A Dovahkiin without Dragon Souls to spend. (Worm/Skyrim/Gamer)(Complete)

[freebiewitz]

What originally was intended to be a few short chapters/snippets on Spacebattles eventually grew into a finished story with a sequel in the works.
I've been meaning to post it up here but up until now haven't really thought about it.
Anyways, I hope you all enjoy it and as always... FUS RO DAMN!

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My name is Taylor Hebert and I am a Parahuman.

There was really no other way to say it.

I could use super powers.

Okay, technically there was another way to say it, I could say I had abilities outside the realms of human understanding, I could say Alexandria had something in common with me, I could even say I could get a new tag on the PHO, but it was all semantics at this point.

So where was I going with all this?

Well, my power meant that I could beat someone up who didn't have powers. That physically speaking I was better than anyone else my size. According to the PHO it also meant that I probably had some form of brain damage.

There was a lot speculation on the hows and whys but the general consensus was that people with superpowers behaved oddly compared to the average non-super powered sort. I didn't blame them, it was like having a gun duct taped to your hand.

I was rambling I realized.

Was it really considered rambling when I was only thinking it?

It was probably a coping mechanism so I wouldn't die of embarrassment with the fact that I was caught stuffing my mouth with flowers. It didn't help that my silent contemplation had taken about a minute thus fuelling the current awkwardness between parent and child.


"Uhh kiddo, I know it's healthy to eat your vegetables and all but don't you think you should eat stuff that's actually cooked?" I coughed, a single red petal finding it's way onto the floor. My father, looked more amused than anything else but he was clearly confused about the situation.

Luckily I managed to come up with a perfectly valid excuse.

"Uhhh-." Well, it'd be perfect if I could get it into words. "I like Turkish delights and was taste testing for ingredients?" Smooth Hebert, smooooth. Also technically not lying. I did like Turkish delights and I was taste testing for ingredients. Just not taste testing for Turkish delights.

My father smirked before grabbing the rose petal off the floor before giving it an experimental sniff.

"Well, try not to get yourself caught grabbing roses from the neighbours, I know they might not miss one or two but you never know." Frowning at the petal between his fingers he gave a quick nibble, his curiosity overwhelming his common sense before the lines in his face deepened in disgust.

"Yeah, not for me." He said before discarding it and patting my head. With one last smile dad was off to work falling for my cunning ruse.

It was the weekend and while he could've taken the day off he didn't. It left me alone with my thoughts and my powers.

Powers, plural.

From what I could tell I was some sort of tinker that also happened to shoot fire from my hands for a short amount of time and heal myself. I could eat stuff, figure out what components they had and combine them to make 'potions'. Most importantly I could make healing potions!

Capes that could heal were in high demand since they could only be in one place at once. A person could only exist so hard.

But a tinker that could make potions that could be stockpiled and used? Well that changes things!

Besides healing I could make potions that made you stronger, boosted your mental focus and energy, made you better at sneaking around, and even one that made you invisible!

My potions in other words could give powers!

Well temporarily at least. My first priority of course was to gather ingredients so I could mix and match. Unlike other tinkers who required big expensive materials I seemed to get by on flowers, herbs and rat tails. Weird small stuff like that.

Still, higher grade ingredients in my mind would no doubt make for better potions which would let me be a better hero but those would cost money.

However to make money I had to make potions, the problem with selling them was the fact that I could be targeted, so I either had to be ready for a fight or be subtle about it.

To be ready for a fight (and thus be a hero) I needed better potions so that left the subtle option. Selling to neutral rogues or unaffiliated heroes who wouldn't abuse the potions or tell the PRT about me.

The problem with selling to the official heroes like Armsmaster was that he'd probably pressure me into joining and frankly with my frail ego I'd fold faster than Leet and Uber's dignity at the first sign of a viewer.

Not that I had anything against the Wards. In fact I was a big fan! It's just, joining the Wards wasn't something I wanted to do straight away.

If I had to be totally honest it was because I didn't want to be dead weight. The newbie that was looked down upon. I get enough of that when I go to school. I wanted to get a reputation first, impress them, maybe even have them come to me to be recruited.

I smiled, imagining what it would be like.

Their leader Triumph would approach me, get on his knees and ask me to join the team!

"I dunno Triumph, I seem to be doing alright kicking ass and taking names on my own." I'd say dismissively peeling off the remains of Hookwolf from my awesome fists.

"But Taylor, we need you!" He'd pause. "I need you!" His perfect abs would reply.

"Oh alright then." A juvenile fantasy to be sure but hey, a lot heroes have nice bodies.

Anyways it also meant I wouldn't sell to the criminals. ABB would probably kill me, the Merchants would strap me down and force me to make Tinker drugs for them all day and the Empire 88 would probably slap some armor on me and turn me into some sort of Nordic looking Cape to compliment Fenja and Menja.

Huh, I didn't actually mind the last idea.

The armor not the Nazis.

Now that I thought about it I seemed to have forging techniques in my head to do just that.

All I needed was either a forge or an anvil. Oddly I didn't need fire to make equipment. Huh.

What was I? Some sort of fantasy novel tinker? I could summon fire and heal, brew potions and forge armor, all I needed now was the power to enchant stuff and I'd…

I paused right there, the terrible taste of rose long forgotten in my mouth as I contemplated the designs that had suddenly appeared in my head.

"Where the hell would I even get a soul gem?" Well, if my brain was right I could probably enchant items using that, but that seemed a tad bit villainy and even if I had no morals I'd still need the actual soul gems to capture souls to enchant stuff with anyways which quite frankly didn't seem to exist. Hell I didn't even know how to make them!

Well, I suppose I'd settle for the armor for now. Getting scrap metal shouldn't be too hard, I figured I could head out to the boat yard or one of the many abandoned warehouses and grab stuff there.

Getting an anvil on the other hard would take more work, it's not like tool stores still sold them.
Using my mortar and pestle I continued to make more healing potions, the more I had in store the less likely I would die when I went out and it wouldn't hurt to have spares. The glass bottles seemed to materialize as I finished.

Then something in my mind clicked, a feeling deep inside that compelled me to look to the stars...

 

[freebiewitz]

For a moment clarity clashed with obscurity.

It was like I knew everything yet was unable to grab it.

Unlimited power at my fingertips but without the ability to understand the vastness of what I experienced.

It was almost maddening. Yet the feeling didn't go away and I was able to choose something.

I felt that I needed better potions and suddenly I felt improvement. It wasn't what I'd call significant since my knowledge of potions hadn't exploded. It simply became more efficient and I felt tougher, not stronger just tougher.

The change wasn't anything huge but it was noticeable. Up until now I progressed slowly but surely increasing my skill. But now, now it leapt, would this ever happen again?

I shook my head clear of those thoughts. It was odd, it was hard to remember anything I just experienced, my mind seemingly fogging over.

Just another mystery when it came to my powers.

Grabbing my bag along with a box filled with sandwich bags I made my way outside. I wanted nothing more then to test the limits of my new alchemy skills but right now I had to do some research and find out how much the average anvil cost.

Hopefully life would cooperate and not do anything too ironic like dropping one on my head.

Making my way outside I idly grabbed a passing bee and some weeds growing on the sidewalk.

I could go out to a hardware store right now but I wasn't too well versed on the stock they carried. I didn't want to rock up and ask for something they didn't have so I decided to go to the library.

The books were nice of course but my true target was the computers or more specifically the internet.

With that I'd be able to see if any place was selling locally. On my way there I grabbed some more plants, making sure no one could see what I was doing of course.

Arriving at the library I signed in, before settling down.

I'd been coming here more often as of late just for the computer, last week I was here looking up herbs and where to find them both in the wild and in urban environments. My luck in replicating my research was mixed at best. I could find plenty of mushrooms and weeds in my area. Anything else required the plundering of gardens or a trip to the parks.

The last two were kind of frowned upon and I tried to avoid that sort of thing.

It had nothing to do with the fact that I didn't want people thinking I was weird picking plants in the park. None at all. They were public places, there could be gang members lurking around! Yeah that was it!

As a habit I opened up the PHO. Maybe I could find out why I had that mini-stroke earlier?

Right the anvil. Let's see how much they cost…

Around a hundred bucks. Greeeaaaaaat. I only had about forty dollars saved up. There were cheaper options but they all required themselves to be delivered and frankly I didn't want to get into a situation where Dad could get any inkling on what I was up to.

I suppose I could have them deliver to some abandoned warehouse but something in my gut told me that it was a bad idea.

Shit.

Wait delivery.

Maybe I didn't need to sell my stuff in person, perhaps I could just send it or make some kind of dead drop!
I had a potion that could make me invisible for a short time, they'd never know I was there and I could pick up the cash the same way!

But how would I even begin to offer my services?

AHHH Why did this all have to be so complicated! I just wanted to be a hero! If I was a brute I could just put on some crappy looking outfit and kick ass. As a tinker however I needed the money to even think about it!

Okay, okay, let's calm down and think about it. Maybe I've been going about this the wrong way.

Let's think about my goal.

I wanted to be a hero.

How do I do that? By going out and stopping crime.

Why did I need the anvil and money? So I could wear armor so that if someone tried to hit with a crowbar I'd be fine so I could sell potions to get more money to make better potions.

Let's try to break it down and simplify as much as possible. I need armor to not die.

Well. I had a potion that increased how tough I was, not much at this stage unfortunately.

I banged my head against the desk. Loudly.

"SHHHHH!" Was the immediate response. I shrank into myself, willing my existence to simply stop when I felt something. It was tiny, a small tingling in the back in my mind as if an orchestra whispered triumph into my ears.

I had felt it before! When I felt my alchemy improved drastically! It was the same feeling but smaller. I didn't have the impulse to look to the stars for example but I had noticed it.

In fact, it's happened before. It was such a small feeling of improvement. I had felt it when hiding from Sophia and getting away. I felt it after hours of eating plants and turning them into potions.

If I hadn't had that mini-coma from before I wouldn't have recognised it. Now that I thought about it I felt something similar back in the locker. The dark, terrible place… I hadn't recognised the feeling until now.

Though to be fair I was too focused on my previous tasks of not being attacked by the bitches three, spitting out toxic mushrooms and trying to not die inside a cramped space to really notice it at the time.

The point was that I could get really good at hiding!

I wouldn't have to worry about being smacked in the head by a crowbar if the bad guys didn't know I was there! Unless I was being too optimistic this stealth was clearly another aspect of my power, a pseudo stranger ability of sorts.

I had doubts that I could take on an entire gang or even a cape.

But a single mugger with a knife? With my potions making me a minor brute I'd be able to get the drop and save whoever they were attacking!

The more I thought about this the more I thought that this might work! I'd start small and my powers would slowly grow over time making me better at sneaking around, better at fighting, before too long I might even be Dauntless material!

I knew I was being presumptuous to compare myself like that but the similarities were there. Just like him I got stronger over time, as far as I could tell I had no limit! At least not yet.

This could work.

I nodded to myself, I needed to prepare. For once I looked forwards to school, I looked forwards to Madison, Sophia and Emma. They were the grindstones of which my sneaky powers would sharpen! They would be how I trained, to become a hero! Winslow was the Brockton bay to my… okay this metaphor was going nowhere, I put a brake on my thoughts right there.

The PHO wasn't kidding.

Powers do make you mad! It made me look forwards to school!

Well first thing first. Dinner for Dad.

Another odd thing about my powers is that they put in a bunch of recipes in my head but unlike potion brewing I never got the impression that I could get better at it. The food was just there.

Still I didn't complain, Dad really liked the sweet rolls I made. He even joked that they kept being stolen. The crumbs on his chin said otherwise of course, not even bothering to save them until he got to work.

Maybe I would make some tonight just as a treat.

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Author note: If anyone is wondering on Taylor's odd thought process or why she's not doing the optimal build my answer is simply that she doesn't know the optimal build. She's not a video gamer, the closest thing she has is fantasy novels of which she's probably read more then most considering her background.

Also keep in mind how conflicted she is in Canon. Something that Tattle tale picked up on.
It wasn't smart to attack Lung when she did but she did so anyways, a mix of selfless heroism and well depression.
She justified a lot of stuff to herself and since we read things from her point of view a lot of what she had done was justified to us as well.
She's an unreliable narrator and it's not her fault.

Onto the soul gem thing folks have brought up.
Even if she could she wouldn't and I feel I must remind everyone that she would most likely see them as evil.

You might think why would she think it's evil?

Well fantasy books, not even kidding. Her only reference to souls being used to power stuff would come from fantasy books.
For the most part characters who power stuff using souls in fantasy books are evil or at least described as evil.
So that's why she wouldn't use them. Overly simplistic I know but that's my take on this.

As to questions on why I would mention stuff that she would never use?

Well I think it's better to mention that they'd never be used rather then keep it murky and have people think that they might be used in the future. I don't want to get people's hopes up that she'll get a dragon shout for example and yell Jack Slash off a building.
If anyone wants to write an omake based on her having the Thu'um though be my guest.
Anyways I hope people will like it or even be inspired to write something better because of it.
For all intents and purposes, Taylor's powers are that of a video game character.

 

[freebiewitz]

Today's bus ride to school had me in a happy mood. I tried to level my features so it wouldn't show but I did allow myself to give Dad a genuine smile before I left.

The actual bus and it's occupants hadn't changed but I had. Things were going to be different now. Where I would normally hide in fear to avoid abuse now I was hiding in anticipation, to become a better cape!
I found my powers worked better when I crouched but seeing as I was on a seat I opted to just hug my legs instead feeling the rough leather of my boots under my fingers.


I was wearing one of dad's older steel capped boots that he used for work. With money being as tight as they were we couldn't afford to buy anything better. I had enough for a cheap pair of sneakers sure but I wanted to save up for that anvil. Even with my idea of knocking out bad guys from stealth I was pretty sure taking money, even from criminals was illegal. So here I was saving money and being sneaky.

Unfortunately I failed to realize the logistics of using my stealth power on the bus.

A school bag was slung across and hit me full force before I could react. More specifically a school bag belonging to Greg Vader who hauled every exercise book in his bag instead of leaving it in his locker like a normal person. Not that I could speak I suppose.

I let out a small squeak as the impact bruised my legs.

"Oh shit!" Greg immediately tried to apologize. "I'm so sorry Taylor! I swear the chair was empty!" I wasn't offended honestly, I was mostly embarrassed at my own stupidity, I should've seen this coming.

The onlookers of course all laughed and jeered. Well except for Greg who was trying and failing to get his books back into his bag all the while apologizing and adding to the spectacle.

Yet despite my embarrassment I was elated.

My stealth worked! It truly did! If it was anyone else I would've brushed it off as them doing this on purpose but with Greg? I didn't really like him but I knew that he didn't have a malicious bone in his body. He was an awkward coward, not a bully.

When the bag hit my legs I felt the 'Triumph' again, the feeling of improvement. I really had to find another word for this then the 'Triumph'. Elation perhaps? No, I'd have to think on it later.

My powers were apparently making me tougher as well, or at least sometimes? I never got the same feeling when I was pushed, shoved or hit by Sophia earlier, was there some sort of condition? This would require even more testing.

But for now I had to act cowed, or humiliated, anything to make people think I wasn't a cape.

It wasn't that difficult honestly, between everyone's insults and laughter I couldn't really do much more to convince them that I was the same old Taylor.

Oddly enough a lot of the noise that came from people were also cheers and compliments for Greg. Sure they were at my expense but it was still bizarre to see him being popular for once as temporary as it probably would be. Despite trying to brush them off it was clear that he enjoyed the positive attention that he so rarely got. A look of guilt passed over him as he found a seat next to a more popular girl who had invited him over.

His inane babble soon made her regret her decision.

Soon the bus driver had shouted for everyone to settle down, he was used to the chaotic sounds of over a dozen high school students sure but even he had his limits I supposed.

With another hushed "Sorry." from Greg I withdrew myself. However this time it didn't work, even as I tried to 'stealth' in on myself people still paid attention to me, was there some sort of condition to this power? I couldn't start hiding until they were ignoring me or not looking perhaps?

There were stranger limits then what I had, Panacea for example was the best healer around but for some reason she couldn't heal herself, something I had over her! Thinking about it made me giddy, I had something over Panacea! Not that I would ever vocalize those thoughts, she was a real hero, selflessly healing the sick and injured all the time in hospitals!

It made me feel small in comparison. While she was out there giving the finger to cancer I was thinking about stopping one gangster from hurting someone.

"Baby steps." I repeated to myself. "This was why I went to school. To get better." I quietly murmured. Out of context that last thought could have come out of the mouth of a model student.

Eventually the bus had come to a stop and I made my way off, a few pushed shoulders and some hushed insults later I had made my way through the school gates. The bus driver's lack of tolerance towards rowdiness never extended to me.He just wanted to drive from point A to B and never be bothered in between.

Making my way around the corner I avoided what abuse I could searching for some abandoned corner where I could activate my stealth. As far as I could tell the power wouldn't work properly until I was hidden first, finally finding a stairway absent of anyone I shrank into myself happy to let my power veil me.

Huh, veil. That wasn't a bad name for that aspect of my power. Making my way through the hallway I found my perception heightened. It didn't allow me to see anything better but I could sense how much people noticed me. Not how many, how MUCH. The slower I crept forward, the more I hugged the shadows and corners of the lockers down the hallway the less they could actively perceive me.

I tried to categorize this part of my power as well. A thinker ability of sorts I figured, it gave me information that I would otherwise not have or humanly gain. In my mind I visualised it as a closed eye that would slowly open the more 'in sight' I became.

As the first period was about to begin I quickly made my way over to class dispelling my veil so that it wouldn't look like I teleported into the classroom. Today we had Mr Gladly, one of the 'popular' teachers. Too concerned with being friends with the students to actually teach and mentor anyone on how to be a better person. He himself wasn't a bad human being from what I could tell and no form of abuse had ever come from him but I hated him all the same.

When you have an authority figure that not only fails you but also seemingly ignores the torture you go through every day, it'd be odd if a bit of resentment didn't build up. There he was talking with Madison, one of my tormentors like she was a completely innocent girl that could do no wrong.

I realized that I was squeezing my fists and mentally shouted at myself to stop it. As much as she deserved it, a brawl wasn't something I wanted to be involved in. I knew I was tougher than the average human being, not too much tougher but perhaps tough enough that anyone perceptive enough could realize I had powers.

I sat down at my chair finding too late that someone had poured something on it. Quickly getting back up I saw the brown fizzy liquid, was that Coke or Pepsi? Wait, that wouldn't matter. A few quiet sniggers erupted around the room as I lowered my head. All of it too quiet for Mr Gladly to notice as Madison continued to distract him. Her smug grin revealed that it was all part of her plan.

I made my way out of the room to clean up, to get some toilet paper to ensure I wouldn't be sitting in carbonated liquid for the entire lesson.

Too focused on the task at hand I hadn't fully registered that I was now face to face with the ground until it was too late. "I tripped." My brain helpfully provided for me.

"Ha, stupid old Hebert, can't even look where she's going, so clumsy." It was Sophia and Emma this time. They made my blood boil but… there was a silver lining.

I felt the Elation again. Elation, I was going with that now. I felt myself become slightly tougher again, light armor I vaguely thought. I picked myself up as the tell tale sound of a metallic 'clink' made it's way to my ears. The leather boots with steel toes! That's the only thing that was different about today! I got tougher when I wore equipment and not in the traditional way that anyone wearing armor would. Whatever I wore got better as it was used!

I tried not to smile at that. I was truly more like Dauntless then I first thought! "Just leave me alone." I tried sounding defeated so that suspicions wouldn't arise.

Sophia blocked my path then. "Make me." Seriously? Make me? How cliche could you get? What was next? "Give me your lunch money nerd?" Well jokes on her! I didn't have lunch money! Well at least it meant that she probably thought I was still weak old Hebert.

I looked away from her eyes and tried to make my way around her. Out of the corner of my vision I could see her vicious smile. She pushed me hard into the wall before making her way into class. While the wall hurt I didn't get the sense of improvement that time.

Oh well, I'd just have to find another way for Sophia to hit my legs or trip me again. I wonder how much more aggressive she'd get if she thought I was standing up to her? Maybe she'd hit me harder and more often?

God my power made me think weird thoughts.

 

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Moving my way into the hallway I crouched slightly activating my Veil. It would be awkward if anyone caught me moving around like this but everyone at school ignored me anyways. While everyone was on the other side of the wall compared to me I still found that my Veil could still improve as I stalked the hallways of Winslow.

If any of the other students saw me I'd be embarrassed sure but they would brush it off as me being weird. The teachers on the other hand? Well I'd just tell them I was hiding from bullies which would cause them to ignore me again. Making use of the system's corruption was fun! Creeping my way into the girl's bathroom I found that I wasn't alone, two other girls were hiding here smoking. As far as I could tell no drugs were involved, just ordinary cancer causing cigarettes. Luckily they hadn't noticed me, too caught up with their conversation together.

"I can't believe Brad dumped you for Nat." One of them said as I moved around the corner.

"I know right? Fucking loser will go out with anyone that blows him." I grabbed a convenient spare toilet roll.

"Really? She blew him? I heard she has crabs!" Well at least they weren't gossiping about me.

"Shut up, she has crabs? Fuck, that's great!" As my brain cells began to commit suicide I noted that the light armor I had wasn't getting any tougher from this inane chatter and decided to leave.

I grinned on my way down the hallway, my roll of absorbent loot hanging loosely from my fingers. Yup, it looked like my Veil worked perfectly, without it I wasn't sure that I'd be able to sneak past the two delinquents even if they were distracted with gossip. Wait, I was grinning, better change that.

"Sad Taylor, sad, think of something sad." I mumbled to myself. Emma made me sad! She betrayed me, abused my trust! Broke her- wait… I was getting angry now. None of that! Sad, I had to be sad! With the feeling of Elation increasing my Veil power it was difficult to not smile at all. Still, I managed and made my way back to class with what I hoped to be a suitably depressed expression.

I considered trying to move my way closer to Sophia on the way back to my desk so that she'd be tempted to trip me but I figured I shouldn't test my luck. Though unlikely it was entirely possible that I could fall down and impale my hand on a pencil revealing my Parahuman existence to everyone in the room. That and changing my behaviour might tip them off that I was now different.

Nope, I was still the same old, unpowered boring Taylor.

If Mr Gladly had noticed my absence he didn't show it, I might as well be a background character to him. That sounded kind of depressing.

YES! Depressed Taylor! Wait, that was happy now never mind. I nearly wished I could tell someone about my power. Dad would react badly I imagined. Mom dying was a big enough blow to us both, I didn't want him to worry more than he already was and telling him that I planned to go out to fight criminals would probably give him a heart attack.

It almost made me wish I was still friends with Emma.

As I passed her desk she whispered an insult about me being so poor that I had to steal toilet paper. Screw that bitch! She could've had a Cape for a friend! All she had was Sophia and Madison, I was way cooler! Also I wasn't stealing anything, I was a student and thus was entitled to the toilet paper, I wouldn't even need it if those bitches didn't pour Coke all over my seat. Why couldn't they abuse me in such a way that made me stronger?

As I finally made my way back to my chair I began covering it up with toilet paper allowing it to soak up the Coke. It didn't take long and while my seat was dry it was still somewhat sticky, a fact that I tried to ignore. It was at this point that Mr Gladly had noticed me, though he didn't call out. He seemed concerned as if he wanted to say something.

He didn't and he continued onto the rest of the lesson.

The class was genuinely interesting to me, it was about Cape history, of Scion and the Triumvirate. Everything that came out of his mouth however was something I had already known, it probably helped that I went on an internet binge researching Capes when I found out I had powers. While I didn't like Mr Gladly as a person he was charismatic enough that the rest of the class was too distracted to bully me.

Well besides the stunt at the chair at least.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, I managed to sneak off and hide. I considered letting them find me every now and then but I found that I couldn't stand up to the verbal abuse. I tried to ignore it where I could and even justify to myself that everything they spouted was factually wrong. But I could help myself, every time I tried to refuse to take notice of them something would worm itself into my brain and suddenly I was trapped again in that terrible locker.

For now I'd hide, make my Veil stronger. The physical resistance stuff could come later. I didn't want to surprise Dad by cutting myself or hitting my legs with a bat but I figured I'd think of something later.

Just as I was about to leave school I found that the girls had congregated at the main gate. Apparently they were fed up with my elusive nature and decided to just ensure they would see me at least once this afternoon. I couldn't hide from that, too many eyes, too little cover. I'd have to bite the bullet and move past them.

As I came around the corner word of my appearance had spread like wildfire and the group of girls surrounded me. However no words came, only the terrible giggles of a horde of high school girls. Emma tapped Sophia on the shoulder.

"Hey did I tell you how she cried all week when her mother died, so pathetic." I frowned at that. "So useless, used to talk all the time, a real chatterbox. Now look at her, wont even say a thing in her own defence."

Madison decided to get a shot in. "Well I wouldn't want to waste any energy defending something so useless, maybe she knows it's not worth the effort."

I squeezed my hands tighter forcing myself to calm down.

"Oh?" Came Sophia's voice. "I think she's mad, what are you going to do about it huh?" Shit, I had to calm down. I took a deep breath and before I knew it my arms were bound. Sophia had grabbed my arms holding me still.

"Wha-" Before I could get another word in I felt something pouring down my head as it began to cover my eyes forcing me to shut them. A bit of the liquid went into my mouth and I noted that it was Pepsi.

Seriously brain? I'm being drowned and you decide to assign your processing power to determine what the hell I'm tasting?

I genuinely tried to struggle free, damn the Parahuman reveal and it's consequences! I felt trapped! Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you looked at it, my suite of powers didn't come with super strength. For all intents and purposes my teenage girl body still possessed the strength of one teenage girl.

They all bursted into laughter, the crowd acting as a screen against the eyes of the teachers that were undoubtedly ignoring everything in an attempt to rush home early.

I tried to shout and scream but the liquid kept coming! Were they using a bottle or something? Soon it was done and they let go. I tried to brush it out of my eyes but the fizz just made it sting. It was at that point I realized that I wasn't wearing my glasses any more.

I collapsed on the ground as the laughter continued.

"Hey! What's going on here!" The crowd dispersed at that. It was Mr Gladly's voice.

"Oh my god, are you alright Taylor?" Now he asks me? Now of all times? Bit late wasn't it? In fact, he probably came over to check the crowd because he didn't know it was me in the middle!

On my knee my hands continued to search for my glasses, luckily they weren't broken and soon I had my vision back despite the stinging. The first thing I saw was the teacher's look of concern. It made my blood boil.

"Taylor, are you alright?" I paused thinking over a response.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just tripped." A weak excuse.

"I'm not blind you know, you could tell me what's going on." I glared at him.

"Nothing is going on." I retorted more aggressively than I probably would've otherwise. "Just the way the school likes it." He looked as if I had physically slapped him.

"Taylor, I know you're being bullied but, I can't do anything about it if no one comes forward and reports it to me." I wasn't just tightening my grip anymore, I was grinding my teeth.

"I shouldn't have to report anything! It happens all the time in front of you! You just choose to ignore it! If you really want to help, then stop it before it happens!" I turned to leave, I didn't want to hear it.

Sophia tripped me again just as I left the gate, she made it seem so casual. I looked back to Mr Gladly, surely he should've seen that! He had, and with a sad look on his face he turned away. He had the AUDACITY to look SAD?

FUCK HIM!

I could've set all those girls on fire with my power. I could've used my potions to make myself invisible and make their lives a living hell. I could do so much to hurt them all!

They all kept pushing me, what did I do to deserve all this!?

NOTHING!

Why did I hold back?

Because I was better than them all. Because I was going to be hero. I wouldn't ignore someone's troubles just because it was convenient, because it was easier to go along with the crowd! I'd help them, prove to the world that I wasn't another Mr Gladly, that I wasn't a cruel Sophia, that I wasn't a two faced Madison and most importantly that I wasn't a backstabbing bitch like Emma!

I was going to prove to the world that I was better then them all! I was going to go out tonight and show the world that I was worth it, that I mattered.

That Taylor Hebert was going to be the best Hero in the world and nothing was going to stop that from happening.

 

[freebiewitz]

Getting home was an awkward affair. I tried to rush inside to avoid him from either seeing or smelling me. Luckily he was still at work. I don't know why I was so panicked, his official work hours was the usual nine to five deal and he often stayed there later giving me plenty of time to brew more potions. I grimaced at that. Normally I'd pick up ingredients on the way home. An aspect of my power allowed me to instinctively know what I could use but today I was distracted.

I'd have to resort to using my spare stock.

Setting my bag down I had a quick shower, I wanted to train and brew as many potions as I could before I went out tonight.

I set about grinding away at the various bugs, herbs, mushrooms and other ingredients that I had on hand while I used my feet to continuously kick myself. I felt slight elation at my light armor skill increase as a small bruise began to slowly form. My alchemy however continued to grow at the usual rate, that is quicker then everything else I had.

It was about then that I heard dad come through the front door. With a bit of panic I quickly packed everything up moving my homework that I opened up earlier onto the table.

"Hey Kiddo, how was school today?" I smiled as much as I could to show him how well I was doing. The lack of frowns indicated that I had fooled him. It made me feel sick.

"It was okay dad." I told him. "Just trying to finish off some homework before I get dinner ready."

He shook his head at that. "As much as I love your cooking I figure I should give you a break and treat you to something nice, how does pizza sound? You kids still love that stuff right?" The guilt continued unabated through my mind. How long would I keep deceiving him? I had to keep up the facade, I had to protect him.

"That sounds great dad." Turns out ordering pizza and the extra free time that came with it was a godsend. Homework was a bit more difficult than I thought it would be. A combination of the bullying making it harder to pay attention in class and my powers taking up most of my thoughts was a sure fire way of making me forget everything academic.

Still I powered through it with liberal fact checking using the second hand maths book that was an edition out of date. Eventually the pizza came and we ate it. Dad offered to watch a movie with me but I told him I had to finish the rest of my homework which I did.

As I made my way back to my room I checked the hiding place for my 'costume' and found that it was still secure. I vowed that I would eventually replace it with actual armor.

While it took some time eventually we went to bed.

"Good night Taylor!" He yelled.

"Good night dad!" I replied hoping I had injected enough pep into my voice so that he wouldn't worry about me.

Taking a deep breath my mind wandered off to Madison, Sophia and Emma. I doubt I could understand their intentions and honestly I felt that I was done with them. I still wanted revenge on some level, to make them suffer but if it was a choice between never seeing them again and having them answer to everything they had done to me?

Well it was a difficult choice in my head. Before when they trapped me and poured the Pepsi all over me I was furious but now, here safe in my bed at home? It had calmed me down despite all the guilt I felt from hiding my powers from dad. Right now there was nothing to fight but my own desires.

Right now though it was unimportant. Tonight I'd go out and be a hero. I would focus on that.

Eventually it hit midnight, dad would likely be sound asleep. I grabbed my costume, black tracksuit pants, a black turtle neck that was a few shades lighter then the pants, a dark blue bandanna to cover my face and a set of goggles that I modified so I could wear them over my glasses.

It was a terribly rudimentary disguise and I felt that if I had better tools and materials it would've been so much better. As I looked at myself in the mirror I began to have second thoughts. I looked more like a thug ready to rob a convenience store then a hero.

A very skinny, unintimidating thug.

I shook my head. I wasn't trying to get recognition, that could come later. Tonight was about getting experience. I'd stick to lower level criminal acts and leave the villainous cape busting for another day. Grabbing a baseball bat I allowed my Veil to cover me.

It was a cold night I noted as I quietly made my way outside. I'd patrol the ABB section, they only had two capes to my knowledge, the Merchants I think had three and the Empire had… actually I wasn't sure of the number, I just knew they had a lot. Point was going into the ABB territory would have a smaller chance of me running into anyone I couldn't handle.

Now that said I understood that if I ran into Lung or Oni-Lee I'd be dead but I was relying on my Veil to get me out of those situations before I ever ran into them. Honestly I was pretty proud of that power, it wasn't something I had really considered back then but now I was grateful for it. Giving the baseball bat an experimental swing I imagined that I could knock anyone out with it.

As I continued to slink around in the shadows the night remained silent. I came to two conclusions.

First I should've worn something warmer. A turtle neck was nice and all but maybe a singlet underneath and a scarf would've been nice. It was practically freezing! I was half tempted to use my fire power to just warm myself up!

Second, this was terribly boring. My determination could only take me so far before the lack of criminal activity made me sick of all this. It was at this point I noticed someone in green and red colors. Not only that but they held a gun! Well, holding a gun wasn't a crime, he wasn't hurting anyone right now and I don't think I could survive a gunshot so I backed off.

Then I noticed that he had friends with more guns surrounding a large, muscular figure wearing a metallic dragon mask. It was Lung! It seemed that they were in a meeting.

Right, time to back off!

Lung was snarling, "…the children, just shoot. Doesn't matter your aim, just shoot. You see one lying on the ground? Shoot the little bitch twice more to be sure. We give them no chances to be clever or lucky, understand?"

There was a murmur of assent and I froze. Kids? They were going to kill kids? I couldn't deal with this! I'd die if I intervened now! Lung had taken on the entire Protectorate! I had to back off and leave! Just like Mr Gladly had done with me.

I felt my entire body shake then, I couldn't bring myself to be like him. I couldn't, I promised I'd be better and couldn't go back on that just because it was the easier option. I couldn't let people like Lung, like Sophia get away with that sort of thing.

But I had to be smart about it. Gripping my bat tighter I considered my options. I could take a swing, maybe bring one down but what then? I'd never tested the limits of my Veil. Would I reappear as soon as I attacked? It's not like I was invisible.

Wait. Invisibility! I had an invisibility potion! It would allow me to take them all out! Cause panic! I only had the one potion and I had never tested it due to the lack of ingredients but I was confident that it would work!

It was perfect! I began to drink down a myriad of my other potions, ones that made me tougher, that made my strikes hit harder, even one that fortified my healing power. I wondered if it would affect Panacea as well?

Unlikely, our powers were probably too different to be compatible.

Eventually I was ready for the last potion and I drank it down. Looking down at my hands revealed my success, nothing to see here! I smiled, it was time I took down the ABB, scare them off and save those kids from Lung. I crept up to the closest gang member and took a swing with my bat.


*CRACK*


"AHHHH!!" He screamed out hitting the ground as I broke a rib. I might've swung too hard but it seemed to have worked. Then everyone raised a weapon while my first conquest moaned pitifully on the ground. There was swearing, yelling and general confusion. Lung however looked directly into my eyes.

"Brave, but foolish little girl." Wait a second, he could see me? Looking down I confirmed that yes, I was now visible. Oh SHIT! I thought the potion would last at least another ten or fifteen seconds! What went wrong? Did it cancel itself when I swung the bat?

"Kill her." he intoned not even using his own powers to attack. He just stood there, smug and secure in his superiority like I wasn't even worth the effort. The gang members raised their weapons and right before they shot me I shouted out in panic.

"STOP!" And they had. Not a single one of them fired.

"WHAT ARE YOu waiting for fools?" Lung began to yell only to quiet down in confusion. "I… what's going on?" He wondered out loud.

"She's a MASTER!" One of them yelled out and bolted. Everyone else however seemed content to wait around, not a single aggressive stance in sight except perhaps Lung who was trying and failing to work up his infamous rage.

"COWARD!" He yelled at the single fleeing subordinate. "I WILL FLay you alive…" His form seemed to grow for a moment before shrinking back down. I didn't know how long this Master power I used would last so I decided to remove some of the gang members by summoning flames into my hands.

Many of them flinched and backed off. It looked impressive but in this state the heat in my hands were harmless. Then I pointed them outwards and let them loose, a flamethrower blazed into existence scattering my foes to the wind! It was a glorious moment and I savoured it deeply! I took great care and effort however to not to cook anyone alive, only to scare them and force them to retreat.

Hopefully the idea of being at ground zero with two pyro capes would ensure they left the area for good.

I was banking on that since I couldn't keep up the flamethrower forever.

Lung as I expected didn't retreat and luckily for me he hadn't turned into a giant murder beast yet either. He was fluctuating, shrinking and growing, shrinking and growing. I quickly realized that what I had done to him was starting to fade.

Well, it seemed that his full attention was now on me. Those kids were going to live. As Lung growled in frustration I decided that now was a good time to listen to my survival instincts and run.

Running around the corner and diving into the shadows I desperately used my Veil once more as I slowly, began to creep away. Looking around he tried to find me, he even sniffed the air. I panicked at that, his nose was different now, who was to say that he didn't have super smelling?

In any other situation I would've giggled at the thought. A Cape with the power of super smelling.

Right now however I was struggling to reign in my desire to just run. Stealth was the only way I was getting out of here. Then I noticed that he was beginning to shrink. I know for a fact that my Master power was starting the wear off so was this his own power running out on him as well?

His anger was now just frustration. It came back and the air around him seemed to heat up but overall it seemed that without an actual confrontation he would be weakened. Did I just beat Lung by hiding from him?

He stalked off soon after, presumably to try and find me and only then did I let out the breath I had been holding the entire time. Standing up I wondered what I should do now. Too late did I notice the sounds of something coming closer, heavy thuds across the ground as I came face to face with a monster. I backed up and noticed another two flanking it.

Then I realized that there were people riding those monsters and I soon recognised who they were. The Undersiders, small time crooks and teens. I just saved a bunch of criminals from Lung!

================================================================

That's it for now folks! Next time we get a juicy Armsmaster interlude!

I'm hoping the Lung 'Fight' works here. In my mind there are only a few ways to beat him.

1. Hit him before he grows.
2. Hit him in such a way that he can't hit you (Ranged attacks like bugs)
3. Hit him harder then he can hit you! (Unlikely unless you're a Endbringer or only just starting the fight, see point 1.)
4. Don't hit him all! Just fucking RUN!

So yeah, it's debatable on whether Taylor actually fought him at all but now you all know that she's basically an Imperial! Voice power and luck finding money AHOY! All she has to do now is go out and find containers that could have money in them in the first place. I'm thinking couches.

Edit: For those of you who don't know, being an Imperial gives you the ability to once per day to shout, causing an AOE around you to have a calming effect. The one guy who ran off? Probably wouldn't ever happen with actual game mechanics but I always liked the idea of someone super paranoid about Master capes that he just freaks the fuck out regardless!

================================================================

Omake: Tattle Tale thanks Taylor by giving her a lunchbox filled with MONEY!!!!

"Money," I breathed, caught off guard by suddenly having so much in my hands. Ten stacks of bills, tied with paper bands. Each of the paper bands had a number written on it in permanent marker. Two fifty each…

Lisa answered before I had the number totalled up in my head, "Two grand." She told me.

Wait a second. Ten stacks, two fifty each. That was two thousand five hundred. I opened my mouth to correct her but closed it figuring that if I could get a bonus I might as well not look a gift horse in the mouth.

Lisa then raised an eyebrow at my reaction as her eyes widened. She quickly grabbed the lunchbox out of my hand staring at it. "Wait, what? This is BULLSHIT!"

 

[freebiewitz]

Armsmaster Interlude.


Tonight was rather quiet as I patrolled the ABB territory which in of itself was rather surprising. Not even a single robbery to break up. It was common knowledge that Brockton Bay had a higher than average Cape population never mind crime rate. Thus it was to equal parts dissatisfaction and relief that the patrol was coming to an end.

Driving through the streets on a semi randomized route I shifted gears to head back to base for a night of coffee, paper work and most importantly more Tinkering with a capital 'T'.

"Console, this is Armsmaster, everything is-" I was cut off before I could finish.

"Disturbance near the warehouse district Armsy." It was Assault. "Reports say there's a lot of explosions and some big dogs, you're the closest guy there so how about you go break a leg?" It was informal but it was probably the best I'd get out of him. "I'll send the details to your helmet."

"Received, I'll investigate." I grinned in anticipation. Explosions in this area generally meant Oni-Lee and 'Big dogs' likely meant that the Undersiders were involved. Catching either of them tonight would be a great boon. The only thing that would pull me away from this encounter would be reports of Lung.

Gripping the handle of my bike tighter I willed it to go faster. The machine ran smoothly and soon the sounds of battle began to make themselves known. I almost felt it first, the low rumbling reverb of multiple explosions rocking the air. Suddenly there was a flash of light in the distance as something smashed into a concrete wall.

I was near.

Skidding around the corner I came across several ABB gang members unconscious and in some cases bleeding on the ground. Nothing instantly fatal if my scanners were correct.

"Console, we have wounded ABB members, send a PRT wagon and an ambulance." Better safe than sorry.

Normally I'd stay behind to make sure the proceedings would go smoothly but today I had criminal capes to catch. Following them was no issue, the grenades presumably used by Oni-Lee just made it a matter of going towards the explosions.

As I continued the hunt I noted that there were less and less gang members around and more and more debris. While the bike was Tinker tech even it couldn't navigate the area without either slowing down or damaging something important. I knew I could catch them, it was almost galling how a boulder here or a crater there slowed me down. It was starting to get to the point where going on foot might be quicker.

I should've packed the all terrain gear.

Eventually an opening presented itself allowing me to accelerate. Using another fallen piece of debris as a ramp I managed to bypass many of the obstacles before coming face to face with a very surprised Oni-Lee.

Ramming him full force (by accident might I add) midair with my bike he exploded filling my vision, beard and mouth with ash.
"BLARGHUHA!" I coughed. The disadvantage of an open mouth helmet had quickly made itself known to me. Despite my vision impairment, I managed to stick the landing.

Wiping my face I quickly scanned my surroundings, Oni-Lee was nowhere to be seen but one of the Undersiders, Tattletale my mind provided was diving into a nearby alley way. Driving after them a large shape emerged forcing me to steer myself out of the way as three large, lizard like dogs dashed out of the hiding spot. Turning around my helmet calculated trajectories as I began my pursuit.

I grinned, they wouldn't get away from me this time.

I flipped a switch on my bike and pressed a button. A soft sound not unlike someone quickly exhaling was drowned out by the sounds of the chase. The heavy foot falls of the dogs and the loud hum of my engines. Well technically my engines were near silent, the sounds were all synthetic designed to warn pedestrians to get out of the way when I was close.

While my machine was undoubtedly faster the three dogs had the advantage here. With all the debris around they could just step and hop over the larger hazards. I on the other hand had to keep steering around them losing precious seconds. Seconds which I gave them on purpose. Regent in theory could throw me off my bike with one well placed application of his power but as far as we knew it was based on line of sight so I kept swerving to give him a harder target.

Earlier I had deployed my tracking dart from the bike which managed to hit one of the animals in the leg. Technically calling it a dart was inaccurate, it stuck to the target with adhesive. No pain would be felt from the subject. If things went according to plan I'd soon find the Undersiders base of operations.

Suddenly darkness flooded from one of their members, Grue the alleged leader. I grunted and swerved to a stop. It was one thing to drive full speed through wreckage but another to do it blind.
Everything was going as planned.

I grinned at that checking my scanner.

The grin was short lived however as I found that no signal was coming through. Did they have a localized jammer? Unlikely, the tracking dart was Tinker tech, anything they used would have to be on that level as well and last I checked none of the group was a Tinker either.

It was also possible that they stole or purchased one illegally however another thought crossed my mind.
According to my logs the loss of signal coincided with the appearance of darkness. It could have been a coincidence but nothing could be ruled out including one of the members being a Tinker.

Regardless with no signal to follow I resorted to good old fashion tracking. Old fashion if it wasn't for my high tech helmet with top of the line forensics software I had programmed myself that is. With all the smashed debris it was difficult to tell which parts of it had three large animals passing through it and which parts were simply blasted apart by grenades but the software managed it albeit at a slower pace than what I would've liked.

Eventually the signal to the tracker had reappeared and to my pleasant surprise I found that I was going in the right direction. It seemed that the Undersiders had stopped, presumably to either rest or hide.

Drifting around the corner I already had my halberd at the ready before my helmet notified me that only one combatant was present along with a single unconscious ABB member.

The tracking dart was on the ground next to him, it looked like any other pebble. TV shows and movies that showed the audience an obviously blinking and beeping tracker weren't realistic at all. Sliding to a stop I dismounted, no clue to where the rest of the criminals were, the ground was plain old concrete.

The man standing there made no aggressive movement but he had clearly noticed my entrance. Long dark hair, darker clothes with a bandanna to hide his face and reflective yellow goggles. It was cheap amateur costume that you'd expect to see on a thug.

A tall intimidating thug.

Still, diplomacy would be given a chance.

"You gonna fight me?" I called out unwilling to go any further without confirming if this was a trap or not.

"I'm a good guy," He said with my lie detector confirming the truth. No, it was a she. The voice was young and feminine. Now that I looked closer I found that yes, she was a girl.

Stepping closer to her I made the obvious comment, "You don't look like one."

She flinched at that. "That's… not intentional, it's not like I had the material to build what I needed to build."

I paused for another moment, my lie detector wasn't quite perfect yet and it took some time before it revealed the results.

"You're telling the truth." Build? That insinuated that she was a Tinker yet none of my scanners picked up anything electronic on her person, not even a phone.

"Do you need a hospital?" I asked.

"No, wasn't even touched and I can regenerate even if I was." She seemed proud of that fact. She was a brute perhaps?

"You're a new face." If she was a new trigger then perhaps I could induct her into the Wards. It was no Undersider or Oni-Lee arrest but new recruits were always valuable.

"I haven't really come up with a name yet, I have too many powers to pin it down." She was a grab bag then, possibly a trump.

"You can always try using the wiki." I suggested hoping to build some camaraderie, it was at this point I had put away my weapon. "Type in a name and if it successfully finds someone try another." While I couldn't see her smile because of the bandanna I got the impression that my words had the intended effect as her posture relaxed.

"I'll have to book some more time at the library then." She grimaced. "I uhh, have a gang member for you to take away?" She awkwardly presented to me pointing out her prize on the ground.

I was wondering about that. "Typically the police handle arrests unless there's a Parahuman element. Speaking of which what happened with the Undersiders?" She frowned at that.

"I just got away from Lung and scared off all his men when they turned up, they thought I was on their side because of the costume so they left me alone and thanked me." I raised an eyebrow and reached for my Halberd.

"If Lung is still nearby we might need to move." I was confident that I could take him down before he ramped up with the equipment I had brought, however fighting him with another unknown cape no matter her affiliation was just asking for an accident to happen.

Her eyes widened at that. "Uhh sure, let's get out of here."

I climbed onto my bike and handed her my spare helmet. Grabbing the gang member I managed to secure him on the harness with another helmet. We weren't quite rushing to leave but an air of anxiety lingered.

As I drove away towards the police station to drop off the girl's first arrest I spoke up.

"You should come up with a name soon." I mentioned. "The Protectorate are fond of saddling people with one and as soon as it gets into the public consciousness it becomes impossible to dislodge."

There was another pause. Turned out neither one of us was a good conversationalist. I only really enjoyed speaking with other Tinkers.

Hang on.

"You mentioned that you wanted to build your disguise correct?" She seemed to pep up at that. "I take it that you're some sort of Tinker then?"

"Sort of." She began. "I need an anvil to make my costume, it's actual armor, medieval stuff you see." That didn't seem very impressive and by the sounds of her voice she knew it to.

"But I can make it efficient I think, refine it!" I grunted for her to continue. "Also I can make potions! I made myself temporarily invisible!" Okay that was more impressive and I didn't have to fake my sounds of approval.

Despite driving with her behind me I could almost imagine her eyes light up.

"OH I have an idea for a name! How about Brewmaster?" I chuckled at that.

"Would be fine but the alcoholic connotations would be bad for PR." I told her.

"Oh I know VIM!" She announced undaunted. "Because my potions make people stronger or tougher like Vim and Vigour!" She was a bit of a chatterbox once she started I noted. Almost carried the whole conversation herself in contrast to her shy beginnings. "Stuff that makes you invisible or make my other powers even better! I bet I could even come up with something that makes you Tinker better!" That sounded great but it seemed that we were reaching the end of this journey, thus I reported in.

"Console, this is Armsmaster." I yelled over the sounds of my bike. "I have a new hero with me by the name of Vim, I'll be dropping her off before reporting in myself." I stopped next to a street sign that she had pointed out to me earlier.

Hopping off she seemed to embody her name quite nicely.

"OH MY GOD You just called me a HERO!" Her enthusiasm was almost infectious. "I can't believe this!"

"Hold on now." I raised my hand. "Before I go back I need to make sure you know about the Wards, think about joining us alright? It would help with your lack of materials and let you build what you need and get you a budget for your potions." She seemed to light up at that but before she accepted she pulled back.

"I uh, I wanna try flying solo for a bit, let everyone know that I can pull my own weight but I'll keep it in mind." I nodded understanding her feelings, her desire to be acknowledged.

"If you change your mind or have any questions then don't hesitate to call." I said handing her one of my cards. I couldn't see her eyes behind the goggles but it was safe to assume that she was a fan of mine.

"I'll see you later." And with that I drove off.

 

[freebiewitz]

I did it! It's official! I'm a hero!

Vim the ass kicker! Vim the hope of Brockton Bay! Vim the terror to all criminals of the world!

Honestly I was still giddy after Armsmaster had called me a hero. He didn't really say it to my face but he reported it over his radio. I should've brought along some sort of tape recorder just so I could hear it again and again!

With my Veil activated I passed through the neighbourhood receiving the tiny feeling of improvement as I went.

It was time to return home, to go from being Vim the hero and back to boring old Taylor. It was almost depressing the way I phrased that in my mind. Yet it was true, after the excitement of tonight I wasn't sure if I could go back to being bullied, to being unimportant.

I stopped Lung, I made my first arrest and I saved lives! I grimaced with that thought entering my head.

The Undersiders. Would I have done anything differently if I had known it was them? Probably not. They deserved to be arrested, not killed. At the time I was more afraid that they would attack me, after all they were the bad guys.

I was lucky that they had gotten the wrong idea about me, believing that I was a bad guy just like them. Fighting Lung in a straight fight would end with me as dead as Emma's moral code and against the Undersiders, a group of four Parahumans? I'd probably not do much better and that's if I was discounting the three dog monsters that Hellhound, no Bitch used.

In fact, now that I thought about it they were downright nice for villains. They even THANKED ME! Thanked me for delaying Lung like I had, for saving their lives even if it wasn't on purpose. The only reason why they left sooner was because Tattletale told them that Armsmaster was arriving soon.

They invited me to come with them, to hide out and lay low for a bit but I didn't exactly want to be associated with them fleeing the scene of a Cape fight.

Cape fight…. That was a generous way to put it.

While Lung and I had never really gone to blows I was a cape and I broke a ABB gang member's ribs so that technically counted as a 'Cape' (Singular) fight. That was another point I had to think on. I underestimated how much damage I could do with the bat and while the guy was probably going to be fine I couldn't afford any other mistakes. I was lucky tonight, I was a hero, not a thug.

THE BAT!

Only then did I realize that I left it behind. Where did I leave it? I don't think I was holding it when I was talking with Armsmaster, it was most likely dropped when I realized that Lung was after me.

I moaned into my hands. This was a disaster. I could go back to it and find it but Lung was back there. The biggest problem wasn't losing a weapon, with time I could craft my own or at worst just find a metal pipe as unheroic as that sounded.

The biggest issue was that the bat belonged to Dad. I don't know if he just had it for the sake of having it or if he played baseball at all (the dust on it when I found it says no) but I couldn't go around taking other people's property and losing it!

This would lead to uncomfortable questions, questions that could reveal what I had been doing tonight.


"Taylor, where's my super bat?" He'd ask me.

"Oh uhh, nothing happened!" I would reply.

"The news says that there's been an arrest, a gang member who had been hit by a blunt object, also there's a bat in the ABB territory." Then I would collapse at the unfairness of the world.


That was the dumbest scenario I could think of and yet even knowing that it was dumb didn't remove my fears. I had to get a replacement before he got suspicious. But where would I get a bat on such short notice in the middle of the night? Hopefully he'd think he'd lost it.

I lashed out in frustration flinging my fist against a thin tree.

As I was not a brute the only thing that accomplished was a few leaves becoming dislodged. I needed a way to make my punches stronger, I got the impression that if I used my fists I'd have better control over my own limbs, less likely to hurt anyone too seriously but enough to knock them out. Yet none of my basic 'skills' seemed to enhance it.

It was almost frustrating how arbitrary my powers were in how they affected me! Everything was so conditional! I had to be wearing something that seemed like armor to get a brute rating! I had to use an anvil to make stuff! I needed a weapon to hit harder! People had to stop looking at me for me to hide!

Phrased like that it made me sound like just a normal, non-Parahuman person! Was that my power? To be like a normal person but more so?

"Everyone, look at Vim! With all the powers of two normal people!"

Pfft.

I needed money now to buy a new bat and I needed money for the anvil. I was a teenager, I shouldn't be worrying about money yet!

I couldn't resort to stealing of course and looking under the couch for spare change could only get me so far. I pulled out Armsmaster's card again and considered it. I had doubts selling to the PRT originally, worried that they'd strong arm me into joining them but tonight had cleared away those doubts to a small degree at least..

He asked me to join the Wards but didn't really push it when I declined and he did tell me that I could call him if I had any questions. Maybe I could sell him some of my potions?

I'd have to brew some new stuff up, I was under the impression that a lot of my stuff wouldn't effect him.

I'd need to make things that could enhance his two handed strikes, maybe the smithing potions could make him a better Tinker, the armor stuff would probably work as well. Did power armor count as light or heavy armor? I figure it would be heavy but you could never be sure with Tinker Tech.

Maybe something for healing, Panacea was in high demand so my own healing potions would probably do really well.

I'd need crab shells and charred rat skin for my cure disease potions. Well, alleged cure disease at least, it's not like I had any test subjects for that.

My normal, run of the mill healing potions on the other hand I could in full confidence say worked. In addition there were so many different combinations for the recipe that it wouldn't take long to make several new batches anyways. In fact I already had over a dozen bottles of the stuff. The only downside to all the potions I wanted to make was the fact that it took time to find the ingredients. It's not like the flowers I found behind the house could regrow over night and the stuff at the supermarket were pretty expensive.

I'd make some stamina potions. Like coffee but hundreds of times better. If Armsmaster didn't want it then I could probably sell them to some of the PRT office workers, Tinker Tech coffee! No wait… Tinker Tech Vim and Vigour! T.T.V.V! Not even a day being a hero and already I was already thinking about branding. I grinned at that.

Something flickered on the edge of my consciousness.

At first I thought it was danger, that someone was trying to rob me but then I realized it was me becoming stronger or more specifically me already becoming stronger. The Elation! It must've triggered when I was using my skills against Lung and his gang! I probably missed it due to my focus on trying not to die. Life or death scenarios were distracting.

But here it was, the urge to look up. Stars filled my vision once more and my vision dimmed as knowledge of what could be flooded my mind. I could do so much, I could be so powerful, I was limited by what I could do now but in time I would be so much more. I couldn't quite grasp the capabilities that I would have but I had ideas, things I might be able to do.

I could slow down time, I could make my worn armor weightless, I could paralyze with a single strike, I could… I could, everything was so far out of reach. I was grasping for straws, I had to grab what I could, there was so much power, so many stars, so many shards of light.

I wanted to make my potions even more effective to impress Armsmaster, to make my healing more notable. Soon I felt myself become tougher again as the feeling of Elation coursed through me grabbing hold of that shard of power. I got the feeling that only my stamina and healing potions were affected but that would be enough.

Shards of power.

That was an apt way of putting it. My Elation didn't quite give me full sets of powers, it simply gave me bits and pieces, shards. I nodded at that and made my way home.

Before I knew it I was outside my house. Creeping in was no effort due to my Veil but it was a nerve wracking experience regardless. What would happen if Dad got up for a midnight snack? What if he found my bed empty? What if he called the police to tell them I was missing?

As I reached my bed I had to tell myself that he hadn't any clue. That he was sound asleep and safe in his bed. That there was no evidence to the contrary. Breathing a sigh of relief I began to undress, replacing my costume for the innocent pyjamas I would sleep in.

Sleep.

That was another aspect to my power that made things more convenient. I could choose how long I slept for and it never really seemed to impact how well rested I was no matter how long or short I was in bed for. I could take a one hour power nap or a full day coma and still come out ready to go! The arbitrary limitation was that I could only choose the duration of my sleep in one hour blocks.

Checking the clock I made sure I'd be awake at around seven, early enough to make some breakfast for dad and I. A normal time for boring old Taylor. My potion selling could wait for now.

=================================================================================

As is RPG tradition it took this long for Taylor to choose a name.
ALL HAIL VIM!

 

[freebiewitz]

I woke up as I normally did every day in bed. I had a blanket draped over me as I remembered it. My room was how I left it and the sun was up just like it was every morning. I brushed my hair out of habit taking great care to ensure it's appearance and health was up to my standards.

I entertained the idea of skipping school last night but only now did I really mentally commit to it. After last night it would be impossible for me to go back to my normal routine, I felt like so much more now. I knew I had to go back eventually to avoid suspicion but once a week wouldn't be too bad.

I entered the kitchen and proceeded to cook up some breakfast. I'd make some sweet rolls for dad and something that wasn't driven by my power today, eggs and bacon.

Dad soon woke up after that with a groggy expression. I greeted him with coffee to which he gratefully accepted.

"Morning Taylor!" He spoke.

"Morning dad." I answered as we dug into our food. As I finished off the last bits of my bacon I considered how to skip class today. With any luck no one would even realize I was gone and realistically it's not like anyone cared anyways. Dad would be kept out of the loop letting me scavenge more ingredients for potions allowing me to call Armsmaster.

"Someone's in a good mood today." Dad mentioned as he began washing up the dishes. I was smiling? Despite my brief panic I found that I simply didn't care. It made him happy, it was clear to see.

"I guess, just a bit randomly happy I guess." I wasn't really sure what else to say.

"Mmmm." He grunted in agreement as he nodded. "Well I'm off, you should get going yourself if you don't wanna be late for the bus."

"Oh no, I'd miss school, how terrible." I told him rolling my eyes. "I'd have to stay home and drink hot chocolate all day."

He laughed at that. "We wouldn't want that now would we, anyways I've got to go, love you sweetie." With that he we went our separate ways.

I felt minor Elation at that, my Speech skill improved? Seriously? My fucking Speech? Why didn't it grow sooner? I'd been talking with dad for months! Sure I was pretty withdrawn at school but I had gotten hit less than the amount of times I had spoken and my Light armor skill improved!

Was this one of those stupid limitation things again? The way that my Light armor skill only improved if I was wearing the steel capped boots? Or how my potion brewing skills didn't get better from me making soup? There was an element that made me get better at Speech but without dad talking to me again I couldn't analyse it.

Clearly normal conversation wouldn't cut it, I'd have to experiment.

I had technically planned to skip school to make potions and sell them but who said I couldn't just take the day off to test the limits of my powers? That wouldn't be so different right? Putting on the boots I made my way outside with my backpack.

First things first, the library. I needed to do some research on how much I could sell my Tinker Tech potions for. I doubted there would be many equivalents but hopefully I'd get a rough idea on how much I should charge Armsmaster. I'd probably start with a discount just to be friendly. Making my way to the library I found to my dismay that every computer there was filled up.

Well there went that plan.

Still, the computer wasn't my only resource, the library had books after all. I doubt any of them would tell me how much my Tinker Tech would cost but maybe I could find a guide on negotiations so that I wouldn't be pushed around too much at least.

The Librarian was leering at me as I approached her which was a bad sign considering that she usually smiled when I came around.

"Shouldn't you be in school missy?" She asked. Right, I was skipping, I couldn't exactly hide that could I? I'd have to come up with a lie, problem is I didn't look sick so I'd have to think of something else quickly.

"That's why I'm here actually." Good start but I'd have to close it off with something believable. "Class is being fumigated, something about an infestation but I don't want to fall behind in class so I'm here to study." At that I shifted my bag implying that there were books inside already.

She seemed to buy the excuse so I decided to get her help.

"Do you have any books on finances? Like buying and selling things?"

"Hmm, yes we have a few things like that, follow me young miss." Her mood seemed to have lightened up. "It's good that you're using this time to study, I can only imagine what your other classmates are doing with their newfound free time." I shrugged at that and followed her down some aisles.

"Here we are, I don't want to sound too demeaning but the 'For Dummies' section should be very helpful, it's how I learnt how to do my taxes properly after all." She smiled.

"Thank you." I replied as she left. I grabbed the bright yellow book off the shelf.

'Sales Closing For Dummies' seemed like it was very relevant to what I needed.

Opening it up I found that I felt minor Elation again for my Speech skill. My eyes widened at that. I looked back to the librarian who was already walking around the corner. The Elation was too delayed for her to be the cause of the boost. It was something else. But what?

I shook my head, I'd have to figure out the mystery later, right now I needed more books on selling things for study. Flicking through the book I put it on the table next to me. I planned to make a pile and borrow them later.

Grabbing the next book 'Selling For Dummies' I opened it up and once more my Elation flared.

The implications this time was not lost on me. Somehow books made me more powerful. I had to confirm it, I grabbed another book and another, flicking them open only to close them and move onto the next.

Again and again I felt Elation finally letting me look to the stars. So much was before me but I had practice, I focused and the shards seemingly solidified. They were still out of reach for the most part but eventually I picked one that would make my ability to brew better potions once more.

My hands were shaking, this, this was huge. I didn't have to train my powers by performing the actions! I could just read a book! Well, not even that! All I had to do was open them! I gently placed them all back to where they belonged and headed to the fiction section, my mind swam with possibilities. Ever since I came out of that locker I had never indulged myself in reading to any degree like I would normally do, I was too focused on becoming a cape I supposed.

But now?

Guides for the most part seemed to increase my power. Books about coding and such had not. So it seemed I was still limited to a degree, another arbitrary limitation. However, perhaps non-fiction books would help? I had to test this!

Grabbing a fantasy novel about magic I opened it up only to get nothing. I grabbed another one off the shelf and still nothing. Perhaps fictional magic wasn't compatible with my powers?

I changed tactics and grabbed a different sort of fantasy book off the shelf, this one was about an assassin in training and as I opened the first page I felt Elation, my Veil improved.

Right, my Veil. It would be strange to see someone grabbing books off the shelves, opening and closing them all one at a time wouldn't it? I crouched down and got to work. There were still people around and some had even left their computers but I paid them no mind. My power hid me from view, occasionally I felt my Veil become stronger but that was secondary compared to the growth I had from these books.

I was almost furious at how much power was at my fingertips! I could've had it all sooner if only I had just left the computers alone! Hours passed and I felt my stomach grumble. I hadn't realized how hungry I had gotten. I'd passed through a few shelves but I still had more to go. You'd think opening and closing a book wouldn't take so much time but there were a lot of books.

I checked the clock, it was almost twelve. I planned on contacting Armsmaster around this time, make him think I was using my lunch break from school to go see him. I knew it was a bit deceptive of me but I didn't want him to think that I was anything but a paragon of justice. I felt that I didn't need to bring any books with me anymore and left.

Getting on a bus it took some time before I was closer to the Protectorate's base. I couldn't get there directly since it was on an old oil rig but it was close enough to see the ever present force field. Finding an abandoned area I activated my Veil once more and changed my clothes.

I pulled out Armsmaster's card and approached a phone booth. Then I found the flaw in my plan.

I didn't bring any coins with me. Of all the things that could have gone wrong today it had to be that! I patted myself down for loose change and my bag but all I could find were scrunched up dollar bills here and there. I found a dime as well but that was it.

This was a disaster! I used the last of my coins in the bus ride! I planned on using the bills to get back home!

Feeling desperate I jammed my fingers into the phone booth's coin return box and to my pleasant surprise it was filled with quarters.

"Holy shit." I swore with relief. A passerby stared at me wondering what a girl wearing yellow goggles and face concealing bandanna was doing here. I waved at them hoping that I would come across as friendly. They took that as the signal to walk away at a very fast pace.

Sighing I inserting a few coins and dialled the number I was given. I waited less then a second before the call was answered.

"Armsmaster here, who is this?" He asked in a no nonsense sort of way.

While I was a bit put off by his quick reply I collected myself and pushed through.

"Uhh hi, this is Vim, just returning a call about yesterday and about selling some of my potions?"

"Good to hear from you Vim, please hold."

There was a pause, a long pause. What was he doing?

"I found your location, please wait, a PRT van will soon come to pick you up, are you in costume?" Wait he found me? Right, he was a Tinker, that explained everything. I was only a bit disappointed that he wouldn't be picking me up personally but I'd still be meeting him today anyways. Not many people could say that.

"Yeah, I'm in costume I'll see you soon, I'll be here."

"Good." He replied hanging up. I didn't have to wait long and before I knew it the van had arrived.

"This is it Vim, you're in the big leagues now." I whispered as we made our way over to a ferry.

 

[freebiewitz]

Nope! Couldn't do this! Can't! Won't! WILL NOT COMPLY! If it weren't for the fact that I was sitting down with my face covered by yellow goggles and a bandanna I'm sure I would've seemed like a nervous wreck.

YELLOW SWIMMING GOGGLES! What was I THINKING!? I mean, from far away you could mistake them for sunglasses but it still looked TERRIBLE!

The full gravity of what was happening had suddenly hit me. I was in a PRT van that was currently on a ferry boat taking me to the Rig to meet Armsmaster! It didn't seem like such a bad thing a moment ago but it was only then that I realized that I was still wearing my cheap amateur costume!

What would the other heroes say?


"Hello." Armsmaster would greet me before staggering back in mental anguish. "Oh god! Now that it's not so dark I can now see how terrible you look!" He'd shout.

"Wait!" I'd scream hoping for forgiveness as the rags on me rustled in the unforgiving winds.

"BEGONE from the Rig!" He'd announce with the rest of the heroes in the background glaring at me from above, arms crossed in clear disappointment. "BEGONE AND NEVER DARKEN THESE HALLS WITH YOUR TERRIBLE COSTUME AGAIN!"


No, that was stupid, he wouldn't do that. Come on Taylor, think about something else, something more immediate! Like the people Armsmaster sent to pick you up! Yeah that's a good topic right? They weren't really talkative but that's calling the pot black and they did seem nice enough. My version of nice was that they weren't bullying me or obstructing justice so that was a low bar.

The PRT guards that were sent to pick me up weren't really guards, they looked like office workers, normal people albeit with what looked like concealed weapons. I honestly expected them to come greet me with guys in bulletproof vests and containment foam weapons or something. Was it a good thing that they only sent these guys? Did it mean that they were friendly? Or did it mean they didn't think I rated that much of a threat? That I wasn't important enough?


"Hey guys!" I imagined one would yell. "We're gonna pick up Vim!"

"Hey Captain, do we need to bring anything in case she turns out to be evil or something?"

"Nah, her powers are laaaame, just get some tasers and we'll be good."


I shook my head clearing myself of those thoughts. A few of the guards stared at me, wondering what I was doing as I rubbed my temples.

"Are you okay uhh… Vim?"

"I'm fine, really." I tried to assure him.

He gave me a small grin and a shrug so it wasn't that bad I supposed.

The rest of the trip was spent in relative silence, the sounds of the waves outside continued to break against the ferry. Though I didn't realize it earlier they were glancing my way, sneaking looks in my direction. Was something wrong with me? If it weren't for the fact that I was so conscious of it I would've used my Veil by accident to hide myself.

Hopefully I'd regain my nerve once we reached the Rig.

As the ferry finally reached land and the van parked itself outside I made my first steps onto the Rig. I hadn't paid that much attention up to that point but now that I was here I found my breath taken away. Before I was mired it fear, now excitement bubbled beneath the surface. I was still nervous sure, the butterflies were going crazy in my stomach but at the same time I couldn't help but smile.

"Vim." One of the guards called out to me. "This way please." I nodded as I was guided through the entrance, I noted that there were various cameras around, I wouldn't have been surprised if they were tinker tech scanning for hidden weapons or invisible villains.

Not that there were any Stranger capes in Brockton Bay, at least I didn't think there were.

That was kind of the point of Strangers though right? Shaking off my errant thoughts I continued through a series of security checks.

Passing through what looked like a metal detector (which I figured wasn't since I still had metal coins) I came face to face with Armsmaster.

"Vim, it's good to see you again." He spoke with a smile. I noted that he didn't have his signature Halberd with him but he still wore his futuristic blue armor with a visor that covered his eyes and nose hiding his identity but showing off his famous beard.

Was it me or was everyone here not as well armed as I imagined they would be?

"You wanted to talk about potions?" He asked motioning for me to follow him.

Follow him where though? "Did you bring many? I assume one or perhaps two at most?" He asked.

"Uhh no, I have a whole bunch." I mentioned quickly grabbing four from my bag.

He seemed to be surprised. Perhaps he was impressed that I had made so many?

"Can you do that again?" He asked.

"Do what again?" This was a bit confusing.

"That." When I couldn't give him any answers he visibly straightened himself out. "You pulled those vials out of thin air."

"Thin air?" I wondered. I looked into my backpack and found that all it contained were books. My eyes widened in panic wondering where I put the potions, as I reached inside I instinctively pulled out one that I was certain I didn't see until a split second ago.

"Interesting, the scanners hadn't picked up any liquids in your bag but now that it's in your hands they're reading as positive." He looked like he was going to poke the potions in my hands. "A sort of pocket dimension perhaps? Localized to just you or your bag? Did you make it yourself?" He asked.

"No, I just, it's a really old bag, I just put my potions in it, I didn't really notice." Now that I thought about it I had more things in there then it should've allowed. I was usually a lot more observant than this, I just kept getting side tracked! One moment I was thinking of doing one thing, suddenly something else popped up and I was doing that instead!

I swear to god, if the Slaughterhouse 9 were in front of me I might just ignore them to go pick flowers for the old lady down the street.

Okay I wasn't that bad but self depreciation was a fine and noble art.

"Didn't notice? Odd, most Parahumans have an instinctive knowledge of their powers, still it's not unheard of." He shrugged leading me down the hall. "Tinkers for example usually don't begin with knowledge of their specialities, you however don't seem to have that issue."

Potions in my case I supposed. I felt a bit of pride swell at that but that was dashed when I remembered the lacklustre armor I could make. Not for the first time I started to think of myself as the 'Fantasy Tinker.'

"So where are we headed?" I asked him.

"To get lunch of course." Right, I called him at midday just so I'd have a reason to be away from school. "I usually eat something small while working so I don't use the cafeteria much." He admitted.

I nodded obediently as a heavy set of doors automatically opened before us. The sounds of chatter washed over us. Those doors really had good sound dampeners, it was almost silent in the hallways before we entered.

Taking several measured and confident steps Armsmaster led us to a reserved set of seats, the table I noted already had some food and our names.

Well our cape names at least, printed out on strips of paper.

"I hope I wasn't too presumptuous in ordering first, I wanted to make everything go as quickly as possible." He told me. Armsmaster had a Ham and Cheese sandwich with apple juice on his tray. Mine had a burger with chips and what looked like Cola. "Do you have any special dietary needs?"

"Oh no, it's fine, I can eat meat." I assured him taking a seat. I wasn't too hungry and I didn't want to distract him from my potion talk. "I think we can talk about these first." Grabbing some of my healing potions I placed a few of the bottles in between us.

Just like myself Armsmaster had yet to touch his food. He hadn't pushed them aside but it was clear that he ignored it in favor of the potions.

"These ones heal people." I told him, proud of my achievement. He nodded grabbing one to examine.

"Interesting but for now I'd prefer you keep the Tinkertech Serums to yourself, the staff here are trustworthy but without verifying the Serum's effects we shouldn't leave them out in the open like this." Oh right. He handed the one he held back to me while I put away the rest.

"Sorry." I apologized, he smiled back presumably to assure me that it was okay. "Wait, if I can't bring them out then what are we going to talk about?"

"Pricing." He said as if he was already going to pay for them. "I am prepared to offer you three thousand dollars for each bottle of your Tinkertech Serum."

"Three thousand?" I asked in surprise half off my chair already. I had dozens upon dozens of potions, I'd make more with this transaction then most people in a year!

"Too low? How about Five thousand then?" My brain shut down then. "Sorry for the low offer but I cannot approve anything higher without confirming the effects of your Serums." That was considered low?

Five thousand was LOW?!?!

How much was he going to pay me when he figures out that they work?

"I uhh." Instantly I calmed myself down schooling my features as to not give anything away. Not that I would have considering how my bandanna and goggles hid my face but my posture at least was corrected.

"Five thousand per bottle is acceptable." I told him. He paused, presumably processing my answer before nodding stiffly.

"How many Serums with unique effects do you have?" He asked. "I'd ask to have two of each kind to test and experiment with but we can start with just one of each type."

"Hmm, instant healing, regeneration, toughness, being tougher while wearing light or heavy armor, so three kinds of toughness." I rattled off to him. "Fire resistance, stamina, something for mental exhaustion." I didn't want to say mana and come off as insane. "To name a few, anyways let's just eat first before everything goes cold." Armsmaster agreed taking a sip from his apple juice.

While I wasn't very hungry I didn't want the food to go to waste. Grabbing the burger and bringing it up to my lips I took a quick bite.

"Vim?" Armsmaster asked seemingly concerned. "Did you just take a bite of that burger through your mask?"

I froze, touching my lips with my fingers but instead of feeling skin all I felt was the fabric of my bandanna.

"My powers are weird." I offered lamely not even surprised by my powers anymore.

He nodded in understanding.

"Any ideas for potions you haven't made yet?" He asked.

"Oh, well mostly just making them more potent honestly, things like having multiple effects as well." As we continued our meal and conversation I noticed that it felt nice eating lunch with someone else. I had gotten used to hiding that I had forgotten what it felt like. Taking another power fuelled bite into my burger I decided that I liked it.

 

[freebiewitz]

After lunch I was lead away to a large meeting room with a long table, a series of identical office seats and a widescreen TV at the end, honestly it felt too big for just the two of us. While inside I noted that everything outside was silent. It seemed that Armsmaster wanted some privacy and considering that he wanted to pay me FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS for each potion I could understand but why talk in privacy now and not earlier?

Taking a seat he began. "While it's not unusual for the Protectorate to purchase Tinkertech from unaffiliated individuals or organisations there is precedent." I nodded as I remembered the most obvious example being the Guild.

"However the original reason why we were simply discussing price and the effects of your potions in a casual setting such as the cafeteria and not a private meeting room such as now is because you are technically a minor." Wait, he offered all that money just to get my hopes up?

"For all intents and purposes we can't approve any official payment to a minor unless your legal guardians signs something, which is why we're discussing it here." He wanted to bring in dad? Okay if the money wasn't enough to warrant the privacy the secret identity stuff certainly did.

Okay Taylor think, what are the pros and cons?

Well I could bring in dad which would make me rich but worry him. If dad was worried I might not be able to use that money to buy an anvil to make armor and go out to fight bad guys. At best he would limit me to a support role. Besides being rich I suppose my relations with the official Heroes would be good as well but if I wasn't out there on the front lines making a difference then there was no point in my eyes.

I could walk away now and save up for the anvil, keep dad in the dark. However after all the trouble Armsmaster went to meet up with me, to show me around the base it could sour relations with the rest of the Protectorate.

There was a third option I soon realized.

"You can't approve payment right?" I asked to double check.

"Not legally without your parent's consent at least." He replied.

"What if, what if I didn't get paid?" I began now dedicated to this line of action. "What if I just gave you the potions to test and use? What if I could give them to you as a sort of demo?"

While I couldn't see his eyes I could tell that he was surprised by my offer.

"Vim." He began. "I'm not sure you understand the full impact of your work."

That was a little insulting, I made the stuff after all. Of course I knew it's full impact. Didn't I?

"Your serums if you haven't exaggerated their use have no expiry date, can be stockpiled and can be used by individuals with no training. This is Tinkertech that bypasses the average Tinkertech limitations."

I stared at him blankly. "What do you mean by limitations?" I asked.

It was then he pulled out his Halberd from his back and placed it on the table. Wait a second, that wasn't there before! Where was he keeping it? I mentally slapped myself. He was THE miniaturization Tinker, it would be logical to think that it was folded up on his back.

"Take my Halberd for example." He began. "On the surface it has a multitude of uses and features that places it above any modern day handheld weapon. However without the proper training on which buttons do what in what combination it might as well be an expensive high tech pointy stick." So my potions just being so simple to use made them better? "Only one person in the world can build this and only one person in the world can fix it."

Realization dawned on me. In theory a Tinker could spend all their time making high tech laser guns for the police force but without maintenance they would all start falling apart at best and self destruct at worst.

"My potions don't have that weakness!" I whispered. "The police force might not get halberds for everyone but they could all have temporary powers in a bottle!"

"Not the police force, the local PRT." He corrected me. "Containment foam had evened up the playing field for our non-Parahuman colleagues in the fight against crime but with these potions they can behave as if they're brutes depending on said potion's effectiveness." He smiled at that. "Not to mention the edge it can give me and the rest of our Cape roster."

Honestly I hadn't really thought of my potions that way before. I just figured they'd save lives or protect the heroes. I had no idea that they'd want to enhance their non-powered personal. If my potions got powerful enough I could in theory give the good guys the rough equivalent of another team of Capes.

"I don't understand." I told him. "Why are you telling me this? Shouldn't you be trying to get my stuff as cheap as possible?"

"I'm not car salesman, I'm a Hero." He responded in an amused tone.

Armsmaster was refusing my donation figuring that I hadn't realized the true value of my work. Frankly if I could help the city, my home, then I didn't care. After a long pause I made my decision, I wasn't doing this for profit, I was here to help. Profit could come later.

"Here, take them." I said pulling out my potions. "Take two of each, you can pay me for my future work when I get everything sorted out." When I'm brave enough to tell dad about my powers, failing that I could always wait until I become an adult.

Though I couldn't see his eyes, the opened mouth was enough of a clue that he didn't expect this. I drew some joy from that.

"But-" He tried to argue with me but I interrupted him.

"I'm not a car salesman, I'm a Hero." I parroted his words from earlier. Was this how all Heroes were? If so I liked what I saw.

He paused before smiling at my response. "I think you'll look back on this day and find that you've made the right decision." Grabbing the potions he began putting them away into slots on his armor.

When he finished he spoke up again. "Vim, did you need a lift anywhere? I can't drop you off at school directly and risk your identity but I can drop you off somewhere close if you'd like."

Oh shit. School, this was my supposed lunch break. I couldn't tell him that I skipped out to use my powers more.

"I uhh can manage on my own, don't worry." I assured him. He didn't seem to take me turning down his offer very well and honestly I was kind of sad I wouldn't be able to ride his bike a second time. I wonder if I could build my own fantasy bike? The designs in my head unfortunately said no.

All I had were swords, armors and stuff for houses?

Okay the last one was a bit odd but the point remained, none of my stuff could really make me go faster.

"Are you sure?" Armsmaster asked. "If you need a ride I'm sure I can organise something, it's the least I can do in exchange for your potions."

"No no, completely fine I am good! Promise!" I told him. He didn't seem convinced but he had let the matter drop. "I'm just happy to go back to where you guys found me."

He seemed to just stare at me and for a moment I began to feel very small as if he was wondering if I truly was here out for lunch or if I was actually skipping school.

"YOUR NAME IS TAYLOR!" I imagined he would announce. "WINSLOW EMAILED US SAYING YOU WERE MISSING AND YOU HAVE THE SAME HAIR!" Then I would be thrown in detention where Emma, Sophia and Madison would laugh at me forever.

Instead he simply nodded. "If that's what you want." I relaxed slightly before being lead back to the entrance of the base.

I didn't like this silence, there was plenty of chatter around us from the other staff members but not another word was spoken between us. I remembered reading somewhere that criminals who said nothing were more likely to be seen as guilty. But what could I say or ask that I hadn't already? I already told him everything about my potions at lunch, what they could do and what I planned on making them do. What else could I talk about with him? I was a high school student and he was a thirty something year old celebrity.

We had just about nothing in common.

Wait, he was Armsmaster, a celebrity, someone I looked up to!

How did I miss this opportunity?

"Uhh, before we go." I piped up. "Can I get your autograph?"

===================================================================

Bit of a shorter chapter but don't worry, things should start picking up soonish! How can things go wrong?

 

[freebiewitz]

The trip away from the Rig back to the rest of Brockton Bay had few differences to the trip there. For one it was still fairly quiet, it had a PRT van and I was pretty sure the same people who took me to the base were also the same people who took me off.

It was only when I was left by that phone booth awkwardly waving goodbye did I realize the nerves I had.

Giving a sigh of relief I wondered what I should do now. First thing first I had to find a quiet area to unmask and go back to being boring old Taylor. I wouldn't want to break the facade that I wasn't skipping class as Vim by having someone take a photo of me. Knowing my luck someone would note that the photo was taken during school hours and post it online. Not that I was famous enough for anyone to do that yet but I didn't want to take any chances.

I got to meet Armsmaster again, get his autograph, visit the rig and share my potions with him.
That was all good yet it was all starting to be overshadowed by guilt.
I thought I could pretend, that I could just lie to him.
I was a hero, I was better then my tormentors. To that end I promised that I would go back to school and become the person that the heroes thought I was!

After today that is.

It would be way too awkward to walk into the school now. Frankly it would probably be awkward explaining why I was not there tomorrow either. As I pondered my predicament I came across an easy solution.

Poisons, more specifically one that decreased my stamina.

Early on in my power testing and potion making I had accidentally brewed a bunch of poisons.

Most of them were either too situational to make a difference or simply too risky. Making someone weaker to frost would probably never come up and quite frankly the poisons that damage health might kill people. I didn't know if they could kill people though, it's not as if I could really test them on any non-brutes. Besides only bad guys use toxins. The biggest exception of course being tranquilizers by definition I supposed but that was besides the point.

Now stamina poisons on the other hand could work well enough on me to fool dad. He'd probably phone ahead and tell school that I didn't look so well just in case they decided to check up on me as unlikely as that sounded.

I didn't want to deceive dad like this but it was necessary.

By tomorrow I'd be a model student!

Walking by I began to wonder how my pocket dimension worked.

Pocket dimension, that didn't sound great, I'd have to come up with another name for it.

Inventory!

That felt right. Okay focus Taylor, your inventory and your new powers! How do they work? Besides the ability to jam a bunch of stuff into my backpack without it all taking up any space I could eat stuff through my mask. That felt useful but what if I ran up against a villain who could shoot sleeping gas at me? Would my power work against me then? Would the gas go right through any face coverings I had?

Well I could test that some other time. I could buy a gas mask and then stink bomb myself. That was a non-lethal way to test my powers right?

Okay, hiding spot to change clothes. I couldn't use any toilets, it would be too suspicious. Hero goes in, Taylor comes out. No hero inside and Taylor didn't go in? Well only one conclusion then!

I couldn't go into anywhere crowded either, with my outfit I simply stood out too much.

I could use my Veil to escape I supposed but I wasn't confident enough in that power quite yet. I mean seriously, I had a stranger power that only worked if noone was looking at me to begin with. Knowing my luck a random kid would be staring at me the moment I left the toilets breaking my power wide open.

I'd have to use my Veil in a dark alley way to strip and dress. It wasn't perfect but at least there would less of a chance of me being found.

That sounded like a terrible idea if said out loud.

Still it was probably the only thing I could do. Crouching down I crept my way through the twisted labyrinth that was Brockton Bay and eventually found the perfect alleyway, the one that I used originally to change into Vim.

I had picked out this spot earlier since it had no doors to suddenly open as I changed clothes, no windows to peer out of and it had a big dumpster to hide me from view! Perfect!

Alright first goes the black shirt, into the bag you go. Nope, not bag, the Inventory! I smiled as it disappeared from view.
Next I'd grab my pants, good bye pants! Now for my mask! POP! It didn't actually go pop, but I imagined it did so it might as well have.

"Uhh hello?" My eyes widened at the intruding sound. I certainly did not give a shrill scream as I covered my bare body…. Which was no longer bare. As surprised as I was my mind helpfully pointed out that I was fully dressed as Vim, mask and all.

"Oh wow, that's a useful power." A figure approached me. "Hello, nice to see you again."

It was a blond girl, hair done in a bun. She was shorter than me with a freckled face that sported an infuriating grin that reminded me too much of the smug look that Emma would often give me. Still confused over what my power had done I tried to clear my head. No wait, it was two people.

The second was a handsome guy with dark skin and a muscled frame that wouldn't look out of place on a hero. Or a poster in my room my treacherous mind provided. Point was he was good looking.

"Uhh hello citizens!" Smoooooth Taylor, smooooth. "You shouldn't sneak up on a hero, I could've mistook you for a pair of villains!" That sounded suitably heroic right? The girl's grin widened and she began to giggle. The guy on the other hand seemed a bit nervous and protectively stood by the girl.

"Haha, yeah, you could've mistaken me for a bad guy, wouldn't want that would we?" She asked sarcastically. "Scary!"

I was a bit offended at that. "Hey, I could've hurt you!" I didn't want to of course but a surprised person could do a lot of damage without intending to.

"Not without your bat you're not." My bat? I froze there. "In case you haven't figured it out I'm Tattletale and he's Grue."

I was speechless. Did a pair of villains reveal their faces to me? Why were they doing this? Unless, this was all a trap! I took a step back, wait how did they even find me here?

"I can read minds, you know." Still speechless. "I'm not here to fight, I'm just here to return something of yours." It was then I noticed the bat leaning against the wall next to her.

Slowly I approached them scanning the area for the rest of the Undersiders. Grue seemed to hover over Tattletale who continued to grin offering my bat back to me.

"Even if you could read my mind that doesn't explain how you found me." I argued with the bat finally back in my hands. I clinically noted that it had bite marks as I retrieved it. Very big bite marks.

She rolled her eyes.

"Wasn't that hard, got a dog to smell your bat and track you down." She told me.

"Wait, why would my smell be on the bat? It belongs to…" My brain shut down at that point.

"Took awhile to find you here in this alley specifically but I had my ways." I gripped the bat tighter. If this two bit villain thought she could threaten my dad then she had another thing coming.

"Woah, calm down like I said not here to fight."

"No, you're here to blackmail me!" I argued.

"Which is why you should calm down." She just kept SMILING! "If I was blackmailing you then one of my teammates would be at your house right now waiting for me to make a call. Dumb of you to threaten me." I froze, I had let my anger get the better of me, I had to slow down and think.

"Tattletale." Grue of all people seemed to warn her.

"Not that they would be, like I said not here to fight and I'm not here to even blackmail you." I still felt trapped.

Confused at the situation I tried to clear things up.

"Okay, you're not here to fight and you're not going to hurt my dad so what's the deal?"

"Like I said, returning the bat." She replied. It was then that Grue stepped forwards.

"Sorry for Tattletale, she likes antagonising people." Oh wow, that was a nice voice. Wait he was a bad guy! "We're villains sure but we're still human and we're grateful that you managed to drive off Lung, we might've died otherwise." So what gratitude was enough to hold them back from blackmailing me into committing crimes for them?

"Look." Tattletale piped up again. "We're thieves, we don't kill and we don't blackmail people and to prove we're on the level I want to give you this." It was then she presented me with a lunch box.

An Alexandria lunchbox, I think I had one just like it once upon a time. Putting away the bat, with my Inventory power I could have it back out in a flash.

"Really?" I asked skeptically. Still I took the box to find that there was a strange weight to it.

"Open it." She told me. This could still be a trap, a bomb of sorts. I was tempted to just set something on fire and arrest them both but if this was a trap then why didn't they just attack earlier when they surprised me without a weapon?

So I did as she said and opened the lunchbox. It was filled with...

"Money," I breathed, caught off guard by suddenly having so much in my hands. Ten stacks of bills, tied with paper bands. Each of the paper bands had a number written on it in permanent marker. Two hundred each…

Tattletale answered before I had the number totalled up in my head, "Two grand." She told me.

Even with the numbers that Armsmaster had given earlier, this still shook my world. With this I'd have more than enough to buy an anvil! I could probably even grab a grindstone and still have more then enough leftover to make a workbench!

"I can't accept this." I told them. It was ill gotten cash.

"Fine, we'll take it back and spend it on guns or something." I froze, reflectively clutching the lunch box to my chest protectively. I felt conflicted.

"Look, if you really feel bad about it then take the money and give it all to charity, whatever but like I said, we want to make things even between us both." I looked up to her again then down at the money. I made my decision putting the lunchbox into my Inventory.

Now that I was no longer angry I could think again and my mind picked up on something that I hadn't before.

"The bat I can understand, I lost that when I confronted Lung, something related to your survival." I began. "The money is a bit of a stretch but I guess if you truly thought you were going to die then I can believe it." Tattletale still smiled. "What I don't get is why you unmasked."

"Well you're a hero, what was I supposed to do, approach you in costume in broad daylight? What would've happened then?" Okay that was a good point.

"Wait a second." Grue interrupted. "You KNEW she was a hero to begin with?"

"Well maybe? That's not important right now." She shrugged. "Besides it was clear that she was one of the good guys when we surprised her and she was all like 'be careful, I could've mistook you for bad guys and hurt you' thing."

"But we didn't know befo- goddammit Tattletale, you and I are going to talk about this later."

Tattletale didn't seem apologetic in the slightest.

"Anyways!" She started back up again. "The point is we're the lesser of every other evil out there in Brockton Bay, we sometimes steal money from people who won't miss it or other bad guys. Bad guys who sell drugs, beat up innocents and sell people off as sex slaves, I think we're saints in comparison."

"That doesn't make it right." I answered.

"No but it doesn't make us any less human which once again is why we're thankful for you saving our lives. I mean that's what a hero does right Miss Hero?"

"It's Vim actually." I answered back almost absently.

"Alright Vim, anyways we gotta go, no rest for the wicked and such." Then they left. Grue looked back at me one last time, an unsure expression on his face.

"Stay safe Vim." He called back to me before heading off.

I gave them a few minutes before activating my Veil again. She pierced my Veil. There was no warning. One second no one was looking at me then suddenly BOOM she did! Her perception must've been insane!

I grimaced.

Once I was confident I was alone again I tested my powers and in a blink of an eye found that I was wearing my normal clothes again. Just boring old Taylor. I had quite a day today.

I thought I was being blackmailed.

I went back home, all thoughts of my powers gone from my mind and when dad finally came back I hugged him.

=======================================================================

Oh my, what's that? Drama? Tattletale being Tattletale? More powers?
The bat was damaged?
What else could go wrong?

 

[freebiewitz]

Danny Hebert Interlude.



Life was hard.

It was a fairly simply statement that anyone could brush off as common sense. For me however I could feel it on my mind every day. After Anne died I almost crumbled, a bit of me left with her. But I couldn't, Taylor still needed me, she lost her mother so she needed her dad more than ever. I wasn't the perfect father but I did what I could to keep myself together, so I threw myself into my work.

Considering that this made me drift away from Taylor even more it ran counter to me trying to be there for her but it was all I could do to not fall apart.

For a time I was treading water, she needed her space and maybe so did I. She went from a chatty, bright eyed little princess to a morose, quiet girl that I no longer knew how to speak with. We were stuck in a rut. I thought that things would pick up eventually, that if we persevered we would work through all the pain.

Then before I knew it disaster struck again. I didn't have all the details but I was told that she was pranked.

Such an innocent word, pranked.

When I saw her there, in that hospital bed 'pranked' was the last word on my mind.

Pranked. This was practically murder.

I couldn't lose her, I already lost so much. So I yelled, I screamed, I got angry but soon reality set in. I tried to find those responsible and when I couldn't I turned on the school. It didn't work and all I could manage to get from the snakes were the medical fees. I tried to make things right, make things better for Taylor but life took one look at me and pushed us back down to where we started.

My daughter was all I had left and life had almost taken even her away.

So even after all that, even after my little girl almost died, no one seemed to care.

Nothing changed. Taylor was quiet, I was away at work, neither of us could talk. I didn't just miss my wife, I missed my daughter even when she was right in front of me.

Days, weeks and months passed and the depressing routine comes back, perhaps it was always there.

But something changed in Taylor. At first it was subtle, something I couldn't notice at first. Then it grew, perhaps I didn't want to latch onto the first signs, perhaps I didn't want to truly hope but eventually I couldn't deny the change.

My little girl was happier.

She smiled more often. She was still quiet but there was an energy beneath the surface. I didn't know what it meant honestly but I was happy for it all the same.

Then more clues began to reveal themselves. She started cooking more, salmon steaks, vegetable soups, apple pies and most importantly sweet rolls.

A wonderful treat that was a cross between a cake and some sort of doughnut.

Once again I didn't really question the good fortune but soon contentment turned to amused curiosity.

Another clue presented itself, the house began to smell of flowers. Soon my mind provided the answer.

The smiles, the cooking and the flowers.

It was a boy.

There was another change, we had been talking, I had been smiling more naturally, life for once was looking up. That wonderful girl that Taylor used to be was coming back. I always imagined that I'd be strict with her inevitable boyfriend but at this rate I wouldn't be surprised if I gave him a big hug.

So it was a big shock to me when I came home with Taylor's arms wrapped around me with tears in her eyes. At first I was shocked at the sudden contact but then I began to take things in. I wrapped my arms around her and just stood there, hopefully giving comfort. I hadn't been there for her all this time so I had to make it up to her. I didn't know what to say but sadness from my daughter's clear grief soon turned to rage.

I was furious of course at whatever or whoever had done this to her but first I had to make sure she was alright. Eventually we were sitting down, tea in our hands, Taylor's favourite drink.

I didn't want to pry but memories of the past haunted me where nothing was said and nothing got better.

"Taylor." I piped up after taking a sip of tea. "Is everything alright?"

She looked back up to me. "It's okay dad."

I grimaced. She wasn't opening up to me.

"Don't think I haven't noticed Taylor, I'm your dad after all." Her focus was on me now. "I mean seriously, all this extra cooking, the flowery smell you're keeping in your room somewhere? I mean, it's not like you can hide the smells." Her eyes widened in panic. "If I didn't know any better I could swear that you've sneaked out already."

"NO! Not what you think!" She denied. I grinned, looked like I was right on the money.

"When are you going to introduce this boy of yours?"

She began coughing into her hand, surprise evident on her face as she choked a bit on tea. Alarmed I stood up to help but she waved me away.

"Wait, what?" She asked as the coughing subsided. While I was worried about her I still grinned at how flustered she seemed. As her father it was my privilege, no, it was my right to tease her about it!

"This person, who made you come crying home, I'm going to grab my bat and break their legs!" If her shocked expression was anything to go by I was being very convincing in my threat. Her open mouth and eyes full of panic almost made me break out into laughter.

I was about to lose control when she spoke up again.

"NO! I mean, you can't break her leg!" She cried out. Wait her? "That might make it worse!"

"You're dating a girl?" I asked. Not that I had anything against that, it's just that I hadn't really seen any evidence of it. Not that I paid enough attention to Taylor. That thought just made me depressed.

"No, I'm not dating a girl! I mean I'm not dating anyone, it's just that." She paused and seemed to consider her words. "Just, these people said some scary stuff is all."

These people? That implied more than one person and in Brockton Bay that often meant one thing.

"Taylor, did some gang members approach you?" She looked away from me. I frowned at that before noticing that I had clenched my fists. I never wanted to get angry in front of her so with great effort I calmed myself. "Taylor, you know I love you right? These last few weeks have been nice, you've been happier and I don't want to lose that even if I don't understand why you've been happier. So if anything is bothering you I want you to tell me alright?"

She looked into my eyes once more.

"I….that is today….." Again she lapsed into silence but this was still an improvement. "I've got this new friend." She began. "He rides a bike." At that I frowned again.

"Is he part of the gangs?" She laughed at that. Actually laughed as if the idea was the most absurd thing in the world.

"No way, he's like the opposite!" She continued to grin. "He wears blue." Realization dawned on me, a cop! "He's really cool!" She was practically gushing. A policeman huh? If that was the case then this was an adult, I'd have to keep my eye on this.

"Why are you hanging around the police?"

"Coincidence really." She looked down again. "He helped me out of a bit of trouble awhile back and we've been hanging out in our free time since."

"Trouble?"

"Nothing big, just some people from the ABB, they didn't attack me or anything, I told them to back off and by the time the cop turned up everything was fine. He actually drove me back home awhile back." I was still skeptical but if Taylor trusted the police officer then that was enough for me.

Barely.

It's not as if the system had done any favors for this family as of late.

"Well, it's nice that you've made a new friend but you should still hang out with people your own age, I mean you haven't had a sleepover with Emma in a long time right?"

"I uhh, we've drifted apart." Oh, that was a shame. I knew it happened sometimes but those two were like sisters. I made a mental note to talk to Alan about it, maybe we could organise a family outing. As focused as I was on work I figured it was time I got more involved with Taylor's life.

"Well, what made you upset enough to cry and hug me then?" I asked. "And what does it have to do with your cop friend?"

She seemed to consider her words again.

"It wasn't him, it was some gang members." She said. I looked her over for injuries but as far as I could tell she was okay. "They didn't hurt me or anything but since I've been spending more time with someone who is part of the police force I guess they decided to talk to me and I guess I didn't like what they said." It was there that she became silent once more. I waited and was rewarded by her taking a long drink from her tea. When she finished there were still no words.

"Taylor." I said her name hoping that she would open up more.

"You don't want to know what they said, but I'm just glad you're okay dad." She hugged me and once again I could not help but return the favour.

"Don't worry Taylor, I'm here for you, no punk is going to get the better of me." Just in case I'd have to go find my old baseball bat wherever that was. "Maybe we should invite this police officer over for dinner one of these days, maybe bake some more of those sweet rolls huh?" I asked, a hint of hope and amusement in my voice.

"Is this just an excuse for more sweet rolls? You're starting to get fat." I laughed at that. She laughed as well and I felt that everything was going to be alright.

===========================================


Taron my beta reader: Too sweet, not enough explosions.


Omake alternate ending:


Then the world exploded. The entire world. Not just my perception of the world, I meant that it all blew up, literally. Because it amuses my beta reader so.

 

[freebiewitz]

I didn't like lying to dad, even half truths weren't desirable. I wanted to tell him everything, tell him that I was a Cape, that I was a Hero, that I could be an official Ward. I wanted him to know everything so that he could be proud of me, the only thing that held me back was that I was afraid that he'd be worried, that any mention of me fighting would have me locked away safely in my room.

Which in hindsight was why I was trying to get stronger, so that he wouldn't have to worry about me. It was slow progress but it was still progress.

Then Tattletale showed up and prodded me. The idea that the Undersiders knowing where I lived, knowing where dad was made me afraid again. Afraid that they would hurt him or take him away from me. If I told dad that a bunch of villains knew where we lived we could move away, hide and be safe.

But I knew that wouldn't work.

Dad was a proud man, the Dock Workers Association should've been dismantled by now. A combination of not just gang pressure but lack of economy in the area pounding away at it's survival. Yet dad was too stubborn to let it die like that, he always persevered. I was afraid that if I told him about the Undersiders that he wouldn't care, that he'd stay and inevitably get hurt by opposing them directly. I could already imagine him facing down one of the giant dogs with just a bat trying to protect me, he would be torn apart.

Even if I could convince him to leave where would we go?
We didn't have enough money to move and doing so would probably bankrupt us.

There had to be another option.

The Undersiders were bad guys but they showed me their faces, I could turn things around on them if I had to. I didn't know their names but I could find out… somehow.
They did assure me that they wouldn't blackmail me, that they would leave dad alone since they were just thieves but I'd be a stupid hero if I believed the words of a villain.

Maybe if I just avoided them they would leave dad alone.

It was a terrible plan I knew, it depended on me never running into them again, to let them go free if I ever saw them committing a crime, it depended on their good will.

I needed to put them all away, if they were in jail then they wouldn't be able to do any damage. Even that plan was flawed, they could still escape for example, everything about their powers excelled in that sort of thing. If only one of them got away then they could carry out their revenge on dad no matter how many other members were arrested.

During my talk with dad my speech skill increased, enough so that I could look to the stars again.
I finally noticed that lying was what made my speech skill increase and me stronger with it. I grinned bitterly at the fact that I could literally be powered with lies.
While I still felt Elated from my power it was tinged with more guilt.

I had to get stronger.

I looked to the stars and I found a shard that let me hit harder with one handed weapons and another then let me hit harder with two handed weapons.

The arbitrary nature of my powers never fazed me anymore. That said I decided that it was too specific. I needed an overall power boost, smithing was the answer.

If I wasn't wrong then it would be a boost to not just my offensive power but also my defensive abilities as well.

Now that I had the funds, provided by the Undersiders themselves I could make armor to protect myself and weapons to fight with. So I picked the appropriate shard that would increase my smithing power hoping that it was the right choice.

There was another route I could take. I didn't have to convince dad to leave Brockton Bay, I didn't need to take out all the Undersiders in one shot either.

I could go to the real Heroes.

They would protect their own, if the Undersiders went after dad they wouldn't just have me getting mad at them, they'd have every other Hero backing me up to take them down! It was the kind of deterrent that would turn off any Villain.
With other Heroes helping to protect me I could convince dad that I was safe. I wanted to get stronger to prove myself and now that I had the money and skills I had no excuse.

First things first, I had to lay low. While I didn't trust the Undersiders I trusted that they wouldn't move against me if I didn't piss them off.

Next I had to get an anvil and a bunch of leather strips. With the amount of cash I had it shouldn't be too difficult. Hopefully scrap metal could be turned into iron bars. If not I could always order some online and plenty of arts and craft stores sold leather of all kinds.

Worst case scenario I could use my anvil to make leather armor.

An anvil to make leather armor. I was not surprised.

I'd have to lay low to reduce the chances of running into the Undersiders though, I couldn't sneak out at night to fight crime yet but I could go out to a hardware store to buy an anvil. I could hide it in my Inventory to ensure no odd questions would be asked as well.

I began to wonder if I could hide an entire workshop in my bag?

I had to test this.

I looked over to my bed, one of the larger things in my room and grabbed it concentrating on my power to envelop it. I frowned as nothing happened. Maybe because it was larger than what I usually stored away?
I concentrated harder, grunting as I put more effort into pulling at my bed frame, leaning backwards with my feet now under the bed itself.

Then something budged.

At first I grinned at the progress, then I realised it wasn't my power that moved, it was my bed as it suddenly scraped along the floor gaining momentum forcing me to lose my footing and fall on my back with a squawk.

I got back up of course and pushed the bed back into it's original position.

So operation workshop in a bag was a no go.

"Taylor? Are you okay?" Dad asked, no doubt worried about my fall.

"I'm fine, just getting ready for bed!" It was kinda true and so I went to sleep.

The next day I got up early as usual to make breakfast. Extra sweet rolls for both dad and myself. After yesterday I figured I deserved it, I'd take some to school to make it bearable.

Heading off I found that I was in a better mood than what I was yesterday. While the threat of the Undersiders still plagued me I had a plan in mind to deal with them or at least protect dad against them.

The rest of the school day was normal for me.

My Veil improved a bit but I held it back not wanting to have people mistake me for a Stranger Cape by using it too much. As usual there were more insults, bullying and overall abuse. None of it really affected me today.

I wasn't sure if it was because I was getting used to it or if it was because they weren't being as intense as usual. One of the more noticeable events of the day was when an errant football knocked a sweet roll out of my hand. I almost unmasked myself there trying to snatch it away into my Inventory before stopping myself. The following laughter didn't make it any better.

Farewell sweet roll, your sacrifice will be remembered.

Emma, Madison and Sophia used the same recycled routine against me and while I told myself I no longer cared it was still difficult to hold myself back from crying or violence.

Maybe both.

Another side effect of becoming a Ward I realized would that I'd be able to change schools and go to Arcadia. That would show them, for all their popularity they would still be stuck in the shithole that was Winslow.

That at least made me feel better about my earlier plan.

Eventually school ended and I was free to go. Dad wouldn't be home for awhile and if I was out a bit late I was sure he wouldn't mind. I'd just tell him that I was at the library if he asked.

Which now that I thought about it was a very tempting thing to do. All those books, all those pages of power just waiting for me to tap into.
I realised I was giggling to myself, I shook my head to clear my thoughts.
I could go mad with power later.

For now I had to get to the hardware stores. Some of them wouldn't close until much later tonight but I wanted to at least get home before dad did. Another thought however stopped me. Buying an Anvil would be very suspicious, especially if I pulled out a wad of hundred dollar bills.

"Hey that Taylor girl just got an Anvil!" Someone would say one day. Next week they would see Vim in action!

"Hey that Vim girl has armor! Armor that looks like it was made with an anvil, an anvil that they sell at hardware stores, like the hardware store that Taylor went inside to buy an Anvil! TAYLOR IS VIM!" They would announce.

Ridiculous.

Still, I wanted to avoid the suspicion. The question was how? I could get it delivered but that would risk dad finding the package before I could hide it and the employees would know that I got it. I could use my power and creep in under my Veil, grab the anvil and pay for it invisibly.

Wait, powers, I was a hero. I slammed my head against a conveniently placed tree.

I could just go in with my costume and buy the anvil! I absently grabbed a mushroom growing at the base of said tree.

"Hey that Vim girl just got an Anvil!" Someone would say one day. Next week they would see Vim in action!

"Hey that Vim girl has armor! Armor that looks like it was made with an anvil, an anvil that they sell at hardware stores, like the hardware store that Vim went inside to buy an Anvil! I HAVE NO IDEA WHO VIM'S SECRET IDENTITY IS!" They would announce.

I grinned, my plan was practically foolproof. Walking into a alleyway I used my Inventory to turn myself from boring old Taylor into awesome Vim in a blink of an eye. As I walked to the hardware store I looked down at myself.

"Damn, I love my powers." I whispered.

Entering I approached one of the staff members which I identified by their bright orange safety vest uniforms.

"Hey, excuse me." I told them getting their attention. The young guy, his name tag said 'Josh' backed away from me, surprised by my sudden appearance. "Can you show me where the anvils are?"

He slowly nodded before pointing at an aisle. He was clearly nervous and for a moment I hadn't realized why. While making my way over to the anvil I once again slammed my head against another solid object. It was a conveniently placed shelf this time.

I turned back to the fleeing form of Josh.

"I'M NOT A BAD GUY I SWEAR!" The black clothes didn't really scream hero. Only a few Capes could pull it off and still look heroic.

Shadow Stalker and Alexandria for example were cool.

Shaking my head I found the box I was looking for and approached the register, this one was manned by a short girl named 'Stacy'.

"Hello Miss, welcome to Hammer Barn for all your hardware needs, how can I help you nail your next project?" While I was glad that I didn't intimidate her, another part of me took offense to her calm tone and corny line.

"I uh, just want to buy this." I placed the anvil on the table which she dutifully scanned. Paying for my purchase I also took a receipt just in case anyone in law enforcement stopped me. I didn't want an officer to arrest me because they thought I was stealing an anvil.

Now that I thought about it I could just put it in my inventory. Shrugging the box disappeared revealing my Parahuman nature to the crowd.

As I left I began to wonder on the nature of my weapons. I could get a sword but that was on the lethal side of things. A mace wouldn't be much better with my strength considering what a normal baseball bat had done last time. I supposed I could stick to punching people.

As for ranged options?

I flexed my hand as flames engulfed it, I frowned, probably still lethal. A few gasps and nervous looks in the crowd alerted me that I was in a public area. Feeling sheepish I put away my power as if it was just another item that I could hold.

"Sorry." I whispered before running off in embarrassment. I really had to focus more, my mind kept running off onto different tangents.

I could get a crossbow I supposed. Do something like Shadow Stalker.
Maybe a bow, I found that my smithing allowed me to make arrows but not the actual bow itself, at least not with my level with power.

Having arbitrary powers was annoying.

I still had quite a lot of money left over, I could probably buy some leather strips from the arts and crafts store and then after that maybe I could buy a bow from the sporting goods place, that is if they were all still open.

I checked the time. About four in the afternoon, if what I remembered of closing times was correct I still had an hour to spare. With that I continued my super powered shopping spree sponsored by the Undersiders, a bit ironic I suppose.

 

[freebiewitz]

Leather was easy enough to buy and just as with Hammer Barn I garnered quite a bit of attention. Not all of it good, nothing hostile just… fear.

It wasn't something I was used to but luckily with my non-threatening attitude and a wad of cash I managed to make it out without anyone calling the cops.

The sports store was next, I remembered that they sold hunting supplies, rifles, bait and most importantly bows.

As I walked in I came face to face with a cardboard cutout of Shadow Stalker or at least an actor dressed up as her. It made me wonder if I should get a hockey mask just like she used to wear before upgrading to the angry lady mask. The hood was badass but it'd cover up my hair and with it's length there was no doubt in my mind that I would boil to death if I had anything over my skull.

There was a speech bubble above her head.

"Don't shoplift kids or I'll get CROSS with you!" I giggled at that. I wondered if I would ever have a life sized cutout for myself? What would I be saying?

"STOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL SCUM!" I imagined it would announce. "ONLY BAD GUYS DON'T EAT THEIR VEGGIES!"

All hail Vim, pusher of organic food products.

Walking down the aisle I quickly found what I was looking for.

A bow and arrow set for 200 dollars. It it wasn't for the fact that the guns nearby cost double that amount I would've choked on the price.

The display case had little lights inside making it shine far brighter than it probably should have. I wasn't sure if it was plastic or actual glass but I was impressed that the reflective glare didn't blind me.

Signalling over a staff member I asked them to open up the case so I could get the bow.

"Hmm, another Shadow Stalker Cosplayer huh?" She asked unlocking the display for a crossbow.

I shook my head. "I want the bow next to that." She shrugged. Now that I had a good look at it said crossbow was even more expensive than the guns themselves. I looked at the display plaque to figure out why..

'Authentic Wards Shadow Stalker Replica Weaponry, limited edition.'

"So why is the crossbow so expensive?" I asked.

"Like it says, limited edition, also it's production was suuuper limited, like even shorter than they planned, got shut down because it says 'Weaponry', something about making it look like she's a soldier rather than an actual hero."

A villain shooting someone with a 'Shadow Stalker' weapon would be pretty bad for publicity I supposed.

"I'm surprised they didn't just stop it before it hit the shelves." She shrugged.

"Greed and money screw with common sense sometimes." She told me handing over the bow I wanted. "Well don't hurt yourself alright?" Not that she seemed to care judging by her tone.

As I approached the cashier I found myself wondering if all this talk about Shadow Stalker was some sort of clever ploy. On a display rack was a stack of cheap plastic Shadow Stalker masks. Flimsy bits of plastic held together by string, sticky tape and hope.

I decided to buy one.

Paying for the equipment I eventually left throwing that into my inventory. Ducking around the corner I came back out as regular old Taylor again. I'd never get tired of doing that.

Coming home I checked the time, dad was almost home, not enough time to prepare dinner without my powers. I grinned at that and before long we had vegetable stew, roast chicken and sweet rolls for dessert.

Another aspect of my powers that I enjoyed greatly. It seemed the act of cooking or brewing took me a fraction of the time it took to do anything. One day I'd have to see what it looked like from the outside while I was cooking. Borrow a camera or something, maybe host my own cooking show. I'd call it, Minute Meals with Vim!

The only thing that would slow me down from cooking literally hundreds of meals would be the time it took to gather ingredients.

"Mmm that smells good!" Announced dad as he opened the door. Settling down he began to chow down on the food. "Mmm, even more sweet rolls?" He asked taking a bite of one mid way through the chicken.

"Dad, that's desert." I scolded him half halfheartedly.

"You know what these sweet rolls need? A scoop of ice cream to go with them." I couldn't help but agree with him.



As night came I approached my bed once more, this time using my power to wake me up at midnight. I was sure that my smithing would be loud so the park was my first stop.

Passing through I avoided what notice I could. Despite it being in the middle of the night there were plenty of people around to avoid.

The homeless mostly though luckily they were all asleep.

The park was not what I'd call well maintained. Weeds grew all over what greenery hadn't been trampled, the slide was more rust than metal and the swing was missing the swing portion of said swing.

Looking around I pulled out my anvil and with a soft 'thump' it appeared.

"Okay, first thing's first, armour." I took out what leather I had along with some handy scissors I had on hand. My powers specified that I required leather strips so I figured this would work fine.

After a bit of work making a handful of leather strips from what I had I was ready to begin.

Instinct took hold and I struck the anvil. Instead of bending things to fit certain shapes everything was just made instantly, forming within my inventory.

After a few moments I had a full set of leather gear. Equipping it I found that it all fitted perfectly. I made sure to keep the bandanna on my face and the goggles though.

There was however one hiccup. The helmet seemed to have jammed my long hair into it. I slowly wriggled my head as I lifted the helmet slightly allowing my hair to cascade down my shoulders. I still had a good portion of leather left. If smithing worked the same way as my other skills then doing it over and over again would improve it.

I looked over to the rusty slide and wondered how much of it was iron and most importantly how much of it would be missed if I broke off a few pieces. I approached it, gripping the side and pulled.

Nothing.

Exactly the same as my bed. I frowned. I didn't have anything to pry it apart, the bat was still at home. Then I realised I could melt the metal. My hands erupted into flames as I turned my power onto the slide itself.

After a few moments all I had achieved was giving the slide a new layer of soot. I drank a mana potion and continued my onslaught.

It wasn't until after two more potions did I stop and approach the slide itself. Touching it I wiped away some soot but the slide was unaffected. It wasn't even hot to touch. Frowning I grabbed a stick and set it on fire. It didn't burn.

Seriously? Was it just some sort of blaster power that looked like fire but wasn't?

Would it even hurt someone? I never really tried. The ABB gangsters managed to avoid my flames and it's not like I could test it on anyone.

Perhaps the slide was fire proof and the stick was wet? I took off my gloves and checked. Nope, the stick was dry as a stick could be.

Putting my gloves back on I considered my options before the sounds of a running engine cut my thoughts off.

I turned to see the familiar form of Armsmaster. I smiled at that but when he approached me with his Halberd drawn I hesitated.

I wasn't the only one, he seemed unsure of himself.

"Circus?" He said randomly. What did a circus have to do with anything?

"What?" I asked him.

"You're not Circus." Oh he meant the Cape! Putting away his weapon he approached me. Wait, putting away his weapon. My hands were still on fire.

"Oh right, it's me Vim!" I told him wearing my new leather gear.

He nodded. "You have some sort of pyrokinesis?" He asked.

"Kinda, real weird, doesn't burn anything." I mentioned as I tried and failed to light the stick in my hands on fire. He flinched at that and I felt kinda bad about it. "Uhh so what are you doing out here?"

"Reports of loud sounds and fire, witnesses stated that someone had pulled an anvil out of thin air and started using fire which fits Circus's power set description." He mentioned. "I recall you mentioning that you could make armor, I'm guessing this is how?" He motioned towards the anvil.

"Uhh yeah, really rustic I know." I said feeling somewhat ashamed.

"I'm starting to think your speciality is Tinkertech that anyone can use." Despite the lame description there was a hint of approval in his voice. "It's actually a good thing I found you, I wanted to ask you a few questions."

"Oh? Anything for another hero!"

He pulled out the potions I had given him the other day.

"Would you mind telling me what they all do again? The bottles all look the same to me and there aren't any labels." I grinned as he also produced a labelling machine from… somewhere.

A thought occurred to me.

"Hey, I got a bow the other day but I can't really make non-lethal ammunition for it." I started. "If I get the materials I'd start making them blunt but I was wondering if you could give me some of the arrows that Shadow Stalker uses."

He shook his head. "Sorry, the PRT keeps strict tabs on that sort of equipment but if you need common materials I'd be happy to donate them to you if they're cheap enough."

"No it's okay, I can pay for them." I offered.

"Donate." He stated firmly. "It's the least I can do after you gave me these potions."

I nodded in understanding. "Well in that case do you think you can get me a big stack of iron ingots?" He nodded.

"Shouldn't be too hard, I'll look into it and keep it at the base for you to pick up next time you're around." I smiled at that. Another invitation to the Rig, in a roundabout way.

"Well let's have a look at those potions and see what I can see." I told him picking one up.

Before long they were all identified and I was on my way home.

I then smashed my head against a conveniently placed tree as Armsmaster sped away.

The whole point of getting my armour was so that I could approach the Protectorate without looking like a bargain bin basement reject and join the Wards. Here I was walking home as my best chance at joining them was now in the distance turning the corner.

I sighed and pulled out the business card and looked around for a pay phone.



=====================================



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■

♦Topic: Circus in the park!
In: Boards ► Cape sightings ► Brockton Bay

► Madman10 (Original Poster)
Posted on April 14th, 2011:
Hey guys, crazy shit tonight, was up fora midnight snack adn I saw someone outside This being brockton Bay I figured I should call the cops and grab a bat and get ready for a fight of my life as they come to rape my gaaarden and salt my wife. WHat I see is someone drop a fucking anvil outta nowhere, start hammering on it and then after a minute their outfit fucking changes! Photo here [LINK] then they start setting shit on fire! Then I remember fucking Circus! (S)he can do fire [LINK] stuff and has a hammer space which explains the anvil outta nowhere

So anyways Armsmaster turns up with his Halberd [LINK] and instead of duking it out they start talking. Just talking.. I was too far away to hear what they were saying but they seemed pretty frriendly, he pulled out some little bottles I think. Couldn't get a pic there.

► XxVoid_CowboyxX
Replied on April 14th, 2011:

It's a power play on the Villians part, if they can control the heroes AND the crime at the same time then they control the city!

► Madman10 (Original Poster)
Posted on April 14th, 2011:

@XxVoid_CowboyxX thats such a tinfoil hat theory.

► Bagrat (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)
Posted on April 14th, 2011:

Oh, that's Vim, she's a recent Hero. She's a weird one, a few powers that seem similar to Circus but from what I know she's got a few extra tricks up her sleeves, don't want to say too much more though.

► Conneymoon
Posted on April 14th, 2011:

@Bagrat DETAILS DETAILS! New hero? How come we haven't heard anything about her? What are her powrs? Is she some sorta power copier? Is that why she has the same powers as Circus? Is that how she made that armor with the anvil? Armsmaster turns up and BAM instant Tinker powers?

► Ekul
Posted on April 14th, 2011:

@Conneymoon more tinfoils tonight folks! Also no. Armsmaster turned up AFTER she pulled out the anvil.

► XxVoid_CowboyxX
Posted on April 14th, 2011:

Why is noone talking about those bottles that Armsmaster took out! It's pretty obvious what's going on, he's selling powers!

► Robby
Posted on April 14th, 2011:

Damnit cowboy! Just one day I'd like to go without you mentioning that crap, powers in a bottle don't exsist!


► AZNBB4LYEFE
Posted on April 14th, 2011:
[This post has been removed]
User received a Ban for this post: No inciting violence or threats.

► TheIinTeam
Posted on April 14th, 2011:

Wait, look at the grass around where she burnt the slide. It's all still there, picture isn't perfect but still.


End of Page. 1, 2, 3


=====================================


Armsmaster's POV

"Uhh Colin?" Dragon piped up interrupting my thoughts as I parked my bike back into the garage.

"Yes Dragon?" I replied.

"You might want to recruit Vim fast, the internet is getting uncomfortably close to the fact that she can make powers in a bottle." I groaned at that.

"Damn, already?" If word got out then she'd be kidnapped within the day, the gangs would go to war over her.

"Not much I can do Dragon, I already left, it's not like she-" Before I could continue my helmet beeped notifying me that someone was trying to contact me using a specific number. Not many people had it.

I picked it up hoping against hope that it was who I thought it was.

"Armsmaster here."

"Hey." The familiar voice called. It was Vim! This was lucky, I ran over every scenario I could, every Wards pitch that was available to me began to run down my screen. Perhaps I could ask Dragon to help me convince her to join us.

I mentally began preparing a list of what I could offer her.

Support from friendly capes of course was the big one. I'd have to mention that the average survival rate of independents was low. I would point out that funding would probably be increased for her due to the nature of her Tinkertech, while she didn't seem like the greedy sort it was still something to think on. Her admiration for heroes was rather apparent, if I called in enough favours I might be able to get Legend or even Alexandria to give her a phone call, maybe meet her in person if I was extremely lucky. It would take all my diplomacy to pull it off but I was confide-

"Can I join the Wards?"

Oh…. that was easy.

 

[freebiewitz]

After my chat with Armsmaster we decided that I'd join the day after tomorrow. Or tomorrow technically since it was already 2am in the morning. He told me that he'd normally jump at the chance to bring me into the Wards but he had to go to a Youth management conference or something along those lines in the next town.

"Our reports indicate that the villains won't be up to anything major today, we've already had to reschedule our meeting many times to deal with other threats so our superiors are putting their collective feet down." I got the impression that he wasn't pleased about it. "The Wards will be in school, so we're not going to pull them out to meet you unfortunately, that can come tomorrow afternoon when all the other Heroes are on site."

He continued to explain Wards deployment protocol in more detail to me when I asked and despite it being what most others would consider boring rules and regulations I found it fascinating. Apparently most of the Wards couldn't just leave class to go save the day, it'd be too suspicious. If the Protectorate however had prior plans with them or were tipped off in advance then they could set up paperwork to have entire classes if not the entire school dismissed as a smokescreen.

Armsmaster admitted that information could fall through the cracks and sometimes bad guys could spontaneously go out on a rampage without warning. If a big enough crime was in progress and they absolutely needed some heroic Parahuman intervention then two or three Wards might be rushed out the door. Still they didn't do it too often as anything that could be done by a Ward would probably be done better by an older, more experienced Cape outside of specific power interactions. Also there was this thing about keeping Wards safe that kind of chafed at me but I understood why it was a thing.

"I assure you a city without Adult Hero supervision, even for a day is a very rare thing."

I supposed if they needed a healer and Panacea was busy they'd probably rush something to get me out of class to brew a potion. Assuming they ran out of potions in the first place. I wonder if I could convince them to give me a fridge for my lab and if so would they notice that I wasn't using it for my potions but rather soda and ice cream? Would that be considered abuse of government property? If so it would be sweet abuse of government property.

In the meantime he asked me to wait for now, try to keep a low profile, go to school and such. It was an odd request and I almost told him about the Undersiders knowing about my secret identity but I didn't. Well, Tattletale hadn't outright said that they knew that I was Taylor Hebert but it was heavily implied and only the most naive would brush it off. Regardless I promised that I'd be careful.

"So meet me at the Rig again after school tomorrow at 4pm." I of course agreed.

Awhile later I began to wonder why the pay phone hadn't run out of time yet. Normally a quarter would only give you a few minutes at most. So being curious I asked Armsmaster if it was his Tinkertech giving me free phone call time.

"No, all phones allow users to to make emergency calls regardless of funds, I happen to have this number on a similar line so that you wouldn't have to spend any money trying to contact me." That was a disappointingly mundane answer.

On one hand that made sense, if you just got robbed it's not like you'd have any coins to use on a machine. On the other hand this meant that the payphone stole my money!

Eventually our conversation ended and with the parting advice that I should tell my father about my powers sooner rather than later I hung up. The public phone booth looked like it had seen better days. Took me almost fifteen minutes to find it. I glowered at it. Pressing the coin return button did nothing. I continued to stare at it and considered smacking the thing to return my money.

The fact that I was upset over a quarter when I literally had hundreds of dollars in my inventory probably didn't do well for my sanity.

Considering how much money I had I began to wonder if I should get a mobile phone instead? I knew dad didn't approve of them and I could understand why but if I was going to be a hero I figured that they'd need me on call.

"Commissioner! The bad guys are threatening to blow up city hall!" A cop would shout as he tried to use his pea shooter against Hookwolf's bullet proof skin as he danced around to taunt them.

"Damn, get Vim on the line!" An older man with a bushy moustache would shout slamming a desk overflowing with paperwork that threatened to flatten a poor intern.

"She doesn't have a phone sir!" The Nazis would then start laughing as they held up sticks of dynamite in victory, presumably hailing Hitler at the same time.

"WE'RE DOOMED!" The cops cried out as one.

Then city hall would blow up because I didn't have a phone.

I shook my head, that would be unlikely to ever happen. For one they had Velocity who could run in and disarm the bombs, they had Miss Militia who could probably snipe the bad guys and knock them all out before they knew what hit them and Armsmaster was a Tinker, he'd probably build an Anti-Explosion button and press it.

Instead of 'BOOM!' it would be 'moob'.

But what if they had to attend another youth conference thing?

Well there was still the Wards, Shadow Stalker could sneak in and take them out like a ninja, Clockblocker could freeze everything followed by manacles and Aegis would probably just fly in a punch everyone like Alexandria would.

But what if they weren't around either? Big exams or something?

Well… there was New Wave! I couldn't believe I had almost forgot about them! They were pretty cool! An entire family of Capes that could fly and shoot lasers, use super strength and summon force fields! I'd never really seen them in action before but the videos I've checked out make it look like a light show from afar. Only with less music and more violence. I wondered what a family argument would look like with them?

I tried to wrack my brain for other heroes. Protectorate, Wards and New Wave. No other heroic types in Brockton Bay? Well there was me I suppose but I was about to be folded into one of the previously mentioned three categories so I figured that I didn't count.

There was Faultline's crew I guessed, they were pseudo bad guys if I remembered correctly. Not really evil, just mercenary. If people paid them they would probably come in to save the day but relying on them probably wouldn't end well.

The more I thought about it the more I realized how backwards the Villains had it. Committing crimes in the middle of the night would never work! That's what the heroes expected! You had to do it in the morning when everyone still hadn't had their coffee, when the Wards would be late to school if they tried to stop you! It was a fool proof plan! Not that I planned on becoming a bad guy any time soon, or ever really.

Right home, I had to get home!

Creeping through the darkness I felt Elation as my Veil improved again. I hadn't noticed anyone around but there was a cat. I grinned wondering if I could catch it. Probably a bad idea all things considered. One of the homeless men that I passed earlier tonight was still there sleeping against the wall, he was old and his large, grey beard didn't help that image. His clothes were clearly too big for him and dirty. Even in his sleep his expression looked defeated.

That summed up Brockton Bay in my mind.

If I was joining the Wards then I wouldn't have to use my money to buy anymore gear, as Armsmaster said they would pay for it all. Digging into my inventory I grabbed out the rest of my cash and pushed it into his hands in such a way that a passing bystander wouldn't see it.

It would be pretty bad if someone saw the money and stole it, worse if they hurt him making my gesture ultimately detrimental. He seemed to stir from his sleep and for a moment he saw me.

"Whu….?" He mumbled suddenly opening his eyes in surprise to look at me. Not expecting him to wake up I ran off in panic. Still the act of charity made me feel good and for a moment I felt that my speech shard was slightly more powerful. I grinned. Earlier it made me bitter that my speech skill was improved with lies but it seemed that charity worked as well even if it felt temporary.

Eventually I made it back home.

Tomorrow… or in about five hours I'd wake up again and tell Dad everything about my powers. Then use said powers in front of him to make a whole batch of sweet rolls in an instant. As far as powers went I hit the jackpot in regards to having safe ones to use near other people.

I couldn't imagine how difficult it would've been for someone like Laser Dream to show off without blasting a poor tree.

The next day I had breakfast ready to be eaten along with some sweet rolls prepared earlier. I had decided against showing him that my powers could make them. For one I wanted to use a more impressive looking power. Secondly I didn't want him to realize I could make dozens of sweet rolls instantly. I wanted dad to be impressed by my powers, not feel hungry.

In the end I decided to show him my healing magic which not only was all glowy but also defensive. If he ever worried about me getting hurt he could just remember me doing this!

Wait. He'd just get worried anyways! Maybe I shouldn't remind him that I could get injured in the first place. There had to be something that I cou-

"Morning Taylor!" The man of the hour himself has arrived! "What's wrong? You seem nervous." He observed entering the kitchen. Okay, it's now or never, I found my mouth dry as I tried to speak. Maybe I should drink some water first. I grabbed my cup to drink and found that it was filled with treacherous apple juice instead.

Delicious treachery but treachery regardless. Why was I even serving apple juice for breakfast anyways? Breakfast beverages were reserved for orange juice, coffee and of course tea!

"Uhh Taylor?" My dad asked breaking me out of my haze.

"Oh right, need to tell you something important." I mumbled, it was luckily loud enough that he heard.

"Anything to do with the cop you mentioned the other day?" Cop? Wait, this was perfect!

"Well uh funny you should mention that." I began. "He's not actually a cop." Dad frowned a bit, more in confusion than anything else. "He's Armsmaster." He blinked for a moment and then he smiled.

"So those gang members, he chased them all off did he? I can imagine you being quite star struck."

"Uhh well, no he didn't chase them off… Vim did."

"Whose Vim?"

"I am." It was then I decided to use my power and suddenly I was Vim.

Leather gloves creaked slightly as I flexed my hands, my boots fit snugly around my feet and my armor hugged the rest of me protectively. Irritatingly my helmet once again jammed my hanging hair into its stifling confines. Earlier I didn't want to show him my healing powers because I didn't want him to think I could get hurt. Showing him my armor in hindsight probably would have the same effect.

Dad was understandably shocked.

"Ta-da." I announced weakly waving my arms around.

==============================

Bonus image below.

 

[freebiewitz]

For a moment Dad just sat there, his own cup of apple juice in his hands. Slowly and with great effort he put the cup down onto the table. Several emotions flashed through his face but mostly worry with a tinge of regret. I stayed where I was, arms spread out to display my costume, too afraid to move, unsure what to say. I had hoped for approval, some measure of pride but deep down I knew that his worry would overshadow everything else.

"Taylor." He started only to pause. He looked down and the dreaded silence returned. "Is this why you've been so happy?"

There was no condemnation in his words, no signs of judgement. Just questioning, cautious hope. He was unsure of this, just as I was. I nodded, not trusting my own voice. I also lowered my arms. He continued to sit there watching me. Then he grabbed one of the sweet rolls on the table and took a bite. His expression turned mischievous.

"So what? Your powers make you some sort of super cook?" It was clear that this was a joke designed to break the ice. To calm us both down and stop us from being too awkward around each other. He had no idea how close he was to the truth.

"I uh.. Actually yes." I told him. "My powers, besides letting me change clothes instantly also let me cook instantly, if you give me the ingredients I can prepare dozens if not hundreds of meals instantly." I never tried in that amount but if my brewing and smithing were any indication then I'd be able to replicate the feat with grilled salmon. I sat down to grab a sweet roll and in my nervousness I shoved the entire thing into my mouth through the mask. An entire Sweet roll that usually required three or four bites simply gone, consumed and presumably digested as if it had bypassed the chewing and swallowing process altogether.

My mind just like my stomach and the sweet roll processed all this very quickly.

"So not only does my power let me eat food through my mask but it also lets me eat it instantly." Not that I knew that before.

It took dad a bit longer to come up with a response. "So you're an 'Instant Parahuman?' like, you eat, change clothes and cook instantly?" That wasn't a bad way to put it. I nodded once again and Dad's discomfort replaced his joking nature as if something just occurred to him.

"Now don't get me wrong, I'm glad you told me but why now? Why not earlier?" The guilt twisted in my stomach once more.

"I just wanted to say that I was going to join the Wards, I kind of need parental permission."

"I mean, I guess that makes sense, you have powers, they have powers but isn't that kind of dangerous?"

"It's less dangerous than going out on my own to fight crime." I argued.

"You shouldn't have to go out on your own to fight crime."

"Which is why I'm joining the Wards."

"No I mean." He took a breath. "You shouldn't be going out at all to fight anyone!" Oh dear, here it came, his worry, the desire to keep me safe by locking me into a metaphorical gilded cage… admittedly 'gilded' was probably not the best description of home regardless of how fond of it I was. I mean, we had a computer that had a internet connection but there was a reason why I visited the library for their computer instead.

I squeezed my hands tight. "If not me then who?" I asked. "I have these powers, I can't just not use them!"

"Yes you can!" He was standing now, holding my hand desperately as if afraid I would run off. "The other heroes can do their jobs, you don't have to do it for them." He wasn't on his knees but he was still begging.

"Dad, this isn't about jobs that others can do, this is about me." I told him. "I have this power and I need to use it and if I have to use it I want to use it to help people."

He looked down at me in concern. "You told me earlier that you went out before, that Armsmaster was there and people from the gangs." He sat back down. "What happened?"

"I… I got into a fight, I used my powers and scared them all off." I left out the bit about Lung of course. "I used fire." Summoning flames to my hands he flinched before calming down. I put them away embarrassed at having caused such a reaction. "They were talking about killing kids, I couldn't just let them do that."

He stared at me for awhile longer, his look of worry soon turned to resignation. "You're truly your mother's daughter." He told me with tired pride in his voice.

The following silence from me wasn't just because I was terribly awkward around Dad right now. It was the realisation that he was talking about mom. He never talked about Mom! Not since she died at least. Still, the fact that he compared Mom to me not only filled me with pride but also hope, hope that he'd allow me to become a hero.

"So you'll let me join the Wards?" I asked him.

He paused again. Too many pauses in this conversation.

"It's what your mother would've done, you can join." I ran up to hug him and I felt his arms hug me back. It was a nice feeling.

"You still have to go to school though." He told me. "With your ability to change clothes and eat food instantly I expect you to be ready on time."

Well shit.

After he bid me farewell I found myself back in Winslow as Taylor, the armour was still with me inside my inventory. While I didn't expect any of the Villains to come attack me at school I wanted to be ready regardless.

The other students were the same, all mocking laughter but today I found that I couldn't care less. I was going to be a Ward, a hero. I was going to leave them soon and move straight to Arcadia! Another thought occurred to me. All Wards had a chance to be in charge since being the leader was based on age, not experience. It might only last a year, a few months or only a week but eventually I'd be the leader of the Wards!

"MOVE OUT WARDS!" I'd command them as Aegis flew into the fray with Gallant close behind. Wait. Aegis if I remembered correctly was older than me, he'd be out of the Wards by the time I was in charge. Well I'd still have Vista to command.

Emma tried to tell me how ashamed Mom would be of me but Dad's earlier words made it easy to ignore. I wasn't useless, I wasn't unloved I was a hero that would make any parent proud and nothing Emma could say that day would work.

Madison at this stage was a non-issue and quite frankly Sophia's physical brand of bullying was welcome. Especially when she tried to kick my shins and allow me to increase the power of my light armour. The most difficult part of the day was trying not to smile.

"Fucking freak." She muttered when she saw me grin. I suppressed it as best I could but for the rest of the day Sophia did not kick me once. Not just because she thought I was weird but because the school was dismissed, we had to leave early because of some sort of gas leak.

Today just kept on getting better! First I get told Mom would be proud of me, I get to unmask to Dad, I'm given permission to join the Wards and now I didn't have to deal with anyone's shit for the rest of the day! I was free to do whatever I wanted!

So I decided to go to the library.

So off I went. Catching the bus was boring and I simply blanked out, I must've fallen asleep. However I woke up at the exact time I needed. I shrugged at my good fortune and got off the bus wondering if that was another aspect of my power. Maybe the secret late nights out were starting to catch up with me. I'd have to watch my sleeping patterns more closely if I didn't want this to happen in the middle of a fight. Just because I didn't feel sleepy didn't mean I was.

Eventually I reached the library, the same librarian was there from last time.

"Hello again." Oh she recognised me, this would make things easier.

"There was a gas leak today." I shrugged. "What can you do?"

"Are you still looking for books on selling and buying? I just got this in." She pulled out a book from behind her. 'Marketing and you'.

"No but I wouldn't mind taking a look." I greedily plucked the book from her before opening up the first page. I felt Elation, the kind that allowed me to look to the stars. I made a showing of looking through the book thoughtfully before I returned it.

"Thanks for the help but I think I'll work on another subject today." She smiled warmly before going back to her work.

I grinned, looking to the stars. Now that I was part of a team perhaps I could make equipment for them?

Looking at the smithing tree I found that the next step up from forging steel was either elven armour or dwarven. I could also improve enchanted equipment as well.

Well that was no help.

I decided to check out my speech shard, I had been powering that up quite a lot recently. In between the books and talking to Dad it was getting pretty strong.

Allure and Bribery.

What the hell? If I had any doubts that the Speech shard was actually a Master ability it was now gone. It's not like any good guys had Master powers, I'd have to steer clear of the Speech shard from now on.

Perhaps I could do something about my Archery? If I got that strong enough I could slow down time. Or at least my perception of time. I shrugged and improved my bow skills along with my toughness. Satisfied with my power up I activated my Veil and proceeded to hit the books.

Before the day was done I got a bit stronger in Archery once again. While books on the subject existed I found that it hadn't increased my Bow skill enough that I could become Eagle Eyed with it. It was no time dilation but the ability to zoom in without binoculars seemed really useful.

Despite not getting time powers, I did gain enough power from the books that I could look to the stars again. I hadn't really thought about what I wanted to do now. I had everything I needed, all my goals were either completed or about to come to fruition.

I originally increased my potion shard to impress Armsmaster.

Smithing was to make me a better costume so that I wouldn't look like a thug.

All of that was to get me into the Wards which I was already going to join.

None of the shards I could grab onto would really change that. So I decided to hold onto that feeling, invest in it later when a more concrete goal presented itself.

"OH NO WE'RE TRAPPED!" Shouted the entirety of the Wards. "ONLY A VERY SPECIFIC ABILITY AND OR POWER CAN GET US FREE!"

"DON'T WORRY!" I'd yell out. "I HAVE THAT VERY SPECIFIC ABILITY AND OR POWER!" And there would be much rejoicing. "YAAAAY!"

At this point I began to make my way home, I'd make dinner, maybe go on PHO, talk with dad and go to sleep. Becoming a Ward was only one sleep away!

Also I'd probably slow down with the sweet rolls. As nice as they were, it's not like they were healthy and it might've been my imagination but I thought I was starting to see a bit of flab on Dad. He was a beanpole like me so I had doubts that he'd ever be fat but it would be best I stop it before it ever became an issue.

I got home around the same time as him. Apparently the trip to the library took longer than I had thought but I was still satisfied with the result. Normally I'd be rushing to put something in the oven but with my powers making dinner simply involved me grabbing the ingredients and focusing.

"Any Sweet rolls Taylor?" He asked me with a smile.

"Hmm not tonight, I'm saving them for the other Wards, I want to make a good impression."

"You don't need food to make a good impression, just be yourself and they'll love you." And so the night went on with me finally going to bed.


======================================


Aegis Canon Omake:


Shit, shit, SHIT! While I believed that this was the perfect time to swear I held onto decorum regardless. With both of my arms being chewed up by two of Hellhound's…. Hounds I was pretty much out of commission. Still I was able to lead them away from the fleeing bystanders. Shadow Stalker had already disappeared into the bank, Grue's darkness made any attempt on figuring out what was going on inside useless.

While I was worried about her she had Glory Girl somewhere in there as well. I had no idea why she was here out of New Wave jurisdiction, but I was glad all the same. It's not like we had friendly Capes to spare today.

Armsmaster and the rest of the adults were at some sort of conference the next town over and the other Wards were still in school. If only intelligence had picked up on this heist earlier we might have had the entire Wards roster here.

Bursting out of the Darkness was a van. A sharp whistle later and the dogs let me go. I would've followed but I figured it would be useless, I was fast at flying but not that fast.

Glory Girl on the other hand was fast enough but just as she was about to punch the getaway vehicle Regent popped out of the side and made a gesture making her punch herself. Long story short it ended with Glory Girl and her other arm three feet in the road. The language she began shouting was not very becoming of a hero.

With a sigh I made a call with what remained of my mangled hands.

"Console, this is Aegis…" I paused, choosing my words very carefully. "We managed to keep all the hostages safe?" It was then I saw Shadow Stalker stumble out of the building before collapsing, one of her legs twisted unnaturally. "Uhh we might need some medical attention."

 

[freebiewitz]

Klaxons blared overhead covering everything in red light. PRT troopers surrounded me and Miss Militia held a shotgun that was pointed directly at my face. All this while I was neck deep in containment foam. I moaned pitifully noting that I wasn't wearing my costume, that they had for all intents and purposes caught Taylor Hebert. With great difficulty I tried to turn my head to regain my bearings and it was at this stage I realised where I was.

I had only been here once before, it was the Rig. I looked around hoping to find Armsmaster, explain to him that this was some sort of mistake. How did this all happen?

"Whyyyy?" I continued to moan. This was not the first impression that I wanted to make.

-------Earlier that day-------

Waking up I stretched my arms and legs feeling pleasantly refreshed. I had managed to get exactly nine hours of sleep last night, hopefully this would mean that I would be less likely to blackout on public transport like last time or even worse during battle. While I never really felt tired I had to admit that I did feel noticeably better after a good night's rest.

Heading to the kitchen I found that Dad was already up which was a bit odd but even more weird was the fact that Breakfast was already served.

"Morning Taylor!" He called out noticing my presence. My surprise must've been rather obvious because he replied to my unanswered question instantly. "Figured that since this was your big day I'd make you food for once."

I looked down to the plates. Eggs, bacon, sausages, hash browns, pancakes, tomatoes, toast… it was too much. I hesitated but sat down regardless, I didn't want to ignore his hard work.

"Uhh thanks dad." I grabbed a piece of toast and nibbled on it.

"Surprised the entire plate isn't gone yet." He told me. "Aren't you going to use your power to speed things up?"

Right, I could do that couldn't I? At his prompting the entire plate was clean in less than a minute. After which I felt amazing! A good night's sleep was great and all but nothing seemed to beat a homecooked meal! I burped and he laughed, only halfway through his first piece of bacon.

"I'll pick you up after school so we can head to the Rig straight after." He told me. I put the plate in the sink, kissed him on the head and headed off. "Have fun at school Taylor!" He shouted after me.

Getting onto the bus I was met with a few quiet insults here and there. I managed to find a seat, hold my legs against my chest and shuffled myself in such a way so that my boots would take the brunt of any flying bag attack again. As the bus trip continued my Veil seemed to improve enough that I felt compulsion to look to the stars once more.

First I decided to increase my stamina which hopefully would ensure that I wouldn't fall asleep in the middle of the bus again. As for picking out a shard? I already had one of those ready to go in reserve.

I had to come up with a better word than the phrase 'compulsion to look to the stars'.

I began to think about my naming convention again.
I called my fragments of powers 'Shards' since they didn't feel like full powers.
I called the feeling of improvement 'Elation' since it felt good whenever it happened.
This compulsion to look to the stars also felt like 'Elation' but magnitudes better. I recalled that I wanted to call it Triumph once but didn't want to get that confused with the hero.

"Hey have you seen the latest Uber and Leet video?" Someone asked loudly behind me. Uber and Leet were two video game based villians. Small time jerks that themed their crimes around whatever game they liked at the time.

"No, did they do some sort of RPG?"

RPG huh? While I enjoyed playing video games from time to time I never really got into it wholesale. That said I knew what they were, you couldn't browse the internet without cultural osmosis happening. Kind of the same way someone who had never seen Star Wars would still recognize the "I am your father." quote.

In regards to RPGs a common theme across the genre was the fact that you gained experience points after beating a monster which then leveled you up. The higher your level the stronger you were. How appropriate.

I nodded. I levelled up twice now with points to spare! Yes, that sounded much better.

Satisfied in naming the different aspects of my power I wondered what today would bring. It was at this stage my Veil began to fade. It didn't mean someone had seen me yet but it did mean that someone was searching for me. I looked around for the perpetrator, if it was someone with a water balloon I had to be ready. Just because I was a minor brute didn't mean I liked to get wet.

It was then I saw Greg Vader standing around looking for a seat and presumably me. I guess he learnt his lesson and didn't want to hit anyone with his bag again. Moments later he locked eyes with me and my Veil fell apart.

He then proceeded to sit next to me ensuring that I couldn't spend the rest of the trip enhancing my powers.

"Hey Taylor!" He called out making room for himself and his bag. I nodded in acknowledgement hoping that he wouldn't take it as a sign to keep talking. Maybe leveling up my stamina was a bad idea afterall, being asleep until school started suddenly seemed much more appealing.

"Sorry about hurting you awhile back." He told me. "I just didn't see you, I guess I didn't have a big enough breakfast…. What's your favorite breakfast?" I shrugged. "That's cool, I like frosty bites, they're-" It was at this stage that my mind decided to shut down. Couldn't he tell that I didn't want to talk with him? While harmless, Greg was still annoying. I tried to be polite but I just couldn't do it!

Eventually we arrived at school, with a few hasty words I managed to escape Greg.

The rest of the school day passed as expected. Emma flung a few more insults my way and Sophia to my hidden glee was much more proactive in the violence department. Not frequent or hard enough to level me up but enough that I appreciated the effort, maybe she lost a race on the track? It occurred to me that I could ask the Wards to start punching my legs?

Wait a second. After I joined the Wards I'd be wearing my costume which was ALL armor! I could ask them to punch me all over! That would be great!
Everything went as expected. Disappointing but expected. The teachers continued to ignore any possibility of wrong doing, I was bullied and eventually I could go to the Rig.

School ended and I waited by the gates as Dad pulled up. I dashed inside, expertly weaving my ways through the crowds and avoiding any of the more physically abusive students. It seemed I was in luck, Sophia was too distracted to do anything to me and looked like she wanted to leave as quickly as I did if her break neck speeds were anything to go by.

Driving off I could hardly contain myself and neither could Dad.

"So Vim, ready to make your super hero Debut?" He whispered back to me.

"Dad, you can't just call me that when I'm out of costume." I scolded him lightly. With how loud the traffic was I doubted anyone could overhear our conversation in the car.

"Sorry Taylor, I'm just… I'm a bit worried." He began. Was he going to take back what he said about me joining the Wards? "I'm really proud of you, I just want you to be careful okay?"

"I will be." I tried to assure him. "I'll have the best armor, the best potions and the best backup available to any badass Hero out there!"

"I'm sure you'll be fine but I still worry." It was heartening that he cared. "So, you mentioned before that you were going to share some sweet rolls with the other Wards to make a better first impression huh?" I saw where this was going. "How about you spare one or two for your old man? I am driving you to the Rig after all."

He wasn't serious of course but I played along. "I don't know, I mean, how will you eat while driving?"

"Oh, come on, none of your powers let you feed me?" We laughed at that.


=============================


The rest of the trip continued with small talk. Something that we hadn't really done in a long time. Eventually we came to a stop, traffic had slowed to a crawl. At first I took it in stride, these things happened. However as the time to the meeting with Armsmaster began to come closer I began to get worried.

Maybe I should call ahead? Tell them I'd be late? No, making them wait on a single new Ward would be rude, I had to find a way to get there on time. I wasn't a mover though and even if I was I'd have to start swimming and I didn't know if my armor was buoyant enough to help carry me across or if it would make me sink.

"Crap." I muttered. "Uhh Dad? Do you know if Leather floats?"

He shrugged, slightly confused by my sudden questioning. "Not sure, it's never really come up." He began. "Well, leather is made from cowhide and I don't think cows swim that well? But if it's like skin then I think it floats?"

That was no help. More time passed and while we made progress it was beginning to seem clear that we wouldn't get there on time.

"Oh god, I'm going to be late!" I began to panic. "I'm going to call Armsmaster!" Pulling out the business card it was snatched from my hands before I could take a better look at it.

"Hey calm down Taylor, it'll be fine, I'm sure they won't mind." He told me putting the card into his pocket.

"Ohhhh, I wish I had some sort of mover power now, super speed or teleportation!" I began to fidget in my seat. I looked over all my potions again, none of them would help. I needed to get to the Rig as soon as possible. I needed to…

I fell down with no chair or seat belt to support me.

Disorientated I was completely unprepared for what came next.

"Intruder Alert, sudden unauthorized presence detected!" As artificial voice announced. Before I could gain my bearings I was covered in containment foam.

"Whyyyy?" I continued to moan. This was not the first impression that I wanted to make.


=============================


Eventually I found myself in a cell, I think I overheard someone call it confinement, thankfully free of the containment foam. As bad as it was I couldn't help but feel a tiny bit happy that I had a mover ability. Teleportation! Not that it let me teleport out of the containment foam. Probably had another condition I had to fulfill to use it. I'd test it out now but it would probably make me look like a Villain if I suddenly disappeared.

"Hey? Anyone out there?" I asked again. The PRT troopers positioned outside were stoically ignoring me, it was intimidating. I had to give them props though, if it wasn't for the fact that I saw them lock my cell I would've thought they were statues. This sucked, not even a Ward yet and already I unmasked myself to a bunch of people. Still, I didn't put on my costume, I didn't want them to freak out and foam me again.

Eventually two recognizable figures entered the hallway.

"Let her out now!" It was Dad! He ran up to the two troopers and jabbed a finger into one of their chests. They both raised their weapons.

"Dad, it's okay!" I told him hoping that they wouldn't pull their triggers.

"Stand down." The second figure commanded. It was Armsmaster. "Mr Hebert, can you confirm that this is your daughter?"

"Yes! No doubt! Now let her out!"

"Keep in mind that this might not be your daughter, it might be a shapeshifter pretending to be your daughter, we can't be too careful." He explained. "Now, you there." He called out to me. "What's your name?"

"Uhh it's Taylor Hebert, I'm also Vim the hero." He nodded and turned to Dad.

"Can you please ask her a question only she would know the answer to?"

"Damnit! FINE!" He growled. "Hey Taylor I uhh… what's the nickname that your…. your mother used to always called you?"

"Little Owl." I replied automatically.

"Now can you let her out?" Dad questioned.

"Not yet." Armsmaster apologized. "Ms Hebert, can you use your powers?" I nodded and suddenly I was Vim again. "Hmm, alright, one last thing just to be sure. Can you tell me what this does?" He revealed one of my potions.

"I uh… can't." I told him, he then tensed up. "WAIT! I need it to be closer to me! That's all!"

He frowned but did as I asked.

"It's a potion of fortify light armor." He nodded at that calming down.

"Last question." Armsmaster told me, Dad looked like he was about to explode but held himself in check. "How did you end up here?"

"A new power, some sort of teleportation, I couldn't use it while I was in the containment foam." I told him truthfully. For a moment he continued to appraise me and finally made a motion with his hand.

"Let her out." He told the troopers. I let out a sigh of relief as the doors were unlocked.

"On behalf of the Protectorate and the PRT I formally apologize for the wrongful arrest of the hero known as Vim along with any inconvenience and stress that was incurred as a result." It was almost like he was reading that off a script.

Before dad could get another word in I cut in. "It's okay!" I told Armsmaster trying to calm everyone down. "It's not anyone's fault, I just teleported in out of nowhere, I could've been a bad guy for all they knew." I stared at Dad hoping that he would understand.

Now that I had a closer look at Dad he seemed visibly more stressed, his face was pretty red. He took a deep breath. "Alright, Taylor, this is your show."

"We are willing to compensate you for this… mistake." Armsmaster mentioned. "Do you still want to join the Wards?"

"You got some nerve to utter th-"

"DAD!" I shouted. "Dad, it's okay, really."

He took another breath and I hope this outburst would be the last.

"And yes Armsmaster, I still want to join the Wards." He paused for a moment looking from me back to Dad. "I just have to be more careful with teleporting."

"Taylor." My dad began, ignoring the fact that I was now in costume as Vim. "You were gone for two hours." What? "When you disappeared I used the business card I took from you, the Heroes sent everyone out to look for you and I was so worried!" Oh… "Then the next thing I know I get a call back at home telling me that they THINK they have someone impersonating you! It was crazy!" He clenched his fists. "Then these bastards LOCKED YOU UP!"

"Mr Hebert, please calm down, I understand your anger, as such I'm going to do something very personal to regain your trust." He stared at the other two PRT troopers. They seemed to get the message and left. Closing the doors behind them Armsmaster nodded before pressing a finger against the side of his helmet to reveal his face.

"I once again apologize and hope that this helps make up for it, my name is Colin Wallis." Holy shit he unmasked!

-------------------------------------------

Author notes:

Always wanted Taylor to be locked up before her true Hero career began. Just like any true Elder Scrolls hero! "Fast" travel AWAY!

 

[freebiewitz]

Shadow Stalker Interlude.


We got word that there was to be a new Ward soon. That we had to get to the Rig as soon as school finished, that there would be a secure pickup, drop off and pick up again. While I understood the need for paranoia it was still annoying to go through.

Though I would never admit it, I looked forwards to seeing the new kid. The last Ward that joined us was a huge disappointment. Browbeat had decent enough powers but was so passive you could've put him next to a giant pillow and never tell the difference. Seriously, he could buff his muscles to cartoonish levels! FUCKING PUNCH SOMEONE! When I heard about the reports of him being a vigilante kicking ass and taking names I was hyped! But he had all the personality of a wet paper towel.

If I had that power I'd be able to beat the shit out of anyone I wanted!

But that wouldn't suit me. Stealth was much more satisfying. Watching criminals become complacent, thinking that they're safe when suddenly out of nowhere their faces turn to fear and dismay! Fucking losers.

So point was, there was going to be a new Ward. You'd think that with Browbeat's less than impressive attitude that I'd be jaded by new arrivals. Well, normally you'd be right but this one was different.

For one, Armsmaster had recruited her. While the older hero had a huge stick up his arse, he at least knew how to beat people up with it. Anyone he personally vouched and even risked the ire of Piggot for was probably a badass.

That alone placed the new girl above Browbeat. Which wasn't hard to be honest. From the reports I had read she had already gone out and hunted down some gang members. Nothing as impressive as me but at least it meant that she had initiative. That's not what made Armsmaster or Piggot focus on her though. Their interest was piqued by the 'potions' she could make.

Powers in a bottle.

Things that healed you, made you tougher, stronger and overall better. I could see the appeal behind that sure and I understood why those less badass than me might want a piece of that. My thoughts were interrupted as we arrived at the Rig, I had almost dozed off. Frustrating, I should've been more alert. Panacea wasn't kidding when she said I might have less energy, that I should get lots of food and rest. I realised that I had been massaging my knee for some time now and reminded myself of the Undersider's bank heist. Something came from behind knocking me down and broke my legs.

It was a fucking joke.

Fighting Grue was annoying enough in that stupid darkness of his but getting attacked from behind just as I get in? Fucking bullshit. Felt like I got run over by a steamroller. Once I found out who or what hit me, I'd pay them back tenfold.

Anyways this new kid was a big deal, didn't take a genius to figure that one out. If there was any other doubt then it would be dispelled just as soon as I entered the Rig. Everyone was here, every Hero and every Ward. Seemed like I was the last one to arrive.

"Nice of you to join us Shadow Stalker." Armsmaster told me flatly as I walked into the meeting room. I would've showed him my strongest finger or at least swore at him but I had more self control then that. Seriously, what did he expect? I went to school at Winslow, it was a miracle that I made it as soon as I did! Besides, it was the drivers that got me here so why not blame them?

Then everyone went over a bunch more stuff. While I didn't really pay attention I still got a few details. Vim was a grab bag that had the ability to warp space that manifested as a sort of localised pocket dimension and allow her to eat through her mask. She could make armor, manipulate fire and of course the big one was that she could make potions. Armsmaster was really focused on the potion thing.

They spoke about her new appearance, that she no longer wore black which was fine with me. Instead it was leather. There was some questioning on if she could make anything more high tech but that wasn't that important.

The last thing that was mentioned was her temperament. I groaned at the last one. Badass or not I didn't want to deal with someone like her. The optimist. Apparently she had a bad case of Hero worship. Gallant was enough of a goody two shoes, we didn't need more.

Crap.

Maybe getting another Ward wouldn't be so great afterall. More backup was always nice but not if they kept holding me back. Still I had to play nice, after all being on probation sucked but being in juvie was way fucking worse. Didn't mean I had to get along with her though. Just had to be professional, I could do that. I was always professional.

"Are we clear Shadow Stalker?" Piggot asked. I tried not to act surprised by her questioning. Shit, what were they talking about? Oh right, be nice to her.

"Yeah, yeah I got it." I told her waving it off. She scowled but said nothing. That's right bitch.

"I expect nothing but perfection. Aegis, take the Wards and head up to the common area, the rest of us will finish up here." As we left the meeting room the inane chatter began.

"So, what do you think the adults are all talking about in there?" Asked Clockblocker. As soon as he mentioned it I wanted to know as well. Though I'd never admit it out loud.

"Most likely the legal parts, maybe things to do with her real identity." Answered Aegis, he shrugged. "Not for us to know unless they want to share it, come on we can do our homework and play videogames while we wait."

I wanted to be outside, hunting down scum. Not be locked up with kiddy gloves.

"I'll man the console." I told them. Better than hanging around them, at least this way I'd be able to hear about the action as separated as I would be from it. Maybe I'd pick up an emergency about a gang war and be let out to handle it?

Pfft. Even I didn't believe it.

"Wow, someone volunteering for Console duty." Vista of all people commented. "And it's you of all people."

I ignored her and we all went our separate ways. Cracking my knuckles I sat back and began my shift.

I was bored out of my mind ten minutes in. Fuck! I forgot how boring this got! Not even a burglary in progress! This was supposed to be Brockton Bay! Where were all the epic car chases? The big bad villain show downs? I already knew the answer of course, they simply weren't being reported. Too many scared folks unwilling to even make the call. What a bunch of wimps.

Hours pass and Vim had yet to show up. I was beginning to hate her, she was late. I grumbled and angrily bit into the sandwich that I was given earlier. I was pissed off and wanted nothing more than to pummel some criminal's face in.

Give them an upper cut, kick their knees out from under them. Maybe go for a stylish flip near the end, break a few teeth and-

Suddenly klaxons brought me out of my day dream.

I don't know if I was blinded by rage or if I was bored out of my mind or if I was too tired but for a moment I thought I saw Hebert of all people getting taken down by the containment foam sprayers on screen. I practically leapt forwards to get a closer look and checked it's location, matching everything on it to what I remembered seeing from personally being there.

Yup. That was the reception of the Rig alright.

Hebert just teleported onto the Rig? Since when did she have powers? Suddenly things began to click into place. Her disappearing acts at school, the fact that it was impossible to find her half the time. She must've triggered as a teleporter after we pushed her into the locker! For a moment I panicked, would she tell the Protectorate about my bullying?

I knew I was on thin ice, but it would be my word against hers. I was a hero! That would count for something right? She already tried taking things to the police once and that failed, I had nothing to worry about. Trust a wimp like Hebert to get powers that let her run away even better. I calmed myself down. She was being taken away now to be questioned. The fact that she teleported into the middle of the base boded well for me, it meant that she was too stupid to know any better.

I sighed in relief.

"Shadow Stalker!" A voice behind me yelled. It was Clockblocker. "Is it Vim? I bet it's Vim! Ten bucks say it's Vim!"

"That's not cool dude." Gallant was right behind him. "Someone could be hurt."

"No one's hurt you pansies." I told them both. "Just some random girl teleported into the base, she got foamed pretty much instantly, it's not Vim." Fuck they were annoying. "I'm gonna see if I can't get a recording of her expression…" Fucking priceless. Okay, maybe this night wasn't a total waste.

"Think that was Vim?" Asked Clockblocker again. "They did say she was a grab bag."

I rolled my eyes at him. Gallant piped up. "I doubt it, grab bags get a bunch of weak powers and maybe one big thing, like the potions." It was common knowledge after all. "Teleportation is definitely a big one."

"Yeah but what if it comes with a big downside? Like you leave your bones behind?"

"I guess but the Manton limit protects us from that kind of stuff, it's why you don't freeze yourself all the time."

I decided to ignore them both, bring up the recording of Hebert again and put it on loop. Damn, if only I could send this to Emma, she'd love this. Even as a Cape Hebert was useless. I kicked back and continued to enjoy my sandwich.

Eventually we were all called back into the Ward's common area. It was Miss Militia which wasn't surprising. Despite being the local leader of the Protectorate, Armsmaster preferred to keep a light touch in terms of leadership. Too busy poking away at his gear.

"Alright, I'm sure you may have already heard rumours about the intruder." A few mumbles agreed. "Well I'll be putting those rumours to rest, the teleportation was an accident and she'll be joining the Wards."

Fuck. Hebert in the Wards? This was going to be annoying. I'd have to hide my identity around her but since I already told every other Ward that I was Sophia Hess I couldn't really do that without arousing suspicion. It's not like I wanted to be friends with anyone but being in a mask all the time was annoying.

"So we're going to have two new girls? That's awesome!" Announced Clockblocker.

Hmm, maybe I could use the fact that she teleported out of nowhere as an excuse not to trust her. Don't unmask because I think she's up to something. Everyone would probably call me paranoid but I could deal with that.

"Actually no, we're only getting one person joining the Wards today." She corrected him.

"So Vim chickened out or something?" I asked.

"Not quite." Miss Militia looked uneasy. "The intruder IS Vim." I froze right there. "I know what you're all thinking, that I've just unmasked her. But I want to lay your concerns to rest, she actually wanted us to tell you all this and apologise for setting off the alarms." This was going poorly. "If she wants to tell you all her name and show her face then that's up to her, we've agreed to encrypt and safeguard the security footage already."

I turned back to the console and noted that the video was no longer on loop.

This was fucked up. Hebert... Vim was Armsmaster's pet project! If anyone would believe her about the bullying it would be him and he'd actually investigate!

Okay Sophia, calm down. You're a fighter, you don't go down without swinging. Okay, calm down Sophia, think for a second, just fucking THINK!

For the moment I was grateful for my mask that hid my face and the cloak around my shoulders that distorted my body language. So what? Hebert was Vim, that didn't change the fact that I was a badass, it just meant I had to be careful, that I had to be subtle.

Then the alarms went off, the ones that told us that we had visitors and that we should mask up. In my mind there was no doubt who it was.

Eventually a tall lanky figure with long hair entered wearing leather armour flanked by Armsmaster himself.

"Everyone." He announced. "I'd like to introduce you all to your new team member, with her powers and her attitude, I believe that she will make an excellent addition to the team." He prodded her and Hebert… Vim awkwardly approached us. It seemed getting powers hadn't changed her one bit. That was a relief.

"Uhhh hi everyone." She began. "I'm Vim…" I snorted.

"Helloooo beaautiful." It was Clockblocker. "I'm Dennis by the way, love the outfit, you make that yourself? Is that real leather?" He knew she did. We were literally just briefed on this today.

"I uhh." She stammered. "Yes?"

"Come on Dennis, don't tease her too much." It was Gallant's turn to say hello. "It's nice to finally meet you, we've heard so much. All good things I assure you." Putting his hand out Hebert eventually shook it. "You can call me Dean."

"Uhh nice to meet you to." She replied.

"I'm Vista, aka Missy!"

"Oh I'm Kid Win, uh Chris, I hear you're a Tinker? Maybe we can compare notes?"

"Call me Carlos, I hope you recognise my costume, uh Aegis if you don't."

"I'm new, my name is James, my Cape name is Browbeat though."

"Oh wow." Hebert replied. "This is a lot to take in…" She then turned to me. "And you're Shadow Stalker!" Wait a second, what happened to timid old Hebert? She was practically in my face now! "Oh my god! I have one of your masks!" Suddenly she was wearing my face! It was a cheap plastic, stern woman's face. "I mean, I like the angry lady look, makes you all like GRRR VENGEANCE! But I kinda miss your old Hockey mask thing!"

What the hell was going on?

"Someone has a crush!" Clockblocker shouted and it took everything I had to not fall down. "Hey Vim, she was watching your face on cam before, full loop for the last ten minutes or something!" That fucker!

"We won't judge." Gallant told me. "You don't have to be afraid." I wasn't afraid at all! "I thought your emotions seemed pretty everywhere just before but that almost makes sense."

"SHUT UP! You don't know what the fuck you're all talking about!"

"Why don't you unmask then?" Oh god, even Vista was joining in now. They probably didn't even think I was gay. "Too shy?"

"I see you're all getting along, I'll leave you all to it." Armsmaster nodded and left with the rest of the adults as if this bullshit wasn't currently unfolding. Suddenly my hands were being grasped and her face… Herbert's face was without a mask.

"I uhh, I'm flattered but, but I-I don't like girls that way." What the fuck? Was she letting me down gently? "You can call me Taylor, let's start out as friends okay?"

Fuck it.

"FINE!" That came out a lot louder than I intended, so sue me, I was stressed. Fucking Hebert rejected ME of all people? Wait. FUCK! Why would I care about that? This day just kept getting weirder. I was straight as a board! "I mean, ye-ah l-let's be friends. Uh good friends." If this was the con I had to pull then so be it. Anything to stop her from realising I was Sophia.

"Holy shit this is GOLD!" Clockblocker shouted. "I'll be your good friend too!"

Hebert was smiling like an idiot at this point and thankfully had let go of my hands.

"I'm just glad, I was afraid that you wouldn't like me." Denial filled the air. Whether they actually liked her for her or the fact that she fucked with me was hard to know. "After all the bullying I've been through with…" no no no! You FUCKER! "Well, I never want to bring them up again." Oh thank god.

Clockblocker then put a hand on her shoulder.

"We have Mario Kart and junk food, wanna join us?" He pointed at the TV. "Sometimes we fight crime but that's more of a side business for us Wards." She practically bounced at that.

"I'M PLAYER ONE!" She screamed. Fuck, this was going to be a long Ward's career. Maybe juvie wasn't so bad after all.

Everyone else ran after her except me and Gallant.

"Someone owes Clockblocker ten bucks." He whispered. "If you ever need someone to talk to, I'll be here."

I growled.

"Fuck you."



=============================



So one thing I'd like to head off before it's commented. Why had Sophia not connected the dots about Taylor and Vim sooner?

Well in her head this is what she thinks.

Vim= Bad ass, optimist and annoying.

Taylor= Wimp, depressed and stupid.

In Canon she's really surprised when she realises that Skitter is Hebert so it's not that big of a leap to think that something similar would happen here, especially since they outwardly behave so differently.

I had this entire scenario planned from the beginning.

Being Shadow Stalker is suffering and no one even has to know about the bullying.

As my beta reader Taron has described it: A thin veneer of civility masking internal screaming

 

[freebiewitz]

I was on cloud nine, I felt as if I was floating and my face hurt from all the smiling. Here I was playing video games and eating junk food with the Wards with no bully in sight. I wasn't very good at Mario Kart but it was still fun, even to lose. The Wards seemed to have a system, whoever came last had to give their controller to the next person in line. I was the exception that night since I was the new kid.

Honestly I didn't mind that I was getting unfair treatment but it was getting to the point where I hadn't had any of the pizza since my hands were occupied with the game.

"Someone else take over for me, I want a go at the food!" James jumped at the chance smiling at me. "Anyone want me to grab anything while I'm up?"

"Thanks Taylor but I'm good." James called out as he grabbed the controller.

"You don't have to grab anything, I'll come with you!" Missy told me. I shook my head but she got up anyways. "I insist." Before I could refuse her again she used her power to walk ahead of me, squeezing the space between us that would've been several steps down to one.

"Well if you're both up how about you guys carry the entire table over?" Asked Dennis pausing the game. "Just park it right here." He opened his mouth and pointed at it. No one took him seriously but I decided to grab a drink for him anyways.

Making my way over to the food table with Missy I found that Dean and Shadow Stalker were already there. However she wasn't eating, hell she hadn't even removed her mask yet. Missy wasn't kidding before, she was really shy.

"Hello Taylor." Dean greeted me. "Hello Missy." She beamed at that and waved back. I was still getting used to their names. I had known them all by their Cape personas for so long that seeing them, even without their masks and helmets was still odd to me.

"Hi Dean, hi Shadow Stalker." Calling her Shadow Stalker was a bit of a mouthful. I'd have to come up with a nickname for her eventually, maybe I could abbreviate her name to SS? Or maybe I could call her Shadow? That sounded bad ass! Shadow the hero! Hmm that was a bit too edgy, maybe I'd sleep on it.

"So what are you two doing over here on your own?" I would've asked if they were dating but it was obvious that Shadow Stalker didn't swing that way and Dean… Well Dean himself was already a bit of a celebrity outside of his Cape persona. The guy dated Glory Girl after all!

"N-nothing…." Shadow Stalker replied to my question with a mumble. It seemed that she hadn't dealt with my rejection that well, a bit of guilt wormed it's way into my mind. On one hand I didn't want to get too close to her and give her false hope that I was romantically interested, on the other everyone deserved a friend.

She seemed a bit antisocial, something I could relate to.

Dean sighed. "I'm just giving Shadow Stalker a bit of company you know?" That was nice of him, especially after what she went through. Wait a second…

"Shadow Stalker." I called out to her directly. She flinched confirming my suspicions. Only someone who had gone through a campaign of abuse would act this way. "You aren't being bullied by the other Wards are you?" I should've seen the signs earlier. All the teasing, the fact that she seemed to prefer being alone, the stammering when she spoke.

If it wasn't for Dean keeping her company it would've been some twisted reflection of myself. It might've been hasty of me to assume such things but I could see a bit of myself in her.

"Bullying is no joke, you have to tell someone, go to an authority figure." The Heroes wouldn't ignore her like my own school had.

"I what?" She seemed to freeze at my words.

"I know you're trying to hold back, that no one can understand you, that they won't listen, trust me, I know the feeling." Fuck Madison, fuck Sophia and fuck Emma! "But you have friends who care about you, I mean if they didn't then you wouldn't have Dean here right now."

"Uhh I think you might have the wrong idea." Dean piped up. "She doesn't really act like this all the time, she's not being bullied, she's just… she… we've tried to make friends with her it's just that most of us had given up, she's very aggressive." That painted a more depressing picture honestly.

"Yeah she's a bitch." Missy agreed.

"Language." He gently reminded her. For her part Missy did look sorry about it. "The only reason why she's stammering and such is because of you I think."

"I'm standing right here you know?" Shadow Stalker growled making us turn to her. It was then I made up my mind. This Hero, no this girl needed a friend. One that wouldn't abandon her just because they couldn't handle her. I wouldn't be like Emma.

"Don't worry Shadow Stalker, I'll be your friend no matter what, through thick and thin." I had pushed away Dad and I knew how it was to be lonely. She had Dean sure but he was only doing it to be nice. As far as I could tell the two of them had very little in common. "Come on, let's get something to eat." I smirked in anticipation.

"Uhh.. no thanks… I've got my mask on." I grinned at that, she fell for my verbal trap perfectly.

"So do I!" Before she could react I was wearing the plastic Shadow Stalker mask again. Grabbing a slice of pizza I shoved it into my face. Instead of a greasy mess it was instantly consumed. "Mmmm pizza." She just stood there, watching me.

"Hehe." Both Dean and Missy cracked a smile. At least two people here enjoyed my comedy. Mentally I gave them a brownie point. Wait brownie points, SWEET ROLLS!

"That's a very convenient power." Missy commented. It was wasn't it?

"I... I'm leaving now." Shadow Stalker announced. Wait! I hadn't even shared a sweet roll with her yet!

I went to stop her but I felt a gentle hand grasp my shoulder. Dean simply shook his head.

"If you go after her now she's just going to dig herself in deeper, give her some space, let her process things. She'll come back in her own time." I wanted to argue, to point out my own situation where no one tried to help me.

But it wasn't the same.

Dean was already there helping. Shadow Stalker wasn't quiet and depressed like me, she was angry and lashing out. I nodded in understanding.

I turned back to the rest of the Wards and overheard something that I had rather not have heard.

"So the official ship name is SS.Vim right?" Dennis asked someone. Ship name? SS.Vim?

"That's really bad man." Carlos groaned. "Seriously, Taylor isn't even into her." Oh god.

"Well I know that she's straight and you know that she's straight but the internet doesn't!" I put my hands on his shoulders. It was at this moment that Dennis's fear kicked in, freezing himself in place that had nothing to do with his powers.

"I'm sure I won't see any of this on the PHO." I told him as I began to give him a massage, he stiffened up. I gripped him in such a way that if he used his powers on me then he would've been trapped regardless. "Have I mentioned I'm also a blaster? Flamethrowers for hands." It was at this point that I felt Elation.

Huh, it seemed my speech shard benefited from intimidation as well. Useful.

"Yes ma'am, won't see a peep outta me on the internet." I patted him on the back and made my way onto the couch.

"Sweet Rolls anyone?"

Vista giggled and I couldn't help but join in. The sweet rolls were a big hit.

=================================

Eventually I left. Dad was driving, apparently he and Armsmaster or Colin had struck up quite the friendship. The two of them were avid workaholics. It was so odd to hear about how well they got along, especially with how angry dad was when they first met.

"The guy isn't so bad once you get to know him." He told me, not that I needed to be convinced. "He's blunt but honest. I can respect that." It was so strange to think of them as friends but I was glad that he had someone new to talk to. Ever since mom died he'd become withdrawn, much like myself now that I thought about it. "The other heroes were pretty nice as well, that Assault guy is a card."

Huh, now that I thought about it I hadn't really had much of a chance to interact with the adult heroes. Well that would probably change in the future, we would be working together after all. I wonder if I can convince Armsmaster to build me a jet pack? A way to move around quickly. My teleportation power was pretty garbage after all.

"Hey dad." I began. "You know, I didn't give the Wards all of my sweet rolls." He smiled at that and in turn so did I.

The next day was filled with more anticipation. Yesterday was amazing of course with me meeting the rest of the Wards and spending the evening with them but today would be a different kind of pleasure. Today I was finally going to see Winslow and by extension, the rest of the bullies for the last time.

I had half a mind to dance on the roof of the school while singing insults in every direction. One of the conditions that had been laid out with Armsmaster for me joining the Wards was that I be transferred as soon as possible to Arcadia or at least out of Winslow. Dad was fairly confused at the time, wondering why I would want to leave my 'best friend' behind.

It was there I revealed that she was no longer a friend but instead a bully. I hadn't revealed more than that. I didn't name any names but by dad's expression, I hadn't any need to. My somber silence was enough for Armsmaster to try and change the subject.

For now I had to speak with Principal Blackwell. Dad was with me today along with some case worker named Fiona. Rocking up to the front gates we found no resistance as we made our way over to the office where the receptionist sat.

"Hello." My dad greeted. "We're here for the meeting?" He asked.

"Mr Herbert?" The receptionist asked.

"Hebert actually but yes, that's me."

"Please take a seat, she'll be with you shortly." We did so and the bell rang indicating the first period had already started. I smiled again, I might not even run into Emma today!

We waited for awhile and I began considering the pros and cons of pulling out a sweet roll from my backpack to snack on. The problem with that of course was that my physical backpack didn't have sweet rolls in it and while I doubted that I'd be unmasked by such an act I didn't want to get into the habit of using my Inventory power in plain view regardless of how subtle I could be.

I'd stick to using my Veil thank you very much.

Not only that but Dad would ask for one as well if he saw me eating. At that point I would feel rude leaving out the case worker and even the receptionist. Actually, screw the receptionist, she was part of the problem. There were only a few people that helped me at Winslow, like the janitor, back when I was… was...

My musings were interrupted by the phone ringing. The receptionist picked it up.

"Yes?" She spoke into it. "Yes, yes, of course Ma'am, I'll send them in now." Hanging up she motioned towards the door behind her. "Please go in, Principal Blackwell will see you now."

Getting up we entered. The Principal was already sitting down looking through some files as if she hadn't noticed us yet. I noted that there were only enough seats for two other people in the office. I looked over to dad and Fiona wondering what they wanted to do

"I'll be happy to stay standing." The caseworker told us. Dad refused shaking his head.

"There was another chair outside, just give me a second and I'll grab it." A moment later we were all seated inside. "I guess they're not that prepared today." He spoke loud enough for the Principal to hear.

After the shifting of papers Principal Blackwell spoke up.

"While I am sad to see you go." Ha bullshit. "I understand that you feel that it's in your best interest to start fresh in another school." A diplomatic way of saying good riddance.

"You can't really argue with Arcadia's reputation." Dad replied, translation, Winslow is a shit hole.

"I'll be approving the transfer right now, everything has already been sorted, we just need your signatures." Hurry up and sign the paperwork and get out. It was clear to me that the protectorate had twisted her arm somehow but had clearly not told her the full story. I almost wanted to show off my powers right there just to see her reaction.

Eventually Fiona piped up and what followed was a long list of legal talk that made me zone out. After Principal Blackwell was sure that nothing bad was going to happen to her or the school we were quickly ushered out with promises that everything would go smoothly without incident.

"Well that went well." The case worker commented. "You two enjoy the rest of your day, I'll be heading back to my office." Honestly a lot of the meeting had flew over my head, I was simply too distracted.

"So Taylor." Dad began. "Any thoughts on what you want to do now? You don't actually start Arcadia until next week but until then you don't have to come back to Winslow." It was a dream come true as if everything was going my way. The meeting was all sorts of weird. As far as I knew transferring schools never happened this quickly or in the middle of a school day. If I wasn't a Ward I'd probably would have had to attend at least one more day before leaving.

Fiona had assured me that it would be okay that morning, that we could use medical reasons from the locker earlier in the year as an excuse. She also told me that the 'office' was very good with paperwork and that everything would look normal. I began to consider dad's question, where did I want to go?

"I think I want to visit a library, maybe one that I've never been to before."

 

[freebiewitz]

Dad despite being married to a bookworm didn't know about any libraries in Brockton Bay besides the one I visited. So instead he compromised and took me to a bookstore in the mall. While most of the books on display were works of fiction there was a good selection of history books and biographies. What caught my eye however were self help books! Most of them were books about how to stop bullying, make yourself successful, how to get rich and to be happy. Less than a third of them increased my speech skill, the rest were useless.

Kind of ironic now that I thought about it.

The bullying that plagued me was gone, I didn't need to see them ever again, I didn't need to deal with apathetic staff members or a corrupt facility.

But what if Arcadia was no different? What if the students were just as mean? What if the teachers were just as apathetic? The system could be corrupt beyond saving. The biggest question that shook me was… what if my friends, the Wards, were just like Emma? Would they befriend me only to cast me out?

Would Shadow Stalker turn on me after I got her to open up? Would the others simply ignore me? Would they insult, hurt and bully me? It was so easy in my mind to see them taking the place of my old tormentors.

Missy was cute and innocent just like Madison.
Carlos had dark skin with a great body just like Sophia.
Dean had a great smile and looked as if he could be a model just like Emma.

Dean was nothing like Emma, he tried to help Shadow Stalker after all.

They were heroes, they were better than that.

Except Shadow Stalker was proof that they weren't. They didn't all get along and I wondered how deep that sentiment ran. I was being too distrustful, I needed to get my mind off it. I put down the last book on the shelf. It wasn't a very big shelf but it had enough books that it had increased my speech shard.

I could now level up again and as usual I made myself tougher.

Now I had three of these level up things in reserve. That was a mouthful, I needed another way to refer to them. I was going to work with the other Heroes soon enough and they'd need to know how my powers worked so we could coordinate better. It would be more difficult explain how they worked if I kept spouting off long winded phrases.

I suppose I could continue with the video game convention and just call them all perk points. PPs. Hehe.

I was such a child sometimes.

"Hey Taylor." My dad called out. "Anything catch your eye? Or are we just window shopping?" Right, from his point of view I had just spent the last ten minutes or so picking books up, opening them and putting them back down. I looked around the store and found that it was fairly empty.

I assumed that it was a combination of the fact that it was school hours on a weekday and possibly the fact that the book store wasn't very popular in the first place. Only a single staff member was at the cashier, half asleep with their head resting on their hands.

"It's part of my powers." I whispered to him grinning. "Makes me stronger."

He looked surprised by that. Then he grinned, the sort of grin that set off alarm bells in my head. "So knowledge is power?" He asked making me groan. "You gonna throw the book at them?"

"Dad, stop, you're terrible." He was still grinning.

"I bet these are great for anatomy." He told me picking up a book that had nothing to do with what he just said. "After all, they all have spines."

"Why?" I asked, hoping to be spared from this torment. Why was dad making dad jokes? I just had to answer my own question didn't I?

"I can keep going if you want."

"STOP!" I cried out. It was then the cashier seemed to wake up.

"Uhh Sir? Ma'am? Can I help you?" He called from across the store.

"No!" I answered too quickly. "Just looking!"

"Are you sure Taylor? I can buy you something if you want." I shook my head. "Well if that's how you feel." He shrugged and we left the store soon after.

"Taylor?" Dad asked as we continued to walk. "How about we get you a phone?" Wait what? That wasn't like him at all. Besides the fact that he hated mobile phones I was pretty sure we couldn't afford one.

"Are you sure dad? I mea-"

"It's okay." He leaned over to me and whispered. "Your new bosses gave us a bit of a budget, said if we get certain things for you that they'd reimburse since you'll need it for work. It won't cost us a thing."

I grinned at that. That meant that I could probably buy something that could go on the internet! The newer models could probably out perform our computer at home. Then again, getting a brand new shiny phone would probably look suspicious. People would look at me and wonder how someone like me could afford it.

"Is there a limit?" I asked.

"Yeah, we have a budget, nothing crazy but it's not nothing and they'll pay all ongoing costs." That made sense. I didn't want people thinking that I was getting money from the PRT, it would probably unmask me if people dug too deep.

"Oh, that's good then." I told him.

"Yeah, wouldn't want people thinking that you stole it would you?" That thought honestly hadn't occurred to me at all. The fact that someone would see me with a shiny toy and come to the conclusion that I had stolen it or at least had stolen the money to pay for it.

"No, you're right, I'm a good guy after all."

Eventually we found a phone store. At first I went after the most brick like models I could find. They weren't very high tech but they not only seemed cheap but also looked as if I could use them as a weapon! If I was ever caught out by gangers in my civilian guise I could totally knock someone out with a phone!

RING OUT!

Oh god, I was turning into dad! I could imagine it now, walking into the Rig and getting hit by containment foam.

"You're not VIM!" The heroes would cry out. "She has long hair and a kick ass sexy body!" I would then find out that I was bald. "MASTER STRANGER PROTOCOLS ENGAGE!" Mechanical arms would then rise from the ground and pull me into a cell filled with scanners and cameras that only served to violate my privacy. They would make sure I was alone, so that I couldn't mind control anyone.

I shuddered. I didn't want to be alone again. Alone, trapped… and…

"How about this model?" The dealer asked shoving a machine that was more screen then phone into my face. "It just came out last month, it has full touch capabilities and everything!" That seemed a bit more extravagant for me and I told him so.

"Yeah, I doubt we'd be able to afford it." Dad agreed. "But your bosses said it was important."

"That's why we have these phone plans!" Undaunted the dealer continued. "Instead of paying the full price you can choose to sign in on a contract for one to two years, paying a certain amount a month depending on the plan and get the phone for free!" He showed us the various options we had.

Perhaps for someone with our budget, it was technically affordable, but rubbish in the long run if my maths was any indication but it would be a very compelling piece of evidence on why I could have it.

"HEY!" The taxman would shout. "With how much your father makes, you can't possible have paid hundreds of dollars to afford that phone!"

"Ah! BUT!" I would counter pulling out a paper contract. "I DIDN'T pay all the cash at once! I paid in twenty four easy payments of fifty dollars!"

"You're off the hook for now HEBERT! But know that the tax man is always watching… also paying over one thousand dollars for a phone is a rip off!"

"HA! Jokes on you, the PRT are paying for it!"

"CURSE YOU AND YOUR TECHNICAL THRIFTINESS!"

Back in reality I contemplated the contract with an infinitely more serious expression on my face.

"Hey dad?" I asked. "Would that work?"

He frowned in equal seriousness, no doubt years as the head of the Dock worker's union was giving him insight into the inner workings of corporate accountings.

"Yeah, I think they'd be okay with it all things considered. Sure." I wondered who did the accounting for the Heroes? Surely with how much power armor would cost they would have a ridiculously high budget for my stuff as well.

I grinned and giggled. If Armsmaster's offer to pay thousands of dollars for my potions was any indication, my budget might be in the millions! I might be able to get crushed diamonds! I didn't know if they could even be turned into potions but the possibility filled me with joy. The fact that I couldn't eat them to test what effects they could bestow had no place in my thoughts.

I wondered if that hypothetical potion could make people indestructible?

I imagined an army of PRT troopers walking through a hail of bullets with impunity. Of Clockblocker suplexing Kaiser. Fenja and Menja being used as bats by Shadow Stalker to knock out the Merchants with Lung in the background being ineffective as he continued to breath fire on a laughing and unharmed Vista.

"Uhh kiddo?" My dad piped up. "You're scaring the dealer, you were doing an evil laugh."

"Oh, uh sorry, yeah the phone, I was just thinking about what I could do with the phone yeah haha." To his credit the dealer didn't seem put off at all despite what dad had mentioned earlier.

"Right this way Ma'am, just sign here and here, and your dad signs here and the phone is yours!" I gave a brief glance at the paper work and filled it in as needed. It didn't take long since dad had already finished most of it. "Congratulations Ms Hebert, the phone is yours!"

I decided to celebrate by spending two of my three perk points.

Potion stuff again! This shard of power felt like it increased my potion's ability to heighten my skills by a small but noticeable degree. Things like 'light armor' or 'one handed' strikes would be better. Not for the first time I wondered if Armsmasters suit of armor counted as heavy or light armor for the purposes of my potions?

I also chose something that allowed me to identify ingredient's properties more easily. I assumed this meant that I'd find more uses for the stuff I was already using. While this wouldn't be a straightforward power boost I would never turn down the opportunity to boost my utility.

Leaving the store I began to play around with my new phone. It was strange but it was novel enough that it kept my attention. I'd master it in no time!

"So, how about we get some lunch?" Dad asked. "I was thinking something new that we haven't tried before."

"Not pizza?" I asked.

"Well if you want pizza we can do that instead."

"No, I'm just wondering why something new?"

"Well I figure with you going to a new school, getting a phone we should treat ourselves."

"I can cook if you want, it's literally no trouble." I grinned and it seemed that he understood that I was talking about my instant cooking powers.

"Well, I wouldn't say no to more sweet rolls but like I said I think we should get something new, keep with the theme of new beginnings, to put the bad stuff behind us… like…" He looked around. "That place." Pointing towards a sushi store he approached it. Shrugging I decided to follow having no better idea of where we should eat next.

Then I was assaulted by random Japanese screaming.

"IRASSHAIMASE!" I jumped back in fright almost expecting the worst. It wasn't Lung, they were too high pitched and judging by their friendly demeanour it looked like it was supposed to be a friendly greeting. I consciously calmed myself down. I was grateful that my hands hadn't erupted into flames.

"Uh hi." Dad greeted them before taking a seat. Despite being the one to come in, he was starting to look a bit hesitant about the whole experience.

Honestly with that initial fright I was afraid that this was secretly an ABB hideout, however the place seemed nice enough and this was inside a Mall.

"Don't be racist Taylor." I scolded myself. "Not every Asian food place is controlled by a gang."

Looking through the menu I decided to get the bento box special, a good variety of several foods. Dad did the same and before we knew it the food had arrived.

"Excuse me?" I asked the waiter. "What's this orange stuff?"

"Oh that's salmon roe, also known as salmon eggs." He replied politely. "It's very tasty." He assured me.

Thanking him I put some in my mouth. It was at this point my eyes lit up.

Salmon Roe lets you breath water? I could make potions that let people breath underwater?

"Can I have a box of this stuff to go?" I asked. If we were being reimbursed for the phone, then
there was no doubt in my mind that the PRT would pay for this too.

The waiter looked only happy to comply. He laughed. "Wow, I don't think I've ever seen anyone like the stuff enough to do that, I'll talk to the chef, see what he thinks." Walking back into the kitchen I decided to try a bit of everything else.

Eventually the waiter came back with a small container, about a quarter size of a peanut butter jar.

"The chef didn't want to give any of it away but he's willing to part with this for forty dollars." That was more expensive than both of our bentos! Then again, it's not like anything else here was good for my powers.

"I'll take it." He seemed surprised but was happy enough to put it on our bill.
I began to wonder what else could be used for my potions. If eating out at new places revealed more ingredients then perhaps I should start making it a habit to eat at new places.

I stabbed at the deep fried chicken with my fork and bit into it. Nope nothing.
Rice, also nothing.
Salmon also nothing. Wait, I've made grilled salmon before, of course it wouldn't do anything for alchemy.
Yet salmon eggs did. Arbitrary!

Brown pillow thing? Also nothing. It was filled with more rice. Wait, why did they serve this when we already had rice? It was like giving someone some roast beef with your steak!
I supposed the brown pillow cover did have a bit of sweetness to it but why not serve that separately?
Whatever, onto the sushi, also nothing.

Everything was delicious but otherwise useless.

Dad on the other hand was just as frustrated with his meal as I was but for completely different reasons. Where I decided to use a fork, dad opted for the chopsticks.

He didn't know how to use chopsticks.

"Victory!" He announced as he finally picked up his chicken distracting me from my own meal. Said chicken promptly fell into his bento again. "Oh screw it, I'll get a fork as well." Getting up he went out to grab a utensil.

Taking a quick look around to confirm that no one was watching I used my power to steal dad's portion of salmon roe that rested atop his sushi. I was sure he wouldn't mind.

 

[freebiewitz]

Today was fantastic. I left Winslow and the bullying behind, I spent the day with Dad, I had sushi and discovered a new power for my potions!

Honestly I wanted more of that. My potions generally speaking just made people better at very specific actions, it was very rare to have any that gave straight up powers. I had something that gave very slow regeneration to make someone a pseudo brute but that wasn't the same. I had invisibility, a stranger power I could just give out and now I had water breathing! That counted as Shaker right? Or would it be a Changer thing? I suppose it depends if it gives the recipient gills.

Did my power giving potions change appearance? I couldn't really test with invisibility since it was… invisibility. Unless that was the appearance change? Could it really be an appearance change if there was no appearance left? Well I suppose that was still accurate, if you changed your room's color, it didn't mean that the room wasn't something else in the first place. It's just being covered up.

Either way, I figured I'd have to tell the rest of the Heroes eventually and get truck loads of Salmon Roe. Despite my initial excitement over the stuff, I didn't really like the taste all that much. It was neutral to me, something I wouldn't complain about eating but I wouldn't run out of the house in my pyjamas with cash in hand if I heard the salmon roe truck pass by.

Such behaviour was reserved for the ice cream truck.

Which now that I thought about it, I had never done before. Now that I thought about it even more I couldn't remember the last time an ice cream truck ever passed our house. Hell I don't think I've ever seen one outside of movies and tv.

Where the hell was my mind going with all this?

"Taylor?" A voice broke me out of my musings once more. "You okay? You've been spacing out lately?"

I chuckled nervously.

"Sorry dad, it just feels like everything keeps getting put on pause these days." Well, my brain at least. "Just thinking about stuff."

He shrugged as we pulled up to our house. The old truck made an odd blowing sound but otherwise obediently made a respectable effort to stop. It wasn't going to break down soon. From my experience, the old truck had made worse sounds before. That said I was no mechanic and for all I knew, the sound was an indication that the engine was about to explode.

"Well Taylor." Dad continued. "While you were day dreaming back at the mall I learnt how to text." That was rather forward thinking of him. "The Protectorate now know about this phone since I've messaged them, but we'll need to go in to make it all official, wouldn't want them to think that this number is some random fan right?"

That made sense. I wouldn't be surprised if someone had managed to accidentally find Armsmaster's number by randomly mashing a bunch of keys together. The fact that I managed to call him using pay phones was a miracle in hindsight. The Protectorate probably had to filter out all the prank calls that were sent that way as well so that the Heroes wouldn't be wasting their time.

Getting out of the car we saw two people outside our door, they both wore what looked like generic office clothes but their muscles seemed to contrast with that. On top of that was the fact that they both wore sunglasses, large sunglasses. One of them looked like he was in charge, the fact that he stood further forwards while his friend scanned the streets. The guy in charge also had a beard.

Dad seemed to gain a concerned expression but didn't hesitate to approach them, putting himself between them and me. I was a bit offended by that, didn't he realise that I had a Brute rating? Did I ever tell him about that aspect of my power? Oh right, I hadn't.

"Stay behind me Taylor." He whispered before calling out to the two men. "Hello Sirs? Can I help you?"

"Danny?" The bearded guy asked. Dad paused for a moment, confusion washing over his face.

"Colin?" Wait a second. Colin? Armsmaster was visiting us? Oh god! Did we have enough chairs? More specifically comfy chairs? Did we have enough tea? Of course we did, I love tea! Wait, was the house clean?

Armsmaster grinned, presumably from being recognised.

"Can we talk inside? A few things have come up." Dad nodded before unlocking the door to let everyone in.

"So…" I began. "Who are you?" I asked the person behind Colin.

"Just call me Smith." He replied in a low voice. "Just a normal office worker." I looked at his biceps that were larger than my head. I didn't buy it.

After the door was shut we all sat down after Dad put the kettle on though Smith decided to stay standing. I produced some sweet rolls but only Dad grabbed any. Smith was such a fake name. I looked at his name badge just to make sure.

'Smith Johnson.'

Huh. It was real and awfully generic. I hope that didn't mean he was one of those expendable people that died all the time on TV.

"Sorry to pop in like this." Colin apologized. "Something has come up and we tried to contact you using your home number but got nothing."

"Oh I have a cell phone now." I piped up showing him the fancy new device. He raised an eyebrow at that.

"Hmm, well it's good that you've got it now, we were worried that something might've happened when you didn't pick up." It was my turn to frown.

"If you were worried then why didn't you come in costume or something?" I replied.

"We didn't want to overreact and cause you to become unmasked, we sent some other non-uniformed agents your way and found nothing wrong, not only that but the case worker that went to Winslow with you mentioned that your father was planning to take you out to the area near Arcadia which hadn't been as affected." Dad spoke to Fiona about our plans? Was I daydreaming when that happened?

"Not as affected?" Dad asked. "What happened?"

"Lung went on another rampage, this time near the train yard at a storage facility." Armsmaster explained. "The fight seemed to have spilled out onto the streets." He told us. "The Undersiders were involved along with a new member of the ABB named Bakuda, some sort of bomb tinker." He frowned at that, even behind his sunglasses I could tell that he wasn't happy about this news. He seemed frustrated. "Damage has been confined so far but we're wary of engaging since the bombs seem to have a variety of exotic effects."

So Armsmaster and Agent Smith were just checking up on me?

"I'm here to ask for more potions." He told me. "Panacea can only do so much, we need another healer with the amount of civilians that were hurt."

"Of course!" I told him instantly putting on my leather costume. Armsmaster winced at that.

"Please put your civilian outfit back on, we don't need your neighbours seeing you leave your home like that." I got the impression that he was scolding me. Just as quickly as I put on my outfit, I soon had it off.

"Well, I guess I'm going to the Rig then?" I asked hopeful. "OH! Will I get to ride on your bike again?"

"No, I didn't bring my costume." He told me. "We'll use the van for now and get to the headquarters that way."

"Woah woah woah!" Dad shouted getting our attention. "Bombs? That seems dangerous!"

"I assure you Mr Hebert, the bombs have already been detonated or disarmed at this stage, they only covered one street, presumably to be used as a distraction." It seemed he had this speech pre-written. "What I'm asking for is support in the vein of Panacea, healing and rescuing survivors. There will be no chance of combat."

Dad paused for a moment there.

"Okay but only on one condition." Wait a second, I didn't need a condition to be out there helping! I was a Hero! Still, I remained quiet to see where he was going with this. "You stay with her, keep her safe."

Armsmaster nodded. "Of course, I was planning to do it anyways to witness the effects of the potions she uses."

Hang on.

"Haven't you tested the ones I gave you?"

He nodded. "Yes, I've run them through a myriad of chemical tests to identify the ingredients. Mundane structure with a unique radiation signature, very fascinating." Wait a second. "The injured rats recovered remarkably quickly."

"Radiation? Oh god, do I have cancer?" Dad's eyes widened in panic as well.

"Not that kind of radiation, it's harmless." He told me. We all calmed down. Standing up Armsmaster made a motion to leave. "We'll head to the headquarters now." I got up to follow but felt dad grab my arm.

"Just be careful alright Taylor?" I rolled my eyes at him.

"You heard him dad, just rescue work and healing, I'm not actually going to wrestle Lung or something."

He sighed. "Alright, stay safe." He told me. I kissed him on the forehead and left.

Before long we were off, however I noted that the road we were on didn't lead to the Rig, at least not directly.

"Where are we going Armsmaster?"

"Don't call me that when I'm out of costume Taylor." Oh right, secret identities. I swear I already had this conversation with dad when he called me Vim without the costume. "To answer your questions we're heading to a stop off point to meet up with Shadow Stalker."

She went to school near here? Now that I thought about it, we were closer to Winslow then Arcadia. I felt guilty about that. All this time I was worried about myself, about all the abuse I had received and I hadn't noticed anything similar happening to someone else at school. I suppose it could've been someone in a different class, in a different grade but I was a Hero! I should've helped her there.

The van came to a stop and I noted that we were in a empty car park.

"You should put on your costume now." Colin told me. I nodded and suddenly I was Vim once more.

Did Shadow Stalker live around here? I looked through the windows expecting to see a shy girl with glasses wearing a sweater carrying a bundle of books. It was hard to imagine what she would look like without her outfit.

Suddenly some shadowy smoke passed through the side of the van before condensing itself into Shadow Stalker. She seemed to flinch when she saw me but otherwise said nothing.

I waved back to her and she nodded, shyly waving back weakly.

"Good to see you're in costume already Shadow Stalker." I told her. The glass on the van was tinted black so no one could look in, possibly designed in such a way so that heroes could get changed.

"Of course." Colin piped up. "She hadn't unmasked herself to you, did you expect us to pick her up in her civilian identity?" I felt a bit dumb to consider that. "We warned her that you'd be here so that she could prepare appropriately."

"Uhh so you're coming to help with the bombs?" I asked her.

"No, just rescue." She told me. "Since I can phase through stuff I can get to survivors more easily." That made sense.

Hmmm, powers for search and rescue.

Well Aegis and Browbeat were both super strong so they could move stuff out of the way. Kid Win and Gallant were both Tinkers, they probably had scanners and stuff built into their gear. Vista could stretch a tiny hole into a door using her powers to save people trapped under debris. Clockblocker took me a bit longer to figure out but I soon realised he probably had the best power for this sort of thing.

Generally no matter how strong you were, a person only had two sets of hands. If you move a big rock off someone then the building that the rock was holding up might collapse and bury everyone else in the other parts of the building. Clock blocker could freeze a building to avoid that. I think… I never really looked into how far his power extended. If he froze a giant building, would only half of it be locked in place? Could he freeze the world?

There had to be some sort of limit right?

Point was, he'd be there to keep the debris from falling on people. As Armsmaster mentioned before I was there to just heal people with my potions. Presumably this meant that the ones he used for testing were already used up for something else. Another thought entered my mind. If they wanted people healed they could've just asked me to give the potions to PRT staff to distribute.

"Colin." I asked. "Why don't we give my potions out to normal people to give out? Wouldn't that be more efficient?"

"It would be yes, however this mission is mostly here to get you into the public eye."

"Wait, fame?" I asked. "This is for fame? People need help!" I argued. "I wanted to be a hero to help people! Not fame!"

"Unfortunately having just a dozen healing serum's won't do, even if you gave them out there would be more people to help." He told me. "Besides, if there are any side effects, I'd rather they only affect one person at a time rather than have dozens of them spread out."

"Dozens?" I asked. "I have way more then that, I've got like…. Almost a hundred."

He sat straighter from that, Shadow Stalker also tensed up from that and suddenly I felt much smaller.

"Hebert." Shadow Stalker began. "What the fuck?" It was very telling that Colin ignored that she used used my real name when I wore my costume but still seemed to share her sentiments.

"How did you find the time to make so many?" He asked. "How long have you had these powers?"

"Uhh… a while, but making them isn't so hard." I told them. "Remember when you met me that night with the Anvil?" He nodded. "How long was I there for?"

"According to the reports, only half an hour at most before I arrived… which meant, you made your armor in that time." His voice filled with realisation.

"I make stuff instantly, you give me the ingredients and the right tools and I'll be able to make them."

He fell silent.

"Considering what I've seen of your house I assume your father isn't wealthy." He began. I felt almost insulted by the way he said it but tried to not take any offense, I wanted to see where he was going with this. "This means that the ingredients are common and cheap which would match what I've already found in my tests." That made sense. "What do you need to make a healing serum?"

"Uhh." I began trying to wrack my brain for something. "Wheat and uh, I can use some bluish, purple flowers, I think flowers from mountains work best? Some mushrooms and uh…" The last ingredient wasn't something I was proud of. "Blue...butterfly… wings." I whispered. I didn't like the fact that I made health potions with bugs. I didn't like bugs in general, more specifically spiders, worms, flies, cockroaches and a dozen of other creepy crawlies that I felt or at least imagined all over me in the locker… in comparison butterflies I supposed weren't so bad.

He stared at me for a moment before pulling out a phone. He didn't have to wait long before the person on the other side of the line picked up.

"Requisitions?" He called into it. "Yes, this is Colin Wallace." He began. "How fast can we get a shipment of wheat, blue and purple mountain flowers, mushrooms and butterfly wings delivered to the Rig?"

He waited for some time.

"Yes I'll sign off on it." He told them. "PO number 349, yes that will work, I'll give you more accurate numbers later, yes I'll sign the paperwork when I'm in, just get that ready." Then he hung up.

What just happened? "You want me to make more potions before we help people?"

"No." He began. "Delivery would take too long, this is for the future after you've exhausted your current supply."

"But what about the side effects?" I asked him. "Weren't you worried about those?"

"I was referencing the exotic effects that Bakuda's bombs have inflicted, your serum's when used on conventional injuries seem to work fine." Huh, those tests he had done seemed to have paid off. Wait a second, didn't he mention testing them on rats? How could he be so sure that they worked on people? Wait… he was a Tinker.

It was then that I noticed the smell of salt. Like we were at sea. I looked out the van and noted we were already on the ferry. I really had to be more aware of my surroundings. At this rate I wouldn't be surprised to find a rampaging Lung right behind me that I would only notice due to someone grabbing my hand to run away.

I sighed. Well if what Colin had said was true then this would be my first, official outing as a Ward and Hero.


======================


Non-canon omake:


"One thousand bucks?" I asked Parian. "Come on, the dress is nice but it can't cost that much!"

"Sorry Vim, but that's me selling at cost." She told me, seemingly as saddened as I was by the price. "I'm literally not making any cash off this sale." Well… when she put it that way… "Look, I might be a neutral cape that doesn't want any conflict but that doesn't mean I don't support the Heroes."

Suddenly there was a crashing sound and I noted that it was Lung again. The fire, the silvery skin and the angry roar was a dead give away.

"I'LL KEEL OUUU VEEM!!!" He shouted. Then he was punched. In the face. By Parian.

"NEVER SHOULD HAVE COME HERE!" She shouted back.

 

[freebiewitz]

Reaching the Rig we were quickly ushered through the base. There was an efficient air of nervousness around us. While there was no one running around in panic, it was obvious that the potential was there. Yet instead of fear, it was excitement, determination and a sense of duty that kept people moving. I expected more injured survivors being carried around in a time of crisis but then reminded myself that this base was on top of water and away from the closest hospital.

The Rig had to have some sort of medical facility though right?

Going through the reception area I passed through the Wards area to get ready. Shadow Stalker needed to get some extra ammunition that could only be made and kept on site since it was Tinker tech. We were the first ones here apparently and I found it odd how empty the place felt without the other Wards. I decided to see if the other Heroes need any help. It wasn't just an excuse to meet with my favourite Heroes.

Well, I already met Armsmaster and he unmasked, the only other adult Hero I had ever met was Miss Militia but that was when I was trapped in containment foam with her shotgun in my face.

Hopefully we wouldn't need to repeat that experience.

Approaching a heavily armed PRT agent I asked for directions.
"Hello." I greeted him. "I'm kind of new here, can I get directions to see the other heroes?"

He looked down to me and nodded.
"Of course Vim, just head past the reception area and turn left down the hallway, there should be signs to the labs. Armsmaster should be around there." I thanked him and made my way through all of the staff. Overhead a helicopter flew past, it's rotors loudly whirring by piercing through even the walls of the Rig. I suppose we had windows and the fortifications didn't need to be too thick since we had a force field.

I wondered who built said force field?

Probably Armsmaster but I didn't want to assume. I wouldn't have to guess for much longer since I could just ask him once I see him. Maybe Kid Win or Gallant had built it? No, I was pretty sure that the Rig's force field was around even before they had joined so it was most likely Armsmaster who had set it up. Making my way through the hallways I managed to finally find my way to the laboratory section, though it smelt more like a mechanics workshop despite how clean it looked.

Getting access was easy, I had been given a card earlier before joining the Wards and it seemed that I had permission to go even here which made sense since I was technically a Tinker myself. On the wall was a picture of all the Heroes, lined up and posing with the Rig behind them. It must've been an old picture though since I couldn't see Triumph on it.

"Hello." A feminine voice called me. I turned to see Battery, one of my favourite heroes. "Vim was it?"

"Battery?" I asked, she used to be the leader of the Wards back in the day until she graduated to a full Hero. Her costume was a grey under suit covered in blue lines to make her look like a human circuit board. Her power allowed her to 'charge up' the longer that she stayed still. This made her faster, stronger and just like her name suggested, something to do with electricity.

"That's me." She replied easily.

Though she was older than me, I noted that she was only an inch or two taller. I was still growing but unlike her I'd always be a bean pole. The realisation that I'd never be as beautiful made me feel a bit depressed honestly.

"Uh hi." I greeted her. "I mean yes."

"Well it's nice to see you Vim, sorry for taking up you time but I wanted to ask you a few questions." She replied, I nodded dumbly for her to continue. "First of all, I was just wondering how long you've had your powers."

I tried to think back. Back to when I first ate dirt, literally. It was only shortly after I was let out of the hospital. The bullying didn't let up, it only emboldened the bullies, as if the worst I could do to them was useless. In hindsight, it was true. I was sent to the hospital, police got involved and not a single person was punished despite my testimony.

I still remember the day that I figured out that I had powers. I was walking to school after getting off the bus. However before I had even reached the front gates I was pushed into the dirt by someone off the footpath, they grinded my face into the ground. As I screamed and struggled something in my mind told me that I had eaten something that would 'damage stamina'. I wasn't worried about being poisoned, the idea that they could damage my stamina was a clinical thought at most.

At first I thought I was delirious, that this idea was just a desperate belief that I had powers but the thought was already planted in my head. I began to believe I had powers, that I had to test them, I had to do anything to believe that I mattered.

Throughout the week I began looking around for things to eat, to get the clinical feeling back. Eventually I found mushrooms, flowers, even raw eggs allowed me to get that clinical feeling of 'properties'. But properties for what? Everything I ate had a property that could be identified. I always imagined that each ingredient had at least four but at the time I could only detect one.

What was I supposed to do with these thoughts of 'damage stamina' or 'resist magic'? It wasn't until I ate a bit of wheat that I realized that I had something for 'restore health'. At first I thought I was some sort of food based Trump. That I'd eat some mushrooms and gain the power to drain someone's energy and put them to sleep but that was never the case.

I eventually came to the conclusion that I could make potions. With an old chemistry set, along with a mortar and pestle, I began grinding the ingredients. It was then I found that I could make bottles out of thin air and conclusive proof that I was not crazy, that I was in fact a Parahuman.

I began searching for ingredients and finding out what sorts of potions I could make with them all. It was something to distract me from school. As my stockpile grew, another question grew in my mind. What was I going to do with it all? The answer was obvious, I'd become a hero and so here I was.

"I've had my powers for months…" I answered her. "I've been making potions for almost the entire time."

She nodded in understanding. "I get it, it's hard not to use your powers once you have them." She demonstrated by having a small arc of lightning travel from her fingers. "It'd be like asking someone to not use their arms."

Not exactly where I was going with everything but sure, why not? "Uhh yeah." I weakly agreed, she wasn't wrong at least.

"So only been doing the whole potion thing for a month?" She asked again.

"Uhh a couple at least, I uhh didn't start until later after I got my powers." I told her again. She seemed to accept my answer when Armsmaster entered.

"Battery? What are you doing here? Something wrong with your suit?" He asked. "Oh, Vim, good to see you here, your iron bars are in storage over here, sorry for not telling you sooner."

Iron bars? Oh right, he offered to buy me some. Following Armsmaster I was disappointed to find that the lab had a lot less bubbling chemicals, robot arms and holograms then I first imagined. The coolest thing on display was a bunch of tools and a halberd. Walking up to a cupboard he pressed his palm against it revealing the contents as the door swung open.

Iron bars, stacks of them, up to my hips. Twenty of them all together.

"Apologies if I had purchased too little or not enough." He began. "I don't know what your method of production is but you're welcome to the lab, I'd be more then happy to help."

"Oh it's alright, I can make things instantly remember?" He nodded before pressing something on his helmet. "Uhh are you… are you recording me?"

"Of course." He didn't elaborate for a few seconds. "While most Tinkers cannot duplicate each other's works, we can however determine basics so that we can still help each other."

"Uhh, I don't think you understand, I make things instantly."

"It's alright, I have a high speed shutter cam installed." He easily replied. I shook my head in amusement and decided to show him exactly what I meant by instantly. Dropping my Anvil in the middle of the room I got to work. Putting all of the iron bars into my inventory I then pulled out my hammer. I noted that I only had two leather strips left which meant I couldn't do too many things with the iron. I did however have four sets of leather braces and helmets to spare. Perhaps I could get those cut up later for more strips?

Regardless I wanted to show off.

Within seconds I had a sword and shield. Smiling proudly I showed them off to the heroes. While I didn't really want to use the sword against people, I figured it looked heroic. Besides, I could always put it away to punch people to knock them out later.

"So what do you think?"

Armsmaster stood there, brushing his hand against his helmet repeatedly.

"They just vanish and appear." He began. "Just like the potions you put away and had given me before. Fascinating." When had he gotten so close? "Preliminary scans show that the shield and sword despite being made by you do not radiate the same energy signatures that your potions do."

I think I was being praised?

He grabbed my sword by the blade to inspect it more closely, obediently I let go.

"Not very sharp from what I can tell." Nope, not being praised, I deflated. "Still, I can't really let you out with this since it's technically Tinker tech." What? "We'll need to test the blade to ensure it has no unpredictable effects."

"It's just a normal sword." I told him. He paused, looking at me.

"Perhaps. However, protocol dictates that any weapon made by a Tinker must undergo a testing period to ensure the safety of it's wielder and those around it." Ah, rules. "If it makes you feel any better I still have a Halberd design that I'm not even allowed to build until it get's approval." That did make me feel better I supposed. Opening up a clear container he then carefully placed the sword within before closing the lid with a hiss.

"Can I at least take the shield?" It'd be useful for keeping dust off people, propping up loose rocks and the like during the search and rescue mission. He frowned again.

"Alright, just be careful, I've already taken a risk letting you wear your own leather armor and use your own potions."

*Beep beep beep*

It wasn't an alarm indicating an attack, rather it was a literal alarm clock that interrupted us.

"Hmm, our transport should be here soon." Armsmaster announced. "Battery, get Shadow Stalker and get to the helipad, Vim, you'll be coming with me." Wait, go with him? I know he said he'd look after me when Dad asked him to but the way he phrased it… was I his sidekick today? Oh my god, I was Armsmaster's sidekick! This was going to be awesome!

"Yes sir." Battery replied before departing to where Shadow Stalker was leaving me to follow Armsmaster's measured steps to an elevator.

"Won't Battery and Shadow Stalker be coming with us?" I asked him.

"They will, they have nine minutes until the transport arrives." He replied as we waited in the elevator.

"Nine minutes? I thought it was already here? Wasn't that what the alarm was for?"

"Of course not, the alarm was set early." Oh, duh. You didn't set an alarm to wake you up for the exact time you started work. I felt a bit dumb thinking about that but soon we exited the elevator and found ourselves on the roof to see Gallant already here.

"Hi Gallant." I waved.

"Oh hey Vim, nice shield, did you make that?" I nodded, glad that someone noticed.

Armsmaster approached us. "Gallant, why are you here on your own? Assault should be here with you."

"Uhh, he wanted to get some last minute snacks, told me to go wait on the roof without him an-"

"I'm here! I'm here!" Speak of the devil. Turning around I saw the subject of our conversation, the other half of Battery. Assault wore red armor with a visor that covered his eyes but revealed his hair and easy smile. "Oh hey, is that real leather?" He asked coming closer to me as he brushed away some crumbs from his mouth.

"You know it is Assault." Armsmaster replied, seemingly annoyed. "We went over this in the briefing."

Wait briefing?

"You guys had a meeting about me?"

"Of course, a new Parahuman requires attention." Armsmaster began. "Especially one with your set of powers." Oh, that made sense, the potion thing he mentioned again and again was pretty big.

It was then that Battery and Shadow Stalker turned up.

"YES!" Shouted Assault. "I GOT HERE BEFORE YOU!" He announced at Battery. "You gotta do the washing tonight!"

Battery for her part seemed to take it all in good humour.
"Yeah, yeah." She replied. Holy shit! They really were married! The PHO were going to explode over this! Wait. Was I allowed to tell people on the PHO that they were married? Would I get in trouble for it? Would it count as unmasking? The PHO already thought they were married, they were after all ranked as one the top ships.

"Alright, stow it." Armsmaster interrupted as a helicopter touched down on the helipad. Any further conversation was halted as the turbines drowned out all other noises.

Getting onto the helicopter I sat next to Gallant who sat in the middle dividing both me and Shadow Stalker. Seemed that she was still shy and depressed about me rejecting her. Through my helmet I gave Gallant a questioning stare and he nodded reassuringly. She'd probably be fine.

Putting on our seat belts we lifted off but not before I was given an ear piece that I used my powers to put on.

"Good." Armsmaster spoke into his helmet cutting through the whirring blades of the helicopter. "We'll be touching down outside of the threat zone on the off chance there are still bombs there." He began. "Vista, Dauntless, Clockblocker and Miss Militia are already on site disarming them and helping survivors, we'll provide support alongside other PRT agents, various disaster response teams and medical staff."

"Medical staff?" Assault asked. "Does that mean Panacea is coming around?"

"Unfortunately no, with the recent bank heist New Wave have been more protective of her and are only allowing her to visit the hospital under guard, which means Glory Girl." Bank heist? When did this happen? "This however will be Vim's first official mission as a healer."

Everyone turned to watch me, despite the sudden attention I noted that they weren't surprised. Armsmaster did say that they all did have a meeting about me earlier so the fact that I could heal was never going to be a secret. "Uhh I'll do my best." I told them nervously. It was then I felt a firm hand on my shoulder, it was Gallant.

"You'll do fine." He told me easily. Despite wearing power armor his grip was soft yet reassuring.

"Uhh.. uh yeah, you'll do gr-great!" Shadow Stalker called out. Both Battery and Assault were both nodding to me but paused for a moment to stare at Shadow Stalker.

"Hey uh.." Assault began. "You feeling okay there Shadow Stalker?"

"I'm fine!" She quickly replied.

"I only ask because you seem… off." I supposed I was the only girl her age on the team so she wouldn't have ever developed a crush on anyone else, at least not in the Wards.

"Don't worry about her." I told him. "She's just a bit nervous is all." Shadow Stalker slowly nodded before looking away from me.

"Wait a second." He piped up as if having an epiphany. "This doesn't have anything to do with what Clockblocker said? I thought he was joking but thi-" He was quickly shut up by a swift elbow from Battery. Shadow Stalker I noted had remained quiet throughout the ordeal as she steadfastly continued her staring competition with the wall.

Gallant shrugged towards me as the helicopter continued to fly towards to bomb zone.

The helicopter flew towards a bomb zone…

Wasn't there a theory that helicopters in movies existed to get blown up? It was just fiction right? There wasn't any truth to that theory right?

Right?

 

[freebiewitz]

The fear of being blown up midair had faded with the heroes reassuring presence and while my faith in the helicopter's survival was still low, I was confident that we'd all at least land before anything violent occurred. At the very least I was sure that we'd be able to jump out and land in a dramatically appropriate fashion before fighting whoever blew up our ride.

Flying to the bombed out area of Brockton bay was going to take a while but gave us plenty of time to get to know one another. However, before I could awkwardly ask about their hobbies I was interrupted by Armsmaster.

"Three hours ago it was reported that there were sounds of explosions near the storage area of the Bay." He began, filling us in on something I already knew. "Eye witness reports claim that the Undersiders, Leet, Uber, Lung and Bakuda were involved in an altercation and despite time passing, they still might be in the area."

I froze up at that. I almost forgot about the Undersiders. That was one of the first things that Armsmaster mentioned at the house, at the time I was thinking about other things but now it felt like there was an all too real possibility that I might run into them, run into Tattletale. She knew about my face, my house and dad. They knew where dad lived. What would happen if I tried to arrest them? Would one of them get away? Would they try and get revenge by hurting dad? I hadn't told the Heroes about this yet, I kept getting side tracked, I had to tell them!

"Are you alright Vim?" Gallant asked. I realized that I had frozen up and forced myself to relax, the creaking leather of my armor brushing up against the seat.

"I..I…" I tried to get the words out but sheer worry choked me up. "The Undersiders, they know where I live." Everyone seemed to sit up at that, staring at me. "I… on my first night out, I."

"Hey, hey hey." Gallant patted me on my shoulder to calm me down. "We're right behind you and your family no matter what, you don't have to tell us anythin-"

"Yes she does." Armsmaster interrupted us, his tone surprising me. "If the Undersiders have something on you, we need to know. You cann-"

Then Assault jumped in. "What Armsy means, is that we need the details so we can protect you better." Annoyed by Assault's interruption Armsmaster seemingly calmed himself down before nodding.

"Please Vim, go on." Gallant told me.

As the helicopter landed and the rotor blades began to wind down, not a single person moved from their seats.

"Uhh." The co-pilot awkwardly called out. "Should we?" Armsmaster nodded and the co-pilot and the actual pilot looked at eachother before pressing a button, raising a screen between us all that blocked their vision. Presumably they also shut their comms off granting us the privacy we needed. With the rotors no longer drowning out our voices we were free to talk normally.

"On my first night, I took out a ABB member and got away from Lung." Armsmaster nodded, remembering the details. "Well, I left behind my baseball bat and well… they had dogs and used them to track me down… but it wasn't my bat. It was my dad's." My leather gloves creaked as I squeezed them. "They found me later and returned it, they wanted to say thanks for distracting Lung, then they told me how they found my house… we uhh don't have to be this secretive..."

Undoing his buckle Armsmaster stood up suddenly wrenching the helicopter doors open.

"Dispatch, we have a code 311 on Vim's Guardian." Leaving the helicopter Armsmaster continued to speak into his helmet, hashing out the details on my father's security. Baffled at the quick response I suddenly forgot my earlier worry.

"I've never seen him react like that before." Battery noted.

"He's never tried to protect civilians?" I asked.

"Well no… I mean yes." She amended. "I've seen him put his life on the line to protect someone before but I've never seen him react like this." She continued. "You must've made quite an impression on him."

"Actually." Gallant spoke up. "He's worried in a different way."

"How can you tell?" I asked.

"I can see emotion, he's got an immediate kind of worry, more fear than anything else, not the long term kind like concern." There was a difference? "Your dad must've made an impression on him."

"I almost find it hard to believe that Armsy cares about anyone." Assault piped up. He was then elbowed by Battery again.

Something about Gallant's words caught my interest. "Wait, since when could you sense emotion? What kind of tech do you have in that helmet?" He chuckled in response as he undid his seat belt.

"Now, don't go spreading this around but I'm not actually a Tinker." While everyone else was already standing, getting ready to leave I was still sitting down. Embarrassed I quickly undid my straps. "Since you told me about the bat situation I figure I should come clean with you."

"So why the armor then?"

"Because I'm squishy and don't have a brute rating." He replied easily as we all left the helicopter. Armsmaster was still speaking into his helmet. "That and I'm a sort of Master, Blaster, Thinker combo, all related funnily enough."

"Ooooh!" I was impressed he'd admit that and kind of happy honestly. Master's were mostly evil and in hindsight, I felt dirty for being one myself. I didn't know how powerful my own Master ability was but if I could calm down a rage beast like Lung by telling him to stop, then I had no doubts that I'd be a very strong one. "I think I understand why you downplay it." I nodded in understanding.

"You're a good person Vim." He told me, surprise evident in his voice. "Most folks become wary or afraid when they find out. Armsmaster wasn't wrong when he told us that you were a good person."

"Haha." Assault laughed. "Those weren't the exact words…" Pausing for a moment he deepened his voice and stood up straight in what I assumed was a facsimile of his boss. "Vim is a respectable youth who holds authority figures in high esteem, blah blah blah, are you paying attention Assault? No pay for ten hundred billion years!"

We chuckled at that, even though I felt bad about it. Just a tiny bit.

"I'm surprised you remembered the meeting." Battery replied with a smirk. "What next? You're going to volunteer for console duty next?"

"Pfft, if Armsmaster made a friend then anything's possible."

"Hey, you shouldn't insult him like that behind his back." I tried to defend him still feeling guilty about laughing earlier. "I mean, I've only known him for a short time but he's a good guy."

"Vim is right." Gallant supported me once more. "He might be… rough around the edges but he's still a hero."

"Uhh." Shadow Stalker broke her silence, it seemed giving her time was the right idea after all. "You shouldn't… shouldn't worry about your dad." It felt good to have everyone try to reassure me. "The bad guys won't target him, they know if they do, then we'll throw them into the birdcage."

"She's not wrong." Assault agreed. "The bad guys tend not to rock the boat too much, they know the more they do the more fire power we can bring in." Seemed almost cynical. "It's why you don't see Heroes getting shot by sniper rifles." Okay, that made more sense. "It does mean that the worst of the worst are strong enough to ignore that sort of thing though." I shivered thinking about the Slaughterhouse Nine, Nilbog and of course the Endbringers.

"Enough standing around." Called out Armsmaster, approaching us from the side, presumably done with his call. "Split up into your assigned teams. Assault, in case you've forgotten your route, it's been uploaded to your helmet. Battery, I trust you know what to do. Wards? Follow your assigned Heroes, let's move out." Dutifully I brought myself over to his side as we made our way over to what looked to be ruined apartment blocks.

"This is one of the last sections we haven't checked." He told me. "There's little danger of any bombs as this was all collateral damage and according to our records, the building was empty and designated for demolitions anyways." I looked over the damage and noted that nothing looked burnt lending credit to the theory. "Thus it's likely that Bakuda hadn't placed any bombs here." Oh, that was convenient. "However, this doesn't mean that there weren't squatters so be careful and keep an eye out for survivors. After we've done a preliminary scan of the area, we can take you over to the medical tent that's been set up."

"You don't want me to head over now?" I asked confused.

"I'd prefer that yes." He nodded. "However, Director Piggot has been breathing down my neck recently about not following protocol so I'll be putting you through proper procedure on this mission." The Director was mad at him for not following the rules?

What could he have done wrong?

No, impossible. He was a hero. It was more likely that he was a loose cannon, breaking all the rules to bring the bad guys to justice! He probably caused some sort of collateral damage to save someone. Would heroes have to pay a fine if they blew something up? Surely the Protectorate had a budget for it and the insurance company would help. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if some rich guy that he saved at one point decided to foot the bill in gratitude.

"Get out of the way citizen!" Armsmaster would yell tackling Max Anders, CEO of Medhall out of the way of a rampaging Kaiser. He would then take his bike and throw it at the villain causing an explosion that would level a skyscraper.

"CURSE YOU ARMSMASTER!" Kaiser shouted in both pain and anger as the explosion would throw him to the stars. "LOOKS LIKE EMPIRE 88 IS BLASTING OFF AGAIN!"

"STORM TIGER THAT'S RIGHT!"

*Ting*

Without looking at the explosion or the fires left behind Armsmaster would then look down to Mr Anders to see if he was alright.

"Thank you so much Armsmaster." He would say. "Please, use my solid gold credit card to pay for the repairs! It's the least I could do!"

My musings were cut short by more explanations from Armsmaster.

"I'll be teaching you how to perform search and rescue." Approaching the rubble he pressed a finger against his helmet and paused. "Hang on… this can't be right."

Suddenly the rubble in front of us seemingly exploded knocking me over. A firm grip had dragged me away and I absently noted that it was Armsmaster with his Halberd held in his other hand.

"AFTER TEN THOUSAND YEARS! I HAV-" A voice called out before being interrupted by a meaty sounding smack.

"Dude, shut it, we don't want the authorities knowing we're still here." Wait, a second.

"Oh come on, we were trapped for like hours just looking at the life scanner!" He slapped an odd device in his hands. "I was bored out of my mind! Can you blame me for having a bit of fun?"

As my vision cleared I noted that the two voices belonged to a scrawny boy and his significantly larger and fit friend. Both wore white bodysuits with a pink bobble on their heads with blue leotards. They seemed familiar for some reason.

"Ahem." Armsmaster interrupted them both. I scrambled to stand up before pulling out my shield to defend us. "Leet and Uber, you're both under arrest." They both took a step back, clearly surprised by our presence.

"Uhh okay." The skinny one said. "Turned out the life scanner doesn't work so well any more… you guys aren't turning up on it."

"Leet…" The larger one asked. "I've been meaning to ask, does that thing even detect us?"

"Yeah of course it does it…. No wait… it doesn't….oooooh…. It's detecting the lack of life." Wait, that didn't make any sense! They could've still used it anyways! Just look for the blank spots on the scanner! That's where the life would be! Tinker Tech was weird.

"Vim, just follow my lead." Armsmaster told me, leaving the two villains to bicker among themselves. Taking advantage of the distraction he approached the pair before swinging the blunt end of the Halberd towards them in an almost lazy arc.

The larger one, Uber noticed, possibly alerted by the crunching gravel beneath our feet and jumped back out of range of the swing. The villain was safe… or he would've been if the Halberd's end didn't extend and stretch to twice its length revealing a two pronged fork that suddenly lit up. With a loud buzzing sound and a scream of pain he was now on the ground.

"Oh DICK MOVE!" Leet yelled pulling out a bomb. A large, cartoon bomb. At the weapon's appearance Armsmaster froze, unwilling to make a move and potentially blow us all up. Slowly, but surely Leet approached his unconscious friend, all the while holding the explosive in one hand. Armsmaster backed up but I had other ideas.

I leapt forwards and before anyone could do anything I grabbed the bomb from his fingers before stuffing it into my Inventory. It seemingly disappeared from existence.

"What just?" Before the Villain could say another word his face contorted into pain as Armsmaster's taser finished him off.

"That was reckless Vim." He told me and I scratched my neck nervously. "What were you thinking? It could've gone off and killed you."

"Uhh.. well it's not exploding." I lamely offered. "I mean, he hadn't even set the fuse on fire or anything so…"

"Leet is a Tinker, don't take his tech at face value, for all we know the bomb could've been voice activated."

"Well… it's not doing anything now?"

"Give it to me." He told me. "I need to dispose of it or take it in for quarantine."

"But… but what if it's useful? Like I could use it against…" His withering glare told me that continuing this conversation was fruitless.

"Remember what I told you about your own Tinkertech sword? The one you made in front of us? Well imagine what I'll say about a weapon that you hadn't built, that you don't know how to use or activate?" Okay, when he said it like that, I felt kind of stupid. "Dispatch, we have Uber and Leet restrained on site at our location, requesting pickup."

"Sorry…." I told him as I slowly gave him the bomb pulling it out of my Inventory.

He grunted in response as he seemed to scan the explosive and after a long pause he sighed. "You did good, sorry for snapping at you." He apologized. "Dragon tells me that this is just a prop." Using some sort of laser that he pulled from his belt, he demonstrated by cutting through the 'Bomb' revealing nothing inside. "His tech fails the more often he builds the same thing and he's built bombs before, this was likely to be a distraction at most."

"Wait… Dragon?" I asked hung up on those words.

"Oh, right, I have Dragon on my comms, she's been present for most of our interactions." He explained.

"Wait, you're talking to her right now? The best Tinker in the world?" Wow, did they have each other on speed dial? Forget Assault and Battery, Armsmaster and Dragon were the new shipping hotness!

"Yes, she's a bit busy but… hang on…. She wants to talk directly to you Vim, does she have your permission to connect?"

"YES!" I couldn't agree fast enough and suddenly there was a new voice in my ear piece. Nodding in my direction Armsmaster pulled out some manacles and proceeded to cuff the two unconscious villains.

"Hello Vim." A feminine voice greeted me.

"Oh wow!" I nearly shouted. "It's really you!"

"Sorry about not revealing myself sooner, Armsmaster needed advice on how to recruit you and I offered to help. When you finally joined the Wards however I decided to monitor your progress." Dragon was monitoring my progress? "Do you have any questions for me?"

I didn't know if I should be intimidated or flattered. Either way I was feeling light headed.

"Uhh I do have one question sure!" I told her. "How long have you and Armsmaster been a thing?"

Armsmaster paused as he finished securing the prisoners.

"We're just professional friends." He denied.

Dragon chuckled nervously. "Just friends, yeah."

Oh wow, there was so much denial right now. It was adorable.

=================================

Non-Canon Omake: Gallant POV

Well, this was it. I was going to die. It was surprising really, everyone died sooner or later and against an Endbringer it was to be expected. It was almost an expected tragedy. However despite my fears of death I couldn't help but think of Glory Girl, of Vicky. They said that your last thoughts should be of your loved ones and with her, the thoughts came so easily.

So beautiful, so passionate…

The only problem was her sister. The darkness that grew from within. I wanted to help get her past those feelings, I just wanted to be there for them but it looked like life wasn't going to cooperate, that was my only regret, that I couldn't help as much as I could. Pain washed over my body and I couldn't help but stagger back and kneel, the pose felt so natural. I felt crushing weight, pain and burning lungs as I drowned within my own power suit. I was dying and I was powerless to stop it.

As Leviathan passed I noted that I was still in one piece and somehow alive.

"GALLANT!" Someone called out. "YOU'RE ALIVE!" Oh it was Vista.

-----

"In last week's Endbringer attack it was noted to have record survivors!" The newscaster announced. "While any death is tragic, the Heroes counted their blessing when they noticed a strange occurrence. Protectorate Think Tank believe it's the work of a powerful Shaker, however it seems that this new, unknown Cape does have their limits."

"That's right Jonathan." The co-host agreed. "Reports indicate that the Shaker effect prevents people from death once they are in fatal danger." Pulling up a picture of the Wards she continued. "However, this effect seems to only apply to underaged Parahumans like the Wards."

"In other words this Shaker makes kids indestructible." They smiled. "Whoever this mysterious Shaker is, know that we and all the Capes of the world are in your debt."

-----

Taylor Pov:

"Damn, that's some powerful Cape." I commented finishing my cereal, watching the news. "I wonder if they're still in Brockton Bay?"

 

[freebiewitz]

Emily Piggot Interlude.

Vim was quite frankly an amazing Parahuman. Some would say she was dangerous, others would call her an asset, neither side was wrong.
She was versatile, her potions were essentially game changers and most importantly she listened to authority.
She was also the largest sources of headaches these days.

I glanced down at the reports again and frowned.

Tinker reviews were important and these last few days had shown that Armsmaster was willing to bypass, ignore and loophole his way through the rules to ensure that the potions could get through with minimal testing. Despite all the infractions he had committed, minimal punishment was meted out due to direct intervention from Director Costa Brown of all people.

It seemed the allure of cure all serums, Panacea in a bottle was too tempting to refuse. So instead Armsmaster had gotten away with a light slap on the wrist for his various stunts and a not so subtle commendation from the Director. If it was just this alone then I'd be able to handle it. I after all had a job to do. But one thing changed it all, one simple report from another underaged cape.

Gallant.

"While it's a strong word for it, some might say it's a facade ma'am." He told me. "She's putting on a brave face, she could crack at any second."

I raised an eyebrow at him. Gallant, a Ward whose name was synonymous with bravery, heroism and chivalry. "Explain." I demanded, I did not need a Ward with her powers breaking down on me.

"She's uhh… very peppy." That was an understatement. "But every now and then she thinks something and well… there's this nothingness, a deep depression, every time it surfaces she pushes it back down, tries to forget it."

"So what you're telling me is that she's a ticking time bomb?" I had seen it before, not just in capes but other men and women. They try to forget, try to suppress but the funny thing about pushing something down is that when it comes back up, it comes back stronger every time.

I would know.

It was then that Armsmaster intervened. "That's an unfair assessment Ma'am." Of course he'd defend her. "From what I've gathered, her civilian identity had undergone a bullying campaign that was vicious enough to cause her to trigger." That wasn't news to me, I read the file after all. She went to the same school as Shadow Stalker but the girl hadn't seen anything in regards to Vim's bullying. "However, with her removal from a toxic environment along with new friends in the form of Gallant and Shadow Stalker, I am confident that she will perform admirably." Normally there might've been a more in depth investigation into Winslow. However, with the lack of information, no evidence that anything would happen soon and the fact that Vim was transferring to Arcadia meant that an expensive investigation could be cancelled or at the very least be postponed until later.

"Really now? Getting away from bullying to play hero in Brockton Bay? Yes, that's much less stressful." Sarcasm was unbecoming of me but I simply couldn't help it. "Despite what she's gone through, can you guarantee that she won't go through worse? What makes you think she won't break then? What makes you think that we don't have another Mannequin on our hands?" If she truly turned on us then there was no telling what would happen. The girl hadn't even gone through proper power testing yet!

For all we knew she could raise the dead, kill an entire city with but a thought, create a black hole or something else equally outlandish.

Armsmaster clenched his fists at that.
"Because despite going through the worst day of her life, despite many heroes going through the same thing, we didn't let those bad days turn us worse. She might break one day, but she would never turn on us, there is no doubt in my mind that she is a hero to the core."

I allowed myself to raise an eyebrow in surprise. That was an awfully passionate speech coming from Armsmaster. He was charismatic when he needed to be, mostly during press releases and the like but to see him defend someone with such conviction was unexpected.

I shouldn't have been surprised. Considering that he had been praised by Eidolon of all people for bringing her into the Wards. There were even murmurs that he was coming down to Brockton Bay just to meet her. The world's strongest Trump meeting another Cape who could give out powers in a bottle. It was rather obvious what the intention was. While the Think Tank didn't have any conclusive answers of how powerful Eidolon could become with her help, there was a strange enthusiasm present.

Half of the staff whom had heard the rumours believed that the two put together might be able to defeat an Endbringer and those that didn't were still optimistic that they might at least match them. Even without Eidolon's abilities, any person, Parahuman or otherwise could benefit from her potions and possibly become temporary Parahumans themselves. Such an idea of course wasn't new.

While uncommon, it wasn't unheard of for Tinkers to give trained personal power armor, for bio tinkers to give additional muscle mass, Trumps to grant super strength and so forth. The game changer here was how easy and quickly Vim could do it. On top of all that, the potions almost made Panacea obsolete if the reports were true. According to Armsmaster the tests on Rats indicated that the wounds would heal quickly.

Seeing them used in the field was a different matter.

No one could've predicted that the effects would literally be instantaneous on fully grown adults. In one instance a woman had two broken legs, crushed by an upturned truck that Armsmaster was able to cut her out of. The moment she finished drinking a few potions she was up and running with no pain or evident side effect, it seemed the more serious injuries required multiple potions which only required seconds to drink. Even Panacea had to spend a few moments to use her powers. Owing New Wave any extra favors was something I loathed to do, so in that regard even I had to admit that Vim was useful.

It was no wonder that Armsmaster stood up for her despite any of her limitations.

"So." I began. "Why do you think she'll stay a hero then? How do you know for certain that she won't break?"

Armsmaster smiled at that, as if anticipating that question.

"Because despite the ability to become invisible her first act as a Parahuman wasn't to get revenge on her bullies or the facility, it was instead used to face Lung and the ABB, all because she thought they were threatening children." That was new.

"Why am I only now hearing of this?"

"Because I only heard it from her on the helicopter ride back here."

"While it does show that she has her heart in the right place, it still doesn't prove that she won't crack."

While it was good to have more Parahumans on the side of the law, this was too rushed and it wasn't just Armsmaster pushing things through. There was an outside force poking at us, nudging things in such a way to get her to become a Ward more quickly. At first I thought it was Director Costa Brown taking a personal interest in Vim's power set. However, there was more to it then that. I knew I was paranoid but in a world where M/S protocols existed, you needed to be.

Allowances had to be made in extreme times of course and with a city that played host to literal Nazis, a Cape that could take on an Endbringer on his own and a gang of mercenaries with Tinker Tech attachments, it was almost depressing to say that the drugged out Merchants were the least of her worries. While I couldn't see his eyes behind his visor I could tell that Armsmaster was matching my stare with his own. Gallant nervously shuffled and eventually I broke the silence.

"Very well." I admitted. "Vim is at this time currently is no danger to us or herself, regardless I want you both keeping an eye on her mental well being." They both nodded, most likely ready to do so regardless of my own orders. "Which brings me to my next point, Shadow Stalker."

The Ward and Hero both nodded, they knew exactly what I was talking about. I motioned for Gallant to begin.

"I don't think she's being Mastered." I glanced over the reports again outlining Shadow Stalker's change in behaviour, specifically around Vim. "At least, not intentionally."

"Not intentionally? So something like Glory Girl then?" He shook his head in denial.

"Not an aura, as far as I can tell. Vim's emotions are exactly the same with and without Shadow Stalker around and well… Shadow Stalker herself?" He paused as if choosing his words carefully. "She exhibits worry, confusion, signs of someone who uhh pardon the term, someone who has spent some time in the closet and is only now only experiencing these emotions."

"There's a specific emotion for that sort of thing?" I asked. He awkwardly began to fidget.

"Well no, I don't think so at least, it's just that it's similar enough to people I've witnessed who have come out as gay to their friends." That made more sense.

"Did you sense any anger or any other emotions from Shadow Stalker?"

"No, there's that, she's pretty much perpetually angry, or at least annoyed." Well at least that was consistent. "She's frustrated, that much I can tell. She tries to control it but well… she's a teenager, I don't think it's true love specifically but emotions are more complex than that. Just remember I'm not a mind reader, my abilities aren't perfect." Trust Gallant of all people to say the words 'true love' with a straight face.

"Do we know if Vim has any Master abilities at least?" This time I directed my questions towards Armsmaster.

"She hasn't exhibited any yet but considering her wide range of abilities I wouldn't be surprised if she had them." I frowned again. This was exactly why we put the Wards through power testing before deploying them into the field.

"So what's her current threat rating then? What powers do we have on file?" I already knew of course but I wanted to impress upon the two in my office of how dangerous she could be.

"She has a minor Blaster power in the form projected flames… that don't burn, grass is unaffected but I did note in my recordings that kinetic force was a factor." I nodded, a limited type of telekinesis that appeared as fire.

"She has her hammer space that she calls the 'Inventory' which allows her to store a variety of objects, no limit to note of as of yet, the ability to eat through her mask, a slow teleport and finally she's allegedly also a brute though I've yet to witness anything that could suggest it." She had spacial manipulation in other words.

"Of note she has the ability to take certain objects and turn them into weapons, armor and of course potions." The file mentioned that she did all this almost instantly.

"Said potions give her a Trump sub-rating." Giving regeneration, toughness and allegedly invisibility.

All of this was theory at this point. For all we knew her Blaster power could be more lethal than first shown. Still, the sheer amount of abilities she exhibited at the very least proved her potential.

"Ensure we find out what else she can do, I don't want any surprises." I ordered. "She still has some time before she has to go to Arcadia so you'll be able to do it yourself Armsmaster." I grinned at the prospect of denying him his precious Tinkering time. Yet, despite this he grinned in what I could only identify as eager anticipation.

"Of course Ma'am. I'll make sure to put her through the paces." He answered. At least he was professional about it.

"See that you do. You're both dismissed." Nodding respectfully they both took their leave allowing me to go over the paperwork once more.

As they left the office I finally allowed myself to wince in pain as I adjusted my chair. It seemed my kidneys decided to once more play havoc with my body. Yet, wincing was all I allowed myself for now, I had a job to do.

Pressing a button on the intercom I ordered someone to grab me coffee. I had a long day ahead of me. Despite what I thought of Vim, she was the least of my worries.

=======================

Bit of a shorter chapter for now but hopefully it fills in some gaps that Taylor could not perceive. Enjoy!

 

[freebiewitz]

Power testing. It sounded so exciting and cool. I remembered being a kid and daydreaming about being able to fly, about having super strength like Alexandria and beating up bad guys. Power testing would always be a way to show off on how amazing I was. The idea that you could let loose, reach and find the limits of your powers. Images of Mouse Protector doing back-flips across a gauntlet of doom, of Legend blowing up test dummies from miles away and of Dragon making giant robots played through my mind.

In reality power testing was both repetitive and boring.

"Again." Armsmaster's voice droned in my ear. "This time use only your left hand."

I sighed and did as he said, trying to light the test dummy on fire using my blaster power. Once again there was little effect besides a fresh coat of ash being applied to it's surface. Armsmaster stood to the side with a tablet, something I was surprised he needed. I was under the impression that he had all the computer stuff in his helmet already. Around us stood scientists, assorted PRT staff and some of the other Wards.

"Burninate the countryside Vim!" Clockblocker cheered me on as I continued to pour the flames into my target.

"Please keep volume to a minimum." Armsmaster replied not turning to face him. Some of the staff stood ready with extinguishers but it seemed more like a formality than anything else at this point.

Besides Clockblocker was Vista and Aegis. I found it odd that they were here, didn't they have secret identities to protect? It was explained that they were an emergency response team. The idea being that Vista would shrink down any loose threats such as flying pieces of shrapnel, bending space so no one would be hurt and so forth. Clockblocker could create literally indestructible obstacles so he was also a no brainer.

Aegis was present as the leader of the Wards. If he was going to be an effective leader, he needed to know all of my capabilities. Of course, if anything went wrong he could also fly in and grab me with his big muscled hands. I glanced at him, he had his arms crossed and despite wearing a helmet, I could tell that he was alert.

My flames suddenly cut off and I pulled out another 'Mana' potion to refill myself.

"Clear!" I called out prompting a small team of interns to rush in with a vacuum cleaner to suck up all the ash. Apparently Armsmaster wanted to analyse the stuff to see if they had any special properties. I was glad for his foresight, I might be able to use them as potion ingredients.

"Let's continue." He stated. "We'll now move onto other targets."

I sighed again. After much testing it was determined that I could only keep up my 'Flame Throwers' up for so long. The problem came when Armsmaster tried to get me to use my powers in a multitude of ways.

Hold your breath while doing it Vim.
Try doing it with a fist instead.
Try to shape the flames.
Run while doing it.
Light the containment foam on fire.

I couldn't even set kindling on fire. However when I tried to set a plastic bottle on fire, it went flying. Apparently my power was less of a flamethrower and more of a force push…. That looked like fire.

It was at this point that a piece of meat was laid in front of me.

"Can't I test my powers on a Brute? Like Aegis?" I called out.

"Potentially damaging power testing on a member of the Wards is prohibited." He replied without looking up from his tablet.

"But he's a Brute!" I pointed out. "And I have healing potions!"

"Uhhh do I get a say in this?" Aegis piped up.

"No." Armsmaster and I said at the same time. "Youth guard protocols." He elaborated.

"Well what about an adult Brute? Assault and Battery are pretty tough right?"

"No." He replied again. "Without sufficient analysis we cannot endanger the lives of our members."

I grumbled at that. It all sounded like an excuse. It was then Vista spoke up.

"Yeah it sucks but it'll all be over soon. They just wanna make sure your power doesn't have some sort of secret kill effect on people. It's actually pretty par the course."

"Did all of you have to go through this?"

"Yup!" Clockblocker answered. "Now it's our turn to watch you suffer MWAHAHAHAHA! Then after that you have to go through PR!" He continued to laugh maniacally.

"Please be quiet while in the testing area Clockblocker." Armsmaster once again called. "Alright Vim, please try and cook the meat with your power, use both hands."

Huffing I pointed my palms at the raw steak and let loose. Bright flames billowed from my hands and after a moment my power cut itself off leaving behind a blackened mess that seemed to have been pushed back and displaced the food.

A scientist ran up with some sort of device and poked the meat.

"Still room temperature sir, also still raw." He called out before putting the entire thing into a ziplock bag.

It was at this point a bucket of water was presented to me.

"Come on." I told them. "We've tested wood, grass, metal and now meat. Do we really have to try water now?"

"Yes." Came the one word reply from Armsmaster. "Some powers can be very specific. Now just use one hand."

I sighed and obediently raised my arm and used my power…. Which promptly began boiling the water, making it bubble and steam. I just stood there shocked. Then we went through another dozen variations of tests with water including ice, juices and even tea. I liked tea but even I was getting tired of all this.

What was I? Just a glorified kettle?


"Vista!" Aegis would shout heroically and authoritatively. "Get to the roof tops and cover the civilians! Clockblocker, create walls to protect them, Shadow Stalker, flank the villains from the sides!"

"What should I do sir?" I asked him, stoically ready for my assignment.

"Make some tea for us for when we win." He told me pointing at a pot of water.


"That should be the last test for your flame abilities now." Armsmaster nodded with a smile. Earlier we had tested more of my potion abilities, brewing and actual consumption. He noted that I made the glass bottles from out of nowhere, calling them projections. He tested their range by having Dragon pick one up with one of her smaller drones to see if it would disappear when away from me. That was more than an hour ago and the bottle showed no sign of fading away.

My Brute powers were also tested.

They weren't very impressive, at least to me. It bummed me out that I wasn't going to throw cars at anyone any time soon. My striking force was comparable to a young adult but I was tough enough to heal a small scratch after waiting a few minutes as the tests revealed.

I experienced crushing pistons, blades and large needles that assaulted my hands.

That sounded a lot more dangerous than it actually did. In reality it felt all so clinical. Clamps to squeeze a bit of skin until it bruised. Blades to give shallow cuts and needles that only penetrated to a preset limit. Even someone like Vista could've undergone this test without complaint.

Turns out I was pretty tough, uniformly across my body, according to what they found from injuring both my hands. A sort of Breaker effect that made every injury seemingly spread out so that no individual part would be incapacitated. Armsmaster explained that this was all theory but the Tinkertech basically said it was impossible to cut off my arm unless I was already dead.

That was nice I guess?

"Does that mean I can survive a guillotine?"

"I wouldn't try." He replied.

Then my Stranger power was tested in the form of a game of hide and seek. No one was entirely sure if this was Stranger based power or simply Thinker but it was acknowledged that it at least came with some sort of Thinker ability to notice when people were either looking for me or had found me.

After that my self healing power was tested. Not the potions, the literal glowing hands of light. Illumination was tested to see if I could use them as a torch and we found that they were extremely limited. Still, the fact that I could heal myself was nice.

"Alright, besides the Tinkering abilities we'll now move onto your Master power that you mentioned." Armsmaster noted. I didn't like it, but I needed them to know what I could do. "I understand you're feeling apprehensive Vim, but know that everyone here is trained, no one is going to get hurt."

I nodded at the two PRT volunteers that walked up to me.

"Start test one, get the agents to jump."

Focusing on the feeling when I told Lung to stop I then yelled out. "JUMP!" Nothing happened. "Uhh leap?" Still nothing. "HOP!" The two agents looked at each other and shrugged. I deflated at that.

"Don't worry about it Vim." Aegis told me. "Maybe you need to be in a fight for it to work."

"A power triggered by adrenaline or a state of mind, not unheard of but not something we have time for right now." Armsmaster acknowledged. "Second test, tell the agents come to you."

"Follow me!" I shouted. Still nothing. "This isn't working." I groaned.

"Have you ever used the Master power?" Vista asked.

"Yeah, only once though." I replied.

"Well what happened when you did it? Maybe we can copy the circumstances."

"I was uhh surrounded by a bunch of guns and Lung was two feet away from me about to burn me alive."

"Wait." Armsmaster paused. His mouth curled downwards into a frown. "You and I are going to have a proper briefing on what happened that night later… what command did you give them?"

"I uhh told them to stop… so they did."

Armsmaster slowly considered me and pushed a finger to his helmet.

"I need authorisation for a… you overheard?.....Yes Ma'am." Who was he talking to? "Of course, thank you…. Alright, you two, you're authorised to use containment foam on her." They nodded before running to the side of the testing area to put on what looked like flamethrowers. They of course contained foam.

"Aim and fire after ten seconds or as soon as you're able after the effect has worn off on my mark. Vim? Use your powers to stop them." I nodded eyeing down the two agents. "Mark!" The two agents pointed their weapons at me menacingly and I gathered up all the power in my chest and let loose.

"STOP!" They lowered the weapons and after ten seconds didn't raise them again.

"Test successful." Armsmaster noted. "Try to raise your weapons at her." They tried to no success but it didn't look like they struggled. More that they tried and gave up instantly. They were almost calm about it. After a minute they jerked their weapons up to me and fired. I was covered in foam again.

"Effects last roughly a minute, someone get the dissolving solution." I turned my head to the side as best I could and noted that Clockblocker and Vista were exchanging money. The bastards! Aegis however shuffled nervously.

Despite saying that the test was successful Armsmaster wore a grim expression. In fact everyone was now looking at me nervously. Not exactly fear but something that could be cultivated to become fear. After a few minutes of terrible smelling chemicals I was free of the foam.

"Alright, test two. Tell them to stop but this time punch one in the arm to see if the effect will break." Turning to the agents he gave the command. "Same conditions as before. Mark!"

"STOP!" I shouted but the two still had their weapons pointed at me. They wouldn't pull the trigger would they? "Uhhh stop? Halt? No fire! Uhh BLOCK! Freeze!" Ahh crap, I needed a thesaurus. "You Shall NOT PA-- BleeEAhahah" Ew ew ew! Then I was sprayed down by containment foam. Some of it got in my mouth! Vista and Clockblocker continued to exchange money.

Seriously, they wouldn't let me hit Aegis but they let them gamble? What the hell people?
About twenty minutes later of continuous humiliation I was finally set free from any more containment foam shenanigans. My Master power simply refused to work after the first time and Armsmaster did everything he could do to get it working again.

Try to annunciate a different sylable.
Shout in these stances.
Try whispering.
Try to sing the command.
Try doing it while being angry.

The last one came real easy to me after the bullshit I went through. It still ended in failure and containment foam. They should rename it failure foam, that's what it felt like.

Eventually we came to the last test, something I was actually looking forwards to.

"Alright, finally Trump ability empowers the rest of your powers if you use them enough, including but not limited to…. Speech, hiding and alchemy."

I nodded.

"Since we cannot realistically measure your ability to talk or hide with any real accuracy, we'll instead measure how sharp your weapons are after you enhance them."

I grinned and was given more iron ingots and leather.
"Hang on." I told Armsmaster. "I still have some leather on me, I can just recycle them." He nodded as I produced four sets of leather helmets and bracers. "Hmm, think I could outfit the rest of the Wards with my armor?"

He shook his head. "As effective as it might be, it would unfortunately interfere with their image." I shrugged and pulled out some scissors and began cutting away at the spare leather armor, intent on creating leather strips.

It did not go so well.

"Uhh, can I get some help here? I think the scissors are too blunt or something."

Armsmaster approached with a nod.

"It is treated leather armor." He assured me. "If it couldn't protect you from cuts, it'd be redundant." Pulling out a small cutting tool from his belt I handed him the spare bracer to watch him work.

It did not go so well.

"Hmmm." He tilted his head, perplexed as he continued to try and fail to cut into the material. "New test, four zero A, Vim's Tinkertech bracelets."

"Uhh Bracers actually."

"Addendum, Bracers." He corrected himself before pulling out another cutting tool, this one was glowing.

"Is that a laser?" I asked him.

"Plasma technically." Then he tried to cut into the leather again… once again, only to fail. "Attempt two, fail." He then unlatched the halberd from his back and tried to cut through the leather. It still didn't work.

"Interesting." He hummed. "Your leather armor might render you invincible, an upgrade might not be necessary, we'll have to redo the brute test to include portions of your body covered by armor."

More testing?

I groaned.

About an hour later the testing was complete. I managed to make it through the extended Brute tests and craft about two dozen daggers. All of which were identical until I used a grindstone to enhance them. Once before my Smithing shard leveled up and once after it leveled up.

"The difference in improvements to sharpness is small but measurable that doesn't decrease mass." He told me. "Every other dagger that hasn't been touched by your power is identical otherwise." He then let out an eager grin. "If possible I might recruit your assistance in enhancing my own weaponry at a later date."

And that was that. I was finally FREE!

"Please tell me that power testing for you guys was just as bad?" I needed a companion to sulk with. No, Vim didn't sulk! She brooded! Yes, brood. Where was Shadow Stalker when you needed her?

"Kinda?" Vista answered uneasily. "I mean, my power has lots of applications but in the end, it's still one power."

"Sucks to be a grab bag during power testing I guess." Aegis replied. "But you have a lot of useful stuff."

"You call that a grab bag?" Clockblocker shouted. "She didn't grab a bag! She found a trolley, loaded the power car which she drove onto a truck! Filled the truck with more cars with MORE powers and drove off into the sunset! WHICH HAS MORE POWERS!"

"We get it Clock." Vista chuckled. "She has more powers than you."

I chuckled at that. What a silly imagination he had. Then I noticed that I hadn't retrieved my leather bracer that I had gave Armsmaster earlier. You'd think with all the iron he had given me that I would probably leave it behind, but I didn't want anyone to trip over it. So I grabbed it.

"Alright guys!" Clockblocker shouted. "Last one to the Cafeteria has to pay for lunch!" But we didn't need to pay here. He then ran off regardless of logic, Vista used her powers to cheat and Aegis simply laughed before breaking out into a light jog. Not wanting to be outdone I sprinted ahead.

Which failed.

I certainly didn't sprint, run or even jog. It was more of a slow walk as if I was weighed down.

"Uhh Armsmaster?" I asked the other Tinker pulling his attention from the tablet. "I think I found a limit to my Inventory."