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Thunder of the Gods (Worm/DC)

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    • The Wizard set the steaming mug of hot chocolate on the table in front of Taylor. "Here you are, my dear."

    "Thank you, sir," Taylor wrapped her hands around the mug.

    The kitchen was surprisingly normal. It was well-maintained and clean, with a polished counter and a gas range. There were wooden shelves and cupboards, a round table and chairs…everything you'd expect in a kitchen.

    It wasn't even particularly expensive or large. It was nice, but the kitchen at the Barnes house was larger, with more expensive things lying around.

    The kitchen here could have belonged to anyone. It could have been a completely normal place…except for the little things.

    Like how the ladles inside the pots on the stove were stirring themselves at regular intervals. How the fires on the stove were gold instead of white, blue and orange.

    And of course, Wizard at the stove and the talking tiger sitting next to Taylor at the table.

    "And here you go, old friend," The Wizard said, depositing a bowl in front of Tawny. Or rather, levitating it over, as it floated in front of the Wizard and gently plopped itself down on the table without shedding so much as a single drop. "Your favorite, potato leek soup."

    "Thank you," Tawny said with a toothy smile, using a spoon to begin his meal. It was weird seeing a tiger try to smile like a human, exposed fangs and all.

    Taylor hastily raised her mug to her lips to take a sip, not wanting to appear rude.

    But as the mug hit her tongue, her eyes widened. It was…amazing. It was the sweetest thing she had ever had, and yet it somehow wasn't so sweet as to be toxic. It tasted like the light of the sun and a gentle summer breeze. A warm, tingling feeling spread through her entire body, energizing her yet calming her at the same time.

    Calling it just hot chocolate seemed like a disservice.

    Taylor eagerly gulped down the rest of the mug, and it was empty before she knew it.

    Licking her lips, Taylor couldn't help but regret her impulse. It had been so good. She should have savoured it.

    "Ah, I'm glad you liked it," The Wizard said, chuckling as he took a seat at the table.

    "What was it, sir?" Taylor said, the feeling of warmth making her feel cozy and comfortable as if she was wrapped in a warm blanket.

    "Hestia's special recipe for hot chocolate," The Wizard said cheerfully. "Granted, she usually adds some nectar, but you're too young for that, I'm afraid."

    "Hestia, as in…the Greek Goddess Hestia?" Taylor ventured. She had done some research for Solomon and had found herself down the rabbit hole of various religions. It had reminded her of her mom, in a way, talking about the classical literature.

    "Oh, yes, indeed. Nice lady, though quite a temper if you somehow manage to make her angry. Fortunately, that's quite difficult."

    "So…I really do get my power from the gods," Taylor questioned. "They're real? Like in the old stories?"

    The Wizard steepled his fingers, smiling indulgently at her question. "They are indeed. And yes, the power you wield comes from the Olympians. Well, except for the Wisdom of Solomon."

    Why, Taylor thought. Taylor had had weeks to think about this matter, and yet even now, she had trouble wrapping her mind around the connection

    Still, Annette Hebert would have been delighted to discover this, she thought. Her mother had loved the classics and would have cherished the chance at questioning the man about history.

    But Taylor didn't know what to make of it.

    "Then…why don't the gods do anything, sir? I mean…I've never heard of them or seen them. Lots of people don't believe they exist."

    The Wizard inclined his head. "Yes. The gods do not usually spend much time on Earth these days, I'm afraid. They have matters of their own to tend to in the higher realms."

    "What do you mean?"

    The Wizard sighed slightly, his smile fading somewhat. "Part of it is simple disinterest. The gods do not have much on Earth that compels their attention these days. Beyond that…the universe is a large place, my dear. Earth is important, in ways that are difficult to explain, but it is still only one planet."

    Taylor's eyes bulged. "Wait, there are other planets? Other civilizations?"

    "Indeed there are," The Wizard nodded. "And there are other gods as well. There are countless pantheons across the universe, and the ones that the people of Earth know of only make up a small number. They include some of the most powerful and important gods in the universe, granted, but far from all of them."

    "I…wow." Taylor didn't know what to say. She considered herself a decently smart student, but this was way out of left field for her.

    "There are many matters of cosmic import that are ongoing as we speak. Much like Earth, the universe is not a quiet place. Such matters are usually sufficient to occupy the attention of most gods and distract them from Earth."

    Taylor sat quietly for a moment, trying to wrap her head around what the Wizard had just told her.

    The idea of gods, of other planets…it is all so fantastical and ridiculous and just a little unbelievable.

    But…she was sitting here, at a kitchen table with a wizard and a talking tiger, transformed by the power of magic into a superhero.

    Who was she to say that this was all unbelievable and impossible?

    The Wizard reached across the table, patting her shoulder gently. "Do not worry too much about it, Taylor. I understand this is all quite shocking for you, but it is not something you need to worry about either."

    "Okay," Taylor said, as another question she had been mulling over came to mind. "Is this how all heroes and villains get their powers? From the gods?"

    The source of parahuman powers was heavily debated and had never been answered, but maybe this was it?

    However, the Wizard shook his head. "I am afraid not, Taylor. Truth be told, I am not certain of the source of parahuman powers myself. You are a special case, entirely unique."

    Taylor blushed a little at the last statement, even as she felt a sting of disappointment that he didn't know. She wasn't sure she believed it entirely; too many things made sense if everyone had powers from gods after all.

    Yet he also looked genuinely stumped as he sat in silence, looking into his own cup.

    There was still one more question she had on her mind.

    "Um, you said my powers are magic. Does that mean there's more I can do with them? Like cast spells?"

    "There is indeed. Magic is incredibly versatile and what you know so far is only the tip of the iceberg. In time, as you grow and refine your powers, you will find that there is almost nothing you cannot do."

    "Can you teach me?" Taylor asked eagerly. "I want to learn, I want to know what more I can do with all this stuff."

    "I would be happy to teach you-" Taylor lit up, visions of grand spells and sorcery dancing through her mind. "-But not today I am afraid."

    She deflated, disappointed by the answer. "Why not?" The words sounded petulant, even to her ears, but she couldn't help it.

    "I have some other work to attend to, I am afraid. But I will teach you soon," The Wizard promised her. "Now, in the meantime…" He turned to Tawny. "Tawny, would you mind accompanying Taylor home and staying with her for a while?"

    "What?" Taylor asked indignantly. I don't need a babysitter! What she chose to say was, "I don't think my house would make for a good hiding spot for a tiger. And I'm pretty safe, so a… bodyguard isn't something I need.

    "That is not Tawny's purpose," The Wizard assured her. "He will simply be there to advise you, and perhaps teach you a few simple uses of magic. Tawny here is not unskilled in the art himself, you know."

    "Really?" Taylor asked, turning wide eyes to the tiger.

    "I am," Tawny confirmed. "I have nowhere near the Wizard's breadth of knowledge and skill, I fear, but I would still be happy to teach you what I do know."

    Taylor was just about to say 'yes' but then a thought came to mind, piercing through her excitement.

    "I still can't take you home," She repeated, shaking her head. "My dad would never accept a stranger in the house. Or a talking tiger for that matter."

    "It is of no concern, Champion," Tawny told her. "I can take care of myself, do not worry. I will not stay in your home if it would make you or your father uncomfortable."

    "If you're sure," Taylor said uncertainly.

    "I am. I would be honoured to help you."

    "It is decided, then!" The Wizard said, clapping his hands. "Now, I'm afraid I must go. But I am certain you two will do well."

    Before Taylor could say anything, he clapped his hands again, and suddenly, both she and Tawny were standing outside the building, as if they had never even intervened.

    It was evening now, the light of the setting sun casting an orange light on Brockton Bay.

    She blinked, taken aback, while the tiger let out a sigh of annoyance. "I do wish he would stop doing that," He murmured. "Shall we go, Champion?"

    "Uh, yeah. But if people see you…" Taylor was interrupted as the talking tiger shrank and fell onto all fours, until in front of there was an ordinary-looking orange tabby cat, indistinguishable from any other.

    "Is this form more acceptable, Champion?"

    Taylor shook off her astonishment. "Uh, yeah, this is fine. Should I pick you up?"

    "That would be appreciated. I am fast, but I fear I am not quite as fast as you."

    Crouching to pick up the cat, Taylor took off into the air, flying back towards her house.

    "So, uh, what kind of magic can you teach me?" She asked as they flew, trying not to sound too eager.

    "Well, we must begin with the basics. First and foremost, I will teach you to sense and cast magic. Though you must already have a grasp of the latter, thanks to the Power of Zeus."

    "I should?" Taylor blinked. "But I haven't cast any spells yet."

    "Ah. Well, no matter, that is where we will start," Tawny said, his tail waving. "It should come instinctively, once you have an idea of what to do. However, we will need to find a safe place to do so. The Power of Zeus is not something to be used lightly."

    "I think I know a place," Taylor told him. "Out of the way, without any people around."

    "Excellent. We can begin tomorrow, then. But for now, I believe we should enjoy this beautiful sunset."

    Taylor looked up, and she realized the sunset was beautiful. She had somehow never paid attention to it before, but now that she was looking at it, from high in the sky…the sun slowly sinking behind the vastness of the sea, illuminating the waters in hues of warm red and gold…it was beautiful.

    The two of them didn't say much after that until they were a block away from Taylor's house.

    Landing in a nearby alleyway, Taylor set Tawny down.

    "Are you sure you'll be okay on your own?"

    "I will be fine, Champion," Tawny assured her. "Do not worry."

    Giving him a nod, Taylor called out her phrase. "Shazam!"

    After the lightning had struck her and she had de-transformed, Taylor trudged her way home. Tawny followed her most of the way but slipped out of sight once she was at the staircase leading up to the door.

    Seeing that the lights were on, Taylor called out as she went in. "Hey, Dad, I'm home!"

    "Taylor!" Danny Hebert emerged from the living room, looking nervous. "I was just going out to pick you up from the library. I have a call from the Barnes."

    Taylor's heart jumped into her throat.

    "Emma wants to see you."



    Taylor entered Emma's room, calling out for her friend. "Emma?"

    Her friend turned to look at her. Emma looked better than she had that day, but still not up to her usual self. Her hair wasn't groomed, there were blotchy tear marks on her face and she was wearing blue and pink pajamas instead of her usual stylish clothes.

    But when she saw Taylor, she rushed forward, with her arms open.

    Taylor returned the hug without hesitation, squeezing her best friend close.

    "It's good to see you," Emma said, her voice muffled, even as she squeezed back Taylor just as hard. "I missed you."

    It had only been a few days, but Taylor understood the feeling perfectly. "Missed you too." She whispered back. "Are you okay?"

    "No," Emma said, drawing back and giving her a watery smile. "But I will be. Thanks to that hero who saved me. I don't know what would have happened to me without her."

    "It was really lucky she was there," Taylor agreed, warmed by Emma's words.

    "She saved my life," Emma said. "I wish I could thank her properly."

    It was on the tip of Taylor's tongue to just tell her friend the truth, let her know she had saved her.

    But the stories of capes who had their secrets exposed and their friends and families hurt flashed through her mind.

    "I'm sure you'll get the chance to, someday."

    "Here's hoping." Emma hesitated for a moment. "Can we have a sleep over tonight? It's been a long time since we did that."

    The fact that they hadn't done it since before Taylor's mom died went unsaid but Taylor heard it all the same.

    "Of course!" Taylor smiled encouragingly at her oldest friend. "Let's make it the best sleepover ever!"

    Emma smiled back brightly.

    And just for one night, there were their old selves again.

    Just two girls, two friends being together and having fun, without any worries or burdens on their shoulders.
    Author's Note: As a reminder, for anyone interested, I do have three advance chapters on my Patreon.

    www.patreon.com

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  • Threadmarks
    • Solarion said:
    And just for one night, there were their old selves again.

    Just two girls, two friends being together and having fun, without any worries or burdens on their shoulders.
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    Three Cheers for A Wholesome and Happy plot. Every so often I like a {Taylor is Not Suffering} story to balance all the other stuff on this site. Hopefully this sticks with the Happier theme so far.
    Also I love Tawny. IF only because I love Tigers.
    I hope he's a main character too.
     
    Yes! So much yes! I've wanted a Taylor with the power of Shazam plot for some time now, and this is everything I hoped it would be! When you think about it, it's a perfect power to brighten things up. Magic is an out of context problem for the entities, the power itself would put her on par with Superman giving a paragon of virtue to Bet, and there's room for some much whimsy from the wizard and those surrounding him like Mr. Tawny. And with you having her save Emma it's officially everything I hoped for and more!
     
    i'm sorry but where do you have brocton in this story because bb is on the east coast sunrise over the ocean not sunset over the ocean that is west coast. otherwise not bad so far
     
    Interlude: Danny
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    • "We are going to take advantage of the Empire's humiliation-"

    "We need to rescue Hookwolf before he can reach the Birdcage-"

    "The new cape humiliated us, there must be retribution."

    "This is the plan for the attack…"

    "We need to figure out where the PRT is getting its information…"

    Danny Hebert opened his eyes, wincing slightly at the headache he had.

    The office he was sitting in was plain and simple. There was a metal desk, a computer, and a wheeled chair, in which he was sitting. There was a shelf lined with a few books that he never bothered to read.

    It could have been the office of any office worker anywhere in the world.

    But the work he did here was much different from that.

    Reaching out, Danny started the computer and began typing out his latest report.

    Nearly a year ago, he had…triggered, as his bosses called it. He had discovered he was a parahuman and that something had pushed him over the edge, granted him powers that he had once felt were too fantastical to really grasp, despite living in Brockton Bay for years. Even now, he still couldn't quite connect the idea of the superheroes and supervillains with his own existence.

    It didn't help that the powers came so suddenly.

    Danny still wasn't sure what the cause of it had been. Losing Annette? The fear that he would fail his daughter? The ever-mounting problems for the Dockworkers Union?

    Maybe all at once.

    In any case, his new powers had been a shock at first, messing with his perspective on things. For a bit, he wondered if he was actually going crazy, and what that would mean for Taylor.

    That fear didn't last long, as eventually he understood what was happening and began to explore them.

    A combination of Thinker/Master powers, as the PRT described them. Put simply, Danny could control up to two dozen insects, birds, or rodents of any kind at a given time, more if he pushed himself. He could direct them to go anywhere and make them do anything.

    More importantly, Danny could see through their eyes and ears. Whatever they saw and heard, he also did, as if he was sitting right there.

    It wasn't a power that was very good for combat, since Danny could control so few at a time, even when he strained himself. It wasn't always pleasant either. Danny had more than once caught sensations he would very much have preferred to avoid, especially in the early stages when he had still been having trouble controlling his…familiars.

    But for recon and intelligence gathering? It was very, very good. Especially since he hadn't discovered a limit to his range yet. His little 'agents' had gone as far as the city limits, and Danny had never felt any strain whatsoever.

    He couldn't fight villains or even ordinary criminals in the field, but he could do some good. The PRT had been eager to take advantage of it when he went to them for help, having him spy on all of the city's significant gangs and crime syndicates, covertly gathering information for them to use against them.

    Which had been easier said than done, considering how much ground he had to cover, and the smarter groups knew better than to stay in one place. Some even had ways of noticing his agents, or at least that they were being spied on somehow, and would flee.

    The information that Danny had gathered had led to more than a few raids and crackdowns on organized crime in the city. It drove the various gangs nuts, trying to figure out where precisely the PRT was getting its information, but they had been very, very careful to keep his name and abilities under wraps. As far as most of the world was concerned, Danny Hebert was a simple office drone in the PRT, filing paperwork and doing nothing else.

    Danny could empathize with the criminals in this case, regarding frustration at the least. He hated what they and the corrupt officials of the city, and felt so powerless and inept sitting here doing nothing but fake paperwork.

    Director Piggot had at least shown she had fast tracked his application to Watchdog, the group of heroes who tackled systemic injustice and corruption. If he was accepted they would grant him access to funding, information, and prioritize cases he built against politicians in the city.

    Director Piggot had bluntly stated to not get his hopes up, however. Watchdog was a tangled knot with layers of inspections and overwatch. They were likely spying on him even now, making sure he didn't step out of line in a way that made him look compromised or untrustworthy.

    More rules and guidelines in place, keeping him caged. He at least respected the woman's honesty, in that regard.

    Finishing typing out his report, Danny sent it to Director Piggot. She'd decide what to do about the Empire's plan to break Hookwolf out before he could be sent to the Birdcage.

    The Protectorate would probably lay a trap for the Empire. Danny hoped it would help, at the least.

    Hookwolf was a slaving, murderous bastard of a Nazi who had hurt a lot of people, and he deserved to go to the Birdcage for what he had done.

    Standing up, Danny stretched his arms, shaking off some of the stiffness he had felt. Time for some coffee.

    Leaving his office, Danny made his way towards the small private kitchen in the Protectorate Headquarters. It still amazed him, sometimes, to walk through the gleaming halls of the refitted oil rig. It was like something out of a sci-fi series, with gleaming silver and chrome everywhere, automatic doors, and security scanners.

    The kitchen was more ordinary-looking but still well-equipped. It was easily as large as the entire lower floor of Danny's house, equipped with a large fridge, a gas range, and most importantly, an expensive coffee maker.

    One of the benefits of working for the Protectorate was that they had damn good coffee, Danny mused as he started up the coffee maker.

    Filling his mug and taking a sip, Danny turned around just in time to see Armsmaster, Colin, enter the kitchen.

    It still felt strange to think of the leader of the Protectorate ENE as a colleague, by his first name, but that was what he was now. He was a man who was in many way's Danny's opposite; muscular, with a strong jaw, a full head of hair, and an almost constant air of business attitude.

    Even when Danny had officially joined, it had been a cordial affair, guiding him through the necessary do's and don'ts of the workplace before scanning him with some glowing piece of technology.

    Not that he wasn't nice or polite, but Danny often wondered if there had been any time that Colin wasn't thinking of work.

    Not that I'm any better.

    "Oversight," The taller man nodded as he opened the fridge and began assembling his lunch. "Good afternoon."

    "Afternoon," Danny nodded as the machine finished his coffee and he began pouring it into a cup. The name 'Oversight' still didn't feel real, didn't feel like him, but it was the codename that Protectorate had given him. "You see my report?"

    "I did," Colin nodded. "Director Piggot and I have a meeting scheduled for later today, we'll work out a plan then."

    "Glad to hear it."

    "I noticed you didn't mention the new cape in your report," Colin noted. "Nothing much on her yet?"

    Danny shook his head, taking a sip of coffee, feeling the warm liquid settle on his tongue and go down his throat. "Nope. She just did her usual thing, helping people around the city before vanishing. Never sticks around one place for long. Flies faster than my agents can keep up with."

    Armsmaster let out a huff as he sat down at the kitchen table. "We need to find a way to recruit her. It would be good to finally have another heavy hitter on the team, especially one who can take down Hookwolf without so much as taking a scratch."

    "It really would." Danny agreed.

    Not that he was an expert on strategy, but having talked to both Armsmaster and Miss Militia frequently for a year, one of the biggest weaknesses of the Protectorate ENE team was the lack of a powerful Brute.

    Armsmaster and Miss Militia brought some serious firepower to the table, but there wasn't anyone among the local heroes who could take a lot of big hits and keep standing. Assault and Battdry were strong and tough, but not impossible to overcome. Dauntless had his forcefield, but not much offensive power, at least until his power grew more. Triumph and Aegis were with the Wards for now, which had some limitations on what they could do.

    It had made dealing with the likes of Lung and the Empire's huge numbers difficult, because getting up close wasn't a viable tactic most of the time when their own personal tanks came onto the field.

    Not that the heroes were weak by any stretch of the imagination. He had seen Armsmaster make absolute fools of the giant twins after all. But they needed a powerhouse.

    Having a hero that could get up close and personal with the villains, and act as a shield for the rest of the team on top of that… would help a lot, make the eternal fight against Brockton Bay's many gangs less lopsided.

    Unfortunately, the city's newest cape had so far declined to join the team, spending most of her time doing her own thing.

    Not that that was necessarily bad. She had saved Emma, after all.

    Danny still felt a wave of relief at the thought. Emma had been like a niece to him for a long time, and Alan was one of his closest friends. The idea of what could have happened to them if the new cape hadn't intervened was too terrifying to consider.

    It made Danny wonder if he should use his…familiars to keep track of his friends, to keep track of Taylor, but he knew that was crossing the line into stalking/paranoia. Besides, it could strain his time and resources to push himself that far.

    In the end, he had settled for just having one familiar watching his house, but the nagging feeling that he could do more had never really gone away.

    "Strange that she doesn't wear a mask, though." Danny mused, thinking about the New Wave team's claim to fame in the city. "Or that nobody'sused it track her down yet." Not just the PRT, Danny knew the Empire had been hunting for her, but they had made no progress locating the cape despite the fact that she hadn't made any real effort to conceal her face.

    "It is strange," Colin agreed. "The PRT at least is making efforts to not look too deeply into her identity. Too many potential issues, but the lack of known reprisal from others is telling. Could be that she was like Challenger, wearing a disguise as a civilian, instead of a cape. Might be some kind of Stranger effect, we'll have to look into it." He stood, depositing his now empty plate into the sink. "But I should go, I have a patrol soon. I'll see you later, Oversight."

    "Good luck!" Danny called after Armsmaster as he left the room.

    The man ate fast. Danny hadn't even finished his coffee yet.

    Not that he was in any hurry to. His headache still hadn't faded.

    Taking another sip of his coffee, Danny savored the taste. You didn't get coffee like this as a Dockworker.

    But he'd be damned if there weren't days where Danny wished he could go back to his old job, though. He missed his friends, he missed the work he had done for years, and he still wished he could have done more for them.

    He still talked to them, but it was… a growing distance.

    But the PRT job was the better option. He was still doing good work and…it was better for Taylor. He was better paid now, he could afford more things for her, pay her school bills more quickly, and buy her a few gifts. He had almost considered selling the house to buy a larger one… but that was a step too far. Too many memories.

    It was the least she deserved after how much he had failed.

    He cringed as the memory of Alan confronting him about his failure to properly look after and even feed Taylor came to mind. That had been a brutal wake-up call, even if it had been one he had needed. Before that, he had been neglecting himself, essentially neglecting Taylor, not looking after her.

    A few hours away, where he came home late, were worth the sacrifice.

    At least now he was able to ensure she had a future ahead of her. He had already started an account to serve as a college fund for her. Danny hoped, eventually, he'd be able to send her to a college outside of Brockton, to a city that wasn't dying, where she could build a real life for herself.

    She deserved a better life than the one he had.
    Author's Note: If you're interested, I have three advance chapters available on my Patreon.
     
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    • Love the positive vibe from this story. Sometimes you want to feel good after reading. After a really bad day with the ER, this hit the spot. Thanks.
     
    Enjoying the story, but as a minor note: Triumph should still be a ward. Easy thing to miss when starting your story before canon. While his exact age isn't really mentioned, there were comments about Aegis being new to leadership and Missy being upset that she was passed over despite being the senior-most Ward. Other than that, I think Clockblocker hasn't triggered yet, and Browbeat joined right at the start of the original story.
     
    MultipleChoice said:
    Enjoying the story, but as a minor note: Triumph should still be a ward. Easy thing to miss when starting your story before canon. While his exact age isn't really mentioned, there were comments about Aegis being new to leadership and Missy being upset that she was passed over despite being the senior-most Ward. Other than that, I think Clockblocker hasn't triggered yet, and Browbeat joined right at the start of the original story.
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    Thank you, fixed.
     
    Making Waves - 1
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    • Taylor could barely resist bouncing up and down in place as she waited for Tawny to begin.

    Magic! She was going to learn real magic. Spells and enchantments, just like from the fantasy books she had read when she was younger.

    It was almost impossible to believe.

    But here she was, on one of the abandoned ships in the Boat Graveyard, standing in front of a talking tiger. They were surrounded by the hulking masses, some as large as small skyscrapers.

    Tawny was frowning as he looked around the rusted, abandoned ship, which somehow managed to look grey and gloomy despite the mid-morning sun shining overhead in a clear blue sky. "Is this truly the best place for this, Champion?"

    "The best one I know," Taylor admitted. She had to admit that this carcass of a ship, covered in rust and dust, trapped among a crowd of other ships was not exactly what came to her mind when thinking of a magic classroom. But it was the best she had. "There might be better places outside the city."

    "Very well," Tawny decided, though he still looked dubious. "Now, let us begin by covering what magic actually is."

    Taylor nodded eagerly.

    "Magic is the stuff of wonders and dreams, energy that can reshape reality," Tawny began. "But above all, it is the power of the gods. It is the domain of the divine and the celestial, existing outside of the mortal realms."

    "So…if you want to use magic you need to have a divine patron? Like how I got my powers?" Taylor inquired.

    "Not quite. Magic comes from the Sphere of the Gods, which exists above this reality, but it does not necessarily have to come from a specific god. Drawing upon the power from the Sphere of the Gods without having a specific divine patron is difficult, but by no means impossible."

    "The Sphere of the Gods," Taylor blinked, distracted. "How does that work?"

    "Well, think of the cosmos as an onion, if you will," To emphasize his words, Tawny held up a hand, a glowing sphere the size of a football forming in his palm, not unlike a hologram. It flashed and swirled, darkening until it was almost pitch black…except for being dotted with countless stars and clouds in colours Taylor had never seen before.

    It was the universe in miniature, she realized as she peered at it in awe.

    "And like all onions, reality has layers. The universe you know and live in is the mortal realm," One by one, fresh layers of shimmering light formed around the small cosmos, in several different colours from burning red to glittering silver. But the last to form was a shimmering gold. "But there are other realms, and the highest of all these realms, of the layers of the cosmos, is the Sphere of the Gods."

    "Wow," Taylor breathed. She wasn't a scientist, so it was a little difficult to wrap her mind around what Tawny was describing. But she could visualize it, and the implications were just…wow. She wondered how the alternate Earth of Aleph figured into all of this. Were there multiple gods and spheres in different realities?

    Was this how other heroes and villains got powers? Somehow, everyone knew how to perform magic? But then, what about those who could do cool tech stuff?

    So many questions.

    "Now, as I was saying, all magic is from the Sphere of the Gods, but it does not necessarily come from a specific divine or demonic entity-"

    "Wait, demonic?" Taylor interrupted. "Demons are real too?"

    "Indeed they are," Tawny confirmed patiently. "And they are quite dangerous and powerful. Fortunately, they are often at war with each other or with the gods and rarely pay attention to mortals these days."

    "Huh." The idea of real demons was scary, but Taylor almost wanted to fight one.

    She blinked. Where did that come from?

    "Now, if we could return to the lesson at hand?" Tawny asked a little wryly. Taylor had the decency to look embarrassed , realizing she had interrupted her teacher twice now.

    "Sorry."

    "It is quite alright, Champion. I do not mind answering questions," Tawny assured her. "Now, where was I? Ah yes. While having a divine or demonic patron is not a necessity for wielding magic, you will find that mages with patrons are often more powerful than those without. That said, there are indeed those who can wield magic mighty enough to rival the gods themselves. You have already met one."

    "The Wizard?" Taylor realized. "He's that powerful? On his own?"

    "Indeed he is. My old friend does derive power from divine pacts but believe me, so many gods would not trust him with their power if they did not also respect him as a peer."

    It was strange to think of that kindly, ordinary-looking old man who had made her hot chocolate as someone respected by the gods, but he had given her this power, hadn't he?

    "Do you have a divine patron, Mister Tawny?" Taylor asked another question erupting from her lips.

    Tawny chuckled. "That would be the Wizard, of course. It is thanks to him that I have the gift of speech, of higher thought rather than simply being another animal."

    "Oh, are you…" Taylor hesitated. "...dependent on him for that?" She didn't like the idea of Tawny essentially being a slave, unable to have free will and thoughts on his own.

    To her relief, the tiger shook his head. "No. A more capricious and cruel wizard may have done so. Indeed, that was how I first achieved sapience. But my old master and the Wizard came into conflict, and I was able to circumvent my bonds enough to aid my friend. After he defeated my master, he freed me and gifted me with the ability to be who I am now, not bound to any other being or their whims."

    "That's great," Taylor said, smiling hesitantly, sensing that she unintentionally stumbled on something personal. Thankfully, Tawny didn't seem to mind, returning to the lesson at hand.

    "Now, you, of course, are blessed with mighty magics indeed. You have already used them in many ways, with your transformation, your strength of arms, and your flight. But that is all using magic on yourself, within yourself. Today, we will explore how to externalize that power."

    "I'm ready," Taylor said, clenching her fists. She could hardly wait.

    "Let us start simple. You wield the Power of Zeus," Tawny crossed his arms. "I'm sure you have felt it within yourself."

    The lightning pulsing inside her veins, the way it surged closer to the surface when she got emotional like it was about to erupt out of her…Taylor nodded. "Yeah, I have."

    "Good," Tawny moved to stand beside her, instead of in front now. "Now, I want you to strike that with a lightning bolt," He pointed at the abandoned captain's cabin in front of them. "Just a small lightning bolt, nothing more."

    "Got it," Taylor said, pointing a finger at the cabin.

    "Visualize it, imagine the lightning bolt striking the cabin and blowing a small hole through the wall," Tawny continued. "Then, actualize it. Simply believe that it can happen and it will."

    Sparks of golden lightning began to crackle around the tip of Taylor's index finger as she concentrated, and her eyes lit up.

    "I'm doing it," She said, excitedly. "I'm really doing it!"

    "Yes," Tawny agreed warmly. "And now, you just have to expel it-"

    A golden lightning bolt erupted from Taylor's finger before Tawny could finish speaking, far, far larger than she had expected. It was easily twice as tall as her even in her transformed state, and the sound of thunder echoed around them in a boom as the massive thunderbolt surged forward and utterly vaporized the cabin in front of them.

    As the smoke of the explosion cleared, Taylor realized it hadn't just vaporized the cabin, it had obliterated a portion of the deck and blasted through the ships in front of them, punching a hole clean through several of them.

    As she gawked at what she had done, Tawny straightened up from behind her. "Ah…I wasn't expecting that. Though perhaps I should have, given that this is the Power of Zeus you are wielding."

    "Yeah," Taylor said weakly, still dumbstruck by the sheer damage she had caused without even meaning to.

    They were both quiet for a long, long time, watching as the smoke began to clear slowly, pieces of metal folding and falling to pieces. Where it was red hot, it seemed to crumple like melted plastic, pieces of it falling to the ocean with a fizzle and steam.

    Both them were stunned-

    "Hey!" Taylor's head snapped around and upwards towards the source of the voice.

    Her eyes widened as she saw a pretty blonde teenager in a one-piece white dress trimmed in gold, a white cape over one shoulder, and a golden tiara on her head. Bright blue eyes were staring down at her and Tawny with surprise, and widened further as they drifted behind her to look at the damage she had done.

    Glory Girl. The newest member of New Wave who had been making waves in the city, and was already quite popular.

    "You're that new cape," Glory Girl said, the fifteen year old floating downwards to stand in front of Taylor. Without flight, she would have had to look up at Taylor. "The one who beat up Hookwolf."

    "Um, yeah," Taylor said, caught off-guard.

    "Did you do this?" The blonde asked, gesturing to the devastation behind Taylor.

    "I did," Taylor admitted, feeling the colour rise to her cheeks.

    Glory Girl's eyebrows rose. "Aren't you a hero? Why are you going around wrecking old ships?"

    "I am a hero," Taylor said defensively. "I was just…um, testing my powers. I didn't expect it to do this much damage."

    "You did this by accident?" Glory Girl said, bemused. "Damn, that must be some power you've got there."

    "Yeah, I don't really have a hold on it yet," Taylor said, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly.

    "I saw," Glory Girl said with a grin, and Taylor relaxed as she saw that there was no judgment in it. "Don't worry, I know how these things happen. I'm new to my powers too, and I've been having trouble controlling them."

    "I know what you mean," Taylor agreed, only just realizing that Tawny had abruptly vanished.

    "So do you have a name?" Glory Girl asked curiously, crossing her arms. "A cape name, I mean," She added hastily. "Not asking for your real one."

    "I haven't really come up with one yet," Taylor admitted. "I've been busy." She honestly hadn't given much thought to what her cape name should be.

    "Well, you should pick one before the media or the PRT give you one and it sticks," Glory Girl said with a laugh. "You know my name, of course."

    "Yeah, of course," Taylor said, unable to resist smiling back. "Glory Girl. Victoria Dallon."

    The newest member of New Wave had been on the team for less than a year, but she had already made some impressive showings in the news. Taylor had seen headlines about her, and she had to admit, Glory Girl was even more dazzling in person. And of course, like every other member of New Wave, her identity was public. Taylor had seen people arguing about the news, about whether or not it was smart to have a teenaged cape whose identity was exposed, but New Wave had gone ahead with it.

    She supposed it wasn't really a choice, considering Victoria had done interviews since she had been Taylor's age, even before powers.

    "Call me Victoria," Glory Girl said, extending a hand. "Anyone who took down that bastard Hookwolf is a friend in my book."

    "Thanks," Taylor said, tentatively taking the offered hand. Glory Girl's grip was strong…but maybe not as strong as her own. Taylor tried to relax it to avoid hurting the other girl.

    "So, you want some company while you wait?" Glory Girl-Victoria asked.

    Taylor blinked. "Wait?" She asked dumbly. "Wait for what?"

    "The PRT, of course," Victoria told her. "I don't think I'm the only one who saw or heard the huge lightning bolt and explosion. They're going to show up to investigate. You could leave, of course, but…"

    "...yeah, no," Taylor said, cringing. "I should stay to explain." As embarrassing as the idea was, she knew what sort of alarm it might cause in the city at the idea of an unknown parahuman causing explosions, even out here in the Boat Graveyard where no one could be hurt by them.

    "So, do you want some company?" Victoria repeated. "I don't have anything else to do right now."

    "Sure," Taylor said more confidently than she felt. Emma had been her only friend for years, and without her around, Taylor wasn't quite sure of what to say to another girl around her age.

    Well, Taylor realized, she probably looked older while in her Shazam form.

    Victoria leaned forward, a gleam in her eyes. "So tell me more about how you beat up Hookwolf? My family has been trying to get that bastard for years."

    Now that, at least, was something Taylor could talk about it. "Well, I was just flying when I heard a cry for help…"



    "Oh man, that's awesome," Victoria laughed. "The idea of you swinging Hookwolf around like that: classic!"

    "Thanks," Taylor said, smiling. Victoria's good cheer was infectious and she found herself enjoying talking to her.

    But their conversation was abruptly interrupted as Taylor heard the sound of a motorcycle nearby, and looked towards the street to see Armsmaster driving up.

    Time to face the music, then.

    Victoria followed her gaze, spotting Armsmaster herself. "Hey, don't worry about it," She assured Taylor. "You caused a bit of a mess, but you didn't hurt anyone. Armsmaster is kind of stuck-up, but he's super cool too, he's not going to make a big fuss about you blowing a hole in a few old ships."

    "Yeah, here's hoping," Taylor muttered, rising up into the air.

    "I can come with you, if you want," Victoria offered. "We could talk to Armsmaster together."

    "...I'd like that." Taylor admitted quietly.

    "Then let's go!" Victoria said, taking off in the direction of the leader of the Protectorate, Taylor following after her.
    Author's Note: If you're interested, I have three advance chapters available on my Patreon.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Well this convo could go great or poorly. If it goes good, maybe our champion will get authorization to clean up the Boat Graveyard. That'd be nice for the bay as a whole.
     
    Last edited:
    Making Waves - 2
  • Threadmarks
    • Armsmaster was getting off his motorcycle as Taylor and Victoria landed in front of him, his halberd going from a condensed point along his back into spinning within the palm of his hand in a single smooth motion, just before he planted it in the ground

    Taylor couldn't immensely help the rush of nervousness that flooded through her at the sight of him. His visor seemed to stare straight through her.

    This was the leader of the Protectorate ENE, one of the top heroes in America. Being introduced to him because he had come to investigate a huge explosion she had just caused by accident was not how Taylor had wanted to meet him.

    "Glory Girl," Armsmaster said as he saw them, a touch of surprise colouring his voice. "And the new cape. What happened here? I heard reports of a bomb in the area."

    "Nothing like that," Victoria assured him, nudging Taylor slightly. "Nobody was hurt."

    Taylor stepped forward, resisting the urge to wring her hands. With his gleaming blue armour, his gaze piercing even from behind his visor and tall enough to see eye to eye with her even in her transformed state, there was no denying that Armsmaster cut an imposing figure.

    She felt like she was confessing something she had done wrong to a teacher, but what choice did she have?

    "Uh, hello," She said hesitantly. "There was no bomb or anything, I was just testing out my powers."

    Armsmaster's upper face wasn't visible, but his tone as he spoke undoubtedly gave the impression that his eyebrows were raised. "You did this?" He said, gesturing to the damage to the ships in the Boat Graveyard behind them.

    Taylor cringed slightly. "Yeah. I didn't mean to! I just…underestimated how powerful my lightning would be."

    "Your lightning?" Armsmaster repeated. "You're a Blaster too?"

    Taylor nodded. She hadn't heard the term 'Blaster' from anyone else before, but it wasn't as if it was a complicated word to understand.

    Armsmaster rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "We've been getting reports of random lightning bolts falling out of the sky around the city. I assumed it was some other cape, but now…was that you?"

    Taylor reddened. It had never even occurred to her to consider what people would think upon seeing those. "Yes," She admitted with some embarrassment. "I didn't hurt anyone, though!"

    "She really didn't," Victoria spoke up in support of her. "Not here either. I saw the scene from the sky, only the old boats were damaged. No one was hurt, not even any property damage. Technically at least."

    Armsmaster huffed a laugh, "Technically indeed. Whether the city likes it or not, those ships do belong to them. There's no need to be so nervous," He assured Taylor, his voice turning slightly wry. "I'm not going to arrest you for wrecking a few abandoned boats. I'm more concerned about cleaning up the wreckage and making sure the smoke and debris don't cause a panic."

    Some of the tension left Taylor at the confirmation. Victoria had said the same thing, but part of her had still been worried. It didn't hurt that he had a nice smile. "Sorry for the trouble," She apologized.

    "It's not a huge issue for now, but you should be more careful in the future," Armsmaster advised her. "I know Miss Militia already made you this offer, but remember, the Protectorate is always there if you want to join. We have facilities for testing powers and older heroes you can ask for advice. We have Triumph, Miss Militia, and Dauntless if you need experience with ranged power use, but you can always make a phone call to Protectorate members in other cities as well."

    "Of course," Taylor nodded. To be honest, she was wondering if she should join the Protectorate. Her dad worked for the PRT, after all, and both Miss Militia and Armsmaster had been pretty nice so far.

    "Oh, you could also ask my aunt and cousin for help! My dad too!" Victoria added. "I'm sure they'd be willing to give you a few tips. Or we can set you up with an appointment with the power testing clinics that I used. A bit pricier though."

    Taylor could have sworn she saw Armsmaster's lips turn downwards slightly for a moment, but then he nodded in agreement. "That's an option too. Lady Photon and Flashbang are skilled and experienced heroes who have had a long time to hone their powers. And most of those power testing clinics are PRT adjacent."

    "I'll think about it," Taylor said, trying not to seem overwhelmed. The idea of getting lessons from New Wave or Protectorate heroes in other cities, maybe even Legend, was more than a little exciting.

    But she didn't want to rush into anything...especially not when the PRT might insist she should tell her dad about her powers.

    Armsmaster thankfully didn't press the point, instead asking a different question. "All that aside…have you chosen a cape name yet? I have to admit, we'd like to be able to refer to you as something other than 'the new cape'."

    Oh, right.

    She had been so busy recently that choosing a cape name had completely slipped Taylor's mind.

    She frantically cast her mind around for a good name to use, something she could give Armsmaster. It was one thing to admit she hadn't chosen a name for Victoria. It was another to admit it to the leader of the Protectorate, especially after she'd already told his teammate the same thing a few weeks ago.

    "You can call me the Captain."

    The instant the words left her mouth, Taylor wanted to sink through the floor. Was that the best she could do? Really? She couldn't even think of a reason for it, it was just off the top of her head!

    "The…Captain?" Armsmaster inquired, the tinge of incredulity in his voice echoing Taylor's thoughts. "Just 'the Captain'?

    Unwilling to admit she was wrong, Taylor nodded. "Just the Captain."

    She cast a glance at Victoria, praying the other teenager wouldn't call her out on making a name up on the spot. Fortunately, the blonde said nothing, even though eyebrows had risen high during the conversation.

    "Alright, Captain," Armsmaster accepted. Taylor had the distinct feeling he knew that she had only just chosen a name, but he didn't seem interested in poking at her bluff. "If that's what you want… but I'll hold off on announcing it for now. You should investigate to see if there are any other capes with that name. It's not a bad name, but with thirty years of caping, someone might have claimed it already."

    "Thanks," Taylor mumbled, scratching the back of her neck, feeling embarrassed that she didn't even think of that. "Do you need anything else? Do I need to fill out paperwork or…"

    Armsmaster waved her off. "It's fine, don't concern yourself over it for now. My visor recording everything and I'll file the report myself for now. If you had caused actual, official, property damage, then you'd have to fill out paperwork, as I'm sure Glory Girl can tell you."

    Taylor's eyes turned to Victoria, who flushed. "It was an accident," She grumbled. "Still getting used to super strength."

    "I know, I've seen it before," Armsmaster nodded dryly. "But no, you're free to go, if you want, Captain."

    Relief flooded Taylor but before she could take off, Victoria spoke. "Hey, do you want to go on patrol with me? It'd be fun!"

    Taylor started at the idea, but looking at Victoria's hopeful face, she couldn't bring herself to say no. "Sure."

    "Great!" Glory Girl beamed, rising into the air. "Bye, Armsmaster!"

    "Goodbye, sir," Taylor said more formally, before following suit.

    The older hero gave a crisp nod, folding his arms as he watched them fly away.

    Once they were out of Armsmaster's hearing, Victoria turned to Taylor with a grin.

    "The Captain? That's what you went with?" She asked, laughing.

    "He put me on the spot!" Taylor said defensively. "I couldn't admit I hadn't chosen a name."

    Victoria shook her head in amusement. "Well, you're stuck with it now, but you should probably add something to the name to make it sound cooler and more unique like Armsmaster warned."

    "Like what?"

    Victoria shrugged. "I don't know, Captain Thunder, maybe? You do have the whole lightning motif going for you."

    "Captain Thunder," Taylor mused. "It doesn't feel right. I like the idea, though."

    "Think about it. The Captain just sounds so generic and is definitely taken," Victoria told her. "Captain Thunder too, probably. But anyway, let me show you my usual patrol route."

    Taylor followed Victoria as they flew over the city. It was nearly evening now, and the roads were thick with traffic as people began to leave work. The sun hadn't quite sunk yet, but it had started too, and tinges of orange were creeping into the sky.

    "Do you all have patrol routes?" Taylor asked curiously. "Everyone in New Wave?"

    "Yep," Victoria confirmed. "It's the best way to keep track of our slice of the city. We switch up how we do patrols so that people can't predict us and to keep ourselves safe. The Protectorate does patrols too, and we work with them sometimes."

    "Makes sense. I've just kind of been flying around the city at random, honestly," Taylor admitted, feeling embarrassed.

    "Hey, no harm done. You beat up Hookwolf and saved that girl, I saw it on the news. And saved a few cats," Victoria added cheekily.

    "I couldn't just leave them there!" Taylor protested.

    "It wasn't a criticism," Victoria replied, her smile widening, her golden hair flowing in the wind. "I thought it was a cute thing to do. Cheesy, but cute."

    "Thanks," Taylor said softly.

    "But yeah, this is my usual patrol route," Victoria said, returning to the main subject and waving a hand at the buildings below, halting her flight. "I'm supposed to watch over this block."

    "Just this one block?" Taylor asked as she pulled herself to a stop.

    "Yeah," Victoria said, her voice turning a little sulky. "My parents only recently let me start going on patrol without them. Before that, one of the adults was always with me. I still have to patrol with Crystal, Lasedream."

    Taylor looked around, coming to a realization. "The Boat Graveyard isn't exactly close to this place," She pointed out. It was in fact, pretty far, given that the Graveyard was on the coast and Victoria's patrol route was downtown.

    Victoria grinned again, her cheer returning. "Well, I don't always stick to the routes my parents plan for me. Promise not to tell?"

    "Of course not," Taylor agreed, unable to resist Victoria's infectious cheer. "As long as you don't tell anyone that I came up with the name on the spot."

    "Deal," Victoria shook her hand. "Now come on, I've got to introduce you to Crystal!"

    They flew a little more, but they didn't have to go far before Taylor spotted someone else flying towards them.

    It was another girl, a few years older than Victoria, who halted a short distance away. The resemblance between her and Glory Girl was undeniable. The two of them could easily have been sisters, with their bright blonde hair and blue eyes. Her costume was white too, though it was decorated with zigzagging red and magenta lines, and she didn't have a cape, only a headband.

    But there were differences too, once you got closer. Laserdream's hair was a slightly darker shade of blonde, the shape of her eyes was different and her chin was a little more pointed. She looked like a high school senior.

    Most prominent though, was that, unlike the cheerful Victoria, she was frowning, her arms crossed as she waited for them to approach.

    Victoria's smile seemed to become a little forced at the sight of her cousin's mood, but she stayed peppy.

    "Hey cuz-" She began.

    "Don't 'hey cuz' me, Glory Girl," Laserdream said, clearly unamused. "Why didn't you stick to the patrol route? Or wait for me?"

    "I just thought I'd go exploring a little," Victoria claimed. "You know, go around the city, see some sights."

    "You mean that you got bored and decided to go against what Mom, Dad, and Aunt Carol said," Laserdream retorted sharply, before sighing a little. "Come on, Vicky, you know that there's a good reason they're not letting you patrol alone yet. I had to go through the same thing. You could have at least invited me along."

    "I don't need a babysitter!" Glory Girl replied, her voice taking on an edge of its own. "I can look after myself."

    Laserdream pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation. This was an old argument. "It's not about having a babysitter, it's about not being alone. Even the adults don't go on patrol alone if they can help it. What if you'd gotten hurt?"

    "The Protectorate does individual patrols," Victoria protested. "Armsmaster goes out all alone all the time."

    "You're not Armsmaster!" Laserdream snapped. "And we're not the Protectorate. You'll get to go on patrols alone soon enough, can't you just wait?" Her tone softened, "Besides, I was bored flying here and waiting for you, little cuz. Not to mention that if our parents find out, they're going to rake me over the coals too."

    "Whatever," Glory Girl huffed out sulkily. "Anyway, I don't want to fight about this right now. This is my new friend, the Captain."

    Laserdream's gaze shifted to Taylor as if only just recognizing she was there. "Oh! I'm Laserdream, Crystal," She introduced herself before a spark of recognition appeared in her eyes. "You're the new cape who took down Hookwolf, yeah?"

    "Yes," Taylor said a little self-consciously. She should probably have expected it, but it was a little startling to be known as the new girl who took down Hookwolf by so many other capes in the city.

    "Nice job there," Laserdream grinned, her resemblance to Victoria becoming even more obvious when she smiled. "And nice to meet you. We'll talk more about this later, 'cause you owe me little cuz," She added to Glory Girl, before returning her focus to Taylor. "Sorry for rehashing the drama in front of you. Since you're here, I guess Vicky brought you along for patrol?"

    "She invited me along, yeah," Taylor said, casting a nervous glance at Glory Girl, who was still pouting a little.

    "Alright then," Laserdream said with a grin. "Feel free to come along. But I want to hear more about how you took down that Nazi bastard."

    "Well, it all started when I heard a scream…"
    Author's Note: For those interested, I do have three advance chapters on Patreon.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Oh you are just baiting us with the name. I sincerely hope she goes with Captain Marvel but I understand if you want something unique! Also I loved the Captain Thunder reference, very fun!
     
    Captain Marvel (the original) is the guy Billy Batson turns into. Shazam is the wizard that gave him his power. People call the Captain "Shazam" because Marvel Comics gets testy about the fact that someone else came up with the name Captain Marvel before they did and they want to use the name themselves.
     
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