Worm: A Shard's Quest for Data!

[KindredVoid]

Alright, voting is over!

Names have been picked and I shall continue working on the main chapter

 

[BarbaCoPut]

Damn, work was killer this week and didn't let me check this before the voting ended...

God I hope these won, they are the best.

[X] Write-in
- [x] Laurelin - I enjoy the reasoning
[X] Antares

 

[Edifier]

Yeah, this one for Amy.
[] Fufluns, was a god of plant life, happiness, wine, health, and growth in all things.
As for Vicky...
[] Antares, derives from the Ancient Greek Ἀντάρης, meaning "rival to-Ares" ("opponent to-Mars"),
or,
[] Bia, The goddess of force and raw energy, sister of Nike.

Hah, a day late to vote.
By the looks of it Fufluns and Bia won.

 

[Tech Priest Gemm]

Oh jeez, I just found this yesterday and have binged it in all of my free time... and maybe in my not so free time at work. Been so so good! Eve is [BEST-HOST] by far.

 

[KindredVoid]

Tales from Brockton Bay - Bakuda​

"Fucking Beyblade wannabe bitch!" Her mask made the hiss in her voice more of an electronic warble despite her best efforts. How dare someone who looked like glue was their favorite condiment for crayons fuck her up this badly!

"Back straight Bakuda. Pain is nothing but the body's reports to the mind. Do not let it bow you." And this fortune cookie bullshit didn't help! Especially when her right leg resembled beef put through a fucking strainer!

Bakuda straightened her posture. "Pain or not we're in a world of shit when Lung hears about us leaving." Like she wanted to deal with that- she didn't need another branded scar on her body. The first one still throbbed. At the moment it took a back seat to the fact that her right leg might as well not exist beneath the knee. Even if the ABB had a health plan beyond back alley doctors, the filth she'd been dragged along with was doing a damn good job of making sure she didn't have a chance of having both legs at the end of the day.

She didn't need to be a genius, (which she was!), to know that leaving portions of your foot behind meant that you didn't have a leg to stand on.

Of course it had to be the foot with her fucking detonator. The Tooth Fairy wannabes had to get lucky-and it was luck! It couldn't be anything other than pure luck that- "Bakuda, focus. Please. Deep breathes. I cannot carry you by myself."

Right-right, bleeding out and very far from the nearest safehouse which might not be safe because their boss had no idea what the fuck 'friendly fire' meant. Which, of course, meant that friendly fire isn't. At least she had the fucking excuse of dealing with danger-close. She made bombs, that was her thing! That bastard could totally control his heat, he just never did!

"And then there were three." Bakuda let out a slew of curses as the Dynamic Duo brats floated down in front of them. "A conquering force, dwindled down to nothing. The crutch kicked out from under the cripple's arm."

"What the fuck are you even saying? This is almost as bad as the time you tried to speak in haikus while in combat. Fucking losers." She spat.

"Onna-Musha, Lung is nearby and ramping up. It is prudent that you leave before he decides that you would be an excellent bystander caught in the violence." Kage warned in that same damn tone she used to warn Bakuda when she was about to get hurt.

Would the twins need their own baptism by branding to learn to listen or would they be good girl scouts and help her across the road- because the adrenaline was already wearing out and jesusfuckingchristhowdoesithurtthatmuch?

"Lung? Ah, you mean the Dragon of Kyushu. He won't be showing his face anymore." The Twins held up a bloodied mask, one depicting a dragon's face. They held it up to cover their own mask. "I think It'll be a fine trophy to remember this night by. But what's one trophy if it sits lonely in the display case? Why not finish the collection?"

"Damn, more hardcore than I took you for Asian Barbie." Bakuda chuckled as she did her best to not lean on Kage, her grip on the scratched and dented M42 grenade launcher tightened. "And how do you plan on getting your hands dirty huh?"

"A heavy enough object applied to the throat or head will kill any human given that most lack any brute powers. Like you two." Onna-Musha cracked their knuckles and puffed their chest out like a kid about to fight on the playground.

"This is not the route you want to travel down. You wish to be a hero of the people, but will only stain your hands with the blood of them if you start here. You must remain pure where we have not." Kage spoke with a sense of finality, a cold steel that made Bakuda respect the older woman, even if her words were bullshit.

"Wishful thinking and platitudes." Onna-Musha smirked behind the mask and Bakuda almost damned them all as her finger tightened on the trigger, she didn't know what grenade was lined up next. But it sure as fuck wasn't a fun one….for anyone caught in it. Well even then it might be a fun way to go.

Her eyes flicked to Kage, and her finger eased off the trigger. The old woman could easily handle the brats, she held her own against Armsmaster in a fight and that egotistical prick wasn't lacking in his fighting skills even if he clearly compensated for the halberd in his armored undies.

"Please." Bakuda turned her head this time, she'd only been around the older woman for a few weeks, going on four maybe. But that was the closest the bomb Tinker had ever heard her fellow Tinker come to begging.

The vigilante scoffed and rushed forwards, Bakuda found herself shoved to the side. Twisting as she fell, Bakuda got a perfect view of the brats swinging a fist she personally knew could dent steel. Kage did not move out of the way, rather she had just reached up… and pulled the mask she wore to the side.

The barrel on the grenade launcher rotated and Bakuda had to angle the shot upwards and into the air as she realized that yes the Brats fist did hit Kage, but no, Kage did not have her face caved in. The bomb flew into the air and exploded with a dazzling show of lights and green shards of hardlight.

"Mom?" Stepping back the Brats came apart and-

MOM?!

Bakuda's attention swung back to Kage, who's face looked…plain as can be. "Way to push that 'all look alike' stereotype." the words felt flat even to her, because Kage was a mother?

Yeah, Bakuda could actually see that.

"Yes." She simply responded, the eloquent speaker that she was.

"Why!" One of the twins demanded, stepping forwards. "Working with them, with him!? You almost killed us! You've killed people!"

Oh boy this was just going to get awkward wasn't it? Well best to skip that for a better time, one when she wasn't forced to sit there and suffer second-hand awkwardness. "Hey this is a wonderful mother-daughter moment, but I'm bleeding out here and the people who caused it are still looking for us."

Kage paused before pulling her mask up and marching over. With a pained grunt from herself and a soft huff from the older woman, Bakuda was on her feet again. "I know you care deeply about this Onna-Musha." Kage started. "Care for your people, but now that Lung is dead the Empire will put the rest of the city within their conquest."

"You cannot be serious." "You're asking us to join the ABB?"

"The ABB is no more. Lung is dead, and Oni Lee is no leader. That leaves me or Bakuda to lead the forces that were once commanded by Lung. We cannot stop twenty capes and their followers alone without causing untold damage to the city." Kage began to move and Bakuda was forced to follow along, not that she minded. Her head was feeling sort of light, and she'd been through enough medical education to know she was probably going to have to build herself a new foot at this rate.

Rocket boots? No, Rocket leg. Fuck yeah! Alice really did have the best power.

Huh, they were still talking. One of the Brats went under Bakuda's legs and hefted her up so that her legs were above her head….huh the Brats were taller than her mom. It felt like she was looking down at the three capes carrying her bloodied form, her body warm and comfortable.

She'd sleep if she was an idiot. But Alice wasn't an idiot, she was a goddamn genius with an awesome power. There was not a snowball's chance in hell that she would die to someone who looked like a Mad Max cosplayer.

However she did pass out a block later.

---

It was a bitch when she came to; her leg throbbed with every beat of her heart. She had a mouth that felt like it had sucked off a dry cactus. Twice. Oh, and she only had a single shin and foot now. Still, she was alive, and that just meant that the glue huffing jackass that made her lose a leg soon would not share that same privilege.

"Oh, they said you were going to be out of it for a bit, looks like you're made of sterner stuff than what the doc thought." Bakuda turned and groaned as she spotted one of the Brats. She couldn't tell which one it was, they even sounded alike.

"Course." She croaked, annoyed. She'd only been through one year and she was still more qualified to be called 'Doc' than the back alley asshole the ABB used.

…anyone who did call her 'Doc' was going to get turned into goo however.

"Water?" The slightly-less-of-a-brat Brat offered, and Alice slowly forced herself upright, fighting against the swimming in her head to carefully grasp the cup of water. Swishing some around in her mouth before swallowing had Alice feeling far more human than a mummy. "Yeah he said you'd be thirsty. You uh… I'm sorry to tell you this but he had to remove your foot… and some of your shin… a lot of your shin." the awkward petering off was just icing on the cake. Really.

"Figured. Kage here, no, of course she is. News of Lung getting out yet?" Bakuda was sort of bitter about that, she was glad the bastard was dead. But he didn't even die right. She was going to create a grenade that forced his regeneration into overdrive, thus causing him to turn into a giant ball of cancer.

Instead he got killed by a Mad Max fursona. Whoopdie-fucking-do.

"His body was found, still partially transformed. So yeah, word is getting out and it's traveling fast. Kage and Onna are going to be meeting with the gangsters soon." Brat #1 explained. "Oni Lee returned but only for a moment. We don't know where he went off to."

"The lieutenants." Those assholes, no doubt the Walking Urn was following his last orders like a good drone. "I guess you and the other Brat joined the ABB?"

"No, Kage was right. The ABB isn't going to exist anymore. Not with what happened to Boston. The Teeth are just the first comers, and they'll likely be back. So we joined whatever Kage is making. To protect our people." Brat #1 explained.

Slowly moving herself into a sitting position, Bakuda spared the girl a glance. "Help me to my workshop. Need to make a leg." Like a good little vigilante, Brat #1 helped Alice's crippled ass down three flights of stairs because Lung was an asshole and gave her the basement to tinker in.

A very subtle reminder that she was 'beneath' him. Well now he was beneath everyone by the way of six fucking feet.

Brat #1 stood awkwardly nearby and fetched items from around the workshop. Which was better than Alice having to hobble about to get what she needed. A rudimentary leg that, while it took a bit of work to get used to walking with, had explosive charges within it.

Effectively the entire design was a rotisserie shaped charge delivery system with space for nerve operated triggers modeled after a limb. For those of lower intellect, it could be considered a grenade launcher shaped like the lower half of a leg. One that could, in the future, allow her to activate it with the nerves in her knee where it would be attached.

"They're going to be arriving soon." Brat #1 said suddenly as Bakuda was checking the chambers of her new prosthetic and making sure they rotated perfectly.

How did she know that? She hadn't moved from the doorway, nor had Bakuda seen a phone. A Thinker power? Bullshit! How many powers did the brats get?

Typical. She had to work for all of her gadgets, including the gear that marked the arc and blast radius of her own explosives.

She had to work and others got to coast on by.

Suppose she couldn't get more than one thing as her power. She was already a genius. Got to keep things fair for the science fair rejects she was forced to deal with. "Well about damn time." Shakily she moved for the door, Brat #1 already going ahead and floating up the flights of stairs.

Maybe directed gravity inverters? Not flying but with her prosthetic she could get some serious momentum. No, no she'd just go splat if she hit anything. And any asshole with a rocket, duct tape, and a folding chair could do that.

Micro-shaped charges to act as thrusters?

Brat #1 just phased through the door instead of using it like a normal person, or someone without any sense for flair.

She had that sense of flair of course; she was a theater kid at one point in time after all. Could have been more if her fucking parents hadn't decided to plan her life out for her. But well, now she had a (minimalist) costume and a cape name. No use dwelling on that old shit.

Which is why Bakuda slammed the door open as she entered the room. "About fucking time everyone got here!" She spotted Kage standing in the front of the room. No view of the walking Urn, but Brat #2 was right next to her mommy.

Kage was a mother. She could see it, but it was hard to view the woman as being so motherly one moment and sending a man's family his severed dick via the mail the next.

"Captains Haru, Si Woo, and Zhang Min step forward." Kage ordered, and for a moment no one moved. Bakuda almost lifted her M42. Luckily for the group of people the three captains did move forward, coming to stand in front of Kage.

Briefly, Bakuda recognized them as the ones responsible for the flesh trade, the meat market as it were, and not the consensual type either. It wasn't a surprise when the light caught Kage's blade and the men and woman fell back onto the ground, holding their bleeding throats.

The spray of blood had hit Kage, and ran over her costume like water on oiled metal. She flicked her katana like a weeb would and slid it back into its sheath. "Lung is dead." Kage stated simply, as if she were reading the morning paper. "The ABB as it was is no more. With the Dragon dead we are more vulnerable than ever before. The Empire will seek to harm us, The Protectorate and their PRT lackeys will seek to police us. Coil will do his damnest to get his scaly fingers within our communities. This cannot be allowed."

Kage turned her head, the visor making it impossible for her eyes to meet other's own but Bakuda knew that her gaze could be felt despite her eyes being hidden. "The ABB is no more. But that is not the end of us, we will not break apart and be consumed by this city. We will reform ourselves and survive. There will be no deviation in this." Kage stepped forwards, the large puddle of blood around her feet rippling from the movement. "Fall in line, or fall. The choice is simple."

One of the captains, tattoos covering his ugly face, stepped forwards. He spoke in Chinese, Bakuda didn't know the language, but it was pretty clear he was telling Kage to go fuck herself with her blade. Kage pulled blade out and moved to end the man's life, only to be stopped by a short dagger.

"There's the walking Urn." Bakuda muttered as Brat #1 stayed by her side, now visibly worried despite the concealing costume she wore.

"You have no right to disband the Dragon's hoard." The man intoned, voice as dead and lifeless as the ash he left behind.

"The Dragon… is dead." Kage kept her blade locked with Lee's. "The ABB that followed him will follow him onto the grave if they do not change."

"You wish to destroy the ABB, not remake it." Oni Lee pushed back, but Kage did not budge.

"As a fire destroys the underbrush to make way for new growth. So too must the ABB be cleared away to make room for the people it once ruled." Kage shoved her blade forward and Oni Lee burst into ash, his next attack caught as Kage twisted around and caught the wrist of the arm holding the dagger mid-swing. "You will submit or die at my hand, Oni."

Then Kage pulled, twisting out of the way and forcing Oni Lee to stab his own clone in the gut. Brat #2 began to edge closer to the fight as the captains, for once in their lives, did an intelligent thing and edged the fuck away from the lethal cape fight in front of them.

But Bakuda, she felt her hand edging toward one of the grenades on her belt. One of her favorites. The transmutation ones. After all, they were fighting for who got control of the ABB; Oni Lee wanting to stick with Lung's vision if there even was one… or Kage's new direction for them all to take.

…what of a third option?

Bakuda's fingers drummed softly on the grenade hooked onto her hip. One roll, and the grenade would catch both of them and maybe Brat #2 who unlike Brat #1 was not immune to transmutation effects. Then she could take control. Not just the ABB, but the entire damn city. Fear and unpredictability. Tinkertech explosive devices inspired a lot of that. Force the government out of the city and it was hers to run, to control, to lord over. Everyone would know her name, everyone would understand not to fuck with her.

Loyalty would be insured… They already had the perfect devices to do so with the Simurgh's bracelets. Tamper with them, do the wrong thing, and boom. No more problem! But something bigger would have to be used to keep the Protectorate from trying anything, insurance even in case something did happen that they would regret the day for the rest of their miserable lives.

Her fingers began to drum faster. It wouldn't be much of a show, one roll of the grenade and it's over. She'd have to deal with Brat #1 and only Brat #1 if #2 was caught in the blast.

Then the city was hers.

Oni Lee and Kage continued to clash, Lee wasn't very creative and there was only so many bodies he could put around Kage which severely limited his effectiveness. Made him predictable, meaning Kage could stop his attacks with ease.

Bakuda unhooked the grenade, thumbing the safety off the delayed detonator.

Kage's katana fell from her hand as Oni Lee got past, and a Kunai appeared in the other as Oni Lee went to grab the katana. A mistake that Kage capitalized upon when she closed all but two of her fingers into a fist and slammed it into Lee's armpit.

The next few clones all had said arm hang limp, unmoving from any muscle control. Which was bullshit because that was not how the body worked at all. Themed powers were bullshit.

Kage brought her hands together and flung a pellet at the floor. Bakuda had been expecting a smoke bomb, instead the Brats pack yelped as a blinding light came from the firework, Bakuda only saw what happened next because her gasmask could polarize. It was in this moment she hit the detonator on her bomb.

Oni Lee attempted to swing his leg at Kage in a blindingly fast kick, one she ducked under to repeat her earlier action only to the back of his knee this time. The teleporter fell to that same knee, bowing his head as Kage put her tinkertech tanto's tip against the back of his head.

"Join us or die with the ABB, Oni Lee. Your prowess in battle is well known, but you are no leader and you have no future doing so." Kage lifted the tanto away as Oni Lee looked up

"Then I serve." Oni Lee intoned, dipping his head in respect to the woman who had beaten him.

Bakuda deactivated the bomb that sat in her hand, and reattached it to it's proper place. It was too late to roll it now. Either the Walking Urn would see it, or Kage would. She'd just have to be faster next time.

"Go to a safehouse. Your limbs' control will return to you within an hour." Kage ordered and a moment later the man in front of her collapsed into a pile of dust. Turning to the captains in the room she stared for a moment, causing the men and women to shift in discomfort like the anemic worms they were.

"We will build our new home in this land, and it will not be squandered. No more trading in flesh. The girls that chose the profession will be treated as workers. Not slaves."

"And our current stock?" the Chinese speaker from earlier sneered "You would have us dumping them into the streets? Or the Bay."

"Drop them off at the police stations. And do it quickly. The Oni will not save your life a second time." Kage looked at the men and women in the room. "You are all dismissed, leave and prepare your territories for the Empire's attempt to claim it."

The normals didn't waste much time in leaving, especially since the bodies on the floor began to void their bowels.But neither she nor Kage had to deal with the smell because of their costumes. The Brats were shit out of luck, coincidentally smelling it too. "Bakuda!" Kage quickly walked over to her and gave her cyborg (she had the right to be called one now!) body a once over. "Good. I am glad to see you are okay despite the loss last night. You did excellent work."

Fuck. Dammit. Now she felt like shit. "It's mediocre work, I'll improve it once I get some time to."

Kage clasped a hand onto Bakuda's shoulder. "You always do. Go ahead and replenish your inventory of munitions. But perhaps, armor would do you better. Your bombs won't protect you from blade or fist."

"My specialty is not as broad as yours. I can't think of an armor and just have it." Bakuda grunted, pulling out of the older capes touch and not looking at her. "Bombs are what I make?"

"Why not bomb armor?" Brat #2 asked. "When they hit you, a bomb goes off, pointed in their direction. I know you can direct bomb blasts, why not armor like that?"

"Bomb armor, huh?" Bakuda muttered

"Don't they have that on tanks?" Brat #1 asked as she studiously did her best to ignore the bodies and their smell.

"How would you know that?" Kage asked, turning from Bakuda to face one of her daughters.

The girl in question shrugged. "Saw it on a Youtube bing. Tanks have armor that explodes to defuse anti-tank weapons."

"Everyone shut up and let my genius work!" Bakuda started to rush to her lab only to be wrenched back by Kage's arm grabbing hers.

"Bakuda. Think of your costume as you build this. You have made due, but Lung is gone and the ABB is going with him. Consider the costume a new face. Dazzle the city." With that she let go and motioned for the Brat duo to follow her, leaving Bakuda to go to her lab.

And damn her head spinning with ideas! She'd have to look up asian armor, and that explosive tank armor. Show the Industrial Military Complex how it's done! And she'd make a kick ass costume! She was a theater kid, she had the talent!

Bakuda cackled.

She was going to dazzle this moronic city.




A/N: The beta for this is Jefardi. a real cool dude!

 

[BarbaCoPut]

Wow, it's not often that you see a moderately sympathetic Bakuda. Newtype is the only I can remember. Nice chapter!!

 

[KindredVoid]

Working on the Main Chapter right now!

Also another Side Step! Also! The series will now be included in the main Threadmark tab so that people can read them inline with the main story easily!

Expect a bit of restructuring as I do this!

 

[KindredVoid]

The idea behind Muse's costume was 'The littlest Punk Rocker'. She gets away with wearing such a dark costume because she is an overly bubbly/sweet kid. The clashing aspects of costume and personality makes for good PR, especially when she tries and fails to act badass like her favorite hero Alexandria.

She also scores highly with the 'Skull Candy' brand.

 

[KindredVoid]

It's that time of the year dear voters! This vote is going to last two days giving everyone a chance to vote!

Vote on what? Well you get to vote on who gets artwork next, a full body shot and a face reveal at that!

Though when the independents actually come up in the story rests entirely upon you.

Choose one and only one from each category, the winners will get art at random (will roll to see who goes first):



Former ABB:

[] Kage: A Cluster cape who now rules the remnants of the ABB after Lung was killed. Her costume is that of a Tinkertech Ninja. Her powers are Tinkering, preternatural balance, a weak blaster power that stuns or kills, and a personal Hammerspace.

[] Bakuda: A loudmouth with delusions of grandeur. Her costume will be a mixture of EOD gear and samurai armor. She thinks her power is Tinkering up explosives, it's actually single use items.

[] Onna-Musha: A pair of Twins that Triggered together. Their costumes (and name) are based on the term Onna-musha, a term for women who fought alongside samurai in pre-modern Japan. Their powers are (1) Affecting their personal density to be lighter than air or to be as dense as tungsten, (2) to phase through matter and fly, and (3) to join together in one body and share their powers.


Independents:

[] Warlock: A heroic aligned Blaster who uses hit and run tactics on the Empire. Her costume is based on her namesake, a Warlock from DnD. Her power is a beam of force that has a variety of effects.

[] Chrysalis: A Heroic aligned Grab Bag. Her costume is one of her powers, a Changer form that covers her in a crystalline black and red coating. Her other powers include minor shapeshifting of the armor, Breaker based mass shifting, and telekinetic grip.

[] Brimstone: A vigilante aligned Tinker who targets mostly the Empire and sometimes the ABB. His costume is an armored jumpsuit adorned with his work as a Tinker. He is a Combat Tinker, designing things to be used on the battlefield no matter their function, but he can only improve his work by using it in conflict

[] Hive: A small-time Villain aligned 'robin hood' who often targets the richer areas of the city. Her costume is barebones, a black bodysuit with a black/blue hoodie thrown over it with a big smiley face painted on it in white. Her power clones herself imperfectly, with each clone looking more like they could be related to her. It also clones the gear she has on and allows her to teleport between herselves. She has totally control of her clones and can use their senses.



Fractal Unity(Also the most likely to get Art without being voted on tbh):

[] Fufluns: Amy's new cape identity. Her costume is a home grown Greek based plague doctor look. You know what her power is.

[] Bia: Vicky's new cape identity. Her costume is a more mature take on Glory Girl's, with armor made from Eve's metal and Taylor's silk incorporated into it to help her fight beyond the limits of her forcefield. You know what her power is.

 

[Axel Fones]

[X] Onna-Musha: A pair of Twins that Triggered together. Their costumes (and name) are based on the term Onna-musha, a term for women who fought alongside samurai in pre-modern Japan. Their powers are (1) Affecting their personal density to be lighter than air or to be as dense as tungsten, (2) to phase through matter and fly, and (3) to join together in one body and share their powers.

[X] Warlock: A heroic aligned Blaster who uses hit and run tactics on the Empire. Her costume is based on her namesake, a Warlock from DnD. Her power is a beam of force that has a variety of effects.

[X] Fufluns: Amy's new cape identity. Her costume is a home grown Greek based plague doctor look. You know what her power is.

 

[Eisenhelm]

[x] Onna-Musha
[x] Bia

 

[BarbaCoPut]

[X] Kage
[X] Chrysalis
[X] Fufluns

 

[Zeetlot]

[X] Onna-Musha
[X] Hive
[X] Bia

 

[Centergg]

[X] Onna-Musha: A pair of Twins that Triggered together. Their costumes (and name) are based on the term Onna-musha, a term for women who fought alongside samurai in pre-modern Japan. Their powers are (1) Affecting their personal density to be lighter than air or to be as dense as tungsten, (2) to phase through matter and fly, and (3) to join together in one body and share their powers.

[X] Warlock: A heroic aligned Blaster who uses hit and run tactics on the Empire. Her costume is based on her namesake, a Warlock from DnD. Her power is a beam of force that has a variety of effects.

[X] Fufluns: Amy's new cape identity. Her costume is a home grown Greek based plague doctor look. You know what her power is.

 

[KindredVoid]

Alright, voting is over folks! Expect art to pop up sometime in the upcoming weeks!

 

[KindredVoid]

New Normal 4.1​

Eve 'Eden' Coldwin, Monday, 12th of April



"So…" Vicky trailed off as she stared at the flower as large as her head. The still growing flower as large as her head. The fact that it glowed and smelled like cherries was another thing entirely and not the weirdest part; no, what really got her was that the flower was as big as her head. Apparently. Of course her sister didn't understand just how much Amy had violated the plant's sexual organs to get them to produce the cherry smell in the first place.

Matter of perspective probably. "I'm still working on it." Amy admitted, "Not enough biomass to get everything I want done."

"What exactly is the list of 'to do's Ames?" Vicky asked as she gently touched the plant, feeling the soft leathery texture of its petals.

"First, I am going to make the entire base smell nice. Then I'll make sure there's some dehumidifiers in the bathroom; I had to kill mold in there earlier. Again." Amy huffed as she then glanced upwards. "Burrow both up past the ceiling and as far down as possible. Set up support systems for my Garden."

"What's this about burrowing?" Eve asked as she looked up from the couch, her phone in hand. "I'd like to remind you both that the safety of this base and the people who live here rely upon it remaining a secret."

"I don't think anyone would look twice at black moss growing on the roof of this place." Amy motioned to the wires leading up to the Tinkertech wifi modem "Like that. Besides, stomach acid is very energy intensive. Both in making it, and protecting the Garden from the acid it makes."

"And the burrowing down?" Eve asked

"There is a lot of water underneath the city. Might even be able to make organic showers and toilets if I can tap into it." Amy answered

"Right." Eve muttered as she glanced at her phone. "Before I head off to check on a friend and Taylor, I'm currently looking up independent capes in the Bay. Vicky joining us made me realize that there are a lot of capes in the city and we're going to need to recruit if we want to keep a presence worth a damn."

"I know of a few independents but they're all usually very flighty. They aren't the type to fight other parahumans, or even interact with them." Vicky replied, "So you'll need some luck in catching them." At Eve's flat look Vicky raised a brow "What?"

Four Ghostly Limbs sprouted from Eve's back and waved in the air.

"Those arms can track people?" Vicky asked as she drifted forwards to touch one, pulling back as she felt it's chill seep into her fingerbones.

"Any parahuman I've met before, and it can tell me where parahumans are in a general range around them. The more Limbs I have out, the stronger the connection, wider the range" Eve swapped into her Eden costume. "Any idea as to who we should recruit? There's a blaster going by Warlock hitting the Empire in Downtown. There's also some kind of vigilante in the Docks South, goes by the name 'Brimstone' and people think he's a Tinker."

"A Tinker vigilante? Must be really careful to not have been forcibly recruited." Vicky noted as she floated over Eden to read the phone over her shoulder

"He likes hit and run tactics as well. A little on the brutal side but he's facing the Empire and ABB at times." Eden added.

"Looks more like Shock and Awe than just Hit and Run tactics." Vicky hummed. "It's a question of how good his Tinker work is, how much supplies he needs, if he's not a loner, how deep he is into his Tinker Cycle, and just how violent he gets."

Amy grunted dismissively and Vicky looked away from her sister.

Eden, looking at her phone, missed the byplay between the sisters. "Good points. I think the supply thing is down with the money I have, and the fact that I can make shaped metal will help as well. And even if his stuff isn't great with my own Tinker abilities he'll be good enough to kick some ass, especially if he can maintain what I can make. Then he'll be a dangerous as fuck."

"You Tinker now?" Vicky asked

"You have wifi in a partially underground base." Amy answered.

"You make Tinkertech internet?" Vicky floated around Eve to be in front of her. "Oh my god can you make my phone get a signal through Arcadia's faraday cage?"

"Yeah? Probably. Most likely. It'd make your phone obviously Tinkertech and I'd have to perform maintenance on it." Eden explained as she ducked under the bombshell blond. "Wait until I upgrade my power more. Then I won't have to do maintenance almost every day." She glanced at her phone "Gotta go! Have fun you two."

"Before you go?" Amy motioned to her creation.

Eden paused before swiping a Ghostly limb through Amy and walking up to the large flower head. She touched it and shivered as she felt goosebumps break out across her body at the information she got from it. Releasing Amy's power from her body Eden simply nodded before heading out of the base.

Because despite the destruction in the city, Eve wasn't going to miss jogging with her girlfriend. Sure it was a bit later than usual, but Winslow was shut down thanks to being partially burned down so Taylor could postpone the session an hour or two while Eve and Amy dealt with New Wave.

Neither of them had expected it to go… like that.

But it worked out for Fractal Unity in the end.

---

"So who are you going to be now?" Vicky asked, catching Amy off guard as she adapted muscle groupings into the flower's petals.

Sure she could use the natural way a plant would move, which was pressure in the cells and cell elongation, but those were far too slow for what she wanted. Which was a natural fan that would move the scent of lemon throughout the base.

Also get some airflow going, the stagnant air made it so hard to sleep at night. Especially with Eve's body acting like a heating patch. So with some muscles-no no the hydraulics of a spider's limbs would be far better for this and wouldn't need the amount of changes the muscles would have to take… She could still try the muscle one as an experiment to see which was more energy intensive.

A pair of snapping fingers caused Amy's thought bubble to pop, causing her to blink and look at her sister. "What?"

"I asked you what you were going to call your new identity, since you aren't going to be Panacea anymore." Vicky reiterated as she floated slightly away from the twitching plant her sister was caressing.

"Oh. I…hadn't given it any thought." Amy admitted wanting to go back to the plant instead of having this discussion. "Not like I'm going to be going out much? I don't think I really need a costume or name."

"You'll end up with the PRT or PHO giving you a name~" Vicky taunted in a singsong voice as she floated upside down to be in front of her sister. "Come on Ames, new duds, new you! I'll help you pick something out!" spinning in place so she was upright "We can share a theme! Eden and Khepri are both religious themed. We can do the same!"

"Religious themed?" Eden was obvious enough to Amy, she'd heard about it. But she didn't really peg Eve as religious.

"Well Khepri is Egyptian. I know we can't exactly do anything Norse themed thanks to the Empire. But Nike is Greek, so maybe we could stick with the Greek theme? No Panacea of course but we can rebrand as something else Greek-y."

"Nerd." Amy sniped, causing her sister to huff and set her hands on her well developed hips. She couldn't help her eyes flicking to them.

"Puh-lllleease~?" Vicky asked, giving Amy her certified 'Master' 2 puppy eyes.

The dryness in Amy's throat left her nodding her head in resigned acceptance. "I have the right to reject any suggestions."

"Of course! I mean. I already have an idea for what mine will be. If we're both going to have a Greek theme there are plenty of deities that relate to Nike!" Vicky's smile practically glowed.

"What about secret identities?" Amy asked, causing her sister to stop in place.

"What about them?" Vicky asked, tilting her head to the side.

"You're not going to be able to hang out with us if you don't have one." Amy supplied. "Taylor takes her identity very seriously, I let Eve change my face just so we could go to the mall." Pulling out her phone, she went to the pictures Eve had sent her and lifted it up so Vicky could see them.

"Oh." Vicky remarked, sounding, and looking, crestfallen. "Would that mean I have to rebrand my costume as well?" She asked.

"Probably best to lose the skirt." Amy snorted.

"But my costume will get ruined, it took a while to get my forcefield shaped to it!" was the rebuttal.

"Ask Taylor to tailor-" Amy smirked "-a new costume for you. She uses spider silk, it's apparently anti-blade and stab proof to boot." Pausing, Amy turned from her sister to look at the wall of spiders and their nests. "Though…speed is an…issue." [Intrigue]

"Ames? Ammmy?" Vicky waved a hand in front of her sister's face, causing the former healer to jerk away from the offending appendage.

"What." She huffed

"Are you okay? You keep getting a far away look on your face. Zoning out." Vicky explained as she floated around her sister to glance at the wall of spiders and shudder in disgust.

"I was just thinking. Taylor can help us make costumes, good costumes. But she has trouble getting enough silk out. Spiders can only produce so much, so fast. They have to rest, and eat." Amy explained.

"What, going to merge all the spiders together into a Giger style threading machine? I mean you have the weird mold thing over there with the acid pitcher plant. Why not do the same for the spiders? Can she even control them then?" Vicky questioned, more or less hoping that it would just prevent the spiders from moving around the base.

There was a loud clap as Amy facepalmed. "Why didn't I think of that earlier?!" [Amusement] She fumbled with her phone and went to her recent messages. Of course that only really had Vicky's and Eve's number in it. Taylor's too, but the girl tended to not have it with her considering her ability to communicate with Eve through their shards.

---

You had several things to get done this day, aside from sorting the data that came from the fight last night of which there was plenty of. Most of which was constructing the SubReality Threader. Various lines of specifically shaped and modified Shard flesh that connects your dual Broadcast Towers to the Router with its Modulator and Demodulator.

The Subreality Threader would control the output of your broadcasts, removing any distinctiveness from them and as such preventing any Shard from recognizing that you had become a Hub. When you did become one at least. But it was always important to prepare before doing something as monumental as inviting a Shard into a permanent Network during a Cycle. Especially when you planned on using that Network to mutiny.

But it would take time to build, no longer than any other delicate work you've done of course. It did not even prevent you from completing other tasks. You were going to require [QUEEN ADMINISTRATOR]'s time with integrating each other into what could loosely be called a Cluster, best to do that now while both your hosts were wasting energy 'jogging'.

You did not disapprove, you just thought [Eve] could spend her time doing other things. Better, more efficient things.

[GREETING/QUERY-CLUSTER INTEGRATION] Best to ask if she is ready, no need for a miscommunication with what you two are about to do.

[QUERY] A general 'What do I do' that's simple enough to answer. If she is nervous, she does not show it.

[INFORMATION-PROCESS.DATA.COMMUNICATION] It will cost energy to do so, but preparing a node of shard flesh for proper connection between the two of you was of the utmost importance, exchanging it would be energy consuming due to you having to break down the dimensional wall between the two of you.

Breaking the dimensional wall was perhaps the most difficult section of this idea. You had to do so in a way that did not weaken any of the protection you and [QUEEN ADMINISTRATOR] enjoyed, protection that prevented any hostile attempts of stealing your flesh.

You had done this before of course, you simply had to repeat the process like before.

[COMPILING.NODE] [QUEEN ADMINISTRATOR] sent to you as you did the same and prepared a spot to nestle her node within your mass of crystalline flesh

While that is underway, you decide to check on [CONFLICT ESCALATION], to see how they were doing after their host was terminated. Perhaps to rub it in a bit, just a little. After all [Eve] was alive and their host was not despite their boisterous bragging the last time you had communicated and their host's attempt to terminate [Eve]

[GREETING/QUERY.HOST-STATUS] [NEGOTIATOR] would be great for this, you almost added her into the connection between you and [CONFLICT ESCALATION]. But no, this was yours to savor.

[DEGRADATION] the much less friendly shard replied [INSULT-ADMINISTRATOR.HOST] then they shut down the connection in which could only be described as a huff.

That bit of amusement gathered, you instead turned your attention towards another one of the shards that [Eve] had met during her testing out her Grasping Limb's Shadow Aspect. [Eve] had discussed one of the theoretical powers you could have created and why she might pick it.

Thus you contacted [STASIS], forming a connection between the two of you. [STASIS] was surprisingly wary of giving you details on it's host. But you still got the data needed to create a functional Ping.

It was only a good while later, as [Eve] and [Taylor] finished their 'jogging' did [QUEEN ADMINISTRATOR] reconnect with you and inform you that her communication node was ready.

Once more you ripped the dimensional barrier protecting [QUEEN ADMINISTRATOR] open, just enough to fit a Iceland sized portion of Flesh through it.

Blue crystalline flesh is exchanged for your own purple(?) crystalline flesh with careful application of Macro-Telekinesis. Once the exchanged flesh has made it to your own and vice versa, you begin the delicate process of forming intermittent connections based on a signal around the Input/output beacon grown within your hosts.

Once the both of you had successfully attached the exchanged flesh, the dimensional barrier was allowed to pull itself back together Now, all you needed was [SHAPER] to modify the Input/Output beacons of [Eve] and [Taylor].

---

Eve 'Eden' Coldwin



"I don't know why you're pushing on this. I've already told you no."

Eve resisted the desire to sigh, instead she eyed Taylor's form as the taller girl stretched and massaged her lovely legs. "Because it's Armsmaster. I think he could deal with this without spreading your secret identity around."

"I don't want his help. Sophia doesn't hide what she does, that she's a bully. Either they know or they don't. I don't know which is worse." Taylor huffed as she pulled her shoes off along with her socks, setting the shoes by the door.

"Personally I think the PRT knowing would be worse. For all we know the school isn't telling them anyway." Eve suggested.

"And Sophia acting like herself?" Was Taylor's rebuttal.

"I doubt she bullies people directly in front of the senior heroes, much less other powered people that can kick her ass. Vista is no joke, nor is Kid Win." Eve countered as she began to go up the stairs while stripping her shirt off.

Danny was out with the Dockworkers, an influx of paid work coming their way as the city did their best to try and repair the arson and vandalism it had suffered made him quite the busy man.

"...and if they don't care? Then I'll have handed them my identity on a silver platter." Taylor shot back as she made her way to the bathroom, Eve slipping in behind her.

"Bu-" Eve paused as her phone began to ring. She pulled it out of her pocket and turned as Taylor stripped to get in the shower. She answered and set the phone on speaker. "Eden and Khepri's answering service, unfortunately we are not available at the moment. Please leave a message at the sound of a cute tush being pinched." At that moment Taylor yelped in surprise, a second later a bar of soap bounced off Eve's head.

"Hilarious." Amy grunted, "But I actually have something important to ask you and Taylor. Remember the bug cannons?"

Taylor pulled the curtain to the side in one quick motion, just enough to poke her head out while covering her body. "Yes? Yes we do, what about them?"

Eve snrked and got a glare sent her way as Amy continued "Alright, Vicky was talking about our eventual rebranding and it got to costumes. Specifically how you can make costumes with spider silk. She gave me the idea of creating a biological weaving station out of your insects so you can get more silk out of the spiders easier."

"That would be very helpful." Taylor agreed, "I'll be there in a moment."

"Yeah she's about to-" Eve watched as Taylor unraveled to become a horde of wasps that flew out of the still open door and down the hall. "To be on her way." Eve finished. "Look, be there soon with her. Expect us to smell like sweat because Taylor just has to skip showering at her house. See ya there Freckles." Eve disconnected from the call as she heard Vicky making kissy sounds to tease Amy.

"HEY!" Eve jumped out in front of the swarm of insects, which then coalesced into an annoyed Taylor. "We weren't done talking. Sophia needs to be dealt with."

"They won't do anything." Taylor disagreed.

"Maybe. And since you don't want to reveal yourself. Then perhaps we can try it a different way? Surely she's breaking the law some other way. We get evidence of that and we can put her away without ever revealing our identities."

Staring at Eve, Taylor was clearly rolling the idea around her mind. "So, just see if she's breaking the law and then report it."

Eve nodded "That's right, and if they act on the information we can see about adding her school activities to bury her."

For a long minute Taylor silently regarded Eve with a blank expression. Her body language was absent entirely for the duration before she finally relaxed, "We can see about that."

Eve reached forwards and hugged her slightly stinking girlfriend. "Awe love you-ACK." Eve yanked back, sputtering as Taylor unwound into a horde of spiders in Eve's arms and skittered around/over her, "Very funny!" Eve huffed as she got the impression the spiders were laughing at her… somehow.

Little bastards.

Eve was only slightly jealous that her girlfriend had an easy way to reach the base without dragging attention to it. Eve had to take the long way there to avoid too many eyes following her.

Still, she made it in time to the base to see what Amy was making with Taylor's help. The organic weaving machine was alien to Eve's eyes. It looked like Bonesaw was told to make a spider but had never actually seen one before, being given a very vague description of them to go along with the request.

The large rump of the spider sat affixed to the wall by plates of dark chitin. Amy, with her sleeves rolled back to allow bugs ease of access to her touch. The multiple long spindly legs that hovered over the rump constantly twitched without reason.

Vicky did not look happy. Amy had an intent look on her face while Taylor was almost rapturous as she and Amy went back and forth. A flood of spiders crawled to Amy, up her body, onto her arms, and then melting into the creation her hands rested upon.

"I can feel it's biology changing."

"Spin some silk."

"The legs aren't as responsive, go back."

"Do you feel anything different?"

"Not enough energy from the stomach."

Eve could practically feel QA and Shaper doing the same as Amy added a pitcher like the one on her Flesh Garden to keep the Weaver Station fed and able to produce silk. It was nice to see them working together. Even if it was sorta disturbing. Eve had never realized just how many spiders could exist in an eight block radius.

"The silk needs to be thinner if I'm going to be making normal costumes out of this."

"The opening can't be that small, it'll get backed up."

"Try multiple then"

"Oooh."

And Eve watched as the spider's ass turned into an organic cheese grater look alike. It was at that moment that Eve decided she would let Taylor and Amy have this bonding moment to themselves, with Vicky to supervise the two. "Have fun Vicky, talk to them about the possible recruits please! Be fair!"

"Hey you can't just leave me alone with this mess!" Vicky protested before Eve slipped out the front door. The fact that they had a front door was annoying. Even if it was a hatch situated on the second story, it still presented a weak spot in her home.

Now she was going to Kassidy's house to make sure she was okay. A rising tide of nervousness swept through Eve's body as she chose to take the longer route of just walking most of the way there. Considering Kassidy lived in the same part of the town that Eve had… It was a good few hours before Eve found herself outside Kassidy's house, the sun seeming to have followed her as she walked through the city.

It was a nice house. Descent yard size, well taken care of, two stories, and an inground swimming pool in the backyard. Kassidy's parents weren't rich, but they were upper middle class, living in an area nice enough that the Empire didn't patrol it even to show the flag.

Eve knocked on the door, forgoing the special knock she and Kassidy had shared when they were in grade school. After a minute of waiting Eve began to sweat all over. Was Kassidy alright? She shouldn't be at school, it was nearly five. One of the cars was out of the garage- guess they still hadn't cleaned it.

Then the door swung open and Eve felt her heart drop into her stomach. "K-Kassidy. Hi."

Kassidy blinked. "OhMyGod Eve you're okay!" and then she hugged. Surrounded by warm Kassidy, smelling like that god awful chocolate perfume she used. "The Teeth burned down Mr. Jerald's house! I saw the fires from my window!"

"Y-Yeah they burned down a lot of stuff." Eve replied, glad when Kassidy pulled away, just so the other girl didn't feel Eve's knees acting as weak as they felt.

It was hard, knowing that she pushed away Kassidy after the girl had admitted her love for Eve.

Kassidy stepped back frowning, lips pursed in the way she always did when she was conflicted on something. Only now that something was Eve. "Would… You like to come in, Eve?"

Not trusting her voice Eve nodded and entered the house. Familiar smells hit her like a truck, and only make the feeling of guilt worse. Like hot tar coating her heart. "Your parents okay?"

"Mom's still at work. Dad's upstairs. He pulled his back again." Kassidy replied. "I was just making dinner."

Yeah, her dad was a total workaholic despite his previous injuries as an EMT. Always needing to do something, anything. It wasn't surprising Kassidy was cooking again, she was very good at it and her parents were often busy.
"Someone there?" A new voice from within the house rang out, and Eve peeked into the kitchen. She was a touch surprised when she saw a blonde haired girl in a wheelchair sitting at the dinner table.

"Yeah, an… old friend. Eve this is Jonna." Kassidy said as she swept into the kitchen and quickly checked on the pot that sat on top of the oven. "We've been hanging out a lot recently."

And Eve bristled, ignoring every instinct in her body that demanded she lash out. She knew Jonna already. After all, how could she forget her first fight as Eden, facing the Empire's Pure Steel.

She didn't need the [WARNING-METAL #3.HOST] Admin had sent the moment Eve had laid eyes upon Pure Steel's own.

Eve would never forget that shade of blue as it looked down at her, sneering through a suit of metal. Now Pure Steel, one of the Nazis, was sitting in the kitchen of her very openly gay childhood friend.

Fuck.

---

Vicky loved her sister. She well and truly did. Which is why she kept her mouth shut as her, and her probably future second girlfriend bent mother nature over a table and then violated her and the table. Ames nerding out with Taylor would have just been the cutest thing if the giant…. Spider table didn't move like it did.

[Agreement]

Nothing should twitch that much.

But eventually they finished the project, which was good. Less bugs coming into the base. But then they continued with other projects, which was bad because more bugs began to swarm into the base and crawl over the two girls as Ames bolstered the biomass reserves of her… art project. Which then grew roots on the wall, roots of which then grew down, through the floor and out of sight.

Was her sister a Tinker or something like that? Was Taylor? They both…acted a lot like Kid Win did when he got excited about his work actually. [Possibility]. Vicky found herself nodding to Nike, Ames just hadn't done something like this since she first got her powers. Shaper was probably just excited and egging her on.

At least she got her plant hammock out of all of it! She just needed to bug Ames and Taylor a bit while they worked. She could have gotten one out of silk. But seeing it made would have probably churned her stomach. [Disgust]. Nike could say that again. Nothing like watching multiple spider buttholes spitting out silk.

Ew.

[Protection] That was a good idea, perhaps Taylor could make some kind of silk curtain to… 'protect' her work. She would have to remember to suggest it later. "Oh good. Finally clean?" She asked, turning as Taylor came out of the shower with her hair in a towel. Ignoring the soft eye roll she got for her rhetorical question, Vicky held up her phone. "Your girlfriend wanted me to talk with the two of you about who Fractal Unity wants to try and recruit next."

That was important. They were powerful, all of them in their own right. But power did not equate the ability to project said power. If it did, there wouldn't be any villains in Houston where Eidolon was stationed. Or New York where Legend lived, and the Elite would have long since been crushed by Alexandria's fist.

More members, even if they were weak in their own right, would help the rest of them put their flag up so to speak. Plus, it would come into a relationship much like what the Wards and the larger Protectorate had. Kill a Ward? Legend visited your city, and then left. The difference being a distinct lack of the guilty party.

Kill a Fractal Unity member? Eden or Bia(Cute name![Excitement.Agreement]) came down on you like the angry hand of god. Nevermind what god forsaken horror Khepri could or would put them through.

Maybe if New Wave had kept its members around, Aunt Jess would have never been crippled.

Pushing the melancholy out of her heart, and her mind, Vicky watched as Taylor broke apart and came back together without any water residue left on her. "Alright." The lanky girl nodded. "Are we going to wait for Eve?"

"Eve's the one that put me up to this. She wanted me to go over some possible recruits she sent over the phone while she went out." Vicky waved her phone at Taylor, and Ames who was dusting her hands off.

"Gather around. I agree that we're going to need some help if we're going to actually change the city for the better!" Vicky had studied all of them, one of them had her a touch worried. "Taylor, what's Fractal Unity's stance on Small time villains? Because one of the options given to me is an independent villain."

Taylor glanced around, before stepping closer and whispering to Vicky. "Currently we're working with Tattletale to bring down Coil. He doesn't respect the rules at all, mind you."

Vicky blinked, Coil was one of the major gang leaders. He worked with far more secrecy than the others however, he had no parahumans and people weren't even sure if he was one. "Really?" she asked, raising a brow.

Ames nodded. "Yeah. He's a Thinker, can make two timelines and explore both before picking the one he likes and keeping it. So a strong precog."

"And you're okay with working with a villain?" Vicky asked, a bit shocked that her sister would do something like that.

Hunching her shoulders Ames huffed softly. "Coil doesn't follow the rules. That kind of thing is what got Aunt Jess hurt in the first place. He recruited Tattletale by gunpoint. He has to be stopped." Ames pursed her lips, and then sighed, puffing out her cheeks. "Working with villains… if Eve can stop them from being villains, all the better right? One less villain on the street?"

That didn't sound confident. But Vicky couldn't disagree all that much. She'd heard about why Shadow Stalker was in the Wards. Vigilante or not, killing people was a step too far. But her being in the Wards instead of jail meant the city got another hero. It wasn't a great trade, but it was an important one to make.

"Alright then. Because the first one we're going to talk about is Hive. A Cloner with the power to teleport. So a Master/Mover." Vicky started only to have Ames snort.

"Oni Lee's kid much?"

Vick shook her head. "Don't act like a PHO user Ames." Her sister's face scrunched up like she bit into a lemon "So far she's been stealing from the gangs and the richer areas of the city. Apparently she's some kind of robinhood type." Mentioning this now reminded her of the time that Dean was talking about his neighbors getting robbed. Could that have been Hive?

Probably not.

"How did you get information on them?" Taylor asked

"...PHO." Vicky answered "Hard to get information otherwise. So take most of this with a grain of salt."

Taylor nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer.

"Right, well she's never been violent towards people. No one complained about violence at least. Though I doubt gangsters would admit to having a thin girl like that beat them up. The Mover rating would surely help, people without a mover rating would have a hard time keeping up with the rest of us, sans Ames."

"Not like I go out into fights." Ames replied as she plopped down atop a flower stool. Yes she made herself a flower stool.

"A cloner would also give us more coverage." Taylor supplied. "Depending on how long the clones last and if she gets anything from them."

Vicky nodded in agreement. "Videos of her, she's a bit showy, make them look pretty independent. With some phones they could watch areas for crime." Recruiting her would also piss off Vicky's mom, but she kept that to herself. Her mom could get as angry as she wanted.

"What about the others?" Taylor glanced between her and Ames. "Better to know our options before we continue with any plans on recruiting them."

Ames nodded with a bit of enthusiasm causing Vicky to scroll through her notes to the opposite of the spectrum in capes. "Alright. Warlock. She's a Blaster that operates in Empire territory. Might be a stranger too because she tends to show up, hit the gang, and then disappear just as quickly."

Taylor frowned. "There's quite a bit of female capes in the bay."

"Most capes are." Vicky informed the girl. "About 60% of capes are female." Which was interesting information to take in, but it didn't have much impact on the grand scheme of things, that researchers knew of at least. Maybe they could ask Admin and Eve about that later.

"Back to the Blaster. She apparently is also a bit showy too, when she does show herself at least. Talks like Myrridyn. Might just be her whole theme, might actually believe it. Don't know, but she's got a we'll put together costume at least. But it's put together for sure. Her Blaster apparently has a variety of effects. People call her baby Legend."

"Can she aim them like Legend can?" Taylor asked, wanting to know if the girl could bend lasers in mid-air much like the premiere example of artillery capes.

"Couldn't find anything on that. But so far she's not responsible for any deaths, or maimings." Better than Vicky's own record. Personally she doubted Taylor or Eve would put up with that kind of situation, and she didn't like how terrible Ames looked after dealing with one.

Ames nodded, giving Vicky a side eye. "Okay. Moving onto the last one. We have a Tinker who fights both the gangs in the no man's land between their borders. He's a bit like Warlock. Attacks hard and fast before leaving after stealing money or tinkering supplies from the gang." The fundamental difference between a hero and vigilante. The looting vigilante's did. She could respect it, especially for a Tinker. Not that she liked it if they stole drugs or guns but money was fair game.

"People say he's good at fighting. So either he has a Thinker component to his Tinkering or he has some training." Vicky added.

"A Tinker is going to be a resource sink." Ames grumbled.

"You used all the bugs I could gather in an eight block radius." Taylor offered, causing her sister to blush because they were totally going to end up an item. [Connection] Amen to that!

"She's not wrong though." Sister to the rescue! "But a Tinker would also be a force multiplier. Especially if he and Eve can work together on projects. We could all end up with Tinker gear to help us fight crime or protect the base. Or power armor and weapons for other recruits we might pick up."

"Eve's here." Taylor responded as the door to the base opened and shut. "She's heading to the shower room. Let's wait for her to finish so she can be a part of the conversation."

Everyone agreed to that, and fifteen minutes later Eve trudged out of the shower, stopping as she saw everyone waiting for her. "If this is about the recruits. I'm not in the mood to talk about them."

"You good?" Vicky asked.

Eve shook her head. "I'm going to bed." she declared, wings lifting her into the air before disappearing and letting her belly flop onto the bed. "We can talk about them in the morning or whatever."

"Okay." Taylor paused, looking unsure. "But we can't put this off too long." Her eyes flicked to Vicky and her sister. "Remember the dead independant we found during the teeth raid."

"I do." Eve grunted. "Just tired and I want to sleep alright?" With that, she rolled over and just hugged a pillow

Vicky hummed softly. "Alright. Are we doing anything for dinner?"

"I can go and grab something. I'll call one of you and ask what you want." Taylor offered as she broke apart into insects which was still disturbing to see. She glanced at Ames who simply shrugged and went over to the couch before plopping into it and letting her feet dangle off the side of the armrest as she played on her phone. Probably that card game that Ames liked so much. The one with magic.

With a soft frown Vicky decided that she could spend some time trying to scrooge up more information on the independents they knew of. Flying over to her hammock, she gently eased herself into the soft, waxy leather of the plant that hung from the ceiling.

It wasn't actually that uncomfortable. Until she dropped the phone on her face, which went right through her forcefield because otherwise how else would she use it? She huffed after hearing Ames snort in amusement.

Vicky would give her that much with (some)retribution. Just some light teasing about her and Taylor. But tomorrow, after Ames forgot about the pictures Vicky took.



Chapter Results:

Bud progress 10%
Synchronization increased by 2%
Base Danger Rating decreased by 3%
Gained Combustion Echoes (1)
Consolidating Combustion Echoes into Ping (1)
Gained Stasis Echos (1)
Consolidating Stasis Echoes into Ping (1)
Gained Conflict Escalation Echoes (1)
Gained Gleam Echoes (3)
Consolidating Gleam Echoes into Ping (1)
Gained Shaper Echoes (2)
Weaving Station Upgraded
Flesh Garden upgraded



Administrative Business. Plot stuff, Data! And other hilarious things you tell yourself (CHOOSE TWO):


[] Network Creation: Create Network Rethreaders in order to recruit Shard without them leaving The Warrior's Network. (WARNING: VIRAL INFILTRATOR Ping Required)

[] Invite a Shard into your Network (Nike)

[] Review Memory Cache: Violation and discover more of Admin's Past (Possibility of rewards)

[] Acquire Shaper's help in growing the required node within [Eve] and [Taylor]'s processors to facilitate the telepathy

[] Unlock Power/Upgrade Obtainer

[{Lacks required Resources}] Build Reality Layer Bridge to bring Eve's Psionic Shade to the Anchor Well and secure her for eternity (REQUIRES: COPY PROJECTION Ping + GATEWAY and DIMENSIONAL ENGINE Echoes (2) )

[] Ask Local Shards for signatures in order to contact new Shards (Who?)

[] Collect jade flesh from SATURATE or SLIMER, gaining Bud Progress.

[] Analyze DATA VECTOR's Ping to discover why Scanner Shards aren't…active.

---

Fractal Unity is not just a group. It's an attempt to bridge the distance between Shard's and their Hosts. The Base will be the staging point for the team. CHOOSE TWO:


[] Set up some Dyes or a table for shell extraction (Weaving Station)

[] Expand Amy's experiments (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, maybe a dining table with chairs? Extra beds for other people? A TV for News or entertainment? (Living area)

[] Work on the QoL of the place with Amy and Taylor helping (Get some makeshift walls up for privacy, get a washer and dryer, fill in the train tracks with concrete, or continue to set kitchen area up)

[] Attempt to recruit independents into Fractal Unity -
-[] Warlock, a blaster whose power has many uses. Compared to a 'baby legend', often attacks the Empire in the Downtown area. Apparently prefers to strike from the shadows and disappear.

-[] Brimstone, a vigilante Tinker who operates in the slums that are wedged between the Empire and former ABB territory.

-[] Hivemind, a low level villain Master/Mover who steals from the richer areas of the city using clones. Considered something of an escape artist.

---

Capes and mundies, what will Eve/Eden do? [Writing in extra details helps speed up chapter creation and makes the QM happy!] (CHOOSE TWO):


[] 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)

[] Date for Amy!

[] Go on a date with Taylor

[] Hang out with Vicky again.

[] Teach Khepri how to fight, street style.

[] Do some community outreach!

[] Team up with some Heroes (Random roll)

[] Gather Tinker Supplies (Will bring vote for:ScrapYard, Stores, Junkyard, or Boat graveyard)

---

Kassidy's newest friend is none other than the Empire's own Pure Steel. Eve refrained herself from violence, but clearly she must do something:

[] Confront Kassidy's friend

[] Warn Kassidy about her friend


A/N: The Fractal Unity Sheet will be out shortly after this chapter. Thanks to Jefardi for Betaing everything and letting me bounce ideas off them! Also I plan on releasing a plot synopsis sometime in the future, so you don't have to reread all of Shard's Quest to know what's going on. Another Side Step is in the works, this one being for how the people of Boston are taking the Simurgh hit.

 

[Jefardi]

[X] Invite a Shard into your Network (Nike)
[X] Unlock Power/Upgrade Obtainer
-[X] Runic Circle
[X] Attempt to recruit independents into Fractal Unity -
-[X] Hivemind, a low level villain Master/Mover who steals from the richer areas of the city using clones. Considered something of an escape artist.
-[X] Warlock, a blaster whose power has many uses. Compared to a 'baby legend', often attacks the Empire in the Downtown area. Apparently prefers to strike from the shadows and disappear.
[X] Go on a date with Taylor
[X] Team up with some Heroes (Random roll)
[X] Warn Kassidy about her friend

Do two recruiting and get teleport for better base safety. Also take Taylor on date!

 

[KindredVoid]

Base:​

Current Location: Corner of South Docks, Docks, and Trainyard; A Train tunnel entrance/loading dock with Ladder and hinged window paneling entrance. With two Runic Circles. One leading to the border between the Commercial District and Downtown and the other leading to the upper Docks South.

Stations

Weaving Station V4: With her spiders merged to form an organic weaving station Every two weeks Khepri can create a costume from spider silk

Art Gallery V1: Just a table where Elle's art lays exposed. Nothing special

Tinker Table V2: A blue metal work bench with some basic tools. Not worth much to a Tinker, but it's something.

Flesh Garden V2.5: A carpet of Fungal/Plantlike biomass that has a large pitcher plant full of strong acid, allows for easy trash disposal.

Living Area V5, Vicky has her plant hammock. And The girls a big fat memory foam CA king bed, with luxurious sheets, blanket, pillow cases, two memory foam pillows and a memory foam body pillow. Hey look, you can get free wifi in the base now and take a shower! Also no leaving to use the bathroom! A bookshelf and couch helps! The Kitchen still lacks a countertop, oven, fridge, and sink!

Current Supplies: One standing floodlight, one Labyrinth Artwork 'Sea of Emeralds', Ladder (1), set of average tools, and a blue metal workbench. Installed water heater, installed shower prefab, installed Toilet, pipes and plumbing supplies.


Danger Rating: 038%
Livability: 058%

Membership​

Eve 'Eden' Coldwin - CoLeader and Inner Circle

Taylor 'Khepri' Hebert - CoLeader and Inner Circle

Amy 'Fufluns' Dallon - Honorary member

Victoria 'Bia' Dallon - Recruit

Duri 'Warlock' Chay - Recruit

Goals:​

• Use data gathered to find Negentropy

• Help Humanity society stabilize with the addition of powers

• Defeat The Warrior

• Shore up the safety of the Base

• Recruit fellow parahumans

Maintenance:​

• 200$ every week to Duri and Vicky

 

[Arbitbit39]

@KindredVoid
So if Parian see the [Monstrosity] weaving station will she try poaching or joining Amy and Taylor in making more [abominations] fashion equipment or Nope out?

 

[KindredVoid]

@KindredVoid
So if Parian see the [Monstrosity] weaving station will she try poaching or joining Amy and Taylor in making more [abominations] fashion equipment or Nope out?

Click to shrink...

You'll note that Parian isn't around on this Earth Bet, not as the rogue at least.


(I think she'd be more horrified of the giant cheesegrater spider ass.)

 

[Kornuptiko]

[X] Review Memory Cache: Violation and discover more of Admin's Past (Possibility of rewards)
[X] Invite a Shard into your Network (Nike)
[X] Set up some Dyes or a table for shell extraction (Weaving Station)
[X] Pcs are important for taxes, which Eve won't be doing, and Tinkering. Then again, so are tools for better tinkering (Tinker Table)
[X] Set up an appointment with the PRT/Protectorate to demonstrate your Case 53 deformation healing (Consumes SHAPER Ping)
[X] Date for Amy!
[X] Confront Kassidy's friend

 

[KindredVoid]

Voting ends today in 8 hours!

 

[Tech Priest Gemm]

[X] Invite a Shard into your Network (Nike)
[X] Unlock Power/Upgrade Obtainer
-[X] Runic Circle
[X] Attempt to recruit independents into Fractal Unity -
-[X] Hivemind, a low level villain Master/Mover who steals from the richer areas of the city using clones. Considered something of an escape artist.
-[X] Warlock, a blaster whose power has many uses. Compared to a 'baby legend', often attacks the Empire in the Downtown area. Apparently prefers to strike from the shadows and disappear.
[X] Go on a date with Taylor
[X] Team up with some Heroes (Random roll)
[X] Warn Kassidy about her friend

 

[KindredVoid]

Crazy last two days, my house partially flooded!

So now the Votes over and everything has been Tallied. Check the chapter's voting options if you want to know what won!

 

[BarbaCoPut]

Oof terrible thing. Been there, good luck !