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Twinning(s) [Worm Altpower]

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Especially because it was a real bitch typing that part out on a phone that kept trying to suggest things.
 
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1.10
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    • 1.10​

    Pushing limits was always nice. Emma whimpered, Taylor patted her head absently.

    "You have really pretty eyes, you know."

    "What?" Emma asked, her brow furrowing at Taylor, putting down the milkshake she was about to sip on. "That came out of nowhere."

    "They just look kind of grey—" Taylor grabbed what was left of Emma's hair roughly, forcing her eyes open; she stared at them from a different angle. "—but when you look at them this way, over here, they're kind of green. It's really pretty."

    "Oh, well, thanks." Emma's smile grew, and she went back to sipping at the milkshake.

    "No problem," Taylor said, smiling back. Emma was a good friend, now that Sophia was out of the picture. "We should do this more often."

    Emma cried.

    --​

    Taylor started her daily routine. She washed, clothed, and made herself presentable for the day. Then, she split things, and went downstairs in one timeline. She tested the waters, checking how Dad was doing, preparing how she should she speak to him in the other timeline. This took roughly five minutes. Then, she went down again, trying the lines out. Sometimes it took one to two more iterations.

    Other girls did makeup, she carefully tested social situations, then manipulated them to her benefit. Given that she was still shit at makeup, that was probably more difficult than splitting timelines.

    "Hey Dad, how you doing?" Taylor said, her voice sufficiently chipper and yet loving.

    Dad murmured, sipping at coffee, looking at the paper.

    "I heard today will be a real scorcher, humidity is going to be crazy. You should take some water bottles with you to work!" Taylor said, beginning preparations for Dad's lunch, smiling at him for a few seconds, one, two, three, then refocusing on the lunch. A nice sandwich. He enjoyed pastrami, and loved it with deli mustard, he enjoyed many things, and Taylor made sure to put each one on the sandwich. Dad deserved to be happy.

    Taylor added things to the mix, making a thermos with some iced tea, adding some hummus and crackers until it was full. She finished wrapping everything in foil, filling the lunch box and handing it to her father with a smile.

    "Thank you very much, Taylor." And that was all the reward she needed, seeing the smile spread across his face. Taylor hugged him, and he left for the day. She closed the timeline up in her room, then split things again, sending one off to pick up Emma for school. In the other, she went to go check finances. Dad was doing okay thus far, but he might not be in the next month or so. She would need to step up the whole investment thing, maybe use an intermediary, such as Emma. She would be easy to persuade, and Taylor knew all the right places to push. Perhaps it would be a different breach of trust this time. It was more interesting to her with each time, because Emma grew ever more trusting.

    Taylor wasn't remotely like Sophia, after all. Taylor offered kindness as well as the strength that Emma so lusted after, grasping for it, clawing and scrabbling. Desperation was the name of the game, and Emma was a whale of a player. Every time Emma's insecurities kicked in, Taylor could play off them, encourage her, tear her down, rebuild her ever so slightly.

    And then Emma trusted her, just a bit more.

    And Taylor could use that against her, just a bit more.

    The intricacies of trust made every betrayal unique and interesting, because it was a larger breach each time. She could twist that knife with words or, well, a knife. Whichever it was, it lent that special sting, and each bit of uniqueness was amazing to watch. "Oh, you really thought I was your friend? I just felt sorry for you. I wanted to see if you had what it takes, and you don't. You're just as weak as you were back then, you know?"

    Sometimes she told Emma the truth.

    The expression as Emma slowly pieced things together, as Taylor was able to wait, wait, watch as she drew the conclusion. Things made sense; Taylor was—was— and it was at that moment that Emma either crumpled into a heap, breaking down, as her little world broke around her again, or leapt at Taylor, nails clawing at her face. In those instances, Taylor smoothly stepped out of the way, applying the stun gun to Emma's stomach. She was crying, twitching on the floor. Taylor patted her on the head in both instances of terror and fear.

    "I'm so glad that we're friends again, Emma. So, so glad. Aren't you glad? You'll never even know that I'm doing this." Taylor hugged her, then closed the timeline.

    She was very careful not to overdo that particular scenario. Taylor didn't want to screw up how much she got from having this relationship with Emma.

    Her friend's indiscretions aside, Taylor started off the day by hugging her. "Hi, Emma!"

    "Hi, Taylor." Emma's voice was small. Aw, she'd had one of her attacks last night. What a terrible shame. Taylor knew how to cheer that right up. She slowly eased her best friend toward school, telling her how they'd swing by the convenience store, and pick up some chocolate. That made things a lot better. Emma wasn't allowed to have attacks unless Taylor was causing them.

    School was a breeze, as usual. They ate together, Madison wasn't very popular any more. Ms. Clements had apparently said that Taylor was creepy to her friends. The rumor mill had spread it around a little, but Emma was quashing that one quite successfully. Perhaps she would be their next 'target'.

    After all, Taylor knew exactly what Emma wanted. She was weak. She wanted to be strong, so, so badly. But she never would be. The little broken pieces that made up courage just weren't inside her. All she could do was repeat that little cycle of hate, riding it down to self-destruction.

    It wasn't like Emma was cutting or anything, no, that sort of control, that point funneling to give herself the vestige of personal fulfillment— that dose of endorphins at the burst of controlled pain, that was beyond her.

    Enjoyment was too much of a word for what Emma did. It was the act of pretending to enjoy, in the hopes that she might someday reach that point of enjoyment. Taylor was fairly certain that Emma could never reach that point.

    She'd kept a timeline running where she'd made Emma kill an ABB member, then observed her. Emma broke down, retching, unable to come to terms with the event. Taylor had stayed over, staying awake, watching her fitfully toss, moan, and eventually wake up, rushing to the bathroom to throw up again, finding there was nothing left but bile and dry heaves.

    Had she felt that way when she'd done something similar to Taylor? Suffering from panic attacks, crippling guilt, all leading up to terrible nausea and self-destruction?

    No, Emma didn't have even the ability to self-destruct. She would just wait for someone else to do it for her. Was that why she'd bullied, pushed Taylor? For the reaction that she would receive, not to show that she was strong, but to finally show truly how weak she really was?

    The hypothesis amused her, as the timeline shut.

    --​

    Emma encouraged her to join the Wards. Surprising, given how much Sophia had protested it, spat at it. Perhaps it had to do with how Taylor had professed to not kill anyone, with that earnest expression she'd had to practice three or four times to get right without laughing.

    Well. She only killed people who deserved it, at least.

    The process was a long thought, truncated by Mr. Barnes bringing pizza into the room.

    Taylor put a finger to her lips; because Emma was asleep on her lap. She had expressed her worries about Taylor becoming like Shadow Stalker, injured out there, or having to kill in order to survive. Emma had cried, talking about how terrified she'd been, how little she could sleep when she'd seen Shadow Stalker drop people off rooftops.

    Mr. Barnes dropped the pizza, as Taylor put the knife down. He staggered back against the windowsill, and Taylor smiled, wiping the blood off on the couch. She had been waiting for him to come back.

    She watched his face for a moment more, then obviated it. Taylor needed both timelines to talk properly to him.

    Taylor discussed the possibilities of joining the Wards with Mr. Barnes in one of those, revealing to him the pertinent information. The process wasn't too difficult, and it wasn't like she'd hurt anyone with her powers, or would need to be a probationary ward, like other certain parties that he did not want to specify the particulars about, but strongly implied they were Shadow Stalker.

    It wasn't like Taylor didn't know that bit, but she was amused anyway. The money sounded nice, and would help Dad. The teammates— more people to get to know like she had Emma? That did sound… fun. And she'd be good friends with them! Maybe even have Emma meet them.

    After all, she had called Lisa, asking for help. Lisa had made fun of her, hung up on her, and denied even knowing her. With her ability. That kind of irked Taylor, so she kind of wanted to join the Wards.

    And be a hero.

    Taylor smiled. It was slightly too wide, and it didn't reach all the way to her eyes. She closed that timeline, then tried again. Better.

    Mr. Barnes asked why she was smiling, as Taylor reached for a slice of pizza.

    "Just happy to be here," she said.
     
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    • Taylor just keeps getting worse and worse, but I can't look away.

    Thank you, Harbin, for writing this story (both versions) and for letting us read them.
     
    And further down she goes...

    Also, I know that Gallant flinched when he saw her, but I do wonder just what he saw that would result in a reaction like that.

    Her iridescent rage or the cool numb tells of sociopathy? Because either one is definitely a teller.
     
    These hugs I'm leaving... they are for Emma. And that is perhaps the most wrong thing of all about this branch.
     
    kokuenDG said:
    Also, I know that Gallant flinched when he saw her, but I do wonder just what he saw that would result in a reaction like that.
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    WoG said he knew how Amy actually felt about Victoria, so I'd say his emotion sense is distressingly specific. In this case, Gallant is the one to be distressed by what he sees of Taylor's feelings.
     
    violetshadows said:
    Jack would love this girl. Then, he'd probably kill her.
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    Are you kidding? She could give the Nine Coil's power as a safety net.

    Jack wouldn't pass that up. He'd want her as a member.

    ...now I kind of want this to end up with her joining the Nine. She's got the mindset for it, and watching her poke and prod at them in the other timeline would be interesting.
     
    Ganurath said:
    WoG said he knew how Amy actually felt about Victoria, so I'd say his emotion sense is distressingly specific. In this case, Gallant is the one to be distressed by what he sees of Taylor's feelings.
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    Do you have a cite for that? Pretty much every time I bother to pay attention to him in fanon he's confusing Amy's jealousy as being of Victoria, not of him.
     
    violetshadows said:
    Jack would love this girl. Then, he'd probably kill her.
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    Nah, the two would have a nice long conversation. Then Jack and the S9 would abandon a planned assault on a city without killing anyone for the first time ever. He wouldn't want to mess up a fellow artist's work now would he? An entire city, slowly being twisted into a madwoman's playground-he might visit again, just to see the progress she has made! Being worshiped as a Hero even as she twists them all into mockeries of what they once were is impressive and beautiful. Heck, he might even let Taylor give Bonesaw a few lessons about patience and manipulation!
     
    Equable said:
    Are you kidding? She could give the Nine Coil's power as a safety net.

    Jack wouldn't pass that up. He'd want her as a member.

    ...now I kind of want this to end up with her joining the Nine. She's got the mindset for it, and watching her poke and prod at them in the other timeline would be interesting.
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    If Jack was smart, he would have Coil!Taylor be the 'secret' member. Keep the 'Slaughterhouse Nine' name. Even more secret than Manton. Use Taylor's two timeline power to save scum, and have Taylor publicly be always one of the 'shell shocked' survivors of wherever the Nine touch down recovered after they leave. Have Bonesaw give Taylor a new face and voice and distinguishing features to be a new person for every city so the heroes don't catch on.

    Taylor plays the spotter and mission control for the Nine. That would be scary.
     
    Slaughterhouse Taylor would never do anything. She'd get a kill order anyway, but she'd never harm a fly, at least as far as the world could tell. Everyone would be so confused about why Jack was letting her stay.
     
    Ganurath said:
    WoG said he knew how Amy actually felt about Victoria, so I'd say his emotion sense is distressingly specific. In this case, Gallant is the one to be distressed by what he sees of Taylor's feelings.
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    I... really don't think so?

    (From 3.x)

    Gallant started to speak, then stopped.
    "What?"
    "Does… does this have anything to do with the, erm, rather strong feelings you have towards me?"
    Panacea went still.
    "I'm sorry," he hurried to say, "I shouldn't have brought it up."
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    I feel like this was pretty clear on the matter? "Fanon" has it right here. They are not that specific at all.
     
    Flairina said:
    I... really don't think so?



    I feel like this was pretty clear on the matter? "Fanon" has it right here. They are not that specific at all.
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    He said WoG, not Worm itself.

    The pertinent WoG:

    Worm Quotes and WoG Repository | Page 10

    So, it doesn't seem like the emotion sense is that detailed, but if you combine it with basic observation and deduction he can figure stuff out.

    For instance, while I never got the sense that he could tell where an emotion is directed inherently, if someone feels a flare of hatred every time they look at you, well, you don't exactly need to be Tattletale to figure out they probably don't like you much.
     
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