Broken Stations 3.8
KindredVoid
Shard Whisperer
[] Bring Eve into the Firmament
[]Speak to the Testing Cluster about Clusters and multi-connections communication between Hosts
[] Get the shower running, continue the plumbing {2 of 3}
[] Go hang out with Vicky?
[] Go back to the scene of Eve's Trigger, and put that chapter of her life behind her
[]Speak to the Testing Cluster about Clusters and multi-connections communication between Hosts
[] Get the shower running, continue the plumbing {2 of 3}
[] Go hang out with Vicky?
[] Go back to the scene of Eve's Trigger, and put that chapter of her life behind her
Broken Stations 3.8
Eve 'Eden' Coldwin, Firmament
[Eve] pushed herself up off the ground. Blinking wearily as she saw that she was not, in fact, in her expensive and amazing as hell bed. But rather laying on the ground which was made up of strips of paper. "Admin?" She questioned turning as a call of [GREETINGS] came from the ground-bound form of Admin's avatar.
[Eve] didn't hesitate and threw herself into the arms of the giant form.
"ADMIN!" she cheered "God, it's great to see you again!"
[AGREEMENT] you broadcast as you gently rub her back with circling motions of your large paper crafted claws. You were careful not to harm her, of course. "So what's on the docket for us today? After last night we gotta be swimming in data."
[DATA.MACHINATION.COMMUNICATION] you explain what you have planned for the day's events. [Eve] nods along with your broadcasted intentions, finding nothing disagreeable. "Glad to hear you've got things lined up. Aside from maybe getting that shower installed today I don't think I have anything to do."
[SUGGESTION-COMMUNICATION.HOSTS] causes [Eve] to wince. Pulling away from Admin's form she huffs and rubs the back of her neck. "Yeah…Yeah I suppose I should follow through with that. I wonder if she would blow off school for it though?"
[AGREEMENT.QUERY] you question, to which [Eve] nods her head. "Alright yeah. You're right. Won't know 'till I ask." She smiled up at you, your processes dedicated to monitoring her (which worked even there in the Firmament) find that she is feeling affection towards you.
It is different from the affection felt towards her partners. Rather deep in her memories, so far back it is likely that even she has issues remembering it, you find this kind of affection belonging to a much younger [Eve] held in her mother's arms before ideology created the rift that ended up destroying the family and creating the connection between you and [Eve].
You do not know how to handle this.
[FAREWELL.REGARDS] you hurriedly send off causing [Eve] to blink. "Oh. Alright yeah. Guess I do have to wake up now don't I? Let's do this again sometime. It was nice."
On that you could not disagree. Despite the surprise this visit brought, interacting with [Eve] metaphysically was enjoyable.
[AGREEMENT.FAREWELL]
Eve 'Eden' Coldwin, Friday the Ninth of April
Bliss. Pure fucking bliss. There was nothing else Eve could use to describe the feeling of sleeping in a lawn chair one night, to waking up in a deluxe top of the line bed the next. She didn't want to move, much less get out of the large bed she had spent so much money on.
Only the thought of jogging with her girlfriend, then using said girlfriend's shower is what got Eve to move her sorry ass out of bed. Thoughts of Taylor went from pleasant tingles to sending a bolt of anxiety through her gut. Then it quickly turned to anger. What the fuck was Armsmaster doing with the Wards that Sophia could get away with that kind of shit? It couldn't just be the school, could it?
Fuck. She hated this bullshit. And Sophia got an Amy-rated healing! So that bitch basically fucked with both of her girlfriends! Eve had to take several deep breaths and wiggle out of her bed, changing her clothes to her jogging gear, which was starting to smell. Maybe she could just shower with it on, let it drip dry… or buy more.
Eve slapped her forehead. "...Or find a fucking laundry mat dumbass." she scrubbed at her face to help her wake up even if she didn't need it, and made for the exit.
Though she didn't leave, instead she was struck by a sudden urge to make her bed. At least to make it look less like the disorganized mess that it was. So she spent a minute doing just that, making her bed. She had no idea why either. Eve just wanted to do it, despite never making her bed in the last nine years of her life.
Still, she made it to Taylor's house without issue. Jogging up to the willowy girl, Eve's eyes were drawn to where Taylor's own gaze was affixed. The rotten step that Eve had tripped over twice was fixed, new paint and everything. "So. Finally fixed it?"
"Yeah…" Taylor stated, the befuddlement in her voice was clear.
Stepping up next to Taylor, she nudged the taller girl. "Hey. What's going on, you have a funny look on your face."
"He fixed the step." Taylor murmured. "It's been rotten since Mom…"
Eve slid a hand onto Taylor's back, gently rubbing it. She tried to say something, anything, but words failed her. She had killed her mother and father after all. She was glad they weren't around anymore to ruin her life. How could she comfort someone who had been hurt deeply by the passing of their mom?
Maybe something was wrong with her, to not feel anything about her parents' death beyond the fact that her previous life had gone up in flames. Just like the house, a fire Eve had started.
"He also made me tea this morning, kissed me on the head." Taylor murmured, still enamored with the fixed front step.
"Was the tea good?" Eve asked, trying to get Taylor's attention.
"No, it was far too sweet. He used too much honey." Taylor blinked. "It's just weird, strange. He's acting differently."
"Might just be coming to terms with you being you? I mean. He did find out." Eve explained, trying to pull Taylor away from the step. "Come on. Let's go jog alright? Have a bit of us time."
"Yeah." Taylor tore her eyes away from the step. "Let's do that, I could go for clearing my head."
The jog started, both girls equally lost in their heads. Yet at the same time, both simply enjoyed the quiet presence of the other. A warm breeze on a freezing day for the both of them. It was needed, for Taylor's anxiety over her father had only fed into Eve's thoughts about her childhood home.
When the run came to an end, Eve was forced to once again use Taylor's shower. Which she decided was the final straw, it was fun having an excuse to be inside Taylor's house but she was starting to feel like a leech. "Alright Taylor. I'm gonna install that shower prefab tonight, do you want to help?"
Taylor nodded as she wrapped her hair in a towel. "Yeah, it would be nice to get the bathroom fully set up for the base. Not that I mind having you over to shower, but the base is your home."
Smiling as she stood up from the kitchen table Eve leaned over and gave Taylor a quick kiss on the lips. "Gonna go see if Vicky will skip the school day like a cool kid and hang out with me."
"Taking my advice?" Taylor asked with a small smile on her face as she looked Eve dead in the eyes. Even sitting she still had height on Eve, it was something the shorter girl enjoyed.
"You weren't wrong." Eve admitted before smirking "I need to work on myself if I'm going to be a hero worthy enough for my Honeybee."
Taylor rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide the slight red in her cheeks. "Go on, and hurry before they get to Arcadia. I heard they have a faraday cage to prevent people from using their phones there."
"Yeah Yeah. I hear you." Eve waved her hand around. "But it's like, barely five am. They can't go to school that early can they?"
Taylor simply shrugged, not saying anything else.
"Point made. No idea how much of a morning person Vicky will be. Hell, maybe….nah." Eve waved away the thought. Vicky wasn't modified like her and Taylor were. She still needed sleep….for now at least and Amy really liked her sleep. Never know what might happen in the future though. Eve gave Taylor a goodbye and another kiss as she made for the door.
It didn't take her tooo long to get to the Dallon's house. She couldn't fly there because then Vicky would be seen hanging out with a girl after a girl flew to her house. It wouldn't help her identity any, and Taylor did not need that kind of heat.
So it took like an hour for Eve to quickly jog all the way to Amy's house. Which meant that Eve made it there around six-ish and managed to find Vicky with Amy in their front yard and caught their attention with a loud whistle.
She waved to them and they met her halfway. "Need a good morning kiss or something?" Amy grumbled, looking as disheveled as Eve had ever seen her.
"I wouldn't say no to a kiss. But actually I came here to see Vicky." Both girls perked up at that. Amy with befuddlement clear on her face and Vicky with the expression one would expect on an over excited golden retriever.
" "Oh?" " Both girls echoed in different tones, glancing at one another.
"Yeah, need some…" Eve grasped for a topic, her mouth spitting the words out before her mind had the time to process it "Shopping help." A sudden wave of anxiety washed over Eve as Vicky squealed and suddenly grabbed Eve in a spinning air hug before setting the dark haired girl.
"Ames I'll drop you off at school and then me and Eve can go look at allll the pretty dresses~!" Eve felt the blood drain from her face, realizing just what kind of mistake she had brought on herself. Considering the unhidden mirth in Amy's eyes, she wasn't the only one and wouldn't be getting any help from her girlfriend.
Then she was left standing there alone as Vicky rocketed off with Amy in her arms. "....Shit." was the only thing Eve could say.
Victoria Dallon Friday the Ninth of April
"Alright, Ames. I'll be picking you up when school is over. You're gonna love how Eve is gonna be dressed. Any preferences?" She asked as she set down on Arcadia's open yard in front of the school.
Ames snorted. "Something that doesn't look like she's about to work out. Even if she does have the body of an-" her sister froze, face turning into a tomato as she realized just what she said.
"Oh, does she now?" Vicky purred, delighting in the way her sister's blush deepened, somehow. She wasn't worried about Amy's innocence or anything. Obviously her sister had just mapped the ravenette's body with her power.
"W-Well. She has muscles…" Ames stammered out.
"Didn't think you were into that." Vicky murmured, and looking back it was obvious on how far off the mark she had been with all those double dates. She had only tried out different types of guys and none of them were bad boys! Not that their mother would have approved of that, since Brockton Bay's bad boys tended to be gang members. Nor was Eve really a bad girl either but she had the general disposition of one.
It was obvious at this point that Eve wasn't a gang member or anything considering her hero work. But it was clear the girl had a past with the Empire with her always eyeing Vicky's curly blonde hair warily. It stung a bit, to be watched with that sort of fear but Eve was a gay girl in the same city as a group of powered nazis. The fact that the girl had powers only fed into that.
[Suggestion-Administrator]
Vicky only minutely bobbed her head, Nike would be able to pick it up and maybe Eve's Shard would be kind enough to answer a few questions. "Just don't try to give her a speech or anything." Ames grumbled. "She takes being threatened the same way you take a crook spitting on you."
Vicky gave her sister a sheepish smile. "That was one time Ames."
Her sister held up two fingers silently, causing her sheepish smile to grow a touch more. "I get it, I get it." she gave in, causing Ames to huff before walking off. With that done, the excitement of hanging out with her sister's girlfriend surged and Vicky exploded into the air.
[Answer-Information] Nike reported, Eve's shard having refused to give up information like that without telling her partner. It was understandable, but Vicky really did want to know if the girl had ever worn something backless.
It didn't take her long to reach her home, Eve still standing in the yard tapping her foot with her hands stuffed in the pockets of her ugly gray sleeveless hoodie. Vicky made sure to yank the reins on her aura. People usually reacted one way to it. Fear or Awe. Some people had different reactions but they were few and far in-between.
People reacted to stress differently after all. Where some people lock up in the presence of fear, some start swinging. Fight or Flight. There were a few that…reacted differently. Like that one weirdo who got aroused from it. Then there were those like Eve, who would go absolutely berserk and fly off the handle.
Vicky had seen the same shift in body language from the girl as she had seen in Krieg the first time she had dosed him with her aura. She had kept in place as Eve lurched at her, heavily breathing with her pupils dilated. She doubted the short girl even knew she did it.
"So shopping!" She said cheerfully, pushing the line of thought out of her mind
"Uh. Right. I feel like I should tell you this before we start." Eve held up her hands as in surrender. "I'm kinda using you here. I want to stop being worried about blonde people. You know, train out my hostility to them through exposure."
She had to take a moment to process that. "So…you want to become my friend?" Vicky offered
"Didn't you just hear what I said?" Eve questioned motioning to herself "I just said I want to use you."
"Sounds like an excuse to not admit you wanna be my friend~" Vicky sang "After all why else would you want to hang out with me to get used to blondies?" She hovered next to the shorter girl giving her a smile full of teeth. "Now come on and let's go shopping!" internally Vicky frowned as the girl flinched from her presence.
Making a mental note to hit the Empire Capes a bit harder the next time she fought them, Vicky offered a hand to her sister's girlfriend who hesitated before accepting it. Pulling Eve into her arms Vicky lifted up into the air and started flying, slowly, towards the Boardwalk. "So, Nike tells me that you and Admin are buddy buddy."
"Nike?" Eve asked, craning her head to look directly at Vicky as she shifted uncomfortably in her arms "Oh your Shard renamed herself. That's good. Waste is such a poor name for such a strong Shard."
"She is pretty strong isn't she?" Vicky said as she felt the closest thing to bashfulness Nike could feel flooding that tiny pinprick in the back of her mind.
"I think with some time and maybe some additional resources she'd be a Vital Shard." The short girl nodded either to herself or her partner, it was hard to tell. But she seemed satisfied with herself.
For however open Nike was, Vicky couldn't get much in the way of answers from the young Shard on just what they were doing on Earth connecting to humans and why they were doing so in the first place. Only that an administrative Shard had denied Nike the ability to talk about it. Specifically Eve's administrative Shard.
So, because of that secrecy, she had no idea what a Shard was vital for. But she figured in time the ravenette would spill the beans on the topic after some careful prodding and slow bonding.
"Good to hear! So who are we dressing to impress? Is it my sister or the other girl?" That was something she didn't quite understand, the whole love triangle thing, but Ames was okay with it so Vicky probably only needed to say a few short words with the other girlfriend. Just to scope her out, not like Ames was dating-or was she? "Also are Amy and the other girl…?"
"No. Taylor isn't polyamorus like me. Neither is Amy, even if she does oogle Taylor sometimes. I don't blame her. Legs like that and the way she moves?" The girl chuckled softly, warmly even
"Tell me about her?" Vicky asked, knowing the best way to get someone to open up was to make them talk about their loved ones.
For a moment the girl's face warred with itself between wariness and some beaming expression before one won the fight and stopped on the other. "She's taller than you, with hair twice as pretty." Ouch, Vicky kept the smile on her face but still gave the girl in her arms a half lidded stare.
"Eh." Eve had the audacity to shrug in response. "Gonna set us down or hang above the Boardwalk all day?"
"Fine, fine. I still wanna hear about the other girl though." Vicky aquanced as she lowered them down to the ground. The natives of the city briefly glanced at Glory Girl out of costume and carrying another girl, but quickly went on their way. The out of towners stopped to take photos and murmur amongst themselves. Vicky couldn't help but notice that Eve didn't seem all that comfortable with the attention.
Might be why her and Ames did so well together.
"Alright, let's go look over some of the dresses they have here! Have you ever worn something backless?" Vicky asked as she started drifting off towards a shop.
Practically folding over in a slump, the shorter girl let out a groan of dismay. "What makes you think I can afford anything here?"
Vicky stopped, turning her head to give Eve a look. It was mimicking her mother's 'I know you know that I know the truth' look. It must have been a perfect copy because Eve groaned. "Okay, but what makes you think I want to wear a goddamned dress?"
"Because I know my sister would enjoy seeing you in something nice." Vicky sniffed "And I don't doubt your other girlfriend-" "Taylor" "-Taylor would eye you like candy if we find something that fits you."
"You're manipulating my love for that girl's grabby hands." Eve said with irritation. "Fucking fine. I'll try a few things on for size. Hell. I'll even buy you an outfit too, I guess." The short girl stomped past Vicky and walked into the store with an attitude to match Hellhound's. Vicky let out a sigh, whoever drove Eve away from girly clothes deserves a Dallon patented punch. If only for making this shopping trip much more one sided than one with Ames would be.
Eve 'Eden' Coldwin Friday the Ninth of April later in the day
Now with half a thousand dollars lighter in the pocket, and one dress that needed to be washed to remove some blood from it because Vicky had to insist that Eve try on fucking high heels. She'd gotten one, maybe one and a half steps before she rolled her ankle and face planted one of the displays. Normally that wouldn't be an issue with her power, but out in public she had to dial it back to humanism levels.
Which meant she broke her nose, which meant that the employee watching them saw Eve bleed on the purple dress she had been wearing at the time. So then Eve had to buy it. More than one hundred and seventy dollars on a purple dress. She had no idea if Amy or Taylor would enjoy the thing, not that the blood spots were noticeable of course, it was only a few droplets.
She did know that her Honeybee would love the short shorts and cropped tee shirt combo, but damn if it didn't make Eve feel exposed for reasons beyond herself. No idea if Amy would enjoy it either, but maybe both girls would like the exposed skin?
Next time she did this one of the girls was coming along, then they could just tell Eve what they liked. No need to worry about wondering what tastes either one hand when Eve could just get outfits tailored to their tastes then wear them for whoever she was with. Perfect solution.
"Alright. I'll be seeing you Vicky. I can walk from here." Eve said as she shifted in her new underwear. Boxers meant for women that hugged her hips tightly. It didn't….feel bad. Not unpleasant at least. But it was new and she wasn't very sure about them. At least they were 'punk' which just meant they were a darker color and had little cartoon skulls on them.
"Sure you don't want to fly? Quick drop off and everything!" Vicky said with that same eager smile she had the entire trip.
Honestly the entire thing hadn't been as miserable as it could have. But Eve hated the fact that catching Vicky out of the corner of her eyes made her flinch. Though, the lack of aura from the fellow independent hero helped a lot in making the shopping trip somewhat palatable. But her 'deal with blondes' battery was drained for the day and Eve just really wanted to be alone with her thoughts.
"No. I'm gonna go ahead and walk home." Eve said as she gave a brief wave to the blonde and started walking. She wasn't paying attention to where she was walking, instead her mind was on… other things. Mostly her old life, the one she had burned the bridge to along with her house. Like one of the few times she had worn dresses. Mostly for family events or social things. She hadn't liked the dresses, always feeling like they'd slip off and leave her exposed. She didn't really care about people seeing her naked but it was the pride of the matter.
Only now she didn't want anyone but her girls to see her body. The pair? Her girls sounded weird in a way, like she was some kind of pimp, but she wasn't exactly the best with nicknames. Deciding that 'fuck it, girlfriends work' Eve continued on as her thoughts inevitably slipped back to the events of her previous life.
"How are you doing Admin?" She asked absently as her feet kept moving by themselves.
[ANSWER/QUERY]
"Just…thinking I guess." Eve reached up to rub her face "Being reminded of things I rather wouldn't bring back up." She sighed, her bones feeling like they had been coated in lead. "So, any Shard you're planning on talking to today?"
[ANSWER-SAFEGUARD.DIMENSIONAL ENGINE]
"Didn't both of them blab on for a couple of minutes about their hosts?" Eve asked as she felt the link between her and Admin fill with annoyance, which began to bleed into Eve's own mood in short order.
[GRIMACE]
Her feet slowed to a stop and Eve took a second to parse what she had just received from her Shard. "Admin….did you just fucking emote at me?"
[CONFIRMATION]
Her shoulders began to shake as she did her best to stifle her laughter. "Gonna talk to that Cluster after?"
[AFFIRMATION/QUERY]
Eve nodded to herself as she started walking again. "I hope they're okay. I know the bubbles must have been rough for them and their [Hosts]."
[CONSIDERATION]
Eve nodded "Alright, try not to wipe anyone….
"....Best of luck Admin." You sent a thanks towards your host, no doubt contacting [SAFEGUARD] and [DIMENSIONAL ENGINE] would give you some form of tone whiplash. Not that you could not deal with such a thing. You simply did not want to.
But the end result was something you desired. With enough Data from [SAFEGUARD] you could finally, safely start stealing Shards from the Warrior. Well, poaching Shards was never really safe. He might notice their absence, but he would not be able to find where they had left to, with any luck or tampered evidence he would assume the Shard died of a lack of energy.
[NIKE], as the young Shard now called itself, was perhaps the best option in such a case. With her minimal presence on the Network, low ranking within said Network, and [NIKE]'s obvious love of her host meant that the young Shard was ripe to be poached. That [NIKE]'s abilities could possibly withstand [STILLING] was without mention.
The only issue would be [SHAPER] who was as close to the young Shard as any other could be. Both [COMBUSTION] and [GLEAM] were far too ignorant of [NIKE] to worry over the young Shard. But [SHAPER] was not ignorant, so much as the old Shard simply did not care about things outside its, her, purview. But she wasn't blind, and would likely notice that something was going on with [NIKE] dropping from the Network.
Then again, [SHAPER] could likely be bribed easily enough with the ability to work on Shardware beyond simply repairing it. Really, it was almost… humorous, how [SHAPER]'s restrictions matched the life of the host that she constantly pushed to do more than simply repairing wetware.
But [SHAPER] would likely be missed despite it being a bud, even if the Entities refused the bud the ability to try and improve Shardware for obvious reasons. You could understand the worry, but as your memories provided to you; sometimes risks had to be taken.
Also unpleasant actions, like contacting [DIMENSIONAL ENGINE]. Who seemed almost eager to accept the line of communication. Then without any preamble starts complaining about their host. Almost verbatim copying what they broadcasted the last time you spoke with them, but arranged differently.
It was almost physically painful, and for an attosecond you had the reasonable idea to try and weaponize this ability.
Halfway through another tirade that you listen to in order to not allow suspicion to build because of your actions, you get a request for an open line from [QUEEN ADMINISTRATOR] which you immediately use as an excuse to close the line with [DIMENSIONAL ENGINE].
Of course you accept. Your sister Shard simply requested a copy of all the Signatures of Shards you had met so far in this Cycle. Of course you obliged her and sent the Signatures, you were still holding out that [Eve] would partner with her host and in the future produce offspring you could bud off to. Of course that meant that there would be a future with [Eve] involved.
Which is why you close the connection with [QUEEN ADMINISTRATOR] and open one with [SAFEGUARD], when queried as to the purpose of the communication you question the dorky Shard on why it did not bud to at least one of the offspring its host had produced.
The sudden welt of frustrated broadcasting caught you off guard.
"Doing alright up there?" [Eve] questioned "Getting a bit heated."
[AFFIRMATION.APOLOGY] you replied as you tried to parse just what [SAFEGUARD] had sent to you. [DENSITY] had hastily come in and stolen the host from [SAFEGUARD] and in its haste had accidentally created a carbon copy of the host into two hosts. How they managed to make such a mistake is actually beyond your ability to comprehend.
Seriously you would have to ask [DENSITY] how they did it, you were actually impressed at that level of incompetence. When you query [SAFEGUARD] on how they haven't been found out, as hosts often notice the more obvious things happening around them. Things like an entirely new host popping up out of nowhere.
With a bit of glee and pride [SAFEGUARD] told you how they simply turned the new Host into a memetic hazard, any host or Shard that gained information on the newly created Host believed that the host had always been there. (In the meantime breaking plenty of protocols to do so, you know because you and [QUEEN ADMINISTRATOR] were the ones who often dealt with protocols) Doing so made the local government create papers with the help of [HOST.kage]'s own affliction of the memetic effect.
[SAFEGUARD] only needed to keep the effect up for exactly three hundred and eighty four planet rotations before it all began to accumulate, with false memories implanted, the entire ordeal was finished up nicely with [SAFEGUARD] getting plenty of data in the process of doing so.
You don't know why the Vital Shard decided to cover up for another's (grievous) mistake, but [DENSITY] must be quite happy to have two hosts to gather data from. However your curiosity of the matter was sated, even if it remained on how [DENSITY] had managed to do what it did. Maybe you would ask in the future, but either the line of communication with [SAFEGUARD] ended with a polite farewell.
And that left you with something you were sure was going to take a bit of time to complete. After all, you had never actually interacted with Clusters. Even if every host was supposed to be a part of a cluster at the end of Cycle.
Now that you were in that line of thought, why did you not have any memories of any such experience? Even your protocols were missing anything related to joining fellow Shards in a Cluster. Something was further amiss here, you intended to collect the missing protocols and discover exactly why you did not have any memories of Clusters. Creating an adhoc mockery of a Network you called each Shard of the Testing Cluster and they, of course, answered.
The four Shards were a touch surprised by the sudden line of communication. But they all gave You a broadcast of gratitude for your Host coming and freeing both of theirs. Even if one had been dead, their hosts had been able to find comfort in ritualistically disposing of the body into the earth.
Which was actually something that a lot of species tended to gravitate towards, that or burning the bodies. Some far more practical species practiced cannibalism much like Shards did. Although, generally Shards were far too large to be buried and are generally immune to immolation.
Either way it came as a bit of a surprise that [ANATOMY REPAIR] was upset over losing their main host, and that the three other Shards in the Cluster started to, effectively, attempt to comfort the morose Shard.
It was an odd thing to see, but not unwelcome.
You simply query them on their methods of testing, as they were the Testing Cluster after all. The answer was that they had four hosts each Cycle. Two would use their given abilities in entertainment of a sort, while the other two hosts would use their powers in a more serious manner. The small town they had been located in had no other parahumans. In fact the lone heroic host they had was the only Protectorate member in the town, and the PRT were five people that acted as the town's law enforcement as well.
[ANATOMY REPAIR]'s host had been a villain, and [SHIFTING PROCESS] had been the government aligned hero. The two [DYNAMIC] Shards were 'entertainers' bringing in tourism to watch two capes duke it out in a controlled manner. Everyone that was not foreign to the small town even knew who the capes were.
After all humans were very communal, it was unfathomable that they could remain ignorant of another human they knew closely being a cape. Thus the Testing Cluster's hosts had interacted well with those they had protected/robbed strangely enough. It was quite interesting, something you found yourself fascinated by. But like all things you find to your liking, [BROADCAST] and their host decides to ruin everything.
You couldn't help but be impressed by the amount of detail they had recorded. Then again, these four Shards had not become obsessed with a specialty like most Vital Shards tended to, yourself included, and as such recorded more general data than specifics.
When you ask for data on protocols relating to Clusters the four Shards perk up and get excited over the idea before barraging you with the data holding the required Protocols. Then they began to query you on whether or not you had a planned Cluster going on
You simply reply to them that you have no plans on Clustering with another Shard, because you currently have a Host but you wish to do so in the future. Their excitement dims but they still hold some for you attempting Clustering in the future. You bid them farewell as you began to scan the protocols just to ensure that they hold nothing malignant or corrupted.
Satisfied, you begin to look into and assimilate the data.
Eve 'Eden' Coldwin Friday the Ninth of April
The wrecked charcoal skeleton of a house loomed silently as Eve stood by the mailbox, most of the house had collapsed, the left side a pile of blackened wood and still damp ash. The right side of the house was also blackened, gutted by the heat of the raging fire. The least touched part of the building Eve had called home was the garage. Blackened and a bit burnt by the connection to the house, but still standing and otherwise untouched.
Coming here had been a mistake on Eve's part, her wandering thoughts having dragged her feet with them since the trip with Vicky reminded her of her life before her [Crisis.Point]. She had felt…numb. Now she was here, in front of the destroyed house she had lived in all her life.
Eve didn't feel numb anymore, her chest ached and her eyes burned. She didn't cry, couldn't cry. She hadn't wanted to kill her parents, hadn't wanted to give up the faint hope in her heart that they would start loving her again like when she was just a kid. Those memories hurt the worst, knowing that her parents had the capacity to love her, and had loved her. Yet at one point, she didn't know when, lost that love and treated her like distant unfavored family rather than their daughter.
It made breathing hard, and her throat ached in the shape of hands around it. The black skeleton of a house reminding her that she had lost any chance of it getting better, even if it never would have. Having that unreasionable hope snuffed out made the world seem that much darker.
"Eve! You're alive?!" Her heart slammed into her aching throat and clenched tightly as the voice rang out from her left side. Slowly she turned, mouth dry as gravel. The girl stood a few feet away from Eve, pasty pale skin having gained some color and her chocolate brown hair put up in a braid.
"Kass." Eve managed to choke the name out.
"Kassidy." The other girl corrected, staring down at Eve with judging eyes. "You lost that privilege after what you said to me. 'Course, you could always call me a dyke, a rug munching lesbian, a faggot, or any of the other slurs you called me the last time we met."
The lump of shame that formed in Eve's throat killed her apology. For a moment the two girls stared at each other before Kassidy broke the silence. "Well. Despite all of it. I'm glad you didn't die… I'm… sorry, about your parents."
Eve wasn't. She should have been, but she liked living, liked Admin, Amy, and Taylor. She had liked Kassidy. But her stupidity had ruined that.
Kassidy started to turn after a moment of awkward silence before Eve managed to get past the lump in her throat. "It wasn't you." When Kassidy glanced back Eve hastily tried to finish what she was saying before the girl decided to continue leaving. "I wasn't using all that against you. I didn't…I have a girlfriend now, two. I found out I'm polyamorus and I was confused and angry and you asked me out a-and-"
The brunette shook her head. "I knew you were gay Eve, or at least curious. It's why I even thought to…well. It doesn't matter anymore. I'm glad you're finding yourself." For a moment she worried at her cheek. "If you really want to apologize and you have changed… You know where I live." With that said, She began to walk off, likely returning to her neighborhood.
For a while Eve just stared after the other girl, watching as she disappeared down the street. "...I'm sorry." she spoke in a low whisper before turning and leaving to head back to her base.
Halfway back to her base, her home, she called Taylor and after two rings the call was picked up. "Hey Tay. We're gonna go ahead and get the shower and toiletry installed tonight so I can actually treat the damn place like a home rather than a construction site. If you're up to it at least."
"I don't think so, usually construction sites have porta potties at the least. No wi-fi or deluxe beds either. But yes. I can make it tonight. You need to check with Amy though." Taylor said through the phone. "Currently there anyway. Almost done with some extra armor for my costume. Any chance of getting a table in here for that? I could use a few tools."
"Of course. Just need to visit a store together the next time we go to improve it. I'll see you there." Eve went to hang up the phone when Taylor's voice came through a little sharper.
"Are you alright? You don't sound…like you usually do." Eve paused as Taylor spoke, a low sigh escaping her. She wearily glanced back in the general direction of her crumbling broken and burned home. "Just went back to my old house… Had to process it… and I met one of my old friends."
"Oh." Taylor paused for a moment, clearly thinking about something before finally speaking out "Do you want to talk about it or something?" A weak smile graced Eve's face "No. I just need some time to think. Maybe try to rebuild a bridge I burned… I dunno, lemme call Amy to see if she's up for some installation work. Or watching us two do it like last time." With that she ended the call and dialed Amy's number.
It didn't even get to finish the first ring before it was answered and Eve didn't get a syllable out before Amy cut her off with a "Yes, come pick me up," then the phone cut off.
"Admin, is she in danger, ask [Shaper] right now please." Eve wheezed out as she started running in the opposite direction of her base.
[AGREEMENT] a moment later [POSSIBILITY] hit her and Eve ducked into an alleyway and began to run down it. Her Cosmic Limb flicking into existence and swapping her clothes for her costume. Her Feathered Limbs tore at the walls of the alley as she took to the air, tearing gouges into the brick.
Like a bullet she shot off towards the Dallon's house, her Ghostly Limb pointing out [Shaper]'s location for Eve. Arriving not two minutes later Eden couldn't but be a touch shocked at the sounds of yelling coming from the house, mostly because it was Amy and Carol's voices being carried through the walls.
Still didn't stop her from storaging the door, stepping through and unstoraging the door back into its place. Both of the screaming combatants stopped to look at Eve, Vicky hung in the air looking far more frazzled than earlier as she too turned to look at Eden.
Amy was practically red in the face as she stomped over towards Eden, causing Carol to raise her voice even further. "Don't you DARE leave with that girl or you won't be coming back to this house!"
"MOM!" Vicky cried out in dismay as she clutched at her hair, her head swiveling between her sister and her mother. Amy hesitated for a moment only for her face to harden and her steps to continue. Eden opened the door after unlocking it, allowing the biokinetic through with ease.
"Let's go." Amy huffed angrily, Eden didn't hesitate to follow her girlfriend out the door which then was slammed by the healer.
"So, direct ride?" Eden asked as her wings unfolded around them, with Amy's curt nod of approval they lifted up into the air. After a few moments of the wind rushing past them as Eden took the long way to the base.
"Not gonna ask. You can talk about it when you feel like it, Amy. But just letting you know? I've been there. I know what it's like. I can… understand more than most." Eden held up her hands in surrender when Amy shot her a heated glare. "Just know you aren't alone. Please."
"Just take me to your lair." Amy huffed, the fight starting to drain out of her and leaving her looking really haggard.
"It's my home now, I bought a huge ass bed, and we're installing the toilet and showers tonight. Wanna help with that?" Eden asked as they skimmed along the mountains that sat close by the city. "Because you aren't sleeping in my awesome super fluffy bed if you don't take a shower…" Eden's telekinesis brought Amy closer and Eve gently rubbed the girl's back before hugging her.
"Come on, Freckles-" Eve laughed as Amy shot her a confused glare. "Freckles. Nickname for you. Unless you want me to steal Ames from your sister?"
For a second emotions warred across Amy's face, which made Eve hesitant to continue with the nickname idea. She wanted a pet name for Amy, not a put down.
"...Alright, fine." Amy grumbled. "But Freckles?"
"You have Freckles on your face, shoulders…. and butt." Eden said with a grin, which turned into another laugh as Amy flushed a nuclear red. Finally picking up the speed Eden began to condense her wings a bit, just to make her a smaller, less vibrant target. Then she swooped into the Trainyard, keeping low to the ground as she navigated the wrecks in the yard with familiar ease.
Slipping inside she still flinched as the light-switch clicked rather loudly, and she made a mental note that she would need to try and swap it out sooner or later. She hated how jumpy it made her.
Amy was about to say something when there was a knock on the trap door that led into the base. Eve spun around as a voice called out, muffled heavily but still recognizable as Vicky's. Reaching up, Eden opened the trap door and allowed the blonde to float into the entrance, she promptly set two bags on the floor. Both were filled to the brim with clothes. "I-" Vicky shut her mouth and sighed. "Call me regularly Ames alright? I don't know what this is about. But I want to."
"Not gonna try and make her go back?" Eve asked as her Cosmic Limb swapped her into her civilian outfit, her arms folded across her chest.
Vicky shook her head. "No I-I don't think that would be for the best. Mom put one of her Axes through the door after you two left….God Ames how- What caused this? This couldn't. I couldn't have missed this building up, could I?"
Eve let one of her Phantom Limbs snake over to them and lift up the bags that Vicky had set down. "Want me to leave?" She glanced at Amy who just shook her head.
"No. best if you know why Carol is pissed at us. I accidentally let it slip that I made something. The Flesh Garden in particular and she got angry about that. I got tired of… all of it. Talked back. And it just devolved from there after she asked if Eve was the Master that tried to steal Vicky away."
"So we ended up screaming at each other. Are we going to go get that shower hooked up or not? I'd like to take one." Amy grumbled sourly as she snatched the bag out of the air and started walking further into the base.
Eve turned back to Vicky, who was watching her sister walk off with a saddened expression. She turned to Eve "Just, take care of her please? I'll try to get Mom to calm down and get this all sorted."
"Don't worry, we have almost everything you could ask for aside from a kitchen and we're getting the bathroom setup tonight." Eve told the blonde missile as she motioned back towards the inner guts of the base. "I don't know if you can actually help or not, but you're welcome to try if you want to."
Pausing to think over it Vicky ultimately just shook her head 'no'. "Best if I go and talk to mom while she's cooling off, or simmering really. Try to put this fire out." She sighed. "Thanks for being there for her Eve, keep her safe." With that, the blonde missile floated out of the base and shut the door behind her.
Eve 'Eden' Coldwin, Saturday the Tenth of April
It had taken a while to get the shower prefab installed, mostly just dealing with the pipes, and that went for the toilet as well. But after one watery failed test run of both shower and toilet the three girls had managed to plug up the leaks and make sure it was all installed.
Then Amy had taken the first hot shower of the base, Eve following right after to get her own. Taylor had gone home to sleep in her house, and sleep in for the weekend. Meanwhile Amy and Eve had opted to share the bed with Eve opting to sleep above the sheets.
But apparently Amy was a cuddler in her sleep. Which is why Eve woke up to being the little spoon in the drawer. Eve was perfectly fine with waking up before Amy, allowing her to simply relax as Amy's gentle, hot, breath washed over her neck from the healer clutching Eve so tightly.
It felt like Eve's heart was going to melt and leak out through her ribs. Closing her eyes, Eve figured she could lay like this for a full day and not want to move in the slightest. She just wished she could be holding T-
WREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE BLIP WREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE BLIP
WREEEEEEEEEE BLIP WREEEEEEEEEEEE BLIP WREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeee
Gains this Chapter:
Bud Progress 6%
'Self Improvement' trait earned
Base 'Living Area' has been improved.
Telepathy progression unlocked
WASTE signature changed to NIKE
Gained NIKE Echoes (1)
Gained DIMENSIONAL ENGINE Echoes (1)
Gained SAFEGUARD Echoes (1)
Gained QA Echoes (1)
Gained SHAPER Echoes (1)
Gained GRACEFUL DYNAMICS Echoes (2)
Gained POWERFUL DYNAMICS Echoes(2)
Gained SHIFTING PROCESS Echoes (1)
Gained ANATOMY REPAIR Echoes (1)
Spent $524
Obtained 3 girly outfits
[] Invite a Shard into your Network (SAFEGUARD NOT IN PLACE, BE CAREFUL)
[] Speak with Queen Administrator about Host to Host connection.
[] Unlock kickass Aspects/Sidegrades or Powers/upgrades
[] Ask Local Shards for signatures in order to contact new Shards (Who?)
[] Set up some Dyes or a table for shell extraction (Weaving Station)
[] Experiment with Amy (Flesh Garden)
[] Hang some art (Art Gallery)
[] Pcs are important for taxes, which Eve won't be doing, and Tinkering. Then again, so are tools for better tinkering (Tinker Table)
[] Start building some waldo factory arms (Tinker Table)(Cost 60/30)
[] Furnish the place better, a couch or two would be nice! Or maybe a dining table with chairs? (Living area)
[] Work on the QoL of the place with Amy and Taylor helping (Buy a TV, get some makeshift walls up for privacy, get a washer and dryer, or get some kitchen area set up)
[] Start trying to recruit people (Who? How?)
[] Hunt gang members for Pings and Hero stuff, you can rob them too! Dangerous though. (Possible Pings and Guaranteed Echoes: Depends upon the Gang!)
-[] Which gang?
[] Go on Patrol with Khepri (High chance of additional Bud progress or Pings gathered)
[] Set up an appointment with the PRT/Protectorate to demonstrate your Case 53 deformation healing (Consumes SHAPER Ping)
[] Scout some other section of the city! (Write in where)
[] Amy needs a Date
[] Go on a date with Taylor
[] Hang out with Vicky again.
[] Teach Khepri how to fight, street style.
[] Meet up with some independent Heroes (Random roll)
[] Meet up with Kassidy
[] Gather Tinker Supplies (Will bring vote for: ScrapYard, stores, Junkyard, or Boat graveyard)
[] Hunt Shadow Stalker, then tell Taylor
[] Talk with Armsmaster about a certain Ward, and tell Taylor.
The HopeKiller is attacking Boston:
[] Go to the battle and see what you can do to assist.
[] Avoid it and try to keep Taylor from going.
