- Location
- Leeds
I dunno, I'm pretty sure that Rime needs a therapist.but that's not the point here.
-
Going forward, links to content from Twitter (now X) will no longer be embedded. Pre-existing links should not be affected.
Shining Example (WORM ORIGIN QUEST)
- Thread starter IKnowNothing
- Start date
Announcement
IKnowNothing
....What?
- Location
- I got lost so.....Where are we?
So I can say a lot of things here, but at the end of the day, I don't want to mince words.
After a rapid-fire assault of things hitting me outside of SV, I've come to the unfortunate conclusion that I've got to put shining example on hiatus or possibly if the worst should happen, to end it here. I will try my best to return to this story, it's been my magnum opus here on SV or the internet in general.
For now, thank you to everyone who read this story either in passing or by voting, you guys are a shining example of kindness, interest and support for me going forward.
After a rapid-fire assault of things hitting me outside of SV, I've come to the unfortunate conclusion that I've got to put shining example on hiatus or possibly if the worst should happen, to end it here. I will try my best to return to this story, it's been my magnum opus here on SV or the internet in general.
For now, thank you to everyone who read this story either in passing or by voting, you guys are a shining example of kindness, interest and support for me going forward.
- Location
- Leeds
Thanks for that.
Best of luck, we're cheering for you.
- Location
- US
This is easily the best Worm story I've read. Hopefully sometime in the future events get better, so you can come back to this. Good luck!
Star_Crosser
A Dreamer of Bizarre
- Location
- Croatia
I just hope you do time skips because it's a little bit on a slow side.
An Open Market
IKnowNothing
....What?
- Location
- I got lost so.....Where are we?
Cauldron, Five Minutes before Landfall.
There were few things worse than a perfectly laid plan going awry. She wouldn't say that it stung, momentary emotions would bring future judgements into question. Nor would she call it an insult. All logic and data pointed to a single clear validation.
A simple combination of personal virtues, altruism and admittedly, a magnetic charisma. And spite, that factor could not be ignored either. But while it could be ignored, it could be understood. From the beginning, their relationship would only ever stagnate at unwilling colleges in the best of situations, and adversaries at the worst. An unfavourable thought given the difference in ability. Titian would only work once Manton came to conclusive evidence of its success. Failing that, Contessa was always available.
It could've been better, under different circumstances, more lenient circumstances. The chances were minimal, even with the assistance of the Path. Originally it simply called him into the fold as a stabilizing agent for Mrs Costa-Brown. Something for her to latch onto emotionally, give her convictions when guilt and obligation weren't enough.
Starting out that had been it. The subject's Reconfiguration took longer than expected but that worked in her favour. Mrs Brown took up her operations with an almost zealous conviction simply to alleviate the worst of the guilt that the situation had plagued her.
Only when he awoke did the problems begin to surface.
She didn't notice them at first. The scope of his abilities and their effect on Mr Mahoney continued the trend of positive reinforcement towards the end goal. Results of his duel with Mr Everett spoke for themselves. But with seemingly every hour that passed, the fallout that his choices made grew at an alarming rate. Mrs Brown was the easiest to understand. Their shared situation resulted in a relationship beyond normal parameters. Expected as it was, the path failed to mention the level of commitment that it would bring. Mrs Brown's physiological reliance on Mr Everett's mere presence has been nothing short of astonishing.
To say nothing of the lengths she's proved to go to ensure his safety.
The minor personal remark on said reliance is possibly the single most disappointing result of all of the subjects. Had Mr Everett parished, Mrs Brown's indoctrination would have proceeded without issue.
Mr Bryant also needed no real explanation, Mr Fahey even less so. The accuracy of Manton's report on both of them has been perfect from the outset. He described them as having similarly impressive magnetic personalities and charisma. The path slats both of them to be leaders, an outcome that she endorsed completely. The only flaw that could be seen would be Mr Fahey's confidence. His fundamental belief that he can't be the man making the choices hinders his growth. But this, along with seemingly most things, is slowly being augmented by Mr Everett's very presence.
She took a pen and wrote a single note. Possible subconscious Personality Manipulation. Post Note: Possible Mental Amendment.
The chances of it being needed were slim, but any option available to the Path is an option that could save humanity. Her's and Mr Mahoney's ultimate goal.
One that now has a rival, at least in the physical sense.
"Doctor."
Contessa, she hadn't heard the door open. Silent and efficient. Doctor Mother breath easy, of all the plans, that Everett's involvement has compromised, at least one subject remained pure.
She closed the file.
"They've left."
Not a question, such time didn't need to be wasted.
"They will be arriving within five minutes."
She nodded.
"And the Door?"
"Prepared and waiting."
Rising from her chair, she set off at a brisk pace, Contessa flanking behind her. Twenty seconds to reach the elevator, another five for it to open. A glance inside revealed Manton standing by the controls. Stepping inside, the senior researcher pressed the button.
The one at the very bottom.
The one that most didn't see.
Manton's foot tapped against the metal, a nervous tick that she didn't remember him having. A personal altercation. It would distract him, lower his efficiency. Not good. She needed Manton at top form, anything less would result in the death of the subjects or worse, the collapse of the Path entirely. Harbinger could replace him in time, but for now, he was still an unknown. If Manton had done his job, then he should be calculating the numbers needed for the expansion. No matter the enterprise, money was needed. Who better to handle the funds than a living calculator? It would be his trial run, as it were. Manton, on the other hand, had no need of one. What he needed, was focus. The Doctor needed only to look at Contessa, and the Path knew what was required.
"They're going to be fine," Contessa said.
Manton jerked, nodded quickly, and continued to tap at the ground.
"Yes… you've taken precautions?"
Contessa nodded a worthless action. Manton didn't even begin his work before he had a Path confirm the safety of his family. He remembered he was too smart to forget such an important detail. Yet he still asked anyway.
Doctor Mother never doubted the end result of the Path, but there was a part that did question it. Why would it, the greatest utilization of the very concept of clairvoyance would waste such precious time before getting to the matter of things? She could see the logic. Human's were, after all, emotional creatures at base. Manton's characteristics painted him as a man devoted to logic, but even he had his flaws. His family, while a great source of motivation and control, were his greatest distraction. Even now she remembered asking the Path if Manton's production would be increased if his family were dealt with.
The answer was yes, for the short term.
Seeing him, sweat, Doctor Mother felt an unfamiliar emotion. Disappointment.
She should've given the order.
"Forgive me," Manton rambled, "It's just that…did you know Sam's turning eleven next month?"
She did, she read her file after all.
"I promised Ellen that I would be home. A small little place in New York-"
"That has enough blasting metal in the walls to hold back an artillery shell," Contessa interrupted.
Manton's foot stopped tapping. He took a breath, only for it to hitch as the door opened to the most important room in all of Cauldron.
Vials covered from wall to wall, dozens upon dozens ready to be used. Doctor Mother took particular attention to a set of ten, separated from the rest of them by a thick screen of glass. At the base of the tank, a keypad.
9-8-0-1-7-4-1-3
Pressurized air escaped the top. The lid came free relatively easily. Contessa approached, the case in hand. Carefully, Doctor Mother placed the ten into the case, but Contessa did not close it.
"What others would you suggest?"
It took Manton a second too long to figure out the question was directed it at him. He cast a glance at Contessa.
"Additional appealing vials chosen from acceptable categories will only increase profits."
Manton nodded, even an idiot would realize the advantage. With a purposeful stride, he matched to the far end of the room. He picked one, seemingly at random. Doctor Mother quirked a brow. He'd been visiting.
Returning with the vial, he placed it within the final slot in the case. It clicked shut, and the three of us return to the elevator. Manton does the honours and pushed in the Lab button.
"Can you do it?" she asked.
Manton glanced at her, his eyebrow twitching ever so slightly.
"It's been a while since I've spoken with them, but military men never change. I'll get it done."
"You'll have seven minutes," Contessa said.
He didn't nod, simply straightened his coat as the door opened up once more. Behind her, Contessa moved her hand to her com line.
"Door Me."
The elevator door slide shut only for a different door to open before them. Contessa took a step, opening the door and letting her step through unabated. The other end was a business hall. A single oval table that stretches out for a needlessly long amount of time given it only had one occupant. On the other end floor to ceiling windows looking out over the cityscape of New York stretched out.
The sight left a lot to be desired.
Even being at least twenty stories up, she could see the fires on the ground, the pitiful remains of police barricades thrown to the side of the street. Surprising, she expected more buildings to be destroyed.
The sole occupant turned. Any other day there might have been a surprise in them. Now, little else remained beyond shallow acceptance. She glanced behind her, Contessa was gone, the case all that was left.
Off to prevent any witnesses.
For now, to business.
He reached forward, the concoction in the glass rippling as shaking fingers brought it to his lips. All of it went down a problem for him, and a boon for her. Inebriated men were easy to deal with.
"Are you… one of them?" he asked, managing to keep the slur out of his voice.
"No," she said.
His bottom lip trembled slightly, his fingers wrapping around the only weapon in the room. The glass, as it were.
"Are you here to kill me?"
"No."
His eyes hardened.
"Then why are you here?"
"Business."
A mixture of shock and relief most likely triggered the laugh.
"Business, the cities burning to the ground! What could you possibly offer at a time like this?"
"The same thing that's burning it down."
The man sobered up remarkably fast at that comment. She took a seat, placing the case atop the table. With a quick click, she opened it, letting him see the files and the edges of the black rubber corks.
"Who are you?"
"Some call me Mother, but that is little more than an alias. If you're willing to be professional, you'll know me as Doctor."
The man scoffed, "I'm-"
"No names," she said quickly, "We've already investigated you, we know all that we need to know. However, both of us can find the value of maintaining some anonymity. Pick a name, and I will use it for this meeting, and any we might have in the future."
No scoff this time, just study beneath a convincing frown.
"Fine then, Adam."
"Adam it is."
"Yes, now that we've gotten introductions out of the way," Adam said through near gritted teeth, "What organization are you a part of? And how the hell did you get up here? There are guards on every exit for ten floors."
He sounded more interested than concerned. Apparently, he thought that just because she hadn't done anything to him yet meant that he was fine to speak so brazenly. Interesting but not an unexpected reaction. More unexpected were the numbers. Ten floors worth of guards? Amusing.
She allowed him the barest of glances, "To answer the first, Cauldron."
Confusion set in immediately, "Never heard of it."
"And if you're a smart man, no one else ever will."
His eyebrow raised a few notches.
"Are you threatening me?"
Ah, there was the concern, even if it was hiding behind such a pathetic bluff.
"No, I'm giving information. To answer the second question, by demonstrating the product that could be yours, if you so wish."
She took out a file and slid the contents over. Adam eyed it like it might explode at any moment. Gingerly, he took the file and began reading through it. Every second that passed made his eyes grow ever wider. A few times he looked up, his expression one of dumbfounded curiosity. She remained impartial the entire time, she didn't need to hinder the procedure with needless remarks.
After turning the final page, Adam slides the packet back.
"You can give me powers?"
"Yes."
Adam stared her down, his gaze didn't even hold half of the scrutinization that burned in Mr Everett's. He back down, ignoring the middleman and drinking his concoction straight from the bottle.
"And turn into one of those freaks? Heh, not likely."
"The percentages are clearly outlined if you wish to learn more."
"I've got numbers running through my office almost every day, one more doesn't mean a thing, I'm not buying whatever lie you're selling."
He leaned back in his chair and turned away. He expected her to leave, but she didn't. He was doing what she expected after all.
"Public perception can be mitigated."
"And how's that?"
"A mask seems appropriate."
Adam spun in his chair, slamming a hand down on the table. She didn't even flinch.
"There is nothing that I can gain by being a freak!"
"You can't see the value of being able to see the future? Being able to think what others cannot?" she answered, her tone purposefully condescending.
"Not the issue,' Adam seethed, "You claim to be a smart woman, Doctor. Even a blind man can see that anyone even remotely associated with…" he paused, his eyes darting to the screen of Symphony, "Whatever that thing is."
"Yes, it is rather bleak."
Adam visibly restrained himself from rolling his eyes.
"If you can understand that, then get out of my office."
She nodded, she had stayed to long as it was. Rising from her seat, she slides her files back into the case.
"The world is Changing Adam if you want to be ahead of the curve you're going to need the best that you can get."
"Changing? That's an interesting way to say ending."
The good Doctor stared at the screen above them. Even now, the newsroom was in a panic. Interns and professionals alike running behind the stationlike fools. Mrs Allen, the anchor, trained to blink the surprise away as her teleprompter no doubt began to tell her of new developments.
"Keep watching the news. And when you've reconsidered our offer, don't worry, we'll find you."
Light exploded next to her, the door opened and she had stepped through. He saw, just at the edges, but he saw, purposefully of course.
It was the final step for that stage of the Path.
Doctor Mother checked her watch. Perfectly on time. Now, one down, ten to go.
There were few things worse than a perfectly laid plan going awry. She wouldn't say that it stung, momentary emotions would bring future judgements into question. Nor would she call it an insult. All logic and data pointed to a single clear validation.
A simple combination of personal virtues, altruism and admittedly, a magnetic charisma. And spite, that factor could not be ignored either. But while it could be ignored, it could be understood. From the beginning, their relationship would only ever stagnate at unwilling colleges in the best of situations, and adversaries at the worst. An unfavourable thought given the difference in ability. Titian would only work once Manton came to conclusive evidence of its success. Failing that, Contessa was always available.
It could've been better, under different circumstances, more lenient circumstances. The chances were minimal, even with the assistance of the Path. Originally it simply called him into the fold as a stabilizing agent for Mrs Costa-Brown. Something for her to latch onto emotionally, give her convictions when guilt and obligation weren't enough.
Starting out that had been it. The subject's Reconfiguration took longer than expected but that worked in her favour. Mrs Brown took up her operations with an almost zealous conviction simply to alleviate the worst of the guilt that the situation had plagued her.
Only when he awoke did the problems begin to surface.
She didn't notice them at first. The scope of his abilities and their effect on Mr Mahoney continued the trend of positive reinforcement towards the end goal. Results of his duel with Mr Everett spoke for themselves. But with seemingly every hour that passed, the fallout that his choices made grew at an alarming rate. Mrs Brown was the easiest to understand. Their shared situation resulted in a relationship beyond normal parameters. Expected as it was, the path failed to mention the level of commitment that it would bring. Mrs Brown's physiological reliance on Mr Everett's mere presence has been nothing short of astonishing.
To say nothing of the lengths she's proved to go to ensure his safety.
The minor personal remark on said reliance is possibly the single most disappointing result of all of the subjects. Had Mr Everett parished, Mrs Brown's indoctrination would have proceeded without issue.
Mr Bryant also needed no real explanation, Mr Fahey even less so. The accuracy of Manton's report on both of them has been perfect from the outset. He described them as having similarly impressive magnetic personalities and charisma. The path slats both of them to be leaders, an outcome that she endorsed completely. The only flaw that could be seen would be Mr Fahey's confidence. His fundamental belief that he can't be the man making the choices hinders his growth. But this, along with seemingly most things, is slowly being augmented by Mr Everett's very presence.
She took a pen and wrote a single note. Possible subconscious Personality Manipulation. Post Note: Possible Mental Amendment.
The chances of it being needed were slim, but any option available to the Path is an option that could save humanity. Her's and Mr Mahoney's ultimate goal.
One that now has a rival, at least in the physical sense.
"Doctor."
Contessa, she hadn't heard the door open. Silent and efficient. Doctor Mother breath easy, of all the plans, that Everett's involvement has compromised, at least one subject remained pure.
She closed the file.
"They've left."
Not a question, such time didn't need to be wasted.
"They will be arriving within five minutes."
She nodded.
"And the Door?"
"Prepared and waiting."
Rising from her chair, she set off at a brisk pace, Contessa flanking behind her. Twenty seconds to reach the elevator, another five for it to open. A glance inside revealed Manton standing by the controls. Stepping inside, the senior researcher pressed the button.
The one at the very bottom.
The one that most didn't see.
Manton's foot tapped against the metal, a nervous tick that she didn't remember him having. A personal altercation. It would distract him, lower his efficiency. Not good. She needed Manton at top form, anything less would result in the death of the subjects or worse, the collapse of the Path entirely. Harbinger could replace him in time, but for now, he was still an unknown. If Manton had done his job, then he should be calculating the numbers needed for the expansion. No matter the enterprise, money was needed. Who better to handle the funds than a living calculator? It would be his trial run, as it were. Manton, on the other hand, had no need of one. What he needed, was focus. The Doctor needed only to look at Contessa, and the Path knew what was required.
"They're going to be fine," Contessa said.
Manton jerked, nodded quickly, and continued to tap at the ground.
"Yes… you've taken precautions?"
Contessa nodded a worthless action. Manton didn't even begin his work before he had a Path confirm the safety of his family. He remembered he was too smart to forget such an important detail. Yet he still asked anyway.
Doctor Mother never doubted the end result of the Path, but there was a part that did question it. Why would it, the greatest utilization of the very concept of clairvoyance would waste such precious time before getting to the matter of things? She could see the logic. Human's were, after all, emotional creatures at base. Manton's characteristics painted him as a man devoted to logic, but even he had his flaws. His family, while a great source of motivation and control, were his greatest distraction. Even now she remembered asking the Path if Manton's production would be increased if his family were dealt with.
The answer was yes, for the short term.
Seeing him, sweat, Doctor Mother felt an unfamiliar emotion. Disappointment.
She should've given the order.
"Forgive me," Manton rambled, "It's just that…did you know Sam's turning eleven next month?"
She did, she read her file after all.
"I promised Ellen that I would be home. A small little place in New York-"
"That has enough blasting metal in the walls to hold back an artillery shell," Contessa interrupted.
Manton's foot stopped tapping. He took a breath, only for it to hitch as the door opened to the most important room in all of Cauldron.
Vials covered from wall to wall, dozens upon dozens ready to be used. Doctor Mother took particular attention to a set of ten, separated from the rest of them by a thick screen of glass. At the base of the tank, a keypad.
9-8-0-1-7-4-1-3
Pressurized air escaped the top. The lid came free relatively easily. Contessa approached, the case in hand. Carefully, Doctor Mother placed the ten into the case, but Contessa did not close it.
"What others would you suggest?"
It took Manton a second too long to figure out the question was directed it at him. He cast a glance at Contessa.
"Additional appealing vials chosen from acceptable categories will only increase profits."
Manton nodded, even an idiot would realize the advantage. With a purposeful stride, he matched to the far end of the room. He picked one, seemingly at random. Doctor Mother quirked a brow. He'd been visiting.
Returning with the vial, he placed it within the final slot in the case. It clicked shut, and the three of us return to the elevator. Manton does the honours and pushed in the Lab button.
"Can you do it?" she asked.
Manton glanced at her, his eyebrow twitching ever so slightly.
"It's been a while since I've spoken with them, but military men never change. I'll get it done."
"You'll have seven minutes," Contessa said.
He didn't nod, simply straightened his coat as the door opened up once more. Behind her, Contessa moved her hand to her com line.
"Door Me."
The elevator door slide shut only for a different door to open before them. Contessa took a step, opening the door and letting her step through unabated. The other end was a business hall. A single oval table that stretches out for a needlessly long amount of time given it only had one occupant. On the other end floor to ceiling windows looking out over the cityscape of New York stretched out.
The sight left a lot to be desired.
Even being at least twenty stories up, she could see the fires on the ground, the pitiful remains of police barricades thrown to the side of the street. Surprising, she expected more buildings to be destroyed.
The sole occupant turned. Any other day there might have been a surprise in them. Now, little else remained beyond shallow acceptance. She glanced behind her, Contessa was gone, the case all that was left.
Off to prevent any witnesses.
For now, to business.
He reached forward, the concoction in the glass rippling as shaking fingers brought it to his lips. All of it went down a problem for him, and a boon for her. Inebriated men were easy to deal with.
"Are you… one of them?" he asked, managing to keep the slur out of his voice.
"No," she said.
His bottom lip trembled slightly, his fingers wrapping around the only weapon in the room. The glass, as it were.
"Are you here to kill me?"
"No."
His eyes hardened.
"Then why are you here?"
"Business."
A mixture of shock and relief most likely triggered the laugh.
"Business, the cities burning to the ground! What could you possibly offer at a time like this?"
"The same thing that's burning it down."
The man sobered up remarkably fast at that comment. She took a seat, placing the case atop the table. With a quick click, she opened it, letting him see the files and the edges of the black rubber corks.
"Who are you?"
"Some call me Mother, but that is little more than an alias. If you're willing to be professional, you'll know me as Doctor."
The man scoffed, "I'm-"
"No names," she said quickly, "We've already investigated you, we know all that we need to know. However, both of us can find the value of maintaining some anonymity. Pick a name, and I will use it for this meeting, and any we might have in the future."
No scoff this time, just study beneath a convincing frown.
"Fine then, Adam."
"Adam it is."
"Yes, now that we've gotten introductions out of the way," Adam said through near gritted teeth, "What organization are you a part of? And how the hell did you get up here? There are guards on every exit for ten floors."
He sounded more interested than concerned. Apparently, he thought that just because she hadn't done anything to him yet meant that he was fine to speak so brazenly. Interesting but not an unexpected reaction. More unexpected were the numbers. Ten floors worth of guards? Amusing.
She allowed him the barest of glances, "To answer the first, Cauldron."
Confusion set in immediately, "Never heard of it."
"And if you're a smart man, no one else ever will."
His eyebrow raised a few notches.
"Are you threatening me?"
Ah, there was the concern, even if it was hiding behind such a pathetic bluff.
"No, I'm giving information. To answer the second question, by demonstrating the product that could be yours, if you so wish."
She took out a file and slid the contents over. Adam eyed it like it might explode at any moment. Gingerly, he took the file and began reading through it. Every second that passed made his eyes grow ever wider. A few times he looked up, his expression one of dumbfounded curiosity. She remained impartial the entire time, she didn't need to hinder the procedure with needless remarks.
After turning the final page, Adam slides the packet back.
"You can give me powers?"
"Yes."
Adam stared her down, his gaze didn't even hold half of the scrutinization that burned in Mr Everett's. He back down, ignoring the middleman and drinking his concoction straight from the bottle.
"And turn into one of those freaks? Heh, not likely."
"The percentages are clearly outlined if you wish to learn more."
"I've got numbers running through my office almost every day, one more doesn't mean a thing, I'm not buying whatever lie you're selling."
He leaned back in his chair and turned away. He expected her to leave, but she didn't. He was doing what she expected after all.
"Public perception can be mitigated."
"And how's that?"
"A mask seems appropriate."
Adam spun in his chair, slamming a hand down on the table. She didn't even flinch.
"There is nothing that I can gain by being a freak!"
"You can't see the value of being able to see the future? Being able to think what others cannot?" she answered, her tone purposefully condescending.
"Not the issue,' Adam seethed, "You claim to be a smart woman, Doctor. Even a blind man can see that anyone even remotely associated with…" he paused, his eyes darting to the screen of Symphony, "Whatever that thing is."
"Yes, it is rather bleak."
Adam visibly restrained himself from rolling his eyes.
"If you can understand that, then get out of my office."
She nodded, she had stayed to long as it was. Rising from her seat, she slides her files back into the case.
"The world is Changing Adam if you want to be ahead of the curve you're going to need the best that you can get."
"Changing? That's an interesting way to say ending."
The good Doctor stared at the screen above them. Even now, the newsroom was in a panic. Interns and professionals alike running behind the stationlike fools. Mrs Allen, the anchor, trained to blink the surprise away as her teleprompter no doubt began to tell her of new developments.
"Keep watching the news. And when you've reconsidered our offer, don't worry, we'll find you."
Light exploded next to her, the door opened and she had stepped through. He saw, just at the edges, but he saw, purposefully of course.
It was the final step for that stage of the Path.
Doctor Mother checked her watch. Perfectly on time. Now, one down, ten to go.
IKnowNothing
....What?
- Location
- I got lost so.....Where are we?
I lived bitches. 
Don't worry, the next actual chapter will be out soon, I just wrote this thing when procrastination got the better of me. Anyway, hope you enjoy.
Don't worry, the next actual chapter will be out soon, I just wrote this thing when procrastination got the better of me. Anyway, hope you enjoy.
- Location
- Tel'aran'rhiod
She's quite the bitch but then the kind of fanatic that she is makes that a given I guess.
- Location
- USA
*it's alive .gif*
I'm glad this is back, and I'm really happy that I didn't change my background from the picture you had commissioned
I'm glad this is back, and I'm really happy that I didn't change my background from the picture you had commissioned
WeylandSmith
Loose Cultivator
- Location
- [Global State]
Awesome to see that this is going!
Even better to see the Path to Victory in action.
Even better to see the Path to Victory in action.
- Location
- Leeds
How sure are you about that?
Because I have no idea. Fuck PtV
- Location
- USA
Isn't it great that even if she left the original path she could just start following one that makes her seem like she's changing
PtV is a hell of a trip
- Location
- Leeds
One day, we'll get her under a power suppressant and actually figure this out.
.
.
.
Unless thats what she want's us to think!
- Location
- USA
Even under the power suppressor she could probably still follow what she remembers of the path and we would lack a good way to prove she's telling the truth.
...unless of course she just wants us to think the power suppression is affecting her
Evaunit02mark1
S-s-smell the Prey, S-s-start the Hunt.
The only way she'd probably stop is if we found a way to prove that "Path to Victory" was actually "Path to Pyrrhic Victory", but even then she'd probably accept that any certain success, no matter how destructive and devastating, was preferable to an uncertain one.
IKnowNothing
....What?
- Location
- I got lost so.....Where are we?
Yeah, I'm going to clear this up, if you put a power suppressor in the same room as Contessa, the path is going to shut down until she gets out of range. The path updates in the moment, so the last order she could've gotten was 'Stand here and don't do anything' and she'll be left without anything to work on.
Anyway, the actual chapter will be going up tomorrow. Because this thing will probably kill me today.
- Location
- Leeds
I'm more worried about her doing prep work for it.
Path to finding a power suppressor with an exploitable unknown weakness and Path to subconsciously making the group pick that one.
PtV can justify almost anything if you need it to.
IKnowNothing
....What?
- Location
- I got lost so.....Where are we?
Hmm you know what that sounds like? Way too much effort.
Imma say nope on that.
4.2: ....We're Still Worth It
IKnowNothing
....What?
- Location
- I got lost so.....Where are we?
"I know it's scary."
You push against the snow, your legs burn and sting, but you force them to hold your weight. The sister, she's shaking. Her snarl turns feral, and her fingers freeze over.
"Scary?!"
Might have been a poor choice but damnit, you can barely think. The noise, oh good god let it stop! It beats in your head, screaming out louder than anything in the city. But even still she's still trying to top it.
"What the fuck do you know!?"
The ice melts, which is good. Though now she's grabbing you, hosting you up by your collar. Definitely not good. Your leg manages to get a foothold, but the small victory is cut short as the icy chill of her fingers bites through your jacket. Waves scream and war to keep it out, but to no avail.
All they do is just make it louder!
"Do you have any fucking idea what they'll do to me!?"
You do, and you try, but the noise…
"You don't know what it was like!"
Why can't everything just shut up!
"I know exactly what it's like!"
Snow and ice shake at the sound, even your fellow superhuman steps back, her rage drained being replaced by something else. And without that rage, her grip loosened.
At that moment, the waves take over.
On instinct, you put your free leg back to steady yourself. It wouldn't work, gravity demanded that said action would only lead to toppling over the edge as she watched. A week ago, this would be it. You would go over, and no one in the world would be able to save you when you finally stopped falling.
But it's not, and no matter what your head says, what common sense tells you what should happen. You came up here to save her, and you're not done yet!
A wave erupts, and your free leg stands on something solid. Steadying yourself, you do your best to keep your face straight when you look at her again. The anger is gone, but the horror is still there, just not the same kind.
This is familiar, going straight from terror to realization, like some part of her knew that she just made a mistake.
"I know what it's like to wake up, and not recognize who's in the mirror," Your legs burn, but you force them to push, "I know what it's like to have a power I can't understand," your ears bleed, but you make them listen.
Your head's ringing like a punchdrunk boxer, you nearly trip to the side when you step forward, but something keeps you grounded.
Something lets you smile.
"I also know what it's like to have help. To have someone believe in you when it seems like no one else will."
You reach into your jacket, and as your hand comes out with something, you hear the hitch in her breath.
"And trust me, having someone like that is more than enough to change things for the better."
Bringing it close, and the edges of your face tingle when the mask seals to your face. The inner dials whirling and spinning until the world is stripped of gold. One by one, the waves bleed away, replacing the gold with the soft greys of reality. When it's all said and done, what's left is a scared girl who's going through the shock of her life.
"Oh…" she starts, a thousand emotions flash over her face, she even runs a hand through her hair for good measure. "Oh my god."
You nod, "Yeah."
She points a shaky finger at the shield on your chest.
"You're him… that gold guy that everyone's been talking about."
She stops, her finger freezing in midair.
"You stopped him… you did this."
You try not to look beyond at the ashen remains of what was once a row of apartments.
"Y-yeah," you cough, "But I think this is the part that I actually introduce myself. I'm Altas, but I never got your name," you say quickly.
She blinks, then does everything in her power not to look right at you. The flush is getting to her, and you're a bit busy trying not to look awkward. Goddamnit this is harder than you thought.
"Megan."
Your smile widens, "It's nice to meet you, Megan."
On instinct, she reaches out a hand to shake, but the frost growing on them makes her jerk it back. She holds it close and shivers. And even if you weren't a genius, you didn't need to be to know it's not from the cold.
Carefully, you step around what remains of the ice. She watches you with every step, equal parts amazement and fear. Honestly, you probably should be feeling a little bit of that yourself. Standing in the middle of a snowstorm, barely any powers, and barely anything left to defend yourself if things get bad. The mask is helping, though not as much as you'd hope. There are a few strings of gold that pop up only to be quenched by the mask, sending a ring down your head every time. Makes it hard to focus, harder to do anything. That's the logical part of your brain, the dying part that Rebecca forgets you still have sometimes.
It's hard to ignore as you shrug off the only thing protecting you against the cold beside the waves. Megan gives you a weird look in Rebecca's place. She gives an even stranger look when you drape your jacket over her shoulders.
"I'm not cold," she grits out.
"I know," you shrug, "But you still need it more than me."
The glare that she gives could probably freeze you solid if she wanted. Though, she did bundle it closer as she sat back down. Her eyes lose the amazement, the moment over and the feelings that were there take over again. You sit next to her and she doesn't jump.
And it means more than almost every victory you've had up till now.
"I've never been to London," you hear yourself say.
Megan shuffles, surprise perking some spark of interest in her.
"Yeah, woke up one day with the power to fly around the world, but it never occurred to me to just… travel," you say, "And I heard stories, read books, but never thought I'd get the chance to come here. Glad I did, even if it wasn't for good time."
Megan slumps, sinking back into the jacket while hollow eyes stare down at the city below.
"Did you hear what they said about you?" she asks.
You shake your head.
"Even after everything you've done… they love you," she says.
"You say that like it's a bad thing."
Megan's fingers strain against the jacket.
"You and your friends. But everyone else…" she trails off and takes a long look at her hands.
Frost gathers at her fingertips, forming a small crystal of ice. It's pretty, in that shining diamond sense, but Megan doesn't share your amazement. Raw disgust fills her, making her shoulder shake. Quick as the wind, she buries her hands in the jacket and the second she can't see them, relief floods her. Her shoulders relax, and the ice around you stops spreading.
"You wouldn't be happy that you saved them if you heard what they'd do to me if they saw this."
"I'm not going to let that happen," You say, your voice firm.
Megan scoffs, a small bit of life coming back to her when she looks at you.
"They hate me."
You shake your head, "No, they don't even know what you can do," you reach out with your hand, but you stop as she scurries away, frost forming over her skin.
You feel a pang in your chest. It grows with every second, making your hand feel a million times heavier as you try to make it seem as calming a gesture that you can manage.
"Megan, listen to me. You. Haven't. Done. Anything. No one has any reason to hate you, hell, they don't even know what you can do."
"... but I do."
The pang in your chest turns into a knife-
"I know what I can do."
-and it twists.
"... and I'm not worth saving anymore."
Something pulls it out, and with that pain, you've had it.
Is this what you sounded like in that alleyway? In front of that man with the hands? This is what Rebecca saw, a kid who's putting the world on their shoulders when they did nothing wrong?
Not worth it.
What kind of bullshit is that?
You're arm's moving, rushing forward faster than you should be able to. Megan's eyes widen, she jerks a hand in defence, and ice starts forming on her fingers.
Faster than you can blink it fires.
It hits your shoulder, carrying your aim a little off course, you want to scream as the waves explode. But you don't. You're as silent as the grave as you clasp her far shoulder, and pull her close.
It's stupid, a childish show of care that's so basic even you can't screw it up. Then again, that's all it needs to be. A simple answer for a problem that a scared kid had to fester in their head long enough it blew up so bad that they would fear their own reflection. This wouldn't solve it, but it was the first step. Because a few days ago you were frightened, and this was the only thing Rebecca had to do to start making things better.
Show she wasn't afraid.
And close to your shoulder, Megan flinches, and for a second tries to push you away. You hold strong, even though it's like holding on to a huge piece of ice. You can't feel your fingers, you can barely feel your heart beating against your chest. But slowly, she stops struggling and as she does, the feeling starts coming back. You do your best not to look right at her, sparing her of the embarrassment of having to look up to you.
"We came here to save people."
She stiffens in your arms.
"It doesn't matter what you can do, you're still people. You can still get hurt."
You grip a little tighter, and your throat hitches as you say, "And you can still miss your sister."
She starts to shake, but you don't judge. You just stay there, and slowly, she presses her head into deeper your shoulder.
A second later, the wind chills the water on your shoulder.
"You wanna know the truth?" You ask, "I'm not very brave. Getting here…. was the scariest thing I've ever done in my life. And to be honest I can barely remember what I was thinking. It just happened so fast."
She doesn't nod, she keeps shaking and you hear her force back some tears.
"Someone told me to my face that We could've been flying to our deaths. But we did it anyway."
Megan freezes for a moment, then you feel her shake her head in your shoulder.
"Because even with all the time to think in the world we just wanted to help. Because I'm thick enough I think that if we help enough people then something like this won't happen again. I've fooled myself into believing that we can still make a difference even after everything that's happened today and what might happen tomorrow."
You stop, and the next thing you say next twists the knife back into your chest.
"I'm sorry we couldn't save your sister."
Megan snivels, quietly wailing in your shoulder. And when she starts to crumble further, you keep her up. All without judging a single tear that comes out. You don't know how long you stay there, but it's long enough that the wind dies down a little and Megan stops shivering.
She starts to part, and you make sure to be the last one to let go, give that extra bit of stability that you know is worth more than you can describe. You settle back, and Megan shuffles, looking down. Silence overtakes you again, but it's a welcome silence. First one that you've had today that isn't marred by the fear that a beam of light could come out and kill you out of nowhere. First one where you actually know what was going to happen next.
And the first one that you were actually prepared for.
"Megan, you and I, we can do a lot of things now. It's stupid, it's scary, it's amazing all in one, but it can't change what's happened and saying sorry won't help."
Megan nods, wiping away a tear that threatened to join the others.
"Best I can offer," You say, "Is that Alexandria, Legend, Eidolon and I, we'll our best to make sure it never happens again. No matter how big, or small the problem might be. We'll make it so you don't have to worry about this anymore."
Megan's nod is stiff, and you reflexively rub her shoulder. You don't know if it helps, just that Danah always seemed to get better after you did it. Slowly, Megan breaks away. She pushes off your hand, wiping tears and sniffling. A small flush winds through her when it dawns on her that you saw that, but you don't react, cause it doesn't matter if she does it or not. You peer past the jacket, straight at the eyes of the frightened girl next to you.
Gold reflects back at you, and Megan scoots back. Not out of fear, shame, and the action puts her hands into view. She barely even notices her hands in the snow until frost has already finished gathering on her fingers. She jerks it back, smothering it with her other hand, but knocking the jacket off her. She reaches, but her fingers are covered in the ice.
A breeze tares over the rooftop, blowing snow over the both of you. But from what you've seen, it's not the snow that makes her shiver. She might not need it, her power could be keeping out the cold, but you don't care.
She deserves the help. Even if it's just a jacket, right now, you'll take anything.
So you ignore the ringing and let the waves dance over your fingers. They glow that amazing gold, you reach down, and drown the jacket in waves. It lights up and lifts off the snowy ground to float right back to Megan.
"It'll be better next time," you promise, the weight more than a million waves, "We won't let get this bad again."
Megan grabs the edges, gripping it like she was scared it could go again.
"How?" she croaks out.
You smile with a confidence you don't remember regaining, "If you thought that all that my friends and I can do was break a city, then I've got news for you. We can do so much more, and build even better."
Cauldron, for all its faults… it's nothing if not a glimmer of hope.
"We've got plans, backups, and enough crazy ideas to make having people like us around not seem like such a bad thing."
It takes a second or two for everything to seemingly get through to her, and when it does, she snorts. You don't know if it's the nerves, the stress or the trigger, but in a second Megan's laughing like she heard the funniest joke in the world. It takes a second for her to calm herself down, and when she does, she gives you a look.
"Do you hear yourself right now?"
"You could drown a cow in the cheese," you say, looking out over the city "Don't worry I know."
"I don't think you do" she scoffs, "How can you even think that something like that will work?"
"Depends"
"On what?"
"Is it working on you?"
You don't see it, but the gasp is all you need. Out of the corner of your eye, you see she's holding jacket close but just barely tugging on the edges. You blink the waves out of your eyes, wait, no, that's not waves. Gloomy looking clouds have been over you for a while, but now of all times is when they give a little more light. Morning comes and now that you can focus, you notice a little something.
There's no one on the streets. Bare and emptied in the time that you took to talk. Megan said they were heading to a shelter. A place full of people who just went through the worst attack since the last war, but even the worst shelters had food and a better place to rest then the snow.
"I know I shouldn't ask, but can you do me a favor?" you ask.
Megan's eyes break away from the city. You can see the gears turn in her head. She's still scared, but she nods.
And it's got to be the bravest thing you've ever seen.
"It's all right to be scared, but before you do, give everyone a chance."
You stand up before she can respond, and reach out a hand.
"Come on, let's get you to that shelter."
Megan stares at your hand. Emotions fly across her face so fast you can't even hope to catch all of them. Even through all that, she still reaches out, she still grabs your hand. You hold it like glass and as gently as you can, you lead her away from the edge. You try not to sigh in relief, less it break your grin and scare her.
Between that, and not knowing if you can even handle it, you go to the first and best option for getting down from this place; the stairs. With your head ringing, you don't think that you could manage anything else. Megan didn't complain, staying as quiet as a newborn every step-down. Even if she doesn't talk, she's still following you. If she wanted to talk, you were there. If she doesn't, well, you can't blame her for wanting some time to think.
Stepping back outside replaces that warm feeling in your chest with a burning cold over your face. Warnings of low wave protection flash across your visor. You ignore it as best you can, but the snow isn't kind enough to let you forget it. You shake your head, it's not the time. Come on Everett, focus on something else. Like where the hell is everyone else?
When you were on the roof, you could see a whole bunch of people moving toward the shelter. Now, the snow is all that really shows anyone has been here recently. Thankfully, whatever small blessings you had left made it pretty obvious where everyone went.
You look to Megan for confirmation, and the new superhuman gives a weak shrug and a sorry smile. Sighing, you do the only thing you can. You start walking, Megan only a step behind you.
After a few turns and shivers from the wind, you turn and find it. The shelter, at least hopefully it is, is a repurposed sports stadium. Everyone seems to be flowing into the front gates where several military vehicles seemed to make a checkpoint. You spy ten men with weapons and a particularly flashy suit that sticks out like a sore thumb.
Yours does too, and when he looks over, the living laser glides over the field of people towards you and Megan. Every head seems to follow him as he goes, only to freeze when they see him land next to you.
Matthew the photogenic bastard doesn't even look phased.
"Al-Atlas," he says, "I hadn't heard anything on the line, thought you were still out of it."
"Just woke up," you lie.
Matthew's eyes dart between Megan and you, smirking all the way.
"Sure you did."
You roll your eyes and he laughs good-naturedly reaching out a hand that you grab instantly.
"Good to see you're safe."
"Same here."
You break off the shake, and suddenly feel really awkward as Megan shuffles in the corner of your eye.
"Megan," you say, startling the poor girl into the conversation, "This is my friend Legend. Legend, this is Megan. She's been through a bit of ah, rough spot."
Matthew blinks, his brow creasing in confusion and Megan gives you an accusing look. Oh, right, everyone's through a rough spot.
"The kind of spot that… triggers," you stress.
Megan's accusatory glare morphs to confusion, a blessing in disguise as Matthew goes as pale as a ghost behind her. He looks at her with renewed concern, only stopping to seemingly ask the truth with nothing but a look. You nod, and his grin shakes, but he gathers himself faster than you ever could. With almost inhuman care, he places a hand on Megan's shoulder, not blinking at the flinch that comes with the contact.
"Don't worry, you're not the only one."
His voice is so quiet you barely manage to pick up on it. Considering the reaction Megan gives, she heard it as clear as day. You miss him saying something because he points to the checkpoint. With a gentle touch, he leads her towards it. They get a few steps in before glancing back at you, tugging at the jacket.
A small little smirk worms it's way back to you.
"Keep it," you say.
She freezes, slowly though, she pulls on the edges of the jacket to nod. Matthew gives you a small salute and like that, they continue on. Despite the surprise of your sudden turnout, Matthew catches everyone's eye better than you could ever hope to. Almost like looking like a supermodel behind that mask is a good thing for him.
"He will help her."
Exhaustion is the only thing that doesn't make you jump ten feet in the air. You still manage to make a bit of a fool of yourself, biting out a sound that definitely wasn't becoming of what everyone saw as a hero.
Contessa looks as indifferent as always. The deputy glanced back, looking at a door that's flush against a nearby building. You could guess where it leads to.
"Are you hear to chew me out?"
Contessa looks back at you.
And like anyone else, the look she gives makes you feel like an idiot for even asking. Maybe it was the path helping her out, but even Rebecca hasn't managed to make you feel this bad.
"I'm here to continue your path."
...what?
"R-really?"
She nods, "Yes, and with your incapacitation, we're behind schedule."
You blink and She turns on her heel and makes her way to the door, not even stopping to stare at you from behind her fedora.
"Coming?"
It's obviously bait, so transparently manipulative that you roll your eyes at the idea alone. But it's not wrong. Path or not, you're not helping anyone standing here.
"Lead the way."
London is safe, but there are still cities that need help. Even with that in the forefront, there's still the matter of everyone accepting superhumans beyond the temporary high of salvation that you could bring. You're going to have a lot of work on your hands, good thing school doesn't get in the way.
Publically, you're going to...
[] Working with David to clear the areas still in danger. Fighting, throwing rocks, and getting the worst of your fellow superhumans out of the public eye and somewhere where they can't hurt anyone. More danger, but this is where you're needed. Taking the hits that others can't, and keeping David in his place when that ego of his gets too bad.
[] Working with Matthew, trying to make sure that new triggers are taken care of. Megan was the first, but she definitely isn't the last. Matthew is going to be spending as much time as he can helping them understand what they're going through. He'll be grateful for any help that he could get, or any advice that you can give.
Privately though, you spend your time with…
(Pick two)
[] Rebecca. She's hard at work with the paperwork, but everyone needs help or failing that, a friend to talk to. And it's been too long since you just did that.
[] Charles. He's going into overdrive with his tech, so the next time that all of you go out to fight, he's not stuck on the sidelines. Better check up on him so he doesn't go overboard.
[] Number Man. Kid's putting in the time, going through numbers like nobodies business. Though, he still might be hesitant on staying with Cauldron. A talk here and there should help.
[] Manton. He's publishing a paper on powers apparently, and having a safe demonstration wouldn't hurt.
[] Fortuna. She's looking for people to bring in to help Cauldron's efforts. She might be following your path, but better safe than sorry. Or at the very least, force her out of the path every once and a while.
[] Your family, it's been too long since you saw all of them.
You push against the snow, your legs burn and sting, but you force them to hold your weight. The sister, she's shaking. Her snarl turns feral, and her fingers freeze over.
"Scary?!"
Might have been a poor choice but damnit, you can barely think. The noise, oh good god let it stop! It beats in your head, screaming out louder than anything in the city. But even still she's still trying to top it.
"What the fuck do you know!?"
The ice melts, which is good. Though now she's grabbing you, hosting you up by your collar. Definitely not good. Your leg manages to get a foothold, but the small victory is cut short as the icy chill of her fingers bites through your jacket. Waves scream and war to keep it out, but to no avail.
All they do is just make it louder!
"Do you have any fucking idea what they'll do to me!?"
You do, and you try, but the noise…
"You don't know what it was like!"
Why can't everything just shut up!
"I know exactly what it's like!"
Snow and ice shake at the sound, even your fellow superhuman steps back, her rage drained being replaced by something else. And without that rage, her grip loosened.
At that moment, the waves take over.
On instinct, you put your free leg back to steady yourself. It wouldn't work, gravity demanded that said action would only lead to toppling over the edge as she watched. A week ago, this would be it. You would go over, and no one in the world would be able to save you when you finally stopped falling.
But it's not, and no matter what your head says, what common sense tells you what should happen. You came up here to save her, and you're not done yet!
A wave erupts, and your free leg stands on something solid. Steadying yourself, you do your best to keep your face straight when you look at her again. The anger is gone, but the horror is still there, just not the same kind.
This is familiar, going straight from terror to realization, like some part of her knew that she just made a mistake.
"I know what it's like to wake up, and not recognize who's in the mirror," Your legs burn, but you force them to push, "I know what it's like to have a power I can't understand," your ears bleed, but you make them listen.
Your head's ringing like a punchdrunk boxer, you nearly trip to the side when you step forward, but something keeps you grounded.
Something lets you smile.
"I also know what it's like to have help. To have someone believe in you when it seems like no one else will."
You reach into your jacket, and as your hand comes out with something, you hear the hitch in her breath.
"And trust me, having someone like that is more than enough to change things for the better."
Bringing it close, and the edges of your face tingle when the mask seals to your face. The inner dials whirling and spinning until the world is stripped of gold. One by one, the waves bleed away, replacing the gold with the soft greys of reality. When it's all said and done, what's left is a scared girl who's going through the shock of her life.
"Oh…" she starts, a thousand emotions flash over her face, she even runs a hand through her hair for good measure. "Oh my god."
You nod, "Yeah."
She points a shaky finger at the shield on your chest.
"You're him… that gold guy that everyone's been talking about."
She stops, her finger freezing in midair.
"You stopped him… you did this."
You try not to look beyond at the ashen remains of what was once a row of apartments.
"Y-yeah," you cough, "But I think this is the part that I actually introduce myself. I'm Altas, but I never got your name," you say quickly.
She blinks, then does everything in her power not to look right at you. The flush is getting to her, and you're a bit busy trying not to look awkward. Goddamnit this is harder than you thought.
"Megan."
Your smile widens, "It's nice to meet you, Megan."
On instinct, she reaches out a hand to shake, but the frost growing on them makes her jerk it back. She holds it close and shivers. And even if you weren't a genius, you didn't need to be to know it's not from the cold.
Carefully, you step around what remains of the ice. She watches you with every step, equal parts amazement and fear. Honestly, you probably should be feeling a little bit of that yourself. Standing in the middle of a snowstorm, barely any powers, and barely anything left to defend yourself if things get bad. The mask is helping, though not as much as you'd hope. There are a few strings of gold that pop up only to be quenched by the mask, sending a ring down your head every time. Makes it hard to focus, harder to do anything. That's the logical part of your brain, the dying part that Rebecca forgets you still have sometimes.
It's hard to ignore as you shrug off the only thing protecting you against the cold beside the waves. Megan gives you a weird look in Rebecca's place. She gives an even stranger look when you drape your jacket over her shoulders.
"I'm not cold," she grits out.
"I know," you shrug, "But you still need it more than me."
The glare that she gives could probably freeze you solid if she wanted. Though, she did bundle it closer as she sat back down. Her eyes lose the amazement, the moment over and the feelings that were there take over again. You sit next to her and she doesn't jump.
And it means more than almost every victory you've had up till now.
"I've never been to London," you hear yourself say.
Megan shuffles, surprise perking some spark of interest in her.
"Yeah, woke up one day with the power to fly around the world, but it never occurred to me to just… travel," you say, "And I heard stories, read books, but never thought I'd get the chance to come here. Glad I did, even if it wasn't for good time."
Megan slumps, sinking back into the jacket while hollow eyes stare down at the city below.
"Did you hear what they said about you?" she asks.
You shake your head.
"Even after everything you've done… they love you," she says.
"You say that like it's a bad thing."
Megan's fingers strain against the jacket.
"You and your friends. But everyone else…" she trails off and takes a long look at her hands.
Frost gathers at her fingertips, forming a small crystal of ice. It's pretty, in that shining diamond sense, but Megan doesn't share your amazement. Raw disgust fills her, making her shoulder shake. Quick as the wind, she buries her hands in the jacket and the second she can't see them, relief floods her. Her shoulders relax, and the ice around you stops spreading.
"You wouldn't be happy that you saved them if you heard what they'd do to me if they saw this."
"I'm not going to let that happen," You say, your voice firm.
Megan scoffs, a small bit of life coming back to her when she looks at you.
"They hate me."
You shake your head, "No, they don't even know what you can do," you reach out with your hand, but you stop as she scurries away, frost forming over her skin.
You feel a pang in your chest. It grows with every second, making your hand feel a million times heavier as you try to make it seem as calming a gesture that you can manage.
"Megan, listen to me. You. Haven't. Done. Anything. No one has any reason to hate you, hell, they don't even know what you can do."
"... but I do."
The pang in your chest turns into a knife-
"I know what I can do."
-and it twists.
"... and I'm not worth saving anymore."
Something pulls it out, and with that pain, you've had it.
Is this what you sounded like in that alleyway? In front of that man with the hands? This is what Rebecca saw, a kid who's putting the world on their shoulders when they did nothing wrong?
Not worth it.
What kind of bullshit is that?
You're arm's moving, rushing forward faster than you should be able to. Megan's eyes widen, she jerks a hand in defence, and ice starts forming on her fingers.
Faster than you can blink it fires.
It hits your shoulder, carrying your aim a little off course, you want to scream as the waves explode. But you don't. You're as silent as the grave as you clasp her far shoulder, and pull her close.
It's stupid, a childish show of care that's so basic even you can't screw it up. Then again, that's all it needs to be. A simple answer for a problem that a scared kid had to fester in their head long enough it blew up so bad that they would fear their own reflection. This wouldn't solve it, but it was the first step. Because a few days ago you were frightened, and this was the only thing Rebecca had to do to start making things better.
Show she wasn't afraid.
And close to your shoulder, Megan flinches, and for a second tries to push you away. You hold strong, even though it's like holding on to a huge piece of ice. You can't feel your fingers, you can barely feel your heart beating against your chest. But slowly, she stops struggling and as she does, the feeling starts coming back. You do your best not to look right at her, sparing her of the embarrassment of having to look up to you.
"We came here to save people."
She stiffens in your arms.
"It doesn't matter what you can do, you're still people. You can still get hurt."
You grip a little tighter, and your throat hitches as you say, "And you can still miss your sister."
She starts to shake, but you don't judge. You just stay there, and slowly, she presses her head into deeper your shoulder.
A second later, the wind chills the water on your shoulder.
"You wanna know the truth?" You ask, "I'm not very brave. Getting here…. was the scariest thing I've ever done in my life. And to be honest I can barely remember what I was thinking. It just happened so fast."
She doesn't nod, she keeps shaking and you hear her force back some tears.
"Someone told me to my face that We could've been flying to our deaths. But we did it anyway."
Megan freezes for a moment, then you feel her shake her head in your shoulder.
"Because even with all the time to think in the world we just wanted to help. Because I'm thick enough I think that if we help enough people then something like this won't happen again. I've fooled myself into believing that we can still make a difference even after everything that's happened today and what might happen tomorrow."
You stop, and the next thing you say next twists the knife back into your chest.
"I'm sorry we couldn't save your sister."
Megan snivels, quietly wailing in your shoulder. And when she starts to crumble further, you keep her up. All without judging a single tear that comes out. You don't know how long you stay there, but it's long enough that the wind dies down a little and Megan stops shivering.
She starts to part, and you make sure to be the last one to let go, give that extra bit of stability that you know is worth more than you can describe. You settle back, and Megan shuffles, looking down. Silence overtakes you again, but it's a welcome silence. First one that you've had today that isn't marred by the fear that a beam of light could come out and kill you out of nowhere. First one where you actually know what was going to happen next.
And the first one that you were actually prepared for.
"Megan, you and I, we can do a lot of things now. It's stupid, it's scary, it's amazing all in one, but it can't change what's happened and saying sorry won't help."
Megan nods, wiping away a tear that threatened to join the others.
"Best I can offer," You say, "Is that Alexandria, Legend, Eidolon and I, we'll our best to make sure it never happens again. No matter how big, or small the problem might be. We'll make it so you don't have to worry about this anymore."
Megan's nod is stiff, and you reflexively rub her shoulder. You don't know if it helps, just that Danah always seemed to get better after you did it. Slowly, Megan breaks away. She pushes off your hand, wiping tears and sniffling. A small flush winds through her when it dawns on her that you saw that, but you don't react, cause it doesn't matter if she does it or not. You peer past the jacket, straight at the eyes of the frightened girl next to you.
Gold reflects back at you, and Megan scoots back. Not out of fear, shame, and the action puts her hands into view. She barely even notices her hands in the snow until frost has already finished gathering on her fingers. She jerks it back, smothering it with her other hand, but knocking the jacket off her. She reaches, but her fingers are covered in the ice.
A breeze tares over the rooftop, blowing snow over the both of you. But from what you've seen, it's not the snow that makes her shiver. She might not need it, her power could be keeping out the cold, but you don't care.
She deserves the help. Even if it's just a jacket, right now, you'll take anything.
So you ignore the ringing and let the waves dance over your fingers. They glow that amazing gold, you reach down, and drown the jacket in waves. It lights up and lifts off the snowy ground to float right back to Megan.
"It'll be better next time," you promise, the weight more than a million waves, "We won't let get this bad again."
Megan grabs the edges, gripping it like she was scared it could go again.
"How?" she croaks out.
You smile with a confidence you don't remember regaining, "If you thought that all that my friends and I can do was break a city, then I've got news for you. We can do so much more, and build even better."
Cauldron, for all its faults… it's nothing if not a glimmer of hope.
"We've got plans, backups, and enough crazy ideas to make having people like us around not seem like such a bad thing."
It takes a second or two for everything to seemingly get through to her, and when it does, she snorts. You don't know if it's the nerves, the stress or the trigger, but in a second Megan's laughing like she heard the funniest joke in the world. It takes a second for her to calm herself down, and when she does, she gives you a look.
"Do you hear yourself right now?"
"You could drown a cow in the cheese," you say, looking out over the city "Don't worry I know."
"I don't think you do" she scoffs, "How can you even think that something like that will work?"
"Depends"
"On what?"
"Is it working on you?"
You don't see it, but the gasp is all you need. Out of the corner of your eye, you see she's holding jacket close but just barely tugging on the edges. You blink the waves out of your eyes, wait, no, that's not waves. Gloomy looking clouds have been over you for a while, but now of all times is when they give a little more light. Morning comes and now that you can focus, you notice a little something.
There's no one on the streets. Bare and emptied in the time that you took to talk. Megan said they were heading to a shelter. A place full of people who just went through the worst attack since the last war, but even the worst shelters had food and a better place to rest then the snow.
"I know I shouldn't ask, but can you do me a favor?" you ask.
Megan's eyes break away from the city. You can see the gears turn in her head. She's still scared, but she nods.
And it's got to be the bravest thing you've ever seen.
"It's all right to be scared, but before you do, give everyone a chance."
You stand up before she can respond, and reach out a hand.
"Come on, let's get you to that shelter."
Megan stares at your hand. Emotions fly across her face so fast you can't even hope to catch all of them. Even through all that, she still reaches out, she still grabs your hand. You hold it like glass and as gently as you can, you lead her away from the edge. You try not to sigh in relief, less it break your grin and scare her.
Between that, and not knowing if you can even handle it, you go to the first and best option for getting down from this place; the stairs. With your head ringing, you don't think that you could manage anything else. Megan didn't complain, staying as quiet as a newborn every step-down. Even if she doesn't talk, she's still following you. If she wanted to talk, you were there. If she doesn't, well, you can't blame her for wanting some time to think.
Stepping back outside replaces that warm feeling in your chest with a burning cold over your face. Warnings of low wave protection flash across your visor. You ignore it as best you can, but the snow isn't kind enough to let you forget it. You shake your head, it's not the time. Come on Everett, focus on something else. Like where the hell is everyone else?
When you were on the roof, you could see a whole bunch of people moving toward the shelter. Now, the snow is all that really shows anyone has been here recently. Thankfully, whatever small blessings you had left made it pretty obvious where everyone went.
You look to Megan for confirmation, and the new superhuman gives a weak shrug and a sorry smile. Sighing, you do the only thing you can. You start walking, Megan only a step behind you.
After a few turns and shivers from the wind, you turn and find it. The shelter, at least hopefully it is, is a repurposed sports stadium. Everyone seems to be flowing into the front gates where several military vehicles seemed to make a checkpoint. You spy ten men with weapons and a particularly flashy suit that sticks out like a sore thumb.
Yours does too, and when he looks over, the living laser glides over the field of people towards you and Megan. Every head seems to follow him as he goes, only to freeze when they see him land next to you.
Matthew the photogenic bastard doesn't even look phased.
"Al-Atlas," he says, "I hadn't heard anything on the line, thought you were still out of it."
"Just woke up," you lie.
Matthew's eyes dart between Megan and you, smirking all the way.
"Sure you did."
You roll your eyes and he laughs good-naturedly reaching out a hand that you grab instantly.
"Good to see you're safe."
"Same here."
You break off the shake, and suddenly feel really awkward as Megan shuffles in the corner of your eye.
"Megan," you say, startling the poor girl into the conversation, "This is my friend Legend. Legend, this is Megan. She's been through a bit of ah, rough spot."
Matthew blinks, his brow creasing in confusion and Megan gives you an accusing look. Oh, right, everyone's through a rough spot.
"The kind of spot that… triggers," you stress.
Megan's accusatory glare morphs to confusion, a blessing in disguise as Matthew goes as pale as a ghost behind her. He looks at her with renewed concern, only stopping to seemingly ask the truth with nothing but a look. You nod, and his grin shakes, but he gathers himself faster than you ever could. With almost inhuman care, he places a hand on Megan's shoulder, not blinking at the flinch that comes with the contact.
"Don't worry, you're not the only one."
His voice is so quiet you barely manage to pick up on it. Considering the reaction Megan gives, she heard it as clear as day. You miss him saying something because he points to the checkpoint. With a gentle touch, he leads her towards it. They get a few steps in before glancing back at you, tugging at the jacket.
A small little smirk worms it's way back to you.
"Keep it," you say.
She freezes, slowly though, she pulls on the edges of the jacket to nod. Matthew gives you a small salute and like that, they continue on. Despite the surprise of your sudden turnout, Matthew catches everyone's eye better than you could ever hope to. Almost like looking like a supermodel behind that mask is a good thing for him.
"He will help her."
Exhaustion is the only thing that doesn't make you jump ten feet in the air. You still manage to make a bit of a fool of yourself, biting out a sound that definitely wasn't becoming of what everyone saw as a hero.
Contessa looks as indifferent as always. The deputy glanced back, looking at a door that's flush against a nearby building. You could guess where it leads to.
"Are you hear to chew me out?"
Contessa looks back at you.
And like anyone else, the look she gives makes you feel like an idiot for even asking. Maybe it was the path helping her out, but even Rebecca hasn't managed to make you feel this bad.
"I'm here to continue your path."
...what?
"R-really?"
She nods, "Yes, and with your incapacitation, we're behind schedule."
You blink and She turns on her heel and makes her way to the door, not even stopping to stare at you from behind her fedora.
"Coming?"
It's obviously bait, so transparently manipulative that you roll your eyes at the idea alone. But it's not wrong. Path or not, you're not helping anyone standing here.
"Lead the way."
London is safe, but there are still cities that need help. Even with that in the forefront, there's still the matter of everyone accepting superhumans beyond the temporary high of salvation that you could bring. You're going to have a lot of work on your hands, good thing school doesn't get in the way.
Publically, you're going to...
[] Working with David to clear the areas still in danger. Fighting, throwing rocks, and getting the worst of your fellow superhumans out of the public eye and somewhere where they can't hurt anyone. More danger, but this is where you're needed. Taking the hits that others can't, and keeping David in his place when that ego of his gets too bad.
[] Working with Matthew, trying to make sure that new triggers are taken care of. Megan was the first, but she definitely isn't the last. Matthew is going to be spending as much time as he can helping them understand what they're going through. He'll be grateful for any help that he could get, or any advice that you can give.
Privately though, you spend your time with…
(Pick two)
[] Rebecca. She's hard at work with the paperwork, but everyone needs help or failing that, a friend to talk to. And it's been too long since you just did that.
[] Charles. He's going into overdrive with his tech, so the next time that all of you go out to fight, he's not stuck on the sidelines. Better check up on him so he doesn't go overboard.
[] Number Man. Kid's putting in the time, going through numbers like nobodies business. Though, he still might be hesitant on staying with Cauldron. A talk here and there should help.
[] Manton. He's publishing a paper on powers apparently, and having a safe demonstration wouldn't hurt.
[] Fortuna. She's looking for people to bring in to help Cauldron's efforts. She might be following your path, but better safe than sorry. Or at the very least, force her out of the path every once and a while.
[] Your family, it's been too long since you saw all of them.
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IKnowNothing
....What?
- Location
- I got lost so.....Where are we?
It's late I know, but for me, it's still today so I did get this to you on the day that I said I would.
I am good for something!
But if it wasn't obvious, this vote will mark a time skip. Not a huge one, we're not skipping years, but a decent amount of time. As always, write-ins are welcome, have fun allotting that social link time!
I am good for something!
But if it wasn't obvious, this vote will mark a time skip. Not a huge one, we're not skipping years, but a decent amount of time. As always, write-ins are welcome, have fun allotting that social link time!
[X] Working with David to clear the areas still in danger. Fighting, throwing rocks, and getting the worst of your fellow superhumans out of the public eye and somewhere where they can't hurt anyone. More danger, but this is where you're needed. Taking the hits that others can't, and keeping David in his place when that ego of his gets too bad.
[X] Rebecca. She's hard at work with the paperwork, but everyone needs help or failing that, a friend to talk to. And it's been too long since you just did that.
[X] Harbinger Number Man. Kid's putting in the time, going through numbers like nobodies business. Though, he still might be hesitant on staying with Cauldron. A talk here and there should help.
A bit torn on the first one, but I'm leaning more towards helping David.
[X] Rebecca. She's hard at work with the paperwork, but everyone needs help or failing that, a friend to talk to. And it's been too long since you just did that.
[X] Harbinger Number Man. Kid's putting in the time, going through numbers like nobodies business. Though, he still might be hesitant on staying with Cauldron. A talk here and there should help.
A bit torn on the first one, but I'm leaning more towards helping David.
- Location
- USA
[X] Working with David to clear the areas still in danger. Fighting, throwing rocks, and getting the worst of your fellow superhumans out of the public eye and somewhere where they can't hurt anyone. More danger, but this is where you're needed. Taking the hits that others can't, and keeping David in his place when that ego of his gets too bad.
I want to do the other option, but this is where we're needed. Feel good actions are all well and good, but this is addressing the biggest problem -- criminal capes.
[X] Rebecca. She's hard at work with the paperwork, but everyone needs help or failing that, a friend to talk to. And it's been too long since you just did that.
[X] Harbinger Number Man. Kid's putting in the time, going through numbers like nobodies business. Though, he still might be hesitant on staying with Cauldron. A talk here and there should help.
Time with the waifu is self explanitory, and the kid is as good a choice as any in my opinion. I'll change that one as needed.
I want to do the other option, but this is where we're needed. Feel good actions are all well and good, but this is addressing the biggest problem -- criminal capes.
[X] Rebecca. She's hard at work with the paperwork, but everyone needs help or failing that, a friend to talk to. And it's been too long since you just did that.
[X] Harbinger Number Man. Kid's putting in the time, going through numbers like nobodies business. Though, he still might be hesitant on staying with Cauldron. A talk here and there should help.
Time with the waifu is self explanitory, and the kid is as good a choice as any in my opinion. I'll change that one as needed.
- Location
- The United States
- Pronouns
- He/They
I like these two social links, because our path is going to be easier to follow with Number Man's casual economic dominance, and because if we can work on the relationship enough, maybe the Protectorate gets Indomitable or Cauldron gets a third boogeyman instead of the S9 getting Siberian, which would also be a two for one with one of us not getting murdered by Him/Her.
[x] Working with David to clear the areas still in danger. Fighting, throwing rocks, and getting the worst of your fellow superhumans out of the public eye and somewhere where they can't hurt anyone. More danger, but this is where you're needed. Taking the hits that others can't, and keeping David in his place when that ego of his gets too bad.
[x] Number Man. Kid's putting in the time, going through numbers like nobodies business. Though, he still might be hesitant on staying with Cauldron. A talk here and there should help.
[x] Manton. He's publishing a paper on powers apparently, and having a safe demonstration wouldn't hurt.
[x] Working with David to clear the areas still in danger. Fighting, throwing rocks, and getting the worst of your fellow superhumans out of the public eye and somewhere where they can't hurt anyone. More danger, but this is where you're needed. Taking the hits that others can't, and keeping David in his place when that ego of his gets too bad.
[x] Number Man. Kid's putting in the time, going through numbers like nobodies business. Though, he still might be hesitant on staying with Cauldron. A talk here and there should help.
[x] Manton. He's publishing a paper on powers apparently, and having a safe demonstration wouldn't hurt.
- Location
- Somewhere, probably Earth
[] Working with Matthew, trying to make sure that new triggers are taken care of. Megan was the first, but she definitely isn't the last. Matthew is going to be spending as much time as he can helping them understand what they're going through. He'll be grateful for any help that he could get, or any advice that you can give.
Let's face it, we're PR gold. If we keep putting out the friendly face of what Parahumans can be, especially to other Parahumans, we'll be set.
[x] Rebecca. She's hard at work with the paperwork, but everyone needs help or failing that, a friend to talk to. And it's been too long since you just did that.
Because everyone needs more Alexandria in their lives.
[x] Charles. He's going into overdrive with his tech, so the next time that all of you go out to fight, he's not stuck on the sidelines. Better check up on him so he doesn't go overboard.
So he doesn't kill himself over not being able to get himself killed. All things in good time, and all that.
Let's face it, we're PR gold. If we keep putting out the friendly face of what Parahumans can be, especially to other Parahumans, we'll be set.
[x] Rebecca. She's hard at work with the paperwork, but everyone needs help or failing that, a friend to talk to. And it's been too long since you just did that.
Because everyone needs more Alexandria in their lives.
[x] Charles. He's going into overdrive with his tech, so the next time that all of you go out to fight, he's not stuck on the sidelines. Better check up on him so he doesn't go overboard.
So he doesn't kill himself over not being able to get himself killed. All things in good time, and all that.
Lifeandlice
Practitioning side-character
- Location
- Usa
[x] Working with David to clear the areas still in danger. Fighting, throwing rocks, and getting the worst of your fellow superhumans out of the public eye and somewhere where they can't hurt anyone. More danger, but this is where you're needed. Taking the hits that others can't, and keeping David in his place when that ego of his gets too bad.
[x] Number Man. Kid's putting in the time, going through numbers like nobodies business. Though, he still might be hesitant on staying with Cauldron. A talk here and there should help.
[x] Manton. He's publishing a paper on powers apparently, and having a safe demonstration wouldn't hurt.
Not exactly my favorite path but i think this is probably a smarter one.
[x] Number Man. Kid's putting in the time, going through numbers like nobodies business. Though, he still might be hesitant on staying with Cauldron. A talk here and there should help.
[x] Manton. He's publishing a paper on powers apparently, and having a safe demonstration wouldn't hurt.
Not exactly my favorite path but i think this is probably a smarter one.