Phase 1: Induction

Slowly, I roll my head back onto my shoulders, staring at the azure sky. Before I know it, I'm on my back, hands clasped at my middle, phone clutched between my fingers. I raise it until it's above my face.


One missed call: JEWELER


"Honestly..." I say eventually, not tearing my gaze from above. Sighing, I let my hand fall slack against my abdowmen. "I have no idea,"


Kat places a hand on my knee. She's even shorter than me, tanned skin, dark eyes, with an Asian cast to her features. Her silky black hair is tie up in her usual bun. She gives me a comforting expression.


"You wanna talk about it?"


"What if Ashley wasn't really gone? I- I'm not talking about the afterlife. I'm not saying she's not-" I choke on the word, the lurking anger rising for a second. "I'm saying more... What if... what if she could be brought back? I mean, technology is ridiculous these days. What if she could be brought back? Wh- What-?"


That look of reassurance slowly shifts to one of confusion and worry.


"I... I'm not sure what you're trying to say," responds Kat carefully.


"Capes can do a lot of stuff. Especially the tinkers. I'm just saying, what if... what if one of them could bring her back?"


I turn my gaze to look at her, gauging her expression.


"I-... you're kind of scaring me here Mar. Ashley's..." She swallows. "Ashley's gone. I'm not gonna get into religion or souls or any of that shit with you, because I'm pretty sure that's the last thing you wanna hear right now. But the girl that Ashley was, that quiet, goofy little gremlin that was your little sister? No cape can really bring her back. I mean, even Scion's never brought anyone back from the dead,"


Kat stares at the ground, briefly squeezing my knee.


"She's gone,"


The words teetered on the edge of my lips.


"....what if she wasn't?" I murmur.


Slowly, Kat pulls her hand away from leg. She frowns, searching my face.


"...this has got to do with yesterday, doesn't it?"


OPTIONS:


  1. "Yeah, it does,"

  2. "...no, I-... I'm just talking stupid hypotheticals,"

  3. "...we should probably get back to the house,"

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
"Just tell me!"


Kat recoils as if stung. That anger in my stomach, it rears its head, pushing forth like a torrent.


"Would it freak you out?" I snap. "If some wet Tinker brought Ashley back, what would you do? Would you stand by her?"


"Would you think the whole thing was a mistake? A fuck up? That she'd be no better than a monster like Bonesaw?"


I'm standing above Kat, my fists clenched and at my sides. I don't remember even getting up.


"Yes or no, Kat."


She just looks at me, fear on her face.


"...what did you do?" she says softly.


The fear, the confusion in her voice, it brings me back to where I am. My shoulders go slack, and I loosen my hands. The anger subsides, in danger of getting washed beneath that tide of tiredness.


"I cloned her,"


"You did wh-"


"I cloned Ashley," I interrupt. "I triggered after she died, and I don't know, I was angry, and tired, and not thinking right, and I woke up and surprise! Suddenly I'm a fucking genetics tinker with my little sister growing in a vat in my basement, only I don't have the money to do jack shit, or even keep this project going, so I figure I'll have to start doing illegal shit to get some funds or something, so I-"


"Whoa whoa whoa," starts Kat suddenly, raising her hands. "Christ, gimme a second Mar, this is some heavy shit,"


Frowning, she holds her thumb and forefingers together, obviously trying to process what I've just said.


"Lemme get this right. You, are a tinker,"


I nod.


"And you've cloned your sister,"


"In the basement of my house," I continue.


"In the basement of your house," she repeats after me. "And you're now considering a life of crime to help you afford more... materials? Equipment?"


"Both. But crime, not so much. You know Toybox, that black market tinker thing? I got into contact with them,"


Kat's eyes widens and she slumps back, propping herself up with her hands.


"...I see," she says, staring out in front of her. "All that in two days,"


She turns to me, giving me an earnest smile.


"You work way too fucking hard Mar,"


OPTIONS:


  1. "So you're okay with it?"

  2. "...you're not going to tell anyone, are you?"

  3. "...you wanna be my sidekick?"

  4. Write in~

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@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
"...I could use some help. You wana be my sidekick?"


Kat laughs at this.


"Only if you offer health benefits,"


"Please, wet tinker. I'd go the whole nine yards. Extra arms, night vision, maybe even bigger boobs," I reply, chuckling myself.


Looking at her own smallish chest, Kat's laughter redoubles.


"Oh come on, low blow Mar, low blow," she says, continuing to laugh. "You've got enough to share,"


It's infectious, and I find myself laughing harder. Within seconds, the both of us are giggling like silly, falling over each other on the side walk. I'm laughing so hard, tears are coming to my eyes. Soon I start hiccoughing. Then sobbing. As Kat's giggles wind down, my crying is in full swing.


I don't know how long I wind up spending on that sidewalk, crying my eyes out, Kat holding my shoulders. Long enough for my throat to get hoarse and my face to feel hot and puffy.


"I- I don't know what to do Kat," I snuffle between sobs. "I didn't mean to do it, I just- I just- I just woke up, and there she was,"


"But now it's done, and I don't know how to fix it. If I kill her, I'm just letting Ashley die again, and if I raise her, is it really Ashley?"


Kat doesn't say anything. She just rubs my shoulder, kissing me lightly on the head.


"It'll be okay," she tells me. "Maybe not now, but... eventually. Right now though, I think we should probably head back to the house,"


"'Kay," I sniffle.


She helps me up, and we start making our way back home.


"Hey chica, I see you brought a frie- oh shit, sorry," comes a vaguely familiar voice. Looking around, I see that same EMG punk from before. He's got an embarrassed look on his face. As I watch, he rapidly pulls off his bandana, holding it against his chest.


"Look, forget I said anything chica. Just... my condolences, okay?" he says apologetically, averting his gaze.


OPTIONS:


  1. "It's... it's okay. Bad day,"

  2. " ¡Chingate guey! (Fuck off, asshole)"

  3. Don't say anything.

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
(Flipped a coin, got Jaye's option)


I open my mouth to say something scathing, but honestly, I just don't have the heart nor the energy at this point. At least he's trying.


"You're an ass," I say, not unkindly, and with what little humor I have left.


The guy shrugs, still looking painfully embarrassed.


"So my amigos tell me,"


He taps his hand to his heart twice, hard enough for me to hear him knocking.


"For your sister chica. And for you,"


That's that. He doesn't wait for a response. He just turns around and leaves, ambling back the way he came.


"I don't know about you, but that was pretty goddamn weird," comments Kat. "You already picking out minions from gangbangers?"


Normally, I'd laugh at the thought. Right now though...


"Who knows," I say finally.


OPTIONS:


  1. Head back home.

  2. Respond to Jeweler.

  3. Go literally anywhere else.

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
Idly, I wonder if Jeweler or Dodge have any minions. The missed call from Jeweler leaps to the forefront of my mind.


"Oh shit," I mutter, rummaging in my tiny cardigan pockets.


"What?" asks Kat.


Nothing.


"Oh shit," I repeat, louder now, stopping in the middle of the path.


"What? What is it?" says Kat.


"I can't find-"


There's only two pockets on this goddamn thing, and they're useless. The dress doesn't have any either, not that women would need fucking pockets, for anything like, say, a fucking phone. There's no phone on my person at all. Meaning I lost it.


"I can't find my phone!"


"Motherfucker!" I snap angrily. The burning urge to hit something is almost overwhelming, even paralysing. I just stand there on the sidewalk, hands curled in front of me, trembling with rage.


OPTIONS:


  1. Head back home anyway, contact through e-mail.
  2. Look around the way you came. You must have lost it somewhere.

  3. Have a tantrum. God knows, you deserve it.

  4. Write in~

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@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
"I must have dropped it on the sidwalk when we were sitting down," I say to Kat, and she nods.


Glancing at the coming nightfall, she shudders.


"Best make it quick Mar. They're probably expecting us back at the house soon, and no offence, this is a shitty neighbourhood and I don't want to be caught out here at night,"


She's kind of right about that. Situated on the edge of town, I know that this is right on the edge of two different territories. The first being the locals, the EMG, and the second being the True Imperial Knights. The first group... well, they were pretty bad, but I was a local, and they generally tended not to mess with us. The other group though... Despite the name, they're nothing but thugs who hate everything that isn't white, male, or Christian, or American. I really didn't want to meet up with any of them.


Of course, this being one of the literal worse days of my life, I could have counted on it getting worse.


Down the path where I assumed my phone was, there was a group of about four or five white guys. Not a sight normally seen in this neighbourhood, but not super rare either. Just... uncommon. They were talking, laughing, shouting.


"Uh Mar..."


Kats notices them at this point. She doesnt look too happy about it either.


OPTIONS:


  1. Fuck it, head back home.
  2. Cross the road to avoid them, keep trying to find your phone.

  3. It's not that dark, and they don't particularly look like Knights aside from being white. Ignore them and keep searching.

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
I look back the way we came, then hazard a glance at the guys. They were coming this way. Even if they weren't Knights, then they could still be assholes. With the state I was in now, if one of them got aggressive, I didn't trust myself not to do the stupid thing and start something.


"Let's just cross the road," I mutter, gritting my teeth.


As we amble across the street, Kat nudges me.


"Say, you know the number? I can give it a quick dial to help us find it if you do," she offers, trying to send a smile my way.


I suppress a groan. Normally, I was pretty good about memorizing numbers, but this one was pretty new. Not to mention, I didn't really expect to be using it for anything other than getting in and out of Toybox.


"...no," I grunt. "I don't. New phone,"


"Ah,"


After that, Kat gets a little quiet.


After the guys pass, the pair of us cross back over. It takes a good fifteen minutes of searching, made harder by the dimmin light and the intermittent streetlamps, but we find the damn thing eventually, no worse for wear.


"Yeesh," says Kat, looking over the ugly device. "I thought you said it was a new phone,"


"New as in I just got it. Not new as in state of the art, although..." Dodge and Jeweler come to mind. "...even then, you could be wrong,"


She gives me a strange look, and I wave her of.


"Just... gimme a minute. I have to call Toybox," I mumble grumpily, trying to ignore the way her eyes light up.


"Holy shit Ashley, where have you been!?" is Jeweler's immediate reply.


"...busy," I manage to spit out, hopefully bereft of that biting anger. "Lemme guess, the dog needs out and about?"


"Screw the dog, I need out and about," is the girl's response. "Either do the come do the dog sitting yourself, or take the girl home. Mama's got things to do and projects to finish,"


"Right, right, I hear you. I'll be there in a few minutes, okay?"


I look aside at Kat.


OPTIONS:


  1. Head back home, go to Toybox alone.
  2. Ask if Kat can come to Toybox.

  3. Go to Toybox, bring Kat anyway.

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
"...is it cool if I bring my friend along?"


"Uh..." starts Jeweler. "You're not being forced to ask this under duress, are you?"


"...no," is my confused answer.


There's a moment of hesitation from the other side of the line.


"...alright, that checks out. I'll be waiting for you. Don't take too long,"


I hold the phone in my hands for a second before looking up at Kat.


"Come on, I'm not gonna leave you to walk back to the house from here at this time of night," I say to her, extending my hand.


Kat just eyes me suspiciously.


"...where the hell could we go that's between here and your house?"


"Easier to show you,"


"Uh... alright,"


As she takes my hand, I input the command on the tinker phone. It's a little amusing to see Kat's reaction, as delayed as it is. The change is so subtle, she doesn't notice it at first, but she looks around in shock, eyes growing wide.


"Holy shit," breathes Kat, trying to take in the whole scene around her. I wonder if I looked that surprised when Dodge and Jeweler brought me the first time.


"Much as I'd like to let you gawk, we're on a tight schedule," I tell her, pulling her along.


"You've got teleportation stuff!?"


"Let's just get my dog, we'll take about it later," I sigh. I didn't think I'd be this blaise about the whole experience this soon, but my mind is exhausted. I'm pretty sure I could meet Scion at this point and just want to go lie down instead.


It only takes a minute to get to my impromptu lab. Jeweler's still there, still bundled up in that massive comforter. Buffy, as I've come to start thinking of the dog, is now considerable different than the last time I saw her. She's considerably larger for one, roughly the size of a small horse. The horns that were just nubs last time I checked now curled up and back like stunted rams horns. Her pelt too, is massively thicker around the neck and back, but didn't really hide the bony plating across the legs and feet, or the massive claws.


Kat's just agog at this, to the point where I'm thinking that maybe it would have been a good idea to prime her on just exactly was going on.


Jeweler grimaces at the pair of us.


"Jesus, who died?" she comments offhandedly.


OPTIONS:


  1. "My sister,"
  2. "Sorry for making you wait,"

  3. "..."

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
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Despite my tiredness I find that anger rising inside me. I try to bite it off as best I can.


"My sister," I say slowly, enuciating it as carefully as I can. The words still drip with spite.


Jeweler's expression drains from her face as clarity sets in.


"...shit, I am-" she looks around frantically, sight flickering back and forth to me. "-I am so sorry, I didn't know,"


It's weirdly self satisfying to watch her scramble for words. A cruel vindication.


"Thanks for looking after the dog for me,"


The tiredness creeps into my voice.


Kat is still staring at Buffy, silently circling the vat and its mechanics.


"I-... You're welcome. If-... yeah," Jeweler leaves quietly, averting her eyes.


That self satisfaction sours as quickly as it came, turning to a frustrated sort of guilt. Another log upon todays growing emotional pyre. The sigh that escapes my lips is long and drawn out. It only makes me feel more tired.


"You made a battle dog!?" exclaims Kat, looking to me with awe.


"I... yeah. I did,"


I didn't originally think of Buffy as a battle dog, but considering the enhancements I added to her genetic code, I guess she is. Of course, if you asked me, I wouldn't be able to explain why I made her the way I did. It just seemed like the right thing to do at the time.


"...can you do that to people?"


"I... could," I reply thoughtfully. The thought had struck me before, and in truth, it would be useful. After all, the only thing superpowered about me was my intellect. Even then, it was pretty select. Genetics only. So no armor or weapons for me, just living things. Though when you get down to it, weapons and armor were only really the middle man. A lot of capes were dangerous in their sheer physical capabilities. So altering myself seemed like the way to go. Better even. I wouldn't be able to be parted fom my weapons. They would literally be a part of me. And unlike the majority of other capes, I could change my capabilities, add to them, do whatever I liked...


"...Mar?"


"Hm?" I turn to Kat, pulled from my train of thought. "Yeah?"


She gives me a funny look.


"You had that weird expression where you're miles away,"


OPTIONS:


  1. "Was thinking about how I could change people..."
  2. "Eh, it's nothing. Long day,"

  3. "Wondering what I'm gonna do with the dog,"

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
I run my hand through my hair, staring at the still floating Buffy.


"I'm just wondering what I'm going to do with the dog," I tell Kat.


"What, you mean like add more modifications?" she asks, tapping lightly on the glass. Buffy shifts in her sleep.


"...maybe? I mean, she's still a puppy, so she won't grow into some of-"


"That's a puppy!?" Kat spins around the look at me, an incredulous look on her face.


"Well, yeah. Easier to work with," I reply. "I mean, putting too many changes on her before her body has matured would probably be hard on her. This way, she can still be relatively battle ready, but she'll grow even stronger when she grows up,"


Kat throws me a worried glance.


"She's already the size of a horse! How much bigger is she gonna get?"


"Uh..." I have to think about it for a second. "...about the size of a car,"


"Holy shit," she breathes, practically pressing her face against the glass. "This is so cool,"


"Yeah. She's got hardened bones, enamel and keratin plating, thicker hair, denser muscles, enhanced sight and smell, bigger brain. Best part, she's got behavioural and instinctual links to the way I smell, though I need to fiddle with those a bit,"


"So what were you thinking of adding?"


"Acid spit? Maybe? If I can manage it, regeneration, but that one's a difficult to get right. Requires a lot of food to keep them going, and if I get it wrong, 'causes cancers, tumor growth, and more problems..."


I trail off. It's weird. This is exactly the kind of stuff that would have saved Ashley. Has saved Ashley. The semantics are difficult, and I'm in no mood to debate them with myself. I try to think of something else.


"But yeah, the real question is what the hell am I going to do with her? Battle dogs the size of horses are a little noticeable, and my house isn't exactly huge. Not to mention, I can't keep her in stasis like this forever. It'll mess her up,"


Kat shrugs.


"Build a lair? You could probably make it with giant ants or worms or plants or something," she says.


OPTIONS:


  1. "...huh. Not actually a bad idea."
  2. "I'm not sure I'm that committed to supervillainy,"

  3. "Would you mind her?"

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
I hadn't actually thought of that, and in fairness, it was a topic that was definitely due to come up sooner or later. After all, where was I gong to stash my creations, or even my tools and resources? All of that stuff was likely to be relatively bulky, and I couldn't operate out of my basement forever. On top of being horribly embarassing cliche, it'd put my identity and my family in danger.


"...huh. Not actually a bad idea," I respond thoughtfully, checking over Bufy's machinery.


I was capable of a hell of a lot, but I was limited by two things. Placement and resources. Had to place this secret base or lair somewhere I could access it in a pinch. This Toybox arrangement was convenient at the moment, but I doubted that it could last all that long. Odds are, it'd start costing money sooner or later.


The lack of resources, well, that was why I started with Toybox in the first place. Needed materials to finish off Ashley, needed tools to expand my capabilities, needed resources to make more things, and all of that, needed money, of which I had nothing.


Maybe I could make do with the local environment and augmented builder species. The first ones that came to mind were the aforementioned ants and plants. On one hand, ants worked fast, and built amazing things. On the other hand, they'd have to be pretty big to make a servicable base of any kind. Plants were easier to work with, but they took time...


Also, what was I to do with Buffy until I had my own space? I didn't exactly have the room for her, and people were bound to notice a dog the size of a horse. Not to mention I had yet to train her.


"Kat, you're good with dogs, right?" I ask suddenly.


Kat looks at me warily, eyes narrowing.


"...yeah," Her voice is rife with suspicion.


"You mind taking care of Buffy for me for a bit, until I get a base up and running? Training her, that sort of thing?"


She just stares.


"Uh... while that's cool and all, I uh... uhh... where the fuck am I supposed to hide or manage to feed a dog that probably takes bigger shits than I am? Also, yeah, I'm not picking up battle poopy. My dog is tiny and I've seen how much he goes. Her? Don't even want to think about it," Kat explains apologetically, shaking her head vigorously.


"Shit, yeah, feeding her," I sigh loudly, running my hand through my hair again. "Christ, I joined Toybox to help with money troubles, not make more of them,"


"What if you made somewhere for her to live?" comments Kat, leaning back on the desk, staring at the ceiling. Her legs dangle above the floor, and she idly kicks them back and forth.


"Huh?"


"Like, make an environment that specifically makes food and functions as a base. Like... a forest, an orchard or something? Underground? I mean, town's got a lot of unused underground,"


"Good idea, but plants need sunlight," I counter.


"Gee Mar, it's not like we're in the middle of a desert or something," she says mock-sadly, a exaggerated sigh blowing past her lips. "Who knows where you're gonna get that precious vitamin D,"


"Yeah, but underground, no sunlight. Aboveground, I'm pretty sure people will notice a suddn forest in the New Mexico desert,"


Kat just makes a face at me and shrugs, lying back down on the desk.


"Fuck, I dunno, I'm not the parahuman genius,"


She has a point though. And in fairness, it would be entirely possible for me find a way around it. Then again, I also had tinker buddies I could try and ask for help...


OPTIONS:


  1. Plan to make an ecosystem base.
  2. Go ask someone in Toybox for base or money making.

  3. Release the dog.

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
"Money," I tell her.


"...what?" replies Kat, after a moment of confused silence.


"Money," I repeat. "Money is why I entered Toybox, money will help solve my problems... well, most of my problems,"


"Uh huh,"


"Stay here for a minute, I'm gonna go find somebody, get them to give me an explanation as to how all this works," I start heading back into the main foyer.


"Don't take too long," Kat calls after me. "They're probably still expecting us back at the house,"


I grimace as I head out. The memories of the funeral, still fresh in my mind, now flow back to the forefront. I swallow down the feelings as best I can.


OPTIONS:


  1. Head to the foyer.
  2. See if you can find someone nearby.

  3. Call Jewler.

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
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I wind up heading to the foyer. I don't have a full map of the place, and I suspect that I'll likely get lost if I try to stumble around looking where I haven't been before.


It's pretty quiet there, same as always. That massive light structure in the center moves and undulates, a sea of color amidst endless steel and concrete.


Jewler's there. She's standing in front of the centerpiece, obviously lost in thought. I don't think she's heard me arrive.


OPTIONS:


  1. Talk to her.
  2. See if you can find someone else nearby.

  3. Go back to Kat and the dog.

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
"Hey," I say softly.


Jeweler turns around, and she flinches.


"Uh, look, I'm really sorry about earlier," she tells me, staring at the ground. "I'd say I didn't know, but... look, the signs and shit were all there, I just didn't..."


She trails off, looking at her feet.


"You'd think I was good with people, but you'd be wrong," she laughs, but it's a painful sound, filled with bitterness. "I'm- I'm sorry, I'm hijacking shit again for my pity party, um- what did you need?"


OPTIONS:


  1. Be brusque, ask about how you start making money.
  2. Ask if she's okay.

  3. Make an excuse and leave.

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
"Are you okay?" I ask carefully. Part of me wants to know, maybe even to help, but another part of me is still pissed. I'm not enjoying watching her squirm, but seeing her beat herself up about it does feel somewhat justified.


Jeweler searches my face and opens her mouth. Abruptly, she looks away and waves me off.


"I'm fine," she says half heartedly. I'm relieved. The whole "giving a shit" side is really pressing down on me today, and I genuinely do not have the energy to deal with both her issues and mine.


"So, what did you want to know?" she asks, still not looking at me.


"Well, how do I start using Toybox to make money?"


"Put your name up on the Noticeboard and offer your services," is the reply, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.


"A entire organisation of tinkers, and that's the best you could come up with?" I say flatly. "A noticeboard?"


She frowns at me, the grimace turning a little hard. Wordlessly, she extends her hand, palm upraised and open.


"What?"


"Gimme your phone,"


"Uh..." I pass it over to her. She presses the keypad several times, bringing up an application titled NTCE-BRD.


"Noticeboard. You input what you do and are willing to do, it lists this on the services we offer, anyone legit asking about it, we send your way. It's also how payment is sorted out. All requests go in through the Box, all work goes out through the Box. The Box takes its third, the client gets their gizmo, and you get your money. You never have to meet a client, you never have to be in any possible danger,"


"...huh," I respond slowly. Actually rather innovative. Who knew something like this would have been hidden in this generic looking piece of crap?


"Requests for info and materials is used with the same app. We haven't had a chance to explain all this recently, so I was gonna do it when you arrived for the pooch..." Jeweler just trails off, staring at the ground.


OPTIONS:


  1. Say thanks and return to Kat.

  2. Ask how much is the price of an average sale.
  3. Again, ask if she's okay.

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
This was all I really needed to know.


"I uh... thanks," I tell her, not really sure what to say to dispel the growing awkwardness in the air.


She nods, giving me a forced smile.


I try to make it look like I'm not hurrying away.


Kat and Buffy don't seem to have moved in my absence. Kat's still slumped across a desk, staring at Buffy, who is still floating gently in her vat.


"You get it?" she asks, rolling over to face me.


"Yeah. I can do most of it through my phone," I explain.


"Fancy," Kat replies. "Especially for something that looks like it came out of a cereal box,"


OPTIONS:


  1. Return home.

  2. Wake up dog.
  3. Explore NTCE-BRD

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
As I flick the phone open to show Kat, I see the time spread across the tiny screen. It's late. Not "last night" kind of late, but still "where the hell were you after the funeral" kind of late. Kat must have seen my wince, because she pushed herself from her lounging position on the desk.


"What?"


I turned the phone to face her.


"Oh shit, have we really been gone that long?" she grimaces, hurriedly pulling back on her shoes.


"What's worse is that I don't think we get any reception here," I continue. "Which means if anyone tried calling us to check up, they would have gotten nothing,"


"Fuck," Kat jumps up next to me, but jerks around mid-way to gesture to Buffy.


"Wait, can we leave the dog here? Will she be okay?"


Oh yeah. I look to the motorcycle sized battle dog myself, wracking my brain for some kind of solution.


"Uh... she's experienced most of the changes so far. All that's left now is "natural" growth,"


I peek over at the side of the tank, checking the material reserves.


"There's just about enough food to get her through the next day or so, which... I hope I'll have found out what to do with her. I don't think they'll let me keep her here for too long,"


"So we go back the way we came, or what?" asks Kat, peering over my shoulder to look at the phone. An interesting gesture to see her do, since she's almost a head shorter than me.


"Well..."


OPTIONS:


  1. Return to the house (where the after-funeral was held).

  2. Drop off Kat to her house.
  3. Go somewhere you can get a taxi, go your separate ways.

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
"I'll set us down somewhere near the house, so we can walk back," I tell Kat as I start heading out of the room. "I don't like asking you to lie, but... nobody really knows..."


"You told me before you told your folks?" asks Kat, giving one last look to Buffy before tailing behind me.


"Uh... I told my folks I'm a parahuman. The whole thing with Toybox, with... Ashley? That's something only you know,"


"Your secret's safe with me Mar. I won't tell a soul,"


She throws me a smile. A genuine one, that kind you can tell came from the heart. It's almost embarassing to see such naked honesty, but I return the expression as best I can and grab her hand as we head to the foyer. Within moments, we're stumbling forwards in a back alley next to the convenience store. A filthy man dressed in tattered cast offs looks up blearily from his impromptu futon. He squints at us and shakes his head before rolling over.


"You mind coming with me back to the house?" I ask Kat, stepping around the garbage into the open street.


"Sure. I kinda expected you might want some company, so I can stay the night if you want," she replies, following me close behind.


"That... might be nice," I admit. The thought of having someone else to confide in, to show Ashley, to just... be around, without any expectations, it's relieving.


We arrive back to the house in due time. Most of the visitors cars are gone, but Ricard's is still here, as is Kat's parents one.


"Maria?"


It's my mother. Her voice is flat and unamused, and tired to the point of cracking. There's a glance to Kat, but her attention is centered on me.


"I'm-..." I shake my head. "I'm sorry Mom. I just... I needed to get away,"


Her eyes search my face. Dark bags lie beneath her brown eyes, both puffy and bloodshot.


"I understand," she tells me slowly. "But please, do not disappear again. At least not tonight,"


"N-no, I won't. Don't worry Mom,"


Her gaze still locked onto mine, she nods. Only then does she break that intensely sorrowful stare.


Ricard is sitting in the sitting room, dressed in a suit that seems to be ever so slightly too small for him. He's on the couch, facing a blank television, hands clutched in his lap. He doesn't even look up as we enter. I don't know whether it's because he's too lost in thought or if he's deliberately ignoring us.


OPTIONS:


  1. Talk to Mom, ask if it's okay if Kat stays over.

  2. Ask Ricard if he's okay.
  3. Just go downstairs with Kat, and sequester yourselves away.

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
"Mom," I start, reaching out and stopping myself. She turns around regardless, one again fixing me with that mournful expression.


"Can... Kat stay the night?" I almost offer a smile, but the gesture feels wrong, out of place. I settle for whatever neutral look I can manage, likely a mirror to Mom's quiet look of grief.


"...alright,"


The drained tone, coupled with her slow, somber movements cuts a wound in my heart, and I find myself struggling to keep a lump from forming in my throat. I barely trust myself to say thanks, and I leave to find Kat.


She's in the kitchen, talking to her parents. Her father is a short, skinny asian man, with a serviceable combover and severe square glasses, while her mother is petite in that same way as her daughter, long black hair in a tight bun.


"Thanks again for coming Mr and Mrs Hoshino," I tell them as I enter.


"We are deeply sorry for your loss Maria. This whole business..." Mr Hoshino shakes his head, offering me a sympathetic expression. "It is cruelty, pure and simple,"


I don't respond. I don't know how to respond. It's true, but how would I even begin to explain this pain, this aching loss? Even tempered by the knowledge that Ashley was... not gone, it hurt. I could only imagine what it feels like for my mother. The realisation, and the memory of Mom's face sends a fresh wave of guilt and anguish through my stomach.


"So is it okay for me to stay over?" says Kat quietly. I nod silently. She looks to her parents, who nod in concert, though her mother gives her something of a look.


OPTIONS:


  1. Retreat to the basement with Kat.

  2. Talk to Ricard.
  3. Talk to Mom.

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
I thank Mr and Mrs Hoshino quietly, and talk a little for while until they leave. It's mostly pointless smalltalk. Neither they nor I really know what to talk about, and as bad as it sounds, I'm glad when they leave. I'm sick of watching others tip-toeing around this godawful elephant in the room.


Reentering the sitting room, I see that Ricard hasn't moved at all. Still sitting, still slouched, still deep in thought.


"Uh Kat?" I say softly. "You mind heading to my room? I'll be down in a few, I just... I should probably talk to my brother,"


Throwing a glance between me and Ricard, Kat nods slowly before walking off.


Ricard isn't really like me. While I'm short, stocky, he's tall and slim. When he was younger, he used to be gangly, and kinda goofy with it, but now, in his late teens, he was athletic. His mood had changed too. Gone was the smiling, joking brother I remembered. In his place was someone sullen and angry. Frustrated. He didn't get along with Mom. Barely got along with Dad, though I think that might be because Dad wasn't afraid to kick his ass if he acted out.


I look at him, watching his short, scruffy hair, and his tanned, ill shaven face. He has a split lip, half healed now, and the fading yellow-purple of a black eye.


"Hey Ricard,"


He regards me with a bloodshot eyes, one of them bloodied around the iris. I want to ask what happened to him. How he got hurt. I knew if I did, he'd just retreat, or get angry. So instead, I go for the stupid question.


"Are you okay?"


"...could be better," is the dull, tired answer.


This is probably the first time I've talked to him since before Ashley died. I struggle to think of something to say to him. Something that we could talk about. Something he wouldn't see as inane, or probing.


"...I think we've all had better days," I tell him, sitting down beside him. Softly, I place hand on his arm. He almost flinches away, but after a quick glance, he relaxes.


We sit there, not talking. I'm not sure how much time passes.


"Dad didn't even bother coming," says Ricard eventually, leaning back in the couch. He watches the ceiling, staring past it.


"I know,"


"I'm not sure if he did it to piss off Mom or what. Maybe he just spent it with Emily. She's more important than us after all,"


Again, I'm not sure what to say. I don't know what would possess a parent not to come to their own daughters funeral. I know the whole divorce thing was pretty bad, but there was a limit to that kind of thing, wasn't there?


"I don't know," I reply honestly. "I think even with the way things are between him and Mom, it's still a pretty shitty thing to do,"


Ricard chuckles humorlessly, a flat, bitter expression.


"Even if he did come, there probably would hav been a screaming match,"


"...yeah, probably,"


"Assholes,"


OPTIONS:


  1. Broach the topic of parahumans.

  2. Ask about his face.
  3. Leave to your room..

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
In the long silences between our answers, a sudden thought strikes me. In my studies the other night, I read that parahuman ability could spread laterally. From sibling to sibling. The didn't understand how, but in families where one child developed parahuman abilities, the others were considerably more likely to develop them as well.


I chance a glance at Ricard. Apart from the half healed marks of a scuffle, he doesn't really look any different than usual.


He notices my gaze and gives me an odd look.


"What?"


"Uh... you know, this kinda shittiness, I've read that kind of thing can cause parahuman trigger events,"


About as subtle as a brick through a window. I mentally slap myself.


Ricard raises an eyebrow.


"Since when were you the nerd on capes?" he asks dismissively.


I shrug as nonchalantly as possible, avoiding looking him in the eye.


"I wound up reading about it. Was nice thinking that something cool like that could come outta the shitheap that is today,"


"Mmh," he grunts, staring into his hands.


OPTIONS:


  1. Tell him that you're a parahuman.

  2. Ask about his face.
  3. Leave to your room.

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
Ricard begins getting quiet again, retreating into himself. I still wasn't sure if he was a parahuman, and even if he wasn't he might be someday. If he did, I wasn't going to let him go through that alone. Not the way I have.


"Well, the reason I brought it up," I start, turning to look at him. "Is because I did,"


For a moment, I don't think he's heard me. Then he frowns, processing what I just said. Slowly, my brother turns to look at me, his face the picture of confusion.


"...what?"


"I triggered after Ashley died. I'm a parahuman. A cape,"


Ricard sits up, rearing back slightly.


"Are you serious?" he asks softly, eyes wide with shock.


I nod, smiling weakly.


"I'm a tinker, specialising in genetics," I explain.


"Holy shit," he breaths, leaning back on the sofa. Running a hand through his hair, Ricard glances at me several times, clearly unsure of what to say.


"I'm telling you 'cause powers expand down or laterally,"


This elicits a quizzical look from him.


"I have powers. You might get powers too,"


He slumps now, collapsing further into the couch. His face going slack, he just stares out into space.


"Holy shit,"


OPTIONS:


  1. Tell him about Ashley.

  2. Tell him about joining the Wards.

  3. Tell him about Toybox.

  4. Leave him to his thoughts, go to your room..

  5. Write in~

You may pick more than one option here, so long as they are not mutally exclusive.


Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
"Mom and Dad know, and I've been thinking about joining the Wards..." I tell him.


"But..." I lengthen the word. "...I'm still looking at other venues,"


Ricard doubletakes.


"Woah, shit, like being a villain?"


"What? No. Just like... independant stuff. Not necessarily being a super hero. After all, being a tinker, especially a tinker who can mess with organic life, there's bound to be a market for that kinda thing, you know?"


"Jesus..." he just stares, as if seeing me in a whole new light.


"So yeah, if you have anything weird happening... with regards to powers or something... Come to me, okay?" I put my hand on his should as I stand up.


"Uh... yeah, okay," mumbles my brother, the very picture of shock and confusion. Not that I can really blame him. It's been that kinda day. Buried one sister, only to find out the other is a cape, and one day, he might be too. Not to mention whatever kind of personal issues he's dealing with. That split lip looks pretty painful.


I make my way down to the basement where Kat's already waiting. She's sitting cross legged on my bed, wearing an oversized t-shirt. One of mine, actually, now that I look at it.


"I borrowed one of your t-shirts for pajamas," she tells me as I come down the stairs. "Didn't really come here today with staying over in mind,"


"It's cool. Looks like a nightgown on you anyway," I reply, trying to smile. The tiredness of the past day is starting to catch up on me. The sadness, the anger, the frustration, all of it had left me kinda numb at this point. Like I was burned out inside, and there wasn't much of me left. Just... enough, I guess.


Kat pulls the shirt taught, looking at the Alexandria emblem plastered across the chest.


"You didn't have a Chevalier one, so I chose the next best thing,"


I practically collapse next to her with grunt, face first into the duvet.


"So how'd it go with your bro," she asks quietly.


"Asked him how he was. Told him I was a parahuman. To come to me if he gets powers. You know. Usual stuff,"


"You told him?"


"Well, yeah. Already told Mom and Dad, and I didn't want to leave him hanging if he had powers too and was trying to go it alone, you know?"


"Ah, okay. That makes sense actually," replies Kat, falling down next to me. She folds her arms behind her head, looking over me.


"You okay Mar?"


"I..."


No, not really. For all the powers and life changing, it's been a bad week. The worst week in fact. It hurts inside, like a wound, and I just want it to stop.


"I'm... okay,"


"So you're not then," she says after a moment, pursing her lips.


"Nope. Not even fucking slightly," I grumble into the duvet.


"You wanna talk about it?"


OPTIONS:


  1. Go to sleep.

  2. Vent to Kat.

  3. Show her Ashley.

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
Last edited by a moderator:
As much as I just want to collapse mentally and just drift off, a part of me... it wants- craves reassurance. For Ashley. Something other than the biting confusion of my conscience. Slowly, I push myself up off the bed, shimmying off that tired grey cardigan.


"Not really," I reply to Kat, heading over to the thrumming machinery hidden beneath the tarp. "Instead, let me show you... this,"


Maybe a bit overdramatic, I think as I wrench the tarp free, displaying Ashley in all her glory. Right now, she looks just like a baby, long brown hair swimming the currents around her. She's so small. So peaceful.


"Wow..." breathes Kat, pulling her feet off the bed and padding over. "That's... supremely cool. Is she like... gonna remember you and stuff?"


"I..."


I hadn't thought about that. At all. Something of a glaring oversight on my part. From what I understood about my work... no, she wouldn't. She would be someone who walked and talked and looked like Ashley, but... without her memory, how much of her would truly be Ashley? That said, it was entirely possible some of the other Toybox members could help me with that. I make a mental note to scour my contact list for any such solutions my peers could conjure up for this kind of problem.


"I'll get back to you on that one," I respond sheepishly.


Kat throws me a sideways glance, but peers into the tank. She's about to tap on the glass but hesitates and draws her finger back.


"So... you can engineer people then, huh? Can you change them too?"


OPTIONS:


  1. Yes.

  2. No.

  3. I'd rather not talk about it.

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
"Uh.. yeah actually," I tell her.


"First thing I did... well, first conscious thing I did, was give myself photosynthetic skin,"


Kat just stares.


"But-"


"Yes, I am aware I'm not green. A little messing with it, and the melanin in my skin functions similar to chlorophyll. It's a little bit more complicated than that, but that's the general gist of it," is my explanation.


"Why you asking though? Looking to cash in on those medical plans?" I ask, waggling my eyebrows in a manner reminiscent of Jeweler.


Kat laughs a little awkwardly.


"Uh, well, like... I wouldn't mind some of that kinda work..." she admits, embarrassed. "But..."


"But?"


"I'd like, actual powers. Something make me... more than me. Hell, if you're gonna go all the way, I'll go with you,"


OPTIONS:


  1. "Like a henchman?"

  2. "Like a sidekick?"

  3. "Like a partner in crime?"

  4. Write in~

Please respond in Voting Thread.


@Jaye@Riuma@Anomaly@Grey@The Fuzz@PixelWitch
 
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