Taylor wakes up, seeing the many variations of world with her own perspective. Existing and living there are the same time.
With this power, she only decided to live peacefully along with her Dad. Though, can she really do that, when many threats around her city, and around the world surrounds her and are actively trying to provoke a conflict out of her?
Hello, welcome to my new story. I don't know what's going on with my mind.
Anyway, I will be writing this for a bit as I try to think what to do on my other quest. I will continue it, I just need to take my motivation back. I'm so sorry if you are waiting for it.
Anyway, this story. This is once again a worm fanfic, and it is an altpower about Taylor. the altpower is a cross to one of my original characters, so it will obviously be OP (in this setting anyway).
I hope this one is good and have fun reading.
"-at do you mean by that!?"
"Mr. Herbert-" 'Hebert!' "-Hebert... we really can't do anything about this. Your daughter has become like that, likely due to being confined for a long time."
"But to say she has become mentally disabled!?"
"We're sorry. We have done our best..."
I hear them screaming at each other. Dad looking at him with a face of despair, and a dark atmosphere seems to be looming over him as his shoulder slumps in defeat. The doctor looks to be calm, but he is frowning and his back is a bit down as he tries to explain something to my Dad.
I can understand what they are talking about. After what happened to that Locker, I just... felt calm.
Actually no. I'm not calm. I just can't express myself. I might also not be focused enough on this world too.
I am here sitting up on this bed that will be comfortable if not for the constant reminder that it is the hospital, due to the smell of medicine, the sound of electrical beeping, and the white walls surrounding me.
-I am also standing on a place brimming with magma, with the only ground being the rocky foothold I am using. The strong scent of sulfur and the extreme heat feels so uncomfortable to my skin.
-I am overlooking the roads below the roof of this building. Seeing the festival happening below me, and what seems to be some sort of symbol that is a mix of letter C and a diagonal cross.
-I am in a cave, looking at a creature that looks over me, and everything on my surroundings. It's eyes that is more comparable to red shining orbs gazing down at me.
-I am seeing the wonderful grasslands full of flowers and small beautiful insects like butterflies and birds like those colorful hummingbirds.
-I walk through a city of pipes, and iron-clad buildings full of steaming cogs and rolling gears. Looking down, I can see the humongous amount of humanoid metals that seems to be held by some sort of hydraulic pipes pumping out steams and making them move awkwardly like an imitation of people.
-I am on a bed, reading a book inside the tent. Through the slits of the entrance, a snowy storm of some sorts is raging around, and the temperature is barely bearable to my scrawny skin.
-I am walking through the forest.
-I am listening to a music.
-I am on a void of nothingness.
-I am inside a box.
-I am...
-I am...
-I am...
And so on.
I have been distracted by the many me walking around, and trying to talk to the others. Some notices me, some didn't. I might have been so distracted that I can't even express myself here.
It's not because I lack interest. I just can't. Whenever I tried to feel something, it is those other me who are feeling it. Anger at the three who did this to me. Despair at my helplessness. The other me are expressing them. They cried. They lashed out. They raged.
But I never was.
I am only here sitting like an idiot and gazing on the air because my sight are here, and not here at the same time.
As I was thinking like that, I felt someone holding my hands, so I turned to my father, seeing him like that stricken with grief makes me feel guilty. Just because of this, I look like a emotionally repressed person... well, I think that's how I look?
"Don't worry. I will take care of this." He seems to be close to crying as he said that, choking on his words it seems.
"Okay." I tried to sound sympathetic. Really, I am. Though it seems like my words only conveyed how flat and emotionless it is, as I see him bursting into tears and hugging me. I hug him while gazing on the above.
-As I tried to apologize to him despite being in a place hazardous to me.
-As I tried to say sorry despite the large scaly beings around me fighting each other.
-As the birds flies away at the scream of my inability to tell him my true feelings.
-As I...
-As I...
-As I...
I just let him hug me while feeling so calm. All my emotions repressed, and being dumped on my other me. It's been a week since then, and within that week I have been pulled out of my school. Sitting on the couch and watching the TV with barely any interest left in me.
To my side is Lacey, the wife of one of Dad's co-worker, who is currently feeding me some of those congee. I heard she volunteered to take care of me while Dad is gone to do some work, and it also seems like he is going around and doing something else.
I turned to her, and received that spoon filled with a bit of congee into my mouth. "Good. It seems like you are getting better now." She said, before continuing to feed me.
I will admit that those words are warranted. At the first day of waking up on that hospital, I am what can be considered as mentally detached to this world. It's not because of some mental disability. More like, I can't properly react in time because I am more distracted at the other me's perspectives.
I mean, what can you do when a seemingly countless amount of You are existing on different types of environment, or Worlds as I call them. They also can express themselves perfectly fine while the original You can't.
I don't know about others, but for me, I am hella distracted. I am so distracted that I always forgot that these Worlds are not even mine. I don't live there at all. In short, I mostly forgot moving myself here.
So it looks like I just suddenly stop, or I am just gazing at somewhere they can't even see. Then they look at me as if become crazy or something. It's not even those jeering looks, but those of pity that they are directing me.
So to remedy this, I tried to control my visions, as I call them. It's really hard for the first and second day, though I managed it yesterday. I finally dismissed all those countless Worlds out of of perspective.
Well, I said dismissed, but the apt term would be ignoring. They are still there, still can be easily accessed by my metaphorical sidelong glance. I am not doing so as I am actively avoiding looking at those.
Though it seems like focusing on my Original World causes me to see other me standing on different parts of my house, seeing them in their perspective.
I can see Lacey on the couch on these other alternate me's vision, though I can't see my body anywhere. I am also in my room. In the basement. In the laundry room. And anywhere else in this house.
It's like I am everywhere, but without being able to see myself. Like I am in some sort of alternate dimension. Though these are still some imaginary vision, I think?
Because, unlike the Original World, these Alternate Worlds have a factor that is different other than being incapable of seeing the original me.
People are unaware of every other me.
As I said, yesterday I managed to ignore my other me on those other completely different worlds, but in exchange I am stuck seeing countless other perspectives of me in the Original World.
Whatever is happening on the Original World is also happening on these Alternate Worlds. They can't only see the other me or hear the other me.
Yesterday, I tried shouting at my Dad on those Alternate Worlds, but he didn't even react or anything. Same as the people around my neighborhood.
"Hm?" Lacey seems to perk up at my periphery before glancing at her back, before turning back to me. "Might be a bug or something." She said before patting the back of her shoulder.
I also found out something.
Even if they can't see or hear me. I can affect them. I can control what effects I can do to the Original World. Also, I can also ignore what is happening on the Original World as if they didn't exist on the Alternate Worlds.
For example. I just poked Lacey's shoulder with the other me. Of course she will feel it because I decided that it should. Though I can also pass through her. I can will whether what I did on the Alternate World will appear on the Original World or not.
It is a bit fun messing around with this. My power. I realized that from yesterday. This is my power.
It's a really weird power, but I think it is pretty strong.
Though do I want to use it to fight crime? Be a hero or something?
Of course not!
Dad has reconnected with me. It might because he is feeling guilty or something. Anyway, I want to help my Dad. Live peacefully with him. I can't bear to see him looking grief stricken like that time. I don't want that.
So I will try my best. With this power, I will make sure we can live happily ever after!
The original plan here is to use the OC who have this power and become Taylor's friend, though I decided why not just slam the power to Taylor. So I did just this.
The power is not shard-base so it didn't have the impose limit that most shard-base powers have. I won't say much about the power, so you can speculate.
Hope you like this.... this story is just done to stimulate my brain to write some more.
I like it, it is a very novel concept
It also reminded me of a movie trailer i watched recently called "Everything, Everywhere, All At Once", the idea is that the main character can access memories and skills from alternate selves, pretty cool if you ask me.
So, i will watch your career with great interest
Cleaning is very easy. Just grab a cleaning utensil, and then use those to clean each part of the house at the same time. I am not cleaning by myself. I am just using my other me to clean my house. It only a few seconds before everything is done.
This has been my routine for the whole week. The second week I am living in my house, along with Lacey who seems to be cleaning, and then gawking somewhat at the floor.
"Uh... no, it's really clean. What am I even doing?" She heard her saying that before she sighs and then stops with sweeping the broom. "Okay. This might be me tripping, or Danny is more proactive than I thought." She muttered.
Yes, it's fun messing around.
I make sure it's harmless pranking. I am not like those at the school, may they stumble their toes on some solid object.
Anyway, I am just sitting on my couch as my alternates are doing the work for me. I am technically moving around to help, but it's not like this world can see it. So I might look like I am lazing around.
Gazing at the air once more. I just noticed that it seems like I have a habit of looking up when I am distracted at something. Though I can't help but do my habits. It's pretty hard to change those habits if I am constantly distracted by others who are also me.
At the same time I am doing this, I am also at the office where my Dad is working, along with everyone at the Dockworker's Union.
I did swear that I will help my Dad be happy. Can't let him become sad again just because of me, or anyone else.
So I am here acting as bodyguards too. I just learned that this vision of alternate me have no range, or maybe have a really wide range that I haven't reached yet.
This day seems to be going peacefully. Nothing bad is happening just like last week when I decided to help. Anyone are working, or waiting for work to come. Dad is busy on paperwork, and reading some of it with some of my alternates makes me see something about settlements, complaints, and something about request for private detectives.
... So he is still doing this?
I am really feeling touched by how much he is trying. Though do we have any money for that?
Well, even if we don't have it, I think I'll try and find something to give him.
I just found out a day before yesterday that I can actually bring the other objects from my alternate selves into the Original World. I managed to do that by experimenting on my blanket, and then thinking of throwing the blanket that alternate me have to the Original World.
That is why I have two identical blankets on my room now. I can't seem to throw it back to my alternate self, which means I can only bring what I have on these other me.
As my Dad and the others usually have a shortage of tools, I decided to get the alternate versions of what they have and throw it all to the Original World. I make sure to throw it on some warehouse that they technically own despite not being stamped on the Union, so they can see and get it.
... I don't know if this is helping. Maybe I am doing something bad, or I might be causing my Dad some trouble. I really hope I am helping.
Other than that, I don't know what else I can do other than cleaning the whole area. I have a countless amount of me going around the Docks, so I am pretty much in every part of the Union.
That's what I am always doing on this past week. It's a bit fun, and I don't feel bored at all.
It's really fun hearing the many conversations around me. I can easily hear all of them without feeling confused or echoing around my mind. Might be because my alternates are technically alone, and only walks around alone, despite having a lot of alternates in different parts of the Union.
I can hear that the Gangs around are becoming violent once more. It seems like the Empire are pushing against the parts that the ABB owns.
There is also something about some minor Gang. Merchant, I think?
Well, I actually don't know what gang is that, so it doesn't matter. Maybe they are just small time?
Anyway, I think I heard that the Union is safe, so there is no need to worry. We can live peacefully, and leave all the conflicts to the others. There is no need to join at something unnecessary.
"Hey, what do you want to eat, Taylor?" I blink my eyes, before turning my head to my caretaker.
Oh, I almost forgot that she was still here. Why do I keep getting distracted by my other me?
"Pizza." I simply said, and my other me are wincing at the tone of my voice.
This is the only thing I hate about myself. I don't have any inflections or even intonations to my voice. I felt like a robot talking.
"So. What are you in the mood today?"
"Ham & Cheese."
What? Pepperoni is getting stale when I have that for two days straight!
Well, they don't know that. I just tried out some flavors on my alternates.
"You sure?"
I nodded to her, and then she smiles before walking to the table where I can see her taking her phone.
I waited for that, while immersing myself at the peacefulness of our day. It seems like I just jinxed myself.
The next day, some members of some gang I can't remember seems to be trying to mess around with the Union.
Well, it seems like the warehouse where I am technically dropping off countless amounts of tools that are alternate versions of what they have, has been discovered by these druggies. Really don't know who are they. I just know drug addicts are somewhat common on this city.
I heard they are trying to takeover the warehouse as it is not even officially owned by the Dockworker's Union.
Of course, Dad's people fights back. I heard that if they let them just do that, so near to them too, these people will surely escalate and try to take more. So they are going to push them back.
They somewhat succeeded, though I heard that some tools have been stolen by them along the way.
There were police involved, and thankfully no Cape involvement. Though now this warehouse is off limits, so I need to find another place where I can drop off additional supplies for my Dad.
.... Maybe I should really put it on places they owned. My Dad might become suspicious and think there is someone smuggling items and shipping it to them secretly. I don't know how it really works.
Though, I hate it if those people from that no name gang decided to come back again.
.... Maybe I should take care of it?
.... Right. Can't just wait for them to mess with my Dad and cause him to be sad. Not again.
So I actually don't know what will be the normal reaction when an abundant amount of tools suddenly appeared besides a Union, or any equivalent organization. Will that be reported to the authorities, or will they accept it and take it?
I am really clueless about it, so I make it as vague as that.
The ability to just pull resources from what others see as thin air, anywhere is well…
On the other hand, the Guardian Angel of Brockton Bay.
Even while being passive; a push, a pull, or a poke is sometimes enough to help.
Alec would be jealous
I am not sure how close to it I am but I have the feeling this is some love child between D4C and Labyrinth.
The randomly appearing tools would be notified to the Police, perhaps the PRT depending how... odd they are. (Serial number, place of manufacturing, you know, stuff that might not exist in the Original World)
It was supposed to be a normal night. Just them getting high with their own powdered drugs, sitting or smoking whatever. The people around them are sometimes whispering to each other, likely planning what to do next.
It was just a coincidence. One of their people stumbling upon that warehouse and seeing all those amounts of tools. He thinks it's not that special, but still reported it to the gang leader's trusted aide, which was later on passed by their Tinker.
Their Tinker seems to think that it will be a good haul, despite them not seeing how. There are many scraps they can take on the abandoned trainyard, or at the Boat Graveyard, or even on those abandoned buildings on the Docks.
But that Tinker is the second-in-command, and even if they really thought it's just nothing, they can't really refuse her demands. So they gathered up some men and tried to take that warehouse.
They didn't know it was very near at the Dockworker's Union. Despite not being considered a gang, they know that the people around there are no pushovers. They are a tight knit group of strong, well fit people who can take care of themselves, and they look out for each other.
This is the Bay, so it is natural most people are like that, but the Union is more so. They are held together like a community, their dealings are all legitimate, and they don't condone shady things like smuggling drugs or bribery.
So with the threat of a gang, even a small name gang like them, making what can be considered as another base near their territory, of course the Union guys will retaliate. Carrying their own brawn, with some having clubs and pipes, they were beaten and got repelled, with only some of the tools being carried away.
The police was involved, so they can't even get back there without being apprehended or worse, having a shootout.
It's still good though. Despite this apparent failure, the tools that they managed to deliver did give them some boon. Their leader, Skidmark, gave them a kilo of the stuff. So they are trying to get high, with a few of their smarter ones thinking of having selling some of it to the locals.
It's literally an everyday thing here.
Then it changes when one of them suddenly fell to the ground headfirst. His arms moving behind him as if someone is holding him down, and then ropes magically appear already binding his wrists, and his ankles that are also put together.
With his screams, the people around the warehouse are alerted, so they scrambled to whatever they can take as their weapons, and rush to the place where they heard his screams.
Though a few moments after they heard him, one by one they felt something holding on both of their wrists, their arms, their legs, and their ankles, and some sort of weight on their back. All at the same time they fall on the ground with their headfirst. Feeling as if many people are moving their limbs behind them, and then feeling the biting feeling of some sort of cord being wrapped around their wrists.
As quickly as the weird event has happened, it also quickly ended.
One of them even shuddered when a phone just suddenly appeared near his face. Ringing for a few moments, before it's been taken. Seeing that the number being called is apparently 911.
Along with that is a large thud, which some see and gawking as a lot of identical sacks that contains drugs appears almost simultaneously in the middle of the warehouse room, making a mountain of it that is as high as an average adult.
As the one near the phone hears the person behind the phone, likely an operator, asking what's the purpose of this call, a lot of the druggies flinches and with some gasping as they suddenly heard glasses shattering around them. The operator behind the call also sounding a bit more worried and calling out to whoever with a bit of a louder tone.
A few minutes later, police has come and they have confiscated the huge amount of drugs in the middle of the warehouse. All of these druggies were then asked, and sooner escorted to the cars so they can further interrogate them about what just happened.
Another hour later, five more silent calls were received on different parts of the city, with the police arriving with the sight of Merchant members tied up and curled on the ground, with the glasses of their building broken and a lot of identical bags or sacks of drugs bundled in the middle of their base. You know what's really weird with my new condition?
I can take a rest, but I can't sleep. Yes! I can't sleep!
Technically I am sleeping by closing my eyes and staying put on my bed. Though I am still aware of my surroundings. It might be because even if I fall asleep on the Original World, I am still moving around on these Alternate Worlds.
Anyway, I took care of every members of those no name mobs from whatever gang it is. I don't know where their real base is, but just spreading around and looking for a place with a lot of drugs seems to do some trick.
I am still looking around with my other alternates to further cement that I really don't like this no name gangs to mess with the Union. I hope they stop after most of their members were gone.
So, thank you for reading. As for questions about my weird grammars and weird tenses, I'm sorry but I actually got used to it.
I know it is wrong, but for me I actually can't see what is wrong unless it was pointed out. Reading it by my lonesome, I thought it is satisfactory before publishing this.
So I'm so sorry for not being able to write it professionally. It's actually pretty difficult for me. I won't even blame that English is my second language, more on that I am just that bad at seeing the mistakes of my writings.
Sorry again....
P.S. As for what happened there, Taylor actually don't want to use her voice on the alternate versions of her, as that might point the people to her direction if they recognize her voice. As a way to circumvent that, she breaks the glass for the phone to pick those noises up so the police comes to the warehouses and buildings where the Merchant members are hiding.
Welp, looks like it's time for the fun police (Armsmaster)
Actually, given the way she "moves" there's gonna be a huge mystery from others' views
Since unlike most Strangers (from what I remember) having a camera on the scene will only prove that something happened, but not who did it
On the Blaster or Shaker side, well, she can't be tied to a scene where she is literally not there, giving her the best alibi
Welp, looks like it's time for the fun police (Armsmaster)
Actually, given the way she "moves" there's gonna be a huge mystery from others' views
Since unlike most Strangers (from what I remember) having a camera on the scene will only prove that something happened, but not who did it
On the Blaster or Shaker side, well, she can't be tied to a scene where she is literally not there, giving her the best alibi
Having drugs appear anywhere you want is a terrifying ability for criminals and villains. If you are a villain caught with drugs maskless, there really is not a lot you can do since it doesn't really involve powers or capes. So you either out yourself or go to jail.
Villain incognito: "Officer you have to believe me! Those drugs just magically appeared in my trunk!"
Officer: "Uh huh, just like the piles of drugs in you back seat, your front passenger seat, under your seats, your glove box, inside your tire rims, inside your gas tank, inside your windshield wiper fluid tank, inside your car frame, in the engine compartment, and also in your front driver seat just now now. Honestly it is impressive you were still able to drive the car when it is more drugs than car in terms of mass."
Some days later, and I am currently sitting on the couch once more and watching the TV. Since the day I attacked those no name gangs which I recently learned are called the Archer's Bridge Merchant, news about them kept popping up occasionally.
[-that the PRT are looking for the culprit, tentatively named Poltergeist. PRT Spokesperson Brent Clarkson said that this suspected Cape might have a vendetta against a minor criminal group known as the Archer's Bridge Merchants that they were always targeting areas that have a high concentration of drugs.]
The scene changes to that of an interview with some middle aged guy in a formal suit, standing behind the podium and speaking.
[PRT Spokesperson: "We highly suspect a Parahuman is responsible for the continuous attacks from this minor gang. This is a good sign to see that they are only attacking a gang, though we still don't know their motives. We plan to take care of any cases involving Poltergeist from now on, and try to discern their reason why they are doing this.]
I saw the scene changing to the female newscaster once more.
[Officers from BBPD are stating their displeasure about what they quote as the "Unnecessary involvement of PRT", stating that the person behind the attacks is specifically only calling their department. Police Sergeant Rockford claims that it is just turning a simple thing into a complicated one, though he didn't explain more abou--]
This is what's on the news lately. The results of my continuous actions against those druggies. Like, I would have thought that they will be cowed when I tied up and send them all to jail at the first day, but no, they actually wanted to mess with me more.
Other members of these Merchants popped up the next day to cause trouble once more. I heard their Tinker is demanding more of the tools that I put in there, even with the police barricading it.
It seems like some of them are very high on the mind to even consider the implications of trying to go around a taped area, so of course they were easily taken care of and put behind bars later on.
Still, it means they didn't get the message, so I tried going around and hunting more of them. It really didn't deter them even when I did this on consecutive days, but it's not like they have an unlimited amount of members. I'll get all of them, and after all of them are behind the bars, I think they will finally stop bothering my Dad.
Speaking of my Dad...
"Are you ready kiddo?" It took me a moment to respond, but after hearing his words I turned to him and then nodded. "Okay. Then let's go." He said, looking at me with that gentle and tired smile of his.
It took an effort for me to stand up, feeling it a bit hard. I just noticed, but it seems like trying to see more of my other me is making it harder for me to move. It's like each time I added another Alternate World for me to see, my body is getting more heavier and stiffer as if a clay slowly layering over my body.
I am currently seeing through what I estimate might be thousands of alternates, half of these visions going around the city to find the main base of these Merchants. I am hoping to take care of the Tinker, maybe because that Tinker seems to be the one who kept ordering these men to get to the tools. I think if that Tinker is taken out of the picture, then these idiots will finally stop messing around with that warehouse.
By the way, I really can't move the tools I put on the warehouse near the Union. Can't let anyone get suspicious when all of it suddenly vanishes and appear on the other side. What I am doing is making a new batch of tools into the warehouse that is owned by the Union. They already know about the tools, and it seems like they are using it without complaint.
I heard Dad saying that those tools are a boon, as the city won't really double checked some tools used for their work. Also, it makes the Dockworkers more productive thanks to having most of them a complete set.
.... Anyway, I am getting distracted...
Turning back my attention to him, I can feel him touching my hand and my waist, supporting me so I can move carefully. Taking a moment to get outside, I already know that waiting for us is Kurt, one of Dad's close friend from the Union, and Lacey who is Kurt's wife.
"Took you long enough."
"Hey, you know this takes time!"
Kurt smiled before turning to me, his gaze looking at me with a wry smile. "Long time no see! Can't believe you are grown-up now, and your height almost gets to me chin!" He said with that smile.
As to what we are going to do that Dad's close friend and his wife are in front of our home, well that's because we are going to w park.
I have already use some of my alternates to roam the park, and seeing that there is no problematic things there, so I think we will be safe there. Nothing could possibly mess my day there, right? Apparently, I am wrong.
When we got to the park, it was for the reason that I should take some fresh air and sun instead of being cooped up on the house, looking like an idiot staring at the sky. It"s out of concern, and also I think my Dad just wanted to talk to me more and reconnect.
Which is good, because I am satisfied with Dad putting most of his attention to me. Sitting on the beautiful and smooth trimmed grassed below the clothed carpet that we are currently sitting on. Basket and ice box laid, and opened to real some turkey or ham and cheese sandwiches. Then some chilled juice, and soft drinks on the ice box.
We are actually having fun just sitting here, looking at the gentle sunlight illuminating the formation of the clouds, hearing the birds around, and the people surrounding me talking animatedly, including my Dad and his friends. They is even trying his best to always include me, which I tried my best but really can't speak that fast so it is an awkward conversation where I respond after a few seconds of delay.
Also, my voice is still flat on the Original World, so it really felt awkward. I am just happy that they are used to my weirdness.
My day is ruined because I see that fucking bitch!
On the outskirts of this park I saw that redheaded girl, that fit looking black girl, and that cutesy girl along with some girls walking there. I can also see some adults, might be their parents as I can see Alan's familiar face, also walking there and carrying their own sets of picnic kit.
Their path, as if the universe itself is there just to spite me, is going straight to us. I can see that those three are not at least doing it purposefully, though I am sure it won't be for long if they notice me.
I actually managed to tell my Dad about the bullying, and so his relationship with the Barnes are soured due to it. It might be the reason why I see him working full time with some papers unrelated to his work. All involving investigators and filing a case involving negligence and something from the school, and something about bullying against some students, mostly the three familiar names of my bullies.
I don't know if we have enough money with that, but it seems like Dad is managing. It might because of the Docks. I don't know, I am not really looking around much as I don't want to increase the numbers of my alternates.
If they saw us, and my Dad sees that traitorous bitch and her family, he might not be able to control himself. I know how he is when he is angry. It's a bit scary.
I can't let them ruin this day for my Dad. This day is one where he can relax together with me, and his true friends. If I let them ruin this day just because of their presence, then I might hate myself.
Let's see.... right.... I actually don't fucking care what happens to them. So I think I should just ruin their day so they leave.
Right! I should do it! Emma Barnes is feeling irritable the day she learned about Taylor pulling out of the school. She thinks she will feel some sort of satisfaction, or maybe feeling smug that the girl has finally left the school.
Instead, what she felt is this mysterious feeling of hollowness. As if an important part of her just vanished. She doesn't even know why she felt like that. She always convinced herself that she is specifically targeting the girl to prove something.
She thinks she managed to prove that with Taylor finally being pulled out of the school, though she felt unsatisfied. She don't even know why she felt so unsatisfied at the thought of not seeing that girl. At the thought that the person she is so obsessed with have turned her back and gave up.
Even with this planned picnic that she herself has organized with her other friends doesn't remove the lingering hollowness within her heart. She felt so empty. Like the world is turning more colorless than the usual.
'No, forget about that loser. I am strong. I already managed to prove that!' She thought to herself with a grimace. Forcefully settling a gentle smile on her face as she notices some of her friends glancing at her. 'She is weak! Just forget about her!' She internally said to herself.
"-ey!"
"Huh? What is it?"
"I said if your done being all silent and shit there?" She looks at her friend, her new best friend, talking to her with a frown on her face.
She snorted. "Nah, I'm just thinking what to do after this." She said with a shrug.
"Uhuh... I am wasting my time here because of this stupid thing. What do you even want to do here?" Sophia Hess, her new best friend, asks with a raised eyebrow.
"You know about it. Some change of pace, instead of doing shoppings just like the last weekend, and the other weekend before that."
Sophia rolled her eyes. "Nothing is impressive here. It's just grass and stupid people around here!" She responded in a growled whisper.
She can see that Sophia actually didn't like to be here. It might be because this place is just a waste of time for her, and she will admit it is a waste of time.
There is nothing to do here other than look at the sights, admire it, and then play around for a bit. Though they are all grownup teenagers now. Those stuff won't really look that appealing to them.
"Stop bitching about it. At least take some time to cool down and have fun from time to time." She answered with a growl of her own, glaring at her friend.
The two of them held their gaze together, before after a moment she grinned. "Heh, as expected of someone like me. That's good." She said.
"What do you mean?" She asks with a raised eyebrow as they continue walking together with their group.
"Thought your turning weaker just because of that loser." She froze at the words of Sophia.
Then immediately trembled before bristling in disgust. "Eww... that's just gross!" She stated while shuddering at the thought.
Though her heart feels a bit complicated. She don't know. Most of her thoughts are still swirling about what she should do with Taylor, despite the girl not even attending Winslow anymore.
The black teenager is going to speak more when her head perks up, and then turned around for a bit with an annoyed grunt. "What?" She growled out at the girl behind her, Julia she recalls, blinking at suddenly being regarded.
"Huh... what 'what'?"
"Don't fuck with me. Why are you poking me?" She asks.
"Me? I am not poking you!" Julia said with a snort.
While listening to them, she suddenly flinches when she felt a poke behind her shoulders. Looking behind her, she saw another of her friend, the cutesy one, also looking back and asking the person behind her why they are poking her.
"Hey.... did you poke me?" She asks in wonder, which causes Madison to turn to her with a raised eyebrow.
"Uh.... no. I think Larry here is poking me from behind."
"What!? I told you I'm not!" The large man who she recalls being a main member of the football club, defended with a confused look.
Then she felt another poke on the back of her other shoulder, quickly snapping her attention to that side and seeing Julia who is also looking behind her and asking one of their friend if they are poking her.
This makes them look at each other in confusion, though before they can ask about it, they felt another poke behind them. Then another poke, and poke, and poke. Always behind them, and sometimes on their side.
"Stop it!" She growled out, glaring and taking a sidelong glance around her, though only seeing them also looking around and trying to find whoever is messing with them.
"Kyaaaaaaaaa!" Then she heard Madison's scream behind her. Quickly looking behind her, she widened her eyes with a gasps when she see her arms trying to cover her lower body, while her skirt is on the ground just below her feet.
All of them has stopped now. Hearing their parents trying to go to them to see what is happening, when the male parents suddenly stumbled on their feet, some of them falling flat on their face, while other managing to regain their balance. She notices that one of those who stumbled have the ties of their sneakers loose.
Her eyes darting around, feeling more suspicious at the events around her, before her eyes widened when she felt a warm blow of air gently brushing against her ears. Jumping away, she frantically looks around with a gasps, her eyes widened.
"W-what is happening!?" She asks in wonder, thinking that someone from them are being a terrible prankster. Though she doesn't know who.
She have gathered a huge amount of her friends for this picnic, the reason being to have some novel way of fun time. Though the original reason is because she just want to have a breathe of fresh air. She didn't feel like going with just her usual friends anymore, so she invited more.
Who would have thought that because of this, it becomes a lot harder to pinpoint who is doing this.
She can feel the other crowds from the park gazing at their group with curiosity, making her feel ashamed as they gaze at them. With some of the kids laughing as some of the people she invited have their belts unbuckle or their skirt raise up, like someone just lifted it roughly.
"STOP!" Then she heard her father yelling at the top of his lungs, all of them stopping in their panic as they look at him. His face looks red, and he seems to be glaring around him. "Who is it? What is happening here!?" He asks, as he glared at the boys around him.
The whole atmosphere has turned tense, and then later on become awkward as no one is speaking. Some of them trying to fix their belts or skirts.
Though the only thing sure is that their day has been ruined. Their jolly atmosphere awhile ago vanishing and being replaced with a feeling of tiredness. They don't have the time to be having picnics now that the mood is ruined.
In the end, they decided to leave with their moods soured.
On the distance outside the view of this scene, a girl sitting together with her Dad and his friends smiles.
I hope this chapter is not that cringey... sorry if it's not good...
This is definitely a unique story.
Taylor's power, or at lease what you have shown of it has been slightly lackluster. See into profoundly different timelines and objects out of those timelines into her primary timeline.
Well, this story shows a great deal of promise.
It's great. And it's fun to see a stranger messing with people. We don't see enough cases of someone messing with people like this in worm fics. Or even just mostly harmless paybacks that don't take up the entire fic.
This is definitely a unique story.
Taylor's power, or at lease what you have shown of it has been slightly lackluster. See into profoundly different timelines and objects out of those timelines into her primary timeline.
Well, this story shows a great deal of promise.
Thanks. She is still not showing what she can actually do, as she is also clueless about it. The ability is a lot more broad than what she is showing currently.
It's great. And it's fun to see a stranger messing with people. We don't see enough cases of someone messing with people like this in worm fics. Or even just mostly harmless paybacks that don't take up the entire fic.
This version of Taylor is someone who doesn't want to be bothered, and will try to take care of any perceived threats she thinks will intervene with her peaceful life. Though she is a bit passive, so she won't look for trouble, unless someone tries to provoke her (like the Merchants).
Its definitely interesting. Thougj the next chapters should probably have some kind of hint towards the direction of this story.
It feels a bit too slow for me. Dont get me wrong. Its cool right now. But it feels like nothing has really happened thats worth noting has happened yet (though the seeds were sown with the merchants)
It's nice to see a Taylor that is neither revenge crazed or completely apathetic to what happened to her. She gets her "revenge", but still has lines she won't cross. Taylor is a teenager still, not a psychopath or an emotional block of wood, and this chapter shows it.
Also stranger seem to be more on the passive side for parahumans; the environment being affected by their presence rather than the parahuman using their power on a specific target and only that target. Focusing that effect always seems to be a problem for most strangers rather than just radiating it everywhere. If tinkers are focused passive, then strangers would be collateral passive.
Thanks. She is still not showing what she can actually do, as she is also clueless about it. The ability is a lot more broad than what she is showing currently.
I am looking forward to following Taylor as she learns more about her deeply exoteric power.
Will Taylor be exploring the you hinted at in the first chapter?
It will be interesting to about how the PRT interpret Taylor's actions.
It's been ten days since the continuous crackdowns of that mysterious attacker. The Merchant are all on hiding now, and are making sure that they hide their products on places difficult to be seen by the public.
They don't know how this mysterious attacker can find them. Some of their newer members even tried to leave their group and hide somewhere on the city, claiming that a ghost might have suddenly emerged and is trying to haunt their gang.
Adam Mustain doesn't believe those nonsensical claims. He thinks it's just some newbie Cape who have some sort of hatred to their gang, or maybe drugs in general. He reads the newspaper, and find out that some places that were crackdown were not even part of their gang.
He has been a leader of this gang for a long time now, so he is smart. He can at least surmise that the one attacking them doesn't really know where they are.
So while there is a higher chance that mysterious attacker is targeting his gang, it might also be possible that they are just targeting anyone who have drugs.
They might be looking for their base, which is a bit hard because while his gang is known for dealing drugs, he doesn't really stash his drugs on his base. They go to his warehouses and other condominiums that his trusted people owns. Some of them even being used as factories to create more of his products.
It will be stupid just putting all his products in one place after all. The authorities will easily find out about it.
He intends to stop that mysterious attacker from ruining more of his plants. He needs his Tinker's help with that.
"Come on Skids, I really need those tools!" Sherrel Bailey, also known as Squealer, pleaded at him.
He snorted. "The fuck you saying? I told you to stop talking nonsense!" He said with a bit of a growl. "The fucker kept busting our lairs, and shits been getting hectic. Can't let another to be lost!" He bellowed.
"B-but..."
"Stop whining! If you need some scraps, just take those little trashes around the trainyard!"
"... I told you, didn't I? Those tools are a major upgrade than those crap!" She tried to reason.
"Shut up bitch!" He yelled, causing the tinker to whimper and curled their shoulders to themselves. "Those fucking piece of metals aren't making us money! We need drugs! Not those hammers and shits!" He told her with a glare.
".... W-we can get more of the stuff if I finished my baby..." She said once more, still feeling somewhat unsatisfied, though her voice is now a bit of a whisper.
"No!" He growled. "Can't afford shit for this! We're fucking losing our men because of that fucking mystery man, and our factories gone to shit!" He growled out, before his eyes shined with a sinister glint. "I want your lazy ass to continue that death trap! After that we'll go take your craps!"
Squealer widened her eyes, before giving out a toothy smile. "Leave it to me!" She said, before leaving.
He trusted his own conclusions about the person targeting them. They always go for places with a high concentration of drugs. With that alone, he can easily guide their mystery attacker to a place of their choosing.
He has been fed up by the presence of that mysterious attacker. He didn't have the habit of just hiding and laying low. He wanted to be rich, so just twiddling his fingers and waiting for a miracle to come will be counterproductive to him. He needs more money.
"Heh! Let's see how that shitstain will like this!" He muttered to himself while grinning at the thought of smacking whoever is making their group suffer. It seems like the PRT are mostly focusing on the places that I raided. The police is still holding onto the warehouse where the alternate versions of the Dockworker's tools are located.
The PRT seems like they don't know I also have a hand in it. I don't actually care. No one could see my alternates even if I shout on their face.
Currently, in my original body, I am sitting on the couch with my Dad. He have ordered some takeouts, and currently he is gently feeding me that warm Mac & Cheese. It is delicious, though I don't know if I managed to convey that I like it.
Really, I hope I can at least express myself in my original body instead of my alternates. No one would even see me feeling happy!
-I raised my eyebrow when I found a place. It is somewhere on the abandoned trainyard. A really large building with a lot of open space. Within there is some of those people who stinks of whatever, and the stench of drug permeating this place.
This might be one of their factory then.
With my alternate seeing that, the other me goes to that place so they can quickly round up and take position to every people within it.
At the same time, I let my other alternates roam around this building. Looking around the room with the people inside none the wiser.
Let's see.... there are some people in that room, and also that room, and some seems to be hiding behind the pillars or behind doors of some room.
There is this huge room with a table and sacks. Looking through it, I can see that there are a lot of packets and powdered drugs. Some are pills. Others are liquids put in some containers.
.... Do they think I'm an idiot?
This essentially screams suspicious and they are not even trying!
Do they really think someone will get inside here without getting suspicious at that obvious setup?
.... Well, I will be that kind of stupid. Though it's not like I am alone. I have a lot of help!
But first, I should look around the place. This place is huge and I might miss some hidden parts of this building, so I added a few hundreds more of my Visions, so they can take care of any places that I might have missed.
As for my original body... well...
"-ur becoming stiff again... are you getting tired? Should I carry you to bed?"
My Dad always got like that whenever I add more visions of myself. It's actually a sort of training for me though. My body gets used to this many alternates roaming around after a few days. This will give me more perspectives, which will make me more prepared if someone is planning to mess with my Dad.
It still make me feel guilty though.
I just nodded to him. After doing so, he shuts the TV off, closes the takeoff boxes, and then slung my arm around his shoulder, before raising me up and guiding me back to my room.
While getting to my room, my concentration comes back to my different visions. My alternates squinting their eyes as they saw a vehicle of some sort parked there, and is facing the wall of that building. Quickly sneaking inside, I saw that there are three people within. All of them looks dirty, with the two having a mask and the only female one seems to be operating this weird monstrosity of a vehicle.
Hmm.... are they a part of this druggies?
"Heh! That fucker'll get fucked to Sunday!" The masked weirdo said. Some of his spittles flying off, which makes me quickly ignore that to my alternates. Even the smell.
One of my alternate just got a small whiff of them, and I don't want to anymore. Have to ignore the effects of their smell. It's just... eww...
Anyway, seems like they are part of this Merchant group. I also managed to round up the whole building, and my other alternates roamed the nearby areas to see if there is anyone hiding. Seeing that there no one anymore, it is time to finally enact a swift justice.
I really hope this stops them from going to the warehouse.
So I actually plan something else, but it turned out like this after I am done...
Anyway, her actions are actually planned to create a chain reaction that will try and shake her desired peaceful life. So the conflict here won't be the end.
Your are one of the few authors who take the Archer's Bridge Merchants seriously. Adam's section is was good. Squealer's obsession with those tools was funny.
I wonder what PRT thinks about the warehouse of alternate versions of the Dockworkers' tools? Does the PRT know those tools are alternate versions?
Eh, there are plenty of illegitimate reasons to make tools with duplicate serial numbers. Maybe the owner of the factory made duplicates to cook the books on his production numbers to avoid paying taxes by selling the excess under the table.
It would be hard to prove unless you managed to acquire two of the same numbered tools out of the thousands made. Of course having them all in the same place may mark the place as a smuggler's stash, but that is hardly on the radar of BBPD.
What's more plausible? That a new parahuman is using time powers to make new tools for the Dockworkers, or the Dockworkers had a lead on factory owner's "excess supply" and decided to appropriate it when the company went belly up. The age of the tools lends more credence to the latter as well.
