Quest

by Kahlil Johnson

Uhhhh

10. Pro8

[x] Begin training a new skill or power (boundary manipulation)

[X] (Dragon Warrior) Train with your team. (Trainwreck begins his own style. Aspirant improves his personal style.)

[X] Miss Militia

[X] Request a sentimental object of Miss Militias to serve as a base, should any remain.

[X] Yes, keep her original memories.

Current Energy: 7

Current Training: Boundary Manipulation (5/10) you can all thank AcidSilver for the Omake Bonus

Sunday, January 23rd, 2011

Oathbound Headquarters, Brockton Bay

Today, apparently, is the day that your Master finally takes her first steps as a true leader.

How do you know this? Simple.

She decided to wake everyone in the base up at 6 am for Training.

She said it just like that too. 'Training'. You could hear the capital T at the beginning of the word, and the sharp glint in your Master's eyes as she rousted you from atop her only got more fearsome when she woke Aspirant and Trainwreck. You notice that she doesn't bother to wake Danny up. Of your previous emulations, one felt disdain for the man, and one felt respect. This current emulation felt nearly nothing at all towards him, save for a vague sense of importance towards your Master. Still, you can't help but feel a spike of resentment as he continues to snore away in his office, even while the tiny sleeping bag you share with your Master begins to slowly lose its warmth.

"Hey Boss, I love yah, and I know you learned to suplex god or whatever from a Panda - but I'm a Tinker. I don't need any of this crap." Trainwreck complains even as your Master pokes and prods him until he is in something approximating a martial arts stance.

"To be fair, I have Superstrength and I'm only barely scratching the surface of what I can achieve." Aspirant counters, having returned to his long limbed, lightly armoured form in order to run through a number of Kata that you... absolutely don't recognize anymore. You tried. You really did. But information doesn't carry between your Emulations very well. Although some personality traits do, which is probably the only reason you find being awoken at such an hour to watch other people practice Kung Fu tolerable.

"Yeah, but you got like, muscles and shit. I'm basically made of pudding under this thing." Trainwreck complains again, tapping his metal chest and eliciting a tsking sound of annoyance from your Master as she pushes his arms back into position.

"...Pudding..." Aspirant muses aloud, his eyes unfocusing for a second as though he has just obtained enlightenment. Then the lunatic blurs forward in a blinding flurry of blows with his two elongated limbs, his body shifting in size as he moves. It's hard to see properly but at a glance it kind of looks like he's shifting all of his mass forward and into his fists whenever he strikes, then moving it back on the return, allowing momentum to move him about. When his legs kick outward, spikes of ivory jut briefly from beneath his armour, only to retract before you can fully see them. He begins to morph and change so fast that by the time his rushing attack has taken him to the far wall, he looks more like a shoggoth than a person - a disjointed combination of limbs, teeth, fangs and claws that is nearly impossible to keep track of.

You stare blankly at the boy. Now, not for nothing, but Shards usually come with built-in instruction manuals. Mostly because giving a host the ability to survive at any temperature isn't worth much if they avoid that temperature out of habit. Survival instincts and all that. From what you've seen, most Parahumans are content with those instructions. It's the rare - call it, upper ten percent of them, that ever go beyond that, and truly innovate in any appreciable way.

Usually, that innovation comes as a result of 'not wanting to die'. Pretty much all Shard methodology is based around it. Off the top of your head, the number of hosts who can innovate so rapidly and to such a degree without the threat of death hanging over them is... nearly non-existent.

"The fuck?" Trainwreck blurts out, roughly - but crudely - voicing your own thoughts.

"He reached a new level of enlightenment. That's normal. Put your arms back or so help me Trainwreck." Your Master explains, slapping Trainwrecks hands roughly back into place.

'That's normal'. No, it absolutely is not, and if it is, then what the hell has your species been doing this whole time?

"I keep telling you there ain't a point!" Trainwreck answers in frustration. Your Master peers at him for a second, and her 'I'm thinking' face settles into place for a second before she returns to what you guess you'll be calling 'Training Taylor' from now on.

"Tell you what Wreck. Try what I showed you on me, and if you aren't noticeably better then I'll let you go back to sleep." She says after a second, backing away from the metal man and taking a neutral stance a bit away from him.

"Boss, I ain't gonna hit-" He opens with a snort but your Master speaks over him.

"Quit being a bitch and hit me Wreck." She says in exasperation. Every head in the room turns towards her, with Aspirant going so far as to return to a mostly human form so that his gaping will be obvious. Your Master shrugs at the attention, blushing slightly.

"Well, he is." She defends petulantly.

"Eh, fuck it. One sec." Trainwreck says, fishing around in his armour for a second and then withdrawing a small bill that he throws towards Jamie.

"...Okay seriously, no more gambling on me." Taylor says in annoyance.

"Let's not ask for any miracles here Boss." Trainwreck snickers at her before lazily falling into a (poor) version of the stance your Master showed him. Then, he charges, sprinting at her using the strange footwork your Master showed him only minutes earlier.

Now, it's worth noting that - according to your Master anyway - everyone has a 'perfect' style that brings out the most in them. A way of fighting, of attacking and defending, that is perfect for them in every way. For most people, that method of combat is entirely original, with only the slightest basis in a pre-established style. For others, slight tweaks to pre-existing fighting styles are all they need to shine.

Trainwreck apparently benefited from a modified practical version of what your Master says is 'Pro Wrestling'. Now, your Emulation? It's old. Ancient really. And so, when the word 'Wrestling' is used, you are brought to mind of places like Ancient Greece, and the Coliseum.

This is why, when Trainwreck crashes into your Master with his shoulder, using his forearm to catch her at the waist and flip her upside down, and then uses both hands to functionally throw her at the ground while he tramples over her, you are two things.

Surprised, because what the actual hell was that?

And angry, because what the actual hell was that?

"...Ow." Your Master groans, rolling over blinking up at the ceiling.

"Christ Boss, why the fuck didn't you block?" Trainwreck says, gobsmacked as he grinds to a halt and turns around worriedly.

"Because I still have mass Wreck. I'm lighter than you. That's a fact of life. Without leverage, it would be literally impossible for me to stop you. You weigh more than me - so even if I could stop your attack I'd just be pushed backward." She explains with another groan, rising and dusting herself off, seemingly only slightly injured by the attack.

"Still!" Trainwreck yells.

"That's why I told you how to move your feet. You're like a Train. Just keeping moving forward and grappling anything that gets in your way. You shouldn't be fighting anything heavier than you anyway, and it's not like we planned on you getting into a fistfight with an Endbringer." Taylor continues to explain as you glide around to make sure she's really okay, shooting Trainwreck a withering glare as you do so.

"...What was that attack called exactly? It... sort of looked like Ox Style..." Aspirant calls out hesitantly, scrunching his eyebrows together in thought.

"Huh? Oh. Kung Fu. Right. I modified a Jackknife Powerbomb. Saw it on TV once." Taylor says cheekily.

You make a strangled choking noise that is halfway between laughter and a scream.

You aren't sure which one you would prefer it to be.

"It wasn't that bad." Your Master complains as you continue to huff and turn away from her. It has been a few hours since she decided that letting her Teammates treat her like a crash test dummy was the best way to make a point. You weren't exactly pleased with the concept, which is why now that your Master has requested some of her own training, you are being somewhat petty.

"You allowed that two-ton ignoramus to Jackboot-" You start.

"Jackknife." Your Master corrects you.

"Jackknife whatever it was, you." You say with a mild glare. "And I am most displeased by it."

Your Master raises an eyebrow at you, and you sniff lightly, turning away again.

"Can I make it up to you?" Your Master finally says with a put upon sigh. You consider the offer.

For all of half a second.

"I want a bed. A big one that you, I, and Mini-Taylor can fit it." You say haughtily.

"...You hate Nemesis." Taylor says, squinting at you.

"Yes, she is a two-bit copy of yours truly, and I don't think there's room in your life for two sentient energy beings. But she is very cute when she isn't speaking." You explain. You doubted the distaste would last. You're sure your next Emulation will positively lovely the little gremlin. You're mutable like that.

"Uhuh... sure. Whenever I can afford any of that I'll get right on it." Your Master says in amusement.

"Hmm. Fine. What do you want to learn now?" You ask, even though you already know. Your Master immediately jumps on the statement, her eyes sparkling like a child with a new toy.

"Portals please." She says immediately. If she had a tail it would be wagging behind her. You can't even tell if she cares about the power or just enjoys training.

Probably both.

"Hah... fine. Imagine an atom." You say, holding your forefinger and thumb together to indicate an impossibly small object. Your Master nods along expectantly at you.

"Now imagine another atom. Both atoms are touching. Now, you can continue training when you can conceive of the space between those atoms." You say with a slightly sadistic smile. Your Master blinks at you, then raises a finger in protest.

"You just said the atoms are touching. There is no space between them." She posits.

"And yet, you're wrong. Hup hup. Get to it. The space between spaces isn't so easy to describe as you think it is now is it?" You say with a yawn, drifting up and towards your Master's sleeping bag.

"Where are you going?" She asks you, walking behind you.

"To lay down while you contemplate the fundamental composition of the universe dear." You explain airily.

"...of course you are," Taylor says with a sigh, although you notice that she does dutifully unfocus her eyes and start trying to conceive of what you are trying to explain to her. You don't make 'Portals'. You make 'Gaps'. They are fundamentally different things. A Portal is the bridging of two physical locations. A Gap, is the hidden space between all things. A sort of un-realm, full of negative space.

And until your Master can comprehend that, she won't be making much progress on her new power.

Now, if you are very lucky, this will keep her occupied until her meeting at the PRT later today. You really are looking forward to the dumbfounded look on the Director's face. Assuming she doesn't just have a heart attack and die on the spot.

Although if you act fast enough as her soul escapes her body...

A/N: Just a short one today folks. The meat of the matter will be either tomorrow or the day after - since I tend to skip updating on Fridays, and my work schedule is getting flipped again more or less at random, so I'm going to be adjusting to new sleeping hours and be very tired for all of next week.

Interestingly, I'm pretty sure Dragon Warrior applies to all fighting styles. Po just came from a Kung Fu world so everything was Kung Fu to him. Taylor has daytime television and all the absurd, made up, bullshit fighting styles that brings, which Po has demonstrated the Dragon Warrior can use regardless of how made up they are.

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Bowler Hat Guy

Jul 31, 2020

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Bowler Hat Guy

Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Aug 3, 2020

#11,778

[X] Miss Militia

[X] Request a sentimental object of Miss Militias to serve as a base, should any remain.

[X] Yes, keep her original memories.

Current Energy: 7

Current Training: Boundary Manipulation (5/10)

Sunday, January 23rd, 2011

PRT Headquarters, Brockton Bay

Once more, you and your Master find yourselves inside of the Director's office in the Protectorate Headquarters. Your Master seems nervous, ironically not because of her hitherto unheard-of ability to resurrect the dead, but rather, because she is speaking to Director Piggot, who seems less than impressed with the situation.

Honestly, you think it's kind of strange that 'raising the dead' has never been done by another Shard. And you do mean never. The closest two comparisons your Master was able to find on the internet were the Butcher - a Parahuman who possessed whoever killed them, eventually driving them insane and passing their powers and patchwork personality on - and Galstig Uaine. And even they had significant limitations that precluded describing what they could achieve as true resurrection.

You probably wouldn't have ever tried it, because unlike your fellows, you are now fairly cognizant of the existence of the soul, which you lack the tools to manipulate casually. Your fellows, however, would merely see the process as 'copying the mind of host and putting it in a new body'. Cloning basically.

"Hebert, it's been two days. I'd like it if I could finish my tenure here as peacefully as possible. God knows whoever comes next is going to be dealing with a mess." Piggot says tiredly. Her face is slightly gaunt, and her eyes bloodshot. Despite the improvement in her skin tone, you find yourself hard-pressed to describe her health as 'improved' although you suppose her life is no longer in immediate danger.

"You called me." Your Master points out in a clipped tone. Despite not being openly antagonistic to the PRT or the Director, she is far from a fan of the organization presently, for a number of reasons.

"I called you because you intimated to my Wards that you were going to desecrate the corpse of one of my people to make yourself feel better!" Piggot yells at your Master, going from fairly mild to incensed in a heartbeat.

"Who said anything about touching her corpse?" You say politely, appearing behind your Master - just between her and one of the recessed turrets in the ceiling of the room. Idly, you wonder how much it must cost to put those things literally everywhere. Probably a lot.

"I would't- I'm just trying to help! They were yours! Why wouldn't you want me to bring them back!?" Your Master scowls back at the woman.

"So when you describe 'doing something' about their current state of being, you do not in fact mean tinkering with their corpses? Because you see, I have to send a report to the Chief Director after this. So choose your next words very carefully." The Director hisses. The Heberts, it seems, have a hitherto unseen capability to rile her up that you don't think she likes if her expression is anything to go by.

"I'm not even a Tinker!" Your Master retorts, pointedly not throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation though she clearly wants to.

"And how am I to know that Miss Hebert? Despite our cooperation during the crisis, the line of communication between you and the PRT seems limited to 'whenever you feel like visiting', and your... friend, has made it abundantly clear that any other attempts to limit you will not be tolerated." The Director grinds out while you smile benignly at her.

It isn't as though you threatened her, but well, you suppose the metaphor you used might have seemed that way to someone as paranoid as Piggot.

Your Master frowns, but doesn't acknowledge the point or immediately ask you what you did, even though you are certain you will be hearing about it later.

"What do you need from me, Director? If you were going to tell me 'No' unambiguously then you would just do that." Your Master says finally, choosing to cut to the chase.

"Believe me, I'd like to, but the potential for a power like this is enough that I'm being told I cannot." The Director says, tersely.

"Then-" Your Master tries but is spoken over.

"However I am still the Director of the Protectorate East North-East, and I get the final say here. I want to know everything about this... procedure. What are the steps, what materials will you need, how long will it take." She continues brusquely.

"In addition," she continues firmly after pausing to see if your Master will try to interrupt again, "You will provide a list of all your current powers, to be updated weekly, and your projection will not, under any circumstances become invisible while in or around my building."

Hm. You can see what Piggot is doing here. Most Parahuman's, you have found, are extremely leery of fully disclosing their capabilities. More so than that, for a Parahuman like your Master who seems to acquire new powers bi-weekly, the idea of having an up to date list of her powers would be of vital importance to an organization like the PRT.

The demand is twofold though. If you had to hazard a guess, you imagine Piggot knows this and is making the demand explicitly in the hopes that your Master will refuse - ending the entire matter. After all, the Director apparently cannot outright refuse your Master, but if she simply refuses to comply with her requirements...

Your Master's eyes narrow noticeably at the Director, but she doesn't speak immediately, no doubt fully parsing the Directors play. Taylor isn't generally one for politics, backroom dealing, or any other form of subtle social interaction. In fact, it would be easiest to say that she consciously abstains from them out of pure distaste. But that is not to say that she doesn't understand or recognize those things when they are happening around her. She has a fair amount of experience with such things as a result of her once friend after all.

The Director's mistake, in your opinion, is twofold. For one, she assumes your Master is like most other Parahumans. She could have been - the potential existed within her, and you're configured to encourage that as much as any other Shard. However, luck has seen to largely stamp out the typical insecurities that Parahumans are prone to in her. Well. Luck and a sentient panda.

For another, the Director has chosen to couch her position not as 'defending her people, even in death' but as 'defending her organization'. The distinction is minor at best, but very important for your Master - because it allows her to think of herself not as working against Miss Militia and Dauntless to get what she wants, but rather, as being intrinsically advocating for both of those fallen heroes. Again, the distinction is minor, but important, primarily because Taylor Hebert is the type of Hero who does her best for others, more so than for herself.

A fact that the Director seems surprised by when she growls and swipes a notepad off the Directors desk.

"I need a pen," Taylor says bluntly, holding a hand out, palm up. "For your list?" Your Master growls insistently when the Director doesn't immediately profer her one from the cup of them nearest to her. Slowly, the Director offers your Master a pen.

'You're going to explain everything you can do in the most specific and esoteric terms you possibly can aren't you.' You note after spending a few seconds watching your Master write.

'My mother was an English Teacher. How does 'Improve personal durability via the reinforcement of the soul in the hierarchy of priority between the physical and the metaphysical' sound?' She asks you with a slightly piqued tone.

'...Like you said your Soul's strength is more important than your Bodies, but with more words and less of an explanation.' You admit with some amusement.

Needless to say, your Master spends the next thirty minutes in the Directors's office. The woman herself is far from pleased by this, and is even less so when another of her appointments has to be cancelled over it.

The look of annoyance she sends you when your Master finally hands over her list and begins to explain what she will need for the ritual is highly gratifying.

"I fail to see why you need all of this," Armsmaster says, frowning slightly. To describe the man as non-plussed by your Master's current undertaking would be something of an understatement.

"I need the Flag because it's the only thing in her personal effects you can guarantee me she actually cared about." Your Master explains slowly, as though telling a child why water was wet.

"I am not in the habit of monitoring the contents of my coworker's rooms, nor their personal attachments to their possessions - not that Miss Militia had many of those in the first place. Regardless, I understand why you think you require the flag. I meant the rest." Armsmaster states flatly. You'll give the guy this. 'Extremely Agitated' Armsmaster and 'Today is Tuesday' Armsmaster are basically the exact same. He isn't being any more or less annoying than he usually is, presumably because he sees the entire endeavour as an awkward waste of time that he is being ordered to comply with.

Piggot, in her infinite wisdom, had decided that this first 'procedure' as she called it, would be a proof of concept. No one else would be present for the ritual save Armsmaster, who would record and observe for future reference. Apparently she wanted the entire thing as contained as possible, so that if it worked without issue - something she and Armsmaster were highly doubtful of - it could be explained properly, and if it failed, they could cover the entire thing up and forget about it.

"Oh. It's a ritual. The ropes are to block off the central area and prevent outside interference. The paper is to make warding talismans so I can isolate and purify the ritual site ahead of time. The metal stands are because I don't think you want me driving wooden stakes into your steel floor." Your Master says cheerily. You think she is deriving a certain degree of joy from perplexing the man. Since her tense conversation with Piggot, she appears to have just accepted the overtly magical nature of her powers and seems to be flaunting that fact whenever possible.

In her own words, the Director annoyed her enough that she decided to go 'Full Myrrdin', whatever that was.

"... I see." Armsmaster replies mechanically, as he places the last of the steel stands around the room. The stands look like they once would have held floodlights that have seen been removed, leaving only the metal post behind, and you take some minor comfort in knowing that Armsmaster himself probably had to make that modification.

Once he is done, he assists your Master in tying the rope to each post, creating a circular area in the center of an empty Tinker workshop the PRT ostensibly uses for power testing purposes.

Once that is done, he steps back, and waits while your Master goes about the arduous process of inscribing the dozens of talismans she will need. One to call Miss Militia's soul from across the bay. One to tell it what to do when it gets here. Several for each post, to clear any ambient spirits from the central area and prevent any more from attempting to enter. A few to contain the power your Master will be using, mostly so that she doesn't accidentally affect someone else in the room with her.

The list goes on, each preparation requiring perfect placement and execution - something you spend a significant amount of your time coaching Taylor on. It's good she had the chance to do this before you 'left'. You're certain it would have much more difficult and prone to failure if you weren't here to make sure she did everything correctly the first time.

"Are there any side effects?" Armsmaster asks once your Master has finished, stepping over the Warded area and activating the wards, which hum to life with a soft blue glow as they feed on her vast well of power. You imagine the ominous glowing might have convinced Armsmaster that something might happen at least.

"She might not have any powers when she comes back. Death makes keeping them somewhat difficult." You explain. This, apparently, is exactly what Armsmaster wants to hear, as he begins to fiddle with a keyboard in his wrist in order to make notes, his posture relaxing slightly.

Honestly. You will never understand humans. Only by introducing an obvious demerit do they seem content, with things that are seen as 'too good to be true' viewed with an unhealthy amount of suspicion.

Well, he is correct though. It isn't as though you were going to tell him that the resultant Shikigami would be beholden to your Master's wishes and whims. Not that Taylor would do that, but still.

'Ready?' You ask your Master, who nods and begins to lift the handful of Talismans in her hands into the air in a tight circle around the American Flag you had procured from Miss Militia's room in the PRT Headquarters. Each Talisman remains hanging in the air as she removes her hand, and they begin to spark and pop when she is finished.

All that is left is to power the thing.

'Now, be careful. Too little and she'll be basically useless. Too much and things might get... odd.' You caution her as she begins to slowly fill the sealed off area with power, her spider-like aura flaring behind her as she begins to convert her Spiritual Power to a more palatable energy formant.

'Define weird. And why didn't you tell me before this?' Taylor asks you frantically.

'It wasn't relevant. Most people couldn't possibly put enough power into one of these to achieve any noticeable difference in effect. You're just a walking nuclear reactor of power dear. So just the right amount and she should come back as a normal Shikigami. Too much and she could be anything. A Youkai, a Fairy, or something else entirely. Exciting no?' You explain.

'Aren't Youkai basically Japanese Demons?' Your Master asks you incredulously.

'That's just bad PR dear. Please focus.' You say pleasantly. You decide not to mention the fact that most Youkai - yourself included actually - are essentially Fobophages, eating fear to gain power and sustenance.

Also, human flesh, which you also don't mention.

Your Master - despite her obvious sudden misgivings - powers through the ritual, her aura burning bright and brighter until the entire area looks as though it is on fire, obscuring what is inside it.

It would be the simplest thing in the world to twist some of it so that what results will have an unnatural loyalty to your Master.

[ ] Perfect. Now you won't have to worry as much about the PRT when you're gone. (Miss Militia views Taylor Hebert as being innately correct in most situations. The PRT will frown upon this.) (Synergy 2)

[ ] Best not to. This society has sort of a 'thing' about mind control. (Miss Militia is free to maintain her own beliefs, but will still be forced to follow orders from Taylor. The PRT might not notice this, and will request further cooperation.)

While you're at it, the amount of power your Master has used is already far in excess of what is necessary. You could fix it but should you?

[ ] Low Powered Shikigami. (Miss Militia is effectively Human baseline.)

[ ] Medium Powered Shikigami. (Miss Militia returns as a proper Shikigami, with an appropriate array of powers closely resembling her old ones.)

[ ] High Powered Shikigami. (???)

When the light finally dims, it is to reveal your Master standing in the center of the area next to a confused looking brown-haired woman who is blinking rapidly and twisting her head around as she tries to gain her bearings.

She is also, quite naked.

Armsmaster hits a button on his armour, and all hell promptly breaks loose.

A/N: Well here you go. Final chance to be subtle or ridiculous about the entire thing. You'll note that this Synergy Option is kind of dickish.

That's because Yukari is kind of a dick, and what a normal person would consider 'helping' and what Yukari actually cares about are noticeably different.

I haven't slept in like, two days because they changed my schedule at work, so while I will still post every day like usual, the timing will probably be different than normal. Again. Also, forgive any spelling or grammar mistakes. English hard when brain no work.

I've been considering starting a Discord server for the quest but have my doubts anyone would use it. What do you guys think? Might make for a better place to debate some of the more esoteric or unrelated stuff for the quest, like the Scientific Theory thing from earlier - which is relevant, kind of, but not right now, and liable to get the thread locked. Thoughts?

Last edited: Aug 3, 2020

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Bowler Hat Guy

Aug 3, 2020

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Threadmarks Bronze Age 7.5

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Bowler Hat Guy

Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Aug 4, 2020

#12,054

Spoiler: Choices:

Current Energy: 7

Current Training: Boundary Manipulation (5/10)

Sunday, January 23rd, 2011

PRT Headquarters, Brockton Bay

The room goes from being fairly bland to be full of blaring alarms in the space of a single second. Huge metal shutters slam into place blocking the doors, and the lights change from their normal white hue to a distressing red that you find highly distracting. Armsmaster ignores most of this, instead choosing to slap a series of commands out on his wrist while half sprinting across the room to stand nearest to Miss Militia.

Your Master is fairly unimpressed by the entire thing, in addition to looking drained and tired in a way that is highly uncommon for her, but doesn't otherwise seem particularly bothered by the other Hero's sudden charge.

Miss Militia reacts in a way you find much more appropriate. That being, stepping back and lifting her two empty hands into the air to grasp at an object that isn't there, and attempting to point said non-existent object at Armsmaster. You suspect this is more of a reflex than any actual hostility towards the man. You can't imagine being suddenly (kind of) alive again is particularly easy to orient around.

"Nexus. I need to ask you to step away from her temporarily." Armsmaster says firmly, even as Miss Militia seems to note the lack of anything in her hands and begins to panic, hyperventilating audibly as her hands fall loosely at her sides.

"Where exactly?" Your Master says in annoyance, gesturing to the fully sealed room, although she does comply and take a few steps away from the newly resurrected cape.

"Master/Stranger Protocol. No one can leave this room until I am finished my examination. Please stand over there." He says with much more force than you think is strictly necessary, pointing to the far side of the workshop.

'You know, I used to really like him?' Taylor complains to you in exasperation.

'For reasons I have never been able to understand. And that's with three separate perspectives to work off of.' You grouse as you drift after your Master, who rolls her eyes at Armsmaster but complies with his request, the tension in her shoulders obvious.

'Relax dear. It isn't as though you did anything wrong. A perfect ritual.' You comfort her. Truthfully, while there were many political ramifications to this event, you doubted much of what resulted would put the PRT at odds with your Master. That wouldn't just be stupid - it would be suicidal. You could see it happening if your Master was at all the type of person to include unpleasant surprises in her gifts, or was more malicious in general, but since she is neither of those things, there really isn't anything obvious for the PRT to complain about.

'Really?' Your Master asks hopefully.

'No. You used entirely too much power. But that is a function of your power, not a matter of skill. We'll work on it.' You promise, then the both of you turn back to watch the goings-on in the center of the room.

"Co- Armsmaster? Where am I?" Miss Militia finally speaks, looking about frantically as though lost. Armsmaster's head jerks slightly at the nearly mistaken form of address then pauses to consider for a second before answering.

"This is Armsmaster of the Protectorate ENE on sight with the first example of Nexus proposed Ressurection power. Please state your name for the record." Armsmaster says instead of immediately answering her.

"Hannah Washington. I- I died?" The woman responds somewhere between incredulous and hysterical. "Is that why my powers-" She continues shakily but is spoken over by Armsmaster who has been grimacing since she opened her mouth. You imagine that would be because the woman just gave her actual name while your Master is in the room, foolish as that concern might be in the face of everything else.

"Subject appears to be shaken and confused. Hannah, can you remember anything?" Armsmaster says in a clinical tone before shifting to something you might almost describe as warm and comforting if it was watered down and used very sparingly at least.

"We were on the Rig, preparing Lung and Oni Lee for transport. There was a light and - is anyone else?" She begins, cutting off to ask quickly, concern edging out distress on her face for a moment.

"...Miss Militia and Dauntless were caught in the blast from Purity. None of the prisoners survived." Armsmaster answer neutrally. Miss Militia takes a deep breath and frowns, clenching her fists to either side of her, one-hand opening and closing expectantly as though attempting to fiddle with an object that wasn't there.

"...I assume I'm under suspicion of not being myself. I submit myself to M/S Containment." She says with as much conviction as a woman who is obviously having a panic attack could possibly have mustered.

"Um." Your Master speaks up as the two Hero's talk. The both of them turn to stare at her as though only just remembering she exists, and she continues.

"You're still really naked you know." Your Master points out, lifting a hand to point at the woman with some embarrassment. You'd snort but you feel like your Master would reprimand you. The two Protectorate members turn back to each other, with Hannah belated looking down at herself in a nonplussed fashion as though only mildly bothered by the situation. Armsmaster doesn't even bother to acknowledge the point.

"Everything that has happened in this room is sealed and off the record. All recording equipment except for my helmet has been scrubbed of the last four hours of footage, and the Director has ordered that none of this be placed in a report." Then he pauses.

"For what it's worth - I'm glad you're back." He says when he is done rattling that off. Miss Militia relaxes imperceptibly at the acknowledgement of her personhood. Which you think is silly. Personhood is overrated. You should know, you aren't generally afforded any.

"So... my powers are gone." Miss Militia says flatly, staring into space inside the tiny cell she has been interred in.

The last three hours have been enlightening if nothing else. The PRT apparently has a fairly stringent process for determining whether or not someone has been suborned or replaced without their knowledge. A process that has been made drastically harder by the Director's insistence that no one knew the woman was even in the building until she had finished her screening - which could take days. You and your Master had only even been allowed to meet and speak with her because her new state of being was so different from her old one that not explaining any of it to her would be cruel. Piggot had been very clear on what 'M/S Containment Protocol' had to say about letting a potential Master anywhere near a potential victim. Namely, don't.

You don't know who Rebecca Costa-Brown is exactly, but since she was the only person besides Piggot and Armsmaster who was fully informed on the apparent success of the ritual, you assume you have her to thank for the teeth grinding cooperation Piggot seems to offering you, much to the woman's chagrin.

Honestly, you even sort of like Piggot, in a 'mess with her for fun' kind of way. It wasn't hard. You could spend effectively all your time doing nothing but helping her, and a few choice words each time would have her fully convinced you were effectively the devil himself. As far as entertainment goes, it was somewhat lacking, but it was something.

"Probably. Emmy?" Taylor asks you, obviously slightly out of her depth here. In general, she should have a rough understanding of how Shikigami function. You did teach her after all. The problem becomes, neither of you has any idea how an ex parahuman will interact with the process.

"Your current body is effectively a bundle of spiritual power that has been told to pretend it is biological in nature. The only thing holding it all together is your soul which, while I'm sure might sound alarming to you is true for pretty much all humans in a general sense. Still, my Master did expend a significant effort on you, so you should have some ability to show for it." You muse aloud, consciously censoring a lot of your Emulations usual opinions on Shikigami.

Yukari Yakumo was, to be blunt, not a nice person. Shikigami - no matter how smart or useful they were - were 'stuff' to her. She could be fond of that stuff, and even value it above other people in many cases, but to her, stuff was still stuff. And so from your current point of view, Miss Militia was effectively your Master's stuff now. Even if she would never act upon it. It made caring about her simultaneously easy and hard. On the one hand, your Master's things were important to your Master and therefore, to you. On the other, there was a reason no one had ever designed a toaster that complained when you used it.

"I'm not any stronger or faster than before. They checked. As far as anyone can tell I'm just a human." Miss Militia muses tiredly, still not actually turning towards you or your Master. Over the course of the last few hours she has gone from being extremely high strung to remarkably relaxed in a very short period of time. Melancholy, but relaxed. If you had to hazard a guess, it would be that following procedure and just doing whatever she is currently told to do is somehow a relief to the woman. You couldn't even begin to understand why without forcing her to explain, which you obviously can't do at this juncture.

"Hardly. Have you actually tried to do anything with all that power churning around inside of you?" You say in exasperation. Your Master shoots you a warning look, reminding you to be nicer to the other woman.

"I've been trying to use my power since I - since I got back. Nothing is happening." Miss Militia partially growls at you, turning to glare at you through the reinforced steel bars of her cell and then sighing as she resettles herself on the small cot she is sitting on.

"Have you tried, I dunno, something besides what your old power did?" Your Master offers politely. Taylor is a sweet girl, but the overly attentive and worried way she is seeing to Miss Militia annoys you slightly, if only because you consider it largely a waste of time. She has already accomplished everything she set out to do, so sticking around to cheer the woman up and try to explain things to her seemed pointless. You had already scored all the political brownie points you were going to get out of this event anyway.

Frowning, you consciously tone back that line of thinking, once again reminding yourself that your Master genuinely seemed to like Miss Militia, even if your current Emulation is having a hard time caring. It might be different if there was an actual problem to be solved but well, there wasn't.

"I've known how to use my powers since the day I got them. I think most Parahumans do. I... don't have that now." Miss Militia explains.

"That would be because you are no longer a Parahuman. You are a Shikigami." You say, masking your annoyance.

"You don't feel anything at all? Like, a tug on your soul or anything?" Your Master asks curiously, this being the first time she's gotten to interact with another person who's powers aren't Parahuman in nature to compare notes with.

"My... soul. So you're like Myrrdin then. Nexus, I understand that your powers and their apparent themeing might lead you to believe that your using soul magic to do things but-" Miss Militia sighs then begins chastising your Master. You resist the urge to snort. Your Master's Soul Powers and her Magic are entirely separate things after all.

"Humour me. Close your eyes, let your thoughts drift, and sort of let your mind grab hold of the first feeling that pops up." Taylor says, tapping her foot in thought.

"Why-" Miss Militia tries to protest but your Master cuts her off.

"Just try it." She says exasperatedly. Miss Militia eyes the pair of you for a few seconds, then acquiesces, closing her eyes. At first, nothing happens. Then a hazy green figure steps out of nothing next to her, it's gaze blank and unthinking. It is dressed in what appear to be army fatigues and is carrying a rifle in both hands that is pointing at the ground by its feet.

"I don't actually see the point of this." Miss Militia complains, as more figures step into place around the room, each one noticeably different from the last while sharing only the common army theme among them. Each man has a unique facial structure, and they coordinate with each other so as to form a loose perimeter around Miss Militia.

"That would be because your eyes are still closed." You say dryly, to which the woman in the cell responds by opening her eyes and freezing. A half dozen men, loaded with weapons and equipment are now standing about the room, perfectly still and unbreathing, there heads swivelling slightly as they keep watch around themselves.

Miss Militia doesn't speak at first, slowly rising to her feet and stepping towards one of them, who salutes her but otherwise remains still as she inspects his face.

"I know him. He was on the Rig with us when..." She mutters under her breath.

"I wonder how many troopers have lost their lives in this city." You muse pointedly. Miss Militia snaps her head around to stare accusingly at you as you speak, and all six men raise their weapons to point them at you.

Along with the dozen that appear in the hallway to either side of you. And several that appear in the catwalk above you.

"I'm guessing a few." Your Master states carefully, eyeing your surroundings as Miss Militia gets a hold of herself and all of the ghostly soldiers vanish.

"Well. The name is much more appropriate now don't you think?" You say pleasantly.

Of course, this is exactly when a number of alarms begin to go off, and several still living PRT troopers flood the area.

'That was the right thing to do right?' Your Master asks you as you begin to return to the Heap after several more hours of questions that were ultimately ended when Piggot's immediate superior had phoned to give her a very politely worded 'let it go'.

You honestly don't even think the woman has anything against Taylor specifically. She is just unhealthily paranoid of Capes. A paranoia that seems to scale to the perceived magnitude of that Capes power - which actually explains quite a bit about her apparent fondness for Miss Militia, who, prior to this, wouldn't have all that much more powerful than any normal person with a gun.

'From what perspective? I'm sure you're friends will be happy. The city has one of it's Hero's back. You are morally satisfied with yourself.' You reply with a shrug, lazily drifting next to your Master who is attempting to use nothing but Onmyodo to fly back to the base.

It's slow going at best.

'I don't know anymore. They wouldn't let me see the Wards while I was there, and I'm pretty sure Piggot would hate me if I killed all three Endbringers and had their heads hung in her office. I guess I feel like they should be celebrating more? Instead, it kind of feels like I did a bad thing.' Your Master says slowly, explaining her thoughts on the matter, likely while dissecting them herself.

'Give it a few days dear. They'll either get over it or they won't. They can't just keep her hidden in their basement forever.' You say soothingly.

'Hmm. I probably shouldn't do that too often anyway. Bringing people back I mean. I'm still kind of drained from it.' She responds while shakily trying to smooth out her ponderous flight.

'Look at it this way. Once you bring back Dauntless, you've won. Everyone you actually know that was hurt by the Empire will be back and the Empire will be gone.' You congratulate.

'...Emmy?' Taylor says suddenly, apparently having just thought of something.

'Hmm?' You respond.

'Did we ever turn in those guys you trapped in your Gaps?' She asks you in a tone that says she knows you didn't but kind of doesn't want to actually hear the answer.

'Why yes, Taylor I do think they would serve as an excellent workforce to clean your house up. What a wonderful idea.' You say in lieu of answering.

'...Emmy.' Taylor says flatly.

Damn. You were really hoping she would forget about that. Now she'll probably make you waste energy letting the idiots out of whatever eternity they've found themselves in.

Oh well. Easy come, easy go you guess.

What's on the docket for tomorrow? Choose Two (2) School starts back up next week after all. Best make the most of it.

[ ] Continue Training Boundary Manipulation (5/10)

[ ] Complete Training Boundary Manipulation (5/10) Cost 5 Energy (Choose an Extra Action)

[ ] Craft an Object (Choose a PRT Rating and Power Type) (EG; Striker 4, and a short description of the desired result.)

[ ] Go on Patrol. (Choose up to 2 people to accompany you.) (Victoria, Trainwreck, Aspirant)

[ ] Harass the PRT about your Bounty Money.

[ ] Check in with Parian, see if there's anything she needs or wants help with.

[ ] That Spitfire girl should have answered you on PHO by now. Best check-in with Aspirant.

[ ] Write-In

Spoiler: A/N:

Spoiler: A/N:

759

Bowler Hat Guy

Aug 4, 2020

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Threadmarks Bronze Age 7.6

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Bowler Hat Guy

Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Aug 5, 2020

#12,333

Spoiler: Choices:

Current Energy: 6

Current Training: Boundary Manipulation (5/10)

Monday, January 24th, 2011

The Heap, Brockton Bay

You are awoken that morning by your Master's insistence on 'training' despite not actually having any training scheduled with you. You would have assumed that - like any sane human being - she would have done a lap around the block and left it at that, but unfortunately, your first Emulation left Taylor with certain proclivities that you suspect you will resent until the day this cycle ends.

"O...oppose...Ne-Nemesis" Your Master haltingly strains to say, for the third or fourth time that morning. Sweat is pouring down her body in rivulets, and she is shaking with the effort of remaining standing. The first time she did this, she managed to maintain the transformation for roughly two minutes before the strain became too much and she was forced to stop. The second time, she managed to last for two minutes and twelve seconds. And so on and so forth. The painfully incremental increase in her uptime is apparently tolerable to your Master, a fact which boggles your mind even now.

Is... whatever the hell her sword is doing... useful? Yes. Certainly. And you are doing everything in your power to trying and analyze what is happening for later reference. But really, does she honestly need the slight improvement? It isn't as though she won't continue to acquire powers from you with time. Most Parahumans didn't even have the ability to improve over time. They got what they got and had to innovate with it or die.

Also, seeing your Master spend over two hours on what amounts to soul pushups is deeply distressing for you, given that you have no idea mechanically if souls can be... strained? Is that the correct word? Whatever.

"Don't you think we should move on with the day dear?" You say sanguinely as your Master blurs through a number of sword strikes with her new khopesh, her left hand occasionally striking out independent of her right to unleash harmless blast of blue-ish light. The movements of the free hand are sloppy and unrefined, however. Taylor is accustomed to using both hands to wield her sword, and as such, the addition of her Onmyoudo skills and a change in weapon has somewhat stunted her skills while her sword is 'released' as she puts it. You suspect that she would have no problems were she to focus solely on her swordsmanship - but trying to incorporate her other skills into her style has proved slow going, even with the prodigal skill she has acquired from your previous Emulation.

"Just... one... more..." Your Master hisses through her teeth, her breathing haggard and struggling.

"Master, you've sweat so much I can just about see through your shirt. Is that something you want Trainwreck to wake up to, or would you prefer to find a place to shower?" You point out sweetly. You also make a mental note to thank Trainwreck for being such a lecher. He makes an excellent deterrent in situations like this.

Then you erase that mental note because you refuse to thank Trainwreck for anything.

"...Fine." Your Master answers once your words penetrate her tired mind.

Monday, January 24th, 2011

Downtown, Brockton Bay

Forty minutes and a shower later, you find yourself invisibly following your Master through the streets of downtown. She is dressed in what you would loosely describe as her 'nice' clothes, if 'jeans and a black hoodie' can qualify as 'nice'. Honestly, the fact that your Master more or less lives her life in sweats has to be one of the greatest tragedies you have ever come across.

'What exactly are we doing today?' You ask your Master out of curiosity.

'Going to see Parian. She's part of the team but we haven't really spoken since... you know. So I thought we could check in on her.' Your Master explains easily, pausing occasionally to allow the streetlight before her to change, despite being able to leap the entire intersection casually.

You gather that she is attempting to go 'incognito', since she is pretending to be normal right now. You can't help but find the way that a number of passersby are staring at her regardless deeply amusing.

You pause for a second to reassess that thought and your surroundings, noting that most of said passersby are young men.

Okay so... maybe these people don't recognize her. It isn't as though your Master walks about with an identifying feature so obviously out of place that no one else could replicate it.

Twenty minutes later (mundane travel is miserable and you hate it), you and your Master find yourselves in the same residential neighbourhood that she once walked Sabah through.

Then stops.

'You don't know which house is hers do you.' You tease, smile widening when your Master reddens slightly.

'Well, it's around here somewhere right? How hard can it be?' She asks you hesitantly.

'If you were to obtain a good cup of tea we could divine the location.' You suggest leadingly.

'You just want a cup of tea.' Your Master accused you as she continues to walk.

'Guilty. I could search the homes nearby for you?' You suggest more seriously this time.

'Didn't I bad you from walking into other people's houses?' Taylor returns to you slyly.

'Ah, but that was a different me now wasn't it? And with that foolish hairstyle. Hideous.' You pout.

You banter pleasantly with your Master like that for a solid fifteen minutes, not once getting close to resolving your problem. You don't mind really. It's nice to to just coexist near Taylor. Soothing even. You suspect your Master must feel the same way, as she appears to be in no particular rush, and is humming a jaunty tune as she walks.

Of course, all good things must come to an end, and the two of you are eventually stopped when an exasperated Sabbah steps out of a house to your left and quickly.falls into step with your Master.

"You could have just messaged me on PHO if you wanted to find me you know." Sabah says wryly.

"I wasn't busy. I like this neighbourhood. It's quiet - but not in an 'Everyone is depressed and has no job' kind of way." Your Master says, screwing her face up in consternation.

"Most of these houses are rented out to college students. I share mine with four other people." Sabah says with a shrug.

"I guess we are near the College. How'd you know I was here anyway?" You Master asks curiously.

"You walked past my house often enough that one of my roommates asked if we should call the police," Sabah says with a giggle and another shrug then smiles impishly at your Master.

"So what do you need me for?" She says curiously.

"Me? Nothing. I just wanted to see if you needed anything or wanted to check out the Headquarters." Your Master answers, sticking her hands in her pockets.

"Oh. I guess I just assumed we would only talk if something was happening, or you needed a new costume." Sabah says blinking.

"...Oh. Sorry I just thought-" Your Master says in a small voice, slowing her gait to allow Sabah to pass her.

"No it's not- look don't be offended okay? I don't mind talking to you. You're nice. I just assumed you would be busy is all, patrolling and such. Since I don't want to fight I just thought..." Sabah says trailing off.

"The whole point is so no one has to fight though. Ignoring you when you aren't useful would just be stupid." Taylor points out shrewdly, having relaxed a bit after the other girl's explanation.

"That's true isn't it? I... wouldn't mind seeing the base I suppose?" Sabah says carefully after a second.

"Do you need to change or...?" Your Master asks.

"Probably. I'll do it when we're partway there. I don't think walking out if my home in costume is wise." Sabah says with a nod, shifting one shoulder to highlight the large back she is carrying under one arm that presumably has her costume in it.

An hour later and the two Capes have found there way back to the Heap. Sabah, Parian now, takes one look at the outside of the building and pauses, tilting her head comically, presumably because no one can see her frown behind her mask.

She does it again when your Master leads her inside, and a third time when she see's the buildings interior besides the garage.

"Taylor." The doll-like Cape says suddenly, pausing to stare hatefully at the oil-covered mess that makes up Trainwrecks side I'd the garage.

"...yes?" Your Master answers nervously, obviously somewhat worried that her team's base has disappointed the other girl.

"I've been saving up. I wanted to open a store you see, one of my own." She explains, her voice a tranquil sort of furious.

"...O...okay?" Taylor answers.

"I am going to remodel this place with that money." Parian states bluntly.

"I- I wouldn't want you to waste any-" Your Master tries to cut in, attempting to stop Parian who has already begun measuring walls.

"It isn't a waste at all. I'm part of the team am I not? So naturally, I can simply build my store into the base. Simple." She continues.

"If you tell me what you need, I can warp space to create new rooms and floors." You offer quickly, a glint in your eyes. Well, you won't be doing it, but you can draw up all the instructions your Master would need to flow to achieve the same effect.

"I don't think-" Your Master tries to cut in again.

"How much space?" Parian asks you gamely.

"Enough for you to build an entire home above your two story boutique. Would you be opposed to adding some bedrooms? Your power would make remarkable blankets." You says.

"I have concerns." Your Master states plainly.

You both ignore her.

Sometime later, you and Parian are interrupted by Trainwreck, who has been characteristically yelling disagreements across the garage at you without actually offering any alternatives to you or Parian's design choices. The large man trundles his way across the garage to where you are located, one giant metal hand scratching at his rear end - which is something you know he does just to annoy you, since he can't actually feel his armour.

"Hey, Boss? There's a kid in a gas mask outside, says you wanted to talk to her." He says, gesturing over his shoulder with a thumb.

"...In a gas mask? Is she a-" Taylor perks up to ask, having been about as attentive towards a conversation about decoration as might be expected from a girl who considers jeans the height of fashion.

"She says she ain't a Nazi." Trainwreck adds with a toothy grin, apparently having expected the question - probably because he asked it himself.

"...Alright then. Soooo, looks like I have to go do team leader things! You two have fun!" Taylor says quickly, standing and marching off towards the front door. You and Parian share a look, then silently and mutually agree to pause the conversation so you can see what your Master is doing, inadvertently condemning her to yet more of the same once she is done.

With quick easy steps, the two of you - who's clothing actually matches fairly well stylistically now that you think about it - follow after your Master just in time to see her leading a wary looking girl in a tattered looking set of thick clothes and an army surplus gas mask inside.

"That's Emmy, this is Parian, and Trainwreck is out in the garage tinkering. Aspirant is- I actually don't know where Aspirant is right now." You catch your Master explaining as she walks in, gesturing towards you and Parian in turn.

"He's likely on the roof. Meditating." You explain, waving at the newcomer, who looks to be about Taylors age if noticeably shorter. Although, most people are shorter than your Taylor. The girl waves back at you hesitantly, obviously on guard and tense.

"This is Spitfire. She-" Taylor starts in her typical, mile a minute way whenever something concerns the growth or success of her team.

"You're still recruiting, right?" Spitfire says bluntly, then flinches slightly as she realizes that she just cut your Master off.

As she should.

"Yup! Combat or Non-Combat?" Your Master asks easily, causing you to raise an eyebrow at her.

'It's a valid question!' She complains to you mentally as she notices it.

'I'm assuming the girl has fire powers. Not exactly useful for arts and crafts.' You point out.

"Is the pay better if I fight?" The girl asks hesitantly.

"The- we haven't really set up a pay structure yet. We're still waiting on the PRT to payout all our bounty money." Your Master says, now slightly nervous.

"...But we do get paid right?" Spitfire says, flicking a finger back and forth between herself and Parian.

"O-of course!" She says, then in a smaller voice "...eventually."

"Uhuh. Do I get a place to stay?" Spitfire continues. You think your Master might be slowly realizing that - outside of the promise that she will absolutely destroy anyone who crosses the people on her team - she doesn't have that much to offer. Overwhelming force is nice when you're in a hostile environment, but not very good for people that want the usual out of a job.

Like money.

"Yes, we were just discussing the new layout of the building. We'll be expanding upwards mostly I expect." You say smoothly, keeping your smile on your face and gliding - you don't typically walk unless forced to - over to your Master to stand behind her.

"Cool. I uh, I've got another interview across town in a bit but it was... nice?" Spitfire says, flinching again. For a girl who seems so remarkably straightforward and blunt, she is awfully wary of reprisal. Although you suppose that might be why she is wary of reprisal.

"Oh... sure... you can contact Aspirant on PHO if you need anything," Taylor says, now obviously trying to hide her disappointment.

"Sure." Spitfire answers and then turns to leave - having not gotten more than partway into the building.

"So, I get paid?" Parian asks with some amusement once the door has completely shut.

"Well, now you do!" Taylor says, flinging her hands into the air.

"That's nice. Student loans are no joke. Anyway, I was thinking a bay window right over there." Parian says jokingly, obviously not actually caring too much about being paid given her intentions for the building. Then she jumps right back into the conversation the two of you had left behind to see Spitfire.

You pat your Master soothingly on the back as she begins to groan.

What's on the docket for tomorrow? Choose Two (2) School starts back up next week after all. Best make the most of it.

[ ] Continue Training Boundary Manipulation (5/10)

[ ] Complete Training Boundary Manipulation (5/10) Cost 5 Energy (Choose an Extra Action)

[ ] Craft an Object (Choose a PRT Rating and Power Type) (EG; Striker 4, and a short description of the desired result.)

[ ] Go on Patrol. (Choose up to 2 people to accompany you.) (Victoria, Trainwreck, Aspirant)

[ ] Harass the PRT about your Bounty Money.

[ ] Maybe see if the PRT wants to follow up on the whole 'back from the dead' thing.

[ ] Have Taylor take some time out to fortify the Heap with Onmyoudo.

[ ] Write-In

Choose someone to spend some free time with!

[ ] Victoria

[ ] Amy

[ ] Aspirant

[ ] Trainwreck

[ ] Parian

[ ] Danny

738

Bowler Hat Guy

Aug 5, 2020

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Threadmarks Bronze Age 7.7

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Bowler Hat Guy

Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Aug 6, 2020

#12,585

Spoiler: Choices:

Current Energy: 5

Current Training: Boundary Manipulation (7/10)

Tuesday, January 25th, 2011

The Heap, Brockton Bay

You are ready this time. Prepared. Able. Using your vastly superior planning ability, to determine the perfect time to wake up. Exactly six am. It's like a switch being flipped. The clock ticks over to six, and your Master's eyes pop open, exactly as she had for the last few days of peace. You can tell from experience that she is going to get out of bed and do something obnoxious like train for a few hours while everyone else yet sleeps. You detest this. You would much prefer if she would remain in her oversized sleeping bag with you. You tried to bring this up with her a few times, and each time she has merely pointed out that she isn't actually forcing you to wake up.

She clearly doesn't seem to grasp the point you are attempting to make, which is that half the fun of sleeping is using your Master like a large pillow. The other half, of course, is the sleeping.

So, when your Master attempts to shimmy out of her sleeping bag, you wrap one arm around her head and squeeze her to your chest, halting her movement and also muffling her voice when she tries to complain.

'Come on, I have stuff to do!' She complains using your mental link - a miscalculation on your part.

In response, you merely ignore her, pretending to still be asleep.

'You know I can just rip the bag open and get out that way right?' She asks you when you fail to respond, merely tightening your grip on her.

'...But you only have one sleeping bag.' You posit triumphantly.

'So? If you're already awake then why even stop me?' She asks you with a sigh, stopping her struggle. She was never struggling very hard in the first place of course. It isn't as though you're actually strong enough to restrain her if you wanted to.

'I warned you dear. I warned you that I don't like sleeping without a pillow. That there would be consequences.' You shoot back, humming lightly.

'But if you're going back to sleep I can just get up in a couple minutes anyway! Plus, you woke yourself up just to stop me, so you're already awake!' Taylor complains.

You pause. She... kind of has a point. You will obviously have to maintain consciousness in order to hold your Master tight - which precludes the possibility of falling asleep. In fact, the entire endeavour rather feels like work, which you abhor doing for no reason. So, with a pout, you release your grip on your Master and become intangible, allowing her more space to wriggle out of your shared sleeping bag.

"You wouldn't be so quick to flee your bed if you actually had a bed." You very pointedly say while not at all pouting. You are an ancient alien being that is masquerading as another ancient alien being, both capable of unfathomable power. You don't pout.

"I dunno, I kind of like waking up like this. Makes me feel like I'm really making progress." Taylor answers easily, finally standing to stretch out the kinks in her neck. As is your usual morning routine, you glide across the room to watch the entrance to the tiny room your Master has claimed as her 'bedroom', having allowed Aspirant the use of the main employee break room for his own uses. You think it must have once been a storage room of some kind if the empty shelves are anything to go by. Regardless, it is your solemn duty to ensure that no one comes to bother your Master while she is getting dressed for the day.

Which is why you are surprised to find Danny standing at the door when you ghost through it. He looks... well he doesn't look unwell per say, but he certainly doesn't look well either. His eyes are sunken and red, and the bags under his eyes look as though they are preparing to have children of their own to join them. He's so pale you feel the need to question whether or not he has been eating or going outside, and his facial hair has become an unruly mess. Still, most of what you could generously call his depression seems to have faded away at least, even if he appears to be sleeping only one or two hours a night in an attempt to stay atop things with his daughter while maintaining his job.

"She's changing." You say easily as you appear next to him. For what it's worth, he appears to have become completely accustomed to you simply appearing next to him, barely reacting at all to your sudden presence.

"Oh. Can you let her know I've gone through that contract and sent it off?" He says with a yawn, blinking the sleep from his eyes.

You spend a second examining the man in detail. More so you can give yourself a moment to think than because you actually need to. Then you nod to yourself.

"Tell her yourself. When was the last time you slept?" You say primly.

'You should probably heal your Father.' You tell your Master simultaneously.

'Is he hurt?!' She yelps at you, and the languid sounds of her puttering about behind the door swiftly speed up.

'No dear. Just stupid.' You answer with a roll of your eyes.

"Dad?" Taylor asks as she opens the door and steps out to greet him in her workout clothes - the same grey sweatpants and white t-shirt she's been rewashing in the sink and leaving out to dry every night.

"Hey, kiddo. I just wanted to let you know I revised that contract from the Fortress Construction guy and sent it back to them by courier. I was wondering if you needed help with anything. Maybe breakfast...?" He states a touch anxiously. The poor man. You'd be lying if you were to describe him as useless. In so much as your Masters Oathbound are an organization, Danny is functionally the only support staff you have available to you. The building you are in is technically his, and the water and electricity only really work because of the time he spent repairing things and phoning the relevant city services. It's the only thing he can do really. Taylor is all he has left, and while you're sure he's happy that she is functionally unkillable, the lingering sensation of being a potbellied balding man that does paperwork while your daughter learns to fight crime must certainly be getting to him. Hence, overworking himself.

"Sure. I was going to exercise but I can do that later too." Taylor says, perking up. You do your best not to smile as you fade into the background. Several weeks ago, the idea of spending any extended period of time near her Father would have likely given your Master an ulcer. Now, she was just happy he was there.

Although you suppose slaying a dragon for the man helped a tad with her priorities.

"Great. I'll start the car." Danny says with a smile.

"I get it!" Your Master blurts out suddenly, causing the diners on either side of the booth she is in with her father to jolt slightly and then grumble irately before returning to their own breakfasts. The diner you are in is small, and fairly close to Danny's office in the docks, bearing dingy windows that appear to have gone without washing in decades and a seventies aesthetic that hasn't aged well. You would have brought your obvious distaste for the place up, but Danny was quick to note that he came here frequently with his late wife, and Taylor was instantly besotted.

You don't resent the fact that you will likely find yourself here frequently from now on at all. Not one bit.

"Huh?" Danny grunts from across the table where he was happily watching his daughter eat three people's worth of food and sipping on a coffee.

"The space that isn't space! I get it!" She says, her hand reaching out to lift a butter knife and pointing it at her omelette of all things.

"I don't-" Danny starts when you drop into the seat next to him - pointedly hovering an inch off the actual upholstery, which is filthy.

"It's a magic thing Daniel. Just let her speak." You explain with a pat on his arm. A number of patrons note your sudden appearance, and make the connection between you and the unassuming father and daughter at the table you are sitting at. Phones begin to come out.

"It's like the space between the eggs and the cheese. There isn't any, because they're touching, but space must exist, because they havent bled together into a single cheese-egg substance. It's the 'space' that stops the universe from being soup!" Taylor declares proudly.

Then she pales.

"Oh god, you're teaching me how to manipulate the force that stops the universe from being soup." She mumbles under her breath.

"Very good. More than very good actually. I wouldn't have expected you to figure it out for some time." You say proudly, reaching across the table to ruffle her hair and snickering slightly when she swats your hand away.

"Should I be worried?" Danny asks, one eyebrow raised while he sips at his coffee.

"Yes""No." You and your Master say simultaneously, then look at each other. Your Master raises an eyebrow at you. Her father turns his already upturned eyebrow in your direction. The Heberts have very flexible facial muscles.

"Do you want to stop learning?" You ask in a saccharine tone, already knowing the answer.

"Nope." Your Master answers with a shrug.

"So... soup?" Danny asks for clarification.

He doesn't understand the answer any better than your Master did when you first tried explaining to her, which is probably for the best.

Tuesday, January 25th, 2011

PRT Headquarters, Brockton Bay

Your Master - after leaving a tired Danny behind at her home to begin the arduous process of cleaning the buildings exterior - decides to check in at the PRT. As might be expected, given her recent activities, they do not make her wait in the reception area for very long. In fact, if the Director's expression as your Master walks into her office for the third time is anything to go by, you suspect you could show up just about any time and find yourself with an audience.

How wise of them.

"What is it today Hebert? Kill Scion? Tamed Behemoth?" Piggot says with a scowl as she sees the two of you.

"Would you like us too?" You ask sweetly, your smile becoming just a bit wider than is generally considered 'friendly'.

"No. I'd probably have to do the paperwork. What do you want." Piggot says bluntly.

"Shouldn't you be more... I don't know... professional?" Taylor asks curiously as she takes a seat, seemingly more perplexed by Piggot's attitude than she is unhappy with the woman.

"Does it matter?" Piggot says again.

"...Sort of?" Taylor says, lifting an eyebrow in question. The Director narrows her eyes and examines your Master for a second before snorting.

"Thinker support says you prefer open distaste to fake friendship." She says perfunctorily.

"You had a Thinker waste time trying to figure out how to talk to me? And their advice was 'be yourself'?" Your Master asks incredulously, obviously suppressing some mirth.

"No. We had a group of Thinkers do it, and that was only after we had them confirm that Miss Militia is indeed the woman we currently have under lock and key in the basement. Now, what do you want?" The Director says again.

"Well as long as we're being blunt..." Your Master mutters under her breath, then louder; "I wanted to know why you keep stonewalling my bounty money."

"You misunderstand. What do you want for your... services... with Miss Militia." Piggot says obviously trying to muster the energy to intensify her scowl and failing.

"And what are you talking about? I cleared your Bounty the day you brought each Villain in." Piggot says, tapping away at her computer.

"Then why does the woman downstairs keep telling my Dad off when he comes to collect? It's been weeks." Your Master says, frowning. Piggot's scowl morphs into a frown, and she pokes about her computer for a few seconds before scowling again.

"There was an error - the request for funds never left the building. I'll pay it to you from the fund the PRT is setting up." Piggot says, her mood falling with each second she spends staring at her screen - which is a feat given her usual unpleasantness.

"A fund for what?" Your Master asks in confusion. You've already pieced together that the PRT is going to pay your Master an arm and a leg to continue bringing back their heroes. What you find amusing is that she hasn't, not because she isn't smart enough too, but because Taylor obviously never considered getting paid for doing it in the first place.

"Nexus. We lose hundreds of capes to Endbringers every year, not even including the number that fall to other S class threats like the Nine. Some of those capes have powers that are unbelievably useful. In fact, the running theory is that Endbringers specifically kill Capes that have the potential to hurt them. Once Watchdog cleared Miss Militia for us the Chief Director basically told me to get you on retainer or kill myself because that was all that was left for me if I failed. So we would like to pay you. Which brings me back to my original question. What do you want for each... ritual... and how often can you do it?" Piggot hisses at your Master. You can feel the distaste the woman has for this entire thing. Not even because she specifically has anything against your Master, so much as the unique treatment your Master gets. Truthfully, you suspect your Master could literally go on a killing spree and get away with it at this point.

Not that she would. Or that she even realizes the kind of leeway she now has. She's a sweet girl that way.

"How... I mean... I wasn't-" Your Master says, and intuiting what she is about to do, you cut her off.

"What price do you propose Director?" You say smoothly.

'Dear, if you say you'll do it for free they'll take advantage of you. Do you want to fight crime, or do you want to spend everyday in a dark room healing people?' You point out.

'...So I should... not help?' Your Master asks you incredulously.

'You'll still be helping. You'll just be discouraging people from trying to take advantage of you. Look at poor Panacea. Does she look happy?' You point out.

'No but she's kind of a bitch so-' Your Master tries to get in edgeways.

'Exactly! Because she heals all day and doesn't have a hobby!' You cut her off.

"I have been instructed to offer you nine hundred and seventy thousand dollars as a baseline, more if you are willing to be on call." Piggot says darkly. Your Master goes temporarily cross eyed at the amount.

'I can't accept that! That's... that's like a million dollars!' Taylor panic screams at you, distress emanating from her in waves.

'Let me negotiate dear.' You say easily, standing and floating to your Master, then placing both hands on her shoulders and gently kneading them.

"I suspect we would prefer not to be called in the middle of the night Director. Perhaps if you were to offer something more?" You say pleasantly, shushing your Master when she tries to speak.

"I'll have to speak to the Chief Director to go above that-" Piggot says dismissively, obviously assuming you want more money. You wouldn't mind that, but well. You also don't think you'll need it either.

"Oh, I don't know about that. Surely you can think of other things to offer? I hear Panacea has some free time recently." You prod.

"...I'll consider it." Piggot says through gritted teeth.

"I'm sure we wouldn't mind reducing the price in exchange?" You offer, and even though your Master likely has no idea what you are pushing Piggot to do, she nods frantically as you describe reducing the cost even if only fractionally.

"...I'll consider it." Piggot says again, turning the full force of her glare on you.

"That's all I can ask. Don't forget our bounty Director. We have mouths to feed after all." You say easily, nudging your Master to stand and leave before the Director can say something she'll regret.

On the way home, you explain your reasoning to your Master. Though you make sure to couch it as forcing the woman to get some medical help and to get over herself, rather than as a way to both be owed a favour and force someone you find amusing to interact with one of their greatest fears.

What? You've been bored.

What's on the docket for tomorrow? Choose Two (2) School starts back up next week after all. Best make the most of it.

[ ] Continue Training Boundary Manipulation (7/10)

[ ] Complete Training Boundary Manipulation (7/10) Cost 3 Energy (Choose an Extra Action)

[ ] Craft an Object (Emmy) (Choose a PRT Rating and Power Type) (EG; Striker 4, and a short description of the desired result.)

[ ] Craft an Object (Taylor) (Choose a Power or Ability Taylor possesses to make a Spellcard)

[ ] Go on Patrol. (Choose up to 2 people to accompany you.) (Victoria, Trainwreck, Aspirant)

[ ] Have Taylor take some time out to fortify the Heap with Onmyoudo.

[ ] You should figure out who some of the people moving into your neighbourhood are. There have been a lot of moving vans on the block this week.

[ ] If the PRT has cleared Miss Militia, maybe they'll let you see her? (Special Patrol)

[ ] Write-In

Choose someone to spend some free time with!

[ ] Victoria

[ ] Amy

[ ] Aspirant

[ ] Trainwreck

[ ] Parian

[ ] Danny *

[ ] Write-In

758

Bowler Hat Guy

Aug 6, 2020

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Threadmarks Bronze Age 7.8

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Bowler Hat Guy

Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Aug 7, 2020

#12,894

Spoiler: Choices:

Current Energy: 3

Current Training: None

Boundary Manipulation (7/10) - Complete!

Spoiler: Base Status

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

The Heap, Brockton Bay

"Don't worry dear, it's going to be fine." You say playfully to your Master, who at some point in the middle of the night had an epiphany about the ineffable nature of the Gap and drew the energy required from you to complete her acquisition of the power.

"Easy for you to say. What if I make a mistake and accidentally open a hole into... into space, and all the oxygen in Earth's atmosphere gets sucked out, and then whoopsy I killed the human race!" She rants at you while pointedly not using her new power. The revelation that she was using one of the fundamental forces of reality on a conceptual level in order to do something as mundane as travel faster apparently caused her significant distress now that the power was within her grasp.

And yes, technically the scenario she just described was possible, but only if she was exceptionally bad at what she was doing. You obviously choose not to tell her that though. The panic is adorable regardless.

"Hush now. Do you want to do this or not?" You say teasingly.

"I obviously do. Just... if something goes wrong can you... I dunno, fix it?" She says desperately turning a pleading gaze on you.

"I don't know... what time is it again?" You ask rhetorically. You know what time it is. It's six thirty in the morning. An ungodly hour to be doing anything, let alone preventing your Master from accidentally killing her species.

"Emmy!" Your Master whines at you.

"Fine, fine. But only because you're so cute when you pout. Now come on, get to it." You say flippantly, waving with a hand at the empty space in front of your Master. She squints at you briefly, then sighs and turns away from you with a determined set to her face. Then, completely counter to what you would expect from your own use of the ability, she draws her sword.

"Taylor dear, what-" You begin to ask but are cut off when your Master somehow slides her sword into a seam between what is, and what isn't and rips it open with the blade, creating an appropriately sized gap that you can both feel and manipulate with your own power.

You stare at it for a moment, then turn shrewdly towards your Master who is holding her breath as though waiting for something terrible to happen.

"For what reason did you do it that way?" You ask curiously.

"It just felt easier that way?" She asks you with a sharp exhale of relief.

"To... cut causality?" You say incredulously.

"...Yes?" Taylor responds.

You actually don't know what to say to that. You suppose it's possible your Master is using powers she is more familiar with in order to cheat at powers she is less familiar with, but still, as far as you can tell there should be absolutely no synergy between her sword and the Gap.

"Where does it lead to?" You ask after a second, filing away the interaction for later study.

"Nowhere. It just goes to the freaky not-place with all the eyes. Also. Seeing out of this thing is gross." Taylor says with a frown, wrinkling her nose slightly.

"Hm. I suppose we could create another and have you practice connecting them. Then we can-" You start to instruct but stop as the sound of distant screaming reaches your ears.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Comes the banshee like wail of the caucasian man who comes flying out of your Master's first gap only to sprawl across the floor, obviously injured by his own landing and momentum.

You start trying to determine who this is when he is accompanied by two dozen more equally terrified men, several of them with torn clothes and bloody gashes or furrows where they had obviously been tearing at their skin or face with their fingers. Even as the lot of them impact the floor of the garage, they continue to scream, likely waking everyone else in the Heap up, especially Trainwreck, who sleeps in the garage and jolts awake instantly as the noise goes above a certain level.

"The fuck?!" He yells as his suit begins to emit steam and start moving.

"Oh. I remember now. These are the gentlemen who-" You pause as you sense one of your kind attempting to make a connection with one of the men, a connection opening as it asks you to provide free information for it to make use of. Typically you wouldn't interfere, but well, you're reasonably certain these are the Nazi's you flung into the infinite nothing while they were attacking the PRT. You have no interest in seeing any of them trigger.

So, thinking quickly, you seize control of your Master's Gap, and quickly place it over the man's head, destroying the connection your fellow Shard was attempting to make by the simple expedient of removing it's target from any dimension you could typically perceive.

This has the added side effect of turning the man's trigger event into what amounts to a normal seizure but well... you don't care.

"As I was saying. These are the Nazi's from the PRT building. I honestly forgot about them." You say with a shrug as you allow the spasming man to fall free of the Gap and into the pile of panting idiots who are only now beginning to regain their sense of up and down.

"...Damn. Should we...?" Trainwreck asks casually, scratching his head with a yawn.

"Yeah, we should call the PRT." Your Master says with a sigh, raising a palm to her face and rubbing at it tiredly.

"I was gonna say put em back in the thing, but yeah I guess we could do that too." Trainwreck answers with a smirk.

You say nothing, even though you concur - because it actually causes you physical pain to agree with Trainwreck. And from the way he turns his knowing gaze on you, he knows it.

"Taylor?!" "I'm here!" Danny and Aspirant shout as they burst into the room, Aspirant in his larger more muscled form and Danny with a lead pipe in hand.

"It's fine, false alarm. It's just all the Nazi's Emmy forgot about." Taylor says, the hand on her face moving to the side to knead at her temple.

"You forgot about them too." You point out with a pout.

"And yet, with only a day of having the ability to free them, I did." She deadpans at you.

"By mistake!" You fire back, offended. Quietly, you take control of the Gap your Master has left open and slip it into your clothes for later during the debate.

Waste not, want not and all that.

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

Brockton General Hospital, Brockton Bay

"Why are we doing this again?" You ask your Master.

"Because." Taylor says mulishly, eliciting a sigh from you.

You are presently on the roof of the hospital, having once again spent some odd thirty minutes to heal the majority of the patients. Apparently the Doctors here had made the obvious assumption that your Master would return at some point, and thus, had been asking the patients if they would allow Parahuman healing ahead of time.

The fact that this still benefited Panacea, allowing her to march from room to room without waiting for consent was only apparent to them after the fact.

"It isn't as though you actually need her for anything. I'm sure we could find someone who can heal themself somewhere in the multiverse!" You complain.

"It isn't about that." Taylor says with a frown.

"I just don't like leaving things like this. I still don't really get why she hates me so much." She continues.

"Because you apparently don't understand 'go away' and 'leave me alone'," Panacea says as she steps into view on the roof.

"Look can we just talk? I really want to get along with you. Vicky is like, one of my only friends besides my team who..." Taylor pauses to think for a second obviously trying to parse what she wants to say.

"Trainwreck once propositioned me for sex, and Aspirant spends hours at a time examining his blood oxygen levels like a Buddhist monk with a biology degree." You say bluntly.

"...Yeah. That. So I'd really like to get along with you okay?" Taylor says honestly.

Panacea - Amy you suppose - stares at her for a few seconds, then shrugs and withdraws a cigarette from her robes, which she then proceeds to light and smoke.

"Should you be smoking?" Taylor asks hesitantly.

"Are you going to stop me? I'm not talking to you if I can't smoke at the same time. You have until Vicky gets here to pick me up." She says bluntly.

You decide not to inform the girl that her beloved sister has already passed the duty of ferrying her home to Taylor in order to be able to spend the time with her Boyfriend.

"Okay... um," Taylor mutters then stops, obviously not sure what to say at this point. Then her eyes catch on the facade of the tallest building in the city, glinting in the mid-afternoon sun.

"It's kind of crazy that the Medhall building wasn't damaged at all during the fighting." She blurts out, obviously latching onto the first thing that she could think of saying.

"The CEO died and his wife went missing. I hear his kid inherited the whole thing. They wanted to pay me to do a tour of all the shelters." Panacea says with a shrug that says 'sometimes your whole family disappears. It happens.' with all the empathy of a starving shark.

"...How was it?" Taylor asks hesitantly.

"Didn't go. Carol thought it made more sense for me to be somewhere safe until things calmed down." Amy answers with only the slightest of scowls as she says her mothers name.

Your Master wisely chooses not to comment on, or ask about, that particular verbal tic.

"Things are calm though. All the gangs are gone basically. There's just the Undersiders and... Uber and Leet I think?" Taylor offers. Amy shoots her a scathing look and takes a long drag on her cigarette before answering.

"The Merchants have reorganized under Whirlygig - dumb name - and the ABB have broken up into two dozens mini-yakuza that try to murder each other nightly. The Empire is still around you know - they just don't have any Parahumans except... Rune I think?" Amy muses aloud, seemingly taking some subtle pressure in the downcast expression your Master takes on as she continues to list the many problems still within the city.

"...Oh," Taylor says, falling back on old habits and allowing her face to become perfectly blank as she processes all of that.

"Yeah. 'Oh'. You know Vista is pissed at you right? All the Wards are. How did the whole zombie thing go?" Amy asks bluntly, flicking her cigarette away.

Now, you aren't really all that interested in your Master's friendship with this girl, but you definitely see a chance to spit in her face with that comment.

"Why Panacea, what a good idea! I'm sure the PRT would love for you to examine Miss Militia!" You say instantly, garnering attention from your Master who perks up slightly at your voice.

"Taylor dear, if you would?" You ask her with a malicious grin on your face turned towards Amy. The girl pales slightly as she connects 'visiting a dead woman' with your Master drawing her sword, but doesn't really get the chance to say or do anything before the Gap is open and you push her through it.

"How!?" Amy screeches at you as she checks over Miss Militia, who is apparently being allowed to freely roam the PRT building if not necessarily leave it yet.

"Magic?" Taylor answers with a slight edge of smugness and mocking in her voice. The girl is a saint for her overall patience and willingness to avoid such trifling things as murder - but she isn't above getting her pound of flesh in other, less malign ways.

"Taylor, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't bring people to see me just to prove that you can... you know." Miss Militia says dryly from where she is seated upon an infirmary bed, costume once more donned, although there have been some slight changes to it - most prominently a military officer's dress uniform coat hung about her shoulders like a cloak.

"Well, they probably would have made you see Amy eventually anyway right? How have you been? Any problems?" Taylor asks kindly, all sign of maliciousness absent from her tone.

"Well, I haven't had to sleep yet, so that's about the same. My new power is taking some work though." She says her tone souring slightly.

"What's wrong with it exactly?" You ask as your Master suddenly begins to feel defensive.

"Nothing. It just tends to do things I didn't direct it to do. They're calling it a Shaker effect but mostly it's just..." Miss Militia trails off, gesturing behind you where one of her ghostly soldiers has set about systematically making all the beds in the infirmary. Her face screws up in concentration for a second, and the man disappears, leaving a half-made bed behind.

"Hey! 'Magic' Is not a real answer! What the hell is this? Half her biology is missing! There are blank spots in her DNA where there should be things holding her together! She should be a cancerous ball of flesh begging for death! Not... this!" Amy scowls, flailing her arm towards the older woman.

Miss Militia raises an eyebrow in question at the outburst but doesn't comment, probably having recently become accustomed to being an impossible existence.

"It works for Myrrdin," Taylor says with a half shrug and a renewed smirk.

"No, it doesn't! Everyone thinks he's crazy!" Amy shouts back.

"Eh. It's Magic. I don't have to explain it." Taylor says.

The noise Amy makes in response to this is extremely satisfying.

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

The Heap, Brockton Bay

When you return to The Heap, it takes your Master all of fifteen minutes to decide that she is no longer satisfied with merely taking things easy while the city devolves into chaos around her.

"Okay. We - I can do barriers, right? Let's start with those." She says decisively. You clap your hands together lightly in delight. Now that your Master could shoulder the energy costs of doing so, you could finally start fixing this dingy old place.

"Well, first we're going to need a very large stone." You say mischievously.

Then you lean in conspiratorially to your Master and whisper; "We should have the boys go find that while we plan. They need to do some bonding anyway."

As you would expect, your Master completely misses the proposed prank - which is exactly what that errand would be - and latches onto the bonding aspect of the exercise, immediately calling for and sending out Trainwreck and Aspirant to seek out a stone with your very exacting specifications and measurements. Ostensibly for Tinkering purposes.

Aspirant merely nods his assent. Trainwreck has the wisdom to flip you off before following after him.

Then you turn to your Master.

"We'll be building a keystone. You can link it to a number of connections at the perimeter of the building, and spread enchantments across the area by laying them upon the stone." You begin to explain, happy in the knowledge that your Master wouldn't be moving forward unprepared.

Choose a purpose for the first Barrier:

[ ] Friend or Foe Detection. (Hostile forces become unable to locate the building. Any malicious intent will trigger this.)

[ ] Simple Energy Barrier (A physical barrier, preventing attacks from reaching the walls of the building)

[ ] Expansion (The grounds surrounding the building swell in size, creating several lots worth of free space.)

What's on the docket for tomorrow? Choose Two (2) School starts back up next week after all. Best make the most of it.

[ ] Begin Training (Choose a Skill or Power)

[ ] Craft an Object (Emmy) (Choose a PRT Rating and Power Type) (EG; Striker 4, and a short description of the desired result.)

[ ] Craft an Object (Taylor) (Choose a Power or Ability Taylor possesses to make a Spellcard, or create a Contract Card)

[ ] Go on Patrol. (Choose up to 2 people to accompany you.) (Victoria, Trainwreck, Aspirant)

[ ] Have Taylor take some time out to fortify the Heap with Onmyoudo.

[ ] You should figure out who some of the people moving into your neighbourhood are. There have been a lot of moving vans on the block this week.

[ ] If the PRT has cleared Miss Militia, maybe they'll let you see her? (Special Patrol)

[ ] Write-In

Choose someone to spend some free time with!

[ ] Victoria

[ ] Amy *

[ ] Aspirant

[ ] Trainwreck

[ ] Parian

[ ] Danny *

[ ] Write-In

A/N: Thanks Red for pointing out all the votes to complete that had slight differences making them separate instead of counting all together. Weird but there it is. Go easy on Amy here by the way. Normal Teenagers who don't get along do in fact rib each other without actively being anywhere near as malicious as Emma, which is where most Worm fans go the second another teen starts picking on Taylor. Also, the stars are just like... an obvious progress bar. Just to help the thread track who they tend to spend time with. Don't read too much into it.

752

Bowler Hat Guy

Aug 7, 2020

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Threadmarks Bronze Age 7.9

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Bowler Hat Guy

Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Aug 10, 2020

#13,250

Spoiler: Choices:

Spoiler: Base Status

Spoiler: Base Status

Current Energy: 2

Current Training: Mastermind (5/10) everyone can thank Narasan for this Omake Bonus

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

The Heap, Brockton Bay

As is typical for any day ending in 'Y', you find yourself shaken awake by your Master's attempts to wiggle out of her sleeping bag at six am in the morning.

You make a mental note to secure an Emulation that finds such behaviour tolerable but are otherwise resigned to the behaviour.

The first thirty minutes of the morning are largely standard for your Master. She swings her sword. She unseals it. She swings it some more. It's when these thirty minutes are done that things start to get interesting. For one thing, she spends a sizeable portion of time scribbling on and discarding various pieces of cardstock. It's the first time your Master has really dedicated any of her own time to the creation of Spellcards, and you are proud of her for it.

Naturally, the art and skill required mean that she ends up discarding a majority of what she creates as inferior, leaving a small pile of half-torn or smudged playing cards next to her, and coming out the other end of the experience with only three true successes. You suspect many of your Master's 'failures' were passable enough to work just fine, but you suppose that holding herself to your personal standards might somewhat warp her view of what is good enough and what is not. You are emulating an ancient being that has functionally perfected the art after all. It is a given that your Master would absorb a few of your foibles, even if only because she has misunderstood and interprets the quality of your work as merely 'the norm' instead of 'the pinnacle'.

Ultimately, she ends up with a single contract card and two cards with instances of her healing power trapped within them.

By the time, she has finished, the morning has largely come and gone, and Trainwreck has awoken to continue working on the iron monstrosity in the center of his half of the garage that he intends to replace his current suit of armour with. Work that - at some point - he pauses in long enough to look over at your Master with a thoughtful expression on what's visible of his face before calling out to her.

"Hey, Boss!" He calls across the room to her, causing her to look up from her meagre results with a questioning look on her face.

"You can make those fuck scary portals right? How long do they last?" He asks curiously. Taylor opens her mouth to answer, and then closes it, looking to you curiously.

"Until she closes them." You answer easily. Is leaving an open hole into infinity a terrible idea? Probably. But you want to see where this is going.

"Uh, that, I guess." Taylor answers with a shrug as she starts picking up her discarded trash. Trainwreck takes that information in with a pensive look on his face that quickly turns into a devilish grin that has no place on as grimy a face as his.

"Can you make a bunch of em in some of these materials for me?" The Tinker asks with a glint in his eyes.

"...Why?" Taylor asks suspiciously, to which Trainwreck merely gestures over his shoulder with a thumb at his current project.

"That thing weighs like two tons, and is the best I can do without access to a bunch of military surplus shit I'm sure is illegal. But if I can keep ninety percent of the suits systems here in the heap-" He explains, and your Master jumps in to complete his thoughts.

"Then you could walk around in a forty ton suit like a living fortress!" She says, her eyes agleam. You blink once at this. Naturally, your kind understand the concept of using portals to reduce the outward size and weight of an object. Most Tinkertech works on such principles, with much of the underlying physics being manipulated by a shard on the other end of any given piece of technology. It's the only way to make Tinkering a viable addition to most cycles - most societies just don't have the technological understanding required to achieve anything in any viable period of time.

And yet, you aren't sure any of you have ever considered expanding that concept in the way Trainwreck and your Master have. It's such a staggeringly obvious answer that it boggles your mind. You don't need to carry around a planet's worth of equipment to power a large device if you just connect the output of the device to something handheld via portals.

You watch on in muted awe as one of the worst Tinkers you are likely to encounter inadvertently stumbles upon a workaround for his shoddy work that is likely to immediately propel his current Tinker rating into the stratosphere.

You can't decide if directly informing the PRT of this or letting them find out on their own would be more amusing to watch play out.

It is only slightly later in the day when your Master decides to check in on Aspirant, apparently having realized that she barely sees him when not torturing the boy with training - not that he ever seems to mind.

"Jamie? You up here?" She asks hesitantly as she climbs onto the roof of the Heap. It's not very far up. The building is more wide than it is tall, bearing only a single story - although the Garage portion has very high ceilings and therefore, a roof that is more commiserate with a two-story building than anything else.

"Yes." Comes the boy's simple answer from where he is sitting cross-legged at the edge of the rooftop in his lankier combat form, gazing out over the neighbourhood.

"Has everything been okay? I don't really see you much. I tried asking Dad and Wreck and they say you just spend all your time up here doing... this." Taylor says as she walks over to sit next to him.

"Not everyone has a power that grants them immediate mastery of themself," Jamie says dryly, though you can detect a subtle hint of annoyance in his tone directed towards your Master. Which is fair. Your Master can do things effortlessly that other people spend their entire lives perfecting.

Mostly because she gets her skills from those people, but still.

Trying to keep up with her in any reasonable capacity is like trying to outpace a racecar on foot - without powers. It's simply impossible from the start, no matter how good at it you happen to be.

Your Master laughs lightly at the jab, either not noticing or not minding the annoyance present in it.

"Yeah I guess I did sort of win the lottery with my powers." She muses aloud, then narrows her eyes and cocks her head towards Jamie.

"Also, you didn't answer my question. Is everything okay?" She asks as she examines the goings-on below you in the street. A man in a suit appears to be walking back and forth in front of the building, just at the edge of the Wards your Master put up the previous day. Despite the extra minute it takes to walk across the section of the sidewalk in front of the Heap, he pauses in confusion when he fully passes it, then turns and walks back the other way, finding himself staring blankly at the building Rey purchased next to your base. The man checks the number on the building, gets a frustrated look on his face, and turns around to repeat the process.

"I'm fine." The boy says quickly, almost snappishly, without bothering to uncross his legs or open his eyes.

"You're sure?" Taylor asks pointedly. "I mean, school starts again soon so-" she hints broadly.

Since realizing that Jamie was roughly the same age as her, your Master has been considering Aspirants truancy for some time. It just wasn't as immediately important as well... not dying. Now that most of the immediate threats in the area are gone however...

"I don't need to go to school. I can study for my GED. It's better that I stay here." Aspirant says flatly, hiding his facial expression by encasing his head in his helmet.

"That's... kind of illegal." Your Master points out.

"The state only requires your parents submit a lesson plan in order to qualify for homeschooling. I can-" Aspirant begins, his tone carefully lacking in emotion.

"Do your parents even know you're here?" Your Master cuts in, silencing him.

"...No." He says irately.

"...Shouldn't they?" Your Master asks again.

"I would prefer not to talk about it," Aspirant says bluntly, sliding off the edge of the building to land in a crouch before your Master can comment.

'He totally ran away from home to join the circus didn't he?' Your Master groans at you.

'Are we a circus now? I had thought that Trainwreck was something of a clown.' You answer with a chuckle.

'You know what I mean. Should I report this to the PRT? I don't want them to think I kidnapped him or something.' Your Master says worriedly.

'I recommend against it, dear. He'll talk to you about it when he's ready. He's not an idiot like Trainwreck, once his mind clears he'll realize the implications himself.' You counsel, still watching the confused businessman stumbling about the sidewalk and stifling a giggle when he startles at Aspirant's sudden appearance.

'Fine. Hey, do the women moving into the building across the street seem familiar to you?' Your Master asks you, changing topics as she waves to the small group of Asian women carefully lifting a couch out of the back of a moving van.

You peer at them curiously for a second, pawing through your memories for any hints as to their identities, before hitting upon one in particular.

'Ah. You recall the night we fought Lung and his lackwit companion? I believe you rescued a number of women from the building.' You note, scrutinizing the group of roughly seven women of varying Asian descents as they struggle with the heavy piece of furniture.

'Wow, I actually kind of forgot about that. So much else happened that night.' Your Master considers, concentrating for a second and then waving her hand towards the women, who immediately find themselves having an easier time moving the couch they are lifting - mostly because it has begun to float slightly off the ground. The women startle slightly, looking about until one of them see's your Master sitting on the roof of the Heap, then waves hesitantly at her. She waves back with an impish grin on her face.

'Yes well. I doubt they've made a return to their old line of work.' You muse. You've seen a few groups like that moving into the area immediately surrounding your Master's base. People who were previously abused or used by the gangs that have taken advantage of the mostly abandoned nature of the surroundings to take up residence in a place of perceived safety. The number of former prostitutes that have moved into the area under your Master's nose has been honestly staggering. Your Master has noticed them arriving obviously, but you doubt she has made a connection to the sudden arrival of a plethora of women and the current lack of any strong gangs in town. They aren't the only people that have moved in nearby, but they do make up the majority. You've noticed a number of other people purchase homes nearby that you suspect might be Parahumans - but without permission to spy on them within their homes, you doubt you'll be able to confirm your suspicious any time soon.

You giggle again as the businessman out in the street notices the women waving at your Master, and then turns back around to what - to him - must look like an empty lot. Or an alleyway. Or whatever else his mind could possibly supply to him in order to fill the blank that must exist in his thoughts whenever he attempts to consider the space the Heap currently exists in.

You idly wonder if he'll continue to search for the place or if he'll give up soon.

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

Hebert Household, Brockton Bay

Later that evening, you convince your Master that she needs a new set of clothes to wear - because constantly rewashing her sweats every day is somewhat foolish in the long term.

The fact that you conveniently have hidden most of her clothes in a Gap, leaving only the outfits Victoria recently foisted on her while shopping available goes unspoken, but is extremely obvious once your Master has finished digging through the dresser in her bedroom.

"I'm not wearing this." She says bluntly, pointing to the leggings, knee-length black skirt, and tasteful blue blouse that are arrayed on her bed.

"Taylor, I love you dearly - but you simply cannot exist entirely in workout clothing!" You chide.

"Dad should have some spare jeans he isn't using..." She muses aloud, ignoring you.

"Master!" You say scandalized. You don't understand why this is so difficult. Your Master is cute. You just want everyone else to acknowledge that your Master is cute. It's very simple.

"...If I cinch a belt tight enough..." She continues on, beginning to walk out of the room. In desperation, you snatch at her arm, pulling her backward.

"Chess!" You blurt out, catching a glimpse of an unused chess set in a corner of the closet. "Let's play chess. If you win, you can wear... whatever you want." You say in a pained tone just imagining your Master hiding her athletic body behind frumpy men's clothes that don't even fit her.

"I have literally no reason to accept that." Your Master points out grouchily.

"...The Chess game will double as training?" You offer hopefully. Your Master squints at you, her desire not to dress fashionably and her desire to do anything and everything that qualifies as 'training' warring within her, until one side wins out and she sighs at you.

"...Fine." She agrees eventually.

Fifteen minutes later, you are sitting across the kitchen table from your Master, with the chess set arrayed between you.

"Now then," You say with a glint in your eyes as you begin to explain the rules.

"You know how to play normal Chess I assume?" You prod your Master.

"Yes." She answers you cautiously, eyes going back and forth between the chess set and yourself suspiciously.

"Then you should understand that Chess is horrid as far as real life tactical acumen goes. It's too limited. When you know everything you need to about all the pieces, then yes, life can imitate chess to a degree - but very few people are capable of that degree of data processing. Take this Knight piece for instance," You say, flicking the black horse-shaped piece on the table in front of you.

"In normal Chess, this piece can move in the usual L pattern yes?" You say with a smirk.

"Right..." Your Master answers, obviously wondering how this is relevant.

"But people are much more complicated than that. They have different motivations, often at cross purpose with each other, and often times can't move to achieve any of them. And so this little Knight of mine, will only be able to move when his wife - this Bishop here I think - in his danger." You explain.

Your Master stares at you for a second, then begins to smile dumbly at you when she realizes that you are arbitrarily limiting yourself. She perks up more and more as you move on, listing off random contrived limitations for each of your pieces.

"Are you ready to begin?" You say once you are done, smiling slyly at your Master who is confidently smiling at the board.

"Yup!" She replies, moving a pawn forward.

You, of course, proceed to absolutely demolish her at the game, despite following all of your previously stipulated limitations. Your Master's expression strains and then begins to fall with every move you make, until she is scowling furiously at you by the end of the game, unable to come up with a reasonable criticism to make in the face of the massive handicap you provided her.

"Next time, you'll play with the same rules." You say pleasantly.

Then you put the neat little pile of clothes on the table between you with a smile.

Your Master is not best pleased.

What's on the docket for tomorrow? Choose Two (2) School starts back up next week after all. Best make the most of it.

[ ] Continue Training (Mastermind, 5/10)

[ ] Craft an Object (Taylor) (Choose a Power or Ability Taylor possesses to make a Spellcard, or create a Contract Card)

[ ] Go on Patrol. (Choose up to 2 people to accompany you.) (Victoria, Trainwreck, Aspirant)

[ ] Have Taylor take some time out to fortify the Heap with Onmyoudo.

[ ] If the PRT has cleared Miss Militia, maybe they'll let you see her? (Special Patrol)

[ ] Write-In

Choose someone to spend some free time with!

[ ] Victoria

[ ] Amy *

[ ] Aspirant *

[ ] Trainwreck

[ ] Parian

[ ] Danny *

[ ] Write-In

A/N: I swear, I remember when a slice of lifey update like this was 1k words tops. I have no idea why this keeps happening. I'm intentionally trying to keep them short and to the point too instead of slapping on as much narrative filigree as I can. Whatever. This is life now I guess. You know the deal, yadda yadda spelling, grammar, sleep deprivation.

Might be time to start figuring out how you wanna say your goodbyes as Yukari folks. It seems to be a trend so far.

767

Bowler Hat Guy

Aug 10, 2020

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Threadmarks Bronze Age 7.10

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Bowler Hat Guy

Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Aug 11, 2020

#13,392

Spoiler: Choices:

Spoiler: Base Status

Spoiler: Base Status

Current Energy: 1

Current Training: Mastermind (5/10) - Complete!

Friday, January 28th, 2011

The Heap, Brockton Bay

For once, you manage to surprise your Master by waking up before her.

"Taylor~" You croon to your Master as she awakens, causing her to freeze in place for a second as she acclimates to the unfamiliar sensation of waking up alone.

"Emmy? Don't you hate waking up this early?" She asks you warily, obviously sensing foul play. Which is fair. You don't typically play any other way when it comes to getting what you want.

"I do! But you see, I simply couldn't refrain from awakening early today. You see, I wanted to enjoy every minute of our vacation together." You say pleasantly.

"...We don't have a vacation though?" Your Master states questioningly as she slides out of her sleeping bag and fumbles about for a second until she locates her glasses, quickly placing them on her face.

"Master! How scandalous! Why, if I were to spend each and every day working I would simply die. I can't imagine how you must be feeling." You say with absolutely no shame, ignoring your complete inability to be tired if you don't feel like it, and your Master's frankly freakish workaholic tendencies.

"No seriously, what's actually going on?" Taylor asks you, a note of unease creeping into her voice.

"I took the liberty of arranging some activities today. Victoria should be by in a few hours. I'm given to understand she isn't much of a morning person." You answer her, completely ignoring her question. Your Master blinks at you, then frowns in thought.

"How... when did you even talk to Vicky?" She asks you, perhaps out of a sense of morbid curiosity. You hoist your Master's cheap discardable cellphone into view from where you were hiding it in the folds of your skirt.

"I guess hanging out with Vicky is all right. It's been a few days since we've talked." Taylor says awkwardly, obviously perfectly cognizant of what texting is while simultaneous studiously pretending it doesn't exist.

"Perfect. Now, I'm not usually one for the menial, but I've arranged several sets of clothes for you, on the table there." You gesture to the side, where three pairs of your Master's sweats, an outfit consisting mostly of jeans and a hoodie, and another tastefully put together skirt and blouse combo Victoria foisted on her have been laid out in order.

"I don't think I need that many-" Your Master says trepidatiously. You smile thinly at her and then step to the side, revealing the small table and chess set you've placed behind you, complete with two seats and a cup of tea you know your Master favours already steaming away on a plate next to a set of biscuits you procured from the Hebert family cupboards.

"How did you get all of this without me noticing? I can literally see what you're doing when I sleep." She asks you, eyeing the chess board nervously.

"You've left me with an open set of Gaps for the better part of a few days. Did you think I needed to be looking directly at them to grab things with them?" You point out. True, getting all of this together in the times when your Master isn't obviously paying any attention to you has been difficult, but hopefully, worth it.

"Point. So the extra clothing is?" Taylor asks, gingerly stepping towards the chess set to take a sip of tea.

"For every game I win I'm going to burn one of the ugly ones and have Victoria replace it with something nice." You say cheerfully, causing your Master to splutter and nearly spit out the tea in her mouth.

"But that's like all my clothes! You already got rid of all the ones I have at home!" She complains, quickly wiping her mouth and pointing accusingly at you.

"Why yes, I suppose I did think ahead and attain my goals before you could actively stop me didn't I?" You muse rhetorically, before allowing your face to settle into a slightly more serious expression.

"Master, you know I love you, yes? I think you value your appearance too little. Not because you don't want to be pretty, but because you don't think you are. And that's a shame. In the world this Emulation is from, battles are won on the strength of one's beauty. No one can actually kill anyone else, so that is all that's left." You explain. You leave out the dubious fact that 'beauty' often means 'overwhelming power' in many cases. Partially because that isn't an accurate description of the nuance involved, and partially because it wouldn't help your argument in the slightest.

Your Master reddens slightly - though in embarrassment or anger you honestly couldn't tell given the combination of the two wafting off of her, then speaks.

"I just don't think I'm that attractive." She tries to explain indignantly.

"I'm like a stick figure. I have a paunchy-" She pauses, patting her perfectly flat and toned stomach and then changing what she was about to say; "- I'm not you know, all curvy. Like you or Emma."

"Master. You have a superhuman body. And of course, you don't look like me! You're fifteen!" You counter flatly. The two of you stare at each other for several seconds before your Master looks away, obviously not agreeing with you, but clearly not interested in continuing the argument, since she likely knows she won't win it. Very good tactic that. If you can't win, don't play.

Too bad she won't be able to put it into practice.

"Regardless. All you have to do is beat me once before we get through all those ugly sweatshirts." You say beatifically. Not for the first time, you consider a number of scenarios that end with the constituents parts of the girls who so clearly ruined your Master's self-image strewn across the planet. Then you shake the thought off and gesture at the chess set.

"So? What will it be? I'll even let you play without any of the additional rules every other game." You say teasingly.

Your Master, obviously assuming that you couldn't possibly win every game with such a disadvantageous rule set, grabs a biscuit off the plate next to her, and then moves a pawn forward when she finishes chewing on it, alternating between glowering at you and the single blouse behind her as she does so.

"You know dear, if you keep being so sour about it I'll have to find the other outfit was I considering for you. Your legs are such a terrible thing to waste on such a long skirt." You chide her pleasantly, ignoring the way her face pales at your description of the barely knee length article of clothing.

Would you actually dress your Master in something as scandalous as short shorts purely to show off her legs? No, likely not.

But the threat is apparently enough to get her entirely focused on the game - which is really for the best.

Friday, January 28th, 2011

The Boardwalk, Brockton Bay

"Man, you are so useful for shopping." Vicky says cheekily, grinning at you from where you are gliding along behind her, having just thrown an outrageous amount of clothing into an open Gap in order to avoid having to physically carry it.

"Anything for my Taylor. Let's go into this one next." You say with a hum, turning to the left and drifting towards a clothing store that appears to have a sizeable collection of hats and other headwear. Your Master responds mostly by making a sound you have come to associate with her soul failing to leave her body.

"How is the Boardwalk even open? Wasn't it basically torn apart less than a week ago?" Your Master complains, throwing her hands into the air in an exaggerated gesture. She's not nearly so distraught as she's portraying herself to be of course. Despite her lingering discomfort at being forced into public wearing nice clothing, she is obviously enjoying herself, having discreetly purchased a few things for herself when she thought no one was looking, and made a fair amount of idle conversation with Victoria as the three of you perused the Boardwalk for things to try on. You don't think she's overly fond of the shopping itself, regardless of her newfound status as an almost millionaire, so much as the company.

"Well, the Boardwalk is basically the biggest source of income in the city. No way they let it stay messed up for any longer than they absolutely have to. Besides, this is Brockton Bay. I bet half these stores were open the day after the first riot." Victoria answers with a shrug, lifting off the ground and swiftly gliding about the shop you have entered for a second in order to determine where she would like to start perusing things.

"I have such mixed feelings on that. On the one hand, yay for us Brocktonites. We're all very resilient. On the other hand, the fact that everyone is just accustomed to having their business exploded by a man made out of chainsaws once a week is... really messed up." Taylor says with a sigh, aimlessly following behind Vicky so the other girl can hold different sets of clothing up against her for comparison.

"I wanna say it could be worse? But then I remember that the only thing worse would be... I dunno, The Nine? Nilbog?" Vicky says with a touch of morbid amusement.

"Is it common for you 'Brocktonites' to constantly compare the situation in your city to the absolute worst humanity has to offer?" You ask without really putting much thought into the question, staring as you are at the double set of shelves displaying a number of styles of hat you're sure no one actually wears casually.

The only hat you've seen worn for any reason at all really has been baseball caps much to your horror. You don't even understand why, given this shop sells a perfectly adequate selection of the things. There's even a tricorne in the corner there, though that's a bit much for your tastes.

"Pretty much, yeah." "Basically." Taylor and Victoria chorus in agreement to your question after a second to consider it.

"Hmm." You muse aloud, trying to decide on which hat to purchase. You suspect you will only really have one shot at this. Your Master is going to take some convincing just to wear a hat regularly. As it is, you have to argue with her every morning just so she'll have the decency to wear a ribbon in her hair before going outside.

Eventually, you settle on one, and discreetly take it to the counter for purchase.

[ ] Write In (Type of Hat)

A few hours and much shopping later, Vicky and your Master find themselves seated on a rooftop overlooking the bustling people below, many of whom pause to wave or take pictures of the pair.

"Hey, Taylor?" Vicky says awkwardly after a while, fidgeting slightly as if unsure how to phrase what she wants to say next.

"Mmm?" Your Master hums in question, too busy attempting to almost literally inhale the vast ice cream sundae she had purchased for herself before coming up to the rooftop to speak.

"I - don't take this wrong way okay? And, and you can totally say no! But, um." Vicky stammers, her aura of respect and perfection increasing in strength slowly as she works her way through her thoughts, hands tightly gripping the lip of the building she is on. Your Master just keeps eating her ice cream, either not noticing or not worrying about the sudden shift in tone from the otherwise chipper girl.

"Dean told me about Miss Militia, and Amy was talking about it too, andIknowI'mnotsupposedtoknowbutcanyoubringbackmyaunt?" She blurts out all at once, finally drawing your Master's attention away from the religious experience she seems to be having with her ice cream in order to blink stupidly at her.

Then your Master parses the statement for what it is and shrugs.

"Okay." She says simply, before returning to what she was doing.

"I know you're getting a lot of money from the PRT and that it isn't something you can just do for free but I'm sure my mom could - huh?" Vicky stammers out again, stopping only after fully registering your Master's blithe response.

"Um. Taylor? I still totally want you to do it if you can but shouldn't you, I dunno, haggle or something?" Vicky asks, a quiet but hopeful tone entering her voice. Your Master stares at the blond like she might be exactly as stupid as her hair colour would imply for a second.

"Vicky, you're like my only friend besides Emmy. You came to see me after I triggered, and you've been with me the whole time. If you weren't already with New Wave I'd have asked you to join my team. Of course, I'll bring your aunt back." Taylor explains slowly, as if she was being forced to explain to a toddler which way was up. You stifle a snort at your Master's blunt manner.

"Besides, everyone knows about Fleur." Your Master points out, before returning to her ice cream.

"O...kay. Cool. Cooool. Do... I mean I have a college fund and all but-" Vicky starts again nervously.

"Vicky. I'm not going to charge you." Taylor sighs in exasperation.

"But Dean said the PRT is going to pay you like a million bucks each time!" Vicky retorts.

"Yeah but I really don't like the PRT." Your Master responds with a huff then adds; "...also that wasn't my idea."

Vicky stares starstruck at you Master for a second, then a wide smile envelops her face, and her aura flares to possibly the highest point you've ever seen it, temporarily stunning Taylor. Seeing what is about to happen, you gently remove your Master's sundae from her hands just in time for a blond missile to collide with her, sending both her and Victoria sprawling across the rooftop in an overenthusiastic hug. You've noticed that Vicky is just a bit more physical about her displays of affection with your Master than with most others - probably because she was always that way and just couldn't often do much about it given her strength and the chances that she might accidentally hurt anyone she was too friendly with.

You pointedly don't think about how that works for her relationship with Dean.

"Thankyouthankyouthankou!" Vicky laughs happily shaking your Master about like a ragdoll.

"N-no problem. Um." Your Taylor says awkwardly, readjusting her glasses and keeping her eyes on the sundae in your hands as her friend shakes her about happily.

She narrows her eyes at you when you take a tentative scoop of the cool dessert for yourself, then stick your tongue out at her.

Friday, January 28th, 2011

Hebert Household, Brockton Bay

You hum pleasantly to yourself as you putter about Taylor's room, slapping a number of paper tags on various surfaces in out of the way places while your Master watches you move about curiously.

"So... what's this now?" She asks you curiously, tired from a day of social interaction but also strangely content in the afterglow of the experience.

"Well, all these clothes are going to have to go somewhere." You point out, gesturing at the Gap that is hovering behind you, containing all of your purchases that day.

"The... dresser? My closet? I know you like to use your power over the glue that holds reality together for mundane things, but before literal magic we had this stuff called furniture," Your Master says to you sarcastically. You smile at her, pleased with the sensation of contentment you are getting off of her in the waning light of the evening.

You quirk an eyebrow at her, then allow your Gap to begin disgorging all the clothing you bought today. It falls into a loose pile at your feet and then begins to expand upward, going high enough that you eventually have to shift your Gap to the right to allow it to finish emptying without creating a pile that will touch the ceiling.

You gesture between your Master's frankly diminutive dresser and the enormous pile of clothes, while your Master's pupils contract to pinpricks at the sight of it.

"Whhyyyyyyyyyyy?" She asks, elongating the word comically to make her point.

"Well, you have your winter wardrobe, summer, beachwear, formal wear-" You start, pointing at various points in the pile until your Master begins to frantically wave her hands in front of herself to make you stop.

"Just- okay just- do whatever you were going to do. I'm going to change into my Pajamas." Your Master says in exasperation. You smile at her blankly until as she gets up, waiting for her to return.

"You burned my Pajama's too didn't you?" She asks in annoyance. You didn't actually. You just discreetly moved all of her old wardrobe to the basement, since actually destroying all your Master's clothes would be stupid and rude. But continuing to act as though you did allows you to do things like withdraw the sleeping gown you purchased for her out of the pile of clothing and proffer it to her.

She accepts it without minimal grumbling, and by the time she has finished changing, you have mostly completed all the preparations you require.

"Now then Dear, if you could just pour some power into this talisman here..." You direct your Master gently upon her return, gesturing to a conspicuously marked piece of paper attached to the headboard of her bed. She does so without complaint, causing the room to immediately balloon in size, easily becoming large enough to fit the entire main floor of the house itself within it. The dresser and closet also expand, making enough room for all the clothes you purchased, and most importantly of all, the bed has expanded, becoming large enough for multiple people to stretch out on comfortably.

"...Huh." Your Master says aloud, blinking at the much-expanded room, the gears in her head obviously turning as she considers the best way to use this application of her abilities.

"The plans to expand the Heap are on the table there. You can read them in the morning." You say with a yawn, gliding forward and sweeping your Master into the bed and under the covers shortly after flicking the light off.

"You know... just because the beds bigger doesn't mean I'll stop waking up... early..." Your Master points out, her characteristic ability to immediately sleep or wake up once more showing its face as she yawns and then - only a few seconds later - slumps into her pillow asleep.

"Ehem." You faux cough expectantly, waiting patiently. Your patience is quickly rewarded when you Mini-Taylor - Nemesis you suppose, though Mini Taylor is much cuter to your mind - appears in the bed, silently watching you from beneath the covers like a small animal.

"I believe I am owed a cuddle." You point out the tiny version of your Master that is sandwiched between you and Taylor. Mini Taylor doesn't directly answer you, but she does shimmy up enough that you can envelop both her and your Master in a wide hug that squishes the smaller girl between the two of you.

"You know Master, I'm not sure the world is ready for you to have the ability to always get what you want." You whisper while idly going across your mental checklist.

Procure a bed large enough for you, your Master, and your Master's irritating but cute sword? Check.

Your Master's state of dress has been improved and seen to? Check.

Get your Master a hat so that no one can accuse her of being a degenerate?

You pause to allow your Gap to drop the hat you purchased for her on the table next to the bed.

Check.

Then you gaze fondly at your Master one last time, and allow the last of your Energy to pull away to complete what you started the day before.

"To bad for the world I suppose~" You say breathily, as you close your eyes and allow yourself to be pulled into your constituent parts.

HERE WE GO AGAIN! NEW SETTING, NEW EMULATION, NEW YOU!

[ ] Write-In

IMPORTANT, SERIOUSLY READ THIS.*

Edit: Welp. One vote attempt in and ranked voting don't work. You can still vote for as many settings as you want - just use X's.

IMPORTANT, SERIOUSLY READ THIS.*

Great. Cool. I'm going to sleep now. See you all when I awaken. Please don't try to kill each other while I'm gone. This phase of things always gets a little ruthless. I tried to make sure Yukari went out having achieved everything she made a mental note of in the first few chapters of her existence. That seemed sufficiently 'I get what I want' to me to match her personality. I'm not 100% happy with it, but I think it's the best I'll get without spending way too much time on it, and I'd rather keep moving that get stuck and peter out.

Have fun with it.

(Side note, can anyone familiar with Spacebattles explain to me why my spoiler tags often split blocks of text into two seperate spoilers for no obvious reason? I'm getting tired of dicking about with arbitrary formatting for hours to try to fix it. The Base Status spoiler is driving me batty.)

Last edited: Aug 11, 2020

751

Bowler Hat Guy

Aug 11, 2020

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Threadmarks Bronze Age 7.11

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Bowler Hat Guy

Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Aug 12, 2020

#14,737

Spoiler: Choices:

Spoiler: Current Emulation Status

Spoiler: Base Status

Current Energy: 19

Current Training: None

Saturday, January 29th, 2011

Hebert Household, Brockton Bay

You are awoken up by screaming. Not... loud screaming, like the sounds of people in danger, or happy screaming, like Nora uses when she's... talking you guess, just a low, contained scream.

Accompanied by a sword slamming into the pillow next to your head with so much force you are temporarily blinded by the stuffing flying out of it. With a stricken yelp you roll away, pushing away from the bed and feeling your back slam into the wall it is laying against. Not entirely sure what's going on, and not entirely sure what to do about it, you flick your cane upward just in time to deflect a sword blow to your shoulder, scrambling to your feet atop the bed.

'Master, we're under attack!' You yelp mentally in panic.

'I know!' She shoots back to you tersely.

This is, of course, when you manage to get a good look at your situation and your brain clicks into gear, allowing you to realize the mistake being made.

Because crouching at the other side of the bed is your Master, with her blade raised in both hands, her hair dishevelled from her nights sleep and her nightgown skewed slightly to-

...why do you feel... stupider than normal? Or rather, there are instincts and reactions kicking in that you distinctly don't recall being a factor in previous Emulations. Did you build your current form wrong? Should you be worried?

"Wa-wait!" You yelp, dropping your weapon - a long cane with a litany of mechanical parts throughout its frame called 'Long Memory' - and raise both hands above your head. Taylor narrows her eyes at you.

"Master, it's me - E- Emmy?" You say awkwardly.

'Really, it's just me.' You repeat over your link for emphasis. Was your Master always this scary? You don't recall ever being particularly concerned in this way before.

"You're a boy again. And... not Asian." Your Master says flatly a mild tone of surprise underpinning her voice as her eyes dart to her bed where the two of you were just laying more or less directly next to each other.

You are still chasing down everything you recall about this Emulation - one Oscar Pine - when the answer to your seeming problems pops up as an innocuous piece of information you hadn't thought much of at the time. You're fourteen.

"I'm... I'm a teenage boy." You confirm forlornly as you quickly take note of all the associated foibles of that time in a human's life, lowering your head to stare at your hands.

[And I am very confused.] A wizened voice offers dryly, causing your eye to twitch.

There are some things that you don't have nearly as much control over as you might like. In a general sense, the series of transformations and calculations required to Emulate the people you do is performed mostly by your Shard body - which is, for all intents and purposes, a dumb computer. While configured for human use, you have minimal control over that process, and as such, are bound to occasionally run into problems like you are now experiencing.

Problems like the disembodied voice in your head not realizing that it is, in fact, a computer program that only thinks it's an ancient and powerful wizard. One that has no idea that it's circumstances have drastically changed.

"Oh come on." You whine. Your Master spends another couple of seconds examining you before she sighs and allows her sword to vanish, ignoring her state of dress. It's nice that she doesn't really consider you worth being worried about on that front - because very technically, you're not - but the fact that you're current Emulation currently wants to self terminate in embarrassment isn't helping you much right now.

"What's wrong?" Taylor asks, hopping onto the bed to examine you, her hands already aglow with healing energy.

Unfortunately, she is still a teenage girl crawling across a bed at you.

"I- You- This-" You blunder before opting for the better part of valor and simply turning intangible, allowing yourself to fall into the living room through the floor.

[Oscar? What happened? Where are we? You need to get back to the others.] The voice in your head - Ozma - says, jarring you from your mild panic.

"There are no others. We aren't even on-" You pause to try to recall the name of the reality this emulation is from, "- Remnant anymore. I'm not even Oscar. I- I'm a duplicate of him. A living semblance." You try to explain, using terms your unwanted sub-emulation can understand.

[I see.] It responds without inflection.

"Yeah so, just- stay quiet so I can-" You say but are cut off as your Master tramps down the stairs to you, blessedly actually dressed again, and wearing a white sun hat despite it's dubious use in an indoor area.

"Who are you talking to?" She asks you suspiciously. You consider lying. You really do. But you just don't have it in you. Not to your Master.

"The... voice in my head?" You say, half in question.

Your Master is not impressed.

"So you're the Butcher." Your Master says tiredly, pinching the bridge of her nose as she tries to parse your explanation of your passenger.

[What exactly is this Butcher? And how, exactly, has this girl's semblance made a copy of us?] Ozma - the name of the voice - asks you, gently nudging you to verbally the ask his questions.

"Who's... the Butcher?" You ask tiredly, a mug of coffee your Master produced for you upon request in warming your hands.

"A villain that used to live in the city. Anyone that kills the Butcher becomes the Butcher. Basically an immortal serial killer. You're sure it's not trying to make you do anything?" Taylor asks you worriedly, obviously more concerned for your well being than for the implications involved in her comparison to the villain.

"No it- he's just asking questions. He doesn't understand what's going on." You explain.

"Can I... talk to it?" Your Master asks you slowly.

"I... guess?" You say, feeling a twitch of unwillingness flicker across your Emulated mind as you consider the prospect. For some reason, you... really don't want to give up control of your body. It just feels... wrong somehow.

Suddenly you understand why humans hate mind control so much. It's sickening to imagine what someone malicious could do with powers like that. Powers that your kind readily provide to the worst of the species...

You quickly clamp down on that thought, choosing not to deliberate on it any more at this moment, in favour of tapping the mental release that allows Ozma to control your body. The change is immediate, as your posture adjusts itself, and your body turns slightly so that you are at an angle to your Master, one hand lifting to take a sip of coffee.

"Good morning Miss..." Ozma says politely, all the while watching your Master with a discerning gaze that you don't particularly like.

"Taylor. Taylor Hebert." Your Master answers swiftly, her posture tightening into one of discomfort.

"Well then Taylor, my name is Ozpin. What can you tell me about my current... circumstances." Ozma asks.

"I'm a Parahuman. My power creates my friend - Emmy - and he... I think he said that he emulates people from other realities." She explains.

[A Parahuman is basically a Huntsman. They've got 'Semblances' but no Aura.] You add when it becomes clear Ozma has no idea what a Parahuman is.

"I... see. So, there is still a version of myself and Oscar in our home... reality?" Ozma posits, obviously unused to the concept of multiple realities, or a multiverse of any kind.

Amateur.

"...I don't actually know. Probably?" Taylor says with some mild embarrassment.

"Hmm. And the Grimm? I assume Parahumans fight those?" He asks curiously.

[The Grimm don't exist here. Mostly Parahumans just fight each other. Some are Heroes, some are Villains. We're Heroes.] You provide when your Master just quirks an eyebrow at his question.

"I don't know what-" She begins to ask when Ozma cuts her off.

"Yes, your friend has explained it to me. I'll need to think on this. Thank you for your time." He says abruptly, before relinquishing control of your body and retreating to the corner of your mind he exists in. This, of course, leaves you to fumble with the mug of coffee, nearly dropping it with a yelp before managing to catch it at the last second.

"He's... gone now, I think. Sorry - I, I'm not sure how helpful this one is going to be." You apologize to your Master sheepishly as you gently replace the mug on the table. She examines you for a second, using that same worried and searching look that told you she was trying to discern your well being, and then relaxes slightly, turning a small smile on you.

"It's fine. As long as you're okay I don't care." She says, her smile slowly widening. "Plus, it's kind of cute." She adds devilishly causing you to nearly trip out of your chair as you move to stand.

"T- Master! Please!" You exclaim hoarsely.

"Just saying." She says, sticking her tongue out at you.

You are, of course, perfectly aware that she's only comfortable teasing you like this because you're you, and not, in fact, an actual teenage boy - whom you're certain she would turn into a nervous wreck around.

But still.

"Soooo... what's this one do?" she asks, leaning back in her chair. You blink once, then grin at her.

This, you think, is familiar footing.

Your Ability to create Shikigami has refreshed!

Looks like it's going to be a weird couple weeks. Choose Two (2). School starts back up next week after all. Best make the most of it.

[ ] Begin Training (Choose a Skill or Power)

[ ] Craft an Object (Taylor) (Choose a Power or Ability Taylor possesses to make a Spellcard, or create a Contract Card)

[ ] Go on Patrol. (Choose up to 2 people to accompany you.) (Victoria, Trainwreck, Aspirant)

[ ] Have Taylor take some time out to fortify the Heap with Onmyoudo.

[ ] Follow up with Victoria on Fleur.

[ ] Follow up with Parian on building her Shop/ Remodelling the Heap

[ ] Write-In

Choose someone to spend some free time with!

[ ] Victoria *

[ ] Amy *

[ ] Aspirant *

[ ] Trainwreck

[ ] Parian

[ ] Danny *

[ ] Write-In

A/N: This one took me a bit. Answering questions and just generally being half awake and whatnot. I should stress. I don't ship Taylor with - well with anyone really. I leave that to you guys. And I especially don't ship her with Emmy - with you. Because that's fucking weird. However, this theme is going to come up alot during this Emulation - because Oscar is a teenage boy.

Your ability to make a new Shikigami actually came back on friday but I didn't make a note of it, so that's my bad. Regardless, here we are. You, my dear thread, are a cinnamon bun. You've been Taylor's murderous best friend, you've been her Sensei, you've been her older sister.

Get ready for the little brother experience.

Oh and since the Sun Hat won, this is effectively Taylor's costume now. (Seriously, if you have any respect for anything - go to the media post and like Phearo's art - here I'll wait.)

In other news, one of our illustrious Questers started a Quest over on QQ based on this one. We talked about it for a bit, it's based on Zero No Tsukaima. Check it out if you frequent the site.

Last edited: Aug 12, 2020

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Bowler Hat Guy

Aug 12, 2020

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Bowler Hat Guy

Bowler Hat Guy

A Hat & Its Man

Aug 13, 2020

#15,172

Spoiler: Choices:

Spoiler: Current Emulation Status

Current Energy: 18

Current Training: Aura (5/10), You can all thank Turbonator for this Omake Bonus!

Saturday, January 29th, 2011

Hebert Household, Brockton Bay

"So it's another Soul based Brute power?" Your Master asks you bluntly. You might have expected to be offended by the statement - something about the value and importance of individuality and the soul? But, honestly -

"Yeah, pretty much." You respond easily.

[Ah, Aura isn't standardized here so you have a separate category for Semblances that improve physical capability. Interesting.] The old man notes, which you pointedly ignore. The guy would either figure out what was going on well enough to follow, or he wouldn't - you didn't actually care at this point.

"Huh. And the Cane thing?" She asks you curiously, peering at Long Memory where you have left it on the table.

"Wizard Staff." You say helplessly.

[Are you sure casual reference to magic is really a good idea?] Ozma asks you in a slightly condescending tone.

"Can I try it? Does it actually do anything or is it just a cool stick?" Your Master asks you curiously.

"I - I don't know actually. I think it's just a cool stick." You answer honestly.

[It is a relic nearly as old as I am, and has stood the test of time where many other weapons have not.] Ozma responds quickly, obviously slightly miffed.

"Yeah, it- it's just a stick." You say after Ozma inadvertently confirms the point for you.

"Then why - eh, whatever. Soooo~" Your Master says after a minute, standing and walking around to drop into the seat next to you. Actually, way to close to you. And now she's wrapping an arm around your shoulders like there is nothing wrong with this.

Puberty sucks and you resent that you have to emulate it. You want off this ride!

"Wha-wha-" You splutter out, trying - and failing - to lean away from your Masters enhanced strength. Is this your previous Emulations fault? Did your Master absorb some of her sadism?

"So I don't have to train Aura right? You said it just unlocks with a poem?" Taylor teases you.

"Y-yeah. Uh. I just..." You pause accessing the memories of Ozma in order to get this right, and then gingerly put your point and middle fingers on your Master's forehead.

"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release your soul and by my shoulder protect thee." You intone unsteadily, concentrating enough that your aura - a mellow green - glows across your skin.

You Master stares at you expectantly as you do so, and you wait for the glow to travel to her, signifying the awakening of her Aura.

It doesn't.

"Should something be happening or...?" She asks curiously.

"I- hang on!" You say, removing your hand from her forehead and huddling in on yourself to think.

Your Master already has a plethora of Soul based abilities and powers. You had assumed you had gotten the physics involved in that kind of thing sorted already, and sine Aura was a soul based ability... Unless Souls had different rules in every universe? Why did everything in this place have to be so damn hard? You're beginning to hate all this Esoteric stuff - none of it is consistant. You should only have to model something properly one time in order to understand how it works.

"Okay, I think I got it. Um. You're going to have to do it the hard way." You say hesitantly.

"Which is...?" Your Master asks.

"...Mostly meditating on the poem. I think." You say, cursing that you were going to have to go through this entire process the hard way just so you could examine it properly and make adjustments as time went on.

[It's not a poem, it's a resolution. A promise.] Ozma chimes in.

Again, you ignore him.

"Seriously? I was kind of hoping for something a little more active this go around." Your Master huffs, lifting you up and depositing you on the couch in the living room like you are merely a particularly large cat.

"Uh? What are we doing now?" You grunt in confusion.

"Meditating. Duh." Your Master says easily. You squint at her, noting the similarity in that statement to the Panda's, and then yelp when your Master promptly hops up and lays down on the couch with her head in your lap.

"This is not meditation!" You squeal.

"Anything can be meditation if it's relaxing enough." Your Master points out, crossing her legs and swishing her feet left and right.

[She reminds me of a student of mine.] Ozma says, and the image of a lackadaisical blond flashes through your mind.

You don't find these words comforting.

Saturday, January 29th, 2011

The Heap, Brockton Bay

You are standing very still as Danny examines you. He doesn't... look mad, but neither does he look particularly happy either. The balding man is mostly just staring at you right now, having just been introduced to you by your Master, who is either completely oblivious to her father's tension, or willfully ignoring it.

"...and you're how old?" He asks after a while.

"Fourteen. Sir." You say politely. You realize that - barring the single Emulation where you were very friendly with the man - you've given Danny every reason to dislike you.

You suspect this is about to bite you in the ass.

[He reminds me of the father of one of my students.] Ozma muses lightly. You wonder if Ozma ever actually experiences distress. You know he's been studiously avoiding the topic of his home reality and its troubles, but you also know that probably won't last for very long. The man is too driven for that. Even still, he seems entirely too casual in his other commentary, seeming to almost enjoy needling you as you go about your day.

"Dad, come on. I can bench press buildings. This isn't necessary." Taylor points out from nearby where she is slowly disabusing a fresh notebook of every piece of paper within it. You have no idea what she's working on, but since arriving at the base she's been manic in her creation of talismans and other such mystical objects that you no longer have any understanding of.

"Sweetheart, when you have a daughter of your own you'll understand," Danny says without even turning away from you, continuing to keep you pinned to the spot with his stare.

"Yeah but I can throw any stupid boy I don't like into the ocean from here. You can't." She points out again. Then pauses, looking from you to her Father and back again. Then she smiles slyly at you.

"But you could." She says pointedly.

"N-now Master let's not be hasty." You whimper.

"No this is perfect! We can see if your Aura thing just doesn't work here, or if it's just me! And then Dad would be bullet proof!" She says excitedly, the idea gaining traction in her mind as she continues to ponder it.

"...so you can just hand out superpowers now?" Danny asks curiously, this newest topic finally drawing him away from you and causing him to turn to face his daughter.

You release a sigh of relief at the motion.

"I think so. Do you... not want to?" Taylor asks, her confidence cracking as she fully comes out of her scribbling spree, her eyebrows furrowing in concern.

"No. I - Taylor, you fought half the city this month. I know your strong but... when the Empire attacked the PRT I couldn't do anything. I tried. God, I tried. But I just... I don't really want Superpowers. But I want you to be alone even less." Danny declares firmly. Then he turns back to you and nods once.

"Do it." He says, and despite himself, manages to bring to bear just a smidgen of what you see in your Master sometimes.

[He's one of the better ones isn't he? A bit old to be going to a school though.] Ozma notes.

"There are no schools for this here. They all just make it up as they go." You mutter under your breath for the wizards benefit.

[Well - that's somewhere to start I suppose.] He answers ominously.

You choose not to address that one. Again. You feel like you're going to get a lot of mileage out of 'literally ignore it' this Emulation.

Very carefully, you walk up to Danny, and place your hand on his chest. An action you starkly refused to do when attempting this on your Master. Then you repeat the mantra.

"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release your soul and by my shoulder protect thee." You say, and just like before you begin to glow a faint green. Unlike before, Danny begins to glow a faint lavender colour, and your own Aura drains appreciably, leaving you tired and weak.

Energy: -1

"Huh. I don't... feel that different..." Danny says after a second of examining his glowing hand before the effect fades and he returns to normal.

"Aura... requires... training..." You gasp out, falling on your ass as you explain. Your Master immediately jumps up and rushes to you, but you wave her off as you get your breath back.

"It's like a muscle. You need to know how to use it." You continue to explain as you get to your feet.

"So... I need to learn to fight? Should I start jogging or-" Danny asks hesitantly but is cut off as your Master turns to him and examines him carefully.

"I'm gonna punch you okay?" She says causing the older man to blink as she carefully reaches out and taps him on the chest with a very light jab. Danny takes a step back at the force of the blow, and a ripple of purple energy spreads out from his chest. He winces slightly but pauses to poke at his own chest experimentally.

"It still hurt but... I think I'm okay? What does this stuff do anyway?" He asks, turning to you.

"Super strength, reflexes, enhanced healing, a random personality-based power-" You begin to list off.

"Wait what was that last-" the man begins to ask before his Daughter cuts in.

"Dad, focus. Training." She intones in an oddly pleased tone that sends a chill down your spine.

Then she reaches to the side, opens a Gap, and throws the man bodily through it.

"Five minutes, don't die!" She yells after him before jumping through the Gap herself.

"...So... schools?" You ask after a second, noticing that your Master has left the Gap open so you won't be randomly reconstituted every three seconds as she leaps about.

[...Yes. Strong people do tend to need some curbing.] The ancient wizard replies, clearly amused by your suffering.

You seriously can't wait for this Emulation to be over. It's exhausting.

Saturday, January 29th, 2011

Uptown, Brockton Bay

"This is the place?" Your Master asks Vicky curiously as they descend from above to land in the middle of a fairly empty street near her house.

"Yeah. I usually don't like coming here." Vicky admits, slightly downcast.

She and your Master had come to have a look at the ghost of her aunt. Their trip here had been pleasant enough - Vicky certainly enjoyed having a friend who could keep up with her in the sky and wasn't limited by Wards patrolling rules - but as they drew closer to the location the blond had become more and more despondent.

"You can stay up here if you want," Taylor says quickly, shooting her friend a glance.

"I- yeah. I'm just gonna... wait up here." Vicky says after a moment of looking like the wants to protest.

"Uh, um. I- I kind of would like to be put down?" You whine, having been carried by your Master like a princess the entire way here - ostensibly because your current Emulation couldn't easily keep up with her and Vicky. You had pointed out that you don't really mind just falling infinitely through the sky as she runs ahead but then she had gotten that mischievous look in her eyes again. Even Vicky had thought it was weird how much Taylor likes messing with this version of you.

Even though she still laughed.

Eventually settling down in the middle of the road, you and your Master look around for a bit, until your Master pivots to look off to the side at something that you... can't see.

Hm. You can't see ghosts. But your Master can. And you find that deeply infuriating.

"She's... just sort of standing there." Your Master whispers to you as she looks at... something. Then a woman in a business suit exits one of the buildings and begins to walk past you, and your Master's face takes on an alarmed look as she steps forward slightly, but stops when nothing appears to happen, letting the woman continue on her way with only a cursory glance at the two of you.

"What happened?" You ask hesitantly.

"She... kind of grew? into this really long limbed... thing. She pawed at that woman for a second, then got bored and changed back. I don't really know why." Taylor says, taking another step forward.

"I'm... going to try and talk to her, I think." She says slowly.

This is, of course, when the street explodes into a riot of colours and sound, before abruptly settling with a complete lack of any of those things. The colour gradient in the area drops until everything around you is a flickering, hazy white and grey, and all sound seems to drain out of your surroundings.

"You have crossed me for the last time, Musashi. Draw your blade - we shall see who the greatest swordsman in all of Japan truly is." A man says, stepping into view from around a corner, wearing an ornate robe, and hoisting a disproportionately large katana overhead.

His words are out of sync with the movement of his lips, and it gives you the uncomfortable sensation that he is somehow failing to lip sync with himself.

"...What." Your Master says flatly, her voice coming out a few seconds after she actually moves her lips to speak.

Dimly you can hear some kind of... string instrument... begin being plucked in the background.

You have no idea what's going on and you hate it. You hate this Emulation. You hate this situation.

And most importantly, you hate this asshole.

You draw your weapon.

Thus is the end of the downtime arc. Choose your Interlude;

[ ] Danny

[ ] Kid Win

[ ] Trickster

A/N: Here are Danny's stats as far as aura goes if anyone is curious [Aura Color (Lavender) (#aa6dc1), Aura Strength (59/100) (Average)]

Three guesses for who the stooges picking this fight are. The first two don't count. There will be two interludes here, but one is sort of important to progression so you won't vote on it.

In other news - we have a discord and you should totally join it. Right here. Wanna gush about how cool your fandom of choice is but don't wanna flood the thread? Bam. Discord. Wanna talk shit about me and make me cry? Bam. Right there. Discord.

...Hang on a second...

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Bowler Hat Guy

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