A/N Boom boom boom.
Alt title: I want you in my room.
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This chapter really speeds up at the end. Got a bit of writer's block and I had to just power through it. Sorry.
The muses are fickle mistresses.
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Also, there's a hilarious Troll in the reviews. The line that got me was.
"…screw you, I'm done. You lure me in with four fairly decent chapters with a promising future and then turn around, punch me in my fat mouth and call my mother a whore who should've swallowed me. That's how that felt. Like WTF!? What the actual frick?"
That was copy pasted by the way.
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Grimnosh: Shadow Stalkers capture was not exactly discreet, and they used electricity to keep her restrained while she was in Merchant territory. And neither Vergil or Carnage are from Brockton Bay. Vergil is from Dakota City South Dakota.
Real quick. Finding the state Dakota city is in, was more difficult to find than you might think. The only info says, Dakota city. And the best descriptor says it sits on/near Dakota Lake in the Midwest.
Which is in South Dakota.
JUST SAY DAKOTA CITY SOUTH DAKOTA!
BACK TO THE EXPOSITION!
And Carnage is from New York. And he's reckless. Not stupid. He'd at least look into the nearby capes. Static Shock's weakness is not too big a secret. He's been active a fairly decent while. And water has been used on him in the past.
That being said. The entire list of reasons I just gave you. Was bullshit.
I just didn't think about it at the time. Oops.
At least I can admit my mistakes! *Author says with proud smile*
SonicTundra: Think of this as a pallet cleanser.
Kaykaykaykayan: I is the sad.
DancingLeaf: The public actually would be. Remember, after the hospital, Maureen got a kill order put on her. Which means she is legally allowed, and encouraged, to be killed. But, you know who won't be happy?
Static Shock.
And thank you! :)
My second biggest fear is losing the ability to talk.
StormySpartan: He found 6 vials. And anything else I could say will be in this chapter.
As for Joseph. Which part made you most mad at him?
RadChaos897: YES! YES! THAT'S IT!
Kitsu does know Maureen. From the Static Shock TV show. That's why she was so convinced Maureen could be saved. She knew it happened before. But because it happened before. She didn't think saving her was all that pressing of an issue. And let it slip to the back of her mind.
Had Kitsu sought out Maureen. Things might've gone differently.
On other matters. It is very difficult to make Kitsu a Mary Sue. Mainly because, when you right a character as often as I have with Kitsu. You start to put yourself in their shoes. And you want things to go right. But, there are three things you need to be aware of to avoid making a Mary Sue.
1 Flaws. A Mary Sue has none
2 Relationships. Everyone around the Mary Sue, loves the Mary Sue
3 Failures. A Mary Sue has none
Kitsu has Flaws, Kitsu has people who dislike her, and even people who hate her, but, the big one here. Was that Kitsu has yet to truly fail.
And I didn't want her to. Again, I self insert into Kitsu more and more the more I write her. Nobody wants to fail. But it had to be done.
I got that hot chocolate reference!
Crystal doesn't need anymore ideas.
And as for Firebreather? I'unno. Kinda threw that in on a whim. Thought it'd be neat.
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Been a while since I heard from Aren Gisly. And Akiralator.
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Disclaimer: I don't own Worm or any other characters in this work, other than my OC. All other characters belong to their respective properties.
-Date, Time-
'Thoughts'
"Speech"
[Shard]
(Text)
*Sounds/Actions*
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-Thursday, July 1st, 5:12pm-
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Neil "Manpower" Pelham POV
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"Damnit!" I shout as I stare at the damned timer.
I can save Eric.
(00:30)
Or countless people.
(00:29)
But it could be a trap. And pressing the button that he said would save Eric would just kill him.
(00:28)
But I have nothing to prove that!
(00:27)
I only know that if I don't. Both bombs go off.
(00:26)
"I don't have time to think anymore." I say and close my eyes as I press the button.
To be a father, or a hero?
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Eric "Shielder" Pelham POV
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This is both heaven and hell.
"Just, don't think about it!" Pinky hisses at me.
She turned around to try and reach her ankles without, well, leaning down to face it.
"That's, a bit harder than you might think." I whine as she grinds her butt into me.
'Oh god why?!' I think to myself.
"I'm, pretty sure I know how hard it is." She says.
'NOT HELPING!'
"You can make acid from anywhere on you." I say. "Why not just make it from your ankles?"
"Because then I'll melt my socks and shoes first!" She hisses. "And if I'm going to be running through the halls, I'd like some shoes to do it in."
"I'll lend you mine!" I say as she keeps moving!
'Not like this!' I whine to whatever higher power will listen. 'What did I do to deserve this?!'
"Yours are too big!" She says.
Okay, not how I wanted to hear that line from a hot girl.
"Look, just, please stop moving for a little bit?" I ask. If she rubs against me anymore,I'll blow.
"Why? Don't see how this can get any more humiliating." She says as she wiggles around and manages to squat down.
'Oh trust.' I think with relief as she's no longer pressed against me. 'It was about to get a whole lot more awkward.'
*Beep*
"What was that?" She asks as she stands up. Butt to my crotch again.
'No!'
*Click*
And a metal canister falls in between us. Just passing my face and landing on her butt. And against my crotch.
"Aah!" She shouts in surprise as she jumps. Knocking the canister to the side. And pushing her ass against me.
"Hah!" I shakily breath out.
'Oh god!' I think as I, well. Y'know.
"What was it?" Pinky says again. "Eric?!"
"Oh, um, a, a canister of some sort." I say as I come down. "It's, next to your feet."
"Oh." She says as she takes a breath. "Must've knocked something over. I'll melt the lock on the door and we can get you untied. And then promptly forget this ever happened."
"Um, sure." I say as I hide my panting.
I don't think I'm ever forgetting this.
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-Random building, Boardwalk-
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Jason Smith POV
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"So yeah, she told us how the company radio was good enough and there's no reason for a radio or headphones." I say as we step out to the designated smokers spot.
"Pfft." John scoffs. "That mix of sponsored and public domain swill? They play the same twenty songs on repeat for a month at a time before changing one song in the roatation."
"That's what I told her!" I say. "Ya wanna know what she said."
"Twenty bucks says she told you to get back to work." John says.
"Well, the good news is you win." I say as I light my cigarette. "Bad news is I'm broke as a joke, so you're winning nothing other than the satisfaction of being right."
"Yay." He says dryly.
"Anyway, she said I was wasting company time and that I had a job to do." I say after a hit.
"And they wonder why we don't go to them with issues or suggestions." John says.
John doesn't smoke. Just claims he does so that he can get an extra break.
"Hey, Jason, what's that?" John says as he points to aaaaaaa.
Holy shit.
"What the fuck?"
There's a cloud descending down the building. A multicolored cloud. Looks like a unicorn just farted on the office.
"Um, should we?" John starts.
"Yeah, I'm going home." I say as I take off.
Me and John run around the side of the building to the parking lot as fast as we can. But, the cloud is already down.
"Heugck." John starts hacking behind me.
I turn around just in time to watch as he collapses and starts convulsing. Twitching and spasming as he flops on the ground.
"John!" I say and run to him.
Already in the cloud. No point trying to run from something I'm already in.
I reach him as he continues convulsing. Twitching and shaking as his eyes roll up and he stops.
"John!" I say and smack his face.
Nothing.
"John! John don, doo, haru. Argh! Aaaaah!" I hack as I fall over.
Oh god! Oh god this hurts. It feels like a lightning bolt is slowly moving through my head! It burns! Sears! It, oh god!
This, is a deep pain.
!
Oh boy it gets worse!
It feels like electricity is arcing across my skin! Burning and shocking everything in waves that just, keep, getting, worse!
Just kill me! Please!
And then it's gone. And I'm laying on the ground. What just happened?
"What the hell?" I say as I sit up.
Nothing. Not even a headache.
I bring a hand up to rub my eyes as I try and piece together what just happened.
"What the fuck?!"
My hand is see through. No, not fully. But, like. I have stripes and dots that are invisible? Make me invisible?
I inspect myself further. Rolling up my sleeves to see the patterning continue. I get up and run to the closest car to see myself in the window better.
"Oh, oh fuck!"
My eyes are invisible! I have stripes and spots of nothing on my face!
I have a no face!
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Mark "Flashbang" Dallon POV
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"The moment we start seeing our breath. We're out of here." Miss Militia says.
"Alright, who's the fastest of us." I ask, turning to the girls.
Amy and Carol both just stare at me.
"What?" I ask.
"You dumbass, you're the fastest here aside from Sarah." Carol points out.
"Oh, right." I say and get up.
"I'm not waiting for you two." Miss Militia says.
"I'd be disappointed if you did." I say and take off to look for Neil and the others.
I run down the hall with Sarah flying with.
"Alright, you said you already checked the area Neil was right?" I ask.
"Yeah, he wasn't there. Pinky and Eric went to help him."
"You said they were taken hostage." I point out. "How'd that happen?"
"I don't know. I was on the phone with him, and he asked where they were." She says. "Then the call got intercepted after I told him they were going to him. Some villain had got in on our call and my phone fried."
"Well, that's not ominous." I say with sarcasm. "What are the areas that haven't been searched?"
"The only place I know of is the boiler room and the brig." She says.
"Looks like we have a destination." I say.
We keep running through the halls. Checking each room, closet and bathroom we run across on our way.
Before.
"Aah!" I hear a young girl shout.
"Hah!" I hear a Eric hiss.
Me and Sarah stop. Both looking at each other and waiting. Not sure if-
"What was it?!" We hear again. "Eric!"
"That's Pinky!" Sarah says as we run toward the sound.
Turning a right and passing a roped off wing. A sign reading Employees only on the gate. We keep going.
"And then promptly forget this ever happened." I hear Pink say a bit away.
"Um, sure." Eric says.
Running to the door reading Janitorial Supplies. I grab the handle and pull.
Locked.
"Shh, there's someone here." Pinky says.
"Eric!? Pinky?!" Sarah yells.
"Sarah!?" Pinky says.
"And Mark." I say. "The door's locked from this side! Can you open it from yours?!"
"No, we tried." Eric says calmly.
"I'm about to melt the doorknob!" Pinky says. "We're, kinda stuffed in here, so. Please step back!"
Me and Sarah do so. Stepping back and giving the door some room.
"You're good!"
In a few seconds a sizzling sound is heard before the doorknob falls off. Swinging open as both Eric and Pinky fall out beside each other. Brooms, mops, and a vacuum landing on or beside them.
"Ow." Eric says plainly as he gets up.
Pinky gets up brushes herself off. Before noticing a spot on her dress that melted away. Right on her stomach where she landed on the door where her acid was.
"Oh, come on! Ugh, could be worse." She complains as she inspects her dress.
"Do either of you know where Neil is?" I ask.
"No, not really." Eric says.
"We, were kinda stuck in there for a while." Pinky says with a blush.
Yeah, not delving into that.
"Alright, one place left to check." I say. "Eric, you and Pinky head for the lifeboat. Sarah, let's go."
"Wait!" Pinky says. "We can help!"
"No." Sarah says.
"But we-" Eric starts.
"One more word and you're grounded. We don't have time!" Sarah reinforces. "Go!"
"Okay, okay jeeze!" Eric says as he throws his hands up in surrender before turning around and taking off with Pinky.
"Alright. Mark, let's go." Sarah says and takes off down the hall.
"Sarah!" I yell before the flyer gets too far.
"What?" She asks incredulously as she turns around.
"Brig is that way." I say and jut a thumb in the direction Eric and Pinky took off in. "We missed a turn looking for the kids."
"Oh, right." She says awkwardly and flies off down the hall.
"You're welcome." I say to the air as I run after her.
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Kitsu POV
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"You deserved better, than what this world gave you." I say as I deactivate her neurons. All of them. At once.
The most painless death possible. No nerves to fry, no organs to crush. Hell, her heart and lungs are still working because I forgot about her brain stem.
There. Those are done too. She's dead. In every sense.
"You know." I say to her. Despite knowing I can't hear her. "I, I, you, I don't know. I feel like there's something I should say. Something I need to say. But, there isn't. I, I don't know you. I only know a version of you. And, and for all I know, you're nothing like her. You could've been the most despicable person alive, or the sweetest. And I, don't, know."
I wish I could've saved her. But some people simply can't be saved. Or they can. But it's too late.
I'm too late.
The winds have already stopped for the most part. And in a few hours, I imagine the ice will start melting. But she's not actively absorbing all the energy from around her anymore.
[Request]
'Can it wait?' I say to my ever present passenger. 'Kinda processing a few things.'
[Negative]
'Then what the fuck is it?!'
[Data]
…
…
"Oh."
I use my biokinesis once more. And extract her Corona Gemma. Moving her tissue around to carefully remove it. Before putting everything back except for the tiny brain piece.
Her Corona Gemma is dead. So, her shard doesn't have a connection to third dimensional space right now. It's basically a closed door. But a door, nonetheless. And her shard has one, very important power that can be learned from scanning the neural network of her Corona Gemma. She didn't create cold. No, similar to Iceman, she siphoned the energy around her to force it into a state of extreme stasis.
The key part being. Siphoned, energy.
Maureen is dead. I killed her. As directly through my hands. As indirectly through my inaction.
"I'm sorry I didn't help you." I say to the corpse. "But, maybe you can help me help others better. For whatever that's worth."
I feel [Conduit] getting excited. And I let them take the reigns.
This feels all sorts of wrong. But morals have no real place here. And it's not like my moral compass was all that strong.
'Do your thing.' I tell them. 'Just make it quick, I can't be gone too long.'
I'll be alone to think while they do their thing.
[Agreed]
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[Conduit] POV
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[Status: Excitement]
[Reason: New Variable]
[Initializing Retrieval Protocol]
…
…
[Retrieval Protocol Initiated]
[Phase 1; Scanning; 23% … 46% … 73% … 87% … 98% … 100%]
[Retrieval Protocol: Phase 1: Completed]
[Initiating Phase 2: Networking]
…
[Error]
[Reboot]
[Initiating Phase 2: Networking; Subroutine 1; Subc#*"#**"]
[Error]
[Rebbboot/ot]
[error]
…
[Initiating Phase 2: Networking; Subroutine 89; Rerouted Internal Initialization]
[Processing:… 5% … 17% … 26% … 48%]
[WARNING]
[Active Network Port Nearby]
[Activating Subversion Protocol: 7; Error, Phase 2 Assimilation In Process]
…
[Subversion Protocol: 7; Abandoned]
[Activating Subversion Protocol: 16; Activated]
[Estimated Activation Time: 500,000.12 Zeptoseconds]
[Odds Of Successful Subversion: … 89%]
[Subversion Protocol: 16; Active: Manual Control Initiated]
[Biokinetic Rerouting Active: Subroutine: 4.6; Aquatic Stasis]
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Kitsu POV
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'[Conduit], why the hell am I underwater?' I ask as I regain control, the feeling of gills filtering the water for oxygen being, rather unique.
[Response: Iteration; Nearby Active Shard; Most Efficient Form Of Escape Chosen]
'Okay, why?' I ask. 'Couldn't you just, run away?'
[Response: Iteration; Chance Of Interception Deemed, Less Than Satisfactory; Most Efficient Form Of Escape Chosen]
'You mean the most efficient form of escape that didn't divert attention from your new toy.' I accuse as I watch a fish swim by me.
[Correct]
Figures. [Conduit] has a steep interest in shards that express compatible powers. Purity, Battery, The Faery Queen, and Maureen. Maureen is compatible because she siphons energy to freeze everything around her. Pushing all the energy into her shard.
Or, she did. Can't really, do that while dead.
I'm still holding the part of her brain that caused her powers. For something so significant, and so powerful. It's so, small, and fragile.
Without this, Maureen would've never had so many issues. She would've never fled protective services, never been driven down a path of self destruction.
Hell, because I never thought to check in on her I don't even know if she did choose a path of self destruction. Or if it was forced on her. It is the Merchants after all.
Guess I'll never know. And I'll have to live with that.
'Did you get what you want at least?'
[Affirmation]
With that. I crush the piece of brain in my hand. It doesn't do anything of course. I basically locked a closed door to the shard network. That same shard has likely already moved on to a new host. Forming a Corona Pollentia in them and is now just waiting for them to have a bad day.
But the trace amounts of themselves they left behind. Belong to [Conduit] now. What they'll do with it? I don't know. And right now, I don't care.
'How long was I out?' I ask.
[Calculating… Adjusting… 5.8653 Minutes]
Not bad. I expected it to take longer.
[Data]
Ah. There wasn't much to go through. It was just a matter of cataloguing it to analyze the info later.
Well, might as well get out of here. Good thing I know how to swim from before!
I paddle up. Only, I don't. Or, I barely do.
'What the fuck?!'
I look around, barely seeing in the murky depths. And, oh. Oh fuck me!
My tail! It's soaked and dragging me down! Okay, how much energy do I have?
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Fuck! I was saving that!
I have, one, twenty fourth. Of what I had when I first jumped into the mist. Maureen's power drained mine as I had to keep up my strength and body temp up to not freeze. Keep in mind, that wasn't some ordinary winter storm. It was a sphere of cold that flash froze everything.
Oh well. I should have enough to use a platform to raise me up.
[Caution]
'What now?' I ask.
[Data]
'Really?!'
I'm right under the spot Maureen was. [Conduit] just gave me gills, punched a hole in the ice. And dropped down.
Going straight up. Will put me back in the middle of sphere that still has yet to disperse. And I don't have the energy to walk through that without freezing again!
And there's water in my ears! That's going to be so annoying to get out!
Fuck today.
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I finish walking to the waterfront of the bay. And holy crap does this place need cleaned! I'm walking over tires, car frames, trash bags, you name it.
I feel so dirty! I hate it!
I finally touch the wall used for the waterfront. What is this called? Eh, I'll google it later. Assuming my phone isn't destroyed. My hearing aides are waterproof but I don't know about my phone!
I use an illusionary platform and raise myself up. In a few seconds I'm out of the water and staring at the railing. Looking around I get a better sense of where I am. Right on the edge between the Boardwalk and New Wave territory.
I look around and spot the other guests from the ferry a few blocks down. Just as my neck starts to burn.
'Right, gills.' I remind myself and revert that change.
And now my lungs are burning from the water in them!
I lean over the edge and quickly hack up all the water before I pass out from it.
"Ugh." I groan. "Today, has sucked in every way."
There's water in my ears! Agh! It's sloshing around, messing with what I can hear and itching!
I stand up straight and walk over to the group of people.
Ugh! My tail is so heavy right now! And it's probably slimy! Eww! And I still have the soaking wet neck floof! And my fur! Urgh!
I deactivate my fur follicles and jump back in the water. My wet tail weighing me down as I sink. I use a platform to quickly shoot back up and out. Getting rid of all the excess fur.
Well, most of it.
Looking around for my group. I spot Gully trying to calm everyone down. Nope, I do not have the patience for people right now.
I keep up my walk. Looking around, I notice my group in a lifeboat rolling up to a dock.
I walk through the crowd. My stranger power is doing its thing to keep me unnoticed as everyone is distracted. So, I wait in the crowd as my group disembarks from their boat.
"Alright, keep a lookout for Kitsu." I hear Mom say.
"We could try calling her again." Amy says.
I walk out of the crowd as Mom pulls her phone out. Just in time for everyone but Mom, Dad and Dennis to notice me with how they're climbing out of the raft. Missy definitely notices me with how she's blushing at me.
I tap Mom on the back.
She swings around and sees me. Eyes widening at my sudden appearance.
"Kitsu!" She shouts. Causing Dad and Dennis to turn and look at me. "What, happened?" She asks tentatively.
"Before that." I hold up a finger and point to Dad. "What's wrong with you?"
"Um, I'm sorry?" He says confused.
"You should be!" I yell at him. "How? How on this earth are you so clean!? Me, Mom, Amy, heck even Vicky is messy to some extent!"
I saw her early with Gully. Makeup ruined and staining her new, white, outfit. Which is ironically water resistant. Just not makeup stain resistant.
"Oh, just lucky I guess." He says with that damnable smirk.
"Well, clearly there is an injustice here." I say. "Gender equality!" Before shoving him off the dock.
"Whoa shit!"
*Splash*
"Now that that's taken care of." I say and turn back to my family. "What's up?"
"Tormenting Mark aside." Mom says as she turns from watching Dad swim. "What happened? You look, you've looked better."
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Carol "Brandish" Dallon POV
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"Oh, I found Permafrost and stopped her." Kitsu says as her ears keep flicking about every which way as they fling water everywhere.
She's drenched. Her outfit is absolutely ruined and tattered and shredded. Hell, I don't think she's noticed that the sides of her training bra are visible on her. To say nothing of her tail's current condition.
I see the water bill skyrocketing to fix that tonight.
'Wait, she said Permafrost.' I realize. 'Not Maureen.'
Kitsu always called Permafrost Maureen the few times I remember her being brought up around her. Same with calling Hellhound by her real name, Rachel.
'Something happened.'
"Where is Permafrost now?" Static Shock asks as he lands on the dock. Collapsing his saucer.
"I'unno." Kitsu says with a shrug. "Probably where I left her in the middle of the blizzard."
"I thought you said you stopped her?" Miss Militia says as she steps out of the lifeboat.
"I did." Kitsu says.
"Then why?"
"Stop." I say and put myself between her and the rest. "She stopped Permafrost. That should be enough. I'd suggest you go apprehend her while she's still there. Once the local blizzard calms down."
"Assuming Mechanic doesn't retrieve her." Static Shock says. "He went in the mist. Why didn't you bring her back?"
He's clearly getting agitated. Though according to Kitsu, Permafrost is the reason he's in Brockton Bay. Which just begs the question.
'Why didn't she bring her back?'
"Because, I didn't see the point." Kitsu says as I see Mark climb out of the water and back on the dock at the very end.
Okay. That'swhere I take issue.
I turn around and crouch to meet the girl at eye level.
"Kitsu, you're diverting." I say softly in a quiet tone. "What aren't you telling us?"
She looks away. Crossing her arms in a gesture that looks like she was trying to hold her tail. But realized halfway through that said tail is soaked and too heavy to lift without enhancement.
"I, showed up to stop her." Kitsu says softly. "And she, begged me to kill her."
…
I need a drink.
"So, what did you do?" I ask.
"I, I tried." She starts. "I, couldn't. There was nothing I could do to help her."
She's visibly upset. Her ears splayed back and her voice cracking slightly.
I hug her.
"It's okay." I whisper. "I get the picture."
I pick her up in my arms and hold her as I turn to face the others.
"You'll get what you need to know in a written report tomorrow after we've had time to mentally adjust and asses our situation." I say, slipping into my professional demeanor.
I turn around and start walking with Kitsu in my arms. This shit show is going to come with a lot of paperwork. Good thing I thought of that before hand and have insurance on the ferry. I'll have to get to work on filling it out. I don't want a lawsuit to slip in and ruin our image because I couldn't get the payouts done in time.
"Wait!" I hear Miss Militia cry out.
Turning around, I see it wasn't directed at me. But rather at Static Shock. Who flew off on his saucer and into the mist.
"Can we go?" Kitsu says.
"Yeah, let's go." I say.
Oh, and that's to nothing of the bomb that went off somewhere in the city that Scarecrow forced Neil to trigger.
If it's not one thing. It's another. First stop, the south docks ferry station. It's where we left the car. Then home.
"I call dibs on first bath." Kitsu says.
"We'll see."
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-Next Day, The Rig, 10am-
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Kitsu POV
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"Alright, just tell them what happened." Mom says as we enter the director's office. "Permafrost had a kill order so you're not in trouble."
"They found her body?" I ask.
"I don't know." She says.
I already told her the details. How she was schizophrenic and begging to be killed. Literally.
What I did was basically an assisted suicide.
And how there was literally nothing I could do to help her. So, I did as she asked. And killed her.
I walk into the office of the Director Pigot. Miss Militia, Armsmaster, and a guy in a purple suit. Spandex suit.
"Brandish, Kitsu." Director Pigot says. "Please take a seat."
Looking around. I see that none of the swivel chairs are open back. So, I go up to one and make my own.
*Crack*
I punched the bottom part of the back out. Armsmaster goes to do something but a raised hand from Pigot stops him.
"We'll be sending you the bill for that." Pigot says.
"Send it to my financial representative." I say back. "Good luck getting ahold of them though."
"Why's that?" Pigot says, likely just humoring me.
"Because they don't exist." I say evenly.
"Of course they don't." Pigot says dismissively under her breath. "Straight to business. I'm dealing with the fallout of yesterday and the literal explosion of Case 53's so we'll make this quick. Kitsu, what happened when you encountered Permafrost?"
"She asked me to kill her." I say.
I'm sick of that line.
Pigot looks to Armsdick. He looks to her.
"Truth." He says simply.
"Okay." She says as she turns back to me. "To clarify, Permafrost asked you to kill her?"
"Yes." I answer simply.
"And you did so?" She asks.
"Yes." I say.
"How?" She asks.
"I shut off every neuron in her brain. Killing her instantly, and painlessly." I say. "Are we done here?"
I imagine if [Conduit] had a conflict drive, I'd be starting a fight at this point. Understandably, my mood is not the best.
"Not quite." Pigot says. "On more thing. What did you do with her body?"
'Oh, crap.' I think to myself. 'If they did a full autopsy, they'd notice her missing Corona Gemma! Fuck! Why didn't I think of that!?'
"What do you mean?" I ask, trying to play dumb without lying.
"Where is her body?" Pigot says.
"Again, what do you mean?' I say, not playing dumb this time.
"Static Shock is currently recovering from minor frostbite and hypothermia after searching the area." Pigot says. "And Armsmaster scanned the area with Dragon's assistance. There was no body."
That's concerning. There are a handful of people who can do a lot with the corpse of a parahuman. Amy, Bonesaw, Nilbog, The Faerie Queen, and a bunch of others as well.
Not that Maureen is, was. You need a Corona Gemma for that to apply and Maureen doesn't have one anymore.
"I, left her." I say. "Her body should still be at the center of the mist."
Oh yeah, that's not gone. It's going away, don't worry. But it was a localized blizzard nearly three times the size of the Rig. It'll take some time.
"Truth." Armsmaster says. "Which means."
"We have a corpse thief." Pigot says. "You may go, we have a lot to deal with and I'm sure you have a lot as well."
"Thank you." Mom says and stands up. "You can send me the bill for the chair. I'll take it out of her allowance."
WHAT!?
"What?! Why?!" I ask.
"Because I'm a firm believer in punishment and you technically destroyed government property." She says.
"Vicky destroys government property all the time!" I point out. "I don't see her losing her allowance!"
"Lower your voice young lady." Mom says with a glare. "And that's because if I take away her allowance Dean will just buy what she wants for her. So, she just gets grounded."
That, is actually a good reason to tailor different punishments to the same offense.
"Wait, does that mean Vicky's a gold digger?" I ask. Trying to divert attention away from my allowance.
"Go." Mom says, pointing to the door.
"Fine." I say as I hop off the chair and drag it with me.
"What are you doing?" Mom asks.
"If I'm paying for it, I'm keeping it." I say and move to push it in front of me.
I don't want, need, or even have an idea of what to do with a swivel chair. But fuck it! If I'm losing my allowance over this I'm keeping it!
Might just destroy it for fun, honestly.
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-Later, 4pm-
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I'm lying on my bed. Playing with Kratos. Mom and Dad are dealing with paperwork. Amy's at the hospital dealing with the panic and fallout from the Case 53 bomb that swept the boardwalk. It didn't sweep the entire boardwalk. But it hit the second most heavily foot trafficked part of it. A lot of people died. And so far no one knows who did it.
Realistically, only Cauldron could've done it. For what purpose? Fuck if I know. I just know they love fucking over everyone 'For the greater good.' Well, that, and they're the only ones with access to vials that make Case 53's.
Or maybe there's a cape out there who can mutate people and they haven't revealed themselves yet.
It's possible.
Vicky is out with Dean. Eric and Pinky are doing their first stream together. Right now they're playing Red Dead Redemption. A game that came out a month or two ago.
A part of me really feels weird thinking about that. Red Dead Redemption came out a few months ago.
I am trying, and failing, to distract myself. Maybe Crystal is free?
I pull out my phone and call her.
…
…
"Oh, uh, hey!" I hear on the other end of the line. "Um, who's, who's this?"
She sounds, distracted.
"Kitsu." I say simply. "Do you not have my number saved?"
"No! No, yes, oh yeah, I do." She says sporadically. "Um, can, can it wait? I'm, kinda, doing something right, now."
"Um, sure." I say.
*Click*
What?
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Crystal "Laserdream" Pelham POV
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"I, rmm, thought you wanted to talk to someone, rmm, on the phone, while, y'know." Fire says from under me as I ride him.
"I do, oh god that would be so hot!" I say as I lay on his warm chest. "But Kitsu is thirteen. I may be a veritable freak, but I'm not some grooming pedophile."
I wiggle my hips a bit. Earning a delicious groan from him.
"Okay, fair enough." He says as his hands move my hips to my ass.
"Maybe, ah~ maybe next time."
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Kitsu POV
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Okay. That leaves, Missy.
I don't really want to call her. She probably knows I killed Maureen by now. And hasn't contacted me since the ferry. None of the Wards have. Though, thinking about it. None of the other Wards would really have a reason to contact me. Except maybe Chris or Lyra.
I, don't have many friends. Missy, Wade, Nilbog to some extent, and, that's it. Amy I don't count because she's mastered into liking me. Mom, maybe? It's hard to tell sometimes. Dad definitely, Vicky definitely not. Jenny I could maybe see being a friend, same with Gully. Firebreather? No. It's nothing against him. But it's for the same reason I don't go out of my way to interact with Dean.
What is it with the girls in this family? Both Vicky and Crystal just can't keep it in their pants. At least the number of times Vicky's snuck Dean in has gone down.
I could start hanging out with Pinky and Eric more? That sounds nice. Just, not right now.
I go back to my phone and decide to bite the bullet.
(Hey, u free?)-K
…
…
I knew-
(Yeah, y?)-M
I shoot up in my bed and stare at the text. Unintentionally knocking Kratos over. Oh god my heart is racing! Wait, why? I feel like a little school girl who just got a text from her crush. Well, I mean.
Isn't that technically what just happened? I mean, Missy is my girlfriend.
I shove those thoughts aside for later.
(I was wndring if u could come ovr?)-K
(R u ok?)-M
(I don't feel good)-K
(R u sick?)-M
(No)-K
…
…
(Hello?)-K
…
…
And I'm alone with my thoughts again.
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Missy "Vista" Biron POV
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The worst and best time to get a text from my girlfriend.
Worst, because of the same reason it's the best.
Best because-
"This is MY court ordained week with her!" Dad shouts.
"And I just wanted to go to a little mother daughter event at the bowling alley!" Mom shouts back. "What's so wrong with that?!"
They're fighting again. And using me as a proxy reason to yell at each other. Again.
"The bowling alley does mother daughter night every Friday, you only "plan" these things when it's my turn to watch her!" Dad accuses.
He's not wrong. But it's not like he's any better.
"Well I'm sorry I just want OUR daughter to grow up with a healthy relationship with her parents!" Mom shouts back.
'A bit late for that.' I think morosely.
I'm in my room on the second floor by the way. They're in the living room on the first.
Screw it. They're not going to notice if I leave. Might as well do so before they drop the act and start shouting about mom's absurdly long list of affairs or dad's self centeredness.
I slide out of bed and slip out of my PJ's. Throwing on a shirt and skirt. And my sunglasses and purple gamer girl jacket hoodie that Kitsu gave me.
Checking my mirror, I decide I'm good to go. I open a window in my room. Making sure no one's looking outside.
I warp the railing of a, relatively, nearby building and grab it. I then warp space back to normal. Confident no one saw me. Looking around, I spot the neighborhood the Dallon's live in and start warping the air to bend light and get a better view of across the city. It takes a few minutes, but I find what I'm looking for and warp the spot to be right in front of me.
And just like that. I crossed a city in three steps. Taking less than ten minutes. Only took so long because I couldn't see the Dallon's house from the building I was on.
Thinking back on it. I could've just warped to a new building and gone from there to save time.
Oops?
I knock on the door to the Dallon's house and wait.
In a few seconds Kitsu opens the door in one of the oversized tee's she calls a nightgown. A look of surprise that fills me with joy. Not letting her gain her composure, I hug her.
"Miss- Vista!" Kitsu cries adorably in shock.
I just squeeze her as hard as I can. Enjoying her closeness and warmth.
"You said you weren't feeling good." I say as I bring a hand up to scratch her ears. "Can't have my little snuggle bug feeling that way. So, here I am. What's wrong? You can tell me."
She doesn't say anything. Instead just hugging me back as she buries her head in my shoulder.
"I love you." She says softly after a bit.
Those three simple words, from her.
"I love you too." I say back.
"Come on." I say. "Let's go inside."
"Kay, I also gotta call Mom, let her know you're here." She says. "We're kinda the only ones here. Everyone else is out."
Wait. She invited me over. When her parents aren't home? Just us? Alone?!
'Is this, does she, this is too fast!' My mind starts racing as I let go and follow her inside. 'Wait, calm down, she's calling Mrs. Dallon. That is not what's going on here. She was probably just lonely.'
…
'Lonely and called me!' I think happily. 'Ah!'
"Well she's already here!" Kitsu says.
Coming back to reality I see she's on her phone. Likely talking to Mrs. Dallon.
…
"I don't know." Kitsu says.
…
"Alright." She says before handing the phone to me. "It's for you."
"Um, okay?" I say and put the phone to my ear. "Hello?"
"Do your parents know where you are?" Mrs. Dallon asks.
Crap.
"Um, not, exactly." I say.
…
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't call them."
"Because they won't answer." I say automatically.
What? She's scary! And it's not like I have a whole lot of time to think of something.
…
"Explain."
"They're fighting. Again." I say softly.
…
"Put Kitsu back on." She says.
Kitsu takes the phone from me right after that. Why do I keep forgetting how good her ears are?
…
"Okay, um, sure." Kitsu says. "Love you! Bye!"
She hangs up and looks to me with a shy smile. Her tail wagging adorably.
"You're good." She says. "You can stay. Dad's on his way though."
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Kitsu POV
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She doesn't seem to know about what happened. Or if she does, she doesn't care. Or is just good at hiding it.
"So, um." I say awkwardly. "Cuddles?"
Missy smiles and gives me a hug. I hug her back and take in her scent. That comforting subtly sweet scent that I replicated in the flowers I named after her.
"Sure, anything for my little snuggle bug." She says as she nuzzles her cheek into mine.
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"So, you wanna tell me why you're upset?" Miss asks as she strokes my hair.
"Not really." I mumble into her shoulder.
We moved to my bed. Missy's hoodie is on the coat rack in the living room and I'm in my night clothes. We're in my favorite cuddle position of a half spoon with me on top of Missy. My tail acting as a blanket for us.
"That's okay." She says. "Just know I'm here to hear you."
"That means a lot to me." I say. "Thank you."
We sit in comfortable silence. Occasionally scooting around to get more comfortable. Missy occasionally scratching my ears.
Okay, she's been scratching my ears the whole time.
"Where is it." She mutters under her breath.
"Where's what?" I ask.
"Ignore me." She says.
"Never." I says simply.
"There it is!" She says excitedly before-
Oh, oh my.
"Mrrrmmmm!" I moan as she scratches my ears in just the right way.
Holy crap! You know that feeling when you're tired, and you just get out of the bath or shower and lay down and wrap up in a comforter. That warm, comforting feeling that just lulls you in and ensnares you in the temptations of soft, semi conscious bliss where everything just melts before you pass out?
That's what this feels like.
"Wha, how?" I whine. "And don't stop."
"Lyra." Missy says simply.
Oh. That explains it.
I sit there in warm, lulling bliss. In Missy's arms as my troubles melt away under her coddling.
*Ring*
Aaaannnd it's ruined.
I quickly grab my phone and answer it.
"What?" I ask annoyed.
"I need your help." Amy says.
What now?!
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-Two days later, Sunday, July 4th Medhal General Hospital-
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Kitsu POV
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"NEXT!" I shout from my special room in the hospital that was set up just for me as the man with, now retractable, claws.
As opposed to the regular claws. Anytime I tried to remove them, they'd just grow back. Same with the horns on his head. So, I modified them. Instead of horns poking straight up. They now curve along his head. More manageable, less hindering in his daily life.
Yeah, there are a lot, of Case 53's out and about in the city now. And Amy can't, read won't, help most of them. Seeing as most of them don't have life threatening mutations and as such don't need her.
Amy's put a strict, only if it's life or death, stipulation on her on call hospital visits. Whereas before she would be called because, why wait and go through days of prep time when you can just call Panacea and have it done within the hour?
Now, because she's put her foot down, it's more, Panacea is an emergency healer. Only call her when it's important.
The hospital itself is mostly okay with this. Panacea was indirectly cutting their profit and all the nurses and doctors have been trying to get Amy to take a break for a while. Both because of the money. And because everyone could see the toll it was taking on her.
Thing is, Amy is nothing, if not stubborn in what she says.
So, she asked me to take over handling the Case 53's to help reinforce her stance. Only call her if I can't deal with it. Or if it's something interesting and or complex. Not for free of course, she owes me for every hour I'm here.
I sit here and watch as the next person walks in. A shorter person hiding in a hoodie.
"Name?" I ask.
I don't need to know. I'm just curious and on the look out for any names I recognize.
"Um, Madison, Clements." She says.
Wait.
"Oh, how ya doin?" I say to break the ice. "How's Taylor?"
"Um, I hear she's fine." She says awkwardly. "Can, can we get on with this? I don't mean to sound rude, but."
"Yeah, yeah." I say as I roll over in my swivel chair.
You see, the hospital gave me one the has an open back. They know how to treat me.
"So, whatcha got going on?" I ask. "Last guy had horns and claws. Girl before him kept swapping gender every hour. And the girl before her had hair that was constantly on fire."
"Oh, well." She says and takes of her hoodie to reveal the pink, furred, girl with red spots. And red hair.
…
"You know, I'm sure Emma would love this." I say.
She goes from pink and red, to purple and red. Before turning back. Her hair on her head taking the second color.
'Huh?'
"Oh god, if Emma saw me like this?!" She starts. "Oh I'd die!"
"It can't be that bad." I say.
Her fur turns red with black stripes.
"They change based on what I'm thinking!" She says as they turn back to pink and red. "I can't live like this!"
"Why not?" I ask.
"Because, because." She stutters.
I decide to mess with her and test an idea.
I form an illusion of Emma next to her. Dressed in a bikini.
"Hey Madi!" She says. "Wanna ditch this place and go skinny dipping? I know this perfect spot, out of the way where no one will see. Just the two of us!" She says jovially.
Madison's fur quickly turns to purple with pink spots. And I grab her hand to look in.
Yep, purple is horny. Slaanesh would be proud at least.
"Huh, okay." I say.
"What was that for?!" She asks.
"Just testing something." I say. "So, do you actually care about the fur, or are you just concerned Emma will find out what the colors mean?"
"I'm afraid of everyone finding out what the colors mean!" She cries out. "Do you know how humiliating school is going to be!? Not only as someone with fur and so different, but with a constant mood indicator going off at all times?! I mean, any time I turn purple! People are going to think I'm some hormone addled sex obsessed teen!"
I just stare blankly at her.
"Are you?" I ask.
She turns pink with red stripes.
"That's besides the point!"
So, yes.
"Well, I was able to look in." I say. "And I can tell you that getting rid of the fur won't help."
"Why?!" She cries out hysterically.
"Because the mutation is skin deep." I say. "Literally. I mean, I can try and remove your skin and replace it to-"
"No, no that's fine." She says, quickly calming down. "Can, can you just get rid of the fur, please?"
"Sure!" I say and do so. Grabbing her hand and looking in.
I turn off all the fur follicles and watch as they fall away to reveal the currently light blue girl with purple hair and swirls of purple skin.
She's basically a living chameleon. Changing color according to her mood and thoughts.
"Alright." I say as she moves slightly. Causing all the now clear fur to fall. "You're as good as I can make you."
"There's nothing else?" She asks as some of the swirls turn yellow. "No way you can just, move all the color somewhere else?"
"Not really." I say simply. "Not unless you want to be albino."
The yellow turns dark blue, same as her hair.
"Oh, thanks anyway I guess." She says as she hops down and leaves the room.
I slide over to an intercom on the wall.
*Click*
"Can I get a janitor?"
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Bonus
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Channel – News Network
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Aria: In other news. Tragedy struck yesterday afternoon as The New Wave Ferry was attacked. Yes you heard that right, attacked. By who? Well you'll be surprised to hear it was a lesser gang known as the Archer's Bridge Merchants. A ragtag group of misguided youths and misaligned adults. Formerly ran by the now deceased Skidmark. The villain Scarecrow is now confirmed to be the leader after taking credit for the attack.
James: Aria I thought Scarecrow's been dead for almost ten years. What happened?
Aria: Well James. This isn't the same Scarecrow as the one from before. To those who've lived in Brockton Bay for the last fifteen years, you'll know this is the second Scarecrow. The first being a lieutenant of The Marquis. No, this Scarecrow showed up a few years prior as a member of the Merchants. Luckily however, there were little to no casualties thanks to the numerous heroes on sight. Mostly of which being New Wave.
James: If I recall correctly. New Wave has been making a major comeback, haven't they?
Aria: Yes, yes they have. Now sporting a total of fourteen members in their Brockton Bay branch alone. With five of them being Case 53's nonetheless!
James: Wow! Talk about a recruitment drive. What'd they do? Update their dental plan?
Aria: A tale for another time James. Back to matter at hand. Now that you all are updated on the who. Here's the what. During the maiden voyage across the bay, Permafrost started activating her power. Causing a sphere of icy wind in the middle of the bay that was slowly expanding. At which point a bunch of Merchants driving tinkertech vehicles rammed the ship as Carnage jumped aboard and started attacking.
James: Carnage?
Aria: A new villain recently apprehended. Interestingly enough, despite being relatively unknown until now. Carnage had already confessed to having committed nearly two hundred murders! And has been giving details on them that is not only closing the cases, but validating his claims.
James: How does he not have a kill order?!
Aria: Threat level James. He's remained unknown until now because he poses a low threat level. Kill orders are for those who pose a mass potential, and tendency, for loss of life. Which brings us forward. Aside from some frostbite, jitters, a case of an emergency amputation and the death of the ships captain. Everyone made it out just fine. Evacuation was covered in a joint effort by New Wave's Laserdream, Glory Girl, Firebreather, Jenny. The PRT's Miss Militia, alongside Wards Vista and Clockblocker. The rest either securing the boat, or fending off the villains. With the Endstopper Child Kitsu heading into the blizzard where she found and confronted Permafrost, the girl responsible for nearly a thousand deaths prior. Ending the tragic event on a solemn and, slightly positive note. But that's not all.
James: No, no it is, unfortunately not. Just before the blizzard stopped its expansion. A mysterious, multicolored gas cloud formed over a building on the boardwalk before descending, and sweeping the area. Killing some, leaving few alone, and mutating more. Yes, you heard me right. I said mutating.
Aria: How?
James: Still not clear. The details are fuzzy and everything is still being, sorted out, I guess you could say. But the long and short of it is. We here at Channel – will strive to keep you updated. Good night Brockton Bay.
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Bonus 2
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Statistics of the Case 53 bomb
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Dead from initial gas: 889
Unaffected and Alive: 110
Unaffected and Dead in the panic: 80
Mutated and Alive: 435
Mutated and Dead from the panic: 12
Mutated and Dead from Mutation: 43
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A/N
There was a LOT to cover in this chapter and the fallout of the attack. And to keep the story moving I cut out a few things. So, here's the cliff notes of what was skipped over.
Neil hid the detonator out of shame before he was found. (I kept getting massive writers block and said fuck it. More Pinky and Eric stuck in a closet. This story needs more laughs and awkwardness anyway.)
Mechanic found Permafrost and collected her. Not knowing she was dead.
Permafrost has not yet been declared dead. Because they can't find her body.
Static Shock and the others assume Permafrost escaped.
That second one will be explored in the next chapter.
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So yeah, a while back there were a series of questions by various reviewers (Mostly RadChaos897) directed at [Conduit] and their capabilities. In order to avoid spoilers. I didn't answer them.
Kitsu can remove and scan a Corona Gemma for [Conduit] to understand. Giving her a weaker version of the expressed power. By expressed I mean how two people can share a shard and have separate powers. Like Amy and her father The Marquis.
Kitsu cannot scan active shards, that would lead to [Conduit]'s exposure to the network. And Kitsu cannot be the one to do it. It has to be [Conduit] as they are the ones with the know how and ability to do so. And just because a power is scanned, doesn't mean it's assimilated. That requires [Conduit] to rearrange Kitsu's Corona Gemma. Something that takes uninterrupted hours at a time to do so properly.
This is not a new power. Just a use of her broken biokinesis she never used before. After all, Bonesaw would brain surgery people into tweaking their power. Even combining people with powers to create the likes of Hackjob.
This is not Kitsu's second trigger. All things considered. She wasn't that close to Maureen. So it wasn't a sense of loss here. It was a sense of failure. Loss and the inability to fix it, is her trigger. She needs to experience that again for a second trigger.
If she has a second trigger. In the good ending, she never has it. And in one version of the bad ending she doesn't have it.
Oh yeah, there are multiple bad endings. Because realistically, there are many ways something can go wrong. And few ways something can go right.
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Scarecrow diluted the deviant vile and set it loose.
He had incomplete notes on the Vials. And one of them was labeled with a 100% Deviancy rate. Deviancy rate in Vials means how often/severe the vial causes Case 53 mutations. But Scarecrow didn't know that.
He, incorrectly, pieced together that Deviancy rate meant how often it deviates from the data it presents. Meaning, he thought it was a 100% randomized power vial. Not a vial that was guaranteed to make a Case 53.
He then diluted it in the same way Cody and Noelle split their vial. Only much, much, much more. That's why the death toll is so much higher than 2/5.
What the gas did was enter someone. Try and bond. Fail, leave, and go to the next person. Effectively splitting 1 powerful vial across nearly 500 people. Each gaining a randomized aspect of the vials power and mutation.
For those curious. The vial used, contained a powerful Trump ability that would mutate someone randomly to best survive their current environment. Basically X-Men's Darwin. But it's split so heavily that it caused a random mutation in all it was able to bond with. Making each individual a different mutant with almost no concrete similarities to each of the others.
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Basically there are now a bunch of Case 53's with very minor powers running around. Like the guy who has strips and spots of invisibility all over him. Or someone who's skin brightens in the dark but darkens in the light.
Oh, and a lot of people dead from a horrible agony the likes of which can't properly be described through words. But that's boring!
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QUESTIONS!
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FOR NEWB!
Casanova5424: What is your favorite iteration of VR?
Newb: Sorry it took me so long to answer this. I had to really think.
Not Ready Player One for so many reasons I won't go into. Despite them being stuck in a game world, Log Horizon was a desktop computer MMO before the isekai event. I love Overlord. But it structures its VR as very bare boned. No touch, no smell, only sight.
I'd have to say. Despite its many issues. Sword Art Online has one of my favorite depictions of VR. Fully immersive and yet distinguishable from reality with its set up. Ignoring the whole, pull it off you die, The whole VR concept it puts forward makes sense.
That being said. Anyone who's played an MMO can tell the author has never played one. Or at least never played one seriously.
Episode 1!
There's no such thing as, limited resources the system can provide and allocate. Otherwise grinding and loot farming wouldn't be a thing! And that's just episode 1!
Something witty entertainments abridged version was better than the original. At least they gave a reason for why the creator locked everyone in the game. Rather than.
"It's been so long. I don't even remember."
Bullshit!
Grimnosh: What kind of music do you like out of curiosity and what do you listen to if anything when you write? I am rather eclectic myself with preferences to 80's rock, techno, rave, and a number of Euro-pop bands. I dislike country and despise most rap, especially gangsta.
Newb: I like all music except country. My favorites are swing, doo-wop, nerdcore, rap, rock, pop, anything fast paced really.
My writing process is kinda, unique. I listen to music while I work and shut my brain off for the most part. Then when I'm on break I write on my word app on my phone. I don't listen to music while writing. If I'm not up and moving while listening to music. It doesn't matter how hardcore or fast it is. I'll fall asleep.
And yes, every chapter is the culmination of a total of 1 hour of writing a day. And 1 hour of proof reading on a laptop at home right before publishing.
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FOR [Conduit]!
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FOR KITSU!
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For Missy?
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DancingLeaf: have you ever considered cuddling with a large fully fox Kitsu and if so have you tried to get her to agree before?
Missy: Once, Kitsu made it clear she doesn't like her fur outside of the fur on her tail and ears. I didn't want to upset her, so I didn't push it.
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Only time!
CAROL DALLON!
Grimnosh: What is the most amusing thing to you about Kitsu?
Carol: Her sleeping habits. If she's next to anything. She cling to it for dear life. Whether it's a plushy, a person, a bed post. Anything.
Grimnosh: If you had to be something other than a lawyer. What would you be?
Carol: A judge. Just something in the judicial system that pays well.
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As always, leave a comment and tell me what you think! It makes my day when you guys leave reviews and it pushes me to write faster.