- Location
- CA
"Uh.... girl talk?"
(Un)Happy Family [Worm/Elden Ring]
- Thread starter WhoAmEye
- Start date
- Mature
"Uh.... girl talk?"
- Location
- United States
- Pronouns
- He/Him
So, I get how this happened, but I kinda hope that Taylor is a bit pissed at her for not respecting her privacy and doesn't just roll over for her crush. Either way, I actually really liked the Shadow Stalker interaction; kudos to you for making it interesting.
You know what makes it even funnier? Taylor really doesn't seem to be doing anything. Rather, this seems to be the result of a certain rotten elder sister of Taylor's, who might not be quite as dead as one may think. Oh sure, her body may be gone, but since when has an Outer God needed a body?
Speaking as someone who works in education, there are no limits on what a teenager will do to impress their crush. Anything you might assume would be too far, isnt. Taylor could do just about anything if driven by regular hormones, stack divine hormones and eden on top and absurd shenanigans feel like the starting point.
WhoAmEye
Bunker-Dwelling Cryptid
- Location
- Vault Birb
- Pronouns
- She/Her
it will take a few more chapters to get there but you are absolutely correct. our beta lucky, when reviewing, had this to say:
"That's so fucking funny, honestly.
It's like she suavely took off on a cool motorcycle as Victoria swooned behind her, and then as soon as she turned the corner she ran facefirst into a billboard.
Went onstage at karaoke, sang concert-tier suggestive love ballad, dropped the mic onto her own foot as she was walking off stage and went flying into the speakers."
"That's so fucking funny, honestly.
It's like she suavely took off on a cool motorcycle as Victoria swooned behind her, and then as soon as she turned the corner she ran facefirst into a billboard.
Went onstage at karaoke, sang concert-tier suggestive love ballad, dropped the mic onto her own foot as she was walking off stage and went flying into the speakers."
Last edited:
- Location
- Netherlands
Goddess of Rot/Malenia/"Malenia", probably: "I'll stop when she either admits what she is actually feeling and actually acts upon that and not what her trauma pushes her towards, or her arm rots off.
....
.... It's starting to seem like the second option is inevitable, to be honest."
....
.... It's starting to seem like the second option is inevitable, to be honest."
WhoAmEye
Bunker-Dwelling Cryptid
- Location
- Vault Birb
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Demigod therapy: not even once. They all refuse. Violently.
"What's that saying? Ah, right. You can't make an omalot without breaking some eggs."
"You mean 'an omelet'."
"Exactly what I said, mine much younger sister."
"...*pinches bridge of nose* I am starting to get why Ranni's Consort had no choice but to kill you."
3.4
WhoAmEye
Bunker-Dwelling Cryptid
- Location
- Vault Birb
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Sorry for the lateness. Buuut it's a double-size chapter!
In which Taylor takes 'Be Gay Do Crime' in the wrong direction. Which is crimes against physics.
Special thanks to prime beta Lucky38, Canon Overlord @Ganurath, @hellgodsrus for being my loveliest wife and co-author, and @SolarFlare for being our wonderful supportive girlfriend! And our many friends on the Totally Chatting It discord for their fantastic livereads!
Enjoy and gib feedbacc!
My first reaction was dread, followed by pain, followed by stifling the Flame of Ruin before it could do more than flicker up my fingers. I'd trusted her when she said she'd be waiting for a yell before sticking her nose in. Heroes. Always say one thing, do another. "How much of that private conversation did you listen in on, exactly?" Maybe it was the alley that was colder, or maybe it was just the flame burning under my skin.
She raised her hands, but a frown still flickered on her face. "None. I didn't listen but I did stay nearby since you two were both being really suspicious, and then you two had a really suspicious conversation - which I couldn't hear any of, but your body language was weird. Then she took off her mask in front of you and fucked off."
I wasn't entirely sure I believed her. "Turns out we know each other." I grunted, "Outside of playing hyper violent dress-up." I flexed my hands, feeling my seal flicker in and out of existence. "Getting press-ganged into the Wards didn't curb her psychopathic tendencies in the slightest." I pushed off the wall and rolled my shoulders. They felt as tense as the conversation. "Just another sterling example of why I don't trust the PRT and their goosesteppers."
"Okay, woah. Back up several steps. Empyrean. You know her in her civilian life. And you two talked about that. And you - really don't like her."
"It's not an exaggeration to say she's why I'm diving head-first into cape life to get out of my normal one." I folded my arms. "If all I'd needed to do to get her to back the fuck off was kill a few Nazis we'd be missing some classmates."
"Empyrean. Taylor." Her voice softened and she floated lower. "Whatever you two talked about, it looked - okay, I'm going to be very blunt, so, apologies. It looked like you forced a black hero into a confrontation where you said - something that upset her, while you're shaking with rage, and have some sort of history with the Empire. I'm not - saying anything yet. But it looks very bad. And I'd like some sort of explanation, even if it's just that it's stuff to do with - your personal life, or home life, or something."
I blinked, and frowned. "... are you accusing me of being Empire? What the fuck? You remember the lecture you gave me for killing a half-dozen of them, right? The only history I could have with them was me or my parents getting targeted by them."
"I'm not saying that. I'm saying I don't know what I saw. Again! Feel free to tell me to fuck off, but - if it caused Shadow Stalker to ditch patrol, or anything else, I would like, as your ally, an explanation I can give to Gallant."
"I'm not sure that's possible." I groaned, and ran a hand through my hair. "It's all - civilian stuff. All of it. I can - I can tell you what happened but I don't know if it's something you'd be able to share without breaking those rules you told me about." Despite the mistrust, despite the way she stayed close enough to watch, even if she didn't listen in, despite all that - I wanted to tell someone. Someone who could maybe do something about it. Someone who might fight at my side instead of against me.
"Okay. You don't have to tell me then. I get that she's - kinda abrasive, and. Maybe I had things the wrong way round, maybe she's - related to why you hate the Empire another way."
What. I blinked. "I'm sorry, are you implying I have a crush on her?"
"What? No! I thought - " Victoria rolled her shoulders, looking away. "It's - okay, so. I've been assuming. Maybe wrongly. That part of the reason you hate the Empire. Is your sexuality? And - I don't think it's likely, but I suppose it's possible that, in civilian life, she was maybe kinda homophobic about that, or about - "
"Oh, no, I'm gay as fuck, but she's a fucking psychotic bitch." I shook my head quickly. "Rough can be hot, but abusive is not. And I'm - pretty sure she's gay too, but no, god no. I would not even consider hatefucking her."
Victoria opened her mouth and closed it. "O-kay. More information than I wanted. My fault."
"Er. Yeah. Sorry, that just -" Fell out of my mouth without being filtered because I hate her. "Look, if you want the story, fine, I can share it, but it's… it's not something for ground level where people might listen in."
"... if you're not comfortable telling me - "
"It's not like that stopped you earlier." I scowled at the ground. "But at least this way I can - keep you from making more assumptions."
She floated a little closer, her hand reaching out in echoes, not reaching out. I saw the contortions her expression might go through. But, in reality, she just sighed, and said, "I'm sorry. You two just - you both have tempers, and I wanted both of you to be safe. I'm sorry if you feel like I'm prying. I'm sorry I am prying. Again, you can just tell me to fuck off. But if not - that highrise there's pretty private I think. The roof is, anyway."
I swallowed down the flames and nodded. "I'll. See you up there."
"Okay." My echovision overlapped with reality as she rocketed up and towards the indicated building. Before pausing mid-air and dashing off towards the corner where we'd all left Gallant behind. Probably would be a good idea to let him know he was on his own now.
Just like I was stuck alone, trying to figure out what to say - everything - agonising over how to say it - bluntly, because what other way is there? - as I started the long trek up the building's fire escape.
Did I start at the beginning? With Emma being the closest relationship I'd ever had with a human? Or where Sophia came into it, being the worst example of a human being I could think of? But half of what she did - the half driven by Emma - I didn't want Victoria to assume I'd done something to Emma that -
I didn't want her thinking I was the bad guy getting my comeuppance. Because I wasn't. I was the victim that miraculously gained the power to fight back and did.
It was kind of sad how many stories like that I'd read online. Movies like Carrie, Matilda, anything that had the bullies finally get what they deserved.
And I'd… have to tell her about why I wasn't going to school anymore. Everything. Even Dad, I'd only told a portion of the story. Left parts out because there were some things too painful to share, too painful to imagine the consequences of sharing with her. My heart raced with… anticipation? Dread?
When I got to the top, she was there, waiting for me. I took a deep breath, sat down next to her, and just let it all spill out.
-.-.-
It's for Emma.
Fuck her.
It's for Emma.
FUCK HER.
It's for Emma.
Getting caught, she could deal with. Fight against it but still get locked away. Out of her hands, not her responsibility anymore.
But this - that bitch - this was so much worse. She had a chance to say goodbye. And face the disappointment of everyone she cared for, disappointment in her for doing the things she'd done, disappointment in her for confessing to those things - and if she didn't say goodbye? Just up and vanished and let them be told by the PRT that she'd turned herself in?
They'd all hate her. She didn't care about most of them, but there were still some bridges she wasn't quite ready to burn just yet. She'd get around to it.
She hated Hebert. It was so tempting to just put a bolt through her brain and be done with it, but no, she had to go and be a half-decent person in the end, killing Nazis and showing no remorse for it. Catching herself liking Empyrean before the realisation she was Hebert kicked in.
And it wasn't even like she - no, she did personally dislike Hebert now. But she hadn't before. It hadn't really been personal beyond Emma wants this done. It would have been now. If she travelled back in time to her younger self, it would have been.
But Sophia was a hero. And she'd made a deal. She'd made the sacrifice to keep people safe.
Keep Emma safe.
The strong get to push around the weak.
Sophia was strong. Emma was a survivor. She was strong before she had her powers, and Emma didn't need them. Hebert's strength was - false. Yeah.
… no, that was stupid. Hebert had a spine regardless of if it was power induced or not, and she'd clearly been through something and survived, or she wouldn't have powers. She hadn't curled up afterwards, so - fuck. All of this, everything, over fucking nothing, over a spot assessment she'd made and turned out to be wrong about. Who'd have thought a few seconds would fuck up her entire life?
Should she confess to Emma? Get it out there, find out if the feeling was mutual after all? Or just - let it simmer. Let it stay in the back of her mind, a constant wonder as she was left in a cell to rot.
No, that sounded awful. Definitely tell her. Make it clear she wasn't expecting anything, just - it was only fair to let Emma know. Not that there'd be a good way to say it. Hey, Ems, so I'm going to go get myself thrown in jail or else Hebert will continue to torture you - by the way I have the biggest, gayest crush on you. Anyway, off to go get fitted for my jumpsuit!
And Mum. And Terry. Had to tell them about this shit too. Fuck she didn't want to, Mum would make such a fuss, and Terry was such a dick. She didn't trust her family. She didn't like them. It was why she hadn't unmasked to them til the government forced her to. Mum had been the one to be with Him, and Terry, her older brother, who'd been old enough he could have done something, had done jack shit. So - she'd have to tell them, but fuck both of them, honestly.
Anna though. She was just a kid. She wouldn't understand.
Fuck.
Emma first. Spend time with her, then get talking to her family out of the way, and… and then go report herself to Armsmaster or whoever she walked into first. She'd probably be getting another lecture for going off patrol on her own - again, yet another thing she wasn't meant to be doing under probation - so she might just do it then. Rad.
Emma first. Hebert had told her to wait until tomorrow - she'd assume she meant business hours, and if Hebert took that as breaking their deal then fuck her - and she was going to spend as much of the time til then as she could with Emma.
Given her luck lately, there was a good chance Emma might just think this goodbye was a hallucination from the sleep deprivation. She hoped not. But at the same time… it might be easier.
No. Emma was strong. Emma was a survivor. Emma would get it and Sophia'd get out of juvie in a few years - like, okay, maybe this was breaking the spirit of the deal but the stuff she'd done to break probation wasn't as illegal as the stuff she'd done before she'd joined the Wards, so she'd be being hit with the sentence she'd have had if she didn't take the deal, with less of a chance for parole, so not too bad - and they'd meet up again. She wouldn't let this beat her.
Sophia phased through the window, landing softly on the carpet. Emma was sleeping soundly. No twitches, jerks, or soft whimpers. No seizing or puking.
Seemed like Hebert kept up her end of the deal, fuck. So she - just had to wake her up and tell her that she was leaving and wouldn't see her again except through glass if Emma visited for years -
No, she wasn't going to cry, damnit!
She wasn't - she wasn't going to -
She dumped her gear on the floor, unfastened her cape, and crawled into the bed with Emma, clung tightly around her as she cried, muffling sobs in the arms that held her back. Clenching her teeth as tightly as she could because He might hear her, somehow, curling into the warmth and light and love that she didn't deserve, that she had to fight and claw for because otherwise how could she know it was hers.
And she'd woken Emma anyway. "Mmm… Soph?" Head butting forward, pressing their faces together. "Is it morning already?" she murmured, pulling the covers up and pressing herself deeper into the embrace.
Fuck, what was she meant to say? 'Go back to sleep, Emma,' and waste what precious time she had left? "Nah, not morning yet." Fuck, her voice was all - fucked up sounding - "Get some rest, Ems, you fuckin' - need it."
"My hero~" Emma cooed, yawned, and buried her face in Sophia's neck, wriggling to get comfortable.
Why. Why did she have to have emotions like this. Was Emma - was she truly not aware of what she did to her? Or maybe Sophia was the dense one. Getting invited to share the shower wasn't a normal friend thing, was it? That was just - that was just the rose-tinted glasses speaking.
Don't be a coward. "I - I need to tell you something, Ems." Her throat felt full and slick and sticky. "It's - kinda important. Get some rest first, yeah?"
The soft sound of Emma's pulse against her skin, the feeling of even breathing.
I have to give this up, for your sake.
-.-.-
It was.
It was a lot.
Victoria didn't think Taylor was lying. Skirting around things - civilian names, in most cases, though she'd slipped up once or twice with some of them - but not lying. She wasn't perfect at reading people, but - no. Victoria had seen Taylor lie, and she was really bad at it - see her feeble excuses to talk to Shadow Stalker in private. The blank look on Taylor's face as she recounted just one day -
But Taylor's dull eyed recitation didn't stop at one day. It didn't stop at one week, one month, one year.
And none of it really explained why she'd talked to Shadow Stalker. What that conversation had been about. Victoria could guess but she didn't - know. She'd seen it - struggled, after debating with Dean, and finally found a spot high enough in the air that she could keep an eye on the two of them, but not hear their words. She could hear their tone though and the tension…
Well, that was hardly surprising on Taylor's end. How the fuck had Shadow Stalker's case officer missed this? How had the school missed any of this? Victoria had been bullied herself but never like this, never on this scale - she felt ashamed to even think of what had come before The Basketball Game as bullying.
And Taylor had fucking - dropped out of education. Which -
So her theories weren't correct, maybe. She'd thought - that Empyrean's family had been Empire, maybe, that they'd found out her sexuality and that had been - but while she still skirted around the idea of family when she was paying attention it was clear they were close. It just didn't make sense, and she still didn't know - whether she could trust Empyrean, who held her trauma so frustratingly, sympathetically tight to her that just asking would cause a blowup that Victoria didn't want, she didn't want to hurt Taylor more, or drive her away from heroing -
"So… yeah. That's pretty much all of it." Taylor's heavy exhalation was audible past her knees as she curled in tighter to herself. "The locker was the last straw, I haven't been back since. Because, well…" She uncurled, just enough to hold up her hand, revealing the hot, awful red fire wrapping round it. "My powers have an emotional link, and betrayal, it… it's fire and explosions. All consuming. Harder to control. I can't go back, not without becoming national news for all the wrong reasons. And realising that - that one of them was a hero? A Ward? How am I meant to trust again? Who am I meant to trust?"
Victoria pushed her cape nerdery aside - she could ask questions about Taylor's power later. "Yeah. I'm so sorry that happened to you, Taylor. And - if you're not going back, are you looking into - taking your SATs outside of school, or getting a GED, or something vocational…?" She could focus on the practicalities for now. Work Taylor back round to the question about what she and Stalker had actually talked about. Victoria could go home and scream into her pillow - or into Dean's shoulder - about how fucked up this city and everyone in it was later.
"I mean… I'm learning from family, and it's not like capes get into boring office jobs." Taylor shrugged, slumping again. "I guess villains might, but most heroes - Protectorate's a full time thing, isn't it?"
Learning from family? "Not really. Not always. And you're - not Protectorate, as you pointed out earlier. I'm maybe not the one to be saying this, but you shouldn't let being a cape - no matter how cool it is - define your entire life. Not without knowing your other options first." Victoria worked her lip between her teeth. God, of course she fucking got it, of course Taylor would want the - the seeming escapism of caping, the ability to physically punch away her problems.
Except she hadn't with Stalker, had she? Unless - lots of different ways to attack someone.
"It's… I know you're right about that, but." Taylor shuffled, pulling her hoodie further over her head as she curled up. "Figuring out other options takes time. Effort. It's a risk I'm not sure I'm willing to take again. Not yet."
She felt a sudden, awful impulse to offer to help, to offer herself utterly to helping this girl who'd never had anyone offer before - but you can't make other people's mental health your responsibility, that's cruel and it'll be stressful and place undue burdens on your friendship with her, if you even have a friendship and aren't just desperately trying to tame a tiger - "What was it you and Shadow Stalker talked about, then? If she was one of these girls who was bullying you."
"Her friend, the ringleader - " Taylor had been careful about names, even as she'd pulled down her bandanna, describing each person in a way that reminded Victoria a little of Strange Case, but Emma Barnes had slipped out once, and once was enough. " - she's apparently been suffering some pretty bad nightmares, and Stalker is convinced I'm the one doing that."
"Are you?"
Taylor snorted. "If I was the one doing anything to her, the entire city block would know when they turned around and saw the crater. That boulder I crushed a guy with?" Thank you for that reminder. "I think about throwing a boulder at her and… it's like throwing a grenade. The fire, I mean. So many poor trees." She sighed softly. "But more to the point I don't - I don't have any non-physical thing I can do yet, let alone at that kind of distance. Don't get me wrong, if she is suffering, I wholly believe she deserves it, and I wish I could be the one to deliver that karma, but I can't."
Victoria grimaced a little, because - at least Taylor understood that wasn't a healthy mindset. God I can't believe that's the standard I'm setting this. "So. Stalker blamed you for that. And you had things she did, that - you hate her for…" She hadn't wanted to use the word hate. But it seemed to be - the best way to describe it. Fuck this was a mess. Please, Taylor, Empyrean, just - tell me what you and Shadow Stalker talked about that made her look so defeated and then leave?
Taylor huffed, head slumping back down, cheeks resting on her knees. And even curled in a ball like this, Victoria barely reached her shoulder. "Yeah. So she wanted - asked what it would take to get me to stop, as though I hadn't just spent the first half of that talk telling her it's not me, and I -" Taylor breathed slowly for a moment. "I don't know. Taunted her over it a little. If she's strong, she'll survive it, she'll solve the problem herself, because that was why they tortured me. Because I apparently wasn't strong. And 'it's the right of the strong to fuck over the weak,' which I don't believe in the slightest -"
"Taylor - please."
"Right." A deep breath. "So I told her if she went ahead and confessed her crimes, I'd try my best to stop whatever's causing the nightmares, because it wasn't me, and she still took that to mean I'd stop doing it." Taylor gave a small, defeated chuckle. "So, if I kept to the letter and the spirit of the deal she offered, I'm already done."
Victoria breathed out slowly, into the cold night of the Bay. "So. You blackmailed her. Or made a deal, rather, that you don't intend to fulfil." Blackmail, which was of course illegal, and involving a Ward and their identity, which made it even more full of fuck.
"Oh, no, I do," Taylor said, almost flippantly, and Victoria resisted the urge to lean over and smack her round the back of the head. "I don't want to be like them, so I will actually put the effort in to stop her nightmares. And how is it blackmail? I thought that was like - do X or else I'll do Y?"
"I'm pretty sure it also covers 'do the thing or else I won't do the thing'. Though maybe that's more extortion." Victoria worked her hands a little. "Why did she - think you're the one sending the nightmares? Why would you agree to a deal you can't fulfil - one which is going to - it could cause you so many problems, Taylor, especially if the PRT try and talk to you and somehow piss off your family."
Taylor grunted unhappily. "Because before winter break, I was a beanpole, and after, I was - well, stupidly buff, like when we went out for pizza. Ergo, I must be a cape, ergo I must be responsible for the nightmares, like - I'm pretty clearly a brute, not a… a… I can't remember what word that threat rating thing uses for mind fuckery that isn't - y'know, mind control. Thinker? Either way, she was doing illegal things as a hero, why is it so wrong to get her to face justice for it?" She sounded so confused, almost like a lost puppy. Why is what I did bad? Just like murdering Nazis - consequences, Taylor!
"Empyrean." She tried to keep her voice gentle. "I'm not stupid. Whoever your family is, they're dangerous. I don't know if they're capes or not - "
"Not capes. Not in the way - not like that." Taylor grumbled quietly, looking away and tightening her arms around her knees.
"But still powerful." Victoria chewed her lip. "Are… are they causing the nightmares?" Maybe paying someone, though she couldn't think of any mercenaries with -
"Dad is."
"What."
Taylor ducked her head - "I'm just - they're not - they grew up under different values, different laws. I had to talk Dad down from ending her entire family tree, uh - 'to the third remove'? I think? - down to just the nightmares. When - he found out what was causing my power to start burning me, while training, I - " she gestured to herself, opening up slightly, almost like a flower. "I feel like wiping out her family tree would be overreacting, right? Emma did this, the rest of her family is, hopefully, innocent in all this. And after the locker - keeping him from blowing up the school because they were still there. Dad is just - really quick to choose violence." She looked away. "It was - it was the best I could do. To try and keep the collateral damage of innocent lives to a minimum."
"So your dad… has powers too, then?" Had that part of her stupid theory been right? She couldn't - Victoria couldn't address the rest of that yet. What would you do - what could you do in a situation like that? She hadn't ever been part of it, for obvious reasons, but in the early grades, kids would always be pretending their parents were famous heroes - but what if your parents were villains, or just villainous? And to be left with a choice like that -
"We all do. Not that I learned any of this until just before Christmas when my eyes turned silver."
Victoria blinked. Physical changes coming with powers weren't unheard of, but this sounded like she'd simply woken up and been different, without a trigger event despite her description of the bullying, or maybe she was just being somewhat opaque again…
"I mean - " Taylor's eyes met hers - and yes, they were silver. Unnaturally shimmering silver. Vibrant to the point of glowing, even if they didn't seem to give off light. "They used to be grey. Then they were silver, then I was suddenly buff, and - then I found out Dad's got superpowers and I can be taught them, and my sister's suddenly here and - it's all kind of overwhelming."
Suddenly here… different values and laws… and they don't know anything about cape life, or Empyrean didn't… Well. Her last crazy idea hadn't been completely wrong. And she still hadn't resolved the - the blackmailing situation, or the fact that Taylor's dad was apparently blasting someone with horrifying nightmares, but.
"Taylor." She licked her lips, thankful that her forcefield prevented them from getting too chapped by windchill. "Taylor are - is your family from an alternate reality?"
"I've said too much." Taylor bit her lip hard enough that there was a sound like grinding stone. "Just - don't share that around, please. I was raised here, so I - I'm not always sure. What exactly the customs they're used to are like, but trying to mediate them is - " She stopped, something panic in her flat silver eyes. "They're not - they're not bad. They're just - used to a much more violent way of life. Maybe - maybe you'd understand them, me, a bit better if you met them. Sometime?"
"Maybe." Victoria's fingers worked against each other, slick from her forcefield, sliding together like some awful executive toy. I really don't think I want to meet a family of villains from an alternate universe. "But I won't tell. I promise."
"Thank you." The tension - most of it - left Taylor's shoulders as she relaxed, legs slipping out of her arms. "Everything's just so… I don't know how to handle it. I haven't even told Dad I've gone out caping yet, and now I've got to explain this, the PRT maybe visiting, all the stuff you said before…" She looked up at the sky with a small grimace. "And get Dad to stop the nightmares."
"Take things one step at a time." It might not be the most relevant advice but it was the best she could offer. "Start with getting him to stop the nightmares, lead into the caping talk and everything relating to it when he asks why. And - if he used to be a cape back… wherever your family might have come from. That might be a way to try and explain things to him."
"Yeah… yeah, I'll try that. Thanks, Victoria." Taylor smiled weakly, then pulled the bandana back up. "I'm - sorry for dumping my life's story on you like that. I definitely owe you."
"Sometimes you need someone to vent to. And it sounds like you haven't had anyone - other than your family - in a while." She punched Taylor's shoulder as gently as she could, hoping that none of the - turmoil and frustration she felt leaked into the blow. It's not Taylor's fault she was brought up like this. "Pay me back by listening to me complain about my family next time, okay?" She took a deep breath. "And by not blackmailing anyone else. Please. I'm - if she has really committed crimes, like, illegal crimes, her case officer and the PRT should know, but you shouldn't have blackmailed her to do it. Yeah?"
"Mrgh." Taylor grunted unhappily. "They should know. Her case worker probably does know. Lodging complaints the official way only got me branded as an attention seeker, so Blackwell fucking well knows."
"Then that's something that will be dealt with. Leave it alone. You - you yourself said you want to leave it in your past. Don't pick at it any more. And if anything like this comes up again. Don't use blackmail or threats of violence - mental, physical, psychological - to get what you want. Please." I don't want to have to take you down, Empyrean.
"I get that but - if I hadn't, Stalker would still be free to - and nobody would ever find out about the corruption until it was too late for someone else." Taylor huffed heavily, throwing her hands up. "The fact that I could have just beat her up, dragged her ass to the police station, and told them about her crimes would have caused me less trouble than getting her to confess - and Emma would still get nightmares - is just… utterly baffling."
"Actually, you still would have gotten in trouble. I don't - I understand your interactions with authority have been different, but due process and laws exist for a reason, yeah? You yourself were talking earlier about how - how the fact that heroes are accountable makes them less likely to do brutality in law enforcement than the police."
"Less trouble, though." Taylor grumbled. "I - ugh, I know, but - this whole situation just sucks and I hate it. I hate her and everyone that let her get away with it for so long."
"That's fair," Victoria said, quiet enough she was worried the wind might have whisked away her words. "But don't - don't let it bring you down to their level."
"I'm - I'm trying. Failing spectacularly, so far, but I'm trying." Taylor stood up, stretching, leaning against the AC unit - it creaked worriedly for a moment until she stopped and looked back - "Hope I didn't just leave a butt-print on that…"
"Once you're a big and famous hero, you can probably sell that butt-print for a mint." Victoria quirked her lips a little. "Don't forget where you left it."
That somehow startled a laugh out of her. "Right. I'll - I'll definitely do that. Sorry for, um. Dumping my life's shitty story on you. And the whole… blackmailing extortion thing. I'll do better - I mean, I won't do that again. Next time. Assuming there is a next time which is a bit defeatist of me I guess but - um. yeah."
Well, she couldn't really say it's no problem, so she settled for, "It's okay."
"I'll probably be grounded for this but if you ever want me to pay you back just - flick me a text and I'll sneak out for you." And then she gave her a little wink with her tired smile and jumped off the edge of the rooftop -
Wait. Taylor couldn't fly! Victoria launched herself into the air after her, but - there was just a tiny dot of purple and gold where Taylor should have been, so small she almost could have imagined it.
… okay, then maybe she could teleport.
Of course I run into Eidolon junior, daughter of a villain and immigrant from Earth Gimel - Dalet? Earth Tav, whatever. Of course I take the fall for her killing Nazis, something I wish it was okay to do. Of course I end up - tacitly endorsing her blackmailing a Ward and covering for her again about her family and that. Fuck.
Victoria groaned and banged her head against her knees a bit. It was time to go find Dean again and curl up in his arms until her head stopped hurting and she thought she knew what the right thing to do was.
Of course.
-.-.-
Morning came.
She opened her eyes, and Emma was still leaning peacefully against her. Still sleeping, not jolted awake every few hours. That was - that was good. She got some rest. Hebert kept her word.
Sophia's work phone was in a constant state of buzzing against her back in its pouch. She should have turned it off hours ago but - she slipped it out and powered it down. There.
Her nightmares had been… lonely. What it would be like. White walls, uniform hanging off her. Quietly eating the same shit day after day after day, the same routine, the same actions. Probably not Hebert's doing, her own mind was in a bad enough place without her help right now.
Her eyes felt red and puffy. Her heart felt like it'd be torn into pieces and tossed onto the freeway.
The first hint of Emma waking up was the smile pressed into her skin. The long intake of air through her nose, the yawn, and finally, more wriggling so she could stretch. "Mm-mmh, mornin', Soph." She blinked a few times. Realised she still had one arm wrapped around her. And then - oh so torturously - didn't move. Just accepted the contact. "You - you okay?"
She thought about lying. For a brief moment, she really considered it. "...no. No I'm really not Ems. And - I'm not going to be okay either."
"Soph - "
"Just - just listen to me, okay?" Because I don't think I can finish if you interrupt at all. "So, I uh. Ran into someone while I was out on patrol and Dallon had swung by to mack on her boytoy." The words choked her throat. Hebert's insistence that Emma would have pushed her into the locker for hours, wanted to. "Promise you won't do anything fucking stupid. Promise me."
Emma frowned, searched her face, but slowly nodded. "Sophia - you're worrying me. What happened?"
"Promise me, Ems."
"Okay, okay - I promise, I won't do anything stupid." But she still lacked conviction on her face.
It'd have to fucking do. "I ran into Hebert. As a cape, like I thought." Emma was opening her mouth, but Sophia pressed on, she'd told her she had to get this out in one go - "Her costume was kinda shit but - we. I recognised her, she recognised me. And we - and I made a deal, to get her to stop bothering you." Sophia licked her lips, swallowed. Everything felt so dry. "I… tell about every time I broke probation, and she stops with the nightmares on you."
Emma blinked, slowly, then bolted upright. "Fuck, but that'd mean - "
"Yeah, I'd be going to juvie."
"Sophia, no - !"
"It's worth it to keep you safe." Sophia swallowed again, and felt her voice drop soft before she could stop it. "Anything would be worth it to keep you safe. Because, uh. Emma. I kinda." She could do this, she could fucking - "I kinda love you. Just so you know. Romantic love. Or - something like it. I don't know. Point is, this keeps you safe and so - yeah, it wasn't even a real choice."
Emma was silent for so painfully long. This - this was it. This is where she got rejected, ties cut, nothing to look forward to when she got out of juvie, nothing to keep living for -
"Soph…"
"It's okay if you don't feel the same. I don't expect you to." Deep breath. She wasn't going to cry any more. "I just wanted you to know before I - go to jail and shit. S'a - what's the word. Unreciprocated, yeah? And that's - that's okay, because - "
"Sophia, you don't get to - drop all that on me and act like a martyr because - " Emma curled, buried her face against Sophia, and she tried not to revel in the contact because Emma sounded pissed - "You don't get to make a deal that you say is to save me and - " Fingers gripping tightly at her shirt, tears pressing through the fabric.
"I'm sorry. I would've talked to you about it if I'd had time."
"Don't leave me."
"I have to."
"You - fucking -" Emma headbutted her. "Why now? Why did you have to wait until I have to let you go to say you want me - want me like - ?" Want her like - oh. Oh. And it didn't sound - false, it sounded - "I don't know. I don't know what love is supposed to feel like. But you're the closest I think I've ever gotten to feeling it. I think. So - yes, I want you the same, and you can't - you can't leave me."
"I have to."
"No you don't! You don't have to! You don't even - just because you were right about one thing - and couldn't you just - "
Sophia shook her head. "No. I have to keep my word on this. Anything else - anything else gets you hurt." Her heart felt like it was going to burst through her throat, like it was going to rip itself out of her body as she leant forward and pressed her lips to Emma's forehead. "And I know you're a survivor. But part of surviving is. Is knowing when you need help to survive. When to fold."
"I won't come and visit you if you do this." Her voice was thick with anger and tears.
"That's fair."
"I'll bother the PRT call lines day and night."
"Don't be a dick to the office workers."
Emma gave a despairing, sobbing little laugh against her collarbone. "Why now? Why did it have to be now?"
"Because opportunities ambush us as much as we ambush them." She leaned in, and couldn't help herself. Just a quick peck that deepened as Emma pressed against her - it wasn't the best kiss Sophia had had, technically speaking, but it was probably her last for a while, and it was with the girl she had a crush on, so that made up for it pretty well. Especially when Emma's teeth dug into her lip and pulled -
She just… had to make sure of one thing. "So inviting me to join you in the shower wasn't you being oblivious?"
Emma's blush reached the roots of her hair. "T-testing the waters? I guess?"
"I've slept with you in your bed god knows how many times, and you had no idea if I was gay or homophobic or neither?" Just a moment of levity to shove everything else away. "Emma, I say this with all the love I have for you, but what the hell, girl?"
"I wasn't exactly thinking straight - "
"That's clear as day now - "
"I guess it was just - a thing in hindsight -" Emma squirmed against her. "I'd just had the worst nightmare of them all and I - I guess I was reaching out for what comforted me the most, even if I - oh my god I invited you to shower with me." She buried her face in Sophia's shoulder and let out an embarrassed whine.
"I didn't look." Well - "I did my best not to look. I…"
"Why didn't you - tell me earlier?"
"Cause - " Sophia took a deep breath. "I'll be completely honest. I figured if there was a sapphic bone in your body you were, uh, hung up on Hebert. Cause - you were right. Earlier, in the shower. I - don't know why we got so obsessed with her. I kinda always felt you were the driving force behind that, which is maybe unfair but. It was my way of explaining it to myself."
Emma said nothing for a while, before sighing. "Fuck me," she groaned, and Sophia had to resist the urge to rise to the bait. "This is - this is way too much to think through first thing in the morning."
"We could just…" Sophia shrugged gently. "Y'know. I'll have to go in and hold up my end of the deal sooner or later - as later as I can - but that… that still doesn't leave us with that much time. Never even got to take you out on a date."
Emma surprised her with a kiss - fierce, harsh, fiery - all those romantic words that were borderline erotic. "Then forget everything else and make this morning one to remember."
She could work with that.
-.-.-
When I woke up, Ranni was standing on my chest and glaring down at me. Light was streaming in through the curtains. My head felt like I'd slept under an anvil. My stomach ached fiercely. But the pain wasn't nearly as fierce as Ranni's expression.
"Uh…"
"What didst I tell thee about casting sorceries without a catalyst?"
"That I… shouldn't?" It wasn't like - it had just occurred to me that I'd learnt it from the skull bug, and I'd wanted to leave, to get away from the night air and Victoria's gentle, kind condemnations, and also show off for her a bit -
"I told thee that without a catalyst thou would crystalise thyself in its place." She shoved a chunk of glintstone I didn't recognise into my face. "Dost thou know what this is?"
"Uhhhhh. I'm going to assume me."
"Part of thy liver." She hurled the chunk at my head. Ow. "Dost thou know what it is like, to see one one cares for arrive out of nowhere and collapse, their midsection heaving with bulbous and blatant distortion, to have to surgically remove glintstone from where it tore into and transformed thy innards into a geode, and then heal the gaping chasm in thy torso?"
"I -" I curled my shoulders and couldn't meet her eyes. More things I was rushing into and fucking up. I should know better, I should - ! "I don't. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to put you through that."
"Those are not the only consequences which thou wilst face." Ranni floated off my chest and over to the door, opening it to reveal Dad, looking both thunderous and apoplectic with worry. "Sorceries do not lend well to healing, sister."
Ah. Double fuck.
"Do you want to explain to me your garb and what you were doing that caused you to attempt the fallen star's reach to return home?" Dad's voice was icy.
Maybe I could break that ice with humour? "I was, um. Showing off for a girl?"
Oh. Oh no. That did not work.
"Oh, dear fool sister," murmured Ranni. I almost didn't hear her because Dad was advancing on me, gold spiking and arcing off her skin like sunspots, like lightning. "Thou shalt be remembered fondly."
"What girl."
-.-.-
In which Taylor takes 'Be Gay Do Crime' in the wrong direction. Which is crimes against physics.
Special thanks to prime beta Lucky38, Canon Overlord @Ganurath, @hellgodsrus for being my loveliest wife and co-author, and @SolarFlare for being our wonderful supportive girlfriend! And our many friends on the Totally Chatting It discord for their fantastic livereads!
Enjoy and gib feedbacc!
3.4
Be Thou Mine Greatest Ally
-.-.-
Be Thou Mine Greatest Ally
-.-.-
My first reaction was dread, followed by pain, followed by stifling the Flame of Ruin before it could do more than flicker up my fingers. I'd trusted her when she said she'd be waiting for a yell before sticking her nose in. Heroes. Always say one thing, do another. "How much of that private conversation did you listen in on, exactly?" Maybe it was the alley that was colder, or maybe it was just the flame burning under my skin.
She raised her hands, but a frown still flickered on her face. "None. I didn't listen but I did stay nearby since you two were both being really suspicious, and then you two had a really suspicious conversation - which I couldn't hear any of, but your body language was weird. Then she took off her mask in front of you and fucked off."
I wasn't entirely sure I believed her. "Turns out we know each other." I grunted, "Outside of playing hyper violent dress-up." I flexed my hands, feeling my seal flicker in and out of existence. "Getting press-ganged into the Wards didn't curb her psychopathic tendencies in the slightest." I pushed off the wall and rolled my shoulders. They felt as tense as the conversation. "Just another sterling example of why I don't trust the PRT and their goosesteppers."
"Okay, woah. Back up several steps. Empyrean. You know her in her civilian life. And you two talked about that. And you - really don't like her."
"It's not an exaggeration to say she's why I'm diving head-first into cape life to get out of my normal one." I folded my arms. "If all I'd needed to do to get her to back the fuck off was kill a few Nazis we'd be missing some classmates."
"Empyrean. Taylor." Her voice softened and she floated lower. "Whatever you two talked about, it looked - okay, I'm going to be very blunt, so, apologies. It looked like you forced a black hero into a confrontation where you said - something that upset her, while you're shaking with rage, and have some sort of history with the Empire. I'm not - saying anything yet. But it looks very bad. And I'd like some sort of explanation, even if it's just that it's stuff to do with - your personal life, or home life, or something."
I blinked, and frowned. "... are you accusing me of being Empire? What the fuck? You remember the lecture you gave me for killing a half-dozen of them, right? The only history I could have with them was me or my parents getting targeted by them."
"I'm not saying that. I'm saying I don't know what I saw. Again! Feel free to tell me to fuck off, but - if it caused Shadow Stalker to ditch patrol, or anything else, I would like, as your ally, an explanation I can give to Gallant."
"I'm not sure that's possible." I groaned, and ran a hand through my hair. "It's all - civilian stuff. All of it. I can - I can tell you what happened but I don't know if it's something you'd be able to share without breaking those rules you told me about." Despite the mistrust, despite the way she stayed close enough to watch, even if she didn't listen in, despite all that - I wanted to tell someone. Someone who could maybe do something about it. Someone who might fight at my side instead of against me.
"Okay. You don't have to tell me then. I get that she's - kinda abrasive, and. Maybe I had things the wrong way round, maybe she's - related to why you hate the Empire another way."
What. I blinked. "I'm sorry, are you implying I have a crush on her?"
"What? No! I thought - " Victoria rolled her shoulders, looking away. "It's - okay, so. I've been assuming. Maybe wrongly. That part of the reason you hate the Empire. Is your sexuality? And - I don't think it's likely, but I suppose it's possible that, in civilian life, she was maybe kinda homophobic about that, or about - "
"Oh, no, I'm gay as fuck, but she's a fucking psychotic bitch." I shook my head quickly. "Rough can be hot, but abusive is not. And I'm - pretty sure she's gay too, but no, god no. I would not even consider hatefucking her."
Victoria opened her mouth and closed it. "O-kay. More information than I wanted. My fault."
"Er. Yeah. Sorry, that just -" Fell out of my mouth without being filtered because I hate her. "Look, if you want the story, fine, I can share it, but it's… it's not something for ground level where people might listen in."
"... if you're not comfortable telling me - "
"It's not like that stopped you earlier." I scowled at the ground. "But at least this way I can - keep you from making more assumptions."
She floated a little closer, her hand reaching out in echoes, not reaching out. I saw the contortions her expression might go through. But, in reality, she just sighed, and said, "I'm sorry. You two just - you both have tempers, and I wanted both of you to be safe. I'm sorry if you feel like I'm prying. I'm sorry I am prying. Again, you can just tell me to fuck off. But if not - that highrise there's pretty private I think. The roof is, anyway."
I swallowed down the flames and nodded. "I'll. See you up there."
"Okay." My echovision overlapped with reality as she rocketed up and towards the indicated building. Before pausing mid-air and dashing off towards the corner where we'd all left Gallant behind. Probably would be a good idea to let him know he was on his own now.
Just like I was stuck alone, trying to figure out what to say - everything - agonising over how to say it - bluntly, because what other way is there? - as I started the long trek up the building's fire escape.
Did I start at the beginning? With Emma being the closest relationship I'd ever had with a human? Or where Sophia came into it, being the worst example of a human being I could think of? But half of what she did - the half driven by Emma - I didn't want Victoria to assume I'd done something to Emma that -
I didn't want her thinking I was the bad guy getting my comeuppance. Because I wasn't. I was the victim that miraculously gained the power to fight back and did.
It was kind of sad how many stories like that I'd read online. Movies like Carrie, Matilda, anything that had the bullies finally get what they deserved.
And I'd… have to tell her about why I wasn't going to school anymore. Everything. Even Dad, I'd only told a portion of the story. Left parts out because there were some things too painful to share, too painful to imagine the consequences of sharing with her. My heart raced with… anticipation? Dread?
When I got to the top, she was there, waiting for me. I took a deep breath, sat down next to her, and just let it all spill out.
-.-.-
It's for Emma.
Fuck her.
It's for Emma.
FUCK HER.
It's for Emma.
Getting caught, she could deal with. Fight against it but still get locked away. Out of her hands, not her responsibility anymore.
But this - that bitch - this was so much worse. She had a chance to say goodbye. And face the disappointment of everyone she cared for, disappointment in her for doing the things she'd done, disappointment in her for confessing to those things - and if she didn't say goodbye? Just up and vanished and let them be told by the PRT that she'd turned herself in?
They'd all hate her. She didn't care about most of them, but there were still some bridges she wasn't quite ready to burn just yet. She'd get around to it.
She hated Hebert. It was so tempting to just put a bolt through her brain and be done with it, but no, she had to go and be a half-decent person in the end, killing Nazis and showing no remorse for it. Catching herself liking Empyrean before the realisation she was Hebert kicked in.
And it wasn't even like she - no, she did personally dislike Hebert now. But she hadn't before. It hadn't really been personal beyond Emma wants this done. It would have been now. If she travelled back in time to her younger self, it would have been.
But Sophia was a hero. And she'd made a deal. She'd made the sacrifice to keep people safe.
Keep Emma safe.
The strong get to push around the weak.
Sophia was strong. Emma was a survivor. She was strong before she had her powers, and Emma didn't need them. Hebert's strength was - false. Yeah.
… no, that was stupid. Hebert had a spine regardless of if it was power induced or not, and she'd clearly been through something and survived, or she wouldn't have powers. She hadn't curled up afterwards, so - fuck. All of this, everything, over fucking nothing, over a spot assessment she'd made and turned out to be wrong about. Who'd have thought a few seconds would fuck up her entire life?
Should she confess to Emma? Get it out there, find out if the feeling was mutual after all? Or just - let it simmer. Let it stay in the back of her mind, a constant wonder as she was left in a cell to rot.
No, that sounded awful. Definitely tell her. Make it clear she wasn't expecting anything, just - it was only fair to let Emma know. Not that there'd be a good way to say it. Hey, Ems, so I'm going to go get myself thrown in jail or else Hebert will continue to torture you - by the way I have the biggest, gayest crush on you. Anyway, off to go get fitted for my jumpsuit!
And Mum. And Terry. Had to tell them about this shit too. Fuck she didn't want to, Mum would make such a fuss, and Terry was such a dick. She didn't trust her family. She didn't like them. It was why she hadn't unmasked to them til the government forced her to. Mum had been the one to be with Him, and Terry, her older brother, who'd been old enough he could have done something, had done jack shit. So - she'd have to tell them, but fuck both of them, honestly.
Anna though. She was just a kid. She wouldn't understand.
Fuck.
Emma first. Spend time with her, then get talking to her family out of the way, and… and then go report herself to Armsmaster or whoever she walked into first. She'd probably be getting another lecture for going off patrol on her own - again, yet another thing she wasn't meant to be doing under probation - so she might just do it then. Rad.
Emma first. Hebert had told her to wait until tomorrow - she'd assume she meant business hours, and if Hebert took that as breaking their deal then fuck her - and she was going to spend as much of the time til then as she could with Emma.
Given her luck lately, there was a good chance Emma might just think this goodbye was a hallucination from the sleep deprivation. She hoped not. But at the same time… it might be easier.
No. Emma was strong. Emma was a survivor. Emma would get it and Sophia'd get out of juvie in a few years - like, okay, maybe this was breaking the spirit of the deal but the stuff she'd done to break probation wasn't as illegal as the stuff she'd done before she'd joined the Wards, so she'd be being hit with the sentence she'd have had if she didn't take the deal, with less of a chance for parole, so not too bad - and they'd meet up again. She wouldn't let this beat her.
Sophia phased through the window, landing softly on the carpet. Emma was sleeping soundly. No twitches, jerks, or soft whimpers. No seizing or puking.
Seemed like Hebert kept up her end of the deal, fuck. So she - just had to wake her up and tell her that she was leaving and wouldn't see her again except through glass if Emma visited for years -
No, she wasn't going to cry, damnit!
She wasn't - she wasn't going to -
She dumped her gear on the floor, unfastened her cape, and crawled into the bed with Emma, clung tightly around her as she cried, muffling sobs in the arms that held her back. Clenching her teeth as tightly as she could because He might hear her, somehow, curling into the warmth and light and love that she didn't deserve, that she had to fight and claw for because otherwise how could she know it was hers.
And she'd woken Emma anyway. "Mmm… Soph?" Head butting forward, pressing their faces together. "Is it morning already?" she murmured, pulling the covers up and pressing herself deeper into the embrace.
Fuck, what was she meant to say? 'Go back to sleep, Emma,' and waste what precious time she had left? "Nah, not morning yet." Fuck, her voice was all - fucked up sounding - "Get some rest, Ems, you fuckin' - need it."
"My hero~" Emma cooed, yawned, and buried her face in Sophia's neck, wriggling to get comfortable.
Why. Why did she have to have emotions like this. Was Emma - was she truly not aware of what she did to her? Or maybe Sophia was the dense one. Getting invited to share the shower wasn't a normal friend thing, was it? That was just - that was just the rose-tinted glasses speaking.
Don't be a coward. "I - I need to tell you something, Ems." Her throat felt full and slick and sticky. "It's - kinda important. Get some rest first, yeah?"
The soft sound of Emma's pulse against her skin, the feeling of even breathing.
I have to give this up, for your sake.
-.-.-
It was.
It was a lot.
Victoria didn't think Taylor was lying. Skirting around things - civilian names, in most cases, though she'd slipped up once or twice with some of them - but not lying. She wasn't perfect at reading people, but - no. Victoria had seen Taylor lie, and she was really bad at it - see her feeble excuses to talk to Shadow Stalker in private. The blank look on Taylor's face as she recounted just one day -
But Taylor's dull eyed recitation didn't stop at one day. It didn't stop at one week, one month, one year.
And none of it really explained why she'd talked to Shadow Stalker. What that conversation had been about. Victoria could guess but she didn't - know. She'd seen it - struggled, after debating with Dean, and finally found a spot high enough in the air that she could keep an eye on the two of them, but not hear their words. She could hear their tone though and the tension…
Well, that was hardly surprising on Taylor's end. How the fuck had Shadow Stalker's case officer missed this? How had the school missed any of this? Victoria had been bullied herself but never like this, never on this scale - she felt ashamed to even think of what had come before The Basketball Game as bullying.
And Taylor had fucking - dropped out of education. Which -
So her theories weren't correct, maybe. She'd thought - that Empyrean's family had been Empire, maybe, that they'd found out her sexuality and that had been - but while she still skirted around the idea of family when she was paying attention it was clear they were close. It just didn't make sense, and she still didn't know - whether she could trust Empyrean, who held her trauma so frustratingly, sympathetically tight to her that just asking would cause a blowup that Victoria didn't want, she didn't want to hurt Taylor more, or drive her away from heroing -
"So… yeah. That's pretty much all of it." Taylor's heavy exhalation was audible past her knees as she curled in tighter to herself. "The locker was the last straw, I haven't been back since. Because, well…" She uncurled, just enough to hold up her hand, revealing the hot, awful red fire wrapping round it. "My powers have an emotional link, and betrayal, it… it's fire and explosions. All consuming. Harder to control. I can't go back, not without becoming national news for all the wrong reasons. And realising that - that one of them was a hero? A Ward? How am I meant to trust again? Who am I meant to trust?"
Victoria pushed her cape nerdery aside - she could ask questions about Taylor's power later. "Yeah. I'm so sorry that happened to you, Taylor. And - if you're not going back, are you looking into - taking your SATs outside of school, or getting a GED, or something vocational…?" She could focus on the practicalities for now. Work Taylor back round to the question about what she and Stalker had actually talked about. Victoria could go home and scream into her pillow - or into Dean's shoulder - about how fucked up this city and everyone in it was later.
"I mean… I'm learning from family, and it's not like capes get into boring office jobs." Taylor shrugged, slumping again. "I guess villains might, but most heroes - Protectorate's a full time thing, isn't it?"
Learning from family? "Not really. Not always. And you're - not Protectorate, as you pointed out earlier. I'm maybe not the one to be saying this, but you shouldn't let being a cape - no matter how cool it is - define your entire life. Not without knowing your other options first." Victoria worked her lip between her teeth. God, of course she fucking got it, of course Taylor would want the - the seeming escapism of caping, the ability to physically punch away her problems.
Except she hadn't with Stalker, had she? Unless - lots of different ways to attack someone.
"It's… I know you're right about that, but." Taylor shuffled, pulling her hoodie further over her head as she curled up. "Figuring out other options takes time. Effort. It's a risk I'm not sure I'm willing to take again. Not yet."
She felt a sudden, awful impulse to offer to help, to offer herself utterly to helping this girl who'd never had anyone offer before - but you can't make other people's mental health your responsibility, that's cruel and it'll be stressful and place undue burdens on your friendship with her, if you even have a friendship and aren't just desperately trying to tame a tiger - "What was it you and Shadow Stalker talked about, then? If she was one of these girls who was bullying you."
"Her friend, the ringleader - " Taylor had been careful about names, even as she'd pulled down her bandanna, describing each person in a way that reminded Victoria a little of Strange Case, but Emma Barnes had slipped out once, and once was enough. " - she's apparently been suffering some pretty bad nightmares, and Stalker is convinced I'm the one doing that."
"Are you?"
Taylor snorted. "If I was the one doing anything to her, the entire city block would know when they turned around and saw the crater. That boulder I crushed a guy with?" Thank you for that reminder. "I think about throwing a boulder at her and… it's like throwing a grenade. The fire, I mean. So many poor trees." She sighed softly. "But more to the point I don't - I don't have any non-physical thing I can do yet, let alone at that kind of distance. Don't get me wrong, if she is suffering, I wholly believe she deserves it, and I wish I could be the one to deliver that karma, but I can't."
Victoria grimaced a little, because - at least Taylor understood that wasn't a healthy mindset. God I can't believe that's the standard I'm setting this. "So. Stalker blamed you for that. And you had things she did, that - you hate her for…" She hadn't wanted to use the word hate. But it seemed to be - the best way to describe it. Fuck this was a mess. Please, Taylor, Empyrean, just - tell me what you and Shadow Stalker talked about that made her look so defeated and then leave?
Taylor huffed, head slumping back down, cheeks resting on her knees. And even curled in a ball like this, Victoria barely reached her shoulder. "Yeah. So she wanted - asked what it would take to get me to stop, as though I hadn't just spent the first half of that talk telling her it's not me, and I -" Taylor breathed slowly for a moment. "I don't know. Taunted her over it a little. If she's strong, she'll survive it, she'll solve the problem herself, because that was why they tortured me. Because I apparently wasn't strong. And 'it's the right of the strong to fuck over the weak,' which I don't believe in the slightest -"
"Taylor - please."
"Right." A deep breath. "So I told her if she went ahead and confessed her crimes, I'd try my best to stop whatever's causing the nightmares, because it wasn't me, and she still took that to mean I'd stop doing it." Taylor gave a small, defeated chuckle. "So, if I kept to the letter and the spirit of the deal she offered, I'm already done."
Victoria breathed out slowly, into the cold night of the Bay. "So. You blackmailed her. Or made a deal, rather, that you don't intend to fulfil." Blackmail, which was of course illegal, and involving a Ward and their identity, which made it even more full of fuck.
"Oh, no, I do," Taylor said, almost flippantly, and Victoria resisted the urge to lean over and smack her round the back of the head. "I don't want to be like them, so I will actually put the effort in to stop her nightmares. And how is it blackmail? I thought that was like - do X or else I'll do Y?"
"I'm pretty sure it also covers 'do the thing or else I won't do the thing'. Though maybe that's more extortion." Victoria worked her hands a little. "Why did she - think you're the one sending the nightmares? Why would you agree to a deal you can't fulfil - one which is going to - it could cause you so many problems, Taylor, especially if the PRT try and talk to you and somehow piss off your family."
Taylor grunted unhappily. "Because before winter break, I was a beanpole, and after, I was - well, stupidly buff, like when we went out for pizza. Ergo, I must be a cape, ergo I must be responsible for the nightmares, like - I'm pretty clearly a brute, not a… a… I can't remember what word that threat rating thing uses for mind fuckery that isn't - y'know, mind control. Thinker? Either way, she was doing illegal things as a hero, why is it so wrong to get her to face justice for it?" She sounded so confused, almost like a lost puppy. Why is what I did bad? Just like murdering Nazis - consequences, Taylor!
"Empyrean." She tried to keep her voice gentle. "I'm not stupid. Whoever your family is, they're dangerous. I don't know if they're capes or not - "
"Not capes. Not in the way - not like that." Taylor grumbled quietly, looking away and tightening her arms around her knees.
"But still powerful." Victoria chewed her lip. "Are… are they causing the nightmares?" Maybe paying someone, though she couldn't think of any mercenaries with -
"Dad is."
"What."
Taylor ducked her head - "I'm just - they're not - they grew up under different values, different laws. I had to talk Dad down from ending her entire family tree, uh - 'to the third remove'? I think? - down to just the nightmares. When - he found out what was causing my power to start burning me, while training, I - " she gestured to herself, opening up slightly, almost like a flower. "I feel like wiping out her family tree would be overreacting, right? Emma did this, the rest of her family is, hopefully, innocent in all this. And after the locker - keeping him from blowing up the school because they were still there. Dad is just - really quick to choose violence." She looked away. "It was - it was the best I could do. To try and keep the collateral damage of innocent lives to a minimum."
"So your dad… has powers too, then?" Had that part of her stupid theory been right? She couldn't - Victoria couldn't address the rest of that yet. What would you do - what could you do in a situation like that? She hadn't ever been part of it, for obvious reasons, but in the early grades, kids would always be pretending their parents were famous heroes - but what if your parents were villains, or just villainous? And to be left with a choice like that -
"We all do. Not that I learned any of this until just before Christmas when my eyes turned silver."
Victoria blinked. Physical changes coming with powers weren't unheard of, but this sounded like she'd simply woken up and been different, without a trigger event despite her description of the bullying, or maybe she was just being somewhat opaque again…
"I mean - " Taylor's eyes met hers - and yes, they were silver. Unnaturally shimmering silver. Vibrant to the point of glowing, even if they didn't seem to give off light. "They used to be grey. Then they were silver, then I was suddenly buff, and - then I found out Dad's got superpowers and I can be taught them, and my sister's suddenly here and - it's all kind of overwhelming."
Suddenly here… different values and laws… and they don't know anything about cape life, or Empyrean didn't… Well. Her last crazy idea hadn't been completely wrong. And she still hadn't resolved the - the blackmailing situation, or the fact that Taylor's dad was apparently blasting someone with horrifying nightmares, but.
"Taylor." She licked her lips, thankful that her forcefield prevented them from getting too chapped by windchill. "Taylor are - is your family from an alternate reality?"
"I've said too much." Taylor bit her lip hard enough that there was a sound like grinding stone. "Just - don't share that around, please. I was raised here, so I - I'm not always sure. What exactly the customs they're used to are like, but trying to mediate them is - " She stopped, something panic in her flat silver eyes. "They're not - they're not bad. They're just - used to a much more violent way of life. Maybe - maybe you'd understand them, me, a bit better if you met them. Sometime?"
"Maybe." Victoria's fingers worked against each other, slick from her forcefield, sliding together like some awful executive toy. I really don't think I want to meet a family of villains from an alternate universe. "But I won't tell. I promise."
"Thank you." The tension - most of it - left Taylor's shoulders as she relaxed, legs slipping out of her arms. "Everything's just so… I don't know how to handle it. I haven't even told Dad I've gone out caping yet, and now I've got to explain this, the PRT maybe visiting, all the stuff you said before…" She looked up at the sky with a small grimace. "And get Dad to stop the nightmares."
"Take things one step at a time." It might not be the most relevant advice but it was the best she could offer. "Start with getting him to stop the nightmares, lead into the caping talk and everything relating to it when he asks why. And - if he used to be a cape back… wherever your family might have come from. That might be a way to try and explain things to him."
"Yeah… yeah, I'll try that. Thanks, Victoria." Taylor smiled weakly, then pulled the bandana back up. "I'm - sorry for dumping my life's story on you like that. I definitely owe you."
"Sometimes you need someone to vent to. And it sounds like you haven't had anyone - other than your family - in a while." She punched Taylor's shoulder as gently as she could, hoping that none of the - turmoil and frustration she felt leaked into the blow. It's not Taylor's fault she was brought up like this. "Pay me back by listening to me complain about my family next time, okay?" She took a deep breath. "And by not blackmailing anyone else. Please. I'm - if she has really committed crimes, like, illegal crimes, her case officer and the PRT should know, but you shouldn't have blackmailed her to do it. Yeah?"
"Mrgh." Taylor grunted unhappily. "They should know. Her case worker probably does know. Lodging complaints the official way only got me branded as an attention seeker, so Blackwell fucking well knows."
"Then that's something that will be dealt with. Leave it alone. You - you yourself said you want to leave it in your past. Don't pick at it any more. And if anything like this comes up again. Don't use blackmail or threats of violence - mental, physical, psychological - to get what you want. Please." I don't want to have to take you down, Empyrean.
"I get that but - if I hadn't, Stalker would still be free to - and nobody would ever find out about the corruption until it was too late for someone else." Taylor huffed heavily, throwing her hands up. "The fact that I could have just beat her up, dragged her ass to the police station, and told them about her crimes would have caused me less trouble than getting her to confess - and Emma would still get nightmares - is just… utterly baffling."
"Actually, you still would have gotten in trouble. I don't - I understand your interactions with authority have been different, but due process and laws exist for a reason, yeah? You yourself were talking earlier about how - how the fact that heroes are accountable makes them less likely to do brutality in law enforcement than the police."
"Less trouble, though." Taylor grumbled. "I - ugh, I know, but - this whole situation just sucks and I hate it. I hate her and everyone that let her get away with it for so long."
"That's fair," Victoria said, quiet enough she was worried the wind might have whisked away her words. "But don't - don't let it bring you down to their level."
"I'm - I'm trying. Failing spectacularly, so far, but I'm trying." Taylor stood up, stretching, leaning against the AC unit - it creaked worriedly for a moment until she stopped and looked back - "Hope I didn't just leave a butt-print on that…"
"Once you're a big and famous hero, you can probably sell that butt-print for a mint." Victoria quirked her lips a little. "Don't forget where you left it."
That somehow startled a laugh out of her. "Right. I'll - I'll definitely do that. Sorry for, um. Dumping my life's shitty story on you. And the whole… blackmailing extortion thing. I'll do better - I mean, I won't do that again. Next time. Assuming there is a next time which is a bit defeatist of me I guess but - um. yeah."
Well, she couldn't really say it's no problem, so she settled for, "It's okay."
"I'll probably be grounded for this but if you ever want me to pay you back just - flick me a text and I'll sneak out for you." And then she gave her a little wink with her tired smile and jumped off the edge of the rooftop -
Wait. Taylor couldn't fly! Victoria launched herself into the air after her, but - there was just a tiny dot of purple and gold where Taylor should have been, so small she almost could have imagined it.
… okay, then maybe she could teleport.
Of course I run into Eidolon junior, daughter of a villain and immigrant from Earth Gimel - Dalet? Earth Tav, whatever. Of course I take the fall for her killing Nazis, something I wish it was okay to do. Of course I end up - tacitly endorsing her blackmailing a Ward and covering for her again about her family and that. Fuck.
Victoria groaned and banged her head against her knees a bit. It was time to go find Dean again and curl up in his arms until her head stopped hurting and she thought she knew what the right thing to do was.
Of course.
-.-.-
Morning came.
She opened her eyes, and Emma was still leaning peacefully against her. Still sleeping, not jolted awake every few hours. That was - that was good. She got some rest. Hebert kept her word.
Sophia's work phone was in a constant state of buzzing against her back in its pouch. She should have turned it off hours ago but - she slipped it out and powered it down. There.
Her nightmares had been… lonely. What it would be like. White walls, uniform hanging off her. Quietly eating the same shit day after day after day, the same routine, the same actions. Probably not Hebert's doing, her own mind was in a bad enough place without her help right now.
Her eyes felt red and puffy. Her heart felt like it'd be torn into pieces and tossed onto the freeway.
The first hint of Emma waking up was the smile pressed into her skin. The long intake of air through her nose, the yawn, and finally, more wriggling so she could stretch. "Mm-mmh, mornin', Soph." She blinked a few times. Realised she still had one arm wrapped around her. And then - oh so torturously - didn't move. Just accepted the contact. "You - you okay?"
She thought about lying. For a brief moment, she really considered it. "...no. No I'm really not Ems. And - I'm not going to be okay either."
"Soph - "
"Just - just listen to me, okay?" Because I don't think I can finish if you interrupt at all. "So, I uh. Ran into someone while I was out on patrol and Dallon had swung by to mack on her boytoy." The words choked her throat. Hebert's insistence that Emma would have pushed her into the locker for hours, wanted to. "Promise you won't do anything fucking stupid. Promise me."
Emma frowned, searched her face, but slowly nodded. "Sophia - you're worrying me. What happened?"
"Promise me, Ems."
"Okay, okay - I promise, I won't do anything stupid." But she still lacked conviction on her face.
It'd have to fucking do. "I ran into Hebert. As a cape, like I thought." Emma was opening her mouth, but Sophia pressed on, she'd told her she had to get this out in one go - "Her costume was kinda shit but - we. I recognised her, she recognised me. And we - and I made a deal, to get her to stop bothering you." Sophia licked her lips, swallowed. Everything felt so dry. "I… tell about every time I broke probation, and she stops with the nightmares on you."
Emma blinked, slowly, then bolted upright. "Fuck, but that'd mean - "
"Yeah, I'd be going to juvie."
"Sophia, no - !"
"It's worth it to keep you safe." Sophia swallowed again, and felt her voice drop soft before she could stop it. "Anything would be worth it to keep you safe. Because, uh. Emma. I kinda." She could do this, she could fucking - "I kinda love you. Just so you know. Romantic love. Or - something like it. I don't know. Point is, this keeps you safe and so - yeah, it wasn't even a real choice."
Emma was silent for so painfully long. This - this was it. This is where she got rejected, ties cut, nothing to look forward to when she got out of juvie, nothing to keep living for -
"Soph…"
"It's okay if you don't feel the same. I don't expect you to." Deep breath. She wasn't going to cry any more. "I just wanted you to know before I - go to jail and shit. S'a - what's the word. Unreciprocated, yeah? And that's - that's okay, because - "
"Sophia, you don't get to - drop all that on me and act like a martyr because - " Emma curled, buried her face against Sophia, and she tried not to revel in the contact because Emma sounded pissed - "You don't get to make a deal that you say is to save me and - " Fingers gripping tightly at her shirt, tears pressing through the fabric.
"I'm sorry. I would've talked to you about it if I'd had time."
"Don't leave me."
"I have to."
"You - fucking -" Emma headbutted her. "Why now? Why did you have to wait until I have to let you go to say you want me - want me like - ?" Want her like - oh. Oh. And it didn't sound - false, it sounded - "I don't know. I don't know what love is supposed to feel like. But you're the closest I think I've ever gotten to feeling it. I think. So - yes, I want you the same, and you can't - you can't leave me."
"I have to."
"No you don't! You don't have to! You don't even - just because you were right about one thing - and couldn't you just - "
Sophia shook her head. "No. I have to keep my word on this. Anything else - anything else gets you hurt." Her heart felt like it was going to burst through her throat, like it was going to rip itself out of her body as she leant forward and pressed her lips to Emma's forehead. "And I know you're a survivor. But part of surviving is. Is knowing when you need help to survive. When to fold."
"I won't come and visit you if you do this." Her voice was thick with anger and tears.
"That's fair."
"I'll bother the PRT call lines day and night."
"Don't be a dick to the office workers."
Emma gave a despairing, sobbing little laugh against her collarbone. "Why now? Why did it have to be now?"
"Because opportunities ambush us as much as we ambush them." She leaned in, and couldn't help herself. Just a quick peck that deepened as Emma pressed against her - it wasn't the best kiss Sophia had had, technically speaking, but it was probably her last for a while, and it was with the girl she had a crush on, so that made up for it pretty well. Especially when Emma's teeth dug into her lip and pulled -
She just… had to make sure of one thing. "So inviting me to join you in the shower wasn't you being oblivious?"
Emma's blush reached the roots of her hair. "T-testing the waters? I guess?"
"I've slept with you in your bed god knows how many times, and you had no idea if I was gay or homophobic or neither?" Just a moment of levity to shove everything else away. "Emma, I say this with all the love I have for you, but what the hell, girl?"
"I wasn't exactly thinking straight - "
"That's clear as day now - "
"I guess it was just - a thing in hindsight -" Emma squirmed against her. "I'd just had the worst nightmare of them all and I - I guess I was reaching out for what comforted me the most, even if I - oh my god I invited you to shower with me." She buried her face in Sophia's shoulder and let out an embarrassed whine.
"I didn't look." Well - "I did my best not to look. I…"
"Why didn't you - tell me earlier?"
"Cause - " Sophia took a deep breath. "I'll be completely honest. I figured if there was a sapphic bone in your body you were, uh, hung up on Hebert. Cause - you were right. Earlier, in the shower. I - don't know why we got so obsessed with her. I kinda always felt you were the driving force behind that, which is maybe unfair but. It was my way of explaining it to myself."
Emma said nothing for a while, before sighing. "Fuck me," she groaned, and Sophia had to resist the urge to rise to the bait. "This is - this is way too much to think through first thing in the morning."
"We could just…" Sophia shrugged gently. "Y'know. I'll have to go in and hold up my end of the deal sooner or later - as later as I can - but that… that still doesn't leave us with that much time. Never even got to take you out on a date."
Emma surprised her with a kiss - fierce, harsh, fiery - all those romantic words that were borderline erotic. "Then forget everything else and make this morning one to remember."
She could work with that.
-.-.-
When I woke up, Ranni was standing on my chest and glaring down at me. Light was streaming in through the curtains. My head felt like I'd slept under an anvil. My stomach ached fiercely. But the pain wasn't nearly as fierce as Ranni's expression.
"Uh…"
"What didst I tell thee about casting sorceries without a catalyst?"
"That I… shouldn't?" It wasn't like - it had just occurred to me that I'd learnt it from the skull bug, and I'd wanted to leave, to get away from the night air and Victoria's gentle, kind condemnations, and also show off for her a bit -
"I told thee that without a catalyst thou would crystalise thyself in its place." She shoved a chunk of glintstone I didn't recognise into my face. "Dost thou know what this is?"
"Uhhhhh. I'm going to assume me."
"Part of thy liver." She hurled the chunk at my head. Ow. "Dost thou know what it is like, to see one one cares for arrive out of nowhere and collapse, their midsection heaving with bulbous and blatant distortion, to have to surgically remove glintstone from where it tore into and transformed thy innards into a geode, and then heal the gaping chasm in thy torso?"
"I -" I curled my shoulders and couldn't meet her eyes. More things I was rushing into and fucking up. I should know better, I should - ! "I don't. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to put you through that."
"Those are not the only consequences which thou wilst face." Ranni floated off my chest and over to the door, opening it to reveal Dad, looking both thunderous and apoplectic with worry. "Sorceries do not lend well to healing, sister."
Ah. Double fuck.
"Do you want to explain to me your garb and what you were doing that caused you to attempt the fallen star's reach to return home?" Dad's voice was icy.
Maybe I could break that ice with humour? "I was, um. Showing off for a girl?"
Oh. Oh no. That did not work.
"Oh, dear fool sister," murmured Ranni. I almost didn't hear her because Dad was advancing on me, gold spiking and arcing off her skin like sunspots, like lightning. "Thou shalt be remembered fondly."
"What girl."
-.-.-
XiaoYueMao
小月猫《🌙🐈》
- Pronouns
- She/Her/It
Not gonna lie, i think Vicky is uh, overcompensating on the heroic angle, she thinks its villainous to convince someone to admit to their crimes? detectives do much more extortiony things to convince suspects to admit things, so IDK how vicky could think that's villainous. liked the chapter, just think its kinda weird that she seems to have a black and white mindset thats probably even worse than carols, and shes explicitly known for that. and its also not illegal or a crime to make a deal you cant actually follow through on, at worst you lose reputation and trust, but its not actually a crime lol
Totally honest answer: *they're not from an alternate earth.*
Not sure you would win, and you definitely would regret it when her family comes swinging.
Funniest thing: it's true.
- Pronouns
- Masculine
Well. Whatever else? Vicky is very much Carol Dallon's daughter here.
Too much time spent with Carol's black and white worldview.
Too much time spent with Carol's black and white worldview.
XiaoYueMao
小月猫《🌙🐈》
- Pronouns
- She/Her/It
yeah, but on the flip side, carols a lawyer, surely vicky would have picked up the more obvious legal things, like, "making a deal you cant follow through isnt illegal" or "pressuring a criminal to admit to their crimes also isnt illegal in and of itself" and some of vickys thoughts like "i dont want to have to take you down" or references to villainy gives off the impression that vicky actually unironically thinks those are crimes, and not just crimes, but serious enough ones that vicky thinks she would personally have to take her down asap eventually, like huh? black and white worldview or not, shes coming off a bit extreme there, like shes some kind of paladin/cleric to a goddess of light in some dnd world
- Pronouns
- Masculine
Carol is a lawyer, yes, but we've never seen just how good or how bad a lawyer she is.
Sadly, with her issues? She is probably a very bad one.
But yeah, you have a point. Vicky is being PAINFULLY naive here. But then, she is a god damn teenager who has grown up in a toxic household and hasn't seen enough real life to know the truth of things.
Plus she is so indoctrinated to Cauldron and the general cultural zietgiest about how heroes and villains are supposed to react. She doesn't realize that heroes are Peacekeepers and Villains are Terrorists in all but name.
Edit:
And here comes Taylor with her out of context worldview... of adventurers and heroes and gods and monsters.
Really, its all painful to deal with. But that is one of the core points of Worm as a whole.
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Lagoon12002
How far have I fell down into this deep deep sea
That's the fun part Vicky, they were the 'good guys'.
...The most likely person that Vicky is going to go to to vent to is most likely Amy, and her opinions on Taylor are going to be interesting. And by interesting I mean that if Amy is under the impression that Vicky is being manipulated or is in danger by being close to Taylor, she's telling the rest of New Wave at minimum about the alternate-earth villain family that has gone under the radar (for very good reasons, even if those reasons are more about not having to conquer cities and slaughter armies to get a modicum of peace and quiet).
XiaoYueMao
小月猫《🌙🐈》
- Pronouns
- She/Her/It
thats funny too, because she made that assumption of them being villains just because taylor says her dad is violent and quick to use violent methods....... as if heros dont do that, surely, Alexandria McPunch the Issues, totally doesnt exist as a hero. she has absolutely no context there for why her dad resorts to violence for problems, for all she knows their universe is like, a plaything for something like Nilbog and the few survivors had to learn to be brutal to survive (they are "refugees" for a reason afterall, though not for that reason but she doesnt know that).
which again points into my earlier comment about her overcompensating. for literally everything taylor does or says vickys first assumptions is always evil, evil, villainous, amoral, evil, and a bit more evil. literally she even assumed Taylor McObviously Gay was empire because she...... had a disagreement with someone who happened to be black? what? how does that even compute? it just comes across as odd, not even carol has that black and white of a worldview in canon, in fact i dont think in this entire story Vicky has even had a first, or even second assumption for anything taylor did or saying having heroic or moral reasons behind it. even her second assumption for taylor and sophias disagreement after "taylor being empire" got tossed our was taylors family was empire.
anyway i cant wait for the inevitable "we have to take down the villain family from an alternative universe" despite the fact that 1. crimes dont transfer jurisdictions like that, even if they were genuine villains on some other earth, they havent commited any crimes HERE and so theres nothing to charge, very few crimes cross borders, and when they do its often due to extradition treaties, but that doesn't mean X country charges for a crime done in Y country, it just means X sends the criminal to Y to charge them. and then the fact Marika was queen of her world, thus, she is the law, thus, nothing she did could truely be considered illegal or a crime lmao
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- Location
- Netherlands
Ah teenagers and summarizing things in the worst way that manages to remove blame from them.
At least Sophia realizes it's an oversimplification, so she hasn't forgotten things like her stealing shit from Taylor's Locker unprompted and Emma only learning she's doing that when she shows her the flute and essentially orders Emma "We need to step this up."
Still glossing over it though.
Lagoon12002
How far have I fell down into this deep deep sea
I wonder if it is Eden trying to set Taylor up with Victoria by getting them to fight each other, but because Eden is a continent-sized alien gestalt that functions on oceans of violence and blood-equivalent liquids, their idea of courtship is a little different.
I mean the original Entity life-cycle has them using planets as detonation devices to fling newborn Entities away like shrapnel of some ungodly super-weapon, destroying themselves in the process.
I'm not sure why and how, but this Sophie is acting waaay OOC. She's far too caring. Being gay does not pull you up the alignment chart! Canon Sophie wouldn't even dream about saying something like "don't be a dick to the office workers".
Vicky... what did she just finish saying?
Oh, for fuck-sakes Vicky...
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Wow, really keeping things under wrap there Taylor. Putting that massive Charisma Modifier into serious overdrive.
WhoAmEye
Bunker-Dwelling Cryptid
- Location
- Vault Birb
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Uh-huh
On the topic of Victoria in general; you guys gotta remember that she first met Taylor after she killed a guy in front of her, they ranted at each other about how far is too far, and then the pizza date, which, while helpful, taylor was still somewhat dismissive of. If she's not firm enough, she's going to assume Tay's going to be sliding back towards gavel-isms - heck, she was actively joking about how it's not okay to go after nazis when she really, really wants to.
So it's kind of... not just arguing about what is and isn't lawful, but moral as well. And, yes, Victoria and Taylor's morals are... very different.
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