[Worm] Pride

[Babblefish]

"Hey,"

Rey opens one eye and looks up at me. He's slouched all the way down in one of the couches, with his shoulders down where his butt should be and his butt hanging off the front of the seat.

"Sup," He closes his eyes, takes a drag on his joint, wriggles himself slightly higher in the couch, and then gives up once his shoulder blades are halfway up the chair. Homunculi crowd around him. Watching me with beady black eyes. Some of them have claws. Some have pincers instead of mouths. One of them curls up into mishappen armored balls, rolling off the arm of the couch and down into the hollow made by Rey's weight.
I go and fold myself into one of the battered sofa chairs next to him. More homunculi cluster around me, poking and teasing at my hair.
The light is dim, only a single grimy bulb doing its best to illuminate the wide brick walled basement.

I nestle into the manky sofa-seat, hug my arms against myself.
Just sort of… look around and try to soak in the place.

There's some helium filled party balloons from a party last week over in the corner. A box full of spare clothes for whenever people are playing Druck, or just for when run aways and street walkers drop by and need something. There's an extra bed over in the corner opposite us. Dinah Alcott is sitting on it, talking to her parents. The Undersiders have filled in behind, with Bug girls dad standing by, looking lanky and awkward. Homunculi sit in various alcoves. Bad Apple lounges on the same sofa as Rey, her legs tucked under him. Assault has wandered in too, crumpled into one of the other chairs next to me.

How much effort did Rey put into making this place feel welcoming?

Rey chuckles.
"What... is... up, Miracle girl?"
His voice is quiet. Husky. Barely louder than a murmur.

Bet that's the quiet voice you use for Bad Apple when you're together.

Rey wriggles a bit more, getting himself ninty percent of the way into a sitting position. He still hasn't opened his eyes.

"They showed me the play."
"Oh? Which one?"
"The one with Bad Apple."
Rey nods. "Thiri has one too."
"Do you?"
Rey shakes his head. "Don't think so. Not sure how we'd trigger it even if I did. Do you have one?"

I hadn't thought of that.
I hadn't-
I shrug.
"Hhhmmm."
He leans against Bad Apples legs, she ducks forward a touch, scratching at his hair.

Do I tell him what this is. Do I tell him what I make of it. What Aphasia said about iteration?
This has all happened before…

"What's your take on it?" I ask.

Rey smiles. Something wicked and sardonic. "Much the same as yours, I'd guess."

"I-"

"Oh come on… you're smart. Been spending time with Professor Corkscrew. You got theories of your own," He opens one eye, looks over at me. "But you don't wanna say those theories, which tells me, probably many of them ain't very nice."

The eye closes again, and he goes back to leaning into his girlfriend.
God damn it Rey.

"Do you recognize the powers they show?"

Rey shakes his head. "Penelope's. Thiri's. Mostly no… but I did some research, managed to track down one of them. `Encrer'. French cape. Makes this black ink stuff which… its like a hole to some other space"

"I didn't see that one."
"Thiri's show."
I nod.
"And none of the homunculi have ever seen them?"

Rey shakes his head. "Nah. I ain't even heard of them before. Apple searched them up on PHO last weekend."

So there it is.
There it is.
Proof.
Validation.

I always thought it was going to feel better than this.
Less… hollow.
"This has happened before."
"This?"
"Powers. Capes."
"Oh yeah. Right." Rey nods "`this'"

He's staring at the wall now. Staring straight on ahead, past the party balloons, over at the brick wall. "So… the mushroom men were real once upon a time. They were…. their own people, their own society… not just… servants. Toys."
I nod.
"Does that mean they're real now. I'm I meant to take care of them? Protect them?"

You do that anyway? Don't you?

"Always thought of them as sort of… like you know, master minions. Projections. Things for getting shit done."

But you were still kind to them.

Rey runs hands through his hair. Lets out a long sigh. Absent mindedly he scratches at the neck of one of the Homunculi sitting next to him.
They chirp and coo around him. Bad Apple grabs a couple more, scoops them up and pours them down on top of him. Assault catches on and starts tossing them over, the creatures squawking before landing on Blasto in a heap.

Where were they real? They're own people? When did that happen?

Coral was built on the some biology as them- her metabolism inappropriate for Earth's oxygen levels.
So probably they come from a world with higher levels of oxygen…
That doesn't tell me much.

The cluster of Homunculi behind me set to work trying to give me a hair cut, and I have to swat them away. I saw the haircut you savages gave Rebecca. I'm not having that.
"We should talk to Ihina. She'll have thoughts on this."
"Mmmhmm," Rey rolls the chunky ball-homunculi round on the couch. Squishing it against the pillows, against Apple's leg, as it burbles away. "I'm sure she'll have a lot to say."

"We should pay capes to come by and visit- get them to use their powers, see what other stories we can get access to. Maybe make a truce with the Protectorate for scientific purposes?"
Rey opens one eye and raises an eyebrow.
"I'll pay," I explain "We'll use the institute budget. One grand to come by and visit, not cause trouble. Let people see what they see."

He goes back to eyes closed. "I'll think about it."
I nod. Glance over at Assault. He shrugs.
Armstrong seemed pretty relaxed.
If we say its for science, that its an Endbringer prep sort of thing.

The Ball-armidillo-homunculi thing continues to get rolled against the couch. Other come over and curl up and Rey continues to slouch with rolling four of them.
I pick one up and give it a try.

… It's kind of relaxing. Like petting a cat.




"Director Armstrong wanted me to deliver a message."
"Oh? You the PRT's messenger girl now?"
I shrug. "No pressure... I just promised I'd deliver it. I want to hold up my end of the deal there. You don't have to listen."
"Hmmmmm…" continues to slouch into the couch. "Manipulative fuckers aren't they. Want me to do something, so they get the words coming from your mouth. Bit fucky wucky that."
"You want me not to tell you?"
The idea of not wanting to get information seems kind of weird. Like… deliberately stubbing your own toe or something.
"Yeah… fine. Fine. Sure, whatever, say what you gotta say. Best I hear it, yeah?"



"He asked me to convince you to stop your turf war with Soldat."
"Yeah. Mmmhmm."
"And to put less drugs out on the streets."
"Yup."
"And to make more things to help for future Endbringer fights."
"I see."

A couple Homunculi come downstairs. The Homunculi bring a piece of paper over to Rey. He looks at it, passes it over to Apple
"Anything else?" Rey asks.
"No."
"Thanks. Great. Message delivered. He say why I should do any of those things?"
"I-"
It felt… It felt warm when Armstrong said it. Like I was doing Rey a favor. Except now….
"I think he thinks someone's going to get hurt if you keep doing this turf war thing?"
"No shit? Kind of how wars work, isn't it Aim's?"
"… yeah."

Rey cricks his neck, gets up. Starts searching around for his cell phone or something.
Apple is moving too now. I watch as she passes the note to Assault.
But not to me…

"So you know what happens if I back down on this turf war with Soldat?" Rey asks.
"Uhhhh…"
"Whatever the fuck Soldat want. That's what."
Mercenaries. Mercenaries with Guns.
"They'll take Manx and Brocks street, and then a few days later they'll move in, and start trying to take the next streets too. Same turf war, different streets, that's all that happens. And of course, since those streets are where T and 'Manada live, so.... What the fuck am I meant to do, yeah?"
Mercenaries with a reputation for racism. For.... laying `claim' to girls they find....
"So yeah... you can tell Amstrong I'll end the turf war when his PRT do their job and put those fuckers in jail."




Rey shrugs on his lab coat, grabs a couple of the more violent Mushroom creatures and slips them up his sleeves.
"Armstrong wants to know why I sell weed? How's about this-"
One of the homunculi on Rey's shoulder rolls a joint and passes it to Bad Apple. Rey stands, turns back to look at me, arms open, the lab coat draped around him.
"- Weed is cool. Some people need it to settle their nerves. Some people need the pain relief. Some people just wanna have a good time... and you know what? No one cares if you sell booze... and that fucks people up way worse than the reefer. No one gets skunked and beats up their kids, but no one gives a shit about that. Class warfare, that's what it is."

There was a stat about that... more than half of domestic abuse happened after the perpetrator had been drinking.

He glances over his shoulder, eyes already bloodshot. Bad Apple hangs around beside him, smoking and watching me, eyes half lidded, and `apples' bobbing around her ready to be cast out
Bad Apple is Fucking cool.

"Yo! Undersiders! Choirboy! You want?"
I watch as Bug girl shakes her head. Purple girl takes one of the joints offered, and then hands it over to the butch looking dog girl.
Assault shrugs, and picks up a joint as the Homunculi trundle over.

Rey turns back to me. "Not everyone's the same, kid. Some people got issues, need to run their brains on custom settings. Some people... its easy to get caught in a rut, think the same thoughts over and over again, keep viewing the world from the same angle. Sometimes its worth thinking different once in a while... gives us a chance to grow."

Except you dropped out of medical school.
You were your family's ticket out of poverty, and you got blazed the night before your exam, slept in. You-

I don't say that though.
Don't admit that I know that. That me and Dad did our research, after we found out Rey's civilian name.
What would be the point?

Pretty sure that was your trigger event Rey. Fucking up the education your family spent two decades preparing you for.
Of course... how much of that was the drugs, and how much of that was just you not being able to hack it.
Not everyone's cut out for medical school.
Not everyone's brain is the right shape.

"Makes sense."
Rey nods, continues checking over his preparations.

And how much profit do you make off these drugs Rey? How much do you check that they are helping people and not just fucking them up?
Everyone's brain is different, so how much of it is you thinking everything works out for you, so it must be working out for other people?

Bad Apple is watching me, waiting, smoking, something predatory in her... as if waiting for me to put a foot wrong. Waiting for me to judge, so she can lash out.



"What was the last thing Armstrong was whingeing about?"
"Huh?"
"There were three things,"

"He was keen on more of those Oxygen squips you gave us for the Endbringer event," Assault chimes in.

Rey looks at him, as if perplexed that he was part of the conversation.
"Right. Yeah. Those."
"They were pretty useful. Saved a bunch of lives."
Blasto nods. "You guys paying me for that?"

Huh? "Hey- what?"
"You guys paying?" Blasto repeats. "I can't keep doing shit like that if I don't have resources. These science projects, this humanitarian work Amy- it takes resources. And I need the Protectorate off my back."
There's a bunch of Homunculi clustered around his feet now. More violent ones.

He glances down at me. "You send me cash, support, maybe I can do it. But also… you made a bunch of promises, Miracle girl. For how your going to help tinkers help with Endbringer events…. maybe best you figure out how your going to do all of that stuff, get other people on board with this scheme of yours."

Why's he getting ready to go? Why is he armed, why-
"Where are you going?"

"Going to defend my territory. Bunch of Endbringer cultists just showed up and started wrecking shit."

 

[DraconianGreed]

Oof… yeah, Rey needs back up… like really badly. Fucking Fallen!

 

[Babblefish]

Assault, Bad Apple, and Blasto clatter up the stairs. Afterwards, its like there's a vacuum left in the room. The Homunculi are gone. Nearly all of them, just a skeleton staff left behind, with the rest following Rey our like a tide. There's this moment where everyone is staring at the staircase, just waiting, as if somehow by waiting it will make everyone come back.


T, Thiri, and the other Fennway kids just sort of stop talking. They sit on the couch, rubbing shoes against the floor.
T says something about wanting to go back and check on his Nan. Gilbert shakes his head: "Don't want you out on the streets now T. Give it half an hour."
T nods.

Both of them talk in hushed voices.

Bug girl has gone perfectly stationary again. Her Dad stands behind her. Tattletale asks her questions. Nods. then falls silent again.
Hellhound scratches at the ears of one of her dogs. They look injured. Fragile. Limping.
Over in the corner, Alcott sits cross legged on a lumpy bed, her parents perched scrappy fold out beach chairs either side.

I realize I'm just sitting there. Just as motionless as the rest of them.

What am I supposed to be doing?
What am I supposed to be doing?

What is it that needs to be done?

---

"The Fallen." Dad slaps the file down on the table in front of me. "Human Traffickers. Gang members, cultists… a number of potent Master and stranger powers… what do you do?"

I roll my eyes.

S-tier night.

Well… not S-tier. These fuckers are barely even B-tier, but they cause trouble, and for whatever reason Dad thinks I'm the sort of person they're likely to target.

I'm sitting on the swivel chair.
Dad half leans, half crouches behind/beside me, rocking the chair back and forth with on hand, his fingers tapping against my wrist with the other. I can practically feel his smile, that smirk.

"Which branch of the family is it?" I feel tired. Exhausted.
"You don't know. That hasn't been established yet."

I've had four hours pushing my power to the limit and laying low at the hospital, and Dad's handed me these files immediately after I've got back.
Dinner isn't even ready yet. He's distracted- giving me these files before he gets back to the cooking.

"I'd need to figure out which ones they are first-"

---

"Crowley's"
Tattletale spoke, the word spoke out loud, apparently directed at me.

"What?"
"You wanted to know which branch of the family it was. It'll be Crowley's. Leviathan associated. They've got the mobility and the motivation."

"You painted a target on my back, Miracle girl."

And of course, if they're after Rey they'll be after me too.
For threatening to murder their god.
For being an asset.

Still.
No Mather's Capes. No Valefor, presumably. No masters.

"Should we be out there? Should we be…" I gesture, vauge, uncertain.
"You good in a fight?"

Not… not really…

Hard not to feel guilty about that.

Dad always taught me how to avoid it. Sure, there was some combat training. A striker power to match almost any other short of Glaistig Uaine, but I wasn't good at fights, I didn't have Dad's knack for it, Dad's… enjoyment.

But Rey doesn't like fights either…

I force myself to breath, to stand up, to pace, because pacing seemed the right thing to do, the sort of thing Ihina would do if Ihina was thinking, and-
Where is Ihina? I sent Carol Dallon to support her, but then I ducked out of Brockton Bay because Carol is hunting Dad.
Is Ihina okay?

Except there wasn't anything I could do about that now, and there was something I could do about Rey.
Probably.



"Dinah!"
"Hi."



I walk over to the girl. Try to pretend like I'm confident. Try to do it like Ihina would. "What do the numbers say- will Rey and the others be alright, assuming we don't get involved?"
The girl doesn't reply, just looks at me, messy hair, malnourished, head tilted to the side slightly. Her parents sit nearby, blinking like owls.



Fuck. Just uhhh… keep going?
"And… umm… what do they say if we do get involved? If me and the Undersiders go to help, say?"

The girl continues to watch me, and then frowns.
She looks pretty wrecked, pretty malnourished.

"Do you… want healing?"


She opens and closes her mouth a few times, stares off into the corner of the room. Frowns some more.

"I don't like you."

What?
"Oh…."
What the fuck do I say to that?

I feel like everyone must be staring at us. Listening in on the conversation. It's like an itch between my shoulder blades and-
I turn.
No one is watching, because everyone has their own shit to do, except Tattletale, who is watching (of course).

I give her the finger again, and then turn back to Alcott.




"I'm… sorry?"

"Your Dad kills my Dad."
What.
"I've seen it happen so many times. Too many different realities. Had to steer away from those. Had to- He's like Coil. He's a fucker-"
"Language Dinah!"
"-he's a fucker, you're just like him-"
No…
"-make selfish decision too. Say you're going to help me, make the pain go away, end up being your pet, being-" The girl flinches away from me, backs into the corner, up against the smokey brickwork, out of arms reach. "No healing. Don't touch me."

I look down and realize my hand is raised. Reaching out, wanting to touch her shoulder, wanting to calm her down.
So natural. Instinctual even…

Alcott pulls the blanket up around her, covering malnourished arms, and legs. Every centimeter of exposed skin, until there's nothing but her eyes staring out at me beneath the cloud of wispy hair.
Feral somehow.

Fuck.

Her Dad's beside me. Standing now, trying to interpose as best he can.
You can't fight me. You're a normie. I could kill you with a touch.


I let my arm fall to my side.

I'm meant to be helping Rey.

"I don't want to be enemies. I thought...we're working towards something good, right?"
"Doesn't matter what you think… you always make the selfish choice in the end."
"What end?"

She shakes her head.

I glance over my shoulder, realize some of the people actually are staring at us now. Turn and walk away.

We were supposed to be allies.
I thought…

Part of me wants to feel mad. To lash out.
Mostly I just feel confused.

I stare down at the girl.
She stares back at me, blanket pulled up around her.
Her eyes are like embers.




Okay. Fine.
Give space.
Try to figure something out.
Some other avenue of attack.
There's always got to be a play.

I walk over to the Undersiders. There's a parent here too, watching me… warily now.

World bending power is exhausting.




"Not working for you,"
"Yeah, sure, thanks, wasn't expecting you to."
"Skitter's already on lookout, fucking up any Fallen who come near."
"Yeah."
"Sounds like Kid Cassandra hates every possible multiversal iteration of you."
"Yup."
"Sucks to suck, I guess."
"You done?"

Skitter's Dad is frowning now.
I make eye contact with him. He shrugs.
Tattletale rolls her eyes.
"Her Dad's a serial killer," she explains "Ain't a big secret."

Not any more…
"Raised her to be just like her old man."
That's a lie.
"But she's kind of inherited all of his neuroses without any of the shit that makes him badass. Case in point- she's down here cowering with us freaks while her pals do the fighting."

I reach out to touch the girl and she pulls back.

This time I smile.

"What the fuck?"
"Was just gonna freeze your vocal cords for a few hours. Give us some peace and quiet?"
"Fuck off."

Her Allies are standing now. Hellhound with her dogs only barely held back. The buzzing of bugs barely audible, but close by. All three of them only semi-illuminated. Wary.

I could take every single one of you.
It would be easy. Close quarters. Only offense biological in nature.



Tattletale seems… exhausted.
Falling back onto old strategies, default behavior. Picking at people insecurities because that's the only leverage you've got left. That's what you do.


And what do I do?
I look for solutions to problems.
What do I need.

"Skitter-" the moment I speak, the ambient insect sounds of the room change tone. Intimidating "-What would you need to get more involved in the fight? To help Blasto?"

There's a pause, consideration… not slow, so much as attention being pulled from far far away.
"Range. I'd need range. More fire power. Additional bugs- mass. Mobility."
I need mass to make things with. Feedstock…
"Hellhound-?"
"No."

"I can make your ally more powerful."
A shrug. She goes back to crouching beside her dog. It whimpers.
"Make it easier to keep you and your friends safe."
Another shrug.

What's the in? What's the in? What's the in?
"I can heal your dog."
There's a flicker.
Something like anger, annoyance, indecision.


"Yeah… yeah alright."

 

[Babblefish]

Hey team - sorry for the delays. Double teaching load at the moment, hard to keep up with everything.

Nothing heaps much happening in story, but feels good to continue ticking along.

 

[Zampano]

Nothing heaps much happening in story, but feels good to continue ticking along.

Click to shrink...

Seeing Dinah respond to future versions of Amelia seems like a major milestone! I don't know enough about Ward to really comment, but Dinah shows that this AU Amy isn't really so different from canon. That gives Tt an in to push some buttons, and given your comments responding to me on pg 39, Tt's social attack vector could be very effective by revealing patterns / habits that Amy hadn't noticed about herself yet.

 

[Hecatonchires]

Some very jittery interactions there

 

[TruckerMan]

but Dinah shows that this AU Amy isn't really so different from canon.

Click to shrink...

This Amy is so different from canon Amy the comparison is laughable. This one does more introspection, long term planning, and logical thinking in a single arc than canon does in two entire stories. I don't like or agree with all her decisions but she's still interesting, which also makes her completely different from canon. Even her response to Dinah's accusations is different from how canon Amy would act.

 

[Zampano]

This Amy is so different from canon Amy the comparison is laughable. This one does more introspection, long term planning, and logical thinking in a single arc than canon does in two entire stories. I don't like or agree with all her decisions but she's still interesting, which also makes her completely different from canon. Even her response to Dinah's accusations is different from how canon Amy would act.

Click to shrink...

I will reiterate my disagreement! Canon Amy yeeted herself into the Birdcage because she lost her grip on her self control just once. This Amy has found herself (a Striker 9) reaching for potentially hostile capes more than once in this scene alone.

The AU has given her the leeway to make jokes about paralyzing vocal cords for a few hours. But she retains the underlying and unconscious (!) impulse to simply reconfigure the people around her for her own convenience.

 

[Aldorel]

Given that the difference between canon Amy and this Amelia is being raised by Marquis, I think that she is similar and different in more or less the ways that we'd expect.

The logical thinking and long term planning are things Marquis has been explicitly and intentionally training her in. Introspection is less obvious, but canon Marquis appeared reasonably introspective. Also notably Amelia has lost control with Los Estaciones, and didn't see it necessary to Birdcage herself - probably because Amelia wasn't taught to be destructively self sacrificing like Amy was.

The power is the same, which would lead to the same temptation for abuse.

 

[TruckerMan]

The AU has given her the leeway to make jokes about paralyzing vocal cords for a few hours. But she retains the underlying and unconscious (!) impulse to simply reconfigure the people around her for her own convenience.

Click to shrink...

Parahumans want to use their powers and even without that most people given power would probably be inclined to use it. Her power lets her easily reconfigure people, expecting any person (Amy or other) to not have those ideas and saying that makes her the same as canon is ridiculous.

You're essentially saying that her complex thoughts and actions have little meaning on her character. That because she has a few similar impulses she's the same. That's despite how her thoughts, introspection, the way she thinks things through, the fact she talks to others and asks for help, how she handles complicated problems, the logic she follows, and the actions she takes are significantly different. For an Amy with the canon powerset this one is very distinct and I wouldn't consider her like the original in most ways that matter.

Canon and most fan versions of Amy don't interest me. There are some fics that make her a tolerable deuteragonist or part of the main cast, but most of those don't take themselves as seriously as this story does. This might be the only solid protag Amy story I follow and that's despite disliking the Coil arc (no offense to the author). She's almost unrecognizable in so many important ways from canon.

 

[Babblefish]

The warm concrete of rooftop presses against the soles of my feet. The rough texture of it, warm, cigarette buts. Insects jump and crawl across my skin, and my power informs me of all of them.

"Alright…"

There's a flicker, something deep inside Skitter's Corona Pollentia. An echo within the neuron's of the beetle she has sitting against my wrist. The beetle moves, scrambles along my arm.

Alright.

It makes no sense, but I order my power to rewire the beetles mind, repeat the signal that it is receiving.
Even though I don't know how.
Even though I don't know the process I am repeating, don't know how any of this works.

"Try send it away, try direct your power at it."

We're up on the rooftop of Blasto's building. There's the sound of wind, not much else, and yet I can feel it, the sense of time pressure, the sense of people I care about not being safe. Need. Rush.

Up on the rooftop, sunlight streams down. The window blows, cool and gentle, drying out a rack of clothes.



I crouch down, next to Hellhound and her dogs. "Hey Brutus… who's a good dog? Who's a good dog?"
Dad Killed Kuga.

Hellhound uses her power to expand the animal dogs. Extra mass, folding, xeroxing outwards- layers like an onion, and my power instantly aware of them. I reach out, take hold of the extra mass, even as it forms.
Tattletale moves anxiously. The breeze catches at my dress, brushing it against my legs. Everything bright and soft and gentle, as my power shatters canine flesh into tessellating pieces: spiders, beetles, locusts.
The clouds of insects break away, spread their wings, moving the moment they are fully formed; Skitters power taking hold of them.




"Let me keep some of them- the spiders- I think I can-"

Chemicals from the hospital. Muscle relaxants, drugs that induce sleep, paralysis… I fill their venom glands, override their natural defenses, making them more effective weapons, more debilitative.

Will the PRT complain?
Will they complain that I am enabling a super Villain.


I look up.
The cloud above use is huge. A great swirling disk, sunlight cutting through it in uneven flickers.
Pestilence.
That's what this is.
Something savage.
Biblical.
The thing pulses… moves.
It doesn't float or hover, it more sort of churns. Like a disk made of out claws and nails.
The last few bugs break away from may hands, from Hellhound's dogs and buzz up to join the cloud.

Might have overdone it on this one.
Fuck.

"Do we just… kick their ass now?"

Skitter nods.
No thanks, no reaction, no eye contact. No sound. She just nods and the cloud moves off, not as a single blob, but instead spooling out, a piece of it pulling away from the central mass, and then moving away like a river, twisting midair, a Mobius strip pulling other bugs along with it.

"I mean… they're Endbringer cultists right? Kicking their ass is what we're suppose to do, right?"

Hellhounds dogs seem confused. I've healed them, but they still whimper, nuzzle at their master, unsure why they are not big now, despite Hellhound using her power on them.
A couple of them eye the insects nervously.

These are Alcott's bodyguards. These are the ones who will prevent her from falling into the hands of my enemies.
Is she my enemy?


I meet Hellhounds eyes.
"More?"
She nods, and again her dogs start to grow.

I create something large. Scarab beetle the size of a motor bike. Fully equipped. Digestive tract. Everything.

This shouldn't work. They shouldn't be able to breath.
Insects don't have lungs- they only get away with it due to their small surface area.
Bugs this size only exist on worlds with high oxygen levels.

Yet none the less, the bug creek and clip clop around the roof top.

I run my hand across the side of the beetles carapace.
It's smooth.
The pattern familiar, reassuring, my power singing with the familiarity of touching something that it has made.



Easy.
Everything is easy.

I can keep everyone I care about safe.
Certainty.
I don't need to take risks.

Over in the distance, hovering above one of the rooftops is a humanoid star.
Sunbeam.

The Hero doesn't approach, doesn't interfere with the swarm, or fire upon us. Still… I feel watched. Feel the PRT's surveillance.
Threat.
Enemy?

About thirty seconds pass, and then Skitter speaks. "They're Neutralized."
"Who?"
"Everyone."

---

We make our way down the stairs, walk through empty streets. Something about Skitters presence, the way ambient insect noises go silent around is enough to keep people inside. Those who don't go inside remain silent. Watch up.

Skitter leads us. We find Blasto a couple blocks over.
Twelve or so Fallen attackers, scattered like bowling pins across the road, rolling and moaning, bugs with pincers waiting on the hands, faces, skin. Four of them wear cape masks, the others are underlings. Hangers on.
Followers hoping to get powers perhaps.

There are more bugs, disappeared into our surroundings, whenever I pay attention I can spot them. Sitting on the surface of walls. Nestled in the shade of plants.
There's Mushroom men too, leaning forward. Sitting on our attackers, claws out, curious and coated in blood.
Assault stands by, hands on knees, sweating.
Sunbeam hovers overhead. About three feat above the ground, drifting gently up and down, illuminated, watching.

The street is littered with hundreds of knives, razors, caltrops, as if someone has gone mad with the copy paste tool while drawing the image.


I walk over. Approach.
"Miss Lavere-"
Sunbeam speaks, I ignore her, instead going over towards Bad Apple, taking her hand and erasing the deep gash along her arm.

I move on to Blasto next. He takes my hand, meets my eyes, gaze dark, calculating.
Strange…
I heal his injuries. Nothing major, nothing life threatening.
But this was just the start of the fight. This was four capes, with the fight cut short midway through.
"Thanks," he says.
I nod.
"Was kind of hoping to deal with this lot myself… prove to people I could hold my own territory…"
"Oh? Did I step on toes?"
He shakes his head, gestures at the Fallen fallen. "This works too. Less rep for me, but it lets me keep tricks up my sleeve for later."
I nod, consider our enemies, groaning and twisting on the ground.
He wasn't going all out. Always saving tricks for later. Using the standard defenses, Antibioitic protocol: only use 2nd line antibiotics once an infection proves resistant to first line defenses.

Skitter is staring off into the distance. Tattletale watches the fallen. Hellhound stands near Assault, while Assault scratches the ear of one of the dogs.


"You need a threat, something to make sure others don't attack again later."
Blasto sighs. His Lab coat has blood on it. "It'd be handy."
"I can do that."
"Can you now?" Rey eyes me. Carefully. We're still in contact with one another, I can still see all of him. See the Neural impulses passing through his brain. I can't interpret them, but I can see them.

He eyes me a while longer, then nods.

I turn and walk over towards the fallen. Bare feet on warm asphalt. Some of them move, as if about to grab out for me, and then freeze, hesitate.
Insects move across their Skin.


Sunbeam drifts closer.
"Miss Lavere- what are you doing?"
"Checking their vitals."

I lean down to touch the nearest of them. Female. Paralyzed by the look of it, at least for now.



"Lavere I don't think-"
My fingers make contact.
Breathing normal. Reduced heart rate.
The various anesthetics and toxins I loaded the bugs with still in effect.

"-Lavere, I don't think you should-"

Silently, I stand. Meet Sunbeam's eye.
At least, as best I can, given the radiance...
"They attacked my friends. They're Endbringer cultists. They want things to be destroyed."
"Point made. I understand. Now please leave things to the PRT. Let me take them into custody, let me-"

I step over towards one of the capes, crouch, and a beam of light hits me- knocks me backwards, like a punch to the stomach. I'm left gasping, sprawled out, lying on the ground among the bodies, touching meat.
Bleed then.
Let them bleed… just a little.

The light moves close, radiance, leaning over me.
"Lavere, I need you to stop this. Stop interfering, let the authorities-"

Some heavy shadow slams into the side of the woman.
Rey strolls over, gives me a hand up.

Sunbeam is on the other side of the road now, using her power to blast at one of Hellhounds dogs.
She isn't using full strength.
I've read the file on her, she's going easy on them. Being gentle...


Rey continues holding my hand, watches Sunbeam along with me.
"These aren't your prisons, Sunflower."
Theatrics.
This is a power play. Emphasizing the alliance between our groups. Emphasizing that he can call on me.
"This is my territory, and I have given Miracle Girl here permission to do as she will with them."

Do as you will…


Sunbeam half stands up, a final burst of energy and Hellhounds dog backs down.
She really is a very good Hero.
At least… good power for PR purposes at any rate.

The light fades. The light and radiance fade, till she is only some mousey thirty something woman, panting for breath and watching us.

Between us, the Fallen lie. Some of them bleeding, just as I have instructed them to.
Eyes and fingernails, nose and teeth and ears… dribbling blood.
Nothing dangerous.
Nothing lethal.
Just enough to show that I have absolute power over them.

Sunbeam looks down at them, then looks up and meets my eyes.

"If I don't do this, they'll keep coming," I tell here "people I care about get hurt. Unless we take away something they actually care about, unless we-"
"I've heard those words before, Lavere" She says. Something dark crosses her face. "What are you planning to do? What do you plan to with these helpless prisoners, who have yet to stand trial?"
I shake my head. I saw your justice system. How stupid it was. What it did to Paige.

I step over the body, look for the one who looks like leader.
Square shouldered. Oily. A mask like a fish, stitched together, across his face.

I reach out with a foot, nudge it against the side of his face.
Sunbeam flinches.
"Same deal I offered Paige."
My power reaches into the man's brain and wipes away his Corona Pollentia.

"Except this time, I'm not asking permission."

---

 

[SolipsistSerpent]

Sunbeam half stands up, a final burst of energy and Hellhounds dog backs down.
She really is a very good Hero.
At least… good power for PR purposes at any rate.

The light fades. The light and radiance fade, till she is only some mousey thirty something woman, panting for breath and watching us.

Click to shrink...

Now, I feel dumb, that's Purity, isn't it?

 

[BurningSaiyan]

Now, I feel dumb, that's Purity, isn't it?

Click to shrink...

Don't worry I felt the same.

Also Babblefish you cheeky bastard, don't think I missed the very deliberate Sunbeam is a great hero line.

 

[TruckerMan]

About thirty seconds pass, and then Skitter speaks. "They're Neutralized."
"Who?"
"Everyone."

Click to shrink...

For a story with so little Skitter this was great.

I saw your justice system.

Click to shrink...

She's seen more than that. The PRT ENE.

He takes me hand,

Click to shrink...

Accidental pirate.

"What are planning to do Lavere?

Click to shrink...

Missing word

Antibioitic protocol: only use

Click to shrink...

This seems like it might've cut off early.

 

[FiNAL_0083]

I really love seeing Amy's ruthless side. Especially how she doesn't even react to Skitter being intimidating, or Bitch's dogs, or not-purity threatening her.

 

[Babblefish]

I really love seeing Amy's ruthless side. Especially how she doesn't even react to Skitter being intimidating, or Bitch's dogs, or not-purity threatening her.

Click to shrink...

Hey hey FiNAL_0083. Glad you enjoy.
Also: Welcome to the Present Temporal Position.

 

[Aldorel]

Love how terrifying the Amelia+Skitter+Hellhound combo is.

Pestilence.
That's what this is.
Something savage.
Biblical.
The thing pulses… moves.
It doesn't float or hover, it more sort of churns. Like a disk made of out claws and nails.
The last few bugs break away from may hands, from Hellhound's dogs and buzz up to join the cloud.

Might have overdone it on this one.
Fuck.

Click to shrink...

Love the description and the slight tone shift.

About thirty seconds pass, and then Skitter speaks. "They're Neutralized."
"Who?"
"Everyone."

Click to shrink...

*giggles maniacally*

He wasn't going all out. Always saving tricks for later. Using the standard defenses, Antibioitic protocol: only use 2nd line antibiotics once an infection proves resistant to first line defenses.

Click to shrink...

Nice analogy

 

[notbirdofprey]

Just binged this. Good story!

 

[Babblefish]

Just binged this. Good story!

Click to shrink...

Welcome to the Present Temporal Position. Glad to hear you enjoyed.

 

[Babblefish]

It feels good.
Like certainty.
Justice.
The world being pulled back into alignment with something, the world being-

More right.
Correct.

I step, out across the incapacitated bodies, towards the next of the four capes the Fallen have brought with them. Bugs still bite and crawl. Skitter, keeping our enemies down.
The Undersiders watch. Bored. Apparently familiar with the situation.

Sunbeam watches too, and there is something hunted there, something…

"Yo."
A hand settles on my shoulder. Instinctively I reach up to touch it.
Assault.
Madcap.
Ethan.

All of him is there, in my awareness. Cardiovascular system. Lymphatic nodes, my power briefly registering that his movement doesn't quiet line up with his muscle activation.
I turn, distracted.

I didn't hear him approach.
I'm supposed to be focused on Sunbeam.

"Ease off a bit, Duck."

I'm not a-

He squeezes my shoulder, but his eyes aren't focused on me.


"Let the PRT deal with it. Take these jackasses into custody. Play it by the books."
Eye contact with Sunbeam.
Trying to demonstrate that they have the unstable biotinker on leash.
Trying to demonstrate that I'm a non threat. That I'm under control.
Self control.
A reasonable actor.

I can still feel it. The adrenaline rush.
Heart beating.
Momentum.
The sensation of the ground skidding out from underneath but I could make the jump. I could keep going.

You're outnumbered here Assault.
Blasto would take my side.
The Undersiders would take my side.
Hell, even you probably would, if push came to shove.

We don't have to do what they tell us.

Instead my gaze skips. Slides past Assault's chest, fastens on to Rey.
Eye contact. An anchor.
Rey nods.

"Okay."
I lower my hand. Break that connect.
I slump a bit, and then shake myself. Stand upright.
"Okay," I repeat.

I turn to face Sunbeam.
Purity.
Former Empire Eighty Eight.
You would have killed Dad.
"They're all yours," I tell her. "If the judicial system decides to take the rest of their powers away, I'll be happy to oblige. Free of charge."

And then I leave.

---

"Did I do good?"

We're on the way back.
Skitter and the Undersiders have stayed behind, partially to help Sunbeam secure the Fallen prisoners, partly because the Fallen are Endbringer cultists and Leviathan has recently destroyed their home down.
As we leave, I see Tattletale crouching next to the group, striking up a one sided conversation.


In answer to my question, Rey grunts, continues trudging along. He's carrying an arm load of dead homunculi which are apparently too dead for my power, but still considered viable organic material for the sake of Rey's experimentation.

"It'll play well to the press. Kicking Fallen ass, showing restraint. Some will love you for yanking powers from the fucker, and all them asshole who are busy being scared of us Alien-mutants will be pleased to see that you are `one of the reasonable ones'".
We reach the corner of the Fennway. Rey dumps the armload, and a cluster of the more domestic homunculi scurry out and pick up the fallen, hauling them back towards the village.
"There'll be some who still hate you for it, but they'll hate you for everything, so-" Rey shrugs.


Mostly he seems tired.
It's late afternoon, and so far as I can tell, Rey barely slept overnight.

Neither did I, to be honest. It hasn't hit me yet, but probably will soon.

"I meant… did I do good by you? With respect to the Territory thing? Did I-" Step on toes? Fuck up? Is it okay, doing things without permission?

Rey seems to mull the question over. Chewing away at it, his eyes darting over his swampy little kingdom, the subjects lined up, waiting for inspection.
Over in the distance, the Bramble-goat thing warbles.

"You did fine," he says eventually.

Fine. Not bad, but not good either. It annoys me more than it should.

"It would have been nice to kick their asses myself," Rey explains. "Prove that, prove that I can defend my territory. That way people are less likely to fuck with it. You swooping in and saving the day reduces that."
So he didn't want help.
"But-" Rey continues, waggling his fingers, lab coat draped off of him like some kind of wizards robe. "Defense takes resources. It takes tricks, it takes energy."
I glance around the Fennway.
You built all of this.
Put effort into it.

"Not having to spend those tricks? Those resources? Means there's more spare to deal with the next fucker who comes along. Even if he might come by a touch sooner because of this."

I nod.
Not good. Not bad. A bit of both.

The Fennway seems fragile somehow.
Vulnerable.
Like a carefully built stack of cards, or a flower.
Easy to break.

For just a moment there's a flash of memory.
Warmth.
Time with Dad. Friends at the Institute. Chatting. Eating. Playing card games. Rowing around in the rowboats. Canary. Trinket being close.
It's all fragile.
All of it breaks so easily.
Gets broken.
That's just how violence works.
Violence is good at breaking things.



"Ahhh, fuck."
I glance over. Up ahead of us, there are five capes. Every one of them exquisitely dressed. Custom tailored suits and cocktail dresses, all elegantly accented with gemstones and color. Matching, but not identical.

"Ambassadors," Rey proclaims.
There's something bitter in his voice. Something... hate.
I've never heard Rey hate someone before.
"To what do I owe the `pleasure'."

Citrine steps forward. Perfect golden hair, yellow dress, Masquerade mask studded with her namesake gemstone.
"Accord request your presence for discussion, Miss Lavere, as detailed in subsection thirteen B of our agreement."

 

[FiNAL_0083]

I really feel for Amelia here. How desperately she craves Rey's approval. I want good things for her.

 

[Babblefish]

"Fuck off,"
Rey answers before I do, and all around us, the flora is already responding.

"I'm sorry, there seems to have been a misunderstanding," Citrine steps forward. "We were speaking to Miss Lavere, not-"
"Fuck off," Rey repeats. "Your message has been delivered. Miracle girl will respond in three to five working days, as specified in subsubsection screw you"

There is no subsection-
Rey's grip is on my arm, his hand lowers, just enough to give skin to skin conta-
Increased heart rate, blood vessel dilation in arms and legs, heightened cortisol up regulating glucose release to the blood stream.



Fight or flight response.
Fear.

I look at Citrine's group, relaxed, casual.
There's something I'm missing.

"Accord would also like to speak to your other guest."
Alcott.

"Assault??" Rey scowls, let's go of my arm. "Yeah, don't think he'll be keen."
"Your other Brockton bay guest," Citrine clarifies.
"The Undersiders?"
Citrine rolls her eyes.




Should I say anything? Should I do anything?

It's just me and Rey here.
Assault, Bad Apple, the Undersiders, all back with Sunbeam, waiting for the PRT to arrest the Fallen.




I watch each of Accord's Ambassadors.

The Ambassadors are… dangerous…

Subtle powers. Good Coordination.
There was a reason that Dad wanted them as allies.
Is this one of Accords plans? The trap closing in, everything lined up.


I should just ask.
"What would I be talking-"
"Don't fucking encourage them."
"What would I be talking about with Accord?"
Citrine smiles. Pleasant. Venomous. "That is a private matter, to be discussed with Accord, yourself, and other guests."

Guests.
Plural.
Not just Alcott.

Fuck fuck fuck.


Behind Citrine there is Casserite, Othello, dressed in an elegant black gemstoned dress, and clean black suit with half-and-half mask, respectively. Behind Casserite there's the solid blue ruffled shirt of Lazuli, and behind Othello… someone in a long green robe?
Fuck.
Don't know all their powers.
"Miss Lavere is contracted to me for the next seven hours," Rey lies. His grip on my arm is starting to hurt now. I loosen his finger muscles, lightly trigger the pain receptors in his hand. "Tell your master she will discuss speaking to him after that… and he will contact her via email."
"We don't take orders from failures like you."

The flora reacts further, tensing, growing. From the Fennway, from window gardens.

There's Homunculi climbing out from the underbrush, and none of the Ambassadors seems concerned.

Instead Othello is busy signalling Casserite, glancing up the road. I follow their gaze Assault, Aphasia and Bad Apple.

Our back up, and they don't even give a damn.


I feel Rey breathe in. Heave out a sigh, and roll his neck.
"Okay." he says.
There's creatures moving under his sleeves, things pressing against his skin, his trouser legs, weaponizing.
I don't want this. I thought Fallen were the threat, but its, not, its-

A single fly lands against my skin, against the back of my neck.
I signal, SOS, hammered straight into the creatures nervous system. Something, anything.

I should stop relying on other people, I should look for ways to destroy my enemies.

Instead its Rey who responds first.

"You can fight me," he says "You'll win. I know my chances. Ain't stupid."
The Ambassadors continue to smile, and I want nothing more than to rip their throats out.
I could do that.
A moments physical contact, and I could rearrange their cells, fold open their windpipe, or simply leave them incapable of metabolizing oxygen. Drowning in all but name.

"But if you do fight me," Rey continues "I will drench all your costumes in Thioacetone, along with a variety of inks, bleaches, and other… interesting compounds."
Citrine's face goes flat.
"I know that Accord takes the appearance of his ambassadors very seriously. I imagine if you got back to him having ruined his little game of dress-ups, he'll be grumpy for weeks. Murderous even."
Wait, seriously, that's what gets to her?
What was Thioacetone again?

"What do you want?" Citrine bites out.
"I want Miss Lavere to finish her contract. I want you to send an email or phone call, requesting Lavere's presence tomorrow morning."
"Tonight. 8pm."
Rey shrugs. "You can discuss that with Miss Lavere via phone call… once you have left my territory."

Citrine sneers, but then turns to go. Me and Rey stand stationary as the Ambassadors turn and stroll away. Several of them bow to us on the way out. Citrine doesn't.


"It's stinks to high heaven," Rey explains. "We should teach you the formula."

Assault, Aphasia and Bad Apple approach. The Garden around us settles down. Insects gather.
"We should get going. I give us thirty minutes before Accord hits us with something proper."

 

[SolipsistSerpent]

Yeah, that many abassadors would be a losing fight. Othello alone could probably take out Amelia, slit her throat without touching her before she knows he's there. Him, plus three others? It's a bad job (though I think Citrine might actually be the least useful against Blasto and Amelia as the former gets the most mileage out of using his powers before the fight and the latter can kill instantly with a quick activation of her power, without giving Citrine time to dial in on it to block it).

But it seems like there's a reason Blasto has managed to survive being in Accord's bad books so long and it gives him a chance to show off for Amelia after she took care of his problem.

(For those who don't remember, Othello's power is that there is two of him, one invisible and intangible the other one normal at any given time and he can switch which one of him is which (the one at point A becoming intangible as the one at point B becomes tangible). I suspect there's a range limit that keeps them from wandering too far apart, but they can easily stand on separate sides of a room. If you're looking at the physical him, the intangible one can be behind you with a knife. Or just looking at your cards in a poker game so the other him knows what hand you have. It's like a stranger/mover/thinker hybrid power).

 

[Aldorel]

Thanks for the reminder SolipsistSerpent, I was just about to look Othello up. Feckin terrifying. Though his power would presumably be handicapped by the fact that they want Amelia alive.

Instead Othello is busy Casserite, glancing up the road.

Click to shrink...

I think there's a missing word here

 

[FiNAL_0083]

Rey!!! I really love how you portray him.

Also, it's Cassiterite, not Casserite.