《Panacea's Remedy (OC/SI into Panacea)》


 Chapter 1: Born to be Bad.

    £ª£ª£ª


    Thomas Calvert frowned as he put down the phone in his office at the PRT headquarters - He''d been called in to consult again due to a new independent hero that had rebuffed every effort to join the protectorate, his expertise on parahumans had been sought to find another angle and to examine his powerset as the young man refused to come in for testing. Having not so surprisingly some anti government prejudice.


    Considering said ''hero'' was a young black man and fiercely independent - Coil gave him a week at most before Hookwolf solved the issue - permanently. For all his known murders, the man had at least half a dozen parahuman deaths under his belt that the PRT didn''t know about. That''s not what had his mind racing however, a new independent showing up and dying was just another Tuesday in Brockton Bay.


    What had his mind racing was something different. He''d received a call about a visitor, someone here for him, specifically. He steepled his fingers in front of his face as his mind rapidly processed how he could twist this surprise meeting into his own advantage. As he was thinking it through, as always, part of him was suspiciously pondering if this was possibly enemy action. He kept himself loosely affiliated with the PRT to give himself a flexible schedule where his whereabouts couldn''t be predicted, and gave him a good excuse to be in the building when he needed to. So why was anyone here to see him right on time for when he''s actually present at the PRT for once. Well¡­ Present in one timeline anyway. So it could be a possible attempt on him or even something as simple as information gathering on his civilian persona.


    Granted, the probability was almost nil, Panacea was not someone he''d suspect of any attempt on his life - she didn''t have it in her. And precisely because he would not suspect her - Thomas, aka Coil, was suspicious.


    Using someone no one would ever suspect as an avenue of attack was something he''d do after all.


    No matter, he''d already split the timeline before even appearing at PRT HQ, one timeline had him working in his lair, while one had him performing his consulting job presently. So he was at no risk from Amy Dallon. It piqued his curiosity that she was here at all. Why would the girl seek him out? A simple (hah) PRT consultant, albeit an expert in Parahumans to those in the know. Of which New Wave was markedly not in the know. Curious.


    If he could get some strings on Panacea¡­. The options it opened up, his contacts with Accord and beyond had mentioned the Travelers for one, desperately seeking a healer for some reason. If Coil could get away with disappearing the girl, he''d gain a very strong set of minions for his plans with very little effort. Not to mention the monetary benefit of having Panacea sell her abilities to the various billionaires of the world under the table. Unfortunately, he lamented, actually disappearing her would eventually bring down the Triumvirate due to her usefulness in Endbringer fights, no cape could heal as successfully as her at the moment.


    He''d have to find another way, he was well aware of her acrimonious relationship with Carol Dallon, perhaps there was an avenue there to get a working relationship going at least, she was, according to his previous sequences of information gathering around New Wave, although not aimed at her specifically - riddled with issues with both her family and the hero life, giving him options. He''d never gone ahead with any plans in that regard, all timelines where he did so as a test, ended in the PRT and New Wave scouring Brockton Bay to the bedrock to find her. And if they didn''t, the Triumvirate eventually came looking when it neared the time for the next Endbringer attack. At those kinds of costs, Panacea''s utility simply wasn''t cost effective.


    But this was different. She was coming to him. Coil would find a way under her skin, find an angle to bend her his way. Even if solely as a paid contractor. If nothing else, using her love for her sister as a lever would achieve plenty.


    Thomas Calvert put on a mask of polite professionalism as Amy Dallon walked in without knocking, clad in her cape persona, the red cross standing out against the white all encompassing robe and hood, a look that was internationally recognizable even though she had been active for only two years. The scarf covering her lower face was beyond pointless at this point, since they all went about unmasked. It was amusing that the girl was basically covered head to toe when her sister flaunted herself for all to see. Perhaps body issues? Could he offer her a professional makeover? Her powers didn''t work on herself, but surely there were capes he could find and hire that could improve appearances, he''d have to look into it. For a teenage girl always at second best - appearances could mean a lot.


    "Panacea, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Thomas asked pleasantly, sorting the papers on his desk, projecting the image of a pencil pusher trying to appear busy. He''d used the cape name for the girl as that''s how she''d arrived and it was only proper to adhere to the game. Coil felt some dark amusement at the thought that although New Wave had voluntarily unmasked and paid for it - in losing Fleur. And was now trying to step back from the game - Coil knew the identities of almost the entirety of the cape presence of Brockton Bay anyway, at least on the side of the angels - the whole game was pointless in the face of his power.


    Amy Dallon had dark bags under her eyes and slouched shoulders as she frowned at him, she looked exhausted. Coil was already thinking of at least three possible avenues to turn the girl to his side, based simply on her exhaustion at her life. It was so much easier to lead young girls astray when they were already unhappy. And with a family life like hers, and the trauma from doing heavy duty hospital work since 14, seeing the trauma patients and worse. She''d be ripe for his influence.


    Really, Coil would be doing them all a favor. Carol Dallon had practically primed the girl to become a supervillain. She''d do much better with some guidance and control.


    "I was told to go to you because you''re supposedly some sort of expert and could arrange tests." She grumbled, looking unimpressed with both him, and being sent there in the first place.


    His contacts in the hospital Panacea frequented the most had reported this was a usual attitude of the girl.


    Thomas raised an eyebrow, not having to fake confusion, "Tests? Of what exactly? And sent? By who?" New Wave, while somewhat cooperative with the PRT and the Protectorate, did not make it a habit of going to them for assistance outside of cape battles. Nor should they have much information about him. If Director Piggot had met with, or talked to Panacea at all, he would already be aware through how deeply he''d penetrated the PRT''s systems.


    As it was, he regularly received PRT reports before Piggot did. The reports showing up in his system at the same time as they were being written, so deep was his penetration.


    Panacea made a dismissive motion with one hand, still looking dissatisfied with existence in general, "Some flunky at the desk sent me up when I asked for anyone that could help with testing a possible expansion of my usual powers."


    Coil would have to make sure that particular flunky was silenced post haste. No one could know, this situation was his to control. He tapped a notepad with a pen, looking sufficiently intrigued, "What kind of expansion? Can you heal brains now?" He asked politely.


    Personally he''d never believed the girl when she said she couldn''t, not that he blamed her, if he had those kinds of powers he wouldn''t advertise it either. The PRT did not take kindly to those kinds of powers. Perhaps he could leak something of that sort and then swoop in to solve her issues once the PRT got pushy - as they no doubt would - at the prospect of a potential master ability. Oh they''d never birdcage Panacea, but strong armed into the wards or something similar was a possibility. And one where Coil could prosper if he came in from nowhere and solved the situation for the girl.


    Yes. That was definitely a possibility he''d have to explore in a timeline soonest. What she could do with brains would be important to know.


    There was a reason why most intelligent villains didn''t seek out the girl for healing outside Endbringer fights after all. They were as wary as he was. The smart ones anyway.


    Panacea made a face, looking like just another grumpy teenager, making Thomas twitch slightly with annoyance, such power in the hands of such a child. Honestly. To think he''d had to buy his, when children like this were handed power for nothing. "Not brains then?" He said, letting none of his annoyance show. Her being a silly child would make it easier for him, so really, he shouldn''t complain.


    "Not really, but kind of." Panacea said, glaring down at the floor. Not elaborating. Just silently trying to set his office on fire by sight alone.


    Coil masterfully stopped himself from another twitch, children! "I think that statement needs further clarification." He pointed out dryly, peering at her with a practiced face of dry amusement.


    Panacea shrugged carelessly, "I still can''t figure out brains, not really, but I figured out a trick for cells that I think might make someone immortal kind of, and that does affect the cells of the brain." She said tonelessly. Like she hadn''t just dropped potential immortality in his lap. Like that was just no big deal.


    Powers were wasted on youth.


    "Kind of immortal?" Coil parroted slowly, only his mastery of his mind prevented a stronger reaction from him to that bombshell. If it was true¡­ "Want to explain that a bit further, Miss Dallon?" He asked sharply.


    "I found a way to make cells regenerate completely and automatically, so that someone would, theoretically, never age." She admitted, lips turning downwards, like it was all simply a bother to her. Boohoo I solved entropy, woe is me¡­. Thomas wanted to rip her skin off and make her sew it back on. This ignorant child! Luckily he could actually solve his stress by eventually doing just that in a timeline when he wasn''t busy with anything else.


    "Who knows about this?" He asked carefully, fingers twitching. Like his hands were eager to reach forward and grasp the opportunity that lay ahead of him.


    "You and me, I went straight here after I tested it out." She said without care, "Oh, I guess the flunky who sent me up here knows I did something with my power but not what."


    The death of the receptionist suddenly moved forward into his priority list by a vast magnitude.


    Carefully, Coil thought things over in his other timeline, sitting in his lair at his computer, the potential bounty here was too big to not explore fully. Normally his power worked in a manner where both timelines progressed evenly. But he''d recently discovered that he could push one timeline forward in a simulation, while time hardly moved in his other timeline. It did however force him to only be able to keep his safe timeline, so it was a risk in case something attacked his base, the simulated timeline not being in real time, but a precog simulation, preventing him from actually saving it.


    It had its benefits and drawbacks, Coil could learn a lot of information due to this precog ability of his power¡­ To a point. However, the drawback was how utterly unreliable and variable it got the further into the future he peered, especially other actors, the more he concentrated on his immediate surroundings and actions, the clearer the picture was.


    The further he got, and the more other variables he focused on, the more the timeline went completely unreliable, not able to handle the future of so many actors.


    He''d once tried to see what Brockton Bay would look like six months from now by rushing through a simulation - and his power had insisted on telling him Jack Slash had reformed and was leading Brockton Bay into an era of prosperity. Absolute nonsense.


    So yes, it had limited utility if used for anything but the next few weeks. But, for testing one aspect. One tiny matter, for weeks or months ahead. It should not give him any issues. It was worth an attempt.


    Coil smiled at the fool girl who had no idea what she had. "Can you test it on me then? So we can look it over and make sure it is what you say it is?"


    Normally he wouldn''t let Panacea touch him no matter what, but he could do months of testing in this timeline to prove whether she did nothing to him other than make him immortal. So there were no risks anymore, his simulated timeline would ensure it. It was good to be him. In the end, he could just use the simulated timeline, then drop it to create a proper set of two timelines, and seek out Panacea for the same treatment in the timeline he''d keep out of the two new ones.


    He didn''t feel a thing as the girl with raccoon eyes laid a hand on him, eventually simply saying "It''s done." And backing away.


    Coil, because at this point he could hardly call himself Thomas, ordered the girl to keep silent while the PRT investigated the matter. No sharing with New Wave or anyone else in the PRT for that matter, including the Protectorate and Wards. The girl easily acquisited to the request. He''d check that later, nothing could be left to chance. This couldn''t get out. He''d see how long she managed to keep her mouth shut, to observe at what point he''d need to step in and remove her from play.


    Continuing down the timeline far further than he usually bothered, due to its difficulty in parsing future events outside of his influence, he got the best doctors money could buy to run every test on him that they could, hired the few other Parahumans healers around to check him over, he even commissioned a medical scanner made by tinkertech from Toybox. All to confirm what Panacea had said, and all to confirm that nothing had changed in his brain to indicate she''d mastered him in this simulated timeline.


    The him sitting at his desk in his lair in his first timeline keeping a watch as the simulated timeline streamed ahead, ready to drop the timeline if there was even the slightest hint he was acting out of character, he couldn''t be sure whether even this timeline - that was simply a precog simulation, would affect him somehow when it came to a Master effect.


    All tests showed the same thing. His cells were not aging. His organs were in a constant state of regeneration somehow, no one could understand where his body even got the energy to perform such. In regenerative parahumans it was their power behind it, but Coils power wasn''t powering this effect. He couldn''t get sick now either, couldn''t be poisoned, his cells simply returning to their ideal state immediately. It worked. And more importantly, there was no sign that Panacea had changed anything in his brain other than cellular regeneration.


    By that time he was fairly far ahead in the timeline, so he contracted the travelers to abduct Victoria Dallon as well as Amy - using Panacea''s healing abilities as a carrot for their cooperation. He went through his usual torture routine on both of them, although it wasn''t as fun in a simulated timeline as it always felt somewhat dull and fake to him compared to the usual usage of his power. No matter how far he went, mutilation, rape, amputation, the girl never changed her story. She could do it. She could really change someone''s cells to renew automatically for eternity, never growing older, weaker, or sicker. To his pleasure, Victoria Dallon as well had nothing to say, she had not been told anything. Amy Dallon kept the secret. Would keep the secret. For at least a few months in all likelihood. It would give him plenty of time to find a way to keep her mouth shut. Blackmail or threats against her sister would likely do it, he''d have time to figure that part out. Endless timelines to test his approach in.


    He dropped the simulated timeline at that point. Immediately opening a new proper set of timelines as he did. In one he rebuffed the girl,


    In the other, He asked her further questions as he casually typed up a request for his mercenaries, instructing his people to arrange an accident for the receptionist for right after work, a car accident would do. No need to arouse suspicion.


    The meeting played out like his simulated timeline, Coil barely able to hide his avarice as the girl approached him.


    Ending exactly as it had in the simulation, with him holding his hand out to the teen, asking her to ''test'' her abilities on him, and then go about her life, and he''d get back to her if the tests showed it worked. That it was the easiest way to deal with it, saving her the time of arranging tests or test subjects.


    He felt a sense of smug superiority as the greatest healer in the world foolishly made him immortal without a single thought on how she could use it, profit from it. And the idiotic girl even would keep it silent on his say so. Carol Dallons dislike for the girl hadn''t made her the sharpest tool in the box it seemed, the daughter of a lawyer should have been better than this.


    Oh well, their loss, his gain.


    This. This would put him above even those annoying Cauldron capes. He''d outlive them all, in the background, pulling strings at first, then in the spotlight, their benevolent dictator.


    All because of a foolish child.


    Everything is going just as planned.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Amy left PRT headquarters, one hand pulling her hood down as she tried not to laugh maniacally. That would be bad. Carol would freak the fuck out if a video of Panacea laughing like a villain appeared on PHO.


    ¡­ That just made her want to do it more.


    She couldn''t help the emotion however. She''d just fucking dealt with Coil. Bit over half a year until Canon, and she''d dealt with him. Go her!


    It helped that she wasn''t Amy. Not really. Being installed into the body of Amy Dallon aka Panacea after her trigger event a little over two years ago had been an unpleasant surprise to her. Exploring a fantastical world, having powers, etc, it was the ultimate fantasy. Except¡­ There were very few world''s that were worse to be dropped into than Worm of all places. Not so much an adventure when you know how shitty everything around you is.


    And in Panacea of all people, the girl who hated her life and had the Slaughterhouse Nine come knocking¡­ At least they were both lesbians. Although perhaps the original Amy was more of a Vickian? Is that a word? Yeah, she was more mind whammied than anything else. Although that was perhaps a poor excuse, because she hadn''t raped her sister. She had more control then that.


    Unfortunately she didn''t wholly get away from being mind whammied as she''d been stuck with the same love aura washing over her, that her body and brain had enjoyed for most of her life pre-trigger and new her, after. So yeah, she was very attracted to Vicky. Difference was she knew why and could control herself better.


    It wasn''t love. Not that kind of love anyway. Just pure attraction. Which showed original Amy had other issues because the aura hadn''t made this new her go crazy for cocoa puffs, just horny.


    Lucky for her, her ''parents'' sucked and her lovely sister was incredibly self absorbed at times when she wasn''t pounding her head with love me auras. So Amy being a moody and grumpy teenager for the last two years plus didn''t even merit comments ( Not that it overly contrasted from original Amy). With Mark''s depression, Carols not so low-key distaste of her entire existence and Vicky more concerned with boys or punching things in the face - it left Amy with plenty of opportunities to change some things.


    Of course she''d volunteered at the hospital, even if technically she''d been more like voluntold by Carol. The original Panacea had worn herself out, full of guilt and self loathing for not doing enough, not helped by constantly being pushed by Carol and mind whammied by her sister. Also probably hadn''t helped having to you know¡­ Deal with trauma patients and rape victims at fucking 14, all alone, because of course Carol couldn''t be assed to be there for her, she didn''t care how she was doing it or felt about it, as long as it kept New Wave looking good.


    The new and improved Panacea saw something different with her ''job''. Unlimited test subjects. Oh, of course she couldn''t do overly much, not at the beginning. She needed to build up her reputation before she could even dare to perform anything too invasive in an official setting - also she needed to strike home the whole Panacea doesn''t do brains schtick. Because Canary would still be a thing and she definitely didn''t want people to know she could basically master people with a touch - Carol would sell her out so quickly it would make the Endbringers heads spin. She''d snuck out instead, and offered homeless people free healing at night. Because no one double checked her work in those cases, it let her power loose to be creative.


    And if anyone caught her. Well offering to heal the poor and destitute didn''t exactly scream villain - also homeless people were weird to begin with, so no one really noticed it she messed up.


    Brains were hard in the beginning, even with how intuitive her power was. She could fix issues fairly easily, that wasn''t a problem, changing things around to change their personality was way harder however. But eventually she''d managed. After¡­ A few homeless people ended up kind of messed up. She definitely warranted a Master rating now. She could slave people to her. Mess with their brains until they were addicted to her and her only. She''d had to put those people down, it became too obvious when they got to that slavishly devoted point. Those kinds of things got a girl killed via a kill order. Well¡­ Maybe. Wasn''t like anyone bothered to do anything about Heartbreaker.


    Not like he could Master a cruise missile strike.


    She really didn''t need to be thought of in similar veins to Heartbreaker or Teacher though.


    Even if the face Carol would make would almost make it worth it. Until she''d start preaching about how she''d always known anyway. Bitch...


    Eventually she''d been able to go more subtly through a person''s brain. Tweak just what she needed. She''d even brought those people into the hospital and snuck an MRI scan onto them, no proof of anything wrong or changed, she''d made sure to take before and after pictures of course. Her influence was undetectable. As long as she wasn''t stupid enough to make people look obviously mastered of course. Anyone running around slavishly obeying her every whim would be hard to explain away.


    There was still a homeless man somewhere in Brockton Bay that broke into song about her feet whenever they crossed paths. Very embarrassing. Vicky would sometimes sing along to her mortification. She didn''t even know how her feet had anything to do with whatever she''d tweaked in that guy''s brain.


    She''d have to find him alone at some point and give him a stroke or something. Or maybe a heart attack actually, she didn''t want them cutting into his brain in case that revealed anything. Not that homeless people usually got autopsies, too many people died in Brockton Bay to worry about the homeless. But she couldn''t afford to be sloppy, just in case. She''d also actually cut some people open to look at their brains, she''d healed them after, but she hadn''t found any sign of her influence that way either. But she wasn''t a brain surgeon for all that her power could do shit.


    She''d gotten quite good at brains in the end, after over two year''s practice.


    Then had come her first Endbringer fight. Several dozens of capes under her hands. Of course she had hardly had time that first time to try anything. She''d been very busy after all. Her efforts had solidified her international reputation, saving so many capes made headlines everywhere¡­ And once the fight was done, she''d been able to heal those less critical injuries, taking her time this time.


    She wasn''t stupid. She didn''t twist them to her whim. She did¡­ Tweak some things, making the capes under her ministrations more amenable to her, altering their brain chemistry just a tad. To give herself a greater chance to get some of them alone at some point in the future and do more invasive procedures.


    She''d see what would come of it. If anything,


    She''d done much the same to Vicky. It was only fair after all. The outgoing and beautiful girl that practically blasted her with love me aura everyday was impossible to dislike even with her very obvious flaws. Amy could definitely see how original Amy would have¡­ Feelings, being subjected to that all the time. So to pay her back, she started subtly tweaking her sister, altering things just a little, shooting a spike of arousal and endorphins everytime she hugged her for example. Conditioning Vicky to become turned on at times when they were near each other and got physical (Hugging) - which was often. Her own little payback and homage to original Amy.


    Not really fair because Vicky hadn''t really been at fault for original Amy being a nutjob.


    Amy found some of her greatest amusements over the last year and change, in those little games she was playing with the vaunted Glory Girl. Switching Canon on its head, making Vicky the one who now dealt with guilt and shame for wanting to bone her sister. And oh, how desperately she wanted it.


    Amy was mean. And she owned it.


    But if she had to deal with an artificial itch she couldn''t scratch because, sisters. Then Vicky could suffer too. She''d mostly slowed down on that, not feeling as much of a need to mess with her, now that she''d settled in. Also she did actually love her sister. It was hard not to with how much Vicky loved her. So she couldn''t get too mean.


    She hadn''t only practiced on the homeless of course, she was constantly practicing and stretching the muscles of her power. She''d take plants into school in her bag and mess around with them during breaks. She''d even gone so far as to have flowers and grass in her pockets so she could sit in class and mess around with it until they died, instead of paying attention to the teachers.


    She''d hardly created any monstrosities at all. And hopefully if anything weird popped out of the sewers people would assume it was a new biotinker or something left over from Bonesaw. There had only been one tentacle monster okay, and she was almost sure it wouldn''t hurt anyone.


    All that practice had culminated in that meeting with Coil. If one wanted to really make a difference in the city, a gang was needed. Preferably to become the gang, you couldn''t change anything without going the villain route, the PRT wouldn''t allow positive change, they were so affixed to the status quo. Going after the ABB or the Empire was something that would take a lot of planning and effort, as well as many more minions then what she had currently, (Vicky counted as one). The Merchants wouldn''t be too hard to knock off, but practically useless and would just invite attacks from the other gangs anyway. Coil was the perfect one to suborn. He had contacts with Cauldron, Accord, Toybox, Tattletale, and the Travelers, although maybe not the last two yet, she was unsure on the timeline there. He had a secret base that was actually very secret, some very skilled mercenaries just waiting for a better boss, and reams of information on every player in Brockton Bay, including their real identities. Not that she didn''t have that same thing for the last one, future knowledge for the win.


    That said, her memory wasn''t exactly perfect. She knew Kaiser was Max Anders for example. But that didn''t have her remembering Hookwolf or Crusaders identities. She was almost certain Krieg was James something, so Coil''s information would still be useful to shore up what she couldn''t remember perfectly.


    The problem was his annoyingly hard to work around power of course. Amy couldn''t just brainwash him, because he''d dump that timeline and go after her full throttle in the other one. She''d never be able to know for sure when he''d started the other timeline, so even when she''d been alone in the room with his civilian identity, she had no idea whether he had another timeline running elsewhere. Knowing him, probably.


    It''s what she would do too if she had that power.


    So she''d prepared. She''d played with her power until she''d found the perfect hook. Cellular regeneration. She had no idea if it was for eternity - she seriously doubted it. But it would last long enough for Coil to test it out and come to the right conclusion , or so she believed from her tests so far. So she would play it off as immortality, whether that was true or not she couldn''t really say, although she suspected if she died, anyone running on her power that way would lose that effect. Although with how bullshit powers could be she wouldn''t discount it working eternally either. The minute she could touch him she''d be able to subtly twist his brain to her, planting a seed really, that would sit and wait for the right time. But that again would be a problem with those timelines if it went wrong.


    If Coil saw himself suddenly beholden to Panacea he''d terminate the timeline and again, go full throttle at her. She''d be dead or thrown in a hole somewhere ala Dinah Alcott. She also had no doubt he''d devote a timeline to torture her or her family to ensure she wasn''t full of shit. So she needed to suborn him slowly, to where no matter what he did in those two timelines after meeting her, he would pick the one where he was suborned.


    She knew all this because she knew him, and because she''d totally do the same thing to make sure if she had that power. Torture was efficient in some ways, even if not always completely accurate.


    She wasn''t jealous of his power. Not really. Bio Tinkering at Panacea level was cool. But Coil had a pretty broken power and it was annoying to deal with.


    So for starters she had to go so subtle with her power that it wouldn''t kick in for months yet, like she''d thought of, planting a seed that would grow slowly over the months until he was hers. So that Coil would end the timeline where he tests himself and tortures her, before realizing he was already hers, she already knew it wouldn''t show up on any tests he''d take, she''d already done those tests herself on people she''d healed. All this so Coil would be getting caught ''healed'' in the timeline he chose to keep.


    Because the second he kept it. She won.


    Her secondary concern had been the torture, of course. She wasn''t an idiot. Everybody had a breaking point. She''d end up blabbing, because no one could last forever under torture - especially as with the timeline shenanigans Coil could go even harder then normal torture since he didn''t have to worry about consequences. If she could find a away to keep the information quiet through torture, Coil would be hooked completely. She''d own him. Because he was an arrogant tool, and he would never believe a little girl kept anything back from him for that long.


    It had taken her months to finally figure out how to utilize even a sliver of her power on herself. She still couldn''t heal herself properly. But she had managed to reach her goal because she''d done something that wasn''t healing. Being able to deaden her nerves, using her power internally, she couldn''t really heal herself, but she could alter some things temporarily - she was basically turning something off for a while, with the hope they''d turn back on, on their own, because she couldn''t do it. Just hopefully it wouldn''t go wrong, because she wouldn''t be able to heal herself back up or fix it if the nerve issue weren''t just temporary. But it was the best bet she had.


    Months of hard work on herself and the best she could do was in lessening a part of herself.


    She''d hopefully be able to be tortured, and when she felt she was reaching a breaking point, dull the nerves temporarily, make herself survive the breaking point, and hold on to the end, or so she''d hoped and it apparently had worked. Coil wouldn''t have let her touch him otherwise. Not in any timeline she could perceive anyway. Either the nerve thing had worked, or she''d gone completely free from pain permanently - which also would have worked albeit not ideally, or just as likely, because she knew the timeline she was being tortured in was going to be temporary, she managed to hold on.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    She shivered as she walked down the street, sending a short wave to Vicky who was waiting for her impatiently, her sister practically bouncing in the air a few inches above the ground, despite being out of costume at the moment. It was very weird to know she''d just probably been horribly tortured in another timeline, simulated or not it was a kooky feeling.


    Although she was surprised he''d decided so quickly. She''d expected him to run separate timelines for far longer than the time of a meeting. She wondered how he''d pulled off that surety so fast. Perhaps she couldn''t remember his power accurately, but he''d still allowed himself to be healed, so she still won.


    Coil would definitely die. And for her own sanity she''d never ask what exactly he''d done to the other her in another timeline. His power was useful, sure, but even brainwashed she couldn''t make herself completely trust him. It was better if he died after she got any useful information out of him. Although she''d definitely ask him how he managed to get it done so quickly. Then he could die, she wouldn''t take chances.


    He was one slimy, tricky little shit after all.


    But she''d won. Coil had chosen to be the ''test subject'' for cellular regeneration and she could remember that. He chose to keep the timeline. In a few months at the latest he''d wake up one day, completely dependent on her. She couldn''t wait for that call. Even if for whatever reason he decided to kidnap her before then¡­ It was alright, because eventually he''d just let her go on her orders anyway. She could deal.


    Coil was greedy. He wouldn''t kill her. Not when he thought he could use her. So now it was just a waiting game.


    Canon was still like a bit over six months plus away, she had time.


    "I wasn''t gone that long, you''re like a puppy, I swear." Amy said with an amused quirk to her lips as she neared her sister.


    If she did have a tail it would have absolutely been wagging at the moment.


    "Ames, you took foooooorever!" Victoria disagreed, flying forward for the last few feet, glomping Amy into a full hug, almost throwing her off her feet. "You promised to go shopping with me!" She cried out gleefully. "Absolutely no take backs!"


    Amy didn''t often join in on shopping trips, so she understood her sister''s excitement, not that it stopped her from using her power to spike her arousal as she held her tightly in a sisterly hug. She smirked slightly as Vicky broke away a red hue to her cheeks and a slightly guilty look to her face. "What''s that look? You better not be taking me to buy anything weird, Vicky¡­" She teased her sister.


    It was one of her few amusements in her everyday life, flustering her sister. The hospital was just¡­ Sick people everywhere and she couldn''t even really let loose. Not yet. It was just so much work, even though she felt it had its benefits as she was getting a lot stronger with the constant use of her powers and finding new ways to do things. The shaper shard was infinitely more happy here then in Canon she suspected. At least when she became a villain in her own right she''d have minions, get to order people around, instead of being constantly directed around.


    Victoria huffed at her, but led her on towards the new dress shop she had blabbed about nonstop at school these last few days. Vicky really was angling for a fight if she thought she''d get Amy into a dress. At school she''d be lucky to get Amy into anything but jeans and a hoodie most days.


    Amy was well aware of the difference in looks between the two of them, she''d not show up at school in a dress and try to compare to Glory Girl. Rule number one on her own evil overlord list - don''t pick fights you can''t possibly win.


    Rule number two - Fuck you Carol. That was actually repeated a lot in her evil overlord list now that she thought about it.


    But it needed saying.


    No one at school would give her a second look standing next to Vicky. Not that she wanted them to anyway. She had better things to do than school drama. Really. She wasn''t bitter.


    School which was¡­ Amy had already had another life going through school before even if she hadn''t finished by the time she ended up here. So to say she was less than amused to be going through high school again was an understatement. All the New Wave nonsense and PR was also draining, considering New Wave barely bothered to actually do anything. Just as useless as the PRT and the Protectorate.


    The Wards alone could clean up the Merchants in an afternoon. New Wave, the Wards and the Protectorate could wipe out the ABB (sans Lung) in half a day tops. But they never did anything like that. Fucking heroes. Yeah right.


    Only a villain could actually improve Brockton Bay, they were the only one not so completely hamstrung in what they could do.


    And the cherry on top of her current life was of course Cunt Dallon ( Sometimes called Carol for some reason). Dear old mom. She was even more of a cunt than Amy could have ever imagined, she pitied the original for going through it without the benefit of outside knowledge. The new her cared nothing for Carol''s rules and attitude - instead of old Amy''s general apathy and quiet struggle - her new attitude hardly made Carol an easier person to live with.


    Although it was fun to see how red in the face Carol could get sometimes when Amy snarked back enough. Even if she invariably got grounded for it.


    So many groundings¡­


    Like groundings mattered when she''d still send her off to the hospital in the end.


    Amy couldn''t wait to become a villain. Knowing Carol would face the blame from literally everyone did add some extra delicious spice to the decision. She''d made sure to disseminate little comments here and there while doing her hospital work. Once she went bad, the entire hospital would point the finger to Carol. And it''s not like Vicky or the rest of New Wave could really come out and say anything different, not really. Besides, Vicky would never move against her.


    Ever.


    Of course Amy had chosen to become a villain, albeit eventually. She needed some fun in her life. And honestly the power and infamy was pretty attractive too, being able to do whatever she wanted, choosing her own way forward. She was too useful for the PRT to come down too hard on her, as long as she played ball for Endbringer fights - and didn''t make them scream Master. And in her backpocket she did have the information to fully stop them, for emergencies. Eidolon.


    Perhaps once Brockton Bay was fully hers, she''d give that information out in exchange for the PRT to completely hand her the city in perpetuity.


    Maybe if the world was exactly like Canon, she wouldn''t be as gung ho about things. But she''d noticed a few differences. The major one being why she was so cavalier about her future villainhood and leveraging Endbringer attacks to keep herself from being ganked.


    Scion was already dead. Possibly. She still suspected foul play because she was paranoid like that, but he seemingly had died.


    When she''d realized that change she''d practically died from relief. No Khepri situation needed, no mass annihilation. Although she still wouldn''t rest easy until the timeline got past golden morning.


    All the details weren''t publically available. Although she bet Cauldron knew it all, but not like those fuckers would share anyway.


    Hero hadn''t been killed by the Siberian, only wounded, and therefore he had lived longer than in Canon; that was the major change to the timeline. And eventually Hero had tried to talk Scion down or motivate him or something, not willing to commit to the evils that Cauldron planned as a necessity, or at least that''s what she would guess was the reasoning. She had no idea why else he''d try it. Unless it was an actual assassination plot already but she doubted Cauldron would have signed off on that.


    Alexandria for sure would have tried to stop him if it had been an ''official'' attempt to solve the situation with Scion. They were way too busy scrambling around for any advantage to try something that overt so soon.


    Hero must have been an absolute shit motivational speaker or so good that he went entirely in the opposite direction, because the media footage showed the two of them on hovering right above the ground talking with some random normal called Kalvin or something, then what appeared to be a portal appearing literally on Scion - which Hero disappeared into, then a blinding light, an explosion and that was it.


    There was a big hole in the ground where York used to be in Britain¡­ Which honestly, they were lucky it was only York disappearing and not the entire island considering what Scion could do.


    The official story was that Scion had committed suicide and taken Hero down with him.


    Amy was a bit more cynical, and wondered if Hero had used some tinkertech, what with being the best tinker ever, to force a portal open and then blew himself up to allow his friends to not go down too dark of a road with his sacrifice. Although how he got Scion to allow it is the question.


    Because how did he get depressed enough to allow it without the convoluted situation in Canon?


    She thought Hero was unbearably naive if he thought that would stop Cauldron, Alexandria and Doctor Mother wouldn''t stop. She appreciated his sacrifice, as it made this less of a death world now that she wouldn''t have to worry about total planetary annihilation. Only the partial annihilation ala Endbringers. She''d eat her uniform if Cauldron didn''t just keep doing what they were doing anyway - this time to try and get enough power to take down the Endbringers.


    Something which Amy could solve right now. But¡­ She wouldn''t.


    Villain Amy would never see the Birdcage or a kill order as long as the Endbringers existed. As long as she didn''t go full Bonesaw or Nilbog. Once she had amassed enough power to hold Brockton Bay, perhaps she''d be more comfortable. But now, no.


    Not nice definitely, many would die. But well, she was a villain really. Besides most people, for all that they cried about destruction and deaths when it happened - didn''t actually give a fuck or would lift a single finger to help, unless it was their own people or people they knew.


    Ask any random American how many fucks they give about Sudan or something. Most probably wouldn''t even care if an Endbringer suddenly wiped it out. People talked a good talk, but the amount of people in the world that actually lifted a finger to help people in other countries dealing with starvation or destruction was a very low percentage, the people that gave a shit was even lower.


    Of course with Scion dead and not helping fight Endbringers, there had been a lot more deaths and destruction for a while as the PRT and militaries of the world adjusted to being solely responsible for driving them off now. A lot more deaths.


    Well¡­ If for a while counts, as there''s still a lot more death and destruction going on.


    "Amy, pay attention! Isn''t this skirt just adorbs!?" Vicky shook her by the shoulders, wearing a white mini skirt that she''d definitely not be able to get past Cu- Carol.


    Not to mention the fact she was a teenager and a famous superhero, wearing that miniscule skirt would get half of PHO banned for making dirty comments. It already happened enough due to Glory Girl being a flier wearing a skirt. And well for being a 10/10.


    "I''ll give you a hundred dollars if you wear that home." She said seriously, making Vicky bite her lip, eyes flickering with indecision.


    "200." Amy coaxed, smiling when she saw the resolve set in her sister''s eyes.


    Not every villainous act needed to be a large one.


    Besides,


    Fuck Carol Dallon.


    £ª£ª£ª


    School. What was even the point? Amy did her best to hide herself in her hoodie as she was frog marched through the halls by Vicky. Apparently she needed ''friends''. How annoying. She hadn''t liked high school kids when she''d been in high school, a second go around didn''t endear her further.


    "You know this counts as kidnapping." She complained without any heat, there wasn''t really much of a point in fighting Vicky on the small stuff. Like any Brute she just bullheadedly pushed forward anyway.


    Vicky put her arm around her shoulder, a grin on her face as she kept pushing Amy forward with every step, "No jury would convict me!" She said with full confidence. She tossed her hair casually, ignoring all the looks they drew as they marched towards the cafeteria. Amy was forever thankful that she did not have any form of telepathy as a power - she did not want to know what all the little beasts were thinking about her sister. "Besides, you can''t eat lunch on the roof! That''s like totally for weirdos!"


    "Vicky, I am a weirdo." She deadpanned.


    She was mousey and weird, she blended into the background - if it weren''t for her fame anyway, not unattractive just¡­ Not anything special either. With her hoodie and baggy jeans she qualified for weirdo even without her personality mixed in.


    Compared to amazon Vicky with her perfect heart shaped face, curvaceous body, platinum blonde hair and blue eyes¡­ Well, there was a reason she tried to not compare herself often.


    Vicky pouted, hugging her closer to her side as they entered through the cafeteria doors, "You''re only a little weird." She flashed Amy a smile showing she was just playing along. Before she bounced forward, dragging Amy with her, happily shouting across the cafeteria, "Look what I found!" Without any effort she lifted Amy up and deposited her in short order in front of one of the lunch tables.


    The one filled with the wards. They''re all idiots. Amy couldn''t help but think with exasperation. She should have pushed a burst of arousal through Vicky and rushed for the roof while her sister couldn''t think clearly.


    "Hello Amy." Dean said politely with a small smile, the smile widening as Vicky plopped down next to him and kissed him on the cheek.


    "Drop dead with crotch rot." Amy answered back plainly, sitting down next to Vicky, already done with this whole socializing idea. Her sister was a cruel tyrant.


    "Still a people person I see." Dennis joked, sitting across from her.


    Amy slouched into her seat, her frown barely visible as she sunk back into her hoodie, "You''re all idiots, I can handle normal people just fine." She said dismissively. Clockblocker and her did not mix well. He had a habit of making fun of her, she had a habit of making up plans to make a penis grow out of his forehead.


    One day¡­


    "Play nice, Amy." Vicky chided, although her twitching lips and the shine in her eyes told her that Vicky, as always, found her own amusement in siccing Amy on her friends.


    "You''re the biggest idiot." Amy grumbled. Pointing at Vicky. "Don''t flutter your eyelashes at me, I''m immune!" She complained as Vicky tried a cutesy face.


    Vicky laughed, leaning into Dean, "You''re extra grumpy today, sis." She teased gently.


    "I''m allergic to stupidity." Amy muttered, crossing her arms. It was a bit childish of her, but she was tired of people forcing her into things she didn''t want. Even if Vicky had only good intentions, she was absolutely horrible at taking the word no without bulldozing over it.


    "Who''s being stupid this time?" Carlos asked buttering a roll, sighing as Dennis stole it suddenly, right out of his hand, "Really?"


    "Well that question kind of answered itself, didn''t it?" Chris snarked, stealing the roll back from Dennis and tossing it to Carlos. Amy didn''t really like Kid Win and Aegis any better than Clockblocker, they were just too¡­


    "C''mon, it''s just a roll, I''ve totally done way dumber." Dennis bragged.


    "What did I do to you to deserve this?" Amy asked plaintively of Vicky, who was watching the conversation with amusement while Dean ran a hand through her hair.


    Their relationship was disgustingly new and they were all lovey dovey with each other. How she was supposed to eat lunch with that going on she couldn''t understand. Gallant was such a stupid name too. She didn''t dislike him for the same reason canon Amy did, she just thought he was so annoying.


    "I think you might be exaggerating a tiny bit." Dean aka perfect Gallant, cut in with a chuckle, holding a hand up leaving just a tiny bit of space between two fingers.


    "If you want her to stick around and gel with us, maybe cut her some slack and ease down on the teasing." Rory interjected calmly. "We''re all the same here, no need to act out."


    Amy made a face, hidden somewhat by her hoodie. Triumph as always tried to be the leader but mostly he came off as a tool regurgitating PRT talking points instead of anything worth listening to. He sounded like someone who''d been taught by Armsmaster on how to lead a team. Saying all the right things, but missing everything on whether he needed to say it at all, or when to do it.


    "You''re all just so¡­ Dumb¡­" Way to go Amy. Alienate every ward in one sentence. At least she might get the privacy of her roof from now on¡­


    "Ames!" Vicky groaned, although she had to quickly cover her mouth to prevent her snickering to be heard.


    "I''m including you in that, Vicky." Amy said, staring her down, "I mean how does the gangs and the whole school not know all of your identities already?" She waved at Vicky, "You have Glory Girl coming and hanging out with you guys, the table of kids with a wide range of backgrounds and ages, who are still strangely tight knit. The group who randomly disappear from school at odd hours. Dragging me along to sit here just makes it even more obvious." Cape identities are supposed to be kept secret, but it was like no one at Arcadia was even trying.


    "I don''t see why you''re worrying, you''re unmasked anyway so what''s the big deal to you?" Dennis said carelessly before shoving his face with hash browns.


    "I''m surrounded by idiots." Amy groaned, "Someone should care. Am I the only one concerned with actual competence?"


    "Amy, it''s all working fine, don''t stress about it." Vicky said, patting her hand, trying to soothe her irritation. Flashing her a brilliant smile, "Let''s talk about something else. Like maybe who wants to take Amy for a date?" She chirped mischievously.


    "Are you serious right now?" Came out of Amy''s mouth at the same time as both Kid Win and Clockblocker said "Hard pass!"


    Both Amy and Vicky zeroed in on the boys with harsh glares immediately. "What did you just say?" And "You can''t say that to my sister like that!" Coming out of our respective mouths.


    "Why don''t we all calm down and eat." Rory tried, Dean jumping in at the same time to try and calm down Vicky, "They didn''t mean it like that Vicky, they''re just intimidated by her."


    Yeah, intimidated by actual proof of intelligent life. She thought with some annoyance.


    Amy sniffed imperiously, standing up, glaring down at the two idiot wards. "I''m a great catch, not that I want anything to do with you two, you better watch out, you''ll definitely pay for that comment." She might have hammed it up a bit, but this was the perfect excuse to disengage and get away from the wards.


    She stomped off to the sweet music of Vicky lambasting some stupid boys.


    Could she just drop out when she became a Villain? That''s possible, right? Supervillains didn''t really need school. Although that depended on if she wanted to be a secret supervillain or not¡­


    Ugh. At least with yet another disastrous meal in the bank it will be another week or two before Vicky tries to get her socializing with the wards again. No doubt they all thought she was a complete bitch. But she really just didn''t want anything to do with them. They were so¡­ Naive.


    To honestly believe they were doing any good. Posing for photos and holding press conferences, patrolling the boardwalk. While they were doing that, women were being raped by the ABB, minorities murdered by the Empire 88, everyone having their lives destroyed by the Merchants and their drugs.


    And the wards believed they were heroes? Amy couldn''t stand them.


    Except maybe Vista. She''d at least do more if she wasn''t completely drowned by PRT regulations.


    Too bad she couldn''t recruit her without brain scrambling. And she didn''t really want to do that to the wards, they may be idiots but she had some standards.


    No brainwashing heroes. Unless she really really wanted to. It was a decent policy, right?


    Just another fun school day¡­ She thought as she sat down on the roof, eating idly while one hand played with a flower in the pockets of her hoodie, poking and prodding it with her power.


    Normality was overrated. This life was just boring like this.


    Sometime soon she''d have to find an excuse to get to Winslow and deal with the trio of idiots. There was no need in getting Skitter running around this time around, she didn''t want to choke to death on bugs, thank you very much.


    ...


    Later that night


    Amy snuck back through her window, having left it just slightly opened so that she could open it fully to get back in on her return. Her nightly return to the hospital to practice her powers more was taken with the usual lambasting by the doctors and nurses who were concerned for her well being.


    She had her ''official'' hours just after school, but like Canon Amy, she went back for more regularly. Like it probably was in Canon, most of the staff thought Carol was pushing her too hard. Unlike that poor girl, the new her was going back to constantly play with and evolve her powers. Compared to when she first started - she could now continue healing for hours on end without stopping and she could do it fast too, no more standing around for minutes, she could heal most things in literal seconds.


    Healing to her, was about as interesting most days as watching paint dry.


    "Please tell me you''ve been having a dirty rendezvous with a bad boy and didn''t just go do more boring work." Vicky pleaded dramatically, as Amy dropped to the floor, the blonde laying on her bed, her head hanging off it, staring up at her with a cute frown on her face.


    "I did technically have a rendezvous with an old man." Amy admitted, taking her sweaty hoodie off and tossing it over Vicky''s face.


    Vicky rolled over, discarding the hoodie to the floor in the process, her eyes flickering over Amy''s body so quickly it would have been impossible to catch it Amy hadn''t been looking for it already. "Unfortunately I know you, so I know that isn''t as kinky as it sounded." Vicky pointed out with a smirk, resting her chin on her folded hands.


    "It was Clockblocker''s grandfather, he had cancer, I took care of it." Amy said nonchalantly, as she divested herself of the rest of what she was wearing, after all, they were sisters, no big deal. Muahahaha.


    "Wait¡­ Really?" Vicky asked, a blush blooming onto her face as she tried to play unaffected. "Why didn''t he say something before today?"


    Amy rolled her eyes, amused at the way Vicky''s eyes followed her movements as she approached her bed. "Because he''s an idiot, he didn''t mention it at all."


    "Then how did you¡­?" Vicky trailed off as Amy pushed her face back, sitting down on the edge of the bed.


    "I went over there and healed his grandfather to punish him of course." She said with a smirk, "For his stupid comment earlier today."


    "Wait? You cured his grandfather of cancer as a punishment? You''ve lost me there." Vicky admitted distractedly, poking Amy in the midriff.


    "Scoot, it''s my bed." Amy said, before climbing in next to Vicky. Giving her a light nudge with her bare foot to move the girl enough that she could get under the covers. "And it''s because now he''ll feel super guilty for saying that when I went and healed his grandfather of course."


    "God Ames, you can be such a bitch sometimes." Vicky laughed, a healthy flush to her and a bit of huskiness to her voice.


    Amy patted her on the arm and made sure to flush a cocktail of endorphins and hormones through her body, spiking her arousal sky-high. "Yes I can be, now get out of my room."


    "B-but¡­" Vicky stammered, pupils dilated and with her breathing coming in quick heavy breaths.


    "We''re too old to be sharing a bed." Amy said blandly, turning the light off and rolling over. Inwardly snickering.


    The very keyed up Glory Girl left the room shortly thereafter.


    Amy was definitely a bit of a bitch. She was okay with it though.


    Besides, Vicky was a big girl, she could handle herself.


    Amy was just about to sleep, when the sirens started blaring.


    Endbringer.


    Fucking of course.


    £ª£ª£ª


    She was the last one it seemed when she arrived at PRT HQ. The Protectorate was all there standing outside already, there were no villains offering themselves up today it seemed. Nor were any wards present. And she was the only one from New Wave that would be going. Carol had almost even kept her back, but it would look bad on New Wave if none of them contributed nowadays, so here she was.


    It was the Hero-killers turn. Behemoth. Idly she wondered how many of those standing in front of her were going to die today. One of the things that had changed lay behind the full roster showing today. Protectorate capes no longer had the option to say no to Endbringer fights.


    "Panacea. Thank you for coming." Miss Militia said with a short nod, her power changing constantly between a large knife and some sort of handgun. Even veterans got nervous when it was Behemoth, Amy couldn''t blame her, the death toll was bad before when fighting that particular Endbringer. Without Scion to drive it off, the death toll nowadays for Behemoth fights was around 70-80 percent of all combatants. That was not public information or no one would ever show up - but Amy knew due to being the healer?.


    If it kept up like this she''d have to let loose her Endbringer data early just to have any heroes left to mess with. It just wasn''t sustainable to keep losing so many. More people outside the Protectorate volunteered to fight the Simurgh and Leviathan rather than face Behemoth - and with Simurgh''s capacity for fucking with brains¡­ That said a lot.


    Amy would have to see if she could do something about that, being able to catch Ziz-bombs or potentially healing them could net her some good money if she was mercenary about it. She''d have to be away from Carol first for that though. And hopefully keep it quiet. She didn''t need the extra fame, it would just make her career switch more annoying.


    Amy ran a hand through her sweaty hair, wishing she had a shower before bed at least. She felt way too grungy after so many hospital hours today, "Yeah, looking forward to it." She drawled sarcastically.


    At least she''d trained her skin bacteria to destroy anything that would have left an odor so she wouldn''t be the smelliest hero on site.


    "This is not a joking matter." Armsmaster chided sternly as he fiddled with something on his halberd. "I can understand the need to make light of the situation, but your nerves would be better turned onto more productive things."


    Amy scoffed, the leader of Brockton Bays protectorate had never liked her much after that one teeny tiny comment on PHO calling him Assmaster when he was tossed on his ass by Uber and Leet that one time. "I''d make another sarcastic comment but I just don''t really think you''re worth the effort." Amy turned away, dismissing Armsmaster from her mind.


    She also never liked him much because she remembered well how much of an ass he could be from Canon, he wasn''t totally bad, just really annoying at times. Definitely not as bad as she''d seen in some fics, this Armsmaster was pretty human, just very focused on himself.


    "Some respect for the chain of command wouldn''t go amiss." Miss Militia said quietly, eyes flickering over to Armsmaster for a moment, "He''s a serious man, Panacea, he doesn''t mean anything by it, and we''re all on the same side here."


    Amy had even less respect for Miss-might-as-well-be-a-nazi than she did for Armsmaster. At least he tried sometimes. She would follow PRT orders even if they said to sacrifice every kid in town. Pretty much what the PRT was doing on the daily here anyway.


    Not like any girl out walking after dark could hope the PRT would save them - they never did, not enough to matter. She could ask the girls kidnapped and used in the ABB''s brothels how much they felt the PRT cared, she had a feeling the answer would contain some foul language.


    "I''m not a PRT stooge, I''m not in your chain of command." Amy said cooly, walking away from the top two and therefore the most useless members of the Protectorate. The two that would always without fail protect incompetence in the name of PR and orders. Who cared how many had to be killed and enslaved as long as the press conferences went well.


    God, she hated this world. What was the point of Heroes when they were worse than the villains for the normal population?


    Yeah, Jack Slash was bad, horrible even. But more people have died or suffered from PRT (Or Cauldron) inaction or actual purposeful actions - than the Slaughterhouse Nine had ever killed. Especially as Cauldron was actively letting the Nine rampage.


    At least people calling themselves heroes should actually do something to live up to that name.


    "One of these days someone''s going to smack you down, girl." Battery said with visible amusement as Amy parked herself next to her and Assault. The two least objectionable members of the team in her opinion.


    Which says a lot about the heroes, as Assault used to be a villain.


    Also they sometimes dropped off a frappe to her when she was working - so she''d silently classified them as not objectionable.


    "I can give your boyfriend a 3 inch dick." Amy threatened playfully, leaning against the walls of the PRT headquarters, hands hidden away within her robed cape uniform. The wait was always the worst about Endbringers. Once she was busy healing, time just flew away until it was over. The waiting allowed her to think too much.


    "Hey, now! I didn''t even do anything this time!?" Assault complained, both hands dramatically grasping nothing over his costume - where his heart would be.


    Battery grinned irreverently, "Might be an improvement, a whole extra inch, puppy." She put both hands apart as if measuring something, it was not a flattering distance apart.


    "Savage. I approve." Amy couldn''t help but let a small smirk grow on her face as the two went into their usual routine of mocking and teasing each other. They were definitely her favorites.


    Reminded her of Vicky and her just more¡­ Adult. Ugh, she just compared herself and Vicky to a couple again. Stupid brainwashing.


    Then Strider was there suddenly with a loud crack, cutting through any further conversation. The independent cape glancing over them all, everyone stepping closer without prompting. Everyone here had been to an Endbringer fight before.


    "This everyone?" Strider asked more as a habit than wanting to wait on any latecomers. Armsmaster barely got his mouth open to reply when Strider saw Miss Militia''s nod and went into action.


    Between one blink and the next, with a loud crack, they all disappeared, just to reappear elsewhere. Amy hadn''t even asked where they would be going, but she immediately recognized the skyline. Hard to miss the Eiffel Tower reaching into the sky.


    "Really? Paris, the city of love? Romance is dead, thanks a lot Behemoth." She griped, getting another chagrined look from Armsmaster before he marched off, the rest of the Brockton Bay Protectorate following in his wake. "Tch, you''re no fun." She mumbled to herself.


    She knew it annoyed the man to no end that she was not under his authority when she''d mouth off. Partly why she did it in the first place.


    A PRT agent materialized by her side, holding an armband out to her. "Panacea, if you''d follow me I''ll take you to your station, please put on this armband an- "


    She interrupted him, already closing the armband around her wrist. "Yeah, yeah, it will allow anyone to speak to everyone, all tracked and facilitated by Dragon, it keeps track of our vital signs etc etc and allows our people to locate and save downed heroes, it''s not my first rodeo." She lifted her wrist up and pressed the button, "Panacea." She spoke clearly, the armband coming online.


    She followed the agent, some tension visible in her frame. She didn''t want to stop Endbringer attacks yet. They were too useful for her own future benefit. As much of a cold hearted cunt that made her. But this wasn''t Canon anymore. Endbringer fights lasted longer without Scion, and were more lethal because of that.


    There was no guarantee Behemoth wouldn''t crush the medical area and end her today. She was a hundred times the healer than the original Panacea had been by the time Canon started. She''d constantly played with her power. Gone to lengths the original would have never touched. But she still couldn''t heal herself or play around much with her own biology. Two years of effort had allowed her to deaden pain to some extent. That was it. That was the limit she''d hit.


    She listened to Dragon as the timer counted down. Standing in the medical area set apart for the few who wouldn''t just immediately die upon contact. Behemoth was almost here.


    And then he was.


    Amy could hear the almighty crash as Behemoth emerged, simply crushing his way through buildings, heroes no doubt firing everything they had to stop him.


    Already names were dropping. She''d have work soon. At times like these she wished the PRT had the sense to threaten the shit out of the villains to get people like Othala to be here. Or fuck, bribe them. But that would break the silly little rules they had. Fucking idiots.


    "Bastion down, Firecracker deceased, Strider down, Spade deceased, Carousel deceased, Velocity down -"


    Amy ignored the broadcast, pressing the button on the armband, "Someone find Strider and get him to medical now!" She snapped. Someone was probably already working on that - but she held no confidence in PRT heroes intelligence.


    Without Strider being able to teleport their capes around to save the downed capes, Behemoth would just run through them all in no time, mobility was the key, and the other capes capable of saving downed capes were not nearly as fast as Strider. They couldn''t let the bastard wreck Paris. She''d never even had a cliche Parisian lovey dovey date with anyone yet. In either life.


    For romance they must win¡­ She could see Vicky actually saying something like that if she was here. Amy wasn''t nearly ridiculous enough to say it out loud.


    She received an affirmative from someone, and a minute later Strider was dumped on one of the beds by a yellow suited cape who immediately disappeared again in swirling mists saying something french in passing.


    Amy laid her hands on the independent teleportation cape. He had more broken bones than whole ones - but he was alive still. She suffused his entire body with her power, taking the opportunity to tweak his brain enough that he''d come see her at some point for instructions later if they both lived, making him see her as his savior. The opportunity was just too great to pass up on. As he woke up once he was healed he immediately went into a teleport with just a short nod her way as a thanks, having realized he was whole again - Amy felt her power expand all of a sudden, a connection forming. It was the biggest trip of her life, and tinker made drugs had some huge trips.


    So she heard¡­


    Her mind was everywhere, her power teleporting around, reaching out, her power felt stretched like it was reaching out over everything. She fell back on the ground on her ass even as more capes were being brought in and the medical personnel around her panicked at her sudden collapse.


    The two other capes in the medical area with some healing capabilities would have to deal with the influx; her mind was on everything right now.


    "Armsmaster deceased, Aurelian deceased, Strider down, -" The armband continued and Amy twitched in annoyance. The bearded idiot had not suffered nearly enough to go now, and fucking Endbringers with no regard for her efforts, she just healed Strider. Hardly knowing what she was doing but just feeling that she could, her power reached out from the medical area to the people named by Dragon. An invisible touch reaching Armsmaster, his rib cage crushed, but he''d only been dead for 3 seconds, Amy healed him up good as new and restarted his heart, her power just regenerating the cape wholesale, she felt herself weakening from it but that was all the apparent drawback, her power teleporting along to Strider, both legs practically gone, crushed to paste, she twitched in annoyance back in medical, but grew the legs back which snapped him into wakefulness again and he was again on the move pretty quick, apparently not even stopping to wonder about his miracle healing.


    She could only heal by touch normally, but in this case she wasn''t even healing like she normally was. She was just pumping them full of her power and regenerating them. Even the recently dead.


    She could only deal with living tissue, but someone dead for barely seconds was essentially still living as far as their cells and tissue mattered. She fixed them with an ease even stronger than her usual powerful healing.


    Her eyes stared ahead unseeing as she continued her work. The doctors and nurses around her were gaping in shock as over and over again Dragon came over the comm channel with deceased and downed Heroes, only to just as promptly declare them alive and back in the fight again. Amy felt herself growing weaker but she refused to quit, exhilarating in the powerful feeling of stretching her power across Paris.


    To the heroes credit, they didn''t question any of it and just jumped back into the fight. There was no time for shock or gratitude.


    On and on Amy fought, viciously refusing to let the big stupid thing undo her work. It would all be fine, it would all work out. STOP KILLING STRIDER! She screamed mentally as she healed Strider again. After putting him down for the count twice, alive but seriously injured - Behemoth seemed to have it out for him now. Killing Strider an additional three times already - no, four! FUCK OFF! She raged as she put him back together again, her power sliding over another Hero, one whose head was crushed, coolly she left him dead, she would not reveal she could work on brains.


    It wasn''t worth it. She was inherently selfish after all. She wasn''t outing herself with that capability for some random cape.


    On and on it went, until suddenly she wasn''t feeling anyone dying anymore. Well not any heroes anyway, plenty of people in the city were dying. But only maybe a few thousand, not the hundreds of thousands at minimum that she''d expect from a Behemoth fight nowadays.


    She blinked blearily, coming back to herself. What the fuck was that - how did her power pick up on Striders teleportation? Was it because she did reach into his brain, touched his Corona Pollentia? Had she somehow what? Biologically programmed her own power to add teleportation when it was inside him? Could she do it again? And why was she so woozy, she tasted iron too, she brought her hand up to her lips, then her nose, they came back fully stained red. Oh, that''s why.


    She hit the floor a second later.


    £ª£ª£ª


    "This should be impossible."


    It was a small group. They''d convened in the medical area put aside for the Heroes by the Parisian government. For once it was practically empty. Not something Alexandria would have ever believed if she''d been told before today. The only patient, resting in the bed in front of them. Amy Dallon, Panacea. The miracle worker as some were already proclaiming all over PHO.


    She''d been unconscious the entire day, the best medical professionals in the country swearing up and down that she''d recover soon, that it was exhaustion more than anything behind it.


    "I am living proof that it is in fact possible." Armsmaster retorted stiffly. His armor shattered across his torso, the tinker having had no time to fix it yet, and apparently unwilling to go without it. As Panacea was from his city, he''d been included in this meeting, insisted on it actually. Refusing to let her be alone without someone she''d recognize.


    "All data point to nothing short of a miracle," Dragon interjected via video link. "Over 70 percent of the Heroes present today¡­ Died," She said with a grave expression." Yet a majority of them were healed within seconds and brought back." Dragon hesitated for a moment, "Over thirty percent of the Heroes died at least three times."


    None of them spoke of Strider who''d died four times and been brought down severely injured thrice. The teleporter had anxiously awaited news of Panacea''s recovery, desperate to thank the young heroine. None of them could blame him for those feelings.


    It certainly made Alexandria uncomfortable to imagine dying four times. Behemoth deaths were always brutally violent. She''d seen too many of them.


    "70 percent is a normal number for Behemoth." Legend said sharing a commiserating look with Alexandria and Eidolon. It''s why it was so hard to get anyone in the know to come fight Behemoth after all. Why they had been struggling to save any cities from the Endbringer.


    "How many died in total?" Alexandria demanded of Dragon, "Permanently, I mean." She added when she realized that was a thing she had to ask now.


    "11 Heroes are so far confirmed dead, and although the death count of civilians is far from completed yet, it looks likely it will not eclipse five thousand." Dragon said a note of wonder in her voice. "Radiation levels are nominal, Behemoth never had time to really get going with so many Heroes constantly on him, returning to fight no matter what he did."


    He''d eventually been driven off by the amount of damage the Triumvirate had managed to inflict when the multitude of Heroes could pin him down to allow the three of them to focus fully on damaging it instead of holding actions.


    It had left behind an arm, which Alexandria knew Cauldron would be happy to examine and see what they could make of it.


    The Triumvirate and Armsmaster took the information from Dragon in with a shared sense of disbelief even though they''d already heard the number before briefly. Eleven dead Heroes was¡­


    "There has never been a death toll that low." Armsmaster said, almost as if speaking to himself, staring down at the pale, raccoon eyed girl they were all staring transfixedly at, waiting for her to wake.


    "The French government has already declared her a citizen, instituted a national Panacea holiday and is planning on showering her with medals. Their parliament and president are practically gushing on TV right now." Legend said, shaking his head in wonder, "She deserves all that and more, this is¡­ Big."


    "It''s only been two hours since they were informed about the particulars, they work fast." Eidolon said quietly. Seemingly discombobulated by something. Alexandria glanced his way, brow furrowed. Eidolon didn''t seem happy, despite their huge victory.


    "It is not in the news yet, but there''s talk in upper levels of government in the states to give her the presidential medal of freedom." Dragon piped in.


    Eidolon twitched slightly, drawing Alexandria''s attention again, but at that moment Legend clapped his hands together with a wide smile drawing all eyes on him, "Good, we should celebrate her achievement. This will bring hope, it will bring us all together."


    "How did she do it?" Alexandria wondered out loud. Panacea''s power was well documented with how much she used it to heal people in Brockton Bay. Admirable really, for such a young heroine to have that kind of dedication. Alexandria had never paid much attention to her existence, something that would have to change now.


    "We will find out momentarily, she is waking." Armsmaster said, almost robotically. The man did not appear to take his death well.


    It was a new world.


    For the first time since Contessa disappeared and Hero died with Scion, with the Endbringers becoming almost unstoppable in the aftermath, Alexandria found a sliver of hope in her chest.


    It wasn''t a way to defeat them. But it was something.


    And it was better than nothing.


    Damn Hero for being a fool.


    £ª£ª£ª


    "Ow." Amy moaned, as she found herself waking, a throbbing pain in her skull making itself immediately known, the bright lights didn''t help her eyes any either. "What the fuck happened?" She swore, before remembering what she had been doing before she must have passed out. Her whole body was aching, her power was aching, it was like she had stretched every muscle in her body even the metaphysical ones.


    "That''s what we would like to know." A stern voice asked from her side.


    Amy blinked, scooting up into a sitting position in her bed, blinking again as she figured the lights were messing with her vision. Or she was dreaming, because she was pretty sure she was seeing the Triumvirate in front of her. "I''d say this must be a dream¡­ But none of my many naughty dreams involving the Triumvirate - had lord fuddy duddy there." She indicated Armsmaster with her chin. Of course she was joking anyway, she only dreamed of Alexandria.


    She glanced quickly at the other heroine, taking her all in, yep, definitely some future dream material.


    Armsmaster looked supremely uncomfortable at her opening gambit. Which pleased Amy to no end. At least Legend had a sense of humor, the sinfully attractive man was laughing brightly while his two colleagues just looked constipated. And when she said sinfully attractive, it was true, because she was gay and she still thought he was an absolute dish.


    "At least someone appreciates me." Amy mumbled, wincing as her head ached just from the small movements she''d made.


    "I think it''s fair to say that there''s not a lot of people in the world right now that doesn''t appreciate your efforts Panacea." A voice came from nowhere.


    Amy recognized the voice of course, she just couldn''t see where she was speaking from, and she wasn''t going to turn her head and make herself hurt worse for it. "What do you mean?" She asked, a suspicious frown on her face.


    "Do you remember the fight with Behemoth?" Alexandria asked her, looking like she''d had a stroll down the Champs-¨¦lys¨¦es instead of having duked it out with an Endbringer.


    Fucking brutes.


    Amy did remember¡­ "Fuck!"


    "You''re¡­ Upset?" Eidolon asked, a weird look on his face, the man wearing a domino mask instead of his usual get up.


    Amy groaned as she rubbed her face gently, not wanting to set off her aches even more, "I love that I healed so many, don''t get me wrong¡­ But it''s going to be a big deal isn''t it?"


    "Only eleven people died permanently. That''s not even five percent casualties." Armsmaster helpfully offered.


    Amy groaned louder, grabbing a pillow and screaming into it, even if it hurt her head she just needed to release it. How was she going to turn to villainy if she was the most well known and loved hero of them all. And if she could make a habit of reducing casualties like this in Endbringer fights then she would be, hands down the most popular hero. Hell, if she tried to turn villain the fucking Triumvirate would chase her down and force her back into heroism.


    There''s a very big difference between a healer able to help heal the injured in an Endbringer fight  -  and one able to heal everyone, even the recently dead.


    Eleven dead, probably either brain injuries or people that died before her power got boosted. What a mess.


    She would need to find a way forward. Like hell she was spending her life like a heal bot.


    "Are you¡­ Okay?" Legend asked, one hand on her shoulder, squeezing her gently.


    Amy removed the pillow from her face, sighing deeply, "Yeah, no. Not really. The last thing I want is to become more famous. That''s not why I do what I do." Well, kind of. Infamous would be fine.


    She could practically feel approval of her ''heroic'' attitude radiating from Legend and surprisingly from Alexandria too, maybe she wasn''t as stone cold of a bitch as she was in Canon.


    Armsmaster and Eidolon were practically both competing for gold in the competition of how constipated can you look - while trying to not look upset about such casual disregard for fame.


    Fucking glory hounds.


    Shit¡­ Eidolon is totally by accident sending an Endbringer to Brockton Bay next for sure isn''t he? Amy just kind of wanted to scream again. She didn''t even want to be a hero!


    "How did you do it? It is what I want to know." Alexandria asked, "Did you trigger again?" She asked bluntly.


    "I don''t¡­ Think so?" Amy said hesitantly, could that be it? No? Why would she second trigger? She wasn''t even in any danger at the time.


    "You don''t sound so sure?"


    "I don''t think that was it¡­ I was healing Strider, and he needed intensive healing and it almost felt like my power latched onto his in a way." Amy explained, feeling more sure of herself the more she said, it would be bad to outright lie in front of Alexandria anyway, so she just¡­ Didn''t tell her everything." He teleported away before I completely released him and then I could just feel that my power could also move across space like that, so everytime a name got called out, I moved to them with my power."


    "Can you still use his powers?" Dragon asked in the ensuing silence as everyone pondered what she''d said.


    "I don''t know. Everything just aches right now." Amy said, looking down at her hands. I honestly don''t know¡­ But I have a pretty good guess. Let them believe I don''t. I can say no when I''m not standing in front of Alexandria. Hopefully the fact she literally wasn''t entirely sure would hide anything else she was feeling. Once she was up and moving she could showcase some minor improvement if necessary. If like she thought, it worked.


    Every adult around her started theorizing about how it could have all happened, Amy listening with half an ear as no one seemed inclined to include her. That suited her just fine.


    The longer she could avoid going home right now the better, perhaps.


    Vicky was going to murder her for getting hurt without Vicky there to protect her. Not that she could have done anything. But logic and facts were never a real hindrance for Glory Girl.


    And of course Carol would milk her new fame for all that it''s worth, funny how comfortable she was with that while pretending she didn''t exist the rest of the time.


    ¡­. Maybe it was time to put Carol down a peg.


    £ª£ª£ª

 Chapter 2: Plans within Plans.

    £ª£ª£ª


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    ? Topic: Panacea the Miracle Worker


    In: Boards ? America ? Brockton Bay ? Capes Speculation ? Panacea


    ?Bagrat (Original Poster) (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)


    Alright, I don''t even know anymore. Usually not even I can get information on Endbringer fights, but this time¡­ This time it''s being shouted out loud and clear to everyone and everywhere.


    Behemoth attacked Paris yesterday, and it is still standing. The death toll looks to be under 5000 according to my sources and the Hero-killers count of slain heroes? Eleven!


    The lowest civilian death toll from Behemoth previously was around 150 000 people. This is huge, people!


    We all know that hero deaths from Endbringer fights are never fully released, not even I can get my hands on those numbers. However during the years internet sleuths have been able to approximate the numbers based on how many Heroes never show up again after a fight, and usually Behemoth deaths go to triple digits in Heroes killed or permanently crippled, at least before two years ago when Panacea triggered.


    Something like that was becoming unsustainable for obvious reasons.


    Paris still stands, our Heroes are still alive. And according to my sources it''s all down to Brockton Bay''s very own Panacea!


    I don''t even know what to classify her powers as at this point, apparently her power reached out all over Paris, healing Heroes from a distance, healing deceased Heroes so quickly after their death that they survived. What do you even rate this at?


    Panacea day is already a thing in France. And my sources say a Presidential medal of Freedom is coming Panacea''s way and that she already has an invitation to the White House waiting for her.


    It''s not for nothing words like savior are being tossed around.


    (Showing page 1 of 278)


    ?XxVoid_CowboyxX (Temp Banned)


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    So Panacea has an undead army of Heroes now? Is she working with the Endbringers to gather up an army? I always knew she was evil! No one''s that nice! Someone needs to do something about her permanently, before we all drown in zombies fr.


    Also first yah losers!


    ?Aurelian (Verified Cape) (¨¦quipe nationale de gr¨¨ve)


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    Her divine touch brought peace and salvation, three times the devil came for me, three times I was brought back to serve by the hands of divinity.


    She has come. She is salvation.


    ?Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    ]XxVoid_CowboyxX take a week off, seven day ban for you, do not threaten heroes, not even indirectly or as a joke.


    As an aside, Panacea has performed a real life miracle and it should not be dirtied or made into something it is not, it is a disservice to all the heroes who risked their life, and those who died. Keep the thread respectful.


    ?Free4thighs


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    Aurelian What''s a frenchie cape even doing in this forum? You able to read, frog? It says AMERICA!


    Also, you died three times according to utube. Loser.


    ?Reave (Verified PRT Agent)


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    On behalf of the Brockton Bay Parahuman response team and Protectorate, I''d like to extend our sincerest appreciation for the work of Panacea and the lives she saved today. All of our members will be returning to Brockton Bay to continue their good work in keeping our city safe.


    ?Candlestick


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    @Reave Safe? Lol what city do you live in, can''t be the same Brockton I live in fam.


    Aurelian Someone''s had ALL the kool-aid I see.


    ?Valkyr (Wiki Warrior)


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    @Panacea I have no idea how to update your wiki, just gonna put OP next to your name for now.


    Bagrat you always know stuff, got any tidbits on her power from the PRT yet?


    ? Glory Girl (Verified Cape) (New Wave) (Temp Banned)


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    WHOO! Go Sis! That''s my sister basically soloing an Endbringer! Next one we take down together alright!? I''m so pumped right now!


    XxVoid_CowboyxX if I find you you''re gonna be eating outta a straw for the rest of your creep life!!!!!!


    ?Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    Glory Girl, 24 hour ban, you know better, don''t post threats.


    ?WhiteHarley (Banned)


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    Tch, the Hero who can actually hurt someone badly gets 24 hours, while one of us regulars makes an indirect joke and gets seven days, what a suck up moderator.


    Aurelian Freak confirmed. Stay over there weirdo!


    ?Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    @WhiteHarley Glory Girl has no previous infractions, the same can not be said for XxVoid_CowboyxX. Don''t try and start something where there is nothing please and thank you, let''s keep this forum clean and friendly for everyone.


    ?WhiteHarley (Banned)


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    Removed by moderator.


    ?Brocktonite03 (Veteran Member)


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    Whoa @WhiteHarley that''s uncalled for, and disgusting. Hope mods report your IP dude.


    Anyways, so does anyone know what to even classify Panacea as now? Bagrat I agree with @Valkyr, got any more info for us?


    Either way holy shit Panacea did a thing.


    ?DiscoStu (Veteran Member)


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    Glory Girl, you''ve been sniffing too much bleach blondie. The real heroes fought an Endbringer. You stayed at home painting your nails, and your sister stayed safe in the back, pipe down.


    Bagrat any truth to the rumors that Armsmaster got wasted?


    ?DockMe


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    @Reave Srsly? Are you trying to make this into another PRT stunt? Panacea isn''t even one of you losers! She does more for the city than any of you ever have!


    Try patrolling more than the boardwalk you hyped up government dogs!


    ?GloryHole (Banned)


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    Removed by moderator.


    ?Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    Replied On February 13th 2010:


    Name not allowed, no posting sexually explicit scenarios, especially those kinds. Perma ban, I''m not retyping that name, you know who you are.


    ?JollyHippo (Veteran Member) (Secret Overlord)


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    Umm, is anyone else seeing this Church of Panacea thing that''s popping up all over the internet? I mean it''s been only a few hours and they have like ten thousand members already.


    Strangely enough the French cape weirdo isn''t one of them, yet.


    ?Brocktonite03 (Veteran Member)


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    @JollyHippo Oh man I see what you''re saying, the weirdos are out in full force, they''re calling her the SAVIOR, and yeah it''s supposed to be in all caps.


    Like, I''m not gonna join a cult, but I see where they''re coming from.


    Tbh tho, I''d rather worship Glory Girl, if you know what I mean


    ?Bagrat (Original Poster) (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)


    Replied On May 13th 2010:


    @Valkyr, @Brocktonite03, I currently don''t have any more information on Panacea''s powers but I''m working on it, she''s not part of the PRT so I don''t know how much I can finagle. (And no this does not mean I''m secretly in the PRT, don''t even start.)


    @DiscoStu Armsmaster has been pictured with his armor completely shattered across his torso, so it''s possible that there''s some truth to the rumors, it''s not been confirmed yet.


    Anyways,


    Listen to this, there''s capes joining the Church of Panacea, I''m scrolling down the members list, ( it''s fully public for those that have the time to browse) And there''s already three capes that I can see that have signed up. (That''s not counting Glory Girl who probably signed up as a joke)  The Panacea fan club has also seen an absolutely insane boost in numbers, growing to the fourth most followed cape in the world in just the last few hours.


    She''s already knocked Armsmaster off the top billet in Brockton Bay according to fan polls.


    @Reave What is the PRT policy for a cape starting a religion?


    End of Page. 2, 3, 4 ... 275, 276, 277, 278


    ¡­


    "Motherfucker!" Amy swore as she continued to scroll through PHO. It was bad enough that she was being called a miracle worker, but to have a cult start up - there''s no way that would end well. And it better damn well be a joke that Vicky joined up!


    She switched away from PHO and searched for the Church of Panacea, growing more discomforted as she searched through the webpage, it was pretty professional looking for something thrown together in less than a day. She scrolled through the list of names, grimacing as she came upon Glory Girl as one of the listed members. It was odd that they were publicly showing the members like that. Although if capes were joining maybe that was just a way to entice all the cape geeks to sign up.


    "Aunt Sarah nooo, why are you guys like this!" She moaned in distress as she came upon Lady Photon of all people having signed up as well. At least Carol would lose it on more people than her.


    She was kind of glad she forgot her phone at home and was using a borrowed one. She didn''t want to imagine the amount of texts she had right now. Or how much Carol would be calling her. No doubt this stupid church thing would somehow be her fault. Even if she was unconscious when it started.


    She put the phone down, not wanting to read any further, it was only pissing her off. Did no one realize that the more they propped her up the more likely it would be that people like Jack Slash or the Butcher would find it hilarious to come pay a visit? Was she the only parahuman with a working brain? Why was the likes of Alexandria allowing this shit and not stomping down hard?


    Especially as she wasn''t part of the Protectorate. They usually played pretty hardball with the independent heroes. Even the ones in an independent team.


    At least the ache inside her was settling down. She still hurt, but it was more of a dull ache now, even thinking about using her powers made her wince, she still felt sore all over. She had confirmed though that she still had some expansion of her powers. She no longer could stretch across Paris, but the building she was in - she could reach out that far. She could feel it. It made her itch to try and get her hands on another parahuman and see if she could draw out another combination power now that she knew how. Unfortunately it didn''t allow for her full capabilities, she could reach and suffuse people with her healing energy so to speak, mostly allowing it to go through the body and make it heal itself. She couldn''t do any of her real bio tinkering across a distance, she''d have to actually be touching someone.


    Made sense, she supposed. Even though it would have made things a lot easier for her if she could tweak people from a building away.


    Both Alexandria and Legend had been back to check on her, interested in having her try and connect to Strider again, to see if she could replicate the feat. She''d had to demur so far due to her exhaustion and aching system. Hopefully she could hold it off long enough that she could get out of here first. She didn''t mind testing it out, (She felt like she could for sure replicate the feat) but she didn''t want to do it in front of Cauldron. Not to the full extent anyway. Some minor improvements shouldn''t be too bad.


    She eyed her phone, borrowed from some random nurse who''d been falling over herself at the honor. It had been very uncomfortable, Amy did not look forward to seeing more of that kind of awkward hero worship. She really wished she had a separate civilian identity to go hide in at the moment. Sighing, she picked the phone back up again. The longer she held off on this the more of a headache it would be. She dialed the number. Random nurse was about to get some sucky international call charges on her bill.


    "Who''s this?" Victoria answered immediately, like she''d been waiting for a call.


    Amy let a breath out of her nose, "It''s me, Vicky."


    "Holy shit! Ames! Are you alright!? Everyone''s going crazy about you!" Vicky replied with a note of concern under her exuberance.


    "I''ve been better¡­ It''s been a bit much." Amy acknowledged, leaning her head back against her pillow. She''d still not been moved out of the medical area, the large mass trauma room felt very empty with only her as a patient. "Okay, so it''s actually been way too much¡­"


    "You''re okay though? You''re not hurt?" Vicky asked quickly, "They better be giving you the royal treatment!" Amy could practically see her sister pumping her arm in the air. She knew her that well.


    "I''m just sore, and annoyed. Why did you join that stupid cult, Vicky? It''s a bad joke, people will take that shit seriously!" Amy complained, she was used to Vicky doing stupid things, but joining a cult was a bit much. Besides Vicky was her minion, no stupid cult got to muscle in on that.


    "It''s hilarious!" Vicky disagreed cheerfully, "They''ve already come up with a prayer for you and everything, I helped a little." God, why does she sound proud of that! Shitty big sister!


    Amy let that statement hang in the air as she hit her head against the phone, taking a deep breath, "Why!?" She groaned, "Vicky, how is mom even letting you get away with this BS?"


    There was a pervasive silence on the other line, Amy couldn''t help but let out a brief disbelieving laugh, "Oh god, she doesn''t know? She''s going to kill you!" Well¡­ Actually it would probably be blamed on her instead.


    "I didn''t think that far ahead." Vicky admitted sheepishly, "She''s busy talking with the press and some bigwigs and stuff, did you know we''ve all been invited to the White House?" She chirped, back to being bubbly and cheerful again. "And like, there''s already a toy line being fast tracked for you, mom''s on it right now, gonna call it the miracle line, snazzy huh? I''m tots jealous btw, but at least it''s you."


    Great¡­ Only reason Carol isn''t yelling about the church of Panacea is that she''s too busy trying to make money off her name. Super. Being underage sucked, having a lawyer as a mom that hated you sucked worse, that should be her toy money, but she knew Carol would funnel most of it to New Wave or charity. Without asking her for her input, of course.


    "Vicky¡­ Please for me, just¡­ Leave the cult, okay?" Amy said tiredly. Hearing that Carol would be coming to the White House for the medal ceremony did not exactly bring her joy. And of course the end of an Endbringer attack had her mom looking to capitalize on a toy deal, priorities right? The whole thing was going to be a mess, Amy wasn''t looking forward to whatever shit would be dumped on her this time once she got home.


    If anything Carol was worse than Canon because Amy refused to be silent and just take it now.


    Things would explode once she got back to Brockton Bay. As much as she hated her stupid fame messing up her plans. It did give her some leverage to tell Carol to screw herself.


    "Oh, hey Mom, I got Amy on the phone, did you want to speak to her?" Vicky, the absolute traitor, could be heard saying, speaking to Carol.


    So much nope!


    "Oh, wait, Alexandria needs to speak with me, talk to you later." Amy said bitchily and hung up before Vicky could answer, or worse, Carol could. She put her head in her hands groaning out loud. "Vicky, why? What have I ever done to you?" Well¡­ Except messing with your mind and body chemistry¡­ Was karma a thing? It felt like it was. Which, so not fair. Compared to original Amy she was practically a saint when it came to Vicky.


    Had she turned Vicky into a flesh monstrosity? No? Then she was way ahead already, her karma should be excellent.


    The phone started ringing, Amy eyed it like she had a live snake in her lap. Of course Carol would call back, she had the number now. She should have waited to call Vicky, why she bothered she didn''t know, maybe she felt a bit lonely and stressed out. But it was a mistake, Vicky always defaulted to mom knows best in the end when it came to an argument. At least she knew that when it came down to it, Vicky would have her back in the end, she''d made sure of it. Didn''t help so much with the petty shit right now with Carol though.


    She resolutely ignored it. She''d pay for it later. But she wasn''t dealing with Carol to go with all the rest of the shit going on right now.


    Supervillains had it easy, if they had a bitchy mom they could just use a freeze ray or something and take care of the problem.


    "I could probably just stay here, I''m a French citizen now¡­" She muttered to herself. She tossed the phone onto another bed, ignoring its continued ringing, she might as well try and get some rest, it was going to be a rough couple of days.


    £ª£ª£ª


    The next day.


    "She really is something isn''t she?" Keith told her quietly as they observed Panacea in action.


    Rebecca pursed her lips, not replying to the already too fond tone of her fellow Triumvirate member. The girl would be useful beyond belief that was true, but also dangerous with how quickly she was gaining the public''s adoration. In Rebecca''s experience, teenagers could not be trusted to make wise decisions, and teenagers with the whole world in the palm of their hands¡­ Were dangerous.


    Currently they were both chaperoning the girl as she sat in the top floor of one of Paris largest hospitals, whatever mutation her power had undergone was still available to her, albeit in a more limited fashion - as she healed the civilians injured in the attack, reaching the whole hospital from her position. The girl needed to be brought in for testing on what exactly had happened, it didn''t seem to be a second trigger but they needed to know. Unfortunately Keith and David didn''t agree on pushing for it.


    "She was resistant to being tested." She finally answered Keith, "She''s hiding something."


    Keith shook his head, "Alexandria you''re overthinking things, she''s here isn''t she? Healing everyone, showing us what she can do now. She''s not hiding it. You''re so used to seeing the bad hidden parts of everyone, you''re reaching." The chiding tone only furthered her annoyance.


    Rebecca scowled darkly, Keith was already in the girls corner, he hadn''t been exposed to as much of the darkness of the world as she had, they''d deliberately kept him away from some of the more distasteful things Cauldron had to do after all. She hadn''t expected him to be this naive though. "No one is this perfect Legend, she''s hiding something."


    "Well she is a teenager," Keith said with a small smile, waving to the crowd of healed patients that stood at a respectful distance, out of earshot "I certainly had my fair share of things I didn''t want to share at that age."


    Further conversation was not possible as Panacea stood up, stretching with a tired groan, she''d finished this hospital as well then. It was the fourth one today. Her work ethic was impressive, but also opened up questions on how she was able to keep going for so long having only had her power for a little over two years. Rebecca had combed through her file and set people on investigating every facet of her life. A couple hospital hours after school was not enough to explain this level of stamina.


    The majority of powers did not come into being at optimal strength immediately. They usually needed time, practice¡­ Conflict.


    She needed to get the girl into the Protectorate, she needed to find a way to push her into the wards. Somewhere where she could keep a thumb on her, keep her contained. Where she couldn''t turn down power testing or other reasonable requests.


    Her scowl deepened as she saw some civilians wearing white robes with a red cross on them in the crowd of onlookers - a copy of Panacea''s uniform. She needed to look into that church, they were growing too rapidly and too professionally to be natural. It''s been a day and a half, how did they already have uniforms?


    At least from the absolute death glare Panacea sent at them as she walked by - the girl herself didn''t seem involved. Good, the last thing they needed was a cape leading a cult or religion. They got enough of those issues from Masters as it was.


    She''d be keeping a very close eye on Brockton Bay henceforth.


    Cauldron did have an asset there. It would interfere with the feudalism project, but keeping an eye on Panacea took precedence at the moment.


    Stolen story; please report.


    Her instincts were itching at her that something more was going on.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Amy was beyond exhausted. She''d spent the entire day healing people all across Paris, not only those injured in the attack, but everyone at the hospitals and hospices, excluding those with brain injuries of course. There was a method to her madness. She knew Alexandria wanted to test her powers, and if she showed that she could at least expand them to an entire hospital, it would hopefully be enough that no one would force her into any power testing or experimentation.


    She couldn''t have anyone know that it was due to messing with brains that she was able to copy someone else''s power, even if not at its full strength. Both those revelations would likely have her locked up by Cauldron and only brought out for Endbringer attacks. For now it was simply a fluke in regards to Strider, as she''d healed over a hundred heroes and she hadn''t gotten any powers from them. If they found out what she suspected - that she''d be able to do it to any hero or villain now that she knew how¡­


    She didn''t need to be a precog to figure out the results of that revelation.


    So she''d spent all day working her ass off to both ward off the Triumvirate and further sell her reputation - as much as she disliked it - to make it harder to force her into testing or being disappeared.


    If she thought she was aching before, it was nothing to how she felt now, at least now she could rest in a proper bed, in a suite at Paris most expensive hotel. She really needed to find a way to heal herself, perhaps if she could get her hands on a regenerative parahuman.


    Maybe Lung would volunteer, hah.


    Unfortunately there was still no time to rest. She wouldn''t be able to do so while she was still in France and nominally under the umbrella of the PRT, one more day or two, accept the medals, deal with a press conference, then she could get back home - excepting the quick White House stop for yet another medal and press conference.


    At least supervillains didn''t have to do press conferences¡­ Another benefit she hadn''t known she needed.


    Disregarding her aching body as much as she could, exhaustion pressing down on her, she searched her suite for surveillance equipment. Not surprised to find several bugs and cameras. She couldn''t say if it was the PRT, nosy journalists or any number of intelligence services behind it. Either way it was creepy, she was a teenage girl after all. In body if not in spirit. Although technically she''d been a teenager when she''d arrived her first too, her combined age counted as an adult though.


    Her paranoia led her to spend two hours more on searching the suite over and over again to ensure she''d caught them all. It wouldn''t be good for her sleep to miss out on even more hours, but she wouldn''t be able to rest if she thought there were still any more bugs around.


    Finally she grabbed her borrowed phone, and then in another fit of paranoia, disassembled it. Smiling grimly, as she removed the bug inside the phone, that pretty much confirmed it must be the PRT keeping an eye on her. Maybe that nurse giving her the phone hadn''t been so random after all.


    So she hadn''t been wrong in feeling like Alexandria was giving her the stink eye after she turned down power testing. Cauldron would totally ignore silly things like laws or personal liberty.


    Their suspicion wouldn''t exactly disappear by her removing all bugs, but it''s not like it would go away anyway and she refused to be spied on. It was a bit confusing though. With Contessa around, they hardly needed to mess around with bugs, unless her finding them were some convoluted step in her path to victory. Either way she was bug free now. She put together her phone again, dialing the number she''d gotten during his short visit the previous day.


    "Yes?" A quiet expectant voice answered after a few rings.


    "Top suite, Rosewood Hotel." Amy said, hanging up. Some of the stress was released from her shoulders and neck, her plans would move so much faster than she had ever expected with this.


    With a small crack Strider appeared in the hotel room ahead of her, his black and blue uniform in place, the cap and goggles covering everything but the bottom part of his face.


    Amy stepped forward, reaching up and gently touching his jaw, as Strider stood still, head slightly bowed. She let her power suffuse him, wincing slightly at the strain, she''d really put herself through her paces over the last 48 hours. She swept through his system, clarifying her hold on him, tweaking it to be a little less obvious, she''d been in a rush the first time. She could feel their power intertwining again as she prodded at his Corona Pollentia. She could definitely do this again with another cape, the question was, how many times before her own system couldn''t take it? She really doubted she could keep ''borrowing'' powers without hitting some sort of limit.


    It would be fun to experiment on it. Perhaps the next Endbringer attack would give her something interesting. Or perhaps she could be proactive? Strider wasn''t a fighter however, he wouldn''t be able to really kidnap anyone for her.


    That''s okay, he had other uses.


    "I need you to do a couple things for me, Strider, alright?" She mumbled sweetly, rubbing a thumb across his lower jaw.


    "Of course, anything." The independent hero responded, his countenance eager. Already owing his life to her four times over, he''d probably been willing to go pretty far for her even if she hadn''t brainwashed him a tiny bit.


    Amy had been thinking about ways to put him to use over the last two days, ever since she woke up after the Endbringer attack. "I need you to contact Toybox for me, I need tinkertech that can continuously replicate a biological substance, a drug, for me. Where I can supply the drug and the tech can replicate it thousands of times before I have to resupply it. I''m sure as the largest freelance teleporter in the world you have the funds to commission this for me, hmm?" If Toybox couldn''t, then perhaps they knew a Tinker that could, or could get her something similar that wasn''t as effective. Worst case Leet could probably do it, once.


    "Of course,  I will ensure Toybox delivers." Strider rumbled eagerly, almost vibrating with eagerness to be off on his task.


    "Slow down, sweety." Amy said with a short laugh, oh how useful this man would be for her future plans. "I also need you to use your funds to get me some warehouses in Brockton Bay and to hire Fortress construction to build hidden lab spaces underground, I''ll text you the specific set up, can you afford that much?" No harm in Coil knowing about the labs since he''ll be a non issue in a few months, far before I can make good use of them anyway.


    Strider nodded confidently, "I am very wealthy actually, many corporations hire me for transportation of precious cargo due to the disruption of trade by Leviathan hitting so many large port cities."


    Amy smiled a true smile, "Good¡­ That''s very good actually. Keep doing that, in-between your duties to me, and don''t let anyone know that we have any kind of relationship. I''ll call you if I need you, don''t contact me unless it''s an emergency, and never approach me unless I am completely alone."


    Strider took that as the dismissal it was, and with a last bow, he disappeared with a crack.


    Amy stood in the darkness of the suite, smiling through her exhaustion, despite all the unpleasant consequences of her new fame, collaring Strider alone was worth any problems that would come from further PRT nosiness, and issues such as the Church of Panacea.


    She headed to bed, she''d need the rest, the morning would arrive too quickly and with it meetings with the President of France and other big wigs for her medal ceremony.


    If only she could fake a medical condition to get out of it.


    £ª£ª£ª


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    ? Topic: Paris fight aftermath


    In: Boards ? America ? Brockton Bay ? Endbringer theories.


    ? Vallhala (Original Poster)


    All can see it now, can we not? For almost two decades, a band of heroes and villains of predominantly lesser races have tried and failed to protect us all. Millions died due to their failures and incompetence. Their countries are devolving into something akin to the hunger games, like the late CUI after three straight Endbringer attacks. Even monsters recognize this fact about those that are of lesser worth.


    The superior white heroes and villains have tried their best, but have constantly been brought low by the low quality of the mass of supporting characters and their backstabbing ways. Alexandria, for all her supposed strength, has never driven off an Endbringer. Inferior mind anyone? What is she hiding? Is her strength perhaps stolen?


    Yesterday that all changed. Panacea. Amy Dallon, an Aryan woman from Brockton Bay singlehandedly supported the entire fighting force against Behemoth the hero killer and succeeded where everyone else failed. Behemoth was driven away, his objective - to destroy Paris - unaccomplished.


    Can you now see what we have seen this entire time? There is superiority in using the proper people for the proper task.


    Already across the world our brothers and sisters have started rising in acknowledgement of this fact.


    Join the wave.


    The future lies in the hands of the superior man.


    (Showing page 1 of 13) Thread locked.


    ?Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    We are all entitled to free speech on this forum, that said I am watching, keep it clean and do not escalate. @Vallhala you''re already running a fine line right up against what would earn a ban, step carefully.


    ?Duskwarrior (Veteran Member)


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    Alright what''s the over under on how long before a thread lock? No one believes the Nazis will keep this clean for long, right?


    Also superior man? Funny thing to say when it was a girl doing the job.


    ? TheGreatandTerribleAisha


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    A girl rocked it and now some racist DUDE wants to dump on everyone else not him, and he got the balls to say shit like superior man when a GIRL did all the work, fr Nazi''s are just fucking dumb.


    Try and say that to white power shit to GG or Pan-Pan''s face bitch!


    ? TheRealBrocktonite


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    Jesus, Panacea saves Paris and gets deified by Nazis, talk about doing a good thing and getting smeared in shit for it.


    New Wave you guys seen this?


    ? Vallhala (Original Poster)


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    You don''t have to adhere to any particular belief system or religion to understand the inherent superiority on display in Paris. Crying Nazi to try and tar us with a moniker to devalue our argument will not work.


    ? AveryOntheDot (Temp Banned.)


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    Yeah everyone, listen to the Nazi saying being a Nazi doesn''t matter. Some people just need to be shot. Repeatedly. Slowly. In the balls.


    Especially Kaiser, just saying.


    ?Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    @AveryOntheDot No threats, 7 day ban. It''s going to be a perma ban next time.


    ? AznLife (Temp Banned)


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    I don''t care about no Naziz, fuck em, but hey, Panacea would look good bent over you know what I mean?


    ?Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    @AznLife temp ban for seven days, keep it clean people, or I will lock this thread.


    ? Brandish (Verified Cape) (New Wave)


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    New Wave fully disputes any racial statements about the performances of New Wave member Panacea. Her abilities and performance has nothing to do with race and everything to do with the accountability and responsibility that New Wave has championed for the Hero community.


    New Wave stands in solidarity with everyone no matter race or creed.


    ? TheRealBrocktonite


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    @Brandish Real heartfelt message there, you''re not gonna bother the Nazis with a PR message your agent typed up for you brah.


    @Panacea got any comments?


    ? HookandCrook


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    Like it''s hard to figure out, white girl kicked ass, Empire controlled areas are the only clean and safe areas in Brockton, figure it out idiots, ain''t hard just connect the dots.


    ? GstringGirl


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    Panacea seems really nice, I don''t think it''s fair to use her for some sort of agenda.


    ? Point_Me_@_The_Sky (Temp Banned)


    Replied On February 14th 2010:


    Hey! You can''t use her for Nazi BS, crawl back into your holes you cousin fucking bastards!


    The Empire doesn''t have ''safe'' areas, you fuckers are ruining the city!


    @TheGreatandTerribleAisha OMG Pan-Pan is so sticking, I''m using it forever!


    @AznLife Say that to my face and we can play let''s find your teeth you creep!!!!!


    ?Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    @Point_Me_@_The_Sky Seven day ban, next one is going to be a perma ban, you can''t post threats, I am aware of what your other account is. Don''t do it again.


    I''m not warning everyone again, I will lock this thread if you don''t play nice.


    ? FrenchBaguette


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    That you even allow Nazis to say whatever they want is just insane, like don''t you guys have enough problems already without letting those kinds of people say whatever?


    ? Vallhala (Original Poster)


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    @FrenchBaguette It is because we have open minds that your country is saved by the efforts of Panacea, she wouldn''t exist in a country of lesser beings, all holding her back and refusing her the ability to grow into the heroine she is.


    ? MasterBite


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    I mean on one hand Nazis, on the other hand, they''re right, right? I mean Panacea is hella white, and like look at her sister, couldn''t be whiter if she tried.


    ? TheRealBrocktonite


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    @MasterBite You''re joking right?


    My hope in humanity just took a plunge. Tin_mother just lock the thread already before this disease spreads.


    ? BrocktonChamp (Veteran member)


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    @TheRealBrocktonite Grow up dude, I mean no one likes Nazis for sure. Not gonna argue that, but like they''re not completely wrong on the whole it''s white people that''s made the most difference right?


    I mean Legend and Eidolon are both white, Hero was white too, and now Panacea. Sure Alexandria is like Hispanic, but she''s like superwoman and yet never manages to do anything, like the Endbringers are still around and Slaughterhouse 9 etc. Maybe we need more white.


    ? FrenchBaguette


    Replied On May 16th 2010::


    @BrocktonChamp Do you even read what you write? So you just explained everyone except Alexandria are white so it''s the non-whites fault nothing gets done? If anything that should say it''s the whites that are failing at doing the job!


    ? Vallhala (Original Poster)


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    @FrenchBaguette That is a very racist thing to say, you should get down from your high horse at this point, you''ve shown your true colors.


    ? TheRealBrocktonite


    Replied On May 16th 2010:


    @Vallhala That''s just hilarious really, you''re so deluded, and btw you spelled Valhalla wrong brah, anyone see this <u>link</u> ? Kaiser sent out a video praising Panacea. It''s enough to make you puke.


    No point arguing with these guys, they got their heads way too far up Hitler''s ass¡­


    End of Page. 2, 3, 4 ... 10, 11, 12, 13


    ...


    "It''s working, the Empire is taking the bait and running with it." The thin, balding man at the computer said, with a pleased smirk blossoming onto his face. "And anyone looking will think this entire thing originated with them."


    "And the Church?" Came the calm voice of his mistress.


    "That''s taken off past expectations, we''re even getting capes, mostly people that either know her, or were revived by her in Paris." He shuddered in happiness as his mistress rewarded his success.


    "Good, good, we''ll ride the coattails of her fame for now, the Empire connection will ensure she stays in the news until the next Endbringer fight, furthering recruitment, the media will ensure it." There was approval in the voice, and the man shuddered slightly again as he felt a spike of pleasant emotions.


    "I don''t know how you did it, I wasn''t aware you had any precogs that could see this all coming so easily, but damn if it didn''t work just as intended." The man at the computer leaned back in the chair, hands behind his head. "It wasn''t even hard, everyone scrambling over themselves to follow along." He felt so relaxed and happy, everything was perfect.


    "We don''t, we used an independent contractor. As long as we keep my father out of the news, we''ll eventually end up with millions of followers, he''ll attend meetings piecemeal and take control of the whole congregation." The voice in the shadows said pleasantly, stepping forward to clamp a hand on the computer expert''s shoulder, "You''ve done good, pet." She said softly, before slitting his throat while the man was lost in the pleasant emotions she''d filled him with.


    He''d been a PRT contractor after all, no need to leave loose ends. They were so annoyingly watchful for their family''s influence on their people in Canada. Their conversation was more for the benefit of her brothers who were listening in via her phone anyway, ready to do their part now that she had gotten the ball rolling.


    Finally their father had some ambition, to think all it took was some woman in a fedora giving him some advice.


    £ª£ª£ª


    If Amy had any thoughts like something as silly as - at least I''ll get the morning to myself, she was quickly disabused of such wishful thinking. Having showered and dressed in her freshly washed cape uniform, she was pondering room service when there was a knock on the door.


    She sighed, dreading what could have possibly happened while she slept this time - did Alexandria grow a heart three sizes too big? "Yes?" She asked irritably.


    "Ma''am, Miss Panacea, sir, uhh¡­ Ma''am." A young sounding voice squeaked outside the door, "Uh, everyone''s waiting for you for breakfast downstairs, Ma''am."


    Amy rolled her eyes, opening the door after a few quick steps, the poor hotel staffer jumping back with another squeak and bowing several times over, "You can stop bowing now." She said dryly, shaking her head. This better not become common¡­ She thought with exasperation. "And what exactly does that entail, ''everyone is waiting for me?'' I wasn''t expecting anyone."


    The poor girl couldn''t quite get her tongue going right, stammering away long enough that Amy took pity on her, "Fine, just¡­ Just show me where." She ordered with a sigh.


    After a few minutes of following the easily flustered girl, where she kept looking back to see that Amy was still there and blushing vividly at her dry look every time, they reached a lavish dining room. A full spread set out, and the Brockton Bay Protectorate all standing around.


    "I would have thought you would have returned by now." Amy said, skipping right past any pleasantries. "Fight the good fight, and all that." She drawled out, eyes sweeping across them, Armsmaster had somehow managed to repair his armor even with no access to his usual workshop, did the guy even sleep?


    "The Endbringer truce is still on for now, and director Costa-Brown asked that we remain until you were ready to return." Miss Militia said calmly, eyes crinkling pleasantly above her American flag scarf, "I''m glad to see you''re well, Panacea."


    Amy glanced around the other heroes, taking in Armsmaster and the stiff set of his jaw, "Well, glad to have you I guess, the sooner we''re back the better." She strode forward, taking her pick of the buffet in front of her. Seeing things she had no idea of what it was, other than it looked like it had a lot of butter, she settled for a flaky croissant and some fruit. Grabbing a plate and sitting down, her action apparently enough to get the rest of them moving.


    "Missing Brockton Bay that much already?" Battery said sliding into a seat next to her, plate loaded full of french pastries a minute later.


    Amy side eyed her, totally judging her, Battery noticed the look, laughing quietly, "When in Paris and all that," She joked, winking at her.


    Assault plopped down in the chair across from them both, his plate loaded with a stack of one third crepes, two thirds whip cream. She was pretty sure all of France was recoiling in horror.


    Amy wrinkled her nose, munching on a piece of cantaloupe, "Do you have any idea what that much whip cream is going to do to your system?"


    Assault just smirked, pointing a fork at Battery, "What she said, squirt."


    "Paris is not an excuse for everything." Amy said, rolling her eyes, idly noting Miss Militia and Armsmaster sitting down, both with relatively conservative plates in comparison. Velocity and Dauntless took the last two seats, Amy had never really had much of an interaction with either of them before.


    "So we''re having breakfast with a celebrity, that''s kind of cool." Velocity said with an easy grin. "Can we get autographs?"


    Assault raised a hand, the other still shoveling crepes into his face, "Me too," He mumbled through the food, "They''re selling for like 10 grand a pop online right now."


    "You can''t be serious?" Amy looked around at the group of heroes, groaning as they grinned at her, "Fuck no you can''t have autographs, I hate my life!" She put her head down on her arms on top of the table, her hair falling in a curtain over her arms, "I don''t want to be a celebrity!" That ship sailed a long time ago¡­ But still.


    So she was whining a little¡­ She was allowed, it had been a rough almost 72 hours.


    Battery kicked Assault under the table, patting Amy''s shoulder comfortingly, "Ignore the boys, they treat everything like a joke, everyone''s just excited right now, it will blow over."


    "Not everyday you come back from the dead." Dauntless said quietly, immediately silencing the table. The others quickly eyeballed him and the silent and stoic Armsmaster who was eating almost mechanically.


    Which might not actually be that different from normal Armsmaster some times, she''d seen him be pretty personable with some people, but when he was uncomfortable he was just a plain dick.


    Amy sighed, raising her head and using a napkin to clean up the lingering fruit juice on her lips, "Honestly I was so busy I hardly paid attention to who¡­ Passed." She said delicately, "I''m glad you''re all okay if I revived any of you." She was well aware that Armsmaster had kickstarted the process, but it would be rude to point it out to his face, so she refrained for now.


    Even she wouldn''t tease the guy right now. Not to his face anyway. Later though¡­


    Oh it would definitely come up.


    Dauntless shrugged, "Just me and Armsmaster I believe. I think Velocity and Assault and Battery all went down at some point, but you had them up and running again in seconds." He said, flashing her a small thankful smile, wearing only a domino mask on his face." We owe you one, more than one, really."


    Amy shook her head, "None of that please, I did my job, you don''t owe me anything. I''m already getting enough accolades from everywhere, please don''t bring it back to Brockton Bay." She implored them.


    "Getting a bit much?" Miss Militia asked compassionately. "We won''t bother you about it, will we?" She sent a stare across the table that had every hero there nod their head rapidly, several heroes pale and sweaty for a moment. "Good, you deserve some peace, Panacea, let me know if there''s anything I can do." Miss Militia''s eyes swept sternly through the assembled heroes again, and no one as much as breathed wrong until she returned to her plate.


    "Can you tell the president of France and America to leave me alone¡­" Amy muttered, nibbling on her croissant, not feeling very hungry. "I''ll literally die if I have to do more than one press conference."


    "You should take these things for what they are, Panacea." Armsmaster suddenly interjected, "People are grateful. They have hope again. It is your duty to carry that responsibility now." Wow, good on him. He only sounded slightly bitter. Is that character growth already?


    Is Assmaster losing the ass part already? She really was a miracle worker.


    "Ugh, can we not? Not right now." Amy asked distastefully, "I get it, you know? I really do. But it''s inconvenient and embarrassing and it''s painting a target the size of Behemoth on my back."


    The heroes around her paused in their breakfast at that, Velocity tilting his head questioningly, "What do you mean?"


    Amy laughed bitterly, covering her face with a shaking hand. "How long do you think? Before Jack Slash comes?"


    Miss Militia straightened in her seat, eyes narrowing a dangerous aura emanating from her, "You''re saying the Slaughterhouse Nine will come?" She said sharply.


    "Won''t they? Tell me they won''t!" Amy said tiredly, "It''s their entire thing, isn''t it? Killing hope."


    Armsmaster put his fork down, turning to face her, "It is possible," He said sternly, ''But we will be ready for them if they do. And it''s quite likely they won''t dare to make that big of a splash knowing what the consequences could be, they''re cowards deep down, deploying hit and run tactics."


    Cowards were not really what Amy would describe them as. And Armsmaster would be really screwed if he underestimated them like that. Even the Triumvirate didn''t dare attack them because of the Siberian.


    Well that and they were assholes wanting the nine to create fear and a bunch of triggers in hopes of getting more parahumans to fight the Endbringers and Scion. Well just Endbringers now. They were deluded if they thought Siberian/Manton would do any of that as they were right now.


    At least Amy knew the trick about Manton when it came to that potential issue. But that still left the other members who were equally problematic in their own ways.


    "We have your back." Assault said with a thumbs up and a cheesy grin.


    "Don''t be so glum, honey. The whole world will come down on them if they so much as move in the direction of Brockton Bay, you''ve got nothing to worry about." Battery said, squeezing her shoulder comfortingly.


    Amy did feel a little better at their support. Even if she knew they were likely wrong. Jack Slash was exactly the kind of person who would defy any expectations. And she was honestly not ready for the possibility of his appearance.


    Hope for the best. But prepare for the worst. As soon as she returned home. She needed to make moves to take over one of the gangs, recreate it in her image. She was going to wait for Coil¡­ Now he''d just be a bonus for after. She didn''t want to wait any longer. She needed more capes and minions between herself and her enemies.


    Preferably she needed a damn missile strike on the whole lot of them.


    Sure the Protectorate wanting to protect her was nice. But she knew from Canon that they failed at literally everything. So she wouldn''t let their promises be her only shield.


    The conversation moved away from anything heavy after that, everyone concentrating on their breakfast. No one was willing to step on any landmines again.


    Amy just wanted this whole thing to be over with.


    She needed to start her plans.


    Now.


    £ª£ª£ª


    After breakfast


    Her mind was whirling with plans as she returned to her hotel room, discarding them as quickly as she laid them. She was too hot right now, so to speak. She was thrust into the spotlight further than ever before, making it almost impossible to move forward with most of her plans.


    She doubted there was anyone in the world who didn''t know who Panacea was right now. She couldn''t just turn villain, not right away, maybe not at all. God damn her powers and her own knee jerk reactions. She didn''t want the Endbringers to win, but she didn''t want to pigeonhole herself either. Her shard should be so much more comfortable with how much she''d experimented with her powers, she wasn''t Bonesaw by any stretch, she had better standards, but the conflict drive shouldn''t be pushing too hard¡­ Was it her own stubbornness or her shard that pushed her into saving everyone?


    She walked into her bedroom, divesting herself of her cape robe, feeling a bit crabby at how badly she''d shot herself in the foot by healing everyone - and at the prospect of a press conference and medal ceremony later that day - when she froze at what she found already present.


    There was a cape in her bed.


    There was an unconscious cape in her bed.


    What!?


    Amy''s head was on a swivel as she peered suspiciously around the room as she approached the female cape, one in a skintight uniform which she couldn''t help but admire, blonde too, which kind of was her type, (damn you Vicky.) Taped to the cape''s chest was a note. She didn''t touch it, she might be a biotinker, but that didn''t mean she''d enjoy purging herself of any potential contact poisons.


    You can have your cake and eat it too! Don''t worry, Prism will be put back none the wiser after you''re done.


    The message was capped off by a crappy drawing of a fedora.


    Contessa¡­


    Why in the everliving fuck was Contessa kidnapping heroines and dropping them off for her to experiment on?


    ¡­.Stupid path to victory. Why was she involved? Her healing helped, yeah. But she wouldn''t be defeating any Endbringers on her own, and if Contessa knew what information she had¡­ She wouldn''t need to do anything, they would have already acted on it.


    She looked over the heroine again, and it was a heroine. She recognized the name Prism, even if she couldn''t recognize her by sight. One of Legends underlings, a parahuman that could make clones.


    Path to victory huh? Here she was grumbling that she couldn''t start any of her plans properly because she was in the spotlight too much, and Contessa delivers a parahuman capable of cloning herself, albeit temporarily.


    Whatever. I can''t predict or stop Contessa. So roll with it. Amy decided. Laying a hand on the heroine, closing her eyes as she examined her system. Prism was a very healthy specimen, she kept fit, very fit, Amy appreciated it greatly, at any other time Amy would be much obliged to touch her all over, but today she just wanted her brain.


    There was no way to say that and have it come out sounding okay.


    She poked Prism''s Corona Pollentia, entwining her power with that of the heroines, pulling at it, feeling it interact with hers just as with Striders. Unlike Strider who teleported away dragging her powers into their new ability by sudden force. She had to work at it this time. Teasing and prodding at it until it finally seemed to just meld with her.


    At that moment she just knew.


    Just like with Strider. She now had a secondary power. And she didn''t lose what capability she had with Striders in exchange either. Prism could create several clones if she remembered correctly, temporary ones. What her power was telling her, she couldn''t do that, not like Prism. Not exactly. She could make a copy of herself, one only. With her mind and power but intrinsically weaker in body. A temporary shell.


    She stepped away from Prism, mind already on how to solve that conundrum. A temporary weak shell was mostly useless to her. But Contessa wouldn''t have put her on this path for something she couldn''t use. She was a Biotinker¡­ Could she make a body? Could she make her clone less temporary by having it in a complete shell, a body of its own? Or would that be like crafting an autonomous twin? It was useless to her if she couldn''t experience both herself and her clone''s lives.


    She''d totally go after herself if she made an evil twin.


    The idea had some merit, she would have to test it. If it worked¡­


    She could, as Contessa said, have her cake and eat it too. One of her continuing as Panacea, the other as her villain self.


    She''d need a lot of biomass.


    She''d need a corpse. A fresh one, like really fresh, she couldn''t work on the dead after all, her power only affected living things.


    She almost eyed up Prism, before she shook her head violently, no, bad Amy. No killing heroes.


    Unfortunately just stealing a corpse from the morgue when she worked at the hospital would be noticed and likely not something she could get fresh, so to speak. So she''d have to source her own.


    She would have time once she returned to Brockton Bay. There were always some merchants or homeless people around.


    If this worked. It would actually work even better than she had planned. She could keep using her Panacea persona to make the world better the slow boring way.


    While using her villain persona to improve the world more rapidly. And having a blast doing it.


    Yes¡­ This could work pretty well.


    Now the only question was what exactly Cauldron wanted out of her that Contessa was helping her along for.


    Nothing she could do about that for now.


    She could only grow stronger and make plans for the eventual shitshow.


    The bill would come due one day. And it would no doubt suck big juicy ones.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Later that day, after the medal ceremony.


    Press conferences were not something Amy enjoyed. Being part of New Wave had forced her into her fair share of them, but usually Vicky or the older members of the family monopolized the attention in those.


    She didn''t have anyone to hide behind today. The medal ceremony had been horrendously boring and drawn out. Speech after speech as every important person in France wanted their chance to get a word in and be seen thanking her.


    No one could blame her for starting to get her subtle revenge for every handshake in the end. Nothing big, mild case of incontinence here, some light erectile dysfunction there. Well deserved in her opinion. The medal ceremony had taken six hours.


    She hoped the first lady of France hadn''t been planning on a fun night anytime soon, the president would be incapable for a bit. Luckily no one would suspect her, he was old anyway.


    But seriously. Six hours.


    Just to give her a medal. It could have been achieved in fifteen minutes if they''d spared all the useless drivel.


    And now again, she was the one in the spotlight, at a stupid press conference after she''d just managed to survive a foe equalling an Endbringer - politicians. She tried to keep a polite smile on her face as she was escorted onto the podium, but it likely came out as more of a grimace. It felt like there were hundreds of journalists in front of her, and the constant flashes of the cameras weren''t helping her either.


    How many articles would there be tomorrow about her hair, or the bags under her eyes or other nonsensical things, she would wager a lot. People loved heroes. But they really loved pointing out their flaws.


    The publicist from the PRT that had been following her around all day - likely to keep her polite, (showing that someone at the PRT had her number) cleared his throat a couple of times until the journalists settled down. "We''re going to do this cleanly, people. No shouted questions, no talking over each other. You each get one question, you''ve already received your lots, follow them, anyone disregarding these rules will be escorted out." He watched the press with hawkish eyes looking for any dissenters, waving for them to begin once he was sure they understood the rules. Only Miss Militia had followed her from the Protectorate, still keeping an eye on her from behind the journalists.


    The PRT agent who''s name she hadn''t even bothered to get, pointed to the first journalist.


    The blonde woman stood up, almost bouncing in excitement, Amy saw parallels between this woman and Vicky and immediately braced herself for a stupid question.


    "Everyone wants to know, is there anyone special in your life, Miss Dallon? A sweetheart? A secret crush, perhaps?" The British sounding reporter asked.


    Really? This is the first question? Not about the medals, the Endbringer fight, but do I have a crush? Amy thought with distaste, answering the question, leaning over the microphone, "No."


    It seemed everyone was waiting for more, the silence stretching, a snicker could be heard in the back as people realized she wasn''t saying anything more, the blonde reporter looking devastated as the PRT agent pointed at the next reporter.


    "Is there any truth to the rumor of a tryst between yourself and Armsmaster?"


    Amy rolled her eyes, exaggerating the motion, "No, and I''m sure Armsmaster appreciates you calling him a pedophile." She snarked, before smirking slowly, this was actually a perfect opportunity. "That said he deserves some of the credit for what happened. My power literally expanded because he died under Behemoth''s onslaught. I found him so rule bound and annoying back in Brockton Bay, and I felt that I hadn''t annoyed him enough so far, so I couldn''t let him get away that easily, so my power responded, bringing him back."


    The PRT agent''s smile was somewhat strained as he pointed at the next reporter. Miss Militia did not look impressed at the back of the room. Well fuck her, it was the truth. And if Amy felt a chill down her spine well¡­ She probably wouldn''t shoot her, so she was just imagining things.


    "So you''re saying Armsmaster annoyed you into saving everyone?" The reporter followed up the previous question with apparent glee. Amy had probably given them material to run a month of speculation on. But more importantly it would piss Armsmaster off, and hopefully also take some of the shine of her accomplishment. Besides, he wanted the glory anyway, right? This was her sharing some of the glory with him.


    She would wait for her well deserved; your welcome, from the man.


    "This is about Panacea, not Armsmaster, no further questions on that subject, please." The PRT agent, whose name she''d never bothered to get, said desperately, pointing to one of the French reporters, no doubt hoping for another direction from someone who likely wouldn''t care overly much about a Brockton Bay hero not named Panacea.


    "You''ve received French citizenship, a statutory holiday in your name and the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. What are your thoughts on the honors showered upon you by the French state as the savior of Paris?"


    It took a minute before Amy could answer as the question was asked in French and she had to wait for the translator to finish.


    "It is an honor of course," Amy said carefully, managing a small tired smile, "I would do it all over again regardless of honors, so it isn''t necessary, although I appreciate the accolades and I understand the joy from surviving Behemoth, it''s important for people to celebrate, I get that."


    The PRT agent looked less panicky as he pointed to another reporter, surely just by happenstance another French one. Amy wondered if she could bring Armsmaster into the answer anyway.


    Maybe not. The PRT agent might cry. Also Miss Militia might actually glare so hard she''ll develop laser eyes.


    "Will you be able to provide the same boost in healing for other Endbringer fights?" Is what she got after a minute of translation.


    Amy thought it over carefully before answering. "Although my power has expanded, it no longer covers the entire city, the PRT will surely have answers on how all that works, I will of course always volunteer to participate in Endbringer situations still, but the PRT are the experts on such subjects." There, the PRT can get hounded by questions about it, I''m just a teenager after all, what do I know?


    The next reporter she recognized from Brockton Bay, he''d interviewed New Wave enough. She already wanted this all over with. He''d always been a slimeball. How many times had he published that Vicky was pregnant now? Three times? How did he even get a lot for this press conference?


    She wondered if he had ever realized his constant problem with gas came after meeting her after his last hit job on Vicky. She''d wanted to do more, but it would have been obvious it was her. Perhaps something for her villain persona to rectify. She''d shrink his penis, but as she''d already found out when she made him forever gassy, he didn''t really have much left to shrink.


    Poor missus slimeball.


    "Are you aware, Miss Dallon, of the praise highlighting you coming from the more controversial parts of America? And do you agree with their sentiment?" The smarmy man asked her.


    Amy pondered where he was going with this, it didn''t sound like it had anything to do with the Church of Panacea at least, they''d hardly done anything yet to be called controversial. "I can''t say I am, maybe you can educate me." She replied with a fake smile.


    It was bound to be something stupid and/or annoying.


    The reporter smirked, as his colleagues grumbled quietly about him getting more than one question. "Kaiser of the Empire 88 gang in Brockton Bay is on record glorifying how you, as an Aryan woman, have proved superiority in defeating an Endbringer by denying its goals - something never done before by and I quote him here, ''the lesser races''. This has echoed across other right wing movements across the states and the world over the last 12 hours."


    Of course he did. Amy thought with disgust. Now she had plans to be a villain, sure. But no one approved of Nazis, and she was very annoyed that Kaiser of all people was trying to leverage her achievements to push a Nazi agenda. As much as she didn''t want to be in the spotlight she sure as hell didn''t want Nazi''s to take advantage either. Well, she had the perfect response for that.


    It would come out eventually anyway with how famous she was now¡­ Might as well make it have more of an impact.


    Vicky was going to be furious at her though. And Carol. But fuck her. And she''d make it up to Vicky, somehow. Maybe she''d stop making her suffer for like a month or something.


    She leaned forward, a smirk forming on her face as she leant into the microphones, the journalists ahead of her all holding their breath. All of them seemingly aware she was about to drop a bombshell. "Well, I have to say I''m pleasantly surprised that such despicable people are taking such a stand, disregarding all their normal hate rhetoric¡­" She paused dramatically for a moment, flashes going off across the room, the PRT agent staring dead ahead like he''d already drafted his resignation letter.


    "For a gay woman." As good a time as any to reveal it. Fuck you Kaiser, go ahead and explain to your skinheads how amazing the lesbian girl is again!


    Pandemonium erupted as journalists all clambered to get the next question, all decorum forgotten.


    £ª£ª£ª

 Chapter 3: Big happy family.

    £ª£ª£ª


    Amy did not enjoy the trip to Washington. Not in the slightest. If only she could have called on Strider but noooo, she needed to fly with the entire Brockton Bay Protectorate to Washington - for reasons. Because apparently they were her escort all the way back to Brockton Bay and would be sticking close the entire trip.


    Yeah, Armsmaster was just as excited about that order as Amy was.


    He did not get any more personable with her over a transatlantic flight, Amy hadn''t even been teasing him¡­ Much.


    Fuck Alexandria, because she couldn''t see who else would have ordered it. Director Piggot would have definitely ordered her team back immediately if she could, what with the powderkeg Brockton Bay was. So this whole thing was some torture devised by Alexandria.


    Because Amy didn''t fall all over herself to do whatever Alexandria wanted, she deserved to suffer or something. Fucking Cauldron capes. Maybe her suffering was part of Contessa''s path, they''d really been sending mixed messages to her - what with giving her Prism, and then turning around and barking about power testing at her and surrounding her with annoying people to get under her skin.


    Or perhaps Alexandria was deluded enough to think that if Amy spent time with the Protectorate capes she''d join the PRT. Becoming another wage slave under the boot of Alexandria did not appeal to her. At all.


    Hours and hours she had been shut in a plane with the Brockton Bay Protectorate and she now knew without a shadow of a doubt - that Armsmaster was completely incapable of speaking to human beings properly when he was annoyed - no wonder he got the hots for an AI really... That Miss Militia was actually kind of scary if you''d annoy her - as in omgshutupshesgonnashoot! That Velocity and Dauntless held way too much respect for the aforementioned two and did what they were told pretty quickly, although Velocity at least had a decent sense of humor¡­ Which left Battery and Assault as the confirmed only two members she could stand for a prolonged period of time. When she wasn''t gagging at their lovey dovey shit - which she just knew they were exaggerating to mess with her, because PHO had dedicated threads for them that still wasn''t sure if they were lovers or siblings or what? So they weren''t like that in public - because then there wouldn''t be any wondering involved.


    Either that or they were some crazy weird siblings. Not that she could throw rocks exactly¡­ She had out of universe knowledge that they weren''t siblings anyway, but that was cheating.


    Although cheating was winning, so¡­


    Either way, with how many times both Miss Militia and Armsmaster told them to simmer down, looking visibly frustrated, it was pretty clear they didn''t normally continue on like that for hours on end. Amy hoped not, because there were laws about public indecency and she felt that in a metal tube with a bunch of heroes - it counted as public enough to not maul each other to the extent they''d traumatize the virgins, cough - Armsmaster - cough.


    Personally, Amy was impressed that the top two didn''t break when she and Assault - in pure boredom of course - sang the smash hit (It should be at least) 99 halberds on the wall.


    They''d managed to get down to 42 halberds on the wall before Miss Militia manifested a very heavy duty cannon of a gun and calmly informed them what height the plane was flying at - and the effects of a basketball sized hole in the hull would have on them. Just as a bit of idle information.


    They quieted down.


    Didn''t quite count as breaking down. But Amy wasn''t interested in finding out how much further she could be pushed. Although she was impressed at Armsmaster''s self control. Oh, he was obviously very annoyed, but he seemed to do just fine ignoring them all.


    Unless he was smooching with Dragon electronically through his visor. Did that make her a voyeur? She was learning so much on this trip. All of it stupid. Like her new favorite song. Although if it didn''t annoy Armsmaster enough to deserve a comment she supposed it wasn''t a very good song.


    Amy acknowledged her singing voice hadn''t been that great, but that had made the whole event even funnier in a cringy sort of way. She didn''t have her phone after all, her borrowed one had been returned before the flight, and there was no in-flight entertainment for the transatlantic flight. She was a teenager, it was completely their fault for leaving her with nothing better to do.


    That''s her story and she''d be sticking to it if anyone made a remark. Not like anyone knew about her not being the original Amy - and therefore not actually a teenager.


    Either way, the in-flight entertainment she had provided had ensured that when the possibility to debark the plane came. No one lingered after landing. By the time Amy walked down the steps, Armsmaster was already in a PRT van. If he was going to act like that Amy was going to get the impression he didn''t like her or something.


    Seriously, the tinker had hustled ass, all to get away from her.


    Bad news Armsy, she thought with some amusement, after all they were going to the same place in the end, so he wasn''t really escaping her.


    She didn''t get to think on it for long, because near the PRT vans stood her family. All of them. The entirety of New Wave had arrived to welcome her back to US soil at the private PRT affiliated airstrip outside Washington. Joy. This could only end well. At least they weren''t in uniform.


    To be fair she actually did get along perfectly well with most of her family. It was just the one outlier¡­


    The second she was completely off the airplane steps she was tackled into a hug by a flying Vicky, who lifted her up in the air and spun her, laughing delightedly, "Ames! I''ve missed you so much! And you''ve been amazeballs! Kicking so much ass! You''ve gotta tell me all about it, did you meet any cute french capes? There''s like a whole flame war going on online between the French cape community and the American one, all cuz of you!" Then she punched her lightly in the arm, "How could you tell me in a press conference that you''re only into girls, Ames! I''m your sister! I''m cool with it though, just in case you were worried."


    Flame war? Super. She''d add that to the Nazi propaganda war over her, and the Church of Panacea stuff. Why did the internet suck so much lately? Amy just wanted to sit on a throne and be fed grapes by minions, was that really too much to ask? At least coming out hadn''t bothered Vicky, I never thought it would, but she wasn''t the one I was worried about¡­


    Amy hugged her sister back, and resigned herself to being carried around as Vicky didn''t let go of her, holding her up in her arms as she chattered away, full of excitement and life and love and just drowning Amy in her aura. "I can walk, you know?" Amy finally answered, not bothering to answer any of the dozen questions she''d managed to fire away during that time. She''d save it for when they had time alone. Not when she was right there. Watching her, just waiting for a chink in the armor, so she could sneak through and hit for maximum emotional damage.


    Vicky pouted, but floated over to where the rest of the family stood, still holding onto Amy, resting her chin in her frizzy hair. "Mom, I found this weird girl, can I keep her?" She chirped brightly, as she stopped right in front of Carol and Mark. They looked odd together, what with Mark''s sweatpants and sweater look, his expression drained and tired. Carol looked perfectly poised and put together in an expensive looking blazer, fashionable blouse and smart pencil skirt combo. Amy wondered how long Carol had spent bitching at Mark for not making an effort to dress up today.


    Really a trick question. Because she never said anything in a non-bitchy way.


    He''d probably taken the brunt of Carol''s bitchiness with Amy in Europe. She''d feel more sorry if he''d ever done anything to really have her back over the years, as it was, she just didn''t want to deal with either of them, and just clung tighter to Vicky.


    "Is she housebroken?" Mark asked tiredly with a crooked little smile. Amy sent him a dirty look, even if inwardly she was kind of glad he was having a decent day, if he was able to joke around with them he must be on one of his good days. Even if it was at her expense of course. Because who else could be the butt of the joke in the Dallon household. There was no comment made about her newly revealed lesbianism, but she never expected much from Mark.


    Vicky shook her slightly as she giggled, and Amy sighed, reaching up and patting Vicky on the check patronizingly, "If anyone is a pet here it''s you, butterball¡­"


    "Oooh, playing dirty, Ames, I like it." Vicky retorted, the warmth of her body pressed up against Amy''s as she literally felt Vicky brimming with cheer and happiness. "I''m fine with that old nickname¡­" Amy could feel Vicky smirking evilly into her hair, "~Pan-Pan¡­"


    "No. You are not calling me that!" Amy protested with a pained grimace, but she knew it was too late. Once Vicky got an idea in her head it was impossible to move her with conventional means. Gah, such a ridiculous nickname, it made her sound like she was five!


    "Girls, that''s enough now." Carol said shortly, looking impatient. "It''s rude to ignore the rest of the family like this Amy, especially after dropping such news on us with absolutely no warning, come say hi at least." Yeah, just me right? Not like Vicky is standing here holding me up¡­ Amy thought, but didn''t bother to voice it.


    At least Aunt Sarah had her back, immediately jumping in with a wave of her hand and an easygoing smile, "No big deal, Carol, let the girls have their fun, we''re in no hurry." She gave Amy a compassionate smile, "I''m glad you are alright sweetheart, we''re all here for you."


    Amy sent Aunt Sarah aka Lady Photon, a smile, she was the only one in the family who''d sometimes cool down Carol before she could get going. Her husband, Neil gave her a wave with a quick accompanied grin, Manpower never stepped in-between the two women, but he''d always treated Amy as well as his own daughter, she''d gone to him for advice more then Mark over the last year and a half.


    If she would have come out before that press conference it would have probably been to Neil or Sarah first. Vicky was¡­ Complicated. With both their weird feelings involved. Both artificially created.


    Carol, back ramrod straight, sniffed, making it clear she thought otherwise vis a vis the topic of fun, but didn''t say anything further. Her pointed stare at Amy told her she better do as asked anyway or she''d hear about it later.


    Likely in great detail, with peppered in pearls of wisdom like - only by sacrificing yourself can you truly be heroic. Amy liked that one, no other little idiom more perfectly encapsulated Carol''s hypocrisy. Because she sure as hell wasn''t sacrificing shit, while she made Amy jump through hoops to even be considered part of the team. And she wasn''t even the team leader - that was Aunt Sarah!


    Amy elbowed Vicky, not that it did anything to her, but she did release Amy back onto solid ground at the hint, Amy quickly stepped over to give Aunt Sarah a hug. Photon Mom definitely deserved one. Notably she did not hug Carol and Mark, as she sidestepped them both to say hi to the Pelhams, and get her fair share of hugging. Uncle Neil tousled her hair from his great height, grinning down at her. Before he stepped out of the way of his two children.


    Crystal and Eric. Laserdream and Shielder. Amy didn''t see nearly enough of them with all her work and the expectations on her by Carol unfortunately, but they were pretty cool people.


    "You''re almost cool enough now that I can admit we''re related, only need to fix your sense of fashion still, or maybe find you a girlfriend." Crystal teased her, sharing a grin with Vicky, nudging Amy in the ribs as she held one arm around her shoulder, squeezing them both together. "Me and Vicky have been talking, how do you feel about rebranding from Panacea to Pan-Pan?" Her grin was markedly vulpine as she continued the lighthearted teasing.


    Amy only thought about giving her the runs for the next 48 hours or so for one second. Honestly. Like maybe two seconds at the most. She was family after all.


    "You''re all the worst." Amy deadpanned as she fistbumped Eric. Shielder was obviously too cool to be hugging any relatives in public. It would disturb his masculine rep or something, Amy wasn''t really sure how boys thought but it sounded right.


    "You sure you''re okay though?" Vicky asked softly, quietly. Still hovering right by her other side, one hand interlocked with hers. "You kind of look like¡­ Well¡­" She hesitated slightly, flashing her a quick smile.


    "Shit. You look like shit." Crystal took over bluntly, getting a dirty look from both her and Vicky. She shrugged, letting go of her to raise both hands defensively, a tiny smirk on her face, "Hey, I was saving us time, you were taking forever, Vicky." She knocked a knuckle against Amy''s forehead gently, "Just worried s''all."


    "She could have been more polite about it," Aunt Sarah said with a chiding look at a completely unrepentant Crystal, "But she echoed my thoughts, you look a little peaky, Amy dear."


    "I''m fine." Amy lied, with a practiced smile. "Just didn''t get much sleep."


    Carol, who''d kept herself apart from the family huddle, glanced at her watch, "I think that is enough of a spectacle on the tarmac, in front of the entire Brockton Bay Protectorate no less, we have places to be, Amy is fine, some makeup will hide her complexion for when we arrive at the White House if she still looks the same tomorrow, we can''t have her looking like a homeless person in front of the President."


    Amy would have been upset, if any of that had a single line that surprised her anymore.


    "Is it time to go already?" Mark asked blandly, blinking like he''d not been paying attention for a few minutes and just realized what was going on. "I''ll get the van." He muttered and shambled off.


    Amy would have healed him of his depression long ago if he''d ever shown any inclination of being there for her. Even with her wish to hide her ability on the subject. But no matter how she''d tried after taking over from original Amy, Mark just didn''t put in any effort in being her dad. Not when it mattered.


    Damn, her home life was depressing. Original Amy should have left. She should leave.


    Huh¡­ Why not?


    "I''m not wearing makeup. They can take me as I am or leave it, someone that worked their ass off healing and is exhausted with their bullshit doesn''t need to be prettied up" Amy said distastefully, meeting her mom''s eyes stubbornly.


    "Ames don''t say it like that, you''re definitely pretty." Vicky said seriously, turning her around to meet her eyes, trying to show her how serious she was.


    "Amy, get in the van, you will be wearing makeup, you''re right, you''re not anywhere near as photogenic as Victoria, so all the more reason to add some makeup. This is not a negotiation, you are not in France anymore partying it up on your lonesome, here you''re part of New Wave and you need to look the part." Carol said with ironclad certainty that Amy would obey her. Not even waiting for an answer, instead grabbing Aunt Sarah''s arm and walking over to the vans talking about something quietly.


    There was only silence for a moment as everyone processed that tirade. And then like proper New Wave members, they all slid right past the horrible things Carol said and pretended it didn''t happen.


    Amy loved her family, mostly. But she really wondered sometimes if she liked them.


    "I can help with the makeup, we''ll make it a sister thing, that will be okay right, Ames?" Vicky said softly, holding her hand still, jumping right past her wishes trying to soften the request from her mom. "She''s just stressed cuz of all the press, she doesn''t mean anything by it." She tried to weakly defend Carol, Amy didn''t know why she bothered anymore.


    Crystal and Eric both shared looks, before saying their goodbyes with slight grimaces on their faces, things always got uncomfortable when they were all together like this. There was a reason they were all mostly retired. Mix both the Dallons and the Pelham''s together and eventually Carol would find a way to make everything uncomfortable until everyone ran away.


    Brandish everyone, the real cornerstone of New Wave. Amy thought sarcastically.


    "We''ll have to go shopping." Vicky said to fill the silence, trying to enforce a positive atmosphere through pure cheerfulness and bullheadedness. "Get you something other than a burqa."


    Amy sighed, pushing her sister away with a palm to get face, getting a splutter and a dirty look in return. "First of all, not a burqa." She said irritably, "Second of all, Carol picked that to begin with, you know that right?" She continued with some bitterness leaking through, no matter how she tried to hide it. "As she pointed out, I''m nothing special to look at, that''s why she made you a princess outfit and covered me up in all encompassing robes." Lucky for me that I could train my own skin bacteria to deal with sweat because it''s outside my body, or I''d die in that thing, working at the hospital. She thought, thinking back on how pleased she''d been with that first discovery, back when she was new at this.


    Vicky grimaced, floating an inch off the ground, looking sad for only a moment before she forced a grin on her face, "Well, she''s wrong. You''re plenty special and plenty good looking, Ames! You''ll definitely have plenty of girls chasing you!" She said with some insistence, cheeks reddening for a moment before she fumbled with her phone.


    "Carol will get angry if we don''t get moving." Amy warned her tonelessly, not overly affected by her declaration, she''d messed with Vicky''s hormones after all, she only thought Amy was pretty because she''d literally been set to it.


    Simple as that. She knew she wasn''t anything special. She hadn''t been in her previous life either, she was used to it. Not everyone got to be pretty people, it was just facts.


    "Just a minute, where is it, AH! Here we go, feast your eyes on this, oh, sister of mine!" Vicky declared triumphantly, a cheshire grin on her face that boded ill. "I''ll prove to you that people think you''re pretty!"


    "Do I want to know?" Amy asked, briefly making eye contact with Carol, who''d stepped back out of the van they were obviously going to be transported in and was giving her an ominous look. "Carol is going to give me shit for this, you realize?" She groused, grabbing the phone from Vicky''s hand.


    Fuck, not another PHO thread about me, how many are there!? She thought in dismay, seeing what was on the screen. No¡­ Vicky¡­


    You absolute BITCH!


    Welcome to the Parahumans Online message boards.


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    ? Topic: Panacea needs a girlfriend!


    In: Boards ? America ? Brockton Bay ? Capes ? Relationship & lifestyle


    ?Glory Girl (Original Poster) (Verified Cape) (New Wave)


    My sister just came out on live tv, she''s just cool like that amirite!?


    But never mind that.


    Now to the important matters! Life and death matters! Stuff needing doing right now!


    My sister needs a girlfriend STAT, so this is like the super Panacea appreciation thread, girlfriend applications go through me, no pics yet tho, no one needs to see all that, save it for my sis.


    Obv be in Brockton Bay or be a teleporter or something.


    (Showing page 1 of 63)


    ?TheGreatandTerribleAisha


    Replied On May 17th 2010:


    Glory Girl If my brother did something like this post for me I''d rip his balls off, I''m laughing my ass off right now imagining the look on @Panacea face when she sees this thread.


    Fifty bucks I don''t got says she''s gonna request a thread lock! Either way Imma munch imaginary popcorn and look at the carnage, carry on cape geeks and weirdos.


    ?Aurelian (Verified Cape) (¨¦quipe nationale de gr¨¨ve)


    Replied On May 17th 2010:


    There is no one in America worthy of the divinity of Panacea. I will immediately contact the female French cape community for volunteers.


    She will be worshiped, so I swear.


    @Panacea if necessary, you can change someone''s gender, correct? As you can even regrow amputations I believe this changing of the body to be the case. I would become a woman for you.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ?Circusfreak (Veteran Member)


    Replied On May 17th 2010:


    I don''t think Panacea okayed this, just a feeling, but sure, I''ll throw my hat in the ring, she''s actually super cute when she''s in civvies, a real girl next door look, you know?


    And baby got back, all those hospital stairs working for ya girl.


    Glory Girl I pmed you, hook a sister up!


    ?AllseeingEye


    Replied On May 17th 2010:


    She''s cute, sure, but she probably knows everything about your body with a touch, kinda ruins the romance doesn''t it? TMI is a thing, trust me.


    Besides, Panacea''s girlfriend? Can anyone say kidnap bait?


    No thanks. But props on screwing Kaiser over with your coming out party, it was hilarious to see online as they all stopped simultaneously, having no idea what to say until they could get direction from the top.


    Aurelian Getting serious serial killer vibes off you, seek help. Or at least stay over there.


    Srsly, don''t come here.


    ?Applejack (Veteran Member)


    Replied On May 17th 2010:


    Honestly when she isn''t in those robes, she''s super cute, and that frizzy hair, doesn''t it just make you want to, you know, grab it?


    Besides you know girl gonna be good with her hands, right?


    ?GstringGirl


    Replied On May 17th 2010:


    I think it was really brave to come out like that, but I think it''s a little mean for her sister to post this, she probably just wants to be left alone right now.


    ?BlackWidow (Verified Cape) (Protectorate NWC)


    Replied On May 17th 2010:


    I''d date Panacea in a heartbeat, yeah she''s cute, but like the balls on the girl, I mean who doesn''t want a confident chick like that!


    So, gorgeous, check. Smart, check, ballsy as fuck, check. Biggest damn heroine in the world. Check.


    And uh, expert knowledge about the body¡­ Do I need to say anymore or am I drooling enough?


    Yes please.


    Hit me up @Panacea Glory Girl I''ll totally bribe you for her number. Name your price.


    ?Glory Girl (Original Poster) (Verified Cape) (New Wave)


    Replied On May 17th 2010:


    @Circusfreak what kind of name is that anyway? Better not be anything weird in those PM''s my eyes are innocent in this you know.


    @BlackWidow We''ll talk


    ¡­


    Amy shut the phone down, unwilling to continue on for the sixty three damn pages the thread had so far. "You¡­ Are going to pay, so goddamn much, Vicky." She said dangerously, clutching the phone hard. "You realize I''m sixteen! How did you not get locked down yet?" She doubted many of those comments were from people her age¡­


    "Aww, come on, Ames!" Vicky said, taking her phone back, "They totally think you''re super cute, I was right, you should read some more, bask in it." She suggested, seemingly not understanding why it was not okay to post something like that right after she came out. She almost¡­ Trivialized it all.


    "I''m not you." Amy said, trying to ignore the wish to set fire to the world. She really, really wasn''t happy with the circumstances of the last few days. And Vicky was pouring fuel on the fire. "You earned this." She said, grasping her hand for a moment, before she started walking. Carol was tapping her foot on the pavement as she glared at them both, for once realizing Vicky had her part in delaying them.


    "Wait, what did you do? I feel, funny." Vicky hissed, grasping her arm, "It''s just a joke, Ames!"


    "You''ll be peeing standing up for a few days, or weeks, or whatever, just as a joke, you understand." Amy responded blandly, all done with shit and not taking anymore, not even from Vicky.


    "Amy!" Vicky whisper-screamed, horrified.


    "~Enjoy, Victor." Amy sang quietly, climbing into the van.


    Carol would probably make her reverse it soon enough. But it would make her point. Victoria would get to enjoy being Victor for at least a little bit.


    She was not taking anymore shit. Online, PRT, New Wave. Her sister.


    None of it.


    If Carol made a big deal about it. She''d make her bed too and couldn''t complain once she set it on fire. Panacea didn''t need New Wave. And Amy sure as hell didn''t need Carol Dallon.


    Fuck around and find out.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Brockton Bay


    Brad leaned back against the derelict wall behind a shit hole gook bar down by the docks, comfortable in the shadows under the rusted awning, feeling the cold metal against his back as he waited, mask on. Feeling more in his skin with the steel wolf mask covering his face. As usual he hadn''t bothered with a shirt, the metal under his skin making armor superfluous.


    Besides it was a challenge, it was telling people, yeah, you can''t even scratch me, bitches!


    He was the fucking wolf of Brockton. When he prowled there wasn''t a single soul who felt safe. He was a born predator, some people just had it in them, knew how to fight, how to survive, how to kill. Brad had no need to sugarcoat life, he was made to be a killer. He was a savage, he readily admitted it.


    Even so, he wasn''t quite the hot blooded youth he''d been in the fighting pits. A fight would still get his blood singing, and he was down anytime for a scrap. But he''d realized something, watching Kaiser work his plots, dealing with underlings. Watching them survive - or fail at surviving. Every wolf needed a pack. Brad hadn''t expected to give a shit, honestly He really didn''t bother with the whole friends thing. Or he thought he hadn''t. But he''d accepted Cricket and Stormtiger as allies during his early years fighting, and now it had expanded quite beyond Brad''s fondest nightmares.


    He let out a grunt of satisfaction as his underlings arrived. They''d listened, so they weren''t complete dumbfucks. They''d killed the lights and cruised along slow enough there were no rumbling engines to give them away.


    Not that it would matter in about two minutes.


    Jonathan jumped out of the passenger seat, the kid was probably eighteen, or close enough, and built like a gladiator, Brad didn''t exactly bother with resumes or shit. Him and his buddies had been hanging around Brad''s crew trying to get in. It had been pretty boring lately, so he figured he''d blood them a bit, see what''s what. Tonight was the night. See if they were worthy of being pack, or were just useless brats he couldn''t count on.


    Brad couldn''t stand useless things.


    Brad didn''t need people to be as strong as him, there weren''t many like that around. He needed people he knew would fight until the last breath, spitting death in the face and trying to knife it in the groin as a last fuck you. He had the smallest group of underlings amongst the Empire 88, even that little kid Rune had more, although just a bunch of posers and pansies. Hangers on and cape groupies. Less than useless.


    Hookwolf''s crew were different, the elite. The real badasses that didn''t shy away from anything, that saw a fight as the proper way to communicate, that knew that the only way to know a man, or woman for that matter - was to meet them fist to fist. The Empire 88 wolfpack was what Kaiser called on when he wanted the other side to leave their body parts behind in the gutters.


    There was a reason the ABB and Merchant fucks didn''t grow in capes, they fucking tried and Hookwolf and his pack hunted them down and ripped them apart. The PRT had no fucking clue how many disappearances his crew was behind.


    "Ain''t you missing some, brat?" Hookwolf growled, kicking off from the wall, spotting only six brats In-between the two trucks.


    Jonathan, head shaved completely bald and a swastika tattooed on his neck, put a fist to his heart, saluting Hookwolf, "They pussied out." He said, grimacing. "It''s why we''re late, had to teach them a lesson."


    Hookwolf hummed thoughtfully, head tilted as he inspected the group of brats. He could see the blood splatter on some of them, good, a willingness to enforce standards was a good sign. "Alright, whatever, I don''t care how many of you there are, we''re gonna fuck up some ABB chinks tonight, and I''ll see if you''re worth my time." He growled out, feeling the battle lust rising, but riding herd on it, tonight was about his guys, not him.


    Well¡­ If they performed well enough to earn a spot as his guys. Otherwise he''d have to cut them loose. The wolfpack was an exclusive brotherhood, he wouldn''t lower standards for nothing. And hadn''t that burned some. Kaiser didn''t like it, but Brad didn''t give a fuck, people had the balls to try and get into the wolfpack he gave them the respect to end them personally if they failed. Fuck PR, they were Nazis, what fucking PR? Kaiser could go kiss a baby for recruitment or something, wasn''t Hookwolf''s fucking department.


    You couldn''t have a more uphill battle then trying to fight a PR battle for Nazis. Hookwolf didn''t even waste his time trying to help that angle.


    "Oh, yeah, by the way I told the ABB you''d be here, so you got ''bout thirty seconds now that they saw the trucks, since you''re late and all." Hookwolf snorted, leaning back against the wall again as Jonathan immediately reacted, barking at his friends, all of them stepping out of the trucks and slipping on knuckle dusters or holding baseball bats. Hookwolf''s style was up and personal, his guys didn''t do guns unless they were absolutely forced to, like when facing Coil''s motherfuckers.


    Hookwolf wasn''t stupid. Fuck all knuckle dusters was gonna do to mercenaries with tinkertech laser rifles.


    Slowly, groups of ABB in their green and red colors streamed out of the surrounding buildings. Hookwolf simply observed as Jonathan''s group split into teams of two, using the trucks at their back so they couldn''t be hit from the back. At least they weren''t retarded, Hookwolf leaned forward, blood singing in anticipation as the ABB came closer, outnumbering his guys 4 to 1. Fair enough numbers.


    Only in real life or death battles did someone''s true spirit come out. He''d see if they were wolves or if they were sheep.


    "You''re gonna die tonight you dumb Nazi fucks!" One of the Asians in the front taunted, waving a machete around, gesturing towards the people around him. "There''s more of us¡­"


    Jonathan spat on the ground, grinning wildly, "If you counted for shit maybe that would worry us, your blood and guts gonna be in the gutter where you gooks belong."


    The Asians didn''t like that one bit, rushing forward, although the pussy machete guy hung back. Hookwolf hated that kind of degenerate - the one that dared to order men to fight and die, but didn''t get down in the gutter and slit some throats himself.


    Only reason he could still respect Kaiser, even with all the corporate shit and respectable persona, Kaiser was still willing to go out and skewer some punkasses, willing to fight and kill with his own two hands.


    Couldn''t trust a man who hadn''t killed up close and personal.


    Hookwolf watched as the fight started, the shouting, the screams of pain, the stench of the dying as they voided their bowels, all familiar to him. He watched as slowly Jonathan''s guys were whittled down, being overwhelmed. He didn''t see anything special from the guys who got swarmed and died, they didn''t claw and scratch for every eyeball, didn''t draw on that last bit of energy to claw themselves out from death to spit in the enemy''s eyes. Just regular scrubs, Hookwolf could find a dozen of them by pissing off a roof, better that they died then continued living on as disappointments.


    Everyone in Brockton Bay knew how Hookwolf handled disappointments.


    ''Sides, Kaiser could just use their deaths to rally the troops and spread some more propaganda, so really, it didn''t hurt the Empire to lose some worthless hangers ons like this. As long as more ABB died so they could call it a win, of course.


    But that''s why Hookwolf was there observing, so that no matter what, the Asians were fucked in the end.


    Eventually it was just Jonathan and another guy who''s name he hadn''t bothered to learn yet left, both of them covered in blood and with several corpses surrounding them. They were barely standing and still doing their best to kill. He chuckled loudly as Jonathan bit a finger off a chink who put his hand to close to his face. He''d seen enough.


    "Oy, so who''s gonna die first?" Hookwolf growled as he stomped out of his shadowed corner and stepped into the light. The ABB goons all freezing as they cottoned on to his presence. Hookwolf had stayed hidden enough even when talking to Jonathan before that the ABB mooks had never realized who exactly had been there. They realized now, and he exhilarated in the feeling of fear that permeated across the street.


    The Asian man that had spoken before laughed, seemingly unconcerned. Which told Hookwolf he was either new as fucking grass or suffered from a brain injury. Either way he''d let the fool shoot his wad, they were already dead after all. He could afford to let them get their last words out. No one got away from Hookwolf once he''d set his sights on them.


    "I''m surprised you dare show your face, isn''t your boss busy praising all the homos? Is that why you''re here, huh? Gonna bend over and lift your tail? It''s what Kaiser likes, yeah?" He said smugly, pointing his Machete at Hookwolf.


    Hookwolf felt irritation grow, he''d fucking told everyone else that going balls to the wall for a fucking hero was stupid as fuck, white or not didn''t fucking matter - it was a hero! And now they were a fucking joke - a damn punchline. He''d heard the same thing everywhere he went today, same fucking joke. He was so damn tired of it. Despite the tattoo''s he wasn''t really that deep into the whole Nazi thing, but it was what his gang was about, so he represented. And he''d have to kill a lot of people now that Kaiser had made them a laughingstock.


    He let his power manifest into his favorite form, several members of ABB breaking off to run, good, he enjoyed the hunt just as much as a good fight, and these mooks wouldn''t be a fight. "Run¡­" He growled to the delusional leader, his wolf form blurring forward, a literal murder blender of blades shredding through everyone that got in his way.


    He didn''t bother wasting time with the leader, the one who only now screamed in fear, finally realizing what he stood against. New and green, Hookwolf thought with a scoff as he sideswiped him on his way by, his blades and hooks ripping a chunk out of his side. Leaving him alive, but ensuring he''d suffer and bleed out as he continued on after the slightly smarter ones, the ones that had run.


    Ten minutes later he''d finally finished hunting down the runners, having spent half that time slowly picking them apart for his own amusement, he returned to the site of the battle feeling moderately pleased at the outcome, two more members for the pack, and he''d gotten to sate his bloodlust, not much of a fight, but a good hunt was almost as good.


    He''d need to convince Kaiser to up their attacks on everything. Their reputation was on the line with all the online bullshit coming back on them. Usually people stepped lightly around the Empire 88, even online, no one messed with them seriously. Now because of the damn girl and Kaiser''s damn video - everyone was making fun of them.


    Hookwolf growled in anger as he made sure to crush the skull of the already dead leader of this pathetic pack of ABB pussies. He wasn''t no fag and he was fucking tired already of being made a joke - it hadn''t been the first time today he''d heard that. Usually he''d just brutalize his opponents leaving them barely alive, killing them all tended to make the PRT a pain in his ass for a few months, but he wasn''t gonna stand being ridiculed, so today everyone died. He''d deal with the PRT being more up his ass than usual.


    His mind turned towards the healing girl, Kaiser wouldn''t go for it - the precious rules bullshit. But there were people around her, they didn''t necessarily have to hurt the chit herself. Yeah, he''d put some of his men on finding that shit out, then they''d pay a visit. No one got to make fun of Hookwolf, or the Empire 88.


    Once the deed was done Kaiser wouldn''t have a choice but to approve, or he''d look weak.


    Hookwolf dumped the two injured men into one of the trucks and set off; he wouldn''t bring them to Othala. Part of the test was surviving, besides the scars would tell a good story. Of the time they ran with Hookwolf for a night.


    Jonathan had a brother in Arcadia didn''t he? He thought he''d heard something like it at some point when they were all making noise at the periphery. Couldn''t go after the fucking girl herself? Well she had friends that weren''t capes probably, they''d be fair game¡­


    £ª£ª£ª


    The Jefferson Hotel, Washington D.C


    Once they''d reached the hotel that New Wave was staying at, because naturally she couldn''t just get the whole shebang over with today - the medal ceremony was tomorrow - she was forced through the experience of having Carol''s undivided attention.


    Vicky, Uncle Neil and Aunt Sarah all tried their best to distract her, suggesting family game night, (Uncle Neil) a movie marathon, (Aunt Sarah) and strip poker (really helpful, Vicky¡­)


    In short order, Amy was left alone with Carol in one of the bedrooms. An illusion of privacy only. Because she was sure they were both going to get loud enough the rest of the family would hear them.


    Either that or Carol would reach levels of bitch never before seen, breaching the space continuum so that everyone in the hotel would know what she said no matter the sound level.


    "So¡­ Say what you want to say." Amy said eventually, arms crossed, leaning back against the ornate dresser with actual gold inlaid in the design. At least they''re putting us up in style for this dog and pony show, she thought, eying the rich caramel coloured carpet and the richly decorated and practically ancient furniture.


    "As easy as that, Amy?" Carol asked harshly, before taking a deep breath, visibly trying to rein herself in. "Do you even have any idea? Do you care?" She snapped, one hand clenching into a fist.


    So much for reining herself in. Amy thought snidely. She shrugged, "You''re going to have to actually tell me in what way I''ve disappointed you this time for me to be able to answer you." She drawled out sarcastically.


    Carol shook her head, "The fact I have to ask in the first place is ridiculous. Can you not see the issue, Amy?" Carol took a step forward, almost looming over her as her face reddened slightly in anger, "You came out on TV, without telling anyone!"


    Amy scoffed, "So that''s what this is about, me being gay. Should have figured." Even so, a tiny part of her, deep inside, twisted in pain. She''d been right in not telling Carol it seemed.


    "Stupid girl!" Carol said coldly, shaking her head again, having pulled back her temper slightly, "No one cares about that. You left us flapping in the wind, all of New Wave fielding questions about it and unable to answer. If we said yes we knew? We didn''t know if you''d told anyone we didn''t know! If we said no we didn''t, we would look out of touch, and again - we wouldn''t know if you''d said something different to someone else!" Carol laid out, step by step, voice as chilly as the arctic. "You put us all in a horrible position that could have been solved by a simple phone call."


    Amy felt slightly better and at the same time worse - at knowing it wasn''t being a lesbian that was the issue. It was the PR aspect of it. How it affected Carol. Of fucking course. She smiled bitterly, closing her eyes, refusing to let any tears drop, she''d already given up on Carol long before this, there was no need in trying. She knew she didn''t matter compared to Vicky or New Wave. "I''m sorry if the press release didn''t get enough time to be prepared." She ground out, hating the slight hitch to her voice.


    Amy was older than this, better than this. She wasn''t even family. Not really. There was no need to be upset about Carol hating her.


    Carol laughed, hard and cold, the sound almost echoing in the room as the tension between the two of them built. "You still don''t get it. Blindsiding us was bad for press reasons, yes. And I am upset about it, but you never thought about how any of us would feel, did you?" She asked, before she took a deep breath, speaking more quietly, "How do you think Victoria felt?"


    Amy refused to be cowed, staring straight back at Carol, lips pressed together tightly, angry that she dared to bring Vicky into it. "She''s fine with it, haven''t you seen her stupid PHO thread?" She said with a sneer.


    Carol rubbed her face, sighing, "Tell that to the heartbroken girl that was sobbing in my lap about how horrible of a sister she must have been for you to not trust her with this!" She said with quiet rage and hurt simmering under the surface, "She bounced back, because she is Vicky and because she didn''t want to upset you or make you think she didn''t approve of your sexuality. Because be honest, Amy. If Victoria acted upset with you when you got here, what would you have thought?"


    Amy opened her mouth, but no words came out. She would have assumed the worst immediately. She knew she would have. She was testy when it came to her family sometimes. Had Vicky really been upset? "But the PHO thread?" She protested weakly, feeling a stirring of something uncomfortable in her gut.


    "Was her way of acting out a bit no doubt. Shunt off some of her hurt and anger in a silly prank." Carol explained, grimacing as she pulled a hand through her hair, "Amy, none of us care about you being a lesbian. You can date who you want¡­" She paused for a moment looking pained, "No supervillains!" She clarified. "But you can''t say you handled this appropriately, you came out so that you could screw with Kaiser and the Empire 88 for God''s sake! When were we, or at least your sister, a consideration in all that?"


    Amy would have to say something she''d never thought she''d say, ever. "You''re right." She admitted. Oh, it burned her. She''d butted heads with Carol so much lately, but she was right. She''d just pushed her family to the wayside and acted out of spite more than anything. And apparently she''d been so self absorbed she hadn''t even noticed that Vicky was upset with her. She face palmed, and she''d retaliated for the PHO thread by giving Vicky a penis. Great. Best sister of the year award right there. "I need to see Vicky."


    Carol raised an eyebrow, looking deeply unimpressed. "I have yet to hear an apology, a declaration to do better, to act differently, any sign of contrition." She said sternly.


    Amy nodded, she was right. This was on her this time. Not that she appreciated the telling off for the press related reasons - because fuck that. But any hurt she''d caused Vicky or the rest of the family, that was on her. "I''m sorry, mom. I didn''t think it through, or realize I''d hurt you guys." She said softly, actually meaning the words. Partly at least.


    "At least you realize it now. But no, you will not see Vicky tonight." Carol said, putting her foot down her face set in a stern visage. Back to being the cold bitch Amy knew so well.


    "What? Why not? I need to!" Amy''s back straightened as she stood away from the dresser, anger flaring up again, "You''d just be punishing her as well!" I need to restore her to normal and let her know I didn''t mean to hurt her!


    "You need this time to get your head on straight young lady. We have the White House and the press tomorrow. You can not be making these mistakes or all of New Wave will pay for it. So no, clear your head and think over what you''ve done. I will send someone with food for you, but you, Amy, can consider yourself grounded." She bit out, a superior smug look coming forward, the; I just won the case, lawyer look.


    Amy hated that look. She hated it even more that for once, Carol had been right about something. Not all the nonsense she''d just said about the press and New Wave, but about Vicky. She''d probably just fuck it up if she talked with her now. Hurt her more.


    She''d have to apologize in the morning. And turn her back to normal. And eat a lot of crow.


    Because she''d definitely not taken Vicky''s feelings into account when she did what she did. Or her family.


    She watched Carol leave, watched the door close behind her, she sank down onto the edge of the large bed in the suite, feeling frustrated with herself. She''d been so ready to fight Carol. And almost eager to be honest. She was at the finishing line, ready to take the plunge and leave New Wave and Carol behind. And she couldn''t. Because this time she''d been in the wrong¡­


    She wouldn''t cry about it. She was stronger than that. But she would¡­ Fix things. Apologize properly to Vicky, to her family.


    This hadn''t stopped her plans.


    But¡­


    Maybe she needed to watch out that she didn''t miss the forest for all the trees.


    Having tunnel vision would make for a really short lived villain career in Brockton Bay.


    Sorry, Vicky. I should have told you. She mentally apologized.


    She was still a bitch for that thread though.


    £ª£ª£ª


    In the end she could only sleep so much, not much, she felt guilty, and angry at herself for feeling guilty. She was especially angry that she''d allowed Carol to be right. Just as she was gearing up to pull the rug under her and tell her to fuck off.


    Four hours was enough sleep, right?


    So instead of sleeping more, she tried playing with her powers a bit. Manifesting her ''clone'' which really was more of a phantasm than a clone. An almost transparent copy of herself. One that disappeared just if she poked it. Utterly useless in a fight. Not even as good as a Naruto style shadow clone.


    It also gave her the weird sensation in the back of her head, of seeing things from the clones point of view. She could shunt it away and not pay too much attention, but after some practice she could also be aware of everything her clone did. Unfortunately it was so weak it couldn''t even speak, although she could feel it somehow could use her power, so at least that was something. It really was a weaker imprint of Prism''s powers. Much weaker. Just as her ability from Strider had actually turned out to have a limited range in the end. She''d thought she''d been clever only showcasing the ability to heal to about a hospital building''s worth of range - but when she tried to reach further it turned out she couldn''t. So she''d need actual contact with Strider to reach a whole city again.


    Still, she couldn''t really complain. She was basically becoming a grab bag cape, except with the ability to choose her powers. Prism''s power was fairly useless right now, but if she could move the phantasm into a real flesh clone - she''d be getting somewhere.


    Theoretically it could work, if she made a brain identical to her own, why shouldn''t her clone be able to access it? In theory. Contessa had to have sent her in this direction for a reason.


    She sighed as she watched the alarm clock, she''d be exhausted again, as usual. If only she could heal herself. That would solve so much¡­


    Wait¡­


    Heal herself¡­


    Clone¡­


    It can''t be that easy?


    Can it?


    Her clone moved closer, sharing a mind as they did, it had immediately cottoned on at the same time as she did. Amy waited with bated breath as clone Amy put a ghostly hand just a few inches from her face. They both shared the thought of the problem of the clone popping at any physical touch, growing frustrated. But they had to try.


    Amy drew in a sharp breath as she felt the cool touch of the ghostly hand. Apparently while nothing could touch her clone without disrupting it, her clone could touch things. Could touch her. Considering she could only heal with her Strider aided distance powers, making the cells of the human body fix themselves with an infusion of her power, instead of proper bio tinkering. She wouldn''t be able to do anything to herself with that long distance effect. She needed touch for anything more invasive, this was¡­ If she could¡­


    She watched through the eyes of her clone as she used her power, letting out a delighted laugh as the usual feedback she got when she touched a person and let her power loose, filled her mind. She was fairly healthy all considered, but there was some light damage to her system from the bio tinkered drugs she''d totally never tried, some fat stores around her body that she could repurpose and give herself a more slimmed look, perk up her boobs, her mind ran with the potential improvements.


    Oh, this was¡­ Oh god, the possibilities. She forced herself to dispel her clone. Not changing herself at the moment. She had her entire family around, a press conference and the whole Brockton Bay Protectorate around. Now was not the time for improvements. It needed to be more gradual.


    Panacea couldn''t suddenly gain a brute rating, there were limits to what she could visibly do to herself. But there were plenty of ways to improve her body that were not as visible or potentially outing her powers as more than healing. Strengthening her organs, making her immune system supercharged. Perhaps she could be fixing herself up so she would be a regenerative cape, she could claim it as her powers continuing their expansion. A healer suddenly self healing isn''t too odd. She had given Coil regenerative cells, so it was easy enough to do that much for herself - even if that wasn''t the same as actual regeneration from injury, like Lung.


    With some experimentation she should be able to figure it out.


    She gritted her teeth as the urge to shape herself became almost unbearable. Apparently with all the work she''d done, her shard still jumped at the opportunity and wanted her to do more. She wasn''t going to let it make her decisions for her. She knew it was there, she could identify the craving as not her own. She wouldn''t allow herself to end up like the original Amy.


    There was no way she would sleep more at this point either. She manifested her clone again.


    She''d test how long it could be out, how long it could use its ranged power, there were plenty of people in the hotel she could long distance heal through her clone to see how much it could do, if there were limitations. Her shard enforced hunger lessened somewhat as she began to test the limits, allowing her some relief.


    She brushed up against her family, not doing much other than feeling out their system.


    Oh¡­


    She blushed bright red, dropping the feedback. She couldn''t blame her. She wouldn''t. Of course she''d be curious - it''s not like she was a shy person.


    She''d still have a hard time looking Vicky in the face in the morning knowing about it though¡­


    £ª£ª£ª


    Coil leaned back in his chair, mind whirling, Panacea had truly catapulted herself into worldwide fame this time. Unfortunately it definitely ensured he couldn''t use her for anything, she would be too hot.


    It made him feel all the more smug about already having taken advantage of her abilities. Although he''d probably have to send her a message in his civilian identity warning the girl of the dangers of revealing what she could do, since he could no longer risk forcing her to be quiet through more underhanded means.


    If he kidnapped anyone in her family now, the response would be much more dangerous than before, that''s if Cauldron itself didn''t appear, that woman popping out with a gun to his head for daring to touch a hair on the new golden goose.


    He was immortal now, he didn''t need to rush. He had all the time in the world. Eventually someone would get the better over Cauldron, perhaps it would even be him.


    With that pleasant thought, he shut down any further plans to poke and prod at the healing cape.


    It was a waste of timelines to bother with her anymore now that she had the attention of the world on her.


    Coil worked best from the shadows, his abilities became markedly less useful once he became at risk. The fact his base was completely hidden ensuring he''d always have a safe timeline.


    Still¡­ It wouldn''t hurt to have one last check¡­


    He split the timelines. In one he continued on, researching his opponents in Brockton Bay. In the other he grabbed his phone and dialed the number of his new little songbird. She was busy gathering up a team for him, but she''d answer his call.


    He''d made sure she was very well aware of his tolerance level for her ignoring him.


    "Yeah, boss?" His Tattletale answered wearily after a few rings.


    "Panacea, your thoughts on her becoming an issue in the future?" Coil asked calmly.


    "Panacea? Holy shit, really? What''s she going to do? Heal that cold empty spot where your heart should be?" Tattletale said irreverently as was her habit.


    One he''d need to train out of her eventually.


    "I won''t ask again, Tattletale." Coil said coldly.


    "Ugh, fine, let me get a good look at her last presser." Tattletale groaned, Coil waiting patiently for several minutes as Tattletale found a video of it online.


    "Wow, never bothered much with heal bot girl, but she''s kind of fucked up." Tattletale said, letting loose a whistle, "Far as I can tell she''s about ready to tell her family to take a hike, either going independent or villain, not PRT she loathes them."


    Coil raised an eyebrow unseen to his minion, "Really? Anything else?" Panacea leaving New Wave would be a big deal. If she went villain¡­ Coil would have to eliminate her before she became a threat.


    "She''s sandbagging, like a lot." Tattletale said bluntly, her teeth gritting together, it seemed she''d overused her power again today.


    "Explain." Coil ordered, sitting up straighter in his chair.  He''d found nothing of the sort when he''d ''interrogated'' the girl.


    "Not sure, but as far as I can read, she''s afraid of letting the breadth of her abilities out, as in getting a kill order afraid, don''t bother asking what the abilities are, I''m good, but I can only get so much from a video."


    "Make a guess." Coil said coldly, dread filling him, Tattletale picking up on it annoyingly enough because she immediately got a bit of a chirp to her voice as she answered.


    "I''d guess full out Biotinker." Tattletale said brightly, before she hung up, already knowing Coil was done talking through her power.


    "Shit."


    £ª£ª£ª

 Chapter 4: Hero or Villain? Why not both?

    £ª£ª£ª


    "Good to finally be back in good old Brockton Bay, huh?" Vicky said cheerfully as she floated backwards in front of Amy, trusting her to tell her if she''d fly into something, dressed in her Glory Girl outfit, tiara and all.


    Amy snorted softly, the scarf of her Panacea outfit covering her lower face as she ambled along down the street in no particular hurry. "Would be better if my ears weren''t still ringing from all the yelling from Carol about how New Wave had suffered in popularity polls due to my reveal."


    The White House ceremony had thankfully been much briefer than the French one had been. Which then had led into a thankfully fairly brief press conference. Say what you want about Washington, but they knew how to throw a press conference. Unfortunately, the entire set of questions had all basically been about New Wave and why they had refused to speak out on her properly, hiding away and refusing questions, making no comments other than a minor PHO comment on the subject from Brandish. Were they ashamed of her? And more in that vein. Carol hadn''t stopped bitching since.


    Only thing returning finally to Brockton Bay had changed - was that now she could get yelled at in her own home instead of in Washington.


    Vicky smiled, but it was a sad wistful one, as she floated along, "Yeah¡­ I get why we''re doing this, I do, Ames¡­ But it''s gonna be hard, you know?"


    Amy reached out and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently. Thankful for her sister''s support, even if some of it had been artificially pushed along by her over the last few years. "We''re still family, we can still see them all, you can still go see Carol whenever you want, hell nothing says you have to move out."


    Vicky shook her head, not letting go of her hand, a melancholy feeling wafting from her as she bowed her head slightly, "No¡­ I''ll come with you, that''s how it''s gonna be, I''m not abandoning my sister, Ames." She said, raising her head with clear fire in her sparkling blue eyes. A small grin flashed into being as she winked, trying to discard the melancholy mood they were both in, "Besides you probably wouldn''t last a day without me."


    Amy raised an eyebrow sardonically, "You sure it''s not the other way around? Do you actually know how to wash your uniform? Let alone your regular clothes?" Not even gonna mention your ''skills'' in the kitchen, so I''m feeding you too from here on out¡­ Wouldn''t last a day without you, my ass! She thought.


    Vicky winced, letting go of her hand to point at her, "Alright, point. But I can learn, and how hard can it be? Mom does it all the time."


    "Turning right," Amy warned, Vicky immediately turned, floating ahead of her as they turned down another street, civilians staring as they walked/floated by. "And that''s cute." She scoffed, "You thought Carol was doing all that laundry, it was me you doofus."


    "Wow¡­ I feel really bad that I didn''t know that." Vicky admitted with a faint blush, looking back at her with obvious chagrin, "Hey, if I get too self absorbed you are allowed to kick me back down to earth you know?"


    "If I kicked you I''d just break my toe." Amy deadpanned, getting an answering roll of the eyes from her sister. "It should be the next apartment building." She''d looked it up already on the way back home. Her plans that had been percolating for months now came to the forefront as she realized she couldn''t stand to wait a minute longer under the thumb of Carol Dallon.


    Her plans didn''t really have her pulling the trigger this early, but like she''d been feeling for the past week, she just couldn''t stand spending anymore time being used as a PR prop and denigrated for it, she was worth a hell of a lot more then Carol thought, and she''d fucking prove it.


    "You sure she''s gonna listen, you know, villain and all that." Vicky said skeptically. She shadow boxed quickly, floating a few inches off the ground, going so far as making the sound effects to it, "Pow, pow, smash!" Succeeding in getting a snort of amusement from Amy which brought a blinding grin onto Vicky''s face.


    Amy would have never even been able to suggest this all to the original Glory Girl. But she''d worked on her for a few years now. And Vicky wasn''t quite as black and white anymore. And of course she was completely willing to follow Amy''s lead, which she definitely needed for this.


    "She''ll listen, and she''ll go along with it too, because it''s the best amongst a bunch of bad decisions, and it brings her a degree of safety she won''t find anywhere else." Amy said decisively. Unsaid was the idea that in the worst case, if she got her hands on her for any reason, she could make her see reason. Not something she wanted to rely on, as everytime she did it increased the risk she''d be found out as a Master.


    She and Vicky had pretty much spent the entire flight home huddled up and discussing strategy. Well¡­ After Amy had returned her to her original¡­ State, without any questions from her about anything. And after she''d begged for forgiveness for not thinking of Vicky or her feelings before she dropped the news on live TV, which not to her surprise, Vicky reacted to it all by cheerfully accepting it, hugging the stuffing out of her after. It kind of made Amy wonder if Carol had been full of shit after all and had been trying to emotionally blackmail her.


    They''d hammered it all out, and now, after spending the night at home, and a couple phone calls from Amy to start setting things up. They were ready.


    Brockton Bay wouldn''t be ready for them¡­


    A few minutes later found them knocking on the door to one of the apartments. Vicky floating silently behind Amy. Knowing that she was mostly with her to reinforce the point, and to get them both the hell out of there if it went south. Which it shouldn''t.


    The door opened and a fairly mousy looking older brunette woman peered out at them with a worried expression on her face, "...Can I help you?" She asked softly.


    Amy lowered her scarf, smiling politely, "Hello, Kayden, I think it''s best we come in for this discussion, to preface it, I promise that nothing said today will be told to anyone else let alone the PRT, we will leave and never come back if you chose that after our discussion, we are not here to arrest you or cause trouble for your civilian persona."


    "Take a breath, Ames." Vicky joked quietly behind her, Amy used one hand to give her the finger behind her. Took her 2 seconds to break the let me do all the talking rule. She thought with some exasperation.


    Kayden Anders, to some known as the cape Purity, slowly stopped back, leaving the door open, a conflicted expression on her face, "I''ll hold you to all of that." She said quietly, waving them forward, "I''d ask that you please keep your voices down, my daughter is asleep." She continued, some steel appearing in her voice, "If I feel you are a threat to her¡­"


    Amy held both hands up, shaking her head, "We will not be a threat, and like I said we won''t share anything with anyone about today, I''ll even throw in a check up for your daughter if you''re comfortable with it." She offered.


    Kayden seemed to mull that over, before she sighed, "We''ll see." Is all she said as she walked away into her apartment, Amy and Vicky following slowly.


    Kayden being a interior decorator showcased itself well in her apartment, it was tastefully done and looked modern without going futuristic or tacky. Kayden led them to the small living area, waving to a small couch; she notably didn''t sit down, nor offer them drinks.


    Amy sat down, Vicky plopping down next to her, her sister more tense, ready to move at a moment''s notice. Which wasn''t helping as Kayden held herself similarly, no doubt because of that. Amy put a hand on Vicky''s leg, "We''re not here for a fight, calm down, she won''t attack us."


    Kayden raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms, looking dangerous even in just sweatpants and a tank top. "You seem pretty sure about that?" She asked, with pursed lips. "Not scared of the big evil Nazi?"


    Amy just gave her an unimpressed look, "Are you trying to start something? God, you''re just as bad as Vicky." She bulldozed forward ignoring the twin offended looks, even though they were hilarious. "I know you''re not really a Nazi anymore, just as I know you''ve been trying to be a Hero recently, to create a better world for Aster."


    Kayden stared at her, seemingly at a loss, "This is not how I imagined whatever this is, would go." She muttered, slowly sitting down across from them, not relaxing, but not as on edge either, "How do you know that? No offense¡­ But New Wave isn''t exactly¡­ Active."


    "I''m active." Vicky muttered mulishly, Amy slapped her leg and gave her a look that said shush, only in much worse language than that.


    "We''re not actually here as members of New Wave¡­ Just as you''re trying to reinvent yourself, so are we¡­" Amy said, hesitating only slightly before dropping the bomb, "We''re leaving New Wave."


    Kayden looked towards Vicky, some disbelief shining through her pretty well done poker face. "You expect me to believe that?" She scoffed, shaking her head.


    Amy waved a hand dismissively, "It will be made official by tomorrow or the day after at the latest, so it won''t be hard for you to confirm. We''re leaving because New Wave isn''t making a difference, they''re not making things better. Neither is the PRT."


    Kayden laughed suddenly, quietly due to her daughter, but the derision in it was still made loud and clear, "You''re here to recruit me!?" She chuckled, "Now I''ve heard everything. I''ve been at this for a decade, and you? Some tiny, baby faced, little brats - think you can come and pick me up, just like that?"


    Amy tapped Vicky on the leg, just in time to get her to close her mouth with a snap, before she said something unwise. She turned to look at Kayden, radiating nonchalance. "Yes, just like that." She met her eyes unflinchingly, "That''s a decade as a villain, you forget. And there''s a reason you aren''t gaining traction as a Hero. Because the public and the PRT will never let you forget your past as it is right now."


    "And I suppose you have all the answers, god you''re just like him¡­" She muttered, a frown on her face, her brown eyes going distant for a moment.


    Did she just compare me to Kaiser? What a fucking cunt¡­ Amy thought, but didn''t let it show on her face, "I do have the answers yes." She said easily, "I am Panacea." She ignored the rolled eyes she got, staring at Kayden with seriousness shining through her body language, "No, actually listen." She snapped sharply. "I just healed even the dead during an Endbringer fight. If I asked the PRT for the favor of allowing Purity to join an independent hero team, they''d make it happen, once you''re on the team the PR machine can go to work in cleaning up your image, much easier when you''re on a team with the paragons of all that''s good and apple pie, like myself and Glory Girl!"


    Kayden seemed lost for words for a moment, just processing, before she shook her head, a bitter frown appearing on her face, "Kaiser knows who I am, he won''t let me join, going independent, sure, he''s probably hovering in the background hoping I''ll come back even now, but joining a Hero team, he''d definitely use my civilian identity against me." She smiled sharply, "Like you two somehow have¡­"


    Amy felt excitement racing through her, the fact Kayden already even spoke up on the possibility of joining was a good sign, "No he won''t," She said with surety in her voice, "Because we''ll make it clear to him that if he or the Empire goes after you in your civilian identity we release his." She explained. "We aren''t the PRT, if he plays dirty, we''ll reciprocate." Max Anders would not sacrifice Medhall for Purity. Not in a million years.


    "I''m not giving you the Empire''s cape identities." Kayden said harshly, a tenseness to her frame appearing that had Vicky stiffening at Amy''s side.


    "I''m not asking you to, I know who Kaiser is." Amy said calmly, quickly giving Vicky a reassuring smile, "You won''t get retaliation from the Empire with us, the PRT will let you be, you''ll be allowed to be a Hero, and you''d be working with a team, so you could actually clean up the gangs properly."


    Purity could actually fight Lung, so her addition to the team would be a game changer.


    "There''s a lot more going into a team than just kicking ass." Kayden said dismissively, but she looked to be wavering. "Assuming you''re not lying about knowing about Kaiser." She added with some doubt.


    Amy grinned, leaning forward slightly in her seat, going for the kill, "We already have one other member as well, Strider. And he pulls in a bundle in transportation jobs across the world." Her grin grew sharper as she continued her pitch, "And how many billionaires do you think there are that want a cure for their cancer? A bigger penis? To look slightly younger? Money for the team is the least of our worries. And of course it also means you have access to my healing as well. For both you and Aster."


    They''d be a rogue/hero team really. Doing some paid work and also doing the hero gig around Brockton Bay. Her own abilities alone would be sought after at a heavy price point. People spent millions on plastic surgery for something she could do in thirty seconds. She''d already used Strider as a go-between to contact a few billionaires to sound them out about the capital to set the team up.


    Her having saved Striders life so many times was a good cover for why he''d join up, especially as the rogue aspect of the team would allow him to continue on as usual. As long as he was available for Endbringer fights and contract work with the PRT, they wouldn''t care.


    Kayden was openly gaping at her now, the thoughts about what had been revealed obviously racing through her head, "You''ve¡­ Put a lot of thought into this¡­" She said after a minute, in which her brain had rebooted from the information she''d just had dumped on her. "What about my past? You really want to tar the team with a Nazi?" She asked skeptically.


    Amy smirked with full out satisfaction, "Well obviously you were mastered by Gesellschaft for the past decade, on loan to the Empire, it''s why you suddenly broke free and tried to be a hero, the Master died and released you. The last little bit of you trying to be better will fit the narrative perfectly, and since it''s me saying it, people will believe it. There won''t be a PR issue, because people will love your story." No one will care what the Nazis have to say about it, if they even bother trying to spoil the narrative.


    "Holy shit, Ames." Vicky blurted out, "You didn''t tell me all that, that''s genius!"


    Amy flashed her the victory sign, grinning with exhilaration, she was on the home stretch she could feel it. She turned to Kayden again, "If you join us with all that, even if Kaiser should reveal you at some point, you''ll be a Hero by then, you get to keep Aster, no matter what. As you are now, should Kaiser or anyone hacking him, let your identity loose, the government would take her, because you''d still be classified as a supervillain."


    Kayden looked taken aback, "But I''ve been a Hero for a little while now already." She protested weakly.


    Amy shook her head, "The government isn''t going to care, not unless we go by my plan, and my team." And it would be her team¡­ No one would be holding anything over her again.


    Kayden closed her eyes, Amy and Vicky say quietly and let her work it through. Finally she opened her eyes again, determination shining through. "If, and I''m saying if, here¡­ If I do this¡­ What would it look like exactly?" She asked.


    Amy grinned toothily, she had her.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Purity was onboard, which had Amy practically floating on clouds as they left her apartment. She and Vicky split up, her sister moving on for her own minor list of tasks.


    For what Amy needed to do now she didn''t want her sister around. She had her rogue/hero team, it was time to get started on her villain team. She''d use her gang to control the crime in the city, cleaning up the worst of the excesses - while her hero team would do better than the PRT, hopefully eclipsing them to the point they''d eventually just take over policing the city from them. She''d have the best of both worlds, with best of all - no Carol Dallon or Emily Piggot style person barking orders at her.


    Her actions would make a lot of people very unhappy, but it''s not like she could really make Brockton Bay worse. As it was the gangs had free rein of the entire population except for the small slices actually protected by the PRT.


    Purity wasn''t ideal by any means, no matter what she excused to herself, she was at minimum a racist. Although how much of that would fall away if she spent a few years away from Kaiser and co, she would see. But she wanted to do better, and had a very useful powerset. So Amy would give her that chance, because the world needed people like Purity not fucking it up more than it was. And if she let canon go on, that''s just what she''d end up doing.


    Even if Coil ended up hers and didn''t release the Empires civilian identities, Kaiser would reel Purity back in at some point, their relationship was plenty toxic, but the guy was persuasive and Purity was obviously a bit of a idiot, thinking she could just leave a gang and be a hero automatically, not even rebranding.


    She walked into a small slice of Merchant territory - if it could even be called that - without fear. It was early in the day for one - so the worst kinds of people of the gang were far from active. She''d also made it a habit of ''helping'' the homeless population with free healing. And since a lot of homeless people were actually part of the Merchants - they didn''t ever mess with her as Panacea, no matter where she went. She needed a fresh body. Someone who wouldn''t be missed, and who better than someone homeless?


    Their sacrifice would save Brockton Bay in the end, and Amy didn''t really feel all that horrible about what she was doing, the people here had already given up on life, she''d be their salvation, and their sacrifices in helping her experiment with her powers before this, and a body today - would save the rest of them and give them a life worth living again.


    As she went, she stopped by every slumped body against derelict buildings, the people laying on benches, gathering around trash heaps - offering to heal them of their ailments. Notably not curing their drug or alcohol addictions, these people didn''t want to come clean. And as Brockton Bay was currently, there wasn''t much point in doing it when they''d jump straight back into addiction anyway to escape from their situation.


    Being seen and healing these people was a great cover for what she was going to do. Because obviously people disappeared all the time - and absolutely no one would think Panacea was behind it, she was walking around healing people, such a sweetheart. Once she''d spent two hours on helping out, while scoping out the area, she ducked into an alley while she wasn''t in sight of any of the locals. She quickly divested herself of her Panacea uniform, hiding it behind a dumpster, hopefully it wouldn''t be discovered. She''d been wearing ragged jeans and a worn down hoodie under her robes, she quickly put her hair in a ponytail while she kept the scarf covering the lower half of her face. No one would automatically think of Panacea or Amy Dallon if they saw her now.


    She carefully entered the dilapidated former restaurant. Just by paying attention as she walked around and healed these people, she''d found out that an older homeless woman made it her home, and regularly chased away the rest, having kept her sanctuary for years, no one trying any longer due to her earlier viciousness. She wouldn''t be missed, and no one would know for days if not weeks that she was gone.


    As she thought, and had planned for. She found the woman passed out in the kitchens, seemingly a pile of dirty rags, reeking of filth and meth abuse - the woman herself only noticed as a human because of a wrinkled pale hand sticking out of the pile of filth she wore. Amy crouched down, grimacing at the worse than normal filth as she gingerly placed a finger against her pale hand.


    Her mind expanded with information, all of it bad, the woman would not have lived for much longer, her organs were on their last legs, heavy drug use, lack of nutrition and several ongoing untreated infections running their course. She was also riddled with STD''s which made Amy wrinkle her nose in disgust, who''d touch her as she was? People were that desperate? She started at the brain. Placing her into a coma so she wouldn''t wake up and disrupt her. Cleaning out the addiction in her system, then the infection and illnesses. She set the bacteria on her skin to dissolve the filth as she undressed the woman.


    Once she had the nude and somewhat healthy, if malnourished and skinny woman sat in front of her. She grabbed her phone, sending a text with the location. Then she waited.


    A few minutes later Strider appeared with a crack in the restaurant, striding into the kitchen moments later, carrying half a lamb over his shoulder.


    "Put it on the counter there, and help me get her up on the table." She ordered, skipping right past any pleasantries. She wasn''t comfortable spending a long time in this territory while up to something that would get her a kill order if found out.


    Strider dumped the biomass she''d need on one of the kitchen counters, and took a hold of the woman under her arms as Amy lifted her by the legs, both of them succeeding in lifting her up onto the prep table. Amy breathed out her nose, huffing slightly, god the stench in here was horrible, "Thank you, Strider, please stick around and keep an eye on the place, warn me if someone comes by."


    "Sure thing, let me know if you need anything else, boss lady." He answered casually, before he tipped his cap at her, and exited the kitchen.


    Amy shook her head with some amusement, she''d ordered him to not call her mistress or act subservient when she talked with him on the phone last night, setting today up, as that was just asking for trouble - and instead he''d started being overly casual, while still doing anything she asked without missing a step.


    She clapped her hands together, "Right, let''s see what I can do." She murmured, a flash of excitement going through her as she began to shape. One hand on the lamb using its biomass as she changed the homeless woman, fixing her malnutrition, her weak bones, improving her at the cellular level, at the same time shaping her flesh, until she looked down at a copy of herself, looking peacefully asleep.


    She took a deep breath, stretching her fingers out. The moment of truth. She created a clone. The phantasm appeared in the kitchen, hovering above the comatose woman. There was no need to speak, she was her, they both knew exactly what was going on. With flesh hands, Amy touched her copy, wiping her brain free of any memories or thoughts, in effect killing the woman while leaving the body alive. With a ghostly hand, her clone touched the body, suffusing it with her power, trying to incorporate herself within the body down to the cellular structure. One ghostly hand gently touched Amy''s head, reading her body, her brain, as they molded the comatose body''s brain pattern to match. Sweat was dripping down Amy''s nose as she stared with concentration at the woman with her face. She could see the phantasm of her clone melding with it the more complete the brain became, until suddenly she was alone in the kitchen with the comatose woman again.


    When she''d tested her phantasm clone, she''d found that it didn''t disappear at all unless she dismissed it, apart from it being touched and dissipated of course, but with a body that touch issue would be mitigated. So in theory, her clone should be able to work independently for as long as Amy wanted without suddenly poofing away. Now she''d only tested it for a little over a day, but she felt that it was true, and she trusted her powers that much at least.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    She took a shuddering breath, wiping sweat off her brow with a shaking hand. That had been intense. Now had it worked? She wondered. She attempted to create a clone again. And she failed. She pushed down on the roar of triumph that threatened to erupt from her. She still needed to check, even as her whole body practically vibrated in excitement. She laid a hand on clone Amy, reading her body, her brain. It all seemed to be right, with a touch she woke her up from her coma.


    She blinked, wow, that''s a trip. As she looked at herself with her own eyes. She could feel the other Amy in her head, in the back of her mind, could hear the echoing thought from the other her, that this was trippy.


    "That''s going to take some getting used to¡­" Clone Amy said, sliding her naked legs over the edge of the table, sitting up facing Amy, "I can feel your thoughts, my thoughts?"


    Amy agreed, it was good, because it meant her clone wouldn''t be gaining its own personality and end up an evil twin or something, but it felt really weird. Like she was in two places at once, but like, the other part of her felt more distant, a thought in the back of her head unless she concentrated on it.


    She didn''t worry as clone Amy put a hand on her cheek, she could feel the thought as she thought it. Clone Amy worked through her body, strengthening her muscles and her body, not going so far as giving her a brute rating, but more like an Olympic athlete.


    "God this is weird." Amy muttered, her clone agreeing with a silent nod, before she laid back down on the table, already knowing exactly what they were thinking.


    After all, they were a biotinker. There was absolutely no need for her villain persona to look like her. That was just begging for her to be discovered. She''d made the homeless woman into a replica of herself thinking it would be easier to take over the body if it was a copy of hers. She probably wouldn''t even have believed it could be done, if it wasn''t for the note from Contessa.


    Clone Amy got knocked out briefly again, as Amy used up the rest of the lamb. Changing her, giving her an extra few inches in height, wider hips, more of a heart shaped face, plumper lips, a more classical nose, a greater bust, she wanted her to appear as an adult woman, further setting her apart from the teenage hero Panacea. With the villain name already chosen, she pushed out a new set of hair for her clone, bright red, her eyebrows appearing at the same time as her clone grew out a full head of hair that flowed down her back, a tweak of her vocal cords would ensure her voice was more of a smoky, husky one.


    Of course since this Amy didn''t have family and heroes up her ass at all times of the day, there was no need to hide any body modification, so she also strengthened her body, giving her a brute rating with how much she changed, her muscles, bones and even her skin, all of it changed to optimal performance. Add a touch of regeneration, skin bacteria that mimicked a powerful sedative - making touching her skin a bad idea for any would be heroes, jacking up her immune system, making all her organs supercharged and performing at far above a regular human''s levels, while strengthening the outer layer of the organs to brute level.


    She''d be a very hard cookie to put down. She felt very pleased with her work. Her body practically singing with how happy her power was at what she was doing. With the conflict about to come for both her bodies. Her shard was probably orgasming right now, if an alien shard of a biological supercomputer could even do such a thing.


    With another touch she woke her clone up. All the lamb used up to create her masterpiece. She couldn''t help but let her eyes rove over her body. She was an absolute knockout, her clone smirking at her as they both realized she was technically checking herself out. And that this whole two body thing opened up some¡­ Possibilities. No, bad mind, stop.


    Ivy chuckled, running a hand through her thick luscious red hair, "We better get going, we have a lot to do, at least you do. We weren''t sure whether I would work or not after all."


    Amy silently agreed, Ivy working out was a hopeful part of the plan she''d wanted to move on before her actions once again put her in the spotlight, her taking advantage of her distasteful fame to create her own team - something that hadn''t even been part of her plan until Contessa had interfered in her life with the delivery of Prism. Ivy wasn''t really part of the work she needed to get done before tomorrow, but now that she was - it would accelerate Amy''s plans immensely. She''d never planned on continuing on as a Hero, but now she could do both, so that fame that annoyed her so much could be put to good use. And in the background use her Hero team to set the stage for her villain to rise to the top. Until they could both come fully in the open.


    The other her would get to get infamous instead of famous, something that sounded a lot more fun than pointless press conferences. No reported chased down a villain for interviews. Well... no sane ones.


    "You realize we didn''t think to bring any clothes, I would be fairly noticeable as I am." Ivy said dryly, looking down at herself, Amy''s eyes followed hers, fixating on the perfect breasts that were jiggling slightly, her own lips quirked in amusement as she knew she was doing that on purpose.


    Amy opened her phone, sending a text to Strider, she could have called him in, but there was no reason to flash the guy. Ivy laughed delightedly as she and Amy shared the same thoughts. Strider wasn''t going for clothes, he was bringing plants.


    Poison Ivy the biotinker villain didn''t need clothes for a uniform after all, she could wear plants, strengthening the biomass further than any kevlar or armor could provide. Really fit the theme as well.


    And as she didn''t even have a civilian identity, she could work as a villain 24/7, giving her an advantage. Especially as she was pretty sure her clone didn''t actually need sleep. Any issues with the body due to lack of sleep could be fixed easily enough by Amy, who could call Strider to expand her healing across the city and do it, or to have him surreptitiously teleport her to Ivy and do it in person.


    Both of them felt very smug as they sat there, their plans progressing perfectly.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Amy left as soon as Strider dropped off a whole crate of plants, seeds and biomatter for them, her bringing it into the kitchen so as to not give Strider an eyeful of Ivy. She gave Ivy a last giggling message of don''t do anything I wouldn''t do - which left a lot of possibilities, considering the things they''d done with their power, then she left.


    Ivy stood in the middle of the kitchen, naked, hands caressing the plant matter she''d placed around her, she stretched her powers, a sexy set of heeled boots growing around her feet up to right below her knees, patterned like vines climbing up her legs, her power strengthening the plants until it would almost take an anti-material rifle to punch through.


    She continued on, her power crafting a pair of shorts out of a similar style to her boots, the material softer and more clingy, sticking tight to her body, the material actually still alive, since she couldn''t work the same with dead matter. A green dress growing slowly around her, going down to mid thigh, the dress open in the middle of her torso, leaving her stomach up to her neck bare in a trail, her breasts just barely covered by the clinging plant dress showcasing some spectacular cleavage, a large blooming rose dropped into the middle of her valley hanging from a vine necklace around her neck, some red accents flowing down the sides of her dress, flowers blooming with thorns poking out, her shoulders left bare, a crown of thorns and thistles growing in place on her head, her hair twisted up artfully amongst it, the rest falling behind her, vines flowing down her back with it, studded with thorns, anyone grabbing her hair would get a dose of sedatives for the effort. Lastly a decorated wooden masquerade mask grew into place on her face, leaving her mouth and jaw bare, her forest green eyes clearly visible through the eye holes.


    She couldn''t feel sexy as Amy, she never had. Maybe she could once she got away from all the bullshit from Carol weighing her down. But this¡­ She felt badass and sexy, a femme fatale, and she knew she''d be a smash hit on PHO. If they didn''t outright censor any pictures of her.


    Good thing about being a brute is that your costume could basically leave your torso bare and you were still protected - it wasn''t quite chainmail bikini levels, but if she wanted she could have gone that route.


    Now that the aesthetics and costume defense were invented and done with, she moved on to her offense. She created bangles on her wrists, with seed pockets that would allow her to create whatever she wanted to use for offense. She''d be able to keep hundreds of seeds by her hands in this manner. She also added thigh bands under her dress with backup pouches of seeds, as well as a dark green belt around her waist with several plants hanging off, attached to the belt.


    With her powers she could make the seeds into anything really, although she''d stick with the plant and nature theme. No need in making the heroes think she was as versatile of a biotinker as she actually was. Although she''d have to be careful not to grow whole forests at a time or she''d be equated to something like the lost garden.


    It would be a tightrope to walk, to be dangerous but not so dangerous she''d get a response she couldn''t handle. Once she had backup and a whole gang behind her, then she could go the Lung route - where no one really dared to do too much to go against you.


    There was no such thing as overkill in having enough ammunition, and although she had a brute rating she didn''t want to count on that unless in a pinch. So there was an overabundance of seeds and plant matter on her, but better than running out and having to resort to fisticuffs.


    She stretched out her hand sensually, instantly catapulting a seed forward, growing it into a monstrous tentacle like vine that slammed through the kitchen wall, smashing it easily, the vine following her will seamlessly. Oh, this will work very well indeed. She thought giddily. She still needed to touch it to initiate the process, but that was a minor consideration, considering she could continuously create more and more if someone cut away her creations.


    Being a biokinetic was just so cool, no wonder original Amy had been so pent up and broken, to limit herself to healing when she had all these possibilities.


    Knowing the smashing of the wall would have alerted someone that something was going on, she concentrated, growing several flowers, tweaking them to have incendiary glands, than she strolled out, letting a conflagration brew behind her, she didn''t want any possible investigation finding Amy''s prints or anything in a building a supervillain emerged from.


    She stepped into the sunlight, smirking with pure delight, finally allowed to do exactly what she''d wanted since she entered this world. Let loose and have fun!


    She winked at the gaping gangbanger who held his phone up, filming her, the homeless people around having much more sense, all already legging it away.


    "Are you from the Merchants, darling?" She cooed, swaying her hips as she sauntered forward.


    The filthy gangbanger worked his jaw but couldn''t seem to find the words, still filming her, whether for his boss or for a later post to PHO, it all worked the same for Ivy.


    She grew another vine, a thin, thorny and sinousy thing, letting it wrap around her arm before it shot forward to grab and lift the banger by the throat, his hands immediately going up to try and pry it loose, cutting his fingers as he tried to break free, his eyes panicky as his phone fell to the ground, cracking the screen.


    "Tell your boss¡­" She practically purred out, a taunting smirk blooming onto her face, "That his territory belongs to Poison Ivy, now!"


    She giggled as he wet himself, the Archer''s Bridge Merchants would be first.


    She was coming for them.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Later that night.


    The living room was arranged like they already knew what was about to happen. Both the Pelhams and the Dallons arranged around the Dallon living room, all sitting on one side of the room, leaving Amy and Vicky standing in front of them like naughty children.


    Amy had not told Carol or Aunt Sarah why she needed to speak with them all. Why exactly all of New Wave needed to be present and involved. With Vicky backing her up, even Carol had begrudgingly backed down eventually and allowed it. No doubt thinking they were about to beg to not be grounded for both of their ''mistakes'' that could have impugned New Waves reputation.


    "Well, why exactly did you call for this, Amy?" Carol asked, sitting together with Mark in the center of the group, hands folded in her lap. "We all have important things to do." She continued, leaving unsaid, but heard anyways, the implication - unlike you.


    The amount of times Amy had needed something and been told that as a lawyer, Carol had important things to deal with, and that Amy needed to take care of things herself were infinite. She''d never tried to be a mom to her, she still had all these memories of trying to earn her love though, weighing down on her. Even if she''d stopped when she''d taken over. She still had the memories. Of trying over and over again...


    "Well, I suppose I''ll just come out and say it." Amy said, grabbing Vicky''s hand, her sister for once not looking cheerful, understanding the gravitas of the moment, "We''re leaving New Wave."


    Simple and blunt. Leaving no room for misinterpreting.


    "The hell you are!" Carol predictably exploded, rising up from her seated position, eyes hard, "You are under my roof and my rules and you''re not going anywhere, did Piggot put you up to this? You''re not joining the wards!" She said the word with marked distaste. Looking ready to call the PRT director up right then and there.


    Crystal and Erik both looked upset, but sank back into their seats, both cowed slightly by Carol''s explosion, leaving it to her to handle it. Uncle Neil and Aunt Sarah looked blindsided, the giant of a man blinking dumbly as he sat back in his seat, while Aunt Sarah stood up and grasped Carol''s arm, "Calm down, Carol, we can discuss this like adults." She sent Amy and Vicky a sharp look, "And receive an explanation, because this feels out of left field. If you were unhappy with the team we could have talked about it¡­"


    Crystal snorted, drawing eyes, she waved her hands like, don''t mind me, but at her mom''s hard look, she relented, "Okay, so you say that mom, but how exactly would that discussion have gone?" Her eyes flickered to Carol quickly, but her mom definitely caught the look.


    Carol pushed Sarah''s arm away, "Fine, we''ll listen to their explanation." She said bitingly, eyes zooming in on Amy''s, "We know it''s you, not Vicky behind this, so talk, Amy." She said sarcastically, her lips turned down in a disgusted frown.


    Amy was really thankful that she could live through Ivy at the same time as she did this, it really helped her get through the uncomfortable conversation, feeling Ivy sneak around Merchant territory (what little could be called that), randomly hitting different operations and pulling back after doing some damage, testing her abilities out and trying to draw Skidmark out was cathartic. She focused on her family ahead of her, splaying her hands out in front of her, releasing Vicky''s hand, "Whatever you think about it, we''re deathly serious, we''re leaving, New Wave hasn''t done anything for the citizens of Brockton Bay for years, we''re not joining the wards either, we''ll create our own team, and actually help people."


    "It''s not only Amy, I''m 100 percent behind her." Vicky piped in seriously, grabbing Amy''s hand again, confirming that they were both united.


    Before Carol could respond, Aunt Sarah placed her hand on her arm again, and spoke first, sounding concerned, "Amy¡­ Vicky¡­ This is really not a good idea, the PRT is one thing, I wouldn''t like it." Carol snorted loudly, Aunt Sarah continuing on as if she hadn''t been interrupted, "But I could understand it, your own team¡­ You''re too young, too vulnerable, girls, this is a bad idea!" She stressed, sounding worried.


    Uncle Neil, spoke up, backing up his wife, gaze intent, "She''s not wrong girls, the gangs don''t come after us because we''re a large established team, you two wouldn''t have that¡­" He hesitated, "Two young girls, alone, without backup¡­ Things happen."


    Amy and Vicky both sent him disgusted looks, how was that any different then both of them already operating without backup from New Wave, most of them retired from active heroing. Amy thought, but didn''t voice, the attempt at unbalancing them was disgusting, and she''d thought better of Uncle Neil.


    "You two can stop, Sarah, Neil, it doesn''t matter, because Mark and I won''t let them leave." Carol said harshly, Mark nodding jerkidly almost on cue when Carol glared at him. "This is all ridiculous, a silly act of rebellion on Amy''s part because she got a little press lately."


    Oh, you fucking bitch¡­


    "Ouch." Erik muttered, barely dodging the slap from Crystal, both Carol and Sarah glared at him and he tried to crawl into the sofa cushions and make himself unseen. Amy was surprised he''d even dared to make noise, he was the youngest of the family and Carol together with Photon mom, wasn''t a trivial combination to interfere with.


    Amy shook her head, not really surprised with the response she got, although she''d hoped for better, she''d pretty much called it on how this conversation would go. "You can think that if you want, I''m not surprised by any of it, you always think the worst of me."


    Carol scoffed, "I treat you exactly as you deserve to be treated, Amy."


    "Carol¡­" Aunt Sarah said, shaking her head, a worried frown on her face. "You don''t mean that." But it came out weakly, Sarah trailing off in silence. No one else speaking up.


    Amy felt Vicky pressing up beside her as her blood rushed to her head, no matter how she tried to ignore Carol''s uncaring attitude towards her, it still managed to keep hurting when she did. She took a deep breath, she needed to stay calm, not burn all bridges, the rest of them were still family. "Okay, you got me, Carol. Say honestly, that I am your daughter, that you love me, want me, and that you want me to stay on the team¡­ And I''ll stay."


    "Carol!" Aunt Sarah hissed in anger after nothing was said in the first thirty seconds. Carol gritting her teeth together in anger, refusing to open her mouth. Refusing to say even one part of what Amy had requested.


    Uncle Neil shook his head, stopping Crystal from speaking up again as she looked angry on Amy''s behalf. He didn''t speak up for Amy, but at least he didn''t speak against her again either.


    God, the men in this family were absolute pussies!


    "You can''t, can you?" Amy said, a hitch in her throat, "What have I ever done to make you hate me so much? To push me so hard to sacrifice everything? To refuse to care for me, to always hold me at arms length?" She knew why of course, but she wanted to hear Carol say it.


    To blame it on Marquis being her father. To admit it''s all because of something that stupid!


    "Mom¡­ Please!" Vicky begged, tears in her eyes, her expression heartbroken as Carol refused to speak. "Just tell her! She''s my sister!"


    Carol pressed her lips together, shaking her head, eventually speaking up, looking towards Vicky, completely ignoring Amy''s questions. "Vicky, end this foolishness, you''re New Wave, you''ve always been happy to be part of the movement, to be a hero with accountability."


    "I can still be a hero¡­" Vicky said, wiping her eyes with one hand, the other holding onto Amy''s like a vice grip, almost to the point of pain. "With my sister. Acknowledge her mom, she''s standing right here! Talk to her!" She implored, her voice breaking.


    Carol looked conflicted briefly, staring at Vicky''s teary face, but then she looked at Amy and her expression smoothed over, "No. This has gone on long enough. You live under my roof. You are both remaining on the team, you are both grounded!" She snapped out, Aunt Sarah sighing next to her, but refusing to gainsay her sister.


    "If necessary, we won''t be living under your roof anymore then." Amy said quietly. The quiet words were loud in the suddenly quiet room.


    Absolute silence ruled the living room, complete shock all you could see on most of its occupants'' faces. Mark, surprisingly, broke the silence, a quiet, "What?" Coming out from between his lips.


    Amy stood tall, refusing to be cowed, Vicky sniffling next to her, god this is making me feel like a tool, she thought. She''d dragged Vicky along after all, but she was selfish. She wanted to keep her sister. "You heard us. We are leaving, we are creating our own independent team, and if you don''t want us around¡­ We will find somewhere else to live."


    "I''m seventeen, Amy''s sixteen, we can do it¡­" Vicky said quietly, still sniffling, "Don''t make us, mom?" She begged, "Just say it!"


    "Legally, you are not old enough, if you leave this house I will simply declare you as a runaway and the law will bring you back." Carol said smugly, "You think you could make ultimatums to me? Go to your rooms, I will deal with your punishments in the morning." She finished, with absolute dismissal in her tone, already turning to Aunt Sarah.


    "And you''d take that hit to New Wave''s reputation? Having people ask why exactly Panacea and Glory Girl ran away from home? Instead of wanting to help people more and become more active with our own team? Quite a different perspective, PR wise." Amy said, refusing to drop it, refusing to not push until the very end, lay it all out on the table, so that Carol couldn''t say she didn''t realize it, when they left.


    Aunt Sarah looked sad as she answered, "You''re tearing the team apart, Amy, don''t make it a PR problem, we''re beyond that."


    Amy felt like she''d been stabbed, Aunt Sarah never really stopped Carol, but she usually didn''t join her either, "I''m breaking the team? But years of putting me down and making me get anxiety disorders on top of my anxiety disorders without a word said about it, and now that I want to leave, it''s a team problem?"


    "You''re just proving Ames right, why isn''t anyone listening to us!" Vicky said with disbelief, staring from face to face, finding either no support or people not willing to take a stand.


    "We can take a PR hit. You''re not leaving." Carol said finally, "You can''t see it, Vicky, but I am doing what''s best. For all of us."


    "Except Ames isn''t part of all of us, is she, mom?" Vicky answered back venomously, "I can''t believe I didn''t see it, that I thought Amy was exaggerating. God, you don''t even care do you?"


    "That''s enough, Vicky." Mark said tiredly, "Do as your mom says."


    "We''re leaving. Call the cops if you want. But you won''t like the consequences." Amy warned, taking a step away, Vicky made to follow her, one last disappointed look at her parents.


    "You think you can threaten me?" Carol said, offended, "Do not take another step, Amy, or maybe I will contact the PRT and say Panacea has somehow mastered my daughter."


    "Carol, no!" Aunt Sarah said at the same time as Crystal and Erik both gasped out loud, Uncle Neil not stopping them, his own disapproval clear on his face.


    Amy smiled, a sad, half smile, half turned towards her so called family, "Your only daughter, heard loud and clear, Carol." She said quietly. "I have one better for you." She mimed taking a phone call with one hand, "Hey, Alexandria? Yeah, my mom won''t let me help with the next Endbringer fight, she wants me arrested for leaving my house with my seventeen year old sister, can you deal with her. You can? Thanks, see you when the Simurgh comes to town."


    "Somehow I think the Simurgh is going to be more important than you being pissed, mom." Vicky said sadly, shaking her head, her aura spreading a feeling of depression around. "Ames is important, now, you can''t just roll straight over what she''s saying anymore."


    Carol growled, her fists clenched, "If you think you can blackmail me, you''re mistaken, Amy." She snapped, refusing to answer her daughter, a vein throbbing in her forehead as she continued to face opposition.


    Amy giggled, trying to hide it behind her hand, but eventually she just let her laughter free, getting weird looks from everyone except Vicky. If the laughter was slightly unhinged, well this was a kind of unhinged conversation.


    "Sorry, sorry, it''s just so funny. Hearing you try and say that you being butthurt over two almost adult heroes moving out, is more important than the PRT''s battles against the Endbringers." Amy''s smile turned sharp as steel, "Let me lay it out so we''re all clear, since you don''t acknowledge me as your daughter anyway - as you made clear today!" Her eyes panned around the room, "Which I noticed didn''t even really surprise anyone here, but no matter, here''s the facts. I will leave with Vicky today. We''ll be registering with the PRT as an independent team. We''ll be moving out and seeking emancipation. Should you put a single roadblock in the way, I will refuse to use my power. Full stop. No more. And when the next Endbringer murders a million people. The whole world will look at you!" Her smile was cold enough to chill the air in the room, as she let loose fully, holding nothing back. "This will be posted online in that case, New Wave will be done. Your career will be done. You''ll have to move into witness protection or get plastic surgery to be able to walk down the street!"


    Carol didn''t reply, just stared murder at Amy as Aunt Sarah whispered into her ear, looking sick to her stomach.


    Finally Carol pushed Sarah away, snapping at Amy and Vicky, "Fine! Leave! Don''t come crawling back when you get in over your heads." She turned away and refused to even look at them.


    Amy and Vicky both waited a moment, Amy could see the moment of disbelief in her sister when she realized absolutely no one was willing to step up and apologize or wish them luck, or even give them a hug goodbye. Although Crystal at least was looking at them apologetically, even if she didn''t dare move against her mom and aunt. It was more than the rest of them.


    "For whatever it''s worth, this isn''t a move against New Wave, not really, we just believe we can do better, that we deserve to be treated better, or at least that I should be treated like an actual family member. We wish you the best." Amy said, before she walked away, Vicky followed her, crying softly.


    That had gone both worse and better than she had imagined. She had expected more support from the other members of the family, but it appeared Crystal and Erik didn''t dare move against their parents, and Uncle Neil and Aunt Sarah weren''t willing to go against Carol.


    Lady Photon being the team leader was a joke, not when Brandish could walk all over her like that.


    "I guess we need to find a place to live." Amy said, trying to sound optimistic but failing utterly, "It will be okay, they''ll come around." She said, hugging Vicky. The two of them standing on the front step of the Dallon house. "We''ll be okay." She murmured into her ear, feeling the sadness of her aura permeate everything around them. "You and me against the world, we''ll show them!"


    "We''ll save Brockton Bay."


    £ª£ª£ª


    As the sun set over Brockton Bay, Poison Ivy sat on a roof not too far away from the docks, letting her legs hang off the edge waving them lazily in the air.


    The Archer''s Bridge Merchants was a bit of a joke really, while they technically had territory to take, it wasn''t the same as the other gangs, where as the ABB held much of the docks on the eastside and the Empire held much of the southside with inroads into the center where Coil was, the Archer''s Bridge Merchants were a mass of chaos - befitting an organization run by drug addicts.


    The Merchants had buildings and hang outs all over the place, in the cracks between other territories, around junkyards and other shit holes, the absolutely most derelict buildings usually. The kind where the homeless would gather. Sure some of the south east areas as well as some of the north east had a bit of a Merchant presence, but they couldn''t be said to own the north or south east by any merit. They weren''t organized enough for that.


    She''d have to change that.


    She wasn''t going after them because they were worth much, she was going after them because everyone else ignored them. Which meant when she took over, she could do anything to them, and no one would know, because no one would bother having a spy in Skidmarks crew. If it weren''t for their capes they wouldn''t even be a gang at all. And that had only been Skidmark and Squealer. Mush was so new that most of the people she''d beat up tonight hadn''t even heard about him. The PRT and the public certainly didn''t know about him.


    Still, a challenge like she had called out as an unknown cape - would get druggies like Skidmark pissed, so she waited. He''d come for her, he''d bring all the capes, of course. Because in the end he was a little rat who only knew how to scramble against the corners of a room, looking for crumbs. He''d fight nastily to survive, but it didn''t make him anything but a rat.


    She''d been out in the open for the last hour, just waiting. Making no attempt at hiding. She knew why the ABB and the Empire hadn''t taken the north east or the southeast area bordering the docks fully, the ABB firmly holding most of the rest of the eastern dock areas. Not because of the Merchants. But because any expansion of that level would induce a full out gang war between the two real gangs - plus the area was filled with the shittiest, most run down buildings, so it was territory that would be costly to maintain for absolutely no monetary benefit. So the Empire 88 and the ABB skirmished at the borders sometime, but they didn''t go full in for the unconquered areas. It would be their loss. Of course the center had Coil and the west and much of the north were PRT controlled areas, like the boardwalk just north of the center area Coil controlled, no one really touched either, it wasn''t worth the hassle.


    She heard the sound of a vehicle speeding, and she perked up. Was it finally¡­?


    A junker of a car with a cannon sticking out of the front and two mounted machine gun emplacements up top - sped into the square in front of the building she was resting on top of. What could only be Skidmark poking out of the roof, hands on the machine guns, the man looked absolutely filthy and was swearing up a storm as he was pushed back and forth as what could only be Squealer spun the car around so the cannon faced her.


    A mound of garbage flowed out of the backseat, slowly picking up more of the debris around them as Skidmark stood up, brushing his filthy shirt, stained yellow with actual crust along the edges, a mask covering the upper half of his face, doing nothing to hide the absolute crime against humanity that was his teeth. "Hope you have your puckered, juicy, asshole ready for me, cunt! I''m gonna fire everything right up that filthy fucking thing!" Skidmark called up, before he started laughing, like he''d said the funniest thing.


    Ivy couldn''t really see Squealer through the windshield; it was that filthy, but she definitely noticed when the cannon suddenly fired, demolishing the building she was sitting on. Unfortunately for her, Ivy was already jumping before that, seeds flowing down her arms, turning into vines that were spreading to the ground, giving her a slide to go down, as she landed in front of the dollar store tank, making a gesture with her right hand, sending the vines forward en masse, slamming into the front of the car and the windshield, crushing the cannon and drawing a shriek out of Squealer as she was dragged out of the broken windshield, getting cut up in the process.


    She didn''t know why she''d always been able to shape plants without additional biomass but she was thankful as it ensured she could pull this persona off,  she only needed to touch a plant to shape it, then as long as it was within her vicinity she still had control over it up to a limit, she wasn''t as fast when she wasn''t touching the plant.


    Ivy, had her vines hold Squealer up in front of her, dangling the vehicle tinker by the arms, like a flag in front of Skidmark and Mush. "I''ve got something of yours, I think." She called out, even as she kept creating vines, letting them sneak down behind her, tunneling under the ground.


    "Mush, fucking do something, you cum guzzling cock goblin!" Skidmark shouted, his eyes having trouble seeing them, Ivy wondered how many drugs he was on at the moment. A moment later he seemed to figure out sight as he got ready to fire, lining them up with both guns, either not realizing, or not caring that Squealer was in the firing line. Nor using his powers. What a waste of a parahuman...


    "What the fuck! Watch it!" Squealer, well¡­ Squealed, struggling as the vines held her up, starting to simply scream in a high pitch as the machine guns started firing, hanging limply, in horror.


    Ivy let the vines that had slammed into the car rise up, sliding together into a wall, enforcing the material with more seeds exploding into full on trees, further strengthening the wall, the machine gun fire not able to penetrate the material. Not that it made Skidmark stop firing, the completely out of it black man screaming as he fired continuously, apparently not noticing it wasn''t doing anything.


    Meanwhile, Ivy could have fought with Mush. But really. Why even bother to make all this into a fight, during the noise and spectacle of both machine guns unloading, the vines she''d sequestered underground had resurfaced, under Mush, spearing through the garbage, finding the body in the middle of it, and slamming him into the ground over and over again until the garbage all fell off, the cape completely out of it.


    "You guys¡­ Really can''t be taken seriously, huh?" She said, giving Squealer a shake with her vines, the captive tinker whimpering, mumbling a bunch of nonsense to herself.


    She had plans for Squealer and Mush. The vehicle tinker could be useful, healed up, not addicted anymore, and under her aegis with a new less ridiculous cape name and more resources to tinker with. Invisible cars were nice, but invisible buses or an actual plane would be much better. She''d see what she could motivate Squealer into doing once she was healthy. Although by necessity she''d have to twist her brain to showcase some loyalty, same with Mush.


    The benefit of being transmigrated to another universe, is all the metaknowledge she had available. Not only from Worm, but from fanfiction. She''d read somewhere of Mush using sand as a giant sand golem instead of utilizing garbage with his power. And honestly, becoming the Sandman was an improvement. She already had ideas on how to always keep sand available for him too. Tinkers being bullshit as they are.


    The machine guns finally clicked empty, so she parted her wall, not even allowing Skidmark to speak before she sent a vine forward, its tip sharp as steel, piercing him through the forehead, immediately killing him. Squealer came alive again as she started to scream in fear and panic.


    She could have turned him into the PRT, but why bother. Killing the trash wouldn''t get her kill order, and the Protectorate chasing her would happen whether she killed him or not. He was a bottom feeder. She did everyone a favor really.


    Her vines collected Mush, dragging Squealer with her as she sauntered off, she needed to find a nice quiet place to do some improvements to her new minions. Luckily enough no one knew or cared enough about either of them to think it too weird that they simply hung on to a new boss with the loss of the old one. And any more competent behavior from them could simply be explained away with the fact they weren''t high anymore.


    Poison Ivy, the Queen of Brockton Bay sounded quite nice.


    £ª£ª£ª

 chapter 5: Theres no I in team. Theres two.

    £ª£ª£ª


    "Soooooo," Vicky chirped, hands behind her back as she swayed back and forth just an inch of the ground, "What are we actually doing?"


    Amy gave her sister a tired look, they''d used a motel for the night, and Vicky, still upset about their family being shrinking violets in front of Mount Carol - had not let her have any sleep with her constant nightmares and pointy elbows. On the plus side, she''d gotten some work done online, on the minus side - she now had to spend the entire day tired as all fuck with peppy Vicky, and with where they were going, it was going to get worse.


    She knew Vicky was putting up a front, being even more cheerful than normal to hide her hurt feelings from their problems with their family. Unfortunately she didn''t really have a fix for that, other than bringing her along and being there for her.


    "Recruiting. I reached out to someone on PHO last night, sent a PM and asked to meet in New York today. Got an answer back while you were in the shower hogging all the hot water!" Amy grumbled, checking her phone, she''d send out another text not too long ago, securing their ride.


    God, Strider was the most useful person ever.


    Vicky just laughed cheerfully, jumping back down on Terra firma, and giving Amy a half hug and a loud kiss on the cheek, "You know I need my me time in the morning, Ames! Don''t be a grump! Who are we getting? Oooh, is it one of the wards? Do I know them?" Her face turned sly as she waggled her eyebrows, "Please say he''s a beefcake!"


    Amy couldn''t help the half smile creeping up on her face, "Oh, you''ve definitely heard of this one." She said, holding the information back just out of pure spite. She had not enjoyed her five minute cold shower. Or the bruises from sharing the bed.


    A big plus for her in holding back, Vicky was cute when she got surprised, so it would be worth it to hold back and see her reaction.


    They couldn''t be too long, they had a long day ahead of them. Amy had an appointment at PRT headquarters in Brockton Bay to register their new independent/rogue team (Apparently being Panacea gets you a same day appointment.) Then she''d scheduled a press conference for the evening - which with her newfound fame had created a frenzy of speculation.


    Prevailing theory on PHO was that she was eloping with Vicky, having a dream wedding against the wishes of their evil family. Which¡­ Wasn''t that far off, despite being a theory crafted by online perverts. Amy wasn''t sure what that said about her, but she didn''t like it.


    She was just messing with Vicky a bit, they weren''t going to do anything like that.


    Originally when they''d been pretty much kicked out, she''d planned to go ahead with just Strider and Purity and announce their team - but trawling PHO she''d remembered something important and saw an opportunity at the same time in New York. Plus, Vicky would be thrilled over it.


    For the first few hours anyway.


    Amy already regretted her choices. But who could turn down the chance of meeting their childhood hero. Even if it was from before she''d become a new person. She still held the good memories.


    "You''re not going to tell me, are you?" Vicky pouted, but her lips twitched, and she broke out in a full out grin, pumping her fist in the air, "That''s my sis! Evil to the core! I''ll figure it out on my own! You''ll see!" She declared dramatically, striking a superhero pose from their early morning cartoons back when they were kids.


    She was already regretting creating a team where she''d be the one responsible for Glory Girl from now on¡­ She must have crossed a wire somewhere - she didn''t remember her being this peppy in canon. Then again, she was likely overcompensating to not appear sad.


    Amy just covered her eyes wearily, they were in public for God''s sake! "It''s too early in the morning for all this¡­You¡­" She muttered.


    The crack of Strider arriving thankfully saved her anymore humiliation. There were already plenty of motel patrons gawking at them thanks to Vicky''s loud personality, cellphones out of course. Considering the motel rented rooms by the hour¡­ She should probably stay off PHO for a few days, she didn''t want to read about the fanfics and theories that would run rampant there over this.


    "Strider, thanks for coming." Amy said, a thankful smile on her face, "I hope I didn''t interrupt any deliveries."


    Strider tipped his cap briefly to her, a polite smile firmly in place, "It''s all good boss lady, my business takes a backseat to you and the team."


    Vicky flew forward, a hand outstretched firmly, as she pretty much grabbed Strider and shook his hand forcefully, all the while grinning excitedly, "Hiya, I''m Glory Girl, or Vicky, so thrilled we''ll be on the same team, and do you do teleportation to French boutiques? Asking for a friend. Me. I''m the friend." Vicky rushed out in one breath, still shaking the bemused Strider''s hand.


    "Down, Vicky. Down." Amy sighed, lips twitching against her will. Seeing how taken aback and amused Strider was, did strike her funny bone just a little. "You have all the time in the world to extort fancy shopping trips out of your teammate." She added, wryly.


    "It''s nice to meet you. I''ll let Panacea decide about any shopping trips, however. She is the boss after all." Strider said, immediately changing Vicky''s focus to Amy.


    Smart guy, Amy thought, immediately throwing her to the wolves to save himself. Intelligence was a good quality to have in a minion, if it wasn''t her that was going to have Vicky nagging at her because of it.


    Not that it would markedly change anything from a normal day for her.


    "We should be going." Amy hurriedly said, wanting to move along before the inevitable shopping plans were made and she was forced to allow it to avoid a sulky Vicky. Or worse. Forced to come along.


    Seconds later they disappeared from Brockton Bay with a crack, the onlookers all still filming from a distance.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Ivy somewhat envied Amy in her chosen locale of a love motel and its invariable issues.


    After leaving Skidmark''s corpse behind and dragging Mush and Squealer into an abandoned warehouse and working her magic on them just enough to make them loyal. She''d been led to Skidmark''s lair. Which to be honest was just a run down house on the edge of the docks.


    Apparently it had been passed down to Skidmark in his civilian persona from his grandmother. Ivy had a hard time picturing any little old grandmother sitting around with Skidmark and having a conversation - but apparently, from Squealer''s recollection of his rambling stories when high, they''d been tight.


    A roach motel was the Hilton comparatively however to the house which might at some point have been a cute, white picket fence, kind of building, but was now completely blocked off from sight from the street by heaping piles of garbage and debris, the white paint almost completely flaked off, leaving the house looking like it had dirty spots everywhere. Ivy didn''t dare sit down anywhere inside, the place was that filthy, areas were covered in a mixture of drugs, garbage and fluids. She preferred not thinking too hard about what those were.


    Like she thought really hard about everything else to avoid that thought.


    Added to the mess was random crap from Squealer that she kept around to tinker with when she was hanging out with her drug dealer/kidnapper, ugh¡­ Lover. And it made for a deeply unpleasant place to stay in for a night. It was, however, safe. Only the capes of the Merchant''s even knew of this place, so there was no risk for anyone coming and hitting the place trying to take out her new minions, or her, based on Skidmark''s death.


    Mush had barely needed to be artificially convinced to be loyal. With her powers, she could fix what made him end up as nothing but a drugged out loser slumming it with Skidmark in the first place.


    Mush, real name Jason Watts, had been ostracized his whole life due to his looks, but it had really taken off after Nilbog took over Ellisburg. Mush looked like a pink skinned scrawny goblin, and with his power making him look like a spaghetti monster when in use - he''d not had an easy time. Living on the outskirts of society, barely able to hang on.


    He''d even tried once, as he told her, in desperation, to join the good guys. It happened after a mob in Texas tried to kill him for trying to buy groceries, screeching that he had escaped from Ellisburg. The horrible PR look of his garbage application to using powers and his general appearance - coming off a recent riot/mob, had the PRT agents he contacted, turn him flat down and try to arrest him for disturbing the peace instead.


    Needless to say he''d never made another attempt to join the Protectorate.


    He''d drifted around, homeless, getting addicted to alcohol and drugs to get away from it all. Performing basic minion work for a variety of minor criminals for money for his habits. Until he ran into Skidmark just a few weeks ago and was conscripted into the Merchants. Not that Mush had much cared, as long as he got drugs.


    Ivy had cured him of all the crap in his system, taken away his crippling addictions and made him healthy again. But what really sold her to her new minion, was when she used up the biomass of his potbelly, to change his appearance.


    He was still not an adonis by any stretch of the imagination, he was still a scrawny man with long limbs and slightly large eyes, but his face was normal, now. His ears were no longer pointy goblin ears and his teeth and nose were fixed. With Ivy explaining to him the force multiplier he could become if he used a ton of sand instead of various piles of garbage - Mush had enthusiastically accepted the moniker Sandman over his old one.


    Ivy had given him a new lease on life.


    She probably didn''t need the conditioning at all with that all being done for the poor guy. But she wouldn''t take any risks with the Merchants, so she''d still mastered him to be fully loyal to her. Mush and Squealer she could get away with - them being more competent and loyal could be explained away with getting them off the drugs, no one was around to say what kind of people they''d been off them, after all.


    After this, she''d have to be more careful. Full on mastering people was just too risky. Better to leave it to her light touches for anyone else.


    Squealer was just a mess. Her system was completely fucked up. She wouldn''t have lasted the decade. To be honest, she probably wouldn''t have lasted even five more years if she kept her habits up as hard as she had. Ivy was pretty sure she had STD''s that were completely new and undiscovered by mankind. It made her glad that she''d just killed Skidmark and not tried to touch him in any manner.


    She felt dirty just from healing Squealer.


    Ivy was very curious to see how her tinkering would improve now that she wasn''t completely off her rocker 24/7. It appeared Skidmark was worried a sane Squealer could take over the gang easily - so the asshole kept her constantly drugged out of her mind, even when Squealer couldn''t take anymore - he''d forcefully inject it to make sure she didn''t ever wake up from the haze. Or so Squealer had told her once she was actually out of the constant drug haze she''d been in.


    Ivy wanted to go back and kill him again.


    As another courtesy, she fixed all the cosmetic damage as well as all the internal damage that Squealer had accumulated, she was a pretty woman, body wise, but she''d wrecked her skin and face with drugs, her nose practically eaten through with chemical damage. Squealer was now down a cup size from the biomass needed to fix her issues. But still ridiculously well endowed.


    Squealer wanted to keep her name, once Ivy woke her up. But one mastering later and Ivy forced through a name change. She was not going to run a gang where one of the top capes went by Squealer. In the end she''d given Squealer different choices and the cape had countered with another of her own. Hot Wheels. Ivy had grudgingly allowed it, it was still better then Squealer. She also wanted as little of a connection between her gang and Skidmark''s merchants as possible, hence the name changes.


    For that reason, she''d grabbed the capes. But she wasn''t running around trying to grab all the normals of the small-time gang and putting them under her heel. She could build up a following in time. She didn''t want Skidmark''s cast offs and a bunch of dealers and homeless drug addicts that all did drugs more than they did anything useful - gang wise. It was not her idea of a proper criminal enterprise.


    She could heal them up, but that would be too obvious a link to Panacea. Likewise she could master them and make them stop being useless drug addicts. But again, too obvious and too dangerous.


    It would only take the police or the PRT a couple caught gangbangers that refused to talk no matter what, before they started suspecting something. Merchants were not known for their absolute loyalty under pressure.


    And the PRT in particular was very quick to cry master for anything that had no easy explanation.


    Canary could testify in canon to how nice and cuddly the PRT were with any master they could get their hands on. So she wouldn''t be outing herself to grab a bunch of druggies.


    The reason she''d found out Skidmark''s address from her new minions, had not only been for a good place to fix them up fully, and for a place to sleep - which didn''t work out exactly, because she didn''t dare lay down anywhere in that building¡­ She''d wanted the house due to the likely treasure trove of information within.


    Skidmark was a drug addict before anything else. That meant he would have plenty of times where his lucidity would be in question. A man like that could not run his little sad excuse for a gang, and the drug trade - without writing down the important information.


    Like bank accounts. Stash houses. Phone numbers of the actual important minions. Weapons caches.


    Ivy had taken one look at Skidmark''s room, and ordered Jason and Sherrel to find the information for her. How could one man be so disgusting. That one bedroom had things in it that she hadn''t thought possible. And she was a Biotinker! She could have lived the rest of her life happily, without seeing that room and the disgusting immoral things within.


    Skidmark was a suitable name for that disgusting man. His room would be quarantined in a heartbeat if the CDC caught wind of it.


    She''d really done the world a favor.


    In the end, even though she did not gain the manpower of the Archer''s Bridge Merchants, deeming them superfluous and too much trouble - outside the capes. She got the bank accounts, and the contacts through which drugs flowed into Brockton Bay, which was more important in the end.


    Skidmark spent a lot less than you''d think, the Merchants had quite a bit of a nest egg it turned out, their main expenditure being the drugs they used. The gang hardly spent anything on weapons, or even Sherrels tinkering, most of it being salvaged, explaining how her stuff always looked like crap.


    The drug trade could fall to someone else for the near future, Ivy wasn''t worried.


    She was a Biotinker, she was sure that with some practice and experimentation she could make something even better, something addicting that gave the best high or pleasant feeling ever - but did not ruin someone''s body or brain - apart from wanting to continue to use it for the rest of their lives of course. She wasn''t fully altruistic. People were always going to do drugs, so if she could make one that kept people at home lost in a pleasurable haze on their couch instead of going nuts, she''d be doing a public service, really.


    This was earth-bet. People frankly needed something to escape reality now and then.


    Maybe she could even collaborate with Blasto? He wasn''t that far away after all.


    Wouldn''t that be fun?


    £ª£ª£ª


    Strider dropped them in an alleyway right behind the little Italian Bistro Amy had set their coming ''date'' in. With Another respectful tip of his cap, he was gone again with a crack, before Vicky could accost him again.


    "You''ve done it again, another man running in fear for his life - or wallet - from the great Glory Girl." Amy drawled sarcastically as she walked towards the cute little bistro with less than a dozen tables. The reviews online had been ecstatic about the food and the intimacy of the locale. She''d figured it would make for a better meeting place then something large or crowded - less likely to have people able to recognize her as well. Although their recruit would likely show up in full splendor and end their anonymity no matter what.


    Vicky giggled, peering around curiously for a clue on who they were there to meet. "I couldn''t help it, Ames, he just seemed so straight laced and serious, I had to mess with him."


    One of the things the world didn''t know about Glory Girl, but Amy had too much experience with - she was an absolute troll most of the time.


    "Good luck on catching him for a shopping trip, he''s on to you now." Amy shook her head at her sister''s antics, as they entered the small bistro, "Three for brunch, please." She said politely to the cute waitress, thanking all that was holy that at least for now, she didn''t appear to be recognized. The cute waitress just smiled nicely, a perfect customer service smile on her face as she led them to a window table and left them with menus, Amy demuring any drink orders until their third arrived.


    "Soooo, you''re paying right? Because I don''t think I''ll be getting an allowance this week." Vicky said flipping through a menu, lips curling into a delighted smile as her finger stabbed down triumphantly at what she found, "Ames, they have panacotta!" She practically squealed, turning puppy dog eyes on Amy, "Please say we''re staying for dessert?!"


    Amy sighed, closing her own menu, "Yes I''m paying¡­ And no we''re not staying for dessert, busy day, remember, Vicky?" She averted her eyes as Vicky turned on the charm on her puppy dog eyes even harder, not even realizing she was flaring her aura, the waitress at the front of the bistro almost stumbling as she was hit with it, "Ugh, fine we can order some to take home, cool it with the aura before you cause a stampede of fans." She hissed out, looking around surreptitiously to see if anyone cottoned on to their identities.


    New York wasn''t Brockton Bay, but by now, her as Panacea would have been splashed across the media - which meant Amy Dallon was a very known face as well, which also just as likely meant Vicky was becoming more well known. Especially if she started flaring her aura all over the place.


    Vicky did a put upon sigh, rolling her eyes in that overly dramatic way she was such an expert at, but reined in her aura, eyes returning to her menu, scanning it for no doubt the fattiest thing on there. She''d gotten way too used to Amy dealing with any unwanted consequences on her body.


    Amy could already see a couple people glancing curiously at them both and let out a deep sigh, hiding slightly behind her menu.


    Considering who they were meeting. She didn''t know why she even bothered trying to keep a low profile, catching sight of her, in full uniform, out of the corner of her eye.


    "The mouse is in the house!" A chipper voice yelled suddenly, a figure jumping through the front entrance, further causing trouble for the already confused waitress, who''d already taken a walloping of Glory Girls aura, making her eep in fright and drop her tray, a hand catching it quickly without anything spilling and holding it up for the waitress on one finger, balancing it perfectly. "Careful there pretty lady, don''t want to cheese off your boss with some spilled milk."


    "Oh¡­My¡­God!" Vicky said, stars almost sparkling in her eyes as she turned in her seat to stare, "You''re trying to recruit Mouse Protector!" She whisper-yelled, squirming excitedly in her seat.


    Mouse Protector turned their way, striking a pose, "Hohoho, is that the cry of a mouseketeer I hear!" She called out.


    Amy rubbed her forehead, giving up on any chance of anonymity, perhaps she should have just picked a large crowded restaurant after all. "Thank you for coming, food is on us if you want to have a seat, Mouse Protector?" She said politely, smiling.


    Mouse Protector was wearing a gray and white armor that covered her vital areas and had the look of a knightly suit, but was obviously some sort of kevlar or similar material, just painted over, it wasn''t anywhere near as bulky as real knightly armor. The ensemble included a skirt with armored leggings and combat boots. The skirt slit into large strips to not impede movement and just from a glance, appeared to be made of the same material as the rest of her uniform, so could probably protect her fairly well. On her head she wore a knights helmet, only her cheerful brown eyes, and her mouth and lower jaw visible, a nose guard covering the middle of her face, the top of the helmet had mouse ears sticking out, and she even had whiskers on the cheeks of the helmet. Not painted on - but actual whiskers sticking out from the knights helmet. At her waist hung a sheath holding a sword. Presumably.


    It was Mouse Protector, so really, Amy wouldn''t be surprised if she pulled out a giant salami to mess with them.


    Mouse Protector sauntered over to their table, waving idly at some of the patrons as she did, "I never say no to getting some cheddar from some adoring fans, hook a mouse up!" She said as she slid into a seat next to a star struck Vicky.


    Amy had some of that as well. They''d watched Mouse Protector cartoons as kids, and even if she''d become a different person after triggering, with memories of another world. She still remembered those cartoons and how they affected their lives. Vicky had practically built her idea of heroism from those cartoons after all. Well¡­ With less campy and ridiculous behavior, but still.


    They exchanged some smalltalk as they went through ordering with the still slightly off balance waitress. Amy decided that she''d leave a big tip after all this, and maybe an autograph, as loathe as she was to do those. Vicky cheerfully took advantage of Amy to order four panacottas to go after their meal, sticking her tongue out at her in the process. That went with the full entree she ordered and the arancini appetizers.


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    Well¡­ Amy would just let it all go to her hips then. Who''d have the last laugh then? As the waitress left with their orders, Amy gave her sister an annoyed look, "I''m not purging you of the fat if you''re going to be a pig." She warned, half-heartedly.


    Vicky just grinned at her, holding up a victory sign. She knew she''d be able to talk Amy into it anyway, the witch.


    Mouse Protector chimed in at that point, "I''ve never had to worry about what I eat, comes from the exercise of beating up the bad guys, and the sex. Lots and lots of sex." She tilted her head and smiled, "Bad guys optional for that one." The obvious leer was a definite difference from her cartoon depiction and almost threw Amy off for a moment.


    "Tell us all about it." Vicky said, hands clasped in front of her as if in prayer, a wicked grin on her face. "Spare no details!"


    Amy raised a hand before this could all derail beyond hope, and as she saw the wicked gleam in Mouse Protector''s eyes, she knew it would. "Let''s¡­ Get to why we''re here instead, or we''ll be here all day."


    Mouse Protector chuckled, "Don''t want all the squeaky details, huh?" She nodded sagely, a quirky smile on her face, "But be here all day? I disabrie, I''ve got places to be, villains to joust with, and a four o clock nail appointment I can''t miss!"


    "You''re even more awesome in person!" Vicky said with a laugh, high fiving Mouse Protector, her aura popping loose again in her cheerfulness. Not too much, but definitely giving the closet table a bit of a bath in a like me/love me aura.


    Mouse Protector fanned herself, her grin turning a bit sharper, "Unless you''re trying to seduce me, settle that down, little mouse." She warned.


    Amy sent Vicky a stern look, "Vicky don''t make me put you in the corner." I should have come alone, but I knew how much Vicky would love this, so¡­. Amy supposed it was her own fault things were constantly derailing.


    Vicky sheepishly took a hold of her aura, her cheeks red, mumbling an apology.


    Amy cleared her throat, sending one last warning glance to Vicky to not interrupt, "I suppose you''re wondering why we asked to see you, Mouse Protector?"


    The independent hero grinned at her, pulling a squeaking Vicky into her side with one armored arm, "Well, I was beginning to think for a threesome!" She said wickedly, outright laughing at the matching blushes that were achieved, she let Vicky go, and shrugged casually, "But I guess it''s a gouda sign that you''re blushing so badly at my innuendos, so innocent and cute, it means you''re not here to catch yourself a mouse."


    "In a manner of speaking, we are." Amy said after a moment''s pause to try and control her blush, "We''ve started an independent team and we want you on it, and irregardless if you join or not, we''re here to warn you about a threat."


    They were interrupted by their appetizers arriving already, Mouse Protector cheerfully flirting with the waitress and managing to insert five cheese puns within a three minute conversation. As soon as she left, Mouse Protector turned serious, meeting Amy''s eyes, "I''m not really a team player, why don''t you cut to the cheese? What''s this about?"


    Amy took a deep breath and prepared to lie her ass off, "I happen to know a fairly good precog, one who saw an event that would happen involving you and Ravager." Better to feed the story out in piecemeal then start off too strong. Amy doesn''t even want to think of what happened in canon.


    Mouse Protector looked fairly skeptical as she played with her food, "Ravager? I mean she''s good at sticking her foot in a mouse trap now and then, but she''s not really shredding my parm out there. Are you sure of your source, Panacea?"


    Vicky ate slowly, looking between the two of us, Amy hadn''t told her anything about this particular subject before. But a precog friend was a good excuse for Amy''s bullshit, one Vicky wouldn''t believe for a second, granted, as she knew Amy didn''t have friends. She''d be offering a different explanation once they got time and privacy.


    Amy took a deep breath, glancing around quickly to make sure they couldn''t be overheard. "According to my very reliable source¡­ Ravager hires the S9 to come and take care of you in a few months time."


    Vicky''s fork clatters onto her table as her eyes flicker to Mouse Protector, her childhood hero, and back to Amy, looking frightened, not something Amy had seen often before. But if there was anyone that could frighten someone like Vicky at just a mention - it was the Slaughterhouse Nine.


    Mouse Protector on the other hand looked skeptical, tapping a finger on the edge of her plate pensively. "It''s not that I want to believe you''re lying to me, Panacea, but that''s a bit much to believe. Ravager''s been a naughty little mouse before, but that''s dipping into Limburger territory."


    In other words, you thinks my explanation stinks¡­ Amy again questioned her choice in recruit, would she survive all the cheese puns? But then she thought of Murder Rat again and steeled her resolve, meeting Mouse Protector''s eyes firmly. "Jack Slash doesn''t do hired killings, he makes a point out of grabbing you of course, but then backstabs Ravager as well, keeping you and Ravager alive." Amy pushed down a slight feeling of queasiness, having a fairly good idea that she could do something similar to what she was about to reveal if she pushed herself, and continued, "For a certain measure of the word of alive - having Bonesaw fuse the two of you together, into one horrible being, calling you Murder Rat."


    Vicky pushed her plate back, looking green, before she rushed off in the search for a bathroom, drawing attention from the other patrons and the waitress as she literally flew, Amy waved the waitress off with a fake smile, not wanting them to think the food was the issue or come over and ask questions. Amy felt a pang of guilt at Vicky rushing off, she really shouldn''t have brought her sister for this. She still had a somewhat idealized worldview, the Brockton Bay cape scene for all its murderous villains, didn''t really have the kind of atrocities that most of the rest of the world saw more often.


    For all that Kaiser and Lung, and Coil for that matter - were monsters. They weren''t even in the same playing field as the likes of the S9, the Butcher, or the various warlords and monsters across the world like Moord Nag. The worst Vicky had seen or heard about locally, was a few deaths now and then.


    Mouse Protector sat in silence, for once not pulling any puns or innuendos as she pondered what Amy had said. Even if she didn''t outright believe Amy, hearing about even the possibility of Jack Slash targeting you was no doubt harrowing.


    Eventually she spoke, "That''s not¡­ Good." She said quietly, not even bothering to switch good to gouda. Considering how she''d barely been able to go through any parts of the conversation without slipping some sort of pun or innuendo in there, it was a sign she was thrown a bit off kilter.


    Amy struck while the iron was hot, "I trust my friend, this is going to happen. Even if you don''t want to be on a kick-ass independent team, let us help you take down Ravager and stop her from ever contacting Jack Slash at least." She tried to infuse her voice with as much surety as she was able to. She wasn''t a good person, not by any measure of it, but the Slaughterhouse Nine were in another league and no one deserved their attention.


    Hopefully they wouldn''t instead target Amy, because then all she''d achieved was to bring Mouse Protector into the line of fire anyway.


    Mouse Protector sighed, "I''m not really a team player as I said, but just in case, we can talk about doing something about Ravager."


    Amy reached her hand out, smiling internally, Mouse Protector met her hand for a firm handshake, her fingertips not covered in any material in her fingerless gloves.


    Amy only had seconds to utilize her power, but it was enough to make Mouse Protector favorably inclined to listen to her advice.


    What''s a bit of biotinkering between friends, anyway.


    She was saving her life. She was the good guy here.


    "Don''t you know Miss Militia from your wards days too? She''s gotten real uptight¡­" Amy said casually. Laying out her trail of breadcrumbs¡­ Damn is that a mouse pun thing? She thought, twitching slightly, wondering how quick one could get infected by campiness.


    The grin that Mouse Protector flashed held many promises.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Sarah Pelham, sipped on her tea as she tried to keep calm. It had been a stressful time over the last few days, and now New Wave was falling apart too, they just couldn''t seem to catch a break.


    "Explain it to me." She said tersely to Carol, the two sisters sitting in her home office sharing a drink. Albeit Sarah had tea while Carol had wine, she needed a clear head to understand this bullshit.


    Carol smiled bitterly, "What choice did I have?"


    Sarah''s fingers clenched around her tea cup, "Plenty better than that!" She managed to say without raising her voice.


    Last night was an absolute shitshow. Sarah had been so surprised with how everything went to hell so quickly, that she hadn''t reacted quick enough. She hadn''t tried to lessen Carol''s out of control vitriol quick enough - before everything fell apart.


    She''d made a mistake. Trying to reel back Amy''s attitude and bad decisions before she went too far. Saving her words for her sister for a later peacekeeping mission to settle things between her sister and niece. Not recognizing in time that they were beyond that. In waiting, she''d been too passive. And now everything had gone to hell.


    Carol had always had a temper that was not a surprise to Sarah, she knew her sister after all. But how quickly she lost her temper on Amy had been shocking. Sarah hadn''t known it had gotten that bad - Carol had never said anything.


    Sarah had a burgeoning feeling that there was a lot Carol wasn''t telling her lately.


    Carol scoffed, taking a sip of wine, avoiding answering for a minute, before she slowly spoke up, "You haven''t seen it. Since Amy triggered¡­ She''s been out of control at home. Always arguing with me, fighting back on even the simple rules, the disrespect and gall on her¡­" Carol sighed, fingers clenched around her wine glass, "She''s been looking for every excuse to rebel and fight against me¡­"


    Sarah smiled wryly, even if a bit sadly. "Sounds like a teenager." She pointed out quietly. Trying very hard not to judge her sister. Because so far. That was not an explanation. If Amy had suddenly become combative, Sarah doubted Carol hadn''t had a hand in that somehow. With her temper, and her firm stubbornness with sticking to a position and never backing down¡­


    "You have no idea!" Carol spoke up with anger, eyes flashing, "The things I''ve done to protect her from her stupidity! I''ve held her at arms length, true. But with everything, she deserved it!"


    Sarah shook her head, "Carol¡­ You''re losing me here, tell me what exactly you mean, or I''m going to have to admit Amy was right." Vicky already went with her, so I''m inclined to believe they weren''t exaggerating. She thought sadly. No conversation can end pleasantly with the phrase - she deserved it.


    Carol sighed wearily all of a sudden, looking defeated as she sunk back in her seat. "She''s a biotinker. Like¡­ Nilbog¡­ Like Bonesaw." She spat out, "I''ve been covering for her over the last almost two years as people came to me with their concerns after noticing something odd or catching her playing with a plant." She smiled coldly, "I know you have been raking me over the coals for taking all the money from Amy''s toy lines and other means of PR income, but it''s needed to pay the bribes to keep those same few people from coming out with the information and dooming any future she has." Carol scoffed again, muttering quietly, "At least now I won''t have to pay out of pocket from what I earned as a lawyer for that child''s carelessness."


    Sarah couldn''t even speak for a moment, she was so blown away. Not about the biotinker part, she''d known, she''d caught the girl practicing even if she hadn''t told her, or Carol for that matter, about it. She didn''t know Carol knew, or the rest of it. "Is that why?" She asked dazedly, "You''ve been riding her so hard because you''ve been trying to help her?" This is all because the two of them can''t communicate for fucking shit! She wanted to scream in frustration, but held it back, knowing it wouldn''t go over well with Carol. No wonder the household had become so bitter, if Carol had to spend her money on cleaning up after Amy, not telling her, other than likely riding her harder¡­ And on Amy''s side, seeing nothing but scorn and bitterness falling on her, of course she''d act out more. What a mess.


    Carol chuckled bitterly, drinking the rest of her wine in one gulp, "I was trying to install some discipline in Amy, move her away from a monstrous path, and settle her as a healer, someone good, removed from her father''s heritage. She can do good as that, no need to draw comparisons with S class monsters." Her lips drew together tightly, "Then the fool girl made herself an international phenomenon, and couldn''t stop there¡­ She had to pick a fight with the Empire 88 when she came out, too. No sense in her at all, did she even realize the scrutiny she''d face? How much work behind the scenes I had to do to protect her?" She growled angrily, but it didn''t have the usual heat in it, "Kaiser is not a fool, he will find out and he will use it."


    Sarah winced, because as much as she hated Kaiser, he was an intelligent and methodical cape, if anyone would find out it would be him, but right now she couldn''t think about that clusterfuck¡­ "Carol¡­Did you ever tell Amy any of that¡­ From what she said last night, she doesn''t even think you love her at all!" She gave her sister a tired smile, eyes sad, "She doesn''t know about any of this, does she? About you protecting her from behind the scenes?" Even if she did¡­ Would it matter anymore? Compared to love and care, how would that measure up to an upset teenage girl.


    It wouldn''t have been enough for Sarah if she had to be honest. And right now it seemed like Amy and Vicky had been right when accusing Carol of not caring for Amy.


    Silence permeated the room. Sarah sighed as she rubbed her face when it became apparent Carol wouldn''t answer her, "So she was right, you didn''t act like a mother." I''d known of course that all was not perfect, but I hadn''t known that it was to such an extent. For fucks sake Carol! She thought angrily.


    Carol sat stiffly, refusing to meet Sarah''s eyes, "Who would hug a biotinker." She said defensively, "I raised her, fed her, protected her. She''s absolutely ungrateful and even stole Vicky away!" She slammed a fist down on her desk for emphasis.


    "Both of you are at fault here, but Carol, you are the adult, you shouldn''t have let Amy shoulder all of this without knowing what was going on. You haven''t told her about Marquis, have you?" Sarah wished she''d not been so caught off guard last night, maybe if all this had come out in the open then, Amy and Vicky wouldn''t have left.


    Maybe if they''d been honest from the start. Maybe if they''d told Amy everything¡­


    They could lose them from New Wave, Sarah honestly didn''t think it mattered anymore, they were barely active most days anyways. But now they''d lost them to the point they didn''t even know where they were living. That was not acceptable. And Carol needed to see that. Did she?


    "If you didn''t trust her at all¡­ How was she supposed to feel part of the family." Sarah whispered, feeling guilty. She should have been more involved. She should have done better at the meeting last night. So many should haves. Their family, it seemed, was built on should haves and regrets. Like unmasking and Fleur¡­


    Sarah regretted ever taking on the mantle of leading the team. She was obviously unsuitable for it. But the other option was Carol and what she''d seen from her over the last two days¡­ No. Just no.


    Carol looked away, face firm, "She wasn''t mine. I did what I needed, no more. She chose this."


    Sarah looked away, not seeing the point in pushing any further. She didn''t see any chance of reconciliation.


    What a pair we are¡­ She thought as the two sisters sat in silence. Both refusing to take the steps to fix their family, Carol out of spite. Sarah out of the now honest belief that the girls would be better off without Carol at the moment, until things calmed down.


    Good luck girls. Please be good.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Ivy hummed to herself as she pondered the conversation she was having with Mouse Protector. It was an odd experience, focusing on her other self and hearing what she was saying and thinking at the same time as her own thoughts.


    But it did make for quick decision making in times of need.


    "Hot Wheels!" She paused, grimacing "Sherrel¡­. Ugh, are you sure of that name? It''s not really¡­" She floundered for a good word, eventually settling on the silence.


    Hot Wheels, formerly Squealer, just giggled as she got up from where she''d been sitting amongst the garbage, fiddling with an alternator. "Hey, it fits, I''m hot, and I''m the best at anything with wheels!" The vehicle tinker bragged, puffing up her chest, of which, Ivy had to admit, there was a considerable amount to puff up.


    It was noticeable. She wasn''t a pervert. You just couldn''t not notice.


    Ivy could make her drop the silly name of course, but honestly, where would the fun be if she just completely controlled her minions like that. "Do you have any of those invisible vehicles you guys always cruised along in?" She asked, knowing those were a major reason behind why the Merchants didn''t lose any major amounts of drugs to the authorities or other gangs.


    Hard to hit what you couldn''t find. And none of the gangs in Brockton Bay, ( she was including the PRT in that designation) was willing to put down the resources to track down invisible cars.


    Sherrel flashed her a thumbs up, placing a welding mask on her face for lack of anything better in the room, already guessing at Ivy''s next request. "Always got one maintained enough to drive, boss, anywhere you want, my baby will get you there, it will take me a mo'' to go get it though."


    Ivy smirked, at the same time in New York, so did Panacea.


    "Take Jason with you and get that car, bring it back here. We''re going to New York, we''re taking care of a pest control issue." Ivy ordered, already looking forward to it.


    Invisibility was key for that. Because she didn''t much feel like running into Legend.


    The odds were low, New York was a large city obviously. But she had a feeling she''d manage to find just the right odds for that special honor if she went in half cocked.


    "Awesome! Road trip, I call shotgun!" Sherrel cried out, scrambling off the pile of garbage Skidmark had used as a couch. Ivy was pretty sure the cockroaches were scared of that couch.


    She needed a better place to stay¡­


    "Sherrel¡­ You''ll be driving¡­ Why are you calling shotgun?" Ivy said slowly, pinching the middle of her nose as what the vehicle tinker had said filtered through.


    "Can we stop for Cheetos, I''m hungry?" Jason wanted to know, his voice still kind of rough from where Ivy had altered his vocal chords. The newly christened Sandman sitting on the only working chair in the building.


    "All in gouda time." Ivy said, before stopping and face palming as she realized what she''d said. I''ve been infected! Luckily neither of her minions seemed to have been paying attention to her at the moment.


    "Hell naw! You''re not getting cheesy fingers all over my baby!" Sherrel snapped, tossing a wrench at Jason as she shimmied into a pair of jeans with difficulty, hopping on one leg. Ivy wasn''t sure why she''d removed her pants in the first place.


    She was beginning to wonder if she really knew what she was doing with brains. Good view though. She thought. She hummed appreciatively as Sherrel bent over. Very good view¡­


    "Come on, Wheels, it''s a piece of crap anyway, what does it matter?" Jason wheedled. A smirk on his face showing that he knew exactly what he was doing.


    "It''s HOT WHEELS, don''t forget the hot, stupid! And fuck you! All my babies are gorgeous pieces of sex on wheels!"


    "It''s true what they say about mother''s not seeing how ugly their babies are." Jason muttered, a small amused smile on his new face, but not quietly enough.


    Sherrel started throwing things again, screaming profanities, which against Sandman, previously known as Mush, was entirely pointless. The cape simply picked them out of the air and added the materials as defensive armor. Which just pissed Sherrel off even more.


    Ivy sighed, yep, I''m going to need more practice on brains.


    She winced as Jason returned Sherrels wrench, right into the girl''s mask, although, maybe it''s the source material being¡­ Off. This time¡­ She thought, watching said source material fight over absolutely nothing. Neither of them taking it seriously.


    She was beginning to regret the idea of hours stuck in a car between the two of them already.


    Would it be terrible if she ordered them to not talk?


    Choices, choices.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Later that evening.


    Amy sat in the anteroom, a small smile on her face as she somewhat followed along on the road trip while making plans for the future at the same time.


    She''d tested out her power yet again, using Mouse Protector. Confirming what she''d already believed. One. She had a limit, and it seemed three was it. Just like Eidolon had a limit of only using three powers at one time - she could only synergize with three powers at one time. If she wanted another, she''d have to drop one. Which likely would be Mouse Protector''s power, because she''d only picked it to test how her powers worked.


    The second thing she''d confirmed is that her power worked in synergy with the incoming powers to give her something specified to her, instead of a straight up copy. It''s why she received such a weak clone from Prism, instead of a copy of her abilities. Because their powers had synergized and evolved into exactly what Amy needed. A way to be in two places at once, that only she, a biotinker could make use of. A perfect copy of her - lacking a body. Instead of several clones that wouldn''t be lasting - to help her fight.


    Same with Strider''s power. She''d been healing people and desperately wanting to reach out and heal those dropped by Behemoth. So when she''d synergized their powers, instead of a teleportation ability - she''d gotten the ability to teleport her power around at its base state of simply regenerating cells and mass.


    Mouse Protector had her own teleportation trick, where she could touch something to mark it - and then teleport to it at any time, plus better than normal agility, flexibility etc.


    When Amy had synergized their powers, she hadn''t received teleportation this time either. Instead she could mark a person. And heal and affect them from anywhere, as long as the mark remained. A useful ability, but probably one she''d drop if she ran into something better.


    Or perhaps not. If she and Ivy could mark each other¡­ She''d be pretty much unkillable. They could heal each other from a distance and even utilize their biotinkering in their defense.


    Either way once Ivy got back from New York. Amy intended to get herself some upgrades. She''d held off due to still nominally being under Carol''s remit, plus needing to go into the PRT headquarters for the paperwork for her team. She didn''t want to risk being scanned and going through master/stranger screening. Now that she was the leader of an independent team - if there was anything strange with her biology she could make something up or flat out refuse to explain without too harsh a consequence. As long as she remained heroic in people''s minds anyway.


    Her and Vicky''s emancipation papers were already sent off, Amy had made sure the PRT would be involved, which would no doubt put things in their eventual favor. They wouldn''t want to piss her off right now. And she felt it likely Carol wouldn''t fight it at the moment.


    She''d have to wait and see, because she could always count on Carol to be a bitch at the shittiest possible time.


    She was interrupted in her musings as Glory Girl flew in, almost breaking the door as she slammed it open, in her full splendor, they''d have to change her uniform at some point, but for now it would do to keep her recognizable - even if it was tied to New Wave.


    Following Vicky was the rest of the team. Strider, Purity and Mouse Protector.


    "Welcome everyone, excited?" Amy asked, feeling a slight tingle of nerves, herself.


    "Ambivalent." Strider said dryly, looking around, "Being surrounded by women is a dangerous thing."


    "But we could make it worth ~your time~" Mouse Protector purred, sliding up to him, running a finger down his arm seductively. "A big cheese like you¡­ Surrounded by thirsty little mice¡­ Why, we could just¡­ Nibble away at you."


    Strider gave Amy a look, one that clearly said - help! Amy smirked and deliberately turned towards Purity, leaving Strider to his fate. A gleeful Vicky floating closer to play off Mouse Protector.


    It would be good training for Strider. He''d have to get used to his teammates after all.


    Purity was wearing a domino mask, not something she was used to due to simply using her powers to light up so bright no one could see her face. But that would defeat the purpose of a press conference, so Amy had asked her to mask up instead.


    "How are you doing? Nervous? Excited?" She asked the reformed villain. She was probably still a racist, deep down. But Amy didn''t care as long as the woman wasn''t stupid enough to showcase it.


    Most people had shitty flaws they hid away from the world. Purity''s were shittier than most, but she could make a difference in Brockton Bay, so she mattered more than all the scrubs who couldn''t do anything worthwhile in Amy''s opinion.


    Purity eyed the commotion between their other teammates for a moment, before giving Amy a small smile, looking somewhat comforted by the easy camaraderie. "Both, I suppose. I don''t know what reaction I''ll get out there¡­"


    Amy shrugged, leaning back in her chair, "Probably mixed, at first. You''ll have to prove yourself for the naysayers to believe it. But our story and my support should flip the majority into your favor."


    It''s not like Masters aren''t around and their victims get pardoned for their behavior all the time. Purity being mastered by a Gesellschaft cape is not that unbelievable. Especially when it''s Panacea saying it. Her breaking away and becoming an independent hero just a while ago made the story fit even better. Obviously the master either died or needed to reapply it at regular intervals and missed one - and Purity broke free.


    And with the PRT refusing to accept her as an independent hero, refusing to even listen to the poor victim of the Nazi''s, well here came Panacea''s team to the rescue. It would be insanely good PR - at least with the people who''d believe the story.


    "I can''t believe you got the PRT to sign off on me as a member." Purity said with a slow shake of her head. "I''ve never known them to be reasonable.


    "I did Nazi that coming either." Mouse Protector piped in with a big smile, popping up suddenly beside Purity. Both Amy and Purity ignored her, it was obvious she''d been holding that one in ever since she first saw Purity earlier that day.


    Amy smirked with satisfaction, "Oh, they don''t know yet." She said, "I''m blindsiding them with it." She continued cheerfully. She''d been to PRT headquarters earlier in the day and filled out the paperwork for the team, Purity hadn''t been named as anything but an unnamed provisional member to be determined. So what if she determined so - five minutes later.


    Purity couldn''t help but chuckle, lifting a hand to cover her mouth as she began to actually laugh. "Oh, to be a fly on the wall when Piggot sees this press conference and you present her with a fait accompli!"


    Amy''s smirk widened, "I almost want them to protest your inclusion, it will make them look even worse, after accepting the team, hearing your story, and then still creating a fuss because your name wasn''t added until later." Not to mention Panacea had more credit to her name now, than at any point. If she said this woman had been mastered. Majority of the world would believe her.


    Not Piggot though, but that''s why it would be even funnier that she couldn''t do much about it. Amy doubted the woman was dumb enough to actually throw much of a fuss. You didn''t get so far in leading the Brockton Bay PRT by being a complete idiot. Amy might dislike the PRT and Protectorate in general. But that wasn''t Piggots fault. Cauldron had ensured she had nothing more than a roll of duct tape and a prayer to fight Lung, Coil and Empire 88. They didn''t want to interfere in their feudal experiment after all.


    Idiotic idea considering most of Africa and South America literally was ruled by Parahuman warlords, and although the CUI was basically a hot mess of a constant civil war - they had been another example of parahumans being used to rule a country.


    The wards weren''t supposed to be used to fight either, so their presence wasn''t exactly a force multiplier, which left Piggot with a very low numbered Protectorate team to handle Lung and the entirety of the Empire 88 cape roster and all the independent capes or other capes and gangs that poked their nose into Brockton Bay - like Faultline, the Undersiders and the Travelers eventually.


    So yes. Amy didn''t begrudge Piggot overly. Even her refusal to be healed was only logical now, considering Amy would definitely twist something to her benefit if she got her hands on the PRT director now. She still didn''t like the PRT''s overall idea for how to handle everything though.


    Mostly because they seemed to have really dumb ideas on how to do everything. Quadruple dumb once you took Cauldron into it. Allowing S9 to live so they could keep creating triggers and create an aura of fear etc, was such a moronic idea for an institution able to literally hand out vials of powers. It''s not like it would be that difficult for Cauldron to imitate situations to create triggers either.


    Honestly if they had that much of a hard on for keeping Scatterbird or the Siberian as backup anti-Endbringer weapons. They should just get themselves a loyal pet master to master Manton and Scatterbird and then use them against the Endbringers. They should be able to pull that off for a fight or two before the master inevitably betrays them or something dumb. Then Contessa could wipe out the master and rinse and repeat with another.


    The world didn''t exactly have a shortage of masters. Half the countries in the world had some sort of warlord or cult leader that was a master.


    Amy dropped the line of thought. Cauldron just made her mad. She''d get nowhere further on that. Especially since Contessa was running around helping her for some reason.


    She really wasn''t looking forward to paying the bill for that when it arrived.


    "Hey, Ames, Strider wanted to ask something, are you awake in there?" Vicky asked brightly, knocking on Amy''s forehead with a knuckle.


    Amy pushed her sister''s hand away, sending an apologetic look to Purity, because she had literally zoned out while in the middle of talking to the woman. "What''s up, Strider?" She asked, curious.


    Strider, fiddled with his mask and goggles combo, "I was thinking, since we''ll be a team and all. I''d like to unmask." Strider explained, hurriedly adding, "Only to the team, not in the press conference."


    Amy blinked, admittedly not having thought much about her team of capes civilian identities, other than using Purity''s to her advantage. "Sure, if you''re comfortable. You obviously know me and Vicky, after all."


    Strider lowered his mask and removed his goggles, exposing a fairly plain face with thin lips, "Hello all, my name is Matthew Connaught."


    "Nice to meet you Matthew." Vicky said, giving him a satisfied smug look, "Now that I know your name and face I''ll never rest until you take me shopping in Paris!" She declared, pointing at him triumphantly. Drawing chuckles from the group, Matthew raised his hands in defeat, chuckling along.


    Mouse Protector who''d been uncharacteristically silent during the last little bit, fiddled with her helmet, before sliding it off completely, "I figure I might as well throw my own hat in the ring, cheese it all, I''m no coward!" She bowed in a sweeping gesture, long curly brown hair falling down without the helmet to hold it back, "I''m Charlotte Turner, at your service." She grinned as she rose up again, showcasing a pretty, girl next door kind of look, with warm brown eyes and a cute button nose, "I mean it. I''ll service all of you, any time, with pleasure." She purred.


    "We''re underage." Amy said dryly, sharing an exasperated look with Vicky. Except her sister was full on blushing. Really now?


    "I can wait a year. Mice are patient hunters." Charlotte said flippantly, waggling her eyebrows at the blushing Vicky.


    Purity made a sound of amusement, which drew everyone''s attention to her, she started upon realizing it, a hand slowly going toward her domino mask, "I suppose it''s only fair I reciprocate, I''m the only one with the more distasteful background." She murmured. Taking a moment as the rest of the team hung back, putting no pressure on her, allowing her to make her own choice.


    She already had her identity revealed to half the team anyway, which probably helped her come to a decision quicker than she''d otherwise have done.


    Eventually she took a deep breath, taking her mask off, "I''m Kayden Anders, it''s nice to meet you all." She said with a tremulous smile.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Emily was doing paperwork in her office, keeping half an eye on the television for the upcoming press conference for Panacea''s independent hero team. She hadn''t even bothered to check the name, she doubted they''d last long before running back to New Wave.


    The paperwork she was working on could likely be done by one of her subordinates, but she didn''t fully trust it would be done properly without her hand in it, and she needed the distraction anyway as she assumed the foolish teenage parahuman would be giving her a headache soonish.


    When she''d been informed that Panacea and Glory Girl had left New Wave and were petitioning for their own independent team, that they were actually in the building to do so, she''d immediately refused them. Last thing they needed in Brockton Bay was two teenagers with delusions of heroism to go muck things up. At least in New Wave they''d have a proper leash on them to keep the foolishness to an acceptable level.


    Above all they were under the age of 18, so it was ridiculous to even entertain the notion.


    Except within minutes of electronically filing a report on the matter in the PRT system - she received a call from the Chief Director, bluntly stating that pissing off Panacea was right now not in the PRT''s interest. Emily had, without any such words actually being said, been pretty much ordered to accept the paperwork and push it through post haste.


    It rankled her, but she was left with not much of a choice. At least the roster wasn''t too objectionable. Mouse Protector was annoying by all counts, but an experienced hero. And Strider would be very useful if they could find a way to borrow him for more than Endbringer fights.


    She just couldn''t help the sense of unease. That there was something she was missing that was going to bite her in the ass.


    Panacea, loved as she was - only made Emily suspicious. No one was that nice and selfless. Which the girl had somewhat proved Emily right, by throwing a tantrum and making her own team.


    Emily marked another check mark on the evaluation of one of her staff members. Idly glancing up at the screen as the press conference kicked off.


    The pen snapped In-between her fingers. There. In the middle of the team she''d been forced to approve.


    Was Purity. The fucking Nazi.


    She hoped the Chief Director would choke on it!


    £ª£ª£ª

 Chapter 6: New York, New York!

    £ª£ª£ª


    Max Anders hated these types of meetings. Disregarding the fact that all of them coming together in one location always left room for a potential decapitating attack, a meeting like this always signified that something was going wrong - to the extent that they all needed to come together and plan out their response.


    Of course, it was Max planning out and directing the response, but part of being a good leader was ensuring that your subjects believed they had a hand on the steering wheel.


    Hence such meetings.


    At least he''d alleviated some of the concerns about the entire Empire 88 cape contingent coalescing together like this by decreeing it would only be done in their civilian personas at Medhall.


    If the unwritten rules were discarded to the point they were still attacked - then at least Max could retaliate with the full force behind him.


    It shouldn''t come to that. Lung had gotten fat and lazy, content with his territory, growing fat on his hoard. And as most of Brockton Bay did, unknowingly¡­ He still served the Empire in the end. Although Lung wasn''t expanding at the moment, his mere presence and the openly despicable actions of his people - made the Empire seem a safe choice by comparison. Which neatly advanced Max''s agenda without forcing him into unfortunate incidents.


    As much as the rabble who fed at the bottom of the Empire''s through wanted to be let loose on the minorities of the city. Max was happier to leave Lung and the ABB where they were, until all but Lungs territory belonged to the Empire - then he''d take the final slice, only then. The rampant racism in his subjects was useful to Max, even if it came with the facade he - by necessity - had to share in. Sometimes it could get frustratingly droll, but the power inherent in his position made up for it.


    That said, there were only so much one could hear about niggers and chinks and slants and what have you, until it grew very tiring. Max was not a proponent of visible displays of racism, not in front of the general public, anyway. Winning the PR battle was after all how a Nazi organization was still able to thrive in an American city.


    He looked out the almost indestructible tinkertech floor to ceiling windows that covered one entire wall of the top floor of Medhall, the pharmaceutical company that he ran and used as a cover for many of the Empire''s dealings. Not everyone had arrived yet, so he was free to let his thoughts wander as he looked out over the profile of the city. His city. The coming utopia, once all his plans came to fruition.


    The power he''d hold in his own two hands once he grasped it in its entirety¡­


    His only real enemy was the PRT and Protectorate, and they fought with one hand tied behind their backs in a futile effort to not appear too threatening to the general masses. It truly said something of their effectiveness at truly making a difference - when the Empire 88 held more trust from many civilians in Brockton then the PRT did, at least in areas not overrun with filth and illegals.


    Max kept his subjects safe, for a nominal fee of course, nothing worth anything in life came free. He kept their streets clean, their businesses prospering, their daughters safe. Why wouldn''t the rest of Brockton follow, once the PRT inevitably messed something up again. Once his was the only gang left in the city, and he had the public''s backing, a detente with the PRT wouldn''t be too hard to achieve. Giving them the PR of a safe city - while letting Max control it from the shadows and rake in the profits. Eventually even filling the city''s Protectorate team with like-minded individuals, ensuring his grasp of the city.


    It shouldn''t be too long until the other ''gangs'' were no more than a footnote in the history of his rise. They truly couldn''t stand against Kaiser.


    The Merchants had barely been a blip on the radar, just recently cropping up, spreading their filth, and now just as quickly disappearing. With Skidmark now dead, they were even more of a non-entity than before. He frowned momentarily as his gaze went over the more dilapidated buildings in the distance, barely visible from the splendor of Medhall. It was regrettable, he thought, that Skidmark had been killed so easily. No one was quite as incredibly useful for Empire propaganda as that drugged out nigger. It made it easier to recruit the younger crowd when his people only had to point to the Merchants as an example of what was wrong with the city.


    Frankly, just the appearance of Skidmark had many times been enough to start a conversation on the benefits of the Empire with previously unaffiliated people. The man had been that repulsive in deed, appearance and reputation.


    He''d have to see if he could resurrect the Merchants under some other nigger, create the same conditions, it would be a nice income stream if the Empire could supply them with the drugs secretly, use them as a cat''s paw, raking in money and supporters as more and more fell to the Merchant filth.


    He''d have to think on it, his eyes swept the conference room, and not everyone here could be trusted on that operation. His eyes narrowed as he noticed only Hookwolf was missing now, exactly the person who''d throw a tantrum if the Empire was to begin supplying a resurgent Merchants. Stormtiger and Cricket would likely support him as well, he thought with distaste.


    One day, he wouldn''t have to worry about division in his own ranks¡­ He returned to the sight of Brockton Bay, and to the thoughts on his rivals.


    Coil was a rival in some way, a minor one perhaps, but he''d never seriously stepped up against Kaiser and the Empire. And he''d shown that he could be negotiated with. That in itself was a telling weakness. Coil did not think he could take the Empire, so he negotiated. Max would have no trouble sweeping him aside eventually. The man for some reason did not gather capes to his cause. Utter foolishness.


    His mercenaries were, in a word, cute. A nuisance more than anything for all their skill. Only a threat because Max couldn''t waste the time of his capes to root them out - without facing potential backlash from Lung waking up and smelling opportunity.


    His features tightened briefly as his thoughts turned to New Wave, and their damned daughters, or one in particular... A minor miscalculation of his, trying to use Panacea''s achievement as a recruitment tool, it had seemed such a simple thing, an easy PR opportunity, and Max did so like to poke at those New Wave fools that had failed to react to the loss of one of their own, forever proving their weakness. Yet it had backfired on Max, spectacularly so.


    They had been made a mockery of when the deviant girl had dared to challenge them in public, in an international press conference, throwing Kaiser''s words in his face.


    It was aggravating, but Max knew the value of Panacea, and it was not worth going after the girl, not for an insult, as much as that rankled. Not when they were at most a few years away from complete dominion over Brockton Bay. He would have made the girl beg to be re-educated then, Justin or Brad would no doubt be delighted at the opportunity to show the girl what a man felt like.


    Then, the news. Panacea had created a new independent team, going by the pretentious name of Starlight, and¡­ Kayden had been there. With the gall to still call herself Purity. Like she hadn''t been one of them, a villain, like she hadn''t killed in the name of the Empire. Lying, on national TV, claiming she''d been mastered, ruining years of careful maneuvering and PR work from Max and his PR team. And he knew that deviant dyke had orchestrated it all, who else? Kayden didn''t have the will, and it certainly wasn''t the flying barbie doll that planned this reveal out.


    Through his connections and money, the local news reported anything and everything slanted in a way beneficial to Max, and had done so for years. But this had involved the newly internationally famous Panacea, it was beyond his control. His connections could not smother or twist this story.


    He had no control over the news that spread like wildfire, painting the Empire 88 as kidnappers and rapists at the minimum, all the kind of things that Max had worked so hard to disassociate their people from in the mindset of the populace. Empire 88 might be a gang, but it was the ''nicer'' gang, the one that took care of people, protected them.


    Well¡­ The right kind of people.


    He had no idea as of yet how hard this would hit their recruitment numbers, nor their retention of the more fringe members. A fair number of their people were not the type who patrolled the streets or hit other gangs - they were normal citizens supporting the Empire with their time or labor - or information, particularly within the police services. They''d likely take a hit there. No one liked Masters, and it was not a good look for them to be outed as using one, however fake the story was. The fact they were being put as simple servants utilizing Gesellschaft for said Master service, made it even worse, at least to Max.


    It made him look weak.


    It annoyed him how easily the public fell for Panacea''s lies, because that is what they were.  Kayden had been an avid member of the cause by her own free will. Even if she had left in a fit of misguidance, Max had always known she''d be back one day¡­ At least until she was hoodwinked by Panacea¡­


    She was adopted wasn''t she? Might be worth checking if she had a bit of jew in her¡­


    If nothing else to justify to the members and populace why someone they''d just handily praised was now an enemy. That they''d been led astray by a Jew pretending to be one of them.


    He noticed Hookwolf enter the conference room at last, the man sitting down next to Cricket and Stormtiger without a care in the world. Max frowned slightly at him, not willing to make a big deal out of such a minor thing. Tardiness always annoyed Max, but unfortunately it was not worth the effort to admonish Hookwolf for it. He was notoriously hard to manage and would gladly cause a ruckus to prove a point - which they couldn''t afford right now. Not while the PR storm was still ongoing and being fought tooth and nail - both online and with local and state news networks.


    He wished he could issue a blanket ban to keep people off PHO, they were only making it worse. But the adage held true - never give an order you know will not be obeyed.


    Max slowly turned away from the window, Fenja and Menja flanking him as he slowly made eye contact with each of the attendants. Once he''d held Brad''s gaze until he looked away with a slight grunt, he started speaking, slowly. With measured words, he needed to project a certain calm, that this was nothing, a mere setback.


    "We are in a precarious situation with Purity''s defection¡­ She knows us all, she knows about Medhall, she knows how we operate." He began, seeing the uncomfortable looks around the table, they''d all known Kayden. "We need to decide a way forward."


    At least he''d gotten word Night and Fog were returning to the fold, whatever deal Kayden took to fake repentance, did not involve the two creepy capes. He''d save that news for the end, let the meeting finish on a good note.


    Krieg, or James Fleischer, as he was in his civvies at the moment, frowned deeply, "That works both ways, we know of her, and her child, surely she would not be that stupid, Max?"


    Victor scoffed, eyes closed, one hand stroking his chin where he sat calmly next to Othala. "Starlight came to be under two ex-members of New Wave, Kayden might simply unmask as well and think it protects her from any retaliation on our behalf." The small smirk on his face that bloomed into being, encapsulated what Victor thought of that being enough of a protection.


    Brad barked out a laugh, slamming a fist on the table, making Justin jump in his seat from the sudden noise, giving an annoyed look at Brad. Cricket and Stormtiger both looked bored, and as usual had nothing important to add to a conversation that did not include a raid, or something to fight.


    "Ask Fleur how that went?" Brad said with vicious relish, as always delighting in violence and death, Max suspected Brad, for all his tattoos, was not an actual believer - that he just saw the Empire as the perfect outlet for his thirst for battle.


    He''d also welcomed Fleur''s killer into the wolfpack like a returning champion, which had confirmed certain suspicions Max had about how truly unaffiliated the man had been before his act. Unaffiliated to the Empire at the time, certainly, even New Wave hadn''t been able to find evidence to the contrary. But unaffiliated from Hookwolf? Max wasn''t so sure.


    No matter what else, they could not go down that road again, another breakdown of the unwritten rules that flagrant, and they''d face serious consequences. Max put a stop on any thoughts in that dangerous direction immediately, the sound of blades erupting around him silencing the gathered capes. He turned ice cold eyes on his mad wolf, "We will not go there, we will not even think about it, we are right now in a situation we can still turn in our favor, If Kayden dies in her civilian identity and it''s tied to us, even if it isn''t tied to us¡­ We lose every bit of reputation we''ve built up, we''ll be considered nothing different than Lung and his depraved gang. Or more likely, with the unwritten rules breached again¡­ We''ll be considered worse!"


    He was disappointed in Kayden, absolutely. He was enraged at her cowardice. But he would not order her murder. Not for this. It was not yet so unforgivable. Not until she raised her hand against him. And even then, in battle, not going after her in her home like a dirty sneaky Jew.


    He looked around the table, the ice cold rage simmering under the surface, there ever since Kayden went public with her betrayal. "I brought you here for options, we need a way forward that does not harm us, but will deal with Purity, "The name tasted like cloying and disgusting ash, as he said it, "And that Jewish bitch Panacea who lured her away, filled her head with lies and concocted this ridiculous story."


    "Can we go after Kayden''s kid?" Seeing Max''s eyes flashing with anger, Justin blanched and rushed forward with his idea, "Legally I mean, not like kidnapping. I mean custody!"


    Max had already thought of it, but it held too many risks, he shook his head before one of his people could make an argument out of it, "We can''t go after her directly, she''ll expose us for sure if we put the newborn child in any risk. We need to find a way to indirectly push her away from that team¡­ Once she is on her own again¡­" Max let out a breath, tapping his fingers on the table determinedly, "She''ll come crawling."


    He had her measure. She would not resist him forever.


    "Going after Panacea has its own difficulties." James muttered, Max''s right hand man smoothly moving the discussion on from Kayden, the law laid down as far as she was concerned now, it would be passed on to the ground troops within the day.


    Last thing he needed was some fool foot soldier taking a shot at Kayden and ensuring she came after them. They could win, but it wouldn''t be without costs.


    "Can''t kill her, that''s a kill order, right there." Brad said bluntly, scratching his chin, "Probably the same if we maim the girl, they don''t like it when anyone useful gets too roughed up." Brad grinned, "Makes me wanna do it more, if I''m honest."


    Even Cricket gave him a look at that, and Brad desisted, leaning back in his chair, grinning irreverently, hands behind his head.


    Max ignored Brad''s irreverence, as he was used to, as he thought on his more useful points. The PRT and Protectorate, who, while fairly useless in Brockton Bay as an organization, were able to push pretty hard when push came to shove. Like if someone hurt the healer able to protect a city from an Endbringer, it was an issue that was hard to overcome.


    Max knew well that villains rarely got sentenced to the Birdcage for their crimes unless they became particularly egregious - just for how potentially useful they could be in an Endbringer fight - that usefulness would likely be disregarded in the face of harming someone so useful as Panacea.


    No villain he knew, brought as many benefits to an Endbringer fight as Panacea did.


    "We don''t need to hurt her though? Do we?" Alabaster spoke up for the first time, through the speaker on the table, his particular appearance precluding him from joining them in person in a civilian setting, "So Kayden is off the table, so is the jew bitch, but what if the rest of them team gets fucked up? Or worse? Not gonna be much of a team with just the two of em''."


    Max had thought as much, when he''d pondered the issue beforehand. But he was honestly surprised that Alabaster had latched onto the idea first, for all that he was one of their capes, he was a glorified thug really, his power useful in tying up an enemy cape for a time, but not much else. Usually he worked with the non powered members, so he could let them flee if a cape showed up, just by being annoyingly hard to get rid of.


    "Glory girl. If Panacea loses her sister she might just plain give up on Brockton Bay. And she''ll still be alive for Endbringer attacks, so the PRT won''t up the response." Victor jumped on the idea, a glint in his eyes. Othala smiling at him as she laid a hand on his arm.


    "Glory girl, huh? That bitch would make for good prey, she could take a couple hits for sure." Brad mused out loud, an excited grin spreading over his face.


    "She''s hard to put down, but between several of us¡­" Stormtiger said, trailing off suggestively.


    "It would send a message." James agreed stiffly, turning his head slightly, looking for any added instructions from Max.


    Max smiled coldly, he so liked it when they''d reach a conclusion he''d already made, although as usual, they didn''t grasp the full situation like he could. "We won''t be able to do it ourselves, not in this climate." He warned, immediately pouring water on Hookwolf''s excitement. There was also the fact that Glory Girl was not an easy person to injure in the first place, it would be left too open-ended if they struck, they didn''t have a proper flier anymore - the girl could simply escape into the air.


    "We''ll have to sub contract this hit." Max said with finality, knowing how much it would annoy Brad, but he couldn''t afford anything but perfection here.


    Plenty of people in the Americas had reason to come to Brockton for one reason or another. He just needed the right mix of dangerous but expendable. Max would make use of them, and then punish them publicly for hurting an all white team of heroes, bringing the Empire back in the public eyes as saviors and the only ones willing to stand up and fight for what is right, and with it, neatly begin debunking the wild story Kayden and Panacea had spun.


    How could they be behind such cruelty in regards to Purity, if they even protected the heroes, going after the killer in such a way.


    Surely the Empire wouldn''t go for revenge on Starlight''s behalf if they''d mastered Purity after all, they''d want her dead, not come to her teammates'' defense. And with her sister dead, Panacea would crumble, the team would fracture. The story would fall apart once Kayden returned.


    Yes, Max could see it now.


    And with the team''s demise - Kayden would see the writing on the wall.


    Max would have to punish her quite severely, but he''d let her come back.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Amy let Vicky''s blabbering flow in one ear and out another as they walked around and inspected the building she was intending to purchase. A sturdy five storey building not too far off from the Boardwalk, it resembles a cement block more than anything, but they could fix that. The insides were gutted, the building''s previous occupants having attempted a rebuild after a fire, but eventually running out of money before they finished, leaving the building empty. Too large for the touristy businesses around the Boardwalk, and too small for anything industrial or office related. Especially in the economic downturn Brockton was in. Or economic freefall if she was to be honest.


    The building was perfect for Amy''s needs. Or should she say Starlight''s needs. A silly name really, Amy hadn''t much cared to come up with any fancy names for their group, but Vicky had made it up, and Amy still had a hard time saying no to her sister. Especially after she''d practically arranged things as to ensure a family split and dragging Vicky off with her. They''d still talked to Crystal and Eric over the phone over the last few days, so it wasn''t a complete split, but it still obviously impacted Vicky to not be living at home anymore.


    "Ames! Are you even listening to me!?" Vicky demanded, floating around her so that they were facing each other, a pout on her face.


    Vicky had, perhaps because of her emotional upheaval, gone all in on reinventing herself. Cutting her hair short, barely shoulder length, and styling it spiky, adding an eyebrow piercing for her right eyebrow. She was talking about coloring her hair, which Amy had heatedly argued against.


    Amy thought it was all ridiculous, but suffered following along with her sister as she made the changes to her appearance, as edgy and unneeded as she thought they were. But Vicky did love expressing herself openly, whether through appearance or emotions, she didn''t hide herself. That''s one thing Amy could always count on, Vicky was not in any way duplicitous.


    It''s why when she''d taken over from the original Amy after the trigger event, she''d never been able to distance herself from Vicky, and had grown so quickly to love her sister. As annoying as she could be sometimes.


    "Costumes, right?" Amy said, giving her sister a half-lidded stare, pretty sure she''d heard something along those lines. Vicky talked so much, it was easier to just listen for some key words sometimes and pluck the context out from that.


    "Costumes!" Vicky agreed, throwing her hands out, bouncing slightly in the air, "We need to match now! We''re an independent team, we can''t just be a hodgepodge of Tiara girl and Burqa girl!"


    Amy rolled her eyes, "I''m not getting into that argument again, but sure, we can go with new uniforms, but good luck getting Charlotte to change hers."


    Amy thought Mouse Protector would love the kind of outfits Vicky would like to wear, but more likely for private use, not public. She was attached to her knightly persona. And she was enough of a tease that she''d definitely use a costume for more personal roleplay, just so that she could tell them all about it and make them blush.


    Amy already regretted recruiting her. Vicky got along with Charlotte too well. She eyed her sister, eyes glancing over her new hairdo, something Charlotte had helped with, it did make Vicky look a lot more serious, if a little bit too try hard.


    Vicky got a determined look in her eyes, raising a fist in the air, "I''ll find a way!" She declared to the heavens, or the roof, in this case, as they were still inspecting their potential team headquarters.


    Amy snorted, amused as always by Vicky and her delusions. She shook her head, "You''re the fashionista between us, just make sure it isn''t skimpy enough to get the youth guard or the PRT to scream at us, and don''t pick white and gold for the colors, we''re distancing ourselves from New Wave, remember?"


    The youth guard has been a pain in the ass enough as is, Amy grumbled mentally to herself. They had not been impressed to have an independent team accepted by the PRT with two underage heroes, for all that their emancipation paperwork was in progress. For all that Vicky and Amy were both 17 and not that far off adulthood anyway, not that Amy was officially 17, Carol having put her at a year younger then Vicky when adopting her to sell the story of them being sisters better to the uninformed.


    Vicky smiled brightly, even if her eyes didn''t quite match the smile, a touch of conflicted emotions glimmering in the depths, "I''ll find us the coolest uniforms ever, and make Mom regret not listening to us!" She swore, before her face turned sly, "Hey, my favorite sister in the whole wide world¡­" She wheedled, floating in close.


    "What do you want?" Amy said flatly, giving her an exasperated look, she''d already gotten the go ahead to design the uniforms hadn''t she? They had even gotten a pass from school for the week due to Amy''s interference, which she''d insisted on extending to Vicky as well, so she felt she''d done enough favors already.


    Vicky held her hands out, her whole countenance almost blindingly cheerful all of a sudden. "Money please!" She chirped.


    "I gave you five thousand yesterday, where did it all go?" Amy asked with irritation, even as she reached for her wallet to hand her sister her card. "I''m not an ATM." She added grouchily.


    "Costume consultation with this expert LA firm, now I gotta pay for actually designing and making them!" Vicky said excitedly, her fingers snatching out lightning fast to snatch the card out of Amy''s fingers. "Thanks sis, you''re the best!" She crooned, hugging the card to her chest.


    Amy rolled her eyes, continuing the walk around. First thing she''d done after the press conference was announcing that she was available on request, to heal the ultra wealthy, in return for them donating money to charity.


    She''d immediately gone ahead and healed one of the richest men in the world, basically resetting his age twenty years with the work she''d done on his organs. With Strider available, going to heal someone was a five minute job at the most. The billionaire had no problem going along with the scheme she''d cooked up either. Happily donating 20 million dollars to charities in Brockton Bay and the surrounding area. The ''payment'' for her services, as far as the public was aware. Keeping her faultless reputation spotless.


    Despite removing herself from the hospitals, except for a real emergency situation, she''d done the switch in the most PR friendly way she could manage. The millions she was flooding charities with by healing only the wealthy, would probably do more good than her healing ever did. Which is what she''d said in a more flowery way in the press conference to explain herself as well, so far she hadn''t seen too negative of a reaction.


    So far.


    She figured once someone important enough died because she wasn''t there, she''d see some blowback.


    Carol was probably blowing her lid though, she''d always been so insistent on Amy healing people, even the ones she didn''t need to, the broken bones and sprains and other things the doctors and nurses could easily treat on their own with time.


    She wrenched her mind away from any more thoughts on Carol, instead thinking of the 100 million dollars in a Numberman account she''d actually received for the job of healing a billionaire, the 20 million extra to charity just being the red herring. The money felt so much better knowing she was pulling the wool over so many eyes, even if she couldn''t publically use most of it - even if she was selling her services for far cheaper than she could. Of course her new team, Starlight, was able to take donations, so that she''d be able to use some of the donated money to do team things, like pay for an amazing headquarters.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Between the 5 billionaires she''d healed in the past few days, she''d received enough ''donations'' to buy this building a hundred times over. Money was never going to be a problem for their team.


    She''d been a little apprehensive on using the Numberman for her accounts because of Cauldron, but since Contessa was running around helping her for some reason, she figured anything Cauldron wanted to know, they probably already knew.


    Amy pursed her lips in thought, her eyes staring around her almost unseeing as she pictured how she''d remodel the building. First floor would be a reception and gift shop mostly, allowing the public to access the building somewhat, and generating some goodwill and sales.


    Second floor, conference rooms for meetings with the PRT or others when necessary. Anything else they could need for interaction with the public or the PRT would also go on the second floor including a space for press conferences and the like. Then there would be a cutoff, preventing non-team access to the upper three floors.


    With the contract she''d already negotiated with the Elite, no one would be able to come into team-only areas of the building without using Endbringer levels of force or a ridiculous power.


    So it wouldn''t be perfect, but it would be as close as she could get it. She hadn''t bought the building yet, but she didn''t foresee any difficulties. Luckily the Elite was for the most part, at least the east coast cell, accepted. So she wouldn''t catch too much flack from the PRT for getting involved, they used Uppercrusts force fields as well after all.


    One floor, likely the top, would be apartments, so that she and Vicky had somewhere to live, but likely it would incorporate most, if not all, of the team as well. Safety in numbers and all that. While they all lived elsewhere in their civilian identities (excepting Amy and Vicky), having a place to crash when needed, or as a safehouse, could be useful.


    Kayden might move in any way to protect her kid from possible Empire retaliation. If she did¡­ Amy would definitely push Vicky onto baby duty. She would not be dealing with that. She''d be too tempted to use her power to make it be quiet.


    One entire floor would be Amy''s lab, nothing too fancy¡­ But she did want to take her power for a spin, see if she could do something healing wise, that would continue to grow her fame and make her untouchable, say like curing cancer. She could fluff that as being her healing power, probably.


    Honestly the more she realized exactly how famous she was, the less she was worrying about coming out as a biotinker. She still would prefer not to, but she also didn''t think anyone would believe her to be the new Nilbog or Bonesaw right now. The public response she was getting was just too ridiculously positive. She was fairly sure the PRT or Cauldron was actually pushing it to further lengths. Besides, in all likelihood, after Paris¡­ Cauldron and the PRT probably set their thinkers on her and figured out she was one anyway.


    Hopefully Ivy would not come up as an Amy clone too easily to a thinker. That could be problematic. She thought it unlikely, thinkers needed something to work on, plant power and a completely different body with different cues should not lead them to - Panacea cloned herself.


    Fingers crossed.


    She was undecided on what to use the last floor for, but it seemed like this building would be a perfect fit. Perhaps a communal area for the team? A gym? She''d think of something. The team wasn''t a democracy after all, only Vicky had the power to make Amy do anything.


    "You okay on your own?" Amy asked Vicky, after checking her wrist watch. She had a meeting to go to, finally. The Elite were exhausting to deal with. Far too smug, for people that exercised so much caution and paranoia. At least the east coast Elite did not include people like Bastard son.


    The fact he was allowed to run around unhindered showed a lack of sense in the Elite, if anything they should have kept him completely separate from the organization as a cat''s paw. Ugh, there she goes again, on an internal tangent, dealing with villains makes her think too much.


    Vicky happily nodded her head, still clutching Amy''s credit card to her chest. Floating forward to place a kiss to Amy''s cheek, her eyes sparkling with warmth.


    "Don''t buy anything stupid." Amy warned, before sending a text checking Strider''s availability, she couldn''t quite stop the small smile on her face, or the warmth growing in her chest. Vicky always managed to cheer her up so easily even with the smallest gestures.


    "I''d never!" Vicky swore, her smile growing into a dangerous looking grin. The way her eyes were sparkling was a telling sign of a shopping spree.


    Amy sighed, shaking her head fondly.


    She''s definitely going to buy something stupid.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Amy could feel Ivy''s frustration more clearly as she arrived in New York via the Strider express. She put it to the back of her mind, Ivy had her business to handle, she had hers.


    "Panacea. Welcome to New York." A crisp yet melodious female voice greeted them, the female cape wearing a dark skin tight suit with no ornaments or zippers visible, only her mouth could be seen, the rest of her face covered by a dark visor, cloth covering the rest of her head, attached to the visor, making it look like she was wearing a headdress, the cloth hanging down simulating hair. Gloom, a member of the New York Elite, and the person Amy had been in contact with over the last few days.


    "Glad to be here, or I will be, as long as we can adhere to the mutually beneficial agreement we agreed to on the phone." Amy said dryly, the Elite had been beyond frustrating over the phone. Hemming and hawing, refusing to agree to anything concrete, until finally they did, after Amy applied pressure.


    Amy had to force this meeting by bluntly stating she would move on to other avenues if they kept bullshiting her. She had other things to do than talk circles around villains.


    Gloom had become much more cooperative overnight.


    "If the tests show a positive result, I imagine it will be a fruitful partnership." Gloom said plainly, sweeping her arm forward towards the rooftop entrance, "If you will, Miss?"


    Amy turned to Strider, "If I don''t text you the codeword every twenty minutes, get the team and turn this building to rubble." She said casually, feeling, more than seeing, Gloom startling slightly in the background.


    Strider smirked, tipping his cap, "Your will shall be done, mistress!"


    Amy swatted his arm, rolling her eyes fondly, "Off with you, none of that mistress crap." He''s gotten worse the longer he''s been around Vicky and Charlotte, those two are a plague¡­


    "Of course, mistress." Strider quipped, giving her a wink, before he disappeared in a loud crack. Leaving her alone on the rooftop with the member of the Elite.


    She made a show of setting a timer on her wristwatch, smiling at Gloom, "So you''ve got 19 minutes and 40 seconds before I have to prove I''m alive and well, shall we?"


    Gloom seemed to have gotten over her surprise, her black painted lips curving into an honest smile, "You are nothing like the reports say." She said, as she led on, leading Amy into the building, not an Elite building she was fairly certain, but one set up just for this particular occasion.


    It wouldn''t surprise her if they bought the building just for today''s enterprise.


    Amy smiled enigmatically, "Oh, you have no idea how wrong they are¡­" She told the woman. Taking a moment to admire her. Villains, even more than the Heroes, proportionally wore skin tight uniforms. Amy approved. She didn''t have the body to flaunt herself like they did, but she definitely approved.


    Gloom''s uniform could have been painted on, and Amy definitely noticed. Having come out publicly, she was fairly certain Gloom being her escort and point of contact was a purposeful honey trap, a way to entice Amy closer to the Elite. Perhaps she was just projecting, but a young woman likely around her own age? Dripping with sensuality? Seemed a mighty coincidence to have her be the point of contact for the recently public lesbian.


    "So¡­ How many hoops do I have to jump through to get this over with?" Amy asked, only letting a hint of her annoyance through as she followed Gloom through the hallways, not making any secret of admiring her perfectly sculpted ass. If they were offering eye candy, it would be rude to completely ignore it, even if she wasn''t going to accept the candy from the friendly strangers.


    Gloom glanced back at her, her full lips in an amused smile, "Not too many, we''re just ensuring the method works, you understand." She demurred.


    Amy snorted, "I''m Panacea. Of course it works."


    Gloom opened a set of doors, showing a surgical suite inside, a man already apparently unconscious, laying on the operating table. "Love that confidence." She purred, lips still with that amused quirk to them, "But the boss likes to make sure, we got to see that you have what it takes." She bit her lip enticingly, "You could ask for practically anything if you succeed, you know." She breathed out huskily.


    Amy giggled, unable to hold it back, "Sorry, I suppose you think I''m just a horny teenager," She managed to get out between giggles, "But that was just¡­" She giggled again, as Gloom lost her smile, her body posture straightening, "That was just so bad!"


    Gloom, now in a more neutral position, her lips pursed in annoyance, sighed, "It could have been fun." She mused out loud, not sounding like she really cared one way or another.


    Amy snorted, "If I wanted to stick my tongue in something venomous, I''d go find a snake." She said, somewhat playfully. Like she''d get involved with a member of the Elite. Now if Gloom had chatted up Ivy¡­. Well, she didn''t have a reputation to protect¡­


    A villain had more options after all. Plus Ivy was the sexy part of Amy anyway. She had all the sex appeal that she was lacking¡­


    "So," Amy said, clapping her hands together, "I heal this guy up, then we can get down to the real business?" She asked, moving things on from that embarrassingly transparent attempt at seduction. She was a teenager, not retarded.


    Uppercrust truly must have something wrong with his brain if he authorized that attempt. They hadn''t known each other near long enough for that kind of thing to work. If it was Amy running things, she''d try to insert someone as a friend first, earn some trust before ever moving on to seduction.


    Gloom gestured to the man, a pleasant smile back on her painted lips, "Go right ahead, Panacea, although we will need some time to verify the results after." She warned, seemingly having no hard feelings after Amy laughed at her.


    Amy strode to the table, laying a hand on the man''s uncovered arm, instantly finding everything wrong with his body. "You couldn''t find anyone that took care of themselves worse?" She snarked at Gloom, shaking her head.


    The man literally had several organs on the verge of failure and a brain tumor to boot. With the amount of gunk in his lungs, he wasn''t far off from destroying those too. With a sigh she got to work, beginning with cleaning out his lungs, filtrating out the garbage through his skin, with a flex of her power.


    "Fascinating." Gloom said, as she bent over the man, observing the black gunk that poured out of his pores.


    "Yes, I am amazing, I''m still not sleeping with you." Amy said distractedly as she began working on the organs. Restoring them to a pristine state, using some of the fat from the vast reserve in the man''s belly as fuel.


    "A pity, I''d love to see what your power could do, firsthand." Gloom said, a devilish smirk on her face as she looked at Amy. "So many fantastical things you could do no doubt¡­"


    Amy repressed a shiver, Okay, maybe she isn''t too bad at this, after all, she thought. How many times had she wondered what she could do with her power together with a willing participant in the throes of passion. "You really don''t want me touching you." She said, but it came out weaker than she intended, she looked away from the smirking villainess, concentrating on fixing the brain tumor. The size of it made it inoperable by normal means. It took Amy all of thirty seconds, and twenty of those were just checking it over.


    I''m Panacea, bitch. She thought, smugly.


    "Well, if you change your mind¡­ You do have my number now." Gloom said teasingly. Crossing her arms under her bountiful chest, drawing Amy''s eyes for a moment.


    "Ugh, I hate smug people." She said, tearing her gaze away. "He''s done by the way." She added flippantly.


    Gloom, straightened, putting a hand to where her ear would be behind the visor and headdress, obviously listening to orders through a communicator.


    Amy took that moment to text Strider her code word, noticing that the twenty minutes were almost up, starting another countdown, which she pointedly set exaggeratedly, making sure Gloom noticed.


    She really wished she knew what her power was, Gloom could mean a lot of different things, and she hadn''t found anything, not even Vicky sweet talking Dean into using the console on the Rig to check - had dredged up any information other than that she was a confirmed member of the Elite in its New York cell.


    "We have a room set aside for refreshments while we verify the subject." Gloom said, swaying her hips as she walked ahead, "This way, Miss."


    Amy pursed her lips. Before following the tantalizing villainess through another door, leading into a lounge area. It was ridiculously over the top, including an actual chocolate fountain.


    Amy gave Gloom a hard look as the villainess smiled innocently at her. The room was full of foods considered aphrodisiacs.


    "Just to be clear, all this wasting of my time is going to cost your boss extra." She said grumpily. Refusing to be drawn into the game.


    Gloom just smiled wider.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Ivy took a deep breath, one eyebrow twitching slightly, New York had been one frustration after another, and Amy really wasn''t helping her with all the horny all of a sudden.


    They really needed to get laid at some point.


    With some effort, she pushed all that to the back of her mind again, returning from her latest failed trip, Sherrel opening the door to the invisible humvee they''d been using as somewhat of a headquarters - to avoid attention.


    "No luck again, huh?" Sherrel said, tongue poking out between her teeth as she had a panel wrenched open under the steering wheel as she tinkered with the insides. Removing the drugs from her system had sparked plenty of new ideas in her head, but she was limited on what she could do right now, so she constantly tinkered with their vehicle.


    Ivy slid into the passenger seat, sighing explosively, "None!" She said with annoyance. "How hard could it be to find one villain!?"


    Turns out, it was really damn hard. Ivy and Amy might share a brain, but it was a stupid brain, they hadn''t quite realized just how hard it would be to track down Ravager in New York. Brockton Bay couldn''t compare at all, they really should have thought of that. The search radius was just too large, too filled with people, other villains, heroes, independents, rogues. Regulars. So many regulars.


    New York had been hit by Behemoth when Scion was still alive, so it had survived decently intact, it was full of people.


    What was she supposed to do? Go knock door to door? No wonder how even with Legend in charge, New York still had so many villains, it would take forever just to find someone doing a super powered crime, let alone track them through the city.


    Their trip had been a disaster from the moment they entered New York. None of them had thought of the fact that New York traffic practically ruined their biggest advantage. What was the point of an invisible vehicle, when traffic moved at a snail''s pace? It hadn''t helped that Sherrel had picked the largest vehicle she had left either, to travel to New York. There was no way for them to cruise down the streets and avoid everything, they couldn''t escape being found if they tried.


    It would be pretty obvious they were there if cars kept crashing into them thinking the space was empty¡­ Sidewalk driving was impossible during day time hours, and even night time hours depending on where in the city they were at the time.


    So they couldn''t really use their invisible trump card much, it was slightly better at night, but even then they had to be careful. The streets were not exactly empty at any time.


    So Jason and Sherrel stuck around in the area around the alleyway they''d stashed the invisible, enlarged Humvee in, hitting up local bars to ask surreptitious questions, well mostly Jason, Sherrel mostly tinkered, stole shit, or tinkered. Ivy on the other hand schlepped all over New York, trying every haunt of Ravager''s that Mouse Protector had given Amy. She''d been forced to have Sherrel shoplift some clothes for her, because her original plan of just finding Ravager and driving up to her place and letting loose - was so dead on arrival it wasn''t even funny.


    And she couldn''t exactly go around New York in her villain outfit, she''d rather not deal with the absolute shitstorm the New York Protectorate could drop on her if she made waves. She was pretty noticeable.


    So she''d been going around New York in a pair of skinny jeans and a t-shirt Sherrel had helpfully lifted for her, that stated - You are what you eat. The iconography with the t-shirt didn''t really need to be so graphic either. She''d definitely gotten several funny looks out and about. Where she''d even stolen this from, Ivy had no idea, with the shit eating grin Sherrel had worn when she''d returned with the clothes, she was sure she didn''t want to know. At least the leather jacket she''d stolen mostly covered it up.


    Apparently loyalty did not mean your subordinates couldn''t tease you. Good to know for future brainwashing sessions, Ivy thought.


    "So what''s next?" Jason asked, "Been hearing a lot about a place in Harlem." He offered hesitantly. He''d been fairly enjoying himself, able to actually hang out in a bar, shooting pool and talking shit, without people running in fear or disgust.


    Ivy sighed, putting the palm of her hand to her forehead, "We might as well check it out, although we''ll have to wait for nighttime if we''re going to all make it there." Ravager was going to pay for being so annoyingly hard to find. "What''s the word?" She asked Jason, Sherrel completely buried inside the panel, sparks flying. Ivy knew better than to bother getting anything coherent from her once she was head deep in machinery.


    Jason wrinkled his brow, "It could be nothing," He warned, which drew a snort out of Ivy, all they''d had was nothing, so what was the difference, she waved for him to go on, the man hesitantly continuing, shrinking in the backseat, unsure of himself all of a sudden. "There''s an underground arena that does all kinds of competitions, fights, racing, shooting and accuracy and that kind of thing." He wet his lips, always uncomfortable when he was forced to talk more than a few sentences. "It''s illegal and moves around a bit, but one of the drunks I befriended knows tonight''s venue."


    Ivy gave Jason a small thankful smile, "Good work, Jason." She said, meaning it, that was an actual honest to god lead.


    The way he lit up at such a small amount of praise was just sad though. She inwardly resolved to praise him more often.


    The whole thing served to increase Ivy''s disgruntlement with the PRT and Protectorate. Jason could have avoided ever being Mush, joining the Merchants, years before that of being chased around America. He''d been willing to join the side of the heroes.


    But the PRT didn''t like his look.


    Ivy would enjoy embarrassing them. She had so many plans when she returned to Brockton Bay.


    Her eyes hardened as she grit her teeth, staring out the window at nothing, As long as I can find this Ravager bitch first!


    About then is when the Humvee filled with smoke, because of course. Sherrel shouting between coughs, "It''s okay! It was supposed to do that, kind of!"


    Ivy let her head sink into her hands, the glamorous life of a villain¡­. She thought, her headache increasing.


    £ª£ª£ª


    If Amy had known she''d have to wait two hours for Uppercrust to verify her work, she probably wouldn''t have bothered to come, even for the benefits she''d get out of it. She didn''t do well with stupidity. They either wanted her to heal him, or they didn''t. All this pageantry in-between was just pissing her off.


    Gloom stood before the door of the surgical suite, her body tense this time, no more flirtation with the boss in attendance apparently. "He is ready for you. We will watch your every move, if you harm him in any way¡­"


    Amy just wanted this over with, she didn''t have anything to fear from these people, even if they hurt her, Ivy could long distance heal her with the synergy she had achieved through Mouse Protector''s power. "Just stop wasting my time with threats and bullshit, I can literally do this in 30 seconds, just let me do it before you annoy me enough I make him, a she." She complained bitterly.


    She''d been hearing a variation of you better not do this, or don''t harm him this - for over thirty minutes now.


    Gloom''s lips twitched briefly, "On anyone else, I''d pay to see that. But here, now, please don''t, I''ll seriously kill you." She warned.


    Amy snorted, "And two seconds later Alexandria drops through the roof, don''t test me bitch. You aren''t killing anyone. Now let me heal this motherfucker." She was rapidly running out of patience. This¡­ This exact bullshit was why she was tired of pretending to be a nice person. All the useless talking, double checking, having to talk and talk and tip toe around things.


    For once she just wanted to be able to reach over, tap the hot bitch''s neck to make her fall to the ground as a paralyzed mess, and then go do her shit, heal the old man, get paid, and get the fuck out. But that wasn''t hero behavior.


    Honestly, if she wasn''t going to get so much shit for this, she wouldn''t be revealing to the Elite that she could do brains. For all that she claimed it was limited and only suitable for killing cancerous growths. The Elite weren''t stupid, if they didn''t realize she was a complete biotinker after this, they didn''t deserve their reputation.


    Gloom must have seen something in her eyes, because she got out of the way and opened the doors really quickly.


    Amy snorted as she noticed the seven capes standing around the surgical suite, against the walls, a bit of an overkill there. "I''m touched that you''ve all come to see me perform." She snarked, walking forward without a care about who these people were, they wouldn''t touch her. Not with Uppercrust right there, not when she was his only hope of surviving an inoperable brain tumor.


    They''d even gone so far as to cover Uppercrust entirely with a sheet, only his scalp visible. They obviously didn''t realize just how much information about a person Amy got just by touching them, or they''d realized how pointless this charade was.


    Just as Amy was about to touch him, to heal his time wasting old ass. A hand grasped her wrist.


    "I''d suggest you let go. Now." Amy said dangerously.


    What was it with capes? The conflict drive from the shards just had to pick a fight when they''re getting everything they want right now? Do they even have that with Scion dead? Amy wasn''t sure, even for herself, but she was really pissed off right now either way.


    The cape holding her wrist, she recognized him as the New York Elite team''s speedster, Nitro. He wore gloves with his silver and black full body uniform. So somewhat intelligent.


    Nitro did not let go, instead his grip hardened, as he spoke softly, "You are being too cavalier with this, do not try anything." He said seriously.


    Amy smiled pleasantly but it didn''t reach her eyes, as she patted the man on the gloved hand holding her wrist, "You should have let go." She said with scorn, her thumb already pressing against the gap between glove and uniform. Not intelligent enough.


    Nitro, in a blink, stood at the other end of the room, Amy just smirked at him smugly. Before laying a hand on Uppercrust''s scalp. His brain tumor almost down to the inch exactly like the man she''d healed previously, how hard must they have looked to find someone similar enough to test her healing before and after? Within seconds, she was done, stepping away.


    For once not doing anything extra. Well¡­ Not too much.


    "What did you do to me?" Nitro asked, suspiciously, moving his body back and forth.


    "Uppercrust is healed, as promised I expect Starlight''s headquarters to be fully protected by his best force field equipment." Amy said, both to the room, and the listening man under the sheet who''d actually be the one fulfilling her requests, she completely ignored Nitro. "Also, without delay, as promised, your south american contractor - able to mold and create materials far superior to mundane ones, will arrive within the week to reform my buildings structure with said materials." Amy glanced down at the sheet covered man, "As a favor, I fixed up your organs so you''re essentially twenty years younger. You owe me one, I''ll collect that favor one day."


    Mostly so he wouldn''t die of old age and make his force field generators useless to her. But she''d take a favor anyway.


    "What did you do to me!?" Nitro was suddenly in her face, Gloom suddenly there as well, pulling him back, her lips twisted into a snarl, "Nitro stand down, you idiot!" She thundered.


    "That''s enough, Nitro." A calm voice came, Uppercrust pushing the sheet off, a surgical mask covering his face, not his usual face covering, she knew, but apparently they''d literally brought him from a private hospital bed in just a hospital gown.


    "Oh no, the sheet is off, now I know what you look like." Amy drawled sarcastically, making Nitro grit his teeth, only Gloom holding him back. The rest of the capes had either more experience or more sense, not moving without an order from their leader.


    Uppercrust chuckled, sitting on the operating table with casual ease now that his aches had been healed down to the pinched nerve in his lower back, "Ah, my subordinates insisted, it was a bit silly, but it made them feel better." He said with humor apparent.


    "Sir!" Came from several voices around the room, embarrassment evident.


    "You''ll have your payment, Panacea, no one will be able to knock down your team''s headquarters after this." He paused, amending his statement slightly, "No Endbringer guarantee." He slid off the bed, sighing in contentment, obviously pleased that nothing hurt anymore. "I apologize for the zealousness of my people, they will not bother you anymore. This I swear." He said seriously.


    "Good, I''ll be leaving then, it''s been¡­ Awful. Let''s not do it again." Amy said, walking out without a backwards glance at the annoying capes that had stretched out her day with bullshit. Like her healing needed to be checked.


    If she wanted to brainwash the old man she could have, no matter what checks they''d put in place. "Oh, by the way, your brain tumor will grow back if you don''t actually deliver." She smirked at the looks she got from the capes in the room, "What? You thought I trusted you?" She said mockingly. "If you deliver, I''ll tell you where, and any healer or regular surgeon can take care of it before it becomes a problem."


    Again Nitro yelled after her, "What did you do, Panacea! Damn it, I know you did something to me!?"


    Panacea ignored him, walking away, as Uppercrust laughed, "You''ll have your deal, Panacea." He said amicably, seemingly amused at her byplay with his people, and not bothered at all that she''d left the possibility of a tumor returning in his head. Probably because it wasn''t anything dangerous, he wouldn''t need her help to deal with it if he decided to renege on their deal after all. But she''d been annoyed, so it was more as a warning for any future annoyances than an actual threat.


    She could hear the rustling of cloth and some grunts of exertion behind her, no doubt the rest of the team had to hold down the fool who''d dared lay a hand on her, to prevent him from doing something stupid. How did a foolhardy boy like that manage to get into the Elite?


    He''s lucky she won''t tell Vicky, her sister had only one response to anyone that touched Amy without permission. Extreme force.


    Speedster or not, her sister would find a away to pound him into paste.


    "I made you the fastest man alive." Amy said flippantly to Nitro, lifting her hand for a jaunty wave back at the Elite capes.


    "Your welcome~"


    £ª£ª£ª


    Ivy could almost enjoy this venue. The music had an exhilarating beat, the ambiance was electric with so many people cheering, betting and just having an amazing time. The old hockey arena that had been slightly damaged by Behemoth in an area of Harlem that had been mostly devastated and never properly rebuilt - had plenty of room for the MMA style fighting cage, as well as the areas where people competed in accuracy with every manner of shooting and throwing weapon. With the inbuilt seating and the concession areas already there, someone had seen opportunity obviously, even though Ivy doubted they could pull regular showings without the police shutting it down.


    So, yes, it was almost enjoyable.


    Except Amy had made Ivy very desirable. And drunk criminals were not very good at taking no for an answer.


    With a growl, Ivy grabbed and twisted the arm of the fat and drunk, tattoo covered neanderthal - who had been about to grope her ass, "Come near me again and I break it!" She hissed at the man.


    His buddies broke out laughing and the drunk, in a way to save face, tried to leverage his greater size into pushing back against Ivy.


    Ivy had enough, she was going to break this man. But before she could, Sherrel stepped in, causally whacking the man between the eyes with a wrench, sending him staggering. The men moving on, lewd comments tossed out as a parting shot.


    "Please tell me Jason has spotted Ravager!" Ivy asked Sherrel. They''d been there for three hours at this point. Several villains had been spotted in attendance, betting or fighting. But not Ravager.


    Sherrel winced, shaking her head, "Sorry, boss lady, no luck." She commiserated.


    "Hey, you two gay or something?" A man wearing a skull halloween mask and a leather trench coat with way too many belts criss crossing his torso, asked them, his words slurred.


    "Yes." "Only for her." Ivy and Sherrel answered, one dry as the desert, one cheerfully with a wide smile.


    Ivy sighed, "Sherrel, no you''re not. Stop that." She crossed her arms, annoyed at her underlings'' assertion, then she uncrossed her arms in pure annoyance as the idiot edge lord immediately stared at her chest. "Go away." She ordered, tersely.


    She had wanted to be pretty, to be desirable. She hadn''t quite realized how many idiots she''d have to deal with because of it. She''d only seen how people treated Vicky at school and wanted that.


    This, she didn''t want.


    The skull masked guy puffed his chest up, thumping it even, as he declared, "I''m a new villain, about to be super famous."


    Ivy purposefully turned away from the idiot, trusting Sherrel to warn her if he actually did anything threatening, "One more hour, then we''re ending it, I can''t take anymore idiots." She growled.


    Sherrel shook her head, "Boss, it''s like you''ve been hiding away all your life," She protested, "Gorgeous hotties like us always deal with this, it''s nothing new." She smirked, tapping the wrench in her hand against her body, "Got it you flaunt it, you gotta use what you have, boss!"


    Ivy twitched, she could hardly say she''d never been pretty enough before. She just grunted instead. Eyes searching the arena floor. The guy behind her was still monologuing, not even realizing they weren''t paying him any attention.


    "Fucking finally!" She exclaimed, seeing Ravagers black and red cape costume entering the arena, full of swagger, obviously about to compete.


    "Oh, want me to tag her then?" Sherrel asked, hands in her pocket, where the tracking seed Ivy had grown was resting, she''d given a similar one to Jason. Ivy would be able to feel it wherever it was, as long as she was within at least a few miles. "If you can do it in a way you''re not in any danger, go ahead, otherwise we''ll just follow her when she leaves." Ivy ordered. The seed would make it easier to follow her to a less public location for their confrontation. But if Ravager couldn''t be surreptitiously seeded, then they''d just follow her when she left. No reason to risk Sherrel or Jason.


    Ravager had, like Mouse Protector, enhanced agility and physical capabilities, but unlike Mouse Protector who could teleport short distances via a touch stone of kinds, Ravager, well¡­ Ravaged. Any cut from her would continue growing, widening, deepening, festering. The smallest cut could end up enough to cut you in half with time. So she couldn''t have Jason or Sherrel in the line of fire once they engaged. Jason transforming into Sandman could be useful, but she didn''t have enough sand for him to truly utilize it yet.


    Ivy watched as Ravager eventually easily won the ranged throwing competition, taking home a stack of cash, Sherrel, by then - amongst the group of fans congratulating her. Ivy saw Sherrel move away, a smug look on her face as the group broke up. Ivy could feel that the seed wasn''t following her. She''d managed to seed Ravager.


    Ivy''s grin turned dangerous. Finally, let''s end the threat once and for all. She thought with anticipation.


    She was interrupted by a hand on her shoulder. The halloween masked villain who''d been talking this entire time, interrupting her thoughts, whining, "How dare you ignore the great and mighty Skullbone!"


    This guy¡­.


    Ivy counted to ten in her head. Then she counted to ten again. Nope. She still had an idiot attached to her.


    "You''re not even that hot, probably dyed your hair too, stupid slut." Skullbone muttered drunkenly.


    Ivy stalked out of the arena a minute later, feeling simultaneously pissed off and pleased. The crying and screaming from the stupid young newbie clutching his broken hand - soothed her mind, at the same time as she was utterly pissed off that he''d dared to say something like that to her.


    Now only the easy part was left. The beating.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Ravager hung out for another two hours, doing god knows what, before leaving. Time that Ivy spent playing card games with her underlings in the Humvee. Both her underlings¡­ Did not have a poker face for shit. She''d have to fix that. They were stupidly easy to read.


    Ivy and co, followed behind Ravager as she drove off on a sleek looking motorcycle, driving like a mad woman, or a thrill seeker, barely avoiding death by inches at times.


    Only the fact they were invisible and that Sherrel could drive like a formula one driver let them keep up when the motorcycle would cut through alleys - forcing them to speed around, following Ivy''s sense of where her seed was.


    Finally Ravager stopped, at an old garage in the Bronx. Perhaps her hideout, perhaps just where she stored her motorcycle, Ivy didn''t care, she just wanted to finish this, and then get the hell out of New York.


    "Pull in, keep invisible, stay out of it." Ivy ordered quietly, having changed into her villainess uniform, well more like she''d taken off her clothes and grown her uniform - but semantics.


    Jason had kept his eyes closed as a perfect gentleman should. The less said about Sherrels comments the better. Ivy had no idea how regaining her sanity had made the woman filthier. Even if it was in mind, not body this time.


    Ivy stepped out of the car, Ravager immediately turned her way, obviously having heard the car door opening, if not the vehicle arriving in the first place.


    "Who are you supposed to be? Plant slut, Flower jugs?" She asked with casual derision, leaning back against her motorcycle, her riding leathers matching her cape uniform, her full face mask on, only eye holes visible.


    Ivy was getting real tired of being called a slut. "I''m here to deal with pest control, someone heard a little rat was going to go way above her station and bring the Slaughterhouse to New York¡­" She drawled out coldly, sauntering forward, vines growing out of her bracelets, thorns prevalent on them.


    "Now¡­ How did you know about that?" Ravager hissed out, pulling out a set of throwing knives in one hand, "If you''re nice enough to answer, I''ll only cut off some fingers!"


    "Ravager, stand down, if it is true you are planning on contacting the Slaughterhouse Nine, you can not be allowed to remain outside of custody." A stern female voice interrupted them both.


    Ivy looked up to the rooftop of the garage. For fucks sake, I god damn hate New York! She screamed mentally.


    What exactly were the odds they''d run into  Ursa Aurora patrolling the Bronx, in this particular area, at this particular time?


    "She''s mine!" Ivy growled. Sending a vine forward towards Ravager. She wasn''t going to miss out on her objective now, not when the PRT would just let her out again to contact Jack Slash at a later date.


    The fight was on.


    £ª£ª£ª


    "Fortuna. I suppose something''s gone to hell¡­ Or surprisingly well, you only ever show up for either of those." A forcibly jovial voice said, a man sitting on a tree stump, carefully whittling a wooden figurine, the forested area around him littered in figurines, all of them of the same person. There were thousands of the things, scattered around everywhere.


    Each figurine had a strangely emotion filled look of anguish on them, perfectly carved. The figurines were almost life-like and had an eerie feel to them.


    "Who can say¡­" Came the quiet soft response.


    The man sighed, a small smile playing on his lips as he shook his head with melancholy, old memories on his mind, "You can Contessa, that''s literally your entire thing." He chided.


    "Maybe I just wanted to see an old friend?" Contessa said, walking out from behind a tree, trademark fedora on her head, her hand free of weapons today, so she wasn''t playing the boogeyman for now. Not that it mattered, if he could be killed so easily it would have solved a lot of issues already.


    There were many days he wished he hadn''t been so full of confidence and ideas for a better future. Optimism had only gotten him here. A pyrrhic victory.


    "Ah," The man finally sighed, dropping his latest carving, answering Contessa, "Do I count as that now, as I am?" He''d had a fair handle on his depression, but old friends dropping by always made him maudlin. Not that he ever had one of those drop by, other than Contessa. He''d like to imagine the others would cheer him up more, if they were aware of his existence, but honestly, Rebecca would likely just pummel him, for the little good it would do for her.


    "Who knows what the future will show¡­" Contessa said idly, picking up a figurine and sliding it into a pocket, making no attempt to hide the action. Not that it mattered much around him. He continued to be surprised that she even showed up, made the effort to let him know she was still working on it.


    Killing him.


    "Well, something good must have happened, you''re only this ridiculous at that point." He said softly, another small smile blossoming onto his face, even sadder this time, as he addressed the figurine theft, "Don''t tell me your path needs a figurine?" He lightly mocked. Trying to force himself out of his darkening mood.


    Contessa refused to answer, which as usual, was a sign that it would indeed be involved in one of her steps on the path to victory for some reason. It had never made sense to him, it likely never would.


    He appreciated the distraction nonetheless.


    "So¡­ Just dropping by again then, huh? Checking to see if I''ve gone insane yet?" Surprisingly he held no bitterness at the fact, but it could simply be the relief he felt that the path was still grinding on, and that Contessa was still the same. As frustrating as she was.


    "See you around¡­ Hero." She said quietly, stepping behind the tree again.


    "I don''t go by that name anymore¡­" He said, to thin air, as Contessa was already gone again. The fact Cauldron still let her use the doors after she''d split from them, showed how utterly dependent they had become on path to victory, that even with her defection, they still didn''t dare to move.


    The man formerly known as Hero sighed, and with a wave of his hand erased the forest around him. Whittling had gotten boring anyway¡­


    God, he wished he was still just a simple tinker¡­


    £ª£ª£ª

 Chapter 7: PSA: Drugs as approved by your local hero.

    £ª£ª£ª


    Coil was growing beyond frustrated. No matter what tests he''d performed, he couldn''t find anything wrong that said Panacea had done anything to possibly convert him.


    He certainly didn''t feel any loyalty to the girl, or any sudden wish to look out for her or assist her. He''d already gone through enumerate timelines where he tortured her to insanity, both to soothe his own anger at his mistake, and to punish her for the temerity to have lied to him.


    But he couldn''t ever get the confirmation.


    Yet, he couldn''t shake the feeling he had, that the whole situation had been a set up from the start. Coil wasn''t used to the feeling of being on the other side of a con - he had gotten greedy, had taken risks he normally wouldn''t take, had pushed his power too far, even though he knew it was unreliable at those points, and now he was at a crossroads.


    Did he take another risk? Go on assuming she did nothing. No¡­ Perhaps before, he could have assumed some manner of innocence in her actions. That the sullen, naive girl with no real life experience wouldn''t pull something like that¡­


    Not now, not after her sharply rising levels of competence, newfound international fame after Paris, the split from New Wave, recruiting Purity and Mouse Protector, gaining Uppercrusts support. These were not consistent with her previous behavior, nor were they the actions of a naive girl. The meeting with him had been staged. It must have been.


    Which meant somehow, despite everything he''d done to obfuscate the connection - Panacea had known Thomas Calvert was Coil.


    Of everyone in Brockton Bay. This girl had broken through the layers and figured out who he was, while the PRT and the Empire floundered, both dancing to his tune, unknowingly.


    And if she knew that, then she was more dangerous than his previous risk assessment had accounted for. She still, under torture, refused to confirm that she''d done anything to him, which was as vexing as it was impressive. Even if he was now suspecting she''d done something to herself to prevent torture from being as effective as it usually was.


    The timelines where he took her and their consequences were why he was stuck at a crossroads right now. Every time he kidnapped the girl, his base would, within hours sometimes - a day at the most - be assaulted by the new villain Poison Ivy.


    It had taken several timelines to finally have a defense in place that defeated her if she attacked his base, plant control being surprisingly effective within the tight confines of his underground base.


    Then¡­ If he managed to defeat the villain in one of the timelines - the villain which he suspected Panacea had brainwashed to be slavishly loyal, to come to such a quick defense of her mistress - then¡­ His timeline would end soon after, as Alexandria herself dropped by, not willing to allow him to control or kill Panacea.


    Could Coil kill the girl? Yes, she was surprisingly crafty and dangerous with her bioshaping, but a couple of timelines had given him the perfected avenues to capture or kill the girl. But he couldn''t guarantee her death would end any potential change she could have performed while she''d had access to his body and brain.


    And he''d paid a lot of money to find out¡­


    Hence the frustration.


    It was becoming increasingly clear that to gain peace of mind, and ensure his mind was inviolate. He''d have to¡­ Negotiate with the teenager.


    Coil felt a visceral aversion to lowering himself to such an action. It felt too much like supplication to even think to go and deal with the slip of the girl like an equal, or worse¡­ A superior.


    In the end, he''d gone and spent a third of his liquid wealth on hiring one of the premier precogs in the world in a throwaway timeline. The confirmation in their sight had been the last straw, Coil would have to negotiate with the little bitch.


    Because the African witch doctor cum warlord who was also a premier precog, had warned Coil that in the future she had peered through, Coil was alive in the one where he negotiated with Panacea.


    And he wasn''t in the one where he continued to try and gain leverage or torture secrets out of the girl.


    Coil might detest the actions that would need to be taken, but he was ultimately a survivor. He could rebuild from anything. As long as he was alive to do so.


    He split off the timelines as he sat in his base, in one case, he contacted the African precog again, spending a third of his wealth to ask her another set of questions.


    The warlord''s sight was annoyingly mercurial, jumping back and forth from seeing a day ahead to seeing seven months with not even her, herself, knowing at any given time which she would see, but Coil was able to confirm once again, as he had in dozens of timelines over the last few days¡­


    That if he remained in Brockton Bay, he was not alive in any of the precogs'' visions past a certain time. A distressingly short amount of time.


    In the other timeline, he''d dialed a number, hatred boiling inside him, he could already picture the smugness and derision as his minion would begin to understand his situation.


    The phone was picked up, the voice already irreverent and challenging from the get go, "Yeah boss? Having some performance issues?"


    ¡­She''d already investigated the situation herself then, must have picked up some clue from his previous call¡­ He''d have to visit her in another timeline sometime soon to work out his frustrations at her disloyalty.


    "Tattletale¡­ I need you to do something for me¡­" Coil said coldly, already calculating the odds he would be able to keep her around after this once he left Brockton.


    They weren''t good.


    ¡­. He''d kill the girl one day for all of this. One day, at some point - she wouldn''t have Alexandria coming to her rescue anymore¡­


    This would not be the end of him.


    £ª£ª£ª


    New York,


    If this was a story, no doubt this fight would be a back and forth effort, where the protagonist held on by the skin of her teeth, bravely overcoming difficulties and outsmarting her opponents at the very last second to eke out victory while learning an important life lesson.


    Fuck that noise!


    Ivy did not want Legend to drop on her ass if this hullabaloo took too long. Ursa Aurora could do force fields, she didn''t know how many, what kind of strength, what kind of variety she had in her usage, she didn''t want to wait to find out if she could just box her in and wait for a PRT van to come foam her either.


    For all she knew, the bitch could force field this entire damn street.


    So as she sent a vine after Ravager, she also popped every seed on her body, threading her power through them, encouraging nothing but growth. She didn''t know why plants came so easy for her, why she didn''t need biomass to effect changes - but she was thankful for it, because now - it allowed her to create a veritable forest within the confines of the street they were fighting in.


    Ravager and Ivy immediately disappeared amongst the brush as Ursa Aurora cursed and got out of the way, creating a forcefield in midair which she jumped on-top of, Ivy couldn''t hear what she was saying, but with the way she was holding herself - she was calling it in. She needed to hurry.


    "What the fuck is your problem, bitch!" Ravager shouted, legs and arms tied up tightly by vines, her agility and speed no match when literally in the belly of a forest completely under Ivy''s control. It took an idle thought to have her spread out before her, limbs pulled to their full extent - keeping her from being able to pull off any last minute surprises.


    Ivy sauntered up to her, the jungle diverting as she walked to give her a straight path, while still keeping the canopy cover. Ravager went red, her mask slightly off from the brief struggle she''d had with the vines, she kept struggling harder in her bindings as Ivy approached, "Oh my god! I''ve seen this kind of shit online! Get the hell away from me with this tentacle shit!" She shouted, huskily..?


    Ivy stumbled slightly, it did look like that, didn''t it? "Like I''d touch you," She called out, sneering at the woman that would have sent the S9 against Mouse Protector, stalking forward quickly to make up the last bit of distance, "Anyone willing to deal with the Slaughterhouse Nine is repugnant!"


    "What the fuck do you know!? Fucking plant whore! You''re a villain too aintcha? No way you''re a hero doing this shit!" Ravager shouted back, posture more relaxed now that Ivy had confirmed she wasn''t there to do¡­ That. She also looked somewhat disappointed, which¡­ Ugh, and Ivy thought her and Vicky were weird. She''d never be able to look at her plants the same way again thanks to Ravager. No wonder she wasn''t fighting the bindings very hard. Was every cape ever a weirdo?


    She thought to the two hiding in an invisible car right now that she''d brought along¡­ The answer was likely yes.


    She also wondered apropos the subject matter - if that tentacle monster she''d accidentally created back when she''d been playing around with her power, was still alive in Brockton Bay''s sewer¡­ She shook her head, what was she even thinking? What did it matter, as long as it never came looking for her.


    Right, time limit, she focused on Ravager, who seemed unconcerned with her situation now, likely thinking with a hero up above the worst she''d see is some time in jail. "I''m debating whether killing you is worth the heat." Ivy told her matter of factly, tapping her lip thoughtfully.


    It wouldn''t be her first murder, she probably should feel bad about those. Gosh, no wonder she was a villain.


    Ravager cocked her head, looking remarkably cocksure for someone completely immobilized and spread eagle in the air. "Yeah, right." She scoffed, "Go ahead, I fucking dare you. Kill me in Legends backyard, you stupid cunt!"


    Funny¡­ Coming from the girl that invited the S9 into that same backyard.


    "Yeah, that''s the only thing making me reconsider growing a tree up your anus to let it bloom out of your filthy mouth." Ivy said casually. On one hand, she was a villain, so killing another villain wasn''t the end of the world, although it would be upping her threat rating considerably.


    On the other hand, if she just brainwashed Ravager¡­ Would the heroes be able to figure it out? They''d take her, for sure, and no doubt run tests to see if Ivy did anything more than plants, was it worth the risk? Ivy was a plant controller specifically to be distanced from Panacea''s healing and shaping power. Would the PRT think tank connect the two if Ivy showed any kind of ability to bioshape people.


    Yes. They would, Ivy couldn''t help but think. Panacea showing an expansion of her power at the same time a villain shows up using the same kind of power¡­ If they hadn''t been so impatient they''d have waited six months before creating Ivy.


    "I''ve killed before, but while exploring my power or doing surgeries to learn new things - never quite like this." Ivy mused out loud.


    Ravager''s attitude seemed to do a 180 when she realized Ivy was seriously considering doing it. Ivy used a vine to cover her mouth before she could beg or curse or anything else to interrupt her thought process.


    This was such a hassle, if Ursa Aurora hadn''t interrupted her, she''d just have killed Ravager in a straight up brawl, walking away feeling good about preventing a tragedy, now that she was captive, it felt a little more icky. Even though she''d killed people before.


    Maybe it was because she had a great body, was she that shallow? She didn''t want to kill her because she looked hot?


    Ivy took another look at Ravager, the woman now fully struggling in her bindings, screaming into the plant matter gagging her. Yeah she was hot, from what she could see anyway. Man, she had a problem¡­ She probably needed therapy¡­


    Or super weed again, that was awesome¡­ Alright, no therapy, she''d craft some super weed again when she got home. Well Amy could do it sooner, so that worked too.


    There her mind went again on a tangent, while on a time limit¡­


    She didn''t have time, she couldn''t wait any longer. With a sigh she stepped up to the struggling woman, her decision made.


    She put her hand on skin, the motorcycle helmet having been knocked off and the face mask having slipped a bit, giving her plenty of avenues for skin contact - changing only one thing, making the woman existentially terrified of the Slaughterhouse Nine, and the Butcher for good measure. After that she knocked her out, and started moving towards the car at a fast clip, her forest having sprouted around it, so she knew exactly where it was still.


    Hopefully the PRT wouldn''t notice any changes, she hadn''t done much after all, could hardly even be called brainwashing. Her being terrified of the S9 and the Butcher was just common sense after all. Ivy thought it would be okay, she could have killed her, but she''d better save that card for when it was time to clean up some Nazis. Plus Ravager wasn''t too bad really, except for the retarded plan to call the S9. And a filthy filthy mouth.


    Okay¡­ She needed to stop thinking about this.


    She felt plant matter dying suddenly which worked well in switching her focus, her connection fading from parts of the forest. She gulped, hoping she still had time. She put on some extra speed as she practically flew through the last ten feet. It might not be Legend, necessarily, but someone was destroying a considerable amount of her creations, it was time to get the hell out.


    "Drive!" She shrieked at Sherrel as she threw herself into the car''s passenger seat.


    There was enough of her forest cleared off that she could see Legend hanging in the air by Ursa Aurora, carefully cutting and burning away her forest to find her and Ravager. Because of course he''d arrive, why would she think differently, she''d grown a forest in the middle of New York, and Legend quite literally was the first responder in emergencies due to his speed. She''d just hoped he''d been at home in bed - or shacking it up with his hubby or something.


    He''d have to be happy with just one prize today. Her abrasive personality should do the rest of the work for her, to cover her minor alteration. Ravager wouldn''t be a cooperative captive, of that she was sure of.


    Even if they asked her about what Ivy had said¡­ She''d just say she''d never be that stupid now that she had an existential fear of them. Ivy didn''t like how much of what she needed right now was based on loose things like - she hoped - or she thought - or they might. But it''s what she had to work with.


    Sherrel hit the gas, Ivy clearing out a path for them quite easily - as they were already at the edge on that side of the road, Legend having already burned some of the periphery down for them as well.


    "Fuck!" Sherrel cried out, Ivy was tossed against the window as the car had accelerated rapidly before it swerved suddenly with screeching tires - and they still only barely managed to dodge a beam from Legend.


    In retrospect, opening an obvious path in the forest might have made being invisible slightly pointless for a second there. Ivy wasn''t feeling like a very clever villain right now, doing the villain thing and dreaming it up were two very different things it seemed.


    Thankfully the supreme blaster and protector of New York couldn''t follow them with his cheat beams like he usually would, Sherrel driving away onto a side road as soon as she could reach one, their invisibility holding up and putting some distance between them.


    Legend was forced to choose between trying to follow an invisible car, or clear out the possibly still dangerous forest - which they weren''t sure might still be holding Ravager or not. To ensure they wouldn''t be followed, Ivy concentrated on the connection she still held with the forest, while she needed touch to kick-start her plants in the first place, she could still feel them and effect them to a certain level as long as she wasn''t too far away - she concentrated and opened up the canopy just enough to show Ravager still in the forest.


    Legend would focus on the hostage, big hero that he was. There. They were safe. Ivy let out a breath, feeling relieved, she hadn''t dealt with that the best, she realized now out of the moment. Her and Amy''s lack of experience in actual fights was showing.


    They needed to get good fast, because their reputations were going to grow rapidly, in Amy''s case it already had.


    Now that they weren''t driving in a panic, there would be no more screeching tires giving them away in case Legend had someone else surreptitiously flying around trying to look for them, they''d made it. By the skin of their teeth.


    "I fucking hate New York." Ivy grumbled as she righted herself in the seat, from where her face had been smushed into the windshield.


    It was time to go back to Brockton Bay, there was no need to feel any kind of conflicted feelings when fighting Nazi''s.


    No one even cared if you killed one, really. Well¡­ No one important. Even if the PRT would make noises about escalation and the like, no one would be actually heartbroken about it.


    "Can we stop for food, I''m hungry?" Came the cheery voice of Jason, aka Sandman from the back. No wonder he was cheerful, he hadn''t had to do a single thing, Ivy thought, feeling exhausted. And slightly naked without any seeds on her person. It had been for the best either way. There was fuck all Jason would have been able to do to fight Legend off, they''d just get bogged down until more reinforcements came.


    "No, boss lady wants us back, I can tell, so we''re going straight back." Sherrel said, driving with one hand as she raised her other hand without looking and gave Jason the finger. Waving it back and forth an irreverent smirk on her face.


    "Oh, suck my dick you bitch, I''m fucking starving here!" He complained, not looking at all bothered, making Ivy think he was picking a fight for the hell of it. Maybe leaving him in a car with Sherrel for so long had a bad effect on him, she thought in hindsight.


    "I think he''s talking to you." Sherrel stage whispered to Ivy, making a motion with her free hand, her cheek bulging out obscenely.


    "Fuck you guys, why did I even recruit you¡­" Ivy groused, rubbing her face, It''s going to be a long drive again¡­


    £ª£ª£ª


    Next morning. Brockton Bay, Boardwalk.


    "Vicky¡­ Fuck you, why did I ever trust you, why? We''re not wearing that!" Amy groused, nursing a cup of coffee, sitting on the patio of a locally owned coffee shop on the boardwalk, joined by Vicky and Mouse Protector - or Charlotte, as she was in her civvies. If you could call wearing all Mouse Protector merch clothing as civvies.


    Vicky grinned cheekily, flashing her phone at Charlotte, showing off some of the uniform ideas she''d pitched to the LA based design company. She''d taken some creative liberties in interpreting Amy''s wish for them to ''look good''.


    Charlotte laughed freely, fanning her face with a hand, a wide, shit eating grin, blossoming into being, as she looked over the uniform as modeled by Victoria. "Is there a uniform hidden somewhere? There''s not much room to hide anything?" She teased, seeing exactly what Amy had seen, but unlike Amy she probably approved. The thirsty old biddy.


    Compared to them anyway - the hero was practically ancient. It was kind of depressing that heroes didn''t tend to see middle age even, and people like Charlotte really were old.


    "I don''t know whether to classify it as a bathing suit or as lingerie, but it definitely does not pass as a public hero uniform." Amy said, sending a tired glare at her sister who flashed her a victory sign, totally unaffected by her grumpiness as usual. Amy''s head was still aching from worrying about the consequences of Ivy''s actions, she hadn''t been able to sleep because she couldn''t stop thinking, all the way back from New York in Ivy''s case - and in her case, back in her bed - this one mind sharing two bodies thing becoming a bit of a hassle when she had something on her mind.


    They were also beginning to have some separate thought streams she''d noticed, which worried her slightly, at the same time as it offered some relief. This whole clone thing wouldn''t really work out if Ivy actually became another person¡­


    "I mean¡­ We''d rake in the cheese on merchandise sales, plus I bet any villain would be too busy drooling to actually fight, you know." Charlotte piped in, leaning her head into her hand as she critically examined Vicky''s photos. "Or at least the fights might end in interesting ways¡­" She said saucily. "I''ve always wanted to tussle properly with a villain, you know just be a bad mouse for a day¡­"


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Vicky made a face, "Villains are not for playing with, they''re for punching." She told Charlotte. "Besides, none of them are cute anyway."


    Charlotte chuckled, "Oh, honey, with us supers, the non cute ones are really the exception." She said, giving out an appreciative hum, before scrunching her nose up, amending, "Except for Case-53s I suppose."


    "I''m not prancing around naked." Amy put her foot down firmly, ignoring the rest of the byplay. "Do you really want that kind of reputation?" She asked Vicky, because she knew enough of Charlotte to know she''d emphatically say yes just because it messed with people''s preconceptions. She''d totally be all for a wet dream squad, it would give her almost unlimited ways to mess with anyone she met. Especially from the PRT and Protectorate. They''d lose their shit, not to mention the youth guard¡­


    Which almost made her want to do it¡­


    Why did Amy put up with these people anyway?


    Oh yeah¡­ Because literally anything was better than living with Carol.


    Vicky chuckled as she swiped her phone back from Charlotte, "Alright, now that Amy is done having a heart attack, here''s the real uniforms." She said, winking at Amy with a satisfied smile, happy to have gotten one over her. In Amy''s defense she hadn''t slept for over 24 hours. Vicky spent a moment playing with her phone, before she slid it over to Amy.


    "Can we still order the other ones?" Charlotte asked innocently, her face cradled in-between her hands, "For private purposes, as cheesy as it is - sometimes you wanna unwrap something nice before you squiggle in and just ~lap it all up~."


    Vicky waggled her eyebrows at Amy, which she promptly ignored. She was beginning to think that something with how she adjusted brains was behind everyone being so¡­


    Thirsty.


    Then again high school wasn''t that different, except most people didn''t have the guts to outright say it all the time. Self confidence was the rarity there, not the norm.


    Amy didn''t even look Charlotte''s way as she pointed a finger at her, and not the polite one, "Down girl, you aren''t in costume, you got to be able to at least try to not make this weird." She muttered, swiping through the much more tasteful uniforms Vicky had modeled.


    "I''ll hook you up girlfriend!" Vicky whispered loudly to Charlotte, both of them wearing conspiratory smirks that all but confirmed to Amy that she''d find one of those skimpy slut uniforms within her wardrobe soon enough.


    Whatever, she wasn''t wearing one either way. Although she''d pay good money to have Vicky swing by Carol''s place wearing it.


    "I''m not paying for those ones." Amy said dryly, giving them a look, "These ones are fine though, you did good, sis." She allowed, sending her sister a small tired smile. Because she''d actually done really well, the uniforms were well done, looked like they actually had some armor, and they looked cool - which probably had been the major thing Vicky concentrated on, so it was good that she''d managed to squeeze in actual functionality as well.


    "Praise for moi? I can die happy!" Vicky swooned dramatically, gaining a cackle from Charlotte, Amy couldn''t help a short chuckle herself, Vicky in a good mood never seemed to fail at lifting her own spirits, at least when it wasn''t aimed at teasing her.


    "Black and gold though¡­" Amy said, wondering at Vicky''s thought process. That was a statement¡­


    Vicky smiled showing off her perfect pearly whites, her eyes glinting harshly as she pumped a fist in the air, "Right! Because it''s like New Wave, only better - to shove it in their face!" She proclaimed proudly.


    "You know you don''t have to do that, they''re still family, and even if I don''t want to go back, you can still go see them anytime." Amy offered, Vicky being the only person she really felt any true guilt over messing with in any way, so she wanted to make sure she knew she could still talk to them, even if she''d never ever let her go back and leave her. She was too selfish to ever let Vicky go.


    Vicky shook her head, the golden tresses of her hair shining in the morning sun as she did, "Nope, I won''t talk to them until they apologize to you." She declared, making it sound like more of an oath. Her eyes were still harder than she was used to seeing from her ever cheerful and positive sister. "You''re the most important thing in my life, Ames, you and me, that''s what matters!"


    "This would be so much hotter if you were twins - twincest is wincest." Charlotte said suddenly, letting out a big dramatic gust of a sigh, looking at them both with a leer.


    Vicky went as red as a fire hydrant, spluttering at Charlotte as Amy glared her down, stabbing a finger forward, "Alright, I get it, you like stirring the pot! But seriously, calm your tits down or I can totally make you a barbie doll!" She warned, her own cheeks reddening. She knew Mouse Protector worked alone for a reason - but she''d thought it was all the campy one liners, not her humping anything with a pulse!


    Vicky was markedly avoiding looking at Charlotte as she stuffed her face with a breakfast pastry to avoid having to talk or acknowledge anything said. Charlotte on the other hand just smirked, tilting her head as she studied Amy, "A barbie doll eh? Sounds pretty hot, why would I complain if you''re going to make me the finest bite in town?"


    "Barbie dolls have nothing between their legs." Amy hissed out, Charlotte finally blanching and backing off a bit, murmuring a quick apology. But still letting off a snigger right after, showing she wasn''t overly worried.


    "Now that distractions are over with¡­ Seriously, I need to get a spray bottle or something¡­" Amy muttered, giving Charlotte a dirty look, the woman just grinning at her, albeit with a slightly pale face, no doubt thinking of her threat. "Uniforms are getting sorted, our building will get done within the week thanks to how much I''m paying for it¡­ We need to decide who we''re concentrating on, the ABB or the Empire. Because fighting both at the same time is just going to be pointless. Let the Protectorate deal with whoever we''re not fighting."


    "Empire." Vicky and Charlotte both said at the same time, Charlotte nodding at Vicky to go ahead, the peppy girl giving her a thankful smile, before focusing on Amy, "The Protectorate can''t even handle the Empire anyway, let them concentrate on keeping Lung from taking advantage while we focus on whittling down some Nazis!" Her aura was practically visible, she was that excited at the prospect, no civilians were nearby so Amy didn''t bother chastising her.


    Besides, at Charlotte''s dry look, Vicky turned it down anyway, looking sheepish, so Amy didn''t have to do it, she had people to handle her sister now. It almost made Mouse Protector''s shenanigans worth it, just to have someone else to rein in Vicky, whenever she wasn''t egging her on instead.


    Amy was so glad that the boardwalk was practically empty at this time, none of them were being particularly discreet after all. She hummed in thought as she took a long slow sip of coffee. "I get what you''re saying, but we can''t exactly outnumber the Empire either, and personally the whole sex slave thing the ABB got going on¡­ Major ick."


    She hadn''t practiced a lot with viruses and the like due to her fear of accidentally depopulating the eastern seaboard, but if she could target only ABB somehow - she''d chemically castrate the lot of them.


    She''d have her lab soon, and her other more hidden labs as well, she''d get to really get into drugs, viruses and the like then.


    Charlotte scrunched her nose up, wagging a hand in the air like a fifty fifty motion at Amy''s words, "I agree with you somewhat big cheese, but if the ABB gets caught in a mouse trap too soon - the Empire just takes over everything - Lung at least only cares about the Asians, yeah?"


    Mouse Protector hadn''t been fully aware of just how shit Brockton Bay''s situation was and had been annoyed Miss Militia hadn''t even called her in to help when they were so outnumbered. When Amy had explained it, Charlotte had gone off to harass MM about it, which did give Amy somewhat of a strategy to fob her off when she was being too annoying.


    Miss Militia was a big girl, she could take over babysitting once in a while.


    Amy nodded mulling it over, "That''s true, that''s why I''m asking for your perspectives, to strategize a good way forward, I have a habit of just doing the first thing I set my mind on." She admitted. "Why do you want to hit the Empire, Vicky?" She asked her sister.


    Vicky licked some strawberry jam off her upper lip, taking a minute to think it over, "Huh, I guess really I only picked them cuz no one will feel bad if I break a Nazi." She admitted shamelessly.


    "She''s not wrong." Charlotte said, smirking, "Beating up Nazi''s is practically a civic duty."


    Amy rubbed her aching head, thinking it over, finding a slight snag immediately, "Kayden might be a problem if we leave the ABB sex trade alone to go fight her old buddies." She admitted, not overly caring, because she''d have to eventually anyway, but it was one headache they''d have to deal with if they chose the Empire first.


    "So why are you asking us and not Kayden?" Vicky asked, a teasing smirk on her face, "Afraid?" She mocked, giggling at her. Charlotte immediately jumped in, making clucking noises, a shit eating grin on her face. The only thing that saved America from a virulent plague in that moment was that she didn''t do the chicken arms, Amy would not have survived the embarrassment - and neither would they.


    Okay¡­ Maybe sleep deprivation was a bad thing.


    She had a fix for that anyway, two, actually. Ivy and drugs. Drugs were the solution to everything.


    But she hadn''t broken in a lab yet, so Ivy it was. She sent Vicky an admonishing look, before rising from the table, "Since you two are so chummy, you can both help Kayden in riding herd on the construction workers and manage the fans that won''t stop hanging out outside our place." She put on a passive aggressive bitch face, "Kiss some babies, sign autographs, you know all that shit I have people to do for me now. You. You are the people. Do it."


    "Aww, work! Amy you can''t mean that, aren''t I your favoritest sister in the world!?" Vicky pleaded, giving her pouty face number 4, Amy looked away immediately, she was very weak to number 4 and Vicky knew it, damn her.


    "Just¡­ Do something productive and don''t cause me any problems." She hurried out, exiting the patio, leaving them with the bill, she felt it was only fair. What with Vicky using weapons of mass destruction so casually.


    She texted Strider as she entered an alley a few minutes later, stopping just by the edge of where the boardwalk ended and Empire territory started. He would never stop being so utterly convenient, even if she felt slightly ridiculous using him as a taxi all the time. He was in the middle of a delivery but would get to her in five minutes. She sighed, leaning back against the alley wall as she fished in her pocket and pulled out a specially made blunt, seconds later she felt some of the tension leaving her as the genetically engineered super relaxation weed took effect.


    She didn''t have much of it, so she''d been using it sparingly, because she had only a limited amount of plants she could hide away without anyone finding and destroying them - or smoking them. With her lab(s) coming up, she''d finally be able to really tinker around with drugs and viruses. Improve the human genome perhaps, better healing, better respiratory system, whatever she really wanted at any given moment, she could probably find a way to make it.


    It hit her at that moment, she could have just grown as many plants as she wanted with Ivy and been pleasantly buzzed this entire time! At least since she gave herself two bodies. She banged her head back against the wall, letting out a little huffing laughter, taking another drag of her guilty pleasure.


    Ivy was immediately working at it right after they''d reached that epiphany, diverting from a card game with Sherrel and Jason, she''d been losing anyway, might as well do something useful and get them their weed. Although the locale of Skidmark''s house left a lot to be desired. She''d have some of her special blend grown by the time Amy popped in - she was an old hand at crafting any kind of plant into this blend by now, she was curious what the effect would be on her mind if two of her bodies ingested it simultaneously.


    She idly wrote off the rest of the day, because she''d likely not be very useful for much. If she hung out with Ivy''s crew for the day it wouldn''t be too big of a deal - they were mindfucked anyway, they wouldn''t rat her out. She''d just have to make sure Vicky didn''t come looking for her or anything - her sister had some sort of bloodhound in her, she could find her way too easily at times.


    "Whatcha smoking small stuff? Gonna share?" A put upon, rough voice, interrupted her thoughts coming from the end of the alley. It was obviously put upon, because the voice even cracked embarrassingly - half way through the sentence.


    Amy looked them over, her eyes half lidded with her complete disinterest as she breathed out a small smoke cloud. ABB were getting brazen if they were sneaking about this close to the boardwalk and the edges of Empire territory, early morning as well. Was Lung''s band of morons going to make the choice for her?


    Unlikely they''d piss her off that much, these guys were kind of¡­ Virgin new.


    The three ABB thugs, decked out fully in their gang colors, clean in a way that suggested they''d just bought the clothes, strolled through the alley, approaching her with the swaggering stride of the young and inexperienced acting tough. These were practically babies. No wonder they were here, it was probably a hazing, forcing them to experience an Empire beating, toughen them up.


    There were probably some older ABB guy a block or two away having a good laugh right now¡­


    All Amy cared about was the fact their stupid faces were ruining her buzz. "Keep walking, faggots." She drawled lazily, crossing her arms under her breasts, blunt hanging from her lips loosely.


    The fact they didn''t recognize her? With the news coverage lately? Her already low estimation of the general gangbangers intelligence lowered even further than her previous estimations.


    "Hey, girl, you can''t talk to us like that, pretty white girl like you, you''d make us a nice finder''s fee if you get too mouthy." The lead thug said trying to sound tough, his chest all puffed out, he ended his statement by thumping his compatriots lightly, who both giggled at the threat.


    "I''m terrified." Amy said sarcastically, pulling in another hit of sweet sweet stress release, checking her wristwatch immediately after, Well, I''ll need to handle this in three minutes or less I guess. "Can you get the dick measuring contest over with? I''ve got places to be?" She tilted her head, an unfriendly grin on her lips, "Considering your ABB, there''s no one over 5 inches at the most anyway, right?"


    "The fuck, Bitch, what the fuck is your problem?" The chubby Asian boy wearing a red and green baseball cap backwards said, a confused look on his face - like this wasn''t how he expected things to work out. Amy gave him a disinterested stare, just continuing to smoke, not moving an inch, nor bothering to reply to the idiot kid cosplaying as a gangbanger.


    "My home slice asked you a question you crazy bitch! You better answer him or we''re going to have to get rough." The leader said, his other little butt buddy minion giving him an encouraging shove in the back, which had the leader stumbling within two feet of Amy, looking hesitant for a second, before he threw a look back at his buddies.


    Peer pressure firmly behind him, he got a stubborn look on his face as he stepped forward the final steps to loom over Amy, his hand reaching out for her arms.


    "You really don''t want to do that, home slice." Amy said mockingly, giving a little snort at their ridiculous play acting at being gangers - blowing a puff of smoke into his face. At this point just wanting the confrontation so she could put them down.


    She''d be gentle. It was their first time after all.


    They all hesitated, her complete disregard for them starting to hit something in their hindbrains and giving them a clue they were heading for a bad end. Their leader didn''t stop himself though, and grabbed Amy''s arm, trying to give it a pull to pull her off the wall.


    Amy sighed as she patted his cheek, where he stood absolutely frozen, paralyzed since the moment he touched her. "You''re lucky, you know." She said languidly, lazily playing with the boy''s hair, tousling it, as he stared at her with wide fearful eyes, locked inside his own body. "If you had arrived just a few minutes sooner, I would have given you a sex change, made you perfect little dolls, you would have enjoyed serving Lung, right? That''s all you want out of life, hmm?" She said, continuing her languid tone, the other two new bangers frozen in shock and fear, staring at her and their captured leader.


    Amy turned her gaze slightly to look them in the eyes, her blunt almost burnt out hanging from her lips, "If you start running, I might not make you go through that." She suggested, snorting with disgust as one of the boys fell over himself trying to run, the chubby one leaving them all behind as he showed a spectacular speed for someone his size.


    "As for you¡­" Amy said, tapping her statue like captive on the nose, as the last member finally gained control of all his limbs and ran out of the alley, sobbing like a little bitch. Maybe they''ll reconsider gang life? These pussies wouldn''t survive it anyway. She thought, studying her teenage captive. "Do you go to Winslow, maybe, hmm?" She asked as a crack heralded Strider''s arrival.


    The sweetie didn''t even blink an eye at the situation, as he took up a spot at the end of the alley, watching with an amused little smirk playing on his lips, tipping his cap at her when he saw her glancing at him.


    Amy allowed her captive to speak, "Well, answer me, do you go to Winslow?"


    "Y-yes¡­" The teenage ganger wannabe answered hesitantly, silent tears running down his face.


    "Hmm." Amy said in thought, shutting off his ability to speak again, "Hmm." She added for good effort. Things were better in threes, so she threw an additional thoughtful, "Hmm." In there.


    She hadn''t really decided what she would do about Taylor. She really wasn''t quite so cuntish as to allow the locker incident to happen. And she definitely didn''t want Taylor pointed her direction as Skitter if she did trigger either. The girl lacked any kind of chill in her.


    Without gold morning being necessary, Taylor didn''t need to be a parahuman.


    She needed a delicate touch here, didn''t she? Or a sledgehammer. She wasn''t sure which one would work the best right now. And maybe making decisions while high wasn''t a good idea. More information it was! "Alright, I won''t turn you into a little pretty doll if you do me a small favor, I want you and your little buddies to keep an eye on Sophia Hess, Emma Barnes and Madison Clement. Report to me everything they do, where they hang out and at what time, what is their routine like, who else do they spend time with." She patted him on the cheek patronizingly, "Think you can do that without fucking it up?"


    Once she knew where they were likely to be at any given time, she could either show up and put a stop to the bullying by simple star power and influence - or she could fuck Sophia up.


    One sounded much better than the other.


    She took a moment to write down a phone number on a piece of paper she tore off a notepad she''d had in her jacket, placing it in his jacket pocket, the number belonged to one of the many phones Ivy had from Skidmark, "Text this number with all the details daily. Or you''ll really know what being fucked feels like from the other side soon enough." She let his paralysis go, the brat running out of there like Lung himself was after him.


    Please, she snorted, like Lung could harm you as well as I could. He was far too final.


    "Sorry for the wait." She told Strider, "Punks gonna punk I guess." She used her powers to eradicate the last remains of her blunt, she didn''t want to leave that kind of stuff around. Her luck, some kid was going to pick it up, it was way stronger then any regular strain.


    Strider grinned, "No worries, it''s fun to see you scare the crap out of some losers anyway boss lady, can I be there when you pull that paralysis routine on any of the Empire capes?"


    Amy snorted, "They don''t tend to just stand around, but sure, if I manage." She sighed, wondering if even interfering at all in Winslow was a good idea, but it was already done. "I wonder if they''ll report all that." She mused out loud coming to stand right by Strider, ready to use him to save her a thirty minute walk or a bus ride.


    Strider chuckled, "I''d be very surprised if Lung or Oni Lee even know they exist."


    With a crack, they were off, leaving the alley behind for Skidmark''s house.


    £ª£ª£ª


    The Rig, Brockton Bay,


    The atmosphere in the room was tense, not out of any real danger or threat approaching Brockton Bay for once, but due to the seething barely hidden anger in Director Piggot as she waited for their last arrival, glaring at the table like it had done her wrong.


    Even Ethan was keeping his mouth shut, not wanting to direct Piggots attention towards him and earn himself punishment duty for a month or two.


    He was still working off the last couple days of his last punishment duty.


    The entire room seemed to let out a combined sigh as Armsmaster finally arrived, walking through the doors stiffly, a certain hitch to his shoulders telling Ethan they''d either interrupted tinker time - which to be honest was always. Or Dragon time - in which case Ethan felt bad for the Canadian woman.


    To be able to draw Colin away from tinkering for a moment - only to be cockblocked by Director Piggot for your efforts. Being Canadian was truly suffering.


    The woman needed to just push forward and grab Colin by the balls and growl mine. Autismmaster would get it at that point, Ethan was almost sure.


    "Thank you for finally joining us, Colin." Director Piggot said snidely, glaring around the table as if looking for anyone that wasn''t attentive enough.


    Colin frowned minutely, but didn''t answer, simply sitting down next to Hannah. Ethan silently applauded the man, that was the correct read of the room, no words would have soothed the beast at this time.


    "In case some of you aren''t aware, the scene in Brockton Bay has been altered irrevocably¡­" Director Piggot barked out, the projector bringing up a hologram of the new Starlight team as they were seen at their press conference.


    "Teenagers¡­ Rogues¡­" Director Piggot''s lips thinned and she looked physically pained as she continued, "Mouse Protector." Hannah as well, seemingly uncomfortable at the addition as Ethan watched on, personally feeling that Mouse Protector was exactly what Brockton Bay needed.


    Someone that didn''t take themselves so damn seriously all the time.


    Director Piggot lashed out at the last team member, eyes narrowed in anger, "And of course, the hero -" She spat out, sounding bitter, well more bitter than usual, bitterer?, "Purity."


    Ethan raised a hand, almost without thinking, speaking up as Piggot directed a heavy stare in his direction. "I''m assuming from context that we''re mad." He said genially, Jamie squeezing his hand in warning under the table, he plowed on undaunted, "But, isn''t it good that Purity is not going to be blasting us anymore?" He asked.


    Hannah, the ever loyal Miss Militia jumped in before the Director needed to, "One can not be forgiven for murder and just start being a hero like everything is forgiven, Ethan." She said reprovingly.


    Ethan grinned, even as Jamie ground her foot down on him to get him to stop, sorry honey, but someone needs to say something else then yes, ma''am in this echo chamber¡­ "Apparently one can." He replied, gesturing to where Purity was indeed part of a hero team. "She''s got official sanction, she''s a hero now, so¡­ That''s good for us, isn''t it? That takes a lot of power away from the Empire, and gives the good guys someone that can help in containing Lung if he gets set off."


    Before Hannah can do more then give him a hard disapproving look, Ethan got help from the most unlikely of allies.


    "Assault is correct." Colin said clippedly.


    Ethan just barely heard Robin mutter under his breath, "So this is what end times feel like¡­" Before Colin continued,


    "If she wasn''t sanctioned, then I agree that Purity can not simply call herself a hero and expect to avoid arrest, but she is sanctioned, so it is a moot point. For all purposes, until she does something that steps over a line, she is a hero."


    "How likely is it that she will step over the line?" Jamie piped up softly beside him, before Ethan could interject again. He settled down in his seat, before he could risk facing the dreaded couch again for a week. Colin being on his side in this, kind of, was already doing his job for him, preventing this from being Piggots little echo chamber of yes men.


    Piggot scoffed harshly, "She''s a Nazi, she''ll do something eventually."


    Hannah nodded decisively, "We''ll need to keep a close eye on her, so that when she slips up we''re ready to handle it." She looked momentarily pleased, eyes crinkling, "She won''t have Empire back up this time."


    Piggot smiled, and it wasn''t a pleasant one, "I''ll leave it to you to follow her and ensure she faces justice then, Miss Militia."


    Ethan didn''t have to speak up this time either, Shawn doing it for him to his surprise.


    "Are we really going to do this? Follow her around watching for a mistake? Won''t this set us off against Starlight and Panacea? Is that worth it?" Shawn asked, sounding uncomfortable.


    Ethan wasn''t sure what had been in the food this morning, but it must have been something special - to have so many of the team actually speaking up against overreach this time. "What he said." He simply added, giving Dauntless a thumbs up of encouragement.


    "Panacea is likely to take any overt or covert action towards her team badly." Colin added, Piggot was beginning to look ready to strangle them all with all these discussions that went past - yes ma''am, as you say ma''am. Ethan loved it.


    "Purity is a murderer, Colin." Hannah said sternly, shaking her head, "There can''t just be no consequence for that."


    Colin frowned, "We must live in the world as it is, not how we wish it to be, Hannah." He said, impressing Ethan even further, "It is a fact that we let worse go all the time if it benefits the PRT."


    As the discussion continued on, Ethan sat back and relaxed, for once not needing to be the voice of reason.


    He didn''t know what had pushed Colin into being reasonable, he''d seemed mostly the same after his death and resurrection after all, perhaps it was a delayed reaction.


    Either way, it could only be good for the PRT ENE if Armsmaster wasn''t just blindly doing whatever was good according to the word of Piggot.


    £ª£ª£ª


    "You¡­ Know Panacea." Sherrel said dumbfounded, staring at Ivy as she let Amy inside.


    "Is that so odd?" Ivy said, a smirk on her face as Jason openly gaped at Amy''s presence.


    "Odd?" Sherrel giggled madly, "Is it odd!? That you, a villain? Is chummy with the Panacea? Savior of Paris? The hero Panacea?" Sherrel stepped back waving her hands, "No, boss not odd at all. Just one question?" She raised a hand looking completely weirded out, "Is it real? Or am I like¡­ Completely imagining it?"


    Amy just looked on in amusement, the slight buzz she still had making this more funny then annoying.


    Ivy sighed, "Yes Sherrel it''s real. But obviously I don''t have to tell you either to keep it quiet, this can''t be common knowledge, am I clear?"


    Jason and Sherrel both nodded rapidly, eyes still wide. "Yes boss!" "Sure thing, boss lady!" Their responses snapped out immediately.


    "Don''t disturb us, we''ll be upstairs in the guest room." Ivy said threateningly, leading Amy by hand up the stairs. The guest room was the only room not absolutely covered in filth, so it was the best place for them to have some time alone.


    They both froze at the top of the stairs as they could clearly hear Jason freaking out downstairs, saying to Sherrel in almost hysteria, "Our boss is fucking Panacea!!"


    Sherrel hissed back lowly, sounding excited in exact opposite to her fellow villain, "That''s so romantic! Hero and villain, sneaking around in secret, their love never able to be revealed due to the consequences."


    "Oh, great¡­" Amy said drolly, before shaking her head, those two chucklefucks hardly mattered, who were they even going to tell anyway.


    They entered the small bedroom shortly thereafter, Amy finding a somewhat clean spot on the bed to sit down on, Ivy standing before her, both of them practically vibrating in excitement.


    It felt so odd. Amy thought, being the one who''s body is being shaped, and also being the one looking into her own body, changing it for the better. Her clone using everything they''d learned to make Amy better.


    She hadn''t wanted to do it under Carol''s thumb, but now she was a team leader in her own right, and her status would likely be revealed in the near future anyway - so she could finally get a few upgrades.


    And if Ivy slightly improved things here and there¡­ Smoothing out her legs a bit, a bit of firmness and size upgrade on her breasts, a toned stomach, clearer skin, tiny bit less freckles¡­ Well, it''s not like anyone was ever looking at her naked to be able to tell the difference anyway.


    Once the cosmetics were done, Ivy dove into Amy to improve everything else, tweaking things here and there, improving muscles, strengthening bones, increased capabilities in her organs, making them practically bulletproof to boot, her skin getting the same treatment, making it harder to get at her insides.


    She didn''t need an appendix, so she molded it into something new, something better. An organ that would take all impurities left over from other organs work, (and any extraneous fat she didn''t need) and transformed it into her own genetically engineered blood cells that would spread across her system, their purpose to gradually induce regeneration in every part of her body. Bit by bit the cells would infect the rest of her, slowly building up her body to handle Wolverine or Deadpool style regeneration.


    She''d worked on this literally ever since she first came to in this world, a way to survive anything, but had lacked a good way to make it work for herself, had planned to utilize a retrovirus eventually if nothing else worked, once she had a lab and was out of the Dallon household.


    With Ivy, she didn''t need any of that. She hadn''t given the organ to Ivy because both of them growing into almost perfect regeneration would be too obvious. She was a clone, even if her flesh body died, Amy could just make another. Ivy resurrecting no matter what an enemy did, it would certainly confound her enemies to have her pop back up no matter what.


    Or she could make another person if she got bored of playing as Ivy at some point in the future, have her disappear and another villain take her place.


    Once Brockton was hers, Panacea could stop playing hero anyway, so who knew what she''d decide to do then. Would Queen Ivy of Brockton be more fun than Queen Amy? It was essentially the same thing after all, but with very different expectations.


    Amy shivered as her body changed bit by bit, she didn''t actually feel much of anything, but as she literally felt every bit of her body through Ivy she imagined the feel of it anyway from her body''s end.


    She was definitely a decent brute rating now, and it would take more than a handgun or a dinky knife to pierce her skin, let alone her organs. She''d grown a sort of chitin armor around her most important organs like the heart and kidneys etc, so beyond the organs themselves being almost bulletproof, and beginning to have regenerative qualities - there was also now armor around them that would take a brute to punch through.


    Anyone trying to kill her would find it very difficult soon enough. Amy humming in pleasure as Ivy continued to improve her, her eyesight improving to perfect night vision, her hearing attuned to be able to pick out a single breath from 50 feet away in a room full of people. On and on the improvements went.


    When Amy was pondering whether to just transform her uterus into something more useful since she doubted she''d ever want kids, she decided to stop.


    There was such a thing as too much.


    Ivy disappeared from the room for a moment, returning soon after with her weed.


    Well¡­ They weren''t fucking, as the chucklefucks believed.


    But they were going to get absolutely fucking blasted right now.


    Time to experiment, to see what it felt like to get high in two bodies, one mind taking the brunt of it.


    She was very curious. And admittedly just very interested in getting really high and losing some stress.


    ¡­.


    No¡­ Just smoking, that''s it. That''s enough stress relief.


    £ª£ª£ª


    The night had been long and ultimately pleasant, Amy very relaxed, with two bodies on a pleasant high, having spent the night trying different combinations as they both amused themselves in altering the composition of their own weed plants, the effects of the two bodies getting high on different strains sending Amy on the best trip of her life.


    The fact she could wipe away any exhaustion from lack of sleep by one touch had ensured she could just relax all night, for once not wasting any thoughts on her plans, on her future conquest of Brockton. Just¡­ Chill and enjoy.


    She''d ended up breaking into Skidmark''s neighbors house to do so in the end however. Because there just wasn''t any way to properly relax inside that filthy hellhole, even the guest room was in the end not up to her standards. She''d also needed the peace and quiet to honestly relax, Sherrel and Jason both snoring hard enough to rattle the walls at that point.


    She definitely needed to find a better place to stay in her Ivy persona than Skidmark''s house.


    All night had been just sitting and relaxing, not having to do anything, just smoking and playing around with their biology, and now it was morning, and soon they would have to get going again. Amy would have school starting up again¡­


    Showing up high to school would be a problem for a hero, wouldn''t it? What a bother. She needed her chill if she was going to be dealing with the Wards or Vicky. Or Dean and Vicky. Or Vicky.


    She sighed, Ivy smoothly rising from the couch she''d been laying on, ready to come cleanse Amy''s system, to ensure she didn''t show up at school visibly high.


    Amy and Ivy were interrupted in the middle of it  by a phone call, Amy pleased to find it wasn''t her phone, it was Ivy''s. It still ultimately was her problem, but it was slightly more removed when Ivy had to deal with it.


    "Yes, what is it, Sherrel?" Ivy asked, even as Amy reached out and cleansed her body as well, since the altered state of mind would work on Amy from either body.


    Both bodies became rigid at the same time as her mind went into overdrive at Sherrel''s bitching report about a purple smug bitch at the door, asking for Amy.


    What the fuck was Tattletale doing here!?


    £ª£ª£ª

 Chapter 8: Debut with a BANG!

    <hr>


    Tattletale¡­


    Fucking Tattletale was here for her. Which meant Coil was here for her.


    Amy bit her finger tensely, mind whirling at the revelation, Sherrel continued to talk over the line, but Amy and Ivy ignored her, as plans were formed and discarded and formed again.


    Killing her before she opened her mouth felt like a good choice, but she probably shouldn''t¡­


    "Send her over here." Was ordered tersely instead, after a few minutes where Tattletale waited for an answer from Sherrel. Amy soothing her nerves with a long draw of her super weed, perhaps being slightly stoned would throw off the other capes super intuition.


    Perhaps she could offer Lisa a drag, she though with a flicker of amusement, if there ever was a cape that needed to just chill and leave the cape life behind for a minute - it was her.


    Either way, Tattletale could not be allowed to see the two of them together. Ivy was already slipping out the back door to avoid Tattletale - they didn''t need that complication.


    If she was here, it doubtlessly meant she already knew there was a connection, but there was a very big difference between knowing of a connection, and knowing Ivy was her clone.


    Amy made a face, wrinkling her nose, I''ll probably have to sell the same bullshit the clowns already believe¡­ That Ivy and I are a ''thing''.


    It''s not like she hadn''t had any thoughts on experimenting a little, it was basically just masturbation anyway - but to play date herself just to throw off the scent of thinkers like Tattletale just seemed¡­ Wrong.


    Beyond just being a criminal wrong, to just creepy wrong.


    Masturbation was one thing, but to actually date herself, she wasn''t nearly narcissistic enough for that. Not to mention how absolutely mortified she''d be if anyone ever found out¡­


    She''d have to go live in a cave in the Himalayas to survive the embarrassment.


    Amy took another calming drag of her drug of choice, at least she''d used Ivy to upgrade herself now, so it wasn''t like Tattletale was a physical threat to her. She could deal with the big mouth easily enough if it came down to any kind of fight.


    But then Tattletale didn''t fight like that anyway, she just dug her way deep into the recesses of your secrets and feelings and tore them out gleefully by the stem, to bludgeon you with them.


    Tattletale wasn''t so much a backstabber, although she was definitely capable of it - as she was someone for gleefully stabbing you in the face with truths and half truths - so she could see the pain setting in herself.


    God, she was such a bitch.


    Amy knew it was partly her shards influence, as the constant need to dig and search and find out more - was intrinsically tied to her power. But she was also, in Amy''s opinion, a complete and total bitch. That made it hard to give a shit about why she was ripping someone apart mentally and emotionally.


    She stubbornly pushed her thoughts away from that direction, she would not show fear to the bitch. If anything this could be an opportunity, maybe she could be recruited? There was a lot she could get done with Ivy''s gang if she had Tattletale in the mix¡­ Or the entire Undersiders for that matter. If she could stand dealing with her for that long, that was a definite consideration.


    She was too much of a bitch herself to stand having another around¡­ The Undersiders weren''t so bad though.


    She''d probably get along pretty well with Regent¡­ Which probably didn''t say much good about the state of her mental health.


    There was a knock on the door, the rapping of knuckles against wood, quick and impatient. Amy took another slow drag, not getting up from where she''d taken a seat on the living room couch.


    "It''s not locked, just get in here." She called out irritably as the knocking continued obnoxiously.


    The door opened and she got her first good look at Tattletale, why must all the bitches be cute? She wondered. The girl stepped through the door carrying a telltale smug smile on her face, her eyes filled with mirth. She practically strutted through the door, and like most female heroes or villains, she wore a tight bodysuit that really didn''t leave overly much to the imagination.


    Amy approved, but at the same time she didn''t, because it was very distracting. She could practically picture the other girl naked with how body conforming her suit was¡­


    Tattletales grin widened as she stopped and preened slightly at Amy''s look, running her hands down her sides, giving Amy a knowing look, "Like what you see? I can tell, you know? I hate to disappoint though, Amy¡­ I can call you Amy, right? I''m just not into being a plaything."


    Amy scoffed, pulling the blunt away from her lips, giving Tattletale a dry look, "Do we have to do this? Can we save the posturing and just say we did it? What do you want, Lisa?"


    She couldn''t let Tattletale take full command of the conversation or it would just end badly¡­


    Tattletale cocked her head curiously, a spark of something flittering through her eyes, "You know me¡­" She said, sounding absolutely certain at the same time as she sounded slightly insecure - it was an odd dichotomy. She took a slow step back, shaking her head, staring at Amy, "No¡­ You really know me, like way too much, there''s no surprise in you at all, what the fuck!?"


    Amy grinned toothily, enjoying Tattletale being on the backfoot, even while knowing it wouldn''t last, "You''re not the only one who knows too much about everyone, maybe you should step carefully here, hmm?" She rested an arm over the back of the couch as she took another drag of her blunt, feeling much more at ease seeing Tattletale stumbling slightly.


    Yeah, you bitch, I know a lot about you¡­ She thought smugly, taking another drag of her blunt demonstratively, because she could see Tattletale seemed surprised at its presence.


    Tattletale wrinkled her nose, her eyes narrowing behind the domino mask, "You''re making drugs now?" Her grin was back again, looking quite foxy now as she sauntered forward to slide into an armchair across from Amy, notably the chair was well out of touching range. "Of course you are, you''ve got a criminal girlfriend now, gotta contribute somehow, right?" Except immediately after saying that, Tattletale drew in a sharp breath, focusing on Amy''s face, "No¡­ That''s not what this is? You''re more like¡­ Sisters? How does that work!?"


    Tattletale seemed slightly put out that her original hypothesis had so quickly been disproven, especially by something she couldn''t understand, the purple clad villain leaning forward with her elbows on her knees, gaze intently on Amy, foxy grin firmly in place, "Wanna tell me how exactly you joined the sisterhood of villainy?" She coaxed challengingly.


    Amy blew smoke in her face across the divide between them, making the girl wrinkle her nose in disgust, "No." Amy told her simply, not intending to make things easy.


    "Just no?" Tattletale pouted slightly, "Well that''s no fun, but you see I''m a bit psychic, so I''m getting enough to figure it out anyway, curious?"


    "You''re not psychic, Sarah." Amy said with a penetrating gaze, aiming to keep her off balance.


    Tattletales'' eyes widened minutely, but she had no other visible reaction to that reveal. She slowly leaned back in her armchair, smirk widening imperceptibly as Amy looked on unamused, "Kitty has claws." She said amusedly, continuing on, "You really don''t like me do you? Which is curious, because I know we haven''t met."


    You''re just generally unlikeable. Amy told her mentally, for all she knew the girl would pick up on it.


    "Why are you here, Tattletale?" Amy pushed straight to the point, not intending to be drawn into any mind games with the annoying cape. "You''re probably well aware of at least some of the things I can do¡­ Why are you within reach of me, unless you were forced to come here?"


    Tattletale sighed demonstratively, crossing her arms under her bust, "Well you''re no fun, Amy, I had so much more we could talk about, but you''re all business¡­" Her gaze turned contemplative, "You know why I''m here, you know who sent me, how the fuck do you know all this?" She sounded both impressed and wary, her posture slightly more tense now then when she arrived.


    Amy gave her a half lidded glare, "I could be more fun than you could ever handle." She said, sounding aloof, "You know I can take away those headaches with a touch, right?"


    Tattletales'' grin dimmed a little, her lips quirking distastefully, "Yeah, I''m not letting you touch me, frankly what I''m picking up of your capabilities is terrifying." She said bluntly, shivering a little.


    Amy shrugged, "Your loss, you can tell if I''m lying anyway, right? So I could promise to only fix your headaches¡­"


    Tattletale shook her head firmly, giving Amy a dry look, "I can tell what you''re doing, you know. I''m not interested in the ties attached to that offer."


    "Fair enough, you know where to find me when you change your mind." Amy said, feeling quite pleased with the way she''d managed to lead this conversation.


    Tattletale let out a disbelieving laugh, "Oh, so that''s what you''ve been trying to do." She smirked playfully, wagging a finger at her, "Trying to distract me from your little secrets are we?" Her grin turned very vulpine as she leant forward again, "Why? Got anything even juicier¡­ Oh you do! Oh, this is just gold!"


    Amy clacked her teeth together in annoyance, that was her fault, for even thinking of it in Tattletales presence, "Drop it." She warned bitingly.


    Tattletale ignored her, stretching sensually across the armchair, "Attracted to your own sister, attracted to Poison Ivy, who somehow is like a sister or something close," She peered weirdly at Amy, "Can''t figure that one out quite yet," She admitted, before switching tracks slightly as she leered at Amy, "Will I get any benefits if I call you little sis? That seems to be your thing?" She said mockingly.


    Amy really didn''t like Tattletale much, for all that she hadn''t picked up on the truth about Ivy, she was very annoyingly perceptive, "Tell me why you''re here and stop the games." She said coldly, with an undertone of threat in her voice.


    Tattletale gave her a superior smirk, looking like the cat that got the canary, "You won''t kill me, I can tell." She said flippantly, annoying Amy further.


    Amy cocked her head, giving a sharp grin, fingering the remains of her blunt, "No," She agreed calmly, "However, I can make you quite miserable without much effort, I have organic material right here in my hand, I could make an airborne pathogen that binds with you and ensures you never spend time without being ten feet from a toilet, if you''d like."


    Or course it wouldn''t be tailored to only her in such a short amount of time, so that would be risky to let loose¡­


    Tattletales grin slipped off her face as she looked disturbed, shivering slightly, "Okay, don''t do that." Amy continued to stare at her, coming up with ideas on how to make her miserable, Tattletale grabbing her head and wincing, "Okay, okay, truce! I''ll get to the point, stop with the disgust train, please!" She asked, her face a little green.


    Amy gave a short laugh, shaking her head, "How you even survive if your attitude amongst people more powerful than you is to piss them off and regurgitate their secrets, I have no idea." She waved a hand negligibly, "Get to your purpose here, Lisa, before you annoy me further."


    Tattletale sighed, pouting again, "You''re taking all the fun out of it, but fine¡­" She pursed her lips thoughtfully, "You have my lovely boss spooked over something, I''m here to give you an offer."


    Amy scoffed, leaning back against the couch, "What does Coil want? Couldn''t get enough out of a timeline of torturing me?"


    Tattletale froze, eyes blinking rapidly, it was interesting to Amy, to watch the process of Tattletale connecting all the dots. "That''s how he does it!" She cursed suddenly, looking chagrined and disgusted, "I can''t believe someone got it before me." She whined a little.


    Amy wasn''t interested in going further down the rabbit hole today, it was better to leave some things unanswered, perhaps it would still draw Tattletale in, she could be useful, even if she was, so. Fucking. Annoying! "What does he want?" She repeated forcefully, trying to keep Tattletale on track.


    Tattletale sighed, looking put out, "He''s offering to withdraw from Brockton Bay, if you fix whatever it is you''ve done that has him so freaked out, he didn''t provide me with the information and I couldn''t quite parse it over the phone¡­" She smiled coquettishly at Amy, "Couldn''t give big sis a hint?"


    Amy snorted, "Unless you''re planning on putting that mouth to better use, no." She said, smirking at the absolutely disgusted look that marred Tattletales'' pretty face for a moment. "Thought so¡­ Now what exactly is his entire offer?"


    "You undo whatever you did, while under watch by someone who''s power prevents lying, and in return, Coil will leave Brockton Bay, his local resources handed over to you or a proxy of yours to do with as you wish." Tattletale rattled off looking slightly grumpy. "Did you give him super cancer?" She asked abruptly, needling for an answer.


    Amy ignored her. She was just annoyed and grumpy at how things were progressing.


    No wonder. Tattletale no doubt wanted her own revenge on Coil, and this way, he''d simply slip away, leaving her with nothing.


    Perhaps even a bullet through the skull on the way out¡­ Or¡­ He''d take her with him.


    Amy wasn''t sure what she wanted out of this, but she might have to accept. Because if Coil figured out that she''d left a tiny cluster of cells in his brain that would slowly take over its neighbors until he eventually was her puppet¡­ Then if she turned down fixing him, he would be desperate, which meant he''d go after her and everyone she loved having nothing to lose. It might be honestly worth ''fixing'' him if she could get a guarantee he would actually leave Brockton Bay forever - and leave her and hers alone.


    "You know¡­ I could do a lot with Coil''s resources¡­ I already have an in with his mercenaries, I could even offer my services for cheap for that girlfriend/sister/whatever you are, of yours¡­" Tattletale offered, putting herself forward as a possible proxy.


    The insane balls on this girl. Amy thought acerbically.


    Amy raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "If your goal was that, you shouldn''t have done your best to annoy me." She pointed out, before smirking, "Revisit the whole, use your mouth better idea - if you''re looking to receive Coil''s assets."


    Tattletale wrinkled her nose again, but actually looked contemplative, "Would almost be worth it¡­" She muttered to herself, looking like she was trying to psyche herself up.


    Ookay, moving on before she actually says yes¡­ Amy did not need that kind of complications, especially through force of any kind, "Tell Coil that I tentatively accept, but I need reassurances." She pursed her lips and gave Tattletale a hard look, "Feel free to tell him that your freedom is part of the deal - you''re an annoying bitch, and I don''t like you, but you don''t deserve a bullet." She said bluntly.


    It was likely Coil would force Tattletale to come with him if he relocated, and Amy wasn''t quite that much of a bitch that she''d let him get away with that.


    Tattletale looked visibly surprised, but it soon turned into what almost looked like an honest smile, "I''ll pass it along, thanks lil'' sis!" She chirped.


    Amy''s eyebrow twitched in annoyance, "You''re not letting that go, are you?"


    "Letting what go, baby sis?" She said mock innocently, her smugness dialed up to 9000.


    Amy sighed in aggravation, it wasn''t even fair to tease her about the sister angle, no one met Vicky and didn''t feel attraction to her.


    No wonder Coil wanted to put a bullet in her¡­


    <hr>


    At the same time,


    Ivy stormed into Skidmark''s house, "Sherrel, get the car ready! Jason, anything from here we still need, grab it and put it in the car, we''re leaving!"


    Sherrel pouted, sitting cross legged on the floor, overalls half off and budged up at her waist, leaving her in an oil spotted sports bra up top, "Aww, do we have to, boss? I''m in the middle of something here!" She gestured to the absolute mess of mechanical parts, her hands practically black with oil and grease.


    Ivy waved impatiently at it all, having no idea what exactly the entire mess was, it didn''t look like car parts, "Dump it in the trunk if you want to keep it, but you have only fifteen minutes, tops, then we''re gone."


    Sherrel rubbed her face with a slight pout, uncaring of the grease marks she left behind, "Yeah, yeah, I''m going, I''m going." She grumbled, unfolding her legs.


    Jason grunted in annoyance, already packing stacks of cash into a bag, having moved immediately at Ivy''s order, like a proper minion. "Is this cuz of that purple bitch?" He asked, moving with purpose, eyes scanning the room for anything of import.


    With how much filth and garbage was around - it wasn''t an easy task to separate the actually useful from the absolutely useless.


    They didn''t really have much here to keep, it had entirely been intended to be a temporary dwelling, but that didn''t mean they had nothing worth keeping. Skidmark had still been a minor drug kingpin despite everything.


    Ivy began assisting Jason in collecting what cash and weapons they wanted to keep, as well as some of the drugs they continuously found. Not to keep and use, she''d cleaned up her minions for a reason, but because the drugs could become useful to Ivy to play with and study for an improved version that wasn''t as bad for you. As she did, she explained what was going on, "That ''purple bitch'' is Tattletale, whose power is absolutely bullshit super intuition, she can basically figure you out in a conversation and ferret out your secrets." She explained tersely.


    Although she knew Canon Tattletale and Fanon were two separate issues - there was no point in taking risks and interacting with the smug villain more than she needed to. Even if she couldn''t quite draw out all secrets just by a glance or single conversation - often coming to the wrong conclusions, she could still figure out way too much. Their whole game here hinged on no one figuring out the true angle between Ivy and Amy.


    Sherrel nodded sagely, holding a bunch of machine parts against her chest, oil leaking down all over her torso, "You don''t want her to find out you and Panacea are boinking, makes sense." The tinker said, thumbing the side of her nose and winking at Ivy exaggeratedly.


    Ivy glared at her, "We are no-" She paused, rubbing her forehead, feeling annoyed, it doesn''t matter what they think anyway, she told herself, "You know what, it doesn''t matter, just get the car going, Sherrel¡­"


    That idea about how they were connected was still better than the truth, and what her minions didn''t know, they couldn''t accidentally spill or have tortured out of them.


    "Anyway, Tattletale also secretly works for Coil, and we''re going to entirely stay out of any and all of that business." Ivy finished explaining to Jason, Sherrel already on her way out, hugging her precious machine parts to herself.


    Honestly, she was never going to be able to take that girl anywhere at this rate¡­


    At least it seemed Coil was unaware of their entire connection if Tattletale was. She doubted Coil would have approached this the same way if he''d known.


    Ivy and Amy still needed to keep separate to a certain extent, even if that was having some odd effects sometimes on their mind. Amy would have to deal with Coil on her own, saving Ivy as the backup - all the better for Coil and Tattletale to continue to be in the dark about exactly how close they were.


    Ten minutes later found the trio back in their invisible car, Sherrel in the driver''s seat, Ivy grimacing in discomfort as she sat down in the machine oil covered passenger seat, Sherrel had been free with storing her machine parts everywhere it seemed¡­


    She was beginning to wonder if Skidmark was really the reason that house had been a disaster zone, or if it was because of Sherrel just constantly dropping whatever, anywhere - whenever she had a new thought.


    "Where are we going then, boss lady?" Sherrel asked, activating their invisibility as she pulled out of the yard, just as Tattletale exited the neighbors house and trotted down the steps, walking with a certain smug swagger that reeked of playacting. She was putting on a show, expecting Amy to watch her the entire way.


    "Oops, my bad." Sherrel said, not even trying to affect innocence - as she accelerated madly, (much faster than a car should be able to for such a short distance) and drove right by a puddle of dank muddy water - spraying Tattletale down in a great splash, the mouthy villain covered from head to toe, and from the way she was spitting as they continued on by - the bullshiter had gotten a bad taste in her mouth.


    How poetic.


    "...Sherrel I know I''m not paying you currently, but you get a raise for that," Ivy said, trying to keep her expression level, even as she wanted to giggle so bad. Her need eased as she felt Amy begin laughing back at the house, watching Tattletale stomp off down the street muttering to herself, looking like a drowned rat.


    "I just did what came naturally, boss." Sherrel said easily, chuckling to herself.


    "What do I have to do for a raise?" Jason asked, not really sounding like he cared, just wanting to be part of the conversation.


    Considering they were hardly even a gang at the moment, let alone had a payroll, it was really a moot point, but she played along anyway. Jason needed all the encouragement he could get to show that he wouldn''t be put down for putting his voice out there and asking questions.


    She might be a villain, but these were her people, and she would take care of them - plus proper backup meant she had more time to have a blast, enjoying life and the villain life style.


    That was the whole reason for this body to begin with - to play and have fun in a way Amy couldn''t yet. Oh, would the world be in for a treat once they dropped the act and Amy stepped out as the proper Queen.


    Ivy thought about Jason''s query, tapping her chin with one nail, "Stop Sherrel from stripping for one day and you''ll get a raise." She said, eyeing the tinker and her once again odd way to wear her clothes - as in half off.


    Jason grumbled a bit, before he got a thoughtful look, "Can it count if I wrap her in sand the whole day so she can''t move?" He asked hopefully.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Sherrel immediately gave him the finger from where she was driving, one hand on the wheel as she drove up on a sidewalk to avoid traffic, breaking a fire hydrant - which immediately began flooding the street behind them.


    Ivy nodded, brushing some of her hair from her face, "I can accept that." She said succinctly.


    "You guys suck!" Sherrel complained but the easy grin on her face said differently, "Not that I don''t love the whole vibe here, but I do actually need directions if I''m going to stop driving aimlessly for shits and giggles." She pointed out, as they turned a corner, and left the cascading mess of people and vehicles stuck amongst the minor flood of water behind.


    Ivy thought about it, they needed an actual place to grow, a place to call home - and most importantly, well defended, so the Protectorate or the other gangs wouldn''t hassle them too much in their budding state.


    With her powers there were opportunities, especially if she cheated a little¡­ It would garner attention, it would definitely garner attention¡­ But it would make for a very defensible location, a very eye catching debut, and give her actual territory.


    Yes¡­ This could work. She''d have to experiment a bit to make sure it would work as she thought, but her power seemed to be brimming with excitement at the thought, so it probably would work.


    Or the Triumvirate would visit the next day to wipe her out¡­


    Which was okay, because she''d just be back the next day in a new body. She snickered slightly to herself at that, imagining the faces of them all if that happened.


    She''d have to break out her minions which would be a hassle, but it''s not like the PRT actually made it hard to do that anyway.


    Her cheeks gained a light dusting of red as she noticed in the car mirrors that Sherrel and Jason were both watching her snicker to herself while waiting for directions.


    She coughed lightly into her hand, "Well¡­ First to Fugly Bobs to eat our fill.. Then¡­ To the Trainyard as close to the boat graveyard as we can get!"


    Anticipation was building in both her bodies, finally, she would be able to just let loose and completely play the role of the villain, have fun, do whatever she wanted, the time was here.


    Watch out Brockton Bay, I don''t intend to use lube when I bend you over.. She thought viciously, a dangerous grin growing on her face.


    "I just peed myself a little." Sherrel said companionably, referencing Ivy''s dangerous expression, throwing Ivy off her game.


    "One minute, you couldn''t let me have one minute!"


    <hr>


    A week later,


    "This isn''t half bad." Kayden said with a soft smile as she ran a hand alongside the lobby wall in Starlight''s finished headquarters.


    Amy hummed along, standing in the middle of the bright floor, right in the middle of the golden star laid in relief amongst the tiles.


    The futuristic looking building looked like it was surrounded by glass, but it was not, it was some sort of Shatterbird proof material Uppercrust had provided them with.


    Instead of walls separating the areas, it was what appeared to be glass screens - looking vulnerable while they were actually not, the material might last longer than a wall against a cape brute. The idea was that once this floor was open to the public each screen would show action shots of each team hero in action, and beautiful landscapes or waterfalls or something when they intended to keep it a bit calmer.


    The gift shop would have the most action shots for obvious reasons, selling action figures and posters would not add much to their pockets, but it was expected. And if you did as expected people didn''t start looking too hard at what else you were doing.


    The front of the lobby held the security office which was not made transparent, and in front of it - was the reception desk. Once they hired some normals to run the 1st floor, this is where those seeking Starlight out could come and make an appointment.


    Vicky did a pirouette in the air, laughing triumphantly, "Yes! This is what I''m talking about! This is a hero team!" She crowed, making a sentai pose in the air in front of the large star on the wall. Amy had modeled it from the Nova Corps from marvel, pretty much just stealing it, Aleph could sue if they wanted, she didn''t care.


    It was cool, and you should always follow the rule of cool as a superhero. Now if only she could recruit Weld and make their team really look like a marvel team¡­


    Charlotte and Strider both looked on in amusement as Vicky swept a protesting Amy into her arms and started twirling her around in the air, flying around the large open lobby of the building. The two adults both testing out the large black couches that were interspersed around the waiting area.


    The security measures were mostly out of sight, force fields that automatically kicked in if a certain amount of force was applied - gun turrets in the ceiling for when they had to go lethal, something better to have and not need, then need and not have.


    Especially if Jack Slash walked in one day¡­


    As affiliates of the PRT and Protectorate she''d even been allowed confoam sprayers by going above Piggots head and contacting the head office. They were maintained and installed entirely by PRT personnel so Amy didn''t have control of filling them or replacing them - just on using them.


    Kayden looked emotional as she touched the star on her own uniform as she looked around at the bright, open space, the entire tableau screaming hero.


    As a disgruntled Amy was put down, Vicky sweeping up a bemused Mouse Protector in her stead, Kayden stepped up to Amy, hand still gently touching the mark that denoted her a hero.


    "Thank you." She said with feeling, putting a million different feelings, hopes, dreams and regrets - into those two words.


    The way this changed everything¡­ How Aster would grow up safe from the gangs¡­


    Amy watched her shrewdly, a tiny quirk to her lips, "You''re allowed to live, Kayden. You''re not dead yet, so move forward and enjoy life as best as you''re able, that''s what I''m going to do." She brushed aside some of her frizzy hair, looking around at the idyllic scene of the team just hanging out, "I spent to much time worrying about what other people thought instead of living my life, we have another chance now."


    Kayden chuckled a little breathlessly, "Just live, huh?" She said with some tension releasing from her body at that simple solution.


    Kayden got a thoughtful look on her face, before she gave Amy an impish look that had Amy backing away raising her hands in denial.


    In a quick swoop, Purity joined Vicky into her air, a protesting Amy in her arms as they flew around the lobby.


    Starlight was officially in business.


    <hr>


    Trainyards, a few days later.


    Ivy sat in the derelict warehouse, concentrating as she sunk her hand into the earth, feeling the roots she''d created beneath - having destroyed the cement floor to get to the ground beneath.


    She''d been experimenting almost entirely since setting up, letting her power run wild, she knew Starlight was ready for a debut¡­ And she could both put her own mark on Brockton Bay - while inviting a response from her neighbor that could give Starlight some exposure.


    And let them achieve something the entire Protectorate had failed at.


    With Coil and Tattletale already starting to catch on to them - even if Coil would be killed or driven out of town¡­ It was time to go big before anymore players started poking around and figuring things out.


    The bigger you are, the more preconceptions people will make about you, making it that much harder for them to draw conclusions linking Panacea and Poison Ivy.


    Her main issue was in gaining full territory control, and the issue with that was that she could only affect plant matter in her near vicinity and had to be touching it to start the process. So she''d remembered reading once how Skitter''s control could be expanded by Panacea creating relay bugs that extended her signal.


    So she''d attempted something similar and had been working hard on expanding her root network over the past week - creating relays, a root system that would allow her to access the entire system by one touch anywhere in the territory once it was grown in.


    She sat down in a seiza, hands on the roots, taking deep breaths, it was time. She was ready.


    She closed her hands and exhaled slowly.


    Grow, live, DEVOUR!


    <hr>


    Across Brockton Bay,


    The whole city was trembling slightly, enough to register on the seismological sensors the PRT had access to.


    Alarms were blaring throughout the Rig as Director Piggot stared at the reports that were filing in, "Get me an answer on this NOW!" She shouted, PRT personnel rushing to and fro in frenetic activity as reports were flying in from across the city, drowning them in the deluge.


    Piggot gnashed her teeth together as she stared out towards the city, I need a fucking drink¡­ She thought, stuck staring and not able to divert her gaze.


    Staring at the giant tree raising far above Brockton Bay, from the middle of the Trainyards.


    Having flashbacks of Nilbog, of monsters with sharp teeth, of claws ripping teammates apart¡­


    "Call the PRT director!" She barked, even as she held onto her desk to steady herself, It won''t happen again, I won''t let it!


    Not again!


    ¡­.


    Trainyards,


    All across the Trainyards a forest spread quickly from the many specially prepared seeds spread across it, Ivy having spent several days engineering them as well as her relay trees, their roots spreading underground and spreading across the entire area, allowing her power to reach a much greater territory, bouncing between all the relay trees, following the roots, touching the seeded areas, inspiring growth with a thought - while she sat inside the midpoint between the trainyards and the boat graveyard.


    The warehouse around her cracked and broke away, a giant tree growing out of it with Ivy right up against its trunk, even as Ivy sat still in a meditation position, eyes closed, hands on her root system.


    She was feeling the heavy strain as she kept reaching out and altering biology on a giant scale, stretching the definition of touch to its limits, her hand on a root that was now, through her relays - connected to every part of her claimed ''territory''.


    While normally she didn''t need biomass for conversion with using plants, her plan here was so big that she''d had to send Hot Wheels and Sandman to rob a slaughterhouse for all their carcasses. Enough to grow a giant tree reminiscent of the world tree in many mythologies - having sent them to rob a dozen butchers for more before she started, when she''d realized the tree would likely take up her entire first batch.


    The amount of energy needed for all of this was making it so her normal shard bullshitery - avoiding the cost of energy conversion with plant matter - couldn''t quite handle it. Forcing her to convert biomass to continue on.


    Rusted train carts broke apart as trees stretched hungrily up towards the sun, tall grass specifically engineered to eat through metal, secreting special acids and then eating them up again in a cycle, spreading across the area, cleaning it up - moving like a swarm of locusts as it grew and broke down the debris in the abandoned and dilapidated area.


    Here and there she could feel homeless fleeing in utter panic ahead of the swarm of flora, mistakenly believing it would devour them as well.


    If they returned she would allow them actual living space as long as they swore to her. Some would likely be brave enough, the homeless not having much to lose.


    At an invisible line, but in actuality - right where her underground roots ended, the growth stopped, leaving a clear line between the city and her new forest. The trees were still growing steadily across the dying trainyards. Some would provide free food. Fruits, honey, maple syrup. She''d have vegetables grown as well, in cycles that would beat out the speed of any farm in the world.


    Brockton Bay would not be able to starve her territory, they wouldn''t be able to intimidate her, she could fireproof everything to a certain extent if needed. Or at least give her territory a regenerative aspect once it set in and didn''t need her constantly monitoring it.


    Once she had time to personally visit the edge of her territory she intended to plant flowers and hedges denoting her area - that would give off a pheromone that would engage the fear response in anyone approaching.


    Whoever she''d take into her gang or to live in her territory would get an antidote - but everyone else would be unable to enter without specific gear - which would exclude the majority of people and leave her to only deal with the PRT and the gangs.


    She was pretty sure she could do it, her power didn''t seem to be putting any blocks in the way, if anything her power felt more relaxed and easy to use than ever, even eager if she had to put a word to it. It hadn''t taken her long at all to grow and create her relay trees and its root system, nor her metal eating grass.


    She kept just working with biological matter with a loose idea of what she wanted and the blanks kept being filled in for her. She never would have been able to spread herself this thin otherwise - it would necessitate she stayed in her territory for a while to let it set, but that was fine.


    She could have moved slowly, but she couldn''t even be killed as she was, so why bother? She had feared the triumvirate, but they already ignored several groups. So she''d actually be in more danger if she was deemed dangerous while moving around on a low or medium threat level. History had shown that if you showed yourself to be on a level that was too costly to remove - you were safe. It was practically Cauldrons motto.


    Especially if she went huge, but with no deaths, an actual almost benevolent villain - because then you were an asset for Endbringer fights.


    This still wasn''t Amy reminding them of Nilbog - she just did plants, honest! And then once Amy took over the villain mantle¡­ They''d never dare touch her.


    Of course Piggot would likely get Nilbog flashbacks either way, but she didn''t have the resources to evict her - and Alexandria wouldn''t be giving it to her, not with how Ivy hadn''t harmed a single human.


    She''d probably get a pre-signed kill order in case she started to replicate past her borders, but that was fine, she had no intention of swallowing all of Brockton, she was just cleaning up the unused derelict wasteful parts.


    She smiled impishly, opening her eyes, reaching out a hand to the mass of animal carcasses, Now this is really going to freak them out, she thought, holding back an evil laugh, since no one could hear it anyway - it would be a terrible waste.


    Proper evil laughing needed a proper retinue and audience for the real effect.


    ¡­.


    Boat graveyard,


    Ethan whistled lowly, crouched on the rooftop as he watched what was happening. The entire city was going nuts, civilians streaming out of their homes and businesses gaping at the city changing before their eyes.


    Showing once and for all that Brocktonites were a special breed, too used to capes to have the sense to get away from the rolling mass of biology eating parts of the city.


    Honestly, anywhere else and Ethan would have to worry about protecting people as they stampeded away, crushing civilians under the rush, looting and general destruction spreading in the panic - so he wasn''t exactly complaining about the lack of panic, but he acknowledged it was weird.


    Welcome to Brockton Bay, where we keep the weird shit. Ethan thought, wryly. Slap that on the welcome sign, it fits too well not to.


    All over the boat graveyard a veritable forest was growing - seemingly spreading from the trainyards, large trees reaching over the distance, vines and flora and long reedy grass spreading like a plague across the rusted hulls, trees growing out of them, shattering parts of the ships, some branching off and growing over the bay, meeting other ships with their own growths, creating bridges, between the vessels.


    If the churning of the water was any sign, and the small flashes of thick dark wood that he could briefly spy, roots where coming up from the bottom of the bay as well - and honestly it was all scaring the fuck out of Ethan - because this was god damn Nilbog level of shit.


    The entire thing was taking place rapidly as well, already ten percent of the graveyard was entirely naturalized - large trees swaying in the wind as they floated on green covered vessels.


    Large wooden piers were also beginning to jut out in specific locations, Ethan noted, which confirmed it was an intelligent mind behind this.


    Brockton Bay would likely never become a big port again either way, shipping lanes having switched focus to other nearby larger ports. But if the entire boat graveyard got converted - some shipping could come. And whoever this was¡­ Would have sole control.


    That would be a fun negotiation¡­ He could see the Mayor tearing his hair out already.


    He could only be thankful it all seemed to constrain itself to the trainyards and boat graveyard and did not appear set to eat the whole city, because he had no clue about how he was supposed to stop that.


    Hell, he had no clue how anyone was supposed to stop that. He had to sit through a lot of boring PRT classes - but he must have missed the one that dealt with Mother Nature trying to eat your city.


    "Is it eating the metal or just growing over it, do you know?" Victor asked, the Empire 88 cape sharing his rooftop. The two had been about to square off, Ethan chasing after an Empire group beating up minorities near the docks, when the city started shaking. Unspoken, a truce had developed like it did during Endbringer attacks or other S - rank threats.


    As distasteful as it was, a normal beating - an everyday occurence - didn''t quite match up to the current threat.


    "Can''t tell from here, but if this thing - whatever it is - eats metal, we are going to have a larger issue on our hands if it spreads." Ethan said seriously, "How do you even fight a living forest?"


    And didn''t they already have a villain like that? Lost wood or something¡­ It was kind of cheating to use another villain''s trick like this. He didn''t think it was that one though, because they''d have heard about it if they were heading here.


    Victor smirked, raising his hand to point towards the trainyards, "With fire." He stated simply.


    Fucking Nazi was enjoying this, Ethan thought with irritation. It was all well and good for them, their territory wasn''t being eaten up - guess they''d never heard the - first they came for us - poem in their Nazi school lessons.


    Ethan looked over to where Victor had indicated, squinting his eyes slightly at the distant glow, realization setting in, ''Oh, shiiiiit¡­" He breathed out, scrambling for his communicator, "Console, this is Assault, we have Lung on the move towards the forest growing in the trainyards, and he''s already ramped up, apparently he had issues with the redecorating."


    If Lung burned up that giant ass tree the whole damn city would be covered in ashes for a month, if the fire didn''t spread and burn down the whole city¡­ Which was likely if that entire area was set aflame. Fuck¡­


    Victor chuckled next to him, Ethan glaring at him and making a shushing motion. He didn''t need comments or amusement from the Nazi peanut gallery.


    Especially since the ass didn''t look like he was going to be lending a hand.


    A stressed sounding Clockblocker replied after a moment, "Copy, Assault. There are situations spreading across that area, Armsmaster and Miss Militia are enroute, the Director is keeping the rest of the Protectorate at the Rig in case this is all a diversion."


    Ethan wanted to be snippy, but it wasn''t the Wards fault that he was receiving stupid orders. What was Armsy and Militia supposed to do against Lung on their own? "Copy that, console, Assault moving to assist."


    He had to hand it to the director, her paranoia really was world class if she could see a decent chunk of the city turned into a forest - and choose to ignore it as a diversion. A diversion from what exactly? What else could happen right now that would be worse?


    "Copy that Assault, I''ll let Armsmaster know." Clockblocker said, with a hint of relief to his voice.


    Ethan let go of his communicator, "You going to be an issue?" He asked Victor, well aware that with the Protectorate tied up like this he wouldn''t be able to waste time on the Nazi trying something.


    Victor eyed him thoughtfully, before shrugging, "As far as I am concerned we are under truce while dealing with a new threat, if Kaiser orders me differently that''s another matter."


    "Good enough for now." Ethan muttered, taking off without another look back, heading towards the trainyards.


    Whoever set this off has no idea what kind of fire they''re starting¡­


    <hr>


    Amy smirked as she checked herself over, the black and gold uniform was tight, which usually would have been a problem. With Ivy''s help however¡­Her body was much more appealing now, less pudgy and more slim and fit, which made her bust stand out a little more on her profile - and she didn''t mind the image she was presenting now at all.


    It was a full body suit, with brute rated golden armor in the shape of a large Nova corps star across her torso - with a visored helmet that let her hair flow freely out the back of it on her head, her mouth and nose free. She checked herself in the mirror again, stretching a bit. She also wore no gloves, so she could still touch someone for an immediate knockout.


    It was perfect, a complete rebrand, she just needed to change the name too and Panacea and New Wave would be entirely behind her. Remedy¡­ She''d be Remedy now. A reminder of her healing past while discarding her last tie to New Wave - but also a point of how she''d be the ''cure'' of Brocktons Bay''s problems, keeping the tie to being a healing cape.


    "Hah, you''re loving it, I knew I picked the right uniform." Vicky said smugly, having entered the room during her introspection "Your ass looks great in that." She said approvingly, nodding firmly to herself.


    Amy glanced at her, sliding the visor up so her face was clear. She smiled at her sister, "Did you get such a tight uniform for me just so you could stare at my ass?" She teased lightly, while taking in her sister''s uniform.


    It was the same basic armor design, but Vicky had foregone a helmet, or any kind of face covering - instead keeping a golden tiara with a nova star shaped centerpiece. She also continued to insist on a skirt, wearing golden boy shorts underneath.


    At this point Amy just assumed flashing all of Brockton Bay was Vicky''s secret fetish. Not that she ever personally visited the Glory Girl upskirt sites. She just heard rumors is all.


    No matter how quick they were taken down, another one would always pop up. With how quickly it happened she half expected Dragon to be a fan of Vicky''s.


    "It might have been part of the plan." Vicky said flippantly, giving Amy a cheery bright smile. "So Starlight is ready to take flight, how do you feel?" She asked, sounding softer, her eyes more gentle. "I know fighting was never your thing."


    Amy shrugged, going back to staring into the mirror, she was dressed like an actual hero now - funny, when all she wanted to do was to let go of the illusion and just become a villain¡­ "It''s¡­ New." She said slowly, not sure how to even explain. "It''s not bad." She lamely added.


    Kayden popped her head in, smiling softly as she saw Amy in her uniform, "You look very good in that, Amy." She said kindly, stepping fully through, wearing much the same uniform as Amy, except with a golden cape and a simple domino mask, her power would do the work in protecting her identity when they started anyway, but a domino mask was a simple matter to don.


    "Thank you, is Charlotte ready?" Amy returned the smile and asked about their last member, Strider would not be assisting unless someone needed emergency teleports back to base and was already sitting in the room, somehow calm enough to read a book while he waited. He was worth too much to risk in a fight. If Amy had her way he''d stop participating in Endbringer fights except for bringing capes to the battle too.


    She''d see how much she was willing to annoy the Protectorate when the next Endbringer arrived.


    Kayden nodded, starting to glow slightly as she grasped her power, "She''s on location, it seems your tip was right, something is definitely going down at the trainyards, trees are popping up suddenly, growing to full height in less than a minute, it''s been going on for ten minutes now."


    Vicky rubbed her hands together gleefully, "I can''t believe we''re going to punch out Lung as our first foray into heroing on our own!"


    "He might not show." Kayden said somewhat dismissively, although not meanly, "The trainyards and boat graveyard is not technically his territory." She''d fought Lung before, Amy knew.


    Amy shook her head firmly, "You are more experienced than us, but I think you''re wrong on this one, he can''t not respond to whoever is growing an entire territory around him."


    Whoever indeed¡­


    "Shouldn''t we be worried about the forest?" Kayden asked, seemingly not happy with taking two teens into a fight with Lung.


    Amy could understand her hesitation, but between Purity and Glory Girl, and the hidden support by Ivy, they were golden. Amy just needed one touch to shut Lung down if it came to it. And worst case, Ivy could surreptitiously assist her in getting the shot.


    In a last resort kind of manner she''d prepared a weapon, one she''d prefer not to have to use.


    "The forest is a problem for the PRT, not us." She said decisively, "Lung is a threat to everyone if he ramps up enough, the forest is in areas where there are almost no people, right? So it doesn''t take priority."


    They''re interrupted by Kayden''s cell phone ringing, the new hero picking it up with a pinched expression, listening for a moment, "Thank you Mouse Protector." She said clippedly, putting the phone down, turning back to Amy, "Lung is on his way, he''s already ramping up at the threat to his territory."


    "Strider, put us down by Mouse Protector, then return to base and wait for news on any emergency pickups." Amy ordered seriously, feeling nerves setting in, she knew they''d probably be fine.


    Still¡­ This was Lung!


    The teleporting cape nodded seriously, his uniform simply the same as his previous one except in black and gold, he placed his book to the side


    They all stand in a circle, Strider giving them all a nod and murmured, "Good luck." Then they were gone.


    <hr>


    They were set down near some apartment buildings, Mouse Protector standing right there on the street, her uniform still somewhat appearing as knightly armor, just now black and gold, the star prominently displayed on her chest, the mouse ears and whiskers still on her helmet.


    "Glad you''re joining the party, hope you brought a cheese platter, because that bugger looks mighty hungry." She quipped, pointing over her shoulder at the approaching Lung a block away, already over nine feet tall and still rising, apparently not needing a fight when the challenge of an entire living forest appearing in front of him challenged him just by its existence.


    "The civilians?" Amy asked, eyeing the surrounding apartment buildings, seeing the edge of the forest just beyond them.


    "Fled when the forest popped up, so where all good on that account, maximum property damage is a go!" She said excitedly, giving off a smart salute.


    Purity gave her a look, shaking her head before she started glowing, taking to the air, Glory Girl following behind her.


    "No property damage." Amy stressed, walking up to the irreverent hero. "Purity and Glory Girl will hammer him, think you can teleport me close with your ability?"


    Mouse Protector, shrugged, "I think you''re kidding yourself if you think you''re going to stop that with no property damage, but I''ll get you in close," She tossed a hockey puck into the air, catching it quickly, "It will be only a second or two and then I''ll teleport us away again," She warned, "We''re the squishy kind, can''t tangle with big beastie."


    Amy nodded, "I''m aware, although I recently gained a brute rating so I won''t die from a love tap."


    Mouse Protector cocked her head, "Huh, brute and a healer, sounds super cheaty to be honest."


    Their eyes turned to Lung as he entered their street, roaring in anger as Purity let loose from both hands, a bright glowing fuck you beam taking him right in the snout, Lung staggering back, blood dripping even as his face began to char, and then, just like that it all regenerated as he ducked under the beam, Purity swerving out of the way as Lung sunk one large claw into a nearby car and with a mighty heave - threw it at the flying cape.


    "Vicky PUNCH!" Glory Girl roared as she flew down under the curve of the car, hitting Lung like a wrecking ball, smashing into his chest, the sound of ribs breaking audible down the street as Lung was ripped off the street and smashed into the wall of the building next to him, crumbling it.


    Vicky, Amy thought in embarrassment at the shouted attack, even as Mouse Protector took hold of her arm, her thrown puck already by the staggered Lung.


    The world disappeared for a second before she felt the burning intense heat of Lungs presence, Mouse Protector cutting at Lungs claw as it approached, Amy frantically reaching for a spot on his torso that wasn''t entirely scaled. He was ramping up too fast!


    She could have used her own version of MP''s power, but she needed to focus on getting a hand on Lung, while MP could protect her or teleport them both away if the attack was a bust.


    Purity fired a beam from both hands, impacting where Mouse Protector had cut, forcing Lungs arm back as he roared in pain, his arm practically flaying apart, Amy''s eyes gleamed with triumph - and that''s exactly when a clawed foot slammed into her midsection sending her rolling down the street, tearing up the asphalt and putting her uniform and brute power to the test.


    Glory Girl swooped in with a panicked cry right before Amy would have hit the wall, managing to grab her and roll with her, tanking the hit to the wall, letting Amy''s head rest on her chest.


    "Ow¡­" Amy muttered, pretty sure she cracked a rib, she didn''t want to imagine what it would be like if she hadn''t gotten the basic brute package from Ivy.


    Glory Girl breathed out a sigh of relief, before immediately disappearing as she flew down the street low enough to the ground that everything on the street blew into the walls from the wind tunnel effect her passing created - then she hit Lung, pushing him back once again through simple wrecking ball tactics.


    Purity flew in, dropping Mouse Protector down, the woman cradling a broken arm. "She tried to get in the way between you and Lung." Purity explained before flying off to help Vicky, as Amy laid a hand Mouse Protectors arm, healing it, "It will be weaker for a bit, do not break it again." Amy warned her, sweating slightly as she felt the environment heat up as Lung grew even more draconic.


    "Holding him still enough to get you to touch him is going to be an issue, we might have stuck our head in a mouse trap here." Mouse Protector said seriously.


    Amy nodded, eyes narrowed as she watched Purity and Glory Girl tag team Lung, keeping him corralled between them and doing damage - but Lung was continually ramping up, it wouldn''t go well for them if they didn''t do something soon.


    "You have the pouch I gave you?" Amy asked, not really wanting to give away her capabilities to that extent, but she''d prepared it just in case.


    Mouse Protector nodded, touching the cord around her neck fishing out a small leather pouch. "Need it?" She asked.


    Amy shook her head, hesitating, "Not yet. We''ll try one more time, that''s an option that''s going to have more eyes on me and it will be troublesome to deal with." She said, wincing as she stood straight, Yep, a definite cracked rib.


    She could also lean on Ivy, but again, that was an extreme case because she did not need any connection to appear there now of all times. Not to the PRT.


    She watched the fight, trying to find an opening for Mouse Protector to teleport her in.


    Glory Girl tanked a full on hit from Lung as he reared forward to swat Purity out of the sky, Purity swerving around Glory Girl and hitting Lung full blast in the face again, the blinding beams crackling with power, pushing Lung back even as flames began to spread throughout the area, transforming it into somewhat of a hellscape.


    Lung roared even as his eyes melted in the face of the beams, quickly regrowing as soon as they ended, his jaw snapping loudly in the air as he reared up and almost caught Purity''s foot.


    Amy could help so much more if she could let loose her full powers and abilities. Her lab was finished now, so after this she''d finally be able to stretch her wings. As it was, she was a bystander yet again, waiting for an opportunity to help.


    Glory Girl and Purity both just barely avoided being shot down as Lung tore out half an apartment building facade and threw it at them, and then suddenly one of them didn''t manage to avoid it. Glory Girls shield failing for a moment in the rain of continuous debris - as Lung kept throwing it with an enraged roar, Amy feeling her heart stop for a second as Glory Girl took a hit to the chest by a piece of rubble before her shield was back on, smashing into the ground, thankfully her shield covered that, having returned by then.


    But that was still a piece of a building impacting her sister.


    "To Glory girl." Amy snapped, Mouse Protector having already foreseen the request, tossing a puck to the site. Before they could teleport, Glory Girl flew up again, the armor on her chest had held, looking slightly dented, and she was immediately back in action, flying full speed into one of Lung''s claws as it held off Purity''s fire - as he grabbed a car with his other claw, Purity already dodging, anticipating the throw, letting the beam go.


    As Glory Girl pushed the claw away, unbalancing Lung for a second, Purity took her chance to hammer two beams straight to Lungs chest, pushing him back further, his clawed feet ripping up the melting, bubbling street beneath him, a car still attached to his other clawed hand.


    Amy wanted to smack her head at her stupidity, realizing that at this close range, she didn''t need to go to someone to heal them, reaching out with her power to ensure Glory Girl was in tip top shape from that hit.


    Suddenly Amy was teleported away, giving Mouse Protector a questioning look as they appeared in the small crater left over by Vicky.


    "He tossed the car at us, he''s almost got wings on him now, looking real dragon like, you sure you can afford to wait any longer?" Mouse Protector asked, sounding worried. Amy wasn''t the only one that was apparently feeling worthless at the moment. There wasn''t much either of them could do to a building sized Lung - larger than the buildings now..


    "Give me the pouch." Amy said, agreeing with her, albeit annoyed that they needed it. If only Lung hadn''t ramped up so quick, she''d expected to have more time - figuring the forest would piss Lung off, but not having accounted for just how mad he must be, ramping up as he had.


    Or maybe seeing Purity had been enough, they''d tangled before¡­


    She hadn''t planned this out nearly as well as she''d thought¡­


    As soon as she had the pouch in her hand, she fished out the small organic lump of matter looking like a small fleshy hand grenade, feeling all the alterations she''d done to it, the fireproofing a major part of it to not have it''s contents burn up just by being near Lung.


    "Vicky!" She called out, almost unheard over Lungs roars and the crackling of fire and sounds of asphalt melting or getting broken apart by Lungs clawed feet.


    Glory Girl swooped down, her face sweaty and red, her uniform burned in patches, any burned skin thankfully healed by her long distance efforts, once she remembered she could do it¡­ "That''s it then?" She asked with a nod, grabbing it, "Just drop it on him?" She asked seriously, holding it gingerly to not accidentally crush it before delivery.


    That would be¡­ Less than ideal.


    Amy nodded, "Just contact is all it needs."


    "Purity can''t hold on, not on her own." Mouse Protector warned, sounding frustrated as she shifted her feet, glaring at the continuing fight.


    Glory Girl took to the skies, and under the cover of Purity dropping off her continuous barrage of beams - leaving herself purposely open - drawing Lungs ravenous attention - she swooped in and dropped the flesh grenade onto Lungs back.


    They all looked on in tense anticipation, the grenade exploding, a deluge of greenish thick liquid spewing over Lungs back, making the dragon roar in anger and pain.


    Purity and Glory Girl flew back to guard Amy and Mouse Protector as Lung roared to the sky, flames spearing the sky as the liquid bubbled on top of him, moving across his scales, finding access points and seeping into the skin beneath, uncaring about the flames.


    Lung threw himself against walls, trying to rub the gunk off, when that didn''t work he zeroed in on them, flying forward far faster then someone almost the size of the buildings around him should be able to do.


    Purity and Glory Girl swooped them up and took them to the air. And for a second it looked like Lung was going to follow, then¡­ He simply froze. Growling at them, unable to move.


    "It''s taken hold." Amy said grimly. At least if the PRT freaked too hard she could go hide in the forest, she thought, seeing Armsmaster and Miss Militia in the distance from her height.


    Lung began shrinking, the organism within him attacking his brain, specifically his Gemma, the control station for active use of powers. Lung''s power was now entirely under her control, or well the control she had planted in the organism - which was simply a cease and desist order for his power, and a muscle lock for his body.


    Lung could neither move or use his power as long as Amy''s concoction was inside of him, and only she could remove it. Well¡­ She assumed. She didn''t know who the PRT had¡­


    "We won." Amy said tiredly, as Lung returned to the size of a normal human, his eyes glaring up at them still in impotent rage.


    It didn''t feel like a victory.


    This was going to be such a hassle.


    Director Piggot was going to be a pain¡­


    <hr>

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    ? Topic: Starlight


    In: Boards ? America ? East Coast ? Cape Teams ? Starlight


    ?Bagrat (Original Poster) (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)


    Here is the official thread for the new hero team in Brockton Bay, Starlight.


    Current roster as of today''s date June 28th, is <s>Panacea</s>, Glory Girl, Strider, Mouse Protector and Purity. Edit: July 9th correction, Panacea now going by the name Remedy.


    Yes. That Purity.


    There''s been no official word from New Wave on two capes basically abandoning the team and creating their own, and no word from the PRT on Purity as of yet.


    That said, the hero team is verified as an approved PRT independent affiliate with all that entails, and could not achieve that status without the PRT giving them the go ahead for all members.


    Edit: As of last posting July 9th, still no official announcement from New Wave.


    Link to announcement of the creation of the team <u>here.</u>


    Link to first press conference <u>here.</u>


    Edit: July 3rd: Link to PRTs statement in regards to Purity <u>here.</u>


    Edit: July 5th: Online tour of Starlights headquarters, link <u>here.</u>


    Edit: July 8th: LUNG taken down by Starlight, video <u>here. </u>


    (Showing page 285 of 934)


    ?CaramelCoffee


    Replied On July 3rd 2010:


    Srsly, has there ever been any more milquetoast of a statement from the PRT?


    Purity is a fucking NAZI! And their statements basically said nothing!!


    They didn''t mention her crimes, any punishment, hell they didn''t even acknowledge she was/is a damn NAZI!


    ?XxVoid_CowboyxX


    Replied On July 3rd 2010:


    #CaramelCoffee, obv a conspiracy, like I don''t even have to try or like get banned or anything, PRT is obv in on the whole Nazi thing.


    Starlight didn''t even try to rebrand the Nazi, like wtf is up with that other than orders from up top, (PRT and Empire in cahoots?)


    No wonder no Empire capes ever stay in jail!


    Also Pan-Pan not healing at hospitals anymore, C''mon so a Nazi/government plot!


    ?Kaiserbun (Verified not-a-nazi)


    Replied On July 3rd 2010:


    How can Panacea stand having a Nazi on the team? She''s fucking gay!?


    How does this even work!? Why did the PRT allow this!? Wtf is wrong with Panacea and Glory Girl?


    Panacea isn''t even healing properly anymore, has anyone checked she isn''t being mastered?


    #Brandish time to be a mom don''t you think!?


    !!!???


    ?Aurelian (Verified Cape) (¨¦quipe nationale de gr¨¨ve)


    Replied On July 3rd 2010:


    #Kaiserbun, do not besmirch the name of Panacea, she is the light that will show us all the path to heaven, if Purity follows Panacea, all is well.


    I will be joining the Church of Panacea in Brockton Bay for the grand opening on July tenth with our high priestess, Cherrie Hart, all are welcome.


    Praise be to Panacea.


    ¡­


    (Showing page 298 of 934)


    ?Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    Replied On July 4th 2010:


    Guys, over ten pages of heaping abuse on #Aurelian is beyond the pale, freedom of speech is still in effect, but so are the rules of this board, if it does not end right now, I will lock this thread.


    When #XxVoid_CowboyxX is behaving better than everyone else, you should all be taking a look at your conduct.


    ?TheGreatandTerribleAisha (Temp banned)


    Replied On July 4th 2010:


    Burn from the great mother of tin! You all suckers suck, big surprise, but like for realz, why is a Nazi on the team #Panacea


    Like I saw the presser but that was a load of bullshit!


    Also #MouseProtector please autograph my butt!


    ?Reave (Verified PRT Agent)


    Replied On July 4th 2010:


    Happy Independence day to each and everyone of you, we should all be thankful yet another hero team is here to help protect and serve, that is the major thing to take away from this. Brockton Bay is safer for their inclusion into the forces of good.


    ?Vajayjay (Temp Banned)


    Replied On July 4th 2010:


    #Reave, I can''t take that seriously when you''re literally whitewashing a Nazi. Fuck off.


    Srsly, go die.


    Also Starlight is a fake hero team, ain''t no hero team with a Nazi on it.


    ?Meadprovider (Banned)


    Replied On July 4th 2010:


    Purity is a fucking traitor, how can she even stand hanging around dykes, race traitors, and whatever the fuck Mouse Protector is, probably a Jew.


    ?Liima1 (Verified Finnish)


    Replied On July 4th 2010:


    Nazi''s are bad mkay¡­


    Also if Mouse Protector is autographing butts, I call dibs!


    Dr.Flembo (Verified not-a-doctor)


    Replied On July 4th 2010:


    Whitewashing is bad mkay¡­


    All of this is bad. Nazi''s are bad, why do we still have to say it? And what''s the obsession with MP anyway?


    No one''s autographing my butt, that''s for sure¡­


    Except Alexandria.


    ?Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    Replied On July 4th 2010:


    Putting in a 12 hour lock of this thread. This thread is about Starlight, the hero team. Not only its member Purity.


    Go <u>here </u>to discuss Purity.


    ¡­


    (Showing page 782 of 934)


    ?ComicForBrains (Comic Nerd)


    Replied On July 5th 2010:


    So, like is Panacea gonna get sued for complete cribbing the Nova corps for the headquarters and uniforms right?


    I mean they look awesome! Much better than the Protectorate, but still, isn''t it like copyright or something.


    ?Vista (Verified cape)(Wards ENE)


    Replied On July 5th 2010:


    The uniforms are cool, the headquarters are cool, totally unserious question, what''s the benefits like?


    Asking for a friend.


    ?Brocktonite03 (Veteran Member)


    Replied On July 5th 2010:


    #ComicForBrains, I really don''t think Panacea is worried about some Aleph comic company suing her.


    Cool uniforms tho, definitely, makes collateral damage barbie look more serious.


    Still no news at all from New Wave, anyone else think that''s weird? Really starting to look like they hate gay people.


    Not wanting to restart the flame war, but like, Purity must have given up on Nazihood, right? Or it wouldn''t work with Panacea being lesbian.


    ?Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    Replied On July 5th 2010:


    #Brocktonite03 tread very carefully, and that goes for the rest of you as well, we''re not restarting this issue.


    ?Niraada (Verified PRT Agent)


    Replied On July 5th 2010:


    I''m applying for a job there as soon as they open up! So excited, whoo! Go Starlight!


    Kickass heroes is a go!


    ?Glory Girl (Verified cape)(Starlight)


    Replied On July 5th 2010:


    To all the haters out there, you keep forgetting Purity was mastered, don''t blame the victim, blame the Nazi bastards! Btw Purity gets along great with my sis, so obv not a Nazi.


    #TheGreatandTerribleAisha, Good going, I had to sit on MP to make sure the whole team didn''t get banned off PHO to prevent her from responding to what you started!


    The next villain she faces is going to be pissed when their butt gets autographed with a cheese pun¡­


    #Brocktonite03 Don''t go dumping on our family, we left New Wave to find our own way, they aren''t releasing any statements because there''s nothing that needs to be said.


    Butt out.


    #Niraada Excited to see you there! Hope you get it! The job comes with autographs! Not of the butt variety.


    #Vista, Little V! Benefits is whatever you want  I have an in with the team lead, we can hook you up!


    Also, on a scale of 1-10, how pissed is the PR department for you even saying that? (jokingly I''m sure) Wink-wink!


    ?Blind-Monkey (Veteran Member)


    Replied On July 5th 2010:


    #Glory Girl That was kind of weak tbh, your defense of New Wave, it''s obv something is going on there,


    Tell us the truth!


    I mean come on¡­


    Also don''t steal Vista! You monsters! Can''t have the Wards be all Sausage no Pie!


    (Showing page 889 of 934)


    ?Bagrat (Original Poster) (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)


    Replied July 8th 2010:


    Just in, Starlight took down LUNG!


    Fully rampaging LUNG.


    Ahem, it bears saying again. L-U-N-G!!


    Call out to the insane #LictorMagnus for getting video of the fight, staying behind to film it all for our viewing pleasure, with no regard for life and limb.


    Seriously, that''s insane, but good for us.


    Link to video <u>here.</u>


    ?Leeland


    Replied On July 8th 2010:


    What did I smoke tonight that I''m dreaming up this? What!?


    WHAT!?


    ?Brocktonite03 (Veteran Member)


    Replied On July 8th 2010:


    What!?


    ?DiscoStu (Veteran Member)


    Replied On July 8th 2010:


    What the fuck!?


    ?Vista (Verified cape)(Wards ENE)


    Replied On July 8th 2010:


    At the risk of console duty and PR refresher courses #Starlight kickass job, supes jealous, #Glory Girl, Big V I''ll text you uniform sizes, for¡­


    Totally unrelated reasons.


    ?Irtzval (Verified, just Verified)


    Replied On July 8th 2010:


    Makes sense, entire Protectorate can''t touch him, but Panacea can apparently fucking SOLO him, just nice enough to give the rest of the team a few minutes first.


    Did you guys SEE that shit!?


    Healer, my beautiful ass!!


    ?Crackalacking (Veteran Member)


    Replied On July 8th 2010:


    Shit, can''t bitch about Purity now, she helped take down Lung. That''s real deal hero shit.


    Also, what the fuck was #New Wave doing? Panacea is gone from them for like a few weeks and she''s taking down Lung!


    Good riddance to that old team of haters if Pan-Pan can do that on her own!


    ?Leyse (Verified Badass)


    Replied On July 8th 2010:


    Oh boy, oh boy, ABB is screwed and basically gone without Lung, now we got Starlight the Protectorate and New Wave on the side of the heroes, how''s those lederhosen feeling E88?


    Getting brown yet?


    ?JollyHippo (Veteran Member) (Secret Overlord)


    Replied On July 8th 2010:


    Seems like Church of Panacea is speeding up their opening, seeing lots of activity,


    Funnily enough just opposite from Starlights headquarters, someone has a sense of humor!


    Taking down Lung isn''t exactly going to make all those nutjobs calm down either¡­


    Toppling Dragons seems like something that''s going to end up on a stone slab in Brockton Bay somewhere.


    #Panacea, look out your window, haha!


    End of Page. 1, 2, 3, 4 ... 890, 891, 892, 893


    ¡­


    Amy accidentally crushed the mouse as she clenched her hand too hard, cursing loudly as she got up from browsing PHO, and all the headaches that induced - and walked over to the window, peering out across the street. At something liable to give her many more headaches going forward.


    Sure enough, there was a hive of activity, and the banner that had apparently been put up while she was sleeping, had already been corrected to the Church of Remedy, to her chagrin. Fucking Aurelian, that French weirdo cape was preaching outside the building, in full costume and everything.


    Why the fuck are they settling down right across from me? She thought, taking a deep breath to soother her growing anger. Just what she needed, religious fanatics she couldn''t beat up - bothering her day and night. Pretty fucking flexible religion too, changing their name so quickly. She''d hoped to avoid all the bullshit by rebranding to Remedy.


    Maybe she could get a restraining order.


    Against Aurelian at least, major creep factor there¡­


    Well, she''d planned to spend some time cooking up some viruses and such, why not some aggressive mold that would limit itself to their building, and give them all the runs. Hah, I might actually do that. Fuck them.


    Or perhaps Poison Ivy would accidentally destroy the building, and then accident them each time they tried to rebuild. Just normal cape on cape action, nothing to see there. It was Brockton Bay after all¡­ Things happened.


    Just ask any native.


    She debated going back online to check out the hubbub about Poison Ivy and the change to the city, and immediately winced at the idea. No thank you, not right now¡­


    It had been a mistake to go online at all, if there weren''t comments on how she looked (pervs) or how Vicky looked, (megapervs) there were even nastier comments about it all that made her want brain bleach. And of course the backlash for Purity was everywhere, which she had very much underestimated and not even noticed until now.


    Like seriously she couldn''t believe how much she''d underestimated it. She needed to talk to more people who she hadn''t subtly changed to agree with her, because this was pretty bad on her part.


    She''d thought her story would have at least bought her some sympathy and belief on Purity''s behalf. But either no one believed the story she''d concocted about Purity being mastered, or they just didn''t care.


    Since Brockton Bay was the Nazi capital of America, it''s likely that the degree of antipathy from all the non-whites in the city just wouldn''t accept the concept of an ex-Nazi.


    Once a Nazi always a Nazi or something. Which, fair enough, Purity had killed a lot of people, but dammit, Amy wanted a heavy hitter on her side. She was slightly soiled and stained with racism, but they''d just have to make do. She rubbed her forehead tiredly, maybe the slight positive tint Purity got from helping take down Lung would help¡­


    It shouldn''t make it worse at least.


    Although now she knew they could expect Empire retaliation at some point, Kaiser took enough of a beating at being humiliated by Amy coming out on top of his video praising her, now that she''d also stolen his top cape - he''d be forced to make a move.


    Purity could definitely improve her reputation by taking down some Empire capes, attacking the ABB didn''t exactly clear her reputation. Even if taking down a villain must have helped somewhat.


    Vicky should have just done what Amy had, and stayed out of posting, she winced at the reactions her jumping in had led to on some of the pages. Her attempted defense of New Wave hadn''t exactly convinced anyone, although she''d managed to sway some of her own fans on the Purity issue.


    But most of Glory Girls fans would literally follow her if she joined the Slaughterhouse Nine, they were that kind of fanatics.


    She wondered briefly what was going on with New Wave, not making any statements at all was weird. She''d have expected them to at least cover their asses¡­


    Vicky really should stop panicking the PRT too, playing games with Vista like that she thought, still staring out angrily at the crowd of church nutjobs. Although good on the littlest Ward to use their possible poaching to get more of a say in her uniform and loadout. Smart, she always knew the girl was the only useful Ward.


    At least that''s what she assumed it was about. She knew it was a usual complaint of the girl, and this was the perfect opportunity to push slightly.


    Amy looked at the time, making a protesting noise, there should be rules about this kind of thing¡­


    No one should have to go to school the day after beating up a Dragon¡­


    She hurriedly finished dressing, throwing a light green jacket over her simple jeans and T-shirt combo, rushing down the stairs from the living quarters to the public areas of HQ.


    She met Vicky at the entrance to Starlight headquarters, already this early in the morning she was signing autographs, people recognizing her easily even when in civilian clothes. Living above the headquarters was going to make this a common thing, wasn''t it?


    Oh no¡­ People aren''t going to start recognizing me in civvies are they? She thought apprehensively, eyeing the crowd, and especially the gathered nutjobs across the street, where Aurelian was practically orgasming on his pedestal staring at her.


    Gross.


    Shouldn''t have saved that one''s life¡­


    "Ames!" Vicky shouted, breaking off, jogging forward to meet her, giggling as she curtsied extravagantly once she got an arm''s length away, "Miss Dragonslayer." She said with quirked lips and a blindingly proud look.


    Amy gave her a deadpan look, "So it''s going to be like that, huh?"


    Ugh, her being proud of me shouldn''t make me feel so¡­ Feelings.


    Vicky smirked, tossing her head towards the budding Church across the street, "Why not? or mayyyybe you prefer, my goddess?" She said, adding a sultry tone to the last bit that made Amy flush.


    Oh, god, imagine if they overheard that!


    "Knock it off, it''s embarrassing, people are watching!" She hissed, wishing she wore robes still so she could hide her face.


    Vicky glanced over her shoulder at the many many photographers, smirking evilly, "Let them ship it!" She chirped, bounding forward to hug Amy, kissing her cheek sloppily, before she scooped her up in her arms, taking off into the air.


    "You''re in a good mood." Amy couldn''t help but note, as they took off towards Arcadia, face still flushed from Vicky messing with her.


    Vicky laughed, doing a little pirouette in the air that made Amy almost lose her breakfast. "Why shouldn''t I be? We''re literally the coolest heroes on the east coast, we took down LUNG!" She got a soft warm look in her eyes, as she leaned down and kissed Amy softly on the lips, lips lingering for just for a second, "And I have the cutest girl in my arms¡­" She purred.


    Amy was lost for words, still feeling the touch on her lips and the taste of peach lip gloss. She''d¡­ She hadn''t done that. She hadn''t made Vicky feel like that¡­ She''d just¡­ She''d just made her aroused now and then to mess with her¡­ Which she hadn''t even been doing lately. What?


    How, why, what? Her brain was short circuiting.


    Plus¡­ Feelings. She couldn''t deal with that.


    Vicky took her dumbfounded silence in stride, smiling softly as they flew across town, eventually setting down near the entranceway of Arcadia.


    As Amy stood unsteadily, mind still scrambled from the soft, very not sisterly kiss, a chant began around them, the kids of Arcadia all standing around chanting, "Dragonslayer! DRAGONSLAYER! Make way for the DRAGONSLAYER!"


    Vicky grinned widely, eyes sparkling as she raised a confused Amy''s hand into the air, to the roar of their peers.


    All Amy could think was, If Lung escapes, he''s really not going to take this well¡­


    <hr>


    PRT headquarters, Brockton Bay.


    It was an all hands on deck kind of meeting, Director Piggot and Deputy Director Renick both attending, as well as the Chief Director on conference call.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    They held the meeting at the PRT headquarters, because having the entire team on the Rig was just asking for trouble if Lung blew up suddenly. Which was always a possibility no matter what defenses they put in place. Especially as they''d forced Panacea to remove whatever biological compound she''d used to make him unable to use his power, as they couldn''t have that unknown situation follow Lung into custody, so the dragon was once again awake and aware. Dauntless was holding down the fort for now while the rest of them met and discussed the recent situation.


    At least he might have a shot in putting Lung down together with all the confoam sprayers if he began to escalate.


    Anger would come easy to the dragon in the situation he was in. Hopefully just anger wouldn''t be enough to prevent their countermeasures.


    Lung was secondary right now, the one big issue on their mind something different.


    Their newest issue that in one swoop had taken over a nice chunk of the city, and turned it all into a forest, the giant tree overshadowing all of Brockton Bay, giving it all a kind of fantasy land look from a distance, but the flex of that kind of power was worrying a lot of people.


    It said a lot about the Mayor and the state of the city, that his immediate beef with the situation wasn''t the Parahuman taking over parts of the city, but the extra cost in the municipal budget for removing the likely constant detritus of a city encompassing tree, Ethan thought, as he idly paid attention to anything but the report.


    The meeting had already been going for a while, but Ethan hadn''t paid much attention, since it was just Armsy speaking. A quick elbow to the ribs from his lovely wife, and he once again made an concerted effort to appear attentive, catching the tailend of the report.


    " - Dragon has assisted me in measuring from a distance, and the phenomenon does not appear to be growing any further than its current boundaries." Armsmaster finished his report, sounding even more detached than usual.


    Then again, none of them had much sleep with Lung rampaging and being taken down, and a forest taking over large swaths of the city. That kind of thing necessitated an all hands on deck scenario that meant no one got to sleep properly. Ethan hadn''t ever thought he''d be in a situation where Lung being taken down and taken into custody was the smaller piece of news in the media cycle.


    He didn''t envy the Director or Armsy, both who''d had to deal with the press while trying to find a diplomatic and PR positive spin to the words - we know nothing!


    "So at least it''s not spreading, that was a concern that had Brockton Bay at risk of immediate quarantine." The Chief Director said bluntly, which made Ethan sit up and pay a bit more attention.


    Quarantine was not something anyone liked to hear. That''s what they did to Simurgh cities, surely they weren''t that bad off?


    They just had some extra park space, and the city hadn''t even had to pay for it, the whole thing was almost community service, if one ignored the villain involved.


    Director Piggot looked like she''d not only eaten a lemon, but also had them delivered as a suppository, in bulk. "Is a quarantine off the table now then? Could we get more resources to deal with this¡­ Poison Ivy¡­" She ground the name out, face blotchy with a mix of anger and fear, if Ethan were to guess.


    Ellisburg was not exactly openly spoken about, but they all knew about it, partly why even Ethan accepted some of the Directors paranoia and attitude in regards to parahumans.


    She had ample reasons to feel that way, and it''s not like she was ineffective in her job. Just not very people minded. Made worse by the fact the Protectorates two lead capes was Armsmaster who had never met a social cue he couldn''t run over with his bike - and Miss Militia, who although nice enough, would also follow orders to a degree anyone else would be uncomfortable with, and therefore not trustworthy by any metric for someone serving under her.


    Ethan couldn''t help but critique the villain for simply cribbing the name from a comic book from Aleph though, no matter how apropos her power seemed to be, that was just so lame - not even Uber and L33T had taken names from comic books and they were ultra geeks.


    To their own consternation, they hadn''t actually known literally anything about her really, until she''d outed herself on PHO as being behind the great greening, fabulous forestation?


    He''d find a good name for it, or PHO would, it certainly wouldn''t come from the PRT. For an organization overseeing heroes, they ironically lacked imagination.


    If it weren''t for New York reporting a run in with her, they''d literally have nothing other than her own PHO thread still and some reports from arrested Merchants. Escaping Legend himself didn''t exactly paint their new villain as a weakling - neither did the whole growing a tree the size of a small mountain thing.


    "No, it isn''t off the table." The Chief Director said firmly, referencing the possibility of quarantine, giving them all a gimlet look, "Until we can be certain this metal eating plague does not spread, you will be one phone call away from immediate containment." Several of the heroes reacted with displeasure at that, Ethan included, but the Chief Director stared them down without an ounce of remorse, "If it were to spread, the United States of America could cease to exist. Your personal feelings in this do not matter." She hammered home, before she addressed Director Piggot again, "You''ll get Legend for a day or two to confront this villain, but that''s all, I can''t waste resources that might just end up in containment."


    Director Piggot looked even sourer, but not at all surprised. Neither was anyone at the table, it''s not like they''d ever gotten reinforcements before, so why now¡­


    Legend of course, would be able to fly away long before the containment walls went up if it came to that. Non metal containment walls to boot, Ethan knew, from the pre-meeting. The national guard was already setting up outside Brockton Bay, ready to go into action to dome them up.


    Funny how quickly they could get around to contain a city, but when it came to beating down villains you needed forty forms filled out in triplicate to maybe get assistance next year.


    Ethan thought they were all kidding themselves anyway, if this chick could create metal eating plants, surely she could defeat whatever material the dome would consist of. It''s why he was very much against Piggots - beat it with a stick avenue of diplomacy.


    Legend was definitely preferable and let him breathe a little easier at the idea negotiations would be handled by a reasonable man.


    "And if this villain, this¡­ Ivy¡­ Is amenable to negotiation?" Miss Militia asked, her power flickering between weapons, one of the only ways to tell just how stressed she was.


    Other then perhaps a flamethrower or nuke, she didn''t exactly have a lot of weapons that worked on plants.


    Director Piggot scoffed, "She''s obviously a biotinker, no better than Nilbog or Bonesaw, we should be sending the triumvirate at her, not sending Legend to negotiate." Her tone only grew more disgusted the longer she spoke.


    She''d been arguing for a kill order or an immediate Triumvirate response from the beginning. Miss Militia and Armsmaster backing her, because of course they had.


    Ethan liked Hannah, he really did. But he couldn''t help but feel that she''d blow up the city if that was the order. She''d feel bad about it, but she''d do it. And Armsy¡­ He''d been better lately, but he was still more interested in taking down a bad guy, then wondering if he should.


    Like right now.


    The Chief Director gave Director Piggot a chilled look, "And that is why Legend will perform the negotiation, you are too biased in the matter, Emily. We can not afford to make her into an S class enemy, if she wants to hold on to a useless train yard and a dead dock, you''ll give it to her and leave her alone."


    "It''s been my experience that villains are never satisfied with what they have." Armsmaster said carefully, using his - I''m speaking to my superior voice, mark 3. "Negotiation will only give her time to settle in and become unassailable."


    Ethan couldn''t help but give his two cents at that, leaning casually over the table, immediately receiving a warning look from Director Piggot, it was like she didn''t trust him or something! "At the risk of ruining this echo chamber thing we''ve got going on, but what if she isn''t that bad?"


    Battery slumped in her chair, a hand going to her face as if to hide it, "Assault¡­" She murmured painfully.


    He''d probably pay for it later.


    But that was its own kind of fun.


    Director Piggot rose up, nostrils flaring as she glared daggers at him, "I assume you are attempting levity, Assault. If I thought you were serious I might have to enact M/S screening." Her eyes narrowed in thought, "You were only a few blocks away from the boat graveyard during the incident, correct?"


    The Chief Director waved a hand dismissively on the monitor, "Leave it Emily, Assault, get on with it." Her eyes flickered to something off screen, "I do have other matters to attend to, you aren''t the only possible S class situation going on."


    Ethan bet the Chief Director would make an awesome dominatrix with that kind of stern firm voice and no nonsense attitude. But he figured it wasn''t worth his life to point it out, so he made his case, "Look, no one even got injured in this whole thing, she cleaned up the boat graveyard and then stopped, yeah we found out she killed Skidmark awhile ago when we looked into it, but honestly¡­ Is anyone even upset? It''s a net positive for the city, and to be honest, if we don''t piss her off, this whole thing could actually work out for us." He took a deep breath, knowing he''d likely get no second chance at forwarding his point. "She hasn''t actually fought us, she might actually be open to cooperation, which would be a hell of a lot more than we have with the other gangs."


    Armsmaster shook his head, speaking stiffly, not even looking at Ethan. "Murder is murder, whether the city is better or not is immaterial, Skidmark did not have a kill order, as heroes we do not pick and choose who lives or dies."


    The Chief Director nodded, "Armsmaster is of course correct." She allowed the silence to stretch for a moment, before she continued, "So is Assault. If Poison Ivy can be confirmed as not continuing an expansion¡­ And of course be warned about the possibility of receiving an immediate kill order if she does expand, or if she makes self replicable constructs - no further action will be taken. She could be immensely useful in case of an Endbringer attack on Brockton Bay, even better if she will agree to help out elsewhere."


    Director Piggot looked apoplectic, "Ma''am," She began, only to be shut down immediately.


    "No, this is final, Legend will be there tomorrow, to begin negotiations." The Chief Director said, before unceremoniously disconnecting.


    They hadn''t even gotten a chance to discuss Lung. Again, it was just odd how low priority he was.


    Ethan had been freaked out when the forest had begun taking over, if he was honest with himself - but the results, he felt, spoke for themselves. Poison Ivy hadn''t actually hurt anyone. She also stopped before reaching the actually inhabited areas of town. It wasn''t the actions of a mad woman. The PRT worked with the Elite, Toybox, Accord, and plenty others, even if they hated to admit it.


    Why not Poison Ivy?


    This could be good, if Legend could deliver, and if anyone could, it was him. Women always seemed to be fascinated with the pretty man, despite his lack of interest.


    Between Nazis and the ABB and her, Ethan would take a plant mistress anyday, as long as she kept them to herself, of course.


    And that was the rub wasn''t it?


    "Assault" "Assault." Both Director Piggot and Armsmaster spoke up at the same time, both with a similar disapproving tone. Although there was more heat present in the Director''s voice.


    He held his hands up, "Hey now, don''t shoot the messenger, it''s good to view all the options here, and I''m not wrong, I for one don''t want to fight someone that can drop Yggdrasil on me."


    What the hell was most of them supposed to do if Poison Ivy grew a skyscraper sized tree under their asses?


    Director Piggot glared at him almost hatefully, shaking off Deputy Director Renicks weak attempt to pull her back. "You ever try to defend a monster capable of wiping out Brockton Bay in front of me again Assault, there will be consequences!"


    He didn''t take it personally, knowing her buttons and PTSD were pressed pretty heavily at the moment, so he just nodded, keeping his mouth shut.


    Armsmaster jumped in right behind her, "It is important when facing the upper echelons to be on the same page, your comment only served to make us look divided." The disapproving tone did nothing to change his mind. "Defending a villain is a wasted effort."


    Ethan nodded his head genially, not saying he agreed with their views, but also not further digging himself down either, he wasn''t stupid. Fighting a lost battle wasn''t worth it, he''d made his point to the Chief Director, that was enough.


    Then Velocity of all people spoke up, "Technically¡­ Armsmaster and Miss Militia could also lay waste to the city, if they truly tried, it''s all about if they would. And Assault might have a point, we just don''t know yet."


    "Look at what you''ve done!" Battery hissed at him, Ethan just grinned, feeling pleased to have received backup, even if his lovely wifey didn''t agree.


    Ethan would love to say that was the end of the meeting and they all went and got some much needed sleep.


    But Piggot kept them for another two hours.


    Bureaucracy was a bitch!


    <hr>


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    ? Topic: New Villain Offers Sanctuary!


    In: Boards ? America ? East Coast ? Brockton Bay ? Capes ? Poison Ivy


    ?Poison Ivy (Original Poster) (Verified Cape)


    Hello all the lovely people of Brockton Bay, I figured I might as well introduce myself before the big bad PR(t) machine paints me out as a slobbering madwoman.


    I am the villain responsible for the beautification of the parts of Brockton Bay no one was taking care of. My lovely territory (the former train yards and boat graveyard) is now a haven, gangs and the PRT are not welcome - the forest will repel invaders¡­


    You have been warned!


    Although I am no hero, the haven I control, under the leaves of my own world tree, aptly named Sanctuary - will offer succor to those of you who want to escape homelessness and addiction, or just want safety from the rampant gangs and their evil.


    Food, homes, warmth, healing - it''s all on offer within, as long as you come with no thought of harm towards the forest and its inhabitants. To offset any questions on potential mastering or such disgusting comparisons to Heartbreaker - I will be offering a substantial sum to have Panacea independently verify that I do not have that capability - and that the people entering my forest are not under any control. I do plants, not people.


    Like I said, I''m no hero. So in return for offering those of you who wish safety from the gangs succor, I will demand tribute, a favor, a task in my name - something to prove your sincerity.


    This can be as simple as helping harvest the food my forest is growing for all the homeless.


    I might be a villain by PR(t) standards, but I am in no way evil.


    Come find me, and find out.


    (Showing page 1 of 248)


    ?Kolerog


    Replied On July 9th 2010:


    #Poison Ivy "I do plants"


    Tell me more¡­


    Link to picture of Poison Ivy <u>here</u> taken by a merchant few weeks ago.


    Yum.


    ?XxVoid_CowboyxX


    Replied On July 9th 2010:


    Wait, villains can be verified capes here?


    How come I haven''t seen that before! Is PHO in on the conspiracy too! Are there elves hidden in the forest cuz world tree? #Poison Ivy do you have poisonous lips just like in the comics?


    Did the forest eat Hookwolf? Is the PRT covering it up because they''re secretly Nazi''s?


    ?Liima1 (Verified Finnish)


    Replied On July 9th 2010:


    #XxVoid_CowboyxX can''t believe I''m asking this, but poisonous lips¡­ Uh, which ones? Just in case, you know.


    It''s good to have all the info¡­


    Also more pics when?


    ?BringerOfFarts


    Replied On July 9th 2010:


    #Liima1 sure, sure, just scientific curiosity right?


    Perv.


    #XxVoid_CowboyxX


    Also, pretty sure this is still America, last I checked being a bad guy (or girl) or even being in jail, doesn''t stop you from having the right of free speech.


    I guess except the Birdcage. Cuz fuck those guys.


    Pretty sure as long as she doesn''t like calling for a violent takeover of the city, she''ll be fine. Uber and L33T are both on PHO you know, so not like she''s the first.


    Also, welcome to our new overlady, I will never again forget to water my plants, please do not do plant things to me!


    ?Monarch (Verified Cape) (Elite)


    Replied On July 9th 2010:


    Please do plant things to me!


    ?Whack-A-Mole (Veteran Member) (Girl in the know)


    Replied On July 9th 2010:


    You know¡­ Managed to get a hold of a report on an encounter in New York, Poison Ivy battled the villain Ravager, she got chased off by Legend.


    But let''s forget those inconsequential tidbits, and focus on the important things.


    Poison Ivy can do tentacles. Tied up Ravager real good.


    I ship it.


    ?Soupguy


    Replied On July 9th 2010:


    #Whack-A-Mole, there''s a lot of Asians in Brockton Bay¡­


    Not saying anything else.


    That is all.


    Just saying.


    ?BadDragon (Temp Banned)


    Replied On July 9th 2010:


    Plants, come on... As if. Lung will be out soon enough again, and then she''ll be a goner, you hear that you stupid plant bitch?


    Whatcha gonna do against FIRE!


    ?DockItHard


    Replied On July 9th 2010:


    I mean free food, healing and a place to stay? It''s way better than any of the gangs or the actual government is offering. This is fucking Brockton, not really an abundance of safety or prosperity around, you know what I''m saying?


    We''re already all being bent over by the gangs and the PRT, so it seems like this would just be the same thing for a better offer.


    If you''re already bent over, why does it matter if this time it''s by plants?


    Plants prob gentler than Hookwolf or Oni Lee, all I''m saying.


    ?GstringGirl


    Replied On July 9th 2010:


    The important thing is no one got hurt, and the plants and trees look really pretty, especially the plant boats in the harbor, it all looks really nice, doesn''t it?


    ?NotKeanuReeves (Temp Banned)


    Replied On July 9th 2010:


    So¡­ the plants are all man eaters, right? No way some villain is going - I''ll take all your poor and sick routine - without something evil behind it.


    Nevermind, just saw the picture, where do I sign up? I always wanted to take up henching.


    I''ll work behind or under her anyday!


    I don''t even care if you peg me with plant tentacles, I accept my new plant overlady.


    ?Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    Replied On July 9th 2010:


    This thread is under heavy watch, as is all villain involved threads as a matter of procedure.


    I''m putting a stop to the way this thread is already derailing, there will be no more mentions of tentacles, or anything of the sort, there will be no inciting or attempting to draw out the original poster.


    No one''s getting a Darwin award today, people.


    Keep it clean, keep it to powers or general discussions, or I will lock it.


    ?JollyHippo (Veteran Member) (Secret Overlord.)


    Replied On July 9th 2010:


    Only in Brockton Bay¡­


    Parts of the city get overtaken by a magic forest, it seems like it would be the talk of the town, right?


    But no, it''s all about things that should not be spoken about instead, or actual idiots wanting to go there.


    You gonna trust her word on it!?


    I fucking hate this city¡­


    ?BigKahuna


    Replied On July 9th 2010:


    Am I the only one scared Void hasn''t been banned yet?


    That''s the real horror of the last few weeks.


    What''s going on there!?


    End of Page. 2, 3, 4 ... 245, 246, 247, 248


    ¡­


    Well¡­ That was pointless, Ivy thought, having gone on PHO since Amy had the thought of wanting to check on it, not having to worry about school, she had more free time to browse.


    She''d forgotten that the internet was in fact populated by 98 percent perverts.


    Some porn was probably cleaner then the comments online. People thought villains were sick?


    Most of them couldn''t compete with the perversions in a regular person on the Internet''s mind.


    Hopefully the news of her Sanctuary would still spread, the homeless didn''t exactly surf PHO, so it would have to trickle down to them. She couldn''t exactly go recruiting, she had to keep things to her territory for now, to not set off the PRT worse than it already no doubt was.


    Emily Piggot wasn''t exactly known as reasonable, and that was before she pressed the big red Ellisburg button by transforming part of her city.


    She was already prepared in case the response was extermination, and they''d regret it if it was, because her return would be swift, and she wouldn''t be playing nice anymore.


    With her power, if she really let loose, there wouldn''t be any stopping her. So if they decided to play hardball, it would only benefit her in the end. Amy would swoop in to save the day, and then the two of them could play both sides until they were the only ones left.


    She wouldn''t have to worry about crafting her little slice of Brockton Bay into a proper gang territory, the people would come to her and build it up for her. The homeless, she could heal into perfect health, twist their loyalty, because of course she wasn''t a master of any sorts or bioshaper.


    It''s all just plants doing it.


    Panacea said so.


    She couldn''t help but snort at that. She''d give herself a pass, and most people would leave off with just that, such was Panacea''s reputation. Or Remedy now, but the name hadn''t had enough time to circulate to be known.


    She was currently in one of the labs Strider had managed to purchase and outfit, the location finished just before she reformed the entire territory, obviously she did not eat up her precious lab - that would have been counterproductive, so it was one of the few actual proper buildings in the area, even if most of it was underground.


    With Coil probably not getting killed anytime soon - using Fortress construction for the expansion of the building was suddenly a bit of an issue for Panacea. Luckily this lab was in Ivy''s territory, and not even Coil would be stupid enough to poke through here after the first few timelines of failure.


    She almost hoped he''d send Tattletale in.


    With her own territory, she didn''t need to play too carefully, and the bitch would make a good minion.


    Maybe.


    Even her work could probably only fix so much smugness and bitchiness.


    Ivy got off the computer, there was no point in browsing anymore of PHO, it was obvious it was just going to continue in the same vein, nothing she needed to see. If she wanted filth, she could just go back to Skidmarks house.


    Sherrel ambled in, followed by a filthy old man covered in rags, "Boss, already got one dude that is willing to make a deal." She announced cheerfully.


    Ivy gave her a pained look, "My personal lab was not where I remember telling you to take them Hot Wheels¡­" She chided.


    Sherrel shrugged, scratching her left tit casually, "Eh, but you were here, so figure quicker, yeah?"


    The homeless man hadn''t even looked at Ivy yet, too busy staring at Sherrel, Ivy wondered if he was really here for the deal or if he''d just followed Sherrel after seeing her in the underbrush.


    It was unlikely he''d even heard of it, the homeless didn''t exactly spend much time online.


    Ivy looked at her in defeat and just accepted it with a tired sigh, Sherrel is not going to change, not without more brain scrambling than I''m comfortable with, speaking of¡­ "Sherrel¡­ You realize that although I jokingly called this the Garden of Eden, we don''t actually go around naked, right?"


    "Huh, my bad then." Sherrel said, while making absolutely no effort to cover up. What''s with her and clothes? Ivy thought with annoyance, but she switched her focus to the man she''d lured in.


    She wouldn''t be caught staring at Sherrel, she had self control.


    "I offer you healing, bringing your body up to its best and healthiest it could be, do you accept?" Ivy offered flippantly.


    She didn''t bother listing the services required in payment for utilizing her sanctuary, because those were for the people that didn''t stay permanently. The ones that left her territory and therefore couldn''t show up acting differently without ruining her reputation.


    This was a homeless man, alone in her territory, there would be no deal, he''d be loyal, she''d make sure of it.


    Oh, no full out slavish mastering, because she didn''t need the heat yet if he got caught somehow by the heroes. But for a man about to have a much better life, a slow growing sense of loyalty wouldn''t be too weird.


    "I figure it''s either that or die in the winter, so why not?" The older man said gruffly, scratching his dirty beard. He looked at least in his sixties, and like a man that had led a hard life.


    Being homeless wasn''t easy to begin with. Being homeless in Brockton Bay was like the hunger games.


    Murdered by the Empire during an initiation? Drug off by the Merchants, the ABB having some fun while bored, an independent villain needing test subjects, you never knew, but it was never good. Brockton Bay was its own kind of hell for the homeless.


    Amy had used them as well for test subjects, just proving the point, they''d all flock to her soon enough.


    Luckily, she had lots of biomass around, healing and shaping requiring it, unlike most of her plant shaping - so she gestured for him to sit down in one of the chairs nearby, making a point even for this soon to be loyal man - to call up her plants, making vines grow around the man, flowers blooming and spraying him with their perfume


    Mostly all theater, to make him believe the plants were healing him and changing him, as his eyes grew a little slack, from the slight sedative the flowers had exuded. Ivy stepping up and laying a hand on him, wrinkling her nose slightly at the absolute filth on his skin, the smell wasn''t all that either.


    Since this man would be hers, she went a little above and beyond. She healed him of course, curing many ailments, from arthritis, to a failing liver, to the onset of Alzheimer''s she noticed in his brain. She even rebuilt his body to a slightly younger age, his ID might say sixty something now, but his body would look and feel like forty at the most. As he would be one of her henchmen, she also strengthened his bones, his musculature and his immune system amongst other things.


    Nothing that would make him truly super human, but it would all in all make him more durable, less likely to die on her and waste a resource. An army of Brutes could wait until she had a firmer hand on Brockton Bay and didn''t risk the whole city being firebombed out of existence.


    She finally let go, stretching languidly, turning to Sherrel, unable to stop her eyes from roaming as Sherrel stood proudly naked in front of her. Damn¡­


    "He''ll be unconscious for a few hours, then you can take him and explain what tasks need to be done and introduce him to Sandman." She said idly, looking away quickly when Sherrel gave her a knowing look, winking exaggeratedly.


    "Sure thing boss lady, whatcha working on anyway?" Sherrel asked, strolling up, laying a companionble arm around Ivy''s shoulder.


    Ivy tried to ignore the feel of Sherrels breast pushing into her side, focus on the work, yes, the work. She thought, clearing her throat, "I''m working on shaping different plants into products I can use to force the city to accept my presence no matter what, until I''m ready to take it over." She explained.


    Sherrel hummed in interest, "Like what? Veggie burgers that don''t taste like horse shit?" She chuckled at her own joke, drawing an amused smile from Ivy.


    "Maybe next time." She said, quirking a half grin at the thought of going into the food business. The amount of people who would screech Soylent green¡­ Heh, almost worth doing it just for that. Except I''m trying to get good PR¡­ For now.


    She looked over to where she was testing different synthesized drugs from the different plants she''d played with all night and morning so far. "What I''m working on right now¡­ Is cures for various diseases, ones entirely dependant on only my plants."


    Sherrel whistled, looking impressed, "If that works, they can''t touch you." She said with admiration, before laughing with pure glee, "We''ll be the biggest most kickass gang ever, and the government will have to bend over for us to buy their drugs! Talk about taking over the drug trade!" She whooped.


    Ivy smirked, "That''s the idea, take over the illegal drug trade, and the legal drug trade, and no one will be able to mess with us." Not that easy, but it certainly will make it difficult to remove me¡­ And of course, Amy will be the governments only hope to ''recreate'' the drugs outside of villain hands¡­ Heh.


    "We should celebrate¡­" Sherrel purred, running a hand down Ivy''s front, drawing a shocked gasp and a wide eyed stare from her.


    Sherrel chuckled, removing her hand, "Boss lady, you''re such a virgin." She chided, before backing off, "But I can take a clue, not this time, but eh, think about it okay?"


    Ivy watched her leave, a complicated expression on her face.


    Perhaps I should.


    I exist in this body to have fun after all.


    And maybe it will take my mind of Vicky and the complications there¡­


    Not today¡­ She thought, looking towards her experiments.


    But tomorrow?


    Tomorrow was another matter.


    <hr>


    Arcadia had been exhausting today. Normally Amy didn''t have to worry about being the center of attention, not with Vicky around.


    She''d thought she''d be fine, after all, the announcement of leaving New Wave and creating Starlight hadn''t gotten her mobbed, so surely nothing would change.


    Things had changed. A lot.


    She''d really underestimated how much of a pall Lung and the ABB had cast over the city, even somewhere fairly prosperous like Arcadia High.


    If people weren''t begging her for autographs, they were shooting questions about the fight, or trying to touch her, at least those last ones Vicky got rid off quickly enough for her. The teachers tried to stamp down on it, but there was only so much they could do outside of class without kicking the entire school out for the day.


    Because of the commotion, she''d literally had no time to try and get a minute alone to speak with Vicky, to figure out what was going on. She hadn''t expected a reversal of the canon situation between the two of them, even with all the teasing and messing with her that she''d done. She''d made her loyal, because she was a selfish person inherently, and she didn''t want Vicky to ever abandon her - but that didn''t mean feelings, right?


    And how did she feel about her? She hadn''t really thought too deeply on it, not with everything going on, and not wanting to go down that canon rabbit hole. With the crazy school day of uncomfortableness - she hadn''t had a chance to even probe her own feelings on the matter.


    The fact such a small inconsequential kiss had thrown all the butterflies around inside her, wasn''t a good sign¡­


    She was doing everything she could to ensure canon never happened, for this city in particular, since someone else already took care of the golden morning issue. Her and Vicky was kind of canon if you squinted at it, especially if she had those feelings.


    Could she even do that? She was aware she was kind of a sociopath, considering she had no real issues with killing or becoming a villain set to control an entire city, the drug trade, the works. No one could really argue the point¡­ So could she even feel like that for someone?


    She needed time to think! And she couldn''t even use Ivy''s brain for it because she was in the middle of finicky shaping, important work for their plans going forward that she couldn''t just drop, not with an incoming PRT response - whenever they got off their asses and picked a way to tackle Ivy.


    The school day finally finished, and Amy trudged outside with Vicky, who was still looking all too comfortable and serene for Amy''s liking. If she was going to be all neurotic about everything it wasn''t fair that Vicky was perfectly chill about everything.


    Fucking Glory Girl and her non neurotic ass! She though mullishly, but that only got her to look at her ass¡­ Her jeans were so tight they could be classified body paint and no one would be surprised.


    Which didn''t help with the situation right now.


    Before they could take off, someone called out to them.


    "Amy, Vicky!"


    Amy glanced towards the parking lot, and her heart sank, so much for time to think, she snarked silently to herself.


    In the parking lot was Lady Photon, or as she was in her civvies, Aunt Sarah.


    Vicky the traitor of course flew over immediately, even if she kept her face fairly neutral, due to how their last meeting went.


    Amy was left with no choice but to begrudgingly trudge over to see what Aunt Sarah wanted.


    Infamy is looking a lot better than fame, if his is what fame gets me¡­ She thought irritably, having been harassed all day, without a moment to think. She just wanted an hour to herself and a few minutes alone with Vicky, was that too much to ask?


    "Aunt Sarah." She stated with a chilled tone, as she came to stand next to Vicky, her sister immediately laying an arm around her shoulder in support. She immediately felt some tension bleed out, and stiffened right after as she realized just how easily Vicky could make her feel better. That''s just sister stuff, nothing more!


    Their Aunt visibly winced, even as she gave the both of them a wistful smile, "It good to see you girls, I know we haven''t exactly done right by you, but we''d like to talk, at our house, if possible." She hurriedly added, "Carol and Mark won''t be there."


    "You should have called and made an appointment." Amy said coldly, not giving a fuck. Carol and Mark were the main offenders, but the rest of New Wave had hardly stood up and defended her. Just like they didn''t for original Amy.


    The whole team was to blame for half her issues.


    The other half¡­ Well, Amy wasn''t innocent either.


    Aunt Sarah sagged slightly, "Fair, I¡­ We really failed you two, didn''t listen, didn''t pay attention, let Carol run rampant without treating her mental hangups, it''s on us, and you should hate us for it. But please¡­ Just let us talk, we''ll leave you alone after if you want, I promise." She sounded so painfully earnest that it was hard for Amy to find anything rude to say to wave her off.


    Then Vicky turned her big blue eyes on her, face open and honest, "Ames¡­" She said softly, and Amy closed her eyes, "Fine." She muttered out, not looking at either of them.


    "You girls okay to fly? Or want to take my car?" Aunt Sarah asked softly, looking relieved.


    Vicky answered that easily enough, scooping up Amy in a bridal carry, "Race you there." She said casually, taking off into the air.


    It didn''t take them too long too arrive, Vicky and Amy waiting by the door for Aunt Sarah, who flew in shortly after them, setting down on the ground lightly, "Let''s head in then, girls, and thank you." She said sincerely, "For giving us a chance to talk."


    Vicky smiled brilliantly, "Of course Aunt Sarah." And then reached over and hugged the woman, drawing a quiet sniffle out of her.


    Amy watched it all feeling uncomfortable, not offering any words or hugs herself. She was focusing more on her Ivy part of herself, doing actual work, to avoid thinking too heavily about this whole fucked up family situation.


    They entered after Aunt Sarah, going to the livingroom, where the rest of the Pelhams were waiting for them. Uncle Neil, Eric and Crystal. Or Manpower, Shielder and Laserdream if they were in uniform.


    They exchanged some quick greeting, Amy standing back, refusing to get huggy with the people who hadn''t defended her from Carol. No matter that the end result was something she''d engineered and wanted. She had expected at least a token defense, some sign they cared.


    She hadn''t gotten it. So she wasn''t interested now, weeks later.


    As soon as Vicky floated back to Amy''s side, Aunt Sarah began, running a hand through her hair tiredly, "Look, I don''t know how to even make this right, but it has to begin with an apology." She looked at Amy, "I am so sorry for not reacting, responding, hell, for not doing anything, even punching my sister for what she said - anything would have been better than nothing. I should have made sure you knew you were loved, Amy." There was real pain in her voice, and a hitch to it that showed she was a holding back stronger emotions.


    Amy shifted uncomfortably, averting her eyes.


    Uncle Neil took over, clasping one large hand onto Aunt Sarah''s shoulder, "What she said, we behaved terribly, Amy, we should have stood up for you immediately. I can only blame the shock, but it is no excuse. I am sorry. We''re all sorry, sweetheart. For you too Vicky, we should have been as vehement as you were, you were the best of us in that moment."


    Amy''s mouth was slightly open as she listened to the unabashedly complete apology, with no attempts to talk around the issue or blame anyone else. "Thank¡­You¡­" She managed to get out, feeling a degree of warmth she didn''t think she could still feel towards them.


    Crystal and Eric both rushed forward in that moment, almost knocking Amy over in their haste to hug her, Vicky joining in with a teary eyed laugh.


    "I''m so sorry Amy!" "I can''t believe I didn''t stand up and do anything, and I will never forgive myself, I''m so sorry Amy!" Eric and Crystal cried out at the same time, knocking their heads together with Amy''s as they crushed themselves against her. If she wasn''t brute rated now, that would have probably hurt.


    "It''s alright¡­ You couldn''t go against all the adults." Amy said softly, not as angry with the two, not everyone could be like her, perfectly willing to set out mostly on her own.


    Didn''t mean she forgave any of them, because she didn''t. But she could slightly accept them a bit easier.


    "It''s not alright." Crystal insisted, smooshing Amy''s cheeks together insistently, eyes wet, "We hurt you, and that will never be okay."


    "Give her her cheeks back, Cryz!" Vicky laughed, pulling Amy back out of the group with one quick yoink, "Amy is going to combust if everyone keeps hugging her, she''s a grouchy teddy bear, remember?"


    Crystal and Eric both backed off immediately, although with small chuckles, Amy giving Vicky a pouty glare for bringing back childhood stupidity like the grouchy bear remark.


    Aunt Sarah looked happier, as she grabbed Crystal and Eric around the shoulders, just standing there watching Amy and Vicky bicker for a moment, Uncle Neil laughing quietly.


    Amy rubbed her red cheeks, giving them all a tired look, it had already been a long day, "I''m not over it, but I don''t hate you either." She grumbled, pushing away Vicky as she tried to ruffle her hair. "If that''s all, we really got to go, hero business and all that¡­"


    The Pelham family exchanged a loaded look, before Uncle Neil stepped forward, looking unusually serious, "About that¡­ Starlight looking for any recruits?" He asked, gesturing to himself and the rest of the Pelhams.


    Amy''s jaw fell open.


    What!?


    No seriously, what!?


    A suspicious part of her mind couldn''t help but wonder at the same time¡­


    New Wave probably lost most of their sponsors and donors, and it did take them until Starlight was established with the defeat of Lung to apologize¡­


    Is this real?


    Or was it all fake?


    And more importantly¡­


    Yes


    Or


    No?


    <hr>


    The Meathook was a special kind of bar,


    It wasn''t open to the public for one, and it looked more like a man cave than a bar to boot. The only signs to the outside that it was anything but another run down house, was the bloody Meathook sign in one window.


    And of course the people hanging around willing to kill you if you looked at the place wrong. As far as the cops were aware, the place didn''t exist. Especially if they were aware - then it didn''t exist even harder.


    Furs covered the walls and substituted for table cloths on the tables, drinking horns were used instead of mugs or glasses, and there was an abundance of trophies on the wall, of the more disturbing kind, not to even mention the Meathooks dangling from the ceiling with dolls of heroes pierced right through - New Wave in particular featured heavily.


    Panacea in particular was a solid third of the effigies pierced through.


    Jonathan was having trouble keeping his excitement in, it wouldn''t do to grin like a fool and all but call out how new he was to the wolfpack.


    Everyone knew of course, but it wouldn''t do to call attention to it. All the men and the few women who were attending Hookwolf''s bar tonight, had some sort of wolf tattoo somewhere. Jonathan had just gotten his the other day, prominently displayed on both shoulders, one wolf head each.


    He''d finally gotten in fully after their run in with the ABB for the initiation to Hookwolf''s pack. He''d lost some people, but he was alive, and he was in, and that was all that mattered.


    For a Nazi run establishment, there were very few swastikas or paraphernalia around, which made him feel slightly self conscious about the one on his neck. Hookwolf was much more concerned with one''s ability to fight and take some punishment - than keeping up appearances. They were all Empire, but these people were a different breed.


    There were no wait staff, you wanted a beer, you went and you got a fucking beer, no one in the wolfpack paid at Hookwolf''s place - no one not part of the wolfpack entered if they wanted to live. Including Empire 88 capes that weren''t suborned to Hookwolf.


    If you weren''t part of Hookwolf''s crew, he''d murder you if you stepped past the threshold. As one hapless new trigger recruited to the Empire 88 last year had found out.


    From what Jonathan had heard down the grapevine, Kaiser had been thrilled to finally get a tinker for the Empire - until the man had gotten cocky with how ''special'' he was, and had entered the Meathook.


    Kaiser had received his tinker in a dozen pieces. Appropriately attached to meat hooks of course, to really hammer in the point. Kaiser and Hookwolf had disappeared for a day, both returning beaten up and angry, but the matter settled.


    It was one of the many stories that was part of Hookwolf''s and the wolf packs legend. Part of why Jonathan was so excited to finally be here. He''d joined an exclusive club, one where you were in it for life, where every member would die for you, and you''d die for them. Everything he''d ever wanted since he joined the Empire.


    He grabbed a drinking horn off the wall and went behind the bar to pour himself a beer, having to struggle to remain unaffected as he rounded the counter, one of the wolfpack women on all fours being railed by one of the older guys. Both seemingly had just dropped their pants and went at it, with no concern for their location.


    At least the sounds of the bare chested men fighting in the sand pit in the middle of the bar, and the cheering and betting surrounding it - was loud enough to cover the sound of the two fucking. Jonathan hurriedly poured his beer and stepped away to watch the fight, he didn''t know what the etiquette was here, was he supposed to fuck her too? Watch?


    It''s not like they posted rules.


    He drank heavily from his drinking horn, savoring the taste, trying to not think about it too much, as he watched two senior members beat the fuck out of each other to raucous cheers.


    As the fight finished with one of the men giving in with a bloody grin as his nose got broken, the room quickly fell to silence, Hookwolf getting off his throne at the back of the bar managing to immediately draw every eye in the room.


    "That right there, that''s what we''re here for, on this earth." He rumbled, stepping into the sandy miniature arena, chest bare, and his metal mask covering the bottom of his face. "To BATTLE!" He roared, "To BLEED!" The people around Jonathan all screamed, howling to the air, Jonathan following along, feeling his blood pumping wildly, he''d never felt more alive, the air was electric as the men and women shouted out their agreement to Hookwolf''s code.


    "To WIN or to DIE! A Warrior''s life!" Hookwolf laughed, "That''s what it means to belong to the wolfpack!"


    Of course death was more metaphorical in such a simple spar, because they didn''t kill each other. But when it came to enemies. There was no leaving someone alive, you killed or you got killed. Capes had different rules, but they were a special sort.


    "It''s about respect to those ideals, the craving for battle, for proving yourself, for always finding new challenges without giving a FUCK about what anyone thinks about it!" Hookwolf had begun pacing in the sand, a low growl to his voice as he glared out at them. The cheering growing quiet as the pack all realized that Hookwolf was angry.


    "Someone here¡­" Hookwolf growled out, sniffing the air like he smelt something foul, "Has betrayed the pack!"


    Cries of dismay immediately rang out, Jonathan amongst them. How could anyone betray this? This brotherhood, I''ve only just joined and I can''t imagine ever leaving!


    Hookwolf grumbled, pacing, kicking up sand as he moved faster, parts of him turning metal, hooks and blades forming and deforming with his rising anger. "Come forward now, and I''ll make it quick, for your smidgeon of bravery, traitor."


    No one moved, everyone watching each other with hard eyes, watching to see who''d done it, who''d betrayed them. No one stepped forward, a murmur of anger going through the crowd as they realized one of them was a coward. Jonathan could emphasize, looking around in disgust - being a coward was almost worse than being a traitor.


    At the very least, betraying someone like Hookwolf took guts. Not being man enough to own up to it when called out however¡­ Cowardice.


    They should have faced their death with some balls, he thought.


    Hookwolf shook his head, greasy hair falling into his face as his eyes darkened. "I''m disappointed, Cole." He bit out, glaring into the crowd, eyes finding a buff seven foot tall white man, wolf and swastika tattoos visible on his bare chest. As the pack all turn in shock and hate towards their target, Cole pushed those next to him aside, and made a run for the door.


    Jonathan made to tackle the man, when Hookwolf barked out, "Leave him!" Holding one fist up in the air. Everyone stopped in their place, as Cole rushed outside, such gravitas there was in Hookwolf''s words.


    No one would gainsay Hookwolf.


    Hookwolf laughed, his eyes wild as he began transforming, "The hunt is on!" He barked, "Resume the festivities, I''ll bring back the guest of honor¡­"


    Everyone saluted with a fist to their heart, as Hookwolf bounded off after their running traitor. They all knew there would be no need to assist. The wolfpack would get their chance when their master returned with his prey.


    Conversation immediately started up, the bloody man from the previous fight, spitting a great glob or blood and mucus into the sand, "Fucking Kaiser again, I bet, always wants an in to the pack."


    "We''re all Empire, he just needs to trust Hookwolf." One of the others mutters with distaste. "It''s a fucking waste is what it is."


    Jonathan muttered under his breath, not able to help himself, "Not too much of a waste, guy was a coward."


    "Hah, the newbie has it right!" The winner of the previous fight bellowed, putting a large calloused hand on Jonathan''s shoulder, "You got spirit boy, wanna go for a round?"


    Jonathan looked up at the giant of a man, and could only see defeat in his future. Still, he grinned sharply, eyes flashing with battle lust, "You''re on, old man!" He said challengingly.


    "Heh, yeah, you''ll do alright." He said approvingly, "Welcome to the pack, cub."


    ¡­


    Hours later, Jonathan was nursing another beer, his head almost done ringing now.


    Hookwolf had already returned with a broken Cole, allowing the pack to exact the rest of their retribution. They were all Empire 88, but the wolfpack did not tolerate anyone spying on what they were doing, no matter for who.


    Hookwolf called for silence, putting one foot on the broken mess that used to be a person, "Alright, we all know the fucking dyke from New Wave managed to embarrass Kaiser, which normally I wouldn''t give two fucks about, but she embarrassed all of the Empire, ain''t a chance I''ll allow it. The fucking pack is getting called out for loving dykes and homos, and we ain''t fucking accepting that are we!?"


    Jonathan joined the others as they roared out a resounding, "NO!"


    Hookwolf pointed at Jonathan, "New blood here has a brother at Arcadia, he got us a list of all the little friends the dyke and her sister has¡­"


    There were many pats on the back for that, as Jonathan grinned, accepting the fresh beer shoved into his hand, and blushing at the woman who slid into his lap all of a sudden, especially as she slid her hand down his jeans, to cheers from those nearby.


    Jonathan didn''t know exactly how to react to Hookwolf still addressing him while someone was fondling him, it was a very new experience, scaroused probably applied as a description.


    "Hell yeah, show new blood some love!" Hookwolf called out, cackling, "He''s set us up to finally get back at the fuckers who dared make fun of us! Hiding behind their fucking pretty walls, led by a healer." He huffed with disgust. "Fucking cheated to take down that dragon too, couldn''t face him like a man¡­"


    Hookwolf shrugged, "Good riddance to the subhuman garbage anyway, pity though, at least he was worth a fight." Hookwolf looked pensive for a moment, before shaking his head, roaring out, "Now we gotta deal with the uppity dyke that thinks she''s untouchable!"


    "Ain''t the wards at Arcadia?" One of the men questioned, "You''ve been telling us to not gut the babies, is all I''m saying." He said when he received dirty looks all around.


    Hookwolf nodded, "Yeah, but we figured that out already, with Stalker being a nigger, and Vista being a baby, only possible wards around the dyke are guys, so to save us the headache of PRT involvement, we''ll just kill the chicks."


    One of the men began going around with lists for the others in the pack.


    Hookwolf looked on with approval, and with vicious anticipation, "Tonight, ten girls that made the mistake of befriending Glory Girl¡­ Are going to die, with their families, for choosing the wrong people to follow." He laughed darkly, "Woulda been the dykes'' friends, except she doesn''t have any!"


    Laughter erupted at that, Jonathan joining in, of course she doesn''t, who''d want to befriend that disgusting thing?


    "You all got your assignments, kill the fuckers, burn their homes, I want Glory Girl and Panacea to wake up in the morning and see what they''ve done!" Hookwolf barked, gesturing with his arm, groups breaking up and heading for the exit.


    Jonathan had been slightly distracted, and just now realized he hadn''t been given an assignment, Hookwolf sidling up to the bar right next to him, chuckling at Jonathan''s open mouth, "Boy, your assignment is easy." He called out.


    The woman sitting in his lap, bit his ear hard enough to draw blood, grinding into him, Jonathan desperately trying to keep a respectful mien towards Hookwolf during all of it.


    I have a hard on in front of Hookwolf, he though with mortification.


    "Your assignment is to survive this bitch, she''s always hungry for new blood." He laughed, sauntering off, heading out for his own target no doubt.


    "Don''t break him too badly!" Was the last Jonathan heard before Hookwolf left, leaving them alone.


    The blonde older woman laughed, looking at Jonathan with an appraising look, "That''s up to you¡­" She purred.


    Jonathan really didn''t regret joining the Wolfpack, the benefits were great!


    <hr>

 A regular week in Brockton Bay.

    <hr>


    Continuation from previous chapter, Pelham house,


    Amy stood, arms crossed, in front of the Pelham family. "Crystal and Eric can join Starlight as probationary members, but there''s more to this if you really want my trust back," she stated firmly, not willing to just let the family back in.


    She wasn''t that trusting.


    Not anymore.


    Not after not a single one of them defended her from Carol. Granted, she gave as good as she got, but they should have stepped in. If they cared.


    For them to care now, that Amy has a well funded hero team with a swanky headquarters? While New Wave is practically defunct? It just reeks of opportunism.


    Vicky''s eyes widened, glancing at her sister. "Ames..." She seemed unsure of what she wanted herself, but Amy knew she also longed for her family back.


    There''d been enough tears since they left to make that point obvious. Probably the only reason she was considering it at all.


    "No, Vicky, this needs to be said." Amy continued, her voice steady. "The adults in New Wave need to dissolve the team publicly and apologize for what Carol did - publicly. Her actions broke this family and hurt me, and more importantly you, deeply. Until that happens, I''m not making any promises."


    Crystal and Eric had an excuse, however minor, it wasn''t their job to go against Carol, she hadn''t appreciated their silence, but she''d understood it. They''d get to join as probationary members if they wanted.


    ¡­She''d kind of missed the two idiots anyway.


    Aunt Sarah looked stricken. "Amy, that''s... Asking a lot. An apology from Carol would be volatile and could make a family reunification impossible."


    Amy met her gaze evenly. "You want to earn back my trust? This is the price. I need to know that you understand the gravity of what happened and are willing to make it right. If that''s too much, then we have nothing more to discuss." She made a dismissive gesture, "I know Carol won''t apologize, so you apologizing for her, will do. As long as it''s public."


    It would make the media firestorm around her even worse, but she could deal - because it would bury Carol. She wouldn''t be able to be a hero anymore, not unless she joined the Protectorate, her family all leaving her for Amy. It was a delicious bit of revenge.


    Uncle Neil stepped forward, his expression conflicted. "Amy, we understand your pain, but Carol... She''s still family. Publicly shaming her could destroy any chance we have of healing."


    Amy scoffed, and she remained resolute. "I get that it''s hard. But without real accountability, there''s no foundation for trust. I''m not asking for a public execution, just an acknowledgment of the damage done and a commitment to making things right - if you can''t do even that, I don''t know why we''re even still here."


    Eric, looking troubled, asked, "What exactly do you mean by a public apology? Like, a press conference?" He asked.


    Amy nodded. "Yes, something public and official. Not just a quiet apology behind closed doors. It needs to be clear to everyone that they understand their mistakes and are willing to make amends." And that Carol gets dumped with the blame and loses everything¡­


    Crystal chimed in, "But why does it have to be public? Can''t we work this out within the family first?"


    Amy shook her head, her countenance stern. "The damage was public, Crystal. Everyone knows now how Carol treated me - or at least suspect due to the emancipation. A private apology won''t undo the public humiliation and the loss of trust from the community."


    She was pulling crap out of her ass. The real reason was she wanted Carol absolutely humiliated and dumped by her own family. Kind of similar to what Carol had always wanted her end to be like.


    Aunt Sarah sighed deeply, running a hand through her hair. "Amy, this is... A lot. I agree that an apology is necessary, but a public one might make things worse."


    Amy''s eyes hardened. "You say that because you''re worried about the fallout. I''m worried about healing and moving forward. If you can''t admit her wrongs publicly, or if you can''t admit you messed up, then how can I trust any of you to stand by me in the future?"


    Uncle Neil nodded slowly, seeing the determination in Amy''s eyes. "What if we found a compromise? Maybe a public statement from New Wave, acknowledging the mistakes and disbanding the team, without directly shaming Carol?"


    Amy considered this, her expression thoughtful. "That might work, but it needs to be sincere and clear. No dancing around the issue."


    She could make it work, a post or two on PHO and everyone would still focus on Carol as the blame for the split.


    Aunt Sarah looked hopeful. "We could do that. A statement that acknowledges the mistakes and takes responsibility. And we can work on rebuilding trust within the family, starting with more private, heartfelt apologies."


    Amy sighed, feeling some of the tension easing. "Fine. I''m open to suggestions, but it needs to be something significant. Words are easy - actions matter."


    Vicky put a hand on Amy''s shoulder. "Ames, maybe we can find a middle ground. Something that shows their sincerity without completely destroying Mo-Carol." She pleaded, her blue eyes filling her vision and breaking her resolve.


    Eric asked hesitantly, "So, what happens if Carol refuses? What if she doesn''t agree to this?"


    Amy''s eyes flashed with distaste. "Then nothing changes for her. I''ll keep my distance from her no matter what. We''ll handle our own problems without New Wave''s involvement unless you all step up to the plate. This is about more than just me. It''s about setting things right."


    Crystal looked at Amy, her eyes pleading. "We want to help, Amy. We want to make things right. Please, give us a chance to prove it."


    Vicky flew over to hug her, and Crystal barely held back tears as she did, Eric being roped into it and not looking half as reluctant as he used to.


    Amy managed a small smile at the sight, even as she didn''t move to join them. "Okay. I''ll wait to hear from you. But don''t take too long, we have work to do, I''m running a team right now." She warned.


    Another reason to make them do this. Get them used to the fact they''re subordinates now, not the leaders of a team. It would be interesting to see if they could pressure Carol into saying anything, but either way, as long as they did, it worked for her.


    Her team would be even stronger, and Carol would be on her own. Well¡­ Her and Mark, but he hardly counted at this point.


    Uncle Neil stepped forward again, his expression serious. "We will discuss this as a family and come back with a proposal. But please, understand that we are trying, Amy. We want to make things right."


    Amy nodded, a small spark of hope flickering in her chest. Despite everything she had cared for them, just not Carol. "Alright. I''ll wait to hear from you. But remember, I''m not going to be able to trust you easily, so you''ll have to prove to me you''re actually serious."


    As she was stepping out the door, she turned one last time, addressing Crystal and Eric, "Show up at headquarters this weekend, we''ll get you suited up, no matter what happens, you two can still join, at least on probation starting out."


    As they left, Vicky squeezed Amy''s hand, a thankful expression on her face. "You did great, Ames. This is a start."


    Amy managed a small smile. "I hope so, Vicky. I really do."


    The Pelhams watched them go, a mix of determination and concern on their faces. They had a lot to discuss, and the path to redemption wouldn''t be easy. But for the first time in a long while, there was a glimmer of hope that they could heal the wounds and become a family again.


    None of them paid much thought to how they all easily fell in and listened to the commands of a teenager.


    <hr>


    The next day,


    Amy stood at the entrance of Starlight headquarters, her arms crossed and her expression icy. Aunt Sarah approached cautiously, her face etched with worry and exhaustion.


    There hadn''t been any word publicly yet, not that she''d expected it so soon, but already her aunt was here. She expected she''d talked to Carol and was now here to beg for new conditions.


    She was not in a good mood.


    Twice she''d had to get up because the building alarms went off, some punk Nazi trying to spray paint their building both times.


    If she''d actually managed to catch them before they ran away, she''d turn the bastard black!


    "Amy, I need to talk to you and Vicky. It''s urgent," Aunt Sarah said, her voice trembling slightly. She had her uniform on, and it was sweaty and soot stained.


    Amy''s eyes narrowed. "You haven''t done what you needed to do yet. You can''t come in." She eyed her aunt who looked like she''d been working all night, did Carol get to you during patrol? Already changing your mind?


    "Amy, please," Sarah pleaded, looking desperate. "This is important. You need to hear this from me."


    Vicky, who had been nearby, approached the doorway. "What''s going on, Aunt Sarah?" She asked, sounding concerned.


    Sarah took a deep breath. "We need privacy. This news is... It''s horrible. You need to hear it from me first."


    Amy hesitated, her distrust clear. But Vicky placed a hand on her shoulder, gently urging her to let their aunt speak. "Ames, let''s hear her out."


    With a reluctant nod, Amy stepped aside, allowing Sarah to enter. They led her to a private room, closing the door behind them.


    "What''s so urgent?" Amy demanded, her tone still sharp. I swear to god if this is about Carol I''m giving Sarah warts in ALL the places¡­


    Sarah''s eyes filled with tears as she struggled to find the words. "It''s... It''s about your friends, Vicky. And some of the nurses you worked with, Amy. They''ve been... They''re gone."


    Vicky''s face paled. "What do you mean, gone?" She demanded, so shocked she stopped floating a few inches in the air, her feet hitting the floor.


    Now that she didn''t live under the rules of Carol Dallon anymore, she tended to fly everywhere. Well, more than she was before even.


    "Empire 88," Sarah said, her voice breaking slightly. "We suspect they''ve gone after and killed all of Vicky''s school friends and several nurses Amy had gotten along with - and their families." She rubbed her face wearily, "The police contacted us a while ago during the night, warning us due to the¡­ Connection, all the victims have."


    Amy felt as if the ground had been ripped out from under her. "What? No, that can''t be right. Why would they...?" We''ve barely even kept up with school, let alone the people there!? Why would they¡­ She realized it immediately, I embarrassed them¡­


    This is about her making Kaiser look like a fool.


    "No one saw anything," Sarah continued, her voice heavy with grief. "But it''s suspected to be them. Unfortunately, it''s a common Brockton Bay problem. They left no evidence, no witnesses."


    They all knew that was impossible, someone must have seen something, but it was also true that people in Brockton Bay knew better than to talk.


    Vicky collapsed into a nearby chair, her eyes wide with shock and horror, tears beginning to run down her face. "No... Not them. Not my friends."


    Amy clenched her fists, her heart pounding in her chest, she wanted to go comfort Vicky, but she felt this was her fault in a way, and she couldn''t stop the words from flowing, "This can''t be happening. They were innocent, they had nothing to do with this!" She raged.


    Aunt Sarah reached out, trying to comfort them. "I''m so sorry. I wanted to tell you before you heard it from someone else. The authorities are doing everything they can, but..."


    "But what?" Amy snapped, holding back tears. "But there''s nothing they can do? Is that what you''re going to say?" Goddammit, fuck, FUCK! I''m going to kill them, they''re dead!


    Vicky buried her face in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. "This is my fault. They targeted them because of me."


    Amy moved to her sister''s side, pulling her into a tight embrace - she couldn''t let her think that. "No, Vicky. This isn''t your fault. It''s theirs. They did this. And they will pay for it." The last came out as a growl, as she envisioned Kaiser shitting his lungs out.


    It might take some work, but she''d find a way to get that done. Exactly like that too. It was his fault, and hers. Not Vicky''s.


    Sarah wiped her eyes, struggling to remain composed. "We''ll do whatever it takes to bring them to justice, girls. But right now, you need to be careful. They might target you next, we''ve already made sure to up our own defenses."


    Unfortunately they did already have experience with being under threat from Empire 88 members with no brains and too much guts.


    Amy''s expression hardened. "Let them try. We''re not going to hide. We''re going to fight back."


    Vicky looked up, her eyes red and filled with determination. "Yes¡­ We''re going to make them pay for this." She swore, hatred in her voice.


    Aunt Sarah nodded, her resolve strengthening. "We''ll stand by you. All of us. But please, be careful. We can''t lose you too, don''t take the fight to them, not until we''re a full team again." She pleaded.


    Likely knowing saying no would he totally useless.


    "No promises." Amy snarled, but seeing the teary eyes of both her sister and aunt, she deflated slightly, "But I suppose it can''t hurt to wait just a little bit."


    Aunt Sarah smiled tremulously, "Thank you, Amy."


    "... Thank you for coming to tell us, Aunt Sarah." Amy said, sighing, opening up an arm, Sarah joining her in comforting Vicky, who was breaking down again.


    This was personal, they couldn''t touch them right now, so they went after innocents.


    Amy wouldn''t let that stand.


    <hr>


    Later that morning, PRT Headquarters.


    Legend touched down lightly on the pavement outside PRT headquarters, his feet barely making a sound. Despite the early hour, the building buzzed with activity, a testament to the urgency of the situation. He straightened his blue and white costume, smoothing the wrinkles, before striding confidently toward the entrance. His presence exuded an aura of calm authority, a stark contrast to the palpable tension inside the building.


    It would be one of the benefits of his presence, calming down that tension. Whether it was a situation they could handle or not, Legend knew having one of the Triumvirate present settled down the rank and file.


    As he walked in, he was greeted by a flurry of salutes and hurried whispers. Staff members quickly stepped aside, making a clear path for him. He acknowledged them with a nod and a reassuring smile, but didn''t break his stride. He had a job to do, and time was of the essence. In his experience, these kinds of negotiations couldn''t be put on hold for too long, or the villain would get¡­ Ideas.


    Director Piggot was waiting in a conference room adjacent to her office, and he easily made his way there without an escort, finding her, along with Armsmaster and Miss Militia waiting for him. The room was stark and utilitarian, dominated by a large table cluttered with maps, reports, and surveillance photos. Piggot looked up as he entered, her expression a mixture of relief and frustration. Armsmaster stood to the side, his face as impassive as ever, while Miss Militia offered him a tired but grateful smile.


    He offered her a quick smile back, before he turned serious and faced Director Piggot, a hard woman caught in a hard situation.


    "Legend," Piggot greeted curtly, not rising from her seat. "Thank you for coming on such short notice."


    Legend nodded, taking a seat at the head of the table. "No problem, Director. I''m here to help. What''s the latest update on our new friend?" He said calmly, turning wry at the end.


    Piggot''s lips tightened at the term ''friend'' but she launched into her report without comment. "The situation remains stable for now. The growth hasn''t spread beyond the trainyards and the boat graveyard, but the potential for expansion remains a significant concern. We''ve been monitoring the area closely, and there''s been no further activity from Poison Ivy herself."


    Good news, he thought, even as he felt a bit of chagrin about this whole situation. If only he hadn''t prioritized Ravager in New York, perhaps this all wouldn''t have happened. He firmly shut the door on that thought right after, there was no use in it, not now, second guesses could wait until the crisis was over.


    Armsmaster stepped forward, activating a holographic display that projected a detailed map of Brockton Bay, highlighting the affected areas. "We''ve confirmed that the plants are not spreading, but we can''t be sure if that''s a deliberate choice or a limitation of her power. Our primary concern is the potential for a sudden escalation."


    Legend studied the map, noting the dense green overlay that marked the new forest. "And what''s her stated goal? Has she made any demands or attempts at communication?" He asked, curious.


    With what she''s done in a short time, he could understand why Armsmaster looked even more severe than usually, Brockton Bay could not stop an expansion, not without heavy outside assistance.


    Miss Militia shook her head at Legend''s query. "No demands, no threats. She posted on the Parahumans Online forums claiming responsibility, but aside from that, she''s been silent. Our intelligence suggests she''s lying low, consolidating her control over the area."


    Armsmaster looked disgusted, muttering mostly to himself, but they all heard him, "Our intelligence is rumors on PHO¡­"


    Miss Militia sent him a stern look, but didn''t say anything to gainsay him.


    Legend leaned back in his chair, considering. "So, we have a powerful new player with unknown motives and capabilities, who''s taken over a significant part of the city but hasn''t yet made a hostile move. That leaves us with two options - treat her as a potential ally or a threat."


    It wouldn''t be the first time they made some under the table deals with a villain. Unfortunately that was a fairly large part of the status quo in America. The Elite came to mind.


    Piggot''s expression darkened. "Given her actions and the potential danger she represents, I''m inclined to treat her as a threat until proven otherwise." Or no matter what. He intuited from her expression and tone.


    With her history it wasn''t exactly surprising, but it was also the main reason why he was here to negotiate. Rebecca knew Piggot would never be able to hold back her hate in this situation.


    Legend held up a hand, empathetic to her experiences, but unwilling to let them control the path going forward. "I understand your concerns, Director, but we need to approach this carefully and that''s what the Chief Director has tasked me with. If she''s willing to negotiate, we might be able to avoid unnecessary conflict and even gain a powerful ally. I''ll make contact and assess her intentions. If she shows any sign of aggression, we''ll respond accordingly."


    Armsmaster frowned. "You''re putting a lot of faith in someone who''s already caused significant disruption. We can''t afford to be naive." He warned, "An ability capable of what she''s done could very well prove dangerous even to you."


    Legend met his gaze steadily. "I''m not being naive, Armsmaster. I''m being cautious. There''s a difference. We''re dealing with a situation that requires more than brute force. We need to be smart about this, if we set her off needlessly when we didn''t have to, by being too suspicious and antagonistic, we could face the possibility of quarantining this city."


    That was a last resort, but just based on what she''d already done, they certainly weren''t keeping it off the table. They couldn''t allow her to spread out of Brockton Bay.


    Piggot sighed, rubbing her temples. "Very well. We''ll support your approach, Legend, but be prepared for the worst. We''ll have backup ready if things go south - we can not allow it to progress to a quarantine, we''ll stand ready to take her down if all else fails."


    Legend nodded, standing up. "Understood. I''ll head to the trainyards and see if I can get her a message to see if she''ll consent to a meeting. Hopefully, we can resolve this peacefully."


    As he turned to leave, Miss Militia stepped forward, gaze worried. "Be careful, Legend. We don''t know what she''s capable of."


    He gave her a reassuring smile. "I always am. Keep the line open. I''ll report back as soon as I have something."


    With that, he left the conference room, the weight of the city''s hopes and fears resting on his shoulders - something he was unfortunately used to. He took to the sky once more, heading toward the border of the green anomaly.


    Legend soared high above Brockton Bay, the cool morning air rushing past him as he surveyed the city below. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a soft, golden light over the urban landscape, but the beauty of the dawn was marred by the sight of the encroaching forest that now dominated large swaths of the city.


    Not that it was aesthetically displeasing, he thought. Legend had been to Brockton Bay before, and it honestly looked better like this. It wasn''t the beautiful exterior that rankled, it was the undeniable threat that it signified that marred the city. Brockton Bay of all cities did not need this.


    From his vantage point, the transformation was stark and striking. What had once been an industrial wasteland of trainyards and rusting docks was now a lush, green expanse, teeming with life. The dense foliage seemed almost alien in its vibrancy, a surreal juxtaposition against the grey and brown remnants of the city''s infrastructure.


    The trainyards were the most dramatic example of this change. The tracks and railcars were transformed completely beneath a thick carpet of greenery. Trees that must have grown at an impossible rate towered over the landscape, their branches intertwining to form a canopy that blotted out the sky. At the heart of this new forest stood a massive tree, its trunk as wide as a city block and its crown stretching high above the skyline. It was a marvel of natural engineering, its bark a deep, rich brown that glistened with dew. This world tree cast an enormous shadow over Brockton Bay, a constant reminder of the power wielded by the one who had summoned it into existence.


    There was a reason they were negotiating, the power to do something like this¡­ They didn''t want to have to fight this. Fight her. And there were some who spoke of the utility expansive natural growth might have against the Endbringers, to slow them down, constrict them.


    He had fought them enough to remain skeptical that wood and plants would do anything. But there was always a chance there was something special about them.


    The docks, too, had undergone a radical change. Where once there had been rows of abandoned, rusting boats and decaying piers, now there was a vibrant wetland, teeming with life. Reeds and water lilies thrived in the shallows, while vines and creepers draped themselves over the remnants of the boats, turning them into curious sculptures of plant life - the metal completely subsumed from what he could tell. Birds flitted through the air, and small animals could be seen darting through the undergrowth, reclaiming the space that had long been abandoned by humanity.


    That metal devouring ability was the main reason why the order to quarantine Brockton Bay was just waiting on word from him. If the negotiations went poorly..


    Well, he was positive they could come to an arrangement. She''d stopped with just the derelict and mostly uninhabited parts of town, that already showed a measure of constraint.


    Legend couldn''t help but marvel at the sight either way as he hung in the air. It was both beautiful and terrifying, a testament to the raw, untamed power of nature harnessed by a single individual. The sheer scale of the transformation was unprecedented, and it spoke volumes about the capabilities of Poison Ivy. She had reshaped the city with the ease of an artist painting a canvas, and in doing so, she had sent a clear message - she was not to be underestimated.


    And it had succeeded, why else was he here? A member of the Triumvirate here to negotiate and sound her out. Both for her intentions here, and for her willingness to assist with Endbringers, before making a decision on what to do. Make a deal? Try to capture/kill her? Or write off the city¡­


    As he flew over the city, Legend''s mind raced with those questions. What were Ivy''s intentions? Was this an act of reclamation, a statement against industrial decay like the comic book she took her name from, or something more sinister? The lack of aggression so far suggested a certain restraint, but the potential for destruction was undeniable. If she chose to, she could bring the city to its knees with little effort. It was a sobering thought, one that weighed heavily on him as he approached the borders of this green revolution.


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    Legend descended slowly, the towering world tree growing larger and more imposing with each passing second. He could see the intricate network of roots that spread out from its base, weaving through the earth and freshly made forest. The air here was different, fresher, tinged with the scent of leaves and flowers. It was almost peaceful, if one could forget the circumstances that had brought about this change.


    He landed softly at the edge of the forest, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. The ground beneath his feet was soft and spongy, covered in a thick layer of moss. Birds chirped in the distance, and the rustling of leaves created a soothing background noise. For a moment, it was easy to imagine that this was just another park, another natural reserve. But the towering world tree, casting its immense shadow over the city, was a constant reminder of the power and the danger that lay at the heart of this new landscape.


    Legend took a deep breath, steeling himself for the encounter ahead. He had faced many powerful adversaries in his career, but this felt different. This wasn''t just about power - it was about understanding, about finding a way to coexist with a force that could either destroy or protect. As he waited at the edge for Poison Ivy or one of her people to realize he was there, he hoped today wouldn''t be one of those days.


    <hr>


    Sherrel was enjoying just walking through the forest; there''d been a bit of an influx of homeless lately, so she''d go on a few strolls, pick up a few strays, and bring them back to Ivy.


    Today she saw something a tad better than a homeless person, spying none other than Legend himself waiting by the edge of the forest.


    "Oh you''re a bitch, Ivy." She muttered, a wry grin on her face.


    Ivy could feel things in her domain, she must have known he was there since he arrived, and yet she''d done nothing until Sherrel had gone for her usual walk - she''d wondered why the forest kept opening up for her in this specific direction.


    She raised a hand in greeting, feeling utterly safe within Ivy''s field, "Hey, how''s it hanging pretty boy?"


    Legend smiled pleasantly as she came to a stop a few feet away. "Sherrel Bailey I presume?"


    She cocked her hip, a smug smirk on her face, "That''s right, and what does a good looking guy like you want from little ol'' me?" She asked, stretching slightly, before feeling a slight bit of irritation that he wasn''t even looking at her tits.


    God, gay men were such a waste.


    What was the point of a guy who took great care of himself, and then just went for another guy, it was criminal in her opinion.


    Legend cleared his throat, "I am here to ask for a meeting with Poison Ivy as soon as reasonable, the PRT and the Protectorate would like to¡­" He hesitated, like he was searching for the right word, "Come to a consensus on things with her."


    Since Sherrel had no idea what Ivy wanted, she simply shrugged and decided on her own, "Sure, meet back here in like¡­" She mulled it over, "Six hours? Yeah six works."


    Legend let out a breath of relief, "I will be here, let Poison Ivy know that I appreciate that she is willing to accomodate me."


    "Sure thing, but if you wanna be real accommodating here, how''s about you and me tussle and see if I can turn you at least bi?" She asked, shooting her shot, because¡­ Why not? You never scored a shot not taken.


    Legend''s expression became complicated, "What?" He asked, slowly.


    "Let''s fuck." Sherrel said more bluntly.


    "... I''m gay, married, and a hero." Legend said looking uncomfortable.


    "That sounds like quitter talk to me." Sherrel said firmly, crossing her arms.


    Minutes later,


    "Tch, flying away like a coward¡­ I''ll get you someday Legend¡­" Sherrel promised, trekking back through the forest to tell Ivy about the meeting she''d promised.


    <hr>


    PRT Headquarters, Brockton Bay, an hour later.


    The atmosphere inside PRT headquarters was heavy with anticipation and tension. The echoes of the recent battle with Lung had left everyone on edge - and then there was Ivy, and now the newly formed team of heroes was being called in for a debrief - the fact of their little forest problem not preventing the PRT from continuing business as usual.


    It also gave them an excuse to get some extra firepower, Amy thought, as she walked through the building.


    As Remedy now, the hero formerly known as Panacea, she led the group into the conference room. Her new black and gold uniform, adorned with the golden star as the symbol of her rebranding. Her teammates followed close behind, each wearing their own expressions of irritation.


    Vicky was still red eyed from the heartbreak of all her friends dying for associating with her. Amy didn''t feel much better. Although she didn''t care much for Vicky''s friends or held more than an acquaintance kind of relationship with the nurses - they hadn''t deserved what they got. Even then, her heart hurt more for Vicky than anything else.


    All because she''d embarrassed that fuck, Kaiser¡­ Her eyes were hard as she sat down, he would die. That wasn''t even in question. Only the how and when now.


    Director Piggot sat at the head of the table, her face stern and unforgiving. Beside her were Armsmaster and Miss Militia, both looking equally intense. The large screen on the wall displayed live footage from the trainyards, where Poison Ivy''s newly created forest loomed ominously, a testament to her power.


    Amy fought hard not to smile even with her mood right now. Even knowing this was all going to be some sort of power play to rope them into helping with that - it was amusing being in the room as the person responsible.


    She almost wanted to tell Piggot just to see her face, but she held back the impulse.


    As the team took their seats, Piggot wasted no time. "Miss Dallon," She began, her voice sharp and authoritative, "Explain what happened out there with Lung."


    Lung, huh? They weren''t even going to touch the fact the E88 went after a bunch of civilians? Of course, who was she kidding, without enough proof that it was a cape, the PRT didn''t care¡­


    Amy made a face, showing Piggot how unimpressed she was. The fact she used her name was another move made to throw her on the backfoot, to annoy her and force her into making mistakes, or so she thought. Not using her new hero name, or her old one, was an attempt in trying to make this less than a meeting with an independent hero group coming in from a great victory - more the chastised child pulled in to explain herself.


    She might like Piggots hardassness at times, but it was annoying when used against her. And she wasn''t so sure she liked her that much anyway, not now. Not when she could stare her in the face and know that she wouldn''t do anything to the E88 for their atrocities.


    She wasn''t even the only Miss Dallon in the room too, hell, she wasn''t even a Dallon. She could just make Vicky answer, really stick it to Piggot, but that would just make all of this take even longer¡­


    She couldn''t do that to Vicky, she was fragile right now¡­


    Amy took a deep breath, her eyes flicking to her teammates momentarily. Vicky gave her a reassuring nod even with her drawn tired face - that wasn''t really necessary, but appreciated nonetheless. "We engaged Lung as we got word he was making for the sudden new¡­ Greenspace, in town. By the time we arrived, he was already ramped up. Purity and Glory Girl managed to keep him occupied while I tried to get close enough to neutralize him. When that failed, I had to resort to using the organism¡­ As I said in my preliminary report."


    Amy raised an eyebrow, without words saying, why are you wasting my time? They already knew as much, and had already cleaned off Lung so he was no longer under its effect, a decision she just knew was going to bite her in the ass eventually.


    Not like they were known for actually succeeding in transporting criminals to the Birdcage. Hookwolf had already gone free from such transfers before.


    Piggot''s eyes narrowed, suspicion clear in her gaze. "The organism you used was not approved or tested. You took a significant risk, one that could have had catastrophic consequences." She snapped, "There''s a reason we don''t allow biological weapons."


    Amy could practically see the Directors soul just shouting Nilbog at her.


    "I understand the risks, Director," Amy replied, keeping her tone measured, even if she wanted to roll her eyes. "But we had no other choice. Lung was escalating too quickly. If we hadn''t acted decisively, he could have caused far more damage, a forest fire at this time would have had devastating effects."


    As in it probably would have burned down the entire city. Or at least drowned it in smoke.


    Armsmaster leaned forward, his gaze piercing. "And when were you going to notify the PRT of being a biokinetic? Hiding it for so long does not bode well for you." His tone grew sterner as he talked, "How do we know this¡­ Substance you used can be trusted!?"


    Vicky looked about ready to start throwing punches, so Amy laid a hand on her arm to reign her in, before turning her gaze on Armsmaster.


    Amy met his gaze steadily, showing no hesitation. "It''s designed to target Lung''s powers specifically. It won''t harm anyone else. And I can remove it when necessary, except you already did anyway..." She shrugged, "As for my powers, there is no law that says I need to fully disclose them to you, and either way such was decided by Carol Dallon, feel free to go after her for it you wish."


    Director Piggot glared at her, hands spasming on the table briefly, "That might have worked as an excuse for New Wave, but not now." She said harshly.


    Amy gave her a cold glare of her own, stating flatly, "I don''t work for the PRT, I don''t have to give you my full capabilities at any time - I''m an independent affiliate."


    Both Piggot and Armsmaster frowned heavily at her, her own team looking more and more dismayed with the way this meeting had turned its focus solely on her. Vicky, as emotional as she was, looked ready to throttle them.


    As cathartic as that would be, it was probably not ideal with Legend in town.


    Miss Militia, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "Regardless of the method, you succeeded in neutralizing Lung. For that, we are grateful. But we need to ensure such actions are coordinated with us in the future." She said gently, trying to calm things down.


    Piggot nodded slowly, though her expression remained grim. "Agreed. Miss Dallon, Glory Girl, Purity, Mouse Protector, Strider - you all showed commendable bravery" She said begrudgingly, grimacing. "However, going forward, we need tighter coordination. Especially now, with Legend arriving to negotiate with Poison Ivy."


    Amy couldn''t hold back a mocking laugh at that, drawing a frown from the heroes in front of her.


    "Negotiate?" Vicky''s eyebrows shot up, anger laced throughout her. "We''re really going to try talking to her?"


    Amy knew Vicky still held the thought that punching a problem made it go away. It would be interesting once Ivy was revealed to her. To see how far the loyalty went. For now though, with recent events¡­ Vicky would have no patience for a villain.


    "Yes," Piggot replied curtly. "Legend believes it''s the best course of action. And given her display of power, we cannot afford to make an enemy of her without attempting diplomacy first."


    Oh, to know they''re so desperate, why, this would make a great tactical advantage for Ivy. If only she had some way to know about it¡­ Amy held back another laugh, this was just too funny.


    This is why she''d done it this way in the first place, getting to play both sides, get all the experiences! Seems like Ivy is suddenly going to ask for a lot.


    Purity, her arms crossed, her mien unimpressed with the meeting so far, frowned. "And if she refuses to cooperate?" She asked sarcastically.


    "Then we deal with that scenario if it arises," Miss Militia said firmly. "But our first approach will be peaceful. Even so we will prepare, which is where we were hoping you would come in."


    Amy tilted her head, curious. "Us?" They''re not really going to have me covering their asses against Ivy are they? That would just be the cherry on top!


    Piggot nodded again, looking reluctant. "We could tentatively need your team to assist in securing the perimeter around the negotiation site. Your presence will ensure that if things go south, we have immediate backup to contain the situation." It was like pulling teeth, Piggot speaking slowly, and reluctantly.


    Amy had a feeling she''d have really preferred not to ask. It was also quite the switch from the beginning of the meeting and their obvious antagonism. She wondered what they were playing at¡­


    Or who was forcing Piggot to play nice. Well¡­ Niceish.


    Mouse Protector grinned, though her eyes were serious. "Sounds like fun. I guess if the boss lady okays it, we''ll all grow mold together."


    Amy rubbed her eyes, "Mouse that one didn''t even make sense¡­"


    Miss Militia looked exasperated, "You haven''t changed at all." Yet it was said fondly, Mouse Protector winking at her.


    Vicky looked at Amy, her expression one of irritation, she''d obviously not been happy with the start of the meeting, "Are we really going to do this, Amy?" She flicked her hair, giving Piggot a disdainful look, "I don''t think they really want our help, not with the way they''re talking."


    Amy rubbed her temple, not really wanting to deal with PRT headaches, but being on the ground floor for the negotiations from their side, was too good to pass up. "We don''t have a choice. We''ll do what we need to do to protect the city." She lied, huffing slightly as her team all straightened up proudly at that.


    Piggot''s gaze hardened as she met her eyes. "Remedy, I want to make one thing clear. You may have helped us with Lung, but this doesn''t mean I fully trust your methods. Your abilities are still under scrutiny. Any deviation from the plan, any sign that you''re compromised, and there will be consequences." She threatened.


    Oh, bitch, I''m going to humiliate you for this¡­ Amy thought, having let it slide so far, but now, now she was just getting pissed! At least the bitch was finally calling her by her hero name. If only to once again put home that she''d made the right choice not going with them, immediately distrusting her even though she brought down Lung.


    Amy''s jaw tightened as she ground her teeth. "Understood, Director. My only goal is to protect Brockton Bay."


    Piggot nodded, though her eyes remained cold. "Good. Be prepared to move out within hours. Legend will be briefed on your involvement. Be ready for deployment at any time, we will provide an area for you and your team to rest. As we don''t know when the meeting might be set yet, you will stay at the PRT headquarters."


    From her words, this wasn''t a suggestion, it was an order. Amy could fight it, because Piggot could not order her around like this, not unless she openly declared this a crisis. Which she hadn''t yet. Yet¡­ Amy would rather wait and as Ivy, extract her pound of flesh.


    As they were dismissed, Amy felt the anger in her team as they surrounded her protectively.


    She smiled slightly to herself, if anything, Piggot had only ensured her team was more solidly against the PRT.


    She could sit and wait.


    No matter how things went, the only real winner here today would be her.


    <hr>


    Several hours later,  PRT Headquarters


    The team gathered in the briefing room, final preparations underway. Strider, as their teleporting cape, was going over the logistics of where everyone would be with Miss Militia, ensuring everyone knew their positions. Amy stood by the window, staring out at the city she was already halfway on the way to taking over, she felt. The weight of responsibility felt heavier than ever, but also easier somehow.


    Like this was how it was meant to be. Like she could finally cut through all the bullshit.


    Vicky, dressed in her Starlight uniform, walked over and nudged her gently. "You okay?" She said sweetly, before resting her head against hers.


    Her heart broken, her eyes red from crying so much, and here she was looking after Amy. She really was too damn good. It made Amy feel half elated at her care for her, and half horrible - for taking advantage of her.


    Amy sighed, her breath fogging up the glass. "Just a lot on my mind. This isn''t what I expected when we decided to rebrand." She said wryly, "Fighting Lung immediately, and now we''re working with Legend and the PRT." She shook her head slowly, "Things are going fast¡­"


    Vicky smiled softly. "We''re doing good work, Amy. And we''re together. That''s what matters." She hugged her tightly, which only brought Amy''s mind back to that kiss¡­


    They hadn''t had a chance to discuss it yet¡­


    Amy nodded, putting it out of her mind until later, now was not the time either, her resolve strengthened to hash things out once and for all after this. "You''re right. We''re together, screw anything else¡­"


    Kayden joined them, her expression one of distaste still, her and the Protectorate capes not getting along very well, "Strider and Miss Militia have the placements covered. We''re to take positions at set locations around the perimeter. Legend will handle the negotiation, but we need to be ready for anything."


    Mouse Protector bounced over, her usual irreverence tempered by the gravity of the situation. "Cheese to meet you all here. Ready to cheddar some villainous plans?"


    Amy couldn''t help but smile at the pun, despite the tension. "Mouse, you really need to work on your timing." And her puns, they''re just getting worse.


    Mouse Protector winked. "What can I say? I''m just too gouda to resist."


    Armsmaster, overhearing the exchange, approached with a more serious demeanor. "Focus, everyone. This isn''t a game. Remedy, I trust you''ve got everything under control?" His eyes went over Mouse Protector and then Purity, his lips thinning slightly.


    Whatever small amount of humanity that had sunk into the tinker cape after his resurrection, seemed to have fled him now, the man back to his old brusque and unreasonable self.


    Amy nodded, a challenging smirk on her face. "Yes, Armsmaster. We''re ready to take over the work you can''t handle."


    Vicky had to cover her mouth quickly to hide her grin, as Amy smiled sweetly at the hero who simply turned around and left, a certain stiffness to his shoulders.


    Business called, and soon they were all studying the map, noting their locations, memorizing the plans for if everything went FUBAR.


    Amy noted with amusement that for all that Piggot and Armsmaster were salty about her capabilities, they still had her down as the best weapon against Ivy.


    If only they knew¡­


    They were all handed communicators for the op, so they''d be able to coordinate with the PRT and Protectorate better. And soon enough they were all ready, just waiting on the word.


    Piggot''s voice came over the intercom minutes later, sharp and commanding. "Teams, report to your positions. Legend is arriving shortly."


    He was such a cheat, literally able to go back to work in New York and fly at the last minute.


    They all moved out, each member would be taking their assigned spot around the perimeter of the negotiation site - brought by Strider, each member of Starlight paired with one from the Protectorate.


    Mouse Protector had looked positively thrilled when Armsmaster had assigned her to Miss Militia.


    As for Amy, she had two minders. Assault and Battery.


    It''s almost like they didn''t trust her or something.


    Hah.


    Trainyards, Brockton Bay


    The area around the trainyards was eerily quiet, the usual urban sounds muted by the thick foliage. The air was fresh, almost too fresh, and the scent of greenery was overpowering. It was a stark contrast to the usual industrial grime of Brockton Bay.


    Amy took her position, her eyes scanning the surroundings. Vicky floated nearby at her own position with Velocity, ready to spring into action at a moment''s notice. Purity and Mouse Protector and their partners were on the other side of the perimeter, she knew.


    Legend arrived in a burst of light, his calm and confident demeanor a stark contrast to the tension around him from the Protectorate. He landed quietly, his eyes immediately locking onto the massive world tree. He approached the forest edge, his presence alone commanding attention.


    Piggot''s voice crackled over the comms. "All units, hold positions. Legend will begin the negotiation. Be ready for anything, do not move unless ordered to."


    Amy watched as Legend stepped just inside the edges of the forest, remaining in view. The silence that followed was almost unbearable, each second stretching into an eternity.


    Or so it was for everyone else, the people that feared the outcome of this meeting.


    Amy had a hard time holding back a grin, as she approached the meeting as Ivy.


    Legend walked only a few steps into the dense foliage, each step deliberate and measured. The forest was teeming with life, plants and flowers growing in impossible abundance. It was both beautiful and unnerving.


    He waited there, staring up at the world tree, and soon enough she arrived, Poison Ivy. She was a striking figure, her forest green and seductively built outfit blending seamlessly with her surroundings. Her eyes were sharp and intelligent, a hint of amusement in her expression as she approached him.


    "Legend," She greeted, her voice smooth and confident. "I''ve been expecting you." Her smile grew slightly vicious as she tilted her head slightly, inspecting him, "You''re prettier in person." She complimented, "Especially when I know you''ve come to bend over for me¡­"


    Legend nodded genially. "Poison Ivy. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, and for the compliment." He moved right past the rest, not even a flicker across his face hinting at any discomfort or anger.


    She smiled, though it didn''t reach her eyes, as she tapped her lips with a fingernail, "You''ve come to talk you say, but I wonder if there''s anything to say. Your people have already shown their willingness to use force - all of your little puppets waiting around..."


    Legend''s expression remained calm. "We act only to protect the city. But we''re here now to find a peaceful resolution."


    Ivy''s eyes flicked to the side, where the faint sounds of the city could be heard beyond the forest. "Peaceful resolution. How quaint. Do you really think peace is possible in a place like Brockton Bay?"


    She would bring it eventually of course, but it was always interesting to see what those in power thought, if he wouldn''t just lie of course.


    Legend''s gaze didn''t waver, as he remained composed. "I believe it is. But it requires cooperation from everyone involved. You''ve demonstrated incredible power, but with great power comes great responsibility."


    Ivy''s lips curled into a smirk. "Quoting comic books, Legend? How fitting. But tell me, what responsibility do you think I bear?"


    Considering where her name came from, was that meant as a dig at her, she wondered? Or did he believe her to be a comic book geek, and thought it would resonate with her?


    "The responsibility to use your power for the greater good, even if it''s the greater good for yourself," Legend replied. "To help protect the city and its people, and yourself, by cooperating."


    Ivy''s expression hardened. "And what if I believe the best way to protect the city is to reclaim it for nature? To wipe away the filth and start anew?" She said challengingly.


    If he wanted to equate her to the comic book characters, she could play that part.


    Legend shook his head. "That would only lead to more conflict, more suffering. And I don''t think it''s what you really want. Your actions so far have shown a level of restraint that I think shows your desire to not go that route.


    Ivy crossed her arms, watching him speculatively, "What do you want, Legend?"


    He eyed her consideringly, "Ideally? You in the Protectorate."


    She raised a mocking eyebrow, "You have a sense of humor at least."


    He chuckled wryly, "It was worth a try." His expression turned serious, "If not that, then at least¡­ Neutrality, you keep the space you have, but don''t go further, and assist with Endbringers and S rank threats that attack this region."


    Ivy hummed in thought, she knew she could take him further, since she knew how desperate the PRT really was. They were considering a quarantine after all. So they''d be willing to go pretty far to avoid it.


    "Come with me, not very far, just a minute or so." She said, gesturing for him, as the forest opened up, providing a path.


    Legend didn''t hesitate, probably behavior you could afford when you were triumvirate level power. His only action before walking forward, to hold a hand to his ear, "I''ll be joining Poison Ivy deeper in the forest, do not engage."


    She tsked, "Toy soldiers need orders from daddy to stand at parade?" She teased.


    Legend just murmured a reply, "Something like that." Following her, not wary, just¡­ Watchful.


    Soon enough Ivy stood in her lush, verdant experimentation grove, surrounded by a myriad of plants glowing with vibrant health. The air was thick with the scent of blossoms, herbs, and a hint of something more potent.


    "These plants," Ivy began, gesturing to a row of delicate flowers with bioluminescent petals, "Have the capability to cure cancer. I''ve engineered them to target and destroy malignant cells with a precision that modern medicine can''t match."


    She''d been busy, and Amy had done some of the work in her own body in her lab to help the process along as well.


    Legend raised an eyebrow. "That''s impressive, Ivy. But what do you want in return for sharing this with the world?" He was a smart man, obviously realizing she wasn''t showing him this just for a laugh.


    Ivy smiled, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "I have more. Over here," She led him to a section where vines hung heavy with ripe, glossy fruit, "These fruits can cure addiction. They reset the brain''s chemistry, eliminating dependency and withdrawal symptoms."


    Well, for any drug other than hers when she made them for the masses.


    Legend''s eyes widened slightly. "These are groundbreaking discoveries. You could save millions of lives. Why not just share them freely? The amount of money and good will you''d get would set you up for life."


    "Ah, but that''s the crux of the matter," Ivy said, her tone silky smooth. "I could, but the world isn''t a friendly place, as a Villain I don''t need to worry about your organization suddenly hamstringing me. If you want any of this, I need assurances, Legend. Guarantees that my work, my sanctuary here, will be protected."


    Legend nodded slowly. "What are you asking for, Ivy?"


    "I want autonomy," Ivy stated firmly. "I want to be left alone to do my work, build my people in this corner of the town. I will not attack civilians or heroes, but in exchange, I want free rein to handle villains as I see fit. No interference from the Protectorate or the PRT."


    And she''d ask for some small favors as well once they agreed to that much. Just a few minor things. She knew they were reluctant to fight.


    Legend''s expression turned serious. "That''s a lot to ask. You''re essentially asking for immunity and free reign. I need more assurance that you won''t use this power irresponsibly."


    Ivy''s eyes hardened. "I''m offering you cures for cancer and addiction. Lives saved, suffering ended. If you can''t see the value in that, then perhaps your priorities are misplaced."


    She knew it would be a hard ask, knew at least neutrality would be easy, but she wanted leave to go after the villains. Or the neutrality would break when she killed pieces of shit like Hookwolf and the PRT went after her for it.


    Legend paused, considering her words carefully. "I understand the value, Ivy. But the Protectorate can''t just give someone carte blanche to operate outside the law. There has to be a middle ground."


    "Middle ground?" Ivy echoed, her tone skeptical. "I''m offering solutions no one else can provide. Think of the lives that could be saved, the families that could be spared." She was laying it on a bit thick, but this was the opportunity to get as much as she could from them.


    If they realized she couldn''t pull world trees out of her ass every damn day and in every fight, they''d stop negotiating and instead bring the Triumvirate down on her head.


    Legend sighed. "I need to discuss this with the rest of the Triumvirate and with the Chief Director. There might be a way to ensure your work is protected while maintaining some level of oversight." He admitted, unwilling to agree to her demands.


    Ivy''s gaze softened slightly, as she tried a more conciliatory tone, "I''m willing to negotiate, Legend. But understand this - my work is non-negotiable. The plants, the cures - they stay under my control."


    Legend nodded. "I''ll see what I can do." He promised, before his expression firmed up, "But Ivy, remember - trust is earned. If you want us to trust you, you need to show us that you''re willing to work within some boundaries." He gestured to their surroundings, "Keeping this limited is a start."


    Ivy smirked. "Boundaries are flexible, Legend. Just make sure you see the bigger picture. The world needs these cures. Don''t let bureaucracy get in the way of saving lives." She couldn''t help the mocking tilt to her voice.


    She wasn''t really doing this to try and be a saint, she was simply making it harder for the powers to be to decide to remove her.


    Legend turned to leave, having heard everything he needed, and not able to give her all she wanted without PRT backing, pausing for a moment. "I''ll be in touch, Ivy. And for what it''s worth, I do see the potential here. Let''s hope we can find a way to make it work."


    Ivy watched him go, her mind already racing with possibilities. She knew she held the upper hand - the question was how far she could push it to achieve her goals.


    As Amy, perhaps she could get an in to those meetings, being ''uniquely'' qualified to inspect Ivy''s samples.


    She was going to get what she wanted. One way or another.


    <hr>


    Amy sat on the edge of one of the highest rooftops in town, the city lights twinkling below them like distant stars. They''d been dismissed from their duties when Legend returned, the Chief Director now involved in a whole other level, which unfortunately didn''t need her input.


    The cool night breeze ruffled her hair as she stared out at the skyline, lost in thought. Vicky floated nearby, her expression hiding the whirlwind of emotions she was feeling.


    "Ames," Vicky started, breaking the silence. "We need to talk."


    Amy glanced up at her sister, her heart pounding. "About what?"


    She''s still upset, heartbroken, this isn''t the time for this¡­ She couldn''t help but inwardly panic a little.


    She''d spent a lot of time teasing her, but she hadn''t expected the outcome to end like this, somehow.


    Vicky landed softly next to her, folding her arms and looking down at the ground. "About us. About what happened. That kiss."


    Amy''s breath hitched slightly. She had been avoiding this conversation, unsure of what to say or how to feel. "Vicky, I... I don''t know what to think about it. It was unexpected." She admitted, having always been attracted to her, but never taking it above some teasing, never thinking it could actually happen.


    It hadn''t in canon, just because she''d teased her for a year or two, that¡­ You can''t make someone change by that only, right? Sure puberty and everything, but still!


    Vicky nodded, her eyes meeting Amy''s. "I know. But it felt... right. Didn''t it?" She said hesitantly, a small shy smile on her face.


    Amy swallowed hard, trying to find the right words. "It did, but... Vicky, we''re sisters. And now, with everything that''s happened - leaving our family, all the chaos - it feels like maybe you''re just... Lonely. Maybe we''re both just lonely."


    Vicky reached out, taking Amy''s hand in hers. "I''ve thought about that. But it''s more than just loneliness, Ames. I''ve had these feelings for a while now. I just never said anything because... Well, because I didn''t think you''d feel the same."


    Amy''s heart raced. She had always felt a deep, complex bond with Vicky, one that had often left her conflicted. "Vicky, I... I''ve always cared about you more than anything. But I never let myself think too deeply about it because I was scared. Scared of what it would mean, and scared that you''d push me away."


    Half the reason she''d ensured Vicky was always loyal, was the fear she could lose her somehow. Even just as sisters. She hadn''t wanted Vicky to ever leave her.


    Vicky squeezed her hand gently. "I''m not pushing you away, Ames. If anything, I want to be closer. But I need to know if you want that too. If you want... Us." She breathed out, coming much much closer, her breath hot as she came within an inch of her face.


    Amy took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on her. "I do want it, Vicky. But I''m scared. Scared that we''re just clinging to each other because we''re all we have left. Scared that it might not work, and we''ll lose what we have."


    Vicky might always be loyal, but you could be loyal, and not be friends. Not be sisters, she was terrified of that. Vicky was her one constant. The one thing that made fucking around with everything fun, because she knew no matter what she''d have Vicky to go back to.


    Vicky''s eyes softened, her voice tender. "We''ll never lose what we have, Ames. We''ve been through too much together. And I think... I think we owe it to ourselves to see if this could be something real."


    Amy looked into Vicky''s eyes, seeing the sincerity and hope there. She felt her own heart swell with a mixture of fear and longing. "Okay." She folded. "Let''s see where this goes. But let''s take it slow. One step at a time."


    Vicky smiled, a radiant, hopeful smile that made Amy''s heart flutter. "One step at a time. I can do that."


    They sat in silence for a while, their hands still intertwined, drawing comfort and strength from each other. The city lights continued to twinkle below them, a silent witness to the new chapter they were beginning together.


    <hr>


    2 days later,


    Amy watched as Vicky wailed at some of the training equipment they had at headquarters.


    The police had dropped the case, with no evidence, there was just no point.


    The murders of all of Vicky''s friends were just¡­ Another day in Brockton.


    "And the PRT doesn''t care!" Vicky shouted, breathing heavily as she ripped a training dummy with brute rating armor apart - with her bare hands.


    Amy sighed, "Did you try pumping Gallant for information?" She asked.


    They might not be dating anymore, but she could probably get information from him. She was disgustingly cute, so she could get it from almost anyone really.


    Vicky scoffed, "He''s not even in town at the moment, Clock told me when I went by to ask, they sent him to Florida because they have a bunch of triggered kids and his emotion manipulation can help."


    Amy frowned, tilting her head in confusion, "Emotion manipulation? I thought he could only do that temporarily?"


    What use was it in a situation like Vicky was describing if he had to sit and shoot beams at the kids all day.


    Vicky gave her an odd look, even stopping her rampage, "What, no? Ames, I''ve told you this, or at least I thought I had, he can make them permanent too with just one shot, changing a person''s emotion on like a deep level, he just chooses to fight with temporary effects."


    "Oh." Amy said, feeling like she''d missed something important. Also that sudden made Gallant kind of terrifying.


    Cauldron vials¡­ Were they different?


    She''d felt something different with Coil then she''d expected too, when she''d touched him, he was a cauldron vial too..


    And he''d been way less careful then she''d thought, she''d hoped for him to take the bait, but he''d been almost eager, was that an aspect of a different way to use his power?


    She''d need to find out if Battery had a different level to her power too, she was a cauldron vial¡­


    But all that mystery could wait, she focused on Vicky who was beating up their equipment again, "Hey, Vicky, what do you feel about getting back at the Empire 88?"


    The smile she received was both beautiful and vicious.


    Oh¡­ Yeah¡­ Bad girl Vicky was¡­ Something alright.


    Why had she told her she wanted to take it slow again?


    <hr>


    That night.


    The dimly lit warehouse echoed with raucous laughter and the clinking of bottles, and the roars and screams of the crowd. Hookwolf, flanked by Cricket and Stormtiger, reveled in the chaos, his eyes glinting with a savage delight. Regular members of Empire 88 cheered, sharing stories and enjoying their night of freedom as they watched and bet on the dogs. The air was thick with the scent of sweat, blood, alcohol, and excitement, creating a heady atmosphere.


    And of course the sound of barking and whining as dog after dog was dragged into the ring. Most didn''t make noise for very long.


    Hookwolf raised a bottle of whiskey, shouting above the din, "To the Empire! May we reign supreme!"


    The crowd roared in response, lifting their drinks in unison. Cricket, standing silently beside him, offered a tight-lipped smile and a nod. Stormtiger chuckled. "Let them try now. We''re untouchable now, no more dragons!"


    But amidst the revelry, a faint hiss went unnoticed by all. A subtle, creeping gas began to spread across the floor, its sickly sweet scent masked by the overwhelming stench of the warehouse. At first, no one paid it any mind, too engrossed in their celebration.


    Then, the first coughs began. Then the first scream, as someone saw incredible terrors in front of them, clawing at their own eyes.


    One by one, the men and women in the warehouse began to feel weak and nauseous - some finding their nightmares very real. The gas seemed to seep into their very minds, distorting their perceptions and making them feel horrible, others literally attempting to kill themselves to get away from what they saw.


    "What the hell?" Stormtiger muttered, his voice tinged with confusion as he watched his comrades stagger around him. Then he noticed the gas, but before he could blow it away, the entire tableau changed, and he began screaming, as his nightmares took hold of him.


    Hookwolf''s eyes narrowed, his instincts kicking in. With a snarl, his body began to shift, metal ripping through his flesh until he was a towering, monstrous figure of blades and armor. The gas swirled harmlessly around his metallic form, unable to penetrate his defenses.


    "Everyone, get up!" He roared, his voice a grating metallic growl. "We''re under attack, stand and fight!"


    But his words fell on deaf ears. The gas had taken hold, making the weaker members of Empire 88 fall to their knees, their minds consumed by confusion and disorientation or worse. Stormtiger stumbled, falling to the ground even as he screamed and clawed at his face, blood running down in rivulets.


    Cricket staggered, her agility useless against the gas. She motioned frantically to Hookwolf, trying to signal that they needed to escape.


    Hookwolf surveyed the chaos, his mind racing. Whoever had orchestrated this attack had planned it well, targeting them when they were all bunched together, making it hard to make out how the gas was being introduced. He couldn''t afford to let this stand. He''d hunt them down, he''d kill them, their loved ones, their fucking pet dog.


    No one did this to him, NO ONE!


    "To me!" He bellowed, trying to rally the few who could still move. "We''re leaving, now!" Of all the time for his wolfpack to be elsewhere, laying low after their attack. The regular members were just¡­ Not up to his standards.


    Escape was easier said than done for the regulars. The warehouse, once a den of their power, had become a trap. The exits were blocked by incapacitated or dead bodies of those who''d tried to escape already, and the gas showed no sign of dissipating. Hookwolf slashed through the walls, his blades easily carving a path towards freedom, Cricket picking up Stormtiger, stumbling but managing to follow him.


    Behind him, the sounds of screaming and dying men and women continued, a cacophony that seemed to echo endlessly. Hookwolf''s rage boiled within him, the need for vengeance fueling his every step. Whoever was responsible for this would pay! He would hunt them down and ensure they understood the consequences of crossing him.


    As he burst through the warehouse walls into freedom, the night air hit him like a slap. He glanced back, seeing the disarray inside. His eyes narrowed with a promise of retribution.


    "This isn''t over," He howled, his voice carrying into the dark. "Not by a long shot."


    ¡­


    A few rooftops away, Amy was set down, Vicky having flown her to their target and back.


    Vicky''s face was grim, but determined, "Do you think you got them?" She asked intently.


    Amy shrugged, "Most of them, Hookwolf is probably fine, but the others¡­ Not so much."


    Even if they got out, they''d have to be healed pretty quick if they didn''t want to end up dead.


    "Good¡­ I want Hookwolf myself¡­" Vicky said, eyes hard.


    "... Let me figure out something that eats metal first, then go at him." Amy said after a pause.


    She was probably supposed to talk her out of revenge, but really, who cared if some Nazis were put out of their misery anyway.


    Also she was scarily hot when she got serious.


    The best part?


    All of this would just be blamed on Ivy focusing on the competition. And Ivy had gotten her wish earlier that day. Mostly. As long as her territory didn''t expand, as long as she didn''t hurt civilians or heroes, she''d be allowed to do as she wished.


    In return, she had to go to all Endbringer fights, supply the PRT and American government with her plants, and assist with S rank threats in the PRT ENE area.


    For her, it was a perfect deal, because it wasn''t even a problem if Ivy died to a Endbringer or S class threat.


    "Wanna hit another place or two before we go to bed?" She asked Vicky.


    Vicky wrapped her arms around her, her lips brushing against her cheek, her hot breath making her shiver, "Definitely!" Vicky said, lifting her into the air.


    Oh yeah¡­


    She could definitely get used to this new badass Vicky¡­


    <hr>

 Blitzkrieg

    <hr>


    Previously,


    One by one, the men and women in the warehouse began to feel weak and nauseous - some finding their nightmares very real. The gas seemed to seep into their very minds, distorting their perceptions and making them feel horrible, others literally attempting to kill themselves to get away from what they saw.


    "What the hell?" Stormtiger muttered, his voice tinged with confusion as he watched his comrades stagger around him. Then he noticed the gas, but before he could blow it away, the entire tableau changed, and he began screaming, as his nightmares took hold of him.


    Hookwolf''s eyes narrowed, his instincts kicking in. With a snarl, his body began to shift, metal ripping through his flesh until he was a towering, monstrous figure of blades and armor. The gas swirled harmlessly around his metallic form, unable to penetrate his defenses.


    "Everyone, get up!" He roared, his voice a grating metallic growl. "We''re under attack, stand and fight!"


    But his words fell on deaf ears. The gas had taken hold, making the weaker members of Empire 88 fall to their knees, their minds consumed by confusion and disorientation or worse. Stormtiger stumbled, falling to the ground even as he screamed and clawed at his face, blood running down in rivulets.


    Cricket staggered, her agility useless against the gas. She motioned frantically to Hookwolf, trying to signal that they needed to escape.


    ¡­


    Brad glared at the body of Cricket, incensed that she''d turned out to be weak enough to fall to this cowardly weapon. How dared she!?


    "Gas¡­" He scoffed, gritting his teeth together, "Fucking cowards¡­"


    Stormtiger had already died shortly after they broke out of the warehouse, screaming as he ripped his own eyes out, the screams petering out slowly afterwards as he succumbed completely and stopped breathing.


    Brad had only gotten halfway to Othala by the time Cricket died. He could respect the fact that she had managed to resist, unlike Stormtiger, only sitting in the passenger seat and breathing heavily, hands clenched so hard they were bleeding, as she fought whatever nightmares the gas made them see before death.


    But in the end, she''d been too weak as well, and had died. And now Brad¡­


    Brad was enraged. At their weakness, at the cowards who''d dared! At Kaiser for not cleaning out this filth in the first place, always holding his Wolfpack back.


    He glared down at Cricket again, sneering, "I''ll get them for you, you fucking pussy." He reached over and closed her eyes, cursing under his breath, gritting his teeth together, fucking bitch, dying on me¡­


    He brought his phone out, stepping out of the truck he''d used to transport them, ripping the car door off with a snarl, before stomping away, already dialing.


    There would be blood in the streets today, or he''d rip off Kaiser''s head and use it as a fleshlight.


    No way those two losers died and there wasn''t war on the streets as a cause. He''d make sure they had a legacy.


    <hr>


    Medhall, Brockton Bay,


    "Stormtiger and Cricket are dead¡­ You are certain?" Max said, jaw flexing as he ground his teeth, wanting to reach through the phone and strangle that wild dog.


    They didn''t normally do business like this over the phone, but extreme circumstances required it.


    And Brad, aka Hookwolf, was never the most conscientious about following Max rules to begin with, only paying lip service to the unwritten rules in the first place, uncaring about the risks.


    Like a beast. A useful beast, but a beast nonetheless. His Wolfpack was a good deterrent, but absolutely useless at anything except thuggery.


    Max''s expression grew colder, even as he listened to the ravings of the mad dog on the other line. This complicated things¡­


    While the E88 were hard to find and strike at in general - at least the people that mattered¡­ Hookwolf and his crew were the outlier, with their fighting rings, dog fighting, and general outrageous behavior making them fairly easy to find if you tried. And someone had finally taken advantage.


    And it put him in a disadvantageous position. Like they always do, damn them, if they hadn''t been so useful as a deterrent, I would have eradicated them myself!


    "You have any idea of who¡­? Of course¡­" Max wanted to groan out loud, but held it back, of course he''d blame everything on them, not their obvious suspect in Poison Ivy.


    "This is not a move heroes would make." He ground out coldly, holding back his irritation and fury. "Poison Ivy is the obvious culprit, you''ll start a war with the Protectorate and the independent teams¡­"


    The last thing Max needed when he''d already lost two pawns, was for Hookwolf to endanger them all with further retribution.


    His ill-advised hits on civilian families was already causing a lot of trouble for the Empire. Max wouldn''t be surprised if a kill order would be forthcoming if Brad continued to escalate.


    Part of him was toying with speeding that along. Hookwolf was very useful. Except for when he was not.


    Like right this moment.


    "Understood." He bit out, responding to the nonsense his most valuable/useless subordinate was sprouting, "This is your last chance, after this. It''s done! No more. This matter will be finished!" He ordered dangerously, voice coldly final, not waiting for the confirmation before he hung up.


    He seethed as he crushed the desk in front of him, wishing it was that damned mutt before him, that he could wring his hands around his neck and slowly squeeze.


    He''d have preferred to have it be Hookwolf writhing underneath his steel right now. He could have ordered the man to back off - but giving an order you knew was going to be disobeyed was poor leadership.


    He''d have to play the hand he was dealt, muster the Empire 88, show Brockton that they were still the most dangerous people around - make them fear, again. Ruining years of work to make them appear more respectable. Damn him!


    And after that, his mutt would need to heel.


    He''d help deliver this revenge - misguided as it was, and then leash him - even if he''d have to call on Krieg to send the mad dog to Europe for correction.


    I have to call everyone in, no half measures¡­


    The Empire was going to war.


    <hr>


    Wolfpack safehouse, Brockton Bay,


    The roar of Hookwolf''s rage echoed through the warehouse, his metallic form glinting menacingly in the dim light. The night had been an unmitigated disaster. Cricket and Stormtiger were both dead, dying before he could get them to Othala, and his pride had taken a severe hit. He needed to strike back, and he needed to do it now. No one got away with striking at him like that!


    Kaiser had tried to stop him, but he''d badgered the man down, forcing his support. He was going to get his revenge.


    "Spread out!" He bellowed to the members of his pack who were present, they all looked shaken but determined. "Hit their businesses, their homes. Make them regret ever crossing us!" He snarled, aiming his rage towards Starlight and New Wave, because who else could this be? This was revenge, plain and simple, and Brad knew revenge.


    He''d pay them back tenfold for their temerity in thinking they could afford to strike back at him instead of cowering like the victims they were.


    He didn''t give any thoughts to Kaiser''s assertion that Poison Ivy was behind the hit. It was too targeted. The people behind it knew who had killed all those civilian pussies, and wanted revenge.


    It was the only explanation. Heroes were too dumb to realize how obvious their involvement would be when they were the only suspects. Taking baby steps into revenge, like it was a game, not a lifestyle.


    He''d make them suffer.


    His lieutenants nodded at his orders, their faces grim. They knew better than to argue when he was in this kind of mood. Within minutes, the wolfpack had split into smaller groups, each heading to different parts of the city. Their targets were the known associates of New Wave, Starlight, and any business that showed even a hint of cooperation with them.


    ¡­


    Hours later, Brockton Bay.


    Downtown Brockton Bay was a scene of chaos. Sirens wailed as fires burned uncontrollably, smoke billowing into the night sky. The first attack had been at a known New Wave supporter''s business, a high-end restaurant. The owner''s son had dated Laserdream back in highschool. The Wolfpack had stormed in, tearing apart everything in their path. Now, the building was a smoldering ruin.


    Unlike normal procedures during these kinds of gang actions - the death toll was total. Everyone that was in the restaurant was dead, a complete escalation that took the PRT and Protectorate by surprise.


    Miss Militia''s voice crackled over the comms. "I''ve engaged multiple Wolfpack members near the boardwalk. It''s a mess down here. I need backup, Victor and Alabaster are here as well."


    This was bold of the Empire, too bold. The Protectorate didn''t dare send all their forces into the city, in case something else was behind this. It didn''t seem like Kaiser''s usual modus operandi.


    They couldn''t risk the chance this was all some ploy, not with Lung in captivity. So Dauntless and Assault and Battery were currently stuck in base, cooling their heels in case this was all a massive diversion.


    Although no one could figure out why the Empire would possibly do this, or why they''d risk Lung being broken out in the chaos. Without Lung, the Empire was practically undisputed, no one really counted Coil as a big threat, not when facing the Empire alone.


    There was Poison Ivy now, but her against the entire Empire 88? Things still leaned towards the Nazis, which was why none of this made any sense!


    Armsmaster''s reply was terse as he replied over comms, sounds of screeching metal heard in the background. "Heavy resistance at the docks. Hookwolf is here, along with significant numbers. We''re holding them off, but it''s getting ugly."


    There was a pause, before he reluctantly continued, "We''re thin on the ground right now, I can''t send help."


    Console cut in, "New Wave and Starlight have been contacted, some of them are already fighting, having been attacked, but the rest are on the way to assist."


    "..." Silence was all that came from Arsmasters comms, as Miss Militia sent a terse, "10-4." back to the console.


    ¡­


    At the boardwalk, Miss Militia found herself soon joined by Mouse Protector and they were both immediately locked in combat with a gang of Wolfpack members and Alabaster, with long range support from Victor. Miss Militia had her rifle out, firing controlled bursts of rubber bullets that kept the attackers at bay, or left them moaning on the ground with broken bones.


    It didn''t do much good for Alabaster, but frankly, he was not much of a threat other than the fact she had to keep putting him down to keep him out of the way.


    Meanwhile she kept moving to find an advantageous position, waiting for the chance to get a few seconds of peace to switch to a sniper rifle and find Victor. Already she had several bleeding cuts where she''d barely avoided serious injury from his shots.


    Only her own experiences in sniping and counter sniping allowed her to understand the likely angles and times for his shots, dodging already by the time Victor would take them. He wasn''t going lethal, but a few bullets through her legs would still put her out of the fight, and with the Empire apparently rampaging, she couldn''t afford that.


    Luckily with Mouse Protector having just arrived, having appeared in a crack, Strider disappearing immediately after, she might have a chance to drive Victor off. "MP, I need time." She called out.


    Mouse Protector darted around, her agility and quick reflexes allowing her to land hits while avoiding the worst of the enemy''s attacks as she slipped in and out of the Wolfpack''s ranks, breaking bones and cracking skulls, making sure they''d stay down. "Sure thing, MM," She laughed, acrobatically jumping onto a wall, using it as a springboard to soar over a hulking Wolfpack member, before slamming him into the wall with a high kick, smashing his head against it, knocking the man out, "I''ll shred these guys so we can cheese it!"


    Alabaster loudly cursed at her, "Fucking don''t try that cartoony shit on us, we''re the Empire!" He bellowed, drawing a gun, Miss Militia blowing his fingers off before he could even aim, before moving back to what she was doing.


    Mouse Protector kicked Alabaster into the same wall, "Your Empire strikes back is no match for my return of the Jedi!" She said, posing.


    Alabaster just groaned, "Someone shoot the btich already!" Already back to pristine condition. Before he could do more than moan, the comfoam grenade Miss Militia had casually lobbed over, got redirected to him by Mouse Protector, and he cursed as he was enveloped in foam.


    He really wasn''t much of a threat, just annoying.


    One of the wolfpack members, a hulking brute with a buzzsaw arm - which Mouse Protector found to be totally cool, if it wasn''t worn by a racist - lunged at Mouse Protector. She dodged to the side, flipping over a fallen comrades of his, and landed a kick to his knee, a crack ringing out, sending him sprawling.


    "Nice try, but you''re not cutting me down that easily, now buzz off" She quipped, her grin sharp despite the chaos.


    Miss Militia switched her rifle to a baton, engaging another wolfpack member in close combat, blowing out a huff in frustration. These men weren''t hard to beat, but there were many of them, and they were preventing her from getting a bead on Victor. She parried his wild swings, landing precise blows that drove him back. "Stay focused, MP. We need to wrap this up quickly. There are more attacks happening across the city." She drove the baton into the thug''s gut, then slammed his face down on her knee.


    She immediately threw herself into a roll, and just avoided a shot from Victor, a crack appearing in the wall behind her; she''d anticipated it, as the short fight had left her standing still for a moment. Now I know which building you''re on¡­ She thought with laser focus, switching her weapon to a sniper rifle, clambering up a wall of a storefront, "Cover me."


    Mouse Protector nodded, ducking under another swipe from a desperate member of the Wolfpack, their lessening numbers making things easier. "Got it, boss lady. Let''s finish this and close the mousetrap on these rats."


    As MP took down the remaining gang members, Miss Militia quickly found the building Victor had been in on her scope, and had to curse lowly to herself at finding a weapon left behind, and no sign of the man.


    It was the difficulty in dealing with clever enough enemies - when they saw the writing on the wall, they would simply retreat and join another battlefield. The last missed shot, Alabaster being captured¡­ He''d cut his losses.


    Miss Militia glanced around, taking in the chaotic scenes around them, reluctantly putting Victor out of her mind. "We need to secure this area and move to the next hot spot. The city is under siege, MP you''ll stay with me."


    Mouse Protector laughed campily, standing with one foot on an unconscious gang member, "I knew you couldn''t resist a nibble." She teased, running a hand down her side.


    Miss Militia sighed, knowing this would be¡­ A long night.


    ¡­


    Back at the docks, Colin was engaged in combat against Hookwolf and a group of lesser E88 members. The consistent interference of the gang members prevented him from being able to properly deal with Hookwolf, as he risked actually killing them if they got in the way of anything that could harm Hookwolf.


    He knew the situation wasn''t looking good, while the E88 could reinforce Hookwolf, he knew he didn''t have much chance for reinforcements, not with three of their capes guarding their base, with the wards held back or relegated to helping evacuations and fire fighting.


    Velocity was stuck babysitting the wards to ensure they didn''t run into too much, so that didn''t leave a lot of Protectorate forces that could actually make a difference. Not for the first time he bitterly cursed the ridiculousness of their small team in a city with so many villains.


    "Back off Armsmaster, I''m not out here for you." Hookwolf called out sneering, his eyes lit up in a fervor unlike anything he''d seen in the man before.


    "I can''t do that, you''re killing civilians, you''re pushing for a kill order. Stand down, and this could still end peacefully." He said stiffly, analyzing the surrounding men, plotting the easiest way to take them out of the equation.


    "Those bitches killed Stormtiger and Cricket! They have to pay!" Hookwolf snarled, turning fully metal, Colin preparing himself, his halberd humming as it began to vibrate, ready to cut steel.


    Stormtiger and Cricket are dead¡­? Whoever kickstarted this has a lot to answer for. He thought grimly. At least it explained why they were rampaging. Not that it helped them deal with it.


    The air crackled with energy seconds later as Purity arrived above them and unleashed beams of light, scorching the ground where Hookwolf had stood moments before. The E88 cape managed to move, well used to the sound of a Purity blast and reacting immediately.


    Hookwolf roared up at her, his claws slicing through the asphalt as he dodged. "You think you can stop us? You''re nothing but a traitor bitch, you''re nothing compared to the Empire!" He glared up at Purity, "Was it you? Did you help them!?"


    Purity simply answered with another blast, sneering at Hookwolf, the E88 gang members showing a modicum of sense, and hightailing it at the sight of the former E88 cape.


    Colin''s halberd whirred as he swung it, rushing Hookwolf now that there were no distractions. "You talk too much," He growled, thrusting the weapon forward. The strike caused Hookwolf to jump back, cursing profusely.


    Inwardly he was seething, he''d come to somewhat accept the other hero team, but Purity''s inclusion still rankled. As far as he was concerned she was still a Nazi, just with better PR. And now I have to fight with her¡­.


    This was turning into one of the worst days he''d had in Brockton Bay already.


    Purity took advantage of the opening, her energy beams forcing Hookwolf to continue to retreat frantically, his howls of rage telling what he felt about that. "This is for all the innocent lives you''ve hurt," She said, her voice cold and determined.


    Colin wanted to call her out on that, considering the innocent lives she''s hurt, but he was too pragmatic, and prioritized the fight.


    One of the E88 members who hadn''t been smart enough to run, a burly man with thick muscled arms, charged at Colin, swinging a metal pipe. Colin blocked the attack with his halberd with contemptuous ease, then countered with a precise tranquilizer dart that neutralized the threat. But it had been enough to allow Hookwolf to get a few feet of separation.


    "You''re outmatched," Purity said, her voice unwavering. "Surrender now, and you won''t get hurt." Her glare intensified, "Much."


    "You bitch! You think I''m scared of you!? You''re just Kaiser''s leftovers, I''m gonna bend you over and fuck you with a hook!" Hookwolf roared, cutting pieces of the road apart and hurling it up at Purity.


    Purity dodged and returned fire, her beams pushing Hookwolf back, even as some of his metal shell began to melt.


    Colin took the chance, springing forward, Halberd ready to cut Hookwolf down to size.


    Then suddenly Purity fired a beam right in front of him, forcing him to back off, sending a glare up at her, "I knew you hadn''t reall-"


    Purity glared at him, gesturing to the side.


    Colin swallowed his words, seeing Fenja and Menja stepping up next to Hookwolf. Getting in close to all three at the same time was not advisable.


    The four capes glared at each other, readying for round two.


    ¡­


    In a residential area, Glory Girl and Remedy were facing off against a group of wolfpack members who had set a row of houses on fire while they had been walking back from school. The flames cast an eerie glow on the scene, illuminating the anger in Vicky''s eyes. They weren''t in uniform, but with how recognizable they were it wouldn''t matter, the gang members were focusing on them immediately.


    Amy felt rage and guilt boiling in equal measures in her gut. I did this¡­ Fuck, I should have thought this through more.


    "Get out of here!" Vicky shouted at a family huddled behind her. "We''ll handle this."


    Amy was focused, her hands glowing with a faint green light as she healed a burn on the mother''s arm. "Go, now! We''ll cover you." She told the mother coolly. Trying to stem the burning anger inside her.


    Ivy was already moving, trying to hunt down E88 capes to give the rest of them more breathing room. Her phone was already going insane with texts from her team members and New Wave, as they informed her of engagements. What a fucking day to have none of my shit with me. She thought, angry at herself for being so unprepared after having hit the Empire.


    She just hadn''t expected this kind of reaction. And she should have. She''d thought Kaiser would refuse to commit to something this crazy. She''d obviously been wrong. Had read him wrong.


    Or she''d miscalculated on Nazi naziness. Of course they wouldn''t go after the pretty statuesque white villain - they probably have thoughts of fucking recruitment for her. It was obviously the dyke who did it. Fucking Nazi logic. Even if they happened to be right this time.


    The Wolfpack members advanced, weapons drawn. One of them, a wiry man with a cruel smile, sneered at Vicky. "You think you can stop us? We''re just getting started." He cocked his gun cockily, "Even if you handle us, the capes are going to town on all your friends, you''ll lose today, Hookwolf is going to rip you apart!"


    Vicky''s eyes flashed with determination. "You have no idea who you''re messing with." She launched herself at him, her fists flashing forward fast enough he couldn''t catch even a glimpse. The impact caused him to crash into a nearby wall, cratering it, the man''s eyes rolling back in his head, the gun falling limply from his hands.


    Amy stood her ground, her expression fierce. "You''re not hurting anyone else tonight." She casually put a cigarette in her mouth, her power going to work, changing the cigarette down to its cellular level even as she inhaled, several Wolfpack members rushing her with bestial roars. She blew out a cloud of smoke far greater than what a cigarette should be capable of, that impacted the men, and they all fell immediately like puppets with their strings cut, hitting the ground harshly.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Amy smiled bitterly, taking another drag of the cigarette, "Consider yourself lucky that it''s not fatal." She murmured to the knocked out men.


    A Wolfpack member, a large man with a sledgehammer, charged at her from behind but Vicky intercepted him, breaking the sledgehammer with one punch, before kicking up between his legs with a fierce snarl, sending the man up ten feet into the air, a high pitched whine the only noise he was capable of, once he hit the ground, he didn''t move again.


    "You messed with the wrong city, and the wrong girls," Vicky said, her eyes blazing with determination as she turned around, hair swirling, as she checked on Amy.


    Amy glanced around, seeing no more gang members in their vicinity. "We need to stop these fires. The whole neighborhood could go up in flames." She said, knowing it would delay them, but they couldn''t just leave this situation be.


    Not with her having been the one that started it. Her eyes dimmed as she took in the few civilian bodies that she could see, her fists clenching. They''ll all pay, I''ll kill them all for this.


    Vicky nodded, her expression serious. "I''ll handle the fire breaks, keep an eye out, and call me if someone else drops by¡­"


    Amy nodded grimly, playing with the cigarette, developing toxins even as she trodded around, checking if any of the bodies on the ground were still alive and needed healing.


    They weren''t.


    She was going to destroy the Empire.


    ¡­


    The fighting spread across Brockton Bay, each clash more intense than the last. At the edge of the Dockworkers'' territory, Crusader had suddenly appeared to add to the list of enemies facing them, fighting together with Fenja and Menja as they faced off against Colin and Purity - something which had allowed Hookwolf to escape, to Colins disgust at his own inability to stop him. The clash of powers was intense, each side giving as good as they got.


    Crusader''s ghostly minions swarmed around Colin, trying to overwhelm him. But the seasoned hero held his ground, his halberd cutting through the spectral attackers with precision, he''d long ago managed to tune his equipment to handle Crusaders ghosts, but they still kept him too busy to impact Crusader himself, leaving them in a stalemate.


    One Colin knew he couldn''t afford, not with Hookwolf heading off elsewhere. Miss Militia and Mouse Protector were already trying to intercept - and they had no other backup available, as New Wave was split fighting Kaiser, Night and Fog in one engagement, and Kieg and Victor in another.


    Velocity and the wards were constantly caught fighting E88 gang members as they tried to assist with fires and evacuation, so he couldn''t even pull one of them off to help.


    He was loath to do it, but as he cut through another swathe of ghosts, he contacted the console, "We need Dauntless, leave Assault and Battery to protect the base, send Dauntless after Hookwolf, he was heading towards the boardwalk, if he can''t find him, have him reinforce New Wave and drive off the Empire there."


    Purity''s energy beams illuminated the sky, forcing Fenja and Menja to retreat and regroup. "We need to take them down quickly," Purity called out, flying down to hover above Colin, her voice strained. "They''re causing too much damage." Both of them were over fifteen feet now.


    Colin nodded, his focus unwavering, even as his bitterness only grew. "If you can take Crusader out, we can end this. We can''t let them regroup with the other empire capes." He refused to acknowledge out loud that he needed her to take him out.


    Fenja and Menja, towering and armored, charged forward, their immense combo of sword and spear cutting through the air with deadly precision. They moved in tandem, their synchronized attacks forcing Colin and Purity onto the defensive for a moment.


    Colin parried Fenja''s strike, his halberd vibrating with the impact even as servos in his armor strained, while Purity fired and blew Menja''s strike back. "Purity, focus on Crusader. I''ll handle these two."


    His armor and halberd had been extensively prepared for the villains of the bay, hence why he could survive parrying a strike from Fenja, although he foresaw days of maintenance ahead of him due to it. While he could handle a few strikes, it stressed his armor considerably.


    Purity nodded, her energy beams targeting Crusader''s minions and dispersing them - before zeroing in on the cape himself as she flew forward.


    "We won''t go down that easily," Crusader taunted, his ghostly minions erupting out of his body tanking the energy beam, his eyes gleaming with disgust, "Traitor¡­ Kaiser will make me his second if I bring him your broken body!"


    Purity narrowed her eyes, her focus unwavering. "You underestimate me if you think that is enough." She said coldly.


    As she concentrated her beams on Crusader, Colin fought fiercely against Fenja and Menja. His halberd clashed with their weapons, sparks flying with each impact. Despite being outnumbered, he held his ground, his experience and skill evident in every move as he predicted theirs, and moved just as much as he needed too, to dodge and parry their strikes. Spending more time avoiding them, then parrying, his tiny size compared to theirs was actually a boon as he ran circles around them.


    It helped that their size, while making them strong, didn''t make them faster than him, and because both of them were there, they couldn''t strike at him easily while he drew close to the other, forcing them to hesitate.


    A rain of energy beams suddenly filled the sky, as Crusader screeched in agony, falling to the ground, scorched, his ghosts not able to keep up with the amount of fire Purity had concentrated on him.


    In Fenja and Menja''s distraction, Colin rushed forward, slicing Menja''s Achilles tendon, while using enough tranquilizer to sedate an elephant.


    Fenja grabbed her swaying sister, cursing.


    Things were looking up.


    "This is Console, base is under attack by Oni Lee and out of town mercenaries, I repeat base is under attack by Oni Lee and out of town mercenaries."


    Colin cursed bitterly, it''s just one of those Brockton days..


    ¡­


    As the night wore on, the heroes of the Protectorate, New Wave and Starlight worked tirelessly to protect the city and its people. The coordinated effort and determination of the heroes began to show results, with the E88 forces being pushed back and some of their capes neutralized.


    It couldn''t be seen as a win however, with almost a hundred civilians dead. Several hundred wounded, Assault and Battery in critical condition until Amy had seen to them - Lung freed during the chaos.


    Amy knew they should have kept him powerless under her organism, fearing just this kind of thing. Lung would be more careful now, and out for revenge.


    And in the end, all they had to show for this debacle was Crusader, Alabaster and Fenja and Menja in custody. All the other E88 capes got away,


    There were still some hit and run attacks going on around the city, forcing the heroes to stay on guard.


    New Wave was pulled back for rest, with Carol and Crystal both injured severely against Kaiser, Night and Fog. Amy had healed them of course, but that took energy from the healed one, so they''d decided to pull back and rest up, wary of a repeat in the morning.


    Which left Starlight and the Protectorate to patrol the city and deal with the odd attack now and then.


    Most of the E88 capes had withdrawn, but Hookwolf would still periodically show up, seemingly hunting for Amy specifically.


    How the hell he''d clocked on that she''d been behind the gas attack, she didn''t know. Ivy was the perfect suspect after all. She couldn''t imagine any other reason why he was specifically after her.


    Either way, it meant she wasn''t out patrolling, left behind with Vicky as a bodyguard. The Protectorate and Starlight patrolled in pairs together, showing the flag.


    Amy refused to just sit back however. Ivy was already working on a way to hit the Empire back for this. Her? She would go help people, further putting it into civilians minds that her and Starlight - were far better then the Protectorate in both saving people, and helping them in the aftermath.


    <hr>


    2 hours later, Downtown.


    The aftermath of the battle had left Brockton Bay in a state of chaos. Smoke still lingered in the air, the acrid smell of burning buildings mixing with the salty tang of the sea breeze. The streets were littered with debris, and the wounded lay scattered across makeshift triage centers downtown.


    Usually the downtown area was spared much of the consequences of cape violence, but Hookwolf had spent a lot of time during the night prowling through, and Kaiser''s fight hadn''t been too far from here either.


    Amy walked through the scene, Vicky hovering protectively nearby, Amy''s eyes scanning the area for anyone in need of immediate medical attention. Her hands glowed with a soft light as she healed a gash on a young man''s arm, her mind only partly focused on the task at hand.


    In the distance, she saw a group of people dressed in white robes not too dissimilar from her own previous outfit. The Church of Remedy had arrived, their presence both a blessing and a thorn in her side. They needed all the volunteers they could get, but she loathed the fact it was her annoying worshippers that were the only one up to the task.


    The church members moved efficiently, handing out blankets and bottles of water to those huddled on the sidewalks. They set up stations with hot food and provided medical supplies where needed. Their leader, a tall man with a kind face and a commanding presence, directed the volunteers with a gentle authority.


    "Praise Remedy for her blessings and her guidance," He intoned, his voice carrying over the din. "We are here to help, to heal, and to offer comfort in these trying times."


    Amy clenched her jaw as she overheard his words. The Church of Remedy - formerly Panacea, had sprung up seemingly overnight after her Endbringer fight, its followers devoted to spreading the word of her supposed divine mandate. It was flattering, in a way, but also deeply frustrating. She was just a person, not some deity to be worshiped.


    Could it help in her goal of eventually taking over Brockton? Yes, it could help significantly. But dealing with religious nutjobs did not get better just because they were your religious nutjobs.


    The fact Vicky so cheerfully engaged with them, playing along as a true believer - was driving her nuts. It didn''t help that she was actually still a member of the church. No matter how many times Amy asked her to withdraw her name from the rolls.


    A woman approached Amy, her face lined with worry. "My daughter, she''s hurt. Can you help her?" She begged, wringing her hands together.


    Brocktonites recognized her easily, even with the uniform change, perhaps even more so, with the uniform change. Amy and Vicky had taken the time for a quick shower and change before making their way here, expecting trouble at some point, and the Starlight uniform certainly made them visible amongst the downtrodden brocktonites who''d just lost homes, family members, or friends, in the Empire attack.


    Amy nodded, following the woman to where a young girl lay on a stretcher, her leg twisted at an unnatural angle. Kneeling beside her, Amy placed her hands gently on the injury, her powers flowing into the girl and mending the broken bone. "You''ll need to make sure she eats a lot of protein in the next few days, a few extra glasses of milk wouldn''t hurt either." She murmured.


    She was done being a healbot, but today, she''d help, if nothing else, out of a feeling of guilt. This was all the fault of the Empire, she wasn''t stupid enough to completely blame herself. But there was a twinge of it there anyway, because she could have planned things better, and dealt with her revenge more extensively.


    She wouldn''t make that mistake a second time¡­ Kaiser¡­ Hookwolf¡­ Your days are numbered.


    "Thank you," The woman whispered, tears of relief in her eyes. "Bless you, Remedy."


    Amy forced a smile. "Just doing my job."


    As she stood, she noticed a group of church members nearby, tending to another group of injured. They worked with an efficiency born of practice, their movements precise and purposeful. One of them, a young woman with bright eyes and a serene smile, caught Amy''s gaze and nodded respectfully.


    "Remedy, we are honored by your presence," She said, her voice filled with reverence. "We strive to follow your example in all that we do."


    Amy''s frustration bubbled to the surface. "I''m not a saint or a god. I''m just trying to help people." She snapped.


    Vicky immediately looked her way, but at seeing her with a church member, went back to the conversation she was having with a few other members.


    The young woman didn''t seem fazed by her tone. "And that is why we revere you. Your selflessness and your dedication to healing inspire us all."


    Before Amy could respond, another voice cut through the air. "Water and blankets here! Make sure everyone is warm and hydrated!"


    Amy turned to see the apparent leader of this group of church members, directing more volunteers, his voice calm and reassuring. He met her eyes and smiled warmly. "Remedy, your presence here is a beacon of hope for all. We are grateful for your guidance." He said with a kind voice.


    She sighed, knowing that arguing with them was pointless. They were helping, and she couldn''t deny the good they were doing, even if their devotion made her uncomfortable. "Just... keep doing what you''re doing. The people need all the help they can get." She muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose.


    She hated the fact that even now, she was calculating how she could use them for the future, in getting her plans for the city state she''d create, working.


    The leader nodded, his expression one of understanding. "Of course, Remedy. We are here to serve."


    As the church members continued their work, Amy moved through the crowd, her healing touch bringing relief to the injured and comfort to the mourning. Despite her irritation, she couldn''t help but notice the impact the Church of Remedy was having. People seemed calmer, more reassured with their presence, and the distribution of supplies was clearly making a difference.


    Notably, the PRT wasn''t present in any great numbers, and what little supplies they brought, wasn''t making a dent - it seemed they were focused solely on policing efforts still.


    A group of children, their faces smudged with dirt and fear, clustered around one of the church volunteers. She knelt down, offering them warm blankets and soft words of comfort. "Remedy''s light shines upon you all. You are safe now." Before leading them in a prayer.


    Amy watched, a mixture of emotions swirling within her. She wanted to be angry, to rail against the idea of being worshiped, but seeing the relief on the children''s faces made it difficult. The church members were doing good work, and the people of Brockton Bay needed all the support they could get. It was also¡­ Incredibly useful as a support base for when things kicked off for real.


    She needed to figure out her own emotions on this, and get over it.


    Near a collapsed building, a group of church members worked tirelessly to clear debris and search for survivors. Their leader joined them, his hands dirty but his spirit undeterred. "We do this in the name of Remedy," He said, his voice filled with conviction. "Together, we will rebuild and heal, this holy town, the birthplace of Remedy, will be rebuilt!"


    Amy approached him, her expression weary. "You''re helping, and for that, I''m grateful. But please, stop treating me like a deity. I can''t control what you do, but acting like I''m a goddess is going to create problems..."


    The Fallen would be an issue at some point what with her having helped immensely in an Endbringer attack, and now this¡­ Cult of hers¡­


    The last thing Brockton needed right now was a Fallen attack.


    The leader looked at her with deep respect. "You are more than that to us. You are a symbol of hope and healing. But we will respect your wishes near you if it makes you uncomfortable. Our goal is to help, above all else."


    She nodded, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "Thank you. Let''s focus on that."


    As the night wore on, the efforts of the Church of Remedy continued to bring much-needed relief to the city. They worked side by side with the heroes and first responders, their combined efforts creating a sense of unity and purpose, binding Brocktonites together. Amy couldn''t deny the positive impact they were having, even if her feelings were mixed.


    By dawn, the immediate crisis had passed, and the city began the slow process of recovery. There hadn''t been any sign of Hookwolf for hours, and all the fires had been put out. Amy stood on a hill overlooking the scene, her heart heavy but her resolve strong. The Church of Remedy had proven to be a valuable ally, and while she still struggled with their adoration, she couldn''t ignore the good they were doing, and the ideas she had on how to use them.


    She was absolutely exhausted, as she leaned into Vicky, who herself couldn''t stop yawning, her arms around Amy''s midriff.


    "Take us home, Vicky." She said quietly, and Vicky kissed the top of her head, before lifting her up in a bridal carry, flying them back to Starlight HQ.


    As they approached their home and headquarters they saw a commotion near the Church of Remedy. Aurelian, the French cape who had been preaching about her, was speaking to a crowd, his grand gestures and fervent voice marking him as a fanatic, just like his creepy posts on PHO had.


    Vicky set her down, and they both watched, Amy feeling a spark of anger at the church again, with this creep so obviously cracked in the head.


    "Remedy is our light, our guide in these dark times," Aurelian proclaimed to the crowd. "She shows us the path to salvation through her healing touch and boundless compassion. Praise be to Remedy!" The crowd all shouted after him, "Praise be to Remedy!" Before the French cape continued, "Evil festers in this city, but we have the light of Remedy behind us, we will root it out, and through her divine will, end it!"


    Amy clenched her fists, her irritation growing. She noticed Cherrie Hart, the high priestess of the church, standing beside Aurelian. Her dark hair and intense green eyes made her a striking presence, her robes, similar to the other church members in aesthetics - were much tighter, showcasing a lithe body with sinful curves that Amy couldn''t help but note. Cherrie stepped forward, her voice smooth and confident as she addressed her people.


    "Remedy''s teachings inspire us all to be better, to help those in need. Together, we will rebuild Brockton Bay and bring hope to its people." She said sweetly, speaking quietly, but the crowd all seemed to hear her just fine, all staring up at her with adoration.


    Amy''s frustration boiled over. She marched up to the stage, her expression stormy. "What the hell are you doing?" She snapped, Vicky trailing behind her sleepily.


    It was one thing for them to be volunteering and helping the downtrodden or those who''d lost homes in the chaos. That was productive and built a good reputation. This? This was just fanaticism, and that never led anywhere good. Rooting out all evil? That''s how you created mobs!


    Aurelian looked taken aback, his opera style mask leaving the bottom of his face clearly visible, his silver cape fluttering behind him as he quickly bowed in her presence, but Cherrie simply smiled, her eyes gleaming with a strange intensity. "Remedy, we are spreading your word, hope is important to people, and we haven''t had much until you showed that there was still a chance left, hope that things could improve."


    Amy glared at her. "If you want to help people, I can''t stop you, but there''s a limit to what I can handle, I won''t stand by and let you make this some sort of cult!"


    Her hand almost twitched to the pack of cigarettes in her pockets, it would be so easy, just one breath, some tweaks, and she could make all of these nutjobs just¡­ Stop.


    Aurelian stepped forward, his eyes wide with fervor behind his silver mask. "But you are a nothing short of a goddess to us, Remedy. Your power, your compassion - it is divine. We must spread your message, show the world your light."


    Amy''s irritation turned to pure anger. "I am not a deity! I''m just a person with powers trying to do some good. You turning this into a religion is only making things worse."


    It wouldn''t even really be that bad, if she brainwashed them all, right? She thought irritably. Vicky laid a hand on her shoulder, and she slumped slightly, yeah, yeah, I get it, calm down¡­


    Somehow that was enough, and she suddenly felt much calmer and more relaxed about things, the fog of exhaustion and anger clearing up in her mind.


    Cherrie placed a calming hand on Aurelian''s shoulder, her smile never wavering, as the cape stepped back seemingly calming down. "Remedy, we understand your reluctance. But consider this, your influence, your example, has inspired so many. People look to you for hope. Is it so wrong to provide them with a guiding light in these dark times?"


    Amy crossed her arms, her tired gaze fixed on Cherrie. "I never wanted to be anyone''s guiding light. I just want to help people without all this... Worship." I just want my own little slice of heaven, this city. Everyone else can go fucking die.


    Cherrie nodded, her expression thoughtful. "I understand, but think about how much more help you could provide with an organized group backing you. We have resources, people willing to follow your example. Together, we could do so much more."


    Amy shook her head, frustration evident in her voice. "I don''t need a cult following me around. I just need to be left alone to do my work." But she could feel herself wavering, what they were saying was reasonable. And she did need followers once she set things in motion, didn''t she?


    Aurelian stepped closer, his voice low and intense. "You underestimate the power of faith, Remedy. Faith can move mountains, it can heal wounds that science cannot. Your presence here, your very existence, gives people something to believe in - it''s the most powerful thing in the world."


    Amy took a step back, her discomfort growing at the french capes presence, his devoted fanatic stare. "This isn''t about faith. This is about reality. I''m not some savior. I''m just a person who got powers and is trying to use them for some good."


    Cherrie moved to Amy''s side, her tone conciliatory. "We are not asking you to change who you are, Remedy. We only wish to amplify the good you are doing on our end. Imagine the reach we could have, the lives we could save, if we worked together."


    Amy hesitated, her irritation beginning to wane under Cherrie''s calm reasoning. "I just don''t want people to lose sight of reality. They can''t rely on me like some sort of miracle worker."


    The last thing she needed was to be slotted back into the healbot category. That''s what she was escaping from in the first place.


    Cherrie nodded, her expression understanding. "And they won''t. We will ensure that our message is clear - you are an inspiration, a beacon of hope, but also human. Your followers will be taught to support and help, not to place all their hopes and burdens on you alone."


    Amy glanced at Aurelian, whose adoration was almost palpable. "And what about him? He looks like he''s ready to build a shrine." She snarked, Vicky giggling behind her.


    "I wouldn''t mind a shrine for you." She teased, caressing her hair with one hand as she leaned her head over Amy''s shoulder, whispering, "I''d get on my knees for you¡­" Amy blushed beet red, trying to mentally impress on her - not in front of the nutjobs, please!


    Cherrie laughed softly. "Aurelian''s passion is... intense, but his heart is in the right place. He truly believes in the good you are doing. We can temper his enthusiasm, guide it into more constructive channels."


    She apparently had no problems talking about him like that while he was right there. But then again, Aurelian didn''t even flinch, just staring at Amy with an intense gaze, eyes flickering to Vicky with narrowed eyes.


    Amy sighed, rubbing her temples. "I still don''t like this. But if you can promise to keep things realistic, to focus on helping people rather than worshiping me, then maybe we can find a way to work together." She agreed, finding that her anger and irritation had ebbed, and she just felt tired.


    Cherrie placed a hand on Amy''s arm, her touch surprisingly warm. "Thank you, Remedy. We will honor your wishes. Together, we will bring hope and healing to Brockton Bay." She murmured kindly.


    As Amy walked away, she couldn''t shake the feeling of unease that lingered, something had felt off about that interaction, but she attributed it to Aurelian being a creep. For now, she had more pressing concerns. The city needed her, and despite her reservations, it seemed the Church of Remedy would be part of that effort.


    She''d find a way to use them, make them better than a group of nutjobs.


    Cherrie seemed reasonable at least.


    Vicky grabbed her arm as they walked into HQ, a teasing smirk on her face, "So¡­ About me ''praying'' to you?"


    Amy blushed, "Shut up!"


    <hr>


    PRT headquarters, Brockton Bay,


    Emily tiredly stared at the computer, just done with the day, but unable to just leave, paperwork always needing to be done.


    The day had been a cluster fuck no matter which way you looked at it. The E88 had been beaten back, but they''d needed Starlight and New Wave to pull it off, and in the end they''d still lost Lung, and in return they''d only gotten a few empire capes that would just be broken out of prison in a few weeks - none of them having the kind of rap sheets that would invoke a birdcage sentence.


    The PR situation would not be in their favor. Already she''d gotten reports of the Church of Remedy assisting with the injured, search and rescue, and providing food and supplies. Which somehow, hadn''t been provided by the PRT, despite the order she''d sent out.


    She''d already started an investigation, Dragon was looking into their systems, as her e-mail had never arrived, and more disturbingly, the phone call she''d had with the agent in charge of disaster relief, had either been someone else with a vocalizer, or something worse - because the agent swore up and down that he''d never talked to her.


    He was in M/S screening right now, just in case. But Emily felt that it was likelier that someone was playing games with her.


    She smiled bitterly, reading Miss Militia''s report. She''d already interviewed Armsmaster extensively, and her suspicions peaked.


    Starlight did have Strider available, so it wasn''t out of the realm of possibility for them to arrive so quickly to assist the Protectorate heroes that were bogged down - but combined with the Church of Remedy and the enemy action to prevent the PRT from assisting with clean up and search and rescue¡­


    Someone was doing a good job making the PRT look ineffectual while boosting Starlight. And she didn''t have to look any further then Panacea, or Remedy, she supposed. She snorted at the ridiculous name change - like it changed anything, the girl was still the same arrogant little snot she''d been before.


    She started typing, drawing up a contingency plan. Just in case Starlight was behind all of this, was looking to infiltrate the PRT and Protectorate.


    She sent an e-mail off, requesting additional resources from mental health professionals for the wards. They were always rejected, but now she could claim a pressing need. They were all too close to the Dallons, they needed reeducation.


    Remedy was definitely a threat, and she had to make sure she had no Trojan horses within.


    Even with the Chief Director protecting her, this at least she should be able to get away with. She stared at the screen, going over plans and discarding everything that was too risky. There were limits to how daring she could afford to be.


    She knew Remedy was a danger, just as dangerous as Poison Ivy. Biotinkers were all monsters. How people could see Remedy moving from a support position to a leadership and combat position and not realize she was up to no good, baffled her. It was parahuman 101, escalate more and more until suddenly there goes the city.


    Now that she was likely the one sticking her fingers into the PRT, she''d prove it and get sanction to take the girl down. Emily was if nothing else, a stubborn woman.


    She''d find a way.


    <hr>


    That night, Starlight headquarters.


    The night was still, a deceptive calm settling over Starlight headquarters in the aftermath of the night''s chaos. Amy was inside relaxing after having tended to her team and making sure everyone was as ready as they could be for whatever might come next. The building was quiet, the silence a contrast to the day''s turmoil. She couldn''t sleep, having crashed that morning, and slept through much of the day.


    She just had a feeling in her gut that it wasn''t over. Ivy was working hard on several different biological weapons, giving her options for how she wanted to handle the Empire. And this time, she''d make absolutely sure they knew it was Ivy, so that any surviving fools didn''t go after them, or civilians loosely affiliated with them or New Wave.


    Ivy hadn''t ended up being very useful during the fighting, too far away to reach any E88 capes in time, and there were too many eyes on her to risk having Strider pick her up and drop her off. So she was making herself useful now, crafting the weapon that would make the Empire fall back.


    She stretched languidly, eyes falling on Vicky, who''d insisted on hanging out with her once she got up, even though she was clearly exhausted. She was asleep again on the couch, snoring cutely.


    She sighed, smiling honestly for what felt like the first time in forever, with the last 24 hours going as they had, sitting down at the head of the couch, sitting back, relaxing, slowly stroking Vicky''s hair, her sister not waking up even as she moved her to get comfortable.


    ¡­


    Outside, in the shadows, Hookwolf, Night, and Fog crept closer, their intent clear, they were to punish the dyke. They couldn''t kill her unfortunately, even Hookwolf had realized that after much grumbling. The triumvirate would not take kindly to her death so they had to hold back. But they could kill everyone around her just fine, and showcase the Empire''s superiority. This was retaliation, payback for the previous day''s defeat and the embarrassment their organization had suffered when they lost Cricket and Stormtiger.


    Even Kaiser had agreed, the previous day''s revels not enough to drive the point home, especially not with Lung once again free. Not with some of theirs in PRT lockup.


    "Let''s show them what happens when they mess with us," He growled, his voice a low rumble, hands fiddling with the explosive they''d brought with them.


    They knew from grunts probing the building that they had fucking force fields, so they needed to get the cowardly meat out on the street, so the explosive would get their attention - then Hookwolf would do what he did best. Kill shit until they stepped out to take the next turn.


    Without any further words, since talking to Night and Fog was pretty fucking pointless. He tossed the explosive against the building, the shield''s flaring as it exploded in contact, Night and Fog already moving towards their first target.


    ¡­


    Amy and Vicky immediately jerked too at the sound of the explosion, Amy running to the window, Vicky beating her there, cursing, "It''s Hookwolf."


    Amy''s eyes narrowed, she didn''t see anyone else, "He wouldn''t have come alone, Vicky get Strider on the line, get him to pick up MP, then wake Purity if by some miracle that didn''t wake her up."


    "No need, I''m here." Purity said grimly, floating over, dressed in a loose tank top and sweatpants combo, as she arrived, Vicky floated away, phone already out and dialing, as she headed to change into her uniform no doubt.


    Amy gestured out of the window, "Your thoughts?"


    Purity wrinkled her nose, "Hookwolf is bold, but for all his idiocy, he isn''t actually an idiot. I doubt he''s alone. And he definitely has a plan."


    Hookwolf was shouting something, Amy had a feeling she didn''t want to hear any of it, but they needed to stall anyway, she was half tempted to call the PRT as well, but she wanted Hookwolf, and she didn''t want the Protectorate to butt in and arrest him. She flipped a switch, allowing them to hear and speak. "What do you want, Hookerwolf." She called out testily.


    Purity snorted, slapping a hand to her mouth, turning away, her shoulders shaking.


    Hookwolf snarled, but managed to keep himself decently composed, proving that he wasn''t fully brain-dead, only like 75 percent, like all Nazis.


    "Get out here and fight, you pack of pussies!" He roared, glaring up at them.


    "What? Got tired of killing defenseless civilians, you coward?" She yelled back, knuckles white as she held herself back from marching out there. She eyed Purity, biting her lip, the powers she had on tap weren''t great for fighting Hookwolf, what would she get if she switched one of them out for Purity''s power?


    Hookwolf interrupted her thought process, grinning bestially, "If you won''t come out to play, then¡­"


    Screams were heard, as with perfect timing, people fled out of the church across the street, the Church of Remedy, a fog following them eating through the surroundings.


    "Shit." Amy said succinctly, Purity already, making ready for going out the window, just waiting for Amy''s order.


    "If Fog is here, so is Night. Can you whip something up for Fog?" Purity asked, looking conflicted as she stared down at the street.


    Just then, Vicky returned, suited up, and Strider popped in with Mouse Protector.


    The cheesy hero grumbled, snapping her fingers, "I was this close to finally loosening Hannah up." She complained, but dutifully got ready to fight.


    "Alright, here''s what we''re going to do." Amy said, knowing they were strapped for time, with civilians running across the street in a panic.


    Amy''s mind raced as she formulated a plan, eyeing the fog creeping across the street, speaking up rapidly. "Purity, you take to the air and light up the area. Fog and Night thrive in darkness; we need to eliminate as much of their cover as possible."


    Purity nodded, her eyes blazing with determination. "And Hookwolf?"


    Amy glanced at Vicky and Mouse Protector. "Vicky, I need you to keep Hookwolf busy for a minute. We need to deal with Night and Fog. Mouse, coordinate with Strider and evacuate the remaining civilians, be between Hookwolf and any civilians."


    Vicky''s gaze hardened, and she nodded. Mouse Protector saluted with a grin, then vanished with Strider, leaving Amy, Purity and Vicky to focus on the task at hand.


    Purity shot into the air as Amy pressed a button, allowing the windows to open, her beams of light slicing through the night, turning the fog into a swirling, illuminated haze - the screech from something within being hit - confirmed where Night was, hidden in the fog. Below, Hookwolf snarled, metal glinting in the artificial daylight of Purity''s glow, as he began running towards them changing into his bestial metal form.


    Amy turned to Vicky. "Give me a lift, and stay safe." She kissed her quickly, before Vicky flew down with her, letting her down on the ground before she flew to intercept Hookwolf.


    Amy moved cautiously towards the fog even as Purity kept firing, Amy''s hands in her pockets, one preparing the mulch she''d kept for some easy biological material, working on it to emit a gas with surfactants, which would reduce the surface tension in the liquid aspect of the fog, collating it together, hopefully interfering with Fog''s breaker state. The other found her pack of cigarettes, preparing something a little more lethal.


    She might play at being a hero for her overall plan, but if needed. She''d kill a bitch.


    The air was thick with tension, the screams of the fleeing church members echoing in the background, although growing lesser as Mouse Protector played a matador to Hookwolf''s bull charges, letting Strider get the civilians away, as Vicky flew in and out attacking the Nazi cape. Fog''s amorphous shape shifted and twisted, his malevolent presence growing more apparent as the light cut through his veil due to Purity''s blasts, the fog growing closer to her, even as Night''s chittering body did as well.


    Purity''s beams intensified, trying to focus on Night''s location within the fog, but the villain was quick, darting into deeper shadows and disappearing again. Amy cursed under her breath, knowing Night''s power was in her ability to transform into a monstrous form when not observed directly. And as long as Night was within Fog, once they got close, Night would be a terror.


    Fog''s form suddenly undulated, spreading out and enveloping everything in his path, rushing towards her. Amy knew she had to act quickly. So she let the gas she''d been developing loose. Concentrating, she altered the bacteria on her skin to make her completely immune to Fog''s corrosive effects, shivering as she was enveloped, feeling her hair and her clothes melt.


    She could fix that, but now Fog and Night had made one very large mistake. They thought they had caught her, Purity not able to fire with Amy caught within. But it was Amy who caught them.


    "Fog!" Amy called out, manipulating the gas from her mulch to ensure the corrosive fog didn''t slip inside her mouth, her voice steady. "Surrender, or I won''t be held responsible for what happens to you."


    A low, curious voice resonated through the fog. "Can you fight the very air, Remedy?" Fog asked, parts of the fog solidifying, well out of her reach, a face briefly visible.


    Amy''s eyes narrowed. She extended her gas, swirling it around Fogs insides, even as she heard Night approach. She searched for any solidified matter in Fog''s being amidst the swirling mist. Her hands glowed brighter, a beacon in the haze. "I don''t need to fight the air. I just need to fight you."


    With a sudden surge, Amy found a spot that was beginning to be pulled together by her gas, temporarily solidifying Fog in her reach and she immediately touched it, and directed her powers into the fog, manipulating the very particles around her. She could feel Fog''s presence, a sickly, pulsing core spread through the mist. Concentrating, she reached inside his brain, and destroyed his Corona Pollentia, just as Night appeared behind her, striking down with a chitinous limb.


    Fog came apart, as his brain, what was left of it anyway, crumbled. Night shrieking even as she became visible, coming out of her changer state just in time to take a Purity blast to the face. Amy was splattered with blood and brain matter, Night no longer having the incredible durability her changer form had now that she was seen.


    "Ew." Amy said, looking around quickly, letting out a sigh of relief at seeing no more civilians. She was, after all, naked. And bald, and now covered in gunk.


    Hookwolf snarled as he saw Night and Fog dead, having been frustrated by the constant hit and run tactics of Mouse Protector and Vicky. Albeit showing no real damage from the process.


    Purity hovered above him, now, hands glowing. "Give it up." She told him in no uncertain terms.


    Hookwolf simply laughed, clawed hand grasping a piece of asphalt, "You know, it''s amazing what one can learn with loose lips, and I ain''t leaving here empty handed¡­"


    He threw the asphalt at Vicky, who scoffed, not making any attempt to move, not scared of a rock.


    Amy, feeling a chill down her spine, realized what Hookwolf meant, "Vicky, DODGE!" The E88 tortured your friends, they know!


    Vicky was hit by the hunk of rock, which didn''t get past her shield, but at that exact moment, when the shield was down for just a moment, there was a loud bang.


    Amy watched as if in slow motion, as Vicky''s eyes widened, Vicky falling back slowly, droplets of blood in the air from the perfect shot right in-between her eyes.


    Purity cursed, flying off in search of Victor, Hookwolf already high tailing it out of there, laughing wildly.


    Amy was already by Vicky''s side, healing her, sobbing wildly, even as her heart was practically exploding out of her chest in sheer agony and hatred at the Empire for trying to take Vicky away from her.


    <hr>


    Ivy suddenly stopped, Sherrel giving her an odd look, "Hey boss, didn''t you say this stuff was like super volatile, and you couldn''t afford to lose concentration?" She asked, nervously.


    Ivy slowly turned her head to Sherrel, an expression of utter agony twisting her features, making Sherrel take a shocked step back.


    "Sherrel, find out something for me, will you? And get the invisible car running." She said, Sherrel feeling like one wrong move would have her skewered.


    "S-sure boss, w-whatever you need."


    "Find out where the water treatment plant is, and every access point to Brockton Bays water system." Ivy said, eyes burning with righteous rage, as she returned to what she was doing, now being a lot less nice about what her biological weapon would be doing.


    <hr>


    Preview of next chapter,


    Alexandria turned to Legend, one eyebrow raised, "I believe your exact words were, she doesn''t seem that bad, if we leave her alone she''ll be a helpful ally?"


    Legend moaned in distress, hiding his face in his hands, "She didn''t seem evil." He protested.


    "It''s been two days¡­"


    <hr>

 Whats Mine is Mine.

    <hr>


    The walls of Coil''s underground base were a muted gray, the concrete smooth and cold, interrupted only by the occasional steel door and security checkpoint. Armed mercenaries, clad in black tactical gear and bristling with weaponry, were stationed at regular intervals, their faces impassive as they stood guard, a testament to Coil''s need for absolute control and security in everything he did.


    Amy almost felt bad for him, because his control was nothing compared to the flexibility of her powers.


    Then she stopped feeling bad, because it was Coil, so fuck him.


    Tattletale, her guide, sauntered through the hallways as if she owned the place, her steps light and casual, a smirk on her lips as she glanced at each guard they passed. She offered them a wink or a sly smile, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Hey there, handsome," She teased one particularly stony-faced guard that was barring their way, her voice lilting with mock flirtation. "What''s a guy like you going to do to a girl like me with that big thick rod?"


    The guard blinked, his expression remaining neutral, but the faintest twitch of his mouth betrayed his surprise. Tattletales grin widened. "No need to be so stiff.." With a grimace, he ran a metal wand across Tattletale and Amy, before stepping aside.


    Tattletale strutted down the hallway, seemingly in a terrific mood. No doubt overjoyed at the prospect of Coil being run out of Brockton Bay. It was time for the ''deal'' they''d made where Amy would remove what she''d done, in exchange for Coil disappearing from Brockton Bay. With the Empire 88 needing eradication, Amy had decided to hurry things along, she didn''t need any risk of Coil getting ideas.


    A note left on her dresser when she woke up that morning had further speeded that thought along¡­ Although not in the way she''d planned.


    But it was better this way.


    Amy followed behind the smug villain, her demeanor a complete opposite to Tattletale''s playfulness. Her expression was blank, almost bored. While Tattletale was in her skintight villain uniform, Amy was dressed casually, in just jeans and a sweater, a further difference between them. Amy''s gaze never lingered on any of the guards or security measures. She kept her hands in her pockets, her steps steady and unhurried, as if she were taking a leisurely stroll rather than being led into the heart of an enemy base.


    If Coil wasn''t already handled, this wouldn''t be so easy. But she was somewhat surprised Tattletale hadn''t immediately cottoned on.


    Then again, her inflated sense of self importance and smugness might have stopped her from taking good enough of a look.


    "You know, you could at least pretend to be impressed," Tattletale said over her shoulder, her tone light but with an edge of curiosity. "It''s not every day someone gets an all-access pass to the big bad Coil''s lair. Most people would be freaking out right now."


    Amy didn''t even blink. "I''m not most people."


    Tattletale''s grin turned almost feral. "No, you''re really not, are you? I mean, what kind of person takes on the Empire 88 single-handedly, causes a city-wide panic, and then decides to stroll into a supervillain''s base like it''s just another Tuesday? You''ve got some serious balls, I''ll give you that."


    Amy''s lips barely moved as she responded with boredom. "Is there a point to this, or are you just trying to waste my time?"


    Tattletale laughed, the sound echoing down the hallway. "I''m just trying to get a read on you. You''re not exactly an open book, even for me, you know? And I like to know who I''m dealing with here."


    "I''m not interested in your games," Amy said coldly. "And I''m definitely not interested in your opinions."


    "Ooh, ice queen, I like it," Tattletale quipped, unfazed. "But come on, you''re here, you''re talking to me instead of giving me the silent treatment. That means you''re at least a little curious about what I could know. Maybe even a little nervous?" Her grin was positively saccharine.


    Amy''s gaze was flat, her voice devoid of any emotion. After what happened to Vicky, even though Amy had healed her immediately¡­ Amy wasn''t the same anymore, her negative emotions running rampant. "The only thing I''m curious about is why Coil thought sending you to get me was a good idea."


    Tattletales'' smile didn''t waver, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes - annoyance, maybe? "What can I say? I''m his best girl. Besides, I think he''s hoping I can figure out what makes you tick. You''ve been making a lot of waves lately, and not just with the Empire. People are starting to wonder what your game is."


    "I don''t have a game," Amy said dismissively. "I''m just doing what needs to be done, the only one that actually seems to do that."


    Tattletales eyes sparkled with mischief. "Oh, I think you do have a game. You just don''t want to admit it. You''ve got all these pieces on the board, and you''re moving them around, but no one knows what your endgame is. Not even your own team, I bet." She smirked, "Not even, Victoria, maybe?"


    Amy''s jaw tightened slightly, the only sign that the jab had hit home at all. "You don''t know anything about my team." I''m going to make her eat those words in a moment¡­


    The girl thought because Amy was parlaying with Coil she was safe? Tattletale was still operating on the Amy of yesterday. The new Amy was far more ruthless¡­


    The bitch would regret trying to poke the Vicky button¡­


    "Don''t I?" Tattletales grin widened, even as something hesitant entered her eyes, as she studied Amy, no doubt having something pinging as wrong to her power. "I know you''ve got them wrapped around your little finger. Starlight, New Wave¡­ Poison Ivy, They''re all falling in line, aren''t they? It''s almost like you''re building something. Like you''re preparing for something big."


    "Or maybe I''m just keeping the city from tearing itself apart further," Amy countered, her voice still cold, but with a razor-sharp edge. "Unlike you, I actually care about what happens to this place."


    Tattletale chuckled, the sound low and mocking. "Right, because nothing says ''caring'' like unleashing a bioweapon on the Empire 88 and almost killing your own sister due to that particular gambit."


    Amy''s eyes flashed, but she didn''t rise to the bait. "Vicky''s fine." Oh, you''ll pay for that¡­


    The fact she was right, in a way, that she was able to tease out Amy''s own disgust at herself for her previous naivety, didn''t mean Amy was going to let Tattletale get away with this.


    "Sure, she''s fine now," Tattletale agreed, her tone casual, almost conversational, yet there was a wariness there that wasn''t there before as they went deeper into the base. "But she wasn''t, was she? For a second there, she was really, truly gone. And you almost lost it. I saw the footage - half the city did. You were out of your mind."


    Amy''s expression hardened, her voice dropping to a dangerous, icy whisper. "Careful, Tattletale. You''re starting to sound like you think I''m bluffing."


    "Bluffing?" Tattletale raised an eyebrow, her smile fading slightly. "About what?" She almost missed a step as she read something in Amy''s expression.


    "About what I''m willing to do," Amy said, her eyes locked on Tattletales. "About what happens if you keep pushing me."


    For the first time, Tattletale truly hesitated, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her face. But then she recovered, her smile returning, though it was a little forced. "Okay, okay, message received. I''ll back off. For now."


    "Good," Amy said flatly. "Because I''m not here to play games. I''m here to get rid of a problem. And if you get in my way, I''ll get rid of you, too."


    Tattletale''s eyes narrowed, some fear present, but there was a hint of genuine curiosity in her gaze now. "You know, that''s what I don''t get about you. You act all cold and detached, like nothing can touch you. But then you go and do something crazy, like taking on the Empire or tearing into Coil. It''s almost like you''re trying to prove something. To who, though? To them? To yourself?"


    She really can''t help but prod, even when she sees she''s in the jaw of a tiger¡­ Amy''s expression didn''t change, but there was a subtle shift in her posture, a slight tension in her shoulders. "You think you know everything, don''t you, Lisa? Yet you''re only a minion¡­" She said softly.


    Tattletale looked pretty smug, as they passed through another checkpoint, "Oh, bringing out the first names, are we besties now?" She mocked, completely sidestepping the minion comment.


    Probably because it struck home.


    "Who knows." Amy said, eyes dead ahead, she just wanted to see if the note had been true, and finally finish this chapter. Perhaps she''d even allow Tattletale to continue existing. As a maid or something¡­


    She could be useful. Amy knew that. But she was so annoying. It almost wasn''t worth keeping her around.


    Case in point. Even with all the red flags she was no doubt seeing, the smug villain just couldn''t leave things be, "Why even put in all this effort? Why do you care about Coil, about all of this?" She gestured to the base, but Amy knew she was encompassing all of Brockton in her question.


    Amy''s smile widened slightly, a cold, almost cruel smile, because by now, it should all be starting to take effect... "Because this is my city. And I''m done letting people ruin it."


    Tattletale''s steps faltered slightly, her usual confidence wavering. "Your city? You''re sounding a lot like Kaiser there. Or maybe Coil. Is that what you want? To be some kind of dictator?"


    Amy''s gaze remained fixed forward, unyielding. "If that''s what it takes to keep people safe, then yes. But I''m not Kaiser. And I''m not Coil. I''m not playing their game." They aren''t even aware of the real game¡­


    "Could''ve fooled me," Tattletale shot back, her voice sharper now, even as she looked around cautiously, picking up on Amy''s confidence perhaps, or finally feeling the subtle difference. "You''re sure as hell moving all the pieces around like it''s a chessboard. But there''s a problem with that, you know. People aren''t pieces. They don''t just do what you want them to, especially once someone tells them all your little naughty secrets."


    "They will," Amy said calmly, a steely resolve in her voice. "Or they''ll get out of my way."


    Tattletale let out a low whistle, shaking her head. "Damn, you''re serious, aren''t you? You really think you can just make everyone fall in line. You think you can force the entire city to bend to your will?" Her body language was a lot more unsure now, despite her continued bravado.


    "I don''t think," Amy corrected, her voice chilling in its certainty. "I know."


    It was already in motion.


    The words hung in the air like a challenge, the temperature between them dropping several degrees. Tattletales'' smile turned brittle, her eyes narrowing as she studied Amy''s profile. There was something different about her - Lisa thought - something beyond the coldness, beyond the determination. Something that sent a shiver down her spine.


    "Okay, enough with the doom and gloom," She said, her voice too bright, too forced. "Let''s get back to business. You''re here to finalize the deal. Heal whatever''s wrong with Coil, and he leaves the city. That''s the plan?"


    Amy stared straight ahead, her expression amused. "Who knows..." She slowly turned her head and eyed Tattletale, knowing the girl had her own plans around this, to cut the cord with Coil, but it was all immaterial now.


    How frustrating it must be to see the light of freedom and realize it was just a glimpse as she exchanged one jail for another.


    Tattletales'' smile wavered, a hint of unease creeping into her eyes as they flickered around, feeling something was wrong. "And you really think he''s just going to roll over and leave? Just like that?"


    "How brave of you to say such a thing, minion." Amy said mockingly, her own mood brightening as she saw that the body language of the villain before her subtly began to change.


    Amy continued forward, her gaze locked on the door at the end of the hallway. They were almost there now. The guards stationed outside the door shifted slightly as they approached, their hands resting on the butts of their rifles, their eyes watchful and alert, their heads bowed slightly in subservience - to Amy.


    Tattletale hesitated, her brow furrowing as if she were trying to solve a particularly difficult puzzle. Then, with a sudden, almost desperate movement, she reached out and grabbed Amy''s shoulder, her grip tight and almost frantic. Notable, because she''d made efforts to never be within touching distance this entire time.


    "What did you do?" She blurted out, her voice high and panicked. "Why do I feel like this, this, draw to you? I didn''t let you touch me!"


    Amy turned her head slowly, her smile a chilling parody of kindness. "Like my new perfume? I made it myself¡­"


    Tattletale''s eyes widened, her hand dropping from Amy''s shoulder as if she''d been burned. "Perfume? You mean you - "


    "Why would I need something as pedestrian as a touch to change something?" Amy''s voice was soft, almost gentle, but there was a cold amusement in her eyes that made Tattletales blood run cold, even as she couldn''t make herself step away. Part of her thinking was that of course it was only natural that she accepted such a change.


    Amy knew best after all.


    "You¡­ You used a chemical solution to alter minds?" Tattletales'' voice started out shaky, her face pale. "How did I not pick up on that?" She tried to cry out, but it came out more as a curious question. It felt like it was a struggle to remember why it was a problem.


    Why was she worried anyway? She was Amy''s, of course it was fine for her to alter her in any way she pleased.


    Amy''s smile widened slightly, a predatory gleam in her eyes. "You might have super intuition, but it couldn''t help you since you were already mine the second you stepped near me, it only took this long to complete the change."


    The ventilation system of this base took care of the rest, her perfume was a very invasive species. Coil could have shut it all down of course, but¡­


    Well, the note.


    There was a reason she''d chosen to do this in such a simple way.


    Tattletale''s shoulders slumped, her face smoothing out as a strange calmness settled over her. It was as if some internal struggle had suddenly resolved itself, leaving her oddly serene. "I should have known¡­ But I didn''t. It''s like¡­ My mind couldn''t go there." She said, strangely at peace.


    Amy patted her on the cheek condescendingly, the guards stepping aside for them, as they stopped before the door, "Be thankful, I created this specifically for thinkers."


    Tattletale blinked, her expression strangely docile. "You¡­ You changed me."


    "Yes," Amy said simply. "And now you''re going to help me."


    Tattletale nodded slowly, as if in a daze. "Of course. I''m your friend. I''m supposed to help you."


    Amy smirked. "Good girl." She said, patting the other woman on the rear, "Maybe you''ll make a better pet then you did a minion?"


    Honestly it had been a pain to whip something up in just a few hours. But all of the experiments she''d done as Ivy helped give her the foundation. Of course Tattletale would read that she had a plan for her, that she wanted to convert her. But she was still mistakenly of the belief she needed a touch, and that she still kept morals, from their previous meeting.


    Hence she hadn''t acted on anything, going down into the bowels of the base with her, the perfume beginning to alter her biology, her brain, more and more as they walked.


    The first hit, so to speak, inhaled the second they met up, enough to muddle her intuition on the issue. She''d specifically engineered it to mess with a thinker.


    Tattletale''s cheeks flushed slightly, and she looked away, a faint, confused smile playing on her lips. "Did you do all this just for me?"


    "Not just for you," Amy corrected, her voice light and careless. "You''re just a side benefit."


    Tattletale''s smile faltered slightly, a flicker of something uncertain passing over her face before she shrugged it off. "Still, I''m flattered. I must be more important than I thought, huh?" She tried to inject some of her usual smugness into her tone, but it came out sounding weak.


    Amy tilted her head, regarding her with a look that was almost pitying. "I don''t have time to play games with you, Tattletale. Coil''s resources are the real target here. You''re just¡­ Collateral."


    After all, the man had already begun negotiations for the Travelers too before everything happened. Something Amy would gladly take over and¡­ Expedite.


    If she was going to say fuck it and throw a giant middle finger at the world, Echidna wouldn''t be a bad pet. She could probably figure out how to make her useful instead of¡­ A liability.


    No one was allowed to hurt Vicky again. She was going to crush any opposition.


    She shook her head in some dark amusement, well aware that by some twist of fate, she''d still managed to end up with an obsession, just like canon.


    Tattletale mulled Amy''s statement over, she felt she should be upset, yet strangely she wasn''t. At a gesture from Amy, she stepped up to the door, prepared to punch in the code. "You know this is crazy, right?" She said softly, her voice almost pleading. "You can''t just¡­ Take over. It doesn''t work like that, what if he hurts you? We should leave!"


    She couldn''t let Amy get hurt!


    It was a miracle Coil hadn''t already intervened, and there was no way he hadn''t shut off the ventilation to this part of the base the second his scanners picked up on anything chemical. Why he hadn''t done anything yet, Tattletale didn''t know, but she didn''t want Amy hurt, she had to protect her.


    Amy''s gaze was calm, unyielding. "Coil isn''t a threat. Not anymore."


    Tattletale swallowed hard, then punched in the code. The door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing the spacious office beyond. It was surprisingly minimalistic for a supervillain''s lair - sleek black furniture, a large desk, and walls lined with monitors displaying various parts of the base and the city above. .


    But the room''s most striking feature was the man slumped over the desk, a single gunshot wound visible at the back of his skull. The blood had pooled beneath him, staining the papers scattered across the surface, the metallic tang of it sharp in the sterile air.


    Tattletale''s eyes widened, a mix of shock and fascination crossing her face as she took in the scene. "You¡­ You really did it. You had him killed." She looked at Amy with devotion, "But how?"


    She could have tried to read her, but that would have been rude, Tattletale wouldn''t do that to Amy.


    Amy''s voice was filled with dark satisfaction. "He made his choices in life and the bill came due.."


    She had no idea herself on why exactly Contessa was helping her, or why Cauldron had betrayed Coil. But the little note in her room with a stenciled fedora had been pretty clear on what she''d find today.


    Tattletale shook her head, her hands trembling as she took a step back, her eyes flicking between Amy and the corpse, relief seemingly the overarching emotion. "I¡­ I don''t know whether to be impressed or terrified."


    Amy''s smile didn''t reach her eyes. "Why not both?"


    Although her concoction had made Tattletale hers, it didn''t overwrite her personality entirely, because Amy quite enjoyed the slight fear wafting off the annoying woman right now.


    Tattletale let out a shaky breath, then seemed to collect herself, her expression smoothing out into something resembling her usual smugness. "Well, this changes things. Guess you''re really in charge now, huh?" She was almost giddy, in fact.


    Not only was Coil dead - unfortunately not by her hand, but what could you do? But Amy was also nice enough to do it and take her in as well, she was so nice. She felt really bad for being so bitchy before. She really needed to make up for that. What had she been thinking?


    Amy''s gaze turned icy, a sharp edge to her voice. "Lisa, be a dear and take control of all his assets, would you? I''m particularly interested in the identities of the Empire 88. If you could pull them up, he might not have all of them at the moment, but I''m sure you can use what he has to figure out the rest¡­"


    Amy thought it was probably Tattletales work that allowed Coil to find most of them anyway.


    Tattletale blinked, a look of surprise crossing her face before she nodded, her smile turning almost predatory. "With pleasure, ~boss."


    Without another word, she stepped forward, shoving Coil''s lifeless body out of the chair with a casual, almost dismissive gesture. The corpse hit the floor with a sickening thud, but Tattletale didn''t even glance down, her focus entirely on the computer screen in front of her.


    She tapped a few keys, her fingers flying over the keyboard with practiced ease. The monitors flickered, displaying lines of code and spreadsheets filled with data - bank accounts, shell companies, lists of assets and personnel. Tattletale''s eyes gleamed with something almost like erotic pleasure as she sifted through the information, her lips quirking into a very satisfied smile.


    "Wow, he really did have his fingers in everything," She murmured, more to herself than to Amy. "I mean, I knew he was big, but this¡­ This is next-level."


    Amy didn''t respond, her gaze distant as she watched the screens flicker. Her thoughts were already elsewhere, her mind racing with plans and contingencies. She glanced down at her hands, her fingers flexing as if feeling the weight of the power she now held. It was intoxicating, the sheer scale of what she could do. She''d been holding back, playing by the rules, letting herself be constrained by the expectations of others. But no more.


    Vicky''s face flashed in her mind, the image of her crumpled on the ground, blood streaming from the wound in her head. The memory twisted something inside her, a dark, burning anger that surged through her veins like poison.


    They had hurt Vicky. They had dared to attempt to take what was hers.


    No more holding back. No more playing it safe. She was going to take this city, mold it into something new, something better. And she was going to make sure no one ever threatened what she loved again.


    No more.


    She glanced at Tattletale, watching the other woman work with a detached sort of interest. Tattletale was good, maybe even better than she''d given her credit for. But she was also reckless and impulsive. She didn''t understand what it meant to truly be in control, to be willing to do whatever it took to protect what was hers, not yet anyway.


    And now probably never. Amy hadn''t bothered to be that subtle with this concoction. If she was going to use Tattletale in the future¡­ It had to be with her loyalty completely rewired. And it didn''t hurt to get a base full of mercenaries in the same deal either.


    She glanced at Coil''s lifeless body, her expression unreadable as she took in the slack features, the blood-stained papers beneath him. He''d been a threat still, even neutered as he''d been by her opening gambit way back when, an obstacle in her way. But now he was nothing more than a stepping stone, a means to an end.


    She really couldn''t fathom what Cauldron was playing at¡­ But she wouldn''t look a gift horse in the mouth. She was still curious why Cauldron capes seemed to have different strength powers then she''d remembered, but it hadn''t been worth keeping Coil alive to question him.


    Especially with Cauldron for some reason assisting her. She didn''t want to piss them off by digging too deep. Yet.


    She looked back at the monitors, her gaze sweeping over the city she''d claimed as her own. There were still obstacles, still people who would try to stand in her way. But she would deal with them, one by one, until there was no one left to oppose her.


    Because this was her city. And she would do whatever it took to keep it safe.


    Even if that meant tearing it apart and rebuilding it from the ground up.


    She took a deep breath, her mind already racing with plans and strategies. She''d been playing defense, reacting to the threats around her. But now¡­ now it was time to go on the offensive. To take control of the game, to make sure that no one ever dared to threaten her or what she loved again.


    "No take backs," She murmured to herself, the words a quiet promise, a vow that echoed in the silence of the room.


    There was no turning back now. She was in control. And she would make sure that everyone, from the lowest thug to the highest cape, understood exactly what that meant.


    <hr>


    The next day,


    The air in Ivy''s forested domain was thick with the scent of rich earth and fresh blooms, a perfect harmony of nature and power. Ivy had transformed the trainyards into a sprawling green paradise, where towering trees wove together like sentinels guarding their queen. At the center of it all stood the World Tree, a massive, awe-inspiring structure that stretched impossibly high, its branches seemingly cradling the sky. Vines spiraled up its trunk, and deep roots spread out like veins in every direction, pulsing with life.


    At the foot of this colossal tree, Ivy had crafted a sitting area that blended seamlessly into the environment. The seats were grown from the ground itself, made of intricately woven roots and soft moss that seemed to cradle anyone who sat in them. A long, wooden table dominated the space, its surface covered in delicate flowers and grass that bloomed with every touch, responding to Ivy and Amy''s mere presence. The area was serene, a perfect mix of wilderness and precision - nature bent to their will.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    This work by itself had kept Amy sane, getting to explore and develop her powers as Ivy even as she''d tried to keep Amy''s life somewhat on the heroic path.


    She should have known it would just have been easier to go full bore villain from the start. Heroic Villain?


    Tattletale groaned as she and Amy entered the clearing, her mind finally catching up to the reality of the situation as she saw them together. "Oh God," She muttered, rubbing her temples. "You''re the same person. Ivy, Amy - there''s no difference."


    Sherrel and Jason, now Sandman - previously known as Mush - stood a few feet away, their jaws dropping simultaneously at the realization. Sandman blinked in confusion, while Sherrel''s eyes lit up with sudden, mischievous delight.


    Ivy, perched elegantly on one of the vine-grown chairs, pouted theatrically, summoning a vine to swat Tattletale on the rear. "Bad minion," She chided, her voice mockingly sweet. "Some secrets are supposed to stay secrets."


    It wasn''t really a big deal in the end, everyone here was loyal in a way where they couldn''t be disloyal, but still, it was a bad habit the bigmouth needed to get out of.


    Tattletale winced, but the playful punishment brought a grin to her face. "Hey, if you wanted secrets, you should''ve mind-controlled someone without super intuition." She snarked.


    Amy, standing next to Ivy with her arms crossed, gave Tattletale a dry look. "Even when you''re a minion, you just can''t keep your mouth shut, can you?"


    Tattletale smirked, but before she could say anything else, Ivy waved her hand dismissively, her expression turning serious. "Sandman," She said, her voice carrying an effortless authority, "Take her to headquarters. Put her on computer duties, let''s make her useful."


    Once they had the Travelers brought in and fully set up in Coils old base. They''d probably just move Tattletale there. Amy wasn''t very fond of her after all.


    Tattletale immediately frowned, her natural defiance rising to the surface. "Come on! I should be here. I''m useful. I can help with the plan - whatever it is."


    Both Ivy and Amy looked at her like she was beneath them, their gazes so cold and disdainful it made Tattletale''s stomach flip. Ivy didn''t even spare her another glance as she spoke. "No," She said flatly. "You''re nothing but a tool right now, Lisa. Tools don''t get to speak or plan. They just perform their function like good little tools."


    Tattletale''s pout deepened, but there was no real anger behind it. She was loyal now, after all. Whatever Amy and Ivy wanted, she would do. "Fine, fine," She grumbled, throwing her hands up in surrender. "But don''t come crying to me when you mess something up because you didn''t have my genius insight." She added, without any heat, still pouting.


    Sandman gave her a bemused look before gesturing for her to follow. As they walked away, Tattletale cast one last glance over her shoulder, as though hoping for some last-minute reprieve. But Ivy and Amy were already turning her attention to the others, her focus shifting entirely. With a sigh, Tattletale disappeared into the trees, her complaints fading into the distance.


    When they were gone, Sherrel, still standing with her arms crossed, gave the two women an appraising look. Her lips quirked up into a wicked grin as her eyes flicked between Amy and Ivy. "So¡­" She drawled, her voice filled with teasing amusement. "Masturbation has a whole ''nother meaning now, doesn''t it?"


    Ivy''s deadpan stare was almost enough to freeze the air. "I''m going to pretend you didn''t say that," She said, her tone exasperated. "And assume you were about to report on the success of your mission."


    Amy, seated now at the intricately designed table, ran her fingers through the soft grass growing from its surface, watching as the tiny blades grew and bloomed into delicate white flowers. It felt good to let her powers flow freely, without restraint. She smiled, a hint of satisfaction crossing her face as the table responded to her touch, ideas of what she could really do now blossoming in her head.


    Was immorality really such a giant leap when she could create almost anything, change biological matter on every level¡­ The possibilities were endless¡­


    After¡­


    They dealt with the issues at hand. Dealing with Eidolon''s issues was suddenly more important now that her plan practically guaranteed an Endbringer would hit them, if not perhaps the next one, the one thereafter at least.


    Ivy''s power could help defend the city from damage, and they did have Sherrel too, who could build almost anything as long as it was a car¡­


    With a city''s worth of resources, and leaning a bit on people like Uppercrust, Amy was sure they could come up with something.


    Sherrel, clad in her oil-stained overalls, looked completely out of place in the lush, green surroundings. But she didn''t seem to mind. With a playful salute, she snapped to attention, giggling as she did. "Yes ma''am''s!" She chirped. "Using my fantastic skills, I managed to go completely undetected as I poisoned the water supply and the water treatment plants in and around Brockton Bay." She preened slightly, "Praise me!"


    She was also utterly shameless.


    Amy snorted softly. "I''m sure it was an arduous task," She said sarcastically, knowing full well that Sherrel had used her invisible car to breeze through whatever security patrolled the perimeter. Water plants weren''t exactly the most heavily defended facilities in the city internally. Considering the kind of bullshit powers running around, it was a glaring oversight Amy mentally noted for the future - when she would be ruling Brockton Bay.


    A future remarkably closer than it had been just days ago¡­


    Sherrel''s grin faltered for a moment, her usual bravado slipping as she glanced nervously at Ivy. Despite having worked closely with Ivy for a while now, there was something about the realization that Ivy and Amy were the same person that still unsettled her. She swallowed hard, her voice quieter than before. "You realize this is going to be big, right? Like¡­ Huge?"


    Amy and Ivy exchanged a glance, their smirks identical, their eyes gleaming with the same ruthless intent. They spoke at the same time, their voices perfectly synchronized.


    "Counting on it."


    <hr>


    That night,


    Starlight headquarters was quiet, bathed in darkness except for the faint glow of the city lights filtering through the windows. The stillness felt odd in juxtaposition to the chaos Amy felt swirling inside her. She moved silently through the halls, her footsteps almost inaudible on the polished floors. Each step carried her deeper into the building, past the meeting rooms and common areas, until she found herself standing in front of Vicky''s room.


    The door creaked softly as Amy pushed it open. The faint scent of Vicky''s perfume lingered in the air, mingling with the familiar scent of unwashed laundry and a hint of vanilla. The room was a mess - clothes strewn across the floor, discarded workout gear piled in one corner, and an array of hero posters plastered on the walls. Glory Girl''s old posters dominated one side, but there were others - Alexandria of course, one with Starlight''s logo, and even a faded New Wave one pinned crookedly beside her desk. The space was so unmistakably Vicky: vibrant, chaotic, and unapologetically hers.


    The bedside table was cluttered with half-empty water bottles, a phone charger, and a hairbrush tangled with blonde strands. Vicky''s costume lay discarded near the foot of her bed, and the comforter had been kicked off in her sleep, revealing some of her sprawled, peaceful form, her sheet tangled across her.


    Amy tiptoed to the edge of the bed and sat down in the chair next to it. She was close enough to touch Vicky but kept her hands on her lap for the moment. Her eyes trailed over Vicky''s face, serene in sleep, her golden hair spread like a halo on the pillow. Yet, no matter how peaceful her sister looked now, the image of Vicky''s body crumpling to the ground, shot in the head, refused to leave Amy''s mind. The blood, the limpness, the fear - those images wove over the reality in front of her, making Amy clench her fists until her knuckles turned white.


    She almost died, Amy thought, the weight of it suffocating. She couldn''t stop seeing it.


    Her choices led them there..


    "I''m not good for you..." She whispered, the words barely escaping her lips. Her hand moved to find Vicky''s, her thumb brushing gently over her sister''s knuckles. Vicky''s skin was warm and soft, grounding her in the present. "I''m sorry for being so greedy."


    Amy let out a shaky breath. She couldn''t say these things when Vicky was awake, couldn''t admit that her love - her need - was becoming suffocating. What she was doing now, the plans she was putting into motion, they were all things she wanted, craved. But Vicky... Vicky wouldn''t choose this. Neither would the others. And yet, here they all were, caught up in something she''d orchestrated, something they would have no choice but to accept. She would present them with a fait accompli, and by the time they realized the full extent, it would be too late.


    They would have to pick sides, but she''d already stacked the deck. Their choices wouldn''t really be choices at all.


    The apology video from the rest of her family had aired only hours after Vicky had been shot. They''d bent the knee. Except for Mark and Carol, New Wave was now part of Starlight. Together, they were already more powerful than the Protectorate could handle in this city. She was perfectly poised to take over Brockton Bay.


    But this wasn''t what Vicky deserved.


    "Ames¡­?" Vicky''s sleepy voice interrupted Amy''s thoughts. Her sister''s blue eyes fluttered open, bleary and confused, as she squinted at Amy through the darkness.


    Amy stiffened slightly, forcing a smile that came out as more of a grimace. "Vicky."


    Vicky sat up on her elbows, her sheet slipping down her chest, revealing more. Amy quickly averted her gaze, but not before her eyes traced the lines of Vicky''s uncovered body. She focused instead on Vicky''s face, watching as her sister blinked the sleep from her eyes.


    "Ames, what''s wrong?" Vicky asked, instantly alert to Amy''s turmoil. It didn''t matter how well Amy tried to hide her emotions - Vicky always knew.


    Amy swallowed, her throat tight. "You almost died," She whispered, her voice breaking with the weight of everything she hadn''t said, "Because of my actions."


    Vicky''s reaction was immediate. She reached out, grabbing Amy''s wrist and pulling her into bed beside her. "None of that!" She huffed any sleepiness immediately dispelled, wrapping her arms around Amy in a tight hug. "It wasn''t your fault, and you saved me. I''m fine."


    Fine. Amy knew Vicky was strong, invincible even, but surviving a headshot like that? No one could be ''fine'' after that kind of trauma, even Vicky. But Amy didn''t argue. She let Vicky''s warmth envelop her, feeling both comforted and crushed by the weight of her own guilt.


    "Ames¡­" Vicky''s voice was softer now, her breath warm against Amy''s ear. "Tell me what''s really bothering you."


    Amy sighed into the crook of Vicky''s neck, the scent of her skin calming and torturing her all at once. "Will you hate me if the world does?" She asked quietly.


    Vicky tilted her head, angling to catch Amy''s gaze. Her blue eyes were clear, filled with a determination that could have shattered mountains. "I could never hate you, Amy," She said firmly. "What''s going on?"


    Amy hesitated, biting her lip. "I''m¡­ I''m removing the gangs. All of them."


    A slow smile spread across Vicky''s face, her eyes lighting up. "That''s great news!"


    Amy glanced away, the weight of what she was about to confess too heavy to meet Vicky''s eyes. She sighed. "Vicky, I''m not doing it legally." She let it all come out, not daring to look at her, "The way I''m doing it¡­ People will hate me, the PRT will hate me¡­"


    There was a beat of silence, Vicky''s expression faltering as she processed Amy''s words. For a moment, her lips pursed in thought, conflicted. Then she snorted, rolling her eyes slightly. "Is it going to make Brockton Bay actually safe?" She asked, looking serious.


    Amy couldn''t answer immediately. She held her breath, weighing her thoughts carefully. After a long pause, she finally whispered, "Probably."


    Vicky''s arms tightened around her, pulling her closer. "I can''t say I''m thrilled about you putting yourself in more danger and doing something that''ll probably get the PRT after you," She admitted, "But with how they''ve let the E88 run wild¡­ I''m not really sure what benefit there is to them being on our side to begin with."


    A bitter laugh escaped Amy''s throat, her chest tightening. "You''re too good to be real."


    Vicky smiled, a warm, beautiful thing, and pressed a soft kiss to Amy''s lips. It was quick, but enough to send Amy''s heart racing. "And you better not forget it!" She chirped, settling back into the bed and pulling Amy against her.


    As Amy lay there, the tension in her body slowly draining, the exhaustion of the past few days caught up with her. The weight of her plans, of what she was becoming, still loomed large in her mind. But for now, wrapped in Vicky''s warmth, she let herself feel something other than fear and guilt. She let herself feel love, as flawed and messy as it was.


    Was it real?


    It felt real enough, and Amy couldn''t ask for anything else, not with the blood on her hands, and not with the absolute rivers of blood she''d bathe in before she could call herself ''safe''.


    Minutes passed, and as Amy began to drift off, Vicky whispered into the quiet of the room. "Good or bad, it''s us against the world. Because even you at your baddest, Amy... you''re still good."


    Amy turned her head away so Vicky couldn''t see how affected she was by those words.


    I don''t deserve you¡­


    <hr>


    Several days later,


    Ivy adjusted her earpiece, her fingers gently brushing over the delicate vines that twisted and coiled around the base of the World Tree. Its massive trunk rose into the sky, towering above the trainyards like a living monument, branches spreading wide, casting a serene shadow over the forested domain she''d cultivated. The air around her was thick with life, the hum of plants growing, roots stretching, and leaves whispering as they swayed in the gentle breeze. She sat in a lotus position beneath the colossal tree, her eyes half-closed, basking in the living energy around her.


    All around her, twisted into her vines, were the unfortunate future casualties needed to ensure she didn''t waste all her power - and became useless in the face of retaliation in what they were doing.


    They were the lowest of criminals, sure. Yet she was glad that she could take this on as Ivy, instead of as Amy, and spare her family, Vicky¡­ Even more heartache.


    Using people as batteries wasn''t exactly something she could call ''good'' in anyway.


    "Everything proceeding as planned?" Ivy asked calmly into her communications gear, her voice soft but laced with authority as she pressed two fingers to her earpiece.


    A crackle of static, followed by the eager voice of Tattletale, answered her. "Everything''s plugged in," Tattletale practically purred, her wide grin practically audible through the comms. She was sitting in a room brimming with screens and tech, fingers flying across keyboards with the kind of confidence that came from knowing you were in control. "All of Brockton is going to get the broadcast once I hit the switch. It''ll be glorious." Her eyes gleamed with excitement, her mind racing at the possibilities of what they were about to unleash.


    It was like a dream come true, to get to give the middle finger to the world to this extent, all while she was safe and snug, away from any consequences.


    In the distance, outside Brockton Bay,  Sherrel''s voice chimed in, though the faint sound of crunching suggested her attention was divided between the conversation and a bag of Doritos. "Only got a couple more miles to go," She reported between bites, steering the car with one hand. Her fingers were stained orange from the chips, her grin wide and careless as Jason, sitting in the backseat, flung handfuls of Ivy''s specifically prepared seeds out the window. "Once we''re done, the outskirts are seeded and ready to bloom."


    Ivy had already spent the last few days carefully expanding her root system under the city to the outskirts. To allow her to power the seeds through that channel, using the sacrifices literal life force to give her the boost to perform an effect not quite matching her World Tree, but not too far away either.


    Sherrel let out a loud whoop, adding to her report with cheerful abandon, "We''re ~sooo getting a kill order for this."


    Tattletale snorted, her tone smug as she cut in. "They won''t dare." Her fingers tapped rhythmically against the keyboard in front of her. "This is too big for them to stop, too intricate. By the time they figure out what''s happening, we''ll have already won - once the news spread, they''re stuck.."


    Ivy''s serene voice broke through their chatter, commanding and calm. "Focus. You know the plan. Don''t fill the air with pointless talk." There was an edge to her words, sharper than usual, keeping them all in check. Then, almost as an afterthought, she added with pointed emphasis, "Got it, Lisa?"


    Tattletale pouted audibly through the comms. "Hey, big tits was saying stuff too," She complained, her voice playful, though Ivy could hear the subtle tension in it.


    Sherrel''s giggle echoed over the line, and Ivy couldn''t help but roll her eyes.


    "Yes, but she''s actually somewhat likeable," Ivy retorted, her tone completely deadpan.


    Before the banter could continue, Amy''s voice cut in, crisp and steady, but with an undercurrent of nervous energy. "I want everyone to double and triple-check their setups," She ordered, her boots clicking softly as she made her way into the TV station. She paused briefly at the entrance, adjusting her uniform with a quick tug, Vicky floating behind her like a silent but powerful presence. "I''m heading in now. Once the broadcast starts... Don''t fail."


    Amy was filled with a nervous tension that sat heavy in her chest. This was the moment - everything they''d worked for, everything she''d set into motion, was about to collide with the eyes of Brockton Bay. There were too many unknowns, too many variables, but They had planned meticulously. Contingencies upon contingencies. She wasn''t walking into this blind. She knew that the pieces were in place, her control was secure.


    Still, she couldn''t shake the nagging fear in the back of her mind. What if something went wrong? What if the Protectorate intervened before she could finish what she started? What if the national PRT acted differently than she expected? What if Cauldron got involved?


    She was basically creating another Ellisburg situation, except with a more¡­ PR friendly avenue.


    And without the monsters - she would add.


    Vicky drifted beside her, hovering just a few inches off the ground, her bright blue eyes flicking between Amy and the path ahead. She could sense the tension in Amy but didn''t say anything, letting her sister focus.


    The hallways of the TV station felt distant, muted, as Amy''s thoughts raced. This was her stage now. Soon, the entire city would hear her voice - her commands, her intentions laid bare for all to see. There were no heroes left in this, no grand moral struggle. There was only her will, and the plan she had set in motion.


    Everything was under control. The PRT wouldn''t dare stop her.


    <hr>


    Director Emily Piggot sat at the head of the conference table, her steely gaze scanning the room. The Brockton Bay Protectorate gathered before her, the air thick with tension. They were all seated, each looking equally grim. She had called this meeting to discuss the escalating situation in the city, and the recent catastrophic gang activity.


    "Let''s make this quick," Piggot said sharply. "We''ve got reports of increased Empire activity, and Poison Ivy is working in the shadows. We can''t afford to -"


    She stopped mid-sentence when the screen mounted on the wall flickered, then turned on by itself. Static gave way to a live feed: Amy Dallon - Remedy - sitting calmly in a chair, the camera focused tightly on her as she was being interviewed. Behind her was Victoria Dallon, floating, arms crossed, and expression serious.


    Armsmaster''s brows furrowed immediately, his gauntlet flashing to life. He began tapping on buttons, trying to access the screen''s controls. "This wasn''t scheduled, they shouldn''t have access either. I''ll try to shut it down," He muttered, his voice tight. The light from his gauntlet reflected on his visor as he worked.


    Piggot glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, her face twisted in a disgusted frown. She looked back at the screen, her jaw tightening. Remedy. Of course. The growing threat in Brockton Bay, now in full display for the world to see.


    She''d suspected her from the start, and she was fairly certain she was about to be proven right. The gall on the girl to go on TV to announce her villainous intentions. At least now Chief Costa-Brown could stop holding her back¡­


    "Is she trying to fight the Empire in the media? That won''t do anything¡­" Miss Militia said quietly, her eyes narrowing at the image of Remedy. She shifted slightly in her seat, looking uncomfortable.


    "No, she''s showing her true colors," Piggot replied, her tone dripping with venom.


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, in the concealed bunker of Cauldron, Alexandria sat down in a chair, her fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. Her face was a mask of frustration as her dark eyes stared at the large screen before them, already attuned to the live broadcast coming out of Brockton Bay. The air was heavy with anticipation.


    "I have a bad feeling about this," She said, her voice low but clearly laced with annoyance.


    Doctor Mother sat beside her, calm as always, though a rare glimmer of concern played in her gaze. Kurt, or Numberman as he was also known as, stood behind her, hands clasped behind his back, watching the screen intently. He didn''t speak, but his posture was tight, revealing his unease.


    "When Contessa, out of the blue, reaches out from her rebellion to tell us to watch something, what choice do we have?" Doctor Mother replied after a brief pause. Her voice was steady, but even she couldn''t hide her curiosity and growing apprehension.


    Legend, seated just to Alexandria''s right, shifted in his chair, his face contorted with worry. "Do we know what this is about?" He asked, the tension in his voice unmistakable. "I was just in Brockton Bay. Poison Ivy - didn''t seem like the evil type. If this is about her..."


    Eidolon, lounging with his arms crossed, snorted, his impatience clear in the way his fingers tapped rhythmically on the armrest of his chair. "She''s a villain. The fact that Contessa has us watching this right after you were there? She''s probably rubbing it in our faces that your negotiations failed, Keith."


    Legend - Keith - frowned, glancing at his teammate. "I don''t believe that''s it," He said softly, but the words held uncertainty. Poison Ivy hadn''t seemed outright malevolent, but now...


    Before he could finish the thought, the screen blinked fully to life. An interview with Remedy appeared, her calm demeanor unsettling against the backdrop of the tension they all felt. Victoria Dallon stood behind her, protective, her posture a clear warning to anyone who might challenge her sister.


    The silence in the room grew oppressive as the broadcast continued, the eyes of Cauldron fixed on the screen, the realization dawning on them as Amy Dallon began to speak, her presence commanding.


    Alexandria''s eyes narrowed, her hands tightening into fists. "Fuck," She muttered with feeling, her tone carrying all the weight of her dread and frustration.


    In no way could this be good.


    <hr>


    The camera opened on a small, dull looking studio where Amy Dallon - Remedy - sat poised and calm in a modern, leather-backed chair. The set was clean, minimalist, with a single sleek chair for the interviewer facing her across a polished wooden coffee table. Soft lights illuminated her features, but the way she held herself, the intensity in her eyes, made it clear she wasn''t there for a friendly chat.


    Behind her stood Victoria Dallon, her arms crossed, wearing her Starlight uniform, her body language protective and assertive. The room seemed smaller because of Victoria''s presence, her glare daring the interviewer to make any wrong move.


    The interviewer, a middle-aged man with thinning hair and a hesitant air about him, adjusted his notecards nervously. He had been brought in for this interview, not fully understanding the gravity of it until moments before the cameras rolled. Now, sitting face-to-face with Amy, he was beginning to realize what kind of bombshell was about to be dropped.


    "Thank you for joining us, Miss Dallon," He began, a forced smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Can you tell our audience why you''ve come onto the air today?"


    Amy''s gaze was steady, unflinching, and her voice rang with a calm confidence that seemed to fill the room. "I''m here because people need to know what''s really happening in Brockton Bay," She said. "The PRT has failed this city, and it''s time the truth came out." She cocked her head slightly, eyes narrowing, "It''s time a solution was brought to bear, no matter the cost."


    The interviewer shifted in his seat, already unnerved by her directness. "And what exactly do you mean by that? What has the PRT failed to do?"


    Amy''s hands clasped together in her lap, and she glanced momentarily at Victoria, who gave her a subtle nod of reassurance. Then, Amy spoke, her voice quiet but laden with a simmering intensity.


    "Recently, the Empire 88 - led by Nazis like Kaiser, Hookwolf, and their so-called ''elite'' - attacked civilian families and murdered them. Not just random gang members on the streets this time - but friends and family of ours. Innocent people. They slaughtered them. Families - children - were killed because they had the misfortune of being associated with Starlight or New Wave. And what did the PRT do? Nothing. Not a single kill order was issued. Not even after Hookwolf and his pack went on a massacre."


    She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in. The interviewer paled, visibly caught off guard by the bluntness of her statement.


    "They did nothing," She continued. "And that''s just the tip of the iceberg - Lung has already escaped to begin his reign of terror again. This city has been deteriorating for years. Gangs control the streets, run entire neighborhoods. The PRT and Protectorate, with all their resources, all their power, have done nothing but apply band-aids to the problem. The streets are dangerous. The schools are falling apart. Jobs are disappearing. And where are the heroes?" Amy''s eyes darkened, her voice rising slightly. "Sitting in their headquarters, watching it all happen. Waiting for the next gang war or Endbringer attack to feel useful."


    She glared into the camera, "Except for us."


    The interviewer gulped, trying to maintain composure as the intensity of the interview escalated. He shuffled his notes, searching for a way to steer the conversation. "And what about the attack on Starlight headquarters?" He asked, his voice slightly trembling. "Are you saying that was connected to this?"


    Amy''s expression remained cool, though a flicker of emotion passed over her face. She nodded, turning to face the camera directly. "Yes. The attack on Starlight was a distraction by the E88, it was a hit job. They were trying to murder my sister."


    Victoria, still standing behind her, squeezed Amy''s shoulder in a gesture of silent support. The camera panned briefly to show the silent exchange between the two sisters. It was clear, to anyone watching, just how close they were - how deep their bond ran.


    More importantly, it showed that Victoria was backing Amy in everything she said.


    Amy took a slow breath, her voice softening with the weight of her next words. "Vicky almost died because of what these gangs have done. She was shot in a usually fatal manner. The only reason she''s standing here now is because I was able to heal her immediately." Her voice cracked slightly, but she quickly regained control. "But the fact remains - this wasn''t an isolated attack. It was part of something much bigger. A city-wide conspiracy of violence and control."


    The interviewer hesitated again, clearly uncomfortable with the emotional turn the interview had taken and the risks in pissing off the PRT, but he knew he had to keep the conversation moving, it could also be a book to his career after all. "So¡­ Is this a call-out of the PRT? Are you here to demand action from them?" He asked, trying to sound neutral.


    Amy''s face hardened, her gaze locking onto the camera with renewed determination. "No," she said flatly. "I''m not wasting my time calling out the PRT. They''ve proven themselves to be a failed bureaucracy. I''m not here to demand anything from them other than perhaps to leave us be, to do their job..."


    The interviewer blinked, surprised. "Then¡­ What are you here for?"


    Amy leaned forward slightly, her voice lower but filled with unmistakable authority. "I''m here to tell the people of Brockton Bay that the gangs are already finished. I''ve already beaten them."


    Well¡­ Lung would probably need special attention, but other than him, they were done for.


    There was a stunned silence as the interviewer''s eyes went wide, and he sputtered, barely able to form his next question. "W-What do you mean? Beaten them? How?"


    Amy''s lips curled into a small, confident smile, one that didn''t reach her eyes. "I''m a biokinetic. So is Poison Ivy. She''s been branded a villain, but all she''s ever wanted to do is better the world. So we''ve joined forces. With Ivy''s abilities, we can provide humanity with things it''s only dreamed of - cures for cancer, for dementia, for diseases that have plagued mankind for centuries. And that''s only the beginning."


    Her eyes glittered as she gestured to the camera, to the people watching, "From there we could go so much further, end world hunger, create food that grows people''s strength, their healing factor, maybe even crack aging¡­ We''re not like the horror stories you''ve heard, we can save the world!"


    The interviewer, still bewildered, held up a hand. "Wait - what does this have to do with the gangs in Brockton Bay?" He didn''t even know where to begin on everything else, so defaulted to the simplest question.


    Amy''s smirk deepened, and she shifted in her seat, her posture confident. "I''m laying the foundation," She explained. "I want the world to understand that Ivy and I have the power to offer something too valuable to ignore. We can heal the world. But at the same time, I want you all to understand that if the PRT comes after us - if they try to stop us - they''ll be depriving humanity of its only chance to solve its greatest problems."


    "Why would the PRT come after you?" The interviewer pressed, sounding genuinely confused now. "Working with Poison Ivy¡­ It''s something they themselves negotiated recently, didn''t they?"


    Amy''s gaze never wavered as she looked directly into the camera, her next words laced with cold, hard truth. "Because several days ago, Ivy and I poisoned the water supply of Brockton Bay."


    The words hit the room like a bomb. The interviewer went pale, his hands shaking as he dropped his notecards. "W-What did you say?" He stammered, his voice barely a whisper.


    Amy leaned in closer, her tone now utterly serious. "Anyone who''s had a drink, taken a shower, eaten food prepared with water - anything that involved the water supply in the last few days - you are now dying."


    The room seemed to freeze. The interviewer sat, paralyzed by the shock of her words. Victoria''s hand tightened on Amy''s shoulder again, a quiet but visible show of solidarity.


    Amy''s voice cut through the stunned silence. "But don''t panic. Ivy and I are prepared. We will be available to every single Brocktonite, 24/7, on shifts. We''ll heal each and every one of you. And as we do, we''ll take care of any other health issues you might have. Cancer, heart disease, neurological issues - we can cure it all." She paused, her gaze becoming steely once more. "But as we heal you, we''re going to ask a few¡­ Questions."


    The interviewer, still pale and shaking, managed to croak out, "W-What questions?"


    Amy''s voice was sharp, like a knife cutting through the tension. "Are you in a gang? Have you assisted a gang with criminal activity that led to death, trafficking, or torture? Have you taken bribes from a gang? We will know if you''re lying." She smiled sharply, "If you''re Innocent of the worst crimes, then nothing has changed for you, if you''re a member of the ABB and E88 willingly, and committed atrocities¡­ Well, then you won''t be an issue any longer."


    Victoria crossed her arms, her expression grim as she glared directly at the camera, silently reinforcing her sister''s words. If she had any misgivings, she wasn''t showing them.


    Amy continued, her tone matter-of-fact, as though she were discussing something as simple as weather. "That''s why I said the gangs are already finished. They''re all dying right now. From Lung to Kaiser, from Hookwolf to Uber and Leet - they''re all dead men walking. They now have a choice: come to us for healing, and we''ll deal with them as befitting whatever crimes they''ve committed. Or they can try to flee, or fight¡­ And they''ll still die. Either way, the gang problem in Brockton Bay no longer exists."


    It would be a rough few weeks, but it was worth the chaos to have the problem taken care of. No need to find all the rotten eggs. They''d all die on their own, or come desperate for healing and be found guilty. if the PRT allowed her a free hand outside Brockton Bay, she could fix half their issues single handedly.


    But she would have to suffice with just her city.


    She counted on the offerings they had, her value in the Endbringer fights, to prevent the worst kind of fallout. They wouldn''t face full quarantine, because the PRT couldn''t survive removing the cures for everything from play.


    The interviewer, his voice now laced with anger, tried to find his footing again. "The PRT can''t let this stand," He said, his voice shaking with indignation. "You can''t just -"


    Amy cut him off, her smile turning cold, almost cruel. "The PRT doesn''t have a choice. This is my city now, and I''ll do a better job then they ever have.."


    The broadcast suddenly shifted to an overhead view of Brockton Bay. The camera panned out, showing the city''s outskirts, where a massive transformation was taking place. Trees, vines, and other dense vegetation were erupting from the earth, growing at an unnatural speed. In mere minutes, the plants formed a thick, impenetrable wall of greenery, encapsulating the entire outside of city in a living barrier.


    Vines twisted together, wrapping around structures, roads, and power lines, weaving a dense, green fortress. The wall of nature expanded quickly, growing thicker and taller with each passing moment, until it became a sprawling, verdant barricade. The barrier stretched as far as the eye could see, surrounding Brockton Bay entirely, sealing the city off from the outside world. Massive tree trunks interlaced with thorny vines and wildflowers, creating a living wall that would be impossible for anyone to breach without going through Poison Ivy''s domain.


    Except for the rare few fliers or teleporters, the only way to enter Brockton Bay now was to step into Poison Ivy''s domain.


    The broadcast cut back to Amy, who now stood in front of the camera, her expression hard, confident, and unyielding. Victoria stood beside her, arms crossed, her presence a silent but powerful statement of their united front.


    "Brockton Bay," Amy began, her voice calm but firm, "I apologize for this drastic measure, but it was necessary. The government has failed you. The heroes, other than Starlight, they''ve failed you. They''ve allowed the gangs to run rampant, to murder, enslave, and destroy this city while doing nothing to stop them."


    She took a breath, her eyes locking onto the camera, and by extension, the millions of viewers who were undoubtedly watching this broadcast in shock and disbelief. The news quickly spreading across the Internet even as Brocktonites watched it live.


    "I offer you a new way forward," She continued, her tone softening slightly but no less resolute. "Poison Ivy and I are here to fix what has been broken. We''re here to heal you - not just from the poison in the water, but from everything that''s plagued this city for years. We can cure your diseases, provide jobs, create a new industry that no other city in the world can compete with. We can make Brockton Bay better than it''s ever been."


    Amy stepped closer to the camera, her face filling the screen as she delivered her final words. "There will be no more gangs. No more Nazis, no more sex traffickers, no more drug lords terrorizing the streets. Starlight will take over from the PRT in keeping you safe. We will enforce the peace, while Poison Ivy controls the underworld, ensuring that such things as drugs and alcohol only exist in a manner that''s safe for you, while still working in the same manner, preventing addiction and debt from consuming more lives while allowing you to continue to enjoy recreational use."


    Amy''s voice softened, but the gravity of her message remained. "I am sorry that poisoning the water was the only way to ensure we got all of them, that we could yank the rot out by the roots. I promise that for the rest of my life, I will work to make Brockton Bay a haven on this earth, to make up for it."


    The screen zoomed in on Amy''s face one last time as she delivered her final promise. "Details will be available online at Starlight''s website, including the locations where you can come to be healed. Don''t worry - the poison will take weeks before it becomes fatal. You have time to be healed."


    She paused for a moment, letting her words sink in, then added with quiet finality, "If you aren''t guilty..."


    The broadcast abruptly cut off, leaving the city - in stunned silence.


    <hr>


    PRT headquarters,


    The entire room at PRT headquarters was frozen in shock. Piggot sat motionless, her eyes locked on the now-blank screen. Armsmaster''s gauntlet, which had been in the process of ending the broadcast, remained still as his hand hovered uncertainly over the buttons. Miss Militia stood tense, her lips pressed into a thin line, while the other Protectorate members exchanged bewildered and horrified glances.


    For a long, agonizing moment, no one moved.


    Then, finally, Director Piggot spoke, her voice thick with disbelief and rage and a smidgeon of pleasure, in being right all along. "She¡­ She just declared war on the PRT. On the government. On all of us, how dare she!"


    Armsmaster''s hand fell to his side as he turned to her, his face grim. "We can''t let this stand."


    "She''s poisoned the entire city," Miss Militia said quietly, shaking her head. "How do we fight, when defeating them means the death of a city¡­?"


    Piggot slammed her fist down onto the table, her face twisting in fury. "We have to respond. Immediately, whether they have a kill order or not, we need to take them down, before they escalate and start spawning abominations."


    Assault held a hand up, "Hey, question? You know before we go do something hilariously stupid. You do realize we''re all poisoned too, right?"


    "The world will remember our sacrifice." Piggot said flatly, glaring at him.


    Dauntless jerked to, looking at her like he was seeing her for the first time, "Ma''am, you can''t be serious! You''re asking us to comitt suicide!"


    "No, even worse." Assault said grimly, holding on to Battery as she seemed still in shock, "She''s asking us to sacrifice an entire city on her vendetta."


    Armsmaster frowned, shaking his head, "I don''t agree, the risks if they grow worse, makes this the only logical choice. They could end the planet if they let loose something worse."


    Assault fired back, "They could also save it, you heard what was on offer." He glanced at Miss Militia, "Come on, Hannah? You aren''t going with this, are you?"


    Miss Militia sighed, "I will follow my orders, whether I agree or not is immaterial right now."


    Piggot, her face red, stood up slowly, "Then to make it clear. I am ordering you to apprehend Amy Dallon and Poison Ivy, and if they fight back, you remove the threat."


    But before anyone could speak further, the door to the room burst open, and a harried-looking agent rushed inside. "Director! We''re receiving reports - people are already heading to the locations Amy Dallon mentioned. Starlight members are guarding the locations. We''ve tried contacting New Wave and they''re not responding."


    Piggot''s face turned red with fury, but beneath it, there was a flash of fear. "Dammit," She spat. "She''s already made this impossible¡­"


    Battery looked up, her hand tightly entwined with Assaults, "You''re asking us to attack when they''ll be surrounded by thousands of civilians¡­"


    Armsmaster frowned, "If she gets their support¡­"


    Piggot gnashed her teeth together, "They''ll win the city without a fight¡­" She finished.


    <hr>


    In the Cauldron facility, a heavy, suffocating silence filled the room as the broadcast cut out. The wide screen TV mounted on the wall went black, leaving the members of Cauldron sitting in stunned silence. Alexandria, Legend, Eidolon, the Numberman and Doctor Mother exchanged uneasy glances, each of them processing what they had just witnessed.


    For a long moment, no one spoke.


    Then, finally, Alexandria let out a long, exasperated sigh, rubbing her temples with her fingers. "This is a cluster fuck," She muttered, her tone laced with frustration.


    Legend leaned forward, his face pale, clearly struggling to process the gravity of what had just been revealed. "Did she¡­ Did she just say they poisoned the entire city?" His voice trembled with disbelief.


    He couldn''t believe it, how had he been so wrong?


    Doctor Mother, who had been watching in silence, merely nodded, her expression unreadable. "Yes," She said quietly. "And they''ve effectively taken control of Brockton Bay, our hands are tied."


    Eidolon crossed his arms, his face contorted with anger. "We knew Poison Ivy was dangerous, but this? She''s escalated far beyond anything we anticipated. And now, she''s dragged Remedy into being a villain, no matter what she claims."


    Legend groaned, "We can''t even quarantine them."


    Alexandria clenched her jaw, standing up and pacing the room, her cape swishing behind her. "It''s worse than that," She said bitterly. "They''ve poisoned the city, and now they''re holding the only cure. Not to mention what they offered. They''ve made themselves indispensable."


    Legend looked at her, his expression conflicted. "What are we going to do? If we move against them, we''ll be responsible for mass casualties. But if we don''t¡­"


    Doctor Mother leaned back in her chair, folding her hands neatly in her lap. "We need to be cautious. Remedy''s ability to heal, combined with Poison Ivy''s power¡­ They''ve become too valuable to simply eliminate. We''ll need a more¡­ Strategic approach."


    Kurt nodded, "If they are honest about their capabilities, one city is no loss for the benefit they could bring. Villain or hero, what does it matter?"


    Eidolon scoffed. "They''re just two capes. They won''t be able to hold the city forever." He gestured towards the TV, "Send me, I''ll take care of it."


    But Alexandria shook her head. "They won''t have to. If they cure every disease, fix every problem¡­ The people will follow them willingly eventually. They''ll be heroes. Saints. The world will rally behind them if given enough time, the girl already has a damn cult."


    The room fell silent again as the weight of the situation settled over them like a suffocating blanket. Amy Dallon and Poison Ivy had declared war on the system. And unless they acted soon, the entire world might be next.


    "Fuck," Alexandria muttered again, her voice filled with a deep, bitter frustration. "Just¡­ Fuck."


    She really didn''t want to reward them for basically taking a city and outright telling them they were worthless.


    Kurt spoke again, with a detached voice, "We can not allow them to die, not with as useful as they could be, yet we can not allow the PRT to fall."


    Doctor Mother interjected, "So, we allow an attempt to retake the city, waste a few pawns, and then settle for something in the middle once the fighting ends?" She offered.


    Alexandria grimaced, "That¡­ Might be necessary, yes." She allowed.


    She would have to return and take her post as Chief Costa-Brown from her double shortly. So they might as well make a showing, briefly.


    "Eidolon, stay out of it for now, Keith, with me." She ordered, "We''ll check in, be seen, probe the defenses."


    "Door to Brockton Bay, outside the walls." She ordered, a portal opening. Her and Legend flying through, even as Eidolon begun arguing with the others.


    A fake war with Brockton Bay would eat resources they couldn''t afford to spend. But they couldn''t afford to lose out on the benefits Ivy and Remedy were laying out either, so they couldn''t actually afford to beat them.


    She had no doubt they''d be capable of much worse if their defeat was imminent. She had no intention of starting an actual plague.


    They hung in the air over Brockton Bay, watching the growing nature phenomena that was safeguarding the city.


    The city that had been, to a man, poisoned.


    Alexandria turned to Legend, one eyebrow raised, "I believe your exact words were, she doesn''t seem that bad, if we leave her alone she''ll be a helpful ally?"


    Legend moaned in distress, hiding his face in his hands, "She didn''t seem evil." He protested.


    "It''s been two days¡­"


    "That''s not really fair.. It''s more like a week."


    Alexandria gave him a look, "You''re right. That makes it much better."


    "You want to test them first?"


    "No, go ahead, I know you need to get back soon."


    Alexandria nodded, before falling on Brockton Bay like a comet.


    <hr>

 Calm before the Storm.

    <hr>


    Rebecca hovered high above Brockton Bay, her cape rippling in the wind. Below her, the city spread out in a fractured grid of dilapidated neighborhoods, crumbling infrastructure, and now, a growing verdant barricade that spread like a living cancer across the outskirts. Poison Ivy''s handiwork was a mockery of the deal they''d made, a challenge she could not ignore.


    It rankled her that for the most part this would all have to be an act. They could not afford to actually lose Poison Ivy and Remedy¡­


    For humanity to survive the constant Endbringer attacks and the resultant destruction of infrastructure or loss of entire cities to the Simurgh - they needed the cures, food production and transhumanism the two were capable of.


    If Ivy and Remedy could actually cook up something that gave capes, or regular humans - a regeneration factor - they were literally the most important humans on the planet.


    She grit her teeth so hard that if she wasn''t invulnerable she would have probably cracked something. There was nothing about this she liked.


    Two teenagers¡­


    To be forced to bend to their whims, even if it was for the greater good. She did not enjoy this at all. Nor would she enjoy how she''d have to sit on David from now on.


    Eidolon trying to come down on these two would be a clusterfuck of epic proportions.


    Her intent here was simple; to test the resolve of Amy Dallon - Remedy, as the girl styled herself now. The audacity to poison an entire city, declare herself its ruler, and openly defy the PRT - had crossed every line Rebecca had drawn in her career. Remedy''s hubris needed to be met with an overwhelming show of force, one that left no doubt in anyone''s mind about the PRT and Protectorate still having a say in things.


    If they had to leave the city to the girls, some sort of deal would need to be hammered in that gave the PRT some face, and the best way to get that - was to show the two girls that they now faced people of Rebecca and Keith''s strength.


    Make them understand that they had to still walk softly from here on - their victory or not - they could still lose, if they pushed the PRT too far.


    Rebecca smirked coldly. Remedy and Ivy wanted to act like big shots? They''d get to meet the big shot!


    Her descent towards the naturalized sections of Brockton Bay was interrupted when the ground itself answered her approach. From the heart of the forested domain where Poison Ivy''s World Tree stood, a colossal limb began to grow, twisting and coiling upwards in defiance of gravity. Bark hardened and smoothed into something resembling polished wood, as tendrils wove together, forming a massive hand that reached toward the heavens. The limb''s motion was graceful yet unnervingly fast, stretching skyward until it came level with Alexandria, swaying slightly in the breeze.


    Standing in the palm of the wooden hand was Amy Dallon. Her casual jeans and hoodie seemed out of place against the grandeur of her platform, but her posture was anything but casual. She stood with her hands at her sides, her chin tilted up, her expression defiant as the limb settled in front of Alexandria.


    This girl¡­ She practically reeks of self delusions. Rebecca thought, studying her more intently than ever before.


    She didn''t miss the glance over her body, and catalogued it. While distasteful, if she could control this girl by giving in to her perversions, it would be a tool in her repertoire that might be necessary to hold as a backup.


    "Alexandria," Amy said, her voice carrying across the distance between them, sharp and mocking. "Your request for a visa to visit my city must have gotten lost along the way."


    The sheer audacity of the words made Rebecca scoff, her arms crossing over her chest. "Villains don''t dictate where I go, Miss Dallon," She replied sternly, her tone a warning as she hovered in place, unmoving and unimpressed. The sheer balls on this girl¡­


    Amy cocked her head, a small, almost amused smile playing on her lips, though Alexandria''s trained eye could see the subtle tells of fear beneath her cocky attitude - tightened shoulders, a slight tremor in her hands, minute twitches on her face too minor for regular humans to pick up on. "That''s odd. I was pretty sure there are plenty of villains who get to say, ''Don''t come here'', and you bend over backward for them. What''s different about me?"


    The jab landed harder than Rebecca liked. Her fists clenched briefly before she forced herself to relax, her face remaining an impassive mask, she was glad her visor hid her eyes as she glared at the uppity chit. "Don''t play games with me, whatever you call yourself this week," She said coolly. "You and Ivy can''t infect a whole city with a deadly virus and expect no reprisals."


    Amy''s smile widened slightly, though her gaze darkened. "I don''t expect anything from you, Alexandria. I''ve already decided what happens next. Your opinion doesn''t factor into it."


    Rebecca''s temper flared at the arrogance displayed. Raising a fist, she said sharply, "You will give yourself into custody for safekeeping for the next Endbringer fight." She ordered, deviating slightly from the script she''d improvised in her head, but she wanted to deflate the sheer arrogance in this girl, with a scare.


    They might have to leave them the city, but if the girl was going to get a big head, things could escalate beyond Cauldron''s tolerance level. Damn you Contessa! Why this girl? Why Ivy? They can''t really be the solution can they?


    Rebecca refused to believe it.


    Amy flinched - a subtle movement, almost imperceptible - but Rebecca saw it. Despite the girl''s bravado, she wasn''t immune to fear. But instead of retreating, Amy''s expression hardened, her voice lowering to a dangerous calm, Ivy''s vines curling lovingly around her waist and shoulders.


    "You don''t get to dictate terms to me," She said, her words deliberate. "This is my city now. The guilty will feel my wrath, and the innocent will come under my protection."


    Rebecca''s face grew taut even as her mind raced. Is it not a partnership? Why does she keep saying - my city - when Ivy''s power is the greater deterrent here? Is Ivy a subordinate, what am I missing? "We can afford to lose one city if necessary, do not grow too bold, I can still crush you both if it becomes a necessary sacrifice."


    The limb beneath Amy bristled in response, as thousands of sharpened wooden javelins slid out from its surface, aiming directly at Alexandria and Legend, who hovered closer now, a silent observer to the tense standoff. She idly noted the discoloration of the javelins, and she had to assume they were much stronger than simple wood.


    They were still laughably pointless against her.


    Rebecca''s lip curled in disgust. "Toothpicks," She said dismissively, gesturing lazily to the projectiles. "They won''t do anything to me. See sense, Remedy. You against the world isn''t a scenario that works in real life - it always ends badly." Let''s see¡­ She thought, her gaze intent. I specifically discarded the mention of Ivy and laid it all under Remedy''s feet¡­ How does she react?


    Amy laughed shrilly, though the sound carried no humor. "Oh, they''re not as simple as you think. Feel free to try it," She said, her voice laced with contempt. Her gaze sharpened, her tone a warning. "Leave my city now, or face the consequences."


    ¡­ Something is going on¡­ Rebecca thought, her mind turning over everything she knew about the girl and Poison Ivy.


    Legend finally spoke, his voice calm but firm as he flew closer. "Amy - and Ivy, who I assume is listening - threats won''t work any longer. You''ve already infected the city. Any further escalation becomes meaningless if the PRT has already written off Brockton Bay, you''ll only force us to take a harder stance."


    Amy rolled her eyes, her body language exuding irritation. "Which city do you think?" She asked suddenly, cryptically, her tone almost mocking.


    Rebecca raised an eyebrow, irritation flaring up again. This girl. I''m beginning to really dislike her¡­


    "What do you mean, which city?" Legend asked, glancing at Alexandria, his confusion mirroring hers. Although she had an awful premonition of what was going on.


    This is worse than Nilbog, she thought, holding back the instinctive wish to just swoop down and end the threat.


    Amy bent down, scooping up a clump of moss from the wooden platform. She rolled it between her hands, the mass shifting and twisting as it grew into a sickly green sphere, its surface bubbling faintly.


    "This," Amy said softly, holding up the sphere, "Is capable of spreading a lethal disease to millions."


    Alexandria''s spine stiffened. "We won''t let you," She said firmly, her mind racing. The implications of what the girl held were staggering. If true, the entire situation had just escalated to a catastrophic level. This was Bonesaw all over again, except worse.


    The worst thing was, she could read her face, the girl didn''t want to do this. But she would, if pushed.


    Their strong arm move just died in the crib, before they could even get going. Contessa¡­ I don''t understand what you''re doing here¡­


    Amy''s smile turned ugly, her glare cutting through the distance between them. "I asked which city," She repeated, "Because Strider already has one of these. Just waiting for anything to happen to me due to PRT overreach. One word, and he''ll take it to New York - or Los Angeles - and make them graveyards."


    Legend faltered midair, his shock evident as he dipped slightly. Alexandria''s own reaction was more muted, though her hands clenched tightly at her sides. Her mind raced, heart sinking, as she realized how much worse the situation was then they''d believed.


    Strider could go anywhere in the world in a heartbeat. They really couldn''t touch her. Even using Clairvoyant to find Strider and take him out after a quick door would not be a final solution. Because she just knew the girl would have a backup.


    Like she''d thought¡­ This was Bonesaw, just worse.


    "You''re telling the truth," She said finally, her voice thick with disgust. More for Keith''s benefit than hers, as she''d immediately recognized it for truth the moment she''d said it.


    Amy''s eyes glittered with something dark and unyielding. "Never threaten what you can''t accomplish," She said, her voice filled with venom. "Now, get out of my city."


    "Alexandria," Legend said cautiously, his voice low. "We should leave."


    Alexandria stared at Amy, her jaw tightening. Just like Nilbog. Just like the Machine Army. Another situation where brute force was no longer an option without a cost so great it wasn''t worth it. Not with the Endbringers still running amok. "Fine," She said finally, her tone cold and biting. "But don''t leave this city. We will know if you try. And if you do¡­ We will raze this entire area to the ground no matter what, you want this city, then stay in it."


    Amy''s response was immediate and cutting. "Go suck off Eidolon, at least you''d be useful for something."


    Charming, she thought, not letting any of her feelings show on the parts of her face which remained visible.


    Officially, Brockton Bay wouldn''t be quarantined. Officially. But it might as well be considered that, as it would now completely be in the hands of villains. She could already feel the headache forming at just the thought of informing Emily Piggott that their job would now be mostly for show, and that their strongest capes would likely be transferred out.


    Unfortunately, they still needed Ivy and Remedy, no matter how much she wished she could take the girl down a peg¡­ She gave it even odds the Elite would try and move in within the month. Well¡­ Not her problem now¡­


    The wooden platform began to recede, lowering Amy back to the forest below, her defiance lingering in the air like a challenge, daring them to test her. For a girl that feared them, she certainly didn''t hesitate.


    Rebecca hovered in place for a moment, her expression unreadable as she watched the limb disappear into the greenery. Then she turned sharply, gesturing for Legend to follow. As they flew away, she couldn''t suppress the thought that ran through her mind - Teenage villains were bad enough. But powerful teenage villains? They were the worst.


    <hr>


    Amy felt her heart thundering in her chest as she was brought down amongst the canopy of Ivy''s forest in the former trainyards.


    She hadn''t been bluffing, but she in no way wanted to have to go forward with her threat. Not the least of which was that if she did, Alexandria and Cauldron would have no reason to hold back anymore.


    They were basically quarantined by choice, she knew. But with the cures her and Ivy would be able to grow, the specialized food that would begin uplifting humanity to a certain minor extent - specialized healing drugs and so on - trade and tourism would still come to the area. So it was a quarantine in name only.


    The port was technically operational again, so trade would not end no matter Brockton''s reputation going forward.


    Brockton Bay was about to become too important to completely close off. Amy didn''t really care about not being allowed to leave. Brockton would be hers, her own utopia.


    And really, if she needed to, she''d just sneak out via Strider, she''d just have to not get caught. Considering her and Ivy, she could just take on another appearance for the jaunt if needed. She still kind of wanted to connect with Blasto in Boston¡­


    Ivy met her at the bottom as she descended fully, "That went well." She told herself, sounding optimistic.


    "Let''s get back to it, before we were so rudely interrupted. Where did Vicky go?" Amy said wearily.


    Although she and Ivy were the same person, Amy had made a habit lately to somewhat partition off that side of her, because it was getting to be a bit much to always be aware of the two sides of the coin - especially as she grew busier and busier.


    The triumvirate had arrived so quickly that Amy and Vicky had only had time to be taken by Strider to Ivy, before she had to rise up to threaten Alexandria off - the last thing they needed right now was people panicking even worse, thinking the only healing they had available was about to be Alexandria''d.


    "Vicky is at the forest''s edge, people are already clamoring to be healed, so she''s supervising to make sure no one gets injured." Ivy said with a casual wave of her hand. "It''s not really necessary so she probably won''t be long."


    Somehow people were behaving quite well as they were fearful of Ivy''s forest. There had been a bit of a panic at first when her vines had attached to people to heal and read them as her subordinates asked them if they were in a gang.


    Apparently the Asian subset of the population watched a lot of hentai and hadn''t reacted well to the thousands of vines roaming across the citizens.


    Amy nodded her head slowly, "How''s that going?"


    They both knew that two people alone could not heal the 250 000 or so people in Brockton before the virus started killing people. That''s why Ivy was going to do a bulk of the work, able to handle hundreds of people at the same time as long as they were within her forest. She could probably do thousands even - the limit then only becoming in not missing anyone''s reaction when asked the important questions that decided if they lived or died.


    "I''ve already cleared 750 people or so." Ivy said, eyes going distant as she followed her forest to the edge, watching over the process more intently. "Jason, Sherrel and Vicky are keeping everything safe, so far no issues." She reported.


    It was impressive in a way, it had barely been more then half an hour since the broadcast, and already almost a thousand people had come for healing from the villain.


    "Anyone yet?" Amy said, as she stripped slowly, before laying down on the comfortable grass covered table that rose out of the ground before her.


    Ivy shook her head, toying with her long red hair, "Nothing important, no criminals have dared try it yet. Neither has anyone from the PRT."


    "Alright, do me." Amy said, sighing, closing her eyes. "I''m going to be too busy with healing later." Starlight would be her own set of bodyguards for that cluster fuck, because she didn''t have the luxury of an entire forest at her whim where she''d be.


    Ivy laughed softly, "Do you indeed." She said, running her nails across Amy''s abdomen, "You already did me after all." She said tongue-in-cheek.


    With their sudden thrust into the major leagues, the small adjustments, like subdermal armor and such, improvements that they''d added to themselves through time - was not enough any longer.


    "Are you certain about this, Amy?" Ivy''s voice was soft, yet it carried the weight of the impending transformation.


    Amy met her gaze, unwavering. "I am. To protect those I care about, I need to be stronger."


    Partitioned like this, she almost felt like they were two different people, she''d have to be careful she didn''t leave it for too long - or who knew what could happen¡­


    With a nod, Ivy extended her hands, tendrils of bioluminescent vines emerging from around the grass covered table, weaving intricate patterns in the air before gently encircling Amy''s form, leaving her head free. The process was about to begin.


    The first phase targeted Amy''s skeletal system. Utilizing her biokinetic abilities, Ivy initiated the synthesis of carbon-based nanostructures within Amy''s bones. These structures, akin to naturally occurring carbon nanotubes, interlaced with the hydroxyapatite matrix - which by itself was 65-70 percent of the mass in human bones, resulting in a composite material surpassing the hardness of diamond.


    This biomimetic approach ensured that the enhanced bones retained their natural regenerative capabilities while providing unparalleled durability.


    Even someone like Alexandria would have to work very hard to break their bones from now on. The process also ensured said durability was lighter than human bones - giving another bonus in how flexible and agile they could be.


    As the transformation progressed, Amy could feel a subtle pressure within her bones, a sign of the fortification taking place. She clenched her fists, grounding herself as her skeletal framework was redefined, it was an annoying itch, nothing more. Her sense of pain, something Ivy had already muted permanently.


    She was able to feel pain, but only akin to a paper cut at most, whether she cut her finger or got shot, or had a limb removed - because completely removing a sense of pain would increase injuries due to carelessness, and completely dulling any sense was just a bad idea, therefore she still had that slight sensation.


    Next, Ivy focused on Amy''s integumentary system - her skin. By inducing the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells, a gelatinous, viscoelastic layer formed beneath the epidermis. This subdermal layer, rich in proteoglycans and collagen fibers, acted as a dynamic cushion, capable of dissipating kinetic energy from impacts and providing resistance against penetrative forces. The layer''s regenerative properties ensured rapid self-repair, maintaining its protective function over time.


    Amy''s skin tingled as the new layer integrated seamlessly with her existing tissues and the subdermal armor she already had. She marveled at the sensation, feeling both the softness of her skin and the underlying resilience, she felt almost¡­ Bouncy now, when she poked herself lightly.


    Moving away from the skin, her hands now fully on Amy''s abdomen, Ivy worked on her muscles next, to tie together the improvement of bone and skin.


    The enhancement of Amy''s musculature involved the bioengineering of myofibrils with increased elasticity and tensile strength. By upregulating the expression of specific myosin and actin isoforms, the muscle fibers exhibited properties similar to synthetic myomers, allowing for greater force generation and flexibility. This modification not only augmented her physical strength but also enhanced her agility and endurance.


    As her muscles adapted, Amy flexed her limbs, noting the newfound power coursing through her. Each movement felt more controlled, more potent. She''d already felt this through Ivy before, but somehow it felt more real in her real body.


    She had already enhanced herself to a brute level before. If a minor one. With this change she''d probably upped herself a whole rating or two on the scale.


    The next phase of Amy''s enhancement targeted her internal organs, a crucial aspect of her durability. Ivy''s biokinetic expertise guided the creation of a second skin for each of Amy''s vital organs. This layer was a bioengineered gelatinous material infused with proteoglycans, elastin, and fibrous proteins.


    The material''s viscoelastic properties allowed it to conform snugly to the surface of every organ, providing a regenerative and protective shield. The layer had two primary functions - dissipating blunt force trauma and absorbing kinetic energy from impacts. Additionally, the material was imbued with rapid regenerative properties, ensuring that even if the organ beneath were damaged, the second skin could restore it almost instantaneously.


    To achieve this, Ivy introduced a custom cellular scaffold system. Amy''s mesothelial cells - the natural protective lining of her organs - were genetically reprogrammed to secrete this jelly-like substance. The secretion process was carefully accelerated, coating her heart, lungs, liver, and other critical organs in this protective layer within minutes.


    Embedded within the gel were specialized nanovesicles, engineered to release growth factors and stem-cell-like agents upon detecting damage. These agents expedited the repair of any injury, healing ruptures or abrasions in moments. With the cheat of her power, this regeneration was fueled solely by oxygen - something she''d never run out of - her body''s intake of oxygen massively enhanced as another change to her body.


    To ensure the continuous cellular regeneration would take care of any issues, Ivy had introduced a genetically modified bacterial symbiont into Amy''s system. These microorganisms, designed to utilize oxygen as a metabolic substrate, produced bioactive compounds that facilitated rapid tissue repair. Upon any injury, these bacteria would localize to the damaged site, secreting growth factors and cytokines to promote regeneration, effectively acting as an internal healing mechanism to add to what she already had working away.


    Amy felt a peculiar sensation deep within her chest as the process began. An odd awareness of her body reshaping itself from the inside out. She placed a hand over her chest, feeling the rhythmic beat of her heart, now shielded by the regenerative jelly.


    Ivy monitored the transformation closely, her expression calm yet meticulous. "This layer is critical." She murmured, and Amy only noticed Vicky had returned due to this, Ivy explaining things to her sister. "Her organs are her most vulnerable components. With this, even a direct bullet to the heart won''t be fatal - if it somehow got through everything else - her heart will heal before it can fail."


    Ivy glanced at Vicky at the same time Amy did, "You''re next." Both of them said firmly, not giving Vicky a choice in the matter.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    It would probably have to wait for tomorrow, but there was no way Vicky wasn''t getting the same superhuman treatment.


    Vicky rolled her eyes, "No¡­ Regeneration and being almost impossible to injure, don''t do it. The horror." She said in a monotone.


    Like Amy, she''d already gotten upgraded, just not to the extent this would do. This would overwrite and improve on what they''d had.


    "Don''t sass me!" Amy said, not willing to take any chances that Vicky would be anything but unkillable.


    Vicky grinned cheekily, "You just want to be able to stick your hand deep inside me, and rearrange my guts until I feel so ~good¡­" She teased in a sing-song manner.


    Ivy and Amy both blushed beet red, "Don''t make this weird, I don''t need more than a touch!" Amy spluttered. Her head certainly had... Images right now...


    Vicky pouted, an amused twinkle in her earnest blue eyes, "How about a finger or two at least."


    "Vicky¡­ Right now is so not the time." Amy said, clearing her throat slightly, willing her blush to go away. Still, her eyes flickered to Ivy... Imagining the perfect sandwich...


    One day soon... She was going to wreck Vicky.


    "Alright, I have a list of improvements though I want you to give me." Vicky said, bouncing over to Ivy and handing her a A4 paper, both sides filled with tiny writing to the very end.


    "Bigger breasts!" Ivy said, raising both eyebrows, Amy immediately sliding back in to living both minds in real time as she peeked at the list through Ivy. "Why would you need that?"


    Vicky smirked, waving a hand casually, "Not so much need as want." She hefted her bust, "Tell me you don''t want two huge melons to just rest on your head when I hug you from behind, Ames?" She teased.


    Amy gawked at some of the things on the list. "Vicky, why¡­ Why is this entire list sex things!?"


    No refractory period, more sensitive clit, upping the sensitivity on nerves in her ass and pussy... Making her breasts able to lactate at will... Ten inch tongue.. A retractable cock!? Wha- t-two retractable cocks!?


    HOW IS SHE A BIGGER PERV THEN ME!?


    Vicky''s smirk became positively sinful, "Come on Ames, we''re two healthy teenagers, you can''t tell me you don''t want to experiment a little¡­" She winked, "It''s a great stress reliever¡­"


    "Vicky¡­ I just declared war on the gangs and the PRT and have a city to heal and take over. So not the time." Amy said, biting her lip as she hid the list away. For later. Was Vicky always like this?


    ... She needed to kill everyone quick like, and make time for... Experimenting. Yes, that''s all. It''s just... Checking if any of this works. Scientific curiosity is all...


    She didn''t know breastfeeding off Vicky was a fetish she''d needed, until this very moment.


    Truly, she needed to up her game.


    Vicky sighed, "Fine, fine, but you need to relax too, not just play overlord." She chided, coming closer and brushing a hand through Amy''s hair softly.


    "Alright¡­" She breathed out, partitioning herself from Ivy again, allowing her to continue. It was just easier if she wasn''t in the driver''s seat doing this kind of finicky work. Feeling both ends at the same time risked a mistake.


    The final enhancement addressed the vulnerability of the brain. Ivy synthesized a hydrogel composed of cross-linked polysaccharides and polypeptides, which adhered to the inner surface of Amy''s skull, enveloping the brain. This viscoelastic layer functioned as a shock absorber, mitigating the effects of concussive forces. Additionally, the hydrogel possessed selective acidic properties that targeted inorganic material.


    Which meant if a bullet or a blade slid through her eyes for example, the gel would eat through the material on contact, nothing ever reaching her squishy brain.


    A slight pressure enveloped Amy''s head as the gel formed, but it soon subsided. She also had now, hidden away in her body, a second, smaller brain, one that couldn''t think for her if say her head got blown off, but one that could still control her other functions, like keeping her heart beating, ensuring her head would regenerate.


    The gel would also insulate her from master effects, nothing getting to her brain.


    As the process concluded, the luminescent vines retracted, their glow fading into the ambient light of the forest.


    "Feeling good, Ames?" Vicky asked, still stroking her hair.


    "Yeah¡­"


    "Let''s do this."


    <hr>


    The dark room was suffocating, its air heavy with the acrid tang of Cherrie''s growing panic. A single bare bulb hung from the ceiling, swaying slightly as if mocking her fraying nerves. Shadows stretched and shifted across the cracked walls with each flicker of the bulb, making the space seem alive, conspiratorial.


    Cherrie Hart, otherwise known as Cherish, paced in tight, agitated circles, her boots scuffing against the warped wooden floorboards. The old desk she''d set up her tinker-tech laptop on was scratched and battered, a relic scavenged from some thrift store no doubt.


    It wasn''t like the place she broke into was up to her standards, but this shit hole was out of the way - her main need right now. Her breath came in short, shallow bursts as she clenched her fists, nails biting into her palms.


    "Fuck," She hissed, slamming a hand against the wall. "Fucking fuck!"


    Everything had been going perfectly. Her plans to infiltrate Amy Dallon''s life through the Church of Remedy were on track. Amy - or Panacea, as Cherish stubbornly still thought of her - had unwittingly played right into her hands. People were desperate for saviors, and Cherish had cultivated that desperation into blind, zealous devotion. She had her followers ready, her cover established, and a clear path to the girl she wanted to manipulate.


    And now this.


    Her eyes darted to the laptop''s black surface, the tinker-tech whirring quietly as it attempted to establish the connection. The device was supposedly untraceable, courtesy of one of her siblings who specialized in acquiring such things. But even with that reassurance, Cherish felt exposed, as if Amy''s eyes were already on her.


    "I was so close," She whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of fury and fear. "Fucking biokinetics. Who the hell infects an entire city?"


    She stopped pacing, leaning against the desk and glaring at the laptop. It was taking too long. Each second felt like an eternity, and each eternity dragged her closer to the edge. The reality of her situation gnawed at her. She was infected. The crazy plant lady and her lapdog - no, lover? Partner? Whatever they were - had poisoned the entire city.


    Their plan was insidious, brilliant in its cruelty. The only way to be healed was to go to Panacea or Poison Ivy. Cherish''s lip curled at the thought of kneeling before either of them, but her mind screamed at her that it wasn''t just pride on the line. Being healed meant being exposed. Amy would see her for what she was - a parahuman, the daughter of Heartbreaker, the mastermind behind the church. It wouldn''t take long for Amy to put these pieces together once she was exposed.


    And then what?


    Her father had plans for Amy Dallon. Plans that depended on her church remaining undetected until the right moment. If she got exposed now, before those plans bore fruit...


    She shuddered, bile rising in her throat.


    The screen flickered, and Cherish straightened, her heartbeat spiking. The signal was finally going through. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to smother the anger and fear clawing at her insides. When the screen stabilized, the image of Nikos Vasil filled the monitor.


    Heartbreaker.


    Her father.


    His disinterested, pale blue eyes met hers, and the cold detachment in his gaze made her stomach twist. Nikos was seated on an ornate armchair, the room behind him dimly lit but lavish, filled with rich fabrics and elegant furniture. In his lap was a head of blonde hair, bobbing rhythmically as someone knelt before him. Cherish recognized the hair, but she shoved any idea of sympathy aside, unwilling to confront it.


    Her father loved women, everyone knew that, but that didn''t mean that his sons could escape performing if they''d failed. She bitterly wished he''d choke on it, because if he''d failed - his father was already in a bad mood and that didn''t bode well for her.


    "What do you want, Cherish?" Nikos drawled, his tone lethargic, almost bored. His free hand rested lightly on the blonde''s head, his fingers tangled in his hair.


    Cherish bowed her head slightly, a gesture of deference that made her skin crawl. "Father," She began, her voice tight, "There''s a situation in Brockton Bay."


    Nikos''s gaze didn''t sharpen. It didn''t change at all. He didn''t care. That indifference chilled her more than any open hostility ever could.


    "Go on," He said, idly pushing the blonde''s head down further, the choking and gagging sounds audible on the feed.


    Cherish swallowed hard, clenching her fists behind her back to keep herself steady. "Panacea¡­ Remedy¡­" She corrected, not knowing if her father was aware or not about the brand change, but not wanting to invite censure. "She has quarantined the entire city. Everyone inside, including me, has been infected with a disease. The only way to be cured is to go to her or Poison Ivy for healing."


    "And?" He prompted, his tone flat, uncaring.


    "And," She said, her voice rising slightly despite herself, "If I go to her, I''ll be exposed. She''ll figure out who I am. She''ll figure out about the church."


    For a moment, there was silence, broken only by the faint, wet sounds coming from the blonde. Nikos''s fingers tightened slightly in his hair as he forced him down, cutting off his air, and Cherish''s stomach turned as she saw the faint tremor as an arm fruitlessly rose to scratch at her father''s arm.


    "So what?" Nikos said finally, his voice devoid of emotion.


    Cherish blinked, her mind stuttering at the words. "Father, if I''m exposed, the church project will be revealed," She pressed, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice. "Everything we''ve built will be ruined."


    Not that it had been him, it had been her doing all the work. Not something she''d ever dare to say out loud. The Heartbroken ran the Church of Remedy, and it was her hard work that had made it a success.


    Nikos''s gaze shifted to the boy now desperately scratching at his arm, the lack of oxygen making him desperate. "If you fail, I have other children," He said coldly, his tone as indifferent as if he were discussing the weather.


    The words hit her like a slap. She froze, her heart plummeting. "Father¡­" She whispered, the word trembling on her lips. "If I''m exposed, it''s not just me. The entire church -"


    Her voice faltered as Nikos''s grip tightened on the blonde''s hair. The arm clawing at him weakened, the movement slowing until it was barely a twitch. Then, with a shudder, the blonde went limp, their body slumping against him. Just unconscious, she believed, having gone through much the same treatment too many times during her childhood.


    Nikos shoved them away like trash, letting them fall to the floor with a thud. His eyes half lidded for a moment as he enjoyed the aftermath of his release. She knew better than to speak up and interrupt, so she stood there awkwardly, waiting.


    Nikos leaned forward, his eyes locking onto hers. "Die if you must," He said icily, his voice like a blade sliding between her ribs. "But if you reveal the truth behind the church before you bring Amy Dallon to me, I will deal with you myself."


    The screen went black.


    Cherish stared at the laptop, her body trembling as the cold finality of his words settled over her. For a moment, she couldn''t move, couldn''t think. Then, slowly, she sank into the chair beside the desk, her head falling into her hands.


    "What am I going to do?" She whispered, her voice breaking.


    The room around her felt colder now, the shadows pressing in, suffocating her. Heartbreaker had made it clear - she was expendable. She always had been.


    Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, but she forced them back, gritting her teeth. She couldn''t afford to cry. She couldn''t afford to break.


    If she wanted to survive, she would have to find a way to turn this around.


    But how?


    What could she possibly do?


    <hr>


    Medhall, Brockton Bay.


    The room was sweltering despite the state-of-the-art climate control system, tension thickening the air until it felt like a physical force. The hidden chamber deep within Medhall''s sprawling headquarters was as luxurious as it was secure, outfitted with soundproof walls, polished mahogany furnishings, and tasteful art designed to project wealth and control. Normally, Max Anders - Kaiser - found solace here, but tonight, it felt suffocating.


    This was not where he met with the regular members of the Empire, this was where he met and discussed plans with its leaders. For whatever worth the ones he had right now were.


    Max sat at the head of the elongated table, his perfectly tailored suit immaculate despite the chaos within his mind. His face betrayed none of the turmoil swirling inside him, though his jaw was set tight, and his piercing eyes flicked between his two subordinates with mounting frustration. To his left, Krieg stood stiffly, his normally precise demeanor unraveling. To his right, Hookwolf paced like a rabid animal, his movements erratic, his teeth bared in a snarl.


    So nothing new there.


    "She''s a fucking coward!" Hookwolf roared, his claws extending and shredding the nearest table. With a metallic screech, the mahogany surface gave way entirely, splitting in half and clattering to the floor in a mess of splinters.


    The sound grated on Max''s nerves. Without thinking, he thrust his hand forward, summoning a wide, gleaming beam of metal from the floor. It smashed into Hookwolf''s face with a resounding crack, slamming him into the wall.


    Hookwolf staggered, wiping at his bloodied face, his nose clearly broken. "You wanna go!?" He growled, his metallic frame expanding as rage overtook him.


    Max lowered his hand, forcing himself to exhale slowly as he stared Hookwolf down. He hadn''t meant to lash out, but his patience was hanging by a thread, and the man''s incessant barking had frayed it to the breaking point. "Enough," He snapped coldly, his voice razor-sharp.


    Hookwolf glared at him, but hesitated, his clenched fists loosening slightly. He might have been a reckless brute, but even he knew better than to challenge Kaiser directly in this state. Begrudgingly, he stepped back, wiping the blood from his face and glaring at the floor like a chastened dog.


    Max turned his attention to Krieg, who stood at the opposite end of the room, his hands clasped behind his back. "Any news?" Max asked tersely.


    Krieg hesitated, his lips pressing into a thin line. His normally unflappable demeanor was visibly shaken, his movements stiff and uncertain. "We''ve been cut loose," He said finally, his fake accent more muted than usual.


    Max''s lips twitched in irritation, though he wasn''t surprised. The Gesellschaft had always been fair weather friends, and now that their hold on Brockton Bay was slipping, they were wasting no time severing ties. Still, the confirmation stung. "I see," Max said softly, his mind already racing for alternatives.


    Hookwolf growled from across the room, his impatience bubbling to the surface again. "Fucking cowards," He spat, his claws twitching. "They abandon us when we need them most. Figures."


    Max raised a hand, silencing him with a sharp gesture. He didn''t have the energy to deal with Hookwolf''s tantrums right now. His thoughts churned, searching for a way out of their predicament. Gesellschaft wasn''t an organization he''d want to rely on to begin with.


    They were a necessary evil, one they were now rid off without the complications that would have arisen had Kaiser left their partnership himself.


    Yet¡­ In this situation, he would have bitten the bullet and accepted aid¡­


    The infection Remedy and Poison Ivy had unleashed wasn''t just as simple as a biological attack; it was a checkmate against all of them. The only way to survive was to submit, to beg for healing.


    For someone like Max Anders, that was unthinkable. He had spent his life cultivating power, control, and an image of unassailable strength. To kneel before Remedy would shatter all of that, leaving him vulnerable - and likely dead - right after.


    But the alternative¡­


    Max''s eyes flicked to Krieg. "Suggestions?" He asked, his tone clipped.


    Krieg frowned, his brow furrowed in thought. "Direct confrontation is suicidal," He admitted. "Their numbers and abilities give them control over the battlefield in a way we cannot counter now that we''ve lost Night and Fog, not to mention Purity switching sides. Diplomacy would likely end in exposure and execution. That leaves subterfuge, but¡­"


    "But?" Max prompted, his voice low and dangerous.


    Krieg hesitated, his gaze dropping to the ruined table. "But I do not believe we have the resources or allies necessary to execute a successful operation in that manner. Not anymore."


    The admission was like a dagger to Max''s chest. He tightened his grip on the armrests of his chair, his knuckles whitening. "Unacceptable," He growled. "We will not go down like rats scrambling for scraps. There has to be another way."


    Hookwolf laughed, a harsh, bitter sound that echoed off the walls. "The solution''s fucking obvious," He said, his grin savage. "We grab one of her family and use them as leverage."


    Max''s head snapped toward him, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "You want to repeat the exact mistake that brought us to this point?" He said, his voice icy.


    Hookwolf shrugged, unrepentant. "Worked before, didn''t it? Made her go nuts¡­ Her sister''s the whole reason she''s doing this. Take the sister, and she''ll fold."


    "It''s suicide," Max bit out. "Even if we succeed, she''ll retaliate. We''re already dying, you fool. Do you want to ensure our deaths?"


    "Better to go out swinging than on our knees," Hookwolf retorted, his voice filled with venom. "You can sit here and plan all you want, but we don''t have time. We''re already out of options."


    Krieg cleared his throat, inserting himself into the conversation. "It is¡­ possible," He said cautiously. "But we would need to ensure the target is valuable enough. Remedy''s family is fractured. If we choose the wrong member, we gain nothing and alert them to our intentions."


    Hookwolf''s grin widened. "We don''t need the whole family," He said, his tone almost gleeful. "Like I said, we just need the one she can''t live without. The sister. Victoria Dallon."


    Max closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose as his mind raced. The idea was madness. Victoria Dallon was not only a member of Starlight but also one of the most powerful parahumans in the city. Even if they managed to capture her, the retaliation from Remedy - and Starlight - would be catastrophic. The odds of a successful hostage negotiation and subsequent healing were so low he couldn''t see it working.


    But as much as he hated to admit it, he couldn''t see another way out. They were cornered animals, and cornered animals did desperate things.


    "What''s your plan, then?" Max said reluctantly, his voice laced with disdain.


    Hookwolf''s grin turned feral. "Simple," He said. "We set a trap. Lure her out. She''s cocky, thinks she''s untouchable. We just need to remind her that she''s not."


    Krieg nodded, his expression thoughtful. "It would require precision," He said. "And coordination. But it could work. Even if we fail, we might still gain the upper hand by forcing Remedy to act rashly."


    That, Max thought, was the height of foolish optimism. Act rashly? Did he want her to nuke the city? How much more rash did he want¡­?


    Max leaned back in his chair, his mind whirling. The plan was reckless, dangerous, and almost guaranteed to fail. But it was a plan, and in their current situation, that was more than they''d had minutes ago.


    He steepled his fingers, his expression cold and unreadable. "Do it," He said finally. "But if you fail¡­" He let the threat hang in the air, his gaze boring into Hookwolf.


    Hookwolf sneered but nodded, his bloodlust barely contained. "We won''t fail," He said confidently.


    Max said nothing, his gaze shifting to the window overlooking the city. He refused to die like a rat. But as the walls closed in around them, he couldn''t shake the feeling that their end was already written.


    Hookwolf and the others could perform this¡­ Plan. He needed to start working on one that saved Max Anders, and only Max Anders.


    His lip curled bitterly. If only Kayden would answer my calls. She won''t even answer Theo..


    No matter, he had enough money to set up elsewhere, he just needed the right idea, the right leverage, while the heroes were busy killing the rest of the Empire.


    Poison Ivy had to be more reasonable than Amy Dallon. That was his way out.


    <hr>


    With Amy, Starlight Headquarters.


    The crowd outside Starlight Headquarters was a chaotic sea of humanity, a mixture of desperation and defiance ringing out loudly. Angry chants clashed with cries for help, creating a cacophony that echoed off the walls of the surrounding buildings. Amy walked through the main doors without so much as a glance back, her gait steady, her expression set in a mask of cold determination. She knew Vicky would keep the crowd at bay.


    Vicky floated above the throng, her arms outstretched as she addressed the gathered masses, her voice loud and clear and so blindingly optimistic still.


    Beside her, Purity hovered like a beacon of light. Mouse Protector darted through the edges of the crowd, managing to soothe some of the more belligerent protesters with her trademark humor. Strider stood ready out of sight, on call for transport if the fools managed to injure themselves by running head first into Vicky.


    Inside, the atmosphere was no less tense. The main meeting room was filled with capes; freshly donned Starlight uniforms on most of the capes gave the room a veneer of unity, but the unease on their faces betrayed the truth. Even among the loyal, doubts lingered. Two figures stood apart, conspicuously in separate uniforms, their postures stiff with disapproval.


    Carol and Mark.


    Amy didn''t slow as she approached the gathered group, her sharp eyes scanning the room with the same detachment she reserved for a broken body under her hands. Her family stood out like splinters in the polished framework she was building, their presence a reminder of the life she''d cast aside by going this route.


    She was willing to give them a part. To let them in on the periphery. But she refused to do so as anything but the one in charge. They''d already accepted joining Starlight, but with recent events¡­


    Carol, as expected, wasted no time. She opened her mouth, the familiar sneer already forming. Whatever cutting remark she had prepared never left her lips. Amy brushed her fingertips against her mother''s arm as she passed, a barely-there touch, but the effect was immediate. Carol''s body went rigid, her eyes wide with shock before she crumpled like a marionette with its strings cut.


    Mark lunged forward, catching her before she hit the ground, his face a mixture of alarm and fury. "Amy!" He barked, lowering Carol gently to the floor.


    Aunt Sarah''s voice cut through the stunned silence as well. "Amy! That was uncalled for!"


    Amy turned, her expression ice cold, her voice sharper still. "Tell me this doesn''t make things easier?"


    "She''s your mother," Uncle Neil said, his voice quieter but no less reproachful.


    Amy snorted, a sound utterly devoid of humor. "Are you sure? Did anyone ever tell her that?"


    Her words hung in the air like a slap, drawing shocked looks from the assembled capes. Amy''s gaze swept the room, her arms crossed over her chest as she squared her stance. "Alright," She said, her voice steady and commanding. "Out with it. I know you all have opinions."


    This was the last time she''d give them the option. They were in. Or they were out. After this, she wouldn''t have another discussion.


    Eric was the first to speak, his face flushed with anger. "When did you go villain, Amy?"


    Amy arched a brow, her lips pursed as she regarded him. "That depends entirely on your perspective."


    Uncle Neil stepped forward, his tone heavy with disapproval. "Amy, there''s nothing ambiguous about poisoning an entire city."


    She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "That just shows how thoroughly you''ve all been indoctrinated," She said, her tone almost pitying.


    "Amy!" Sarah snapped, her voice filled with sharp admonishment.


    Mark, still cradling Carol, added in a softer voice, "That''s crossing a line."


    Amy''s response was a derisive snort. "No, what crossed the line was letting the Empire run rampant, killing anyone they deemed ''impure'', while the PRT turned a blind eye. What crossed the line was Hookwolf and his cronies putting a bullet in Vicky''s head while everyone sat on their hands. I crossed no line. I took the necessary step to solve the issue that''s been around since Fleur."


    "You didn''t give the PRT a chance to deal with this, sweetie," Sarah said gently, though her voice wavered under the weight of her own doubts.


    Crystal, standing slightly apart from the group, scoffed loudly. All eyes turned to her, and though her cheeks reddened, she squared her shoulders, meeting their gazes head-on. "Mom, when have they ever? When exactly have the criminal capes in the bay ever been punished? Like really?" She asked bitterly. "When Aunt Fleur was murdered? Totally not having anything to do with the Empire? When the Empire slaughtered entire families for being the wrong color or religion? When the ABB just grabs girls off the street? Tell me when the PRT did something? Anything?"


    Sarah''s shoulders sagged slightly, and her silence was all the answer Crystal needed.


    "Crystal¡­" Neil began, his tone gentle but firm.


    "No," Crystal cut him off, her voice rising. "Why? Why do we have to follow laws that only protect monsters like Hookwolf and Kaiser? Why do we have to pretend the system works when it doesn''t?"


    "That''s not true!" Eric shouted, though his voice lacked conviction. "We can''t just ignore the law, Amy! Crystal! That''s how civilizations collapse!"


    Amy''s laughter was cold, bitter. "Oh, you mean like how they''re already collapsed?" She shot back, her eyes narrowing. "How many heroes die every year, Eric? How many innocents? And how many villains walk away untouched? Do the math, and then tell me the system is working."


    She made a gesture with one hand, out towards the city, "The system is in place to keep Villains safe for Endbringer fights. You get raped? Murdered? Enslaved? The important thing is that the cape doing it to you isn''t hurt too badly." She said mockingly.


    Crystal crossed her arms, her expression fierce. "When was the last time someone actually did anything about the villains in this city?" She challenged them all.


    Silence met her question. Neil and Sarah exchanged a glance, their faces drawn with the weight of unspoken truths. Eric seemed to be wavering, as he tried to think of a single villain in the last few years that had faced justice.


    "The PRT doesn''t always have the resources," Sarah began weakly.


    Amy''s scoff cut her off. "Oh, please. Legend could wipe this city clean in an afternoon if he wanted to. But they won''t. Because keeping villains alive to fight the Endbringers is more important to them than protecting innocent lives." She shook her head. "Legend could start from the East Coast, Alexandria from the west, while Eidolon goes down the middle. And every villain in America would be gone by next year. But the system isn''t set up for that. It''s set up to safeguard those villains."


    "That''s not wrong," Mark said quietly, admitting it, still holding Carol''s unconscious form. "We do need all the capes we can get, and the world is set up that way¡­"


    Amy''s lips curled into a mirthless smile. "So you''ll sacrifice innocent civilians on the altar of the ''greater good'', but when I sacrifice only the guilty, I''m the villain? What a joke."


    Crystal nodded emphatically. "Maybe we''d have more heroic capes for the Endbringers if they weren''t being murdered by people like Hookwolf in the meantime."


    Eric lowered his head, his voice barely audible. "I hate that it sounds right." He looked at his parents with a pained expression, "How many times have you quoted the death statistics for independents to me?"


    Sarah and Neil remained silent, their expressions conflicted. Finally, Sarah spoke, her voice hesitant. "No civilians will die?" Her countenance was one of resignation.


    Amy tilted her head, her tone pragmatic. "I can''t guarantee that. But compared to leaving the Empire and ABB alive for another few months? The numbers speak for themselves - far more will die to the gangs if they were still around."


    The silence that followed was heavy, tense. Amy''s gaze swept the room, her arms still crossed as she waited.


    "It''s not ideal," Sarah said finally, her voice low. "But¡­ We can understand."


    Amy shrugged. "Good enough." She turned, her tone brisk. "Let''s get you all healed. We''ve got work to do."


    "I''m not happy about this. But family sticks together." Uncle Neil muttered, hugging Aunt Sarah tight.


    As she walked up to them to cleanse them from the virus, she caught Crystal muttering under her breath, "I''m actually pretty happy about it."


    Amy allowed herself a small, grim smile. Tentatively, her family was bending. They didn''t like it, but they were beginning to understand. Except Carol, of course, but Amy already knew her opinion. She wasn''t interested in hearing it again.


    Her and Mark could go at it themselves. It wasn''t her problem.


    <hr>


    Two days later, Brockton Bay.


    The crowd outside Medhall was awash in a roiling sea of emotions, the intensity of their desperation palpable even from Amy''s position near the front entrance. The air buzzed with shouts and murmurs, a mix of protests, pleas for help, and the occasional chant in favor of the Church of Remedy. Amy glanced over the heads of the thousand-strong crowd with a grim smile. She knew more would come as the day went on.


    She had to admit some surprise that two days had gone by, and neither the PRT or the gangs had made a move yet. She wouldn''t complain about the easier time she was having - but she was suspicious of it.


    The members of Starlight kept a tight perimeter, the presence of so many capes alone able to keep the peace for the past two days. The PRT and Protectorate loitered at the edges, carefully watching both the crowd and Amy herself, their presence as much about containment as observation.


    She noticed today they''d only sent Dauntless and Velocity, it made her wonder what the rest of them were preparing - because she refused to believe Piggot wouldn''t be up to something - orders be damned.


    Amy''s gaze lingered on the large Medhall building rising behind her. Its pristine facade was a facade in every sense, hiding the filth and rot that had festered within its walls for years. She had chosen this spot deliberately.


    Let the Nazis seethe; she would make her statement in their territory. She glanced down at the table and chair set up for her on the street - a simple, sturdy setup with a cooler of drinks at her feet. It would be a long shift, and she intended to make herself comfortable.


    As she settled into her seat, Purity descended from above, her glowing form streaking the early morning sky with light. Amy straightened, the faintest flicker of apprehension flashing across her face.


    "What is it?" Amy asked sharply, her gaze briefly flicking toward the Protectorate capes. They stood still, their attention clearly on her, but not making any moves. Amy was still hyper-aware of their attention, expecting some sort of plot any day now.


    Tattletale was busy trying to figure out what the response would be like. As an all out attack was unlikely with the necessity of her healing.


    Purity landed lightly beside her, her glow dimming slightly as she folded her arms. "The Church of Remedy is setting up food trucks around the perimeter," She said, her tone tinged with amusement. "They''re handing out free meals and water, in exchange for people joining them in prayer and hearing the good word of Remedy."


    Amy groaned, slumping back in her chair. "Of course, they are here," She muttered, rubbing her temples. "Those nutjobs follow me everywhere. At least they''re helping, I guess."


    She''d been surprised they hadn''t shown up sooner if she was fully honest.


    Purity chuckled softly. "They seem harmless enough. Enthusiastic, but harmless."


    Before Amy could respond, a loudspeaker crackled to life. Aurelian''s voice boomed over the crowd, rich with fervor. "Rejoice! We may be plagued for our sins, but the holy light of Remedy will cleanse your soul and body! You will thrive under the new sun, born again under the hands of our savior!"


    Amy let out a loud, exaggerated groan, her head falling into her hands. "Does he not realize that I was the one who actually plagued them?" She grumbled.


    "With people like that, I doubt it matters," Purity replied with a smirk. "They''ll twist themselves into pretzels to justify anything you do, changing their entire worldview to make things make sense."


    "Lucky me." Amy sighed, motioning for Purity to begin. "Let''s get started. I''d rather focus on healing than listening to more of his preaching."


    It was annoying that whats-her-name, the woman who led the church here, wasn''t around to keep Aurelian on a leash. It would at least have been quieter, she thought, wincing as the loudspeaker continued.


    Purity had already taken off as per her request, relaying instructions to the volunteers tasked with managing the line and the roped off walkway leading to her table. Amy leaned back, faux-smiling as the first elderly woman was led to her. Without preamble, she grasped the woman''s hand, her tone clinical. "Are you, or have you ever been, a member of a criminal gang in Brockton Bay?"


    The woman''s reply was a demure "No." Amy nodded and rushed through the rest of the questions - support for gang activities, knowledge of trafficking, and similar inquiries. Satisfied with the answers, she healed the woman, removing the virus and treating her arthritis, glaucoma, and the early stages of dementia in one efficient motion, touching her body up so that it was as healthy as possible for a human being.


    "Next," She said briskly.


    ¡­


    About a hundred people in, a blur of people of whom she could hardly even remember a thing about, she saw someone she recognized, a distasteful look flashing across her face.


    Emma Barnes sat before her, a hint of hidden excitement on her face, seemingly not caring about her recent reputation, just excited to meet her.


    "Emma, isn''t it?" Amy almost purred, grabbing her hand.


    She''d bullied some ABB wannabes to keep an eye on Winslow for her. Canon wasn''t quite here yet, date wise. Even if it had been completely destroyed by her actions anyway.


    But with everything going on, she''d completely forgotten about Taylor Hebert. Still only keeping an eye on the trio through the gangbanger. She''d completely forgotten to step in...


    "You know who I am?" Emma gushed, excited, a proud smile on her face.


    "You model, right?" Amy said, using it as an excuse, even as she idly went through her body, tweaking a few things.


    Emma was about to have bigger worries than bullying Taylor. Much bigger.


    Amy would like to see her try to pull the popular girl routine with horrible skin and with tripling in size.


    "Yes I do! But umm¡­ You''re so cool, and an amazing cape for dealing with the gangs like this, but I''m not gay¡­" She said, giving her an apologetic frown, a flash of disgust briefly seen in her eyes.


    Amy quirked an eyebrow, this girl certainly thought highly of herself, thinking Amy was flirting with her for simply knowing about her modelling.


    She was certainly pretty, but Amy had other options if she wanted to go for a girl who was rotten and broken on the inside. "There you go, you''re done." She said with a fake smile, releasing her hand.


    It was probably mean of her to give the girl an incontinence problem, but the flash of disgust was enough of a reason.


    "But you didn''t even ask me any questions?" Emma said, pouting slightly.


    "I''m sure you''re not a gang member." Amy said patronizingly.


    Emma seemed to be looking for an excuse to stick around for some reason, so Amy waved for one of the volunteers to escort her away.


    That''s when she heard, "What are you doing here?"


    She looked up, and sure enough about ten people down in the line, trying to hide herself in a too large hoodie, was Taylor Hebert. Emma having spotted her while being escorted away past the line.


    Luckily her volunteers did not care for teenage drama, and kept escorting Emma before she could say something more cutting.


    Soon enough, Taylor Hebert herself was before Amy, eyes downcast and refusing to even look at her as Amy took her limp sweaty hand in her own. She pursed her lips, thinking, while she went through the motion of asking the questions.


    She hadn''t really bothered to do anything about Winslow, what she just did to Emma being a wholly random event. Should she help Taylor some more? Or would that make it worse?


    It wouldn''t hurt to give the girl some self esteem back, surely?


    Slowly Amy began making changes, most of them not immediate. Stimulating some hormones here, setting up some processes to slowly migrate fat reserves across her body to her chest over time, tweaking her lips slightly making them fuller.


    She let Taylor go, the girl having not said a word except for the quiet answers to her questions.


    There. Her growing much prettier should help a little. It was an unfortunate reality, especially in High school, that looks were what mattered the most. Hence why Emma was about to be humbled very quickly¡­


    ¡­


    A few hours in, the rhythm had settled into monotony. Amy ate a sandwich one-handed while healing people, a volunteer beside her taking over the questioning. The crowd had thinned slightly, though it still stretched far down the street.


    Her routine broke when a young girl in an oversized hoodie and a face mask stepped up. Amy froze for a moment, her hand brushing the girl''s. She felt it instantly - parahuman. Her gaze sharpened as she met the girl''s eyes. Slowly, she brushed crumbs from her lip, letting a sly smile spread across her face.


    "Hey¡­ Missy," Amy said softly, after waving away the volunteer.


    The girl stiffened, her eyes narrowing. After a moment''s hesitation, she lowered her face mask slightly, confirming Amy''s suspicion. "They don''t know I''m here," Vista hissed. "Don''t tell them."


    Amy''s smirk widened. "Trouble in paradise?"


    Vista crossed her arms, her glare intensifying. "No one''s allowed to get healing until piggy says so. I''m not waiting for that bullshit." She paused, then muttered, "Even if you''re a villain now."


    Amy raised an eyebrow, her voice dry. "Yes, the villain and her partner who together are succeeding in eradicating the gangs, cleaning up the docks, revitalizing the economy, and enhancing the infrastructure of the city to be less of a shit hole. All without sacrificing civilians for it. Tell me again, what exactly have the heroes done in the past decade? Take your time. I''ll wait."


    Vista shifted uncomfortably, her glare faltering. "It''s still not right," She mumbled.


    Amy shrugged and healed her without hesitation. She didn''t bother with the usual questions; Vista wasn''t ABB or Empire. "Maybe not," Amy admitted, "But if the result is better than staying morally superior while people die because of it, I know where I stand."


    Vista pulled her hand back, her expression conflicted. "Maybe piggy was right. I shouldn''t have come."


    Amy narrowed her eyes. "Don''t stick your head in the sand, Missy. If what I''m saying makes sense, it''s not a sign to reject it. It''s a sign to think for yourself, look around and gather your own facts and make your own choice."


    Vista hesitated, then sighed. "Like there''s any choice left."


    Amy''s tone softened. "You always have choices. You could join Starlight, for instance. We''d be happy to have you." She smirked playfully. "We need a little V to go with our big V."


    Vista''s eyes widened slightly, her face flushing at the offer. "Stop seducing me." She hissed, flustered.


    Amy chuckled. "You''re a bit young for me, Missy. But give it a few years, and we''ll see." She winked, enjoying the younger girl''s flustered expression.


    Vista glared weakly, muttering, "I''m leaving. I''ll¡­ Think about it." She hurriedly added, "The team thing, not¡­ The other thing!"


    "Of course," Amy replied, her voice laced with amusement.


    ¡­


    As the day wore on, Amy settled back into her routine. The sun dipped lower in the sky, the crowd thinning further. She was nearing the end of her shift when a man stepped forward, his demeanor setting her on edge. His answers to her initial questions were clipped, his posture rigid, and for the first time someone failed the first question. When she reached the next critical question "What gang are you in?" His superior sneer confirmed her suspicions.


    "Empire," He grunted.


    Amy''s smile turned icy, her grip tightening on his hand. "I see."


    With ease she sent the man sprawling to the ground, unconscious. The volunteers around her tensed, but Amy''s expression remained calm. She gestured for him to be dragged off. Mouse Protector doing so, not even bothering with a pun as their first doomed man was removed.


    If Kaiser thought she was foolish enough to kill one of his underlings in front of a crowd, he had miscalculated. This man would be interrogated, his knowledge extracted. Only then would she dispose of him properly.


    Let the Nazis learn - Amy Dallon was no one''s fool.


    At least everything was going on track, and it looked like they were going to be able to pull this off without too many issues.


    Just after thinking that, the Endbringer sirens went off.


    <hr>

 The Death of Amy Dallon

    <div>


    <div>


    <div>


    £ª£ª£ª


    PRT HQ,


    The soft crack of Strider''s teleport echoed faintly outside PRT headquarters, Amy - Remedy, as she now called herself - landed on her feet and adjusted her Starlight uniform, Vicky at her side, also fully kitted out, coming along as her bodyguard. The truce was in effect, but everyone agreed that leaving Amy alone in the medical tents wasn''t safe.


    Not after she declared herself the de-facto ruler of Brockton Bay.


    With the poisoning infecting everyone, hero to villain to civilian, it was already a foregone conclusion that the city would bend the knee.


    As they were still waiting on Poison Ivy and a few of the independents that had signaled a willingness to participate, Strider had already disappeared to go pick up other groups of capes across North America before returning once everyone was ready in Brockton.


    Amys'' gaze immediately locked onto the gathered Protectorate members waiting for her arrival, Vicky watching them with a new wariness and world weary, in case they''d try something.


    Miss Militia stood near the front, her expression pinched, her flag-patterned scarf pulled up to cover part of her face. Armsmaster was at her side, stiff as a board, his lips pulled into a frown beneath his visor. Battery and Assault were close by, their body language radiating unease. Dauntless, helmet in hand, didn''t even bother hiding his open displeasure. Likewise, Velocity looked openly angry at the sight of them.


    Amy didn''t need powers to sense it - none of them wanted her here despite her ability being a game changer in Endbringer fights. She wasn''t an ally. She wasn''t a friend. To them, she was a necessary evil, that they wholly wished wasn''t necessary.


    Once again proving how utterly inflexible heroes were in this world.


    She could literally save their lives against this Endbringer attack, cure cancer, fix world hunger, eradicate disease across the globe¡­


    But no, she was killing some Nazi capes instead of pretending to put them in jail for a week, so she was a monster.


    Sure, poisoning the entire city might have been a bit monstrous, but the civilians weren''t even going to suffer for it!


    "Where''s the rest of your team?" Dauntless asked sharply, his voice cutting through the silence, as he studied her with distaste.


    Amy raised an eyebrow, unfazed by his tone. "Starlight is staying in Brockton Bay," She replied coolly, folding her arms over her chest. "With the Protectorate gone and the Wards only allowed to fight skinned knees, this is the perfect time for the Empire or Lung to make a move. Someone needs to be there to handle them."


    Now that Starlight was bolstered with all of New Wave bar Carol and Mark, the team was strong enough to at least hold off against the other gangs if it came to it.


    Dauntless''s lips pressed into a thin line, but before he could respond, Armsmaster cut in, his tone frigid. "The truce is in effect," He said stiffly. "Neither the Empire nor Lung will make a move during an Endbringer event."


    Vicky literally rolled her eyes, muttering into Amy''s ear, "Oh my god they''re delusional."


    Amy snorted, the sound derisive as she addressed Armsmaster. "Sure," She drawled, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Just like the Empire follows the unwritten rules when it comes to murdering entire families, targeting capes civilian identities, going after friends and families They''ve been such model citizens."


    Vicky was right. They were delusional. It was like they''d somehow missed the E88 going wild lately.


    "That''s different," Miss Militia said, stepping forward, her voice firm, a certain tightness to her shoulders. "This isn''t the same thing, the truce is always upheld."


    Amy shook her head slowly, her expression one of almost pitying disbelief. "No wonder you guys got nowhere," She muttered. "You''re so blind from your own indoctrination that you actually think the Empire will sit on its hands while they''re dying off. You think they care about the truce right now?"


    Also, saying that next to Armsmaster, which in the original set of circumstances of this world, totally broke this unbreakable truce¡­ Yeah¡­ Amy wasn''t going to count on it for fucking Kaiser.


    Miss Militia opened her mouth to respond, but Assault beat her to it. "She has a point," He said, his voice unusually serious. "If they think they''ve got nothing left to lose, why wouldn''t they take their shot?"


    Battery frowned but nodded reluctantly. "It''s possible," She admitted. "Desperation makes people unpredictable."


    Amy tilted her head, her smirk returning. "Speaking of nothing to lose," She said, wiggling her fingers in the air like she was performing a cheap magic trick. "Do you want to be healed of the poison currently running through your veins, the one that''s going to kill you?"


    They didn''t trust her anymore, sure. But to allow the Protectorate and Wards to remain as they were, was¡­ Foolish, to say the least.


    Not that the Wards weren''t finding their own way. She''d already healed Vista, Clockblocker and Shadow Stalker who''d all snuck out in their civilian identities.


    Hess even had the guts to join the queue for Ivy instead of Amy.


    Not that it stopped her from leaving a few extra presents in her body. Because fuck Shadow Stalker.


    Heh, I guess they are right not to trust me¡­ She amended inwardly.


    Dauntless''s jaw clenched. "The poison you put there by poisoning the entire city," He hissed, his knuckles white as he gripped his helmet, before slamming it onto his head, as Armsmaster gave him a displeased look, probably for speaking up for the group instead of him.


    Amy shrugged, her expression unapologetic. "Your choice," She said. "But if I die here today, you might run out of time." She taunted, uncaring of their feelings.


    Her way was solving Brocktons problems, albeit unconventionally. In her opinion they didn''t even have the moral upper hand - since their way left hundreds of women turned into sex slaves and hundreds of minorities dead each year, due to their efforts to maintain the status quo.


    The silence stretched, thick and suffocating. Assault exchanged a look with Battery, his hand twitching toward hers. After a brief moment of hesitation on her part, he sighed and gently tugged her forward, apparently refusing to risk her.


    Armsmaster''s glare could be felt even through his visor, but Amy didn''t flinch. Instead, she met his hidden glare head-on as Battery stepped up to her. Without a word, Amy touched her wrist where she''d exposed skin, her power flowing through her, the poison dissolved, Battery''s body flushed clean in seconds.


    "Assault¡­ Don''t make this worse." Armsmaster warned tersely, taking a step forward, only to stop as Vicky cracked her knuckles demonstratively, hovering in front of the three of them.


    She''s so dependable, Amy thought of Vicky with a small smile, she waved off Battery, waving Assault forward with a lazy gesture.


    Assault was next, his grin half-hearted but present as he held out his hand. "Go ahead, Remedy."


    Amy smugly complied, healing him just as quickly. As soon as she was done, Assault stepped back, smirking faintly at Armsmaster. "Well, I''m not an abomination yet, and I don''t believe I''ve been mastered. So I''d say a successful test."


    "M/S screening when we get back. Not negotiable." Miss Militia ordered, since Armsmaster was grinding his teeth too hard to form words at the moment.


    Assault shrugging, "If we survive, I''ll take some alone time without complaint." He said fatalistically.


    Battery none too kindly punched him in the shoulder, pulling him back to whisper-yell at him. No doubt for that huge red flag he was waving.


    "Anyone else." Vicky asked, taking her bodyguard duties seriously, making sure she was between Amy and the Protectorate.


    None of the other heroes stepped forward. Amy didn''t really care. They''d either come to her when they started feeling sick, or they''d die purely by their own choices.


    Just then Poison Ivy sauntered into the area smugly, Amy holding back a smile as the Heroes got even more grumpy at the sight of her other self.


    "Where is it?" She asked after another minute, cutting through the awkward silence. "The Endbringer. It''s the Simurgh, isn''t it?"


    The Hopekiller was next on the rotation since Behemoth had been the last one. Still, it was odd for her, because with the changed world, they weren''t attacking the same cities, or the same dates as ''Canon''.


    They were in August, Behemoth had attacked in April, circa four months between attacks. Leviathan was then likely to attack Nov/Dec. While ''Canon'' if the locker ever were to happen, would be in January 2011.


    It made predicting things harder, but it was somewhat of a relief to know that the same chain of events like Canon couldn''t have happened anyway.


    Armsmaster''s jaw twitched, but he nodded, answering her."Yes."


    Amy exhaled slowly, relief washing over her. It meant the Simurgh wouldn''t be in Brockton Bay for almost a year if they followed the rotation - if the Simurgh had a reason to personally come ruin what she was doing. Thank god. She had time to figure out what she was going to do about them¡­


    "Where?" Vicky asked, fists clenched at her sides.


    Before anyone could answer, the air cracked again, Strider appearing beside her. His gaze swept the area, calculating, before nodding once. "Let''s go," He said, seeing that the few independents willing to join had arrived as well.


    Within seconds, the world bent and folded around them, space warping in on itself before snapping back into place. When her feet hit solid ground, she was greeted by the deafening roar of distant combat, the screeching of a horde of beasts from the sound of it, together with the staccato of gunfire, a battle already underway.


    We didn''t take that long to arrive did we?


    She blinked, taking in her surroundings. They stood on a stretch of flat, barren land, the earth cracked and dry beneath their boots. A Dragon craft was guarding the landing zone, a military style medical tent set up nearby, Capes rushing towards the city in a haphazard manner, absolutely no organization taking place other than capes grabbing armbands from a few PRT officers at the edge of the safe zone.


    In the distance, a massive wall loomed, its surface marred by a jagged, gaping rend that looked like it had been carved by a giant''s claw. Beyond the wall, flashes of light illuminated the cityscape as capes clashed with the Hopekiller.


    Before the walls, Capes and desperate defenders from the exclusion zone fought back against the horde of monsters that viciously tore through them, escaping from the breach in the wall.


    Above it all, the Simurgh floated like a ghostly specter, her wings stretching wide, her form ethereal and terrifying. Her song was already ringing out, the monsters growing stronger and more precise in their movements. This is too quick! There''s hardly any capes able to contest! Amy thought, watching in horrified fascination.


    "Ellisburg," Armsmaster said flatly, his voice devoid of emotion, striding away from them, approaching the Dragoncraft.


    Amy felt Ivy stir beside her, their shared thoughts aligning in perfect synchronicity. Eidolon, you fucking dick!


    Because of course it was Ellisburg. The one place that could turn an already catastrophic Endbringer attack into something far worse. Sure, this could solely be a Simurgh plot, but this reeked of Eidolon being subconsciously butthurt and wanting to remind the world how horrible people like Amy were if let loose completely.


    "Are you seeing this?" Vicky whispered, her gaze locked on the breach in the wall in the distance. "How are there so many of Nilbog''s creatures, there must be thousands!"


    Amy swallowed hard. "Yeah. I see it¡­ And we can''t count out Nilbog having been a Ziz bomb somehow from the beginning."


    After all, Ellisburg is where Emily Piggot and Thomas Calvert had gotten the jumpstart for the rest of their lives. Brockton Bay had been important for the Simurgh''s plots. And that all started in Ellisburg.


    The implications were horrifying. The Simurgh was attacking a city filled with Nilbog''s creations - creatures that could spread and reproduce endlessly if free, their biology already dangerous and chaotic. If the Simurgh also manipulated them¡­


    She pushed the thought aside, focusing on the task at hand. They didn''t have time to dwell on worst-case scenarios until after they pushed the Simurgh out.


    Seeing the giant hole in the wall, she shook her head as Vicky escorted her to the healing tent, Strider following to lend her his power again to let her stretch out across the city.


    With how quickly the city was broken apart, how many creatures already escaped?


    £ª£ª£ª


    Inside Ellisburg.


    Alexandria soared above the chaotic battlefield, her lips pressed into a grim, thin line as the scene below played out like the prelude to the apocalypse. She was a blur of speed against the dark, swirling sky, but no amount of flight prowess could mask the fact that the battle was rapidly spiraling out of control.


    The Simurgh''s piercing, otherworldly song, echoed across the war zone, a sound that cut through the cacophony no matter any attempt to stop her. A wall of debris churned in the air around the Endbringer, an ever-shifting shield made of shattered homes, crumpled trucks, entire segments of city blocks. They circled her like orbiting moons, forming a near-impenetrable barrier of destruction.


    And Alexandria couldn''t break through it. Not alone.


    She swore under her breath as she dodged a flying car that hurtled past her head, the vehicle spinning end over end before smashing into the cracked ground far below.


    Her armband kept rattling off bad news as she desperately tried to get closer, a rain of debris constantly intercepting her, slowing her down. "Myrddin down, Chevalier deceased, Wraith deceased, Morgus deceased, Exalt deceased."


    Her jaw tightened with every chime. She could only hope that brat Remedy was in place, and that the deceased had been saved.


    The loss of Chevalier and Exalt would be a blow to the balance between heroes and villains in North America otherwise.


    Still, the armband kept rattling off names.


    "Chubster deceased, Halo down, Revel deceased. Ursa Aurora down."


    This shouldn''t be happening.


    It wasn''t just the chaos or the mounting casualties. It was the Simurgh herself. The Endbringer had descended on Ellisburg with a speed that defied all of their models and projections. Every top-speed calculation that Cauldron or Watchdog had ever produced had been shattered within a minute of her beginning to move in orbit.


    Alexandria had barely had time to scramble together any kind of team before the Simurgh had begun her assault on Ellisburg unopposed.


    Faster, smarter, deadlier. We''re always playing catch-up.


    She adjusted her flight trajectory, weaving between airborne rubble as she tried to close the distance to the Endbringer. Her fists clenched, muscles coiling as she prepared for a hit that could shatter steel. She needed to make contact. Just one clean hit. But the Simurgh wasn''t making it easy. Every time she approached, a wall of debris shifted to intercept her, massive pieces of concrete and rebar smashing into her with bone-jarring force.


    She grunted as a section of roofing, easily the size of a truck, bolstered by the Hopekillers telekinesis - caught her across the shoulder and sent her spinning backward. She corrected herself midair, her cape fluttering like a torn banner behind her, but the hit had cost her precious time yet again. The Simurgh''s telekinesis was too fast, her control over her surroundings almost absolute.


    Far more absolute than she''d previously displayed. And normally she could get some openings, but that was with backup¡­ Not practically alone.


    Where the hell is Legend? Where''s Eidolon? They need to hurry¡­


    She knew the answer before the thought even fully formed. Legend was off to the north, holding the line against the largest breach in the containment wall, single-handedly preventing Nilbog''s monstrosities from flooding into the countryside. His lasers burned bright in the distance, as he fought the horde advancing on the capes under his command.


    Eidolon was within the walls of Ellisburg itself, using his powers to erase Nilbog''s creations to limit the pressure on the other capes, as well as hunt for Nilbog. Or at least that was the plan. Alexandria hadn''t heard any updates on whether Nilbog himself had been found. If the monster-producing cape had escaped the city in the first wave, they were in far deeper trouble than she wanted to admit.


    Eidolon better be handling it. Or we''re in trouble.


    A massive gust of wind, laced with shards of broken glass and twisted metal, tore past her as the Simurgh flapped her wings just once, head turned slightly in her direction. The sheer force of it was enough to send nearby capes crashing into the ground and broken buildings like rag dolls, even as Alexandria avoided the strike meant to occupy her yet again.


    Alexandria grimaced as she spotted a cape smash through the wall right below her, the crunch of his spine audible, as his body bent in a way a human body wasn''t meant to.


    "Carrion deceased, Vivisector deceased, Dauntless down, Assault deceased."


    Another casualty on the ever-growing list - then, before she could launch herself at the Simurgh again, she saw him stir. His limbs and back straightened with an almighty crack, and despite the obvious pain in his movements, he climbed back to his feet.


    Alexandria''s eye narrowed in recognition. Remedy is here. A surge of relief, unwelcome but undeniable, flooded her chest.


    Even as much as she disliked the girl, she couldn''t deny her importance. They needed Remedy to keep their capes alive long enough to seal the breaches and stop the Simurgh''s rampage from spreading further.


    Without her, the body count would skyrocket in minutes. And with the Simurgh capable of mastering anyone who heard her song for too long, they didn''t have the luxury of capes falling and being replaced. They had half an hour, maybe less, before the armbands hit their limit for most and started detonating.


    Not that it would do anything to her. But they couldn''t afford to lose more capes right now. Not when they would be so desperately needed after the battle.


    "The Simurgh is facing the medical area!" Dragon reported through the armband. Several of the larger Dragoncraft unloading their payload as the Simurgh slowly rotated, facing the direction of the medical area beyond the walls.


    The Dragoncrafts suddenly exploded, the metal shrapnel being guided into waves of death that exploded forth from the Simurgh, clearing a path through the sky towards the medical area, as half a dozen flying capes got shredded at once, blood and guts raining down on them.


    Rebecca cursed as she shot forward, trying once more to breach the Simurgh''s defenses and distract her. She angled her body like a missile, aiming directly for the center of the swirling debris field. Her fists were raised, ready to strike, but just as she closed the distance, the Simurgh''s wings unfurled in a sudden, powerful motion. A ripple of telekinetic force blasted outward, catching Rebecca mid-flight and slamming her back, a mountain of debris slamming into her with the full telekinetic force of the Simurgh behind it.


    She hit the ground hard, carving a twenty foot deep trench into the dirt as she skidded to a stop, buried in concrete and steel. She shook it off, her invulnerability ensuring that nothing was damaged except her pride. Still, the frustration clawed at her insides like a living thing. She was one of the strongest capes in the world, and yet she couldn''t even get close enough to land a hit without the rest of the Triumvirate there.


    Legend should be here. Eidolon should be here. But they''re not, because everything else is falling apart too. It''s up to me.


    The Simurgh shifted her attention to the containment wall, her gaze like a silent command. Another section of the wall crumbled as a cloud of debris - half of an industrial block, complete with toppled tankers and heavy duty machinery - was hurled into it.


    With the force of the Simurgh behind it, a large smoking hole was left in the wall, in the direction of the medical area, and Alexandria could already see Nilbog''s creatures swarming through the gap like ants from a disturbed nest.


    We''re running out of time.


    She launched herself back into the air, scanning the battlefield for any sign of a turning point. Capes on the ground were doing their best to hold the line, their powers lighting up the landscape in bursts of color and energy. But it wasn''t enough. They were used to fighting sole enemies, or small groups of villains.


    Even at their worst days, they fought an Endbringer, a singular enemy. None of the capes in North America were used to fighting a war. The soldiers stationed here who could have fought back, the first first lose their lives, alone, against the Simurgh and the horde before the Heroes could arrive.


    The creatures kept coming, grotesque hybrids of flesh, their bodies twisted into impossible shapes. Some had too many legs, others had mouths where their eyes should be, and all of them were driven by an insatiable hunger to destroy.


    She clenched her fists and forced herself to stay focused. She had to get back to the Simurgh. Had to find a way through her defenses. Had to hit her hard enough to make a difference.


    The Simurgh''s wings spread wide again, casting an ominous feeling over the battlefield. Her song grew louder, the haunting melody digging into the capes skull like a needle. Even she was not wholly immune to the Simurgh flexing her newfound strength.


    She could feel the edges of her mind fraying, her thoughts scattering like leaves in the wind. But she pushed it down, buried it beneath years of training and sheer force of will.


    I won''t break. Not here. Not today.


    She surged forward once more, determination burning in her chest. She would break through. She had to. For the capes who had already fallen. For the ones still fighting. For the world that couldn''t afford to lose anymore.


    Because if they lost here, Ellisburg wouldn''t just be another city doomed by the Hopekiller. It would be the beginning of the end.


    For all of them.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Medical tent, outside Ellisburg.


    The medical tent was a sanctuary in name only. The canvas walls flapped under the assault of the wind, their rustling barely masking the cacophony outside - the screams of the dying, the roars of Nilbog''s monsters, the rumbling explosions, and the staccato bursts of gunfire. Blood, dirt, and the acrid scent of burned flesh mingled in the air, as the other few healers dealt with the minor injuries not worth her time.


    Amy sat cross-legged in the center of the tent, her fingers loosely curled against her thighs, eyes closed. She had partitioned her mind again, separating herself from Ivy. It was a necessity. There was too much to handle, and she couldn''t afford to feel the rush of vines, the pulse of roots, or the sensation of bark shifting beneath her as she fought. The job before her required her focus. If she slipped - if she got lost in Ivy''s sensory world - more people would die.


    Although not technically a hero anymore, she needed the system to prevail for now, because she was not at a stage to deal with Endbringers yet, nor the consequences therefrom.


    One day¡­


    Her power stretched across the field of battle like an invisible web, tendrils of biokinetic energy searching for the fraying threads of life. They threaded through Ellisburg''s crumbling streets, across the massive breaches in the wall where Nilbog''s creatures spilled out like an overflowing river of nightmares. She didn''t need to see the chaos firsthand - she could feel it.


    Her focus landed on Myrddin first, collapsed near a pile of rubble at the biggest breach. His breathing was shallow, his chest barely rising. The bones of his ribcage had been shattered, puncturing his right lung. His heart was struggling against the damage, blood pooling where it shouldn''t.


    She worked quickly, stabilizing the lung and guiding the jagged ribs back into place like setting pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Blood vessels sealed themselves under her direction, oxygen flowed freely again, and his heart found its rhythm. Myrddin gasped, coughed violently, and rolled onto his side, but he was alive.


    Move on. Don''t stop. Keep going.


    Her power flicked over to Dauntless next. The hero had been pinned against a piece of debris by a creature that resembled a bloated arachnid with far too many limbs. The monster''s barbed leg had punched through his armor and buried itself in his gut. His intestines were perforated, bile and blood leaking into his abdominal cavity. His body was shutting down.


    She reached into him, forcing the foreign matter out of the wound and mending the shredded tissue. The perforations sealed, the bleeding stopped, and the acidic damage to his stomach lining reversed itself under her careful touch. Dauntless''s eyes fluttered open, his fingers twitching weakly against the hilt of his weapon.


    All around them, heroes and villains rose again, while some, laid unmoving, Amy having arrived too late for them, or in case of some, like Exalt, they were in too many pieces to waste the energy on saving.


    A violent roar shook the ground beneath her, but Amy didn''t flinch, trusting in Vicky''s presence to guard her body, while her mind and power were busy. Her awareness tunneled in on Velocity, who zipped through the battlefield at speeds that made him difficult to pin down, as he went back and forth ferrying injured capes she hadn''t handled yet, back to safety.


    One of Nilbog''s flying creatures, a winged mass of feathers and sinew, had jusy managed to clip him with a razor-sharp talon. The gash along his shoulder blade wasn''t deep, but blood loss would slow him down, and a slow Velocity was a dead Velocity. Amy stitched the wound before it could get worse, knitting muscle fibers and sealing the torn skin. Velocity didn''t even notice the moment she healed him - he simply kept running, a blur of motion.


    Her power brushed against a broken body sprawled near the breach, and her breath hitched for half a second. Chevalier. Even she recognized the well known hero. He was on his back, recently deceased but not brain dead yet, blood seeping through the cracks in his armor. A spike from one of Nilbog''s insectoid creatures had punctured his side, through his kidney another slicing through his liver.


    Amy gritted her teeth and dove in. The damage was extensive, but not beyond her reach, as she forced his heart to keep pumping, in essence resurrecting the recently dead, since his cells were still not wholly dead yet. The kidney and liver tissue regenerated under her guidance, the torn muscles reattached, and the internal bleeding came to a halt. Chevalier groaned softly as he stirred, but he was stable, if not able to keep fighting.


    She could heal them, but not all the energy came from her shard, some came from their own bodies, and Chevalier would not be getting up anytime soon. She idly directed Vicky to call Strider to go pick him up before a monster came and chewed up all her hard work.


    She could feel Legend''s presence as a distant pulse of power as her own power slipped between people. His lasers lit up the darkened sky, cutting down swarms of Nilbog''s creatures before they could overwhelm the capes holding the line. But even Legend couldn''t be everywhere at once, and the breaches were too numerous at this point.


    Further out, she found Assault. His body lay half-buried beneath the rubble of a collapsed building, his leg bent at an unnatural angle. He wasn''t breathing. Panic surged momentarily, she liked Assault and Battery, but she clamped down on it. His heart had stopped only moments ago - there was still time. She surged into him, forcing his chest to rise and fall as she restarted his heart. She reconstructed his fractured tibia, reconnected severed nerves, and repaired the collapsed lung that had suffocated him. Assault gasped violently, his body spasming as air flooded his lungs.


    He was still half buried, but he''d survive long enough for someone to get him. If they won¡­


    She winced inwardly as she skipped over a body laying next to him, torn to shreds. Nothing I can do¡­ Damnit¡­


    One more saved. But how many more are dying while I work?


    Amy''s thoughts turned bitter. It was never-ending. No matter how many she healed, there were always more.


    The bitterness sharpened as her mind inevitably circled back to Eidolon even as she worked. This is his fault. Maybe not directly, but she knew his backstory well enough to see the pattern.


    Her rise to power as the hope against the Endbringers, rising against the status quo and rejecting the PRT and Protectorate, her public declarations of curing diseases and making humanity better - of course that had pissed him off. Eidolon had to be the greatest. He couldn''t stomach anyone outshining him.


    And so, days after she declared her biotinker expertise for saving humanity, the Simurgh cracks open Ellisburg, reigniting fear of biokinetics and associating them with Nilbog''s monsters again.


    What a coincidence¡­


    She worked on another fallen cape - Blackout this time - feeling suspiciously similar to what Grue was supposed to be¡­ Wards were sent to Ellisburg? That seemed¡­ Unwise. She supposed the Undersiders had never been formed here thanks to her..


    His shoulder was dislocated, his arm hanging limp at his side, while his ribs were fractured from the impact of being thrown into a wall at no doubt extreme speeds. She realigned the bones, reduced the swelling, and restored function to his arm before moving on.


    It didn''t matter how many lives she saved today. Tomorrow, the headlines would focus on the creatures that slipped past them. On the towns that would be attacked before they could track them all down. On the inevitable comparisons between her and Nilbog.


    No matter what, this wouldn''t be over quickly. Nilbogs creatures could make more¡­ If only one of them remained free, the countryside would continue to see attacks for a long time going forward.


    Each one dragging her name in the mud with it, as people would look at her in fear. Her poisoning, which hadn''t even caused a riot, with people in Brockton trusting she''d heal them - now likely to be seen in a different manner.


    Her power brushed against a body that didn''t respond. Cache, a New York hero, had taken a direct hit from something massive - possibly one of Nilbog''s giant creations. His head was caved in on one side, brain tissue splattered and irreparably damaged. Amy''s power instinctively tried to piece him back together, but there was no saving someone whose brain was beyond repair. She pulled back, swallowing the lump in her throat.


    I can''t save everyone.


    But she kept trying. She healed Sunstreak, whose body had been charred by a burst of acid, repairing the burns and neutralizing the remaining toxins. She found Ursa Aurora unconscious, her pulse faint but steady. A broken femur and fractured hip were her most severe injuries, and Amy set to work mending them.


    Outside the tent, the sounds of battle grew louder. Nilbog''s creatures were getting closer. She could feel them - their grotesque biology a mess of mutations that pulsed and throbbed with unnatural life. The capes fighting outside were holding them back, but barely.


    She worked faster, pushing her power to its limits. Geomancer''s spine had been fractured, but she repaired the damage, ensuring he wouldn''t be paralyzed. Miss Militia''s arm had been torn open, and Amy sealed the wound and moved on.


    Her breaths came quicker, her body trembling with the strain of keeping so many threads connected at once. She couldn''t afford to stop. She couldn''t afford to fail. But the weight of it all pressed down on her, suffocating.


    The tent shook as something massive slammed into the ground outside. Vicky shifted, her stance widening as she prepared to fight.


    "Ames..." Vicky''s voice was tense, cutting through the haze of Amy''s thoughts.


    Amy exhaled, her power surging outward one last time to save another life before the monsters broke through.


    "I know. Go"


    £ª£ª£ª


    Brockton Bay, Empire territory.


    The warehouse reeked of sweat, steel, and desperation. A pungent combination that hung in the air like a suffocating blanket, clinging to the skin of every man and woman crammed inside the building. The full force of the Empire 88 gathered under flickering fluorescent lights - grizzled skinheads, armed thugs, and capes who still clung to the dream of supremacy despite the situation they were in.


    They were all dying thanks to Remedy''s efforts, something independent thinkers had confirmed for them. The desperation fueled them all in ways Kaiser found could be useful in saving his own skin. There was no hesitation when death loomed overhead. Only obedience.


    If only they''d been this obedient from the start¡­


    Then they could have used mercenaries to punish the Dallons, instead of Hookwolf dooming them all.


    Kaiser stood on a raised platform of steel, his presence commanding the attention of every soldier and cape beneath him. The metal twisted and rose beneath his feet, forming jagged spires that mirrored his mood - violent and sharp. His bladed armor gleamed, catching the flicker of the lights above as he raised his arms to address them.


    "Listen closely," His voice boomed, cutting through the murmurs and distant clangs of weapons being prepped. His words sounded with purpose, each syllable like a hammer striking hot metal. "We stand at the edge of oblivion, but that does not mean we fall. We rise. We adapt. We survive, we are above all else, superior!"


    They listened, but not because they admired him, he knew, not anymore, not after the failures. They listened because they were afraid, desperate for a leader to guide them out of the spiral of destruction Remedy had pushed them into.


    "Remedy and her little band of race traitors have robbed this city of the stability we brought. They''ve poisoned the city, turned public opinion against us, and cornered us like rats. But rats can bite. And we -" He paused, allowing the tension to build, " - are much worse than the rats they think we are, we are wolves. Our enemy has made a critical mistake. She thinks her control of the bay makes her untouchable even when away. She thinks that because her sister is away with her, she has nothing to lose."Stolen novel; please report.


    Kaiser''s gaze swept the crowd, lingering on Hookwolf, who leaned against the far wall with a grimace, arms crossed and lips pulled into a permanent sneer. He hadn''t spoken up during the speech, but Kaiser could feel the weight of his discontent pressing down on the room. Good. Let him stew. The moment he makes a move, I''ll cut him down. Hookwolf was a tool, a weapon Kaiser needed for now, but tools could be broken if they stopped serving their purpose.


    And if Kaiser managed to pull all this together somehow. Hookwolf would die by his hands at the end. For failing, for creating this mess.


    "Here''s what we do," Kaiser continued, his voice softening, forcing them to lean in to catch every word. "We storm Starlight''s headquarters. We take all of her family hostages. We bring them to their knees and force Remedy to bargain for their lives. This is not a bloodbath. We don''t kill the capes. We take, and we hold."


    Kaiser would exchange them all for their healing, and depending on how stubborn Remedy was¡­ For his healing and safe passage only.


    There was a murmur of uncertainty from the skinheads, but Kaiser cut through it with a shout that silenced them instantly. "Anyone who steps out of line will be put down by myself personally. This is our last chance. We do this clean, we get hostages. Or we die."


    They''d all die anyway, he only intended to negotiate for the capes. And even they were disposable if necessary. Luckily they''d already broken their captured capes out in the panic after the poisoning, the heroes too busy watching Remedy.


    They''d need them all for this. Even Rune as green as she was would need to commit fully to this battle.


    Hookwolf shifted, muttering something to Krieg, but neither man challenged him. Still, Kaiser could see the tension building. Hookwolf hated restraint, and Krieg''s fanatical tendencies made him unpredictable. But they needed this plan to work, and Kaiser was prepared to kill them both, if it meant he''d leave this city as a survivor.


    "Victor and Othala have already taken a different path to find us our salvation," He added, his tone sharp. "Gone on another mission through a private teleporter I hired. They''ll act as our insurance policy. If we fail here, they''ll handle Remedy directly."


    The men looked more confident knowing Kaiser had not risked them all only on this one plan, fools all of them, he thought. Victor and Othala''s chances of success were miniscule. An attempt for a Hail Mary.


    Hookwolf snorted, loud enough for the room to hear. "You''re putting all this faith in Othala and Victor? They''re already as good as dead, and you know it."


    Kaiser''s lips curled into a sneer behind his crowned helmet. "You''ll be dead before them if you don''t shut up."


    If only I''d killed him earlier¡­


    Hookwolf glared at him, but stayed silent, his fists clenching at his sides. The room grew tense, but Kaiser continued, unflinching. "We have no choice. The truce with the PRT, with everyone - it''s already meaningless. We''re dying. I''ll break the truce a hundred times over if it means survival."


    There were nods throughout the crowd, the understanding settling into their bones. They had nothing left to lose. The only way forward was to gamble everything.


    "For the Empire!" Kaiser shouted, his voice echoing off the steel walls.


    "For the Empire!" The crowd roared back, fists raised in the air.


    Kaiser felt a grim satisfaction as the energy of the room shifted. They were ready. This was their final play, and win or lose, they would make their mark.


    And above all else. He would survive to start anew, much of Medhalls finances already being funneled to a new identity provided by Accord.


    And then the wall behind him exploded.


    A wave of fire roared into the warehouse, consuming crates and sending his men scrambling as flames licked across the steel floor. The heat was suffocating, filling the room with smoke and the scent of burning flesh. Kaiser staggered, turning toward the source of the blast, just in time to see Lung step through the wreckage, already escalated, flames coiling around his massive form as a clawed hand finished tearing apart the wall.


    "NO!" Kaiser roared, his mind spinning. "You fool! Our enemy is Remedy, not you! Why are you attacking us?"


    This was not happening, not now! This braindead chink was ruining everything!


    Lung didn''t respond with words. His roar shook the warehouse, the force of it rattling the steel beams overhead. His eyes glowed with an intense, primal fury, and the fire surrounding him surged, spreading across the room like a tidal wave as he stomped through, a tail already formed and sweeping away Alabaster, who''d only stood there gaping at the dragon.


    Fenja and Menja reacted immediately, growing to their colossal forms and charging forward to protect Kaiser from their natural enemy. They collided with Lung, their combined weight forcing him back a few steps, but his fire didn''t stop. It surged around them, searing their armor and making them scream in pain.


    "Hold him back!" Kaiser yelled, steel spikes shooting forward to reinforce the twins in pushing Lung out before he slaughtered the regulars they needed to drown Starlight in targets they couldn''t go all out against. "Don''t let him get any farther!"


    Behind Kaiser, Oni Lee flickered into existence, blades already in hand as he stabbed toward Kaiser who hadn''t yet fully donned his battle armor, wearing thinner, more imposing armor for gravitas.


    The world slowed as Kaiser''s instincts took over, his armor expanding in an instant, blades of steel forming a protective shell around him. Oni Lee''s blade struck, but it found no purchase, glancing harmlessly off the armor as the clone dissolved into smoke, grenades dropping to the floor, rolling around his feet.


    Kaiser spun, even as he was blown aside from the resultant explosion, having lessened it by covering the grenades under a massive slab of steel, slashing through the air with a massive blade that bisected another Oni Lee clone before it could land a strike as he landed. "Why?" He growled, the rage boiling in his chest. "Why now?"


    Oni Lee appeared several feet away, his voice calm, even as the warehouse burned around them. "The dragon fears no poison. He sees a weak enemy, and he strikes."


    Kaiser''s vision blurred with red. Lung saw us as weak. He thinks this is his moment to crush us and take what little we have left. His hands shook with fury as he sliced through another clone, the steel screeching against the warehouse floor. "You arrogant bastard," He spat. "You''ll regret this."


    Hookwolf, finally given the chaos he craved, shifted into his monstrous wolf form, metal blades protruding from every inch of his body as he launched himself at Lung. Their clash was explosive, the force of their collision sending shockwaves through the building. Flames clashed with steel, and the sound of ripping metal filled the air as they tore into each other.


    Fenja and Menja backing off warily, burns all over their body, and Othala not here to be of immediate assistance.


    But even Hookwolf couldn''t hold Lung for long. The dragon''s strength was monstrous, his claws tearing through Hookwolf''s metal hide, leaving gouges that glowed red-hot from the heat. Hookwolf snarled, retaliating with a swipe that left a deep gash in Lung''s arm, but the wound healed almost instantly, the flames cauterizing it before any blood could spill.


    Fenja and Menja returned to the fight and fought valiantly, their massive forms grappling with Lung as they tried to pin him down with spear and sword. But the heat was too intense, the flames eating away at their defenses even as they cut Lung apart.


    Lung only roared in rage, growing larger, the roof bulging as the three only increased in size in their struggle.


    Kaiser gritted his teeth, summoning another wave of steel spikes to pierce Lung''s side. The spikes found their mark, stabbing into his flesh, but Lung didn''t slow down. If anything, the pain seemed to fuel his rage making him push Fenja and Menja back easier.


    Kaiser felt the weight of defeat settling on his shoulders. They could drive Lung back eventually, but by then, it would be too late. Their forces would be decimated, their chance to take hostages and force Remedy''s hand shattered.


    His mind raced. This was supposed to be my victory. My plan to regain control. And now it''s over.


    He watched as Lung roared, flames engulfing the room once more, and felt nothing but hate. That fucking dragon.


    As Oni Lee left grenades across the warehouse, blowing up the regular foot soldiers of the Empire, Kaiser snapped, roaring in full rage as every piece of metal in the warehouse bent to his will and shot forward, not caring about friendly fire.


    "Die!" Kaiser screamed, his vision going blank as he poured everything he had into his power.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Ellisburg,


    The city''s remaining structures were barely recognizable amidst the twisted wreckage, and its streets had become rivers of blood and black ichor. Nilbog''s creatures, crawled over every surface, swarming through the breaches in the containment wall as though an unholy dam had burst.


    Everywhere, capes fought. Heroes, Villains, it didn''t matter. The Simurgh''s presence in the sky reduced distinctions to irrelevance. Fireballs illuminated the smoky haze, streams of neon-colored energy seared through the air, and thunderous blasts shook the ground.


    Despite their best efforts, the capes were being overwhelmed. For every creature they brought down, two more seemed to claw their way forward, screeching and snapping with monstrous glee. Nilbog had not been as placid as they''d thought, thousands of creatures coming forward, hundreds dying only to immediately find another creature jumping over the dead to claw at the capes.


    Even with Remedy''s healing, they were taking heavy casualties.


    Case in point, a hero with tears streaming down his eyes, firing blasts of fire from his hands, one leg half chewed off, separated from the line as he desperately tried to stagger back.


    His leg suddenly began bubbling, before healing slowly, the Hero only screaming in fear as he continued blasting, others trying to provide fire support, but it was no use. One, two, three monsters cut down, before a fourth tackled him to the ground, howls of absolute pain coming forth as a wolf-like creature tore out his intestines and ate them. The Hero being healed still, surviving it, as half a dozen creatures began eating him alive. Remedy cutting off the healing at that point, realizing it was useless, giving the cape the mercy of death.


    And then, all at once, the ground itself began to pulse.


    From the bodies of Nilbog''s dead monsters - something stirred. Vines, thick and sinewy, slithered across the blood-soaked ground, spiraling upward like a living tide. Vegetation spread in every direction, sprouting leaves and thorny tendrils as it surged toward the breaches. Corpses were consumed in moments, their biomass broken down and absorbed as the plants grew at an impossible rate.


    The vines coiled and twisted together, creating a dense barrier as tall as the city walls. They stretched across the massive gaps the Simurgh had torn open, sealing them shut one by one. From within the walls, Nilbog''s creatures howled in fury, their path to freedom blocked by the encroaching greenery. They threw themselves at the barriers, claws and teeth ripping into the vines, but the plants regenerated faster than they could destroy them.


    Poison Ivy walked through the ruined city, her crimson hair flowing like a banner in the wind. Her bare feet left imprints of moss and blooming flowers as she moved, each step a promise of life reclaiming death. Vines snapped to attention at her command, growing stronger, thicker, forming a living shield between Ellisburg and the rest of the world.


    She could feel everything. The soil beneath her feet pulsed like a heartbeat, and every root and tendril was an extension of her will. The biomass around her was plentiful, the remains of thousands of Nilbog''s monstrosities providing ample fuel for her creations. The entire city trembled as her power dug deep, burrowing into the underground caverns filled with Nilbog''s grotesque birthing chambers. The sickly pods and fleshy sacks ruptured as she absorbed them into her network of roots, converting their vile contents into raw growth.


    A roar of anger erupted nearby. Capes, both Hero and Villain, shouted in rage, fear and desperation as the realization set in - some of them were trapped inside the walls. Sealed off from reinforcements. Alone against the hundreds of creatures still prowling the streets.


    Ivy''s stomach twisted with guilt, but she pushed it aside. Between Amy''s healing and the teleporters and fliers still operational, they would find a way to get those capes out. She had to trust that. The alternative - leaving the walls open and risking a nationwide catastrophe even larger than what was already happening - was unthinkable.


    Hundreds or thousands of Nilbog''s creatures were no doubt loose in the countryside already, they couldn''t afford to let anymore through.


    A sudden tremor in the air felt by her vines above her, broke her concentration, and instinct saved her life. She flung herself to the side, vines lashing out to catch her mid-roll and kept her rolling away, as a massive chunk of debris crashed into the ground where she had stood. Her eyes darted upward, narrowing as she saw the Simurgh hovering in the distance face turned downwards.


    The Endbringer had noticed her.


    Chunks of buildings, wrecked vehicles, and shattered concrete still rotated in the Simurgh''s telekinetic grip, orbiting her like a deadly halo. With a flick of her alabaster wings, she sent another barrage of debris hurtling toward Ivy. A wall of vines erupted in response, catching the brunt of the impact, but the force still sent her tumbling backward.


    Before the next barrage could follow, a blur of black and gold shot through the sky. Alexandria. She intercepted the debris mid-flight, fists smashing through chunks of concrete as if they were made of papier-mach¨¦. The air trembled with the force of her movements as she placed herself between Ivy and the Endbringer.


    "You need to move, I only got through that due to her not putting her full telekinetic force behind the strike." She ordered Ivy tersely.


    The Simurgh is a precog¡­ So why didn''t she see that? She''s hardly being pressured right now. Ivy thought, wondering for what reason the Simurgh had pulled her punches for that moment¡­


    Then Eidolon ascended into the sky. His cloak billowed around him, his body language screaming of displeasure and anger. A beam of blinding light burst from his hands, slicing through the swirling debris field and temporarily creating a gap in the Simurgh''s defenses.


    Legend swooped in next, beams of light searing through the air as he targeted the Simurgh''s wings. He was followed by several Dragoncraft. They fired in unison, unleashing a storm of missiles, lasers, and plasma blasts. For a moment, it seemed as though they were gaining ground.


    But the Simurgh was never easy prey.


    With her precognition no doubt guiding her, she moved like a ghost, slipping through their attacks with ease. Missiles were redirected and detonated in front of Eidolons attack, momentarily blocking his sight, lasers scorched the air where she had been a millisecond earlier, and Legend''s beams barely grazed her feathers. Her haunting song grew louder, the vibrations shaking the air and crawling into the bones of those who heard it. Ivy winced, clamping her hands over her ears, but the sound was inescapable.


    The Simurgh''s wings flared, and with a single telekinetic push, she crumpled the Dragoncraft like paper. The twisted metal husks crashed to the ground in fiery explosions, smoke billowing into the sky. Legend was sent spiraling by the shockwave, smashing hard into the city walls. Alexandria managed to steady herself mid-flight, but Eidolon vanished in a blur, only to reappear moments later, launching another beam, this time one of molten magma, toward the Simurgh''s head.


    The molten beam struck its mark, but the damage was negligible. The Simurgh barely seemed to notice, the debris field momentarily Coalescing on one side, pushing Eidolon back. Legend rose into the air again in the distance, uniform stained with blood, obviously having been healed by Remedy.


    Around them more capes began showing up desperately adding to the attack against the practically pristine Endbringer above them, Myrddin appearing on a building nearby, followed by an entire contingent of capes.


    Ivy gritted her teeth, digging her fingers into the soil as she reached deeper into the earth. Her veins felt like they would burst from the strain, but she couldn''t stop. The biomass beneath Ellisburg was plentiful, a disgusting reservoir of organic material just waiting to be repurposed. She funneled it all into her power, letting it flow through her like a raging river.


    Her scream tore through her throat as she unleashed everything.


    Massive vines, each the size of a skyscraper, erupted from the ground. They coiled around the Simurgh, encircling her in a cage of living vegetation. The Endbringer thrashed, her wings slicing through the vines like a razor through silk, but for every vine she severed, another two took its place. The city shook as the vines twisted and constricted, their thorny surfaces tearing into the Simurgh''s alabaster body, even as telekinetic blasts pulped vegetation around her every second.


    From her vantage point, Alexandria could only stare in disbelief. Ivy''s power had transformed the city into a battlefield of titanic proportions, and for the first time, it seemed as though they had the Simurgh trapped. How? She thought, how didn''t she see that coming?


    But it wouldn''t last forever, she knew either way. They needed to take advantage.


    "Move!" Alexandria''s instincts kicked in as she shot toward the Endbringer, her body a blur of speed. Legend and Eidolon followed, coordinating their attacks. Alexandria''s fists pummeled the Simurgh''s torso, each blow backed by enough force to shatter buildings. Legend''s lasers carved glowing lines across her feathered wings, while Eidolon unleashed a blast of corrupting time that the Simurgh managed to avoid by leaning into Alexandria''s attacks, almost coming to hug the brute to duck below Eidolon''s attack.


    The Simurgh let out a high-pitched cry, her song rising as the air vibrated around her, her wings unfurling in a flurry of motion. The sound reverberated through the city, and for a brief, terrifying moment, Alexandria thought her head might split open from the pressure. But she pushed through it, her vision narrowing as she delivered another blow to the Endbringer''s torso.


    Below them, the other Capes began assisting. Even as time was running out on their armbands, firing everything they had while the Simurgh''s precog ability seemed dampened.


    This was their chance.


    With Poison Ivy''s vines holding the Simurgh in place and the Triumvirate striking in unison, maybe - just maybe - they could end this nightmare.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Medical tents outside Ellisburg.


    The air inside the medical tent was stifling, thick with the scent of antiseptics and blood, Cries of pain and groans of relief blended together, a background symphony to the madness outside.


    Amy still sat cross-legged in the center of the tent, her hands pressed down on her own knees as her consciousness stretched outward, reaching for capes across Ellisburg.


    The energy Shaper provided to her flowed like a current, a spark of vitality that connected her to the wounded, the dying, and even the recently dead. Her breath came in steady rhythms, her mind partitioned to keep Ivy''s influence from overwhelming her focus.


    Still, she felt Ivy''s pain, her determination, even as she couldn''t allow herself to focus too hard on it.


    Through her power, she felt the devastation spreading like a disease. At the largest former breach, the Brockton Bay Protectorate was holding the line stuck on the inside of Ellisburg, their backs against Ivy''s wall.


    Dauntless led the charge, his armor dinged and bloody as he deflected a monstrous creature''s swiping claws with his shield. Velocity darted between foes, moving like a blur as he knocked one beast into another, disorienting them long enough for Armsmaster to deliver a finishing blow.


    But they were drowning in numbers, for every creature they killed, there were dozens more.


    Amy''s consciousness swept through the former breach, locking onto Dauntless as he took a hit that sent him sprawling. His ribs were cracked, one lung punctured. She mended him before he could even hit the ground, sealing the tear in his lung and reinforcing his bones with a bit of extra density. Her power jumped to Velocity next, knitting together a gash on his leg before he stumbled.


    Across the battlefield, she sensed Miss Militia struggling, her left arm hanging uselessly from a dislocated shoulder. Amy popped the joint back into place remotely, soothing the torn ligaments with a wave of cellular repair. The woman didn''t even pause to acknowledge the healing - she simply raised her rifle and resumed firing.


    Capes were falling faster than she could keep up. One by one, they blinked out of her awareness, their life forces extinguished beyond what was worth wasting energy on healing before she could reach them. She bit her lip, suppressing the rising wave of guilt. She couldn''t save everyone.


    Paradoxically, this was worse than going head to head with an Endbringer. She''d been able to heal most victims from Behemoth, as long as they hadn''t been turned to complete sludge. But here, the enemy ripped apart and ate the defeated capes. There was nothing she could do.


    Strider was working overtime, teleporting capes out of the city as fast as he could. But for every one he pulled out, another fell in their place.


    Through the haze of her concentration, she barely registered Vicky''s continued absence. Her sister had left the tent minutes ago to join the battle outside, her presence a bright star in Amy''s mental map of the conflict. Vicky was holding her own, but Amy couldn''t shake the gnawing worry at the back of her mind. Vicky was strong, yes - but she too could be overwhelmed¡­


    The idea of Vicky being torn down to the ground and monsters ripping her apart like she''d felt from so many capes terrified her.


    She shoved the thought aside. She had to focus.


    A surge of pain flickered across her awareness, and she zeroed in on Narwhal. The forcefield-generating heroine had taken a direct hit from the Simurgh, her forcefield cracking like glass as she was hurled into a wall. Amy felt the internal bleeding spreading like ink in water. She clamped down on the injury, forcing the blood back into her veins and repairing the ruptured vessels.


    Her breathing hitched. The strain was building.


    But she couldn''t stop.


    Outside the tent, she heard the distant roar of a creature being struck down, followed by Vicky''s triumphant yell. Relief washed over her, brief but welcome. Vicky was fine. For now.


    She shifted her attention to another injured cape, but before she could connect, something cold and sharp slipped between her ribs. The sensation was unexpected, almost surreal. There was no real pain, not with how changed her body was, only the awareness of the intrusion, the resistance as the blade pressed into her hardened muscles and stopped short, unable to go further.


    Her eyes snapped open, and she looked down to see a glint of steel fruitlessly attempting to bury itself into her side.


    Victor stood before her, not even masked, dressed as a nurse, his face twisted in a mask of concentration and frustration as he struggled to force the blade deeper. His teeth were bared, veins bulging in his neck as he applied every ounce of strength he had.


    Amy''s gaze traveled from the knife to Victor''s face, then beyond him to where Othala stood, her eyes blazing with hatred. Amy realized immediately that Othala must have granted Victor a brute power, likely increasing his strength to dangerous levels.


    The other heroes and support staff in the tent froze, their eyes wide with shock. No one moved. No one knew what to do.


    So this is the Empire''s play¡­ Since I ''can''t heal myself'', injure me severely, hold me hostage, Othala offers to heal me if I only heal the Empire''s capes from their affliction¡­


    It was almost a worthy ploy. If a simple low level brute had still been able to do more than tickle her.


    Amy''s lips curled into a cold smile. "Do you need help with that?" Her voice was calm, mocking, as though she were merely addressing a minor inconvenience. "You''re supposed to be superior, right? Yet you''re having performance issues. How embarrassing."


    Victor''s eyes widened with fury, and he gritted his teeth, twisting the knife as if that would change the fact that it wasn''t penetrating any deeper. "Surrender to the Empire, and you won''t die today," He hissed through clenched teeth, his breath hot against her face.


    Amy didn''t flinch. She didn''t even blink. Her attention returned to her power, ignoring the knife attempting to lodge itself between her ribs as she continued healing capes across the battlefield. She wouldn''t give him the satisfaction of a reaction to his pitiful attempt.


    Not when the capes on the battlefield needed her.


    The Empire was lucky they were already dying, or the response for this flagrant break of the truce would have been very bad for them.


    Also, they should have brought more capes, so they could have prevented that nurse from slipping out as soon as Victor stabbed her.


    Any second now¡­


    Suddenly, the tent flap tore open, and Vicky burst inside, her uniform streaked with green and black blood and her hair matted with gore. Her eyes blazed with unrestrained fury as she took in the scene - the knife, Victor, Othala''s hateful expression.


    "Ames!" Vicky''s voice cracked, raw and desperate.


    Amy remained seated, her gaze steady. "I''m fine, hardly even broke the skin," She murmured soothingly, though Vicky was already moving.


    Victor barely had time to react before Vicky slammed into him with the force of a freight train. The impact was brutal, sending him crashing into a table of medical supplies and scattering syringes and bandages across the floor. He groaned, trying to push himself up, but Vicky didn''t give him the chance. Her fists rained down on him, each punch delivered with the kind of ferocity that only came from terror.


    Othala screamed, her voice shrill and hysterical as she watched her partner''s head snap backward under the force of Vicky''s blows. When the final punch connected, Victor''s skull caved in with a sickening crunch, his head lolling to the side as blood pooled beneath him.


    Vicky stood over his body, chest heaving, her knuckles slick with blood. Her eyes darted to Amy, wide and frantic. "Are you okay?"


    Shit that was hot¡­ And gross. But mostly hot. My knight in shining armor¡­


    Amy rose slowly, the knife still embedded in her side, though it had barely pierced her skin. She walked toward Vicky and wrapped her arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. "I''m okay," She whispered, her fingers threading through Vicky''s blood-soaked hair, uncaring of the blood and gore she got over her own uniform. "It was just a knife. It barely got past the skin. I knew you would come before any danger happened¡­"


    Vicky clung to her, her breath hitching as she fought to steady herself. "I - I got scared for a second," She admitted, her voice small and vulnerable. "I can''t lose you."


    "You won''t." Amy stroked her hair, soothing her like she had so many times before. "You did the right thing, no one will blame you, they broke the truce."


    She ignored the still hysterically screaming Othala.


    Vicky glanced at what remained of Victor and grimaced, Amy could feel through her power that her stomach was churning at the sight."I think I overdid it."


    "You didn''t," Amy assured her. "He made his choice. You were perfect."


    Othala was still screaming, her voice like nails on a chalkboard. Amy finally turned, her patience worn thin. "Can someone shut her the fuck up?" She gestured toward the woman with a lazy flick of her fingers.


    One of the heroes - a cape Amy didn''t recognize - moved quickly, delivering a swift punch to Othala''s gut that silenced her with a choked gasp. She crumpled to the floor, clutching her stomach.


    Well, not how I meant it, but they did break the truce¡­


    Othala was soon trussed up like a Christmas turkey, left in her corner to stare at the body of her husband.


    Amy sighed, her hand resting on Vicky''s shoulder as she scanned the tent and addressed the other heroes on supposed bodyguard duty. "Find out how the hell they got in here without anyone noticing. They weren''t supposed to be here, they certainly didn''t arrive through Strider or a Protectorate source. The truce was broken, someone helped them."


    The heroes exchanged uneasy glances, but no one had an answer as to how it happened.


    Then, all of a sudden, Amy felt nothing but pure pain, something she shouldn''t even be able to feel with her pain receptors practically turned off, and to Vicky''s panicked shouts, she succumbed and lost consciousness.


    Across Ellisburg all healing stopped.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Inside Ellisburg.


    The battlefield was a nightmare painted in chaos and blood. The air was thick with the scent of scorched concrete, burning flesh, and the earthy tang of shattered vegetation. The constant roar of battle was deafening - explosions, shrieks of monstrous creatures, and the steady thrum of the Simurgh''s haunting song vibrating through the air like an unholy symphony. Alexandria soared above it all, her senses hyper-focused, scanning the battlefield for any sign of weakness in the hovering Endbringer.


    Time was running out.


    Every second the Simurgh remained tethered to Ellisburg was another second of possible devastation, another second closer to Nilbog''s creatures swarming into neighboring cities, spreading chaos and death like a plague. But for the first time in years of fighting against the Angel of Death, Alexandria felt a sliver of hope - even against the Hopekiller herself.


    Poison Ivy.


    Vines as thick as buildings still erupted from the earth, twisting and writhing like serpents as they lashed out at the Simurgh. They coiled around her, tightening like a noose, binding her wings and torso. The constant assault turned the sky into a storm of greenery, obscuring visibility for them, but limiting the Endbringer''s telekinetic control of the sky, as she was constantly fighting off the vines.


    Ivy was making her bleed. Large holes punctured the Simurgh''s torso, inflicted by coordinated attacks - Legend''s lasers, Alexandria''s strikes, Eidolon''s power combinations, and the relentless barrage of nature itself.


    Alexandria glanced down, her sharp eyes locking onto the top of a still-standing building where Poison Ivy knelt.


    The villain''s arms trembled violently, her fingers twitching and even snapping, as she strained to maintain control of the living storm she had unleashed. Blood streamed down her face - out of her ears, her nose, her eyes, staining her skin crimson. Her green costume clung to her like a second skin, slick with sweat and blood. Every breath she took was labored, each exhale a shudder. She was killing herself to keep the vines moving.


    Alexandria grimaced, her jaw tightening. She didn''t like Poison Ivy. The villain was an unpredictable factor in an already chaotic world, a living bioweapon whose existence threatened everything Alexandria had spent her career protecting. But she couldn''t deny the woman''s commitment. Ivy was burning herself alive to give them a chance at victory.


    "Legend, focus your fire on the right wing! We''re starting to break through!" She called through the armbands, her voice cutting through the cacophony.


    If they could cut the wings, perhaps¡­ She had noticed the longer the fight went on, the more strikes that went through, that the Simurgh couldn''t deflect or avoid all strikes, but she prioritized protecting her wings.


    "On it," Legend replied, backed up by Narwhal to keep him from being tossed across the city again.


    Eidolon floated nearby, silent, as he cycled through powers at a rapid pace. A molten beam of magma seared through the Simurgh''s debris field again, followed by a pulse of kinetic force that rippled across her body, making her stagger midair. Eidolon was throwing everything he had at her, power after power, cycling between them trying to find something that would put the Simurgh down.


    Alexandria felt another tremor run through the vines. She looked down again, just in time to see Poison Ivy drop to her knees, her body swaying as if she were about to collapse. The vines across the city trembled and slackened slightly, losing their rigidity.


    She''s at her limit, it''s too early, we''re so close!


    A massive vine lashed upward, catching the Simurgh and pulling her downward in a last gasp attempt, yanking her out of the air. More vines coiled around her wings, her arms, her neck - binding her in place like a fly trapped in a spider''s web. For the first time in the entire battle, the Simurgh was immobilized.


    Alexandria''s breath hitched in her throat. They had her.


    "Finish her!" She shouted through the comms. Legend, Eidolon, and the entire complement of capes all shifted, repositioning to strike the Simurgh''s exposed wings with everything they had.


    Then, Alexandria''s blood turned to ice.


    The Simurgh wasn''t struggling. She wasn''t trying to break free. She was going down too quickly.


    Her face focused downward, focused solely on Poison Ivy.


    "She''s going after Poison Ivy!" Alexandria shouted, her voice cutting through the comms like a gunshot as she connected to Eidolon. She dove toward the ground, wind whipping past her face as she accelerated to her maximum speed.


    Eidolon didn''t respond. He fired another blast of molten energy directly at the Simurgh''s back, scoring another hit but failing to divert her descent, if anything he sped it up.


    "Damn it, Eidolon! Protect her!" Alexandria bellowed, but it was too late.


    The Simurgh used the momentum of the vines to accelerate her downward trajectory. Legend''s lasers sliced past her, missing by inches as she plummeted like a meteor. The vines holding her in place snapped or burned away as she barreled toward the building where Poison Ivy knelt, too exhausted to move.


    No. No.


    Alexandria poured everything into her flight, pushing herself faster. She was close - so close - but the Simurgh was faster. Vines desperately shot upward from the ground, trying to intercept her, but the Simurgh batted them away with a telekinetic wave. The impact shattered buildings and sent capes flying, broken.


    Poison Ivy looked up, her eyes glassy and unfocused. Blood dripped from her every orifice as she raised a trembling hand - and gave the Simurgh the finger, a bloody grin on her face.


    Alexandria''s heart seized in her chest. We were so close¡­


    The Simurgh unleashed a telekinetic blast point range, that struck the building like a bomb. The building disintegrated in an explosion of glass and steel, the shockwave flattening nearby structures and sending debris flying in every direction. Alexandria was flung backward, slamming into a nearby building hard enough to crack its foundation.


    When the dust settled, the building was gone. Nothing remained but a smoldering crater.


    And Poison Ivy was gone with it.


    Alexandria hovered in the air, staring down at the crater, her mind blank for a moment. Ivy had bought them time, had given them the closest thing to victory they''d ever had against the Simurgh. She''d held her own against the Endbringer and left a mark that wouldn''t be forgotten.


    A pang of respect - begrudging but undeniable - settled in Alexandria''s chest.


    She could only hope this wouldn''t send Remedy spiraling into something worse¡­


    Then, without warning, the Simurgh turned and began to rise into the sky. She didn''t hover, didn''t linger to finish the job. She simply flew upward, her wings unfurling as she ascended into the clouds. The ever-present hum of her song grew fainter as she disappeared into the atmosphere.


    "She''s leaving," Legend said, his voice filled with disbelief.


    Alexandria''s fists clenched at her sides. Why? The Simurgh never did things without reason. What had changed? What was her game this time? They had managed to prevent a full release of Nilbog''s creatures. Wasn''t that her goal? Why was she retreating?


    She floated above the crater for a moment longer, then forced herself to move. They didn''t have time to dwell on what had just happened. The battle wasn''t over.


    There were still monsters alive, unfortunately many of them outside the containment walls.


    She flew to Eidolon, who was still hovering midair, staring blankly at the sky where the Simurgh had vanished.


    "Eidolon," She snapped, still irritated at his failure to assist in protecting Poison Ivy who would have been useful beyong this one Endbringer fight. "We need to start clearing up the rest of the monsters. What about Nilbog?"


    Eidolon blinked, as if coming out of a trance. He shook his head slowly, without words telling her of his failure.


    Alexandria''s stomach sank. Of course Nilbog was gone. He''d likely been gone since the moment the first breach opened, and now he was out there somewhere, likely with the Simurgh''s influence embedded deep in his mind.


    Just perfect.


    No wonder she left. She''d accomplished her goal well enough, and cut down someone capable of inconveniencing her.


    "Legend, Dragon," She said into the comms, her voice sharp and authoritative. "Nilbog is unaccounted for. We need containment plans in place immediately. Start sweeping the countryside for any sign of him or his creatures."


    Dragon''s voice crackled through the comms. "Understood. Deploying search drones now."


    Alexandria took a deep breath, suppressing the frustration boiling inside her. One battle won. A war waiting to begin.


    She looked down at the ruins of Ellisburg, the city reduced to rubble and overgrown vines, Nilbog''s surviving monsters still roaming in the distance. The survivors were scattered, the wounded being evacuated, the dead being counted.


    There was still work to do.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Welcome to the Parahumans Online message boards.


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    Topic: Saving Brockton Bay


    In: Boards America Brockton Bay Cape news Remedy


    Remedy (Verified Hero)(Starlight)


    In case anyone missed the broadcast. This is Remedy, the healer formerly known as Panacea, letting you all know that, yes, If you are in Brocktons Bay, you ARE dying.


    And yes, I WILL heal you of not only the poison, but all that ails you, in return for a few answers..


    Are you, or have you ever been an active member of a criminal gang?


    Have you ever, through action, monetary or material support, knowingly supported a criminal gang in their activities?


    Have you committed any felonies?


    These are just a sample of the questions you will be asked. If you are innocent, you will walk away, fully healthy, knowing the city will soon be free of evil.


    If you are guilty, you will face your punishment, there is no escape, there are no other healers or miracle workers that will save you in time. Consider this retribution from all of Brocktons Bay for preying on the good people who just try to get through their day.


    I, and Starlight, are partnering with Poison Ivy, to protect this city, to heal it from its wounds, and removing the cancer from within, that is the E88 and ABB.


    Already the docks are once again available for ships to trade, Poison Ivy is working on curing world hunger, and a multitude of diseases with my help. This will create an entire new pharmaceutical industry, a vibrant dock revival as we ship the world''s cures out of our city for top dollar.


    Bear with us, with this slight inconvenience that will not harm the innocent. And jobs, health, and prosperity will once again come to Brockton.


    And no. This is not a joke.


    Link to broadcasted interview and the verdant barricade protecting Brockton Bay.


    (Showing page 1 of 169)


    Niraada (Verified Brocktonite)


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    What!?


    Generic Protagonist


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    No, seriously.


    What!?


    Also, we''re all going to die!


    BlackBonBon


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    Checks the Verified Hero tag.


    Checks post admitting to poisoning an entire city like a comic book villain.


    Double checks the Verified Hero tag.


    Mods aren''t keeping up with the times, smh, sad state of PHO¡­


    Winged_One


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    So Remedy outright admitted to going full Nilbog right now?


    Where is the PRT?


    Bagrat (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    For once, I was not in the know. Also, apparently dying now, so thanks for that, #Remedy¡­


    There is still no official PRT response, although sources say Director Piggot is considering all available options.


    And I guess this isn''t much news compared to the poisoning, but the Pelham family of New Wave has all officially joined Starlight.


    #Lady Photon thoughts on that choice, considering?


    Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    #BlackBonBon She is technically still a Hero until the PRT says otherwise, therefore the tag stays.


    I would remind everyone to still keep calm in this difficult situation, and to not antagonize capes.


    Single Protector (Verified Brocktonite)(Temp banned)


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    How are people not more upset!?


    Remedy infected a quarter of a million people with a deadly virus!


    This is literally the start of the zombie apocalypse!


    Why aren''t there riots? Why aren''t the heroes going for her head? Why is the rest of Starlight condoning this?


    #Glory Girl How is this okay? You can''t be supporting this?


    Long Thick Burrito


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    #Single Protector chill man, she''s gonna heal everyone, so it''s like, not a biggie, man.


    And just like, imagine no more gangs man, isn''t it like, totally worth it? Heroes haven''t done shit since like Marquis, dude.


    Also, I have like this bum knee and like fixing that for free¡­ Man I''d let her poison me again for that, srlsy.


    Niraada (Verified Brocktonite)


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    I have no words.


    Oh, I found some.


    How can anyone trust her!? Do no harm ring a bell? She had to swear that when she began doing the hospital shit!


    She''s already broken her word!


    XxVoid_CowboyxX


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    It''s so obvious what happened! Remedy came out as gay, right?


    In the comics, Poison Ivy has lipstick that totally kills or controls those she kisses, she seduced Remedy and MASTERED her!


    That''s why they''re partners now! That''s who really is the mastermind behind this! We gotta save Remedy!


    MyAfroAteMyDog


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    #xVoid_CowboyxX Nice try, here''s my rebuttal. Img1, img2.


    Girl ain''t mastered, she isn''t dating Poison Ivy, she''s just your regular degenerate like the rest of us.


    One of us! One of us!


    Poison smoichon, who cares, look at that shit, that''s primo stuff!


    Liima1 (Verified Finnish)


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    So that is not photoshop, right? #Remedy, #Glory Girl.


    I kiss my sister too, at times. But not like that!


    Also, Glory Girl is sure grabbing Remedy''s ass in a very non sisterly way¡­


    Fuck the poison, we''ll live or we won''t, I want to know if the two sisters are hooking up!


    SlanneshSoldier69


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    The OTP has come true! Praise be to all that is holy.


    #Remedy Glory Girl doms you, right? I''m totally right aren''t I?


    Single Protector (Verified Brocktonite) (Temp banned)


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!?


    The entire city has been infected with a deadly disease, the PRT and City Hall are completely unresponsive, and you guys are too busy to stare at a few pictures of sick incest to give a damn!


    No wonder this city is a hellhole!


    You all DESERVE this! I hope you choke while waiting for Remedy to master you in return for healing!


    Reave (Verified PRT Agent)


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    The PRT is working on a response to the situation, everyone needs to remain calm and stay in their homes until further instructions arrive.


    I understand that is not enough, but it''s what I have at the moment. The gangs are also infected and may act out, so I can''t stress enough that you need to stay home and not risk causing a riot or an unfortunate situation.


    As soon as we have something, it will be disseminated to the public, do NOT approach Remedy or Poison Ivy until the PRT has verified their words and can keep you safe.


    Tin_Mother (Moderator)


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    Keep it clean people, regardless of Hero or Villain status, Remedy and Glory Girl are under 18, so don''t make me come back.


    #Single Protector take a 48 hour break, do not attempt to rile people up against a cape, and do not wish death on fellow forum users.


    GehsteigPanzer


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    #Reave as always you are the bland sterile purveyor of absolutely nothing substantial, congrats on adding absolutely no useful information. Knew I could count on you buddy!


    #Single Protector Is this your first day on the internet? What is your everyday villain and city under threat compared to Glory Girl banging her sister.


    I mean it''s Glory Girl. Remedy is cute. But¡­ Glory Girl.


    Again. What is more important?


    I feel the comments have already give their opinion. Rightly so.


    It also begs the question, do we have a Buffy situation on hand? Glory Girl fucked Remedy and then she turned evil?


    Dr. Flembo


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    It pains me to say it, but Void might have a point. Poison Ivy poisoning the city makes sense. I mean¡­ It''s even in the name for Christ''s sake!


    So did she master Remedy? Because this does not make sense for her, and yeah I saw the interview, and it still seems like a stretch.


    To go from Hero to taking a city hostage, that stinks of mastering to me¡­


    Brocktonite03 (Veteran Member)


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    Put aside the thirst, I think #Dr. Flembo has a point here. Why isn''t the PRT going after Poison Ivy? Legend was here, wasn''t he?


    I mean I get the world hunger and cure of diseases thing is a big deal, but still.


    And can I just say that it''s utterly pathetic that I''m the first commenter to even mention the promised improvements to the city and the cures!?


    SlanneshSoldier69


    Replied On July 30th 2010:


    #Brocktonite03 Who cares?


    We''ll die or we''ll live, cures will be made or they won''t. We can''t do shit about any of it.


    What we can do¡­ Is admire Glory Girl smashing Remedy in our thoughts.


    Glory Girl (Verified Hero) (Starlight)


    First off, I''m fully onboard with this. So is Lady Photon and the rest of Starlight. So okay, it might not have been the cleanest solution, but come on! In a few weeks, there will be no more abductions, sex slavery, forced addiction, constant murders and all the other garbage the gangs pull.


    This is a good thing.


    Amy is a good person. No she isn''t mastered, no I''m not mastered.


    We''re just doing what we should as Heroes. Taking out the trash, no matter how much we have to stain our souls for it, to make sure you all can walk down the street safely.


    Isn''t it worth it?


    Aren''t you tired of seeing the city hurt?


    #Bagrat Stop whining, if you''re Innocent, you''ll get out of this even healthier then coming in. Unless there''s something you wanna say about how you always get info? Crimes on your conscience?


    #Single Protector People aren''t rioting cuz this is Brockton, we all know how horrible the gangs are. People are willing to do this to get rid of them.


    Except you, have any gang tats you''re regretting?


    #Niraada Poison Ivy poisoned the city, Amy is just working with her to make sure everyone comes out better off, with no more evil.


    She hasn''t broken her word.


    Also, to everyone, stop being pervs, but yes, Amy and I are together. She''s adopted, so it''s not incest. Grow up.


    If any of you bothered to go out into the sunlight now and then you''d realize how amazing she really is, but you can''t have her.


    I saw her first.


    End of Page. 4, 5, 6 ... 167, 168, 169


    ¡­


    Amy put down her phone, even the mind rotting world that was PHO not able to distract her. Even with Vicky as usual having gone to bat for her against the crazies online a few days ago.


    She hadn''t bothered checking the fallout until now.


    She wasn''t surprised that they''d hardly been able to focus on the poison or the cures in the face of the scandal of Vicky and her being caught kissing on camera.


    That was the online community for you.


    She almost wished they''d been screeching a bit more about how evil she was instead, it might have distracted her a bit longer in amusement¡­


    Ivy dying had hurt. And for someone who barely felt pain anymore, it had hurt a lot! Mentally she''d felt like she''d been torn asunder, and she was glad she''d fallen unconscious so quickly.


    It had terrified Vicky though, and she''d been practically inconsolable until Amy woke up.


    They were home now, finally, Amy having dodged any questions from Alexandria by simply having Strider taking them back.


    She''d already checked, and her clone power was still there, so tomorrow, she could recreate Ivy''s body and stick her clone phantasm inside it again.


    Wouldn''t that be a shock for the PRT? They must feel so smug right now, thinking Amy couldn''t hold Brockton Bay anymore without Ivy¡­


    All that¡­ Wasn''t the major thing distracting her however.


    Coming home, Vicky had pushed her to go have a shower, eager to get to her own, pushing her forehead against Amy''s, staring into her eyes with need.


    Telling Amy that she needed her. Tonight. Fully. All the way.


    Why does her showers always have to be so long¡­? Amy whined inwardly, almost ready to combust.


    £ª£ª£ª