Rajvik_wolfboy
Wolf amongst the stars.
- Location
- Florida
Thanks, i'll check Safebooru and if i find what i want, edit them in
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A CYOA in Worm or I think my name is No No
- Thread starter Rajvik_wolfboy
- Start date
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- Tags
- worm cyoa self insert
Thanks, i'll check Safebooru and if i find what i want, edit them in
other issues have been fixed
Chapter 4.10
Rajvik_wolfboy
Wolf amongst the stars.
- Location
- Florida
Chapter 4.10
**Emily Piggot**
I sighed as I stepped out of the stairwell and onto the Wards level of the headquarters. I could already hear music playing, which meant that the girls had apparently turned the sound up on the stereo system in the lounge to near deafening levels. This caused me to shake my head in exasperation as it was something that I would have to nip in the bud immediately if for no other reason than to keep them from destroying their hearing. One song ended and another started as I got closer to the door, and because of that, the music, and in particular the singer could be heard more clearly. Honestly, it shouldn't have surprised that it was Akane singing. When the bureaucrat from the Japanese consulate had contacted me and informed me of Hitomi's death and that they were questioning whether to leave her with a local family to finish her schooling in Japan, or send her to me, I had jumped on the chance to get to know her better. We were as close as we could be living on opposite sides of the planet and in completely different cultures, but we were family, and we did have a connection of sorts thanks to my brothers old six-string guitar. When she had been in middle-school she had joined the light music club there because she wanted to learn an instrument. It was during a phone call, as she had told me about it, that I had suggested sending her father's guitar to her for her to learn on she had jumped on the opportunity. Sending it was easy, my parents had long since died, and James and their things were simply gathering dust in storage, so a quick trip to the storage facility and then to the post office and an old six-string was winging its way across the Pacific to a little girl who was happy to have another piece of the father that she had never known to hold. The problem was that the government official handling the case on this end though was worried about my health.
**2-weeks prior**
"Madam," the consulate official said from across the table as she flipped through what appeared to be my PRT Personnel file. "I frankly don't know how you do what you are doing. You're on near nightly dialysis, severely overweight and would qualify for an eighty percent disability if you would be willing to take it." I lifted an eyebrow at her as she looked up at me from the file. "You refuse both Parahuman healing, or tinker-tech replacements for your damaged body parts and yet you continue to operate in a high stress job where you are forced to be both desk bound and unable to eat any more healthily than your average desk jockey. Quite frankly madam I am surprised you haven't keeled over from the stress and hyperglycemia." I smirked a bit at that, at least until the next words left her mouth. "That said, I have to lay down an ultimatum. Either you get healed, either through Panacea's ability or tinker-tech, or you take the disability. Refusal to do either will mean that I will have to tell the Public safety office that you are unfit to take Akane in as your health is likely to fail within the next few years, once again leaving her an orphan before her majority."
It honestly surprised me that my heart didn't stop right then. The life insurance payment, if husbanded properly, would allow Akane to either go to a decent university for the full four years while living on campus, or else survive for the next few years until she could get out of high-school and find a job to work her way through college. "So you're saying that for Akane to be able to come to the US and live with me, I have to either quit my job, something that while I know there are other people who could do it, I feel they are likely to make a mess out of before they got a handle on it, or trust the kind of people who left me high and dry in a combat situation and caused me to have these injuries in the first place."
To give the woman credit she blinked when I said that, though that may have been because of my tone of voice, then she blinked again and asked, "Director Piggot, has no one told you?"
"Told me what?" I asked coldly, I wasn't going to like what was about to be said, I could tell just by the way the woman's face became sympathetic.
"Akane triggered as a parahuman about a week before her mother's death as near as we can figure." She answered. "We, that is the Japanese government, don't really have a junior version of the Sentai. The underage members usually join in full and work in a sort of apprentice position with other members. We unfortunately do lose a lot of potential members to the Triads and the Yakuza, however I highly doubt that Akane would be one of those. The families that we expect to be willing to take her in are in their own ways very law abiding, though sometimes the damage to the scenery can get a little out of hand."
"How?" I asked white faced, "How did she trigger and with what kind of powers?" I wasn't scared of my own niece, not so long as she hadn't ended up with a power that changed her, and frankly I didn't think that even triggering could change the upbeat future troubleshooter that much.
"Did you hear about the Japanese Airlines flight that was hijacked two weeks ago," I nodded, and then if possible, went even more white faced causing the other woman to nod. "Akane's class was taking a trip and was on that flight when it was taken. We don't know the particulars, but whatever happened between the time they landed and the time they left caused her to trigger. When the class landed back at Narita her clothes were covered in blood, but she was unharmed."
"And her powers?" I asked and the woman simply shrugged.
"We don't have the ability to test parahumans, at least not minor parahumans. From interviews with her classmates we believe she became some sort of low-level combat thinker, but that could simply have been her previous martial arts experience. The upside is that once she was back home, she seemed to revert to normal, but…" the woman trailed off and I nodded.
"But then a week later, her mother died, and she has had to deal with that by herself ever since." I finished for her and then sighed. "I'll contact people and see what it will take to get myself healed, I'm not leaving Akane as a Ward of the state, nor am I going to see her end up apprenticed to someone who will take her into danger with little to no care for her well-being."
"Thank you, director," the official said simply. "Let us know when you have made your decision and effected either the healing or your discharge." I nodded to the woman before levering myself out of the chair and leaving.
A quick phone call to both Armsmaster and then to Brandish and it was arranged. Armsmaster didn't have the ability himself to make anything to replace my kidneys or right hip joint, but Panacea was scheduled to be at Brockton Bay General Hospital that night and Brandish told me that she would make sure that Panacea knew to expect me at some point that evening. I wasn't going to leave my niece to the system, pride and insecurities be damned.
**now**
Bypassing the alarm and delay on the door with my ID pass I opened the door to see Akane, Taylor and Katie sitting off to one side of the lounge, Akane's laptop sitting out on the coffee table open and facing them, but hooked up to the big screen and showing the faces of several young women and one guy. Each of the people on the TV screen had an instrument and were playing readily as was Akane while Taylor and Katie joined in on the singing. Checking the time, I nodded to myself and called out as the music ended. "Alright girls, I think its time to call it a night, noise ordinances and all that you know."
"Can we do one more song Aunt Em," Akane called over which was followed by a bevy of pleading from the television.
"Alright then," I said smiling, "One more, but keep it softer than that last one, we don't want the neighbors complaining."
Akane, Taylor and Katie all smirked at that but nodded. The dark-haired keyboardist nodded, "I know just the song, and so do you, so lead us off Akane." Then to the others around the TV she called out, "Last song," and Akane started to play.
**Saotome Mayumi**
I sighed as I approached the study shed in the back corner of the Kuno family property. I hadn't been sleeping properly since the class trip and with school having been back in session for a week, I had the feeling I was starting to fall behind. It was because of these things that I had tried to beg off going to my aunt's home for the weekly family dinner. My mother had insisted though, so I gathered my study materials and brought them with me in the hopes that I could either get some studying done, or maybe even a nap in the shed. Band practice would keep me from taking a nap prior to dinner, but maybe I would be able to concentrate on studying instead by letting the music keep me awake. Stepping up to the door, I could already hear the sound of Nirvana's "Smells like Teen Spirit" being played, I couldn't hear who they had singing though. Akane always loved to take Cobain's role in that song, my brain commented flashing an image of Akane working her way through the song's opening. She also loved how that song then turned on its head and dove into the grunge. I smirked at the thought as I shifted from my winter shoes to a pair of house slippers and pulled the inner door of the space open after putting the shoes in a cubby. "Last song," I heard Kagome say and frowned a bit. If they were stopping now then either whoever they had on acoustic wasn't making the cut, or else they had been going at it for hours already. Been at it for hours, my mind provided when I spied the dirty breakfast dishes sitting on the kotatsu. Well at least I might manage… It was then that my mind froze as the opening acoustic guitar riff started playing from the sound system.
Here she comes, mm, just like an angel.
Seems like forever that she's been on my mind.
Nothing has changed, she thinks I'm a waste of her time.
There she goes.
No, she don't know what she's missing.
Can't she see I'll never give up the fight.
I'll do all I can.
She understands my desire.
My heart clenched afresh as her voice filled the room. This had been the song she had gotten the music club to practice with her so she could ask me out that first time. It hurt hearing her sing it now, the memories it brought to the front of my mind, just as I was sure it did the same for her. Looking around, I spotted Kagome's laptop sitting on the sound board and plugged in, so I walked over and opened it. Seeing Akane sitting there playing her father's old acoustic guitar also hurt as I remembered the hours that she and I had spent, me watching and listening to her learning the chords and frets and how each one sounded when "picked" or "strummed." Hours spent in each other's company just talking, listening, solving each other's problems, secrets shared between us, and then sharing ourselves. Hugging myself I realized, I missed her, and I regretted asking her to stay away.
Everything hurt, including seeing that gaijin girl that looked eerily similar to me sitting next to Akane, but what made this so painful was that I couldn't blame her, not for anything. Even as my mind played back what happened on the plane as a part of the memory montage of our lives together, I couldn't find it in me to blame Akane. She had been protecting me, just like she always had, ever since the first day we met, and I had always let her. I had always known, deep down, that there was a ruthlessness in Akane, there wasn't anything she wouldn't do to keep me safe from anything and everything, including herself if I thought that was what was needed, and apparently, maybe even from myself. No, I thought, I ended our relationship, I was the one that told her to never contact me again. Spirits, three weeks, almost a month, and just hearing her voice and seeing her face made me want to hold her again. I couldn't do that right now as she had moved to where her aunt lived. What I could do, was possibly get a message out, maybe get through to her, and maybe, just maybe, she would forgive me enough to at least talk to me.
**Akane**
I wiped my face, clearing the small bit of tears from my face as the last notes died out. Looking up at my screen as I was about to tell the others good night, I froze at who was in the new window. It was then that she started to sing.
Looking back over the years
Of All the things I've always meant to say
But words didn't come easily
So many times through empty fears
Of all of the nights I tried to pick up the phone
So scared of who might be answering.
By the third line the rest of the group had picked up the song while I simply stared dumbfounded at the screen of my laptop. This was the song that she and I had learned to sing together, that we had done acapella for our mothers before explaining how we felt about each other. To me this and the song I had just done…THAT'S IT! the light came on in my mind and just in time for me to pick up the second verse.
**Taylor**
I smiled as I could hear both the love, and the heartbreak in their singing of the song. Glancing over at Katie I could see the wonder in her eyes as well. She senses it as well, I thought and then used a fly to catch her attention before pointing over to the Director. She nodded slightly and slipped off out of camera view and over to her, leaving me to do the same. Go get her Akane, I thought with a smile.
**
**Emily Piggot**
I sighed as I stepped out of the stairwell and onto the Wards level of the headquarters. I could already hear music playing, which meant that the girls had apparently turned the sound up on the stereo system in the lounge to near deafening levels. This caused me to shake my head in exasperation as it was something that I would have to nip in the bud immediately if for no other reason than to keep them from destroying their hearing. One song ended and another started as I got closer to the door, and because of that, the music, and in particular the singer could be heard more clearly. Honestly, it shouldn't have surprised that it was Akane singing. When the bureaucrat from the Japanese consulate had contacted me and informed me of Hitomi's death and that they were questioning whether to leave her with a local family to finish her schooling in Japan, or send her to me, I had jumped on the chance to get to know her better. We were as close as we could be living on opposite sides of the planet and in completely different cultures, but we were family, and we did have a connection of sorts thanks to my brothers old six-string guitar. When she had been in middle-school she had joined the light music club there because she wanted to learn an instrument. It was during a phone call, as she had told me about it, that I had suggested sending her father's guitar to her for her to learn on she had jumped on the opportunity. Sending it was easy, my parents had long since died, and James and their things were simply gathering dust in storage, so a quick trip to the storage facility and then to the post office and an old six-string was winging its way across the Pacific to a little girl who was happy to have another piece of the father that she had never known to hold. The problem was that the government official handling the case on this end though was worried about my health.
**2-weeks prior**
"Madam," the consulate official said from across the table as she flipped through what appeared to be my PRT Personnel file. "I frankly don't know how you do what you are doing. You're on near nightly dialysis, severely overweight and would qualify for an eighty percent disability if you would be willing to take it." I lifted an eyebrow at her as she looked up at me from the file. "You refuse both Parahuman healing, or tinker-tech replacements for your damaged body parts and yet you continue to operate in a high stress job where you are forced to be both desk bound and unable to eat any more healthily than your average desk jockey. Quite frankly madam I am surprised you haven't keeled over from the stress and hyperglycemia." I smirked a bit at that, at least until the next words left her mouth. "That said, I have to lay down an ultimatum. Either you get healed, either through Panacea's ability or tinker-tech, or you take the disability. Refusal to do either will mean that I will have to tell the Public safety office that you are unfit to take Akane in as your health is likely to fail within the next few years, once again leaving her an orphan before her majority."
It honestly surprised me that my heart didn't stop right then. The life insurance payment, if husbanded properly, would allow Akane to either go to a decent university for the full four years while living on campus, or else survive for the next few years until she could get out of high-school and find a job to work her way through college. "So you're saying that for Akane to be able to come to the US and live with me, I have to either quit my job, something that while I know there are other people who could do it, I feel they are likely to make a mess out of before they got a handle on it, or trust the kind of people who left me high and dry in a combat situation and caused me to have these injuries in the first place."
To give the woman credit she blinked when I said that, though that may have been because of my tone of voice, then she blinked again and asked, "Director Piggot, has no one told you?"
"Told me what?" I asked coldly, I wasn't going to like what was about to be said, I could tell just by the way the woman's face became sympathetic.
"Akane triggered as a parahuman about a week before her mother's death as near as we can figure." She answered. "We, that is the Japanese government, don't really have a junior version of the Sentai. The underage members usually join in full and work in a sort of apprentice position with other members. We unfortunately do lose a lot of potential members to the Triads and the Yakuza, however I highly doubt that Akane would be one of those. The families that we expect to be willing to take her in are in their own ways very law abiding, though sometimes the damage to the scenery can get a little out of hand."
"How?" I asked white faced, "How did she trigger and with what kind of powers?" I wasn't scared of my own niece, not so long as she hadn't ended up with a power that changed her, and frankly I didn't think that even triggering could change the upbeat future troubleshooter that much.
"Did you hear about the Japanese Airlines flight that was hijacked two weeks ago," I nodded, and then if possible, went even more white faced causing the other woman to nod. "Akane's class was taking a trip and was on that flight when it was taken. We don't know the particulars, but whatever happened between the time they landed and the time they left caused her to trigger. When the class landed back at Narita her clothes were covered in blood, but she was unharmed."
"And her powers?" I asked and the woman simply shrugged.
"We don't have the ability to test parahumans, at least not minor parahumans. From interviews with her classmates we believe she became some sort of low-level combat thinker, but that could simply have been her previous martial arts experience. The upside is that once she was back home, she seemed to revert to normal, but…" the woman trailed off and I nodded.
"But then a week later, her mother died, and she has had to deal with that by herself ever since." I finished for her and then sighed. "I'll contact people and see what it will take to get myself healed, I'm not leaving Akane as a Ward of the state, nor am I going to see her end up apprenticed to someone who will take her into danger with little to no care for her well-being."
"Thank you, director," the official said simply. "Let us know when you have made your decision and effected either the healing or your discharge." I nodded to the woman before levering myself out of the chair and leaving.
A quick phone call to both Armsmaster and then to Brandish and it was arranged. Armsmaster didn't have the ability himself to make anything to replace my kidneys or right hip joint, but Panacea was scheduled to be at Brockton Bay General Hospital that night and Brandish told me that she would make sure that Panacea knew to expect me at some point that evening. I wasn't going to leave my niece to the system, pride and insecurities be damned.
**now**
Bypassing the alarm and delay on the door with my ID pass I opened the door to see Akane, Taylor and Katie sitting off to one side of the lounge, Akane's laptop sitting out on the coffee table open and facing them, but hooked up to the big screen and showing the faces of several young women and one guy. Each of the people on the TV screen had an instrument and were playing readily as was Akane while Taylor and Katie joined in on the singing. Checking the time, I nodded to myself and called out as the music ended. "Alright girls, I think its time to call it a night, noise ordinances and all that you know."
"Can we do one more song Aunt Em," Akane called over which was followed by a bevy of pleading from the television.
"Alright then," I said smiling, "One more, but keep it softer than that last one, we don't want the neighbors complaining."
Akane, Taylor and Katie all smirked at that but nodded. The dark-haired keyboardist nodded, "I know just the song, and so do you, so lead us off Akane." Then to the others around the TV she called out, "Last song," and Akane started to play.
**Saotome Mayumi**
I sighed as I approached the study shed in the back corner of the Kuno family property. I hadn't been sleeping properly since the class trip and with school having been back in session for a week, I had the feeling I was starting to fall behind. It was because of these things that I had tried to beg off going to my aunt's home for the weekly family dinner. My mother had insisted though, so I gathered my study materials and brought them with me in the hopes that I could either get some studying done, or maybe even a nap in the shed. Band practice would keep me from taking a nap prior to dinner, but maybe I would be able to concentrate on studying instead by letting the music keep me awake. Stepping up to the door, I could already hear the sound of Nirvana's "Smells like Teen Spirit" being played, I couldn't hear who they had singing though. Akane always loved to take Cobain's role in that song, my brain commented flashing an image of Akane working her way through the song's opening. She also loved how that song then turned on its head and dove into the grunge. I smirked at the thought as I shifted from my winter shoes to a pair of house slippers and pulled the inner door of the space open after putting the shoes in a cubby. "Last song," I heard Kagome say and frowned a bit. If they were stopping now then either whoever they had on acoustic wasn't making the cut, or else they had been going at it for hours already. Been at it for hours, my mind provided when I spied the dirty breakfast dishes sitting on the kotatsu. Well at least I might manage… It was then that my mind froze as the opening acoustic guitar riff started playing from the sound system.
Here she comes, mm, just like an angel.
Seems like forever that she's been on my mind.
Nothing has changed, she thinks I'm a waste of her time.
There she goes.
No, she don't know what she's missing.
Can't she see I'll never give up the fight.
I'll do all I can.
She understands my desire.
My heart clenched afresh as her voice filled the room. This had been the song she had gotten the music club to practice with her so she could ask me out that first time. It hurt hearing her sing it now, the memories it brought to the front of my mind, just as I was sure it did the same for her. Looking around, I spotted Kagome's laptop sitting on the sound board and plugged in, so I walked over and opened it. Seeing Akane sitting there playing her father's old acoustic guitar also hurt as I remembered the hours that she and I had spent, me watching and listening to her learning the chords and frets and how each one sounded when "picked" or "strummed." Hours spent in each other's company just talking, listening, solving each other's problems, secrets shared between us, and then sharing ourselves. Hugging myself I realized, I missed her, and I regretted asking her to stay away.
Everything hurt, including seeing that gaijin girl that looked eerily similar to me sitting next to Akane, but what made this so painful was that I couldn't blame her, not for anything. Even as my mind played back what happened on the plane as a part of the memory montage of our lives together, I couldn't find it in me to blame Akane. She had been protecting me, just like she always had, ever since the first day we met, and I had always let her. I had always known, deep down, that there was a ruthlessness in Akane, there wasn't anything she wouldn't do to keep me safe from anything and everything, including herself if I thought that was what was needed, and apparently, maybe even from myself. No, I thought, I ended our relationship, I was the one that told her to never contact me again. Spirits, three weeks, almost a month, and just hearing her voice and seeing her face made me want to hold her again. I couldn't do that right now as she had moved to where her aunt lived. What I could do, was possibly get a message out, maybe get through to her, and maybe, just maybe, she would forgive me enough to at least talk to me.
**Akane**
I wiped my face, clearing the small bit of tears from my face as the last notes died out. Looking up at my screen as I was about to tell the others good night, I froze at who was in the new window. It was then that she started to sing.
Looking back over the years
Of All the things I've always meant to say
But words didn't come easily
So many times through empty fears
Of all of the nights I tried to pick up the phone
So scared of who might be answering.
By the third line the rest of the group had picked up the song while I simply stared dumbfounded at the screen of my laptop. This was the song that she and I had learned to sing together, that we had done acapella for our mothers before explaining how we felt about each other. To me this and the song I had just done…THAT'S IT! the light came on in my mind and just in time for me to pick up the second verse.
**Taylor**
I smiled as I could hear both the love, and the heartbreak in their singing of the song. Glancing over at Katie I could see the wonder in her eyes as well. She senses it as well, I thought and then used a fly to catch her attention before pointing over to the Director. She nodded slightly and slipped off out of camera view and over to her, leaving me to do the same. Go get her Akane, I thought with a smile.
**
Last edited:
- Location
- In My Parlour like a Good Arachne
- Pronouns
- She, her
Silly Taylor. It is too late for you methinks. But something tells me you will be clueless until Katie pushes you into Akane's lips ...
Rajvik_wolfboy
Wolf amongst the stars.
- Location
- Florida
EG, who says she hasn't alreadyThe last bit of the chapter is in all italics.
Also: Kyon and Haruhi, eh? Woe betide all if she triggers.
Cue maniacal laughter
Welp, guess my Pluto bunker is no longer safe. Time to leave the galaxy.
Pfft. Like that would help.
I need the run up.
Vista has armor in canon.
Prince Charon
Just zis guy, you know?
She has a breastplate that looks like armour, at least, but I'm not sure how protective it is, and I believe it was designed to make her look older.
Interlude: Miss Militia
Rajvik_wolfboy
Wolf amongst the stars.
- Location
- Florida
**Miss Militia**
Walking into the Ward's common area I looked around and counted five of the six Wards I was hoping to find here. "Where's Chris?" I asked scanning their faces.
"Getting a snack," Dennis answered pointing towards the kitchenette causing me to turn and see Kid Win coming out with a bag of chips.
Once he sat down and had offered the bag around the group, I spoke, catching their attention. "There are some things that we need to discuss this afternoon," I told them. "And while I know you are here off the clock this is rather important so pay attention." I pinned Dennis with a stare with that last point as he had a habit of only half listening. "As many if not all of you may know, yesterday the Merchants hit Weymouth Mall. They did this while Akane and Taylor were there with Glory Girl and Panacea." The response to this was expected, chuckles and cringes at what they expected happened to the Merchants. "Also, amongst the crowd was one other parahuman who, because of her actions yesterday, was offered a position as a probationary Ward."
"Another new Ward?" Dean asked. "We seem to be hitting the lottery when it comes to new capes this month."
"Is the newbie a complete rookie?" Carlos asked, "or do they have some experience?"
"Oh they have experience," I answered, "a serious Striker with Mover and Blaster sub-ratings," they all blinked at that. "The point being though is that because of her home-life she's going to be living here in Headquarters for a little while, at least until we can get her housing situation sorted out."
"Miss Militia," Missy piped up, "I'm sorry but I can't think of a hero anywhere, independent, vigilante, or Ward that fits those criteria."
"That's because until yesterday she was considered a villain," I stated calmly and then let the screams of "What?!?" wash over me.
Finally though, the hubbub died down and Dean asked the question, "Vicky told me that Rune helped with the situation at the mall, is that who's joining us?"
I nodded and Dennis gave a rueful shake of his head. "So Sabrina the Teenaged Nazi is pulling a Von Stauffenberg," he commented earning raised eyebrows from the rest of the group. "I have only two questions regarding this." I nodded for him to continue. "First, how likely is this to be a feint or ploy to gain inside intel on the Wards and Protectorate? Second, whatever reason she gave for turning to us, do you believe her?"
The others nodded to this making me smile, When Dean and Carlos move up to the Protectorate, you're going to find leadership very interesting Dennis. "To answer your second question first, Yes, both the director and myself believe her, as does Akane and Taylor." The group all nodded to this giving it the weight each person felt that it deserved. "Furthermore, her bridges with the Empire are thoroughly burned. In fact, if it wasn't for the unwritten rules, I think Othala would be sitting in a holding cell about now going by what happened when we went to get Rune's things this morning.
**9am**
Getting into the building downtown was easy, even deep into Empire territory like it was, it still had a delivery entrance for large, heavy items. That entrance only needed an occupant's key card to operate, the same as the freight elevator which we used to transport a four-man team, Rune and myself up the apartment building and to the apartment that Rune was sharing with her cousin and her cousin's husband. "Hopefully they will be gone," Rune said. "If that's the case, we'll be able to just grab my stuff and go. In case they aren't though, I will go in first to diffuse any possible issues. Ophelia means well, but she's given herself completely over to the cause."
I nodded to that, zealots could cause issues for anyone, and someone with that kind of belief and a willingness to die for their beliefs would be trouble. it's what suicide bombers are made of, my mind jibed at me. "I'll go in with you, the others can wait in the hall unless they are needed." Rune nodded to that and when the elevator opened led the way to a non-descript door where she once again used her keycard to unlock the door.
I heard the electronic clunk of the lock disengaging as Rune turned the handle and pushed the door in, "This won't take long," Rune said as we walked in, and then I could hear someone talking to her from deeper inside the apartment.
"Oh thank God you finally showed up," a woman said from inside the apartment and to the right. "Everyone has been worried that something had happened. Get changed real quick and I'll let everyone know that you're fine…" she trailed off as she rounded the corner and saw us, even as the winter coat she had been shrugging into settled on her shoulders. "Well this is unexpected." She finished flatly.
"Ophe, just stay calm," Rune said raising her hands to show they were empty. "We're just here for me to get my stuff and then we're out of here."
"Really," the other person, a young brunette woman about 25-years of age said. "And why is the PRT and one of their "Heroes" here with you to get your things?"
"Because I'll be joining the Wards this afternoon," Rune answered maybe a little hotly. "I've finally seen through the BS that," she paused for a minute before continuing, obviously having chosen a different word than what she had planned. "I've seen through what he's been shoveling to us for years and I'm leaving while there's an offer on the table."
The pair glared at each other for a couple of minutes before the older one sagged, sighed and nodded. "Alright Katie," she said moving over to a table set in a dining nook. "Go get your things, I know when I'm not going to change your mind."
"Thanks Ophelia," Rune replied and took off down the side hall at a jog.
"Simmons," I said calling forward a female trooper. "Go with her, help her pack her things." The trooper nodded and followed Rune at a more sedate pace. Turning my attention back to the young woman that I assumed was Rune's cousin, I continued talking. "I imagine there are a lot of questions running through your mind at the moment, and while I can't tell you much, I can say that she chose this without any pressure whatsoever."
"Ophelia," snorted slightly at that. "I don't know if there could be a truer statement than that in the entire world," she said, a wistful smile crossing her face. "With her it is an easy thing to say that no one can force that girl to do anything she doesn't want to do. She's stubborn as a goat and twice as hardheaded that's for certain, but a good heart in her all the same."
I smiled at that, "I don't know her yet," I replied, "but she could have kept her head down yesterday and she didn't. That makes her good people in my book."
Ophelia nodded to that, "Just keep her clear of Shadow Stalker please." She said causing me to raise an eyebrow at that. "It's nothing to do with the, cause, but the girl had a habit of shooting first and asking questions never and Katie would usually be the one tasked with bringing in the wounded after an ambush."
I sighed at that and mumbled, "Nobody is perfect, but that girl…" I let myself trail off for a moment before looking at Ophelia and replying, "Shadow Stalker is well out of the picture and no longer capable of being an issue." This caused both of her eyebrows to move towards her hairline only for Rune and Simmons to return to the room. Rune had a backpack and a suitcase while Simmons was dragging a rolling case in her off hand.
"That's all of it," she said looking at the two of us. "Ophe, heres the keycard to the place," she continued laying the keycard that had gotten us in and up the freight elevator in the first place. "I wiped the laptop once I had all my files pulled out, so it should be good to use again."
"You could have the computer, you silly girl," Ophelia said standing up and pulling Rune into a hug. "And also remember, you can always come home if you choose."
Rune hugged her back before holding her at arms-length, "It's a nice and generous though Ophelia," Rune said smiling sadly. "But unless you suddenly decide to come join me, then this is goodbye."
"Never goodbye cousin," Ophelia said letting go of Rune and stepping back. "Only good luck, and good hunting," she continued. "No matter which side either of us is on. Now get out of here before my husband comes to see what's taking so long."
Rune smiled before grabbing the handle of her suitcase and leading the way back out of the apartment and back the way we had come. "One last thing Miss Militia," Ophelia said as we reached the door. "Make sure someone has her back, some of our mutual, acquaintances are not as, accommodating or accepting as I am.
"I won't say don't worry," I told her in a low voice, "you will anyway. But she has a couple of good ones watching out for her, both in and out of costume."
"Thank you," Ophelia said with a nod and then closed the door behind me, leaving me to go back the way we had come in, to the freight elevator, and the quiet trip to our next stop.
**10am**
"Katie, what are you…" the brunette that opened the door stopped speaking when she saw me off to one side of Rune. I had changed clothes to a set of PRT undress BDU's instead of my usual costume. "Katie, is there a problem?"
"Can we come in Kayden?" Rune asked looking a bit sheepish. "What we need to discuss, it's not for open discussion." The brunette raised an eyebrow at that but nodded and stepped back, allowing us to enter.
Closing the door Kayden asked, "What is the issue Katie," as we stepped into a combination living room/dining room and Kayden gestured at the small table.
"Were you serious about going to the light side Kayden?" Rune asked in a low voice causing the woman's head to snap up and glare at Rune. "I remember when you left Max you said you had to change things to keep her safe, to raise Aster right. Do you still want to do that?"
The woman cut a glance at me and then sighed, "I do," she answered looking back at Rune. "The problem is that Max has such power and reach, I highly doubt I could get Aster, let alone Theo clear of him."
"Depending on what you can give us on him," I said softly, "we could likely get you into witness protection. Between that and rebranding as a hero," I looked her in the face, "if we can get enough on him, he won't be an issue to anyone but the prison system, the Birdcage if he pushes matters to far."
Kayden's eyes went wide at that, looking at me and then returning her gaze to Rune who nodded. "I'm telling them everything I know about him, Brad, and Uncle James, and then thinking about it, I remembered you wanting to do better. I didn't give anyone your name, and Hannah here will keep this quiet, but I was hoping you would come in with us and help take them down."
Kayden thought about it for a moment while looking at the infant sleeping in the playpen. "Do you really think they'll relocate us? Get us clear of their reach, the Gesellschafts' reach?"
"I won't lie to you, and I won't make you any promises," I told her. "But if what Katie tells me is true, you knew Mr. Anders and his operations better than anyone else, and I know a series of three letter agencies that would love to know what you do about him."
Kayden smiled a grim, but apparently infectious smile. "This is going to go international, and it's going to embarrass some big names in certain communities." Kayden finally answered. "That said though, I'm in I'll do anything for my little girl."
I nodded at her, "Then let's get the two of you out of here."
Walking into the Ward's common area I looked around and counted five of the six Wards I was hoping to find here. "Where's Chris?" I asked scanning their faces.
"Getting a snack," Dennis answered pointing towards the kitchenette causing me to turn and see Kid Win coming out with a bag of chips.
Once he sat down and had offered the bag around the group, I spoke, catching their attention. "There are some things that we need to discuss this afternoon," I told them. "And while I know you are here off the clock this is rather important so pay attention." I pinned Dennis with a stare with that last point as he had a habit of only half listening. "As many if not all of you may know, yesterday the Merchants hit Weymouth Mall. They did this while Akane and Taylor were there with Glory Girl and Panacea." The response to this was expected, chuckles and cringes at what they expected happened to the Merchants. "Also, amongst the crowd was one other parahuman who, because of her actions yesterday, was offered a position as a probationary Ward."
"Another new Ward?" Dean asked. "We seem to be hitting the lottery when it comes to new capes this month."
"Is the newbie a complete rookie?" Carlos asked, "or do they have some experience?"
"Oh they have experience," I answered, "a serious Striker with Mover and Blaster sub-ratings," they all blinked at that. "The point being though is that because of her home-life she's going to be living here in Headquarters for a little while, at least until we can get her housing situation sorted out."
"Miss Militia," Missy piped up, "I'm sorry but I can't think of a hero anywhere, independent, vigilante, or Ward that fits those criteria."
"That's because until yesterday she was considered a villain," I stated calmly and then let the screams of "What?!?" wash over me.
Finally though, the hubbub died down and Dean asked the question, "Vicky told me that Rune helped with the situation at the mall, is that who's joining us?"
I nodded and Dennis gave a rueful shake of his head. "So Sabrina the Teenaged Nazi is pulling a Von Stauffenberg," he commented earning raised eyebrows from the rest of the group. "I have only two questions regarding this." I nodded for him to continue. "First, how likely is this to be a feint or ploy to gain inside intel on the Wards and Protectorate? Second, whatever reason she gave for turning to us, do you believe her?"
The others nodded to this making me smile, When Dean and Carlos move up to the Protectorate, you're going to find leadership very interesting Dennis. "To answer your second question first, Yes, both the director and myself believe her, as does Akane and Taylor." The group all nodded to this giving it the weight each person felt that it deserved. "Furthermore, her bridges with the Empire are thoroughly burned. In fact, if it wasn't for the unwritten rules, I think Othala would be sitting in a holding cell about now going by what happened when we went to get Rune's things this morning.
**9am**
Getting into the building downtown was easy, even deep into Empire territory like it was, it still had a delivery entrance for large, heavy items. That entrance only needed an occupant's key card to operate, the same as the freight elevator which we used to transport a four-man team, Rune and myself up the apartment building and to the apartment that Rune was sharing with her cousin and her cousin's husband. "Hopefully they will be gone," Rune said. "If that's the case, we'll be able to just grab my stuff and go. In case they aren't though, I will go in first to diffuse any possible issues. Ophelia means well, but she's given herself completely over to the cause."
I nodded to that, zealots could cause issues for anyone, and someone with that kind of belief and a willingness to die for their beliefs would be trouble. it's what suicide bombers are made of, my mind jibed at me. "I'll go in with you, the others can wait in the hall unless they are needed." Rune nodded to that and when the elevator opened led the way to a non-descript door where she once again used her keycard to unlock the door.
I heard the electronic clunk of the lock disengaging as Rune turned the handle and pushed the door in, "This won't take long," Rune said as we walked in, and then I could hear someone talking to her from deeper inside the apartment.
"Oh thank God you finally showed up," a woman said from inside the apartment and to the right. "Everyone has been worried that something had happened. Get changed real quick and I'll let everyone know that you're fine…" she trailed off as she rounded the corner and saw us, even as the winter coat she had been shrugging into settled on her shoulders. "Well this is unexpected." She finished flatly.
"Ophe, just stay calm," Rune said raising her hands to show they were empty. "We're just here for me to get my stuff and then we're out of here."
"Really," the other person, a young brunette woman about 25-years of age said. "And why is the PRT and one of their "Heroes" here with you to get your things?"
"Because I'll be joining the Wards this afternoon," Rune answered maybe a little hotly. "I've finally seen through the BS that," she paused for a minute before continuing, obviously having chosen a different word than what she had planned. "I've seen through what he's been shoveling to us for years and I'm leaving while there's an offer on the table."
The pair glared at each other for a couple of minutes before the older one sagged, sighed and nodded. "Alright Katie," she said moving over to a table set in a dining nook. "Go get your things, I know when I'm not going to change your mind."
"Thanks Ophelia," Rune replied and took off down the side hall at a jog.
"Simmons," I said calling forward a female trooper. "Go with her, help her pack her things." The trooper nodded and followed Rune at a more sedate pace. Turning my attention back to the young woman that I assumed was Rune's cousin, I continued talking. "I imagine there are a lot of questions running through your mind at the moment, and while I can't tell you much, I can say that she chose this without any pressure whatsoever."
"Ophelia," snorted slightly at that. "I don't know if there could be a truer statement than that in the entire world," she said, a wistful smile crossing her face. "With her it is an easy thing to say that no one can force that girl to do anything she doesn't want to do. She's stubborn as a goat and twice as hardheaded that's for certain, but a good heart in her all the same."
I smiled at that, "I don't know her yet," I replied, "but she could have kept her head down yesterday and she didn't. That makes her good people in my book."
Ophelia nodded to that, "Just keep her clear of Shadow Stalker please." She said causing me to raise an eyebrow at that. "It's nothing to do with the, cause, but the girl had a habit of shooting first and asking questions never and Katie would usually be the one tasked with bringing in the wounded after an ambush."
I sighed at that and mumbled, "Nobody is perfect, but that girl…" I let myself trail off for a moment before looking at Ophelia and replying, "Shadow Stalker is well out of the picture and no longer capable of being an issue." This caused both of her eyebrows to move towards her hairline only for Rune and Simmons to return to the room. Rune had a backpack and a suitcase while Simmons was dragging a rolling case in her off hand.
"That's all of it," she said looking at the two of us. "Ophe, heres the keycard to the place," she continued laying the keycard that had gotten us in and up the freight elevator in the first place. "I wiped the laptop once I had all my files pulled out, so it should be good to use again."
"You could have the computer, you silly girl," Ophelia said standing up and pulling Rune into a hug. "And also remember, you can always come home if you choose."
Rune hugged her back before holding her at arms-length, "It's a nice and generous though Ophelia," Rune said smiling sadly. "But unless you suddenly decide to come join me, then this is goodbye."
"Never goodbye cousin," Ophelia said letting go of Rune and stepping back. "Only good luck, and good hunting," she continued. "No matter which side either of us is on. Now get out of here before my husband comes to see what's taking so long."
Rune smiled before grabbing the handle of her suitcase and leading the way back out of the apartment and back the way we had come. "One last thing Miss Militia," Ophelia said as we reached the door. "Make sure someone has her back, some of our mutual, acquaintances are not as, accommodating or accepting as I am.
"I won't say don't worry," I told her in a low voice, "you will anyway. But she has a couple of good ones watching out for her, both in and out of costume."
"Thank you," Ophelia said with a nod and then closed the door behind me, leaving me to go back the way we had come in, to the freight elevator, and the quiet trip to our next stop.
**10am**
"Katie, what are you…" the brunette that opened the door stopped speaking when she saw me off to one side of Rune. I had changed clothes to a set of PRT undress BDU's instead of my usual costume. "Katie, is there a problem?"
"Can we come in Kayden?" Rune asked looking a bit sheepish. "What we need to discuss, it's not for open discussion." The brunette raised an eyebrow at that but nodded and stepped back, allowing us to enter.
Closing the door Kayden asked, "What is the issue Katie," as we stepped into a combination living room/dining room and Kayden gestured at the small table.
"Were you serious about going to the light side Kayden?" Rune asked in a low voice causing the woman's head to snap up and glare at Rune. "I remember when you left Max you said you had to change things to keep her safe, to raise Aster right. Do you still want to do that?"
The woman cut a glance at me and then sighed, "I do," she answered looking back at Rune. "The problem is that Max has such power and reach, I highly doubt I could get Aster, let alone Theo clear of him."
"Depending on what you can give us on him," I said softly, "we could likely get you into witness protection. Between that and rebranding as a hero," I looked her in the face, "if we can get enough on him, he won't be an issue to anyone but the prison system, the Birdcage if he pushes matters to far."
Kayden's eyes went wide at that, looking at me and then returning her gaze to Rune who nodded. "I'm telling them everything I know about him, Brad, and Uncle James, and then thinking about it, I remembered you wanting to do better. I didn't give anyone your name, and Hannah here will keep this quiet, but I was hoping you would come in with us and help take them down."
Kayden thought about it for a moment while looking at the infant sleeping in the playpen. "Do you really think they'll relocate us? Get us clear of their reach, the Gesellschafts' reach?"
"I won't lie to you, and I won't make you any promises," I told her. "But if what Katie tells me is true, you knew Mr. Anders and his operations better than anyone else, and I know a series of three letter agencies that would love to know what you do about him."
Kayden smiled a grim, but apparently infectious smile. "This is going to go international, and it's going to embarrass some big names in certain communities." Kayden finally answered. "That said though, I'm in I'll do anything for my little girl."
I nodded at her, "Then let's get the two of you out of here."
- Location
- In My Parlour like a Good Arachne
- Pronouns
- She, her
Likely because he was with his dad and/or School. They did do this early in the morning by the looks of things.
Tisaku
Head Chief Thinkomancer
Chapter 5
Rajvik_wolfboy
Wolf amongst the stars.
- Location
- Florida
**
Chapter 5
**Taylor**
"1 Tsuki 3-nichi no 7-ji 45-bu made ni rokkā." Akane was muttering in her sleep as I checked on her. "Kyanbera no 2 tsuki no kibō satsujin-sha." I was planning to wake her up as it was already ten, but standing in the doorway watching her mumble in her sleep was entertaining in its own way and I wished I had my phone on my so that I could record her and ask her what it all meant. "Man'naka no kodomo wa 5 tsuki chūjun ni burokkuton o osoimasu."
"Akane," I said trying to wake her gently. Her response was to mutter "Chōnan wa 8 tsuki ni Indo o otozuremasu." So I raised my voice a little and called her name again, "Akane!"
"Mphll" she answered into her pillow before raising her head and looking at me blearily.
"Time for breakfast," I told her before heading back to the Wards lounge and the kitchenette where the bacon was cooking. "How do you want your eggs Akane?" I called back as I turned the current crop of pork strips.
A minute or so later Akane stumbled into the common room and looked at me, "What did you ask?" she asked me.
"How do you want your eggs," I said as I pulled the current strips of bacon out of the pan and dropped another set in. The pan was only big enough for three or four full sized strips at a time, thus making it a small production to cook an entire pound. "I can make you some fried, scrambled, or an omelet, take your pick."
She looked at me for a moment before shaking her head and giving me a hug, "Thanks Taylor," she said resting her head against my shoulder. "Just a couple scrambled is fine, I'm going to get a shower and fully wake up, I'll be back in about ten or so."
"Kay," I said as she shambled back toward the rooms and showers and I turned my attention back to the bacon before reaching over and turning up the radio that sat on another counter. I was in too good a mood for too much silence.
**Akane**
Hot water cascading across my head seemed to wake me up, even as I scrubbed my face with my water filled hands. I hated waking up after long nights like last night, I had ended up spending until about five in the morning talking with Mayumi and her family, getting my life back there back on track a bit. At least I could call and talk with her again without upsetting her, or at least I hoped it would be without upsetting her. The fact that she had spent the last few weeks getting little to no sleep due to what happened on the flight disturbed me. I never intended to scare her, I had just wanted to keep her safe, and dealing with the terrorists had seemed like the best way to do that. The problem was of course that dealing with the terrorists had required being a bloodthirsty and cold-hearted bitch.
I sighed and shut off the water. Last night had allowed some closure though, and at least Mayumi and I were talking again. Part of the problem was that it happened at all, and it was going to take more discussion to work things out, assuming the two of us decided that we wanted to try and make a go of things. It wasn't long before I stepped out of the bathroom, my thoughts having carried me through drying off and dressing. Re-entering the kitchen, I found Taylor finishing up putting breakfast together. It wasn't anything particularly difficult, just scrambled eggs and bacon with toast and juice to go with it, still though, it made me happy that she had at least thought of me. "Thanks Taylor," I said as she handed me one of the two plates, "it smells great."
Taylor blushed a little at the compliment and sat down opposite me at the counter, "Hanging out with your friends last night was fun," she said after a moment. "I never realized I was tired until it was over."
I nodded, "Adrenaline crash," I explained, scooping some eggs up from my plate. "That was perfectly normal after something like yesterday, did you at least sleep well?" Having asked a question, I took a bite of the eggs and felt my eyes start to roll. She had scrambled them but had used the bacon grease to keep them from sticking to the pan. So Good! I thought, almost not hearing her answer
"I was out like a light as soon as my head hit the pillow," She answered. "You seemed a bit out of it this morning though, how late did you stay up talking?"
"Almost five," I answered, and Taylor got this look of utter panic on her face. "Don't worry about having woke me up," I continued. "I need to keep the same sleep cycle as everyone else, it just means I will probably go to bed a little earlier tonight so that I can get up on time for school tomorrow." She eyeballed me a for another minute while I enjoyed a piece of bacon before finally calming down and asking another question.
"I know you probably don't want to talk about it, and that's fine if you don't," she said looking away for a minute. "But what did that Youth Guard twit say that had you so steamed last night?"
I sighed around another mouthful of eggs, Taylor, for all her issues, cared more about those around her than herself. Kind of like I would, she put her friend's feelings, needs and desires ahead of her own. Gotta love her, I thought as I finished the food in my mouth before answering. "She cursed my parents and grandparents, not realizing that both were dead," I said as calmly as I could. "She one of those people who thinks that violence is never the answer, or at least if violence must be used, then it should be an adult using it against an adult, not a teen."
And there's the expected explosion, I thought as I watched Taylor's eyes go wide and her face go an interesting shade of red. "That FUCKING BITCH! Taylor snarled standing up and leaning on the counter. "Next time I see that little fucking shit stain…"
"Taylor," I said, cutting off her rant and drawing the flashing eyes of her anger, Holy fuck she's hot, I thought for a heartbeat. "I can fight my own battles when it comes to bureaucratic little turds like her, don't worry about it. Calm down, sit down and enjoy your breakfast."
Taylor looked at me for a moment before taking a deep breath and sitting back down. "At least tell me she got called down for it," Taylor said before shoving an entire piece of bacon in her mouth angrily.
"I think they tried," I answered. "Though they both may have been a bit in shock as I went toe to toe with the bitch." At that point I took a second to breathe and center myself. "That said, I did sort of start it," Taylor spocked an eyebrow at that so I explained. "She tried to harangue Aunt Emily, and I stepped in, playing like I didn't speak English very well and called her a fucking idiot in Japanese. Her main problem is that she is blinded by her ideology, and between her can't we all just get along, kumbaya mentality and her need to make a mark protecting children from people who in her mind will only abuse them, well, it's easy for someone like her to be blinded to the truth."
"The truth being that sometimes you have to fight for what you believe in," Taylor said more calmly than she seemed to feel. "It doesn't matter if we want to or not, it has to be done."
"Not quite, but close," I replied. "Violence is one possible solution, should we always default to it, no. Having it available when it is needed however, should always be on the table." Because sometimes all you can do is smash your opponent.
Taylor nodded, a thoughtful look on her face as we finished our breakfast. As we were cleaning up she finally spoke up again, "That girl that showed up at the end, just as your aunt was breaking up the party, the one who started that last song," she said as she handed me a plate to dry.
"Yeah," I answered, "what about her?"
"That was Mayumi, right?" Taylor asked. "You never told me how much she and I resembled each other, nor why you broke up." And there went my face, bright as a fire engine I was sure, TAYLOR!?! I moaned mentally.
**
Chapter 5
**Taylor**
"1 Tsuki 3-nichi no 7-ji 45-bu made ni rokkā." Akane was muttering in her sleep as I checked on her. "Kyanbera no 2 tsuki no kibō satsujin-sha." I was planning to wake her up as it was already ten, but standing in the doorway watching her mumble in her sleep was entertaining in its own way and I wished I had my phone on my so that I could record her and ask her what it all meant. "Man'naka no kodomo wa 5 tsuki chūjun ni burokkuton o osoimasu."
"Akane," I said trying to wake her gently. Her response was to mutter "Chōnan wa 8 tsuki ni Indo o otozuremasu." So I raised my voice a little and called her name again, "Akane!"
"Mphll" she answered into her pillow before raising her head and looking at me blearily.
"Time for breakfast," I told her before heading back to the Wards lounge and the kitchenette where the bacon was cooking. "How do you want your eggs Akane?" I called back as I turned the current crop of pork strips.
A minute or so later Akane stumbled into the common room and looked at me, "What did you ask?" she asked me.
"How do you want your eggs," I said as I pulled the current strips of bacon out of the pan and dropped another set in. The pan was only big enough for three or four full sized strips at a time, thus making it a small production to cook an entire pound. "I can make you some fried, scrambled, or an omelet, take your pick."
She looked at me for a moment before shaking her head and giving me a hug, "Thanks Taylor," she said resting her head against my shoulder. "Just a couple scrambled is fine, I'm going to get a shower and fully wake up, I'll be back in about ten or so."
"Kay," I said as she shambled back toward the rooms and showers and I turned my attention back to the bacon before reaching over and turning up the radio that sat on another counter. I was in too good a mood for too much silence.
**Akane**
Hot water cascading across my head seemed to wake me up, even as I scrubbed my face with my water filled hands. I hated waking up after long nights like last night, I had ended up spending until about five in the morning talking with Mayumi and her family, getting my life back there back on track a bit. At least I could call and talk with her again without upsetting her, or at least I hoped it would be without upsetting her. The fact that she had spent the last few weeks getting little to no sleep due to what happened on the flight disturbed me. I never intended to scare her, I had just wanted to keep her safe, and dealing with the terrorists had seemed like the best way to do that. The problem was of course that dealing with the terrorists had required being a bloodthirsty and cold-hearted bitch.
I sighed and shut off the water. Last night had allowed some closure though, and at least Mayumi and I were talking again. Part of the problem was that it happened at all, and it was going to take more discussion to work things out, assuming the two of us decided that we wanted to try and make a go of things. It wasn't long before I stepped out of the bathroom, my thoughts having carried me through drying off and dressing. Re-entering the kitchen, I found Taylor finishing up putting breakfast together. It wasn't anything particularly difficult, just scrambled eggs and bacon with toast and juice to go with it, still though, it made me happy that she had at least thought of me. "Thanks Taylor," I said as she handed me one of the two plates, "it smells great."
Taylor blushed a little at the compliment and sat down opposite me at the counter, "Hanging out with your friends last night was fun," she said after a moment. "I never realized I was tired until it was over."
I nodded, "Adrenaline crash," I explained, scooping some eggs up from my plate. "That was perfectly normal after something like yesterday, did you at least sleep well?" Having asked a question, I took a bite of the eggs and felt my eyes start to roll. She had scrambled them but had used the bacon grease to keep them from sticking to the pan. So Good! I thought, almost not hearing her answer
"I was out like a light as soon as my head hit the pillow," She answered. "You seemed a bit out of it this morning though, how late did you stay up talking?"
"Almost five," I answered, and Taylor got this look of utter panic on her face. "Don't worry about having woke me up," I continued. "I need to keep the same sleep cycle as everyone else, it just means I will probably go to bed a little earlier tonight so that I can get up on time for school tomorrow." She eyeballed me a for another minute while I enjoyed a piece of bacon before finally calming down and asking another question.
"I know you probably don't want to talk about it, and that's fine if you don't," she said looking away for a minute. "But what did that Youth Guard twit say that had you so steamed last night?"
I sighed around another mouthful of eggs, Taylor, for all her issues, cared more about those around her than herself. Kind of like I would, she put her friend's feelings, needs and desires ahead of her own. Gotta love her, I thought as I finished the food in my mouth before answering. "She cursed my parents and grandparents, not realizing that both were dead," I said as calmly as I could. "She one of those people who thinks that violence is never the answer, or at least if violence must be used, then it should be an adult using it against an adult, not a teen."
And there's the expected explosion, I thought as I watched Taylor's eyes go wide and her face go an interesting shade of red. "That FUCKING BITCH! Taylor snarled standing up and leaning on the counter. "Next time I see that little fucking shit stain…"
"Taylor," I said, cutting off her rant and drawing the flashing eyes of her anger, Holy fuck she's hot, I thought for a heartbeat. "I can fight my own battles when it comes to bureaucratic little turds like her, don't worry about it. Calm down, sit down and enjoy your breakfast."
Taylor looked at me for a moment before taking a deep breath and sitting back down. "At least tell me she got called down for it," Taylor said before shoving an entire piece of bacon in her mouth angrily.
"I think they tried," I answered. "Though they both may have been a bit in shock as I went toe to toe with the bitch." At that point I took a second to breathe and center myself. "That said, I did sort of start it," Taylor spocked an eyebrow at that so I explained. "She tried to harangue Aunt Emily, and I stepped in, playing like I didn't speak English very well and called her a fucking idiot in Japanese. Her main problem is that she is blinded by her ideology, and between her can't we all just get along, kumbaya mentality and her need to make a mark protecting children from people who in her mind will only abuse them, well, it's easy for someone like her to be blinded to the truth."
"The truth being that sometimes you have to fight for what you believe in," Taylor said more calmly than she seemed to feel. "It doesn't matter if we want to or not, it has to be done."
"Not quite, but close," I replied. "Violence is one possible solution, should we always default to it, no. Having it available when it is needed however, should always be on the table." Because sometimes all you can do is smash your opponent.
Taylor nodded, a thoughtful look on her face as we finished our breakfast. As we were cleaning up she finally spoke up again, "That girl that showed up at the end, just as your aunt was breaking up the party, the one who started that last song," she said as she handed me a plate to dry.
"Yeah," I answered, "what about her?"
"That was Mayumi, right?" Taylor asked. "You never told me how much she and I resembled each other, nor why you broke up." And there went my face, bright as a fire engine I was sure, TAYLOR!?! I moaned mentally.
**
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Jonn Wolfe
(Verified Sarcastic) (Not a Wolf)
- Location
- Beyond Sanity Since 1971
You can almost see Akane's face fault. =>
I've had a couple of different results from machine translation of Akane's sleep talking.
Is there an official translation that you can tell us?
Edit from the far future of Feb 2021:
Apparently they are all dates. First is Taylor's trigger date. Following 3 are the canon dates of the endbringer attacks on Canberra, Brockton and India.
Quote below will lead to Ashkari's full answer, but Spoiler Warning it is located close to chapter 8.
Is there an official translation that you can tell us?
Edit from the far future of Feb 2021:
Apparently they are all dates. First is Taylor's trigger date. Following 3 are the canon dates of the endbringer attacks on Canberra, Brockton and India.
Quote below will lead to Ashkari's full answer, but Spoiler Warning it is located close to chapter 8.
Last edited:
ecs05norway
Zenryoku Zenkai!
Hmm, the first bit sounds like an address, but I'm probably wrong.
Rajvik_wolfboy
Wolf amongst the stars.
- Location
- Florida
Your close @ecs05norway it is a date time and location the other three are incidents to come.
- Location
- US
If the numbers aren't supposed to be in English, probably better to write them out.
Chapter 5.2
Rajvik_wolfboy
Wolf amongst the stars.
- Location
- Florida
Chapter 5.2
**
Ingredients:
2-4 Boneless pork chops
8oz can of pineapple juice
8oz soy sauce
1tsp minced garlic
1-small can pineapple chunks
1 medium can Chinese vegetables
1 small bag frozen stir fry vegetables
Directions:
Cut pork chops into bite size pieces and place in bowl with soy sauce, pineapple juice and minced garlic to marinade for one-half hour
While the meat is marinating start rice or noodles as preferred.
Once meat has marinated, brown in an oiled skillet before adding the vegetables and pineapple chunks, (all drained/thawed).
Mix contents of pan thoroughly and heat through until the pork is cooked through and the vegetables are warmed but still crunchy. (can be cooked until vegetables are soft if necessary but not recommended)
Serve with or over rice/noodles as preferred.
**
I could hear Taylor's father coming down as I slipped out the back door of her house and then out the side of her back yard. They needed to have some time together and my pork stir-fry recipe was just enough for two, maybe three depending on how big a portion you took. That said though, between my time talking with Mayumi this morning and helping Taylor cook this afternoon, I was feeling a bit nostalgic. So instead of waiting and catching the bus back toward downtown and the PRT building, I caught the first one that came along, the one that headed deeper into the docks and toward the local Asian community center.
One of the things about Brockton Bay that I liked was that the bus system was considered neutral territory. Almost everyone here needed the busses to get around, at least unless you lived within walking distance of where you worked, and even then, it helped. That said, because practically everyone used the busses, no one could afford for fights to break out on them, thus the transit peace was agreed to, the first rule being that you did NOT start anything, nor drag anything onto a bus. Busses were for quiet and peaceful travel so that the people on them could get where they needed to go. Gang members who had been glaring daggers of hate at each other moments before, had been reported helping the other remove problems from the busses, and short of outside interference, they were probably the one safe place in the city for everyone.
Riding toward the area where the Asian community had centered, I watched the docks degrade further and further. This was considered Merchant territory for the most part, an area of town so run down that even squatters were few and far between, the only people that spent time out here were scrappers and those to high to care where they laid their heads. Slowly they turned bad, and then almost as slowly, they improved again as the bus trundled into occupied and habitable territory.
As the bus turned the corner to head back east in its meandering journey, I found myself looking on something you would expect in New York or San Francisco's Chinatown areas, that is, if Chinatown had gone by way of Las Vegas. Neon signs were everywhere, as were people moving around, and as the bus came to its first stop, I found myself filing off with the rest of the passengers, if for no other reason than to wonder around.
**
I honestly couldn't believe what I was looking at, there was no way in all the possible hells that this was here, and yet I was standing in front of the shop looking at the sign that declared its name. "The Cat Café" was a Nerima staple and had been since the early 80's when a Chinese exchange student had talked her grandmother into coming over with her to Tokyo and setting up shop. Sometime after that, after the second Chinese civil war and the destruction, (or maybe absorption) of the communist party into the Chinese Imperial Union, the group known only as the Chinese Amazons had become refugees. This is one of the many places Lung earned his reputation, helping the women warriors of the Amazons hold off the Imperial army, the Yangban and another tribal group known only as "the Musk" while first their non-combatants, followed by their leaders and the rest of the tribe, evacuated. Most passed through Hong Kong and Singapore to ships which carried them elsewhere in the world. A handful, or more accurately an extended family group, came through Tokyo, to The Cat Café and Elder Ka Lon.
*Eight years prior- Nerima, Japan**
"Greetings young ones," the old woman said as we walked into the café. The elder was a bit shorter than I was, old, wrinkled, and tottered around with a cane, and yet she was still somehow fast on her fast on her feet as she served steaming hot bowls of ramen and other food. "Have a seat and tell this old lady what she can get for you."
"One Wrecking crew sized serving of pork ramen please," Mayumi said as she laid down our combined money. Weeding her aunts flower beds and scrubbing the slime out of mister green turtle's pond had been hot, tiring work, but well worth the yen it had earned us to get this treat.
The elder looked at the coinage and sighed, "I'm sorry girls, but that's not quite enough," she said solemnly. "Costs have gone up recently and I had to raise my prices to compensate. I can give you a regular bowl for that much with some change back…" she trailed off knowing the problem that this particular solution caused.
"But one regular serving isn't enough for both of us," I said softly. "Is there someway to earn the money to make up the difference?"
The elder pulled out her pipe and chewed on the stem for a moment, (she had quit smoking a few years before but the habit of chewing on the stem while thinking still persisted,) and then spoke. "Come with me girls, I know you planned on eating first, but maybe a couple of chores for me can earn you each a bowl outright." Scooping up our money Mayumi and I followed, we would spend the next couple of hours doing dishes and scrubbing various implements, apparently being judged by the elder as we worked. The next week I ended up starting to work for the café, learning the Amazon style of martial arts by doing so, and giving the elder's granddaughter the ability to learn how to teach in the Amazon style."
**Now**
Stepping into this Cat Café was like stepping into the one in Nerima, tables and booths covered the floor and at the back stood the kitchen window that the bowls would generally come flying out of at something close to mach speed. Off to one side of the window was a small hallway where the restrooms and the door to the kitchen were, while right next to the door sat a small hostess/waitress station. "Hello," the girl standing there said as I walked in. "Are you alone?" she asked, and I nodded looking around at the people in the shop. "And will this be dine-in or carry-out?" she continued. The place was about half full and as I opened my mouth to answer, a familiar voice snapped something out in Mandarin causing the girl to break into action.
Five bowls flew in quick succession out of the kitchen window towards one of the tables, but the girl was already moving to intercept, catching and laying out four of them in quick succession. She had apparently missed the fifth bowl however, and I found myself reacting to it, catching it just shy of hitting her in the back of the head, tucking it close and spinning to bleed off it's momentum so that it didn't spill. Looking at it I asked the group at the table, "Who had the fully loaded pork?"
**
Once the bowl was handed over to the customer I walked over to the window and called in through it, "Oi, you almost lost your server with that last bowl."
"Then she need pay better attention," a familiar voice replied before stepping around into the window. "I know you," the lilac haired woman said looking at me. "Where I know you from?"
I smiled, "Elder Xian Pu," I said switching to Japanese and bowing. "You know me from Nerima, you helped train me under Elder Ka Lon"
She looked at me, obviously thinking back over the years before her eyes widened in shock. "You are Mayumi's friend, the fast learner," she said suddenly and I nodded. "What is your name though, I can't remember?"
"Akane, elder." I answered.
She nodded, obviously committing the name to memory, "Alright, but what are you doing here?" she asked.
"Getting some dinner for me and my aunt," I answered. "With what I've done today and the late night I had last night I figured that a touch of home that my aunt can not only identify but enjoy would be welcome."
"No," she said and then paused, "I mean obviously I can handle that, but what are you doing in Brockton Bay?"
I could see she wanted to ask where my mother was but wasn't going to push on that at the moment, still she needed an answer, which an honest one would cover mom just as well. "There was an accident while mom was heading home last month, she didn't survive." I said softly. "Aunt Emily was my last surviving relative, so I came here to live with her."
The elder disappeared from the window, her voice calling out a command in Mandarin even as she headed around the wall and came through the kitchen door a second later and wrapped me up in a hug. It felt good to be held honestly and I hugged her back all the same. "Why didn't you stay with Nabiki or Ran," she asked, "both of them would have been happy to take you in."
"Mayumi and I had just broken up," I said, causing the Amazon to put me at arms-length and look at me. "It wouldn't have been right to put either of us through that, so I came here to live with my father's sister."
"You and Mayumi were?" the question was left hanging there because of course no one had told the Amazon.
"We were dating," I answered more calmly than I felt. "For about two-years, then there was an incident where I protected her, but then everything went to hell because when I protected her and the rest of the plane's occupants, I scared the hell out of everyone there."
"What did you do?" she asked.
"What I had to," I replied, "they were going to hurt people, probably were going to rape Mayumi, and I gutted that one like a fish with his own knife." The last came out in a growl as I remembered tricking the man into the planes bathroom and then using his own knife on him. "When they pulled us out, I was covered in his blood and unrepentant about anything I had done."
Xian Pu looked me in the eyes and nodded, "Good," she said coldly, "such things are to be done when necessary and put behind you. Now, what do you and your Aunt want to eat."
"Beef Bowls," I said smiling at the subject change. "Wrecking Crew size for me, but a regular for her, and don't spare the daikon."
The Amazon Elder nodded and called back the order in Mandarin to whoever they had cooking before sitting me down at a nearby table. "So tell me, what has been going on with you?" she asked, and I spent the time between then and when the order came out telling her what had happened in the last eight years.
**
**
Ingredients:
2-4 Boneless pork chops
8oz can of pineapple juice
8oz soy sauce
1tsp minced garlic
1-small can pineapple chunks
1 medium can Chinese vegetables
1 small bag frozen stir fry vegetables
Directions:
Cut pork chops into bite size pieces and place in bowl with soy sauce, pineapple juice and minced garlic to marinade for one-half hour
While the meat is marinating start rice or noodles as preferred.
Once meat has marinated, brown in an oiled skillet before adding the vegetables and pineapple chunks, (all drained/thawed).
Mix contents of pan thoroughly and heat through until the pork is cooked through and the vegetables are warmed but still crunchy. (can be cooked until vegetables are soft if necessary but not recommended)
Serve with or over rice/noodles as preferred.
**
I could hear Taylor's father coming down as I slipped out the back door of her house and then out the side of her back yard. They needed to have some time together and my pork stir-fry recipe was just enough for two, maybe three depending on how big a portion you took. That said though, between my time talking with Mayumi this morning and helping Taylor cook this afternoon, I was feeling a bit nostalgic. So instead of waiting and catching the bus back toward downtown and the PRT building, I caught the first one that came along, the one that headed deeper into the docks and toward the local Asian community center.
One of the things about Brockton Bay that I liked was that the bus system was considered neutral territory. Almost everyone here needed the busses to get around, at least unless you lived within walking distance of where you worked, and even then, it helped. That said, because practically everyone used the busses, no one could afford for fights to break out on them, thus the transit peace was agreed to, the first rule being that you did NOT start anything, nor drag anything onto a bus. Busses were for quiet and peaceful travel so that the people on them could get where they needed to go. Gang members who had been glaring daggers of hate at each other moments before, had been reported helping the other remove problems from the busses, and short of outside interference, they were probably the one safe place in the city for everyone.
Riding toward the area where the Asian community had centered, I watched the docks degrade further and further. This was considered Merchant territory for the most part, an area of town so run down that even squatters were few and far between, the only people that spent time out here were scrappers and those to high to care where they laid their heads. Slowly they turned bad, and then almost as slowly, they improved again as the bus trundled into occupied and habitable territory.
As the bus turned the corner to head back east in its meandering journey, I found myself looking on something you would expect in New York or San Francisco's Chinatown areas, that is, if Chinatown had gone by way of Las Vegas. Neon signs were everywhere, as were people moving around, and as the bus came to its first stop, I found myself filing off with the rest of the passengers, if for no other reason than to wonder around.
**
I honestly couldn't believe what I was looking at, there was no way in all the possible hells that this was here, and yet I was standing in front of the shop looking at the sign that declared its name. "The Cat Café" was a Nerima staple and had been since the early 80's when a Chinese exchange student had talked her grandmother into coming over with her to Tokyo and setting up shop. Sometime after that, after the second Chinese civil war and the destruction, (or maybe absorption) of the communist party into the Chinese Imperial Union, the group known only as the Chinese Amazons had become refugees. This is one of the many places Lung earned his reputation, helping the women warriors of the Amazons hold off the Imperial army, the Yangban and another tribal group known only as "the Musk" while first their non-combatants, followed by their leaders and the rest of the tribe, evacuated. Most passed through Hong Kong and Singapore to ships which carried them elsewhere in the world. A handful, or more accurately an extended family group, came through Tokyo, to The Cat Café and Elder Ka Lon.
*Eight years prior- Nerima, Japan**
"Greetings young ones," the old woman said as we walked into the café. The elder was a bit shorter than I was, old, wrinkled, and tottered around with a cane, and yet she was still somehow fast on her fast on her feet as she served steaming hot bowls of ramen and other food. "Have a seat and tell this old lady what she can get for you."
"One Wrecking crew sized serving of pork ramen please," Mayumi said as she laid down our combined money. Weeding her aunts flower beds and scrubbing the slime out of mister green turtle's pond had been hot, tiring work, but well worth the yen it had earned us to get this treat.
The elder looked at the coinage and sighed, "I'm sorry girls, but that's not quite enough," she said solemnly. "Costs have gone up recently and I had to raise my prices to compensate. I can give you a regular bowl for that much with some change back…" she trailed off knowing the problem that this particular solution caused.
"But one regular serving isn't enough for both of us," I said softly. "Is there someway to earn the money to make up the difference?"
The elder pulled out her pipe and chewed on the stem for a moment, (she had quit smoking a few years before but the habit of chewing on the stem while thinking still persisted,) and then spoke. "Come with me girls, I know you planned on eating first, but maybe a couple of chores for me can earn you each a bowl outright." Scooping up our money Mayumi and I followed, we would spend the next couple of hours doing dishes and scrubbing various implements, apparently being judged by the elder as we worked. The next week I ended up starting to work for the café, learning the Amazon style of martial arts by doing so, and giving the elder's granddaughter the ability to learn how to teach in the Amazon style."
**Now**
Stepping into this Cat Café was like stepping into the one in Nerima, tables and booths covered the floor and at the back stood the kitchen window that the bowls would generally come flying out of at something close to mach speed. Off to one side of the window was a small hallway where the restrooms and the door to the kitchen were, while right next to the door sat a small hostess/waitress station. "Hello," the girl standing there said as I walked in. "Are you alone?" she asked, and I nodded looking around at the people in the shop. "And will this be dine-in or carry-out?" she continued. The place was about half full and as I opened my mouth to answer, a familiar voice snapped something out in Mandarin causing the girl to break into action.
Five bowls flew in quick succession out of the kitchen window towards one of the tables, but the girl was already moving to intercept, catching and laying out four of them in quick succession. She had apparently missed the fifth bowl however, and I found myself reacting to it, catching it just shy of hitting her in the back of the head, tucking it close and spinning to bleed off it's momentum so that it didn't spill. Looking at it I asked the group at the table, "Who had the fully loaded pork?"
**
Once the bowl was handed over to the customer I walked over to the window and called in through it, "Oi, you almost lost your server with that last bowl."
"Then she need pay better attention," a familiar voice replied before stepping around into the window. "I know you," the lilac haired woman said looking at me. "Where I know you from?"
I smiled, "Elder Xian Pu," I said switching to Japanese and bowing. "You know me from Nerima, you helped train me under Elder Ka Lon"
She looked at me, obviously thinking back over the years before her eyes widened in shock. "You are Mayumi's friend, the fast learner," she said suddenly and I nodded. "What is your name though, I can't remember?"
"Akane, elder." I answered.
She nodded, obviously committing the name to memory, "Alright, but what are you doing here?" she asked.
"Getting some dinner for me and my aunt," I answered. "With what I've done today and the late night I had last night I figured that a touch of home that my aunt can not only identify but enjoy would be welcome."
"No," she said and then paused, "I mean obviously I can handle that, but what are you doing in Brockton Bay?"
I could see she wanted to ask where my mother was but wasn't going to push on that at the moment, still she needed an answer, which an honest one would cover mom just as well. "There was an accident while mom was heading home last month, she didn't survive." I said softly. "Aunt Emily was my last surviving relative, so I came here to live with her."
The elder disappeared from the window, her voice calling out a command in Mandarin even as she headed around the wall and came through the kitchen door a second later and wrapped me up in a hug. It felt good to be held honestly and I hugged her back all the same. "Why didn't you stay with Nabiki or Ran," she asked, "both of them would have been happy to take you in."
"Mayumi and I had just broken up," I said, causing the Amazon to put me at arms-length and look at me. "It wouldn't have been right to put either of us through that, so I came here to live with my father's sister."
"You and Mayumi were?" the question was left hanging there because of course no one had told the Amazon.
"We were dating," I answered more calmly than I felt. "For about two-years, then there was an incident where I protected her, but then everything went to hell because when I protected her and the rest of the plane's occupants, I scared the hell out of everyone there."
"What did you do?" she asked.
"What I had to," I replied, "they were going to hurt people, probably were going to rape Mayumi, and I gutted that one like a fish with his own knife." The last came out in a growl as I remembered tricking the man into the planes bathroom and then using his own knife on him. "When they pulled us out, I was covered in his blood and unrepentant about anything I had done."
Xian Pu looked me in the eyes and nodded, "Good," she said coldly, "such things are to be done when necessary and put behind you. Now, what do you and your Aunt want to eat."
"Beef Bowls," I said smiling at the subject change. "Wrecking Crew size for me, but a regular for her, and don't spare the daikon."
The Amazon Elder nodded and called back the order in Mandarin to whoever they had cooking before sitting me down at a nearby table. "So tell me, what has been going on with you?" she asked, and I spent the time between then and when the order came out telling her what had happened in the last eight years.
**
Last edited:
Quinn Porthos
Multiclass Munchkin
- Location
- Wandering
I so want to see a delivery bike bounce off someone's face. Preferably in the middle of a cape fight.
Rajvik_wolfboy
Wolf amongst the stars.
- Location
- Florida
Checks notes and whistles innocently
It could happen
Lung orders take out exactly for that. Exactly.
That was simultaneously heart warming and heart wrenching. Well done.