AN: I swear this story usually flows better. Sorry, for the delay. If I'm being perfectly honest my mind is on my Star Wars story. I don't even want to think about rewrites so Archer is just sort of in limbo in my mind, but Using the Force Made Easy is just…. So easy to get stuck on right now. Butterfly storms are like drugs for my imagination. I had other ideas for what could or should happen in this update. Different ways the conversation could have played out, details I could have added… None of them seemed to come together though. It just… I don't know. This fic could be dragged out so much longer and maybe I'll find my enthusiasm for it. Hell if I know. Weirder things have happened in my writing.
But I'm also starting to look at the end game. What has to happen, what should happen, what can I just skim over. Three fics is starting to feel like two too many if I'm honest. I miss being able to focus on something more completely. Even as I say that I don't know that I could ever really limit myself to just one fic when I have ideas still unwritten. Never mind that it's nice to be able to switch gears when writers block rears its ugly head. Screw it, don't worry too much about my rambling. Enjoy the update folks. Sorry it's short.
{}{}{}{} Taylor
Making a solid flying carpet to ferry the wounded back to the aid station wasn't nearly as strenuous as trying to saw through Leviathan's leg. But it wasn't exactly easy either. Solid projections took more energy the simple visual projections, and that was already more intensive than just messing with someone's senses directly.
Making it ignore gravity without using the purple or red flames to mitigate the cost was just exasperating things.
Setting down three more injured capes I took a second to assess just how much energy I had left to play with. Not much, probably not even enough for another run.
Ditching my armband, I let my projected body settle into incorporeality. There wasn't much else I could do right now. And cell towers were likely down so my real body couldn't phone Dad yet… though when the broad strokes of the attack leaked, he would likely hear about what I pulled and probably realize I was fine.
The shelters wouldn't be opening just yet either. Not until the PRT had a chance to give things at least a cursory look for bodies, tinker tech, and whatever else they might be worried about.
… I hated not having anything to do. Standing around feeling useless sucked.
Hearing a trio of light thumps behind me I silently cursed myself for tempting murphy on a day that was already such a shitshow. Turning on my heel I was unsurprised to see Alexandria, Legend, and Eidolon. Given what I'd just done I suppose it was to be expected. Didn't mean I actually wanted to deal with them. A black cat with indigo eyes formed under the edge of my cloak before leaping into my arms where I absently began to stroke its fur to it's obvious delight. The quiet rumble of it's purring the only sound in the street. Watching Legend's mouth twitch into a grin even as Alexandria's lips pursed was an absolute joy.
"Morganna," Alexandria spoke with a kind of strained intensity, "we need to talk."
"We really don't, but if you feel the need? Far be it from me to stop you. Say what you will."
I desperately buried any and all impulses to show respect or fear. I couldn't afford to show anything but confidence. The cat illusion rolled in my arms proffering its belly for me to scratch before idly swiping at my hand with its little paws. Maybe I should get a real cat? They were adorable. And vicious. I liked vicious.
The Woman's pursed lips morphed into a full blown scowl. Which was when Legend stepped forward.
"Before anything else, thank you for joining the fight today. That was quite the move you pulled, taking off his leg."
"And we are hoping we can count on you to do it again." Alexandria cut back in.
"... I'm flattered, but frankly I doubt that would be a good idea." I answered while prompting the cat into the shadow of my robe where it vanished.
"I don't think I could make that work against Behemoth. And I doubt Ziz would care. Beyond that… I came to this fight as a projection and I was still too close for my tastes. Honestly getting near Ziz would be ridiculously dangerous for anyone else if she got her hooks into me."
Alexandria scoffed.
"That, thing, getting control of any cape is dangerous."
I shrugged. I wasn't in the mood to argue or point out just how much more dangerous I was compared to the average cape in terms of direct and indirect threats. My illusions alone would be the stuff of nightmares if I were more vicious and indiscriminate in their use.
"Still not interested in risking my life for battles that will only ever delay the inevitable."
"That is the other topic we need to discuss." Eidolon finally joined the conversation. "Freedom of speech does not extend to people shouting fire in a movie theater."
I snorted and flexed my power causing my form to ripple as if consumed by indigo fire before returning to stability,
"Unless the theater is in fact on fire." I countered with a smirk. "Anyone who stops to sniff the air can already smell the smoke, even if the flames aren't visible yet."
"And where exactly do you plan to run to, if you are right and the whole of the world is on fire?" Alexandria's voice was full of scorn. Not admitting anything just humoring me.
"Well, Professor Haywire's research certainly provides a clue. Wouldn't you agree?"
"No one has managed a stable portal to an alt earth." Legend countered neutrally.
"Not yet."
And if they never did, I'd just have to settle for a smaller community, hidden away somewhere far from any civilization. An uninhabited island. The middle of a forest. Some valley tucked away at the base of a mountain. The location would determine the number of people I could bring. An alternate Earth was just the best possible outcome. And while I wouldn't place any bets on Coil, I knew the man had contacts I could prod for ideas, and I was certain Lisa was thinking about it in her free time. Even ignoring that, making noise would help get the word out and set others to thinking on the issue as well.
"Still, powers are a historically recent development, and we've got a decade or two in which to figure things out yet."
"Enough word games." Alexandria slashed an arm across her torso. "You will stop suggesting to people that the collapse of society is imminent or you will find yourself a much higher priority of the Protectorate."
My little smile disappeared and I rallied my waning flames. A brief pulse and there were three of me standing equidistant around the three heroes. Silently we began to circle them.
"You know, I am growing ever so very tired of the threats of petty tyrants." All three bristled at that label. "I know I'm not invincible." I gestured to the scar across my eyes. "But the last group to make that particular play are all dead." I reached out with my flames and let them sink into the hero's, snaring them under my control. The city around us started to fade from their sight. And I slipped in a minor suggestion that would prevent them from speaking.
"I just maimed an Endbringer, and that was simply the most straightforward application of my abilities." To their senses we now stood in an infinite white void. "I'm not even here, and you all are at my mercy because you ignored my more subtle abilities." Now I was more than three to their senses. I was a multitude, multiplying endlessly, and from under every hood came the glow of indigo eyes. The heroes' heads swiveled left to right unwilling to take their eyes off of any of me.
"The Empire murdered us, and you did nothing. Lung came and burned whole blocks, and you did nothing. Bakuda threatened to blow the whole city into the stratosphere, and you. Did. Nothing. Now I am here, and suddenly that's one insult too far? Because I rock the boat? No. Let us be honest. I worry you, because I am right."
In a moment there was once more only one of me. Black feathers floated to the ground where all the others had been.
"It's too late to change your policies now. Come after me and all you'll manage to do is make it obvious that you want to silence the truth. So you'll do what you have been doing, nothing. I never saw the golden age of heroes. I don't have any hope that we can kill the Endbringers. Or even that this world can be saved. You can't even keep the villains in check here, never mind the rest of the world. So, you go right on playing your game of trying to tape the world back together again. And I'll prepare for when you inevitably fail. And when you do, I'll do my best to ensure something survives."
I still had a bit of flame left to work with… But it wasn't much, and I didn't want to listen to anything they might have to say. I released them from my illusion and let the flames disperse, bringing the entirety of my attention back to my physical body in the Endbringer shelter.
I idly patted Rain's shoulder to let him know I was back with him fully and leaned against the wall to wait. Soon we would be out of here. We would have to check our base. But tomorrow… Tomorrow was going to be busy. Ghoulish as it might be some of my enemies were doubtless dead. And that was an opportunity I could ill afford to ignore.
Now if only I could convince myself I'd sold that bluff. I might be able to make it hurt, but actually stopping those three, or whoever they could put on my tail? They had a whole country to draw from. Someone out there had to be a hard counter to me. Failing that they might just be able to bury me in bodies. I had things to do, and I really couldn't afford to be looking over my shoulder every step of the way.
{}{}{}{} Legend
"That could have gone better." I muttered as reality faded back into focus.
"Cocky, brat." Eidolon muttered.
He was doing his best to hide it, but I'd known him too long. That last display had unnerved him just as much as it had unnerved me. She hadn't been wrong either. A threat at the tail end of a truce period had not been the way to address her and she'd caught all of us off guard. In a real fight we wouldn't have just stood there and given her time to do whatever she'd done, but how much time did she need? How close would she have to get? That had been an obvious illusion. How subtle could she make them? Could she direct us like artillery? Point us at our own allies?
"Threatening her probably didn't help anything." I suggested with a pointed look.
The women to whom I directed that look glared back mulishly before nodding with a sigh.
"She has a point. The idea has already spread to other villains and the Protectorate. Likely a few civilians and members of the PRT as well. Stopping her wouldn't stop the spread and people would likely realize why she was such a priority.
"It's a miracle it hasn't happened sooner." I offered.
"It has happened before." She countered with a dismissive swipe of her hand. "But every time before this… We had time to bury the information. To discredit the source. Something. She managed to blindside us."
"Contessa can't map her?" Eidolon's question was sharp.
"She can. But not perfectly. The girl is… clouded. The best she can manage long term is a general direction for her actions. And Morganna had to be brought to her attention first. Not impossible like the others, just fuzzy."
Eidolon grunted. Something vaguely angry and looked away.
"... Have we considered just giving her what she wants?" Seeing their heads snap to look at me when I asked that question actually pulled a grin out of my tired mind and body. "Let her pull together whatever funds and supplies she can find enough people willing to start over and just send them on their way. We could do it easily enough. And if whatever makes her hard for Contessa to find could be strengthened, expanded…" I shrugged. "A colony hidden from sight might not be a terrible idea."
I couldn't see through Eidolon's mask but Alexandria at least seemed to be thinking about it.
"...Maybe." She admitted. "Something to discuss at the next meeting at least."
I nodded absently then lifted off. There was more to do before I could head home. And the sooner I saw to it the sooner I could be on my way.
