly or what?" Taylor sighs dejectedly. You watch on in a mixture of amusement and amazement at your Master's defeatist attitude.

"Nah. Was thinking 'Trainwreck' though. I never said no either you know." Trainwreck says, apparently taking pity on your Master.

"Really!?" She blurts out again, whipping around to stare at him.

"Eh. No memories. Don't wanna join the government stooges - ain't my bag. I live in a junkyard. Trainwreck ain't just my name, it's my state of being." He says with a shrug.

"If you find me somewhere to sleep and help beat the shit outta anyone that wants to fuck with me then I'm on board." He finishes.

Your Master, to the accompanying tune of oncoming sirens, does an awkward shimmy that you take to be a victory dance, then turns towards Trainwreck with a mismatched sort-of-but-not-quite smile on her face. You can tell she's trying to restrain her overwhelming joy at this first actual success because the waves of happiness and achievement radiating off of her are literally starting to overwhelm you, but she appears to be adamantly trying to keep that expression off of her actual face.

"She always like this?" Trainwreck asks you.

"No. But I wish she was." You answer fondly. Then a thought occurs to you and you turn to the other man.

"So are you married to being called Trainwreck because I was thinking 'Iron Fist'..."

You have acquired your first Team Mate! Trainwreck probably would have joined the first person to bother asking him, but even so! Where would you suggest your Master keep him?

[ ] He might be able to fit into the house. The Garage at the very least.

[ ] The Bounty for Lung and now, to a lesser extent, Skidmark, isn't in yet, but it will eventually. Danny might be able to get a loan or something?

[ ] Write-In

School Again Tomorrow huh? Lame. Pick 2.

[ ] You should follow up with Parian about that costume. Today has been awkward, to say the least.

[ ] Technically, Danny doesn't have to know you went to meet Purity.

[ ] Continue Training (Dragon Warrior currently 5/10, Cost 5 to Complete)

[ ] Complete Training (Dragon Warrior, Cost 5 to Complete) (Pick Another Action)

[ ] Go on Patrol.

- [ ] Pick an Area to Patrol

- [ ] Pick Allies to Patrol with (Glory Girl, Trainwreck, Muscles)

[ ] Write-In

Your Master doesn't get out enough. Find time for her to socialize!

[ ] Pick someone to Socialize with after school. (Currently Available: Greg, Victoria, Trainwreck, Danny.)

A/N: So I got through two versions of a whole fight scene with this before I realized that proximity wise, there couldn't possibly be an actual fight unless Taylor went in half-cocked and swinging. Spiritual Pressure is dangerously useful like that. Completely useless when you're in a civilian crowded area though, unless you're a malicious asshole. *Rewrites several possible encounters*

It's definitely worth noting here that Trainwreck was only standing because of the uniquely non-organic nature of his limbs, and, as previously noted, would probably have signed on with the first person who even bothered to make contact with him that wasn't the Protectorate. He's simply to surly for someone like Armsmaster to convince, given how annoyingly professional the guy can be. This means that while he's an easy guy to get signed on, he's not exactly dedicated to the cause as it were.

As a side note, in deference to people who are worried about Taylor training for every action, I've added a free social action to Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in-game. You know, the days most people socialize on. I'm not 100% Happy with this update, but I'd rather push through it then stall out for days on end. I hope you guys found it amusing.

If you were looking closely you will realize that the write-in option doesn't really jibe well with Taylor's current personality or skills, so with regards to 'looking cool' she actually just straight-up failed.

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Jun 24, 2020

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Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Jun 25, 2020

#4,181

[X] Introduce Trainwreck to Danny. You were already worried about your blown identity, maybe Danny could set him up near the DWA in return for protection from the coming chaos.

Current Energy: 18

Thursday, January 13th, 2011

Abandoned Trainyard, Brockton Bay

It takes roughly five minutes for the Protectorate to arrive, and you are - for once - introduced to a Hero that isn't Armsmaster.

Miss Militia, as your Master explains to you in one rushed explosion of word vomit, is one of the 'classic' Protectorate members alongside Armsmaster. She's the All-American Hero, who's very mask itself is an American flag. She's also, apparently, one of the most soft-spoken Hero's Taylor knows, though, having met Armsmaster you aren't sure if that's just her publicity team speaking or not.

"Nexus." The heroine greets your Master with a professional nod as she pulls up at the periphery of your group on what looks like a very modern take on a motorcycle from World War 2. Then she turns to Trainwreck - but not without making sure you and your Master are still in her field of view.

"I'm not sure we've met. Are you with the... Oathbound?" Miss Militia asks him probingly with a gesture towards you Master.

Trainwreck - apparently incapable of reverence of any kind - turns to your Master who nods at him nervously.

"Guess so. Trainwreck." He says crudely, making no attempt to hide the fact that he is now ogling th Hero. Possibly being accustomed to the behaviour, she ignores it.

"I see. I'm glad. We need more Heroes. Are either of you injured?" She says, ignoring you, a move that Taylor frowns at but you are ambivalent about.

"No. Emmy?" Taylor says pointedly, turning to you.

"I'm good. These guys are fine too." You say, gesturing at Skidmark and... the other guy who's name you never got.

"Wasn't a fight anyway." Trainwreck concurs, causing the heroine to turn her gaze on your Master.

"I'm fine. We sort of ambushed them." Taylor admits timidly.

"You walked right up and called them crackheads." Trainwreck points out.

"He thought I was a prostitute! You thought I was- I mean, ah. We'll d-debrief later." Taylor begins to spit at Trainwreck before recalling who else was present and returning to bashful timidness.

"Acknowledged. Did you use your healing power on them?" She asks your Master with a degree of curiosity that edges just a bit into forceful.

"I don't have a healing power." Taylor says, nonplussed.

"Ah. Your projection then." She tries again.

"Nah. They aren't hurt anyway." You say with a shrug - not that Miss Militia is looking at you to see it.

"Good. Healing without consent is technically assault with a parahuman power." She explains before reaching into a pouch at her side and throwing two egg-shaped objects at the downed capes. On impact, they immediately expand into a dense mass of yellow foam that quickly grows to cover their whole bodies.

"Will you be staying to await the transport so you can give your statement at the headquarters or would you like to tell me so you can leave?" Miss Militia asks politely.

"We-" Your Master starts but is caught off by Trainwreck.

"Hey. Being kind of a bitch there." He says, point past her towards you. Your Master experiences a brief blip of satisfaction at the statement of the crass man before being entirely replaced with intense embarassment.

"You may not be fully aware of Nexus' powers, but her Projection presents as extremely lifelike. It's the policy of the PRT that treating a projection as a sapient being can have dangerous consequences in the field." She explains sanguinely.

"Huh. Hey, Panda Guy. You sapient?" He asks you belligerently.

"I don't know how to answer that." You say truthfully. In a technical sense, yes, you are sapient. In an even more technical sense, you are a hunk of meat glued together by exotic energy that is being tricked into thinking it's a person by an installation of alien crystal from another dimension.

So basically, it's complicated.

"Okay, quick test. Her ass, it ain't bad right?" He asks, and your Master's previous sense of embarrassment immediately pivots into a sort of all consuming rage and shame that causes motes of blue power to fleck off of her as she begins to malevolently stare at the man.

You look at Trainwreck, following his point finger to Miss Militia, then look to Taylor, then back to Miss Militia.

"I cannot answer that question." You say pleadingly, taking a step away from the dead man.

"Self Preservation. Nice. Seems sapient to me." He says with a shrug. Taylor and Miss Militia are looking at him as though amazed he actually managed to make a point out of such misogyny, although Miss Militia is doing a much better job of masking what she is thinking or feeling.

And that is how your dubious association with the crass cape known as Trainwreck began.

Needless to say, your Taylor opts to give Miss Militia a quick explanation of what happened so you can flee the scene.

Thursday, January 13th, 2011

Abandoned Trainyard, Brockton Bay

"So... this is my house..." Taylor says hesitantly, gesturing at the squat two-floor home and turning to Trainwreck expectantly.

"Suburbs huh? Yeah, you look it." He mutters, before eyeballing the door and walking over to the garage with a shrug when it becomes he won't fit through it.

"So... what are you doing?" Taylor asks with some trepidation in her voice.

"Crashin'. I'm fucking tired." He says, tapping the garage door in expectation.

"I... see... just one second I guess," Taylor answers before inhaling slowly and closing her eyes in concentration. After a moment, she opens them, along with the front door of the house, and marches inside.

"Daaad!" She calls into the house with the kind of sickly sweet voice most teenage girls use when they want to convince their parents to buy them a car. Taylor's token effort in that arena doesn't seem like she's had much practice in it though, coming across more panicked than weedling.

"Hey kiddo. How'd things go?" Danny asks as he tramps down the stairs and into the main hallway of the home.

"Great! I recruited someone!" She says happily. Danny raises an eyebrow in question, clearly wanting more details.

"We found the guy out at the Trainyard. He- uh. He doesn't really have anywhere else to stay so I was thinking...?" She trails off hopefully.

"You brought home a homeless Cape." Danny says with an inscrutable expression slowly making its way onto his face.

"...It was a signing bonus?" Taylor tries weakly.

"You know you can't just couch everything with business speak and assume I'll find it cute enough to let it slide right?" Danny asks rhetorically.

Taylor looks like she might be about to answer when Trainwreck's voice rings out throughout the home.

"Hey, it's kinda looking like rain out here. This bitch rusts like a motherfucker so if you could open this thing up?" He yells caustically.

"...I have concerns." Daniel says flatly, causing Taylor to flinch and slink away to open the Garage for her erstwhile teammate. Daniel doesn't bother, instead, crossing to where the house phone is kept.

"Much better. Bit cramped. Can I use any of this crap?" You can hear Trainwreck's voice ask Taylor.

"N-Probably not? It's my Dad's." She answers, which is followed by the sound of something large and heavy being dragged across a concrete floor.

"Hello, Raymond?" Danny's voice rings out, drawing your attention back to the older man who's complexion is quickly reddening despite his calm tone of voice.

"Hey, it's me, Danny. Do you still have that broken down body shop your brother defaulted on?" He says, sounding for all the world like a man pushing a massive stone up a hill.

"Why did you move the whole thing!?" Taylor yelps.

"Cus it was in the way? Look, if someone has to come in here while I'm asleep they'd have to walk right over me." The other Cape answers.

"Yeah, I was thinking about buying it. Cash upfront." He answers.

"But Dad likes it there," Taylor complains.

"As soon as possible," Danny says with a strained expression. "Please." He adds near desperately.

Last edited: Jun 26, 2020

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Jun 25, 2020

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Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Jun 27, 2020

#4,292

Spoiler: Choices:

[X] You should follow up with Parian about that costume. Today has been awkward, to say the least.

[X] Continue Training (Dragon Warrior currently 7/10, Cost 3 to Complete)

[X] Social: Spend time with Trainwreck

Spoiler: Current Emulation Status

Master Po Ping

Teachable Skills

Inner Peace: A form of meditative trance that allows it's user to perform superhuman physical feats. While this is a component of Chi usage, it is not, in and of itself, a Chi ability. Rather, it allows it's user to perfectly Master the self, making every movement planned, and allowing them to draw their body's strength and flexibility out to its absolute limit.

Teachable Powers:

Current Energy: 17

Current Training: Dragon Warrior (7/10) Cost 3 to Complete

Friday, January 14th, 2011

Boardwalk, Brockton Bay

Greg isn't at school that day.

You imagine that isn't an entirely unlikely scenario - you might be inclined to skip school too if you were being bullied to the degree Greg is. As a point of fact, your Emulation has vivid memories of running away to sulk for much pettier reasons even.

This does not stop you from being very worried about the boy as your Master picks her way through the Boardwalk to her appointed meeting place with Parian.

Getting in contact with the fashionista Cape wasn't altogether very difficult - she actually had a website that prominently displayed contact information for her - but there was a certain degree of anxiety coming from your Master regardless.

'What if she doesn't come?' Taylor worries at you needlessly.

'Then she doesn't come. Relax, she said she would hear us out right?' You point out.

'But she said that right after rejecting me!' Your Master continues on, deftly sidestepping a blond girl who looked like she wasn't looking where she was going and was about to stumble into her. It looked to you like the girl was going to say something - probably something along the lines of an apology you guess - but your Master was so worked up about Parian that she barely noticed, and the two were quickly separated by the crowd.

'She probably just gets a lot of people bothering her. She makes designer clothes.' You explain for the... fifth? The fifth time since departing school that day with your Master.

Eventually, and after several more cycles of this exact same argument, you come upon a tiny boutique at the far edges of the Boardwalk. Far enough in fact that the well clothed enforcers who typically police the area are nowhere in sight. As you approach, a large group of men dressed in apparel that would otherwise have gotten them ejected from the nicer parts of the shopping area stomp away from the entrance to the building.

Your Master patiently waits for them to pass before entering the building herself, nervously glancing over her shoulder at them as they go.

'That was a lot of adult men coming from a women's clothing store.' You note idly, and Taylor frowns at the observation before redirecting her attention to making her way through the store.

The store itself is not Parian's. Your Master checked, in the vain hope that she could just buy a generic costume off off a rack, instead of having to negotiate with the other Cape directly. Instead, the store merely belongs to a normal shop owner who Parian frequently rents space from when she needs to meet a client. It makes sense you guess. Making clothes usually required measurements, which usually required a certain degree of disrobing. It would be somewhat hard to convince people to take their clothes off for you to measure them if you were conducting business in a coffee shop or back alley. Especially the latter in Brockton Bay.

And so, you and your Master tramp through the shop and are quickly waved through a backdoor into an employee area when she explains to the woman at the register what she is here for. You note the cashier shooting suspicious and worried looks at your Master as she passes, but pay it no mind. Your Master was an outed Parahuman - people were going to be worried about her presence no matter what she did. Best to just accept it and move on.

"I told you I'm not interested in-" Parian says as Taylor enters the small room, then pauses when she looks up to find your Master standing there awkwardly with her body halfway through the door and frozen in shock at the stark denial.

"I'msosorry." Your Master blurts out before reversing her forward motion and all but flying back towards the front of the store. You can feel her anxiety and stark acceptance of the dismissal, like a self fulfilling prophecy. However, just as your Master made it to the door, several of the dresses near the exit flew from their racking to impede her path.

Well. You say 'impede' but really 'draw her attention' was probably a better qualifier. It wasn't as though your Master couldn't just as easily have exploded through the wall regardless of what was in front of her.

"Wait! I'm sorry I mistook you for someone else." Parian calls as she jogs into store proper to call after Taylor. Eyeing the thickly layered dress the other Cape is wearing you have to assume she is somehow using her power in order to make the movement easier. You're fairly certain running in that thing would be a nightmare otherwise.

"I- sorry." Taylor says weakly, withdrawing her hand from the door and turning to regard Parian like a mouse might a particularly large cat.

"I'm really very sorry. Please, come to the back area and we can begin." Parian repeats herself in a professional but put upon sounding tone. If you had to guess, she finds your Master's innate timidness somewhat annoying.

"All right..." Taylor says hesitantly, following the other cape back the way she came. Once the two are safely ensconced in the rear of the building, Parian quickly begins to explain things.

"If you'll take your outer clothes off, I can measure you while we talk. It's unfortunate but I can only accept pay upfront. If you cannot afford it now, or simply don't have a means of delivering the money at this moment, I can give you a quote after we complete the design, and I can begin after payment has been finalized."

"I don't think money will be a problem b-but..." Taylor says, very slowly stripping off her sweater to reveal the shirt she is wearing underneath and then pausing.

"Do... I have to take my shirt off too...?" She adds, reddening slightly. Parian eyes the shirt speculatively then shrugs.

"If you do not mind my tools entering underneath it then there should be no problem. Otherwise, you will have to deal with inaccurate measurements. I make no promises as to the fit of any clothing I make for you using incorrect measurements. The pants will have to go though. Too baggy." She explains with a bored air.

Taylor looks conflicted for a second, her face continuing to redden.

'Didn't you literally just beat up half the ganglords in the city? Within the last week even? Relax a little.' You send to her encouragingly. You are, of course, aware of why this is difficult for your Master. She doesn't dread being naked. No that's a lie - she absolutely dreads being publicly naked. However, her discomfort with the situation has other roots. Primarily, in that, the trio of girls who had been bullying her took special care to ensure that nary a day passed without someone commenting on your Master's appearance. In your Master's mind, she is squat yet too tall. Stick thin, and yet paunchy. Disproportionate, and yet too similar to her own Mother. Her self image is so skewed towards 'hideous' that she hardly seems to realize that none of that is true. Granted, your Master isn't a model by any stretch of the imagination, but she isn't ugly. She is, like so many other people in the city, simply an average looking teenager.

'That's different! I'm not fist fighting Parian!' Your Master complains, but ultimately sighs and begins fully disrobing down to her underwear, forcing you to wince. You've noted it before but, your Master has an athletes build now - which you have no problem with. It's just that... you can firmly remember how she got that build, and are now feeling exceptionally guilty about it. You try not to allow the feeling to show though.

Parian on the other hand, is staring at your Master with a critical eye, her gaze panning up and down three times quick in rapid succession as she makes several notes, and dozens of cloth measuring tapes jump from around the room to begin measuring your Master's proportions.

"Now. Did you have any idea what you were looking for in a costume? I did some research before coming here and you were only publicly seen once, so you should be fairly free to make changes to your style." Parian asks.

"Um. I have- had a white cloak. I think it was called a Haori? I got it from someone important, and I was hoping to include it in the design..." Your Master starts off hesitantly.

"Hm. Are you going for a cowled look then?" Parian asks, quickly sketching some things out.

"No, I wore it more like a cape." Taylor admits sheepishly.

"Cape's aren't very... safe. They get caught on things. Are easy to grab. Draw attention." Parian points out warningly. Your Master snorts, probably the first sign that she is getting used to Parian.

"I'm a fairly high-level Brute, and the leader of a team. Most of those things are fine for me." She points out.

"Hm..." Parian continues, scrawling through several designs over the course of a few minutes.

"What about the main body of the costume? If the cloak isn't covering you, then you have to have something else. I can't recommend spandex. It might work well with your legs, but if you're a Brute that's a fairly quick way to a wardrobe malfunction. The tougher materials aren't very comfortable but I can layer something inside to handle that... did you have a theme you were working towards?" Parian breaks off to ask.

"N-no?" Taylor half asks, half states, partially turning towards you in panic.

"Then we should work on that first, and incorporate your cloak afterwards. There are many ways to present as a Cape. If you are trying to be intimidating, then a simple bodysuit won't do - it needs adornment. If you wish to appeal to others, then enhancing your good traits is a must." Parian explains, waggling a finger at your Master patiently as she goes.

"Think the difference between Eidolon and Legend. Legend is a fit man, and he knows it. The PRT knows it. Everyone knows it. So he wears a costume that looks like it was painted on. He doesn't need armor. He can heal himself, and usually moves faster than anyone can react to anyway. Eidolon though - Eidolon is mysterious. He's threatening. You can only just barely see under his hood. You can never tell what power he'll use on you. He probably wins most fights just by showing up." Parian explains.

"What about... Alexandria?" Taylor says hopefully, though obviously trying to hide it.

"Indomitable. Alexandria is sort of a mix of Legend and Eidolon's styles. She's attractive, and her bodysuit shows that off, but she's also unstoppable. The metal elements and additions are the adornments of a soldier. A fighter. Alexandria isn't scary because of the unknown. She's terrifying because everyone knows exactly what she can do, and she has been known to do it near instantly. You've seen some of her fights right?" Parian asks patiently.

"Yeah. She knows exactly how much force to use to stop someone without killing them." Taylor says with stark admiration in her voice.

"Yes, but she often doesn't really care how much damage she does to someone up to that point. And everyone knows it. No one actually fights Alexandria anymore. Her primary bad guys are the Elite, and those guys mostly just distract her so they can achieve something elsewhere. They don't outfight her, they outsmart her and even that only with dozens of Thinkers together."

"So... what do you suggest?" Taylor asks hesitantly.

"Well..."

Pick an Inspiration!

[ ] Alexandria

[ ] Legend

[ ] Eidolon

[ ] Write-In

Pick a theme! (Military, Roman Legionary, Wizard, Etc)

[ ] Write-In

Friday, January 14th, 2011

Oathbound Headquarters, Brockton Bay

"Looks like shit." Was Trainwrecks immediate declaration upon arriving at the dilapidated garage. The old body shop looked like it would have been a Tinkers wet dream.

If some long past Tinker hadn't already come through and stripped everything of use out of the building. There were two large roll up doors in the front of the building, their paint dried and flaking away. Just enough of the red paint remained to proudly display the letters 'H','I', and 'T', to which some hoodlum had spray-painted an 'S' at the front of. The inside of the building wasn't much better. The jacks and lifts that would have once lifted cars up to be worked on had been stripped out, leaving obvious damage in the floor and ceiling of the building. Appended to the garage area itself were three more rooms. A large common room that appeared to have once been a break room - obvious only by the presence of the rooms single piece of furniture, a table missing one leg. A small office room that Trainwreck himself couldn't actually fit in. And a bathroom, that again, Trainwreck couldn't actually fit in.

"It's... a fixer upper?" Taylor tried helplessly, doing her best to ignore those passers-by who were obviously trying to figure out what Trainwreck was doing, given his obvious Cape status.

"The fuck am I supposed to sleep? It ain't like I liked the floor of the garage you know." He points out with a scowl.

"We could repurpose the bigger room into a bunking area. This would really be more of a deployment center anyway. I think you would be the only person who actually needs to live here full time, so it should be fine to customize it to your needs?" Taylor offered hesitantly.

Trainwreck shuffled forward, sticking one hand under the garage door and lifting it up - causing the entire thing to creak and bend when the rails it was on were too rusty to allow it to move. Trainwreck just grunted and tore the whole thing out of the way, dragging it into the building behind him.

"I want this whole area." He says bluntly, eyeballing the large garage area that made up most of the building itself.

"That's-" Taylor opens, clearly about to agree - anything to please her only team member.

'You might end up with a Tinker power at some point. You'll need somewhere to work.' You point out.

"Ehem. I'll need you to set aside a small area for me to work in." Taylor says instead, changing what she was about to say.

"You a Tinker now too?" Trainwreck asks her dubiously.

"No, but I could be?" Taylor offers weakly. Trainwreck thinks about it for a second, eyeballing the double width garage again.

"I get the half that ain't attached to the other rooms." He declares, marching over to the middle point of the empty concrete room and throwing the garage door he's dragging behind him into a corner with a loud metal boom.

"Sure... oh! We can make part fo this half a Gym. For uh... anyone else that joins?" Taylor says, slowly losing momentum as it occurs to her that Trainwreck doesn't need a Gym, and she herself would require specialized equipment to get any kind of workout from a machine.

Trainwreck snorts.

"Hey. You gettin' beat at home or something?" He asks brashly, not bothering to actually look at your Master.

"No. No, I am not. My Dad would never do that, and if you say he would again I-" Taylor scowls at him, immediately switching from 'Taylor' to 'Nexus' in order to berate her teammate.

"Yeah, yeah. Just wanted to know. You're awfully wimpy for someone who could shuttle toss me across the block. Go get laid or something. Find a nice guy who makes you feel good. Drink maybe. S'like you got bipolar disorder or something." Trainwreck grumbles, clearly either ignoring or not caring about your Master's obvious ire.

"I'm fifteen! And there's nothing wrong with me!" Taylor retorts hotly.

"Boss, I don't know how to tell you this, but I'm a hunk of meat attached to a suit of armour. I don't even shit. No plumbing. So when I say you got issues, you got issues." He says with absolute surety.

"Hey, you think we could get some insulation in here? Gonna get fucking cold in winter." He adds before your Master can really respond.

"I- wuh- maybe?" Taylor answers, flabbergasted by the sudden change of topic.

"Hm." Trainwreck hums.

You can tell this is going to be a long afternoon.

"Alright! Let's do this thing!" You say once you and your Master make it inside the Hebert home, having left Trainwreck behind to start renovating the headquarters. Your Master was dubious as to his ability to do so, but finally acquiesced under his fervent declaration that he could build a flamethrower with some duck tape and paperclips.

Also, he told her to 'Fuck off home', which was about the point where she was forced to decide between killing him and just leaving.

"Finally. I didn't realize other Capes could be so... exhausting." Your Master says with a growl, obviously still mildly irritated by Trainwreck's overwhelming bluntness.

"Race you to the basement!" You say slyly, becoming intangible and allowing yourself to fall through the floor before she can answer.

Only a few seconds after you rematerialize, your Master flies down the stairs, bouncing off the wall at the bottom to rush towards you in a headlong charge using only a fraction of her total power. She is grinning like a lunatic.

Or an axe murderer depending on your point of view.

It's hard, but using the utmost limits of your skill, you are able to exchange a few blows with her without expending any Energy, though it leaves you markedly exhausted. Deciding that this is enough fun, for now, you catch her final blow, allowing it to slide past you and spinning your Master around to face away from you.

Then you envelop her in a hug, step backwards into a wall, and drop down to sit leaning on it, with your Master leaning against your considerable bulk.

"So. Tell me about Emma." You say gently, faintly amused at the halfhearted struggle your Master puts up at your words.

It's the weekend! Pick 2.

[ ] You need to get your Costume done. Check with the PRT to see what the hold up is with your Bounty money.

[ ] Technically, Danny doesn't have to know you went to meet Purity.

[ ] Continue Training (Dragon Warrior currently 7/10)

[ ] Complete Training (Dragon Warrior, Cost 3 to Complete) (Pick Another Action)

[ ] Write-In

Your Master doesn't get out enough. Find time for her to socialize!

[ ] Pick someone to Socialize with after school. (Currently Available: Greg, Victoria, Trainwreck, Danny.)

Spoiler: Chapter Meme

801

Bowler Hat Guy

Jun 27, 2020

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Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Jun 28, 2020

#4,389

Spoiler: Choices:

[X] Alexandria

[X] Kung Fu Wizard

[X] You need to get your Costume done. Check with the PRT to see what the hold up is with your Bounty money.

[X] Continue Training (Dragon Warrior currently 7/10)

[X] Pick someone to Socialize with. (Victoria)

Spoiler: Current Emulation Status

Master Po Ping

Teachable Skills

Inner Peace: A form of meditative trance that allows it's user to perform superhuman physical feats. While this is a component of Chi usage, it is not, in and of itself, a Chi ability. Rather, it allows it's user to perfectly Master the self, making every movement planned, and allowing them to draw their body's strength and flexibility out to its absolute limit.

Teachable Powers:

Current Energy: 16

Current Training: Dragon Warrior (9/10) Cost 1 to Complete.

Saturday, January 15th, 2011

PRT Headquarters, Brockton Bay

Your Master wakes up that morning at the crack of noon. Having slept for at least ten hours, you would assume she would be well-rested, but instead, she rises from her bed like a zombie, the bags under her eyes rapidly darkening into a nearly bruiselike countenance.

You try not to comment, but you do stare worriedly after her as she stumbles about in an attempt to prepare herself for the day. Once she is ready, the pair of you prepare to go about your business for the day.

That being, finding out why the PRT hasn't deposited your money yet.

Taylor does her best to ignore the stacks of unpaid bills sitting to the side in the living room as you leave, piling into the car next to Danny. It's not like your Master couldn't just sprint to the building through the air - not having to deal with traffic or any intervening buildings would clearly be a faster way to go. But she didn't for two reasons.

One, that would leave Danny alone when there was no reason to do so. And two, you've explained to her that you have almost no means of keeping up with her when she does it. Your Master hasn't had her powers for very long, but you get the impression that, given her current mode of movement is essentially flying, she is somewhat annoyed by not being able to easily do so to move about. She fidgets, and twitches in the car for the first five minutes of the drive, until finally falling asleep in her seat. You'd have let her sleep on your shoulder but - being a literal Panda - you don't really fit in the car and are forced to sit invisibly on the roof in order to be taken along.

The PRT building is about as boring looking as you remember. You sort of wish you could convince your Master to run out to the second headquarters they have out over the bay, but the massive forcefield surrounding the place is as good a sign as any that showing up uninvited would probably be unwise.

Deftly appearing next to the car as it parks, you pull the door open and gently shake your Master awake, preparing to dart backwards at any sign that she might lash out. She does startle slightly, but not enough to indicate you are about to be stabbed to death, which is for the best. Taking a moment to get her bearings, she shakes her head slightly, and steps out of the car, running a hand through her hair to fix the messy state it had ended up in during her impromptu nap.

"You don't have to come in kiddo. We're just going to be at the front desk for a bit. It probably won't be very involved." Danny offers kindly as Taylor shakes off her sleepiness.

"I don't want the PRT to think I'm not in charge though. I can't just have you keep coming in for me." Taylor says obstinately.

"If you're sure..." Danny says hesitantly.

The pair make their way into the building, then towards one of the desks at its center, where a plain-faced woman wearing a PRT dress uniform is patiently typing something out. At the desk, to your left, a man and a woman are yelling furiously at another receptionist.

"You said you would take care of him! Now you don't even know where he is!" The man yells loudly, slamming two fists down in front of him and causing everything on the receptionist's desk to jerk slightly.

"Sir, we can't be held responsible for the actions of your son when he is in your home. We are doing everything in our power to locate him, but you only reported him missing an hour ago. Please, understand-" The receptionist tries to say valiantly.

"You knew he wasn't right in the god damn head! You should have put a friggin tracker on him or something! That's why we brought him here!" The man continues, yelling over the receptionist's calm reply.

"Hello, how can I help you?" The receptionist that your Master and her father are standing in front of says, drawing your attention away from the yelling match. Everyone else in the lobby seems to be awkwardly ignoring it anyway, including Danny and Taylor.

"Ah yes. We're wondering as to the status of the bounty payout we signed for recently." Danny says plainly.

"Are you an intermediary? We can only allow the Cape in question to facilitate-" She says politely, eyeing the two of them.

"Right here." Your Master says, lifting a hand in greeting.

"Would you like a temporary mask? If you do just declare that you need to use the bathroom and head through that door, and someone will be with you shortly." The woman whispers quickly.

"No, I... I'm Nexus? I don't really have a secret identity..." Taylor offers with a wince. You know that she has gotten accustomed to not having any division between her Cape life and her mundane one, but she very clearly doesn't like the situation.

"Ah. I see. One moment." The receptionist replies with a sigh of relief. She proceeds to spend several seconds typing away at her computer before looking up at you with a frown.

"Apologies but it seems like a hold has been placed on the funds. Your legal guardian will have to open an account for you, cosigned under their name. The PRT can't directly provide minors with bounty payouts." She explains apologetically.

"I was there when we claimed it. Why don't you just be honest and say what's really going on. You're stalling." Danny fires back with some annoyance.

"I'm afraid I can't comment as to the internal affairs of the branch sir. The error only occurred after the payment began processing. We apologize for any inconvenience and we welcome you to return at any time to provide us with the account information and your signature." The woman says pleasantly, not even missing a beat.

You can actually see one of the veins in Danny's forehead begin to throb.

"I see. Thank you for your time." He bites out, before whirling around on one heel and stomping out of the lobby - presumably to stop himself from trying to throw something at someone.

Taylor looks back and forth with worry at her Father and then the receptionist, before following after the man with a quick apology.

The drive back is mostly silent. Danny drives ponderously slow, his knuckles white against the steering wheel until about the halfway point.

it is at this point, that Taylor receives a phone call. By itself, that wouldn't be all that innocuous, but the sound is enough that Danny twitches suddenly, and pulls off to the side of the road, pointedly not looking at his daughter.

Taylor fumbles her phone out of her pocket - not being accustomed to the thing yet - and hurriedly answers.

"H-Hey Vicky. I- I'm sort of busy? Are you... sure it's life or death?" Taylor asks dubiously.

"Fine but... yeah I'm coming. Hang on." She grumbles after a while before hanging up and turning to her Father worriedly.

"Um. Could you go to the Garage and stay with Trainwreck for a little bit dad? Vicky needs me for something." She asks. Danny looks like he wants to say several things in response to that, his eyes flicking towards the cellphone in his daughter's hand, then sighs, allowing all the tension to drain out of himself. He closes his eyes for a second, appearing to be counting, and then opens them.

"...Sure thing kiddo. You're just going to be hanging outright? No... no crime-fighting?" He asks hesitantly.

"I don't think so? She said she was down one person for something so she invited me..." Taylor answers.

"Then fine. Be safe okay? I love you." He replies, leaning into the backseat to awkwardly hug his daughter. You watch the exchange with a smile on your face.

And then Taylor gets out of the vehicle and begins stretching. You know what comes next, and get the feeling you probably couldn't stop it if you wanted to, so you decide to just have fun with it.

You materialize yourself just as Taylor bends her legs to jump, clench your buttocks, and just as she explodes into the air and you pass your range limit, shout;

"Shaka-blow!" As you vanish in a puff of blue energy.

Saturday, January 15th, 2011

Boardwalk, Brockton Bay

"This isn't what I was expecting," Taylor says sourly as Victoria drags her into another store.

"Yeah, but what you were expecting was probably something boring anyway." Victoria chirps at her as they vanish into the building.

"So..." The boy to your left says hesitantly, eyeing you warily and with a certain degree of confusion.

"Yeah, I don't know what to do either." You admit, carefully shifting your body weight to ensure none of the bags you're currently holding fall from your grip.

"I was kind of expecting Amy today so I didn't really..." Dean trails off, still staring at you.

"What the kid in the robe? Maaaan does she look tired. Probably not eating enough. Hey, have we met?" You rattle off pleasantly. You should, by rights, be annoyed by the current situation. After all, Victoria basically tricked your Master into shopping. The thing is, you kind of feel like your Master needs this kind of activity in her life right now. You suspect the only reason she goes to school is the memory of her late mother. If she didn't have that your reasonably certain she would spend every waking moment doing 'Cape' things.

"You might have seen me around the area before?" Dean supplies helpfully, jumping in just a bit too quickly.

"Totally. Master has been here three or four times in the last few days so it makes sense." You answer with a shrug.

"I am not wearing that!" Taylor screeches from inside the shop.

"Why not! It's just a little midriff!" Victoria whines as she follows your Master out of the store.

"Because! It just... It doesn't suit me okay?" Taylor answers with a pained expression on her face.

"Besides all those people were already staring at me. I should just stick to beating up bad guys." Taylor says bitterly.

"Well duh, you're an outed Cape, that's like being a celebrity only without all the work." Vicky explains as the pair march up to you.

"I don't think any of these people actually know that Vicky. She's never been in a press conference, doesn't have a costume, hasn't gotten any pictures taken of her..." Dean explains patiently, falling into step beside his girlfriend.

"See? You, I understand, you're-" Taylor breaks off to wave a hand haphazardly towards Victoria's - as usual - immaculate appearance. "- all of this and I'm just... me."

"Have you considered-" Dean says and then slams his mouth shut, turning to look at Vicky speculatively.

"I will allow it." She tells him, flashing him a winsome smile that causes him to blush but continue none the less.

"Ehem. Have you considered they're looking at you because they're checking you out?" Dean puts forth.

"...What. Why?" Taylor answers flatly, her eyebrows shooting up into her hairline.

"Go on~," Vicky says with faint amusement.

"...Because you're... pretty?" He tries weakly, obviously searching for the most neutral compliment he can provide and nervously glancing at his girlfriend the entire time. Taylor looks down at herself, then back up, then down again, then back up.

"I look like a wireframe wearing skin that doesn't fit right." She says flatly, her anxiety spiking as her overactive mind begins to draw parallels between times in the past where she has been lied to about her appearance solely to tear her down afterwards.

Vicky makes a rolling motion with her hand towards her boyfriend, who nervously laughs before continuing.

"You've got a... like a cool beauty thing going on?" Another look towards Vicky and then away. "Like a...hot librarian?" He tries again.

"Aaaaaand that's my limit." Vicky intones quickly, sidling to the left to grab Dean's arm and hugging it towards herself.

"You're lucky she has issues buster." She whispers into Dean's ear before pecking him on the cheek.

""I- but- wuh?"" Both Dean and Taylor splutter at about the same time.

"So! Have you considered some sweaters that show your shoulders?" She continues blithely, ignoring the shocked look on your Master's face.

The trip home is mostly, slowly paced. Taylor, despite the compliment paid to her, is slowly jumping from roof to roof with a dazed expression on her face, giving you enough time to keep up with her.

"I like her." You say suddenly, pulling your Master from her reverie.

"This guy likes everybody. You even get along with Trainwreck." Taylor points out.

"Yeah but that's cus he's a cool dude. You should hang out with her more." You opine, before frowning and adding. "But uh, maybe pass on any double dates."

You don't innately have a problem with your Master having a significant other, mind you. You just think she should probably prioritize her own problems before she goes looking to poke her nose into someone else's.

Also, you still kind of dislike most teenagers, on average, and don't think any other age group would be appropriate for Taylor to partake in. Not that you say any of that. You doubt your Master feels differently. Victoria just had a tendency to hint that she 'knew some guys' Taylor might like periodically.

If by 'periodically' one meant 'roughly every 15 minutes' at least.

"Yeah. She's- very high energy." Taylor says with a sigh, coming to a stop on top of an apartment building that had seen better days and sitting with her legs over the side of the roof.

"So am I." You point out.

"I know." She shoots back irately.

"Hey so... I noticed your Dad was sort of... angrier than normal today?" You ask, taking a seat next to her and staring into the distance where the sun is currently setting.

"Yeah, he... I think he might have spent more money than I thought. I don't know how much the hospital bill was, or all the time off work he's taking, or how much the Garage cost." Taylor says with a sigh.

"It's nice that he's trying but it... feels like- like he's trying to compensate?" Taylor says bitterly.

"Nobody is perfect." You prod.

"I didn't want him to be perfect I wanted him to pay attention." Taylor snaps at you, before turning back to the sunset.

"Was it that bad?" You ask curiously.

"Worse. He kept a roof over my head and gave me food but... I might as well have been renting a room from him past that. He's better now but, if this hadn't happened I don't think he would be." Taylor answers you.

"So, what now? He's trying. He's better. Does holding onto the anger help?" You say serenely, pulling Taylor into a sidelong hug that she leans into without preamble.

"No. I know. But it's... I'm trying to be better too but it's hard." She says with a frown, turning her head upward to look at you.

"Also, I know you do this on purpose." She says jabbing you in the stomach with one finger.

"Does holding onto that anger help?" You say playfully.

"No, but-" Taylor starts to reply before a notification sound comes from her phone and she haltingly withdraws it to examine a message. Her expression immediately lights up.

"Its Muscles! He says he'll join up if we have somewhere for him to stay!" She says blissfully. You can see why. That isn't much of a condition really. After all, you did just get a new hideout. Sort of.

Then your Master's face pales as a thought hits her.

"What?" You ask, worried.

"I have to introduce him to Trainwreck." She says with slight horror in her tone.

It's the weekend! Pick 2.

[ ] The Headquarters could use a name. And Furniture. And... divine intervention. Help.

[ ] Technically, Danny doesn't have to know you went to meet Purity.

[ ] Continue Training (Dragon Warrior currently 9/10)

[ ] Complete Training (Dragon Warrior, Cost 1 to Complete) (Pick Another Action)

[ ] Write-In

Your Master doesn't get out enough. Find time for her to socialize!

[ ] Pick someone to Socialize with after school. (Currently Available: Greg, Victoria, Trainwreck, Danny, Muscles)