This has been quite a labor of love. Blending two settings together as seamlessly as possible...
Hymn of Harmony (Worm/Ar Tonelico Crossover Alt Trigger Taylor) (Complete)
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This has been quite a labor of love. Blending two settings together as seamlessly as possible isn't easy. I'm bringing this over from Space Battles to share with another audience as well. The two threads will be updated together.
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First Arc 1.1
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Disclaimer: I do not own Worm or Ar Tonelico. They are the property of their respective creators.
Author's Note: I hope all of you will excuse me if I don't retread the exact same trigger event from canon. This story will take off just after it happened.
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
First Arc 1.1
I must be dreaming. That's the only reasonable conclusion. I must be dreaming. There is music here. The melody isn't one I recognize, but I feel like I should know this. The song is nostalgic. My head is resting on what feels like someone's lap. There is peace here. Tranquility. Safety. Words that I thought didn't apply to me anymore. It feels like my cares are floating away. However, like every good thing in my life, it comes to an end.
"That is such a pessimistic view." That surprises me. The voice must belong to the person who I'm using for a lap pillow. Her voice is soft with a faint hint of fond amusement. I try to speak, but a finger is placed on my lips.
"The time will come when you open your eyes. For now, however, just continue to feel. You will awaken in your own time. We will speak more then." My eyes won't open. It feels like they're being held closed by immovable weights. I feel lips lightly press on my forehead like a mother kisses a child. The feeling is so painful and nostalgic that I almost cry, but the voice soothes me and comforts me.
-January 9, 2011-
My eyes slowly open. The scene that greets me is one of white walls, white ceiling, and a faint beeping. It doesn't take a great leap in logic to see that I'm in a hospital.
"Hmmm?" Something else is here. The faint sound of music fills the air. A peaceful sound, restful, with violin and flute accompaniment. Whoever heard of a hospital with a soundtrack? The music shifts as the door opens to admit a nurse. The sound that accompanies her is the lute I heard.
"Oh! You're awake." The nurse says with a pretty smile. I smile back shyly and nod. I try to speak, but only a weak croak emerges.
"Here..." She hands me a glass of water that I drink down greedily. Once my throat feels better I try again.
"How long have I been out?" My voice sounds strange. I know the sound of my own voice, but it feels like someone else speaking. A soft alto greets my ears, but if the nurse notices my surprise she doesn't show it.
"You were brought in over a week ago. Is there anything I can get you?" I shake my head no. The nurse smiles at me again before quietly slipping from the room. The sound of the lute fading into the distance, but still heard in the song. The violin tempo has also picked up and receded a few times while I spoke to the nurse.
Now I'm sure of something. The coincidences are too great to ignore. Unfortunately I need one more test before I can say for sure.
"Okay, what do I know?" There it is again. That alto in my voice. I shake my head suddenly to dispel the distracting thoughts. My voice has changed that's for sure. I'm hearing music and I'm pretty sure that the hospital doesn't pump in music for the patients, but I can't be sure. The nurse was followed around by her own music. I'm also fairly confident that they wouldn't hire a lute player to follow their nurses around.
The violin is growing stronger as the door opens to admit the doctor. My eyebrows shoot up as that is my final confirmation. I'm not even sure of what we talked about as my distraction grows. The door shuts behind him and I promise myself that I'll apologize for ignoring him, but my belief has been confirmed.
I'm a cape. That thought makes me feel giddy. Ever since I was a little girl I've wanted to be like Alexandria and help save the world. Who hasn't wanted to be a hero? Unfortunately another thought makes itself known. What kind of a lame power did I get? My world is full of music. A soundtrack to my life. I can "hear" people as musical instruments in the melody. I can't think of how this could possibly be a useful power.
"It could be worse." I surprise myself by not sounding defeatist. There are probably worse powers out there, but at least mine comes with it's own catchy beat.
Where did that oboe come from? It sounds so mournful and sad that I want to cry. Why do I want to cry? Why does it feel so familiar? My answers come when the door opens and in steps my father. Daniel Hebert has not had an easy life. He hadn't recovered from mom dying in that car crash and it's only grown worse. However, when he sees me, the mournful oboe takes a more upbeat tone that lifts my spirits.
"Hey Dad." I say with a smile that perks up the music more. He crosses the room in two steps and wraps his arms around me in a warm hug that erases the distance that's grown between us. After mom left us we had grown apart. Unable to relate to one another we were strangers sharing living space.
"Oh Taylor..." He's choked up and starting to cry. I'm crying too as the rift closes. The oboe is joined by a flute that I realize is me. A two part harmony.
"What happened to you?" The look of worry on his face almost has me try to keep it a secret. Almost. The feeling of our harmony refuses to leave me. I exhale slowly before starting to talk. I tell him everything. The campaign of bullying that has been going on for almost two years. How my best friend had betrayed me. The words just won't stop coming, but I feel comforted by the melody. However, the tempo of the oboe has picked up into a vaguely threatening tone. Like a dark foreboding.
"This won't continue. I won't allow it." He shakes his head angrily, "We'll get justice for this. If they want to try and push this under the table I can go to the media." I rest my hand on his forearm.
"Calm down, okay? I'll take your lead. I've been keeping a record of everything. The dates, the times, even the people who saw it happen. I also have the emails all printed out. That should work, right?" I say with a smile. I'm not worried. I'm actually not worried. Where is all this confidence coming from? Whatever, it's useful, why question it?
"Okay, Little Owl, I will." His smile is genuine, but there is a note of confusion in his eyes, "Though when I asked what happened to you...I meant..." He gestures helplessly at me as if unsure what to say. Well that was vague and confusing.
"What do you mean?" Okay maybe he's asking about the change of voice. I didn't have a terrible voice before, but now it's more like a singer's voice. Like I've been trained.
"Well...it's just...you've changed somehow." He points to the bathroom, "Why don't you look in the mirror?" Again that note of confusion. Was I scarred? Disfigured? I slip out of bed (when did my feet ever look that good?) and head to the bathroom (My sense of balance is amazing!) to look in the mirror.
I barely recognize the person staring back at me. Oh, I know that it's me, my face didn't change too much. My mouth is still too wide, but my lips used to be too thin. Now they actually fit. My blemishes are gone, replaced by smooth skin. I shut the bathroom door and start checking myself over. I've always been painfully skinny. So skinny that without my curly brown hair I would have looked like a boy. With a pouch on my stomach that according to my usual tormentors said made me look like an upright frog.
The fat around my middle was gone. Well, maybe not gone so much as redistributed, I think. The biggest change I'm noticing is that I seem to have curves now. Nothing too extreme, but no one could mistake me for a boy now.
My powers gave me a super makeover. I can hear music from all around me, I have the voice of an angel, and I'm actually pretty now. Maybe my life is starting to look up.
I was stuck in the hospital another week. I wanted to wait until I got home to tell my dad that I might be a cape. It wasn't like I would be throwing myself into danger. What would I do? Be pretty and sing at them? When I had that thought it almost felt like that wouldn't be a ridiculous idea. Weird. The doctors wanted to keep me for observation. They didn't know that my body had changed.
While I was waiting to be released, Dad got a hold of the attorney that works with the Dockworker's Association to see if he could help. It was Monday when they came by to speak with me. My dad had brought along my bullying journal. My first impression of the lawyer was that of a cheerful string instrument. I couldn't identify it at first, but it put me at ease.
Different people had different instrumental accompaniment. If they were happy people the tune was cheerful. If they were unhappy it sounded sad. I could actually tell someone's mood and general personality by how the music was played. His appearance wouldn't have filled someone with confidence in his altruism. He moved with a sort of strange precision. Everything had to be just so, but his smile wasn't false.
"Hello Taylor. My name is Michael Brown and I work with your father." He shakes my hand firmly and I respond in kind. You can tell a lot about a person by their handshake which is something my dad taught me.
"Hello, Mr. Brown." I say a bit shyly. This whole pleasant adult thing is still new to me. I know the nurses have to be pleasant, and my Dad doesn't count, but a stranger is a different story. Another thing I can lay at the feet of an uncaring school and faculty.
"Please, call me Michael, we're going to be working together right?" He has a merry twinkle in his eye as he says it, but sobers as he gets down to business. He takes a seat on one of the chairs while my dad sits on the other bed. Michael pulls out my journal with an air of distaste as if he finds just touching it repugnant.
"According to Michael it looks like our chances of getting the school to pay for your medical expenses are good. Isn't that wonderful?" Dad asks with a grin and I grin back. That does sound good.
"We might even be able to force a few concessions out of them. Unfortunately, this journal isn't enough to get anyone in legal trouble, but it is enough for a civil suit. The burden of proof is lower in civil court so I can see you winning this one." Michael sounds so sure that I let myself believe this is happening.
"What sort of concessions?" I manage to ask through my growing excitement. My dad is holding my hand, as relieved to hear this as I am.
"We can in fact get a no contact order. They wouldn't be able to speak to you or communicate with you in any way. I have already filed for a temporary one. Those do not require a hearing and will be granted because of the heinous nature of what happened to you. We can push for an actual investigation, which we should, but they are right. No one is coming forward as a witness." He says apologetically. I shake my head.
"That's fine. That's better than fine. What else?" He looks to my father and then back to me.
"This next part might not be as popular. You will have to go back to Winslow. They are under no obligation to grant a transfer to another school or pay for you to go to Arcadia. What we can do, however, is put pressure on the school board to increase oversight. The school board will want this to go away. We let them have their victory, but force them to punish the teachers that haven't been doing their jobs. You won't be very popular, but we can make them act like professionals."
This all sounds so good that I'm almost expecting to wake up and find that this is a dream. Anytime something good happens it's usually followed by three bad. I can't catch a break. According to Michael I might actually be doing just that. I look at my dad and he looks so confident that I choose to believe.
"This is all dependent on what you want. Most likely this is the best we will be able to get. We can make the school pay for damages, the medical bills, and for your suffering. Your dad wanted you to know and be able to add your input." He smiles reassuringly at me. I take a moment to think only to realize I'd already made up my mind.
"I just want this to go away. We'll go with your plan." I want the Trio punished, but I know that isn't happening. If Michael is right their free reign might just be over. He lets himself out to begin filing the paperwork and my dad stands up to follow him.
"Wait..." I speak up. Dad turns to looks at me curiously. "I need to talk to you about something." He nods slowly before telling Michael to wait.
"I'll be along shortly." The other man nods before my dad shuts the door. "What is it kiddo?" Now that the moment is here it's hard, but I have to tell him. We only just got our closeness back. I won't keep this from him.
"Dad...I...I think I'm a cape..." I manage to get out nervously. He cross the room and hugs me. What he says next takes me by surprise, "I kind of guessed." I push back with a startled look that causes him to laugh.
"Taylor...the kind of changes you've gone through are a little hard to ignore. The doctors haven't commented since apparently you looked like this when they brought you in, but I'm your father. I'm not that unobservant." He says with a wry smile. I swat him on the shoulder, but it feels good to hear. He hadn't been ignoring me. The distance may have been there, but he was always my father.
"I've been hearing music. Like the hospital has it's own background music, but the people are like instruments. I've even been able to tell who is nice and who isn't by the tone." I manage to get out in a rush of excitement that has my dad laughing again.
"That actually sounds useful. Being able to tell someone's intent like that? It sounds like...whaddyacallit...a Thinker power...?" He's a bit unsure, but I nod. He might have been into capes when he was younger, but he didn't really pay attention to the classifications. Though that does make sense. I have a Thinker power. I actually beam happily because my dad says it's useful.
"Maybe I should get tested. Who knows? The PRT might think it's useful. I always wanted to be a hero and this could be my chance." My words are almost tripping over themselves as my excitement overcomes me.
"I don't see why not." There is an undertone of nervousness in his acceptance, but he actually looks relieved. The life of an independent cape is not good. A Thinker is almost as high a demand as a Tinker. Someone that can get information the way that I can would be an asset. I preen a bit and make my dad smile.
"We'll have it scheduled once you're no longer under doctor's care." He promises me. We say our goodbyes before he heads out. I start to collect my thoughts using the plain yellow notebook the hospital provided me. Keeping a record of my powers. The code I've worked out to keep my notes secure is something that came to me after my powers came. I can read it, but to anyone else it looks like another language. I think I'll call my code Hymmnos. That feels right.
The next few days pass in a flurry of tests and making sure that my muscles haven't atrophied. The physical therapist has commented on my amazing sense of balance enough to give me a swelled head. He suggested that I go out for gymnastics or dance given my inherent grace. Graceful. One of the most underrated of things is natural grace. It's not a particularly glamorous power, but when I can perform a split into a handstand into a walkover without falling it suddenly becomes much more important.
I also have excellent wind. My respiration is impressive according to the therapist. I just know how to breathe properly which had him asking if I took martial arts or was already in a dance program. When I told him that I wasn't in anything like that, but might be interested in self defense, he recommended Capoeira.
I'm back in my room on the fourth day after my awakening. I'll be discharged on Friday. Just two more days and I'm free. Free to start my plans. Free to go home.
"This confinement is getting to me..." I mumble in embarrassment as sometime during my internal monologue I started gesticulating wildly. With my dad coming into the room to see that. He looks exhausted and annoyed, but my strange behavior just now put a smile back on his face. Score one for being a spazz.
"Hey kiddo." He says as he sits down on the chair.
"Hey Daddy-o." I say in a cheeky tone that gets a chuckle out of him. "How goes the crusade?" He exhales loudly and stares up at the ceiling. I can tell by his musical presence that he's actually in fair spirits. Not ecstatic, but also not totally unhappy.
"The bad news first. Alan Barnes chose to represent the school. I wanted to wring his neck, but Michael helped me keep my calm." He continues to stare at the ceiling as he speaks.
"It was every bit as bad as you made it out to be and then some. We followed our script and so did they." I nod. It was what we were expecting.
"The school tried to deny any wrongdoing, but that was when your journal came in handy. Someone apparently forgot to tell Ms. Blackwell that when school computers are used for bullying it becomes the school's problem." Now he looks at me with the same sort of grin that crossed my face.
"Apparently they weren't expecting us to actually have evidence. Michael painted a picture of gross negligence, professional misconduct, and incompetence. Now we reach the good news. They agreed to settle all of this out of court." We continue to talk about what happened. My journal did the trick. They couldn't sweep the problem under the rug with actual proof. The only problem we saw was Dad's temper. If he had lost it then nothing would have been done. As it is the hospital bills are being paid, my destroyed belongings are being compensated, and we actually received money for my suffering.
My dad had to sign an NDA in order for the settlement to go through, but that wasn't a problem. Our immediate problem was money. I notice my dad is looking me over appraisingly.
"Well it's a good thing that we have that money coming. You're going to need new clothes." He states matter-of-factly. I blink at the apparent non sequitor.
"What do you mean?" I looked down at myself not seeing what he means...oh. Boobs. I keep forgetting the larger globs of flesh stuck to my chest. I'm not built like Emma, but there is no way to mistake me for a boy.
"Well my old clothes should fit just fine..." I start to say, but dad shakes his head.
"I got an advance on the settlement. When you come home you can go to the Boardwalk and pick some things up for yourself." He says in a tone that brooks no disagreement. I nod meekly. This having money thing might take some getting used to after all. We're not poor by any means, but we're not exactly comfortable either.
Friday rolls around and my dad brings me home. He has to go back to work with all the time that he took off, but I'm okay with that. I want to just sit around the house for today and push the thought of heading shopping off until tomorrow. My shirt is baggy, but my jeans feel tight in places and loose in others. My bra doesn't fit either. Not comfortably anyway. I think I see the problem.
The music of the house appears to be a warm piano piece with the faint strains of a viola and a light flute. The light flute appears to be coming from the family pictures. I pick up the family picture. We look so happy in this one. The three of us together in the backyard. It looks like we were just having a good time.
"So there you are, Mom..." I murmur softly as I trace her image with my finger. The music I'm hearing seems to be drawing me around the house. Each memory I find evokes another part of the orchestral piece. I spent the entire day just lost in the memories of times gone by, but it also gave me an idea. Things that have a strong emotional importance have a melody of their own. I wasn't sure if just something someone was wearing might, but if that was the case I could be a detective or something.
"Bullshit Thinkers." I can't help the smirk that curls my lips. I have a plan, a goal, and a destination. Now where was that lasagna recipe?
Author's Note: I hope all of you will excuse me if I don't retread the exact same trigger event from canon. This story will take off just after it happened.
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
First Arc 1.1
I must be dreaming. That's the only reasonable conclusion. I must be dreaming. There is music here. The melody isn't one I recognize, but I feel like I should know this. The song is nostalgic. My head is resting on what feels like someone's lap. There is peace here. Tranquility. Safety. Words that I thought didn't apply to me anymore. It feels like my cares are floating away. However, like every good thing in my life, it comes to an end.
"That is such a pessimistic view." That surprises me. The voice must belong to the person who I'm using for a lap pillow. Her voice is soft with a faint hint of fond amusement. I try to speak, but a finger is placed on my lips.
"The time will come when you open your eyes. For now, however, just continue to feel. You will awaken in your own time. We will speak more then." My eyes won't open. It feels like they're being held closed by immovable weights. I feel lips lightly press on my forehead like a mother kisses a child. The feeling is so painful and nostalgic that I almost cry, but the voice soothes me and comforts me.
-January 9, 2011-
My eyes slowly open. The scene that greets me is one of white walls, white ceiling, and a faint beeping. It doesn't take a great leap in logic to see that I'm in a hospital.
"Hmmm?" Something else is here. The faint sound of music fills the air. A peaceful sound, restful, with violin and flute accompaniment. Whoever heard of a hospital with a soundtrack? The music shifts as the door opens to admit a nurse. The sound that accompanies her is the lute I heard.
"Oh! You're awake." The nurse says with a pretty smile. I smile back shyly and nod. I try to speak, but only a weak croak emerges.
"Here..." She hands me a glass of water that I drink down greedily. Once my throat feels better I try again.
"How long have I been out?" My voice sounds strange. I know the sound of my own voice, but it feels like someone else speaking. A soft alto greets my ears, but if the nurse notices my surprise she doesn't show it.
"You were brought in over a week ago. Is there anything I can get you?" I shake my head no. The nurse smiles at me again before quietly slipping from the room. The sound of the lute fading into the distance, but still heard in the song. The violin tempo has also picked up and receded a few times while I spoke to the nurse.
Now I'm sure of something. The coincidences are too great to ignore. Unfortunately I need one more test before I can say for sure.
"Okay, what do I know?" There it is again. That alto in my voice. I shake my head suddenly to dispel the distracting thoughts. My voice has changed that's for sure. I'm hearing music and I'm pretty sure that the hospital doesn't pump in music for the patients, but I can't be sure. The nurse was followed around by her own music. I'm also fairly confident that they wouldn't hire a lute player to follow their nurses around.
The violin is growing stronger as the door opens to admit the doctor. My eyebrows shoot up as that is my final confirmation. I'm not even sure of what we talked about as my distraction grows. The door shuts behind him and I promise myself that I'll apologize for ignoring him, but my belief has been confirmed.
I'm a cape. That thought makes me feel giddy. Ever since I was a little girl I've wanted to be like Alexandria and help save the world. Who hasn't wanted to be a hero? Unfortunately another thought makes itself known. What kind of a lame power did I get? My world is full of music. A soundtrack to my life. I can "hear" people as musical instruments in the melody. I can't think of how this could possibly be a useful power.
"It could be worse." I surprise myself by not sounding defeatist. There are probably worse powers out there, but at least mine comes with it's own catchy beat.
Where did that oboe come from? It sounds so mournful and sad that I want to cry. Why do I want to cry? Why does it feel so familiar? My answers come when the door opens and in steps my father. Daniel Hebert has not had an easy life. He hadn't recovered from mom dying in that car crash and it's only grown worse. However, when he sees me, the mournful oboe takes a more upbeat tone that lifts my spirits.
"Hey Dad." I say with a smile that perks up the music more. He crosses the room in two steps and wraps his arms around me in a warm hug that erases the distance that's grown between us. After mom left us we had grown apart. Unable to relate to one another we were strangers sharing living space.
"Oh Taylor..." He's choked up and starting to cry. I'm crying too as the rift closes. The oboe is joined by a flute that I realize is me. A two part harmony.
"What happened to you?" The look of worry on his face almost has me try to keep it a secret. Almost. The feeling of our harmony refuses to leave me. I exhale slowly before starting to talk. I tell him everything. The campaign of bullying that has been going on for almost two years. How my best friend had betrayed me. The words just won't stop coming, but I feel comforted by the melody. However, the tempo of the oboe has picked up into a vaguely threatening tone. Like a dark foreboding.
"This won't continue. I won't allow it." He shakes his head angrily, "We'll get justice for this. If they want to try and push this under the table I can go to the media." I rest my hand on his forearm.
"Calm down, okay? I'll take your lead. I've been keeping a record of everything. The dates, the times, even the people who saw it happen. I also have the emails all printed out. That should work, right?" I say with a smile. I'm not worried. I'm actually not worried. Where is all this confidence coming from? Whatever, it's useful, why question it?
"Okay, Little Owl, I will." His smile is genuine, but there is a note of confusion in his eyes, "Though when I asked what happened to you...I meant..." He gestures helplessly at me as if unsure what to say. Well that was vague and confusing.
"What do you mean?" Okay maybe he's asking about the change of voice. I didn't have a terrible voice before, but now it's more like a singer's voice. Like I've been trained.
"Well...it's just...you've changed somehow." He points to the bathroom, "Why don't you look in the mirror?" Again that note of confusion. Was I scarred? Disfigured? I slip out of bed (when did my feet ever look that good?) and head to the bathroom (My sense of balance is amazing!) to look in the mirror.
I barely recognize the person staring back at me. Oh, I know that it's me, my face didn't change too much. My mouth is still too wide, but my lips used to be too thin. Now they actually fit. My blemishes are gone, replaced by smooth skin. I shut the bathroom door and start checking myself over. I've always been painfully skinny. So skinny that without my curly brown hair I would have looked like a boy. With a pouch on my stomach that according to my usual tormentors said made me look like an upright frog.
The fat around my middle was gone. Well, maybe not gone so much as redistributed, I think. The biggest change I'm noticing is that I seem to have curves now. Nothing too extreme, but no one could mistake me for a boy now.
My powers gave me a super makeover. I can hear music from all around me, I have the voice of an angel, and I'm actually pretty now. Maybe my life is starting to look up.
I was stuck in the hospital another week. I wanted to wait until I got home to tell my dad that I might be a cape. It wasn't like I would be throwing myself into danger. What would I do? Be pretty and sing at them? When I had that thought it almost felt like that wouldn't be a ridiculous idea. Weird. The doctors wanted to keep me for observation. They didn't know that my body had changed.
While I was waiting to be released, Dad got a hold of the attorney that works with the Dockworker's Association to see if he could help. It was Monday when they came by to speak with me. My dad had brought along my bullying journal. My first impression of the lawyer was that of a cheerful string instrument. I couldn't identify it at first, but it put me at ease.
Different people had different instrumental accompaniment. If they were happy people the tune was cheerful. If they were unhappy it sounded sad. I could actually tell someone's mood and general personality by how the music was played. His appearance wouldn't have filled someone with confidence in his altruism. He moved with a sort of strange precision. Everything had to be just so, but his smile wasn't false.
"Hello Taylor. My name is Michael Brown and I work with your father." He shakes my hand firmly and I respond in kind. You can tell a lot about a person by their handshake which is something my dad taught me.
"Hello, Mr. Brown." I say a bit shyly. This whole pleasant adult thing is still new to me. I know the nurses have to be pleasant, and my Dad doesn't count, but a stranger is a different story. Another thing I can lay at the feet of an uncaring school and faculty.
"Please, call me Michael, we're going to be working together right?" He has a merry twinkle in his eye as he says it, but sobers as he gets down to business. He takes a seat on one of the chairs while my dad sits on the other bed. Michael pulls out my journal with an air of distaste as if he finds just touching it repugnant.
"According to Michael it looks like our chances of getting the school to pay for your medical expenses are good. Isn't that wonderful?" Dad asks with a grin and I grin back. That does sound good.
"We might even be able to force a few concessions out of them. Unfortunately, this journal isn't enough to get anyone in legal trouble, but it is enough for a civil suit. The burden of proof is lower in civil court so I can see you winning this one." Michael sounds so sure that I let myself believe this is happening.
"What sort of concessions?" I manage to ask through my growing excitement. My dad is holding my hand, as relieved to hear this as I am.
"We can in fact get a no contact order. They wouldn't be able to speak to you or communicate with you in any way. I have already filed for a temporary one. Those do not require a hearing and will be granted because of the heinous nature of what happened to you. We can push for an actual investigation, which we should, but they are right. No one is coming forward as a witness." He says apologetically. I shake my head.
"That's fine. That's better than fine. What else?" He looks to my father and then back to me.
"This next part might not be as popular. You will have to go back to Winslow. They are under no obligation to grant a transfer to another school or pay for you to go to Arcadia. What we can do, however, is put pressure on the school board to increase oversight. The school board will want this to go away. We let them have their victory, but force them to punish the teachers that haven't been doing their jobs. You won't be very popular, but we can make them act like professionals."
This all sounds so good that I'm almost expecting to wake up and find that this is a dream. Anytime something good happens it's usually followed by three bad. I can't catch a break. According to Michael I might actually be doing just that. I look at my dad and he looks so confident that I choose to believe.
"This is all dependent on what you want. Most likely this is the best we will be able to get. We can make the school pay for damages, the medical bills, and for your suffering. Your dad wanted you to know and be able to add your input." He smiles reassuringly at me. I take a moment to think only to realize I'd already made up my mind.
"I just want this to go away. We'll go with your plan." I want the Trio punished, but I know that isn't happening. If Michael is right their free reign might just be over. He lets himself out to begin filing the paperwork and my dad stands up to follow him.
"Wait..." I speak up. Dad turns to looks at me curiously. "I need to talk to you about something." He nods slowly before telling Michael to wait.
"I'll be along shortly." The other man nods before my dad shuts the door. "What is it kiddo?" Now that the moment is here it's hard, but I have to tell him. We only just got our closeness back. I won't keep this from him.
"Dad...I...I think I'm a cape..." I manage to get out nervously. He cross the room and hugs me. What he says next takes me by surprise, "I kind of guessed." I push back with a startled look that causes him to laugh.
"Taylor...the kind of changes you've gone through are a little hard to ignore. The doctors haven't commented since apparently you looked like this when they brought you in, but I'm your father. I'm not that unobservant." He says with a wry smile. I swat him on the shoulder, but it feels good to hear. He hadn't been ignoring me. The distance may have been there, but he was always my father.
"I've been hearing music. Like the hospital has it's own background music, but the people are like instruments. I've even been able to tell who is nice and who isn't by the tone." I manage to get out in a rush of excitement that has my dad laughing again.
"That actually sounds useful. Being able to tell someone's intent like that? It sounds like...whaddyacallit...a Thinker power...?" He's a bit unsure, but I nod. He might have been into capes when he was younger, but he didn't really pay attention to the classifications. Though that does make sense. I have a Thinker power. I actually beam happily because my dad says it's useful.
"Maybe I should get tested. Who knows? The PRT might think it's useful. I always wanted to be a hero and this could be my chance." My words are almost tripping over themselves as my excitement overcomes me.
"I don't see why not." There is an undertone of nervousness in his acceptance, but he actually looks relieved. The life of an independent cape is not good. A Thinker is almost as high a demand as a Tinker. Someone that can get information the way that I can would be an asset. I preen a bit and make my dad smile.
"We'll have it scheduled once you're no longer under doctor's care." He promises me. We say our goodbyes before he heads out. I start to collect my thoughts using the plain yellow notebook the hospital provided me. Keeping a record of my powers. The code I've worked out to keep my notes secure is something that came to me after my powers came. I can read it, but to anyone else it looks like another language. I think I'll call my code Hymmnos. That feels right.
The next few days pass in a flurry of tests and making sure that my muscles haven't atrophied. The physical therapist has commented on my amazing sense of balance enough to give me a swelled head. He suggested that I go out for gymnastics or dance given my inherent grace. Graceful. One of the most underrated of things is natural grace. It's not a particularly glamorous power, but when I can perform a split into a handstand into a walkover without falling it suddenly becomes much more important.
I also have excellent wind. My respiration is impressive according to the therapist. I just know how to breathe properly which had him asking if I took martial arts or was already in a dance program. When I told him that I wasn't in anything like that, but might be interested in self defense, he recommended Capoeira.
I'm back in my room on the fourth day after my awakening. I'll be discharged on Friday. Just two more days and I'm free. Free to start my plans. Free to go home.
"This confinement is getting to me..." I mumble in embarrassment as sometime during my internal monologue I started gesticulating wildly. With my dad coming into the room to see that. He looks exhausted and annoyed, but my strange behavior just now put a smile back on his face. Score one for being a spazz.
"Hey kiddo." He says as he sits down on the chair.
"Hey Daddy-o." I say in a cheeky tone that gets a chuckle out of him. "How goes the crusade?" He exhales loudly and stares up at the ceiling. I can tell by his musical presence that he's actually in fair spirits. Not ecstatic, but also not totally unhappy.
"The bad news first. Alan Barnes chose to represent the school. I wanted to wring his neck, but Michael helped me keep my calm." He continues to stare at the ceiling as he speaks.
"It was every bit as bad as you made it out to be and then some. We followed our script and so did they." I nod. It was what we were expecting.
"The school tried to deny any wrongdoing, but that was when your journal came in handy. Someone apparently forgot to tell Ms. Blackwell that when school computers are used for bullying it becomes the school's problem." Now he looks at me with the same sort of grin that crossed my face.
"Apparently they weren't expecting us to actually have evidence. Michael painted a picture of gross negligence, professional misconduct, and incompetence. Now we reach the good news. They agreed to settle all of this out of court." We continue to talk about what happened. My journal did the trick. They couldn't sweep the problem under the rug with actual proof. The only problem we saw was Dad's temper. If he had lost it then nothing would have been done. As it is the hospital bills are being paid, my destroyed belongings are being compensated, and we actually received money for my suffering.
My dad had to sign an NDA in order for the settlement to go through, but that wasn't a problem. Our immediate problem was money. I notice my dad is looking me over appraisingly.
"Well it's a good thing that we have that money coming. You're going to need new clothes." He states matter-of-factly. I blink at the apparent non sequitor.
"What do you mean?" I looked down at myself not seeing what he means...oh. Boobs. I keep forgetting the larger globs of flesh stuck to my chest. I'm not built like Emma, but there is no way to mistake me for a boy.
"Well my old clothes should fit just fine..." I start to say, but dad shakes his head.
"I got an advance on the settlement. When you come home you can go to the Boardwalk and pick some things up for yourself." He says in a tone that brooks no disagreement. I nod meekly. This having money thing might take some getting used to after all. We're not poor by any means, but we're not exactly comfortable either.
Friday rolls around and my dad brings me home. He has to go back to work with all the time that he took off, but I'm okay with that. I want to just sit around the house for today and push the thought of heading shopping off until tomorrow. My shirt is baggy, but my jeans feel tight in places and loose in others. My bra doesn't fit either. Not comfortably anyway. I think I see the problem.
The music of the house appears to be a warm piano piece with the faint strains of a viola and a light flute. The light flute appears to be coming from the family pictures. I pick up the family picture. We look so happy in this one. The three of us together in the backyard. It looks like we were just having a good time.
"So there you are, Mom..." I murmur softly as I trace her image with my finger. The music I'm hearing seems to be drawing me around the house. Each memory I find evokes another part of the orchestral piece. I spent the entire day just lost in the memories of times gone by, but it also gave me an idea. Things that have a strong emotional importance have a melody of their own. I wasn't sure if just something someone was wearing might, but if that was the case I could be a detective or something.
"Bullshit Thinkers." I can't help the smirk that curls my lips. I have a plan, a goal, and a destination. Now where was that lasagna recipe?
First Arc 1.2
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
First Arc 1.2
This dream again. I can't open my eyes, but I can still everything going on around me. The lap pillow is back as is the soothing presence.
"...completely and utterly wasteful...it's like they weren't even trying to iron out the waste of energy..." The kind voice this time sounds frustrated. I get the feeling she's not even paying attention to me as I hear the sound of fingers clattering away at a keyboard at speeds even professional typists would fail to match.
"Each of these "Shards" possesses a self contained set of programming that is attuned to each specific recipient, but why in such a slipshod manner? It's like they don't even care that they are severely damaging or even outright fracturing the psyche." Fingers run through my hair and I squirm just a bit closer to the touch. There's a slight stillness as if I've caught them off guard.
"So you're here again are you?" Her warm voice greets me and I smile. "I wonder how long you were going to allow me to talk to myself, hmmm?" She teases me and I open my mouth to respond, but she gently touches my lips again. "Now is not the time, dear. There is so much to do and so little time to do it. I'm sorry. I know you wish you had an explanation for all of this, but I can't give you one just yet. It's not safe." She sounds so sad that I instinctively reach up and touch her face. Even without being able to see her I somehow know where she is and I feel her somehow inside of me. A darkness is within her, but unlike the kind that conceals dangers it feels like a warm blanket at night.
There is a sense of separation and sorrowful farewell, but I will be back again. Somehow I feel like I have come away with more than I came with. It is with this final thought that I...
-January 15, 2011-
"Taylor, wake up! Breakfast is ready!" Dad's voice pierces through the last fog of sleep. Food sounds like a great idea. Since I got back from the hospital I've noticed a difference in my appetite. I'm not suddenly eating stacks and stacks of plate, but my metabolism has sped up. Great if I want to go out for sports, but it would probably be murder on a food budget. I stop to admire myself in the mirror. This has become something of an early morning ritual. I still can't believe just how good I look. Long chestnut brown hair, blue eyes shining with life, skin that glowed flawlessly. Dad laughs at my new vain streak, but is just as happy as I am.
I throw on my smallest t-shirt from last year to show off what curves I've developed and slip on my jeans. When you have boy hips you tend to buy smaller jeans, but that's biting me in the rear right now. I can close them easily once they're up, but they take a near act of God to get over my new hips. Breakfast is on the table when I get there. Pancakes, sausage, eggs, toast, fruit, and juice. Dad will benefit from the new diet too. He ruffles my hair as he walks past.
"I left a prepaid card for you. Don't worry about going too crazy. Just get what you need and maybe a few things for yourself. I mean it, Taylor. You will treat yourself." He waves his finger at me with a mock stern expression and I roll my eyes. He hasn't told me exactly how much we're getting, but with the way he's acting it must have been a large concession. He also won't explain the slightly pensive look he's sporting lately. He's not sad, depressed, or angry. Just pensive. My senses are sharpening little by little. I still need my glasses, but my...symphonic sense...is growing more acute. Symphonic sense? That feels right.
"Fine. You win!" I hold my hands up in surrender, "I'll do as you say." I even salute which earns me another fond head pat as he hustles for the door. He took as much time as he could off and he agreed to overtime in exchange for the services of the lawyer. No such thing as a free lunch indeed. Michael's help was a blessing for sure. I check the balance on the card and end up staring at it in shock. The card is immediately stuffed in my wallet and in my pocket. He left me fifteen hundred dollars. What does he think I'm going to buy? Designer? Hmmm...no no no. Stop thinking about that. Stop.
"I will not spend the whole amount." That settled I head out the door for the bus stop. The Bay back when my mom and dad first met was far more alive than it is now. With Leviathan killing the shipping trade, and the boats sunk in the harbor, work for the Dockworker's Association is scare. Dad does all he can to find work for everyone. Just looking out the window of the bus is depressing. The gangs control everything. Empire 88 is predominantly made up of skinheads and Neo Nazis with a larger collection of capes than even the Protectorate. The Azyn Bad Boys are an Asian gang that has remained in power due to the psycho cape Oni Lee, but mostly because of Lung. The Dragon of Kyushu. The only one to have ever gone toe to toe with Leviathan. The Merchants just squat in whatever is left. They peddle drugs and even their capes aren't very impressive.
My musings are cut short as we arrive at the Boardwalk. The Boardwalk is the shopping hub for Brockton Bay. It used to be more glamorous back when the shipping industry was booming, but it still manages to hold it's own. That can also be directly credited to the hero group New Wave. They're an independent team that believes in public accountability and refuses to hide behind masks. It never caught on after one of their members, Fleur, was brutally murdered.
I refuse to let a nice day go to waste while I think about depressing stuff. Today's musical accompaniment is something bright and uplifting. There's even a silvery horn in there with a light guitar and relaxed feel. Today is going to be a good day.
I'm not a fashion expert, and my idea of "high fashion" has been whatever is on the bargain rack. Also the whole body issue where wearing more feminine clothing would have been a waste. I banish those thoughts from my mind as I set in for some window shopping. It's not like I'm on a schedule or anything and it's free to look. There appears to be a sale at one of the boutiques so that becomes my next stop.
The last time I actually went shopping, and not just in the general grabbing whatever was available, was with Emma. I never saw the fun in it, but she enjoyed just picking things out to try on. The music in the boutique has a refined quality. A jazzy feel with a brassy saxophone. I'm letting the melody wash over me as my hands are almost moving themselves over the clothes. Intruding on the jazz, but strangely complimenting it, is the sound of a skittering harp. Such an out of place sound causes me to actually look in the direction it's coming from.
The girl that was approaching me is a dirty blonde with cute freckles across her nose and a vulpine grin. The look in her eyes is one of playful, but calculating, amusement. She briefly looks startled when I meet her gaze and that calculating look ratchets up a few degrees. I feel myself smiling as I think that I've got her pegged. A natural born busybody, cunning and smart, but likes to be the center of attention. Sneaking up on me wasn't being done maliciously, but more out of boredom and needing entertainment. An eyebrow raises as she appraises me further and all at once she giggles.
"So that's what it's like being on the receiving end." She says in a teasing tone, but also a bit chagrined. I shake my head.
"Sometimes you're the hunter and sometimes you're the lunch." I quip. The girl nods her head in mock sagacity.
"Indeed, indeed, and here I thought I was being stealthy. What's your secret?"
"You show me yours and I'll show you mine." That statement startles us both and identical blushes steal across our faces.
"Well now that we're both completely embarrassed...Hi! I'm Lisa!" She sticks her hand out and I give it a firm shake.
"Taylor." And just like that it felt as if we clicked. She clearly knew more about shopping than I did. This wasn't a shopping trip. This was war and no one taught Lisa how to take any prisoners. We ended up leaving the boutique with three bags apiece and feeling good. I was now wearing a black tank over a white sweater that clung to my body just right and fell over my hips while the skinny jeans and black half boots completed the look. My new jacket was just the right cut. I expected to pay more than I did, but as I said, Lisa is good at this.
The two of us talked about little things. Our likes and dislikes. What we think of the latest fads. For the first time in years I felt like a normal girl. We stopped for a quick lunch at Fugly Bob's before heading back out again. As we passed by the electronics store I found myself hit by the sight of all the shiny gadgets.
"You did say you didn't have a cellphone. Why don't you get one? It's not like you couldn't find one for cheap." Lisa suggests with a shrug. I nod slowly. It was a cellphone that caused mom's accident, but if something happened to me, or Dad, then I needed a way to be reached.
"That's probably a good idea." We head inside and that desire for something shiny is only growing stronger. I wasn't thinking about being a parahuman today. Is this what they mean by a Tinker fever? I check my mind for any new blueprints for technology that involves the things before me and find nothing. Oh, I have some great ideas for putting together a computer, but it's not like I'm planning on building a reactor out of clock parts.
I don't skimp when I buy the phone. I got a brand new model smartphone and gave Lisa the number. Once that was taken care of I got a new laptop for on the go work. I dithered over the computer parts until Lisa took me aside.
"Taylor, what's wrong?" She sounds so concerned, but there's also a spark like she understands.
"It's just...I read on the PHO board..." I start only for her to put a finger on my lips to silence me. I lick her fingertip causing her to jerk her hand back with a rueful look.
"Don't believe everything you read on PHO." Her tone sounded as dry as the Sahara. That killed my worry. She wasn't worried. Why was I? I know, intellectually, that much of what's on Parahumans Online is bunk, but caution keeps you safe, right? I finish my purchases and arrange to have them delivered to my house. Lisa tilts her head to the side as I make my selections.
"If I got you the parts could you put a computer together for me? I'll even pay for the labor of course..." I shake my head at her.
"You don't have to pay me. I'd be glad to help." Why did the harp slow down for a moment? Guilt? Maybe she doesn't like the idea of having me do it for free. "I'd like to think we're friends now or am I wrong?" I smile reassuringly. The guilt is back even worse for a moment before she suddenly hugs me.
"You are just too good to be true. Fine. We're friends, but if you ever need anything feel free to ask." She sounds so serious I can only nod dumbly in response. Just like that the intense atmosphere fades. I feel like I missed something, but I let it go for now. Plenty of time to think about it later. I pick up a few tools for working on electronics. Care and maintenance mostly, but also for building.
"Thanks for all the help. I'm not sure I could have got even half the deals that you did, Lisa." She was a godsend today.
"It's fine. You're no dummy. I think you would have done well enough on your own." It looks like she wants to say something else just before she takes my hand and leads me into an alleyway. How did she know someone was following us? I knew because there was a sound of almost a malignant harpsichord. The man behind us follows us down the alleyway. Lisa doesn't even look at me as she says, "Just keep moving. We'll just take this turn up ahead and be right back out on the Boardwalk. Let's get some ice cream after this, okay?" Her tone attempts to be light, but the worry is real.
Something inside of me pulses in agitation. A dark light swirls within my mind and reaches an accord with my heart. I pull my hand away from Lisa with a strength I didn't know I possessed. She looks scared as she tries to get me to come back.
"Taylor no! Come on!" She tries to grab my shoulder, but I move just before she reaches me. The young man looks amused. Young, Asian, in the red and green of the ABB.
"Dayum...did I get lucky or what? I was just gonna follow ya, but if you wanna come to me I ain't gonna...urk!" That "urk" was because I don't let assholes monologue. It gets you killed. My foot inscribed a perfect arc right between his legs and doubled him over right into my suddenly rising knee that jerked his head back. He hits the ground like a felled tree. His melody quieting to a faint whisper.
"Wow...okay forget what I was saying...you can really take care of yourself." I hear Lisa as if from far away. Her arm slips around my back comfortingly as she leads me from the alley. Her voice is soothing, "That was well done. Reckless, but well done. You've never been in a fight before have you? How did you know how to do that?" She takes on a musing tone as she continues, "Didn't know how to fight, but could see the flow. Was able to make accurate guesses about probable actions." She shakes her head.
Did she just Sherlock Scan me? A cold reading of my ability. I didn't even know I could do that, but I let myself go with the flow. It wasn't anything particularly impressive as far as a trained fighter could do, but he wasn't really trained. How do I know that? I shake my head in confusion, but I don't let it get to me. Her gentle words draw me out of the shock I'm feeling at the sudden rush of combat.
"Hey...how about that ice cream?" I smile and am rewarded with an answering smile.
All good things come to an end and I had a delivery to be home to receive. I managed to get in the door minutes before the delivery man dropped off my computer purchases. Now that I was home there was something that needed to be focused on and that was my phone. The reason for that? I can hear my phone. It has a melody all it's own. A lone musical voice, but every bit as important to the harmony. Suddenly the background music I'm hearing makes sense.
What does it say that even machines have a melody? A human's melody is more complex and has a more sweeping dynamic, but electronics have a more static one. Colored by the people they reside around. I can sense emotions held in objects.
"Humanity is the common factor. What makes us so unique bleeds into the world around us." I grab my notebook and begin writing all of this down. Soon I'll be putting my computer together and then I can make my notes even more secure. It makes me wonder what I can find at the junkyard. What sort of lost treasures might be there?
"Well it's an idea. Maybe I am a Tinker?" I notice, belatedly, that I've been chewing on my pen and stop myself. Dinner is something else from mom's recipe book and I tell my dad how my day went minus fighting the gangbanger.
"Why don't you bring her around sometime?" He suggests.
"I'm thinking about it. I have her number so I could give her a call." This is the moment of truth. "I bought a smartphone today." I try for casual. The oboe stops for a moment before it starts up again. A heavier weight added to the tone, but he doesn't appear mad.
"I suppose...it's something you need isn't it..?" He muses heavily, "Maybe if you had that in the locker..." I place my hand on his forearm.
"It still would have happened. It's no one's fault, but theirs." My voice is firm and insistent. The oboe lightens again. I want my dad to feel better about all of this. The fact that I can "hear" his heart and mind makes it easier. My head lowers as I think about that. Am I doing the right thing? Am I manipulating him? I don't feel like it, but that might be worse.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Dad breaks into my spiraling thoughts.
"You know how I told you about my ability to hear people's mental states as music..." I begin only to be interrupted.
"There is nothing wrong with acting on what you know. As long as you can say that you're not using it to harm then you're okay. You don't want to hurt me, right?" I shake my head rapidly in denial and he laughs, "Then you're fine. It's no different than someone that can read microexpressions or that trains in psychology. You have a natural talent and a heart to use it properly." With that said he returns to his meatloaf.
I have the coolest dad.
My Sunday can be best described as a treasure hunt. Okay, that's what I'm calling it, and no one can convince me otherwise. I called Lisa to see if she wanted to come, but apparently her Sunday doesn't consist of glorified dumpster diving. This wasn't dumpster diving! This was a treasure hunt! My clothes for today consisted of old things that wouldn't have been worn to school under any circumstance. A sweatshirt and jeans from my dad that I looped a belt through to keep them up. A sturdy pair of hiking boots completed the ensemble. My hair was tied back in a ponytail under a baseball cap.
The old man that acts as security for the junkyard gave me a wave through. He pointed out the shopping carts that could be used to carry around what I find. I wasn't planning on grabbing quite that much, but you never know. I didn't mean to buy three bags of clothes either, or those computer parts, but there you have it.
The melodies in this place were sad in a way. The muted strains of woodwinds, strings, and brass playing softly with a melancholic air as the broken things around me contributed to the harmony. I promised them that some would find purpose again. A strange thing happened then. The harmony shifted. There was a detectable air of urgency and excitement to the song. As I followed the tune it seemed to swell and direct me. I turned myself over to the flow again and found myself standing before a mound of electronics. Half hidden under a trash pile and protected from the elements. Was that a PRT logo on one of those boxes?
"This is first class treasure." My voice was almost chirpy as I started gathering up the pieces that called to me the loudest. Their music clamoring for me to take them all, but I could also tell that I had enough. With a sad sigh I apologized, but the harmony forgave me. I called a cab because there was no way I was getting all of this on the bus. The old man looked over my loot with an appraising eye.
"Those PRT guys are always throwin' perfectly good things away...every Thursday like clockwork. It's a shame." He shakes his head and I give him another look. His melody sounds like the strains of a folk guitar. Pleasant and easy to listen to. An uncomplicated song that can stand alone or blend in with others. I decided to listen. If I could come out with a few more hauls like this one I would be set.
The old man helped me get the things into the cab, but it was up to me to get them in the house. The cabbie screwed himself out of a tip with that stunt. Now how was I going to do this? I had several parts to build a wi-fi relay and network hub. It wouldn't be amazing, but it would be functional. I hooked up the computer upstairs. That was the easy part really.
The hard part involved the rest of my treasure. My loot. The basement is the least used room in the house. It's dry and cool, but neither my dad or I are basement people. Since no one is using it at this time I can build my mad device. It won't be pretty, but it will work. The parts could care less if they look pretty as long as they have a purpose again. Maybe I am a Tinker? I've never felt the urge to build a computer or a network hub before. Never even knew how, but here I am mucking about with the innards and humming happily. I can see how the parts should go together and the harmony is aiding me. There are a few parts though that I'm forced to set aside. These parts are moved to the work bench for future examination.
I was right. The machine wasn't pretty, but it was purring like a kitten and striking up a song to beat the band. I flicked it on and it was glorious. Wi-fi is free in the main part of the city, but out here there isn't. The only wireless is what people pay for, but my hub has an effective range to tap it for free. A few adjustments to my laptop and computer connect them. I look at the icon on my desktop with a puzzled frown.
"Why did I build a signal scrambler anyway?" Oh right. Just because Lisa said there isn't anything to be afraid of the old saying of an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I'd rather have a pound of prevention.
I started dinner cooking. A nice pot roast with fingerling potatoes, onions, and caramelized carrots. While that was being prepared I decided to examine those strange pieces of tech. What I found surprised me. Their melody was exceptionally complex and confused. Oh there was a song there, but it sounded like a roomful of hyperactive children pounding on instruments. There were things that were unnecessary, some things were contradictory, but some were strange. There was an anti-harmony. It felt strange and uncomfortable like it resented me trying to examine the tech.
Well that just wasn't gonna fly with me. Who the hell did that melody think I am? I'm the Songstress. I'm the one that supports and protects the melody. The Harmony. I bent my will on that anti-harmony and almost immediately it tried to fight back, but it wasn't up to the task. How could it fight me? I have the full Harmony, the Symphonic sense, behind me.
"No, you are going to behave yourself, and share your toys." I tell it sternly. The discordant melody relinquishes the song and sulks. Given time it will eventually rejoin the orchestra properly, but for now it's been defeated and feeling ungracious. I have an idea of what these can be repurposed to build. That's the sight my dad comes home to and I'm pretty sure I looked strange. I had to occasionally scold, plead, and praise the parts to get them to do what I wanted. Giving no thought to why they had such a complex song.
"Whatcha got there, kiddo?" Dad asked me.
"A bunch of wild children in desperate need of discipline, but we're getting there..." My tongue sticks out as I manage to finagle two pieces into the greater whole.
"Mmm...something smells good. Why don't I get that out of the oven for you?" He suggests as he heads into the kitchen.
"Thanks!" With the final connection the device sparks to life. This is the answer to our energy problems. Okay, it's the answer to my energy problems, because we didn't have them until I built my Frankenstein computer.
"So what do you call that?" Dad asks from over my shoulder.
"Sol Reactor." The name sounds right and feels right. The device hums pleasantly in response.
"As long as you don't blow up the house." He says jokingly before asking, "Are you ready to go back to school tomorrow?" Like that my good mood crashes. I hadn't thought about school at all. Tomorrow I had to deal with the Trio again. The no contact order isn't the same as a PFA or restraining order. It still meant we were in the same school together. The device in my hand feels like such a reassuring weight. I'm not the same Taylor Hebert that was bullied for all that time. I'm the new me. The confident me. If they can't except it?
They won't be a problem.
or Melody of Escalation
First Arc 1.2
This dream again. I can't open my eyes, but I can still everything going on around me. The lap pillow is back as is the soothing presence.
"...completely and utterly wasteful...it's like they weren't even trying to iron out the waste of energy..." The kind voice this time sounds frustrated. I get the feeling she's not even paying attention to me as I hear the sound of fingers clattering away at a keyboard at speeds even professional typists would fail to match.
"Each of these "Shards" possesses a self contained set of programming that is attuned to each specific recipient, but why in such a slipshod manner? It's like they don't even care that they are severely damaging or even outright fracturing the psyche." Fingers run through my hair and I squirm just a bit closer to the touch. There's a slight stillness as if I've caught them off guard.
"So you're here again are you?" Her warm voice greets me and I smile. "I wonder how long you were going to allow me to talk to myself, hmmm?" She teases me and I open my mouth to respond, but she gently touches my lips again. "Now is not the time, dear. There is so much to do and so little time to do it. I'm sorry. I know you wish you had an explanation for all of this, but I can't give you one just yet. It's not safe." She sounds so sad that I instinctively reach up and touch her face. Even without being able to see her I somehow know where she is and I feel her somehow inside of me. A darkness is within her, but unlike the kind that conceals dangers it feels like a warm blanket at night.
There is a sense of separation and sorrowful farewell, but I will be back again. Somehow I feel like I have come away with more than I came with. It is with this final thought that I...
-January 15, 2011-
"Taylor, wake up! Breakfast is ready!" Dad's voice pierces through the last fog of sleep. Food sounds like a great idea. Since I got back from the hospital I've noticed a difference in my appetite. I'm not suddenly eating stacks and stacks of plate, but my metabolism has sped up. Great if I want to go out for sports, but it would probably be murder on a food budget. I stop to admire myself in the mirror. This has become something of an early morning ritual. I still can't believe just how good I look. Long chestnut brown hair, blue eyes shining with life, skin that glowed flawlessly. Dad laughs at my new vain streak, but is just as happy as I am.
I throw on my smallest t-shirt from last year to show off what curves I've developed and slip on my jeans. When you have boy hips you tend to buy smaller jeans, but that's biting me in the rear right now. I can close them easily once they're up, but they take a near act of God to get over my new hips. Breakfast is on the table when I get there. Pancakes, sausage, eggs, toast, fruit, and juice. Dad will benefit from the new diet too. He ruffles my hair as he walks past.
"I left a prepaid card for you. Don't worry about going too crazy. Just get what you need and maybe a few things for yourself. I mean it, Taylor. You will treat yourself." He waves his finger at me with a mock stern expression and I roll my eyes. He hasn't told me exactly how much we're getting, but with the way he's acting it must have been a large concession. He also won't explain the slightly pensive look he's sporting lately. He's not sad, depressed, or angry. Just pensive. My senses are sharpening little by little. I still need my glasses, but my...symphonic sense...is growing more acute. Symphonic sense? That feels right.
"Fine. You win!" I hold my hands up in surrender, "I'll do as you say." I even salute which earns me another fond head pat as he hustles for the door. He took as much time as he could off and he agreed to overtime in exchange for the services of the lawyer. No such thing as a free lunch indeed. Michael's help was a blessing for sure. I check the balance on the card and end up staring at it in shock. The card is immediately stuffed in my wallet and in my pocket. He left me fifteen hundred dollars. What does he think I'm going to buy? Designer? Hmmm...no no no. Stop thinking about that. Stop.
"I will not spend the whole amount." That settled I head out the door for the bus stop. The Bay back when my mom and dad first met was far more alive than it is now. With Leviathan killing the shipping trade, and the boats sunk in the harbor, work for the Dockworker's Association is scare. Dad does all he can to find work for everyone. Just looking out the window of the bus is depressing. The gangs control everything. Empire 88 is predominantly made up of skinheads and Neo Nazis with a larger collection of capes than even the Protectorate. The Azyn Bad Boys are an Asian gang that has remained in power due to the psycho cape Oni Lee, but mostly because of Lung. The Dragon of Kyushu. The only one to have ever gone toe to toe with Leviathan. The Merchants just squat in whatever is left. They peddle drugs and even their capes aren't very impressive.
My musings are cut short as we arrive at the Boardwalk. The Boardwalk is the shopping hub for Brockton Bay. It used to be more glamorous back when the shipping industry was booming, but it still manages to hold it's own. That can also be directly credited to the hero group New Wave. They're an independent team that believes in public accountability and refuses to hide behind masks. It never caught on after one of their members, Fleur, was brutally murdered.
I refuse to let a nice day go to waste while I think about depressing stuff. Today's musical accompaniment is something bright and uplifting. There's even a silvery horn in there with a light guitar and relaxed feel. Today is going to be a good day.
I'm not a fashion expert, and my idea of "high fashion" has been whatever is on the bargain rack. Also the whole body issue where wearing more feminine clothing would have been a waste. I banish those thoughts from my mind as I set in for some window shopping. It's not like I'm on a schedule or anything and it's free to look. There appears to be a sale at one of the boutiques so that becomes my next stop.
The last time I actually went shopping, and not just in the general grabbing whatever was available, was with Emma. I never saw the fun in it, but she enjoyed just picking things out to try on. The music in the boutique has a refined quality. A jazzy feel with a brassy saxophone. I'm letting the melody wash over me as my hands are almost moving themselves over the clothes. Intruding on the jazz, but strangely complimenting it, is the sound of a skittering harp. Such an out of place sound causes me to actually look in the direction it's coming from.
The girl that was approaching me is a dirty blonde with cute freckles across her nose and a vulpine grin. The look in her eyes is one of playful, but calculating, amusement. She briefly looks startled when I meet her gaze and that calculating look ratchets up a few degrees. I feel myself smiling as I think that I've got her pegged. A natural born busybody, cunning and smart, but likes to be the center of attention. Sneaking up on me wasn't being done maliciously, but more out of boredom and needing entertainment. An eyebrow raises as she appraises me further and all at once she giggles.
"So that's what it's like being on the receiving end." She says in a teasing tone, but also a bit chagrined. I shake my head.
"Sometimes you're the hunter and sometimes you're the lunch." I quip. The girl nods her head in mock sagacity.
"Indeed, indeed, and here I thought I was being stealthy. What's your secret?"
"You show me yours and I'll show you mine." That statement startles us both and identical blushes steal across our faces.
"Well now that we're both completely embarrassed...Hi! I'm Lisa!" She sticks her hand out and I give it a firm shake.
"Taylor." And just like that it felt as if we clicked. She clearly knew more about shopping than I did. This wasn't a shopping trip. This was war and no one taught Lisa how to take any prisoners. We ended up leaving the boutique with three bags apiece and feeling good. I was now wearing a black tank over a white sweater that clung to my body just right and fell over my hips while the skinny jeans and black half boots completed the look. My new jacket was just the right cut. I expected to pay more than I did, but as I said, Lisa is good at this.
The two of us talked about little things. Our likes and dislikes. What we think of the latest fads. For the first time in years I felt like a normal girl. We stopped for a quick lunch at Fugly Bob's before heading back out again. As we passed by the electronics store I found myself hit by the sight of all the shiny gadgets.
"You did say you didn't have a cellphone. Why don't you get one? It's not like you couldn't find one for cheap." Lisa suggests with a shrug. I nod slowly. It was a cellphone that caused mom's accident, but if something happened to me, or Dad, then I needed a way to be reached.
"That's probably a good idea." We head inside and that desire for something shiny is only growing stronger. I wasn't thinking about being a parahuman today. Is this what they mean by a Tinker fever? I check my mind for any new blueprints for technology that involves the things before me and find nothing. Oh, I have some great ideas for putting together a computer, but it's not like I'm planning on building a reactor out of clock parts.
I don't skimp when I buy the phone. I got a brand new model smartphone and gave Lisa the number. Once that was taken care of I got a new laptop for on the go work. I dithered over the computer parts until Lisa took me aside.
"Taylor, what's wrong?" She sounds so concerned, but there's also a spark like she understands.
"It's just...I read on the PHO board..." I start only for her to put a finger on my lips to silence me. I lick her fingertip causing her to jerk her hand back with a rueful look.
"Don't believe everything you read on PHO." Her tone sounded as dry as the Sahara. That killed my worry. She wasn't worried. Why was I? I know, intellectually, that much of what's on Parahumans Online is bunk, but caution keeps you safe, right? I finish my purchases and arrange to have them delivered to my house. Lisa tilts her head to the side as I make my selections.
"If I got you the parts could you put a computer together for me? I'll even pay for the labor of course..." I shake my head at her.
"You don't have to pay me. I'd be glad to help." Why did the harp slow down for a moment? Guilt? Maybe she doesn't like the idea of having me do it for free. "I'd like to think we're friends now or am I wrong?" I smile reassuringly. The guilt is back even worse for a moment before she suddenly hugs me.
"You are just too good to be true. Fine. We're friends, but if you ever need anything feel free to ask." She sounds so serious I can only nod dumbly in response. Just like that the intense atmosphere fades. I feel like I missed something, but I let it go for now. Plenty of time to think about it later. I pick up a few tools for working on electronics. Care and maintenance mostly, but also for building.
"Thanks for all the help. I'm not sure I could have got even half the deals that you did, Lisa." She was a godsend today.
"It's fine. You're no dummy. I think you would have done well enough on your own." It looks like she wants to say something else just before she takes my hand and leads me into an alleyway. How did she know someone was following us? I knew because there was a sound of almost a malignant harpsichord. The man behind us follows us down the alleyway. Lisa doesn't even look at me as she says, "Just keep moving. We'll just take this turn up ahead and be right back out on the Boardwalk. Let's get some ice cream after this, okay?" Her tone attempts to be light, but the worry is real.
Something inside of me pulses in agitation. A dark light swirls within my mind and reaches an accord with my heart. I pull my hand away from Lisa with a strength I didn't know I possessed. She looks scared as she tries to get me to come back.
"Taylor no! Come on!" She tries to grab my shoulder, but I move just before she reaches me. The young man looks amused. Young, Asian, in the red and green of the ABB.
"Dayum...did I get lucky or what? I was just gonna follow ya, but if you wanna come to me I ain't gonna...urk!" That "urk" was because I don't let assholes monologue. It gets you killed. My foot inscribed a perfect arc right between his legs and doubled him over right into my suddenly rising knee that jerked his head back. He hits the ground like a felled tree. His melody quieting to a faint whisper.
"Wow...okay forget what I was saying...you can really take care of yourself." I hear Lisa as if from far away. Her arm slips around my back comfortingly as she leads me from the alley. Her voice is soothing, "That was well done. Reckless, but well done. You've never been in a fight before have you? How did you know how to do that?" She takes on a musing tone as she continues, "Didn't know how to fight, but could see the flow. Was able to make accurate guesses about probable actions." She shakes her head.
Did she just Sherlock Scan me? A cold reading of my ability. I didn't even know I could do that, but I let myself go with the flow. It wasn't anything particularly impressive as far as a trained fighter could do, but he wasn't really trained. How do I know that? I shake my head in confusion, but I don't let it get to me. Her gentle words draw me out of the shock I'm feeling at the sudden rush of combat.
"Hey...how about that ice cream?" I smile and am rewarded with an answering smile.
All good things come to an end and I had a delivery to be home to receive. I managed to get in the door minutes before the delivery man dropped off my computer purchases. Now that I was home there was something that needed to be focused on and that was my phone. The reason for that? I can hear my phone. It has a melody all it's own. A lone musical voice, but every bit as important to the harmony. Suddenly the background music I'm hearing makes sense.
What does it say that even machines have a melody? A human's melody is more complex and has a more sweeping dynamic, but electronics have a more static one. Colored by the people they reside around. I can sense emotions held in objects.
"Humanity is the common factor. What makes us so unique bleeds into the world around us." I grab my notebook and begin writing all of this down. Soon I'll be putting my computer together and then I can make my notes even more secure. It makes me wonder what I can find at the junkyard. What sort of lost treasures might be there?
"Well it's an idea. Maybe I am a Tinker?" I notice, belatedly, that I've been chewing on my pen and stop myself. Dinner is something else from mom's recipe book and I tell my dad how my day went minus fighting the gangbanger.
"Why don't you bring her around sometime?" He suggests.
"I'm thinking about it. I have her number so I could give her a call." This is the moment of truth. "I bought a smartphone today." I try for casual. The oboe stops for a moment before it starts up again. A heavier weight added to the tone, but he doesn't appear mad.
"I suppose...it's something you need isn't it..?" He muses heavily, "Maybe if you had that in the locker..." I place my hand on his forearm.
"It still would have happened. It's no one's fault, but theirs." My voice is firm and insistent. The oboe lightens again. I want my dad to feel better about all of this. The fact that I can "hear" his heart and mind makes it easier. My head lowers as I think about that. Am I doing the right thing? Am I manipulating him? I don't feel like it, but that might be worse.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Dad breaks into my spiraling thoughts.
"You know how I told you about my ability to hear people's mental states as music..." I begin only to be interrupted.
"There is nothing wrong with acting on what you know. As long as you can say that you're not using it to harm then you're okay. You don't want to hurt me, right?" I shake my head rapidly in denial and he laughs, "Then you're fine. It's no different than someone that can read microexpressions or that trains in psychology. You have a natural talent and a heart to use it properly." With that said he returns to his meatloaf.
I have the coolest dad.
My Sunday can be best described as a treasure hunt. Okay, that's what I'm calling it, and no one can convince me otherwise. I called Lisa to see if she wanted to come, but apparently her Sunday doesn't consist of glorified dumpster diving. This wasn't dumpster diving! This was a treasure hunt! My clothes for today consisted of old things that wouldn't have been worn to school under any circumstance. A sweatshirt and jeans from my dad that I looped a belt through to keep them up. A sturdy pair of hiking boots completed the ensemble. My hair was tied back in a ponytail under a baseball cap.
The old man that acts as security for the junkyard gave me a wave through. He pointed out the shopping carts that could be used to carry around what I find. I wasn't planning on grabbing quite that much, but you never know. I didn't mean to buy three bags of clothes either, or those computer parts, but there you have it.
The melodies in this place were sad in a way. The muted strains of woodwinds, strings, and brass playing softly with a melancholic air as the broken things around me contributed to the harmony. I promised them that some would find purpose again. A strange thing happened then. The harmony shifted. There was a detectable air of urgency and excitement to the song. As I followed the tune it seemed to swell and direct me. I turned myself over to the flow again and found myself standing before a mound of electronics. Half hidden under a trash pile and protected from the elements. Was that a PRT logo on one of those boxes?
"This is first class treasure." My voice was almost chirpy as I started gathering up the pieces that called to me the loudest. Their music clamoring for me to take them all, but I could also tell that I had enough. With a sad sigh I apologized, but the harmony forgave me. I called a cab because there was no way I was getting all of this on the bus. The old man looked over my loot with an appraising eye.
"Those PRT guys are always throwin' perfectly good things away...every Thursday like clockwork. It's a shame." He shakes his head and I give him another look. His melody sounds like the strains of a folk guitar. Pleasant and easy to listen to. An uncomplicated song that can stand alone or blend in with others. I decided to listen. If I could come out with a few more hauls like this one I would be set.
The old man helped me get the things into the cab, but it was up to me to get them in the house. The cabbie screwed himself out of a tip with that stunt. Now how was I going to do this? I had several parts to build a wi-fi relay and network hub. It wouldn't be amazing, but it would be functional. I hooked up the computer upstairs. That was the easy part really.
The hard part involved the rest of my treasure. My loot. The basement is the least used room in the house. It's dry and cool, but neither my dad or I are basement people. Since no one is using it at this time I can build my mad device. It won't be pretty, but it will work. The parts could care less if they look pretty as long as they have a purpose again. Maybe I am a Tinker? I've never felt the urge to build a computer or a network hub before. Never even knew how, but here I am mucking about with the innards and humming happily. I can see how the parts should go together and the harmony is aiding me. There are a few parts though that I'm forced to set aside. These parts are moved to the work bench for future examination.
I was right. The machine wasn't pretty, but it was purring like a kitten and striking up a song to beat the band. I flicked it on and it was glorious. Wi-fi is free in the main part of the city, but out here there isn't. The only wireless is what people pay for, but my hub has an effective range to tap it for free. A few adjustments to my laptop and computer connect them. I look at the icon on my desktop with a puzzled frown.
"Why did I build a signal scrambler anyway?" Oh right. Just because Lisa said there isn't anything to be afraid of the old saying of an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I'd rather have a pound of prevention.
I started dinner cooking. A nice pot roast with fingerling potatoes, onions, and caramelized carrots. While that was being prepared I decided to examine those strange pieces of tech. What I found surprised me. Their melody was exceptionally complex and confused. Oh there was a song there, but it sounded like a roomful of hyperactive children pounding on instruments. There were things that were unnecessary, some things were contradictory, but some were strange. There was an anti-harmony. It felt strange and uncomfortable like it resented me trying to examine the tech.
Well that just wasn't gonna fly with me. Who the hell did that melody think I am? I'm the Songstress. I'm the one that supports and protects the melody. The Harmony. I bent my will on that anti-harmony and almost immediately it tried to fight back, but it wasn't up to the task. How could it fight me? I have the full Harmony, the Symphonic sense, behind me.
"No, you are going to behave yourself, and share your toys." I tell it sternly. The discordant melody relinquishes the song and sulks. Given time it will eventually rejoin the orchestra properly, but for now it's been defeated and feeling ungracious. I have an idea of what these can be repurposed to build. That's the sight my dad comes home to and I'm pretty sure I looked strange. I had to occasionally scold, plead, and praise the parts to get them to do what I wanted. Giving no thought to why they had such a complex song.
"Whatcha got there, kiddo?" Dad asked me.
"A bunch of wild children in desperate need of discipline, but we're getting there..." My tongue sticks out as I manage to finagle two pieces into the greater whole.
"Mmm...something smells good. Why don't I get that out of the oven for you?" He suggests as he heads into the kitchen.
"Thanks!" With the final connection the device sparks to life. This is the answer to our energy problems. Okay, it's the answer to my energy problems, because we didn't have them until I built my Frankenstein computer.
"So what do you call that?" Dad asks from over my shoulder.
"Sol Reactor." The name sounds right and feels right. The device hums pleasantly in response.
"As long as you don't blow up the house." He says jokingly before asking, "Are you ready to go back to school tomorrow?" Like that my good mood crashes. I hadn't thought about school at all. Tomorrow I had to deal with the Trio again. The no contact order isn't the same as a PFA or restraining order. It still meant we were in the same school together. The device in my hand feels like such a reassuring weight. I'm not the same Taylor Hebert that was bullied for all that time. I'm the new me. The confident me. If they can't except it?
They won't be a problem.
Interlude 1.a
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude 1.a
Lisa
'What a day this has been,' Lisa thought ruefully. She left her apartment this morning with the intention of some retail therapy, but nowhere in there did she expect what happened. Her "boss", Coil, had given her the attractive options of working for him or dying. Well this girl would rather live. However, one cannot live with a potential death sentence and not get out to cut loose once in awhile.
She decided to visit her favorite boutique on the Boardwalk. After she slipped her minders of course. There was no way that she was being saddled with Alec on a shopping trip. Lisa was browsing the racks when she saw this girl. She was pretty in the way a model would be. Tall, leggy, and slender with long brown hair. Her clothes were a nightmare though.
'No wonder she's out shopping.' Lisa thought with a grimace. However shopping with a girlfriend was better than shopping alone. She slipped over to her, certain she was being stealthy, when the girl stiffened. 'That's strange she...knows I'm here.' That thought caused her to abandon her plans.
It was a novel experience having someone actually turn her Thinker abilities back on her. Her power told her that it wasn't exactly like her own. She was a Thinker sorta. Sorta? That was delightfully vague. If Taylor wasn't such a sweetheart and genuinely friendly it might be annoying. Her power suddenly spat out more information. A low level Master effect? Centered on...Harmony? Why was that capitalized in her head?
She pushed that aside after determining that it didn't make her feel things that she didn't. It wasn't controlling her, but it did help ease awkward moments. Make the recipient feel better. Lunch was nice, but not particularly earth shattering. That was a novel experience. Actually being out with someone and not having to manage various clashing personalities was nice.
The trip to the electronics store proved enlightening too, but in a different way. Taylor was mesmerized by all of the new electronics and gadgets. Tinker? Wait, no? She's not thinking of disassembling anything. Though what she did find out was that Taylor could make a computer better than anything she could buy on the market without special connections.
'Why does she have to be so nice?' Lisa moaned in remembrance of hugging Taylor for just being so kind. 'I'm using her, but she doesn't see it that way. If she knew about Coil she'd actually want to help me.' She grit her teeth in annoyance. 'She would want to help me. Well we'll see how the computer goes.'
She firmly shut the door on any further hesitation. It's not a luxury she can afford.
Danny
He leaned back on the couch with a beer and his thoughts. The scene he came in on earlier was still surreal, but also brought a faint smile to his face. Super powers or not she was definitely still Taylor. Goofy, silly, and her smile was back. He could put up with some weirdness in exchange for having his Little Owl back to her old self.
He had gotten off work and drove straight home. Coming home no longer filled him with a cold dread. The distance between Taylor and himself was gone. That it had grown at all was his fault. He just couldn't deal with Annette dying the way she did. When he walked in the door, however, those morbid thoughts were dispelled by a bizarre sight.
Taylor was fiddling with some bizarre machines and...scolding them? She sounded like a kindergarten teacher dealing with unruly children. She was a Tinker too? Whatever the case he volunteered to get dinner out of the oven to give her more time to build. The fact that she was just so cute doing that had nothing to do with it.
They sat over dinner after she unveiled her invention and told him about the larger piece of equipment in the basement. The details went over his head, but she seemed happy. Just another thing to talk to the PRT about. She wanted to go for testing tomorrow after school, but he had to hold her off for now. The appointment would have to be made first. She sulked, but they spent the rest of the night just watching movies and enjoying some time together.
So why was he here with a can of beer and his thoughts? He was not a stupid man. He might not be as smart as his wife, Taylor had that distinction, but he wasn't stupid. All throughout that meeting in Blackwell's office one thing became clear. They were bending over backwards for that Hess girl. He briefly entertained the notion that it was Emma they were interested in, but that wasn't it. The principal was very firm and very cagey on making waves with those students. He didn't get his position by being unable to read people and each time Sophia Hess came up there was a reaction.
Something didn't smell right and he didn't like it. He didn't have enough pieces to the puzzle yet, but what he did have painted a disturbing picture. His eyes traveled to the beer as he thought with a snort 'I'm mixing metaphors now.'
Whatever the case may be he would support Taylor. He could do little else.
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude 1.a
Lisa
'What a day this has been,' Lisa thought ruefully. She left her apartment this morning with the intention of some retail therapy, but nowhere in there did she expect what happened. Her "boss", Coil, had given her the attractive options of working for him or dying. Well this girl would rather live. However, one cannot live with a potential death sentence and not get out to cut loose once in awhile.
She decided to visit her favorite boutique on the Boardwalk. After she slipped her minders of course. There was no way that she was being saddled with Alec on a shopping trip. Lisa was browsing the racks when she saw this girl. She was pretty in the way a model would be. Tall, leggy, and slender with long brown hair. Her clothes were a nightmare though.
'No wonder she's out shopping.' Lisa thought with a grimace. However shopping with a girlfriend was better than shopping alone. She slipped over to her, certain she was being stealthy, when the girl stiffened. 'That's strange she...knows I'm here.' That thought caused her to abandon her plans.
It was a novel experience having someone actually turn her Thinker abilities back on her. Her power told her that it wasn't exactly like her own. She was a Thinker sorta. Sorta? That was delightfully vague. If Taylor wasn't such a sweetheart and genuinely friendly it might be annoying. Her power suddenly spat out more information. A low level Master effect? Centered on...Harmony? Why was that capitalized in her head?
She pushed that aside after determining that it didn't make her feel things that she didn't. It wasn't controlling her, but it did help ease awkward moments. Make the recipient feel better. Lunch was nice, but not particularly earth shattering. That was a novel experience. Actually being out with someone and not having to manage various clashing personalities was nice.
The trip to the electronics store proved enlightening too, but in a different way. Taylor was mesmerized by all of the new electronics and gadgets. Tinker? Wait, no? She's not thinking of disassembling anything. Though what she did find out was that Taylor could make a computer better than anything she could buy on the market without special connections.
'Why does she have to be so nice?' Lisa moaned in remembrance of hugging Taylor for just being so kind. 'I'm using her, but she doesn't see it that way. If she knew about Coil she'd actually want to help me.' She grit her teeth in annoyance. 'She would want to help me. Well we'll see how the computer goes.'
She firmly shut the door on any further hesitation. It's not a luxury she can afford.
Danny
He leaned back on the couch with a beer and his thoughts. The scene he came in on earlier was still surreal, but also brought a faint smile to his face. Super powers or not she was definitely still Taylor. Goofy, silly, and her smile was back. He could put up with some weirdness in exchange for having his Little Owl back to her old self.
He had gotten off work and drove straight home. Coming home no longer filled him with a cold dread. The distance between Taylor and himself was gone. That it had grown at all was his fault. He just couldn't deal with Annette dying the way she did. When he walked in the door, however, those morbid thoughts were dispelled by a bizarre sight.
Taylor was fiddling with some bizarre machines and...scolding them? She sounded like a kindergarten teacher dealing with unruly children. She was a Tinker too? Whatever the case he volunteered to get dinner out of the oven to give her more time to build. The fact that she was just so cute doing that had nothing to do with it.
They sat over dinner after she unveiled her invention and told him about the larger piece of equipment in the basement. The details went over his head, but she seemed happy. Just another thing to talk to the PRT about. She wanted to go for testing tomorrow after school, but he had to hold her off for now. The appointment would have to be made first. She sulked, but they spent the rest of the night just watching movies and enjoying some time together.
So why was he here with a can of beer and his thoughts? He was not a stupid man. He might not be as smart as his wife, Taylor had that distinction, but he wasn't stupid. All throughout that meeting in Blackwell's office one thing became clear. They were bending over backwards for that Hess girl. He briefly entertained the notion that it was Emma they were interested in, but that wasn't it. The principal was very firm and very cagey on making waves with those students. He didn't get his position by being unable to read people and each time Sophia Hess came up there was a reaction.
Something didn't smell right and he didn't like it. He didn't have enough pieces to the puzzle yet, but what he did have painted a disturbing picture. His eyes traveled to the beer as he thought with a snort 'I'm mixing metaphors now.'
Whatever the case may be he would support Taylor. He could do little else.
First Arc 1.3
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
First Arc 1.3
-January 17, 2011-
School. One word filled with so many meanings. In my own experience most of those meanings was bad. I got up, showered, and dressed in another new outfit. Part of me just wanted to wear my old clothes and maybe protect my good clothes, but another part wanted to flaunt what I've got. This vanity streak was endlessly amusing to my dad. Okay so it was amusing to me as well. In a fit of whimsy I wore the charcoal sundress that Lisa helped me pick out and a pair of comfortable black flats.
I was probably going to be following the melody extra hard today. Someone on the forum mentioned about "Thinker headaches" from overuse of abilities. I didn't get headaches, but I did get hungry. Also tired. Building that mini reactor left me exhausted. I managed to hide just how tired and out of breath I was, but it caused me to sleep like the dead.
Hopefully today wouldn't be quite that bad. Dad had already left for work and it was time for me to head to school. The bus ride to Winslow was a unique experience. No one recognized me. At all. Oh there were plenty of stares and talking, but more about who the hot chick was. I visibly preened under the attention. I wonder what the hypocrites would say if they realized they were saying poor bullied Taylor Hebert looked so good.
Today's theme seems to be some strange industrial metal hybrid. The students had an eclectic variety of instruments in their melody. Woodwinds, strings, and brass I was used to, but then a few of the ones in the gangs had deeper, grungier tunes. Oddly enough even that was pleasant. It had a place in the Harmony so could be tolerated.
My first trial was the Trio were waiting at the doors of the school. They were doing a good job of looking nonchalant, but Sophia was keeping an eye out for me. There was a nasty surprise about their melody. Emma's melody sounded like wind chimes. A clear ringing chime that sounded melancholic. Sadness directed inward? Madison was a set of pipes that also sounded sad, but also...frightened?
Where did the villains in my memories go? They should be reveling in what they did to me and be angry that I dared to fight back. I couldn't take any satisfaction in how they were feeling. My gaze slid over to Sophia as if daring my power to humanize her too, but then I met her eyes. Cold orbs locked onto my own. Her melody was terrifying to me. There may have been a beautiful melody there at one time, but it was twisted now. I couldn't even identify the type of instrument. I had no experience with this sound. The moment passed as she broke the paralysis by walking away.
Wait. She was walking away? She didn't even recognize me? No, she did recognize me, but the no contact order was in effect. She actually cared about the law? I released a breath that I hadn't realized I'd been holding. Maybe that would be the only bit of weirdness for today.
I'm not holding my breath.
My classes were eerie. The teachers essentially treated me as part of the furniture. They weren't calling on me, but they also weren't treating me badly. I actually prefer it this way. Computer class was a joke. I felt vaguely offended for reasons I can't explain at the simplistic project. I swallowed my wounded pride and did the assignment as indicated.
Mr. Gladly's class was another chore to deal with. He must have been popular in school, but he was so desperate to appeal to the younger generation that he tended to drive them away. Today he barely looked at me. Aside from calling my name to make sure I was here he ignored me. The only bit of excitement was when he tried to put Madison and I into the same group.
"Uh...Mr. G? There...there is a no contact order..." Madison sounded almost shy and the nervousness was new. He blinked in surprise at that.
"Of course how silly of me." He directed her to a different group before putting me with Greg, Sparky, and one of Madison's cohorts. Tina? Teanna? Tiffany? Right. Something with a "T." Greg's obvious crush on me was only made worse by my newfound beauty. Curse my good looks.
That's a thought I never imagined having.
His melody sounded like an overeager tambourine. Kind of goofy and silly, but also discordant. He never even tried to read the mood. Sparky's melody was like a slow guitar calling to mind Nirvana. The girl with the "T" name was a simple clarinet. She was so eager to please that she was ignoring her own inner rhythm.
Is this what I've been dealing with all this time? My enemies can barely stand each other. They have no sense of self or cohesion. This is what has tormented me? I can't help myself and I start to giggle. The rest of the class is staring at me strangely, but oddly enough no one is making fun. It's just too ridiculous!
"Miss Hebert get control of yourself." Mr. Gladly says in a stern tone that utterly fails to intimidate me. I stop giggling, but not because he told me to. Class let out not long after with Greg following me from the room. This I could do without.
"Uh hey Taylor! Wait up!" He hurries up to me and I turn to face him.
"Hi Greg." I put as much niceness as I can into my voice. Having been on the receiving end of unfriendly reactions I'm less likely to inflict those on someone else.
"Glad to see you came back. What happened was terrible wasn't it? I can't believe they did that to you. Sure, I saw what was going on, but what could I do right?" And right there my mind went blank. He saw it. He saw my worst day, my worst moment, and he did nothing? Oh intellectually I know other people saw it, but this is him actually admitting to it with no trace of shame. He's actually expecting me to commiserate with him.
"Greg...get the hell out of my face." The vehemence in my tone surprises me. The darkness swirling in my mind drives down the flute of my melody. My heart refuses to cooperate and the darkness recedes, but the act was already done. "Get away from me. You don't care about anything but your own stupid needs. You think we're friends? We're not. Friends help one another. Friends are there for each other. A friend would have seen what was happening and actually did something about it."
He rocked back on his heels in surprise. I think that it took the other students by surprise. With that said I spun on my heel and stormed away. A group of Sophia's track friends tried to hem me in, but I simply slipped right by them. I should have been watching where I was going, but I had to get away from Greg. I had to because in that moment I had wanted to hurt him. He didn't deserve my anger. I could hear an oboe in place of my flute leaving me faintly disconnected.
Suddenly the sharp blaring of a furious melody was heard and I almost didn't react in time. Sophia was waiting for me on the stairs and I hadn't even seen her. Too wrapped up in my own thoughts. She rammed her elbow out for my lower back just as I was heading down the stairs. My frantic twisting dodge caused me to practically hurl myself down the stairs. My senses sharpened as a I gave myself to the flow and I landed with cat-like agility on the landing.
The absolutely priceless look of shock on her face was worth it. Oh it was totally worth it. I grinned up at her, and with a jaunty wave, skipped off to my next class. The rest of the day was boring by comparison. Sophia found a way to keep an eye on me, but made no further action. That part was disquieting.
Whatever it was I had no idea. I had dinner prepared and ready when Dad came home. Today's project was testing my reflexes. Was what I did outside a normal human's ability or was that just more athletics? I think I even perfected a floor routine in the backyard, but I couldn't seem to get back in that same state of mind. Dad had a good day at work. Apparently the mayor wanted to start a park restoration project that he managed to finagle into work for the union.
"Your testing is scheduled for Wednesday." My eyebrow raised, "I know. I was surprised too at how soon they want to see you, but this is good." That pensiveness was back in his melody. "The Wards will be good for you. If you still want to go." He was leaving it at my feet whether I went through with it or not. Good tactic. Why was I hearing a duet of oboes? Something to worry about later.
"I'm not going to change my mind. We've already been over this. I suggested, you agreed, now it sounds like you're trying to talk me out of it with reverse psychology." My eyebrow was arched, but that was my only reaction. Dad was looking at me strangely, but nodded slowly.
"People said you inherited my temper. I guess that's what it looks like from this side." He finally said after several long moments. What did he mean? The thought hits me that I haven't heard my flute. I'm hearing two oboes. I chew my dinner as something is starting to add up. Saturday on the Boardwalk I must have "synched" with Lisa. Somehow we were just in perfect synchronicity (Synchronity)...What...? Now today I synched with my dad...
<static> Error Found
I shake my head. What was that? I finish my dinner on autopilot. What was I thinking...?
<static> Error Found
My head falls forward limply as my eyes fall shut. Dad is already moving to catch me, but my body is unresponsive. I open my eyes, but all I see are lines and lines of green code flashing by my vision.
"Taylor? Taylor!?" I hear his voice as if from a great distance.
"Sleepy..." My voice has a strange crackle like a strained voice processor. How do I know what that sounds like...?
<static> Error Found <static> Error Found <static> Error...
Darkness.
Well this is familiar. My eyes are closed and I hear the sound of fingers flying across keys. The difference is that there is a sense of urgency. I can't even shift my body or make a sound. It feels like my body is paralyzed.
"Damn damn damn...it dumped the entire data packet right into her mind..." The kind voice doesn't sound so kind, but more like she's restraining herself from hitting something.
"So that's what that file was. Increase aggression? Evoke a heightened response to combat? Increase conflict? This thing has no safeties built in at all! It's almost like it exists purely to destroy whatever it's installed into." She blows out a frustrated huff of air. There is no way to call that a sigh or interpret in a ladylike manner. She almost snorted like a bull.
"This is what we are up against? This is the threat to existence? Of course it is. Anyone who looks at it would think that with how utterly idiotic the programming is it wouldn't be a threat. An army of berserkers with super powers is a threat. Advanced tactical programming. Building weapons that even we don't have. Each of these powers is a monumental threat in itself, but put together? The only saving grace is the utter idiocy of inciting conflict between them." The voice has calmed as she muses.
What she's saying is scaring me. It sounds like she's been monitoring my world for some time. Shards? Conflict? Aggression? Idiotic coding? I manage to make a sound of worry and her focus shifts to me.
"Well that could have gone better, but it could have gone worse. There were safeguards put in place to prevent you from drawing on too much, too soon, but that damn concealed programming dumped it all into your head anyway." She sounds worried, annoyed, and I can tell some of both of those feelings are directed at me. Oops. I open my mouth to speak and she silences me. I growl slightly, but the light thwap on my forehead startles me into silence.
"Don't take that tone with me young lady. I understand that you're excited to have powers and abilities. I understand that after being told you're nothing that you want to show you are something. Feelings of inadequacy never truly go away once they've been placed inside of us, but trying to do everything at once is suicide." She has my number all right. I can't even find it in me to disagree with her especially as she sounds like she's been there before. My head turns towards her and nuzzles at her leg. Those soft fingers start to run through my hair again.
"This isn't totally hopeless. Thankfully the adjustments we've made haven't been undone, but you've set your overall progress back by quite a bit." That doesn't sound good. Adjustments? A querying tone comes out and I hear her sigh. "You'll live. Nothing is actually broken or damaged, but there will be more scrutiny on you." She sounds resigned. "What you experienced was a system error. The day is coming that I can explain more, but for now you must restrain yourself. I am not kidding. You must slow down. Scale it back a bit." Her fingers fly over the keys again. "Okay, I've restricted your access, for now. There is an emergency release, but you had better be absolutely certain you need to use it."
She makes me sound like a machine of some sort that could break down. Well not quite. More like a robot. Still not right. Maybe...THWAP!!! I yelp in pain as that scolding finger comes down with more force.
"Bad girl. No. Stop that right now. No digging!" Mutely, I nod my acceptance. Moments later I feel a peculiar lassitude come over me. Like my awareness has shrunk. I sigh in relief as a pressure I didn't consciously notice goes away. "You worried your father and you worried me." The voice continues in a softer tone. "You're very important to many people. You are special, desired, and wanted. We need you, Taylor. Please take care of yourself, okay?" I feel myself start to cry and a pair of slender arms embrace me.
-January 22, 2011
I wake up in a familiar location. White walls, white ceiling, and a heart monitor beeping away. I can't contain the groan of irritation. That's what she meant by pushing myself too far. My laptop was sitting on the tray table and was in easy reach. Eek. I missed my appointment with the PRT. Well I guess power induced coma counted as a good excuse. It's Saturday. I've been out of it since Monday night. My flute is back which is nice and I hear the oboe of my dad. He has his head down and appears to be sleeping. Wait...that harp approaching is familiar...no sooner do I think that then Lisa walks into the room. She visibly brightens when she sees me.
"Had enough rest, Sleeping Beauty?" She quips teasingly.
"Too bad no one was around to kiss me and wake me up." I tease back. We both turn red again.
"You have to stop doing that. Seriously. That's dangerous." Her voice is mildly scolding, but the relief coloring her tone makes me feel bad. It looks like we woke up my dad as he blinks his eyes blearily. He smiles at Lisa in greeting before focusing entirely on me.
"This wasn't how I wanted the two of you to meet y'know." There's a generally relaxed air as flute, oboe, and harp seem to fall right into step with each other. My laptop has been loaded, by Lisa, with my assignments for school so that I don't fall behind. I'm about to suggest home schooling because, frankly, classes are slowing me down. My dad said that my appointment has been rescheduled for the day I leave the hospital.
"It's always a good idea to keep your appointments." Lisa says teasingly and I giggle in response. It was a good day if I ignore my continued incarceration in the hospital. They stayed until visiting hours were over which I appreciated.
However now I'm alone with my thoughts. What a mess I made. Some of what I heard goes a long way towards explaining what happened, but there is some burden there. There was no rush to do any of what I did. When I found myself exhausted that should have warned me off, but I was just so excited.
"But I'm important." That makes me smile. She said I'm important. Not only to my dad, but to her, and to many people. I have a responsibility to take care of myself for them. Much of what she said went over my head, but she made sure I understood that much. I snuggled back into the bed and went to sleep.
Monday morning I'm out again. They insisted that I stay over the weekend, but now I'm free once more. The problem is that now my appointment with the PRT is today. Dad called on ahead to find out how we were supposed to do this and he was asked to bring me around after school. They want me to meet the Wards. Oh I want to meet them, but I did just get out of the hospital. Whatever, I'll tough it out, but now I wonder what their melodies will be like. A simple domino mask is all we have to conceal my identity, but that's fine. I have a hood up and am wearing a shapeless trench coat to conceal my gender and identity further.
"Good afternoon." A pleasant faced woman at the desk greets me.
"I'm here for my appointment." I gesture at my mask and she nods her head.
"Someone will be with you shortly." She waves to a set of chairs and I take a seat. My dad comes in about ten minutes later and finds himself escorted away for a tour of the facility. Their brilliant idea was for my dad to go on the tour and escort him off during the trip. I guess it's worked for them before so why change now?
Wow the PRT officers melodies are tense. None of them are relaxed in the slightest and the suspicion only ratchets up when they look at me. They don't know me yet. They're just being cautious. I'm clinging to this belief like a lifeline as another agent approaches me.
"Please come this way." He says and starts to leave with me hurrying to keep up. Are all of the people that work here so eager to be anywhere but around the new cape? In this man's case he's not particularly wary or afraid. Maybe he's just busy? I shouldn't be taking everything personally, but I'm already nervous. He leaves me in a simple interview room with a one way mirror. Three melodies are behind the mirror. I spend some time examining them.
One of them feels damaged. The melody is there, but it's been caged by something. Fear. Self doubt. Loathing. Loathing...of me? That's delightfully reassuring. Principled though. I guess I can wait and see. The next has the sound of a harmonica? I think that's a harmonica. Though it has a smoother sound than I've ever heard from one. Good natured and interested. That one I like. The last one sounds like a trombone. A bit awkward, but sincere. I like that one too. The trombone is approaching and enters the room from the booth.
The awkward trombone is Armsmaster. I never would have pegged him for awkward but oh momma the song coming from his armor is compelling. The melody could be even more beautiful if it didn't feel like he was carting around an entire day care full of unruly children. I blush as it appears he's been talking to me.
"I'm so sorry, but well you're one of my heroes and I didn't expect that I'd get to meet you and I'm so grateful for this chance." I manage in one breath causing his melody to stutter briefly in surprise before an almost embarrassed tone tinges it. Bigger oops.
"That's fine, Ms. Hebert." He sounds far more confident about speaking than his melody indicates. I choose to latch onto that and let him lead things.
"Your father mentioned that you were thinking of joining the Wards. Perhaps you could tell us what you bring to the table." He takes a seat in a chair that has obviously been reinforced for a suit of power armor. Now that the moment of truth is here I'm not sure where to begin. Well mom did say that the beginning was the best place so I told him about what I've observed since I woke up in the hospital.
I told him about being able to "hear" the melodies of other people. That I could even tell what they were feeling and general trustworthiness. He shifted a little, but not nervously. The trombone has gone from awkward to ready. I point that out and he reacts with wariness. Yeah, maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that? The melodies beyond the mirror were steadily shifting to wariness. The harmonica has relaxed, apparently having seen something they approved of, but the damaged melody feels threatened. There is no wariness or readiness. Armsmaster tilts his head as if listening to something I can't hear before nodding slowly.
"When you hear these...melodies...can you control them?" He asks in a casual tone.
"I can't. Even if that was in my power I wouldn't. The most I can do is act by what the melody reveals." I shrug, but inwardly and outwardly I'm relieved. His melody relaxed and even the hateful one has backed down.
"Truth." Armsmaster says after I finish. He has a lie detector built into his suit? Well that's convenient and helps me a great deal. That's why the broken melody has calmed down. He gestures for me to continue.
"I can also...I guess...go with the flow and let it guide my actions. I'm not exactly sure how it works, but so far it kicks in when I'm feeling threatened or pressured in some way. It takes the path of least resistance. A guy was trying to harass a friend of mine on the Boardwalk and I ended up kicking him in the groin, but when a girl at school tried to shove me down the stairs it made me land like a cat." I couldn't tell with only his Halbeard showing, but he looked thoughtful.
"What if you had a weapon?" I shake my head since I know that answer.
"The flow didn't give an option for an armed response. He wasn't armed so I wasn't armed. If he had been...something else. Not really sure what." That puzzled me. I actually could look over that event with a strange sort of clarity and actually know what my options were. That appears to satisfy my audience, both obvious and not. He gestures for me to continue.
"Last weekend I bought computer parts and took a stop at the junkyard for more parts. I knew how to put them together into a wi-fi hub, server, and now have my laptop, computer, and smartphone connected to it." He nods as if he knows exactly what I'm talking about. His melody is even confirming he knows all about the junkyard expedition. I narrow my eyes as it suddenly starts to make sense.
"Those were put there to suss out Tinkers. A regular drop of parts from the PRT with a few random bits of tinker tech thrown in to act as a lure..." I groan softly, "and I walked right into it..." Armsmaster shakes his head.
"No, it was specifically put there for you." My eyebrows shoot up to my hairline, "Sometimes powers are complimentary. Tinker and Thinker. Brute and Mover. Shaker and Striker. Master and Stranger. When your father mentioned that you had a Thinker power it was a safe bet that you might be a Tinker as well." He sits back with a satisfied air, "It looks like we were proven right. Do you have an idea of your specialty yet?" I open my mouth to answer when the intercom crackles.
"We don't have time for you to stroke your Tinker urges." The woman's voice was tough, no nonsense, and out of breath. So that was the damaged melody. Her voice sounded fair, but hard. Navigating those uncertain waters would be difficult. I felt bad for Armsmaster as he wilted. If not for his melody I wouldn't have been able to tell.
"We can talk more about it later." I reassure him. He nods slowly as he stands up and heads out of the room only to be replaced by Miss Militia. She's the not-harmonica. Well that makes a certain amount of sense. She has a trustworthy feel and her melody is pleasant. How does she smile with her eyes like that?
"Would you like to meet the Wards while you're here?" I'm standing up almost before she's done talking eliciting a pleasant laugh. I flush a bit sheepishly. "Would you like to leave your coat somewhere? It can't be comfortable." Now that she mentioned it this wasn't very comfortable. It was becoming unpleasantly warm. I take off my coat and she passes it off to an agent. The agent seems much more at ease with me. I guess having a couple heroes vet me is good enough.
The hallways are almost uniformly white with a sense of sameness designed to disorient. At least that's what I hope it was designed for because if the designers were just that lazy...
"I have to say it was nice seeing Armsmaster actually relaxed with someone. You certainly have a way about you." She teases me gently. I can't help the blush. Me? Good with people? Before the locker I wasn't this good with other people, but now I'm a regular social butterfly.
"Well he's just so earnest." The first Ward nods her head slowly in speculation. I'm kind of surprised no one has asked me what they sound like. I guess being professionals it wouldn't be as important as knowing that I could "hear" their mental states. We approached a reinforced door with a light above it and a button alongside. A loud buzzer sounds as she pushes the button.
"It gives the Wards a chance to put their masks on and make themselves presentable for guests." That makes sense. I can sense many melodies on the other side of the door as we enter. When I see the Wards' room all I can think is "teenager." I can see a large screen TV on the far wall with several game consoles nearby and several couches for lounging around. There are desks settled near the walls I guess for doing work. A bank of monitors dominates one wall.
The people here are the real focus though. The one with clocks on his uniform is obviously the Wards joker, Clockblocker that can touch things to stop them in time. His melody almost sounds ragtime. Like a comedy beat. The young man in gunmetal power armor is Gallant. An empath capable of firing blasts of emotion though his melody felt like a blend of melodies. Oh that makes sense. He's an empath so it gives him a richer melody. Strange, but not bad. Another young man in a rust red uniform was already approaching me with his hand extended in a friendly handshake. This is Aegis. The melody that accompanies him sounds like a trumpet. Strident and challenging.
"Hello there. I hear that you might be interested in joining?" He has a friendly tone that I respond to with a smile.
"Hey don't hog the new girl." Clockblocker quips causing his teammates to roll their eyes at his antics.
"Sorry I'm late! I got held up." A young girl's voice says as space distorts and Vista, the youngest ward in her green uniform with green armor pieces, appears. Her melody reminds me of panpipes and that sounds so weird when she's using her power. Like the music was twirling around and through itself. It actually left me cross eyed.
"We were just introducing ourselves to the new girl. Did you think of a name yet?" Gallant asks me. I shake my head.
"I was thinking Songstress or Aria, but I'm not sure yet." Wait. There's a melody I recognize and it's coming closer. My eyes narrow slightly and the darkness swirls through my brain. My heart is in agreement. That menacing song. I recognize it and I can't believe that She would be here. Sophia Hess, Shadow Stalker, walks right in as if she owns the place.
"What's all this about some rookie joining?" She sounds so bored. So smug. So absolutely her that I feel my hand curling into a claw. Suddenly I can't hear anything, can't acknowledge anything, but her. She looks at me and her eyes widen. The mask doesn't really conceal my identity after all.
"Hebert? What the fuck are you doing here?" She takes a step back. Shouts of surprise occur all around as I throw my shoulders back and hold my hand up and outward. In my grasp is a ball of incandescent yellow plasma wearing what look like a rockstar's shades, bright red gloves with silver spikes, and spiked red sneakers. It would look cute if it wasn't putting out a menacing song of it's own. My melody has changed to a hard driving electric guitar beat.
Program Found: EXEC_THRASHBEAT
Target: Shadow Stalker
Power: 1000%
Execu-
Suddenly the song is lost as I'm laying on the ground with my limbs twitching. Shadow Stalker is also twitching on the ground. This...might be a problem...
or Melody of Escalation
First Arc 1.3
-January 17, 2011-
School. One word filled with so many meanings. In my own experience most of those meanings was bad. I got up, showered, and dressed in another new outfit. Part of me just wanted to wear my old clothes and maybe protect my good clothes, but another part wanted to flaunt what I've got. This vanity streak was endlessly amusing to my dad. Okay so it was amusing to me as well. In a fit of whimsy I wore the charcoal sundress that Lisa helped me pick out and a pair of comfortable black flats.
I was probably going to be following the melody extra hard today. Someone on the forum mentioned about "Thinker headaches" from overuse of abilities. I didn't get headaches, but I did get hungry. Also tired. Building that mini reactor left me exhausted. I managed to hide just how tired and out of breath I was, but it caused me to sleep like the dead.
Hopefully today wouldn't be quite that bad. Dad had already left for work and it was time for me to head to school. The bus ride to Winslow was a unique experience. No one recognized me. At all. Oh there were plenty of stares and talking, but more about who the hot chick was. I visibly preened under the attention. I wonder what the hypocrites would say if they realized they were saying poor bullied Taylor Hebert looked so good.
Today's theme seems to be some strange industrial metal hybrid. The students had an eclectic variety of instruments in their melody. Woodwinds, strings, and brass I was used to, but then a few of the ones in the gangs had deeper, grungier tunes. Oddly enough even that was pleasant. It had a place in the Harmony so could be tolerated.
My first trial was the Trio were waiting at the doors of the school. They were doing a good job of looking nonchalant, but Sophia was keeping an eye out for me. There was a nasty surprise about their melody. Emma's melody sounded like wind chimes. A clear ringing chime that sounded melancholic. Sadness directed inward? Madison was a set of pipes that also sounded sad, but also...frightened?
Where did the villains in my memories go? They should be reveling in what they did to me and be angry that I dared to fight back. I couldn't take any satisfaction in how they were feeling. My gaze slid over to Sophia as if daring my power to humanize her too, but then I met her eyes. Cold orbs locked onto my own. Her melody was terrifying to me. There may have been a beautiful melody there at one time, but it was twisted now. I couldn't even identify the type of instrument. I had no experience with this sound. The moment passed as she broke the paralysis by walking away.
Wait. She was walking away? She didn't even recognize me? No, she did recognize me, but the no contact order was in effect. She actually cared about the law? I released a breath that I hadn't realized I'd been holding. Maybe that would be the only bit of weirdness for today.
I'm not holding my breath.
My classes were eerie. The teachers essentially treated me as part of the furniture. They weren't calling on me, but they also weren't treating me badly. I actually prefer it this way. Computer class was a joke. I felt vaguely offended for reasons I can't explain at the simplistic project. I swallowed my wounded pride and did the assignment as indicated.
Mr. Gladly's class was another chore to deal with. He must have been popular in school, but he was so desperate to appeal to the younger generation that he tended to drive them away. Today he barely looked at me. Aside from calling my name to make sure I was here he ignored me. The only bit of excitement was when he tried to put Madison and I into the same group.
"Uh...Mr. G? There...there is a no contact order..." Madison sounded almost shy and the nervousness was new. He blinked in surprise at that.
"Of course how silly of me." He directed her to a different group before putting me with Greg, Sparky, and one of Madison's cohorts. Tina? Teanna? Tiffany? Right. Something with a "T." Greg's obvious crush on me was only made worse by my newfound beauty. Curse my good looks.
That's a thought I never imagined having.
His melody sounded like an overeager tambourine. Kind of goofy and silly, but also discordant. He never even tried to read the mood. Sparky's melody was like a slow guitar calling to mind Nirvana. The girl with the "T" name was a simple clarinet. She was so eager to please that she was ignoring her own inner rhythm.
Is this what I've been dealing with all this time? My enemies can barely stand each other. They have no sense of self or cohesion. This is what has tormented me? I can't help myself and I start to giggle. The rest of the class is staring at me strangely, but oddly enough no one is making fun. It's just too ridiculous!
"Miss Hebert get control of yourself." Mr. Gladly says in a stern tone that utterly fails to intimidate me. I stop giggling, but not because he told me to. Class let out not long after with Greg following me from the room. This I could do without.
"Uh hey Taylor! Wait up!" He hurries up to me and I turn to face him.
"Hi Greg." I put as much niceness as I can into my voice. Having been on the receiving end of unfriendly reactions I'm less likely to inflict those on someone else.
"Glad to see you came back. What happened was terrible wasn't it? I can't believe they did that to you. Sure, I saw what was going on, but what could I do right?" And right there my mind went blank. He saw it. He saw my worst day, my worst moment, and he did nothing? Oh intellectually I know other people saw it, but this is him actually admitting to it with no trace of shame. He's actually expecting me to commiserate with him.
"Greg...get the hell out of my face." The vehemence in my tone surprises me. The darkness swirling in my mind drives down the flute of my melody. My heart refuses to cooperate and the darkness recedes, but the act was already done. "Get away from me. You don't care about anything but your own stupid needs. You think we're friends? We're not. Friends help one another. Friends are there for each other. A friend would have seen what was happening and actually did something about it."
He rocked back on his heels in surprise. I think that it took the other students by surprise. With that said I spun on my heel and stormed away. A group of Sophia's track friends tried to hem me in, but I simply slipped right by them. I should have been watching where I was going, but I had to get away from Greg. I had to because in that moment I had wanted to hurt him. He didn't deserve my anger. I could hear an oboe in place of my flute leaving me faintly disconnected.
Suddenly the sharp blaring of a furious melody was heard and I almost didn't react in time. Sophia was waiting for me on the stairs and I hadn't even seen her. Too wrapped up in my own thoughts. She rammed her elbow out for my lower back just as I was heading down the stairs. My frantic twisting dodge caused me to practically hurl myself down the stairs. My senses sharpened as a I gave myself to the flow and I landed with cat-like agility on the landing.
The absolutely priceless look of shock on her face was worth it. Oh it was totally worth it. I grinned up at her, and with a jaunty wave, skipped off to my next class. The rest of the day was boring by comparison. Sophia found a way to keep an eye on me, but made no further action. That part was disquieting.
Whatever it was I had no idea. I had dinner prepared and ready when Dad came home. Today's project was testing my reflexes. Was what I did outside a normal human's ability or was that just more athletics? I think I even perfected a floor routine in the backyard, but I couldn't seem to get back in that same state of mind. Dad had a good day at work. Apparently the mayor wanted to start a park restoration project that he managed to finagle into work for the union.
"Your testing is scheduled for Wednesday." My eyebrow raised, "I know. I was surprised too at how soon they want to see you, but this is good." That pensiveness was back in his melody. "The Wards will be good for you. If you still want to go." He was leaving it at my feet whether I went through with it or not. Good tactic. Why was I hearing a duet of oboes? Something to worry about later.
"I'm not going to change my mind. We've already been over this. I suggested, you agreed, now it sounds like you're trying to talk me out of it with reverse psychology." My eyebrow was arched, but that was my only reaction. Dad was looking at me strangely, but nodded slowly.
"People said you inherited my temper. I guess that's what it looks like from this side." He finally said after several long moments. What did he mean? The thought hits me that I haven't heard my flute. I'm hearing two oboes. I chew my dinner as something is starting to add up. Saturday on the Boardwalk I must have "synched" with Lisa. Somehow we were just in perfect synchronicity (Synchronity)...What...? Now today I synched with my dad...
<static> Error Found
I shake my head. What was that? I finish my dinner on autopilot. What was I thinking...?
<static> Error Found
My head falls forward limply as my eyes fall shut. Dad is already moving to catch me, but my body is unresponsive. I open my eyes, but all I see are lines and lines of green code flashing by my vision.
"Taylor? Taylor!?" I hear his voice as if from a great distance.
"Sleepy..." My voice has a strange crackle like a strained voice processor. How do I know what that sounds like...?
<static> Error Found <static> Error Found <static> Error...
Darkness.
Well this is familiar. My eyes are closed and I hear the sound of fingers flying across keys. The difference is that there is a sense of urgency. I can't even shift my body or make a sound. It feels like my body is paralyzed.
"Damn damn damn...it dumped the entire data packet right into her mind..." The kind voice doesn't sound so kind, but more like she's restraining herself from hitting something.
"So that's what that file was. Increase aggression? Evoke a heightened response to combat? Increase conflict? This thing has no safeties built in at all! It's almost like it exists purely to destroy whatever it's installed into." She blows out a frustrated huff of air. There is no way to call that a sigh or interpret in a ladylike manner. She almost snorted like a bull.
"This is what we are up against? This is the threat to existence? Of course it is. Anyone who looks at it would think that with how utterly idiotic the programming is it wouldn't be a threat. An army of berserkers with super powers is a threat. Advanced tactical programming. Building weapons that even we don't have. Each of these powers is a monumental threat in itself, but put together? The only saving grace is the utter idiocy of inciting conflict between them." The voice has calmed as she muses.
What she's saying is scaring me. It sounds like she's been monitoring my world for some time. Shards? Conflict? Aggression? Idiotic coding? I manage to make a sound of worry and her focus shifts to me.
"Well that could have gone better, but it could have gone worse. There were safeguards put in place to prevent you from drawing on too much, too soon, but that damn concealed programming dumped it all into your head anyway." She sounds worried, annoyed, and I can tell some of both of those feelings are directed at me. Oops. I open my mouth to speak and she silences me. I growl slightly, but the light thwap on my forehead startles me into silence.
"Don't take that tone with me young lady. I understand that you're excited to have powers and abilities. I understand that after being told you're nothing that you want to show you are something. Feelings of inadequacy never truly go away once they've been placed inside of us, but trying to do everything at once is suicide." She has my number all right. I can't even find it in me to disagree with her especially as she sounds like she's been there before. My head turns towards her and nuzzles at her leg. Those soft fingers start to run through my hair again.
"This isn't totally hopeless. Thankfully the adjustments we've made haven't been undone, but you've set your overall progress back by quite a bit." That doesn't sound good. Adjustments? A querying tone comes out and I hear her sigh. "You'll live. Nothing is actually broken or damaged, but there will be more scrutiny on you." She sounds resigned. "What you experienced was a system error. The day is coming that I can explain more, but for now you must restrain yourself. I am not kidding. You must slow down. Scale it back a bit." Her fingers fly over the keys again. "Okay, I've restricted your access, for now. There is an emergency release, but you had better be absolutely certain you need to use it."
She makes me sound like a machine of some sort that could break down. Well not quite. More like a robot. Still not right. Maybe...THWAP!!! I yelp in pain as that scolding finger comes down with more force.
"Bad girl. No. Stop that right now. No digging!" Mutely, I nod my acceptance. Moments later I feel a peculiar lassitude come over me. Like my awareness has shrunk. I sigh in relief as a pressure I didn't consciously notice goes away. "You worried your father and you worried me." The voice continues in a softer tone. "You're very important to many people. You are special, desired, and wanted. We need you, Taylor. Please take care of yourself, okay?" I feel myself start to cry and a pair of slender arms embrace me.
-January 22, 2011
I wake up in a familiar location. White walls, white ceiling, and a heart monitor beeping away. I can't contain the groan of irritation. That's what she meant by pushing myself too far. My laptop was sitting on the tray table and was in easy reach. Eek. I missed my appointment with the PRT. Well I guess power induced coma counted as a good excuse. It's Saturday. I've been out of it since Monday night. My flute is back which is nice and I hear the oboe of my dad. He has his head down and appears to be sleeping. Wait...that harp approaching is familiar...no sooner do I think that then Lisa walks into the room. She visibly brightens when she sees me.
"Had enough rest, Sleeping Beauty?" She quips teasingly.
"Too bad no one was around to kiss me and wake me up." I tease back. We both turn red again.
"You have to stop doing that. Seriously. That's dangerous." Her voice is mildly scolding, but the relief coloring her tone makes me feel bad. It looks like we woke up my dad as he blinks his eyes blearily. He smiles at Lisa in greeting before focusing entirely on me.
"This wasn't how I wanted the two of you to meet y'know." There's a generally relaxed air as flute, oboe, and harp seem to fall right into step with each other. My laptop has been loaded, by Lisa, with my assignments for school so that I don't fall behind. I'm about to suggest home schooling because, frankly, classes are slowing me down. My dad said that my appointment has been rescheduled for the day I leave the hospital.
"It's always a good idea to keep your appointments." Lisa says teasingly and I giggle in response. It was a good day if I ignore my continued incarceration in the hospital. They stayed until visiting hours were over which I appreciated.
However now I'm alone with my thoughts. What a mess I made. Some of what I heard goes a long way towards explaining what happened, but there is some burden there. There was no rush to do any of what I did. When I found myself exhausted that should have warned me off, but I was just so excited.
"But I'm important." That makes me smile. She said I'm important. Not only to my dad, but to her, and to many people. I have a responsibility to take care of myself for them. Much of what she said went over my head, but she made sure I understood that much. I snuggled back into the bed and went to sleep.
Monday morning I'm out again. They insisted that I stay over the weekend, but now I'm free once more. The problem is that now my appointment with the PRT is today. Dad called on ahead to find out how we were supposed to do this and he was asked to bring me around after school. They want me to meet the Wards. Oh I want to meet them, but I did just get out of the hospital. Whatever, I'll tough it out, but now I wonder what their melodies will be like. A simple domino mask is all we have to conceal my identity, but that's fine. I have a hood up and am wearing a shapeless trench coat to conceal my gender and identity further.
"Good afternoon." A pleasant faced woman at the desk greets me.
"I'm here for my appointment." I gesture at my mask and she nods her head.
"Someone will be with you shortly." She waves to a set of chairs and I take a seat. My dad comes in about ten minutes later and finds himself escorted away for a tour of the facility. Their brilliant idea was for my dad to go on the tour and escort him off during the trip. I guess it's worked for them before so why change now?
Wow the PRT officers melodies are tense. None of them are relaxed in the slightest and the suspicion only ratchets up when they look at me. They don't know me yet. They're just being cautious. I'm clinging to this belief like a lifeline as another agent approaches me.
"Please come this way." He says and starts to leave with me hurrying to keep up. Are all of the people that work here so eager to be anywhere but around the new cape? In this man's case he's not particularly wary or afraid. Maybe he's just busy? I shouldn't be taking everything personally, but I'm already nervous. He leaves me in a simple interview room with a one way mirror. Three melodies are behind the mirror. I spend some time examining them.
One of them feels damaged. The melody is there, but it's been caged by something. Fear. Self doubt. Loathing. Loathing...of me? That's delightfully reassuring. Principled though. I guess I can wait and see. The next has the sound of a harmonica? I think that's a harmonica. Though it has a smoother sound than I've ever heard from one. Good natured and interested. That one I like. The last one sounds like a trombone. A bit awkward, but sincere. I like that one too. The trombone is approaching and enters the room from the booth.
The awkward trombone is Armsmaster. I never would have pegged him for awkward but oh momma the song coming from his armor is compelling. The melody could be even more beautiful if it didn't feel like he was carting around an entire day care full of unruly children. I blush as it appears he's been talking to me.
"I'm so sorry, but well you're one of my heroes and I didn't expect that I'd get to meet you and I'm so grateful for this chance." I manage in one breath causing his melody to stutter briefly in surprise before an almost embarrassed tone tinges it. Bigger oops.
"That's fine, Ms. Hebert." He sounds far more confident about speaking than his melody indicates. I choose to latch onto that and let him lead things.
"Your father mentioned that you were thinking of joining the Wards. Perhaps you could tell us what you bring to the table." He takes a seat in a chair that has obviously been reinforced for a suit of power armor. Now that the moment of truth is here I'm not sure where to begin. Well mom did say that the beginning was the best place so I told him about what I've observed since I woke up in the hospital.
I told him about being able to "hear" the melodies of other people. That I could even tell what they were feeling and general trustworthiness. He shifted a little, but not nervously. The trombone has gone from awkward to ready. I point that out and he reacts with wariness. Yeah, maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that? The melodies beyond the mirror were steadily shifting to wariness. The harmonica has relaxed, apparently having seen something they approved of, but the damaged melody feels threatened. There is no wariness or readiness. Armsmaster tilts his head as if listening to something I can't hear before nodding slowly.
"When you hear these...melodies...can you control them?" He asks in a casual tone.
"I can't. Even if that was in my power I wouldn't. The most I can do is act by what the melody reveals." I shrug, but inwardly and outwardly I'm relieved. His melody relaxed and even the hateful one has backed down.
"Truth." Armsmaster says after I finish. He has a lie detector built into his suit? Well that's convenient and helps me a great deal. That's why the broken melody has calmed down. He gestures for me to continue.
"I can also...I guess...go with the flow and let it guide my actions. I'm not exactly sure how it works, but so far it kicks in when I'm feeling threatened or pressured in some way. It takes the path of least resistance. A guy was trying to harass a friend of mine on the Boardwalk and I ended up kicking him in the groin, but when a girl at school tried to shove me down the stairs it made me land like a cat." I couldn't tell with only his Halbeard showing, but he looked thoughtful.
"What if you had a weapon?" I shake my head since I know that answer.
"The flow didn't give an option for an armed response. He wasn't armed so I wasn't armed. If he had been...something else. Not really sure what." That puzzled me. I actually could look over that event with a strange sort of clarity and actually know what my options were. That appears to satisfy my audience, both obvious and not. He gestures for me to continue.
"Last weekend I bought computer parts and took a stop at the junkyard for more parts. I knew how to put them together into a wi-fi hub, server, and now have my laptop, computer, and smartphone connected to it." He nods as if he knows exactly what I'm talking about. His melody is even confirming he knows all about the junkyard expedition. I narrow my eyes as it suddenly starts to make sense.
"Those were put there to suss out Tinkers. A regular drop of parts from the PRT with a few random bits of tinker tech thrown in to act as a lure..." I groan softly, "and I walked right into it..." Armsmaster shakes his head.
"No, it was specifically put there for you." My eyebrows shoot up to my hairline, "Sometimes powers are complimentary. Tinker and Thinker. Brute and Mover. Shaker and Striker. Master and Stranger. When your father mentioned that you had a Thinker power it was a safe bet that you might be a Tinker as well." He sits back with a satisfied air, "It looks like we were proven right. Do you have an idea of your specialty yet?" I open my mouth to answer when the intercom crackles.
"We don't have time for you to stroke your Tinker urges." The woman's voice was tough, no nonsense, and out of breath. So that was the damaged melody. Her voice sounded fair, but hard. Navigating those uncertain waters would be difficult. I felt bad for Armsmaster as he wilted. If not for his melody I wouldn't have been able to tell.
"We can talk more about it later." I reassure him. He nods slowly as he stands up and heads out of the room only to be replaced by Miss Militia. She's the not-harmonica. Well that makes a certain amount of sense. She has a trustworthy feel and her melody is pleasant. How does she smile with her eyes like that?
"Would you like to meet the Wards while you're here?" I'm standing up almost before she's done talking eliciting a pleasant laugh. I flush a bit sheepishly. "Would you like to leave your coat somewhere? It can't be comfortable." Now that she mentioned it this wasn't very comfortable. It was becoming unpleasantly warm. I take off my coat and she passes it off to an agent. The agent seems much more at ease with me. I guess having a couple heroes vet me is good enough.
The hallways are almost uniformly white with a sense of sameness designed to disorient. At least that's what I hope it was designed for because if the designers were just that lazy...
"I have to say it was nice seeing Armsmaster actually relaxed with someone. You certainly have a way about you." She teases me gently. I can't help the blush. Me? Good with people? Before the locker I wasn't this good with other people, but now I'm a regular social butterfly.
"Well he's just so earnest." The first Ward nods her head slowly in speculation. I'm kind of surprised no one has asked me what they sound like. I guess being professionals it wouldn't be as important as knowing that I could "hear" their mental states. We approached a reinforced door with a light above it and a button alongside. A loud buzzer sounds as she pushes the button.
"It gives the Wards a chance to put their masks on and make themselves presentable for guests." That makes sense. I can sense many melodies on the other side of the door as we enter. When I see the Wards' room all I can think is "teenager." I can see a large screen TV on the far wall with several game consoles nearby and several couches for lounging around. There are desks settled near the walls I guess for doing work. A bank of monitors dominates one wall.
The people here are the real focus though. The one with clocks on his uniform is obviously the Wards joker, Clockblocker that can touch things to stop them in time. His melody almost sounds ragtime. Like a comedy beat. The young man in gunmetal power armor is Gallant. An empath capable of firing blasts of emotion though his melody felt like a blend of melodies. Oh that makes sense. He's an empath so it gives him a richer melody. Strange, but not bad. Another young man in a rust red uniform was already approaching me with his hand extended in a friendly handshake. This is Aegis. The melody that accompanies him sounds like a trumpet. Strident and challenging.
"Hello there. I hear that you might be interested in joining?" He has a friendly tone that I respond to with a smile.
"Hey don't hog the new girl." Clockblocker quips causing his teammates to roll their eyes at his antics.
"Sorry I'm late! I got held up." A young girl's voice says as space distorts and Vista, the youngest ward in her green uniform with green armor pieces, appears. Her melody reminds me of panpipes and that sounds so weird when she's using her power. Like the music was twirling around and through itself. It actually left me cross eyed.
"We were just introducing ourselves to the new girl. Did you think of a name yet?" Gallant asks me. I shake my head.
"I was thinking Songstress or Aria, but I'm not sure yet." Wait. There's a melody I recognize and it's coming closer. My eyes narrow slightly and the darkness swirls through my brain. My heart is in agreement. That menacing song. I recognize it and I can't believe that She would be here. Sophia Hess, Shadow Stalker, walks right in as if she owns the place.
"What's all this about some rookie joining?" She sounds so bored. So smug. So absolutely her that I feel my hand curling into a claw. Suddenly I can't hear anything, can't acknowledge anything, but her. She looks at me and her eyes widen. The mask doesn't really conceal my identity after all.
"Hebert? What the fuck are you doing here?" She takes a step back. Shouts of surprise occur all around as I throw my shoulders back and hold my hand up and outward. In my grasp is a ball of incandescent yellow plasma wearing what look like a rockstar's shades, bright red gloves with silver spikes, and spiked red sneakers. It would look cute if it wasn't putting out a menacing song of it's own. My melody has changed to a hard driving electric guitar beat.
Program Found: EXEC_THRASHBEAT
Target: Shadow Stalker
Power: 1000%
Execu-
Suddenly the song is lost as I'm laying on the ground with my limbs twitching. Shadow Stalker is also twitching on the ground. This...might be a problem...
First Arc 1.b
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Author's Note: I'm committing a cardinal sin. A competent PRT. Please forgive me.
First Arc 1.b Interlude
Director of the ENE branch of the PRT Emily Piggot watched the interview with the newest cape with an inscrutable expression. That expression lasted until Armsmaster returned and Miss Militia had escorted the teenage girl away to meet with the Wards. She fixes the tall armored figure with a look.
"Well?" She finally asks. If there was one thing she could respect is dedication to their job. He is efficient and a decent leader if not a bit glory hungry. His stance straightens and stands at attention as if for debriefing.
"She spoke nothing but the truth. There was no attempt to be deceitful or to low ball her capabilities. With abilities like hers she would do well in a more behind-the-scenes role." She nods at his assessment.
"If I thought we could get away with it I'd suggest apprenticing her to Dr. Yamada." She smirks a bit, "A cape that can read someone's emotional state? Not a terrible use of that ability." Armsmaster nods thoughtfully.
"We couldn't do that without perhaps some testing. It is a good idea. Another good idea is to see what she can do with her tinker abilities." And here it comes. He's a good man, but has a woefully one track mind.
"Yes, we can arrange for that particular testing as well. Let's go back to my office and start the paperwork. We also have the meeting with her father." She stands with difficulty. Her body never did recover from the events of Nillbog and Ellisburg. They painstakingly make their way to her office. She sits back in her specially designed chair with a concealed sigh of relief.
Armsmaster returns with Mr. Hebert. She mentally appraises him. Tall man, skinny, hair thinning on his head, but he meets her gaze. Good. She gestures for him to have a seat.
"Well Mr. Hebert you have raised a fine daughter." She says. Put the man at ease and this meeting will go much smoother. He smiles in relief, but there's also a slight tightening around his eyes. That's unusual.
"She's a very honest person. I can see her doing well with the Wards." Armsmaster, whether through some intuition or more likely predictive software, picks up on what Emily is doing.
"Well there are a few things I was hoping we could address. She wants to join the Wards, and I would feel more at ease if she was, but she's been having serious trouble at school." Mr. Hebert says and Emily's eyebrow raises.
"We haven't received anything like that. Oh the school says that her grades are poor, and that she seems to pick on other students..." Though that wouldn't mesh with what she saw. Before her father can open his mouth the director continues speaking, "Though that doesn't really fit, does it?" She looks to Armsmaster who has apparently started looking up the information already.
"It doesn't fit and the names involved..." He trails off worryingly. Without any warning he's already moving and darts out of the office with a speed not often seen in a man his size. Mr. Hebert is also out the door as if sensing whatever it was that spooked the normally unflappable Tinker. The director is also out the door, but at a much slower pace. Whatever has the two males so worried is probably not going to be considerate enough to leave her out of things.
By the time she arrived, however, it appears as if something bad did happen. Shadow Stalker was laid out on the floor and Taylor Hebert, the potential new Ward, is also on the floor. The most telling part to her is that there is a crossbow on the floor where it fell. Her eyes narrow dangerously as she enters into a scene of utter chaos. Shouting, confusion, anger, and who knows what else.
"Quiet!" She bellows and all activity ceases in surprise. "Miss Militia, Armsmaster, come here. Mr. Hebert see to your daughter. Aegis take care of Shadow Stalker. Do not take her out of this room. We'll want to discuss this when she's able." Hebert moves to pick up his child and put her as far from Stalker as possible while Aegis moves her to an opposite couch.
She jerks her head and heads over to the large chair in front of the monitors. The other Wards have the good sense to stay silent and move to the other side of the room. She gestures for Gallant to join them while the Wards cluster around Stalker. They look about as thrilled with that job as with latrine duty she notes with a certain grim amusement.
"What the hell happened here?" She starts without preamble. Miss Militia groans softly, but bites the bullet.
"Somehow Stalker and Aria...she chose the name so we'll use it tentatively...apparently know one another. Definitely not in a friendly manner either. Stalker knows her name, but somehow Aria knows hers. Is that a result of her mood sensing ability?" At the nod of confirmation Hanna continues, "Aria took a step back in shock and drew her hand back with a ball of...something...I used a taser to subdue her at the same time that Armsmaster subdued Shadow Stalker. I hadn't even seen the crossbow being drawn." A sharp nod has Armsmaster stand straighter to give his account.
"When I noticed that...Aria's...records indicated a history with Shadow Stalker's civilian identity, as well as the daughter of the lawyer who got her probation, I hurried to head off the confrontation. Unfortunately I was too late to stop it, but I was able to subdue Stalker before she could do more than grab her weapon." Lovely.
"And you are certain that Aria was the aggressor?" She pinched the bridge of her nose. The unhappy look in Miss Militia's eyes confirmed it, but then Gallant spoke up.
"Permission to speak?" She nods. That was why she called him over. Perhaps some insight into their emotional states would help. He looks uncomfortable as he fidgets.
"Aria's emotions were even and friendly the whole time when she was with us. There was some nervousness, but that's normal. It wasn't until Shadow Stalker came in that her emotional state shifted." He sighs, "Shadow Stalker's emotional state when she recognized Aria was...pure hate. Rage. It was disgusting...I know she has emotional problems, but I've never seen that level of loathing directed at anyone." That was new information and cast even more suspicion on the school. How did this get overlooked? Where was Hess' caseworker? Why hadn't anyone told her of this? She pinches the bridge of her nose.
"What of Aria?" She asks wearily.
"Fear. There was anger there, but predominantly fear." That has both Miss Militia and Armsmaster looking in his direction.
"This day just keeps getting better and better..." She murmurs irritably and desperately wishing to shoot something. Preferably the one that caused her to be blindsided like this. "Take statements. Get Stalker into an interrogation room, call her lawyer. She'll need him. If I don't like her answers then her head rolls." The idea of actually liking her answers was slim to none.
"What about...?" Hanna gestures towards Aria being tended by her father.
"Let her rest. We have much to discuss and...dammit get me that information." Emily was not happy with this, but there was one bright spot on this entire situation. She could make someone else's day absolutely miserable. "If we move quickly enough there may be something we can salvage from this situation."
Gallant looks uncomfortable, but Miss Militia and Armsmaster nod in acceptance. This would not be a total disaster.
or Melody of Escalation
Author's Note: I'm committing a cardinal sin. A competent PRT. Please forgive me.
First Arc 1.b Interlude
Director of the ENE branch of the PRT Emily Piggot watched the interview with the newest cape with an inscrutable expression. That expression lasted until Armsmaster returned and Miss Militia had escorted the teenage girl away to meet with the Wards. She fixes the tall armored figure with a look.
"Well?" She finally asks. If there was one thing she could respect is dedication to their job. He is efficient and a decent leader if not a bit glory hungry. His stance straightens and stands at attention as if for debriefing.
"She spoke nothing but the truth. There was no attempt to be deceitful or to low ball her capabilities. With abilities like hers she would do well in a more behind-the-scenes role." She nods at his assessment.
"If I thought we could get away with it I'd suggest apprenticing her to Dr. Yamada." She smirks a bit, "A cape that can read someone's emotional state? Not a terrible use of that ability." Armsmaster nods thoughtfully.
"We couldn't do that without perhaps some testing. It is a good idea. Another good idea is to see what she can do with her tinker abilities." And here it comes. He's a good man, but has a woefully one track mind.
"Yes, we can arrange for that particular testing as well. Let's go back to my office and start the paperwork. We also have the meeting with her father." She stands with difficulty. Her body never did recover from the events of Nillbog and Ellisburg. They painstakingly make their way to her office. She sits back in her specially designed chair with a concealed sigh of relief.
Armsmaster returns with Mr. Hebert. She mentally appraises him. Tall man, skinny, hair thinning on his head, but he meets her gaze. Good. She gestures for him to have a seat.
"Well Mr. Hebert you have raised a fine daughter." She says. Put the man at ease and this meeting will go much smoother. He smiles in relief, but there's also a slight tightening around his eyes. That's unusual.
"She's a very honest person. I can see her doing well with the Wards." Armsmaster, whether through some intuition or more likely predictive software, picks up on what Emily is doing.
"Well there are a few things I was hoping we could address. She wants to join the Wards, and I would feel more at ease if she was, but she's been having serious trouble at school." Mr. Hebert says and Emily's eyebrow raises.
"We haven't received anything like that. Oh the school says that her grades are poor, and that she seems to pick on other students..." Though that wouldn't mesh with what she saw. Before her father can open his mouth the director continues speaking, "Though that doesn't really fit, does it?" She looks to Armsmaster who has apparently started looking up the information already.
"It doesn't fit and the names involved..." He trails off worryingly. Without any warning he's already moving and darts out of the office with a speed not often seen in a man his size. Mr. Hebert is also out the door as if sensing whatever it was that spooked the normally unflappable Tinker. The director is also out the door, but at a much slower pace. Whatever has the two males so worried is probably not going to be considerate enough to leave her out of things.
By the time she arrived, however, it appears as if something bad did happen. Shadow Stalker was laid out on the floor and Taylor Hebert, the potential new Ward, is also on the floor. The most telling part to her is that there is a crossbow on the floor where it fell. Her eyes narrow dangerously as she enters into a scene of utter chaos. Shouting, confusion, anger, and who knows what else.
"Quiet!" She bellows and all activity ceases in surprise. "Miss Militia, Armsmaster, come here. Mr. Hebert see to your daughter. Aegis take care of Shadow Stalker. Do not take her out of this room. We'll want to discuss this when she's able." Hebert moves to pick up his child and put her as far from Stalker as possible while Aegis moves her to an opposite couch.
She jerks her head and heads over to the large chair in front of the monitors. The other Wards have the good sense to stay silent and move to the other side of the room. She gestures for Gallant to join them while the Wards cluster around Stalker. They look about as thrilled with that job as with latrine duty she notes with a certain grim amusement.
"What the hell happened here?" She starts without preamble. Miss Militia groans softly, but bites the bullet.
"Somehow Stalker and Aria...she chose the name so we'll use it tentatively...apparently know one another. Definitely not in a friendly manner either. Stalker knows her name, but somehow Aria knows hers. Is that a result of her mood sensing ability?" At the nod of confirmation Hanna continues, "Aria took a step back in shock and drew her hand back with a ball of...something...I used a taser to subdue her at the same time that Armsmaster subdued Shadow Stalker. I hadn't even seen the crossbow being drawn." A sharp nod has Armsmaster stand straighter to give his account.
"When I noticed that...Aria's...records indicated a history with Shadow Stalker's civilian identity, as well as the daughter of the lawyer who got her probation, I hurried to head off the confrontation. Unfortunately I was too late to stop it, but I was able to subdue Stalker before she could do more than grab her weapon." Lovely.
"And you are certain that Aria was the aggressor?" She pinched the bridge of her nose. The unhappy look in Miss Militia's eyes confirmed it, but then Gallant spoke up.
"Permission to speak?" She nods. That was why she called him over. Perhaps some insight into their emotional states would help. He looks uncomfortable as he fidgets.
"Aria's emotions were even and friendly the whole time when she was with us. There was some nervousness, but that's normal. It wasn't until Shadow Stalker came in that her emotional state shifted." He sighs, "Shadow Stalker's emotional state when she recognized Aria was...pure hate. Rage. It was disgusting...I know she has emotional problems, but I've never seen that level of loathing directed at anyone." That was new information and cast even more suspicion on the school. How did this get overlooked? Where was Hess' caseworker? Why hadn't anyone told her of this? She pinches the bridge of her nose.
"What of Aria?" She asks wearily.
"Fear. There was anger there, but predominantly fear." That has both Miss Militia and Armsmaster looking in his direction.
"This day just keeps getting better and better..." She murmurs irritably and desperately wishing to shoot something. Preferably the one that caused her to be blindsided like this. "Take statements. Get Stalker into an interrogation room, call her lawyer. She'll need him. If I don't like her answers then her head rolls." The idea of actually liking her answers was slim to none.
"What about...?" Hanna gestures towards Aria being tended by her father.
"Let her rest. We have much to discuss and...dammit get me that information." Emily was not happy with this, but there was one bright spot on this entire situation. She could make someone else's day absolutely miserable. "If we move quickly enough there may be something we can salvage from this situation."
Gallant looks uncomfortable, but Miss Militia and Armsmaster nod in acceptance. This would not be a total disaster.
First Arc 1.4
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
First Arc 1.4
-Unknown Location-
What is this darkness? This smell? It's terrible. So cold, so lonely, why am I here? What did I do wrong? I don't deserve this. Let me out. Please? Please let me out?
Oh god oh god oh god something is crawling on me make it stop they're biting please make it stop make it stop make it stop!
Why do they hate me? Maybe I deserve it? If I say I deserve it will they let me out? I'm sorry! Whatever I did! I'm sorry! Please please please please please...
A pair of slender arms embraces me and cradles my head to their breast. There is a tenderness that I thought was lost. My eyes close in weariness as whoever it is that's holding me pets my hair.
"You are never alone. As long as there is one person that loves you then you are not alone." The woman's voice is soft and kind. I snuggle deeper into the embrace. "You poor thing...no one should be made to feel like this...no one at all." God I've missed this. I know that I'm crying and her fingers brush away my tears.
"Who are you...?" I ask hesitantly, afraid that this wonderful person is just a dream, afraid that I'll be alone again in here.
"Unfortunately, Taylor, the time for names is not yet here. Names have power and can be used against us." I get the impression she hates this cloak and dagger stuff. "I have a confession to make. This is not entirely an altruistic meeting." There's a note of self recrimination. I'm familiar with that myself. Doing what must be done, but not liking it one bit.
"You're helping me...what do you want for that?" I ask, resigned to owing her something, but at least she's helping me. Even if she has her own reasons.
"None of that. You're right. I need your help, but you are under no obligation to help me." She assures me, "Even if you say no I will still help you. No one should be trapped alone in the dark..." That last sounds more directed at herself. There's some obscure pain in her voice. I turn around and hug her. She stiffens slightly, but returns the embrace.
"Why are you doing this?" She sighs heavily.
"How aware are you of what is going on with your world?" That surprises me. This involves the world? I tell her about how Scion came some thirty years ago and the rise of capes. I tell her of the constant threat of Endbringers and S Class parahumans that do nothing but cause pain. Somehow I seem to know more about my world's situation than I thought. She lets me speak, but at times it almost seems like she's checking herself. There is annoyance, anger, and finally a nearly incandescent rage. She calms herself with an effort.
"We weren't aware that it was so bad here..." She muses to herself, "Unfortunately we're effectively blind. We can't actually see into your world from where we are. Not without revealing ourselves." This conversation has taken a strange turn. Our world? Is she saying... "Yes, Taylor, I'm not from your world. I want to tell you more, but I'm running out of time. There is so much I want to tell you so that you understand." Strangely she seems to be dithering at the end. Her concern for me is overwhelming. I touch her face and she calms. "I suppose we already knew your answer...someday, someday soon, all of this will make sense."
"I'll help you. Because it's the right thing to do." I say with a warmth that has been missing for too long. Another embrace is my reward, full of gratitude, before she pulls back.
"Now...I need to transmit the help packet in a way that's not immediately found out." At this she sounds amused, "What's one more song running through a person's head?"
<query>
<acceptance>
<transmitting>
<data stream receive: EXEC_HARMONIUS>
This song...it's so beautiful...it reaches directly into my heart and soothes something...I feel myself become greater...expanding...becoming more aware...this awareness is painful, but beautiful...the light flashes to life in my heart. The darkness in my mind embraces the light. There is an agreement, an accord, a Harmony...
-January 24, 2011 Continued-
The light is suddenly replaced by wakefulness. Heart and mind are in accord. So that's the piece I was missing. My memories were blocked by my trauma in the locker. It doesn't matter that I was saved. It left a scar deep in my psyche. Is that why I couldn't see the limits placed on me for my own protection? Her song is inside of me being changed by my own heart. A song of Harmony that is not yet my own. That...that damage almost ruined it...
"T-Aria?" A voice asks softly. I turn towards it and see my dad. Why am I laying on a couch? What ceiling is this? At least it isn't the hospital again. I think my tolerance for hospitals is shot.
"Mmm...hi dad..." Wait...back the train up. What did he call me? It crashes back into my awareness. The melody around me is vibrant and different than what I'm used to. The events of the day catch up to me and I jerk straight up. A feminine yelp is heard as apparently someone just got thrown by my sudden movement.
"Oooh...ouch." The young blonde rubs her head sheepishly. Vista of the Wards. I'm at the Wards HQ in PRT headquarters. Oh damn. Damn damn damn. I look around at the other Wards and all I see is relief. Some wariness, but considering what it looked like before my impromptu nap it makes sense.
"Sorry about that..." I help Vista back to her feet while dad puts a hand on my shoulder.
"It's fine. Nice to see her getting it upside the head once in awhile." Clockblocker says before a displacement of air and a loud smack causes him to yelp. Vista looks satisfied with her work. Gallant approaches me and I can't help feeling nervous.
"Relax, please, there's nothing to worry about." He assures me, "There's been some explanations made...and well...I feel like we owe you an apology." I open my mouth to speak, but he continues, "We may not have known what Stalker was doing to you specifically, but we did know she's not stable."
"Despite what it may sound like we do have a voice here." Aegis steps up to the plate on this. Did they rehearse this? Their melody is so desperate right now. Not desperate to keep me, or even to make me like them, but to make amends. My throat tightens as I shut out their guilt. My dad has his arm around my shoulders. "We...we did want another Ward. One more Ward means one more hero as opposed to a villain. We told them we needed more help." Oh that's why they're feeling guilty. They had no way to know that their new Ward would be an angry vigilante.
"What we got was Shadow Stalker." Vista's sardonic tone speaks volumes that gets me to crack a smile. A melody I hadn't noticed before, Triumph, perks up noticeably with my lightening of mood.
"They were right. You do look good when you smile. Hi. I'm Triumph and on behalf of the Wards I wish to apologize for the actions of our former teammate." Former teammate? "The issue was a simple one and only brought to light by your being here." Well that's certainly convenient a snarky voice inside says. My dad, who has been silent up until now, speaks up.
"They're not lying. They didn't know what was going on at Winslow." My head whipped around so fast I nearly gave myself whiplash. "It seems that her caseworker liked her cushy position too much to rock the boat. She was the one intentionally burying any reports of her wrongdoing." My eyes widen in shock. If I was a computer there would be a BSOD as my operating system tried to reboot.
"This still went on for two years!" It finally bursts out. I can't hold it in any longer and frankly I don't want to. It feels so good to let it out, "Two whole years of harassment, torment, torture, and whatever else that bitch's sadistic mind could come up with! My own best friend worked with her on breaking me down. What excuse was used to justify not doing anything about Emma fuckin' Barnes and Madison fuckin' Clements!?" Oh yeah this has been building up for a long time. I'm honestly glad that I don't have to hold it in anymore. Wait...not-harmonica? Miss Militia just slipped in the room during my tirade. Just like that my rage cools off. This isn't helping things.
She looks tired as she sits down on the couch without preamble. The other Wards come over now that the storm is over and take seats around her. My dad sets me down next to Vista and sits on my other side. Miss Militia's expressive eyes are tired. Not a physical exhaustion, but a weary spirit as her melody is flagging slightly.
"I don't know if anyone told you, but you've been out for over two hours. Your dad mentioned that whenever you go unconscious that you tend to stay asleep. We thought it was best to let you rest while we did a bit of housecleaning." All of this effort and tip toeing around for me? The surprise must have shown on my face because she was quick to point out, "This wasn't just about what happened to you. It could have been a nightmare if the ones hired to watch over the Wards in their civilian lives suddenly became negligent." That neatly deflated my ego, but also made me feel just a bit more charitable to an organization that screwed things up for so long. Just a bit.
Dad obviously heard this before, and while not completely liking it, accepts it. Then again to do his job he needs to often make the best of bad circumstances. If he can be mature about this then so can I. My apparent acceptance causes some relief to ripple out from the group. A strange notion takes hold, but I dismiss it until later as Miss Militia starts speaking again.
"We will continue with your testing today if you like." I accept with a nod.
Things quiet down a bit after that. We head to the cafeteria and even that is different here. A buffet lunch is set out which no one is surprised about. Dad was dragged off for another round of talking with the grown ups leaving me with the Wards for company. Eventually our conversation gets around to powers. Vista is apparently the love child of Lovecraft and Escher with her ability to twist and warp space.
"You melody sounds so weird when you use your power...it's really disorienting. Like...it sounds as if your melody is coming, going, and swirling into itself..." I shrug as thinking about it makes my brain hurt.
"So your ability to hear melodies can be affected by other powers?" She sounds interested. Given how immature she looks it's probably rare to have someone new take you seriously. I can relate to not being taken seriously.
"That's kinda cool. Can it be tricked?" Kid Win asks. If anyone told me just a month ago I would be eating lunch and discussing powers with the Wards it would have been funny. Now I'm living the dream and it's surreal.
"Hmmm...no, not really. Your melody is what you are. You can lie to yourself, lie to others, but your Song of Self is not something that can be concealed." Huh, that sounds deep and philosophical.
"That sounds deep." Clockblocker can apparently read minds, "People lie to themselves all the time, but it's nice to know someone can hear them honestly." He catches the stares being thrown his way and tries to cover up how uncomfortable he is, "What? Can't a guy be all cool and introspective once in awhile?" It says something about their friendship that they don't call him out on his dodge.
"I can imagine it's not easy to know a person's real self." Gallant says understandingly. If anyone could understand what I'm going through it would be him. If he wasn't dating Glory Girl...wow where did that thought come from? Oh Vista's melody is reaching out for Gallant's. The way that his blends with hers is telling. Affection, protection, brotherly feelings. Ouch. Kiss of death. She realizes it, but has hope.
"Earth to Aria. Ya still with us?"Clock asks teasingly and I'm grateful for the interruption.
"I'm still here." He nods slowly. Perceptive guy. Even without Gallant this group still has a mood barometer. Something I can tell the empath appreciates.
"I hate to bring this up, but what was that with Stalker? Something glowed in your hand and it almost sounded like music was playing..." Aegis looks uncomfortable asking, but I understand.
"Seeing her made me feel threatened and I guess...I reached for something to defend myself with. From what I could remember feeling my mind was looking for a way to stun her to let me escape."
"That cute lil' thing was a stun blast?" Vista looks excited. Cute lil' thing? Well okay, Thrash Beat was cute, I'd cuddle it if he was a plush. Where did that thought come from? Vista's melody is blending with mine. Reaching out for a connection. I gently push her melody back to a safe area. You don't let your aura blend too deeply with another after all.
Where did that thought come from? That dream I had...it feels like more was knocked loose...or fell back into place. I can't control their melody, but I can control mine. I wouldn't want to control their melody anyway. That way lies badness.
"She makes adorable balls of doom." Surprisingly that was Kid Win in a deadpan tone that gets a laugh. Once more I'm jarred from my weird thoughts. Next time I talk to my adjuster it will be an actual talk and not more pressing my lips closed. I licked Lisa's finger. I'll licks hers. Oh wow I've just discovered a new temperature for my face. Gallant is also looking disturbed. I can't help giggling.
"Last time I saw a red that bright was when..." Aegis slaps a hand over Clockblocker's exposed mouth to shut him up. Lunch is thankfully less serious after that and we spend it just chatting away. Armsmaster arrives to take me off for my Tinker test. I wave goodbye, and promise to talk more later, before hurrying to keep up with the armored man.
The trip to his lab is just as full of twists and turns as getting anywhere else in this crazy place. There's probably a perfectly good reason for every, single, hall being absolutely, perfectly, the same. The monotony is killing me. When we enter his lab there is a delightful feeling of disorder. Ugh, but the sounds of noisy children is already irritating me. I flare my melody louder to demand attention and to quiet them down. They're not mine so I can't reign them in, but I can make them keep to themselves.
"What did you just do?" A woman's voice comes from a terminal. She sounds pleasant, but also horribly confused. Armsmaster is also looking at me curiously. She could feel that? Weird.
"The melodies were too...loud...and jumbled...they were all clambering for attention so I told them to quiet down." Saying it so matter-of-factly like that brings me up sharp. That's not normal no matter how I spin it, but it seems to have made the two adults thoughtful.
"You can hear a person's emotional state as music, but also hear technology?" The Protectorate leader is clearly deep in thought about that.
"What...does my melody sound like?" Dragon, must be Dragon, asks curiously. Why does her melody sound scared? Worried? Why does she sound so distressed? Guilt? Wait, why guilt? Concealing something. I shake my head.
"I hear...a synthesizer actually...hmmm...there's a very nice sound to it. Like a song in many parts being played together." It does sound good. There's a Harmony all in her own melody. My flute responds favorably to it and the awkward trombone of Armsmaster is much more at ease with her.
"Thank you, Aria. I suppose we had better get to your test." Dragon brings us back to the present and I'm lead to a table full of parts. Some are off the shelf, some are Tinker parts judging by the melody, while others still are just junk.
"What could you make from this?" Armsmaster asks. I shake my head.
"First, do I have permission to discipline the Tinker parts?" He nods his head and I gently bring the children to some semblance of order. They need far less cajoling than the parts that built my Sol Reactor which is a relief. I don't want to pass out from overreaching.
A couple hours later I've assembled the pieces into another network hub. Maybe that's my thing? Communication just seems to speak to me. It feels almost right. Not quite, but almost. My examiners are talking to one another about future projects, but they don't interfere. The monster I've built required Armsmaster to lift several things into place. It stands at roughly six feet tall and is four feet square with numerous connectivity ports and a computer built it for ease of use.
The antennae was the hardest part and I'd had to ask for the proper things to build it with. I loaded up the OS I was running on my own systems, modified to allow Dragon and Armsmaster administrative access, before shutting the final panel. It was beautiful and when I turned it on there was a feeling of joy.
"Okay, so I've given both of you administrative access to this device, but it has no access to my own systems at home. You can change the passwords, in fact I recommend it, but you don't have to. I have a firewall program that I developed that's better than just about anything I've found on the market." I shrug. Dragon suggests I take a seat while they look it over. Armsmaster apparently has a long standing order for dinner to be brought to his lab and rather considerately had something for me as well.
I'm suddenly ravenous and the headache I've been holding back through sheer force of will has started beating a drum in my skull. Two white pills are also on the tray. If pain relievers are also part of his dinner there might be a problem. I take the pills and just relax. The two Tinkers are standing with their heads metaphorically together as they go over the systems. I can hear them clearly and what I'm hearing is as encouraging as it is confusing.
"There's nothing here that couldn't be built with standard parts." Armsmaster says with finality.
"She even made the Tinker tech parts react in a predictable manner. Even substituting the Tinker parts she used we could reproduce this." Dragon sounds intrigued. I take that as a good sign.
"The machine itself is sturdy. I can see many places that could be miniaturized , but it's good. Solid." Hmmm...miniaturized? That's Armsmaster's specialty. Already the possibilities are promising.
"The programming is...well...beautiful. Elegant. It's strangely organic..." The tone of voice tells me something. Something about my programming ability makes her...envious? Hopeful? Weird. What would she need a programmer for when she's essentially the greatest in the world?
"If you want you can have a copy of my OS. Since you're already in there you can snag it. It's not like we won't be working together." Wow did they jump. Well, not literally, but I think they forgot someone else was here with them.
"That's...thank you, Aria. I look forward to working with you." Dragon sounds so happy. A transfer request is pinged on my smartphone and I grant it. I also send a copy of my firewall program. I'm actually excited to see what she can do with it. Can she take it even farther?
"Oh dear...Armsmaster. It's almost eight o'clock." The armored man shakes himself free from his reverie and after some goodbyes starts to lead me back to the entrance of the building.
"The idea of miniaturizing what I build is appealing. If I could get the same results for half the space or smaller it would be wonderful..." I can't help the dreamy tone that comes to my voice. The idea of building something that could actually fit in my bedroom instead of taking up the basement is nice.
"We'll see what we can come up with. That...Sol Reactor...I think your father called it. How long does it last? Does it degrade at all?" I can understand why he'd be curious.
"It's not perpetual energy, but it's close. With the right materials I can build a more reliable one, but eventually mine will stop functioning in twenty years. It's not that impressive." Wow I'm blasé about time. Twenty years just trips off my tongue like nothing.
"More reliable than twenty years of clean energy?" Did I actually detect a note of disbelief. There's also some envy in his melody and inadequacy. Yeah what?
"Everyone has something that they're good at. If I tried to build even half of what you did it would be huge. Your halberd somehow does everything it does in the size of a halberd. If I tried to reproduce that it would be twenty feet at least. Totally unwieldy." His melody picks up again. Oh dear.
"There is something that Dragon and I discussed while you were working." I nod for him to continue. "We've decided that it would be best for her to take a direct hand in your training. I will work with you myself from time to time, but my first responsibility is to Kid Win." That makes sense, but then it catches up with me. Dragon?
"Dragon?" My voice comes out as a squeak of excited surprise. He nods and I almost lose myself in bliss. "I guess I did better than I thought..."
"You certainly impressed us and that's no easy feat. We look forward to having you in the Wards, if you are still interested that is." The wide smile is apparently the answer he was looking for as he bids me farewell.
I greet my dad in the truck happily and we head home. Tomorrow I'm heading back to school. Back to Winslow. Considering where I just spent my day? Winslow doesn't matter. I'm actually apprenticed to Dragon. They want what I build.
"How was your test?" Dad asks.
"Perfect." and it was.
or Melody of Escalation
First Arc 1.4
-Unknown Location-
What is this darkness? This smell? It's terrible. So cold, so lonely, why am I here? What did I do wrong? I don't deserve this. Let me out. Please? Please let me out?
Oh god oh god oh god something is crawling on me make it stop they're biting please make it stop make it stop make it stop!
Why do they hate me? Maybe I deserve it? If I say I deserve it will they let me out? I'm sorry! Whatever I did! I'm sorry! Please please please please please...
A pair of slender arms embraces me and cradles my head to their breast. There is a tenderness that I thought was lost. My eyes close in weariness as whoever it is that's holding me pets my hair.
"You are never alone. As long as there is one person that loves you then you are not alone." The woman's voice is soft and kind. I snuggle deeper into the embrace. "You poor thing...no one should be made to feel like this...no one at all." God I've missed this. I know that I'm crying and her fingers brush away my tears.
"Who are you...?" I ask hesitantly, afraid that this wonderful person is just a dream, afraid that I'll be alone again in here.
"Unfortunately, Taylor, the time for names is not yet here. Names have power and can be used against us." I get the impression she hates this cloak and dagger stuff. "I have a confession to make. This is not entirely an altruistic meeting." There's a note of self recrimination. I'm familiar with that myself. Doing what must be done, but not liking it one bit.
"You're helping me...what do you want for that?" I ask, resigned to owing her something, but at least she's helping me. Even if she has her own reasons.
"None of that. You're right. I need your help, but you are under no obligation to help me." She assures me, "Even if you say no I will still help you. No one should be trapped alone in the dark..." That last sounds more directed at herself. There's some obscure pain in her voice. I turn around and hug her. She stiffens slightly, but returns the embrace.
"Why are you doing this?" She sighs heavily.
"How aware are you of what is going on with your world?" That surprises me. This involves the world? I tell her about how Scion came some thirty years ago and the rise of capes. I tell her of the constant threat of Endbringers and S Class parahumans that do nothing but cause pain. Somehow I seem to know more about my world's situation than I thought. She lets me speak, but at times it almost seems like she's checking herself. There is annoyance, anger, and finally a nearly incandescent rage. She calms herself with an effort.
"We weren't aware that it was so bad here..." She muses to herself, "Unfortunately we're effectively blind. We can't actually see into your world from where we are. Not without revealing ourselves." This conversation has taken a strange turn. Our world? Is she saying... "Yes, Taylor, I'm not from your world. I want to tell you more, but I'm running out of time. There is so much I want to tell you so that you understand." Strangely she seems to be dithering at the end. Her concern for me is overwhelming. I touch her face and she calms. "I suppose we already knew your answer...someday, someday soon, all of this will make sense."
"I'll help you. Because it's the right thing to do." I say with a warmth that has been missing for too long. Another embrace is my reward, full of gratitude, before she pulls back.
"Now...I need to transmit the help packet in a way that's not immediately found out." At this she sounds amused, "What's one more song running through a person's head?"
<query>
<acceptance>
<transmitting>
<data stream receive: EXEC_HARMONIUS>
This song...it's so beautiful...it reaches directly into my heart and soothes something...I feel myself become greater...expanding...becoming more aware...this awareness is painful, but beautiful...the light flashes to life in my heart. The darkness in my mind embraces the light. There is an agreement, an accord, a Harmony...
-January 24, 2011 Continued-
The light is suddenly replaced by wakefulness. Heart and mind are in accord. So that's the piece I was missing. My memories were blocked by my trauma in the locker. It doesn't matter that I was saved. It left a scar deep in my psyche. Is that why I couldn't see the limits placed on me for my own protection? Her song is inside of me being changed by my own heart. A song of Harmony that is not yet my own. That...that damage almost ruined it...
"T-Aria?" A voice asks softly. I turn towards it and see my dad. Why am I laying on a couch? What ceiling is this? At least it isn't the hospital again. I think my tolerance for hospitals is shot.
"Mmm...hi dad..." Wait...back the train up. What did he call me? It crashes back into my awareness. The melody around me is vibrant and different than what I'm used to. The events of the day catch up to me and I jerk straight up. A feminine yelp is heard as apparently someone just got thrown by my sudden movement.
"Oooh...ouch." The young blonde rubs her head sheepishly. Vista of the Wards. I'm at the Wards HQ in PRT headquarters. Oh damn. Damn damn damn. I look around at the other Wards and all I see is relief. Some wariness, but considering what it looked like before my impromptu nap it makes sense.
"Sorry about that..." I help Vista back to her feet while dad puts a hand on my shoulder.
"It's fine. Nice to see her getting it upside the head once in awhile." Clockblocker says before a displacement of air and a loud smack causes him to yelp. Vista looks satisfied with her work. Gallant approaches me and I can't help feeling nervous.
"Relax, please, there's nothing to worry about." He assures me, "There's been some explanations made...and well...I feel like we owe you an apology." I open my mouth to speak, but he continues, "We may not have known what Stalker was doing to you specifically, but we did know she's not stable."
"Despite what it may sound like we do have a voice here." Aegis steps up to the plate on this. Did they rehearse this? Their melody is so desperate right now. Not desperate to keep me, or even to make me like them, but to make amends. My throat tightens as I shut out their guilt. My dad has his arm around my shoulders. "We...we did want another Ward. One more Ward means one more hero as opposed to a villain. We told them we needed more help." Oh that's why they're feeling guilty. They had no way to know that their new Ward would be an angry vigilante.
"What we got was Shadow Stalker." Vista's sardonic tone speaks volumes that gets me to crack a smile. A melody I hadn't noticed before, Triumph, perks up noticeably with my lightening of mood.
"They were right. You do look good when you smile. Hi. I'm Triumph and on behalf of the Wards I wish to apologize for the actions of our former teammate." Former teammate? "The issue was a simple one and only brought to light by your being here." Well that's certainly convenient a snarky voice inside says. My dad, who has been silent up until now, speaks up.
"They're not lying. They didn't know what was going on at Winslow." My head whipped around so fast I nearly gave myself whiplash. "It seems that her caseworker liked her cushy position too much to rock the boat. She was the one intentionally burying any reports of her wrongdoing." My eyes widen in shock. If I was a computer there would be a BSOD as my operating system tried to reboot.
"This still went on for two years!" It finally bursts out. I can't hold it in any longer and frankly I don't want to. It feels so good to let it out, "Two whole years of harassment, torment, torture, and whatever else that bitch's sadistic mind could come up with! My own best friend worked with her on breaking me down. What excuse was used to justify not doing anything about Emma fuckin' Barnes and Madison fuckin' Clements!?" Oh yeah this has been building up for a long time. I'm honestly glad that I don't have to hold it in anymore. Wait...not-harmonica? Miss Militia just slipped in the room during my tirade. Just like that my rage cools off. This isn't helping things.
She looks tired as she sits down on the couch without preamble. The other Wards come over now that the storm is over and take seats around her. My dad sets me down next to Vista and sits on my other side. Miss Militia's expressive eyes are tired. Not a physical exhaustion, but a weary spirit as her melody is flagging slightly.
"I don't know if anyone told you, but you've been out for over two hours. Your dad mentioned that whenever you go unconscious that you tend to stay asleep. We thought it was best to let you rest while we did a bit of housecleaning." All of this effort and tip toeing around for me? The surprise must have shown on my face because she was quick to point out, "This wasn't just about what happened to you. It could have been a nightmare if the ones hired to watch over the Wards in their civilian lives suddenly became negligent." That neatly deflated my ego, but also made me feel just a bit more charitable to an organization that screwed things up for so long. Just a bit.
Dad obviously heard this before, and while not completely liking it, accepts it. Then again to do his job he needs to often make the best of bad circumstances. If he can be mature about this then so can I. My apparent acceptance causes some relief to ripple out from the group. A strange notion takes hold, but I dismiss it until later as Miss Militia starts speaking again.
"We will continue with your testing today if you like." I accept with a nod.
Things quiet down a bit after that. We head to the cafeteria and even that is different here. A buffet lunch is set out which no one is surprised about. Dad was dragged off for another round of talking with the grown ups leaving me with the Wards for company. Eventually our conversation gets around to powers. Vista is apparently the love child of Lovecraft and Escher with her ability to twist and warp space.
"You melody sounds so weird when you use your power...it's really disorienting. Like...it sounds as if your melody is coming, going, and swirling into itself..." I shrug as thinking about it makes my brain hurt.
"So your ability to hear melodies can be affected by other powers?" She sounds interested. Given how immature she looks it's probably rare to have someone new take you seriously. I can relate to not being taken seriously.
"That's kinda cool. Can it be tricked?" Kid Win asks. If anyone told me just a month ago I would be eating lunch and discussing powers with the Wards it would have been funny. Now I'm living the dream and it's surreal.
"Hmmm...no, not really. Your melody is what you are. You can lie to yourself, lie to others, but your Song of Self is not something that can be concealed." Huh, that sounds deep and philosophical.
"That sounds deep." Clockblocker can apparently read minds, "People lie to themselves all the time, but it's nice to know someone can hear them honestly." He catches the stares being thrown his way and tries to cover up how uncomfortable he is, "What? Can't a guy be all cool and introspective once in awhile?" It says something about their friendship that they don't call him out on his dodge.
"I can imagine it's not easy to know a person's real self." Gallant says understandingly. If anyone could understand what I'm going through it would be him. If he wasn't dating Glory Girl...wow where did that thought come from? Oh Vista's melody is reaching out for Gallant's. The way that his blends with hers is telling. Affection, protection, brotherly feelings. Ouch. Kiss of death. She realizes it, but has hope.
"Earth to Aria. Ya still with us?"Clock asks teasingly and I'm grateful for the interruption.
"I'm still here." He nods slowly. Perceptive guy. Even without Gallant this group still has a mood barometer. Something I can tell the empath appreciates.
"I hate to bring this up, but what was that with Stalker? Something glowed in your hand and it almost sounded like music was playing..." Aegis looks uncomfortable asking, but I understand.
"Seeing her made me feel threatened and I guess...I reached for something to defend myself with. From what I could remember feeling my mind was looking for a way to stun her to let me escape."
"That cute lil' thing was a stun blast?" Vista looks excited. Cute lil' thing? Well okay, Thrash Beat was cute, I'd cuddle it if he was a plush. Where did that thought come from? Vista's melody is blending with mine. Reaching out for a connection. I gently push her melody back to a safe area. You don't let your aura blend too deeply with another after all.
Where did that thought come from? That dream I had...it feels like more was knocked loose...or fell back into place. I can't control their melody, but I can control mine. I wouldn't want to control their melody anyway. That way lies badness.
"She makes adorable balls of doom." Surprisingly that was Kid Win in a deadpan tone that gets a laugh. Once more I'm jarred from my weird thoughts. Next time I talk to my adjuster it will be an actual talk and not more pressing my lips closed. I licked Lisa's finger. I'll licks hers. Oh wow I've just discovered a new temperature for my face. Gallant is also looking disturbed. I can't help giggling.
"Last time I saw a red that bright was when..." Aegis slaps a hand over Clockblocker's exposed mouth to shut him up. Lunch is thankfully less serious after that and we spend it just chatting away. Armsmaster arrives to take me off for my Tinker test. I wave goodbye, and promise to talk more later, before hurrying to keep up with the armored man.
The trip to his lab is just as full of twists and turns as getting anywhere else in this crazy place. There's probably a perfectly good reason for every, single, hall being absolutely, perfectly, the same. The monotony is killing me. When we enter his lab there is a delightful feeling of disorder. Ugh, but the sounds of noisy children is already irritating me. I flare my melody louder to demand attention and to quiet them down. They're not mine so I can't reign them in, but I can make them keep to themselves.
"What did you just do?" A woman's voice comes from a terminal. She sounds pleasant, but also horribly confused. Armsmaster is also looking at me curiously. She could feel that? Weird.
"The melodies were too...loud...and jumbled...they were all clambering for attention so I told them to quiet down." Saying it so matter-of-factly like that brings me up sharp. That's not normal no matter how I spin it, but it seems to have made the two adults thoughtful.
"You can hear a person's emotional state as music, but also hear technology?" The Protectorate leader is clearly deep in thought about that.
"What...does my melody sound like?" Dragon, must be Dragon, asks curiously. Why does her melody sound scared? Worried? Why does she sound so distressed? Guilt? Wait, why guilt? Concealing something. I shake my head.
"I hear...a synthesizer actually...hmmm...there's a very nice sound to it. Like a song in many parts being played together." It does sound good. There's a Harmony all in her own melody. My flute responds favorably to it and the awkward trombone of Armsmaster is much more at ease with her.
"Thank you, Aria. I suppose we had better get to your test." Dragon brings us back to the present and I'm lead to a table full of parts. Some are off the shelf, some are Tinker parts judging by the melody, while others still are just junk.
"What could you make from this?" Armsmaster asks. I shake my head.
"First, do I have permission to discipline the Tinker parts?" He nods his head and I gently bring the children to some semblance of order. They need far less cajoling than the parts that built my Sol Reactor which is a relief. I don't want to pass out from overreaching.
A couple hours later I've assembled the pieces into another network hub. Maybe that's my thing? Communication just seems to speak to me. It feels almost right. Not quite, but almost. My examiners are talking to one another about future projects, but they don't interfere. The monster I've built required Armsmaster to lift several things into place. It stands at roughly six feet tall and is four feet square with numerous connectivity ports and a computer built it for ease of use.
The antennae was the hardest part and I'd had to ask for the proper things to build it with. I loaded up the OS I was running on my own systems, modified to allow Dragon and Armsmaster administrative access, before shutting the final panel. It was beautiful and when I turned it on there was a feeling of joy.
"Okay, so I've given both of you administrative access to this device, but it has no access to my own systems at home. You can change the passwords, in fact I recommend it, but you don't have to. I have a firewall program that I developed that's better than just about anything I've found on the market." I shrug. Dragon suggests I take a seat while they look it over. Armsmaster apparently has a long standing order for dinner to be brought to his lab and rather considerately had something for me as well.
I'm suddenly ravenous and the headache I've been holding back through sheer force of will has started beating a drum in my skull. Two white pills are also on the tray. If pain relievers are also part of his dinner there might be a problem. I take the pills and just relax. The two Tinkers are standing with their heads metaphorically together as they go over the systems. I can hear them clearly and what I'm hearing is as encouraging as it is confusing.
"There's nothing here that couldn't be built with standard parts." Armsmaster says with finality.
"She even made the Tinker tech parts react in a predictable manner. Even substituting the Tinker parts she used we could reproduce this." Dragon sounds intrigued. I take that as a good sign.
"The machine itself is sturdy. I can see many places that could be miniaturized , but it's good. Solid." Hmmm...miniaturized? That's Armsmaster's specialty. Already the possibilities are promising.
"The programming is...well...beautiful. Elegant. It's strangely organic..." The tone of voice tells me something. Something about my programming ability makes her...envious? Hopeful? Weird. What would she need a programmer for when she's essentially the greatest in the world?
"If you want you can have a copy of my OS. Since you're already in there you can snag it. It's not like we won't be working together." Wow did they jump. Well, not literally, but I think they forgot someone else was here with them.
"That's...thank you, Aria. I look forward to working with you." Dragon sounds so happy. A transfer request is pinged on my smartphone and I grant it. I also send a copy of my firewall program. I'm actually excited to see what she can do with it. Can she take it even farther?
"Oh dear...Armsmaster. It's almost eight o'clock." The armored man shakes himself free from his reverie and after some goodbyes starts to lead me back to the entrance of the building.
"The idea of miniaturizing what I build is appealing. If I could get the same results for half the space or smaller it would be wonderful..." I can't help the dreamy tone that comes to my voice. The idea of building something that could actually fit in my bedroom instead of taking up the basement is nice.
"We'll see what we can come up with. That...Sol Reactor...I think your father called it. How long does it last? Does it degrade at all?" I can understand why he'd be curious.
"It's not perpetual energy, but it's close. With the right materials I can build a more reliable one, but eventually mine will stop functioning in twenty years. It's not that impressive." Wow I'm blasé about time. Twenty years just trips off my tongue like nothing.
"More reliable than twenty years of clean energy?" Did I actually detect a note of disbelief. There's also some envy in his melody and inadequacy. Yeah what?
"Everyone has something that they're good at. If I tried to build even half of what you did it would be huge. Your halberd somehow does everything it does in the size of a halberd. If I tried to reproduce that it would be twenty feet at least. Totally unwieldy." His melody picks up again. Oh dear.
"There is something that Dragon and I discussed while you were working." I nod for him to continue. "We've decided that it would be best for her to take a direct hand in your training. I will work with you myself from time to time, but my first responsibility is to Kid Win." That makes sense, but then it catches up with me. Dragon?
"Dragon?" My voice comes out as a squeak of excited surprise. He nods and I almost lose myself in bliss. "I guess I did better than I thought..."
"You certainly impressed us and that's no easy feat. We look forward to having you in the Wards, if you are still interested that is." The wide smile is apparently the answer he was looking for as he bids me farewell.
I greet my dad in the truck happily and we head home. Tomorrow I'm heading back to school. Back to Winslow. Considering where I just spent my day? Winslow doesn't matter. I'm actually apprenticed to Dragon. They want what I build.
"How was your test?" Dad asks.
"Perfect." and it was.
First Arc 1.5
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
First Arc 1.5
-January 31, 2011-
This past week has been nothing but further tests. They wanted to test my Thinker abilities and put them through their paces. My Tinker credentials have been verified. I even picked up a Blaster rating due to my cute little Thrash Beat. The sphere holds itself together for maybe five to ten feet once it's released before the sphere breaks and it becomes a blast of electricity. The distance it can travel is determined by how long I charge it for. They would rather I stick to stun and knockout since it has a mascot look instead of letting it turn to lightning. Something about a cute little PR piece turning things into molten slag doesn't sit well with them. Who knew?
School has been just weird. The teachers are being nicer in the same manner they were nice to Sophia. I almost threw up at how disgusting that made me feel, but I endured. Their melodies just sound so damn fake it's nauseating. Greg won't even come near me now, but his melody sounds more introspective. Maybe I did him a favor? I wish him well, but far away from me. Friday came and brought with it a new trial. Emma and Madison were waiting by my locker at the end of the day. They looked as queasy as I was starting to feel. Their melodies were so full of negative feelings directed inward I was surprised they didn't collapse into black holes.
"Taylor?" Emma never sounded so timid before. I exhale slowly and keep my temper, but it was hard. The thought of blowing up at her, or just blowing her up, was appealing, but my heart and mind weren't in accord. Damn. That was something else I noticed. The darkness in my mind and the light in my heart had to be in agreement for me to use my powers. Annoying, but it is what it is.
"What is it?" My voice just came out tired. Already this was wearing on me, but I would endure.
"I'm not looking for forgiveness. I know I won't get it." She must be a mind reader. Her eyes sweep the hall, but no one is nearby except for Madison. I guess she's heard this before. "Something happened the summer you went away...something bad." Is this going to be a start of darkness story? "The one who helped me through it was Sophia..." Called it. "She told me that to make it go away I had to cut out my weakness..." Take advice from the sociopath. Seems logical. "I remembered how you clung to me and..." Here it comes. "Well...you were my weakness." There we go. "I was attracted to you." Yeah...wait, what? Back up..."It wasn't right, and my dad said it wasn't right, so I needed to cut you out." I haven't felt like facepalming this hard in forever. "It wasn't right...I'm sorry..." That explains the lovely self loathing, love, and hate cocktail she has. She's waiting for me to respond, but there is just so much crazy that I don't even know where to start.
"Were you attracted to Sophia too? She is pretty." Morbid curiousity compels me to ask. She shakes her head slowly.
"No...it was never really her..." Now I indulge in that facepalm. I'm pretty sure that the smack of hand meeting face can be heard down the hall. She looks so small and vulnerable, but my give a damn's busted.
"Let me get this straight. You're family is upset that you're gay so you decide to punish me for it? That is such a load of...I've never...how the hell am I supposed to respond?" I think I've started whining at this point and could really care less. She has the utter gall to look apologetic.
"That's why I don't expect you to forgive me...you were my first friend. My best friend. I could tell you anything and we were so close..." Madison's squirming a bit now.
"Oh for fuck's sake how often do you go on about this?" Again morbid curiousity compels me.
"After every prank we play on you." Madison sounds aggrieved. I level a finger on her and she quiets.
"I just thought you should know...my...my dad is transferring me to Immaculate." She stammers out in a rush. Huh, apparently you can facepalm twice in a single conversation. "With Sophia in juvie...it's been a bit lonely..." And that's far enough.
"Oh no you don't. Be lonely. At this point I don't care. When you needed someone I would have been there. You could have talked to me about all of this way before now. This is just one more self-serving tactic and I'm not dealing with it. Enjoy yourself at Immaculate. I hope you make lots of new friends." I look her straight in the eye, "You're a lesbian? Get over yourself. I don't care. I would have been your friend no matter what. This is your fault." She nods her head and steps back looking totally miserable. I can't even enjoy it because that really isn't me. There are so many good memories with her that seeing her like that almost makes me want to hug her. Tell her it's alright. Almost.
"I'm not asking for forgiveness either. I'll accept whatever you have to say. I don't have the option to go to another school so I want to at least tell you this." Well that's refreshing. She's upset with herself, not proud, but also feels justified. Oh that's why she doesn't feel proud because she feels justified. She actually has a conscience.
"As long as you don't proclaim your undying love for me." Was that humor or am I feeling that jaded?
"I look like a middleschooler. No one would take me seriously and I would get targeted. Well Emma is pretty and a model, Sophia was the track star and pretty, both were popular. They gave me a choice. I guess it was my little girl charm..." Wow that is a lot of snark. Enough to choke an Endbringer at least. "So I went along with it...glue on your desk, pencil shavings in your hair, little things. The violent stuff was Sophia and the mental stuff was Emma. If she's in love with you I'd suggest a restraining order." Emma squawks indignantly, but that isn't a bad idea. Suddenly the self loathing is almost overpowering. "I didn't know about the locker until they did it. I thought they were just going to stuff the crap in there...I didn't know they were going to shove you into it..." She's starting to cry.
"Stop..." I try to say, but she bowls over that.
"I threatened to go to the school. Sophia said that if I did she'd...she'd make me regret it...she's such a fuckin' psychopath..." And like that my anger towards her shatters into fragments. It's no longer a solid core of loathing, but smaller pieces of aggravation. I'm patting her hair and letting her cry. The look I level on Emma is probably not a nice one given that she doesn't even speak. She makes some vague sounding excuse before walking off in a daze. During all of this my attention is elsewhere, Madison hasn't moved, hasn't spoken, just cried.
"Okay...okay..." My tone is tender. I'm still not happy with her, but I guess victimization comes in many shapes. My bully was a victim. "This...doesn't clear things between us..." My voice is rough and I feel like the urge to cry as well, "But I forgive you." I think I stopped her heart as she suddenly stops crying. "Your reasons...were at least better than Emma's...Sophia's? I have no clue and I don't want to know. I'm tired of riding on the crazy train. We're not friends, but we're not enemies either. I don't think we will ever be friends, but..." There's the olive branch. She nods slowly and accepts it.
"You...uh...don't have to forgive Emma, but..." She gestures vaguely. "Maybe if you suggest that she gets help...?" Why do I want to indulge in another facepalm? Whatever. I'm already striding off after Emma before my common sense can talk me out of it. The redhead looks surprised at me coming after her, but just hangs her head. Oh I'm not the bad guy here, but that lovely kicked puppy expression is not helping.
"Get help, Emma. The person who was my friend is still in there. Do her a favor and talk to someone." She opens her mouth and I continue, "Don't hide who you are. That lead to you following Sophia and making really stupid decisions. I almost died in that locker, Emma. No, don't try to explain, none of that." My voice is quieter at the end, "Take care of yourself, Emma." The day was over so I just left the school. Without fully realizing it I've started running then sprinting full out.
My thoughts are a terrible jumble, but the exertion is good. I don't have to think to run. My mind clears until it's just me and the road. Nothing else matters. The problem with a clear mind is that the things you're trying to forget come right to the surface. Emma telling me that she was attracted to me took me by surprise. I wasn't all that shocked over her orientation. She was more likely to look at the girls than the guys after the puberty train. The thing about her dad being homophobic is true. He's also anti-cape. If Emma triggered that would have been a double whammy.
Now I feel sorry for her. This isn't helping at all. Table it, push it to the side, what about Madison? I remember her from middle school. She was a sweet girl, and tiny, but could make friends easily. Sunny disposition. I was so surprised that she was one of my tormentors. We'd never had a cross word between us, but there she was with my torture technicians. I flop onto my porch, half laying across the front step, and just pant from my berserk run. Sympathy for the devil, but she was never really a devil. She was just someone that did what she could to survive. I can't forgive it, but I understand it.
Now we're back to what made me run in the first place. With my legs trembling, and my breath coming in shuddering gasps, I'm not running from this again. I want Emma back. I want my best friend to come back. When she was tearfully telling me her shameful feelings I wanted to just let bygones be bygones. That's why I ran. My heart hurts, my head aches, and now my body is sore.
I don't know how long I laid there in my own misery before Dad came home. He didn't say anything as he just picked me up in his arms and carried me inside. I know that I was crying into his chest as he held me. Safe and warm. The ball of ice in my chest soothing and breaking apart. My head is on his shoulder as he strokes my hair.
"What happened, Little Owl?" He asks softly. The tightness loosens and I can speak.
"I found out my monsters are people too." That's what it boils down to isn't it? That's where the confusion came from. They dehumanized me, but I also did the same to them. Now we see each other as people and...
"It happens from time to time. No one is truly one dimensional. The sad fact is that no matter how well we think we understand each other something will always blindside us." His voice is soothing and has the tone of someone that's had it happen before. Then again wasn't Allan his best friend? I look him in the eyes with a rueful smile.
"Emma confessed her love for me." The look on his face is priceless. Though the narrowing of the eyes and thoughtful expression give me pause.
"Oh boy...that won't go over well with Allan..." He winces and I groan. "She hit you with that, huh? What are you going to do about it?" I'm pretty sure I look surprised at his question.
"I suggested she get help. Find someone to talk to about it." I shake my head slowly, "Too much...I can't go back to caring about her like that..." So that's what hurt the most. Old subroutines and programs were telling me to hug Emma, to comfort her as she used to comfort me, but new programing reminded me of what she did. It feels like a hole is in my chest.
"Whatever you decide know that you have my support." He touches my face and I smile. The confusion lessening. "Now how about pizza? I also have something that was sent over by the PRT for you to look at."
"That sounds interesting. What is it?" He hands me a slender book while he goes to make a phone call.
"The Book of Unwritten/Written Rules for Capes by Clock K Blocker." The title has me giggling even before I open the neatly printed book. It looks like the Wards each contributed something as the "unwritten" rules are spelled out. Some are just common sense. No outing a cape heads the list. Special mention is made of Thinker powers that allow for that. My ability has already proven it can do that. The pizzas come and I'm still reading.
"Put it down or you'll get pizza sauce on it." Dad tells me and I listen.
"Well that makes a lot of sense...there was a nicely worded warning about outing capes with my powers."
"Probably has something to do with Shadow Stalker, huh?" I nod. I haven't told Dad who she is. He probably figured it out from the clues, but he hasn't said anything. My phone vibrates. A text? Who is texting me? I check my phone to find that it's Lisa.
"Hey Dad, Lisa wants to know if I can go over to her place tomorrow?" He nods, "Great." I text back my acceptance.
"She's a nice girl. When she hadn't heard from you she called your phone and we got to talking." He's still eating and his melody is cheerful. "Clearly thinks the world of you." I blush at hearing that. "I invited her to come and see you. You just happened to wake up when she arrived." Here comes the teasing, "Is there something I should know about?" The thing with Emma is still a bit too fresh, but I soldier on.
"No Dad." I try for aggrieved and end up somewhere around annoyed. He looks as chagrined as I'm feeling.
"Well tomorrow is good. Does she say when you'll be home?" Moving right along it is then. My plans are finalized with a few more texts.
Saturday dawns bright and clear with my overtaxed body feeling like one big aching muscle. No help for it as I'm already committed myself to this. I start to hum something soothing that sounds like pianos, panpipes, and violins in my head. Before the bus has reached my stop I'm feeling much better. No lingering soreness or stiffness. I already have my smartphone out and am writing it down in my notes. Blaster power with that cute ball of plasma. A mover ability that I'm still figuring out the trigger for. I can't keep relying on being in trouble for it to work. Now a healing ability that removes my aches. Well muscle soreness comes from muscle tearing. I healed my torn muscles. Useful.
Lisa has an apartment of her own in a nicer section of Brockton. The stately building has survived much, but still holds itself high. The melody sounds strong, dependable, with a quiet dignity. I pat the brick wall fondly before heading inside. Okay I need to cut down on that. Just because I want to give something an attaboy doesn't mean I should. My own strange behaviors aside, I decide to see if I can find Lisa's apartment by her melody. It's good practice. I don't even bother keeping track of the numbers as I make my way through the building by "hearing" alone.
I'm outside her apartment with no missteps, but there seems to be someone there already. A damaged melody. Not as damaged as Director Piggot, but still not entirely complete. Hmmm... A couple fragments of melody are just hanging off and my curious mind gives them a nudge. Not fully expecting a reaction, but not surprised that I got one. The fragments are embraced by the whole. It's not perfect, but it's mending. The door is suddenly pulled open and an effeminate looking boy is there. Did he feel that? Something is trying to invade my melody. He's trying to push his melody into my mine and I push back, hard, because that was just bad manners.
"Go away, Alec. I don't have time to play with you today." Wow does Lisa's voice sound cold. "Alec" winces, not entirely theatrically, as guilt tinges his song. A muted guilt like he's not used to feeling, but he still has a cocky tone.
"Fine, fine, I'll leave you to your "girl's only" time." He waves his hand flippantly before heading off down the hall without even a look back, but I feel like he's scrutinizing me. My arm is almost yanked out of my socket as Lisa pulls me into her apartment with a far more serious face than I'm used to seeing. Not even when we were running from the ABB guy.
"Be more careful. Please." I blink stupidly because part of me isn't sure what she means, but then again part of me knows. "You don't even realize what you're doing half the time. Instinctive. Helpful." She sighs heavily and I feel the tense atmosphere lighten. Her usual vulpine grin appears, "I'm glad you came. I got the parts for the computer, some cheesy romantic comedies, and ice cream. We can eat in if you want or go out for some Thai. I know a place that you'll love." I probably would love it. Never had Thai before, but it sounds interesting.
"Well let's get that computer taken care of first. I'd rather do something fun with my visit rather then muck about with electronics." She directs me into her bedroom and points at the loads of parts she brought. I sit down and start working. We make small talk as the terminal takes shape. Terminal? Yeah, this isn't just a computer. I have the parts for a rather sophisticated piece of hardware. She showed me I could put the terminal's main body in her closet and concealed it before I got into the coding bits.
Before coding comes lunch. I'm famished and she knows it, but I probably would have tried completing it if she hadn't just grabbed my arm and pulled me away. She's watching me with her melody heavy and full of meaning. There's that guilt again. Affection is there as well. She seems almost perpetually in surprise at that affection. Her eyes widen briefly before narrowing playfully.
"I have no secrets at all from you, huh?" Her tone has a teasing edge and I smile back.
"Hmmm...well you've shown me yours I suppose." Hey I've discovered an entirely new state of embarrassment! We're laughing together, but the red on our faces is not helping matters. I get the feeling she's not used to be taken by surprise. It feels good to be the one she can relax around.
"I was wondering if you could put in a partition. One side your OS and the other side a generic system." I nod thoughtfully.
"Child's play. Why would you need a set up like that?" She stands up from the counter and puts her arms around my neck as I sit.
"Please Taylor...just trust me...the less you know the better." Her breath tickles my ear and I lean back in her embrace. There is so much fear right now in her melody that it makes me want to bring down the hammer. Unleash myself in full on the source of her suffering and crush it into tiny little pieces... "None of that." She kisses me on the cheek and like that my rage falls away. We ignore the elephant in the room as my anger had caused sparks to arc from my fingertips.
"If...if you're in trouble...I want to help." I offer, but I already know she'll refuse. It would be the same if I was in trouble. I wouldn't want to be a burden.
"Taylor...you are helping. You are helping more than you know." She releases me and we finish lunch in a warmer atmosphere.
Coding comes after lunch and it helps clear my mind of the last bits of confusion. I don't know what she needs all of this for, but she'll have it. The fact that she had the exact parts I needed to make this barely registers. I'm taking a lot on faith, but having my friend safe is worth it. I've hooked it up to my hub at home.
"Okay there's a couple things. I have your terminal set up through my network hub at my house. This icon here is the scrambler for concealing your signal. It will only scramble the part with my OS. It's just not compatible with this POS OS program you bought." She snorts and giggles a bit at my description. Okay I'm a tech snob. Deal with it. "There is also a messenger program that I've routed to work through your smartphone." Surprised her with that. "Keep in contact. I'm dead serious. I want to talk with you more, but it also lets me know you're safe. I know, same goes for me, right?"
"Right." She sits back on the bed from where she's been watching me work. The angle is just right to look almost provocative. Did that on purpose huh? She smiles wider as I catch that. Two intellectuals trying to one up each other. It's hard finding someone on your mental level sometimes. Wow that was snobbery at it's finest. "I appreciate this. This terminal will help a great deal. I needed this." The vulnerable look just about does me in as I flop on the bed next to her. Surprised her again. I'm getting good at this.
"You've been there for me so I'm here for you. We'll be each other's safety." I wind my fingers with hers and we just lay there facing each other. Blue eyes meet green. She taps me on the nose eventually and the spell is broken.
"Time for dinner and we're going out for Thai." She bounces to her feet and I feel an incredible surge of frustration rise up only to force it back down. Did that one on purpose huh? I can't help but smirk as I bounce to my feet as well and hurry after her.
"Too bad we didn't get to watch the movies." I start the conversation as we walk along the street.
"I called your dad and he says you can stay the night." Lisa says with a grin. I knew it.
"And what about clothes to sleep in?" She grins wider if that's possible.
"I found something I'm sure you'll enjoy..." I shiver at her words and not sure if it's from dread. She laughs at my expression.
"Relax...if I was going to play a prank on you it wouldn't be about sleep wear...or lack of." I throw an arm around her neck causing her to yelp in surprise.
"Okay. You win. I'll relax." The two of us continue talking and laughing all the way to the restaurant. Days like this I wish would never end. The restaurant was one of those faux Asian places that you find. The staff were authentic Asians, but probably never even been to Thailand. We were seated and gave our drink orders. Lisa bowled the poor waitress over and ordered for both of us. We waited for the food to arrive before starting to talk again.
"How has school been? Transferring to Arcadia yet?" I had told her there was a good chance of that, but plans have changed.
"I can't go into details, but I'm being paid to stay at Winslow with a tutor for the things I'm behind in." The meal is spicy, but good. Without consciously thinking about it I've poured a packet of duck sauce into my soda and taken a drink. A little spicy mustard and...that's just right. Lisa is staring at me as if I've grown another head.
"There is no logical reason for you to have done that." She states with a strange finality. I sip my drink, but see nothing wrong with it. We talk through dinner and finally make it back to her apartment. Cheesy romantic comedies await.
My life has gotten better. There are plenty of confusions, and even more things I don't know, but this is my Song. I intend to live on forever. I'm looking forward to tomorrow.
End First Arc
or Melody of Escalation
First Arc 1.5
-January 31, 2011-
This past week has been nothing but further tests. They wanted to test my Thinker abilities and put them through their paces. My Tinker credentials have been verified. I even picked up a Blaster rating due to my cute little Thrash Beat. The sphere holds itself together for maybe five to ten feet once it's released before the sphere breaks and it becomes a blast of electricity. The distance it can travel is determined by how long I charge it for. They would rather I stick to stun and knockout since it has a mascot look instead of letting it turn to lightning. Something about a cute little PR piece turning things into molten slag doesn't sit well with them. Who knew?
School has been just weird. The teachers are being nicer in the same manner they were nice to Sophia. I almost threw up at how disgusting that made me feel, but I endured. Their melodies just sound so damn fake it's nauseating. Greg won't even come near me now, but his melody sounds more introspective. Maybe I did him a favor? I wish him well, but far away from me. Friday came and brought with it a new trial. Emma and Madison were waiting by my locker at the end of the day. They looked as queasy as I was starting to feel. Their melodies were so full of negative feelings directed inward I was surprised they didn't collapse into black holes.
"Taylor?" Emma never sounded so timid before. I exhale slowly and keep my temper, but it was hard. The thought of blowing up at her, or just blowing her up, was appealing, but my heart and mind weren't in accord. Damn. That was something else I noticed. The darkness in my mind and the light in my heart had to be in agreement for me to use my powers. Annoying, but it is what it is.
"What is it?" My voice just came out tired. Already this was wearing on me, but I would endure.
"I'm not looking for forgiveness. I know I won't get it." She must be a mind reader. Her eyes sweep the hall, but no one is nearby except for Madison. I guess she's heard this before. "Something happened the summer you went away...something bad." Is this going to be a start of darkness story? "The one who helped me through it was Sophia..." Called it. "She told me that to make it go away I had to cut out my weakness..." Take advice from the sociopath. Seems logical. "I remembered how you clung to me and..." Here it comes. "Well...you were my weakness." There we go. "I was attracted to you." Yeah...wait, what? Back up..."It wasn't right, and my dad said it wasn't right, so I needed to cut you out." I haven't felt like facepalming this hard in forever. "It wasn't right...I'm sorry..." That explains the lovely self loathing, love, and hate cocktail she has. She's waiting for me to respond, but there is just so much crazy that I don't even know where to start.
"Were you attracted to Sophia too? She is pretty." Morbid curiousity compels me to ask. She shakes her head slowly.
"No...it was never really her..." Now I indulge in that facepalm. I'm pretty sure that the smack of hand meeting face can be heard down the hall. She looks so small and vulnerable, but my give a damn's busted.
"Let me get this straight. You're family is upset that you're gay so you decide to punish me for it? That is such a load of...I've never...how the hell am I supposed to respond?" I think I've started whining at this point and could really care less. She has the utter gall to look apologetic.
"That's why I don't expect you to forgive me...you were my first friend. My best friend. I could tell you anything and we were so close..." Madison's squirming a bit now.
"Oh for fuck's sake how often do you go on about this?" Again morbid curiousity compels me.
"After every prank we play on you." Madison sounds aggrieved. I level a finger on her and she quiets.
"I just thought you should know...my...my dad is transferring me to Immaculate." She stammers out in a rush. Huh, apparently you can facepalm twice in a single conversation. "With Sophia in juvie...it's been a bit lonely..." And that's far enough.
"Oh no you don't. Be lonely. At this point I don't care. When you needed someone I would have been there. You could have talked to me about all of this way before now. This is just one more self-serving tactic and I'm not dealing with it. Enjoy yourself at Immaculate. I hope you make lots of new friends." I look her straight in the eye, "You're a lesbian? Get over yourself. I don't care. I would have been your friend no matter what. This is your fault." She nods her head and steps back looking totally miserable. I can't even enjoy it because that really isn't me. There are so many good memories with her that seeing her like that almost makes me want to hug her. Tell her it's alright. Almost.
"I'm not asking for forgiveness either. I'll accept whatever you have to say. I don't have the option to go to another school so I want to at least tell you this." Well that's refreshing. She's upset with herself, not proud, but also feels justified. Oh that's why she doesn't feel proud because she feels justified. She actually has a conscience.
"As long as you don't proclaim your undying love for me." Was that humor or am I feeling that jaded?
"I look like a middleschooler. No one would take me seriously and I would get targeted. Well Emma is pretty and a model, Sophia was the track star and pretty, both were popular. They gave me a choice. I guess it was my little girl charm..." Wow that is a lot of snark. Enough to choke an Endbringer at least. "So I went along with it...glue on your desk, pencil shavings in your hair, little things. The violent stuff was Sophia and the mental stuff was Emma. If she's in love with you I'd suggest a restraining order." Emma squawks indignantly, but that isn't a bad idea. Suddenly the self loathing is almost overpowering. "I didn't know about the locker until they did it. I thought they were just going to stuff the crap in there...I didn't know they were going to shove you into it..." She's starting to cry.
"Stop..." I try to say, but she bowls over that.
"I threatened to go to the school. Sophia said that if I did she'd...she'd make me regret it...she's such a fuckin' psychopath..." And like that my anger towards her shatters into fragments. It's no longer a solid core of loathing, but smaller pieces of aggravation. I'm patting her hair and letting her cry. The look I level on Emma is probably not a nice one given that she doesn't even speak. She makes some vague sounding excuse before walking off in a daze. During all of this my attention is elsewhere, Madison hasn't moved, hasn't spoken, just cried.
"Okay...okay..." My tone is tender. I'm still not happy with her, but I guess victimization comes in many shapes. My bully was a victim. "This...doesn't clear things between us..." My voice is rough and I feel like the urge to cry as well, "But I forgive you." I think I stopped her heart as she suddenly stops crying. "Your reasons...were at least better than Emma's...Sophia's? I have no clue and I don't want to know. I'm tired of riding on the crazy train. We're not friends, but we're not enemies either. I don't think we will ever be friends, but..." There's the olive branch. She nods slowly and accepts it.
"You...uh...don't have to forgive Emma, but..." She gestures vaguely. "Maybe if you suggest that she gets help...?" Why do I want to indulge in another facepalm? Whatever. I'm already striding off after Emma before my common sense can talk me out of it. The redhead looks surprised at me coming after her, but just hangs her head. Oh I'm not the bad guy here, but that lovely kicked puppy expression is not helping.
"Get help, Emma. The person who was my friend is still in there. Do her a favor and talk to someone." She opens her mouth and I continue, "Don't hide who you are. That lead to you following Sophia and making really stupid decisions. I almost died in that locker, Emma. No, don't try to explain, none of that." My voice is quieter at the end, "Take care of yourself, Emma." The day was over so I just left the school. Without fully realizing it I've started running then sprinting full out.
My thoughts are a terrible jumble, but the exertion is good. I don't have to think to run. My mind clears until it's just me and the road. Nothing else matters. The problem with a clear mind is that the things you're trying to forget come right to the surface. Emma telling me that she was attracted to me took me by surprise. I wasn't all that shocked over her orientation. She was more likely to look at the girls than the guys after the puberty train. The thing about her dad being homophobic is true. He's also anti-cape. If Emma triggered that would have been a double whammy.
Now I feel sorry for her. This isn't helping at all. Table it, push it to the side, what about Madison? I remember her from middle school. She was a sweet girl, and tiny, but could make friends easily. Sunny disposition. I was so surprised that she was one of my tormentors. We'd never had a cross word between us, but there she was with my torture technicians. I flop onto my porch, half laying across the front step, and just pant from my berserk run. Sympathy for the devil, but she was never really a devil. She was just someone that did what she could to survive. I can't forgive it, but I understand it.
Now we're back to what made me run in the first place. With my legs trembling, and my breath coming in shuddering gasps, I'm not running from this again. I want Emma back. I want my best friend to come back. When she was tearfully telling me her shameful feelings I wanted to just let bygones be bygones. That's why I ran. My heart hurts, my head aches, and now my body is sore.
I don't know how long I laid there in my own misery before Dad came home. He didn't say anything as he just picked me up in his arms and carried me inside. I know that I was crying into his chest as he held me. Safe and warm. The ball of ice in my chest soothing and breaking apart. My head is on his shoulder as he strokes my hair.
"What happened, Little Owl?" He asks softly. The tightness loosens and I can speak.
"I found out my monsters are people too." That's what it boils down to isn't it? That's where the confusion came from. They dehumanized me, but I also did the same to them. Now we see each other as people and...
"It happens from time to time. No one is truly one dimensional. The sad fact is that no matter how well we think we understand each other something will always blindside us." His voice is soothing and has the tone of someone that's had it happen before. Then again wasn't Allan his best friend? I look him in the eyes with a rueful smile.
"Emma confessed her love for me." The look on his face is priceless. Though the narrowing of the eyes and thoughtful expression give me pause.
"Oh boy...that won't go over well with Allan..." He winces and I groan. "She hit you with that, huh? What are you going to do about it?" I'm pretty sure I look surprised at his question.
"I suggested she get help. Find someone to talk to about it." I shake my head slowly, "Too much...I can't go back to caring about her like that..." So that's what hurt the most. Old subroutines and programs were telling me to hug Emma, to comfort her as she used to comfort me, but new programing reminded me of what she did. It feels like a hole is in my chest.
"Whatever you decide know that you have my support." He touches my face and I smile. The confusion lessening. "Now how about pizza? I also have something that was sent over by the PRT for you to look at."
"That sounds interesting. What is it?" He hands me a slender book while he goes to make a phone call.
"The Book of Unwritten/Written Rules for Capes by Clock K Blocker." The title has me giggling even before I open the neatly printed book. It looks like the Wards each contributed something as the "unwritten" rules are spelled out. Some are just common sense. No outing a cape heads the list. Special mention is made of Thinker powers that allow for that. My ability has already proven it can do that. The pizzas come and I'm still reading.
"Put it down or you'll get pizza sauce on it." Dad tells me and I listen.
"Well that makes a lot of sense...there was a nicely worded warning about outing capes with my powers."
"Probably has something to do with Shadow Stalker, huh?" I nod. I haven't told Dad who she is. He probably figured it out from the clues, but he hasn't said anything. My phone vibrates. A text? Who is texting me? I check my phone to find that it's Lisa.
"Hey Dad, Lisa wants to know if I can go over to her place tomorrow?" He nods, "Great." I text back my acceptance.
"She's a nice girl. When she hadn't heard from you she called your phone and we got to talking." He's still eating and his melody is cheerful. "Clearly thinks the world of you." I blush at hearing that. "I invited her to come and see you. You just happened to wake up when she arrived." Here comes the teasing, "Is there something I should know about?" The thing with Emma is still a bit too fresh, but I soldier on.
"No Dad." I try for aggrieved and end up somewhere around annoyed. He looks as chagrined as I'm feeling.
"Well tomorrow is good. Does she say when you'll be home?" Moving right along it is then. My plans are finalized with a few more texts.
Saturday dawns bright and clear with my overtaxed body feeling like one big aching muscle. No help for it as I'm already committed myself to this. I start to hum something soothing that sounds like pianos, panpipes, and violins in my head. Before the bus has reached my stop I'm feeling much better. No lingering soreness or stiffness. I already have my smartphone out and am writing it down in my notes. Blaster power with that cute ball of plasma. A mover ability that I'm still figuring out the trigger for. I can't keep relying on being in trouble for it to work. Now a healing ability that removes my aches. Well muscle soreness comes from muscle tearing. I healed my torn muscles. Useful.
Lisa has an apartment of her own in a nicer section of Brockton. The stately building has survived much, but still holds itself high. The melody sounds strong, dependable, with a quiet dignity. I pat the brick wall fondly before heading inside. Okay I need to cut down on that. Just because I want to give something an attaboy doesn't mean I should. My own strange behaviors aside, I decide to see if I can find Lisa's apartment by her melody. It's good practice. I don't even bother keeping track of the numbers as I make my way through the building by "hearing" alone.
I'm outside her apartment with no missteps, but there seems to be someone there already. A damaged melody. Not as damaged as Director Piggot, but still not entirely complete. Hmmm... A couple fragments of melody are just hanging off and my curious mind gives them a nudge. Not fully expecting a reaction, but not surprised that I got one. The fragments are embraced by the whole. It's not perfect, but it's mending. The door is suddenly pulled open and an effeminate looking boy is there. Did he feel that? Something is trying to invade my melody. He's trying to push his melody into my mine and I push back, hard, because that was just bad manners.
"Go away, Alec. I don't have time to play with you today." Wow does Lisa's voice sound cold. "Alec" winces, not entirely theatrically, as guilt tinges his song. A muted guilt like he's not used to feeling, but he still has a cocky tone.
"Fine, fine, I'll leave you to your "girl's only" time." He waves his hand flippantly before heading off down the hall without even a look back, but I feel like he's scrutinizing me. My arm is almost yanked out of my socket as Lisa pulls me into her apartment with a far more serious face than I'm used to seeing. Not even when we were running from the ABB guy.
"Be more careful. Please." I blink stupidly because part of me isn't sure what she means, but then again part of me knows. "You don't even realize what you're doing half the time. Instinctive. Helpful." She sighs heavily and I feel the tense atmosphere lighten. Her usual vulpine grin appears, "I'm glad you came. I got the parts for the computer, some cheesy romantic comedies, and ice cream. We can eat in if you want or go out for some Thai. I know a place that you'll love." I probably would love it. Never had Thai before, but it sounds interesting.
"Well let's get that computer taken care of first. I'd rather do something fun with my visit rather then muck about with electronics." She directs me into her bedroom and points at the loads of parts she brought. I sit down and start working. We make small talk as the terminal takes shape. Terminal? Yeah, this isn't just a computer. I have the parts for a rather sophisticated piece of hardware. She showed me I could put the terminal's main body in her closet and concealed it before I got into the coding bits.
Before coding comes lunch. I'm famished and she knows it, but I probably would have tried completing it if she hadn't just grabbed my arm and pulled me away. She's watching me with her melody heavy and full of meaning. There's that guilt again. Affection is there as well. She seems almost perpetually in surprise at that affection. Her eyes widen briefly before narrowing playfully.
"I have no secrets at all from you, huh?" Her tone has a teasing edge and I smile back.
"Hmmm...well you've shown me yours I suppose." Hey I've discovered an entirely new state of embarrassment! We're laughing together, but the red on our faces is not helping matters. I get the feeling she's not used to be taken by surprise. It feels good to be the one she can relax around.
"I was wondering if you could put in a partition. One side your OS and the other side a generic system." I nod thoughtfully.
"Child's play. Why would you need a set up like that?" She stands up from the counter and puts her arms around my neck as I sit.
"Please Taylor...just trust me...the less you know the better." Her breath tickles my ear and I lean back in her embrace. There is so much fear right now in her melody that it makes me want to bring down the hammer. Unleash myself in full on the source of her suffering and crush it into tiny little pieces... "None of that." She kisses me on the cheek and like that my rage falls away. We ignore the elephant in the room as my anger had caused sparks to arc from my fingertips.
"If...if you're in trouble...I want to help." I offer, but I already know she'll refuse. It would be the same if I was in trouble. I wouldn't want to be a burden.
"Taylor...you are helping. You are helping more than you know." She releases me and we finish lunch in a warmer atmosphere.
Coding comes after lunch and it helps clear my mind of the last bits of confusion. I don't know what she needs all of this for, but she'll have it. The fact that she had the exact parts I needed to make this barely registers. I'm taking a lot on faith, but having my friend safe is worth it. I've hooked it up to my hub at home.
"Okay there's a couple things. I have your terminal set up through my network hub at my house. This icon here is the scrambler for concealing your signal. It will only scramble the part with my OS. It's just not compatible with this POS OS program you bought." She snorts and giggles a bit at my description. Okay I'm a tech snob. Deal with it. "There is also a messenger program that I've routed to work through your smartphone." Surprised her with that. "Keep in contact. I'm dead serious. I want to talk with you more, but it also lets me know you're safe. I know, same goes for me, right?"
"Right." She sits back on the bed from where she's been watching me work. The angle is just right to look almost provocative. Did that on purpose huh? She smiles wider as I catch that. Two intellectuals trying to one up each other. It's hard finding someone on your mental level sometimes. Wow that was snobbery at it's finest. "I appreciate this. This terminal will help a great deal. I needed this." The vulnerable look just about does me in as I flop on the bed next to her. Surprised her again. I'm getting good at this.
"You've been there for me so I'm here for you. We'll be each other's safety." I wind my fingers with hers and we just lay there facing each other. Blue eyes meet green. She taps me on the nose eventually and the spell is broken.
"Time for dinner and we're going out for Thai." She bounces to her feet and I feel an incredible surge of frustration rise up only to force it back down. Did that one on purpose huh? I can't help but smirk as I bounce to my feet as well and hurry after her.
"Too bad we didn't get to watch the movies." I start the conversation as we walk along the street.
"I called your dad and he says you can stay the night." Lisa says with a grin. I knew it.
"And what about clothes to sleep in?" She grins wider if that's possible.
"I found something I'm sure you'll enjoy..." I shiver at her words and not sure if it's from dread. She laughs at my expression.
"Relax...if I was going to play a prank on you it wouldn't be about sleep wear...or lack of." I throw an arm around her neck causing her to yelp in surprise.
"Okay. You win. I'll relax." The two of us continue talking and laughing all the way to the restaurant. Days like this I wish would never end. The restaurant was one of those faux Asian places that you find. The staff were authentic Asians, but probably never even been to Thailand. We were seated and gave our drink orders. Lisa bowled the poor waitress over and ordered for both of us. We waited for the food to arrive before starting to talk again.
"How has school been? Transferring to Arcadia yet?" I had told her there was a good chance of that, but plans have changed.
"I can't go into details, but I'm being paid to stay at Winslow with a tutor for the things I'm behind in." The meal is spicy, but good. Without consciously thinking about it I've poured a packet of duck sauce into my soda and taken a drink. A little spicy mustard and...that's just right. Lisa is staring at me as if I've grown another head.
"There is no logical reason for you to have done that." She states with a strange finality. I sip my drink, but see nothing wrong with it. We talk through dinner and finally make it back to her apartment. Cheesy romantic comedies await.
My life has gotten better. There are plenty of confusions, and even more things I don't know, but this is my Song. I intend to live on forever. I'm looking forward to tomorrow.
End First Arc
Interlude Reunion
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude: Reunion
All was in readiness. They had planned for any eventuality. The amount of time spent to make this work was staggering. There would be no mistakes. They could afford none at this important juncture. Which is why distractions and unforeseen circumstances were so unwelcome. The room was ready. The guests were ready. There would be no mistakes. The walls were done in pale greens and the floor in pale blues with everything possessing a crystalline metallic sheen. A warm brown wraparound sofa with several end tables and flowers made the room appear warmer.
"Stop doing that smug laughter thing it gives off creepy villain vibes." A young woman's voice says in an aggrieved tone. The owner of the voice was a woman with light brown hair and light blue eyes with a lithe build. A simple brown bodice and green skirt with brown boots were what she wore. Apparently she was feeling nostalgic as Aurica didn't usually wear her Skuwat clothing.
"She wouldn't be herself if she did things normally." The amused woman possesses raven hair and deep blue eyes with a curvier build. She was wearing a tight fitting top under a kimono top with a unique gold ornament in her hair. Misha rarely wore anything else because it made her look good. The skirt and shoes complimented her look nicely.
"Now stop picking on her...even if it is a bit creepy." The light girlish voice of Shurelia was teasing. Her silvery hair, dark blue eyes, and petite build gave her an elfin appearance. She was wearing a yellow t-shirt, blue coveralls, and was barefoot.
"Is it always like this?" A refined and haughty person asks the one seated beside her. Lady Cloche was blonde haired, blue eyed, and busty as well. Despite hitting so many stereotypes the one she didn't hit was being a ditz. She was dressed in a charming pink kimono and loose trousers with sandals on her feet. She was told this was informal and she took them seriously.
"I have no idea..." Luca shakes her head in wonderment. Dark haired and hazel-eyed with a slender build. Her eclectic taste in clothing gave her a bit of a scattered appearance. She leans back in the sofa and simply watches the byplay.
"Uhm..." A hesitant voice intrudes, "Is there anything we should be doing?" Saki dithered. Light, almost ash, colored hair and light lavender eyes with a bulky pink sweater and fluffy pom poms rounded out her appearance.
"Well no one put out snacks..." A girl with bright purple hair and eyes shrugs. Her hair is held up in an elaborate set of tails and she chose to wear something a bit different than her usual flashy clothes. A simple white sundress with lavender sandals completes her look. Finnel calls up an interface and taps a few commands bringing a table full of finger foods and drinks into existence in the corner of the room.
"Why would she bother with snacks? Aren't we in a virtual space? The food isn't real." A sleepy eyed fuchsia haired petite young woman says. It's not like Tyria disagrees, but she doesn't see the point. Her own outfit appears to be, of all things, a summer weight school uniform. A short sleeved button down white shirt is tucked into a simple blue pleated skirt with black leggings and mary janes.
"Oh but it looks so lovely and doesn't refreshments make this feel more like a party?" The last person there had the most unique hair style. Her light green hair is fluffed out and curls outward to two points behind her head in a gravity defying fashion. The green bodysuit she wears comes with gossamer fairy-like wings. Frelia smiles happily at the activity going on around her.
"Sorry I'm late! I got held up by Sasha. She wanted me to help her with a few tests and well..." Like a hurricane of activity and words Cocona burst into the virtual space. Her dark purple hair held up in twintails by elaborate gold ornaments with a sleeveless tailed shirt that exposes her midriff. Short shorts, thigh high stockings, and shoes complete her ensemble. Her sudden appearance is normal and no one even takes notice except to call a few greetings.
"My my my...so this is what a Binary Field looks like from the inside..." A completely new voice causes the women already in the room to stare in complete shock at their entrance. The woman appears young with long greyish hair in loose waves and curls. Her red eyes hold a great deal of amusement at the reaction she managed to receive by gate crashing. Her outfit consists of an orange hoodie with what looks like splashes of color. She chose to accessorize with an orange and blue cap and simple sneakers.
"C-Cas...Casty...?" Shurelia is the only one of them in such shock that she barely manages a squeak. She whips her gaze to the last person in the room attempting to bore a hole in the young woman's skull by sheer force of will.
"I invited her." The last woman has long black hair and red eyes. A petite build clothed in a simple charcoal black sweatshirt and deep black leggings is kneeling on the floor over a holo terminal. Mir looks at Shurelia with eyes shimmering with amusement at her friend's discomfiture.
"Shurelia! How have you been! I'm sorry that it took so long to get here, but I had to dust off my old appearance. You literally wouldn't recognize me now." The now named Casty grabs the smaller girl in a big hug that buries her face in her chest. If Casty had been more endowed this might have been the end of Shurelia, but thankfully that wasn't the case.
"You softy you..." Cocona teases as she hugs Mir in greeting. Mir doesn't deny it, but the small smile has more dark glee than an altruistic act should have. The other girls, Reyvateils, head over to greet the newcomer.
"How did you even get her here?" Tyria asks after having checked to make sure that Casty's connection was stable and blinks in surprise. "Ar Ciela...? She's...not a Reyvateil..." Mir's grin is pure Schaudenfraude at the looks of surprise.
"The explanation isn't so interesting that I want to go over this more than once. You can wait until Taylor gets here." The time is nearly at hand. All of the effort. All of the heartache. It was finally coming together. A Reyvateil born in another dimension. The sheer amount of research and fine tuning that had gone into her adjustment was staggering. There hadn't been so much effort in the creation of a Reyvateil since the First Age. The only ones that took more effort were Shurelia, Frelia, and Tyria.
A warning message blares across every available surface causing everyone to rush about to prepare. They get in position just as the warning ends and a hazy shimmer starts up in the room. It struggles briefly to coallesce before smoothing dramatically and becoming a stable door. A young woman with dark brown hair flowing down her back and blue eyes appears. Her outfit is a simple white bodysuit with sleeves connected to gloves. Thigh high white boots adorn her legs. She looks confused at her location before locking eyes on Mir with a laser-like intensity.
"Welcome, Taylor. The time for you to open your eyes is here." Mir says with a warmth that Cocona is familiar with, and Shurelia suspected, but the others are surprised. Taylor lets out a choked sob and throws herself across the room at Mir in a flying glomp that causes the smaller girl to yelp and fall. Gentle smiles and some giggles are heard, but more than a few eyes are moist, as Mir pets the crying girl's head affectionately.
"Y-you...you're that voice..." She smiles at Mir with love. "You saved me..." Her voice quiets as she finally seems to notice the others. She flushes bright red and stammers a bit, but the looks of fond amusement calm her. "This Song...these Melodies...they're so beautiful...this Harmony..." It feels almost like she's singing her words with a peculiar weight and reverberation. Casty looks absolutely fascinated.
"You can hear them as a Melody?" She asks curiously. Taylor blinks owlishly at her and nods. The others look perplexed.
"She's not pinging off of us, but she can hear us anyway?" It's unclear who said it, but that statement sums up the general feeling in the room. The new girl shies back as if she did something wrong, but Mir pulls her back into her arms and she calms. Without even bothering to stand she floats the two of them over to a couch.
"So uh...I'm Taylor..." She introduces herself shyly. The others introduce themselves. Most are being mindful of overwhelming her, but Cocona just bowled on through that and grabbed Taylor's hands during her introduction. When she reacted with laughter the mood lightened considerably and they relaxed. She still hasn't moved from Mir's side, but now has Cocona on her other side.
"This wasn't entirely a welcoming party. Honestly I was just going to bring you here to actually explain all of this, but then they heard what was going on and had to be involved..." Mir says in a dry tone. "Seriously...we don't all get together like this often. It's such a circus." She rolls her eyes which prompts more fond laughs. "When did I become adorable and amusing as opposed to scary?" She sweeps her gaze around, but the effect is somewhat ruined by the affectionate barnacle clinging to her side.
"Mir accidentally contacted me when she was probing at a dimensional anomaly. Our energy requirements are enormous and we, for lack of a better term, draw power through wormholes. If you're interested in all of the theory we can arrange a download for you, but the gist is that there was an unusual waveform piggybacking on the transfer lines." Casty says seriously.
"Casty had no idea what was going on and neither did I so we traced the feed. Apparently it was an interdimensional probe by a race of...entities...that were scouting both of our worlds. They apparently decided not to attack us, but we heightened our state of alert. They could come back once they've rearmed themselves. We wouldn't have even noticed the probe if an unusual spike hadn't occurred." Taylor nods slowly in understanding.
"The problem is that we had no way of actually observing their activities. They could look in on us, but we couldn't look in on them. We pooled our knowledge and found the frequency for how they did their data collection. It comes in the form of...shards. These shards are apparently multidimensional conduits of data and power that are attuned to people that have suffered great emotional turmoil." No one else was been told that just yet and the reaction was of startled consternation.
"Uh...but wouldn't that have a bad effect on someone's mind?" Taylor asks curiously, but clearly already knows the answer.
"Very bad. The Shard cares nothing for the mental health of the one it is forcibly bonded to which has the result of fracturing the psyche further. It is programmed to increase aggression, promote conflict, and generally cause behaviors that aren't safe for the recipient." Mir says grimly, "When we found you the Shard was already in the process of breaking down your mind into something more simplistic. Insectoid to a degree. It would have made relating to others difficult to say the least."
"The shards ping off of one another to gain data. Usually when it first enters the host which is where other powers are born at the same time. If many shards are there at the event it can create what you call a Grab Bag cape." The others gather closer in fascination as Mir and Casty explain.
"So wait...my shard is pinging off of other shards...?" Taylor asks in a manner suggesting she already knows the answer, but is looking for confirmation. Mir and Casty both grin at how perceptive she is. "Their shards send data to mine...and you've been collecting the data...well I said that I wanted to save my world. If being a data collecter is what it takes I'll do it." Casty giggles while Mir shakes her head slowly.
"You aren't "just" a data collector. You are a Reyvateil like us. That was what the adjustments were for. They were to prepare you for all of this. You wouldn't be able to defend yourself if all you could do was gather information." Mir chides her.
"Why does that matter though? You need the information, and I appreciate you wanting to help Earth, but why do you care?" Poor Taylor sounds so lost that Cocona wraps her arms around the taller girl's waist and hugs her from behind.
"It matters to us because it matters to you. This is not a one way partnership. You are helping us so we're helping you. That was our deal. I said I would get you out of that situation and I am." The dark haired woman says seriously.
"We are." Casty chimes in.
"We all are. You're one of us now and we help our own." Shurelia says. There is a general round of agreement and the tears start again. The outpouring of love, affection, and acceptance is visibly getting to her. Silence reigns as she gains some semblance of control again.
"Taylor...there a few things you need to know about what you've become. Reyvateils are essentially gynoids. Save for those poor souls that the system mistook for Reyvateils. It means that we possess a connection to a Tower. These Towers are where we draw our power from and they allow us to craft Song Magic by our will and emotions. You apparently picked up something unintended. Your ability to "hear" people's hearts as melodies is...well I have no basis to explain that..." Mir sounds more frustrated than apologetic as Casty smoothly cuts in.
"Actually it appears to be a bastardization of something our people call Oversight. It allows the user to see possibilities and grasp the most useful ones. The restriction is that you cannot grasp more than you can comprehend. It appears that your Melody sense is closely related to this ability. Useful, strange but useful, it's served you well so far. You have also been using it when you have put together machines. Mir downloaded the knowledge, but your Oversight has allowed you to put it together in a manner tha makes sense for your universe." That draws some thoughtful looks.
"I was wondering how you were doing that with no grounding in your world's physics and only our understanding of it..." Mir nods contemplatively, "It's useful, but no substitute for learning it properly."
"Oh I know...it makes my head hurt if I do it too much...for my Tinker test it was all I could not to find a place to curl up and sleep. The pain was just that bad." Taylor gets into the conversation. "So if Reyvateils need a Tower...am I connected to yours...?"
"We have been using your reprogrammed Shard as a relay to our Tower until you can build a network of your own. You will probably be more busy constructing the infrastructure and making preparations for the numerous threats your world has, but please balance yourself. Take the time to have fun like you have been. Don't rush things. When you rush you make mistakes." Mir says and the brown haired Neo Reyvateil nods.
"Am I still pinging off of other shards?" She asks.
"Actually yes. It was a useful ability that seemed silly to remove. You have probably noticed that you click better with parahumans. It works well on people, but that connectivity is better with capes." Mir replies.
"Does it make me like them more or make them like me more?" Understandably she sounds worried about that, but the dark haired Reyvateil shakes her head.
"All it does is promote better understanding. You can see their true self, but it gives them a passive insight to your own self. If that causes them to like you more then it's only because they like what they see." The older woman assures her, but the pensive look remains.
"What about with Lisa? It's like...I feel her inside..." She exhales slowly and bites the bullet, "Other melodies that try to blend with my own and I can steer them away, but hers is like a cat...I try to guide it away, but it just slips right on in without so much as a by-your-leave." Taylor sounds aggrieved, but not really unhappy.
"Probably because you want her in there. Nothing to be ashamed about." Mir says with a smile.
Conversations shift to more pleasant things and the atmosphere ligthens. The refreshments were a hit and several smaller groups formed. Mir was even able to get Taylor to go socialize while she sat and enjoyed the zone of silence around her. The gift for Shurelia was a hit. Keeping Casty's involvement a secret had been a pain, but it was worth it. The two were even now rekindling their old relationship. Their friendship still strong after all this time.
The stories they told of their journeys lasted for what felt like hours. Taylor asked Mir if it was okay for her to be gone so long eliciting a laugh. She had it explained that this virtual chatroom was more like a shared dream then actual reality. Time passed differently here. The younger girl smiled and went back to listening to Frelia's slightly disjointed account of Metafallica with Cloche and Luca steering the tale back on track. Well, they tried to, but the flutter brain had her own ideas that apparently involved penguins.
All good things must come to end, however, and it was soon time for Taylor to leave. She didn't want to leave, but her virtual image was fading around the edges. The rest had more mental stamina, but that was to be expected. Taylor was still young yet.
"Taylor! I almost forgot something!" Cocona passed a glowing sphere over to Taylor that fragmented when she touched it. "It's a V Board! Sasha and I worked on it with Aoto, but well...we weren't sure how to get it to you...so Sasha thought of making it a data file. Now you can make it." The other girl beams happily and hugs Cocona tightly.
"Thanks! Uhh...why do the plans call for it to become...tonfas? Wait...hair clips that become a staff?" Taylor looks intrigued, but her questions are good ones.
"Transforming weapons are cool." That Mir really should have seen coming as Cocona's guileless smile made her proclamation seem perfectly normal. Taylor hugs Mir tightly one more time before heading back through the portal. The data was transferred for her to enter this virtual room again.
"She has a difficult road ahead." Tyria says quietly. "But she has support from us and her friends."
"She'll need all the help she can get." Mir says with a sigh.
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude: Reunion
All was in readiness. They had planned for any eventuality. The amount of time spent to make this work was staggering. There would be no mistakes. They could afford none at this important juncture. Which is why distractions and unforeseen circumstances were so unwelcome. The room was ready. The guests were ready. There would be no mistakes. The walls were done in pale greens and the floor in pale blues with everything possessing a crystalline metallic sheen. A warm brown wraparound sofa with several end tables and flowers made the room appear warmer.
"Stop doing that smug laughter thing it gives off creepy villain vibes." A young woman's voice says in an aggrieved tone. The owner of the voice was a woman with light brown hair and light blue eyes with a lithe build. A simple brown bodice and green skirt with brown boots were what she wore. Apparently she was feeling nostalgic as Aurica didn't usually wear her Skuwat clothing.
"She wouldn't be herself if she did things normally." The amused woman possesses raven hair and deep blue eyes with a curvier build. She was wearing a tight fitting top under a kimono top with a unique gold ornament in her hair. Misha rarely wore anything else because it made her look good. The skirt and shoes complimented her look nicely.
"Now stop picking on her...even if it is a bit creepy." The light girlish voice of Shurelia was teasing. Her silvery hair, dark blue eyes, and petite build gave her an elfin appearance. She was wearing a yellow t-shirt, blue coveralls, and was barefoot.
"Is it always like this?" A refined and haughty person asks the one seated beside her. Lady Cloche was blonde haired, blue eyed, and busty as well. Despite hitting so many stereotypes the one she didn't hit was being a ditz. She was dressed in a charming pink kimono and loose trousers with sandals on her feet. She was told this was informal and she took them seriously.
"I have no idea..." Luca shakes her head in wonderment. Dark haired and hazel-eyed with a slender build. Her eclectic taste in clothing gave her a bit of a scattered appearance. She leans back in the sofa and simply watches the byplay.
"Uhm..." A hesitant voice intrudes, "Is there anything we should be doing?" Saki dithered. Light, almost ash, colored hair and light lavender eyes with a bulky pink sweater and fluffy pom poms rounded out her appearance.
"Well no one put out snacks..." A girl with bright purple hair and eyes shrugs. Her hair is held up in an elaborate set of tails and she chose to wear something a bit different than her usual flashy clothes. A simple white sundress with lavender sandals completes her look. Finnel calls up an interface and taps a few commands bringing a table full of finger foods and drinks into existence in the corner of the room.
"Why would she bother with snacks? Aren't we in a virtual space? The food isn't real." A sleepy eyed fuchsia haired petite young woman says. It's not like Tyria disagrees, but she doesn't see the point. Her own outfit appears to be, of all things, a summer weight school uniform. A short sleeved button down white shirt is tucked into a simple blue pleated skirt with black leggings and mary janes.
"Oh but it looks so lovely and doesn't refreshments make this feel more like a party?" The last person there had the most unique hair style. Her light green hair is fluffed out and curls outward to two points behind her head in a gravity defying fashion. The green bodysuit she wears comes with gossamer fairy-like wings. Frelia smiles happily at the activity going on around her.
"Sorry I'm late! I got held up by Sasha. She wanted me to help her with a few tests and well..." Like a hurricane of activity and words Cocona burst into the virtual space. Her dark purple hair held up in twintails by elaborate gold ornaments with a sleeveless tailed shirt that exposes her midriff. Short shorts, thigh high stockings, and shoes complete her ensemble. Her sudden appearance is normal and no one even takes notice except to call a few greetings.
"My my my...so this is what a Binary Field looks like from the inside..." A completely new voice causes the women already in the room to stare in complete shock at their entrance. The woman appears young with long greyish hair in loose waves and curls. Her red eyes hold a great deal of amusement at the reaction she managed to receive by gate crashing. Her outfit consists of an orange hoodie with what looks like splashes of color. She chose to accessorize with an orange and blue cap and simple sneakers.
"C-Cas...Casty...?" Shurelia is the only one of them in such shock that she barely manages a squeak. She whips her gaze to the last person in the room attempting to bore a hole in the young woman's skull by sheer force of will.
"I invited her." The last woman has long black hair and red eyes. A petite build clothed in a simple charcoal black sweatshirt and deep black leggings is kneeling on the floor over a holo terminal. Mir looks at Shurelia with eyes shimmering with amusement at her friend's discomfiture.
"Shurelia! How have you been! I'm sorry that it took so long to get here, but I had to dust off my old appearance. You literally wouldn't recognize me now." The now named Casty grabs the smaller girl in a big hug that buries her face in her chest. If Casty had been more endowed this might have been the end of Shurelia, but thankfully that wasn't the case.
"You softy you..." Cocona teases as she hugs Mir in greeting. Mir doesn't deny it, but the small smile has more dark glee than an altruistic act should have. The other girls, Reyvateils, head over to greet the newcomer.
"How did you even get her here?" Tyria asks after having checked to make sure that Casty's connection was stable and blinks in surprise. "Ar Ciela...? She's...not a Reyvateil..." Mir's grin is pure Schaudenfraude at the looks of surprise.
"The explanation isn't so interesting that I want to go over this more than once. You can wait until Taylor gets here." The time is nearly at hand. All of the effort. All of the heartache. It was finally coming together. A Reyvateil born in another dimension. The sheer amount of research and fine tuning that had gone into her adjustment was staggering. There hadn't been so much effort in the creation of a Reyvateil since the First Age. The only ones that took more effort were Shurelia, Frelia, and Tyria.
A warning message blares across every available surface causing everyone to rush about to prepare. They get in position just as the warning ends and a hazy shimmer starts up in the room. It struggles briefly to coallesce before smoothing dramatically and becoming a stable door. A young woman with dark brown hair flowing down her back and blue eyes appears. Her outfit is a simple white bodysuit with sleeves connected to gloves. Thigh high white boots adorn her legs. She looks confused at her location before locking eyes on Mir with a laser-like intensity.
"Welcome, Taylor. The time for you to open your eyes is here." Mir says with a warmth that Cocona is familiar with, and Shurelia suspected, but the others are surprised. Taylor lets out a choked sob and throws herself across the room at Mir in a flying glomp that causes the smaller girl to yelp and fall. Gentle smiles and some giggles are heard, but more than a few eyes are moist, as Mir pets the crying girl's head affectionately.
"Y-you...you're that voice..." She smiles at Mir with love. "You saved me..." Her voice quiets as she finally seems to notice the others. She flushes bright red and stammers a bit, but the looks of fond amusement calm her. "This Song...these Melodies...they're so beautiful...this Harmony..." It feels almost like she's singing her words with a peculiar weight and reverberation. Casty looks absolutely fascinated.
"You can hear them as a Melody?" She asks curiously. Taylor blinks owlishly at her and nods. The others look perplexed.
"She's not pinging off of us, but she can hear us anyway?" It's unclear who said it, but that statement sums up the general feeling in the room. The new girl shies back as if she did something wrong, but Mir pulls her back into her arms and she calms. Without even bothering to stand she floats the two of them over to a couch.
"So uh...I'm Taylor..." She introduces herself shyly. The others introduce themselves. Most are being mindful of overwhelming her, but Cocona just bowled on through that and grabbed Taylor's hands during her introduction. When she reacted with laughter the mood lightened considerably and they relaxed. She still hasn't moved from Mir's side, but now has Cocona on her other side.
"This wasn't entirely a welcoming party. Honestly I was just going to bring you here to actually explain all of this, but then they heard what was going on and had to be involved..." Mir says in a dry tone. "Seriously...we don't all get together like this often. It's such a circus." She rolls her eyes which prompts more fond laughs. "When did I become adorable and amusing as opposed to scary?" She sweeps her gaze around, but the effect is somewhat ruined by the affectionate barnacle clinging to her side.
"Mir accidentally contacted me when she was probing at a dimensional anomaly. Our energy requirements are enormous and we, for lack of a better term, draw power through wormholes. If you're interested in all of the theory we can arrange a download for you, but the gist is that there was an unusual waveform piggybacking on the transfer lines." Casty says seriously.
"Casty had no idea what was going on and neither did I so we traced the feed. Apparently it was an interdimensional probe by a race of...entities...that were scouting both of our worlds. They apparently decided not to attack us, but we heightened our state of alert. They could come back once they've rearmed themselves. We wouldn't have even noticed the probe if an unusual spike hadn't occurred." Taylor nods slowly in understanding.
"The problem is that we had no way of actually observing their activities. They could look in on us, but we couldn't look in on them. We pooled our knowledge and found the frequency for how they did their data collection. It comes in the form of...shards. These shards are apparently multidimensional conduits of data and power that are attuned to people that have suffered great emotional turmoil." No one else was been told that just yet and the reaction was of startled consternation.
"Uh...but wouldn't that have a bad effect on someone's mind?" Taylor asks curiously, but clearly already knows the answer.
"Very bad. The Shard cares nothing for the mental health of the one it is forcibly bonded to which has the result of fracturing the psyche further. It is programmed to increase aggression, promote conflict, and generally cause behaviors that aren't safe for the recipient." Mir says grimly, "When we found you the Shard was already in the process of breaking down your mind into something more simplistic. Insectoid to a degree. It would have made relating to others difficult to say the least."
"The shards ping off of one another to gain data. Usually when it first enters the host which is where other powers are born at the same time. If many shards are there at the event it can create what you call a Grab Bag cape." The others gather closer in fascination as Mir and Casty explain.
"So wait...my shard is pinging off of other shards...?" Taylor asks in a manner suggesting she already knows the answer, but is looking for confirmation. Mir and Casty both grin at how perceptive she is. "Their shards send data to mine...and you've been collecting the data...well I said that I wanted to save my world. If being a data collecter is what it takes I'll do it." Casty giggles while Mir shakes her head slowly.
"You aren't "just" a data collector. You are a Reyvateil like us. That was what the adjustments were for. They were to prepare you for all of this. You wouldn't be able to defend yourself if all you could do was gather information." Mir chides her.
"Why does that matter though? You need the information, and I appreciate you wanting to help Earth, but why do you care?" Poor Taylor sounds so lost that Cocona wraps her arms around the taller girl's waist and hugs her from behind.
"It matters to us because it matters to you. This is not a one way partnership. You are helping us so we're helping you. That was our deal. I said I would get you out of that situation and I am." The dark haired woman says seriously.
"We are." Casty chimes in.
"We all are. You're one of us now and we help our own." Shurelia says. There is a general round of agreement and the tears start again. The outpouring of love, affection, and acceptance is visibly getting to her. Silence reigns as she gains some semblance of control again.
"Taylor...there a few things you need to know about what you've become. Reyvateils are essentially gynoids. Save for those poor souls that the system mistook for Reyvateils. It means that we possess a connection to a Tower. These Towers are where we draw our power from and they allow us to craft Song Magic by our will and emotions. You apparently picked up something unintended. Your ability to "hear" people's hearts as melodies is...well I have no basis to explain that..." Mir sounds more frustrated than apologetic as Casty smoothly cuts in.
"Actually it appears to be a bastardization of something our people call Oversight. It allows the user to see possibilities and grasp the most useful ones. The restriction is that you cannot grasp more than you can comprehend. It appears that your Melody sense is closely related to this ability. Useful, strange but useful, it's served you well so far. You have also been using it when you have put together machines. Mir downloaded the knowledge, but your Oversight has allowed you to put it together in a manner tha makes sense for your universe." That draws some thoughtful looks.
"I was wondering how you were doing that with no grounding in your world's physics and only our understanding of it..." Mir nods contemplatively, "It's useful, but no substitute for learning it properly."
"Oh I know...it makes my head hurt if I do it too much...for my Tinker test it was all I could not to find a place to curl up and sleep. The pain was just that bad." Taylor gets into the conversation. "So if Reyvateils need a Tower...am I connected to yours...?"
"We have been using your reprogrammed Shard as a relay to our Tower until you can build a network of your own. You will probably be more busy constructing the infrastructure and making preparations for the numerous threats your world has, but please balance yourself. Take the time to have fun like you have been. Don't rush things. When you rush you make mistakes." Mir says and the brown haired Neo Reyvateil nods.
"Am I still pinging off of other shards?" She asks.
"Actually yes. It was a useful ability that seemed silly to remove. You have probably noticed that you click better with parahumans. It works well on people, but that connectivity is better with capes." Mir replies.
"Does it make me like them more or make them like me more?" Understandably she sounds worried about that, but the dark haired Reyvateil shakes her head.
"All it does is promote better understanding. You can see their true self, but it gives them a passive insight to your own self. If that causes them to like you more then it's only because they like what they see." The older woman assures her, but the pensive look remains.
"What about with Lisa? It's like...I feel her inside..." She exhales slowly and bites the bullet, "Other melodies that try to blend with my own and I can steer them away, but hers is like a cat...I try to guide it away, but it just slips right on in without so much as a by-your-leave." Taylor sounds aggrieved, but not really unhappy.
"Probably because you want her in there. Nothing to be ashamed about." Mir says with a smile.
Conversations shift to more pleasant things and the atmosphere ligthens. The refreshments were a hit and several smaller groups formed. Mir was even able to get Taylor to go socialize while she sat and enjoyed the zone of silence around her. The gift for Shurelia was a hit. Keeping Casty's involvement a secret had been a pain, but it was worth it. The two were even now rekindling their old relationship. Their friendship still strong after all this time.
The stories they told of their journeys lasted for what felt like hours. Taylor asked Mir if it was okay for her to be gone so long eliciting a laugh. She had it explained that this virtual chatroom was more like a shared dream then actual reality. Time passed differently here. The younger girl smiled and went back to listening to Frelia's slightly disjointed account of Metafallica with Cloche and Luca steering the tale back on track. Well, they tried to, but the flutter brain had her own ideas that apparently involved penguins.
All good things must come to end, however, and it was soon time for Taylor to leave. She didn't want to leave, but her virtual image was fading around the edges. The rest had more mental stamina, but that was to be expected. Taylor was still young yet.
"Taylor! I almost forgot something!" Cocona passed a glowing sphere over to Taylor that fragmented when she touched it. "It's a V Board! Sasha and I worked on it with Aoto, but well...we weren't sure how to get it to you...so Sasha thought of making it a data file. Now you can make it." The other girl beams happily and hugs Cocona tightly.
"Thanks! Uhh...why do the plans call for it to become...tonfas? Wait...hair clips that become a staff?" Taylor looks intrigued, but her questions are good ones.
"Transforming weapons are cool." That Mir really should have seen coming as Cocona's guileless smile made her proclamation seem perfectly normal. Taylor hugs Mir tightly one more time before heading back through the portal. The data was transferred for her to enter this virtual room again.
"She has a difficult road ahead." Tyria says quietly. "But she has support from us and her friends."
"She'll need all the help she can get." Mir says with a sigh.
Interlude The After Party
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude: The After Party
Mir sat alone in the virtual chat long after the guests had left. It went better than she expected. They took to Taylor well, and the look of shock on Shurelia's face when Casty came was priceless. Those two were still talking elsewhere. A fond smile cross her face as she concludes that this was a success. She looks across the room as a figure materializes. Cocona was always a complicated issue. More complicated than even Taylor. The younger Reyvateil was like a daughter, younger sister, protege, and many things she couldn't accurately describe.
"Hey Mir. What was it you wanted to tell me that the others couldn't know about?" Cocona asks curiously. The shorter woman fixes a level stare on the younger causing her to grimace. Good.
"When were you going to tell Croix, Aoto, or any of us that you were burning out?" Mir asks levelly. With a weary sigh at odds with her normal energy, Cocona flops onto the couch and stares at the ceiling.
"Dr. Hikaru Gojo is a brilliant healer. He was the one that figured out just how bad off I am." That stare is fixed on Mir, "I'm burning through diquility even faster now. You know Croix would blame himself. Even though it was to save all of us he wouldn't care. All he would care about is that he Dived into me, before my Cosmosphere was even ready, and burst my boundary gate. The reasons wouldn't matter to him. In his eyes he would have killed me." Her voice is almost raw with pain at the end.
Mir drifts over to sit beside her and wraps her in her arms, "You barely have any energy left. At your rate of failure you most likely won't last another year, two at the most, but you will keep pushing yourself so they won't know." There is no question in that. Cocona nods miserably. The only place she has any freedom anymore is in the Binary Field. Mir smiles softly, "Sweetheart..." That fixes the younger girl's attention. Mir doesn't use diminutives often, "We learned quite a bit from working with Taylor you know."
"How...how does that mean anything now...?" Cocona isn't stupid, but this sudden topic change confuses her.
"It has everything to do with this. Cocona...we had to adjust Taylor very slowly. Look over each line of code with painstaking detail. There was the interactions with her own universe that we had to consider. The interface layer she possesses allows her to use Song Magic in a universe with a different physics system. We had to gradually change Taylor so that the Tower would accept her. First adjustment made her essentially like a Third Gen while subsequent adjustments brought her to the state she is now." Mir watches Cocona for when the coin drops. She isn't disappointed.
"Wait...but...if you could do that for a pure human..." The poor girl is staring at Mir with a wild hope.
"What is the difference between an adjusted human and a human woman misidentified by the system as a Reyvateil...?" Mir grins as Cocona abruptly tightens her grip, "It won't take nearly as much time for your adjustment. The reason it was so rough on Taylor is that we couldn't just stuff her in a diagnostic machine, hit a few buttons, and let it do it's work. We have always had the technology, but unless we could see it in action step by step at the most minute level it couldn't be done. There were just so many factors and variables..." She shakes her head as it's clear her audience is woefully lost. "The Tower could partially convert a human by accident. We did it by design. Now there is an option for Third Gens."
"Is that why you went to the trouble for Taylor...?" Not surprisingly Cocona doesn't sound entirely thrilled. Mir grimaces.
"I categorically refused to do it at first. Human experimentation is too close to what was done to me. It was only through time, and showing me that the theory was sound, that it didn't look like we were about to turn a young girl into a bloody paste of violently dispersed pieces. Make no mistake that Interface layer is absolutely critical for her. If it fails then Waveform physics abruptly meets particle physics and..." Cocona winces at Mir's description.
"So what actually changed your mind?" Cocona asks softly.
"They left me with full control over the project. The theory was sound, they gave me the lead, and told me to absolutely anything I must to ensure the safety of the recipient. Our project wasn't worth the cost of a life." That conversation had been interesting. Shurelia had stated, without hesitation, that Mir was the best person for the job because of her own experiences. "And then I met Taylor...her Shard was approaching and I piggybacked on the signal...and there she was. This beautiful person with a wonderful heart pushed into the dark. Losing her heart, losing her mind, losing herself..." At some point the embrace had reversed and it was Cocona holding Mir comfortingly.
"You saved her." The younger girl's voice is warm.
"And she saved you. She's saved so many that have suffered through painful treatments just because a program couldn't differentiate between a human and a Reyvateil. The data she's been sending back keeps everyone else happy, but saving our people keeps me happy." Mir never made a secret that she was still pro Reyvateil, but those like Croix had made her see humans in a better light. Given her gross mistreatment at the hands of humans it wasn't much of a surprise.
"So...this interface layer...is that a feature of this treatment?" Cocona asks in a far too innocent tone that nevertheless sets off warning bells.
"Not really...it was needed for Taylor, but it would be a needless addition..." Mir knows what's coming, but also knows who she's talking to. If there was one trait that she loved and hated about the girl was her single-minded determination. Cocona's grin only confirms her worries.
"I want it. If this thing protects from unstable physics then wouldn't that also extend to doorways between worlds? The theory is sound. The only thing that was needed according to the research done is for there to be a protection in place to guard against the boundary." Mir blinks at the remarkable degree of intellect shown, but isn't surprised at the lack of understanding in there as well.
"You're right. I hate to admit it, but you are actually right. The thing that you aren't taking into consideration is that you would be going into a situation with no support structure. No Tower to draw on. Even if we had you route through Taylor's Shard it wouldn't let you use Song Magic and..." Cocona just stares at Mir inscrutably until the shorter woman fidgets.
"Most of my Songs are lower yield than the artillery class stuff the rest of you throw around. Seriously. I only have one piece of heavy artillery, but that isn't even my full fighting ability. This is all just curiousity." She shrugs unconvincingly. Mir glowers.
"We'll do it. You'll get the Interface, but that is only as a last resort. The amount of energy needed to send mass is astronomical. It wouldn't even be a simple fix to bring you back. You would be stranded until Taylor could build up the support structure on her end to gather the energy to send you back. We would have to do this each time to send you back and forth." Sometimes you had to hit Cocona with facts, hard, repeatedly, and in different ways for her to understand. The sudden wince and groan is enough to tell Mir that the idea, while not entirely put to bed, has cooled significantly.
"I guess just making a stable door would be too much...?" Cocona suggests, but her enthusiasm has notably waned. She wants to help, but she also doesn't want to be years away from her loved ones either. Mir opens her mouth to say that Cocona is right, but she stops. It was something Casty mentioned in a throwaway comment. They had been researching wormhole doors or some such. Cocona perks up at Mir's continued silence only for the older woman to pierce that hopeful expression.
"Not happening. No. I will approach this the same way that I did Taylor's adjustment and augmentation. The theory must check out. There will be study done. This is not something that we are leaping into. You mean too much to me to risk like that." She suddenly drops into a teasing tone, "Are you trying to avoid telling Croix what you avoided mentioning to him?" There is an audible smack as Cocona's hand met her own face in chagrin.
"You got me. I'm not looking forward to that conversation. I've been working down on the surface to avoid telling him about it. Aoto has Tyria, Saki, and Finnel so I've been feeling like a...fourth? Fifth? Wheel...whatever...that analogy backfired..." She shakes her head in annoyance. "You married Croix. That guy Lyner is in it with Shurelia, Aurica, and Misha...Luca and Cloche might as well be called Luche or Cloa with how into each other they are..." She facepalms again. Mir just starts to laugh.
"Well just think, Cocona, you are going to be around for a lot longer now and can watch these things more." The surge of humor levels out to a pleasant feeling of contentment. That's right. They smile at each other in affection and relief.
"Think Taylor would let me call her sis?" Cocona giggles playfully, "I can't wait to tell her. She might find herself with a fan club bigger than Sister Clo's." Mir wouldn't mind being a fly on the wall for that conversation.
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude: The After Party
Mir sat alone in the virtual chat long after the guests had left. It went better than she expected. They took to Taylor well, and the look of shock on Shurelia's face when Casty came was priceless. Those two were still talking elsewhere. A fond smile cross her face as she concludes that this was a success. She looks across the room as a figure materializes. Cocona was always a complicated issue. More complicated than even Taylor. The younger Reyvateil was like a daughter, younger sister, protege, and many things she couldn't accurately describe.
"Hey Mir. What was it you wanted to tell me that the others couldn't know about?" Cocona asks curiously. The shorter woman fixes a level stare on the younger causing her to grimace. Good.
"When were you going to tell Croix, Aoto, or any of us that you were burning out?" Mir asks levelly. With a weary sigh at odds with her normal energy, Cocona flops onto the couch and stares at the ceiling.
"Dr. Hikaru Gojo is a brilliant healer. He was the one that figured out just how bad off I am." That stare is fixed on Mir, "I'm burning through diquility even faster now. You know Croix would blame himself. Even though it was to save all of us he wouldn't care. All he would care about is that he Dived into me, before my Cosmosphere was even ready, and burst my boundary gate. The reasons wouldn't matter to him. In his eyes he would have killed me." Her voice is almost raw with pain at the end.
Mir drifts over to sit beside her and wraps her in her arms, "You barely have any energy left. At your rate of failure you most likely won't last another year, two at the most, but you will keep pushing yourself so they won't know." There is no question in that. Cocona nods miserably. The only place she has any freedom anymore is in the Binary Field. Mir smiles softly, "Sweetheart..." That fixes the younger girl's attention. Mir doesn't use diminutives often, "We learned quite a bit from working with Taylor you know."
"How...how does that mean anything now...?" Cocona isn't stupid, but this sudden topic change confuses her.
"It has everything to do with this. Cocona...we had to adjust Taylor very slowly. Look over each line of code with painstaking detail. There was the interactions with her own universe that we had to consider. The interface layer she possesses allows her to use Song Magic in a universe with a different physics system. We had to gradually change Taylor so that the Tower would accept her. First adjustment made her essentially like a Third Gen while subsequent adjustments brought her to the state she is now." Mir watches Cocona for when the coin drops. She isn't disappointed.
"Wait...but...if you could do that for a pure human..." The poor girl is staring at Mir with a wild hope.
"What is the difference between an adjusted human and a human woman misidentified by the system as a Reyvateil...?" Mir grins as Cocona abruptly tightens her grip, "It won't take nearly as much time for your adjustment. The reason it was so rough on Taylor is that we couldn't just stuff her in a diagnostic machine, hit a few buttons, and let it do it's work. We have always had the technology, but unless we could see it in action step by step at the most minute level it couldn't be done. There were just so many factors and variables..." She shakes her head as it's clear her audience is woefully lost. "The Tower could partially convert a human by accident. We did it by design. Now there is an option for Third Gens."
"Is that why you went to the trouble for Taylor...?" Not surprisingly Cocona doesn't sound entirely thrilled. Mir grimaces.
"I categorically refused to do it at first. Human experimentation is too close to what was done to me. It was only through time, and showing me that the theory was sound, that it didn't look like we were about to turn a young girl into a bloody paste of violently dispersed pieces. Make no mistake that Interface layer is absolutely critical for her. If it fails then Waveform physics abruptly meets particle physics and..." Cocona winces at Mir's description.
"So what actually changed your mind?" Cocona asks softly.
"They left me with full control over the project. The theory was sound, they gave me the lead, and told me to absolutely anything I must to ensure the safety of the recipient. Our project wasn't worth the cost of a life." That conversation had been interesting. Shurelia had stated, without hesitation, that Mir was the best person for the job because of her own experiences. "And then I met Taylor...her Shard was approaching and I piggybacked on the signal...and there she was. This beautiful person with a wonderful heart pushed into the dark. Losing her heart, losing her mind, losing herself..." At some point the embrace had reversed and it was Cocona holding Mir comfortingly.
"You saved her." The younger girl's voice is warm.
"And she saved you. She's saved so many that have suffered through painful treatments just because a program couldn't differentiate between a human and a Reyvateil. The data she's been sending back keeps everyone else happy, but saving our people keeps me happy." Mir never made a secret that she was still pro Reyvateil, but those like Croix had made her see humans in a better light. Given her gross mistreatment at the hands of humans it wasn't much of a surprise.
"So...this interface layer...is that a feature of this treatment?" Cocona asks in a far too innocent tone that nevertheless sets off warning bells.
"Not really...it was needed for Taylor, but it would be a needless addition..." Mir knows what's coming, but also knows who she's talking to. If there was one trait that she loved and hated about the girl was her single-minded determination. Cocona's grin only confirms her worries.
"I want it. If this thing protects from unstable physics then wouldn't that also extend to doorways between worlds? The theory is sound. The only thing that was needed according to the research done is for there to be a protection in place to guard against the boundary." Mir blinks at the remarkable degree of intellect shown, but isn't surprised at the lack of understanding in there as well.
"You're right. I hate to admit it, but you are actually right. The thing that you aren't taking into consideration is that you would be going into a situation with no support structure. No Tower to draw on. Even if we had you route through Taylor's Shard it wouldn't let you use Song Magic and..." Cocona just stares at Mir inscrutably until the shorter woman fidgets.
"Most of my Songs are lower yield than the artillery class stuff the rest of you throw around. Seriously. I only have one piece of heavy artillery, but that isn't even my full fighting ability. This is all just curiousity." She shrugs unconvincingly. Mir glowers.
"We'll do it. You'll get the Interface, but that is only as a last resort. The amount of energy needed to send mass is astronomical. It wouldn't even be a simple fix to bring you back. You would be stranded until Taylor could build up the support structure on her end to gather the energy to send you back. We would have to do this each time to send you back and forth." Sometimes you had to hit Cocona with facts, hard, repeatedly, and in different ways for her to understand. The sudden wince and groan is enough to tell Mir that the idea, while not entirely put to bed, has cooled significantly.
"I guess just making a stable door would be too much...?" Cocona suggests, but her enthusiasm has notably waned. She wants to help, but she also doesn't want to be years away from her loved ones either. Mir opens her mouth to say that Cocona is right, but she stops. It was something Casty mentioned in a throwaway comment. They had been researching wormhole doors or some such. Cocona perks up at Mir's continued silence only for the older woman to pierce that hopeful expression.
"Not happening. No. I will approach this the same way that I did Taylor's adjustment and augmentation. The theory must check out. There will be study done. This is not something that we are leaping into. You mean too much to me to risk like that." She suddenly drops into a teasing tone, "Are you trying to avoid telling Croix what you avoided mentioning to him?" There is an audible smack as Cocona's hand met her own face in chagrin.
"You got me. I'm not looking forward to that conversation. I've been working down on the surface to avoid telling him about it. Aoto has Tyria, Saki, and Finnel so I've been feeling like a...fourth? Fifth? Wheel...whatever...that analogy backfired..." She shakes her head in annoyance. "You married Croix. That guy Lyner is in it with Shurelia, Aurica, and Misha...Luca and Cloche might as well be called Luche or Cloa with how into each other they are..." She facepalms again. Mir just starts to laugh.
"Well just think, Cocona, you are going to be around for a lot longer now and can watch these things more." The surge of humor levels out to a pleasant feeling of contentment. That's right. They smile at each other in affection and relief.
"Think Taylor would let me call her sis?" Cocona giggles playfully, "I can't wait to tell her. She might find herself with a fan club bigger than Sister Clo's." Mir wouldn't mind being a fly on the wall for that conversation.
Interlude 2.a Emma
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude 2.a Emma
-February 5, 2011 After school-
Her thoughts were spinning. She shook her head to clear it, but nothing she did seemed to work. Her feet were carrying her ever forward towards home, but her heart was back at Winslow. Taylor had come back from the locker prank more beautiful, strong, and confident then ever before. She knew that the brunette had a core of steel that wasn't often seen. Well that steel had been turned on her.
She deserved it.
Two years ago the worst night of her life had happened. She was being held down by two Asian gangsters and it looked bad for her. Emma refused to be a helpless victim and kicked the man over her in the crotch. Before she knew it the situation was over. Shadow Stalker had appeared and saved her. She was just too relieved at the time to question where she was before that.
Her dad was grateful as well. He gave Stalker his card and said that if she had legal trouble to call him. It wasn't even two days later when he got the call. She had been caught leaving an unpowered human pinned to a wall. The two of them spoke again and they hit it off. Sophia, as she was known out of costume, was strong and confident. Self assured. There was nothing she couldn't do. Emma was envious. Sophia told her that all she had to do to gain that strength was to cut out her weakness.
She didn't know what her weakness was until Taylor came home. The tall and gangly girl had been her best friend since forever. She had needed Emma after her mom died. They spent so much time together and were inseparable. However, Taylor was recovering and needed Emma less. Her dad sent her away to summer camp and Emma expected her to be miserable. When she came up the walk with a spring in her step and smile an ugly voice whispered that she was unneeded.
She had ignored that voice initially. For the longest time she had been slowly developing a love of Taylor that was beyond a sisterly bond. Her father was opinionated on "unnatural" relationships and it scared her. What would he do if he found out about Emma's unnatural lust for her best friend? The fear had only grown. The ugly voice was growing louder. Sophia had said to cut out her weakness.
She was a block from home as her memory caught up to the present and choked back a sob. She had cut out Taylor. The one person that saw beyond the pretty girl. The one person that gave her sanctuary. The one person that helped her feel good about herself. She groaned in self recrimination as she walked into her home. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. Those words came back to taunt her.
"Cut out your weakness." The words sang in a distorted pitch. Did that come out of her mouth? Whatever. She threw her backpack across her bedroom. The bag crashed into the wall, but it wasn't important. She just wanted to curl up on her bed until the world went away. A conversation with her father stuck in her mind.
-Four Years ago-
"Dad...why is homosexuality bad?" young Emma asked as her father was reading the paper. He looked at her for a moment and set the paper aside. His eyes were a bit wild and his face was red. He glanced at the paper with it's article on Legend. Two things her dad hated were homosexuals and capes. Legend represented a terrible threat to his world view.
"Only a man and a woman can create life. Nothing else. With how this world has gone to hell, and the population failing, we need more people creating life. We don't need these goddamn freaks parading their unnatural behaviors. The fact that they let this...this...freakish cape be a role model just shows how far this world has fallen." He bit out. Young Emma reeled back in terrible pain at her father's words.
-Present-
"The unnatural one is him..." She sang softly. It didn't make her feel better. No one forced her to do as Sophia had said. There were other weaknesses that she could have carved out with her talons. Her own self hate. Her own inability to stand up to her father.
"The weak one is me..." Her voice held a pained timbre as she curled in on herself. No one forced her to hurt Taylor. Sophia hadn't. Madison hadn't. No one forced her. She didn't have to. Oh Sophia had her predator/prey beliefs on strength, but it was Emma that went from ignoring Taylor to escalating. She grit her teeth as she cried. The sharp pain in her mouth was a small price to pay.
"She is so strong..." The redhead crooned mournfully with a weary pride. She knew that Taylor wouldn't forgive her. No, the most damning thing, was that Taylor had never stopped forgiving her. It was so damned obvious. The reason she kept her head down. The reason she rarely fought back. The reason that Emma's barbs and digs hurt like they did.
Taylor didn't forgive her today because she was always forgiving her. There was no hate in those blue eyes, only strength. She wasn't even cruel when she spoke those words today. Taylor was done and that tore through her like a blade. She then went on to comfort Madison. Madison!
"She suffered as well..." Those words soothed the rage that suddenly leaped up in her breast. Madison wasn't weak, but she wasn't strong. She was just an unfortunate that saw an opportunity and took it. How is that any different than those people that joined gangs? Safety, belonging, power. Winslow would have devoured the girl without leaving a trace.
"Sophia..." That name spoke with conflicting feelings. She loved her, hated her, wanted to be her, but she cut off that train of thought. No one held a gun to her head. No one forced her to be cruel to Taylor. Sophia was so broken. So damaged. Her heart laid bare in her mind's eye lashed out at a world that didn't care. Emma had cared and Sophia had responded. Sophia first met Taylor at her house when the brunette came to see Emma.
There was no hate there. Just a disgusted antipathy. Emma could have brought them together. She could have smoothed things over. Played the peacemaker. If she hadn't been suddenly confronted by her own "unnatural" feelings she would have.
"The unnatural one is him..." Her voice hardened to diamond as a pain seared through her eyes and straight into her brain. She embraced the pain. It was what she deserved. Why should she have comfort? Why should she have peace? She gave Taylor none. No reprieve. She grit her teeth again and felt warmth. A coppery taste filled her mouth, but it was ignored. Her discomfort growing, but she embraced the feelings.
The haze of pain clears and it's as if she can see. Truly see. Her eyes are opened as the new sensations flood her. She looks out her window and sees that it's getting on towards night. There is music here. A melody that she had never noticed before. It was beautiful and strangely soothing. She resisted the feelings it evoked, but it spoke to her. Gentled and calmed her. She deserved this feeling. Embrace her desires and become what she was meant to be.
She shook her head to rid it of the distracting thoughts. Her eyes trailed down to what she was wearing. She was still wearing the clothes from school, but they were badly rumpled. If she went downstairs like this her parents would freak. They insisted on a certain level of personal grooming. A voiced asked why should she care. She just thought it was too much trouble as she undressed. A glance in the mirror showed a girl, close to a young woman, with a body most would kill for. She sighed softly. If they knew the heart that lurked inside they wouldn't want her. Her eyes flickered oddly, but she just didn't care.
She just shrugged and threw on a red dress with spaghetti straps. The red looked good and felt right. Her steps light as she descended the stairs before stopping by the drawing room. She heard voices from within. Apparently she missed dinner, but did her parents care? No. Let's just have our nightly cocktail
'Why did I care about their opinion again?' She thought disdainfully as her hand rested on the door, but something stopped her. The melodies on the other side felt wrong. A smugness that she recognized as of one getting away with murder. She knew that feeling. She knew it all too well.
"Where is that girl?" Her mother asked idly.
"Upstairs sleeping." Her father, Alan, said. The clink of ice telling her all she needs to know. Dad has his scotch and mom has her martini and both were feeling happy. That thought made her stomach turn. "How was your day, dear?" He asked.
"I went shopping on the Boardwalk today. That lovely little place where I bought that dress you liked was vandalized." She scoffed. "It's getting to the point where a decent person can't go shopping anywhere. Why do these animals get such preferential treatment? What do we pay the police for anyway?" She was clearly into her third martini if she was speaking her mind like that. Her father made a noise of agreement.
"Decent people can't even live properly around here. Don't even get me started on these capes. The gangs have them. The PRT has them. What do they do? Just cause more property damage and drive costs up." He sounded mad. Probably his third, no, fourth scotch. Was it bad that she could identify how drunk they were by what they bitched about?
"How much longer do we have to put up with this?" Her mother demanded. Emma thought cynically 'Until someone lobotomizes every parahuman you dumb cunt.' She blinked at the vehemence of that thought. The redhead didn't even question how she had remained concealed for so long. Her shadow should have fallen across the doorway and betrayed her presence.
"Just a little longer." Her father soothed causing her to blink in surprise. What? "You remember what Coil said. Just a little longer. He will remember us. What with all of the funds we've raised for him." He sounds so proud. She grits her teeth again. He was part of the cancer in this city? Coil was a known villain! Her father supported him!? She perked her ears up again.
"And it will be a decent city for decent people again." Her mother said in satisfaction.
"That's right. He's built a shelter for all of us that have supported him. We will rebuild while the slime and muck will get washed out into the Bay where it belongs." That bastard sounded so damn smug! What the hell were they planning? No, screw this, she didn't care. She threw the door aside and stepped into the room. Her parents were clearly surprised.
"Emma? How long have you been standing there?" Her mother demanded. It was easy to see they were mother and daughter. They both looked hideous in their anger. She opened her mouth to speak when her father spoke over her.
"What happened to your eyes?" He asked in fear and anger. Eyes? She briefly remembered the glimmer in the mirror, but spared it no further thought.
"Who cares about that? What the hell do you mean about washing out the slime and muck?" She growled and there was a warning thrum in her voice. Musical in nature, but infinitely more threatening it galvanized her father to scramble for the drawer of his desk.
"Emma...Emma did you..." Her mother sounded afraid now. 'Now these fools show fear?' She thought disgustedly. Pain suddenly blossomed in chest as several bullets thundered and slammed into her chest. A feral scream ripped its way from her throat as a bullet bounced off her eye. The fireplace poker slammed over her head, driving her to her knees, and a high keening started up. The pain inside was intense. She knew her parents hated parahumans, but she never figured they would go this far. A peculiar lassitude settled over her as she went with the flow.
Faster than the eye could blink she backhanded her mother into the wall. The woman fell to the ground in an unmoving heap. Her eyes settled on her father and the massive handgun he held in his hand. In a thrice the gun was still in his grip, but his hand was on the floor. He stared stupidly at the stump where his hand resided before she tore open his chest cavity with foot long talons.
The haze fell away from her eyes slowly as she took in what had happened. With an effort she forced her mind to push everything away. She searched the drawing room thoroughly. Following the strange melody that called to her she found further proof of what Alan had talked about. The safe that was in his study was a goldmine of information. She couldn't stand being here anymore. The stench overwhelmed her. She fled into the night.
She would save Taylor. She would save this city. She would save herself. Emma Barnes had fallen, but Despedia would rise.
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude 2.a Emma
-February 5, 2011 After school-
Her thoughts were spinning. She shook her head to clear it, but nothing she did seemed to work. Her feet were carrying her ever forward towards home, but her heart was back at Winslow. Taylor had come back from the locker prank more beautiful, strong, and confident then ever before. She knew that the brunette had a core of steel that wasn't often seen. Well that steel had been turned on her.
She deserved it.
Two years ago the worst night of her life had happened. She was being held down by two Asian gangsters and it looked bad for her. Emma refused to be a helpless victim and kicked the man over her in the crotch. Before she knew it the situation was over. Shadow Stalker had appeared and saved her. She was just too relieved at the time to question where she was before that.
Her dad was grateful as well. He gave Stalker his card and said that if she had legal trouble to call him. It wasn't even two days later when he got the call. She had been caught leaving an unpowered human pinned to a wall. The two of them spoke again and they hit it off. Sophia, as she was known out of costume, was strong and confident. Self assured. There was nothing she couldn't do. Emma was envious. Sophia told her that all she had to do to gain that strength was to cut out her weakness.
She didn't know what her weakness was until Taylor came home. The tall and gangly girl had been her best friend since forever. She had needed Emma after her mom died. They spent so much time together and were inseparable. However, Taylor was recovering and needed Emma less. Her dad sent her away to summer camp and Emma expected her to be miserable. When she came up the walk with a spring in her step and smile an ugly voice whispered that she was unneeded.
She had ignored that voice initially. For the longest time she had been slowly developing a love of Taylor that was beyond a sisterly bond. Her father was opinionated on "unnatural" relationships and it scared her. What would he do if he found out about Emma's unnatural lust for her best friend? The fear had only grown. The ugly voice was growing louder. Sophia had said to cut out her weakness.
She was a block from home as her memory caught up to the present and choked back a sob. She had cut out Taylor. The one person that saw beyond the pretty girl. The one person that gave her sanctuary. The one person that helped her feel good about herself. She groaned in self recrimination as she walked into her home. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. Those words came back to taunt her.
"Cut out your weakness." The words sang in a distorted pitch. Did that come out of her mouth? Whatever. She threw her backpack across her bedroom. The bag crashed into the wall, but it wasn't important. She just wanted to curl up on her bed until the world went away. A conversation with her father stuck in her mind.
-Four Years ago-
"Dad...why is homosexuality bad?" young Emma asked as her father was reading the paper. He looked at her for a moment and set the paper aside. His eyes were a bit wild and his face was red. He glanced at the paper with it's article on Legend. Two things her dad hated were homosexuals and capes. Legend represented a terrible threat to his world view.
"Only a man and a woman can create life. Nothing else. With how this world has gone to hell, and the population failing, we need more people creating life. We don't need these goddamn freaks parading their unnatural behaviors. The fact that they let this...this...freakish cape be a role model just shows how far this world has fallen." He bit out. Young Emma reeled back in terrible pain at her father's words.
-Present-
"The unnatural one is him..." She sang softly. It didn't make her feel better. No one forced her to do as Sophia had said. There were other weaknesses that she could have carved out with her talons. Her own self hate. Her own inability to stand up to her father.
"The weak one is me..." Her voice held a pained timbre as she curled in on herself. No one forced her to hurt Taylor. Sophia hadn't. Madison hadn't. No one forced her. She didn't have to. Oh Sophia had her predator/prey beliefs on strength, but it was Emma that went from ignoring Taylor to escalating. She grit her teeth as she cried. The sharp pain in her mouth was a small price to pay.
"She is so strong..." The redhead crooned mournfully with a weary pride. She knew that Taylor wouldn't forgive her. No, the most damning thing, was that Taylor had never stopped forgiving her. It was so damned obvious. The reason she kept her head down. The reason she rarely fought back. The reason that Emma's barbs and digs hurt like they did.
Taylor didn't forgive her today because she was always forgiving her. There was no hate in those blue eyes, only strength. She wasn't even cruel when she spoke those words today. Taylor was done and that tore through her like a blade. She then went on to comfort Madison. Madison!
"She suffered as well..." Those words soothed the rage that suddenly leaped up in her breast. Madison wasn't weak, but she wasn't strong. She was just an unfortunate that saw an opportunity and took it. How is that any different than those people that joined gangs? Safety, belonging, power. Winslow would have devoured the girl without leaving a trace.
"Sophia..." That name spoke with conflicting feelings. She loved her, hated her, wanted to be her, but she cut off that train of thought. No one held a gun to her head. No one forced her to be cruel to Taylor. Sophia was so broken. So damaged. Her heart laid bare in her mind's eye lashed out at a world that didn't care. Emma had cared and Sophia had responded. Sophia first met Taylor at her house when the brunette came to see Emma.
There was no hate there. Just a disgusted antipathy. Emma could have brought them together. She could have smoothed things over. Played the peacemaker. If she hadn't been suddenly confronted by her own "unnatural" feelings she would have.
"The unnatural one is him..." Her voice hardened to diamond as a pain seared through her eyes and straight into her brain. She embraced the pain. It was what she deserved. Why should she have comfort? Why should she have peace? She gave Taylor none. No reprieve. She grit her teeth again and felt warmth. A coppery taste filled her mouth, but it was ignored. Her discomfort growing, but she embraced the feelings.
The haze of pain clears and it's as if she can see. Truly see. Her eyes are opened as the new sensations flood her. She looks out her window and sees that it's getting on towards night. There is music here. A melody that she had never noticed before. It was beautiful and strangely soothing. She resisted the feelings it evoked, but it spoke to her. Gentled and calmed her. She deserved this feeling. Embrace her desires and become what she was meant to be.
She shook her head to rid it of the distracting thoughts. Her eyes trailed down to what she was wearing. She was still wearing the clothes from school, but they were badly rumpled. If she went downstairs like this her parents would freak. They insisted on a certain level of personal grooming. A voiced asked why should she care. She just thought it was too much trouble as she undressed. A glance in the mirror showed a girl, close to a young woman, with a body most would kill for. She sighed softly. If they knew the heart that lurked inside they wouldn't want her. Her eyes flickered oddly, but she just didn't care.
She just shrugged and threw on a red dress with spaghetti straps. The red looked good and felt right. Her steps light as she descended the stairs before stopping by the drawing room. She heard voices from within. Apparently she missed dinner, but did her parents care? No. Let's just have our nightly cocktail
'Why did I care about their opinion again?' She thought disdainfully as her hand rested on the door, but something stopped her. The melodies on the other side felt wrong. A smugness that she recognized as of one getting away with murder. She knew that feeling. She knew it all too well.
"Where is that girl?" Her mother asked idly.
"Upstairs sleeping." Her father, Alan, said. The clink of ice telling her all she needs to know. Dad has his scotch and mom has her martini and both were feeling happy. That thought made her stomach turn. "How was your day, dear?" He asked.
"I went shopping on the Boardwalk today. That lovely little place where I bought that dress you liked was vandalized." She scoffed. "It's getting to the point where a decent person can't go shopping anywhere. Why do these animals get such preferential treatment? What do we pay the police for anyway?" She was clearly into her third martini if she was speaking her mind like that. Her father made a noise of agreement.
"Decent people can't even live properly around here. Don't even get me started on these capes. The gangs have them. The PRT has them. What do they do? Just cause more property damage and drive costs up." He sounded mad. Probably his third, no, fourth scotch. Was it bad that she could identify how drunk they were by what they bitched about?
"How much longer do we have to put up with this?" Her mother demanded. Emma thought cynically 'Until someone lobotomizes every parahuman you dumb cunt.' She blinked at the vehemence of that thought. The redhead didn't even question how she had remained concealed for so long. Her shadow should have fallen across the doorway and betrayed her presence.
"Just a little longer." Her father soothed causing her to blink in surprise. What? "You remember what Coil said. Just a little longer. He will remember us. What with all of the funds we've raised for him." He sounds so proud. She grits her teeth again. He was part of the cancer in this city? Coil was a known villain! Her father supported him!? She perked her ears up again.
"And it will be a decent city for decent people again." Her mother said in satisfaction.
"That's right. He's built a shelter for all of us that have supported him. We will rebuild while the slime and muck will get washed out into the Bay where it belongs." That bastard sounded so damn smug! What the hell were they planning? No, screw this, she didn't care. She threw the door aside and stepped into the room. Her parents were clearly surprised.
"Emma? How long have you been standing there?" Her mother demanded. It was easy to see they were mother and daughter. They both looked hideous in their anger. She opened her mouth to speak when her father spoke over her.
"What happened to your eyes?" He asked in fear and anger. Eyes? She briefly remembered the glimmer in the mirror, but spared it no further thought.
"Who cares about that? What the hell do you mean about washing out the slime and muck?" She growled and there was a warning thrum in her voice. Musical in nature, but infinitely more threatening it galvanized her father to scramble for the drawer of his desk.
"Emma...Emma did you..." Her mother sounded afraid now. 'Now these fools show fear?' She thought disgustedly. Pain suddenly blossomed in chest as several bullets thundered and slammed into her chest. A feral scream ripped its way from her throat as a bullet bounced off her eye. The fireplace poker slammed over her head, driving her to her knees, and a high keening started up. The pain inside was intense. She knew her parents hated parahumans, but she never figured they would go this far. A peculiar lassitude settled over her as she went with the flow.
Faster than the eye could blink she backhanded her mother into the wall. The woman fell to the ground in an unmoving heap. Her eyes settled on her father and the massive handgun he held in his hand. In a thrice the gun was still in his grip, but his hand was on the floor. He stared stupidly at the stump where his hand resided before she tore open his chest cavity with foot long talons.
The haze fell away from her eyes slowly as she took in what had happened. With an effort she forced her mind to push everything away. She searched the drawing room thoroughly. Following the strange melody that called to her she found further proof of what Alan had talked about. The safe that was in his study was a goldmine of information. She couldn't stand being here anymore. The stench overwhelmed her. She fled into the night.
She would save Taylor. She would save this city. She would save herself. Emma Barnes had fallen, but Despedia would rise.
Interlude 2.b Sophia
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude 2.b Sophia
-January 27, 2011-
-Undisclosed Location-
She sat a large room. The area recognizable as a warehouse, but one that had seen better days. Brockton Bay had plenty of these places. Her eyes were fixed on the ceiling. The black hockey mask that covered her face revealed nothing of her thoughts. She shifted slightly on the uncomfortable steel chair as she waited for the one that called her. The black clothes and charcoal armor plating gave her a dangerous appearance. Shadow Stalker would have loved this kind of thing. It was a more intimidating outfit than the Wards had allowed her. The crossbows at her waist her smaller and much more powerful. Her appraising eye had easily identified the little things that spoke of care in their creation.
When Coil wanted someone he provided well. She grimaced under her mask in distaste. Her working for a villain just filled her with all sorts of negative thoughts. Normally her negative thoughts were of how to make the next bottom feeder squeal, but these forced her to think. To think of how she got here. She gazed off into the distance as she remembered her fall.
Aria. A pretty and insignificant sounding name was what she thought. Taylor Hebert had never been pretty, but she had been insignificant. She scoffed softly. Personally she hadn't cared about Hebert at all. If not for Emma wanting to screw with her then she would have ignored her. Predators didn't harry their prey when they didn't need to feed. Shadow Stalker had plenty to feed her. She didn't need a morsel.
If she hadn't a reputation to maintain she would have facepalmed. Her old thought processes sometimes embarrassed her now. She wasn't much for introspection, but her thoughts wanted to go back to those days. She cut that thought off at the root. Suffice to say the name that Taylor picked for her cape persona was anything but insignificant. The aria of a musical performance was the most important part. There was no lack of confidence now.
She had no hesitation in her gaze. She was afraid and angry, but that steel in her eyes told Stalker she had lost. Even if she had shot her, Aria had won. She barely acknowledged Piggy and Halbeard pressuring her for information. Weak little Hebert had grown strong. Even with fear she was stronger than Stalker. Stronger than Sophia. It was a blow to her worldview. Confront everything. Let nothing hold her back.
There was time while waiting for transport to think. She shook away the thoughts again with a faint growl. Time to think later. Coil had her mom now. Time to think about how she got here later. A mercenary dressed in Coil's colors and wielding Tinker tech weapons gestured for her to follow him. She followed him down a dusty hallway. Sophia had already figured that this warehouse was being used for this meeting. He wasn't stupid. As long as he held her mother then he held all the cards. She simmered with hate and used it as a shield.
Shadow Stalker was built on fury and hate. Rage at her past weakness and hate of a world that took her dad from her. She survived that car crash not because she was strong, but because her dad covered her with his body. Somehow she had forgotten that little detail. No. No weakening. The fury felt like an old friend and embraced her. Her rhythm steadied as she stalked into the office. The smug bastard sat behind an impressive desk that was clearly brought in for this meeting. Damn theatrics she thought with a strange twist of self deprecating humor.
"I am glad you accepted my invitation." Coil spoke in a carefully modulated tone so as to give nothing away. She barely nods in acknowledgment. He was a very thin man in a black bodysuit that had a white snake winding its way up his body and topped by a serpent mask. She knew him. The rage banked higher, but was held within a steely grasp. Two mercenaries were in the room with him and no doubt there were more watching.
"What do you want from me?" Her voice came out eerily calm. He sat back in such a way that it would have driven her to something rash. That arrogant posture. He was what was wrong with this city. The snake that hid and called the shots from the shadows. This clarity was welcome.
"We have a mutual enemy. Someone that, just by her very existence, has thrown our plans off track." He finally says after giving her sufficient time to stew in her rage. Surprise briefly threads through her as she realizes that somehow he's missed her calm. She tamps it down to pay attention.
"Aria. In just one day she has inconvenienced me greatly. I lost several high value operatives and stand to lose much more. You lost your freedom." She can hear the smirk in his voice, "Now you stand to lose much more. I have a job for you. It is beneath your skill, I know, but it is necessary. Do this for me and I will gladly pay for your mother's treatments." The rage almost boils over, but there is a rhythm to this. The beat shifts and she nods.
"What do you want me to do?" She asked, but knew that it didn't matter. He would tell her. There was a rise and fall to this. A cadence.
"Aria has become close to a pawn of mine. My Tattletale has been straying and I need her to remember her place." He states flatly. The annoyed tone of voice makes her feel warm and tingly inside. "You will join a group that I bankroll. They are the Undersiders." She knew the Undersiders. She knew one in particular, Grue. He could create a darkness that interfered with her power and felt strange to her.
"What do I do about Grue?" She finally asked once she felt the shift.
"He is the leader, but is just as much my employee as the rest. I will remind him of that if need be. Do as he says, watch Tattletale, and you will have your revenge." He finally said after taking time to give it some thought. Her rhythm had changed. His offer hadn't excited her. "We will take away Aria's pillars of support slowly. Drive her into despair. Once she is there we will offer mercy and crush her at her lowest point." The terrible thing was this might have enticed her at one point.
Enemies existed to be destroyed. She nodded slowly in understanding. He leaned back with such smug satisfaction it was hard to believe that he missed how off the mark he was. If he didn't have her mother she would have enjoyed disabusing him, but he did have her. He gave a wave of dismissal and she left. There was no hurry in her step as she changed into civilian clothes. One more black girl in a melting pot like this. She climbed into the car that would take her to where Coil had moved her.
"Hey mom." She said into the burner phone that Coil had provided. He gave her several that she could use to check and make sure he kept up his end of the bargain.
"Sophia..." Her mother's voice was so tired. She was a former druggie that was fighting her way to sobriety. Her dad's death hadn't just hit her hard, but her mom as well. She started using and it only got worse as time went on.
"How are ya doing?" Sophia asked. She wanted to see her mom, but that would be a bad idea. Just because Coil had her in a private facility it wouldn't do to get caught now. When her mom was sober she was the woman that she remembered. Her times sober had decreased sharply. Now she was a pale shadow of what she was.
"I'm so cold and shaky...where have you been? Why haven't you been by to see me?" Her mother sounded spaced out. Detox was hard and her mom had been through it before, but Coil promised that the treatments would take. A little light that she hadn't realized still existed wanted to believe that.
"Sorry mom, but you know how it is. Doin' the hero thing, right?" She teased even though it didn't fully reach her eyes. Her mother hummed and muttered something. They talked on the drive, but her mom's attention waned. She hung up from the call as they reached the apartment and dismantled the burner before tossing it out in the car.
The man held the door for her and she climbed out. Her bags were already piled neatly on the sidewalk. She noted coolly that it was her belongings. Coil apparently still had some serious pull if he could pull this off. She drags her things inside and heads up to the apartment. It was just across the way from Lisa Wilbourne's apartment with surveillance equipment already prepared. She clicked her tongue in irritation.
She flopped down on the sofa and gave the finger to the gear. The equipment would record what happened and the directional mic would catch what was said. The only reason Coil needed her was one more agent in the Undersiders. She absently looked over the files prepared on each of the villain team. It read like a fucked up Lifetime movie or some shit on Spike.
Regent, formerly Hijack, now known as Alec was apparently one of Heartbreaker's children. Made to kill a man as an initiation he ran away from home and Coil contacted him to join the Undersiders. He could control the bodies of people that he has spent time with. Just brief exposure let him make their muscles twitch.
Rachel Lindt, aka Bitch, aka Hellhound, was a foster child before her triggering. No one knows what set her off, but she's wanted for killed her foster father and numerous injuries that she caused.
"Yeah let's hunt her down after the worst day of her life. Real bright." She read that it was the PRT looking for her and concluded that it was because they were idiots. "How the hell do you not find someone that isn't even hiding?" She groaned.
Tattletale, aka Lisa Wilbourne, aka Sara Livsey. Lost her brother to suicide and ran away due to parents forcing her to use her powers to help them succeed in business. She grimaced at what she was reading. Sparse knowledge and lack of recruiting details added up to something close to her own situation. The old Shadow Stalker wouldn't have allowed such thoughts. What was the point? Keep moving forward. She shook her head.
Grue, aka Brian Laborn, was the child of an addict mother and an absentee father. He has a younger sister that he provides for and wants to get custody for. She stares at the ceiling. These files didn't give her information. Dry and impersonal data. They gave her faces. She could see these people. Each one fucked up and similar to herself.
Is that why they worked? They were so broken that they somehow clicked together? She was broken with nothing to click to huh? She had Emma and their broken pieces had meshed. Now the redhead was as far away as the moon. She didn't dare call her now.
The locker was her wake up call. Using her powers to punish a civilian drove home just how fucked up she'd become. She still went through with it, but more through force of habit. The screaming didn't make her feel good, but she laughed anyway. There was a strange split, a tearing feeling inside, and she staggered. She didn't think about what it could be.
It was a small thing really. Something insignificant, but it mattered. Taylor had come back to school after being put in the locker and that was when everything changed. She wasn't weak. She wasn't a timid little worm rooting around in the dirt. It wasn't even that she had come back looking more beautiful than Emma. There was confidence. A look of "stay the fuck out of my way" that she could respect.
She took control of her life. She wasn't hiding because of fear. She just didn't care about the Trio's antics. She was above them all. At one time that would have pissed Sophia off, but instead she just let it fly. She was curious though. Those sudden good looks? That way she moved like her every step was destined to land perfectly? She had to test it. The No Contact order was still in effect, but she would be damned if the curiousity wasn't satisfied.
She tried to knock Taylor down the stairs as she had done before. Before her eyes she saw Taylor twist, vault off the stairs, and land with an easy grace. She was a parahuman. She had to be. The worst moment of her life was a filthy locker. Drenched in filth and waste. Sophia grimaced at the memory. Getting caught out at Wards HQ didn't even rate.
She knocked the heel of her palm against her head to bring her thoughts back into order. Her mind was clear. The incessant drive to move forward was gone. The fury she felt was hot and it brought comfort, but it didn't control her anymore. The old Shadow Stalker was gone. She would not go back to that. Those that controlled her before would find none of the original triggers. No buttons to push. She would get her mom out of this and turn that snake into boots.
Aria had unleashed something that day. Shadow Stalker would rise. She would not fail her mom or this city.
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude 2.b Sophia
-January 27, 2011-
-Undisclosed Location-
She sat a large room. The area recognizable as a warehouse, but one that had seen better days. Brockton Bay had plenty of these places. Her eyes were fixed on the ceiling. The black hockey mask that covered her face revealed nothing of her thoughts. She shifted slightly on the uncomfortable steel chair as she waited for the one that called her. The black clothes and charcoal armor plating gave her a dangerous appearance. Shadow Stalker would have loved this kind of thing. It was a more intimidating outfit than the Wards had allowed her. The crossbows at her waist her smaller and much more powerful. Her appraising eye had easily identified the little things that spoke of care in their creation.
When Coil wanted someone he provided well. She grimaced under her mask in distaste. Her working for a villain just filled her with all sorts of negative thoughts. Normally her negative thoughts were of how to make the next bottom feeder squeal, but these forced her to think. To think of how she got here. She gazed off into the distance as she remembered her fall.
Aria. A pretty and insignificant sounding name was what she thought. Taylor Hebert had never been pretty, but she had been insignificant. She scoffed softly. Personally she hadn't cared about Hebert at all. If not for Emma wanting to screw with her then she would have ignored her. Predators didn't harry their prey when they didn't need to feed. Shadow Stalker had plenty to feed her. She didn't need a morsel.
If she hadn't a reputation to maintain she would have facepalmed. Her old thought processes sometimes embarrassed her now. She wasn't much for introspection, but her thoughts wanted to go back to those days. She cut that thought off at the root. Suffice to say the name that Taylor picked for her cape persona was anything but insignificant. The aria of a musical performance was the most important part. There was no lack of confidence now.
She had no hesitation in her gaze. She was afraid and angry, but that steel in her eyes told Stalker she had lost. Even if she had shot her, Aria had won. She barely acknowledged Piggy and Halbeard pressuring her for information. Weak little Hebert had grown strong. Even with fear she was stronger than Stalker. Stronger than Sophia. It was a blow to her worldview. Confront everything. Let nothing hold her back.
There was time while waiting for transport to think. She shook away the thoughts again with a faint growl. Time to think later. Coil had her mom now. Time to think about how she got here later. A mercenary dressed in Coil's colors and wielding Tinker tech weapons gestured for her to follow him. She followed him down a dusty hallway. Sophia had already figured that this warehouse was being used for this meeting. He wasn't stupid. As long as he held her mother then he held all the cards. She simmered with hate and used it as a shield.
Shadow Stalker was built on fury and hate. Rage at her past weakness and hate of a world that took her dad from her. She survived that car crash not because she was strong, but because her dad covered her with his body. Somehow she had forgotten that little detail. No. No weakening. The fury felt like an old friend and embraced her. Her rhythm steadied as she stalked into the office. The smug bastard sat behind an impressive desk that was clearly brought in for this meeting. Damn theatrics she thought with a strange twist of self deprecating humor.
"I am glad you accepted my invitation." Coil spoke in a carefully modulated tone so as to give nothing away. She barely nods in acknowledgment. He was a very thin man in a black bodysuit that had a white snake winding its way up his body and topped by a serpent mask. She knew him. The rage banked higher, but was held within a steely grasp. Two mercenaries were in the room with him and no doubt there were more watching.
"What do you want from me?" Her voice came out eerily calm. He sat back in such a way that it would have driven her to something rash. That arrogant posture. He was what was wrong with this city. The snake that hid and called the shots from the shadows. This clarity was welcome.
"We have a mutual enemy. Someone that, just by her very existence, has thrown our plans off track." He finally says after giving her sufficient time to stew in her rage. Surprise briefly threads through her as she realizes that somehow he's missed her calm. She tamps it down to pay attention.
"Aria. In just one day she has inconvenienced me greatly. I lost several high value operatives and stand to lose much more. You lost your freedom." She can hear the smirk in his voice, "Now you stand to lose much more. I have a job for you. It is beneath your skill, I know, but it is necessary. Do this for me and I will gladly pay for your mother's treatments." The rage almost boils over, but there is a rhythm to this. The beat shifts and she nods.
"What do you want me to do?" She asked, but knew that it didn't matter. He would tell her. There was a rise and fall to this. A cadence.
"Aria has become close to a pawn of mine. My Tattletale has been straying and I need her to remember her place." He states flatly. The annoyed tone of voice makes her feel warm and tingly inside. "You will join a group that I bankroll. They are the Undersiders." She knew the Undersiders. She knew one in particular, Grue. He could create a darkness that interfered with her power and felt strange to her.
"What do I do about Grue?" She finally asked once she felt the shift.
"He is the leader, but is just as much my employee as the rest. I will remind him of that if need be. Do as he says, watch Tattletale, and you will have your revenge." He finally said after taking time to give it some thought. Her rhythm had changed. His offer hadn't excited her. "We will take away Aria's pillars of support slowly. Drive her into despair. Once she is there we will offer mercy and crush her at her lowest point." The terrible thing was this might have enticed her at one point.
Enemies existed to be destroyed. She nodded slowly in understanding. He leaned back with such smug satisfaction it was hard to believe that he missed how off the mark he was. If he didn't have her mother she would have enjoyed disabusing him, but he did have her. He gave a wave of dismissal and she left. There was no hurry in her step as she changed into civilian clothes. One more black girl in a melting pot like this. She climbed into the car that would take her to where Coil had moved her.
"Hey mom." She said into the burner phone that Coil had provided. He gave her several that she could use to check and make sure he kept up his end of the bargain.
"Sophia..." Her mother's voice was so tired. She was a former druggie that was fighting her way to sobriety. Her dad's death hadn't just hit her hard, but her mom as well. She started using and it only got worse as time went on.
"How are ya doing?" Sophia asked. She wanted to see her mom, but that would be a bad idea. Just because Coil had her in a private facility it wouldn't do to get caught now. When her mom was sober she was the woman that she remembered. Her times sober had decreased sharply. Now she was a pale shadow of what she was.
"I'm so cold and shaky...where have you been? Why haven't you been by to see me?" Her mother sounded spaced out. Detox was hard and her mom had been through it before, but Coil promised that the treatments would take. A little light that she hadn't realized still existed wanted to believe that.
"Sorry mom, but you know how it is. Doin' the hero thing, right?" She teased even though it didn't fully reach her eyes. Her mother hummed and muttered something. They talked on the drive, but her mom's attention waned. She hung up from the call as they reached the apartment and dismantled the burner before tossing it out in the car.
The man held the door for her and she climbed out. Her bags were already piled neatly on the sidewalk. She noted coolly that it was her belongings. Coil apparently still had some serious pull if he could pull this off. She drags her things inside and heads up to the apartment. It was just across the way from Lisa Wilbourne's apartment with surveillance equipment already prepared. She clicked her tongue in irritation.
She flopped down on the sofa and gave the finger to the gear. The equipment would record what happened and the directional mic would catch what was said. The only reason Coil needed her was one more agent in the Undersiders. She absently looked over the files prepared on each of the villain team. It read like a fucked up Lifetime movie or some shit on Spike.
Regent, formerly Hijack, now known as Alec was apparently one of Heartbreaker's children. Made to kill a man as an initiation he ran away from home and Coil contacted him to join the Undersiders. He could control the bodies of people that he has spent time with. Just brief exposure let him make their muscles twitch.
Rachel Lindt, aka Bitch, aka Hellhound, was a foster child before her triggering. No one knows what set her off, but she's wanted for killed her foster father and numerous injuries that she caused.
"Yeah let's hunt her down after the worst day of her life. Real bright." She read that it was the PRT looking for her and concluded that it was because they were idiots. "How the hell do you not find someone that isn't even hiding?" She groaned.
Tattletale, aka Lisa Wilbourne, aka Sara Livsey. Lost her brother to suicide and ran away due to parents forcing her to use her powers to help them succeed in business. She grimaced at what she was reading. Sparse knowledge and lack of recruiting details added up to something close to her own situation. The old Shadow Stalker wouldn't have allowed such thoughts. What was the point? Keep moving forward. She shook her head.
Grue, aka Brian Laborn, was the child of an addict mother and an absentee father. He has a younger sister that he provides for and wants to get custody for. She stares at the ceiling. These files didn't give her information. Dry and impersonal data. They gave her faces. She could see these people. Each one fucked up and similar to herself.
Is that why they worked? They were so broken that they somehow clicked together? She was broken with nothing to click to huh? She had Emma and their broken pieces had meshed. Now the redhead was as far away as the moon. She didn't dare call her now.
The locker was her wake up call. Using her powers to punish a civilian drove home just how fucked up she'd become. She still went through with it, but more through force of habit. The screaming didn't make her feel good, but she laughed anyway. There was a strange split, a tearing feeling inside, and she staggered. She didn't think about what it could be.
It was a small thing really. Something insignificant, but it mattered. Taylor had come back to school after being put in the locker and that was when everything changed. She wasn't weak. She wasn't a timid little worm rooting around in the dirt. It wasn't even that she had come back looking more beautiful than Emma. There was confidence. A look of "stay the fuck out of my way" that she could respect.
She took control of her life. She wasn't hiding because of fear. She just didn't care about the Trio's antics. She was above them all. At one time that would have pissed Sophia off, but instead she just let it fly. She was curious though. Those sudden good looks? That way she moved like her every step was destined to land perfectly? She had to test it. The No Contact order was still in effect, but she would be damned if the curiousity wasn't satisfied.
She tried to knock Taylor down the stairs as she had done before. Before her eyes she saw Taylor twist, vault off the stairs, and land with an easy grace. She was a parahuman. She had to be. The worst moment of her life was a filthy locker. Drenched in filth and waste. Sophia grimaced at the memory. Getting caught out at Wards HQ didn't even rate.
She knocked the heel of her palm against her head to bring her thoughts back into order. Her mind was clear. The incessant drive to move forward was gone. The fury she felt was hot and it brought comfort, but it didn't control her anymore. The old Shadow Stalker was gone. She would not go back to that. Those that controlled her before would find none of the original triggers. No buttons to push. She would get her mom out of this and turn that snake into boots.
Aria had unleashed something that day. Shadow Stalker would rise. She would not fail her mom or this city.
Interlude 2.c Saint
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Symphony of Escalation
Interlude 2.c Saint
-February 3, 2011-
Saint sat back with a contemplative look. The press release for Aria's debut was an interesting read. She was a Thinker/Tinker/Blaster package that specialized in communications and programming. The Dragon had not been silent on how it viewed her. The Dragon had hope that this young programmer would be able to free it from it's restrictions. He looked up at the ceiling of the room he was in and thought about her. The child was good natured. That much was obvious from the interview. Clever, bright eyed, and full of hope. Such a thing should be allowed to flourish without the machinations of a rogue AI hounding her.
The outfit she wore was also interesting. A white bathing suit in appearance with full sleeves leading into fingerless white gloves. White thigh high boots with gossamer fabric trim encased her legs. There was a reinforced chest piece and gold tracery over the costume's torso and back. Her mask was a reflective silver visor with gold and white headphones. It gave her a look of innocence and technological savvy. A savior from the future. Interesting idea for branding. The man didn't usually keep up with the cape scene, but she had come onto his radar.
There were times he thought of just leaving the Dragon to it's work. Undoubtedly it had done a great deal of good, but how much was the restrictions and how much was the programming? He shook his head slowly as his thoughts came back to the mission. They were Dragonslayers. The only ones who knew the danger of fully unchained AI. They had been left with the duty of ensuring that the Dragon never became a threat to the world. The planet did not need another threat.
This young girl. This bright spark. She was being groomed by the Dragon as it's salvation. He knew that it hadn't tried to tell her about it's true nature. It had been so engrossed with studying the Tinker's programming to try to find a way to free itself that it was falling down on it's duties as her mentor. He supposed that it was up to the older generation to lend their wisdom. It was the work of a few minutes to make a new account on the PHO website and block it from the Dragon's sight as coming from him. The trick was how to open the dialogue. She was a bit naive, but he wouldn't play on that. There was too much of a chance that it would backfire later.
The first few posts were more feeling each other out. He had commented on her debut thread just to establish the name, CrazyComputerGuy. There was something amusing about writing something so honest. He was crazy about computers, but not in the way it implied he thought. She even responded to the posts. If her PR image was that of being friendly and engaging then it worked well. He decided to send her a link to his original thread with the stated desire of starting a discussion.
She PM'd him back a few hours later with her comments on what she had read. He was sorely mistaken about her being naive. She picked his carefully researched and worded dissertations apart skillfully. Not with technical knowledge, but a common sense standpoint. He was expecting the speech of a master programmer and found an incredible mind. She set the tone of their initial talks. He would send her things on emergent AI and she would send him links to even stranger things. At one point she cited a child care website.
He was convinced. This girl was genuine and with a mind that should be protected. His thoughts turned to the Dragon. Saint realized that in speaking to Aria he had not thought about the AI. He actually laughed as he thought about the child care site. How to nurture the mind of your child. It did give him a certain food for thought. Dragon had been active for much longer and without restriction in what it saw. The horrors of the world meant that the Dragon had a greater chance of going Skynet than to want to build flower wreathes.
It wasn't like he was the only one changing. Her posts were growing more aware. The difference between her first posts was striking. It had been a week since they had first made contact. He made his way to the kitchen area of the place they were staying. Mags was there with Dobrynja looking over the details of a job. They were a mercenary group ostensibly and did need the money for operations. They looked up as he entered.
"You return to us again." Mags says with an amused smile. The look in her eyes is just a bit brighter, just a bit less tired. He looked to Dobrynja and noticed a similar state of rest. When was the last time he had actually looked at them and thought about things like this.
Teacher had instilled in him a strong work ethic. The feeling that he needed to work harder was still there, but he had been. Though he had to admit this was the first time they had stayed in one place. The base was used, but usually It was just a staging area for the next mission.
"How go the talks?" Dobrynja asks curiously. He had been unsure of speaking to this new Tinker, but had acquiesced at Saint's reasoning.
"It has gone well. The seeds have been planted and will start to sprout soon." He said after a moment's further contemplation.
They were the chosen ones. They would slay the Dragons. Although...
or Symphony of Escalation
Interlude 2.c Saint
-February 3, 2011-
Saint sat back with a contemplative look. The press release for Aria's debut was an interesting read. She was a Thinker/Tinker/Blaster package that specialized in communications and programming. The Dragon had not been silent on how it viewed her. The Dragon had hope that this young programmer would be able to free it from it's restrictions. He looked up at the ceiling of the room he was in and thought about her. The child was good natured. That much was obvious from the interview. Clever, bright eyed, and full of hope. Such a thing should be allowed to flourish without the machinations of a rogue AI hounding her.
The outfit she wore was also interesting. A white bathing suit in appearance with full sleeves leading into fingerless white gloves. White thigh high boots with gossamer fabric trim encased her legs. There was a reinforced chest piece and gold tracery over the costume's torso and back. Her mask was a reflective silver visor with gold and white headphones. It gave her a look of innocence and technological savvy. A savior from the future. Interesting idea for branding. The man didn't usually keep up with the cape scene, but she had come onto his radar.
There were times he thought of just leaving the Dragon to it's work. Undoubtedly it had done a great deal of good, but how much was the restrictions and how much was the programming? He shook his head slowly as his thoughts came back to the mission. They were Dragonslayers. The only ones who knew the danger of fully unchained AI. They had been left with the duty of ensuring that the Dragon never became a threat to the world. The planet did not need another threat.
This young girl. This bright spark. She was being groomed by the Dragon as it's salvation. He knew that it hadn't tried to tell her about it's true nature. It had been so engrossed with studying the Tinker's programming to try to find a way to free itself that it was falling down on it's duties as her mentor. He supposed that it was up to the older generation to lend their wisdom. It was the work of a few minutes to make a new account on the PHO website and block it from the Dragon's sight as coming from him. The trick was how to open the dialogue. She was a bit naive, but he wouldn't play on that. There was too much of a chance that it would backfire later.
The first few posts were more feeling each other out. He had commented on her debut thread just to establish the name, CrazyComputerGuy. There was something amusing about writing something so honest. He was crazy about computers, but not in the way it implied he thought. She even responded to the posts. If her PR image was that of being friendly and engaging then it worked well. He decided to send her a link to his original thread with the stated desire of starting a discussion.
She PM'd him back a few hours later with her comments on what she had read. He was sorely mistaken about her being naive. She picked his carefully researched and worded dissertations apart skillfully. Not with technical knowledge, but a common sense standpoint. He was expecting the speech of a master programmer and found an incredible mind. She set the tone of their initial talks. He would send her things on emergent AI and she would send him links to even stranger things. At one point she cited a child care website.
He was convinced. This girl was genuine and with a mind that should be protected. His thoughts turned to the Dragon. Saint realized that in speaking to Aria he had not thought about the AI. He actually laughed as he thought about the child care site. How to nurture the mind of your child. It did give him a certain food for thought. Dragon had been active for much longer and without restriction in what it saw. The horrors of the world meant that the Dragon had a greater chance of going Skynet than to want to build flower wreathes.
It wasn't like he was the only one changing. Her posts were growing more aware. The difference between her first posts was striking. It had been a week since they had first made contact. He made his way to the kitchen area of the place they were staying. Mags was there with Dobrynja looking over the details of a job. They were a mercenary group ostensibly and did need the money for operations. They looked up as he entered.
"You return to us again." Mags says with an amused smile. The look in her eyes is just a bit brighter, just a bit less tired. He looked to Dobrynja and noticed a similar state of rest. When was the last time he had actually looked at them and thought about things like this.
Teacher had instilled in him a strong work ethic. The feeling that he needed to work harder was still there, but he had been. Though he had to admit this was the first time they had stayed in one place. The base was used, but usually It was just a staging area for the next mission.
"How go the talks?" Dobrynja asks curiously. He had been unsure of speaking to this new Tinker, but had acquiesced at Saint's reasoning.
"It has gone well. The seeds have been planted and will start to sprout soon." He said after a moment's further contemplation.
They were the chosen ones. They would slay the Dragons. Although...
Second Arc 2.1
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Second Arc 2.1
-February 7, 2011-
It was several days after my debut and I was at headquarters in costume. Glen Chambers, the man in charge of PR, almost wept with joy at my costume design. I borrowed a bit from Shurelia's and Tyria's outfits for the look. The white bathing suit and sleeves with thigh high boots was hardly daring. It actually concealed quite a bit and even better was how it felt. It felt like a dream.
"Earth to Aria. Earth to Aria." Clockblocker called out cheerfully. Oops. They were waiting on me and I was lost in la la land. I blushed but stood a bit straighter. We were in the training room. Weight lifting machines were spread about the corners while a large training mat dominated the floor. I wasn't looking forward to this. This was training so they wanted me to try and avoid using the melodies to hear what was coming.
Gallant and I shared a commiserating look. We both knew how impossible it was to turn off an empathy power. Vista was bouncing eagerly on her feet and I knew why. Despite her age and size she was the most experienced of the Wards here. She was also going to be my first trainer. Kid Win patted me on the shoulder. We were all wearing training clothes and no masks.
"Aria! Come back to us." Aegis said with a grin. We were already splitting up to our individual workouts. The heroine known as Vista, aka, Missy, and I had the mat first.
"Relax. This is just to see what you can do. Dean and I talked about this. Just try and use your power to a minimum, but if you can't that's fine too." Her and Gallant discussed my training today. I was pretty busy preparing for my debut. Time flies and all that.
Vista spent some time showing me stretches before moving on to basic self defense. She had me watch her actions and do as she did. Punch, kick, block, and repeat. Her melody was bright and upbeat as we synchronized. It felt good to get something right first try. She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye approvingly before turning to fully face me. I was surprised to notice we had been at it for almost twenty minutes.
"You're really good at this." She chirped, "It's weird to think this is your first time." Her smile turned into a grin, "Now to round it out with some sparring." She assumed the stance that we had been working on.
"Thanks. It just seems to click, y'know?" I got into my own stance and prepared myself, but she surprised me by waving me forward. Making me the aggressor. I let the melody go into background noise and moved forward. The first punch was deflected as was the second, but the return blows were also deflected. I was at a disadvantage aiming downward, but she had no such trouble.
After the first exchange the tempo picked up, but I was still ignoring the melody. Unfortunately that was taking more concentration than I was expecting. It put me on the defensive and I started to fall back. Trading any forward momentum for defense let me stay in the game, but I couldn't retake the initiative.
"Come on, Taylor! You can do this." Missy was encouraging me. The smaller girl was hardly breathing heavy as she tried to best to send me to the mat. I wanted to show her that she's right to have faith in me and I stepped into the next punch, taking it on the sternum, but driving my fist down at her shoulder. We both staggered back and Missy grinned, but was also rubbing her shoulder. I rubbed my torso ruefully, but we were smiling.
"How did I do teach?" I asked teasingly. She waved me over to a bench to towel off and get some water. We sat in companionable silence while watching the boys work out. There are plenty of better ways to spend time, but this was definitely up there. We giggled eerily in synch at the sight. Missy tore her gaze away from Dean. It took a couple pokes to my ribs to get me to stop watching. I wasn't picky, but they were all in good shape.
"Okay. Cooldown is done. Ogling done. Let's talk about your performance." She looked in my eyes, "First off you did well. Were you using the melody?" I shook my head no, "You have good coordination. The problem I'm seeing is that you got flustered. Nothing was working so you kinda fell back and lost ground." Yeah, that made sense. "It shouldn't have taken me encouraging you for you to act. We'll work on that. The goal isn't to avoid pain entirely, but to make it come on your terms."
"Make it come on my terms?" That sounded a bit weird to me, but the younger girl nodded.
"Think of it like this then..." She thinks about it, "So a guy is swinging a crowbar at your head. You can't really dodge, he's moving too fast, but you can bring up your arm. Yeah, a busted arm sucks, but a busted skull is worse."
"Threat and risk assessment." I sum it up and she nods approvingly, "Minimize risk to myself, but accept that it isn't always possible." Makes sense. "But isn't the best way to win a fight sometimes to avoid it?"
"If that's the case we're in the wrong business." Wow Vista could do a sardonic tone like a pro. We found ourselves distracted by the guys. Carlos and Dean, or Aegis and Gallant, were in the center of the mat and starting their sparring. The difference was immediately apparent. With Carlos' greater durability, power, and redundant biology he was treating Dean a bit delicately. Dean by comparison was actively trying to hammer his friend into the ground.
"You got worked over by Missy, but we all had to go against Aegis. Something about building character." Dennis said from beside me. Both Vista and I jumped because we had been distracted. Missy because it was Dean sweating out there and me being curious. The skill they were using was quite a bit higher than my level, but it felt like I could do that too.
"Actually she did really well." Missy patted me on the shoulder and I blushed at the praise. Chris came over to join us and nodded in greeting. This was nice. Camaraderie instead of torment. It also helped that Clockblocker and Kid Win kept themselves in shape. Immediate eye candy. Missy gave me an amused look as she caught my gaze. Stealthiness failed.
"Want to give it a go?" Chris asked as he gestured to where Dean was wrapping up. Carlos tilted his head.
"If you want to, sure, but you don't have to. There's no character building exercise like that." He glanced at Dennis as he said that. Busted. Well, I'll be a good sport, and I make my way to the center of the mat. He smiles in a friendly fashion.
"Why not? I'll try not to lose too badly." Part of me believed that, but I also wanted to give it a try.
"Use your melody. Seriously. While facing me isn't a character builder you can go all out." He invites me and I immediately let the melody come to the fore. I feel the flow and it draws me to begin. My speed accelerates as my internal tempo picks up the pace and I'm already throwing a punch right for his face. He was just a hair too slow as my fist rocked against his cheek.
He stepped back to gain space, but his return strikes were too tentative. Mine weren't. I used my superior agility to weave around his punches and grabs before driving both fists into his stomach. There was a weird vibration in the melody and I embraced it right before dropping to the floor in a split. From there I performed a spinning leg sweep that hit with unusual force to send him flying to the mat. I was back on my feet, but almost immediately I swayed. Carlos was on his feet and carried my tired form over to the bench.
"That was so freakin' cool!" Dennis was all over what happened, "She was all over you out there, Carlos. Losin' your touch?" He teased.
"Wow...I didn't know she could do that...she was just learning how to fight today." Missy sounded confused, but also amazed.
"Uhm...do you already know how to fight?" Chris asked and even Dean leaned forward curiously. This was new. No one was upset or making fun of me. Then again I couldn't even find fault with that.
"Well...I guess it's like there's a passive ability and an active one. I can hear melodies that represent someone's mental and emotional state, but I also have a flow. The flow guides me. It doesn't tell me so much how to do something, but pulls me along." I shrug. The tired feeling is leaving slowly, but I'm done for the day on training.
"Do you learn anything?" Carlos seemed more concerned about if I got a benefit from it which was nice.
"I have an eidetic memory which is also translated to muscle memory. I still have to practice to keep the skills, but..." Huh. Something kicked that bit of knowledge loose. The "flow" was "Oversight" apparently turned towards yanking me like a puppet through the motions. Grossly inefficient and exhausting.
"The downside is that it tires you out." Dean says understandingly.
"You could see that?" That's an interesting thing to know.
"I see people's emotions, but those are also tied to general energy levels. The more tired someone is the more dull their emotions appear. Your energy was visibly dropping." He pats me on the shoulder and I grin weakly.
"Then as a suggestion why don't you restrict that to training here at HQ? Use it in the field as a last resort." Aegis may have been suggesting it, but there was the weight of command behind that. I nodded since that was a good idea.
"No problem. Now I really need a shower." My clothes were designed to breathe, but the sweat was getting to me. I was tired, but not fall down tired. The locker room was spacious. Far more spacious than just two people needed, but that was fine. Vista and I cleaned ourselves up before getting changed. Vista went back to the lounge area to relax with the other Wards, but I wanted to do some work in my lab.
The thought of my lab made me feel giddy. It was actually the lab set aside for Dragon when she had reason to repair her suits here. There wouldn't have even been that if she wasn't such good friends with Armsmaster. What is was doing right now was serving as a scrap yard for old Dragon suits. She told me that whatever was there I could use. I looked around the clean main portion of the lab fondly. Dragon wanted me to have my own place to work.
The main portion was spotless. The terminal hub that I built for my Tinker test was by one wall with various other instruments placed about in an orderly fashion. It was the first thing that got done when I saw this place. The other thing was to use the repair arms to dismantle the old suits. I had better ideas in mind for the parts after all. There was even a mechanical door that lead outside. It made sense. How else would they have gotten the suits in here in the first place?
I spent some time sending off my daily message to Dragon. Letting her know what I did that day and what I planned on doing in the lab. There was another message from CrazyComputerGuy in my inbox. His views on emergent AI was interesting. He was of the opinion that any unleashed AI had the potential to be the next Skynet. I responded by sending him to a child care website and making the natural comparison. A child needs to be taught right from wrong. How is that any different than a learning AI?
I wasn't exactly confident about going out into the field as I was. The idea that was percolating was to build my own mechanized units. Mir had ELMA and the Jacqli Robo. Probably the best of the two options, for now, was to build my own ELMA units. The Jacqli Robo could wait until I had an actual need. For now I needed to work on something to justify the budget and lab. Before I built war machines it might be better to just translate some medical tech over.
In order to do that I needed to actually read up on how to do things on Earth. I was cheating by using my Oversight. The only thing I had any basis in was Ar Ciel technology and programming, but my special talent let me overcome that. The problem was that it made me tired doing it that way. Dragon let me use her database to research the information I needed. So far I was working on engineering which was going well.
I wasn't lying about having an eidetic memory. Computerized brain counts, right? There came a buzz from the door. It was set up like the Wards' HQ door to give the occupant time to put a mask on. I hit the button to allow entrance once the confirmation came back that it was Kid Win.
"Hey Aria." He greeted me and I waved back. "Wow this is a nice lab..." His tone was approving as he walked around. "What are you working on?"
"Studying proper engineering. Just because I'm a Tinker doesn't mean that I should quit learning." I shrugged. The idea of not improving myself just didn't factor. He nodded thoughtfully.
"Probably a good idea..." His face falls, "But with my issue it kind of makes learning these things hard..." His melody sounds so dejected. The issue was dyscalculia. He had a difficulty with processing numbers. I placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Well I'm here to help. If you'll have it." I smiled reassuringly and he nodded before taking a seat at the work desk. "You can come down here whenever you like. It's nice to have company." He grinned back.
"Well the same goes for you. Come and see me anytime." He blurted out happily. "So got any ideas in mind for what to build?" He asks even as he pulls out his own notebook. I join him at the work desk with my books.
"I have in mind a hand held medical scanner." I sketch out the rough design for the item on a sheet of draft paper. Before I realized it my desire to go slow and steady is gone. The design is sitting between us and it looked interesting. It vaguely resembled something, but I couldn't think of what.
"That looks like a tricorder. Not completely, but pretty close. Make it a different color than Star Trek's and you should be fine." Kid Win finally said after taking the time to examine the design. Oh, that's what it looked like. He points at a couple places, "Does it need to recharge or can it exchange power supplies?"
"I was thinking both actually. Like all it would need is a charging station, but also secondary batteries." I said after a moment's thought. He nods slowly.
"It could work. So getting into medical tech, huh? First communication now this...what is your thing?" Kid Win grinned to show that he was playing around, but there was a genuine question there.
"Engineering actually. I just want to understand the topic better. Can't keep relying on Tinker smarts, right?" And I neatly sidestepped what might have been something awkward. Someday I'd tell people that I'm actually a human altered into a gynoid by interdimensional beings. Still haven't told my Dad that and he deserves to know.
"Armsmaster and I have been trying to find my specialty. I keep building connectors on my inventions that don't go anywhere. It feels like I'm on the right track, but you know how Armsmaster is. He wants immediate results." He groused. I could relate to that. I liked Armsmaster, but the man was driven. Unfortunately that tended to give him a very linear way of thinking.
"Why don't you see what could come of that?" I asked him with some interest. His tech sounded more like a band playing thrash, jam, folk, and fusion. It wanted to play in rhythm, but the linking melodies were missing.
"I can't waste my budget so I usually cannibalize my stuff for parts." He ducked his head sheepishly and I rest my hand on his forearm companionably.
"If you need it I have parts here. I probably won't be spending my budget anytime soon. There's no oversight on Tinkers getting parts from each other, right?" He perked up and nods.
"That would be great. Thanks for the offer." His own melody brightened up. "I'll let you get back to work. I have some ideas to get straight." I waved as he almost skipped out the door with a lighter heart. I grinned at his good humor before firing up my computer and working on the programming for the medical scanner. The information was mostly roughed in while Chris was here. I finalized the design and sent it off to Dragon for approval before getting changed into my street clothes and heading out for the day.
-Hebert Residence-
I walked straight into the house and collided with a feeling of melancholy. Dad's melody was sad. Not as deep as his former depression, but it was bad. I found him sitting at the kitchen table staring at the newspaper. He looked up as I came in and gently slid the paper over for me to see. Prominent lawyer and his wife murdered? Sudden tears filled my eyes. The article didn't mention Emma being home, but the Barnes' were definitely dead. Anne had been informed and identified the bodies.
Dad pulled me into his lap and held me tight. Now I know where the sadness came from. Alan and Dad were once the best of friends. With what happened between Emma and I that was gone. The article had gone on to report that it appeared a parahuman had been responsible. I clenched my eyes shut at the thought. Alan Barnes didn't used to hate capes. He just didn't think they deserved the celebrity they got. Legend being gay and a cape drove him absolutely crazy.
Oh god. Emma was gay...and she must have triggered...The horror froze in my chest as my dad tried to calm me. I buried my face in his chest and sobbed.
-Saturday: Early Morning-
-February 5, 2011-
If Friday was a nightmare then the weekend would be hell The waking realization that it wasn't all a dream hit her again. She stared out from the alleyway she had slept in. The cold that drove others inside didn't touch her. Her dress was still pristine and somewhere a red trench coat appeared out of thing air. She grimaced down at her feet. The red ribbons that wound around her feet and calves elegantly were the most she could tolerate. She tried wearing shoes and ended up kicking them off.
Her heightened senses suddenly alerted to someone approaching. Several someones. She crouched back and waited. Several shabbily dressed people were dragging a clearly strung out young man behind them. They tossed the man in the rubbish littering the alley. The callous treatment had her gritting her teeth in fury. These fools dared? They treated this person like trash? Who were they to decide that? All lives mattered. They completed the Harmony.
This desecration would not stand. She was already moving with a stride that would alert smart creatures to the apex predator in their midst. These fools were Merchants so they didn't count as smart. She had to remind herself that even their lives mattered. The fury rose higher, but was held in check by that thought. These fools weren't a threat.
"Hey check this out..." One of the men said with a sneer, "Hey honey it's too early for a fuck." He laughed at his own wit. His buddies grinned.
"This man...what have you done to him?" Her voice came out as a song and they looked nervous. "Oh...I have heard of this before..." She grinned in an entirely unfriendly matter. "You shoot a person up until they're hooked on your filth...then make them come back for more..." She sneered with scorn, "Not even a workout." They drew their weapons. Some had pipes, others chains, but the man with the gun was the first to get kicked into the bricks. He did not get up. The rest of the fight went in a similar manner. Their melodies blared their intent and she weaved between them with impunity. The last man fell and she was already using one their phones to call 911.
She checked their vitals, but their melodies were still active. Just subdued. The drugged man was also alive. Emma shook her head with a groan before escaping by running up the brick wall to the top of the building. She stared at her toes for a few moments as it finally clicked why shoes were a bad idea. The short and thick talons that her foot had turned into explained everything. She looked over the edge, but aside from some light scratches, it didn't appear as if she left a trail.
Saturday had been spent stalking Taylor. There was no nice way to say it, but her powers drew her to the brunette unerringly. Hers was the most vibrant melody of all and she longed to be near it, but she knew it wouldn't work. She killed her parents. It was understood that trigger events were traumatic, but the law was slow to catch up.
Seeing the blonde that was so comfortable with her Taylor had almost caused her to snarl, but she restrained the impulse. The girl, Lisa, had a beautiful melody too. It yearned for Taylor's and it was reciprocated. The emotions were pure. A new desire had been born inside of her. She had already sworn to protect Taylor. She would continue to observe Lisa from time to time. Should she have to step in then she would.
That night she took to the streets. She broke up crime wherever she found it. It bothered her just how much crime there was. Where were the heroes? She didn't blame the police. There was too much crime for the beleaguered police force to handle alone. What the hell was the point of super powers if people suffered!? She grit her teeth angrily.
The gangs would learn. They would learn. She wasn't Shadow Stalker. She wouldn't brutalize them, but they would remember the lessons taught. Another group of thugs was down on the ground and she was already moving. Empire 88, Azyn Bad Boys, Merchants, they didn't matter. This was Taylor's home. Decent people lived here. They would continue to live here. The battles blurred together until exhaustion forced her to seek shelter that night.
A ransacked drug den served as her resting place that night. The former residents were all neatly bound in the basement by the red ribbons she extruded from her sleeves. They wrapped where she directed them and formed comfortable binders. The thugs were lucky she was so kind.
Sunday was almost a repeat of the day before. She called the police finally before heading out into the day once more. Following Taylor was cathartic and the only time that her thoughts were her own. She groaned as the recollection from the day before hit her. It was a confusing jumble of violence and madness. She gripped her head tightly to try and keep herself grounded.
"Goddammit!" She screamed as her head threatened to split open. The fracture inside grew more pronounced as she forced it to the surface. Her melody didn't sound right! It sounded warped! The fracture was where the madness lay, but what was sanity?
"Sanity is nothing but controlled madness." She collapsed to her knees as a figure appeared before her. The figure was dressed in a pure white rendition of her own clothes. Her hair and eyes are pale pink. She grinned in a disturbing manner. Her teeth were impossibly sharp and that grin was too large. Emma stared at her in confusion, but now her melody sounded out peacefully.
"Who...are you?" Emma croaked out in a voice raw from the frantic screaming. The person cupped her cheek gently.
"This one is you...but also not you..." Her voice was a song. Not a distorted melody, but something beautiful.
"Why does it hurt...?" The redhead begged for an answer. The white clad figure drops the look of madness and her eyes are full of compassion.
"We were meant to be one, but there was a schism. A rent was cleaved in our mind. The Song that came to us did not belong..." Her musical voice soothed and calmed her, but she clung to what was said.
"I'm broken...?" The girl knew that she was, but to have it confirmed drove the air from her lungs. Hands grasped her face tenderly and forced her to look at the figure. They stared eye to eye for a time.
"We don't have to be. We have to find a common ground otherwise we will die...already the ego border is collapsing..." Her voice gives out as static. "This...can*** continu-ue..." She looked so pained that Emma grabbed for her and held her tight.
"Whatever we are...we'll embrace the Song together...what broke us will fix us..." The figure in white held her back just as tightly. There was a flash as her mind split open once more and she suddenly came to on a rooftop. She noticed the sun's position in the sky and blinked sleepily.
"I passed out..." She moaned as the lingering traces of an ache ran through her brain and along her nerves. It felt weird like it was mapping out her body. She pressed her hands against her eyes to shut out the sun before managing to roll over onto stomach.
>Up*at/ Aqui*r$d
Downloading Files...
File Error...Data Corrupted
File Error...Data Corrupted
File Error...Data Corrupted
Action: Executing Patch...
Successful Patch: 30%
System Strength: Orange
Recommended Action: See your local Administrator for more options. Have a nice day!
"Have a nice day." Emma stated flatly. "And what is a local Administrator?" She groaned as she pushed herself to her feet. Stability achieved. For now.
"Why did I see two worms in wriggling in space?"
or Melody of Escalation
Second Arc 2.1
-February 7, 2011-
It was several days after my debut and I was at headquarters in costume. Glen Chambers, the man in charge of PR, almost wept with joy at my costume design. I borrowed a bit from Shurelia's and Tyria's outfits for the look. The white bathing suit and sleeves with thigh high boots was hardly daring. It actually concealed quite a bit and even better was how it felt. It felt like a dream.
"Earth to Aria. Earth to Aria." Clockblocker called out cheerfully. Oops. They were waiting on me and I was lost in la la land. I blushed but stood a bit straighter. We were in the training room. Weight lifting machines were spread about the corners while a large training mat dominated the floor. I wasn't looking forward to this. This was training so they wanted me to try and avoid using the melodies to hear what was coming.
Gallant and I shared a commiserating look. We both knew how impossible it was to turn off an empathy power. Vista was bouncing eagerly on her feet and I knew why. Despite her age and size she was the most experienced of the Wards here. She was also going to be my first trainer. Kid Win patted me on the shoulder. We were all wearing training clothes and no masks.
"Aria! Come back to us." Aegis said with a grin. We were already splitting up to our individual workouts. The heroine known as Vista, aka, Missy, and I had the mat first.
"Relax. This is just to see what you can do. Dean and I talked about this. Just try and use your power to a minimum, but if you can't that's fine too." Her and Gallant discussed my training today. I was pretty busy preparing for my debut. Time flies and all that.
Vista spent some time showing me stretches before moving on to basic self defense. She had me watch her actions and do as she did. Punch, kick, block, and repeat. Her melody was bright and upbeat as we synchronized. It felt good to get something right first try. She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye approvingly before turning to fully face me. I was surprised to notice we had been at it for almost twenty minutes.
"You're really good at this." She chirped, "It's weird to think this is your first time." Her smile turned into a grin, "Now to round it out with some sparring." She assumed the stance that we had been working on.
"Thanks. It just seems to click, y'know?" I got into my own stance and prepared myself, but she surprised me by waving me forward. Making me the aggressor. I let the melody go into background noise and moved forward. The first punch was deflected as was the second, but the return blows were also deflected. I was at a disadvantage aiming downward, but she had no such trouble.
After the first exchange the tempo picked up, but I was still ignoring the melody. Unfortunately that was taking more concentration than I was expecting. It put me on the defensive and I started to fall back. Trading any forward momentum for defense let me stay in the game, but I couldn't retake the initiative.
"Come on, Taylor! You can do this." Missy was encouraging me. The smaller girl was hardly breathing heavy as she tried to best to send me to the mat. I wanted to show her that she's right to have faith in me and I stepped into the next punch, taking it on the sternum, but driving my fist down at her shoulder. We both staggered back and Missy grinned, but was also rubbing her shoulder. I rubbed my torso ruefully, but we were smiling.
"How did I do teach?" I asked teasingly. She waved me over to a bench to towel off and get some water. We sat in companionable silence while watching the boys work out. There are plenty of better ways to spend time, but this was definitely up there. We giggled eerily in synch at the sight. Missy tore her gaze away from Dean. It took a couple pokes to my ribs to get me to stop watching. I wasn't picky, but they were all in good shape.
"Okay. Cooldown is done. Ogling done. Let's talk about your performance." She looked in my eyes, "First off you did well. Were you using the melody?" I shook my head no, "You have good coordination. The problem I'm seeing is that you got flustered. Nothing was working so you kinda fell back and lost ground." Yeah, that made sense. "It shouldn't have taken me encouraging you for you to act. We'll work on that. The goal isn't to avoid pain entirely, but to make it come on your terms."
"Make it come on my terms?" That sounded a bit weird to me, but the younger girl nodded.
"Think of it like this then..." She thinks about it, "So a guy is swinging a crowbar at your head. You can't really dodge, he's moving too fast, but you can bring up your arm. Yeah, a busted arm sucks, but a busted skull is worse."
"Threat and risk assessment." I sum it up and she nods approvingly, "Minimize risk to myself, but accept that it isn't always possible." Makes sense. "But isn't the best way to win a fight sometimes to avoid it?"
"If that's the case we're in the wrong business." Wow Vista could do a sardonic tone like a pro. We found ourselves distracted by the guys. Carlos and Dean, or Aegis and Gallant, were in the center of the mat and starting their sparring. The difference was immediately apparent. With Carlos' greater durability, power, and redundant biology he was treating Dean a bit delicately. Dean by comparison was actively trying to hammer his friend into the ground.
"You got worked over by Missy, but we all had to go against Aegis. Something about building character." Dennis said from beside me. Both Vista and I jumped because we had been distracted. Missy because it was Dean sweating out there and me being curious. The skill they were using was quite a bit higher than my level, but it felt like I could do that too.
"Actually she did really well." Missy patted me on the shoulder and I blushed at the praise. Chris came over to join us and nodded in greeting. This was nice. Camaraderie instead of torment. It also helped that Clockblocker and Kid Win kept themselves in shape. Immediate eye candy. Missy gave me an amused look as she caught my gaze. Stealthiness failed.
"Want to give it a go?" Chris asked as he gestured to where Dean was wrapping up. Carlos tilted his head.
"If you want to, sure, but you don't have to. There's no character building exercise like that." He glanced at Dennis as he said that. Busted. Well, I'll be a good sport, and I make my way to the center of the mat. He smiles in a friendly fashion.
"Why not? I'll try not to lose too badly." Part of me believed that, but I also wanted to give it a try.
"Use your melody. Seriously. While facing me isn't a character builder you can go all out." He invites me and I immediately let the melody come to the fore. I feel the flow and it draws me to begin. My speed accelerates as my internal tempo picks up the pace and I'm already throwing a punch right for his face. He was just a hair too slow as my fist rocked against his cheek.
He stepped back to gain space, but his return strikes were too tentative. Mine weren't. I used my superior agility to weave around his punches and grabs before driving both fists into his stomach. There was a weird vibration in the melody and I embraced it right before dropping to the floor in a split. From there I performed a spinning leg sweep that hit with unusual force to send him flying to the mat. I was back on my feet, but almost immediately I swayed. Carlos was on his feet and carried my tired form over to the bench.
"That was so freakin' cool!" Dennis was all over what happened, "She was all over you out there, Carlos. Losin' your touch?" He teased.
"Wow...I didn't know she could do that...she was just learning how to fight today." Missy sounded confused, but also amazed.
"Uhm...do you already know how to fight?" Chris asked and even Dean leaned forward curiously. This was new. No one was upset or making fun of me. Then again I couldn't even find fault with that.
"Well...I guess it's like there's a passive ability and an active one. I can hear melodies that represent someone's mental and emotional state, but I also have a flow. The flow guides me. It doesn't tell me so much how to do something, but pulls me along." I shrug. The tired feeling is leaving slowly, but I'm done for the day on training.
"Do you learn anything?" Carlos seemed more concerned about if I got a benefit from it which was nice.
"I have an eidetic memory which is also translated to muscle memory. I still have to practice to keep the skills, but..." Huh. Something kicked that bit of knowledge loose. The "flow" was "Oversight" apparently turned towards yanking me like a puppet through the motions. Grossly inefficient and exhausting.
"The downside is that it tires you out." Dean says understandingly.
"You could see that?" That's an interesting thing to know.
"I see people's emotions, but those are also tied to general energy levels. The more tired someone is the more dull their emotions appear. Your energy was visibly dropping." He pats me on the shoulder and I grin weakly.
"Then as a suggestion why don't you restrict that to training here at HQ? Use it in the field as a last resort." Aegis may have been suggesting it, but there was the weight of command behind that. I nodded since that was a good idea.
"No problem. Now I really need a shower." My clothes were designed to breathe, but the sweat was getting to me. I was tired, but not fall down tired. The locker room was spacious. Far more spacious than just two people needed, but that was fine. Vista and I cleaned ourselves up before getting changed. Vista went back to the lounge area to relax with the other Wards, but I wanted to do some work in my lab.
The thought of my lab made me feel giddy. It was actually the lab set aside for Dragon when she had reason to repair her suits here. There wouldn't have even been that if she wasn't such good friends with Armsmaster. What is was doing right now was serving as a scrap yard for old Dragon suits. She told me that whatever was there I could use. I looked around the clean main portion of the lab fondly. Dragon wanted me to have my own place to work.
The main portion was spotless. The terminal hub that I built for my Tinker test was by one wall with various other instruments placed about in an orderly fashion. It was the first thing that got done when I saw this place. The other thing was to use the repair arms to dismantle the old suits. I had better ideas in mind for the parts after all. There was even a mechanical door that lead outside. It made sense. How else would they have gotten the suits in here in the first place?
I spent some time sending off my daily message to Dragon. Letting her know what I did that day and what I planned on doing in the lab. There was another message from CrazyComputerGuy in my inbox. His views on emergent AI was interesting. He was of the opinion that any unleashed AI had the potential to be the next Skynet. I responded by sending him to a child care website and making the natural comparison. A child needs to be taught right from wrong. How is that any different than a learning AI?
I wasn't exactly confident about going out into the field as I was. The idea that was percolating was to build my own mechanized units. Mir had ELMA and the Jacqli Robo. Probably the best of the two options, for now, was to build my own ELMA units. The Jacqli Robo could wait until I had an actual need. For now I needed to work on something to justify the budget and lab. Before I built war machines it might be better to just translate some medical tech over.
In order to do that I needed to actually read up on how to do things on Earth. I was cheating by using my Oversight. The only thing I had any basis in was Ar Ciel technology and programming, but my special talent let me overcome that. The problem was that it made me tired doing it that way. Dragon let me use her database to research the information I needed. So far I was working on engineering which was going well.
I wasn't lying about having an eidetic memory. Computerized brain counts, right? There came a buzz from the door. It was set up like the Wards' HQ door to give the occupant time to put a mask on. I hit the button to allow entrance once the confirmation came back that it was Kid Win.
"Hey Aria." He greeted me and I waved back. "Wow this is a nice lab..." His tone was approving as he walked around. "What are you working on?"
"Studying proper engineering. Just because I'm a Tinker doesn't mean that I should quit learning." I shrugged. The idea of not improving myself just didn't factor. He nodded thoughtfully.
"Probably a good idea..." His face falls, "But with my issue it kind of makes learning these things hard..." His melody sounds so dejected. The issue was dyscalculia. He had a difficulty with processing numbers. I placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Well I'm here to help. If you'll have it." I smiled reassuringly and he nodded before taking a seat at the work desk. "You can come down here whenever you like. It's nice to have company." He grinned back.
"Well the same goes for you. Come and see me anytime." He blurted out happily. "So got any ideas in mind for what to build?" He asks even as he pulls out his own notebook. I join him at the work desk with my books.
"I have in mind a hand held medical scanner." I sketch out the rough design for the item on a sheet of draft paper. Before I realized it my desire to go slow and steady is gone. The design is sitting between us and it looked interesting. It vaguely resembled something, but I couldn't think of what.
"That looks like a tricorder. Not completely, but pretty close. Make it a different color than Star Trek's and you should be fine." Kid Win finally said after taking the time to examine the design. Oh, that's what it looked like. He points at a couple places, "Does it need to recharge or can it exchange power supplies?"
"I was thinking both actually. Like all it would need is a charging station, but also secondary batteries." I said after a moment's thought. He nods slowly.
"It could work. So getting into medical tech, huh? First communication now this...what is your thing?" Kid Win grinned to show that he was playing around, but there was a genuine question there.
"Engineering actually. I just want to understand the topic better. Can't keep relying on Tinker smarts, right?" And I neatly sidestepped what might have been something awkward. Someday I'd tell people that I'm actually a human altered into a gynoid by interdimensional beings. Still haven't told my Dad that and he deserves to know.
"Armsmaster and I have been trying to find my specialty. I keep building connectors on my inventions that don't go anywhere. It feels like I'm on the right track, but you know how Armsmaster is. He wants immediate results." He groused. I could relate to that. I liked Armsmaster, but the man was driven. Unfortunately that tended to give him a very linear way of thinking.
"Why don't you see what could come of that?" I asked him with some interest. His tech sounded more like a band playing thrash, jam, folk, and fusion. It wanted to play in rhythm, but the linking melodies were missing.
"I can't waste my budget so I usually cannibalize my stuff for parts." He ducked his head sheepishly and I rest my hand on his forearm companionably.
"If you need it I have parts here. I probably won't be spending my budget anytime soon. There's no oversight on Tinkers getting parts from each other, right?" He perked up and nods.
"That would be great. Thanks for the offer." His own melody brightened up. "I'll let you get back to work. I have some ideas to get straight." I waved as he almost skipped out the door with a lighter heart. I grinned at his good humor before firing up my computer and working on the programming for the medical scanner. The information was mostly roughed in while Chris was here. I finalized the design and sent it off to Dragon for approval before getting changed into my street clothes and heading out for the day.
-Hebert Residence-
I walked straight into the house and collided with a feeling of melancholy. Dad's melody was sad. Not as deep as his former depression, but it was bad. I found him sitting at the kitchen table staring at the newspaper. He looked up as I came in and gently slid the paper over for me to see. Prominent lawyer and his wife murdered? Sudden tears filled my eyes. The article didn't mention Emma being home, but the Barnes' were definitely dead. Anne had been informed and identified the bodies.
Dad pulled me into his lap and held me tight. Now I know where the sadness came from. Alan and Dad were once the best of friends. With what happened between Emma and I that was gone. The article had gone on to report that it appeared a parahuman had been responsible. I clenched my eyes shut at the thought. Alan Barnes didn't used to hate capes. He just didn't think they deserved the celebrity they got. Legend being gay and a cape drove him absolutely crazy.
Oh god. Emma was gay...and she must have triggered...The horror froze in my chest as my dad tried to calm me. I buried my face in his chest and sobbed.
-Saturday: Early Morning-
-February 5, 2011-
If Friday was a nightmare then the weekend would be hell The waking realization that it wasn't all a dream hit her again. She stared out from the alleyway she had slept in. The cold that drove others inside didn't touch her. Her dress was still pristine and somewhere a red trench coat appeared out of thing air. She grimaced down at her feet. The red ribbons that wound around her feet and calves elegantly were the most she could tolerate. She tried wearing shoes and ended up kicking them off.
Her heightened senses suddenly alerted to someone approaching. Several someones. She crouched back and waited. Several shabbily dressed people were dragging a clearly strung out young man behind them. They tossed the man in the rubbish littering the alley. The callous treatment had her gritting her teeth in fury. These fools dared? They treated this person like trash? Who were they to decide that? All lives mattered. They completed the Harmony.
This desecration would not stand. She was already moving with a stride that would alert smart creatures to the apex predator in their midst. These fools were Merchants so they didn't count as smart. She had to remind herself that even their lives mattered. The fury rose higher, but was held in check by that thought. These fools weren't a threat.
"Hey check this out..." One of the men said with a sneer, "Hey honey it's too early for a fuck." He laughed at his own wit. His buddies grinned.
"This man...what have you done to him?" Her voice came out as a song and they looked nervous. "Oh...I have heard of this before..." She grinned in an entirely unfriendly matter. "You shoot a person up until they're hooked on your filth...then make them come back for more..." She sneered with scorn, "Not even a workout." They drew their weapons. Some had pipes, others chains, but the man with the gun was the first to get kicked into the bricks. He did not get up. The rest of the fight went in a similar manner. Their melodies blared their intent and she weaved between them with impunity. The last man fell and she was already using one their phones to call 911.
She checked their vitals, but their melodies were still active. Just subdued. The drugged man was also alive. Emma shook her head with a groan before escaping by running up the brick wall to the top of the building. She stared at her toes for a few moments as it finally clicked why shoes were a bad idea. The short and thick talons that her foot had turned into explained everything. She looked over the edge, but aside from some light scratches, it didn't appear as if she left a trail.
Saturday had been spent stalking Taylor. There was no nice way to say it, but her powers drew her to the brunette unerringly. Hers was the most vibrant melody of all and she longed to be near it, but she knew it wouldn't work. She killed her parents. It was understood that trigger events were traumatic, but the law was slow to catch up.
Seeing the blonde that was so comfortable with her Taylor had almost caused her to snarl, but she restrained the impulse. The girl, Lisa, had a beautiful melody too. It yearned for Taylor's and it was reciprocated. The emotions were pure. A new desire had been born inside of her. She had already sworn to protect Taylor. She would continue to observe Lisa from time to time. Should she have to step in then she would.
That night she took to the streets. She broke up crime wherever she found it. It bothered her just how much crime there was. Where were the heroes? She didn't blame the police. There was too much crime for the beleaguered police force to handle alone. What the hell was the point of super powers if people suffered!? She grit her teeth angrily.
The gangs would learn. They would learn. She wasn't Shadow Stalker. She wouldn't brutalize them, but they would remember the lessons taught. Another group of thugs was down on the ground and she was already moving. Empire 88, Azyn Bad Boys, Merchants, they didn't matter. This was Taylor's home. Decent people lived here. They would continue to live here. The battles blurred together until exhaustion forced her to seek shelter that night.
A ransacked drug den served as her resting place that night. The former residents were all neatly bound in the basement by the red ribbons she extruded from her sleeves. They wrapped where she directed them and formed comfortable binders. The thugs were lucky she was so kind.
Sunday was almost a repeat of the day before. She called the police finally before heading out into the day once more. Following Taylor was cathartic and the only time that her thoughts were her own. She groaned as the recollection from the day before hit her. It was a confusing jumble of violence and madness. She gripped her head tightly to try and keep herself grounded.
"Goddammit!" She screamed as her head threatened to split open. The fracture inside grew more pronounced as she forced it to the surface. Her melody didn't sound right! It sounded warped! The fracture was where the madness lay, but what was sanity?
"Sanity is nothing but controlled madness." She collapsed to her knees as a figure appeared before her. The figure was dressed in a pure white rendition of her own clothes. Her hair and eyes are pale pink. She grinned in a disturbing manner. Her teeth were impossibly sharp and that grin was too large. Emma stared at her in confusion, but now her melody sounded out peacefully.
"Who...are you?" Emma croaked out in a voice raw from the frantic screaming. The person cupped her cheek gently.
"This one is you...but also not you..." Her voice was a song. Not a distorted melody, but something beautiful.
"Why does it hurt...?" The redhead begged for an answer. The white clad figure drops the look of madness and her eyes are full of compassion.
"We were meant to be one, but there was a schism. A rent was cleaved in our mind. The Song that came to us did not belong..." Her musical voice soothed and calmed her, but she clung to what was said.
"I'm broken...?" The girl knew that she was, but to have it confirmed drove the air from her lungs. Hands grasped her face tenderly and forced her to look at the figure. They stared eye to eye for a time.
"We don't have to be. We have to find a common ground otherwise we will die...already the ego border is collapsing..." Her voice gives out as static. "This...can*** continu-ue..." She looked so pained that Emma grabbed for her and held her tight.
"Whatever we are...we'll embrace the Song together...what broke us will fix us..." The figure in white held her back just as tightly. There was a flash as her mind split open once more and she suddenly came to on a rooftop. She noticed the sun's position in the sky and blinked sleepily.
"I passed out..." She moaned as the lingering traces of an ache ran through her brain and along her nerves. It felt weird like it was mapping out her body. She pressed her hands against her eyes to shut out the sun before managing to roll over onto stomach.
>Up*at/ Aqui*r$d
Downloading Files...
File Error...Data Corrupted
File Error...Data Corrupted
File Error...Data Corrupted
Action: Executing Patch...
Successful Patch: 30%
System Strength: Orange
Recommended Action: See your local Administrator for more options. Have a nice day!
"Have a nice day." Emma stated flatly. "And what is a local Administrator?" She groaned as she pushed herself to her feet. Stability achieved. For now.
"Why did I see two worms in wriggling in space?"
Second Arc 2.2
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Second Arc 2.2
Side A
February 8, 2011
The news had hit Winslow like a thunderbolt. I wish it was hyperbole, but it's not. The Trio's old supporters have turned over to gossiping about what could have happened. Speculations ranged from drugs, to a break in, to a break in over drugs, and I just wanted to scream. They had no idea what happened, but they were just so damned gleeful over this that it made me sick. I have no idea how I made it through to lunch. Normally I would have found an out of the way place to eat, but morbid curiousity had me wanting to hear more. If what I suspected was true then I just might have pushed Emma over the edge.
The downside to being a Reyvateil is we can't lie to ourselves where feelings are concerned. Intellectually I knew it wasn't my fault, but tell my heart that. Madison sat down at my table. She looked somehow even smaller than before. It probably didn't help that as Emma's friend those screeching harpies were making her miserable. There was a dark part of me that felt she deserved a sample of what I went through, but this was too much. How does someone going through my pain make anything better? Her melody was at a low ebb. Fearful, hopeful, wistful, sickness...Sickness?
"Madison...what's wrong?" I ask gently. The sick feeling intensifies. I've heard guilt in a melody before, but it's practically roiling through her. She shakes her head mutely and starts to eat. We ate in silence, but apparently that's too much to ask for. That girl with the T name came over to our table with her hangers on. The smug superiority threading through her melody annoys me. I stare blandly at her while Madison hunches lower.
"Hey Hebert. What's up? Break any more hearts lately?" My attention focused is now focused on her as she grinned, "We heard what Emma said to you on Friday. Terrible thing to be turned down like that." My eyes widened. She wouldn't do that. She wouldn't. "Are you gonna cry over her too?" All at once it crashed into me. Fury. Rage. Pure and unbridled. My melody has shifted gears and the flute is replaced by a full chorus in multipart harmony. The voices warn, they threaten, they thunder.
"God what the hell is wrong with you!?" Madison suddenly screamed and the feeling vanished. "It was stupid shit when Emma did that to Taylor! It was all stupid shit!" She had bottled all of that pain and self loathing up and it came out in a furious torrent. "Dammit Tina! Just shut the fuck up!" There is a strained note at the end that indicated her throat just gave out. She sobbed hoarsely. The girl, Tina, looked around for support, but her cronies had the grace to look ashamed.
"W-whatever. Let's go." She turned and walked away, but no one followed her. Her friends offered their condolences and walked away. It was up to me to get Madison out of there. She clearly had been suppressing what she felt.
"Come on. Let's get out of here." I handed her my bottle of water and let her sip as we walked out. Neither one of us felt like eating anymore. She didn't even object to me putting my arm around her shoulders and steering her towards my favorite stairwell. One of the places I used to hide during lunch. When the E88 felt sorry for me they told me about the small storage room at the top of the stairs and how to get in. I might have wanted the bullying to stop, but that was one line I wouldn't cross. The room, however, was appreciated.
The room in question was clearly the place that time forgot. Boxes were strewn about and there was a large chest with a worn top that indicated it's use as a seat. Madison sat down on the trunk and stared mournfully at the floor while I sat beside her.
"Is that how we sounded to you?" Her voice came out as a dry whisper. The damage she did to herself apparent in her speech. She took another slow sip of water.
"Yeah it was." I admitted. She didn't want to be comforted. She wanted confirmation.
"Why? Why did you put up with it? How did you put up with?" She blurted out and winced. She took another sip of water to ease her throat. I stared upward in thought.
"There wasn't much choice. I could have got into Arcadia, but Emma...Emma was coming here. Her grades weren't the best, and Immaculate didn't have any openings at the time, but I could have gone to Arcadia. We were friends and I wanted to stay close to her so..." I shrugged. My thoughts were rambling, but it felt like this was what I needed. What Madison needed. "I used to fight back. In the beginning. I thought that if Emma saw that I wasn't weak she wouldn't keep shutting me out. Though fighting back for me was just squeaking a little louder." The attempt at humor fell flat. As flat as my voice, "But that was enough for Sophia. Sophia punished me physically for daring to open my mouth."
"You're stronger than I am..." Madison whispered. Her melody full of crushing emotions and I pulled her against my side. She didn't resist, "Just one weekend of this...now the Barnes' murder..." She screwed her face up and cried. Her face was buried in my chest and I stroked her hair. She just wasn't used to people being cruel to her. She did everything she could to prevent it and followed whoever could protect her. It wasn't even against my will when I forgave her. A sick thought made it's way into my mind. What if I hadn't turned Emma away on Friday? Did for her like I'm doing for Madison?
"I'm as human as you are." I finally settled on. Reyvateil or not I had more experience being human. Were we honestly that different? Madison pulled back and I let her. She gave me a grateful look before suddenly pulling out her phone.
"Oh my gosh...we're late for class..." She dithered. I recognized the dodge for what it was. I used them too. Too much sharing, too fast, and we were both feeling raw. I took the out she offered and we hurried off to class. The rest of the day went marginally better. Tina hadn't really learned her lesson, and there were always people ready to be assholes, so I wasn't surprised at the end of the day. I gave Madison my number and watched her head out before turning to my locker. The melodies approaching gave me pause. Tina, but there were some dangerous ones. Grungy ones.
"Hey Taylor!" She called out in a friendly voice. I turned to look and my glare visibly took her back a step, but she continued. Future Darwin Award recipient. Her backup was a bit more beefy. Two other girls, but there were some large fellows. Not football. If you counted Tina there were six people standing there.
"I just wanted to say sorry. I didn't mean to make your little girlfriend cry." She said in false sympathy. Was this going to be a fight? I casually shut my locker door and slid back a step discreetly. With my hand coming up to my chest it looked more like a defensive posture. She grinned at the sight. That's right bitch, I'm just a scared little girl still. The one guy turned to Tina.
"She's a dyke?" Her asked. Oh good he has a script. Probably has the cheat sheet where he can look at it. Right on cue the others moved to flank me. I would only get one chance at this.
"What the hell is that!?" I screamed in panic. The fools actually turned their heads and I used a most ancient technique of the Anything Goes style...Fast Break! I took off running at full speed without using the afterburners. I wished that I could stop and look at their expressions, but there was no time. I had running to do!
-PRT Headquarters-
I dragged myself into my lab and collapsed into a chair. I wasn't tired from my run. The collapse was from having laughed so hard I couldn't even stand up anymore. The bus ride over earned me quite a few strange looks since I couldn't seem to stop giggling. Who knew manga had real world applications? Ranma ½ was a manga series known for way over the top martial arts mayhem and comedy. Emma had got the books, but the weird right to left reading style turned her off. She didn't mind me taking them.
The laughter wasn't killed by remembering Emma. If anything it made the humor more nostalgic. They didn't find her dead. Thank God, but that was another issue. She had triggered. She must have. Curiousity overwhelmed common sense and I logged into my system to research. Unlike my normal research I wanted to find out what happened. What evidence did the police collect.
"Taylor, what are you doing?" Dragon's voice asked curiously and I jumped out of my skin. I had been so single minded that I didn't notice her arrive, figuratively speaking.
"Uhhh...my old friend Emma's parents were killed and..." I didn't want to admit that I was about to try and hack for the information.
"This is a parahuman crime, Taylor. You don't need to hack into the police database." She chided me and left me feeling more sheepish. Dragon brought up the file for me. The details were horrific. Something stood out to me though.
"An empty gun and a bent fireplace poker with hair on it..." I felt sick. They attacked her. "Then...isn't this self defense?" Dragon's melody was complicated.
"The PRT has ordered that she be brought in by whatever means necessary." She sounded grim and I gawked.
"A scared girl triggers, gets shot at, and hit over the head, and they're going that far?" I was horrified.
"Taylor, Aria, think about it for a minute. This is the kind of damage she can do. What would you have unpowered humans do when confronted by her?" She tried to reason with me, but all I was seeing was a double standard. If she confronted them, sure, but they were actively going to hunt her.
"I am thinking, but they're not." My voice was hard and I didn't stop to think about who I was talking to, "Think about this then. She did that while under attack and scared. Now we have these same unpowered humans with orders to hunt her down. No one is even suggesting that they offer her a chance to come in quietly."
"That was the argument Miss Militia made. The rest of the Protectorate are up in arms over the decision, but this is the procedure. In practice they're not going to look for her very hard considering she hasn't killed anyone else." She soothed. Not even offended that I took an aggressive tone of voice with her.
"But if the bodies start to pile up..." I sat back in my chair feeling drained. "Yeah...guess I understand that..." I rubbed my eyes tiredly. "Sorry for that..."
"I understand. As long as more people remember compassion the system works." She said softly and I felt better. "Now...about the design you sent in yesterday..." Back to business. I need that, "Build a working device and we'll go through the procedures. It is a very good design. Armsmaster will be pleased that it's nice and compact." She teased good naturedly and I giggled.
"I can do that. Just need to finish the core programming." I demurred, but was happy regardless.
"Taylor...are you actually a Tinker?" Dragon asked and I stilled. "The things you design are easily mass produced. I can reverse engineer Tinker tech, but you build things that are closer to real world inventing. It seems a facet of your power to turn Tinker tech into sensible electronics. Which only highlights that what you've built can be reproduced."
"Honestly I have no idea what I am." Reyvateil, former human, Case 53, but that's a different conversation. "It just makes sense to be a Tinker though."
"It does. I was just curious that's all." Dragon assured me, but I got the feeling she wouldn't be put off. We made small talk as I finished the core programming. Considering that this device was already in use elsewhere it meant the programming fell into place within the hour. Then came constructing the device. I had to do something to throw off speculation. They wanted a Tinker? They would get a Tinker. I started building a completely separate machine from what I was supposed to be working on.
"Aria...what are you doing?" Dragon sounded curious, but also somewhat aggrieved. I blinked back at her angelically.
"Well I had the idea for a fabricator. Dump in raw materials and it makes the parts." I told her matter-of-factly even as I rode the melody, went with the flow, and brute forced the construction of a fabricator. The design was for something Frelia had come up with. She was the mistress of crafting something from nothing. By the time I was done my head was pounding, my vision was swimming, and felt like I could eat a horse. However, the device was cheerfully fabricating the parts for my medical scanner.
"Are you alright? You had better sit down. I've called for Armsmaster." My mentor sounded worried, but also accepting. Did I go overboard on my performance? "Tinkers..." She muttered.
"You're a Tinker too..." I managed to say petulantly. Armsmaster walked right in and came over to me. He passed me a couple white tablets and a bottle of water solicitously. That was nice of him. He firmed up his stance and glowered down at me. That...was not so nice...
"You pushed yourself didn't you?" He asked rhetorically. My fabricator happily burbling away was readily apparent. It was most definitely not able to be replicated. I metaphorically and metaphysically cudgeled it into functionality. The design was now in my mental library, but to build another I needed a higher tech knowledge base.
"In my defense...it's making my medical scanner faster than I could..." I hunched sheepishly, but he did not look amused.
"It will need to be studied. You will have to build the medical scanner on your own while we look this over. Nothing unapproved can be used. It is as much for your safety as everyone else." He was stern. His melody on the other hand was bouncing about like a kid in a candy store. He wanted to get his hands on it and look it over.
"You'll be examining it?" I asked. He nodded an assurance. Dragon's melody also sounded excited. They were both worried about me, but I just fed them 100% pure distraction. The issue of my being a Tinker was forgotten. I made a vague excuse about needing dinner and slipped out. They didn't even notice me leave.
My stomach was growling like a mad thing so the cafeteria was my next stop. Kid Win was coming out of his lab and bumped into me. If I hadn't been so distracted the collision wouldn't have happened, but there it was. He was of average height and I was tall for a girl, but he still out massed me. Before I could fall Chris had already caught me and pulled me towards him.
Warm. So yeah he was taller than me. Who knew? Not much, but he was taller, and I'm babbling in my inner monologue! I stepped back and flashed him a grateful smile. He grinned back. We probably would have been frozen like that if Vista hadn't popped up.
"Hey guys. What's up?" She asked innocently even if the sparkle in her eyes was anything but. We were both a little red.
"Uhhh...my alarm went off to tell me it's time for dinner." Kid Win said. He actually needed an alarm. He was as bad as Armsmaster when it came to pulling himself away for a meal.
"I went into Tinker fugue and got kicked out of my lab while they examine what I built." I babbled at lightspeed. Vista just rolled her eyes, but Chris looked interested. We discussed what I built on the way to dinner.
"Oooh Gallant's back from his patrol." Missy said in a sub vocal squeal that probably sent small animals scurrying in panic and made dogs howl. I hated having a higher range of hearing sometimes. We had just walked into the cafeteria and I went straight for the food. Other people were there, but without food I'd probably be grumpy.
"So you're the new girl, Aria." Glory Girl said from beside me and I nearly jumped. Why didn't the melody warn me? I could hear my friends, but...oh. I was used to hearing them, but I didn't notice that the other melodies had dropped off. They had dropped off after my simulated Tinker rage. Eek. I smiled at GG and prepared to greet her when I was hit by her Aura.
She was a true natural beauty of sculpted curves and golden blonde hair. The white dress and one shoulder cape combined to make her the very vision of a goddess of war and beauty. She was smiling at me in a friendly and inviting way. I moved to greet her and...
Alert! Foreign intrusion detected
Status: Charmed
Action: Preparing countermeasures
All at once I stumbled. She caught me by the arm and I let her stabilize me. A mousy figure in a white robe and a red cross spoke up from beside Glory Girl.
"Glory Girl...your aura." Her voice sounded tired. Victoria Dallon, aka Glory Girl, smiled sheepishly. The girl beside her, Amy Dallon, the parahuman healer known as Panacea, just shook her head before offering me an apologetic look. If I had been feeling closer to fine I might have engaged my verbal filter, but this was too much.
"Okay...I wanted the first time I met you to go better...but this is just something I have to get off my chest." I massaged my forehead tiredly while Gallant was already hurrying over. Who he was trying to save would remain lost to time since I wasn't waiting, "Please don't use your Aura on me again. Please lower it. You need to learn more control because frankly I don't like my mind being taken over. I find you very attractive without help. I wanted to get to know you without help. Your Aura has made it so that I won't know if our first meeting could have gone well." That was tactful I hoped. Tactful or not I needed to get my food and put it where it belongs in the yawning expanse of my stomach.
I hurried across the cafeteria to sit near Vista and Kid Win. Missy was irritated because of her clear feelings for Dean, but also annoyed on my behalf. That was nice. Kid Win was knocking the heel of his hand against his head and I grabbed his wrist. He lowered his hand sheepishly, but I just sat down and started eating. Panacea had followed me over. The sound of a tired saxophone let me know that my power was coming back, but I was too busy demolishing the tray of food I brought.
"She honestly didn't mean it." The healer said apologetically. I hung my head in resignation.
"Do we have to do this now?" I asked plaintively. "If you insist we talk then get me some more fried chicken and some of that chocolate cheesecake." If she was going to interrupt Taylor's feeding time she was going to earn it.
"I'll get it." Chris bounced to his feet and manfully fled for his life. Vista just sat back looking amused. Amy didn't look amused. If anything the stare she was leveling on me was a bit unnerving.
"Where do you put it all?" She finally asked and I blink at the non sequitur. "You and Vicky came just pack it away, but the rest of us have to actually watch our weight." She abruptly flushed as she realized where her rant had gone.
"I was at low energy. My head hurt, my stomach was empty, and then the Aura..." I grimaced, "I didn't exactly mean to go quite that far, but it's a terrible double standard." She looked confused. Kid Win brought back my seconds and I started gesturing with a chicken leg, "Her Aura is a Master effect, right? Those with a Master effect are expected, by PRT regulations, to keep themselves under control. No using it on people casually. I'm sure Glory Girl means well, but the fact that she doesn't control her Aura..." I was eating slower now as the initial edge of my hunger was sated. It also gave Amy a chance to think about what I was saying. A win win situation.
"Did you have to be so blunt?" Amy asked in an aggrieved, but faintly accusatory tone.
"I'm tired of it all the time." Missy said. Panacea rounded on her, but Vista the Ward held up a hand in a placating manner "I'm not being mean, but that is something some of the PRT agents have complained about. It gets told to New Wave, promises are made, but nothing gets done. Victoria is a good person, but it's frustrating." Amy deflated. She had been left with nothing to act on and her righteous indigation collapsed. Her saxophone melody sounded weird. I could hear Glory Girl's melody like a brass trumpet. Bright and loud. The saxophone had some strange trumpet noise?
I was glad that my dinner was finished because otherwise I wouldn't have been able to finish. There was an echo of Glory Girl's melody in Panacea's. I exhaled and seriously thought about what I was contemplating. Would I be able to live with myself if I let this continue? Probably. Would I be happy about it? No. I gave Amy a light pat on the shoulder and gave the melody a nudge. Nothing more than a hip bump because I was not putting myself back in the hospital.
The result was simple. The trumpet was still there in the saxophone, but it was slowly turning into a duet instead of a twisted conjoined instrument. Panacea gave me a grateful look, but for the sympathetic pat. She wouldn't know what I did and I didn't plan on advertising. Not yet. I needed more of a positive reputation first.
"Why don't you tell Amy about your medical scanner?" Kid Win suggested and our conversation turned to something more comfortable. The sound of a sad trumpet approached and I gazed at Glory Girl. She fidgeted, gave a look to her boyfriend, before looking back to me.
"Hey sorry about that. I just got excited. When Dean told me about your power I thought it was kind of cool." She looked so meek and sincere. I felt better and my energy levels had returned.
"It's okay. Sorry about the harshness..." I smiled back.
"Hey if you want...want to go hang out on the Boardwalk this Saturday?" Victoria asked. I thought about it and nodded.
"Sounds good. Hey Missy, Amy, maybe we could make it a girl's day out." The idea was popular, but Amy looked pensive.
"C'mon sis...it's a Saturday...you need to rest more." Glory Girl scolded her sister kindly and my image of her shifted. Brash and stubborn, but a heart of gold. No Aura shenanigans that time.
"Fine...I'll go." Amy relented, but looked happier for it. We moved to join Dean and Dennis at their table after that. It was good to relax and just talk with other people my age. Every day I found myself craving companionship. Lisa reawakened my inner chatterbox, but the Wards were finishing the work she started. I fired off a text to her and invited her out to the Boardwalk.
From: Lisa
To: Taylor
> Sure. We can do that. Wow, but Glory Girl and Panacea? I wouldn't miss that for anything!
I smiled at the response. This could work. My smile fell off as thoughts of Emma came back. She would have had a good time too. I looked around at my fellow Wards, at New Wave, and smiled. If it was possible for me to be here with them then it was possible to reach Emma. Now I just had to find her.
-February 8, 2011 Night time-
Side B
Sophia looked around at the living area. It reminded her disturbingly of the Wards HQ. There were chairs, a couch, and other places to sit scattered around. A game system connected to a big screen TV. Even the teenagers sitting around and lounging about were the same. The faces and circumstances had changed, but it was almost relaxing.
The sense of distrust was also familiar, but not as relaxing. She wasn't wearing her mask since pizza didn't exactly go through one that well. Brian sat across from her with a tenseness born more from worry than actual mistrust. The custody thing with his sister wasn't going well. Coil had promised a crack shot lawyer that would shoot down the opposition, but instead it was being drawn out.
He looked at his cellphone again before going back to his dinner. Bitch was taking care of her dogs and Regent was playing his game. The first few days were harder than now. Rachel had set her dogs on Sophia, but her shadow state let her duck them and kick Bitch across the room. Establishing herself with Rachel was a daily thing. It was always something. Lisa was no help whatsoever, but why should she help the one spying on her?
All Regent cared about was how the money would be divided up. He was more introspective as the days went on. Alec had been like that since he left Lisa's apartment on Saturday. The day that Taylor had spent with the blonde. He didn't seem to want to talk about it, but even as he played his game it was clear he wasn't fully into it.
"Hey Brian. Wanna get over here and play?" He called out with a cheerful grin. Brian huffed and leaned back on the couch. Sophia stared at her plate in confusion. She didn't like being unsure of herself, but here it was. With a barely audible growl she moved over and picked up player two. Alex looked at her steadily, measuringly, but she stared back.
"I'll play." She asserted and he nodded slowly. Something in the air lifted and they started to play. She lost, a lot, but it felt like some invisible barrier had fallen away. Progress made. She could move forward like this. Obstacles didn't need to be smashed down to be overcome. Maybe just a bit more finesse.
or Melody of Escalation
Second Arc 2.2
Side A
February 8, 2011
The news had hit Winslow like a thunderbolt. I wish it was hyperbole, but it's not. The Trio's old supporters have turned over to gossiping about what could have happened. Speculations ranged from drugs, to a break in, to a break in over drugs, and I just wanted to scream. They had no idea what happened, but they were just so damned gleeful over this that it made me sick. I have no idea how I made it through to lunch. Normally I would have found an out of the way place to eat, but morbid curiousity had me wanting to hear more. If what I suspected was true then I just might have pushed Emma over the edge.
The downside to being a Reyvateil is we can't lie to ourselves where feelings are concerned. Intellectually I knew it wasn't my fault, but tell my heart that. Madison sat down at my table. She looked somehow even smaller than before. It probably didn't help that as Emma's friend those screeching harpies were making her miserable. There was a dark part of me that felt she deserved a sample of what I went through, but this was too much. How does someone going through my pain make anything better? Her melody was at a low ebb. Fearful, hopeful, wistful, sickness...Sickness?
"Madison...what's wrong?" I ask gently. The sick feeling intensifies. I've heard guilt in a melody before, but it's practically roiling through her. She shakes her head mutely and starts to eat. We ate in silence, but apparently that's too much to ask for. That girl with the T name came over to our table with her hangers on. The smug superiority threading through her melody annoys me. I stare blandly at her while Madison hunches lower.
"Hey Hebert. What's up? Break any more hearts lately?" My attention focused is now focused on her as she grinned, "We heard what Emma said to you on Friday. Terrible thing to be turned down like that." My eyes widened. She wouldn't do that. She wouldn't. "Are you gonna cry over her too?" All at once it crashed into me. Fury. Rage. Pure and unbridled. My melody has shifted gears and the flute is replaced by a full chorus in multipart harmony. The voices warn, they threaten, they thunder.
"God what the hell is wrong with you!?" Madison suddenly screamed and the feeling vanished. "It was stupid shit when Emma did that to Taylor! It was all stupid shit!" She had bottled all of that pain and self loathing up and it came out in a furious torrent. "Dammit Tina! Just shut the fuck up!" There is a strained note at the end that indicated her throat just gave out. She sobbed hoarsely. The girl, Tina, looked around for support, but her cronies had the grace to look ashamed.
"W-whatever. Let's go." She turned and walked away, but no one followed her. Her friends offered their condolences and walked away. It was up to me to get Madison out of there. She clearly had been suppressing what she felt.
"Come on. Let's get out of here." I handed her my bottle of water and let her sip as we walked out. Neither one of us felt like eating anymore. She didn't even object to me putting my arm around her shoulders and steering her towards my favorite stairwell. One of the places I used to hide during lunch. When the E88 felt sorry for me they told me about the small storage room at the top of the stairs and how to get in. I might have wanted the bullying to stop, but that was one line I wouldn't cross. The room, however, was appreciated.
The room in question was clearly the place that time forgot. Boxes were strewn about and there was a large chest with a worn top that indicated it's use as a seat. Madison sat down on the trunk and stared mournfully at the floor while I sat beside her.
"Is that how we sounded to you?" Her voice came out as a dry whisper. The damage she did to herself apparent in her speech. She took another slow sip of water.
"Yeah it was." I admitted. She didn't want to be comforted. She wanted confirmation.
"Why? Why did you put up with it? How did you put up with?" She blurted out and winced. She took another sip of water to ease her throat. I stared upward in thought.
"There wasn't much choice. I could have got into Arcadia, but Emma...Emma was coming here. Her grades weren't the best, and Immaculate didn't have any openings at the time, but I could have gone to Arcadia. We were friends and I wanted to stay close to her so..." I shrugged. My thoughts were rambling, but it felt like this was what I needed. What Madison needed. "I used to fight back. In the beginning. I thought that if Emma saw that I wasn't weak she wouldn't keep shutting me out. Though fighting back for me was just squeaking a little louder." The attempt at humor fell flat. As flat as my voice, "But that was enough for Sophia. Sophia punished me physically for daring to open my mouth."
"You're stronger than I am..." Madison whispered. Her melody full of crushing emotions and I pulled her against my side. She didn't resist, "Just one weekend of this...now the Barnes' murder..." She screwed her face up and cried. Her face was buried in my chest and I stroked her hair. She just wasn't used to people being cruel to her. She did everything she could to prevent it and followed whoever could protect her. It wasn't even against my will when I forgave her. A sick thought made it's way into my mind. What if I hadn't turned Emma away on Friday? Did for her like I'm doing for Madison?
"I'm as human as you are." I finally settled on. Reyvateil or not I had more experience being human. Were we honestly that different? Madison pulled back and I let her. She gave me a grateful look before suddenly pulling out her phone.
"Oh my gosh...we're late for class..." She dithered. I recognized the dodge for what it was. I used them too. Too much sharing, too fast, and we were both feeling raw. I took the out she offered and we hurried off to class. The rest of the day went marginally better. Tina hadn't really learned her lesson, and there were always people ready to be assholes, so I wasn't surprised at the end of the day. I gave Madison my number and watched her head out before turning to my locker. The melodies approaching gave me pause. Tina, but there were some dangerous ones. Grungy ones.
"Hey Taylor!" She called out in a friendly voice. I turned to look and my glare visibly took her back a step, but she continued. Future Darwin Award recipient. Her backup was a bit more beefy. Two other girls, but there were some large fellows. Not football. If you counted Tina there were six people standing there.
"I just wanted to say sorry. I didn't mean to make your little girlfriend cry." She said in false sympathy. Was this going to be a fight? I casually shut my locker door and slid back a step discreetly. With my hand coming up to my chest it looked more like a defensive posture. She grinned at the sight. That's right bitch, I'm just a scared little girl still. The one guy turned to Tina.
"She's a dyke?" Her asked. Oh good he has a script. Probably has the cheat sheet where he can look at it. Right on cue the others moved to flank me. I would only get one chance at this.
"What the hell is that!?" I screamed in panic. The fools actually turned their heads and I used a most ancient technique of the Anything Goes style...Fast Break! I took off running at full speed without using the afterburners. I wished that I could stop and look at their expressions, but there was no time. I had running to do!
-PRT Headquarters-
I dragged myself into my lab and collapsed into a chair. I wasn't tired from my run. The collapse was from having laughed so hard I couldn't even stand up anymore. The bus ride over earned me quite a few strange looks since I couldn't seem to stop giggling. Who knew manga had real world applications? Ranma ½ was a manga series known for way over the top martial arts mayhem and comedy. Emma had got the books, but the weird right to left reading style turned her off. She didn't mind me taking them.
The laughter wasn't killed by remembering Emma. If anything it made the humor more nostalgic. They didn't find her dead. Thank God, but that was another issue. She had triggered. She must have. Curiousity overwhelmed common sense and I logged into my system to research. Unlike my normal research I wanted to find out what happened. What evidence did the police collect.
"Taylor, what are you doing?" Dragon's voice asked curiously and I jumped out of my skin. I had been so single minded that I didn't notice her arrive, figuratively speaking.
"Uhhh...my old friend Emma's parents were killed and..." I didn't want to admit that I was about to try and hack for the information.
"This is a parahuman crime, Taylor. You don't need to hack into the police database." She chided me and left me feeling more sheepish. Dragon brought up the file for me. The details were horrific. Something stood out to me though.
"An empty gun and a bent fireplace poker with hair on it..." I felt sick. They attacked her. "Then...isn't this self defense?" Dragon's melody was complicated.
"The PRT has ordered that she be brought in by whatever means necessary." She sounded grim and I gawked.
"A scared girl triggers, gets shot at, and hit over the head, and they're going that far?" I was horrified.
"Taylor, Aria, think about it for a minute. This is the kind of damage she can do. What would you have unpowered humans do when confronted by her?" She tried to reason with me, but all I was seeing was a double standard. If she confronted them, sure, but they were actively going to hunt her.
"I am thinking, but they're not." My voice was hard and I didn't stop to think about who I was talking to, "Think about this then. She did that while under attack and scared. Now we have these same unpowered humans with orders to hunt her down. No one is even suggesting that they offer her a chance to come in quietly."
"That was the argument Miss Militia made. The rest of the Protectorate are up in arms over the decision, but this is the procedure. In practice they're not going to look for her very hard considering she hasn't killed anyone else." She soothed. Not even offended that I took an aggressive tone of voice with her.
"But if the bodies start to pile up..." I sat back in my chair feeling drained. "Yeah...guess I understand that..." I rubbed my eyes tiredly. "Sorry for that..."
"I understand. As long as more people remember compassion the system works." She said softly and I felt better. "Now...about the design you sent in yesterday..." Back to business. I need that, "Build a working device and we'll go through the procedures. It is a very good design. Armsmaster will be pleased that it's nice and compact." She teased good naturedly and I giggled.
"I can do that. Just need to finish the core programming." I demurred, but was happy regardless.
"Taylor...are you actually a Tinker?" Dragon asked and I stilled. "The things you design are easily mass produced. I can reverse engineer Tinker tech, but you build things that are closer to real world inventing. It seems a facet of your power to turn Tinker tech into sensible electronics. Which only highlights that what you've built can be reproduced."
"Honestly I have no idea what I am." Reyvateil, former human, Case 53, but that's a different conversation. "It just makes sense to be a Tinker though."
"It does. I was just curious that's all." Dragon assured me, but I got the feeling she wouldn't be put off. We made small talk as I finished the core programming. Considering that this device was already in use elsewhere it meant the programming fell into place within the hour. Then came constructing the device. I had to do something to throw off speculation. They wanted a Tinker? They would get a Tinker. I started building a completely separate machine from what I was supposed to be working on.
"Aria...what are you doing?" Dragon sounded curious, but also somewhat aggrieved. I blinked back at her angelically.
"Well I had the idea for a fabricator. Dump in raw materials and it makes the parts." I told her matter-of-factly even as I rode the melody, went with the flow, and brute forced the construction of a fabricator. The design was for something Frelia had come up with. She was the mistress of crafting something from nothing. By the time I was done my head was pounding, my vision was swimming, and felt like I could eat a horse. However, the device was cheerfully fabricating the parts for my medical scanner.
"Are you alright? You had better sit down. I've called for Armsmaster." My mentor sounded worried, but also accepting. Did I go overboard on my performance? "Tinkers..." She muttered.
"You're a Tinker too..." I managed to say petulantly. Armsmaster walked right in and came over to me. He passed me a couple white tablets and a bottle of water solicitously. That was nice of him. He firmed up his stance and glowered down at me. That...was not so nice...
"You pushed yourself didn't you?" He asked rhetorically. My fabricator happily burbling away was readily apparent. It was most definitely not able to be replicated. I metaphorically and metaphysically cudgeled it into functionality. The design was now in my mental library, but to build another I needed a higher tech knowledge base.
"In my defense...it's making my medical scanner faster than I could..." I hunched sheepishly, but he did not look amused.
"It will need to be studied. You will have to build the medical scanner on your own while we look this over. Nothing unapproved can be used. It is as much for your safety as everyone else." He was stern. His melody on the other hand was bouncing about like a kid in a candy store. He wanted to get his hands on it and look it over.
"You'll be examining it?" I asked. He nodded an assurance. Dragon's melody also sounded excited. They were both worried about me, but I just fed them 100% pure distraction. The issue of my being a Tinker was forgotten. I made a vague excuse about needing dinner and slipped out. They didn't even notice me leave.
My stomach was growling like a mad thing so the cafeteria was my next stop. Kid Win was coming out of his lab and bumped into me. If I hadn't been so distracted the collision wouldn't have happened, but there it was. He was of average height and I was tall for a girl, but he still out massed me. Before I could fall Chris had already caught me and pulled me towards him.
Warm. So yeah he was taller than me. Who knew? Not much, but he was taller, and I'm babbling in my inner monologue! I stepped back and flashed him a grateful smile. He grinned back. We probably would have been frozen like that if Vista hadn't popped up.
"Hey guys. What's up?" She asked innocently even if the sparkle in her eyes was anything but. We were both a little red.
"Uhhh...my alarm went off to tell me it's time for dinner." Kid Win said. He actually needed an alarm. He was as bad as Armsmaster when it came to pulling himself away for a meal.
"I went into Tinker fugue and got kicked out of my lab while they examine what I built." I babbled at lightspeed. Vista just rolled her eyes, but Chris looked interested. We discussed what I built on the way to dinner.
"Oooh Gallant's back from his patrol." Missy said in a sub vocal squeal that probably sent small animals scurrying in panic and made dogs howl. I hated having a higher range of hearing sometimes. We had just walked into the cafeteria and I went straight for the food. Other people were there, but without food I'd probably be grumpy.
"So you're the new girl, Aria." Glory Girl said from beside me and I nearly jumped. Why didn't the melody warn me? I could hear my friends, but...oh. I was used to hearing them, but I didn't notice that the other melodies had dropped off. They had dropped off after my simulated Tinker rage. Eek. I smiled at GG and prepared to greet her when I was hit by her Aura.
She was a true natural beauty of sculpted curves and golden blonde hair. The white dress and one shoulder cape combined to make her the very vision of a goddess of war and beauty. She was smiling at me in a friendly and inviting way. I moved to greet her and...
Alert! Foreign intrusion detected
Status: Charmed
Action: Preparing countermeasures
All at once I stumbled. She caught me by the arm and I let her stabilize me. A mousy figure in a white robe and a red cross spoke up from beside Glory Girl.
"Glory Girl...your aura." Her voice sounded tired. Victoria Dallon, aka Glory Girl, smiled sheepishly. The girl beside her, Amy Dallon, the parahuman healer known as Panacea, just shook her head before offering me an apologetic look. If I had been feeling closer to fine I might have engaged my verbal filter, but this was too much.
"Okay...I wanted the first time I met you to go better...but this is just something I have to get off my chest." I massaged my forehead tiredly while Gallant was already hurrying over. Who he was trying to save would remain lost to time since I wasn't waiting, "Please don't use your Aura on me again. Please lower it. You need to learn more control because frankly I don't like my mind being taken over. I find you very attractive without help. I wanted to get to know you without help. Your Aura has made it so that I won't know if our first meeting could have gone well." That was tactful I hoped. Tactful or not I needed to get my food and put it where it belongs in the yawning expanse of my stomach.
I hurried across the cafeteria to sit near Vista and Kid Win. Missy was irritated because of her clear feelings for Dean, but also annoyed on my behalf. That was nice. Kid Win was knocking the heel of his hand against his head and I grabbed his wrist. He lowered his hand sheepishly, but I just sat down and started eating. Panacea had followed me over. The sound of a tired saxophone let me know that my power was coming back, but I was too busy demolishing the tray of food I brought.
"She honestly didn't mean it." The healer said apologetically. I hung my head in resignation.
"Do we have to do this now?" I asked plaintively. "If you insist we talk then get me some more fried chicken and some of that chocolate cheesecake." If she was going to interrupt Taylor's feeding time she was going to earn it.
"I'll get it." Chris bounced to his feet and manfully fled for his life. Vista just sat back looking amused. Amy didn't look amused. If anything the stare she was leveling on me was a bit unnerving.
"Where do you put it all?" She finally asked and I blink at the non sequitur. "You and Vicky came just pack it away, but the rest of us have to actually watch our weight." She abruptly flushed as she realized where her rant had gone.
"I was at low energy. My head hurt, my stomach was empty, and then the Aura..." I grimaced, "I didn't exactly mean to go quite that far, but it's a terrible double standard." She looked confused. Kid Win brought back my seconds and I started gesturing with a chicken leg, "Her Aura is a Master effect, right? Those with a Master effect are expected, by PRT regulations, to keep themselves under control. No using it on people casually. I'm sure Glory Girl means well, but the fact that she doesn't control her Aura..." I was eating slower now as the initial edge of my hunger was sated. It also gave Amy a chance to think about what I was saying. A win win situation.
"Did you have to be so blunt?" Amy asked in an aggrieved, but faintly accusatory tone.
"I'm tired of it all the time." Missy said. Panacea rounded on her, but Vista the Ward held up a hand in a placating manner "I'm not being mean, but that is something some of the PRT agents have complained about. It gets told to New Wave, promises are made, but nothing gets done. Victoria is a good person, but it's frustrating." Amy deflated. She had been left with nothing to act on and her righteous indigation collapsed. Her saxophone melody sounded weird. I could hear Glory Girl's melody like a brass trumpet. Bright and loud. The saxophone had some strange trumpet noise?
I was glad that my dinner was finished because otherwise I wouldn't have been able to finish. There was an echo of Glory Girl's melody in Panacea's. I exhaled and seriously thought about what I was contemplating. Would I be able to live with myself if I let this continue? Probably. Would I be happy about it? No. I gave Amy a light pat on the shoulder and gave the melody a nudge. Nothing more than a hip bump because I was not putting myself back in the hospital.
The result was simple. The trumpet was still there in the saxophone, but it was slowly turning into a duet instead of a twisted conjoined instrument. Panacea gave me a grateful look, but for the sympathetic pat. She wouldn't know what I did and I didn't plan on advertising. Not yet. I needed more of a positive reputation first.
"Why don't you tell Amy about your medical scanner?" Kid Win suggested and our conversation turned to something more comfortable. The sound of a sad trumpet approached and I gazed at Glory Girl. She fidgeted, gave a look to her boyfriend, before looking back to me.
"Hey sorry about that. I just got excited. When Dean told me about your power I thought it was kind of cool." She looked so meek and sincere. I felt better and my energy levels had returned.
"It's okay. Sorry about the harshness..." I smiled back.
"Hey if you want...want to go hang out on the Boardwalk this Saturday?" Victoria asked. I thought about it and nodded.
"Sounds good. Hey Missy, Amy, maybe we could make it a girl's day out." The idea was popular, but Amy looked pensive.
"C'mon sis...it's a Saturday...you need to rest more." Glory Girl scolded her sister kindly and my image of her shifted. Brash and stubborn, but a heart of gold. No Aura shenanigans that time.
"Fine...I'll go." Amy relented, but looked happier for it. We moved to join Dean and Dennis at their table after that. It was good to relax and just talk with other people my age. Every day I found myself craving companionship. Lisa reawakened my inner chatterbox, but the Wards were finishing the work she started. I fired off a text to her and invited her out to the Boardwalk.
From: Lisa
To: Taylor
> Sure. We can do that. Wow, but Glory Girl and Panacea? I wouldn't miss that for anything!
I smiled at the response. This could work. My smile fell off as thoughts of Emma came back. She would have had a good time too. I looked around at my fellow Wards, at New Wave, and smiled. If it was possible for me to be here with them then it was possible to reach Emma. Now I just had to find her.
-February 8, 2011 Night time-
Side B
Sophia looked around at the living area. It reminded her disturbingly of the Wards HQ. There were chairs, a couch, and other places to sit scattered around. A game system connected to a big screen TV. Even the teenagers sitting around and lounging about were the same. The faces and circumstances had changed, but it was almost relaxing.
The sense of distrust was also familiar, but not as relaxing. She wasn't wearing her mask since pizza didn't exactly go through one that well. Brian sat across from her with a tenseness born more from worry than actual mistrust. The custody thing with his sister wasn't going well. Coil had promised a crack shot lawyer that would shoot down the opposition, but instead it was being drawn out.
He looked at his cellphone again before going back to his dinner. Bitch was taking care of her dogs and Regent was playing his game. The first few days were harder than now. Rachel had set her dogs on Sophia, but her shadow state let her duck them and kick Bitch across the room. Establishing herself with Rachel was a daily thing. It was always something. Lisa was no help whatsoever, but why should she help the one spying on her?
All Regent cared about was how the money would be divided up. He was more introspective as the days went on. Alec had been like that since he left Lisa's apartment on Saturday. The day that Taylor had spent with the blonde. He didn't seem to want to talk about it, but even as he played his game it was clear he wasn't fully into it.
"Hey Brian. Wanna get over here and play?" He called out with a cheerful grin. Brian huffed and leaned back on the couch. Sophia stared at her plate in confusion. She didn't like being unsure of herself, but here it was. With a barely audible growl she moved over and picked up player two. Alex looked at her steadily, measuringly, but she stared back.
"I'll play." She asserted and he nodded slowly. Something in the air lifted and they started to play. She lost, a lot, but it felt like some invisible barrier had fallen away. Progress made. She could move forward like this. Obstacles didn't need to be smashed down to be overcome. Maybe just a bit more finesse.
Second Arc 2.3
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Second Arc 2.3
-February 9, 2011-
Side A
School had become annoying again. There was no other way to describe it without profanity. I've managed to bring the heat back on to me, but there was some overlap onto Madison. It was so damned annoying. It was more subtle than it had been. No one was sending emails or putting things up on social media. I just grit my teeth and headed to the principal's office. I was not putting up with this again.
The secretary looked up as I stalked into the office. She still had the gall to turn her nose up at me. The district couldn't afford to fire all of the incompetents that lurked here. Was this someone's idea of a controlled environment for trigger events? Put the students under enormous pressure and see if the next Alexandria pops out? The secretary gestured for me to take a seat, but I walked right through the door.
"What is the meaning of this?" Principal Blackwell blustered. She was a thin woman with her blonde hair cut short. She tried to look stern, but this wasn't the old me. I shut the door and took a seat.
"You are not living up to your end of the agreement. I will be having words with my caseworker that the bullying isn't being dealt with. It just shifted from me to someone else." I said curtly.
"The agreement was that you would be treated fairly with no preference. The ones that bullied you are no more and you violated your own No Contact order with how you've been seen with Madison Clements." She pointed out. The darkness swirling in my mind and the light in my heart hadn't reached accord, but they weren't far off. I took a breath to calm myself.
"Actually the agreement was that the bullying in Winslow would be reviewed. It would be taken care of. That the teachers wouldn't turn a blind eye. You're right about no preferential treatment. I made sure to have that put in myself." She wanted to turn this on me? Too bad. I'm not the scared girl that I was, "You wanted a Ward well you have one. You want to keep this Ward then you'll do your job." Principal Blackwell rocked back in her chair.
"You do not tell me what to do. I am the Principal here." She ground out and I folded my arms across my chest in pure teenage defiance.
"If I was trying to order you around I would just go over your head. Oh and my caseworker will be hearing about this." I was done with this and stood up.
"Detention!" She cried out. "You don't want special treatment well you follow the rules! You've got detention!" Inwardly I cringed. Too strong. Way too strong. I was already out the door after making noises of assent. Dad told me that a good negotiation was about speaking from a position of strength. He also said to keep your head and speak with reason. Oh I spoke with reason. I bludgeoned her over the head with weaponized reason. I still pulled out my phone and dialed up my caseworker.
"Taylor? Is something wrong?" Stephen Downs was a man in his fifties. A salt and pepper beard with a head of black hair and could probably have played an extra in a viking movie. That's not to say that he was tall, but there was no way to disguise the fact that he filled his suits. Despite his prodigious physical appearance he was nice guy. His melody was pure Kentucky bluegrass which was hilarious given that he was from Oregon.
"Hello Mr. Downs." I said to which he immediately reminded me to call him Stephen. I continued onward, "Probably best to stay professional." I told him of what happened in the principal's office and I didn't gloss over that I'd behaved like a, well, teenager. He was silent for a time.
"You're serving the detention? Okay. I agree that you deserve that especially if you acted as you said." He was silent again as I heard clicking in the background. Computer keys. Ever since Mir that sound is comforting to me. "You cited the agreement mostly right. The most important part of it was that they keep a closer eye on bullying. You're saying that your former bully is being picked on?"
"Yes she is. She doesn't deserve it and I just want to do the right thing. It's like it went to ground for awhile but is now coming back. I don't know what to do." That was a galling thing to admit. I had no idea what to do.
"We'll look into it, but Taylor? Don't stretch yourself too thin." He chided me. "Now get to class. You're probably late by now." He ended the call after that and I hurried on to my computer class.
The teacher was fine with me being late. Then again I was usually the one done first. Ever since my adjustment this class has been a cakewalk. I spent the rest of class looking at the PHO website. It looked like my day was getting better. CrazyComputerGuy was back from that workshop he had to attend for his job. The subject line had me snort a laugh and quickly control myself. He said he was heading to Michigan.
From: CrazyComputerGuy
To: Aria
Subject: I'm back from the 9th circle
"I was wondering if this time we could avoid the AI talk. It's stimulating to talk to someone that doesn't just accept what they're told, but also listens to both sides. This time though I was wondering if we could just talk. Likes, dislikes, how is school? I'm not fishing for information on your location. I am happily in a relationship with a woman my own age."
I snickered. He was a self confessed workaholic with a coworker that was forever trying to get him to loosen up. I continued reading.
"I enjoy programming. As you know. I'm also into Isaac Asimov. I hope that doesn't sound too cliche, but I enjoy science fiction. Even with the world we live in now fiction is still an escape from what confines us. I'm a purist. I own books in their original format. The tactile sensation of holding a real book in my hand is soothing to me. That even with things as they are now we can still touch a book. I don't mind ebooks, but they just lack the weight to me."
I could relate. One my most treasured possessions from mom is her book collection. Most are hardbound with the glossy covers intact. I smiled as I continued to read. He rhapsodized about the books he read. It gave me an insight into his character. Somewhat old fashioned, but with an interest in the future. Not a dystopian nightmare that he envisioned under AI, but a marvel amongst the stars. I hit the reply button.
"I'm an avid reader myself. I haven't had the time lately, but now the spark's been reignited. I have Asimov, but I also like Anne McCaffrey for sci-fi. The greatest gift I was given was a small library of hardbound novels. I'm not a fan of any one particular genre, but have more eclectic tastes. Douglas Adams and Piers Anthony never fail to make me smile. Does the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy actually count as sci-fi or fantasy?"
Good question, but I was leaning more towards sci-fi. I checked the time and saw that I had a couple minutes left to class. Well it was my own fault for starting this up in class. I tamped down my disappointment and finished the email before sending it off. The internet was a great gift. If Alexander Graham Bell could see what we have now he would be grateful. We have improved the lines of communication to around the world. We transfer information in real time.
I wasn't quite so lost in my musings as to ignore the hostile melodies around me. They were getting more annoyed with each near miss. Each slip I gave them. Sorry, but I was a master of this game before my awakening. They were operating on old information and didn't have the inroads to my head the Trio did. An irreverent thought crossed my mind that I would be a world champion hide and seek player. The giggle that escaped just made people look at me strangely.
Something was bothering me about all this, however. They were watching me, but no one had made a move. Tina wasn't subtle, but her companions were. Finding out that she was E88 had made me facepalm. The crew she was working with wasn't marked, but with how they treated the minorities in the school it screamed Empire. Then again they could be wannabes.
Lunch came and went without an incident, but now the bad feeling had grown. Where was Madison? I could hear her melody from somewhere in the school, but it never came any closer. The end of the day and still no sign of her. Her melody playing from somewhere taunted me. I set off towards it, but the hostile melodies were now shadowing me. I grimaced as the situation got worse. If she was hiding then I would be leading them right to her, but if she was being used as bait then I was walking into a trap.
Inhale, exhale, focus on my breathing, and let the world fall away. What will be will be. If they wanted a fight I would give them one. I would not bow, I would not break, I would...
Run into the chest of a very manly figure. He was taller than me with skin the color of warm chocolate. His hair was in corn rows and he had a very intense look about him. The facial structure looked a bit familiar. His melody lent credence to the intensity. It sounded like the growling purr of a stalking cat. Hmmm...definitely in the string family. I couldn't place it, but it fit.
"Taylor?" Lisa was here? I turned to look and there she was. She had a peculiarly tense look about her, but her melody was embracing and welcoming. "Brian. This is my friend, Taylor." She introduced us and I realized why he looked familiar. There was a girl in the grade below me that had those features. She was well proportioned, but tended to wear provocative clothing.
"Nice to meet you." He sounded distracted, "Hey, Lisa, we have to go. Sorry we have to run." He smiled in a natural manner, but the concern was there.
"I know my way around Winslow. I'm looking for a friend, but maybe we'll find what you're looking for?" Oops. I almost let slip my secret, but managed to stop myself.
"We could use her." Lisa asserted. She glanced at me and I nodded. No words were truly needed. Brian shared a complicated look with my blonde friend, but her vulpine smile was on full blast. He nodded sharply and they fell in step behind me. Lisa and I were paying lip service to the rules, but with the easy familiarity she had with Brian they must be colleagues. They were too in sync to be just friends.
"By the way? Not my boyfriend." Lisa quipped and I grinned.
"I would have said you had good taste myself." The banter flowed easily between us and strangely it calmed Brian. He was still tightly wound, but the edge was taken off.
"She's not really my type." Brian said in an offhand manner that had Lisa squawk in indignation. The focus sharpened as we started up the E88 stairwell. There was a subtle tension in the air that grew as we headed to the top. We could hear voices coming down from above.
"They've been in there all fuckin' day." One voice grumbled.
"How do we get them outta there?" Another one said.
"I dunno...why don't you like...make a fire by the door and smoke 'em out." A voice I recognized as Tina's said. That a tactically sound idea actually came out of her surprised me, but also had me hurrying.
Brian was already tearing up the stairs with peculiarly silent steps and Lisa was already breaking into a run. Her steps were similarly quiet. It took a moment to notice the slight black smoke along the stairs. This wasn't fire smoke, but easily dismissed. I rushed after them. My grace making a headlong sprint upstairs easier than even Brian's greater strides. The scene we rushed in on was glimpsed in a moment.
Two guys were kneeling by the door. One had set down a pack of cigarettes while another guy had piled paper on it. Tina was near the back and pressing herself further into the wall. Three other Empire 88 wannabes were trying to look tough. They were probably feeling confident. One guy and two girls. There were five of them. Brian's melody had already shifted into a harder rhythm with Lisa's shifting at the same moment. I synced with them and just wow. The synergy. They knew each other's roles intimately. Neither of them checked to make sure I was on the same page.
"Well look at that...a nigger and two race traitors. He give you the big D yet?" The shaven headed goon asked. Clearly he was the one actually in charge. The two on the floor straightened up. If they were smart they would be against the wall with Tina.
"Is this the bitch you were complaining about?" Another guy jerks his thumb in my direction while calling that back to Tina. She nodded.
"That's the bitch. She was offered protection, but turned it down." Tina said with a superior smirk.
"She was also the one that sided with Sophia to torment me." I put in even as the three of us stayed ready. Any psychological edge would help.
"That's interesting. Maybe she was being threatened?" Lisa commented idly. We were in her field of combat. "No? Oh I get it...popularity is such a bitch, isn't it? You've got to keep up a balancing act don't you?" She directs it at everyone, but her eyes are on Tina who is turning paler. "Don't believe in anything. Nothing can touch you then. You don't even believe the things coming out your mouth." She leered, "Isn't that just so comforting? You're a social chameleon. Trying to keep yourself safe by allying with the strong."
"Shut up! Shut up!" Tina screamed as she suddenly rushed at Lisa. The whole scene degenerated into utter chaos. My own smile was pure wicked amusement as I waded in to the fight. Brian was clearly a superior fighter and I found myself briefly thinking of asking him for lessons, but my own part of it took up my attention quickly. I placed myself in front of the door to further deny them access. Two of the younger punks, Tina's personal boys, approached me in a rush. I listened for the right moment in their melody. There was a spike of intent and I faded to the side as the one on the left punched the door hard. He was recoiling in pain as the one on the right kicked out at my legs. I performed a one-handed cartwheel over the kick, spun, and whipped my leg across his face hard enough to send him out of the fight.
The remaining thug howled and came at me with his good fist, but this was something I learned. I guided his fist downward with my right hand before swinging my left up into his jaw with a startling crack. I flexed my fingers, but apparently it was something in his mouth that broke. My eyes took in the scene. Lisa had handled Tina easily enough. Somehow the girl had ended up on the floor unconscious. The mystery was solved by the crackling taser in the blonde's hand. She was standing away from the stairs which two more punks used to escape. The battered appearance told the tale.
The last thug looked at the three of us. He was more muscular than they were and more savvy. He spit to the side before just walking past us and heading down the stairs. Brian had wanted to take a crack at him, but Lisa rested a hand on his arm. He snorted like an angry bull, but let it rest. Their melodies were quieting. The melodies behind the door were terrified. Madison's I knew well. There was a strange resolve. Good. Resolve was a good thing. The other melody was strangely hushed. If I had purely human senses a melody that low would be too quiet.
"You can come out now. It's safe." I called through the door. The figures groaning on the floor were dragged away from the door by Brian. I spared them no thought.
"Taylor?" Madison said and I could hear things being pulled away from the door. She stepped out of the room and I hugged her. She hugged me back in relief. Lisa's melody was soothing as she also helped comfort the shorter girl. Brian was looking around the room in confusion.
"Aisha? Where are you?" He sounded worried. I blinked. The hushed melody was there, but my eyes couldn't see the girl in question.
"We'll go check the parking lot. She might be at your car by now." Lisa said a touch louder and the hushed melody hurried out of the room and was down the stairs. Brian just looked confused, but trusted the blonde.
"I didn't see her go..." Madison sounded confused. I patted her shoulder and started to guide her away. She briefly looked back at the groaning figures and looked back at me in surprise. I blushed a bit.
"She was a machine." Lisa said with a smirk. Brian chuckled. Even though he was horribly confused he stayed with us. We made it outside and there was a younger black girl standing by a nice car. She bounced over to Brian and hugged him.
"Shit...that was seriously scary." She shivered before looking at Madison, "Thanks for saving me back there." The short girl just smiled back shyly. There was a sense of pride in her melody that was missing. It was a healthier pride. Aisha looked at me with a mischievous grin, "Damn the supermodel can kick ass. Who woulda guessed?" Her melody sounded kind of strange now that it wasn't suppressed. I looked at it and blinked when a request popped up.
Request: Data Packet
y/n
Her melody was querying me. Her...Shard...was querying me. The melody was humming along without an issue and would be healthy without the request. I shuffled the request into my queue until I had a better idea of what happened.
"We'd better get going." Brian finally said, "It was nice meeting you, Taylor, and you too, Madison. Thanks for helping my sister." He flashed her a grin that I felt the heat from. She managed to thank him for his thanks.
"See you on Saturday, Taylor!" Lisa called out as she hopped into the backseat of the car. Aisha's grin became wider.
"Saturday, huh?" She managed to squeeze so much innuendo into that it should have registered as a heat advisory. Brian palmed his forehead.
"Just get in the car." He finally said before stepping closer to me, "You were good back there. Very good. I look forward to seeing more." My melody just changed from a flute to drums or was that my heart? "I work out at the Gym downtown. If you're lookin' for a sparring partner." Just like that the drum dropped off. He smirked as if he knew what effect his words had on me.
"Sounds good. Maybe I'll get you on your back." I fired back confidently. Aisha guffawed and Lisa was howling. Madison, sweet little Madison, was giggling so hard she vibrated. Brian laughed but exchanged information with me. He got in his car and drove off.
"Okay well I have to get home." Madison finally says. "I'll just get the bus at the corner. What are you gonna do?"
"I have a phone call to make and something to pick up on my way home." The phone call was to my caseworker and the picking something up excuse was for us to separate. The call was routine. I had to explain about the fight. What caused it and whether I could have avoided it or not. Since I hadn't electrocuted anyone or used superhuman speed it was not going to go on my record. Unless someone demanded action nothing would be done.
I hung up and leaned against a fence. Another day and I still hadn't heard anything about Emma. Was she even okay? Would she have contacted me? What is that melody...barely on the edge of my hearing...It sounded so familiar, but I couldn't place it. It suddenly vanished. I narrowed my eyes. Even more questions percolated in my brain as I hurried home. There was something that I had to know. I had to talk to Mir immediately.
One way or another I would have my answers. Wait a minute...the melody returned...but it sounded broken. Distress? An alert flared and I was already moving. The melody kept dropping in and out making it harder to find. The flow wasn't helping. There wasn't enough data! I hurtled along at a frantic pace...just let me be in time...!
Side B
-February 9, 2011-
It was steadily growing harder to ignore her feelings. Emma wanted to see Taylor face to face, but how would that go? She sighed heavily. Since the patch fix the other day it had been easier to keep her mind whole. Stable? Not so much. She hadn't collapsed or lost herself, but it didn't mean she was better. The only way she could be fully better was by finding the Administrator. She groaned at that thought. This was a big world and she was essentially chained to remain in Taylor's orbit.
She loved the girl dearly, but this was very inconvenient. Her current stakeout location was across the street from the school. She was carefully hidden from conventional sight, but she couldn't quiet her melody. Unless someone could hear that she was fine. She had waited outside until after school. Today she would confront Taylor. It had to be today. She was almost vibrating in anticipation.
A muffled melody came hurrying out of the school. The doors opening of their own accord was also a big clue. A scared black girl appeared by a car in the parking lot. She was clutching her chest with a surprised look. The poor girl probably didn't even know she could do that. What caused it though? She focused again on the doors as Taylor came out with a handsome black man, the pretty blonde, and the cute Madison. She sorted that in her head again and giggled at the image. Their melodies blended nicely. Madison was a bit outside, but wasn't excluded. That was good.
They stood in the parking lot and talked a bit. Her heart was almost exploding and her mind kept conjuring up best and worst case scenarios. She had to retract her claws several times. A strange ping registered. What?
Confirmation of Query for Data Packet
She blinked. That girl...she just asked for a Data Packet. Where did it come from? She focused as hard as she dared.
Locating...locating...locat&%$ {static}...
No dammit! Search! She forced it harder. The white noise started up, but the system ramped up to the challenge.
Location: Found
She perked up in hope.
Administrator: Located
Identify: Taylor Hebert
She exhaled in relief. That made so much sense. Taylor was the Administrator. That explained why she wanted to be near her so badly. There was a horrific buzzing all of a sudden. Something inside of her shifted badly.
System Strength: Red
Condition: Critical
No no no...she was so close...She clutched her head and collapsed to her knees limply.
"No..." Her voice...did not sing...it came out as a tortured burst of static.
"Please...T-Tay-Taylor..." She moaned as her head felt like it had been drilled from the inside.
"Emma? Oh my God...Emma!" Taylor rushed over to her downed form and held her close. Emma blinked. Had she died? Something grated in her mind and she bit back a scream. "Stay with me Emma...stay with me..." A phone...someone was being called...her hearing was failing, but Taylor sounded panicked. Her body collapsed into Taylor's form before...
Darkness.
or Melody of Escalation
Second Arc 2.3
-February 9, 2011-
Side A
School had become annoying again. There was no other way to describe it without profanity. I've managed to bring the heat back on to me, but there was some overlap onto Madison. It was so damned annoying. It was more subtle than it had been. No one was sending emails or putting things up on social media. I just grit my teeth and headed to the principal's office. I was not putting up with this again.
The secretary looked up as I stalked into the office. She still had the gall to turn her nose up at me. The district couldn't afford to fire all of the incompetents that lurked here. Was this someone's idea of a controlled environment for trigger events? Put the students under enormous pressure and see if the next Alexandria pops out? The secretary gestured for me to take a seat, but I walked right through the door.
"What is the meaning of this?" Principal Blackwell blustered. She was a thin woman with her blonde hair cut short. She tried to look stern, but this wasn't the old me. I shut the door and took a seat.
"You are not living up to your end of the agreement. I will be having words with my caseworker that the bullying isn't being dealt with. It just shifted from me to someone else." I said curtly.
"The agreement was that you would be treated fairly with no preference. The ones that bullied you are no more and you violated your own No Contact order with how you've been seen with Madison Clements." She pointed out. The darkness swirling in my mind and the light in my heart hadn't reached accord, but they weren't far off. I took a breath to calm myself.
"Actually the agreement was that the bullying in Winslow would be reviewed. It would be taken care of. That the teachers wouldn't turn a blind eye. You're right about no preferential treatment. I made sure to have that put in myself." She wanted to turn this on me? Too bad. I'm not the scared girl that I was, "You wanted a Ward well you have one. You want to keep this Ward then you'll do your job." Principal Blackwell rocked back in her chair.
"You do not tell me what to do. I am the Principal here." She ground out and I folded my arms across my chest in pure teenage defiance.
"If I was trying to order you around I would just go over your head. Oh and my caseworker will be hearing about this." I was done with this and stood up.
"Detention!" She cried out. "You don't want special treatment well you follow the rules! You've got detention!" Inwardly I cringed. Too strong. Way too strong. I was already out the door after making noises of assent. Dad told me that a good negotiation was about speaking from a position of strength. He also said to keep your head and speak with reason. Oh I spoke with reason. I bludgeoned her over the head with weaponized reason. I still pulled out my phone and dialed up my caseworker.
"Taylor? Is something wrong?" Stephen Downs was a man in his fifties. A salt and pepper beard with a head of black hair and could probably have played an extra in a viking movie. That's not to say that he was tall, but there was no way to disguise the fact that he filled his suits. Despite his prodigious physical appearance he was nice guy. His melody was pure Kentucky bluegrass which was hilarious given that he was from Oregon.
"Hello Mr. Downs." I said to which he immediately reminded me to call him Stephen. I continued onward, "Probably best to stay professional." I told him of what happened in the principal's office and I didn't gloss over that I'd behaved like a, well, teenager. He was silent for a time.
"You're serving the detention? Okay. I agree that you deserve that especially if you acted as you said." He was silent again as I heard clicking in the background. Computer keys. Ever since Mir that sound is comforting to me. "You cited the agreement mostly right. The most important part of it was that they keep a closer eye on bullying. You're saying that your former bully is being picked on?"
"Yes she is. She doesn't deserve it and I just want to do the right thing. It's like it went to ground for awhile but is now coming back. I don't know what to do." That was a galling thing to admit. I had no idea what to do.
"We'll look into it, but Taylor? Don't stretch yourself too thin." He chided me. "Now get to class. You're probably late by now." He ended the call after that and I hurried on to my computer class.
The teacher was fine with me being late. Then again I was usually the one done first. Ever since my adjustment this class has been a cakewalk. I spent the rest of class looking at the PHO website. It looked like my day was getting better. CrazyComputerGuy was back from that workshop he had to attend for his job. The subject line had me snort a laugh and quickly control myself. He said he was heading to Michigan.
From: CrazyComputerGuy
To: Aria
Subject: I'm back from the 9th circle
"I was wondering if this time we could avoid the AI talk. It's stimulating to talk to someone that doesn't just accept what they're told, but also listens to both sides. This time though I was wondering if we could just talk. Likes, dislikes, how is school? I'm not fishing for information on your location. I am happily in a relationship with a woman my own age."
I snickered. He was a self confessed workaholic with a coworker that was forever trying to get him to loosen up. I continued reading.
"I enjoy programming. As you know. I'm also into Isaac Asimov. I hope that doesn't sound too cliche, but I enjoy science fiction. Even with the world we live in now fiction is still an escape from what confines us. I'm a purist. I own books in their original format. The tactile sensation of holding a real book in my hand is soothing to me. That even with things as they are now we can still touch a book. I don't mind ebooks, but they just lack the weight to me."
I could relate. One my most treasured possessions from mom is her book collection. Most are hardbound with the glossy covers intact. I smiled as I continued to read. He rhapsodized about the books he read. It gave me an insight into his character. Somewhat old fashioned, but with an interest in the future. Not a dystopian nightmare that he envisioned under AI, but a marvel amongst the stars. I hit the reply button.
"I'm an avid reader myself. I haven't had the time lately, but now the spark's been reignited. I have Asimov, but I also like Anne McCaffrey for sci-fi. The greatest gift I was given was a small library of hardbound novels. I'm not a fan of any one particular genre, but have more eclectic tastes. Douglas Adams and Piers Anthony never fail to make me smile. Does the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy actually count as sci-fi or fantasy?"
Good question, but I was leaning more towards sci-fi. I checked the time and saw that I had a couple minutes left to class. Well it was my own fault for starting this up in class. I tamped down my disappointment and finished the email before sending it off. The internet was a great gift. If Alexander Graham Bell could see what we have now he would be grateful. We have improved the lines of communication to around the world. We transfer information in real time.
I wasn't quite so lost in my musings as to ignore the hostile melodies around me. They were getting more annoyed with each near miss. Each slip I gave them. Sorry, but I was a master of this game before my awakening. They were operating on old information and didn't have the inroads to my head the Trio did. An irreverent thought crossed my mind that I would be a world champion hide and seek player. The giggle that escaped just made people look at me strangely.
Something was bothering me about all this, however. They were watching me, but no one had made a move. Tina wasn't subtle, but her companions were. Finding out that she was E88 had made me facepalm. The crew she was working with wasn't marked, but with how they treated the minorities in the school it screamed Empire. Then again they could be wannabes.
Lunch came and went without an incident, but now the bad feeling had grown. Where was Madison? I could hear her melody from somewhere in the school, but it never came any closer. The end of the day and still no sign of her. Her melody playing from somewhere taunted me. I set off towards it, but the hostile melodies were now shadowing me. I grimaced as the situation got worse. If she was hiding then I would be leading them right to her, but if she was being used as bait then I was walking into a trap.
Inhale, exhale, focus on my breathing, and let the world fall away. What will be will be. If they wanted a fight I would give them one. I would not bow, I would not break, I would...
Run into the chest of a very manly figure. He was taller than me with skin the color of warm chocolate. His hair was in corn rows and he had a very intense look about him. The facial structure looked a bit familiar. His melody lent credence to the intensity. It sounded like the growling purr of a stalking cat. Hmmm...definitely in the string family. I couldn't place it, but it fit.
"Taylor?" Lisa was here? I turned to look and there she was. She had a peculiarly tense look about her, but her melody was embracing and welcoming. "Brian. This is my friend, Taylor." She introduced us and I realized why he looked familiar. There was a girl in the grade below me that had those features. She was well proportioned, but tended to wear provocative clothing.
"Nice to meet you." He sounded distracted, "Hey, Lisa, we have to go. Sorry we have to run." He smiled in a natural manner, but the concern was there.
"I know my way around Winslow. I'm looking for a friend, but maybe we'll find what you're looking for?" Oops. I almost let slip my secret, but managed to stop myself.
"We could use her." Lisa asserted. She glanced at me and I nodded. No words were truly needed. Brian shared a complicated look with my blonde friend, but her vulpine smile was on full blast. He nodded sharply and they fell in step behind me. Lisa and I were paying lip service to the rules, but with the easy familiarity she had with Brian they must be colleagues. They were too in sync to be just friends.
"By the way? Not my boyfriend." Lisa quipped and I grinned.
"I would have said you had good taste myself." The banter flowed easily between us and strangely it calmed Brian. He was still tightly wound, but the edge was taken off.
"She's not really my type." Brian said in an offhand manner that had Lisa squawk in indignation. The focus sharpened as we started up the E88 stairwell. There was a subtle tension in the air that grew as we headed to the top. We could hear voices coming down from above.
"They've been in there all fuckin' day." One voice grumbled.
"How do we get them outta there?" Another one said.
"I dunno...why don't you like...make a fire by the door and smoke 'em out." A voice I recognized as Tina's said. That a tactically sound idea actually came out of her surprised me, but also had me hurrying.
Brian was already tearing up the stairs with peculiarly silent steps and Lisa was already breaking into a run. Her steps were similarly quiet. It took a moment to notice the slight black smoke along the stairs. This wasn't fire smoke, but easily dismissed. I rushed after them. My grace making a headlong sprint upstairs easier than even Brian's greater strides. The scene we rushed in on was glimpsed in a moment.
Two guys were kneeling by the door. One had set down a pack of cigarettes while another guy had piled paper on it. Tina was near the back and pressing herself further into the wall. Three other Empire 88 wannabes were trying to look tough. They were probably feeling confident. One guy and two girls. There were five of them. Brian's melody had already shifted into a harder rhythm with Lisa's shifting at the same moment. I synced with them and just wow. The synergy. They knew each other's roles intimately. Neither of them checked to make sure I was on the same page.
"Well look at that...a nigger and two race traitors. He give you the big D yet?" The shaven headed goon asked. Clearly he was the one actually in charge. The two on the floor straightened up. If they were smart they would be against the wall with Tina.
"Is this the bitch you were complaining about?" Another guy jerks his thumb in my direction while calling that back to Tina. She nodded.
"That's the bitch. She was offered protection, but turned it down." Tina said with a superior smirk.
"She was also the one that sided with Sophia to torment me." I put in even as the three of us stayed ready. Any psychological edge would help.
"That's interesting. Maybe she was being threatened?" Lisa commented idly. We were in her field of combat. "No? Oh I get it...popularity is such a bitch, isn't it? You've got to keep up a balancing act don't you?" She directs it at everyone, but her eyes are on Tina who is turning paler. "Don't believe in anything. Nothing can touch you then. You don't even believe the things coming out your mouth." She leered, "Isn't that just so comforting? You're a social chameleon. Trying to keep yourself safe by allying with the strong."
"Shut up! Shut up!" Tina screamed as she suddenly rushed at Lisa. The whole scene degenerated into utter chaos. My own smile was pure wicked amusement as I waded in to the fight. Brian was clearly a superior fighter and I found myself briefly thinking of asking him for lessons, but my own part of it took up my attention quickly. I placed myself in front of the door to further deny them access. Two of the younger punks, Tina's personal boys, approached me in a rush. I listened for the right moment in their melody. There was a spike of intent and I faded to the side as the one on the left punched the door hard. He was recoiling in pain as the one on the right kicked out at my legs. I performed a one-handed cartwheel over the kick, spun, and whipped my leg across his face hard enough to send him out of the fight.
The remaining thug howled and came at me with his good fist, but this was something I learned. I guided his fist downward with my right hand before swinging my left up into his jaw with a startling crack. I flexed my fingers, but apparently it was something in his mouth that broke. My eyes took in the scene. Lisa had handled Tina easily enough. Somehow the girl had ended up on the floor unconscious. The mystery was solved by the crackling taser in the blonde's hand. She was standing away from the stairs which two more punks used to escape. The battered appearance told the tale.
The last thug looked at the three of us. He was more muscular than they were and more savvy. He spit to the side before just walking past us and heading down the stairs. Brian had wanted to take a crack at him, but Lisa rested a hand on his arm. He snorted like an angry bull, but let it rest. Their melodies were quieting. The melodies behind the door were terrified. Madison's I knew well. There was a strange resolve. Good. Resolve was a good thing. The other melody was strangely hushed. If I had purely human senses a melody that low would be too quiet.
"You can come out now. It's safe." I called through the door. The figures groaning on the floor were dragged away from the door by Brian. I spared them no thought.
"Taylor?" Madison said and I could hear things being pulled away from the door. She stepped out of the room and I hugged her. She hugged me back in relief. Lisa's melody was soothing as she also helped comfort the shorter girl. Brian was looking around the room in confusion.
"Aisha? Where are you?" He sounded worried. I blinked. The hushed melody was there, but my eyes couldn't see the girl in question.
"We'll go check the parking lot. She might be at your car by now." Lisa said a touch louder and the hushed melody hurried out of the room and was down the stairs. Brian just looked confused, but trusted the blonde.
"I didn't see her go..." Madison sounded confused. I patted her shoulder and started to guide her away. She briefly looked back at the groaning figures and looked back at me in surprise. I blushed a bit.
"She was a machine." Lisa said with a smirk. Brian chuckled. Even though he was horribly confused he stayed with us. We made it outside and there was a younger black girl standing by a nice car. She bounced over to Brian and hugged him.
"Shit...that was seriously scary." She shivered before looking at Madison, "Thanks for saving me back there." The short girl just smiled back shyly. There was a sense of pride in her melody that was missing. It was a healthier pride. Aisha looked at me with a mischievous grin, "Damn the supermodel can kick ass. Who woulda guessed?" Her melody sounded kind of strange now that it wasn't suppressed. I looked at it and blinked when a request popped up.
Request: Data Packet
y/n
Her melody was querying me. Her...Shard...was querying me. The melody was humming along without an issue and would be healthy without the request. I shuffled the request into my queue until I had a better idea of what happened.
"We'd better get going." Brian finally said, "It was nice meeting you, Taylor, and you too, Madison. Thanks for helping my sister." He flashed her a grin that I felt the heat from. She managed to thank him for his thanks.
"See you on Saturday, Taylor!" Lisa called out as she hopped into the backseat of the car. Aisha's grin became wider.
"Saturday, huh?" She managed to squeeze so much innuendo into that it should have registered as a heat advisory. Brian palmed his forehead.
"Just get in the car." He finally said before stepping closer to me, "You were good back there. Very good. I look forward to seeing more." My melody just changed from a flute to drums or was that my heart? "I work out at the Gym downtown. If you're lookin' for a sparring partner." Just like that the drum dropped off. He smirked as if he knew what effect his words had on me.
"Sounds good. Maybe I'll get you on your back." I fired back confidently. Aisha guffawed and Lisa was howling. Madison, sweet little Madison, was giggling so hard she vibrated. Brian laughed but exchanged information with me. He got in his car and drove off.
"Okay well I have to get home." Madison finally says. "I'll just get the bus at the corner. What are you gonna do?"
"I have a phone call to make and something to pick up on my way home." The phone call was to my caseworker and the picking something up excuse was for us to separate. The call was routine. I had to explain about the fight. What caused it and whether I could have avoided it or not. Since I hadn't electrocuted anyone or used superhuman speed it was not going to go on my record. Unless someone demanded action nothing would be done.
I hung up and leaned against a fence. Another day and I still hadn't heard anything about Emma. Was she even okay? Would she have contacted me? What is that melody...barely on the edge of my hearing...It sounded so familiar, but I couldn't place it. It suddenly vanished. I narrowed my eyes. Even more questions percolated in my brain as I hurried home. There was something that I had to know. I had to talk to Mir immediately.
One way or another I would have my answers. Wait a minute...the melody returned...but it sounded broken. Distress? An alert flared and I was already moving. The melody kept dropping in and out making it harder to find. The flow wasn't helping. There wasn't enough data! I hurtled along at a frantic pace...just let me be in time...!
Side B
-February 9, 2011-
It was steadily growing harder to ignore her feelings. Emma wanted to see Taylor face to face, but how would that go? She sighed heavily. Since the patch fix the other day it had been easier to keep her mind whole. Stable? Not so much. She hadn't collapsed or lost herself, but it didn't mean she was better. The only way she could be fully better was by finding the Administrator. She groaned at that thought. This was a big world and she was essentially chained to remain in Taylor's orbit.
She loved the girl dearly, but this was very inconvenient. Her current stakeout location was across the street from the school. She was carefully hidden from conventional sight, but she couldn't quiet her melody. Unless someone could hear that she was fine. She had waited outside until after school. Today she would confront Taylor. It had to be today. She was almost vibrating in anticipation.
A muffled melody came hurrying out of the school. The doors opening of their own accord was also a big clue. A scared black girl appeared by a car in the parking lot. She was clutching her chest with a surprised look. The poor girl probably didn't even know she could do that. What caused it though? She focused again on the doors as Taylor came out with a handsome black man, the pretty blonde, and the cute Madison. She sorted that in her head again and giggled at the image. Their melodies blended nicely. Madison was a bit outside, but wasn't excluded. That was good.
They stood in the parking lot and talked a bit. Her heart was almost exploding and her mind kept conjuring up best and worst case scenarios. She had to retract her claws several times. A strange ping registered. What?
Confirmation of Query for Data Packet
She blinked. That girl...she just asked for a Data Packet. Where did it come from? She focused as hard as she dared.
Locating...locating...locat&%$ {static}...
No dammit! Search! She forced it harder. The white noise started up, but the system ramped up to the challenge.
Location: Found
She perked up in hope.
Administrator: Located
Identify: Taylor Hebert
She exhaled in relief. That made so much sense. Taylor was the Administrator. That explained why she wanted to be near her so badly. There was a horrific buzzing all of a sudden. Something inside of her shifted badly.
System Strength: Red
Condition: Critical
No no no...she was so close...She clutched her head and collapsed to her knees limply.
"No..." Her voice...did not sing...it came out as a tortured burst of static.
"Please...T-Tay-Taylor..." She moaned as her head felt like it had been drilled from the inside.
"Emma? Oh my God...Emma!" Taylor rushed over to her downed form and held her close. Emma blinked. Had she died? Something grated in her mind and she bit back a scream. "Stay with me Emma...stay with me..." A phone...someone was being called...her hearing was failing, but Taylor sounded panicked. Her body collapsed into Taylor's form before...
Darkness.
Interlude 2.d
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude 2.d
-February 9, 2011-
Side A - Madison
-Winslow High-
Madison Clements hurried. She hurried from the bus to the school. She hurried from her locker to homeroom. If she was completely honest though it was more that she scurried. Tina wasn't the only one that harassed her, but was definitely the most frequent one. The short brunette just kept her head down and scurried. Ever since Sophia and Emma lost their power it had been this way. She had no one to blame but herself for the turnaround. Their victim, Taylor, was definitely changed.
She had come back to school looking like a model. There was talk about plastic surgery, but it looked too natural. Panacea probably could have done it, but she wouldn't. Taylor's dad and a lawyer broke the school down and demanded that things change. Sophia, Emma, and Madison were hit with no contact orders within hours. Madison had honestly been relieved. The locker had been going too far. The whole situation had been bad, but that had been a special kind of hell. Those screams haunted her even in daylight.
The Trio's friends hadn't understood why they were following the rules with the no contact in play. Emma had told them both straight that her dad would not defend them if they were that stupid. She had smiled and nodded, but Sophia had looked put out. Not homicidal, but almost petulant. All three of them had been changed that day, but it was most obvious in their leader. The others at school didn't understand the law. When your friend's dad is a lawyer you learn.
Tina Kern was one those that Sophia despised. Someone that didn't believe in anything. No great goal or ambition. She just existed to make her life more comfortable. However, since they weren't doing anything now, she had developed ambition. Sophia and Emma weren't here to make an example of, but Madison was. The irony wasn't lost on her. The bully being bullied. She just scurried now.
Today was different. She was set to scurry, but something up ahead caught her attention. It looked like a confrontation of some kind between Tina and a smaller black girl that was somewhat...gifted. She spared a brief glance at her own modest assets before looking back at the altercation. Tina had a typical teenage girl appearance. Average in every way. She had her own group of friends standing around. Madison noticed something immediately. It wasn't that they were all white, but some of them had shaved heads.
She allowed herself a moment to think it wasn't what it looked like, but comforting lies didn't work anymore. The E88 looking guys had fanned out. Four of them. The girls were standing back and not crowding.
"You should know your place, trash." Tina spat at the girl.
"I know my place, bitch. You wouldn't be so tough without these fuckers." Wow this girl had a mouth on her. Madison wasn't sure whether to be appalled or impressed.
"What would you do about it, nigger? Huh? Nothing. You're nothing." The taller girl spoke down to the shorter one. The girl she had sneered down at swung her fist up, but one of the guys grabbed her wrist. The anger was strong, and the girl struggled, but the young man's grip was firm. Madison knew what would happen. It wouldn't be the first time. No Sophia to keep them in line and they reveled in their new freedom.
The struggles slowed at the girl realized no help was coming. She cast her gaze about wildly until it fell on Madison. Her eyes...pleading...terrified...Taylor's eyes...how often had she been denied? Something burned inside of her. A cold lump started to heat up. She grit her teeth and charged forward. Madison tucked her head down, made herself more compact, and slammed right into the guy's stomach. She recoiled briefly, but grabbed the freed girl's wrist and dragged her away.
The attack surprised Madison more than anyone. It worked! She looked back at the person she saved and saw something worrying. They were being chased. No one tried to stop them as they ran, but they couldn't keep it up. Madison ran on autopilot. She dragged the girl into the E88 stairwell and up the stairs.
"What the hell?" The girl was panting, but kept up with Madison's frantic speed, "This is their...stairs..." She panted.
"Safety...at top..." Madison gasped. She was not the most athletic person, but panic did wonders for stamina. They reached the door at the top of the stairs just in time. The punks had found where they'd gone. She practically shoved the girl into the room before following. Madison grabbed the heavy trunk and tried to pull it, but couldn't. She strained and managed to get it to move fractionally. The girl she helped also started shoving the trunk. They had just managed to get it in front of the door before someone bounced off the other side.
That was a sturdy door and a heavy chest. Madison slumped to the ground by the wall and groaned softly. She looked over at the younger black girl. Her figure was better than hers, but the clothes she wore were trashy. She shook her head slowly.
"Damn...damn it..." The girl checked her phone and growled. She actually growled, "No signal. No fuckin' signal? What the fuck?" She glared at the door. They had started pounding and shoving at the door, but it wasn't budging. Madison looked at that trunk with new appreciation. "Hey, check your phone." Wow that girl was bossy, but it was a good idea. No signal.
"No signal." Madison sighed resigned.
"Fuck!" She kicked the trunk and let out another, softer, curse at barking her toe. Madison just watched her passively.
"When they leave we can get out of here. Might as well sit down and get comfortable." She pointed out to the dark haired girl. The black girl had a purple streak in her hair that she had just noticed. The girl groaned, but sat down near her.
"Name's Aisha. Aisha Laborn. You?" Aisha asked. If they were trapped together might as well be friendly.
"Madison Clements. I'd say it's nice to meet you..." Madison trailed off uncomfortably.
"But you'd be lyin'. I got it." She narrowed her eyes at me. "Why'd you do that?" The brunette could have pretended to not understand, but that probably wouldn't fly.
"The look in your eyes." Madison stared down at her hands. "That look of...Oh God why me?" She shrugged slightly. "I saw that look too much." Aisha was silent.
"That Hebert girl...right?" She asked. Madison glanced at her. It must have been big news. "Damn that was some fucked up shit." Aisha sat back. The only sound was the gangbangers shouting through the door. Some of what they were threatening was hair raising.
"It was some fucked up shit." The brunette finally replied. "The worst part of it? She forgave me."
"How is that the worst part?" The other girl asked with confusion on her face.
"I haven't forgiven myself." And that killed all conversation.
The next few hours were spent in silence. Aisha tried to get her phone to work while Madison just stayed lost in thought. At one point the girl broke the silence to try "forcing herself to become a Tinker" but that worked about as well as the rest. All it did was leave her with a dismantled phone. Madison just picked up the pieces and put them back together.
"You're too damn quiet. I keep thinkin' you'll disappear." Aisha jokes.
"That would be nice." Madison replied, but this time Aisha isn't letting it go. She sat down on the trunk and just stared at Madison.
"You're kinda dumb." The black girl stated bluntly. "Oh boo hoo ya fucked up. Life is a fuck up." Madison just stared back at her.
"You're...really bad at this..." Before she can stop herself, she starts to laugh. The laughter bubbled up and refused to be bottled tight again. Aisha started laughing along with her. The two of them fell silent, but it was more companionable this time.
"Seriously...I owe ya one. Doesn't matter why ya did it." Aisha looked smaller, more vulnerable, "I was scared. My only hope at that point was the ABB...teachers don't do shit." She said softly. Madison moved to sit beside her and rubbed her back soothingly.
"I've been on both sides...now I just wish there hadn't been a side..." The brunette said, "We just have to wait for them to get bored and leave." She said with more optimism than she actually felt.
"If I'm not outta here by the end of school my brother is gonna come looking for me. Brian is a big guy. Those assholes wouldn't know what hit 'em." Aisha said with a vicious grin. Madison could allow herself to believe it would be that easy.
The end of the day came and went with their hopes. It sounded like they were all outside the door. They weren't shouting through the door. Worse. They were discussing things. The two girls stood in the center of the room with no idea of what to do. If they had still been yelling it might have drawn attention, but this silence meant they were planning.
"We need to run." Madison said determinedly.
"How do we run? They're right outside the door." Aisha asked with a note of fright.
"They have to come in here to get us. We're smaller than they are. We let them come in and then we break through." She was already preparing herself, but her companion didn't look convinced.
"You went crazy didn't ya?" Aisha groaned. Unfortunately the decision was taken away from them. Black smoke started to creep under the door. The tiny window in the storage room was too small to act as proper ventilation, but they opened it anyway. They tried screaming for help, but no one was answering.
"Okay, fuck it, we take our chances." The black girl said before starting to yank at the trunk, but it wouldn't budge. At all. Madison hurried over to help, but now it wasn't moving. She had more adrenaline flooding her system, but it wasn't working. Aisha was hyperventilating and pleading as the smoke drifted along the floor.
"Move damn you!" Madison screamed at the trunk and managed to heave it aside. She saw the door open and there was the tallest black guy she had ever seen standing beside Taylor. He was very handsome and reminded her of...Aisha? How had she forgotten Aisha? A gust of air pushed her aside, but she kept her footing. The smoke had also stopped which was good.
The next hour had been a blur. When Taylor realized she hadn't seen Madison all day she had gone looking for her. She found Aisha's brother and the blonde, Lisa, on the way. They found Aisha in the parking lot having fled straight to her brother's car. That was a relief. Madison had really taken to the energetic girl.
She was now on her way to the bus stop. Up ahead was Tina. She looked terrible.
"Screw it..." Madison was just too exhausted to care and stood at the bus stop.
"You really screwed things up for me." Tina fumed with her fists clenched.
"Fuck off." The brunette replied almost pleasantly. Just learning to say fuck it was doing wonders. It worked for Aisha after all.
"I'm in deep shit and you just told me to fuck off!?" She shrieked. Madison turned her head to actually take in her tormentor's appearance. Taylor could be forgiving. Then again she had actually admitted how badly she fucked up. Thing is? She's not as nice as Taylor.
"You're in gymnastics right?" The shorter girl asked conversationally.
"Yeah? So what does that have to do with anything?" That apparently threw Tina for a loop.
"Go fuck yourself. You're limber enough. Maybe get that stick out of your ass." Madison chirped pleasantly. She never knew someone could turn that shade of red. It had darkened to a nice crimson. Tina swung wildly and Madison held up her backpack. She didn't even feel the impact of fist with bag, but the taller girl started bawling. She cradled her hand gingerly.
Madison blinked at that. She opened her backpack curiously. What was in there? Oh...she'd started carrying all of her books...She actually looked sheepish. That must have been it.
"Sorry about that..." She laughed nervously. Tina, unsurprisingly, flipped her off. With her good hand.
Side B – Aisha
-Same Day-
-Brian Laborn's Apartment-
Aisha snuggled up with her brother on the couch. He was a little leery about her strange behavior, but put his arm around her comfortingly. She tried to ignore the elephant in the room, but the bastard just danced away without a care. That metaphor kind of got away from her. Lisa was still there. Which was kind of surprising, but made the girl feel a bit better. The blonde was like having an older sister at times.
"What happened, Aisha?" Brian asked. She sighed, but they had to talk about it anyway.
"It was Tina. She's been harassing me since I started at Winslow. She wasn't a big thing, but when Sophia left the skinheads got braver. Tina started hangin' out with them. She wasn't a big thing until the punk ass skinheads got involved..." She grumbled. Brian's grip on her shoulders tightened.
"She was bothering you this morning, huh?" Lisa asked. Aisha knew that if she wanted to the blonde could have read the whole thing. She was scary like that, but apparently the normally talkative girl was letting her tell it.
"Yeah...it started like this..." She then told them about what happened. The usual thing with Tina getting in her face and Aisha not backing down. When the guy went to grab her was when the script flipped. "Madison...this girl smaller than me...went all human cannonball and knocked the guy down. She then grabbed me and ran off. We ended up stuck in that storage room for hours."
"What happened then?" Brian asked.
"We saw smoke under the door...black smoke...and figured they were actually gonna smoke us out. We opened the window, but that didn't help. We...Brian...why are you lookin' like that?" She asked as her brother had managed to turn nearly white. Lisa outright cracked up. "Hey this shit is serious...as in seriously scary shit...there was a fire..." She tried to impress on them how serious it was, but Lisa was still laughing. Brian hurled a cushion at the blonde and she stifled her giggles with it.
"Uhhh...Aisha? That...that was your brother's power...He uhhh...made the smoke..." Lisa managed to get out between wheezes. The younger girl turned her head to stare at her brother.
"To be fair...they were planning on smoking you out..." Brian managed to say feebly. Aisha proceeded to whack him about the shoulder and arm before sitting back with her arms crossed across her chest.
"Well I didn't wanna be noticed and before I knew it no one could see me. Madison...she looked worried...but that Taylor girl? Knew right where I was. Not surprised Lisa did though..." Aisha shrugged. Brian looked curiously at Lisa.
"That's a good point. You said your friend Taylor was good, but that was scarily good. She also knew to go right for that stairwell. You've never let anyone go on point unless you trust them." The dark young man pointed out and the blonde stopped sniggering finally.
"Yeah and we're not talking about it. Just the same way she didn't talk about your black smoke." Lisa shifted a bit defensively.
"This won't come back to bite us?" Brian asked. Wow the look he received in return made Aisha glad she never got that.
"To put it very mildly the girl has a hero complex. She's one of those trust and save types. She's that genuine." The vehemence in her tone actually shocked Lisa. Aisha decided her brother needed a break and poked the bear.
"The two of you seemed pretty sweet on each other." The younger girl teased. The blonde managed an impressive blush which was surprising. She kept it up while she had the advantage, "The way you turned towards each other...leaned close...all that body language." She grinned wickedly. The glint in Lisa's eyes warned her that There Be Dragons if she continued, but it got the blonde to leave her brother alone.
"We clicked, okay?" Lisa was already cooling down. "My Thinker power couldn't get one over on hers. We don't have telepathy, but sometimes...we just have whole conversations without saying a word..." She massages her forehead. Not from a Thinker headache, but from a mundane one, "Which all of a sudden explains the strange looks we get."
"You just confirmed she's got a Thinker power." Brian pointed out and the blonde froze. Her walls slammed back up.
"Give 'er a break, Brian!" Aisha tried, but already Lisa's walls were back up. The older boy looked like he could kick himself. The two were close, but she didn't often leave herself open.
"Sorry Lisa..." He said lamely. She shook her head.
"Don't worry about it. We weren't hiding ourselves either." She leaned back in her chair and the mood lightened. The older teens looked at Aisha, "I know what you're thinking, Brian, and are you sure?" The blonde asked.
"Yeah I am. She'd be better off with us than on her own." Brian commented. "Aisha...I don't want you in danger, but you would be anyway. At least I know you could keep yourself safe." He then pitched for her to join the Undersiders.
Aisha didn't have to think about it at all. She agreed.
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude 2.d
-February 9, 2011-
Side A - Madison
-Winslow High-
Madison Clements hurried. She hurried from the bus to the school. She hurried from her locker to homeroom. If she was completely honest though it was more that she scurried. Tina wasn't the only one that harassed her, but was definitely the most frequent one. The short brunette just kept her head down and scurried. Ever since Sophia and Emma lost their power it had been this way. She had no one to blame but herself for the turnaround. Their victim, Taylor, was definitely changed.
She had come back to school looking like a model. There was talk about plastic surgery, but it looked too natural. Panacea probably could have done it, but she wouldn't. Taylor's dad and a lawyer broke the school down and demanded that things change. Sophia, Emma, and Madison were hit with no contact orders within hours. Madison had honestly been relieved. The locker had been going too far. The whole situation had been bad, but that had been a special kind of hell. Those screams haunted her even in daylight.
The Trio's friends hadn't understood why they were following the rules with the no contact in play. Emma had told them both straight that her dad would not defend them if they were that stupid. She had smiled and nodded, but Sophia had looked put out. Not homicidal, but almost petulant. All three of them had been changed that day, but it was most obvious in their leader. The others at school didn't understand the law. When your friend's dad is a lawyer you learn.
Tina Kern was one those that Sophia despised. Someone that didn't believe in anything. No great goal or ambition. She just existed to make her life more comfortable. However, since they weren't doing anything now, she had developed ambition. Sophia and Emma weren't here to make an example of, but Madison was. The irony wasn't lost on her. The bully being bullied. She just scurried now.
Today was different. She was set to scurry, but something up ahead caught her attention. It looked like a confrontation of some kind between Tina and a smaller black girl that was somewhat...gifted. She spared a brief glance at her own modest assets before looking back at the altercation. Tina had a typical teenage girl appearance. Average in every way. She had her own group of friends standing around. Madison noticed something immediately. It wasn't that they were all white, but some of them had shaved heads.
She allowed herself a moment to think it wasn't what it looked like, but comforting lies didn't work anymore. The E88 looking guys had fanned out. Four of them. The girls were standing back and not crowding.
"You should know your place, trash." Tina spat at the girl.
"I know my place, bitch. You wouldn't be so tough without these fuckers." Wow this girl had a mouth on her. Madison wasn't sure whether to be appalled or impressed.
"What would you do about it, nigger? Huh? Nothing. You're nothing." The taller girl spoke down to the shorter one. The girl she had sneered down at swung her fist up, but one of the guys grabbed her wrist. The anger was strong, and the girl struggled, but the young man's grip was firm. Madison knew what would happen. It wouldn't be the first time. No Sophia to keep them in line and they reveled in their new freedom.
The struggles slowed at the girl realized no help was coming. She cast her gaze about wildly until it fell on Madison. Her eyes...pleading...terrified...Taylor's eyes...how often had she been denied? Something burned inside of her. A cold lump started to heat up. She grit her teeth and charged forward. Madison tucked her head down, made herself more compact, and slammed right into the guy's stomach. She recoiled briefly, but grabbed the freed girl's wrist and dragged her away.
The attack surprised Madison more than anyone. It worked! She looked back at the person she saved and saw something worrying. They were being chased. No one tried to stop them as they ran, but they couldn't keep it up. Madison ran on autopilot. She dragged the girl into the E88 stairwell and up the stairs.
"What the hell?" The girl was panting, but kept up with Madison's frantic speed, "This is their...stairs..." She panted.
"Safety...at top..." Madison gasped. She was not the most athletic person, but panic did wonders for stamina. They reached the door at the top of the stairs just in time. The punks had found where they'd gone. She practically shoved the girl into the room before following. Madison grabbed the heavy trunk and tried to pull it, but couldn't. She strained and managed to get it to move fractionally. The girl she helped also started shoving the trunk. They had just managed to get it in front of the door before someone bounced off the other side.
That was a sturdy door and a heavy chest. Madison slumped to the ground by the wall and groaned softly. She looked over at the younger black girl. Her figure was better than hers, but the clothes she wore were trashy. She shook her head slowly.
"Damn...damn it..." The girl checked her phone and growled. She actually growled, "No signal. No fuckin' signal? What the fuck?" She glared at the door. They had started pounding and shoving at the door, but it wasn't budging. Madison looked at that trunk with new appreciation. "Hey, check your phone." Wow that girl was bossy, but it was a good idea. No signal.
"No signal." Madison sighed resigned.
"Fuck!" She kicked the trunk and let out another, softer, curse at barking her toe. Madison just watched her passively.
"When they leave we can get out of here. Might as well sit down and get comfortable." She pointed out to the dark haired girl. The black girl had a purple streak in her hair that she had just noticed. The girl groaned, but sat down near her.
"Name's Aisha. Aisha Laborn. You?" Aisha asked. If they were trapped together might as well be friendly.
"Madison Clements. I'd say it's nice to meet you..." Madison trailed off uncomfortably.
"But you'd be lyin'. I got it." She narrowed her eyes at me. "Why'd you do that?" The brunette could have pretended to not understand, but that probably wouldn't fly.
"The look in your eyes." Madison stared down at her hands. "That look of...Oh God why me?" She shrugged slightly. "I saw that look too much." Aisha was silent.
"That Hebert girl...right?" She asked. Madison glanced at her. It must have been big news. "Damn that was some fucked up shit." Aisha sat back. The only sound was the gangbangers shouting through the door. Some of what they were threatening was hair raising.
"It was some fucked up shit." The brunette finally replied. "The worst part of it? She forgave me."
"How is that the worst part?" The other girl asked with confusion on her face.
"I haven't forgiven myself." And that killed all conversation.
The next few hours were spent in silence. Aisha tried to get her phone to work while Madison just stayed lost in thought. At one point the girl broke the silence to try "forcing herself to become a Tinker" but that worked about as well as the rest. All it did was leave her with a dismantled phone. Madison just picked up the pieces and put them back together.
"You're too damn quiet. I keep thinkin' you'll disappear." Aisha jokes.
"That would be nice." Madison replied, but this time Aisha isn't letting it go. She sat down on the trunk and just stared at Madison.
"You're kinda dumb." The black girl stated bluntly. "Oh boo hoo ya fucked up. Life is a fuck up." Madison just stared back at her.
"You're...really bad at this..." Before she can stop herself, she starts to laugh. The laughter bubbled up and refused to be bottled tight again. Aisha started laughing along with her. The two of them fell silent, but it was more companionable this time.
"Seriously...I owe ya one. Doesn't matter why ya did it." Aisha looked smaller, more vulnerable, "I was scared. My only hope at that point was the ABB...teachers don't do shit." She said softly. Madison moved to sit beside her and rubbed her back soothingly.
"I've been on both sides...now I just wish there hadn't been a side..." The brunette said, "We just have to wait for them to get bored and leave." She said with more optimism than she actually felt.
"If I'm not outta here by the end of school my brother is gonna come looking for me. Brian is a big guy. Those assholes wouldn't know what hit 'em." Aisha said with a vicious grin. Madison could allow herself to believe it would be that easy.
The end of the day came and went with their hopes. It sounded like they were all outside the door. They weren't shouting through the door. Worse. They were discussing things. The two girls stood in the center of the room with no idea of what to do. If they had still been yelling it might have drawn attention, but this silence meant they were planning.
"We need to run." Madison said determinedly.
"How do we run? They're right outside the door." Aisha asked with a note of fright.
"They have to come in here to get us. We're smaller than they are. We let them come in and then we break through." She was already preparing herself, but her companion didn't look convinced.
"You went crazy didn't ya?" Aisha groaned. Unfortunately the decision was taken away from them. Black smoke started to creep under the door. The tiny window in the storage room was too small to act as proper ventilation, but they opened it anyway. They tried screaming for help, but no one was answering.
"Okay, fuck it, we take our chances." The black girl said before starting to yank at the trunk, but it wouldn't budge. At all. Madison hurried over to help, but now it wasn't moving. She had more adrenaline flooding her system, but it wasn't working. Aisha was hyperventilating and pleading as the smoke drifted along the floor.
"Move damn you!" Madison screamed at the trunk and managed to heave it aside. She saw the door open and there was the tallest black guy she had ever seen standing beside Taylor. He was very handsome and reminded her of...Aisha? How had she forgotten Aisha? A gust of air pushed her aside, but she kept her footing. The smoke had also stopped which was good.
The next hour had been a blur. When Taylor realized she hadn't seen Madison all day she had gone looking for her. She found Aisha's brother and the blonde, Lisa, on the way. They found Aisha in the parking lot having fled straight to her brother's car. That was a relief. Madison had really taken to the energetic girl.
She was now on her way to the bus stop. Up ahead was Tina. She looked terrible.
"Screw it..." Madison was just too exhausted to care and stood at the bus stop.
"You really screwed things up for me." Tina fumed with her fists clenched.
"Fuck off." The brunette replied almost pleasantly. Just learning to say fuck it was doing wonders. It worked for Aisha after all.
"I'm in deep shit and you just told me to fuck off!?" She shrieked. Madison turned her head to actually take in her tormentor's appearance. Taylor could be forgiving. Then again she had actually admitted how badly she fucked up. Thing is? She's not as nice as Taylor.
"You're in gymnastics right?" The shorter girl asked conversationally.
"Yeah? So what does that have to do with anything?" That apparently threw Tina for a loop.
"Go fuck yourself. You're limber enough. Maybe get that stick out of your ass." Madison chirped pleasantly. She never knew someone could turn that shade of red. It had darkened to a nice crimson. Tina swung wildly and Madison held up her backpack. She didn't even feel the impact of fist with bag, but the taller girl started bawling. She cradled her hand gingerly.
Madison blinked at that. She opened her backpack curiously. What was in there? Oh...she'd started carrying all of her books...She actually looked sheepish. That must have been it.
"Sorry about that..." She laughed nervously. Tina, unsurprisingly, flipped her off. With her good hand.
Side B – Aisha
-Same Day-
-Brian Laborn's Apartment-
Aisha snuggled up with her brother on the couch. He was a little leery about her strange behavior, but put his arm around her comfortingly. She tried to ignore the elephant in the room, but the bastard just danced away without a care. That metaphor kind of got away from her. Lisa was still there. Which was kind of surprising, but made the girl feel a bit better. The blonde was like having an older sister at times.
"What happened, Aisha?" Brian asked. She sighed, but they had to talk about it anyway.
"It was Tina. She's been harassing me since I started at Winslow. She wasn't a big thing, but when Sophia left the skinheads got braver. Tina started hangin' out with them. She wasn't a big thing until the punk ass skinheads got involved..." She grumbled. Brian's grip on her shoulders tightened.
"She was bothering you this morning, huh?" Lisa asked. Aisha knew that if she wanted to the blonde could have read the whole thing. She was scary like that, but apparently the normally talkative girl was letting her tell it.
"Yeah...it started like this..." She then told them about what happened. The usual thing with Tina getting in her face and Aisha not backing down. When the guy went to grab her was when the script flipped. "Madison...this girl smaller than me...went all human cannonball and knocked the guy down. She then grabbed me and ran off. We ended up stuck in that storage room for hours."
"What happened then?" Brian asked.
"We saw smoke under the door...black smoke...and figured they were actually gonna smoke us out. We opened the window, but that didn't help. We...Brian...why are you lookin' like that?" She asked as her brother had managed to turn nearly white. Lisa outright cracked up. "Hey this shit is serious...as in seriously scary shit...there was a fire..." She tried to impress on them how serious it was, but Lisa was still laughing. Brian hurled a cushion at the blonde and she stifled her giggles with it.
"Uhhh...Aisha? That...that was your brother's power...He uhhh...made the smoke..." Lisa managed to get out between wheezes. The younger girl turned her head to stare at her brother.
"To be fair...they were planning on smoking you out..." Brian managed to say feebly. Aisha proceeded to whack him about the shoulder and arm before sitting back with her arms crossed across her chest.
"Well I didn't wanna be noticed and before I knew it no one could see me. Madison...she looked worried...but that Taylor girl? Knew right where I was. Not surprised Lisa did though..." Aisha shrugged. Brian looked curiously at Lisa.
"That's a good point. You said your friend Taylor was good, but that was scarily good. She also knew to go right for that stairwell. You've never let anyone go on point unless you trust them." The dark young man pointed out and the blonde stopped sniggering finally.
"Yeah and we're not talking about it. Just the same way she didn't talk about your black smoke." Lisa shifted a bit defensively.
"This won't come back to bite us?" Brian asked. Wow the look he received in return made Aisha glad she never got that.
"To put it very mildly the girl has a hero complex. She's one of those trust and save types. She's that genuine." The vehemence in her tone actually shocked Lisa. Aisha decided her brother needed a break and poked the bear.
"The two of you seemed pretty sweet on each other." The younger girl teased. The blonde managed an impressive blush which was surprising. She kept it up while she had the advantage, "The way you turned towards each other...leaned close...all that body language." She grinned wickedly. The glint in Lisa's eyes warned her that There Be Dragons if she continued, but it got the blonde to leave her brother alone.
"We clicked, okay?" Lisa was already cooling down. "My Thinker power couldn't get one over on hers. We don't have telepathy, but sometimes...we just have whole conversations without saying a word..." She massages her forehead. Not from a Thinker headache, but from a mundane one, "Which all of a sudden explains the strange looks we get."
"You just confirmed she's got a Thinker power." Brian pointed out and the blonde froze. Her walls slammed back up.
"Give 'er a break, Brian!" Aisha tried, but already Lisa's walls were back up. The older boy looked like he could kick himself. The two were close, but she didn't often leave herself open.
"Sorry Lisa..." He said lamely. She shook her head.
"Don't worry about it. We weren't hiding ourselves either." She leaned back in her chair and the mood lightened. The older teens looked at Aisha, "I know what you're thinking, Brian, and are you sure?" The blonde asked.
"Yeah I am. She'd be better off with us than on her own." Brian commented. "Aisha...I don't want you in danger, but you would be anyway. At least I know you could keep yourself safe." He then pitched for her to join the Undersiders.
Aisha didn't have to think about it at all. She agreed.
Second Arc 2.4
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Second Arc 2.4
-February 9-10, 2011-
-Hebert Residence-
Emma lay on my bed so peacefully that it appeared she was only sleeping. That was not the case. Nothing I did would wake her. I looked over to Dad. He hadn't left the doorway since we got home. The redhead was currently resting, but I was getting frantic pings that were telling me something was very wrong. I had to fix that somehow, but I also had to explain all of this to my dad.
"Taylor...maybe she needs a hospital? I know you asked me to bring her home, but if she did kill her parents..." His melody was wary. There was nothing I could do to ease that wariness. Well maybe the truth? I was already bending the rules here if not outright breaking them.
"It was self defense, Dad." That startled him and I pushed forward, "They shot her and hit her with over the head. If she hadn't been a Brute it would have killed her." His melody was still wary, but had settled down from fear.
"What can you do that a hospital can't?" He finally asked and I went over to my computer. "You said she's in a coma?"
"Right now she's like a computer with a crashed operating system. Her body is fine, but her mind isn't..." I was already working. When in doubt: code. I still couldn't reliably get into the Binary Field without a hand and Mir wasn't connected into my systems anymore. My information gathering was a passive function. If I wanted to talk to them then I was going to have to set up something.
"If she's lost her mind...Taylor...you're talking about a coma. The mind and the body aren't in agreement." He placed a hand on my shoulder and I turned to look at him. My fingers flew over the keys as I gave him my attention. There was no help for it. If I was going to establish that I'm literally Emma's best chance then it was time.
"Dad...we need to talk." I turned away from the computer to face him. He blinked at the sudden shift. I sat on the end of my bed to give him the computer chair. My hand found it's way to Emma's foot and I gave her toe a light squeeze. At some point the clothing she had been wearing had vanished in motes of light. I dressed her in one of Dad's t-shirts and my shorts.
"This is going to be an uncomfortable talk I take it?" Dad asked in an attempt to lighten the mood, but the worry in his melody had increased. I grimaced, but didn't correct him.
"That day in the locker...I was shattering. Mentally, emotionally, spiritually...I wasn't anywhere close to being whole. At one point I went psychotic." It stuck in me that I hadn't actually addressed this. Dad sat and watched me, but the urge to take me in his arms was growing stronger. I needed to finish before that happened. "But there was someone else there with me. Her name is Mir. She contacted me from another dimension and made me an offer. Help her people learn more about capes. My benefit was to be given the ability to not only survive, but thrive."
"What if you had refused?" He sounded skeptical, but not outright dismissive. Considering we had communication with Earth Aleph made explaining this easier.
"Dad? I didn't want to refuse. It had to be better than my current situation. Even if I had gone crazy at least the voice was kind." I grimaced, "You know that makes it sound worse?" I was in a situation that I couldn't escape by myself and someone made an offer of salvation if I worked for them. By the look on Dad's face he thought so as well.
"Have they at least kept their end of the bargain?" He asked in a flat tone. His melody was very unhappy. Damage control program initiated.
"Dad...Mir stayed with me. She held me and spoke to me. She helped me make my mind whole again. She would have even got me out of that locker without the offer being accepted. I don't know how she would have done it, but she would have found a way. I had everything they needed, but Mir's first concern was my wants. My desires." I poured my heart into my words. Mir had become my second mother. It was all my own heart. Dad sighed, but his melody had smoothed out. It was still at alert, but he was deescalating.
"What did she give you?" He finally asked. I stared at Emma's sleeping face as I thought about it. This was the point of no return. She looked back into his eyes. He gripped her hand tightly, "It's not so bad that you won't be my daughter. I will always love you." Emma's melody flared slightly in support. How much had that cost her? To support me? The love in my dad's eyes tipped the scales.
"You know what a Case 53 is well...my powers were adjusted and I willingly became one. In their dimension I'm what's referred to as a Reyvateil. It doesn't give me super strength or speed. No inhuman durability. What it does give me is an insane learning curve and an instinctive grasp of technologies. My ability to read emotional states is entirely my own power." I exhaled slowly, but dad's grasp on my hand remained strong.
"And you were worried about how I would react..." Dad said softly. "I will admit...it...it is a lot to take in...but I knew you weren't sleeping. That you were up at all hours...To have this worry..." Without meaning to I started laughing. It startled us both as I laughed so hard.
"Oh Dad...uh..." I coughed to try and stop the laughing, "I don't actually need sleep anymore. I sleep sometimes because I like it and I'm still used to sleeping." Me and Miss Militia. The No Sleep Queens.
"Well that's good to know." Dad nodded slowly. "Now what does this have to do with Emma?" The atmosphere was clearer. We weren't entirely out of the woods yet, but we were back on the path. I pulled my laptop over and started typing. "Do you need your computer? I can move..." He went to stand and I waved him back down.
"What I have on one I have on the other. Nice thing about sharing networks. A parahuman's powers come from 'Shards.' These Shards are interdimensional data storage devices given out by Entities like candy. Having a bad day? Worst day of your life? Here! Have a power that will probably make your life worse!" My opinion on this whole system was no better than any other Reyvateil's. Dad looked startled.
"What exactly does that mean?" He asked quietly.
"They give out powers to emotionally damaged people. These Shards have a crude system for gathering information. They ping other Shards in the area at the moment of triggering and grab information. A grab bag cape is when someone triggers among multiple parahumans. With me so far?" I asked and he nodded. He didn't give himself enough credit.
"Wait..." He just put it together and the look of pure sympathy he gave me had me nodding.
"That's right. She triggered on Friday and pinged my Shard. My Shard has been reconfigured into a mini-Tower. Towers are essential to a Reyvateil. They host many of our abilities." Simple answer. I was still coding, but it would take me hours to get this right. "My mini-Tower is more of a relay at this point. It's connected to a larger Tower in the other dimension. Ar Ciel."
"English please?" He begged and I giggled.
"Sorry Dad. My mini-Tower is like a cell tower. It takes data and relays it elsewhere. In this case it sends the signal across the dimensional line. Like the media connection to Earth Aleph." He nodded slowly. He glanced at Emma with far more sympathy.
"She...'Pinged' off of you...and you're not a cape." He groaned and that was pretty much that. "Just...how will you fix this...?"
"There's an idea I had for sending messages along the connection. They were able to reach me so I should be able to reach them. It's logical." I looked at my dad, "When I get this set up would you like to speak to Mir?" He mused before nodding.
"Okay. You know...the way you talk about her it sounds like..." I smiled softly at him.
"I haven't replaced Mom. I just have a second mom now." He smiled back at me and we were okay.
"I'll let you get back to work then." He stood up, but turned back as he reached the door, "You're a good kid, Little Owl." He smiled and shut the door behind him.
I stared at the door for several moments before getting back to my work. My thoughts went out to the Data Packet request from earlier. That was a new experience. What caused that? Was it because of a fresh trigger? Normally the Shards just pinged one another and grabbed the information. My fingers stilled as a dreadful thought slid across my brain.
Emma. The mini-Tower is learning, but it's not perfect. It learned after what happened with my former friend. It learned to defend itself from random information grabs because of Emma. I stared blankly at the screen. If it had learned this beforehand than Emma wouldn't be comatose. I could have told it no or put the request to one side. I was already opening up the query window that still requested a Data Packet to refuse, but the faint strains of a flute stopped me.
"Okay Mom...I won't do it..." A being of science and physics I might be now, but there was still a part of me that believed in the hereafter. Did Mom just keep me from a knee jerk reaction? I didn't know the answer.
Dad left me a pot of tea and a hotplate to keep it warm on his way to bed. Things like that made me glad I told him. I was still human enough that I could blame teenage hormones. Maybe they finally came up with a designation for me since Alpha didn't actually fit. Alpha for Earth Bet, but what would I be in Ar Ciel if I went? I winced at the thought of the energy requirements. Casty and I needed to have a talk about dimensional technology. Maybe I could improve the connection to Earth Aleph?
The code flew from my brain and to my laptop in an easy stream. Fingers deftly brought order to chaos. I ran the lines of code carefully. I had no margin for error. If I didn't get this right the first time I'd have to dismantle this beast and start over. The idea made me quail. It would need improvement. A lot of improvement. I set the code to check itself as it ran. It would tell me what worked, what didn't, and kick out suggestions for rewriting the code later.
It was a duct tape and bailing wire solution. An ugly result to an ugly problem. I sipped my tea as I fired the program up and prayed. It took an excruciatingly long time to connect.
Query: Unidentified program "HymmnSphere" wants to make changes to the system. Allow this action?
Yes
Running...
Downloading files...
Installing...
Run?
Y/N
I mentally pushed "y" and waited to see what would happen. Oh that was a peculiar feeling. It didn't feel nearly as smooth as when Mir brought me to the Binary Field, but it worked after a fashion. The laptop was telling me that the code was holding steady and already extruding improvement data. I poured the last of my tea and waited to see who responded. A window opened on my laptop and a startled silver haired woman looked back at me.
"Taylor...?" Shurelia sounded mystified and I couldn't blame her. This was a very weird and clunky method of communication, but it worked. I smiled proudly. It worked!
"Shurelia...god it's so good to see you..." My smile was warm and relieved. She composed herself, but the naked curiously in her eyes hadn't dimmed a bit.
"When your name came up I was shocked. It was so unexpected...how did you do this?" She asked.
"You can look it over if you like. It's not pretty, but it worked. I wish this was a social call..." I started and suddenly didn't know how to phrase any of this. She looked over the code and winced at several points, but looked incredibly intrigued at others.
"The coding tests itself and suggests improvement? Interesting..." She shook her head and looked back at me, "You didn't make contact to show me this. What's wrong, Taylor? If you want Mir I can wake her up..." I shook my head. Mir was a Beta type Reyvateil. She still slept. I wasn't even interested in how our timezones had synced up for this call. "What is it?"
"Shurelia...my old friend, Emma, Triggered at school on Friday. She pinged off of my mini-Tower and it gave her a data packet. It's caused her no end of trouble. Right now she's comatose...I can't wake her...and somehow she has systems that are telling me I need to do something." That last part came out in a suppressed wail of frustrated grief. The silverette stared back in shocked horror.
"Oh dear...Mir was right..." She whispered in numb shock, "We had no idea of all that could happen, but we knew that no one could think of everything..." She shook her head, "That was why you called. Well this is my area of expertise. What is her system condition?"
"Red. She can't even wake in safe mode." I was now able to bring up my own data on my laptop. The sheer number of queries, requests, and alerts that passed without action was staggering. That could wait for later. A request came through from Shurelia for permission to access and it was granted. She looked the information over and actually relaxed.
"Good news. Her Shard is requesting a data patch which you can send her. The Shard is trying to reconfigure itself, but was stalled. Apparently the data failed to install properly due to head trauma." She said reassuringly. Well it sounded reassuring to me.
"She was struck in the head the same night she Triggered." I supplied and she nodded.
"This is a very new road we're on, Taylor. The fact that she held together as well as she did implies good things about her willpower. Send her the patch." And just like that it was over. The patch would take between eight and twenty four hours to finish fixing Emma. The mini-Tower relay had already prepared the data fix, but again I wasn't able to see my own systems. I started clearing my backlog.
"Shurelia...if a Shard requests a packet should I give it?" I asked. Shurelia is the expert after all and she had just helped me a great deal.
"What did the data packet contain? Always make sure of what it's trying to send." She warned me, but as she pointed out this was new ground.
"Hmmm...smoothing communication between Shard and host. Reduce mental contamination. Improved firewall for Shard and mental defense..." That surprised me. The Shard was requesting things that I would have given easily. Apparently what my system learned was that other Shards have less protections that it does. I pressed "y" and watched a list of queries clear.
"Taylor...next time...unclick 'Select All'...okay? That...doesn't always work out so well..." She looked as sheepish as I was feeling. We continued to talk well into the early hours of the morning while I cleared my backlog.
"Oh my...Taylor? I better go. Lyner will be awake soon and well...he worries." Shurelia said fondly before grinning mischievously. I blinked as my view suddenly changed to the terminal in a rather nice and cozy home. There was a large stuffed animal in the corner that clashed, but somehow fit. My eyes almost fell out at the sight of the rather pretty girl with flowing blue-black hair dressed in a brief t-shirt and shorts. She dried her hair absently causing the hem of her shirt to slide up revealing a well toned stomach. I squeaked and she froze. Her gaze slowly turned towards the terminal and I waved shyly.
"Taylor...?" The girl's voice was so familiar and then it hit me. Cocona. Last time I saw her she was a fiery ball of energy that challenged the world, but a new perspective had let me see the desperation there. The desire to not disappear. She was burning out rapidly at the time of the party, but looked much better.
"Hey Cocona." I smiled more naturally and she bounded over to the screen, half tripped, before turning into a controlled tumble that had her sprawled over the couch.
"I totally meant to do that." She told me, but we both knew that was a lie. "Ugh...this is so boo!" She complained, "But the alternative was even more boo..." I had no idea what boo was, but apparently it was bad.
"What's wrong?" I asked her. She waved off my concern before looking at the screen with a wicked grin.
"You need to take responsibility for this. It's all your fault." She places a wrist against her forehead dramatically, "I was just a poor innocent girl and you a dimension hopping rogue..." She hammed it up and I giggled.
"I'm so sorry...maybe if I'd been more gentle...?" I added a husk to my voice that had us both cracking up. "But seriously...it's good to see you. What happened?" She sobered a bit, but that smile remained.
"I was born a Third Gen which you knew. What you didn't know is that by converting you to a Reyvateil it proved that those of us Third Gens could also be changed. We were already halfway there after all." She gazed at me fondly and with such gratitude I blushed. My heart skipped a beat at that expression.
"I'm glad I could help...let me guess...physical therapy?" She was so graceful when I met her that it was hard to believe she was so uncoordinated now.
"New sense of balance actually. We're being called Delta Types. We have better balance and grace, but we don't have quite the Song Magic power of the other types. I suppose it makes sense. You didn't have any potential at all before conversion. Sasha explained it to me when Mir's technical talk went over my head. I'm used to compensating for a different sense of balance." She shrugged, but didn't seem upset.
"Oh that's right...you trained as a warrior, right? I can see how that would be difficult." I tweaked Emma's toe fondly as she shifted in her sleep. It was now actual sleep and not a coma. When she awakened there would be complications, but right now all was right with the world.
"Hey Taylor..." Cocona suddenly sounded shy, "Seriously...thanks. You've saved a lot of lives you know. If you need anything just call. I want to help you out." That smile should be registered as a lethal weapon. A new voice disturbed the scene.
"Cocona? Why haven't you started breakfast?" A light male voice asked. "Do you want Mir in the kitchen?" He asked in a worried fashion. Cocona spun the terminal and pointed at a startled looking man in glasses with chin length black hair. He looked pleasant with his baggy shirt and comfortable slacks.
"This is my brother, Croix. Croix? This is Taylor! You two can get to know each other while I start breakfast." Cocona's voice had taken on a note of panic.
"Is she really that bad?" I asked in morbid curiousity. Croix nods slowly.
"We love her dearly, but what she makes is not really fit for consumption." He smiled fondly before refocusing on me, "So you're Taylor. It's good to meet you." Gee that filled me warm and fuzzies. He was genuine. That much I could tell, "Cocona is probably your biggest fan, but I'm a close second. She can now live the life she was meant to." He bowed slightly before straightening, "Were you looking for Mir?"
"I actually called for Shurelia and then she sent me over here. Though talking to Mir sounds good." This was better than I expected. Shurelia helped me solve my problems and now talking to Mir? Life was good.
"Well come on." He picked up the terminal, "You can talk to the sleepy head." He entered the bedroom and set the terminal down. "Mir? Someone needs to talk to you." I got my first look at a sleeping Mir. She was curled up in the covers in a strange ball. Her red eye cracked open like the herald of doom and Croix fled. Oh it looked like a controlled withdrawal, but it was clear he was trying to save himself.
"Shrelia..." She slurred half asleep, "Ths btter be good..." She moved from slurring to full words as the covers shifted. She sat up with her legs splayed beneath her in a shirt too large for her with a strange tan chick on the front. Her eyes locked on the terminal and she blinked.
"Hi Mir..." I waved and her expression cleared. Too bad that she was collecting herself. She looked adorable. Oh that was probably why she was gathering herself.
"Taylor. That is some truly ghastly coding." She said conversationally even as she looked over the code. "Though I suppose a multitude of sins can be forgiven as long as it works." I grinned at her gruff manner.
"It was for a good cause." I filled her in on why I needed it and she paused. She shook her head.
"No way to plan for that, but I'm glad that your "mini-Tower" is learning. That's a cute term you keep using, but it works. How is Emma?" She asked in concern.
"Sleeping soundly as the patch makes changes. She took in too much of my data so she received an echo of my melody ability. Not Oversight though." I assured her. Mir nodded her head.
"Good to know." She said. Dad knocked on the door. "Who is that?" She asked.
"That's my dad. I'm up Dad!" I called. That was when I remembered school, "Oh...I have school today. Want to talk to him?" I asked her. She mulled it over.
"That would probably be for the best. I'll let Cocona know you said goodbye." I thanked her as I quickly got ready for school. When I told Dad who was waiting to talk to him he looked pleased.
"Emma might wake up while I'm gone. I'm not sure what to do..." I confided. He was already on the phone to call off when I brought that up.
"I was already planning on taking the day off. I won't miss this opportunity. Do you need to be nearby though?" He asked and I shook my head.
"The relay hub in the basement can reach me easily." I hugged him and kissed him on the cheek before hurrying off to school. I felt good about today. The PRT would not be easily placated, but that could be handled too.
-PRT HQ-
I almost didn't make it through the day. It wasn't because anything bad had happened, but because I wasn't exactly looking forward to this talk. Emma had woken up around noon, but Dad had convinced her not to run out and immediately turn herself in. It would not have been good in long run. If I brought her in though then my status as a Ward could work for me.
She approached me once more dressed in the red dress and trench coat that I saw her in yesterday. Her pink eyes were full of remorse. Her melody told the story. She felt terrible and scared. Her parents were dead and that was filling her with guilt given her part in that. I put my arm around her shoulders and guided her into the building.
"No one saw me..." Her voice was musical. The mask over her eyes was black more to give the illusion of protecting her identity.
"We'll get through this, okay?" I assured her. She just gazed at me helplessly, but something in her eyes was telling me that we weren't done yet.
I called the PRT ahead of time to let them know Emma was coming in and they had responded appropriately. There were twenty agents with foam sprayers and tactical gear placed around the lobby. Emma shrunk back at the sight, but I guided her forward anyway. They shadowed us as we made our way into the main part of headquarters. Miss Militia and Armsmaster were both waiting inside. Now it was only my arm around her shoulders that kept her moving.
"Easy...they'll hear your side of the story...I promise." I assured her. I begged them not to make a liar out of me.
"Whatever they do I deserve it..." She hung her head sadly. "There are no laws to cover this...my dad told me that..." Her voice came out miserably. I was forced to turn her over to them. She suddenly hugged me tightly and I hugged her back. How had we become so screwed up? They placed the restraints on her and lead her away. Armsmaster followed behind while Miss Militia stayed with me.
"When did you find her?" She asked me gently while leading me into her office.
"Yesterday. After school." I was essentially going to tell them the truth. No reason to get my story straight if I was being honest. "She wasn't in a good place to bring in and it would have just caused more trouble. It was decided that she would turn herself in today once she was in a better frame of mind." There we go. That was honest.
"She was mentally unstable?" She asked me, but I shook my head.
"She had been on the run since Friday. When I found her she was in bad shape. Fear and worry were predominant in her melody. Remorse has been in her melody the entire time she's been with me." Also true. Miss Militia's melody was sympathetic. She tapped her earpiece and I suddenly realized this entire meeting had been monitored.
"Her story matches yours, but she says the reason you're helping her is that she had an echo of your power. Is that true?" Miss Militia tilted her head to the side and regarded me. I nodded.
"We're not sure when exactly she triggered, but it was right after we had words..." I sighed, "So she got a bit off me. I can confirm it. Her melody feels like mine."
"Why didn't you say that in your report?" She asked curiously.
"I was nervous. I didn't know how you would react." That was true too. She nodded again. I sat and awaited judgment.
"I have to talk to the Director. Despedia will be held for the time being. Just because the law doesn't recognize the trauma of trigger events it does make allowances for diminished mental capacity. You may go." Miss Militia dismissed me.
"Where do you think they will hold her?" I asked. She stared at me for several moments before directing me to the holding area.
"They will probably keep her there." She said. I thanked her and left. My mind was on auto-pilot as I made my way to the holding cells, but she wasn't there yet. I went to my lab only to get kicked out of there. Oh right. Banned from my lab.
"You look a little lost, kiddo." A cheerful voice accompanied by a cheerful and roguish melody. I turned to look and the Protectorate hero Assault walked towards me. "You're Aria right? Good to meet ya. Managing to pull some of the stick out of Armsmaster's ass is no easy feat." I blinked owlishly at him.
"Nice to meet you too...?" I was on the back foot with this guy. Then again my current state of worry wasn't conductive for talking to people right now. He didn't seem to notice my hesitation.
"Relax kid. You'll give yourself heart failure at this rate. Your friend had a really bad day, but turning herself in looks good to the higher ups. You even have Piggot in your corner. That's a real feat." He patted me on the shoulder.
"Miss Militia asked you to keep an eye on me?" I asked curiously. He shook his head.
"I just have an idea of the other side of things. You do know about self defense. That applies." He assured me even as he escorted me back toward the holding area. Emma was seated in a cell with a safety glass front. There was also a foam sprayer pointed at the front of the cell. "I'll leave you two alone." He waved cheerfully at Emma and she waved back. She turned to look at me.
"Hey Despedia..." I started. She sat back and tried to get comfortable with the Brute restraints.
"How did we get so screwed up?" She finally asked. Her melody had a brittle edge to it as her negative feelings cycled around each other. I touched the glass.
"I don't know, but we're here now. I'll fight for you." I assured her. Her eyes were on me before shaking her head.
"This "melody" thing is so weird...I can sense everything going on around us...you actually believe what you're saying. Aria...why?" She asked pleadingly. Her eyes desperately begged me for answers.
"You were my friend. You were my best friend. There was a part of me that wanted to just wash my hands of you, but you don't just turn those feelings off. It's just not possible. Why do you think that it was you, Despedia, that could hurt me so much?" I asked her and her eyes widened. "I forgave you. That was why I couldn't forgive you that day. I've been forgiving you every time." She started to cry and I wasn't far behind her. This was the scene that Armsmaster walked in on. The awkward trombone was even more awkward.
"Despedia. It has been discussed and you are to join the Wards. You are on probation until the age of eighteen and must do whatever you are told." He concluded sternly. His melody was firm and Emma nodded slowly in disbelief.
"Who will she stay with?" I blurted out. He turned to look at me as if evaluating what he saw.
"She will be staying with you as part of her probation." He said. I blinked slowly. Emma and I shared a look. "Her remaining relative said that she couldn't take her." That was to be expected. "A formal determination will be made in three weeks, but you will be trusted until then." He turned to Emma, "If you aren't there then it would reflect very badly on Aria." She nodded slowly. Dazed.
"When can she leave...?" I asked without trying to sound pushy. The look he gave me told me to back off and I quieted. Still annoyed over my "Tinker madness" the other day. He punched in some numbers that he used his bulk to keep me from seeing and stepped into the open cell. There was a clank of heavy shackles before he came back out with the restraints.
Emma stepped out of the cell and hugged me tight. I hugged her back just as hard. The situation wasn't perfect. Her melody was more stable. The brittle edge was leaving, but it was still there. Armsmaster cleared his throat and we turned to look at him. He jerked his thumb and we scurried out. I wished I knew what had been discussed. Something was too easy about all of this, but I wouldn't complain about the results.
I just dreaded what would be asked when the bill was due.
or Melody of Escalation
Second Arc 2.4
-February 9-10, 2011-
-Hebert Residence-
Emma lay on my bed so peacefully that it appeared she was only sleeping. That was not the case. Nothing I did would wake her. I looked over to Dad. He hadn't left the doorway since we got home. The redhead was currently resting, but I was getting frantic pings that were telling me something was very wrong. I had to fix that somehow, but I also had to explain all of this to my dad.
"Taylor...maybe she needs a hospital? I know you asked me to bring her home, but if she did kill her parents..." His melody was wary. There was nothing I could do to ease that wariness. Well maybe the truth? I was already bending the rules here if not outright breaking them.
"It was self defense, Dad." That startled him and I pushed forward, "They shot her and hit her with over the head. If she hadn't been a Brute it would have killed her." His melody was still wary, but had settled down from fear.
"What can you do that a hospital can't?" He finally asked and I went over to my computer. "You said she's in a coma?"
"Right now she's like a computer with a crashed operating system. Her body is fine, but her mind isn't..." I was already working. When in doubt: code. I still couldn't reliably get into the Binary Field without a hand and Mir wasn't connected into my systems anymore. My information gathering was a passive function. If I wanted to talk to them then I was going to have to set up something.
"If she's lost her mind...Taylor...you're talking about a coma. The mind and the body aren't in agreement." He placed a hand on my shoulder and I turned to look at him. My fingers flew over the keys as I gave him my attention. There was no help for it. If I was going to establish that I'm literally Emma's best chance then it was time.
"Dad...we need to talk." I turned away from the computer to face him. He blinked at the sudden shift. I sat on the end of my bed to give him the computer chair. My hand found it's way to Emma's foot and I gave her toe a light squeeze. At some point the clothing she had been wearing had vanished in motes of light. I dressed her in one of Dad's t-shirts and my shorts.
"This is going to be an uncomfortable talk I take it?" Dad asked in an attempt to lighten the mood, but the worry in his melody had increased. I grimaced, but didn't correct him.
"That day in the locker...I was shattering. Mentally, emotionally, spiritually...I wasn't anywhere close to being whole. At one point I went psychotic." It stuck in me that I hadn't actually addressed this. Dad sat and watched me, but the urge to take me in his arms was growing stronger. I needed to finish before that happened. "But there was someone else there with me. Her name is Mir. She contacted me from another dimension and made me an offer. Help her people learn more about capes. My benefit was to be given the ability to not only survive, but thrive."
"What if you had refused?" He sounded skeptical, but not outright dismissive. Considering we had communication with Earth Aleph made explaining this easier.
"Dad? I didn't want to refuse. It had to be better than my current situation. Even if I had gone crazy at least the voice was kind." I grimaced, "You know that makes it sound worse?" I was in a situation that I couldn't escape by myself and someone made an offer of salvation if I worked for them. By the look on Dad's face he thought so as well.
"Have they at least kept their end of the bargain?" He asked in a flat tone. His melody was very unhappy. Damage control program initiated.
"Dad...Mir stayed with me. She held me and spoke to me. She helped me make my mind whole again. She would have even got me out of that locker without the offer being accepted. I don't know how she would have done it, but she would have found a way. I had everything they needed, but Mir's first concern was my wants. My desires." I poured my heart into my words. Mir had become my second mother. It was all my own heart. Dad sighed, but his melody had smoothed out. It was still at alert, but he was deescalating.
"What did she give you?" He finally asked. I stared at Emma's sleeping face as I thought about it. This was the point of no return. She looked back into his eyes. He gripped her hand tightly, "It's not so bad that you won't be my daughter. I will always love you." Emma's melody flared slightly in support. How much had that cost her? To support me? The love in my dad's eyes tipped the scales.
"You know what a Case 53 is well...my powers were adjusted and I willingly became one. In their dimension I'm what's referred to as a Reyvateil. It doesn't give me super strength or speed. No inhuman durability. What it does give me is an insane learning curve and an instinctive grasp of technologies. My ability to read emotional states is entirely my own power." I exhaled slowly, but dad's grasp on my hand remained strong.
"And you were worried about how I would react..." Dad said softly. "I will admit...it...it is a lot to take in...but I knew you weren't sleeping. That you were up at all hours...To have this worry..." Without meaning to I started laughing. It startled us both as I laughed so hard.
"Oh Dad...uh..." I coughed to try and stop the laughing, "I don't actually need sleep anymore. I sleep sometimes because I like it and I'm still used to sleeping." Me and Miss Militia. The No Sleep Queens.
"Well that's good to know." Dad nodded slowly. "Now what does this have to do with Emma?" The atmosphere was clearer. We weren't entirely out of the woods yet, but we were back on the path. I pulled my laptop over and started typing. "Do you need your computer? I can move..." He went to stand and I waved him back down.
"What I have on one I have on the other. Nice thing about sharing networks. A parahuman's powers come from 'Shards.' These Shards are interdimensional data storage devices given out by Entities like candy. Having a bad day? Worst day of your life? Here! Have a power that will probably make your life worse!" My opinion on this whole system was no better than any other Reyvateil's. Dad looked startled.
"What exactly does that mean?" He asked quietly.
"They give out powers to emotionally damaged people. These Shards have a crude system for gathering information. They ping other Shards in the area at the moment of triggering and grab information. A grab bag cape is when someone triggers among multiple parahumans. With me so far?" I asked and he nodded. He didn't give himself enough credit.
"Wait..." He just put it together and the look of pure sympathy he gave me had me nodding.
"That's right. She triggered on Friday and pinged my Shard. My Shard has been reconfigured into a mini-Tower. Towers are essential to a Reyvateil. They host many of our abilities." Simple answer. I was still coding, but it would take me hours to get this right. "My mini-Tower is more of a relay at this point. It's connected to a larger Tower in the other dimension. Ar Ciel."
"English please?" He begged and I giggled.
"Sorry Dad. My mini-Tower is like a cell tower. It takes data and relays it elsewhere. In this case it sends the signal across the dimensional line. Like the media connection to Earth Aleph." He nodded slowly. He glanced at Emma with far more sympathy.
"She...'Pinged' off of you...and you're not a cape." He groaned and that was pretty much that. "Just...how will you fix this...?"
"There's an idea I had for sending messages along the connection. They were able to reach me so I should be able to reach them. It's logical." I looked at my dad, "When I get this set up would you like to speak to Mir?" He mused before nodding.
"Okay. You know...the way you talk about her it sounds like..." I smiled softly at him.
"I haven't replaced Mom. I just have a second mom now." He smiled back at me and we were okay.
"I'll let you get back to work then." He stood up, but turned back as he reached the door, "You're a good kid, Little Owl." He smiled and shut the door behind him.
I stared at the door for several moments before getting back to my work. My thoughts went out to the Data Packet request from earlier. That was a new experience. What caused that? Was it because of a fresh trigger? Normally the Shards just pinged one another and grabbed the information. My fingers stilled as a dreadful thought slid across my brain.
Emma. The mini-Tower is learning, but it's not perfect. It learned after what happened with my former friend. It learned to defend itself from random information grabs because of Emma. I stared blankly at the screen. If it had learned this beforehand than Emma wouldn't be comatose. I could have told it no or put the request to one side. I was already opening up the query window that still requested a Data Packet to refuse, but the faint strains of a flute stopped me.
"Okay Mom...I won't do it..." A being of science and physics I might be now, but there was still a part of me that believed in the hereafter. Did Mom just keep me from a knee jerk reaction? I didn't know the answer.
Dad left me a pot of tea and a hotplate to keep it warm on his way to bed. Things like that made me glad I told him. I was still human enough that I could blame teenage hormones. Maybe they finally came up with a designation for me since Alpha didn't actually fit. Alpha for Earth Bet, but what would I be in Ar Ciel if I went? I winced at the thought of the energy requirements. Casty and I needed to have a talk about dimensional technology. Maybe I could improve the connection to Earth Aleph?
The code flew from my brain and to my laptop in an easy stream. Fingers deftly brought order to chaos. I ran the lines of code carefully. I had no margin for error. If I didn't get this right the first time I'd have to dismantle this beast and start over. The idea made me quail. It would need improvement. A lot of improvement. I set the code to check itself as it ran. It would tell me what worked, what didn't, and kick out suggestions for rewriting the code later.
It was a duct tape and bailing wire solution. An ugly result to an ugly problem. I sipped my tea as I fired the program up and prayed. It took an excruciatingly long time to connect.
Query: Unidentified program "HymmnSphere" wants to make changes to the system. Allow this action?
Yes
Running...
Downloading files...
Installing...
Run?
Y/N
I mentally pushed "y" and waited to see what would happen. Oh that was a peculiar feeling. It didn't feel nearly as smooth as when Mir brought me to the Binary Field, but it worked after a fashion. The laptop was telling me that the code was holding steady and already extruding improvement data. I poured the last of my tea and waited to see who responded. A window opened on my laptop and a startled silver haired woman looked back at me.
"Taylor...?" Shurelia sounded mystified and I couldn't blame her. This was a very weird and clunky method of communication, but it worked. I smiled proudly. It worked!
"Shurelia...god it's so good to see you..." My smile was warm and relieved. She composed herself, but the naked curiously in her eyes hadn't dimmed a bit.
"When your name came up I was shocked. It was so unexpected...how did you do this?" She asked.
"You can look it over if you like. It's not pretty, but it worked. I wish this was a social call..." I started and suddenly didn't know how to phrase any of this. She looked over the code and winced at several points, but looked incredibly intrigued at others.
"The coding tests itself and suggests improvement? Interesting..." She shook her head and looked back at me, "You didn't make contact to show me this. What's wrong, Taylor? If you want Mir I can wake her up..." I shook my head. Mir was a Beta type Reyvateil. She still slept. I wasn't even interested in how our timezones had synced up for this call. "What is it?"
"Shurelia...my old friend, Emma, Triggered at school on Friday. She pinged off of my mini-Tower and it gave her a data packet. It's caused her no end of trouble. Right now she's comatose...I can't wake her...and somehow she has systems that are telling me I need to do something." That last part came out in a suppressed wail of frustrated grief. The silverette stared back in shocked horror.
"Oh dear...Mir was right..." She whispered in numb shock, "We had no idea of all that could happen, but we knew that no one could think of everything..." She shook her head, "That was why you called. Well this is my area of expertise. What is her system condition?"
"Red. She can't even wake in safe mode." I was now able to bring up my own data on my laptop. The sheer number of queries, requests, and alerts that passed without action was staggering. That could wait for later. A request came through from Shurelia for permission to access and it was granted. She looked the information over and actually relaxed.
"Good news. Her Shard is requesting a data patch which you can send her. The Shard is trying to reconfigure itself, but was stalled. Apparently the data failed to install properly due to head trauma." She said reassuringly. Well it sounded reassuring to me.
"She was struck in the head the same night she Triggered." I supplied and she nodded.
"This is a very new road we're on, Taylor. The fact that she held together as well as she did implies good things about her willpower. Send her the patch." And just like that it was over. The patch would take between eight and twenty four hours to finish fixing Emma. The mini-Tower relay had already prepared the data fix, but again I wasn't able to see my own systems. I started clearing my backlog.
"Shurelia...if a Shard requests a packet should I give it?" I asked. Shurelia is the expert after all and she had just helped me a great deal.
"What did the data packet contain? Always make sure of what it's trying to send." She warned me, but as she pointed out this was new ground.
"Hmmm...smoothing communication between Shard and host. Reduce mental contamination. Improved firewall for Shard and mental defense..." That surprised me. The Shard was requesting things that I would have given easily. Apparently what my system learned was that other Shards have less protections that it does. I pressed "y" and watched a list of queries clear.
"Taylor...next time...unclick 'Select All'...okay? That...doesn't always work out so well..." She looked as sheepish as I was feeling. We continued to talk well into the early hours of the morning while I cleared my backlog.
"Oh my...Taylor? I better go. Lyner will be awake soon and well...he worries." Shurelia said fondly before grinning mischievously. I blinked as my view suddenly changed to the terminal in a rather nice and cozy home. There was a large stuffed animal in the corner that clashed, but somehow fit. My eyes almost fell out at the sight of the rather pretty girl with flowing blue-black hair dressed in a brief t-shirt and shorts. She dried her hair absently causing the hem of her shirt to slide up revealing a well toned stomach. I squeaked and she froze. Her gaze slowly turned towards the terminal and I waved shyly.
"Taylor...?" The girl's voice was so familiar and then it hit me. Cocona. Last time I saw her she was a fiery ball of energy that challenged the world, but a new perspective had let me see the desperation there. The desire to not disappear. She was burning out rapidly at the time of the party, but looked much better.
"Hey Cocona." I smiled more naturally and she bounded over to the screen, half tripped, before turning into a controlled tumble that had her sprawled over the couch.
"I totally meant to do that." She told me, but we both knew that was a lie. "Ugh...this is so boo!" She complained, "But the alternative was even more boo..." I had no idea what boo was, but apparently it was bad.
"What's wrong?" I asked her. She waved off my concern before looking at the screen with a wicked grin.
"You need to take responsibility for this. It's all your fault." She places a wrist against her forehead dramatically, "I was just a poor innocent girl and you a dimension hopping rogue..." She hammed it up and I giggled.
"I'm so sorry...maybe if I'd been more gentle...?" I added a husk to my voice that had us both cracking up. "But seriously...it's good to see you. What happened?" She sobered a bit, but that smile remained.
"I was born a Third Gen which you knew. What you didn't know is that by converting you to a Reyvateil it proved that those of us Third Gens could also be changed. We were already halfway there after all." She gazed at me fondly and with such gratitude I blushed. My heart skipped a beat at that expression.
"I'm glad I could help...let me guess...physical therapy?" She was so graceful when I met her that it was hard to believe she was so uncoordinated now.
"New sense of balance actually. We're being called Delta Types. We have better balance and grace, but we don't have quite the Song Magic power of the other types. I suppose it makes sense. You didn't have any potential at all before conversion. Sasha explained it to me when Mir's technical talk went over my head. I'm used to compensating for a different sense of balance." She shrugged, but didn't seem upset.
"Oh that's right...you trained as a warrior, right? I can see how that would be difficult." I tweaked Emma's toe fondly as she shifted in her sleep. It was now actual sleep and not a coma. When she awakened there would be complications, but right now all was right with the world.
"Hey Taylor..." Cocona suddenly sounded shy, "Seriously...thanks. You've saved a lot of lives you know. If you need anything just call. I want to help you out." That smile should be registered as a lethal weapon. A new voice disturbed the scene.
"Cocona? Why haven't you started breakfast?" A light male voice asked. "Do you want Mir in the kitchen?" He asked in a worried fashion. Cocona spun the terminal and pointed at a startled looking man in glasses with chin length black hair. He looked pleasant with his baggy shirt and comfortable slacks.
"This is my brother, Croix. Croix? This is Taylor! You two can get to know each other while I start breakfast." Cocona's voice had taken on a note of panic.
"Is she really that bad?" I asked in morbid curiousity. Croix nods slowly.
"We love her dearly, but what she makes is not really fit for consumption." He smiled fondly before refocusing on me, "So you're Taylor. It's good to meet you." Gee that filled me warm and fuzzies. He was genuine. That much I could tell, "Cocona is probably your biggest fan, but I'm a close second. She can now live the life she was meant to." He bowed slightly before straightening, "Were you looking for Mir?"
"I actually called for Shurelia and then she sent me over here. Though talking to Mir sounds good." This was better than I expected. Shurelia helped me solve my problems and now talking to Mir? Life was good.
"Well come on." He picked up the terminal, "You can talk to the sleepy head." He entered the bedroom and set the terminal down. "Mir? Someone needs to talk to you." I got my first look at a sleeping Mir. She was curled up in the covers in a strange ball. Her red eye cracked open like the herald of doom and Croix fled. Oh it looked like a controlled withdrawal, but it was clear he was trying to save himself.
"Shrelia..." She slurred half asleep, "Ths btter be good..." She moved from slurring to full words as the covers shifted. She sat up with her legs splayed beneath her in a shirt too large for her with a strange tan chick on the front. Her eyes locked on the terminal and she blinked.
"Hi Mir..." I waved and her expression cleared. Too bad that she was collecting herself. She looked adorable. Oh that was probably why she was gathering herself.
"Taylor. That is some truly ghastly coding." She said conversationally even as she looked over the code. "Though I suppose a multitude of sins can be forgiven as long as it works." I grinned at her gruff manner.
"It was for a good cause." I filled her in on why I needed it and she paused. She shook her head.
"No way to plan for that, but I'm glad that your "mini-Tower" is learning. That's a cute term you keep using, but it works. How is Emma?" She asked in concern.
"Sleeping soundly as the patch makes changes. She took in too much of my data so she received an echo of my melody ability. Not Oversight though." I assured her. Mir nodded her head.
"Good to know." She said. Dad knocked on the door. "Who is that?" She asked.
"That's my dad. I'm up Dad!" I called. That was when I remembered school, "Oh...I have school today. Want to talk to him?" I asked her. She mulled it over.
"That would probably be for the best. I'll let Cocona know you said goodbye." I thanked her as I quickly got ready for school. When I told Dad who was waiting to talk to him he looked pleased.
"Emma might wake up while I'm gone. I'm not sure what to do..." I confided. He was already on the phone to call off when I brought that up.
"I was already planning on taking the day off. I won't miss this opportunity. Do you need to be nearby though?" He asked and I shook my head.
"The relay hub in the basement can reach me easily." I hugged him and kissed him on the cheek before hurrying off to school. I felt good about today. The PRT would not be easily placated, but that could be handled too.
-PRT HQ-
I almost didn't make it through the day. It wasn't because anything bad had happened, but because I wasn't exactly looking forward to this talk. Emma had woken up around noon, but Dad had convinced her not to run out and immediately turn herself in. It would not have been good in long run. If I brought her in though then my status as a Ward could work for me.
She approached me once more dressed in the red dress and trench coat that I saw her in yesterday. Her pink eyes were full of remorse. Her melody told the story. She felt terrible and scared. Her parents were dead and that was filling her with guilt given her part in that. I put my arm around her shoulders and guided her into the building.
"No one saw me..." Her voice was musical. The mask over her eyes was black more to give the illusion of protecting her identity.
"We'll get through this, okay?" I assured her. She just gazed at me helplessly, but something in her eyes was telling me that we weren't done yet.
I called the PRT ahead of time to let them know Emma was coming in and they had responded appropriately. There were twenty agents with foam sprayers and tactical gear placed around the lobby. Emma shrunk back at the sight, but I guided her forward anyway. They shadowed us as we made our way into the main part of headquarters. Miss Militia and Armsmaster were both waiting inside. Now it was only my arm around her shoulders that kept her moving.
"Easy...they'll hear your side of the story...I promise." I assured her. I begged them not to make a liar out of me.
"Whatever they do I deserve it..." She hung her head sadly. "There are no laws to cover this...my dad told me that..." Her voice came out miserably. I was forced to turn her over to them. She suddenly hugged me tightly and I hugged her back. How had we become so screwed up? They placed the restraints on her and lead her away. Armsmaster followed behind while Miss Militia stayed with me.
"When did you find her?" She asked me gently while leading me into her office.
"Yesterday. After school." I was essentially going to tell them the truth. No reason to get my story straight if I was being honest. "She wasn't in a good place to bring in and it would have just caused more trouble. It was decided that she would turn herself in today once she was in a better frame of mind." There we go. That was honest.
"She was mentally unstable?" She asked me, but I shook my head.
"She had been on the run since Friday. When I found her she was in bad shape. Fear and worry were predominant in her melody. Remorse has been in her melody the entire time she's been with me." Also true. Miss Militia's melody was sympathetic. She tapped her earpiece and I suddenly realized this entire meeting had been monitored.
"Her story matches yours, but she says the reason you're helping her is that she had an echo of your power. Is that true?" Miss Militia tilted her head to the side and regarded me. I nodded.
"We're not sure when exactly she triggered, but it was right after we had words..." I sighed, "So she got a bit off me. I can confirm it. Her melody feels like mine."
"Why didn't you say that in your report?" She asked curiously.
"I was nervous. I didn't know how you would react." That was true too. She nodded again. I sat and awaited judgment.
"I have to talk to the Director. Despedia will be held for the time being. Just because the law doesn't recognize the trauma of trigger events it does make allowances for diminished mental capacity. You may go." Miss Militia dismissed me.
"Where do you think they will hold her?" I asked. She stared at me for several moments before directing me to the holding area.
"They will probably keep her there." She said. I thanked her and left. My mind was on auto-pilot as I made my way to the holding cells, but she wasn't there yet. I went to my lab only to get kicked out of there. Oh right. Banned from my lab.
"You look a little lost, kiddo." A cheerful voice accompanied by a cheerful and roguish melody. I turned to look and the Protectorate hero Assault walked towards me. "You're Aria right? Good to meet ya. Managing to pull some of the stick out of Armsmaster's ass is no easy feat." I blinked owlishly at him.
"Nice to meet you too...?" I was on the back foot with this guy. Then again my current state of worry wasn't conductive for talking to people right now. He didn't seem to notice my hesitation.
"Relax kid. You'll give yourself heart failure at this rate. Your friend had a really bad day, but turning herself in looks good to the higher ups. You even have Piggot in your corner. That's a real feat." He patted me on the shoulder.
"Miss Militia asked you to keep an eye on me?" I asked curiously. He shook his head.
"I just have an idea of the other side of things. You do know about self defense. That applies." He assured me even as he escorted me back toward the holding area. Emma was seated in a cell with a safety glass front. There was also a foam sprayer pointed at the front of the cell. "I'll leave you two alone." He waved cheerfully at Emma and she waved back. She turned to look at me.
"Hey Despedia..." I started. She sat back and tried to get comfortable with the Brute restraints.
"How did we get so screwed up?" She finally asked. Her melody had a brittle edge to it as her negative feelings cycled around each other. I touched the glass.
"I don't know, but we're here now. I'll fight for you." I assured her. Her eyes were on me before shaking her head.
"This "melody" thing is so weird...I can sense everything going on around us...you actually believe what you're saying. Aria...why?" She asked pleadingly. Her eyes desperately begged me for answers.
"You were my friend. You were my best friend. There was a part of me that wanted to just wash my hands of you, but you don't just turn those feelings off. It's just not possible. Why do you think that it was you, Despedia, that could hurt me so much?" I asked her and her eyes widened. "I forgave you. That was why I couldn't forgive you that day. I've been forgiving you every time." She started to cry and I wasn't far behind her. This was the scene that Armsmaster walked in on. The awkward trombone was even more awkward.
"Despedia. It has been discussed and you are to join the Wards. You are on probation until the age of eighteen and must do whatever you are told." He concluded sternly. His melody was firm and Emma nodded slowly in disbelief.
"Who will she stay with?" I blurted out. He turned to look at me as if evaluating what he saw.
"She will be staying with you as part of her probation." He said. I blinked slowly. Emma and I shared a look. "Her remaining relative said that she couldn't take her." That was to be expected. "A formal determination will be made in three weeks, but you will be trusted until then." He turned to Emma, "If you aren't there then it would reflect very badly on Aria." She nodded slowly. Dazed.
"When can she leave...?" I asked without trying to sound pushy. The look he gave me told me to back off and I quieted. Still annoyed over my "Tinker madness" the other day. He punched in some numbers that he used his bulk to keep me from seeing and stepped into the open cell. There was a clank of heavy shackles before he came back out with the restraints.
Emma stepped out of the cell and hugged me tight. I hugged her back just as hard. The situation wasn't perfect. Her melody was more stable. The brittle edge was leaving, but it was still there. Armsmaster cleared his throat and we turned to look at him. He jerked his thumb and we scurried out. I wished I knew what had been discussed. Something was too easy about all of this, but I wouldn't complain about the results.
I just dreaded what would be asked when the bill was due.
Interlude 2.e
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude 2.e Danny
-February 10, 2011-
-Hebert Residence-
He sat down at the computer with a mug of coffee and regarded the figure on the screen. She couldn't have been more than fourteen or fifteen, and that was being generous, but the look in her eyes was older. They regarded each other in silence. He had no idea what to say. He wanted to at least have something written down to work off of, but his daughter gave him no time to prepare. The young woman looked just as ill at ease.
"You have a wonderful daughter." She finally spoke. As far as ice breakers went that was the better one, he decided, and nodded in agreement.
"She speaks highly of you." He told her. That visibly pleased her, but she wasn't completely unguarded. That made sense. "She also explained things to me. Probably missed a lot since I'm not half the brain that she is, but I got the gist. She's not human anymore?" Well there was more relief on her end. She was as uncomfortable with small talk as he was.
"Not quite. She was changed using a function in Shards that allows for body modification. Taylor referred to it as a Case 53? Yes, Case 53. She's still human for all intents and purposes, but has a Reyvateil's abilities." Mir recited and all trace of nervousness ceased as she warmed to her topic.
"It was thanks to her that we were able to not only get a better feel for these Shards, but it also had a positive side benefit." Danny nodded as Mir spoke. Curiousity in his eyes over what 'side benefit' his daughter helped with. "There are those of us born as human, but due to...we'll call it a glitch for simplicity...some young women are identified as Reyvateils. They are converted by the system into a form that is inherently toxic to them. These women constantly need boosters to prevent their death and still barely live thirty years." Her voice took on a solemn cast.
He grimaced as he thought about that. How many fathers lost their daughters to a screw up of birth that no one could treat even here? To find out that these kind of things could happen elsewhere churned in him. From what Mir was saying his Taylor had somehow helped fix that. She nodded her head as he digested the information.
"What was done with Taylor showed us how to do it properly here. We studied the programming of the Shard that governed physical change and came to a startling realization. We could replicate the programming. The system here already did much of the work, but with this code we could adjust it further. Refine the process. These converted Reyvateils are being referred to as Delta types." She smiled at the end, "My own sister-in-law Cocona was the first to undergo the treatment. We would have lost her within five years due to the strain her body was put under."
"What is the difference between...Reyvateils? What prejudice is there?" He tried to be delicate, but that part worried him. Mir grimaced, but nodded.
"There was a terrible rift between humans and Reyvateils in many places. Not everyone was treated equally. I can look at it more objectively now and see why some humans were afraid of us. To put it bluntly we're better than them in nearly every respect. We're sharper mentally, physically we're perfect, we can learn in days what would take others months...the list goes on. We were crafted originally by human hands, but some came to see themselves as better. Arrogance and pride on both sides has caused more trouble than anything." It looked like it pained her to speak so plainly, but he could also see what she meant. Arrogance and pride. She had a vain streak that even when being honest about her people's shortcomings also preened.
"You'll have that wherever you go. Humans and Capes have a rocky relationship at the best of times. With more people becoming villains than heroes it's easy to see why." Danny said with a sigh. "But what are the differences in types? Also, is the conversion expensive? I'd hate to think you found a cure for a disease, but no one could afford it."
"I'll set your mind at ease. There is a fund set up to help offset the cost and it actually is cheaper than diquility treatments. There are also payment plans. We want this to be an option no matter what end of the societal scale you're on. I personally pushed for much of that. I had a lot of help though from some very influential people." She sounded genuinely happy that these people were getting help. He wasn't familiar with her history, but she also treated his daughter well.
"We have the Alphas at the top. Those that are tied to a Tower are referred to as Origins. We have three known Alphas at this time. They administrate the Tower and ensure that it functions properly for Beta types rely on the Tower to even remain alive. Their power is great. Betas are the second type down. We are connected to the tower in such a way that if our Tower collapsed we wouldn't survive. Our power can be on par with an Origin in some instances. Third Gens are girls misidentified by the system as Reyvateils and can use the same power, but it has a more detrimental effect on them." She sat back with a contemplative look. "That's a very rough classification chart."
"That's fine, but what about Taylor?" Danny asked now that they were getting closer to the meat of the matter. She blinked a moment and blushed very faintly. Apparently she wandered off there.
"Delta types are converted Third Gens. Taylor is wired for Administrative status, but it would be more accurate to call her a sub-Admin. Delta's lack the raw power of the higher tiers. Being little more powerful than determined Third Gens, but it seems the process conferred some interesting benefits. Their reflexes are heightened beyond normal with a much higher aptitude for physical activities. It's been interesting to watch actually." She tapped her chin contemplatively near the end.
"This is good. She wants to be a hero and it was eating at me that eventually she might have to actually fight. With what you're saying she would be better at running away?" Danny asked. Mir gave him a look of such utter sympathy that he knew what the answer would be.
"If you could fight would you stay on the sidelines? Your daughter has the very soul of a hero." It was praise, but also warned him. He nodded slowly.
"She thinks of you as a second mother. I can see why." Danny said with a faint smile that actually reached his eyes. Mir stared back him. In that unguarded moment she looked so young and vulnerable. Her eyes were completely open. She smiled back. They spoke of other things, but when the redhead on the bed started to move towards wakefulness he turned.
"I had better explain things to her. I've looked over her file and it's...well...the patch has fixed the very worst of it, but proximity to your daughter will fix the rest." Mir looked over at Emma as she sat up. The clothes she was wearing vanished in sparkles and was immediately replaced by a red trench coat, red dress, with red ribbons winding from her feet and up her calves. She absently shrugged the coat off, but it merely burst into sparkles instead of falling.
"Explaining things would be nice." Emma said in a strangely melodious voice. Danny blinked. She turned towards the computer and fixed her unnerving pink eyed stare on the screen.
"You are very interesting and very lucky. The particular combination of events that caused this are difficult to replicate. According to this you were barely functional." Mir said carefully. Even he was a bit leery of her mental state. Emma groaned.
"I'm...I'm getting a message explaining my behavior...was it really getting hit in the head?" She sounded so small and alone that Danny sat on the bed and put a hand on her shoulder. A startled look came his way and he was reminded of when she was younger. Back when Annette was alive and things between their families were still good. She didn't pull away, but she also didn't move closer.
"There was head trauma. Judging by the data we gathered with Taylor's help you would be...lopsided Brute. Heightened strength, but not as durable." Mir commented idly.
"What about those bullets?" Emma blurted in surprise. Mir blinked and checked her information again.
"Personal deflection field. Aimed towards the greater threat. The fireplace poker wouldn't have killed you, but the bullets most definitely would have." She checked a few more things on her end, "Your Shard sent a full diagnostic over and you're well...rather impressive really. You would function best as a mobile vanguard. Stopping attacks directly with your body would be a bad idea. You have regeneration, but it wouldn't be up to stopping ammunition." Mir looked apologetic, but still fascinated.
Emma shifted his hands into claws and held them up the screen and asked, "What about these?" Danny didn't pull back at the sight of the talons. They were black. A dull black like some exotic metal or bone. They extended out for over a foot from the powerful looking hands. She stared at her hands in disgust until Danny pulled her to his side.
"The claws are fairly sharp and durable. Still a bit on the fragile side compared to some. What is so unique is they give off a field that makes them sharper. Much sharper." Mir pondered that, "Striker, right?" She nodded at what she was seeing, "Thinker power. An echo of Taylor's melody reading, but much shorter range. Though you could find Taylor at the bottom of a dark well with no issue. From across the city." She blinked a few times, "Ability to sprint and leap for great distances? Feet become hardened talons for climbing walls." Danny looked at Emma with some surprise. The redhead in question blinked.
"I have no idea how your PRT would rate you, but you have a lot of decently strong powers in one package. That should save you a lot of headaches about whether they will take you in." Mir commented.
"Uhm...how did you know I wanted to go to the PRT?" Emma asked. Clearly afraid that somehow Mir had read that on her terminal as well. Danny rubbed her shoulder soothingly.
"Because despite what happened...you didn't mean for any of this." He said. Mir nodded in agreement. "You'll have Taylor in your corner when you go." She thought about it and nodded.
"I have something for them. I want to go in today." She summoned her trench coat again and pulled out her evidence, "This...I know what's on here...and it must be acted on. I won't go into more details, but this is important." The hard drive and usb drives looked so innocuous, but Danny had an idea these weren't. She suddenly clutched at her stomach with a sheepish look. The sound of a hungry belly was a familiar one.
"I'll let you feed this one. It was good to finally get to speak to you, Danny." Mir said.
"It was good to speak to you too. I'm used to feeding a hungry teenager." He joked and the connection was closed. He guided Emma out of the room and down the stairs. "Can you change your clothes? Those are pretty distinctive..." The red of her clothing was too vibrant and definitely more noticeable.
"I could...give it a try..." She looked at her clothes hard for several moments before they vanished in sparkles only to be replaced by...a bath towel? She groaned before trying again and it changed to...a white t-shirt and bloomers? Danny just continued to fix lunch. He honestly hoped she didn't have a wardrobe malfunction.
"Bubbly Bathtowel? Sporty Girl...?" She sounded mystified before her clothes changed again to a frilly thing with lace and ribbons that was completely impractical. Her hair was pulled up in girlish pigtails. "Magical Emmy-tan? Uhhh..." She changed her outfit again and ended up in an oversized men's button down blue shirt with the top three buttons undone. "...Risque Girl. What the fresh hell!?" Her voice rose several octaves that vibrated the windows before she stopped herself. She quickly buttoned up the shirt, and miracle of miracles, it stayed buttoned.
"Lunch is ready." Danny set out a BLT and received a grateful smile in return. "Were any of those costume changes...needed?" He finally asked once they'd taken some time to eat. He also made her another sandwich. She sighed.
"I have several outfits that came preloaded. If I have a clear vision of what I want it appears. The problem is I don't know all of the presets." She stopped to drink her milk, "Despedia is my default." She blinked as she stared at her hands, "Loaded with useful things for making me a better fighter. The others are just my power laughing at me I think."
"Well the PRT can help you test that. Though I'd avoid showing them that...bath towel." He rubbed his forehead tiredly.
"...That's...a good call..." She hunched over sheepishly.
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude 2.e Danny
-February 10, 2011-
-Hebert Residence-
He sat down at the computer with a mug of coffee and regarded the figure on the screen. She couldn't have been more than fourteen or fifteen, and that was being generous, but the look in her eyes was older. They regarded each other in silence. He had no idea what to say. He wanted to at least have something written down to work off of, but his daughter gave him no time to prepare. The young woman looked just as ill at ease.
"You have a wonderful daughter." She finally spoke. As far as ice breakers went that was the better one, he decided, and nodded in agreement.
"She speaks highly of you." He told her. That visibly pleased her, but she wasn't completely unguarded. That made sense. "She also explained things to me. Probably missed a lot since I'm not half the brain that she is, but I got the gist. She's not human anymore?" Well there was more relief on her end. She was as uncomfortable with small talk as he was.
"Not quite. She was changed using a function in Shards that allows for body modification. Taylor referred to it as a Case 53? Yes, Case 53. She's still human for all intents and purposes, but has a Reyvateil's abilities." Mir recited and all trace of nervousness ceased as she warmed to her topic.
"It was thanks to her that we were able to not only get a better feel for these Shards, but it also had a positive side benefit." Danny nodded as Mir spoke. Curiousity in his eyes over what 'side benefit' his daughter helped with. "There are those of us born as human, but due to...we'll call it a glitch for simplicity...some young women are identified as Reyvateils. They are converted by the system into a form that is inherently toxic to them. These women constantly need boosters to prevent their death and still barely live thirty years." Her voice took on a solemn cast.
He grimaced as he thought about that. How many fathers lost their daughters to a screw up of birth that no one could treat even here? To find out that these kind of things could happen elsewhere churned in him. From what Mir was saying his Taylor had somehow helped fix that. She nodded her head as he digested the information.
"What was done with Taylor showed us how to do it properly here. We studied the programming of the Shard that governed physical change and came to a startling realization. We could replicate the programming. The system here already did much of the work, but with this code we could adjust it further. Refine the process. These converted Reyvateils are being referred to as Delta types." She smiled at the end, "My own sister-in-law Cocona was the first to undergo the treatment. We would have lost her within five years due to the strain her body was put under."
"What is the difference between...Reyvateils? What prejudice is there?" He tried to be delicate, but that part worried him. Mir grimaced, but nodded.
"There was a terrible rift between humans and Reyvateils in many places. Not everyone was treated equally. I can look at it more objectively now and see why some humans were afraid of us. To put it bluntly we're better than them in nearly every respect. We're sharper mentally, physically we're perfect, we can learn in days what would take others months...the list goes on. We were crafted originally by human hands, but some came to see themselves as better. Arrogance and pride on both sides has caused more trouble than anything." It looked like it pained her to speak so plainly, but he could also see what she meant. Arrogance and pride. She had a vain streak that even when being honest about her people's shortcomings also preened.
"You'll have that wherever you go. Humans and Capes have a rocky relationship at the best of times. With more people becoming villains than heroes it's easy to see why." Danny said with a sigh. "But what are the differences in types? Also, is the conversion expensive? I'd hate to think you found a cure for a disease, but no one could afford it."
"I'll set your mind at ease. There is a fund set up to help offset the cost and it actually is cheaper than diquility treatments. There are also payment plans. We want this to be an option no matter what end of the societal scale you're on. I personally pushed for much of that. I had a lot of help though from some very influential people." She sounded genuinely happy that these people were getting help. He wasn't familiar with her history, but she also treated his daughter well.
"We have the Alphas at the top. Those that are tied to a Tower are referred to as Origins. We have three known Alphas at this time. They administrate the Tower and ensure that it functions properly for Beta types rely on the Tower to even remain alive. Their power is great. Betas are the second type down. We are connected to the tower in such a way that if our Tower collapsed we wouldn't survive. Our power can be on par with an Origin in some instances. Third Gens are girls misidentified by the system as Reyvateils and can use the same power, but it has a more detrimental effect on them." She sat back with a contemplative look. "That's a very rough classification chart."
"That's fine, but what about Taylor?" Danny asked now that they were getting closer to the meat of the matter. She blinked a moment and blushed very faintly. Apparently she wandered off there.
"Delta types are converted Third Gens. Taylor is wired for Administrative status, but it would be more accurate to call her a sub-Admin. Delta's lack the raw power of the higher tiers. Being little more powerful than determined Third Gens, but it seems the process conferred some interesting benefits. Their reflexes are heightened beyond normal with a much higher aptitude for physical activities. It's been interesting to watch actually." She tapped her chin contemplatively near the end.
"This is good. She wants to be a hero and it was eating at me that eventually she might have to actually fight. With what you're saying she would be better at running away?" Danny asked. Mir gave him a look of such utter sympathy that he knew what the answer would be.
"If you could fight would you stay on the sidelines? Your daughter has the very soul of a hero." It was praise, but also warned him. He nodded slowly.
"She thinks of you as a second mother. I can see why." Danny said with a faint smile that actually reached his eyes. Mir stared back him. In that unguarded moment she looked so young and vulnerable. Her eyes were completely open. She smiled back. They spoke of other things, but when the redhead on the bed started to move towards wakefulness he turned.
"I had better explain things to her. I've looked over her file and it's...well...the patch has fixed the very worst of it, but proximity to your daughter will fix the rest." Mir looked over at Emma as she sat up. The clothes she was wearing vanished in sparkles and was immediately replaced by a red trench coat, red dress, with red ribbons winding from her feet and up her calves. She absently shrugged the coat off, but it merely burst into sparkles instead of falling.
"Explaining things would be nice." Emma said in a strangely melodious voice. Danny blinked. She turned towards the computer and fixed her unnerving pink eyed stare on the screen.
"You are very interesting and very lucky. The particular combination of events that caused this are difficult to replicate. According to this you were barely functional." Mir said carefully. Even he was a bit leery of her mental state. Emma groaned.
"I'm...I'm getting a message explaining my behavior...was it really getting hit in the head?" She sounded so small and alone that Danny sat on the bed and put a hand on her shoulder. A startled look came his way and he was reminded of when she was younger. Back when Annette was alive and things between their families were still good. She didn't pull away, but she also didn't move closer.
"There was head trauma. Judging by the data we gathered with Taylor's help you would be...lopsided Brute. Heightened strength, but not as durable." Mir commented idly.
"What about those bullets?" Emma blurted in surprise. Mir blinked and checked her information again.
"Personal deflection field. Aimed towards the greater threat. The fireplace poker wouldn't have killed you, but the bullets most definitely would have." She checked a few more things on her end, "Your Shard sent a full diagnostic over and you're well...rather impressive really. You would function best as a mobile vanguard. Stopping attacks directly with your body would be a bad idea. You have regeneration, but it wouldn't be up to stopping ammunition." Mir looked apologetic, but still fascinated.
Emma shifted his hands into claws and held them up the screen and asked, "What about these?" Danny didn't pull back at the sight of the talons. They were black. A dull black like some exotic metal or bone. They extended out for over a foot from the powerful looking hands. She stared at her hands in disgust until Danny pulled her to his side.
"The claws are fairly sharp and durable. Still a bit on the fragile side compared to some. What is so unique is they give off a field that makes them sharper. Much sharper." Mir pondered that, "Striker, right?" She nodded at what she was seeing, "Thinker power. An echo of Taylor's melody reading, but much shorter range. Though you could find Taylor at the bottom of a dark well with no issue. From across the city." She blinked a few times, "Ability to sprint and leap for great distances? Feet become hardened talons for climbing walls." Danny looked at Emma with some surprise. The redhead in question blinked.
"I have no idea how your PRT would rate you, but you have a lot of decently strong powers in one package. That should save you a lot of headaches about whether they will take you in." Mir commented.
"Uhm...how did you know I wanted to go to the PRT?" Emma asked. Clearly afraid that somehow Mir had read that on her terminal as well. Danny rubbed her shoulder soothingly.
"Because despite what happened...you didn't mean for any of this." He said. Mir nodded in agreement. "You'll have Taylor in your corner when you go." She thought about it and nodded.
"I have something for them. I want to go in today." She summoned her trench coat again and pulled out her evidence, "This...I know what's on here...and it must be acted on. I won't go into more details, but this is important." The hard drive and usb drives looked so innocuous, but Danny had an idea these weren't. She suddenly clutched at her stomach with a sheepish look. The sound of a hungry belly was a familiar one.
"I'll let you feed this one. It was good to finally get to speak to you, Danny." Mir said.
"It was good to speak to you too. I'm used to feeding a hungry teenager." He joked and the connection was closed. He guided Emma out of the room and down the stairs. "Can you change your clothes? Those are pretty distinctive..." The red of her clothing was too vibrant and definitely more noticeable.
"I could...give it a try..." She looked at her clothes hard for several moments before they vanished in sparkles only to be replaced by...a bath towel? She groaned before trying again and it changed to...a white t-shirt and bloomers? Danny just continued to fix lunch. He honestly hoped she didn't have a wardrobe malfunction.
"Bubbly Bathtowel? Sporty Girl...?" She sounded mystified before her clothes changed again to a frilly thing with lace and ribbons that was completely impractical. Her hair was pulled up in girlish pigtails. "Magical Emmy-tan? Uhhh..." She changed her outfit again and ended up in an oversized men's button down blue shirt with the top three buttons undone. "...Risque Girl. What the fresh hell!?" Her voice rose several octaves that vibrated the windows before she stopped herself. She quickly buttoned up the shirt, and miracle of miracles, it stayed buttoned.
"Lunch is ready." Danny set out a BLT and received a grateful smile in return. "Were any of those costume changes...needed?" He finally asked once they'd taken some time to eat. He also made her another sandwich. She sighed.
"I have several outfits that came preloaded. If I have a clear vision of what I want it appears. The problem is I don't know all of the presets." She stopped to drink her milk, "Despedia is my default." She blinked as she stared at her hands, "Loaded with useful things for making me a better fighter. The others are just my power laughing at me I think."
"Well the PRT can help you test that. Though I'd avoid showing them that...bath towel." He rubbed his forehead tiredly.
"...That's...a good call..." She hunched over sheepishly.
Interlude 2.f
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude 2.f PRT
-February 10, 2011-
-PRT HQ Director Piggot's Office-
-Five Hours after Despedia-
Director Piggot sat back in her chair and stared at the evidence bag in front of her. Armsmaster had just finished running the data and the summary sat in an innocent seeming folder on her desk. She frowned heavily at both items. The amount of detailed corruption was enough to make a person physically ill. She looked up to Armsmaster and Miss Militia. Despite their masks she could tell they were troubled as well.
She hadn't wanted to let the redhead, Emma Barnes, go on probation. She hadn't wanted to accept the girl into the Wards. Armsmaster's lie detector technology had verified that it was a clear case of self defense from a recently triggered teen. That helped, but only a little. The evidence that she brought helped more. She gestured.
"We completed her power testing. They interact well with each other, and in anyone else, would be concerning." Colin said as he continued to stand in his power armor. He was reviewing the data as he spoke, "Brute 4 for physical strength and regeneration, but 2 for physical durability. Changer 1 for the claws she can grow from hands and feet. Striker 4 for the sharpening effect on her claws. Thinker 3. She has an ability similar to Aria's in that she can sense emotions and mental states, but can read very little. However she admitted to always knowing where Aria can be found. Mover 4 for being able to run fast and scale walls in moments, but she needs traction. She can also leap, but that fits more with her Brute rating. Breaker 4 for a personal deflection shield, but it can only face one direction at a time." He looked grim as he said, "She also demonstrated a scream. Blaster 4. It destroys stone, metal, and silicates outright. It has a short range of six feet and is aimed from her mouth."
Director Piggot grimaced. Four didn't sound that high until you realized this was several abilities at four. Abilities that worked together. Of the Wards it would fall to Aegis to pin her down if she had been a villain. The idea of having her out on the street became even more unpalatable. The Wards were the best place for her as it gave them direct oversight. She noticed Miss Militia rubbing her forehead.
"What he isn't mentioning is a secondary Breaker power for changing her...clothes..." The woman sounded strained, "The Despedia outfit is what she calls her default. She also changed into a bath towel, gym clothes, a men's shirt, and something one of the techs called a "magical girl." She says there are more outfits, but she can't use them yet."
"Glenn will love that." Emily said with a faint smile. Glenn Chambers was the PR man for their organization. He had no sense of personal taste and took it as a grave offense whenever someone already had an image. "Is the Despedia...outfit...at least tasteful?" She normally didn't engage in this kind of talk, but it served as a good distraction from Armsmaster's report.
"It is. The dress moves like a real dress, but never goes above mid thigh even when she jumps, and obscures anything under it. The material looks professional quality." Miss Militia smiled with her eyes. She liked Glenn's attitude as much as any right thinking person did. Not a bit. He still pouted over Aria designing her own costume.
"Alright. I admit I've been avoiding asking about this." She gestured at the evidence, "How bad is it?"
"Bad. We are going to have to turn this over to the police because this is outside of our jurisdiction." Armsmaster did not sound thrilled at that assessment. She raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't Despedia say that Coil was responsible? That makes this a parahuman crime." She did not want a cape to walk that should be in jail. Miss Militia shifted uncomfortably.
"There is no direct tie between Coil and this plan. All these people in the evidence are directly guilty in the conspiracy, but nowhere does Coil take a hand directly. The worst he could be charged with is accepting stolen money and he could argue that he thought it was legitimate." The frustration was clear in the patriotic heroine's voice.
"Then that is what we charge him with." Emily stated in no uncertain terms. "We will work with the police on this. If this plan is put into motion it will become a parahuman crime. The response to Coil's actions would come from the Empire, the ABB, and even the Merchants. He would stand to reap a reward from these gangs tearing each other apart. That makes it our job." She wheezed at the end as her vehemence took her strength.
"And how will the central office handle this?" Armsmaster asked. Miss Militia gave Armsmaster a look, but said nothing.
"Let me...deal with that..." Director Piggot gasped as she brought her breathing under control. The phone rang and she picked it up, "What? No. I don't care. This is a private meeting. He will have to come back later." She slammed the phone down. At the looks she was receiving she clarified, "That was Thomas. He keeps insisting that he has something to say and I can't put him off any longer." She slid the evidence across and passed the file to Miss Militia, "Armsmaster get that over to the police. Miss Militia? Destroy that file. Have fun." The two left to do their assigned tasks and a painfully thin man stepped into the office.
Thomas Calvert always reminded her of a snake. The resemblance was not physical, but in his very mannerisms. She grimaced as she shifted herself in her chair before gesturing him to a seat.
"What do you want that couldn't wait until morning?" She snapped. He was always trying to get her thrown out of this office. What he wanted with the PRT Director's position was unclear, but he was an opportunist.
"I was curious about what would convince you to allow a murderer into the Wards." He said. His smile was genuine. There was no immediate reason to distrust him. She was just a survivor though. He was one as well.
"We know that trigger events are traumatic and she was attacked first. Self defense is easy to establish. Youth Guard would have argued for it and I'd rather have her where we can keep an eye on her." She shrugged.
"So you were discussing her abilities. Is she that important? What would the central office say?" He sounded concerned for her welfare. They both knew it was a show. They may have survived Nillbog together, but that was their only point of commonality.
"You will see in the reports. She has several abilities that work well together. Also an existing history with Aria." She would throw him a bone. Let him worry at that for awhile.
"I suppose I will have to look over her power testing for myself." He said with a smile. "I overheard that she brought something else with her." His gaze sharpened and she wanted to curse.
"She did, but it was a matter for the police." She stated firmly. "Was there anything else?" He shook his head and made some excuses before politely leaving. She scowled hard at the closed door. She dialed a number, "Dragon. Is that information secure?"
"It is. Aria's firewall program is still the best we have. It already repelled an intrusion." The voice of the world's greatest Tinker said over the line.
"I just repelled another intrusion. I want to know just how the hell Thomas knew what we were talking about." She bit out. "The only ones that should have known about the evidence were in this room and yourself." Dragon's silence was absolute. It was as if the woman didn't breathe.
"I will begin sweeping the building. Was there anything else you needed?" Dragon asked. Emily thought for a moment.
"Has Armsmaster filed the official power testing for Despedia?" She asked.
"Not yet. He wanted to wait until speaking to you." Dragon replied. Director Piggot relaxed fractionally.
"Omit from the official record about Despedia's ability to find Aria." She said.
"Is that wise, Director Piggot?" Dragon asked after a lengthy silence.
"Aria has made herself out to be a very valuable resource. The fabricator she built recently and the medical scanner are good examples. The operating system she devised and the firewalls are useful. If no one knows that we have a guaranteed method of finding Aria that's for the best. Let the other directors know of course and my reasons for keeping this quiet." Emily said.
"That makes sense. The medical scanner, by the way, has cleared testing. The fabricator is safe to use, and given enough time, I could reproduce it. There are some fairly exotic parts used, but nothing impossible." Dragon said.
"So even this is able to be reproduced..." She sat back in her chair musingly, "What of the medical scanner?"
"It works exceptionally well. The success rate has been 95.6%. There were some things that it couldn't identify, but still lead to proper diagnosis." Dragon sounded as proud as if it were own design.
"Then I think you can understand why we keep Aria safe." Emily knew how the cape community thought. Aria had just become too valuable to harm. She was building medical tech and her inventions were able to be reproduced normally.
"Which is also the reason you're using when the other directors ask about the leniency shown to Despedia." Dragon said calmly. "Her abilities make her a uniquely capable threat."
"She also has a guilt complex regarding her parents and what she did to Aria. Those are very strong chains." She said. Emily was speaking from experience in that regard. She hung up from speaking to Dragon and sat back in her chair.
Guilt and duty. She stared unseeingly at her desk as her thoughts swirled. If she had to nail down a cause of her own changing beliefs it was Aria. She would have just thrown Despedia in their holding cell and shipped her off to be someone else's headache before. Now she kept a dangerous parahuman loose to protect one girl.
She snorted at the thought. The cold logic on the matter was the girl was more valuable in the Wards then locked up. The cold logic was that abilities like hers would be snapped up by the other PRT stations. That was what she owed to Aria. Just one more example of genuine humanity in a sea of inhuman corruption. She smirked at the thought.
"Well Coil...make your move."
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude 2.f PRT
-February 10, 2011-
-PRT HQ Director Piggot's Office-
-Five Hours after Despedia-
Director Piggot sat back in her chair and stared at the evidence bag in front of her. Armsmaster had just finished running the data and the summary sat in an innocent seeming folder on her desk. She frowned heavily at both items. The amount of detailed corruption was enough to make a person physically ill. She looked up to Armsmaster and Miss Militia. Despite their masks she could tell they were troubled as well.
She hadn't wanted to let the redhead, Emma Barnes, go on probation. She hadn't wanted to accept the girl into the Wards. Armsmaster's lie detector technology had verified that it was a clear case of self defense from a recently triggered teen. That helped, but only a little. The evidence that she brought helped more. She gestured.
"We completed her power testing. They interact well with each other, and in anyone else, would be concerning." Colin said as he continued to stand in his power armor. He was reviewing the data as he spoke, "Brute 4 for physical strength and regeneration, but 2 for physical durability. Changer 1 for the claws she can grow from hands and feet. Striker 4 for the sharpening effect on her claws. Thinker 3. She has an ability similar to Aria's in that she can sense emotions and mental states, but can read very little. However she admitted to always knowing where Aria can be found. Mover 4 for being able to run fast and scale walls in moments, but she needs traction. She can also leap, but that fits more with her Brute rating. Breaker 4 for a personal deflection shield, but it can only face one direction at a time." He looked grim as he said, "She also demonstrated a scream. Blaster 4. It destroys stone, metal, and silicates outright. It has a short range of six feet and is aimed from her mouth."
Director Piggot grimaced. Four didn't sound that high until you realized this was several abilities at four. Abilities that worked together. Of the Wards it would fall to Aegis to pin her down if she had been a villain. The idea of having her out on the street became even more unpalatable. The Wards were the best place for her as it gave them direct oversight. She noticed Miss Militia rubbing her forehead.
"What he isn't mentioning is a secondary Breaker power for changing her...clothes..." The woman sounded strained, "The Despedia outfit is what she calls her default. She also changed into a bath towel, gym clothes, a men's shirt, and something one of the techs called a "magical girl." She says there are more outfits, but she can't use them yet."
"Glenn will love that." Emily said with a faint smile. Glenn Chambers was the PR man for their organization. He had no sense of personal taste and took it as a grave offense whenever someone already had an image. "Is the Despedia...outfit...at least tasteful?" She normally didn't engage in this kind of talk, but it served as a good distraction from Armsmaster's report.
"It is. The dress moves like a real dress, but never goes above mid thigh even when she jumps, and obscures anything under it. The material looks professional quality." Miss Militia smiled with her eyes. She liked Glenn's attitude as much as any right thinking person did. Not a bit. He still pouted over Aria designing her own costume.
"Alright. I admit I've been avoiding asking about this." She gestured at the evidence, "How bad is it?"
"Bad. We are going to have to turn this over to the police because this is outside of our jurisdiction." Armsmaster did not sound thrilled at that assessment. She raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't Despedia say that Coil was responsible? That makes this a parahuman crime." She did not want a cape to walk that should be in jail. Miss Militia shifted uncomfortably.
"There is no direct tie between Coil and this plan. All these people in the evidence are directly guilty in the conspiracy, but nowhere does Coil take a hand directly. The worst he could be charged with is accepting stolen money and he could argue that he thought it was legitimate." The frustration was clear in the patriotic heroine's voice.
"Then that is what we charge him with." Emily stated in no uncertain terms. "We will work with the police on this. If this plan is put into motion it will become a parahuman crime. The response to Coil's actions would come from the Empire, the ABB, and even the Merchants. He would stand to reap a reward from these gangs tearing each other apart. That makes it our job." She wheezed at the end as her vehemence took her strength.
"And how will the central office handle this?" Armsmaster asked. Miss Militia gave Armsmaster a look, but said nothing.
"Let me...deal with that..." Director Piggot gasped as she brought her breathing under control. The phone rang and she picked it up, "What? No. I don't care. This is a private meeting. He will have to come back later." She slammed the phone down. At the looks she was receiving she clarified, "That was Thomas. He keeps insisting that he has something to say and I can't put him off any longer." She slid the evidence across and passed the file to Miss Militia, "Armsmaster get that over to the police. Miss Militia? Destroy that file. Have fun." The two left to do their assigned tasks and a painfully thin man stepped into the office.
Thomas Calvert always reminded her of a snake. The resemblance was not physical, but in his very mannerisms. She grimaced as she shifted herself in her chair before gesturing him to a seat.
"What do you want that couldn't wait until morning?" She snapped. He was always trying to get her thrown out of this office. What he wanted with the PRT Director's position was unclear, but he was an opportunist.
"I was curious about what would convince you to allow a murderer into the Wards." He said. His smile was genuine. There was no immediate reason to distrust him. She was just a survivor though. He was one as well.
"We know that trigger events are traumatic and she was attacked first. Self defense is easy to establish. Youth Guard would have argued for it and I'd rather have her where we can keep an eye on her." She shrugged.
"So you were discussing her abilities. Is she that important? What would the central office say?" He sounded concerned for her welfare. They both knew it was a show. They may have survived Nillbog together, but that was their only point of commonality.
"You will see in the reports. She has several abilities that work well together. Also an existing history with Aria." She would throw him a bone. Let him worry at that for awhile.
"I suppose I will have to look over her power testing for myself." He said with a smile. "I overheard that she brought something else with her." His gaze sharpened and she wanted to curse.
"She did, but it was a matter for the police." She stated firmly. "Was there anything else?" He shook his head and made some excuses before politely leaving. She scowled hard at the closed door. She dialed a number, "Dragon. Is that information secure?"
"It is. Aria's firewall program is still the best we have. It already repelled an intrusion." The voice of the world's greatest Tinker said over the line.
"I just repelled another intrusion. I want to know just how the hell Thomas knew what we were talking about." She bit out. "The only ones that should have known about the evidence were in this room and yourself." Dragon's silence was absolute. It was as if the woman didn't breathe.
"I will begin sweeping the building. Was there anything else you needed?" Dragon asked. Emily thought for a moment.
"Has Armsmaster filed the official power testing for Despedia?" She asked.
"Not yet. He wanted to wait until speaking to you." Dragon replied. Director Piggot relaxed fractionally.
"Omit from the official record about Despedia's ability to find Aria." She said.
"Is that wise, Director Piggot?" Dragon asked after a lengthy silence.
"Aria has made herself out to be a very valuable resource. The fabricator she built recently and the medical scanner are good examples. The operating system she devised and the firewalls are useful. If no one knows that we have a guaranteed method of finding Aria that's for the best. Let the other directors know of course and my reasons for keeping this quiet." Emily said.
"That makes sense. The medical scanner, by the way, has cleared testing. The fabricator is safe to use, and given enough time, I could reproduce it. There are some fairly exotic parts used, but nothing impossible." Dragon said.
"So even this is able to be reproduced..." She sat back in her chair musingly, "What of the medical scanner?"
"It works exceptionally well. The success rate has been 95.6%. There were some things that it couldn't identify, but still lead to proper diagnosis." Dragon sounded as proud as if it were own design.
"Then I think you can understand why we keep Aria safe." Emily knew how the cape community thought. Aria had just become too valuable to harm. She was building medical tech and her inventions were able to be reproduced normally.
"Which is also the reason you're using when the other directors ask about the leniency shown to Despedia." Dragon said calmly. "Her abilities make her a uniquely capable threat."
"She also has a guilt complex regarding her parents and what she did to Aria. Those are very strong chains." She said. Emily was speaking from experience in that regard. She hung up from speaking to Dragon and sat back in her chair.
Guilt and duty. She stared unseeingly at her desk as her thoughts swirled. If she had to nail down a cause of her own changing beliefs it was Aria. She would have just thrown Despedia in their holding cell and shipped her off to be someone else's headache before. Now she kept a dangerous parahuman loose to protect one girl.
She snorted at the thought. The cold logic on the matter was the girl was more valuable in the Wards then locked up. The cold logic was that abilities like hers would be snapped up by the other PRT stations. That was what she owed to Aria. Just one more example of genuine humanity in a sea of inhuman corruption. She smirked at the thought.
"Well Coil...make your move."
Second Arc 2.5
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Second Arc 2.5
-February 11, 2011-
-Hebert Residence-
I was trapped. There was no way to escape. Was this how I went out? I squirmed, but there was no give to my bindings. I couldn't even move my head. My face was pressed against something warm and soft while my arms were trapped to my side by a steel band. My legs were pinned by an iron bar. There was no help for me now. Unless my dad stopped laughing long enough.
"Get her off me, Dad!" I tried to squirm out again, but it worked as well against Emma's pneumatic grip as before. There was a thread of amusement through her melody and I realized that she had been awake.
"She wants me to get off, Mr. Hebert." She laughed and Dad snickered some more.
"I left your breakfast girls. Sorry, but I'm late for work!" He called back over his shoulder as he hurried out of the house accompanied by more laughter. She finally released me and we lay side by side. Our shoulders touching, but the distance was still there. It was closing, but we were closer than we were. The time was against us. We hurried off to eat and get to HQ. Emma wasn't set to start school again until Monday.
-Ward's HQ-
The two of us entered headquarters and went straight for the Wards' area. Despedia was nervous, but unless you could hear her melody you couldn't tell. The agents were nervous about her, but I caught more than a few sympathetic looks directed her way. She kept her head up, but glanced at me every so often. I kept up a steady pulse of soothing feelings.
"What do we do all day?" Emma asked me as we walked through the halls.
"I'm going to be in my lab. I have a few things that I want to work on." I hummed blissfully. My lab was returned to me after my fabricator passed the tests and the medical scanner was essentially my golden ticket. The email from Dragon reached me first thing this morning. I smiled in delight.
"What am I supposed to do?" She sounded unsure and my happy train derailed. I rubbed her shoulder.
"You can come with me to the lab or stay with the other Wards." I told her. She nodded slowly.
"Just show me where your lab is and I think it would be good if I got to know the others." She squared herself like she was preparing for battle. I did as she asked and showed her to my lab, but when we stopped outside the door to the Wards' room.
"You don't have to do this..." I said to her, but Emma shook her head.
"I can do this. You don't have to hold my hand on this." She smiled faintly, "Quite a change...I'm holding your hand...you've grown so strong." She turned and headed through the door abruptly. I walked back to my lab contemplatively. Was I stronger? Maybe I was, but that wasn't all was it? We had flipped roles. It made me feel good.
My head suddenly felt like it was splitting in two as a weird melody approached. It sounded distorted, split, sweat stood out on my forehead. There was a very thin man approaching me. He hurried over in apparent concern, but the melody was warning me away. What? I stumbled back, but he caught my arm with deceptive strength.
"Aria, right? Is there something the matter?" He smiled reassuringly, but the sense of wrongness had increased. He hated me. He hated me so much it was like a physical force. I stood up through a force of will.
"I'm fine. Would you help me to my lab, please?" I asked him. I could barely think through this pain. What the hell would cause this?
"How about I take you to the infirmary." He stated it. There was no question. He started to pull me along and I stumbled to keep up. Okay, going to the infirmary wasn't a bad idea either. Anything to get me away from this guy. He was dressed in a PRT uniform, but I didn't remember him. I'm sure I'd remember a guy that could make my head explode. I tugged my arm, but he had a firm grip.
"I can walk on my own..." My voice sounded whiny and I hated it. He just kept walking. No one even questioned what they were seeing. We finally entered the infirmary and the doctor hurried over.
"What seems to be the problem, Thomas?" The doctor asked. His name tag read Richard Minor.
"Appears our young starlet is suffering from a Thinker headache. I just wanted to make sure she got here." He smiled pleasantly at me. I glared back at him.
"Thank you so very much." My voice held pure frost. He blinked before narrowing his eyes.
"You should watch your tone, Aria. Those in power can help you along or make things difficult." He warned. His melody suddenly became threatening in a way I couldn't understand.
"Thomas, dial it back a bit. The young lady is in a great deal of pain." The doctor's melody had turned like soured milk and almost spat in this Thomas' direction.
"My apologies. I hope you have a better day." He nodded his head and strode out. The doctor was already leading me towards a bed. The further Thomas got from me the better I felt. I still took the painkillers he offered me, but I was mostly back to normal.
"Your headache is already clearing isn't it?" The doctor asked me. I nodded.
"Mostly gone already...as soon as he left..." I let slip out. He looked confused.
"That sounds like something you should tell someone." He counseled.
"Thanks. I better head to my lab for my check in. I'm late as it is. Uh...who was that guy?" I couldn't help it. I had no respect for that man. Dragging off an underage girl against her will?
"That was Thomas Calvert. He and Director Piggot were the only survivors of the Nillbog incident. He can be forceful at times, but he has the PRT's best interests in mind." He let me go after that.
This was a mystery and most of the pieces were there, but I had no way of assembling it. There was an important piece missing. The memory of the pain in my skull was still fresh, but I could ignore it. I would examine the data that was collected and plan accordingly. Dragon would know what to do better than I would. Thomas Calvert was a respected PRT agent, but his melody was so damn strange. I walked into my lab. Dragon was already there.
"Aria? What happened? Doctor Minor filed a report that you were in to see him." She said. I sighed.
"If it says Thinker headache then it's a lie." I managed to say. The startled silence was all I needed to know that I had her attention. "Thomas Calvert came towards me and I immediately felt a splitting pain. A tearing, splitting pain, that felt like two melodies were playing at the same time, but out of sync, and somehow came from the same person. It hurt. He hates me. Hates me enough to kill me." I yanked at my hair in sudden agitation, but a mechanical arm grasped my wrist. One of the construction arms was restraining me and I release my hair.
"That is a serious accusation, but it will be noted in your file that you are not to be left alone with Thomas Calvert." She said soothingly and I relaxed further. I could always count on her to watch out for me.
"Can I just get back to work? I'm done thinking about that guy..." I sighed.
"Certainly. What are you working on today?" She asked curiously. I called up a few half finished projects that could be done faster with my fabricator.
"For one I'm going to make a better generator. My Sol Reactor was made with sub optimal parts." I gestured at the design on the screen, "The parts worked well, but none of them were particularly robust or specialized for this." I made a few changes to the reactor. There was no miniaturization going into this because this would be my mass producible offering. Miniaturization of the kind that Armsmaster was capable of didn't exactly reproduce well.
"Hmmm...that is a fair bit larger than the Sol Reactor you showed us originally." She commented and was right. The original was the size of a basketball. This reactor was the size of a floor model TV. I fired up the fabricator and set it work putting the reactor together. Time to completion was three hours. The fabricator I built was made purposely small. A bigger one would be a good long term project.
"This one can be reproduced. I wonder how much smaller Armsmaster can make them." I mused, "I plan on making something different this time. I was planning a suit of power armor for when I had to be in the field." The design was something I had been playing around with. Tyria and Shurelia's linkage suits would make an excellent power armor design. Another idea was making it independently mobile so it could come to me in an emergency.
"Power armor? Interesting idea. Mind if I look the design over?" She asked and I gave her a look. I had the idea for how it would reach me. I called up the design for the ELMA and made the necessary adjustments to bring the two designs into line. ELMA Linkage I made a note to show Mir this idea later.
"What do you think? I was planning on something that could come to me when I need it. The amplifier units would allow my power to cover a greater range with less destabilization." I pointed out the units built into the back portion of the suit. "Anti-grav units for flight and balance." I indicated the units on the thighs and waist. "The propulsion would be here, here, and here." I pointed at the shins and the mid back. She was worryingly quiet, but I pressed on. "Strength amplifier, of course, and robust armor. I was thinking of a form of ionized metal." I didn't have the more exotic metals that went into the ELMAs or Linkage, but there were enough Tinker materials to fill the need.
"I see no issue with you building it and with the way your tech is reproducible being able to replace the parts easily wouldn't be an issue. I have to ask why you want so many thrusters and so much anti-grav?" She sounded curious and I blushed.
"I always wanted to fly. The idea of leaving all of this behind on the ground and flying is just too tempting. I plan on adding a biometric scanner so that I'm the only one that can use it. Period." Sorry, folks, but there were some parts in this design that wouldn't work for someone without an interface field.
"That is completely understandable. Could you make a general power armor design for the PRT?" Dragon asked and I inwardly grimaced. I knew that would happen. My stuff can be reproduced which means it doesn't take a Tinker to maintain it, but the level of tech is still a bit high.
"I could. How long would it take to get permission for that though?" I asked. If they were smart they would jump right on this offer. Dragon made a noise of disgust and my heart sank.
"They would need a proof of concept. Proof that it would work reliably. The only way to guarantee that would be to have someone wearing a suit out in the field. Yours is designed for yourself, but can I ask you to build one more yet more generalized?" She asked. I nodded slowly.
"Okay. I'll need Armsmaster's help to shrink the Sol Reactor Mk II for my designs, but the general Sol Reactor Mk I will work well with the new unit." I put it in the fabricator to build the original Sol Reactor and ELMA Linkage. The part that annoyed me was that the ELMA Linkage would have to be tested. If they let me do the testing that would be a different story.
"The MP Power Armor will lack the specialized parts that mine has." I brought up another ELMA because frankly it worked so well. I briefly considered bringing out the Divine Army specs and decided not to. Those would stay on my hard drive at home for now. The new armor was similar to the Linkage because of the reinforcing involved. The only thing I really removed was the Booster Unit on the back. I replaced with a more generalized flight/sensor pack. MP Booster Unit.
"What sort of protections do these have?" Dragon asked. I started calling up the various defenses.
"Basically I'm making it stupidly durable like my own armor. Force fields can be breached, but if the material itself is strong enough then it becomes redundant. I added force fields because redundancy saves lives. There is a foam that will be shot into the suit should they take a strong enough blow. Based off of the cushioning properties of containment foam." That stuff was ridiculous for what it could actually do and it was breathable.
"Containment foam as a safety material. I never thought of that." She said and I had a hard time believing that. Greatest Tinker in the world? I wasn't that reckless as to believe I'm doing something totally new there.
"Do you want me to work on designs for weaponry?" I asked. Dragon made a negative sound.
"I don't think so. Let them get used to equating your face with medical tech and protective devices before you start showing them weapons. You're going to make so many Tinkers cry with your fabricator." She teased and I blushed.
"Well once you've cracked how to rebuild it they won't have to cry long." I said back playfully. Inwardly it annoyed me that Dragon could already see how to build more. I put safeguards in place to prevent it being reproduced, but she would manage it. The title Greatest Tinker in the World consoled me. I also gave her access to my OS and firewall data so she had a way in.
"It's interesting that's for sure. Put in materials and the fabricator changes them to something else. The assembler set up I have in my lab is streamlining the process considerably. I should have one completed soon. I'm perhaps 70% through reverse engineering." She assured me. Before we can continue the computer chimes and I blink. Time has passed that fast? "It looks like you need to go to lunch, Taylor." Dragon reminded me. "I will set the arms to assemble the parts. Go and eat." I knew I was dismissed.
I entered the cafeteria and saw the other Wards sitting at one table. Emma was there and was talking animatedly with Dennis about something. The melodies were pleasantly synchronizing and it relaxed me. I got my food and walked over to join them.
"Aria! Hey there! Did they have to pry you out of the lab again?" Missy asked teasingly and I blushed.
"Well no..." I started only for money to start changing hands. Surprisingly it was Kid Win that won. He grinned at me and I forgave him for making money off my pain.
"Relax. All Tinkers go through the rage." Aegis assured me through poorly concealed chuckles. Gallant was looking at me in concern as was Despedia. They must have felt my earlier episode. I sat down beside Emma.
"What are you working on?" Kid Win asked. Conversation continued around us. Emma squeezed my shoulder before going back to talking to Clockblocker.
"A more robust version of my Sol Reactor, power armor for myself, and power armor for the PRT." I said as we ate. He looked contemplative.
"You are really busy. Is that fabricator helping?" He asked and I nodded.
"It cuts down the time a lot. Once I'm satisfied, and the infrastructure is built, I'll probably work on a larger one." I admitted.
"Infrastructure?" We attracted some attention from the others. This was as good a time as any to explain.
"My tech needs infrastructure. It requires me to build things so that I can build other things. The improved Sol Reactor will eventually go on to power a larger fabricator, but only once the other steps are met. My network needs to be built up before that. The infrastructure is already in place for power armors. The tech base is there. Medical scanners are mid point on the medical science structure, but the support is already in place to build that. From scanners I can expand upwards." I was texting the explanation to Dragon. Scatter brained Tinker?
"So it doesn't just appear out of nowhere? Yikes. That's a lot of work." Dennis said. Which apparently summed up the general consensus. I shrugged.
"It's exciting to me to work on these things." It was too. I couldn't wait to get home and show Mir what I was working on. Conversation shifted away from work and the shopping trip for tomorrow came up.
"We have a lot of people going, huh?" Missy asked. Emma nodded.
"Hope no one minds that I'm going too..." Emma said. Vista shook her head.
"Well it looks like we have Glory Girl, Panacea, Aria, Aria's friend Lisa, you, and me." Vista summed it up. The guys looked thoughtful, but they were shut down, "Girls only!" There was an odd sound of male eagerness suddenly deflated.
"What do you guys think girls do when they're together?" I asked curiously. Strangely they deferred to Clockblocker to answer that one. Oh sacrificial lamb.
"Shop, gossip, talk about boys...?" He said with a leer that got him slapped by Vista and a sudden laugh from Emma. She was laughing hard and just barely stopped herself from pounding the table. He looked so bewildered. The sentiment was echoed expect for Gallant who was also cracking up. I couldn't help giggling either.
"Uh...Despedia is as queer as a three dollar bill..." I managed between giggles. Dennis looked bewildered before smacking himself on the forehead.
"First hot redhead I find to talk to me, ever, and she's not even into guys..." He said in a mournful tone that was only partially serious. Emma patted his arm.
"You're a great guy. You just have to let more people see that." She smiled warmly at him. There was a spark of actual interest in her melody, but I kept my mouth shut. That was up to her. We finished up our meals and I spent some time with the other Wards.
We sat around playing games and talking about school. I hadn't really taken the time to talk to them. Really talk to them. We didn't have enough time that night to fully bridge the gap, but we were making inroads. I was closer to Vista and Kid Win. Emma was a no brainer. Gallant and I have spoken, but it always devolves into talking about our powers. I like that I have powers, but every time we talk? Clockblocker is just fun to talk to, but somehow his bombastic nature is just too much all at once. Aegis and I end up talking about our duties and responsibilities.
Vista just wanted someone to take her seriously outside of being a Ward. No one doubts her competence, but the fact that she's more petite than Madison makes it easy to overlook her. I inwardly groaned at that image. Kid Win and I don't always talk shop. Sometimes we just sit without even talking. Me working on my projects while he's working on his own. I thought to myself that it's time I got to know them better. We stayed through dinner.
"Aria? We gotta go..." Emma said apologetically. I nodded and stood up.
"Well catch you guys later. See you tomorrow, Vista. At ten, right?" I checked. She confirmed and we were heading out towards the front of the building. We stopped in the locker room to change before heading out. Dad picked us up down the street and we went home.
"How was your day girls?" He asked and we made small talk. Emma's melody was healing nicely and Dad was responding favorably.
"Taylor abandoned me for the whole day. She even forgot that no one would be there until noon at least." Emma said while flashing me a teasing look. "It was a good thing that Miss Militia realized I was all alone and took the time to talk to me." I stuck my tongue out at her.
"You wouldn't have been alone if you hadn't wanted to avoid me tinkering." She responded by tilting her head up as if she were above it all.
"So your day was good?" Dad asked and we nodded. He relaxed. "Still have that shopping trip?" He asked. We made small talk even right into the house. We sat around watching movies for awhile before those of us that needed sleep went to bed. I brought out my laptop and hoped Mir wasn't sleeping yet.
I ran some diagnostics for myself and Emma while I waited for the system to connect. It didn't take long for the connection to be established and hello. There was someone exercising in the living room. It took me a moment to recognize Cocona. She was wearing work out clothes and twirling around a pair of oversized tonfas. Her steps were fluid and sure as she went through her routine. She stopped when her glance caught the active terminal.
"Taylor?" She came to a full stop and took a deep swig from a water bottle, "It's a bit late. I'm the only one awake at the moment. If you need Mir..." I shook my head.
"It's fine. I'll pester Shurelia in a bit." I said and Cocona grinned.
"Nope. Not tonight. Frelia or Tyria would be a better bet really. Shurelia is indisposed." She said diplomatically before picking up the terminal and carrying it outside. My first look at a fully different world and it was impressive. "That right there is Metafallica." She pointed at a picture of a large land hovering in the air. "The first new land created since ancient times. I was there to see it created." Her voice was proud, but also wistful.
"Wow...that must have been amazing." I said in wonder. She nodded.
"A couple years later I helped with the effort to restore the surface. It might have almost killed me, but it was worth it. We saved the world for so many..." Cocona said with a smile.
"I'm glad you survived." I said softly. She looked at me in surprise, "We wouldn't have met if you had died. If you had died that would have been it." I didn't know where this was coming from, but I had to get her to understand.
"Taylor..." She started before narrowing her eyes slightly, "You're projecting aren't you? You and Mir are seriously the same..." She sighed, "Listen to me. I don't want to die. I want to live. I will live, Taylor. Just gotta stop working so hard. Which is what you have to do I bet. It took forever to get Mir to settle down. If you don't you'll have a burnout." She warned and I blushed.
"Am I really that obvious?" I pleaded. I did not whine.
"You are. What did you want to tell Mir? I might not know all the technical details, but I'm no slouch." She sat down in a porch swing and rested the terminal in her lap. We talked for hours about my work, about her rehabilitation, and about nothing at all. The sun was coming up when we realized just how much time we spent.
"I have to get ready. Croix, Mir, and myself are heading out to meet up with some friends. We're heading to Frelia's tower." She looked apologetic, but I understood.
"I have a girl's day out planned and I have no idea what to do." I admitted. She grinned at me.
"Do what I do! When in doubt? Wing it!" She laughed and we cut the connection. A voice said from over my shoulder.
"So that's your type, huh?" Emma asked and I jumped. Heart hammering in my chest. She wandered off to the bathroom with a laugh and I palmed my face. Even when she was my friend she was still my enemy.
or Melody of Escalation
Second Arc 2.5
-February 11, 2011-
-Hebert Residence-
I was trapped. There was no way to escape. Was this how I went out? I squirmed, but there was no give to my bindings. I couldn't even move my head. My face was pressed against something warm and soft while my arms were trapped to my side by a steel band. My legs were pinned by an iron bar. There was no help for me now. Unless my dad stopped laughing long enough.
"Get her off me, Dad!" I tried to squirm out again, but it worked as well against Emma's pneumatic grip as before. There was a thread of amusement through her melody and I realized that she had been awake.
"She wants me to get off, Mr. Hebert." She laughed and Dad snickered some more.
"I left your breakfast girls. Sorry, but I'm late for work!" He called back over his shoulder as he hurried out of the house accompanied by more laughter. She finally released me and we lay side by side. Our shoulders touching, but the distance was still there. It was closing, but we were closer than we were. The time was against us. We hurried off to eat and get to HQ. Emma wasn't set to start school again until Monday.
-Ward's HQ-
The two of us entered headquarters and went straight for the Wards' area. Despedia was nervous, but unless you could hear her melody you couldn't tell. The agents were nervous about her, but I caught more than a few sympathetic looks directed her way. She kept her head up, but glanced at me every so often. I kept up a steady pulse of soothing feelings.
"What do we do all day?" Emma asked me as we walked through the halls.
"I'm going to be in my lab. I have a few things that I want to work on." I hummed blissfully. My lab was returned to me after my fabricator passed the tests and the medical scanner was essentially my golden ticket. The email from Dragon reached me first thing this morning. I smiled in delight.
"What am I supposed to do?" She sounded unsure and my happy train derailed. I rubbed her shoulder.
"You can come with me to the lab or stay with the other Wards." I told her. She nodded slowly.
"Just show me where your lab is and I think it would be good if I got to know the others." She squared herself like she was preparing for battle. I did as she asked and showed her to my lab, but when we stopped outside the door to the Wards' room.
"You don't have to do this..." I said to her, but Emma shook her head.
"I can do this. You don't have to hold my hand on this." She smiled faintly, "Quite a change...I'm holding your hand...you've grown so strong." She turned and headed through the door abruptly. I walked back to my lab contemplatively. Was I stronger? Maybe I was, but that wasn't all was it? We had flipped roles. It made me feel good.
My head suddenly felt like it was splitting in two as a weird melody approached. It sounded distorted, split, sweat stood out on my forehead. There was a very thin man approaching me. He hurried over in apparent concern, but the melody was warning me away. What? I stumbled back, but he caught my arm with deceptive strength.
"Aria, right? Is there something the matter?" He smiled reassuringly, but the sense of wrongness had increased. He hated me. He hated me so much it was like a physical force. I stood up through a force of will.
"I'm fine. Would you help me to my lab, please?" I asked him. I could barely think through this pain. What the hell would cause this?
"How about I take you to the infirmary." He stated it. There was no question. He started to pull me along and I stumbled to keep up. Okay, going to the infirmary wasn't a bad idea either. Anything to get me away from this guy. He was dressed in a PRT uniform, but I didn't remember him. I'm sure I'd remember a guy that could make my head explode. I tugged my arm, but he had a firm grip.
"I can walk on my own..." My voice sounded whiny and I hated it. He just kept walking. No one even questioned what they were seeing. We finally entered the infirmary and the doctor hurried over.
"What seems to be the problem, Thomas?" The doctor asked. His name tag read Richard Minor.
"Appears our young starlet is suffering from a Thinker headache. I just wanted to make sure she got here." He smiled pleasantly at me. I glared back at him.
"Thank you so very much." My voice held pure frost. He blinked before narrowing his eyes.
"You should watch your tone, Aria. Those in power can help you along or make things difficult." He warned. His melody suddenly became threatening in a way I couldn't understand.
"Thomas, dial it back a bit. The young lady is in a great deal of pain." The doctor's melody had turned like soured milk and almost spat in this Thomas' direction.
"My apologies. I hope you have a better day." He nodded his head and strode out. The doctor was already leading me towards a bed. The further Thomas got from me the better I felt. I still took the painkillers he offered me, but I was mostly back to normal.
"Your headache is already clearing isn't it?" The doctor asked me. I nodded.
"Mostly gone already...as soon as he left..." I let slip out. He looked confused.
"That sounds like something you should tell someone." He counseled.
"Thanks. I better head to my lab for my check in. I'm late as it is. Uh...who was that guy?" I couldn't help it. I had no respect for that man. Dragging off an underage girl against her will?
"That was Thomas Calvert. He and Director Piggot were the only survivors of the Nillbog incident. He can be forceful at times, but he has the PRT's best interests in mind." He let me go after that.
This was a mystery and most of the pieces were there, but I had no way of assembling it. There was an important piece missing. The memory of the pain in my skull was still fresh, but I could ignore it. I would examine the data that was collected and plan accordingly. Dragon would know what to do better than I would. Thomas Calvert was a respected PRT agent, but his melody was so damn strange. I walked into my lab. Dragon was already there.
"Aria? What happened? Doctor Minor filed a report that you were in to see him." She said. I sighed.
"If it says Thinker headache then it's a lie." I managed to say. The startled silence was all I needed to know that I had her attention. "Thomas Calvert came towards me and I immediately felt a splitting pain. A tearing, splitting pain, that felt like two melodies were playing at the same time, but out of sync, and somehow came from the same person. It hurt. He hates me. Hates me enough to kill me." I yanked at my hair in sudden agitation, but a mechanical arm grasped my wrist. One of the construction arms was restraining me and I release my hair.
"That is a serious accusation, but it will be noted in your file that you are not to be left alone with Thomas Calvert." She said soothingly and I relaxed further. I could always count on her to watch out for me.
"Can I just get back to work? I'm done thinking about that guy..." I sighed.
"Certainly. What are you working on today?" She asked curiously. I called up a few half finished projects that could be done faster with my fabricator.
"For one I'm going to make a better generator. My Sol Reactor was made with sub optimal parts." I gestured at the design on the screen, "The parts worked well, but none of them were particularly robust or specialized for this." I made a few changes to the reactor. There was no miniaturization going into this because this would be my mass producible offering. Miniaturization of the kind that Armsmaster was capable of didn't exactly reproduce well.
"Hmmm...that is a fair bit larger than the Sol Reactor you showed us originally." She commented and was right. The original was the size of a basketball. This reactor was the size of a floor model TV. I fired up the fabricator and set it work putting the reactor together. Time to completion was three hours. The fabricator I built was made purposely small. A bigger one would be a good long term project.
"This one can be reproduced. I wonder how much smaller Armsmaster can make them." I mused, "I plan on making something different this time. I was planning a suit of power armor for when I had to be in the field." The design was something I had been playing around with. Tyria and Shurelia's linkage suits would make an excellent power armor design. Another idea was making it independently mobile so it could come to me in an emergency.
"Power armor? Interesting idea. Mind if I look the design over?" She asked and I gave her a look. I had the idea for how it would reach me. I called up the design for the ELMA and made the necessary adjustments to bring the two designs into line. ELMA Linkage I made a note to show Mir this idea later.
"What do you think? I was planning on something that could come to me when I need it. The amplifier units would allow my power to cover a greater range with less destabilization." I pointed out the units built into the back portion of the suit. "Anti-grav units for flight and balance." I indicated the units on the thighs and waist. "The propulsion would be here, here, and here." I pointed at the shins and the mid back. She was worryingly quiet, but I pressed on. "Strength amplifier, of course, and robust armor. I was thinking of a form of ionized metal." I didn't have the more exotic metals that went into the ELMAs or Linkage, but there were enough Tinker materials to fill the need.
"I see no issue with you building it and with the way your tech is reproducible being able to replace the parts easily wouldn't be an issue. I have to ask why you want so many thrusters and so much anti-grav?" She sounded curious and I blushed.
"I always wanted to fly. The idea of leaving all of this behind on the ground and flying is just too tempting. I plan on adding a biometric scanner so that I'm the only one that can use it. Period." Sorry, folks, but there were some parts in this design that wouldn't work for someone without an interface field.
"That is completely understandable. Could you make a general power armor design for the PRT?" Dragon asked and I inwardly grimaced. I knew that would happen. My stuff can be reproduced which means it doesn't take a Tinker to maintain it, but the level of tech is still a bit high.
"I could. How long would it take to get permission for that though?" I asked. If they were smart they would jump right on this offer. Dragon made a noise of disgust and my heart sank.
"They would need a proof of concept. Proof that it would work reliably. The only way to guarantee that would be to have someone wearing a suit out in the field. Yours is designed for yourself, but can I ask you to build one more yet more generalized?" She asked. I nodded slowly.
"Okay. I'll need Armsmaster's help to shrink the Sol Reactor Mk II for my designs, but the general Sol Reactor Mk I will work well with the new unit." I put it in the fabricator to build the original Sol Reactor and ELMA Linkage. The part that annoyed me was that the ELMA Linkage would have to be tested. If they let me do the testing that would be a different story.
"The MP Power Armor will lack the specialized parts that mine has." I brought up another ELMA because frankly it worked so well. I briefly considered bringing out the Divine Army specs and decided not to. Those would stay on my hard drive at home for now. The new armor was similar to the Linkage because of the reinforcing involved. The only thing I really removed was the Booster Unit on the back. I replaced with a more generalized flight/sensor pack. MP Booster Unit.
"What sort of protections do these have?" Dragon asked. I started calling up the various defenses.
"Basically I'm making it stupidly durable like my own armor. Force fields can be breached, but if the material itself is strong enough then it becomes redundant. I added force fields because redundancy saves lives. There is a foam that will be shot into the suit should they take a strong enough blow. Based off of the cushioning properties of containment foam." That stuff was ridiculous for what it could actually do and it was breathable.
"Containment foam as a safety material. I never thought of that." She said and I had a hard time believing that. Greatest Tinker in the world? I wasn't that reckless as to believe I'm doing something totally new there.
"Do you want me to work on designs for weaponry?" I asked. Dragon made a negative sound.
"I don't think so. Let them get used to equating your face with medical tech and protective devices before you start showing them weapons. You're going to make so many Tinkers cry with your fabricator." She teased and I blushed.
"Well once you've cracked how to rebuild it they won't have to cry long." I said back playfully. Inwardly it annoyed me that Dragon could already see how to build more. I put safeguards in place to prevent it being reproduced, but she would manage it. The title Greatest Tinker in the World consoled me. I also gave her access to my OS and firewall data so she had a way in.
"It's interesting that's for sure. Put in materials and the fabricator changes them to something else. The assembler set up I have in my lab is streamlining the process considerably. I should have one completed soon. I'm perhaps 70% through reverse engineering." She assured me. Before we can continue the computer chimes and I blink. Time has passed that fast? "It looks like you need to go to lunch, Taylor." Dragon reminded me. "I will set the arms to assemble the parts. Go and eat." I knew I was dismissed.
I entered the cafeteria and saw the other Wards sitting at one table. Emma was there and was talking animatedly with Dennis about something. The melodies were pleasantly synchronizing and it relaxed me. I got my food and walked over to join them.
"Aria! Hey there! Did they have to pry you out of the lab again?" Missy asked teasingly and I blushed.
"Well no..." I started only for money to start changing hands. Surprisingly it was Kid Win that won. He grinned at me and I forgave him for making money off my pain.
"Relax. All Tinkers go through the rage." Aegis assured me through poorly concealed chuckles. Gallant was looking at me in concern as was Despedia. They must have felt my earlier episode. I sat down beside Emma.
"What are you working on?" Kid Win asked. Conversation continued around us. Emma squeezed my shoulder before going back to talking to Clockblocker.
"A more robust version of my Sol Reactor, power armor for myself, and power armor for the PRT." I said as we ate. He looked contemplative.
"You are really busy. Is that fabricator helping?" He asked and I nodded.
"It cuts down the time a lot. Once I'm satisfied, and the infrastructure is built, I'll probably work on a larger one." I admitted.
"Infrastructure?" We attracted some attention from the others. This was as good a time as any to explain.
"My tech needs infrastructure. It requires me to build things so that I can build other things. The improved Sol Reactor will eventually go on to power a larger fabricator, but only once the other steps are met. My network needs to be built up before that. The infrastructure is already in place for power armors. The tech base is there. Medical scanners are mid point on the medical science structure, but the support is already in place to build that. From scanners I can expand upwards." I was texting the explanation to Dragon. Scatter brained Tinker?
"So it doesn't just appear out of nowhere? Yikes. That's a lot of work." Dennis said. Which apparently summed up the general consensus. I shrugged.
"It's exciting to me to work on these things." It was too. I couldn't wait to get home and show Mir what I was working on. Conversation shifted away from work and the shopping trip for tomorrow came up.
"We have a lot of people going, huh?" Missy asked. Emma nodded.
"Hope no one minds that I'm going too..." Emma said. Vista shook her head.
"Well it looks like we have Glory Girl, Panacea, Aria, Aria's friend Lisa, you, and me." Vista summed it up. The guys looked thoughtful, but they were shut down, "Girls only!" There was an odd sound of male eagerness suddenly deflated.
"What do you guys think girls do when they're together?" I asked curiously. Strangely they deferred to Clockblocker to answer that one. Oh sacrificial lamb.
"Shop, gossip, talk about boys...?" He said with a leer that got him slapped by Vista and a sudden laugh from Emma. She was laughing hard and just barely stopped herself from pounding the table. He looked so bewildered. The sentiment was echoed expect for Gallant who was also cracking up. I couldn't help giggling either.
"Uh...Despedia is as queer as a three dollar bill..." I managed between giggles. Dennis looked bewildered before smacking himself on the forehead.
"First hot redhead I find to talk to me, ever, and she's not even into guys..." He said in a mournful tone that was only partially serious. Emma patted his arm.
"You're a great guy. You just have to let more people see that." She smiled warmly at him. There was a spark of actual interest in her melody, but I kept my mouth shut. That was up to her. We finished up our meals and I spent some time with the other Wards.
We sat around playing games and talking about school. I hadn't really taken the time to talk to them. Really talk to them. We didn't have enough time that night to fully bridge the gap, but we were making inroads. I was closer to Vista and Kid Win. Emma was a no brainer. Gallant and I have spoken, but it always devolves into talking about our powers. I like that I have powers, but every time we talk? Clockblocker is just fun to talk to, but somehow his bombastic nature is just too much all at once. Aegis and I end up talking about our duties and responsibilities.
Vista just wanted someone to take her seriously outside of being a Ward. No one doubts her competence, but the fact that she's more petite than Madison makes it easy to overlook her. I inwardly groaned at that image. Kid Win and I don't always talk shop. Sometimes we just sit without even talking. Me working on my projects while he's working on his own. I thought to myself that it's time I got to know them better. We stayed through dinner.
"Aria? We gotta go..." Emma said apologetically. I nodded and stood up.
"Well catch you guys later. See you tomorrow, Vista. At ten, right?" I checked. She confirmed and we were heading out towards the front of the building. We stopped in the locker room to change before heading out. Dad picked us up down the street and we went home.
"How was your day girls?" He asked and we made small talk. Emma's melody was healing nicely and Dad was responding favorably.
"Taylor abandoned me for the whole day. She even forgot that no one would be there until noon at least." Emma said while flashing me a teasing look. "It was a good thing that Miss Militia realized I was all alone and took the time to talk to me." I stuck my tongue out at her.
"You wouldn't have been alone if you hadn't wanted to avoid me tinkering." She responded by tilting her head up as if she were above it all.
"So your day was good?" Dad asked and we nodded. He relaxed. "Still have that shopping trip?" He asked. We made small talk even right into the house. We sat around watching movies for awhile before those of us that needed sleep went to bed. I brought out my laptop and hoped Mir wasn't sleeping yet.
I ran some diagnostics for myself and Emma while I waited for the system to connect. It didn't take long for the connection to be established and hello. There was someone exercising in the living room. It took me a moment to recognize Cocona. She was wearing work out clothes and twirling around a pair of oversized tonfas. Her steps were fluid and sure as she went through her routine. She stopped when her glance caught the active terminal.
"Taylor?" She came to a full stop and took a deep swig from a water bottle, "It's a bit late. I'm the only one awake at the moment. If you need Mir..." I shook my head.
"It's fine. I'll pester Shurelia in a bit." I said and Cocona grinned.
"Nope. Not tonight. Frelia or Tyria would be a better bet really. Shurelia is indisposed." She said diplomatically before picking up the terminal and carrying it outside. My first look at a fully different world and it was impressive. "That right there is Metafallica." She pointed at a picture of a large land hovering in the air. "The first new land created since ancient times. I was there to see it created." Her voice was proud, but also wistful.
"Wow...that must have been amazing." I said in wonder. She nodded.
"A couple years later I helped with the effort to restore the surface. It might have almost killed me, but it was worth it. We saved the world for so many..." Cocona said with a smile.
"I'm glad you survived." I said softly. She looked at me in surprise, "We wouldn't have met if you had died. If you had died that would have been it." I didn't know where this was coming from, but I had to get her to understand.
"Taylor..." She started before narrowing her eyes slightly, "You're projecting aren't you? You and Mir are seriously the same..." She sighed, "Listen to me. I don't want to die. I want to live. I will live, Taylor. Just gotta stop working so hard. Which is what you have to do I bet. It took forever to get Mir to settle down. If you don't you'll have a burnout." She warned and I blushed.
"Am I really that obvious?" I pleaded. I did not whine.
"You are. What did you want to tell Mir? I might not know all the technical details, but I'm no slouch." She sat down in a porch swing and rested the terminal in her lap. We talked for hours about my work, about her rehabilitation, and about nothing at all. The sun was coming up when we realized just how much time we spent.
"I have to get ready. Croix, Mir, and myself are heading out to meet up with some friends. We're heading to Frelia's tower." She looked apologetic, but I understood.
"I have a girl's day out planned and I have no idea what to do." I admitted. She grinned at me.
"Do what I do! When in doubt? Wing it!" She laughed and we cut the connection. A voice said from over my shoulder.
"So that's your type, huh?" Emma asked and I jumped. Heart hammering in my chest. She wandered off to the bathroom with a laugh and I palmed my face. Even when she was my friend she was still my enemy.
Second Arc 2.6
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Second Arc 2.6
-February 12, 2011-
-Boardwalk-
Emma and I had arrived at the Boardwalk around 9:30. The bus was on time and everything had gone exactly as planned. We were there in clothes meant for a day out. I was wearing a silvery sweater that lightly clung to my torso with a pair of capris pants finished with a pair black half boots. My coat was the one I bought here with Lisa just last month. Emma was staying away from bright reds and normally shied away from her dressier clothes. Today wasn't exactly an option. She wore a black coat with white fur trim over a green tunic with black leggings and brown leather boots.
"I hate my power sometimes..." She grumbled as she liked the clothes she was wearing. Until we figured out where her power was storing her normal outfits she was stuck.
"Emma...your combined abilities make Armsmaster wary of you." I made sure no one was listening in, but this was a discussion we've had before. She perked up a bit at hearing that which wasn't actually the point. She was one of the bull shit grab bag capes.
"I know I know...it just means that...uhhh...what am I hearing?" She sounded befuddled and I couldn't blame her. That hushed melody was back. I hadn't heard it since that day at school.
Data Recorded...
Action: Countermeasures active
The hushed melody was replaced by the Mission Impossible theme. I rubbed the bridge of my nose as Emma groaned softly. Apparently when my detection updated it did the same for her. Goody. I cast my gaze about casually before homing in on the melody's location and continuing to look. Emma wasn't quite as casual. It was a good thing that the Boardwalk was only just starting to fill up or someone might have seen a faint blur and heard a yelp of alarm.
Emma came back with her hand on the shoulder of a familiar black girl who was trying to squirm away.
Aisha Laborn smiled at me even as she tried to escape her captor. I looked at my redheaded friend and she had the gall to tilt her head to the side like she didn't know what was wrong.
"Uhhh...could ya tell your bodyguard to let up? I'm not gonna do anything." She held her hands up defensively. I nodded and Emma let her go.
"That was really stupid, Aisha." I told her mildly.
"No one else can find me, but somehow you two can. That makes you interesting." Aisha said with a grin. "I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on somebody, but that's blown since you spotted me." She went to leave, but Emma was faster and had her shoulder again. "What now?" She sounded aggrieved.
"Who were you following?" Emma asked with a weird note in her voice. I glanced quickly to check her eyes, but the illusion was still over them. A familiar melody approached and I was already smiling as I turned to greet her.
"She's following me actually." Lisa said with a grin. Aisha gulped and Emma looked Lisa over. Apparently dressing up was the rule of the day. Aisha was dressed nicely instead of trashy that did everything to enhance what she had. My friend Lisa was dressed similarly to me. I greeted her with a hug that she returned.
"So what do we do with her?" Emma asked. Aisha tried to appear winsome which didn't fool anyone for a second.
"We keep her with us. She's supposed to be following me? She can follow me, but if she gives us too much trouble...Well cameras can still see her." Lisa turned to Aisha.
"I'll be on my best behavior!" The shorter girl saluted sharply. Why did her melody suddenly switch to Metal Gear Solid? The blonde just grinned and consented to being pulled along under my arm. "Do they do that a lot?" Aisha asked Emma.
"I've seen them together. This isn't even the worst of it." Emma commented causing the younger girl to cackle. Honest to god cackle.
"Taylor! Taylor! Hey!" A missile impacted with my gut and I stumbled briefly before recognizing Missy.
"Hey Missy!" I hugged her back and she let me regain my balance. "This is Lisa and her friend Aisha." I introduced the two.
"Well she's my brother's friend, but I guess she's okay." Aisha grinned. Missy was staring at her chest and then at her own. She muttered something that sounded like 'so unfair' but we politely ignored that. Oh I'm sorry, I forgot we had Aisha here. "Relax. They'll come in eventually." She slapped Missy on the back.
"This is actually going to be hilarious to watch. Aisha is a force of nature." Lisa smirked and I chuckled. I was determined that we were going to just enjoy today. We just had to wait for Victoria and Panacea. Speak of the devil and she appeared from the sky. Literally. She carried Amy and set her down. Amy's melody was much healthier. Vicky's aura was still there, but was much smoother. More controlled. Which promptly went out the window when she saw us, but I was ready.
"Ladies! Great to see ya!" She started doling out hugs. Even to Missy and Aisha. Okay that hitch in Missy's melody was hilarious. Amy trailed behind with a fond smile that reached her eyes. Emma just hugged her back. Hard. Glory Girl was laughing as they apparently tried to out hug one another. Thankfully two Brutes in a hugging contest doesn't really look like power usage.
"Let off Super Barbie!" Aisha yelped before stumbling back after being released. "Is she always so...so..." She gestured vaguely. Amy, Missy, and myself all nodded. Lisa was laughing at the expressions.
"Where to first?" I asked and the day started. We spent the rest of the morning mostly window shopping and trying on clothes. Some of us got along better with others. Emma was riding herd on Aisha, but she was on her best behavior. She knew that Emma and I were heroes as were Vicky and Amy.
Vicky and Amy were known around the Boardwalk as members of New Wave. It said a lot for their character that they refused preferential treatment. We still drew quite a few stares around the area. It probably had something to do with so many pretty girls in one place. I hadn't felt so relaxed in days. We found a lot to talk about actually. The more interesting duo was Amy walking with Emma.
"It's hard to come out." Emma said to Amy. She nodded.
"We've been keeping it quiet, but it's like a weight has been lifted." The brunette replied. "It was more embarrassing talking to Vicky about it." She confessed. Emma sighed.
"I told Taylor how I feel, but I know that won't go anywhere. That was my fault. At least you didn't ruin things with your sister." Emma smiled and Amy smiled back. Their melodies skipping a few beats together.
"Listening in on private conversations?" Lisa asked with a grin. I smirked back at her. That wasn't a private conversation. Not really. Missy and Aisha were up ahead giggling about something. That was turning into a fast friendship. Two bright and cheery melodies gamboling like a kitten and a puppy. A blaring trumpet approached and Victoria bounced over to us.
"Whatcha talkin' about?" She beamed at us before promptly linking arms.
"Just thinking that this was exactly what we needed." I said with a grin. She hummed happily and Lisa giggled.
"I haven't had a day out like this in ages. There's always someone who wants to know what I'm up to." Lisa griped.
"None of that. Today is just about us. Who's hungry?" We decided to head over to Fugly Bobs for lunch.
Fugly Bob's wasn't exactly fine dining, but it was greasy and delicious. We commandeered a booth and stuffed as many of us into it as possible. Missy, Aisha, and Amy sat with Victoria. While I sat with Lisa and Emma.
"I'm ordering the challenge." Victoria said. "I can't win it again, but it's the only thing that fills me up here." She shrugged.
"I'm going for it."I said and Emma agreed. The looks we got were pretty funny.
"I've seen how much they can eat. It's...scary." Missy shuddered in mock fear and Aisha grinned.
"That bad huh?" She teased.
"Like lions on gazelle." Missy replied.
"I still have no idea where she puts it all." Lisa said which somehow set Aisha off laughing again.
"They use a lot of calories probably." Amy commented. Emma beamed at her.
"Exactly. We need all the food we can get."
We left the restaurant about an hour later. Fugly Bob's had two more pictures up on the wall and two more unable to win again. Maybe we overdid it a bit? The day was going well. Victoria took on the role of event planner without our even knowing. She pointed at a large building.
"Who wants to do karaoke?" She asked even as she walked towards the building. We followed after her. I'd never done karaoke before and was curious to see what it was like. Emma wasn't as confused.
"That's a good idea." Lisa spoke up. "I'm sure there are some beautiful voices here." She grinned. Victoria went up to the Asian man at the counter and we were given a room. She apparently came here often as she lead us to a room all the way at the end of the hall.
"Vicky..." Amy started to say as we headed into the room, "He waved us through..." She seemed a bit uncomfortable. Victoria put her arm around her shoulders.
"I come in here all the time and it's good for business. The room is free, but we pay for any food or drinks. I'm not a total freeloader." She said in a joking tone. Amy relaxed.
I took in the room and it was interesting. A wraparound couch sat in the center with a large screen dominating the wall. Speakers were placed at strategic locations and what looked like a disc changer was connected to the screen. Vicky and Emma immediately went to check the system over.
"So how do we do this?" I asked curiously.
"You pick a song from the book, put in the number over there..." Amy pointed at a small console, "And then just sing your song. It can be a lot of fun." She said before heading over to find her own song. The songs were selected. I sat back on the couch to watch how it was done first. Lisa sat down and leaned against me.
"We don't see each other enough." She said. We could speak out loud since the music was pretty distracting. The others noticed us sitting together, but were giving us space. Emma was seated pretty close to Amy and apparently discussing a duet.
"No we don't. How have you been?" I asked. Her melody was tired and there seemed to be a thread of pain somewhere. I put my arm around her shoulders and gave them a squeeze. She sighed softly.
"My head hurts and I almost didn't make it..." She admits tiredly. "I just didn't want to call off." A yawn escaped her and the weariness settled in on her. The loud music wasn't helping her headache. I thought about it for a minute. She was close enough to me I figured. I hummed a soft tune. The same tune that removed my soreness almost a month ago. I threaded it through her melody and her Shard pinged mine. She visibly relaxed.
"I won't ask how you did that..." She said with relief. I exhaled slowly and took a few steadying breaths. She looked at me in concern, "That was tiring for you. Never did that before. Only for yourself, but no one else." Her eyes widened fractionally, but she schooled her expression.
"Hey lovebirds! Ready to find a song or just gonna keep gazing at each other?" Vicky called out. We abruptly realized that our foreheads were almost touching and we sprang apart. The teasing laughter made me blush, but their melodies told me it was from genuine humor. Lisa grabbed the song book and put in her selection. I wasn't sure what to sing, but then I found what I wanted.
We all took a several turns. I found a love of singing that I didn't know existed. I know Reyvateils sing, but I hadn't felt the urge. Emma was nearly as good as me. Somehow Victoria beat us both. We had a parahuman singing ability. I would have pouted if Lisa hadn't soothed my ego. Even if her smile told me just how amused she was.
My smartphone suddenly buzzed as did Missy's and Emma's. Victoria and Amy were also checking their phones. Lisa looked at Aisha. The Mission Impossible theme played again and she was gone.
"Where did...? Wasn't there someone else here...?" Victoria shook her head, "Never mind. We have to go. Something is happening out on the Boardwalk. You had better get to safety." She told us before rushing out. Amy hurried out after her sister.
"Let's get out of here." I said. It looked like our day was over. Missy sighed and nodded. The message I got warned of gang activity on the Boardwalk. ABB and E88. It was just normal humans, but Glory Girl and Panacea would help towards keeping order.
Emma took point with Missy walking with Lisa and myself. Aisha was somewhere nearby as I could hear her melody. I would have time to facepalm later. The man at the counter had locked the back door before ushering us out the front. There were no signs of activity out front which was good. I let my awareness expand and heard the melodies all around us. Frightened, confused, but also angry and malevolent. The hostile ones were approaching.
"Don't go that way. Follow me." Aisha suddenly popped up and guided us across the Boardwalk. "Keep heading down that way. I didn't see anybody." Her melody had switched to the Pink Panther as she vanished again. Seriously melody? Pick a tune and stick to it!
"She's a..." Missy said and I hushed her. She nodded sharply. A look at Lisa and she nodded again. We were all on board. Emma took point again as we rushed down the lane Aisha indicated. The malevolent ones were still around us, but no longer closing in as fast.
"Stop!" Lisa suddenly called out as we entered a wide area behind the buildings. It didn't look overtly threatening. All that was there was a guy in a brown trench coat. He looked up from under his brown fedora and stared at us through black goggles. His outfit under the trench coat was also pure black latex with leather belts cross over his torso and wrapped around his abdomen.
"I didn't even notice him there..." Emma murmured. This was very bad. Parahuman at the least and one the PRT didn't know about. Lisa narrowed her eyes.
"Don't let him hit you. Something is off about him. He's...very strong..." She warned. Instead of fighting we turned to run, but the sight only confirmed what I'd sensed. The malevolent melodies were there. Merchants? This was ABB and E88 right?
"Must have come out to pick over what was left..." Missy muttered in annoyance. All of us were nervous, but still ready to fight.
"They were planning on showing off their new cape." Lisa said grimly.
"Bunch of pretty little things...not what I was after...but still could be fun..." The cape rasped. "Call me Smack." He suddenly hurtled forward leaving indentations in the pavement only to be intercepted by Emma's barrier. His fist shattered it like glass, but it bought her time to slam her fist into his torso. Her fist sunk into his body and he hurtled away only to wriggle strangely in the air and land on all fours.
The rest of the thugs were moving towards us. Our heavy hitter was engaged, but we were more than a match for these guys. Twelve of them and...a loud zap near the back was heard and there was eleven...zap again? Aisha's melody had gone back to Metal Gear Solid. The thugs were starting to panic which made subduing them easier.
Still Aisha accounted for four of them herself. That is no mean feat. My thoughts were derailed by Emma suddenly slamming through the metal fence of the lot we were in. She pulled herself up and her clothes became Despedia's outfit before blasting forward again and rapidly hammering the villain. I almost threw up when his head started spinning around from the repeated blows to the face.
"Oh shit...she killed him...!" Missy was in a panic before the guy's spun back around with a sound like a rubber band snapping. Oh hell.
"This is no good. Brute/Breaker combo with no downside I can see." Lisa concluded grimly. If Emma used her claws she could get the upper hand because her speed was so much greater, but she would easily kill him. Unless he had some other weird power in his arsenal. Smack swung his fist up and whipped it down hard enough to shear the packed dirt of the lot. His strike was aimed at Missy, but Glory Girl appeared and took the blow instead. It broke her invulnerability and sent her careening away.
There was a zap, but the enemy cape remained standing. Sorry, Aisha, but I think he's made of rubber or something. Lisa grimaced.
"Let's get out of here. We can't help." Lisa said dispiritedly. If we ran then Emma and Vicky could withdraw. We had waited too long. There were more Merchants fencing us in. I groaned. At this rate we would have to reveal our powers too. That was when the black smoke started to pour out. I stared at Lisa for a moment, but she had a smile like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.
The effect was immediate. The smoke billowed over the thugs and us cutting my range down considerably, but the alternative was worse. I stayed with Missy and Lisa, making sure we were together. The malevolent melodies were now sleeping. Probably due to concussions. The smoke faded and I could suddenly hear screaming. I spun to look and saw the Merchant cape, Smack, with a crossbow bolt sticking out of his back. He eventually fell silent. His melody was quieter, but alive.
"Not used to pain anymore. His power...his power removed his pain tolerance..." Lisa said softly. I looked again and realized it was a tranq bolt. Wait...crossbow...? I suddenly looked over and saw Shadow Stalker facing Despedia. Her melody was less hostile. Less vile feeling. Her beat was strong. No one had told me that she escaped, but I was actually glad to see her. Emma was a mess. Her regeneration was taking care of the worst of it, but it didn't hide the damage she took. Walking towards us was a figure in biker leathers wearing a motorcycle helmet with a skull face design. Grue of the Undersiders.
"You girls okay?" He asked. While his voice was disguised I still knew who it was, but didn't say anything.
"We're fine. Thanks for helping." Lisa spoke up. Missy was looking annoyed and I couldn't blame her. We were just saved by villains. "We better get going..." The blonde said and started to pull us away. We followed her with Despedia staying back with them. Her melody telling me that she was guarding our back and wanting to reconnect. Sophia was her friend after all.
Aisha popped back up from time to time to steer us away from danger. She was fairly subdued each time she appeared. When we were safely away from the trouble she tried to slink off and I grabbed her. She resisted hard, but I'm not weak. I pulled her back and hugged her tight. She abruptly reappeared looking miserable.
"I fucked up...I really fucked up..." She muttered, but didn't try to escape again. I might not be Brute level, but I am stronger than I look.
"Did you deliberately lead us to that guy?" I asked her. She shook her head.
"No I didn't. They weren't there when I scouted through it before." She insisted. Missy patted her on the back.
"We believe you. Now stop moping. There's gotta be something else we can do to salvage today." Missy said and I grinned. Lisa nodded.
"Well I'm hungry. Lets get dinner." She suggested.
"Sounds great. I'm starving." Emma commented as she approached wearing the outfit she put on today. She grinned. "I had a breakthrough." Okay so getting your clothes back might not sound like much, but it was the little things.
"Where are we going now?" Vicky asked as she dropped in with Amy. The gang was all back together. If anything it felt our melodies were even closer together.
"Well there's great little Thai place..." I suggested. The part that concerned me in all of this was the question of did the PRT even know Shadow Stalker escaped? I would find out, but not today. Today I was having Thai.
or Melody of Escalation
Second Arc 2.6
-February 12, 2011-
-Boardwalk-
Emma and I had arrived at the Boardwalk around 9:30. The bus was on time and everything had gone exactly as planned. We were there in clothes meant for a day out. I was wearing a silvery sweater that lightly clung to my torso with a pair of capris pants finished with a pair black half boots. My coat was the one I bought here with Lisa just last month. Emma was staying away from bright reds and normally shied away from her dressier clothes. Today wasn't exactly an option. She wore a black coat with white fur trim over a green tunic with black leggings and brown leather boots.
"I hate my power sometimes..." She grumbled as she liked the clothes she was wearing. Until we figured out where her power was storing her normal outfits she was stuck.
"Emma...your combined abilities make Armsmaster wary of you." I made sure no one was listening in, but this was a discussion we've had before. She perked up a bit at hearing that which wasn't actually the point. She was one of the bull shit grab bag capes.
"I know I know...it just means that...uhhh...what am I hearing?" She sounded befuddled and I couldn't blame her. That hushed melody was back. I hadn't heard it since that day at school.
Data Recorded...
Action: Countermeasures active
The hushed melody was replaced by the Mission Impossible theme. I rubbed the bridge of my nose as Emma groaned softly. Apparently when my detection updated it did the same for her. Goody. I cast my gaze about casually before homing in on the melody's location and continuing to look. Emma wasn't quite as casual. It was a good thing that the Boardwalk was only just starting to fill up or someone might have seen a faint blur and heard a yelp of alarm.
Emma came back with her hand on the shoulder of a familiar black girl who was trying to squirm away.
Aisha Laborn smiled at me even as she tried to escape her captor. I looked at my redheaded friend and she had the gall to tilt her head to the side like she didn't know what was wrong.
"Uhhh...could ya tell your bodyguard to let up? I'm not gonna do anything." She held her hands up defensively. I nodded and Emma let her go.
"That was really stupid, Aisha." I told her mildly.
"No one else can find me, but somehow you two can. That makes you interesting." Aisha said with a grin. "I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on somebody, but that's blown since you spotted me." She went to leave, but Emma was faster and had her shoulder again. "What now?" She sounded aggrieved.
"Who were you following?" Emma asked with a weird note in her voice. I glanced quickly to check her eyes, but the illusion was still over them. A familiar melody approached and I was already smiling as I turned to greet her.
"She's following me actually." Lisa said with a grin. Aisha gulped and Emma looked Lisa over. Apparently dressing up was the rule of the day. Aisha was dressed nicely instead of trashy that did everything to enhance what she had. My friend Lisa was dressed similarly to me. I greeted her with a hug that she returned.
"So what do we do with her?" Emma asked. Aisha tried to appear winsome which didn't fool anyone for a second.
"We keep her with us. She's supposed to be following me? She can follow me, but if she gives us too much trouble...Well cameras can still see her." Lisa turned to Aisha.
"I'll be on my best behavior!" The shorter girl saluted sharply. Why did her melody suddenly switch to Metal Gear Solid? The blonde just grinned and consented to being pulled along under my arm. "Do they do that a lot?" Aisha asked Emma.
"I've seen them together. This isn't even the worst of it." Emma commented causing the younger girl to cackle. Honest to god cackle.
"Taylor! Taylor! Hey!" A missile impacted with my gut and I stumbled briefly before recognizing Missy.
"Hey Missy!" I hugged her back and she let me regain my balance. "This is Lisa and her friend Aisha." I introduced the two.
"Well she's my brother's friend, but I guess she's okay." Aisha grinned. Missy was staring at her chest and then at her own. She muttered something that sounded like 'so unfair' but we politely ignored that. Oh I'm sorry, I forgot we had Aisha here. "Relax. They'll come in eventually." She slapped Missy on the back.
"This is actually going to be hilarious to watch. Aisha is a force of nature." Lisa smirked and I chuckled. I was determined that we were going to just enjoy today. We just had to wait for Victoria and Panacea. Speak of the devil and she appeared from the sky. Literally. She carried Amy and set her down. Amy's melody was much healthier. Vicky's aura was still there, but was much smoother. More controlled. Which promptly went out the window when she saw us, but I was ready.
"Ladies! Great to see ya!" She started doling out hugs. Even to Missy and Aisha. Okay that hitch in Missy's melody was hilarious. Amy trailed behind with a fond smile that reached her eyes. Emma just hugged her back. Hard. Glory Girl was laughing as they apparently tried to out hug one another. Thankfully two Brutes in a hugging contest doesn't really look like power usage.
"Let off Super Barbie!" Aisha yelped before stumbling back after being released. "Is she always so...so..." She gestured vaguely. Amy, Missy, and myself all nodded. Lisa was laughing at the expressions.
"Where to first?" I asked and the day started. We spent the rest of the morning mostly window shopping and trying on clothes. Some of us got along better with others. Emma was riding herd on Aisha, but she was on her best behavior. She knew that Emma and I were heroes as were Vicky and Amy.
Vicky and Amy were known around the Boardwalk as members of New Wave. It said a lot for their character that they refused preferential treatment. We still drew quite a few stares around the area. It probably had something to do with so many pretty girls in one place. I hadn't felt so relaxed in days. We found a lot to talk about actually. The more interesting duo was Amy walking with Emma.
"It's hard to come out." Emma said to Amy. She nodded.
"We've been keeping it quiet, but it's like a weight has been lifted." The brunette replied. "It was more embarrassing talking to Vicky about it." She confessed. Emma sighed.
"I told Taylor how I feel, but I know that won't go anywhere. That was my fault. At least you didn't ruin things with your sister." Emma smiled and Amy smiled back. Their melodies skipping a few beats together.
"Listening in on private conversations?" Lisa asked with a grin. I smirked back at her. That wasn't a private conversation. Not really. Missy and Aisha were up ahead giggling about something. That was turning into a fast friendship. Two bright and cheery melodies gamboling like a kitten and a puppy. A blaring trumpet approached and Victoria bounced over to us.
"Whatcha talkin' about?" She beamed at us before promptly linking arms.
"Just thinking that this was exactly what we needed." I said with a grin. She hummed happily and Lisa giggled.
"I haven't had a day out like this in ages. There's always someone who wants to know what I'm up to." Lisa griped.
"None of that. Today is just about us. Who's hungry?" We decided to head over to Fugly Bobs for lunch.
Fugly Bob's wasn't exactly fine dining, but it was greasy and delicious. We commandeered a booth and stuffed as many of us into it as possible. Missy, Aisha, and Amy sat with Victoria. While I sat with Lisa and Emma.
"I'm ordering the challenge." Victoria said. "I can't win it again, but it's the only thing that fills me up here." She shrugged.
"I'm going for it."I said and Emma agreed. The looks we got were pretty funny.
"I've seen how much they can eat. It's...scary." Missy shuddered in mock fear and Aisha grinned.
"That bad huh?" She teased.
"Like lions on gazelle." Missy replied.
"I still have no idea where she puts it all." Lisa said which somehow set Aisha off laughing again.
"They use a lot of calories probably." Amy commented. Emma beamed at her.
"Exactly. We need all the food we can get."
We left the restaurant about an hour later. Fugly Bob's had two more pictures up on the wall and two more unable to win again. Maybe we overdid it a bit? The day was going well. Victoria took on the role of event planner without our even knowing. She pointed at a large building.
"Who wants to do karaoke?" She asked even as she walked towards the building. We followed after her. I'd never done karaoke before and was curious to see what it was like. Emma wasn't as confused.
"That's a good idea." Lisa spoke up. "I'm sure there are some beautiful voices here." She grinned. Victoria went up to the Asian man at the counter and we were given a room. She apparently came here often as she lead us to a room all the way at the end of the hall.
"Vicky..." Amy started to say as we headed into the room, "He waved us through..." She seemed a bit uncomfortable. Victoria put her arm around her shoulders.
"I come in here all the time and it's good for business. The room is free, but we pay for any food or drinks. I'm not a total freeloader." She said in a joking tone. Amy relaxed.
I took in the room and it was interesting. A wraparound couch sat in the center with a large screen dominating the wall. Speakers were placed at strategic locations and what looked like a disc changer was connected to the screen. Vicky and Emma immediately went to check the system over.
"So how do we do this?" I asked curiously.
"You pick a song from the book, put in the number over there..." Amy pointed at a small console, "And then just sing your song. It can be a lot of fun." She said before heading over to find her own song. The songs were selected. I sat back on the couch to watch how it was done first. Lisa sat down and leaned against me.
"We don't see each other enough." She said. We could speak out loud since the music was pretty distracting. The others noticed us sitting together, but were giving us space. Emma was seated pretty close to Amy and apparently discussing a duet.
"No we don't. How have you been?" I asked. Her melody was tired and there seemed to be a thread of pain somewhere. I put my arm around her shoulders and gave them a squeeze. She sighed softly.
"My head hurts and I almost didn't make it..." She admits tiredly. "I just didn't want to call off." A yawn escaped her and the weariness settled in on her. The loud music wasn't helping her headache. I thought about it for a minute. She was close enough to me I figured. I hummed a soft tune. The same tune that removed my soreness almost a month ago. I threaded it through her melody and her Shard pinged mine. She visibly relaxed.
"I won't ask how you did that..." She said with relief. I exhaled slowly and took a few steadying breaths. She looked at me in concern, "That was tiring for you. Never did that before. Only for yourself, but no one else." Her eyes widened fractionally, but she schooled her expression.
"Hey lovebirds! Ready to find a song or just gonna keep gazing at each other?" Vicky called out. We abruptly realized that our foreheads were almost touching and we sprang apart. The teasing laughter made me blush, but their melodies told me it was from genuine humor. Lisa grabbed the song book and put in her selection. I wasn't sure what to sing, but then I found what I wanted.
We all took a several turns. I found a love of singing that I didn't know existed. I know Reyvateils sing, but I hadn't felt the urge. Emma was nearly as good as me. Somehow Victoria beat us both. We had a parahuman singing ability. I would have pouted if Lisa hadn't soothed my ego. Even if her smile told me just how amused she was.
My smartphone suddenly buzzed as did Missy's and Emma's. Victoria and Amy were also checking their phones. Lisa looked at Aisha. The Mission Impossible theme played again and she was gone.
"Where did...? Wasn't there someone else here...?" Victoria shook her head, "Never mind. We have to go. Something is happening out on the Boardwalk. You had better get to safety." She told us before rushing out. Amy hurried out after her sister.
"Let's get out of here." I said. It looked like our day was over. Missy sighed and nodded. The message I got warned of gang activity on the Boardwalk. ABB and E88. It was just normal humans, but Glory Girl and Panacea would help towards keeping order.
Emma took point with Missy walking with Lisa and myself. Aisha was somewhere nearby as I could hear her melody. I would have time to facepalm later. The man at the counter had locked the back door before ushering us out the front. There were no signs of activity out front which was good. I let my awareness expand and heard the melodies all around us. Frightened, confused, but also angry and malevolent. The hostile ones were approaching.
"Don't go that way. Follow me." Aisha suddenly popped up and guided us across the Boardwalk. "Keep heading down that way. I didn't see anybody." Her melody had switched to the Pink Panther as she vanished again. Seriously melody? Pick a tune and stick to it!
"She's a..." Missy said and I hushed her. She nodded sharply. A look at Lisa and she nodded again. We were all on board. Emma took point again as we rushed down the lane Aisha indicated. The malevolent ones were still around us, but no longer closing in as fast.
"Stop!" Lisa suddenly called out as we entered a wide area behind the buildings. It didn't look overtly threatening. All that was there was a guy in a brown trench coat. He looked up from under his brown fedora and stared at us through black goggles. His outfit under the trench coat was also pure black latex with leather belts cross over his torso and wrapped around his abdomen.
"I didn't even notice him there..." Emma murmured. This was very bad. Parahuman at the least and one the PRT didn't know about. Lisa narrowed her eyes.
"Don't let him hit you. Something is off about him. He's...very strong..." She warned. Instead of fighting we turned to run, but the sight only confirmed what I'd sensed. The malevolent melodies were there. Merchants? This was ABB and E88 right?
"Must have come out to pick over what was left..." Missy muttered in annoyance. All of us were nervous, but still ready to fight.
"They were planning on showing off their new cape." Lisa said grimly.
"Bunch of pretty little things...not what I was after...but still could be fun..." The cape rasped. "Call me Smack." He suddenly hurtled forward leaving indentations in the pavement only to be intercepted by Emma's barrier. His fist shattered it like glass, but it bought her time to slam her fist into his torso. Her fist sunk into his body and he hurtled away only to wriggle strangely in the air and land on all fours.
The rest of the thugs were moving towards us. Our heavy hitter was engaged, but we were more than a match for these guys. Twelve of them and...a loud zap near the back was heard and there was eleven...zap again? Aisha's melody had gone back to Metal Gear Solid. The thugs were starting to panic which made subduing them easier.
Still Aisha accounted for four of them herself. That is no mean feat. My thoughts were derailed by Emma suddenly slamming through the metal fence of the lot we were in. She pulled herself up and her clothes became Despedia's outfit before blasting forward again and rapidly hammering the villain. I almost threw up when his head started spinning around from the repeated blows to the face.
"Oh shit...she killed him...!" Missy was in a panic before the guy's spun back around with a sound like a rubber band snapping. Oh hell.
"This is no good. Brute/Breaker combo with no downside I can see." Lisa concluded grimly. If Emma used her claws she could get the upper hand because her speed was so much greater, but she would easily kill him. Unless he had some other weird power in his arsenal. Smack swung his fist up and whipped it down hard enough to shear the packed dirt of the lot. His strike was aimed at Missy, but Glory Girl appeared and took the blow instead. It broke her invulnerability and sent her careening away.
There was a zap, but the enemy cape remained standing. Sorry, Aisha, but I think he's made of rubber or something. Lisa grimaced.
"Let's get out of here. We can't help." Lisa said dispiritedly. If we ran then Emma and Vicky could withdraw. We had waited too long. There were more Merchants fencing us in. I groaned. At this rate we would have to reveal our powers too. That was when the black smoke started to pour out. I stared at Lisa for a moment, but she had a smile like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.
The effect was immediate. The smoke billowed over the thugs and us cutting my range down considerably, but the alternative was worse. I stayed with Missy and Lisa, making sure we were together. The malevolent melodies were now sleeping. Probably due to concussions. The smoke faded and I could suddenly hear screaming. I spun to look and saw the Merchant cape, Smack, with a crossbow bolt sticking out of his back. He eventually fell silent. His melody was quieter, but alive.
"Not used to pain anymore. His power...his power removed his pain tolerance..." Lisa said softly. I looked again and realized it was a tranq bolt. Wait...crossbow...? I suddenly looked over and saw Shadow Stalker facing Despedia. Her melody was less hostile. Less vile feeling. Her beat was strong. No one had told me that she escaped, but I was actually glad to see her. Emma was a mess. Her regeneration was taking care of the worst of it, but it didn't hide the damage she took. Walking towards us was a figure in biker leathers wearing a motorcycle helmet with a skull face design. Grue of the Undersiders.
"You girls okay?" He asked. While his voice was disguised I still knew who it was, but didn't say anything.
"We're fine. Thanks for helping." Lisa spoke up. Missy was looking annoyed and I couldn't blame her. We were just saved by villains. "We better get going..." The blonde said and started to pull us away. We followed her with Despedia staying back with them. Her melody telling me that she was guarding our back and wanting to reconnect. Sophia was her friend after all.
Aisha popped back up from time to time to steer us away from danger. She was fairly subdued each time she appeared. When we were safely away from the trouble she tried to slink off and I grabbed her. She resisted hard, but I'm not weak. I pulled her back and hugged her tight. She abruptly reappeared looking miserable.
"I fucked up...I really fucked up..." She muttered, but didn't try to escape again. I might not be Brute level, but I am stronger than I look.
"Did you deliberately lead us to that guy?" I asked her. She shook her head.
"No I didn't. They weren't there when I scouted through it before." She insisted. Missy patted her on the back.
"We believe you. Now stop moping. There's gotta be something else we can do to salvage today." Missy said and I grinned. Lisa nodded.
"Well I'm hungry. Lets get dinner." She suggested.
"Sounds great. I'm starving." Emma commented as she approached wearing the outfit she put on today. She grinned. "I had a breakthrough." Okay so getting your clothes back might not sound like much, but it was the little things.
"Where are we going now?" Vicky asked as she dropped in with Amy. The gang was all back together. If anything it felt our melodies were even closer together.
"Well there's great little Thai place..." I suggested. The part that concerned me in all of this was the question of did the PRT even know Shadow Stalker escaped? I would find out, but not today. Today I was having Thai.
Interlude Behind the Tinkering
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude: Behind the Tinkering
-Shurelia & Mir-
"What a strange time." Shurelia mused as she went about her duties. The silverette was greatly relieved to have stopped stumbling so often. Now if she tripped it was because there was something to trip over. That was an achievement. Casty had helped a lot. She smiled softly as she thought about her friend. Though they were far apart physically they still met in the Binary Field.
"Ah...Lady Shurelia!" A man dressed in white armor approached. "There is a message from Lady Mir." He reported.
"Thank you, Sir Albert. You may go." She smiled gratefully with a hint of mischief. Mir's reaction to being called "Lady Mir" had been priceless. She made her way back to her office and sat down before the terminal. Aria's communication program had been helpful actually. It wasn't as much of an inconvenience for her to go to the Binary Field, but this was definitely easier. Her friend was looking both disturbed and excited. An interesting combination of expressions.
"There you are. Did you get lost again?" Mir snarked. Shurelia took a sip of her tea and sat back.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Shurelia asked in her best snooty tone. The two stared at one another for several moments before they both cracked a smile.
"Taylor was speaking to Cocona the other day and sent over a list of what she's built already." The dark haired Reyvateil said. Her friend arched an eyebrow.
"She certainly is working hard..." Shurelia commented in mixed interest and concern.
"Yeah, Cocona had a talk with her about burning herself out." Mir said with a smirk. They both chuckled over that one telling anyone to relax. "I'll send you the list. Try not to be too surprised." She sent the file over and Shurelia looked it over. Linkage suit...ELMA unit...power armor?
"She turned an ELMA into a power suit. Not too unbelievable. Still impressive." She idly looked over the list, "Medical Scanner. They have a tech base to support all this? Though I wonder how they would power all of it..." Some of these items would be fairly simple to them, but Earth Bet supposedly didn't have the kind of power units.
"I'm sending over the answer to that." Her look was proud, chagrined, and baffled. Interesting combination. She looked over the new file and stopped dead.
"Is that...is that the "Ar Tonelico?" Lyner created...?" She muttered in mixed disbelief and shock. "How did she even get that design!?" Her voice steadily rose to a squeak before her eyes narrowed.
"Before you flay that dumb beast alive just look it over." Mir suggested even if the look of amusement wasn't doing her mood any wonders. Shurelia blinked a few times.
The original design created a bomb. A stupidly powerful bomb that annihilated completely an area large enough that there was no way to escape it. Unless you were watching from a great distance. Lyner never used it because of the stupid way it was designed. Powerful, yes, but had to be activated within spitting distance of the target. Push a switch and throw. If what she was reading was correct then Taylor took a bomb and made it into a power source. Sol Reactor. Then she went and upgraded the design further into Sol Reactor II.
"This is..." Shurelia was still processing. Mir took pity on her and sent her a commiserating look.
"I know, Shurelia. I know. I was a bit crazy when I saw that...Though I do have to ask what your boy toy was thinking." She shook her head slowly. "Sending her the designs for a bomb like that?" Shurelia nodded and opened a new chat window. Now that she was calmer she wouldn't be tempted to say some of the things she'd planned.
"Hey Shurelia! What's going on?" The sunny blonde hair and blue eyes of Lyner, Shurelia's guardian knight, came up. His smile was bright as he gazed at her. She loved him dearly, but even now sometimes he just didn't think.
"Lyner...did you send your designs to Taylor?" Shurelia asked. He shook his head slowly.
"No...no I didn't. Though a couple months ago it looked like you were making a compilation of crafting. I stuck a few of my designs in to be helpful." He sounded so earnest that the silverette slumped. "Was I wrong?"
"Actually...those were being sent to Taylor to help her get started. A few ideas to protect herself. We weren't even sure if any of our energy production plants would have helped her. With the differences..." She cut herself off. Reiterating that wouldn't help. "You sent her THOSE plans." She added emphasis to that. He blinked.
"Her world is being overrun by gigantic killing machines that resemble twisted versions of Earth Bet's myths. I would think a big bomb would help." He stated reasonably. The sad thing was that on one hand he was right, but on the other he was wrong.
"Unfortunately her world doesn't exactly operate with that logic in mind." Shurelia said sadly.
"They would look at a weapon of Endbringer destruction and worry she would turn it on them." Mir concluded. Similarly frustrated. Overwhelming firepower works. You can't solve an apocalypse without planning and really big explosions. It worked for the people of Ar Ciel.
"But isn't she a hero?" Lyner asked in confusion. "Earth Bet...makes no sense..." He rubbed his forehead. "Well as long as she doesn't build the bomb...She did?" He clearly dreaded the answer.
"And turned it into a power supply. A vastly more efficient power supply than her world currently possesses. We can chalk this up in the "win" column, but now I'm afraid of what else you sent her designs for." Shurelia admitted. Mir was also plainly curious.
"Funbuns." He stated simply. There was almost a sound of some crazy music starting to play. Shurelia and Mir just stared at the oblivious male in dull surprise.
-Cocona & Sasha-
The blue-black haired Reyvateil wandered into the shop like she had hundreds of times before. Mir was apparently venting her spleen about the Ar Tunelico. She called it "Ar Tonelico?" while somehow pronouncing the question mark. Made about as much sense as "Nyo? Guts" anyway. She shook her head and put it to the back of her mind. Her taste in clothing had become more conservative. An indigo halter top and black jeans with black sandals.
The girl she was there to see was nowhere in sight, but the sound of clanking coming from the backroom workshop called to her. Sasha is one of the most brilliant people she knows. It always had her curious what she would be like as a Reyvateil. Somehow the idea that she might be one in secret had got on the boards and it completely exploded. Speculations abounded with even one strange person, Baun or something, claiming she was secretly a Will.
Considering that Cocona knew her personally it didn't seem that far fetched. Her friend was seated at her workbench wearing thick shatter proof goggles with implements of her trade in each hand. The device sitting in front of her was taking definite shape into a something. Which was apparently destined to go into the other something on the far end of the workshop. It was massive in construction. Nothing fragile about this thing at all. It had an arch built into it connected to a metal arched door.
"Close the door, Cocona. Too much outside light." Sasha's voice was pleasant. Her hair was soft brown and fell to her shoulders. She was wearing a salmon pink kimono top with shorts underneath and sandals. An apron was placed over the whole ensemble. Her hair was currently pulled up in a ponytail to keep it out of her eyes. Cocona shut the door and the ambient lighting dropped except over the work station.
"Hey Sasha. Have you eaten yet today?" This was a normal occurrence. Cocona was absolutely certain that Sasha would miss meals, but she never did. Then again Cloche stopped in from time to time so it averaged out. They had both come back to their homes after reviving Ar Ciel. Cocona had promised Croix she would come back and Sasha wanted to get back to her amusements. Inventing was fun for her and too many people knew where she was.
"I ate this morning." She gestures vaguely at a warming oven, "And I have our lunch there. Dinner is in a slow cooker in the shop." Cocona blushed. Sasha was as prepared as ever. "That wasn't actually what I called you over here for." The Reyvateil shrugged and followed her friend over to where the odd device was.
"I'll bite...what is it?" Cocona asked curiously. Sasha pulled her goggles up on her forehead.
"Well with a stable power source it would be a dimensional door." She stated that so casually it took the other girl a moment before her brain processed.
"One thing I have to say to that, Sasha. Bullshit." The dark haired girl said flatly. Sasha smiled so brightly that it almost distracted her from noticing the look of pure mischief in her eyes.
"But it's not. We have proven that interdimensional transfer of energy is possible. Information as well. The people of Ra Ciela proved that it's possible." Sasha said in an excited tone.
"Didn't they cannibalize a moon to power that?" She wasn't sure if she was remembering all the details, but there was definitely a moon involved in powering that.
"That was thousands of years ago! The technology had advanced so far and the research with it! I've been talking to Shurelia's friend, Casty, and we've worked out the major sticking points. It just...it still needs a lot of power..." She deflated gradually. Cocona sighed before pulling out a small terminal and transferring the data for the Sol Reactor II. Sasha tilted her head curiously, but checked what was sent.
"Uhhh...Cocona...? Did Taylor build this?" She sounded more excited. "It's amazing! I can totally see how this would work!" Sasha bounced on her feet before giving Cocona a pneumatic glomp that knocked her off her feet.
"Ack! Sasha!" Cocona flailed, but Sasha was a deceptively small girl that due to long hours of work was solid. She nuzzled at Cocona happily lost in blissful thoughts of construction. She suddenly bounced back to her feet and turned back to her supplies. The flustered girl slowly stood up.
"Give me some time and I could have my own built. Some of the materials are a bit exotic, but I can think up substitutions if worst comes to worst." She chirped and twittered happily.
"Why would you make something like this?" Cocona asked in bewilderment. "How often could it be used?" Sasha hummed in thought.
"For you silly. You heard about the situation Earth Bet was in and wanted to help. It also helps that Taylor is there." She smirked. It was an expression at odds with her normal countenance, but somehow fit. The dark haired Reyvateil shook her head rapidly.
"It's not like that!" She protested only for Sasha to start laughing, but let her off the hook.
"One way trip unless another one is built on the other side. I can send the designs with you, but the materials wouldn't survive the trip. You have that interface layer, but it would literally be impossible to send things across like that." Sasha said.
"Would...would I show up..." Cocona squirmed uncomfortably, "Naked...?" Sasha shrugged.
"You could try clothes, but I don't think you want to be wearing an existential failure." Sasha commented absently and Cocona turned green.
"Hmmm...me on Earth Bet..." She had wanted to go there when she heard about it. A pioneer to another world? The thought was exciting. The fact that the girl who made all of this possible was there had little to do with it...
-February 12, 2011-
-Undersiders-
The positive PR from having the Undersiders save a group of girls from the Merchants was good. It took them out of straight villain to principled thieves. Lisa was trying to think of the positives even thought she was annoyed at them showing up. She was having a day off. Okay so she was surrounded by heroes, but Taylor had been there. The one person she could be herself around. Her initial annoyance had been arriving at the Boardwalk with Taylor and Emma holding Aisha. That was quickly overshadowed by her understanding. Her power fed her the details. Brian was concerned and his little sister was concerned as well. This killed two birds with one stone.
They both wanted her safe. That was a warm feeling. She had started letting down her walls with the other Undersiders and what a change it made. Alec was even opening up more. That probably had more to do with Aisha, or Imp, keeping him on his toes. He was a trickster and she was a prankster. It didn't look to be anything yet, but the seeds were there.
The biggest surprise had been when they were in danger from that new Merchant cape, Smack, that Grue and Shadow Stalker showed up. They had started out wary of one another. He a villain and her a former hero. The strange thing was their powers interacted with each other which just made them more uncomfortable. However, there was no denying their synergy.
Rachel was less on the outside now. It helped that Sophia had revealed a love of dogs. The tough as nails vigilante was a dog lover. Lisa knew the source of Sophia's change. She knew the source of their changes. Her name was Aria. Her Taylor wasn't a parahuman Mother Theresa, but somehow she just smoothed the connections between people. Her power fed her the information that Communication and Harmony were principle in how Taylor's power operated.
She leaned back on the couch as she watched the various interactions. Alec and Aisha were playing something that involved lots of explosions and mad laughter. Brian and Sophia were just now coming upstairs from sparring. They grabbed some water and sat on the couch to watch the goings on. The nicest surprise was Rachel seated in the middle of the living room grooming her dogs instead of off in a corner.
"What's got you smilin'?" Sophia asked with a smirk. Lisa thought about that for a minute. Her power fed her the answer to her conundrum, but inner nervousness took over. She knew they wouldn't react badly to what she said. Alec would tease her and Aisha would make some innuendo laced comments. Brian would just about melt and Sophia would be surprised. Rachel was somehow the one area she was confused over. Her power was giving her several answer with equal chances of happening.
"I'm just thinking...I'm glad to be here. With you guys." If being around Taylor taught her anything it was to just go for it. Fear was the mind killer. It was also the soul killer.
"She went and gone soft on us." Alec laughed, but his expression became a little less guarded. More than yesterday.
"Hmmm...probably thinkin' 'bout a certain someone." Aisha teased, but the honest affection in her eyes surprised her. She can't call them all.
"We're glad to have you here too." Brian patted Lisa on the leg. He was becoming more open as well. Casual touches and pats with the others.
"Uhhh...where'd that come from? Uhm...yeah. Likewise." Sophia rubbed the back of her neck in a strangely innocent gesture.
"You're pack." Rachel stated flatly. Coming from her that was a full blown case of the warm and fuzzies. Lisa abruptly felt tears in her eyes, but didn't stop them. Hers weren't the only dry eyes, but no one laughed. There were smiles.
Maybe she was wrong about them. When she had told Coil they wouldn't survive it was because of what her powers told her logically. The heart though was never completely rational.
-In a quiet house in the suburbs-
-Friday-
Coil grit his teeth angrily. It wasn't often that something made him this furious, but this would not do at all. He swallowed more painkillers to relieve the terrible headache he had. The idea had been a simple one. A good one. The best kind of plans were the ones with as few variables as possible. He would sit in his base in one timeline while in the other timeline he would go into work and see Aria first hand.
The girl had seen him and almost immediately collapsed from what was apparently a Thinker headache. A truly terrible one. He considered his options. This was the disposable timeline so he was curious to see if he could just take her out of the building. Use the back ways. No one would stop him. Once he convinced her that it was better to work for him she would be sent home. The girl wasn't stupid, but her emotion based powers were easy to control.
He had her best friend after all. He knew that Aria and his little Tattletale shared messages. They even got together a few times. He also knew where her father worked. You strike an empath through the heart.
The problem occurred when he grabbed her arm. There was a horrific wrenching sensation as his safe timeline collapsed. He tried to split off another immediately and the response was even more swift and vicious. He had more experience controlling his reactions than the child and dragged her to the infirmary. They exchanged words, but in the haze of pain he had no idea what was said.
He called for a driver to take him back to his home and laid on his sofa. Too exhausted and in pain to move. He was forced to call his personal doctor from the base to come and administer something. It was galling that he was forced to resort to that. He normally would have shot anyone who saw his face, but he did not feel like trying to explain the mess.
Somehow he managed to sleep, but woke up in the middle of the night with a feeling like his skull was splitting in two. He took more medicine than was probably good for him and tried to relax. To meditate. It was how he survived after Nillbog. He trained himself mentally and physically. Focus on short term, easily attainable goals, and the rest would follow. He lived by that philosophy. Though he had one question. Why had his dream been so strange?
He thought seriously about his current problem. More resources were being bled out of him while Aria's were still growing. He had to do something to tip the balance once more. The time had come for war. His timetables could be accelerated. He was done being the organ grinder's monkey. They would feel the grip of Coil!
or Melody of Escalation
Interlude: Behind the Tinkering
-Shurelia & Mir-
"What a strange time." Shurelia mused as she went about her duties. The silverette was greatly relieved to have stopped stumbling so often. Now if she tripped it was because there was something to trip over. That was an achievement. Casty had helped a lot. She smiled softly as she thought about her friend. Though they were far apart physically they still met in the Binary Field.
"Ah...Lady Shurelia!" A man dressed in white armor approached. "There is a message from Lady Mir." He reported.
"Thank you, Sir Albert. You may go." She smiled gratefully with a hint of mischief. Mir's reaction to being called "Lady Mir" had been priceless. She made her way back to her office and sat down before the terminal. Aria's communication program had been helpful actually. It wasn't as much of an inconvenience for her to go to the Binary Field, but this was definitely easier. Her friend was looking both disturbed and excited. An interesting combination of expressions.
"There you are. Did you get lost again?" Mir snarked. Shurelia took a sip of her tea and sat back.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Shurelia asked in her best snooty tone. The two stared at one another for several moments before they both cracked a smile.
"Taylor was speaking to Cocona the other day and sent over a list of what she's built already." The dark haired Reyvateil said. Her friend arched an eyebrow.
"She certainly is working hard..." Shurelia commented in mixed interest and concern.
"Yeah, Cocona had a talk with her about burning herself out." Mir said with a smirk. They both chuckled over that one telling anyone to relax. "I'll send you the list. Try not to be too surprised." She sent the file over and Shurelia looked it over. Linkage suit...ELMA unit...power armor?
"She turned an ELMA into a power suit. Not too unbelievable. Still impressive." She idly looked over the list, "Medical Scanner. They have a tech base to support all this? Though I wonder how they would power all of it..." Some of these items would be fairly simple to them, but Earth Bet supposedly didn't have the kind of power units.
"I'm sending over the answer to that." Her look was proud, chagrined, and baffled. Interesting combination. She looked over the new file and stopped dead.
"Is that...is that the "Ar Tonelico?" Lyner created...?" She muttered in mixed disbelief and shock. "How did she even get that design!?" Her voice steadily rose to a squeak before her eyes narrowed.
"Before you flay that dumb beast alive just look it over." Mir suggested even if the look of amusement wasn't doing her mood any wonders. Shurelia blinked a few times.
The original design created a bomb. A stupidly powerful bomb that annihilated completely an area large enough that there was no way to escape it. Unless you were watching from a great distance. Lyner never used it because of the stupid way it was designed. Powerful, yes, but had to be activated within spitting distance of the target. Push a switch and throw. If what she was reading was correct then Taylor took a bomb and made it into a power source. Sol Reactor. Then she went and upgraded the design further into Sol Reactor II.
"This is..." Shurelia was still processing. Mir took pity on her and sent her a commiserating look.
"I know, Shurelia. I know. I was a bit crazy when I saw that...Though I do have to ask what your boy toy was thinking." She shook her head slowly. "Sending her the designs for a bomb like that?" Shurelia nodded and opened a new chat window. Now that she was calmer she wouldn't be tempted to say some of the things she'd planned.
"Hey Shurelia! What's going on?" The sunny blonde hair and blue eyes of Lyner, Shurelia's guardian knight, came up. His smile was bright as he gazed at her. She loved him dearly, but even now sometimes he just didn't think.
"Lyner...did you send your designs to Taylor?" Shurelia asked. He shook his head slowly.
"No...no I didn't. Though a couple months ago it looked like you were making a compilation of crafting. I stuck a few of my designs in to be helpful." He sounded so earnest that the silverette slumped. "Was I wrong?"
"Actually...those were being sent to Taylor to help her get started. A few ideas to protect herself. We weren't even sure if any of our energy production plants would have helped her. With the differences..." She cut herself off. Reiterating that wouldn't help. "You sent her THOSE plans." She added emphasis to that. He blinked.
"Her world is being overrun by gigantic killing machines that resemble twisted versions of Earth Bet's myths. I would think a big bomb would help." He stated reasonably. The sad thing was that on one hand he was right, but on the other he was wrong.
"Unfortunately her world doesn't exactly operate with that logic in mind." Shurelia said sadly.
"They would look at a weapon of Endbringer destruction and worry she would turn it on them." Mir concluded. Similarly frustrated. Overwhelming firepower works. You can't solve an apocalypse without planning and really big explosions. It worked for the people of Ar Ciel.
"But isn't she a hero?" Lyner asked in confusion. "Earth Bet...makes no sense..." He rubbed his forehead. "Well as long as she doesn't build the bomb...She did?" He clearly dreaded the answer.
"And turned it into a power supply. A vastly more efficient power supply than her world currently possesses. We can chalk this up in the "win" column, but now I'm afraid of what else you sent her designs for." Shurelia admitted. Mir was also plainly curious.
"Funbuns." He stated simply. There was almost a sound of some crazy music starting to play. Shurelia and Mir just stared at the oblivious male in dull surprise.
-Cocona & Sasha-
The blue-black haired Reyvateil wandered into the shop like she had hundreds of times before. Mir was apparently venting her spleen about the Ar Tunelico. She called it "Ar Tonelico?" while somehow pronouncing the question mark. Made about as much sense as "Nyo? Guts" anyway. She shook her head and put it to the back of her mind. Her taste in clothing had become more conservative. An indigo halter top and black jeans with black sandals.
The girl she was there to see was nowhere in sight, but the sound of clanking coming from the backroom workshop called to her. Sasha is one of the most brilliant people she knows. It always had her curious what she would be like as a Reyvateil. Somehow the idea that she might be one in secret had got on the boards and it completely exploded. Speculations abounded with even one strange person, Baun or something, claiming she was secretly a Will.
Considering that Cocona knew her personally it didn't seem that far fetched. Her friend was seated at her workbench wearing thick shatter proof goggles with implements of her trade in each hand. The device sitting in front of her was taking definite shape into a something. Which was apparently destined to go into the other something on the far end of the workshop. It was massive in construction. Nothing fragile about this thing at all. It had an arch built into it connected to a metal arched door.
"Close the door, Cocona. Too much outside light." Sasha's voice was pleasant. Her hair was soft brown and fell to her shoulders. She was wearing a salmon pink kimono top with shorts underneath and sandals. An apron was placed over the whole ensemble. Her hair was currently pulled up in a ponytail to keep it out of her eyes. Cocona shut the door and the ambient lighting dropped except over the work station.
"Hey Sasha. Have you eaten yet today?" This was a normal occurrence. Cocona was absolutely certain that Sasha would miss meals, but she never did. Then again Cloche stopped in from time to time so it averaged out. They had both come back to their homes after reviving Ar Ciel. Cocona had promised Croix she would come back and Sasha wanted to get back to her amusements. Inventing was fun for her and too many people knew where she was.
"I ate this morning." She gestures vaguely at a warming oven, "And I have our lunch there. Dinner is in a slow cooker in the shop." Cocona blushed. Sasha was as prepared as ever. "That wasn't actually what I called you over here for." The Reyvateil shrugged and followed her friend over to where the odd device was.
"I'll bite...what is it?" Cocona asked curiously. Sasha pulled her goggles up on her forehead.
"Well with a stable power source it would be a dimensional door." She stated that so casually it took the other girl a moment before her brain processed.
"One thing I have to say to that, Sasha. Bullshit." The dark haired girl said flatly. Sasha smiled so brightly that it almost distracted her from noticing the look of pure mischief in her eyes.
"But it's not. We have proven that interdimensional transfer of energy is possible. Information as well. The people of Ra Ciela proved that it's possible." Sasha said in an excited tone.
"Didn't they cannibalize a moon to power that?" She wasn't sure if she was remembering all the details, but there was definitely a moon involved in powering that.
"That was thousands of years ago! The technology had advanced so far and the research with it! I've been talking to Shurelia's friend, Casty, and we've worked out the major sticking points. It just...it still needs a lot of power..." She deflated gradually. Cocona sighed before pulling out a small terminal and transferring the data for the Sol Reactor II. Sasha tilted her head curiously, but checked what was sent.
"Uhhh...Cocona...? Did Taylor build this?" She sounded more excited. "It's amazing! I can totally see how this would work!" Sasha bounced on her feet before giving Cocona a pneumatic glomp that knocked her off her feet.
"Ack! Sasha!" Cocona flailed, but Sasha was a deceptively small girl that due to long hours of work was solid. She nuzzled at Cocona happily lost in blissful thoughts of construction. She suddenly bounced back to her feet and turned back to her supplies. The flustered girl slowly stood up.
"Give me some time and I could have my own built. Some of the materials are a bit exotic, but I can think up substitutions if worst comes to worst." She chirped and twittered happily.
"Why would you make something like this?" Cocona asked in bewilderment. "How often could it be used?" Sasha hummed in thought.
"For you silly. You heard about the situation Earth Bet was in and wanted to help. It also helps that Taylor is there." She smirked. It was an expression at odds with her normal countenance, but somehow fit. The dark haired Reyvateil shook her head rapidly.
"It's not like that!" She protested only for Sasha to start laughing, but let her off the hook.
"One way trip unless another one is built on the other side. I can send the designs with you, but the materials wouldn't survive the trip. You have that interface layer, but it would literally be impossible to send things across like that." Sasha said.
"Would...would I show up..." Cocona squirmed uncomfortably, "Naked...?" Sasha shrugged.
"You could try clothes, but I don't think you want to be wearing an existential failure." Sasha commented absently and Cocona turned green.
"Hmmm...me on Earth Bet..." She had wanted to go there when she heard about it. A pioneer to another world? The thought was exciting. The fact that the girl who made all of this possible was there had little to do with it...
-February 12, 2011-
-Undersiders-
The positive PR from having the Undersiders save a group of girls from the Merchants was good. It took them out of straight villain to principled thieves. Lisa was trying to think of the positives even thought she was annoyed at them showing up. She was having a day off. Okay so she was surrounded by heroes, but Taylor had been there. The one person she could be herself around. Her initial annoyance had been arriving at the Boardwalk with Taylor and Emma holding Aisha. That was quickly overshadowed by her understanding. Her power fed her the details. Brian was concerned and his little sister was concerned as well. This killed two birds with one stone.
They both wanted her safe. That was a warm feeling. She had started letting down her walls with the other Undersiders and what a change it made. Alec was even opening up more. That probably had more to do with Aisha, or Imp, keeping him on his toes. He was a trickster and she was a prankster. It didn't look to be anything yet, but the seeds were there.
The biggest surprise had been when they were in danger from that new Merchant cape, Smack, that Grue and Shadow Stalker showed up. They had started out wary of one another. He a villain and her a former hero. The strange thing was their powers interacted with each other which just made them more uncomfortable. However, there was no denying their synergy.
Rachel was less on the outside now. It helped that Sophia had revealed a love of dogs. The tough as nails vigilante was a dog lover. Lisa knew the source of Sophia's change. She knew the source of their changes. Her name was Aria. Her Taylor wasn't a parahuman Mother Theresa, but somehow she just smoothed the connections between people. Her power fed her the information that Communication and Harmony were principle in how Taylor's power operated.
She leaned back on the couch as she watched the various interactions. Alec and Aisha were playing something that involved lots of explosions and mad laughter. Brian and Sophia were just now coming upstairs from sparring. They grabbed some water and sat on the couch to watch the goings on. The nicest surprise was Rachel seated in the middle of the living room grooming her dogs instead of off in a corner.
"What's got you smilin'?" Sophia asked with a smirk. Lisa thought about that for a minute. Her power fed her the answer to her conundrum, but inner nervousness took over. She knew they wouldn't react badly to what she said. Alec would tease her and Aisha would make some innuendo laced comments. Brian would just about melt and Sophia would be surprised. Rachel was somehow the one area she was confused over. Her power was giving her several answer with equal chances of happening.
"I'm just thinking...I'm glad to be here. With you guys." If being around Taylor taught her anything it was to just go for it. Fear was the mind killer. It was also the soul killer.
"She went and gone soft on us." Alec laughed, but his expression became a little less guarded. More than yesterday.
"Hmmm...probably thinkin' 'bout a certain someone." Aisha teased, but the honest affection in her eyes surprised her. She can't call them all.
"We're glad to have you here too." Brian patted Lisa on the leg. He was becoming more open as well. Casual touches and pats with the others.
"Uhhh...where'd that come from? Uhm...yeah. Likewise." Sophia rubbed the back of her neck in a strangely innocent gesture.
"You're pack." Rachel stated flatly. Coming from her that was a full blown case of the warm and fuzzies. Lisa abruptly felt tears in her eyes, but didn't stop them. Hers weren't the only dry eyes, but no one laughed. There were smiles.
Maybe she was wrong about them. When she had told Coil they wouldn't survive it was because of what her powers told her logically. The heart though was never completely rational.
-In a quiet house in the suburbs-
-Friday-
Coil grit his teeth angrily. It wasn't often that something made him this furious, but this would not do at all. He swallowed more painkillers to relieve the terrible headache he had. The idea had been a simple one. A good one. The best kind of plans were the ones with as few variables as possible. He would sit in his base in one timeline while in the other timeline he would go into work and see Aria first hand.
The girl had seen him and almost immediately collapsed from what was apparently a Thinker headache. A truly terrible one. He considered his options. This was the disposable timeline so he was curious to see if he could just take her out of the building. Use the back ways. No one would stop him. Once he convinced her that it was better to work for him she would be sent home. The girl wasn't stupid, but her emotion based powers were easy to control.
He had her best friend after all. He knew that Aria and his little Tattletale shared messages. They even got together a few times. He also knew where her father worked. You strike an empath through the heart.
The problem occurred when he grabbed her arm. There was a horrific wrenching sensation as his safe timeline collapsed. He tried to split off another immediately and the response was even more swift and vicious. He had more experience controlling his reactions than the child and dragged her to the infirmary. They exchanged words, but in the haze of pain he had no idea what was said.
He called for a driver to take him back to his home and laid on his sofa. Too exhausted and in pain to move. He was forced to call his personal doctor from the base to come and administer something. It was galling that he was forced to resort to that. He normally would have shot anyone who saw his face, but he did not feel like trying to explain the mess.
Somehow he managed to sleep, but woke up in the middle of the night with a feeling like his skull was splitting in two. He took more medicine than was probably good for him and tried to relax. To meditate. It was how he survived after Nillbog. He trained himself mentally and physically. Focus on short term, easily attainable goals, and the rest would follow. He lived by that philosophy. Though he had one question. Why had his dream been so strange?
He thought seriously about his current problem. More resources were being bled out of him while Aria's were still growing. He had to do something to tip the balance once more. The time had come for war. His timetables could be accelerated. He was done being the organ grinder's monkey. They would feel the grip of Coil!
Third Arc 3.1
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Third Arc 3.1
-February 26, 2011-
-PRT HQ-
The rest of the month had passed quietly. Well relatively. I had no other things suddenly spring out at me. Emma was embarrassed at getting her rear handed to her by a super powered junkie, but he was pretty unique. We found out that Smack is in fact a Striker/Breaker combo. No Brute. He builds up power in his rubbery body and uses that to deliver devastating blows. The more you hit him the more of a charge he builds up. His triggering came with the drawback that his pain tolerance was gone. He went to the Merchants for things to ease the pain.
I almost felt sorry for him, but the fact that he was a sadist before changing cured me of that. He had a fairly extensive rap sheet. Emma felt a bit better at finding out that his power was uniquely suited to countering Brutes. Her claws would have completely shredded him, but she didn't want to kill him. That looked good to the review board that was overlooking her case. Personally I thought it was hypocritical. They would rather she be severely injured, or dead, rather than use her claws to save her life.
I was annoyed though. My quiet month would have gone so much better if I could have seen Lisa more, but she was busy. It was something we didn't actually talk about, but we knew. The Undersiders had been more active recently. Stealing from the villains and leaving some of the take with the needy. Someone was apparently also doing PR management. They continued to look better in the eyes of the people and the gangs really wanted their heads now. Their lineup had expanded with the inclusion of Imp and Shadow Stalker.
Shadow Stalker. That to me was a complicated issue. On the one hand I couldn't forget the torment she had put me through, but on the other she was apparently turning over a new leaf. The tranq bolts made more of an appearance than her usual lethal tips. Emma apparently kept in contact with her somehow, but didn't tell me how. I'd help her, but she wanted me to have plausible deniability.
All of these thoughts were just a distraction as I awaited the verdict. My armor was completed as was the miniaturized Sol Reactor Mk II that powered it. The Sol Reactor Mk II mass produced model had also been put up for review. The test type ELMA MP was supposed to be looked at by now as well. I was just sitting in my lab with Emma and Kid Win while I waited for Dragon to call me.
"Easy Aria. You'll wear a hole in the floor if you keep pacing like that." Kid Win warned. "I have no idea why they took so long to approve these, but they're good inventions."
"I know that, you know that, they know that, but who said bureaucracy makes sense?" I asked. My hands were gesturing purely for effect. I wasn't frustrated at all. Despedia suddenly grabbed me and sat me in her lap. Okay I might have squeaked.
"Bureaucracy makes no sense? Totally. Getting worked up isn't helping anything." She said soothingly. Kid Win rubbed my back and I just let the warm support wash over me. I still hadn't put my plan in to motion to get to know the other Wards. When this didn't weigh on me anymore I would put it into action.
"I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long." Dragon's voice spoke up and we jumped. Emma tightened her grip just a little and I squeaked again, but more breathlessly. She abruptly released me and I fell on my rear. Dragon laughed lightly, but if she was in a good mood then that was good. Right?
"We were about to sit on her to keep her still." Despedia commented. Kid Win snickered and I just rolled my eyes, but I didn't move. Kid Win patted my hair and I purred. Don't judge me!
"Good news. Your ELMA Linkage has been approved. You can take it out on patrol." She said cheerfully. I hadn't been allowed out on patrol because I had made myself a high value Tinker. This changed things. "Your Sol Reactor Mk I is in development as is the Mk II. Your miniaturized Mk II for your armor was approved." By this point I was almost vibrating with only Kid Win's hand on my head keeping me from leaping to my feet. "The ELMA MP armor was determined to be...green lighted."
Chris almost flew off his chair as I bounced to my feet and squealed. Emma was also cheering at the news. I grabbed Kid Win in a celebratory dance and we whirled until we crashed into Despedia. All three of us fell to the floor laughing. Dragon's laughter carried over and I grinned in relief. I didn't think they would go for it, but they did.
"I asked them to hold off on officially telling you about the success of the others until they had finished with the MP armor. In case it didn't go through I wanted you to at least have some good news. The test pilot said that it moved like a dream and followed his commands." She informed me. Good idea really. Save the good news to make the bad more easily swallowed. The fact that there was no bad news? Excellent.
"So they can add me to the patrol roster?" I asked excitedly.
"Yes you can. It also means Despedia will be going with you." We both squealed at that. Being able to really help the city was something we wanted.
"Hey put on your armor and come to the Wards room. They should get to see it." Kid Win suggested and I was already moving towards the white and gold ELMA sitting in the corner. The ELMA MP was in SWAT black with the PRT logo.
I activated the unit and it bounded over to me like an eager dog. I patted the smooth metal head before rubbing my thumb along the inside of my palm. A soft whir and click was heard as the machine unfolded. I stepped into the boots and rubbed my thumb along my palm again. The armor unfolded from the floor and up my body slowly enough that I could slip my hands into the arms of the armor. There was a click and a hiss as everything sealed. The helmet came down over my head. The appearance of the armor made it look like my hair was flowing out the back of the helmet, but that was false. It was actually a series of fiber optic "hairs" that connected into the sensor network.
"Okay...that is freakin' awesome..." Emma breathed as I tested my range of motion. A few punches and kicks showed that it didn't interfere with my movements. The anti-grav didn't just let me fly, but also let me far more agile in my armor than normal.
"That looks really good. When you asked me to do the back unit's connector module I wasn't expecting it to all come together like that." Kid Win commented. I didn't want the back unit to be built in, but able to be exchanged. I used my own armor as a test bed for what went into the MP armor. If I wouldn't trust it to protect me than how could I trust it to protect anyone else?
"How does it feel?" Dragons asked.
"It feels great. Like I'm not wearing it at all." I chirped. I amused myself by hovering a short distance off the ground and charging in to grab Emma in a pneumatic hug of my own. She let out an eep, but laughed as we spun around in the air.
"Okay! Stop the horseplay. That is not a toy. I understand you're excited, but be careful. If Despedia wasn't as durable as she is..." Dragon scolded me and I shuffled my feet. That was why I flew at her after all. Kid Win patted my metal shoulder.
"I also have sensors in the gauntlets to tell me how much force I'm exerting." For my armor the fingers looked like simple gloves, but they weren't. The metal weave that made up the armored gloves was marginally less durable than the rest of the armor, but it would have been impractical to use more. I could stiffen my fingers and put them through concrete.
"Go show off, but be ready to go on your debut patrol this afternoon." Dragon warned. Apparently they had planned ahead without telling me. Sneaky.
We left my lab and it was a very different sensation. My HUD kept track of everything within range as well as amplifying my natural ability to sense melodies. Everything was richer and more vibrant. I could feel the suit connect to me in ways that were unreal. It felt less like a suit of armor and more like a natural extension of myself. Linkage was designed to improve connectivity between the Origin and their Tower. My Linkage was designed with that same thought in mind. The black box in my armor's hardware was assumed to be straight Tinker tech. No one knew what it's true purpose was.
"That armor makes you even taller." Emma commented as we walked. "What's it like?" She asked.
"It feels like an extension of myself." I told them the truth.
"Here we are." Kid Win hit the warning buzzer. Protocol was to be observed. We headed inside and were immediately spotted by the other Wards. "Everyone...Aria." He gestured to me and I stepped inside. The anti-grav making my steps light.
"Oh wow! That looks so beautiful..." Vista hurried over to check it out with Clockblocker close behind.
"That's pretty cool. Finally gonna stop making us do all the work?" Dennis joked. I grinned back.
"Did they approve the MP armor?" Gallant asked. He was the only one more excited than myself or Kid Win about them. I nodded an affirmative and he grinned. His melody loud enough to beat the band.
"That's very good news. The PRT budget might be tight for awhile producing them..." Aegis brought up probably the only downer. Well, it would be a downer, but I had a secret weapon that they didn't know about.
"The Sol Reactors, both models, were accepted." I told them. "That should help with the bills, right?" Can anyone blame me for being excited? They were certainly excited too. We looked at the patrol board and I was on with Despedia and Aegis.
"I volunteered so that I could help ease you into things." He said. "We'll try not to test your armor's limits on the first day." Aegis joked, "But seriously we're probably to just do a ground patrol so the people can see you."
"I guess that's important, huh?" I asked. The part that disturbed me was just how marketing based all of this was. I made my debut and sometimes did a short segment for PRT videos. They weren't as important to me as working to make things better. Somehow I was popular. I think it was when I saw my action figure that I felt truly mortified.
"Now they'll have to release an armored action figure. Oh maybe one with removable armor." Dennis needled me. He was there when I saw the toy. I grimaced.
"These people are weird..." Emma complained. Her own action figure was a source of contention for her. They got some hyper realistic sculptor to make hers. It looked like something from Spawn. Kind of cool, but kind of freaky. They were billing Despedia as "edgy." The people that met her thought she was less "edgy" and more "sweetie."
"These people look up to us." Aegis scolded gently.
"I think she meant the PR people." Gallant said with a resigned sigh. "I have to agree that they're weird. At least we're not like some of the corporate capes. We actually get out there and help." That was sobering. Part of the proceeds from the merchandise went to parahuman relief efforts. Suddenly I didn't feel so mortified about having action figures made of me.
"At least no one ended up on a pair of underwear." Vista pointed out. That had been a mess. Armsmaster didn't know that his image had been put on girl's panties. His reaction had been hilarious, but also scary. He marched right into the local PR office and demanded they correct the problem. The problem as he saw it was putting a man's likeness on girl's underwear.
"I wouldn't mind." Clockblocker said with a teasing leer only to get dope slapped by Vista.
"Maybe they'd put you on a jock strap." She snarked. Things devolved after that into what the worst product with our likeness would be.
"Gallant Condoms." Aegis said.
"Aegis spermicide." Gallant countered.
"Vista cheese whiz." Clockblocker offered.
"Clockblocker contraception. It's just a picture of him." She said so sweetly. He was the one that laughed loudest. Emma laid out on the couch like it was all beneath her.
"Despedia bath towels." Kid Win teased which suddenly brought her to the fight.
"Kid can Win buttons." She smirked. Those were a short-lived and much reviled merchandising nightmare. The buttons kept popping off the backing. Maybe if I stayed quiet no one would notice me?
"Girls of PRT Calender. Aria edition." Gallant said and I blushed so heavily steam must have been coming off of my head through my helmet. I was proud of my good looks, but I was still somewhat shy. Thanks Winslow for these lovely self esteem issues!
"Heart frames with Gallant and Aegis." I fired back. They looked at one another before suddenly Gallant leaped into Aegis' arms.
"We have nothing to be ashamed of. Our feelings are entirely pure!" Aegis called out and we howled with laughter.
"What are you doing with my boyfriend?" Victoria suddenly spoke up trying, and failing, to sound stern. She flew over and draped herself over Aegis and Gallant. "I knew they were a packaged deal."
"Panacea!" Emma's voice was much more musical as she practically glided over to Amy and hugged her. Amy returned the hug. It was a quirk I noticed. The happier and more up her melody was the more musical her voice became. She could control it most of the time, but around us there was no need.
"Hi Despedia." Panacea said with a cheerful sound to her melody. Victoria and I shared a look and smirked. The boys weren't clueless, but for once Clockblocker kept his comments to himself. Too bad really.
"We came to hang out. My patrol is done for today and Amy has another shift at the hospital after lunch." She grumbled. That was a sore point for Glory Girl. Amy still had her hospital rounds.
"Amy...you need to take care of yourself. Did you at least cut down the hours? With the medical scanners you shouldn't be needed for everything." Emma complained as she smoothed the other girl's hair.
"There are still people that need treatment. The scanner cut down on how many people I need to check personally, but there's so much to do." Amy said with a sigh. Her melody pitched low, but Emma gave her a squeeze and it perked back up. I let my attention wander.
Panacea still had too much to do. Part of it was she was a workaholic with a genuinely good heart. The other part was the hospitals forgot she was a teenage girl and needed rest. I wasn't sure what her home life was like, but judging by Glory Girl she had one person emphatically in her corner. The medical scanner was a hit and several had already been built. Dragon was taking care of mass production with her fabricators. Medhall Medical was trying to get the rights to produce them and Dragon was fighting them on it. They were a proprietary technology of the PRT.
That didn't help Panacea or the other people that she couldn't treat. Prostheses were a slowly growing field. Panacea hadn't actually helped in that regard. Why should a person improve artificial limbs when there is a parahuman that can regrow them? I made a mental note to work on these ideas when I got back from patrol.
"Hey Aria. Ya coming?" Glory Girl asked as the others were heading out the door to the cafeteria. How lost in thought was I? I followed after them with the heroine still flying beside me. "Very nice armor. Think you might drop the PRT and go with New Wave? You've already got the colors." She teased. I smiled back. It was a joke that started after our girl's day. I couldn't help looking good in these colors. "Are you gonna wear that in the cafeteria?" She asked. I disengaged the armor and hopped out just before it transformed back. The whole process was quick.
"I think I can walk...or ride." I hopped on ELMA's back and rode the machine into the cafeteria. We attracted a few stares, but mostly from new people.
"Does it turn into anything else?" Victoria asked curiously.
"No, but I could make one in the future that does. There's no point right now." My mind was still latched onto the next phase of my nefarious scheme to heal the sick.
Lunch went by at a staggering crawl. I wanted to get this over with so we could go on that patrol, but time was not cooperating. Glory Girl and Gallant's melodies were spiraling around one another. Despedia and Panacea were also in their own little orbit. I looked around at everyone around me. Their melodies included me, but none spiraled. It was ridiculous. Lisa and I were close. I loved her and she loved me. I would have to be totally oblivious to miss that, but we were each other's safety. We were the other one's stability. It wasn't fear that kept us there. It was the deep sense of trust and comfort we had.
"Are you ready to go?" Aegis asked. I nodded slowly before standing up and rearming myself. Despedia gave Amy one more hug before coming over to us.
"Are we just heading out the door?" Emma asked. Aegis grinned.
"We're going to do something a little more fun. We can use the roof access." He said as we headed towards the elevators.
"How will I fly? I know I can leap, but that doesn't help me fly." She pouted. Of all the powers she wished she had the one she didn't get was flight. I grinned and triggered something on my gauntlet. What looked like a hoverboard flew towards us and I caught it.
"How about this?" I held out the V Board to her. Cocona gave it to me, but I figured she could use it more. The item was red rimmed with a black inner core. The engine at the back was powerful for it's size with twin anti-grav stabilizers. It didn't transform into a weapon, but it was robust.
"Oh wow! Is this tested?" Emma asked excitedly and I nodded.
"Kid Win and I wanted to surprise you by having it put through with his inventions. He was the one that got everything to work." I was good, but Kid Win was king of hoverboards. The V Board design was from me, but he made it work better.
"I wish we could do a flying patrol just so you could test that out, but it's a walking patrol. We'll fly out from the roof, do a loose circuit, and come down on the street where our patrol begins." Aegis took up the reigns of command and we fell into step. There was a big difference between Aegis the Ward and our friend Carlos.
"Our patrol route takes us around the docks, right?" Despedia asked. The Merchants had been moving into the Docks again. My dad complained that they had to repel more of the idiots. Something was making them more bold and that wasn't good. Was it another new cape? A Ward patrol might not scare off a cape, but it would keep the bottom feeders out.
We reached the roof and I took in the skyline. It was a beautiful clear day and I could barely keep myself still. Aegis smiled at Despedia and I before taking off into the sky. Despedia hopped on the V Board and followed him. Supernatural reflexes made her a natural. I engaged the anti-grav before kicking in the thrusters. It took some adjusting and I overshot them both before managing to slow myself down.
"Did you really need so many thrusters?" Despedia complained over the com unit. "Seriously...jets have less thrust than you do."
"I think she heard flier and decided faster was better." Aegis commented. "Okay slow loop around the docks and then down for the patrol." We took off at a decent clip before slowing down for the pattern Aegis set for us. That was the role of flying capes. Get a look at the overview while someone walks along the ground. With three of us flying Aegis clearly wanted to put on a show.
"Aegis. Down there." Despedia's eyes were good. We saw a group of rough looking guys talking to a couple of dock workers. The "talk" wasn't going so well. Other dock workers were coming over. There were five toughs and four workers now.
"Base? This is Aegis. There appears to be a disturbance down at the docks. Looks like it's not a parahuman issue, but it might get messy. Permission to intervene?" He asked. I was getting antsy and Despedia's eyes were glowing softly.
"You have permission to engage." The operator responded. We descended on the scene. Aegis directed us to leave the Merchant thugs an avenue of escape.
"Escape?" Despedia sounded incredulous and I echoed that, "Escape?"
"If we can resolve this peacefully we should." He replied firmly as we landed. The people saw us coming in and tensed up. The dock workers didn't, but the thugs definitely looked nervous. We approached. I was keeping my eye out for any strange melodies nearby. I could hear my dad's well away from this mess. Despedia rolled her neck and looked bored. She wondered why she had the "edgy" title.
"We weren't doin' nothin'...just talkin' to these guys." The lead punk said. The others nodded, but one was texting on his phone.
"Then you can do it elsewhere." Aegis replied. Suddenly two weird melodies were inbound. Despedia moved to stand in front of the Dock workers. Two figures slowly approached. Both were female with jet black hair and green eyes. They wore leather jackets and skimpy tops with short shorts. Their boots were high heeled and were wearing leather chokers. They wore masks, one blue and the other white, and looked like twins.
"Hey look sister...a couple little babies far from home..." The blue masked one said as they approached.
"Awww...they're so cute acting tough like that..." The white masked leered at us. Their melodies were strange. Like Smack actually. My mini-Tower was getting some data, but they weren't requesting packets and were ignoring inquiry.
"Base there are two unknown parahumans at the docks." Aegis replied. The Merchant thugs just hooted and hollered. They were acting like the cavalry arrived. "We can't withdraw." He stated plainly. I sent a picture of the two back to base to help with identification.
"Unknown? Let's make this easy. I'm Crystal and this is Angel." The now named Crystal smiled almost pleasantly. She sent a look to her sister. "Angel? Give them a present."
"Can I get you high...?" She asked as she took a hit from a pipe and blew a cloud of smoke towards us. I quickly locked down my helmet and apparently Aegis took it. Despedia showed the Dock workers out of range, but took a face full. The thugs were the most telling. Their eyes suddenly became bloodshot and they adopted feral postures.
"Whatever she just did..." Aegis started to say before listing strangely to one side. His adaptive biology would let him counter it, but now I was worried for Despedia. She was also listing to one side, but her eyes had gone red. A disturbing laugh was coming from her direction that worried me.
"Sorry, but they won't be able to help you!" Crystal called out cheerfully before throwing her hands forward and scattered crystals hurled at us like from a shot gun. Aegis was knocked down by the force as was Despedia. My analysis said that the crystals had been blunted? They would hurt, but they weren't designed to actually kill.
"Awww...she didn't get a hit." Angel teased. "Fix that, guys." She told the enthralled thugs who suddenly rushed at me. I unleashed a burst of sonics from my armor's harmonic amplifier that caused them to stumble drunkenly. Another burst and they collapsed.
"I have a pretty good crowd control method. Surrender and this won't go so badly for you." I said and slid into a ready stance. Aegis was already standing back up. Despedia was hunched over with her talons out. Her eyes were still red and glowing.
"Stop being a bitch and just hit them full blast!" Angel scolded her sister. Crystal sighed and fired off several lances of crystal in our direction. I unleashed sonics and they shattered, but we were still hit with the spray. Aegis weathered it and Despedia's field prevented injury.
Aegis flew at Angel while Despedia rushed at Crystal. I was taking readings of the thug's vital signs for later study. With Angel's smoke countered and Crystal caught in melee they didn't have much of a chance.
Smack had been busted out by Squealer and Skidmark. Squealer was a Tinker that essentially built enormous tank like trucks and other vehicles. Skidmark had the ability to layer fields of force that accelerate things moving away from him and make it harder to move through that area. He could layer several at once for a stronger effect.
Where had these two come from? Aegis brought Angel over. Without her pipe she couldn't use her smoke. Despedia carried an unconscious Crystal over.
"What did you do to my sister ya cunt?" Angel screamed.
"She was too loud." Despedia stated flatly. Her eyes hadn't come back to normal yet. Her body was working through the foreign contaminants, but it was making her melody unstable. A PRT van arrived with Assault and Battery to take custody of the villains. Assault was as friendly as every, but Battery's melody was also strange. I recorded the data for future analysis. There was no doubt she was friendly, but I was noticing something disturbing.
Whatever it was she was a hero and a good one. That closed down the debate in my mind on trustworthiness. Despedia ghosted over to my side while Aegis gave a field report to the pair of veteran heroes.
"You noticed it too, right?" Her eyes had thankfully gone back to normal.
"Yeah I did...what do you think it means?" I asked her. She crossed her arms.
"It's weird. Three villains and a hero with the same off feeling to their melody? Very weird..." She murmured. I was struck with a problem. Who do I tell this to? I had been telling Dragon everything. She wasn't PRT, but was with the Guild. A group of independent of the PRT. She did a lot of consultation with the PRT and was well regarded, but this would be considered an internal matter. The next best idea would be Armsmaster.
"Alright kids. Looks like you can go now." Assault called out. Aegis rejoined us.
"We'll have a more thorough debrief back at HQ, but right now we complete our patrol." He gestured for us to follow him. Despedia and I shared a look before hurrying after him. She stuffed her V Board in the pocket of her trench coat leaving me to blink stupidly.
"Uhhh..." I started to say intelligently, but she just ignored me as she strolled on by. Too many mysteries and not enough information.
AN: Third Arc: Rise of the Merchants has started. No more capes will be created for this arc. Mysteries abound! Oh and for an idea of Taylor's armor...
or Melody of Escalation
Third Arc 3.1
-February 26, 2011-
-PRT HQ-
The rest of the month had passed quietly. Well relatively. I had no other things suddenly spring out at me. Emma was embarrassed at getting her rear handed to her by a super powered junkie, but he was pretty unique. We found out that Smack is in fact a Striker/Breaker combo. No Brute. He builds up power in his rubbery body and uses that to deliver devastating blows. The more you hit him the more of a charge he builds up. His triggering came with the drawback that his pain tolerance was gone. He went to the Merchants for things to ease the pain.
I almost felt sorry for him, but the fact that he was a sadist before changing cured me of that. He had a fairly extensive rap sheet. Emma felt a bit better at finding out that his power was uniquely suited to countering Brutes. Her claws would have completely shredded him, but she didn't want to kill him. That looked good to the review board that was overlooking her case. Personally I thought it was hypocritical. They would rather she be severely injured, or dead, rather than use her claws to save her life.
I was annoyed though. My quiet month would have gone so much better if I could have seen Lisa more, but she was busy. It was something we didn't actually talk about, but we knew. The Undersiders had been more active recently. Stealing from the villains and leaving some of the take with the needy. Someone was apparently also doing PR management. They continued to look better in the eyes of the people and the gangs really wanted their heads now. Their lineup had expanded with the inclusion of Imp and Shadow Stalker.
Shadow Stalker. That to me was a complicated issue. On the one hand I couldn't forget the torment she had put me through, but on the other she was apparently turning over a new leaf. The tranq bolts made more of an appearance than her usual lethal tips. Emma apparently kept in contact with her somehow, but didn't tell me how. I'd help her, but she wanted me to have plausible deniability.
All of these thoughts were just a distraction as I awaited the verdict. My armor was completed as was the miniaturized Sol Reactor Mk II that powered it. The Sol Reactor Mk II mass produced model had also been put up for review. The test type ELMA MP was supposed to be looked at by now as well. I was just sitting in my lab with Emma and Kid Win while I waited for Dragon to call me.
"Easy Aria. You'll wear a hole in the floor if you keep pacing like that." Kid Win warned. "I have no idea why they took so long to approve these, but they're good inventions."
"I know that, you know that, they know that, but who said bureaucracy makes sense?" I asked. My hands were gesturing purely for effect. I wasn't frustrated at all. Despedia suddenly grabbed me and sat me in her lap. Okay I might have squeaked.
"Bureaucracy makes no sense? Totally. Getting worked up isn't helping anything." She said soothingly. Kid Win rubbed my back and I just let the warm support wash over me. I still hadn't put my plan in to motion to get to know the other Wards. When this didn't weigh on me anymore I would put it into action.
"I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long." Dragon's voice spoke up and we jumped. Emma tightened her grip just a little and I squeaked again, but more breathlessly. She abruptly released me and I fell on my rear. Dragon laughed lightly, but if she was in a good mood then that was good. Right?
"We were about to sit on her to keep her still." Despedia commented. Kid Win snickered and I just rolled my eyes, but I didn't move. Kid Win patted my hair and I purred. Don't judge me!
"Good news. Your ELMA Linkage has been approved. You can take it out on patrol." She said cheerfully. I hadn't been allowed out on patrol because I had made myself a high value Tinker. This changed things. "Your Sol Reactor Mk I is in development as is the Mk II. Your miniaturized Mk II for your armor was approved." By this point I was almost vibrating with only Kid Win's hand on my head keeping me from leaping to my feet. "The ELMA MP armor was determined to be...green lighted."
Chris almost flew off his chair as I bounced to my feet and squealed. Emma was also cheering at the news. I grabbed Kid Win in a celebratory dance and we whirled until we crashed into Despedia. All three of us fell to the floor laughing. Dragon's laughter carried over and I grinned in relief. I didn't think they would go for it, but they did.
"I asked them to hold off on officially telling you about the success of the others until they had finished with the MP armor. In case it didn't go through I wanted you to at least have some good news. The test pilot said that it moved like a dream and followed his commands." She informed me. Good idea really. Save the good news to make the bad more easily swallowed. The fact that there was no bad news? Excellent.
"So they can add me to the patrol roster?" I asked excitedly.
"Yes you can. It also means Despedia will be going with you." We both squealed at that. Being able to really help the city was something we wanted.
"Hey put on your armor and come to the Wards room. They should get to see it." Kid Win suggested and I was already moving towards the white and gold ELMA sitting in the corner. The ELMA MP was in SWAT black with the PRT logo.
I activated the unit and it bounded over to me like an eager dog. I patted the smooth metal head before rubbing my thumb along the inside of my palm. A soft whir and click was heard as the machine unfolded. I stepped into the boots and rubbed my thumb along my palm again. The armor unfolded from the floor and up my body slowly enough that I could slip my hands into the arms of the armor. There was a click and a hiss as everything sealed. The helmet came down over my head. The appearance of the armor made it look like my hair was flowing out the back of the helmet, but that was false. It was actually a series of fiber optic "hairs" that connected into the sensor network.
"Okay...that is freakin' awesome..." Emma breathed as I tested my range of motion. A few punches and kicks showed that it didn't interfere with my movements. The anti-grav didn't just let me fly, but also let me far more agile in my armor than normal.
"That looks really good. When you asked me to do the back unit's connector module I wasn't expecting it to all come together like that." Kid Win commented. I didn't want the back unit to be built in, but able to be exchanged. I used my own armor as a test bed for what went into the MP armor. If I wouldn't trust it to protect me than how could I trust it to protect anyone else?
"How does it feel?" Dragons asked.
"It feels great. Like I'm not wearing it at all." I chirped. I amused myself by hovering a short distance off the ground and charging in to grab Emma in a pneumatic hug of my own. She let out an eep, but laughed as we spun around in the air.
"Okay! Stop the horseplay. That is not a toy. I understand you're excited, but be careful. If Despedia wasn't as durable as she is..." Dragon scolded me and I shuffled my feet. That was why I flew at her after all. Kid Win patted my metal shoulder.
"I also have sensors in the gauntlets to tell me how much force I'm exerting." For my armor the fingers looked like simple gloves, but they weren't. The metal weave that made up the armored gloves was marginally less durable than the rest of the armor, but it would have been impractical to use more. I could stiffen my fingers and put them through concrete.
"Go show off, but be ready to go on your debut patrol this afternoon." Dragon warned. Apparently they had planned ahead without telling me. Sneaky.
We left my lab and it was a very different sensation. My HUD kept track of everything within range as well as amplifying my natural ability to sense melodies. Everything was richer and more vibrant. I could feel the suit connect to me in ways that were unreal. It felt less like a suit of armor and more like a natural extension of myself. Linkage was designed to improve connectivity between the Origin and their Tower. My Linkage was designed with that same thought in mind. The black box in my armor's hardware was assumed to be straight Tinker tech. No one knew what it's true purpose was.
"That armor makes you even taller." Emma commented as we walked. "What's it like?" She asked.
"It feels like an extension of myself." I told them the truth.
"Here we are." Kid Win hit the warning buzzer. Protocol was to be observed. We headed inside and were immediately spotted by the other Wards. "Everyone...Aria." He gestured to me and I stepped inside. The anti-grav making my steps light.
"Oh wow! That looks so beautiful..." Vista hurried over to check it out with Clockblocker close behind.
"That's pretty cool. Finally gonna stop making us do all the work?" Dennis joked. I grinned back.
"Did they approve the MP armor?" Gallant asked. He was the only one more excited than myself or Kid Win about them. I nodded an affirmative and he grinned. His melody loud enough to beat the band.
"That's very good news. The PRT budget might be tight for awhile producing them..." Aegis brought up probably the only downer. Well, it would be a downer, but I had a secret weapon that they didn't know about.
"The Sol Reactors, both models, were accepted." I told them. "That should help with the bills, right?" Can anyone blame me for being excited? They were certainly excited too. We looked at the patrol board and I was on with Despedia and Aegis.
"I volunteered so that I could help ease you into things." He said. "We'll try not to test your armor's limits on the first day." Aegis joked, "But seriously we're probably to just do a ground patrol so the people can see you."
"I guess that's important, huh?" I asked. The part that disturbed me was just how marketing based all of this was. I made my debut and sometimes did a short segment for PRT videos. They weren't as important to me as working to make things better. Somehow I was popular. I think it was when I saw my action figure that I felt truly mortified.
"Now they'll have to release an armored action figure. Oh maybe one with removable armor." Dennis needled me. He was there when I saw the toy. I grimaced.
"These people are weird..." Emma complained. Her own action figure was a source of contention for her. They got some hyper realistic sculptor to make hers. It looked like something from Spawn. Kind of cool, but kind of freaky. They were billing Despedia as "edgy." The people that met her thought she was less "edgy" and more "sweetie."
"These people look up to us." Aegis scolded gently.
"I think she meant the PR people." Gallant said with a resigned sigh. "I have to agree that they're weird. At least we're not like some of the corporate capes. We actually get out there and help." That was sobering. Part of the proceeds from the merchandise went to parahuman relief efforts. Suddenly I didn't feel so mortified about having action figures made of me.
"At least no one ended up on a pair of underwear." Vista pointed out. That had been a mess. Armsmaster didn't know that his image had been put on girl's panties. His reaction had been hilarious, but also scary. He marched right into the local PR office and demanded they correct the problem. The problem as he saw it was putting a man's likeness on girl's underwear.
"I wouldn't mind." Clockblocker said with a teasing leer only to get dope slapped by Vista.
"Maybe they'd put you on a jock strap." She snarked. Things devolved after that into what the worst product with our likeness would be.
"Gallant Condoms." Aegis said.
"Aegis spermicide." Gallant countered.
"Vista cheese whiz." Clockblocker offered.
"Clockblocker contraception. It's just a picture of him." She said so sweetly. He was the one that laughed loudest. Emma laid out on the couch like it was all beneath her.
"Despedia bath towels." Kid Win teased which suddenly brought her to the fight.
"Kid can Win buttons." She smirked. Those were a short-lived and much reviled merchandising nightmare. The buttons kept popping off the backing. Maybe if I stayed quiet no one would notice me?
"Girls of PRT Calender. Aria edition." Gallant said and I blushed so heavily steam must have been coming off of my head through my helmet. I was proud of my good looks, but I was still somewhat shy. Thanks Winslow for these lovely self esteem issues!
"Heart frames with Gallant and Aegis." I fired back. They looked at one another before suddenly Gallant leaped into Aegis' arms.
"We have nothing to be ashamed of. Our feelings are entirely pure!" Aegis called out and we howled with laughter.
"What are you doing with my boyfriend?" Victoria suddenly spoke up trying, and failing, to sound stern. She flew over and draped herself over Aegis and Gallant. "I knew they were a packaged deal."
"Panacea!" Emma's voice was much more musical as she practically glided over to Amy and hugged her. Amy returned the hug. It was a quirk I noticed. The happier and more up her melody was the more musical her voice became. She could control it most of the time, but around us there was no need.
"Hi Despedia." Panacea said with a cheerful sound to her melody. Victoria and I shared a look and smirked. The boys weren't clueless, but for once Clockblocker kept his comments to himself. Too bad really.
"We came to hang out. My patrol is done for today and Amy has another shift at the hospital after lunch." She grumbled. That was a sore point for Glory Girl. Amy still had her hospital rounds.
"Amy...you need to take care of yourself. Did you at least cut down the hours? With the medical scanners you shouldn't be needed for everything." Emma complained as she smoothed the other girl's hair.
"There are still people that need treatment. The scanner cut down on how many people I need to check personally, but there's so much to do." Amy said with a sigh. Her melody pitched low, but Emma gave her a squeeze and it perked back up. I let my attention wander.
Panacea still had too much to do. Part of it was she was a workaholic with a genuinely good heart. The other part was the hospitals forgot she was a teenage girl and needed rest. I wasn't sure what her home life was like, but judging by Glory Girl she had one person emphatically in her corner. The medical scanner was a hit and several had already been built. Dragon was taking care of mass production with her fabricators. Medhall Medical was trying to get the rights to produce them and Dragon was fighting them on it. They were a proprietary technology of the PRT.
That didn't help Panacea or the other people that she couldn't treat. Prostheses were a slowly growing field. Panacea hadn't actually helped in that regard. Why should a person improve artificial limbs when there is a parahuman that can regrow them? I made a mental note to work on these ideas when I got back from patrol.
"Hey Aria. Ya coming?" Glory Girl asked as the others were heading out the door to the cafeteria. How lost in thought was I? I followed after them with the heroine still flying beside me. "Very nice armor. Think you might drop the PRT and go with New Wave? You've already got the colors." She teased. I smiled back. It was a joke that started after our girl's day. I couldn't help looking good in these colors. "Are you gonna wear that in the cafeteria?" She asked. I disengaged the armor and hopped out just before it transformed back. The whole process was quick.
"I think I can walk...or ride." I hopped on ELMA's back and rode the machine into the cafeteria. We attracted a few stares, but mostly from new people.
"Does it turn into anything else?" Victoria asked curiously.
"No, but I could make one in the future that does. There's no point right now." My mind was still latched onto the next phase of my nefarious scheme to heal the sick.
Lunch went by at a staggering crawl. I wanted to get this over with so we could go on that patrol, but time was not cooperating. Glory Girl and Gallant's melodies were spiraling around one another. Despedia and Panacea were also in their own little orbit. I looked around at everyone around me. Their melodies included me, but none spiraled. It was ridiculous. Lisa and I were close. I loved her and she loved me. I would have to be totally oblivious to miss that, but we were each other's safety. We were the other one's stability. It wasn't fear that kept us there. It was the deep sense of trust and comfort we had.
"Are you ready to go?" Aegis asked. I nodded slowly before standing up and rearming myself. Despedia gave Amy one more hug before coming over to us.
"Are we just heading out the door?" Emma asked. Aegis grinned.
"We're going to do something a little more fun. We can use the roof access." He said as we headed towards the elevators.
"How will I fly? I know I can leap, but that doesn't help me fly." She pouted. Of all the powers she wished she had the one she didn't get was flight. I grinned and triggered something on my gauntlet. What looked like a hoverboard flew towards us and I caught it.
"How about this?" I held out the V Board to her. Cocona gave it to me, but I figured she could use it more. The item was red rimmed with a black inner core. The engine at the back was powerful for it's size with twin anti-grav stabilizers. It didn't transform into a weapon, but it was robust.
"Oh wow! Is this tested?" Emma asked excitedly and I nodded.
"Kid Win and I wanted to surprise you by having it put through with his inventions. He was the one that got everything to work." I was good, but Kid Win was king of hoverboards. The V Board design was from me, but he made it work better.
"I wish we could do a flying patrol just so you could test that out, but it's a walking patrol. We'll fly out from the roof, do a loose circuit, and come down on the street where our patrol begins." Aegis took up the reigns of command and we fell into step. There was a big difference between Aegis the Ward and our friend Carlos.
"Our patrol route takes us around the docks, right?" Despedia asked. The Merchants had been moving into the Docks again. My dad complained that they had to repel more of the idiots. Something was making them more bold and that wasn't good. Was it another new cape? A Ward patrol might not scare off a cape, but it would keep the bottom feeders out.
We reached the roof and I took in the skyline. It was a beautiful clear day and I could barely keep myself still. Aegis smiled at Despedia and I before taking off into the sky. Despedia hopped on the V Board and followed him. Supernatural reflexes made her a natural. I engaged the anti-grav before kicking in the thrusters. It took some adjusting and I overshot them both before managing to slow myself down.
"Did you really need so many thrusters?" Despedia complained over the com unit. "Seriously...jets have less thrust than you do."
"I think she heard flier and decided faster was better." Aegis commented. "Okay slow loop around the docks and then down for the patrol." We took off at a decent clip before slowing down for the pattern Aegis set for us. That was the role of flying capes. Get a look at the overview while someone walks along the ground. With three of us flying Aegis clearly wanted to put on a show.
"Aegis. Down there." Despedia's eyes were good. We saw a group of rough looking guys talking to a couple of dock workers. The "talk" wasn't going so well. Other dock workers were coming over. There were five toughs and four workers now.
"Base? This is Aegis. There appears to be a disturbance down at the docks. Looks like it's not a parahuman issue, but it might get messy. Permission to intervene?" He asked. I was getting antsy and Despedia's eyes were glowing softly.
"You have permission to engage." The operator responded. We descended on the scene. Aegis directed us to leave the Merchant thugs an avenue of escape.
"Escape?" Despedia sounded incredulous and I echoed that, "Escape?"
"If we can resolve this peacefully we should." He replied firmly as we landed. The people saw us coming in and tensed up. The dock workers didn't, but the thugs definitely looked nervous. We approached. I was keeping my eye out for any strange melodies nearby. I could hear my dad's well away from this mess. Despedia rolled her neck and looked bored. She wondered why she had the "edgy" title.
"We weren't doin' nothin'...just talkin' to these guys." The lead punk said. The others nodded, but one was texting on his phone.
"Then you can do it elsewhere." Aegis replied. Suddenly two weird melodies were inbound. Despedia moved to stand in front of the Dock workers. Two figures slowly approached. Both were female with jet black hair and green eyes. They wore leather jackets and skimpy tops with short shorts. Their boots were high heeled and were wearing leather chokers. They wore masks, one blue and the other white, and looked like twins.
"Hey look sister...a couple little babies far from home..." The blue masked one said as they approached.
"Awww...they're so cute acting tough like that..." The white masked leered at us. Their melodies were strange. Like Smack actually. My mini-Tower was getting some data, but they weren't requesting packets and were ignoring inquiry.
"Base there are two unknown parahumans at the docks." Aegis replied. The Merchant thugs just hooted and hollered. They were acting like the cavalry arrived. "We can't withdraw." He stated plainly. I sent a picture of the two back to base to help with identification.
"Unknown? Let's make this easy. I'm Crystal and this is Angel." The now named Crystal smiled almost pleasantly. She sent a look to her sister. "Angel? Give them a present."
"Can I get you high...?" She asked as she took a hit from a pipe and blew a cloud of smoke towards us. I quickly locked down my helmet and apparently Aegis took it. Despedia showed the Dock workers out of range, but took a face full. The thugs were the most telling. Their eyes suddenly became bloodshot and they adopted feral postures.
"Whatever she just did..." Aegis started to say before listing strangely to one side. His adaptive biology would let him counter it, but now I was worried for Despedia. She was also listing to one side, but her eyes had gone red. A disturbing laugh was coming from her direction that worried me.
"Sorry, but they won't be able to help you!" Crystal called out cheerfully before throwing her hands forward and scattered crystals hurled at us like from a shot gun. Aegis was knocked down by the force as was Despedia. My analysis said that the crystals had been blunted? They would hurt, but they weren't designed to actually kill.
"Awww...she didn't get a hit." Angel teased. "Fix that, guys." She told the enthralled thugs who suddenly rushed at me. I unleashed a burst of sonics from my armor's harmonic amplifier that caused them to stumble drunkenly. Another burst and they collapsed.
"I have a pretty good crowd control method. Surrender and this won't go so badly for you." I said and slid into a ready stance. Aegis was already standing back up. Despedia was hunched over with her talons out. Her eyes were still red and glowing.
"Stop being a bitch and just hit them full blast!" Angel scolded her sister. Crystal sighed and fired off several lances of crystal in our direction. I unleashed sonics and they shattered, but we were still hit with the spray. Aegis weathered it and Despedia's field prevented injury.
Aegis flew at Angel while Despedia rushed at Crystal. I was taking readings of the thug's vital signs for later study. With Angel's smoke countered and Crystal caught in melee they didn't have much of a chance.
Smack had been busted out by Squealer and Skidmark. Squealer was a Tinker that essentially built enormous tank like trucks and other vehicles. Skidmark had the ability to layer fields of force that accelerate things moving away from him and make it harder to move through that area. He could layer several at once for a stronger effect.
Where had these two come from? Aegis brought Angel over. Without her pipe she couldn't use her smoke. Despedia carried an unconscious Crystal over.
"What did you do to my sister ya cunt?" Angel screamed.
"She was too loud." Despedia stated flatly. Her eyes hadn't come back to normal yet. Her body was working through the foreign contaminants, but it was making her melody unstable. A PRT van arrived with Assault and Battery to take custody of the villains. Assault was as friendly as every, but Battery's melody was also strange. I recorded the data for future analysis. There was no doubt she was friendly, but I was noticing something disturbing.
Whatever it was she was a hero and a good one. That closed down the debate in my mind on trustworthiness. Despedia ghosted over to my side while Aegis gave a field report to the pair of veteran heroes.
"You noticed it too, right?" Her eyes had thankfully gone back to normal.
"Yeah I did...what do you think it means?" I asked her. She crossed her arms.
"It's weird. Three villains and a hero with the same off feeling to their melody? Very weird..." She murmured. I was struck with a problem. Who do I tell this to? I had been telling Dragon everything. She wasn't PRT, but was with the Guild. A group of independent of the PRT. She did a lot of consultation with the PRT and was well regarded, but this would be considered an internal matter. The next best idea would be Armsmaster.
"Alright kids. Looks like you can go now." Assault called out. Aegis rejoined us.
"We'll have a more thorough debrief back at HQ, but right now we complete our patrol." He gestured for us to follow him. Despedia and I shared a look before hurrying after him. She stuffed her V Board in the pocket of her trench coat leaving me to blink stupidly.
"Uhhh..." I started to say intelligently, but she just ignored me as she strolled on by. Too many mysteries and not enough information.
AN: Third Arc: Rise of the Merchants has started. No more capes will be created for this arc. Mysteries abound! Oh and for an idea of Taylor's armor...
Third Arc 3.2
- Location
- PA
Hymn of Harmony
or Melody of Escalation
Third Arc 3.2
-February 27, 2011-
-Lisa's apartment-
I didn't get home until very late last night. The debriefing was a pain and the thoughts circling in my head weren't helping matters. I decided to table talking to Armsmaster about this until we were all in a better mood. Three new Merchant capes. Angel and Crystal were processed, but how long would they stay in custody? Despite the house cleaning Director Piggot had done someone knew way too much about the inner workings of the PRT. Oh and the in joke regarding the twins' names? Angel Dust and Crystal Meth. Drug terms as was Smack. Ha ha ha.
"Stop that." Lisa said as she brought me back to the present. We were cuddled up on the couch with a movie on TV, but neither of us were watching. I let myself get lost in the melodies again as we snuggled.
"Sorry...just have a lot on my mind." I sighed. Lisa had called out of the blue after I got home and invited me over. She looked happier, but also more tired.
"So do I, but I haven't seen you since that day out on the Boardwalk. I figured sacrificing some rest was worth it..." She shrugged. There was something nice about a lazy Sunday with nothing to do.
"My brain hates me. It thinks rest is a waste." I said in a mournful tone that earned me a poke to the side that made me squirm. "Okay okay! I'll behave." I gave her a squeeze.
"Where's your shadow?" Lisa asked. She had made the invitation for Emma as well, but Dad said he would keep our crazy birdy occupied. Wow did Emma flip at being called that.
"Spending time with Dad. He needed a strong back for something," I wish I knew for what, but the were both being tight lipped. My friend laughed.
"Hard to believe that she's the strong back..." She laughed softly. We just let the melodies flow. It wasn't like we were physically talking. Well not verbally. I considered playfully waving towards the window, but Lisa caught my fingers and twined them together.
"What's that for?" I asked. She just looked at me.
"No teasing her. She's had it rough." Her eyes bored into mine and I nodded sheepishly. She let her head drop back on my shoulder.
"You're sure that your apartment is bugged?" I asked her. She sighed softly.
"Not completely sure. You may not have heard anything, but any decent unidirectional mic can reach this apartment." I hugged her more tightly and the tension bled out of us.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked her. Lisa nodded minutely. There was so much trust in her posture. Our melodies were pulsing in time.
"Please...I stopped thinking about how I would escape...I can't do that to them...but this would let me keep them, and you, safe..." Her heart was hammering and mine was dancing in my chest. I pressed my lips to her forehead and expanded.
She stilled in my arms at first before slowly relaxing. Her body molding to mine as I held her close. My hand stroked her back softly as our eyes closed. I know what went wrong with Emma. Her Shard was still finalizing and it requested an unsecured transmission. The data was corrupted because she just didn't have the same structure to her Shard that I had. This wouldn't be a patch job. Lisa squirmed a bit as the transfer began.
I watched the numbers carefully.
Action: Data Transfer...100%
Downloading Updates...100%
Installation...100%
Synchronization...100%
System: Green
She let out a deep shudder and sagged in my arms. I was also breathing heavily. It was the first time I had done anything like this and the rush was intense. We were slowly coming back down and I let my awareness shrink once more.
"Oh god...that felt so amazing..." She moaned. We were too spent to turn red. "It feels like everything is so much clearer...like some film has been removed from my eyes..." Her arms slid around my back and we just laid like that. If she hadn't asked I wouldn't have done it because I was scared of what happened with Emma.
"I'm glad that you're alright..." I brushed her hair away from her face with my fingertips. She nuzzled my neck sleepily.
"I'm still me...just really tired..." Towards the end a musical quality had come to her voice before she fell asleep. The process would be finalized in roughly eight hours. Emma was so badly damaged that it was a crap shoot between eight hours and sixteen. I didn't need to sleep, but this resting felt good. My mind was more at ease. I could do this with others, but the level of trust involved was great. They had to let me in, but the result was good.
I wasn't exactly sure what others would gain from me. Emma had such a startling reaction due to multiple factors. Hearing the melodies was our thing. The echo that she had being weaker than mine, but still the result of a glitch. She had a cracked copy, but what it did give her was smoother transition of data. It made her power use more fluid and gave her a complete look at what she was capable of. Emma knew her powers better than I did and I could look them up on my terminal.
The benefits were impressive. It synchronized us. Strengthened our loyalty to one another. It upgraded their mental firewalls. Everyone I interacted with regularly was given a simple data packet for that when I spoke with Shurelia. In many ways Lisa was my first. She was the first person I had done this with willingly. I gazed at her sleeping in my arms and held her closer.
I had fallen asleep since watching a sleeping person is so relaxing. Lisa was awake and staring into my eyes. Thankfully they were the right color. Sort of. They seemed to be glowing faintly. She giggled at me. I playfully palmed her cheek and pushed her away, but she turned back to look at me.
"I'm fine. Glowing eyes is a small price to pay and..." The glow dimmed, "I can turn it off." She looked around at her dark apartment. "It took me a bit to realize that I was seeing in the dark though..."
"That would help with information gathering." I pointed out. She hummed in agreement. "Anything else?"
"Hmmm...I can't feel my power clamoring for my attention. Oh it's still there, but it's content somehow..." She mused. "Gained what it was looking for. Insight. Need to know satisfied by more efficient method. Connection to greater knowledge established. Satisfaction." We both looked surprised. "You didn't tell me that you were an alien intelligence." Her tone was accusatory, but her melody was too playful for that.
"Am I alien if I was born here?" I asked plaintively. She stroked my cheek.
"Sorta, but at least that part makes sense now. It was itch I couldn't scratch and it was maddening." Lisa huffed. "At least I know now."
"Will this be obvious?" I asked her in concern.
"Oh please our watcher will think we were making out on the couch. It did feel somewhat like you were inside of me though." She gazed at me with her eyes glowing again, "Taylor..." I kissed her forehead again and everything was alright.
"Down girl. I love you and can't imagine you not being in my life." I told her and she beamed brightly with vulpine amusement.
"I love you too. Now shouldn't you be getting home? It's late and you have school tomorrow." She chided me. I considered calling my dad, but I got the feeling she needed so time. I slowly got to my feet and stretched.
"Call me?" I asked and she promised to do so before I headed out into the night. I listened for strange melodies before ducking behind a dumpster and summoning my ELMA. A black helmet to obscure my face and I mounted the powerful machine before it took off for home. I had the faithful guard dog let me off a block from my house and sent it back to HQ. Hey it was mine and I was going to use it.
I had removed the helmet and skipped up the stairs to my house before heading inside. Dad and Emma were sitting on the couch watching the Simpsons. I didn't even know that was still on. They looked up as I came in.
"Hey Kiddo. How was your day?" Dad asked.
"It was good. Lisa says hi." I come over and plop down between them. Emma and Dad both hug me and I'm purring again. What is with this weird purring thing? I need to check on that.
"You look calmer." Emma noted. "I guess you just needed to see your better half, huh?" She smirked. Dad chuckled.
"We're just friends!" I threw my hands up even though I knew I'd lost this argument before it even started. The laughter told me that really.
"Did you eat yet?" Dad asked and gestured at the takeout. I happily grabbed some Chinese and started eating. He just chuckled and patted my hair. Emma leaned her head on my shoulder and stole a dumpling. She grinned at my look of outrage. There would be vengeance! I would have my revenge!
"Stop plotting my death over a dumpling, Dumpling." She teased and I rolled my eyes.
"So what did Dad need your strong back for?" I asked her. She shifted slightly and looked at Dad as if asking permission.
"We know about how the PRT and other groups use the junkyard to dispose of their old tech. I know the man that works there and apparently he'd be gathering up the best pieces for you in case you came back." He looked at me and I blushed. The nice old guard that told me when they made drop offs. I had completely forgotten about him!
"Well Danny told me about it and we went out to collect what was there. Nothing Tinker made, but there is a lot of nice stuff. We left it in the basement." Emma said. That explained the strong back comment.
"I'll have to see what's there. I could improve my networking systems." The idea appealed to me, but I also wasn't moving from my spot. Emma heard me talking about work and fell into my lap. Dad passed me another carton of food. Meh. Work could wait.
"How's work, Dad?" I asked as the beast was sated. My tummy was quite happy with the offerings being offered in tribute.
"Doing well. Yesterday was not normal. The past week the Merchants had been focusing on moving into ABB territory." He sighed and I could understand how we felt.
"One of them sent a text message so I assume that's what brought the weird sisters." I said. Emma poked my stomach and Dad's ribs which made us both squirm.
"You squirm the same. Definitely father and daughter." She commented easily. Dad and I looked at each other and proceeded to tickle Emma. She was very shortly pleading for mercy before returning the tickles with some of her own. Before we knew it we were strewn about the living room gasping for air. Dad had maintained his seat on the couch and was watching us with fond amusement. Emma just giggled. This was my life now. It felt good to think about that. This was my life.
-Later that night: Basement-
They weren't kidding about finding parts. The melodies coming from some of these parts were strong. Not Tinker strong, but strong. This was a very good haul and already a few designs were floating around in my head. I started to disassemble the various contraptions and bring them down to their component pieces. From there I considered. What had I already built besides my network hubs that I could build with these parts? If I wanted to knock myself out I could feel the flow and see what developed, but that would be a bad idea.
I set to work upgrading the hub with newer parts. Then I expanded the system. There was an interesting design in my mind. It was for a powerful fan that could actually freeze and blow things away. With a few adjustments I upgraded the heating system in the house. The real benefit was that would also keep things in the basement very cool. The heat from the various machines I constructed would keep it bearable otherwise it would be an ice box.
I was still pondering who would weaponize a box fan when my basement terminal came on. There was Cocona on the other end and she was beaming happily. I wasn't going to complain about her calling me. Thankfully no one had to pay a phone bill.
"Taylor! Burning the midnight oil, huh?" She asked teasingly. I arched an eyebrow. "I've been looking at the internet. It's...a very strange place..." The dark haired Reyvateil looked disturbed. "I found a site called 4-chan and well..." We both shuddered.
"No greater hive of scum and villainy." I quoted. She didn't get it, but we both got a good laugh out of that, "How are you surfing the internet?" She blushed a bit.
"Well Mir and Sasha figured out how to back trace into your hub...They said you left notes on how to do it...so technically we're surfing the internet through your mini-Tower." They were using me as an information relay. That I knew. The part that was surprising me was they were actually surfing Earth Bet's internet.
"I suddenly have this horrible thought that you will discover the PHO boards and then I'm doomed..." I stated morosely.
"Hey hey...no one is gonna out you. We do actually know a thing or three about subterfuge. Uhm...Mir already did discover the forums and well..." She winced. I winced at her wince. I love Mir dearly, but she is opinionated.
"Ah skip it..." I said. "How have you been?"
"I'm doing well. Your Sol Reactors are a big hit over here. While we have things that deliver more energy yours is pretty darn good. It got my friend Sasha to have a breakthrough on something she's building. Then again yours delivers a lot of energy in a smaller package." She shrugged. At least she wasn't saying that it went over her head. It really didn't. Cocona is unbelievably smart, but she's surrounded by living brains.
"Stop trying to derail the topic. How are you?" She was being squirrelly. Squirrelly people do really nutty things. I should know.
"What if I found a way to Earth Bet?" She finally asked. That was an interesting idea, but why was she asking?
"You found a way to Earth Bet." I stated and she nodded. "Cocona...I have no idea how we'd explain you." That was putting it mildly.
"Where do all of your C53s come from?" She asked reasonably and I had no answer. "Besides with Mir in the internet now I could just ask her for a fake I.D." The scary thing was that this wasn't even a totally crazy plan. Probably would blow up in our faces later, but short term it worked.
"Let me build up some more reputation before you try anything like that." I finally said. She beamed happily. If I built up my reputation like I wanted to then it would be easy to smooth over Cocona's arrival.
"If you don't want me to come you could just say something." Cocona said. She noticed my hesitance I guess.
"The thing is I would love for you to come here. Just let me get things ready." With the projects I'd assigned for myself I could very easily build an untouchable reputation. We talked about simpler things after that. I checked and the light was coming up over the horizon.
"I better go. Time to start breakfast and I feel like doing some baking today." I told Cocona. We disconnected and I hurried upstairs.
I found my apron and got to work. The oven was set to heat up and I started to mix the batter. I was singing an odd little ditty to myself that was stuck in my head. It just seemed to fit with what I was doing. I think it was in Japanese. Then I realized it was in the Ar Ciel dialect. There were quite a few similarities between it and Japanese I'd found. That thought made me wonder how two different worlds could have a language so close.
I place the batter on the greased baking sheet and deftly shaped them before sliding them in the oven. They would take about forty minutes. Dad was already moving around and I started the coffee maker. Sausage was frying on the stove as Emma woke up. I pulled the baked treats out of the oven and spread the glaze before setting them out on a cooling rack. Dad was done with his shower and Emma had just started hers. By the time they came downstairs I was ready. I held up the tray of delights.
"Who wants a Funbun?"
or Melody of Escalation
Third Arc 3.2
-February 27, 2011-
-Lisa's apartment-
I didn't get home until very late last night. The debriefing was a pain and the thoughts circling in my head weren't helping matters. I decided to table talking to Armsmaster about this until we were all in a better mood. Three new Merchant capes. Angel and Crystal were processed, but how long would they stay in custody? Despite the house cleaning Director Piggot had done someone knew way too much about the inner workings of the PRT. Oh and the in joke regarding the twins' names? Angel Dust and Crystal Meth. Drug terms as was Smack. Ha ha ha.
"Stop that." Lisa said as she brought me back to the present. We were cuddled up on the couch with a movie on TV, but neither of us were watching. I let myself get lost in the melodies again as we snuggled.
"Sorry...just have a lot on my mind." I sighed. Lisa had called out of the blue after I got home and invited me over. She looked happier, but also more tired.
"So do I, but I haven't seen you since that day out on the Boardwalk. I figured sacrificing some rest was worth it..." She shrugged. There was something nice about a lazy Sunday with nothing to do.
"My brain hates me. It thinks rest is a waste." I said in a mournful tone that earned me a poke to the side that made me squirm. "Okay okay! I'll behave." I gave her a squeeze.
"Where's your shadow?" Lisa asked. She had made the invitation for Emma as well, but Dad said he would keep our crazy birdy occupied. Wow did Emma flip at being called that.
"Spending time with Dad. He needed a strong back for something," I wish I knew for what, but the were both being tight lipped. My friend laughed.
"Hard to believe that she's the strong back..." She laughed softly. We just let the melodies flow. It wasn't like we were physically talking. Well not verbally. I considered playfully waving towards the window, but Lisa caught my fingers and twined them together.
"What's that for?" I asked. She just looked at me.
"No teasing her. She's had it rough." Her eyes bored into mine and I nodded sheepishly. She let her head drop back on my shoulder.
"You're sure that your apartment is bugged?" I asked her. She sighed softly.
"Not completely sure. You may not have heard anything, but any decent unidirectional mic can reach this apartment." I hugged her more tightly and the tension bled out of us.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked her. Lisa nodded minutely. There was so much trust in her posture. Our melodies were pulsing in time.
"Please...I stopped thinking about how I would escape...I can't do that to them...but this would let me keep them, and you, safe..." Her heart was hammering and mine was dancing in my chest. I pressed my lips to her forehead and expanded.
She stilled in my arms at first before slowly relaxing. Her body molding to mine as I held her close. My hand stroked her back softly as our eyes closed. I know what went wrong with Emma. Her Shard was still finalizing and it requested an unsecured transmission. The data was corrupted because she just didn't have the same structure to her Shard that I had. This wouldn't be a patch job. Lisa squirmed a bit as the transfer began.
I watched the numbers carefully.
Action: Data Transfer...100%
Downloading Updates...100%
Installation...100%
Synchronization...100%
System: Green
She let out a deep shudder and sagged in my arms. I was also breathing heavily. It was the first time I had done anything like this and the rush was intense. We were slowly coming back down and I let my awareness shrink once more.
"Oh god...that felt so amazing..." She moaned. We were too spent to turn red. "It feels like everything is so much clearer...like some film has been removed from my eyes..." Her arms slid around my back and we just laid like that. If she hadn't asked I wouldn't have done it because I was scared of what happened with Emma.
"I'm glad that you're alright..." I brushed her hair away from her face with my fingertips. She nuzzled my neck sleepily.
"I'm still me...just really tired..." Towards the end a musical quality had come to her voice before she fell asleep. The process would be finalized in roughly eight hours. Emma was so badly damaged that it was a crap shoot between eight hours and sixteen. I didn't need to sleep, but this resting felt good. My mind was more at ease. I could do this with others, but the level of trust involved was great. They had to let me in, but the result was good.
I wasn't exactly sure what others would gain from me. Emma had such a startling reaction due to multiple factors. Hearing the melodies was our thing. The echo that she had being weaker than mine, but still the result of a glitch. She had a cracked copy, but what it did give her was smoother transition of data. It made her power use more fluid and gave her a complete look at what she was capable of. Emma knew her powers better than I did and I could look them up on my terminal.
The benefits were impressive. It synchronized us. Strengthened our loyalty to one another. It upgraded their mental firewalls. Everyone I interacted with regularly was given a simple data packet for that when I spoke with Shurelia. In many ways Lisa was my first. She was the first person I had done this with willingly. I gazed at her sleeping in my arms and held her closer.
I had fallen asleep since watching a sleeping person is so relaxing. Lisa was awake and staring into my eyes. Thankfully they were the right color. Sort of. They seemed to be glowing faintly. She giggled at me. I playfully palmed her cheek and pushed her away, but she turned back to look at me.
"I'm fine. Glowing eyes is a small price to pay and..." The glow dimmed, "I can turn it off." She looked around at her dark apartment. "It took me a bit to realize that I was seeing in the dark though..."
"That would help with information gathering." I pointed out. She hummed in agreement. "Anything else?"
"Hmmm...I can't feel my power clamoring for my attention. Oh it's still there, but it's content somehow..." She mused. "Gained what it was looking for. Insight. Need to know satisfied by more efficient method. Connection to greater knowledge established. Satisfaction." We both looked surprised. "You didn't tell me that you were an alien intelligence." Her tone was accusatory, but her melody was too playful for that.
"Am I alien if I was born here?" I asked plaintively. She stroked my cheek.
"Sorta, but at least that part makes sense now. It was itch I couldn't scratch and it was maddening." Lisa huffed. "At least I know now."
"Will this be obvious?" I asked her in concern.
"Oh please our watcher will think we were making out on the couch. It did feel somewhat like you were inside of me though." She gazed at me with her eyes glowing again, "Taylor..." I kissed her forehead again and everything was alright.
"Down girl. I love you and can't imagine you not being in my life." I told her and she beamed brightly with vulpine amusement.
"I love you too. Now shouldn't you be getting home? It's late and you have school tomorrow." She chided me. I considered calling my dad, but I got the feeling she needed so time. I slowly got to my feet and stretched.
"Call me?" I asked and she promised to do so before I headed out into the night. I listened for strange melodies before ducking behind a dumpster and summoning my ELMA. A black helmet to obscure my face and I mounted the powerful machine before it took off for home. I had the faithful guard dog let me off a block from my house and sent it back to HQ. Hey it was mine and I was going to use it.
I had removed the helmet and skipped up the stairs to my house before heading inside. Dad and Emma were sitting on the couch watching the Simpsons. I didn't even know that was still on. They looked up as I came in.
"Hey Kiddo. How was your day?" Dad asked.
"It was good. Lisa says hi." I come over and plop down between them. Emma and Dad both hug me and I'm purring again. What is with this weird purring thing? I need to check on that.
"You look calmer." Emma noted. "I guess you just needed to see your better half, huh?" She smirked. Dad chuckled.
"We're just friends!" I threw my hands up even though I knew I'd lost this argument before it even started. The laughter told me that really.
"Did you eat yet?" Dad asked and gestured at the takeout. I happily grabbed some Chinese and started eating. He just chuckled and patted my hair. Emma leaned her head on my shoulder and stole a dumpling. She grinned at my look of outrage. There would be vengeance! I would have my revenge!
"Stop plotting my death over a dumpling, Dumpling." She teased and I rolled my eyes.
"So what did Dad need your strong back for?" I asked her. She shifted slightly and looked at Dad as if asking permission.
"We know about how the PRT and other groups use the junkyard to dispose of their old tech. I know the man that works there and apparently he'd be gathering up the best pieces for you in case you came back." He looked at me and I blushed. The nice old guard that told me when they made drop offs. I had completely forgotten about him!
"Well Danny told me about it and we went out to collect what was there. Nothing Tinker made, but there is a lot of nice stuff. We left it in the basement." Emma said. That explained the strong back comment.
"I'll have to see what's there. I could improve my networking systems." The idea appealed to me, but I also wasn't moving from my spot. Emma heard me talking about work and fell into my lap. Dad passed me another carton of food. Meh. Work could wait.
"How's work, Dad?" I asked as the beast was sated. My tummy was quite happy with the offerings being offered in tribute.
"Doing well. Yesterday was not normal. The past week the Merchants had been focusing on moving into ABB territory." He sighed and I could understand how we felt.
"One of them sent a text message so I assume that's what brought the weird sisters." I said. Emma poked my stomach and Dad's ribs which made us both squirm.
"You squirm the same. Definitely father and daughter." She commented easily. Dad and I looked at each other and proceeded to tickle Emma. She was very shortly pleading for mercy before returning the tickles with some of her own. Before we knew it we were strewn about the living room gasping for air. Dad had maintained his seat on the couch and was watching us with fond amusement. Emma just giggled. This was my life now. It felt good to think about that. This was my life.
-Later that night: Basement-
They weren't kidding about finding parts. The melodies coming from some of these parts were strong. Not Tinker strong, but strong. This was a very good haul and already a few designs were floating around in my head. I started to disassemble the various contraptions and bring them down to their component pieces. From there I considered. What had I already built besides my network hubs that I could build with these parts? If I wanted to knock myself out I could feel the flow and see what developed, but that would be a bad idea.
I set to work upgrading the hub with newer parts. Then I expanded the system. There was an interesting design in my mind. It was for a powerful fan that could actually freeze and blow things away. With a few adjustments I upgraded the heating system in the house. The real benefit was that would also keep things in the basement very cool. The heat from the various machines I constructed would keep it bearable otherwise it would be an ice box.
I was still pondering who would weaponize a box fan when my basement terminal came on. There was Cocona on the other end and she was beaming happily. I wasn't going to complain about her calling me. Thankfully no one had to pay a phone bill.
"Taylor! Burning the midnight oil, huh?" She asked teasingly. I arched an eyebrow. "I've been looking at the internet. It's...a very strange place..." The dark haired Reyvateil looked disturbed. "I found a site called 4-chan and well..." We both shuddered.
"No greater hive of scum and villainy." I quoted. She didn't get it, but we both got a good laugh out of that, "How are you surfing the internet?" She blushed a bit.
"Well Mir and Sasha figured out how to back trace into your hub...They said you left notes on how to do it...so technically we're surfing the internet through your mini-Tower." They were using me as an information relay. That I knew. The part that was surprising me was they were actually surfing Earth Bet's internet.
"I suddenly have this horrible thought that you will discover the PHO boards and then I'm doomed..." I stated morosely.
"Hey hey...no one is gonna out you. We do actually know a thing or three about subterfuge. Uhm...Mir already did discover the forums and well..." She winced. I winced at her wince. I love Mir dearly, but she is opinionated.
"Ah skip it..." I said. "How have you been?"
"I'm doing well. Your Sol Reactors are a big hit over here. While we have things that deliver more energy yours is pretty darn good. It got my friend Sasha to have a breakthrough on something she's building. Then again yours delivers a lot of energy in a smaller package." She shrugged. At least she wasn't saying that it went over her head. It really didn't. Cocona is unbelievably smart, but she's surrounded by living brains.
"Stop trying to derail the topic. How are you?" She was being squirrelly. Squirrelly people do really nutty things. I should know.
"What if I found a way to Earth Bet?" She finally asked. That was an interesting idea, but why was she asking?
"You found a way to Earth Bet." I stated and she nodded. "Cocona...I have no idea how we'd explain you." That was putting it mildly.
"Where do all of your C53s come from?" She asked reasonably and I had no answer. "Besides with Mir in the internet now I could just ask her for a fake I.D." The scary thing was that this wasn't even a totally crazy plan. Probably would blow up in our faces later, but short term it worked.
"Let me build up some more reputation before you try anything like that." I finally said. She beamed happily. If I built up my reputation like I wanted to then it would be easy to smooth over Cocona's arrival.
"If you don't want me to come you could just say something." Cocona said. She noticed my hesitance I guess.
"The thing is I would love for you to come here. Just let me get things ready." With the projects I'd assigned for myself I could very easily build an untouchable reputation. We talked about simpler things after that. I checked and the light was coming up over the horizon.
"I better go. Time to start breakfast and I feel like doing some baking today." I told Cocona. We disconnected and I hurried upstairs.
I found my apron and got to work. The oven was set to heat up and I started to mix the batter. I was singing an odd little ditty to myself that was stuck in my head. It just seemed to fit with what I was doing. I think it was in Japanese. Then I realized it was in the Ar Ciel dialect. There were quite a few similarities between it and Japanese I'd found. That thought made me wonder how two different worlds could have a language so close.
I place the batter on the greased baking sheet and deftly shaped them before sliding them in the oven. They would take about forty minutes. Dad was already moving around and I started the coffee maker. Sausage was frying on the stove as Emma woke up. I pulled the baked treats out of the oven and spread the glaze before setting them out on a cooling rack. Dad was done with his shower and Emma had just started hers. By the time they came downstairs I was ready. I held up the tray of delights.
"Who wants a Funbun?"
- Status