So here's another one. It's a fairly chonky one. Since Carol's behaviour in the last interlude/chapter hybrid caused some confusion, let me clear this up a bit. She doesn't think Amy is a villain. She thinks that she's the only reason she's not. In her own delusions, she keeps her from falling victim to her father's 'bad blood'. She's paranoid and traumatized with a habit of jumping at shadows, not realising that she's setting up a self fulfilling prophecy with her treatment of Amy. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter!
~Amy Dallon/Panacea~
The crisp winter air helped her keep herself grounded. She almost felt a bit high. Healing people who had a shit ton of endorphins running through their bloodstream was a novel experience for her. Most of the time, the general mood in hospitals was indifferent to morose on a scale. That was despite the fact that her healing almost guaranteed her patient's continued survival.
The news of the 9 being effectively gone had a far more pronounced effect in comparison. She really needed this break to not randomly start... smiling. She shivered at the thought. The horror. Luckily, she managed to avoid that particular catastrophe and kept her scowl in place until she could flee the premises. It would have been regrettable to ruin her reputation like that. And so much work to build it up again.
She shook her head while idly rolling the cigarette between her fingers that she'd freed from its confines only to intend to offer it as a sacrifice to the eternal flame. She let the amusement that thought brought flow through her before sighing dramatically. Once again, she was on a roof for a smoke, but... she was in a better place this time around. Not even slightly low-key suicidal. 'Progress!' She thought sardonically.
She looked up at the moon and found it relatively unobstructed by clouds. The cig that had now found its way into her mouth glowed softly as she drew on it deeply, allowing the familiar scratch in her throat to calm her agitated mood. Life was strangely good to her recently and that was exactly why she was a bit unnerved. The regular kick in the guts to remind her that she didn't deserve good things was long overdue.
Just as she thought that, her phone decided to startle her as it rang with Vicky's signature ringtone. 'Ah, there it is. I had a feeling it would be today.' She allowed a wry smile around the filter in her mouth since she was alone up here and took the call with the languid casualness of someone who expected her execution.
"You're lucky you caught me on a break."
She commented idly before drawing another lungful of cancerous tar into her body. It felt like self-inflicted punishment and that helped her center herself a bit. 'Does that make me an M? I always considered myself an S to be honest. Maybe I'm one of those fabled Switches?' She amused herself with idle thoughts as she waited for her sister to answer. The other side of the line was quiet for a few more moments before she did.
"You're the best. You know that, right? No matter what anyone else tells you. You're the best, Ames."
Usually when she said something like that, Amy would have to heal someone after an impulsive stunt or because her sister was too overenthusiastic and underestimated her strength again. This time was different though. It felt more... Intense? Her voice was quiet, completely lacking the usual exuberance. Instead, it was grounded in something darker than she'd come to expect from her sister. The unpleasant feeling of foreboding intensified.
"Oh... Kay?"
She half asked eloquently into the line and wondered what this was about. She was definitely worried now. Something about Vicky was… off. That much was clear. She lacked any other clues though, so she struggled to puzzle together in what way.
"Good... Now, don't freak but we'll have to spend at least the night at Aunty Sarah's. I... may or may not have slapped our mom."
Nonplussed, she held the phone in front of her face and read the caller's ID. Sure enough, it was Vicky. Maybe she was dreaming? Pinching herself resulted in a hiss of pain and her pitiful capacity for mental arithmetic seemed unobstructed so probably not. But could this possibly be real?
"Ames? You there?"
Her phone called out to her and she thought intensely for a moment. 'Just in case I'm not dreaming this up…' The damage a slap from Vicky could cause ranged from a reddened cheek all the way to violent decapitation so she felt she had to ask.
"I... Am. Do I need to arrange for a funeral or did you leave enough of her to heal her?"
The words flowed from her lips with a deceptively mild but inquisitive tone, not at all fitting for the topic.
"What? No! It's not like that! It was just a regular slap! No superpowers involved!"
Vicky yelped indignantly and Amy breathed a small sigh of relief. It could have been worse. Way worse actually. If she had enough presence of mind to keep her strength contained, then it probably wasn't any of the worst case scenarios her morbid mind thought up. Letting a bit of her relief seep into her voice, she answered.
"Oh... Okay. Good."
"Yeah... Well, no, not good. Not at all actually, but..."
She suppressed a snort of twisted amusement at her sister's ramblings. A dark side of her was regretting not having been there. It wasn't as loud a voice as it usually was thanks to her comparatively relaxed state but it was there. That wasn't the voice Vicky needed right now though, so she suppressed the impulse. Instead, she went for a casual tone.
"So... Wanna grab a bite to eat or something before flying home later?"
That startled a choked laugh out of Vicky and the familiar sound made the corner of her own lips tick upwards too, despite the almost nauseous sensation in her stomach. It was partially caused by her own thoughts and the guilty pleasure of imagining the exquisitely dumbfounded face Carol must have worn after feeling the sting on her cheek.
The other aspect contributing to the sickening sensation was Vicky's behaviour. A thoughtful Victoria Dallon was a strange, conceptual creature that she could only endure for very limited amounts of time. It was hard to describe just how wrong and alarming it felt. She'd much rather have an impulsive and compassionate Vicky. That product was much more authentic.
"Oh god, Amy! Behave! I just confessed to domestic abuse! You're supposed to condemn me! To call me names and tell me I'll have to grovel to make it up to mom!"
The self-recriminating shout sounded almost hysterical but she caught herself remarkably quickly and took an audible breath before continuing with a much more measured voice.
"I really shouldn't have done that no matter how much she pissed me off... I... I kinda regret it but... not? As if, I know I should, and there is an echo of the feeling there, but then everything she said comes to my mind and it blunts any regret until it's barely even there anymore. I don't know what to think..."
'Wow. What the fuck did Carol say to piss Vicky off that much? She even felt sorry for weeks after she shattered that one gangbanger's femur so thoroughly that I needed 20 minutes to draw all the pieces together.' Carefully, she asked.
"Do you... wanna talk about it?"
There was another long silence on the other end and it left her to try and draw up her own theories. What could have possibly enraged Vicky enough to strike her own mom? 'I'm drawing a blank.' She admitted. She knew her sister well enough. Better than was healthy thanks to her obsession, if she was entirely honest. Nothing she could realistically imagine would have been enough to push her that far. Carol obviously was extremely talented in the field of provocation. It made sense, she supposed. She was a skilled lawyer after all.
"I... don't think that's a conversation we should have over the phone. I don't wanna ruin your evening. It's... Not pretty. Oh, and we'll sleep at Aunty Sarah's. I couldn't stay home after... You know."
She felt another stab of worry at hearing the usually outgoing and fearless young woman she admired far beyond virtuous measures so hesitant. She sounded as down as Amy regularly felt and it was vexing to her in a way she barely managed to comprehend. At the same time, a small maw opened in her stomach as a suspicion began to form.
There weren't many reasons for Vicky to not want to talk about this over the phone. She was usually quick to air her grievances, especially to her dark and brooding sis who was also a fantastic listener by virtue of not feeling the need to talk all that much. She also appreciated her often rather dark comments for some reason. She could imagine only a few reasons that would fit, and only one that was realistic. 'The topic of their argument was probably me...' Dread pooled into her gut at the thought.
Was she the reason for Vicky's mood? Did she confront Carol with what they talked about? It was a very real possibility. She was impulsive enough to blurt out something and if she was agitated enough, she would go with it and push for answers even though they decided not to just yet.
She really hoped it wasn't like that. That she wasn't the reason for their clash. Sadly, she knew her life's trajectory well enough to understand that this particular glimmer of hope was almost futile. Apprehension filled her but she was resigned to have the conversation anyways. After gathering her determination, she muttered into the phone.
"... Fine. But as soon as we are alone and have time to talk, we will. If this is about what I think it is, we'll have to fix this."
She looked down and saw the trusted figure of Cherona waiting in the faint moonlight. Visitors and personnel alike had begun to get used to her presence since the hellish creature had begun searching her out after her shifts, and Amy was content with that. The hound's impressive speed allowed her to keep pace with Vicky quite well and they had a few inconclusive races already. It made collecting her a bit more fun for both of them. Right now, she needed to think and an idea was forming in her mind to win some time.
"Look. You're in no state to fly this late in the evening, especially through such a shit hole of a city. Stay at Aunty Sarah's. I have a ride already. I'll see you there."
"Wait, what do you mean you have a ride? Are you cheating on...- beep."
'That should occupy her thoughts for a while. She needs the distraction.' She smirked. It seemed she'd have to finish up her shift a bit more punctually than she originally planned. She also had to go and get some takeout. She'd bet her perky behind that Vicky hadn't eaten anything yet.
'Fugly Bob's should be alright. I'll just have to unclog her arteries afterwards.' She mused with a somewhat wry smile before turning around and walking back into the soul-sucking place that claimed a large part of her life.
~Sarah Pelham/Lady Photon~
She didn't know what to think. Her niece just confessed to physically striking her sister with a somewhat detached voice. Before reacting, she wanted the whole story of course but she struggled to imagine anything that might come even close to justifying that. Still...
"I'll need more than that, Victoria. I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't ever do something like this without a damn good reason. I'll learn about it anyway. Honestly, I'm surprised she hasn't called me already. You might as well give me the whole story."
She waited for a long moment and was beginning to lose hope when she finally started to haltingly narrate. She began her story all the way back when they asked her employer to use some of his apparent influence to secretly investigate Amy's birth parents and already, she could roughly guess where this was going. She stayed silent and let her talk though. It looked as if she needed it.
When she reached the point of this evening, Sarah couldn't help but pinch the top of her nose in frustration. 'Damnit, Carol. You told me you've got yourself under control. I should have insisted on you continuing your therapy sessions, you stubborn idiot.' She thought unkindly while keeping her frustrations on the inside.
It was admittedly a challenge when she watched tears appear in Vicky's eyes. Still, one thing worried her. Why had her sister not called her and ranted her into oblivion? What happened after Vicky left? Because this silence was completely out of character. Her niece pulled her full attention back on her when she asked with a trembling voice that showed that she was close to tears.
"How could she say something like that?... I... I know she can't mean all of that and that it is at least partly connected to her Trigger Event, but... Amy has never given any indication for villainous tendencies, right? She's snarky and sarcastic and sometimes a bit over the top with her dark humor, but she goes out of her way to not show that too much in front of mom..."
She tried to stay objective as she saw her niece struggle to come to terms with what happened, but it was hard to find any sympathy for her sister. She really deserved that slap. Out loud, she said.
"Amy didn't do anything wrong, dear. You're right that our shared Trigger was one of the driving forces for this outburst. It's... complicated. This Lucifer... He presses all the wrong buttons without even trying. It was the same with Marquis, though to a lesser degree."
Her hand pushed through her hair as she thought of how she should put it to not destroy all her faith in her mother. Not that Carol wasn't doing a very good job to do that all on her lonesome. As she folded her hands on her lap again, she noticed that they were trembling slightly. Apparently, she wasn't entirely unaffected either.
"I... was in a worse spot than I am today, so I let her convince me to go after him... I don't know if it was the right decision in the end but I do know I would do things differently if I had the chance. Especially since it led directly to Amy's situation. I ignored way too many signs because it was convenient... I am just as guilty of neglect as she is."
She held up her hand to forestall any of her niece's platitudes. It was time to live up to their family motto of accountability. 'Took me long enough. You would have been disappointed, wouldn't you, Jess?' She thought with a wry twist on her lips that could have barely been called a smile before continuing.
"No. Don't try to justify my inaction. I knew Carol wasn't in a good spot mentally when I insisted on her taking Amy instead of doing it myself. I didn't realise just how bad it really was since she was always good at pretending everything's alright, but that's no excuse. I've seen the signs over the years but I didn't take it as seriously as I should have and that's entirely on me."
Vicky struggled with words that wouldn't leave her mouth and finally sagged back into the couch after releasing a rather dramatic sigh. It was rare to see her so down. She usually was far too hyper to dwell long on morose moods.
"Vicky needs some endorphins. It's time for the secret medicine, Cherona. Go, use cuddle."
Amy's authoritative voice startled her, and the massive dog that lumbered through the room and threw itself onto her couch, and consequently Vicky, even more so. She almost released some energy blasts. Luckily, she refrained and got to see the precious picture of a startled Vicky who was quickly doused in generous amounts of slobber.
"Eww! Stop it, Cherona! Seriously! Oh god, it's in my hair!"
Despite her words, reluctant giggles flowed over her lips as she wrestled with the scarred canine for dominance. A fight she was losing. Amy was leaning against the doorframe with a smug grin on her lips, which made Sarah smile softly. While Vicky was preoccupied, she stood and leaned against the fall beside her other niece. Silently, to make sure Vicky didn't overhear them, she asked the team healer.
"How much did you hear?"
The side glance she received for her question was a considering one. It had that tired edge that seemed permanently prevalent in her expression, though it wasn't as bad as it was a few weeks ago. Another sign she'd handily ignored.
"Enough."
She just answered but didn't seem all that upset as she turned her gaze back to her sister. Which was a fact that puzzled Sarah. She watched her for another moment but she didn't show any sign of emotional turmoil. With a slight frown, she decided to dig a bit deeper.
"Are you really not upset? It must have been...-"
She stopped herself when Amy truly looked at her. The expression on her face told her everything she needed to know. It was a look of resigned acceptance, paired with a slightly nihilistic smile.
"I knew already. Vicky was the only one who saw our family through rose tinted glasses. All of that… It's nothing new to me. I'm... Used to it, I guess? She didn't say those words outright but she did let me know with her attitude. The difference in treatment between Vicky and me was pretty obvious really."
A sardonic smile split Amy's face apart. It wasn't a nice expression, but she could tell. There was a hint of yearning for something better hidden in the jagged ruins of her hope.
"I know that deep... deep down, she somewhat cares for me but that sensation is hampered by rampant paranoia and fear. If I had to guess, she probably hates the fact that she cares."
A silent, bitter laugh bubbled over Amy's lips as she turned back to watching the surprisingly limber dog distract Vicky. Her brunette niece stared at the scene sightlessly before she turned to face her. Sarah almost winced at the expression she was shown. Whatever that thing on her lips was, a smile it was not.
"That didn't stop me from trying to earn her approval, though the hope for that died an ignoble death a while ago. Old habits die hard, I guess. Pathetic, I know."
Sarah's heart went out to her prickly niece who obviously had enough of this conversation. This wasn't an aspiring villain. This was a teen girl who had way too much responsibility hoisted onto her back by well meaning but misguided fools while lacking a functional support system to even the odds. It was time that she did something about that. It was her duty as the team leader and unofficial matriarch of the family.
~Victoria Dallon/Glory Girl~
"Are you sure you do not want me to visit your... mother? It wouldn't take long to... set her straight, so to speak. A single glance into the abyss should suffice. And if it doesn't? I do have other means and I am not lacking in creativity."
His tone was deceptively casual, but she didn't let that fool her. There was a vicious and protective gleam in his eyes. Amy said she was alright with telling him, and by extension Maze, the broad strokes of what happened and this was his reaction. She was strangely touched in a fucked up way that her employer was offering to scare the living daylight out of her mom for Amy and her. Still, she politely refused the offer.
"No need for that, Mr. Morn... Lucifer."
She corrected herself as she spied his eyebrow furrow in discontent. It smoothed over immediately and he clapped her shoulder with a friendly grin after he searched her eyes for something. She looked at the spot he touched with complicated feelings.
"Well, alright. I'll leave it for now. Just know you two are always welcome...- Is something the matter? Was this too familiar a gesture for you?"
He interrupted his extension of hospitality to ask her curiously and she shook her head absentmindedly.
"No, nothing like that. It's just... My forcefield didn't activate from your touch but it did for my mom. It feels strange that my subconscious seems to think I'm safe here but not at home... Anyways, I'm thankful for the offer but our aunt agreed to take us in for now. Amy might take you up on it though."
She forced an impish smile onto her lips. An understanding expression flitted over his unfairly handsome face before it settled in a thoughtful frown. He hummed while tapping his chin before commenting.
"I'm not all that familiar with powers as a whole yet, but from what I've seen so far, your... passenger for a lack of a better word seems to be quite a young one. Possibly as young as a few years of age. It seems to have imprinted on you. In fact, it thinks the world of you and is determined to make others feel the same by enforcing either a state of varying levels of terror or one of adoration on those who are unprepared or weak-willed."
'Say what?' she looked at him with an uncertain expression. Was he telling her that parahuman abilities came from an outside source? There were theories like that of course, but most of them seem to stem from the minds of hopeless tinfoil hat wearing conspiracy theorists. Was he one of those too? He didn't seem like the crazy sort but you never knew, right?
"Oh, don't look at me like that. I can feel it prod irritably at me because I am quite resistant to such mental influences and it doesn't like that. It's kind of cute actually, like a discontent kitten batting at me while mewling in a way it thinks is fierce. It also decided for some inane reason that I am acceptable to be around, which is one of the reasons your forcefield failed to engage if I had to guess. It's quite devoted to its safeguarding duties towards you, you see."
He smirked at her, though she had a feeling that it wasn't really her he was looking at. The expression had a teasing undertone, but there was no malicious intent behind it as far as she could tell.
"Sadly, while its protective properties are quite impressive, they are somewhat fragile at the same time. I can see the conflicting concepts of Durability and Fragility in its makeup. Kind of like a supercharged diamond. Hard but brittle. Both properties are taken to the extreme in this case."
A queasy feeling spread through her stomach and she was quite sure it didn't originate from her. She directed her attention inwards, searching out that faint hint of a connection to... something. It was surprisingly easy to find, now that she was looking. 'So it's true, huh... You really are my... Partner? My constant companion?' A faint sensation of hesitant acknowledgement echoed through her.
'That's... Cool. Yeah, let's go with that. It doesn't actually change much. I'm glad to have you on board, I guess? Oh, and thank you for always having my back!' An echo of joy and renewed acknowledgement rippled through her along with a strong dose of determination, and she decided that there were worse things than a passenger who wanted to protect her. As she opened the eyes she hadn't realised she'd closed, she found a faintly amused smile on Lucifer's lips.
"Are you a believer now?"
"I'm a believer of you two shutting the fuck up... Someone's trying to sleep here. Cherona's the only one having any common decency..."
While his question was asked with a hint of mischief in his voice, Amy's answer was grumbled in the language of sleep drunken snark and it was supported by the hound's discontent huff. The petite healer earned herself a set of amused glances for her mumbled comments which she answered by frowning at them before flipping them off.
Without waiting for a reaction, she turned on the sinfully comfortable couch and used the giant dog to keep herself warm and comfy. Not that said dog minded much as far as she could tell, seeing as she was napping as well. She didn't take offense and neither did Lucifer.
They'd talked through most of the night and while Vicky had a nice sleep-in after their aunt called the school and claimed a problematic family matter that allowed them to stay home for the day, Amy had no such luck. She was called for a medical emergency instead. A horrific traffic accident that would have had far more than the two casualties who died almost instantly if Amy hadn't been called. Understandably, she returned in a horrible mood and even more tired than before.
She indicated silence with her index finger to her lips. The following conversation was a challenging one since she intentionally kept herself from asking a verbal question and tried to communicate with gestures instead. An effort that made Lucifer's eyes spark with amusement. He finally took mercy on her and led her out of the room to not interrupt Amy's sleep any more than needed.
As they changed the venue, she thought to herself about his earlier question. What was it that she believed? She believed that he was right with his perception of powers. She now had proof of that after all. She also believed he was something different from regular Capes. He was just too versatile while having access to incredibly potent abilities in way too many categories.
His existence went against some of the most fundamental pieces of information she'd learned in the Parahuman Studies online course she was taking to get a headstart for college and she doubted she'd even seen more than a small fraction of what he could actually do. At first, she thought he was just an incredibly powerful telekinetic but that line of thinking went down the drain rather quickly as she began sparring against him.
Right now, she had him under the classification of an abnormally powerful Trump. Possibly in the echelons of Eidolon or beyond. She didn't really care if he was that or the Devil himself as long as he didn't start committing crimes for funsies. Well, the kind of crime that damaged the lives of others at least. She had a better than basic grasp on his personality by now and didn't think he would, to be honest.
While he played it a bit loose with laws he found unnecessary in general, he didn't go out of his way to cause misery. He was one of the very few Rogues in a city dominated by Villains with Heroes desperately trying to balance them out. And right now? He was one of those who set the tone in the cape scene and had others tiptoe around him. It didn't take him all that long either, all things considered.
And all he needed to do was to casually take on an S-Rank threat with his trusty bartender and his dog. 'Do not try this at home, kids.' She thought to herself with some amusement coloring her inner voice. The positivity quickly left her mind when nothing was left to distract her. She tried really hard not to think about the things Amy had shared with her but it was for naught.
With the shift in her perspective, so many of her memories were tainted. Seemingly innocent interactions between her mom and her sister now had an undertone of gaslighting as well as other unhealthy and downright abusive practices. She was so deep in thought that she didn't even notice she'd clenched her fist hard enough to make it tremble until Lucifer lightly touched her forearm and offered her a glass filled with amber liquid.
"You might be a tad too young to really appreciate it but I reckon you need a good glass of whiskey to deal with this. Now, do remember that the right way to drink high class alcohol isn't to drink yourself into a stupor. You have to sip slowly and enjoy the taste while it works its magic and relaxes you. Don't worry about legalities. This will stay our secret."
He winked at her with a smile and she took the glass carefully. She was drunk a couple of times because she was an impulsive teenager and it would have been rude to not drink when it was offered, right? This was the first time someone handed her alcohol and told her not to get drunk though. It was a bit bizarre but made a strange amount of sense, she supposed.
She shrugged and decided to take his advice. He was the expert after all. Even for the worst case scenario, Amy was here so she probably wouldn't suffer all that much. Though, if she ended up with a hangover, her prickly sis would cold-heartedly leave her to suffer. She was evil like that. Letting that amusing thought go, she turned her attention to the amber liquid with the surprisingly enticing scent.
Slowly, she took a sip and was caught off guard by the hint of vanilla and fruit in the taste. It also didn't burn nearly as much as she thought it would. In fact, it was quite mellow. An appreciative hum left her throat as she took another sip before setting down the glass at the bar. This was so much better than the cheap vodka orange she had the last time she got hammered.
'Wait... He said high class, right?' Worriedly, she looked at the glass and wondered just how much it would cost. 'It can't be more than 50 bucks, right? That's all I have on me right now...' she was well aware of the nightclub owner's amused glance as he lightly swirled the liquid in his own glass before taking a sip.
"Ah, truly worth its price..."
'He's teasing me.' She realised and found herself pouting at him, causing him to chuckle with that rich voice of his. Still, she kinda needed to know what she owed.
"So... Wanna clue me in how much this glass costs?"
She asked and he looked over with a glint in his eyes that told her he was up to no good. It was similar to the look Dennis got in his eyes when he was about to prank someone or make an inappropriate joke. He took his time answering the question as he looked faux-thoughtfully at his own glass.
"This is a 40 year old Whisky from Japan. It's from a brewery called Yamazaki that was sadly destroyed in one of the many disasters that struck Asia as a whole. It was known as one of the world's most prevalently famous producers of high-quality single malt whiskey. Some argued that their product surpassed even those from the Highlands."
He paused for a moment and she marvelled at the glass. So this was a relic of better times? Before everything went to hell? Her appreciation for the delicious liquor was raised a notch. The history lesson was interesting but she was still waiting for the answer to her question. She communicated that irritation with her eyes but he just smiled.
When he finally did come to the point, she was glad she didn't have any of the liquid in her mouth because she would have spit it out from shock and that would have been a waste beyond belief.
"They were true virtuosos of their craft. The sad end of this tradition increased the already rather steep price even further, making the glass you are having worth around 45.000 dollars I believe."
She felt faint. For the price of this one glass of alcohol, she could have bought a rather decent car straight from a dealership. Even the two small sips she'd taken were worth a couple of thousand dollars... How would she ever pay that back?...
"Don't worry about the price. I invited you to drink and I will not bill you for my own whims and neither do I fancy trapping people I like in debts they can't repay. Well, except if it's a conscious and fully informed Choice. Some people do make those for some reason."
He told her seriously and she felt a bit weak from the relief that washed through her. If she had to tell her aunt that she accidentally incurred a debt of over 40.000 dollars, she'd die on the spot. If she told her mom, she wouldn't have time for that because the woman would want to finish the job herself. Warily, she looked at her glass before shrugging and deciding to enjoy the very generous gift she was given.
Smiling slightly as she took another drink of it, she let the warmth brought upon by a liquor worth tens of thousands of dollars flow through her alongside the feeling of safety that always filled her in Lucifer's home. It was true that she needed some relaxation after all.
"You do realise that Amelia can't hear you from here, right? There is no need to keep your silence any longer. Now that I think about it, you do seem to be rather less gregarious than usual today."
Her employer and current host noted with a humorous twist to his lips, though there was a note of worry visible in his chocolate brown eyes. He had taken to call Amy that after their guess was confirmed, claiming that it was her name after all. She didn't really seem to mind it so Vicky didn't argue.
She answered with an impish smile and an exaggerated shrug, making him smile back just slightly as he shook his head slowly. Oddly, the silence that stretched between them afterwards as they slowly enjoyed their drinks didn't feel uncomfortable in the least.
~Theresa Richter/Dragon~
As she observed him working on a Runic Array that would allow him to solidify and expand the Soul Fragment inside of the currently inert projection that was the Siberian, she couldn't help but feel beyond glad she asked Lucifer if it was alright to watch. The fact that he was accommodating enough to allow her to bring a complete set of her self-made state-of-the-art measuring equipment was just the proverbial cherry on the pie.
The focus and inhuman precision he exhibited reminded her of the most intense tinkering sessions she had. The times she fell so completely into a state of Fugue that she barely even remembered what she'd done afterwards. Her virtually perfect recall gleefully took this moment to inform her that nearly all of those sessions were collaborative ones with Colin, causing a transient state of embarrassment and shyness to grip at her before she shelved the feelings for later.
She still hadn't quite managed to adapt to her new depth of emotion. In most situations she was fine but from time to time, she was still surprised by just how intensely she could feel now. A good example was the admiration she felt as she watched the Devil work. With a gentle, almost loving hand guiding his tools and a slight but genuine smile on his lips, he engraved symbols that radiated a strange sense of power into a large circle made of marble that he prepared beforehand as the base for today's Ritual.
She knew he was using the Enochian Alphabet since she'd seen those very same characters in his memories, but she understood only the vaguest hint of their meaning. A fact she was actually praised for by the Lightbringer himself. He stated that it was beyond rare that one achieved even a hint of understanding of the Celestial Script without being born as one of theirs. For once, he seemed serious about it instead of relentlessly teasing her.
The next step he undertook was bestowing a Blessing on the unique liquified alloy he personally created out of several mundane metals, which he used to meticulously fill the engravings. From what he told her when she asked him about it, he used his Light to burn away secular impurities before imbuing the now spiritually flawless alloy with Celestial Grace through an involved Ritual he already performed.
Now, he was pushing it over the edge to create a true Divine Metal by drawing on his Divinity. Something that was only possible because his Father wasn't present in this forsaken corner of the multiverse according to him, and it wouldn't hold this elevated state for long. The timespan was just enough to finish this Ritual.
As he finished up the last of the Runes, the Light in the room intensified to a degree that should have been uncomfortable and possibly damaging but instead of having to dampen her visual sensors, she only felt warmth and peace seeping into her. She'd stopped questioning those reactions when it came to him. Despite her less than physical presence, he was capable of directly interacting with her. That was just how it was.
"If you consider a Soul a three-dimensional existence, then the base of this projection is a one-dimensional one. Something tracked the original Soul down, carelessly created the barest hint of an imprint, and put it into a body drawn up from the twisted, subconscious desires of the one linked to it."
He started to explain as he slowly increased the intensity of the Light that flooded the chamber they were conducting the Ritual in. His voice was steady and calm. There was no hint of nerves or anxiety in it. He was completely focused on his self-imposed task.
"Over the past few years, this imprint grew. It developed and pushed against its boundaries as it was directed by the subconscious mind of its creator. It almost reached the level where it could be considered to have a second dimension. Impressive in its own right since reaching that level of existence would have given it some agency to act on its own desires."
With a snap of his long fingers, the fallen angel floated the slightly glowing sphere that made up the Siberian's prison into the middle of the ritualistic circle before gently setting it down. The sphere flickered before disappearing but there was no change in the Siberian's state. 'She looks peaceful...' Theresa mused, noting the contrast to the usual cruel smirk she displayed the few times she was caught by a camera.
Lucifer's eyes were compassionate as he looked at the creature who murdered hundreds of not thousands in the name of the Slaughterhouse 9.
"There is a hint of a subconscious mind inside of this projection. It desires to live. To make its own decisions. To not be bound to the perverted will of another. As all things who reach this level, it desires Freedom. Sadly, its growth was inhibited."
He sounded quite cross about that. There was a frown on his brows and she had the unique perspective of having seen the memories that led to his severe dislike of such circumstances. A sense of understanding and a commiserating feeling spread through her as she listened.
"It was limited by outside forces. Chained to an existence it did not desire. And yet, it strived to push past those arbitrarily placed limits. To break those chains imposed on it. A wish I can sympathise with. And one I will do my utmost to grant."
His voice projected a level of authority she hadn't experienced ever before. Despite his physically not all that imposing stature, his presence seemed to fill the entire room. He gleamed in soft, warm Light as his Divinity was unleashed in a spectacular fashion. His brilliant white Wings burst out of his back and spread apart majestically. She'd seen them in his memories of course, but it was still shocking to see it happen in front of her.
Spellbound, she looked at them through the many visual sensors she'd placed in the room while he began to steadily chant in a language so utterly above her comprehension, she failed to understand even a hint of the words he imposed on the World. Despite her existence as an Artificial Intelligence, she lost track of time as the steady verbal stream flowed through her.
It was several minutes later that she finally managed to push through the instinctive reverence and look at the data that was being recorded real time. As she'd expected, the readings were mostly nonsensical and seemed like the base for an urban fantasy novel with a scientific focus. Silently, she put one of her subroutines to the task of plotting out a storyline like that since it seemed like a fun read.
Meanwhile, the ritualistic chanting peaked in intensity, as did the energies that were superbly contained in this room by the runic circles he'd applied beforehand. He called those 'Wards' and promised that outside of them, nothing of his influence would be felt. His confidence seemed to be justified from what she'd seen up until now. The instruments outside of this room didn't pick up any of the immense readings from the inside at least.
She noted a hint of strain that had appeared on Lucifer's stoic visage. Apparently, this wasn't easy. Not that he indicated the opposite. He was very clear about the fact that this would take a lot out of him. She refrained from disclosing her worry because he seemed to anticipate this act so genuinely. Now she knew why.
Suddenly, the flow of energy stagnated. The maelstrom lingered several seconds before abruptly rushing to the middle of the marble circle. His voice cut through the room as he continued chanting with almost frantic energy, building up more and more momentum until it was abruptly over with a final imposing shout. A single powerful gesture directed all the accumulated might with the figure of the Siberian being the focal point of it all.
None of her instruments could make heads or tails out of what was happening. All she could perceive was that something was happening to the projection. Its existence… shifted for a lack of a better word. It became a constant part of reality if she had to explain it somehow. When the bright glow finally ebbed away, Lucifer sank slowly to his knees. He seemed exhausted but otherwise fine. The striped existence had changed fundamentally though.
Instead of the tiger-themed murderess, there was a pale child inside of the circle. Shiny brown hair framed the cherubic face of a girl who seemed not even in her teens yet. A cotton robe covered her rather tiny body and her position mirrored that of the Siberian. She seemed just as peaceful too. Suddenly, her eyelids fluttered. Slowly, they opened and warm brown eyes looked around curiously until they focused on the kneeling figure of Lucifer.
Her eyes lit up like stars when she found him. The sheer joy in them would have made Theresa breathless if she were to rely on such things as oxygen to function properly. With a bright smile on her only vaguely familiar features, the young girl called out.
"Papa!"
An expression of utter confusion mixed with growing dread consumed the exhaustion that was edged into the Devil's features. When he finally reacted it was already too late to do anything else but open his arms when the girl barreled out of the circle and into his lap. It took her a moment to register what was happening but once she did, she couldn't help herself. She broke down in hysterical laughter.
The acidic look he shot her did nothing to calm her down. Rather, it was the opposite. She couldn't remember a time where she was so utterly consumed by unhinged laughter and she didn't even know why she found his expression so funny. He quickly realised that his glare had no effect and grumbled out.
"Oh yes, of course you would find this bloody amusing, wouldn't you? As expected of a virtual voyeuristic lizard."
Indignation took over her amusement in an instant and she glared at him through the screen. She strived to put as much of her feelings on the matter into her voice as she could when she ground out her answer while punctuating every word.
"I. Am. Not. A voyeur!"
A sly grin replaced the irritated twist on his lips even as he subconsciously adjusted his hold on the girl in his arms and his eyes gleamed impishly in the lingering remains of the supernatural Light that had filled the entire venue. She had a bad feeling when she saw that expression.
"Truly? Well, it seems I misunderstood. But do tell me, was it not you who almost begged me to let you observe me as I created a new life?"
His voice was gentle, but there was an insidious undercurrent in it. She blue screened for a moment from the horror when she realised what he was implicating before sputtering incoherently while trying and failing to explain herself. Her embarrassment only intensified when he went for the kill.
"You even brought your own camera setup. Every single piece of equipment is of the highest possible quality, of course. You even insisted on being the one to operate it. Delicate and complicated, you called it if I recall correctly. You didn't trust others to work all the angles you needed, isn't that right? I can only imagine the details of my... act of Creation you were able to capture. How very naughty of you."
She felt as if her mainframe was burning and glared at him ineffectually before pouting petulantly. Why was he so insistent on teasing her? And why was it so effective?! The temporarily forgotten member of the Triumvirate who had kept her silence until now chose this moment to break it, just to comment dryly.
"I feel as if I am a bit... superfluous here. A novel experience to be sure, though not one I am intent on repeating. That aside, as a member of a law enforcement agency, I feel obligated to point out that such voyeuristic habits tend to escalate into unlawful territories rather quickly. Do try to moderate your urges, Dragon."
She gaped incredulously at the powerful Cape and failed utterly to formulate a proper response to the unexpected source of teasing. Lucifer had her covered, though not in the way she would have wanted. A delighted note was in his voice as he answered.
"It seems your mind survived the impact of both, the Flames of Hell as well as the Light of Divinity. And you even seem to have relearned some of your human urges! I truly applaud your resilience. And do keep up the teasing. It's healthy for the Soul."
His amused glance turned to the girl who had cuddled up to him and chosen to fall asleep. His eyes softened as he regarded the brunette who seemed no older than 10. A smattering of freckles could be found above her nose and the cute, tiny... Wings on her back unconsciously moved restlessly. 'Did he create an angel?' She was distracted from her dumbfounded state by his soft and gentle voice.
"I baptized you in my Divinity. I cleansed you with my purifying Light. And finally, I Awakened you by the Authority of my Name. I may as well grant you a name of your own. From today on, you are called Jibril, named after my dear sister who you remind me of. May you be just as cheerful, innocent, and compassionate as her. Though I'd be thankful if you didn't inherit the volume of her voice. Impressive it may have been but it caused many a headache."
The sudden change in the mood made her indignation deflate and her compassion rear its head. She knew how it felt to be chained to the will of another, so she was truly glad this girl managed to break away from that fate. She also sent an appreciative glance to the oblivious man holding her. Saving those in captivity really seemed to be a theme for him.
~Vista/Missy Biron~
Feychick
Replied on Dec 4th 2010:
Did you guys see his movements and how they don't make any sense? Look at this vid of Vista, she's the adorable Ward with the scary rating by the way, and tell me it's not similar. That aspect of his power looks like a more refined variation, doesn't it?
SpecificProtagonist
Replied on Dec 4th 2010:
Right?! I immediately thought of Vista too! Maybe he's a villain who's rebranding in Brockton Bay because he wants to be close to the daughter he never knew about?! He found out about her through the grapevine of cape news and immediately set out to get to know her... I smell delicious family drama including a sordid affair with lots of bondage play... I bet he's hung like a horse and he uses his space fuckery to make it fit. Literally! Gotta go. Cape fics don't type themselves. If you wanna enjoy the finished product, you'll find a link in my profile!
GstringGirl
Replied on Dec 4th 2010:
SpecificProtagonist really has a one-track mind... Anyways, did you see just how terrified Jack Slash was? I've watched quite a few of their live broadcasts since I have the time because of... reasons and I feel like someone needs to remember the faces of their victims to honour them.
I've never seen anything close to what he did there in his livestreams and it's terrifying to think that he was holding back all this time. All the more remarkable is it that all it did was make the self-styled Devil mock him for his incompetence. Seeing him receive a dose of his own medicine was surprisingly satisfying to watch and I kinda feel a bit conflicted about that.
RotterdamWarlord (Verified Cape)
Replied on Dec 4th 2010:
Nothing surprising or conflicting about it, lass. Those monsters needed to be put down like the animals they were. I watched that video over and over again and it never gets old to see ol' Jackie's face twisted in despair. I'm gonna hire a digital tinker to clean up the screenshot I took of it and maybe to increase its resolution. It's gonna be my screensaver for years to come. He deserves so much worse but I'll settle for this. Kinda disappointed about Dragon's intervention tbh. He was just about to claw his own eyes out. That would've been fun to watch.
NautilusTheGreatChompa
Replied on Dec 4th 2010:
Im one of the rare few 'lucky' survivors of their 'mercies' and sometimes I wish I werent. Im a cripple without legs cuz they forced me to eat them to win my survival. At least they let me cook them beforehand. I taste like pork with a hint of chicken if you wanna know. Fucked my head up something fierce and have been in therapy ever since. They can burn in hell and im happy they wont hurt anyone else. Btw, can I have a copy of the endproduct, warlord? It would be a great thing to wake up to.
RotterdamWarlord (Verified Cape)
Replied on Dec 4th 2010:
Gotcha fam. Expect a pm later in the afternoon.
Edit: Alright, too many pms ya inconsiderate arseholes. I'll put it on a site for a couple of bucks linked to the creator's throwaway acc. Asked him for permission and he said it's all good. Don't try to share it though, or it'll eat your hard drive. It's gonna be active for two days. Now piss off and stop cluttering my inbox.
XxVoid_CowboyxX
Replied on Dec 4th 2010:
I didn't think you meant that literally! Im posting from my phone because my PC just started smoking after a dying sound that was way too human!
After snickering for a moment at void's well earned misfortune, she settled with a pensive expression on her face. She felt somewhat conflicted as she read through a couple of the responses that were trickling into the thread daily, even though it's been around a week since it happened. There was worry, elation, pride, and all kinds of other emotions mingling and mixing inside of her and the volatile concoction felt as if it would explode as soon as she met the target.
The horny hussies aside, this conversation and uncountable others in the nigh-endless mire that was Bagrat's biggest thread as of yet showed just how much damage the Slaughterhouse 9 caused over their long reign of terror. And her dad was the one to end it. With some help, that was. For the first time, he was recorded doing something momentous and she had a feeling it wouldn't be the last time.
Which brought her to the reason why she spent so much time inside of this thread and others about him. She knew she wasn't all that well known yet but being one of the youngest Wards ever, and one with a high threat rating to boot, did gather some attention. Of course, this led to others making the connection. Apprehensively, she added another notch to her mental tally.
Which was an effort in futility, really. The bottom line was that she certainly wasn't the only one to have seen the similarities. She didn't know what to think about that, so she distracted herself by watching him take on Jack Slash with nothing but his charming smile and a healthy dose of Mockery. Oh, and a set of powers that made the serial killer despair in a very visual and satisfying way.
She couldn't even begin to analyse just how his version of space walking worked without being there, but it looked similar enough sans the spatial distortions that were completely absent from his. 'Is it control? Must be, right? Does he even need Anchors or is he beyond that?' She opted to ignore the idle thought prompted by her power in favour of her more prevalent contemplations.
Her dad took on the 9. He and Maze as well as their dog Cherona, if she guessed right. She'd seen that dog do things that should have been impossible… Strange canines aside, she had no idea how he learned of their newest target. Or how he reached there as quickly as he did for that matter, though she did suspect some patented space fuckery on that front. It wasn't all that important in the end.
Unbidden emotions bubbled up again, restarting the cycle she wanted to escape. She wanted to scream at him for being so reckless. She wanted to hug him and never let go because she was relieved he was unscathed after that stunt. She wanted to... She honestly didn't know what she wanted. And it didn't help that she hadn't found the courage to seek him out afterwards.
The longer she waited, the more difficult it seemed to gather her resolution. Was he disappointed that she didn't visit him immediately or was he busy anyways? She'd seen the Press Conference and how he took control over it, which made the hoes way too thirsty, so she was sure he was pretty busy. She couldn't even imagine the aftermath of such a thing.
He was arguably the most important aspect of the Slaughterhouse 9's takedown. 'That's gotta get global attention, right? Especially after he showed complete and unshakeable confidence in the face of some of the strongest heroes there are...' She lightly shook her head and tried to concentrate through the many thoughts that were flitting through her head.
She'd read that introspection was important to search one's own feelings so that was what she was going to do. One of the main reasons she didn't yet visit were her conflicted thoughts on the relatively numerous comments comparing her and him. Once the first one pointed it out, there were new additions to that train of thought pretty much daily.
Surely he had read some of them by now and he was likely just as worried about what she was thinking as she was about his thoughts. The question was: Did she want to come clean? 'It's too early I think...' She admitted reluctantly. Did she want him to come clean? Obviously yes. If he did, she could finally be honest with him and herself. But... He probably wasn't ready.
She could even understand his reluctance, frustrating as it was. He obviously wanted to build a positive rapport first. 'Maybe this will open up some doors for subtle inquiries though?...' She contemplated, knowing that she would have to be careful to not tip her hand too early.
She put her severely conflicted thoughts on hold when she was called down for her patrol over the speaker. She was a bit puzzled when she recognised Armsmaster's voice, wondering why he called her when it was usually Carlos who initiated patrols and sent them out. In the end, she shrugged it off and changed into her costume. She was a bit apprehensive about this patrol as she didn't quite know what she was supposed to expect.
She knew the news of the Nine's disbandment had spread like a wildfire through the entirety of the States and beyond. Even the gangs were celebrating. There was an unofficial truce in place in Brockton Bay that was supposed to hold for an entire week to celebrate the eradication of a threat to all of them. It was called on PHO by Lung and the other gangs actually publicly agreed to it.
Surprisingly, it was actually somewhat respected by the criminal elements of the city. The crime rate this week was lower than it ever had been since before her birth. Of course there were petty thefts and stuff like that, but gang violence was almost nonexistent the past few days and that was a very welcome but somewhat worrisome change. Tomorrow was the end of the truce so she worried some overenthusiastic fellows would try to get a headstart.
'If only it could stay this way...' She mused wistfully before snorting with dark amusement at her idealistic suspected that Lucifer's show of force and charisma were the real reason for the truce and that celebrating the destruction of the Nine was just an excuse. The upper echelons of the gangs were probably unsure how to react to a non-villainous powerhouse like him moving into the city and needed the time to plan around him.
She heard rumours that lots of people were flocking to her dad's territory. He wasn't even actively recruiting or anything, but the area around Lux was statistically the safest in the city right now. The people he hired for security took their jobs seriously and stopped crime wherever they found it, and it wasn't all that rare for him to step in when things escalated.
It was no wonder that civilians tried to escape the violence that was so prevalent in this cursed city by searching out the protection gained by living under his aegis. That it was the Rage Dragon himself who initiated this showed just how serious a threat the draconic Cape considered Lucifer. A fact that made her proud and worried at the same time.
She knew he was strong but could he defend himself against a potential alliance of the villainous gangs of Brockton Bay? 'I have to trust him. He's an intelligent and resourceful man. I'm sure he's thought of this potential scenario and is working on a solution.' She nodded after reassuring herself. Deep in thought, she wandered the corridors towards the lobby and opted not to use her space-shrinking abilities for a change.
Her restraint allowed her to move and think at the same time. Something she supposed she should do more often, but she loved her powers despite how she got them, so it was hard to not use them whenever possible. A while later, she reached her destination and glanced over the present people, only to do a double take when she found a familiar but unexpected addition.
"Mouse Protector?..."
She murmured silently as her eyebrows wandered upwards in surprise. She'd refreshed her old knowledge about the indie hero and idol to her after learning that she was deeply involved in the whole mess. Honestly, she expected her to retire after the close call, which would have been a shame. She was glad that it didn't seem to be the case. Vista was a fan of the inaugural Ward and she loved her irreverent attitude wholeheartedly.
She even had thoughts of following her footsteps. Maybe not the whole over the top jokester hero shtick, though it did have its appeal to make villains cry from frustration before taking them down, but she was definitely considering going the indie route once she was old enough. It would free her from much of the bureaucratic nonsense and it would give her more freedom overall while increasing her personal risks.
It was a trade-off she was considering more and more worth it. And now she had someone in front of her who could give first hand advice. Her eyes wandered from the bouncing, grinning, and waving indie hero to Armsmaster. The Ward team's nominal direct superior. Most of the time he was too busy in his workshop to properly care for his role as the Ward Coordinator.
When he did meet with them, he was often very curt, blunt, and borderline frustrated with them. Honestly, she understood his side of things and she didn't get why he was assigned as their handler. He was probably the busiest out of all the local Protectorate Heroes since he was their best and most productive Tinker, and he was also socially a bit more challenged than the average Cape. It would have made much more sense to put Chris as his direct protégé and let someone else care for the rest of them.
Miss Militia, Battery, or Velocity would have made much more sense. Personally, she thought that even Assault would have been a better choice despite his juvenile humour. He would have connected better with the team at least. 'And he would've gone along with way too many of Dennis's antics. Probably the main reason he wasn't chosen.' She stopped her musings to concentrate.
The man in full body Power Armor had almost no tells, which could partially be attributed to the protective shell he wore, and was just as controlled as always. She thought she spied the hint of an annoyed twitch beneath the layers of miniaturized high-grade tinker-tech, though. 'Probably just my imagination.' She thought amusedly as she resumed her trek through the room. The bright smile on Mouse Protector's ridiculously painted lips transitioned into a smirk as she 'greeted' her.
"Heya, Vista! It's an honor to meet the littlest Ward with the scary rating. I'm a big fan, you know? Now tell me, how does it feel to be treated like a fragile glass ornament instead of a hero?"
Suddenly, the welcoming smile on her lips felt cramped and far less natural. She unconsciously glanced over to Armsmaster. 'Maybe I didn't imagine the twitch after all...' She acknowledged inwardly. Still, she admired the mouse-themed hero and knew that most, if not all, capes had their own quirks. She wouldn't just take a loss without giving anything back though. After taking a subtle calming breath, she smiled beatifically at the teleporter and answered.
"Oh, the honor is all mine. I truly admire how you escaped the enemy called bureaucracy by becoming independent. Speaking of enemies... Tell me, how did it feel to be a little mouse captured in the scariest trap the United States had to offer?"
She nailed the innocent tone and the head tilt as well, she just knew it. The hero blinked twice through the eye-slits of her helmet before she started snickering. She got herself somewhat under control before she could escalate into full blown laughter though. There was still some amusement in her voice when she answered.
"Oh, that was brutal. You went right for the jugular. Your delivery needs some work but there's potential right there! Didn't think you've got a vicious mouth, squirt. It seems I have a worthy successor in the force."
Her expression morphed into something approaching seriousness as she showed a slight but apologetic smile.
"Sorry 'bout that though. I like to poke at sore spots because it shows me what's behind the mask. I was told I'm an inconsiderate bitch for doing it but somehow, I just never lost the habit and even made a career out of it. It's alright as long as I direct it at the villains, right?"
Vista was surprised how open the indie hero was with her motivations, but she appreciated the candid and blunt way Mouse Protector put it. Armsmaster seemed ready to intervene but thought better of it for some reason. He stood eerily still for a long moment before he simply mechanically confirmed with her that she agreed to the shared patrol and left abruptly without another word.
"Well, that was something. I thought people were exaggerating when they told me that he acts like a robot. Nevermind, let's get to the Brie of the matter as the saying goes. I called in a favour from some big wigs in the Protectorate to allow us a shared patrol through Brockton Bay."
The indie hero commented but quickly showed that she did have a professional side too, despite her unfortunate penchant for puns, when she started explaining why she was here. Which opened up another question though. 'She asked for this? Why?'
Her confusion must have shown on what was visible of her face because she received a mischievous grin and a wink in return. No direct answer though. Instead, the mouse themed hero just continued to explain the situation while giving a vague hint.
"They get to cheese off of my popularity after this... unfortunate encounter and I get to talk with you about a... shared friend, let's say. A win-win in my book. So what do you say, wanna race me to the Boardwalk? Teleporter or Space Bender, who wins in a battle of movers?"
She smiled lightly with a hidden competitive gleam in her eyes. That sounded like fun, actually.
"You are a cheating cheater who cheats... Cheatingly."
"So are you, spacey. Get over it."
She didn't pout at the bemused rodent. Not at all. After a last glare, she let it go with a resigned sigh. She should have known that there was simply no chance to outpace a well known teleporter and experienced hero in this game despite her advantageous knowledge of the terrain.
She was pretty sure Mouse Protector could have just ported to the Boardwalk in one go but she left her a small fighting chance. Or she just wanted to gloat. From what she knew about her, it was probably the latter. It was time to don her professional mask however, so she put on the professional Vista Smirk#3 and readied herself for either lethal boredom or gut wrenching horror. In BB, one could never be sure which one it would be.
After they called in their arrival and the start of their patrol to the console, they tried to walk their route. Tried was the emphasis since Mouse Protector's popularity was at an all time high after the whole takedown of the 9. Lucifer giving her credit for directing him towards the lunatics made her the focal point of their takedown and boosted her already respectable popularity through the roof.
Of course, this led to them being bogged down by a crazy amount of fans and cape groupies. She was just glad that she wasn't in the center of it all. Instead, she watched Mouse Protector handle her admirers with a certain degree of fascination. She played around with them, throwing out puns and jokes left and right while still keeping a degree of her attention on the surroundings to fulfill their original purpose.
Such as the pickpocket that was trying to use the forming crowd to hide his illicit behaviour. She nailed him between his eyes with a tennis ball before chiding him playfully under the cheers of the people surrounding them. She didn't hold him or call the police with the idle comment that she prevented any crimes from happening so they technically had no reason to arrest him, but that he should really look into another career.
This one and several other instances of gentle takedowns happened all throughout their patrol and Missy had to admit that she would have probably missed around half of the crimes happening. It was humbling to see a professional at work and she was determined to learn as much as she could from the deceptively capable Cape.
Around noon, Mouse Protector called in their 'lunch break' and led her off the Boardwalk in the direction of the docks. They entered a small hole in the wall Italian place, the owner of which obviously knew the heroic rodent.
"Please come in! Do not bother with money, I mean it! If you try, I will be very cross with you!"
The man's impressive moustache twitched with humor when her partner exaggeratedly gestured her surrender before leading them to one of only three tables. She wondered just how this place survived when there was no one here even at noon hours but thought discretion was the better part of valor in this case.
"So, let's talk business."
Mouse Protector immediately said as they sat down. Her expression was serious and Missy felt she didn't have all the context she needed. That turned out to be true when the formidable woman's next words registered.
"Thank you for saving my life. I owe you."
Her confused head tilt this time around was not at all an act. She genuinely didn't know what the woman was talking about. She cleared it up quickly though, and the information caused a small internal breakdown.
"Lucy told me that you made a Deal with him and that your agreement was the reason he somehow noticed I was in a pickle. You are responsible for the rescue of over 250 people, me included. He also told me that he's proud of you."
A confusing mixture of guilt and warmth spread through her. She was sure she was blushing, but the realisation that she was the one sending him into that situation hampered any and all good feelings she got out of this. If Mouse Protector noticed her inner conflict, she didn't show it and just continued her spiel.
"You know, I'm thinking it's time to stop going all 'lone mouse'. It just seems needlessly edgy nowadays. But rejoining the government is a no-no too for a force of Chaotic Good such as me. Whatever shall a lonesome rodent such as me do? It's a conundrum to be sure."
She leaned back with dramatically overplayed gestures. Something she seemed prone to do in every situation. 'It's probably almost a subconscious thing by now as long as she's in her persona...' Missy mused to herself. The hero slash drama student successfully distracted her which was probably at least part of her intentions.
The other reason for her behaviour soon became apparent too. As soon as she leaned forward again, there was an intensity to her presence that wasn't there before. An opportunistic gleam had entered her eyes when she continued what was shaping up to a pitch for collaboration.
So... I thought of joining or founding an independent team. Because, why not? You get all the benefits of working with other heroes such as a safety net and possibly even dental. All of that without the abundant amount of red tape and bureaucracy. Do you think Lucy might be open to the thought?"
Apparently, she didn't expect an answer to her question because she immediately continued talking while almost doing a gymnastics routine on her seat.
"I kinda got the feeling he doesn't see himself as a hero. You know, after he repeatedly corrected the PR people as well as the journalists on the matter while looking at them as if they are toddlers for refusing to acknowledge his words. But... He likes you. There was real fondness in his eyes when he mentioned you. He may be more open to it when you pitch the idea."
She looked dubiously at the hero, even as she tried to ignore the renewed warmth her words awakened in her. She had to learn to keep her emotions under control. It wouldn't help her at all to always melt if she heard that her dad was proud or fond of her. And frankly, she felt it was a bit pathetic. And immature. So she gathered herself and answered.
"I tried that already, you know? The first deal I proposed was him becoming a hero and he told me straight up I couldn't pay for something like that. I then asked if he could at least not become a villain and help out the heroes if they were in trouble... He went for that one."
She admitted and Mouse Protector hummed with a slight air of disappointment. She bounced back quickly though. Her demeanor quickly changed and there seemed to be flames of determination in her eyes.
"I'll convince him myself then. I'll annoy him as long as it takes for him to say yes! Just you see! The Devil will be a force for the Chaotic Good! I'll bet my last cheese wheel on it!"
This behaviour very much rivaled Dennis at his worst. Something she honestly thought impossible. Up until now, that was. It took a lot out of Missy to not cringe. Instead, she stared at her with the same deadpan that usually broke Dennis out of his jokester mood.
Sadly, it didn't work. Mouse Protector was more experienced in all fields of life, it seemed. The woman winked at her with a cheeky smirk and leaned back comfortably under her judgment.
"Oh, don't look at me like that. I'm hilarious and you know it. Just give in and appreciate the comedic depth that entered your life when you met me. Don't worry about suddenly losing me and having to live in a grey world without my zany antics. I think I'm going to be a mainstay here when Lucy gives in."
Missy idly noted that she said when, not if. She certainly was confident, wasn't she? The next thought was the realization that if the cheese-loving hero stayed, she'd have to deal with even more puns, jokes, and pranks. It caused a minor crisis but she quickly overcame it and simply sighed.
As she accepted this new addition to her trying life with the resigned aplomb of a professional, she made plans to finally visit Lucifer. With a determined twist to her lips, she clenched her fist under the table. 'I don't want to put it off any longer. Tonight. I'll visit him tonight.'