A/N Happenings
Alt title: Vacuum sealed
.
.
Bradlysteak: just because Kitsu is attached and loves her family. Doesn't mean she's okay with losing all of her stuff.
RadChaos897: I got Writer's block on this, so it's not much slice of life. BUT THE NEXT ONE WILL BE! Promise!
I've been watching a lot of To Catch A Predator lately, and your comment just made me think of Chris Hansen walking in after Kitsu.
Nice Shrek reference.
The think with Neil is, he's facing charges of domestic terrorism. And the law only allows for duress to be used up to the loss of life.
Example
You rob a bank because you're being blackmailed. You have a case to not be liable for the crime.
You kill someone in order to keep a killer from killing your mother. Nope! Some died. You committed murder. At best it's second degree.
Coil got picked up by Cauldron. And then he bombed his base to hide the evidence.
And I'll have more slice of life once my seasonal affect disorder subsides.
GideonBlackthorn: their will be more in the future!
Grimnosh: Speaking as a former 13 year old. They are 100% old enough to do something. Hell, my older sister got caught doing stuff with her boyfriend when they were 11. But that's not the focus here.
Mark knew there wasn't enough time for them to do anything. And trusts Kitsu not to try anything now that he knows Missy is there, and she knows she's not supposed to have her over. He also knows that, while for him. He was doing dishes one moment, and woke up with a stomachache the next. For Kitsu, she was losing her mind trying to get him, Amy and Missy back.
Mark wouldn't suggest a vacation right now. Not with the Neil stuff going on.
.
.
-Date, Time-
'Thoughts'
"Speech"
(Text)
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
-Dallon House, Tuesday, October 5th, 7:30am-
.
.
Taylor Hebert POV
.
'Okay, think Taylor.' I tell myself as I look around the dark room I've been stuffed into. 'There's gotta be something!'
I'm knelt down on the hardwood floor. My hands cuffed behind my back while I try something, anything.
I can feel a small tether, like the tingly feeling you get when you touch one of those electro spheres. You know the tesla things that make your hair stand up? I feel a few of those coming from outside the room and below me.
"Hrm, rm!" I try and wiggle out of the cuffs they stuck on me. "Ugh! This looks so much easier in movies!"
It's around now that I notice the staticky feelings start moving. Or rather, moving closer to me. Rising up to my level and heading my way. And now I can hear the soft footsteps of someone approaching.
"Hey hey hey!" A preppy blonde in a skintight black suit leans over from behind the door and waves. "How's our favorite forcefully invited guest?"
I look to the left and right of myself. Not sure what I'm suppose to say here.
"Not sure what to say?" She smirks confidently as she opens the door and leans on the doorway. Crossing her arms over her chest as she does. "That's fine. Because lucky for you, all you need to say is what I tell you to say. Got it?"
"Uuuh-"
"Perfect!" She claps her hands, and I instinctively latch onto the fuzz I feel coming from her.
She's either interrogating me. Or is planning to have me send a message. But why?
"Now then tell me, what's your name?" She asks as she saunters closer in a way that makes me think of a fem fatale from a bond movie.
She needs my name so she likely wants to build a friendly relationship. Perhaps to induce stockholme syndrome? But for what purpose?
"Taylor." I say slowly.
"Rather bland name huh?" She says as she leans over and gets mere inches away from my face. "Does it tie into your last name oorr?" She trails off.
She's prodding. Trying to get my last name without actually asking and have me figuring out what she wants. But why does she want my name? Forge it on documents and open pyramid schemes in my name? Not likely.
"Why do you want to know?" I ask curiously.
"Well~" She bobs her head from side to side. "Seeing as your name may or may not determine how long you stay with us. I'd like to know." She whispers the last bit.
Ransom. High profile indicates high ransom. If she realizes I'm a nobody, she might "dispose" of me to cover her tracks.
'I can reveal my power!' I think to myself. 'Invoke the unwritten rules and how this is a major violation. Get her to let me- I'M NOT A CAPE YET! It doesn't apply to me! Fuck! Think!'
"You know, I'm curious." I speak as I try to think of a way to steer this towards me cutting them a deal without just saying it. "How much does this job pay?" My voice cracks at the end.
…
You will die a virgin.
…
"Really?" She gives a small chuckle. Then sighs and stands up. "Alright, look here bestie. I can ask again, or I can let my teammates ask. Can you guess which one?"
She's playing good cop to potentially three other bad cops!
What are the odds Firebreather breaks into the room and rescues me?
… Not likely.
"Hebert." I try to think quickly for a follow up. "Now, I may not come from a rich family but I have something you-"
"Grue!" She suddenly shouts and power walks out of the room. Slamming the door behind her.
"-might, like to… know." I trail off as the little tether on her thins and stretches to the point I can feel the little power I got just, vanish.
.
.
-Ferry Station South, Wednesday, October 6th, 9am-
.
.
"Um, is this really-"
"Out." Regent waves his hand and my leg gives a jerk, throwing me out the back of the van.
"Ah!" I hit my butt on the bumper and bounce off onto the hard ground. Much to my humiliation as people stare and record me.
"Just remember!" Tattletale says as she grabs the doors. "We were nice and gave you back with no issue!" She slams the doors and the van speeds off shortly after. Leaving me on the boardwalk, right in front of the main ferry station.
…
I get up and dust off my pants, and hurry inside the building to find a phone to call my dad. Hoping that if I just act like nothing happened, I can get out of here sooner.
.
.
-Dallon House, Thursday, October 7th, 7am-
.
.
Kitsu POV
.
Knock knock
"Nien!" I call out from the my bed while my head dangles over the edge. Kicking my feet on the comforter. Staring at the floor in utter boredom.
I would normally watch TV, play games, go outside, dress up and take pics, take a weird quiz to find out which power ranger I am. You know, normal stuffs. But I severely underestimated the extent of my grounding.
Unless it was for networking and setting up streams. Computer was on a parental lock and my phone is confiscated unless I'm out of the house. Any argument otherwise was, less than successful.
What if we get attacked? I asked.
If there's someone capable of taking you out before you can make a scene or run away? Then what use would a phone be? She argued.
And I had nothing to say. I'd have to argue my own awesomeness after all!
So, I agreed to disagree. And am now, the bored as fuck.
"I'm coming in!" I hear dad say. "Are you dressed?"
"Unlike some people, yes!" I call back.
I hear the door open as the hallway light floods into the room.
"Alright Kiddo." Dad says as he walks out into the room and grabs me by my sides.
I let out a growl as he picks me up. Like the kind cats let out when upset. As in I literally use my powers to make that sound.
"Yeah yeah." Dad says as he holds me under his arm.
"Blegh." I exclaim as he holds me like a basketball. His arm on my stomach as I lay limp. "Abduction, help, this man is manhandling and foxnapping a napping fox in his man hands." I say in a flat tone.
"Sorry sweetheart, but under orders of the matron, you are to help with all the chores in the house." He says as we make our way downstairs.
"What chores need done now?" I ask tiredly. "I'm in my sleep clothes, and it's seven in the A M!"
"Vicky and Amy are already up." Dad says as we turn into the kitchen, where said teens are grabbing their bookbags and heading out. And I get set down on the floor. "Alright, I'll start on cleaning the table while you do the dishes."
"Counter offer!" I raise a finger. "You do the dishes, and I'll clean off the table?"
"Nope!" He chuckles and starts cleaning off the table.
"Alright, heading out. Love ya dad!" Vicky says as she floats up and gives Dad a quick kiss on the cheek before floating over and grabbing Amy's hand and dragging her out the door. "Make sure you get your money's worth with the fox!" Vicky announces as she flies out of the door.
I grumble as I push a chair over to the sink. Still being a miniscule four foot two inches. I grew two inches over the summer. So that's something! But statistically, the average age for a girl's final growth spurt is sixteen. I have three years and the odds are not in my favor. Missy is a week younger than me, and she's half a head taller!
Is bull!
"hrmmammrm, washing dishes." I grumble to myself as I scrub the bowls.
They gave me the one job I can't cheat out of and just speed through. If I did that then water would get everywhere. And then I'd have another thing to do.
It's not that I don't like doing chores. I just dislike being told to do them.
"Alright Kiddo, while you finish those I'll take your mother to her therapy session." Dad says as he sets the rag he was using down behind the sink faucet, reaching over me to let it fall with a wet plop.
"Yeah yeah, I'll try not to blow up the house while you're gone." I shoo him away.
"See… when you say that." He starts to say, and I slap the sink water. Splashing water everywhere as I superspeed away. Letting him take the splash back, before I speed back over and act like nothing ever happened.
He's silent as I let the water run. Washing dishes and setting them in the strainer to dry as he-
"What the heck!?" I scream out as I turn around and hold my tail.
This, this, cretin was using it to dry his face! The absolute brute! The cad, deviant, other derogatory terms that won't necessarily get him canceled on PHO!
"How, dare you!" I gasp at him. "Do you have, any idea how long I spend in the shower cleaning this to a perfect shine? And for you to rub your grubby face in it! The bible has words to describe people like you."
"Don't dish it out if you can't take it." He laughs as he leaves to go get Mom.
…
This… means… war.
…
After I come home from school.
I only have one class, social studies. Because I tested out of everything else and decided school was for losers who want useless things like degrees and credentials.
I don't need a degree. I'm cute!
.
.
-East Slums, Drug Den, 10am-
.
.
Joseph "Scarecrow" Crane Pov
.
"Fucking hell." I curse as I kick an unconscious kid out of my way, passing the high and inebriated imbeciles as I make my way to the back of the house. What at one time might have been a standard home for the time, has since degraded since its construction. Nicotine stains on the ceiling and cracked drywall exposing the frame. Stained and ruined brown carpeting that, might not have been brown originally.
I make it to the interior of the house, what once would've been a living room. Only to have a large black man block my way in front of the door.
"Hold it twinkie." He holds a hand out. "Only those with an appointment get to see-"
I let a syringe slide out of my hand as I step forward and stab it into his gut. Catching the man off guard as his body freezes. The fast acting venom leaving him speechless as he falls over and starts convulsing while I pocket the syringe and go through the door.
Entering the brown carpeted, dilapidated room, I spot the bandaged, white haired form of one of my only remaining lieutenants. His left arm and chest being covered in white gauze as he lays sprawled out on the couch. A coffee table containing stacks of cash and bricks of coke before him, with a woman on her knees between his legs as his head lolls back against the back of the musty green couch.
"Really, Snowflame?" I grimace at the display.
"Huh?" He peers over and sees me. "Boss, that you? Fuck have you been?"
'He's on a crash.' I realize and curse my luck.
"Running around the city." I say as I look around the room for something, anything to sit down on that won't give me a disease. "In case you hadn't noticed, I had a bit of an issue with the roaming band of maniacs."
"Oh yeah?" He sighs and lets his head fall back as he puts a hand to the woman's head and groans. "Me, me too. Ugh, had uh, had a run in with the big lizard."
He holds the woman's head in place as he groans. Causing me to cringe at the scene before me as she audibly, anyway.
"What's the situation?" I get to the point.
"Ugh, with what?" He asks.
"Our operations, what else?" I glare at him as the girl gets up and wipes her mouth, turning away as he zips up his pants.
"Well, if you're talking about our territories. Then we got the slums, the trainyard and midway locked down. The market is a bit contentious with the Teeth in town. And the boat graveyard is a bit, eh. Lotsa PRT there, you'd need to talk to Mush."
"And the men." I ask as he leans forward and picks up a box cutter.
"Not gonna lie boss." He sighs as he breaks off a bit of a brick in front of him. "Competition's bad for business. Before, the guys had nowhere to go. You got the letter people who got dicks so far up their asses it's like a gay human centipede up there. The Asian fuck boys who'd sooner shoot a man than help if he wasn't Asian, the literal Nazi's. Now? The Nazi's are gutted and down to a fourth of what they were, the Asians have been quiet, the Teeth are running amok and inviting whoever wants to pillage and pilfer. Oh, and the Travelers are in town doing their own shit. And no one dares touch New Wave territory after what happened to Stormfront and then Shatterbird."
'A literal bloody mess that was.' I think to myself as I click my tongue and stare off to the side. Trying to think of something.
We're down to three capes. Me, Mush and Snowflame. And no way to gain more unless we decide to get drastic and go back to Skidmark's methods.
Well, that and Carnage is apparently out and about again.
"Aw fuck yeah!" Snowflame exclaims as he shoots up from the couch. "Woo! Fuck! That's what I needed!" He flexes his arms and looks the ceiling with a grin.
I roll my eyes as I go back to address the man, even as he grabs the girl from before and bends her over the table.
"Try and find some fresh blood." I tell him as he pulls the girl's pants down while she starts snorting from the coffee table. "Start pushing in Winslow again if you have to."
"I can help with that!" The girl says as she comes up from a line of coke. "The girls on, track, oh fuck baby! They'd love this shit!"
I go to say something, before the line registers in my head. And I decide I'm done here.
"Just get it done." I say as I head out, and nearly trip over the man I killed just outside the door. And I hold back a headache as I look down.
He's missing his clothes.
.
.
-Arcadia High, Monday, October 11th, 11:30am-
.
.
Missy "Vista" Biron POV
.
"I mean it, you look good." I tell Amy as we walk to lunch.
"Yeah well, it just feels like a bit much." She sighs tiredly. "I mean, why all the damned makeup? And matching color pallets and, ugh."
"Well, look at it this way." I roll my head as I think of how best to put it. "You're attracted to a certain type, now you just have to figure out what that type's, type is, and make yourself that type, I guess? Is this making sense?"
"Not really." Amy says as we walk into the cafeteria. Before quietly mumbling. "But then again, it's people."
"Yeah, people never make sense." I say with a small smile as I think of something other than what she's referring to.
Namely a certain ball of fluff that bounces between being the best thing in my life. And being the most stressful, heart wrenching personal problem I have. I just, I love her and want to kiss her and hold her but, sometimes I want to throw her into a wall. And most of the time it's both at once!
Doesn't help that the only way we can really be together is by sneaking around because she's grounded. Which, it adds this level of wrongness that makes it more special. Is that bad?
"I hear you have a date later this week." I distract myself as we step through the doors to the noisy cafeteria.
After not hearing her respond, I look to her curiously. And see the healer crossing her arms and looking away from me with a massive blush on her face.
"Nervous?" I ask with a smile. "That's okay, I was pretty nervous when I asked, well you know." I have to stop myself from saying Kitsu's name in public. At least when it comes to dating.
"Okay that's a load of horseshit." Amy scoffs as we head for the line.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" I ask with a glare.
"Didn't you trick yourself into confessing at a sleepover." Amy points out, forcing a massive blush to my face. "A sleepover you used to see if she'd be into you?"
"Yeah well, it was still hard!" I defend myself.
"You thought she was asleep." Amy points out.
"Are you trying to make me upset?" I ask the girl as I get my mashed potatoes and green beans. "And besides that, shouldn't you be less upset because she asked you out? Boom! All the problems I had, you already have solved."
"Which makes you unqualified to give me advice." Amy points out.
"Wha-I-how, rmmm." I grumble as we head for our usual table. Sat with the other Wards and Vicky's friends. Minus Vergil.
After Vergil's umpteenth outburst, it was decided it was best to send him back to Dakota. The original reason he was here is gone, dead. And with Stormfront dead and her human trafficking ring falling apart, Vergil could safely move out of the city without the need for a PRT escort.
A shame too. He was cool when he first showed up. Then Kitsu killed Permafrost to stop the mini ice age that nearly wrecked the bay. Heck, the ice from that stuck around so long, this last summer was the coldest on the books in recent decades. Even with Fire's daily trips to the iceberg to melt it.
I heard a few towns south of us are getting heavier rain for it too.
"Sup new girl!" Vicky says as I sit down next to Amy, who sits next to Vicky. "Long time no see, you avoiding me or something?"
I roll my eyes at Vicky's little nickname for me outside of costume.
"I had a lot on my plate lately." I shrug, not admitting that I was trying not to associate Missy and Vista both with Victoria Dallon. But then I saw Kitsu's post about Amy's new look and the curiosity killed me.
"Sure ya do." Vicky rolls her eyes with a good natured smile. "Anyway, Ames, your date, where and when?"
"I'm not telling you where I'm going." Amy says with more than a little bit of irritation. "I don't need you wingmanning me Vicks."
"Amy, as your sister it's my job to make sure you're happy. Unless you piss me off, then you get your tampons dipped in hot sauce."
"Pfft!" Dennis nearly spits out his food into Chris's face.
"Dude!" Chris exclaims as he flinches back to keep away from the spittle as I feel my face burn in second hand embarrassment.
"Oh my god Vicky." One of Vicky's friends says as she takes her trays and gets up.
"Oh grow a pair." Vicky scoffs before turning back to Amy as Dennis nearly dies. "Besides, admit it, you could use the help of someone more experienced."
"You know what Vicky?" Amy looks to her sister. "I'd take dating advice from Kitsu, before I let you shadow my date."
Vicky goes quiet as she slowly turns to Amy. Wide eyed and disbelieving as she lowers her chin.
"Amy, I love you, so I'll give you one chance to take that back." Vicky says seriously.
Amy just smirks and goes back to her food. Humming an unknown tune with a self satisfied grin as she eats her green beans.
"Okay, I see how this is." Vicky nods to herself. Looking over to Chris. "Hey nerd boy."
This feels so weird. I'm not used to talking to them outside of costume. What are all we supposed to discuss? Can't talk about work. Can't talk about relationships, or, I can't. Hobbies?
'Wait, do I have hobbies?' I ask myself. 'Does watching crime documentaries count?'
I'm pretty sure it doesn't.
"I think she's talking to you." Chris nods to Dennis.
"No, if she was then she'd be saying 'Hey funny man.' You know, my defining feature." Dennis smirks back at him.
I can't really say anything because I don't know them outside of patrol. And technically I don't know them. So it'd be suspicious if I, Missy, suddenly knew all about these people I just met.
"If we're going by defining features then you'd be ken doll." Amy says between bites of her food.
I flinch as the table shakes from a loud bang. My head snapping to Dean who is covering his mouth, eyes clenched and hand over his mouth as he leans on the table. Trying not to laugh.
"Damn." Vicky says under her breath. "Ames, you killed him."
"I don't get it." I speak up, trying to figure out what everyone is laughing about.
"Seriously?" One of Vicky's friends asks, leaning over to give me a raised brow.
Shrugging in response, she gives a scoff before returning a nervous smile to me.
"Ken, Ken, like as in Barbie's boyfriend?" She prods.
"I don't know who that is." I stress.
"You never played with Barbie dolls as a kid?" Vicky butts in and asks.
"Did you?" I ask in return.
"Well, no, not really." She concedes. "But I still know about them."
"Eh, just google the joke later." Chris mumbles as he takes another bite of his food.
"Hey guys!" Carlos comes in and places his tray down next to Dennis and right across from me. "Sorry I'm late, had to run to my locker and turn in my trig homework before my teacher left." He then looks to me and smiles. "Hey… you, you're from… from-"
"She's new." Vicky saves him.
"Oh thank goodness." He sighs, playing up the part rather well. "For a moment I thought we met and I just forgot."
"Don't lie." Dennis gives him a light shove. "You don't know nearly enough girls to forget meeting one."
"Says the only guy here to not have a girlfriend, ever." Carlos says with a flat smile as he pans his head over to Dennis.
"Hey Chris, Carl's talking to you." Dennis wastes no time turning to the second youngest here.
This feels so weird.
.
.
-Dallon House, 2pm-
.
.
Kitsu POV
.
Checking through my set up. Making sure the camera is on and clean. Microphone is connected. And my stream is just waiting to start.
Clicking into a separate tab, I check on my fellow streamer. Her name is Blossom, but her real name is Alicia King. She's actually that girl from the hospital after the whole Case 53 bomb. The one that Uncle Neil allegedly set off.
(U ready?) – K
(Yeah, just set my mic up and got the camera settled. U?) – B
(I forgot, r we using ur channel or mine?) – K
(Both, we stream using hubline. Lets us split screen our collab and stream together) – B
(Who starts us off?) – K
(Doesn't matter 2 me) – B
Looking through the program's, UI? I have no clue what I'm looking at. And looking through the interface legend, I let out a sigh as I realize I should've gone through this beforehand.
(I don't know how to use this program so u start) – K
(K) – B
Blossom's screen pops up on my monitor. Revealing a green skinned girl with yellow eyes and leafy green hair adorned with purple flowers. Set in a bedroom with grow lights. While she starts to address the viewers, I minimize the vid stream while I sort through the program's legend.
Giving a quick glance to my streams own metrics.
(Strength: Good)
East coast wifi baby!
(45,892 viewers)
Pretty low, but then again I took a two week break to deal with the nine. And my consistency is trashed. So I'm probably going to see my starting viewers level in the five digits for a while.
After feeling like I got most of the program memorized. Or at least the important parts. I message Blossom.
(Ok ready) – K
"And now I have a special surprise for you my little bees!" Blossom gives a little giggle at her own joke. "Today we're being visited by a notorious little fox."
I take that as my cue to join the stream and start up my stream.
"Boo! How ya doin my-" I stop as I notice my second monitor is still blacked out. The one I use to check in and see what the viewers see. "What?"
"Are you there?" Blossom asks with a grin. "Hello?"
I go back into my DMs and send her a quick message.
(Technical difficulties!) – K
"Hmm?" Blossom hums in question as she checks it out while I try to save my darn dignity!
.
.
-10 minutes later-
.
.
"Ahhh!" I whine as I let my head fall on the desk with a loud clang.
(12,209 Viewers)
I'm a failure!
"Well, it seems we'll just, um, have to schedule our play date for another day." Blossom says and sends me a DM apologizing before disconnecting our streams.
And as soon as she does, mine comes on.
"Huh?" I look up to the second monitor, seeing my own head laying down on the desk. Shooting up, I let my sheer rage be known. "Oh come on! Curse you OBS!"
(Angy fox mode engaged.) A superchat goes off.
"Why is that a thing with you people!?" I groan as I fall back into my chair and take a deep breath. "You're not even spelling it right! Oh forget it, I'll just play some call of duty."
(Strap in for the cookout boys! It's about to be a fox roast)
"What does that even mean!?" I ask as I boot up the game.
.
.
-10 minutes later, Boardwalk-
.
.
Missy "Vista" Biron POV
.
"Boom! Hahahahaha!" Kitsu laughs as she gets a triple kill with a rocket launcher.
"You fuck'n spanner!" An English sounding voice shouts.
"Aw, is the brit-brat mad I broke a piece of him and chewed it up?" Kitsu taunts.
I must be on one today, because I don't get it. And that makes the third joke I haven't gotten today.
"You think you're safe cuz you're in the states? Yeah?" The English voice starts yelling.
"Dude shut up." A bored voice says. "You're just feeding trolls."
Though he gets ignored, like the other five voices currently going.
"Meet me in Brighton, come to the pier, and I'll beat your fucking tits off!" He yells, and I see Kitsu find him on the map. Right at midway too.
… She blows him up.
"FUUUU-" The mic actually cuts out.
"Uuuhh, I think he peaked his mic." Another guy says.
"-You cheeky cunt!" The English guy continues as I sip my smoothie.
"You cool if I steal a bud?" Kid Win asks as he leans over from the right of the bench and watches my phone.
"You have your own phone." I look over to the Tinker with a glare. Not that he can see it through my visor.
"Yeah, but I left my earbuds at base." He says. "Come on, I just wanna watch the stream."
"Since when do you watch Kitsu's streams?" I ask.
"Since uh, since I was a guest star on her stream." He says sheepishly in a way that makes me think it's an excuse. "Look, can I?"
"No, you don't share earbuds." I say as I go back to my smoothie. "It's gross."
"Tell you what, I'll meet you at the pier. We'll have a nice little party." Kitsu says as she picks up a sniper rifle. "You can bring the tea." She finds the guy again. "And I'll toss it in the water."
She gets a headshot.
"MOTHERFU-" He cuts out again, and I nearly spit up my smoothie as he disconnects.
"What?" Chris asks. "What, come on don't leave me in the dark here!"
I get my breath under control just enough to open my mouth. Before-
Smash!
"Help! Villains!" We hear from down the ways to our right, before music starts being blasted.
"The heck?" Chris jumps up and goes to his forearm and starts typing on the screen that pops up out of the armor. "Okay, called it in. Vista let's go!"
Setting my smoothie down, knowing I'm not likely to get it back, I hop up and warp the roof of a nearby ice cream parlor. Stepping on the roof as Kid Win follows on his now deployed hover board. I scan the area, looking for the source of the rock music. And I spot it from further down the boardwalk as we spot three of the Undersiders flying atop glowing red surfboards.
In the lead being the new guy after Hellhound was arrested and killed herself. TurnTable. A young guy in a tight blue suit with orange stylized hips and shoulder guards with white splatter paint on them, and an orange chest piece that looks like it was stolen from a football player. Same white splash on it. Orange goggles on his head.
Behind him is the infamous Tattletale, highest Thinker in the city. And across from her is Regent.
Which means Poltergeist is probably with Grue on the ground somewhere.
"Vista." I hear Lyra's voice over the comms.
She's on console duty. The idea being if she can't handle that, she can't people during patrol.
"Yeah?" I ask as I see Tattletale make some gestures and wave her arms to the side.
"Orders, wait for backup." She says. "Keep track of them."
'At least she gets to the point.' I think to myself as I reluctantly agree that it's the best course of action.
A Master, Thinker and Trump. And two hidden Shakers is not something a Shaker and a Tinker can deal with.
I watch as TurnTable and the two following him make a banked turn to the left, heading towards the city and avoiding us entirely.
"God damn it." Chris says as he kicks his hover board back into gear and follows after them.
"Kid wait!" I call after him, but he's already speeding off too far for him to really hear me. "Ugh!"
I reach out and warp the air in front of the Undersiders and twist them back towards me, but off course they turn around as soon as they realize what's going on. So, I twist and flip the air in front of where they where going, which was behind them. So, for a brief second or two they hit a pocket of air where gravity is upside down. Forcing them off their boards, and causing them to crash to roofs below. Ragdolling as the boards disperse into nothingness about five buildings away from me.
"Oh crud!" I hiss as I see Tattletale roll and flip over the side of a roof.
'Shitting, fudge monkeys! I'm gonna be in so much trouble of she dies!' I think to myself as I squish the distance between me and them. Making It to the roof they fell on in one step.
"Jeez V." Kid Win says as he gets turned around a few times and manages to coordinate himself enough to approach me from my left. "You might've-"
"Nothing's confirmed!" I cut him off as I run towards the edge of the roof. Passing the two scraped up guys on the roof.
As soon as I look over the ledge,
Zzzt!
"Aaaahh!" I fall back, my muscles burning and sore as I feel a spot on my jaw feel particularly numb.
"Vista!" Kid Win shouts.
"Move bitch! Get out the way!" I hear the song by Ludacris play before a womp sound.
"SHHIIIiiiiit!" Kid Win screams further and further away.
"Whew." Tattletale says above me as she kneels down, the Taser she no doubt just used on me clearly in hand. "I'd say you nearly had us there with the air trick, buuut~… I think we both know I'd be lying."
Ignoring the view of her in a skin tight suit and looking at me with what can only be described as a foxlike grin and mischievous blue eyes.
…
I have a type okay!
I try to get up, only for her to tap the Taser on. Letting me know I should just, not. At least not without a plan.
"Alright, I'm good." Turntable says as rock music starts playing again. And I assume the flying boards are back.
"So what, are you just gonna-"
"Get up and leave before you can stall for back up?" She smirks and then winks. "You know it."
I feel my face burn as she stands up and walks over me.
"We just leaving her there?" Regent asks in a bored voice as I turn over to glare at the smug thieves.
"Do you want to piss off the local fuzzball?" She laughs.
"You know it's-"
"Only a matter of time until we're caught?" She scoffs as she hops on a hovering pink board. "Please, only dumb people get caught. Ciao!" She gives a two fingered salute and sails off.
…
I'm going to be in a lot of crap for this one.
.
.
-Middway, Junior's Hairclips, 8pm-
.
.
John "The Marquis" Lavere POV
.
The ding of the bell above the door chimes as I enter the salon. My shoes tapping on the faded brown and black tiles that were once black and yellow. The mahogany walls, once bright and an honest to god eyesore, have darkened over time to better fit an aesthetic. The black marble counters for the hair stylists, and booths with worn red salon chairs For the customers.
Garish and old fashioned to some. But to me, it's just old. An aged remnant of what once was two decades ago.
An old black man with short white hair looks up from sweeping the floor. A heavy square face resembling a bulldog greets me as he rests his hands on the top of the broom handle and leans on the tool.
"Well now, you ain't one of mine." He nods his head up and looks down at me through a pair of glasses that set low on his nose. "Whatchu want, white boy?"
"Was hoping for a haircut." I shrug as I walk over to the register counter. Noticing the man's muscles twitching as he glares. And I can see the slight bulge on the side of his hip, a gun. "Been a while since I was here."
"Oh yeah?" He asks as he goes back to sweeping, with his hand now closer to his side. "And just how long is, a while?"
"About ten or so years." I sigh. "Closer to nine, but it feels so much longer."
"I see." He nods, keeping me in his peripherals as he sets the broom against the wall.
A silence stretches on as he walks back over to the counter. Posting himself in front of the register as he starts up the newer looking piece of tech.
"It's nice to see the places is pretty much the same." I say as I look around.
"Place is falling apart." He contradicts me. "You gettin' a trim or buzz? I ain't know none of the white styles and you ain't got the hair for dreads."
"Just a trim would be nice." I say with a chuckle.
"Hmm." He hums in thought as he types some things into his register. "Alright, grab a chair."
Doing so, I take a seat at the third chair on the left. The one I always sat in when I was here. Now creased and worn. Yellow padding poking out from the red pleather.
"So, are you the new Junior?" I ask as he throws an apron over me.
He's not the Junior. I knew him personally. Used him to launder drug money through the "legitimate" businesses.
"Name's Demetrius." He says. "Archer Jr. was the brother to open the place."
"What happened to him?" I ask.
"You really ain't been around these parts in a hot minute." He scoffs as we look each other in the mirror. "How you want it?"
"Shorten my bangs, and bring the rest above my shoulders." I tell him and he grabs a comb and spray bottle. "And like I said, ten years."
"Yeah, I got that." He says as he starts straightening my hair out. "Archer dropped out after an OD."
"Really?" I ask in surprise. "Was it coke?"
"Heroin." He says. "Why're you curious?"
"I knew him." I say, noticing the raised brow in the mirror's reflection. "He was a, good employee of mine. I guess you could say I was hoping to rehire him."
"Sure." He says skeptically with squinted eyes as he starts clipping. But doesn't ask further.
"You know, most people wouldn't keep the name of the previous owner on the business." I say, causing him to pause.
"What of it?" He asks with a glare.
"Just curious is all." I shrug, and say nothing more.
"Hmm." He lets out a long, stressed breath while I offer a smile through the mirror's reflection. "Lotta people around here who remember him don't got much good to say about him. But he was good to the community where it counted. Good to me."
I stay silent as he lets that sit. And eventually he goes back to cutting my hair. The rest of the service being done in an awkward silence.
"Alright." He says as he unties my apron and takes it off. "That'll be fifteen bucks."
"Inflation everywhere." I groan as I stand up and run my hands through my hair. "Oh well, there should be enough in the back regardless."
"What?" He asks as I stretch my arms back and head for the door at the back of the salon. "Hey! The hell you doing!?"
"Just getting your money." I say as I open the door.
Click.
"You get out there before I put a clip in you." He says sternly.
"Hmph." I chuckle as I keep moving and allow the gun to fire, hitting a bone plate as I conjure my armor in less than a second. "Cute."
I step into the back of the salon. Full of crates and cleaning supplies, a cot facing a tv on an old pool table with a steel safe acting as a nightstand. A minifridge against the wall next to the TV.
'Quaint.' I think to myself as I realize the old man is living in the back room that once was used as an informal gambling room for the launderers.
Heading towards the wall the tv and pool table are stationed against. I grab the table with a grunt of exertion, and move it to the side. The brick wall having a few chips in its masonry, made into a perfect square. Chipping that was intentional.
Extending the bones on my hand out into curved claws, I grab the brick in the middle of the indents, and pull it out. Allowing the rest of the ten or so bricks around it to fall away. Revealing a dusty old black duffle bag.
"Like I just left you here yesterday." I smile as I grab the duffle bag and sling it over my shoulder.
Heading back into the salon. I see the old man on a phone at the desk.
Looking above the door. I see the greyed out images of three men. Though I only recognize the middle one.
(Archer Mustain Sr.)
(Jan. 10, 1954 – Aug. 17, 2010)
(Archer Mustain Jr.)
(Sept. 23, 1973 – Feb. 12 2003)
(Adam Mustain)
(April 2, 1990 – March 29, 2010)
"So Junior had a kid?" I hum in thought as I look at the dates, and realize the grandfather outlived both his son and his grandson. "Shame."
I hang my head in, I guess pity for the circumstance, as I leave the barber shop. A new sympathy in my heart for the parents who outlive their children. I can't imagine the pain that leaves someone with.
Passing the frantic man as he looks back to me with wide eyes. I nod and set the duffle bag on the counter, unzipping the bug out bag and pulling out a hundred. I hand it to the stunned older man as he drops the phone.
"You, I know you!" He says in shock.
"I should hope so." I nod, my bone armor still covering my face. "After all, a man should know who owns the land he lives on."
.
.
-East Slums, Thursday, October 13th, 1am-
.
.
Kitsu POV
.
I touchdown on the roof of the apartment building in the east slums on Brockton's north residential area. Looking up to the brown haired, cherubic faced girl that is the daughter of the world's most infamous master.
Not that it's saying much, Heartbreaker has like, thirty or more kids.
"Well if it isn't my favorite lite sociopath." She leans forward and places her hands on her knees to be eye level. "How ya been?"
"Since when am I your favorite anything?" I ask with a tilt of my head.
"Since you owe me." She winks before standing straight up and walking over to me. "We both know that little ambush you set up wouldn't have worked nearly as well as it did without me."
The oh so crucial role she played, was not being a snitch. Which, let's be honest here. She'd have done that regardless, I just reached out to her a bit before the ambush to make sure she was on board. How you ask?
"Yeah yeah." I roll my eyes and hold my hand out. "I hope you know that once I'm done, I better never see you in Brockton Bay again."
Just after my interrogation of Tattletale, I went to a roof near the boat graveyard, and flared my nervous system. Mimicking extreme rage cycling with jubilance. All nervous system, no brain activity required.
"Fair enough." She shrugs and grabs my hand. "One city isn't too big of a loss for me. Besides, this place is a shit hole. Literally, I watched a homeless man take a dump on the sidewalk... at least I think he was homeless."
I basically played SOS with my nervous system. And let me tell you the adrenaline crash was something else. Probably should've chose a pair of emotions that were less, volatile.
"Sounds about right." I say as I go into her and start the process of removing her tattoos.
Before using the tingling sensation to mask the initial shock of me paralyzing her.
"What, what the fuck are you doing!?" She screams and tries to pull away, a wave of panic and fear washes over me, tears rolling down my face as I realize I'm hurting someone I love.
And I punt her in the cunt for making me love her.
"Haaaaaaa!" She wheezes as she convulses and tries to cover her crotch, and I feel really bad about myself. "We had a deal!"
"I have altered the terms of our agreement." I say, hoping some humor will make me feel better about this.
It doesn't.
"Star Wars, really?" She glares in confusion. "Why, why are you doing this?"
"Because I made a deal." I explain as I reach down and grab her by the neck as she clumsily tries to back away, but only manages to jerkily twitch in random directions. "And I can't trust you."
I go in and fight my love for my friend, with the knowledge of what she helped do to my family. Using that as motivation, I use my biokinesis and crush her Corona Gemma.
And I immediately stop giving two flying French seals about the worlds worst abuser of pretty privilege!
"Why, what?" She mutters as I let go of her throat and start rummaging through her pockets for her phone. "I, I can't, what did you do to me!?"
I grab her by her jaw and apply a bit of pressure.
"Yell again and I'll give you a reason to yell." I say, making it very clear who's in power as I find her phone in her back pocket.
I'm still grounded, so I couldn't take my phone and risk getting caught. If she didn't have a phone, I may very well have made her mute and left her here as is. But now that I have the beauty of long range communication at my fingertips. I have options.
"Let's see here." I hum as I open her phone and go to the dial pad. "No lock? Someone's reckless. Now, I could call Lung and have you tossed in the stocks downtown. But I feel like a part of you would enjoy that to some extent, knowing that you'd be desired like that."
"What, why are you doing this?" She asks through a panicked voice. "What did I do to you? I helped you!"
"Well for one, I already promised your brother I'd make you suffer. But truthfully?" I say as I use her phone to tap my chin in thought. And look to her with a shrug. "I'm kinda just venting a lot of stuff and using you as a surrogate!"
"But I helped you!" She screams.
"You're help was convenient at best." I roll my eyes. "Now, who should I call? I can call Lung and set you up with a nice career in snuff porn. Or I could get ahold of Nilbog, make you into a cute little goblin." I say as she starts crying crocodile tears. "Or, ooh! How about I call dear old dad? Tell him where he can find his paralyzed daughter?"
"Are you kidding?" She spits out, dropping her scared damsel in distress act in favor of her narcissistic anger. "Do you know what he does to his kids that upset him?"
"I imagine it's traumatizing at the very least." I shrug as I open the phone and start dialing for Regent, hoping he'll know how to get ahold of his old man.
"Let's just say I have a few brothers and sisters, that I'm an aunt to." She hisses as she finally stops trying to move in her state
I actually stop dialing as I process that.
"Eeeeww!" I shiver and cringe in disgust.
I mean, absolute power corrupts absolutely. And Heartbreaker has absolute power over people sooo.
Still ew.
Then again, Cherish is like… a manipulative narcissist. So… I'mma not believe her.
"Please, look you made your point!" She cries out, putting the crocodile tears back on. "Just please. Give me my powers back and let me go."
I can tell they're crocodile tears because they just, fall. No red face, no heavy breathing, nothing. And when I threatened to get daddy, they just stopped and started back up.
"I can tell the tears are fake so you can save it." I say as I think of the perfect person to call.
"Why won't you believe me!?" She shouts. Her arms thrashing as she tries to move with her scrambled nervous system. "Are you so red pilled that you'd really subject me to a rapist in order to fuel your own vendetta!?"
"Well if that wasn't a splurge of word vomit and buzz words." I mutter as I wait for the person to answer the call.
Click
"You have twenty seconds before this number is blocked." I hear the woman say.
"Miss Jones!" I grin as I look back to Cherish's widening eyes. "I hear you're looking for a way to get to Heartbreaker."
… "You have my attention. But first, who is this?" She asks.
"You can't be-" I use my illusions to clamp Cherish's jaw shut.
"A friend in the movement who would appreciate your silence on the matter." I say cryptically and wait for her answer.
… "Kitsu?" She asks.
"How on earth did you figure that out?" I ask.
"There's only one little girl in New Wave." She says. "Now get to the point. I'm already on a lead to Regent and I don't need some overpowered mascot wasting my time."
I feel my eye twitch at her insult. Taking a deep breath and telling myself not to take it personally. Not when there's nothing I can do without getting in trouble.
"Well, this mascot has an incapacitated Cherish right next to her." I say as I side eye the girl currently spasming on the ground as she tries to regain control of her body.
Which isn't happening. I disabled like, half of her motor neurons at random. Would've got them all if she didn't have the sense to pull away, but that's on me really.
"Where?" Jessica says hurriedly.
"I'll tell you under two conditions. One, I wasn't here." I tell the woman before she can interject. "Two, kill her once she's done."
"Hrrmmm!?" Cherish screams as she looks up to me. My illusionary clamp still around her jaw.
"I'm not going to-" Jessica starts.
"She's still registered as being a member of the Nine, the only current living member not in custody in fact." I cut her off as I see Cherish actually start to cry. "And that comes with a de facto kill order. Agree, or I'll kill her now and save myself the trouble."
The line is silent for awhile, the only sounds being the wind, the ocean in the distance and the cars passing on the streets below the apartments. Cherish is also crying but, eh.
"Deal." Jessica Jones seals Cherish's fate.
.
.
-Mid Bay, Ferry, 2pm-
.
.
Pinky POV
.
I climb the roof hatch to see Eric already here.
"Hey." I say as I hoist myself up. "You wanted to talk to me?"
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Bonus
.
.
Taylor Hebert POV
.
"Um, what's this about, dad?" I ask as he sits down across from me at the table. Anne right next to him.
"Okay, so… there's no easy way for me to do this." He says, smacking his lips as he looks to Emma's sister. "But after everything that's happened. With how dangerous and short life can be, Anne convinced me that it would be best to go through with this."
Anne smiles at my dad and pats his shoulder reassuringly. Giving him a loving smile, one that causes a pit in my gut as he returns it.
"Oh my god." I breathe out, and stand up in protest. "I knew it!"
"What?" Dad flinches back as Anne gives me a concerned look.
"I figured you had moved on, and that's fine." I say as I pace back and forth in front of the table. "But Anne? Dad she's half your age! And like, only six years older than me!"
"Taylor, what are you-" Anne starts, but I look away from her to face the door to the kitchen.
"I-I'm sorry but I just can't look at you right now." I put my hands to my temples. "My god dad!"
"Taylor!" Dad stands up and hurries around the table. "What is the deal?"
"You and Anne!" I turn to him. "I figured you started dating again, but really dad! I thought better of you!"
"Oh my god no!" Anne shouts as she pushes back and stands up to hold her hands out in surrender. Shaking her head in disgust.
Wut?
"Taylor, I… what gave you that idea?" Dad asks with a confused and concerned expression.
"The, well, you're always spending time with her!" I start fumbling with my words.
"I'm her godfather and she just lost her family." Dad says defensively.
"You, you're driving her everywhere!" I point out. "And both of you get so, so, so cagey whenever I ask about it!"
"That's, not something-"
"Taylor, my license is suspended." Anne cuts my dad off.
"Then why wouldn't you say that?" I turn to her and ask. "Instead of making it sound like you're running around with my dad!"
"Because I got a DUI!" She yells. "Okay? I was ashamed and Daniel promised to not tell anyone so long as I didn't do it again."
"Well, what, you, then what is all this about?" I scramble to try and find an answer.
"This!" Dad exclaims as he pulls a small box out of his back pocket and holds it out to me. "After the whole kidnapping ordeal, Anne convinced me to let you have a phone."
My eyes widen as I freeze in place. Not sure what to do as I get a whole mix of emotions running through me. Shock, confusion, excitement, humiliation.
"I, I, really- umph!" I start to reach for it, but dad shoves it into my hands.
"Just, Anne can help you set it up." He sighs while rubbing his temples. Turning and leaving out of the kitchen.
I slowly turn to Anne, only to see her head buried in her hands.
"Are, are you okay?" I ask sheepishly as my shock wears off, leaving me with a burning gut feelings of embarrassment.
"Rmmm." She groans.
.
.
A/N
Ask questions!
Give suggestions! Please!
.
For Kitsu!
Z.L.C. genesmith: On a scale of one to five, where would you place yourself in each individual part of the color wheel from Magic: The Gathering?
Kitsu: How is this a question? 4! No one can tie me down! All will burn before me!
Eat the rich! Dissolve the parties! Uncook the infidels pizzas!
.
More comments! I want them all! Every one of them! Especially speculation, I love speculative comments.
Fuel me my NOOBIANS!
.
Find me in my channel, newb's-grotto, on the discord.
Link to the discord: discord .gg/DarkWolfShiro
