In one world, Taylor is left adrift, with no support, no friends, and barely any family. She triggers, becoming the villain known as Skitter, the hero known as Weaver, and the God-Slayer known as Khepri.
This is not that world. The Oroku Community Center is there for the downtrodden and the broken, the hopeless and the lost, acting as a beacon of light in the darkness of these horrible times. Perhaps there is something here that give Taylor the connections and the friendships that she needs to Rise and become the hero that this city needs.
「Monday, March Twenty Second, 2010
Winslow High School
Brockton Bay, ME
"God, I can't believe that she even bothers still coming to school." A girl says, surrounded by the mindless tittering of the other sycophants that surround her. Your name is Taylor Hebert, and this... "After all, she's got to be failing all her classes, idiot that she is." Unfortunately this is not a situation that you are unfamiliar with. In fact, it isn't even surprising anymore.
"Yeah," One of the other girls starts to say, barely even glancing over towards you before she continues speaking. "I mean, of course she's here. I heard that she spreads her legs for all the teachers, and that's how she's passing all her classes." Both of the girls sound completely cheerful, despite the cruelty of the words they are saying.
Lunch marks the halfway point of the day, once two of your four classes comes to an end, and naturally that means that there is a whole group of girls who seem to have nothing better to do during their lunch period than just stand around in front of you, blocking the door out of the hall towards the cafeteria as they chatter mindlessly among themselves.
What really stands out about all of this, is the fact that the girls are just talking among each other, and if it wasn't for the way that their eyes keep flicking over towards you while they talk about you, you could argue that they aren't doing anything at all. Well, other than blocking the door and leaving you with no real other option than interrupting them if you want to have a chance to try and get away from the cruel words that they keep spitting out.
And if you are the one to intterupt them, then they have all the 'evidence' and all the 'witnesses' they need to go to the teacher and 'tattle' on you. It's asinine, but there really isn't an answer.
You can't do anything, and if you do nothing then you have to sit there and listen to them belittle and demean you, mocking and disparaging. It's a near perfect definition of a Catch-22, a situation where there is no winning most, and the sad things is that you are slowly finding yourself getting more and more used to this.
It sucks, but there isn't another option, you can't step up without getting into more trouble than it is worth. Thankfully, if there is one thing that you can admit, it is the fact that these girls... They aren't nearly as horrible as they could be, because they might be spitting out any insult lie that they can think of...
But at the end of the day, they are a bunch of random suck-ups that are only doing this to get Emma's attention. They aren't anyone important.
Just... fools, trying to get an in with the girl who you used to call a sister. Really, it's horrible that they think that the best way to get Emma's attention is to try and hurt you, but what is so much worse is that they are right. Emma has become obsessed with hurting you, and you don't understand why, which means that all of this stupid pointless prattling is going to continue.
And it might be stupid, it might be pointless, but that doesn't stop it from hurting.
Hearing them call you a slut willing to spread your legs for anything that passes by, even animals... Having them call you a stupid brainless virgin who wouldn't know what to do with a boy if you were given an instruction manual. Back and forth the insults come, one after the other, regardless of if they counteract each other, or if they even make sense.
All that matters is making you suffer, throwing everything at the wall until something manages to get through to you and drive the barb home.
"Wait... What?" A new voice calls out, and you can hear the confusion that the newest voice has with that question. "I'm... sorry, but could you just back up a bit and repeat that?"
That... That isn't a part of this script? You blink, not entirely sure what is happening, before the door to the hall opens, and a new girl pops in. You...
Well, you can't say that you've ever seen this girl before. And you are quite certain about that.
This girl... She does't exactly fall into a crowd and disappear the way that any of Emma's little followers do.
The girl slowly glances back and forth, making sure to look each of the bullies in the eyes. "You cannot seriously be trying to say that this..." The girl pauses off, before finally acknowledging you. "Uh, they have yet to say your name..." You are a little distracted by the odd cadence that the girl speaks in. If you were to try and describe it simply, it is almost like she is emphasizing the start of each and every word that she speaks. Despite that, she isn't wrong either, and there is a little part of you that wonders if they even know your name. The new girl stares for a moment longer before snorting, almost like she was thinking the same thing that you were.
"Yeah, so which is it? Are you pissed at her for getting more than you do?" The girl asks, "Or are you just jealous that she is saving herself for someone special. Because all I hear is a bunch of base ass bitches who cannot even be bothered to come up with actual insults."
One of the other girls in the group barely glances over towards you, before turning and giving the new girl all of her attention. "Who are you, and what do you care?"
The new girl grins, and there is something... Off about her smile, even as her eyes gleam like gems. "I am someone that you cannot just gang up on." The girl says, before leaning just a little over, allowing everyone to see that there are two other people standing not to far away from where the girl is standing. Honestly, the others don't seem to notice, but the way that the girl leans, her entire body tilting at the ankles to the point where she nearly copying Micheal Jackson is far more impressive than the reveal that she isn't alone. "My brother and my sister are not any more fond of those who bully people than I am, so scram!" The girl isn't quite yelling at the end there, but her words are sharp enough to nearly be a shout.
There is a moment where everyone is still, before the group of girls all splinter apart, muttering to themselves at they split off from one another and move out into the hallway. There is a part of you that wants to be angry at this new girl...
Because this... This is only going to be the beginning. Emma doesn't like it when things don't go her way, and now that this girl has stepped in like this... There is all the chance in the world that Emma is going to try and get the girl ostracized the same way that she has been doing to you. More than that, now that someone has gotten involved, she's probably going to put extra work into making your life hell to make up for this.
But at the same time, you can't actually be angry at these three for getting the bullies to finally leave you alone. That would be just... dumb. And more than that, it would imply that you prefer being bullied, and that is a level of stockholm that you don't even want to think about. "Are you sufficiently well?" The girl asks, and you can't help but notice the strange way that she speaks again. Not that you are going to say anything. "My name is Cassie." The girl explains, giving you a smile.
Chuckling softly, you nod. "Yeah... Thanks for helping me out there." You say softly. It isn't much, but it really is all that you can think to say at the moment. "My name is Taylor. I don't think I've seen you three around before, are you new?"
"Yes!" The girl says cheerfully. "My father and my siblings have just moved to the city from New York City! Today is our first day at the educational facility known as Winslow High School!" However, for all that girl's excitement and the loud way that she speaks, she pauses for a moment, looking far less enthused. "Is this... Something that happens often?" She asks. "The young girls speaking ill of others?"
You can't help but sigh as you hear the girl's question, nodding. "Unfortunately, yes. This isn't out of the ordinary at all." Cassie scowls hearing that.
"I... See..." The girl says softly, quieter than anything else that she has said up until this point. "This... may sound like a change of subject, but I believe that it would do you well to come and visit the new Community Center that just opened up. My Siblings and I are there often, and you should not be alone."
A new community center? Here, in Brockton Bay? Yeah... No. You don't want to be mean, so you aren't going to say anything, but that place is without a doubt going to be a dump. And you aren't going to go out of your way to meet up with this girl or her family outside of school... Not when Emma is going to be enough trouble for you as it is, without putting yourself in a position for things to get worse.
"I'll... Think about it." You say softly, lying through your teeth. Because to be honest, this isn't the first time that someone has seemed to be a friend, only to suddenly turn and join up with Emma. So that just isn't going to happen. 「Wednesday, March Twenty Forth, 2010
Winslow High School
Brockton Bay, ME
They say that once is an occurance, twice is a coincidence, and three times is enemy action. So how exactly does that saying work when the repeated actions are something... good?
As insane as that is to say. Because seriously, this is three days now. Three whole days where Cassie and her siblings have been stepping in to keep the bullies from messing with you.
First there was Cassie stopping those girls who were mocking you.
Then yesterday Cassie was there twice, first interrupting some of the girls right as before they had a chance to pour juice all over you, and then later showing up before they even had a chance to say anything and literally dragging out from the group of bullies and away from it all. Here's the thing that really makes that so weird. That time when Cassie interrupted them in the bathroom...
The room was empty when they pulled you in their. The girls checked all the stalls, and you had been able to clearly see the room was empty. Then right before things got bad, Cassie walked right out of one of the stalls, and it was then that you realized that you've never heard the girl's footsteps. She's insanely sneaky...
And here you are now, it's the third day of the week, and there is someone standing between you and another bully. Not just any bully either.
"And just who the hell are you?" Sophia growls UP, and when you are saying up, you mean it. Cassie's brother is...
"My name is Maxwell. But you can call me Max, all my friends do." The giant says, and well it would be rude, but not entirely inaccurate to describe the boy as something of a brick house. He's the same age as you, fifteen years old, and where you are one of the taller students of your age at five foot ten...
Max, Cassie's big brother is six foot two. He's a big lug of guy.
You don't entirely mean that meanly either. Max, in what little you've seen of him in your English class... Well, he's a bit daft, and he's not that great when it comes to learning or anything of the like. But he is also one of the nicest people that you have ever had the pleasure to meet.
"Just shut up." Sophia growls out, eyes flashing bright as she brings her fists up, clearly ready to fight. Max... Max doesn't seem even the slightest bit worried about what the smaller girl is doing. There is a bit of you that is almost worried about him, because you are well acquainted with how cruel and brutal the girl can be, but at the same time...
Max just smiles, "That isn't very nice, little lady. You should be nicer."
What in the world is going on? You've been left entirely unable to understand all of this situation. Sure, it has happened again and again over the last few days, but the idea that there are people out there willing to stand up for you, people willing to be there at your side...
That just doesn't make any sense to you. That isn't how the world works. It isn't how the world has worked for years now... Ever since Emma abandoned you.
And yet... Cassie doesn't work that way. Her brother Max doesn't work that way, and from the things you've heard whispered about the last of the siblings stepping in for some other people... Rachel does the same thing.
You've had nearly an entire year of Emma and Sophia working to whittle away everyone and everything that might have been kind to anyone around you, and again and again everyone just gives in.
That... That isn't happening here, and you don't know why.
On top of all of that... Max is... You don't want to be mean, but with his messy blonde hair, and those bright shining eyes, all wrapped in a body that is thick as concrete and taller than even you... Max practically looks like he stepped right out of the poster trying to get people to join the Empire.
And, in fact you've heard Gertude complain about Max seeming entirely uninterested in any of the 'meet-ups' that she organizes. Instead suggesting to them that they should come to the Community Center. The worst part about that is the fact that the nazis seem to be reacting the exact same way to the invitation that you are.
There is a meaty thwack, and you blink.
That... That couldn't seriously be what you think that it is. And yes. Sophia has taken a step forward, the girl's fist pressed against Max's stomach, the boy continuing to just stand there.
Only now the boy's eyes are gleaming so cheerfully, and for the briefest of moments, you could have sworn that you saw something angry, that you saw something brutal flicker across Max's face, but even in that moment it appeared and disappeared too quickly. You have to have been imagining it. There's no way that this big peaceful lug of a guy would be like that. You've never seen him raise his voice, let alone get angry.
And even now, standing there with Sophia's fist in his guts, he still doesn't raise a hand against the girl. "That wasn't a half bad punch," Max says, like he's talking about the weather, "But if you really want to learn how to throw a punch, you should come and check out the Community Center. 「Friday, March Twenty-Sixth, 2010
Winslow High School
Brockton Bay, ME
Three times is enemy action. Five times is actually starting to get through the thick skin that Emma has forced you to grow over the year that she has turned her back on you.
And honestly... the first time that you really met the last of the group, Rachel... Was kind of hilarious.
Rachel might be taller than Cassie, and shorter than Max, but both of those still make the girl taller than Madison.
The small cute one that keeps following Emma around had decided to try and throw some spitballs at you, only for Rachel to walk by, reach out, grab hold of Madison's shirt, and just walked off, dragging the smaller girl away behind her.
In fact, that seems to be something of a reoccurring motif with the harsh eyed girl. Rachel, she doesn't talk much.
Mostly she growls at other people, sitting off by herself and avoiding anyone who tries to interact with her.
Mostly.
Becuase there is one easy way to get the girl talking, and talking, and talking. You show her a picture of a dog, and the whole of Rachel's entire demeanor flips on it's head. The girl will gladly talk about any of the dogs that she is taking care of.
"You should come and check out the Community Center." She says with the softest, kindest grin that you might have ever seen. "Brutus is really nice, even though he can look mean." The girl explains, fetching her own phone out of her pocket in order to show off the pictures of her Rottweiler, "Then there's Judas, he's actually really good with kids." The great dane looks all but adorable in the pictures that the girl has on her phone, "And..." She pauses for a moment, quiet for a long moment. "Well... I probably can't let you see Angelica, not up close anyways. She's a rescue from an abusive home... she's... Not good with people yet."
To be entirely honest, the fact that each of these people... Who have all been nothing but nice and kind to you...
There is a part of you that actually does kind of want to go and see this Community Center that they have talked about again and again...
But at the same time... You've waited this long...
Maybe waiting just a little longer... Just to make sure that they aren't going to change their minds and start siding with Emma...
Just a little longer. You have SEVENTY-FIVE (75) Points to spend.
No Attribute may be below 4. No attribute, other than Mysticism may be above 12
Prowess may not begin below 1, and may not be higher than 7
Mysticism may not be above 18
So while there are some hints about what this crossover is, a bit of what Taylor is going to find at the Oroku Community Center and Halfway House for Displaced Teens, as well as the potential directions for her training to become a hero will be shaped at least in part by her starting stats.
[ ][Plan] This Vote needs to be in a Plan Format with a Name
- [ ] Diplomacy X
- [ ] Stewardship X
- [ ] Martial X
- [ ] Intrigue X
- [ ] Learning X
- [ ] Prowess X
- [ ] Mysticism X
Overcome at the end of a Combat round. Sparring may only grant two Proccs
You've never fought someone before. Never thrown a punch, and to be entirely honest, even the thought of doing so is kind of scary... but if you want to become a hero, you are going to have to learn.
Martial multiplied by 0.6, Prowess multiplied by 0.4. These numbers will decrease at each stage of this trait. When the trait is completed, it will evolve into a new form.
呼吸法
[3 of ???]
Described as the 'Way of Breathing' this breathing exercise is... Superior in every way to ordinary breathing. You breath easier, with less work and you seem to be getting more air. Everything seems to be just a little improved by this.
Method of Overcoming unknown
Allows the Learning of Qi Techniques
Treats the DC of Mysticism Rolls as being 4 ranks lower than it is
Increases Prowess by 1
Chemical Novice
[2 of 7]
Allows for the Creation of Novice and Beginner ranked medicines and drugs. With the assistance of proper equipment, Apprentice level medicines and drugs can be made
Stat ranges so that you have a scale to work off of for stats.
0 - Incompetent / Dead
4 - Distinctly Below Average/ Kindergarden
8 - Average High Schooler
12 - Average Adult
16 - Career level skill
19 - Riddler's Intelligence
20 - Olympic level skill
22 - 'Peak Human' Level
23 - Theoretical Max Human Level / Lex Luthor's Intelligence
24 - Distinctly Superhuman / Lex Luthor's Intelligence on a Good Day
25+ - I am still working on the exact scaling of the different superhumans.
Diplomacy - How good you are at talking with people, how good you are at leadership
Stewardship - How good you are with money, keeping yourself from panicking in a crazy situation
Martial - How good you are at tactics, how good you are at understanding enemy actions and plans, and how good you are at leadership
Intrigue - Lying sneaking, managing to be hidden in the shadows
Learning - Book learning, science, handling tinkertech
Prowess - Pure combat skills
Mysticism - Your ability to interact and use ancient mystical arts and magical weapons as well as learning more esoteric things
Veni, Veder, Vici - Greg Veder joining the Community Center - 1 Reward - Spent on Depression Roll Green and White and Red All over - Annette's "Death"? - 1 Reward - Spent on getting a Second Reward from the Qi Book Denial - Taylor struggling to handle a flirty interation - 1 Reward Turn of a Page - In a Dark Future, a figure reaches back through time to deliver a message - 1 Reward - Spent of Rerolling Qi Trait
StockGen Paperwork The Mutanimal Project - Paperwork related to the MutAnimal Project - 1 Reward - Spent on Roll related to Cassie Project: Silencer - Information related to the TGRI Corporate Team - 1 Reward - Spent Rerolling Qi Trait Silencer 05 - The Most recent Silencer Experiment succeeds beyond TGRI's wildest dreams - 1 Reward - Spent Rerolling Qi Trait Silence Breaking Noise - The Silencer Experiment's overwhelming success has unintended consequences - 1 Reward
Interesting, a new Quest. I follow your Usagi Quest so I was curious when I got the alert for this, and it is a Worm Quest. And now I wonder how things will proceed from this point on. Like how will Parahumans be dealt with in this system? And the stats...hmmm.
… (Does math) Okay, so we have 75 points to spend, and getting everything to the cap would take 85 points, so this is a really generous stat spread. Basically put everything at the cap and then figure out which 10 points to take away.
Definitely want to cap Mysticism, since that raised cap compared to the rest of them intrigues me, and it probably has to do with whatever the crossover is. Diplomacy and Martial aren't canon Taylor's strong suits at this point in canon, so getting them down to "only" the level of your average highschooler sounds like a reasonable place to get 8 of the 10, and then since we're going to have to train Prowess up, anyway, we can grab the last two points off of there to still leave us better at fighting than a kindergartner. There, that works.
No Attribute may be below 4. No attribute, other than Mysticism may be above 12
Prowess may not begin below 1, and may not be higher than 7
Mysticism may not be above 18
So while there are some hints about what this crossover is, a bit of what Taylor is going to find at the Oroku Community Center and Halfway House for Displaced Teens, as well as the potential directions for her training to become a hero will be shaped at least in part by her starting stats.
[ ][Plan] This Vote needs to be in a Plan Format with a Name
- [ ] Diplomacy X
- [ ] Stewardship X
- [ ] Martial X
- [ ] Intrigue X
- [ ] Learning X
- [ ] Prowess X
- [ ] Mysticism X
Figured having High Schooler level in everything means no outstanding weaknesses, and being Average High Schooler in everything would actually be pretty impressive. Being Average Adult level already as a 15 year old is kind of odd anyways, and hey- we're only one point short from being the Riddler of Mysticism.
Figured having High Schooler level in everything means no outstanding weaknesses, and being Average High Schooler in everything would actually be pretty impressive. Being Average Adult level already as a 15 year old is kind of odd anyways, and hey- we're only one point short from being the Riddler of Mysticism.
What makes or breaks most worm stories (And, honestly, most stories) for me is the powers though. So I'ma hold out for a while till we learn what tay's power will be. I enjoy a good number of your other quests though, so I'm hoping it's something really neat.
Tried to make something that would actually work given the descriptions of Brockton Bay that the story itself has... but id didn't work out nearly as well as I liked. I'll probably continue fiddling with the map for a while yet, but first I need to get the sheets up for your new friends.
And as for a hint towards what is going on here, take a second look at the name of the community center.
Okay, I'm not trying to be shilly or whatever, but isn't Exceptionally Average more of an All-Rounder? Every Stat save Prowess & Mysticism are a 10, firmly inbetween High Schooler & Adult in capabilities. Prowess being at 7 means she'd be just shy of Average High Schooler, and with the -1 a 5 in Prowess effectively renders Taylor little better than a Kindergartener. Plus Mysticism, either way would be 18 points- aka a clear speciality.
Honestly, an average Highschooler being Average Highschooler tier is pretty reasonable anyways.
Okay, I'm not trying to be shilly or whatever, but isn't Exceptionally Average more of an All-Rounder? Every Stat save Prowess & Mysticism are a 10, firmly inbetween High Schooler & Adult in capabilities. Prowess being at 7 means she'd be just shy of Average High Schooler, and with the -1 a 5 in Prowess effectively renders Taylor little better than a Kindergartener. Plus Mysticism, either way would be 18 points- aka a clear speciality.
Honestly, an average Highschooler being Average Highschooler tier is pretty reasonable anyways.
So… Foot Ninjas? Honestly, their obsession with getting people to go to the Community Center felt a bit cultish to me anyways.
