Current Energy: 20
Current Training: Left Hand of Reconstruction 5/10
Saturday, February 26th, 2011
The Heap, Brockton Bay
"You are different now."
They are the first words Mem speaks to you upon being introduced to your new Emulation, and they are spoken without judgement or concern. You suppose if anyone is going to act accustomed to your frequent shifts in personality and appearance, it would be Mem.
After all, her previous owner had much the same constitution.
"That I am. How have you been?" You ask, dropping to one knee so you are closer to eye level with the girl. You've always had a strange sense of kinship with Mem. Your similar outlooks and histories leave you with the sensation of familiarity, if not outright family. In a certain sense, she is almost a little sister to you. A point you find standing out much more in this emulation than your last, because of your current emulations affinity for children.
And yes, you realize how strange it is that a serial killer would have a fondness for children.
"We have been very busy," Mem says her eyes shifting away from you guiltily. Nevertheless, she doesn't elaborate on the statement.
"Busy with what?" Taylor asks curiously, stepping over to ruffle the smaller girl's hair with one hand. An act that Mem looks equal parts pleased by and annoyed about, her hands hovering halfway up as though unable to decide if she wants to fend Taylor off or not.
"It's a surprise. Trust me you'll love it. Danny says it's okay and everything, so you know it's totally safe," Mun asserts when Mem appears to be having a hard time formulating an answer. She is - quite blatantly - being smug about something, but your Master just rolls her eyes at the child's antics.
The deception is fairly obvious but at the same time, there isn't that much they could get up to that your Master would object to as long as her Father says it is safe.
"Are you two excited for school on Monday ?" Your Master asks, changing the subject and leaning away from Mem as she finally decides to weakly push her hand away.
"I am not." "Eh." The two young girls reply at the same time. Currently, all four of you are in Mem's little research lab, the door leading from it to your master's own lab hanging open so as to serve as an overflow area for all the random pieces of junk inscribed with runes that fill every surface of Mem's own workshop. Mem is currently standing dutifully next to the center island, while Mun is lazing gregariously across the back of a chair nearby. For such a well-organized little girl, Mem's workshop is sort of a hideous mess.
Your Master frowns at them.
"Mem, Ozma ran a school. You have to see the benefit of going to one." She points out.
"Will they be teaching me the most efficient way to terminate my enemies and defend my allies from a pressing existential threat?" Mem queries, her tone somehow even more flat and monotone than normal. Taylor stares blankly at her for a moment, tilting her head to one side and then the other as though genuinely trying to puzzle out an appropriate answer.
"...I mean in my experience, hell is other people so from a certain point of view-" Taylor finally begins to speak.
"Mem, sometimes to make Master happy we have to do things that we consider a waste of time." You jump in, earning yourself a dirty look from your Master. That's fine. You feel like you are better able to speak to the girl on a level she understands.
"Consider - in this world, people who can make sapient life like yourself are considered worse than Salem or the Grimm. If you cannot adequately convince the majority of the people you meet that you belong with them, then Master might come to harm," You reason. Mem takes that in with her characteristic calm, then scrunches her nose in distaste at the prospect.
"I... understand. I will endeavor to fit in with the other... children..." She says carefully, as though she is dragging the words forth with an effort of will.
"I won't!" Mun happily chimes in. Mem glances at her then back to you, searching your face for deception or a lie of some kind. There isn't one, unfortunately, because what you have said is entirely true. Creating sentient life is just on the edge of what your Master could reasonably get away with as a Hero, and even then, only because that life is effectively human in nature. If Mem were a shambling horde of leeches then this would be entirely different.
Finding nothing she can take issue with in your honest, open expression (which is still a scowl somehow, because this emulation has issues), Mem sighs.
"She will," She says tiredly, earning a very birdlike squawk of dismay from her companion.
"Speaking of school!" Taylor jumps in, retaking control of the conversation before shooting Mem a smug grin.
"Wanna help me interview some people I'm thinking about making into Huntsmen?" She says in a conversational tone that immediately sets the Shikigami's eyes to sparkling.
"Nexus! You... ah, wanted to talk to me?" The Asian woman before you asks, her tone skittish and worried, but her body language anything but.
"Yeah, Kim, right? ...are you okay?" Taylor asks, sidestepping the question for a moment to eye the other woman worriedly. She isn't just asking because the other woman sounds uncomfortable. The short Asian woman in front of you is standing like she expects to be ambushed at any second. Her body constantly leaning slightly towards the exit of the room - which she has constantly shifted around in order to ensure she has access to - her eyes dart all around the room as if constantly seeking a threat that isn't there, and she is continuously shooting you in particular short but hard stares that are less fearful and more calculating.
Like every time she looks at you, it is with the sole intent of finding a way to dismantle you with her hands.
It's just a guess of course, but it's a guess you feel is borne out by the superb physical condition the woman is obviously in. Somewhere between a runner and a weightlifter, her biceps are clearly visible through the stretchy fabric of her grey shirt.
"What? No! I mean, yes!" She blurts out, her attention snapping to Taylor the minute she speaks, seemingly flustering the surprised woman.
"It's just, you're kind of... tense," Taylor says, gesturing with one finger in Kim's general direction.
"Oh. Sorry I- I'm just used to keep my situational awareness up. You know cus- you know." She finishes lamely, waving a hand in the air as if to encompass the entire dojo you are currently standing in while Mem and Mun watch curiously from behind your Master's back.
Your Master flinches at the motion.
"Sorry," She says automatically.
"No, no! You totally saved us! Um, you might not remember but I was there on your first night out! When you fought Lung?" Kim offers hurriedly, seeming panicked.
"The group that moved in across the street before anyone else right?" Taylor asks, waving her hand and creating seats and a table out of pure magic before taking a seat. Mem squints at the action with an obvious distaste for the power expenditure but doesn't comment.
"Yeah. We're really thankful for everything you've done." Kim nods along quickly, before hesitantly taking a seat at the magical table. Your Master has been doing that alot recently. Using Magic to replace mundane objects. You aren't sure if that's a good or a bad thing - but it certainly seems to throw other people off their game.
Nothing quite says 'power' like the casual use of a superhuman ability, you suppose.
There is an awkward silence, then Kim blurts out; "I know we haven't really been paying to use the dojo but we've got a collection going and a sort of neighborhood watch thing andwethoughtyouwouldn'tmindbecause-" The poor woman begins to rattle off faster than you can easily understand, causing your Master to lean back and gawk at her.
"What- I don't even keep track of- you know I'm rich right?!" She yells, waving her hands in the air to get the other woman to stop her seemingly unstoppable stream of consciousness speech.
"...Huh?" Kim grunts out in confusion. Mem chooses that moment to speak up.
"Money is worth nothing when there is a cause," She nods along clearly misinterpreting Taylor's statement.
"Oh my god. The most powerful cape in world and she's a moron. Hey mom, I need a few thousand dollars for a personal project. Do you think-" Mun states before a sharp jab in the side from Mem elicits a squawk from her. Taylor, ignoring both little girls, plugs on.
"Look I know you guys have had it rough. I live here too, I grew up hearing about the gangs. To be honest Kim, I don't really need money. Not just because I have a bunch of it. I just literally don't need it." Taylor says with an awkward shrug, as though it pains her to admit that.
"Then..." The woman says, suddenly once more on her guard, her eyes darting back and forth across the room. "What do you want from me?"
"Well, I was kind of thinking of opening a school and giving a bunch of people superpowers, so I thought I'd interview you to see-" Taylor admits easily, then pauses, tilting her head to one side as the room is suddenly beset by a high pitched keening noise that you quickly realize is coming from an excited Kim.
This, of course, prompts Mem to turn towards your Master, prodding her gently for her attention before speaking.
"I like her. She reminds me of Ruby." She says blithely, then tilts her head to one side in thought before continuing, "Only, old enough to drink."
Your Master just sighs in exasperation.
It's the weekend, so besides the obvious - dealing with the Media, etc, etc - what should you and your Master do today? Pick two (2)
[ ] Patrol The City (Choose a target area: The Docks, Downtown, Uptown) (Choose two people to come with you: Victoria, Gallant, Triumph, Aspirant, Trainwreck, Jess, Danny, Mem)
[ ] Have Taylor take some time out to fortify the Heap with Onmyoudo.
[ ] ...Could you start a parahuman training school? You could at least look into some candidates... (Choose one: Dojo Students, Dockworkers, Panda Gang, Police)
[ ] Parian is getting requests for 'Tinker' Fabric. She doesn't have any, but she could.
[ ] You have the energy available to make a Shikigami. You suppose the PRT probably will want you to do your thing for them as well.
[ ] Hypothetically, your Master doesn't mind Vicky's offer of a blind date with some boy she's never met before...
[ ] Hypothetically, your Master doesn't mind Vicky's offer of a blind date with some girl she's never met before...
[ ] Take Time Off (Pick an Extra Social)
[ ] Write-In
You just fought an Endbringer. That calls for some time with your friends. Pick Two (2)
[ ] Victoria (2)
[ ] Amy (2)
[ ] Aspirant (2)
[ ] Trainwreck (1)
[ ] Parian (2)
[ ] Danny (2)
[ ] Oliver (2)
[ ] Jess (1)
[ ] Triumph (0)
[ ] Gallant (0)
[ ] Mem (1)
[ ] Mouse Protector (2)
[ ] Dinah (1)
[ ] Write-In
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Bowler Hat Guy
Apr 16, 2021
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Threadmarks Ascension 13.5
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Bowler Hat Guy
Bowler Hat Guy
A Hat & Its Man
Apr 22, 2021
#34,665
Spoiler: Choices:
Current Energy: 19
Current Training: Left Hand of Reconstruction 5/10 - 7/10
Sunday, February 27th, 2011
Hebert Household, Brockton Bay
You awaken that morning with a crick in your neck.
Your Master, being the adaptable person she is, had taken very little time to reorient herself around your new change in physicality. She had no issues with the idea of you sleeping in the bed that night. She'd barely had to think about it, in fact. Nemesis seemed happy enough to have you around, although you suspect that is because the sword can be a tad possessive more than anything else.
So why are you waking up in the corner of the room, with your butt on the floor and your head resting at the point where the two walls meet?
Simply put, because while your Master might be okay with it, and your previous emulation was too much of an airhead to question it, your current emulation is very aware of how strange the entire scenario is. As such, you've chosen to abstain from sleeping in the bed for the moment. You suspect your Master expects you to break and get in the bed like normal eventually since she makes approximately no effort to get you a separate bed - but that's fine, this emulation has slept in worse situations.
Also, he is very stubborn.
With some amusement, you watch your Master roll over and grope around in her bed, at the same time that Nemesis does the same, both of them dazedly fumbling around the empty spot you typically take up.
"...Emmy?" Taylor asks blearily as she snaps properly awake and sits up, her hair somehow going from 'terrible bed head' to 'artfully touseled' in real-time the moment she wakes up.
"Over here," You state easily, standing up and stretching before walking over to your Master's bed to help her and Nemesis get up for the day - mostly by grabbing a set of clothes for her and bringing her a brush she probably doesn't need anymore.
"Okay, let's get to it then," Taylor says once she is fully dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that prominently displays the unfinished tattoo on her left arm.
You shoot her a confused look.
"To what?" You ask bluntly, ignoring Nemesis as she sleepily grumbles at you before climbing up onto your back and going limp across your broad shoulders. Your Master falters slightly, seemingly tripping on air before catching herself and turning back to you, her eyes wide.
"To... training...?" She says hesitantly, waving her left arm at you while gesturing at it with her right hand - like a magician's assistant.
"Master, it's five in the morning." You state flatly. Taylor's brows furrow in irritation as she replies.
"Yeah, the same time I always train. Are you okay?" She asks, switching to concerned.
"Master. It's five in the morning," You repeat, before elaborating. "What time does the tattoo parlor open?"
Taylor - to her credit - opens her mouth, then closes it, then opens it again, seemingly at a loss for words.
"...So... no training?" She asks you incredulously.
"No Master. No training. What do normal teenagers do on Sunday here? I don't think we've ever done that before." You ask aloud, drawing an annoyed flinch from your Master as you imply that she is abnormal in any way.
Which she is. In... pretty much every way actually.
Case and point, once she gets over the sudden annoyance at your statement, Taylor's face immediately shifts into one of utter focus, and determination as she boldly throws her t-shirt across the room reaches for her pajamas, and puts them back on.
"I'm going to have a normal Sunday morning." She declares with great pride.
Sunday, February 27th, 2011
Hebert Household, Brockton Bay
"Is this... normal?" You ask, unable to move under the small army of children crawling over you.
Your Master - who is sitting in a recliner nearby - turns a questioning look on you, so you elaborate.
"We are watching cartoons," You point out, lifting your left arm and then quickly lowering it when Mun - who is sitting on the back of the couch - looks down at the raised limb as though trying to determine if you are strong enough to hold her entire body weight upon it.
You are, but that's entirely beside the point.
"I mean, it's what I used to do before getting powers." Taylor answers with a shrug, taking a sip of her mug of tea, her eyes turning to half moons as she smiles winningly at you.
"But, it's a cartoon about someone we know!" You counter, attempting to throw your arms in the air in protest, but finding yourself unable to do so without disturbing Nemesis - who is asleep across your right side with her arms wrapped around your bicep.
"Hey, I'll have you know that the Amazing Adventures of Mouse Protector is at least forty percent more whimsical than my actual adventures!" Mouse counters immediately, hastily tipping her bowl of cereal upward to drain the milk from it. The older woman is currently dressed in a t-shirt that looks suspiciously like it is sized for Danny and very little else - which is fair you suppose since the men are outnumbered by the women in this house by a sizable margin.
"Are these actually based on real things you've done?" Danny asks quizzically as he wanders into the living room of the Hebert household, which has been shuffled around to fit all the extra seating require for Mem, Mun, Nemesis, You, Taylor, Danny, Jess, and Mouse Protector to be comfortable in it.
You are all sitting uncomfortably close together as a result.
"Eh, some of it. I dunno, I mostly just leave it to my agent to figure out." Mouse admits, springing up to saunter the two feet required to plop herself down on the couch next to Danny - opposite Jess - when he sits down with a plate of bacon and eggs - a meal he has been repeatedly plating and handing out to everyone in the room since your Master had effectively kidnapped them all earlier.
"For someone with an agent and an entire television show about them you seem to have a lot of free time," Jess grumbles flatly, reaching up to push Danny's plate out of the way just in time to prevent Mouse from stealing some of his bacon. Mouse seems inordinately pleased by the opportunity to say something in response to that - but doesn't as a new voice rings out.
"Please be quiet. I need to see how Mouse Protector defeats Ravager in this episode." Mem's voice cuts across the room, instantly silencing everyone present with the intensity present in the typically bored-sounding girl's voice.
"Um, It's no big deal I just-" Mouse hesitantly speaks up.
"Please do not talk at the same time as Mouse Protector." Mem stops her, gesturing again at the tiny tv screen across the room. Mouse Protector - for the first time since you've known her - gets a puckered look on her face as she stares into the middle distance, having effectively just been told to shut up while a cartoon version of herself speaks.
Everyone else in the room lowers their voices appropriately, and Mem nods at the change in volume, leaning back in her seat.
Which is your lap.
You are covered in children, and despite yourself, you can't help but find it adorably amusing. A sentiment your Master seems to share as she periodically snickers in your direction.
Your family - and that's... weird to say but somehow you feel deep in your core self that it is true - spends the better part of the morning watching reruns of old cartoons, most of them based on superheroes like Mouse Protector and to a lesser extent the first iteration of the Triumvirate television show - before it was split up into three separate shows for each character.
Mem in particular is happily discussing the merits of Alexandria's television show - her least favorite - when the doorbell rings. Which is strange... because everyone who could conceivably visit the Hebert household is already there, or has Taylor's cellphone number.
"I got it," Taylor states lazily, waving everyone else down and putting the book she had been paging through for a while now. Stretching, she stands and meanders over to the door, obviously benefiting from the first 'lazy' day she's had in a long time.
Her relaxed demeanor immediately flattens out, her body going stiff and emotions becoming strained when she opens the door. Alarmed, you stand - sending a cascade of children falling in protest to the couch - and quickly move to join her.
"Nexus, Emmy." The woman at the door states. She is of average height, looks to be in her early twenties, and has long black hair neatly arranged to look as professional as possible without being in a bun of any kind. Her charcoal grey suit is well fitted and clearly expensive-looking, and it takes you several moments to parse that you are staring at Alexandria sans her costume - which leaves her looking much less imposing than you remember.
"...No, sorry, I can't do this - do I call you Alexandria or Miss Costa Brown, or Rebecca or Becky or what?" Taylor blurts out, drawing an annoyed look from the older superheroine who... doesn't really look all that much older, to be honest.
"...Rebecca, please. I'm here to arrange to take Gram back with me." Alexandria states, causing your Master to tilt her head.
"I don't follow. Did you manage to draw it?" She asks.
"No, but when I do-" The other woman begins to explain then pauses when your Master snorts at her.
"You don't need to arrange anything with me. If you can pull it out you can fly into the sunset with it." Your Master says airly and - if you are being honest - perhaps a bit mockingly. Alexandria opens her mouth to say something on the topic you're sure, but Taylor cuts her off again.
"My office hours are from whenever I feel like it to whenever I feel like it, please, feel free to talk to Trainwreck if you need help with anything on the grounds." She says, her voice suddenly beatific and calm.
Then she slams the door in Alexandria's face.
"Who was it?" Jess asks as you and your Master settle back into your respective positions.
"Eh, just someone trying to get me to give them Gram. Don't worry about it." She says dismissively before tucking her legs up under herself and reaching for her book.
Sunday, February 27th, 2011
Parian's Boutique, Brockton Bay
"So what exactly would you be looking for in a specially made tinker-" your Master pauses to cough 'magic' into her hand before continuing, "-fabric?"
"Well, I suppose anything would do really. Most of my clients are looking for something that will interact well with their powers. Changers, Breakers, and Brutes don't have the easiest time with their costumes." Sabah says with a frown, not fully turning to look at your Master as she works. You are currently sequestered in the workroom of Parian's boutique - the one that is essentially a giant series of spools that Parian can use to create outfits on the fly. She isn't currently in costume and instead is in a loose-fitting long sleeve shirt and a long grey skirt. It's the last thing you would expect to see the fashionista Cape wearing, which is perhaps why she has it on in the first place.
"Yeah I can see how that might be a problem for some people," Taylor responds with a grimace, having only recently found out that in the aftermath of her first fight with Purity, she had ended up only just barely on the right side of public indecency - something that some enterprising soul had made sure to take pictures of and post on PHO just recently.
You aren't entirely certain who "SpecificProtagonist" is, but you can guarantee that they won't have a good time if your Master ever comes across them.
Distantly, there is the sound of a loud thumping followed by an incoherent screech of rage as the walls of the boutique vibrate around you. Both Sabah and your Master ignore the noise, already knowing full well what it is and who is causing it.
"There are technical workarounds for most problems and I'm in the business of fashion, not armor, so I've been mostly ignoring any requests that don't personally interest me," Sabah says with a shrug, waving her arms like a conductor directing a symphony as an entire midnight black dress springs rapidly into existence before you - only to tear itself apart just as fast, thread and fabric unweaving into individual strings that return to their places along the wall.
"I probably can't do anything too catch-all, but if you can get me some hair or something, I can probably work some sympathetic magic out that will link the costume to its wearer - you know, so it benefits from their powers, changes with them, that kind of thing. But it would be sort of bespoke. I don't know if it's worth-" your Master muses aloud, laying sideways in the air and sipping on a lemonade she had procured just for this occasion.
On a normal day, Taylor would be out and about, typically training, but also just generally checking in around the Heap to see if everyone was okay, or if anyone needed help with anything.
Today, she is hiding with Parian for the explicit purpose of being as unhelpful as possible to Alexandria.
Is it petty? Yes. Do you think it is unwarranted? No, no you do not. The woman tried to kill Trainwreck, and has just generally been a nuisance to Taylor ever since they met. In your personal opinion, such minor pranks as this aren't nearly as bad as what the woman probably deserved.
Not that anyone, anywhere, should ever take your opinion on how to settle a grudge. Your current emulation wasn't exactly well known for having a cool head when enraged by something.
Another loud thump rocks the building but your Master hardly notices because Parian has practically teleported into her face, eyes shining with barely repressed interest.
"So, you could make it so a Cape who bursts into flames couldn't burn her costume? Or would the costume also become fire? Would the colors remain the same? If I made a purple dress, would the fire be purple? Taylor why didn't you tell me about this sooner?!" Sabah blurts out in uncharacteristic glee. It is obvious that less than the practical applications of such a costume, Sabah's primary interest is in the aesthetically pleasing aspects of such a thing. Which is fair - since she cares much more about fashion than she does about being a superhero.
"Emmy, I forgot how much I don't like fashion! Help!" Taylor mentally fires at you.
"I... don't know?" She says, her expression and tone doing nothing to betray the sudden panic pooling in her gut.
"I will keep an eye on Alexandria for you," you offer diplomatically, quickly loping through the wall and out of the building before she can object.
After all, you've done this song and dance before. If you stayed in that room, it wouldn't be long before Parian had you modeling things for her. Not even things relevant to the current topic of discussion. Just for fun, while they did something else.
As you step out into the courtyard, you are temporarily confused to find Dinah present - leaning against the wall of Parian's shop with a cup of coffee roughly twice the size of her open hand in both hands.
"Hey! Um, my mom thinks I'm at Missy's house." She says the minute you come to a stop next to her. You don't bother looking at her, instead, gazing at the spectacle currently ongoing in your courtyard.
Before you, in the middle of the area Gram was left, there is a tree. At the base of that tree, Gram still rests - unmoved from in any way, shape, or form. It is the upper half of the tree that forms the current spectacle - one that noone is here to see, as the PRT has cordoned off the Heap for a short period of time.
Because the branches on the upper half of the tree have fused together into massive cedar fists, which are currently repeatedly hammering Alexandria into the ground a few dozen meters away. You open your mouth to comment on the topic, before glancing down at yourself and suddenly recognizing that you... still aren't tangible. Or visible, actually. Something you quickly remedy, turning to stare at Dinah.
"How...?" You ask her curiously.
"Future stuff. Hey, can I get a tattoo?" She asks brightly, just as Alexandria is picked up and thrown across the bay by the tree.
You think about it for a second.
But only one second.
"No." You state flatly, as Alexandria flies back down out of the distance only to be deflected away from Gram by a massive wooden hand.
Sunday, February 27th, 2011
Downtown, Brockton Bay
"I still think you should let me get a tattoo," Dinah pouts from off to your side, having come with you to the tattoo parlor on that basis that nowhere is safer than directly next to Taylor.
Which... is technically true...
"Dinah, you're twelve. You can't have a tattoo." Taylor says firmly, not moving at all to gesture - having learned her lesson from the last time you were here.
"Yeah but I'm super mature for my age! And a tattoo would be super cool! Come on, just a little one? Like, a dragon or something on my shoulder? No one has to know!" She complains, sipping at her - again, massive - cup of coffee.
"That guy would know since we're in his shop." Taylor points out, literally gesturing with her free hand at the owner of the store and the handful of people who have gathered to ostensibly get tattoos from him. There are only two chairs in the place for work to be done, and you suspect many of these people are just here to watch Taylor be her usual perfect self, but you're glad business is good for the man if nothing else. He certainly seems happy about the uptick in customers, whatever their reasons for being here.
He is also looking nervously towards your Master, obviously unwilling to give a minor a tattoo but equally unwilling to cross your Master.
"He'd do it if you told him to," Dinah says in a dejected and defeated tone.
"Shouldn't you know better than to ask this kind of stuff? Also, what's with the coffee?" Taylor asks, rolling her eyes at the younger girl, who glances around nervously when your Master references her powers.
"I'm preparing," Dinah says, wrinkling her nose in distaste but taking another pull from her cup. Your Master stares at her, waiting for a better explanation than that.
"For...?" Taylor asks, obviously unsure if she actually wants to know the answer to that question.
"Future stuff. I'll tell you if you let me get a tattoo?" Dinah tries again, smiling impishly at the two of you.
"You know you could ask your Mom this right? You need parental permission if you're underage." Taylor explains, her patience for this particular line of questioning obviously reaching its limit.
"Did you ask anyone?" Dinah counters immediately, almost like she knew this would come up which... she might have.
"You realize making me feel stupid for losing an argument with a twelve-year-old isn't going to make me more likely to help you right?" Taylor says in annoyance.
"But you did lose an argument with a twelve year old. Which implies I might know something you don't. What if I need a tattoo Taylor? What if the fate of the world depends on it?" Dinah says gravely. Your Master pauses, waving you away so she can sit up to stare seriously at the little girl, her glasses glinting under the bright lights overhead.
"...does it?" She asks seriously, causing Dinah to pout.
"...No. Stupid super glasses." She grumbles.
Your Master just sighs exasperatedly at her and lies back down.
Sunday, February 27th, 2011
PRT Headquarters, Brockton Bay
"Nexus. How good of you to join us." Piggot states dryly from behind her desk as you and your Master take a seat across from her. Alexandria is hovering behind her, looking slightly disheveled and irked. From your invisible vantage point behind Taylor, you can't help but notice the slight twitch at the corner of Piggot's mouth whenever Alexandria is in her peripheral vision. From the steadily deepening frown on the elder heroines face, you're fairly certain she has noticed the same thing.
You suppose that going from being in charge of the entire PRT to technically having no direct power over the woman in front of her would be somewhat grating for Alexandria. Especially given Emily Piggot's well known distaste for Parahuman's flaunting rules - something Alexandria had apparently been doing for years.
"I had the time. Also, you called my Dad so... that." Taylor says, obviously slightly put out by the notion.
In truth, the only reason the two of you had even come to the PRT today was that Piggot had left a very strongly worded message with Danny suggesting she might want to do so sooner rather than later. And while Taylor has no physical reason to do anything Danny says, the man is still her Father.
So here you are, instead of finishing your Master's tattoo.
"Yes well. The PRT has a rather long list of people we would like to see returned to us. They are currently listed as 'stranded' in Canberra, and their loved ones are beginning to ask questions. Assuming your usual rates apply, at one person a week we should-" Piggot begins but Taylor lifts a finger in a polite request for her to wait a moment.
"Sorry just, it's going to bother me if I don't do this," She states slowly standing and walking around the table to Alexandria who stares down at her with as baleful a glare as you've ever seen on the woman. Slowly, your Master reaches out towards her, before suddenly accelerating at the last second to snatch something from her head, pulling back just as Alexandria shifts to defend herself.
"You had a twig. In your hair, I mean." Taylor explains, proffering the small bit of wood to Alexandria who stares down at it like she had just been slapped across the face.
You aren't actually sure if Alexandria's face can get red given her stated powers, but you are certain if you could see past her visor, she would be incandescent with either rage or embarrassment currently.
Possibly both.
"I might not be able to do a job every week. I'll try, but I have my own needs too." Taylor quickly explains to Piggot as she glances down at the lengthy list of Capes that presumably died in Canberra fighting the Simurgh. Your Master can technically perform two rituals a week now, but that doesn't mean she wants to put forth that much of a power expenditure for the PRT when she doesn't have to. Even her current agreement is really just out of goodwill for the Capes who died fighting the Endbringer. Both women pointedly ignore Alexandria - who is staring into the middle distance with an intensity you find inappropriate to the current situation.
Still, you hesitate as your Master begins negotiating with Piggot.
You have a few options here.
[ ] Two Resurrections a Week. Suggest your Master inform Piggot about her expanded capacity. Those dead Capes deserve to come home after their service.
[ ] One Ressurection a Week. Your Master is providing a service literally only she can provide, and the Heap could still use more Shikigami staff. Mem is nice but she isn't exactly old enough to be in charge of anything. (Choosing this option causes the next update to pick up with creating a new Shikigami)
Tomorrow is Mem and Mun's first day of school and Taylor's return to Winslow. Choose one (1). Taylor will continue her current training in her free time unprompted.
[ ] Patrol The City (Choose a target area: The Docks, Downtown, Uptown) (Choose two people to come with you: Victoria, Gallant, Triumph, Aspirant, Trainwreck, Jess, Danny, Mem, Oliver)
[ ] Have Taylor take some time out to fortify the Heap with Onmyoudo.
[ ] ...Could you start a parahuman training school? You could at least look into some candidates... (Choose one: Dojo Students, Dockworkers, Panda Gang, Police)
[ ] As much as Mem says her project is Danny approved... you don't trust it.
[ ] Your Master did promise to train Aisha.
[ ] You wonder how Mouse Protectors 'vacation' has been going?
[ ] When was the last time Taylor visited the Hospital you wonder.
[ ] It's a day ending in Y and Alexandria doesn't appear to have spoken to Trainwreck.
[ ] Hypothetically, your Master doesn't mind Vicky's offer of a blind date with some boy she's never met before...
[ ] Hypothetically, your Master doesn't mind Vicky's offer of a blind date with some girl she's never met before...
[ ] Take Time Off (Pick an Extra Social)
[ ] Write-In
Last edited: May 5, 2021
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Bowler Hat Guy
Apr 22, 2021
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Threadmarks Death and Strawberry (Blonde), A Projection Quest Sidestory
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Bowler Hat Guy
Bowler Hat Guy
A Hat & Its Man
Apr 30, 2021
#34,857
It was a road that stretched out infinitely in either direction.
There were buildings to either side of her, sidewalks, stores, apartments - the entire range of things one typically found on a street in a metropolitan area.
But there were no people.
And she was not able to leave the road. Not allowed to.
She could travel the road as far as she wanted, forward or backward, and the scenery around her would change appropriately - but she would never actually get anywhere. There was never any traffic. Never anyone else to interact with. Just the smooth black asphalt of the road, and the endlessly changing tapestry of glowing whorls and patterns that ran across it in place of normal traffic lines.
The first time Jess had this dream, she had found the patterns comforting. To her, they resembled the patterns her power used to make when she planted it on a surface like a land mine. No, not just resembled, these were those self-same patterns. The only distinction between them was that these patterns were more... rounded. More aesthetically pleasing. Like someone had taken her old power, and artistically rendered it. It was clearly recognizable, and yet still different somehow.
That was a while ago though. At this point, she had been having the dream every night - and it was beginning to grate on her nerves. It would be one thing if it was just a dream. Most people don't fully remember their dreams upon waking, so how similar one is to another is immaterial to them. Jess always remembered this dream, with picture-perfect clarity - and she was always lucid while having it. It was to the point where she was starting to feel like she wasn't even sleeping because her mind was active the entire time.
Still, a dream was a dream, so she did what she always did when she had this one.
She picked a direction and walked in it.
{=}
Jess woke up groggy and irate.
Squinting at the ceiling, she slowly and ponderously lifted a hand to her face to rub the sleep from her eyes. She didn't so much get out of bed as flop out of it - rolling blindly to one side so that she eventually found herself on her hands and knees directly next to the bed.
She had no idea how Taylor could be so unflinching about waking up so early in the morning, but at this point, she wouldn't be surprised if the unreasonably powerful girl had just picked up a power for that at some point. It seemed like the kind of obscenely mundane task she would find a super powered solution to. She paused in the doorway - feeling like she was forgetting something, then shrugged and meandered out of the bedroom she shared with Danny at the Heap to head towards the attached bathroom.
As she went about her normal morning routine - brushing her hair, brushing her teeth, etc, etc - she considered her current living situation.
She had ID again, and was legally a citizen once more, instead of a strange sort of unperson in the legal framework of the nation. Danny had been helping her work through the Byzantine labyrinth of paperwork required to reassert her personhood for a while now, but it had been slow going. Thankfully, she had inadvertently benefited from Taylor's continued services to the PRT. The organization had realized the kinds of legal difficulties its people would suffer under the current conditions, and created a streamlined process for the recently dead to resume their lives,
She was pretty sure she was the only non PRT cape to have used it, and suspected that unless Taylor took to performing random acts of resurrection across the country, it would remain that way.
She was tentatively happy with her current lot in life, having long since determined to ignore the sinking feeling of abandonment Carol and Sarah had left her with when they had refused to help her immediately following her return to the land of the living. Sure, she was having some difficulties in some areas - she pointedly chose not to think about Mouse Protector at that exact moment - but things were more or less okay. She had a new family, of a type, and was determined to make the best of things.
Now if only she could muster up the courage to say any of that to Danny.
The thing about Danny that she found the most endearing was also the thing that made her life so bloody difficult. He was exceedingly loyal. Stupidly, ridiculously, unfathomably loyal. Even years after his wife's death, the man was as chaste as could be. He didn't eye other women, he didn't remove his wedding band - heck, she had practically bullied her way into sleeping in his bed, and he essentially slept half way off the thing in an attempt to ensure they never at any point ended up touching through the night.
Danny was like that in basically every area of his life. Bullheaded. If he decided to do something, he did it - even if it was obviously detrimental to him. Really, if Danny could just stop treating her like she mattered so much she could just let it all go and move on with her life. The problem was, he just didn't. He treated her like the most important person in his life, and the difference between that and the ancillary position she had always held in New Wave as the girl dating Mike was so stark a contrast that she often found herself questioning why she had even been there in the first place.
Which was why she felt it was so hard to just tell him what was on her mind. What she wanted from him. Because in a way, she respected and feared how that loyalty would effect his response.
Jess, as was becoming a habit for her, decided not to think about that for the moment. Her current operating procedure was effectively, 'don't rock the boat'. So instead, she meandered back to the bedroom, her morning ablutions complete, so she could get dressed and consider what she would make for the girls for breakfast. She was the defacto mother of the group, and while Danny found the idea of leaving all the cooking to her abhorrent - his late wife having been a staunch feminist and therefore, opposed to such stereotypical gender roles - her singular counter argument on the topic was that well... the man couldn't cook. Frying things in a pan without burning them was about the limit of his culinary skill, and she generally preferred not to have fried food for every meal.
By the time she had gotten back to the bedroom, Jess had pushed all her worries save for those pertaining to cooking to the back of her mind. Which was why she was surprised to find to bodies in the bed she had just left.
Irately, she leaned forward, ripping the blanket away with a swift admonition to Mouse Protector and her wanton ways on her lips - only to find that Mouse wasn't the woman in Danny's bed, arms wrapped firmly around his torso and head plastered sleepily to his broad shouldered back.
It was her.
Glancing down at herself, it finally dawned on her that she wasn't in her body right now, and that she had been wearing the odd black robes that always accompanied her breaker state. Turning, she found Mouse exactly where she should have been - on a mattress on the floor several feet away. Despite having her own room, and her own bed, the aggravating woman always seemed to find a way into their room.
She pointedly did not acknowledge the fact that she too had a separate bedroom.
Sighing, she dropped into her body, and reluctantly peeled herself off of Danny's sleeping form.
Then she went to wake up the girls for their first day of school.
{=}
"Got your lunches?" She asked, stopping in the middle of the roundabout at the front of the middle school she was dropping the girls off at and turning to look back at them from the drivers seat of Danny's truck.
""Yes,"" Memory and Munin - their full names according to the birth certificates that had arrived in the mail for them not too long ago - said, the white haired girl blandly, and the black haired one with an exasperated sigh.
"Gym clothes?" Jess continued, ignoring the roll of the eyes Munin sent her way.
"We don't need gym clothes, we don't have Gym." Mem pointed out.
"Why not? Is it because the class is full? I wasn't there when Danny took you to meet the principle but if she bullies you in any way-" Jess began to rattle off, instantly going from focused on the task in front of her, to aggressively concerned in the blink of an eye.
Jess had never been blessed with children, but she had always loved them. The years she had spent dead were basically a blur to her, so she could still remember sitting in bed with little Victoria and Amy, reading them bedtime stories under the covers at night. She had always been more suited for a domestic life than a cape one - at least, temperamentally speaking. It was just a shame that she had died before she and Mike could take that next step.
Still, as far as she was concerned, Mem and Mun were here kids, and if some jumped up public school teacher thought for even a single second that she wouldn't make use of every connection she had to rain unholy hell down on them for-
"Jesus Christ granny, chill the hell out. We don't take gym cus the school knows we're 'Parahumans' and they don't want us to dunk all over their precious minions with our superior physical ability." Mun explained quickly, marking quotation marks in the air with her fingers when she said 'Parahumans' and flinching slightly when Jess' gaze cut towards her.
"Why granny!" She exclaimed in protest, the previous argument instantly forgotten as she settled into a conversation she'd had dozens of times with the the black haired girl, the familiarity of it somehow soothing to her even if the term irked her to no end.
"Colloquially speaking, Taylor would be our Mother, which would make you and Danny our Grandparents." Mem chimed in helpfully. Jess new the quieter of her two girls did't actually have much of an opinion on the topic, but she did choose to show loyalty to her... not quite 'sister' but not quite anything else either... but well, loyalty to her sister in the most banal of ways.
Like insisting they call her Grandma.
In public.
She didn't have a single grey hair! She hadn't even hit thirty before she died, and her current body and figure reflected that very nicely if she said so herself. If anything, Danny was the old man, being nearly twice her age - assuming you didn't count all the time she spent dead.
"Taylor is fifteen! She's not anyone's Mom! You're both biologically only a few years younger than her!" She whined.
"But the literal definition-" Mem tried to counter.
"I knoooow. Try not to be too literal at school okay? The other kids won't take kindly to it." She coached the somewhat socially oblivious - or perhaps apathetic was a better term - girl, before continuing. "Just... follow Munin's lead. But... not too closely. No pranks. Or swearing." She rattled off as the pair unsnapped their seat belts and disembarked from the car.
As much as the raven haired girl was something of a chaotic presence about the castle, prone to pranks and jokes that only she really found funny, Jess had to admit that Munin at least had something approaching common sense. She seemed to be the only person with enough context on the situation to fully understand how staggeringly beyond 'common sense' Taylor was. Everyone else just treated it as the new normal and moved on.
"Well, she didn't say no magic so- bye granny love you!" Munin declared the minute they were clear of the vehicle, grabbing Memory by the hand and dragging her off before Jess could get a word in edgewise.
She didn't want to believe that either of them was genuinely foolish enough to use their powers in school.
But she had a hard time ruling it out either.
Groaning, she put the truck in drive and pulled out of the school, already anxious about how the rest of the day might go.
{=}
It happened while she was in traffic.
Brockton Bay had seen a sudden decline in its crime rate recently. The presence of an ultra powerful parahuman in a city wasn't new, as far as she was aware. Lots of them had cropped up in Africa, but to a lesser extent, every country had a few local monsters. Tyrants who - as though following some heretofore unknown pattern - would use their insane power to lay claim to a geographical area and then hold it against all comers.
Every nation had a Nilbog.
But Brockton Bay was perhaps the first time it had happened, and the local tyrant hadn't been a raving megalomaniac. Or well, a villain. It was one of those things everyone knew, but no one talked about. The bad guys usually had better powers. Or perhaps better powers was a misleading phrase. The bad guys always made full use of their powers. It was a fact that lent a sort of desperation to anything most hero's did. The sure knowledge that ultimately, they were fighting a losing battle.
And Brockton Bay had flipped that dynamic on its head. Because Taylor was - against all odds - benevolent. Benevolent, and not even mildly abusive of the unstated power she carried over her city.
Or so it went. Jess doubted Taylor was even fully aware of the fact that the city was nominally her 'turf'. The girl could be weirdly airheaded at times.
Regardless, the local situation as it related to Capes had gotten weird lately. Since the situation was so unprecedented, no one really knew what to do about it. No villain wanted to be smeared across the pavement by the sudden arrival of Nexus, but at the same time, they were realizing that an all powerful hero actually made it safer to be a villain.
Because Nexus didn't kill people. And it wasn't like she could be everywhere at once either. She was a teenage girl. She had school, homework, friends. A life.
So there were basically two types of villains who came to Brockton nowadays.
The first were ladder climbers. True villains. People psychotic enough to think that beating Nexus or even just one of her much weaker teammates was their ticket to notoriety. To fame. To power. These people typically showed up, and just brazenly started picking fights in the city until one its many, many, veteran hero's showed up to smack them down. If there was one thing out of towners never seemed to grasp, it was the sheer depth of experience all the surviving heroes here had. Jess didn't like Carol, but she'd bet on that woman to win any fight against just about anyone who wasn't an s class threat already.
The second type - the much more common one, really - were cartoonish buffoons. Largely harmless petty criminals with powers, who had stupid names and a shtick. People who treated the relative lack of gangs as a free pass to do whatever they wanted, without fear of being press ganged. These idiots would often show up, announce themselves, and proceed to perform some incredibly stupid crime, like robbing a bank, or trying to perform some kind of stunt on livestream.
Basically, against all odds, Taylor had managed to accidentally create conditions that made it preferable for most villains to act like hammy cartoon characters.
She had made it effective to copy Uber and Leet.
Despite the relative harmlessness of the second type compared to the first, Jess found herself disliking the second much more.
"Trollo has laid claim to 4th and Main! If you wish to escape this hole, you will pay the toll!" Declared the twelve foot toll man made of stone beating his chest and just generally making an ass of himself.
Which is how she found herself stuck in traffic, ten cars away from a major intersection, while this moron made her late for her job interview at the Bank. She has graduated from BCU with a business major, thinking she could contribute to New Wave as a manager of sorts.
It obviously hadn't worked out.
She was trying trying to figure out if it was safe to leave her body in the truck while she dealt with this idiot, when the car nearest to him started to carefully go around him.
Trollo, of course, wasn't having any of it, because he hopped to one side and stomped on the hood of the car, obliterating the engine inside.
"Now you have to pay Trollo's uh..." the giant paused awkwardly, apparently trying to find something that rhymed with 'Trollo'.
"Toll-o?" He tried. A few people booed at him from their vehicles.
"Hey! English isn't Trollo's first languge! Don't be dicks!" He yelled at them, pointing sternly around himself.
'Oh just kill me now.' Jess whined to herself, checking her phone for the time. She only had ten minutes to make her appointment, so she was kind of hoping someone else would show up to handle this jackass.
Alas, that was not meant to be. She could already see people holding folded bills out the drivers side windows of their vehicles.
Screw it, she'd figure something out.
With an effort of will, she popped out of her body, phases through the door of her car, and walked invisibly up to Trollo in the middle of the intersection.
She eyed him up and down, before drawing her sword, taking a stance - and attempted to cleave one of his arms off.
It was amazing what you could get away with when you had healing tags in your purse and no one could see you.
Less amazingly, despite her enhanced strength, her blade bounced almost harmlessly off the idiots rocky body, and she was forced to step away from a wild swing in her direction that - enhances durability or not - she suspected would have hurt quite a bit.
"Who's there? Do you dare?!" Trollo yelped, spinning around to try and locate his attacker. Jess glowered at the idiot, checking the time display inside a nearby vehicle with a glance and then sidling around him to his rear so she could try again. Maybe she'd been to ambitious. He was a Brute, after all. She might be stronger than before, but she was still more of a Stranger than a Brute nowadays.
So this time, she tried to cut his hand off.
She was rewarded for her trouble by being backhanded at the nearest car, bouncing off its hood and landing with all the air having been forced out of her lungs.
Jess could phase through things if she had enough time to think of it before hand, but it was slow. Less intangibility, and more just sort of slowly permeating through objects in her way.
So yes, she could still be attacked even while invisible.
And no, she did not like it.
Growling to herself Jess pushed herself to her feet, then was quickly forced to roll out of the way as Trollo the Rhyming Moron slammed into where shed just been, having obviously guessed her location based on the Jess shaped dent in the car behind her.
"Trollo has heard of you witch! There are many tales of the invisible bitch!" He yelled again, haphazardly swiping his hands through the air around him like a lunatic while she stealthily moves to the opposite side of the intersection.
To say she was vastly annoyed by Trainwrecks teasing name for her would be an understatement. She didn't like him all that much on a normal day, and while she knew he hadn't purposely spread it around, he still used it so much that a few people had noticed.
Even more annoying, she now had eight minutes to get to her job interview, and this asshole had clearly only used the name because it was easy to rhyme with.
She quickly spent another two of those minutes try out other targets. She tried to stab her foe in the eyes, the ears, honestly she had even tried to shove her sword up the blundering stoney douchebags ass at one point.
"You aren't going to be successful like this." A soft lilting voice teased her.
She was out of breath, tired, and angry when she heard the voice. These were all factors that distracted her enough that she - instead of immediately screaming Master and fleeing the voice in her head - just sort of responded to it.
"I know okay!? What do you want me to do about it huh!?" She yelled back at it before pausing, her mind finally catching up with what had just happened.
"You could use me properly for one." It replied dryly, blowing past her confusion in a heartbeat.
Now, as little as a month ago, she might have found this profoundly confusing.
Thankfully, she lived with that anomalous parahuman event called Taylor Hebert, who had - at the very least - given her a basic explanation of how her sword was supposed to work.
Special name, magic sword, etc etc.
So instead of freaking out she just cut to the chase while patiently avoiding Trollo - who was swinging his fists around so fast now that he kind of gave of the appearance of a spinning top.
Occasionally she would tap him with her sword to draw him away from any bystanders, but that was about it. She was stalemated.
"Oh? You didn't have any questions? I had a whole speech about trust and belief - all very thematic." It noted. Jess - again, familiar with Nemesis - was somewhat thrown off by how mature the thing sounded.
Also, kind of disappointed.
Had she mentioned she loved kids?
"Are we doing this or what?" She grumbled, still frustrated and pressed for time.
"Very well," the voice - her sword she supposed - and suddenly she just... knew. Knew it's name. Knew how to use it.
Which struck her as strange, because to all accounts, there should have been some kind of elaborate and annoying trial or vision or some such. She was just about to ask about it, when her sword beat her to the punch.
"It is because I am not a brat," it answered flatly.
Yeah, she supposed she could believe that.
Eyeing the hulking moron before her, she raised her sword, pointing it at him, and spoke.
"Witness, Eurydice," she called.
Two things happened at once then.
One, her sword lengthened, straightened, and thinned, until it was nothing more than a very large needle. The excess material seemed to flow down towards the handle, creating a wide pommel around her hand that sparkles with lustrous jewels and gold. Her sword effectively became a rapier.
Two, she felt like someone was sucking the life out of her, and she was abruptly brought to mind of all the work Taylor had to put in to be able to do this for more than about a minute.
Which was fine by her, she supposed. She was on a time limit anyway.
So thinking she darted forward, and instead of stabbing The villain before her - she lightly jabbed the tip of her sword into the ground at his feet.
Immediately, a pattern she very much recognized spread out beneath his feet, like vines of light growing along the asphalt. At their center, was an orb of light that rapidly grew to the size of a mans head between Trollo's feet.
Trollo was so distracted by the sudden light show that he didnt even try to attack her while she was obviously within reach, allowing her to duck behind him - stabbing him lightly in the back and causing another swirl of glowing patterns to grow from there.
The powers of this sword were perturbingly similar to her old powers in many ways. In fact, the blade seemed capable of perfectly replicating her old power if she wanted. But more than that, it could modify it. And deep down, she got the sense that it could do way more than that, if she could just figure out the swirling pattern of spiritual power it had shown her to use in order to cause the effect.
Because that... it didn't feel specific to her power. It felt malleable in a way.
Regardless, she had an interview to get to, and not much time to get to it, so she flicked her sword upward.
The motion caused the bulb of light on the grouns to detonate into a pillar of force, pushing Trollo the addled and confused into the air, well above any buildings in the are. At the apex of his flight, she brought the sword tip down again, like a conductor at a concert, and the bulb she had planted on his back likewise exploded.
Sending him soaring across the sky and into the nearby bay.
She hoped that guy could swim because she certainly didn't have time to worry about it anymore. Almost the minute the man had left her line of sight, Eurydice had return to a normal looking sword, and a wave of exhaustion washed over her.
She checked the time. She still had a few minutes. She could still make it!
A woman on a mission, Jess oriented herself in the direction of the bank, and started sprinting, using all of her enhanced strength to leap over obstacles in her way. She practically exploded through the front doors of the bank, and apology on the tip of her tongue as she saw she was two minutes late.
Then she looked down and realized she had forgotten her body in the car.
Again.
And so, she screamed.
715
Bowler Hat Guy
Apr 30, 2021
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Threadmarks Ascension 13.6
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Bowler Hat Guy
Bowler Hat Guy
A Hat & Its Man
May 6, 2021
#34,993
Spoiler: Choices:
Current Energy: 18
Current Training: Left Hand of Reconstruction 7/10 - 9/10
Sunday, February 27th, 2011
PRT Headquarters, Brockton Bay
"I should be able to manage two rituals a week. At least until everyone on your list is back." Taylor offers carefully, eyeing Alexandria who - while still obviously not pleased with things, has shifted to a look of passive interest in the conversation.
"I was under the impression that you were left insensate after just one," Piggot notes suspiciously.
Your Master just shrugs.
"I got a new power that synergizes well with it. It ups my limit a little bit." She admits.
"Ah. I expect I'll be seeing it listed on your report soon?" The Director responds with a slight edge to her tone.
You are aware that your Master keeps the PRT apprised of her capabilities, if only as a token gesture of cooperation - but in Piggot's case, you suspect it might be more meaningful than that. You do distinctly recall her being somewhat overly cautious about Taylor - something she has mellowed about recently but probably never fully let go of.
"Oh no, I got it weeks ago. It should already be on there." Taylor responds innocently, affecting a smile with absolutely zero warmth or affection in it - a reminder for the Director that they are allies - but she is not a subordinate. You can visibly see the once portly woman before you restrain the urge to shiver slightly at the expression before she speaks again.
"Jog my memory then - which power exactly are you talking about?" She asks.
"One of my organs was upgraded into a sympathetic terminal for a higher energy format that is generated via conceptual means and cycled through my body in a manner that-"
"That… will be enough miss Hebert. Thank you for seeing me, Dragon and Armsmaster are already set up in your previous operation room." The Director pivots, cutting your Master off and instantly dismissing her.
"Are you sure? I'd love to expand upon the nature of-" Taylor continues on in a dull drone.
"Go annoy Armsmaster, Hebert," Piggot repeats.
"Only because you asked so nicely," Taylor responds, returning to her normal amused expression and getting up to leave.
Fifteen minutes later, the two of you find yourselves once more in the ritual room setup in the PRT headquarters - the one both Miss Militia and Dauntless were resurrected in.
There are… some additions… to the room, however.
"What's up with all the cameras?" Taylor asks curiously as she steps into the room, pausing just inside the doorway to peer around herself. Indeed, the entire room - every iota of floor space not absolutely required for the ritual, has been festooned with recording equipment. Some of it seems mundane, some of it… less so.
"It's important that we fully understand what is happening here. Now that the situation in the city has calmed down and things are less dire, we can devote ourselves to figuring it out." Armsmaster explains, not bothering to look up from the computer console he is sitting at.
"You didn't think of asking me first?" Taylor points out blandly. She obviously isn't much more than slightly annoyed at the scenario.
"I didn't see why it would matter," Armsmaster says, seemingly perplexed.
"Hello Taylor, it's good to see you again. I apologize for him - he set all of this up at my request. Really, I should have been the one to talk to you about it." Dragons voice pipes in through the speakers overhead, and a large screen on one wall flickers to life with a lovingly rendered realistic image of a plain looking woman with medium length brown hair. Taylor - long since past the point of breaking down over encountering a celebrity, much less one she's met already, just shoots the television screen a small wave.
"Still, you have no idea if I'm doing some kind of quantum mechanical crap that will break down if there are too many cameras." Taylor points out, full entering the room.
"I don't believe that is what is happening - or possible," Armsmaster says, before pausing to glance at Dragon. "...is it?"
"It's possible but not… plausible…" the woman trails off, eyeing your Master with her avatar.
No doubt she has just realized that 'implausible' is pretty much your Master's entire operating procedure.
"I wouldn't worry about it. I was just joking." Taylor says sullenly, obviously put out that the obvious line of thought in the room has become 'Taylor is so weird that just maybe…'
"Ah. Well then. I was hoping to get some readings from you in aid of a project of mine. We have a priority list here, so today we have prepared materials for the return of Tuzhi and Jackalope…"
"Did you have something else to do here today, Master?" You ask curiously as the two of you make your way down into the parking garage of the building.
As you might have expected, Armsmaster and Dragon were only just barely capable of getting readings from all the blatant Magic your Master was throwing around, something that seemed to both excite and vex the Tinker duo in equal measure.
You doubt this will be the last you hear from them on the topic.
"Just a quick stop before we head home," Taylor explains impishly, before jumping forward and into the still gaping hole in the floor of the building to land in the dank tunnels below.
"I suppose you wouldn't want to leave that poor spirit to suffer down there…" You muse to her, phasing through the floor to arrive next to her.
"Yeah, I actually feel bad for… forgetting... so long…" Taylor trails off, and as you get a full view of the area, it becomes obvious why.
"Um, so I know it totally looks like I'm hanging out alone in an abandoned tunnel, but I swear I'm not building a bomb!" Kid Win quickly blurts out. The tinker is wearing khakis and a red sweater to ward off the chill of the underground area, with the only thing indicating he is a Cape being the helmet from his costume.
"And even if I was tinkering in secret, I swear it isn't like, something evil or-" he continues to explain, only for your Master to lift a finger towards him asking for silence while she carefully pulls a tag from her pocket and sticks it to your chest.
Kid Win's jaw clicks shut and another voice pops into existence as the two ghosts in the tunnel with you become visible to you.
"-bro I'm telling you, she can definitely see me." A large well-built boy who looks like he belongs on a football field is quickly explaining to Kid Win, one hand vanished up to its wrist inside the Wards helmet.
"I think they both can now." A ghostly girl says from behind him, lacking clothes and therefore using the male ghost as a shield against sight. Both spirits - different from your last few encounters with ghosts of any kind - have a length of chain extending from their chest, dangling haphazardly in the air before them.
"See? She's magic and shit. Ask her if she's single!" The boy exclaims gleefully.
"Luke, you're dead, and we're down here keeping your other friend - who is also dead - company. Why are you pestering me about this?" Kid Win hisses urgently.
"Come on! You see dead people, she sees dead people. That's gotta be a conversation starter. Plus you're kind of mopey, man. I'm sure she-"
"-can totally hear you right now," your Master cuts in and pauses before adding, "bro."
"You shouldn't listen to Luke anyway. He was 'popular' in high school." Noelle chimes in. At the very least, you suppose the fact that Kid Win has apparently been coming down here to talk to her has helped her avoid becoming an angry crying ghost haunting the basement.
"Hey, don't lie to him. I played video games with the rest of you guys right?" Luke argues back.
"Oh no, the popular boy has a soft spot for the weird outcast group. However will we cope." Noelle replies in a flat monotone.
"You dated half the boys in our friend group! I don't wanna hear that from you!"
"...I lied, I'm absolutely building a bomb down here - to kill myself with, so I can escape this situation." Kid Win speaks up, obviously mortified.
"You shouldn't joke about that. All life is precious in the eyes of God." You chastise him automatically.
"Yeah man, not cool." Luke piles on.
Kid Win groans.
"So, does anyone want to explain what's going on down here? I guess you're haunting Kid?" Taylor asks, her sword appearing in her hand.
"Yeah he uh, he kind of killed me so…" Luke shrugs lazily, taking a single step back from your Master and eyeing her sword fearfully.
"So I guess you want to move on then?" Taylor asks, taking a step forward.
"You know, I've been evaluating my options, and I'm actually pretty okay with being this guys guardian angel. So you know- I'm uh, I'm good." Luke explains quickly.
"He helps me do math and stuff!" Kid blurts out in Lukes defence.
"And you aren't just saying that because a ghost has its hand on your brain right?" Taylor asks, sliding another step forward, not relinquishing her hold on her sword.
"Huh? Oh, shit no this is - I can't see any ghosts but Luke unless we do this. This is so I can talk to Noelle!" Kid Win hurriedly explains.
"So… you would have no problem saying all of that again after Luke removed his hand?" Taylor suggests, and Luke reluctantly complies, lifting both hands in the air and taking a step back.
"See? We're cool. He's cool, I'm cool, you're cool. Uh, please don't re-kill my friend?" Kid asks with a worried look in his eyes.
Taylor peers at him for a moment before nodding once in understanding - and it takes you a moment to realize she likely used her glasses to determine the veracity of his statement.
"Sure. It's not like I just randomly murder ghosts you know." She tells him, lowering her hand and allowing her sword to vanish to wherever it goes when she isn't using it.
"You were going to shank me!" Luke protests.
"You had your hand in Kid's head!" Taylor counters.
"She does have a point," Noelle notes, still awkwardly shifting about behind Luke to maintain her modesty.
"It's not my fault I've got sick ghost powers and you don't."
"You described that 'power' as 'possessing him, but only halfway'. That sounds fairly malicious."
"But I don't use it maliciously!"
"Do they do this often?" Taylor asks curiously.
"Constantly. I think it's because they can only really talk to each other." Kid replies. You find it telling that - despite ostensibly not even being able to hear or see Noelle - he already knows what she is talking about.
"Right well… I was going to see about bottling her until I had the time to get her a body, but as long as you guys have everything under control here…" Taylor offers carefully.
"Yeah, we got it. Dunno if I'll take you up on that one though. Not much to go back to." Luke explains with a sardonic smile on his face.
"Come on man, not this again." Kid groans, covering his face with both hands. Luke looks like he is about to argue the point, then glances at your Master and changes what he was about to say.
"We'll talk about it later. In private." He states.
"Hi, naked girl here. Does the bottle come with clothes? Will I be awake, or will it be like taking a nap?" Noelle snaps at the two boys, reminding them that they do not, in fact, get to choose what she does with her… unlife.
"I guess it'd be like stasis? I dunno, the spell for this is technically for like, sealing ancient demons and stuff. I was just going to stick you in a rock or something." Taylor explains.
"That doesn't sound very appealing…" Noelle admits.
"I just wanted to make sure you didn't go crazy and turn into a monster or something. Saw that once, with my Dad's girlfriend."
"Sorry, can I just - your Dad is dating a ghost?" Kid jumps in.
"Well she's not a ghost anymore," Taylor huffs in response.
"Has anyone told you that you're kind of-" Luke starts to say, but Kid Win bounds over to - somehow - cover his mouth with a hand.
"He was going to say cute. Not weird. Totally." He blunders out.
Your Master just lifts an eyebrow at him.
Monday, February 28th, 2011
The Heap, Brockton Bay
Your morning is as uncomfortable as ever, but you manage to bypass much of the awkwardness of sleeping in a corner of a teenage girl's room by waking up earlier than normal so you can pack lunch for Mem and Mun.
Is it a good lunch? Not really. It's basically just a sandwich, an orange and a chocolate bar for each of them. But it's a lunch, which is all that really matters on their first day of school. Your Master, already apprised of anything you do while she sleeps, is perfectly happy to send it to the Heap for you via Gap.
The rest of the morning goes pretty much as you might expect. It was decided over the weekend that driving the girls to school normally will probably be better for their social lives than being dropped off via yawning hole in reality, so you and Taylor see them off as they get in the truck with Jess, and otherwise spend the overwhelming majority of your morning meditating. While typically you would just watch your Master meditate, your current emulation was an ascetic of a type, and while he has long since abandoned his faith, its teachings are still well remembered.
So, for the first time in your entire existence, you choose to Meditate. On yourself, the nature of your existence, the nature of the world around you.
And it is with great distress that you realize you quite like it the way it is. For the first time, your self-reflection has created in you a sort of burgeoning anxiety over the nature of your species and the cycle. True, you have always been dimly aware that eventually this Earth and all of its parallels will be destroyed to fuel your species move to another planet - but this is the first time you have considered with any kind of urgency. True, there are hundreds of years between now and when that event is scheduled, but given everything you know about your Master's ever-expanding power set, you now realize that she is very likely to be alive then. What's more, even if she wasn't, you feel a continually growing sense of pride and responsibility for the things she has created while you've been with her. Even should your Master die, you feel like you would simply reconnect to someone else capable of protecting the things she values.
This is, in short, not good. Because all of these realizations, things that have been true for some time now, but that you only just now made concrete and real by thinking them, are dangerously close to thoughts of secession. Thoughts of - perhaps - refusing to abandon this world.
Thoughts that could get you - not this body, but the true you - killed by your 'parent'.
The rest of the day after that is a struggle, you must admit, though your current emulations typically silent demeanour allows you to hide your troubles from your Master. Under normal circumstances, you would just tell Taylor what is on your mind, but you have no idea what kind of failsafe might trigger if you informed a human of the cycle, or even if you truly want to do so.
You are so consumed with worry that you barely pay any attention to your assumed duty guarding the school that day, and hardly register the - very tentative - return to something akin to friendship your Master goes through with Greg, who likewise shows up for school, though he does so with obvious bags under his eyes.
So it is, that you are shocked out of your reverie only when Mem and Mun return home after school with Aisha quite innocently in tow.
"Yo! I'm here for my sword fighting lessons." the largest of the three girls calls as they file into the garage, where your Master has been eagerly awaiting her girls return from their first day at school.
"Yeah, about that… why are you-" Your Master points at Aisha, "-with them," she points at Mem and Mun in turn.
"You ordered us to make friends at school though?" Mem asks plainly, tilting her head to one side in confusion.
"Normal friends! Not this weirdo!" Taylor cries out in distress.
"I'm sorry? I am normal!" Aisha counters immediately, evidently not afraid to draw your Master's ire.
"You're a sword-obsessed pervert who followed my Emmy around like a lost puppy for a month! You're weird!" Taylor complains again.
"Pot, Kettle. Kettle, Pot." Mun snickers, earning her a baleful glare from your Master.
"I thought I could trust you! We had a deal!" Taylor yells, rushing over to the black haired girl and picking her up to shake her.
"We all make mistakes!" Mun chokes out before breaking out into an uproarious laugh. "I mean, I didn't even know you knew her! I just thought she was the least boring person at school!"
"What about Dinah?!" Taylor counters.
"She kept dodging me!"
"You did attempt to convince three separate boys to meet her after school for a date." Mem points out.
"Attempt! She totally outplayed me on that one, and if it had worked it would have been hilarious to watch them all freak out over it!"
"She did ask me to hang around in case we had to beat them all up or something though. You know, safety first and all that." Aisha chimes in.
Taylor groans, dropping Mun.
"Whatever. Fine. You're all friends now. Don't bully Dinah okay?" Taylor finally says, apparently deciding to accept reality for what it is, instead of attempting to live vicariously (normally) through her children.
"I mean, she totally saw it coming. That's gotta be like, the precog equivalent of 'what's up' right?" Mun muses aloud.
"It is not." Taylor grinds out.
"Um, I don't think Sigurd would have liked it if I was a bully anyway so I'll try and keep her under control?" Aisha offers in a conciliatory fashion.
"Just Mun?" Taylor asks suspiciously. Aisha turns to Mem, who blinks once languidly back at her.
"Mem too. Real rager that one." She returns dryly.
"Just… come on, let's get this over with - I need to get to the tattoo parlour after this" Taylor sighs in defeat, lifting her arm to display her half-done tattoo by way of explanation.
Thirty minutes into the training session, Jess stumbles into the garage. Her blouse is ripped in several places, her hair is a mess, and her expression is somewhere between sheepish and enraged. She takes one look at your Master slowly helping Aisha through a form, strips off her jacket, and says;
"I lost the truck. Can I get in on that? I need to blow off some steam."
Never let it be said your Master has a boring family, you suppose.
Tomorrow is another day of school. Choose One (1) option. Taylor will automatically continue any outstanding training in her free time.
[ ] Patrol The City (Choose a target area: The Docks, Downtown, Uptown) (Choose two people to come with you: Victoria, Gallant, Triumph, Aspirant, Trainwreck, Jess, Danny, Mem, Oliver)
[ ] Have Taylor take some time out to fortify the Heap with Onmyoudo.
[ ] ...Could you start a parahuman training school? You could at least look into some candidates... (Choose one: Dojo Students, Dockworkers, Panda Gang, Police)
[ ] Maybe you could follow up with Dragon on her personal project?
[ ] Is it... normal that Kid Win can see Luke? Should you be looking into that?
[ ] As much as Mem says her project is Danny approved... you don't trust it.
[ ] Your Master did promise to train Aisha (2).
[ ] You wonder how Mouse Protectors 'vacation' has been going?
[ ] When was the last time Taylor visited the Hospital you wonder.
[ ] Hypothetically, your Master doesn't mind Vicky's offer of a blind date with some boy she's never met before...
[ ] Hypothetically, your Master doesn't mind Vicky's offer of a blind date with some girl she's never met before...
[ ] Take Time Off (Pick an Extra Social)
[ ] Write-In
645
Bowler Hat Guy
May 6, 2021
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Threadmarks Ascension 13.7
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Bowler Hat Guy
Bowler Hat Guy
A Hat & Its Man
May 10, 2021
#35,166
Spoiler: Choices:
Current Energy: 17
Current Training: Left Hand of Reconstruction 9/10 - Complete!
Tuesday, March 1st, 2011
Hebert Household, Brockton Bay
In what you expect will likely become the norm for you now that the kids are going to school, you wake up earlier than your Master. Not... much earlier, given her typical antics, but close.
As such, you go about the typical morning routine. You make a mediocre lunch for the girls, visit the Heap to drop it off, help your Master get ready for the day-
And you meditate.
If you are being honest, you actually sort of hate self reflection. You can't tell if that's a trait unique to you as a being, or if it's one you have acquired from your current emulation - who could have avoided a lot of trouble if he had done the same. Regardless, you have a lot of problems to work through.
First off, do you... tell your Master about the cycle? Would the failsafe kick in and make her forget? Can you just... not activate the failsafe? You don't know if your Shard self and your Emulated self necessarily agree on the point, because you have no means of communicating with all the hardware that makes you possible. It could be that the second you attempt to explain the cycle you yourself will freeze up as your Shard self works against you. You would like to think that you Shard self is exactly as enamoured of your Master as yourself - after all, you were one and the same when you initially hijacked the connection Queen Administrator was forging to Taylor.
Still, it's something you are going to have to figure out a solution to, or at least test at some point. Presumably with something mostly benign to start.
And from there, the real trouble starts. Because ultimately, if you decide to stick by your Master instead of following protocol, you doubt it will be without consequences. Will Taylor even trust you still, after you tell her? Tell her that her entire species is a giant Petri dish that is shortly going to be disposed of? You like to think she would. But the mere possibility that she wouldn't is making you feel... you think this emotion is what's called 'anxiety'.
You have to say, you aren't a fan of it.
So, say your Master does believe and trust you... what then? The only way to make the Cycle stop is to convince the Warrior and the Thinker that they shouldn't follow through on it. Your species has lived symbiotically before - there's no reason you couldn't do it again...
Except, the last time that happened the host species turned on you and attempted to wipe you out. Which is something neither of the Hubs could tolerate as a possibility.
You could try to replace one of them - being the Hub is really just having control over a percentage of the network. If you could kill or incapacitate either of them, there should be a period of time after which you could take up that role.
Which assumes you have the power to fight the Warriors Avatar, and possibly the Thinkers - wherever it's gotten off to.
You... don't think that's a good assumption to make.
So where does that leave you? Pretty much exactly where you are right now. Your only real option is to strengthen your Master enough that she can potentially defend you when the Warrior Hub comes to euthanize you for your treason. Until then... you wait.
And you hate it.
Well, baby steps. You can... probably tell your Master about what you are in a loose sense. It might be worth seeing if her ability to create Gaps would allow her to reach Shard Space.
Which requires she learn about Shard Space...
"Emmy?" Your Master asks you, jarring you from your ruminations. You guess she must be done her own meditation because she is leaning over in front of you, checking your temperature - as though it were even possible for you to get sick.
"Yes?" You ask neutrally.
"Are you okay? You were kind of scowling at nothing for a while there." She asks hesitantly.
"I-" You state, opening your mouth to say you are fine and then pause. Because you aren't. Not really.
"No. We need to talk." You say.
It isn't until much later that you are told that the phrase is common to couples about to break up - which is why you don't fully understand why your Master's anxiety spikes and her eyes dilate as you speak.
Tuesday, March 1st, 2011
Winslow High School, Brockton Bay
"So you're a giant computer made out of meat and crystal, and the you that's been with me this whole time is a sock puppet that Cthulu has its finger in?" Your Master sums up your current point bluntly, causing you to stop and stare blankly at a wall in the middle of the school instead of proceeding with your - mostly casual - patrol of the building.
"...Yes," You admit, with some trepidation.
"So your sort of like, those fish that stick themselves to a shark for safety sort of. Only... you're the shark? Hang on I can think of a better analogy than this." Taylor muses to you aloud.
"Are you not... bothered?" You ask her hesitantly.
"Should I be? You know you made me drink your blood and stabbed me once right?" She counters.
"That was- that was entirely necessary at the time! It made you stronger! This is different! I'm a parasite! You might not even remember this conversation!" You blurt out angrily.
"Yeah, and every Parahuman has one of you guys stitched to us right? So it's not like I'm special or you could do anything about it." She returns, and you can actually hear her rolling her eyes somehow.
"Yes! Every bad thing that has happened on this planet is our fault! The Endbringers are our fault! The Slaughterhouse Nine are our fault!" You press.
"But so are the Triumvirate and the Protectorate. I mean.. can you control me or something?" She queries.
"Not... directly... but you could be influenced by my Shard Self! You'd never know! You might have this entire conversation bleed out of your memory the second we stop having it!"
"Well let's find out. I'm trying to listen to the Teacher anyway." Taylor tells you with some amusement.
You want to say something else to that, but you feel like your Master has rather succinctly ended the conversation for the moment.
So you wait.
And you watch.
And at the end of the day, some hours later, you appear next to her and await her judgement.
If she can even remember to give it.
"So, tattoo place? This thing should be done soon right?" She asks you, lifting the arm with her half finished tattoo on it. You stare at her, frowning.
"So you don't remember huh." You muse aloud, somewhat sadly. It's not ideal, but at least you know your Shard self probably isn't fully on your side here-
"What the alien parasite thing? I thought we were past that. You're not going to tell me you're all spaceships with faces or something now are you? You know I hate it when you kick over my worldview like that." She scowls at you.
"I- you- that-" You bumble stupidly at her.
"Me, I, this, yes. Come on I really don't want to have to leave this thing half-finished for another day, and I want to check on Kid again. I've never actually seen a ghost haunting a person before," She says, making a rolling motion with her hand as though to say 'get on with it'.
You stare at your Master. She stares back. You both blink. You stare some more.
Then your mouth slowly stretches out into a smile so wide it actually kind of hurts your face, and makes the people nearby flinch away from you despite not being close enough to even hear you talk.
You don't know how, but you had nearly forgotten your favourite part of your Master. The part of her that interested you so much in the first place that you offended the Queen Administrator. She has a particular outlook on life that allows her to persevere and continue on in the most adverse of circumstances. The disposition of a hero. In other words-
Your Master is absolutely insane - and you love her for it.
Not that you can say any of that out loud.
"Do you want to try and visit my... uh... body?" You ask tentatively. The mere fact that she can remember any of this means that you and your Shard Self are in agreement here. This means that your Master being able to defend your body from the Warrior Hub is probably going to become really important at some point.
"Is it safe? Like, is their air and stuff? There aren't any... I dunno... alien laser turrets or something? This isn't going to be one of those 'gaze into the void' sort of things right?" Taylor asks you, more curious sounding than worried which she probably should be.
"It... should be safe?" You offer.
"I've never been there before so I don't know if I'll be able to make this work but... I'll try." She offers lazily, before taking a step off the school grounds and drawing her sword.
Is it technically legal for her to have a sword out in the middle of the street in public? No. Is there someone here who is going to argue with her about it? Also no.
Then she cleaves a Gap into air in front of her - a fairly common sight at this hour really - and the two of you step through it.
The first thing you notice, is that this is not Shard Space. You haven't had many reasons to drift aimlessly through this space, but the malevolent eyes and infinite blackness mark it as the place between places Taylor has access to. A realm of true nothingness.
"Well I don't think it worked but uh..." Taylor trails off, drawing your attention to the side.
Where... there are lights. Open doorways, actually, unless your eyes are playing tricks on you. Five of them, in fact.
"I'll check them," You declare carefully getting the gist of movement here and then drifting towards them. "Don't follow me. If something happens to me, leave and we'll talk about it when I come back."
"This guy isn't all that strong, maybe I should-" Taylor says, drifting after you.
"No! If one of these goes somewhere dangerous, only one of us can come back from the dead. I'm expendable. You're not." You inform her curtly.
"I really hate when you say that..." She grumbles behind you.
"Then get so strong I never have to." You fire back, before picking one of the doorways - they're all evenly spaced and fairly close together - and vanishing through it.
???? ????, ???????
????????, ???????
The first thing you learn is that the portal was several feet off the ground.
The second thing is that hay makes for an excellent landing pad. Because you are - apparently - in a barn of some kind.
"Wh- Who are you!? What are you doing here?" A weirdly familiar voice asks you from behind.
"Relax, I'm just..." You trail off as you stand and turn, wanting to assure the person that you aren't here to hurt anyone but getting cut off - because you are staring at someone you have already emulated.
"Oscar... Pine?" You mumble, and dread begins to course through you as you realize you have broken one of your most cardinal rules.
Don't fuck around in alternate dimensions.
You attempt to phase away from the situation, to expose yourself as little as possible to the locals, but you find that you can't for some reason. The only positive aspect of this current endeavour is that as the gap closed behind you, you could feel yourself going out of your Masters range. Usually this would be instantaneous - but the circumstances must be causing problems, because instead of blinking out of existence and appearing next to your Master your sort of... melting, honestly might be the nicest way to describe it.
It's pretty gruesome if you're being honest.
"S-so-rry," You manage to gurgle out in apology to the terrified-looking boy in front of you, before collapsing into a puddle of gore.
Tuesday, March 1st, 2011
PRT Headquarters, Brockton Bay
"You're sure it was Oscar?" Your Master asks you for the hundredth time, flexing her free arm where her completed tattoo is phasing in and out of existence. You... have no idea how your Master is doing that. It's a tattoo. It's supposed to be permanent.
"Yes, Master. I might have traumatized him though. Just a little bit." You admit sheepishly.
"You said you melted in front of him! Of course, he's traumatized!" Taylor fires back at you in panic.
"Can I ask the reason for your visit?" The receptionist in the lobby asks your Master, drawing her attention. Despite the conversation you are both privately having over your link, her facial expression remains perfectly neutral as she responds to the obviously nervous receptionist.
"I'm here to see Kid Win." Your Master informs the poor woman, who dry swallows before carefully reaching over to the phone on her desk. A series of tense phone calls later, and you are proceeding through the building.
The staff have obviously learned that it's just easier to let your Master do what she wants, after all. Even if she apparently terrifies them all for some reason.
"I didn't have a choice! It would be a waste of energy to kill myself cleanly, and I had no way back that I could see!" You protest.
"You didn't even try to ask me to bring you back!" Taylor counters.
"I-"
"Hey uh... you were looking for me?" Kid Win asks, looking like he just jogged half way through the building which - given your distance from the Wards common room - he might have.
"Hey. I'm here to investigate your haunting." Taylor says, pivoting mid-conversation to focus on the task at hand - though she shoots you a look that says you'll be continuing with your previous topic later.
"Not much to investigate really. I can't get more than... I dunno, a meter? Call it a meter - away from this guy. We can do some cool stuff if I possess him but it's a work in progress." Luke or... Luke's ghost... says.
"Uhuh... well, we can talk to it more in the Wards area if you want? It's fascinating. You're the most sapient ghost I've come across." Taylor says idly.
"That's- I mean that's probably not a good idea? Uh... Emma is there so..." Kid Win trails off awkwardly.
"So?" Taylor asks blankly.
"So I know you two don't really get along, and she's extra bitchy cus she's supposed to be showing the new girl around so-"
"I'm not going to blow up the building because someone I'm not even friends with said some mean words to me Kid." Taylor says flatly.
"Yeah, but what happens when she uses her power on you?" Kid counters.
"I still have fists don't I?" Taylor points out, causing Kid's eyes to dilate - even as he fails to actually prevent your Master from walking around him.
"Dude relax, chicks beef all the time. I'm sure whatsherface will be chill about it." Luke offers as you follow after your Master.
"I'm not worried about either of them! I spend half my time here! I like it! I keep all my stuff here!" Kid continues to panic.
"They aren't going to throw down in the middle of the building dude."
"What about 'I still have fists' makes you think that-"
They both stop talking as the warning bell in the Wards room goes off, and your Master waits the requisite ten seconds to be allowed inside. Where she promptly finds two other girls standing in the small kitchenette.
Emma is obvious. Her hair is fairly distinctive, and though she still has yet to be given a new name or costume with the Wards program, she is wearing a generic white mask over her face. She definitely seems like she's seen better days, and either hasn't been eating, or hasn't been sleeping, because she is much thinner than you recall her being.
The other girl is strangely tall for someone Wards age - nearly matching your Master's above average height - and rather looks like she has been blindsided by something extremely unexpected. She is of clearly Asian heritage and has her long black hair tied up in a ponytail behind her. She too is wearing a generic white mask.
Your Master and Emma simply stare at each other for a few moments, and you can hear Kid Win suck in and hold his breath.
"That's Nexus. We used to be friends. Now we're not. She's not a Ward, but she gets to do whatever she wants because everyone is scared of her." Emma explains, like she is describing the weather, or that the ocean is wet. She points a lazy finger in your Masters direction, and you tense slightly - but nothing happens, and the moment quickly passes.
"Uh... Hi? I'm Flechette. I'm... new." The Asian girl - still clearly feeling out of her depth - responds, her eyes going pretty much everywhere but to your Master.
"Hi Flechette. Nice to meet you. Feel free to swing by my castle sometime if you want to talk." Taylor says absently, her eyes still on Emma, who has likewise not looked away from her since she entered the room.
Then Kid Win interrupts.
"" Hey so, this is super hard to do, but when we're being possessed we can sort of do a bunch of poltergeisty shit like float! " " Kid blurts out, his eyes glowing, and his body hovering a few inches off the floor.
He also speaks with two voices at once, which is somewhat off-putting.
"That's... I'm not sure that's entirely safe?" Taylor points out, turning away from her old friend and - seemingly - deciding to pretend she isn't in the room.
" " Oh it's totally safe! We tested it and everything? It's just not that useful, because we have to be in sync for it. We figured out that Luke can sort of take full control and then I sort of just black out for a bit, but if he eases off we're both just sort of here. Hard to keep the balance in a fight though." " Kid... and/or Luke... explains.
"Huh. Do you mind if I-"
"Sorry, did- did he say possessed?" The new girl, Flechette, you guess, blurts out - still refusing to look directly at your Master, of course.
"Yeah, the afterlife is real and it's basically just waiting for me to stab your ghost apart. Don't think too hard about it, I barely get it myself." Taylor mumbles at her with a lazy wave while withdrawing a number of talismans from her backpack.
"Come on, we should go," Emma suggests bluntly, stretching an arm out to grab Flechette's upper arm and stumbling when the taller girl doesn't budge.
"I- I'd prefer to stay?" Flechette offers demurely. There is a soft growl followed by a defeated "Fine," and then your Master gets straight down to business while the others watch on.
You don't learn much about the situation with Kid Win, but you do have a bunch of information your Master plans to look at once she has access to her lab.
You try not to be too worried about the glint of interest in her expression. The last time something caught her interest so she magicked a skyscraper into existence, after all.
Tomorrow is another day of school. Choose Two (2) options. Taylor will automatically continue any outstanding training in her free time.
[ ] Begin Training (Choose a Skill or Power)
[ ] Patrol The City (Choose a target area: The Docks, Downtown, Uptown) (Choose two people to come with you: Victoria, Gallant, Triumph, Aspirant, Trainwreck, Jess, Danny, Mem, Oliver)
[ ] Have Taylor take some time out to fortify the Heap with Onmyoudo.
[ ] ...Could you start a parahuman training school? You could at least look into some candidates... (Choose one: Dojo Students, Dockworkers, Panda Gang, Police)
[ ] Maybe you could follow up with Dragon on her personal project?
[ ] As much as Mem says her project is Danny approved... you don't trust it.
[ ] Your Master did promise to train Aisha (2).
[ ] You wonder how Mouse Protectors 'vacation' has been going?
[ ] When was the last time Taylor visited the Hospital you wonder.
[ ] Hypothetically, your Master doesn't mind Vicky's offer of a blind date with some boy she's never met before...
[ ] Hypothetically, your Master doesn't mind Vicky's offer of a blind date with some girl she's never met before...
[ ] Take Time Off (Pick an Extra Social)
[ ] Write-In
Last edited: May 10, 2021
647
Bowler Hat Guy
May 10, 2021
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Threadmarks Ascension 13.8
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Bowler Hat Guy
Bowler Hat Guy
A Hat & Its Man
May 18, 2021
#35,323
Spoiler: Choices:
Current Energy: 16
Current Training: Right Hand of Destruction 5/10 - This Omake Bonus in thanks to TirelessTraveler
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011
Hebert Household, Brockton Bay
You wake up like normal, only to find your Master somehow awake before you which is... weird. Not just because it can't happen but more because it typically just... doesn't. Your Master already gets essentially the bare minimum of sleep in order to indulge her training... habit? You aren't actually sure if that quite captures your Master's dedication at this point. Some people get up early to jog, but that's only an hour or so at most, and they typically have days off. More so than that, they don't do it for fun, they do it for the beneficial results of doing so.
Your Master seemingly exists on five to six hours of sleep a day purely for the sheer joy of finding better ways to enact ultraviolence on enemies who historically have barely even been able to handle her when she's functioning at a level you'd charitably describe as 'minimum violence'.
So for your Master to wake up even earlier than normal means she either hasn't slept or has only gotten a few hours of sleep that night.
And that concerns you deeply - because it implies something has gone quite wrong. Coincidentally, you can recall doing something yesterday that would explain exactly what has gone wrong - namely, explaining to your Master that you are a space parasite.
Lurching upward, you quickly determine which direction your Master is in through your link, become intangible, and launch yourself straight at her as fast as you can.
This has the interesting effect of causing you to fly bodily through the ceiling, passing through most of the house where you land in the empty garage - where your Master is sitting cross-legged in the center of the room with a wrench in one hand - the one that prominently has her tattoo on it, in fact.
"Is everything okay?" You ask her urgently, hands coming up to check your surroundings, even as you implore your Shard half to give you some kind of sign if the Warrior is inbound or you are about to be attacked in Shard Space or something.
"Emmy..?" Taylor mumbles at you dazedly, making you frown as you wonder if she even remembers what you told her yesterday.
"Stay behind me." You order her, tuning all your senses to trying to determine where the threat is coming from.
"Why?" Your Master asks you, followed by a short yawn.
"Because-" You pause, struggling with yourself. You told your Master you're a Parasite but you didn't explain anything to do with the cycle - or why knowing even what she knows now is extremely dangerous. Sure, she understood that she absolutely shouldn't tell people the origin of powers - obviously - but that doesn't mean she's considered the wider implications of why an entire species of super-beings would willingly leash themselves to humans.
Of course, by the time you finish considering all of that, you have actually bothered to look at Taylor, at which point it dawns on you that you might be overreacting. As it turns out, your estimation of your Master's training addict tendencies were sort of an understatement. All it really takes to get her to lose sleep is a power she finds particularly interesting.
Like the ability to completely restructure any object she is touching on a molecular level.
As evidenced by the small army of fist-sized models surrounding her.
"...Nevermind. I... mistakenly assumed something was wrong. B-because you woke up before me." You explain while violently shoving down and ignoring your embarrassment.
"Yeah I uh, didn't get any sleep last night. Do you have any idea how cool this thing is?!" Taylor explains before promptly exploding into excited yelling. She has bags under her eyes, but - probably as a result of her various powers and perks - looks more like a lazy beauty than a haggard teen that stayed up all night.
"It's just alchemy I don't-" You start to state but are cut off.
"Emmy I can make gold! Yeah, I had to look up the composition of gold, then the composition of lawn soil, then spend hours giving myself a headache with these stupid glasses while I reasoned out the process to get from point A to point B but I can make gold! I'm gonna be..." She yells at you with a manic smile on her face before suddenly slowing to a stop.
"I- I'm already rich." She realizes belatedly before her hollow gaze drops to the fist-sized replicas of all your friends and acquaintances littering the ground - all of them glittering gold in the dim light of the garage.
"You own a castle," you point out in confusion.
"I know that!" She hisses back at you.
"You get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for a couple hours of work," you continue, still perplexed.
"..."
"You technically own a mall. You employ the entirety of your Father's organization. You are the single driving force behind the economy of the entire city and that's something this current emulation understands without even thinking about it. How... how did you forget you were-" You ask blankly.
"It- it's not like I actually look at my bank account anymore! And half of that stuff I have other people handle! I don't even know how much money I have right now. I assume a lot but... but..." Taylor trails off, her eyes going distant. Then she glances around at the run down garage she is sitting in, and finally back to you. Slowly, her expression shifts from one of tired confusion and embarrassment to a completely neutral expression - the one she typically uses when she is about to do something outrageous.
"Oh, look at the time. Better meditate." She mumbles, waving a hand to shove all of the models she has made to one side with a wave of magic, and then quickly dropping into a meditative trance as she escapes into her inner world.
Now, your current emulation doesn't really laugh often - but you aren't entirely your current emulation, so you can't help by start to snicker, and then finally laugh heartily at your Master's clumsy attempt to change the subject.
Honestly, you really love this girl.
Now you just have to figure out how you're going to protect her from... everything, really.
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011
PRT Headquarters, Brockton Bay
"I regret everything." Your master states bluntly as she blinks owlishly at the sun overhead on her way into the PRT building. School that day was not particularly trying, or even really interesting. The most notable event was some random teen mustering up the balls to actually challenge your Master to a fight. You don't think he was actually expecting to win. In fact, you don't think he was actually expecting to fight. You suspect the genius thought that your Master might simply take a shining to him on the basis that he must either be brave or suicidal to follow through.
She did not, and he spent approximately two seconds kissing the ground under your Master's spiritual pressure before she patted him on the shoulder and left school that day. You found it particularly interesting that not a single teacher even attempted to stop the fight.
Regardless, your Master has been in something of a bad mood for most of the day, largely as a result of not sleeping last night, but has so far refused to just call it a day early for reasons that escape you. She says she doesn't want to mess up her schedule, but really, who's going to tell her what to do?
Naturally, you are overruled in this respect, which is why you are here now.
Your Master is curious about Dragons pet project. Without thinking over much about it, your Master groggily walks past the receptionist, waves at them, and meanders into the building without asking. It takes approximately one minute and thirty two seconds for a member of the Protectorate to show up asking what shes doing wandering around the building like a zombie.
Blessedly, that Protectorate member is Armsmaster, and when your Master explains hers intent to him he is quick to take her to the ritual room.
"Hey Dragon," Your Master greets the digitally rendered image of the woman on the screen when she enters the room.
"Good afternoon Taylor. I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon. Have you gotten a new power that allows you to bring people back faster?" Dragon asks in a tone that hovers between motherly and professional. You don't even think she does it on purpose - it's just her default tone of voice.
"She expressed interest in helping you with your side project. I too would be interested in providing assistance on that front." Armsmaster answers for your Master before she can open her mouth, unusually aggressive for the taciturn man.
"Co- Armsmaster, you know I can't tell you any more than I already have." Dragon chides the man, seeing right through his poor attempts at inserting himself into the situation.
"But you won't be fully explaining things to her either, so I should be okay to sit in on this." He points out.
"That's... true..." Dragon hedges.
"Hey, I don't mean to get involved in... whatever this is... but if she doesn't want you to be here then you should probably go away." Taylor points out, causing Armsmasters head to whip around comically to stare at her.
"N-no it's nothing like that. He can stay, I don't mind." Dragon quickly corrects herself in an awkward rush. Armsmaster doesn't directly say anything but he does turn away from Taylor to nod at the screen before walking over to settle himself in the same seat he used to observe all the computers from the other day.
"Uhuh... so what's up?" Taylor mutters before asking. She tiredly glances around the room for a minute before shrugging and making herself a chair out of solid magic to sit in. You take immense pleasure in the slight flinch this elicits from Armsmaster.
"I've observed your process for this several times, and from what I can tell you appear to be recreating peoples bodies from undifferentiated matter-"
"Magic." Your Master corrects, curling one knee up on her seat and resting her hand on it.
"-that only partially becomes permanently stable upon completion." Dragon finishes, ignoring your Master's correction.
You suppose most science-minded people, let alone Tinkers, would take massive issue with your Master's casual use of esoteric forces. You're sure Dragon is assuming that 'Magic' is just some Shard related crud that humans don't understand yet. The joke is on her though, because you're pretty sure even your species couldn't make heads or tales of this stuff.
"And?" Taylor prompts.
"Well, it occurs to me that if you can perform this procedure on people who are still alive, that the malleable nature of the resulting body might allow some Case 53's to obtain something approaching normality - not to mention the benefit of being able to replicate the process without the bottleneck of your power." Dragon begins to explain.
"Yeah, I'm super tired right now, and using these things gives me a giant headache - but that was absolutely a lie. No offence, I know you're a hero and everything, but I recently found out Alexandria is kind of terrible so..." Taylor says with a shrug.
There is a sudden and deafening silence in the room.
"Armsmaster, I'm truly sorry but I- please leave the room?" Dragon asks in a small voice. Armsmaster - having suddenly had the tables turned on him, immediately frowns. He opens his mouth to argue, pauses to really look at the ashamed look on Dragon's digital avatar, then closes it. He shoots a glare at you before leaving - slowly and without a word.
"Bit dramatic..." Your Master mutters.
"I'm sorry, are my personal secrets that you're dragging out of me boring you?" Dragon snaps at her in an uncharacteristic bout of anger. Taylor shrugs and lifts both of her arms into the air to signify surrender.
"Sorry. I'm just a bit more cautious than I was this time last year. I uh... didn't really mean for..." She says gesturing helplessly at the door.
"It- it's fine. Taylor, please understand that what I'm about to tell you is in absolute confidence. If anyone were to find out-" Dragon begins to explain hesitantly - obviously stalling.
"Dragon I bring people back from the dead and can basically make Parahumans out of random objects. I grasp the concept of secrecy." Taylor drawls.
There is a small pause.
"...Random objects?" Dragon queries warily.
"Oh uh... yeah. Don't tell anyone, but uh... Mem is a really old cane, for instance. Was. Was a really old cane. She's a little girl now." Taylor answers with a shrug.
"That's... surprisingly heartening for my own situation. You see Taylor, my interest in having a body made from scratch is... well... I don't have one. Because I'm an AI - an artificial intelligence." Dragon finally states.
"...Oh." Taylor says blandly.
"That- that's it? Just 'oh'? Taylor this is incredibly dangerous information!" Dragon quails.
"...Oh fuck?" Taylor tries again.
"It isn't more believable just because you swear!" Dragon snaps.
"Well, I don't know what you want me to say! Do you want me to try and get you ambulatory or what?!" Taylor counters.
"No! Yes! Maybe! I have obvious concerns over the process when you describe it a manipulating my soul! I don't even know if I have a soul!" Dragon growls - which is the most emotional you've ever seen the woman.
Taylor just shrugs at her.
"Only one way to find out."
"I... will consider it." Dragon finally responds.
"Cool. So uh, as long as we're doing each other favours, do you think you could fabricate me some stuff for doing tattoos?" Taylor asks innocently, glancing at her right arm and then you.
"...What?" Is Dragon's only real response.
Tomorrow is another day of school. Choose One (1) option. Taylor will automatically continue any outstanding training in her free time.
[ ] Patrol The City (Choose a target area: The Docks, Downtown, Uptown) (Choose two people to come with you: Victoria, Gallant, Triumph, Aspirant, Trainwreck, Jess, Danny, Mem, Oliver)
[ ] Have Taylor take some time out to fortify the Heap with Onmyoudo.
[ ] ...Could you start a parahuman training school? You could at least look into some candidates... (Choose one: Dojo Students, Dockworkers, Panda Gang, Police)
[ ] As much as Mem says her project is Danny approved... you don't trust it.
[ ] Your Master did promise to train Aisha (2).
[ ] You wonder how Mouse Protectors 'vacation' has been going?
[ ] When was the last time Taylor visited the Hospital you wonder.
[ ] Hypothetically, your Master doesn't mind Vicky's offer of a blind date with some boy she's never met before...
[ ] Hypothetically, your Master doesn't mind Vicky's offer of a blind date with some girl she's never met before...
[ ] Take Time Off (Pick an Extra Social)
[ ] Write-In
Last edited: May 18, 2021
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Bowler Hat Guy
May 18, 2021
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Threadmarks Ascension 13.9 (Nexus)
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Bowler Hat Guy
Bowler Hat Guy
A Hat & Its Man
May 18, 2021
#35,472
[X] When was the last time Taylor visited the Hospital you wonder.
Current Energy: 15
Current Training: Right Hand of Destruction 5/10 - 7/10
Thursday, March 3rd, 2011
Inner World, Taylor Heberts Soul
"Is this strictly fair?!" She growled at the hovering representation of her sword. She could never quite tell how much of Nemesis' personality out in the real world was an affectation and how much was real. Sure, she was childlike in both appearance and deed when she was running about being a menace in real life, but here in her inner world the sword spirit was distinctly more mature - even if she was exactly as aggravatingly obtuse and selfish.
Case and point.
"What? You didn't think this was going to be easy did you?" Teased the version of her that - until recently - she would have described as an airbrushed perfect mirror of herself.
Now it just looked like she did but with a bigger chest.
And fewer clothes.
And if the sword ever looked like that in real life, she would kill it. Somehow.
"You told me I had to kill all the monsters. Fine. I did it. So you made more. I killed those too, so you made them smarter and I had to waste weeks digging out an army of shadow demon things that fought like a spec ops unit. Fine. Did that. What the hell is this and why does it feel like I can't actually win this game?" She hissed at Nemesis, gesturing helplessly at the titanic creature of chitin and muscle that was presently lumbering around the now empty plains of her inner world, trading blows with the stone giant that caused shockwaves to explode across the area, pushing her back any time she wasn't actively bracing herself against them.
"I didn't do any such thing. It's your inner world." Nemesis drawled lazily, rolling over onto her back and dangling her arms towards the ground as she drifted overhead.
"That's a lie and you know it," Taylor sighed in exasperation, juking to one side to avoid the foot of one of the two giants.
"I'm starting to think this Bankai thing isn't worth the effort." She grumbled to herself.
"It probably isn't. You barely even use me to fight anymore. You should look into a power limiter of some kind. You don't need more power - you need less." Nemesis noted, suddenly interested in talking again.
Which Taylor found suspicious.
"Overwhelming power is kind of how I've been successful so far." She replied eyeballing the two giants. If she could use all her powers in here, this would be easy. But she couldn't. She was limited entirely to her above average physical capability, and her swordsmanship.
Neither of which really stood up against a creature that was big enough that it looked like it might have eaten two out of the three Endbringers.
"Yeah but it's boring. Come on, you know you're bored. When's the last time you were actually in danger of getting hurt or dying?" Nemesis whined at her.
"A few weeks ago. In Canberra." She replied dryly.
But inwardly she had to restrain a wince. Because if she was honest with herself, the sword was right. She'd never considered herself a violent person - even when it became obvious her powers were going to be exceptionally useful for the purpose - but as time went on she just felt so… unfulfilled. In many ways, of all the personalities Emmy had taken on, the first one had been the one that impacted her the most. She was loathe to admit it, but she had absorbed a lot more of that mans axe murderer battle maniac tendencies than anyone else seemed to really grasp. Every day she went without an excuse to cut lose and get into it with someone was like an itch in the small of her back that she just couldn't reach. Mildly annoying at first, but increasingly aggravating over time.
It just hadn't been much of a problem because life had a tendency to throw problems at her that she could take her stress out on. Even now, she wasn't particularly bothered by the sensation of going unfulfilled - but then again, Canberra was still fairly recent.
"Yeah but how often are you going to get into it with one of those things! Come on, treat yourself, wear a blindfold or start fighting people with only your teeth!" Nemesis complained some more, headless of Taylor's inner turmoil.
"I'll think about it." She replied tersely. She was sure Emmy would end up as someone who could sate her battlelust eventually.
"Good. If you leave me bored for too long I'll take our Emmy and find something to do myself." Nemesis huffed.
Tayors eye twitched at the comment but she refused to humour the self indulgent kitchen knife with a response.
"So if we aren't arguing anymore can you do something about this?" She finely asked, returning her full attention to the titanic battle going on around them.
"I already told you - I can't." Was the swords smug response.
Thursday, March 3rd, 2011
Brockton General Hospital, Brockton Bay
School went about how she expected it too that day.
As was becoming the norm for her, she was increasingly spending her lunch hour arbitrating disputes between the other kids, since apparently if she forbade them from just beating the crap out of each other, then that made her indirectly responsible for their resolution.
She resented the practice on a number of levels, first because it felt far too much like she was the new Emma - a tin pot dictator queen holding court in the lunch room - and because it was such a blatant disturbance to her normal life that she couldn't help but lament the loss of her carefree highschool days. University would probably be less work. She could hide her identity and go to school in another city or something.
Then there those… Panda Gang weirdoes. She didn't directly interact with them often but it was always weird whenever she did. They acted like a combination fan club and youth group in her name. Sure, they were helpful for keeping kids from joining the smaller gangs that cropped up here and there, but did they really have be so weird about it? She had to spend a portion of her lunch today giving them approval for a series of patches designed to look like past Emmy's, one that looked like her hat, and three that looked like broken parts of the different Endbringers.
She wasn't even worried about the implied expectations - just concerned by the pseudo worship on display.
Regardless, by the end of the day she had seriously wanted to sit down and complain - which was why she had come to the hospital. She could always count on Amy to see the worst in everything, and proceed to ralk shit about it. At least half her relationship with the girl was just complaining about things while they healed people.
"She's on the third floor, helping someone survive the removal of an object from an orifice it shouldn't have been in." Emmy informed her, having ranged ahead to find Amy for her while she was busy checking in and letting the staff know she was here.
"Ah, nevermind. The nurse informed her of your presence and she declared he would live without her help before leaving." He corrected himself as she rolled her shoulders and began to walk up the hall.
'Never change Amy.' She snickered to herself.
She wasn't overly rushed. She was here to heal people but that was mostly a matter of getting permission from everyone on a given floor - the nurses job - and then blasting the area with Chi until everybody was healthy. She could probably affect a better bed side manner but Amy had instilled in her very early on a subtle contempt for people who got hurt being stupid, or committing a crime - which was about eighty percent of the traffic at Brockton General.
Or it was anyway. She hadn't been around much recently, so perhaps the new status quo was working out.
"Hey - haven't seen you and your stupid perfect hair for a while. Been busy?" Amy asked - just slightly to quickly - as she turned a corner ahead of her and laid eyes on her. The healers face was flushed from exertion, which Taylor supposed made sense given the speed she had apparently moved between floors.
"I'll have you know I treat my hair meticulously to get it like this. And not really." She sniffed haughtily before answering.
Amy snorted.
"Please, I've seen your morning routine. You brush it for like two minutes a day and wash it with generic shampoo." Amy spat as she drew closer to stare balefully at her hair.
Now, Taylor wasn't an exceptionally vain girl - most of the time she only remembered that she had a power boosting her attractiveness when someone was annoying about it - but she was proud of her hair. It had been the only feminine or attractive part of her for many years before she got her powers, at least in her opinion, and she worked hard to keep it that way.
Just not recently.
"It's economical?" She offered with a shrug. Amy snorted at her again.
"Seriously what are you doing here? You miss my sterling personality that much?" Amy finally asked sarcastically.
"Duh. I have sooooo many things I want to complain about. Real quick, you didn't stop being a massive bitch anytime since I last saw you right?" She fired back, ignoring the way that Amy's face maintained a slight reddish hue even when she stopped exerting herself.
She wondered if the other girl was sick then quickly wrote it off - mostly because it was impossible. She was probably just tired. Taylor had no idea how the girl could stay up days on end at the hospital and school respectively. She could barely tolerate a day without sleep - as evidenced by her exceeding belligerence the day before.
"Yeah that- that's me. Biggest bitch in the whole wide world." Amy answered in a half hearted self depreciating way.
Taylor raised an eyebrow at her.
"You know, this isn't really as fun if you aren't going to fire back. Are you okay? I'd give you a hug but I'm kind of afraid you'd go catatonic on me again." She offered.
Amy immediately took on a dear in the headlights look, which Taylor took to mean the healer was no more intereated in a swift trip into unconsciousness than she was in providing said trip.
"No! I mean- I don't think I would- do you think it's something I should try to get used to? In case I ever have to heal you I mean." Amy finally blurted out.
"Sure we can figure it out while we talk - but are you okay?" She repeated, more ordered the second time, since she was eager to resolve the issue so they could get on with their regularly scheduled sniping.
"...hot." She caught the tail end of something Amy was saying before asking for clarification.
"My robes are hot. Like- because they're so heavy? They don't breathe well!" The healer clarified.
Now, Taylor could spot a bad lie easily enough, and she was tempted to peak through her crystallized wisdom to figure out what all the fuss was about - but she refrained. She doubted she'd have many healthy or functional relationships if she essentially took every opportunity to pry peoples secrets from them, so she felt it for the beat that she didn't abuse the power for trivial reasons.
"Oh. Makes sense. Here," she offered, concentrating for a moment on her dragon core, and willing it to filter through the channels of her body until she was clasping a gaseous bubble of frigid air and magic in her open palm.
Suddenly, a mischievous part of her - the same part that enjoyed picking verbal fights with Amy in the first place - rose to the surface. So, instead of wafting the cold air toward the girl like she had originally intended, her hand shot out, snaking into the healers raised hood and pressing the cold palm to the back of her neck.
The result was predictably that she jolted from the cold.
Less predictably, she jolted towards Taylor, and bounced solidly off of her.
"Woops. I got you." She chortled, having changed the position of her arms to catch her before she could slam into something dangerous and get hurt.
Amy spent exactly one second staring straight up into her face before her eyes rolled up into her head and she fainted.
Taylor was left awkwardly holding the brunette aloft by main force in the middle of the Hospital. Emmy had appeared to stare blankly at her, and she felt like she should say something so she blurted out -
"Well it took longer than last time at least."
Tomorrow is another day of school. Choose One (1) option. Taylor will automatically continue any outstanding training in her free time.
[ ] Patrol The City (Choose a target area: The Docks, Downtown, Uptown) (Choose two people to come with you: Victoria, Gallant, Triumph, Aspirant, Trainwreck, Jess, Danny, Mem, Oliver)
[ ] Have Taylor take some time out to fortify the Heap with Onmyoudo.
[ ] ...Could you start a parahuman training school? You could at least look into some candidates... (Choose one: Dojo Students, Dockworkers, Panda Gang, Police)
[ ] As much as Mem says her project is Danny approved... you don't trust it.
[ ] Your Master did promise to train Aisha (2).
[ ] You wonder how Mouse Protectors 'vacation' has been going?
[ ] Hypothetically, your Master doesn't mind Vicky's offer of a blind date with some boy she's never met before...
[ ] Hypothetically, your Master doesn't mind Vicky's offer of a blind date with some girl she's never met before...
[ ] Take Time Off (Pick an Extra Social)
[ ] Write-In
A/N: Posting from my phone at work - forgive any formatting, spelling or grammar errors, at least, ones anove the norm.
Last edited: May 21, 2021
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Bowler Hat Guy
May 18, 2021
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Threadmarks Amy's Gay Thoughts by Annatar (Canon)
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Annatar
Annatar
Lord of Gifts
May 25, 2021
#35,917
Amy's Gay Thots
Thursday, March 3rd, 2011
Arcadia Highschool, Brockton Bay
Nexus loomed over her, her muscular right arm, with that new tattoo curling down from her bicep planted on the wall next to her, her long, straight black hair hanging like a curtain on either side of her head as she stared directly down into her eyes over her thinly rimmed glasses.
Her hat blocked the light of the room casting Amy's face in shadow, a hungry look on her face as she brought her left arm up to caress her cheek before bringing it down to hold onto her chin. She smirked, her wide mouth and kissable lips parting to reveal pearl white teeth.
-my
"Looks like someones all flustered…" She said, her voice dripping with smug satisfaction. Amy could feel her face heating up as she swallowed nervously before steeling herself.
"So what, it's not because of you or anything." She replied harshly, trying to put as much resolve into the statement as her meager resistance allowed. She tried to stare Taylor down but as soon as she stared into her eyes she looked away, blushing even harder than before.
-MY
That same smirk was still plastered over her face as she leaned in, her hair tickling Amy's face as she whispered into her ear.
"You don't have to lie, you know?" She whispered, nipping slightly at her ear and causing Amy to jump as she pulled back.
Gazing down on her now, her intent was clear as she bent her head forward, eyes focused on Amy's lips. She was so close Amy could feel her slightly too warm breath as she descended to capture her lips in a kiss that would-
"AMY!" She heard her sister shout as she snapped back to reality. Blearily shaking her head to uncloud her vision as her eyes unconsciously flickered to the concerned face of her floating sister.
"What?" She asked snappily, looking around the still full cafeteria to reorient herself.
"Geez no need to snap at me, I was just trying to wake you up from whatever daydream you were having." Victoria answered, arms crossed as she floated parallel to the tables bench.
"Oh... thanks." Amy muttered, poking at the "food" on her tray with her fork.
"C'mon Ames you've been really distracted lately, in class, at home sometimes even when you're at the hospital! What's gotten into you?" Vicky asked, as she floated closer to put a reassuring hand on Amy's shoulder.
Amy felt herself flinch slightly at the contact, trying to minimize contact with her adopted sister slash crush as she sighed.
"All this stuff with Nexus and the stupid gag villains that keep popping up and getting their asses kicked so I have to heal them is just, really annoying okay?" She bit out, omitting the true reason for her space outs.
How could she tell Vicky about how long she fantasized about Taylor? Sometimes she'd just spend hours thinking about her long flowing hair (so soft, perfect for running her hands through) her piercing eyes (they see right through me) her wide mouth (perfect for kissing) those muscular tattooed arms (they make me feel safe and cared for) those chiseled abs (you could grind meat on them) and those toned legs (I want them to crush me)…
She shook her head to clear the traitorous thoughts. But even as much as she hated it, a part of her was glad for them. For what they meant. They meant she wasn't completely broken, that even though she was in love lust with her adopted sister, that she could feel something for anyone else at all, even if it was for someone as out there as Taylor "Slayer of the Hopekiller" Hebert. It meant Vicky hadn't accidently mastered her into loving her and that she wasn't just some freak with a creepy kink. It meant there was a part of her that could move on from Vicky. And that gave her hope. Even if she did still fantasize about her sister. Or her sister with Taylor.
"Yeah I get it, our lives have changed so much since just a few months ago, the gangs are all gone and most of the serious villains are too, sometimes I don't know what to do with myself either." Vicky spoke, drawing her own conclusions from Amy's statement, just as planned.
"Look after school I'm probably going to head to the hospital for a bit to do some work, could you drop me off and pick me up?" She asked leadingly, trying to steer the conversation away from its previous topic.
"Who else were you going to get to give you a ride, Uncle Neil?" Her sister asked teasingly, a bright smile on her face making her seem even more radiant than usual.
'Oh god...' Amy thought as she flushed, her mind taking the sisterly teasing in an altogether untoward direction, her face heating back up at the implication.
"Shut up..." She mumbled half heartedly as she prepared to face the rest of her day...
--
Thursday, March 3rd, 2011
Brockton General Hospital, Brockton Bay
She had just gotten started healing an idiot who decided to shove a bottle rocket up their ass when a nurse had approached her.
"Excuse me, Panacea? Nexus is here to help." She informed politely, not knowing the effect the words had on Amy as she spoke.
'Taylor's here? Oh shit I look terrible, oh god we're going to spend time alone again, healing people, talking on the roof while I stare at those meaty thighs- No! Get it together Dallon! You can do this! Just one conversation without your stupid brain getting all hot and bothered! I got this! I can win, I feel great, I! Can! Do! This!' She psyched herself up as she moved to speak to the nurse.
"This guy'll be fine without my help, I'll go make sure Nexus doesn't accidently blow the place up." She declared flatly as she moved swiftly down to Taylor's current location.
'That's right, you can't stop me brain I've got this!' She strode confidently down to meet Taylor, before turning the corner and stumbling slightly as she caught a glimpse of Taylor as she stood casually in the lobby, hair perfect as always, peachy skin, perfectly lit to accentuate her high cheekbones and razor like brows. Her tatted up arms on full display, muscles flexing slightly as she shifted from side to side.
'Oh no she's Hot!' Came the pained groan from inside of her as she blushed rapidly. In that moment she wanted nothing more than to rush forward and kiss her as hard as humanly possible, to pour out all these feelings she'd been keeping inside of her and cry as Tay held her in a comforting hug. Instead what came out was a far too quick for comfort:
"Hey - haven't seen you and your stupid perfect hair for a while. Been busy?"
'Oh god I'm such an idiot...' The thought trailed as Taylor turned to look at her fully, eyes lighting up upon seeing her standing at the corner slightly awkwardly, face far too flushed for comfort.
She sniffed haughtily, "I'll have you know I treat my hair meticulously to get it like this. And not really."
'This is going to be a long day.' Amy thought, as she steeled herself for spending a long amount of time alone with her frenemy turned crush. 'I just hope she doesn't touch me again, god was that a mind fuck...'
Last edited: May 26, 2022
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Annatar
May 25, 2021
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Threadmarks Ascension 13.10
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Bowler Hat Guy
Bowler Hat Guy
A Hat & Its Man
May 23, 2021
#35,693
[X] Have Taylor take some time out to fortify the Heap with Onmyoudo.
Current Energy: 14
Current Training: Right Hand of Destruction 7/10 - 9/10
Spoiler: Base Status
Friday, March 4th, 2011
The Heap, Brockton Bay
There is a man in front of the Heap today.
He is not a particularly impressive looking man. In fact, if he were not explicitly standing arms akimbo in front of the entrance to the grounds, facing away from the building, and laughing insanely every few minutes, you likely would have never even been told he was there.
The day had gone pretty well up until this point too. Your Master - still somewhat stressed by her inability to vent with Amy - opted, ironically, to hide on the roof of the school during her lunch break. True, she could have technically just gone home for lunch, but apparently, the idea hadn't even really occurred to her until you pointed it out after lunch had ended.
Regardless, having managed to avoid most of the usual petty annoyances of the day, the two of you had retired to the Heap where the equipment your Master requested from Dragon was already set up. You suspect she must have rushed the order or fabrication somehow because you doubt you would have gotten any of it - much less the plush leather seat that came with it - the next day if it had been ordered through normal channels.
After a fairly relaxed afternoon working on your Masters tattoos, you had been quietly waved over by one of the Dockworkers, who had then reported the presence of… whoever this was.
Which is how you now find yourself standing a few feet to his right, invisible, and annoyed, as he mutters to himself. Upon closer inspection, it occurs to you that despite his otherwise mundane appearance - a pair of jeans and an unseasonable looking blue sweater - he has dozens of small devices festooned about his person that most certainly do not look normal.
So a Tinker then, not that it explains what he's doing here blocking traffic. In the handful of minutes you've been watching him, he's mostly just been standing here acting strange. Having made no attempt to enter the castle, or hurt anyone passing by, you're of half a mind to just ignore him until he goes away.
"Is the laugh too deep? I feel like it should be higher? Oh my god, this is stressful. Shouldn't she be here by now? She's in high school right? I seriously just want to get this over with. I mean, I'm totally going to be okay, because she's just some kid with more power than sense but-"
Or you were anyway. The minute he starts talking about your Master a spike of ire runs down your spine, and you quickly step forward and out of invisibility to clutch the top of his head in the vicelike grip of your right hand.
"Foolish Cape who dares defy the will of Master -" You intone solemnly as you prepare to… well not use your Right Hand of Destruction on him, because you don't actually want to murder the idiot, but certainly apply blunt force to him until he stops being conscious. You get about halfway through your usual judgement before an ear piercing shriek of terror accompanied by the distinct smell of urine cuts you off.
"Holy shit please don't kill me!" The suddenly horrified man blubbers at you.
You stare at him.
He stares back.
"...What are you doing here?" You finally ask, when he looks like he might literally start crying.
"I- I'm a Tinker!" He blurts out.
"I'm aware." You growl, tightening your grip on his skull.
"Ohmygodthatactuallyhurtsalot. I wanted to get some footage of my stuff being used on Nexus so people would buy it!" He screeches. People have begun to gather in the street around you now, watching in idle amusement, completely unbothered by the situation.
Honestly, you think these people might be a bit too certain in the Oathbound's ability to protect them.
"What does it do." You ask, stretching your free hand out towards the mans watch - the most obvious piece of Tinkertech on him. Surprisingly, unlike his snivelling attitude prior to this, he jerks it away from you before you can grasp it.
"None of your business!" he scowls at you. Since you can't actually tighten your grip any further without possibly injuring him, you retract the grasping hand and form a fist with it that looms large in the reflective surface of your victims eyes.
"You have just admitted to attempting to attack my Master." You point out.
"N-no! I uh, I mean sorta yeah but- p-please don't hurt me? I swear there's no way she'd get seriously hurt!" He babbles. You don't listen, because at this point you suspect it would just be easier to knock him out and wait for the PRT to arrive - which shouldn't be long now given the team of troopers that are perpetually parked at the edge of the property.
"They dissolve clothes! I was going to dissolve her clothes and take pictures because there's a huge market for pictures of capes with wardrobe malfunctions and whatthehellareyouevenhumanbecauseyoushouldn'tbeabletoliftmewithjustyourwristlikethisand-"
You were wrong. It would have been easier to kill him. Since that isn't on the table you just sort of… hold him there. Quietly. Until the PRT arrives.
"Ew." Is your Master's only real response to your explanation of the events in front of the building. By the time you catch up with her, she has already packed up most of your things - she insists the tattoo parlour that recently got built in the castle is yours - and has begun to walk the grounds, ostensibly to check on how everyone is doing, which she admits she hasn't done for some time now, but also because she finds it relaxing.
The Heap is one of the few places in the city where people are so accustomed to her presence that they can largely just ignore her when she passes, instead of stopping to gawk, take pictures, or otherwise pester her.
"I don't understand what he thought he was going to achieve." You admit with a frown. "At best, you would most likely have beaten him before he could blink, and at worst, his… intended goals… may have provoked you into a snap decision you would regret."
"You mean that he would regret it." Taylor corrects you absently.
"No. He wouldn't be regretting anything ever again. But you would certainly feel bad about it," you clarify.
"I wouldn't kill him!" Is your Masters indignant response.
You… don't dare offer your own response to that, since you would absolutely have killed him regardless, and instead cut the conversation short by ghosting through the wall of the Garage while your Master gets the door open to follow you.
"Seriously! I would be mad but there's no way I would murder a guy just for melting my clothes!" Taylor huffs after you, not willing to let it go.
"The fuck?" A new voice joins in, and you both turn to find Trainwreck already in the process of pulling what looks like a blunderbuss full of knives off of one of the walls.
"Hypothetically! It was hypothetical Wreck." Taylor quickly rushes to stop him, bounding over to get his attention.
The large tinker squints at your Master for a moment, before slowly returning his weapon of choice to its position amongst his collection of improbable murder weapons.
"So what are we talking about then? Cus the Boss is underage, and hypothetically anyone who wanted to be cheeky about that could hypothetically be in real danger. Not from me or nothin' just in general. Hypothetically." Trainwreck drawls.
"'The Boss' is standing right here big guy. You don't have to talk about me like I'm not in the room." Taylor grumps at him.
"Sssh, the adults are talking sweety." Trainwreck says blandly, lifting one giant metal hand to pat your Master on the head while turning to maintain eye contact with you. It is an action that - for anyone else - would carry a serious risk of snapping their neck even under an incidental amount of the weight at play, but with Taylor, Trainwreck has nothing to be concerned about.
"You know, you're lucky I consider this an endearing character trait and not something to get offended over." Taylor pouts, swatting his hand away as if it were a normal human hand and not over a thousand pounds of wrought iron.
"Boss, I dunno how to tell you this, but I got so much heavy weaponry and shit in this room that I could rename myself to Warcrime pretty convincingly. The fact that you think that's 'cute' at best is exactly why I know I can get away with this shit." Trainwreck points out.
"Yeah well- hey what's that?" Taylor starts before pausing to glance past Trainwreck at something he has obviously been working on at the center of his half of the garage - which at this point is so festooned with scrap and weaponry that its starting to spill over into the clean half of the room.
"Nothin' don't worry about it." Trainwreck says quickly, backpedalling to put himself between both of you and the early framework of what looks like a female version of his armor.
When neither you nor your Master say anything right away, he glances to the side, avoiding your gazes.
"It's uh… a surprise." He offers lamely.
"Uh...huh…" Taylor hums, clearly unconvinced.
"Hey! Uh, Parian had some shit she wanted to ask you about, so you should go bother- check in on her!" Trainwreck blurts out, hurriedly spinning around to lift his project up so he can bury it under a pile of scrap.
"Sure…" Taylor hedges, still clearly trying to peer around him.
"Listen kid, what I do in my me time ain't none of your business." Trainwreck complains.
Your Master shrugs and lets it go, although you can see that she is clearly worried for her much larger friend. It isn't as though your Master is unaware of Trainwrecks loneliness - she just isn't quite sure what to do about it.
The last thing you hear as you exit the room is Trainwreck muttering to himself, quietly enough that you doubt anyone would hear it if it weren't for the borderline superhuman capabilities of the average Ishvalan.
"Yeah I know I'm a shit liar, fuck you too-"
"Trainwreck said you wanted to talk to me?" is the first thing your Master asks after the two of you make your way past the fairly sizable number of people perusing the boutique. At first, it had been a trial to navigate, busy as it was, but once people realized who they were blocking, things… well they didn't get better per se. Mostly, people just crowded your Master to ask her questions. Or to see what she thought of their outfits - as if your Master knew even the first thing about fashion.
So naturally, your Master had opted for the most socially awkward possible response to all the unwanted attention. She had created a Gap to move the twenty feet into the back room, where she had come upon a surprised but accepting Sabah.
"Taylor! Yes, I had been hoping to ask you something…" The dark-skinned girl responds, lifting a hand to push some of her hair out of her face as she is not currently wearing her costume. It was somewhat amusing for you to think about, but she had effectively hired her civilian identity to run the store for her - giving her an excuse to walk around without the extremely warm clothes that constitute her costume.
"I'm sensing a 'but'" Taylor offers with a frown. Sabah smiles woodenly at her, confirming the statement.
"You… might not like it." She says sheepishly.
"Are… are you leaving?" Taylor says suddenly, in a small voice.
There is an awkward pause, and then-
"Yes."
"O-oh. I guess… with everything settling down…" Taylor says, though you can tell she is experiencing a roil of emotions, most of them synonymous with sorrow.
"It- it will only be for a little while! Boston isn't that far away!" Parian blurts out, leaving your Master blinking in the middle of trying to hold back tears.
"W-what?" She says, dazed.
"I was invited to have some of my designs in a fashion show! I know it's short notice but it's next week and I really think this could be good for my career so-"
"No- wait- your not leaving the team?" Taylor cuts in, befuddled. This time it's Sabah's turn to look confused.
"No! Why would you think that?! I just wanted to get permission to leave for a few days next week. Trainwreck already fixed the patrol schedule so I thought…" She trails off.
The two girls stare at each other.
"This… this is quite awkward." Sabah states eventually.
"Y-yeah." Taylor mumbles before brightening. "Uh, you don't really need my permission to go places? I don't own you or anything."
"Yes, well. You are my leader so…" Sabah mumbles.
"Do you want me to um… drop you off? And pick you up when you're done? I can… make a tag?" Taylor offers, miming the slicing motion she uses to create Gaps.
"If it's not too much trouble," Sabah offers meekly.
"Great! So…"
There is another awkward silence, the misunderstanding apparently enough to throw off even your otherwise unshakeable Master.
Then Sabah lifts a finger into the air again and blurts out -
"Can I take Oliver with me?"
The answer your Master ends up coming up with is 'maybe'. It isn't so much that she refuses to help at all, it is just that she isn't sure Oliver would want to be a model in some kind of runway fashion show.
Admittedly, she is also somewhat offended that she isn't being asked to model herself, but she is more than aware of the fact that the handful of powers she has increasing her physical health and attractiveness would make for an unfair advantage, and in many cases, would likely overshadow the clothes she would be wearing. Since the entire point is for Sabah to showcase her efforts, it's obvious to you that your Master wouldn't have wanted to do that to her in the first place.
But your Master is a teenage girl, and so she is at least slightly upset about it, even if she doesn't allow that to show on her face as she tries to find Oliver in the castle.
Hence, the mood she is in when you do eventually find Oliver is somewhat teasing.
"Okay, so feeling good about myself makes me bigger. But feeling shitty doesn't make me shrink, because if it did I would dematerialize into atoms and die. Good built-in safety feature Oliver. Why thank you Oliver I… didn't think of it myself. But I would have if I was the designer. Should I call Mads? I feel like she could help me with this." The blonde boy is saying as you find him, standing in the middle of an empty room, talking into a large mirror he has leaned against one wall. As he speaks, his form swells and shrinks appropriately, and it isn't lost on you that at several points when his head should smack into the ceiling it just… doesn't. You aren't sure if that's a result of his powers, or just the Heap being bizarre again.
You also aren't sure how much that really matters presently, as you and your Master watch the boy from the doorway into the room - not having been noticed by him just yet.
"...'Kay, this isn't working." Oliver eventually says slumping as his form equalizes at a normal size.
Then he jolts upright again as your Master walks into the room, making a weird humming sound you don't immediately recognize to get his attention.
"So what's the problem Oli? Maybe I can help?" She says as she approaches. Your Master is many things, but among them, she has always failed at subtlety. It is with this in mind that you force yourself not to comment or react when she visibly pans her gaze over Oliver, who despite not being someone she presently views as a romantic interest, does look very good - largely as a side effect of his power. They share that, he and your Master. The only difference is that where your Master accepts it for what it is, Oliver seems to derive nothing but insecurity from it.
"Did you just 'ara ara' me? No, wait- I mean, I dunno. I think I just have to work this out for myself." Oliver mumbles before blurting out. Your Master - who clearly has no idea what he means - tilts her head to one side before responding.
"Still. What's the problem?" She asks, pulling her feet up so she is sitting cross-legged in the air in front of her teammate.
Oliver opens his mouth as though he is going to answer her purely out of habit, then clicks his jaw shut again.
"Sorry Taylor, but I really need to do this myself. I don't think you can help." He repeats stubbornly. Taylor's eyebrows shoot up in surprise.
"You know Oli, I really like that about you." She says idly, ignoring the look of sheer confusion on the boys face as she speaks.
"I mean, hearing your whole story, your life makes my life seem like a fairy tale. You stuck with your friends even when you really didn't need to, you took personal responsibility for the things they did even though you were mostly just around, and you had the gall to walk right up to me when you knew I would have every reason to smear you across the nearest mountain range, and ask for help anyway. Your loyal, I guess is what I'm saying. Your only mistake was being loyal to the wrong people." Taylor muses aloud, and you can feel a burgeoning sense of deep amusement emanating from her as she rest her elbow on her knee and her chin in her palm.
Because with each word your Master speaks, Oliver grows.
"That- I mean- I don't think I'm uh... I didn't have like, a choice so-" He blubbers, covering his face with his massive hands to hide the creeping red blush crawling up his neck.
"Uh-huh. Anyway, sorry I can't help you Oli, it's a shame 'cus you're pretty cute when you aren't depressed." Taylor drawls, sticking her finger out to point at him, and causing him to finally look down at himself.
"C-Cu- Oh! I'm big! And… and I'm not shrinking! Yes!" Oliver yells, too distracted by his success to dwell on your Masters previous comment.
"I feel like Trainwreck would have something to say about that, but as a woman of culture I refuse to make it for him," Taylor jokes.
"Thanks, I love the guy but he's not great for this kind of thing." Oliver offers sheepishly.
"Mm. Anyway, I came to let you know that you're free to go to Boston with Sabah next week if you want to help her out." Taylor explains, stretching and then allowing herself to return to a standing position.
"Oh I uh, I honestly thought you had like, old master senses or something," Oliver admits. Taylor lifts an eyebrow at him.
"You know like, how in movies the teacher always knows exactly when they have to show up so the hero can get a piece of advice or a power up or something?" Oliver rushes to clarify.
"Nope. Pure coincidence." Taylor says with a grin, before pausing.
"Hey, who's Mads?"
"You are surprisingly unbothered by the presence of one of your old bullies in Huntsmans life." You point out as the two of you finally approach the Dojo.
"She wasn't really the worst of them. Emma is sitting in a cushy room at the Protectorate Headquarters right now, so I don't really have much of a reason to care about Madison." She replies airily.
"But we're still going to the Dojo. So you can fight Aspirant." You continue, the 'to blow off steam' inherent in the statement goes unstated but, you are sure, is understood.
"Well, I saw everyone else, didn't I? Be a shame to just ignore him. Besides, I haven't heard about him going back to school yet, so I figure I might have to beat the stupid out of him like he wants." Your Master says casually, which sends a chill down your spine - because you really don't think that was a euphemism. She really does intend to beat him up until he sees reason.
"That's… fair…" You hedge as the two of you pass through the entryway and into a room full of women performing katas while Aspirant watches on from the front of the room. He notices your presence pretty much instantly, and quietly switches off with another woman who takes his place yelling the different forms and stances while he walks over to you.
"Taylor. Is there something going on?" Aspirant asks you in a pleased tone, obviously having been having a good day prior to this.
"Nah, I just wanted to check in. Want to spar a bit while we talk?" Taylor asks innocently, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.
"Of course. How are you?" The most placid member of your team asks as the two of them walk past everyone else into a smaller room in the back.
"The usual. Some weirdo tried to ambush this morning, but I guess he didn't realize I usually take a Gap into the Heap because he just stood in front of the grounds until Emmy beat caught him. Quarter speed?" Taylor says with a shrug, before making a suggestion.
"The security guards didn't catch him?" Aspirant asks, nodding at her and taking a stance in the center of the room.
"Those guys are just normal Dockworkers - I wouldn't ask them to deal with anything but normal people, and this guy was weird enough that I guess they assumed he must be a parahuman. They were right so, no big deal." Your Master answers with a shrug, before launching a fairly lazy attack at Aspirants head that he deflects before countering with strike of his own.
"Hm. That implies any villain could simply walk in if they chose to not wear a costume, and somehow managed to bypass the stranger effect on the grounds." Aspirant frowns as he and your Master continue to exchange slow but methodical strikes - more a test of each other's form and skill than of raw physical ability.
"I'll see if I can cook something up. When are you going back to school?" She asks blandly, which causes Aspirant's movements to stutter slightly, allowing her to land a light blow to his chest that none the less, lacks the force required to actually hurt the other Cape.
"W-well I did speak to my parents, and they don't mind me staying on the team so-" Aspirant offers weakly as he fails to block another harmless strike to the side of his head.
"I didn't ask about your parents, I asked about school. You can't just drop out Jamie, you need an education or something. Im not telling you to go to Harvard, just finish Highschool." Taylor chastises him before flowing into a series of movements that leave Aspirant laying on his back with her foot on his chest.
"Don't make me act like I'm your Mom, it sucks." She grumps at him.
"...Agreed. I will speak to my parents and return to classes by Monday." He replies begrudgingly, grasping the hand your Master offers him to help him to his feet.
"Great! Because if you don't, Im never just going to actually fight you ever again. Just this slow boring stuff where I spend the entire time nagging you like we're married and you forgot to buy milk. Wanna head to the courtyard and cut loose?" Your Master dictates before smiling crookedly at her fellow martial artist, who stares at her blankly.
"...Yes," is his only response.
Finally, having spent the better part of her afternoon hanging around the castle, your Master decides to finish out her evening with gratuitous amounts of reality warping magic.
She marches with great purpose through the halls, until she makes it to the Wardstone, and its accompanying round table, before taking a seat in front of the object - which has long since ceased to look like a pleasantly shaped rock, and become a glowing beacon of pure mystical might that you are afraid to look at let alone touch.
The question is, what insane mystical contrivance is your Master going to inflict on the Bay area today?
[ ] 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.)
[ ] Improved Shikigami Network (The Shikigami that canvass the area work across a much larger radius, and their intelligence increases such that they are more capable of independent threat assessment and action.)
[ ] Battle Arena (The Central Courtyard of the Heap becomes permanently enchanted with a protective screen and viewing enchantment, that projects fights happening in it to others in the castle, or, alternatively, to the sky above it.)
[ ] Sorcerous Amplifier (A between the Wardstone and the Tower that allows your Master to temporarily boost her magical strength, enough to allow a normal Wizard to qualify as a siege weapon. Your Master is not a normal Wizard. Weakens the Heap temporarily with each use.)
Tomorrow is the weekend - choose Two (2) activities for the weekend.
[ ] Patrol The City (Choose a target area: The Docks, Downtown, Uptown) (Choose two people to come with you: Victoria, Gallant, Triumph, Aspirant, Trainwreck, Jess, Danny, Mem, Oliver)
[ ] Have Taylor take some time out to fortify the Heap with Onmyoudo.
[ ] ...Could you start a parahuman training school? You could at least look into some candidates... (Choose one: Dojo Students, Dockworkers, Panda Gang, Police)
[ ] As much as Mem says her project is Danny approved... you don't trust it.
[ ] Your Master did promise to train Aisha (2).
[ ] You wonder how Mouse Protectors 'vacation' has been going?
[ ] Hypothetically, your Master doesn't mind Vicky's offer of a blind date with some boy she's never met before...
[ ] Hypothetically, your Master doesn't mind Vicky's offer of a blind date with some girl she's never met before…
[ ] Planeswalking (Setting). There are some very obvious portals to another Dimension in Gap Space. Your Master wants to investigate. (Options: Bleach, Kung Fu Panda, Touhou, RWBY, Nasuverse, Full Metal Alchemist)
[ ] Take Time Off (Pick an Extra Social)
[ ] Write-In
It's the Weekend which means your Master is liable to be with friends. Choose Two (2)
[ ] Victoria (2)
[ ] Amy (2)
[ ] Aspirant (2)
[ ] Trainwreck (1)
[ ] Parian (2)
[ ] Danny (2)
[ ] Oliver (2)
[ ] Jess (1)
[ ] Triumph (0)
[ ] Gallant (0)
[ ] Mem (2)
[ ] Mouse Protector (2)
[ ] Dinah (2)
[ ] Write-In
OMAKE SHOP VOTES - Current Point Total: 30 - Only one Vote may win, but both may lose.
bLuewErewOlf25 wants to activate Side Story - The Wingman for 5 Points
(This vote will activate a sidestory about Aiden Tate, and nothing else.)
[ ] bLuewErewOlf25/Yes
[ ] bLuewErewOlf25/No
Annatar wants to activate Side Story - The Darkest Timeline for 10 points
(This vote will activate Transmute the World I allowing everyone within Brockton Bay to learn and use Alchemy, in addition to a sidestory featuring Thomas Calvert - Coil.
[ ] Annatar/Yes
[ ] Annatar/No
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Bowler Hat Guy
May 23, 2021
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Bowler Hat Guy
Bowler Hat Guy
A Hat & Its Man
May 31, 2021
#35,992
Spoiler: Choices:
Side Story - The Wingman has been activated for 5 Points!
Current Energy: 13
Current Training: Right Hand of Destruction 9/10 - Complete!
Spoiler: Base Status
Saturday, March 5th, 2011
The Heap, Brockton Bay
"Hey Dad," Your Master chirps with faux happiness as she hovers over his bed that morning, her smile - which is very plastic look - emanating nothing if not annoyance as she effortlessly balances a tray laden with breakfast foods and a particularly pungent smelling coffee mug. Your Master can't stand that stuff, preferring tea in almost any scenario where hot water is involved in her beverage, but her father swears by it so today, a day she has decided to spend time with him on, she deigned to prepare it.
Even if that carefully prepared beverage is slowly sliding to the right of the tray it is on, where it sits ominously above the barely dressed forms of both Mouse Protector - you really should get her actual name at some point - and Jess.
Both of whom are huddled in the bed together about an inch away from Danny, whose left arm and leg are hanging precipitously over the edge of his own bed in order to make room for them.
"Mm? Taylor and... Emmy? What's going on?" Danny asks blearily, pushing himself upright and squinting at the two of you without his glasses on. You notice a couple of things immediately. For one, Danny is looking much more physically healthy than you remember. Since the man sleeps without a shirt, the sheer amount of muscle definition in his upper torso is enough to give that away. For another, the elder Hebert makes absolutely no indication that he even notices Jess or Mouse Protector in the bed behind him. He merely continues to orient himself as he comes fully awake.
"Well I thought we hadn't had any family time in a while but if you're busy..." Taylor says woodenly, tilting her head to the side and indicating the two sleeping women with her chin.
"Huh? Oh, no it's fine. Kat will sleep in for as long as she has something to grab onto, and Jess doesn't have to get up for a few hours." He says airily, pushing aside his blanket and standing up. "Let me get dressed and I'll be right out. Probably shouldn't eat in bed."
Your Master blinks once at him before lifting a finger into the air and pointing it at him. Predictably, despite only holding the tray of food with one hand, it doesn't move an inch.
"Who's Kat?" She asks bluntly, leaving Danny blinking in confusion as he half reaches for his glasses nearby. He looks from her to the bed a few times before smacking himself in the face.
"It's- crud, look don't tell anyone because I don't know if I was allowed to tell you or not, but Katherine is Mouse Protectors real name." He explains.
"And... she told you that?" Your Master asks in a carefully neutral tone.
"Sort of. Since the thing with that monster you fought, she's been having nightmares. I kind of keep waking up with her having appeared in the bed to whimper and mutter in her sleep. I told her about it of course - just because I can't control it doesn't mean it's unfair that I pick up this kind of information from her. She told me not to worry about it so..." Danny shrugs.
"I see." Taylor responds neutrally, and despite the lack of malice in her tone or body language, something must have twigged for Danny, because he gulps and shrugs in an exaggeratedly nonchalant manner.
"A-anyway. I'll be right out." He deflects finally, sticking a thumb in the waistband of his sweatpants. This would normally have gotten any sane teenage daughter out of the room, but in this case just causes Taylor to cooly flick her gaze from her father to the two women behind him, in his bed, then back again as if to ask 'but it's okay in front of them?'.
Danny doesn't have a response to that, at least, not one he can articulate with words, so he just shrugs and waits for you and your Master to leave the room, which you do, very slowly.
"I thought you didn't mind your father dating again?" You query, turning to eyeing your now visibly annoyed Master.
"I don't mind him dating again - that doesn't mean I'm cool with every adult woman who passes by my castle sleeping in his bed!" She grouses.
"Well, Miss Militia wasn't there. And I don't think Danny is that way with Mouse." You point out.
"That makes it worse! He's somehow completely unaware that he's even dating anyone! How can he be so blistering oblivious to people literally throwing themselves at him!" She complains.
You stare at your Master. You could point out the sheer number of people around her that obviously hold romantic interest in her. You could. But do you dare?
Ultimately, the choice is one you don't have to make, as the door to the bedroom nearby opens and Danny finally steps out, wearing a pair of slacks and a dress shirt that no longer fit properly or - depending on who you ask - now fit perfectly.
"Thanks for this. I can't remember the last time I ate a full meal honestly." Danny admits, gently taking the tray your Master is holding as he arrives and then not even blinking when she promptly cleaves a gap open nearby.
"So, what's the plan?" Danny continues, after following both you and your Master through the Gap and into the kitchen, where he puts his tray down at the table and takes a seat, followed by a quick but blissful sip of his coffee.
"I didn't really have a plan. Just thought we could hang out and talk a bit." Your Master admits.
"If you take such issue with the situation, why not simply inform him?" You ask curiously.
"Because if it was me and someone else told the boy I like about me before I did, I would literally die." She returns to you primly.
"So... you're sparing Jess' feelings?" You ask, somewhat surprised. If you are being honest, you were sort of expecting your Master to bulldoze through this the same way she does through just about everything else. Subtlety isn't exactly her strong suit.
"Well yeah, but also, I super don't want to talk to my Dad about his love life. It's gross." She admits, shivering slightly at the thought.
"Okay well... how's school?" Danny asks easily, spearing a piece of his breakfast with a fork.
"S'okay. Probably the only time I wish I had a secret identity though. I don't think the other kids actually think of me as a person anymore. Just this... thing... that will smite them if they annoy me." Taylor answers with a shrug.
"But you wouldn't though." Danny points out, gesturing at her with a fork.
"Definitely not." Taylor says dryly.
"Think about it this way, anyone who doesn't see you as a person now, probably wouldn't have been a good friend to you even if you didn't have powers." Danny responds with a shrug. "They wouldn't have been your friends or actually liked you either way. The only difference is that now you sort of have power over them."
"I knooooow and it suuuuucks." Taylor moans, throwing herself forward to lazily lay her upper body across the table.
"Oh? I thought you had a whole thing about not liking people your age anyway." Danny says half jokingly.
"I don't! But it'd be nice to be able to go to school without everyone deciding how the day is going to go based solely on my mood when I walk in the door." She grumbles.
"There is Greg." You point out.
"He doesn't really count-" Taylor immediately moves to counter you but is cut off.
"A boy?" Danny asks, immediately turning to face you while urging you to continue, and ignoring his daughters spluttering attempts to change the topic.
"He is a bit of an idiot, but he does treat Taylor like a normal person. I believe he is the only person she talks to regularly since his return to school." You report with a shrug.
"That's not because he's actually normal it's because he lacks a basic survival instinct." Taylor annoyedly points out.
"But he is you friend." Danny states more so than actually asks for clarification.
"It's... ugh... it's complicated." Taylor says with a sigh, no doubt thinking about all of the truly boneheaded things Greg has done recently, while simultaneously not being able to bring herself to completely hold those things against him. Danny, being the over protective man he is, then does something you don't think you've ever seen him do before. His face goes blank, before a strangely mirthless smile spreads out across it, vaguely reminiscent of your Master's when she is decidedly not happy.
"Well, maybe you can bring him around for dinner sometime. I should be able to clear my schedule, and I'm sure Jess would love to cook for everyone." He says in probably the least inviting tone of voice imaginable.
Taylor - who obviously doesn't want to continue to talk about Greg at this exact moment, decides that this is the time for her to counterattack, her face becoming a similar smiling mask.
"That's sort of unfair of you, to just volunteer Jess like that - like she's your girlfriend or wife or something." Taylor says blandly, causing Danny to immediately become flustered, then start choking on a bit of toast.
"That- I mean- y-you're right Taylor. That was inappropriate of me. I should- I should definitely ask her next time. About... cooking." He finishes lamely.
The two stare blankly at each other across the table, and you can't help but think back to the times when they would have breakfast together while pointedly avoiding one topic or another so as not to set the other off on a tangent, or worry them. This is very reminiscent of that, even if the specifics are drastically different from when your Master was trying not to talk about the bullying she suffered before you entered her life.
Eventually, Danny breaks the silence.
"So, there was an uh, a bombing, in Boston. Apparently, that's a big deal since the city has been really quiet the last few months. Probably because the Butcher came here and all." He offers awkwardly.
"Did anyone get hurt?" Taylor asks, immediately sitting up and taking the offered change in topic with her characteristic focus once 'work' comes up.
"No, apparently the bomb went off early so no one was hurt, but the University there is missing a lecture hall. They're currently trying to find the culprit." He says with a shrug. Your Master considers that for a moment before wondering aloud;
"Do you think they could use my help?"
"I don't know. You would probably have to clear it with the leader of the local PRT. You can't solve everyone's problems for them kiddo." Danny responds after a moment of thought. Taylor frowns at that, but acknowledges the point. Danny, seemingly noticing his daughters change in mood, opts to change topics yet again.
"Actually, since we haven't been together in a while, there's something I could use your help with - if you don't mind." He says quickly, earning a raised eyebrow from Taylor.
Saturday, March 5th, 2011
The Heap, Brockton Bay
"Hey, Trainwreck. Wake up!" Danny calls out loudly, flicking the lights on in the garage and striding purposefully into the room.
"Dad, it's like nine am, Wreck probably isn't even-" Taylor councils, obviously slightly unwilling to wake up her teammate so early.
"I do this all the time. He doesn't mind." Danny responds, waving her off and stomping over to Trainwrecks trademark suit of armor - then proceeding to slam his fist into it hard enough to cause his aura to spark across the surface of his body in response to the Impact.
"Dad!" Taylor cries out in alarm, rushing forward.
"Danny boy, I swear to god if you weren't my bosses Dad the pipes would be a-fucking-calling a lot sooner than later." Trainwreck grumbles as the helmet covering his head retracts and he blinks blearily into the dim light of the garage.
"You woke me up at seven am two days ago because you heard a radio commercial for a limited time run of a specific brand of craft beer. Plus, your too lazy to learn to play bagpipes for a joke. Come on, wake up." Danny says with a snicker, slamming his open palm into Trainwrecks armor again to predictably little effect.
"Danny, buddy, I'm a fucking tinker. Gimme a week and I'll make a device that converts farts into bagpipe sounds." Trainwreck counters with a snicker, before his armor whirs to life with the telltale sound of steam coursing through the massive device.
"Sure buddy. Where's my baby?" Danny asks, looking around the disorganized mess that is Trainwrecks side of the garage.
"Gimme a minute." Trainwreck grumbles with a roll of his shoulders. "S'in here somewhere..." He mumbles to himself as he begins digging through one of the trash piles. Eventually, he makes an exclamation of success and yanks something out of the pile before presenting it to everyone else.
"It's a crummy looking hammer." Your Master notes, first and foremost.
You actually recognize this thing. It wasn't long ago that Trainwreck had woven together some rebar and stuck it in tinkertech reinforced block of concrete for Danny to use as a weapon. What you see before you is... almost the same thing. You recognize the woven rebar handle, but that is about all you recognize. For one, said rebar has visible bulges where it is clearly surrounding a much more advanced machine - working less as the handle itself, and more as shielding for whatever is underneath it. The only indication of the use for all that machinery is a square handle at one end of the machine with black and yellow hazard tape on it. Just past that is the actual hammerhead which appears to have undergone significant changes. For one, it isn't a block of concrete anymore. It's several segments of scrap metal, each over a foot and a half long individually, folded over each other like a puzzle box. The largest of the segments has a poorly scrawled phrase on it, clearly scraped into the metal with a knife of some sort, that reads 'End of the Line'.
""Hey!"" Trainwreck and Danny both yell at once in response to your Masters insult. Taylor blinks owlishly at the two of them before blushing slightly at the slight fauxpaus.
"Sorry. Nemesis doesn't like it when I look at other weapons so..." She trails off.
"Well, she's wrong. My baby just needs a little tlc to get her functional. Not that uh, not that I need a weapon really. I just like to see a project through to the end." Danny says with a wicked smile that he quickly dials back when you and your Master start to stare at him strangely.
"What's wrong with it?" She asks instead of commenting on whatever that was.
"Ran out of shit to make it with. I used most of the plating and crap you gave me with those portals on em to finish my Armor. Didn't wanna bug you about more for a side project." Trainwreck answers with a shrug.
"Come on Wreck, you know you can bug me about anything you want. I don't mind. Your like my cool uncle who drinks too much and encourages me to do drugs." Taylor says with a snicker, then laughs out loud when Danny whips around to stare at the Tinker with a betrayed look on his face.
"Hey I ain't ever said anything like that!" He defends himself instantly, lifting a metallic hand to scratch his head and hide the blush on his face.
"Uhuh. So you need me to put a few more Gaps on some stuff?" Taylor asks curiously.
"Sorta. Just the one thing really." Trainwreck answers after a moment to get his blush under control, tossing the hammer - which must weigh quite a bit given the materials it is made of - to Danny, who catches it lazily and hefts it over one shoulder.
"See, this sucker is a hammer one way, but when you pull the latch..." Trainwreck continues, gesturing to Danny who nods and does just that, grabbing the handle near the head of his hammer and holding the entire thing horizontally. Then he yanks back on the handle, and all of the metal plating making up the hammers head irises outward, becoming a massive metal shield that blocks Danny from sight. It looks like nothing if not the most useless umbrella you've ever seen in your life.
"It become this weird ass thing. Dunno if I'd call it a shield really, so much as a turret emplacement. See the hole in the middle? It's supposed to shoot explosive shells. For uh... recreational reasons." Trainwreck explains carefully.
"...Explosive shells." Taylor intones slowly, turning stare at her father as he returns the hammer to its resting state.
"I'm a forty year old man having a mid life crisis. It was this or a sports car." Danny says flatly.
"Whats with the 'End of the Line' thing?" Taylor asks, rolling her eyes at her father.
"S'what it's called. Aura is fucking weird about what it'll let you do with it. You gotta get all personal and shit with your gear if you wanna use it properly." Trainwreck states while Danny nods along.
"...you named your mid life crisis weapon End of the Line? Dad should I be worried or-"
"I thought it sounded cool! And it's got a railroad theme to it!" Danny yells back in embarrassment.
"Uhuh. Well, show me what needs doing with my Dads suspiciously violent weapon so we can get this over with." Your Master sighs, and the group quickly piles in to begin the work.
Saturday, March 5th, 2011
The Heap, Brockton Bay
"Um... is this... normal?" Aisha asks as she walks into the garage some time later that day. You, and pretty much every other occupant of the room, turn to look at her.
Which is how you find yourself staring at an Aisha who is literally covered in pigeons, half a dozen of the winged creatures perched all across her body - both her shoulders, atop her head, atop the large bag she carries her sword around in. Everywhere. As you watch, she attempts to shoo one of them away, only for the bird to hop over her attempted shove, then land on her hand already facing her with what you can only describe as an expression of smugness on its tiny head.
"I knew today was going to be worth it." Dinah snickers from next to her.
"Oh. Yeah I upgraded them the other day. I knew you were coming today so I asked them to keep an eye out for you. I didn't expect all this." Taylor snickers at the clearly beleaguered Aisha, before waving towards her that causes all of the birds to flap up and away, vanishing out the open doorway leading into the building with a decidedly un-birdlike level of intelligence. Aisha relaxes almost immediately, quickly brushing herself off with her hands as she checks for damage to her clothes or - heaven forbid - pigeon droppings.
"Here to do your unhelpful oracle thing again Dinah?" Taylor asks casually, stepping over the pair and allowing the younger girl to give her a quick hug.
"Just a little. Mostly I wanted to see my friends - and Munin." She says, mentioning her clone almost as an afterthought.
"You don't get along?" Taylor asks, suddenly worried.
"Totally the opposite. Mun messes with her, but she's also like, weirdly protective? A boy tried to talk to her yesterday Mun literally ran up and kicked him in the balls before sprinting away." Aisha explains, shooting a smug look at Dinah when the smaller girl pouts at her.
"I don't need her to babysit me. I have powers!" Dinah complains.
"What are the chances something bad happens to you because you're overconfident?" Taylor asks blandly.
"46.78- Hey! That's not fair! 'Bad' could mean anything! It could mean I step in dog poop on the way to school!" Dinah cries out in outrage.
"Not even trying to hide it from me anymore are you?" Aisha mutters before shrugging and pulling her sword out of her bag. She is dressed in surprisingly sensible workout clothing, form fitting enough not to hinder her movements, but not provocative in the way you have come to associate with the teen.
Several minutes later, your Master is casually swatting aside attacks from Aisha and her chainsword, while occasionally offering commentary on her stance or how she should have responded to something. Occasionally, she will physically grab Aisha's weapon just as it is about to hint, in order to halt the fight and explain how Aisha should follow up when her impractical weapon inevitably gets stuck in something. You don't even think she fully realizes that she is explaining how to use a chainsaw to swordfight to a thirteen year old - she's just fully dedicated to teaching at the moment, which is highly amusing to you as both Mem and Mun arrive shortly after the sparring begins, and all three of the little girls proceed to effectively use you as furniture while they observe things.
"You know, if you would actually turn this thing on you might have been able to inconvenience me by now." Taylor muses blandly as she flicks her sword out, causing Aisha's weapon to sail past her on the right.
"I can't! It hasn't turned on in ages now. I think jangles the tinker clown over there needs to look it over, but he told me to piss off last time I asked." Aisha grunts, moving with the motion of her missed attack and instead of retreating, leaning into it so that she is suddenly positioned to shoulder charge at your Master - whom predictable sidesteps the attack, but nods approvingly nonetheless.
"Yeah cus I ain't giving a teenager a fucking chainsaw you little lunatic!" Trainwreck yells back from where he and Danny are still fussing with End of the Line like a newborn baby.
"See? 'Train how you plan to fight'. Sigurd said that, probably, and I'm clearly not." Aisha huffs, pulling away from clashing blades with Taylor to point angrily at the big tinker.
"...what if we make her something and just keep it here, so she isn't running around with it in public?" Taylor offers after a moment of consideration.
"Boss!" Trainwreck yells in protest.
"Boss!" Aisha yells with glee.
"Yes, me." Taylor says with a roll of her eyes.
The pair continue to duel until the early afternoon rolls around, at which point your Master casually disarms Aisha and takes a step back with her sword in hand.
"Since this doesn't work anymore I'm giving it back to Wreck. We're done for the day." She states, ignoring the stricken look on Aishas face as she stares at her stolen weapon.
"Don't worry, trust me." Dinah chirps as she skips up to give Aisha a hug, then changes her mind and pats the dark skinned girl on the back when she realizes how sweaty her friend presently is.
"You only ever ask us to trust you when you are about to do something mischievous." Mem points out.
"I'm so ready for this." Mun adds.
Taylor ignores the gaggle of girls as they chat, walking over to drop Aishas weapon by Trainwreck, and then returning to them.
"I know you wanted to see your friends today Mem, but uh..." She trails off, obviously trying to puzzle out exactly how to phrase what she wants to say next.
Then, in a predictably 'Taylor' fashion, she just sort of says it as bluntly as possible.
"I found a way to Remnant and figured you'd want to come help me punt Salem into space." She explains plainly. Mem - who was watching your Master with her head tilted in question, immediately snaps to attention, grabbing Mun by the collar and dragging her away from Aisha and Dinah, who are watching without actually being surprised by the action - so you suppose it isn't that uncommon.
"I'll get my things." She says in a clipped tone as she hustles away.
"I- what- where the fuck are we going?" Mun cries out in distress as they disappear into the Heap.
"Sorry Dinah, I know you wanted to hang out today but I didn't want to put this off for too long. I sort of owe someone an apology." Taylor explains with a wince.
"It's fine, I already knew there were good odds something would happen. It was still fun." Dinah says with a smile.
"Can we hang out in the castle while your gone?" Aisha is quick to ask, her eyes glinting with interest as she tries not to look to obviously at all the weapons lining the walls of the garage.
"...sure..." Taylor says slowly, just as Mem returns with what looks like a backpack stuffed near to bursting with stuff, followed slowly by a put upon looking Mun as she slowly drags another such bag behind her.
"I am prepared." Mem declares.
"I am confused. You are so lucky you got to keep the powers." Mun whines towards Dinah, who sticks her tongue out at her. Taylor rolls her eyes at them, a gesture she seems to be getting a lot of use out of recently, before turning to yelling across the garage to her father.
"Going out Dad, be back tomorrow!" She exclaims as she cleaves open a Gap that Mem quickly drags Mun through.
"Where are you going?" Danny yells back at her.
"Going to another dimension to kill Satan!" She calls back to him before grabbing you and jumping in after her sort of a daughter.
"Really?" You ask her dryly as your vision clears and all four of you find yourself drifting near the gateway you recognize as heading to Oscars home on Remnant.
"Well it's sort of true." Taylor answers sheepishly.
"Still. You're being awfully blase about this." You point out, even as Mem impatiently stares at the gateway ahead of you. You actually aren't sure how you are talking or breathing right now, given that this place you are in is literally full of 'nothing', but you choose not to think over hard about it. It sounds like a problem for your Shard-Side to figure out anyway.
"Remnant is pretty much the only place I have memories of that I actually got to experience for myself. I don't even know how long I spent as a voice in that kids head. I just... I can help, and I'm pretty sure I'm the closest thing to a god that place is likely to see any time soon." She defends herself.
"Still..." You caution, more worried than you would otherwise be because of the completely new nature of this endeavour. Your species very specifically doesn't mess around in alternate dimensions like this - because you are terrified of the prospect of something dangerous finding you. Or worse, of the physics that govern an alternate dimension being inimical to your existence. Even you aren't supposed to mess about in them, your ability to do so more of a side effect of your purpose than an actual intended result.
"Hey, don't worry okay? I've come a long way from needing you to protect me." Taylor says with a warm smile, before diving through the portal.
You sigh, and follow after her, along with Mem and Mun, and all four of you emerge into what looks like a barn.
Well no, it doesn't... look like a barn. It is a barn. A familiar barn.
"I'm going to give it a second to see if any of us start melting." Taylor states when none of you move or say anything right away.
"I'm sorry, what?" Mun squawks in distress.
"I mean, I'm pretty sure I know why it happened last time so it should be fine now but-" Taylor starts to explain.
"Bitch, some fucking warning next time?!" Munin screeches in distress, dropping her bag full of presumably magical implements.
"Yeah, suddenly I feel like maybe this wasn't so good of an idea." Trainwrecks voice rings out, causing everyone to whip around to stare at his massive bulk as it and several other forms drop into existence in the barn - which is rapidly becoming congested with people.
"Trainwreck? Dad!?" Taylor yelps, even as Aisha and Dinah step out from behind the men.
"How!?" Taylor screeches at them.
"Well you know, you sort of instinctively keep those things open if there's a person part way through one, so it wasn't hard to stick a hand in after you." Dinah explains with a complete lack of shame or worry on her face, even as Trainwreck picks up the explanation.
"You also straight up said you were going to kill the Devil, Boss. I got concerns and shit." He says, and Danny nods along next to him, with his hammer hefted over one shoulder.
"I admit, I expected Hell to have more fire." Danny adds.
"We're not in hell! This is like- an alternate earth! Like where Emmy gets all his forms from!" Taylor hurriedly explains, cleaving a gap open to her left.
"Here, this will send everyone home. You guys can just-"
"Oh god, not again." A new voice cuts in as the barn door opens behind you and Oscar's pale face appears to stare in horror at you.
Of course, his stare of absolute terror is transfigured into one somewhere between embarrassed and confused when Long Memory and Taylor both practically materialize at his sides to draw him into a giant hug.
"So like... is it always like this with you guys?" Aisha turns to ask Trainwreck, who shrugs at her.
"Yeah, pretty much."
"I actually recognize this one," Danny adds in a pinched tone.
"Hey, Oscar. You don't know me but I know you - and everything is going to be okay." Taylor says, ignoring everyone around her, and indeed, Oscar himself as he attempts to push his face away from her chest where she is holding it firmly.
"Mm," Mem adds.
Now, since you once were Oscar, you don't need to be Dinah to know what is going to happen next.
"Three, two, one..." You count down out loud, finishing just as the poor boy blacks out, going limp in Taylor's arms.
Yeah, you really don't miss being your Master's favourite hug pillow in that emulation.
So, what's the plan now?
[ ] Write-In
Welcome to Taylor's first extraplanar jaunt. Here are the basics. There is no time dilation - a day abroad is a day at home. At the end of Saturday, you will receive all the usual votes to lead into Sunday - actions, friendship, etc - but you will also have a vote option to just stay wherever you are, which will override all the rest of that stuff. Planeswalking counts as one elongated social for anyone who ends up coming with you, and so continuing to planeswalk merely extends that - so don't worry about missing any kind of social interaction during this time.
You cannot train while Planeswalking, and for the most part, objects and people cannot exist outside of their home dimension unless they have an active Gap anchoring them there, making it impossible to do long term crossovers, but allowing brief interaction across the setting barrier where that would be interesting.
While you are Planeswalking, the sheer breadth of things you could technically do is so vast that I won't even bother creating vote options. Instead action votes while abroad will be by write-in and more specifically, by plan. In this way, I am essentially asking for a general idea or outline of what you want Taylor and Emmy to be doing while they are abroad that day, that I will fill in or subvert if events simply line up that way.
These rules aren't set in stone, they are very much a preliminary beta, and if I don't like them or they receive a lot of complaints, I'll change them accordingly.
Thanks for sticking with me this long, and don't forget to checkout the Discord and help add to the TvTropes page!
AN: Hey, would you believe that one our readers is an Artist? I mean several of them are, but this one is taking commissions right now. Why don't you guys help TheATS out by checking out their Kofi , Twitter , and Art Blog.
They also hang out on our Discord with some regularity, so feel free to check them out their or even PM them if your looking to commission some art!
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Bowler Hat Guy
May 31, 2021
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