Ramification 5.3
April 15th, 2011. 9:30AM
Basilia Rubio
I spoke softly to Elle as she gave a gentle pat to a calm water spirit, a quite cute salamander like creature made entirely out of clear H2O. She whispered just as softly, conversing with the burbling spirit over cleaning up the water supplies in the city. She was doing that in her civilian identity, volunteering in local community service and subtly using her power to help.
"So…" Faultline drawled out as she watched her fellow cape communicate with the
spiritual entity. "I have a basic understanding of these spirits…but I'm still curious. How exactly do they work, do they have a society or…?"
I grinned at the question. "Spirits are…hard to explain if you're asking how they exist. But if you're talking about a hierarchy, that comes naturally for spirits. They start off as little motes of barely sentient light. Like this little guy…" I lightly scratched the puny head of an electrical spirit, ignoring the static that came off its body. "Spirits tend to congregate around or consume like spirits, growing in power, size and intelligence over time. It's an instinctive grouping, Aspects are the easiest to control and make use of…but that doesn't mean they can't be dangerous. Especially for the Concretes."
Faultline stares at me with burning curiosity. "Concretes…?"
"Spirits made from physical objects in the material plane, spirits of air, water, spirits of iron and crystal. They're far more physically robust than spirits of the Abstract."
"Like Emotions…or nonphysical concepts?" Her guess was more than accurate.
"Yep. Spirits of anger, of rage and hate, or spirits of duty and honor. Which I'm sure the PRT will make use of when they get their own shamans."
"Wait…you can make spirits
fight for you?" She sounded intrigued.
"It's not as easy as it sounds," I called a few air sprites, taking the time to pat their tiny little heads. "Most spirits
will help you if you either scare them into submission, agree to help them out or feed them, but not all of them are as useful for fighting. Which is where Corps spirits come in, spirits born from the weight of individual military or paramilitary units. They are living weapons, loyal to the cause as long as you meet their requirements."
I had met a few of them, the spirits taking guard around PRT buildings. Attempted questioning revealed that the spirits were quite angry with the local PRT, their decadence and corruption disgusting them. They only respected a few of their members including Piggot but even so they did criticize her.
But with the cleanup and Piggot's more active role, and some nice and very odd conversations they'd likely come out to help during a crisis. And Corps spirits are tough sons of bitches, they'd take down most Brutes with little difficulty. Lung and The Siberian would be the exception…but that says more about them than about Corps spirits.
Melanie breathed. "That…sounds like it'll be a big problem in the future, since literally
any country with a standing army would have them right?" I nodded.
"I suppose so yes, but that won't be much of a problem here. Only two of the shamans I know are criminals." She looked unimpressed. "There's probably going to be a ton of shamans, about one in 300 people. That's a million people to keep the spirits at bay in the US alone."
She twitched. "Yes…because having a million people who can control or piss off monsters that scare the
Endbringers is such a positive." Her scowl was visible and I didn't deny her apprehension.
"True. But being completely pessimistic isn't going to solve that problem, most people are generally stable enough to not go power mad on
average." She didn't seem to agree. "If people were that garbage we wouldn't have gotten out of the Stone Age in the first place, cooperation is naturally human. So…keep that in mind."
"Right." Elle giggled when the water salamander rose up on its hind limbs to give her a hug. It twiddled it's chubby fingers, and a sealed cup of spirit water was conjured up from nothing.
"What's this…?" The salamander grinned.
"
Spirit…water…for your friend." Labyrinth smiled and gave the spirit a pat on the head. The salamander nodded and with a splash it returned to the spiritual plane it had come from.
"Is there something special about water from the spirit world?" Faultline asked, inclining her head.
"It's much more potent due to being saturated in a dimension of literally infinite energy. With a skilled healer, there's almost no limit to what can be repaired. Only the most grievous injuries imaginable would impair the process."
"What…like getting your heart ripped out?" There was a smirk on her face
"No don't be ridiculous, that can be healed just fine." I wiped it away in an instant, I cackled internally at the look.
"Impressive…which makes me ask a question…about Keter spirits." My good mood was wiped away, and I could tell she knew I didn't like where this was going. "Besides size, what's so special about them?"
"Power." I replied simply, adjusting the straps of my dirty tank-top. "Keter Spirits are
the most powerful spirits a shaman or
anyone will ever encounter. Centralis isn't quite at that level but he's
close. His memory goes back at least three centuries before Brockton Bay was ever
founded."
"Didn't you say these spirits didn't exist before a few months ago?" I wanted to scream, the headache from conversing and playing RPG protagonist for the spirits coming back with a vengeance.
"I
hoped it would be that simple but…apparently not. I can attest to the spirits' memories going back to before they could interact with us. What that means exactly is…not certain." I glowered.
"Right…and Keter Spirits?" I got back on track, resting my back on the wooden bench we were sitting on.
"Oh. Right, Centralis is ancient, wise and powerful…we're lucky he didn't reduce us to molecules or decide to tear your powers right out of your still breathing bodies."
"Like…what happened to Krieg?" Her reply was near silent and I nodded.
"Shards qualify as spirits of a high power simply due to sheer mass, however since they didn't
start off as spirits they're not as experienced as they should be. Keter spirits are on another level, they're beings that have existed for thousands of years, or potentially even
millions. It wouldn't be too far off to call them living gods. Nothing short of all the Endbringers or Scion could bring them down…they come from larger scale concepts and phenomena. Ancient rivers and mountain plains, grand concepts like life and death. Keter Spirits are the living will of the World itself."
"You talk about them like they're deities." She sounded perturbed by the concept.
"They're as far above us as Behemoth is above normal humans. Unless you have enough energy to destroy a continent, there's no
fighting a Keter class entity. Even then it might not work, there's almost certainly a prime Death spirit lurking, and killing death is…"
"A contradiction in terms." She offered and I laughed very slowly.
"Quite…how has your progress been on your little expeditions?" She quirked an eyebrow.
"I don't see much of a point to it when you've already told us everything we needed to know. You didn't have to…but you did. There isn't even much of a point of being mercenaries when you're just paying us."
I coughed. "Probably best just to keep quiet on that unless you're planning to rebrand. I'm lucky that Carol is currently too busy to make a stink about what she knows." Apparently they were currently searching for a therapist, which in many ways was an
enormous relief. Again while therapy
isn't a balm for all afflictions of the mind, it should help.
Her smirk wasn't comforting. "But you're still planning something with the Case 53s?" The mercenary's eyes were filled with mirth…and determination.
"Of course I am…which reminds me…don't you have a little date with Panacea to follow up on?"
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah…
no. I'm not going to get involved with that
hot mess." I didn't plan to date, not when my experience was pretty much zero. My instincts rose up in warning, not finding her smirk as a positive.
"That's true, but you do have your eye on another hot little number." I flushed despite not knowing what she was talking about.
"I'm not sure what you're going on about. I'm not interested in dating right now, I wouldn't even know what to do on one. So I don't…" I started to blabber, my words turning to nonsense as the mercenary chuckled heartedly.
"Sure you don't." I stared at her and her expression shifted.
"Seriously?"
I splayed out my fingers, wiggling in place as embarrassment seeped in. "I honestly have no idea what or who you're talking about."
"You're either dense or really naive and I'm not sure which." I growled and with a yelp I was pushed off the bench.
"Hey!" I complained, and she smiled with an amused tilt.
"You've got an appointment to go to don't you? Tell me how it goes when you come back." I sighed.
She was right.
I had something rather important to do, and I wouldn't be able to do this any later with the gang war on the horizon.
So.
It was time to go.
___
April 15th, 2011. 10:10AM
Basilia Rubio
Asylum East looked very nice on the outside, but the sense of despair and trauma left a bad taste in my mouth. This wasn't a place purely for healing but for needed containment for people who
couldn't be fixed with merely years of therapy. It was a reminder that for all my words, things aren't solved so easily. Even if I wasn't fully read up on Worm, I knew enough. Luckily whoever had created Veda had been smart enough to program her with a basic knowledge of the events of Worm.
Wait…
That meant checking my old phone for what it had was completely pointless. Why didn't you say something?
'I wasn't sure how to tell you. That…and it was funny.' my eyebrows twitched, and I felt Panacea lightly tap my shoulders. Luckily I was beneath my inch of laser steel and carbon composite so there wasn't an inherent worry there.
I had been surprised by Panacea's request for help on this. Apparently she was feeling comfortable enough with her power to try healing a few Case 53s. Her main issue with that was that she wasn't willing to touch the brain, and so far that hasn't changed. But she
could 'fix' them physically, but communicating with her shard was currently beyond her. Without extensive use her power had remained stagnant, with the only refinements being a reduction in required mass to heal someone.
But without communication with the Shards the changes would simply revert back. If the Case 53s are being affected in the same way as other capes, it meant it was in
my purview as a Shaman. Most changed Parahumans didn't have the ability to directly communicate with other shards, with the exception of only a few certain people.
Taylor was one of them as the Administrator, and Shaper would eventually be able to do the same once she started to make greater use of her power. Hopefully in a positive way…anything else or I'd cut her off. The other example would likely be the Harvester Shard, belonging to none other than the Fairy Queen. Which is probably why most of Taylor's powers are still limited to
expansions of her bug control. Going full on Trump would bring too much attention…and we already have a lot of it on us.
Range.
Physical enhancement of her swarm, and use of them as projections for tuned energy beams. Mental multitasking was another, and she was using it to great effect in her training with biotics. She was gaining substantial expertise in basic kinetic and molecular manipulation, and was dabbling extensively with Gravitic Control and Dimensional Control.
Which was
terrifying.
She had ended up crushing a one ton chunk of laser steel when she tried to make a
Singularity and a failed
Charge ripped an incomplete land vehicle in half. I wasn't that far behind her, but that was with manipulating gravitons.
Dimensional Control wasn't my forte.
So yes…Taylor Anne Hebert can now
teleport.
God that was as terrifying as it was
amazing.
While her biotics and airbending qualified as Shaker powers, I knew QA had a few more tricks up her…sleeves. Do shards have sleeves…?
…
I decided that they did and moved on.
"B—Erudition snap out of it." Amy snapped out, and I looked down the hallway as a woman in formal clothing approached, her low heels clicking as she approached. Her heart rate was steady and strong, the woman walking with a purpose and rapidity that was quite confident.
She adjusted her white dress blouse, and adjusted a few wrinkles in her black slacks. I stared at that face, finding it to closely resemble
one cape I was getting to know.
"Doctor Yamada I presume?" The memetic therapist stopped her approach, eyes lifting and scanning us with a friendly expression.
"And you would be Erudition?" I smiled behind my helmet, and offered my hand. The therapist shook vigorously, and I could tell that she was analyzing and even evaluating me. She did the same to Panacea, and was decidedly more worried.
"Yes. We were here about one of your patients, a Case 53. We have reason to believe that uniting our respective talents can at least…alleviate some of the burdens of mutated capes. But…"
Her nod was solemn. "There's no guarantee it'll work and you don't want to get our hopes up. I believe it was Panacea who accepted the request from Asylum East?"
Amy gave a sheepish grin. "Yes…I think I want to try again, my powers might be able to do something about Case 53s…and Erudition can help too." This was a test to herself, she wanted to do more but was afraid of herself.
Not unreasonable. But sad…
"So…would you mind telling us about the person we're here to help?" I was going to say Parahuman, but that felt like an unneeded add on.
Jessica Yamada gestured and we followed, the therapist carefully navigating the winding dismal halls of the Asylum. There were a few guards coming and going, and I recognized armor sourced from Athena. The suits wouldn't rival Tinkertech armor but they did have space for kinetic barriers modules
if they knew how to make them. Since they didn't it would be more likely to be used for Tinkertech energy barriers instead.
"My patient is an unfortunate young woman who was mutated
badly by her power. She's unable to control it, and has been kept here for both her own safety and the safety of those around her." She didn't seem to like that, and who wouldn't. A poor girl living such a tortured existence.
I couldn't imagine it.
"I…really hope we can do something for her." My platitudes felt flat and insincere.
"So do I…so do I…" we stopped at a door to the special containment unit, and I fished out a modified barrier module. She was in the middle of putting on a special suit, heavily reinforced with strong materials and airbags. Again I identified nanometric materials from my patents and trade secret technology.
The therapist tilted her head. "Hmm?" I smiled again.
"It's a barrier projector, built to withstand crushing force. I asked beforehand and they said it was…okay." She smiled lightly.
"That might make things easier, Panacea has the same barrier technology herself then?" I knocked, and blue flashed where my fist impacted with the energy barrier. A layer of light configured into a more effective molecular format, and a kinetic barrier beneath that. The kinetic barrier alone was at least four times more effective than the barrier on my first suit, and the hard light could take far greater force before burning out.
"She does." I answered the question as the door opened. "But more importantly what should I call her?"
"Sveta works fine." The barrier spread as the belt drew power from a high energy battery, one of my first successes with replicating the effects of Parahuman powers. A density equal to hydrogen tends to be…difficult with batteries, but very
small alterations of physics can make things like that possible…
We crossed the divide, the door shutting behind us. Within seconds I saw pencil thin tentacles lash out, only to be stopped by a barrier of light. They crushed with immense force but the barriers were barely affected. It wouldn't last anything like an hour of course…but it would last.
The tendrils unwrapped from my barrier, retracting back across the room to the post where Sveta hung on. I was thankful I was wearing a helmet so the poor girl couldn't see my face. It was one thing to read her circumstances, and another thing to see.
Sveta was nothing but an impossibly pale face, held up by long writhing tendrils like the legs of some strange sea creature. I grimaced at the tiny organs hung by the largest tendril. Her appearance was barely human, and a tiny voice told me I would have tried to kill myself if this had happened to me. There were no lies in my own mind about what I would do.
And that was sobering.
Sveta started to calm, shifting her position into a more comfortable one. She looked apologetic. "I'm sorry."
"It's no trouble really, even without my costume I'd be able to take it." A barrier
does have its uses. Panacea adjusted the backpack, which held about seventy kilograms of protein and fat liquid slurry. A tendril lashed out again, and a barrier pushed it back.
Sveta flinched. She took a breath, and the excited tendrils tuned down their murder violence spree. Despite her best interests, more lashed out and continued to fail to penetrate the barriers.
"Sveta. Please…remember your breathing exercises, relax and…" the doctor coached the Parahuman, and I glanced at Panacea. Her mixed emotions on the situation were widespread between horror, guilt, and pity. With there even being a slimmer of
interest which faded to disgust.
The Case 53 finally simmered down, her tendrils taut but no longer attacking everyone and everything in sight.
"I'm sorry." Her soft accented voice was so pitiful that it made me want to punch the entirety of Cauldron in the face. Plans were made and then discarded on the prospect of wiping the organization from existence once Zion was out of the picture.
"It's…okay…" Amy tried to soothe the girl, and that attracted the attention of Sveta.
"You're Panacea aren't you?" Sveta asked with an unsure tone, the healer stiffened up at the recognition but I could see her going through her own breathing exercises.
"I am…I accepted a request from the Asylum to help you…" I blanked out on that conversation as the good doctor gave me a nudge.
"A quick question…did you teach her breathing exercises, or did she pick it up on her own?" The therapist asked and I answered.
"I told her about them, they help a lot with bending and with shamanism." She was thankfully filled in on that out of necessity due to the danger of capes manifesting new powers. "Breath control is very important, as is meditation."
She cleared her throat, ending the short greetings between Amy and Sveta.
"These two capes have volunteered in a highly experimental procedure that may be able to calm your power at the very least. We would prefer your consent on this matter."
Sveta's lips quivered, and her tendrils coiled around metal, which crumpled but didn't break immediately. "I…can you really…heal me?" The hope was so strong that it made my heart hurt in a way that few things did.
"I can't promise you anything, I believe it's possible and I don't want to get your hopes up. But…I'm willing to try and so is Amy." She glanced at the biokinetic, who flushed and nodded.
"I…please. If you think you can…please." Her begging hurt even more, and I hit back a curse.
Fucking
shit.
I glanced over to Doctor Yamada, and was given the go-ahead.
"First things first, don't be alarmed but…" I waved my arm and every single one of her tendrils was caught in blobs of blue shifted air. An Asari technique of Stasis that could catch individual limbs with less energy cost. Easier to break away but useful enough for now.
"O-Oh." She sounded a little frightened and I lifted up my hands in a placating gesture.
"Keep calm. Panacea needs to be able to touch you, and I need to be in close range to do my thing. Just…breathe." Her limbs vibrated, breaking loose before I set another biotic containment wave. She calmed her limbs, and I took solid steady steps.
I heard whispers.
Panacea waved her arms in a memorized kata, and her backpack was flung open as she pulled out the solution. The water made it bendable and that was what she exploited. Once she was in arms reach of the Cape 53, she gently placed a hand on the girl's cheek. Another tendril broke free, and Amy flicked her head back, effortlessly dodging the steel rending blow.
Again I sent another wave of biotic force.
"Erudition…get here now…" Amy hissed loudly, and Sveta went still. Her eyes slipped shut, but her power continued to function. The whispers were louder, and I pressed on until I was face to face with Sveta.
The meaty water was bent until it engulfed Garotte entirely, and her power began to operate in overdrive.
I closed my eyes.
And opened them to the
void.
A shard loomed over Sveta, a mass of tentacles flicking and twisting with confusion and anger. I spoke but not with just words.
"
INTRUDER. ATTACK! DEFEND! HOST…vulnerable." The shard was loud, looking around in a paranoid filled tone of voice. I lifted
my voice.
"Wrong…your host is only under threat from you." The shard glared, and I didn't back down.
"
DECEIVER. HERE TO HARM. HERE TO KILL HOST."
"Wrong…we're here to heal the Host, this is not the right form."
The shard seethed. "
RIBBONS. SAW RIBBONS."
I didn't express my displeasure. "You were mistaken, missing the protocols to prevent damage to the Host. I can help correct that error…will you let me?"
The mass poked at its Host, and it let out a whimper. It nodded and the smile on my face was probably incredibly stupid. I whispered, speaking in the tongue of spirits, gifting the shard with the insight to better comprehend her Host.
While returning her to what she once was, was a nearly impossible task. Giving her a human body was still possible.
Sveta's tendrils began to shrink and retract, absorbed into the biomass that Panacea was burning to generate an appropriate body. The young woman's face turned a darker, more human shade and I looked away as flesh squelched and grew from the organic feedstock.
Holy shit that's horrifying.
The liquid
glowed only speeding up the process, as within some thirty minutes Sveta was reconstituted into what more or less looked like a human being.
With all that implied when she had no clothes…
I turned away and then sighed in relief when I found a blanket, throwing it over her so I wouldn't see anything else.
Amy shuddered. "She's probably going to need a steady amount of appropriate nutrients after this. There's still going to be a lot of mutations but those are mostly internal or when using her power. There's been no change there since I don't do brains." There was no lie in her voice, and I knew for sure that Sveta's brain was left intact.
"When should she be u—" The patient's eyes flew open, arms flailing as she let out a scream. Her blanket was nearly dropped in the process, though her strong and tight subconscious grip kept that from happening. One of her arms briefly unfolded like a flower, tendrils flailing before trembling and retracting in the span of less than a second.
Doctor Yamada was the first to approach her, speaking to her in a gentle tone of voice. I watched carefully as Sveta adjusted herself, tightly wrapping the blanket into a makeshift robe. The case 53 wrapped her arms around herself, and froze. She lifted her hands up, each and every one of her fingers trembling and twitching as she stared.
Within seconds she started to tear up, and I felt distinctly uncomfortable. Yamada pulled her up to her feet, despite the difficulty in her heavy duty suit.
"Sveta…how do you feel?" The therapist's question was soft, and the young woman teared up even more.
WOOSH!
Amy let out a yelp, tendrils pulling us with little force as we were taken into a mandatory hug. She lifted both of us in her arms with little strain, lifting over 200 kilograms.
"Thank you! Thank you…" she was reduced to blubbering, losing a small measure of control over her strength. Not enough to crush me without my armor, but it was enough to hurt a more fragile human.
"Sveta." Yamada called out to her patient, the young Case 53 released her hug, dropping us back to the ground. Amy looked dazed, her head stuttering as the young woman thanked us profusely.
I glanced at Amy's work, finding it adequate.
The russian accented young woman had a slightly tanned skin tone, and was above average in height, being about even with my own height including my armor. So about 5'8…
She had messy black hair that dropped down to below her shoulders, and was thin but not lanky like I had seen from old pictures of Taylor. Which she
certainly didn't look like that now.
At all.
Her makeshift robe hid any further visual observations though a cursory use of seismic sense did make her shape clearer. She was a fair bit denser than what one would expect from her height and frame, her shuffling feet sending vibrations into the ground.
"She's…going to be okay isn't she?" Amy shrugged.
"Physically…sure, she's not going to revert back if that's what you're asking. Mentally…?" Her sour expression was blatant. "I have no idea."
"Girls? Could I have a moment to speak with my patient?" Yamada's voice was curious, and very relieved. "There…may still be a few patients who could also be helped. It's not an obligation on your part…but."
Amy rolled her eyes. "It's fine, there are what…like
three Case 53s in this place?"
"Eight actually." She blinked.
"That's still fine, at least I have Erudition here to suffer with me." She cracked a smile and as I sauntered over I pushed her gently.
She chuffed angrily.
There was interest in Doctor Yamada's eyes, but I ignored that as Sveta thanked us again and we went through the procedures to leave her room. We said our goodbyes and moved on to the other patients.
___
April 15th, 2011. 12:00PM
Basilia Rubio
I clasped my hands together, as the PRT room went back into full isolation using both conventional and Tinkertech means.
"Erudition. You're the biggest headache I've ever had the
pleasure of encountering within this city." Director Piggot started with a legendary deadpan that would stay with me for the rest of my life.
"I'm sorry?" I actually did feel bad, the Director had been rather straight laced with me so far, and I didn't hate her. I didn't
like her either, but I could stand her.
"Your arrival in this city has been the catalyst for
something that's far above my payroll. Your little stunt with Panacea has brought up a number of questions. Which brings me to what I want to ask."
"Yes?" Wariness made my shoulders lock up.
"Do you have Trump abilities?" The question wasn't surprising but it was illuminating. The PRT still suspected that I was directly responsible for this bullshit.
"Yes. What about it?" But I wanted to make sure I wasn't overthinking everything. Didn't need any misunderstandings screwing me over.
"I'm making sure you're not directly responsible for something that could see you Birdcaged. It would be…a waste to detain someone of remarkable…stability."
"You're talking about bending and the spirits aren't you?" Her unimpressed glare set me straight.
She hummed thoughtfully. "Yes…you're the only Parahuman we've found that has any idea about what's happening in my city. That places a great deal of suspicion on your shoulders. Even if I personally have my doubts."
"That's true…but I'm quite certain I'm not responsible, though it's not impossible that I was around or
near whatever event took place to start this…giant mess." I pointed to my temple, not feeling the need to hide certain things anymore.
Because really…trapping me in the Birdcage wouldn't even work anymore. The modifications I had made to the Dimensional Paths Network device circumvented the dimensional blockage technology that would be available to normal or Cauldron Parahumans.
Most dimensional transfer technology functioned rather similarly though the exact techniques would use unique aberrant spacetime metrics that worked differently in some way. It would work by expanding primordial wormholes, their exact behavior and properties decided by the specific spacetime configuration and the amount of energy supplied. Dimensional Paths utilized a resource that those powers lacked.
The ability to enter the spirit world…
Earth Lotus was the prime Hub, it's eezo core strained to the limit to tear open a stable wormhole. But that was a single use measure, before a path was carved into the spirit world itself, protected and enforced by friendly spirits who were more than willing to help in exchange for the ability to transfer between universal planes.
It wasn't dissimilar to Labyrinth's power, but it was essentially a stable clockwork, paths spreading outward from Lotus onto half a dozen parallel Earths chosen as tests. Each world was a nexus, long winding roads leading to various fixed points on the planet. As long as someone from White Lotus was in one of those fixed points we would be safe, and even outside of those safe areas a brief command would 'jump' us to the least energetically costly safe point.
So I basically had a technological equivalent to Doormaker and Clairvoyant without needing to exploit mentally ill capes. The trade off was that we were limited in how
many worlds we could teleport to. At the least we couldn't be trapped on a planet by Cauldron, that would trigger an emergency exit at the cost of energy and strain on the main reactor.
Which…wouldn't be a problem soon, since I was planning on setting up power plants across dimensions. Maybe some type of biotic seed reactor, draining surrounding space for dark energy.
That…was however going to take tens of thousands of tons of materials…which I was acquiring shortly. Omni-foundries were rapidly sifting through thousands of tons of feedstock, automated lines manufacturing everything from common plastics to complex computational devices.
"Could you elaborate?" I probably shouldn't be so casual about it either though because Piggot still scared the shit out of me.
"There was an incident on the third of January, somewhere around the edge of New York City." The Director leaned back.
"The incident that led to the disappearance of the Travelers? Were you there?" She questioned.
"I have no idea…my Trigger for lack of better words is a little hazy," fingers twitched at the feeling of burning, peeling skin. "That…portal is likely what started this, the first time I saw it…brought back bad memories. Whatever made
that changed
everything, and my powers were sourced from that well. The only clue is that my presence has a…positive effect on powers. But the range is far too small for what's happening."
"Positive in what way?" She sounded interested but also unnerved.
"Ehh…better control, less detrimental effects from their powers. Best as I've been able to see, things would be a lot worse if someone with my powerset wasn't around." I didn't like to think about it, since what I had been researching didn't lead in good directions.
Piggot sighed, rubbing her forehead. "I don't believe my need for elaboration needs to be explained."
"Instead of helping powers, it was far more likely whatever was going on would start
breaking them, in ways that would be beyond horrific. Inconsistent Manton limits, physical and mental mutations similar to Case 53s. If they went through a
second Trigger they'd be time bombs."
She tsked. "You're well informed on powers. How exactly were you able to acquire this information?" I actually ended up resting my head on the table, exhaustion setting in.
"Massive amounts of research, and literally millions of simulations all come back to one conclusion. I'm apparently…acting as a control, at least locally, keeping powers from changing in a more…unstable manner. For a more morbid example…Vista." I grimaced.
"What about her?" She almost seemed worried.
"Her space warping power…from what I've been able to analyze, it could easily lose its Manton limit in a
bad way. Most of which would end with a missing building and dead Wards."
Her hands were gripped tightly onto her desk, and I gave her my best apologetic look.
"Why tell us any of this? Most typical Parahumans…don't have much in the way of trust of the PRT."
I tilted my head. "Because…it doesn't benefit me to lie? There's also not much worry for leaks anymore, with Coil down for the count." He was being hunted down by the PRT, and I was providing some assistance on locating him. As was Dragon. "I also wouldn't say I
trust the PRT, but I don't hate it either. It just needs reform, though to be frank most of the government needs reform. But that's not really my job."
Apparently Cauldron is either losing control or has changed course because there's been a few rather successful campaigns going towards better integration of Parahumans. I suspect the second one more than the former however, since that was Rebecca's little pet project with the amount of prejudice against capes she was fighting.
"You're preparing for something." It was a statement rather than a question, and I almost demanded to know how she had figured it out.
"Hmm…?" I quirked an eyebrow and she rolled her eyes, before darting them to a previously inconspicuous cup of water. Within seconds the water dove out of its confinement, freezing into a spear of ice that stopped in midair, twirled in a lazy orbit around my head. I had followed the pained flow of her arms as she commanded the power of water to herself.
I also noted the sharp stone that was held up above Piggot's left palm, which dropped when I glanced back to the Director. I didn't think it was a power statement so much as an example of how much shit she's tolerating. Honesty they were so slow they would have given me a bruise at
best if she had actually tried to hit me with them.
She took a deep calming breath, her smile painted into a half smirk.
"We have many Thinkers on our purview, and on very rare occasions take the advice of unaffiliated Thinkers. It all added up…which begs the question, what
are you preparing for? To take the city? Some moment of instability to establish yourself throughout the country?" I feel like she was asking these questions to test me. The amount of doubt of my capability in that kind of thing in her voice was somehow oddly hurtful.
"I'm not some wannabe despot you know," I said with a low voice. "I'm not interested in ruling, in being in charge of
people with all their feelings and messes that I don't always understand the point of. I just…want to survive, and this is the best way I've found to do that."
"So what
are you preparing for?" I hissed, the question being one that was both above her and my pay grade.
"Something…very bad is coming within the near future, an event that'll likely devastate most of human civilization. I…can't elaborate beyond that."
"Can't or won't?"
"A bit of both. I'm sorry." I have no idea what Cauldron would do, would they care if I told Piggot the truth or would they kill her off to keep their secret safe?
I can't predict them, because even while Dinah was improving her own limits her power was still weaker than Contessa's Path to Victory. I'm sure we muddled their vision, but they at this moment had far greater resources at their disposal.
The director stood up, her hands pressed on the table of the interrogation room. "Fine. Keep your secrets. I doubt you plan on keeping them forever."
"Sorry." Her lips curdled, and her entire body sagged and she looked much more weary than usual. Which was saying a lot.
"Again, you're the largest headache in this entire city, but…you do good work. Barring your debut you're far more level headed than
most of the capes in this city. You might be increasing my workload in
one department but the reduced crime rate is…satisfying."
That…wasn't saying much.
"Thank you?" I decided to take that as a compliment regardless.
"As long as you keep that streak going, and you stay within the bounds of the law I'll keep our relationship…amicable." She stared at me, her cup of water rippling and my smile was very slightly strained.
I spoke. "I hope we can maintain that relationship in the future." She nodded and offered a hand.
I tentatively shook it.
___
April 15th, 2011. 2:00PM
Basilia Rubio
"We always come here don't we?" I talked aloud to Taylor, watching her stir the tea that was apparently sold here. Earl Grey from what I could remember…
After my prompt meeting with the Director, I had agreed to a series of power testing sessions and a few meetings with the Wards and some of the younger members of the Protectorate. While the PRT didn't find me suspicious they did want to make sure there wasn't some unforeseen
consequence of my confirmed Trump abilities.
Taylor shrugged. "It's a nice place. And I like coming here with you."
I blushed. "O-Oh, err…" I forgot what I was going to say. Was it important? I wasn't the only one who felt hot right?
"Basilia? You okay?" Taylor was smiling, eyes shining bright as she brushed back her rather pretty curly black hair. She placed her arms down on the table, and I noticed the definition of those arms. The brunette leaned forward until her head was only a few inches from my own.
"Errrr…I'm fine I promise." She didn't accept that answer and I was forced to suffer the confusing mix of embarrassment and happiness as Taylor checked me over.
"You're a little warm…are you sure?" I stared at Taylor, leaning ever so slightly into her hand. I didn't
stop staring, and she snapped out of her worry spiral. Her own cheeks warmed, and then went cold.
Huh?
I placed my feet back on the ground, and I flinched when I saw how clenched and
angry Taylor was. Her heart rate was steady(but
loud) and her jaw was set. I picked up a set of footsteps from a new customer, and I turned my head.
Oh.
The girl who entered the room was just an inch taller than myself, so tall for a woman. She had a curvy body, her long red hair curtaining out along both sides of her head. Her silky white tank top and right shorts were almost built to show off her curves. But…I believe
mine were better.
Her striking green eyes scanned the shop, until they focused on us directly. They went from an almost deceptively innocent to a look full of disdain and disgust that seemed almost…desperate.
Almost like excitement, while Taylor expressed purely negative emotions instead.
"Is that…?" The redhead eagerly approached us, a very…tiny hint of what I believe qualified as sociopathic glee triggering a need to flee with Taylor in tow.
Fuck…Taylor was
pissed.
"Oh hey Taylor! It's been a while hasn't it?" That tone of voice didn't set me on edge…it made me angry.
Irrationally so, and I felt my own life energy curdle at the presence of the older teenager.
There was something wrong with her.
"Hello Emma." Taylor set aside her tea, schooling her expression until there was nothing but an emotionless mask on her face. A single bug landed on her shoulder, flashing in what I identified as Morse code.
Play along.
The bitch leaned forward on the balls of her feet with a sickly smirk. "I honestly thought you were dead…but it seems like the world is okay with having garbage." Taylor scoffed and I felt myself stuttering in place when she placed an arm on my shoulders.
Emma twitched, visibly confused.
Pawn.
"I don't know about that Emma," her shrug was the most condescending display I had witnessed so far. "I think it would be best if you left us alone." Her smile conveyed an amount of bitterness and anger that was beyond the pale.
Emma turned to me, and the thoughts passing through my mind weren't nice.
"Who's this? Maybe an escort you paid to be your friend…?"
…
Did she just call me a
prostitute?
She did…
I'm going to set that bitch on fire
My lips flickered down into a frown, but before I could say or do something
stupid Taylor nudged my shoulder. I took the time to meditate, keeping my anger and passion from boiling over into a fire blast to Emma's stupid face.
Taylor shook her head. "She's my best friend actually, because everyone has to move on at some point
Emma." I preened, enjoying the irritated look on that redhead's stupid face. "I have a lot of better things to do anyway. So we should probably leave, right Basilia?" I nodded silently, rising up from my seat as Taylor did the same. The bully looked pissed and tried to step in our way, but it was about then that she noticed an attribute that Taylor didn't make use of until recently.
Her height.
Her over 6'2 stature cut an intimidating figure, overshadowing Emma by more than half a foot. She was easily pushed out of the way, and she looked visibly angry.
"So you're going to be a coward?" Taylor rolled her eyes.
"
Goodbye Emma." We stepped out of the shop, nearly crashing into a tall man who paid a resemblance to Emma. He blanched when he saw Taylor.
"E-Emma?" Alan Barnes stammered. Taylor thumbed toward the shop with a grunt. He weaved between us, whispering an apology to my friend before fleeing into the confines of the coffee shop. To my surprise what had to be two
police officers had shown up with stern expressions, following the lawyer with a dark air around them.
We walked for about a minute before Taylor had diminished her firm grip on my hand. She didn't say anything and I didn't try to force it out of her either, I was no good at this stuff…I had only learned common sense.
But…
"You want a hug?" I offered and with a terse nod she took the opportunity. It was a short sweet hold, a storm of emotions circling in her eyes. Once she let go, she started marching, the small crowd parting before her.
A fly landed on my shoulders, pulsing back and forth into another coherent signal.
Back to base. Want to practice Biotics, and I want to be alone.
"Okay. I understand, if it's ever too much…"
She grinned. "I'll call you." She waved goodbye, and I drifted away in the direction of my home. I kept track of my drones, monitoring Taylor through my feet and my tech for a moment. I cut that off, for the purpose of navigation to my residence. It took a good fifteen minutes, and I sighed in relief as I locked the door of my house.
I mentally turned on my omni-tool, stepping through a portal back to Lotus right outside the base as it was expanded outwards and upwards.
Hundreds of Golems and heavily automated omni-mining machines worked nonstop to harvest and break down materials through a mixture of chemical and nanotechnological methods. So molten salt electrolysis and usage of degenerate mass effect fields, as well as nanofabrication to make highly refined alloys.
My talk with Piggot had revealed a few things of grave importance. My lack of resources in comparison to Cauldron. They had much of the world running on their Path,
especially in the US. They had thousands of Cauldron Capes, unimaginable resources from the tendrils they've buried into the government. Money wise I had an enormous income, revenue was hitting about one hundred million a month from the patents and licensing alone. I was currently looking for talent outside of the legal one of Miss Merchant, who I had poached from New Wave's legal firm as the senior VP of Athena and General Counsel.
Turns out several hundred grand, stock options and an excellent 401K plan is a very good lure for most people. I was also setting up numerous different departments split up into the various different technologies I was advancing.
Bakuda had managed to wrangle herself as an engineering lead due to her talent and well…being a tinker. Even before her Trigger she was a goddamn monster in the making. I had about two hundred applications, and was expanding the team so I wouldn't have to run a dozen departments.
Well…so
Taylor wouldn't have to…oh…she's also been thinking about going off to a nearby college at some point. That's still a ways off, but I feel like she'll thrive as her tinker abilities improve. So…probably something involving computer science and robotics.
"
Eezo deposit discovered." The light English tones of a Golem snapped me out of my musing, and I felt my wide smile as a large model about 3 meters tall carefully held a chunk of Eezo of about 200 kilograms.
A sample that was only a small fraction of the enormous lode of Eezo, a deposit that
doubled my supply of the miracle substance. That didn't even include the ones that had been partially excavated or lost due to natural events.
"Well…it seems things are looking up in that specific part of my life." I evilly rubbed my hands together.
…
Now what kind of mad SCIENCE can I get up to?
___
AN: Here is 5.3, which means we should start transitioning to the plot line I've made for Arc 5 and 6. There's been a lot going on the background, some of it Basilia has noticed while other things have managed to get by her in one way or another.
Such as Emma…and she is
very unwell. But this Arc sets up the butterflies even more, and brings up a few things. Like the more AU elements of the universe. Some
good as well as…some that aren't so good.
ROPHET speeding up the process."
