The Light of Brockton Bay (Taylor Hebert Alt-Power)

[Alexandra_Revoe]

-The Light of Brockton Bay-​

- Taylor's POV

The smell inside the locker was repugnant. I could taste the slurry of blood, vomit, mould, and sweat just by breathing the air in. The vile used tampons squelched from my shifting inside the locker. I could feel where every insect crawled on my skin, where they were biting into my skin, when they tried to crawl into my nose and mouth. My throat was hoarse from screaming for what seemed to be hours. I wailed for anyone's attention in the hope that someone would come to my rescue. Deep down I had a gut-wrenching feeling that help would not come.

Why would they come to save me, even if it was when I needed it the most? If they helped me they would become outcasts like me, being bullied by the trio that stuck me in here. Everyone knew that Taylor Hebert was to never be helped or befriended for fear of retaliation. The teachers would not save you nor would Blackwell of all people. I was alone.

While I banged on my locker door, thoughts raced through my mind. 'Why did it have to be me?' I shifted uselessly to try and find a more comfortable position. 'Why did Emma leave me for Sophia' Tears flowed down my cheek like a river. 'Why couldn't just one teacher give a helping hand?' Surely there was one teacher who didn't fear helping me? One thought stood above the rest, towering above all the others. 'Am I about to die?'

The thought came like a truck smashing into my psyche. I could feel my body weakening. My legs attempted to collapse only to not find enough room to fully bend. My knees scraped against the back of the locker door, leaving a gouge as my leg pressed into a piece of sharp metal. The banging got weaker as I began to feel drained of life.

I wonder how things would have changed if I did things differently. How good would my life be if I didn't text my mother while she was driving? Would my life have been better if I chose to fight back against the trio instead of taking the moral high ground? Perhaps my father could have been happier if I tried to talk with him more than the minute-long conversations we have once or twice a day.

I wished for another life. I wished to get out of this locker. I wished to get Emma back as a friend. I wished to have a normal life with a family to care for me and friends that have my back.

I wished I could have been any other version of Taylor Hebert.

The world around me seemed to swirl, my vision getting darker, my eyelids getting heavier. My breathing became forced as I slipped further away from consciousness. Even though there was not enough room to, I somehow looked up and saw the night sky. Two unfathomably large worm-like entities circled above. A piece of one of them broke off and flew towards me. It was then I heard a voice.

[Destination]

The piece continued to accelerate to me.

[Agreement]

I should have been questioning what was happening, but I didn't have the energy to think.

[Trajectory]

The piece almost reached me.

[Agreeme-

[Interruption]

The piece was abruptly blocked by a wall of pure light forming around her, it shimmered and waved like the water in a river. It then heard a woman's voice. The tone was a soothing melody that felt like it cared for and loved me unconditionally. The only words she spoke echoed in my mind.

"Be who you truly want to be."

Then it was darkness once more.

-The Light of Brockton Bay-​

- ???'s POV

It was like any other day in the city, people killing each other, pickpockets applying their trade, the soulless cogs that were the citizens mulled about, most hope gone from their eyes.

She was tending to her planted seeds, Billions of lights littering the city streets painting a picture more beautiful than anything else in the world. She would whisper to people who were on their last leg, convincing them to be themselves, letting their emotions run free of their self-made restraints.

Normally when a seed of light is ready to grow it shines like a beacon in the night. The emotional turmoil becomes a rich fertilizer, helping the seed reach maturity.

It was then she felt something new.

She felt a faint connection from a place further than she should be able to notice. Looking upon this new connection she saw a world much like her own. The people in it were slowly dying, becoming calloused to life itself. She looked over to the origin of this new connection, a young woman trapped in a locker.

As she gazed she began to feel the connection slowly closing, whatever hole in space that connected the two worlds was slowly patching up. She could not spread her gifts to this world for soon she would be locked out. She made her decision, if she could not help this world perhaps this girl could. Reaching out she wrapped the woman in light, giving her a seed of light. She then gave the woman the gift of reaching into the river of human subconsciousness. She knew that one day this woman would help this other world just like she did for her own.

Finally, before the rift fully closed she spoke before departing

"Be who you truly want to be."

 

[Alexandra_Revoe]

-The Light of Brockton Bay-​

- Taylor's POV

I hear the sound of water flowing. The sounds of gentle waves lap nearby. I begin to stir as the noises nearby rouse me awake. 'Just one more minute please.' I didn't feel like waking up just yet. Groggily, I try to pull my blanket over me, only for my hand to uselessly flop onto the hard ground near my legs. 'Did I fall asleep without a blanket?' The hard ground wasn't the best place for a comfortable sleep. 'Wait a minute, hard ground?'

Immediately thoughts begin assaulting my mind, causing me to hurriedly sit up. 'What just happened to me?' Trying to reorganize my thoughts, I start to remember what just happened. Panic sets in as I realize I should be dying in a locker filled with vile waste. I rub my eyes while looking around, only to find myself in a mostly black void. I'm still wearing the outfit I had before I passed out, a pair of navy blue baggy jeans and a dark grey sweater with the logo of the dock workers union.

The void around me is unsettling, a pitch-black abyss that feels limitless and yet restrictingly close at the same time. My surroundings are barren and lifeless, but it also feels like it has potential, like an empty farmer's field waiting for new seeds. Once again, I notice the sound of flowing water nearby. I turn my attention to the only thing that I can see within this landscape that is not my own body.

A few dozen feet away is a river, phasing in from the left, flowing to my right, only for it to once again start fading into nothingness. The water leisurely flowed as small waves lapped onto the non-existent banks on both sides. As I approach I start to see the river with a closer and clearer view. Just shy of 100 feet long and only 15 feet wide, it was somehow contained by the darkness that surrounded everything. The water on the surface was clear, slowly tinting as she looked deeper into its depths. The colour reminded me of how two mirrors facing each other slowly turn the deeper reflections greener.

Then I noticed the small motes of light deep beneath the surface, painting a picture of a starry night sky. The deeper stars were bigger and shone brighter than the ones near the surface. I began to feel compelled to dive in and take one of the stars. Continuing to look at them only increased this feeling; I started to hear faint whispers from the ones closer to the surface. I heard murmurs of desolation, promises, friendship, heartache, love, hate, aspiration, and all kinds of emotions. Every star had a different feel; one played static, another felt loneliness, and one felt a dwindling hope that was slowly burning away until there was nothing left.

One star near the surface caught my attention, it was purposefully quiet, for it judged people without providing input. My hand slowly descended to the water to try and pull this star out of the river. The water warmed my skin but was not hot, it flowed around my hand, giving me a tingling sensation as it continued to move downriver. I went onto my hands and knees as the water reached my shoulder. I grasped the star that was now in front of my hand and began to pull it out. There was some resistance as the water began to feel like glue and then molasses as it got closer to the surface. With a final yank, the star was dislodged from the river, now sitting within my palm.

Looking at it, I could now feel and see what was contained within the star. A skull with a cross going through it and adorned on the top was a crown of thorns. It silently judged people who confessed sins to it and allowed them to accept their past mistakes. The star slowly sank into her hand until it disappeared without a trace.

Snapping out of this haze, I reel back and scramble away from the water. 'What just came over me?' It was as if I couldn't think clearly, but it also felt like something I had done before, like a fast-food worker absent-mindedly preparing burgers without anything significant focus. I felt confused as everything that just happened didn't make sense. This pitch-black void, the river with stars, the 2 giant worms, the woman who spoke to me, none of it made sense.

As my thoughts started to get back into one piece, everything began to change. I saw the river slowly begin to fade as it did at both ends, I could hear the faint sounds of buzzing, and I could feel something squishing between my toes. Remembering that I was still in a locker filled with waste caused me to completely break my stupor. I found myself somehow waking up in my locker despite not being asleep a moment ago.

Instinctively, I pushed on the door of my locker, only to be shocked as the locker door was pushed off of its hinges. 'How did I..?' I step outside my locker, the lights blinding me for a moment before I can look at my surroundings. I spot a clock on the wall. It's currently 45 minutes after when students go home. The halls were barren of life other than myself; the students had already gone home. 'Not like you would want to spend time here.'

Walking through the halls, I step inside one of the bathrooms to wash myself, only to realize I didn't feel dirty. I look down to find myself wearing a black gown with a white robe on top. I rush to the mirror and see my reflection, wearing a complete set of new clothes. On my head sits a crown of thorns, it digs into my scalp but does not cause me to bleed, nor does it cause any discomfort. I feel dumbfounded by this situation: 'Why do I look like someone cosplaying Jesus?'

I didn't want to go outside looking like this, I would look like a religious nutjob. Remembering what I felt during my time in the void, I get an idea of how to get rid of the outfit. I try to remember the sensation of pulling out the skull's star and try to do the opposite, not trying to put it back in the river but to try and separate itself from me. My outfit begins to fall apart into tiny specs of light, fading as they float upwards. My original outfit covered in filth took its place. 'Holy shit I'm a cape!' I think, not even realizing the humour in my particular choice of words. It was then that I started to feel worse and worse.

I felt my body ache. I could feel every bug bite, the gouge in my knee, my starving stomach, everything came rushing back. It was like the clothes I was wearing before were giving me the strength to ignore my wounds. I felt better than before I got my powers; perhaps my powers gave me some strength when not wearing the robes. I still felt like shit though.

I needed a new set of clothes that weren't religious or covered in filth. After washing myself of some of the grime on my skin, I decided to pilfer a new T-shirt and shorts from the school's lost and found bin. I could last for an hour or two at most before I faint from my injuries. Making my way to an exit, I breathe some of the fresh outside air. It's almost 5 pm, which means the buses are still running, luckily. Some people would think the smell would get me kicked off the bus, these people don't live near merchant territory.

I debated calling an ambulance, but that would mean Dad would get contacted. I didn't want to go through that, and I especially didn't want him to go through that. Knowing what happened to me would break him more than he already was. No, I want to keep this a secret from him.

-The Light of Brockton Bay-​

Arriving at the hospital gave me an ounce of joy. My strength had slowly deteriorated up until this moment when I could barely walk without falling over. It must have been strange to see someone looking like they were half alive riding the bus. A few people had given me odd looks; two had offered to call 911 for me. Luckily, I was in the home stretch of my journey. I make it to the front door of the emergency room and I collapse forward onto my hands, the jolt sending pain up my arms. My strength had finally run dry as I could no longer stand by myself.

I hear someone run up to me and ask in a woman's voice, "Are you ok, miss?" I shake my head. The woman wraps her arms around me to help me up and keeps one arm on me as we walk towards somewhere. As I walk with assistance, the nurse is giving shouted orders to others nearby. I don't understand any of them; the sound is muffled to my ears. I feel terrible, and I know any second now I will pass out and collapse. Slowly I turn my head slightly towards my companion, "Don't tell my father about this." That was the last thing I remember before I fainted for the second time today.

 

[ryosat]

we talking transformation of summoning?
also watched.

 

[Alexandra_Revoe]

Notes: I hope you've liked my writing so far! I'm going to add notes now to every chapter. I never do creative writing, so I'm still learning to create good written pieces. I struggle with getting the word count up without making the text feel too bloated. This also means I might try and write from a 3rd-person POV for practice. Again, any tips or suggestions are appreciated. I normally write and post on weekends. I don't have anyone to beta read, so if anyone wants a chapter early, just drop a DM.

-The Light of Brockton Bay-​

A motionless skull sits upon a cross, adorned by a crown of thorns. It listens to the woman in front of it confess her sin. This one's name was Joelle; her job was that of a doctor. Recently, she had a patient who was nearing the afterlife. His condition was worsening, and soon he would be going under the knife in the small hope he may be saved.

Minutes before he would be transferred to the surgery room, Joelle had gotten a call from his daughter. The daughter begged to wait as she was five minutes away and had wanted to see her dad for what could be the last time.

Joelle's conscience told her that he should get to the surgery room as soon as possible, but she was swayed by the daughter's words. What were five more minutes going to change against the two weeks he had already stayed? Tragically, four minutes later the man started to quickly degrade. He was rushed into surgery, but it was too late, for his life had already ceased.

The skull listened to her story, motionless and responseless. As the story came to a close, the skull judged her offence. After a long silence, Joelle could feel the burden of the man's death lift off her chest. She had meant to do both the right thing; could a sin not be forgiven if the intent was pure? No, she deserves better, even if you looked past her intentions, what is but one sin in front of hundreds of good deeds?

-The Light of Brockton Bay-​

- Taylor's POV

Slowly waking up from my dream, I see bright lights in front of me. With the religious-themed dream and blinding lights, I could only think one thing: 'Did I actually die this time?' Then came a steady noise.

*Beep* *Beep* *Beep*

Opening my eyes fully, I find myself lying on a baby blue bed with white sheets. Beside me, I found the machine the hospital uses to monitor heart rate and other vital signs.

Taking a few minutes to come to my senses, I start thinking about getting someone's attention. The thought is interrupted when the door to my room opens and an iconic girl steps into the room.

'Oh my god, it's Panacea.' Panacea was well known to Brockton Bay as the resident healer cape, regularly working as a doctor at the hospital where I was currently held.

The cape geek in me wanted to squeal at finally getting a chance to meet her, but I remained quiet. Meeting my eyes, she closes the door behind her.

As she goes to check my vitals, she starts talking, "Hello, my name is Panacea, also known as Amy Dallon. I healed you while you were unconscious."

Seeing that my vitals were what I would assume to be good, Amy gets a slightly awkward look. "I have some questions for you that I am required to ask. First, do you feel your home is safe, or has there been any abuse?"

Recoiling, I shake my head, "No, I have an... ok home life."

Giving me a look of suspicion, I quickly explain, "Me and my dad are just a little distant." Her look changed to slight sympathy.

Amy slowly continued asking questions, all of which were what you would normally expect to be asked. The question about my injuries and how I acquired them came up. I refused to talk about them, I didn't feel like talking about it.

"The final question won't be recorded due to its sensitive nature. Are you aware you are a parahuman?"

'Shit, she knows.' "Yeah, I used my powers not long before arriving here."

Amy nods to my answer. "Don't worry about having to tell me anything, you don't have to. You also don't have to worry about me telling government officials. Do you know what the unwritten rules are?"

"Unwritten rules?" I ask.

Taking out a notepad, Amy begins writing, "Basically, they are a list of rules that capes follow, both hero and villain. It's not law, more like a gentleman's agreement. One, no unmasking other capes, this also includes going at them in their civilian identity and going after their family. Two, no lethal force, guns also kind of fall into this rule. Third, no fighting during or taking advantage of endbringer attacks or other S-class threats. There are a few more, but those are the basics. I recommend you look them up as soon as you can."

An incredulous look slipped onto my face. "What about all the times villains didn't follow those rules?"

"They are 'Unwritten' meaning if you're strong enough to ignore them, you don't have to listen to them. Criminals don't care about laws, but these rules at least keep most instances of cape fights to a minimum risk. The rules are mostly there to try and not let fights escalate; nobody wants their family to be hurt."

That was... understandable. When I do become a hero, I would rather Dad doesn't get hurt. It still sounds weird hearing, but I can at least understand why they're there.

"Do you have a hero name yet?" Amy asked.

That question stumped me. I hadn't been completely cognizant while on the bus. I hadn't really tested my power at all yet, so I was unsure if I should try and choose a name now. Thinking about it harder, I began to get a funny feeling. Abruptly a name came to mind, it wasn't along the lines of what I had thought about before, but it just felt right, like it was made for me.

"Da'at," I responded.

Amy looked at me with a moderately confused face. "Is that Hebrew?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure it just felt right."

Amy gave me a look. "Right."

Both of us sat for a few seconds before I broke the momentary silence in a panic.

"Shit, what time is it?"

Getting off the bed, I hear Amy say, "8:30."

I start quickly moving towards the door. "Thank you for saving me Panacea, but I have to get home, my dad is probably worried sick."

Waving Amy replies with a simple "Bye" as I briskly walk to the hospital exit.

-The Light of Brockton Bay-​

Arriving home on the bus, it's nearing 9:30 if I have my time right. I walk up the steps, while avoiding the rotted one, and approach the door. As soon as I start to open, I hear my dad yell, "TAYLOR?"

I can hear him almost running to the door. He rounds the corner, face full of worry, he then bends slightly to trap me in a hug. "Where were you? I got so worried when you didn't come home on time."

Quickly thinking of a lie, I force myself to look sorrowful. "I'm sorry I was hanging out at a friend's house and forgot to call. I'll remember next time."

His expression lightens. "It's okay. Just please remember next time. I saved dinner for you on the kitchen counter."

The talk about food reminds me. I feel like I've been starving for days. I start to walk to the kitchen when Danny calls out, "I don't remember you owning that pair of shorts or the T-shirt."

'Uh oh.' I immediately sputter out, "I… uh… got it dirty during gym class."

He gave a confused look. "In January?"

I gave a "yesssss?" after wincing.

He just gave me an unreadable look before shrugging. "Okay."

I went to grab a plate and get some food. Dinner smelt delicious, and I wanted to get to bed soon, I was tired.

-The Light of Brockton Bay-​

Getting into bed, I start to think about my future. I wanted to be a hero, I definitely didn't want to be a villain, so that part is settled.

I didn't think I needed a hero outfit, my power seems to give me some sort of priest/monk robe. Thinking about it now, there were a lot of things similar from my monk outfit to the weird skull thing. I also seemingly made some sort of contact with the skull thing while I was in the river in my dreams. Perhaps this means there are more?

I also couldn't keep on calling it the 'skull thing,' it just didn't feel right. 'Hmm. I think I'll go with 'One Sin.' Yeah, that sounds right.'

Deciding to test my powers, I start to feel the 'light' inside of me. It's deep, it feels like it's in my... soul? Not questioning it, I try to fall deeper into the feeling, the feeling of going deeper, going into the abyss.

My awareness changes as I am once again in the void. I'm not sure where this place is, I can feel it physically, but I also somehow know that this isn't physical in any way shape or form.

"Weird ass powers," I mutter as I try to ground myself. "At least I'm not in a trance this time."

Turning to see the river, I could have sworn it looked a little bigger than last time. It looks barely a foot wider and a few feet longer, but perhaps I was seeing things.

Approaching the river bank I look down into the calm flow of the green-tinted starry depths. The motes of light floated, most steadfast and unmoving against the current.

I take a running start and dive down into the deep. Now that I wasn't entranced by the sight, I noticed stuff I hadn't the first time. I could breathe under the water, it felt weird because it still felt like I was breathing water, but the body's natural reflex wasn't there to stop me from doing so.

I also felt a pressure. Slowly descending deeper, the pressure slowly but surely increased. Maybe I was a growth-type cape? Those were very rare and sought after.

Lastly, I glanced at some of the deepest stars, impossibly deep to the point where the slight tint of the water almost blocked their light in its entirety. For those stars, I felt something instinctual, a primal knowledge that they were not to be touched, at least not right now.

I almost got to my limit, the pressure becoming a bit painful, and I felt an incoming headache. That was when I reached a star.

Like last time, every star had its own unique feel. This one felt knowledgeable, discrete, patient, and analytical, but still very lethal. I needed to be smart about being a cape, you're most in danger when you start out as a cape, or so they say online.

Feeling good with my choice, I grabbed it and started to swim back up. Pulling on it felt ten times harder than last time, and last time it felt like molasses! Just like last time, it got harder and harder the further up I got. It should be impossible for me to move it if it's this heavy, my limbs should tear apart before this thing budges.

Somehow I get it to the top, and with a final yank, I pull the star free of the river. This one is definitely bigger and brighter than One Sin's star. Mentally peering into its contents. I see myself wearing a gold-coloured tie with a dark green jacket, a black undershirt, a pair of dark brown dress pants, and a pair of high-quality black shoes. All my accents are gold-coloured, even the lip of my breast pocket. I'm wielding a broadsword, its sheath attached to my side.

The expensive me is walking away from 2 corpses on the floor. She brought a phone out, the cover of which had a golden 7 made of 3 straight lines, to her ear. "Director, this is Taylor calling. I have completed my investigative work, the mission was a success." Hanging up the other me yawned. "God, I could use HamHamPangPang right now."

Deciding I had seen enough, I let the star sink into me. I could feel it now, and I could feel my growing collection a lot better. I started to feel tired. Slowly, I lay down by the edge of the river and got a good night's sleep.