Wyrm (A Worm Quest)
- Thread starter Z488411
- Start date
Z488411
Scatterbrained
- Location
- Europa
That's fair. I would appreciate any and all suggestions for improvement though.
- Location
- Madison, AL
[X] Read, cook, just make sure I had a really nice dinner for them ready once they got back. I would be cooking anyway, but I might as well try to make it as good as I possibly could.
MAXIMUM CULINARY TRAINING!!
KISS THE COOKMAXIMUM CULINARY TRAINING!!
Cracks 1.10
Z488411
Scatterbrained
- Location
- Europa
Cracks 1.10
[x] Read, cook, just make sure I had a really nice dinner for them ready once they got back. I would be cooking anyway, but I might as well try to make it as good as I possibly could.
Kurt got up a few minutes later and started doing the dishes, but Lacey hesitated, looking directly at my eyes. "If your vision is getting better, is that why you're not wearing glasses right now?"
"Yeah. It was just weird yesterday, but right now it doesn't even matter if I'm wearing them or not." I shrugged. It was annoying, but it wasn't as if I was completely blind.
"Do you mind if I take them along?"
The glasses had been mine for almost a year now, just after I'd outgrown my last prescription but… as much as I might like them, they wouldn't be much use to me anymore would they? "As long as you bring them back."
About five minutes later, I found myself alone. Making toast for myself and leaning back. The lightness hadn't faded away. Everything just seemed to move more easily, but knowing I could absolutely seriously damage or even destroy the table I was sitting at just by not paying enough attention was a little disturbing. Especially since I was feeling the urge to test the idea. I didn't of course, but the thought was still there. My hand didn't look any different than it usually did, but I could have dug my fingers into the wood whenever I liked anyway.
I shuddered and pulled it back. Stuck to the toast and enjoying the flavour of it. I was still thinking about it after the dishes had been cleaned and put away. Going through what I'd brought from home. A few sets of clothing, my school stuff but fairly little else. If the book hadn't been in my backpack anyway I might not have taken it at all.
One of Mom's. I'd been bringing it to school to distract myself, it or Mom's flute, just working my way through the shelves. I'd just wanted to start on rereading Tolkien and wanted to put the book where it was before I forgot. I suppose I had a new reason to want to get away from that now. I remembered the first parts as boring, but starting to turn the pages again, carefully finding the right distance to be able to read it, it was soothing. The Shire had almost nothing in common with Brockton Bay but that was probably why I didn't mind reading about it now.
Just not thinking about myself or what was going on for a while and letting myself drift through the pages, trying to paint the picture in my mind. Forests, meadows, and fields came easily, the others took some more time. I could probably have read faster, but if I did, I wouldn't have been able to imagine the voice in my head telling the story to me with every word my eyes took in. In that way, maybe my vision problems were actually helping.
It wouldn't make what happened any better. Didn't change anything what was going on in the Bay or with my life, but it still made me feel better. Calmer. Magic didn't really exist no matter how much I wanted it to or how I might like the idea. But that wasn't the point.
By the time I emerged from Mom's book it was already past noon. I hadn't even noticed, but at least that hadn't changed. I could still get lost in another world, if anything I was surprised I didn't feel any of my limbs falling asleep.
As it was, I was only slightly stiff. I stretched, before I had another thought, I couldn't really pay Kurt and Lacey back with anything, but I could cook, couldn't I? Even if I didn't have a lot of money, only what had been in my backpack. Still I could take stock of what was there at least and see whether there was anything I thought I could manage. My cooking skills were still somewhat mediocre, even if I had gotten better ever since Mom died. I mostly knew her recipes, but maybe I should branch out. I was definitely discarding the notion of adding bits of cutlery for flavour, even if it was lying around. I supposed I could look for cookbooks, but I wasn't sure I wanted to try a new recipe for this. Maybe some other day.
I wanted this to work.
And I had time still, so I might as well put that to use. There were some veggies in the fridge I could use, but not that much. Partially because of my first attempt at dealing with my hunger and partially because shopping was probably overdue. I went through the cupboard. Took stock and tried to see what I would be able to do without having to buy anything. Or at least not too much. I had found a few dollars in my backpack but that was about it.
In the end, I had to make one trip to get minced meat, but that was about it. Even if it took a while, I could read on the bus, that was fine. The dish with the most preparation time I knew was lasagna and I would need the time I had left. The meat sauce would need to cook for a while, if it was going to be any good. I would add a few more things, make salad as well and try to figure out some kind of dessert, but that had to be done first. Even if the scent of sizzling meat made it hard to concentrate. I licked my lips before I could as much as notice, but I needed that. I could eat it later. It wasn't done yet and it wasn't as if I was starving. I could wait.
Besides, cooking helped too. Ignoring my impulses and sing my hands as well as trying to get the taste just right with what I had.
I also spent nearly half an hour looking for a casserole dish, but nobody needed to know that.
They didn't need to know that trying to beat eggwhites by hand was way harder than it looked or how many times I had almost given up, before I finally got there. Though more out of frustration and because I wasn't sure I was doing it right than tiredness. Apparently my arms didn't grow tired, at least not from normal activities. I had absolutely no idea if it applied to other stuff too, I was just glad I didn't somehow break the bowl or something like that, because just controlling how much strength I put into things was not as easy as it sounded and I really didn't want to cost them even more money. I would much rather be too careful.
Which also meant I was running late and desperately trying to put plates on the table when they got back. Kurt and Lacey actually ended up helping me plate the salad, but it was still nice. They still smiled even if they were just coming back from work and tired. I was lucky I'd forgotten then showered after work, otherwise I probably wouldn't have managed close to in time.
Dinner was… quiet. I think we were all thinking about Mom and also Dad. Maybe I should have made something else, but it didn't feel bad. Just quiet, quiet conversation about work, because none of us was quite willing to talk about it yet. Or maybe they knew I didn't, so we were all thinking our own thoughts with each bite. Moving more and more toward of a calm before the storm, with only occasional comments about the taste. And I had gotten it right. Okay maybe the dessert slightly less so but it was still good and that would be good enough for me. Or the anticipation had just taken over.
It definitely had when we got up and did the dishes.
Lacey stopped for a moment just before we got ready to leave. "I took a bit of time to have the lenses switched with clear ones" Then handed me an envelope with two pieces of glass. "Hopefully it will keep some questions away at least."
Yeah. "Thanks." I was probably going to be either very popular on Monday, or treated as if I had some kind of infectious disease, but I smiled anyway. I hadn't even thought about that and I really should have. Maybe people wouldn't notice, but I couldn't be sure. And as long as I couldn't be sure it was so much better to just not have to worry. I might have been able to come up with an excuse but even so, this was better. No one would even think about me being different this way.
"Don't worry about it."
I didn't even feel the chill when I stepped outside. My hand felt vaguely cool, like a nice cool breeze, but that was about it. The scarf and jacket were comfortable, but not warm in the way they used to be. If I hadn't been so nervous, I might have been worried. But I was already getting into the car and there wasn't much else I could think about other than where we were going. What we were going to do.
There wasn't much else I could do but be glued to the seat as we drove through the docks. There weren't even streetlights in so many places. I thought I heard gunshots once and the only people I could see on the street were hiding at least a part of their face. We drove past so many abandoned buildings. But Lacey didn't seem to care. Or maybe she was just used to it, she just drove around the potholes and took what I thought were weird detours, some of which I could see avoiding even worse road damage. Apart from the noise of the engine, it was just so quiet.
We got out in the dockyard. The machine shop was obviously already closed for the day, but it and the corresponding raw materials as well as a nearby warehouse would be our testing ground. Kurt and Lacey had the keys and there would be very few people passing by or caring too much that they were here taking care of a more private project. I couldn't help but be slightly in awe of the huge machines I could see. Decades old but still functional. Metal and wood scrap bins,. Welding equipment in one corner and of course steel. In so many shapes. There were parts of cars everywhere and even more parts you didn't even recognize.
"So." Kurt was already smiling and walking over to one of the stacks. There were parts of machinery everywhere. Even in the scrap bin, then again it was supposed to be a machine and repair shop wasn't it? "What do you think? Lacey?"
"I would say we start with checking your weight. Then we can get onto seeing how strong you are right now and base the other tests on that."
Apparently checking my weight involved an industrial scale. I really shouldn't have been surprised about that.
I was also about twenty five pounds heavier than I should be. Which was… less than all of the stuff I'd eaten, even if I subtracted the weird stuff that now came out the other end. I stared. Kurt and Lacey didn't seem too surprised, but it just made no sense to me. "Where did go? I've got to have eaten more than that."
"I was just curious if you would weigh more as well as having something going on with your body. We know it seems to absorb radiation and react weirdly to magnetism, which is why the scans at the hospital failed. I'm not sure where it all went, but considering your stomach doesn't stretch to accommodate it I was already guessing your power is doing something with it instead." I blinked at her. Lacey didn't seem worried about it, if anything she looked excited.
Kurt had an eyebrow raised. "So how about we do some strength testing. Just start with the basics." The entire shop was set up in a larger all that also had some cars or trucks and parts thereof set up. Kurt was Leading me over now, coming to a stop in front of something that looked, well, weird. It had two bulky ends with relatively flat disks and an bulky middle section, but otherwise seemed to be made from solid steel. It was also a bit rusty but that was probably beside the point. Suffice to say I was looking sceptical, but Kurt just grinned. "Should be around three hundred pounds, don't worry too much if you break it, can't use it anymore anyway." The thing was a bit bent. I had no idea how you managed that, but it was.
I had to put both of my hands around it, but once I did – and found a good standing point – It actually wasn't even particularly heavy. It wasn't a feather or anything of the sort, it had some weight to it, but I would compare it to the bag of concrete before, a bit less. Less than a gallon of water would have been before. I definitely wasn't anywhere near straining. It was just awkward because I was pretty sure it weighed just as much as I did. "It's… not that heavy. I mean it weighs something but I'm pretty sure I could lift double or maybe even five times this if I wanted to. What is this anyway."
He chuckled. "That's an old axle. I don't think we'll be moving to cars just yet, but what do you think about an engine?"
I set the thing down and stared at it. Okay. I had no idea what to say to that. So I just trudged along and gave Kurt a dull stare. At least Lacey seemed to think this was unusual. And then I stood in front of what least looked like a block of pure steel. With cylinders on it and a few other things, but it seemed like just steel to me. "Just don't drop it and don't bend it too much and you'll be fine. Should be around seven hundred, seven hundred and fifty pounds."
I swallowed and got myself into position. This thing was definitely heavier than I was. Much, much heavier than I was. It was also old and must have been packed into a huge car, but that didn't come as much of a surprise. We were looking for something heavier after all. And of course my main problem was leverage. Not that it was absurdly heavy or anything, it wasn't, especially for that size, it was just so bulky. I had it lifted over my head within two minutes, but with the awkward angles, setting it back down without doing any damage wasn't as easy as it sounded. "I think… I think I can do more but we need to find something less bulky or a different shape if we want to try. I can definitely feel that weight."
Kurt hesitated. "Do you think you've got a decent estimate?"
I nodded. "I think I could do maybe double but that's it, but I'm definitely stronger than I was the first time I tested."
"I'd like to get something better, but if we don't want to risk breaking anything he's probably right. We don't have anything large and dense enough lying around right now, but we can start working on some other things and see how well you do with these."
I spent the next few minutes bending pipes. Progressively larger rusted pipes, with Lacey making a few notes and calculations on a notepad to rough out how much force I could bring to bear. We still had the knife we'd brought with us, but we all agreed to do the other field tests first. Which meant moving to the empty warehouse.
I was standing on one end and Lacey had her flashlight and stopwatch at the other. It wasn't ideal, but it was 50 yards long which should hopefully do. As soon as the flashlight was on me. I half pushed, half jumped forward and ran.. As fast as I could, charging toward Lacey./ I almost felt like I was flying. Every step was carrying me further, I didn't think I was that fast, but I was still faster than I'[d ever been before. The stinging hadn't even set in yet when I passed her…
And promptly crashed into the back wall.
"Taylor!"
I really should have thought about that. I mean it only hurt a bit for a second or maybe a few and even then it was just my nose for the most part, but still. I pushed myself away from the wall. Which luckily seemed to have stood the impact alright at least. "I'm okay. Wow. That was weird. I'm fine. Really." All I was was embarrassed. "I just got kind of… carried away."
Lacey stared for a moment, I knew she was scrutinizing my face, but I was fine. I couldn't even feel anything leaking out of my nose from when it had hurt for a bit."Well. You took about four seconds." Kurt arrived looking over her shoulder, then at me, still embarrassed but also not even bruised. "I'm fairly sure you're faster than you have any right to be but just give me a few seconds…" She started making notes again. "Just under thirty miles per hour, but please look where you're going." She smiled.
I nodded and we all agreed to postpone the knife test at least for a bit. Instead we tested jumping height (pretty high, several times my height definitely), found out I could jump on one hand, though not that high, found out I didn't get dizzy while doing so and figured out that no, fire didn't burn me, at least lighters didn't. I just felt pleasantly warm.
When we finally did get the knife out, it was a bit anticlimatic. Which was to say my skin just refused to get cut unless I slashed at it with as much force as I could muster, which did give me a half inch deep cut on my arm. It burned, pain shooting straight up, but if I hadn't thought I could heal before, I was absolutely certain now. And the pain only lasted a few moments. The flesh underneath actually had a somewhat concerning dark reddish colour, but the cut disappeared within less than ten seconds and I was left just staring at undamaged skin and wondering why I was taking this so calmly. Even stabbing myself might make Lacey pale and Kurt freeze, made even more pain shoot through me, but I didn't stop. And the wound was fixed during just about the same amount of time. I had also visibly bent the knife.
"Um."
Kurt recovered first. "At least you'll probably be fine even if you get shot."
"Yeah."
"I think that's it, we'll just have to decide if you want to eat now and see how much you can stuff in before you're full, then check your weight or try out what happens if you don't eat and what kinds of effects that'd have. We'll just take your food along and test that later then, might be good to know just in case."
Should I…
[ ] eat
[ ] don't eat
Now I just needed to plan for tomorrow. What was I going to do?
[ ] Finally try and sort out the legal issues – you would have to talk to Mr. Barnes though. (resolves living situation, more votes for actual decisions will be had)
- [ ] tell him about your powers
- [ ] don't tell him about your powers
[ ] Go for a walk
[ ] Do more research on powers
[ ] spend time with Kurt and Lacey
[ ] write in
Hunger: 20/100
Humanity: 73/100
Hunger and humanity are percentile.
I'm still looking for Interlude suggestions.
[x] Read, cook, just make sure I had a really nice dinner for them ready once they got back. I would be cooking anyway, but I might as well try to make it as good as I possibly could.
Kurt got up a few minutes later and started doing the dishes, but Lacey hesitated, looking directly at my eyes. "If your vision is getting better, is that why you're not wearing glasses right now?"
"Yeah. It was just weird yesterday, but right now it doesn't even matter if I'm wearing them or not." I shrugged. It was annoying, but it wasn't as if I was completely blind.
"Do you mind if I take them along?"
The glasses had been mine for almost a year now, just after I'd outgrown my last prescription but… as much as I might like them, they wouldn't be much use to me anymore would they? "As long as you bring them back."
About five minutes later, I found myself alone. Making toast for myself and leaning back. The lightness hadn't faded away. Everything just seemed to move more easily, but knowing I could absolutely seriously damage or even destroy the table I was sitting at just by not paying enough attention was a little disturbing. Especially since I was feeling the urge to test the idea. I didn't of course, but the thought was still there. My hand didn't look any different than it usually did, but I could have dug my fingers into the wood whenever I liked anyway.
I shuddered and pulled it back. Stuck to the toast and enjoying the flavour of it. I was still thinking about it after the dishes had been cleaned and put away. Going through what I'd brought from home. A few sets of clothing, my school stuff but fairly little else. If the book hadn't been in my backpack anyway I might not have taken it at all.
One of Mom's. I'd been bringing it to school to distract myself, it or Mom's flute, just working my way through the shelves. I'd just wanted to start on rereading Tolkien and wanted to put the book where it was before I forgot. I suppose I had a new reason to want to get away from that now. I remembered the first parts as boring, but starting to turn the pages again, carefully finding the right distance to be able to read it, it was soothing. The Shire had almost nothing in common with Brockton Bay but that was probably why I didn't mind reading about it now.
Just not thinking about myself or what was going on for a while and letting myself drift through the pages, trying to paint the picture in my mind. Forests, meadows, and fields came easily, the others took some more time. I could probably have read faster, but if I did, I wouldn't have been able to imagine the voice in my head telling the story to me with every word my eyes took in. In that way, maybe my vision problems were actually helping.
It wouldn't make what happened any better. Didn't change anything what was going on in the Bay or with my life, but it still made me feel better. Calmer. Magic didn't really exist no matter how much I wanted it to or how I might like the idea. But that wasn't the point.
By the time I emerged from Mom's book it was already past noon. I hadn't even noticed, but at least that hadn't changed. I could still get lost in another world, if anything I was surprised I didn't feel any of my limbs falling asleep.
As it was, I was only slightly stiff. I stretched, before I had another thought, I couldn't really pay Kurt and Lacey back with anything, but I could cook, couldn't I? Even if I didn't have a lot of money, only what had been in my backpack. Still I could take stock of what was there at least and see whether there was anything I thought I could manage. My cooking skills were still somewhat mediocre, even if I had gotten better ever since Mom died. I mostly knew her recipes, but maybe I should branch out. I was definitely discarding the notion of adding bits of cutlery for flavour, even if it was lying around. I supposed I could look for cookbooks, but I wasn't sure I wanted to try a new recipe for this. Maybe some other day.
I wanted this to work.
And I had time still, so I might as well put that to use. There were some veggies in the fridge I could use, but not that much. Partially because of my first attempt at dealing with my hunger and partially because shopping was probably overdue. I went through the cupboard. Took stock and tried to see what I would be able to do without having to buy anything. Or at least not too much. I had found a few dollars in my backpack but that was about it.
In the end, I had to make one trip to get minced meat, but that was about it. Even if it took a while, I could read on the bus, that was fine. The dish with the most preparation time I knew was lasagna and I would need the time I had left. The meat sauce would need to cook for a while, if it was going to be any good. I would add a few more things, make salad as well and try to figure out some kind of dessert, but that had to be done first. Even if the scent of sizzling meat made it hard to concentrate. I licked my lips before I could as much as notice, but I needed that. I could eat it later. It wasn't done yet and it wasn't as if I was starving. I could wait.
Besides, cooking helped too. Ignoring my impulses and sing my hands as well as trying to get the taste just right with what I had.
I also spent nearly half an hour looking for a casserole dish, but nobody needed to know that.
They didn't need to know that trying to beat eggwhites by hand was way harder than it looked or how many times I had almost given up, before I finally got there. Though more out of frustration and because I wasn't sure I was doing it right than tiredness. Apparently my arms didn't grow tired, at least not from normal activities. I had absolutely no idea if it applied to other stuff too, I was just glad I didn't somehow break the bowl or something like that, because just controlling how much strength I put into things was not as easy as it sounded and I really didn't want to cost them even more money. I would much rather be too careful.
Which also meant I was running late and desperately trying to put plates on the table when they got back. Kurt and Lacey actually ended up helping me plate the salad, but it was still nice. They still smiled even if they were just coming back from work and tired. I was lucky I'd forgotten then showered after work, otherwise I probably wouldn't have managed close to in time.
Dinner was… quiet. I think we were all thinking about Mom and also Dad. Maybe I should have made something else, but it didn't feel bad. Just quiet, quiet conversation about work, because none of us was quite willing to talk about it yet. Or maybe they knew I didn't, so we were all thinking our own thoughts with each bite. Moving more and more toward of a calm before the storm, with only occasional comments about the taste. And I had gotten it right. Okay maybe the dessert slightly less so but it was still good and that would be good enough for me. Or the anticipation had just taken over.
It definitely had when we got up and did the dishes.
Lacey stopped for a moment just before we got ready to leave. "I took a bit of time to have the lenses switched with clear ones" Then handed me an envelope with two pieces of glass. "Hopefully it will keep some questions away at least."
Yeah. "Thanks." I was probably going to be either very popular on Monday, or treated as if I had some kind of infectious disease, but I smiled anyway. I hadn't even thought about that and I really should have. Maybe people wouldn't notice, but I couldn't be sure. And as long as I couldn't be sure it was so much better to just not have to worry. I might have been able to come up with an excuse but even so, this was better. No one would even think about me being different this way.
"Don't worry about it."
I didn't even feel the chill when I stepped outside. My hand felt vaguely cool, like a nice cool breeze, but that was about it. The scarf and jacket were comfortable, but not warm in the way they used to be. If I hadn't been so nervous, I might have been worried. But I was already getting into the car and there wasn't much else I could think about other than where we were going. What we were going to do.
There wasn't much else I could do but be glued to the seat as we drove through the docks. There weren't even streetlights in so many places. I thought I heard gunshots once and the only people I could see on the street were hiding at least a part of their face. We drove past so many abandoned buildings. But Lacey didn't seem to care. Or maybe she was just used to it, she just drove around the potholes and took what I thought were weird detours, some of which I could see avoiding even worse road damage. Apart from the noise of the engine, it was just so quiet.
We got out in the dockyard. The machine shop was obviously already closed for the day, but it and the corresponding raw materials as well as a nearby warehouse would be our testing ground. Kurt and Lacey had the keys and there would be very few people passing by or caring too much that they were here taking care of a more private project. I couldn't help but be slightly in awe of the huge machines I could see. Decades old but still functional. Metal and wood scrap bins,. Welding equipment in one corner and of course steel. In so many shapes. There were parts of cars everywhere and even more parts you didn't even recognize.
"So." Kurt was already smiling and walking over to one of the stacks. There were parts of machinery everywhere. Even in the scrap bin, then again it was supposed to be a machine and repair shop wasn't it? "What do you think? Lacey?"
"I would say we start with checking your weight. Then we can get onto seeing how strong you are right now and base the other tests on that."
Apparently checking my weight involved an industrial scale. I really shouldn't have been surprised about that.
I was also about twenty five pounds heavier than I should be. Which was… less than all of the stuff I'd eaten, even if I subtracted the weird stuff that now came out the other end. I stared. Kurt and Lacey didn't seem too surprised, but it just made no sense to me. "Where did go? I've got to have eaten more than that."
"I was just curious if you would weigh more as well as having something going on with your body. We know it seems to absorb radiation and react weirdly to magnetism, which is why the scans at the hospital failed. I'm not sure where it all went, but considering your stomach doesn't stretch to accommodate it I was already guessing your power is doing something with it instead." I blinked at her. Lacey didn't seem worried about it, if anything she looked excited.
Kurt had an eyebrow raised. "So how about we do some strength testing. Just start with the basics." The entire shop was set up in a larger all that also had some cars or trucks and parts thereof set up. Kurt was Leading me over now, coming to a stop in front of something that looked, well, weird. It had two bulky ends with relatively flat disks and an bulky middle section, but otherwise seemed to be made from solid steel. It was also a bit rusty but that was probably beside the point. Suffice to say I was looking sceptical, but Kurt just grinned. "Should be around three hundred pounds, don't worry too much if you break it, can't use it anymore anyway." The thing was a bit bent. I had no idea how you managed that, but it was.
I had to put both of my hands around it, but once I did – and found a good standing point – It actually wasn't even particularly heavy. It wasn't a feather or anything of the sort, it had some weight to it, but I would compare it to the bag of concrete before, a bit less. Less than a gallon of water would have been before. I definitely wasn't anywhere near straining. It was just awkward because I was pretty sure it weighed just as much as I did. "It's… not that heavy. I mean it weighs something but I'm pretty sure I could lift double or maybe even five times this if I wanted to. What is this anyway."
He chuckled. "That's an old axle. I don't think we'll be moving to cars just yet, but what do you think about an engine?"
I set the thing down and stared at it. Okay. I had no idea what to say to that. So I just trudged along and gave Kurt a dull stare. At least Lacey seemed to think this was unusual. And then I stood in front of what least looked like a block of pure steel. With cylinders on it and a few other things, but it seemed like just steel to me. "Just don't drop it and don't bend it too much and you'll be fine. Should be around seven hundred, seven hundred and fifty pounds."
I swallowed and got myself into position. This thing was definitely heavier than I was. Much, much heavier than I was. It was also old and must have been packed into a huge car, but that didn't come as much of a surprise. We were looking for something heavier after all. And of course my main problem was leverage. Not that it was absurdly heavy or anything, it wasn't, especially for that size, it was just so bulky. I had it lifted over my head within two minutes, but with the awkward angles, setting it back down without doing any damage wasn't as easy as it sounded. "I think… I think I can do more but we need to find something less bulky or a different shape if we want to try. I can definitely feel that weight."
Kurt hesitated. "Do you think you've got a decent estimate?"
I nodded. "I think I could do maybe double but that's it, but I'm definitely stronger than I was the first time I tested."
"I'd like to get something better, but if we don't want to risk breaking anything he's probably right. We don't have anything large and dense enough lying around right now, but we can start working on some other things and see how well you do with these."
I spent the next few minutes bending pipes. Progressively larger rusted pipes, with Lacey making a few notes and calculations on a notepad to rough out how much force I could bring to bear. We still had the knife we'd brought with us, but we all agreed to do the other field tests first. Which meant moving to the empty warehouse.
I was standing on one end and Lacey had her flashlight and stopwatch at the other. It wasn't ideal, but it was 50 yards long which should hopefully do. As soon as the flashlight was on me. I half pushed, half jumped forward and ran.. As fast as I could, charging toward Lacey./ I almost felt like I was flying. Every step was carrying me further, I didn't think I was that fast, but I was still faster than I'[d ever been before. The stinging hadn't even set in yet when I passed her…
And promptly crashed into the back wall.
"Taylor!"
I really should have thought about that. I mean it only hurt a bit for a second or maybe a few and even then it was just my nose for the most part, but still. I pushed myself away from the wall. Which luckily seemed to have stood the impact alright at least. "I'm okay. Wow. That was weird. I'm fine. Really." All I was was embarrassed. "I just got kind of… carried away."
Lacey stared for a moment, I knew she was scrutinizing my face, but I was fine. I couldn't even feel anything leaking out of my nose from when it had hurt for a bit."Well. You took about four seconds." Kurt arrived looking over her shoulder, then at me, still embarrassed but also not even bruised. "I'm fairly sure you're faster than you have any right to be but just give me a few seconds…" She started making notes again. "Just under thirty miles per hour, but please look where you're going." She smiled.
I nodded and we all agreed to postpone the knife test at least for a bit. Instead we tested jumping height (pretty high, several times my height definitely), found out I could jump on one hand, though not that high, found out I didn't get dizzy while doing so and figured out that no, fire didn't burn me, at least lighters didn't. I just felt pleasantly warm.
When we finally did get the knife out, it was a bit anticlimatic. Which was to say my skin just refused to get cut unless I slashed at it with as much force as I could muster, which did give me a half inch deep cut on my arm. It burned, pain shooting straight up, but if I hadn't thought I could heal before, I was absolutely certain now. And the pain only lasted a few moments. The flesh underneath actually had a somewhat concerning dark reddish colour, but the cut disappeared within less than ten seconds and I was left just staring at undamaged skin and wondering why I was taking this so calmly. Even stabbing myself might make Lacey pale and Kurt freeze, made even more pain shoot through me, but I didn't stop. And the wound was fixed during just about the same amount of time. I had also visibly bent the knife.
"Um."
Kurt recovered first. "At least you'll probably be fine even if you get shot."
"Yeah."
"I think that's it, we'll just have to decide if you want to eat now and see how much you can stuff in before you're full, then check your weight or try out what happens if you don't eat and what kinds of effects that'd have. We'll just take your food along and test that later then, might be good to know just in case."
Should I…
[ ] eat
[ ] don't eat
Now I just needed to plan for tomorrow. What was I going to do?
[ ] Finally try and sort out the legal issues – you would have to talk to Mr. Barnes though. (resolves living situation, more votes for actual decisions will be had)
- [ ] tell him about your powers
- [ ] don't tell him about your powers
[ ] Go for a walk
[ ] Do more research on powers
[ ] spend time with Kurt and Lacey
[ ] write in
Hunger: 20/100
Humanity: 73/100
Hunger and humanity are percentile.
I'm still looking for Interlude suggestions.
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- Location
- Madison, AL
[X] eat
[X] Finally try and sort out the legal issues – you would have to talk to Mr. Barnes though. (resolves living situation, more votes for actual decisions will be had)
- [X] tell him about your powers
[X] Finally try and sort out the legal issues – you would have to talk to Mr. Barnes though. (resolves living situation, more votes for actual decisions will be had)
- [X] tell him about your powers
-I taste like magic, things that swallow quick and deep-
globalwarmth
ruining the weather.
- Location
- Polar ice caps
How about an interlude of the last moments of Mr Herbert?
- Location
- Europe
Back to school already? I may have missed some things, but my understanding is that she was in hospital for about a week and at Kurt and Lacies for a few days. Really, another week off is due, at the very least for grieving.
Also, time to sort out stuff with Alan before possibly ruining our relationship due to interacting with Emma at school.
Speaking off, when we get to it, the stance I'll be voting for will be 'Somethings wrong with Emma. For the sake of our former friendship I'll fix it, but then we're through.'
So to get started:
[X] Finally try and sort out the legal issues – you would have to talk to Mr. Barnes though. (resolves living situation, more votes for actual decisions will be had)
- [X] tell him about your powers
Telling him could get us an in with New Wave. Don't know if that's a route we want, but it opens up options.
Edit: Ohh, just had a thought, Taylors the daughter of a Villain now! (Two if you count ex-minion mommy.) This could go so badly, it'll be amazing!
I kinda like the idea of being kinda chill about people knowing, through the certainty that comfort eating will solve all our problems (if it doesn't we're not eating enough). It would just be refreshing to have a fic where a paranoid level of secrecy isn't required.
And then she had an awkward time trying to explain why she keeps blocking the toilet.
You, uh, wanna try saying that again?
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Z488411
Scatterbrained
- Location
- Europa
Fixed, argh , I was very tired.
She's basically already had a week off, or at least most of a week, but it would be pretty easy to add extra days if need be. There'll be a vote.
We'll see what Alan has to say before we get to the Emma options, but being through with her is definitely up there.
Well, he already has a good idea that Taylor already has powers, just has no idea what they are and I like to think what they are puts Taylor in a different position than she'd usually be in too. Well, depending on how she puts it anyway.
Yes, yes she is. there will be reactions.
Why thank you and yes it is. Maybe not to tell absolutely everybody but it's interesting not to have to go the paranoia route for once, because it wouldn't really fit with the intended mood.
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ChildishChimera
A umbran summon
- Location
- New York
[X] eat
[X] Finally try and sort out the legal issues – you would have to talk to Mr. Barnes though. (resolves living situation, more votes for actual decisions will be had)
- [X] tell him about your powers
[X] Finally try and sort out the legal issues – you would have to talk to Mr. Barnes though. (resolves living situation, more votes for actual decisions will be had)
- [X] tell him about your powers
- Location
- Ural, Russia, Earth
Poor Brandish will have breakdown if her sister suggests to take the other totally-will-become-villain-like-her-monstrous-father in the team.
[X] eat
[X] Finally try and sort out the legal issues – you would have to talk to Mr. Barnes though. (resolves living situation, more votes for actual decisions will be had)
- [X] don't tell him about your powers
- Location
- Europe
Still very tired apparently. I was actually referring to the use of was, as it's for past tense. You essentially said; 'Tomorrow was yesterday. What did you do that you haven't done?'
Yeah, definitely don't go around announcing it, but actually having some trust in people could be good for her. Showing that she trusts someone will also help their relationship too.
And if she was wrong to trust them? Eat until she's so strong it's not a problem
Z488411
Scatterbrained
- Location
- Europa
More running on three hours of sleep and writing just after getting up but yes. Still doing that actually. Going to try and fix though.
That was my line of thinking as well and part of the reason I set it so early actually. Being able to trust a bit more and seeing how that goes, I've read a lot of paranoia, so let's see how this goes instead. Besides, it's perfectly possible o reveal only part of her powers. No need to mention the getting stronger thing.
Well. Eating the problem would require her humanity to be quite a bit lower than it is now, but she could.
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Cracks 1.11
Z488411
Scatterbrained
- Location
- Europa
Cracks 1.11
[x] eat
[x] Finally try and sort out the legal issues – you would have to talk to Mr. Barnes though. (resolves living situation, more votes for actual decisions will be had)
- [x] tell him about your powers
No. I was probably going to test what happened if I didn't eat eventually, but I wanted to be able to see. Even if I may not be eating everything I should and had no idea how long it would take, the faster my vision cleared up, the better. I couldn't go to school like this. I might not have to, because I could just as easily ask to have a little bit more time and maybe I should, but not being able to see was still horrible. Well maybe not horrible, but aggravating and not something I wanted to deal with for more than a day.
"Let's have food. We can see what happens if I don't eat some other day, I want to know how much is going to fit."
Lacey nodded. "Alright. We picked out a few more broken things." She was obviously still slightly uncomfortable with the idea, but I was hungry and even if she might care, I didn't really. If anything I was surprised how much I just accepted it. Then she put a huge jar of peanut butter next to the stack near the smaller scale. "Just in case."
".. You, you didn't have to you know? It's weird but that stuff is alright too, It doesn't taste bad actually."
"Just eat it. It'll make us feel a bit better about it, making sure you get some extra real nutrients too." Kurt was leaning against one of the machines. I was sort of curious why he was so calm about everything, but then again so was I. I should probably ask myself, why I didn't mind first.
Then Lacey pulled her pad out, put the peanut butter on the scale, made a note and we got started. The sweet, sticky taste was just incredible, with just the right amount of pure sugar and crunch from the glass. Glass that broke so easily under my teeth now. Not as chewy as iron or steel but still with its own flavour and texture. So much less mushy than normal food. There wasn't even any cutlery I had to take care not to eat, I just bit into what I had , over and over. The sweet , crunchy wood. The even sweeter coal, taking up so much moisture and liquefying in my mouth. The incredible chewiness and metallic flavour of a a few more scraps. Everything around me seemed to just fade.
Some where at the periphery I noticed Lacey weighing and noting down numbers of what she was handing to me. I just ate. So much. More than I could have it even yesterday, but I couldn't even really mind.
Finally the contentment started washing over me. I smiled at Lacey and could see her calculating.
"Thirty five pounds."
Thirty five pounds and I wasn't even a pound heavier. I didn't even have it in me to worry. I didn't care why some things seemed to change how good they tasted to me. That I wasn't sure how it worked, not now anyway. I pushed sleep away and half mumbled an "I think it's growing. Can't have been that much…" Pushed sleep further away, while we wandered back to the car and Lacey turned off the lights and locked the door behind us.
If I weren't thirsty, I probably would have fallen asleep in the car. I had no idea how I drank another three gallons of water on top of what I'd eaten as soon as I got back, but by then it was really very hard to care. I wasn't in danger. And I had had that much before, I almost always seemed to need water after I ate. Or maybe before. I felt good. I could barely get ready before I fell into bed. So much food. I felt so good.
When I finally stopped resisting, sleep took me in a heartbeat.
Soaring above, words in a language that didn't quite come to me. Something important. Something so important that I still could remember. The last few impressions faded even before I could open my eyes and stare into the room, blinking into the light. The noonday sun left bright stripes across my face. And it was noon. just about twelve actually.
I wasn't even surprised anymore. Thirteen hours, maybe thirteen and a half and I didn't really care. Maybe I had overeaten a bit. Maybe. But I felt a little lighter still anyway. Moving was so easy. Everything was so easy, so light. They still didn't weigh the same, I could still tell them apart but it was so difficult to bother me with weight by now. And blinking up, looking around, things were clear too. As clear as the day before yesterday with my glasses on if not clearer and I knew how to make things clear up completely. Or was that make my power make things clear up? Finish with my vision and maybe my body. My arm barely looked different. It was probably never a big jump, but even that was okay.
I had so much to do, but lying in bed felt too good to get up just yet, I felt like my heavy blanket might as well have been a feather, cozy and comfortable even if I no longer felt really cold elsewhere, it was good. Snug and soothing. I could have stayed for hours, I didn't mind staying for hours. Something inside me whispered I had time. Would always have time, there was nothing to worry about. For that moment getting hurt seemed almost impossible. Or maybe not that, just getting hurt from anything around me.
Were my powers changing my thoughts? Did it matter?
Yes.
But they didn't control me, I could overcome them easily enough. I would never have figured out I could eat so many things now without them and they kept me from giving up. Should I be angry? Maybe, but they just felt like a part of me.
Maybe I would just need to do more research.
I stretched and finally pushed the covers aside. Half an hour after I'd woken up.
As much as I didn't want to, or maybe as afraid as I was of the outcome, I would have to talk to Mr. Barnes eventually. Even if Emma wouldn't talk to me and had shown me exactly how much our friendship was worth to her already. Even if she didn't want to see me, Mr. Barnes had been trying to help and I needed things sorted out. Kurt and Lacey needed things sorted out. So showering it was, even if I had no idea whether I still smelled the same, it felt good to let the water run over me. Turning the heat up completely and letting that trickle of warmth and the water soothe me. I could imagine it washing so much away… I showered until the hot water ran out. Was tempted to stay even if it was cold, but I had things to do.
I couldn't just keep looking at how my muscles were starting to show a bit under the t-shirt. I didn't even bother putting a hoodie on on top this time, just wandered downstairs.
Kurt looked up.
"Sleep well?"
I sank down onto the couch. It was weird not being hungry in the morning, but now it was also convenient. "Yeah. I don't know why, but every time I eat until I'm full I do. I just wish I could remember what I was dreaming about." And part of me wished the good mood would stay, but reality had a way of slowly creeping in. I took a deep breath. Closed my eyes. I was still fine. Nothing had happened and the meeting would go fine. Even more so, I didn't like running away. I just opened my eyes and looked over to him. "We should call Mr. Barnes."
Mr. Barnes told us to come over not 15 minutes later. Maybe he wanted to get it out of the way too. I couldn't help but ponder how he sounded worse than I did. What was wrong with me. Maybe it was because I was still pushing it away. Because I still wasn't sure it had fully sunken in yet, but I could take things step by step. Avoid thinking certain words and I wouldn't break. I couldn't think about it now, but I wouldn't break. I refused. More strongly than I thought, but even so that part of me still would not give up.
So I continued.
Lacey came back. We got into the car and I was just breathing. I had to do this. I had to get everything sorted out, because nobody would take my home away from me. I didn't care if it was unhealthy. I knew I would probably break down again at some point, but not now.
No matter how familiar the house was. No matter how well I could remember Emma. Playing with Emma, all of those hours I had spent in this house. I had no idea what happened to that Emma. I wasn't sure she could come back. I wanted to hope… but it was just that. And in the end, Emma didn't want me.
And it wasn't okay. Just like Dad being gone wasn't okay. I wasn't sure it would ever be okay, but I refused to give in. I didn't even care if I was just being stubborn. I stared up at Mr. Barnes with my new false glasses. His smile was so brittle. He looked so exhausted, much like Kurt and Lacey did sometimes. More so than them, but he wasn't giving up either.
The house was eerily quiet. Mr. Barnes hadn't even said a word yet, just pointed at the table with papers strewn all over it. Usually he would have hated it, but I didn't say anything. I just sat down. Kurt and Lacey next to me, Mr. Barnes across. And he sighed. Kurt was leaning back. Closing his eyes too. I could see Lacey's face set. Determined. It would have been wrong for any of of us to be happy, but we were still there.
Mr. Barnes forced a smile. "I've gone through the guardianship application, I doubt the will fight us on this. I've also had a look over your finances and the hospital bills. You'll be able to keep the house without assistance, but it will be expensive. Seeing as you didn't have a guardian at the time and no one legally could have ordered the scans for you, we might be able to fight the costs or convince the PRT to pay, but it wouldn't be immediate." he sighed. "I'm not certain they would be keen to pay and with what happened to Danny, I'm not certain the judge or jury would be sympathetic if they decide to fight us over it. We would be in the right of course, but it might be drawn out." His voice was dry. Quiet and a little distant. Kurt and Lacey had nodded, but his hands clenched, before they could say anything.
We could all see him forcing himself to breathe. "I just have one more question. Taylor, are you sure you wouldn't rather stay here. We have more than enough money to afford it and you would be much closer to Emma after all." he smiled, but his lips were too thin. So thin I couldn't quite think of his as healthy. He seemed so.. brittle. But I didn't think he would back down.
I had tensed before I'd even noticed. Maybe I'd been tense from the point we came in or even before. I breathed. I couldn't break down now. Not even thinking about… "Emma. Emma… I…" I breathed. I knew my eyes might start feeling wet soon.
It hurt.
It hurt but I couldn't stop now.
"Emma doesn't want me." Go away. Weak. I don't need you. Fuck off. Sophia Hess walking toward me and I knew it would hurt. "She… she hadn't talked to me since summer. I would. I think. I'm not sure but Emma doesn't want me. I'm sorry… I'm sorry! I don't think I could." I don't know when I raised my voice. When I started shaking, but I did.
But Mr. Barnes didn't even seem completely surprised. If anything he tensed up just as much as I had. "Emma. I know Emma hasn't been well. I know..."
"But that's not something Taylor needs to deal with right now." Lacey's voice was cool. "I know you're looking out for your daughter but if she doesn't want Taylor around.."
"No. You don't understand! You don't understand!" Mr. Barnes' skin was white with blotchy red. He was standing, leaning over the table, shaking and pulling back. "You don't understand. I don't understand. But I think Taylor might. Please. Hear me out. The others went out, no one will be able to hear and I don't want you ever telling this to anyone else, do you understand?"
Kurt nodded. I wasn't sure he meant it, but Lacey wasn't as easy. "This isn't about your daughter. I know you're worried, but it isn't. I'm not even sure you..." Kurt put a hand on her arm. "Alright. I'll hear you out, but I'm not sure you should be doing this."
"You don't understand. What choice do I have? Emma… Emma and me were attacked in summer. They almost killed her and they would have done god knows what to her! I've tried to make her go to therapy! I've tried, but she got new friends, I don't know what they're telling her, but she's stopped listening. She's going on and on about being strong, but she's killing herself! Tell me what I should do? Why shouldn't Taylor live with her? Why couldn't they help each other?"
Emma. She'd looked so tired. She'd thrown you away. She'd refused, you'd tried but… "If she's not listening to you, why would she listen to me? She won't even really talk to me! I wish I could help. I wish I could help with anything but she isn't… I'd just put even more pressure on you. I… I'm a cape. And they're helping em handle it, but I don't know what to do. I could break something." It hurt. It hurt so much, part of you resisted, but you pushed past. "I can't even deal with myself!"
[Humanity+2]
I had no idea what Mr. Barnes, expression was. A smile, regret, determination, despair or hope. "I know. Or I've had a suspicion. They were thinking you could never have survived until they pulled you out whose, but you don't understand." His fists, his everything clenched. He paused and you could see how much it cost him, but..." That's why you can help. I can't do anything, she won't listen, she'll just go anyway, but you're a cape too."
"So what? I'm not faster, not really and not that much. I'm stronger, but I'm nowhere near Glory Girl! Sure I'm tough but…!"
"But she isn't! My,- Emma isn't! But she won't stop. Please! She's coming back hurt, she's killing herself and her friends cheer her on! Do you have any idea what the statistics for independent heroes are, even without Endbringers? She's killing herself. She keeps getting hurt and she won't stop. Taylor! Taylor, please…" Ugly tears streaming down his face, but he barely seemed to notice. You barely noticed.
"I can't lose her!"
"Please!"
Emma.
Something inside you clicked.
[ ] "I… I don't know! How would I even get her to talk to me? Are you sure she wouldn't just run? I want to help, but I can't. I don't know how I could get through. I don't even know what's going on." She wouldn't even talk to you. Would she really be different if you told her. Mr. Barnes was crying. You were crying but what could you even do? (do not try to get close to Emma again, but promise to try and protect her anyway if possible. Live at Kurt and Lacey's)
[ ] "But why me? I'm not even that strong. You know New wave! You've seen the pamphlets, I'm sorry but…" What could I even do about this? (Emma has made her decision, trying to force her won't help, but maybe someone else can. Live at Kurt and Lacey's)
[ ] "I… But... How?" It was still Emma and if she was hurt, if she was pushing me away because she was hurt, I at least had to try. (try to help Emma and get to the bottom of this, success not guaranteed
- [ ] live at the Barnes' house
- [ ]live at Kurt and Lacey's
[ ] Write in
misc:
[ ] tell him about your growing abilities
[ ] do not tell him about your growth
Interludes (choose one):
[ ] Director Piggot's worse-than-usual headache
[ ] Slipstream's average, normal day in the Protectorate
[ ] Thomas Calvert's hazardous construction materials
[ ] PRT Corporal Wilkins' worst week
[ ] Shadow Stalker's hunt continues
[ ] Emma's new life
Hunger: 40/100
Humanity: 75/100
Hunger and humanity are percentile.
I will be controlling humanity drops and changes more closely now.
[x] eat
[x] Finally try and sort out the legal issues – you would have to talk to Mr. Barnes though. (resolves living situation, more votes for actual decisions will be had)
- [x] tell him about your powers
No. I was probably going to test what happened if I didn't eat eventually, but I wanted to be able to see. Even if I may not be eating everything I should and had no idea how long it would take, the faster my vision cleared up, the better. I couldn't go to school like this. I might not have to, because I could just as easily ask to have a little bit more time and maybe I should, but not being able to see was still horrible. Well maybe not horrible, but aggravating and not something I wanted to deal with for more than a day.
"Let's have food. We can see what happens if I don't eat some other day, I want to know how much is going to fit."
Lacey nodded. "Alright. We picked out a few more broken things." She was obviously still slightly uncomfortable with the idea, but I was hungry and even if she might care, I didn't really. If anything I was surprised how much I just accepted it. Then she put a huge jar of peanut butter next to the stack near the smaller scale. "Just in case."
".. You, you didn't have to you know? It's weird but that stuff is alright too, It doesn't taste bad actually."
"Just eat it. It'll make us feel a bit better about it, making sure you get some extra real nutrients too." Kurt was leaning against one of the machines. I was sort of curious why he was so calm about everything, but then again so was I. I should probably ask myself, why I didn't mind first.
Then Lacey pulled her pad out, put the peanut butter on the scale, made a note and we got started. The sweet, sticky taste was just incredible, with just the right amount of pure sugar and crunch from the glass. Glass that broke so easily under my teeth now. Not as chewy as iron or steel but still with its own flavour and texture. So much less mushy than normal food. There wasn't even any cutlery I had to take care not to eat, I just bit into what I had , over and over. The sweet , crunchy wood. The even sweeter coal, taking up so much moisture and liquefying in my mouth. The incredible chewiness and metallic flavour of a a few more scraps. Everything around me seemed to just fade.
Some where at the periphery I noticed Lacey weighing and noting down numbers of what she was handing to me. I just ate. So much. More than I could have it even yesterday, but I couldn't even really mind.
Finally the contentment started washing over me. I smiled at Lacey and could see her calculating.
"Thirty five pounds."
Thirty five pounds and I wasn't even a pound heavier. I didn't even have it in me to worry. I didn't care why some things seemed to change how good they tasted to me. That I wasn't sure how it worked, not now anyway. I pushed sleep away and half mumbled an "I think it's growing. Can't have been that much…" Pushed sleep further away, while we wandered back to the car and Lacey turned off the lights and locked the door behind us.
If I weren't thirsty, I probably would have fallen asleep in the car. I had no idea how I drank another three gallons of water on top of what I'd eaten as soon as I got back, but by then it was really very hard to care. I wasn't in danger. And I had had that much before, I almost always seemed to need water after I ate. Or maybe before. I felt good. I could barely get ready before I fell into bed. So much food. I felt so good.
When I finally stopped resisting, sleep took me in a heartbeat.
Soaring above, words in a language that didn't quite come to me. Something important. Something so important that I still could remember. The last few impressions faded even before I could open my eyes and stare into the room, blinking into the light. The noonday sun left bright stripes across my face. And it was noon. just about twelve actually.
I wasn't even surprised anymore. Thirteen hours, maybe thirteen and a half and I didn't really care. Maybe I had overeaten a bit. Maybe. But I felt a little lighter still anyway. Moving was so easy. Everything was so easy, so light. They still didn't weigh the same, I could still tell them apart but it was so difficult to bother me with weight by now. And blinking up, looking around, things were clear too. As clear as the day before yesterday with my glasses on if not clearer and I knew how to make things clear up completely. Or was that make my power make things clear up? Finish with my vision and maybe my body. My arm barely looked different. It was probably never a big jump, but even that was okay.
I had so much to do, but lying in bed felt too good to get up just yet, I felt like my heavy blanket might as well have been a feather, cozy and comfortable even if I no longer felt really cold elsewhere, it was good. Snug and soothing. I could have stayed for hours, I didn't mind staying for hours. Something inside me whispered I had time. Would always have time, there was nothing to worry about. For that moment getting hurt seemed almost impossible. Or maybe not that, just getting hurt from anything around me.
Were my powers changing my thoughts? Did it matter?
Yes.
But they didn't control me, I could overcome them easily enough. I would never have figured out I could eat so many things now without them and they kept me from giving up. Should I be angry? Maybe, but they just felt like a part of me.
Maybe I would just need to do more research.
I stretched and finally pushed the covers aside. Half an hour after I'd woken up.
As much as I didn't want to, or maybe as afraid as I was of the outcome, I would have to talk to Mr. Barnes eventually. Even if Emma wouldn't talk to me and had shown me exactly how much our friendship was worth to her already. Even if she didn't want to see me, Mr. Barnes had been trying to help and I needed things sorted out. Kurt and Lacey needed things sorted out. So showering it was, even if I had no idea whether I still smelled the same, it felt good to let the water run over me. Turning the heat up completely and letting that trickle of warmth and the water soothe me. I could imagine it washing so much away… I showered until the hot water ran out. Was tempted to stay even if it was cold, but I had things to do.
I couldn't just keep looking at how my muscles were starting to show a bit under the t-shirt. I didn't even bother putting a hoodie on on top this time, just wandered downstairs.
Kurt looked up.
"Sleep well?"
I sank down onto the couch. It was weird not being hungry in the morning, but now it was also convenient. "Yeah. I don't know why, but every time I eat until I'm full I do. I just wish I could remember what I was dreaming about." And part of me wished the good mood would stay, but reality had a way of slowly creeping in. I took a deep breath. Closed my eyes. I was still fine. Nothing had happened and the meeting would go fine. Even more so, I didn't like running away. I just opened my eyes and looked over to him. "We should call Mr. Barnes."
Mr. Barnes told us to come over not 15 minutes later. Maybe he wanted to get it out of the way too. I couldn't help but ponder how he sounded worse than I did. What was wrong with me. Maybe it was because I was still pushing it away. Because I still wasn't sure it had fully sunken in yet, but I could take things step by step. Avoid thinking certain words and I wouldn't break. I couldn't think about it now, but I wouldn't break. I refused. More strongly than I thought, but even so that part of me still would not give up.
So I continued.
Lacey came back. We got into the car and I was just breathing. I had to do this. I had to get everything sorted out, because nobody would take my home away from me. I didn't care if it was unhealthy. I knew I would probably break down again at some point, but not now.
No matter how familiar the house was. No matter how well I could remember Emma. Playing with Emma, all of those hours I had spent in this house. I had no idea what happened to that Emma. I wasn't sure she could come back. I wanted to hope… but it was just that. And in the end, Emma didn't want me.
And it wasn't okay. Just like Dad being gone wasn't okay. I wasn't sure it would ever be okay, but I refused to give in. I didn't even care if I was just being stubborn. I stared up at Mr. Barnes with my new false glasses. His smile was so brittle. He looked so exhausted, much like Kurt and Lacey did sometimes. More so than them, but he wasn't giving up either.
The house was eerily quiet. Mr. Barnes hadn't even said a word yet, just pointed at the table with papers strewn all over it. Usually he would have hated it, but I didn't say anything. I just sat down. Kurt and Lacey next to me, Mr. Barnes across. And he sighed. Kurt was leaning back. Closing his eyes too. I could see Lacey's face set. Determined. It would have been wrong for any of of us to be happy, but we were still there.
Mr. Barnes forced a smile. "I've gone through the guardianship application, I doubt the will fight us on this. I've also had a look over your finances and the hospital bills. You'll be able to keep the house without assistance, but it will be expensive. Seeing as you didn't have a guardian at the time and no one legally could have ordered the scans for you, we might be able to fight the costs or convince the PRT to pay, but it wouldn't be immediate." he sighed. "I'm not certain they would be keen to pay and with what happened to Danny, I'm not certain the judge or jury would be sympathetic if they decide to fight us over it. We would be in the right of course, but it might be drawn out." His voice was dry. Quiet and a little distant. Kurt and Lacey had nodded, but his hands clenched, before they could say anything.
We could all see him forcing himself to breathe. "I just have one more question. Taylor, are you sure you wouldn't rather stay here. We have more than enough money to afford it and you would be much closer to Emma after all." he smiled, but his lips were too thin. So thin I couldn't quite think of his as healthy. He seemed so.. brittle. But I didn't think he would back down.
I had tensed before I'd even noticed. Maybe I'd been tense from the point we came in or even before. I breathed. I couldn't break down now. Not even thinking about… "Emma. Emma… I…" I breathed. I knew my eyes might start feeling wet soon.
It hurt.
It hurt but I couldn't stop now.
"Emma doesn't want me." Go away. Weak. I don't need you. Fuck off. Sophia Hess walking toward me and I knew it would hurt. "She… she hadn't talked to me since summer. I would. I think. I'm not sure but Emma doesn't want me. I'm sorry… I'm sorry! I don't think I could." I don't know when I raised my voice. When I started shaking, but I did.
But Mr. Barnes didn't even seem completely surprised. If anything he tensed up just as much as I had. "Emma. I know Emma hasn't been well. I know..."
"But that's not something Taylor needs to deal with right now." Lacey's voice was cool. "I know you're looking out for your daughter but if she doesn't want Taylor around.."
"No. You don't understand! You don't understand!" Mr. Barnes' skin was white with blotchy red. He was standing, leaning over the table, shaking and pulling back. "You don't understand. I don't understand. But I think Taylor might. Please. Hear me out. The others went out, no one will be able to hear and I don't want you ever telling this to anyone else, do you understand?"
Kurt nodded. I wasn't sure he meant it, but Lacey wasn't as easy. "This isn't about your daughter. I know you're worried, but it isn't. I'm not even sure you..." Kurt put a hand on her arm. "Alright. I'll hear you out, but I'm not sure you should be doing this."
"You don't understand. What choice do I have? Emma… Emma and me were attacked in summer. They almost killed her and they would have done god knows what to her! I've tried to make her go to therapy! I've tried, but she got new friends, I don't know what they're telling her, but she's stopped listening. She's going on and on about being strong, but she's killing herself! Tell me what I should do? Why shouldn't Taylor live with her? Why couldn't they help each other?"
Emma. She'd looked so tired. She'd thrown you away. She'd refused, you'd tried but… "If she's not listening to you, why would she listen to me? She won't even really talk to me! I wish I could help. I wish I could help with anything but she isn't… I'd just put even more pressure on you. I… I'm a cape. And they're helping em handle it, but I don't know what to do. I could break something." It hurt. It hurt so much, part of you resisted, but you pushed past. "I can't even deal with myself!"
[Humanity+2]
I had no idea what Mr. Barnes, expression was. A smile, regret, determination, despair or hope. "I know. Or I've had a suspicion. They were thinking you could never have survived until they pulled you out whose, but you don't understand." His fists, his everything clenched. He paused and you could see how much it cost him, but..." That's why you can help. I can't do anything, she won't listen, she'll just go anyway, but you're a cape too."
"So what? I'm not faster, not really and not that much. I'm stronger, but I'm nowhere near Glory Girl! Sure I'm tough but…!"
"But she isn't! My,- Emma isn't! But she won't stop. Please! She's coming back hurt, she's killing herself and her friends cheer her on! Do you have any idea what the statistics for independent heroes are, even without Endbringers? She's killing herself. She keeps getting hurt and she won't stop. Taylor! Taylor, please…" Ugly tears streaming down his face, but he barely seemed to notice. You barely noticed.
"I can't lose her!"
"Please!"
Emma.
Something inside you clicked.
[ ] "I… I don't know! How would I even get her to talk to me? Are you sure she wouldn't just run? I want to help, but I can't. I don't know how I could get through. I don't even know what's going on." She wouldn't even talk to you. Would she really be different if you told her. Mr. Barnes was crying. You were crying but what could you even do? (do not try to get close to Emma again, but promise to try and protect her anyway if possible. Live at Kurt and Lacey's)
[ ] "But why me? I'm not even that strong. You know New wave! You've seen the pamphlets, I'm sorry but…" What could I even do about this? (Emma has made her decision, trying to force her won't help, but maybe someone else can. Live at Kurt and Lacey's)
[ ] "I… But... How?" It was still Emma and if she was hurt, if she was pushing me away because she was hurt, I at least had to try. (try to help Emma and get to the bottom of this, success not guaranteed
- [ ] live at the Barnes' house
- [ ]live at Kurt and Lacey's
[ ] Write in
misc:
[ ] tell him about your growing abilities
[ ] do not tell him about your growth
Interludes (choose one):
[ ] Director Piggot's worse-than-usual headache
[ ] Slipstream's average, normal day in the Protectorate
[ ] Thomas Calvert's hazardous construction materials
[ ] PRT Corporal Wilkins' worst week
[ ] Shadow Stalker's hunt continues
[ ] Emma's new life
Hunger: 40/100
Humanity: 75/100
Hunger and humanity are percentile.
I will be controlling humanity drops and changes more closely now.
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globalwarmth
ruining the weather.
- Location
- Polar ice caps
[x] Can I talk with her, alone, before choosing anything permanent? can you arrange that?
[x] Director Piggot's worse-than-usual headache
[x] Director Piggot's worse-than-usual headache