Firebird, a Worm AU/Xover?

[apeljohn]

I ask you then what, from Taylor's point of view, is her best interest? And if view objectively is it truly what is best for her?

Click to shrink...

I would guess that, from Taylor's point of view, getting over her crippling lack of self-worth and her chronic feeling of powerlessness (with consequent trust issues) is high on the agenda. From this perspective, Danny is most certainly not helping.

This is a none starter. You're essentially using thematic resonance to argue he didn't read the contract when he's an old school union member head of hiring and was going over the papers and reading the contract when she came in.

Click to shrink...

Maybe I'm misjudging him. Taylor's side of the narrative was heavy on ways that the contract allowed the PRT to put the boot into her if they wished. The other possible interpretation is that Danny viewed this as a feature rather than a bug...

Either that or he simply didn't consider the possibility that Taylor would outright refuse to comply with the PRT's whims. (If so: wishful thinking, dude.)

That's a strong word for legitimizing what she's already doing.

Click to shrink...

In his shoes, I'd have gone with something like "look, how about I don't sign you up to the Wards unless/until you're comfortable with the idea and you don't go out and get in street fights with gangsters unless/until I'm comfortable with the idea?"

He could also say there are advocate groups for that.

Click to shrink...

And she could counterargue that there are anti-bullying advocacy groups, so clearly that's not a panacea. ...And by that point Danny would already have won in the way that is most meaningful to him, since he and Taylor would be having some semblance of an actual discussion rather than just blowing smoke at each other.

 

[tertius]

The two situations are not symmetric since Taylor is making decisions about her own life. If she tried to sign Danny up to work as an Uber&Leet henchman, then the situations would be symmetric.

Click to shrink...

I could see her tracking down the duo just to talk them into conscripting Danny for a heist.

On the bright side, Coil just lost the most obvious leverage over her.

 

[Daimah]

Danny spends so much time paving a certain road to a very hot place that I don't know were he gets the time to go to work. But good news Danny you are almost at the end of the road.

 

[VolantRedX]

He is singing his daughter up for a paramilitary with out her consent and basically saying "you take care of her cause I can't".

Click to shrink...

Except Taylor essentially is fighting in the war anyway only without the army. So it's not like he's forcing her out on the streets to fight crime, she's doing it already.

Draftees tend to bolt and even when they don't they cause problems cause they don't want to be there.

Click to shrink...

Thing is Danny likely assumes she'll like it in a few days if she gives it a chance. It's like signing a kid up for dance lessons so they get some exercise. They may complain at first but after a few lessons they'll make some friends and enjoy themselves.

I would guess that, from Taylor's point of view, getting over her crippling lack of self-worth and her chronic feeling of powerlessness (with consequent trust issues) is high on the agenda.

Click to shrink...

Except Taylor doesn't think she has those feelings, she seems to either ignore them or more likely doesn't acknowledge them on a personal level. To me her reasons seem to boil down to having control over her life. On it's own not a bad goal, but having total control in this situation puts her at greater risk than surrendering some of that control. So objectively if the best thing for her is to not die, the Wards is better than nothing. And before anyone says it, no her power level doesn't invalidate the fact that the Wards are safer.

 

[apeljohn]

I could see her tracking down the duo just to talk them into conscripting Danny for a heist.

Click to shrink...

I'm seconds from dozing off for the night, but if there isn't an omake of this by tomorrow then I'll happily rectify the situation.

To me her reasons seem to boil down to having control over her life.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, that's fair. The backstory is important though: she has had absolutely no control over her life for a very long time, and suddenly she finds an open door to self-determination... and Danny wants to slam it shut in her face. A more critical way of putting it would be that she's still fighting the last war.

One other subtlety: I got the impression that she was very resistant to the idea of being a professional (i.e. paid) hero, because then she feels that any good work she's doing isn't really of her own volition but that of her paymaster. Ironically she'd probably be happier about joining the Wards if they waived the stipend and trust fund in her case.

 

[VolantRedX]

Yeah, that's fair. The backstory is important though: she has had absolutely no control over her life for a very long time, and suddenly she finds an open door to self-determination... and Danny wants to slam it shut in her face. A more critical way of putting it would be that she's still fighting the last war.

Click to shrink...

I don't begrudge Taylor wanting control in her life, and I understand why that is the case, but when viewed objectively she is letting that desire place her life in jeopardy.

 

[Sasha]

So, first, some corrections:

Spoiler: 2.9 Corrections

"I'm going upstairs. I have things to do." I repeated one last time.

Click to shrink...

That period should be a comma.

There was no real drawbacks

Click to shrink...

Inconsistent subject-verb numbering. Either remove the 's' or change 'was' to 'were'.

Just having a Ward or Protectorate member asking for my assistance regularly and having to answer to retain my freedom of action as an Affiliate.

Click to shrink...

Admittedly, I'm not 100% certain on this one, but I believe using 'just' as an adverb here makes the sentence incomplete. It should go something like, "Just having a Ward . . . as an Affiliate would suffice." Again, I'm not certain on this.

superheated steam that belched from his shoulders..

Click to shrink...

You have an extra period.

isnt'

Click to shrink...

The apostrophe should go before the 't'.

"Whether we can gain compensation from the piece of his armor that we severed or not, I would say there was something more useful gained tonight." Rockshow observed.

Click to shrink...

That period should be a comma.

While we did not defeat him. we have proven that we are able to match him.

Click to shrink...

That period should be a comma, though for a different reason than the previous ones.

"Well, yeah, as long as we're together, we can do anything, right? Power of friendship and all that." Hanabi asked before sighing in her friend's direction and smiling weakly.

Click to shrink...

Period --> Comma

Wearing goggles and a tube top, a dirty blonde-haired woman shouted something as she gunned the engine, the groaning turning into a metallic squeal as vehicle lept forward and barreled past.

Click to shrink...

Missing the word 'the' between the red words. The yellow word, while technically correct, hasn't been spelled that way since the 16th century.

wednesday

Click to shrink...

Proper nouns should be capitalized.

"Bad run." was her simple answer.

Click to shrink...

Back to the period-comma issue.

found her at hospital

Click to shrink...

Missing the word 'the' between the red words, again.

You wouldn't believe the dodge we had to go through to stop her parents from asking weird questions"

Click to shrink...

Missing period at the end of the sentence.

It isn't quite as bad as that, but I can't help but worry about what they can do over what the probably will.

Click to shrink...

That word should be 'they'.

As for the content of the chapter, I enjoyed it very much, though I wish we got to see more Taylor.

I have no real comment on the fight scene, as it was well executed. I do, however, have a for all of the puns/taunts.

The segment that took place at Winslow was both funny and worrying at the same time. Funny, of course, because Taylor couldn't figure out that the unusual feeling she was getting was from pleasant social interactions, but worrying because Taylor couldn't figure out that the unusual feeling she was getting was from pleasant social interactions.

Getting to see things from Danny's perspective was nice (for a given meaning of the word). It's easy to see how his thought process is similar to Taylor's in that they both know where the weak points in their arguments are, but both choose to steadfastly ignore them in favor of they think and want.

And how about that ending? It's such a cruel place to leave us hanging, especially given the ambiguity of that final scene. I'm leaning towards believing that Taylor ran away/left the house because she foresaw Danny announcing that he had decided on signing her up no matter what, though there is still the distinct possibility that Coil learned from his earlier attempt and abducted her.

In any case, I eagerly await Arc 3!

 

[Formerly]

So, first, some corrections:

Spoiler: 2.9 Corrections

That period should be a comma.

Inconsistent subject-verb numbering. Either remove the 's' or change 'was' to 'were'.

Admittedly, I'm not 100% certain on this one, but I believe using 'just' as an adverb here makes the sentence incomplete. It should go something like, "Just having a Ward . . . as an Affiliate would suffice." Again, I'm not certain on this.

You have an extra period.

The apostrophe should go before the 't'.

That period should be a comma.

That period should be a comma, though for a different reason than the previous ones.

Period --> Comma

Missing the word 'the' between the red words. The yellow word, while technically correct, hasn't been spelled that way since the 16th century.

Proper nouns should be capitalized.

Back to the period-comma issue.

Missing the word 'the' between the red words, again.

Missing period at the end of the sentence.

That word should be 'they'.

As for the content of the chapter, I enjoyed it very much, though I wish we got to see more Taylor.

I have no real comment on the fight scene, as it was well executed. I do, however, have a for all of the puns/taunts.

The segment that took place at Winslow was both funny and worrying at the same time. Funny, of course, because Taylor couldn't figure out that the unusual feeling she was getting was from pleasant social interactions, but worrying because Taylor couldn't figure out that the unusual feeling she was getting was from pleasant social interactions.

Getting to see things from Danny's perspective was nice (for a given meaning of the word). It's easy to see how his thought process is similar to Taylor's in that they both know where the weak points in their arguments are, but both choose to steadfastly ignore them in favor of they think and want.

And how about that ending? It's such a cruel place to leave us hanging, especially given the ambiguity of that final scene. I'm leaning towards believing that Taylor ran away/left the house because she foresaw Danny announcing that he had decided on signing her up no matter what, though there is still the distinct possibility that Coil learned from his earlier attempt and abducted her.

In any case, I eagerly await Arc 3!

Click to shrink...

Ooooh, I didn't consider that. Good point. Is Chibipoe setting us up to believe Danny signed and Taylor ran when it was really Coil?

 

[chibipoe]

And how about that ending? It's such a cruel place to leave us hanging, especially given the ambiguity of that final scene. I'm leaning towards believing that Taylor ran away/left the house because she foresaw Danny announcing that he had decided on signing her up no matter what, though there is still the distinct possibility that Coil learned from his earlier attempt and abducted her.

In any case, I eagerly await Arc 3!

Click to shrink...

First, thanks for corrections. Fixed.

Second, it kind of was. I'm evil like that sometimes. As to the definitive answer of what happened there. Well, you'll have to wait for arc 3.

However, before arc 3, we'll have an interlude and our first part of a side story because we're not done with someone.

 

[chibipoe]

Ooooh, I didn't consider that. Good point. Is Chibipoe setting us up to believe Danny signed and Taylor ran when it was really Coil?

Click to shrink...

Obviously not. It was clearly Dio all along.

 

[riaantheunissen]

Thank you for an excellent chapter. I find both Danny and Taylor's actions to be very in character for what you have written already and have to say it was more than worth the wait. (And yes, I do quickly check the story every day just for in case. And will continue to do so)

A few questions and comments

2.9
"I have stuff to do," I repeated. "I don't think anything good is going to come of us sitting at the table together right now. Unless you're willing to actually consider what I want and not making decisions for me."
--

Click to shrink...

Is the above in response to what Taylor saw with her precog in the last chapter just before she went home? That all the possible discussions with Danny that she checked would be fruitless?

2.9
"They can help, Taylor," he said. "People you can rely on. If you must go out, then they can be there with you if something happens. You have to give me more of a reason than I don't want to if you expect me to change my mind!"
"Help?" I repeated, frustration welling up. "Rely on? You want me to rely on people who went behind my back after I told them no? That went to you and-" I stopped, hiding my face behind my hand as I held myself back and breathed deep to try and cool my growing frustration.
He didn't say a thing, even as I ultimately got myself under control and continued. "You want me to trust them, after everything they did? They approached me before. Thought I was a parahuman, and came out and asked. I told them, I told them no. And they nodded and respected that. Or they pretended to. How can I trust them when they clearly don't respect me, and all they're thinking about is recruiting me for another body in the Wards?"
"That isn't what they're thinking, Taylor!" he protested. "I talked to them. They want to-"
"The Director told me as much!" I snapped, the plate wobbling as my grip faltered. "Just because you've bought into their pitch doesn't mean I don't see it for what it is! She told me straight to my face that is what they want! And surprisingly enough, she was more reasonable about it than you are!"
--

Click to shrink...

Thank you very much for the above. Taylor finally, finally gives Danny the reason (the main reason in my opinion) why she doesn't want to join the Wards. Because of how Armsmaster and Miss Militia acted she doesn't trust the Protectorate / PRT anymore. And then Danny ignores what she tells him and what he was a part of in favour of what he was told by somebody who wants him to sign her up as a Ward.

2.9
He sighed. There was just so little that he understood about her anymore and it felt like the divide widened further every day. It was like he looked away for a second and now his daughter was someone else entirely, aggressive and ever-ready to lash out rather than his quiet, withdrawn little girl. Someone defiant and angry with every spoken word. Someone he didn't know.
--

Click to shrink...

A question. In the original story Taylor was a bright chatterbox before her mother's death and was on her way back to being a chatterbox before the bullying started. Is this also true in Firebird or was she always quiet and withdrawn?

2.9
They would know what to do, he was sure. Then they could help him understand what was happening. Perhaps after the dust settled, he could hope that they would help build that bridge between them again. Be the middleman or translator in letting him get a grasp on how to understand his daughter. With luck, she might be herself again and not the angry person he saw now.
--

Click to shrink...

And here is the saddest part of the chapter for me. Danny wants the PRT / Protectorate to fix the relationship between himself and Taylor. Meaning he doesn't think he can or wants others to be responsible for it.

And again. Thank you.

 

[Formerly]

Obviously not. It was clearly Dio all along.

Click to shrink...

I was thinking about using that meme, but then I took an arrow to the knee.
Edit: Somebody make an Omake where Coil is Dio.

 

[Galeiam]

Must resist urge to write another Dio omake!!

 

[chibipoe]

Must resist urge to write another Dio omake!!

Click to shrink...

Do it.

 

[chibipoe]

Is the above in response to what Taylor saw with her precog in the last chapter just before she went home? That all the possible discussions with Danny that she checked would be fruitless?

Click to shrink...

Some of that, some of just frustration with her dad.

A question. In the original story Taylor was a bright chatterbox before her mother's death and was on her way back to being a chatterbox before the bullying started. Is this also true in Firebird or was she always quiet and withdrawn?

Click to shrink...

Danny... is completely out of touch.

And here is the saddest part of the chapter for me. Danny wants the PRT / Protectorate to fix the relationship between himself and Taylor. Meaning he doesn't think he can or wants others to be responsible for it.

And again. Thank you.

Click to shrink...

Welcome! And yeah, out of touch dad who doesn't know what to do.

 

[argent]

So now I also feel a little bad for Piggot cause she is screwed no matter what she does now. Considering how most fics make me hate her its a new feeling.

 

[Sasha]

First, thanks for corrections. Fixed.

Click to shrink...

Your welcome!

Second, it kind of was. I'm evil like that sometimes. As to the definitive answer of what happened there. Well, you'll have to wait for arc 3.

Click to shrink...

Can't wait.

However, before arc 3, we'll have an interlude and our first part of a side story because we're not done with someone.

Click to shrink...

Hmmm...

The obvious choices are Sophia and Emma, but I don't want to discount Amy, Boneyard, or Madison.

Or Armsmaster, now that I think about it. It's kind of hard to guess who will appear given that the perspective shifts between characters in the main story.

Obviously not. It was clearly Dio all along.

Click to shrink...

This is a Marvel crossover, so it was Doctor Doom/Loki/Thanos/etc.

Take your pick.

 

[Formerly]

Deadpool. Is it Deadpool?

 

[riaantheunissen]

And now for the question that I fully expect you to ignore. (Because it will probably be answered in a future chapter.) Can Danny actually cancel Taylor's Ward membership?

 

[Jerry Finch]

To point, I'm pretty sure Taylor bolted. Assuming Danny decided to force her into the Wards, I could easily see that as a complete betrayal from her point of view. Not to say I don't understand Danny's reasoning, but... forcing her into the Wards was the worst possible idea. The reason is, as it's been trod over multiple times, that Taylor values her freedoms over the safety the Wards offer, which is what Danny's focus is.

I doubt that it was a Coil abduction, since that would be too easy, if you catch my drift.

Ironic, though, that Taylor's short-term precognition is what shot her in the foot in the long term. Looking forwards and seeing there wasn't an immediate win for her made her not want to even try, which is what lead Danny down the road of believing she didn't have a good reason to dislike joining the Wards. Ultimately that lead him to the wrong conclusion, not realizing that this was literally the last straw for her. Truth be told, it's not surprising, because for all that Taylor is, mature and experienced she is not. She doesn't have the necessary long view to see how self-fulfilling a prophecy her precog became. Wants to talk? Precog tells her it doesn't make an immediate impact. Doesn't try. Later Danny tries to find reasons for Taylor's resistance, doesn't have any. Figures it's just her being a teen. Signs her up.

And so the shit rolls down hill.

It's not surprising that her freedom overrides her other priorities, because as you might recall, she had that taken away from her (mentions towards the locker incident). Being confined like that had to have had a profound psychological effect on her, and it doesn't surprise me that she would lash out, violently, when she thinks she's being confined, physically or just through contract clauses. And what's more, while she might well be more accepting of those rules and restrictions if she chose to join the Wards of her own volition, having it thrust upon her is too much like being shoved in that locker to her. Looking at it like that, it doesn't surprise me how hard she pushed back, nor how resistant and unreasonable she was about the whole thing.

Just a thought.

 

[chibipoe]

And now for the question that I fully expect you to ignore. (Because it will probably be answered in a future chapter.) Can Danny actually cancel Taylor's Ward membership?

Click to shrink...

Well, you see, that's a complicated question... If [deleted] happens, then maybe [deleted] could be done... but then there is [deleted] to consider.... so I guess the answer is.... [error]

We're sorry, the management has redacted this message to avoid the disclosure of information in advance. Please move along, citizen.

 

[Galeiam]

Was getting ready to write omake about Coil actually being Dio and not Calvert...

But then I started thinking about all the poses and bishie sparkles...

What followed was 5 minutes spent praying to the Porcelain Throne.

I think imma lay off any Dio references for awhile...

 

[TheDivineDemon]

PRT/Danny Conversation:
"And you're sure about this?"

"Yes, I just want my daughter to be safe."

"Okay, I get that, but is she actually going to work with us? Because we've had a few situations like this before and a lot of the time it didn't end out so well."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if people ask you didn't hear it from me, but a good chunk of the kids singed up against their will end up in juvie. Some are just insubordinate, not going on scheduled patrols or events and instead going on the beat whenever they please. It gets worse when they don't listen to the field leader because they hate them. Others runaway or outright go villain, one kid ran away from the New York Wards and set up shop in the upstate. He injured two Protectorate Members before they took the gloves off, from what I head it wasn't pretty. Sure some of them come around but not all of them. Frankly they hate our's and their parent's guts.

I can't even begin to tell you about what some of these kids do once they turn 18 as they give us the middle finger and walk out. To be completely honest its a headache they we REALLY don't like dealing with and try to avoid. So I'd like to ask again, you're sure your daughter is okay with this? We are honestly fine with her being affiliated until she's ready."

"... No... No Its better this way. Even if she hates my guts and yours I'll at least know she's safe for a few years."

".... Well, okay then." The man said inwardly sighing as the Director's plan failed.

 

[GiftOfLove]

To be fair to Danny, the Wards, at least in other cities, are legitimately there for training. I recall in canon that many of them were surprised to hear about how often Brockton Wards were sent into the field. They usually only get an incident every couple of months.

The Wards advertise themselves as a program that trains parahumans to use their powers. Not as an outlet to fight crime. I'm honestly very surprised that the paperwork includes coming to anyone's aid at all.

 

[riaantheunissen]

I think Danny doesn't think Taylor needs to be controlled. He likely thinks that after a few weeks Taylor is going to love being a Ward. He seems to think that she's just being stubborn about not joining. As far as he knows she made her mind up without really thinking it over and if she just gave it a chance she'd be fine with it.

Click to shrink...

Sorry, I didn't spot anything like that. After all, Danny considers the possibility that she wouldn't forgive him for signing her up as a Ward and that isn't something that a person would consider likely if they believe that she would love being a Ward.

What I find most odd is what Taylor focuses on when thinking about the Wards. Her biggest issue seems to be the lack of control over how she fights and what she wears. It feels really petty.

Click to shrink...

Have to disagree. Her biggest issue is the fact that she can't trust or rely on them. The lack of control over her name and costume are only some of the things she notes or considers while going through the contracts, not the reason she doesn't want to join them. (She also considers the bounty for illegal items, fines and penalties and ways the contracts can be used against her.)