Interlude 3.4
YuffieK
(Verified Ninja Princess)
[Amelia]
I'd been standing under the shower for long enough that the water was beginning to turn cold. Vista had been sitting outside on guard duty, while keeping the door cracked enough that she could maintain the warp allowing me to stand fully under the showerhead. I must have been in here for at least half an hour after Vista and Shade had just sat down with me and allowed me to... let everything out.
I looked at myself in the mirror. It was still recognizably my face, but more... mature I guess? My freckles were gone and my new olive-toned complexion was rather handsome framed by my new silver locks. I looked down at my hands, not pruned at all after being in the water for so long. So strange.
"Everything okay in there Amelia?" Vista called. "You seem awful quiet."
"Taking everything in I guess." I replied as I wrapped a towel around me. "Shit... This towel isn't big enough."
"I AM HERE!" a boisterous new voice called from the Wards main room. "I have food and clothes!"
The sweatpants were comfy, but even 3XL wasn't quite big enough. I'd had to tear the ankle elastic where they were tight around my calves. My shoulders stretched the seams and my new cheese grater abs were peeking out a bit from the bottom of the shirt. The plum color was nice though.
I came out of the bathroom to find Challenger discussing something with Shroud and Shade. The older Ward seemed reluctant about something, but then nodded, eliciting a cheerful jump from his sister that had her hovering for a moment over his shoulder. She then began setting out some of the trays of food before she turned and looked up and down over me.
"So, question for you Amelia. Do you want to stay here tonight? I know there's a spare room back there you can crash on, but I think the bunks are a bit small for you. Or, if you like, you can come with us girls to my place where I've got a California king size bed with a fancy 'TinkerTech' foam mattress for all three of you. Triumph and Gallant will be in from their patrol any minute and honestly these two little munchkins don't want to deal with 'the boooooys' tonight."
"If it isn't any trouble?"
Challenger cackled with glee. "Exxxxxcellent! I also have a fresh carton of triple fudge brownie ice cream in the freezer with your name on it! Come ladies! To the STEAM TUNNELS!"
Wait, what?
A minute later we'd gone down in the elevator into a long access corridor. "This is a secure emergency exit from the building. it goes down about five blocks to an apartment building Armsmaster bought years ago. Supposedly as 'more efficient' than having to commute. Not many of the grunts liked it though as it was close enough to have them considered 'on-site' all the time. Armsy maintains an apartment there he never uses and there's one for the Director just in case, but otherwise it's mostly empty. We usually use it as safe short-term housing for visitors."
"Why hasn't New Wave heard about this?"
"I might go around mostly unmasked, but I prefer not to advertise where I live. Or talk about the home of some of my charges. Vista, you mind giving us a short cut?"
The girl in green waved her hand and suddenly the far end of the corridor was right next to them. "Home again, home again, jiggity jig."
"Go wash up, honey while we set the table."
"Wait... You're Vista's MOM?" Amelia stared at the veteran Protectorate member.
"Foster mom. Vista joined up with the Wards just after Lung had pounded the lot of us into the pavement. Director Piggot was rather pissed at Armsmaster for not withdrawing when she ordered us to, I was covering the retreat and was... enjoying myself a little too much at the time. Then he sprouted wings and I suddenly couldn't keep up with him. Next thing I know I'm in the recovery ward down an arm. It was... Another Very Bad Day for me."
Challenger slipped her coat off, then pulled at the right shoulder of her bodysuit, opening it up. The stump revealed was in fact, whole, albeit the lower half of her arm was rather horribly burned. She reached up and carefully took of her face mask, revealing not only old but faded scars, but a blue eye so pale as to be almost white that focused on Amelia. "Evelyn Masters. Pleased to meet you, Amelia."
Amelia stared in shock before Challenger continued.
"Got a very slow regeneration out of that. Took me eating my namesake at Fugly's every day for a week to jumpstart it. My color vision's still shot on this side and still can't wield my axe properly but otherwise I'm about 90 percent. Normally the higher ups would transfer me out and put me in a hospital until I went nuts from boredom, but the Director though I'd make a better Wards liaison than Halbeard. I accepted the task with relish and when I found out about Vista's parents..."
Vista came out unmasked then, "Aunt Evie jumped on my POS biorents like the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog. The Director was fully behind it, saying that if the Youth Guard would force a child to remain in that home, that they should be shot. Lisa Wilder. The boys except for Shroud are still clueless about that though, so Missy's fine."
"Aisha Laborn." the last person in the room introduced herself. "My bro and I live down the hall. Judge okayed giving him a hardship emancipation and custody over me as long as there's adult supervision or some shit. My dad checks in with us regular-like but my mom... Yeah, no... I'll be glad about her never coming to Christmas dinner again."
"All of us have had shitty mothers." Evelyn stated. "Aisha told me about what happened earlier, so we're here for you."
Amelia just sat there dumbfounded. Never in her life had she imagined anyone other than Vicky caring about her like this. She thought she'd just start bawling again, but held her head up with a trembling smile. "I think I want that ice cream now."
I'd been standing under the shower for long enough that the water was beginning to turn cold. Vista had been sitting outside on guard duty, while keeping the door cracked enough that she could maintain the warp allowing me to stand fully under the showerhead. I must have been in here for at least half an hour after Vista and Shade had just sat down with me and allowed me to... let everything out.
I looked at myself in the mirror. It was still recognizably my face, but more... mature I guess? My freckles were gone and my new olive-toned complexion was rather handsome framed by my new silver locks. I looked down at my hands, not pruned at all after being in the water for so long. So strange.
"Everything okay in there Amelia?" Vista called. "You seem awful quiet."
"Taking everything in I guess." I replied as I wrapped a towel around me. "Shit... This towel isn't big enough."
"I AM HERE!" a boisterous new voice called from the Wards main room. "I have food and clothes!"
The sweatpants were comfy, but even 3XL wasn't quite big enough. I'd had to tear the ankle elastic where they were tight around my calves. My shoulders stretched the seams and my new cheese grater abs were peeking out a bit from the bottom of the shirt. The plum color was nice though.
I came out of the bathroom to find Challenger discussing something with Shroud and Shade. The older Ward seemed reluctant about something, but then nodded, eliciting a cheerful jump from his sister that had her hovering for a moment over his shoulder. She then began setting out some of the trays of food before she turned and looked up and down over me.
"So, question for you Amelia. Do you want to stay here tonight? I know there's a spare room back there you can crash on, but I think the bunks are a bit small for you. Or, if you like, you can come with us girls to my place where I've got a California king size bed with a fancy 'TinkerTech' foam mattress for all three of you. Triumph and Gallant will be in from their patrol any minute and honestly these two little munchkins don't want to deal with 'the boooooys' tonight."
"If it isn't any trouble?"
Challenger cackled with glee. "Exxxxxcellent! I also have a fresh carton of triple fudge brownie ice cream in the freezer with your name on it! Come ladies! To the STEAM TUNNELS!"
Wait, what?
A minute later we'd gone down in the elevator into a long access corridor. "This is a secure emergency exit from the building. it goes down about five blocks to an apartment building Armsmaster bought years ago. Supposedly as 'more efficient' than having to commute. Not many of the grunts liked it though as it was close enough to have them considered 'on-site' all the time. Armsy maintains an apartment there he never uses and there's one for the Director just in case, but otherwise it's mostly empty. We usually use it as safe short-term housing for visitors."
"Why hasn't New Wave heard about this?"
"I might go around mostly unmasked, but I prefer not to advertise where I live. Or talk about the home of some of my charges. Vista, you mind giving us a short cut?"
The girl in green waved her hand and suddenly the far end of the corridor was right next to them. "Home again, home again, jiggity jig."
"Go wash up, honey while we set the table."
"Wait... You're Vista's MOM?" Amelia stared at the veteran Protectorate member.
"Foster mom. Vista joined up with the Wards just after Lung had pounded the lot of us into the pavement. Director Piggot was rather pissed at Armsmaster for not withdrawing when she ordered us to, I was covering the retreat and was... enjoying myself a little too much at the time. Then he sprouted wings and I suddenly couldn't keep up with him. Next thing I know I'm in the recovery ward down an arm. It was... Another Very Bad Day for me."
Challenger slipped her coat off, then pulled at the right shoulder of her bodysuit, opening it up. The stump revealed was in fact, whole, albeit the lower half of her arm was rather horribly burned. She reached up and carefully took of her face mask, revealing not only old but faded scars, but a blue eye so pale as to be almost white that focused on Amelia. "Evelyn Masters. Pleased to meet you, Amelia."
Amelia stared in shock before Challenger continued.
"Got a very slow regeneration out of that. Took me eating my namesake at Fugly's every day for a week to jumpstart it. My color vision's still shot on this side and still can't wield my axe properly but otherwise I'm about 90 percent. Normally the higher ups would transfer me out and put me in a hospital until I went nuts from boredom, but the Director though I'd make a better Wards liaison than Halbeard. I accepted the task with relish and when I found out about Vista's parents..."
Vista came out unmasked then, "Aunt Evie jumped on my POS biorents like the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog. The Director was fully behind it, saying that if the Youth Guard would force a child to remain in that home, that they should be shot. Lisa Wilder. The boys except for Shroud are still clueless about that though, so Missy's fine."
"Aisha Laborn." the last person in the room introduced herself. "My bro and I live down the hall. Judge okayed giving him a hardship emancipation and custody over me as long as there's adult supervision or some shit. My dad checks in with us regular-like but my mom... Yeah, no... I'll be glad about her never coming to Christmas dinner again."
"All of us have had shitty mothers." Evelyn stated. "Aisha told me about what happened earlier, so we're here for you."
Amelia just sat there dumbfounded. Never in her life had she imagined anyone other than Vicky caring about her like this. She thought she'd just start bawling again, but held her head up with a trembling smile. "I think I want that ice cream now."
Amy: "You're literally running around with one hand tied behind your back?!?"
Evie: "HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Evie: "HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Challenger originally Triggered as a Combat Thinker with a minor Brute aspect. As long as she stays focused on one opponent she gets better and better at fighting them. Her father was part of a PMC and she, fresh out of her first Tour with the Marines planned to join him, as the US military was becoming a dead end career path. Her mother, enraged by her decision, threw a pan of hot oil in her face.
The end of that battle with Lung was a Second Trigger, giving her a minor Trump rating. Her power now applies to anything she stays focused on, including healing or being the Wards 'mom'. Piggot, knowing that the higher ups would pull Challenger out of the Bay if they learned of it, arranged keep her listed as medically inactive and put her in charge of the Wards. She's still not sure if it's a brilliant plan or a terrible mistake, but Challenger has risen to the task and is much less of a battle maniac. Armsmaster and Deputy Director Renick are aware she's mostly healed, as are Missy, Brian and Aisha.
Melissa "Missy" Biron / Lisa Wilder has been living with Challenger for almost a year now. Her father is in Buffalo with his sister (the source of Vista's new last name) getting counseling, her mother is in Nebraska. Since neither area had a PRT Wards program in that immediate vicinity (Toronto is the nearest branch) and with the seriousness of the Biron's abuse, Missy was declared a Ward of the State and set up with a new identity. She's in a much better headspace, Aunt Evie is crazy awesome.
Aisha's Breaker state is gaseous, not intangible. She found out about Evie while sneaking in to visit Missy. She's not vulnerable to electricity, but concussive blasts and aerosols are normally bad news for her. She has a minor flight capability, but if she's in Brian's smoke she becomes MUCH more powerful. She blends into and merges with the smoke. She can see fine through it and Brian instinctively knows where she is. Her flight speed increases, and she can reconstitute herself much faster. She also gains an enervating Striker ability, which also passively heals Brian. Touching someone for a few seconds is enough to knock out most normals. Prolonged contact is dangerous, especially if they're already in poor health, so she does carry a stim injector. (the same ones Armsy uses on himself or to counter his standard sedative cocktail) She tested it on herself when she got it. When it wears off she feels like absolute crap, but It actually helps her ADHD. She's on proper medication for it though.
The end of that battle with Lung was a Second Trigger, giving her a minor Trump rating. Her power now applies to anything she stays focused on, including healing or being the Wards 'mom'. Piggot, knowing that the higher ups would pull Challenger out of the Bay if they learned of it, arranged keep her listed as medically inactive and put her in charge of the Wards. She's still not sure if it's a brilliant plan or a terrible mistake, but Challenger has risen to the task and is much less of a battle maniac. Armsmaster and Deputy Director Renick are aware she's mostly healed, as are Missy, Brian and Aisha.
Melissa "Missy" Biron / Lisa Wilder has been living with Challenger for almost a year now. Her father is in Buffalo with his sister (the source of Vista's new last name) getting counseling, her mother is in Nebraska. Since neither area had a PRT Wards program in that immediate vicinity (Toronto is the nearest branch) and with the seriousness of the Biron's abuse, Missy was declared a Ward of the State and set up with a new identity. She's in a much better headspace, Aunt Evie is crazy awesome.
Aisha's Breaker state is gaseous, not intangible. She found out about Evie while sneaking in to visit Missy. She's not vulnerable to electricity, but concussive blasts and aerosols are normally bad news for her. She has a minor flight capability, but if she's in Brian's smoke she becomes MUCH more powerful. She blends into and merges with the smoke. She can see fine through it and Brian instinctively knows where she is. Her flight speed increases, and she can reconstitute herself much faster. She also gains an enervating Striker ability, which also passively heals Brian. Touching someone for a few seconds is enough to knock out most normals. Prolonged contact is dangerous, especially if they're already in poor health, so she does carry a stim injector. (the same ones Armsy uses on himself or to counter his standard sedative cocktail) She tested it on herself when she got it. When it wears off she feels like absolute crap, but It actually helps her ADHD. She's on proper medication for it though.
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