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Infinitesimal (CYOA V5) (Pre-Canon Divergence)

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Ah, so I was right. The Teeth did hire the Slaughterhouse Nine to take out Singularity, and right in front of him at that. I can see why the Butcher did it, but the reprisal was instant from Marquis. He considered the Teeth to be fair game immediately. No more protection.

I assume the southern docks is where Singularity died, and has been off-limits ever since as a sign of respect. Which is mad respect when you really think about it. For an entire area to be left alone for over a decade. Damn. It sounds like whatever survived of the Hereafter joined the Marche in the aftermath. Marquis also made Singularity Amelia's informal godfather here. She triggered at some point and goes by Duchess now. Noble titles are the family naming theme.
 
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So if I had to guess, given that they haven't been spoken about in the past tense or considered a null factor, he probably went down swinging but didn't get most of them, and hopefully manage to cover the retreat of his men.

I'm wondering if the Marche assisted the PRT in driving out the Teeth, he probably wanted them out as fast as possible.

Edit: given the butterflies, what are the odds Hero is still alive?
 
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I wonder what member of the S9 Singularity took down before dying, I could see Singularity taking down Crawler if he made preparations.
EDIT: I just had a thought, the author said that Singularity went to whatever Endbringer fight he could. What is the possibility that Singularity gave Hero advice to survive the Simurgh fight that I think he died in. It's a possibility
 
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x50413 said:
"Overall, operations are running smoothly. The Empire and the ABB skirmished several times on the south side over the last few weeks; that's kept their focus away from us."

"And the results?"

"The ABB claimed some territory; their new Tinker has been testing her limits. There was some collateral damage."
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Well, there's Bakuda on a leash. She's still going to be chafing under Lung's grip though.
x50413 said:
Marquis frowned as he crushed the cigarette into a small ashtray on the tabletop. It was shaped like a swan; Amelia had gotten it for him a few years back. Nobody had ever commented on it.
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So Amy is still Marquis' daughter, and she bought him a knicknack after... I think his nickname for her was 'little swan' or something like that.
x50413 said:
The lieutenant made a quick note on a pad. Marquis did not allow smart devices or computers when his subordinates were meeting with him unless absolutely necessary; it sent the wrong message.
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And it in the old days it let Singularity fuck with you. Old habits die hard, eh old man?
x50413 said:
"My 'business' phone, sir." When he inclined his head, the man pulled it forth and frowned. "It's one of the men assigned to the Docks."

Marquis frowned, as well, and made a small motion with his hand. His lieutenant answered, and he didn't bother listening to half of the conversation - he would get a report afterward. Instead, he considered what he'd learned so far.

What was Kaiser planning? He was different from Allfather, and Marquis would admit that he lacked the same grasp of the boy's character, but he didn't strike him as overly aggressive. Lashing out against the Protectorate while already being pressured by Lung didn't seem like him, but downtown was firmly hero territory. What's more, Hookwolf was not someone that you deployed where you did not expect a fight...so what had happened?
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Hookwolf decided he wanted a fight? The Protectorate tried to make a strike to bring him in?
x50413 said:
The lieutenant hung up and carefully set the phone down on the table, and Marquis raised an eyebrow. "...It seems that Krieg and Victor were spotted in the Docks, accompanied by a handful of Empire leg-breakers." Marquis frowned, tapping the table with his fingers in irritation, and the lieutenant visibly swallowed. "The...southern docks, heading northwest."

His fingers grew still. "You are absolutely certain."

The lieutenant nodded. "I...this is a man who has never given me a false report, sir."

Marquis stood, his chair scraping harshly against the floor, and pulled his own phone out of a concealed pocket in his costume. Two button presses and it was ringing.

Three rings later and a familiar voice cut into the line. "What's going on?"

"There's a situation, Duchess." He still felt that mix of pride and fear, every time he used her cape name instead of her birth name. "The Empire is moving into the Docks."
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Duchess... who's she, I don't recall someone in canon by that name. And the South Docks are a pretty broad territory. Which part is it?
x50413 said:
"That's unusual. Are you going to chase them out?"

"The southern docks."

For a moment, the line was silent. "Oh." That single word conveyed her understanding of the situation. "I'm on my way. How long do I need to hold them?"

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes. How far away are you?"
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Slight problem. The South Docks are a broad expanse of low income and suburban neighborhoods, including Winslow, Taylor's home, and several hideouts. If the Empire is storming the South Docks, they're combing a broad area. But they're also looking for someone.
x50413 said:
There was a rustling sound on the phone, then wind briefly cut the line before she blocked it. "- only a couple minutes away. Who am I looking for?"

"Victor and Krieg." He dismissed the lieutenant with a wave of his hand as he headed out the side exit, where he could more easily conceal his departure from the building. If he was going for speed, he wouldn't be able to keep a low profile, after all.

"Hah! That's it? They really didn't take you seriously at the last meeting, then. I could handle them myself, if -"

"No!" He said, a bit too quickly. Then, he was forced to pause as his wings formed behind him - it wasn't the most comfortable sensation, and talking during it would be...damaging to his image. Even for Duchess, that was too much. A moment later and he took a running start up the side of one building. "...No. It isn't the danger they represent, it's the disrespect. It's -"

"- about sending a message. I understand, d-Marquis." She still almost slipped, occasionally...but usually only when he took that tone with her. He regretted it, but it was important. "I'm nearly there. I'll see you soon."
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Oh. Oh boy. We have two major reveals here.
1. Marquis' power is, in part, to make Angel wings. Hence the nickname.
2. Duchess says "I understand, D-Marquis". A deliberate slipup from someone he's both proud and afraid to have in the cape scene. That's one of two people, and I think I can eliminate one. I don't think Marquis is talking to Amelia. He would have specified it. He's mentioned her in his thoughts, and about something that deliberately crossed over into his supervillain persona. That worry didn't emerge, only a deliberate ignorance.

I think Duchess is Marquis wife. I think in this timeline she didn't die of cancer or whatever terminal illness she had. And with Kaiser going after Marquis' wife in the South Docks, Kaiser is making a move on her in civilian form just as a show of force. To show he can threaten the Code.
x50413 said:
Marquis, September 1999​
Somer's Rock was one of the few truly neutral locations in Brockton Bay. Not once had there been conflict here, no matter how close it had come...like now.

"I have a complaint to raise," Allfather's voice carried through the smoky barroom air, tense and tightly controlled. "The Teeth have caused great damage to several of my legitimate business fronts. It's impacting the lives of those under my care."

The Butcher slammed his fist into the counter. "You are a liar! We have struck you where your miserable fools gather and congregate prior to combat. It is wise to strike your enemy where he prepares his attacks, yes? Not once have we violated your so-precious Code, no matter how loudly you wail and moan."

Allfather's hands tensed, and for a moment it looked like he might surge to his feet. Exhaling smoke, Marquis spoke quietly...but it was telling the way that all heads turned to him. "Allfather. What businesses, specifically, were struck?"

"...Bars. Clubs. Places of entertainment and relief for the people of this city."

Marquis inclined his head. "And do your men gather there? Your militants, not your civilians." Allfather did not respond. "Then I believe we can table this matter."

"Agreed," Singularity's bass cut in. "You wield words well, Allfather, but the Code is not a shield for you. That being said...Butcher. Your Teeth have been causing more collateral damage in recent days. Explain."
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The old truce of Brockton is held down by both Marquis and Singularity applying unified force against the two others individually. Allfather doesn't always benefit, like shown here, but when the Teeth are in the wrong he can rely on the other two to back him up.
x50413 said:
The Butcher stared at the intricate dark mask. Marquis found himself wondering, somewhat, what the Butcher saw in Singularity's eyes - whatever it was, he eventually leaned back, breaking eye contact. "...One of mine Triggered only recently. He still learns to wield his fangs and roar."

"Then teach him faster or leash him."

"And what will you do if I do not?" There it is. The Butcher could only go for so long without straining underneath the restrictions those in this room had placed on him.

"When you ask questions to which you know the answer, you reveal the depths of your madness."

The Butcher bared his teeth, but growled and said no more.
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Wonder which Butcher this is, and what powers they've collected.
x50413 said:
The door opened, and all four leaders turned to look at it. A single man entered, with combed black hair and a trimmed beard. Dressed casually, in an untucked dress shirt and dark pants. It took a moment, for his appearance to register.

Allfather stood immediately. "Jack Slash," he spat. His hands rose.

Jack Slash smiled, raising his hands in a defenseless gesture. As though he were ever defenseless. "Now, now. I was under the impression this was a place of neutrality?"

"That neutrality is traditionally reserved for those deserving of it," Singularity said, but did not rise.

"I and my Nine have done nothing to this city," Jack said, still smiling. "In fact, we were simply passing through the area, and thought - well, these fine people have kept things running for this long. Perhaps we should take a moment and see what we can learn from them?"
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Ah. Shit. We're getting the answer right now.
x50413 said:
"We have nothing to teach you," Allfather bit out. The Butcher chuckled in response.

"I wish to hear what he has to say," he said once his laughter abated. "Did we not agree that those at the table could bring a guest? I will invite him to sit."

Marquis sighed at the look on Allfather's face. "That is technically within our agreement."

"Wonderful!" Jack pulled a chair and sat in a single movement. Marquis noted the way his eyes flicked between the four of them, lingering on the Butcher and Allfather. "Now, as I was saying; we thought we might do something different, to learn how you've all managed to keep things so stable all these years. So!" He clapped his hands, like a child. "For the duration of our stay, my Nine shall act as mercenaries. Our services are now for hire, as a single unit of nine parahumans."
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... Jack's chosen novelty is fighting either Marquis or Singularity. And he knows Allfather or Butcher will give him the go-ahead. It's just a matter of who pulls the trigger.
x50413 said:
Jack nodded. "I'm certain someone will be."

"How much do you intend to charge, then?" Allfather had sunk back into his chair, the twitch of his fingers the only thing that showed his nerves.

"Well, money is not much of a hurdle for my group, but it is a bit traditional, I suppose. Make a bid! Ah, but we'll include...shall we say, three favors owed? Claimable by any member of the Nine."

Marquis considered that, and barely suppressed a shudder at the thought of what the Nine might request as favors. He opened his mouth to speak -

"I will pay six hundred thousand dollars to each surviving member of the nine if you kill that man and rend his dreams to ruin," the Butcher said, staring straight across the table at Singularity.
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*headdesk* What the actual fuck Butcher? Twenty seven fucked up favors? For a piddling five and a half mil? Were all your past lives ultra-masochists or something?
x50413 said:
"And our favors?" Jack asked cheerfully.

"Consider them done, by me or my successor."

"Marvelous! Any others intend to make a bid?"
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Jack's going to recruit the Butcher. He'll break the Shard's obsession with the Teeth and take the Butcher with him.
x50413 said:
Jack Slash drummed his fingers against the table, propping his head up with his other hand and smirking at them. When Allfather opened his mouth, he sprung to his feet. "Time's up! Very well." He bowed mockingly at the table. "It's been lovely doing business with the council of Brockton Bay. I am certain that my Nine will learn much from our stay here." He winked at them, and turned to leave.
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Yeah, Butcher figured out what Jack wanted first: Do to whatever the hell his sick little mind desired.
x50413 said:
Marquis very slowly relaxed his hands from where they gripped his chair. In the same moment, Singularity stood. "Very well. It seems I must see to the protection of what is mine." For a moment, the dark figure stared down at the Butcher, who smirked up at him. Then, Singularity turned and stalked away.

Marquis, too, rose. "Butcher," he said calmly. When the leader of the Teeth turned to him, he straightened his collar. "Any and every agreement that protected you is null, as of this moment. And I give you my word: you will find the price for this action is more than you are willing to pay. Good night, Allfather." He turned and stepped out into the cold air, disregarding whatever response the madman had for him.

Singularity had just begun to rise into the air. "Singularity. A moment." The cape turned to him.

"Marquis. Good. I have a request for you." His eyebrow rose. "...I have made arrangements already, but this will speed them along. If I fail to defend my own...one of my lieutenants has been instructed to come to you. The men and women under my bulwark...ensure that the Teeth do not take them. Of all the leaders of this city, I would prefer they turn to you."
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So Marquis inherited the Hereafter's manpower. Wonder if he got any technology with it?
x50413 said:
He nodded. "I will do all I can to see them safe." Singularity nodded. "...I have a request of you, as well. I do not believe for a moment that the Slaughterhouse Nine will refrain from laying waste to this city. If the worst should come to pass...I will arrange for one of my people to contact you." For a moment, he hesitated to speak the next words...but if he did not now, he never would. "I have a daughter. If I cannot be there for her..."

The next words wouldn't come, but the other cape understood.

Singularity nodded. "All that is in my power, I will use to see her safe. You have my word, Marquis."

And then, he rose into the air and was gone.

Marquis, too, turned to return to his own men and prepare. It would be a long night.
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So Singularity is going to be checking in on Amelia in the near future, good to know.
soren82002 said:
Damn. The Butcher brought the S9 into a villain feud.
No matter what happens, PRT's going to crack down hard on the Teeth afterward.
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We already know The Empire and March did a de-facto Kill Order: The Teeth got booted out of town and Butcher's likley dead. Then they went back up to Boston.
 
Always Late said:
I think Duchess is Marquis wife. I think in this timeline she didn't die of cancer or whatever terminal illness she had. And with Kaiser going after Marquis' wife in the South Docks, Kaiser is making a move on her in civilian form just as a show of force. To show he can threaten the Code.
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He could have remarried. I don't recall reading any specifics in worm, but I feel like Marquis was never actually married to Amy's mom? Like she was just a one night stand or something?
 
Always Late said:
2. Duchess says "I understand, D-Marquis". A deliberate slipup from someone he's both proud and afraid to have in the cape scene. That's one of two people, and I think I can eliminate one. I don't think Marquis is talking to Amelia. He would have specified it. He's mentioned her in his thoughts, and about something that deliberately crossed over into his supervillain persona. That worry didn't emerge, only a deliberate ignorance.
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This one I'll correct - it is Amelia. Her mother was never married to Marquis, IIRC - but regardless, he doesn't refer to her as Amelia in his thoughts because he's a career crime boss. Once she's "on the clock" she's just Duchess - much less chance of a slip up or a Thinker accident that way.

He just can't control all of his thoughts or feelings about her.

... Jack's chosen novelty is fighting either Marquis or Singularity. And he knows Allfather or Butcher will give him the go-ahead. It's just a matter of who pulls the trigger.
*headdesk* What the actual fuck Butcher? Twenty seven fucked up favors? For a piddling five and a half mil? Were all your past lives ultra-masochists or something?
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Point of order - it's three single favors that any member of the Nine can claim. In theory, this means that the Nine can race to see who gets their favors out the fastest.

In practice, it means Jack Slash gets three favors. :V
 
Always Late said:
*headdesk* What the actual fuck Butcher? Twenty seven fucked up favors? For a piddling five and a half mil? Were all your past lives ultra-masochists or something?
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I'm pretty sure that Jack's "three favors, claimable by any member of the nine." means three favors total, not three per member.

Unless jack feels confident he can convince Butcher to do more of course.

Edit: Imp'd by OP.
 
Pikachu17 said:
The punishment for hiring the Nine is the same as the crime.
Just ask Ravager.
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Robotninja said:
PRT will be the least of their worries.
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I mean, Ravager actually sought them out. That whole thing was more about her getting uppity, right? Jack probably won't just murder/imprison forever the other end of the deal in this case. Even if he does, I was talking more about the rest of the Teeth. Only thing the PRT can do against Butcher is confoam, anyway, and he can teleport by now I think? The teleport was from Butcher VI.
 
Thinking about it, the attack must have either been quiet or really fast, because I don't think the PRT would have ignored the S9. My guess is they probably most likely got there after Singularity died.
 
Guys, the Slaughterhouse Nine drove the Teeth out of Brockton Bay after completing their job in canon, they likely did the same here. Especially as the Teeth likely followed them to watch Singularity get taken out.

The question should be: how many of the Nine did Singularity take down with him?
 
epdeviant said:
I wonder what member of the S9 Singularity took down before dying, I could see Singularity taking down Crawler if he made preparations.
EDIT: I just had a thought, the author said that Singularity went to whatever Endbringer fight he could. What is the possibility that Singularity gave Hero advice to survive the Simurgh fight that I think he died in. It's a possibility
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Was Crawler even a member that far back? I suspect not. Jack Slash is by far the longest lasting member of the Nine, followed by Siberian or Bonesaw, I think. And Bonesaw was only a member for four or five years when canon hit (the fact this puts her in the top 1% of S9 members really should give new recruits pause).
 
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epdeviant said:
I wonder what member of the S9 Singularity took down before dying, I could see Singularity taking down Crawler if he made preparations.
EDIT: I just had a thought, the author said that Singularity went to whatever Endbringer fight he could. What is the possibility that Singularity gave Hero advice to survive the Simurgh fight that I think he died in. It's a possibility
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Hero was killed by the Siberian, it's in the Eidolon interlude. And given that Manton was a Cauldron member, the SI trying to interfere with his transformation into a serial murderer would be a tricky business.

Anyway, in 1999, I suspect Singularity was up against Jack Slash and a bunch of capes he'd never heard of, although there's a small chance that one or two made appearances in later Worm as clones.

Unless.... that far back he might even have been up against the original S9, with Grey Boy, King, and Harbinger, but the meeting makes it look like this after Jack's coup, so I doubt it.
 
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epdeviant said:
EDIT: I just had a thought, the author said that Singularity went to whatever Endbringer fight he could. What is the possibility that Singularity gave Hero advice to survive the Simurgh fight that I think he died in. It's a possibility
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Oh, where did the author say Singularity went to Endbringer fights? I mean, it makes sense, but I can't find it in this thread.

Anyway, Hero was killed by the Siberian, not the Simurgh. Both arrived on the scene after Singularity's death, so unless he's giving out future knowledge, the chances are non-existent.

SolipsistSerpent said:
Unless.... that far back he might even have been up against the original S9, with Grey Boy, King, and Harbinger, but the meeting makes it look like this after Jack's coup, so I doubt it.
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Jacob and Harbinger killed King in 1987, after which Harbinger left to become Number Man and Jacob took the name Jack Slash and became the new leader of the Nine.
 
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