Meh, if they don't have a voice in the back of their head quietly screaming for the blood of all who oppose (or slightly annoy) them, are they even really a White Mage?
It's really just nature taking its course if you ask me.
Close enough lol. We also would have accepted "for the Blood Lily."
hm...if the Aether of Bet is starting to get stirred up, does that mean we might start to see aether crystals forming? And if that's the case, how long before someone inadvertently summons a Primal cause they wished too hard near a pile of the things?
It should be fine? The ascians were responsible for the whole "forced to drain aether" symptoms. Killing the Ascians deliberately tampering with summoning rituals wherever they detected them, Killing Zodiark from draining the other primals of aether through its physical laws enforcement, and correcting the deliberately corrupted summoning rituals passed down from the ascians with proper Creation Magic from Elpys, all collectively fix the primal summoning problem in Etheirys.
Oh, and killing The Final Days helped a lot, too. Every primal summoned came with instinctive knowledge of the world being in apocalypse mode, they couldn't stop hearing the scream, despite Zodiark's shield, because of what it means to be a primal.
It should be fine? The ascians were responsible for the whole "forced to drain aether" symptoms. Killing the Ascians deliberately tampering with summoning rituals wherever they detected them, Killing Zodiark from draining the other primals of aether through its physical laws enforcement, and correcting the deliberately corrupted summoning rituals passed down from the ascians with proper Creation Magic from Elpys, all collectively fix the primal summoning problem in Etheirys.
Oh, and killing The Final Days helped a lot, too. Every primal summoned came with instinctive knowledge of the world being in apocalypse mode, they couldn't stop hearing the scream, despite Zodiark's shield, because of what it means to be a primal.
That's not exactly true. Primals can be summoned with no tempering instinct because the formula is Wish/Prayer+Crystal. The Ascians gave intentionally bad instructions where it is Zealotry+Prayer+Crystal.
As seen with Gilgamesh summoning Enkidu, and Alexander in general, tempering is not default. None of the Illuminati were tempered and Alexander wouldn't do it because it is too dangerous. Also, Susanoo had no intention to temper despite the conditions saying it should. Ramuh doesn't temper any except its summoners and those brought before him.
All of these have the exact reason for their summoning as a factor, of course. Susanoo's personality is based on the capacity he is worshipped in. Ramuh was summoned with "get Sylphs to be left alone" so doesn't want to start trouble. Enkidu was just to give companionship. Alexander is too smart and realizes the pointlessness.
The Lopporits were only needed for the Ragnarok Summoning because none of the ones doing the summoning are used to not putting in the Zealotry factor. Given enough time, the only problem with Eikons (which I call the proper summons) is that they still drain aether when around so can't stay too long.
Taylor
Today was the big day. Garlond Ironworks, Kiyome, and a few tinkers had finished the Earth-Bet and Etheirys stations for the transit rail. It was an exciting time and would dramatically change both worlds!
The station was amazing too! Dad had picked a prime spot in one of the old, large boat launches. Enough space to put a hotel in and not impede function. I could already see a sign for Hilton coming soon.
The outside had been dressed up to look like someone put an old west train station through a 1950's sci-fi serial. It clashed with the aetheryte in front, but it had a charm that way.
I just wish I could enjoy it.
I mean, I shook hands with the President! Sure it was right before a signed a carbuncle plush for her son, but still! The President of the United States!
Unfortunately that was about as much excitement as I was going to get until the speeches started. Image was going over me with a comb fine enough to find atom sized diamonds to make me presentable. Not to mention the constant arguments about which 'costume' I should wear.
Gods I'm glad Kiyome made glamours for everything. As much as Justicia looks good as a mass of shadowy darkness radiating the color black, she does not look very heroic. A simple onyx broadsword based on something Kiyome picked up from Tataru was much more acceptable.
Could have done without the metal face mask though.
My Scholar and Summoner costumes were honestly easier to pass muster. Except for the horn, that needed some tweaking so it matched the grimoire better. Which in turn needed to look more gaudy, something Kiyome was exasperated by when she made it match Image's image.
For Scholar, they went for a graduation gown and hood with a gold-trimmed book. Wearing glasses over a domino mask was interesting, just to keep my identity 'secret'.
My normal Mirage costume stayed the same, obviously. Though I did notice Image had added my Soul Crystals as visual flair to each outfit, which meant Kiyome had to re-glamour my original costume.
I was able to shoot down any suggestion of me going on stage as a Mechanist though. Not because I had a gun, but what they did to my gun. They forced me to glamour it as squirt gun and my aether-reactor as a water jug! Then my whole costume as a Mechanist was made to look like summer and beach wear!
It's a gun! Couldn't you have chosen something less stupid!?
I shifted to Dark Knight and just walked out from backstage. I was not going to be held up just because a bunch of morons can't make up their minds.
I took my usual stage spot next to Stalker, in between her and Tress as we were the newest Wards, and waited for the speeches to begin.
Hail to the Chief started playing pretty quickly, and the President took the podium. "Hello Brockton Bay!" The crowd started to cheer. "I am so glad to be here for this momentous occasion! This official opening ceremony of a connection between two worlds!"
The crowd cheered again, almost overtaking the hum of the aetheryte in the middle of the crowd. The President waited for things to quiet down before continuing. "With great thanks to the Parahuman Response Team, Protectorate, and of course the Ward Mirage," she indicated towards me and I stood a little straighter. "And our new, dear friend from Etheirys, I am proud to cut the ribbon and welcome the first true transport of good between us!"
Chief Director Costa-Brown and Legend stepped forward and began to unroll a bright red ribbon, having Kiyome and Cid take the other end. Despite not knowing Cid as well as my teacher, I could tell both hated this. The President pulled a large pair of golden scissors with the Presidential Seal on the screw and posed to cut for the cameras.
Everyone was smiling, though Cid and Kiyome were strained. As soon as the flashes died down, the ribbon was cut.
Then the alarms started.
"Bloody hells!" Cid raced into the station, Kiyome and I right behind him. He pushed the technician operating the dock control console out of the way. "Damn it! Something's interfering with the rail line! The train's stuck somewhere in the Rift!"
"Is there any way to unstick it?" Kiyome asked.
Cid nodded. "If we use one of the small carts and send a team, they can do it. Kiyome, I need you to teleport to the Etheirys end, you're the only one who can handle any problems on that aide while Nero and I are here."
"Then whose going to the train?" Alexandria, though something was off about her, asked.
"Taylor." Kiyome said with absolute confidence. "She can lead the team." And then she teleported away before anyone could say anything else.
Hoary Boulder patted my shoulder. "High praise from her. Coultenet and I will keep you safe!" The Elezan man nodded.
"Not without us you aren't!" A small Hyur woman with an astrolabe on her back next to a larger Hyur woman with a bow said. "Aenor and I aren't letting our friends throw themselves in harms ways."
"Clemence is right." Aenor said, punching her palm. "Besides, what would Ocher say if his brother didn't come home?"
I looked at the heroes of a different world and took a deep breath. "Okay, let's go!" Cid sent out one of the small carts onto the physical rail and lined it up with the portal.
"Good luck. All of you." We stepped into the cart and it shot off like a rocket. We felt it shudder and shift as it entered the Rift. Our Warding Scales began to glow as they protected us from the outside.
I opened one of the windows to see the destination. A forest of crystals had speared the train, the light of the rail scattering between them.
"That's our target…" I mumbled to myself.
???
————————
Rift Transit Rail
Aenor activated the emergency break and we scraped across crystal until we came to a stop. "By the gods…" Coultenet said when we stepped out.
It was a sentiment I echoed. The crystal forest seemed to stretch and twist into infinity. The pink and purple of the Rift refracting a million times through the pillars.
"Can you hear me?" Cid's voice came over our linkpearls. "Good. Listen, you need to get the cars free of whatever is holding them before activating the rockets. As soon as you do, Kiyome and I will restart the rail and you can ride it back to Earth."
We all gave our understanding and started towards the nearest car. "Never seen crystal quite like this." Aenor mentioned. "It's almost… alive."
From behind one of the pillars, a goobue almost made of the crystal around us appeared. "That is not a normal goobue." Clemence said.
I didn't bother a response to the obvious, just switched to Mechanist to draw it and similarly crystallized creatures in so Hoary could keep them busy. I slipped to Ninja and behind the goobue to bring it down on top of the creatures, then Scholar to help Aenor heal everyone from the fight.
Hoary sighed as the battle finished. "Something about this crystal has done this. I don't like it."
I nodded. "Me neither. This isn't like the corrupted crystals Kiyome showed me. It's even more… wrong, if that's the right word."
The Scions and I kept moving forward, closer and closer to the train car that was clearly in view. "What was in this shipment anyway?" I asked as we tore through more crystallized creatures.
"I think it's supposed to small flora and fauna," Aenor said, checking her cards. "Nothing this dangerous." The crystal was left unsaid.
As we approached the car, one trapped almost fully in crystal, I could feel… something. "We aren't alone."
Lights from the aether rail coalesced into a crystal spear. It warped and twisted until it formed something that looked like a cross between a stereotypical ghost and a goblin. Its face, if it could even be called that, was like a kindergartner trying to understand how faces worked.
"Well, this ought to be interesting." Coultenet said, pulling his staff from his back. I shifted to Dark Knight and brandished Justicia. Hoary sent his shield flying as I made a flying leap towards the monster, drawing its attention towards us as its back became exposed.
Aenor kept us boosted with her cards, and cast as many area healing spells as she could to mitigate the damage this thing could do.
Quickly, however, the thing began to shift again. No longer haphazardly swiping with feeble claws, they condensed and grew into daggers as it began to attack faster.
"The beast is learning!" Clemence shouted, strumming a few notes on her bow-harp to increase our own speed. The creature started to dart around the area, and I could barely keep up with the experienced adventurers as we avoided its attacks.
"Again!?" I yelled as the form shifted, one of its arms gaining a giant blade reaching back towards its shoulder in place of a forearm. It was slower now, but hit a lot harder.
Its swings were more obvious, but the sheer power from them made being anywhere within its range a problem. But thankfully it didn't seem to be learning fast enough to out maneuver us.
Then it shifted again, gaining a witch hat and a staff in its hand, absorbing all the spells Coultenet sent out.
"Twelve forefend!" Aenor exclaimed, diving out of the way of a fire ball. The creature began pelting us with magic, making us race around the arena we found ourselves in. Coultenet had to shift his magic constantly to not have it absorbed.
I raced forward, not heeding the calls for me to stop, and plunged Justicia right into the monster's mockery of a face. With a satisfying smirk on my face, I pushed down with my knee and pulled my sword upwards in a cleave.
The monster fell backwards and shattered into tiny, glimmering dust particles. I turned towards my companions. "Well? We do need to free the car." I turned back and started hacking away at the crystals holding it in place.
Eventually, all of us managed to break it free and let it rest on more stable ground. A quick check of the inventory list inside confirmed that most of the flora and fauna hadn't been corrupted, only those too close to a breach in the side. We patched that up with a burst of ice and moved deeper into the train.
We made our way through the train cars, breaking it out of its bonds and destroying more crystal creatures like the one we fought outside but smaller. If our theory that the crystal is alive is right, then these things must be its… antibodies I guess. But it's so alien that it's trying to take human forms based on what we do, but no understanding how these forms actually work.
Eventually we made our way to the caboose. A large car filled with piping and some controls to handle the back portion of the aether rail. "That might be a problem." Clemence said, pointing to a pillar of crystal speared through the back of the caboose.
The pillar began to glow and the tip liquidated, a piece dropping off onto the ground. Like living mercury in a half-recalled sci-fi thriller, the crystal took on a humanoid form.
Of course, 'humanoid' was being generous. The proportions were good for a twice sized Roegydan stretched by a taffy maker, but it lacked a head. It had four arms, each ending in a different weapon. A mace and staff knob above the shoulders, a sword and axe on the arms that should be normal.
And the torso formed its face. Where the first one was a kindergartner trying to describe a face, this was like an asian demon mask filtered through a lawn gnome. A bulbous nose framed by tusks and a bearded mane stretching to the floor.
This monstrosity looked tough, so I switched to Scholar to back up Aenor. Hoary bore its full attention and I kept my pixies supporting and healing him, while Aenor focused on keeping everyone else alive against the onslaught the creature brought to bear.
Its arms stretched and bended as it attacked. Rapid fire pummels from the mace, incredibly wide swings from the sword, reaching back with the and catching anyone behind as it cleaved forwards. Spinning the arm-staff to direct focused magical attacks .
And the worst thing is when it went limp. It would lean back and open its mouth, then spring forward like from a loaded gun and wrap itself around one of us, chewing on us with its oversized fangs.
Slowly but surely, we wore it down and it too collapsed and shattered.
I activated my Linkpearl. "Cid, are you there?"
"Yes, go ahead."
"The engine on the caboose has been busted. We sealed the hole but there is no way it's going to propel anything."
"Blast! Kiyome, you hear that?"
"I did. I think we can send a pulse from my end to push it along, but it will be a bumpy ride."
"It will have to do. Ta- Mirage. You and your team get the train free. We'll handle the rest. Cid out."
I lowered my hand from my ear. "Well, you heard them. Let's get this train free."
We all climbed onto the roof of the train to break the last remaining restraints of the crystal and patch up what holes we could find. Pretty quickly, the train completely dropped and connected with the aether-rail. Hoary posed with a cheer as everyone else celebrated, and then we headed for the front to activate the engines.
My… chosen…
"What?" I stopped and turned behind. But there was no one there. "I swore I heard something."
"Taylor, come on!" Clemence called and I raced to catch up.
Then an earsplitting roar echoed around us. What remaining crystals there were pooled themselves together, forming into a serpent with eight spider-like legs. It roared again, shaking the train and threatening to tip it off the rail into the Rift.
I turned into my Summoner form, flames flickering off the pages as Ifrit readied itself to be called upon. I stared at this last obstacle in defiance. I was not going to let it stop me. Not after coming so far, not with so much riding on this train!
Crystalline Worm
—————————
Planesgorger
I don't know what subconscious signal was given, but we all charged forth against the creature. Egi-Ifrit tore itself free of my tome, launching a devastating fireball in tandem with Coultenet. Just before it made impact with the monster, Aenor's Arrow card joined it alongside a song of Clemence's. Hoary's shield drew it's attention, allowing the now massive fire to strike at the back of its head.
The thing roared again, scuttling about as it tried to avoid us, eventually forming its legs into wings. It dove over the side and I led the effort to avoid it trying to sweep us across the sides as it rise and charged forward.
A chill filled my chest as I called on Shiva. The miniature version of my teacher's friend spun about me, forming a shield of blue sparkles. I skated forward on literal ice skates, dancing around the insectoid serpent until it was trapped in a pillar of my own making.
I swerved back to the others and opened my book again. A shimmering blade of of transparent smoke rose from it, swinging itself in a Z formation. Cracks appeared along the creature as it ceased its struggle against its bonds.
Was it fear? Acceptance? Or was it already dead but the body didn't know it? At that point, I didn't care.
I grabbed the handle of the sword and swung it straight down, a gust of wind racing forward and past my trapped enemy.
There was silence, as if nothing in the universe was sure of its next move.
Then the silence shattered like glass. The monster split into pieces along every line drawn against it, then dispersed into motes of light.
We had won!
Everyone climbed down into the cockpit and Hoary pressed the engine button. Energy raced through us as we were pushed forward. We emerged from the portal grinding along the physical rail to cheers of the populace.
Kiyome finished teleporting into the aetheryte and I could see her confidently approaching the train with a knowing smile on her face. She gave me a nod as she passed to approach Cid, the President, and the Chief Director.
"That was amazing!" Vista said, rushing to give me a hug.
"Wait? You saw that!?"
Clockblocker gave a thumbs up and pointed behind me. A small drone phased into view. "Leet sent one of his snitches in with you. Don't worry, he set up a thing to block any names from being heard." He smiled, patting the thing as it landed on his shoulder. "It's probably their highest stream yet!"
The Wards laughed and I couldn't help myself but join in. My vacation in Eorzea may have been over, but my adventures had only just begun!
Uh, yes she is. Even though @Firehawk242 is a free trial player, Kiyome/Echo has always been post-Endwalker. Also, Hydaelyn would be limited to Etheirys any way.
Taylor
The increased popularity for rescuing the first large Etheirys-Earth train was, honestly, pretty expected. Mirage merchandise started selling like hotcakes and more forum threads than I could reasonably count got locked for deviating to talk about me.
Last I heard, the Versus threads were getting the brunt of it.
But of course my actions, as heroic as they were, did lead to some issues. "Children should not traversing the... whatever that was!" Such as the current 'meeting' with the Youth Guard, dad, the director, and myself. No Kiyome of course, she'd actually be able to get them to shut up. "Parading a child around with giant swords and firearms. Letting them go on month long trips to other planets!" My so called representative shouted across the rather small conference table.
"I did approve of Taylor going." Dad meekly tried to remind the representative and the record.
"Not to mention keeping her out of school! Children need an education!"
Okay, that was kind of fair. I hadn't actually gone to school since... geeze. It feels like I haven't since I became Mirage. I know I had to have but after Leviathan and Eorzea it's just flown out of my mind. Have I gone since I came back?
"Cavorting with people who have no actual understanding of anything, including child endangerment!" The rep continued. "Can we even trust an alien who perfectly placed herself to become a close confident of a teenager? Just because she killed an Endbringer does not mean such a close relationship is appropriate!"
Wait? Was she arguing what I think she was?
"You, Mr. Hebert have been woefully neglectful to allow your daughter close proximity to actual Master effects, cure or not. CPS will be hearing about this, I assure you. How can you guarantee Echo wasn't manipulating your daughter for her own ends?"
She was!
Justicia slammed my hands on the table and stood us up. "Shut. Up." We growled. "You do not get to insult and threaten the people I care about in my name." I looked the representative right in the eyes and didn't even try to hold back the smirk when she flinched. "I am perfectly capable of speaking for myself."
"Y-yes, of c-course. But Taylor you are child so-"
"And?" The rep only swallowed nervously. "I get you think I need protection, that I shouldn't be putting myself in danger, and I thank you for trying to look out for me. But you are in the way."
"E-excuse me?"
"I said : You. Are. In. The. Way." I stood up fully and rolled my shoulders back, never breaking eye contact. "I'm here because I want to me. If I so chose, there is nothing you could do to stop me from leaving the Wards and going it alone as a vigilante." I smiled coldly. "And that was before I went to Etheryis."
The representative pretty much collapsed down into her seat.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "All my life I've wanted to be a hero. And now that I've learned what being a hero actually means," I remembered Kiyome smiling at Hamon's wake. "I'm not going to let anyone stop me." I opened my eyes and made sure to lock with everyone in the room. "I'm going to do what is right before anything else. I'm going to help people, not just stand around and look pretty."
I left the conference room and headquarters without permission, but I didn't care. I barely held Justicia back from cutting our way out, damn the consequences.
And you wondered why I said we should burn it all / I never disagreed.
I made my way to the Transit Station, quickly becoming the safest place in the city. Ward patrols were already being regularly scheduled to stay in its vicinity, and apparently not even Sophia was too upset about that. Probably because we are allowed to use the training facilities there.
And honestly? With only Uber and Leet still around for villains, it's not like we Wards have anything better to do than look pretty and make friends with the new neighbors.
I passed the aetheryte and the pop-up tents with shops from Earth and Etheryis forming a new marketplace. Already I could see the Adventurer population making their way to Brockton Bay and plying their trade, from day laboring to... that is a pub. And clearly is serving alcohol. How did they get a license that fast?
I made my way into the public area of the station and sat down to watch the workers go to and fro like busy bees in a hive, listening to the people already making a routine to visit before regular passenger trains were active.
"You know, my brother is trying to get his kids to drop out of their college?"
"Really, why?"
"He wants them to apply for this place called 'The Studium' on Etheryis. Apparently it's basically the only center of higher learning on the planet!"
"Explains why so many kids are here during a school day. Apparently our visitors have set up a school house on property. I heard something about magic lessons on my way in."
Eorzean schooling huh? Better than wandering around doing nothing. I got up and slipped through the crowds towards the directory and then towards the school house. It wasn't much, really just a roof and pillars holding it up with a back wall for a white board. What surprised me more were the students.
Sure, there were plenty of kids that were there clearly for a field trip, but there was a group that should not have gathered like they did. "Uh, guys? Kinda conspicuous don't you think?"
Amy sighed and put the cigarette she had just pulled out back in its box and back in her coat. "Let's be real, secret identities aren't going to survive much longer once everyone gets magic powers."
Chris looked up from his notebooks, things I know he wasn't supposed to let leave his lab, and the copious texts with the Ironworks symbol. "To be fair, today was a patrol day for me and I was assigned here so..." He shrugged.
Sophia and Missy both rolled their eyes. "I'm just here because track was canceled. I needed something else to do and school wasn't providing shit." Sophia said, arms linked behind her head.
I looked at Missy, who just glared at me. "It was this or listen to my parents on a day they pulled me out for 'cultural enrichment'."
"And Vicky? Pretty sure you don't have an excuse." I said looking at the blonde powerhouse.
"Nah, I dropped out. Ames too." Victoria said with a smile.
"Don't drag me into this."
"Mom said yes because of those horns of yours. We all figured it would be better if I kept an eye on you while you deal with it. Plus, getting credits for college for doing this." Vicky shrugged. "This is way more interesting than the biology degree I was working on."
I mouthed 'horns?' as I looked at Amy. The healer sighed and pulled off her hood, revealing two very small but very distinct horns sprouting from her skull. My mind briefly flashbacked to meeting the Elder Seedseer. "Oh, you're a Padjal. When did you become a Padjal?" I asked rather calmly considering the sudden species change.
"Hebert, you do not ask how someone gets horns like you would a dog."
Amy tossed an eraser at Sophia's head who ducked instead of phasing through it, keeping the bare minimum of her identity a secret. "I don't know. I started getting a headache not long after Leviathan was killed, right around the time the aetheryte network was set up."
I hummed in thought as I sat in a desk next to my... friends. Great, I actually consider Sophia a friend. What is my life? I pulled out my Scholar grimoire and started leafing through it. "Let's see... it might have something to do with the aetheryte and network 'stirring' the ambient aetherical energy brought about by Kiyome's presence."
I looked up and saw blank looks. "Kiyome brought magic, but it kind of just... sat there. Like standing water, not completely still which would be very bad, but not really moving either. The aetherytes are making currents, like underneath the ocean."
"Is that why I've been seeing balls of green wind now and then?" Chris asked, pointing outside the school. And yep, there was clearly a ball of wind hovering on top of the transit station.
"Yes, that would be why." I closed my grimoire and turned towards Amy. "Now, that explains learning magic and when it started, but not. the why."
Amy held up one of the books she had been studying. History of Gridania was proudly placed on the cover, note tabs poked out of various pages. "This says that Padjal are Hyurs chosen by Elementals to speak for them to mortals. Except I'm not a Hyur."
Vicky patted her sister on the shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out. Taylor, wanna help?"
"Sure. At the very least I can spare some time if you don't mind walking me through your hospital rounds. I need the qualifications now." I said then looked at the others as I saw the schoolhouse teacher gathering things to start a new lesson. "I'll help everyone with something, okay?"
"I could use a sparring partner." Sophia admitted. "The dummies aren't cutting it anymore."
"You are more familiar with airships than I could hope to be." Chris said.
"Anything to keep me out of the house!" Missy begged. "I'll go the Image and become a goddamn magic girl at this point!"
I turned to Vicky who was already readying her desk and copying what the teacher wrote before the lecture started. "What? ...Uh, patrol together? Kinda focused right now."
Fair. I snapped my fingers and my fairies brought a blank notebook and supplies from home. Sure I didn't really need a lesson on Eorzean to English letters, but a refresher to take home for dad wasn't going to hurt.
Besides, I was 'attending school' for any more Youth Guard barking that shows up. Just not American.
Ah, it's nice to see this back. Some parts feel a bit filler-y, but that's probably because this is more a set-up chapter for the changes brought to Earth Bet. Which is fine, honestly.
Looking forward to more of this. Whenever it may come.
Haha fed up Taylor Vs the youth rep. Even Sophia is more pleasant than her actual rep. Taylor could probably apply for duo citizenship with the help of kiyome's friends.
For what ails you
"...and finally, initial here and sign here." Amy pointed out the proper parts of the Parahuman Healing Contract to finish off. "And there we go, all it took to sell your soul to the medical industrial complex was a case of carpal tunnel."
I rubbed my wrist while glaring at the unmasked healer, who shrugged. "You got lucky, I had to sign both as Panacea and Amelia Dallon."
"Lucky, right." I mumbled while calling on Eos, who flitted about my wrist and sprinkled magic on it, getting rid of the cramps. "Thank you, Eos." the fairy giggled and sat on top of my trencher, kicking her little legs in a happy beat.
Amy stared at the glowing creature, clearly resisting the urge to touch it and see what it is made of. "Seriously weird how your powers work." She said, leading me from the hospital's break room to the administration office to turn in my paperwork along with the official forms from the Protectorate and PRT to approve said paperwork. "A flick of your wrist and you can heal anything."
"Not anything." I emphasized after sliding the paperwork to the secretary and heading towards the elevator. "I don't think I can cure cancer like you."
Amy scoffed and pressed the button for the first floor. "Does Eorzea even know what cancer is?" I shrugged. "Yeah, you probably can." The doors shut and the elevator headed down. Amy pushed away her hood to scratch at the base of her left horn. "Why are these things so itchy? There aren't even cuticles to get that way."
The elevator chimed and opened before I could answer. "Blue ER, Blue ER."came over the PA system and Amy took off like a rocket, and I wasn't far behind her. I didn't know much about hospitals, but I'd watched enough old shows to know Blue was code for 'someone is dying right now!'. We raced towards the gathering staff. That had to be the dying patient.
"Sitch!" Amy commanded, entering the patient's room and pushing some orderlies out of the way.
"Heart failure. Paddles to max safety and still nothing!" The doctor said, scrambling to get a needle ready while the EKG blared a single note.
Amy practically slapped her hands onto the patient. "He's dropping! I can't keep his cells going before another group fail! I need 60 CCs of-!" The doctor put her hand on Amy's shoulder and shook her head. Amy sighed. "Call it. TOD is…" she looked over at the clock. "Thirteen fo-"
Before she could finish, I directed Eos to fly over the body and opened my book. I held my hand over the pages and took a deep breath before casting the spell. "RAISE." The aether echoed through me, channeled into my fairy who flew about the body with trails of energy following her and sprinkling down.
The body jerked, taking a deep breath, the man's eyes darting around as the EKG beeped to rhythmic life. Amy touched the man's arm in awe. "He's… everything is functional again. Not perfect, I'm handling that but it's working." Everyone, including the patient, looked at me and Eos who was patting my cheek. "You brought him back to life…"
I shrugged and chuckled. "Did I not mention there was a spell for that as long as it was recent? Oops." The silence, aside from the medical devices, was deafening.
+XIV+
Paid as Collateral
I landed in a comfortable crouch on the roof, Vicky floating next to me. "You don't need to hover, you know. I am rather good at parkour."
"Yeah, when you're a literal ninja. Not," She gestured to the sword on my back. "Carrying around a hunk of metal as long as you are tall and about as thick." I rolled my eyes and grabbed my sword, easily twirling it with one hand before letting it rest on my shoulder. Vicky glared at me.
"It's not like I'm actually that strong. The sword still weighs a ton."
"Literally or figuratively?"
I cocked my head to give the blonde powerhouse a look. "I'm not going to be lifting cars like you any time soon. I just… hit stuff real good."
We laughed before getting ready to move on, when we heard what sounded like an out of tune music box blaring alongside police sirens. We looked down to the street where a heavily armored… ice cream truck? Was speeding down the road followed by several cruisers.
"I thought the Merchants got out of town." I stated as we began pursuit from the rooftops.
"That's Uber and Leet!" Vicky charged below and shoulder checked the truck, sending it careening but unfortunately not out of commission. Civilians barely managed to get out of the way just as the ruck righted itself.
"Be careful!" I shouted, jumping from roof to roof to keep up with the speeding vehicle.
Vicky either ignored me or didn't care and kept trying to force the truck off the road and onto its side. A rotating machine gun popped out and began hammering her, pushing her back. Crossing her arms to protect herself, Vicky kicked upwards at the truck, catching it at just the right angle to send it flying onto its side… right for some people who can't get out of the way fast enough!
I jumped down and sprinted as fast as I could, the world becoming a tunnel. I pushed myself and pushed Myself farther than I knew I could go.
Vicky's reckless. She doesn't pay attention. She charged right in, no thought of anything but stopping the bad guys! She'll get people killed this way! …Whose to say she hasn't already? Amy would stop it. And how many times do you think she has?
I planted my feet on the ground and my sword pierced the asphalt. The truck hit me with all 80 or so miles plus whatever Vicky's kick had caused. The truck's armor crumpled like foil against me, bending like an accordion to form a V before falling back to Earth on what remained of its four wheels.
I pulled my sword out of the ground with a sharp swipe, cutting the door to the passenger's side open. "You aren't Uber or Leet."
The driver and passenger raised their hands. "They left town, bunch of stuff stayed behind. We just wanted to go for a spin." My glare was a solid indicator that I didn't care for their excuse.
I let the police take them into custody while I joined Victoria. "Nice job partner! We gottem!" I slapped the Brute upside the head. "Ow! How the hell!?"
"What was that!?"
"What?"
I gestured to the civilians giving their statements to the police. "That! If I hadn't been there, they would have been seriously hurt! If not killed!"
"Geeze, what is your problem? It all worked out. Seriously, how did you do that?" Victoria rubbed her head.
I could not believe what I was hearing. Yes I can. "'It all worked out'? Is that all you have to say for yourself?" Victoria shrugged, obviously confused by the point I was trying to make. "We are HEROES! We are supposed to protect people, not put them in danger!"
"It was an accident! They happen!"
I turned and gave Victoria a half hearted wave over my shoulder. "If they are like that chase, it's not an accident. It's recklessness."
"Oh come on Mirage. Mirage! Hey! Where are you going?" Vicky flew after me, but I teleported away to another point on the network. I was not in the mood to listen to her justify herself right now. Justifying is what they all do.
+XIV+
Space to call one's own
I had barely even approached the house in the very affluent neighborhood when I heard the shouting. All the training I had been given told me to race inside and break up a clear case of a domestic incident that could turn violent, but when I saw that Missy was calmly, if annoyed, sitting on the porch of the house and not rushing anywhere I decided to leave it alone.
Against my better judgment, of course.
The fact she was sitting on the porch of the house with the shouting with an almost bored, but definitely resigned, look on her face explained everything.
"Ready to go?" Missy asked me.
"Isn't that my line?"
She patted her backpack and nodded to the door. "I was ready quite a while ago, as you can probably guess."
"Then yes. Yes I am."
I took Missy's hand and led her to the training ground set up by the Grand Company of Eorzea near the Rift Station. I slipped on a simple domino mask and Missy put on her helmet, but the disguises were paper thin. We hadn't even bothered to hide ourselves as we did so. Really it was more for pretense than anything else.
"Okay!" Missy said excitedly, pulling the most girly wand from her pack. It was in her costume's green and white, but looked as though it had not only been designed by a committee that thinks it knows what girls enjoy, but clearly was made for form over function. "I'm ready to learn some magic!"
A lalafell ceased overseeing the drills of some thaumaturges and approached us at Missy's shout. "Well, after so long dealing with the unnecessarily dreary Guild, that wand is quite the change of pace." The lalafell was a woman, a bit shorter than Missy herself, but with an aged voice that matched her white hair and the monocle over an eye. "I am Yayake Yake and though normally I act as receptionist for the Thaumaturge Guild, I was chosen to oversee any training here on Earth Bet. You are… Vista, correct? I'm still getting used to all this 'Cape' business."
Missy nodded. "Yes ma'am. Um, not to be rude but… how are we talking to each other?"
Yayake chuckled. "I'm a receptionist. If I couldn't learn a language quickly, I'd be out of a job." Her smile fell almost as fast as it had risen. "Now, I do need to clarify something: Thaumaturgy is not for the weak of heart. It is a lesser version of what is known as Black Magic, a very dangerous art."
"Black Magic? So it's evil?" I asked. Kiyome hadn't actually explained any details of the various magics to me aside from what was in my Jobs.
Yatake shook her head. "No, it is inherently destructive. Where the Conjurers, and their predecessors the White Mages, have the ability to cause pain they also have the ability to alleviate it. Thaumaturgy has no such ability. Though it has been adapted from funerary rites, its sole purpose is to destroy."
Yayake looked at Missy, locking eyes despite the helmet Missy wore. "Are you absolutely sure you want to walk this path? I can easily talk to an Arcanist and they would be willing to take you on. Or perhaps one of the healing arts?"
Missy gripped her wand tightly. "No, I need to do this."
"Need eh?" Yayake hummed, holding her chin. "I see. Very well, I shall see what you can do. Approach the range please. You as well… Mirage. Such a strange culture."
We approached a grassy firing range, shared between various Archers, Machinists, a few locals with guns, and mages. "Now, Mirage, I want you to demonstrate a Ruin spell." I nodded and cast the bolts of light at the target down range of me. "Very good. Now, Vista, did you feel anything from Mirage as she did that? Even if through your unique power more than aetheric senses."
"Sort of. Like she was… pulling on something?"
Yayake smiled. "Yes, that is correct. She was gathering aether and releasing it."
"Like making a snowball and throwing it!" Missy said.
"Not an incorrect depiction, especially with the first spells you will be practicing: Fire and Blizzard." Yayake stepped up to the line and drew her staff from her back. Black and purple energies gathered at the tip, before she unleashed a fireball on the target. Not long after, a blast of ice sprang forth and put out the fire.
"What you will be doing, that Mirage does not, will be gathering up a specific 'feeling' of aether." Yayake explained to Missy. "Now it's quite thin here still, so I don't expect you to get it on your first tr-"
I glanced over at Missy and so she was straining, the magic was beginning to form on her wand but it was different from what Yayake did. It was bubbling instead of smoking, and when she unleashed it there was no change. The bolt of energy hit the target dummy and exploded into purple rings, pushing it and all the dummies around it away from the impact point.
"Uh… sorry?" Missy shyly shrugged her shoulders and smiled.
Yayake rubbed her monocle and replaced it on her shocked face. "Well, I don't know what that was but it certainly was not Fire or Blizzard. We'll need to examine exactly what you were gathering to determine what you did. Mirage, we will need your help." I nodded dumbly. That was no spell I'd ever seen before.
And a part of me was looking forward to finding out if I could do it too.
+XIV+
The tools in your box
"So, how'd you get Image to alter your Machinist look?" Chris asked while arm deep in one of his hoverboard prototypes, looking for something.
I shrugged while going over my aether-converter, free of its glamour. "I think I made the point that carrying around a water jug and walking in flippers just looked incredibly stupid."
"Still a lot of merch, like those mammet things, that they have to get rid of." Chris pulled out a device and set it on his workbench. "Though maybe they can up the price on Summer Fun Mirage version 1!"
We both laughed and continued our work. It didn't take long for me to notice that he was focusing more on my bench than his. "Yes?"
"Um…. Can I… look at your crystal?"
I set down a wrench and focused on Chris. "Why?"
Chris looked down at the device on his bench, an anti-gravity generator I think. "I… maybe it can tell me something? Clear up this… mess in my head."
"Chris, you're a good Tinker."
"Yeah right. A Tinker with dyscalculia isn't a real Tinker."
"You can't blame yourself for how your brain works. And a Job Crystal, even if you could use it, isn't going to magically change that."
Chris clenched his fist and then slammed it onto the workbench, the generator tipping over onto its side. "I know that! But I just feel so… Useless! Nothing I make works right! Leet can build better than I can!"
I put a hand on his shoulder. "You just need to take it slow."
"I'll never be ready if I take it slow. Armsmaster's practically on my ass to have something to show him."
"Screw him." Chris looked at me in shock. "If he's not going to give you the time to grow at your own pace, then don't try to match his. You aren't Armsmaster, your're Kid Win." He looked away from me at the generator. "You may share some skills, but you don't share everything. Just like being a Machinist might make me a Tinker now, it doesn't mean I share everything you and he do."
"So you won't let me become a Machinist?"
I shook my head with a smile. "That's my toolbox. I'm willing to help with what I can, but you need to use every tool in your toolbox."
He looked over his bench. "The tools in my box? What do you mean?"
"What does Chris like to do that Armsmaster or Mirage don't?" He tilted his head in confusion. "When was the last time you did something for fun? No powers involved."
"Before I got powers." Oh. "Used to play with Legos a lot. Legos were easy." He chuckled. "You could build a blaster without having to worry about stuff like math all the time! Pieces just went where you wanted them and… fit… together…" Christ gained a very far off look, middle distance really.
"Chris?" I gently shook him out of his stupor and before I could do anything he jumped athis hoverboard, tearing it apart from the inside, then grabbed one of his prototype blasters and did the same to it. He put the pieces together and gazed in almost reverent awe at… whatever he made.
"That's it… Lego…" He turned to me with a giant smile on his face. "Can you get me some of those Ironworks notes from the shelf? I think I know what to do now!"
+XIV+
Inevitable Confrontation
My left hook impacted Sophia's jaw like a sledgehammer, sending my enemy-turned-friend spinning to the floor. I immediately followed up with a leg drop that only charitably would not be called a curb stomp, but she shifted into her shadow form and dropped through the floor.
"Okay, we're doing powers now." I snarked, pulling out my knives and immediately jumping into the shadows of the room, vanishing from all sight and sound.
Sophia reappeared and immediately shifted back to race to grab a staff from a rack on the side. "Come on Hebert, I've been waiting for a real fight with you for a while!" She held the pole behind and one hand out, ready to grab anything heading towards her.
"If you insist." My voice came from every part of the room. I leapt from my hiding place, running my hands through the mudras. "Katon!" I put my fingers to my mouth and spewed forth a stream of fire.
Sophia dodged to the side, swirling the staff, that was what I now noticed to be a shepherd's crook, from behind her to catch me with the hook piece. I dropped under the swing with a split, swiping at her ankles with my daggers. Sophia shifted into shadow again, so I did the mudras for Raiton and swung wide again and caught her with the bolts.
"Damn it!" Sophia dropped from shadow form and swung her crook about. She caught me by the wrist, spun on her heel, and sent me flying towards the other side of the room. I ran through my mudras as fast as I could to summon my Hellfrog… and hit the wall with a thud, the fluffy rabbit falling off my head as I did so.
"Shit." I didn't keep my focus, messed up the mudras.
Sophia walked over to me, crook over her shoulder, and held a hand out to me. I glared at it before grasping it and letting her pull me up. "Good fight."
"Thanks." We walked over to the bench and grabbed a couple of towels, I tossed one to her. "…I have to ask."
"Why I'm being so friendly?" I didn't actually dignify that with a response. We both knew this would come up eventually. "Because you proved me wrong."
"About what?"
Sophia wiped her brow and sighed. "I had this… thing about people. You were either strong enough to survive the bullshit the world dishes out, or you weren't. I put you in the latter category."
I sat down and took a drink of water. "What changed. I didn't exactly fight back in school."
"Pfft. Yeah, no. That wouldn't have done it. I would have called it fake and just upped everything." Sophia leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. "It was Echo. When she killed Leviathan, I started to realize that you were catching up to her. And if you, someone I thought less than shit,"
"Gee thanks."
"Could catch up with her." She continued as if I hadn't interrupted her. "Then what the hell was I doing wasting my time trying to keep pushing you down."
We stayed there for a while, in silence, thinking about our past actions with each other. "That's still not a healthy outlook." I said eventually.
Sophia shrugged, put her crook on the rack and waved goodbye as she headed for the showers. I waited for a time, idly sipping on my water. I had to wonder about when I started actually liking Sophia, given I knew a very real part of me wanted to actually kill her. Maybe when I saw that we weren't so different? We both valued strength, I just thought I was healthier about it.
My rabbit summon hopped into my lap and I started petting between its ears. "Life never gets any easier, does it little guy?" The rabbit purred and thumped against my leg in agreement. Or happiness at getting scritches. Either or. "Yeah, me too buddy. Me too."
Yes, I live! Turns out having, admittedly currently undiagnosed, medical PTSD does a hell of a lot of damage to one's ability to write. Not long after the last update here I tore my left knee apart, had a surgery to fix it, then dislocated my left shoulder and ended up in rehab for two weeks. I only started actually fully walking again in September. Been a rough year.
So I'm going to alternate between Role Quest and MSQ chapters… when I actually can write this. However! I do have a plan now, which is rather rare for me.
