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The Taste of Peaches (Worm AU)

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Dis Lexic said:
Considering that one of Leviathans names is Jormungandr, that would actually be pretty cool. Especially if his reasoning was because Levi was impinging on his copyright or something.
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Jormungandr: "There's only room for one world-wrecking sea monster in these oceans you little punk."

Assault is cracking up, Armsmaster is in denial, Taylor is worried about explaining the Sudden Giant Talking Snake (tm) and Eidolon is feeling useless/upstaged.

Dis Lexic said:
Makes you wonder if the whole thing wouldnt have happened if Odin hadnt acted like a paranoid old man...
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The fun thing is there's a very good (but masive httyd fic) where Hiccup brings up this very notion:
"I know that people can be cruel and vile. It's what's going to cause Ragnarok, really, when you look at it!"

Astrid blinked. "Huh? What? Ragnarok will happen because Loki gets loose from his bonds and he goes off and joins the jotunn against Asgard."

He stepped over to the room's hearth and looked into the flames. Not looking at any of them, he asked quietly, "And why was Loki bound in the first place?"

As Toothless stepped over next to Hiccup and curled up next to the hearth, Wulfhild said softly, "Because he killed Baldr, Odin's son."

"And why did he do that?" Hiccup asked, still looking into the flames.

Astrid shared a questioning look with Wulfhild and Heather, and then suggested, "Because he's unpredictable like that?"

"Oh, there was some of that, for sure," Hiccup said, absently giving Toothless a head-scratch. "But he didn't exactly make a habit of killing before then, now did he?"

Astrid paused to think, and then shook her head. "No…"

"Exactly. No, he did it—killed Odin's son—because of how Odin had treated Loki's children, despite them being oath-bound friends. The All-Father was cruel, and he banished and bound Fenrir, Jǫrmungandr and Hel. And Loki got revenge for those acts. And Odin did it in the first place because he was afraid." He looked up at the three of them, and Astrid saw that his face was set in determination. "He was afraid! Of what might happen! And because he was afraid of it, he created it!"
 
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jwolfe_beta said:
Jormungandr: "There's only room for one world-wrecking sea monster in these oceans you little punk."

Assault is cracking up, Armsmaster is in denial, Taylor is worried about explaining the Sudden Giant Talking Snake (tm) and Eidolon is feeling useless/upstaged.
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Meanwhile, Scion is feeling an emotion he has never felt before: Fear.

Something massive and unknown to his experiences in the Cycle has appeared, and he doesn't have a clue how to handle this.
 
jmcdavid said:
Meanwhile, Scion is feeling an emotion he has never felt before: Fear.

Something massive and unknown to his experiences in the Cycle has appeared, and he doesn't have a clue how to handle this.
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Unfortunately we don't yet know how much of a threat non-sandbagging Endbringers would be to Gods and various powerful spirits.
 
Honestly, this fic's premise somewhat reminds me of an original fantasy project I worked on several years ago.

Basically first member of a new pantheon of gods is born, and grows up thinking they're a mortal. Rest of it is rather different though (for one, mine was going to be a pantheon of one, and without the Worm elements, of course.)

Really need to get back to writing that. I started working on something else to get over some writer's block, but now I'm pretty well blocked on 'that' so hopefully I can go back to the first with clear eyes.
 
Dis Lexic said:
Thats very true. They were kinda complete dicks. To be fair, Fenrir did deserve it, but Hel sure as fuck didnt deserve to be punted into Helheim and I dont think that Jor did anything wrong either. They were simply part of the prophicy of Ragnaroc. Makes you wonder if the whole thing wouldnt have happened if Odin hadnt acted like a paranoid old man...
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honestly, given the theory I've seen floating around the internet about Ragnarok being a Christian imposition on Norse mythos, I'm hesitant to say a lot of the factors involved in Ragnarok happening were actual Norse myths. I mean, Hella, Fenrir, Loki, and Jormungandr are definitely figures in Norse myths, but I'm not certain they're actually as bad as the Christians who transcribes the norse myths made them out to be.
 
jwolfe_beta said:
Unfortunately we don't yet know how much of a threat non-sandbagging Endbringers would be to Gods and various powerful spirits.
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Inari has said Entities aren't that difficult to defeat for an entire group of gods, and that the last groups only got wiped out because the Entity (Abaddon) got their enemies on its side, making things more difficult. So, I'd say a powerful god could probably go toe to toe with an Endbringer at full power.

Note, that said god should be at full strength, and probably a decent amount of experience. So, Taylor's not at that point yet, and will probably need her trident.
jmcdavid said:
You know...if the Fae are still around, someone might end up with Excalibur.
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Think they'd have to be Arthur returned to get that.
Though, don't recall anything about specifically 'why' Arthur got Excalibur, beyond him rowing out on Merlin's orders to take it from the Lady of the Lake's hand. Than again, the Matter of Britain is not my specialty.
 
What Excalibur and other's other weapons like his spear, dagger and shield actually are tend to vary along with their origins depending on the legend, sometimes they are magical weapons and sometimes they are divine weapons granted by heaven to aid Arthur.
 
the DragonBard said:
Though, don't recall anything about specifically 'why' Arthur got Excalibur, beyond him rowing out on Merlin's orders to take it from the Lady of the Lake's hand. Than again, the Matter of Britain is not my specialty.
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Would be hilarious if the Lady of the Lake has, like, an entire armory of such magical swords, and the only reason she required it to be thrown back was that Arthur took it on a lease. She's a blacksmith, after all, and no blacksmith would just sit around for hundreds of years doing nothing when they could be making more stuff.
 
Alane1 said:
What Excalibur and other's other weapons like his spear, dagger and shield actually are tend to vary along with their origins depending on the legend, sometimes they are magical weapons and sometimes they are divine weapons granted by heaven to aid Arthur.
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Doesn't help that there are so many versions of the Arthurian Mythos.

Some versions have Excalibur as the Sword in the Stone.

Some versions have the Sword in the Stone be called Caliburn, and when it gets broken, it is reforged into Excalibur.

Add in the fact that Lancelot was basically France adding their own Original Character to the myth, and it becomes difficult to tell what was the original story, and what was added later, and what was changed.
 
DestinyPlayer said:
Would be hilarious if the Lady of the Lake has, like, an entire armory of such magical swords, and the only reason she required it to be thrown back was that Arthur took it on a lease. She's a blacksmith, after all, and no blacksmith would just sit around for hundreds of years doing nothing when they could be making more stuff.
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"And this is Excalibur #5738. It's really boring. Can cut through a mountain in one swing, etc. nothing abnormal. Next up is Excalibur #5739..."
 
jmcdavid said:
Doesn't help that there are so many versions of the Arthurian Mythos.

Some versions have Excalibur as the Sword in the Stone.

Some versions have the Sword in the Stone be called Caliburn, and when it gets broken, it is reforged into Excalibur.

Add in the fact that Lancelot was basically France adding their own Original Character to the myth, and it becomes difficult to tell what was the original story, and what was added later, and what was changed.
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I'm pretty sure that basically every single member of the Round Table was some further author's OC, so you can basically say that everything other than the basic beginning was added later.
 
Arthurian legends are so warped through history that you can honestly say that the only really out there thing the Nasuverse did was gender swap Arthur and Mordred. And honestly? Compared to some of the historical things that the Knights of the Round got up to, that's kinda tame.
 
What I gathered Arthur, Mordred and Gawain listed as Arthur's sister's son or at least their welsh names appeared in a very early medieval welsh poem listing a list of people killed at a battle and in early welsh epilates stating how X person was a great warrior but they were no Arthur and things seemed to have snowballed from there.
 
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Chapter Twelve
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    • -0-0-0-0-0-

    A Worm Fanfic

    The Taste of Peaches

    By: Grounders10

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    12

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    The window of the Director's office looked out over the three landing pads atop the lower roofs of the rest of the building. Most of the time was simply an impressive view that included parts of the docks and the ship graveyard. On days like that day, it offered her a perfect view of the ongoing prisoner transfer.

    She grit her teeth as the casket carrying the prisoner on his way to the birdcage rolled onto the VTOL, one of the PRT ENE's. In her opinion, the bastard had overstayed his welcome. A fuel leak had been responsible for the sudden diversion of the flight. The high-security nature of the transfer had prompted her to send anyone not immediately related to securing the facility home for the day. Which had cause… Her eyes strayed to the TV.

    "... could cause a surge in violence throughout the city as gang leaders launch retaliation strikes against one another," the news anchor was saying. It was nothing new, not really. Every time the gangs got into it or one of their capes did something flashy the local news would run wild for a few days heralding the coming of the apocalypse before calming down.

    The difference this day was that this was a national news network. One of five she had playing, most of them silently with subtitles, on the TVs in the corner. The confrontation between the Merchants and the E88 was the most public incident in nearly five years. She wasn't surprised that it had drawn national attention. Still, on any other day, it would have been a footnote in the sordid and brutal history of Brockton Bay. Notable, but the odds were that things would have quickly settled back down. The appearance of the Protectorate would have most likely sent the E88 running and perhaps they would have scooped up Squealer before she could vanish. The Merchants would be annoyed, but slink away into the shadows as the E88 settled down, once again assured of their superiority. Instead…

    "We can only imagine the cost of life that may have ensued had the still-unnamed heroine of the hour not been there," the news anchor said as the TV swapped to an image of Taylor in her uniform. Dirt Stained but unharmed.

    Instead, her latest Ward had somehow blundered into the middle of the entire incident and somehow came out smelling like roses as far as the media was concerned. Yet, Piggot could see how this was going to play out. Unlike the previous, expected, scenario the E88 had suffered losses while the Merchants had slipped away like thieves in the night. Lost personnel and lost materials, but a Tinker was worth far more than anything like that. Especially compared to the losses in men, equipment, and capes the E88 had taken.

    She knew Kaiser, the leader of the E88 was not going to accept such a lopsided incident quietly. He would look to recover his men and exact revenge for his humiliation in some manner. The only question, in Piggot's mind, was how.

    Walking away from the window as the VTOL lifted off the helipad outside, she took a seat at her desk with a groan. Soon it would be time for her dialysis again, but until then she had plans to prepare.

    Leaning back in her chair she continued to watch the TV as it ran through the story again. Once the press conference was over Kaiser would know who Taylor was. There was no avoiding that, however, she doubted that he would target Taylor directly, or indirectly through her father. The leader of the E88 liked to put on a show of following the unspoken rules. He wouldn't speak up if one of his minions killed an independent during a skirmish, but attacking a Ward was far different then dealing with an independent and Taylor was no Fleur. Unlike New Wave, attacking someone so publicly under the PRT's protection would end poorly. Having Legend called up from New York was the sort of attention the Neo-Nazi leader hoped to avoid. Not to mention the loss of support such an action would undoubtedly provoke amongst Brockton Bay's residents.

    She drummed one hand on the armrest of her chair. Kaiser would not act brazenly against Taylor, but the PRT was not a Ward. Kaiser would act to recover Stormtiger and Hookwolf and strike at the Merchants. The sheer loss of face that was losing two capes and the Merchants getting away all but clean was not something he could allow to persist. There would be retaliation against the other gang.

    "So continues the balancing act," she muttered, considering what her predecessor Director Ron Bolton had told her on his way out.

    "Emily," he had said, "Being the PRT Director in Brockton Bay is like running a three-ring circus while the tent is on fire." And damned if he hadn't been right.

    She tapped the intercom button. "Inform the department heads to come to my office immediately and inform Armsmaster I wish to speak with him as soon as is practical," she instructed once her secretary had picked up. This was going to be a long night, especially with her dialysis.


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    Flopping down on a couch had never felt so good to Taylor as it did right then. While she wasn't injured, her everything was beginning to feel sore. Her tails ached, her back was sore where she had crashed through the scenery, and her head was throbbing from the effort of controlling so much water for so long. In that state of aches and pains, the pillows and cushions of their old couch may as well have been a cloud. If her head hadn't been hurting as much she would have been tempted to bring an actual cloud down into their backyard and rest on that.

    Probably a good thing for her bodyguard's blood pressure that she didn't feel up to it.

    As she nuzzled the pillow and tried to lie as still as possible, she could hear Inari padding around the kitchen. Her appreciation of twenty-year-old upholstery was interrupted by a thunk in the kitchen followed by a loud 'beeeeep'.

    "TAYLOR! This is Vicky, call me when you get home!" blared the voice of her most recent close friend as the answering machine played back her call.

    Taylor sighed and stirred, prying open her eyes as she sat up. She didn't really want to, but she was willing to bet that Vicky had seen the news. There was no way she was going to- The phone chose that moment to start ringing again. She groaned and pulled herself up onto her feet. It was probably going to keep ringing again and again if she didn't answer. Vicky was like that.

    She found Inari sitting by the phone as it rang. "For you, I think," she said, tapping the phone.

    "Thanks," she deadpanned, picking it up. "Hello, Taylor here."

    "TAY!" She winced and pulled away as Vicky's voice blared from the speakers. "Thank god, I was worried."

    "I'm fine. Sore, but fine," she said, pulling over a chair with a tail. She flopped into the chair and sighed.

    "You looked like you took a few hits, Tay," Vicky said, "I was worried."

    She sighed. "Squealer's gun was the only thing that did anything," she said, using a tail to rub the spot on her back where the weapon had struck her, "I've got a headache, my back and tails are aching like I've never used them before."

    "You hit Hookwolf like a truck. I've never seen him go that far before," Vicky said. Taylor could hear things moving around in the background. "Ack- stupid tail." Taylor quirked a smile.

    "Knock something over?" she asked, amused.

    "Ugh, everything on my desk, 'cept my computer. Stupid thing has a mind of its own half the time," Vicky grumbled.

    "So how did you find out?" she asked, letting the matter of Vicky's tail go for her sake. She couldn't count the number of things she'd knocked over during the last few weeks.

    "PHO. There's a thread about the incident that blew up massive. The guy who made it took some really good video. They caught everything from the moment you got involved. Well, not everything, everything. No angle, but it was enough to see what you could do. Christ, you're strong."

    Taylor blushed and fidgetted. "It was barely bolted on…" she mumbled, earning a snort from Vicky.

    "Squealer's stuff is junk, but that thing was a tank… I'm just happy you're okay," her friend said. Taylor could practically hear the smile the other girl had. "Hopefully I'll be there next time. Ugh, stupid restrictions."

    "I'd rather not have a next time," she replied, hugging herself with her remaining hand.

    "... I hear you. Bad guys don't give up though and your face is all over the news right now… Have you ever heard about Fleur?" Fleur had been the girlfriend of Vicky's uncle, the Hero Lightstar. She had died when E88 gangsters had invaded her home and murdered her.

    "Yes, a few times," she said. It was hard not to, in Brockton bay. They actually taught that series of events in Winslow's parahuman history course. "I'm not Fleur, Vicky… Don't worry, I'll be fine." Even if there was a part of her that worried about that exact scenario. The idea of coming back home to find her dad…

    She frowned and tried not to think about it. She breathed out heavily. "Really not the time to bring that up Vicky," she said, leaning against the counter. At a slight tug in her hair, she reached up and unclipped one of her heart-shaped hair ornaments.

    "Sorry, but… Yeah…" Vicky sighed, "Look, I'm glad you're alright… Want to hang out once we're both free of this mess? Go shopping maybe?"

    "Shopping?" It had been a while since she did that willingly, and… She glanced down at her costume.

    "You need it. I've seen your wardrobe. I see one more tank top-"

    "Not my choice!" Taylor protested, earning a laugh from the other girl,

    "Yeah, and that's why you need a shopping spree girl. A day to just… relax. You're getting paid by the PRT, right? Ask for an advance so you can get something for yourself."

    "You realize I'm going to need to get things tailored, right?" Taylor noted.

    "We can see if we can find some skirts or pants that'll fit. Longer shirt… Not that hard Tay-Tay," Vicky said, "You're beautiful, take advantage of that." Despite herself, Taylor blushed.

    "... So when are you getting out? I'm technically free tomorrow afternoon…" she said, trying to force the blush away. She wasn't having much success by the amused smirk Inari was sending her way and it made her cheeks burn more.

    "I think mom said like, three or four days after you. So sometime next week, at a guess," Vicky sighed, "Ugh. Not faiiir." Taylor winced at the whine before giggling.

    "Now you're sounding like me."

    "... That's a scary thought."

    "Oi!" Her blush disappeared beneath her annoyance. She was treated to Vicky giggling and couldn't help but grin herself.

    "More seriously," Vicky continued, still giggling intermittently, "Maybe next Wednesday or Thursday? Not entirely sure where to go… mall, or boardwalk?"

    "Boardwalk is a bit out of my price range," Taylor replied, "And that's assuming I get that advance. This is the PRT, do you really think I'm going to get an advance to go shopping from the PRT?"

    "... Point," Vicky sighed, "Not the most likely thing, is it? Ask your dad."

    "I'll talk to him, but worst case we could just hang out. It would be nice to just visit someone," Taylor said.

    "Yeah, we could do that. First, ask your dad about shopping. I'll talk to mom… Maybe we can bring Dean…" Vicky trailed off mid-thought.

    Taylor rolled her eyes. "Oh yes, bring your boyfriend on a shopping trip with a friend."

    "... I was actually wondering if I could get him to pay," Vicky admitted sheepishly.

    Taylor sighed and shook her head. "Us, you and me, not the rest of the Wards. I'll call you tomorrow once we know how this whole mess pans out. Ugh… I should give my dad a call as well…"

    "Oh, right. We'll talk tomorrow, you give your dad a call before he goes mad from worry," Vicky said.

    "Yeah, yeah. Talk to you tomorrow, Vicky," she said with a smile.

    "Later, Tay-Tay~ Good luck with tomorrow."

    "Thanks, Vicky, later," Taylor said, smiling as she hung up. She stretched and rolled her shoulders. She could feel the small pops through her shoulders and back.

    "Feeling a bit better?" Inari asked

    "A bit," she replied, picking up the phone again. She dialled her dad's workplace and the phone rang several times before it was picked up.

    "Hello, Brockton Bay Dockworkers Union," said the familiar voice of an older woman.

    "Hello Matilda, is my dad in?" Taylor asked.

    "Oh, Taylor, I'm afraid not. He just ran out the door on his way home after calling the PRT," the Union's receptionist said cheerfully, "We saw you on TV and he disappeared into his office immediately."

    "... On TV?" Her ear twitched.

    "Oh yes. You were beautiful dear. Such a good job with those gangsters, but your father is understandably worried. As I said, he's on his way home," Matilda said.

    "Oh… You recognized me?" She had known that was probably going to happen, but having it occur was different than knowing it might.

    "Not immediately, you've grown quite a bit over the last years dear," the last month more like, "If your father hadn't been so surprised we wouldn't have known."

    "Oh really?" Her ears lay flat on her head as she gave the far wall an unimpressed look. She was so going to use that little tidbit.

    "Oh yes, it was quite amusing," Matilda tittered.

    "Well thank you for sharing that, Matilda. I think I'm going to go lie down now," she said.

    "Okay dear, I'm sure you're tired after all that hero work. Take care."

    "I will. Goodbye, Matilda," Taylor said, hanging up. She shared an amused look with Inari as she hung up.

    "So your father's workplace knows," Inari observed.

    "Apparently," she sighed, getting up. She yawned as she walked back over to the couch. "Ugh, my everything is sore." She flopped back down on the couch. She wrapped her tails about herself and hugged the pillow.

    A moment later there was a thunk as Inari knocked the TV remote off the side table. It bounced and the TV turned on. Cable Six News was on.

    "... still no comment from PRT officials as to their connection to the mysterious young woman who bravely intervened in this madness," the anchor was saying, "Now, Jannet, what do we know about the area this incident happened in?"

    The shot switched to a blond woman in a business suit and pencil skirt standing in front of a map of the city. "Well Tucker, from what we can tell the incident began here," she tapped a section of the map which zoomed in, "in the forty-five hundred block of Waterfield Avenue. No details on what started the incident, but a clash within what witnesses say was an abandoned mechanic's shop rapidly spilled out onto the streets. The cape fight moved from there to," she tapped another part of the map, "here. Bunnsworth Street two and a half blocks over. Based on footage posted online Squealer rammed Hookwolf straight through two buildings before arriving here," she tapped the map, "Where the fight came to its climactic conclusion not even ten minutes later."

    Jannet turned to the screen. "While Waterfield has been in an economic decline for the last while, the area of Bunnsworth street and Belfast avenue was until today one of the more stable areas of the docks. Who knows what will happen to the area after so much destruction, but as we saw earlier, most of the buildings are now pot marked with bullet holes if not outright destroyed by the weaponry employed by the Villains."

    Taylor sighed and rolled over, trying to tune out the TV. She didn't want to think about the problems this would cause for the city. Inari seemed to understand, because a few moments later the channel changed to the Food Network. She smiled a little and rolled back over to watch.

    She was still there when her father arrived home. "Taylor!" he shouted as he entered.

    "In here!" she called back, not even raising her head. On-screen a guy who looked to be at least her dad's age was raving about the 'perfect sear' on a burger patty at some small-town diner in Tennessee. It was just a little ridiculous, but mind-numbing enough that she didn't care. Though it was also making her hungry.

    There was some loud crashing from the kitchen. It sounded like her dad's coat hitting the floor followed by a few items rolling off the kitchen table. Her dad's footsteps didn't stop and she looked up as he loomed over the couch from behind. "Hey," she said, waving a hand as he stared down at her with worry.

    "You're okay?" he asked after a moment. She nodded.

    "Just sore… and a headache. Not used to controlling water like that," she said, rubbing her forehead where the majority of the pain was. Her dad grimaced.

    "Do you think pain medication would help?" he asked.

    "Not likely," Inari interjected from amongst Taylor's tails, "Goddess, remember? Mortal medication won't do much."

    "Ugh," Taylor groaned.

    "Rest and maybe an icepack would be best," Inari continued.

    "I can get an ice pack," her dad began. She waved him off.

    "I'm fine," she said. The last thing she wanted right now was to be wet on top of it.

    He walked around the couch and knelt beside. She blinked as he pulled her into a hug. "I was so worried when I saw you on TV. The PRT barely knew anything about what was going on," he said.

    "Sorry I worried you," she said, hugging him back with one arm. Her other was holding her up. "I didn't really have a choice to run." He just hugged her tighter, resting his head on hers for a while. She let him, a small smile forming over the next few minutes.

    Finally, when it became clear he wasn't going to let her go, she asked, "So what's this I hear about you telling all of the DWU about me?" He stiffened up.

    "... You spoke with Matilda?"

    "Yep." She smiled smugly as he pulled away. "So?"

    He looked somewhat sheepish as he stood up. "I… Was taken by surprise when I saw you on TV," he said.

    "Mhmm, well unless the plans have changed it won't matter by tomorrow," she said before yawning as lay back down. Her eyes were dropping shut. Lovely.

    "Get some sleep," her dad said, patting her on the head between her ears, "Anything you'd like for dinner? I think you've earned whatever you want tonight."

    "Hmmm…" She cracked an eye open to stare at the TV where the guy was still celebrating a dripping burger half the size of his head, "Fugly bob?"

    "I'll have to head out then. Sleep well," he patted her on the head again and her eye slid shut as she yawned. A moment later she was asleep.


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    "Yes, I'm watching it right now." Glenn Chambers had been a public relations manager for nearly thirty-five years. He was used to getting phone calls at inopportune moments at all hours of the day and night. Still, he had expected to be able to relax for an evening given the fact his latest project was an inoffensive, charming young lady, with the sort of casual beauty super models dreamed of.

    Getting a call from the Director telling him to check his TV had not been on the list of things he thought he needed to worry about on this lazy Thursday evening. Not that it ever was.

    "Will this affect the plans to reveal her tomorrow?" Emily asked. By the strain of her voice he guessed she was hoping for a 'yes'. Ah, schadenfreude.

    "Not as much as it might have. She's alright I assume?" he asked. The picture on the TV wasn't the clearest, but she seemed fine. He shrugged on his tacky shirt and started buttoning it one-handed.

    "According to Miss Militia, she was shaken but uninjured," she replied, "Are you sure this won't affect the debut?"

    He snorted. "It'll affect it, alright. The press will have questions we won't have prepared for. I'll need to contact Dragon and have her to a priority run of another uniform. There's no way that one will be ready. And those are the immediate issues. I'm sure we'll find more as the media continues to spin this. Has a statement been issued yet?"

    "No. I've held off on issuing anything." He nodded at her reply as he pulled on his coat and grabbed his tablet. Now he just needed a coffee.

    "Let them know a news conference will be held tomorrow at noon. We can give them an update on the situation as a lead into introducing the heroine of the moment," He said, "And cancel the original press conference. My team is going to need the extra couple of hours."

    "They won't be happy about that."

    "Too bad. We need the extra time to get Ms. Hebert ready for her debut." He glanced towards the TV as he reached for the remote. The Audio had been turned off, but the captions were running.

    Sources in the Brockton Bay Police Department reports that the mysterious Cape goes by the name of Corentine and may be associated with the Wards program.

    "Damn it." There went another cat out of the bag.

    "Glenn?"

    He sighed. "The news just announced her cape name and her association with the Wards. Tomorrow, at noon. We can make this work, but I'm going to have to work overnight planning around this."

    "The security lockdown has been lifted. Contact your people and come in."

    "Understood. On my way," he said.

    "Hurry." The call went dead as Emily hung up. He pulled on the other half of his jacket.

    "Some days," he muttered as he hurried out of his hotel room, barely remembering to lock the door. He flicked his phone open and started dialling. A few moments later the first of his team picked up. "Hey, Maria, have you seen the news? Great, then you know why I'm calling to ruin your night."


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    After a well-needed nap, Taylor pried herself out of the embrace of her own tails with great difficulty. Partly due to the fact she was still tired, and partly due to the fact that she had somehow gotten her limbs tangled. She hadn't thought it was possible, but there was a lot she had learned about living with nine new limbs over the last several weeks. Still, the prospect of a nice greasy burger after the last few hours was enough to give her the energy to pry herself loose of the cage of her making.

    Yawning, and with Inari at her heels, she made her way over to the kitchen table where she flopped into a seat. She smiled and yawned as her dad slid a plate with… She blinked and one ear tilted. "Dad, that's a challenger," she said, observing the monster burger and equally massive plate of fries.

    "I'm aware," he said while digging into his much smaller plate of food, "Humour me."

    She gave him a dubious look as Inari jumped up on the table. Her dad slid a plate towards the Fox with several large patties and a platter of fries.

    "Ooh, you remembered me," Inari said, "Thank you." She dived into the plate of food, making happy noises as she went.

    Taylor's stomach chose that moment to growl loudly. Blushing, she got up and retrieved a large knife from the counter. There was no way she was trying to pick up and eat that entire thing at once. Once the burger had been partitioned into halves she started eating. It was good, as she had expected. Greasy, juicy, and with that delicious sauce that you couldn't get elsewhere.

    She was only a few bites into the first half of the burger when the phone rang. She glanced at it as her dad set down his own meal and walked over. "What now?" he muttered, just barely loud enough for her to hear.

    "Hello, Hebert residence- Oh, Mr. Chambers," her dad said, sounding surprised, "Yes, I did they didn't have- I see. No, she's fine. She just woke up from a nap and we're eating dinner… yes it is. You aren't thinking of… Of course."

    Taylor took a handful of fries and stuffed them in her mouth as she mostly listened to her dad's conversation. She just barely couldn't make out the voice on the other end. She took another bite of the burger. It was good.

    "I can see why you'd say that. No, I get it. If her face and affiliation are already out then confirming it- Yes I do… I'd like to talk to my lawyer about this first, you understand that, right?" He said, nodding at Glenn's reply, "I see. I think that would be fair. I'm sure Taylor won't mind…" He blinked at Glenn's next words and sat up. "Has there really?"

    Has what? She glanced over to Inari who was idly chewing on her fries. The fox shrugged. Evidently, her hearing wasn't any better than Taylor's. Shrugging, Taylor reached for more.

    "... I'll give Carol a call immediately and get back to you quickly. Talk to you soon then… yes. Soon," He hung up the phone and promptly started looking through his address book, "Apparently, your Ward's identity hit the news. Someone at the BBPD leaked it."

    She frowned and swallowed. "Lovely," she snarked. Maybe, just maybe, she should have been a little more careful with that, then again, what was she supposed to do? Pretend to be an independent?

    "Well, the PRT is getting flooded with calls, including people inquiring about merchandise," he said dryly.

    "I- Already?" she blinked, "It's been, what, four hours?"

    "Just over three." She boggled at him. "I'm going to give Carol a call. They still want to do the debut tomorrow, if we're willing. I want to make sure that accepting is the best option. Are you up for it?" She nodded, nibbling on a french fry.

    "I think so," she said, smiling tiredly.

    He nodded slowly, then sighed. "Give me a few."

    She turned away as he dialled up the Dallon's. It hadn't even been twelve hours. Hell, it hadn't even been six hours, let alone twelve. Mechanically she took another bite. Was she ready to debut tomorrow? Well, her face was on every TV in the city at this point, not debuting was probably more dangerous than doing so.

    "Hello Carol, it's Danny from- I see you saw the TV… Ah… no I haven't, we don't have very good internet here," her dad replied, "Glenn called… yes, they're planning on going ahead… So I'm not making a mistake by letting them… Well yes, he said that as well." He drummed the countertop with one hand as he nodded. "And with her face out there… Yes… yes.. Alright, I'll give him a call back with the okay then. Oh, and he mentioned that there's been people calling about merchandise alright. Not surprised? No, I suppose not… Alright, I'll see you tomorrow then, Carol. Thank you… Good night."

    With the phone hung up her dad stretched and stood up. She turned around with a half-eaten slice of burger in one hand. "So, what's going on?" Taylor asked.

    "Well-" Her dad paused, staring past her.

    "What?" she asked, taking a large bite of burger.

    "You've eaten it all, already?!" he said incredulously.

    She blinked and turned around, actually processing the contents of her plate for the first time in the last few minutes. Rather than a very large and greasy burger with an equally large helping of fries, there was a small puddle of grease, cheese, and loose condiments with the occasional scattered fry. Absently she took another bite, stuffing the last of the burger into her mouth.

    The weirdest bit, was that she didn't even feel that full. Swallowing the last of the burger she turned back to her dad. "Would this be a bad time to ask for more?" she asked sheepishly. He simply stared before mechanically walking past her to his own plate that was still sitting untouched, despite Inari not being more than two feet away.

    "I figured you'd eat most of it after the last few weeks, but Christ," her dad sighed as he picked up the plate and walked back to the phone.

    "After the- I haven't been eating that much, have I?" She blinked. It didn't feel like she'd been eating more. She looked down and pinched her stomach through the material of her costume. It certainly didn't feel like she was gaining weight.

    "She seems normal to me," Inari said, swallowing her own last fry, "For a young goddess anyway." Danny muttered something incomprehensible under his breath and took a bite from his burger before dialling the phone again.

    Taylor lifted one of the last fries from her plate and munched on it as her dad called Glenn. So, she was still on for tomorrow? Well, with a little luck she'd be feeling better after a long night's sleep. She yawned loudly at the thought of her bed. Yes, sleep would be good. A shower as well.

    "So, they're going to be providing a fresh uniform tomorrow," her dad said as he hung up.

    Her head tipped to the side. One ear twitched in thought. "Really? I thought the press conference was going to be too early to get another one in time?"

    "They've pushed it back to noon. The first part will be addressing the events of today, then they'll introduce you," her dad replied, pausing to take a bite of his burger, "Glenn says to get a good night's sleep. The PRT troopers will take you in tomorrow at ten."

    She yawned and nodded. "I should probably bring my uniform tomorrow, for cleaning if nothing else," she said, eating the last fry on her plate.

    "That's what Glenn requested," he replied, standing up with his plate and walking over to the table. He bent down to kiss her on the forehead. "I'm proud of what you did today, but seeing you on TV…" he shook his head with a small smile, "Try not to give me too many heart attacks, Little Owl."

    She smiled sheepishly. "I'll try?" she said before yawning again, "Ugh, I'm gonna go have a shower. See you after I'm done." She hugged him then slowly walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs, her tails slowly swishing contently from side to side.


    -0-0-0-0-0-​

    The next day came far sooner than Taylor would have liked. She woke up in a bundle of tails and blankets on the couch with Inari curled up somewhere in the pile, to the shaking of her shoulder by her dad.

    "It's nine," he said as she stared up at him, her eyes unfocused.

    She flopped back onto her pillow. "Let me sleeeeep," she groaned. She was still stiff after the day before and being wrapped in so many blankets and her tails was so soothing. It made getting up a nearly impossible proposition.

    Her father tisked and gave her shoulder another gentle shake. "Come on, get up." With a great deal of prodding, at least ten minutes of it, she was slowly pried loose of her den. It took a half hour for her to bring her tails and hair back into something resembling order as she got dressed properly in yet another outfit from the PRT that she was finding increasingly bland and boring as time went on.

    At ten she was bundled into the back of another unmarked PRT van. Her dad had taken the day off and would be following in a short while. In theory she would be heading home in the truck after everything was said and done. Visible to the public if anyone was paying attention.

    The ride was uneventful compared to the day before. No explosion, no chaos, no brawl in a city street. They passed the site of the incident on their way. They rolled slowly past rows of police cars, PRT vans, and the many forensic crews that were still prying bullets out of concrete. It was positively surreal to Taylor. She could remember vividly the chaos, the gunfire, and all the emotions that she'd experienced in those crazy ten minutes. Seeing the site so seemingly quiet, if occupied by police, was weird.

    Her arrival at the PRT's Headquarters had seen her met by one of Glenn's assistants. A young man who shuffled her upstairs to a changing room where, to her surprise, a full half dozen older women were waiting.

    "Um- Eep," was all she managed to get out before a matronly woman she recognized vaguely from the last few days grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her into the room. In moments she had been stripped of the bag containing her dirty uniform, before being shoved into a small, for her, changing booth with fresh uniform.

    It took her a bit to get the uniform on, sans the hair accessories which seemed to be missing, but once she stuck her head out again to ask the same woman pulled her out of the booth and had her spin in place once. The woman tisked and adjusted her collar before straightening out the bent over edge of one of her arm warmers. "Decent," she said, giving Taylor an assessing stare, "Come, into the chair. Make-up and hair is next." She patted the back of the seat in front of a large vanity. Feeling rather overwhelmed, Taylor followed her instructions, sliding into the chair. To her surprise there was a slot in the side of the chair back allowing her to simply slip into it without crushing her tails.

    A glance around the room showed that Inari was being tended to by a pair of women on a table in the far corner. She took the seat she was directed to and the matronly woman stepped up beside her, examining her face in detail.

    "Hmm. Excellent complexion," the woman mused as she brushed a lock of Taylor's hair aside. She tisked as it fell back down. "The lack of human ears will be an interesting challenge."

    "Who are you?" Taylor asked, glancing behind her as another woman stepped up with a brush and comb.

    "You can call me Melissa," she said, smiling at Taylor, "This here is Katie," she waved to the young woman on the other side of the chair, "and this is Carrie." She waved to the woman with the brush and comb.

    "Hello," Carrie said as she waved the comb in front of Taylor's face.

    "Hello," she replied, tilting her head back to look up at the young woman.

    "Head forward dear," Melissa said, gently tilting Taylor's head back into place, "Carrie will deal with your hair and tails while we do your make-up. Now, please hold still." She ran a finger along Taylor's left cheek. Rubbing her finger together she nodded. "Minimal oils. We'll still use a light cleanser to be sure, but you have very nice skin."

    "Thanks?" Behind her she could feel Carrie beginning to brush out her hair. It had been over a year since the last time anyone brushed her hair for her. She relaxed marginally as Melissa sorted through their supplies. At the same time Katie began opening small jars of cosmetics and comparing small samples to Taylor's skin.

    Melissa evidently noticed something that escaped Taylor. "Concealer, really?" the old woman scoffed, waving Katie away. "What are you trying to conceal exactly?" She waved to Taylor, who blushed in response, her ears falling flat with embarrassment.

    Katie leaned in, causing Taylor to blush more. She gave a friendly smile. "I see your point. Foundation and powder?"

    "Only if we're planning on using a blush. I personally don't see the need," Melissa said as she retrieved a small squeeze bottle and turned back to Taylor.

    "Then do we actually need the cleanser?"

    "Clean skin will help no matter what," the older woman replied, leaning in to smear a little on Taylor's face. Taylor twitched at the cool feeling of the cosmetic product. As Melissa worked it in she tisked. "I would rather have you lying down for this, but we're short on time."

    "Not that short…" Taylor trailed off as the older woman shook her head.

    "Between your car trip and how long that costume of yours takes to put on? I'm afraid we'll be lucky to finish up with five minutes left," Melissa sighed, "Katie, focus on eyeliner and eyeshadow. We'll try to keep her a bit understated." Her assistant nodded and put away the concealer jars, instead she shifted her attention to a rack of jars and brushes.

    Taylor lost track of what the other woman was doing as Melissa dominated her attention. Eventually she simply closed her eyes and let them work. It was easier to just let them do their thing. A few times Carrie snagged an ear with her comb, but soon she felt the various hair pieces as they were arranged in her hair far better than she could have managed.

    "Now," Melissa said, causing Taylor to open her eyes. The older woman had a small pencil thin brush in her right hand. "We're going to apply a little bit of eyeliner. It would probably be better if you kept your eyes closed for now."

    "Sure." She closed her eyes again and a moment later twitched at the feeling of the brush on her eyelid.

    "Easy, relax dear. This is entirely painless, unless you move," Melissa said softly, "Not used to make-up I take it? I shouldn't be surprised. With a complexion like yours when would you have needed it?"

    "... That's sort of a more recent thing," Taylor said carefully, trying to avoid disturbing the women as they worked.

    "We all grow up eventually," Melissa said, "And you are going to be a beautiful woman when you're finished growing up. Now, I don't normally interact with the Wards or Protectorate. Appearances are my thing and there is little use for a make-up artist when dealing with mask wearing individuals. I'm sure you understand," Taylor made a vague noise of agreement. "So, I hope I don't come across as insensitive when I say that I would have expected a girl your age to have at least some experience with make-up."

    "... My mother wasn't very interested in it," Taylor said, "And… She's been dead for a couple of years now." The small armrest of the chair creaked as she squeezed it, but she kept enough control to avoid crumpling the material.

    "I see… Well," the brush disappeared and there was a little shuffling, "No, Katie the other one- yes, that's a good shade of bronze. Well, if you would like I could ask Glenn if he wouldn't mind arranging some time for you to learn the basics at least. You'll be out and about in public as… well as yourself. Being able to apply make-up yourself can help you maintain an appearance of control. You never know when something may happen that you'd rather… brush over. Hold still, I'm just going to apply the eyeshadow."

    A thin brush swept across her right eyelid, followed swiftly by further strokes. Taylor stayed silent as the older woman finished up. "And now… just a hint of colour for those lips..."

    "Colour?" She opened her eyes to raise an eyebrow at Melissa as she sorted through the small tubes of lipstick. "You're putting lipstick on me?"

    "Hmm… no, not lipstick," Melissa said absently as she drifted down the selection, "Just a little… What do you think?" She pulled out a tube and held it up for Katie to see.

    "I like it, but it might be a touch more mature than we wanted?" Katie said hesitantly, glancing back at Taylor.

    "Ah, a good point… Perhaps… Here, something younger," Melissa pulled out another tube, "This should do." She turned back to Taylor with a smile. "Just a touch of lip gloss. Close your eyes, I'd rather not spoil the entire thing before we're done."

    With a sigh, Taylor closed her eyes. She hadn't yet actually looked at her own reflection, she had been too busy looking at the older woman. A moment later something wet touched her lips. A few seconds later Melissa was done and the last hair piece was being attached.

    "Done back here," Carrie said.

    "Excellent. That should be everything," Melissa said, "Feel free to open your eyes, Taylor." Bemused, Taylor obeyed, looking past everyone to stare at her reflection. There was no heavy make-up on her cheeks, or across her forehead. Just a small splash of subtle bronze across her eyelids accentuated by black eyeliner. Somehow it seemed to make her eyes stand out more.

    The most vibrant part of the make-up was the lip gloss on her lips. She pressed her lips together and stared at the glossy, almost damp looking shade of pink. "Huh…"

    "Don't like it?" Melissa asked.

    Taylor tip her head to the side as she stared at her reflection. The girl reflected was astoundingly beautiful as she had barely begun to get used to, but the make-up had raised that level yet again. "Not… exactly? I'm just not used to… this," she waved at her reflection and leaned in closer. What exactly had they done with her eyes? Adding that little bit of emphasis should not have had that much effect, and yet…

    She leaned back and looked up at the three women who were waiting expectantly. "Well, we don't really have time to try again, do we?" she asked.

    "Not particularly, but do you like it?" Taylor got the feeling she was going to keep asking until she got a clear answer to her question.

    "Well…" She stared at her reflection. Her first instinct was no. Pink, regardless of how pale, was not a colour she normally liked wearing. And yet, if she stopped looking at just her face and took it as part of the entire ensemble she was wearing… "It works with everything else, I think?" She was not fashion savvy in the slightest. Years of clashing with Emma over constantly wearing dark colours had proven that point.

    "It does. If you're satisfied, then I think you should head out. You'll have just enough time to greet the rest of the Wards before the event," the stylist said.

    "Assuming Inari's ready?" Taylor asked as she got up.

    "I'm waiiiiting," her companion called from the door. The white fox had been groomed and had a blue bow for a collar. She looked adorable.

    "Someone's looking good," Taylor said, bending down to pick her up.

    "They do passable work," Inari said primly. Taylor shot an apologetic look towards the two groomers, both of whom simply smiled and shook their heads. They probably weren't used to getting feedback from the 'pets'.

    "Thank you for your work," Taylor said.

    "Good luck on the stage," Melissa said, her assistants echoing her. With a smile, Taylor slipped out the door into the hallway. The same young man from before was waiting, doing something on his phone as she exited.

    He glanced up. "Ah, ready to go then? We're running short on time," he said as he stood up.

    "Lead on."

    The changing rooms weren't far from the stage, and after a few moments later they turned the corner into the back of the stage.

    "TAYLOR!" The young goddess blinked as Vista, already in her uniform, appeared in front of her and promptly tackle-hugged her. While a few dozen pounds of young girl was probably enough to knock most people over, Taylor didn't even rock from the impact. The younger girl looked up at her through her visor. "You okay?"

    "I'm fine," she said, further past Vista. Triumph and Aegis had both turned from a conversation they'd been having when Vista decided to imitate a missile.

    "You sure about that?" Triumph asked as the two of them walked over. Behind them Gallant and Clockblocker looked up from where they were staring at something on a laptop that Kid Win was using. Clock grabbed Kid's head and turned it to face her. The laptop was promptly closed as the trio hurried over.

    "My shoulders are a little stiff still, but other than that I'm fine," Taylor said, rolling her shoulder for emphasis, "I think it was the power pole or maserati that did it." Aegis and Triumph exchanged a look. "What?"

    "Maserati?" Clockblocker asked as that trio joined, "I don't remember seeing a maserati in the video. Kid, do you remember seeing one?" The tinker shook his head.

    "Nope, but she wasn't exactly in the frame all the time. Oh, Taylor, they brought back that truck you smashed up. I'll be joining Armsmaster taking it apart later," he said, with an excited grin. Her eyes darted down to the laser pistols on his belt. It was funny, Armsmaster's entire suit felt unnatural, but with Kid only the laser pistols he carried felt weird. Even his suit felt normal to her.

    "There was something weird about the armour," Taylor replied, trying to ignore the feeling of wrongness from her teammate. It wasn't his fault after all.

    "You bent it like it was playdough, how tough could it be?" Vista scoffed.

    "I can lift nearly fifty-two tons," Taylor deadpanned, getting a nod from Triumph as Vista oohed.

    "Try to remember we're all working with different limitation guys. Just because one of us can bend a steel I-Beam over their knee doesn't mean the rest of us can," the Ward Captain said before shaking his head. "Good work yesterday, but damn if you didn't give us all a scare." Behind him Clockblocker mimed Triumph's words with exaggerated gestures.

    She blushed. "Sorry, Triumph. I wasn't exactly expecting to get rammed by Squealer on the way home," she said.

    "Not your fault, just…" He sighed and shook his head, "You've made one hell of a splash. Going to be difficult living up to this sort of reputation, you know?" She nodded. The thought had occurred to her as well.

    Clockblocker scoffed and tossed an arm around Triumph's shoulder. "Not that big a deal. Just make sure to haul in Kaiser next time and you should be good, right?" he laughed. Gallant and Aegis snorted.

    "Ah, yes. Living up to the hype by one upping yourself. Nothing can possibly go wrong there," Triumph snarked, "Ignore these idiots. Just try to stay safe. We're here to learn how to be heroes, not get ourselves killed." Taylor caught Vista rolling her eyes out of the corner of her eye.

    "Like you don't showboat," she heard the youngest Ward mutter. Taylor patted her on the shoulder and gave her a knowing smile when the younger girl looked up. Vista blushed and turned away with a huff.

    "She did great," Inari said, clambering up onto Taylor's shoulders, "Even if she did it a day early."

    "If it had happened today, then I'd be in Dad's truck," Taylor pointed out, "I'd rather not involve my dad in that mess." She might not have been as gentle if they'd endangered her dad. The rest of the Wards nodded. None of them wanted to involve their family's in these kinds of messes.

    "There you lot are!" Taylor turned to find Glenn hurrying around the corner, "Everyone but Taylor, you know the drill. Get ready to go on stage. Taylor, a moment."

    "Come on everyone, let's go. We'll talk more after the conference Taylor," Triumph said, patting her on the shoulder before following the team.

    "See you after," she said, waving after them before turning to Glenn, "You could have mentioned the make-up." She blinked at the mohawked PR director. He had large bags under his eyes and looked less put together than even his usual minimal effort. In fact… She sniffed. Yes, he smelled like he needed a shower as well. Unlike her, he'd probably been running damage control all night long.

    Glenn chuckled. "I didn't think you'd have an issue with it, and I'm not wrong, am I?" She shook her head. She didn't have that much of an issue with it, just a lack of interest. "Then no harm done. They've done an amazing job I see. You'll make quite the impression when you walk out there today." She blushed, and reflexively tried to brush a lock of hair behind an ear that no longer existed.

    "So," he clapped his hands together, "You're going to be fielding a few questions, possibly more than a few, that we didn't practice for. Most, if not all, will be about yesterday. They won't be too different from those we practiced, but you may have to wing it a little."

    "Of great," she sighed, "I guessed, but…"

    "Don't worry too much," he said gently, "We aren't expecting you to do perfectly. This is your first press conference and you're being tossed to the wolves because of reasons outside of either of our control. The PRT's official opinion is that so long as you don't try and commit us to anything, the higher ups are willing to overlook…" He waved a hand vaguely, "... nearly anything. Not that I expect you to need that leeway. If what I've heard about your handling of the police is anything, then you'll do perfectly. Just try and channel that confidence when you get out on the stage and everything will be fine."

    She smiled awkwardly. "Thanks for the confidence I guess?"

    "Oh she'll be fine. She's a natural," Inari said smugly. Taylor sighed.

    "Oh, I've noticed. Now, let's get you into position. It shouldn't be more than a couple of minutes before you're needed. Remember what we practiced," he said, pulling her along. As they got to the right entrance to the stage she saw the rest of her team already on stage, lined up on the same side as her and staring straight ahead. On the far side was Battery and Dauntless, both looking suitably heroic as they stood in the corner of the stage.

    "... which brought the two gangs into conflict. From there the incident spilled out onto Bunnsworth," the spokeswoman was saying.

    "Now we wait," Glenn said, "Shouldn't be more than a couple of minutes." He patted her on the shoulder. She smiled nervously.

    "Worried?" Inari whispered quieter than a normal human could hear.

    "Should I not be?" she mumbled just as quietly.

    "You'll do fine," Inari replied, "But if you'd like a little advice…?"

    "Please."

    "First, stand straight. A good posture implies confidence." She took a deep breath as she stood straighter and let it out in a sigh. "Good, keep that posture. Now, smile." She smiled, it felt wrong, like a fake. Inari tisked. "You're too rigid. Relax, you're a Hero now. You've proven yourself a bit. You have a right to feel confident. These journalists aren't any more dangerous than Hookwolf, so just smile."

    "I didn't exactly smile at Hookwolf."

    "You're trying to win trust, right? A smile helps," Inari replied, "So relax. Deep breath, don't lose the posture… You're a Goddess, you're beautiful, heroic, and the darling of the moment. So just relax."

    Taylor took that deep breath and let it out slowly, listening to Inari's gentle pep talk. She had a point, even if the Goddess bit was still in contention. She wasn't the stick figure that hid in the bathroom or beneath the stairs during lunch while trying to escape from Emma, Sophia, and their little posse of twittering idiots. In fact, they'd see her on the TV today. They'd know who she was and get to see her being what they never could.

    A real, if sharp, smile slowly spread at that thought. This was something Emma could never have. Something Sophia couldn't take from her. She rolled her shoulders and sighed.

    "Ready?" Inari asked, a questioning implication in her tone.

    "Just… had a happy thought," Taylor replied, smiling. It wasn't the most generous of thoughts, but it was a happy thought.

    "... and the Heroine of the hour is, as many have speculated, a member of our own Wards. Acting in the defense of others before she could be properly introduced. She is the first Ward to insist upon not wearing a mask, opening up her life to the world," the PR spokeswoman was saying.

    Glenn patted her on the shoulder. "Showtime," he said, "You'll do great." She nodded, trying to hold onto the thought of just how much this would be showing up Emma and Sophia.

    "Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have the honour of introducing Taylor Hebert, also known as Corentine," the PR spokeswoman declared.

    Taking a steadying breath Taylor let her smile grow, just barely keeping it from becoming a grin as she strode out into the bright lights and flashing cameras.


    0-0-0-0-0-​

    "Amy! Hurry up!" Vicky shouted up the stairs, "The press conference is about to start!"

    "I'm coming, geez," her sister poked her head around the corner of her bedroom doorway, "Give me a second. You're starting to sound like I'm holding you up for a date, not a boring press briefing."

    One of her new ears twitched irritably at that comparison. "Just hurry up," she shouted before floating away into the kitchen where her lunch was waiting. A very overstuffed sandwich with bacon, lettuce, tomato, several slabs of ham from a small ham in the back of the fridge, and about half the leftover chicken from the night before. She hadn't even intended to make it when she had started putting together lunch, but she'd sort of fallen into autopilot.

    She retrieved her plate and continued into the living room where her mom and dad were sitting. Normally, on a friday, Carol Dallon would be at work in her office, but she had decided to take the day off because of this press conference.

    "So, anything yet?" she asked as she claimed the armchair in the corner for herself. It was her new favourite spot, being just the right size to sit with her feet pulled up so she could wrap her tail around them. With their air conditioning her feet tended to get cold even during the day.

    "It hasn't even started yet," her mother said, laying across the love seat in a rare display of relaxation. Her head propped up on a large pillow and her feet across the lap of her husband Mark.

    On the TV was the local Cable Six news. There were currently a pair of talking heads going back and forth on the 'situation' in Brockton Bay. They were going to be playing the press conference live in the next few minutes. For now though, the TV volume was turned low as they waited.

    Vicky shrugged and turned her attention to the sandwich. A couple of minutes later Amy came into the room and took the farthest seat on the couch from Vicky. The foxgirl of the family grimaced and tried to ignore how her sister was avoiding her. It was hurtful, but she could understand why. It couldn't be pleasant touching someone and blanking out entirely.

    Amy sent her a slightly sheepish smile, but remained where she was. In her lap was a much smaller sandwich than Vicky's.

    "You didn't leave much in the fridge," Her sister complained as she dug into her own lunch.

    "I left plenty," Vicky replied with a huff.

    "It's starting girls," her mother said, interrupting them as she turned the volume on the TV up. The PRT ENE's logo appeared on the screen, spinning in place a few times, before fading to the view of a very ordinary stage. Standing at the microphone was a woman anyone who had seen PRT ENE press briefings in the past would be familiar with. Thus, Vicky was, however unwillingly, familiar with Ms. Sarah Evans.

    The brunette smiled as she stepped up to the podium. Behind her the Wards, minus Taylor, were lined up along the right hand side of the stage. At the other end was Dauntless and Battery. "Hello everyone. I'm sure all of you have a lot of questions. We will try to answer what we can, keeping in mind that there is an ongoing investigation," she said.

    The explanation that followed was nearly identical to what the media had been speculating. The E88 had attempted to capture or kill Squealer and been promptly met with the reason people said you shouldn't attack a tinker in their workshop. Things had played out from there just like the videos had said, apparently. Somewhere along the way, Vicky tuned out the spokeswoman. Her attention focused on Gallant and the rest of the Wards in the back where, from experience, she knew Taylor would step out.

    Her tail flicked irritably as she waited. Her mother might find these long procedural briefings interesting, but she was easily bored. More over the last few days, actually. She had been feeling increasingly bored every day, and at that moment only the promise of seeing her friend's debut was keeping her in her seat rather than doing laps around the house. The inside, since her Mom still wasn't letting her outside.

    Vicky's ears perked up as long awaited words were said. "the Heroine of the hour is, as many have speculated, a member of our own Wards," Sarah Evans was saying, "Acting in the defense of others before she could be properly introduced. She is the first Ward to insist upon not wearing a mask, opening up her life to the world. Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have the honour of introducing Taylor Hebert, also known as Corentine!" She turned to the Wards and applauded as music, a lyricless track she couldn't place, played.

    Several heartbeats went by before the girl of the hours walked out. Jewelry flashed in the light of a hundred cameras as her friend strutted, and yes Vicky could recognize a strut very well, out onto the stage with a sway to her hips that translated a half second later in the opposite direction to the grand display of tails behind her. She was smiling wide as she walked across the stage, pausing to wave to the crowd before continuing onto the podium.

    Vicky's ears were both pointed straight up as she watched her new friend with rapt attention. There was a confidence about the other girl that she hadn't seen before. A commanding presence that seemed to bleed through the TV. A hurried glance to the rest of the family showed that they were seeing it too. Amy had forgotten about her sandwich and was watching… with a small blush?

    Burying a smirk she turned back to watch Taylor. She could tease her sister about that later. "Hello everyone," Taylor said, her voice warm and friendly, "I'm Corentine, or as I prefer to be called, Taylor."

    The other foxgirl set her plate aside and ran a hand through her tail as she leaned into the armchair. Her eyes fixed firmly on her friend. "You know," she said as Taylor continued her introduction, "I teased her about cartoons rotting her brain, but she looks really good in that uniform."

    "Very good," came the absentminded reply from Amy.

    "Glenn does seem to have done a good job for once," their mother added, "And drilled the introduction into her as well. This won't be another Clockblocker introduction." Vicky nodded, her eyes bobbing with the waves of tails on screen.

    As the introductions continued, a thought popped into Vicky's head to ask Taylor the next time they talked. 'What shampoo is she using?'


    -0-0-0-0-0-​


    Walking off the stage, Taylor's heart was thundering. Glenn met her as she dropped the smile they allowed herself to sag into a chair he swept up to her.

    "Excellent job," he said, patting her on the shoulder as Inari slipped into her lap. "I'd say you avoided the worst questions well enough."

    "She didn't get that many bad questions," Clockblocker said, as he dragged a chair over as the rest of the Wards.

    "Unlike you, she didn't flip the script," Aegis said, finding a seat in the air.

    Taylor massaged the side of her face. "That was hard enough as it was. 'Do you like tofu or liver?' Why was that even a question?"

    "How do you even like liver?" Clockblocker gagged as Vista nodded seriously.

    "... I just do," Taylor shrugged, "And tofu's perfectly fine as well. You just need to cook it properly." In her lap Inari began to cough into her paw in a manner that sounded suspiciously like laughter.

    "Right, normally I'd stick around, but I've got a date that's waiting for me," Triumph said, "A good introduction Taylor. We'll talk schedules next time. Later everyone." He waved to the group before hurrying off.

    "I need to head off as well. Armsmaster wants me to help with that truck and I need to grab a few tools," Kid Win said, patting Taylor on the shoulder, "See you around Tay."

    "Bye Kid, bye Triumph," she called as the two disappeared. She turned to the rest. "Anyone else leaving?"

    "We've got a patrol in an hour, but we're free until then," Aegis said, gesturing to himself and Gallant.

    "And I'm good for a while," Vista said.

    "Same," Clockblocker said.

    "Why don't you four head up to the common room," Glenn suggested, "I need to talk to Taylor for a few. She'll join you once she's done here. And pizza and assorted snacks should have already been delivered."

    "... KID!" Vista shouted, space distorting as she vanished from the room in pursuit of their teammate.

    "Welp, I'm headed upstairs," Clockblocker said, patting Taylor on the shoulder, "See you in a few." The rest said their temporary goodbyes and left, leaving Taylor with Glenn.

    "That went very well," he said, taking the seat Clockblocker had brought over, "Not absolutely perfect, but these things never are. And admittedly there were some questions that I doubt we could have expected."

    "Like the liver and tofu one?" she deadpanned. He chuckled.

    "Not exactly. That one isn't so different from a 'what is your favourite food' question, but the specificity is strange. Someone was probably fishing for a story about a specific topic. No idea what, but we'll look into it. Now, a few things before I send you on your way," he began searching the pockets of his coat. A few moments later he removed a flip phone from his pocket. The PRT logo on the front. He unfolded it to show a single large touch screen.

    He cleared his throat. "Now, from talking with your dad I understand that the two of you have some… reservations about cell phones, but the PRT does require that we be able to contact you whenever there is a need," he said, holding it out.

    She took it in her hands and nodded. Her mother had been using her cell phone when she crashed. "Well," she turned it over with her hands, "I'm not likely to be driving."

    Glenn chuckled. "I'm sure you've seen the videos of Glory Girl and signs, yes?" She nodded and blushed at the thought of flying through signs. "The phone is fingerprint locked. Just place any finger on the indicated part of the screen and it should log you in. It runs Dragon OS and if you want to run apps on it that aren't preloaded you'll have to get the tech guys here to sign off on it. They'll do the install."

    "Annoying…" she muttered.

    "But important. That phone doubles as a tracker. Anything happens, try to keep it on you," he said. She nodded slowly as she fiddled with it. Finding the power button she brought it out of sleep mode and the sign in appeared. It accepted her thumb perfectly fine.

    "I'll try to not lose it… Are my pockets even big enough for this?" she patted down the small pockets that were intended for ID and a credit card at the most.

    "... More adjustments," he sighed, "For now, just hold onto it. We'll see about finding a fix for that. Now, we informed your dad about the party so he will be showing up in a few hours to pick you up. Until then, enjoy yourself… and I feel like I'm forget- ah, right." She watched with a feeling of bemusement as Glenn searched through his pockets for a moment before producing a bank card. "Here you go. As per the agreement, one debit card is tied to a bank account where your royalties and wages will be deposited. Wages will be deposited on the last friday of each month. Royalties will be added as sales are made. It comes with five thousand in the bank to help with any needs you may have at the moment." He paused, "Such as clothing. Here you go."

    Five thousand already? She accepted the bank card and examined it for a moment before slipping it into her pocket.

    "I guess you don't need to ask for that advance," Inari noted dryly, "I suspect Victoria is going to be happy about that."

    Glenn chuckled. "I suspected that would be the case," he said, "Now, your father will be given the rest of the paperwork once he gets here." He clapped his hands together, "You have a party waiting for you. I won't keep you here anymore, get going," he said waving for her to go.

    "Thank you. I'll try not to lose the phone," she said hurriedly as she wasted no time before hurrying from the area. "Let's hope they haven't already eaten all the Pizza," she said to Inari.

    "There will be teeth if they've done that," Inari said with a sniff.

    Several hours, fourteen boxes of pizza, and one swatted Clockblocker later; Taylor, now out of her uniform, met her father in the parkade of the PRT. Satiated with pizza, more cola than a person her age should drink, and at least one victory at Mario Kart, she smiled as she found him waiting.

    "Hey dad," she said as she greeted him with a hug.

    "You're looking happy. Glad to finally be able to see the sun?" he asked as they climbed into the truck.

    "A bit. Mostly just full," Taylor said with a yawn as she slipped into the backseat. There was more room for her tails back here and she could even lie down if she wanted, which she was certainly inclined to after the amount of food she'd eaten.

    "Ah. You were beautiful on TV, Taylor," he said, smiling at her around the chair.

    "Thanks, d-d-daaad," she yawned, stuttering as she did so, "Ugh. It's only three pm. Why am I so tired?"

    "Food and stress, or lack thereof," Inari said.

    "Hmm, maybe," she allowed as the truck started up and they pulled up and out of the parkade. She certainly felt at peace for once.

    "So you can go out and see the sun without a window now," her dad said.

    "Yup… Not sure I'm ready for people though. Backyard should be fine," she said, yawning again.

    "How about friends?" her dad asked.

    "... Friends?" she asked, opening one eye. An ear twitched. "What about friends? Unless you mean Vicky…?"

    "Well, it's a bit of a story, but we're having a barbecue tomorrow. Sorry for not mentioning it," he said with a not-so-apologetic grin.

    She stared at the back of his seat. "It's been ages since we did one of those," she said, wondering who could be coming over. Maybe Kurt and Stacey? A few of the dockworkers? It had been a while since she saw some of the kids her age among the DWU families.

    "Yeah. The guests will start showing up at about 2pm tomorrow," her dad said, "Anyway, what prompted this was, well, you remember how I went to Alan, right? And he shuffled me over to Carol?"

    Both eyes opened as a feeling of dread settled over her. "Yeah?" she said hesitantly.

    "Well Alan wanted to invite us to a barbeque for that weekend, but we obviously couldn't go. Not with you hiding, so I extended an offer for this weekend. The Barneses will be joining us tomorrow," he said sounding more alive than she had heard him in years.

    She stared blankly at the back of his head as she listened. Emma was going to be coming over tomorrow. Emma. Emma who had probably just seen her on TV and wouldn't hesitate to use everything she knew against her. That Emma.

    "Ooh," she said, trying to sound enthusiastic.

    "I've also invited the Dallons over and they asked if they could invite the rest of their family," her dad continued, "So all of New Wave will be in attendance. I've asked them to bring food with them. We'll need the help. Kurt and Stacey will be there. They've missed you by the way."

    "... It'll be nice to see them as well," she said, trying to keep her trepidation out of her voice. Gods, Emma was going to be there.

    "I'll let Alan know when we get home. That way he knows to bring something as well," her dad continued. Inari looked at him, then at her, before creeping over to one ear.

    "Are you alright?" She whispered.

    "... Hard to explain," she whispered back.

    "Anyway, I know you and Emma have been drifting apart recently," her dad said, glancing back over his shoulder, "This should give you a chance to get reacquainted."

    "... That's great," she said before stifling a fake yawn and covering her face in a tail. Her dad chuckled, but continued to list off his plans for tomorrow. She was barely listening. Emma was going to be there. This was going to be a mess.


    -0-0-0-0-0-​


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    ■​
    ♦ Topic: Shootout in the docks
    In: Boards ► Discussion ► Brockton Bay
    Paddlewheeler     (Original Poster) (No Common Sense)
    Posted On Jul 22nd 2010:
    Holy shit. The Merchants just ran Hookwolf over with some shitty monster TRUCK.

    Edit: Who is that GIRL. (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9)

    Edit: OMG look at this!

    Edit: Living Waterpark

    Edit: holy shit lightning

    Edit: Video of the incident

    Edit: Official Thread HERE
    ​
    ​
    (Showing page 1 of 23)
    ​
    ►Lost_Wasabi (Chef)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    What are you doing there? Get out of the way you idiot. A few pictures aren't worth your life.​
    ►Aloha ​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    Now that is a big hood ornament.​
    ►Bagrat (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    Jesus. Where the hell did Squealer get that thing?​
    ►Paddlewheeler (Original Poster) (No Common Sense)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    It's getting nuttier. A bunch of E88 guys just showed up. I've got my video camera pointed out the window right now. Had to duct tape it to the floor to keep it from getting knocked over. Squealer's monster truck keeps giving off shockwaves. It's already knocked the picture frames off my walls.​
    ►Vista (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    What. The. Hell. Is that thing.​
    ​
    Edit: And get out of there! That thing has a cannon!​
    ►Chaosfaith (Registered Skeptic)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    If the Ward is telling you to get out, get out!​
    ​
    Also, isn't this your job to deal with this?​
    ►Bagrat (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    @_Chaosfaith​
    She's a Ward you idiot. They're supposed to stay out of this stuff.​
    ►Paddlewheeler (Original Poster) (No Common Sense)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    hey, anyone know a hero with big fluffy tails?​
    ►Vista (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    ... Fuck​
    ​
    End of Page. 1, 2, 3 ... 21, 22, 23
    ​
    ​
    (Showing page 2 of 23)
    ​
    ►Bagrat (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    @_Paddlewheeler​
    I can't think of anyone... Tails? As in plural? And fluffy not scaled?​
    ►GstringGirl ​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    @_Vista​
    You know something~ Tell us~​
    ►Aloha ​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    Do you have pictures?​
    ►Acree ​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    What is even going on?!?!?!?!?!?!?!​
    ►Brocktonite03 (Veteran Member)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    I've never heard of a hero with "Big Fluffy Tails". A few villains with tails, but it isn't really that common among heroes. Kinda hard to keep a secret identity.​
    ►Paddlewheeler (Original Poster) (No Common Sense)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    Pictures: 1, 2, 3, 4​
    ​
    Ideas?​
    ►Clockblocker (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    .... Ah hell.​
    ​
    Aaaanyway. @_Vista you owe me five bucks.​
    ►Vista (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    @_Clockblocker​
    ... Really? Here? Now?!​
    ...​
    ...​
    I'll get it to you tomorrow.​
    ►Bagrat (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    ... And now I know how I leave people feeling. Anything you two want to share?​
    ►Clockblocker (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    @_Bagrat​
    Naaaah. Ignore us... Please.​
    ​
    End of Page. 1, 2, 3, 4 ... 21, 22, 23
    ​
    ​
    (Showing page 3 of 23)
    ​
    ►Glory_Girl (Verified Cape) (New Wave)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    OMG OMG OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG! @_Brandish @_Photonmom @_Panacea​
    ​
    WHY AM I STUCK INSIDE! WHY!​
    ​
    @_Gallant​
    GET YOUR BUTT OVER THERE!​
    ►Bagrat (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    ... uuuuuuuhhhhhhhh?????​
    ​
    Do you guys know her? Hello? Answers please?​
    ►TouchFluffyTail_102 ​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    The fuck is going on? And damned those tails are fluffy. omg, I'm so jealous right now. Fluffy~!​
    ►PagodaKing ​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    ... Are those nine tails? Why does she have nine tails? Please don't be fox tails. T.T I like not having my liver eaten...​
    ►Paddlewheeler (Original Poster) (No Common Sense)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    ...​
    ...​
    ​
    She just ripped the turret off that Monster Truck with her bare hands.​
    ​
    Proof​
    ►Gallant (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    @_Glory_Girl​
    ​
    And what am I supposed to do?​
    ►Glory_Girl (Verified Cape) (New Wave)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    Something useful.​
    ►Lost_Wasabi (Chef)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    @_PagodaKing​
    Those are nine tails. Relax. I doubt she's a Gumiho... Mind you, this is Brockton Bay. There was bound to be one eventually.​
    ►Paddlewheeler (Original Poster) (No Common Sense)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    Foxgirl just got launched into a 7/11 by Squealer and a bunch more Merchants and E88 just showed as well. They're shooting up everything. I've got two bullet holes in my window now.​
    ►Chaosfaith (Registered Skeptic)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    ... Okay, so we've got a conspiracy between capes and an idiot who can't run to save his life. I'm gonna turn on the TV.​
    ​
    End of Page. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 21, 22, 23
    ​
    ​
    (Showing page 4 of 23)
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    ►Paddlewheeler (Original Poster) (No Common Sense)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    ... And she controls water.​
    PROOF​
    ​
    and Lightning More Proof 1, 2​
    ​
    And likes to POSE​
    ►Glory_Girl (Verified Cape) (New Wave)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    ... I told her to stop watching that stupid show.​
    ►Paddlewheeler (Original Poster) (No Common Sense)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    Aaaand it's over. Hookwolf and Stormtiger just got steamrolled by Foxgirl. Police just showed as well. no sign of the PRT other than a flipped PRT Van. Looks like some E88 got away. GOing to upload the video​
    ►Panacea (Verified Cape) (New Wave)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    @_Glory_Girl​
    Well it's over. I better find you upstairs when I come up or I'm telling Mom.​
    ►Glory_Girl (Verified Cape) (New Wave)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    @_Panacea​
    Muuuuuuuuuuu no trust between sisters?​
    ►Panacea (Verified Cape) (New Wave)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    @_Glory_Girl​
    ​
    I know you.​
    ►XxVoid_CowboyxX (Banned)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    Wow she's hot. Looks like [Redacted] older sister. A lot hotter too. Think that [Redacted]​
    ​
    Moderator Edit: Really? No speculation on cape identity, mask or no mask. Also while you couldn't have known, she's a Ward so keep the creepy remarks to yourself. Here's a three day threadban as a reminder.​
    ►Bagrat (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    ... Right, I've managed to dig up a couple of things.​
    ​
    Her name is Corentine, a new Ward here in BB. She was supposed to debut *Tomorrow*. No idea why she's involved in this. That van might be the cause, but my contacts won't say any more.​
    ​
    Can't say I blame them. The PRT gets twitchy when it comes to the Wards.​
    ►Reave (Verified PRT Agent)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    Yes, she's a Ward. If you wish to know more, please watch the PRT news conference tomorrow.​
    ►Bagrat (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    @_Reave​
    I'll make sure to tune in. Been a while since the last one.​
    ​
    Aaaand I've started a thread for the Fluffiest Ward. CHEERS.​
    ​
    End of Page. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ... 21, 22, 23
    ​
    ​
    (Showing page 5 of 23)
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    ►Brocktonite03 (Veteran Member)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    Oh god, this City keeps getting weirder.​
    ►TouchFluffyTail_102 ​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    She's a Ward? Fiddlesticks. Still Jealous mind you. For a *lot* of reasons.​
    ►BadSamurai ​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    ... So do you think she'd be averse to Tofu?​
    ►PagodaKing ​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    I really hope she isn't... T.T Why did I move here?​
    ►Paddlewheeler (Original Poster) (No Common Sense)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    VIDEO​
    ​
    And oh my god this was awesome. PRT is here now and she's been shuffled into a van. Can confirm, they've hauled off Hookwolf and Stormtiger. Good riddance to bad rubbish.​
    ►Aloha ​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    .... Did she just hit Stormtiger with his own trick? AWESOME! Total Trump.​
    ►Clockblocker (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    How does she keep getting more bullshit every time we turn around? HOW?​
    ►Vista (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    @_Clockblocker​
    Stop complaining in public. Seriously.​
    ​
    End of Page. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ... 21, 22, 23
    ​
    ​
    ■​
    ♦ Topic: Corentine, The Fluffy One
    In: Boards ► Capes ► Brockton Bay ► Wards
    Bagrat     (Original Poster) (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)
    Posted On Jul 22nd 2010:
    This is the official thread for all news relating to the latest and fluffiest Ward in Brockton Bay.

    Remember, she's a Ward, so try to keep it clean people! I know our lovely moderator team hates getting involved.

    The Incident that brought her to our attention is HERE

    News Conference HERE

    Power Speculation:
    So far we've seen her display Brute, Mover, Trump, Shaker, Blaster, and probably thinker. And possibly Stranger depending on how her immunity to Tinkertech works.

    I'll link the official report if and/or when it comes out. Not a guarantee since she's a Ward, but given her insistence on transparency I'd make it more likely.

    She's at least tough enough to fly two blocks, crush a car, and knock out a power pole and just walk it off without issue.

    She's fast on the ground and at least as agile as Glory Girl in the air.

    Strong enough to tear through what my contacts said was some sort of Tinker enhanced Steel frame with her bare hands in only a couple of seconds. Did you see what her tails did to that cannon?

    Lightning, no idea on the upper voltage, but my contacts say she can vary it to less than a tazer if needed. And it is in fact safe to touch the fluffy tail if anyone was wondering. They aren't electrified unless she wants them to be.

    She's already being called the strongest Hydrokinetic since Leviathan, and the strongest who isn't an Endbringer. Not sure how accurate that is, but rumours suggest her powers keep evolving. (see @_Clockblocker 's comment in the previous thread)

    And Stormtiger taking his own attack to the face will never get old.

    I'll fill in details as speculation continues. Try to not leave me with forty pages of comments to wade through when I get up tomorrow, alright?

    ... What am I saying, I'll be lucky if it's just forty.
    ​
    ​
    (Showing page 1 of 78)
    ​
    ►Winged_One ​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    FLUFFY~!​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    FLUFFY~!​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    FLUFFY~!​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    FLUFFY~!​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    FLUFFY~!​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    FLUFFY~!​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    FLUFFY~!​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    FLUFFY~!​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    FLUFFY~!​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    FLUFFY~!​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    FLUFFY~!​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    [Post edited by Moderators]​
    We get it. Stop! Three day thread ban since you can't stop spamming. ~Tin_Mother​
    ►GstringGirl ​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    damn you work quick.​
    ►Magical_Otaku96 (Cape Groupie)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    Ooooooh~ She's looks like a total magical girl! That skirt is so cute and she's totally beautiful. OMG~~~~~~ BB is so Lucky!​
    ►TouchFluffyTail_102 ​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    What is with that power list? And I'm still Jealous of those tails. T.T I want tails that awesome tooooooo.... Mugyuu...​
    ►Brocktonite03 (Veteran Member)​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    nice to see this up so soon. Looking forward to the Press Conference tomorrow. Nice to know there's a new Ward here, and one so capable. @_Bagrat is it true that she brought in Hookwolf? Getting that nut off the street is going to turn things about.​
    ►Deimos ​
    Replied On Jul 22nd 2010:​
    Not the first time Hookwolf got caught, but damned I've never heard of him getting bodied this badly before. She didn't even have to try. Just *ZAP*​
    ​
    End of Page. 1, 2, 3 ... 76, 77, 78
    ​
    ​
    ■​
    ♦ Topic: Corentine, The Fluffy One
    In: Boards ► Capes ► Brockton Bay ► Wards
    Bagrat     (Original Poster) (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)
    Posted On Jul 22nd 2010:
    This is the official thread for all news relating to the latest and fluffiest Ward in Brockton Bay.

    Remember, she's a Ward, so try to keep it clean people! I know our lovely moderator team hates getting involved.

    The Incident that brought her to our attention is HERE

    News Conference HERE

    Power Speculation:
    So far we've seen her display Brute, Mover, Trump, Shaker, Blaster, and probably thinker. And possibly Stranger depending on how her immunity to Tinkertech works.

    I'll link the official report if and/or when it comes out. Not a guarantee since she's a Ward, but given her insistence on transparency I'd make it more likely.

    She's at least tough enough to fly two blocks, crush a car, and knock out a power pole and just walk it off without issue.

    She's fast on the ground and at least as agile as Glory Girl in the air.

    Strong enough to tear through what my contacts said was some sort of Tinker enhanced Steel frame with her bare hands in only a couple of seconds. Did you see what her tails did to that cannon?

    Lightning, no idea on the upper voltage, but my contacts say she can vary it to less than a tazer if needed. And it is in fact safe to touch the fluffy tail if anyone was wondering. They aren't electrified unless she wants them to be.

    She's already being called the strongest Hydrokinetic since Leviathan, and the strongest who isn't an Endbringer. Not sure how accurate that is, but rumours suggest her powers keep evolving. (see @_Clockblocker 's comment in the previous thread)

    And Stormtiger taking his own attack to the face will never get old.

    I'll fill in details as speculation continues. Try to not leave me with forty pages of comments to wade through when I get up tomorrow, alright?

    ... What am I saying, I'll be lucky if it's just forty.
    ​
    ​
    (Showing page 28 of 134)
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    ►FlippinMad ​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    ... Taylor? That's- Oh my god. When did she get hot? How? OMGOMGOMGOMG @_Crimson_Stalker @_True_Predator You guys need to see this!​
    ►PagodaKing ​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    So she eats both? Well, that just leaves me confused. Is she, or is she not, a Gumiho?​
    ►Magical_Otaku96 (Cape Groupie)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    She's a fluffy blessing, not a plague. Stop trying to jam her into your weird religion.​
    ►HookTooth_44x2 (Banned) (Permanent Ban)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    Piece of shit. She'll get whats coming to her! Just watch we'll​
    ​
    [I think that's enough from you. No threatening people with violence and no threatening their families. The racism doesn't help either. Since this is your fifth such violation today alone take a permanent ban. ~Tin_Mother]​
    ►Lost_Wasabi (Chef)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    I have to wonder why they went with the Idol Singer style. She's one microphone away from being ready for the stage. That skirt is way too short, mind you. Is that even legal under their costume rules?​
    ►Chaosfaith (Registered Skeptic)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    Do you think she sings? Cause her voice is beautiful. Seriously, I'm half tempted to cut out the questions and create a loop of her voice. It's just so... so... relaxing...​
    ​
    Edit: And wow that came out a lot creepier than I intended. Holy fuck. Please don't threadban me @_Tin_Mother​
    ►Tin_Mother (Moderator)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    I'll let it slide this once, just try and remember she's a Ward. Behave.​
    ►Dawgsmiles (Veteran Member)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    What kind of voltage do you think she outputs? Hookwolf went down instantly. And that water control, do you think it affects people? Or is it Manton limited? Gah, details! Why can't they just release these reports with the heroes?​
    ►ArchmageEin (Not a Magician)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    Why should they even release them? I know we get them for the Protectorate, but I've heard that information gets used against them. Why are we handicapping out own protectors like that? And a Ward, she should be allowed to keep some secrets. We already know her face and her name. That's enough as far as I'm concerned.​
    ►Lady_Zul ​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    OMG, that was Taylor?! She saved me and a bunch of other right at the start of that mess. I can't believe it. She got so beautiful since school let out. Thank you for saving us Taylor! And I'm so sorry for not helping more in school. >.< @_Spencer22 @_Darkmoonfairy @_PeakWisdom​
    Say thanks guys!​
    ​
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    (Showing page 29 of 134)
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    ►XxVoid_CowboyxX (Banned)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    Thats Taylor? Taylor. I- Wow. Hey, Tay, do you think​
    [Aaaaaand again. Threadban. Three days. Christ, can you just keep it in your pants for five days? Just five days? ~Moderator_King]​
    ►Glory_Girl (Verified Cape) (New Wave)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    *Crabrave.gif*​
    Ladies and gentlemen, the Fluffiest Ward in the world. Finally, someone to patrol with I don't need to worry about.​
    ►Vista (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    We found her first! She's ours :p​
    ►Crimson_Stalker ​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_FlippinMad​
    We know. We're watching. Stop spam texting!​
    ►Arcee (Veteran Member) (Not An Autobot)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    I'm surprised they're letting her do the whole no mask thing. Can't they just get her some kind of hologram or tinker tech solution? I mean, christ, the poor girl won't be able to hide at all. And this is in Brockton Bay. They've already had one go around with 'better accountability'. That ended with Fleur dead. This seems so irresponsible.​
    ►ArchmageEin (Not a Magician)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_Arcee Someone didn't watch the whole Q&A. She's got some kind of anti-Tinkertech field. How long until her 'hologram' up and breaks just by being on her? Honestly, this feels like they're just trying to spin a bad situation. still, she's a Ward. Hunting independents is one thing, but going after a Ward? Unless the E88 wants the triumvirate dropping on their heads they'll avoid her.​
    ►Lady_Wrath (Verified Cape)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_FlippinMad​
    ​
    I know, she's so beautiful. I mean, just look at that complexion and her eyes, omg I'm practically drowning in them.​
    ​
    You know her?​
    ►FlippinMad ​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_Lady_Wrath​
    ​
    We're in the same class, were in the same class. I guess she'll be headed over to Arcadia next year.​
    ​
    Probably a good thing. I have no idea how I'd be able to focus with her in the same room.​
    ​
    Edit: Oh god I didn't realize how that sounds.​
    ►Arcee (Veteran Member) (Not An Autobot)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_ArchmageEin​
    ​
    I missed that bit, but still. If she has family in BB then someone is going to take a shot. Maybe not today, but someday and people are going to get caught in the crossfire.​
    ►Lady_Wrath (Verified Cape)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_Arcee​
    ​
    Well someone is a party pooper. I mean really. I wish her luck, this is a perfect opportunity.​
    ​
    @_Chaosfailth​
    ​
    Oh don't feel bad, she really does have a beautiful voice​
    ​
    @_FlippinMad​
    ​
    But do you disagree with how it sounds? Don't worry about it.​
    ​
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    (Showing page 30 of 134)
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    ►PagodaKing ​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_Magical_Otaku95​
    ​
    Don't come complaining to me when she eats your liver in the middle of the night!​
    ►Arcee (Veteran Member) (Not An Autobot)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_Lady_Wrath​
    ​
    I'm worried about the people who'll get caught in the crossfire. Which is something you of all people should know about.​
    ►Bagrat (Original Poster) (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    I have to wonder about the open identity bit as well, but what's done is done and honestly? Who in their right mind wants to pick a fight with *that*. Aerokinesis, Hydrokinesis, Electrokinesis, super strength, super durable, can fly, and has more than the normal human limit for limbs. All of which are superhuman. Oh, and her powers are evolving over time. Which means maybe you plan for all of that, only to discover she's learned to manipulate rocks or steel or who the fuck knows what or maybe that you planned for a million volts and she's actually capable of twenty times that. Oh, and you can't even count on Tinkertech to work because that shit breaks down around her.​
    ​
    You want to fight her? Good luck. Or better yet, pick a fight with someone less bullshit. Like Alexandria.​
    ►Ferretshock (Verified Cape) (Verified Adorable)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    All Hail Our Lady Of High Voltage, She of the Static! Your humble(ish) acolyte bows in homage! But no, seriously, I wish I packed that much punch.​
    ►Arcee (Veteran Member) (Not An Autobot)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_Bagrat​
    ​
    ... When you put it like that I'd rather go a round with Leviathan... Okay, maybe not the literal Endbringer, but maybe Narwhal.​
    ►Blutige_Füchsin (Verified Cape) (German Cape) (Verified Very Fluffy)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    She's got a great sense of taste. Love the lip gloss and those tails. :'3 Great taste indeed.​
    ►BadSamurai ​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_PagodaKing​
    ​
    Oi, don't worry. If she eats Tofu, we're fine. So relax. It's fine.​
    ►BoredPie (Veteran Member)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    ... I just like the tails. Can we just appreciate the amount of fluff she somehow has? Have we ever seen a cape with that much fluff?​
    ​
    ►Blutige_Füchsin (Verified Cape) (German Cape) (Verified Very Fluffy)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_BoredPie​
    ​
    She somehow has more than I do. Impressive for someone so young. I'm almost jealous.​
    ►Moon_Bunneh (Not From The Moon)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    I'm not going to go over the battle in depth, because gods know there are enough other folks willing to do so. But if the Wards are supposed to be the future of heroes, and she's an example? I think things are finally looking up for once.​
    ​
    I owe you one, kid.​
    ​
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    (Showing page 31 of 134)
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    ►Clockblocker (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    Wow, this got long fast. Hey guys, just a heads up, but Corentine will be on later, once she gets an account verified.​
    ​
    @_Blutige_Füchsin​
    ​
    1...2...3..4..5..6..7..8..? Uuuuh, since when was fluff this popular? Is this a new fashion? Like putting a stuffed cat on your hat?​
    ►Bagrat (Original Poster) (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    Oh really? Well we've got a few questions. Just a few, I'm sure it won't be too many. This is PHO after all...​
    ​
    @_Blutige_Füchsin​
    ​
    Oh, well there's another cape with tails. Eight of them even. I didn't realize this was a trend... Huh. I should probably spend more time looking up European capes.​
    ►BoredPie (Veteran Member)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    Can we ask what kind of shampoo she uses for the tails?​
    ​
    @_Blutige_Füchsin​
    ​
    And that's two people with fluffy tails, though I'm sorry to say that Taylor has more and they seem fluffier. Yours are nice too (assuming that's you in the avatar picture).​
    ►Magical_Otaku96 (Cape Groupie)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_BoredPie​
    ​
    I second that. What kind of Shampoo and where can I get tails like those?​
    ►Arcee (Veteran Member) (Not An Autobot)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    Hey Corentine, why did you decide to let them push you into going public?​
    ►Blutige_Füchsin (Verified Cape) (German Cape) (Verified Very Fluffy)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_BoredPie​
    ​
    Don't be. Hers are quite impressive.​
    ​
    @_Clockblocker​
    ​
    ... Poor kitty... Why would you do that to a cat?​
    ​
    @_Bagrat​
    ​
    It would help. You have Neo-Nazi's and that False Kaiser over there. Some the Neo-Nazi's over here might come by to join them. They've done it before.​
    ►ArchmageEin (Not a Magician)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_Arcee​
    ​
    and now you're jumping to conclusions, seriously?​
    ►Vista (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_Clockblocker​
    ​
    You weren't supposed to say that you idiot.​
    ►Clockblocker (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    ... I wasn't?​
    ​
    Edit: Judging by the very fluffy tail to the head I'd say no, I was not. Whoops.​
    ►MissMilitia (Verified Cape) (Protectorate ENE)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    Corentine will be hosting a Q&A on Wednesday in the afternoon. If anyone wants questions answered feel free to post them here. Keep them clean. Corentine is reserving the right to decline to answer anything she feels is too personal.​
    ​
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    ►Fletchette (Verified Cape) (New York Wards)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    Okay, she got blown through two city blocks, yesterday. Then today, she struts out reminding people why Kitsune are popular.​
    ​
    ...​
    ...​
    ...​
    ​
    @_Legend Don't take this the wrong way, but can I get a transfer?​
    ►Bagrat (Original Poster) (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_MissMilitia​
    ​
    Nice to hear. I'll come up with a list and post it here in the thread later.​
    ​
    @_Blutige_Füchsin​
    ​
    ... Right, they say Krieg, Night and Fog are from Europe. Now I know what I'm doing this weekend.​
    ►Vista (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_Fletchette​
    ​
    Join us, we have cookies.​
    ►Uber (Verified Cape) (Verified Villain)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    ...​
    ​
    ....​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    There are things I want to say that I can't. So instead, damn it, those are some fluffy tails.​
    ​
    ​
    ... Oi @_L33T I've got an idea!​
    ►Legend (Protectorate Employee) (Protectorate New York) (Triumvirate)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_Fletchette​
    ​
    I can understand the desire to have a nice steely wall between you and the bad guys.​
    ​
    @_Uber​
    ​
    Please try to not antagonize the Wards or our people.​
    ►Uber (Verified Cape) (Verified Villain)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    ... Nevermind. I don't have an idea.​
    ►Clockblocker (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    o/ Yes, dodged a bullet!​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    ...​
    ​
    Fuck I just jinxed it.​
    ►Vista (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    @_Clockblocker​
    ​
    Yes, you did.​
    ►Space Zombie ​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    Yo, had a few minutes at work. Enjoy~​
    ►Bruce Lao ​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    ... Is that eye of the tiger?​
    ​
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    (Showing page 33 of 134)
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    ►Arcee (Veteran Member) (Not An Autobot)​
    Replied On Jul 23rd 2010:​
    *head bobbing*​
    ​
    @_Bruce Lao​
    I'm sorry, do you have a problem?​
    ​
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    ​


    -0-0-0-0-0-​


    Sophia was beginning to get worried.

    She and Emma had been hanging out at Emma's home. Just relaxing. Just lazing about. Nothing special, nothing new. Just a lazy, for her, day. She was planning on heading out later, but other than that nothing new. Just TV, snacks, and whatever gossip Emma had heard from the internet.

    Then her dad had phoned them with instructions to watch the PRT press briefing for the introduction of the latest Ward. He'd called it a 'pleasant surprise'.

    They had both been rather confused, though Sophia found the explanation of what had happened the day before useful. It certainly explained why there had been Nazi's crawling all over the docks for a couple of nights before. Then the meandering explanation had ended with a bombshell that had surprised Sophia, and in hindsight completely flattened Emma.

    "... introducing Taylor Hebert…"

    The nine-tailed young woman who had strutted with confidence across the stage bore a resemblance to the girl they were used to. The same black hair. The same eyes. Even, it could be argued, the same smile. But everything else?

    "We'll be taking a few questions."

    Taylor Hebert was a stick figure. She was tall, but cowardly, hiding behind her hair and walking with a slump that made her seem shorter than she was. She had no confidence and never smiled. She was, simply, a wimp. She was not so beautiful it was almost hurt to look at her, nor did she overflow with personality and charisma.

    "How long have you had powers?"

    'Personality and charisma'. Well the boys probably thought she had both now. She certainly wasn't trying to hide that fact with her tight-fitting cheerleader uniform. Hells, she looked like the most overblown, cheerful, airheaded cheerleader Sophia had laid eyes on and she knew an entire team full of airheads back at Winslow.

    "Only a few weeks."

    Except they couldn't tear a tinkertech tank to pieces with their bare hands, or punt Hookwolf two blocks with a single strike. Or shoot lightning. God, the thought sent shivers down her spine. Taylor Hebert, with Lightning. The one thing she needed to get one up on Sophia.

    "Do you intend to attend Arcadia High with the rest of the Wards?"

    She would be feeling jealous about the powers, hell if she was honest just looking at Taylor made her feel jealous. From her chest to her hips, to her motherfucking complexion. The other girl looked practically flawless and she had seen enough close up shots of the fox girl's face to know she wasn't even wearing more than some eye shadow. All the shit a parahuman had to go through to get powers and all she got was the ability to phase. Meanwhile, Hebert got a beauty treatment and basically all the powers. It just wasn't fair.

    "Why show your face?"

    But fairness was at the back of Sophia's mind as she sat cross legged on a kitchen chair watching her best friend, and honestly the only person she actually considered a good friend, watch and rewatch the interview on her laptop. Again, and again, and again, and again, and again. She had been doing it for four and a half hours. With this strange expression on her face that grew weirder and weirder with every repeat.

    It was making her worried.

    "... introducing Taylor Hebert…"

    She frowned as Emma started it again before it even finished. Sometimes she did that. Sophia wasn't sure why, but she did.

    At first, they had talked about it. About what this would mean for the coming school year. About the lip gloss Taylor was wearing, pink of all out of character things, and even about the way her skirt sparkled. Eventually, the talk had fallen off as Emma continued to remain fixated on the video, except for those moments when she would skip over to PHO and rewatch the footage of that fight- And speaking of…

    "Have you considered using tinkertech to hide your identity?"

    Sophia sighed as Emma started up the 'fight' video. If it could be called a fight. It was embarrassing how fast someone like Hookwolf had simply folded up. Well, it would be if he wasn't a Nazi. That just made it amusing.

    For the first twenty times.

    Then she started to think about what it would be like to be in his position. Sophia couldn't phase through electricity. She couldn't just pretend she wasn't there. Lightning, electricity, hurt.

    The cycle repeated itself and within a few minutes Emma was back watching the press conference again. The urge struck Sophia that maybe it was time to leave. She had a patrol to get ready for and it was a long way home. And yet…

    She leaned forward to peer around the corner of the couch and take a look at her friend. It was a bit far, but she managed to do it without tipping her chair over. Emma's eyes were bloodshot from staring so long at the screen and there was a slight twitch in her left cheek. Emma paused the video, seemingly unaware of Sophia, as she traced something only she could see on the face of Taylor.

    Finally unnerved enough to say something, Sophia began to speak, only for the door to open.

    "I'm home!" Emma's dad called. Her redheaded friend seemed to snap out of whatever mania had taken her. Her face smoothly transitioned to her 'everything's perfect, it's a nice day, how are you?' face that she used when talking to teachers at school. It had always amused Sophia how no one could see through it… except Taylor. Even when they hadn't been targeting her, the black-haired girl had always had a knowing look in her eyes when she saw Emma pull it out.

    But then, they had been friends once, before Sophia.

    "Daddy!" Emma called, shutting her laptop with more force than usual before tossing it to the side where it bounced across the cushions of the couch.

    Alan Barnes poked his head into the room with a smile. "How is everything going?" he asked as Emma leaped out of her seat and ran over to give him a hug.

    "I saw Taylor on TV," Emma said, seemingly perfectly cheerful. Sophia frowned. She seemed 'cheerful' but one of Emma's hands was curling and uncurling repeatedly. Not normal behaviour.

    Emma pouted at her dad. "She didn't say anything to me about it," she complained, causing Sophia to blink. Of course Taylor hadn't said anything, they bu- Oh. Right. That, probably wouldn't be the best thing to mention to your own dad, would it?

    Alan sighed. "I guessed. I know the two of you have drifted apart a bit this last year. Not many classes together, different friends mostly, right?" he asked, glancing over Emma's head to give her a smile. "How're things going Sophia?"

    "Boring, mostly. Emma's been obsessing all afternoon about Taylor," she said. To her surprise Emma just nodded, rather than give her any implicit toss under the bus even so much as a nod.

    "We spend so little time together, I just couldn't stop watching it," Emma chirped. She half-turned to Sophia, her smile seemingly perfectly genuine. "She's gotten so beautiful in the last little while. I can't help but wonder if she might need a hand finding new clothes. I doubt anything she had even a month ago fits anymore."

    Sophia had to try to keep herself from mouthing 'new clothes' to herself.

    "Superpowers do come with odd complications," Alan chuckled, ruffling Emma's hair, to a very genuine squawk of complaint from his daughter. "Danny came by a few weeks ago actually. He wanted me to look over the paperwork for getting Taylor into the Wards."

    "What?!" Emma stared at her dad with what had to be the second most curious expression she had seen on her friend to date.

    Alan chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, funnily enough he was worried so much he actually paid a nominal fee to cover the conversation with attorney client privilege. I couldn't help him of course. I'm a divorce lawyer, not a parahuman one. So I pushed him off to Carol. She's been quite smug about everything for the last few weeks now."

    "Daaaaaaaddy!" Emma whined, crossing her arms with a scowl.

    "I know, I know, but I have something to make it up for you," he said, soothingly, "We're going to the Heberts for a party tomorrow. Backyard cookout, like the old days. Us, the Heberts, some of our other old friends and he called me a little while ago, apparently New Wave is being invited. Taylor has apparently made friends with Victoria Dallon."

    Emma twitched, then smiled. "Really? That's great?" The hitch in her voice was definitely there, though Alan seemed oblivious.

    "Danny has finally managed to drag himself out of his depression, so we'll be heading over tomorrow around two. He said we're all allowed to bring a plus one if we want," Emma's dad said looking pointedly at Sophia.

    "I- uuuh, well I was planning on being up late tonight," she said awkwardly. Alan nodded, he knew about her escapades and occasionally had picked her up from one place or the other after patrols.

    "I don't think you've met Taylor, have you?" Alan said, tapping his chin.

    "A few times in school, Daddy," Emma said, "We do share some classes with her."

    "Ah, well, then I'm sure she'll be welcome. Let me know if you decide to come Sophia. Now if you girls can excuse me I need to get changed out of this suit," he said, ruffling Emma's hair again before leaving. His laughter at her outrage drifted back through the house.

    Emma gave up on straightening her hair and walked back to the couch. She flopped a quite undignified way onto the cushions and stared up at the ceiling. "So," Sophia began after the silence stretched awkwardly on for a few minutes, "All of New Wave and Taylor, huh?"

    "Yeah…" Emma said absently, her face having reverted to that same bizarre expression now that her dad had left. Her eyes slid up and Emma arched her back to look backward at Sophia. "Hey, Sophia?"

    "Yes...?" she answered cautiously.

    Emma's smile, already twitchy, stretched further until it seemed like her face was about to split in two. "Soooooophiiaaa, want to go visit Taylor tomorrow?"

    Face to face with her friend's mad smile, something inside her said to say no. No, she wouldn't go. No she wouldn't walk into the den of wolves that was New Fucking Wave and the Wonder Fox. And yet…

    "Sure." Fuck her bleeding heart.

    --0-0-0-0-0-​

    A/N: Hallo~ @Gekkou_Yoko here, the reason this is so late, is because @Grounders10 nuked the PHO section for a reason idunno, before saving the edits. The PHO section I spent five hours working on, because of my Dyslexia und BB coding. With the help of a maid.

    Grounders10: Google glitched out! I didn't see the edits >.<

    Gekkou_Yoko: I told you about them on Discord!

    Grounders10: <.< … >.> Erm...

    Gekkou_Yoko: You admitted to having seen the discord notice about the edits!

    Grounders10: ^^; *Guilty Kitsune is Guilty* Oops?

    @Gekkou_Yoko here, updates will be slowing to once per month. For at least the next six. I made the executive decision as her girlfriend, that she needed to take more breaks und destress. She has been ignoring her friends for you, be grateful I am reasonable enough to allow one *per month.*

    Grounders10: While updates will be monthly, they won't be including TTP for at least the next six. Early July will be when TTP updates. Oddly appropriate since it'll be the BBQ chapter then. Btw, that means no chapter in two weeks, and probably nothing until the end of January. Update days will be looser.

    The simple fact is the Two-Week schedule worked for a while, but trying to do that, and do classes, and write a Novel, lead to the Novel getting no appreciable work done and me having no time for friends. >.<; I've apparently been burnt out and not realized it. Honestly, just making this decision has taken a weight off. So I'm sorry if everyone was hoping for more updates, but I think I've overloaded myself. *sheepish kitsune*


    @Gekkou_Yoko again, she has also not been having time for me, outside of writing.

    Grounders10: Which is another reason for this, and a very important one. So, TL:DR, TTP is on Hiatus until July. I will be posting one chapter per month of whatever story I feel like writing, but leaning towards those that haven't received a chapter in a while. TF, Dreaming, etc. Hopefully I can get TF Act 2 finished o/

    Maybe I'll even get around to updating some of my FF.Net exclusives :'3

    As always, thank you for reading, I hope you've enjoyed the story and I promise to have a good chapter waiting for you in July. Cheers~

    @Gekkou_Yoko here, I'm sorry everyone, but the decision needed to be made, for her sanity, mine, und our relationship, und her relationships with her friends.

    Grounders10: If you want to chat, my discord server is in my signature. I'm still going to be active there and as I said this isn't a cessation of writing, merely a reversion to older habits, those of one update a month. Cheers~ Have fun and stay safe~
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • jwolfe_beta said:
    Nah, Taylor already has her divine weapon. Though Amaterasu might have left a sting of beads for her to wear.;)

    Though that makes me wonder if there are other spirits out there. I mean we have evidence of Cyclops (Greek) and Kitsune (Japan) so maybe Taylor inadvertently wakes up Jörmungandr at some point? He technically isn't a god, 'just' an impossibly giant sea serpent.
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    Jörmungandr is likely part of the opposition forces that the previous invading entity controlled. Either defeated or part of the plain of stone.
     
    All I can say is, Shadow Stalker and friends are going into a meat grinder, and it's going to be GLORIOUS. I wonder how badly Shadow wants to be on the opposite side of Creation right about now?
     
    You might want to add some extra spaces between the PHO posts, because they're hard to read with the spaces in some of the posts themselves but missing between them.
     
    Excellent chapter grounders and gekkou_yoko, although I'm a bit bummed for the hiatus I understand why it's happening so I'll get over it.
    One *SMALL* detail though, the new chapter isn't threadmarked, if this was intentional or annaounced ignore me.
     
    Its good that you are taking a break and easing back, burn out is never fun and it is not a experience I'd wish on anyone.

    Take care and find time to enjoy life and have some fun.
     
    Grounders10 said:
    "Ugh, everything on my desk, 'cept my computer. Stupid thing has a mind of its own half the time," Vicky grumbled.
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    Fun science fact; tails actually do have a mind of their own. Tails are connected to the spine, which is part of the central nervous system and connected to the brain. The important part about the spine though is that the spine is actually an extension of the brain, which can be seen from the meninges extending down around the spinal cord along with cerebrospinal fluid. Finally, the spinal cord is the central nexus for controlling reflexes, as well as containing neural circuits that store the patterns for rhythmic movements like walking. This is why you don't have to think about the exact movement of your legs when walking, and why reflexes are slightly quicker than conscious reactions.

    In short, the spine has a little bit of brainpower in it, mostly specialized for motor control.

    Tails are connected to the other end of the spine from the brain.


    If you just thought 'hey, wouldn't that mean that the movements of a tail is probably mostly done by the spine?' then give yourself a cookie, you are 100% correct.

    Tails are almost entirely subconsciously controlled, this is why they are such good indicators of emotional state and why animals sometimes appear to be surprised by their own tails (they are). Much like breathing and walking, tails can be manually controlled as well, but also like those things it returns to subconscious control as soon as you stop paying attention to it, which is why animals often seem to have very little control over what their tails do.


    Of course this doesn't apply to all tailed animals everywhere; there are always exceptions, but the vast majority of tailed tetrapods are like this.
     
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