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Phoenixes Story snippets and ideas

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I've got to wonder where Hedwig is in all this.

Will she adopt three more chicks? Ones that need just as much mothering as her Harry, given two of their clutch have died already, something Harry has so far avoided.

Perhaps we'll have Hagrid come over now that Harry's name has been cleared?

What are they going to do about the Potter's vaults? I wonder if they can get things transferred to the States? On the other hand, I believe they're already well off.

Hmm. Perhaps Harry could hire Sirius and Remus as magic tutors? They'd be disappointed that she's no longer a he, but I expect they'd both be happy that the pack has gotten bigger, if not in any of the usual ways.

I could imagine dating advice from Sirius being along the lines of if their date is anything like him... they should probably pick someone else. :)
 
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My life four yours - X-men/HP - 3
  • Threadmarks

    • Chapter 3


    A few days later, the gestalt has relaxed enough that Mindee and Phoebe are both catching up on the episodes of Glee that they missed while Celeste is spending her time more productively in the library.


    Harry and Hermione are both browsing a small supermarket in Salem Center, looking for ingredients.


    Hermione smiles as she watches Harry pick up a bag of almonds and looks at it speculatively, "I didn't know you could cook."


    Harry hums, "Mmm? Oh, I didn't exactly talk about my home life. It, wasn't pleasant. He was first forced to start cooking when he was four. Nothing too dangerous, just peeling and washing potatoes, stirring batter, that sort of thing."


    Hermione cocks her head, "That doesn't sound so bad, I remember doing that with mum and dad."


    Harry nods, "It doesn't does it. But I had to do it for every meal, and if I got it wrong, I was punished. I was six when I could reach the hob without a step, that's when they started me cooking their breakfasts. By the time I was eight, I was cooking most of their meals for them. What do you think your parents would prefer, an Almond dream chocolate cake, or Death by chocolate fudge cake?"


    Hermione's eyes snap up to look at Harry as she tries to process the sudden change in topic, "I... Um. We didn't exactly have sweet stuff growing up, as they're dentists. Doesn't it bother you that they did that?"


    Harry nods, "A little, that's why we were so close. We had to process what happened to him. Dr McCoy is the one that suggested I try and reclaim the things they did to me. Hmm, I could do a bitter chocolate beetroot cake, maybe add some carrot to add sweetness. What about you? How are you dealing with the fact they're going home on Sunday?"


    Hermione looks back toward the front of the shop wistfully, "I wish I got to do more with them. I don't think I realised just how different having powers was to having magic. I mean, I read a bit about mutants during the holidays before. But, it's like we don't do magic, so why couldn't they just not use their powers."


    Harry nods and grabs her hand, "It's the difference between knowing and understanding. Come on, we can get the ingredients another day. We need to go now."


    Hermione looks around as Harry starts pulling her towards the exit, "Harry, what's going on?"


    "Hermione, keep your head down, and walk fast but casually."


    "Harry, you're scaring me."


    "Good, longer strides and relax your shoulders. I'm trying to save us from a beating."


    As they're approaching an alleyway, a man wearing a leather jacket steps out with a wide smile, "Well lookie what we have here, a mutie and a mutie-lover. A pair of dykes too."


    Harry doesn't even hesitate as she shouts "Run!" and yanks on Hermione's hand.


    Hermione stumbles into a run, as the man reaches out to grab one of them. They've only gone a couple of dozen yards before Harry yanks her to the right and they come to a brick wall. As Hermione stumbles to a halt, Harry leaps for the drain pipe and scrambles to the top of the wall.


    "Hermione, give me your hand."


    Hermione nervously glances back towards the entrance of the alleyway where she can feel people approaching.


    Harry snaps, "Hermione!"


    Hermione spins around and spots Harry's hand before she jumps for it. Harry pulls her to the top of the wall with a grunt of effort, "We need to jump. Hermione, you can do this."


    Hermione looks down at the grass on the other side of the wall, and then glances back at the alleyway as Harry jumps down.


    "Come on Hermione, I've got you. You rode buckbeak, so you can do this."


    Hermione nods firmly and pushes herself off the wall with her eyes closed. Harry barely manages to catch her before she twists her ankle, and immediately drags her into a run again. At the other end of the garden, they unbolt the side gate and Harry drags her through before continuing to run for several minutes through multiple twists and turns.


    By the time they stop, Hermione's lungs are burning, and she can barely stand. As she goes to sit down, Harry gently takes her hand and starts walking, "Don't sit down. It will make you sick."


    "How. Do. You. Know?"


    Harry smiles wryly as her eyes scan the street, "Harry hunting. Dudley's favorite game when we were growing up. Sorry I didn't spot them sooner."


    "Why. Didn't. We. Just. Stop. Them?"


    "I caught one of them thinking about the cameraman just before we left the store. Scott's on his way with Celeste."


    "How?"


    "We always know where we are Hermione. How are you doing?"


    Hermione just stares at her as she continues to draw in great gulping gasps of air.


    It takes a few minutes for Scott and Celeste to get to them and pick them up.


    ═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════​


    A few hours later, Hermione looks up from the book she's trying to read. A few seconds later, Scott Summers sits down next to her.


    "Are you ok?"


    Hermione looks back down at the book with unseeing eyes as she tries to come up with something to say.


    Scott gently says, "Is this the first time you've faced discrimination?"


    Hermione shakes her head, "No, but…"


    "It's the first time it's been more than words?"


    Hermione shakes her head, "At school, because I didn't grow up in that community. But it was never more than a few pranks."


    Scott nods, "But this is the first time there was a real threat of violence."


    "I don't understand why I froze."


    "Hermione, everyone either freezes or fights the first time. It's why the X-men train, and why we encourage all our students to train too, even if they don't want to join the team."


    "But Harry didn't."


    "But Mindee, Phoebe, and Celeste all did. Hell, I did too. Harry had a hard life before she came here. I don't know the details, because that's between Harry and her therapist. I do know that she faced many situations similar to that one born out of normal human hate. In that respect, her story is no different to many of the other mutants that board here. It's also different when you're going into a situation where there could be danger, compared to danger coming for you when you should be safe."


    Hermione's mouth snaps shut, and she looks up at Scott in surprise before her gaze snaps back to her book, "Sorry."


    Scott chuckles, "It's ok, that's why we're here after all."


    "How did you know I was going…"


    "To bring up some of your adventures? Because that's what happened to us when we were in High School. We wore masks at the time, but we still went out and tried to help where we could. But Professor Xavier is a known mutant, so the institute was a target. It took several attacks before we started responding quickly."


    "How? I mean, I can't control my power."


    "Join the others in the rec room or outside. You can take the book with you if you want. If you stop hiding, then the others will start trying to make friends with you. Maybe get to know the other Cuckoo's too, as they're all different. Also remember that Dr McCoy and his staff are here to help."


    "How long does it take to get control?"


    "It depends on the power. Psychic powers like yours? Years. Powers like mine or Rogue's? We can't control them, we've had to learn to live with them. From what I understand of your powers, you have a combination of both."


    Hermione nods, "My telekinesis is stronger than the Cuckoo's, and Emma says I should be able to control my automatic deep dive."


    "At least you already know how to differentiate yourself from everyone else. I remember in the early days, when Jean first developed telepathy, she'd occasionally mistake other thoughts for her own. It's why Professor X created the psychic course before…"


    Hermione nods, "Where is he anyway?"


    "He's gone to Genosha to help with the rebuilding. Emma's still scrambling to come to grips with his notes, that's why you're the only psychic she's teaching at the moment."


    As the conversation turns to other things, Hermione finally starts to relax.


    ═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════​


    Over the next week Harry starts to receive owls and hawks with letters of support and thanks attached to their legs. At first they only appear at night, but after the Cuckoo's respond to the first few with a brief thank you letter, they seem to decide that the grounds of the X-Corp building are safe to deliver to, and the number of letters quickly balloons to one or two an hour, and gets to the point that the other students go from thinking that it's a fun anachronism to being suspicious of what's going on.


    On Thursday, Harry received an official letter from the magical government. This contained a voucher for a new wand along with directions to the magical district in New York.


    Which is how the Cuckoo's, Grangers, and Emma Frost find themselves standing on Morris Park Ave looking at what appears to be a hoarding on a vacant lot. Hermione takes her wand out of her handbag and taps it to the padlock on the door three times.


    Phoebe shakes her head when everyone else just stares at the door and strides through the apparently solid door. Harry and the other Cuckoo's share a glance before she says, "I guess we're doing this then."


    One by one, they walk through the barrier, though Jean and Gene need to be led through, as they can't feel the minds on the other side of the barrier that allow the others to push through the repelling wards.


    As they appear on the other side, they all pause to look at the street in front of them. What appeared to be a vacant lot is now a wide street with an eclectic mix of late Victorian to mid-1920's buildings all laid out for nearly a 1/4 mile. Halfway down the street a white marble building stands a whole storey above the other buildings.


    Emma is the first one to say, "Well, this isn't what I expected."


    Gene nods as he looks around, "It's certainly cleaner than Diagon Alley."


    Hermione huffs, "Dad! That's just the Leaky Caldron. The rest of the alley is fine."


    Jean raises her arm and hesitates for a moment before she gives Hermione a sideways hug, "You know he's just funning you honey. You know we've missed you these last couple of weeks."


    Hermione looks up at her mother and briefly sees the love and uncertainty that she's feeling. As she looks away, Jean gently touches her chin to turn her back, "Hermione, I don't want you to look away. You are and always will be our daughter. I can't say we're comfortable with the mind reading, but at least it's something we can understand and speak to your teacher about."


    Hermione closes her eyes and leans against Jean as she sees the fear, uncertainty, and loss that caused her parents to draw away from her as she became part of the magical world.


    Celeste turns to the others and says, "I'll stay with them, you go and get Harry's wand."


    The other Cuckoo's nod and start walking down the street, while Emma takes a moment to register what was said and hurry after her charges. As they're walking down the street, Mindee hurries over to a store that has a violin playing itself in the window. In the corner of the window is a wooden board with "Self tuning instruments available. Ask inside for details."


    As the others join her, Mindee says, "Can we get one please?"


    Harry smiles, "We might need to wait till we get to the UK, as I don't know if I can access my money here."


    Phoebe adds, "We want a tent too, remember?"


    As Mindee turns away she wonders, "I wonder if they sell sheet music too."


    Harry shrugs, "I don't know, I've never been able to really look around the magical shops."


    After a couple more detours to look at a luggage shop that advertises a home in a trunk with a no-maj friendly compartment and a dressmakers with a selection of dresses in the window. The group finally arrive at the wand shop.


    ═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════​


    They walk into the shop that's lined with boxes in neat columns with a parchment label indicating a length in inches at the bottom. An ancient man who's back is bent with age looks up from a broadsheet, "Ah, Miss Potter and her twins. I've been expecting you. Though I recall there's supposed to be four of you?"


    Emma frowns and asks, "How did you know?"


    The man snorts and folds his broadsheet before placing it on the table. In the bottom corner is a small picture of Harry standing up from the chair in the court room and running over to the other Cuckoo's. Below the picture is a headline that says, Potter reveals – The patronus charm.


    "You might have been a household name in Britian, and a minor celebrity over here before your trial. Since then, The New York Ghost has been running an article a day about the things revealed in your memories. If it was a weekend, I'd imagine you'd have been mobbed by gawkers and well wishers already. As it's not every day that they can meet someone that has made history three times in their life for doing the impossible."


    Mindee asks, "What are those things?"


    "Why, surviving the killing curse, entering into a twin bond, and having a twin bond with no-maj's. I dare say I wouldn't be surprised if one day I was helping you chose your own wands. It would only be one more impossibility to add to the list."


    As the photo Harry reluctantly returns to the chair, Harry tears her eyes away from it and takes the voucher from her purse, "Um, I received this yesterday."


    The man nods, "I was expecting that, as I'm the only wand maker in New York that works with other materials. Though I prefer wampus cat fur. I prepared a replacement wand just in case your changes aren't as deep as they appear."


    As the man grabs a cane and totters over to a cabinet, Phoebe asks, "What do you mean?"


    The man leans down and takes a wand out of the cabinet, "My dear, I've been making wands for nearly 100 years. Back when I started they called me Jonker the Joker because I was a new-maj. Since then I've seen all sorts come into my shop, and one thing sticks out. Repeat customers fall into one of two categories, they either work in a profession where wand breakage is a risk. Or they've gone through a life altering event, and their original wand no longer works for them. Here you go, see if that works for you."


    Harry reaches into the box and pulls out the wand only for it to feel like a lifeless stick.


    Jonker nods, "As I thought. If you still had your original wand, I have no doubt it would still continue to be loyal to you. Holly is ideally suited to those who need help controlling their anger and impulses. Especially if they are likely to be the victim of fate. When paired with a phoenix feather, they become particularly picky about who they choose."


    Emma cocks her head slightly and asks, "Are wands sentient?"


    "Of a sort. Or rather many people believe that magic itself is sentient. As with so much of magic, you can study it and come up with rules for how things work, and still it will surprise you. Well, let's start with the Wampus Cat fur wands, as I have more of those. Wampus fur is known to be good for spells that affect the mind, and is a favorite of oblivators across the country. Though it tends to be a solitary cat, and well suited to those who work alone, or tend to be withdrawn. However, that aspect is often overshadowed by the wood. This is a Holly and Wampus wand, 9 3/4 inches."


    Harry lifts up the wand, which tingles in her hand, "Why is it shorter?"


    Jonker takes the wand back, "Why, because you have changed too. Lets see, you have entered a twin bond with three others. Cedar is well known for its loyalty, lets see if it translates to you. Though it favors those who are both perceptive and insightful."


    Harry takes the wand, and gives it a little wave, only to feel like the wand pushes back.


    "I see, maybe vine?"


    Over the next half an hour Harry goes through most of the different types of wood.


    As Celeste walks in with the others, Jonker looks between them curiously, "Maybe, maybe. This is a rare wood that I tried working with in my youth. Silver lime works best for Seers and those skilled at Legilimency. Alas the wood became hard to get hold of before I settled on Wampus cat fur and wand quality stocks haven't yet recovered. I don't know of any wand maker that's read the tales of Beedle the Bard and hasn't tried to make a wand with Thestral tail hair. But alas the warnings by other wand makers are true, and it is a most difficult material to work with. I suppose it's no surprise that of all the wands I tried to make, only the pine and silver lime lasted to be matched. And the pine burned up when it was first picked up. It is said that only those who have seen and accepted death can master a Thestral hair wand. Go on, give it a wave. If it fails, then I will become one in a long list of wand makers that has failed to make a Thestral hair wand."


    As Harry hesitantly picks up the wand, it thrums loudly in her hand, before a shower of black sparks leaps from the end.


    Jonker nods, "Interesting, cast a spell."


    Harry searches her mind for a spell to cast, before she looks at her sisters and smiles. Pulling up all the feelings of love and acceptance she's felt since she joined the gestalt, Harry points her wand and says, "Expecto Patronum."


    She's only slightly disappointed when an octopus forms instead of her father's stag. Though the spell takes a little extra push as though her wand isn't completely happy with her.


    Gene and Jean both stare at the glowing creature with a look of awe while the other Cuckoo's all crowd around Harry and hug her while they send their own feelings back. If anything the octopus becomes brighter as they do.


    Emma tears her eyes away from the construct and licks her lips, "Do you. Ahem. Do you know where we could get some money changed, and how to stop letters from arriving at all hours of the day?"


    Jonker coughs, "That is a very impressive display of magic Miss Potter, might I ask you to end it now?" As the patronus disappears he adds, "I dare say you won't find a better match in my store. As for your question Madam, Forgotts is the local wizarding bank. Though there's a wizard run bank in DC if you wish to take the floo. For postal matters, you'd be better off speaking to the post office further down the street. You can't miss it, as it has large open windows on the second floor."


    ═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════​


    While the Cuckoo's are looking at clothing, due to the fact that Emma didn't bring enough money to afford an instrument, trunk, or tent. Hermione, Jean, and Gene walk over to the bookshop. Well, Hermione drags Jean and Gene over to the bookshop.


    Hermione walks up to the counter where the attendant looks up from some paperwork, "Excuse me, do you have any books on twin bonds?"


    The attendant chuckles and points to a table with several displays of books, "You and everyone else. That's our Harry Potter special. 10 Sprinks off anything on that table."


    Hermione walks over to the table and immediately picks up one of the last two copies of 'Bonds, Debts, and Marriage'. She also grabs the book that purports to have the patronus charm in, along with a copy of "Fantastic Beasts and where to find them".
     
  • Threadmarks
    • My life four yours (xmen/HP) - 4
  • Threadmarks

    • Chapter 4

    The twin bond is a rare phenomenon whereby the magic of identical twins is intwined in the womb. Even rarer are the twin bonds that survive to adulthood. Revered in India and by Native populations around the world, these blessed individuals are well known for becoming mediators because of their hallmark ability to share their thoughts across distances that would make legilimency impossible.

    An interesting point of international law is that once a twin bond has been legally recognised, all nations are required to take reasonable steps to protect it.

    Excerpt from Bonds, Debts, and Marriages

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    ​
    Halfway through August the Cuckoo's celebrate their 16th​ birthday. On the same day they receive two official bits of post while Hermione receives a single letter. A fourth hawk delivers a letter to Emma Frost.

    The first letter is from Ilvermorny, the East American school of magic. In the letter they apologise for being unable to offer continuing tuition due to her current enrolment in Hogwarts.

    The second is a large bundle of letters from Britian, including her book list for 5th​ year. She's just opened a letter from "Snuffles" when Emma sends a message to the Cuckoo's "Harry, Celeste, Mindee, Phoebe, please join me in my office."

    The four of them glance at each other before they smoothly get to their feet, or stop what they're doing, and walk towards the building together.

    A few minutes later they're standing in front of Emma's desk while she reads a letter written on parchment. On the desk beside her is another sheet of parchment with a passport sat on top of it.

    After a moment, Emma looks up and picks up the other sheet of parchment, "I've just received a very interesting letter. Do you know what it says?"

    When the Cuckoo's say nothing she continues, "It claims that as Harry is my daughter they have taken the liberty of providing a no-maj passport and have sent instructions to Ilvermorny to enrol you for the remainder of your magical education. Do you know why they would think this?"

    Harry speaks for the Cuckoo's, "We're sorry, this is as much news to us as it is to you."

    Mindee adds, "We got an apology letter from the school. They couldn't enrol us."

    Phoebe shakes her head, "Though we're a little upset that it was addressed to Harry Potter and Twins."

    Celeste finally drops the bombshell, "We've also noticed that someone is trying to send Harry negative thoughts and emotions."

    Emma leans forward, all thought of their parentage forgotten for the moment, "Why didn't you tell me about this before?"

    Harry shrugs, "It is clumsy and easily blocked. It also only happens when Harry, I am alone."

    Emma puts her head in her hands, "Cuckoo's, if you are being psychically attacked, you need to let me know."

    "We don't think it's psychic."

    "I'll be the judge of that, now let me in please."

    The Cuckoo's consider the request for a moment, before agreeing to let her try, and pulling away from Harry enough that her thoughts are comprehensible to Emma. They watch curiously as Emma slips into Harry's mind with an almost undetectable touch, not looking at her thoughts and memories, but instead comparing their feel to that of the gestalt and what's left of Harry's original psychic imprint.

    After nearly half an hour, Emma sits back in her chair with a disgruntled sigh, "I can't find anything. Which means they're either more subtle than me, or…"

    "We think it is magical in nature. We could feel the intrusion at the court, but it didn't feel like a psychic attack."

    Emma nods, "I should have thought of that. You said you got letters?"

    Harry hands over the letter from Hogwarts, "We haven't finished reading the others."

    Emma scans the list and notes the 'and twins' that was added to the address by hand. With a sigh, she pulls a brown manila folder out of her drawer and places it on the desk, "I was going to give this to you later Harry. These are your new documents, including a temporary passport. I need to arrange things with Scott so that I can leave for a week or so. I'm currently planning to fly to the UK in 10 days time, on the 23rd​. That will give us just over a week to get all your new paperwork finalised and deal with whatever we need to in the magical world."

    Mindee, Celeste, and Phoebe ask, "Will we be getting new passports too?"

    "No, because you're already US citizens. Your permanent visa's are one of the things that I need to chase up in the next few days."

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    ​
    10 days later, while the plane is circling Heathrow, Hermione closes the textbook by Professor X she's been reading on and off for since a few days after Emma started teaching her. "This is impossible. It doesn't make any sense."

    Emma telepathically sends, "Of course not. It is an aid to the course, not a replacement."

    Hermione reflexively sends back, "Why even have a book then?"

    Emma smiles thinly, "Why do they have books on art techniques? You are trying to do a college course when you haven't even finished elementary school. That's even assuming you're capable of everything that Xavier covers. I've already told you repeatedly that this isn't like magic or science. As a field of study, it's more like gymnastics or athletics. What you practice is what you're good at. I believe I've already told you this."

    "Yes, but…"

    "Hermione, why is this such a problem now when you were far more accepting of it in America?"

    "I…"

    "You don't have to use words. Let me in and I'll help."

    Hermione nods and tries to pull back on her instinctive rejection of another person's thoughts. As she does, Emma murmurs, "Well done, it's better to be too closed than too open."

    After a couple of minutes Emma pulls back, "You're not going to be alone this year. You can already feel the minds around us, which is part of why you're so anxious, as there are a lot of people on this flight. You've also been practicing reaching out to other people to form a limited gestalt. Finally, if you suddenly work out how to modify memories, the Cuckoo's are competent at doing the same. So they should be able to fix it. If they can't, then we should have Cerebro back around Christmas, so you can ask me for help. I won't fix it for you, but I will guide you in fixing it yourself."

    Hermione looks down at her hands, "But I don't want to hurt anyone."

    "Hermione, what have you learned about intent?"

    Hermione dutifully recites "Accidents and mistakes happen, and should be treated with compassion while learning to do better from them. Deliberate actions should be judged by the circumstances surrounding them. Was it an attack, self-defence, or defence of others, or maybe even something benign that had unforeseen side effects? Was it proportionate, and how well trained are they?"

    Emma says dryly, "Well done, you've managed to remember the textbook. Now, in your own words, what have you learned about intent."

    When Hermione hesitates, Emma says, "That right there is what you need to work on. You're no longer a child, but you're not yet an adult. The adult world isn't one of hard and fast rules. Christ, someone should have taught you this already. In Elementary School, being able to follow the instructions is praise worthy…"

    While Emma is lecturing Hermione on the things she should have learned, the Cuckoo's reach out towards Harry's old home, briefly touching each mind until they find her relatives, who are shopping for Dudley's school things. Once they do, they briefly look at their motives before implanting a command into Vernon's mind. Next time he has the whole family in the car, and he's been driving at 70 mph or more for half an hour, he'll fall asleep for two minutes.

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    ​
    At the airport the group is met by a Frost International owned Limo that then takes them to The Langham where Emma has booked a suite of rooms on the top floor.

    That evening, Jean and Gene join them for dinner before walking home with Hermione babbling excitedly about being made a prefect, and everything that she's been learning.

    The next morning, they've barely stepped out of the hotel in order to go to the passport office, when a white owl flies down from the roof of the hotel.

    Emma quickly throws up a telepathic illusion as the four Cuckoo's look up and say "Hedwig!"

    Hedwig flares her wings and circles the four in some confusion before landing on Mindee's shoulder. Phoebe and Celeste both chuckle as Harry pouts and Mindee says, "She likes me best."

    Emma sighs as they fuss over the albino owl. "I guess I need to arrange a falconry licence too then. Didn't your godfather say that your stuff had been taken to his house?"

    Harry nods, "He did."

    "Well, as Hedwig is here, maybe you could have her deliver a message to meet us in Regents Park tomorrow."

    Harry nods, "We'll need some stationary as we only have our phones."

    Emma rolls her eyes and gestures to the limo that's waiting for them, "I'm sure there's some stationary in there. Otherwise we can ask the driver to buy some while we're getting Harry's permanent passport."

    On the way to the passport office, Emma calls Frost International and tasks her PA to see about arranging licences in the UK and USA to keep birds of prey. At the same time the Cuckoo's write a note to Sirus on some Frost International letterhead that they've torn the top and bottom off.

    ═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

    ​
    After Harry's passport has been ordered on a three day service, and her dual nationality registered, the group heads to Diagon Alley.

    Halfway to the bank, Hedwig swoops down and lands on Celeste's shoulder. Celeste reaches up and scratches Hedwig's breast before taking the piece of parchment she's holding.

    Unfolding it, she reads.

    Prongslet,

    Unfortunately I cannot meet you as Snuffles is known. Moony will meet you in the rose garden instead.

    Snuffles

    After reading it she passes it over to Emma, who glances at it before putting it in her purse.

    Once they reach the bank it doesn't take them long to reach one of the tellers.

    Without looking up the teller grumbles, "Business?"

    Emma gives a tight smile, "Currency Exchange."

    The goblin looks up, "Buying or selling?"

    "First of all I'd like to know the exchange rate."

    "£4.90 per Gallon to buy, £4.60 per Gallon if you're selling."

    Emma nods "Do you buy 24k gold?"

    The goblin pauses, and then climbs off his chair before climbing back up with a sheet of parchment, "42 Gallons per oz if you're selling, 44 if you're buying."

    "Troy ounces?"

    "Yes. Are you making an exchange today?"

    Emma nods, "I am, but I am considering my options for the future. Would you do a better rate if I sell 100 oz of gold?"

    The goblin scowls, "42 selling and 44 buying."

    Emma takes 8 £50 notes out of an envelope, "I'd like to exchange £2000. How often do your rates change?"

    "Daily for pounds. Gold is fixed." the goblin grumbles as he takes the money and waves his hand over it. Then he counts out 20 rolls of coins, plus an additional 8 gallons and some knuts and sickles.

    As Emma looks between her bag and the coins, the goblin says, "We can sell you a sack for a sickle."

    Emma hands each of the Cuckoo's 4 rolls each and puts the rest in her purse. As she's doing that she asks, "How would I go about making larger purchases without carrying around dangerously large amounts of money?"

    "We offer a vault transfer service for 15 sickles, for another 5 sickles we can write the contract for you."

    "And how would I open a vault?"

    "You couldn't."

    "Why?"

    "New vaults are only available to of age magicals. You are not magical."

    Emma turns away, "I see, come along girls."

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    ​
    Over the next few hours Emma and the Cuckoo's visit just about every store in the main alleyway. In each store she talks to the owners about their products and buys something from each one. By the time they get to the bookshop, they've discovered that the Ministry has restricted the sale of expanded items to tents (they buy one with a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom with two bunkbeds, and a lounge, for 40G) and small trunks (they buy the largest four they can with built in wand activated shrinking and feather weight charms) .

    The British press hasn't published anything about Harry's change in status, though they were forced to have a retraction of her murder charges printed in the Daily Prophet.

    The cost of production of most items is close to the cost of materials, with only the enchantments significantly adding to the cost.

    Lastly, they learn that some of the staff would be interested in being paid gold to produce unenchanted items for sale in the mundane world. Though they are never explicitly asked about it.

    Eventually though, it's time for them to return to the hotel for Hermione's lesson.

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    ​
    "Good evening Hermione, did you have a good day?"

    Hermione slumps down on the chair, "Mum and dad were working. I spent most of the morning reading in the park and trying to pull back my telepathy. I got a letter from Sirius with Hedwig, and ended up at... his house. They, they wanted me to stay there. They said it's too dangerous for me to be with mum and dad."

    Emma nods thoughtfully, and takes a wrist holster from her purse, "Here, put this on."

    Hermione looks confused as she takes the holster, "What?"

    "Your wand is a weapon, you should always have it available. You can set it up for cross draw or spring loaded. I've ordered some stilettos for Celeste, Mindee, and Phoebe, as they don't have wands. I think that tomorrow we're going to spend the day in the park until we meet Mr Lupin. You'll be practicing with us."

    Hermione leans forward excitedly, "What will we be doing?"

    "Two things. You'll be blindfolded, and you'll be given targets to find. The second thing is learning how to absorb information from someone you're not looking at. I think that will help you get a feel for what you're doing."

    Hermione's shoulders slump, "Oh."

    "Tonight you're going to be working on getting faster at responding to an unwanted intrusion. While I'm working with each of them, the other Cuckoo's will be looking for your most embarrassing memories. Like when you peed the bed at your grandmothers when you were 7."

    As Hermione's face flushes and she buries her head in her hands, Emma turns towards the Cuckoos, "I want you to each write a few paragraphs summarising what we learnt this afternoon, and how it could be used. Also, take turns gently looking at Hermione's mind, and be obvious about it."

    Harry and Celeste both put down their books on 3rd​ year arithmancy and runes. At the same time Phoebe turns away from a particularly violent game of checkers she's playing with a wizarding chess set, and Mindee puts down the violin she's been inspecting.

    Hermione glances at the books in surprise, "Runes and Arithmancy?"

    Harry nods, "We want to self study and take our owls in August next year. He didn't know that they had uses that were taught at NEWT level. Though, he'd have probably still gone along with Ron because he was afraid of losing his first friend."

    "When you say he?"

    Celeste prods at Hermione's mind looking for her memory of drinking polyjuice.

    Emma looks over at Mindee, "Midee, earlier today you helped create an illusion that Hedwig wasn't there. I want you to see if you can erase your presence from everyone in the room. It's similar to creating an illusion, but rather than adding information, you're removing it."
     
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    • Darkphoenixlady said:
    Next time he has the whole family in the car, and he's been driving at 70 mph or more for half an hour, he'll fall asleep for two minutes.
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    Um ... they live in the UK. It might be years before they meet this requirement. Actually given their characterisation this might not happen for decades. all their motorways bend and turn too frequently, and pass through major cities all the time. Even the motorways manage like 30 miles tops between full 90+degree corners.
     
    If you're on certain motorways, like the M1 or M6, it's totally possible to do half an hour at high speed outside of rush-hours, especially if you drive like an arsehole. Which, let's be honest, Vernon absolutely would.
     
    MaimakteriAnn said:
    Um ... they live in the UK. It might be years before they meet this requirement. Actually given their characterisation this might not happen for decades. all their motorways bend and turn too frequently, and pass through major cities all the time. Even the motorways manage like 30 miles tops between full 90+degree corners.
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    I've frequently managed to do this. Unless it's rush hour or holiday season there's absolutely no reason why you'd need to slow down. As those bends and curves are pretty gentle at 70, and only start to feel noticeable at around 90.
     
    Darkphoenixlady said:
    I've frequently managed to do this. Unless it's rush hour or holiday season there's absolutely no reason why you'd need to slow down. As those bends and curves are pretty gentle at 70, and only start to feel noticeable at around 90.
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    Are you maybe mixing up MPH and KPH? Because 70mph is what is written and google says that's equal to 112kph. And I wouldn't want to be traveling through city roads or streets with lots of bends doing 70mph. It's fine on the highway as they are mostly straight with gentle curves for the most part, but once you start getting close and then entering town the speed limit drops down to usually 65-55mph then to 45 once you are no longer on the highway.
     
    sdarian said:
    Are you maybe mixing up MPH and KPH? Because 70mph is what is written and google says that's equal to 112kph. And I wouldn't want to be traveling through city roads or streets with lots of bends doing 70mph. It's fine on the highway as they are mostly straight with gentle curves for the most part, but once you start getting close and then entering town the speed limit drops down to usually 65-55mph then to 45 once you are no longer on the highway.
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    We do have motorways in the UK, and there's a big one around London (M25). The national speed limit on dual carriage ways is 70mph.

    In and around London, the North M25 is usually free flowing except around the M3, M1, A1(M), and Heathrow. The M11 is free flowing till Colchester. The A21 and M3 are both free flowing. As is the M23 once you pass Gatwick. Out of London, the M4 and M40 are also free flowing until you get to Slough/Oxford respectively. The M1 and A1(M) are usually busy until you get past Watford. Don't bother with the M2 or the M20 though.
     
    My life four yours (xmen/HP) - 5
  • Threadmarks

    • Chapter 5

    Emma says, "There's a man with a stone in his shoe. What did he have for breakfast?"

    Hermione grimaces as she tries to find the mind that Emma's talking about. She breathes a sigh of relief when she finds him just as he's sitting down. She's still trying to get past his grumbling about blisters, and what he wants at the sandwich shop, when a strange mind walks into her range. Almost immediately she loses the man as her attention is drawn to the mind. Emma's mind touches hers and it takes her a moment to recognise the light touch as a request.

    When she stops trying to push it away, Emma sends, "Good, repel first then allow in. You lost focus, now find the man again."

    Hermione mentally groans, "But I think that's Professor Lupin."

    "I know, and the girls are coming back. You still need to tell me what he had for breakfast. And he's leaving."

    Hermione curses as she tries to find the mans mind again. What she thought was a reasonable range in New York is turning out to be pitifully small when it takes a couple of minutes for someone to walk from one edge of it to the other.

    She loses focus again when four identical minds enter her range.

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    ​
    The Cuckoo's run into the rose gardens from the tennis courts with their rackets still in their hands. As they're running, Phoebe shouts, "Snuffles! Snuffles, here boy!"

    As Remus looks up, Celeste catches his eye and runs over, "Hello sir, have you seen our dog Snuffles? He's about this tall, black and fairly stocky. Only he chewed through his lead while we were playing tennis."

    Remus looks nonplussed and says, "I'm sorry miss, but I haven't."

    Harry walks over and gives a dramatic sigh, "That's a shame, I was sure we'd find someone here that could take us to him. It's almost like he flew off in the middle of the night."

    Remus narrows his eyes, "Harry?"

    Celeste chuckles, "Took you long enough."

    Mindee and Phoebe walk over and loop an arm through either side, "Come on, we're sitting over here."

    As Remus is being led over to Emma and Hermione, he asks, "Wait, which one of you is Harry?"

    Mindee chuckles, "That would be telling."

    Remus stumbles, "Oh, Sirius is going to love you."

    They just smile as they continue to lead him away while they discretely modify the memories of a couple of watchers so that they see them running further into the park shouting for Snuffles and see Remus walk over to a seat on the other side of the rose garden and sit down.

    As they get closer, Emma glances up and sends, "Very well done, but you missed one."

    At the same time, she says, "You must be Mr Lupin."

    Remus nods, "You have me at a disadvantage."

    Emma smiles, "Emma Frost, I see you've met my daughters."

    "You hardly look old enough to have such lovely daughters."

    "Why thank you. Hermione, it's time to go."

    Hermione breathes a sigh of relief as she takes the blindfold off, "Thank god, my brain hurts."

    Remus jumps slightly as he notices Hermione's presence for the first time, "Miss Granger, I wasn't expecting you."

    Hermione opens her mouth and hesitates as she remembers being chased by a mob, and the times she's been called a mutie or mutie-lover on the odd occasion she ventured into Salem Center with some of the other students. Especially Nezhno, who seems quietly studious like her, and even helped her out with a couple of meditation techniques. "I enrolled at a school for gifted children over the holiday, as that's where Harry ended up. Emma's been helping me catch up to where I should be."

    Emma nods, "While we would normally prefer our students to be around full time, I know that they have other gifts that need nurturing too. I know it's quite a workload, but her parents agree that Hermione is more than capable of keeping up over the school holidays."

    Harry grabs her bag and says, "Shall we go and see my godfather now?"

    Remus pointedly looks at Emma's heels, "It's a half hour walk. I'm sure I can take the kids and save your feet."

    Emma smiles, "I'm sure I'll be fine. Besides, they are my responsibility."

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    ​
    As they approach the number 11 Grimald place, Emma winces and looks at the space between 11 and 13, "Interesting, someone seems to have hidden number 12."

    Remus yelps, "What?"

    "I can feel the minds between the two buildings."

    The Cuckoo's glance at each other before holding hands. A few seconds later they say, "We can feel them too. It's hard though."

    Emma nods, "Something's trying to make us forget they exist. I've not come across anything like this since I had to face Casandra when she took control of Professor X."

    Remus looks wildly between Emma and the Cuckoo's "What? How?"

    Emma smiles, "I am an omega class telepath, there is very little that can affect my mind if I don't want it to."

    The Cuckoo's say, "He is going to report this to the headmaster."

    Emma nods, "That would be problematic. Let's just forget we had this conversation."

    Hermione looks at Emma in shock, "But why?"

    "What do you think would happen if someone found out that we could work around whatever's protecting the building? A protection that I wouldn't even have noticed if there weren't people inside."

    "I uh."

    "I'll tell you what happened in the USA when they found out that there were people that could bypass even the best government security. You've experienced it yourself. People fear things they don't understand and can't control. It doesn't matter that there's perhaps two dozen people in the world that could do this. Or that it's only by working together that the Cuckoo's are approaching a near Omega level of power. They'd start viewing all telepaths as dangerous. That's one of the reasons why some knowledge is best kept hidden. Now, do you understand, or should I remove the knowledge from your own mind?"

    Hermione hesitates, and Emma adds, "Bear in mind, you are likely to come across information like this yourself while you're learning to control your abilities. So learning to judge what can and can't be shared is absolutely essential."

    "But where does it stop?"

    Emma laughs, "Isn't that the big question. Why do you think we're teaching you Ethics? You will make mistakes, and emotions will cloud your judgement occasionally. But as long as you don't lobotomise someone, we can heal the damage. We'll talk about it later, and I'll give you some exercises to work through at home."

    Remus shakes his head, "Sorry about that, I, um…"

    He pulls out a slip of paper and cups it in his hand, "Read this."

    Once the Cuckoo's and Emma have read the slip of paper, Remus pulls his wand and incinerates it.

    Remus says, "Look between houses 11 and 13 and focus on what you just read."

    At the same time, Emma sends to Hermione with a tinge of amusement, "With a few more months training, you'll start being able to read secrets like this and make them forget that you've ever seen them. I've never met a telepath that can't. It will take you years to get good at it. Now, how did you fair with looking at Mr Lupin?"

    As the house becomes visible to Emma and the Cuckoos, Hermione frowns and sends back, "Do I have to? And looking at him gives me a headache."

    Remus starts to lead the group into the house, as Emma sends, "Once you've learnt to control it, no you don't. But it will happen eventually whether you learn it or not. Would you rather learn it under controlled conditions, or after you've just forced someone to love or hate you?"

    Hermione's expression turns mulish as she marches through the front door.

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    ​
    As they walk into the dining room, Ron looks up from the sandwich he's devouring and drops it as he spots the Cuckoo's still wearing their tennis outfits.

    Hermione glances up and wrinkles her nose, "Eww, Ron you are such a pig."

    As Emma walk in behind them in her customary short white dress and thigh high white leather heels, his face goes bright red, and he looks down at the table.

    Celeste chuckles and says, "It's fine Hermione, he's just a teenage boy. We wouldn't dress like this if we minded being looked at like that."

    Ron's sister Ginerva, on the other hand, looks at the new arrivals curiously. Though her mother, Molly Weasley, walks in with a couple of plates with sandwiches, only to stop stock still as she spots Emma and then the Cuckoo's, "Ginny dear, would you… Ginny! Cover your eyes! Ron, if I catch you peeping your father will tan your hide till you can't sit down. I have never seen such slatternly dresses in all my life!"

    Emma arches an eyebrow, "You can't have got out much then."

    Remus tries to say, "Molly, they're…"

    "Can't have got out much!? You would put Malfoy to shame. Shame on you! And how could you inflict those clothes on your daughters!"

    Emma stalks towards Molly, "Who are you to judge the way I dress? Let alone the way my daughters dress when they're playing sports?"

    "I am a hard working housewife thank you very much, not some whore who makes her money on her back."

    Emma laughs mockingly and pins Molly with a stare, "Oh how cute, you think I'm a whore. Let me tell you something, I could buy out every store in Diagon Alley and not even notice the cost. You are just an ignorant, small minded, woman who believe she has the right to boss everyone around because you shout so loudly nobody else can hear themselves speak."

    Molly starts to back up as Emma steps into her space. As she opens her mouth to say something else, Emma raises a finger, "No, you don't get to say anything. I have seen some of Harry's memories of his life, and you featured prominently as a happy place for him. But do you know what? Since she joined the Cuckoo's they've had questions about you. You smother your children with your expectations and anger when they don't fit into the roles you want them too. Yet you dare to call us slatterns."

    Whatever else she's going to say goes unsaid as Sirius Black comes running down the stairs, wand in hand. As he appears in the doorway, the Cuckoo's squeal "Snuffles!" and surround him before giving him a peck on the cheek at the same time.

    Sirius stands there with a gobsmacked expression as his wand almost drops from his suddenly limp hand.

    As the Cuckoo's start to laugh as they pull away, Harry says, "I knew it would work. His face."

    Remus glances over and starts to laugh too.

    Phoebe nods, "It never would at home."

    Celeste shrugs, "I don't know, we managed to fluster Dr McCoy like that."

    Sirius looks at Remus with a plaintive expression, "What just happened?"

    Remus chuckles, "You just got pranked by your goddaughter."

    "But I don't have a goddaughter."

    The Cuckoo's all say, "Surprise!"

    Hermione looks away from where Emma and Molly have stepped apart, "Harry joined a gestalt with the other three, the American magicals called it a twin-bond. And, no I don't know which one's Harry. When they're like this it's impossible to tell."

    Emma smiles, "It's merely exceedingly difficult, but you'll get there."

    Molly goes to say something but Emma raises a finger and pins her with her gaze again.

    Ginerva asks, "Are you really Harry?"

    Harry nods, "Yep. Best thing to ever happen to me."

    "But why?"

    Celeste says, "Because she's family. We're all orphans."

    Mindee adds, "But the magical government thinks that Emma is our mother."

    Sirius shakes his head and raises his hands, "Wait, who's who here?"

    Hermione sighs and points, "Emma Frost, CEO and majority shareholder of Frost International, a multibillion-dollar company. Celeste, Mindee, Phoebe, and Harry Cuckoo or Potter, depending. And you know me."

    "So, how did…" he waves at the Cuckoo's, "happen?"

    Harry glances at the other Cuckoo's and they all nod, "Well I managed to get to the cup before Cedric but I saw that he was having trouble with the…"

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    ​
    They've been joined by the Weasley Twins, and the Cuckoo's have almost finished the story when all six of the telepaths look towards the door.

    A few seconds later there's a loud clatter and a woman's voice screams, "Filth! Blood traitors! Kreature remove them from the house!"

    A second woman's voice screams back, "Shut up you old hag! Stupid umbrella stand."

    A few seconds later the screaming cuts off and the second woman's voice comes closer, "Sorry guys, they were a no show and Remus ran off after a dog that looked like… Who the bloody hell are you?"

    Sirius gives a hollow sounding chuckle, "One of those four lovely young ladies is Harry Potter."

    Emma helpfully says, "She's the one that likes cooking."

    A horribly scarred man stumps into the room with a scowl, following him is a middle aged woman. The man grumbles, "Tonks, what did I tell you about dealing with unexpected visitors?"

    When Tonks looks at him, he shouts, "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

    Everyone around the table jumps, and Molly huffs, "Moody! We have… guests."

    "Aye, and I still want to know how they got here without us noticing."

    Emma smiles, "That is going to remain confidential. After all, I don't know you. Speaking of which, Mrs Weasley, I believe that you had Harry's vault key last year. Do you still have it?"

    "Of course not, I gave it back to the Headmaster."

    "And why would the headmaster of a school have Harry's key?"

    "The headmaster's a good man."

    "That is not actually an answer to my question."

    Moody grumps, "It's the best one you're going to get without speaking to Dumbledore."

    Emma nods, "I'll leave you the contact number for my secretary, would someone be able to let her know when the headmaster is available to talk. Or Harry's key is ready to be collected. And please remember we're staying in London, so owls are a little conspicuous."

    Molly shakes her head, "You can't do that, it's not safe out there. What with You-know-who back from the dead."

    Emma looks at Molly in disbelief, and then pinches her nose, "Right, magical community. You're all insulated from the rest of the world. Right, short story, I am a mutant, a rather well known mutant. So are the Cuckoo's. Hermione is a mutate, while Tonks here is also a mutant. The world out there is brimming with bigotry against us. Some of it deserved, but most of it because many mutants look different. Mutants are being attacked and killed every day just because they're different. I-don't-know-who being back doesn't change that. I am not going to hide from this danger, because if I do innocent mutants will continue to be slaughtered."

    Celeste adds, "We are also hoping to become members of the x-men, as they helped us and taught us how to use our powers. We're not hiding either."

    "To that end, Mr Black, would you mind showing me to Harry's old effects. I have some things I'd like to discuss with you in private. And I'm in a relationship, before you get any ideas."

    Sirius looks startled, "Right, ah."

    Molly narrows her eyes, "Who are you to say that Harry can leave?"

    Emma smiles and draws an envelope out of her purse, from the envelope she takes the letter from the Magical Congress of the USA that informed her she was Harry's mother, and places it on the table. "Legally? Her mother."

    Moody stares at the parchment for a moment before he draws his wand and waves it in a complicated gesture and touches the seal. "It's legitimate."

    "She's also an American citizen. That's mentioned in that letter too."

    After people have had the opportunity to read the letter, Emma puts it away and says, "Mr Black?"

    Sirius's eyes snap up from the table and he shakes his head, "Oh, right. Trunk. I put it in his room, as I thought… Sorry."

    Once Sirius and Emma have left, Moody stumps to the door along with the other woman, and Molly wanders into the kitchen with the dirty plates. Tonks, on the other hand, spins a chair around and sits on it with her arms over the back.

    Ron looks behind him, and quietly says, "Harry mate, you're hot!"

    Mindee pats him on the back of the hand, "Keep dreaming. Even if one of us was interested, it's still too soon since..."

    Phoebe continues, "Mindee's boyfriend was killed in a riot."

    Hermione nods, "Harry and I were almost lynched while we were shopping."

    Molly says, "Those muggles are absolute savages."

    Harry turns around to look at Molly, "Mrs Weasley, don't pretend that wizards are any better. Not in front of us."

    "Well I never..."

    "World cup. How many savages attacked innocent people? You're cowering in here because of another such savage. We have worked through a lot of his memories, and we can see the same things happening here as are happening to mutants out there. Remember this, I am not him. I might have lived his life, but I have a new family and we are four in one."

    Harry turns back to the table and looks over at Ginerva, "Hey Ginerva, do you have a favorite lip color?"

    Ginerva looks down, "Ah, I don't have any makeup."

    Celeste looks up in surprise, "Oh you poor thing, every girl should have the basic essentials. Mindee, do you have your makeup bag?"

    Harry rolls her eyes, "She's got the shampoo and conditioner. I've got the makeup."

    Mindee grabs Ginerva hand, "Come on, do you have a room with a mirror?"

    Ron looks a little lost and says, "Hermione, do you want to play chess?"

    Phoebe says, "Oh, is it wizarding chess? I'll play."

    As they file out, Tonks stands up and walks around the table to sit next to Hermione, and also see the hall. When Hermione keeps reading she asks, "So what's your deal?"

    Hermione hums but doesn't look up. So Tonks waves her hand in front of the page.

    Hermione jumps and looks up at Tonks, who reels back as though punched. Hermione immediately looks back at her book, and says, "Sorry."

    "What in Merlin's name was that? It was worse than my Auror exam."

    "I can't control it yet, I'm sorry."

    "Right, fine. What are you reading? Anything good?"

    Hermione holds the book up, "The latest Magic Kingdom for Sale, Sold book. My head can't take anything educational at the moment."

    "Oh?"

    "I've just spent the last three hours exercising my brain before we came here."

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    ​
    Emma briefly looks around the room that Sirius led her to. Green and silver dominate the place with black filling in some details.

    As he closes the door behind him, Sirius says sadly, "This was Regulus' room."

    Emma turns to face Sirius, "Mr Black, I'll come straight to the point. I would like you to come and live at the institute full time. The magical government has seen Mr Pettigrew in Harry's memories at his trial. I believe it also made the papers too. It's also where Harry's going to spend most of her time during the holidays, as I can't afford to abandon my students for three or four months every year. I need an adult magical so that I can have some protective wards placed over the institute. I would be foolish not to take advantage of them now I know they exist. As a member of staff, you'd also be able to take advantage of the medical and psychological help we have available. Including psychic assistance to repair damage to your mind."

    "Call me Sirius. What about the war here? I need to keep Harry safe."

    "Very well. Sirius, what exactly can you do here when you don't know how to navigate the mundane world, and you can't navigate the magical world."

    "I can, I can at least be here if she needs help."

    Emma adopts a gentle tone, "Sirius, even I can see how much this place is hurting you. You need somewhere you can feel safe and call home in order to heal. If Harry is ever in danger at Hogwarts, whatever it is will be over before you can get there. If it's less urgent, then it won't matter if it takes you a few hours to fly here. You can also get a trial in the USA where you can't get one here. Also, if I can get the protections on the institute, then Harry will be safer when she comes home for the holidays."

    When Sirius doesn't say anything, she walks over to the trunk and picks up one end of it. As she gets to the door, Sirius whispers, "I'll do it."

    Emma looks over her shoulder, "I'll have Hedwig deliver a charged mobile phone tomorrow along with some instructions on how to use it. I'll be heading back to the USA on the 1st. I'll have the limo stop here first. If you can think of a good way to keep in contact with Hermione and the Cuckoo's in the mean time, do give me a call."
     
    Last edited:
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    My life four yours - Story thread
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    • forums.sufficientvelocity.com

    My life four yours

    Voldemort was going to use the Triwizard cup to dispose of the bodies by sending them into the ocean. A slight miscalculation sees Harry landing in front of the Stepford Cuckoo's the day after Mindee's boyfriend was killed in a riot. The cuckoo's initially attack Harry's mind, but when they find...
    forums.sufficientvelocity.com forums.sufficientvelocity.com

    Chapter 6 is written and should be coming shortly once Anorra has had a chance to look it over.
     
  • Informational
    • Who knew survival could be such fun - 1 - Alt power Taylor
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    • Chapter 1


    "Miss. Miss. You need to wake up."


    "Just five more minutes dad." I groan as sunlight streams into my eyes.


    Shuffling around on the grass, I turn my head away from the light. As the grass tickles my cheek, my eyes flick open and I scoot backwards onto my knees as the reality that I'm not in my bed catches up with me. As my hand comes down to my pant knees, I recoil at the damp feeling of blood on my fingers.


    All of a sudden the memories of before I passed out return and I start to shiver as I pull my knees to my chest and sobs wrack my body.


    A man's voice eventually pulls me out of my thoughts "Miss, are you ok?"


    With red rimmed eyes, I look up at a man with light brown hair who's looking at me with some amount of worry on his face. Slowly I shake my head and look around.


    "Where are we?"


    The man doesn't answer me as he lifts up a bow and shoots an arrow a bouncing gelatinous mass that's coming towards us. As he continues to shoot, I scrabble backwards until my back hits a tree.


    Five or six shots later and the gelatinous mass collapses into a pile of goo and I see a couple of shiny disks go flying. Oh god, this is obviously a dream and I'm still in the locker.


    As I'm thinking that, the man turns around and gives me a worried smile, "Are you alright now? Can you think?"


    I shake my head, "I-I think so."


    He points to the sun, "We're running short of time, and you need to build a shelter before dark comes and we're both killed."


    Well, it's a dream, so I guess? "Who are you and where are we?"


    The man smiles, "I'm Harley, an ordained guide for the savior of our world, and this is the Vacant Realms. A land bounded by oceans and far from civilization, and the burial place of the Skeleton King. A foul necromancer that breached the gates of hell and summoned The Crimson thousands of years ago." He nervously glances up at the sun, "I can tell you more later once you've built us some shelter. But until then I have a belt of the hero for you."


    The belt he holds out towards me is made from leather and has nine tool loops around it. On either side of each loop is a pouch with a button fastener. A quick count shows me 10 pouches.


    After a minor freak out as I touch my pants with my first attempt at standing up, I use the tree to stand up and focus on the belt that Harley's holding out.


    As I stretch out my hand, Harley places the belt over my palm. I'm not sure what I expected from the belt to be honest. But it's not hard like the tool belts that the dockworkers sometimes use. Instead it seems to be a supple brown leather, like dad's old worn in biker jacket.


    Experimentally, I try to open one of the pockets. When the button refuses to budge, Harley says, "The belt is enchanted to only be useable when it's worn."


    His expression darkens as he turns towards some sound and draws his bow again. I yelp as I see another gelatinous mass bouncing towards us. Fuck, this dream is realistic. This time Harley misses a few shots and the mass is only a few yards away when he finally destroys it.


    Looking back at me, Harley's voice is strained as he says, "Hurry, the monsters are attracted to you. Put the belt on before we get overwhelmed."


    A moment later he raises his bow and shoots past me. A few seconds later, another mass bounces over a small rise behind him.


    I yelp and point, "Behind you!"


    Harley's voice is still strained as he nocks another arrow and lets it fly, "I know. I can only shoot one arrow at a time. Put the belt on!"


    I back away past the tree to put distance between the two of them. As I do, my eyes widen in horror as the new one starts to bounce towards me. I trip over a tree root or something, and land on my ass. Panicking, I scramble backwards and the belt slips out of my hand.


    The slime is only a few yards away from me when it's hit by an arrow. Not that I notice, as all I can see is just how big the mass is. An instant later the slime lands on me and I scream as it burns my face and hands. As I'm sure I'm going to die, the mass bounces off me, and another arrow impacts it. All I can do is lie there in agony and scream in pain as I screw my eyes shut and I'm suddenly back in the locker with flies biting at my legs and arms.


    After a minute or so, I become aware of Harley nervously carrying me as I become aware of myself again.


    "Chosen one, I don't know what disaster befell you before you came here. But I urge you to put on the belt before something more dangerous than a small slime comes along."


    Wordlessly I nod as he puts me down and continues to walk away from half a dozen slimes. Trotting to keep up, I reach for the belt with shaking hands and fumble it around my waist, just over my hips. It takes me three tries to get it right, as the first time I put it on upside-down. As I start to tie the two ends together, the leather slips out of my hands as the ends seamlessly braid themselves together.


    As I let out a startled yelp, Harley looks over and a look of relief comes over his face, "Thank the spirits. You are the chosen one. I feared that we would both die ere night falls."


    I stumble at that, "What do you mean die!"


    Harley stops and faces me with a grim smile, "Only the chosen of the spirits could wear one of those belts. We've all tried one at some point in our lives. You should have some basic equipment in the pouches."


    As I'm fumbling for one of the buttons I hear a splorch sound behind me. I only have enough time to start screaming before several slimes land on me and my world is pain and darkness.


    ═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════​


    I blink rapidly as I appear standing in the sunlight with no sign of the slimes around me. The pain of my skin burning a phantom echo all over me.


    A moment later a stench hits me and I look down at my feet.


    "Eww!"


    I take a couple of steps back as I realize that I'm standing on a couple of bloody tampons and sanitary towels.


    "Ok Taylor, remember. This is just a dream. Except you're not supposed to be able to feel pain in dreams. Shit Taylor, think. Think."


    The sound of my own voice is reassuring as I try to grapple with my own existence.


    The sound of an arrow buzzing past me brings me out of my existential thoughts. As I look up, I spot a slime bouncing its way towards me. Another arrow goes past, and I look back and see Harley jogging towards me with his bow in hand.


    "Chosen one. I'm glad to see you alive."


    My existential dread flashes to anger, and I grit my teeth rather than lashing out at the only other person I've met here. After a slow count of 10 I say, "See me alive?"


    Harley nods gayfully, "Indeed, it is proof that you indeed the chosen of the spirits. For have they not brought you back from the brink of death? That means that there is hope for us all. But still, I beseech you to build a shelter before nightfall. No matter how mean. As while I am willing to lay down my life in service to the spirits, I would rather not die tonight."


    I shake my head as Harley raises his bow once more, "Wait, what?"


    "You should build a shelter before the restless dead rise to do the Moon Lord's bidding and slaughter us both. While I am now assured that you will see the dawn. Without a shelter it will be down to my replacement to guide you on your path."


    My brain stutters for a moment as I focus on the word replacement, "What replacement?"


    "Every city trains guides in all we need to know to teach the chosen what she needs to know. If I die, the spirits will inform the witch doctors of my demise. Then another guide will be sent in my place."


    I can only stare at Haley as the fatalistic way he's talking slowly sinks in. Eventually I whisper, "Why?"


    Haley simply says, "Because it's better than falling to the Crimson, or being consumed by demons. Go, you'll need some wood to build the shelter and make furniture. I'll wait here in case you die again."


    "How am I supposed to get wood?"


    "There should be some basic tools in your pouches. There should also be a self updating map in a small pocket on the inside of the belt too. Just remember, if you die you'll drop whatever you're holding an money you've got in your money pouch."


    I started fumbling at the buttons on the pouches again while I nodded along. The buttons easily popping out of their holes now that I'm not panicking. When he mentions money, I look up in surprise, "Wait, what? Money?"


    Haley nods, "Yes, the spiritual essence of the monsters you killed. We call them copper, silver, gold, and platinum based on their resemblance to the metals."


    I nod in confused acceptance as I pull a thimble sized sword from the first pouch. "Um, I know you said that they'd be tools. I sort of assumed they'd be, you know. Bigger?"


    I guess my first idea that this is a dream was right.


    Haley shakes his head despairingly, "How can you not know how… I'm sorry Chosen One. I forgot my training. You need a guide because what is common knowledge to us is obviously not to you."


    I stare at him dumbfounded as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a thimble sized bow. "It is a minor feat of magic to shrink and enlarge items. Your belt is enchanted to automatically store nearby resources inside one of it's many pouches. To return an item to full size, merely hold or place the item the way you wish to use it. If we have shelter tonight, I will teach you how to shrink things again. Until then, just throw your unneeded things on the ground and your belt will gather it up again. Or place the item in a belt loop."


    Somewhat dubiously, I hold the sword by its tiny handle and watch incredulously as it expands out to fill my hand. I watch as it slips out of my grasp because of the sudden weight, and bounces of the ground once before it shrinks down and flies into a pouch.


    I reach back into the pouch and pull out the sword, this time intending not to drop it like last time. While I'm doing that, Haley continues to shoot at the slimes that keep coming towards us.


    After nearly an hour of trying, I eventually manage to keep hold of the sword long enough to get a good grip.


    At my small yell of triumph, Haley looks over with a strained expression on his face. "Well done Chosen One. Would you be able to draw the slimes away from here, as I fear I will soon be overwhelmed. Unless you'd like to try killing them."


    "K-kill?" I nervously look down at my sword and up at the slimes that are bouncing towards us. A few seconds pass before instincts born from dodging the bitches three, and their patsies, kick in and I run in the opposite direction to the vast majority of them.


    After I've been running for a minute or so, I stop at the top of a low hill and look back towards the wood I appeared in. There I can see a group of slimes just bouncing around, doing whatever slimes normally do. Looking around, I can already see some other slimes bouncing in my direction.


    At least I can out run them I suppose.


    While I'm keeping half an eye out for the incoming slimes, I investigate my other pouches. The next pouch I try contains a small handful of rubbery blue balls the size of pinheads. I take one of them out of my hand and try to do that holding it trick. It takes me a couple of tries, but eventually I'm left holding an apple sized ball of firm jello that's sticky. It takes me a couple of attempts to shake it off my hand, but eventually it does before returning to the first pouch, rather than the one I took it from. With a sigh, I put the others back where I got them from, and fish around in the first pouch for the single bit of slime jello.


    The next thing I know, my head is engulfed in a massive blue slime that jumped on me from behind. As I breath in to scream at the sudden burning sensation, the last thing I remember is the feeling of my mouth and lungs burning as I breath in slime.


    ═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════​


    "How did you get on Chosen One?"


    I clutch at my throat as the phantom burning sensations start to subside. As the last of them fade away I look at Haley with wild eyes, "I died!"


    Haley chuckles, "I can see that. Did you get any wood?"


    Numbly I shake my head, "No? I haven't even found something to chop down trees with either. Unless you think I should use a sword… Shit, the sword."


    Haley shakes his head with a wry smile, "Don't worry about it. You can find it later." Pointedly looking towards the sun he continues, "I'm more worried about nightfall. As the undead hunger after all life."


    "Well, why don't you chop down the bloody trees then?"


    Haley laughs, "I have no ax, nor skill as a woodsman."


    "Neither do I, so how do you expect me to cut down trees?"


    "You have an ax. The enchantments of the belt will do in lieu of the skill of a woodsman. Mayhap with time, you will learn to power the enchantments in the ax yourself. As it stands, you merely need to be near a tree and take a good swing at it. If you do it right, then a copper ax will strike with the same strength as 35 strikes from an untrained person. Were I to do it, I would need to get 35 good hits on the actual tree for each strike you make."


    I look at Haley with wide eyes, "What!?"


    He gives me a smile and gestures to a tree, "Try it."


    I search through my pouches until I find the ax, my fingers becoming more familiar with the buttons as I do. Once I have the ax in hand, I half heartedly wave it at a tree as Haley shoots a slime.


    Haley calls over his shoulder, "You need to mean it, otherwise it's just a weapon."


    I swallow as I look up at the 30 foot oak tree. Taking a deep breath, I walk over to the tree, and take a double handed grip on the ax. Then I raise it over my shoulder and swing it around, in what I hope is a good swing. The ax twists as it hits the wood and then bounces as it rips its way out of my hands. Accompanying the swing is a loud chonk sound as a number of splinters burst from the tree. Well in excess of the damage I should have done.


    Shaking my wrists, I take a couple of steps back and look at the tree. Once I've got feeling back in my hands I dig out the ax and try and do the same thing again. This time without hitting the tree.


    Again, there's a loud chonk sound, and splinters go flying. Though I don't notice that, as the weight of the ax pulls me round in a spin. Once I've recovered from the spin, I give the ax another swing, then another, and another. Each time I get a little more control over the ax than before. After a couple of dozen swings the tree explodes into quartered logs, each about ten feet long.


    As I stare at them in awe, Haley shouts, "Good job, you probably want three or four more trees!"


    I place the ax into one of the tool loops on the pouch, and marvel as it shrinks down to toy sized as soon as I touch it to the loop. After a couple of shakes of my arms, I start jogging away from Haley to hopefully take the pressure off while my arms recover.


    A few minutes later I circle around the couple of slimes that are still bouncing towards me, and run back towards Haley.


    After I've been running for another five minutes, I come out the other side of the wood and slow to a stop. Obviously I got lost.


    Maybe this would be a better place to chop down trees anyway, as I can see things coming. As there's no slimes around, I grab the ax and start swinging it at the nearby tree.


    As I'm settling into a rhythm, and I'm halfway through my second tree. A green slime sneaks up behind me, and it's only pure luck that my ax catches it just before it lands on my head. As it bounces away from the ax, I scream and flail at it with all my might. Most of my clumsy swings miss, but when I hit it slime jelly goes flying everywhere. After three or four solid hits, I hit something more substantial and one of those sticky jello balls goes flying out along with a couple of copper disks.


    Panting I look around wildly as my entire body shakes and my knuckles are turning white I'm gripping the ax so hard.


    100 yards, that's how far the nearest slime is.


    I pant, "I can do this. Come on Taylor, just take a couple of swings at the tree, then check on the slime."


    After a couple of attempts at psyching myself up, I take a couple of solid swings at the tree, and turn back towards the slime. Apparently just in time to jump back in surprise as it jumps at me.


    I scream again, and flail my ax around in its general direction.


    Over the next couple of trees, my flailing attempts at hitting slimes involve a lot less screaming, and slightly less flailing. Dare I say, I even start to get into a rhythm.


    As another slime sneaks up on me from the wood, I have just enough presence of mind to throw the ax on the floor as my lungs start to burn from my reflexive scream.


    ═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════​


    "Welcome back Chosen One."


    With one hand I clutch at my throat and groan as the phantom burning sensation starts to fade. With the other I weakly wave at Haley while I recover my composure.


    After a minute or so I croak, "I've got loads of wood now."


    Haley nods, "Well done. Try putting all the wood in one of the belt loops."


    I blink at Haley for a couple of seconds. "Are you serious? Wait, of course you are. Give me a second."


    It takes me nearly a minute to find out which pouch all the wood went into. Once I've found it, it makes a large pile in the palm of my hand.


    It takes me a couple of tries to get the wood into the loop without dropping any. But once I do the little splinter like logs enlarge so that they look like tooth picks packed into the loop.


    I look up at Haley, who's plugging away at a slime, "Now what?"


    Haley looks back, then up at the sky that's just started to get a tinge of orange. "Take one of the logs and imagine placing it on the ground. It's like chopping down the trees, but you're trying to build the bottom of a wall. Once you've got the idea, build wall all around us as high as you can, then build a ceiling over the top."


    I look at him hopefully, "Can you do this if I kill the slimes?"


    Haley shakes his head, "No, I trained as a guide, not a builder. I can tell you what and how to do things. I haven't been trained in how to use magic to do it myself."


    Eyes wide, I pull out a log and huff, "Well, what's the point of guides then?"


    Haley glances back as he keeps shooting arrows, "Even master craftsmen, will confer, with us when they, are struggling with, creating something. Where we lack, in our ability to utilize magic, our training includes an almost encyclopedic knowledge of methods and blueprints."


    I pout as I turn back to the log in my hand and try to get it to do something apart from returning to full size and crushing me.


    The sun dips below the horizon before I'm able to place my first section of wall like Haley wants me to. As it does, I watch wide eyed as a zombie claws its way out of the ground a dozen yards away from me.


    Haley sounds stressed as he calls, "Chosen one. We really need that shelter now."


    In a panic I just throw the log down where I want the wall, and suddenly there's a two foot high wall poking out of the dirt. The zombie groans as it starts to shuffle towards us, and my eyes widen even more as I hear answering moans from the wood around us.


    Desperately, I start to just throw more and more logs around us trying to build up the walls as fast as I can. I miss more than a few, so the logs either over shoot, or they stick to the inside of walls I've already built.


    Before long we're surrounded by eight foot high walls and I can hear the zombies bashing on the walls outside.


    As I start to relax, Haley says, "Don't stop yet, zombies can jump, and there are things that fly in the night too."


    I turn to look in Haley's direction as the last of the daylight disappears. "How, I can't see anything!"


    Haley looses an arrow at something and I hear a thud as he says, "Just do your best, it doesn't have to be perfect, just good enough that they can't squeeze through."


    I nod and start flinging logs as high as I can above us, as that's how high I made the walls. After a couple of minutes, Haley puts his arm on my shoulder, "You've done enough now. We'll be safe till morning."


    I sag to the floor in the darkness and start to shiver as it feels like the locker is crowding in around me again. Just before I fall into despair Haley crouches down beside me and puts an arm around my shoulder. "Do you think you're up to making some torches?"


    I take a deep breath and nod, "S-sure, it's better than darkness."


    "First of all you need to learn to contact the spirits. Once you can do that I will teach you a simple prayer of communion. Once you've succeeded in communing with the spirits, it's a similar matter to connect with the enchantments on the belt. Once you can do that I will talk you through how to let the knowledge imbued in the belt guide your hands to make things."


    I nod along and try to do what Haley's telling me to do rather than dwell on the complete lack of light and the sound of things knocking on the walls. It must have taken hours before I could reach the right mental state to commune with the spirits that blessed the belt. As the sky is starting to lighten as Haley starts teaching me the prayer of communion.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Ah, a good ol' Terraria alt power.

    The fun thing is, it's entirely within game mechanics for her to keep all her stuff when she returns to Brockton Bay. Inventory is tied to the character, not the world.
     
    Wild Worm Thesis - Chapter 4
  • Threadmarks

    • Chapter 4


    The next morning I run through my katas with a sense of satisfaction as I can feel my body responding more precisely and closer to my thoughts than it did before. As I run through last night's fight in my head while I act it out in shadow boxing, I castigate myself for missing several easy openings that would have taken the weapons out of the fight. I then remind myself that this was my first real opponent that could actually push me where there were real consequences to the fight. Even if the only permanent consequence was to my shirt, though my ribs are going to be tender for a day or so. I can also see multiple places where I over or under extended and left openings. But that's why I need to seek challenges, and train up people to provide friendly challengers.


    With that in mind, I add an extra cup of rice to the rice cooker, then consider that I'm almost at the point of being able to roof hop. So I add a second cup of rice for myself, as I'm going to be burning more calories as soon as I can start taking a straight route to school. While the rice is cooking, I grab a couple of lengths of lead pipe and add it to my school bag, as Heather needs to build up her strength more if she's going to start parkour. I think I might be at the level Ranma was when he fell in that blasted pool.


    ═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════​


    Heather meets me at the school gates, the same way she's done since I started here.


    "Hey Taylor, anything interesting happen last night?"


    I shrug as I take her bag and slip the lead pipe into the bottom of it, "Not really, had a bit of a spar and headed home."


    "So you didn't beat up a group of Empire gangsters and then fight Cricket to a standstill?"


    I hand the bag back to Heather, "I said I had a spar didn't I? It's not my fault they jumped me."


    As Heather takes the bag back, she almost drops it with a yelp, "Christ, what did you put in here?"


    "Just some weights, you need to get your basic stats up if you want to start parkour."


    "Really? Wait don't change the subject. You were hurt."


    I shrug, "It was just a scratch, she was good for a street fighter, but she had no technique to speak of. Hell, you're a better martial artist than she is."





    Vicky 'Sticky beak' Dallon decides that this is the perfect moment to fly down with her sister and but into the conversation, "Did you say martial arts?"


    I sigh, "Yeah, I did. I've been teaching Heather."


    "You should join the school martial arts team then."


    I hide my scowl, as I have no desire to become one of her projects. "No thank you, I'm quite happy doing gymnastics. At least they give me a workout."


    "Come on, I could introduce you to Carlos, the team leader."


    I roll my eyes, "Team leader? He's barely a brown belt in Western Karate and maybe a blue belt in Krav Maga." I reach out and touch Heather, now she's had a chance to adjust to the new weight, "Tag, you're it."


    Heather looks startled as I dance out of reach, then she glances at Vicky and takes off after me. I take it easy and go around the bigger obstacles like the football bleachers and the toilet block, while I keep just out of reach as I dance over benches, low walls, and even run along a couple of railings until we get back to the main entrance just as the bell goes.


    As I help Heather into the classroom, she whispers, "You're a bitch, you know that don't you."


    I smile as she drops her bag by her desk and I take my seat next to her, "You can stop at any point. And if you don't want to join me at the obstacle course on Saturday, just don't give me your address."


    Heather just glowers at me as the teacher starts calling out names.


    ═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════​


    After English Lit, Chloe sits down next to us as I take two bento boxes out and hand one of them to Heather. "Hey Taylor, did you do something with your hair?"


    I pull my braid around my shoulder in confusion, "Huh? No, not really."


    "Well, it looks really good. I missed you at Gym last night."


    "I, uh, was doing parkour. You were there when I told Heather."


    Chloe nods, "Yes, but I still missed you. Are you going to the Gymnasium tonight?"


    "Uh, yes?"


    "Cool, I'll see you there."


    Heather interrupts, "Taylor, why did you just give me a bento box?"


    I flash Heather a grateful smile, "You're going to be burning more calories than you're used to. That means eating more."


    "I am?"


    "Uh huh, we're going to run to Gym, and when you think you're running as fast as you can, we'll run faster. I'll keep adding weight to your bag every day until you don't think you can carry anymore, then I'll add a little more. I want you to do the routine I've given you twice every morning before school. Then, once you can complete the A course without getting dirty, you'll be ready to join me doing parkour."


    ═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════​





    Heather yelps as she starts to slow down and I whip a towel across the back of her legs.


    "Faster! Don't tell me that you're tired already?"


    I whip the back of her legs again as she stumbles as she tries to look back at me with hate filled eyes.


    "Watch where you're going. You're not fit enough to take your eyes off the road."


    I whip her once more as she tries to draw in enough breath to say something, and she finally starts speeding up again.


    As we approach the shop I bought my thermos from, I overtake her and say, "You can stop for a moment, as I need to replace my thermos."


    As she's gasping for air, I hand her a sealed water bottle before I dive into the store.


    As I walk up to the cash desk, the salesperson asks, "Good afternoon, how can I help you today?"


    I smile and slip the thermos and receipt out of my backpack, "Hi, I bought this last week, and I think there was a fault with the lid as it cracked while I was out on a run."


    The salesperson frowns and unscrews the stainless-steel cup. The frown deepens as he unscrews the cracked stopper and carefully examines it for any sign of abrasions or knocks.


    After a minute of looking, he turns the thermos and cup around looking for any dents or abrasions that could allow him to claim I misused the thermos, and thus it wasn't covered by the guarantee.


    With a scowl he finally says, "Fine, I can give you a refund or a replacement."


    I smile at the emphasis he places on the word replacement, "I'll take the replacement please. I'd even take a replacement stopper rather than an entirely new flask if that would help."


    The man's nose wrinkles in disgust, "I would, but we don't stock them. Grab a new flask from the shelf and I'll process it."


    A few minutes later I saunter out of the shop and smile at Heather as she's taking a sip from the bottle of water, her breathing clearly almost back to normal. "Ready to go again?"


    Heather looks at me in alarm. Plaintively she says, "It's only a couple of blocks that way, can't we just walk?"


    I smirk, "You've had a break, so we're going to run around the PRT building twice."


    "But…"


    "Three times."


    "It's…"


    "Four times."


    This time I punctuate the words with a whip of the towel.


    Half heartedly she starts to run, and I whip at her legs again to get her running at full speed.


    As we approach the first corner I whip her legs as she starts to slow down, "Don't slow down! Look for something to bounce off!"


    Putting words to actions, I overtake Heather and bounce off a bollard, take a couple of steps, and dive into a roll to bleed off my momentum and turn around to check on Heather.


    It's a good thing I did, as Heather plows into the bollard and sprawls onto the floor.


    With a sigh, I walk over and help her off the floor, "Are you alright?"


    Heather holds her hands over her pelvis where the top of the bollard hit, and with a pained groan says, "I'm fine, give me a sec."


    I nod as I place my hand over the same area, "This is why you're not ready to do parkour with me yet."


    Heather gasps out, "What's that?"


    I do a little one handed dance at successfully being able to channel a little ki consciously, "That's my ki. You're not at the point where you're using it unconsciously yet, but I can tell it's starting to build. It helps that you were already a good gymnast, as we didn't need to get you into shape first."


    "Ki? You've mentioned it before, but what is it?"


    I chuckle, "It's your life force. At a basic level it allows people to move faster, be stronger, tougher, and more healthy. At higher levels it can be used to heal faster, survive poisons, and start to edge into superhuman feats. After that is conscious control of ki and learning to use it outside your body. That's where the fun starts."


    Heather blurts out, "Are you a cape?" before she can control herself.


    I laugh, "Want to know a secret? No, I'm not a cape. My 'parahuman' ability is actually a magical curse. Martial arts is something that anyone can do if they have the will and dedication. The two-week coma I was in? I was living in a guy's head for two years, and he was more or less a Master of the martial art I'm teaching you."


    "Really?"


    I nod, "Yep, I've got the same curse he does, did. Now come on, you've still got 3 ¾ laps to do before we start your warm-up."


    Heather opens her mouth to object, so I whip her with the towel, "Mush, mush. And try to take the corners at full speed!"


    ═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════​


    Heather staggers against a wall as Taylor runs off to his therapy session. As she resists the urge to slide down the wall, John walks over with a concerned look on his face.


    "Heather, are you alright?"


    Sarcastically, Heather replies, "Just peachy."


    "You look dead on your feet."


    Heather nods, "We almost sprinted all the way here, then Taylor made me run around the PRT building four times."


    John raises his eyebrows, "And she made you go straight into your kata without changing?"


    Heather forces herself to start on her cooldown stretches. "Tell me about it. I thought I'd at least get the chance to get my breath back. But no, she shuffled me off to the balance beam once I'd done one kata sort of right. And the bitch didn't even have the grace to work up a sweat."


    John chuckles, "You should get some food in you while she's at therapy. Will you be back later?"


    Heather pauses in her stretches to give John a deadpan look with steel in her eyes, "Of course. She's not going to beat me."


    John claps her on the shoulder, "Good for you." A second later he's jogging over to the rings pit shouting, "Peter, what have I told you about not using equipment without a spotter?"


    As she heads towards the showers, Heather pauses and smiles, "That's right, she's not going to beat me. I'm going to get as good as she is."


    On her way to the showers she waves at Chloe, who's just getting into her gym kit. Cheerfully she says, "Hey Chloe, Taylor's in the PRT building at the moment."


    Chloe scowls, "Damn it, Mom made me do my homework and eat dinner before I was allowed out."


    Heather's smile brightens even more, "Well, you could always get your homework done during school hours."


    "Yes miss professional gymnast. We can't all be as lucky as you."


    Heather nods in acknowledgement, as it's true she's been on the national team twice, not that competing against Mexico and Canada is much of a world class event. There's a good chance she'll still be on the national team next time the "World gymnastics championship" comes around. And Arcadia lets her off her work release because her training schedule can be, so focused. Well, not as focused as she's been since she started working with Taylor.


    As she strips off to shower, she idly wonders what it would have been like to compete in the Olympics or at a true world event before Leviathan and the Simurgh put a freeze on most mass international travel.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Darkphoenixlady said:
    That would be fine, except they resemble demonic body cultivators more than seekers of the dao. As this chapter has probably hinted, she doesn't have much patience for demonic cultivators.
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    Not really? A major theme if not the major theme of most cultivation stories whether intentional or not is that no matter how strong someone gets or how high they climb they're still just human in the sense of how they act hell this even applies to any animals beasts etc that gain sentience its far more likely she'd have an issue with them due to not being the same race/species as her because you don't get that far without committing at least several trillion child murders even if they're just due to collateral damage from fighting someone else
     
    the true joe said:
    Not really? A major theme if not the major theme of most cultivation stories whether intentional or not is that no matter how strong someone gets or how high they climb they're still just human in the sense of how they act hell this even applies to any animals beasts etc that gain sentience its far more likely she'd have an issue with them due to not being the same race/species as her because you don't get that far without committing at least several trillion child murders even if they're just due to collateral damage from fighting someone else
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    Demonic cultivators steal the cultivation of others in order to progress their own. That's what she has a problem with. It's also what the entities do with their host species.
     
    Darkphoenixlady said:
    Demonic cultivators steal the cultivation of others in order to progress their own. That's what she has a problem with. It's also what the entities do with their host species.
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    Thats rather hypocritical and narrow minded for a supposed being of her level considering stealing cultivation is the basis of their economy whether that be from the world via mining ley lines for spirit stones or even flat out murdering sentient beasts for their cores so either a the cultivation world your using is vastly different from the average b shes not smart enough to figure the hypocrisy out or c shes racist or rather xenophobic there's probably a few other possibilities and im vastly generalising but its late as hell and im tired
     
    the true joe said:
    Thats rather hypocritical and narrow minded for a supposed being of her level considering stealing cultivation is the basis of their economy whether that be from the world via mining ley lines for spirit stones or even flat out murdering sentient beasts for their cores so either a the cultivation world your using is vastly different from the average b shes not smart enough to figure the hypocrisy out or c shes racist or rather xenophobic there's probably a few other possibilities and im vastly generalising but its late as hell and im tired
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    She was used as a cauldron, and she has never personally stolen someone's cultivation. So, not a hypocrite. Don't forget that you can cultivate without all of those things, it's just massively more difficult.

    As for spirit stones, it's much the same as mining coal. Same with beasts, if you're eating something that can talk back, then it's demonic. If you're not, then it's farming.
     
    Who knew survival could be such fun - 2 - Alt power Taylor
  • Threadmarks

    • Chapter 2


    As the morning light filters through the ill-fitting logs of my improvised shelter, Haley deems my memorization of the prayer good enough to attempt to perform it with him.


    Together we crouch in the dappled dawn sunlight and begin chanting the prayer to the spirits. As we reach the end of the second repetition, Haley starts to sing the prayer and clap to the rhythm that we've been keeping.


    You know that feeling when someone's looking at you. That prickly feeling you get? Well, that's what it's like to commune with the spirits, except stronger. I could feel them all around me whispering to each other and me, their words just on the wrong audible for me to make out what they're saying. Or maybe I just don't understand the language.


    It feels abrupt when Haley finishes singing. As I come back to my senses I realize that the last of the dawn light has gone, and the sunlight is now white as it streams through the gaps between the boards.


    "Chosen one."


    "I'm not the Chosen one." I snap back and immediately regret it.


    Contritely I say, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. It's just that was so…"


    Haley nods, "I understand. I still remember the first time I was permitted to participate in the communion."


    "Look, I'm sorry. I'm not this Chosen One. I know you've been calling me that since yesterday, but I'm just Taylor. Yesterday I'd just been shoved in my locker, and I thought I was dreaming when you woke me up. I guess I must have died in the locker, as there's no way I could have felt the pain of those slimes if this was a dream."


    Haley smiles gently at me, "May I call you Taylor then Chosen One?"


    I nod slightly distractedly as my mind starts to go over the idea that I died in the locker. I'm brought out of my musing as Haley puts his hand on my shoulder once more.


    "Taylor, I know you had a hard life for one so young. But we still need to worry about our survival. The belt will help you go longer without food or rest, but even with that you will eventually need to eat."


    I nod and swallow back my growing panic. "What do I need to do?"


    Haley smiles, "The act of communing with the spirits is one of focusing outwards, and letting go of your sense of self. The prayer is our way of giving thanks for their aid and sacrifices, as well as asking for their continued protection. To commune with the spirits in your belt you must do something similar. Though, instead of focusing outwards, you need to listen for the spirits imbued in your belt. We are taught that things should become clear at that point. Though, as you are the first person one these belts has ever reacted to, I'll be looking forward to finding out what happens."


    My eyebrows rise, and, not for the first time, I wish I hadn't let Emma talk me out of teaching myself to raise one eyebrow. Instead, I settle back against the wall and start trying to find that feeling again. Not the prickly feeling of the spirits watching me. Rather the slightly sloshy or floaty feeling that Haley said is mana.


    To do this I need to go through the process of slowly identifying and labelling each of the sounds, sights, smells, and feelings around me and disregarding them until the only thing I'm left with is mana.


    I'm not sure how long it takes, only that it's still daylight outside and that I had to restart it five or six times because something new happened. But with nothing else to do, unless I wanted to knock holes in our shelter and face the slimes outside, I persevered.


    In a way, it's nice being able to do something like this without the Bitches Three causing problems, or dad. Or dad being all mopey around the house, as if he was the only one that lost someone when mum died.


    That tantalizing glimpse of what I was looking for disappears as those thoughts cross my mind. With a scream of frustration, I surge to my feet and promptly sit back down on the ground as I bump my head on a beam. With no other outlets, and unwilling to venture outside to die again, I spend a bit of energy knocking down and replacing the logs of our shelter to use up some of the anger that came from those thoughts.


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    The sun is well on its way towards the horizon by the time I manage to calm down long enough to find that feeling once more. When I do, instead of finding a pool like Haley suggested, my mana is more like a puff of steam from a nearly boiling pot with the lid on.


    Suffice to say I almost lose my calm right there. But finding my own mana was only part of why I'm doing this. I can see why Haley started with communing with the spirits before I tried this. They're so much more obvious.


    When I discover the belt, my eyes flick open in surprise, as I can feel it like a trained guide dog waiting to help me to the best of its ability.


    Haley smirks and says, "You found something then?"


    I nod, "I did. But I couldn't find a pool of mana inside me. If the feeling of the spirits was liquid, then mine felt like it was only a wisp of steam."


    Haley frowns, "That can't be right, everyone has mana. Otherwise how did you place those logs, or cut down the trees?"


    I shrug, "I have no idea, you're the guide."


    "Sorry Cho…Taylor, that was mostly rhetorical. You need to work out how to connect to the belt and maintain the connection while you open your eyes. From everything we understand of the belt, it should then allow you to 'know' what you can do with the items you're carrying, along with any container you're looking in. It should also allow you to make things too. The first thing you should make is a torch, so that we can see. Then try to make a workbench."


    I nod and get up to stretch my legs before sitting back down on the floor and trying again. Rather ironically, I think it's actually harder to find my mana and the belt than it was the first time. Probably because I'm anticipating it. That and the zombies bashing on the walls, and trying to reach through the gaps in the wood.


    When I get there, it's like the belt is showing me stuff in a grid, and if I focus on something it gives me some basic details about it. Like my copper axe having 35% axe power.


    I open my eyes with a frown and try to keep my focus on what the belt is telling me. "Harley, what's Axe Power?"


    Harley's voice comes out of the darkness, "Um. I'm not entirely sure. I know that a trained lumberjack will take down a tree in 10 hits with a lead axe, while a copper axe will take 15. That's assuming that they're both unenchanted of course."


    "Enchanted? Damn it!" I swear as I lose my focus and my connection with the belt.


    Haley chuckles, "I remember feeling like that when I was learning magic tricks as a child. Calm down and take it slowly, and it will become second nature before you realize it."


    "Enchanted? Magic tricks?"


    "An applied permanent magical enhancement. While there's only a limited number of enhancements that we've found; our weapon smiths and craftsmen often find that the magic they used has remained in the item for better or worse. The few tribes of goblins that aren't warmongers make a lot of money from the kingdoms, as they're the only ones that know how to disrupt the pattern of enchantments so that they fall back into a new configuration."


    "Oh, um. I guess that might make more sense later. I'm going to try and make contact with the belt again."


    Haley just smiles as he settles down again.


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    When I finally feel the belt again, I get that sense of an eager puppy just begging for the chance to help. Working out how to get it to help me make something was, irritating, but fairly quick.


    When I showed my desire to make something, it eagerly presented me with half a dozen different options. As I was trying to understand the different options, I focused too hard on a weird mini table. Suddenly 10 logs of wood fly out of the belt and my hands start to move and manifest ghostly saws, hammers, drills, and other woodworking tools.


    My mouth drops open in surprise as the massive logs are compressed down into useable pieces, and then slotted together using dowels and pegs to fasten the joints invisibly.


    When I get control of my body again, Haley chuckles as the little table vanishes into a pouch.


    "Well done, you've made a work bench. You might as well place it in the middle of the room before you make the torches. And we do need those torches."


    I frown at that statement, before the rapidly disappearing light registers. "Have I really been doing this all day?"


    Haley's a barely visible shadow as he nods. All around us I can hear the sounds of zombies clawing their way out of the ground. I swallow hard and dive back into the meditation that allows me to contact the belt. This time I'm able to focus on just the torches, and once again my hands start doing their own thing.


    First of all, I take a log and compress it down until it's about 18 inches long. Then I split it into three even pieces, which get carved into a thin cone. Finally, I take one of the jello balls and stab one of the proto torches into the mass, I then twist the other two torches through the jello until there's an even blob on each of them. A spark of fire sees the blob catch and rapidly shrink down into the end of the torch.


    As the three torches disappear into a pocket, I somehow know that they will continue burning forever, or until something else that is hotter than normal fire burns them.


    "Well done. Now, normally I'd say put a torch on a wall. But as you've already built a workbench, why not see if you can make a lamp of some kind."


    I jump slightly as Haley's voice comes out of the darkness. I root around in the pockets of the belt until I find the torches.


    I end up making a couple of chairs and a floor lamp before making small batches of wood paneling to go on the walls. By the time I finish, the place looks quite cozy, if a little spartan.


    Over the rest of the night we talk about what we need to do going forward. Well, what I need to do anyway, what with my demonstrated ability to survive being killed. In short, I need to cut down a few more trees so that I can start expanding our shelter into a proper house. If I die again, well when rather than if, I should mark the place I revive with a torch. That way I can build a shed or something over it and not run the risk of being jumped while I'm regaining my wits. Oh, and finding stone to make a forge, and ore to turn into bars.


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    The next morning I hack out a door shaped hole in one wall of our shelter and hang the door (made with the recovered wood). As I'm looking around, Haley comes out to stand beside me.


    "Well done Taylor. What are you going to do now?"


    I look around at the trees for a moment, "I think. I think I'm going to turn this into a clearing so that we can see any of those jelly things coming."


    "Slimes."


    "Huh?"


    "They're called slimes. They're a pest when they're allowed to run wild, but we have slime farms on the mainland. The gel they drop is most commonly used with dynamite to allow it to stick to the sides of quarries. If you're one of the less wealthy living near a slime farm, their gel can also be turned into furniture."


    "Wow, um, sucks to be them?"


    Haley shrugs, "Depends on your point of view. As many of the wealthy in the cities will have a room decked out in slime furniture, just so that they can show they can afford to have it imported."


    "Right, well I'm going to get on with cutting the trees down. Do you think that a 60ft radius would be a large enough clearing?"


    "A what radius?"


    "Foot, or 20 yards?"


    "I'm sorry, I've never heard of those measurements. We use blocks for our measurements. That's the maximum amount of iron ore that can be shrunk magically turned into a cube. Larger amounts need to be broken down until they're under that value. It used to be called the iron standard, as the Zerian Hordes used to use it for measuring distances before they discovered how to shape other materials into the same size during the mining process."


    I open my mouth to ask a question before deciding that I didn't want to get caught in a three hour conversation when we could be jumped by slimes at any moment.


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    I've cleared around half of the trees needed to make my clearing, and only died twice. I can't believe how quickly I've become blasé about dying. Anyway, I've cleared around half the trees when a branch that seems to have a birds nest attached to it falls on my head.


    As the branch shrinks down into one of my pouches, rather than the belt loop that the wood is stored in, I decide to take a break and ask Haley about this in the house I've started to build over my resurrection point.


    As I'm opening the door I call out, "Haley!"


    Haley puts his bow away and follows me into the house, "Yes Taylor?"


    "I can understand fruit falling out of a tree, but what on earth is this?"


    As I'm fishing the branch out of my pouch, Haley asks, "Earth?"


    I pause for a second, "Um, it's the name of the planet I come from."


    "Oh, well this planet is called Lesiphus after the ancient philosopher that pointed out that we can't call a planet Ground."


    I hand the branch to Haley who goes quiet as he examines it for a while. After a few minutes he looks up with bright eyes, "Well Taylor, you're exceedingly lucky. I never thought I'd ever see one of these, as they only form naturally in areas with high levels of wild magic. On top of that they're restricted to horde members and adventurers in good standing."


    "You have adventurers?"


    Haley's eyes seem to sparkle as he enthusiastically nods, "Oh yes. I always dreamed of becoming an adventurer when I grew up. At least until my mana levels were tested when I came of age." His expression drops, "My mana levels were too low for even a trade, let alone a Horde member or Adventurer. And it's not like fallen stars are that common in the nations."


    "Fallen Stars?" As he opens his mouth to answer, I shake my head, "No, wait. let's talk about this tonight. What's the branch?"


    Haley looks disappointed as he says, "Oh, yes. This is a finch staff. Year after year a finch has nested in this branch. Over time their essence seeped into the wood and bound the nest and branch together. With the right application of mana, you can summon a copy of the bird that made the nest its home. It will then follow and defend you until it's dismissed or you die."


    I nod, as something to watch my back sounds good. "How do I summon it?"


    Haley hands the staff back to me, "It's like connecting to the belt. Except you need to connect to your own mana and the staff. Then pull your mana into the staff while you point it where you want the summon to appear."


    I nod and easily slip into the state where I can feel my mana, having done it so much over the last day. As I connect my staff to the cloud that is my mana, it streams into the staff and I have a moment to realize just how much pain I'm in before I fall down. Just as the world is going dark, the sound of a bird chirping fills the room, and I can vaguely hear Haley's concerned voice.


    A short while later I appear standing on one side of the room, where I was standing before is a short black obelisk that I know will have some form of insulting epitaph on it. "What happened?"


    I grind my teeth as Haley looks at the inscription and says, "You apparently used up all the magic that's keeping you alive."


    As the last of the phantom pains leave my limbs, I slump over to one of the chairs in the room. "How am I supposed to use the staff if I can't do it without killing myself."


    Haley thinks for a moment, "Can you connect it to the belt instead?"


    "I'll try."


    It takes me what feels like nearly an hour to connect the mana pool from the belt to the staff. Part of that is my nervousness at making a mistake and killing myself again. Regardless, when I succeed, I feel like a weight has landed on my head.


    Looking up, I see nothing. So I feel around on the top of my head with my hands. It seems like there's a birds nest with a bird sitting in it. I gently take it out of the nest to look at a small blue finch that sits calmly in my palm.


    I chuckle as I say, "Well, that's the first time having a birds nest instead of hair has been literal."


    Haley smiles, "I'm glad you're happy about it. One of the reasons why those staves are so rare is that very few adventurers ever stick with the summoner path, or they start with a stronger summon."


    "Summoner path?"


    Haley nods, "It's the magic path for those who don't have large amounts of mana. As a summons only needs to be called once, and so it can be done when you're in a place you don't need to hurry and risk overtaxing yourself. The downside of summons is that they are semi autonomous, and so can end up attacking targets that you don't want them to. Which is why they're usually not allowed in towns and cities."


    I nod and shiver as it reminds me that we're in the equivalent of the untamed wilderness here. Wryly I say, "Well, it's not like I need to worry about that here."


    Haley nods, "True, and spirits willing, you will be able to eliminate the hold that the Moon Lord holds on this land, and release the stored magic back into the world."


    I narrow my eyes as my atrophied social skills poke at my conscience and suggest that he's feeling sad about it. "Haley, what's wrong?"


    Haley shakes his head, "Nothing, just ruminating on the fact that I probably won't survive to see you complete your destiny."


    "I'm going to do my best to make sure you survive."


    Haley gives me a smile, "I'm sure you will."


    I grab the apple and lemon that dropped from the trees I was felling, "Do you want some fruit to cheer you up?"


    Haley gives me a smile, "Sure, I'd like that. Do you mind if I have the lemon?"


    I hand Haley the lemon, while I take a bite of the apple. A few minutes after I finish the apple, I feel energized, and like I could finish clearing the trees in less time than the half I did before.


    Shaking my head at the energy rush, I ask Haley, "What's up with the apple, I feel like I could run a marathon."


    Haley chuckles, "I have no idea what a marathon is, I assume it's a long distance. As for the apple, there's nothing special about it. It's just this is the first thing you've had to eat for a few days. Do you remember me saying that you need less food and rest?" When I shake my head he continues, "Understandable, as it was the first day after you arrived. Everyone that gets sent here will have been taught how to subsist on the high mana levels. It's no substitute to an actual meal, but it means you won't die. Instead, hunger makes you sluggish and more likely to make mistakes that will get you killed. If it goes on for long enough, it could get so bad that you can't even defend yourself from a slime."


    "Does that mean sleep too?"


    Haley rocks both hands alternating up and down, with his palms up, "Yes and no. We can commune with the spirits to rest while remaining somewhat aware of our surroundings. Your belt should protect you from the ravages of not resting enough. Though when you can make a bed, sleep is still a good idea."


    Slowly I ask, "Haley, what would have happened if I didn't turn up when I did?"


    Haley smiles sadly, "I'd have been the 356th​ guide to give their life waiting for the Chosen one. Hopefully I'd have been able to survive till the next blood moon, but we know that the veil between worlds is particularly thin at this time of year."


    "365? Is that one a year?"


    "Slightly less, as not all the guides survived the full moon. The prophecy was given to Queen Abashidze in the 853rd​ year of the Abashidze Kingdom, and 1,647 years after the fall of the Zerian empire."


    I collapse back into my chair, "Wait, so you knew I was coming?"


    Haley shakes his head, "Not you particularly, just that someone favored by the spirits would be brought to our world, and that they would be instrumental in freeing the old gods from the Moon Lord's grasp, and bring magic back to the 13 kingdoms."


    I stand up abruptly, "I'm going to chop down some more trees."


    Haley nods, "I understand."


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    I just about manage to finish making the clearing before the sun drops below the horizon. Though it was close, as the energy boost from the apple didn't last nearly long enough.


    The finch was an absolute godsend, as it flew off whenever a slime got within 40 yards or so, and kept attacking until the slime popped. And the exercise helped distract me from what Haley told me. Except I decided to spend the night in my own shelter rather than with Haley, and now all I have is time.


    Looking at the finch, that is putting up with my petting of it, I say, "What do they expect me to do Bluey? I'm just a bullied teenager, I'm not a hero. I don't even have powers, just this stupid belt. Which is an admittedly cool belt. But it's not powers. Why didn't they call someone like Eidelon or Alexandra? And they've sacrificed 300 odd guides in the hope that someone would turn up. I mean, what the fuck?"


    I let out a sob and bury my face in my arms on the table. "I can't do this. I couldn't even deal with Emma, how am I supposed to deal with this? What should I do?"


    Predictably, Bluey doesn't say anything. A loud thump on my door shocks me out of my pity party, and the low moan that accompanies it tells me that it's not Haley at the door. In a fit of pique, I storm over to the door and yank it open, "Hey, arsehole, I'm not interested."


    The zombie on the otherside of the door doesn't have time to moan back at me before Bluey's launched from the nest on my head and started attacking it as I slam the door in its face. I feel a brief pang of guilt as I hear the chirping cries of Bluey as they attack the zombie outside.


    With nothing else to do, and not feeling the slightest bit tired, I stomp over to the workbench that I put into the corner of my shelter.


    Connecting to my belt, I smile slightly at its eager desire to help by showing me what it has in the pouches and belt loops, as well as what it can help me make.


    As I curiously look at the items in my pouches, it eagerly tells me what each item is, and if it can be used to make something. A bit like Haley, without the interesting commentary.


    My attention pauses on fences. 'Prevents enemies from forming inside the fence' sounds useful. Though I'd need to leave a gap so that I can get in and out. Maybe I can put a doorframe in the gap. But first I think I'll make myself some of this armor and a hammer and big sword. As anything that will help me survive anything that gets past Bluey is good in my book.
     
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