Rise to the Occasion (Worm / TMNT)

[Kkutlord]

Well, there's five unspent Omake Rewards. But I'm really hoping @Lunaryon will at least explain the Qi & Alchemy Trait Routes first. Omake Points are a precious thing, I rather be able to judge which one is more valuable instead of immediately blowing a Reroll / +20 bonus.

 

[Silor]

This will be my first dice roll for this quest. Dice gods please have mercy.

Edit: They did not have mercy (￢_￢; ).

Silor threw 1 100-faced dice. Reason: Alchemy Trait Total: 38

 

[Hikari]

Rolls
Mystic Stat Increase Chances: 93. Third Degree Success.
Learning Stat Increase Chances: 89. Second Degree Success.
QI Trait: 5. Failure.
One of Five Alchemy Traits: 38. 2nd One Gained.

Well, there's five unspent Omake Rewards. But I'm really hoping @Lunaryon will at least explain the Qi & Alchemy Trait Routes first. Omake Points are a precious thing, I rather be able to judge which one is more valuable instead of immediately blowing a Reroll / +20 bonus.

Click to shrink...

Well, we know that the Five DCs of Alchemy each represent a different trait that relates to the same thing. DC 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80. I feel like part of the intended fun of the situation is the mystery aspect and Taylor discovering the different options as her journey continues.

She starts her journey with just a fragment of the field.

So it'd feel a bit weird if we just got outright told what we're missing before the narrative clarifies things.

 

[tygerbright]

Yeah, a large part of the draw of quests is the emergent storytelling as dice fall as they do, and the not knowing exactly what will come of the actions taken. It's like going into a game blind, there is a sense of excitement as things are revealed.

And also traits and such are usually upgradeable with time anyway.

 

[FictionPack]

I would like the Qi Trait to be rerolled though, that bonus on the next Trait roll for it would be pretty negligible. It's almost impossible to make it worse.

I'm fine with the Alchemy result.

 

[Kkutlord]

This will be my first dice roll for this quest. Dice gods please have mercy.

Edit: They did not have mercy (￢_￢; ).

Click to shrink...

38 actually isn't that bad, especially since I have three Omake Rewards and could push it up pretty decently.

and a 1d100 for Alchemy DC 0,20,40,60,80

Click to shrink...

Well, we know that the Five DCs of Alchemy each represent a different trait that relates to the same thing. DC 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80. I feel like part of the intended fun of the situation is the mystery aspect and Taylor discovering the different options as her journey continues.

Click to shrink...

Its kind of scary to me, though, not actually knowing what the Qi Trait is- a Reroll in general is pretty risky, sure we probably have better odds getting something better than a 5 but it isn't a certainty we wouldn't fail again or even do worse.

Could always try asking Blueshift if he and Friction wanna try?

 

[FictionPack]

I'm willing to use my reward to reroll Qi.
Only have 1 though, so can't alone.

 

[Lunaryon]

Where does the Bonus apply? What is the bonus? Do we just outright get +3 Mysticism and +2 Learning, or just the chance to get them?

Click to shrink...

So the bonus is going to be a +15 to each of the Rolls for Mysticism, which have the dc of... 63 for the first one, and the next two above that would be 65 and then 68 if they all succeed.

The Alchemy Traits are all a bit different, and there are other ways to pick them up over time, but those will take a bit longer to find because right now things are pretty calm in Brockton Bay.

Speaking of, I need a 3d100 for Mystic
and a 2d100 for Learning

 

[thewhiteraven22]

Rolling For Mystic

thewhiteraven22 threw 3 100-faced dice. Reason: Mystic Total: 188

 

[Hikari]

Rolling For Mystic

Click to shrink...

Base Mysticism 18 to 20
First: 81 + 15 = 96. Pass.
Second: 63 + 15 = 78. Pass.
Third: 44 + 15 = 59. Failure By 9. DC 69.
Final Score: 20 + (INT 9/4) - 1 = 21.25 = Rounded Down to 21.

Rolling for Learning. Pretty sure both fail.

Hikari threw 2 100-faced dice. Total: 64

 

[Kkutlord]

@Lunaryon because apparently I'm not allowed to make my own decisions... I'll use one of my Omake Points to get that third Mysticism up and another to help Reroll the Q Trait.

 

[FictionPack]

and another to help Reroll the Q Trait.

Click to shrink...

Rerolling the Qi Trait using my reward as well. @Lunaryon

And we got the Trait!

FictionPack threw 1 100-faced dice. Reason: Qi Trait Total: 85

 

[Kkutlord]

This will be my first dice roll for this quest. Dice gods please have mercy.

Edit: They did not have mercy (￢_￢; ).

Click to shrink...

The Alchemy Traits are all a bit different, and there are other ways to pick them up over time, but those will take a bit longer to find because right now things are pretty calm in Brockton Bay.

Click to shrink...

@Blueshift if you want, you could use your Omake Point to bump up the Alchemy Trait to the next level?

Rerolling the Qi Trait using my reward as well. @Lunaryon

And we got the Trait!

Click to shrink...

I suppose I'm willing to use my third and final Omake Point to bump that up to a 95, that should get us the best version of the Qi Trait right?

 

[Lunaryon]

Spoiler: Winning Vote

[X][Tome] A Treatise on the Flow of Qi
[X][Tome] A Treatise on Alchemy

"I'm Taylor, what's your name?"

The other girl chuckles, "I'm Kendra. Cassie's my cousin. I knew she mentioned that you were a cutie, but I wasn't expecting you to be this cute." To be honest, you aren't entirely sure how to handle this girl saying things like this.

"Uhhh... Thanks?" You offer, now feeling more than a little awkward. You've never spoken to someone like this before, and you don't have any idea what to do. Before you have a chance to say anything more however, there is a sound, something that you don't have the slightest idea what it could have been...

Bwoorp~!

That was a... A... A sound? You and Kendra look over to one another, trying to figure out what the heck it was that you just heard. "Was... did you hear that?" Kendra asks, and you can't help but slowly nod.

"Yeah, that was... A noise." The other girl snorts, before glancing back down to the laptop next to her. With a huff, the girl leans back in her chair, looking to the rubik's cube again.

That... That seems to be the end of that conversation, so without anything else to do you start to look through the library again, but as you do you spot something interesting.

Sitting there on what had only moments ago been an empty shelf was a thin book, little more than a notepad with a soft, almost worn leather cover. Carefully glancing back and forth, you try to see if there is anyone around who could have put this here, or something that might imply that this is the source of that strange sound. But... No, nothing.

How odd. Carefully picking up the book, there is a tiny spark, a shock like static electricity. With numbed fingers, you find a chair near one end of the library, far and away from everyone else, before sitting down and carefully opening the book. You've been looking for something interesting to read, now you've found it.

Settling down into one of the many comfortable chairs scattered around the Community Center's libraries, you carefully open the book that you've found.

Of the Sciences Most Esoteric
A Treatise on the connections between Qi, Organic Chemistry, and Alchemy.

Compiled by ███████████

There's a splash of ink that has been dropped onto this first page, hiding away the name of the author. That... That's kind of annoying, but at the same time the name of the author really doesn't matter. You don't really know what Qi is, but Alchemy is a term that you have heard of before.

It was a predecessor to Modern Chemistry, which means that it does kind of make sense that there would be some kind of connection between the two. You aren't entirely sure why someone would write a book like that, but that the same time it does catch your attention.

Which is the point of it all, right?

Of course, is that was the case, then it would help if the book had the name of the cover, but what really manages to catch your attention is a much simpler detail.

These words are not printed on the page, but instead this is hand written. Maybe it's something for one of the games downstairs, like Urban Chaos.

With that in mind, you slowly start to read.

Spoiler: Qi

Mysticism Stat Increase Chance = 1d100 | DC 30, 60, 90 == 93
[THREE SUCCESSES]
Mystic Stat Rise = 1d100 + 15 | 63 = 81 + 15 = 96
Mystic Stat Rise = 1d100 + 15 | 65 = 63 + 15 = 78
Mystic Stat Rise = 1d100 + 15 | 68 = 44 + 15 = 59 + Omake = 69
[THREE SUCCESSES]
Mysticism == 18 → 21

Qi = 1d100 | DC 50, 70, 90 == 5
[OMAKE REWARDS USED]
1d100 = 85 + Omake = 95
[THREE SUCCESSES!]
[NEW TRAIT GAINED!]
呼吸法( Kokyū-hō)
Allows the Learning of Qi Techniques
Treats the DC of Mysticism Rolls as being 4 ranks lower than it is
Increases Prowess by 1

While at a first glance, between the name and the handwritten nature of the book, you had assumed that it was something for some kind of game, the more that you read of the book, the less and less certain you are of that.

The kinds of things that the book is talking about are nothing like what you would expect from a game module. What kind of game starts off with a introduction about Friedrich Wöhler, the German scientist who is the father of Organic Chemistry. From there it actually goes into a not small amount of detail about the nature of cellular structures and the capabilities of living cells under various circumstances. All of this is absolutely fascinating, which is why you barely even notice the fact that the discussion starts to drift away from the kinds of things that you have learned before, and onto far stranger topics.

The book begins to talk about something that it calls 齐( Qí) . Which the book explains in two ways. One that you can't help but raise an eyebrow at... That Qi is the some fundamental life force inherent in all things, from the grass to the trees to the birds and the fish in the sea, a connecting force that strengthens all who reach out to one another.

But then there is another definition. What the ancient Chinese philosophers referred to as Qi is not an actual thing, but a process. The human body is a product of evolution. That means that much of our forms and our shapes are inherently flawed, because evolution does not favor what is efficient, it simply favors whatever works first. Drawing on one's Qi is the process of making changes to your lifestyle in order to take these imperfect organs and biological instincts and forging them into something more.

People do not instinctually know the best way to breath, just how to breath. And that sounds silly, sure, but as you sit there, looking at the instructions and the diagrams, you have to wonder if there might be something to this. Such an idea is absolutely silly, sure, but that doesn't mean that it is entirely wrong... Nor that it's actually right, but what is the worst that can happen?

Shifting to sit in the 'Lotus' position that the book shows, you rest your hands on your knees, and hold your back straight.

You start to follow the different steps that the book shows to try and do this whole breathing exercise that it mentions and...

And...

And after a few minutes you just find yourself feeling silly. This isn't working, and really, are you even surprised? This is just some dumb handwritten book that probably isn't even-

You sigh out, frustrated at having wasted your own time, before you Breath. Instantly the difference is like night and day. The air in the room seems to drop by whole degrees even as your lungs start to fill with air, but it isn't that they are regular cold, more it's like you had chewed a bunch of mint gum, and now the air feels crisp and clean in a way that you've never felt before. The whole thing is such a surprise that you cough and you sputter and for a moment it all goes away again.

Only the utter difference in the air is enough to get your chest spasming in pain, and without thinking about it, your lungs just breath in the right way. But even as you do, there is a small part of you that worries that once you move, getting out of the proper position you'll struggle to get this back, and that is enough to almost leave you frozen.

You don't want to think about that, at least not right now, so instead you allow your focus to fall back to the book as you get comfortable breathing in this strange way that fits and feels so much better than any other way that you have ever breathed before.

Spoiler: Alchemy

Learning Stat Increase = 1d100 | DC 30, 60, 90 == 89
[TWO SUCCESSES]
Learning Stat Rise = 1d100 | 45 = 38
Learning Stat Rise = 1d100 | 45 = 26
[NO SUCCESSES]

Alchemy Trait = 1d100 | DC 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 = 38
[TWO SUCCESSES]
[New Trait]
Chemical Novice
Increases Learning by (Mysticism/6)

After sitting there for a few minutes and struggling to wrap your mind not only around the fact that this book has shown you some kind of results that you can already feel in just the minutes that you have been sitting here, and the rather nonsensical things that that other girl said to you, you lightly slap at your cheeks, bringing your mind back down to the now in order to take a deeper look into the other things that the book has to offer you.

Throughout the rest of the front half of the book, there are a handful of other exercises and various methodologies that have been written out, with diagrams and instructions that you could probably use to try out some of these things. But here and now, you don't have really the time or the energy to go through all of them and try them out. Not in what little daylight that there is left.

And a few of these do actually look really complicated. What is really interesting however, is the fact that some of this looks almost like one of the styles that you've seen some of the older folks practicing outside in the evenings. You don't know the name of the style, but that might be something that you might want to look into.

However, all these practices and studies and the information on organic chemistry just takes up the front half of the book, whereas something entirely different fills the back half.

Alchemy.

Just seeing that word is nearly enough to make you want to put the book down with a huff. Because really? Alchemy? That whole idea is just completely and totally absurd. But at the same time...

Well... Here you are, sitting and breathing in a way that you don't really have the words to explain, but makes everything feel so much brighter and clearer than it has ever felt before.

So maybe there is something to the second half of this book as well.

...And at first, you have to admit that you were starting to worry that you might have actually be wrong, because...

Well, to be frank, there is a lot of stuff right there in the front. Explanations and theories and... and...

And the fact of the matter is that there is a lot of stuff in here that you look at and you aren't quite getting a headache, but at the same time it is just...

Nonsense to you. But as you start to look deeper into the explanations... Well, it changes from one kind of nonsense to another. There are tiny bits here and there that you actually recognize. This is talking about the atomic weight of gold, and there is the atomic weight of helium. That's the math for electrical resistance, and this has to do with... Volts? Maybe?

This... This is math and science and the kinds of things that you should be able to follow, but the fact of the matter is that Winslow is a cesspool, and there is a lot that you don't understand about what is being said. here. Still... if that is talking about condensing a liquid, and that is talking about... some kind of medicine. A fungus, so probably penicillin. Then... This might be the process of creating a pill?

...And if that is what that is... then this might be how to produce a... you don't know the right word for it, but the best description would be a lotion. This is all so fascinating, and even better... This is taking all sorts of different concepts and ideas that you have never had time to really look at before, and mixing them in with things that you have spent some time studying. You might not understand all of this, but there is enough that you can put together some of this from the context.

Heck... You could probably make your own shampoo, one that smells however you like it to. But that is really all the time that you have for tonight, so after a few more moments of procrastinating, and trying to hold off on heading back home... You finally pull yourself up to your feet. Thankfully, you don't really have to stop reading either. Because near the front of the library there is a little clipboard, where you can write down the name of the book and your name in order to check one out from the library. So after doing that, you can start to make your way down towards the front of the Community Center.

---

Spoiler: Cassie

Cool Head | DC 12, 16 = 1d10 + Ste = 7 + 9 = 16
[BOTH SUCCESSES]
[ROLLED Nat 7 or higher!]
[DEPRESSION INCREASES!]
Depression 4 of 5 → 5 of 5
Depression overcome!
Explain | DC 12,14,16,19 = 1d10 + Ste = 9 + 9 = 18 + OMAKE = 28
[MAX SUCCESS REACHED]

The skies above the Community Center have turned purple and gold and red, the light of the sun not yet faded enough to let you see the stars, but the shadows reaching down into the streets of the Bay are long and deep.

This... This is a lot later than you actually wanted to stay out, and you didn't exactly plan on procrastinating this late, but part of the whole reason why you started coming to the Center was the fact that you didn't want to stay at... your house at the moment. That empty building has become more like a tomb that you and your father share than an actual home, so maybe this wasn't entirely unexpected.

One thing that is certain, is that you are a more than a little nervous as you start to walk the streets towards the closest bus station. Times like these are when you wish that the old subway system hadn't been wrecked and abandoned when you were young.

You don't know a whole lot about the situation that led to the destruction of the subways, just that it happened back when Marquis and his Marche were in the city, and that it had something to do with The Détente that the warlord set up that said that there was to be no fighting in the buses, the hospitals, and the schools.

Now Dad has whispered some angry sentiments about that whole thing many a times over the years. One of the most common reasons he says anything is because he blames the destruction of the Ferries on The Détente. You've never really been able to get anything solid out of him about it, and there really isn't anyone else that you can ask.

But those are complaints for the future. Right now, you have to get to the closest Bus Stop, and hope that the next bus comes before it gets really dark, and the unsavory parts of the city start leaking out. Thankfully, the Marquis's Détente still seems to stand, something of a gentleman's agreement between the different gangs, which is a little wild, but at the same time it is something that you are seriously grateful for.

Even then, once you get on the bus, it's nearly an hour's ride from the Center to either of the bridges that cross the border from New Hampshire to Maine, and further still until you reach your stop. If it is already this late, and already this dark it is going to be the worst by the time that you get home. And that is something that you really don't want to think about right now.

Brockton Bay isn't a nice city during the day, but it becomes an entirely different beast at night, and you try to move with enough force to make it clear that you aren't a mark, but at the same time moving calmly and slowly enough that people don't think that you are looking for trouble. It's a delicate balance, and one that you honestly haven't had all that much experience-

CRACKOOM!

A sound thunders out, and it is one that you have heard plenty of times before. A gunshot. The part that is actually worrying however, is the fact that that was pretty close. It's impossible to tell how close, not with how the towering buildings act like a giant echo chamber, but that is the loudest gunshot that you can recall, which means that it is the closest, and that is really worrying.

Instincts war against each other inside of you, a part of you wanting nothing more than to go screaming into the dark of the night, giving up all pretense of everything else in order to make sure that you get away from the danger as quickly as possible.

Another part of you wants to just freeze up, every muscle locking down so that no one knows where you are.

But both of those instincts are battered down, as another part of you takes control. A part of you that simply takes a deep breath, and as you do all those fears and all those worries, they just fall away. It's the strangest thing. It isn't that you aren't scared, because you are but now that you are breathing, now that the things that you learned are kicking in, a part of you is able to just push through the panic in this moment.

But then, before you have even the slightest chance to start moving, ,there comes a soft groan and a quiet "Fu-Uck..." You turn towards the source of the sound, and there is someone standing there at the edge of the alleyway.

​

Someone who is wearing a mask.

Which is bad, because the only people who wear masks at this time of night are Capes. And while you might not be the cape junkie that your former best friend is, you still know nearly all the heroes on sight, and you don't know who this is.

They are dressed in a tight fitting black outfit, the ends of the sleeves of their jacket and their pants are both taped down to keep them out of the way, and the only color that you can see is the dual colored glow of the their mask. The figure stumbles forwards, one arm cradled close to their side, and the other wrapped around and clenched tight to their left forearm. The figure steps out into the glow of the street lamp, and it becomes extremely clear what is going on.

The Cape's right hand is soaked in red as blood continues to well up between their fingers.

And that is enough for all of this to click together in your head as you realize what has happened.

Oh, fuck.

They've been shot.

And maybe this says something about you, but regardless of the fact that this might be a villain that you've never seen before, they don't look like a Nazi, and so you aren't willing to sit back and do nothing as they are hurt. But what exactly can you...

There isn't much that you can do. Not without any medical supplies, and it doesn't even take a moment before you realize that you know exactly where there are some that you would be able to use.

The Community Center. Darting forward, you get closer to the cape. They must have heard your footsteps, as they glance up towards you. But...

The cape flinches back, turning so that you can't see their face. Not that you could anyways with their mask. "Hello there, citizen." The girl growls out, trying to make her voice as deep as possible. Which not only sounds absurd, but it also sounds... Familiar.

But that's...

"Everything is fine, you don't need to worry about me." She says, which if you are right... And god you hope you aren't... Then that is not doing anything to make you less worried.

"..." You stare at the girl, and she continues to refuse to look at you, and after a moment you sigh. "...Cassie, we need to get you back to the Community Center."

"I... I hAve no idea who this Cassie that you are talking about is!" Cassie's voice cracks on that third word, before she hisses in pain. "My name is Sportsmaster, and I-Ow... I'm fine. Ta-Citizen." You huff, and cross your arms and there is a hiss of painful laughter that comes from Cassie.

"I'm not calling you that." You say simply enough. "It's a dumb name."

"It's not dumb." Cassie disagrees, as you start to walk closer to the girl. Cassie isn't quite running, but she is backing away from you, head snapping from side to side as she tries to figure out a way out of the situation. "It's descriptive. I am the master of sports."

"...And what kind of powers do you even have?" You ask.

The silence that answers you is more than a little worrying.

A silence that stretches out as you start to march the girl back towards the Community Center. "The Merchants have been poking around recently." Cassie explains softly, "Trying to get in and steal the medical equipment that the Center has. I thought that I could scare them off if I put on a mask and beat a couple of them up. It worked fine in New York..."

"What?" You ask softly, trying to understand what the girl was saying. "You beat up people in New York?" Maybe it is a bit mean to say it like this, but you would have thought that was something Rachel did.

"It was mostly Rachel." Cassie says, confirming the unspoken thought, "But sometimes she needed to look impressive, so I would go out there and make sure that the drug dealers and the pimps left everyone alone. I've... I've never actually had a gun drawn on me before. Never been shot either."

"Well..." You say, "Welcome to Brockton Bay."

 

[Kkutlord]

"My name is Sportsmaster

Click to shrink...

... Warner Bros. Entertainment: "Looks like someone wants to be sued~" Seriously, how does she get away with that? Warner Bros & DC Comics are American, so it isn't like they got nuked out of existence like... the entirety of Japan somehow...

 

[tygerbright]

So with depression overcome and reading a book once Taylor's mysticism is now 23 the maximum (normal) human level... she is going to be confused for some immortal slumming it the moment another mystic is encountered isn't she?

 

[FictionPack]

The 2 things Alchemy most strives for is creating new materials and medicines, so that knowledge should definitely help treat a gunshot.
Chemical knowledge is useful when your enemy is the Merchants.

Cassie is making enemies of both DC and Armsmaster with that name choice. Just wait till Greg the comic book fan is in on all this.

Taylor's first act of Mysticism is to become immune to the polluted air of a city. Her power knows no bounds.

 

[Dr. Dinosaur]

I like Cassie's mask! Semi-related: What colors will everybody be wearing? This is a TMNT crossover after all, that's very important.

 

[Silverking]

...I suspect that if Mr. Hun or one of the Senseis learn that Taylor can Breathe, that might cause certain things to escalate.

For one thing, I imagine that the concept of Qi can be a bit of a "hard sell" for new students, even in a world of Capes. Getting to a student to learn how to Breathe is probably the biggest hurdle, both in terms of foundations (you can't learn further techniques without it) and motivation (the student isn't going to write you off as a bunch of mumbo-jumbo).

Also, I imagine that for most students, the time span between "learning about Qi for the first time" to "successfully Breathed for the first time" is usually not measured in HOURS.

 

[Lunaryon]

It is also something that most people do as part of Meditation, because it is not something that you tend to do while moving.

 

[Darkcore41]

...I suspect that if Mr. Hun or one of the Senseis learn that Taylor can Breathe, that might cause certain things to escalate.

For one thing, I imagine that the concept of Qi can be a bit of a "hard sell" for new students, even in a world of Capes. Getting to a student to learn how to Breathe is probably the biggest hurdle, both in terms of foundations (you can't learn further techniques without it) and motivation (the student isn't going to write you off as a bunch of mumbo-jumbo).

Also, I imagine that for most students, the time span between "learning about Qi for the first time" to "successfully Breathed for the first time" is usually not measured in HOURS.

Click to shrink...

I don't think most people would believe in qi go try it. Worm has this strange in world disbelief of magic. Even when they can't explain where Parahuman powers come from.

 

[Kkutlord]

@Lunaryon here's the artwork for "if Dragon gets Mutated". I really, really want this to happen, and yes- Renu does still do amazing art.



Look, there's really not much to say- she looks rad, why wouldn't you guys wanna meet her? I got a general idea for how it happens, and also the last living being that made contact with Dragon's organic components was a human. Awesome Cybernetic Dragon Woman, how could anyone say no to that?

As for her abilities, not much would actually change- she's not stuck relying on robot bodies nor the shackles of being an AI... though most likely there would inevitably be a 2nd Dragon, since her operating system would think she got destroyed and needed to load a back-up of her. Have I mentioned I'm not a fan of Saint? Also, multiple Dragons, Worm clearly needs more Dragon.

 

[Lunaryon]

Update is under way at the moment, but I don't think I am going to get it done until possibly wednesday. Life is just being insane right now.

 

[Kkutlord]

A/N: I should probably do more with the Silencers than just leaving the in the wind, so... @Lunaryon here's the first omake of them post-breakout.

Beginning The Lullaby

----
​

Once upon a time, she could remember being an ordinary little girl- the world might of been scary, but at least she had her momma & papa. Yet, she wouldn't understand how awful it all could be until they were... gone.

They loved her so much, but... she couldn't even grieve right. 'Freak', 'Monster', 'Brat'... why would anyone want a child that couldn't even cry out her parents' names? So... she ran away, it would be wrong to force others to put up with a monster like herself...

Yet... she couldn't bring herself to do the right thing, instead trying so desperately to prove she wasn't a worthless monster. From shelter to shelter she'd go, attempting her best to show she's a good person.

There'd always be someone she'd displease, somehow, and off to the next shelter she'd run to. Why couldn't she accept she deserved nothing and no one? She was so selfish, being a problem for others...

Things were actually going fine at the last one, perhaps finally... she wasn't a monster anymore. She'll never know, she could still remember that day- no matter how hard she tried, there were no screams coming out of her.

Even so, her only real regret was what those nice people were going to think- they shouldn't have to waste their time worrying about a worthless monster like herself...

The people who took her at least understood she was unworthy of anything, she was content to accept her fate. Erdin, though... she didn't understand why he cared so much, yet again she selfishly tried to prove worthy of such.

She didn't know as much as Erdin, but when it was her time to go through the Silencer process... again, her only regret was what Erdin would think, when she inevitably failed.

Whatever happened, she didn't care- yet even in her dreams, it was like her body was burning away from the inside. Her veins glowed brightly, between the blinding light and the burning pain she couldn't bring herself to do anything...

Yet, yet... "Take my hand." It was just a dream, nothing more, yet when she looked up at Erdin... it was a struggle, but she managed to reach out with her right arm.

Lifted to her feet, he smiled at her. "Everything will be okay now, believe it." That was impossible, something she didn't deserve... so why could she feel tears? In response, he brushed back a lock of her hair. "We will be free someday- don't doubt it."

Part of her wanted to, but... a different part didn't, something she should of stopped listening to so long ago- hope. Upon actually awakening, she wasn't entirely sure what was going on.

It didn't take long for the scientists to start doing tests, yet no matter what they did the response was generally the same thing- 'nothing seemed to have happened'.

Oh, that must of meant she didn't Mutate, she didn't feel very different... so, even for this, she was completely worthless... it would of been nice, getting to keep being Erdin's friend...

At least her worthless existence will finally be useful for something... she knew fully well she was supposed to die, but hopefully doing so will at least stop those three bad guys...

She wasn't sure what this place actually was or even what was going on, her job was just to get shot and bleed out to death. Poke around things she shouldn't, and Bang.

That didn't feel good, but... that was fine... finally, she did something useful for once. She... had no regrets... "False statement, this does not end here."

Oh, she didn't expect hallucinations, pretty sure blood is supposed to leak out not defy gravity as tendrils flailing around and grabbing things. "You gave us life, we will return the favor."

Yeah, must be really out of it trying to convince herself she ever did anything remarkable like that... then her body suddenly tensed, her slightly raised limbs causing her body to lift up slightly.

Weirdly, though, she couldn't feel the gunshot wound anymore- if anything, she's literally never felt better in her whole life. Huh, she thought it would feel worse to die, 'feeling cold' and the like...

"We will not let you die Mother." Ooh, okay, some kind of dying fantasy... yet she never had any ideas regarding such, that's kind of weird. Dreams are weird, so...

Oh, hey, she's standing up? She couldn't remember doing that... she couldn't hear anything, yet everything looks the same... if Heaven is real, then she's not sure she likes it.

"You're not dead Mother, we have merely taken control for the moment." Huh? She must be, everything feels weird but she didn't get any powers, she's just a-

"Cape, Cape, CAPE!" There were three men in front of her, yet only one was looking in her direction- and with a loud Bang another bullet came flying at her. Yet, despite bracing for the shot, she neither heard or felt anything...

Repeatedly bullets came flying at her, especially when the other two finally noticed her. Not a single bullet seemed to do anything, only... it felt annoying, constantly hearing such loud noises.

Without much thought, she simply reached for the first man's gun and raised her other finger to shush him. "Hush... now..." Crushing the gun, absentmindedly she didn't hear any noise doing so.

The three men's terror finally erupted into screaming, it was so... annoying... vaguely she was aware the other two were running away, but the man she was already gripping by the wrist soon went from screaming to dangling limply.

"Do not worry, we will get the other two Mother." Indeed, she could feel tendrils burst from her side, and soon the two runners were being pulled back to herself.

Letting go of the first unconscious man, she stuck out both arms- catching the other two by the backs of their neck. Soon, their screaming stopped too, hanging limply in her hands like the first did.

Wait... what just happened? She was pretty sure she was dying, yet now she's standing over three unconscious bodies while feeling better than she ever has...

"You are not dead, Mother- how many times must we say it?" If she's not dead then... who has even been speaking to her!? Her body also did things without her input...

"No, Mother, we are not some 'Master'- we are your daughter, we believe that's the correct term. Since we were made from your blood, that means you are our Mother. Apologies we weren't able to help sooner, we are a poor daughter for letting you be shot..."

She was so confused right now, yet... she couldn't bring herself to get angry, she... refuses to mistreat anyone... It's okay, I'm not mad. Thank you for saving me.

Personally, she would liked smiling too but... how does one smile affectionately at their own blood? We should probably go back now, I don't want to put you in danger.

With this power, maybe the two of them could run away- but there were so many unknowns, and... she was tired of running away all the time. That was the true selfishness, wasn't it?

Those people who took her... they weren't going to stop... someone needed to be there, to be the compassionate hand reminding them they do matter... she couldn't leave Erdin to handle that burden all alone, it wouldn't be right.

----

A/N: So, admittedly, this took an entirely different turn than I originally intended- but I do think this will help for the next omake about Serena & Lullaby. Not sure when that'll be, honestly.

Also, just to clarify, ability-wise... Serena & Lullaby are heavily based on Anti-Venom, so admittedly that would make her a pretty great All-Rounder... except Serena is very committed to being non-violent.

Besides, Superheroes in general seem more focused on "Punchy Punchy" and Supervillain battles- so much people look at Superman and just go "How do we make him bleed?" and not go "He wants to save everyone, how do we make that hard?"

Really, that's a main thing I think Wildbow did wrong- he went "How to make this awful?" and not "How would people actually act with powers?" You'd think there would be more Rogues & Independents, heroic people who don't care about the rules, but instead its just The Good Guys Don't Win far as I can tell.

 

[DivineGa'riofMan]

Oh boy some one gather this girl some help all the help for everything