- Location
- Canada
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Surprisingly helpful Armsmaster is Helpful
The River Keeps Running
- Thread starter YseultNott
- Start date
-
- Tags
- worm armsmaster
Yeah but isn't Taylor close to Hellhound? Or was that later in the story?
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Taylor did get closer to Rachel prior to the fight with the Empire, but Rachel has since learned about Taylor's planned betrayal (which, in canon, led to her trying to kill Taylor) and she's still pissed.
Interlude 3.x - Eone
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Eone
Eone has been driving buses to and from Capole for the last thirty years.
She's not born today. She's seen some shit.
She's seen people, too. A lot of people, and some were pretty strange.
That's a first, though.
Are…
Are they even menens? They're so small, and they have fur instead of quills, and something is wrong with their eye, and…
And she shouldn't stare. That's rude, and they probably get enough of that.
"Where are you going?" she asks them.
The one with the long, light fur turns towards the others and tell them something in a language Eone doesn't recognize.
"Home," the smallest one says.
Eone has been driving buses to and from Capole for the last thirty years.
She's not born today. She's seen some shit.
She's seen people, too. A lot of people, and some were pretty strange.
That's a first, though.
Are…
Are they even menens? They're so small, and they have fur instead of quills, and something is wrong with their eye, and…
And she shouldn't stare. That's rude, and they probably get enough of that.
"Where are you going?" she asks them.
The one with the long, light fur turns towards the others and tell them something in a language Eone doesn't recognize.
"Home," the smallest one says.
Janus 4.1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
One year later
Rachel
The diens aren't quite as easy to work with as dogs are, but Rachel is used to it, now.
She likes the diens. Not as much as dogs, of course, but it's fine. She's not alone anymore.
She has Taylor, and Aise, and the others, and the people at the shelter. It's… nice.
She likes it. She likes not being alone.
She likes working at the shelter, too. Aise doesn't look people in the eyes or show her teeth all the time, and she makes sure everyone at the shelter treat the diens right, and check on those who get adopted.
One time, one of the adoptants hurt his diens, and Aise let Rachel punch him in the face.
Rachel likes Aise, and working at the shelter.
She likes it here.
She's happy.
Rachel
The diens aren't quite as easy to work with as dogs are, but Rachel is used to it, now.
She likes the diens. Not as much as dogs, of course, but it's fine. She's not alone anymore.
She has Taylor, and Aise, and the others, and the people at the shelter. It's… nice.
She likes it. She likes not being alone.
She likes working at the shelter, too. Aise doesn't look people in the eyes or show her teeth all the time, and she makes sure everyone at the shelter treat the diens right, and check on those who get adopted.
One time, one of the adoptants hurt his diens, and Aise let Rachel punch him in the face.
Rachel likes Aise, and working at the shelter.
She likes it here.
She's happy.
MacroDaemon
Lachrymose Lapis
I hope this gets a bit of elaboration. That's quite the switch from her earlier opinion and I'd love to see how their relationship improved.
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Janus 4.2
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Rachel
Alec is there.
He must have gotten very bored, to willingly go on a walk.
"What do you want?" Rachel asks, and he shrugs.
"I don't know. Food?" he says.
"Can't," Rachel says. "I'm busy. Some of the new diens have parasites inside, I have to take care of them."
"How long will it takes?" Alec asks.
She takes the time to think about it.
"A few hours," she answers.
Alec thinks for a moment.
"Too long," he decides. "I'm going to go bother the Dork, and then we'll go eat together."
Rachel shrugs.
"Okay," she says.
She goes back to work.
Alec is there.
He must have gotten very bored, to willingly go on a walk.
"What do you want?" Rachel asks, and he shrugs.
"I don't know. Food?" he says.
"Can't," Rachel says. "I'm busy. Some of the new diens have parasites inside, I have to take care of them."
"How long will it takes?" Alec asks.
She takes the time to think about it.
"A few hours," she answers.
Alec thinks for a moment.
"Too long," he decides. "I'm going to go bother the Dork, and then we'll go eat together."
Rachel shrugs.
"Okay," she says.
She goes back to work.
Janus 4.3
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Alec
None of them has been idle during the past year.
Spidey is probably the one who kept busiest, if Alec thinks about it. He negociated exchange of scientific theories against access to an equipped workshop/laboratory with the local academics. After realizing they wouldn't be able to reproduce or maintain his tech themselves, they accepted, and he's shared his time between working on their way home and having weirdly intense scientific debates ever since.
Meanwhile, the Undersiders…
Well. They're not exactly wanted criminals, but that's more because they were discreet than because they followed the law. They have a tacit understanding with Spidey and the Dork that they will ignore it as long as they mainly target other criminals and keep property damages to a minimum. Which isn't very hard without any capes on the other side.
Honestly, Alec almost misses it, and he knows everyone else does, too, especially Spidey and the Dork. No matter that the latter, like Rachel, found herself a respectable job with the academics, helping them study bugs more in detail and producing silk for clothing and scientific purposes.
It it weren't for her father, Alec isn't sure she would choose to go back.
None of them has been idle during the past year.
Spidey is probably the one who kept busiest, if Alec thinks about it. He negociated exchange of scientific theories against access to an equipped workshop/laboratory with the local academics. After realizing they wouldn't be able to reproduce or maintain his tech themselves, they accepted, and he's shared his time between working on their way home and having weirdly intense scientific debates ever since.
Meanwhile, the Undersiders…
Well. They're not exactly wanted criminals, but that's more because they were discreet than because they followed the law. They have a tacit understanding with Spidey and the Dork that they will ignore it as long as they mainly target other criminals and keep property damages to a minimum. Which isn't very hard without any capes on the other side.
Honestly, Alec almost misses it, and he knows everyone else does, too, especially Spidey and the Dork. No matter that the latter, like Rachel, found herself a respectable job with the academics, helping them study bugs more in detail and producing silk for clothing and scientific purposes.
It it weren't for her father, Alec isn't sure she would choose to go back.
Hecatonchires
Just an H-class cyborg with an octopus brain stem
- Location
- The Gong, NSW, Australia
Armsmaster = spidey?
Dork = Taylor (despite bug powers)
Dork = Taylor (despite bug powers)
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Dork is how Alec calls Taylor in canon, at least in his head.
He used Spidey for Armsmaster a few times in previous chapters, starting with Rift 1.6:
Janus 4.4
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Alec
After some nagging, the Dork lets herself be dragged away from her work.
It's not like she has fixed hours, just goals to reach every tendays, and she's already ahead.
She's still annoyed, because she's an overachiever.
"I told Rachel we'd eat with her," Alec says.
The Dork immediately appears more motivated.
They end up buying food from Rantor. The guy is a good cook, and used enough to them that he doesn't stare. The Dork isn't comfortable with people staring at her, and Rachel has her whole thing with eye contact.
The food is, as always, bugs. Meat is pretty rare in Capole, and very expensive. Cattle isn't exactly a thing, here.
It doesn't mean Alec is ever going to stop annoying Spidey about his sustainment choices when they first arrived, even if the bugs are pretty good when they're cooked properly.
It was weird at first, but they got used to it.
After some nagging, the Dork lets herself be dragged away from her work.
It's not like she has fixed hours, just goals to reach every tendays, and she's already ahead.
She's still annoyed, because she's an overachiever.
"I told Rachel we'd eat with her," Alec says.
The Dork immediately appears more motivated.
They end up buying food from Rantor. The guy is a good cook, and used enough to them that he doesn't stare. The Dork isn't comfortable with people staring at her, and Rachel has her whole thing with eye contact.
The food is, as always, bugs. Meat is pretty rare in Capole, and very expensive. Cattle isn't exactly a thing, here.
It doesn't mean Alec is ever going to stop annoying Spidey about his sustainment choices when they first arrived, even if the bugs are pretty good when they're cooked properly.
It was weird at first, but they got used to it.
Janus 4.5
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Brian
"Is Rachel there?" Brian asks.
Aise shakes her head.
"She left half an hour ago with Alec and Taylor to get lunch. I think they wanted to buy something from Rantor?"
Great. Rantor is a street vendor. They would have needed to go somewhere else after getting food from him.
Brian really, really misses cellphones. Instant remote communication. The ability to press a few buttons and just ask wayward friends where they are. Good old times.
Where would they go to eat afterwards?
The riverbank, maybe? Honestly, it doesn't matter that much if he can't find them. There isn't an emergency.
Still.
Colin and Lisa said they needed to talk to the group.
"Is Rachel there?" Brian asks.
Aise shakes her head.
"She left half an hour ago with Alec and Taylor to get lunch. I think they wanted to buy something from Rantor?"
Great. Rantor is a street vendor. They would have needed to go somewhere else after getting food from him.
Brian really, really misses cellphones. Instant remote communication. The ability to press a few buttons and just ask wayward friends where they are. Good old times.
Where would they go to eat afterwards?
The riverbank, maybe? Honestly, it doesn't matter that much if he can't find them. There isn't an emergency.
Still.
Colin and Lisa said they needed to talk to the group.
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Janus 4.6
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Brian
Colin is done.
They didn't buy a house in Capole. They were never supposed to stay. Instead, Colin and Taylor convinced the academics to let them use some of those student rooms with a communal kitchen. Not a permanent living place, but better than staying in an hotel.
Lisa and Colin had everyone sit in the kitchen. The wood of the table is a dark shade of pink.
It's over. He's done.
Colin has finished a machine to open a portal.
They can go home.
Aisha. Brian will be able to go back to Aisha. He has to take care of her. There isn't anyone else who can or will.
He forgets about her, sometimes. About her very existence. It scares him. What if one day, he doesn't remember her?
He needs to get back before it happens.
Now, he can.
Colin is done.
They didn't buy a house in Capole. They were never supposed to stay. Instead, Colin and Taylor convinced the academics to let them use some of those student rooms with a communal kitchen. Not a permanent living place, but better than staying in an hotel.
Lisa and Colin had everyone sit in the kitchen. The wood of the table is a dark shade of pink.
It's over. He's done.
Colin has finished a machine to open a portal.
They can go home.
Aisha. Brian will be able to go back to Aisha. He has to take care of her. There isn't anyone else who can or will.
He forgets about her, sometimes. About her very existence. It scares him. What if one day, he doesn't remember her?
He needs to get back before it happens.
Now, he can.
DoubleThought
Bad at Communicating
- Location
- The Moon. The? There are so many
Huh, I think that's a reference to Aisha's powers as Imp.
Hecatonchires
Just an H-class cyborg with an octopus brain stem
- Location
- The Gong, NSW, Australia
Nice call back 😁
Janus 4.7
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Taylor
The portal machine Colin made is portable.
The portal machine Colin made is portative because he absolutely refuses to use it inside Capole.
"I'm sure it's safe," Colin says. "But I'm messing with interdimensional travel and dimensional travel, and it's only tangentially related to my specialty and there isn't anyone I can go to to check my work. If I got something wrong and accidentally start a nuclear disaster, I'd rather not have it happen in a heavily populated city."
That's fair.
"There's a risk it will end in nuclear disaster?" Brian asks, sounding worried.
Colin sighs.
"No" he says. "It won't. But there are few circumstances in which I will be willing to risk civilian lives, and saving myself a week worth of travel time isn't one of them."
"A week of travel?" Taylor asks.
"Thereabouts," Colin answers. "A week of preparatives followed by a week of travel. It's not that much. We've been here for a year. Two weeks? It's nothing."
"We'll be home soon."
The portal machine Colin made is portable.
The portal machine Colin made is portative because he absolutely refuses to use it inside Capole.
"I'm sure it's safe," Colin says. "But I'm messing with interdimensional travel and dimensional travel, and it's only tangentially related to my specialty and there isn't anyone I can go to to check my work. If I got something wrong and accidentally start a nuclear disaster, I'd rather not have it happen in a heavily populated city."
That's fair.
"There's a risk it will end in nuclear disaster?" Brian asks, sounding worried.
Colin sighs.
"No" he says. "It won't. But there are few circumstances in which I will be willing to risk civilian lives, and saving myself a week worth of travel time isn't one of them."
"A week of travel?" Taylor asks.
"Thereabouts," Colin answers. "A week of preparatives followed by a week of travel. It's not that much. We've been here for a year. Two weeks? It's nothing."
"We'll be home soon."
Janus 4.8
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Taylor
It turns out that Colin and Lisa already know where they want to go to open the portal, mostly because the latter spent the last two months determining the safest spot based on things such as wind currents and rivers.
"Are you sure you're sure it won't go nuclear?" insists Brian.
"Yes," Colin says, exasperated. "For the hundredth time, yes."
Alec peers at the Map.
"It's in the middle of nowhere," he points out.
Colin looks supremely annoyed.
"That's the point," he says.
"Yes, but consider," Alec says. "No beds."
Taylor decides to drag him out of the room before Colin gives up on being a responsible adult and decides to throw hands, but her mind isn't in it.
Two weeks. Two weeks, and she will be back in Brockton Bay.
Two weeks, and she will see Dad again.
She hopes he's all right.
It turns out that Colin and Lisa already know where they want to go to open the portal, mostly because the latter spent the last two months determining the safest spot based on things such as wind currents and rivers.
"Are you sure you're sure it won't go nuclear?" insists Brian.
"Yes," Colin says, exasperated. "For the hundredth time, yes."
Alec peers at the Map.
"It's in the middle of nowhere," he points out.
Colin looks supremely annoyed.
"That's the point," he says.
"Yes, but consider," Alec says. "No beds."
Taylor decides to drag him out of the room before Colin gives up on being a responsible adult and decides to throw hands, but her mind isn't in it.
Two weeks. Two weeks, and she will be back in Brockton Bay.
Two weeks, and she will see Dad again.
She hopes he's all right.
Janus 4.9
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Colin
Colin doesn't have much to take back to Earth Bet, besides his gear and a few clothes. Packing doesn't take him long.
When he's done, he says his goodbyes. It doesn't take him long either.
He saves Laude for last.
Laude is… A friend. He didn't mean for her to become one, it just kind of happened along the way.
It's nice to have someone to talk to who isn't a teenager.
"So you're leaving," Laude says.
"Yes," he says.
"Why?" she asks.
Colin doesn't know what to say to that.
"You told me about your old world," Laude says. "You told me it was falling apart. You told me it was getting worse and worse, you told me there were monsters, and the people trying to do good had to sell out more and more of their principles for less and less results. You never told me why you wanted to go back."
Colin takes the time to weight his words before answering.
"… They need me," he finally says. "I'm not… I wasn't The best, I'm not going to say I was, but I was one of the best, nationwide, especially when it came to Tinkers, and they need all the help they can get. Before… Before I came here, I was working on a project and I… I'm pretty sure I could have killed an Endbringer with it, saved thousands of lives, hundred of thousands. Maybe millions, in the long term."
He hesitates.
"I could stay," he says. "I would be useful. I would be great. But I had a team, back in my world, and I have a responsibility. A duty. They need me more than this world does."
Colin takes a deep breathe.
"I love it here," he says. "Really. But, if I'm completely honest? I miss fighting."
Colin doesn't have much to take back to Earth Bet, besides his gear and a few clothes. Packing doesn't take him long.
When he's done, he says his goodbyes. It doesn't take him long either.
He saves Laude for last.
Laude is… A friend. He didn't mean for her to become one, it just kind of happened along the way.
It's nice to have someone to talk to who isn't a teenager.
"So you're leaving," Laude says.
"Yes," he says.
"Why?" she asks.
Colin doesn't know what to say to that.
"You told me about your old world," Laude says. "You told me it was falling apart. You told me it was getting worse and worse, you told me there were monsters, and the people trying to do good had to sell out more and more of their principles for less and less results. You never told me why you wanted to go back."
Colin takes the time to weight his words before answering.
"… They need me," he finally says. "I'm not… I wasn't The best, I'm not going to say I was, but I was one of the best, nationwide, especially when it came to Tinkers, and they need all the help they can get. Before… Before I came here, I was working on a project and I… I'm pretty sure I could have killed an Endbringer with it, saved thousands of lives, hundred of thousands. Maybe millions, in the long term."
He hesitates.
"I could stay," he says. "I would be useful. I would be great. But I had a team, back in my world, and I have a responsibility. A duty. They need me more than this world does."
Colin takes a deep breathe.
"I love it here," he says. "Really. But, if I'm completely honest? I miss fighting."
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Chloe Sullivan
Subdefective
- Location
- 1630 Revello Drive, Sunnydale CA
Colin being much more reflective that canon. I approve.
Janus 4.10
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Colin
Colin's specialisation means that everything he makes tends to be small. That's a good thing, because he doesn't even want to know what size the machine would be otherwise.
As it is, he won't be able to carry it on his own. Someone will have to help him, probably Brian or Rachel. He did his best, but it still doesn't have the most practical shape.
The first three days, it's not that bad. They just need to pay a supplement and, well. It's not like they will be able to make use of this money on Bet. The worse are the frankly terrible seats.
It becomes more complicated once they start having to go on foot.
The machine is heavy, and unwieldy. Colin took care of putting wheels at its bottom and it does help somewhat, but as they follow Lisa through smaller and smaller paths, they have to carry it anyway.
Finally, they reach their destination.
Night is falling, and Colin looks one last time at the way the sunset paints over the ring in the sky.
Tomorrow night, he will be home.
Colin's specialisation means that everything he makes tends to be small. That's a good thing, because he doesn't even want to know what size the machine would be otherwise.
As it is, he won't be able to carry it on his own. Someone will have to help him, probably Brian or Rachel. He did his best, but it still doesn't have the most practical shape.
The first three days, it's not that bad. They just need to pay a supplement and, well. It's not like they will be able to make use of this money on Bet. The worse are the frankly terrible seats.
It becomes more complicated once they start having to go on foot.
The machine is heavy, and unwieldy. Colin took care of putting wheels at its bottom and it does help somewhat, but as they follow Lisa through smaller and smaller paths, they have to carry it anyway.
Finally, they reach their destination.
Night is falling, and Colin looks one last time at the way the sunset paints over the ring in the sky.
Tomorrow night, he will be home.
Janus 4.11
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Lisa
Colin opens the machine.
Colin opens the machine, and Lisa doesn't want to waste her power on it, but she's still pretty sure metal shouldn't be able to fit and fold like that.
Tinkers. Always doing marvelous, terrible things.
Colin opens the machine like an uncoiling snake, like an impossible flower, like a foreign galaxy.
Needs sunlight to work, her power says. Will take time to charge.
Lisa knows the machine is made of metal, of gears and wires and dead things and things that were never alive, but something about it feels almost organic.
Something about it feels almost alive.
Colin opens the machine.
Colin opens the machine.
Colin opens the machine, and Lisa doesn't want to waste her power on it, but she's still pretty sure metal shouldn't be able to fit and fold like that.
Tinkers. Always doing marvelous, terrible things.
Colin opens the machine like an uncoiling snake, like an impossible flower, like a foreign galaxy.
Needs sunlight to work, her power says. Will take time to charge.
Lisa knows the machine is made of metal, of gears and wires and dead things and things that were never alive, but something about it feels almost organic.
Something about it feels almost alive.
Colin opens the machine.
Janus 4.12
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Lisa
The machine forms a circle on the ground.
The metal is warm, warmer than it should be from just the Sun, making sounds like breathing, or purring. Whatever unholy computer Colin hid inside is overworking.
Well. He did tell them the passage would fry the machine and render it unusable.
This will be a one way trip.
This was always going to be a one way trip.
Taylor goes first into the circle, then Brian and Rachel, followed by Alec. Colin is turning his armor into a metallic suitcase, and checking on the machine one last time.
Lisa knows it's her last chance to change her mind. She can still go back to Capole. Never have to worry about Coil, or the gangs, or the Protectorate ever again. She can still stay.
She doesn't want to.
Lisa steps into the circle.
The machine forms a circle on the ground.
The metal is warm, warmer than it should be from just the Sun, making sounds like breathing, or purring. Whatever unholy computer Colin hid inside is overworking.
Well. He did tell them the passage would fry the machine and render it unusable.
This will be a one way trip.
This was always going to be a one way trip.
Taylor goes first into the circle, then Brian and Rachel, followed by Alec. Colin is turning his armor into a metallic suitcase, and checking on the machine one last time.
Lisa knows it's her last chance to change her mind. She can still go back to Capole. Never have to worry about Coil, or the gangs, or the Protectorate ever again. She can still stay.
She doesn't want to.
Lisa steps into the circle.
- Location
- Reedley, CA
It really shows how messed up parahumans are that their powers don't have to do much to get them to go back to all the fighting.
Interlude 4.x - Trevor
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Trevor
For one single second, bright light comes out of an alley, before fading away as suddenly as it came.
Capes. That's the only explanation.
Trevor tries to think of someone in Brockton Bay who could do that, but he can't come up with anyone.
Newcomers, then. At the very least, not someone working for Poltergeist.
Fuck. She won't like it.
Voices are coming from the alley. Voices. Plural.
Fuck.
Trevor holds his nail bat ready and quietly creeps toward the alley. Maybe he can glean some more information to bring back to Poltergeist.
There are six people in the alley. Three girls and two boys and a man in his mid-thirties. At their feet, there is a perfect circle of dirt and grass where there should be asphalt.
Trevor swallows, and leaves before they can notice him.
Something… Something is wrong.
One of the boys looks almost exactly like Poltergeist.
For one single second, bright light comes out of an alley, before fading away as suddenly as it came.
Capes. That's the only explanation.
Trevor tries to think of someone in Brockton Bay who could do that, but he can't come up with anyone.
Newcomers, then. At the very least, not someone working for Poltergeist.
Fuck. She won't like it.
Voices are coming from the alley. Voices. Plural.
Fuck.
Trevor holds his nail bat ready and quietly creeps toward the alley. Maybe he can glean some more information to bring back to Poltergeist.
There are six people in the alley. Three girls and two boys and a man in his mid-thirties. At their feet, there is a perfect circle of dirt and grass where there should be asphalt.
Trevor swallows, and leaves before they can notice him.
Something… Something is wrong.
One of the boys looks almost exactly like Poltergeist.
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