《Superflux》 Chapter 1 - Three Seconds At Terminal Velocity Juniper¡¯s eyes are glued to an electrifying LCD display, her face expressionless, but in her eyes is a raging fire. A whole different world. Her fingers jump from one shape unto the next, left and right triggers spamming in anticipation and haste. Timed at the right interval, calculated but fired based on the impulses of her reflexes. ¡°Jun¡­¡± There is no world outside, there is only the moment, the thrill of the experience. The hunt. Vibration, humming in her hands. She taps the buttons like her life depends on it, her body circling like a bull dominating a rodeo. Kill, kill, kill, kill. All you need to do is to kill. ¡°Juno?¡± She twitches, there is a disturbance, a distraction, it is detrimental. Downright, dissociating, her eye bugs out, and the world blurs and blends as she feels a hand touches her skin. She didn¡¯t like being touched. The little hand was tugging at her. Dragging her away from where she wanted to be. ¡°Juniper!¡± her little sister attempts to drag the controller from her, initiating a brief tug of war. ¡°Juno, listen to me¡­¡± ¡°Let go of you me, little goblin!¡± She tried pulling her off, but her sibling threw herself into a path of collision. Sprawling her body all over, clinging to her face, pinching her cheeks. ¡°Jun! I¡¯m hungry¡­¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re nine years old, you whip something up yourself.¡± Visible tears had formed in the younger sibling''s eyes, and her mouth opened, ready to bawl and moan until her needs were met. She started raking and clawing at Juniper''s delicate skin , only irritating her a touch further. ¡°I can¡¯t eat another Peanut butter and Jam sandwich, Juno. I¡¯m going to die if I do,¡± she sobbed along, her crying canceling out the noise coming from the monitor. Her immersion died with it. ¡°You¡­promised you were going to get me something sweet from the grocery store.¡± Ever since the catastrophe that took them from their parents, the role of guardian and caretaker was thrust upon her. Taking care of her two siblings was an exhausting task. Especially Euphemia, she was a handful. ¡°But that¡¯s tomorrow Effy, can¡¯t you wait a day¡­I''m busy right now, and I don''t wanna go outside.¡± She started rolling on the ground, a stress-inducing sight for the older sibling. Juniper sighed, taking her phone, and pulling up what was left in their savings. About 9000 credits, it was depleting fast, and there was anxiety that came with that. She¡¯d been a NEET for most of her life if you could exclude her school career. Most of their livelihoods depended on the generosity of the government. She could never have the courage to work among the public, her fear of being exposed to a lot of people was devastating, and then there was the cape who could nuke you if you so much as peer at them in the wrong manner. It wasn''t an unheard of thing either, forget being stabbed for a single credit. When in the presence of a cape prepare to grovel to the ground. If things go on this way she may have to find a job in public. She dreaded the idea. Her online plans of being a streamer never went anywhere. ¡°Juno,¡± he called out, from the other room. Distracting her from the little nuisance beside her. ¡°The social worker tried to contact you again. She¡­uhh...wants to discuss our living situation. Again.¡± She tensed. She knew what the woman wanted, to take them away from her. It had almost happened twice, the previous time, she had been verbally attacked by the social worker. Who called her unfit and too immature to take on a parental role. Threatened to take away the Government relief fund, which would make sure would not only lose them but she would be homeless. In full mercy of cape ganglords. ¡°Ignore her, please. Remy,¡± she stuttered. Emotional turmoil had built up, but she refused to show it to her siblings. ¡°I¡¯ll speak with her soon.¡± She¡¯d have to find something for herself, soon, which scared her as all the super freaks ran about outside, in the city. ¡°Remy, if push comes to shove¡­I,¡± she started. Her frail brother started coughing again, leaning against the doorframe, his knees went weak. She ran over as quickly as she, holding him by the shoulder. ¡°Did you take your medicine?¡± He nodded. A mistlike smoke left his lungs. His face grew paler, and his already thin frame went limpish. Psychic sickness. A testament to the catastrophe that ruined all their lives. Something she didn''t want to think about. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I just need to lie down for a bit.¡± he worked out of his mouth. Which in itself was a chore for him. He''d keep quiet mostly. Effy clung to his leg. As if she was attempting to comfort his pain. Juniper¡¯s heart sank, the weight of their future hung on her shoulders. It is too much. She carried him towards his room, keeping a slow pace as much as he could muster. She laid him down on the soft bed, tugging him in. Staring at the amount of medicine he had left, he was running low on pills. Another worry for later. Another stress for her to think about. Her brother stared at her with the widest smile she had seen all week. She ruffled his messy hair. Giving him a kiss on the forehead. She couldn''t help but look mopey. ¡°It¡¯s okay, sis, Once I¡¯m done with my studies, I¡¯ll take care of you both." Comforting and yet it was years off. ¡°Remy¡­¡± Euphemia moaned, tugging at her sick brother. ¡°Jun promised something sweet from the store, but she won¡¯t buy it.¡± Her brother giggled, not knowing how to appease the little girl himself. He didn''t need the extra stress right now. Best to keep her calm while he is sickly.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°hmm, I think I¡¯ll go grocery shopping right now.¡± she gave in. Better to get it over with, than deal with tantrums later. ¡°Yay!¡± the girl exclaimed. ¡°Can you afford to go?¡± he whispered to her. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± She knew she¡¯d had to cut in their savings, their groceries were running thin, so she¡¯d be forced to go anyway. It was times like this she missed her parents, they would know what to do. There were all sorts of problems looming around the corner, yet she has done nothing to try and solve them. Analysis paralysis. She beelined to the front door of the apartment, her eager sister trailing behind. ¡°Can I come with you?¡± She held her hands together in a prayer sign. Goggling her little eyes together, like they were marbles in an ornament. ¡°Pretty please.¡± ¡°No!¡± she shouted. Making the little girl shake in fright. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous outside, you know this.¡± ¡°But¡­you let me leave when it¡¯s time for school,¡± she argued with her squeaky voice. ¡°That¡¯s different, Euphemia, there are crazy people with crazy powers outside, when you go to school, you get an armored bus and a police patrol behind you. It¡¯s not safe.¡± The child started hitting the backside of the door. ¡°But I wanna see the outside world.¡± she rambled on, pouting. Clambering towards the door. ¡°No, stay!¡± she pointed with her finger like she was a little lost puppy. "Go watch a movie or something, play a game." "But I don''t like video games," she complained. She slipped outside. Then briefly shut the door behind her, locking it, she could feel her tugging at the door calling out to her. She was safe in there, not that some massive superpowered brute couldn¡¯t break down the door. She could only pray. Pray to who and whom Turning from the apartment door, instant terror stood in front of her in human form. The rent lady. Her shoulders dropped, her fingers shuffling, she held her hands together as the elderly woman confronted her. Social anxiety, a tight feeling gripping her lungs, her chest heavy. Fear of saying the wrong thing. ¡°Juniper,¡± Her voice was heavy, ripe with exhaustion. ¡°I hope, your rent will be on time tomorrow. These days, even the air costs money. And I''m barely making it.¡± Barely making it by with several real estate properties, blasphemous. Fat as a coddled pig. What a witch! She thought, but would never dare to say it. She nodded. ¡°Of¡­ course, Mrs. Louise.¡± she struggled to bring out the words. ¡°I will bring it on time.¡± ¡°Please do, I¡¯d hate to be ¡®forced to let you go,¡± she said with a twisted sadness. "Had to let old Samuel go last week. Life''s hard out here young missy." Not for you it isn''t. Landlords are the enemies of the people. And she wasn''t even a communist. They were just generally awful people. Sometimes it felt like it was just her who had to deal with people like her, but old Samuel was proof of struggling life outside her apartment door. ¡°How is your brother if I may ask, and the little one? I saw her attempting to climb up the roof yesterday, best to keep a tight leash on her. Don¡¯t know who could be swooping by.¡± More daytime terrors to add to her long list. ¡°He¡¯s alright, just a little under the weather with the condition and all that. As for Effy, she¡¯s a ''pain'' sometimes, but she¡¯s starting to listen to me, with a good time.¡± The lady¡¯s eyes went wide with joy, gripping her shoulder awkwardly and whispering. ¡°Dearie, You should come by sometime, I have ¡®natural¡¯ remedies that could cure even cancer in a decade, but don¡¯t tell the government, they¡¯d be all over me. Might even ail your brother''s illness.¡± Juniper nodded, sweating a drop for every heartbeat. More like dying in five years. Who knew what she concocted in that old herb room? Just then one of her more elegant neighbors walked by, a Japanese woman, someone she had a crush on, but saw no possible future with. Kanako, she believed her name was. She wore a stylish office suit and expensive loafers she could never hope to try and compete with her fashion-wise. A bright smile on her face as she greeted both of them, walking downstairs. ¡°Ohayo gozaimasu,¡± she said, in fluent Japanese, bowing her head to the two of them. Her striking features stirred a sleeping devil in her heart. She could only dream of kissing a girl like her. Juniper bowed her head as well but struggled to utter a word. Feeling some heat in her face. The rent lady simply stared angrily. ¡°Strange one that one is, wonder how she got here from China after the whole catastrophe business,¡± Louise commented loudly. Ignorance and confidence were a great combination. Refraining from saying anything rude, and shaking her head. She made her way to the damning path of the grocery store. Saying her goodbyes to the landlady who attempted to cling to the conversation. The very first and most frightening thing she saw was another human zooming by. She knew it was only one of the superheroes patrolling the city. But the anxiety of being crushed into a pulp wasn¡¯t so far-fetched, she feared she may die on the streets one of these days. Entering the store. ¡°Depotmart.¡± is a makeshift rip-off of some American superstore that sprang up when the city-state was brought into existence and seceded from the unUnited States. It was the cheapest option for her. It came with great discounts, even though being spotted here by old school classmates of hers would give her an ample amount of humiliation. What was important was the survival of her siblings. The fluorescent lights of the store were overly bright and cluttered with neon signs, a sign of a dystopia that has yet to come. Lost of things in the glow, that she couldn¡¯t afford but wish she could. Grabbing the essentials: rice, beans, soup stock, and other forms of staple food. She stopped at the bakery division. Her eyes searching like a drone for a sweet treat, she grabbed a chocolate cake. It was the cheapest thing she could afford without draining too much of her savings. Her eyes observed the other items with jealousy: Things she couldn¡¯t touch or taste. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll be happy with this Effy, better not complain about it,¡± she said to herself, and an absent sister... Man, I really need a job. Yet the fear of people and capes made her creep inside her room. Moving over to the payment counter, she hesitates over the total. Her hands tremble as he brings the card down to swipe, hoping there isn¡¯t some complication. Her eyes were fixed on the receptionist. A beautiful, bright-eyed girl whose hair was silver, strapped in a ponytail. Was she a cosplayer or was she naturally like that? She could only wonder. She knew if she was as beautiful as that, she would be making millions on the internet selling ¡®stuff¡¯. It always was an option, she knew it came morally with a fault. Her brother didn''t want her to demean herself. The girl smirked at her, chewing a host of bubblegum. Speaking within her mouth ¡°Thank you. Ma''am¡± She nodded, blushing. There was something strange about it, she seemed very familiar, though she couldn¡¯t make a recollection. Her mind is filled with the brain fog of visual novels and action games. As Jun leaves, clutching the bag tightly in case a criminal attempts or takes advantage of her. She strolled, letting out a heavy breath. It¡¯s never as bad as she made it out to be. Maybe she should be more outgoing, there was only one way to get rid of the fright. A deafening loud explosion rocked the street. The lower floor of a building across the street explodes into a flurry of shrapnel and rubble. A small static wave went through her body, like a telepathic cramp. Smoke fills the air with flames. Her ears went deaf for a small moment and then she could hear people start shouting and screaming. The ground starts shaking, under the shoes that didn¡¯t fit her, and throws her off balance. The grocery bags fell to the ground, and she sprang to grab them. "No, no, no, no, no!!!" Juniper bent down, attempting to clutch it from the ground, the cake loose from its container, she held the bag on her chest. ¡°Wrong place at the wrong time. If only the rent lady didn¡¯t bother me¡± she muttered through her panic, not that blaming someone else would make the situation go away. Running in the direction of the parking building. She sees two flying figures, crashing into each other. One collided with a rooftop, and the other circled to the ground, as he let out a beam of energy on the street, rupturing the ground and blocking her path with an eroded tar wall. Water sprayed out from the underground Sewer system. ¡°Over here!¡± A man shouts from an obscured alleyway at her. Head peeking out of what looked like a sewer tunnel. It was one of the many shelters the city had built for civilians in times of crisis. "Hey, girly. Into the shelter." She runs across the road towards the man, hoping she could make it out of there alive. Her legs hurt with every step, she wasn¡¯t fit for parenting much less running. A slick black oversized car, with spikes on its hood. Starts spinning along the road, flaming fuel vents crackling along its sides as it storms down the street. She didn¡¯t notice until it was too late. The air was knocked out of her lungs, her body was sent flying into the air. She collided with the hot asphalt, blood leaking from her face. She felt something break inside of her. Her lungs struggled to breathe. Her grocery bag went flying away. The cake lay squashed on the ground. The sound of hot metal churning about, several car alarms going off, and a woman letting out a blood-curdling scream all shook her up. Her eyes went wide as she gasped for air. Adrenalin flooded through her veins. Juno tried to get up, She couldn¡¯t feel her legs. Lifting herself into a bloody crawl. I need to go home! She needed to, she needed to help her brother, and see her sister again. Her sister who she treated so badly, wanted to hold her in her arms and coddle her again. She crept forward, in the direction of the apartment complex. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t move¡­.¡± An older woman had shouted at her. She ignored the cry. She couldn¡¯t stop no matter what. Her vision started blurring and everything started to slow down. She could see nothing but black static. She didn¡¯t want to die, she had so much she wanted to do, to say. Her last thoughts settled on her younger sister whom she mistreated, her brother who could die without proper medical care, and her parents who''d probably never see her again. Then the darkness came but she could hear something as her heart was still beating. Electrical low, static, very alien, blooping, zapping, and zooming. It got louder, and it got louder. Then it got really LOUD!!!! As her life flashes before her eyes, words get typed out like her brain was a digital document: [SYSTEM MESSAGE: You Live, but your body is broken. Rest Well.] Chapter 2 - Waking Dream The very first thing she noticed as she awoke was repetitive synthetic beeping next to her. A red light display shone its artificial light into her groggy eyes. Then the smell of hyper sterility, like someone cleaned every inch with hazardous chemicals. Tubes hung over her head with long pipes snaking their around her limbs and into her body. It was cold and unnaturally quiet. The hospital! Yes, I got into an accident. The kids!!! There was pain, but she ignored it, she needed to get out of there. Juniper¡¯s first attempt at reacting was to get up and leave wherever she was inside of. But her limp leg would not nudge, the other was held together in a cast. She tried to sit upright, hoping to unlatch it but her chest felt too weak to move. Her head started convulsing and spinning, she felt her eyes try to take her back into the darkness of sleep. Her resistance was met with a sudden jolt that sent pain through her whole body. It was agony. She felt like she couldn¡¯t breathe for a moment, before it stopped, taking deep breaths as her heart rate spiked. Then she calmed down again, her pain disappearing mildly. She stared at the archaic analog clock in front of her face. It was around two ¡®o''clock, past midnight, time had went on without for a while now. Her siblings! She needed to know. She needed to find her phone right now. Her weak arms fiddled around every machine and drawer around her... None of her belongings were nearby. She did however notice the Depotmart bag on the ground. She tried reaching for it, but it was like climbing a brick wall, only downwards. Her bones hurt, and her muscles were aching. She gave up eventually, tears welled up, not because of the pain, but the fear of leaving her siblings alone for so long. Anything could have happened. Her brother was a legal adult, but a kid to her, all the same. Her sister wouldn''t survive at all. Something about the air changed, it became harder to breathe. The air was heavier, the dynamism of the moonlight itself froze, and the wind that sneaked in from her open window suspended itself in midair. The analog stopped its incessant ticking. The machine¡¯s robotic hammering. A soft but soothing voice spoke out of nowhere. ¡°Do not be afraid, Juniper.¡± Goosebumps, her hair stood on ends, chills went down her fragile spine. She felt the urge to piss herself, but the machines took care of that. She had to be hallucinating, there was no way. Was it a cape, perhaps it was the person who rode over her, coming to finish her off. Just in case, she saw a face or heard the inkling of something she shouldn''t have. Maybe it was a ghost, and she was already dead. ¡°Metatron!?Gabriel!?Lucifer!?Azazel!?Baal!? Wha¨Cwho is there.?¡± The voice giggled, childlike. ¡°I¡¯ve met them before but I¡¯m not them, they are children, like you are to me.¡± ¡°G-god?¡± Or death ¡°Not quite, though there hasn''t been one around the earth in a while¡­¡± ¡°Who are you¡­what is this¡­¡± she said frightened. Her fingers twitch, she was scared to move even her hand. A spark appeared and a glowing orb of light manifested itself in midair, shaping like playdough, but if that playdough was plasma or something. A bubbly, squishy, marshmallow-like furry creature in the shape of a cute red fox appeared. However, there was something utterly alien about it. Its furs were acting dynamically like walking flames. Colors shaping every second. She didn¡¯t know what to do, it was straight out of a piece of fictional media. But that otherworldly fright that shook her remained. ¡°Call me, Quixis, or Dandelion, or maybe Kitbooh, or maybe Fluxreon, or maybe¡­¡± It kept on yammering, dozens of names, unending and unraveling its absurd but cutesy names. Quixis was all she heard, it was all she could make sense of at the moment. ¡°...¡± ¡°Oh, uh sorry, I get carried away, sometimes.¡± it apologized, closing its glowing eyes as it. ¡°Just call me whatever you want, as to why I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve come to collect my soul.¡± she started, feeling the weight of her own body holding her down. She did feel like maybe, she could just pass away, it wouldn¡¯t be that bad, all the pain would be gone, her emptiness as well. However, nagging irritation that her siblings would get thrown into supervised homes, did not sit right with her. It let out a deviously cute laugh. ¡°I haven¡¯t done a soul-hunt in 800 years, and only then that person and his horse riding caused so much chaos. I only found him after he was dead and his corpse was hidden somewhere, can you believe it? ¡± it approached, every time its paw moved, she felt her heart stammer like the earth itself was shaking.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Genghis khan!? ¡°Regardless, I come from a realm outside of your universe, the planes of Elysium, and you Juniper Pinewell, you have been¡­¡± it pondered, tapping its little paw as it stormed its mind. ¡°Awakened yes, not chosen.¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± she said overwhelmed by the theatrics, was this her brain playing a trick on her. A dream. If it was one, it was very vivid indeed. ¡°Powers, or magic in some variations of time and space, you come to possess one, maybe two. But your powers are not of this world¡¯s making.¡± ¡°A cape, me?¡± she said, confused. But the possibilities of what she could do marauded her head. What powers? ¡°Every once in a while, we caretakers are tasked with planting life seeds that often grow in something, whether it be a place, a person, or an animal. You, Jun, are one of those seeds¡­your birth while not planned was always going to result in¡­ well you.¡± What the hell was it speaking about, she was some kind of talking seed. ¡°I¡­don¡¯t believe you, this is some kind of trick, some kind of sick ploy, it can¡¯t be real, it can¡¯t be.¡± she yammered, panic mode activating. The room was dead silent, she could hear her heartbeat drumming under her chest. It held out its paw like a wizard did its staff, waving it in a circular motion and her nerves settled. Easing, her breathing came to a calm still, and she felt at peace again. The creature then stared at the midnight ball of light. ¡°It appears things have changed and I won¡¯t have the time needed to explain everything tonight, let me run the basics with you real quick.¡± She listened attentively but was skeptical of what she was seeing, The chances were very good of being brainwashed by some creep. Lulled into thinking she was safe, and then slowly murdered in her sleep. ¡°Seven years from now, Alien invaders will plummet this planet into nothing but a ball of resources, and the human race will be wiped out. That¡¯s why people like you are born Juniper, to counter threats like this.¡± ¡°Capes!¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re a byproduct of something else. But you''ll fit right in, I''m sure.¡± "I¡¯m¡­special.¡± she stammered. She felt giddy all of a sudden, it was rare for her to be complimented. But this wasn¡¯t a human she was dealing with. ¡°Well¡­in the grand scheme of the cosmos, no.¡± her eyes dropped down, and looked at her broken leg.¡±But here on earth, I¡¯d say yeah. SO¡­here¡¯s the thing.¡± It became bipedal, standing on its cute hind legs, fur floating like water in space. ¡°In most of the realities, I foresaw. Planet Earth has a survival rating of point twenty-one (0.21), however, when you awakened it bumped up to three (3%). ¡°Huh?¡± she deadpanned. It had to have made some mistake, there was no reason she was of any importance to anyone or anything. ¡°You mean everyone I know will be dead in seven years?¡± It nodded, smiling like it didn¡¯t just tell her the worst possible thing. ¡°Yes, everyone, including your family.¡± She winced, sweating. 7 years wouldn¡¯t be so bad, she¡¯d get to see her sister grow up, maybe see her brother getting the treatment he observed with the money from his career plan. Perhaps laws will be lifted and she could see her mother again. Maybe she could turn her life around. ¡°That 3% of yours can go to a 5 if you¡¯re extra super duper prepared.¡± It stared at the moon again expressionless. ¡°That''s not very reassuring.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry others like you exist elsewhere, if you all work together it could go to 45%.¡± Its head turned and it frowned. ¡°I need to leave urgent matters elsewhere, I will see you again. Juniper. on some other quiet night.¡±¡¯ ¡°Wait, these powers of mine, how do I use them!¡± The creature shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m not all-knowing, I merely sensed you waking. And came to inform you, use your imagination.¡± The creature balled up again, liquidating into a field of plasma, before zapping out of existence. Leaving her with more questions than answers. She felt overwhelmed. ¡°What the fuck was that.¡± Time resumed again. The machine started beeping, the wind started flowing again, prickling her skin. She was skeptical, no way that was true. How was she even supposed to guess what she could do? A faint memory of her bleeding out got stuck in her head. Before she passed out, she saw words, highlighted like that of a video game. Was that her brain coping? It was the only thing she loved as much as her family. She held her hands out. ¡°Uhhh¡­ main menu!¡± Nothing happened. Just silence. ¡°Inventory.¡± Still nothing, what was she supposed to do? If there was a chance of her actually having it, it could change their lives, Effy could go to a safer school, and she could get her brother the treatment he deserved. Panic arose again, what if that really was a dream? She was just hallucinating to make her feel happy, a trick. It cast a spell on her and made her calm. Sorcery, witchcraft even. But what if it was real, then where were these powers, Quixis promised? Her mind shifted from her surreal experiences. She remembered the more important matter, she was attempting to find her phone. There was a large button on the machine next to her, labeled ¡®Call nurse.¡¯ She started tapping, the button chiming every time she tapped it. Then her machine beeped like a dysfunctional alarm. An older lady came rushing inside, a nurse with long black hair. ¡°You¡¯re awake!?¡± the lady exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯ll get a doctor immediately.¡± She lifted herself up, ignoring heavy aching pain, holding her hand up to the nurse, working the courage up to ask. ¡°Wait, I need to make a call. I need my phone.¡± The nurse came to her side panicking and attempted to push her back to lie on the bed.. ¡°Please¡­don¡¯t move, you need rest. We can sort everything out in the morning darling.¡± She tugged at the older woman¡¯s arms, clinging to her like a baby to a doll. ¡°Please, I-I need to call my brother, it''s urgent.¡± She felt a sharp tingle travel from her arms, which sparked something in her brain making her chest jump. The nurse looked at her in horror. Unable to discern what was happening. [Mimicry skill activated. ] [Mimicry Analysis ] [Super Audition Level 1 - Heightens your ability to perceive sounds severely] [Auditory enchantment limited to a 1-mile radius, control impossible] What was this? At first, she heard something fall behind her, with a heavy drop she spun around staring at the wall. Frightening the nurse. Then the flow of water spilled into someone¡¯s throat, gurgling it down as it went down their esophagus. Then came the cats with their unending wailing, all at once. She stared at the nurse wide-eyed, who was still investigating the cause. Looking up, she heard the squeaking of footsteps as someone passed a room, the snoring of a patient two floors up, two people¡¯s bodies slamming against a wooden desk. The droning of electrical circuits below them whirring and buzzing. Beeping of server machines. Blood leaked from her nose. ¡°Make it stop," she begged the nurse shaking her body. ¡°Make it stop.¡± ¡°Make what stop dear!?¡± The lady asked in fright. ¡°The noise, it¡¯s getting louder.¡± It got sharper too, more persistent. A hundred voices coming in all at once. The cutting of knives, dogs barking down the street, honking, turning, and spinning of every car near the road. A door hammered open and shut, she heard the sound of flesh being cut at a molecular level. She started suffocating, her breathing intensifying. She could barely hear her own thoughts Memories came flooding in, the day of the calamity. When her parents were separated from them, and thrown into an armored truck, the three of them were pulled back into the depths of the city. Tears welled up, she can''t hold it in. She wants to kick something but she can¡¯t. Her muscles feel they are turning from the inside out. She starts shaking. Screaming it¡¯s all she could do. She yelled her lungs out. Her body convulses. The frightened nurse scrambles to get out of the room. She couldn¡¯t think, she couldn''t hear herself. She wanted her mother. She was alone, she didn¡¯t want to be alone. Heavy running footsteps came inside her room. Strong arms, hold her down tightly, she feels a needle jabbed into her arms. It made it worse, her legs woke, and she started throwing herself around. Adrenalin kicked in. She slapped the man away as she snaked her out of his arms. Another needle pierces. Then it slowed, her eyes resisted and she felt the world grow dark once again. Chapter 3 - Electrochemistry She had woken several times after a breakdown. The sensations she felt waking each time, left her lips tingling, and there was a faint static buzzing around her ears, a touch of zapping electricity lingering in her fingers. Her leg hurt like hell, but the fact that it was moved a bit higher, by her doctors, did not go unnoticed, the other was no longer a paralyzed lump of flesh, and she felt movement returning slowly. There was a trace of something burning or frying, filling her nostrils¡ªa detail she couldn¡¯t place. The hospital corridor had become lively throughout the time she was out, her memory was hazy but she knew acted irrationally when she started hearing everything within a mile. Her head hurt. Was it a dream? She could hear perfectly fine now. No, it was very real! [Intent detected] [Super Audition leveled up 1>2 [Activate power Super Audition ?] No! Nononononono! It can¡¯t happen again. She frantically waved to the transparent screen that appeared in front of her face. A person wearing a dark blue scrub marched abruptly inside her room as she waved frantically for the menu to disappear, a pen and a pad in his slender hands. Immediately frowned upon seeing her. ¡°Ms. Pinewell?¡± the doctor started, readjusting his thick glasses with a frown. "Are you alright?¡± He was an attractive older man, in the archaic sense. Chiseled jawline, trimmed beard, sharp eyes, and tall. A bit too old for her taste, Though she wouldn''t mind exploring her options. Uhh, what was she thinking? ¡°Hello¡­I¡¯m fine, I-I¡¯m just testing hands, yeah?¡± she twitch her fingers. ¡°Yeah? Perhaps you need to test those legs as well.¡± He joked, giving her a side eye and a wide smile. She blushed. Was that an inappropriate joke or her imagination? ¡°I¡¯m Doctor Baier. And you Ms. Juniper Pinewell, caused quite the ruckus this morning, or so I heard.¡± ¡°I apologize I¨C¡± ¡°Yes, you had a mental breakdown and so on and so forth, it happens.¡± He nodded something off on his list, and she stared at the man like a child did a teacher. "Something more anomalous occurred during the last few hours, though we expect some third party to be involved.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I don¡¯t understand,¡± she whispered, her voice cracking. ¡°You don¡¯t possess any latent or untapped superpowered abilities Ms.Pinewell?¡± he raised a brow. ¡°Not that I know of.¡± she gulped sweating. There were complications with being a known super, law enforcement and agencies will be all over you. She didn¡¯t need that right now. ¡°It appears, that either some kind of individual may have ¡®touched¡¯ you before the ambulance came, or you have a dormant power which correlates with super regeneration. As your leg seemingly recovered partially overnight. You might not even need crutches. You''ll probably be discharged tomorrow. ¡± That was surprisingly good news. She put on her best expression of acting shocked. After what occurred so far she just felt numb. How to circumvent detection, the last thing she needed was the government-appointed social worker, to try and take her siblings from her. Capes were dangerous, capes were unpredictable, and families with capes were dysfunctional typically. Remy! She still needed to contact her brother. ¡°We can discuss most of it later, I have other appointments at the moment. There was a power outage earlier, We¡¯re not sure it was supernatural in origin, however, it could have been the source of this ¡®anomaly'' of yours, perhaps a super samaritan. But more importantly, gaining your consent to run a few tests, is Vital. Of course, the hospital will pay for any unnecessary expenses. So what do you say¡­¡± She felt uneasy, it was so sudden. What could she even say here, without being exposed? She was not some lab rat, she also didn¡¯t want to be reported for anomalous phenomena. Big Brother was always watching. ¡°Can¡­we discuss this later, please?¡± Disappointment was visible on his face. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be back in a few hours. A nurse should check up on you soon.¡± She stopped him before he left. ¡°Um¡­the bag on the ground, could you pass it along?¡± he complied, His piercing eyes met hers, it felt predatory. ¡°Of course, get well. Juniper.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Shivers, she felt a bit creeped out by the doc but chalked it down to her overly active imagination. The rationalist would say it¡¯s her brain jumping to conclusions after several traumatic events. Paranoia. or maybe some pent-up and twisted frustration she had felt. She rummaged through the bag as he left, some of her groceries still present, a lot of them wholly missing. The hospital must have confiscated it. Her phone was indeed inside. There was a large crack on the screen, she¡¯d need a proper replacement soon. She could barely afford the rent. Pressing her thumb on the finger scanner, it refused to acknowledge her as Juniper Pinewell. Sighing, she manually opened it, a 12-digit password that read )P$5''M0E(i^(. AN annoyance but a necessity these days. Hacking had been done by malicious SLM (Super language models), and other rogue AI. Being hacked by a scammer was a tragedy, being hacked by the machine could mean the end of your existence. Her fingers immediately swiped up and down left and right, small pieces of phone glass, frolicked against her skin of thumb. Tapping on a profile that read out Remy¡¯s name, she waited for an answer. Nothing came up, ringing and ringing and more ringing. She dialed again, desperate, anxiety started eating her heart out. What if something bad happened? She needed some kind of closure. Electronic static buzzed out. ¡°Hello, Jun?¡± Her brother¡¯s voice left the phone. Instant relief, a weight off her shoulders. ¡°Remy! Are you okay? I¨C¡± she paused, her throat choking. ¡°We¡¯re fine, perfectly¡­¡± he said something else, She couldn¡¯t hear him. Her phone-buffered, inconsistent network channels were becoming way too common in Core Pacifica, the results of capes battling it out in the cityscape. Damaging the internet infrastructure. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t hear that, but listen¡­I got into an accident, I can¡¯t come home right now, my leg is injured.¡± ¡°We know, we were there yesterday.¡± ¡°What, with who?¡± Stranger danger came to mind, she didn¡¯t trust anyone near her siblings. Not even the parents of friends of her little sister. ¡°One of our neighbors, it¡¯s¡­not important. We¡¯ll be coming by soon¨C¡± he coughed through the phone. Her motherly instincts kicked in immediately. ¡°Have taken medicine rem?¡± ¡°Yes, yes of course sis,¡± she heard a malicious shrill in the background. A little girl screaming, something crashing onto the floor, that sounded very much like a cooking pan. It was definitely Effy causing some chaos. "What''s that?" ¡°Uh, I have put off, don¡¯t worry we¡¯ll be there soon.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Beep, beep, beep. At Least they were safe, that was one issue she could cross off her mind. She stared at the blank monitor that hung over her head, there were more things to worry about such as the hospital bills her strange powers, and the fox thing that visited her earlier. It dumped a lot of things on her, superpowers, aliens, Elysium. It didn¡¯t let her know much if only there was some kind of way to let her communicate with her powers. [The system is always ready to offer assistance to its users.] There was, and It could read her thoughts! [Not exactly, The System, is personally tailored to the conscious, subconscious, and unconscious of the user¡¯s mind. The system can change to fit new parameters.] There was a fucking AI in her head. [System prefers Synthetic Intelligence. Artificial implies a human-made construct. The earth-based Systems were made and constructed by Elysium for chronically online individuals, humans with an unhealthy obsession with video games, and other ¡®nerd¡¯ media.] It was cheeky too. Another thing she didn¡¯t need right now. [System chan is always happy to help Jun-sama. (?? ? ??) Kawaii! kawaii] That¡¯s too much. Please shut up, please shut up. The voice went from robotic to the voice of an annoyingly high-pitched anime girl. She was sure it broke the embarrassment parameter in her brain. [System Chan starts giggling cutely] Just can it, I don¡¯t wanna make people think I''m crazy. [...] Like summoning a devil out of a well. A nurse appeared out of nowhere, a different one this time, she probably traumatized the poor woman who had been caring for her before. The shadow of a second person tailing her stood in the doorway. ¡°Ms. Juniper, someone here to see you,¡± she said firmly. Caught off guard. She forced herself up, who other than her family. She doubted they learned how to travel at the speed of light while she was gone. A green-eyed, blond-haired girl peeked inside her room, waving to her, two bags slung around her arms. A get-well sticker, attached to every bag. She wore a simple cotton shirt, frayed shorts, a pair of flip-flops, and a cap on her head. Though they were about the same age, she¡¯d recognized the alluring face anywhere. The poster child of Core Pacifica, every girl wanted to be her, and every boy wanted to do stuff that should not be mentioned¡­ She herself had a crush on her once before she learned how corrupt ¡®heroes¡¯ really were and the cabalistic corporations that controlled them. What the actual fuck was she doing here! Helio girl, in casual clothing? Well, she hasn¡¯t been a girl in ages. The nurse left, and the room became instantly awkward. She swallowed, her nerves wreaking havoc inside of her. Was she in trouble, did the hospital know something about her, did they out her to the gendarmerie? ¡°Hi, Juniper right.¡± she went to sit on a chair next to her, bags set on the ground, an unnatural glow radiating from her skin. ¡°Hi¡­¡± From afar she really held the appearance of a goddess, but from up close she really looked kind of ordinary. Beautiful but¡­a human being. There were smaller faint circles under her eye, hidden by makeup. Her eyes though jubilant held something akin to a lie. Both of them stared at the other for a while, stammering not knowing what to say. A hero coming to personally visit was the least surprising thing for Juniper. Helio girl lowered her head. ¡°Ah¡­you¡¯re probably wondering what I¡¯m doing here.¡± she giggled nervously. ¡°Truth is I feel bad about what happened.¡± she struggled to bring other words out. She looked like she was on the verge of breaking down. ¡°Um¡­you didn¡¯t hit me with that pimped-up car did you?¡± she teased, cringing at her dumb joke. ¡°No, But I may as well have. I lured those villains to the other side of town, precisely to avoid any critical damage. But it still happened. Someone got hurt.¡± Juniper didn¡¯t know what to say, she had barely processed the event. What was she here for comforting, closure? How was she supposed to help the person who was supposed to be in control of the situation? A realization dawned on her, the cape that was slammed into the roof was Helio girl. The chaos happened shortly after. If she was honest with herself, some part of her was angry, the other in a state of awe. ¡°There were a handful of victims injured, but¡­someone died. I have to live with that.¡± "Oh," [Comfort her, you baka O_O!!!] What. Not now, AI! [Comfort her, preferably in a warm embrace.] It was hard to concentrate on the thing in her head and the girl in front of her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re not responsible for what happened. If you had done nothing how many more people would die.¡± ¡°You say that but¡­¡± The girl stood up. Shaking her head. Staring at her broken leg. ¡° I¨Cdon¡¯t know how to deal with this stuff. ¡± ¡°I don¡¯t either,¡± she paused. ¡°but you came and that means a lot.¡± She turned her face away biting her lips, hiding something, her face obscured by her cap. ¡°I''m sorry, this was a mistake,¡± she motioned to leave. ¡°Your medical bills, I took care of them if you need anything at all from me. Feel free to call me." She handed her a card, with a scribbled-down personal number. Taking it reluctantly. Very briefly their fingers brushed against the other, and she felt a sharp jolt of energy discharging from the girl¡¯s finger. Her own finger was heating and Recharging, the faint feeling of electricity going through her veins. [Mimicry skill activated. ] [Mimicry Analysis ] [Solar Powered Sentinel Level 1 - Draw and convert sunlight into raw power] [Charge equivalent to 2000 watt maximum] She jerked her hand away, frightening the cape. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did I do something wrong.¡± she pleaded. Did she not feel the spark of electricity? ¡°No, it¡¯s my fault, I¡¯m sensitive to touch. ¡° she lied, hoping to get this awkward situation away asap. [Activate power?] [Y/N?] No, no, no. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be taking my leave now, I¡¯m sorry for everything¡­¡± Heliogirl left, Making Juniper let go of a heavy breath. That was so awkward Was her feelings genuine, what was she hiding? There was something off about her too, something more than guilt. Juno honestly couldn¡¯t worry about it at the moment. She diverted her attention to what just happened briefly. Her skills/system had subconsciously activated her power and nearly outed her. She needed to have a long discussion with this ¡®system¡¯. Something was clear, her ability allowed her to steal others'' powers. The nurse she touched definitely had super hearing, awakened or dormant it didn¡¯t matter. A thousand possibilities raced through her head. If she could touch a healing cape and refine her abilities, could she free her brother from his illness? Chapter 4 - Fractures and Currents Her brother stood at the door frame, a face mask clutched tightly on his face. She could see the smile in his eyes as his face wrinkled up. A dwarf with a smaller hairball of unkempt auburn stuck her head past the door, peering at the sorry tragedy that lay on the hospital bed. ¡°Juny!¡± she shouted, clamoring towards her big sister, like a rocket heading for a collision, an unmovable object. Euphemia barrels against her sister leaning in for a hug, her arms squeezing tightly, she stuck her head against the blanket that covered her. Juniper could feel a growing wetness leaking through the blanket, onto her chest. Effy¡¯s little body trembling and shaking as she lets out muffled sobbing. Her voice hitched sharply and gasping exhalation. Juniper¡¯s body ached, and she winced. There was a quick urge to pull Effy away, partially because of the pain and less-than-affectionate manner she always treated the youngest of the two. But bore it, and smiled softly. Sticking her fingers into the wavy hair of her little sis, playing with it, and rubbing her hair. ¡°T-hey saii-d y-you mig-ht not walk ag-ain, Jun.¡± her voice broke with every word. ¡°It-s all m-my-fault, I¡¯m s-sorry Jun.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault Effy, it¡¯s¨C¡± It was her fault, she was careless and carefree. She needed to be a better provider, a better sister. This was the sum of her choices. She restrained the urge from balling out herself, her chest was heavy, burdened by feeling she wanted to let out but couldn¡¯t. She raised the little girl¡¯s head, wiping away the flooding tears. Her eyes were red She played with her face, pinching her soft cheeks, kissing her on the forehead, something she never does. ¡°I¡¯m okay, I¡¯m okay,¡± she pointed at her cast leg and wiggled her toes. ¡°Look, it lives.¡± Effy reached to touch the casted leg. Remy, her ever protector approaches them pulling her off with a tugging. ¡°Let her breathe Effy, or they¡¯ll keep her here forever.¡± Juniper giggled, despite the unbridled chaos of the last few hours. The return to normalcy and love felt good. Something she was shy about admitting sometimes¡ªa great distraction from other pressing matters. Leave them here for an hour and the banter will be like it was at home. What would happen if she lost the two of them, what would happen if they lost her? [So don¡¯t loosen your grip, cherish what you have, and grab your life by the reins of your seat.!!!(? ??? ? ??? )?] The system chimed in, making her head jerk uncontrollably. She frowns, not used to the sensation of having an entity living in her head. ¡°Are you alright,¡± Remy asked. Concerned he, Motions toward her. ¡°Yeah,¡± ¡°You sure, you looked like you took 9gs of gravity just now.¡± Effy looked at her with her googly-worn-out eyes, perplexed. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s tick-like¡­thing I may have developed... don¡¯t mind me.¡± she awkwardly motioned with her arms, intending to hug her brother, and he fell in her embrace. ¡°How did you two get here, was it Miss Louise?¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°N-no, s-she was all mad about her rent, a-and a-and a-and threatened to k-kick us out.¡± That old crone! ¡°Shit, I forgot the rent, I¡¯m sorry,¡± she gritted her teeth, palming her face. ¡° I should''ve handled it sooner. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll call her now, I¡¯ll get this sorted Asap.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, It¡¯s already covered.¡± ¡°What, who? How¡¯d you even get here?¡± Her brother smiled, raised his brow, and shifted his face like he was teasing her. ¡°Ms. Kamizuki.¡± She choked her Japanese neighbor, the girl she was always ogling. ¡°Kanako?¡± That made no sense. Why would she do that? She really didn¡¯t know how to feel about it, it was embarrassing already for a person of her age to have a ¡®crush¡¯ on another adult individual. But to have that person take care of your duties, it felt shameful. [Romantic interest detected: Calculating probability of mutual attraction¡­] ¡®Shut up system chan¡¯ A third individual peeked in from the door, waving to her while approaching quietly but comfortably. It was Kanako with ¡®more bags¡¯ in her hand. The sterile room became almost sweet, as she entered. Juniper¡¯s cheeks flared up, she rubbed on them. Attempting to hide the rising heat in her face. She had to restrain herself from tucking her face under the darkened blanket. A lump was stuck in her throat. Oh my god, what do I do? What do I say? [Calm down Juny. Play it off cool. First off DON¡¯T make irrational gestures, no unfunny jokes. But¡­*hypothetically* What if you spontaneously show off your new powers, I bet she¡¯ll be impressed.] ¡®What!!! Out of the question. Both literally and figuratively. ¡® Kanako put the crackling bags next to the already stacked get-well packages. ¡°Ms. Pinewell, I¡¯m sure this might be a strange moment for you.¡± she simply nodded, her mouth shut tight. ¡° But I¡¯ve taken your siblings into my care until you are discharged.¡± ¡°You spoke English this whole time?¡± she blurted. [Baka¡­ Now she¡¯ll think you''re dumb] the AI transmitted in her head. Even her brother looked at her strange remark. Was she that dense? But she always spoke Japanese. Kanako¡¯s face contorted, her brow frowning a sweat. ¡°O-Of course, but I understand why you may have thought otherwise. I tend to keep to myself.¡± Reality kicked her in the face again. She was struck by a mix of genuine gratitude, and an encroaching feeling of disappointment in herself. Despite having a juvenile attraction to Kanako Kamizuki, leaving your family''s lives in a stranger¡¯s hands was not something to be proud of. The implications of her accident won¡¯t go unpunished, the social worker will hear of this. ¡°Um¡­Thank you, I don¡¯t know what to say. I¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite alright, if you need to discuss something, I¡¯ll wait till you get better, as a matter of fact, I¡¯ll give you my number to get you.¡± her bright smile was heartwarming but foreign. [Score!] ¡°Bah¡­you don¡¯t need to go so far, and about the rent¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s cool, there aren¡¯t any issues. It¡¯s settled, I know you''re struggling, I don¡¯t expect anything, we¡¯ll speak soon okay.¡± She wanted to contest, but Kanako waved her off. ¡°Besides, the landlord lady can be a handful and when she¡¯s mad at one of us, she¡¯s mad at all of us. I¡¯ll leave you to your siblings.¡± She left the room, Juniper¡¯s eye trailing her up and down, eyes locked on her movements, from her posture to her revealing ankles. She turned her head, and her brother caught her scrying eye, giving her a smug smile. She shook her head in denial immediately. Her thought process was immediately broken after her brother started unending coughing. The wet rough sound of it snapped her out of the moment. He clutched his chest, coughing into the disposable mask, switching to another. ¡°Don¡¯t worry just a cough.¡± Immobilized and left bedridden by her accident, she felt completely useless. Tension was in the air, she could feel it in her bones, he was becoming sicker, he needed proper treatment. She needed to make a plan fast. Her [Mimicry] was stirring, drawn to the psychic plague, she struggled to let go of it. [Poor boy, he¡¯s hurting] The system had adopted a personality within seconds of speaking with her, some part of her very distrustful of her new powers. Some part was eager, she wondered if it was possible to completely take the sickness away from him, wear his burden instead. Nothing happened when he came in for a hug. Effy huddled against the chair in the room frightened, stuck between two ill individuals. The only two trusted adults are both sick and powerless. Juniper did her best to distract the girl. Things needed to change, and soon. It¡¯s not every day you get a second chance. Kanako was a god sent, if there was one, she¡¯d repay her ten-fold, somehow. A *** The hospital quieted down, several hours later. Only the humming of life support systems and the restless breathing of other patients came to her mind. The faint electrochemical sensation, haunted her, urging her to do something. She stared at the moonlight that shone inside her room. An idea came to mind. Her hospital room conveniently had no camera, and she was a little curious. ¡°Sys-chan, Can you activate those solar powers? I just want to see what happens.¡± [Moonlight isn''t any sun sista, Proceeding anyway, nya?^. .^?] ¡®Unnecessarily cute,¡¯ she thought. [Activate power?] [Solar Powered Sentinel Level 1] [Y/N?] ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered in her dark room. The very second she agreed, soothing warmth spread through her limbs, her veins, and even her blood. It intensified, like jumping into a warm bath, suddenly. Her back was tingling, and for a small moment, her leg wound became lighter. She gasped in disbelief, her body twitched, and she felt the air around her vibrate. Then her body to her own surprise, lifted her from the bed. Barely even an inch. Then, she was levitating. Her limbs radiated a bright glow. ¡®I¡¯m levitating! I¡¯m levitating¡¯ [And Liftoff, now don¡¯t forget to use your air brakes or we¡¯ll have to do an Emergency landing] She felt genuine joy and excitement for the first time. Gravity was slowly slipping away. As she started hovering completely off her bed, The tubes threatening to loosen, she deactivated the power in panic. ¡°Oof!¡± She hoped Helio-girl wouldn¡¯t hate her for this. Chapter 5 - Discharge She had been cleared by the hospital to leave, it was time to go home if you could call it that. Despite the miraculous and unexplainable healing factor that took hold of her, her right leg still hadn¡¯t healed. At least she managed to convince the doctor to let go of the cast, despite it all she still walked with a crutch. A nasty gash was visible on that right leg, it was a pity scars don¡¯t heal properly.

Kanako had appeared early with her siblings in tow, she still hadn''t shaken the feeling of it being an uncomfortable position. They were acquainted now but she was still a stranger. But Remy was eighteen, turning nineteen. That made him an adult even when she was around. Effy had immediately, upon basking in free space, resorted to doing cartwheels, and aerobatic spins within the hospital. Nearly rolling inside into a medical contraption. It took the two of them to stop her. ¡°She sure is full of energy, isn¡¯t she.¡± Kanako teased. ¡°You¡­haven¡¯t seen her at peak energy, you might not want to.¡± Juniper let out. ¡°Well, I think you could learn a thing or two from it, try to keep up on your toes.¡± she winked a smile. Juniper barely looked away, her cheeks tickling. Ms. Kanako, sweet and composed as ever, had led her crippled butt outside. This vulnerability was humiliating. Juniper became antsy as they slowly left the long haunting hallways. Irritated with the crutch, not that she might need it soon. It made it frustrating to walk. Kanako gave her advice that she struggled to take to heart. ¡°Baby steps, Ms. Juniper, don¡¯t let the injury master you.¡± She was unusually kind, hardly judgemental. A bit flirty too or was that her own mental gymnastics? But it made her all the more wary, most people she had encountered in this city were never kind for the sake of it. "No one does anything for free, what did she gain from this?¡± Stepping outside was like waking up from a decade-long coma, too much exposure, too much strangeness. She moved like a snail, every time her crutch tapped on the ground, she was reminded thoroughly of her weakness. [C''mon you should try and use that super hearing of yours, imagine the things you could tell everyone, they¡¯ll think you psychic (???)] ¡®Right here, with everyone around me.'' she questioned Ai''s sudden suggestion. [The sooner the better sis. Even if just briefly. Just pretend to think aloud] [Activate Super audition lvl2] [Y/N] ¡°No,¡± she said aloud. She wasn''t eager to reexperience it, even if it was slightly better. It felt like the system was ¡®pushing¡¯ her to use her powers. Kanako looked at her, but she pretended to talk to herself. ¡°Are you okay, Jun? Can I call you Jun.¡± Kanako asked her concerned. Snapping her out of her mental argument, she blushed a bit. ¡°Yes¡­.I mean no, I mean yes.¡± she stuttered. Resuming her walk. Effy was holding her from the side of her ribs as if it would make her walk faster. Remy looked a bit off today, every time she looked at him he¡¯d look away, something was bothering him. She¡¯d have to ask later. The ride back to the apartments was an awkward one. The silence did not last as Effy started asking every question under them, some too inappropriate for her age. Juniper had never owned or ridden a car, the embarrassment she felt when Effy asked when they were getting one was enormous. Kanako seemed to find some amusement in that, through her eyes remained calmly on the road. That focus and clarity was something she envied. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. [Comparison is the thief of joy Jun, don¡¯t hunt for envy..] sys-chan quipped to her. A pixelated pose of an old Greek stoic appeared in front of her eyes. She double-checked to make sure nobody saw it. The statement held wisdom, but she was living in the moment. Something she could not escape. Juniper noticed every time the system would interact with her, her brother would look at her wrongly. What was his problem today? Did he notice¡­ The apartment came into view, and Kanako parked near the opposite end of the street. The two siblings immediately took charge of bag carrying. Remy hastily because Effy¡¯s head went straight into unpacking. So many bags, altogether. She received more stuff than she knew what to do with. Kanako stopped her with a light tap on her shoulder when the yin-and-yang duo disappeared. ¡®Soft hands.¡¯ ¡® ¡°So Juniper, I realize my actions may have overstepped some boundaries. Truth be told it was your brother that came to me for help, had known you were struggling so much, I¡¯d offer you some assistance earlier. But you barely leave your apartment, I don¡¯t know you that well .¡± ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know where to start. Yes, it¡¯s been a strange two days, though I am thankful, really. Ms. Kanako. I just¡­¡± Her throat was forming a knot, it was hard to speak with her alone. ¡°Kanako is fine, we are the same age after all.¡± her body posture shifted and Juniper tensed. Relatively the same age, but behind in life Kanako noticed her lagging face and lowered her voice. ¡°Look if you need to talk, even let something out, I have nice tea we can drink it over...I wouldn¡¯t mind a new friend.¡± her voice was soothing, it made her feel all warm and fuzzy. ¡°Friend?¡± Where do you even go from here Juno? Hey Miss Kanako, that might not suffice. I''ve been obsessively eyeing you like a stalker. Do you wanna skip dating and go straight to smooching? By the way, I¡¯m jobless and socially challenged. [Ahh someone is a softy] ¡°Tea sounds nice¡­maybe tomorrow or the day after.¡± her fingers became jittery, uncomfortably shifting her crutch. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it in mind. Kanako gave her a warm smile, helping towards the apartment. ¡°I¡¯m two doors away, anytime you want. Though maybe not past 9, I¡¯m not a night owl.¡± she jested¡¯ Juniper squeezed a small laugh out. Were they polar opposites then? She liked staying up. Could they meet in the middle, and attract, like two electrons in tandem? [Opposites attract? More like mismatched socks to be worn.] She nervously changed the subject. ¡°Um about the rent and stuff¡­¡± ¡°Forget about it, just try and do better next month¡±, she laughed it off, like it was no big deal. ¡°Besides, everyone needs help sometimes. Now c''mon enough, let¡¯s get you inside.¡± Kanako took the reins, guiding her up the stairs. A crippled waltz, but she found it sweet. Intrusive thoughts started bothering her, answered by a little spirit whispering in the warbling wind. Was she rich, did she come from a rich family? Could she bear to step into her life? [She¡¯s probably well off, but remember money can¡¯t buy class. Something you need to invest in quickly. Pump and dumb those stats. ] sys-chan teased. She had to restrain herself from saying something aloud, or else she directed irritation at Kanako, the system didn¡¯t know when to shut up sometimes. **** Juniper sat in front of her console, she hoped to drown out her thoughts by dissociating. A sequel to a popular Visual novel game came out yesterday, an eroge, she was tempted to play and struck with an urge to relieve herself of her stress. However she knew she couldn¡¯t touch it because her siblings would catch her, another potential crime the social worker would be eager to dance about. She sighed. The sound of bags being torn open in the other rooms, and Remy arguing with the little gremlin were two things she didn¡¯t need right now. She limped to the door, shut it tight, and collapsed on her bed, diving head-first into a pillow. It feels so much better sleeping on your face. She squeezed one between her legs, and two in her arms, like squeezing an imaginary person. All she wanted was a little comfort, and maybe someone to share it with. Kanako¡¯s v-shaped cute face came to mind, she needed to repay her, give her something in return, something special. What did she like? Tired but not sleepy. She put on a local news streaming channel a clickbait video blaring alarming updates regarding Helio-girl¡¯s pursuit yesterday, Reporting several deaths and injuries. She happened to be one of the injured. Rumors of a civil case being opened against Helio-girl, made her stiffen. Could that be why she was visiting her, accessing a legal threat or was it genuine guilt? No, she doesn¡¯t deserve it. She probably tried her best. Shit happens. What was strange was that no form of law enforcement came to her about the situation. No police, no cape agency, she didn¡¯t even have the energy to inquire anything to the doctor, just glad she escaped, and that her medical bills were at least Covered by a sunlit girl. But knowing the politics of the city, well let''s say they''ll come snooping soon. She hoped the helio-girl survived the onslaught, of being a public enemy. She felt hammered by the situation, she should have said something better, should''ve comforted her. She remembered the card she gave her. Initially, she felt like a child, ¡®Omg, a superhero came to speak to me¡¯, but now¡­ [Hey you ripped off some of the girl''s powers, I¡¯d say you owe her more than a call.] ¡°Aarrgghh.¡± she groaned. Shifting her body to better accommodate her leg. ¡°Do you ever sleep, sys-chan?¡± [Not for you my Juni-puni, I¡¯m always here to cheer you on.] ¡°You speak too much, but¡­ thank you.¡± She clutched her fragile heart, guilt, panic, fear, gratitude, affection, lust. So much weight she picked up in two days. Right now she needed sleep, tonight she wanted to try something fun. With or without the crutch. Rest and recuperation, R&R, she needed large quantities of it, and not with dying people in the room next to her. And yet, there was an undeniable pull of gravity tugging her towards her ¡®gamey¡¯ powers. Something was driving her to the cape world, and not necessarily Sys-chan. Perhaps sleeping it away will help. Or maybe It wouldn¡¯t. Either way, she wanted to try something fun tonight. CHapter 6 - A Heartbeat in the Dark Her right leg had healed completely, there was no pain around the area, no itch or tightness, her scarred tissue closed up entirely and vanished like it wasn¡¯t there, she couldn¡¯t comprehend. She rubbed the spot, it was an odd experience, almost spooky. [Slow regeneration *sparkle* ¡ï*sparkle*, your first and most essential skill. Think of it like a living bandage, just barely keeping you from the land of the dead until you become normal again¡­] Sys-chan announced.. ¡°Regeneration, So I have health points?¡± she beamed up, excited. Was she like an RPG character now? [Silly Jun, This model of the system wasn¡¯t primed to measure ¡®health points¡¯ because it is completely unrealistic desu~. You¡¯re not in a MMO. What do you think? This is Femcel Simulator 2. The system is a sophisticated machine, already dumbed down to suit your needs. Want to play a guessing game? How many health points does your liver have? Psst.. It¡¯s not much.] ¡°Ah¡­¡± Her smile lowered, and the excitement died down.She had hoped this whole thing would be more straightforward. [For a better comparison, you¡¯re durability and endurance, could determine how well you can withstand a knife attack. Right now a punch with a force of 5000 Newtons would send your skinny plump body straight to human heaven. ] Why did she say it like that? It made it sound exactly like how people lie to children about dog heaven. ¡°Is that a lot?¡± she thought back to the day before yesterday, the car knocking her over sending her flying. ¡°I survived the car.¡± [Barely, you can thank your regeneration and me of course. Without the system you¡¯d have been comatosed or paralysed.] ¡°Also why are you insisting on me going out tonight. It¡¯s scary out there.¡± [You''re one of the big kids now Jun, New playing ground, new school. Better upgrade that meatsuit, or some villain will turn it a blood puddle. ] She swallowed. She was skeptical, but she had no reason not to trust the fox entity. Quixis. Aliens¡­Seven years from now. She was still waiting for him to appear again. Give her the whole run down. She felt suffocated by events of the day. She almost never went out. Perhaps fresh air would do her wonders, leaving the ¡®Neeting¡¯ for another day. But the streets were uncharted territory. [It¡¯s decided then!!! Jun. You will go for a simple ¡®walk¡¯ and test your powers. And come back. Easy peasy, lemons¡­lemons¡­what was it again.] Juniper chuckled. System chan was beyond absurd, her quirky dialogue made her forget the unease. Still she felt weird, her leg was in pristine conditions, a bit of extra muscle mass there too. She clearly wasn¡¯t normal anymore? She curled her toes, and kicked her bare legs around. No lingering anything. She strapped on a dark hoodie, and started looking for some running sneakers she hadn¡¯t worn in several years. It was close to midnight, stepping out of her doorway, She tiptoed softly, slowly out the door, afraid of waking her siblings. It was clear no sounds, she marched out towards the front door. Just before she reached it, footsteps behind her made her freeze in place. ¡°Juno, what are you doing? Where¡¯s your crutch.¡± Remy stood behind her, visibly confused. His eyes were weary, but sharp, staring at her leg. ¡°I''m just going for a walk, Rem¡± he frowned at her. Her heart raced ¡°I told you doc said I wouldn¡¯t need it very soon, well what do you know¡­¡± He looked distressed. ¡°A walk, so soon, after the accident. That¡¯s out of character, Jun, you don¡¯t do walks, you play games all day.¡± She felt guilt. She sighed, trying to stay level headed.. ¡°Look Remy, a lot is on my mind, our future is on the line. I¡­need to clear my head, I need to think out there.¡± He clenched his hands, fingers twitching. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, I¡¯ve noticed¡­¡± His voice cracked, started coughing, but broke through it. ¡°Since the day I visited you I knew something was off, you stare in strange directions, have conversations with yourself, and now your leg is fucking healthy. You¡¯re lying to me. Just come clean, are you even my sister?¡± She¡¯s never been questioned on the validity of being herself. It felt like a punch to the gut. It hurt. ¡°Remy¡­I can¡¯t speak right now, I have¨C¡± ¡°Like you couldn¡¯t explain where our parents went!¡± He raised his voice, something he doesn¡¯t do ever, anger directed at her. ¡°You didn¡¯t even try stopping them. You just let them be taken away!¡± Heavy thoughts hit, the images clear as crystal. The 2031st revolution, declaration of the Pacific states. Was a rainy day, political unrest in the city, A revolution in the making, her mother and father were involved, loaded into a truck. She never saw them again. Cornered her into a room shortly after, an Iron barrel held to her head, accusations, and threats. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, there¡¯s nothing I could do¡± she whispered, softly. ¡°Had I fought back, They¡¯d have taken you and Euphemia. We¡¯d be separated.¡± ¡°Perhaps it would been better like this! I¡¯d have never gotten sick!¡± [Hey, this incredibly insensitive. 2 Am is the most dangerous time in Core Pacifica. You don¡¯t have time for this, move your butt! ] ¡°We¡¯ll speak tomorrow Rem, I promise.¡± He settled down, regret on his face, he wanted to say something. She¡¯ddeal with it later. She walked out the door disheartened, closing the door, locking it, checking the lock. Banging the back of her head against the door frame, letting out an icy breath. The cool air outside, quite the relief in summer, a relief for her mind.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. She walked off slowly, going down the dimly lit apartment walkway. A light or two flickering giving out. Rent lady needs to pay attention or she¡¯ll have angry tenants soon. Faint sounds coming from other apartment doors such as tv chatter, a spinning microwave and baby crying bloody murder. The world outside hers was spinning, while hers came to lethal stop. Spotting the old crone patrolling her grounds below , Juniper shifted the other direction, shifting from darkness to darkness in hopes of avoiding Ms.Louise. She really can¡¯t get questioned by the woman she was as nutty as a werewolf on a full moon. She¡¯d probably evict her if she thought she was up to no good. Spinning around the building complex, she entered a narrow pathway behind it, an emergency exit in case something horribly and conveniently bad happens. It was alway open but the entrance to was hidden in the darkness, an outsider proabbably wouldn¡¯t navigate it. [So sneaky, we¡¯re spy¡¯s now.] ¡°Who¡¯s we I¡¯m doing all the walking¡± she muttered. Stepping onto the street, which was strangely calm safe for the sounds of the nightfolk and audible turbulence caused by capes and planes alike. [This is the best the place test that hearing of yours, btw do you wanna see your stats] ¡°I have stats? Would it not be redundant health points?¡± [The focus is different, it¡¯s still arbitrary in my opinion b~~~~uuuut, It¡¯s a great way to start it, look!] [Juniper¡¯s Stats] Power: 4 Endurance: 3 Dexterity: 6 Reflex: 4 Durability: 3 Energy: 3 She stared at the flashing menu in front of her, looking around really quickly to make sure no one was looking at her having a conversation with herself. No light reflected off the skill menus but they were as visible as day to her. ¡°Uhhh, are those good stats.¡± [Sorry to burst the bubble Jun, But your basic bitch¡­for now.] ¡°And where the mental stats, charisma and intelligence as stuff. These are just physical.¡± [All kinds of stats exist but you don¡¯t need to see them yet.What are you gonna, going to raise your intelligence without some neural implant, can your brain even process anything faster than video game stimulus.] Another screen appears to the side. [Charisma 2] She didn¡¯t expect anything less. Shut in level charisma. [Well there ya go, socially dumb, almost clinical. As for wisdom, there¡¯s not alot there, you¡¯re 22, almost still a baby, try in 6 years.] She moaned, slammed her butt on the curb of the street. It was indeed too much for her to take in. Her mind weighs heavy on the sudden argument with Remy. She usually comofrted him, they almost never argued. ¡°Ah I guess I am just a dumb baby who never grew up.¡± [Hey, kiddo, keep your head in the game, it may be time to start jogging, I heard humans like to exercise, it''s great for brooding like a teenager or an immature adult..] ¡°You don¡¯t know what it feels like to be human, you don¡¯t. It¡¯s suffocating¡± The system ignored the message. [Stop wallowing. Listen to the vibrance of the city, I promise there won¡¯t be a repeat like that of the hospital. Trust me.] [Activate Super audition lvl2] [Y/N] She hesitated. ¡°Yes.¡± Uncontrolled chaos reigned, as the dozens of sounds invaded her sensory network. The reach stretched a little farther than before, a seemingly dead city came alive. There were patrol drones buzzing overhead, looking for any sign of trouble. Snippets of conversations, house to house. The sound of rats screeching and scratching below her inside the sewer, their jittery paws giving her the wrong kind of goosebumps. [?Ta ta da ta taaa ta da ta taaa? You have leveled a power] [Super audition Lvl2>Lvl3] [Range extended 3.6 miles The range stretched again this time, she could hear honking cars blocks away the sound of a door being hammered down in the middle of the night, ashouting and screaming shortly after. A gunshot went off¨C ¡°Shut it off!¡± she started heaving. It became a bit overbearing again. Blinking patrol drones hovered in the direction of it. [Wait, check your stats first] ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± she moaned. Despite protesting. Sys-chan forced the screen again. [Juniper¡¯s Stats] Power: 4 Endurance: 3 Dexterity: 6 Reflex: 12 (4) Durability: 3 Energy: 3 Passive skills equipped [Enhanced hearing] [Heightened reflexes] Seh straed at the changing numbers and values, discomfort making her wince. The enhanced reflexes made sense, she reacted before even registering what she heard. ¡°Shut it off now!¡± [Chill Jun Chill out. You can just think it off, no need to ask.*drops a nervous sweat*] She stood up, attempting to get her bearings together. The noise stopped but her ears get ringing. ¡°This is fucked up.¡± [Cmon, you¡¯ve seen the battle of Thermopylae, now kicking someone into a bottomless pit that is fucked up.] ¡°Shut up..¡± she started brooding. What¡¯s the point in exercising this power? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if I just focused on the ability ones, like Helio''s girl¡¯s powers.¡± [No, you''re entirely missing the point. Other¡¯s have walked the hasty path and gotten hurt, severely,the point is mastery, so can subconsciously tap into it. Without actively using it. Give it time and who knows you could become a god here. Remember 7 years.] ¡°So why don¡¯t the quixis fox thingy take it to the government. Why not give everyone a system.¡± [Horrible idea. The planet would be destroyed before the aliens can get here. You¡¯ll destroy yourselves, like you do in most realities. Besides I don¡¯t do politics, I''m here to make you stronger and your mental well being. Now to jogging!¡±] She let out a sigh, just casually confirming a multiverse. Her thoughts shifted elsewhere. ¡°What if I could share this power with my brother?¡± [It¡¯s possible, but it¡¯s against the rules. You¡¯d lose more than your access to it. You¡¯d be forfeiting your life. Terrible trade. Focus on getting better care for him. ] ¡°Maybe that¡¯s the best outcome for everyone¡­¡± [Hey! Don¡¯t even go there. Zip it. Don¡¯t, now start jogging. ] She felt a sharp jolt stabbing her brain. ¡°Ow!¡± she moaned. [That¡¯s what you get. No hangmanny thoughts.] Recomposing herself. She slowly crossed the street, looking left and right despite cars being vacant. One car passed by and slowly cruising in her direction, slowing to a crawl and stopping next to her. Her heart raced with fear, but she froze. [Keep moving. Stay calm] The window rolled down. An older man stared at her body.. ¡°How much?¡± he asked. ¡°....huh.¡± ¡°How much for your services did I stutter.¡± ¡°I-am not a prostitute.¡± The man slammed his steering wheel. ¡°Then what the fuck are you standing around here like one for girly.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°You homeless?¡± ¡°No I¡­¡± ¡°Stop stuttering, why don¡¯t come here for a bit, you got a tight throat!¡± [Stop talking Scare him, immediately!] [Activate Solar powered Sentinel lvl 1?]] [Y/N] ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You do? That''s what I like to hear.¡± he laughed. His hands shuffling below his waist somewhere. She became angrier. There wasn¡¯t enough moonlight here, but it was sufficient to feel the flow of energy slowly charge into her. A faint comforting warmth from her head to her toes. She did her best impression of looking angry. Her hair started flowing in the air, lifting off the ground starting to levitate.Her eyes started glowing. ¡°SHit, cape!¡± His predatory confidence vanished. His window closed up, fumbling with his gears and immediately revved his engine to flee. His car launched away but died once, and struggled to accelerate. . She fell to the ground, from half a meter high, knees buckling, nearly losing her balance. She crept backwards, ¡°man that was scary.¡± The car was still insight, making his way out of the scene. [Blast his ass with an energy wave. Make him learn his lesson] ¡°What I can¡¯t thats¨C¡± [Let him fear you!] She hesitated, but the thought him approaching another vulnerable girl lingered. She focuses, condensing the energy to her hands, sending it after the car. It exploded on the ground, exploding light, illuminating the street. Loud enough that several people may have heard The car accelerating faster. Disappearing around a corner. She stood trembling. [Attagirl! Strike fear into these misfits!] ¡°I¨C need to start jogging.¡± Breaking into a shaky uncomfortable run. She hoped no one saw that. Chapter 7 - Gal’s First Night Out Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Chapter 8: Gravitys touch ¡°People of Core Pacifica, do not fear! Voidwaltzer is here! And you, hooded stranger¨Cyou¡¯ve been a naughty girl!¡± she announced to an empty alley. Juniper¡¯s chest was burning as the girl''s sharp-heeled pumps pressed down onto her throat. She was struggling for air, her vision partially blurring. Her body stiffened, as she tried breathing, she tried pulling her off by tugging at no avail, despite being seemingly frailer than she was, she wouldn¡¯t budge. The girl¡¯s strength defied what was physically possible. I¡¯m fucked, I should¡¯ve stayed home! [Observe her abilities, Junie! You¡¯re not going to die, anytime soon!] Juniper could barely put a coherent thought together, everything felt all over the place. How!? [Just pretend to chant it in your head. You know like some close-to-death anime character over monologuing ] Despite her incoherent vision, the enemies, and stats came into view. [Voidwaltzer!] [Power: 12] [Endurance: 24] [Dexterity: 40] [Reflex: 45] [Durability: 10] [Energy: 65] [Power: Distort, warp, and manipulate gravity around any space within 10 meters of her.] [Skills] [Amplify strength when exposed to higher gravity] [Accelerate speed when exposed to lower gravity] [Defy physical limitations using herself as the center of gravity.] [Affiliation: Unknown¨C Vigilante] Voidwaltzer was not only able to defy gravity but shift it to her advantage, she was locked in a cage with no way out. She hated every moment of this. [It¡¯s okay. *Starts biting fingernails*. She¡¯s really tough, end-game level tough for your level 1 noob butt, but it''s cool. You got legs use em- start running away, Get to the rooftops, blast her away! Trust me] ¡®You make it sound so goddamn easy!¡¯ she thought aloud. Voidwalzter finally let her foot off the juniper. Air flooded her lungs painfully, she crept down to crawl, coughing as the air came in waves. Her chest heaved, and with every breath, pain in her ribs throbbed like a heartbeat. Proof of her unathleticism. She really needed to switch her lifestyle around. ¡°Easy, ohh, don¡¯t worry I like to play with my prey.¡± Voidwaltzer teased, with her high-pitched voice, her heel struck her in the center of her stomach. She curled together instinctively. ¡°You¡¯re so adorable when you squirm for air,¡± The assailant purred, as she crept down beside her. ¡°Like a little kitten lost in the wrong nest.¡± her hands reach for Juniper¡¯s hood. Juniper winced, then slapped her across the face. ¡°Piss off!¡± [Wow, you two are like an abusive couple. Uh...I mean..uh... Run to the rooftops! Juniper¨CThe roof, moonlight, and the power of the sun, Move!] She wanted to swear at the AI, but she was preoccupied by the unhinged vigilante. ¡°Ooh, you¡¯re a feisty one, let¡¯s have some fun. My team never lets me have fun.¡± Probably for good reason. Voidwaltzer approached her, skipping like a kindergarten kid playing hopscotch, her heeled pumps clicking on the ground in a rhythmic pattern. It felt like when Iffy wanted to play rough except, this was an adult, and playtime became lethal. Juniper stood up, her body, eyes, and hands glowing golden, hair raised into the air. Her body filled up energy like a car being pumped. ¡°Ooh, shiny! Her eyes lit up like she just made the discovery of a century. ¡°You kinda resemble Helio girl now,¡± she said with excitement before being expelled by a burst of light, slamming her and sending her flying through the air. A short-lived victory for Juniper, she knew the girl wouldn¡¯t give up. The air itself seemed to twist and distort as she seemingly stopped mid-air, twirling her legs like she was a ballerina, she spun around like she was swimming in the ocean. She floated down mid-air like a feather in a fan. Gracefully and elegantly, beautiful but a pain In Jun¡¯s ass. ¡°Let¡¯s skip all the theatrics,¡± Voidwaltzer said with a smirk, a lot more calmer than before.¡°I saw what you did back there, just briefly after the commotion started. Punching a man into a metal trash can and fleeing while he started bleeding out. Are you either a super-induced addict or a new rogue cape? Or¡­ perhaps a proper villain in the making. ¡° ¡°I¨CI¡¯m neither of those things! You¡¯re making a lot of assumptions.¡± Juniper spat. Her body felt overexposed, as she was scrutinized by her eyes, a familiar feeling. ¡°You¡¯re new to this aren¡¯t you, it''s written all over your body language. This game, it''s unfamiliar to you, unknown territory.¡± Time seemed to stop around Voidwalker as she seemingly ¡®walked¡¯ in front of her, with miraculous speed. Reappearing almost in an instant. She could barely register anything¨C ¡°Boo!¡± She yelled and spun around. Coming face-to-face with her from behind. Turning the other way. She sprinted into the narrow alleys. Slipping through an unvaultable cramped gab Hovering midair, her power low on moonfuel. She needed to get to the rooftops. [Keep running! Get that cardio in. You¡¯ll be a star Olympiad one of these days! In the fleeing department.] ¡°Waha¨C why are all these weirdos drawn to me?¡± she shouted aloud, her voice cracking as she was out of breath. Then laughing hysterically as the fear and the adrenalin merged. Voidwaltzer giggled after her. Delighted. Her glowing body, leaping from one end of a rooftop to another, started basking in the full light of the moon, She could feel the energy welling up inside, her glow lighting up with every new second that passes. She peered in the direction of the lunatic, hoping she had a sliver of a chance. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°Light girl, I know you¡¯re up there~¡± she teased her from below, or was it a mockery? Realization set in, this was hardly the best of the cape world, it was going to get a lot tougher from here on out, and she needed to be extra prepared. She readied her body, taking in the encompassing moonlight, diluted sunlight, it would have to do. Not even a split second before she could catch a breather. Voidwaltzer comically ran up the wall, like a cartoon character, flipping over the edge like it was no issue. Landing in front of her with a theatrical pose. ¡°So you are new, clearly judging by your experience.¡± she tilted her head, smirking playfully. ¡°So why did you kick that man? Are you a villain, an independent supercriminal? Speak because heels of justice are ready to kick to knock some sense into you.¡± Juniper starts trembling, backing away, her legs wobbling like jelly. ¡°I-I was just trying to help an old man, they were threatening him, I¨CI didn¡¯t know I would break him apart.¡± She was unconvinced, hands to her hips. ¡°Ah yes, the classic excuse of he started it first. Guilty, guilty, and guilty as charged. Come with me and we¡¯ll determine if it checks out, who knows what happens if I let you go.¡± she extended her hand like she was a child. ¡°I don¡¯t want to, you weirdo! Who just kicks someone for the fun of it!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just cape profiling, based on your behavior, you''re the one who sped away like a gas station thief..¡± ¡°That¡¯s harassment, you¡¯re not even a proper hero! You don¡¯t work with the authorities. I¡¯d rather speak with the police than with you.¡± She became incredibly frustrated her hands started shaking.¡°Oh you¡¯re one of those types. No, these so-called ¡®heroes¡¯ who do nothing but serve their bourgeoisie masters, deserve punishment as well. Capes on a fucking leash.¡± her hand gestures were all over the place. ¡°Only we who take the path of vigilance¨Ccan deliver proper justice¨Cnow last chance noob, come with me or get an ass beating.¡± ¡°No!¡± she faltered. Voidwaltzer stepped forward, cold and calculated. Juniper''s mind started collecting ideas, recalling how Heliogirl often put up a barrier, blocking anything from energy beams to bullets, with it. I¡¯ll wear her out. She held her hands out, imagining covering herself with an imaginary bubble. Golden light forming an egg-like shell. ¡°How unoriginal, I¡¯ve dealt with barriers of this kind before, how convenient that you emulate that blond bitch.¡± Without a single warning. She attacks the barrier with lightning-quick kicks, Every kick brings her one step closer to shattering the increasingly fragile barrier. Her body sped up to imperceivable speeds. Everything about this girl defied the laws of physics. [Baahaha, SHe¡¯s MUGEN character, Junie, Focus, don¡¯t lose control of the block button, or you''re in for a knockout.] ¡°Now you¡¯re the one treating this sys-chan!¡± ¡°Syschan?!¡± Voidwaltzer asked. then¡­ She launched herself up in the sky, with godlike speed, tumbling and turning, accelerating and bringing herself down, the mass of her leg suddenly exerting earthquake-level pressure as she brought it down on the barrier. It cracks completely open, making it fall apart like dominoes on a table, shards of golden-silver later dissipating. Juniper fell to her knees. [Quick do the thing! Steal her powers] ¡°Steal what?¡± [Her powers, Baka! Start grabbing and grappling.] Voidwaltzer herself was staggered, movements slowing as if her power was on some sort of cooldown. Juniper lunged forward, not waiting to be assaulted again. She grabbed her thighs, and one of her arms, hoping it would work out. ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Stop that!¡± Her hands start to wander, across her body. She starts feeling her all over, squishing her leg, and the lower parts of her thighs, she moves her hands to her elbow. Squish squish, squish squish¡­ ¡°Sys-chan Nothing is happening!!!¡± ¡°Who are you speaking to, you perverted freak? Hey, I''m sensitive in that spot, stop touching me,¡± she shouted confused. Perhaps the clothing is preventing me. Juniper moved her hands towards her neck, towards more of her exposed part, but nothing happened as she touched her neck. She keeps touching, but nothing happens. [Strange, it worked with the nurse and she had a complete overall on. We will have to test this later Desu.] ¡°Are you serious!¡± the vigilante screamed. ¡°What the fuck am I supposed to do?¡± ¡°Punch me maybe?!¡± Time slows to a crawl again, or rather, she struggles to move, her body feeling heavier. Voidwaltzer grabs her by the neck, removing the hoodie completely exposing her face. Juniper lets go of her, shying away. But their eyes locked with each other, Juniper gazed into her red jewels behind the mask. Red eyes A side effect of her power perhaps? Voidwaltzer''s expression was unreadable, but her whole tone switched up. Juniper did her best to hide away her face. Too late ¡°You¡¯re kind of cute,¡± she remarked out of nowhere, moving her face as close as possible. ¡°What?¡± She then effortlessly flipped her over. ¡°Uuuggghhh.¡± she groaned, as the pain struck her back. When she felt her spine shake she hit the rooftop. ¡°That¡¯s for touching my thighs.¡± She approached slowly, striding with the confidence of a model. Her clicking awakened something inside Juniper. ¡°You lost, now come with me¡­¡± Juniper realized she was at her limit. Mentally, physically, and even emotionally, she gave up. Bowing her head, and started pleading. ¡°Wait!¡± her voice cracked. ¡°Just wait, don''t hurt me! I¡¯m not a bad girl! It was my first time¡­¡± Voidwaltzer pulls back, tapping her leg with annoyance. ¡°What are you even talking about!¡± she said tilting her head. ¡°You said you came to the scene when I kicked that gangster, but I was only trying to help the old man they harassed. I swear, please stop, I have a family at home, and I can¡¯t be caught in this cape shit. I was just trying to get something to eat, then it happened.¡± ¡°I have a family¨C that¡¯s what they all say!¡± her voice became harsh. She gripped her by the arms, yanking her up, and hit her a with hard slap on the back. ¡°If what you¡¯re saying is true, then you¡¯ll have no issue coming with me, I''m a vigilante, not a human trafficker. Are you even registered yet?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± she flinched, averting the gaze of the vigilante, who looked up at her face. ¡°So, you just came out here to play superhero huh.¡± she sighed deeply, her fist clenched. ¡°Listen to me you, you fucking idiot! Firsties like you are the whole reason why casualties are overrepresented on the street, not only are you irresponsible but you cause chaos everywhere you go.¡± ¡°Yes ma''am¡­¡± she said, shoulder slumping. ¡°You think this is some fucking game? People die out here, it takes a single move and everything is fucked.¡± Voidwaltzer resisted the urge to punch her in the face. She nodded like a disobedient child. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I admit I misjudged the initial situation, you¡¯re not the prey I was hoping to hunt, either way, please just briefly come with me. You''re lucky, really lucky.¡± As Voidwaltzer started a longer more serious monologue, her initial craziness disappeared, Juniper¡¯s focus lay elsewhere, and her energy was condensing. Juniper¡¯s power surged within, and the glow intensified, shifting from soft gold to radiant silver. She stopped her trembling, becoming eerily calm. [You¡¯re juiced up, blast this posing yapper out away. And get out of here!] Compressing her energy around her, she imagines herself, letting go of all her troubles, just whipping it all away with a sudden push. Her power emotionally charged and driven, came like an unstoppable tidal wave, uncaring and unrelenting. Voidwaltzer who¡¯s words were trailing off, stopped talking when she noticed the shift. ¡°Oh, so you do have some fight left in you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had about enough for one night, stay away from me!¡± she raised her voice dramatically and started screaming ¡°Haaaaa¡ª--!!!!¡± A spherical aura forms around her, and expands outwards sending the gravity girl reeling to the other end of the building. Wasting no time. Juniper imagined herself like a rocket launching herself into space, her body propelled upward. With a shot of uncontrolled power, zooming into the air. Wobbling uncontrollably, she struggled to maintain herself. [Solar power sentinel lvl 2>3] The girl didn¡¯t seem intent on pursuing, put her hands together, and shouted in the air. ¡°I saw your face, Glow girl. I¡¯ll find you¡­¡± Going higher into the air, she couldn¡¯t hear her yapping anymore, her body struggling to maintain direction. The zipping wind, tugged at her as she was raised in the sky. The air current made her hair flow around backward. Glancing down at the grounded lights and passing cars, her frustration and pain disappeared. Replaced by awe. From this height, the world below seemed so small, she was removed from the chaos of it all. The cool breeze bit at her skin, calming her raging nerves. ¡°I¡¯m flying sys-chan! I¡¯m flying.¡± [Technically, you¡¯re set to crash but I can see, *happy face*] ¡°You okay, system? No emoticon?¡± [Not quite, system functions of the user''s brain, I am tired, you¡¯re tired.] For a brief moment, the world stood still, and the silence of the night wrapped itself around her. Peace, but then it all went away, vanishing as quickly as it cape. ¡°Oh shit!!!!¡¯ Her nerves did a 180, and her blood rushed. The glowing aura she possessed gave out, she struggled to dive cleanly mid-air, struggling to gain control, Jun brought out her arms, attempting to glide down. The rushing wind burned her skin as she tumbled down, something went into her eye. With a sudden thud, she hit a brick wall of someone¡¯s house. The lights of the building turned on, and she while dazed scattered to maneuver out of their yard, rushing across the street, constantly moving. ¡°That was quite the ride, wasn¡¯t it sys-chan¡­ system chan?¡± No answer, no reply. She panicked, she had gotten used to having her in her head in a brief time, now they were separated. A machine was only as good as its hardware limitations, she needed rest after this fiasco. How was she going to explain this to her brother? She did her best to move quickly through the neighborhood, partly crippled and battered again. The neighborhood went on for a while stretching and turning as it was built on an upwards hill. No trouble for a while. Then came sudden barking from the angry pit bulls snapping at their metal chains. Eyes locked on her. Barking at her like she was a threat. ¡°Yeah you can go fuck yourself too,¡± she shouted, she was feeling bold tonight. The dog responded by ripping off its chains in pursuit¡± ¡°Oh fuck¡­¡± She used the last of her energy to glide over the rooftops, skipping the long treks in fear of being mauled apart... Landing near the emergency exit/entrance of the apartment, hoping no one saw her again. She limped inside, groaning and moaning. Peeking around the corner. Ms Louise was vacant, missing from her midnight patrol. She hoped no more surprises awaited her. The missing presence was the only relief she felt. Climbing up the stairs. Every step up was a fight of its own. In her tiredness, she was confronted by another obstacle that pierced her sight. It was Kanako in modest pajamas, she was standing there, with an oversized telescope, stargazing. Oh no, don¡¯t notice me! As if her thoughts manifested themselves. Kanako turned her head. Locking her with juniper¡¯s body, rushing over at the sight of her, suddenly. Face twisting in horror. The sound of her slippers clapping echoed through the night. ¡°Juniper san, are you okay!¡± She winced. Her clothing was torn apart, bruises were visible under the fabric. Her hair was a mess. Oh boy, how was she going to get out of this one? It was also the first time she referred to her with a Japanese honorific, she supposed she would be flattered in any other situation. ¡°I''m fine, I¡¯m fine, I had a rough run, that''s all.¡± She put on a fake shaky smile, taking as much as care possible to avoid her hands. ¡°Just met some crazy dogs along the road nothing too serious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not nothing, should I take you to the hospital?¡± she interrupted, blocking her from inspecting her wounds. ¡°Those don¡¯t look like bite marks.¡± ¡°No! Stop! It''s nothing!¡± she snapped, startling the Japanese girl. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry I just need some rest. Thanks for worrying, but I¡¯m okay.¡± Juniper became frustrated, gritting her teeth. She didn¡¯t need to deal with this right now. Kanako who was taken aback by the sudden outburst. Hesitates not knowing what to do. ¡°I see, let me at least carry you to your apartment.¡± She didn¡¯t deny the help. Fearing she might push her away permanently if she declined. She nodded. She bit her lip, barely breaking herself into crying, and the aftermath of the beating she took, started kicking in. She¡¯d have to go to a hero agency as soon as possible to make sure her tab is kept clean. She didn''t want to start Cape-ing on the wrong side of the law. Unlocking the door Inside, her brother was vacant. Possibly asleep. A quiet Kanako helped her inside, her face completely aghast. ¡°I''m sorry Miss. Kamizuki.¡± She shook her head, her voice gentle as ever. ¡°Just get some rest, if..if you don¡¯t feel well by tomorrow, please let me take you¡­¡± She didn¡¯t reply, closing the door behind her. She went straight to her bed, stumbling like a zombie, ready to knock herself out, putting earphones in her ear, and dozing off to sleep. A dim screen popped up. [Low Battery. System Rest Mode Activated.] Syschan chimed softly [You did well jun, I know I asked a lot from you, but you came out on top tonight] Did she? Some supervillain/vigilante knew her face, she was partially recorded half killing a criminal, and she possibly strained the relationships with her brother and Kanako, unfixable damage to any progress. The heavy burden of it all took over, and threw her in the ocean in darkness. Sending her to dreamland, like Alice who was sent to wonderland. She hoped she could stay there forever. Chapter 9 - "Small Moments, Heavy Thoughts" The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Chapter 10.A - Annemarie It was dead cold in the middle of the night. The chill cut through her outfit with ease. Voidwaltzer freely leaped through the air, floating through the air like gravity had forgotten to judge her. Trailing a moving SUV, her target was locked in sight, She stuck to the shadows, these types would shoot before questioning. The car slowed down, near a broken traffic light. Headlights switched off. A shady individual standing under a street light, their whole body covered with thick layers of clothing and a full balaclava. Pocket knife in his jeans. A gang of three get out of the SUV, armed to the teeth. Visibly carrying a shotgun and two handguns, possibly knives too, judging by the thick parts of their clothing. They nodded to the waiter, moving swiftly to the rear. One of them is standing on the lookout. The trunk of the car flew open, retrieving several containers from the back, they put them on the sidewalk. The lookout checking for any suspicious activity near their de facto border of operations. They darted in her direction as if feeling shadows watching. Completely silent and moving like a spook above the building she stood watching, as she tiptoed closer to the scene. Voidwaltzer could see Inside the containers from above the content: Several packs of powders and pills, drug tools and plastic bags, pipes, and the like. They likely had anything from bath salts, fentanyl, methamphetamine, enough drugs to poison a city. ¡®Degenerate trash!¡¯ she thought. Her muscles are tightening. As the buyer went to peruse the wares, she made her move in the dark. Her first step was to startle them and instill fear and confusion in their hearts. She accelerated into the air, zipping into the street light without the noise of her movement, crushing it with a swift kick, An explosion of glass and electrical sparks, plunged the area into darkness. ¡°What the fuck is that!¡± a hooded member screamed, fumbling for his weapon. Gun aiming at the air at the street lights. ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± another shouted, spinning his handgun around. All of them were on high alert, the buyer started panicking, motioning to get away. They point the gun at him. ¡°Where the hell do you think you¡¯re going.¡± ¡°I got nothing to do with this man, this spooky shit ain¡¯t part of the deal.¡± he stammers, backing away slowly. ¡°Where the fuck do you think you¡¯re going?!¡± ¡°You tryna set me up¡­¡± ¡°Set who up, don¡¯t even fucking move.¡± The shotgun was pointed at him. ¡°Jeffrey start the fucking car!¡± ¡°On it,¡± Jeffry yelled, running towards the driver¡¯s seat. Her second step was to immobilize their means of escape. Accelerating like the wind, by removing all gravity around her and then multiplying it at the last minute, she stomped the door in like a truck, Denting the driver¡¯s door inwards, Jeffry stumbled back. With a storm she kicked her heel into the passenger¡¯s side door, crushing any hopes of additional entry. ¡°Fucking cape!!!¡± All four of them pointed a gun at her, their eyes wide, bloodshot red. Clearly, they must have taken some of their own supply. Despite his shivering hands, the scrawniest of the bunch, wasted no time shooting her. She extended her hands concentrating, an invisible field appeared around her, where only she could control gravity. The bullets nearly stopped mid-air and glided at a snail¡¯s pace. She watched the projectiles with irritation. The one she assumed was the leader, circled around her, flanking her from a different angle, unloading heavy shotgun slugs at her. ¡°Die in hell bitch!¡± He cried out. She tilted her head like a detached doll. ¡°Only after you,¡± she replied. The two at the back, the buyer and the one called Jeffery seized an opportunity to flee the scene. Jumping out of the barrier like a mad acrobatic, she chased them down first. The very moment she left the area-of-effect, gravity resumed normally and the bullets ricocheted off the pavement and the SUV. A bloodcurdling scream nearly shook her. ¡°Aaaaahhhh, my leg.¡± She couldn¡¯t afford to pay attention. Landing in front of a pair, she knocks the two over. Swiftly with a kick in the face. Another round of shells was unloaded on her, nearly catching her off guard, and she spun away. Launching herself into the and knocking the injured ¡® boss¡¯ over with a punch to the face. The scrawny one threw his gun down, done on his knees. Begging for his life. He took off his mask. ¡°Please¡­please¡­please¡­don¡¯t kill me. They forced me into this shit!¡± He was young, a little younger than she was. Barely still a teenager. A flash of a memory buzzes in her head, and her cold demeanor settles. Two years ago, she was in the same position as he was. Selling narcotics to get by, forced into a gang, so she could ¡®just¡¯ survive. That all changed later violently. ¡°You, goon, gather up your friends here and pile them over there. Now!¡± He sprang up obediently, scrambling to his feet, nearly tripping over. Dragging the unconscious group of three together into a pile. ¡°Hurry the fuck up before I lash you.¡± ¡°Y-yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Waiting until he was done, she stood over him. ¡°Which group do you operate with?¡± ¡°B-bu-bu-black street cartel ma¡¯am.¡± Black street cartels weren¡¯t numerous, but they were a nuisance, one of the more unsavory of the small gangs that rule Core Pacifica. She hated each and every one of them. Black Street in particular was a depraved association. They were a good comparison to the gang she once was a part of. Approaching the men on the ground, the scrawny dude started shivering as he stared at her. She ignored him. Taking a picture of the downed individuals, she sent them to an anonymous police hotline, pictures of the stash, of their faces, labeled ¡°care package.¡± ¡°You throw your clothes in there most of it, leave your underwear.¡± he whimpered but did it immediately. Grunting and whaling. He Stacked it on the narcotics. Taking a lighter, which was more akin to a miniature flamethrower from her pocket, she ignited the clothing, starting a fire in the SUV. Initiating the destruction of very expensive narcotics at least several hundred K. ¡°Now get lost¡­¡± she growled, her voice coarse. He started running like the hells were after him. Something stirred within her mind, and she trailed after him and pinned him to the ground with a slam. ¡°Take my advice, Go home, sell everything you have, get a haircut, smuggle yourself out of town, leave, don''t come back. Never ever come back¡± He nodded reluctantly, face full of snot and tears. She kicked him for the heck of it, and he sped away half-naked. The authorities would probably be here soon, she stared at the burning of the car. Her mind was all jumbled up. Fire was something that unnerved her, yet she was drawn to it. Something else bothered her too. Her brief fight with the cape she encountered bothered her, she¡¯d made a judgment call, assumed the worst, and possibly made an enemy for life. She couldn¡¯t help but feel doubt. However, she did not regret fighting her, that thrill she got out of it. It was mesmerizing. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Turning to weak prey she dispatched. Sometimes she wondered if it was even worth fighting crime on the streets. There had to be a better solution to beating them up and locking them away. Like taking them out permanently. She liked to ¡®hunt¡¯, to chase people, it kept her alive. But rules held her back, she can¡¯t ever hurt them too much. Never. The cape girl who tried to steal her powers was interesting, she was fun. She wanted to hunt her again for the sake of feeling something. She took her blows and fought back. She had given up near the end of it. Hoping to bring her in, so she doesn¡¯t end up like she did. But right now, She felt empty. Her lips briefly curled, then faded quickly, a hollow ache in her heart. The crackling of the fire takes her back to her childhood days, her childhood home fire, her parents inside, her mother¡¯s screaming, and the fall her brother took trying to get out. She heard sudden footsteps behind her, snapping out of her head. ¡°Annemarie!¡± She gritted her teeth, she hated being called by her name when in uniform. She turned her head with annoyance. A tall man dressed in cybernetic armor stood behind her, a sheathed but dull metallic sword clasped in his hands. Metal ronin. Or as she knew him in person, simply John. She sighed. ¡°What do you want, John samurai?¡± ¡°There you are, you¡¯re late, we were supposed to have a meeting an hour ago, the boss is pissed off, needs us all there. Asap, we''re making big moves into villain territory the day after tomorrow. Shadow district.¡± ¡°yeah?¡± She blinked and checked her phone. There was indeed a meeting schedule, but hundreds of notifications she ignored. She swiped through them casually. ¡°Oops, my bad. Guess I was preoccupied with taking out the trash.¡± she motioned to the gang members on the ground... He swiped his sword at the burning trunk of the car killing the fire. ¡°That car could fucking explode!¡± he snapped.¡±You¡¯d kill these criminals and or start a fire through this neighborhood. The civilians, Voidwaltzer.¡± ¡°I was gonna put it, was simply burning the narcotics, oh well.¡± ¡°Still playing the lone wolf huh, how¡¯d that work out for you this year.¡± She snapped, Rushing at him in a split second, her leg raised ready to strike him. He didn¡¯t flinch or blink. Calm, he locked his gaze on hers, unyielding but emphatic. He raised his brows. She stopped lowering herself. She clicked her tongue. ¡°Wannabe samurai!¡± He smirked. He was indeed handsome, with a rugged but clean-cut beard, sharp jawline, and a chiseled face, a Greek artist would make models of him in a different timeline, his hair tied back. He had an air of mystery. Were it not for his Miyamoto Musashi obsession, he¡¯d be much more attractive to her. ¡°Shall we go then,¡± he gestured. ¡°Arkangeal doesn¡¯t like waiting.¡± She shoved him aside, walking forward. ¡°As long as you''ll stop bothering me, old man¡± He chuckled. ¡°Oh silly Annemarie. I¡¯m not that old.¡± She scoffs, shooting him a glare over the casual name-calling. **** Stepping into an underground compound, It was awfully quiet. In a closed-off dimly lit room, with an open window. A lady with flaming red hair sat on a crate under the moonlight tapping her heels on the ground, in a rhythm, smoking a cigar. Her hands were preoccupied with assembling and disassembling pistols, possibly at Olympic speeds. Her arms move like a machine. Metal Ronin stepped in first, audibly confused, their entire retinue missing. ¡°Where are the others?¡± She looked up at the approaching crowd. Expression relaxed. ¡°They got tired of waiting for you two, I¡¯ll brief you in the morning John. Go get some proper sleep.¡± He folded his arms together. ¡°So you sent me all the way for nothing, Here I thought I was the most valued member on the team, not an errand runner.¡± ¡°Goodnight John.¡± her voice was stern but calm. ¡°I need to speak Anne alone.¡± ¡°You are¡­the boss. Goodnight,¡± he said, holding his hands up. He strolled along the hallways, walking to the other end of the room. Disappearing shortly after. Arkangeal hopped off her crate, boots stepping towards Annemarie, who stood near the door, looking downwards. Fidgeting with her fingers, her heart beating a bit, avoiding any and all eye contact. ¡® ¡°Anne, you¡¯re late, again.¡± There was frustration in her voice, but a hint of concern as well. She was silent, not saying a word, clutching her right wrist with her left hand, Head angling even further down as she stared at her own boots. ¡°Look at me,¡± She put her hands on her chin, lifting up her head. Their eyes meeting, Anne struggles to avert the gaze.¡°Do you hate being here? Annemarie, because you¡¯re making it very hard for me to keep you around.¡± She swallowed hard, not knowing what to say. ¡°I¡¯m sorry big sis, I..I¡¯ve been busy.¡± ¡°So I¡¯ve heard. ¡± she pointed to a small table on the edge of the room corner. ¡°Come on, let''s sit down.¡± ¡°You still have that day job¡­¡± she asked. Scrutiny ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°I thought I told you to leave it.¡± Contempt ¡°It gives me peace of mind.¡± The woman shook her head. Incomprehensibility ¡°Tell me about this cape you met, keep it brief.¡± she sighed deeply. ¡°How do you know about it, I haven¡¯t even reported¨C¡± ¡°Come on Anne, you know I know everything.¡± She hesitated. ¡°She¡¯s an adult, around twenty, awkwardly built, kinda plump but thin, brown wavy hair.¡± The woman snorted. Her face was partially amused. ¡°Come on now, I was asking about her powers and behavior, not her measurements.¡± She was a bit flustered, she wasn¡¯t good at answering these types of questions. She was getting there. It was hard to be herself around her team. Especially big sis. ¡°I think she''s a power stealer or copier, mistook her for a criminal, she got in a fight with one and displayed powers very similar to Helio-girl. Light powers and the jist. She um¡­Groped me, claimed she was trying to steal my powers/¡± Arkangeal paused at the last statement but leaned forward, interest piqued. Scanning Annmarie for additional answers. ¡°You think she could be some kind of plant, she just happened to possess powers similar to everyone¡¯s favorite punching bag. Very odd, most capes don¡¯t display similar powers, even then it¡¯s off by thousands of miles usually.¡± It sounded more like Arkangeal was talking to herself. ¡°And?¡± she questioned after a brief period. ¡° Does she have a strong moral compass? Did you speak with her? or did you jump straight to kicking her ass, like you usually do?¡± ¡°The latter.¡± Lips tightening she hid a frown. Her ¡®Big sis¡¯ yawned. Taking a small cigar out of her pocket and lit it. Smoke cast beautiful shadows under the moonlight. ¡°Of course you did.¡± She rested her body on the table, elbows, and hands together as she smoked. ¡°Do you think she¡¯s recruitable?¡± ¡°I...I don¡¯t know. I tried bringing her in. She¡¯s unregistered, it might have been her first night out. She was nervous, finicky, all over the place, talking with herself..¡± ¡°Talking with herself you say, not possibly someone over a remote connection.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she admitted, she didn¡¯t pay much attention to sounds around her, during the fight. ¡°All very interesting.¡± There was a silent pause. Before her big sis berated her again. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to know much of anything lately Ann, what¡¯s bothering you?¡± Each word cut into her heart, she did not respond. Arkangeal looked away. ¡°Okay then¡­I¡¯ll give you a separate assignment while we push into the shadow district. Bring the girl here, she¡¯d be a great asset to our cause.¡± ¡°Wait¨Cwhat¡± she raised her voice. ¡°I can¡¯t come with you.¡± Her mind raced, all the potential capes she could fight, It would satisfy the gnawing hunger she was feeling, hunting Glow Girl seemed much less interesting in comparison. ¡°No,¡± her boss said lightly. ¡°You¡¯re head is all over the place, A cape with his mind in the wrong place is a dead cape, you''re never here for team exercises, so to prove your worth, bring the girl here, do something productive for once.¡± ¡°Big sis, that¡¯s not fair!¡± ¡°Fair!¡± The woman put a finger on Anne¡¯s mouth. ¡°Shhh, Anne, Nothing¡¯s fair in life. You should know that by now.¡± Silence fell again, heavy and suffocating. She was choking up, but held it all back. A minute passed. She felt like a little schoolgirl sitting in front of the principal''s seat. Her ¡®big sis¡¯ piercing gaze hurt more than anything. ¡°How¡¯s your brother, he woke up yet¡­¡± Images of sterile hospital rooms and the beeping of machines haunted her. Staring at her brother¡¯s pale face, every waking moment a step in the direction of his death. How long could the machines hold him in a coma? ¡°No¡­why do you even care! You¡¯re not my biological sister! You don¡¯t get to ask this stuff.¡± Arkangeal sighed. ¡°Ann, and... Of course, I care..¡± she took her by her wrist. ¡° When I brought you in, I was prepared to give you a chance. But I can¡¯t glue together what you¡¯re cutting apart.¡± ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that? Do you think I¡¯m losing control? You don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like to lose everything!¡± ¡°I do¡± her voice sharp, quieting the girl. ¡°More than you think. But running away from your problems will only make it worse.¡± she leaned closer, ¡°Anne, if you can¡¯t cooperate I¡¯ll have to hand you off to an agency. We¡¯re independent vigilantes but we still operate under the umbrella of the law. If you keep doing what you want, that reflects badly on all of us. At Least they can give you the life you deserve, free of this.¡± Her mind race, thoughts all messed up. Handed off? They shackle her with a lifetime of rules, monitoring her, her freedom strip away, controlled by fuckers in suits and billionaire fiends. Her life as a foster child playing over her head. SHe was shackled for a long time, she was hurt by those experiences, she had to run away from those homes. None of them worked out. She was not a slave She slapped Arkangeal¡¯s hand away. Pissed off. ¡°You¡¯ll get what you want. Give me some time, I have an idea where she is¡­¡± ¡°Good little sister..¡± the redhead whispered. She stands up walking away. Arkangeal watching her with pity and regret. Stopping in front of the door, she did take notice of the samurai¡¯s sudden presence, she eavesdropped. ¡°That was needlessly harsh Evelyn,¡± John said to her. ¡°I thought you left.¡± ¡°Thought I¡¯d stick around, play the role of uncle, maybe big brother, clearly not necessary.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t rein her in, who will? I don¡¯t want her to get hurt. She¡¯s a daredevil¡± Arkangeal replied. Her voice cracked slightly, but she quickly steadied it. ¡°I just... I don¡¯t want her to end up like me.¡± ¡°She¡¯s an adult Eve, she¡¯s also a fighter, hardly the girl you found. She¡¯ll figure it out. Give her some time.¡± Annemarie clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. Did they need to discuss her without her presence? Donning her mask, tightly, she fled the base. Going out into the underbelly of the city, The cold crisp air started biting her again. Chapter 11 - Baby steps She sat cross-legged on the rooftop, the warm rays of the obscured sun barely warming the cold concrete beneath her, nebulous clouds moving like waves pulled by an ocean. Her head tilted back, and her eyes were closed as she listened to the Symphony of Pacifica. She could hear the banter of shopkeepers and the joyful laughs of their regulars. The beating the pavement took as a brigade of joggers passed by, in the distance capes zipping through the air, sending loud sounds of air trailing across the skyscape. The farther she went out the less it became disjointed, humming instead, like a song of life. [Superpower maxed out.] [Super audition >LvL 5] [Active range: 10 Miles] [Permanent passives attained] [Enhanced hearing, heightened reflexes] Her eyes blink open in surprise. Her brain struggles to comprehend the sudden change in her senses, a higher power becoming a permanent part of her. The system screen hovered in front of her. [Display stats] [YN] Why not. [Juniper¡¯s Stats] ] [Power: 4 ] [Endurance: 4 ] [Dexterity: 8 ] [Reflex: 12] [Durability: 3 ] [Energy: 4 ] [Active skills] [Mimicry] [Observation] [Passive Skills:]] [Slow regeneration] [Enhanced hearing] [Power emulation Lvl 1] [Heightened reflexes] [Superpowers:]] [Super Audition Lvl 5] [Solar-powered Sentinel] Lvl3 ¡°Power emulation, what is power emulation?¡± She asked herself without a description, it was way too vague. A screen popped up at will on her command. Skill Name: Power Emulation [Lvl 1] [Mimic the abilities of superhumans. Can only use as many powers, corresponding to the user''s skill level. The potency of powers depends on the user''s mastery over abilities. Over Usage risks feedback strain on the user.] ¡°Feedback strain?¡± Sys-chan chimed in happily. [Remember when you got your ass beat by that vigilante? Yeah, we both were pretty tired after that. You have your limits. (?????) ] ¡°Ah, but it was you who went to sleep first.¡± she rebutted. [?? ? ? ? ?? I was simply saving energy! Anyway it seems, not all powers are equal, this is good though, you¡¯ll start soaking up powers much more quickly¡±] ¡°uurrghh, I don¡¯t want to hear too much stuff. I don¡¯t want to be a big-eared bat girl¡± Remembering a time when upper-stairs neighbors wouldn¡¯t stop bed-jumping in the middle of the night. [Aww, but wouldn¡¯t you make the cutest bat girl?] she teased. ¡°No, just stop it.¡± [Very well! Very well! Your ¡®passive¡¯ powers should act in tandem with your intent, intentions are everything, try it out.] She willed the hearing power off. Listening to her surroundings, nothing was different at first, it was perfectly normal. Then she isolated a sound, concentrating on it, it expanded vibrantly. She listens to a colony of ants moving material along the rooftops, their footsteps like marching soldiers. Dissociating from that, caused her hearing to return to the status quo. ¡°Ok that was cool I admit,¡± she said, partially excited. ¡°So the objective is really to absorb as much as I can in as little time as possible?¡± [Bingo! soak it all in, boss! You¡¯re starting to get it. Those three-eyed freaks won¡¯t stand a chance against you.] She felt all her senses permanently enhanced, she could even hear the flutter of a pigeon or two, even the faint sound of their feathers, if she paid attention. Concentrating normally on the ground below her, her mind instinctively isolates two distinct sounds. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. There was skipping on the ground, rhythmic and light weighted, soft sneakers crossing the pavement, it felt like it was a child. The other was the roar of an engine, Something heavy was barreling in the same direction at inhuman speeds, Heavy tires turning sharply around a corner. For some reason, she had a strange feeling of dread. The child was moving towards the road, the truck sped as it neared the intersection. [Yikes! Canon event detected! Move your ass, you got like 15 seconds!] Her body moved on her own. She sprinted off the building, taking a leap of faith. Heights no longer scared her. Summoning the powers of the sun she landed awkwardly on the ground, her legs itching with heat and burn. She ignored it running towards the child. She saw him immediately, a little boy in a bright red shirt, skipping absentmindedly. The truck was here. Her fight-or-flight kicked in, pushing herself across the street. She lunged at the kid, whose eyes were wide, grasping him with open arms, just past the truck that blared its horn. Mid-air, Her leg clipped against the rear mirror of the truck, her trajectory put off course, as she tumbles on the ground. Hot asphalt burned her skin, her ribs, and her thigh as well. It all throbbed. Despite The pain, she doesn''t let go of the child, clinging with grace, imagining it was Effy she was holding. Her heart was beating way too loud for her ears. Pounding like an intruder. The child was quiet, staring at her with confusion. Wide-eyed. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­it¡¯s okay,¡± she whispered towards him. The truck had come to a stop, and the truck driver, who was sweating balls, walked towards them slowly lowering his cap, a small crowd formed around her. Whispering some even slowly started clapping their hands, the crowd following by example. Muttering words like ¡°A real hero¡± A delayed cry erupts from the child, wailing snot and tears, flooding into her chest. ¡°Oh my god, Cole!¡± A woman rushes from a few meters away, snatching the child from Juniper¡¯s arms. Her face was stricken with guilt and fear. ¡°Cole! I¡¯m sorry, mommy¡¯s sorry.¡± Juniper got up struggling, as the mother took the child into her arms. My work here is done. ¡°Thank you, thank you, I only lost sight of him for a minute, I don''t know what I would¡¯ve done if¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, ¡° she cut her off as politely as she could. ¡°just keep him in sight.¡± The simple words shook the woman. The truck driver was too scared to say anything, his mouth looked like it wanted to yap but nothing came out. The woman retrieved something from her purse, Juniper shook her head and jogged off. Paining ribs and all. A notification caught her eye. [+1 energy for exceeding your athletic limits] [+1 durability for taking extreme pain.] [It seems my little Juniper has become a hero, just short of eating a pavement faceplant (? ????)] She smiled genuinely for once. Retreating from the crowd, her adrenaline faded away, her bruised ribs making her work for every breath, she did her best to escape the scene, moving through a nearby alleyway, avoiding any lingering eyes. Luckily no one was smart enough to record it. She hoped people would forget about it and move on. She was feeling deprived of energy, energy drinks were the only answer she headed into depotmart, which happened to be on the street where she was run over with, hopefully, no, raging villains this time. Energy. She needed lots of energy. The fatigue of exercising all morning gnawed at her, and her throbbing injuries weren¡¯t helping. The answer was simple: caffeine. Hopefully, nothing bad will occur. *** Entering the store with haste, she headed straight to a 6 pack of energy drinks, rushing to make her way out. Movements were swift and deliberate, her body was screaming for it. The sooner she got out of here the better it would be. At the counter, she spots the same girl who worked here the previous week. Except her hair was all blonde now, into twin little pigtails, and her strange eye color was black instead of the green she had before. Eye contacts. Either way, it was odd for her. ¡°Hi, that¡¯s¡­ a lot of energy drinks.¡± the cashier said, her voice partly a tease. Juniper blushed, mumbling. ¡°Uh yeah, I¡¯ve been jogging.. feeling pretty tired.¡± ¡°All at once?¡± ¡°P-pretty much," she stammered. Refusing to meet her eyes. ¡®There was an awkward pause as the girl scanned the stuff, typing out her change. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to pry¡­but wasn¡¯t it you who got run over last week,¡± she asked her head tilting. Juniper nodded, staring at the ground like it was a shameful thing. ¡°Are you doing okay at all?¡± Was that sincere concern She struggled to answer, fumbling. ¡°Y-yeah, taking it one day at a time, you know still breathing and all that. ¡± ¡°Can I ask you something personal?¡± Her voice is a bit tense, but still as smooth. ¡°Sure,¡± she replied cautiously. ¡°Are you busy tomorrow?¡± ¡°Not really but uh, anything could happen.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s, my number, I¡¯d..like to speak to you about something.¡± About what, what did she want from her? ¡°This may come off as weird but I¡¯ve taken an interest in you, maybe we can hang out.¡± she blurted out. Leaving Juniper in a rut. ¡°The name is Anne Marie or Anne for short.¡± ¡°Juniper,¡± she said immediately. ¡°My name¡­¡± ¡°Beautiful name,¡± Annemarie said with a smile. ¡°it¡¯s great to put a name to a face.¡± ¡°Um, I don¡¯t know what to say, maybe.¡± [uh oh, look who¡¯s cheating!] It¡¯s not like she and Kanako were in a relationship and Annemarie seemed kind of nice. Anne giggled softly like soft fluid, hiking. ¡°Say, it¡¯s good to make new friends at least right?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Hey! Can you fucking lesbians hurry it up, I got a place to be.¡±An old man shouted from behind her, his face contorting in annoyance. Her stomach twisted, she¡¯d never been called that outright. It¡¯s not she didn¡¯t find men attractive either. Anne brushed it off causally. ¡°Ignore him¡± she motioned to the written number ¡°Give me a call at least, even if it¡¯s a no, please? ¡± Juniper took her drinks and left. Nodding to the girl as she left, conflicted not knowing what to make of it. No one has ever approached so bluntly. Perhaps Annemarie was lonely, still so much extroverted energy it was killing her. She¡¯d sleep on it. A familiar scene greeted her outside. The street edge in her mind, She did her best to mimic her movements from the day from that day. Looking up at the sky where she saw Helio-girl crash into a building. She ran out into the empty street, the end of the road blocked, a sign stating under reconstruction, She ran along the road, replaying the explosion and screams in her mind. Recollections of explosions, the screaming of people, the rush into the manhole. She stopped at a certain spot on her feet, refusing to move. She was hit hear, it played like a broken record. A worker approaches, snapping her back to reality, ¡°Hey, missy, we¡¯re working over here, and you¡¯re blocking the way.¡± She didn''t respond, simply turning away, and running back the way she came here. She cracked an energy drink open, throat parched like a desert. Effy would be home, maybe she could cook or bake something nice for once. Like a cake, try out something new, act more motherly. Climbing on top of another rooftop, sitting on the edge, sipping on the energy. She stares at the chaotic city, giant neon billboards playing the most out-of-touch corporate ads miles away. The city kept on humming. Her thoughts spiraled away. Her ribs aching, her mind filled with doubts, was she deluding herself? Where was all of this leading to? Staring at the ground below. There was always that curiosity, she carried a burden with her. She stood up slowly, looking directly down. What if I just jumped for the heck of it? [snapsnap! You wouldn¡¯t die anyway, don¡¯t start with this bullshit again! Think of everyone around you. Euphemia, Remy, Kanako, that girl that just showed interest in you. Don¡¯t even think about it, Junie¡­] ¡°I don¡¯t know why I was chosen by the system.¡± her voice thick, frustrated. ¡°I¡¯ve been a failure of a daughter, a sister, and a woman, all my life.¡± Syschan lowered her frantic energy. [Hey!Hey! You¡¯re doing awesome Junny, just take it one day at a time. Baby steps. It¡¯ll all work out.¡± ????(? ?? ? - ? ) ?] She let the words sink. ¡°Baby steps huh.¡± she wondered. ¡°Sys-chan?¡± [Yes?] ¡°Thanks for being Stuck in my head.¡± [Your welcome.] Chapter 12 - Charred Choices Effy leaped over the table, giggling like a little wild imp. Juniper chased after her, barely able to keep up with her pace. Vaulting over a chair, she runs head-first into a flying pillow, colliding with her face. ¡°Effy come here you littl¨C¡± The sudden smell of something burning scrunches her nose, makes her turn her head. Oh shit Smoke billows from the oven, she runs over shutting it off, frantically yanking it open. She pulled out the tray of burnt tar-like treats, coughing from the smoke that invaded her lungs. She waved it away. [Lo and behold! COOKIEGENESIS, the primordial gunk that will give way to new life, Cookie-based life forms.] Doing her best to cool it down, and move it to a separate cooler tray, She searches for a spatula, but Remy stood in the way. ¡°You¡¯re gonna kill us before a fire alarm does so, Juno.¡± He grabbed one of the hot cookies, juggling it in his hands and puffing like a hungry wolf. He takes a bite. ¡°Amazing, cough, you should send it to the military, it would put super kevlar to shame.¡± he teased. ¡°Outta way Rem, or I''ll smoke you too.¡± Irritated, she pushes her brother out of the way in the direction of the couch, Effy teasing her from afar. Sticking out her tongue, and face only the dead could replicate. Flipping the cookies onto a proper tray. She slammed her fist on the counter. ¡°At Least the first batch came out alright?¡± Remy said. There was a sudden knock on the door, and her face brightened. Forgetting about the charred chocolate cookie goodness, she beelines to the door. ¡°Someone is happy to see their girlfriend.¡± Remy teased. She gave the dirtiest side-eye she could construct. Unlocking it, Brushing off cookie dust from her apron. She immediately starts babbling. ¡°Kanako, perhaps you could help me¨C¡± Her shoulder shrunk inwards, and her legs skittered like jelly. Swinging the door open she came face to face with one of her personal devils, Avaree Reyes, the government-appointed ¡®social worker¡¯. A no-nonsense woman and half a decade of pain in her ass. She stood in front of her, sharp glasses that hid an even sharper gaze, heels that would kill any man, her hair pulled in a tight ponytail, a single slick bang, complementing her harmonious face. Olive skin that would put a natural tan to shame. Her eyes like ice cut by a surgeon, raked Juniper over and moved on to the chaos behind her. ¡°Something¡¯s burning, should I call the fire department?¡± she asked. Juniper didn¡¯t know if she was serious or not. And It was too late to hide any of it from her sight. ¡°It¡¯s only the second batch of cookies?¡± she sweated, closing the door as the woman strode in on her own. Her heels clacking all over the floor, as she surveys the messy living room, the smoldering oven, and the toppled-down furniture. ¡°You can be at ease, Ms. Pinewell. This is just a quick visit, I had to come, seeing as you avoided taking my calls. It¡¯ll be quick.¡± She doubted that. It was never simple with her. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy, ma¡¯am.¡± The woman said nothing, her silence felt like she was calling out a bluff. Effy peaked from behind a couch, hiding again, and then peeking out again, the second her eyes made contact with Ms. Reyes, she bolted into another room. ¡°Effy, wait come back¡­She¡¯s not dangerous.¡± [Not yet!] ¡°She¡¯s grown a lot in two months, yet I¡¯d expect her to be more composed for her age.¡± Juniper sighed. ¡°She disassociates a lot, You should know why.¡± Silence. The woman didn¡¯t reply. [She¡¯s totally evil. I give you permission to zap her with the power of the Sun] ¡®Not now Sys-chan¡¯ she thought, biting her tongue. Preventing her from speaking aloud. Remy, who had also been hiding, strolled into the room, looking casually unkempt but comfortable. Lowering his head he greeted the government worker. ¡°Good afternoon, Miss. Reyes.¡± ¡°Ah, Mr. Pinewell, how are you, is your health stable under current circumstances.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Juniper offered her a drink, but she declined it, taking a seat on a vacant chair, the air radiating off her was mildly annoying. Acting like she owned the place. ¡°I¡¯m alright Ms. Reyes, I¡¯m alive,¡± he said with a pain in his voice. Her facial expressions softened. ¡°Any aches or pains? Anything I should know about?¡± ¡°Well, of course, it''s always there. But nothing too drastic.¡± ¡°I see, if you need anything, you''re welcome to let me know.¡± Juniper raises a brow. Though she sounded professional, something about her demeanor screamed ''inappropriate''. If you¡¯ll excuse me, I have to take you to the bathroom real quick.¡± he said with a smile, a courtesy. ¡°Of course.¡± She said, smiling at him. Juniper knew he was simply fleeing the scene. Of all her visits the unexpected ones frustrated her the most. Whenever she came to ¡®check¡¯ it felt like she was stripped bare naked. She wanted to push back but she knew she couldn¡¯t for Effy and Remy¡¯s sake. ¡°How is his Health, Jun.¡± Her tone switched up as soon as the siblings disappeared. The politeness was gone. ¡°And speak truthfully, for I know all that I need to know.¡± ¡°The same, he¡¯s managing, medicine is fine, there''s no issue, short of getting funding for experimental treatment.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes twitched uncomfortably... ¡°And have you considered taking on a line of work?¡± ¡°I have but is it necessary to discuss it here and now, it¡¯s a work in progress.¡± ¡°How about you, how are you, Juniper.¡± Her body tensed like stone. ¡°I¡¯m doing fine.¡± To which Avaree raised a brow, her mind unpersuaded. [Mechanized cookie assault plan devised: Just throw her with a cookie or two. Let her Taste the Charred B2] She really couldn¡¯t pay mind to her quips right now, focusing on surviving the moment that felt like an eternity. ¡°Do you still play those silly little video games Jun, you¡¯re a grown-up now after all. She didn¡¯t answer, a hobby was a hobby, she wouldn¡¯t take offense to what the witch couldn¡¯t understand. She cared way too much about what others thought of it in the past. ¡°I know you were in the hospital Juniper, I know who paid for your medical expenses.¡± She froze but was unsurprised. She wouldn''t be thrown off guard if they already knew she was a cape. But best to keep some plausible deniability. ¡°And, what of it¡­¡± The woman threw herself back and made the most dramatic face. ¡°Admit it, Jun , there''s no knight coming to save you. Only the state can.¡± She pulled out a document from her handbag, putting it softly on a table, A big header displayed. 90 days. ¡°The government is concerned about your circumstances,¡± Avaeree started. ¡°Your brother needs proper medical care. He needs to be put in a facility. Euphemia needs a more ¡®caring¡¯ approach, foster care among a family dynamic you once shared would work out well. You¡¯d retain visitation rights of course, and receive financial support. Her body trembles with fury, she starts shaking, holding the doc tightly, skimming over the contents. She heard her heart pound. ¡°Are you asking me to sell my own family?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, you¡¯ve heard stories. Families worn from each other, siblings separated by dysfunction, tragedies of the modern world. It doesn¡¯t have to be that way.¡± She had heard rumors of patients with psychic sickness being ¡®collected by the state, she never believed it¡¯d come to her. ¡°As you know Ms. Pinewell. ¡®Physic illnesses are nigh incurable with conventional technology, While Remy is a legal adult, he is under your care according to the disability act.¡± ¡°They both need care you can¡¯t provide, so we are giving you 90 days to prove to the state that you can handle them or concede your stubborn position willfully. Or you¡¯ll lose more than a court case.¡± She took the paper, preparing to tear it up. The edges are already crumpled. It felt like some kind of prison sentence, one she couldn¡¯t win. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that. Tearing that document will be considered a criminal act.¡± She threw the paper on the table. ¡°You people are monsters.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the devil you make me out to be, Juniper.¡± Avaree¡¯s whispered, her hardened gaze averted Juniper¡¯s eyes. ¡°No, you''re a she-devil.¡± she spat. ¡°Here,¡± she handed her a piece of paper, likely containing money or something. ¡°Please take it it¡¯s a gift, to prove that I do care.¡± Juniper refused to take the envelope, frowning and pushing it back. ¡°That¡¯s okay, I have gotten enough gifts the last few days. I do appreciate the sentiment though.¡± The woman¡¯s smile curled together. ¡°Hmm, yes, a certain superhero visited you recently. I heard she¡¯s having legal problems, you were one of her victims of negligence, aren¡¯t you? Are you joining the class lawsuit against her, an easy win?¡± She heard about it, she¡¯d received a letter about it, she didn¡¯t care about it. ¡°Never. She saved my life.¡± Her expression became like a rock. Still. ¡°Or caused your injuries.¡± the woman murmured. ¡°But I hope you¡¯re recovery pans out quickly, by the looks of it, you''re halfway there.¡± Avery stood up, preparing to leave but hesitated. ¡°If it is possible may I speak with your brother alone? With your permission of course.¡± Juniper blocked her view deeper into the apartment. ¡°Afraid he might not feel well, so no.¡± Her smile sharpened. ¡°Protective, are we? He is a man, Juniper. You¡¯re holding him back. You¡¯re still the sad little girl that came begging for help, I suggest you grow up. ¡± Sys-chan hisses: [¡°COUGAR ALERT! Keep her away!¡±] ¡°Don¡¯t worry I have.¡± At the door, she stopped. ¡°Choose better friends Ms. Pinewell.¡± looking down the pathway. ¡°Beware of foreigners with foreign intent.¡± Kanako? Did she observe every part of her life? [Quickly cast observe] What [Do it!!!] [Skill activated: observe ] Nothing, just the void, blankness, the woman was unreadable. Juniper freezes, forgetting to breathe., catching her breath.¡°She¡¯s a cape, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°You think she knows about me?¡± [Doubt it, the information is derived from hospital docs and inquiries. Don¡¯t forget your brother speaks with her as well.] She¡¯d have to speak with Remy. Why was she so insistent on admitting him to a medical facility? Do they experiment on psychic afflicted patients? [ Now don¡¯t go full conspiracy mode, Juno. Eat burned a cookie instead, ease up, and take a deep breath. Keep your mind preoccupied elsewhere. Soon we¡¯ll fight this bitch on the beaches. (£þ^£þ )©g¡±] ¡±As the door shuts, Juniper slinker onto the couch, clutching the crumpled document. Her thoughts spiral: the government¡¯s meddling, Avaree¡¯s cryptic identity, and the looming threat of losing her family. Her powers weighed heavily on her mind, tangled with fleeting feelings for Kanako and the unsettling encounter with VoidWaltzer¡ªthe girl who had left her numb. She didn¡¯t know where to begin. Effy popped out again, a lot less energetic, holding another burnt cookie. ¡°Uh¡­peace offering Juno?¡± Juniper forces a smile, ruffling her sister¡¯s hair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Effy. I¡¯ll figure this out.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re gonna need this burnt cookie¡± she offered. Juniper reluntantly bit into it. Chapter 13 - Tidy Up and Trouble Knocks Juniper bends over on the ground as she picks up one of Effy¡¯s toys behind the sofa. She didn¡¯t know why she kept it around, she was at an age where she was learning to let go of it. Dusting it off and handing it to the girl who was eager to ¡®help¡¯. ¡°Effy, how does your stuff even end up under here?¡± She questioned her shaking her head. ¡°It just does. Can I help you clean?¡± Her ¡®help¡¯ always ended up making a mess thrice as worse. She¡¯d delegate her more often if she didn''t accidentally spill stuff or throw perfectly usable utilities in the trash can. ¡°Can I sweep the floor, Juniper, pretty please?¡± she asked with a squeaky voice. Her eyes lit up like a furnace. Dancing around the broom like she was a little witch. ¡°I¡¯d rather have you observe what I¡¯m doing. Watch and learn kiddo¡± She said taking the broom away. ¡°You never let me do anything around you.¡± Effy bit the bottom of her lip dramatically, staring at her like she was a criminal. Well, she may as well have been one. Her words hurt more than they should have. She really wanted to spend more time with her. But most days she didn¡¯t have the emotional energy necessary. Now she had all this extra stuff to deal with. She barely got a breather from the death sentence that was handed out to her yesterday. ¡°Effy, it¡¯s Only because you''re like a ball of hyper-attractive chaos.¡± she moaned to the girl. ¡°Let me do the grown-up stuff. You stick to being a kid.¡± ¡°bleh. ¡° Effy pulled her eyebags and stuck out her tongue in retaliation. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit with Remy for a while? You two do fun stuff all the time.¡± ¡°But, I want to spend time with you sister. We never get to do sister things. Besides he¡¯s busy these with studying, and when he¡¯s not studying he is doing ¡®coding¡¯ whatever that means.¡± Juniper sighed. If there was more time in a day, she¡¯d give Effy more attention. She¡¯d hoped electronic devices would zap her attention but to no avail. ¡°Like what¡­did you have in mind.¡± she may as well have consorted with the devil by conceding. She starts jumping on the sofa, Juniper restraining her by putting her down to sit, much like a spider, she twirls around her arms, and lands behind her neck. Shouts in her ear. ¡°There''s a circus coming to the city next week, I wanna go. please..please..please..please¡­¡± ¡°A circus!?¡± She was confronted by a dilemma, remembering the boy she saved from the speeding truck. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous outside Effy, there are super bad guys, who¡¯d¨C um, it¡¯s just not safe okay?¡± she refrained from saying something obscene . ¡°Stop treating me like I¡¯m dumb, I know it¡¯s a dangerous city. We¡¯re taught safety protocols in school.¡± she started stretching strands of her, Jun, gritted her teeth in pain. ¡°It¡¯s not fair, Gemma¡¯s parents let her go anywhere she wants.¡± ¡°Hhaaaah,¡± she moaned. Letting out an air of frustration. Trying to pluck her off. ¡° I¡¯ll think about it.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°Really?!¡± ¡°Yep. As long as you behave¡± ¡°Yippee.¡± Effy jumped off her neck, immediately resigned herself to her room. She couldn¡¯t help but laugh at her joy, when was the last time she saw her genuinely happy.. Maybe she should do her best not to ruin this for her. Juniper exhaled deeply as she moved other pieces of furniture. [Energy+1: improved by learning the discipline of tidying up ] [Attagirl You¡¯re just doing some cardio, that¡¯s all there is to it.] Syschan interjected. ¡°Do I need bullshit powers, if I could just train myself to become a peak human?¡± she asked, wiping sweat from her broom. [Oh no no no, law of diminishing returns, you could only do so much fitness. Even olympiad strength will plateau, extraordinary conditions and situations are what you are looking for.] she dragged on. She groaned. ¡°Like what, being pummeled by a six-foot superhuman?¡± [Yes.(???)] ¡°You are so wrong for making this inappropriate.¡± There was a sudden knock on the door, making her freeze. Eight on the clock. Anxiety kicked in, she didn¡¯t want to go see who it was. Who the fuck was at the door. It was barely 9 in the early morning, the sun had barely come out, and she wanted to take the day off, clean the apartment, and play some games. She doubted it was Kanako. She usually slept late, hopefully, it wasn¡¯t Avaree again. She grabbed the broom instinctively as a makeshift weapon, just in case it was someone looking for trouble. She¡¯d sweep them away. Opening the screeching door, peaking through slightly, she started panicking. A girl with blond pigtails and black lipstick was staring her up... Though she appeared to be changing colors like a poisonous plant. It was Annemarie, the cashier girl who handed her a number and casually flirted with her. Dress in a stylish black outfit, she¡¯d dare argue was gothic. Black lipstick, a frilly skirt, and knee-high pantyhose that had cute skull-like patterns on them. Her obsidian black boots seemed more like war armor than fashion-related wear. She greets Juniper with a sultry smile. ¡°Still kicking? You never contacted me. How rude of you?¡± She was flustered, blushing like crazy. Her face heated. A cute girl was standing in front of her door. How did she know where I live? ¡°Um¡­how did you even find me?¡± Annemarie put her finger on her lips. ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± Juniper gulps. She might be kinda dangerous. ¡°So¡­you wanna hang out with me?¡± her tone was innocent but their was the hint of a tease. ¡°Come on you promised me¡­ "Annemarie pouted, legs turning inwards. Tapping her two index fingers together. Her eyes enlarged. ¡°I uh¡­I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m kinda busy¡­¡± ¡°Come on¡­busy with what. ¡± she poked at her stomach.¡±Cleaning? That''s so boring, I thought you were kinda a fun girl when I met you.¡± Looks like some signals were misinterpreted. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not dressed for ¡®whatever¡¯ it is what you wanted to do.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± she shrugged, grinning like a lost cat. Remy walked into the living room, his eyes going wide at the girl standing at the door, even his cheeks were flushed. She glared at him. A stare said. ¡®Don¡¯t gape.¡¯ The sight of Annemarie left him gushing. He always had a thing for goths. He leaned forward a bit curious, stammering. ¡°Uh¡­ hi¡­you¡¯re here for my sister?¡± Annemarie, grabbed Juniper by the cheeks, ¡°Yep, stealing her for a moment.¡± ¡°I¨CI can¡¯t,¡± she muttered as her cheeks were in a hold. ¡°I have things to do, this is so sudden¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s my only day off too,¡± Anne turned to her brother, making a face like she was ready to cry. ¡°She promised me, and now she¡¯s leaving me hanging.¡± Juniper hesitates, glancing at her brother, clutching the broom in her hand. she didn¡¯t want to leave them alone on a saturday morning, but¡­there was an inkling to get away for a moment. Her brother nods to her, with a gaping mouth, waving her off. ¡°Go you need it.¡± ¡°Are you sure you guys will be okay?¡± ¡°Yes, now go already!¡± Juniper hesitated at the door, ¡°This feels over hastened Annemarie, can¡¯t we do this another day.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the point, Juniper.¡± Annemarie adjusted the straps of her boots, clearly in no mood for delays. ¡°Life waits for no one.¡± This girl was So strange. WHat do you think sys-chan? Syschan? There was complete silence, her companion was not responding, she was on her own. The system itself, it worked. She wanted to check her stats if something was wrong but the girl dragged her away. ¡°Come on, It¡¯ll be fun.¡± Chapter 14 - Kisses and kicks Annemarie dragged her down the apartment stairs; they had passed Kanako briefly through the hallway, a small moment that was well-charged with tension. Kanako had given her a small, but had said nothing about her ¡®date¡¯. Their eyes met for a second before both looked away again, a boil sour was welling up in her stomach. Annamarie had noticed it and tightened the grip on her arm. ¡°Hey, tension isn¡¯t lost on me, don¡¯t know who that was but don¡¯t overthink things,¡± she said softly. ¡°Let''s hang out. I¡¯m kinda lonely right now.¡± She nodded but felt uncomfortable inside. ¡°Okay.¡± If Annemarie had come to her for emotional support, she came to the wrong person. Strolling through the neighborhood, Annemarie knew how to kill a silence by initiating an unending stream of chatter, she¡¯d go as far as pointing out quirky details. Juniper would never have even paid attention to. Such as the haunting tower that overlooked her neighborhood was actually a pigeon tower. ¡°You think the person that owns that birdhouses, uses it to spy on people?¡± she questioned curious. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know that was a birdhouse, that¡¯s a fresh dose of paranoia I guess.¡± They passed a corner store, Juniper hadn¡¯t entered in a while, an old man leaning out a window. Waving at her, she waved back. ¡°Someone you know?¡± ¡°Eh, kind of. Used to give us stu¨Cuhh, it¡¯s a long story never mind.¡± Anne didn¡¯t pry any further. It was hard but Juniper did start loosening up, little by little. She started dropping her guard, her shoulders shrinking, and even her tone became louder as she started speaking about random thoughts. ¡°Speaking of pigeons, you don¡¯t play games do you, there¡¯s a visual novel where pigeons are the desired love interest, sounds dumb but the writing is kinda good,¡± she poked out. Annemarie gave her a questionable look. ¡°Sometimes, though the games I like to play are more ¡®action-oriented.¡¯¡± There was a momentary silence, and then annemarie knocked against her stomach, grinning. ¡°You¡¯re kinda weird Juniper,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk!¡± she countered. The moment they entered the inner city her senses were overpowered by the smell of gas and exhaust smoke. The air was a lot more intense, the neon lights were blinding to be honest. ¡°Where are the flying cars when you need them,¡± Juniper blurted, knowing full well it¡¯s impractical. Anne pranced ahead, her boots battering the pavement. Like a panzer in motion, she moved like she owned the city. ¡°So,¡± Juniper called after the strutting girl. ¡°What¡¯s the plan? Did you abduct me to drag me into the depths of the city or do you have something more sinister planned?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± she teased, spinning around her, and dragging her by the wrist. ¡°Let¡¯s ease into the moment.¡± ¡°O..k..¡± It was a bit weird for her. Why did she choose her of all people to go out and have fun with? She preferred being indoors anyway. An indoor date would have been better. It was strange being singled out for a date, she¡¯s never even dated a boy and girl asking her out. She didn¡¯t know how to feel about it. She was very cute indeed. She didn¡¯t want to disappoint her, but most of her feelings resided with Kanako. ¡®Okay jun, don¡¯t mess up this girl''s day, play it out, then calmly reject her. With a hug or something.¡¯ ¡°Well tell me, were you even planning to call me? Or did you deliberately ghost me? Annmarie pressed, trailing behind her shoulder and then her back. Juniper shifted, stumbling ¡°First of all, I was kinda busy with domestic ¡®stuff¡¯, secondly how did you even find me.¡± ¡°Company secret.¡± Anne winked. As they moved across the street, a car swerved sharply, nearly speeding into them, the screeching of its tire triggering her. ¡®Not again!¡¯ Ann stumbled back, she misstepped her boots catching the curb. She nearly collided with a large metal post. Juniper reflexes kicked in. With crazy speed, she caught her mid-fall, arms wrapped around her waist, almost bridal style. ¡°W-woah,¡± Annemarie whispered Their faces were close, and she could feel her breath against her skin. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ fast.¡± Her cheeks flushed, as she stammered, ¡°A-are you okay Anne?¡± her voice evaporated. ¡°I¡¯m fine, and you¡¯re fast. Almost superhuman, amazing ¡± Her lips curled into a smile. Juniper sweated, ruffling her hair in response... ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­what an asshole though,¡± she remarked about the driver. ¡°Thank you,¡± Anne said. ¡°For catching me.¡± Juniper looked away as Anne''s eyes stared into her soul. She nodded but looked away. The neighborhood park was sprawled out before them, eerily quiet, but unsurprising considering the rise in super-criminal activity. Almost no children were out here. Effy would like such a place, she knew she couldn¡¯t bring her here. The last time they had been in such a place her parents, weren¡¯t locked in a state-organized labor camp. ¡°Jun! Come one!¡± Annemarie called out, dragging her towards a set of swings. She hopped on of them and gripped tightly on it.¡± push me!¡± ¡°Huh. What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, people give a damn!¡± she said kicking her legs dramatically, nearly toppling off. She stepped behind the swing and gave her a gentle push. The laughter that bubbled out of her was childlike and unrestraint, it was given a little joy. Still awkward though. After a while, they had moved toward a pond, Annemarie claimed she could skip a stone forever. Juniper naturally refuses to believe this. ¡°Watch!¡± ¡°With a slight twist, she sent it skipping on the water the rock bouncing unnaturally far, but landing on the soft sand on the other end of it. Did she have an unconscious superpower? ¡°Wow that¡¯s actually impressive.¡± she gawked.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Annemarie simply closed her eyes and basked in praise. ¡°Why thank you, madame.¡± They eventually came to a bench, sitting next to each other, their arms brushing and touching. ¡°Um¡­¡± Annemarie began. ¡°May I hold your hands, she asked Juniper. ¡°U-uh sure...¡± she hesitated. Their fingers slid into the others. Her face burned with embarrassment again. Annemarie let out a soft breath. ¡°You ever feel like this city takes it all away from you, on the surface everything is nice, but before you know it, it swallows you in. whole.¡± She looked down on the ground, fixated on the little dirt molecules. ¡°yeah¡­I do¡­I¡¯d leave if it was legal.¡± her chest tightened. She thought about seeing her parents again, they were closed off somewhere outside the city. ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t, that¡¯s why I come here to places like this,¡± she said, there was a hint in her voice that screamed. I¡¯m not okay ¡°It drowns out the evil for a while.¡± Anne played with her fingers, Juniper was not used to it but was slowly getting comfortable. ¡°What''s Keeping you here,¡± Juniper asked. ¡°My brother¡¯s illness, He¡¯s in a coma¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m really sorry,¡± she said, afraid she opened a touchy subject. ¡°My brother is sick as well. Some kind of Psychic sickness, after ¡®that¡¯ incident happened. I still don¡¯t have money to cure him.¡± ¡°That makes us kindred souls I guess,¡± Anne said, letting go of her hands, looking away, hiding her face. Her nose was reddish. Was she crying? She moved in to comfort her, but the girl sprang up. ¡°Ice cream!¡± she squealed. Anne spots an ice cream cart standing in the distance and shoots up like an excited child. Rushing over and dragging her like a reluctant parent. ¡°Come on, my treat.¡± Juniper rolled after her, unable to keep pace. Nearing the cart, she nearly fell to the ground. Her heart sank as she saw the vendor. The ice cream man, she recognized him. It was the one she met in the ¡®Silkroad¡¯ area. Vincenzo, she believed. She kept her head down. ¡°What can I get ya ladies.¡± the burly man smiled, mustache grinning with his face. He didn¡¯t seem to recognize her immediately, but his eyes darted all over her. Scanned her with an unnerving intensity. ¡°Say, miss, you seem familiar. Have we met before?¡± he asked, his eyes flicking like crazy. I doubt it.¡± she lied, knowing she was one moment away from disaster. ¡°Hmmm maybe not,¡± his tone switched up. ¡°What do ya fancy?¡± ¡°Oooh, ooh.¡± Annemarie started picking several, nearly a dozen of flavors but eventually settled on the mint chocolate chip. Juniper realizes if she chooses vanilla again, she¡¯ll be in the red. What was surprising was his prices were normal compared to the midnight premium. ¡°I¡¯ll have what she¡¯s having.¡± ¡°Your wish is my command.¡± As they beckoned to leave. Anne was already scuttering back to the bench. Vincenzo whispered to her. ¡°I do in fact remember you miss, you caused quite a stir, don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll keep your secret what you did back there, that was brave. Do me a favor and keep a low profile, yeah.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He handed her a piece of paper with a number on it. ¡°If ya ever need something from this uncle, let me know.¡± She nodded but didn¡¯t say another word dashing away. ¡°That man seemed to know you.¡± ¡°Yeah, ¨C¡± ¡°Not something you wanna discuss?¡± ¡°No.¡± The girl didn¡¯t push, that was relieving at least. Focusing on the ice cream she accidentally smeared a dollop on her nose. Ann pounced licking it off her nose.¡± ¡°Hey! Juniper said, caught off guard. ¡°That¡¯s definitely a weird thing to do. Annemarie giggled innocently. ¡°Said the weirdo.¡± Anne said.¡± Juniper shook her head, letting the moment wash over her. Anne did have a presence that grounded her and made her happy even a little bit. She made the right decision by coming out with her today. Perhaps? No. They left the inner city, and Anne dragged her towards an old abandoned building. The roof on top was strange. There were pots and plants that despite the desolated area were still alive, someone was nourishing them, with water. Sunlight alone would have dried them out and rain was infrequent. ¡°So what are we doing here.? Juniper asked, glancing around. If you wanted to do an underhanded illegal deal this was definitely the place. ¡°This is where we end our date?¡± she said softly, arms raised. ¡°That was surprisingly fast,¡± Juniper said. A bit disappointed. She hoped to go to more places for once. ¡°I know, I¡¯m sorry.¡± She replied. Her gaze locked on her. ¡°But I have been watching you for a while. You make me feel all fuzzy inside, you know? But I can see you have your own issues to deal with than silly old me.¡± she turned around staring down the building at the roads. She didn¡¯t know what to say or what to feel. Annemarie dragged her closer leaning against her arm, as she pointed the view of the city. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful up here ain¡¯t it? But it¡¯s a lie, below on the surface, monsters and devils dwell¡± Juniper stayed silent. She was taking this somewhere. But where. ¡°You''re so uptight Juno, do you let anyone inside that head of yours? I was hoping you¡¯d open up a bit more.¡± she teased almost seductively. Her hand trailed along her arm. "Wait, Anne-" Come on Juniper,¡± She said, stepping towards the end of the building. Twirling around in a circle. ¡°Enjoy life a bit. Feel the wind, the air, the fear of falling, living on the edge.¡± She hesitated, staring at the sprawl of buildings below them. Almost afraid She would fall down or something. ¡°I try to¡­¡± she admitted. ¡°but I don¡¯t know how to handle it. Everything is so damn much.¡± Annemarie shifted away, towards her. Stepping just below her face, a voice in a dropped whisper. ¡°You take it slowly Jun¡­. You¡¯re different Juniper, Special you know? I know this is sudden but¡­¡± Annemarie hesitated. ¡°I know this sudden, but¡­¡± Annemarie kissed her mouth before she could say something. The moment felt like static electricity, Her hands took her''s. It was deliberate action, Annemarie lingered, she was savoring her mouth. It made her feel tingly on the inside. It was weird, but it was nice, sensual, and soft but her heart lay with Kanako¡­ she shouldn¡¯t¨C Something in her mind screamed for her to pull away, but Ann held on, exploring the halls of her mouth. She freezes. [Mimicry skill activated. ] [Mimicry Analysis ] [Gravitational distortion Lvl 1- Distort, warp, and manipulate ravity around any space user] [Limited to 1 M] [Fucking finally. ] sys-chan quipped out of nowhere. Juniper stumbles away, Annemarie, refusing to let go of the kiss, fell on her butt. ¡°You.. you¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°Voidwalzter?¡± She finished. Annemarie grins wickedly. ¡°Took you long enough Juniper. What gave it away? ¡°Wait this was all a trap, playing with my feelings to lure me here?¡± ¡°Not quite. Maybe.¡± Annemarie said. Maybe I just wanted to play a game.¡± Juniper tensed, furious, muscles clenching. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for your fucking games!¡± ¡°You know where I live, you know about my vulnerabilities, you know about my brother. You''ve been stalking me!¡± Her face was filled with anger. ¡°You¡­you bitch. That kiss was reserved for someone else.¡± ¡°Let me guess the Japanese chick,¡± Annemarie taunted. ¡°yeah she¡¯s hot, I saw how you looked at her, maybe I¡¯ll sleep with her to tease you.¡± ¡°Fuck you! You manipulated me.¡± Annemarie didn¡¯t care, unbothered. ¡°Cry me a river, Juniper. You know you liked my lips. I felt it down there. Admit it Juniper, I made you wet? Do you want to go another round? I don''t mind. We can take it a step further. Or we can play...¡± Annemarie laughed and tossed her a balaclava. Then, with a dramatic flourish, she pulled on her own signature mask. ¡°Now, come on, Juno. Don¡¯t make this boring. Let¡¯s play a little game. Let me hunt you.¡± Juniper¡¯s blood ran cold as she reluctantly donned the mask. Her mind raced, torn between fury and panic. ¡°And if I refuse?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Annemarie said, tilting her head, ¡°who knows how the superhero agencies would react to your little¡­ abilities? I¡¯m betting they won¡¯t take kindly to you. Might even take you away from your siblings.¡± Juniper froze. ¡°Siblings? I never mentioned my sister. You didn¡¯t see her earlier.¡± "I''ve been watching for a while Jun-chan..." Juniper puts it in mind going crazy, hastily. Her mind not deciding how to react. This puts Kanako''s life at risk. She needed to resolve this really quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll make you regret this, you made a big fucking mistake by kissing me.¡± [mimicry: Ability to copy the powers of an individual if they are weaker or in a psychologically vulnerable state] Is that how it worked? Why was it explained to her now? [Get her juno. Kick her ass.] ¡°You shut the fuck up Sys-chan you abandoned me here.¡± she snapped. [Abandoned! What are you talking about I¡¯ve totally just been giving you space, darling] Lies, her system picked up that Avaree was a cape without her input, and warned her of it. Yet did nothing to warn her about Annemarie. Was sys-chan sabotaging her. [Pfft, don¡¯t be so delusional. I knew you needed to get stronger. And guess what? Mission accomplished. You¡¯re welcome. New power. No thank you bitch] ¡°Who are you talking to!¡± Annemarie shouted! ¡°The voices in my head!¡± she shouted body moving with newfound energy. ¡°God you might be even more nuttier than I am.¡± Annemarie giggled, laughing obscenely. ¡°I love every moment of it!¡± Juno activated [Gravitational distortion] Feeling the air shift around her unconsciously, she stepped forward her body accelerated by lightweightness. And punched Ann in the gut, sending her flying towards the ground. ¡°I¡¯m mentally stable! You¡¯re no hero! Much less a vigilante! Deranged Creep! Prepare yourself!¡± Annemarie coughed, holding her stomach, but grinning. ¡°Oh Jun, You have no idea how hot this is.¡± Chapter 15 - Beneath Her Heel Juniper and Annemarie stared each other down on the rooftop. The sun burned into Juniper¡¯s skin, making her sweat, the balaclava didn¡¯t help at all. She did her best to slowly back up, knowing what her enemy was capable of at close range. Her foot nearly tripped over a potted plant behind her. Stumbling backward, barely able to steady herself. It was a pity, in a moment the beauty of the rooftop garden would disappear. Annemarie stepped slowly forward, like a marching soldier, a sadistic smile on her face. She vanished as she blitzed towards Juniper, the air distorting on the pathway. Juniper hardly had time to react as she reappeared in front of her with a blur, she launched somersaulting kicks at Juniper. Doing her best to grasp her newfound powers, she attempts to speed away from Voidwaltzer but ultimately fails. Just barely able to bring her up to hold off the kicks that came fast and hard. Annemarie''s hard boots battering against her forearms. Each strike hits her like a hammer. The debris around them starts flowing and warping, flowery pots, rolling tumbling, and cracking as space is distorted. ¡®Focus! Juniper!¡¯ she told herself. Attempting to replicate what Anne did, she tried making herself lighter, launching herself with desperation. Lacking the grace and control Anne possesses. She lands a clumsy kick on Anne who briefly stumbles back. Success! Her moment of triumph came to a quick end, everything from the knee upwards to her stomach, most likely because she was stretching too far. She winced, her movements becoming slower as she attempted an array of punches and kicks. Annemarie avoided it with relative ease as if dancing to a tune. The kick had some negative effects on the leg, she felt her thigh throbbed as her ligament stretched. She kept punching and kicking at her, Anne dodging it with ease. [Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy] Sys-chan commented, actually insulting her. [What are you doing Jun did you turn into an NPC!( ,,?''¦ä''?,,)] ¡°Can your Synthetic ass!¡± she snapped, her voice cracking. Sys-chan¡¯s irritable behavior only pissed her off. She attempted to tackle Annemarie towards the ground. Who sidestepped her, and drove a kick into her ribs. Pain throbbed all over her side. The gravitational phenomena on the roof eased as she crumpled to the ground. Annemarie stood next to her. These powers were useless if she couldn¡¯t apply them! ¡°I¡¯m kind of disappointed, you know?¡± Voidwalker taunted, tipping her off. ¡° You put up more of a fight a week ago, this is Pathetic Juniper! Do you like groveling like a dog?¡± Anne taunted her. She gritted her teeth, seeing nothing but red. Lifting herself upright, smearing sweat from her face, red liquid was all over her face. She realized it leaked from her nose. She wanted to run home, her body was telling her to run home, but she knew she couldn¡¯t leave it like this. I can¡¯t She lunged like a cat, attempting to slow time around her, to stall Annemarie. Then for a second, the world around her stuttered as if space-time had been broken- everything froze mid-air. Annemarie had countered with the same idea. Overpowering her. Breaking the distortion. Her counterattack was merciless. A fist over her jaw, a knee to her gut. She felt her nose, bleed again, blood poured freely on the ground. Tears fell from her eyes as she was being pummeled. She¡¯d never been beaten up before, it hurt, and she could do nothing to stop the onslaught. ¡°Oh, look at that,¡± Anne cooed at her, mocking her. ¡°Did I break you? I could just take home just like this.¡± She crouched next to her, gripping her face with her soft hands. Her fingers, pushed Jun to look up. She smiled at her cruel but playful, she wiped the tears from her face. Retrieved a disposable cloth from her pockets, wiping the blood from her face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Juniper, why are you crying?¡± She leaned even closer, her eyes dilated, her pupil nearly growing past her iris. ¡°Tell me,¡± she whispered in her ear, her lips practically biting her ear. ¡° How much longer before I crush you completely.¡± Juniper flinched, her chest heaving, she choked on her breath. Her eyes darted towards the shattered pots. Adrenalin kicked in again, and her pain lessened. Annemarie chuckled, standing back up with a satisfied smirk. ¡°Poor baby,¡± she murmured, her voice like a dagger sticking too far. ¡°Should''ve gone official while you could, this would never happen otherwise. ¡± She yanks a plant pot and hurls it at Annamarie, who twists away. Irritation on her face. ¡°Hey don¡¯t just destroy everything deliberately, I spent weeks making this a greenish house!¡± Juniper spat blood up. She handled being driven over by a supervillain car, she can handle a psychotic bitch. ¡°You¡¯re the asshole who came looking for a fight! Don¡¯t complain!¡± she shouted, throwing another pot at the girl with unrelenting force. Annemarie, cackled as she skipped away from the next pot.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Eat dirt! Bitch!¡± Juniper screamed, frustrated. [Junie] Syschan interjected. [ I hate to say this. But gravity''s so not your vibe right now! The sun¡¯s out in its holy glory, Burn her ass off!] ¡°Be quiet you traitor!¡± she growled, She heeded the system''s advice anyway but was still pissed at her. [Activate Solar-powered Sentinel Lvl 3] Her body took in the heat, sunlight pouring into her like liquid fire. The rooftop shimmered, and an aura surrounded her as Annemarie attempted to close the gap between them. ¡°Oh no you don''t!¡± ¡°Too late!¡± Juniper spat. A blinding eruption of light spread through the building, a wave of heat burning into the rooftop, Sending Annemarie flying away. Juniper could hear the windows below the roof shatter. She stood still for a moment. Her heart started hammering, as she fell from the building. Fear wove its way into her mind. She sprinted towards the end of the roof, looking down at the streets. Expecting the worst. There was nothing. Not a single sign of her. She was greeted by a light tap on the shoulder, making her shiver. She spun around, frightened, barely registering Annemarie face before Anne kicked her in the stomach, sending her off the building. The rushing wind around her drowned out her will to scream as she plummeted below. [Fly!] ¡°I can¡¯t!!!!¡± [then hover upwards! If you touch the ground you might actually die!] Panic fueled her intent, channeling every ounce of energy into her legs, forcing the pressure into the opposite direction. Heat burned through her body. Her fall decelerated, jerking to a stop mid-air, Legs kicked back as she hovered. [Solar powered sentinel lvl3>4] She paid no attention to the notification, she shot back, the world moving like a blur. Her heart kept racing; she felt as though she was on the verge of a heart-stopping attack. Passing the edge of the rooftop, she spotted Anne in the same spot. [¡°End it, Juniper. Ram her hard¡ªfull speed. Make her feel it.] ¡°Stop making this weird!¡± Juniper growled. Switching powers back mid-flight, she accelerates her body with a gravity-distorted dive, like a pulled back arrow, her head pointed at Annemarie. The wind made her temporarily deaf as she made to collide with Annemarie, who was partly amused. She made one mistake. Her trajectory was off. At the last moment, Anne had stepped away, and Juniper¡¯s momentum just barely touched her leg. The impact sends both of them into shattered roof tiles. But Anne secured her fall. Hitting the ground, Juniper screamed in pain. She was struggling to stay conscious, her vision threatening to shut. ¡°Impressive,¡± Annemarie said standing over her. ¡°But you¡¯re still not in my league, we will have to do this again.¡± Juniper gritted her teeth. ¡°You lose, Jun.¡± her voice was full of satisfaction, her smile widening. ¡°This was more than fun.¡± Anne put her boot on one of Juniper¡¯s limbs, pressing down with intense cruelty. The pain went through her already injured leg. Annemarie tested the pressure of her heels, her feet threatening to snap something.¡± ¡°Please, stop, you win, I¡¯ll do whatever you want!¡± Juniper cries out in agony, she pleads. ¡°please¡­¡± ¡°Hmmm, okay I guess.¡± her tone became all innocent again. ¡°I do like playing with you. This is fun¨C so much fun. You wouldn''t understand. But I guess we should stop. My big sis is going to be pissed if I break you. ¡± ¡°Big sis?¡± Were they all like this? ¡°You should be proud you¡¯re the first one who held up so well. Watching you squirm and beg¡­it drives me nuts. It¡¯s addictive.¡± The girl took off her boots, readjusting herself, sitting next to her, nearly leaning into her face. ¡°I''m satisfied¨Cfor now¡± She tapped Juniper¡¯s cheek lightly. ¡°Now, I want you to follow me. I¡¯ll explain why I really brought you out.¡± Juniper wanted to shout and scream. If this wasn¡¯t what she came here to do. Then she¨C Before she could formulate a response, a large explosion rocked the air. Both of them froze, and their attention shifted to smoldering flames a few blocks away. Smoke billowing into the sky, most of the chaos obscured by high-rise buildings, but the shockwave of heat, was feel able from here. Panic crept into Annemarie¡¯s face, as she stared at the scene. Juniper, not letting an opportunity die down, summoned the last of her strength, Distorting the gravity around herself to make her heavier. With a wild cry, she tackles Ann to the ground, the impact leaves her crying out in pain, and she holds her down. Strengthening the pressure. ¡°Wait¨Cstop!¡± she choked. ¡° There¡¯s something happening out there. Most active heroes don¡¯t patrol this sector. If you injure me, I can''t intervene!¡± Juniper hesitates, her grip loosening, as her mind raced. Annemarie was almost pleading, but could she trust her? So far she has proven to be a sadistic tormenting stalker, hardly a hero. And yet¡­ flames burned in the distance. People¡¯s lives may be in actual danger. ¡°Now you get to play hero all of a sudden? What if you''re just stalling to ambush me again!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying!¡± Annemarie cried, her expression shifting to something genuine. ¡°I know I¡¯ve been¡­fucking crazy okay? I¡¯ll explain later, right now people down there need help!¡± Juniper¡¯s facial muscles tightened. Anne would pay after this, she¡¯d make sure. ¡°Please,¡± She said, her voice soft, the same playful innocent she lured her all morning with. ¡°No fights, no bullshit¨Can explanation after, I promise. Just let me go.¡± ¡°Fine, but I¡¯m following you!¡± she screamed in her face, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Good,¡± Annemarie sighed, pulling herself up. ¡°Maybe this fight wasn¡¯t such a good idea.¡± She dusted off the dirt and roof fragments off her clothes and adjusted her mask. Unfazed by the chaos she sowed a moment ago, looking at the ruined rooftop garden with a hint of regret. Annemarie¡¯s demeanor shifted in an instant. Dusting off her clothes, she adjusted her mask with a practiced ease, as though the chaos moments ago had never happened. Her gaze flicked to the ruined garden, a shadow of regret crossing her face. ¡°Maybe this wasn¡¯t such a good idea after all,¡± she muttered. Juniper glared, her chest still heaving. ¡°You think, you boot-stomping sadist?!¡± ¡°This was a test, Juniper, to gauge your abilities.¡± ¡°A test? A test! What kind of test involves aggressive kissing and beating the crap out of people!¡± ¡°My kind.¡± she smiled, looking away. ¡°I didn¡¯t lie about the things I said to you earlier.¡± Juniper shook like a train. ¡°When this is over¨C¡± ¡°Save it for later,¡± Annemarie cut her off. ¡°Keep up if you actually want to help don¡¯t get in my way.¡± Without waiting for her input, she took off, blurring into the sky towards the ground in search of the explosion source. Juniper hesitated, her body was battered but she was sure with her regeneration, she¡¯d be able to keep at it. She really needed something to eat though. ¡°I swear!¡± she growled, forcing herself to calm down. [If I can explain my intentions.] Sys-chan offered. ¡°Save it for later, system!¡± Focusing on why Sys-chan was deliberately sabotaging her is not something she needed right now. The first order of business is this bullshit. Then finding out what Annemarie actually wants and then going home. [(¨i©n¨i)] She sprinted off the building, gliding into the heart of the chaos. Whatever waited there, she wasn¡¯t sure she was ready for it. Chapter 16 - Shots Fired, Lines Crossed Pt 1 Juniper tailed Annemarie despite her injured body burning and aching. Every movement forward was agony, but she would bear it. Her mind cycled through hundreds of grim possibilities on how this could end badly. She could always retreat, and leave all professionalism to her psychotic stalker. The street below was slowly emptying itself of life, crowds moved like hordes to get away from the chaos. Every building in the vicinity was suddenly closed, locked off, those that had curtains were snapped shut. Even the bustling traffic was absent. Arriving at the scene of the fire, perched on a rooftop they were met with a wave of shimmering heat. Several cars were stacked next to each other, set a light and burning. The fumes emitting from the car wrecks were intoxicating. Assaulting her lungs. Even through the balaclava. Annemarie stood unfazed. Half a block up from the wreckage, An armored van stood in front of a known gold bank. A man covered in full tactical gear and body armor stood on patrol with an assault rifle, guarding the van. Another at the door, pacing up and down anxiously. ¡°I don¡¯t get it?¡± Jun told Anne. Referring to the chaos below. ¡°Arson or bank robbery?¡± ¡°Probably Both¡­¡± Annemarie frowned. She stretched her stiff body. ¡°They likely blew up these cars to elicit a response, their true goal is in there.¡± ¡°In a gold bank? Juniper frowned. ¡°Is gold even profitable anymore? In the digital¨C¡± ¡°Gold is always a profitable venture, a nice support currency in case shit hits the fan.¡± she tapped Juniper on the shoulder, their previous hostility and tension, having eased by the moment. ¡°Are you sure you''re up for this? You could go home, leave this fight for the big girls like me.¡± ¡°After what you did to me,¡± Juniper stiffened. ¡°I-I want to see this through.¡± ¡°Fine, but if it all goes to hell, you¡¯ll run away.¡± Juniper said nothing, she listened intently in the direction of what was happening. Her ears could pick up something wrong, subtle but it was there like an invisible tension, drowned out by the flames. Someone was shouting. Switching from her [Solar Powers] she taps into [Super Audition]. The world exploded into colorful noises. Every noise in the city within a 5 mile radius became loud, like in a battlefield rocking artillery. The scattered footsteps of hundreds running civilians, threw her off. ¡°What the fuck are doing?¡± Anne hissed at her, her voice blasting her ears like a megaphone up close. She presses her ears shut, palms against her head wincing. ¡°Shut up, I¡¯m listening¡­ you¡¯re too loud.¡± Her attention shifts to the bank building. Filtering everything else out. She hears gunshots going off, a heavy thud of a body dropping on the floor, people screaming. That wasn''t what was bothering her nerves. There is a faint cry, almost a sniffle, a sobbing, but a rising wailing, louder and louder like a sharp knife tearing into her. Juniper¡¯s heart stops. ¡°There¡¯s a child in there¡± she trembled, moving closer, motioning downwards, crouching at the edge of where she stood. Ready to fly into the fray. ¡°Someone just got shot, we need to¨C¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Annemarie pulls her back, gripping her wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, you barely handled a couple of kicks, what do you think an assault rifle will do to you.¡± Juniper grunted. ¡°I can make barriers like Heliogirl does. I can stop a bullet¡± ¡°How about three hundred armor-piercing rounds at once?¡± It was a reality call, It shut her up. ¡°Point taken,¡± she whispered. But the noise of the little girl¡¯s sobbing started to eat at her. Annemarie sighed. Eyes locked on the bank ahead. ¡°Look, we¡¯ll take the entry from another way inside, I¡¯ll pick ''em off while they''re distracted, you..¡± she tapped her heart on her chest. ¡°Only act when I tell you so. The moment we move in there it¡¯s not a game anymore,¡± Her voice lowered, barely audible.¡°I know¡­I got carried away before, but if you wanna stay alive listen to me.¡± Juniper nodded, swallowing. She was going to be shot at for the first time in her life. Fear was testing her gut. [Well I guess there is a first for everything.] Sys-chan was not helping, at all. Taking the initiative, Annemarie circles around the block, moving with fluidity. Juniper followed behind her, her chest lit with dread. Less graceful, less composed, Her thoughts lingered on the kid who was crying. It was a knee jerk reaction, she associated crying with Effy, if the crying girl got hurt, it¡¯s like Effy got hurt. She couldn¡¯t bear it. Climbing on the rooftop of the building, she kicks open an oversized air vent that leads inside the banking complex. She crouched peering inside, sticking her hand in. ¡°This is how we get in.¡± Juniper gave her a shaky nod. Nerves screamed as she crawled inside of it. The cold metal, pressed against her palms. Moving through it, they weren¡¯t exactly stealthy, the tension and stiffness in juniper¡¯s shoulder growing with every metal creek. Being confined in this small space did her no favors, nor the fact that Annemarie''s butt was practically pressed against her. ¡°Something wrong back there?¡± Annemarie whispered, oblivious to her dilemma. ¡°No,¡± she lied. Attempting to ease into the situation. Peering from above through a grated vent, The entirety of the hall came into view Anne signaled Juniper to stop, and wait, both looking through it. Everything below them only made Juniper''s stomach worse. Seven armed figures stood guard, their movements surgical, all of them carrying heavy weaponry whether a pump-action shotgun or military grade assualt rifles. This was no ordinary heist. They were funded. Several hostages were tied up, and forced to lay on the ground, faces pale in fear. Others that were untied were all forced into a corner. Their hands trembled as they held onto each other. The air reeked of blood, sweat, and tears. Her eyes lingered on a motionless figure laying arms open on his face¨C an older gentleman, there were no subtle movements indicating breathing. He was dead. She felt vomit, slowly rising up her throat. Near the middle of the stage below, another untied hostage¨Ca middle-aged man stood arguing with fury at the criminals. Voice loud and sharp. ¡°We have human rights man! You can¡¯t treat us like this!¡± The robber didn¡¯t utter a word but proceeded to whip the man¡¯s face with his rifle, making him drop to the floor, blood leaked from somewhere, onto the polished marble floor. ¡°That¡¯s why you don¡¯t play the hero..¡± Annemarie commented. Her heart skipped Juniper nearly jumped at the sound, eyes locked on Annemarie¡¯s. They were very close to each other, she hated thinking about it. But she wanted some comfort from all of this. She was vulnerable and she didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Focus.¡± she tapped her on the nose. ¡°Okay, you¡¯ve never done this before. I¡¯ve got an idea, but I need you to listen exactly. Got it?¡± She nodded, listening intently. ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°You see those two on the edge? Blast them the moment I call you. Use those rip-off sun powers, whatever you call them. Then throw up a wide barrier as much as you can muster behind those people, the untied ones. The moment their attention is gone, Let me do the rest!¡± She hesitated. ¡°What if I fuck up.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Annemarie stated. She nodded, and a small spark of determination filled her. She took a deep breath, steadying her heart rate. [¡°Pfft, rip-off powers? Please. You¡¯re one-of-a-kind, Junie .¡±] sys-chan quipped. [If only she knew that. The voice in my head. ] ¡°Not now,¡± she muttered. Annemarie looked at her with confusion. ¡°Nothing,¡± ¡°Alright. Eyes on the ball.¡± Annemarie, face softened, for a fraction of a second. ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be a cakewalk, but if we do nothing, more people will end up dead.¡± There was no turning back, from here on out. Chapter 17 - Shots Fired, Lines Crossed Pt 2 One of the heist crew members started barking orders, loud and commanding. The crowd of free hostages moved position. Annemarie held her hand up, signaling for her to wait. Her heart pounded. She froze again and again. Another male civilian stood up, in his early forties she¡¯d wager, ¡ªhe grabbed the gun of a robber, yelling like a madman, he was swiftly plucked off by another, brutally kicked to the floor, a trigger pulled without questions asked. The gunshot silences the hall. Juniper flinched, holding her hand over her mouth. It wasn¡¯t the first dead body she saw, but it was the first she witnessed being sent off. Annemarie¡¯s firm hand holds her shoulder. ¡°It happens, it¡¯s unavoidable with these types. We go in the wrong moment, the whole floor is splattered red.¡± She was paralyzed. She felt her limbs shutting down. She was useless. [If you don¡¯t Juniper, who will?] sys-chan did her best to encourage her. ¡°Do you want to go to Juniper?¡± Annemarie asked, expression unreadable but undeniably soft. "you can go if you want to." She shook her head, steeling herself. She shook her head, teeth gritted, fists clenched. ¡°Okay on a count of three, we go down!¡± Annemarie announced. She nodded, waiting. ¡°One,¡± ¡°Two,¡± ¡°Three,¡± Annemarie kicked the vent cover down with a heavy clang, landing in the center of the hall. ¡°Cape!¡± one of the goons shouted. Every gun in the room pointed to her, gunfire opened. Bullets raining hell on her. Bursts and slugs of different calibers, all stopped mid-air by her gravitational field. ¡°Now!¡± She readjusted her balaclava, nervously dropped from the vent. Floating downwards, activating [solar-powered sentinel] she immediately targeted the two in the rear. A golden aura envelops her body. Releasing a twin blast of energy against the two guards. Both of them flew back, their rifles scattering away. She sprinted towards the group of hostages and summoned the big barrier to the best of her ability. She was tired and could already feel the strain of her previous fight affecting her. The hostages nearly scattered away from her face with terror and fear. [Don¡¯t think about it too much¨CIt¡¯s the Balaclava] Syschan stated, trying to lighten the mood. They shifted their attention to Juniper¡¯s barrier, her face tensed as her shield started cracking like an eggshell. Their bullets on the other became slower and heavier thanks to Anne¡¯s power in effect. Most shells, such as shotgun slugs fall to the ground. But some went through. One bullet grazed her leg. She bit her tongue, staggering nearly losing the barrier. Annemarie, no Voidwalker, moved with godly grace. Weaving through the building like a cat, her gravitational distortion twisting the projectiles away from the civilians. One by one, she knocked them, flanked them, and brutally took them out. Five down. A hostage, a man who liked he was on the verge of death rushed with a fire extinguisher slamming a distracted robber on the head. Making him collapse. They nodded at each other. Annemarie made short work of the last remaining goon. Juniper looked outside. There was one in the van, the last of the crew. The engine fired up. ¡°He¡¯s getting away!¡± she shouted, readying to pursue. ¡°Do not!¡± Annemarie shouted. ¡°Not what we are here for. Leave it to enforcement.¡± A civilian approached Annemarie, his face a bit frightened. ¡°You¡¯re one of those vigilantes aren¡¯t you, miss?¡± She nodded. ¡°There¡¯s still one of them in there. ¡° he stammered, pointing towards the direction of the vault. ¡°Police and the SCRA are on their way. But who knows what he¡¯s doing.¡± Juniper shivered, and she could feel her blood cooking at the mention of SCRA. ¡®SCRA¡¯, oh fuck, how did she get into this mess, they¡¯d definitely interrogated her for being an unregistered super. [Don¡¯t panic, Let Annemarie take the lead. You¡¯re new, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be lenient.] ¡°Right,¡± she said to herself like it was just some page she needed to turn over. "I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Anne sped into the fault. Juniper followed. Inside, a single man stood amongst the stacks of gold, every piece of it untouched, a small device was connected to a computer terminal. He didn¡¯t notice them, earplugs on her phone. When he did, his eyes went wide, and he raised the handgun to his own head. ¡°Stop!¡± Juniper rushed forward. Annemarie reacted with ease. The gravity inside the room shifted like a jumping castle, His finger pressed the trigger. The bullet exited the chamber, but the bullet moved at impossibly slow speeds. His eyes becoming as big as googly balls . ¡°You don¡¯t get to do that,¡± Annemarie Strided forward. Time resumed, and the bullet hit the wall ricocheting and hitting a piece of gold. She started kicking him in the face, sadistically. She became pissed, striking him with a vicious blow after blow. Juniper wanted her to stop but was afraid the violence would boil over to her. Did she enjoy hurting others? Juniper watched, horrified. He was growing weaker with every hit he received. She might very well kill him. ¡°Enough, Voidwaltzer!¡¯ rushing forward, she shoved her aside and knocked the man out herself. Her knuckles bruised against his face. Anne glared at her. ¡°You did not have to do that. He planned on offing himself anyway.¡± ¡°What''s the point if you kill him instead.¡± ¡°You know, let me teach the number 1 rule about vigilantism right off the bat, we don¡¯t pretend to be heroes, we choose to be!¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Juniper was silent, staring at the unconscious criminal. There were dead hostages and survivors who would go home with PTSD. Her mind was partially fucked by what she saw. ¡°A-at least it¡¯s over now.¡± Annemarie takes note of the strange portable divide plugged into the computer, she ripped it out instantly, preparing to crush it with her boots. Before she could make another move. The metallic whirring of something filled the air. A pitch-black metallic blur swooped in from nowhere, grabbed it from her hands, and zipped out of the room. ¡°Quick.¡± They gave chase, but the drone thins out of visible reality. Cloaking itself, they had no way of pursuing it. ¡°Damn it!¡± Annemarie swore. ¡°Check on the hostages quick.¡± Juniper ran towards the harassed folk, whatever the drone''s purpose was it got what it came for, probably most of it. Inside their room was uncontrolled chaos, however, the civilians had already organized a minor militia. They had disarmed the unconscious robbers. At the end of the room was a girl clutching a stuffed dinosaur-looking bear. A woman lay beside her unconscious, no one noticed, but she was leaking blood from the girl''s shoulder. A gunshot wound! [Act with haste, or she¡¯ll die.] She kneeled beside the girl¡¯s mother, pressing her fingers against her neck, she felt partially relieved there was a pulse. The girl won¡¯t become an orphan at least. The girl sobbed. ¡°What are you doing to mommy.¡± her eyes going wide with fear. ¡°I¡¯m checking on her, she¡¯s going to be fine,¡± Juniper reassured her by lifting the girl up. She pointed to the wound on her shoulder. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± The girl shook her head. She didn¡¯t have time to theorize, ¡°C''mon, we need to get you to a hospital.¡± ¡°But what about mommy,¡± she asked. ¡°She¡¯s going to be okay.¡± ¡°Wait! Not without Teddie!¡± she insisted on clutching the stuffed dinosaur thingy. Gently taking her into her arms again, she didn¡¯t dare take her teddy away from her, dashing outside towards the exit, hoping she could get her a medic asap, her mind struggled not to wander. She knew every second was critical . ¡°Wait! Ju-¡± Annemarie shouted, nearly saying her name aloud. But stopping herself last minute. Blood drips from the girl¡¯s shoulder, leaking from Juniper''s shoulder. The girl acted as if she felt no pain. Was it adrenalin or something else? [I suspect she¡¯s awakened something, via trauma, don¡¯t dwell on it!] Outside, the tense chaos has started to die down. Law enforcement vehicles flooded the streets, lined up in military fashion. Red white and blue light flashing in her eyes. A helicopter hovered ahead. Everything about it felt surreal. Every enforcer with a weapon was pointing at her. They¡¯re fast. Her heart was hammering, she could hear it in her ears, but she couldn¡¯t stop now, the girl needed medical help, no matter the cost. ¡°Stop right there:¡± a voice boomed through a speaker,¡± ¡°Superhuman Crisis Response Agency, drop the child.¡± Panic flooded her, every instinct in her body was telling her to run. She spoke, hoping she could plead with them. But the words don¡¯t come out as she intends. She swallows, forcing her voice to be louder. ¡°She¡¯s been shot! She needs medical, please¨C¡± ¡°Drop the child. Now.¡± The officer¡¯s voice was slowly getting more irritable Shit. They mistook her for the criminals. Her stomach felt like it was eating itself from the inside out. How would would she navigate out of this one? [Put her down, but keep your guard up, the balaclava really isn¡¯t doing you any favors.] I know I¡¯ll take it off! [Wait don¡¯t do that] She put the child down, as she pointed towards an enforcer. The little girl ran over. She ignores Syschan¡¯s warning. She needed to prove she wasn¡¯t a threat. [Don¡¯t you¡¯ll dox yourself.] Every officer hesitated. Some were tense and on alert, and others appeared to be uncertain, no one moved, and she locked her eyes with one of the officers. Hoping she could appeal to their sympathetic nature. Bending her back, she tries pulling it off¨C ¡°Do not fucking move!¡± an unhinged officer screamed. Voice strained, and panicky. Her instincts kicked in, and she moved her hands up before she could try and explain. He was already itching for his handgun. ¡°Wait¨C!¡± A gunshot let loose. Bang Bang Bang Each shot came like a freight truck, hitting her in the chest. Juniper staggered backward, the bullets knocked her off balance. She landed on the ground, it felt like her stomach was pierced open. Her world turned upside down. The rough and cold concrete bit into her exposed skin, blood seeped between her fingers as she tried to hold herself in place. Her breaths became shallow very quickly. She tried to get up, she tried to fight through the pain, but it was too much. Is this how it was going to end? Probably not. But it hurt like hell. A thunderous voice came out of the building. Annemarie rushed over, her powers flaring wildly. The pressure in the air thickened and bent with her raw power, her gravitational distortion pushing against the crowd of the enforcers. They staggered backward, barely able to hold on to their weapons. ¡°What the fuck are you doing?!¡± Her voice cut through the tense scene. ¡°She¡¯s an independent cape!¡± A man stepped into the fray closer. He wore a distinct uniform, dark sunglasses marked his importance. The abbreviation S.C.R.A. glinted over his chest area, every letter gleaming in the light. ¡°Hold your fucking fire.¡± he barked. ¡°Their Vigilantes! Vigilantes!¡± She could barely hear the shouting her ears were ringing like bells. She felt numb. Annemarie was there in an instant, dropping to her knees beside Juniper. Her hands were quick, expertly removing Juniper''s hand from her stomach, and immediately applying pressure to stop the bleeding. Her hand turned blood-soaked red. Stay with me, Juniper!¡± Annemarie said. She was showing genuine concern, not sadistic in any way. ¡°Don¡¯t sleep, stay awake, with me okay.¡± The man''s shadow stood over them. ¡°You¡¯re Voidwalzter right¡­¡± he was calm, almost bored. ¡°You mind explaining to me what the fuck you¡¯re doing here?¡± She refused to look at him. ¡°Don¡¯t fucking talk to me, you piece of shit.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know who you are.¡± SCRA man spat on the ground. Clicked his tongue. She turned to Juniper. ¡°You''re Going to be fine. Don¡¯t sleep.¡± The darkness crept again like an old friend, it pulled her in like a strong wave. She could barely hold her eyes open, her mind swimming in an ocean of numbness. Her head was spinning The last thing she heard was Sys-chans voice. [Good night, Juniper.] Then she blacked out. ***** ¡°Voidwaltzer!¡± The S.C.R.A captain barked at her, Annemarie took note of the words imprinted on his uniform. A Captain Lock. ¡°Is she one of you, OBB¡¯s?¡± S.C.R.A captain questioned. Annemarie looked away, nodding reluctantly. He lit up a cigarette, his hands steadying, the light glint of ignition reflected in his shades. He took a small walk up and down. He clearly didn¡¯t want to be here. ¡°Are you lying to me, you little runt!¡± he said, his voice low and targeted. ¡°She looks green as hell. A balaclava, who¡¯s fucking Idea was it. Now look at her, bleeding all over the pavement.¡± She glared at him as sharp as she could. ¡°Is this her first time out? You take her to a fucking bank robbery on first base. Sweet Jesus you vigilantes are fucked in the head.¡± Annemarie scoffed. ¡°Where the hell were you when these thugs were holding people hostages, you don¡¯t get to berate us. You don¡¯t get to criticize me for doing the right thing!¡± She returned her focus on Juniper applying pressure, but her hands were trembling, she herself didn¡¯t have strength left. Perhaps it was her fault, after all, she baited Juniper into fighting her, and she dragged her into the bank. She let her desires control her, she could''ve avoided this whole thing if she just recruited Juniper up and front. But no--she let herself get carried away. ¡°Your interference made this whole thing worse. This was a targeted operation from the start. We knew they would hit the bank. You¡¯ve just fucked us over. ¡± ¡°People were already dead before we got here!¡± she spat, trembling. ¡°And explain to me why the fuck your trigger-happy officers just shoot and don¡¯t think.¡± ¡°Spur of the moment, you know how it is.¡± he took a puff out of his cigarette. Pointed towards Juniper. ¡°This is exactly why vigilantes aren¡¯t allowed to operate on their own. This is the cost of your twisted delusions. Had you not interf¨C¡± ¡°Interfere? She shot back. ¡°There were people in danger, this district rarely gets attention from cape groups. We were just supposed to let people die?¡± He ignored. ¡°Your girlfriend here is lucky, the competent operatives held back.¡± He peered at the officers, they were a mix of SCRA and CPE. It was a Core Pacifica enforcer who panicked and shot her. He crouched beside her. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it''s time to inform your boss, leave her to me. Medical teams are on their way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not leaving her!¡± ¡°You¡¯re gonna do as I say,¡± Lock countered. ¡°Should I remind you that OBB is still partially funded by the government? Your inability to cooperate is making this worse by the second. Annemarie gritted her teeth. ¡°You¡¯ve done enough damage for one day.¡± The medics arrived just at that moment, she moved aside as they took to tend to Juniper. Who¡¯s eyes blurring between conscious and unconscious? She grips Annemarie¡¯s hand and whispers. ¡°My siblings¡­please.¡± The medics knocked her out of the way before she could say anything. Forcing her to let go of her hand. Annemarie¡¯s palm was squeezed in her face. She loosely let her mask off, sweat dripping. Her face is slightly red with Juniper¡¯s blood. She staggered backward, sinking into the ground. The SCRA captain moved towards the banking complex. Her finger hovered over a contact labeled big sis. The dialing tone is robotic and endless. Felt like an endless mockery. Her heart was pounding with every beat. Her throat welled up. She turned away from the flashing lights. She bit into her thumb. ¡°Anne?¡± there was a minor silence. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°I-I fucked up big sister,¡± she said. Her voice was barely composed. ¡°Say it as it is.¡± Chapter 18 - Big sister is watching Tires and metal screech on the road. Juniper froze. Bright flickering headlights assaulted her eyes through heavy fog, too bright and too sudden. She tried to run, but her legs felt like they were stuck in sludge. She was too slow, the ground itself was keeping her in place. Moving through the street, her foot caught a step on an impeding object, and she fell. The roaring engine of the car raises its temperature, like a predator marking his prey. ¡°Juniper!¡± A lady shouted at her, she looked like a hologram, a figment, a specter, a fractured person. Her voice sounded like a string of numbers warped to imitate the resemblance of speech. She screams, but nothing leaves her mouth. The car rams into her. She felt herself crushed by its weight as it exploded on impact. Her ribs turned in on themselves, crushing her, as her limbs twisted and bones shattered. She was thrown into the air like a weightless doll, slammed into the tar of the road. The pain is unbearable, hot, and compounding. Pulsated like a throbbing heartbeat. She couldn¡¯t move. She couldn''t breathe. She couldn¡¯t speak. ¡°Juniper!¡± the voice called out again. Warped and distorted. Mechanical and almost inhuman, layered in ways she could not understand. The car made a U-turn, coming for her again. Its headlights came to life. Light beams fixated on her body, cutting through an endless haze of mist. Crawling brought her nowhere, her arms were also useless. Her legs were done. She did nothing, waiting for her inevitable demise as the wheels spun closer. The car rolls over, and it consumes her. *** [Juniper! ] Sys-chan''s voice rang like an alarm clock. [[Wakey, wakey. Though there aren''t any eggs and bakey here. (?,¡ª?¡ª,)] she sang it to a tune. Juniper struggles to open her eyes, her eyes felt like they were sewn shut, her senses muffled. She struggles, hoping to wake herself. Her head spins as her vision finally comes to resemble a sliver of non-fiction. As focus returned, first in the shade of gray, then bleak reality. Her limbs were unresponsive. The sterile smell of sharp chemicals hit her nose. Fluorescent lights lit the dim room, humming like an old microwave. Pain flared up in her stomach¨Cshe looked at it with surprise. Tapping the places she was shot with her stiff hand. There were tightly wrapped bloody bandages around her torso. Memories of the bank replayed, the girl in her arms, gunfire, pain, a misunderstanding. ¡°Sys-chan, what happened?¡± she forced it out of her mouth. Her mouth was dry, she was thirsty. [Red alert! You got shot, patched up, and have no idea where the hell you are.] She chirped, sounding like an alarm and intercom at the same time. She groaned as she lifted herself. A metal table stood next to the bed she was on, with lots of surgical tools. There was a tray too, holding several bullets, glinting in red with blood¨Cher blood. There was a drip of fluids injecting itself into her body. An amalgamation of medical machinery monitoring her. She tries moving her arms but the medical tubes restrict her. She didn¡¯t fancy the idea of being operated without her consent. She didn¡¯t like being played like a lab rat. This was not a hospital. The walls around her screamed ¡°sketchy lab¡± not ¡°surgical room.¡± Her breath became unpaced. She yanks out the Medical tubes, wincing as her body is stuck with sharp pains, needles left a sore sting, climbing out of the bed. The surgical gown around sat awkwardly, hanging loose. Ditch worthy but her original clothing was nowhere in sight. And her phone was at home. She couldn¡¯t contact her brother if she wanted to. Answers right now. She stumbled towards the exit, her legs felt like old lead, and every step was painful. A long hallway greeted her. Dozens upon dozens of doors, unfamiliar, it resembles a facility more than anything. What the fuck was this place? Walking like a cripple she makes her way down the long hallway, half-limping, half lurking. It was cold, night time and suffocating. Sudden footsteps behind her made her jump. A door opens and she freezes. A woman had stepped through¨Cno a fucking giant ducking under the frame of the door. Seven feet tall easily, a body blessed with hyper-lean muscle, hidden by an enormous tracksuit. Her hair was ebon black, flowing beneath her back, in a long ponytail that went just above her waist. Despite being taller than a small tank, her face was youthful, delicate olive brown skin. She was smiling at her. Such a big mouth she had, such big teeth. The giantess waved. ¡°Hey,¡± she started, her voice was sweet and warming. ¡° aren¡¯t you supposed to b¨C¡± Juniper bolted like a devil. Pain filled her ribs, but she refused to stop. She didn¡¯t care if the person was nice. Giant fucking cape. Hell no¨C ¡°Wait!¡± she called out, practically crawling behind her in pursuit. ¡°I know I¡¯m scary, but I promise I don¡¯t eat people.¡± Not helping. Juniper pushed further into the hallways, ignoring her pain. She didn¡¯t know where she was headed, better than being stomped by a giantess. [You¡¯re running on fumes Junie, you ain¡¯t winning this race! That¡¯s one big lady though, I don¡¯t wanna be crushed by her thighs.] ¡°I¡¯m running for my life here, and you¡¯re making a joke Sys-chan, you¡¯re making a joke!¡± [tee-hee( ??? ? ???)] Turning into a corner, Juniper stopped dead in her tracks. Blocking her path in the hallway stood a red-haired woman, her attire sleek back¨Cpart-military, half-spy, with a dash of a femme-fatale, heels long and sturdy. Definitely a weapon. She clearly was an authority figure, something about her screamed stern mother, the type kids feared but obeyed without question. Her sharp eyes scanned Juniper like the anomaly she was, a striking gaze in her eyes. ¡°Anne said nothing about a healing factor,¡± she murmured, her arms crossed. ¡°Just a few hours ago, we were convinced you were dead. Now look at you¨Call riled up.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Juniper retreated back but stopped. Thinking about the looming Hulk in the other direction. ¡°Who are you? What is this place? Why am I here?¡± ¡°One little thing at a time, Juniper.¡± [The cat¡¯s out of the bag, they know your name.] What now? What else did they know? How long until every criminal in the city knew her name? [Don¡¯t panic.] sys-chan advised she was like a small angel or devil sometimes. [Play the long game. Work the cards you were dealt with.] Juniper did a heavy exhale and readied herself. ¡°Where the fuck am I? Answer me!¡± The mysterious woman smirked. ¡°Welcome to Camp Bell Brigade.¡± Her stomach dropped. OBB. operation black brigade, these were Annemarie¡¯s people, vigilantes, sanctioned outlaws. ¡°I need to go.¡± her voice broke. ¡°I¡¯m done, I¡¯m not dealing with this.¡± Her eyes sharpened. ¡°Your siblings¡­ Annemarie said you were concerned about them.¡± she moved closer, her heels clicking. ¡°You can relax. Your brother has been informed about your predicament, full disclosure and all. He¡¯s very cooperative If I may add.¡± Juniper froze in place. Her words were like a blizzard. Her pulse accelerates like a tornado. Cooperative? This was a veiled threat. Her family had turned into leverage. She was the target. ¡°Why am I not in a hospital?!¡± she demanded. ¡°Same reason you¡¯re not rotting in a prison cell for criminal negligence.¡± The woman tossed her red hair back, her smirk widening. ¡°I called in a few favors and twisted a few arms. Political strings, maybe some bribery¡ªpossibly a threat or two to the right people.¡± The woman turned as she explained. ¡°SCRA was ready to take you into custody as soon as you leave the hospital.¡± Her voice became sharpened. ¡°I intervened. Used some ¡®political points.¡¯ brought you, made you sure walked out in one piece. Did you a favor? ¡± Annemarie. Her lure was definitely a setup, they¡¯ve wanted her to here from the start. Why?¡± she hissed. ¡°Why did Annemarie lure me out? Attack me? Push me into a corner.¡± Her smirk disappeared. ¡°I asked her to bring you here.¡± She blinked. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I instructed her to bring you here,¡± she said, her tone became disappointing. ¡°But like always, she gets carried away, draws things out to indulge in her ¡®hunts.¡¯ Her sadistic plays. Perhaps she has a few screws loose after all. ¡°And. What do you want from me!¡± she shouted. ¡°I never asked to come here. I don¡¯t want anything to do with any of you.¡± She exhaled through her nose, mouth shut, thinking. ¡°Whether you want to or not is your choice,¡± she started.¡± I¡¯m going to make you an offer Juniper Pinewell. You can take it¨Cor you can struggle your own way.¡± She hardly had time to respond, when heavy footsteps echoed behind her. Her eyes went wide. The giantess appeared behind her¨C ducking to get around the corner, her long ponytail swinging, like a horse mane. ¡°Everything okay, Eve?¡± she questioned, her stature did not match the cuteness of her voice. Hard as it was for Juniper to admit. ¡°We¡¯re quite fine, Francesca. Just trying to talk to our new friend.¡± New friend? ¡°Okey-dokey, then.¡± she brought her large finger to Juniper¡¯s face. ¡°You sure you¡¯re okay, you came in here half dead.¡± She nodded, terrified stiff. Francesca retreated walking back the way she came. The ground trembled beneath her footsteps. Juniper¡¯s heart dropped. This wasn''t a conversation. This was recruitment. ¡°You don¡¯t need to fear her,¡± Evelyn said, her tone casual. ¡°Francesca¡¯s the kindest heart out of us all.¡± The tension didn¡¯t ease, Francesca could scare her straight if she wanted to. ¡°What is this offer?¡± ¡°Join my crew.¡± Evelyn leaned against the wall, her eyes locked on Juniper¡¯s. ¡°Officially, you¡¯d work under me¨Csalaries and expensive bonuses for risking your life. You¡¯d be considered a shadow cape, working in the shades of the dark to serve mankind. Unofficially, you¡¯d be a government agent, same as the big two.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the catch here? What do you want me, a recluse.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something only you can do I believe, that''s why I need you.¡± she paused. ¡°Think about your brother Juniper, you''d get him the care he needs without disrupting your life or position.¡± So she simply sought to use her after all. ¡°What if I refuse?¡± Her expression hardened. ¡°Within the week every branch of Cape government will make a visit to your apartment. Her heart skipped a beat. ¡°I read your profile. I know about your current circumstances and past. Trust me when I say this. Avaree Reyes will be the least of your worries.¡± She swallowed the lump in her throat, and balls of sweat trickled down her face. ¡°Big two?¡± ¡°Sovereign Initiatives of Capes and Paragons of Pacifica.¡± Evelyn¡¯s voice dropped. Juniper¡¯s eyes widened. She¡¯d be conscripted by them by law or placed under government supervision. Her siblings would be taken away permanently. ¡°There¡¯s also the other two others, no doubt, your life will be thrown even further upside down if you don¡¯t work with one of them.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t accept it.¡± Juniper scowled. ¡°In fact I refuse! My whole idea was to go independent but Anne went ahead and ruined everything!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be a naive little girl.¡± Evelyn¡¯s eyes sharpened. Her voice lowered, becoming almost empathetic. Do you know what happens to independent capes? Do you know the risks you''d be putting on your family members, and people you know? It¡¯s a zero-sum game. The only independents that make it are the powerful ones, and you''re far from it¨C at least for now.¡± Juniper stiffened. Her rage ignited. Her hair lifted into the air and the atmosphere thickened. [Gravity Distortion leveled up 1 ¡ú 2.] ¡°So what?!¡± Juniper screamed. The sudden overwhelming pressure ejected away from her. Evelyn didn¡¯t flinch¨Cbut her eyes intrigued. ¡°Stop using my siblings as leverage!¡± ¡°I understand. You¡¯re confused and overwhelmed. Angry.¡± Juniper saw red, her vision narrowed. The dim lights of the hall flickered on and off. Circuitry in the wall started sparking. Glass cracked under the weight of unnatural gravity. Evelyn moved even closer. ¡°So Annemarie spoke the truth,¡± she said. Fascinated. ¡°You can in fact steal powers. An amazing prospect.¡± ¡°Years ago, a cape with a similar ability, appeared and disappeared,¡± she murmured to herself. ¡°Never appeared again.¡± Juniper¡¯s glare ignited. ¡°Enough!¡± her voice amplified. The dim lights burst, the hall plunged itself into twilight and the glass rained down. The walls threaten to cave in. [Calm down Juniper] Sys-chan''s voice cut through the chaos. [you¡¯ve been through no uncertain hell ¨C don¡¯t stake it all on an outburst.] Her AI companion was right. This place with filled with capes most probably. The one called Francesca could flatten her like a pancake. The rage itself was hard to control She focused, concentrating on the feeling of dragging down the world with her to match her feelings. The floor trembled, and several objects cracked. Evelyn approached despite being affected, she pushed through the pressure¨Cdeliberately. ¡°Stay back!¡± Juniper warned, voice wild. She didn¡¯t. She brought her fist out, ready to swing at her face. Eveylyn¡¯s arms wrapped around her. Juniper blinked in surprise. What¨C? She resisted initially, trying to make Evelyn feel the pressure up close. But her arms were firm almost too gripping. ¡°Are you okay Juniper?¡± Evelyn whispered in her ear. ¡°Do you need a hug?¡± ¡°I¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Evelyn said softly. ¡°No one will hurt you here, you can let go.¡± She shook her head, some part of her was determined to fight the welling-up feelings . A single tear dropped, and then the whole dam broke. ¡°It¡¯s so much all at once,¡± she choked up. ¡° All of it, it¡¯s all so much.¡± ¡°I know the feeling,¡± Evelyn said. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°No one can help me. My grave is dug.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± Evelyn¡¯s voice softened even more. ¡°We can help. If you give us a chance.¡± Her tears flowed endlessly. Why couldn¡¯t she stop, why didn¡¯t it stop? ¡°I don¡¯t want to deal with this,¡± Juniper sobbed. ¡°I just wanted to play games in my room¡­ I hate people.¡± Evelyn didn¡¯t let go. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Her words were comforting, why was it comforting? She sobbed uncontrollably like a toddler crying for the first time in years. ¡°You clearly need time to process things,¡± Evelyn said. She didn¡¯t respond. Just kept on crying. She was nudged towards a chair, which Evelyn made her sit on. Her legs were overclocked, barely able to walk, she was weak and hungry and there was weight she couldn¡¯t lift. ¡°Drink.¡± Evelyn handed her a glass of water. ¡°You¡¯re dehydrated.¡± Juniper stared at it reluctantly but obeyed. The liquid was cold against her throat but did nothing to soothe her pain. A man in heavy armor stood casually at the door frame. A samurai-like helm, tucked between his arm, he had sharp features and a chiseled jaw, his dark hair complemented his handsome features. ¡°This is John,¡± Evelyn pointed. ¡°He can take you home right now if you want.¡± Home. For how long? She nodded at the man, but their eyes met briefly, looking into the other. ¡°Before he takes you, Are you sure you want to leave?¡± she asked, quietly. ¡°What do you mean.¡± ¡°You were shot multiple times. We all know the state you were in.¡± she crossed her arms. ¡°Regeneration or not¨Cyou¡¯re still human.¡± ¡°I need to get home, my body will be fine.¡± ¡°For now, how about tomorrow, your body will be going through hell. You might heal fast but you''re not invincible. An extra bullet and you were gone. Think about it.¡± Her hands tighten on the supports of the chair.¡±I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°But are you really?¡± Juniper looked away. Her body hurt like hell. But she can keep walking, if not for her then for her siblings if not for her siblings then for Kanako''s sake. Bullets blood, fear, nightmare. She didn¡¯t care right now. ¡°Well then, I won''t force you.¡± she exhaled sharply, rising to her feet. The armored man at the door greeted her. ¡°Hello, missy.¡± She knew that voice. Unmistakable. Metal Ronin. Of all the capes to escort it was him. A ruthless killer. He was known as infamous for hunting criminals like animals. Somehow he would be her ride home. Like some devil, acting like a chauffeur. Evelyn, approached her, holding her shoulder. ¡°Were showing you trust here Juniper? You know our names, that isn¡¯t given lightly.¡± Trust. The word felt like a trap. ¡°So I can go?¡± ¡°Yes, but go home and think.¡± Evelyn started. ¡°Three days. And I¡¯ll change my mind about helping you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a kid anymore, Juniper.¡± Evelyn¡¯s tone was heavy now, almost mournful. ¡°And people like us? We don¡¯t get to get to live a peaceful life.¡± she knew it was true bu- ¡°I¡¯m going then.¡± ¡°Remember three days.¡± ¡®I¡¯ll be here if you need me.¡± She forced herself from the chair, legs wobbling. She steadied herself. Limping towards the ruthless vigilante. She has finally reached the point of no return, could she bare to trust these people? Chapter 19 - Tugging at the heart Juniper sat silently in the car, waiting for the awkward ride to end. Her eyes fixed on the passing neon city lights, speckled raindrops lighting up the windows of the car. The ride was awkward. Filled with the kind of silence that felt pressing and suffocating. She fidgeted constantly adjusting the fresh tracksuit she was given by the OBB, it was a bit undersized and unfamiliar, and it only made her feel self-conscious. The tightness just added more discomfort. ¡°So¡­¡¯ balaclava girl,¡¯¡± A humming John, broke the silence. ¡°How¡¯d it go off? Your powers I mean, how¡¯d they awaken? What was your trigger?¡± ¡°B-Balaclava girl? Juniper questioned, she felt a mix of irritation and social unease. The nickname was a horrible fit, even baggirl sounded better to her. Her voice stumbles as struggles to maintain her composure. ¡°W-who chose that name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s what the SCRA chose to name you. You''re unregistered, they have to work off a reference. Also, that shit you and Annemarie pulled at the bank, went viral. I guess the name has now penetrated internet forums and the like.¡± he half smirked, she could see in the mirror, he gently lowered a window, just enough to light a cigarette and let the smoke escape. She felt churning nausea brewing. The thought of thousands of strangers, dissecting every part of her body, hyper-analyzing her¨Cwas not something she wanted to deal with. She shuffled where she sat, forehead leaning against the cooled glass. The rain outside was blurring into gray and neon. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna talk about¡­names.¡± ¡°Alright. What woke your powers or caused it?¡± She exhaled, the fog mixing with the chilling wetness of the window. ¡°I¡­ got hit by a car. Just went grocery shopping. Supervillain drive by.¡± she lowered her voice speaking softly, loud and she might break her will to speak. ¡°They catch them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe so, or I don¡¯t know. They were run-of-the-mill villains so¡­¡± Her hands played with the bandages and the stitches on her stomach. She could feel an itchy sensation occurring as if her body was slowly reattaching small dead cells. ¡°Heliogirl fought, That¡¯s about all I know.¡± ¡°ahh¡­I know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± he said as he huffed out a pillow of smoke. ¡°Heard there was a lawsuit against her¡­All the victims and close family affected are supposed to be compensated. Did you partake?¡± ¡°No, she saved my life. And she visited me afterward, and brought me gifts." She didn¡¯t know why she was telling a dangerous stranger this. Maybe he wasn¡¯t all that bad. ¡°So, the perps could still be out there somewhere. Have you ever thought about payback? Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.¡± She never once thought of it. The very first thing that bothered was the safety and security of her siblings. The pain she felt at that moment, flashed like an old phantom. It could be so easy to think about that, dwell on it. But she had no desire for revenge. ¡°No.¡± There was the silence that followed again. A bit different this time. Reflective not oppressive. It was that break that made her linger on the distant sirens beating through the night air, their lights flashing yellow, red, and white into her eyes. Somewhere out there, there was a good chance that someone''s son, daughter, father, or mother, was on the verge of dying. She hated that feeling. ¡°Do you enjoy killing people, metal Ronin? The question was out of pocket, too quick for her own thoughts to process, it hung in the air, and the smoke from John¡¯s cigarette was heavier. ¡°Quite blunt, you can be. And no. Never. I¡¯ve never enjoyed it. But every kill I¡¯ve made was for a good reason. Everything for the cause.¡± ¡°What is the cause?¡± she asked genuinely curious. ¡°You¡¯ll have to decide that for yourself.¡± ¡°Have you ever thought about them? She asked, half whispering. ¡°The people you killed?¡± ¡°Every day,¡± he said. He looked at her eyes through the rearview mirror. ¡°Why? Planning someone¡¯s death.¡± ¡°Maybe, I¡¯m just scared I''ll be forced to kill someone,¡± she muttered, half vulnerable, half joking. ¡°Do I scare you, Ms. Pinewell? He asked, chuckling. Staring into her eyes. Juniper hesitated. She didn¡¯t expect to be asked that so bluntly in return, but she had to be honest. ¡°Maybe a bit,¡± she said and added. ¡°But first impressions always help, you¡¯re uh, quite the handsome man, I guess.¡± Her cheeks were slightly in a blush. ¡°I''m flattered. But I hope one day you¡¯ll see a better side of me.¡± he laughed genuinely warm, comforting like an older brother who was there for your well-being. The conversation died down again, Juniper was left alone with her thoughts. She wasn¡¯t sure what made her more uncomfortable¨C his touching demeanor or her own fucked up emotions. [Juniper, fire yourself up. Gotta say though, he is giving charismatic but Uncle with an ulterior motive vibes. May I suggest, ejecting yourself out of the car door in case he gets drunk.¡±] Juniper blinked several times. Sys-chan¡¯s voice was upbeat, a stark contrast to her own mood. She closed her eyes attempting to focus on a small spark of levity. ¡°What happened to Annemarie?¡¯ she asked, half disappointed in herself for caring about her well-being. ¡°Locked up for the night at the SCRA department,¡± John said, a cigarette leaving his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her. They¡¯ll let her out tomorrow. Arkangeal pulled some strings. Otherwise, you¡¯d both be charged for interfering in a state-commandeered operation. ¡°Arkangel?¡± ¡°The woman who spoke to you Evelyn, our boss.¡± The weight of everything weighed down on her again. Her arms become numb and she slumps into her seat. Only the system wouldn¡¯t let her gloat in peace, constantly trying to uplift her. [Chin up! Juni! Tomorrow is another promise to be made. You can be a proper hero now, make better fashion decisions, and maybe no uncles to drive you around. Sit upright!] It¡¯s not that simple. John pulled into the dim parking lot under the apartment complex, The rain hammering the windows with heavy torrents. ¡°For you,¡± he said. John reached into his coat and handed her a phone slim, pitch-black. It felt much heavier than it should have in her palm. ¡°Keep this on you. If you decide to join, just give me or Evelyn a call. If you don''t and feel threatened, or you need something, feel free to call us. We¡¯ll take care of you.¡± She was hesitant, one part of her wanted to throw it out of the window, the other part wanted to hold onto it just in case, she decided in the flicker of the moment.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Okay,¡± she murmured, tucking it into the pocket of the tracksuit. ¡°Can I walk you inside? You¡¯re still wobbling like a madman. The last thing we want is for you to crack your head open on a stairwell.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not necessary.¡± she gripped the door handle, eager to get inside the apartment. He held his hands up. ¡°I insist. No ulterior motives, I promise.¡± he leaned against the seat. ¡°Believe it or not, I like playing big brother with Annemarie, stupid girl¡¯s always getting herself into trouble.¡± Juniper smiled. Did her people even know that she was a sexually frustrated maniac or was it just her who was exposed to that side of her? Moving through the torrenting rain. Up into the second floor, the hallway was mostly quiet. The faint smell of mildew was overridden by petrichor. She hadn¡¯t even reached the door when an old familiar voice called out to her. ¡°Juniper!¡± ''Sweet Jesus, does this woman sleep.'' Ms. Louise wobbled forward like a rolling avalanche. Suspicions and contempt on her face. She said aghast. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were bringing home older men!¡± the woman folded her arms, clearly in disapproval. ¡°Uh no¨C¡± ¡°John stepped in smoothly. ¡°Late-night internship,¡± he said with confidence. ¡°Juniper here just came back from a meeting so to speak.¡± ¡°Internship?¡± the lady scoffed. ¡°Their letting kids work at night these days, back in my day¨C¡± Juniper had to shut out the rest of the lady¡¯s rant, some part of her would really like to be rid of this old crone, but pummeling her with her powers would not be a good thing on her records. She supposed John''s presence eased the irritation. When they reached the door, she felt drained all over again. ¡°Great,¡± she said with disappointment. ¡°She probably thinks I sell my body or something.¡± John shrugged. ¡°Could be worse.¡± ¡°Can it?¡± They stood awkwardly in front of the door, the peeling paint of the wall, did nothing to alleviate her feelings. ¡°Well then.¡± John spun around. ¡°I¡¯ll be off. Take care, Ms. Pinewell, and please¨C¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Make a choice before it¡¯s too late.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± He walked off, not looking back, she waited till he disappeared out of the hallway. Her stomach started twisting in ways she couldn¡¯t explain. Even with the door calm and still in front of her. She hesitated. [Medical alert! Depressive feelings detected, may I recommend a hug or an ice cream.] ¡°You¡¯re not helping at all. You need to learn when to be quiet.¡± The door is locked. As it should be. She pressed her thumb under the doorknob, where a hidden scanner was. The mechanism beeped twice before unlocking. Stepping inside, she shut the door behind her with a soft click. Stepping inside, the dim glow of the television monitor lit up the living room, Remy and Effy were curled up together on the sofa. Effy was slumped down in Remy¡¯s lap, her little body rising and falling as she breathed in deep sleep. Remy¡¯s unalert and probably tired as hell, head snapped towards the door, with sudden fright. For a mild second, the warmth of her home settled in, like an old blanket in a dark cold. She wanted to cozy beside them, pull under the warmth of settling in. But the Heavyweight of what transpired rattled her bones. Remy sprang up, on his feet. Before she could even move another step, he looked frantic and wild. Effy stirs slightly but doesn¡¯t wake up. Remy¡¯s arms flailing open around her waist. ¡°Juniper!¡± his voice was disjointed. ¡°Where¡¯ve you been? I thought something happened to you?¡± His hug was tight-too tight¨Cshe winced as the wounds started aching. ¡°A lady called,¡± he said, half-tearing up half-laughing. ¡°A cape lady. Said you¡¯ve been shot and taken into medical care. And then I saw it¨C t-the video¨Conline! The bank thing! I knew that was you. Juniper, I¨C¡± He nearly tumbled them both over, half-mad, not knowing how to act. ¡°What if you¨Cwhat if you get killed? What the hell Am I supposed to do¨C¡± She hugged him back, the pain amplifying as she pressed into him. ¡°Remy,¡± she whispered, resting her chin on his shoulder. ¡°I''m alright.¡± He pulled back noticing her discomfort, just enough to see her bandages peaking through the tracksuit. His tracking the bloodstains. ¡°You¡¯re still hurt!¡± ¡°This¨Cis nothing,¡± she said dismissively. Playing with his messy hair. ¡°I¡¯ll heal.¡± He looked unconvinced. ¡°But you got shot several times. Why aren¡¯t you in a hospital?¡± She sighed, she may as well come clean. She couldn¡¯t keep brushing him away, he knew it was not the first time. She¡¯d avoided telling him most of it. ¡°Healing factor, I can regenerate.¡± His face fell as the realization dawned on him. ¡°So¡­ you really are a cape?¡± She nodded. She hated being called that, the way he said was like it was an irreversible thing, something she¡¯ll have to wear for the rest of her life. ¡°I¡¯m going to make my choice soon,¡± she said softly. ¡°I¡¯ll join an agency. Get us away from this neighborhood, get Effy a better school, I¡¯ll get you the medical care you need.¡± He looked away as she said the last part. ¡°You¡¯ll still be putting your life in danger!¡± His voice cracked, panic leaking. ¡°Can you even fight? Do you even have offensive powers? ¡°Look,¡± she said, firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when I¡¯m ready to talk. Right now I need some proper rest.¡± ¡°But¨C¡± ¡°Remy.¡± her voice faltered. ¡°I know you had a death scare, but please. Let me rest. I¡¯ll speak to you when my head is clear. Take it easy.¡± He nodded reluctantly. She stared at her sister, who lay splayed over the coach. ¡°Don¡¯t tell Effy, a thing, okay?¡± she added. ¡°I don¡¯t want her exposed to this stuff at all.¡± Without a further word, she scooped up her little sister. ¡°Damn,¡± she exclaimed. ¡°She¡¯s getting heavier.¡± She stirred faintly, as she was carried halfway to her bed. Eyes flickering over for a second. ¡°Juno?¡± she mumbled in her sleep. ¡°Go back to sleep, Effy¡±. Effy¡¯s eyes went shut again, and Juniper tucked her into her bed, under two thin, worn blankets. She stood over her for a moment, pinching her face and brushing her away from her face. The lump in her throat, half swallowed. [Critical damage suffered! Sibling moment. Emotional well-being¨Cstaggered. Need some comfort Y/N?] She ignored the popup, flicked the light off, and the door pulled shut behind her. She locked the room, to her door. Remy lingered in front of the TV. She was afraid he would overly try and take care of her. Leaning on the door, sliding down. She shot right up again when her wound contracted. ¡°Fuck!¡± she shouted as soft as she could. Everything had caught up to her, It pressed her down. Her breathing became short-winded. She pressed her palm on her mouth, struggling to let the sobbing stay inside. She didn¡¯t want to hear her sibling cry. [May I suggest deep breaths? Or even punching something, just not the door.] She exhaled as slowly as she could, kicking off her shoes and socks. She needed to focus on something¨Canything else before she spiraled out of control. Most people would run straight to drugs or alcohol, she didn¡¯t want that for herself or her siblings. Her gaze locked onto her console. She stared at her glitchy Monitor, it was a 4-year-old model, and she never could afford a new one. That would have to change. [Dissociation protocol activated. Seriously go do something else. Don¡¯t mope on the ground.] She crawled towards the console and grabbed the controller, flopping on her bed, head leaning on it. Restarting an old computer role-playing game she liked to play every once in a while. ¡°Just for a moment.¡± [That¡¯s the spirit! Achievement unlocked¡ª¡®Pretend It¡¯s Fine!¡¯ Reward: mild distraction from real-life issues. (?? ? ??)] Juniper almost laughed. Almost. She launched the game. She checked the time on her phone. 3:27 AM. Her phone¡¯s bright blue glow fucked with eyes, even with pastel wallpaper. An open field of purple and blue with little cute animals running over it. She winced as she lowered the brightness. Her fingers danced beside her, searching for a full can of energy. Four now stood empty. They reflected the light of the monitor in her eyes. On the big screen, her character, a spellsword drow¨C hung on the scaled wing of the dragon, hacking away as fire from his breath, spilled onto her. Her hands moved on instinct. Fingers waltzing all over the buttons. With a swift impalement in the head of the beast. The dragon tried throwing her off, crashing into a burning meadow. 5000 exp gained. Level up. [Congratulations! You¡¯ve leveled up a digital illusion. You are now an expert at coping with your emotions.] Juniper ignored her. ¡®Her¡¯ did she syschan even have a gender, what even was she really? [Whatever you need me to be in the moment.] Her focus returned to the game, the growing pit in her chest was feigning out. Maybe a thing of the past. [Okay juniper. Seriously, that¡¯s your fifth energy drink. Your heart is gonna explode at this rate.] ¡°No,¡± She uttered, completely exhausted, but pushing on. ¡°A few more hours. OBB can wait. Superpowers can wait. I want ¡®me¡¯ time.¡± [Like what.Overthrowing corrupt dragon gods? Meh. Murderhobo-ing a village of cursed werewolves? Critical mission. Kinda boring if you ask me. When you can be a god in the real world.] Her fingers slipped as she struggled to play coherently. Preparing her team of companions for another dungeon run. One more at least. [Dude. The last thing you need is to turn into a female version of the neckbeard. What¡¯s the next step?] ¡°hmmm¡­.AI waifu¡¯s¡±¡¯ [Excuse me. Am I just lifeless code? Am I not good enough for you.?] ¡°You can¡¯t hold me. You can¡¯t make me moan.¡± [I can whisper in your ear.] Juniper shivered, Sys-chan¡¯s voice was dropping way too low. Too close, so soft. Warm, and prickly, an involuntary shiver ran up her spine. ¡°W-what the hell¡­¡± Her cheeks warmed, and there was a faint tingle below her waist. [Go to bed, already!] She put her controller down. Partly flustered. Still depressed. ¡°You¡¯re crazy sometimes you know that.¡± [And yet you still haven¡¯t reset my factory settings.] She pulled a pillow over her head. Sleep was beginning to sound better. If it means, sys-chan¡¯s yammering will stop. [ Sweet dreams, Juniper. I¡¯ll be right here¡ªin your ears.( ? 3?) ] Sys-chan''s last words lingered in her ears as she departed the world. Chapter 20 - Save Point Juniper crawled out of her messy unmade bed, the emptied containers of junk food filling her room like a wild garden. Empty chip bags, soda cans, and candy wrappers. Her console was humming like a smothered fan, as she focused on power leveling her character. It was the best kind of distraction, in the game she wasn¡¯t Juniper, and she didn¡¯t need to deal with Juniper¡¯s issues. Her mind lingers on yesterday¡¯s events. Replaying everything from meeting Annemarie to being shot by the ¡®good guys¡¯. The little girl cradled up in her arm, unaware she was bleeding out of her shoulder for whatever reason, it was something she couldn¡¯t forget. She was sure the girl had been traumatized by the event. She¡¯d like to check up on her and her mother if it is possible. Her hands kept twitching on the controller, every other sensation made it hard to concentrate. Severe aching all over her chest¨Cthe gun flashes and the flowing blood, replaying over and over again. Annemarie¡¯s sadistic beatdown and sys-chan¡¯s lack of intervention, weigh on her. Her screen beeped, she achieved another pointless in-game achievement, barely drowning out her thoughts. Oh, how she wanted to drown in her sorrow, but couldn¡¯t. ¡°Sys-chan, did you betray me back there? Did you deliberately sabotage me with Annemarie?¡± [Betrayal! Never! I just thought you didn¡¯t need any assistance nya~ ?^. .^??] ¡°Don¡¯t act all cute.¡± Juniper raised her voice, barely loud enough that her siblings might hear. ¡°Be honest with me, or I¡¯ll consider this partnership null and void.¡± she scowled. [Okay, Okay. Just listen. Prepare yourself for the absolute worst.] sys-chan imitated the sound of holding a breath, her unseeable lungs bracing herself. [As your quote on quote ¡®helper¡¯, It¡¯s important that I make sure you grow enough. TO PUT IT SIMPLY: Thereby meaning, I make sure you get into conflicts to maximize your potential.] ¡°So I''m supposed to turn into a living weapon or some shit.¡± [Of course not, my adorably depressed muffin bun. But you''re on a ticking clock, And I need you prepared for the inevitable.] ¡°The aliens.¡± her mind lingers on the night Quixis, the fox god thingy had visited her, following the aftermath of her accident. [Yes] ¡°Where is Quixis! He owes a proper explanation¡± [I don¡¯t know, he will get around to you eventually, this planet has only one guardian from Elysium assigned to it.] She groans. Going back to button mashing and start building. [Warning! Your agility has decreased by 1 stat point due to prolonged inactivity] It was a faux notification but it annoyed her. She became agitated and hurled the pillow against the wall. [You can¡¯t just decay Juniper, you barely slept last night. Go do something productive! Squat! Go out! Socialize, work on that charisma, or get some more sleep.] ¡°Just one day okay, I¡¯ll deal with everything tomorrow, what, I can¡¯t have a day off after being shot.¡± [But most of your pain is gone, you need to work hard if you plan on surviving Cape life.] Her phone kept buzzing, loudly vibrating on her messy nightstand. She froze in place, staring at the unfamiliar number that appeared on the screen. Her thumb moved ready to decline. To answer or not to answer. There was the possibility it was very important. Better to find out now. She took a deep breath and swiped up. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Juniper, It¡¯s me.¡± It was Annemarie''s voice. ¡°I hope you¡¯re okay¡­I¨C¡± Her voice was strained, and her tone low¨Clike she was doing the acting thing again, where she pretended to be innocent and quirky. ¡°Can we talk? Please? About everything that happened¨C¡± Juniper¡¯s heart ran a race. She preferred not to deal with it right now, she was ready. The urge to just shut it down was strong.¡± ¡°No¨C you hurt me in more ways than one. Don¡¯t call me again.¡± ¡°Wai¨C¡± She hung up. Immediately blocked the number. Annemarie had more than one chance to come clean, she instead toyed with her. She knew that if she accepted Bell Brigade¡¯s offer she¡¯d have to deal with Anne again. [So rude, Juniper. She''s your yandere route if Kanako doesn''t pan out. You lost 10 social credits.] ¡°I don¡¯t care, she only wanted to fetishize me. My heart is in a different place anyway.¡± [She sounded worried though. She¡¯s Bipolar Possibly. Maybe? But definitely worried.] ¡°Worried? She¡¯s unhinged! Did you see what she got me into? I¡¯m not dealing with that. Not today.¡± [At Least you should''ve heard her out.] ¡°Nope. Not happening. I don¡¯t forget easily.¡± She grabbed the controller and went back into her game. Theorycrafted game builds were so much more fun than worrying. A swarm of pixelated enemies Zerg rushed her character¡¯s party, the flash of red blood splatter and exp pop-ups did wonders for her mind.¡± [Wow. You got a +100 MP boosted greaves. ] sys-chan quipped [If only the Mana Points fixed things in real life.] Juniper rolled her eyes. Her hands trembled. No amount of dopamine would stop the literal and figurative pain she felt gnawing at her heart. *** Juniper had been on her third set of food. ¨Cshe wasn¡¯t hungry, eating only because it made her feel good. Her junk fortress grows by the pile. Her brother had berated her several times now, the noise came in one ear and out the other. Three words she would catch occasionally ¨C¡¯ worried,¡¯ ¡®Effy,¡¯ and ¡®fix¡¯ then it became static again. Why can¡¯t I let go, when other people do the goddamn same. Not even for a day, and the whole world is spinning on its head.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Her brother dropped down next to her, bumping into her shoulder deliberately. ¡°Juniper. I may not have superpowers but I¡¯ll help you punch your problems away if you¡¯ll let me.¡± He keeps tugging at her without a response. ¡°Yesterday, you said we¡¯d talk about this. Is that girl the cause of this? Annemarie? Is she a cape too?¡± She gave him a side-eye. ¡°Remy. I¡¯m fine. Go play adult elsewhere, focus on your studies or your job. It¡¯s not a school day, Effy is fine, I just need to¨C¡± she pointed to her monitor. ¡°unwind.¡± ¡°Except you''re not fine at all. Even Effy can see it, you haven¡¯t even played with her today like you always do.¡± She tensed, he just had to keep pressing her. ¡°C''mon, you can¡¯t slump back into this mode, you¡¯ve changed so much over the course of a week.¡± ¡°Just watch me.¡± ¡°What about Effy?¡± ¡°She¡¯s nine. She¡¯ll understand me when she¡¯s older.¡± As if summoned by the mention of her name, she burst into the room, wearing a handpicked superhero kit¨Ccomplete with a crumpling cape, sparkling paper, and an arsenal of drawing crayons. ¡°This will fix your slump Juniper.¡± She declared. Waving the glitter-covered paper over her face. ¡° Sparkles! Everyone loves sparkles!¡± ¡°Hey, stop that. Effy¡± she did her best to get the glitter-infused paper away. ¡°I hate sparkles and rainbows.¡± ¡°Okay, time for plan B.¡± she gave her a wide unnerving stare before bolting out of the room. Arms in the air. Yelling dramatically. ¡°Wait¨CEffy come back, where are you going?¡± ¡°Well look at that now you¡¯ve done it," Remy answered. She half considers running after the little mischievous girl. Or should she let chaos run its course. ¡°Ah, not my problem.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Remy said, strolling after the girl. Juniper sighed. Closing her door again. She¡¯s gonna ease into her comfort zone, with or without their interference. Or so she thought. Only a moment later. There was an extra pair of footsteps walking into the apartment. She immediately starts panicking. The calm and deliberate pace of the steps put down. Was all too familiar. It was Kanako. Her eyes hyper-analyzed her room like a bomb was going to go off. Except it¡¯s too late to cut any wires... Junk food wrappers, soda cans, and her clothes were thrown over her chair¡ªan absolute disaster. Her pajamas? A mismatched and embarrassing image, filled with cartoony skulls and black hearts. She was not fit to be seen. Effy you little devil! She scrambled to her closet. Hiding with her cheap horrible pajamas, half squishing in next to hanging clothing. She sits and waits for her demise. They entered the room. Their footsteps stopped just in front of the door. ¡°Juniper, Miss Kanako is here!¡± Effy yells all too cheerfully. It¡¯s Kanako, you little imbecile. [Your sister is way more intelligent than you give her credit for, how are you going to get out of this one. I wonder. ~Teehee~] ¡°Not now dude!¡± she hissed at her headmate. Kanako enters, carefully pacing herself. Scanning the messy room, observing the work of art on the floor. Effy walked up to the closet and knocked aggressively. They met each other¡¯s eyes. She peered through the closet. Kanako, who¡¯s hair was styled into a ponytail today. Didn¡¯t seem bothered at all but her sharp eyes went all over the room. She lingered on the faint glow of the running console. Shit forgot to turn it off. [Just wait till she finds out what kinds of games you play. You¡¯re losing your status as ¡®barely cute¡¯ soon enough. Next thing you know she¡¯ll call you a creeper] ¡°Ack¨C¡± ¡°Juniper?¡± Juniper froze. ¡°Juniper come out.¡± She mumbled from inside the closet. ¡°k-Ka¡­kanako?¡± The Yamato nadeshiko blinked. ¡°Why are you here!?¡± She crept out. Closing the closet behind her. Her face was pale, frazzled and her hair all frizzy and curly. Kanako arched an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m your neighbor, you¡¯re well-being is my well-being.¡± Juniper pouted. ¡°That¡¯s kinda twisted if you think about it!¡± Kanako crossed her arms and lifted her head. Her face filled with pity and disappointment. She did stare at her chest area, where a few bandages remained. ¡°Oh Juniper, what happened to you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what it looks like! It¡¯s complicated okay. I¡¯m just dealing with stuff.¡± Kanako raised a brow. ¡°So you weren¡¯t just hiding inside your closet, covered in dirt and dust?¡± Juniper''s face turned sour. Effy jumped up in cheer. ¡°Plan B worked out alright!¡± ¡°Plan B?¡± Kanako questioned with a smile. ¡°Weaken the monster with bait.¡±¡± Juniper groaned. ¡°I¡¯m not a monster.¡± Kanako tilted her head. ¡°I''m the bait?¡± Effy fled the room. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a minute,¡± she exclaimed. Kanako took one more look at the room. Her lips pressed into a sad line. ¡°What happened to you?" She asked her voice raised, her voice expressed an undercurrent of worry beneath it. ¡°This happened after you went out with that girl, didn¡¯t it? What did she do to you, did she hurt you.¡± Juniper refused to answer, looking away like a child. She slumped her face in her pillows. ¡°I can¡¯t deal with this either. I hate to be rude, but please leave.¡± ¡°No.¡± Kanako¡¯s voice is firm and dominant. ¡°I can¡¯t leave you like this.¡± She went over to the dormant console, snatched the controller, and began browsing her game catalog. All broke loose, as juniper fled upwards. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t touch that.¡± Kanako¡¯s eyes lingered on the screen. Lips perked upward as she scrolled past way too many girls love visual novels, and even ¡®mature¡¯ games. ¡°Oh.¡± she teased. ¡°This is what you¡¯re into?¡± Juniper¡¯s face burned. Grabbing the controller and turning it off. ¡°H-hey don¡¯t judge me! And don''t let Effy see that! You¡¯re intruding!¡± ¡°Am I?¡± she giggled softly. ¡°Relax, I won''t judge your preferences.¡± ¡°What preferences.¡± Kanako ignored her antics. She winked and had a wide smile on her face. ¡°First things first¨Cclean up this mess ASAP!¡± Juniper peaked out of her room, shouting. ¡°Euphemia! You little brat! How dare you set me up like this?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± she shouted at the far end of the apartment. Remy interjected. Pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°Sorry about this Miss Kanako. I didn¡¯t know she¡¯d drag you into this.¡± Kanako waved him off. ¡°Don¡¯t blame Effy, she¡¯s the handful here.¡± she pointed to Juniper. Juniper sulked. ¡°You¡¯re all overreacting. I just wanted one day to myself!¡± Kanako stepped closer, her tone soft but still resolute. ¡°Jun,¡± she said, placing her hand on Juniper¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re not okay, and that¡¯s fine. But I¡¯m not leaving you to rot like this.¡± She barely had time to protest, when Effy ran inside the room and snatched her last bag of snacks. ¡°EFFY!¡± she prepared to lunge after her, but Kanako pulled her back with surprising strength. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Kanako said, smirking. ¡°You¡¯ll survive. Your arteries won¡¯t if you keep going on like this.¡± Juniper swore in defeat. Then gave in to everyone¡¯s whims. *** Kanako had managed to strong-arm Juniper into tidying up. She pouted through most of it, mumbling silence as she stuffed everything in the trash. This day of embarrassment would forever haunt her. Sys-chan did nothing but drive her mad. [Behold! The reluctant heroine faces her greatest nemesis yet¡ªbasic hygiene! Will she triumph, or will she drown in crumbs and existential despair?] ¡®Keep quiet, keep quiet, keep quiet! You¡¯re gonna make me slip up¡¯ [Oh no, the heroine has a hidden temper. Is this the start of the tragic downfall of our beloved slob? Or will her love interest shake her together.] ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re cute, Juniper,¡± Kanako said. Juniper¡¯s burning face tried to hide from Kanako¡¯s sight. ¡°Shut up! Is that why you¡¯re taking pity on me?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Kanako tilted her head. She didn¡¯t elaborate. She stepped closer to Juniper. ¡°Though others might not, I see something in you. And someone needs to care about you. Even if you are a mess.¡± Juniper didn¡¯t know how to respond. She turned her back completely. ¡° You¡¯re so bossy all of a sudden!¡± ¡°And you¡¯re thickheaded.¡± Kanako put her hands on her back. ¡°Tomorrow, you and me, we¡¯re going out, it¡¯s non-negotiable.¡± ¡°Out! Out where?¡± ¡°Somewhere special, my treat.¡± Her brain was struggling to function. A date? Was she asking her out on a date? Her face flushed again and she ducked her head in a pillow. ¡°A date! Wai¨C¡± she expressed half flushed. Now she wanted to crawl away entirely. Kanako actually saw something in her. She should be happy but... [It¡¯s a mystery] ¡°Stop being dramatic, just a girl¡¯s day out. We¡¯ll have fun.¡± [She¡¯s definitely into you juniper or at least your excuse of a body. Don¡¯t fumble this.] ¡°Can you not?¡± Juniper hissed at Sys-chan. Kanako tilted her head. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing!¡± Juniper scrambled. ¡°I mean... I can¡¯t go out tomorrow. I just...can¡¯t.¡± Kanako looked saddened. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I...I just can¡¯t, okay?¡± ¡°I already told you,¡± Kanako said, stepping closer. ¡° It¡¯s Non-negotiable.¡± Juniper faltered. There was something steady about Kanako¡ªlike an anchor keeping her from drifting too far. The thought left her slightly light-headed. Maybe tomorrow wouldn¡¯t be so bad. When was the last time someone cared about her like this? The moment was shattered by Effy barreling into the room with her hands on her ribs. ¡°Juniper, is Kanako your girlfriend? Are you gay?¡± Juniper sprang up like she¡¯d been electrocuted. ¡°What¡ªNO! Kanako, say something!¡± Kanako¡¯s lips twitched, but no words came out. Instead, she giggled. Effy gasped dramatically. ¡°You are gay!¡± ¡°Effy!¡± Effy made another tactical retreat into the kitchen. ¡°Relax. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. ¡± Kanako patted Juniper¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re going through we¡¯re gonna make it disappear, tomorrow¡­¡± She winked and left, leaving Juniper red-faced and stammering. Chapter 21 - Emery.A Emery rubbed her temples, as she struggled to go back to sleep limbo. She feels a hand tugging her on the shoulder, lightly tapping on her cheeks. She flinched away from the touching hands. It was too real, too bothersome. She wasn¡¯t in the mood to get up. ¡°Emery¡­¡± a soft-spoken voice called out to her, hesitant. ¡°Emery wake up, you¡¯re half an hour late for your morning schedule¡­¡± ¡°No¡­go somewhere else,¡± she grumbled, Pressing her face into the pillow. It was very comfortable. She wanted to sleep, she wanted to cuddle her pillow, she wanted to rest. ¡°Come on, you¡¯re gonna be beyond late for work.¡± Lilia, her assistant nagged her on. Her blanket was yanked off her, she jumped upright. Half awake, she groans. Her limbs were sore from irregular sleep, and or no sleep. Emery forced her eyes open. It was too bright. Deep down she really was exhausted. Her body refused to cooperate. ¡°It¡¯s not fair,¡± her voice was hoarse and raw. ¡°Most capes don¡¯t have to be on alert at least till past seven. They get to cruise in their private jets, and sip lattes whenever they want, only to get called when there¡¯s a goddamn pr opportunity available on the table.¡± ¡°But you are not most cape emery, You¡¯re Heliogirl, sta¨C¡± Lilia was such debby downer sometimes. ¡°Yes, yes, yes. The sun-born, prodigal bitch, of Pacific-City, I get it.¡± A sharp breath flew from her mouth, she threw her head backward in frustration, then let out an unwomanly moan, stretching her arms and legs. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so pushy, Lilia. I¡¯ll get up when I get up. The city can go fuck itself.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m just trying to be helpful,¡± Lilia said, her voice breaking. Her hands flailed all over the bedside table. No glasses nearby. She hissed like a wild snake. Lilia pressed them inside her hands before backing up. ¡°Thank you, Lilia.¡± She mumbled, hardly looking at her. Lilia nodded, but she looked hurt as she lingered in her presence before backing away. Emery didn¡¯t have the sensibility right now to care. Not right now. Rushing right past her ¡®assistant¡¯, running straight to the bathroom. She washed her face, to refresh herself, then stopped herself in front of the mirror. Freezing at the sight of herself. Short black hair, made damp, now clinging to her pale skin. Eyes dark brown but hollow. Haunted by the past. She felt like she was looking at some old ghost. She hated herself. She pressed her fingers into her hair. Her reflection was a living mockery. Never beautiful enough¨Cat least that¡¯s what she was told when she started being a superhero. Ugly Duckling made a superstar. She fucking hated the Pr teams. Heliogirl was everything she was not. Blonde. Beautiful. Brave. Lies. Every moment of it. She frowned at herself, her eyebags looked heavier than ever, they clung like old specters, she felt half dead already, and probably would be one of these days. Of course, nothing concealer couldn¡¯t fix. Right? Emery got into the shower, hoping to wash away the cold weight settling into her gut. Warm water blasted her, it burned her. She let it rejuvenate her. Panic ensues when she can¡¯t find her towel, missing from its usual spot. ¡°Lilia, can you bring me a towel please?¡± The girl walked up to the door, with a minor pause. ¡°I Can¡¯t just walk inside?¡± ¡°Come on. How am I supposed to finish up? Stop being afraid, we¡¯re both women. The curtain¡¯s closed anyway¡­¡± ¡°O-ok!¡± she replied nervously. Sprinting in and out, Handing her a towel underneath the curtain like Emery was going to bite her head off. Getting out of the shower was more of a hassle than she¡¯d hoped it would be. There were small pockets of glue-like residue stuck in her head that penetrated the wig. The result of fighting a biohazardous villain at 10 pm. Hardcore shit, no breaks. She hated it. She hated it! Dressing up in her costume was the more annoying part of her morning routine. Snapping on a nearly indestructible wig, and slipping hyper-advanced eye contacts, was uncomfortable and suffocating. The contacts stung like a fire ant¡¯s bite. But she had to do this, force herself to keep going. However once it was comfortably fitted, it never became an annoyance, at least until a fight happened.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Her mind wanders as she fits the bleach blonde ¡®Aryan¡¯ wig. It was never supposed to be like this. She was just a silly rich maternal orphan, whose father was an alcoholic. She wanted to flee the city, not become a part of it. She never wanted to do this Pr shit. She never wanted to represent Pacifica¡¯s female youth. Every second heliogirl existed, was a second stolen from her own life. She wanted to go out, be promiscuous and wild, hedonistic and decadent if she could. Lilia, fixed the crease on her back, with her careful delicate hands. Snapping Emery out of her mental stagnation. ¡°There you go, you¡¯re perfect¡± she hummed, happy and oblivious to her pain. Emery didn¡¯t feel perfect, she felt like a caged animal. Breakfast followed dressing. A High-protein, low-carb meal. Bacon, a sausage, a couple of eggs and avocado, one slice of buttered toast. She¡¯d kept this lie for years now, that she needed a perfect diet to maintain peak performance. The truth? she never needed to eat, when the sun gave her all she needed. But damn did the food taste good. Her body burned it all, she could eat whatever she wanted, at any time. She watched Lilia dig into her own portion of the meal. She had subtle cuteness, which Emery could never have. A sweet cinnamon bun. She couldn¡¯t help but be jealous of her natural soft blue eyes. She had to fake hers. Was that jealousy? Casual non-casual resentment? No, wrong train of thought. Lilia deserved better than to be stuck with her mental illness. A small piece of avocado was lodged on her nose, she pointed it out. ¡°Oops, I¡¯m sorry. I know I have bad table manners.¡± Lilia became flustered very easily. ¡°Stop being silly. and stop saying sorry a lot.¡± Emery advised. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Emery¨C I mean I¡¯ll try to.¡± She muttered. Making Emery giggle and shake her head.. The girl looked away, embarrassed. Was she frightened? She forgot capes were intimidating. She didn¡¯t mean to be rude to her. ¡°Um¡­was the meal satisfactory?¡± she asked. Emery shook her head up and down. ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t need to ask that.¡± The girl scratches her head, mumbling and making excuses. Waiting for the clock to strike 06:10, Emery flipped through an old worn out novel she had gotten from an distant aunt from eastern Europe. ¡®Anna Karenina ''by Leo Tolstoy.¡¯ Period dramas never interested her, but she did find herself lost in the prose of the story.. ¡°Um, If I can interrupt you,¡± Lilia announced. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Team Hope has been trying to contact you since yesterday, and said it was urgent.¡± Let it ring,¡± Emery replied, her tone monotonous. She had no patience for forced camaraderie today.¡° Ignore them, and don¡¯t let anyone into the tower.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± The girl took a deep breath and waited for time to pass before bringing up another issue. ¡°In other news, the civil case against you has been dropped.¡± Emery perked up, her muscles tense. She bowed her head. Furious at herself for letting it happen in the first place. ¡°I doubt it, there are still people that could come forward.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right bu¨C¡± Emery stiffened. Her hand clenched the fork tightly, her knuckles tense. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she said, her voice low. ¡°It doesn¡¯t change what I did.¡± ¡°You did your best,¡± Lilia whispered, reaching out to her. Emery pulled away sharply. ¡°Did I?¡± she snapped, images of rubble, blood, and lifeless faces flashing in her mind. ¡°Because I don¡¯t think they would agree.¡± Emery slammed the table, making the food jump. Her thoughts lingered on the agency¡¯s lawyers, they probably offered unthinkable sums to the people. It was immoral and unethical. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, Lillia, I caused that. If I had been faster, stronger. None of it would have happened. ¡° Lilia was quiet. But quickly changed the subject. ¡°Ok, Um, Upper management wants you to attend at least one of three PR events to boost your social rep and capital.¡± She groaned. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Well, um, they gave you one of three choices, a ball, a speech, and charity.¡± The last social event was a disaster, she¡¯d nearly almost lost her wig due to a super-powered tugging weirdo. ¡°Tell me about the ball. Keep it brief.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a celebrity ball, near Silvercity hall, you''re expected to wear a ballgown and go with a male partner." She grimaces. ¡°Do I at least get to choose who?¡± ¡°Apparently mister golden prince himself is asking for you.¡± ¡°Charlie mann?!¡± she spat with disgust. ¡°No, ew, I¡¯m like half his age. fucking weirdo.¡± Lilia smiled. ¡° I agree, I¡¯ll forward a proper complaint to whoever thought it was a good idea.¡± ¡°Thank you, you¡¯re the best gal I could ask for. I fucking hate management.¡± she slammed the table again. ¡°Number two?¡± The last thing she wanted was to be associated with the city¡¯s sex symbol. ¡°Speech at blitz university, They¡¯ll like to ask about struggle¨C¡± ¡°No¡­out of the question. The last time I nearly got doxxed because I stood in front of a conspiratorial douchebag. Next.¡± ¡°Um, charity event, at Astra highschool¨C¡± ¡°Done. Sealed.¡± Lillia shut up but smiled. ¡°You¡¯re a good person, Emery. Not many care for children.¡± ¡°I doubt it,¡± she said, staring at her food. Her phone buzzed¨C sharp, vibrating on the table. She flinched, nearly knocking off her coffee. ¡°Shit!¡± the name flashed briefly, and her stomach lurch. SCRA alert. What now? She picked up, sitting upright, steadying herself. ¡°Helio girl¡± It was her advisor and vice director of the SCRA. Dorian Price ¡°We have a situation. Most capes are inactive, and my team¡¯s hands are tied in other sectors.¡± ¡°Run it by me.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t POP business, just so you know¡­¡± She swallowed, SCRA cases were always bloody and messy. Darker. ¡°What¡¯s the issue¡± ¡°Pyromaniac. Silvercity Mall, a highly flammable flame thrower being used indiscriminately. Targeting civilians as we speak. No casualties reported so far.¡± ¡°No offense, this doesn¡¯t sound like a cape matter. This sounds like a Police problem.¡± ¡°I agree, well normally. But the weapon¨C based on security footage, implies an unnatural design. Cape manufacturer involved. High volatile stuff too. You know the mall is flameproof, yeah. It¡¯s fucking burning. Get the maniac, and solve the issue. We¡¯ll deal with the rest, please hurry.¡± fuck She couldn¡¯t ignore this. ¡°On my way!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The call disconnected. ¡°Shit. Shit, fuck, fuck!¡± she propped the phone into a thin pocket in her suit. ¡°I can¡¯t get a fucking break.¡± The room heated-wrapping around her. Her body glowed with golden light, her blond wig became golden, glowing like a goddess. Lilia became slightly frightened, backing away, she fell on the floor. Shielding her eyes, fright in her voice. ¡°Shit, I''m sorry Lilia, I¡¯ll make this up to you.¡± The girl shook her dismissively. ¡°Go. You¡¯re needed. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Right. No hesitation. She needs to move. She opened the glass pane window, leaping out of the window. Chapter 22 - Emery.B Heliogirl descended from the tower like a crashing comet. Cutting through the skyline at record speeds, sunlight prickles her skin, hot and very sharp. Her exhaustion melted, and she felt unstoppable. The hunger she felt in her belly vanished, something food couldn¡¯t fix. Her energy was vibrating at an entirely different length, she felt her senses sharpen, almost electric. She was fireproof, to some extent. She¡¯d handle this job easily. The city beneath her blurred as the environment shifted completely. Moving from skyscrapers, glass towers, and highly dense population grids to Silverhall¡¯s marble and stone architecture. Bourgeois money in excess, she hated it. She hated most rich people. But she was one of them, wasn¡¯t she? Born rich and spoiled. The smell of fire broke her train of thought. Smoke made its way into the atmosphere. Luckily it wasn''t a blaze and no chaotic inferno. No thanks to the mall¡¯s defensive designs, the heat was sealed in there, it was only a matter of time before it broke through. The smoke was growing by the second, someone definitely working overtime to make it happen. She touched down hard near the entrance, her feet colliding with the pavement, making a massive crater beneath her. The crowd around was like wild and panicked animals, stampeding and shoving each other. She wasn¡¯t good with crowd control best to focus on her own tenets. She hovered about a meter above their heads, moving inside the chaos of the mall. Two ¨Cboys inside, were clutching each other as they attempted to make their way out of the smoke. The tallest one is barely able to hold up his friend, whose face is turning blue, and breathing shallow. Emery dashed towards them, dropping down. ¡°Hey hold on to me!¡± she grabbed the weaker boy by the waist, his body felt already limp against her. ¡°Grab me dude!¡± she barked at the taller one. A fuming and flaring heat was growing beneath them. She twisted herself midair, as she locked on a suited-up individual holding a flamethrower. The pyromaniac. He pointed his weapon at them, forcing her to maneuver. The two boys clinging to her were rattled and half-tossed. ¡°Hold on just a little longer!¡± The ejecting flames howled at her, and she rolled hard. The boys clung even tighter. They made it outside, and she dropped them gently, already moving away. The taller one dragged his friend. ¡°Hurry!¡± she snapped at them. They didn¡¯t needed to be told twice. Turning back to the burning mall entrance, she rushed. The smoke penetrated her eye contacts. As she glided past scorched rubble. The menace loomed near the wreckage of an electronic storefront. ¡°Hey! Fuckface!¡± Her voice called out. ¡°Drop the kiddy toy and give up unless you want me to shove it up your ass.¡± He tilted his head. His weapon lowered- he removed his mask¨Cinhaling the smoke like a drug. ¡°Propter peccata hominis, Omnia per flammam mundari debent¡± he said. Latin she recognized that at least. She didn¡¯t know what the fuck it meant though. Crazy. Worse than crazy. ¡°Cut the magic words, Houdini.¡± His flamethrower roared again, Licking at the air between them. She held her ground, she needed to test his capability. As the fire ate at her suit and skin. She smirked with confidence. ¡°A candle against the fucking sun?¡± She almost laughed it off. He sneered. ¡°What about this Sun-whore?¡± His hand shifted faster than expected¨Csliding into a pocket. The right arm holding something round, metallic. A bomb. ¡°Shit!¡± She shot forward like a rocket. However, it was too late. He threw it at her. The bomb sent her flying back before she could intercept it. There was intense heat. Loud noises. The hot white burst hurled her severely, penetrating her bodyshield. She ate the marble off the floor, skidding hard until she slammed herself into a pillar. Ears screaming. Her lungs were invaded by the smoke. The smoke and the fire started chewing. She nearly gagged, coughing hard enough that she lost air. Her vision stuttered¨CGlass shards of closeby storefronts, rained like small knives. Her arm was burning. No¨CIt did burn. Nothing a regeneration chamber couldn¡¯t fix. She looked at the floor, sucking a half breath. Her sleeve was burned and her suit burned into an even darker black. Their blisters on her skin. Her suit wasn¡¯t meant to fail like this, she could withstand heavy kinetic charges. What kind of bomb was this? ¡°What the fuck is that.¡± Her head pained, throbbing like mad. Ears rung like churchbells. The pyromaniac approached her, already prepping another explosive charge. She got pissed, really angry. She gritted her teeth. She couldn¡¯t afford to fail again. Not this time. Golden light flared around her body. Purifying the air around her bubble. She sucked in warm but clean air. Stancing herself like an athlete runner ready to sprint away. Energy hummed inside of her, like a wild volcano waiting to burst. She threw herself like a battering ram, slamming him hard into a wall. The impact rattled her bones. His weapons fell to the ground. He was knocked unconscious. She checked his pulse. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time she killed a criminal accidentally. Luckily he breathed. Not her problem anymore. She moved back, her chest like a stuffed chimney. She ignored the pain in her arm. She needed to do something about the spreading fires until a fire brigade arrived, the mall was mostly vacant thankfully. She used her barrier, shield, cutting one part of a flame from another smothering it dead. Going as far as punching the flame simple. Cocky. She¡¯d been too cocky. She needed to work on her personality. ¡°Dammit, Emery!¡± she wiped the sweat from her forehead, her head painted like charred wood. If she was a moment too slow this could have been massive. Hearing sirens approached outside. She grabbed the goon and his gun and fled outside. Whatever the hell the flame thrower was made of, it wasn''t commercial tech. Some cape made this. She hated the idea. That thousands of machinist produced weapons could be out on the street harming people. The SCRA and the armored variant of the fire brigade rolled inside, Rifles and riot gear, black and menacing. There were even men with fully automatic machine guns. She threw the fool on the ground as the unit entered to deal with the flames. ¡°Take him to the gulag.¡± No one hesitated at her words. An SCRA officer nodded to her but didn¡¯t say a thing as they bound the fool with Hyper-fibre restraints. A highly dense and compact super rope reserved for capes. She didn¡¯t like how they moved. They were like a military institution that didn¡¯t belong in this city, feeling more like an occupation group than Cape police. She hated that.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. A call buzzed from her phone. She pressed it to her ear. ¡°Good work Heliogirl.¡± Dorian¡¯s voice was emotionless. She wondered whether he believed the words that came out of his own mouth. ¡°We¡¯ll follow up on this case. You get some rest, for a few moments, Bonus pay will be coming to your paycheck.¡± She couldn''t care less. She had enough money. She wanted freedom. ¡°Tell me,¡± Her jaw tightened. ¡°This connected to something bigger?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t confirm or deny,¡± he said. ¡°And before you ask. Yes, your people are mad at me for not consulting them. But You¡¯re welcome.¡± ¡°Gee, thanks, I''m gonna hear it tomorrow,¡± she muttered. ¡®I¡¯ll pay you back in time. Until later.¡± The call ended. She exhaled hard breaths, already knowing the next crisis would come soon. She¡¯ll have 30 min break then some shit will go down again. At Least she had spare suits. ¡°Heliogirl! Heliogirl!¡± She turned, and a young boy was calling out to her. An SCRA soldier grabbed him just in time, the boy yelped and struggled against the full-body armored man. ¡°Zone¡¯s off-limits, kid,¡± the soldier barked, already pushing him away. ¡°Hey!¡± Emery snapped. She didn¡¯t like it when they were rough with kids. ¡°Let him go.¡± The SCRA soldier froze. Listened to her command. She didn¡¯t need to argue¨Cthey generally didn¡¯t fuck with POP or SIOF capes. He released the kid. The boy stumbled towards her, his phone clutch. ¡°A picture? Please? Can I? Can I?¡± His eyes were begging as well. Emery softened up. ¡°Of course.¡± They posed. Fingers holding a peace sign. She did the same, ignoring the throbbing pain. ¡°All right, kid, I gotta head out. Where¡¯s your mom?¡± The boy giggled. ¡°Don¡¯t have one. I snuck out of the orphanage. It¡¯s boring there.¡± Damn it, fuck! She crouched down to meet his face. ¡°Listen to me.¡± she held his shoulders firmly, she saw the glint in his eyes, she had his attention. ¡°I know it might be hard there, but it isn''t safe out here, you need to go back.¡± She dug her hands into her suit, pulling out a handful of bills. Pressed them into his palm. ¡°Get yourself something good first,¡± she said. ¡°Then go straight home.¡± He stared at the money like it was magic. ¡°Really? Thank you! I¡¯ll tell my friends how nice you are.¡± He waved his goodbye, and she followed. The SCRA ¡®soldier¡¯ stood there watching, giving her a heavy nod. Less discipline and routine more so respect, essentially. She knew he was only being hard because it was his job. She was glad it was a human behind the uniform at least. She didn¡¯t linger. With one last look at the flames, she shot back into the sky. Already halfway back to the tower, A barely trackable blur sped towards her, She felt it coming before she saw it. The air rippled like water in a tub. Her skin stood on its end. She twisted with precision, her instincts screaming danger. There was nothing. And then there was. It was Aegysthos, the city¡¯s current number 1 hero. Or as she knew him, Casper. He stopped in front of her, leaving shockwaves behind him. It was like wind and gravity was nothing to him. ¡°Caspar! Don¡¯t just scare me like that!¡± her voice wavered, pulse running a marathon. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, like he meant it. Scratched the back of his head. ¡°Why the fuck are you sneaking up on me.¡± she sneered. ¡°Do you want to kill me with a heart attack?¡± He drifted closer, eyes serious, darker than usual. ¡°I need to talk.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t send me a message.¡± ¡°Not over the phone, not here in private.¡± He caught her attention. If he was serious then something must be wrong. She wasn¡¯t used to hearing him say things like that her skin crawled. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Not here, in private. People are always listening.¡± She nodded. Swallowing saliva. Casper and his wife had been there for her when others weren¡¯t. She owed them more than an ear. ¡°Right, keep up with me. And! Behave, my assistant doesn¡¯t like capes.¡± ¡°Lilia, yes I know.¡± His lips twitch. ¡°No promises though.¡± *** Lilia didn¡¯t wait a second before jumping back into churning out tea and coffee. Emery didn''t even get to complain about her injuries before Casper dropped a flash drive on her desk. ¡°The footage,¡± he said. ¡°Bank heist not too long ago. Watch it.¡± As the video rolled. Two vigilantes. Were at work. One masked, one unknown¨Cbut dubbed Balaclava Girl. The other? Voidwalker. She perked up. She knew her personally. Dangerous, reckless, unpredictable¨Ceven by vigilante standards. The footage replayed. Caspar didn¡¯t say a word, just watched her. She leaned closer. Balaclava girl, did the unexpected. Something impossible and wrong. ¡°Those are¨C¡± Emery started ¡°Your powers,¡± Caspar finished. ¡°No doubt about it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± her voice cracked. ¡° There¡¯s a non-zero chance that two capes have the same power¨C¡± ¡°Yes even by most power mimickers standards.¡± he cut her off, eyes locked in. ¡°This is deliberate. A disaster in the making.¡± She looped it. Balaclava girl was clumsy in comparison. She did however prioritize the civilians. It would have been reassuring if the scene didn¡¯t activate some uncanny valley in her. She stood up, doing the exact shield pose the balaclava girl did. Her barrier output was a bit too strong, she lowered it watching it side-by-side. Only Balaclava girl''s shields were weaker but everything was similar. ¡°Shit!¡± There was something else that caught her eye. A flash¨CBriefly but chilled her bone¨C Balaclava girl seemed to shift. Gravity twisted around her. Emery froze up. ¡°She copied Voidwalzter¡¯s ability.¡± Caspar frowned. ¡°You saw it too.¡± Voidwalzer¡¯s gravity field was deadly to most capes. Yet it barely moved the girl. Emery had sparred with voidwaltzer in the past. Under a joint training program between agencies. She hated every second of fighting her. She hated how she could just nullify or amplify gravity. It defied literal physics. Yet this balaclava girl was least affected by it. ¡°This is so wrong,¡± she whispered. ¡°It¡¯s like looking at a broken mirror.¡± Her hands glowed and her fists were clenching. She knew the media would make a wild spin on it. There were comparisons. Comparisons that would lead to her. Comparisons that would become accusations. Caspar gave her some space, afraid she might punch him. ¡°Okay!¡± she said to him. ¡°So she mimics powers, she might¡¯ve copied mine somehow. Why not take it to OBB itself? Or Maybe SCRA?¡± Caspar hid his face. ¡°OBB won¡¯t cooperate. ¡± She blinked. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already spoken with Arkangeal, she didn¡¯t even let me finish, threatened me, and chased me off. I tried, I damn near made her whole base hostile.¡± Emery winced. She knew that wouldn¡¯t be an easy effort. Arkangeal was known only to cooperate with the government, and SCRA when it concerns larger security matters. She was untouchable. Renegade royalty. ¡°So you spoke to Arkangeal personally?¡± Emery paced, her nerves flaring. ¡°So what? Why bring this hear? Do you want me to piss off Arkangeal too? Go digging around where I shouldn¡¯t? Because that¡¯s what this is.¡± He nodded. ¡°It¡¯s already bad, Emery.¡± Caspar¡¯s voice sharpened. ¡°This girl isn¡¯t just dangerous. She¡¯s breaking reality¨Ca reality we need to keep people alive. ¡± Emery scowled, but he pressed on. ¡°She¡¯s not random. She¡¯s connected to Voidwaltzer by association¡ªAnd judging by Arkangeal reaction, they have her in their recruitment hold. And she¡¯s copying powers like no one¡¯s ever seen. Do you think Arkangeal doesn¡¯t know? She¡¯s allowing this.¡± She clenched her fists. ¡°And the PIA? The SCRA?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t touch it.¡± He shook his head. ¡°PIA wants plausible deniability. SCRA¡¯s too busy licking political boots to risk a PR scandal if this girl¡¯s harmless. After all, they and the CPE shot her shortly after, It''s everywhere on the net.¡± "I don'' use the internet much." Emery tapped on her forehead.¡°So what does that leave? me!?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Caspar leaned back, his voice heavy. ¡°You¡¯re in the perfect position. You¡¯ve had contact with this girl¡ªor someone tied to her. I need you to find out who she is, what she¡¯s capable of. Quietly.¡± ¡°And if she¡¯s a threat?¡± ¡°Then I need to know before anyone else does. I¡¯ll be gentle with her. Civil even.¡± His voice was low.¡°Just before it''s too late.¡± Emery¡¯s pulse quickened. ¡°What do you mean? Elaborate¡± Caspar didn¡¯t answer right away. Instead, he replayed the footage¡ªframe by frame¡ªuntil the barrier formed again. Until that flicker of gravity twisted the space around Balaclava Girl. ¡°You see it now,¡± he said softly. ¡°She¡¯s more than a mimic.¡± The realization hit her like a punch. Balaclava Girl wasn¡¯t just copying abilities¡ªshe could probably store them. Get as many as she wants. Caspar exhaled slowly, leaning back against the wall ¡°Twenty years ago, before Core Pacifica went independent when it was still part of the United States. I lived on my dad¡¯s farm. A Real quiet place. Miles of fields, nothing ever happened there.¡± He paused, voice tightening. ¡°Until something did.¡± Emery frowned. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°There was a new cape on the scene. Nobody knew where he came from, but he could copy powers¡ªsteal them right out from under you like they were his own. First, it was small stuff. Kids with tricks, and parlor-show abilities. Then he went after teams. Real powers.¡± Caspar¡¯s jaw tensed. ¡°He wiped out hundreds of capes. Civilians? Thousands.¡± Her breath hitched. ¡°And you were there?¡± ¡°Not for the worst of it.¡± He looked down, fiddling with his suit. ¡°My pa heard about it second hand, told us to prepare to head out somewhere safer. But when he finally made it off our farm and into a different town? That¡¯s when it hit us.¡± Emery stayed silent, letting him speak. ¡°He hit a convoy passing through the town. They were supposed to be evacuating civilians¡ªmoms, dads, kids. But he got to them first.¡± Caspar¡¯s voice cracked. ¡°They said it took twenty-three high-powered laser cannons to finally bring him down. And even then, he almost walked through it.¡± He paused. "I guess we were lucky." ¡°I¡¯ve never heard about this,¡± Emery whispered. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t. The Pentagon buried it. Wiped it off the books, erased records, and even scared the survivors into silence. No one wanted to admit it happened. It was a nightmare¡± He looked up, eyes dark. ¡°And now I¡¯m seeing the same signs all over again.¡± She swallowed, glancing at the footage. ¡°You think this balaclava girl¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I can¡¯t ignore it. If she¡¯s copying powers¡ªespecially yours¡ªthen we¡¯re looking at the start of something bad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can deal with Casper, I¡¯m not fit for this.¡± Caspar nodded. ¡°Look, the only way that she could have grasped your power is if You¡¯ve had contact with her¡ªor someone connected to her. People trust you she¡¯ll probably trust you. I managed to find some records of her, that might help you. I¡¯ll keep the teams off your back, but I need you to do this for me. Quietly.¡± This could blow up in her face¡ªor it could be exactly what she needed to drown out the lawsuits and media noise. ¡°Fine,¡± she said. ¡°But I want more details about this massacre.¡± Caspar¡¯s shoulders eased, the tension melting off him. ¡°Thank you. Seriously, Emery.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± They sat in silence as Lilia brought in coffee. She barely made eye contact before darting back out of the room, earning a smirk from Caspar. Caspar smirked. ¡°I think I scared her.¡± ¡°Maybe you did.¡± ¡°Or maybe you did.¡± She shot him a look. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Nothing.¡± He hesitated, then placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Seriously though, are you okay, Emery?¡± She shrugged it off. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Are you?¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m fine.¡± Her voice snapped, but she didn¡¯t mean it. The words tasted hollow. ¡°Emery¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± She pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°I¡¯m sick of this.¡± ¡°This about the lawsuits?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about everything. About the cape life.¡± His voice softened. ¡°If you need to talk, Me and Rosemarie are there for you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°You can come by anytime.¡± Her walls were threatening to crack. They had been nicer to her than her own father had been. She¡¯d stay with them on and off for months after her powers kicked in. They¡¯d offer her shelter when her own home was a mess. The urge to lay out her pains was getting closer and closer and then - BOOM!!! The tower shook, rattling windows and cutting through the moment like a blade. ¡°Jesus Christ!¡± Emery shot up, already charging her powers ¡°I hate this fucking city!¡± Caspar stood beside her, eyes sharp. ¡°Come on. Back me up.¡± ¡°Coming.¡± They shot out the window blitzing towards the chaos. Chapter 23 - Fast Lanes and Frayed Nerves 5:00 AM Juniper dashed from one street corner to another, her sneakers were slapping against the cold pavement. Her ankles were screaming and she had a nasty urge to scratch a growing itch between her thighs. She ignored the growing protesting ache in her ribs, the pain was sharp, jabbing her with every step forward. She had to force herself to keep going. Her breathing became uncontrolled, and her breath was burning with each intake of air. She paced herself to move slower. To get in an extra ounce of oxygen. Her goal was in sight, just three hundred more meters. Two or three blocks, she lied to herself. Breaking every small goal into a half lie, so that she could feel some comfort. But keep on moving forward anyway. [That¡¯s the spirit. Keep going, don¡¯t stop baby. ????] ¡°I don¡¯t want to¡­. anymore.¡± [What are you doing? Don¡¯t sag now¨C you¡¯ll never last a minute when it really counts! (wink wink, nudge nudge) (?? Chapter 25 - What’s Left Behind Juniper and her brother stood above the rooftop of the apartments. The city gleamed under the waning moon, there was a faint and distinct, ambient noise, that originated from the inner-city traffic, and the occasional barking dog added a contrast to the peaceful ambience. ¡°So.¡± Juniper patted behind her shoulder''s, gesturing for him to climb on. ¡°Hold on tight to my back. And whatever you do¨Cdo not let go.¡± Remy hesitated. His frail fingers brushed against her back before he could properly latch to her. Remy clung to her shirt, He felt shaky at his best¨Che was severely underweight for someone his age. ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t do this?¡± Remy said, voice full of doubt. ¡°You were the one who asked for this,¡± she complained, giving him an annoyed stare. ¡°Don''t chicken out now!¡± ¡°Yeah, but¡­.¡± he swallowed, then glanced at the three-story drop below them. ¡° It just seems unsafe.¡± ¡°Remy.¡± she holds his weak arms. ¡°Just stay calm. Quiet. Rational. OK¡± "Okay." He nodded, but his legs were jittery and antsy. She activated [Solar powered Sentinel], her body flickering slightly with light glowing golden. ¡°Wait,¡± he whispered. Arms around her neck. ¡°Won¡¯t a drone spot you or something.¡± ¡°They rarely patrol around here, most of our neighbors are asleep. It will be fine, mostly¡­¡± She lifts him slowly in the air, about a meter above landing distance. He tensed up, arms tightening, she felt his fingers claw at her shirt. His legs start flailing. ¡°Don¡¯t freak out dude.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¨Cah!¡± His hands crawl and claw into her body, poking her and making her lose balance mid-air. ¡°Shhh!¡± she hissed. ¡°Don¡¯t scream or we will outed!¡± He bit his lip, the panic on his face however didn¡¯t leave. She studied herself, adjusting her body to move a few inches higher. A chilly breeze swept past, raising cold Goosebumps on her exposed skin. ¡°Okay¨Cokay enough, I''m good sis. I¡¯m good,¡± he said, voice wavering. ¡°Please put me down now.¡± ¡°See? It¡¯s not so bad.¡± She descended towards the rooftop, slow and carefully, however her legs wobbled and started flapping like a bird chick. Having extra weight on your back, while hovering was a novel experience. It dawned on her that despite the weight pressing her, she could feel how light Remy was. She was sure he didn''t weigh far more than Effy. Did he eat right, when was the last time she had made him breakfast? He fasted mornings, on most days. Was that healthy? As they touched the ground. Remy nearly fell over gripping her like he was falling off a bridge. ¡°Holy hell,¡± he gasped. ¡°I thought you were gonna kill us both for a moment.¡± She smirked. ¡°I would never let that happen,¡± she assured him. She sat down next to him. ¡°You trust me, don¡¯t you bro?¡± He didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he regulated his hard breathing, staring at her with both pride and fear. ¡°So¡­you are a cape then.¡± she kicked her legs out. ¡°I mean, I saw it on that internet clip, you went viral. How it is though that no one tried to dox you, most independent capes get outed in a day.¡± Juniper scratched her head. ¡°I guess I¡¯m not independent. Remember that lady you spoke to?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a cape boss. She pulled a couple of strings. I¡¯m probably going to work for the OBB.¡± He had a pained expression on her face. ¡°You wanna become a vigilante?¡± ¡°Want¡­no.¡± she stretches her arms. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid that path has been set for me. I owe them now in more ways than one.¡± ¡°In what way!¡± he frowned, staring at the ground. ¡°Were you blackmailed?¡± ¡°No. It''s not... You know I got shot right¡­ well they patched me up. Gave me an offer on the spot when tried leaving.¡± ¡°I thought you regenerated!¡± he said aghast. ¡°You mean you got seriously hurt?¡± ¡°Regeneration¡­¡± she stopped. ¡°Mine doesn¡¯t work fast, not yet at least.¡± Remy flinched. ¡°Not yet?¡± ¡°No.¡± He tugged at the hem of his sleeve. ¡°And Annemarie?¡± Juniper tensed. She tried to forget about the troublesome girl. ¡°What do you wanna know?¡± He stirred where he sat, avoiding her eyes. ¡°She¡¯s the cape that helped you in the bank thing.¡± Figures he¡¯d notice, Annemarie wasn¡¯t very discreet when she followed her to her home. ¡°Yeah,¡± she admitted. ¡°Though it¡¯s the other way around really, and that didn¡¯t work out.¡± His sore frown deepened. I thought she was a nice girl.¡± ¡°She¡¯s really not,¡± Juniper said. ¡°But please don''t try and antagonize her. I might be forced to work with her in the near future.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± he tapped his shoe on the ground. ¡°So did you guys go out on that date or what happened?¡± ¡°Kind of, she¡¯s nuts, possibly a few screws loose, real loose cannon.¡± He stared at her with surprise. ¡°I saw the way you looked at her that morning, wink.¡± She nudged at him with her elbow. ¡°You''re not the innocent boy you pretend to be.¡± His face darkened, he pouted. ¡°Uh, not like that! You know I''m not used to seeing girls that aren''t well... She caught me by surprise, ok.¡± His scowl disappeared. ¡°But look at you on the other hand. You were a complete shut-in not too long ago.¡± ¡°What a hit-and-run does to a Neet.¡± He snorted. ¡°Juniper¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard horrible things about the OBB.¡± She folded her arms, and sat cross-legged, staring at the night sky. ¡°So have I,¡± she said. ¡°They''re not as bad as they seem¨Cat least on the surface..¡± ¡°But what about Paragons of Pacifica? Sovereign initiatives of capes? The American Cape Accord? What happened to wanting to be an independent hero?¡± She clenched her fists. ¡°Those aren¡¯t options for me anymore.¡± ¡°You know you¡¯re totally liable to sue the SCRA and the CPE for indiscriminately shooting you after rescuing a civilian.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not do that. Too much trouble, I don¡¯t want to make governmental enemies,¡± she said flatly. There was a familiar, part somber yet calming quiet that followed. The kind of stillness that worked your stress away, made you sleepy but commanded her attention enough to stay awake. ¡°So¡­¡± He broke it. ¡°Is that all you can do? You can glow like a Helio-girl.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± she grinned. ¡° I can hear super well, and¡­well.¡± She sprang to her feet. She activated [Gravity distortion], lifting her body weightless into the air, practically floating like a submerged fish. Her legs wiggled like she was under zero gravity. Giggling as she went higher. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. She then lost focus. Crashing downwards. Her face planted into the ground, the pain landing in her abdomen. ¡°Ooof¨C!¡± Remy let out an uncontrolled laugh¨Ca real laugh¨C for the first time he sounded pretty healthy. Juniper rolled over unto her back. ¡°Are you entertained Mr. Pinewell?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, mid-laugh. ¡°Sorry though, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh.¡± Rem''s body convulsed. His coughing hit like the plague¨Cout of nowhere, deep, hacking at his body, making him seize up. She scrambled towards his side, panicking, she knelt to hold him. ¡°Remy¡ªbreathe. Hey¡ªlook at me.¡± He did, but his face was pale, and his breath came in shallow gasps. She grabbed his hand, squeezing it tight. ¡°You¡¯re okay,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve got you.¡± The coughing slowed. He leaned against her, still trembling. ¡°I hate this,¡± he muttered. ¡°I know.¡± Neither of them moved. The city hummed around them, distant and untouchable. But for now, it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Remy, my real power, isn¡¯t imitating others, it¡¯s copying powers in their whole capacity, albeit from a weaker starting point.¡± He grunted. ¡°And I¡¯ve already decided.¡± she paused, her chest stiff. ¡°What am I going to do to help you?¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll copy a healer''s cape''s powers, Steal them all If I have to.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t, It¡¯s not like several capes haven¡¯t tried it before.¡± his voice became brittle. ¡°You know PNNS is Incurable.¡± [PNNS?] ¡®Psionic neural and nerve syndrome¡¯ ¡°Don''t you remember, back when the Purple pulse thing happened? Lady Saint tried to do it She didn''t get far.¡± [Purple pulse? Lady Saint. I¡¯m lost here Juniper, your subconscious hasn¡¯t opened itself to me this much, nor do you actively interact much with local politics.] Purple Pulse. The words were like a slap in the face. Her mind flashed back, her heart skipping as memories flooded her brain raw and unrestrained. It was before the Revolution took her parents, they¡¯d been a happy family, at least she thinks so. She¡¯d been a teen. Just fourteen. Out shopping with her mom, and her two siblings Everything went wrong when the sky turned purple. Many called it a meteor strike, others say it was a preemptive strike by the United States, and conspiracy theorists said it was an inside job. It hit all the same. First came the blinding light, violet and unnatural. Then the pulse itself. It screamed like a tortured soul, it wouldn¡¯t stop. She tried holding her ears, but the shockwave that followed the scream knocked her back, and threw her away from her mother who had been holding Euphemia in her arms. Remy lay unconscious, she¡¯d try to crawl towards him. Windows shattered, and lights exploded. Bits of shrapnel had stuck into her leg, through her skin. She didn¡¯t feel it until they started running. Her father was on his way, determined to take them to safety. She remembered the large amounts of blood¨Cthe blood of other people, People that were dead. Some people started loosing their minds shortly after. Really lost them. Those closest to the phenomena had gone mad. Strangers, family, and Neighbors alike attacked anyone indiscriminately like mad dogs. Screaming and laughing, ripping into each other with their bare hands and teeth. The capes came, but like always they were so damn late. Too goddamn late. One did come towards them. She remembered her face¨Ckind, motherly, almost holy. Lady Saint, a known healer in Pacifica City. She¡¯d kneel beside her, touch her with her special hands, so her leg wouldn''t hurt anymore. But her power wasn¡¯t enough. Not for Remy. His skin had turned purplish, veins all over his face, lips turned blue. His eyes were completely black and hollow. He wasn¡¯t physically hurt, just changed. That¡¯s what the syndrome did. The effects of ¡®Psionic exposure¡¯ No marks, just permanent illness. An unsolvable issue. ¡°Juniper..¡± Remy pulled her back to reality. ¡°Juno..¡± His voice broke, and he forced himself to look at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said. "I know you don¡¯t like to talk about those days, but¡­ you know... There¡¯s nothing anyone can do. ¡± There were faint tears in her eyes. Shouldn¡¯t she at least try? Lady Saint had disappeared after the incident¨Cno known trace of her. But there were other capes out there. Those with healing powers were usually kept secret, they were kept under wraps, and their identity was protected to hide them from malicious individuals. Evelyn had political power, perhaps¡­ She had to try at least. ¡°I¡¯m gonna try anyway, so¡­¡± she pointed at him with smiling confidence. ¡°Please hold out a little longer, okay?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it¡­ I know a guy who¨C¡° He shook his head. ¡°Never mind¡­¡± She was determined to get his hopes up, but before she could persuade him. He gave in. ¡°Fine. If you want to try, I won¡¯t stop. you¡± She smiled at him. Inside she felt broken. ¡°Thanks, I promise, We¡¯ll fix this.¡± He opened his mouth again to speak but refrained. Simply staring at her frowning. ¡°Tell me, why do you talk to yourself sometimes?¡± She looked away, suddenly aware of some tears in her face. She wiped it off with the sleeve of her shirt. Of course, he noticed. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it brief.¡± her wavering voice, lacking composure. ¡°Because not even I know the full story.¡± She looked him dead in the face. ¡°My powers don¡¯t come from the same sources most capes trace it from.¡± she hesitated, thinking it over twice. The pause lasted a good 10 seconds. ¡°It comes from aliens, so to speak¡± He stared at her like she sprouted a mushroom on her head. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very serious.¡± ¡°Pfft, Did Kanako hook you up with some weed or something.¡± Her face flushed. ¡°No! You know I would never¡­¡± she looked cross. ¡°I mean it!¡± [Juniper, I hate to interrupt, but¡­ Maybe show him? Carefully?] Carefully in what way? [Touch him, and I¡¯ll do the rest. I¡¯m gonna establish a psychic link] She did so. Her hand settled on his shoulder, she rested it. ¡°Don¡¯t freakout bro.¡± His face turned sour before he could reply¨C [Hello, Remy! It¡¯s nice to meet you.] He reels backward, clutching his head, eyes wide. He starts fidgeting and kicking. Like someone jacked an electric wire in his head. ¡°Calm down,¡± Juniper holds him in an embrace. ¡° You''re okay, it¡¯s just my annoying head mate, you''re fine, you''re fine.¡± He shook his head. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the representation of my ¡®system¡¯, I call her Sys-chan¡­¡± ¡°Sys¨Cchan? System?¡± Now he stared at her like she was the devil. She looked half away ashamed, ¡°It''s convoluted okay. It¡¯s tailored to my personality, either in contrast or ¨C¡± [To irritate her.] ¡°To bounce off my feelings. She glared around like people were listening. ¡°You know I¡¯m a weeb right? ¡®Chan¡¯ is pretty self-explanatory. Except She acts cute but is actually driving me to death battles. [How dare you?!] sys-chan protested. [Remy, Your sister is a Lazy, button-punching, couch-potato, potato-chip-eating lesbian!] He was surprised but calm. ¡°Man, that is weird. So you''re telling me there are four of us in the house?¡± ¡°Pretend she¡¯s a rudimentary AI system, and it''s much easier that way.¡± [Basic?! Excuse me?! I¡¯m a sophisticated cyber diva. I simply lack a body.] Remy rubbed his temples. ¡°Yep, that is weird.¡± Before Juniper could respond. Her phone buzzed suddenly, snapping her away. The psychic link shattered, and an unknown number appeared on her normal phone. Her nerves were on the edge again. ¡°Is that ¡®work¡¯ related?¡± Remy asked, trying to pretend everything was normal. She thinks. No, she thought. Evelyn would have called through the encrypted phone. This was someone else, it certainly wasn¡¯t Annemarie¡¯s number again, that¡¯s for sure. It¡¯s just a phone call Juniper. She backs away, picking it up hesitantly. Phone held tight ¡°H-hello¡­¡± ¡°Hi¡­¡± The voice was feminine, very familiar. ¡°It¡¯s me, Heliogirl. We met in the hospital.¡± Heliogirl? Her brain brought her back to the hospital lights, the beeping of the machines that monitored her, Her legs immobilized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for disturbing you so late,¡± She continued, tone measured, way too calm. She was known to have a nasty temper during a cape fight. But there was something else eating at her, she could sense it. ¡°Look, can we speak? It¡¯s kind of urgent. Involves a lot of things. The lawsuit, the gang that caused the whole debacle. Her voice trailed off. ¡°And I wanted to check on your well-being.¡± Juniper raised her shoulders. ¡°How did you get my number? I¨C¡± ¡°Hospital keeps records. I realize it¡¯s invasive, but I¡¯m in a minor predicament, and¨C¡± A pause. She was choosing her words carefully. ¡°I believe you may be the only person in a position to help me.¡± Juniper¡¯s fingers dug into her phone case. ¡°Please.¡± An unexpected plea. ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you. Whatever you want, or need.¡± Her heart tangled with the idea. Anything? No. She shouldn¡¯t be too permissible with her thoughts. ¡°Can we meet?¡± ¡°When?¡± ¡°Right now. Near the pier at the Western Bay. I¡¯ll cover any taxi costs you have. Please, I''m in quite the pickle.¡± Juniper doubted that the Stargirl of the city needed her help when there was an armada of capes and government folks who could serve her whims. Who¡¯d solve her problems in a flash? ¡°Why not just fly¡­somewhere close? I¡¯m sure you have your ways, seeing as you got my number?¡± ¡°Before you ask,¡± she added, ¡°I¡¯m not going near your home, As It¡¯s pretty risky for you. There are people in this city who¡¯d kill me without a second thought, I don¡¯t want to paint a target on your back.¡± ¡°You can''t just put me on the spot, it¡¯s like 10 PM?¡± ¡°Please,¡± her words hung. She sighed aloud. ¡°Okay, give me a few minutes.¡± ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll make this up to you. I promise. See you soon¡± The phone was cut off. The silence stretched away. Remy expressed unease. ¡°Who was that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Helio-girl,¡± He kept staring at her, afraid to say anything. ¡°She''s asking for assistance of some kind, it¡¯s possibly related to my hospital entry, the whole incident.¡± ¡°Are you going?¡± She nodded. ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m not dumb, I''m not going alone. I don¡¯t know what she wants. I don¡¯t entirely trust her either.¡± "So she knows your a cape?" "Well, I don''t believe so." He looked somber ¡°Just be safe, for Effy at least.¡± She reached over him and pinched his cheeks. ¡°You need to stop talking like that, we¡¯re gonna fix you one way or another.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he looked away, flinching, eyes low. ¡°I know I''m not the perfect big sister but¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± he stopped her. ¡°Thanks for being who you are¡­I wouldn¡¯t be here without you.¡± She lowered her gaze and turned away, gesturing to the black phone. He watched in stoic silence, unquestioning. She tapped on the eve contact. The line clicked within 5 seconds. That was fast. ¡°Juniper Pinewell?¡± Evelyn picked up the phone, voice sharpened. ¡°You asked for a few days, so I¡¯m giving you that. Something changed. Are you in trouble?¡± ¡°Kind of Evelyn¨C¡± ¡°Stop.¡± the woman cleared her voice. ¡°If you¡¯re going to work for me. It¡¯s Miss Evelyn, Arkangeal, or Big Sis. Or boss. Choose your pick.¡± ¡°uhhh¡­I¡­what?¡± ¡°Choose¡­¡± ¡°Um¡­ Boss¡± The woman grunted like she was disappointed. ¡°How about big sis, I don¡¯t have many young-lings like you or Anne. around.¡± Man, this is awkward. ¡°O-okay¡­Miss big sis¡­big sis, I mean.¡± She cringed on the inside. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m listening, did you mess up¡­¡± ¡°No, Heliogirl wants to speak to me.¡± ¡°When?¡± ¡°Right now. ¡°What do you want to do.¡± ¡°I want to hear her out but I''m skeptical,¡± ¡°You think she might have some ulterior motive? There¡¯s always a chance POP sent her to investigate you. They don¡¯t play nice with us ¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± she exhaled a heavy breath. ¡°I was hoping for some advice.¡± ¡°Go but I¡¯ll send you a plus one, where is the meeting?¡± ¡°The pier, Western Bay¡± ¡°Go, I''ll send you some backup in time. Keep this phone on you, will double as a tracker.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you. Eve¨Cuh, Big sis.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± the woman let out a blow as if she was in the process of smoking. ¡°One more thing, Juniper.¡± ¡°Avoid tangling with rich women too much.¡± She blinked, eyes wide. Was she referring to her outing with Kanako, was she being observed that much? ¡°They¡¯re always affiliated with either a political group, a religious organization, or a cult. Your Kanako Kamizuki is an interesting character, Practically a mystery, but I¡¯ll refrain from butting in too much, just a ¡®sisterly¡¯ warning. Wouldn¡¯t want you to come crying with a nasty hickey on the neck.¡± ¡°You¨C¡± ¡°Not now, if you wish to know what you already don¡¯t. We can speak when you join up. Right now focus on Miss sunshine.¡± Looks like she was going to be kept under tight wraps. ¡°If anything feels off, get out. Don¡¯t try to play the hero. You¡¯re not ready¡ªnot yet.¡± ¡°You¡¯re worried about me?¡± ¡°Maybe. You''re still growing on me. I¡¯m worried what will happen if you fuck up. If it¡¯s bait don¡¯t get baited.¡± The phone shut off. She tucked. It. ¡°Big Sis?¡± Remy inquired Her knees turned inward, and she giggled awkwardly. ¡°My new boss. Wants me to call her big sis.¡± He gave her a faint smile. ¡°That sounds ridiculous. Still be careful out there. And please come home if something goes wrong.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Chapter 26 - Burning bridges The drive to the peer was filled with unnerving and eerie quiet. The smell of the brine stuck to the air, thick and potent, it added to the strangeness she was feeling. Teh driver didn¡¯t ask too much¨Cwhere she was going, why she was going over there¨C but the glances he gave her in the rear view mirror told her stories. He was curious, maybe judgemental too. The car came to a sudden stop. She exhaled the shallow breath she was holding. She nodded and thanked him, climbed out, the door behind her clicking shut. He tipped his cap downwards, a gesture of respect. The massive pier greeted me, dark and empty. Usually, it would be teaming with late-night partygoers and young couples. Tonight it was still, only the crashing waves made noise as they slammed against the west bay in turmoil. A calm tempest that felt like a distant mirror. Her hands twisted as she stepped forward at a snail¡¯s pace. Her sneakers dragged across the wooden planks. What did she want? Why call her now? The timing was way too convenient. Downright convenient. Evelyn had assured her someone would be her shadow, yet there was no sign of anyone appearing. Just the vague idea to play along. [Chin up, Juniper.] Sys-chan chirped away, breaking her mental stagnation. [ you¡¯re meeting a known pragmatist, with kind manners¨Cand I believe a tiny hint of a temper. It''ll be a peace of cake my little shut-in.] Her throat tightened. ¡°Tiny hint? Do you know what she was dubbed as a child, the ¡®morning devil¡¯, the ¡®wrong ray of sunshine?¡¯ This whole mature act she has going on is an act. Learned behavior.¡± her voice lowered. ¡°And now she wants to meet me, before midnight? [As she said. She required your help. Would you ghost Helen of Troy? Hypathia? Cleopatra?] ¡°She¡¯s just a cape.¡± [Who¡¯s powers you nabbed, so, hear her out. She''s like literally the reason your alive.] She sighed. ¡°Of course. I didn¡¯t come here for no reason.¡± At the end of the pier, the sunlit heroine floated above like a biblical angel on the brink of ascending into the heavens, she wore a rarely seen golden cape, draped over her shoulders. It glowed faintly, but a starkk contrast the normal combat-ready outfit. It shimmered as seh approached, outright otherworldly under the moonlight. Juniper stops below her. Mustering her introverted courage, forcing herself to move forward. Her steps are uneven. ¡°Hey ¡­um¡­Heliogirl¡­Hi.¡± Heliogirl head snaps towards her, her eyes sparking with a modicum of surprise. She descended with a godly grace, Juniper couldn¡¯t hope to replicate. Two cups of steaming hot coffee in her hands, the scent alluring as she stood in front of her. ¡°Hey! I almost didn¡¯t see there,¡± heliogirl, waved casually. A warm smile on her face, but there was an undertone of something else. As she had rehearsed for this, her eyes were bloodshot red. A lack of sleep perhaps. Her arteries were visible as well. ¡°Thanks for coming Juniper. In such a short notice.¡± ¡°I¡­. I did.¡± she fidgeted standing, her nervousness was impossible to miss. She caught herself fidgeting too much with hands, then dropped them altogether. ¡°Sorry about the suddenness. let''s take a seat over there fi you don¡¯t mind.¡± she pointed to a weathered public bench at the end of the pier. ¡°I got you a coffee, didn¡¯t know what you¡¯d liked, so I took a guess.¡± She hesitated, but took the cup. The heat heating her cold hands as he followed her to the old bench. [Careful,] Sys Chan warned her. [She¡¯s a bit too nice. Like a sharpened butter knife.] ¡®Noted,¡¯ she sent the thought back. Settling next to the heroine. If her not-girlfriend saw her now, she¡¯d either be teased to hell or be scrutinized. Are you dating capes behind my back? How dare you?Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The silenced stretch for a bit, stifling in the air. Heliogirl extruded an aura of poise and polished behavor, she felt like a massive stick in the mud in comparison. ¡°So,¡± Heliogirl began, her voice low. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d contact me after the incident. But you never did. There was a day I thought, maybe¡­ Uh, well¡­ Never mind I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re here.¡± her hands were tense around the cup, as she took a sip. ¡°At least you didn¡¯t sue me like most people did.¡± Juniper blinked. ¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry?¡± ¡°What? Please don¡¯t be.¡± she laughed in bittersweetness, the grip of her hands threatening to strain the bench. A light glow flickered in her hands before she pulled them away. ¡°I deserve so much worse. I¡¯m a failure?¡± Her head tilted and she looked uncomfortable. ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± Juniper said, almost too frantically. Her voice buckled. ¡°You¡¯re¡­a good person. My¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± she cut in, her eyes closing and her head lifting. Body restless. Her feet tapped against the planks, her finger clenching against her suit. ¡°Please¡­I hear it every second of the day. Everywhere, Not right now, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Juniper frowned, drinking the coffee as if it would shield her from the girl¡¯s sudden frustration and fury. ¡°Heliogirl, why¡¯d you call me here? You said you needed my help. What exactly? She leaned closer, voice dropping. ¡°Please. Be honest at least.¡± Heligirl froze, her composure threatening to crack. Her gaze landed on juniper, searching her face, before staring at her untouched coffee. The waves of the ocean began crashing louder, filling the space. Neither of them were able to add up. ¡°I¡­¡± She started, her voice catching. ¡° She exhaled very sharply, Her eyes darted all oer like she was deciding what approach to take. ¡°You¡¯re right. I should be honest atleast, we both deserve the truth.¡± ¡°Both?¡± Her head tilted again as if listening to someone else elsewhere, something buzzed in Juniper¡¯s ear like static but faint. [Oooh, would you look at that,] Sys-chan piped up. [Little black clip in her ear. What do you bet you¡¯re not the only one she¡¯s chatting with?] Her eyes locked on the little earpiece. Chills went down her spine. ¡°Juniper, is there anything you want to tell me? Anything at all?¡± ¡°N-No,¡± Juniper said, voice brittle, she was starting to get frightened. ¡°Y-You don¡¯t sound like you want my help anymore.¡± Heliogirl lips curved into a tight smile. ¡°When our fingers brushed against each other in that hospital, did you do anything? Anything¡­out of the ordinary?¡± [You wanna guess where she¡¯s going with this.] Juniper got off the bench, she could hear her own heartbeat distinctly. ¡°No. What are you¨C? Heliogirl was already behind her hovering, eyes glowing in the dimlight dark. Her coffee hit the wooden plank, coffee spilling out of the plastic cup. ¡°I was never delicate or good with this stuff,¡± She said, her voice rising. ¡°I bash skulls in¨C I don¡¯t play caped detective. Just come clean and get this over with. Ms. Mimic.¡± Juniper forgot she had to breathe. The nickname landed like a slap to the face. [That¡¯s not a bad name if you think about it. Ms. mimic. Has a nice Classy ring to it.] ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± Juniper snapped, she forced some anger into it. ¡°I don¡¯t feel safe, why are you threatening me? You¡¯re a hero, aren¡¯t you? What is this!¡± She didn¡¯t answer. She took out a concealed smartphone from underneath her suit. Fingers dashing across the screen. She turned it towards Juniper, images flickered in Juniper¡¯s head. The day she defended the vendor from the thug. She¡¯d punch him in front of dozens of cam holders. Her hovering near a patrol drone, a faint glow of energy surrounding her at night. The bank. Grainy security feeds off her and Annemarie deafening civilians, both masked. Her legs trembled. ¡°You¡¯ve been sloppy, outright amateurish,¡± Heliogirl said, her voice laced with anger. ¡°Come clean, Juniper or rather Balaclava girl?¡± Her chest felt hollow, the air was really suffocating her now. The emptiness of the pier was clear now. No parties, no yachts, no fishermen¨Cjust silence, save for distant traffic and the hum of the sea. ¡°I can explain!¡± she went on her knees, holding her hands together. ¡°It¡¯s one huge misunderstanding! I promise!¡± ¡°Is it though?¡± The cape advanced towards her, her body glowing golden and flickering like a flame. ¡°The powers you¡¯ve obtained¨Cthey¡¯re mine. Mine! A one-to-one copy. You stole that from me.¡± The words were a hit to the gut. ¡°I didn¡¯t steal them! I¨C¡± ¡°What? I certainly didn¡¯t share it?¡± her voice cracked. Fisted clenched, and glowing with light. ¡°My powers aren¡¯t simple abilities. They stem from my trauma. My pain!. What gives you the right to steal it.!¡± Juniper stumbled back into a backward crawl, hands raised in defense. ¡°Please calm down, let me explain!¡± ¡°Explain what?¡± The heroine snarled, boots scraping against the wooden planks as she hovered mid-air. ¡°How are you any different than the scum I fight every day?¡± She wanted to say something, but the words were stuck. [New objective: Survive] ¡°I can¡¯t win this fight,¡± she whispered to herself, and to the voice in her head. ¡°You¡¯re right, you need a proper spanking,¡± Heliogirl announced. [Defend yourself. You¡¯re not in some rom-com, Juniper. Time to fight back or start making room for a serious butt-whooping. She''s ready to spank you, are you ready for her.] Syschan was right for once, Heliogirl was messed up, she needed to make it out here for her siblings sake at least. She had enough ambushes for a lifetime. Chapter 27 - Shattered Shields Heliogirl lunged at her, her fist like a flying hammer. She held one arm behind her back, the other struck forth like a battering ram. Juniper summoned a shimmering shield of light. Activating [Solarpowered Sentinel] barely in time. The constructed shield barely held against her overwhelming force, slowly fracturing in different patterns before shattering and dissipating. The impact of Heliogirl¡¯s punch, hurled her to the ground, she felt pain exploding through her ribs. Blood streaked off her face, warm and wet. Her head spun. She¡¯d just been punched by one of the heroes, her sister idolized. It felt like shit. Was she trying to kill her? The raw anger she displayed felt wrong and unnatural, personal even. Dammit, should I just give up? [Get up, Juniper, hold on. Arkangeal wouldn¡¯t throw you to the wolves. Hold on.] I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t want to die. [She can¡¯t legally kill you.] But she¡¯s killed villains before. [Get up! Now!] ¡°Aha! I knew it.¡± Helio Girl shouted, cutting through the distance. ¡°You stole it after all. Tell me what are your intentions supposed to be, do you plan on stealing the powers of every cape in the city, then what? Live like a king, like a god, leave a trail of corpses? Answer me!¡± Juniper forced herself up, pulling energy from the moonlight. Her battered body glowed softly in its presence. The energy surrounded her like a golden crown. It was pale in comparison, but it gave her some willpower. ¡°I¡¯m not a villain! She screamed, her throat hurt. ¡°I¡¯m with the OBB now! The bank heist¨C might¡¯ve been a mistake. I was trying to help save people. There was a little girl¡¯s life in danger. Her mother was unconscious when we found her. She was shot! I was supposed to do nothing?¡± She screamed her chest out, half threatening to break into a sob, she wasn¡¯t used to shouting at others. It was a foreign sensation, she much rather preferred sticking her head in a pillow. It seemed for a brief second, Heliogirl stopped. But her gaze shifted, distracted almost, then reigniting her fury. Her head motioned weirdly. She was taking instructions. ¡°It doesn''t matter. A vigilante is one step away from villainy. A sanctioned vigilante? Two steps. And you? You¡¯re not even registered, yet are you?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± she whispered. ¡°But I¡¯m going to be¨C¡± ¡°Too late!¡± her shout cut her off. ¡°You¡¯re under arrest!¡± She dove again, her hands clamped together. This time juniper wouldn¡¯t take it. She did her best to attempt to kick her. It was clumsy but landed. Causing Heliogirl to stagger back a few meters, a small smirk on her face. ¡°Pathetic,¡± she taunted . She charged, swinging wildly. Punches sloppy, and weak, but her desperation carried her onwards. She tackled Heliogirl, pinning her briefly. Heliogirl laughed¨Ccrude and mocking¨Cbefore she grabbed by the collar. With a touch of effort, she flung her into the air like a ragdoll. ¡°You got no control!¡± Her voice followed her. ¡°You¡¯re are as green as new grass!¡± Juniper nearly landed in the sea. Threatening to plummet underwater. She swapped power sets midair. [gravitational distortion.] A beam of light zipped past her, narrowly missing, splintering the wood behind her. Shards sent flying. ¡°More proof! You¡¯re a cheater and a bad person.¡± Her words felt misdirected and ignorant. But her anger burned even hotter with every attack. The next assault came quick and unrelenting. Her fist blurred, Juniper barely dodged, the around charged with new energy. She twisted gravity, hoping to slow down Heliogirl, the heroine gritted her teeth, forcing herself through like a juggernaut. ¡°You think you''re a special bitch.¡± She sneered, Her face visibly distorting, her eyes struggling to remain open. ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a cheap imitator! You¡¯re weak!¡± A wave of energy slowly seeped from her expanding outwards, accelerating like a growing supernova. Juniper attempted to flee, but it was too late. It touch her foot, sending her tumbling in the air, then hit her in her chest square, ripping the air from her lungs, sending her flinging across the pier. Her body screamed of pain, as she barreled through the air. Her lungs burned, and she couldn¡¯t breathe. [Durability +1. For facing an overwhelming power.] She wasn¡¯t ready for this. She wanted to go home. She regretted coming. ¡°I got you Juniper!¡± She was caught mid-air, by massive hands. Cradled under a large frame. A towering giantess held her, one she had fled from before. She looked up from her haze of tears, blood, and sweat. Her long hair was tied in a swaying ponytail, bangs hanging over her right eye, and a wide smile on her face. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Francesca.¡± she croaked, partially in fear. ¡°Yip!¡± her grin was impossibly wide, and her smile infectious. A gentle giant. She winked at her ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late. I got held up. Eve sent me.¡± Juniper turned her head. Heliogirl was homing in like a missile. Her fists glowed with massive balls of energy. Aiming for the two of them, she threatened to crush them both. She didn¡¯t stop for the newcomer at all. Francesca put her down on the ground, then did the unexpected¨C she grew even larger. She could hear bones expand and creak, muscles stretching. Francesca grunted as she grew, towering over even the small buildings, her growth still pressing. She raised her hands together, like she was playing baseball, then swatted Heliogirl like a fly, sending her booming. ¡®Hyaaa!¡± Heliogril spiraled into the sea, water erupted as she fell inside. Juniper stood frozen. Francesca grinned at her, still massive in size. Heliogirl returned but stopped in front of them hovering down. Despite being drenched, she looked just as fierce. Her soaked hair was plastered to her face. ¡°I know you¡­¡± Heliogirl said coldly, narrowing on Francesca... ¡°I don¡¯t have qualms with Operation Bell Brigade right now. But if you want to feel the heat of the sun on your face, I''ll oblige.¡± She rubbed her bruised shoulder then stared francesca down. She prepared for a charge, and Francesca threatened to grow even larger. The giantess frowned and cried out. ¡°Naughty girl!¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Juniper activated [Super Audition]. She could hear the buzzing voice over the comm much clearer. ¡°Emery stand down,¡± a calm but authoritative voice said. ¡° This didn¡¯t go how I expected, there are complications now. We¡¯ll continue our observation sometime else. Let''s meet at your tower, let''s not incur Arkangeal¡¯s wrath.¡± Emery? Juniper thought. Her name? Emery¨CHeliogirl¨Csnapped back. ¡°What? This was your idea! Why are you backing out now?¡± The earpiece crackled. ¡°Call from Arkangeal and SCRA headquarters. She¡¯s off the hook¨C for now.¡± Emery froze, her expression twisting. Slowly, she descended, shoulders slumping. Juniper saw this as an opportunity. She stepped forward, wiping the small tears and bloody bruises. ¡°Your name is Emery?¡± she said softly. Emery started freezing in place, her expression went from frustration to horror. Eyes flickering, she became tense. She became excited again, flaring her aura. It pushed against Juniper and it hurt. She kept moving forward. ¡°Stop it!¡± Francesca shouted, voice rumbling around them. Emery''s face shifted toward the giantess, in fear. ¡°You¡¯re tired Heliogirl, Sit.¡± Emery flopped to the floor, she started kicking the wood, attention locked on Juniper. ¡°You got super hearing too, that ain¡¯t fair.¡± She started grumbling. ¡°I knew this was a bad idea. Now my Identity is exposed and I can¡¯t do anything.¡± Juniper saw an opportunity for reconciliation. But she was hesitant and skeptical, she sat down next to her, forcing a smile. ¡°Can I ask?¡± she started, voice desperate. ¡°Why did you attack me? I never took your powers intentionally, it was an accident. I had no control over it. I¡¯ve never hurt anyone without cause. Why!¡± Emery grunted, her jaw tight.¡°My¡­friend, a good man. Suspected you were¨C¡± she stopped abruptly. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be talking about this. He should do it himself. You''ve got my name. You plan on doxxing me?¡± ¡°You got mine,¡± Juniper stated. ¡°It¡¯s only fair. That I know yours. Leverage paid, eye for an eye.¡± ¡°Whatever¡­¡± Emery muttered. ¡°Play nice,¡± Francesca chimed with a grin. ¡°You attacked an innocent cape because you had some suspicions.¡± ¡°I did, didn¡¯t I? But we had a good reason for justification.¡± she sounded bitter like she¡¯d rather be somewhere else. That would make two of them. ¡°A few decades ago, someone like you popped up and caused mass chaos. Killed lots of people, My good friend, personally saw this, and we wanted to make sure you weren''t a threat. This was a test so to speak.¡± Juniper¡¯s mind wandered to her first meeting with Quixis. He had told her there were others than her out there. That made her wonder. Not everyone who had powers based their morality on heroism. Power corrupts ultimately. There¡¯s a reason villains outnumber heroes. Whether it¡¯s tragedy or trauma, Life isn¡¯t a nice thing to get through. ¡°So you attacked me, instead, of conversing?¡± Juniper shouted in her ear. ¡°You decided to beat the fuck out of me. I have someone who can¡¯t see me like this? You can¡¯t just fucking do that!¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t cooperating, Cas- My friend was constantly nagging me to investigate. The fucking SCRA keeps calling me, my assistant keeps bothering me with duties and shit. I¡¯m just fucking tired okay. I wanted to get this mimic shit under wraps. No offense.¡± Juniper flinched, it reminded her of the time After Remy had gotten sick. Her parents had constantly scolded her, if not for being ¡®deadweight¡¯ and then for the act of existing. Stress and situational depression, are always an excuse. ¡°My sister looks up to you,¡± Juniper shot back at her, voice teaming with anger. ¡°She thought you were a role model, a real hero. But it¡¯s clear to me that you''re nothing but a stuck-up bitch.¡± Emery¡¯s composure broke. She tackled Juniper to the ground, Juniper¡¯s head snapped back. Her fists started to swing, but she didn''t use her powers. ¡°Says the fucking power poser! Eat dirt.¡± [OOOHHH, NEKO FIGHT!] Juniper¡¯s cheeks stung. Juniper slapped back just as hard. ¡°Stop touching me!¡± she growled. ¡°You deserved it!¡± Emery snapped, shoving into Juniper¡¯s stomach. She struggled to get the heroine off her, retaliating by punching her in the stomach. They rolled over, Juniper leaned over her chest. Emery grabbed a twist of her wavy hair. Yanking hard, Juniper yelped in pain. She clawed at her arms. They fidgeted and tossed at each other. She slapped Juniper across the face, Juniper bit her in the arm. Emery swore as her one nails yanked into Juniper¡¯s skin. ¡°You nuisance!¡± Emery spat, giving Juniper a wet slap across the face. Juniper bit into her arm, hard enough to make her yelp in pain. ¡°Ow, that hurts are you a fucking animal.¡± ¡°You started it, you brought me here! I was having a peaceful night! You dragged me here! Glowwhore!¡± [Glowwhore? That¡¯s one for the books.] She herself couldn¡¯t believe the things coming out of her mouth. ¡°Enough, both of you!¡± Francesca''s voice boomed. She clapped her hands together, sending out a minor shockwave, WHich made them settle down. ¡°Make peace now, there¡¯s a clear misunderstanding here. Heliogirl, or should I say Emery, you failed. It¡¯s time for you for bedtime. Juniper let her go, she¡¯s misguided.¡± Emery scowled but didn¡¯t argue. She stood up, brushing off her suit. She pouted. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to send me flying, you know, Jesus.¡± Francesca crossed her arms, her giant frame stood in irritation. ¡°You were about to take her head off. What did you expect me to do? Let you break her in two? You and your ¡®friend¡¯ made a judgment call, knowing full well she¡¯s innocent. ¡° Emery looked away, she became less defiant. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to¨C I just¡­ lost control, okay? I¡¯m sorry. It wasn¡¯t supposed to go like that. I get hyper-triggered sometimes. She started shrinking to a low human size. Like a deflating balloon and within seconds. Her body shrunk to about 4 foot 10. Both Emery and Juniper starred in surprise. Her presence still felt commanding. Francesca¡¯s gaze became more like a stern mother than a towering giant. ¡°Go home, Heliogirl.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Emery huffed, she prepared to take off, but she was stopped. ¡°Wait,¡± Juniper called out. She moved forward, arm aching but she extended the hand. ¡°Emery, I know we got off on the wrong foot. But can we make peace?¡± Heligirl look shocked, visibility torn. She sighed, her shoulders dropped. ¡°I really want to punch the lights out of you, but¡­okay.¡± Emery took her hand, their hands meeting briefly. Then the unexpected happened. The air around them shimmered. Juniper felt a surge of connection, a small pulse that wasn¡¯t entirely physical¨Csometyhing deeper. Emery¡¯s emotion beld through like a flood: Frustration, overbearing stress, a undertow of grief. [Solar-powered Sentinel Level up 4>5] Their powers had blended together for a moment. [Interesting.] syschan interjected. Emery pulled her hand away abruptly, staring at Juniper like she¡¯d been shot. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Juniper shook her head in ignorance. Still feeling the effects of the contract. ¡°I¨CI don¡¯t know, but I think we may have bonded for a moment. Where not as different as you might think.¡± Heliogirl folded her arms. ¡°Ew.¡± Juniper ignored the remark. ¡°There¡¯s something I wanted to ask you.¡± Emery sighed, and pulled off her wig. Her short black hair fell into place, and she plucked out the contacts, small traces of water contacts on them. Her eyes were quite discerning underneath, like staring at an abyss. She put on a pair of big glasses. Juniper did a double take. She seemed much prettier without eye contact sand a wig. Oh no. She¡¯s very cute [You just messed up a cute girl¡¯s face, but to be fair, she did the same] Juniper''s breath was blown away. ¡°I. I never would¡¯ve guessed you looked like this.¡± Emery raised a brow, unimpressed by her statement. ¡°Yeah, what are you happy now or something? You already have a name, only a matter of time before you see me as I am. What¡¯s the damn point, I hate this wig.¡± Juniper had to hide a smile. ¡°You¡¯re showing a vulnerable side, you could say that.¡± Emery rolled her eyes. ¡°Well ask away, I really didn¡¯t come for chitchat.¡± Was being a cape a burden for Emery? Juniper swallowed, Sychan wasn¡¯t a good teacher. ¡°Can you teach me how to fly? Like properly I mean with ¡®your¡¯ abilities.¡± Emery''s eyes widened. Then her expression eased, and her hardness shifted away. ¡°Sure. Why not? Tomorrow night, I¡¯m busy this week. Call me first. And, don¡¯t ghost me or I¡¯ll come back to make you regret wasting my time.¡± Before Juniper could respond, EMery shot away, leaving only a rush of air. ¡°She¡¯s a handful,¡± Francesca stated, amused. Juniper turned to her in disbelief. Francesca barely reached Juniper¡¯s shoulder, her once-imposing stature completely deflated. ¡°Wait are you actually this tall. And? Your clothes , they shrunked too?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so tiny now,¡± Juniper blurted before she could stop herself. Francesca smirked. ¡°Petite, I prefer. ¡± Juniper¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Right. Petite.¡± Francesca giggled, holding her hand over her mouth. ¡°My powers are like a muscle. If I don¡¯t train constantly, they weaken. My clothes¨C specifically designed. Keeps me from being a naked barbarian.¡± Juniper¡¯s cheeks burned, at the thought of imagining herself in the naked giantess lap. She shook her head but Francesca caught on. ¡°You thought of something perverted, didn¡¯t you? Francesca teased. ¡°If you want to see me big and naked, just ask.¡± ¡°No¨CI¡ªforget about it.¡± Juniper stammered, her face on fire. ¡°Thank you for coming, I¡¯m sorry for running away from you a while ago.¡± Francesca smiled happily. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I know I can be intimidating, sometimes I can¡¯t control my powers.¡± ¡°Um, can you escort me home?¡± The giantess tilted her head, considering it. ¡°Do you want me to walk next to you or carry you?¡± [Giant mommy route unlocked.] Sys-chan chimed in cheerfully. Juniper groaned, burying her face in her hands. Chapter 28 - Brownie Dilemma The kitchen smelled of potent and rich molten chocolate. It stuck to the air thick and sweet. When Kanako found out that Juniper occasionally liked to bake, she insisted that they do something together. Today¡¯s attempt was chocolate brownies. Except there were three chefs vying for culinary control as opposed to one, which meant the recipe may as well have been thrown out of the window. Effy accidentally launched a large spoonful of brownie batter into the air, spilling it on Juniper¡¯s, now messy apron, with a wet splat, leaving it sticky and slowly dripping off in gooey defiance. ¡°Effy! you can¡¯t just launch the batter into the air, you''re not anywhere near a launch pad.¡± Juniper huffed, attempting to brush the mess away. ¡°Relax, Ms. Perfect!¡± the jubilant girl grinned, her arms elbow-deep in her bowl, mixing with youthful fury. ¡°It¡¯s just batter, perfectly edible. No need to be as stiff as my principal.¡± Juniper stared at Kanako who was mixing with focused intensity and surgical precision not a single drop of chocolatey goodness, near her station. Her whisk sliced through everything with laser-focused precision. Kanako took a moment to glance at Effy, her voice calm and measured. ¡°Effy, baking is an art form, not a brawl, you need to be firm but deliberate.¡± Effy¡¯s hands came to a stop. A comical moment ensued and she looked like she had the first epiphany of her life. Her eyes were practically glowing. Juniper started shaking her head. Effy disappeared into the kitchen cupboards, searching and looking for something. She returned to her station moments later. Dragging an oversized bag of chocolate chips with her. ¡°I forgot about these! They¡¯re perfect.¡± She started dumping an avalanche of them into her mixing bowl. And dropped several dollops of syrup into the mix. Her hand started blending. Juniper¡¯s eyes widened in horror. ¡°Effy that¡¯s not in the recipe!¡± ¡°Kanako said baking is an art,¡± Effy rebutted with a wide smile, hands on her hips like she discovered the culinary equivalent of a wheel. ¡°I¡¯m just expressing myself.¡± Kanako giggled, walking to the girl to give her a high five, which she happily fulfilled. ¡°Not a bad idea,¡± Kanako stated. ¡°Messy but you¡¯ve certainly got an artistic spirit.¡± Juniper turned away to stare at her brother who shrugged while he leaned against the counter, watching the chaos unfold. Hoping he¡¯d give her some backup. ¡°Effy you''re making Juniper panic, don¡¯t add too much or you¡¯ll end up giving Juniper a stroke,¡± Remy said. The girl stuck out her tongue. ¡°She¡¯s a buzzkill and a nerd.¡± The two continued to bicker and argue over the right way to do things, voices mingling while Kanako and Remy chimed in occasionally. The kitchen was lively, with smudges and smears of chocolate, decorating everything in sight. She should''ve laughed but her thoughts wandered away. Her chest was tight. Her system had gone to ¡®Power saving mode¡¯ again. The notification came with a flickered dim flash and a slight humanoid hum that sang in her ear. ¡®It was a fancy of saying, ¡®Hey, Juniper, you¡¯re on your own¡¯. Until I wake up.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. She clenched her fists. What if something horrible happened right now? Could she handle it? The system was not a good teacher but she was a great guide that got her out of any obstacle. Without the system, what was she? She tried shifting her attention to the kitchen banter, but the ache of tension held her back. The laughter became distant, like warping and distorting radio. And then the ¡®black phone¡¯ buzzed in her pocket. Drawing the curious stares of everyone in the kitchen. ¡°Um, I¡¯ll be right back,¡± she muttered, forcing and smile and slipping away. She closed her bedroom door, fingers trembling as she pulled out the phone. The message was like the Ten Commandments carved in digital stone. It was a text from Arkangeal: Two days. I want you at the base. No more delays. Do what you need to do then cancel everything, and fall in line. Get a babysitter if you have to. The edges of her vision dimmed. Her fingers curled around the phone, she wanted to squeeze the words away. Two days. Two days and she would have to throw herself head first into the capeworld, to face possible lethal challenges and problems. The fall in line bothered her. Like she was some soldier, forced to live her life on the edge. She bit her lip hard, hard enough to sting her. And closed her eyes. What if she could backed out now? Give herself over to the SCRA, declare herself unfit to wield cape powers, and live under their umbrella for the rest of her life. It¡¯d be so much easier than carrying all of this. She couldn¡¯t however. She promised to find a way to help her brother and protect her sister, she had someone else she worried about too. Then there was Annemarie who''d have a reunion again soon. Heliogirl and whoever was monitoring her. Sys-chan, who can be a handful sometimes. There was a quick knock on the door, it kept her from spiraling. Kanako stood at the door, expression soft, but curious. ¡°Something wrong? She asked, voice gentle but persistent. ¡°You look concerned.¡± Juniper shakes her head, tucking the phone away out of sight. ¡°Nope, nothing. Just an old friend bothering me, nothing to worry about.¡± Kanako¡¯s gaze stayed unwavering. She stepped closer, eyes scanning Juniper like an incomplete puzzle that had to be built. ¡°Your hair¡¯s messy, and it looks like someone ripped out a strand of hair. And that,¡± her voice peaked, looks like a bruise.¡± Her hand trailed under Juniper¡¯s collar before she could look away. ¡°That looks like a claw mark. Done by nails.¡± Juniper shoved her away. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just marks from me and Effy playing rough.¡± Kanako gave her a looking face. ¡°Really? You want me to question your sister?¡± Juniper¡¯s face darkened. ¡°No!¡± she said nearly snapping, her voice a lot louder than she intended. She exhaled, attempting to calm herself. ¡°Come on,¡± Kanako pressed, tone soft. At least tell me how it happened.¡­¡± How could she? Every mark was linked to the dual life she¡¯d started living, something she couldn¡¯t share willy-nilly. What if it was a dealbreaker and Kanako pushed her away, she knew she didn¡¯t like capes all that much. She couldn¡¯t tell Kanako the truth. Not yet. Not when everything was ready to fall apart. But would it be easier to get off her chest, it would ease the burden she felt. ¡°I¡¯m¨C Effy ran inside, oblivious to the tension. She held up a different unmixed spoon. ¡°Can I lick this?¡± Juniper scolded her. ¡°Nope, you¡¯re mixing with that spoon. Nobody wants to eat your saliva.¡± Effy teased her by licking the spoon. ¡°You¡¯re so serious all the time, June. It¡¯s like you think you carry the world on your back, how weird is that?¡± Juniper swallowed, the words hit closer than Effy could possibly imagine. Kanako''s shoulders relaxed as the tension eased. ¡°My two really are like the sun and the moon,¡± she said, voice light but warm. ¡°Not everything¡¯s a joke Effy,¡± Juniper muttered, forcing herself to sound firm. ¡°You need to learn some etiquette.¡± Effy shrugged dramatically. ¡°And you need to learn to have fun.¡± They trade insults again as if nothing was wrong but Juniper¡¯s were already elsewhere. She glanced at Kanako, who watched her with an unreadable expression, the weight of her lie hung between them. They both kept something from the other. Yet she wondered if would she be the first to break. The normalcy she clung to felt like slipping sand. The day she¡¯d become a full-fledged cape was drawing closer, the threads of her life pulling tighter and tighter. She thought of the little godly alien fox, that never appeared again. The year ticking down like a bomb. She was unable to defuse. The urge to crawl in somewhere and never return was enticing. But she couldn¡¯t. She turned her attention to Effy, forcing herself to engage in a childish diatribe. Anything to stay in the moment. Chapter 29 - Fly with me. Emery soared above the city skyline, arms held together, flying effortlessly like she owned the sky. Her voice was cool and composed. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta balance your energy in the right spot,¡± she explained, laced with a hint of a challenge. She gestured to her core, her gloved hand glowing to outline a circle. ¡°For example¨C¡± she smirked at her trainee. ¡° ¨CIf I concentrate on my legs alone, I¡¯ll lose that balance much easier. You need to shift it to your core partially, and depending on the situation your arms.¡± Juniper nodded. She was determined to improve, but her movements told a different story. She Imitated it as best she could. Bending her knees, focusing as hard as she could, launching herself into the air. The sensation of levitating was thrilling, intoxicating but her control faltered very quickly. Her legs buckling mid-flight, her momentum made her spiral into a ball of chaos. ¡°I guess flying is not for everyone,¡± she quipped sarcastically. ¡°Whoa¨Cwhoa¨Cwhoa!!¡± she yelled, wobbling wildly to the ground. Landed with a heavy thud to the ground. She lay there for a moment, taking in the pain. A soft chuckle broke her awareness ¡°Oof, that¡¯s gotta hurt.¡± Emery said. The grin was playful, almost mocking, definitely teasing. ¡°Oh, you are so wrong about me,¡± Juniper said, brushing herself off. Taking to the air again. She crouched, low, took in a deep breath, and launched to the sky. She faltered once again. And then again. It was an impossible task, but she was mad and stubborn, every time she crashed. Sweat went down her face, as she prepared for another attempt. Her fists balled. [Energy +2. For learning exceptional control.] Her heart was filled with joy. She didn¡¯t need to check her stats; she became better, she felt it inside. Stat building was so strange¨C it was less about rigorous effort and more about forcing the body to adapt to foreign changes. The effects were permanent mostly. The system seemed like it wanted breakthroughs and answers to obstacles, not the traditional progression that you¡¯d expect from a star athlete. She flew into the air again, but this time was different. Mimicking Emery¡¯s earlier movements. Her body flew freely, much akin to a wandering kite. Emery smugly disappeared. ¡°Not bad for a total rookie.¡± Juniper held the smug now, finally feeling a dash of confidence. ¡°Ok,¡± Emery said. She pointed to a distant building across the city, its glass windows reflecting the neon light of the city. ¡°See that skyscraper? It¡¯s a kilometer away. Follow me there.¡± Juniper felt unprepared. She glanced down below, looking at the impossibly far distance below her. Her rational brain screamed warnings¨Csuicide, danger, recklessness. What if she lost control? What if she fell to her death? ¡°I can¡¯t, It¡¯s impossible,¡± she said quietly, her body language reflecting her fear. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I might just die.¡± Emery hardened herself, eyes narrow. ¡°You want to be a cape, but you can¡¯t handle a little height scare, that¡¯s understandable.¡± she looked away. ¡°Still pathetic though, not everyone can fly.¡± Juniper frowned, there it was again her aggression. Was this how she was naturally? She hadn¡¯t been so hard when they met. She wasn¡¯t the soft sweetheart the media portrayed. ¡°How about this,¡± Emery started, ¡°you keep up with me and we¡¯ll do a lesson two. You fall, no lesson, and you never show your face to me again.¡± Juniper weighed her ultimatum. At this point, she may as well have walked away. But there was a trace of something else inside of her. Pride, anger, and maybe¡­.a fire in her chest. ¡°Now follow,¡± Emery commanded, already taking the heights. Emery zipped away, a golden streak cutting through the air. ¡°Already!?¡± Juniper shouted, scrambling to follow. Flying was a strange phenomenon¨Chovering felt much more natural and demanded a slower flow of energy. Sustaining flight was like doing a sprint, you¡¯ll go fast but at what cost? She felt like she fit on a tightrope. She gritted her teeth, pushing herself. Juniper dashed forward, but her control was still infantile. Her momentum was waning, and it didn¡¯t take long for her to descend. She did her best to try and climb upwards, but much like a hill, it was much harder. Gravity took hold of her and she plummeted. ¡°Dammit!¡± she hissed, she already lost focus. She shifted her power set to gravity distortion, but she felt drained. The effects she tried doing, half backfired and she sped up towards the sharp edges of the office building. Her vision narrowed at the collision point. Then with a sudden pull, she was yanked upwards and pushed towards the sky. ¡°You failed,¡± Emery said flatly. Her grip was firm. ¡°Hold on to me.¡± Juniper clung to her, arms around Emery¡¯s neck. Face flushing as she realized how close she was to the epitome of a tomboyish gal. She was now closer to this untouchable celebrity girl, closer than she had ever been with most people. Emery¡¯s short dark hair tickled her face, skin reflecting the moonlight.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. They landed on the intended rooftop. Juniper let go but her cheeks were still warm, she moved a few steps away. Emery gave her a pointed look. ¡°You¡¯re doing the staring thing again¡­¡± Juniper realized she was staring too long. ¡°Sorry, ¡° She cleared her throat and sat down, shaking off the awkwardness. Juniper leaned against a vent. Emery sat down next to her. ¡°How does your power even work? One minute you''re stumbling like a wild chick and the next you know you¡¯re flying like a rookie cape. Juniper deflected. She hesitates. It wasn¡¯t safe to tell anyone but her brother about the system. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ adaptive,¡± she stated carefully. ¡°I adjust based on what I can handle. It¡¯s not stealing or anything like that. More like a one-to-one copy.¡± Emery frowned, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Right. Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t noticed. Your physical abilities grow, too. You get better fast. It usually takes days for someone to break through a plateau, but you do it in minutes.¡± ¡°Not really,¡± she attempted to maneuver out of this conversation. A problem for later. ¡°I exercise a lot.¡± ¡°Because jogging makes you durable enough to take one of my full-powered punches.¡± Of course, she felt the pain, but it was the regeneration that kept her going. ¡°I guess. My power needs constant conflict to evolve. It¡¯s really not simple I¡¯m still learning.¡± ¡°The perfect weapon,¡± Emery muttered. Expression is stoic and hidden. After a brief moment, she glanced at the rookie cape. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been meaning to ask. Yesterday, when we touched and our energy overlapped, I... saw things.¡± Juniper tensed. ¡°Things?¡± ¡°Feelings,¡± Emery said, voice low. She made herself Vulnerable. ¡°I felt a flood of emotions¡ªyour emotions. Affection, fear, anxiety... a lot. Her pride cracked. ¡°And I¨C¡± she stopped herself, exhaling. ¡°I felt much better after it. I slept well too. I¡¯m not chasing a high or anything but I¡¯m curious could we try once again?¡± Juniper did a double take. Her humility was unexpected. She wanted to say no, but the desperation was genuine. Still, she had to be careful It felt as though she absorbed EMery¡¯s emotions. ¡°Okay,¡± She agreed. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡± She held out her hand, and Emery took it immediately, clasping her hands. Seconds passed. And then a minute. Emery gave her a blank stare. ¡°Nothing''s happening,¡± She wished Syschan was actively paying attention; it would be clearer what was happening. Juniper frowned. ¡°I know¡­¡± An idea clicked. They''d been actively using powers when it first occurred. The first time they fought both both were practically supercharged. ¡°Your power activate it. I¡¯ll do the same. Emery obliged. They both glowed, energy sparking and exchanging. Juniper felt the rush coming. A flood of emotions crashed into her. Emery was teetering on the edge, very close to a breakdown in fact. Her frustration wasn¡¯t skin deep, it was pent up like a call for help. Emery¡¯s face flushed suddenly, cutting through her experience. ¡°Wait you find me attractive? She blurted, tone confusing. Juniper recoiled, cutting the connection her face burning. ¡°What? No! Calm down.¡± She exhaled sharply. ¡°I mean, yes, I¡¯m bisexual, but¡ª¡± Emery cut her off. ¡°Just so you know. I¡¯m as straight as a pole! So¡­so don¡¯t be getting any ideas,¡± her voice cracked, and she looked away. Well, that backfired completely. Juniper stared for a moment, then laughed. ¡°Noted don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t court you,¡± she said. Voice steady, cheeks blushing. ¡°I already have a focus elsewhere.¡± Emery didn¡¯t say anything just stared below. Then abruptly stood up. ¡°Well, that¡¯s enough ¡®bonding¡¯ for one night. Don¡¯t bother me in the upcoming week, and stay out of trouble will you?¡± Of course, it was bound to happen. Every time she thought something meaningful happened, the world changed its plans. Not that she should be having funny thoughts about every hot female she saw. But it was hard not to notice the abundance of beautiful girls she had met shortly after her power awoke. Kankako, Annemarie, Heliogirl, Mila, francesca¡­ You could even count her boss.¡± Was there a hidden luck stat she didn¡¯t know about? She debated with herself. Before she was a cape nothing like ever happened. Was this the result of the system? Pushing these people towards her. Something only sys-chan might know. ¡°Emery,¡± she said. ¡°Am I off the hook?¡± Emery''s face stirred. ¡°Not quite. My friend¡¯s backing off for now, but you¡¯ve caught the attention of people much higher on the ladder. Word is, that the SCRA plans to interview you once you officially join OBB. Don¡¯t take my word for it¡ªit¡¯s just a rumor.¡± Her shoulders sagged. ¡°I never asked for this crap, you know. I was just doing a grocery run. Then, boom¡ªexplosion, chaos, screaming people, and that damn card. Now I¡¯m here.¡± Emery hardened. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not protecting you,¡± she said quietly. ¡°It¡¯s my fault you ended up in the hospital. But don¡¯t act like you¡¯re innocent. You had every chance to go to the authorities, and you didn¡¯t. Instead, you got involved with vigilantes. You need to take better care of yourself.¡± Juniper sensed the concern in Emery¡¯s words, though she wouldn¡¯t openly admit it. ¡°Would you help me train again? Combat and stuff? It could be fun.¡± ¡°Not if you keep staring at me like that?¡± Emery asked flatly, crossing her arms. ¡°Because, for the last time, I don¡¯t swing that way. And no, I don¡¯t have the time¡ªor the patience¡ªto get involved in such matters.¡± ¡°Noted, of course,¡± Juniper said, feeling she had just been impaled. ¡°Tell you what,¡± she added, trying her luck. ¡°If I paid you, would you visit my sister? She¡¯s jealous I got to meet you. Show up as Heliogirl. It¡¯d make her year.¡± Emery raised a brow, then shrugged. ¡°Sure. No money involved Anything for the kids. Just not right now.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got a soft spot for kids?¡± Juniper asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Emery admitted with a smile. Juniper hesitated before speaking again. ¡°You know... I haven¡¯t had a real friend since high school. Even then, I was the weird one¡ªostracized for it.¡± ¡°I can relate. Most of my friends drifted away when things got... messy.¡± ¡°Maybe you just hadn¡¯t found the right ones yet,¡± Juniper said. ¡°What about Team New Hope? Aren¡¯t they your friends?¡± ¡°They¡¯re colleagues,¡± Emery replied. ¡°Not friends. And I loathed working with them.¡± Their conversation stopped, and Emery straightened, her back. ¡°Alright, can you find your way home, or do you need an escort?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Juniper said, though she paused. ¡°Thanks for the lesson. And, you know... for not killing me.¡± Emery rolled her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me.¡± She flew away, her golden glow faded as she ascended. Then to Juniper¡¯s surprise, she came back, hovering over her. Hold on tight,¡± Emery said, gesturing for Juniper to grab her. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let me show you how to fly with another body in transit.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t say no.¡± "I¡¯ll take you home," Emery said softly. She wrapped her arms around Emery¡¯s body, her heart pounding as she was lifted away. Emery¡¯s warm body warmed her own. Juniper¡¯s cheeks stayed red for the duration of the flight. She relaxed eventually, as the wind carried them both away from the inner city. Chapter 30 - Crisis An armored school bus idled in front of the apartment complex, its massive doors hissing open for the few school children on this block. An excited Effy runs open arms towards its doors, as though she was flying, her backpack bouncing to her jubilant rhythm. ¡°Morning, officer! She called out to the police car behind the bus. She greeted the driver next, her sunny-like behavior cut through the dead cold security detail. Before entering, she turned behind her and gave a cheerful wave to Juniper, who waved back, stoically. Juniper watched from the apartment steps, her hips tense, leaning against a railing. She smiled, but not a genuine one. She¡¯s never felt at ease watching Euphemia take off in an armored bus. It was all supposed to scream safety, and yet it whispered danger to her. A subtle reminder of the world they live in. Anything could happen at any time. Cape Attacks on children were rare, but rare was not an impossibility. Today that weight she felt was heavier than ever. The bus doors hissed shut and the patrol car rumbled behind, there was an unshakeable dread building up in her chest. She stood there for a while. Waiting for the school bus to fade from view. Effy¡¯s antics and laughter lingered in her head, like a ghost of adventure, that refused to quiet. Money meant security. Security meant safety. This neighborhood wasn¡¯t the worst by PAcifica standards, however. It was starting to crack, the broken streetlights told her that, as well as the out of place potholes. This place wasn¡¯t good enough. Not for Remy, not for Effy. The wind cut at her body, she steeled herself. It had been awhile since she could just doze off for hours? She wasn¡¯t the locomotive her system was trying to force her to be, she was at the crossroads and she didn¡¯t know where to go. She¡¯d never been Effy¡¯s mother. She wondered if she did a good enough job. Effy deserved better. **** Kanako had very suddenly dragged Juniper along with the tugging of a hurricane. Shopping, though she called it a bonding moment. Two friends with a slowly growing sensual entanglement. Juniper had protested but found herself buckled in her sleek EV, all the same. Somewhere between a third spotlight and the destination. Kanako had offered to buy her lots of clothing. Juniper had squeezed out a decisive but polite refusal. She believed she¡¯d taken advantage of her hospitality far too much. ¡°Thank you but I¡¯m good,¡± she said hastily. ¡°I, uh, got an extra advance from the state.¡± It was a technical truth. The money was real and sat in her bank account but it wasn¡¯t from the state. Not entirely. It was an OBB entry benefit¨Ca nod of approval for cooperation and assignment. Still, she couldn¡¯t admit that. And while her account balance wasn¡¯t affluent, for the first time in years, she didn¡¯t worry about rent and stuff. She had to get it through her head, she was practically an employee now of Cape agency. Kanako was agitated by this remark, tapping her steering irritable as they maneuvered through the streets. Her eyes settled on the sharp and inquisitive look on Juniper''s face. ¡°Juniper,¡± she started. Her tone edged into the unknown. ¡°You¡¯re not secretly partaking in prostitution, are you? You know since you often wander around at night. Or maybe you¡¯re leaning into that bisexual flair of yours? You got a sugar daddy you¡¯ve been hiding from me?¡± The words slammed her like punch to the gut. ¡°What are you talking about!?¡± she vomited, her voice rising like a trumpet. Her face burned as she gave Kanako a frightened look, her hands holding up in the air. ¡°No! That¡¯s not¨Cwhy would you think that?¡± Kanako grinned, enjoying the moment. ¡°Well, you¡¯re always being cagey about everything,¡± she teased her. Her voice rang with mocking suspicion. ¡°I figured since you are mysteriously absent sometimes. You¡¯re pretty, and you come home looking rough the next day. Juniper cringed inwards; she nearly collapsed into her own weight, the statement struck more than a nerve. ¡°Kanako!¡± she groaned. ¡°You¡¯re way more perverted than when I started talking to you¡­I am not¡­.I can¡¯t even¨C!¡± Kanako¡¯s amusement was met, she let out a dirty laugh, her shoulders shaking as she glanced at her friend. ¡°Relax, Jun. I¡¯m kidding! Mostly though.¡± Mostly. It wasn¡¯t like she was serious, but the words were triggering. She wasn¡¯t shortsighted¨CKanako often overestimated her confidence and assumed things she shouldn¡¯t. Still, there was something concerning about the way her eyes lingered, teasing but curious, it was uncomfortable. The scrutiny didn¡¯t go away, Kanako wanted answers. She stared outside, the city blurring through the glass. Her voice was soft and brittle. ¡°I promise, I¡¯m not doing anything like that, Just drop it.¡± Kanako¡¯s laughter tapered away, and a hint of regret shifted on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it was a bad joke,¡± she said, tone gentle. ¡°I know. But you''re so goddamn secretive, if you need to talk to someone about what you''re really doing, I¡¯m here. No judgments, I¡¯ll accept who you are.¡± Would she? She forced a minor nod. ¡°Thanks,¡± she murmured. Juniper rubbed her hands together, nervously. The tension left in the car was unnerving, Kanako, as usual, was oblivious to it. She had started poking little isolated nerves Juniper didn¡¯t like, like assuming she was more perverted than she actually was. Still, the scrutiny stung in the air. The rest of the car ride eased her temper. Kanako¡¯s provocation already fading, even after she nearly freaked out. She caught herself smiling again. It wasn¡¯t being out that excited her, but Kanako herself. She had a way of making Juniper feel¡­seen. Perhaps it was time to take things a step further¨Cor to back off entirely. She couldn¡¯t decide. However, the thought of pulling her under a cover in an embrace, stealing a kiss of her own, danced in her head. After all, tomorrow was going to be an unavoidable nerve-wracking disaster. Why not live in the moment? Not to mention, kanako with her cheeky humor had suggested they visit a lingerie store, further amping up the flames. ¡°Kanako?¡± Juniper whispered. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± She tilted her head playfully. ¡°Foooorrr~¡± ¡°For looking it out for me I know, I¡¯m not the most appealing¨C¡± ¡°Juniper,¡± Kanako cut her off before she could criticize herself. ¡°Stop doubting yourself. You¡¯re pitch-perfect. A little rough around the edges, sure, and you take my humor way too seriously, but you¡¯re fine. More than fine. ¡°It¡¯s just¨C¡± Juniper stopped. She saw a fire truck racing past them. Its siren suddenly started blaring. The firelights did not take long to disappear. She dismissed it briefly, but something was unsettling her. ¡°You were saying Pookie?¡± Kanako teased, her tone light. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t call me Pookie, I¨C¡± Her words died out again. Her Head was locked on the other side of the road. She notices smoke in the distance. Traffic came to a stop, cars were turning in droves, scattering away, startled. Traffic cops waved like they were on crack, redirecting the vehicles away. ¡°Must have been an accident, ¡± Kanako stated. Hand adjusting on the wheel. ¡°I¡¯ll find another path.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Juniper''s anxiety skyrocketed. Something wasn¡¯t right, the whole scene seemed bizarre. She rubbed her eyes for a moment, then when she snapped back an all-too-famaliar- interface interrupted her. [!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!] [SYSTEM ALERT: CRISIS IN EFFECT] [Event: Potential Catastrophic Incident Active in Zone [Pacifica Central District].] [RISK LEVEL: HIGH. Chance of User Mortality: 47% within zone.] [System Advise: Abort Zone or Prepare for Survival.] [Reward for Engaging with Zone:] _Cape Powersets Acquisition Likelihood: Very good. _Unique chance to generate random system based skill: High. The text came like unseeable vomit burning into her eyes. ¡®WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS¡¯. Her face narrowed [A crisis,] the system replied coldly. Missing its usual ¡®Sys-chan¡¯ charm. [It happens from time to time. High-risk, high-reward. Your best shot at preparation for the inevitable..] Why the hell did the system sound all robotic again. She hated the way it responded, unfamiliar with its impersonal tone. Then it switched up again. [Jun, sweetie, I¡¯m not joking. You need to turn around or brace for practical war. This isn¡¯t a halfway game anymore. If you¡¯re staying, dig in deep, don¡¯t bite off more than you can chew.] ¡®Now you wake up?¡¯ she gritted her teeth. [I¡¯m never truly asleep, Jun. You needed the headspace. I needed recalibration. Now I suggest you listen to me.] ¡°Juniper, what''s wrong?¡± Kanako called out to her. ¡°Turn around, the car!¡± she shouted, her tone shocking even herself. ¡°What? Why? This is just an average day¨C¡± ¡°Turn around!¡± her voice cracked, raw and desperate. ¡°We¡¯ll both die if you don¡¯t.¡± Kanako hesitated, her fingers tightening on the steering wheel. ¡°Explain to me. Right now.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± Juniper snapped, her breathing uneven. ¡°Just trust me!¡± Fear became visible in Kanako''s face. ¡°Juniper, I¡¯m not turning this car around until you tell me what¡¯s happening. You¡¯re scaring me.¡± Juniper prepared to argue, and then the massive roar cut her off. The ground shook as an explosion ripped debris through the air. The building in the distance collapses flames licking its edges. Shrapnel starts flying in every direction. Cars came to a halt, drivers all over started panicking. Visible bodies were flung from the windows of the building, landing on the ground lifelessly. Smoke started billowing, choking out the sun. ¡°Turn the fuck around!¡± Juniper shouted, gripping the door handle. Kanako did comply, spinning the wheel, but before they could get out. Another explosion rocked directly above them. The nearby building split apart, raining like a meteor shower. Slabs of concrete slammed into the street, nearly hitting them. A piece of the debris fell on the car in front of them, immobilizing it. ¡°What the hell!¡± Kanako swerved hard to avoid collision, with the now stationary vehicle, the maneuver sent the car out of control. The tires let out a wail against the asphalt before the EV tipped over and slammed onto its side. A piece of debris had touched the windshield, cracking it open, and Juniper¡¯s head stuck through, her body violently, thrown from the car as it rolled. The ground it her hard. She moaned, clutching her head, pain flared. A concussion, maybe worse. Kanako was still inside. She lit fire under her own ass, scrambling to the door, Ignoring the dizzyness and her wobbly legs. The smoke and ash were visibly obscuring one part of the road. ¡°Kanako!¡± she yelled, hitting against the handless door. She was okay, but blood streaked from her face. ¡°It won¡¯t open!¡± she gasped, voice trembling. ¡°Hold on!¡± Juniper braced herself, manipulating gravity, she crammed the door open, yanking hard. The metal creaked as it finally gave way. Kanako looked at her, confused, but hardly conscious. She couldn¡¯t explain. She was on high alert, there were screams everywhere. However, when a crowd of onlookers started running like the devil was behind them, she spotted a source of their terror¨C a man with a flamethrower in his hands, face obscured by a crude chemical mask, He started spraying jest of fire at anything and anyone. She saw a man, screaming in agony, as the flames melted him. She winced but didn¡¯t look away, she need to act. She felt weak. Then she saw them: more trapped people. A family of three. A father desperately banging on a window to get out. The maniac walking in their direction. She felt genuine fury and disgust. ¡°Kanako, Stay low,¡± Juniper said, voice firm despite shaking herself. Kanako blinked at her, her head moving irrationally around. ¡°What are you talking about? We have to run, we¨C¡± ¡°Do you trust me?¡± Juniper asked. Kanako nodded, weakly. ¡°Do you have anything to cover one''s face? Sunglasses, anything?¡± Kanako fumbled through her handbag, pulling out a face mask, hands trembling. ¡°Juniper what are doing?¡± she said, half disoriented. Juniper put on the facemask, tightly. She didn¡¯t hesitate,she looked her in the eye. ¡°Stay put. I wish things were different, but I can¡¯t live in parallel.¡± Kanako became hysterical. ¡°Juniper what are you talking about, where are you going? Let¡¯s run away.¡± ¡°I can not,¡± Juniper said, her heart beating like war drums. ¡°Stay low, Until I say so.¡± Sys-chan whispered in her head. [Are you sure you wanna take this approach, gal?] ¡°Yeah, I have to.¡± Kanako grabbed her arm, desperately clinging. ¡°You don¡¯t have to play a hero! Come with me!¡± Juniper pulled away, her decision was made. [Solar-powered Sentinel] [Lv. 5 > Lv. 6] Her power sprang to life. The power of the sun flooded through sharper than ever before. Was it because of [Synching] with Emery? It didn¡¯t matter. She needed to move. Juniper stepped back. Kanako recoiled, creeping against the tipped-over car. ¡°You¡¯re a cape?!¡± Juniper''s heart sank when Kanako gave her a look of betrayal. ¡°Stay put. Find cover. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Turning away from her panicking friend, her chest tightened with emotions. She channeled it into a burst of power, launching herself like a javelin, angling towards the maniac. She landed behind him, the ground cracked under her. He turned, masked tilting. He hissed at her. ¡°Mortem ad societatem,¡± Without warning he pulled his trigger, sending a violent jet of flames towards her. She raised her shield in just time, glowing golden with solar energy. The heat licked her skin, as the flames threatened to penetrate the barrier. Sweat started dripping down her temples, the shield wavering under assault. ¡°Damnation!¡± she muttered, pushing forward. Fire intensifying, it was slowly starting to creep through and around. [Maneuver!] Sys-chan commanded. She agreed. She took to the air. Swapping powers, gravity amplified beneath the maniac. The flames lessened, bending towards the distorted gravity trajectory. The man struggled to stay afoot, his balance became unbearable. Juniper¡¯s temper shot up. These attacks weren¡¯t random¨Cthey were coordinated, but she couldn¡¯t focus on it. Her frustration boiled over. She dove down, accelerating like a missile. Her sneaker connects to his head, sending him to the ground sprawling. The flamethrower skidded away, laying at a closed-off position. The flames started spewing inside of the machine itself. [You better do something about that flamethrower, sister] Sys-chan¡¯s voice said. ¡°On it,¡± she growled, running towards it. The device was heating rapidly, the canister started puffing up. She enveloped it with the shield, something she learned from Emery. The shield barely held when the flamethrower combusted and the blast wave send her flying back. She crashed on the ground, coming to a halt. Lying on the ground the world tilting forty-five degrees. She noticed the trapped father and his kids, still trying to get out. She got back up, pushing herself to her feet. ¡°Turn away from the window!¡± she shouted, slamming her foot against the glass. It shattered, and she reached in, pulling the kids out one by one, followed by their frantic father. ¡°Thank you, oh God, thank you,¡± the man stammered, clutching his children tightly. She wanted to respond but a chill ran down her spine. ¡°Kanako¡¯s voice. ¡°Behind you!¡± A crushing grip was locked around her throat, yanking her backward. The pyromaniac, his hands were like rusted iron. He growled in some old European language. His helmet was missing, breath was hot against her ear. Kicking her legs was futile, as was punching him in the gut. There wasn¡¯t much you could do. She expelled a burst of power and shot into the air. Dragging him with her. His weight wearing her down. ¡°Get off!¡± she croaked. They climbed higher still, the further the more dangerous it was to throw him off. Unless she wanted to make a meat puddle. It put her into more trouble. She thought fast, manipulating gravity sending a ripple of distortion around them. His body reacted strangely, he twisted mid-air and his grip let loose, she slammed her boot into him. He spiraled downwards onto a car, hitting it with a loud crash. But still breathing. Juniper hovered a bit, staring at the chaotic sight. The threat was over, but her body was hurt, and her reserved energy dwindled. [+1 to power, for fighting against a different weight.] Gravitational Distortion: LVL2> LV3] She ignored the notifications. Kanako ran toward her, face pale and bloody. ¡°You¡¯re¨Cokay?¡± she said with relief, but her face darker. The family she rescued thanked her profusely, before leaving. Kanako stared at her. ¡°You¡¯ve been a cape this whole time?¡± Kanako¡¯s voice was sharp, hurt cutting through her words. Juniper shook her head, exhaustion heavy. ¡°No. It was during the hospital incident, just before we met. That I awakened this.¡± ¡°This is your big secret?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Juniper nodded. ¡°Look things aren¡¯t ideal right now. Get out of here¨Cit¡¯s going to get worse.¡± Kanako''s lips trembled. ¡°But you¡¯re no fighter. You''re harmless but naggy. You need to leave too." ¡°No!¡± she snapped, voice breaking. ¡°I¨C have to do this. I¡¯m OBB now.¡± Her face flinched. ¡°What? A vigilante¡­¡± There¡¯s no time for this,¡± Juniper said, her tone softening despite the urgency. ¡°Please, go home. Let my brother know what¡¯s happening. If you can, take him to an emergency bunker.¡± ¡°What about Effy?¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be fine¡ªthe school patrol will keep her safe. They have special operations just for such things, Just go.¡± Kanako hesitated ¡°I¨C¡± ¡°Go, Kanako!¡± Juniper interrupted her voice firm despite the lump in her throat. ¡°If you stay, you¡¯ll die.¡± Kanako looked at her, there were unspoken words. But she turned eventually running away. Juniper watched her retreat, her own heart heavy. [Well] Sys-chan piped up, breaking the silence. [That could¡¯ve gone better. But hey, at least you¡¯re alive!] ¡°You should''ve warned me bout things like this.¡± [I¡¯m not an omniscient being!] Juniper clenched her fists, her resolve hardening. The crisis wasn¡¯t over yet. She could hear a scream nearby, begging, pleading even, from within a building. A building a flame. Someone was trapped, she needed to act. Her determination was set. Chapter 31 - Trial by fire and flame Juniper¡¯s attention shifted to the sounds of bloody screaming, loud and raw cutting through the vehicular chaos around her. Her sharp eyes locked on a burning 4-story building. Volatile flames erupted from the windows and smoke billowed out like thick clouds. Figures were fleeing from the lower floors, some people were stumbling out, many were screaming, a few escapees dragging unconscious and injured bodies out. Above the window frames of the building, athletic enough survivors clung on and climbed down, desperate and in fear of burning alive. Juniper¡¯s legs were antsy and twitching. A primal fear gnawed at her. Her rational mind told herself, that running inside would be suicide. Certain suicide. Would anyone blame me for waiting out? How long before the fire department could get here? An experienced cape? [Juniper right now you''re the only thing that stands in the way of charred survivors. Are you going to wait here while people fry alive? ] Juniper looked at the streets. Sirens blared in every direction, coming into earshot and out, chaos swallowed the inner city as a whole. Fire and smoke came from dozens of districts, blackening the sky. Her heart dropped. Who else could? Dammit, I really have to go in there. What if I fuck up. [Move it, Jun! Heroing doesn¡¯t come with a reset button! If you don¡¯t] ¡°Who will!¡± She jumped in the air. ¡°I know, I fucking know!¡± Her voice cracked as she launched herself forward. Juniper charges in headfirst, a golden aura radiating around her. Slightly shielding her like a self-contained barrier. It was a horrible gamble, considering she doesn¡¯t have a complete grasp on [Solar-powered Sentinel] Like the original wielder did. The first thing she felt was the overwhelming pressure of the heat, like being stuck in an oven set to ¡°low¡±. Then the smoke started stinging her eyes, She blinked at the irritation, her eyes starting to tear. Sweat dripped down her body, making her wet in a minute. Her lungs were also starting to burn. The first floor was fairly empty, flames hadn¡¯t spread much. Her soft sneakers, made a crunch as she stepped over debris. A noise¨Cup ahead¨Cdrew her attention. A man emerged from obscuring smoke, his office attire scorched and torn apart. His right hand stuck to his left. ¡°Upstairs!¡± he shouted, recognizing her as a cape. ¡°More upstairs!¡± She nodded, her throat too uncomfortable to speak. She made it up the staircase, legs growing heavier with every elevated step. The air reeked not only of burning chemicals but the smell of burned flesh. Nauseating horror grips her fragile heart. At the center of the room was a vacant space, the ground stained with black marks. On the ground outside the circumference of the vacant circle lay the charred bodies of dozens of victims. Some limbs were separated from their torsos. She doubles over, one hand on her throat, the other on her stomach. She did her best to swallow the erupting bile back. [Juniper, if you stop here their deaths will have been for naught. You need to keep moving] Juniper steeled herself and did her best to ignore horror. She wiped away saliva that escaped her mouth with the back of her hand. As she gasped for air and scanned the massacre for any potential signs of life. [Super Audition] The flames dance in her ear, sizzling and shimmering like an ocean of fire. There! At the end of the room, near the window, she could hear ragged breathing, whimpering even. He was still moving, just barely. She forced herself towards him, making a great effort to avoid the flames and the debris. She got on her knees, her fingers trembled as she tried to lift him. Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t strong enough and he was barely conscious enough to move. She manipulated the gravity with her [Gravitational distortion]. Making sure his body was light enough to float, lifting him put a strain on her energy, like moving a heavy object you never trained for. She gritted her teeth, nudging him towards a closed window. The window wouldn¡¯t open. She slammed it, kicked it but the heat held her back from fully committing. She grew impatient ¡°Shit,¡± she muttered, then briefly put the man down again. Swapping powersets, condensing energy into a directed blast. The glass shattered outward in all directions. A shard of glass crossed her shoulder, as she shielded her face. Blood started leaking from the cuts, but she ignored it. Lifting the man again through the window and descending shakily to the ground. There was a small crowd of people outside, They all helped to collectively take the man from her. She fell to the ground, her breathing heavy, and her vision losing focus. Dammit, I¡¯m not outfitted for this crap. She knew there were more survivors. The faint ¡°help me¡± echoed in her ear over and over again, it was as soft as an ant''s movement, but her [enhanced hearing helped her pick it up.] Her body told her she couldn¡¯t go back, not after what she saw. Then there was a ping. [Unique skill acquired: motivational Hyperdrive] [Each time you save someone from the clutches of death, your willpower and ability to push beyond your limits temporarily increase.] She stared at the words in mild disbelief. ¡°Sys-chan what¨C¡± [It means get back in the fight soldier! The clock¡¯s ticking, and people need saving! No time for drama] She looked up. She couldn¡¯t stomach going back. And yet. I have to. If I don''t, someone else dies. She braced herself, staring into the fiery hell of the burning building. Her senses were invigorated by the mysterious skill. She charged through the second-floor window, maneuvering through thick smoke and dangerous debris. She did her best to avoid looking at the charred bodies littered across the room, a reminder that she couldn¡¯t save everyone. They were dead before she got inside. Focus on the living Juniper. A piece of groaning metal above shifted and screamed in her direction. She ducked as the beam crashed from the upper floor sending embers and ash her way. The jump strained her muscles out, her legs moaned for rest, but she pressed forward. Golden aura like wavering candlelight. As she moved up the messed up staircase, she spotted a hand¨C a woman clinging to the railing past a broken window, her hands turning red with time. ¡°Hey! Hold one!¡± Juniper shouted, voice hoarse. The woman peaked above, her wide eyes filled with terror. ¡°I-I can¡¯t hold on! I¡¯m gonna slip.¡± The woman started coughing as the smoke worked its way through. Her grip on the railing loosened instantly. Juniper dove. And with gravity-defying power, launched herself forward, arms stretched. She caught the woman just as she was taken down by inertia.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Midair, the woman clung up to her like she was a lifejacket. The additional weight only propelled juniper downward. Her powers weren¡¯t grown well enough to handle body-to-body weight. Her face puffed up, and sweat beads tickled her eyes, but she did her best to slow the descent. Goddamnit! This lady is heavy! They landed rough on the street, Juniper felt something crack near her ribs. She ignored it but struggled to keep up under the strain. The ¡®heavy¡¯ lady started sobbing like a child lost in the dark. ¡°Thank you. Thank you so much,¡± she choked, half coughing. ¡°You¡¯re okay,¡± Juniper told her. Her own voice started to sound ghoulish. [That¡¯s one more down! You¡¯re a real-life hero. Keep it at it.] Syschan encouraged her, voice brimming with energy. She felt her newfound skill ¨C[Motivational Hyperdrive] ping ¨Cand then activate on its own, A small spark of energy filling her fatigued body. It wasn¡¯t a lot but it was more than enough. Like an adrenaline spike during a race. The woman, out of breath clutched juniper¡¯s arm. ¡°There¡¯s one more, person up there, third floor. Everyone else is¡­is gone.¡± she started coughing again, nearly tumbling over. Juniper winced, her throat as hoarse as rough sand. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± she promised the woman, turning back inside, she lunged at the roaring flames. Don¡¯t think. Just keep moving. The stairway to the third floor was reduced to a crumbling mess, rebar stuck out the wall like broken cartilage. She scanned furiously, she spotted a coughing silhouette over the flaming barrier in front of her. What do I do here? If I push through I¡¯ll burn. Her heart raced, every second racing there was a chance the person waiting for rescue would die. [Think outside the introspective box! Think like a brute! What comes up must come down!] Gravity! But the application should be different. She exhaled. She crouched, like a soldier. Then directed a gravity field to surround the debris. She focussed, and slowly but surely she twisted it, the debris lifted into the air, the hanging rebar rising as well. She amplified the gravity, making it fall down in an explosive collision with the ground, half the debris, falling down the stairwell. She flew past the roaring fire, her aura flickering against the heat. She landed in a crash on the third floor. The man was slumped against the far wall, his breaths were shallow. ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Juniper called out. ¡°You¡¯re gonna be fine.¡± Their gazes met and the man gave her a stare of disbelief. Perhaps not believing she looked much like a cape? There was more debris in the way. This was lighter. She concentrated, her golden glow flaring to life. She blasted the rubble, into splintered pieces, making a crude pathway. The man staggered towards her, his knees buckling. Juniper wrapped her arms around his shoulder. ¡°Lean on me sir,¡± she said, holding him steady. He was too weak to protest, but he had a look of disapproval. They stumbled upwards towards the ruins of the fourth floor, the stairway here less of a problem, mostly untouched. The space at the top was completely empty. The burned remains of the sleek designer furniture scattered. This was the VIP part of the building, the corporate zone. Juniper swore lightly. There were no bodies up here, there probably was some kind of emergency escape somewhere here for the rich bastards. She looked in relief though when she saw a shattered window. But the smoke had started to thicken even more, nearly obscuring their sight, and wrapping them like an uncontrollable river. Her lungs reacted horribly, and her head started spinning, her vision blurred, she wasn¡¯t an athletic juggernaut. This was a bit too much. A crash echoed behind them, she bit her lip, forcing herself forward. When she got out of this crisis, she¡¯s going straight to the gym. She blanked out for a minute. And the man¡¯s grip tightened. ¡°Hey, missy,¡± he worked out shaking her. ¡°Stay with me.¡± She nodded faintly, her legs kept moving. The man opened the shattered window, frame, and all. ¡°Hold on sir,¡± she murmured to him, grabbing him by the waist. With a horrible grunt, she lifted them out. They landed on the ground, Juniper failing to steady the man as he stumbled away. She barely had a chance to breathe before another violent explosion rocked the building. The shockwave threw her off, her body skidding away against asphalt, and the roar of rubble thundered in her ears. She shielded her face. Then it settled down, and a crowd of civilians around did their best to control the fire from spreading. The building itself was slowly being consumed by its flames. If there was anyone left they were gone. A ping chimed in her head. [Motivational Hyperdrive] ¨C a little of energy returned to her, she felt herself a bit stronger, if only temporarily. ¡°What do I do now?¡± She collapsed to her knees, her body trembled, as exhaustion came through. She stared at the ground, her hands ash-streaked, she tried wiping it off. Her lungs burned still, and her open shoulder where she was cut, hadn''t clotted yet. A young man stumbled towards her, face red with tears. ¡°Did you see anyone?¡± he started. ¡°Young woman¨Cred hair, skinny, high heels, office dress?¡± She tightened her throat. She shook her head slowly, afraid to speak up. His shoulders slumped, and he started laughing hysterically. He sank to the ground, face buried. ¡°She¡¯s gone¡­ she¡¯s gone.¡± Juniper felt a pain in her chest, a hollow pain, she felt numb. She knew she should do something to console him, offer her condolences but nothing came through. What was she supposed to do here? She leaned forward awkwardly, arms wrapped around him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispered. Voice inaudible. He shook his head. Her voice wavering as he laughed, humorless. ¡°We were supposed to go home, It should¡¯ve been me. I was gonna confess to her¡­I¡± He started sobbing. ¡°I don¡¯t want to live.¡± Juniper froze, her eyes hollow. She wanted to comfort him, but her mind was as blank as a white page. He pulled away from her, curling into a ball. Juniper walked away, crippled. [You did good Juniper, you can¡¯t save everyone.] But what if I could? What if I could be faster? What if I could heal? What if I could bring back the dead? She stared at her own body¨C her skin was full of blisters and her limbs were shaking. The weight of what she saw pressed her down, how could she move forward? Her eyes widened when a stranger approached her. They didn¡¯t speak, just held out a bottle of water and a bandage. They immediately started cleaning her cut, and wrapped it, nodding and walking away to others. She chucked the bottle clean. She sat there, her gaze wandering. The three people she rescued were staring at her like she was some kind of alien creature. Their awe made her uncomfortable. Her face mask had some holes in it, she¡¯d need an alternative soon. ¡°Ms¡­¡± a squeaky voice broke through her head. She blinked and turned around to see a boy standing there, searching her with his big eyes. A boy with white hair. Was it dyed? Hair mutations were a common thing in this era. ¡°Ms¡­¡± he repeated, tugging at her. ¡°What¡¯s your name miss?¡± ¡°Ju¨C¡± she bit her tongue. She almost gave her real identity away. A dangerous gamble even with a childlike individual. She never thought this far, Balaclava girl was out of the question. Something however stuck in her head, something Emery had called. She stifled a giggle. Emery¡­ not too long ago, she was Heliogirl to her. ¡°Mimicry¡­¡± ¡°What,¡± he said dumbfounded. ¡°Ms. Mimic, or mimicry, choose your pick ... .kid¡± he nodded. ¡°What was it like in there? The flames, the fire¡­.the deaths.¡± Her heart skipped a beat. She did a double take. The kid¡¯s reaction was strange. His questions were wrong and unnatural, Sure it wasn''t uncommon for kids to be total weirdos in times of crisis. But it almost sounded like he was interviewing her. She swallowed and started stressing. She put his hands on his shoulders. ¡°Look kid, Find a shelter or go home. You can¡¯t be around out here.¡± He pointed to the crowd around them. Civilians banded together to douse flames and patrol the streets with makeshift weapons, forming a citizen¡¯s militia. ¡°Those people are helping, you¡¯re not.¡± she shooed him off. ¡°Go, go before you get hurt.¡± He hesitated, but his gaze lingered on her. Something about the way he stared made her uneasy. Like he saw through her. He kept turning before disappearing into the crowd. ¡°What the fuck was that.¡± There was something vaguely ominous about what just occurred. [That was kinda weird. I mean, suspicious much? Spy vibes, maybe? Definitely not a cape. Just... weird kid energy.] ¡°Don''t make me paranoid too,¡± she complained. Close by, the first man she pulled out was helped into a car, probably headed for the hospital. Juniper watched him get taken away, a heavy ache settling her chest. Her thoughts swirled on what she saw lying there. Those charred remains, and the smell, like a burnt barbeque. A dull ache settled in her chest. She stood upright. Pains shot through her body with every movement, but she could feel tiny traces of her body. Slowly regenerate. It was an odd sensation. She¡¯d tried calling her ¡®boss¡¯ again but ¡®Big Sis¡¯ wouldn¡¯t pick up. There was silence on the other end. She didn¡¯t know who to turn to about this, perhaps¡­ No, other people might just choose to lock her up for the whim of it. Maybe, just maybe, she could rest here for a moment, and help the people out. Or go home and let the real heroes handle it. She rubbed at her itchy face, Her face full of blackened soot. A sudden crack of gunshots shattered the growing quiet. She flinched her heart slamming. She froze. Her breathing was shallow. She turned to look at the crowds, they seemed oblivious. Was it her enhanced hearing that made her hear it up close? It came from a few blocks away. The sound shook her head. Her throat welled up again and she threatened to vomit. She exhaled slowly counting one to ten and then. In and out. Another delayed notification annoyed her. [Endurance+1] [Power+1] She didn¡¯t care about leveling up right now. She felt weaker like she was gonna fall apart. Each step forward was now heavier than the last, her legs dragged on as guilt and exhaustion consumed her. [No rest for the wicked¨Cand no peace for heroes.] Juniper took to the the air. Keeping Emery¡¯s flight lessons in mind. Sys-chan¡¯s words lingered in her head as she pushed forward. She couldn¡¯t stop Because if she did she might be able to get up again. Chapter 32 - The Weight of the Gavel and the Gun Juniper soared through acrid skies, lungs heavy under the tang of the smoke. Beneath fires churning block to block, plumes of smog rising like a suffocating cloud. Sweat soaked through her clothing, it would be another outfit ruined due to cape nonsense, she¡¯d have to retake Kanako¡¯s offer to go shopping after this. If Kanako still wanted to see her. She slowed down, hovering above a blackened rooftop, and her phone pulled out. Fingers trembling as she typed to her brother. [Juniper: The city is in chaos, I¡¯m gonna see where I can help. If anything happens, let me know. I¡¯ll come running.] Her fingers hesitated over the send button. What if she couldn¡¯t, what if she was caught up? What if she had died? She pressed it anyway, chest heavy as the message disappeared across the net. Her thoughts shifted to Effy. The school was far from the city center, Thank whatever God was out there. There were also active duty capes assigned to most schools. It should have been enough to comfort her aching heart. It should have been. Yet it wasn''t I need to find out for myself. She doubted they¡¯d take kindly to an unknown cape showing up at a School after being spotted fighting fires. Below her, the inner city was like a war zone. Every few minutes, an explosion occurred or a distant screaming clawed at her ears. For once in a long time [Enhanced hearing] seemed more like a curse. Panic was everywhere as far as the eye could see between burning cards and exploding windows, she wager it would only take a day¡¯s worth of escalation before martial law was imposed. Then everyone will have a gun pointed at them. She pushed forward. The sound of the gunshots cracked again, much clearer. The bullets were timed, precise, and deliberate. She followed like a hound, dreading the destination. Every nerve told her to turn heel and run, and yet, she moved until she spotted the point of origin. A car lay turned over, flames erupting from its engines. Behind an opposing vehicle crouched a man, his face obscured by a mask and a cap. His hands shook as he fired a pistol wildly at two approaching figures advancing on him with flame throwers, their faces hidden away by their helmets. ¡°Damn it,¡± she muttered to herself. The guy with the cap went wild, blind fire behind the car, bullets ricocheting off the pavement. The pyromaniacs advanced slowly, cornering him like a desperate animal. She dove. Heading straight for the one in the rear, her gravitational punch connected with the assailant''s chest the impact sending him hurtling away. The other pyro turned toward her, eyes narrowed as he swung his weapon towards her. The flamethrower¡¯s muzzle hissed and flames escaped, heating radiating as it spread. She had a flicker of a moment to brace herself. Her shield flared to life and she slowly moved backwards. Would the shield hold? She doubted it. Three gunshots rang out, louder and sharper than everything around them. Bang. Bang. Bang. The second pyromaniac fell to the ground blood pooling from his chest. Before she could do anything, he moved past her. He was fast¨Cinhumanly so. He shoved her aside with enough force to send her rolling away a couple of meters. She hit the ground dazed. She watched as he closed the distance in a couple of seconds, gunning the pyro down, and fired a shot point blank at the skull of the man. She went still. ¡°What the hell,¡± she whispered, nerves shot. Was that even legal? [Whoa, Jun! Did you see that? Tomato paste everywhere! Gross, but also kinda cool, right? Who¡¯s cleaning that up?] She ignored Sys-chan¡¯s complete detachment, she didn¡¯t have time to argue about human morality to her. Her focus snapped on the operative as she moved the gun towards her. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°Not one fucking muscle,¡± he barked, threatening her. She froze in place. His face was unreadable, and his eyes cold and devoid of anything. ¡°I just¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up. I ask the questions.¡± His voice cut like a blade. ¡°Cape name and registration number.¡± Juniper raised her hands, her body shaking. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to register tomorrow. I¡¯m with Operation Bell Brigade.¡± The operative scoffed, lowering his weapon slightly. ¡°Unregistered. Young. Playing hero.¡± Contempt in his voice. Behind her, the faint rustle inside a car caught her attention. She turned her head, to see a preteen girl peek out from the backseat. Eyes wide and terrified as hers. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Juniper asked, her voice trembling. The operative stepped closer. ¡°None of your business,¡± he snapped at her, his composure did waver, however. His breathing accelerated, hand clutching his forehead as if steadying himself. She didn¡¯t press, but she was spooked. Something about him was completely unstable. The tag on his cap said SCRA, but was he? How to get out of this? ¡°She¡¯s a relative, under my protection, I¡¯m¡­waiting for an ambulance,¡± he said. Words spiked with something she couldn¡¯t hint at. Guilt? Frustration? She kept silent, eyes darting left to right between the man and the girl. How does she solve this, the situation seems like a powder keg waiting to explode. How? She held her hands, palms open, then stood up. The man circled her like a predator sizing up prey. He was moving deliberately and sharply, yet his pacing was erratic like a drug abuser. The grip on his pistol was way too tight. No doubt he had some screws loose, but she couldn¡¯t stay here like a hostage. ¡°I¡¯m not a villain,¡± she said carefully, keeping her voice calm. ¡°You should know that. I¡¯m just trying to help where I can.¡± ¡°Do you know agency capes get reprimanded if they fight without a uniform, You''re intentionally skirting the law, Miss OBB.¡± he snapped his neck like a mad turtle. ¡°Also I never asked for your fucking help.¡± His words sent a chill down her spine, it was laced with venom. He started moving around again, spinning his pistol like a boy would spin a toy. The way he handled the weapon didn¡¯t match what was going on in his head. He sighed. Then glanced at the freaked-out girl in the car. ¡°I saw you fly? Did you come outta the air? He asked though it was rhetorical. Juniper nodded, not knowing where this conversation was going. ¡°Very good.¡± His pace quickened, she barely had time to react, the barrel of the gun was lined up under her chin. He leaned in real close, really close. Growling like a wild dog. ¡°Take to the hospital. And listen very carefully. Touch her, hurt her, or even use her. I will find you and I will kill you.¡± Thunder flashed in her heart, her instinct told her to run or fight, and she forced herself to stay calm. Desensitizing herself. Swallowing as the cold steel of the barrel clicked. ¡°I understand, sir,¡± she said quietly. Obedient without emotion. Her voice trembled, and he met his gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll do as you ask.¡± His hand lingered for a moment then he pulled the gun away, and moved back. The tension in the air is still thick. He walked over to the car, easing himself, hand running down his face. He tapped against the hood, then walked over to the door. ¡°Amber,¡± he said with softest, gentlest voice. The girl peeked out, her eyes full of tears looking at Juniper and the man. ¡°Yes, uncle?¡± ¡°This nice lady¡¯s going to take you to the hospital. Get those burns checked out okay? Then I¡¯ll come to fetch you.¡± he handed her an old-school cellphone. ¡°Call me when they¡¯ve patched you up I¡¯ll come fetch you.¡± She nodded, she moved awkwardly and stiffly. She winced as she tried to move out of the car, her legs barely holding her together. Juniper caught sight of the burns on her legs and arms-charred patches of skin. [Poor girl] sys-chan said. [You should give her a hug Juniper in my place.] I¡¯d rather not with her crazy uncle around. Juniper crouched down in front of the girl, gesturing to her to climb on her back. Amber hesitated, glancing at her uncle for permission, before obeying. She weighed lighter than she should have been, like she was anorexic except her physical body weight seemed just fine. [Don¡¯t even speculate, she¡¯s probably a dormant cape. Or uncle wacko¡¯s got some family secret] The operative put his pistol away, fingers itching. Probably to shoot someone. You never told me your name, cape girl.¡± ¡°Mimicry,¡± she said after thinking. ¡°Or Ms. Mimic it¡¯s work in progress. ¡°What a stupid fucking cape name.¡± he put his fingers on his lips. ¡°Your real name, don¡¯t worry I won¡¯t tell. Name for name.¡± After pondering. ¡°It¡¯s¨Cno, I don¡¯t trust you,¡± she said shaking her head. ¡°Fair enough, now get lost!¡± This guy¡¯s a few screws short of a fully functional brain, huh?] Sys-chan quipped in her usual overly cheery tone. [Anyway, all aboard the Pinewell Express! JUUUN!!! JUUUN!!! JUUUN!!!] She couldn¡¯t help it. She giggled. It was a nervous but unintentional laugh, it slipped, Sys-chan was too random sometimes. It worked off the stress. Uncle¡¯s face twisted, irritated, eyes narrow. ¡°What so fucking funny?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± she lied, the laugh just barely eased her. Amber, clutched tightly. ¡°I¡¯m ready, Ms.¡± Juniper adjusted her body, spreading her arms to stabilize the flying. She gave the man a glance. He stared at her like she was a stray animal with rabies, his fingers twinkling back to playing with the gun. ¡°I¡¯ll get her there safely,¡± Juniper promised. He didn¡¯t respond just watched her lift into the sky. She was going to report him¨Cto her boss at least. She didn¡¯t fancy being held at gunpoint. Mid-air, she stared over her shoulder. Breathing a sigh of relief. ¡°Are you okay Amber?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Ms. Mimicry¡± "Hmmm." She really gotta choose her name soon. Chapter 33 - Shattered Authority She adjusted herself as the girl¡¯s grip shifted, her arms locked around her neck. Though she wasn¡¯t very heavy, the constant clinging did make her shoulders hurt, but she wasn¡¯t going to complain. She¡¯d offered to help out of her own volition, did she not? Just below her, some buildings were burning with rage, uneven and uncontrolled, their smoke licking the afternoon sun. The chaos in its scale didn¡¯t seem all that much if you compare it to the vastness of the city, but the way it was scattered it burst, setting off every few seconds or so like targeted artillery, it frightened her the most. There were dozens of capes tearing through the sky, some moving like lightning bolts others drifting like bubbles. Glowing energy zipped from one street to the next and so on. Speedsters. The inner city looked straight out of an apocalypse movie, and she happened to be in the middle of it. Police vehicles and firetrucks rolled in like marching tank battalions, lights went off flashing everywhere. What do you think, these pyro freaks even want? She relayed the thought to herself, and her local headmate. [From what I¡¯ve deduced with my unmatched brilliance, they seem very cult-like.] Sys-chan said. [Purity and flame and that kind of thing, maybe with a little arson on the side.] She refocused on her task: To the nearest medical center, Greenmeadow Hospital. At least several miles away. Her sense of direction was all messed up. Flying was foreign to her, yet she had a better grasp than she did a few days ago. No thanks to Emery. However, the weight the girl added didn¡¯t help. She seemed lighter at first, but that changed really quickly. She may need to rest somewhere soon. One thing she noted was that the higher she flew, the faster [Solar-powered Sentinel] drained her. She could only absorb so much from the sun. She really was a pale imitation of her newest ally. Speaking of. It leveled twice going from [5>7]. She didn¡¯t understand why, but Sys-chan had explained to her: [Your power? It¡¯s like studying for a long exam. Just beating exp into the system isn''t going to make you grow. Knowledge is power. You need to write stuff down, and not just what you know.] Which to her sounded very much like she needed to understand the power from its sources, which meant more lessons. ¡°Hey, Amber,¡± she called out, twisting her neck and giving the girl a glance. Her reddish-brown hair flew in her face. Is that why she¡¯s called Amber? The girl tilted her neck, very weakly, her voice as small as a mouse. ¡°Y-yeah?¡± ¡°You okay, you need something. Tell me if I have to stop.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. Thank you.¡± Juniper nodded, then regretted her choice to look backward when she shifted off balance, her trajectory going sideways, sending her into a shallow nosedive before she had to pull up like a plane. I need to be careful. For two reasons now rather than one, and it wasn¡¯t like she had a twin-piston engine strapped to her back. She spotted a tall but low-rise building in the distance, contemplating if she should stop or not. She restarted the conversation, her tone as casual as she could manage. ¡°So¡­ your ¡®uncle¡¯. Can you tell me about him?¡± Amber''s eyes narrowed and she turned her head away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t talk about him.¡± Images of him dispatching the two pyro freaks were still very vivid in her head. She wondered if it bothered him at all, that he casually killed two people in front of his ¡®niece¡¯. Of course, they were attacked but perhaps there was more to the tale than self-defense. She exhaled, the pressure of the wind was messing with her throat. She wasn¡¯t going to push her on the issue. ¡°What about your parents?¡± she questioned, voice softer. ¡°Where are they?¡± Amber whispered this time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t say. It¡¯s supposed to be government business. I¡¯d get in trouble if I speak.¡± Yikes She hoped that this little side quest wouldn¡¯t earn her spook or a bogeyman. She nodded. Then Amber added, ¡°I do miss them, though I haven''t seen them in a long time.¡± That struck something in her heart. A memory, just after the Revolution. They¡¯d been forced into a temporary shelter. Effy couldn¡¯t understand. She was so small, her face red all the time because of the crying. It was always the same questions. Where¡¯s Mommy? Why isn¡¯t she here? You''re not my mommy? Juniper kept quiet. Knowing full well somewhere in the outskirts of the city her parents were locked away. Serving a sentence they could never escape. Amber¡¯s words echoed, but she focused on what was in front of her. Her face tensed when she spotted a red streak floating towards her. Her first instinct was to fly away, but she feared she might have to hurt Amber in her mission to speed up. She couldn¡¯t outmaneuver whoever that was. ¡°Hold on Amber!¡± She dove down for the nearest building, the air whipped her face as she pointed her head below. The landing was rough¨Ctoo rough. Her shoes skidded against the rooftop. She managed to put Amber down safely before rolling over. Crashing right beside her. When the dust settled, she was on the edge. A woman emerged next to her, the force of her landing cracked the concrete sending out a web of fractures. She had a short bob cut and her face was sharp and symmetrical like those Greek statues, her skin pale. She wore a tight white suit, already ruined with smudges of ash and smoke, she looked wild and raw. Like an amped-up Olympian athlete. She didn¡¯t look like she was here to talk. The frown on her face said everything. Her face though seemed familiar. She wasn¡¯t acquainted with every cape, before she became one herself she preferred fictional ones as opposed to the real ones. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. [Uh oh, looks like mommy¡¯s pissed,] her system chimed. Juniper clicked her tongue. Who in their right mind had time for this? She definitely had a superiority complex. The most insufferable trait. ¡°You!¡± her voice boomed like thunder, Juniper flinched. ¡°Identify yourself!¡± The woman¡¯s boots stomped on the rooftop, as she walked closer. Like she herself was the choir of doom. Juniper sighed. This was what, the third time she had to introduce herself? She had to fight to keep her voice normal.¡°Mimicry. Soon-to-be-registered cape. Affiliation: OBB.¡± At the mention of OBB, the woman¡¯s frown became a scowl. She shifted her gaze to Amber who hid behind Juniper. ¡°Unregistered cape,¡± she hissed, voice rattling in disapproval. ¡°Flying a preteen to who-knows-where? Explain yourself.¡± She opened her mouth, and then Amber tugged at her and gave her a terrified set of eyes. For some unexplainable reason, she exactly knew what that meant. ¡®Don¡¯t mention her uncle.¡¯ Juniper''s anxiety skyrocketed. ¡°I¡¯m taking her to the hospital,¡± she stammered, breathing deeply to keep herself composed. ¡°She got burned by the maniacs. She¡¯s separated from her parents. That¡¯s as much as I know.¡± Renegade. That was her name. A top member of the Sovereign Initiative Of Capes. She is known to be ¡®problematic.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t trust you no-name,¡± she said. Voice as cold as her stare. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you before.¡± ¡°L-like I said I¡¯m new.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like your attitude,¡± Renegade remarked. She didn¡¯t know if she wanted to laugh or cry. She was somewhere between pissing herself and bursting into hysteria. She¡¯s had a rough start to the day so far. Why should she listen to this cape? ¡°Y-you¡¯re the one with the stick up your¨C¡± Renegade sped towards her in a fraction of a second. Grabbing her by the collar of her shirt, and lifting in the air. She was dangled around, and Amber fell to the ground, letting out a yelp. The girl scuttered away, trembling. [That was a mistake Jun. anyway-] Juniper¡¯s system chimed. [Cast observe on this bitch!] She complied, as she was held like a caught raccoon. [Renegade] [Power: 90] [Endurance: 60] [Dexterity: 65] [Reflex: 85] [Durability: 100] [Energy: 53] [Overclocked Human Physiology: Superhuman strength, speed, durability, and flight, fueled by a unique energy source in her body. The energy replenishes slowly over time but drains faster under certain conditions. [Most prevalent skills] [Hyperstrength: Can momentarily lift several tons under the right condition. Strength depends on energy level.] [Mach level speed: the ability to achieve supersonic speeds in a burst, however, the risk of self-injury is high.] [Enhanced senses: Superhuman senses depending on the environment.] [Invulnerability Aura: weakens most attacks used against users.] She blinked. This woman was a severe threat, she could crush like she was a bag of meat if she really wanted to. [Juniper hear me out.] sys-chan mentioned. [Start licking her boots, you¡¯re what the previous human generation called, cooked.] Hell no! Juniper started squealing. ¡°Wait, let me go, you psycho.¡± She kicked and wiggled to no avail. ¡°What did you just call me?¡± the renegade said like a mad dog. Juniper coughed. ¡°I said, uh¡­you¡¯re from the SIOC right?¡± ¡°What if I am?¡± she leaned in closer, really close. Eyes staring into Juniper¡¯s. ¡°At any rate, I suggest you get lost in whatever dump you came from. I¡¯ll take the girl where she needs to.¡± ¡°L-Look, Renegade, her uncle personally asked me to¨C¡± Renegade stopped her. Then with a growl, yanked Juniper like a ragdoll swinging her around. Amber watched in horror. ¡°Hold still!¡± Renegade snapped at her, grabbing her face. ¡°Let¡¯s see your full face. ¡°Stop Ain¡¯t demasking illegal!¡± ¡°Illegal?¡± she smirked. ¡°I am the law here, Vigilante girl.¡± Then she tore the facemask she got from Kanako off. Cool air hit her mouth, Her cheeks flushed red. Renegade stared at her, Her expression shifting from anger to surprise and to a smidgen of guilt. ¡°Y-You¡¯re just a kid yourself,¡± she muttered. Then hiccuped and shook. The moment was ruined. Juniper gave a glare. Was she¡­drunk? Her mind raced. This was an authority figure, supposed to deal with saving people''s lives, an intoxicated cape. It was laughable, a big joke. She was drunk. A sudden swoosh in the air could be heard rippling, and golden light shimmered. Her heart leaped with relief. ¡°Let her go, you old wine aunt!¡± The voice was cocky, sharp, and full of confidence, it was mildly annoying but it filled her with hope. Renegade turned, her grip completely lost and she twisted to the hovering figure. Heliogirl. (Emery.) She had her golden cape on today, she floated like a flying flame. ¡°Sunflower girl!?¡± her voice much more slurred than before, the alcohol hung. She turned towards Juniper. ¡°This one¡¯s been a bit naughty. You gonna get in the way for vigilante garbage?¡± Juniper rubbed at her bruised shoulder. She wasn¡¯t trash¨C drunks were trash, and authority figures with no self-control were trash. She wanted to shout at her but didn¡¯t want to escalate. ¡°That¡¯s my friend!¡± Emery shouted. Hovering closer. ¡°If you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll let the SIOC Offices know you¡¯re drunk again!¡± The drunk cape staggered, her muscles behaving strangely. Bulging, then sagging. ¡°Drunk! I¡¯m not drunk! I¡¯m perfectly raptural and Reabsonal! I¨C she stumbled. ¡°I¡¯m just doing my b-beauty. Don¡¯t push me or I¡¯ll beat the sh-¡± Juniper backed away. Cape fights between brutes and energy emitters always went nasty. She turned to Amber, putting a protective embrace around her. ¡°Do it, then,¡± Heliogirl.¡± shot at her, arms crossed. Glowing sharper, the sun settling behind her poetically. ¡°Honestly it¡¯s pathetic, people are dying, the city¡¯s on fire and you¡¯re playing good cop and bad cop. Go away drunkie, you alcoholic piece of shit.¡± Renegade stumbled, breathing wildly. Then stopped. Juniper thought she would lunge, but then she turned away. ¡°Fine, whatever. Have it your way, Sunflowergirl, I¡¯ve got better things to do anyways, than babysit capes.¡± Renegade gave a final curse, then shot into the hazy skyline, leaving a dissipating red streak following. Juniper exhaled, her nerves jittery as she watched the woman disappear. Emery came up close. Her glow dimmed, gaze fixed in the air. She turned, her expression softened. ¡°Sorry about that. SIOC capes are¡­well, a fucking mess. They think the ¡®Sovereign¡¯ in their agency name means they can do whatever they want.¡± Juniper held the broken face mask. ¡°She broke it, I can¡¯t keep my identity safe.¡± Emery shifted her head, mildly amused. ¡°No big deal, I¡¯ll get you something better. It wouldn¡¯t hold anyway.¡± Juniper held the face mask. To her, it was a gift in a way. She put it in her pocket. It didn¡¯t mean much, but was the last thing she got from Kanako. Amber peeked at the girl behind her, whose eyes moved nervously. ¡°Hey, who is that? Shouldn¡¯t she be in a school?¡± The girl shrank behind Juniper. ¡°She was out with a family member. Got burned in the chaos. Her uncle asked me to take her to a medical center. Emery raised a brow, her gaze settling on amber. Then she sighed. ¡°And then Renegade decided she was going to harass you. Of course.¡± She stood upright, brushing her hands. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get this over with. I came looking for you anyway. I¡¯ll escort you. With your mask off it¡¯s like walking with a kick me sign.¡± Juniper hesitated, surprised and shocked. ¡°You came looking for me. And you''re planning on escorting me?¡± Emery shrugged her shoulders. ¡°City¡¯s a mess doubt more might react like that drunk, as for why I¡¯m here, it¡¯s a story for later.¡± ¡®I¡¯m glad you''re here. Really.¡± she asked her voice coming out quiet. Emery¡¯s face became unreadable, frowning but settling on a smug smirk. ¡°Of course, someone¡¯s gotta keep you outta trouble. You¡¯re a Pr firm¡¯s worst nightmare, and I consider you a friend." Emery called her a friend. Twice. Without extra input. [¡°I believe this one is what you call a tsundere,¡±] Sys-chan chimed in cheerfully. Juniper ignored the system, she gestured for Amber to climb on her back again. Emery floated nearby, impatient but offering support. Amber clung to her tightly, her hands were trembling. Emery rolled her eyes. ¡°Hurry up. I¡¯m not waiting all day, Ju¨C¡± She remembered the girl was in earshot. "Mimicry.¡± Juniper finished for her. "For now..." PLEASE READ THE NOTE: BELOW!!! Chapter 34 - Parting Embrace When they landed at the hospital, Juniper wasn¡¯t prepared for the spawned chaos she saw. Ambulances were clogged up together,their sirens briefly stopping until medical payload was hauled off, then they would struggle to get out again, blaring in the chaos. There were easily a hundred civilians crowding the space, everyone in a state of panic, some people crying. The Smell of blood, sweat and antiseptic aids irritated her nose. Amber clung to her, hand gripping. She seemed at ease now, less trembling. She stared at the guards patrolling outside¨Cthey seemed more than the actual hospital staff. It look like militarized zone, all that were lacking were the heavy vehicles, somehow they made things seem worse, instead easing the situations. ¡°We¡¯ll wait here,¡± Emery said ¡°I know someone who can cut through the mess. Just... stay put.¡± Juniper gave her a nod, her shoulders tense. Amber didn¡¯t let go of her hand, her small fingers curling tighter around hers. She felt a little sad, for a moment she thought she was developing a bond with her. ¡°Do you miss them too?¡± The question came soft but sudden. Juniper got really stiff, taken aback. Looking down at Amber, chest tight. ¡°Your parents,¡± Amber said, eyes innocent. How¡­why would she ask that? [Isn¡¯t it obvious? Haven¡¯t you felt there is something off about her? I think there¡¯s an opportunity here.] Sys-chan¡¯s voice penetrated her thoughts. Juniper froze, her mind racing. Was Amber a cape? Could she read thoughts? And was Sys-chan suggesting she mimic the powers of a kid? ¡°I can hear your thoughts,¡± Amber whispered. Then she smiled¡ªa small, fragile thing that seemed almost too bright for the moment. ¡°Some of them.¡± Juniper observed face. Noticing something she hadn''t paid attention to before. Her eyes were very sharp, and yet behind cute eyes¨C lay something else, loss, pain, something far too heavy. She shook her head, she couldn¡¯t afford to get attach. But¡­Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Can you¡­show me please?¡± Juniper asked, voice disjointed. Amber bopped her head. She touched Juniper¡¯s palm, her hand turned over gently. Her fingers were featherlight and fragile. Amber gaze settled, almost possessive, domineering. ¡°you''re worried. About your brother. Your sister. Someone you like.¡± She paused, and Juniper¡¯s breath hitched. ¡°You¡¯re uncertain about your future. You don¡¯t see yourself living years from now. You¡¯re scared. You know things¡­you¡¯re not supposed to.¡± [Juniper get out the crystal ball!!!] Then, a sharp tingle shot up Juniper¡¯s arm, followed by a familiar sensation. [Mimicry skill activated.] [Mimicry Analysis...] [No cape power detected: unknown alternative power source. Mimicry is not designed to replicate non-standard deviations. Suggest user experiment with different power emulation methods.] The system''s words echo in her head.. What the hell is this? [It¡¯s as it says, Jun. She¡¯s not a cape. Her power comes from somewhere else. A bit spookier¡­] That send Juniper¡¯s mind away. Where did capes even get their powers from? Most occurred under duress or severe trauma however. The more in depth information was classified behind authoritative walls. It never occurred to her beyond the aliens, that there may be more layers to the cake. [You¡¯ve got some powerful pals now, Jun. Maybe it¡¯s time to ask questions. My knowledge is limited to what you know, remember? I¡¯m working with outdated data here. Help me, help you.] Before she could respond, Amber¡¯s voice broke through her thoughts. ¡°I can hear her too,¡± the girl said softly. Juniper jerked back. ¡°What?¡± Amber smiled again, this time with genuine warmth. ¡°The thingy in your head. She has a nice voice.¡± [Oooh, this is getting fun!] Sys-chan¡¯s tone practically danced, each word echoing in Juniper¡¯s mind like an enthusiastic trumpet solo. Amber nodded solemnly. ¡°She¡¯s funny too.¡± Juniper felt her head spin. ¡°You¡ª¡± Amber lunged at her giving her a hug. She didn¡¯t know how to respond. [Go on, Jun. Just once. You know you want to.] Juniper wrapped her arms around the girl, a part of her aching at how small she felt in her grasp. The moment was shattered as Emery appeared. ¡°I hate to ruin the Heartfelt moment,¡± Emery said abruptly, ¡°but I¡¯ve got a doctor who¡¯ll see her now.¡± Juniper pulled away, her heart still racing. She took the phone to her uncle had given her. Putting her own number through the contacts. ¡°Here, Call me if you need anything, okay? I¡¯ll try to help.¡± Amber nodded, waving shyly as a nurse guided her inside. Juniper stood watching until the doors swallowed the girl. ¡°They didn¡¯t ask stuff, like where her guardian was.¡± ¡°They, did but we are in a escalating crisis, rules are going to be broken. Don¡¯t worry about she¡¯ll be fine.¡± Juniper stretch herself, her cut arms, her partially heated legs and her sore neck. ¡°Now that that¡¯s handled,¡± Emery said, tugging at Juniper¡¯s sleeve, ¡°come with me.¡± ¡°What? Why? Where are we¡ª¡± Emery didn¡¯t wait for an answer. Her grip was firm, almost too much so, as she launched them both into the sky. Juniper scream tore through the air. ¡°Waaaaaaiiiittttt!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Emery snapped, though there was an edge of amusement in her tone. The city blurred beneath them, her thoughts drifting like the wind. Chapter 35 - Unraveling Juniper¡¯s head was turning as Emery thrusted her into the sky. The wind was tickling her face, she struggled to breath as the weight of being powerlessness gnawed at her. She felt like a lump of potatoes or a sack of flour, clumsy and small. ¡°Look, let me clear. We need to make this pitstop quick. I got pyros to beat, and you¡¯re in a deteriorated state.¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t understand,¡± Juniper answered, confused as to why Emery would look for her in the first place when chaos reigned in the street. ¡°I told you before, you got eyes on you now. The city¡¯s surveillance drones are almost everywhere, at least during the day. Someone saw you rush into a building, and fend off those lunatics.¡± That wasn¡¯t comforting at all, she knew Evelyn spied on her, like an obsessive mother did, she however didn¡¯t want the state to look through her underwear. ¡°Relax, once you get official status, they¡¯ll stop monitoring your ass,¡± she said with glee. How very reassuring. ¡°At any rate, I¡¯ve been asked by my higher-ups to give you a little something. Your effects this morning were seen as nothing but positive.¡± A little what exactly? She wouldn¡¯t say no to some relief. Emery was clearly¡­wobbling through the truth. It¡¯s more than likely. She was being seen as a loose cannon and they wanted full control. They, as in the POP and the SCRA. If only Evelyn would pick up the damn phone. Landing on Heliogirl¡¯s personal tower, it was slender, high-rise, but extruded outwards in a bulbous shape at the top. All glass, bar the frame. Cameras and other tech-related devices were also present, as top-of-the-line security. Her lifestyle must have been extravagant. ¡°I need to be clear,¡± Emery said, voice cutting away Juniper¡¯s thoughts. ¡°My superiors wanted to drag you into the Paragon Headquarters, but they¡¯re scared your boss might throw a fit. Good thing, they¡¯ve decided to maneuver through a ¡®personal connection.¡¯¡± Every word from Emery felt like a hook in deep waters sinking deeper and deeper, she didn¡¯t want to touch it, because it screamed bait. The Paragons weren¡¯t giving out free candy¨CIt sounded like they wanted to lace with drugs, making her addicted to their support. ¡°Can you elaborate?¡± Emery broke a sigh, rubbing the bridge of her nose. ¡°No. Because I have little time, because it¡¯s bureaucratic bullshit, and because it¡¯s tied up in some inter-agency drama that¡¯s way above my grade, now hurry up.¡± Juniper hesitated, but Emery¡¯s sharp glare sent her scrambling forward. Her wounds from the fire ached, and her collar bones still hurt. Whatever POP had in mind for her, it was for their benefit not her¡¯s. The rooftop door opened with a Wave of Emery¡¯s hand, electronic whirring echoing underneath it, it slid open. The faux-blonde nudged her inside, brisk and impatient. They descended down narrow wooden stairs that cracked slightly under their weight. The air was cool, fragrant, and refreshing. It smelled like a mixture of fruits and lavender, just briefly she felt her tension ease. Then inside the inner penthouse, it was replaced with discomfort. The space was amazing yet suffocating. Windows¨Cas tall as three people stacked together¨Clight beams bumping off marble floors, sterile and designer. She looked at herself, charred and ash covered, she stood out like oil in the sea. Emery didn¡¯t seem to care. She was dashing up and down, shouting. ¡°Lilia!Lilia!¡± A woman appeared, moving with light precision, crisp and quick. A dark brown ponytail swaying behind her, her outfit minimalist¨Ca crisp pastel pink button-down and a sharp pencil skirt¨Cit looked like it cost more than Juniper¡¯s rent. ¡°Do you know where my fourth suit is? The black one?¡± Emery¡¯s tone was antsy, demanding it. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll grab it,¡± Lilia replied smoothly, moving past Emery and vanishing into another room. Juniper shifted around awkwardly, waiting in the middle of the penthouse like some statue. She avoided looking at her reflection as it gleamed off the surfaces of the room. Studying patterns of the marble underneath her sneakers. EMery rushed in, brought her a glass of orange juice, then sped away. She sipped on it. It was cold, and supernaturally sweet, and tasted very expensive. She chugged it, not wanting to be rude. While the two had disappeared, her eyes wandered around. One framed photo caught her eyes, next to a monitor on a sleek desk. She approached it but was reluctant to touch anything. There was a photo with a group of three, a woman with tired eyes, a man whose face was scratched out, and a little clutching a teddy bear. She inspected it. It had to be Emery, with dark brown hair, and thick glasses. Next to the older lady''s face she assumed had to be her mother: was scribbled small and in cursive. ¡°-Rest in peace Mama¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Her throat was heavy. Is that what Emery meant with her power being tied to trauma, what was the story here? [You could just ask her.] The voice in her head was clear, quieter than usual. No. That would be...insensitive. She, ¡®Sys-chan¡¯, piped down when in the presence of other capes. Juniper wondered if it was the ¡®drawn to fights¡¯ thing. Emery burst back inside, making her break her thoughts.¡±I¡¯ve found it!¡± She exclaimed, suit in hand. Sleek and black. She tossed it over, Juniper barely caught it. It was heavier than it looked. ¡°Strip,¡± Emery ordered like it was nothing. Juniper froze, wide-eyed. Emery knew about her sexuality¡ªwhy would she say that? She took a step back. ¡°Right now!¡± Emery shouted impatiently. ¡°What...what are you asking me?¡± Juniper¡¯s voice wavered, her face burning. ¡°Oh, come on. What, you¡¯re scared of something?¡± Emery teased, you have something to hide? She turned to Lilia without waiting for a response. ¡°Grab her something to wear underneath it. We¡¯re close enough in size, it should work.¡± Lilia returned shortly after, a thin tank top and briefs in her hands. Juniper trembled as she took them against her will. She turned away, shielding herself to her best capacity from their views as she undressed. Her bareback prickled while she was being watched. She fumbled as quickly as she could, pulling on the underwear very stiffly, with erratic movements. Her cheeks were red. Emery didn¡¯t care about her discomfort, already distracted elsewhere. Lilia¡¯s gaze lingered on her. She stood off at a distance, her eyes cold and unreadable. Yet, there was a faint trace of something familiar, curiosity perhaps. Juniper made the mistake of looking at her, their eyes splitting together for a moment. Her face burned even more, and she yanked her head away, exposed and vulnerable. Emery¡¯s hands suddenly grabbed her back from behind, without warning pulling her close. At that moment she felt small and vulnerable. Emery¡¯s fingers traced across her bag, and then her grip settled on her shoulder, she felt shivers going down her spine. ¡°Hey, hold still,¡± Emery murmured, tone annoyed. She opened a small container near the desk, Juniper caught the faint scent of something herb-like and medicinal. She dabbed the ointment onto Juniper''s bare skin, smearing it into the open cut. She yelped in pain. Emery held her tight, in her impossibly strong grasp. The cream melted inside, it was cool and soothing. The pain dulled and then like nothing was there, the wound closed. Her skin was left smooth. ¡°Regenerative cream,¡± Emery explained, her voice flat. ¡°Expensive as hell, but it works. Perks of doing a daily death battle I guess.¡± She barely moved. Waiting like a hare in a snake''s nest. She stood still as they fitted the black suit over her, it tugged and slid into place. It fit alright, the fabric shimmery under the light. Lilia, who she¡¯d come to assume was Emery¡¯s assistant, moved with delicate efficiency, as Emery only muttering commands. She felt like a dress-up doll, pushed around and pulled by two women. ¡°Wow,¡± Emery said, stepping back to admire her look. ¡°You look almost as good as me, almost.¡± Juniper forced a strained giggle. She looked at her in a mirror¡¯s reflection. The suit was lightweight but insanely durable, composed of some kind of super-durable mesh, it felt less like armor and more like thick skin. The only thing she felt really bad about, was that two women who she wasn¡¯t intimately involved with had just touched her saw her naked. Boobs and butt. She barely got to this stage with Kanako. Emery clicked her fingers, grabbing her attention. ¡°Man, you doze off like it¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t daydream in a fight.¡± Juniper shook her head. Emery handed her a molded eye mask. Its design was minimalist, with ventilation holes around the edges. Juniper slipped it on, it fit like a snug pillow. Mentally, The mask felt heavier than it should, like it carried the weight of expectations she hadn¡¯t agreed to. ¡°Do you need a wig?¡± Emery asked casually, breaking the silence. ¡°You could be a whole new person.¡± ¡°No,¡± Juniper said, her voice firmer than she expected. ¡°I¡¯m fine like this.¡± Emery nodded, satisfied. ¡°Good. Now, just so there¡¯s no confusion, you¡¯ve been temporarily registered as an SCRA-affiliated cape.¡± Juniper froze. ¡°Wait, what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for your protection. More capes are going to come after you like that drunk did. This stops them from claiming you as a rogue threat.¡± [Looks like the new Wild West, if you ask me] ¡°And I didn¡¯t get a say in this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± Emery admitted, her voice lowering into something almost conspiratorial. ¡°If I didn¡¯t push for you to suit up with me, you¡¯d have a dozen capes breathing down your neck by tomorrow. I don¡¯t have ulterior motives. My superiors, though? I can¡¯t promise the same.¡± So I¡¯m free reign until someone claims me. [You¡¯re basically free-range chicken until someone slaps their brand on you, or you need to escape the slaughterhouse. Before you get slaughtered by hungry agencies] Thanks for your ¡®moral¡¯ support. [All the more reason to get cozy with OBB. Big Sis, she plays nice at least with you.] The buzz of Emery¡¯s phone broke the tension. She glanced at the screen, her expression hardening. ¡°Damn it.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Juniper asked warily. ¡°They¡¯re asking me to assist with setting up a camp in the Garnet District. Nothing glamorous. Are you coming, or are you going to wander off? Do your own thing?¡± The offer felt like an opportunity to glimpse Emery¡¯s world, a chance to understand her better. Yet the lack of control she had was depressing. Still, she followed Emery toward the window exit, the suit clinging strangely to her. Lilia stood nearby, her gaze fixed on Emery with a strange expression. Juniper knew what that was, her eyes said it all. It was longing, yearning, lust maybe. Her assistant had a thing for Emery. Emery was either dense or uninterested. She did say she was straight. [Uh-uh. Then she touched you¨Clike icky school ground cheese. Face it, you¡¯re trying to make everything gay] Juniper ignored her. ¡°Stay safe, Emery,¡± Lilia said softly, her tone carrying something Juniper couldn¡¯t quite place. Concern?¡± If Emery noticed, she didn¡¯t show it. She waved absently, already halfway out the window. Juniper lingered for a moment, turning to Lilia. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said quietly, her voice almost lost in the space between them. Lilia¡¯s lips twitched¡ªalmost a smile, almost nothing. She stepped out the window, the world below greeting her. ¡°Let¡¯s move,¡± Emery said. ¡°I hope this shit is done by tonight.¡± Juniper didn¡¯t know if she was supposed to be here, tangled up in Emery¡¯s chaos. What was done is done. She took a deep breath, tightened her grip on the mask, and nodded. Then she followed Emery into the city. Chapter 36 - When Push Comes to Shove Juniper flew after Emery into Garnet District. The chaos there was subdued, less wildfire more controlled burn¨Cbut it didn¡¯t make it easier to watch. Below, the street buzzed with noise: people were shouting orders, wooden construction beams scraped across the ground, the humming of large trucks unloading cargo. Sweat, dust, and the sting of antiseptic hung in the air, smothering her throat. It was tolerable¡ªjust barely. Everywhere she looked, someone was moving. People were carried on stretchers moaning as they were taken into makeshift medical tents, their crying blending into the background. The rumbling trucks loomed like leviathans before taking off. The setup was similar enough, similar to something she¡¯d rather not recall. Memories nipped at her, and she wanted them gone. They landed, the crowd surrounding them. Juniper stiffened as the people brushed past her, barely glancing where they were walking, urgency was key here. Emery seemed unfazed, striding with purpose, leaving Juniper crawling behind. She took the scene in, overwhelmed by its rawness. A child sobbed inconsolably, kicking at the empty air as they wailed about a lost toy. An elderly man sat hunched inside the charred remains of what must have been his store, staring at nothing at all, his face tired. A nearby volunteer, slumped against the wall, crates next to them, sobbing hard. Juniper didn¡¯t dare interrupt. ¡°Emery,¡± Juniper said softly. ¡°Not to sound inconsiderate, but... should we even be here? We have powers. Shouldn¡¯t we be, I don¡¯t know, stopping villains or something?¡± ¡°You? No. Me? Yes.¡± Emery glanced at her, expression dubious... ¡°Every cape in the city is on alert. Even the criminals. Paragon HQ wants us to focus on civilian aid to minimize cape overlap. It¡¯s not total war, Juniper¡ªjust another seasonal crisis.¡± A ¡°crisis¡± that people were dying in. ¡°I just think¡ª¡± ¡°Think all you want, Juniper,¡± Emery cut her off, her tone brash. ¡°Truth is this is a game to the suits that sit on those tall towers you look up to every day. A little PR stunt to keep everyone happy. Welcome to my life. It doesn¡¯t get better than this.¡± Her words were like a slap to the face, cold hard, and dismissive. Juniper gritted her teeth, irritation sparked deep. They could be pulling out more people from the ruins and the wreckages, hunting the maniacs to extinction. Instead, they were stuck here. Playing civilian support. And¡­it looked like bullshit was already starting. Flashing cameras popped up in the distance, and a few people openly recorded the camp, pointing their lenses at everything like it was some avant-garde movie set. She was glad the mask shielded her face. They had barely made it to a tent before someone shouted for help. ¡°Heliogirl¨Cplease we could use some help!¡± A volunteer shouted, pointing them to a supply of boxes, stacked up. Easily a hundred. ¡°We need these unloaded and distributed.¡± Juniper hid her frustration, following Emery towards the crates. The work was incredibly expensive for her energy, and despite being mundane, she was totally out of depth. She fumbled: stacking water jugs, and moving a fire hose, the boxes dropping something heavy. Her awkwardness was visible to everyone. ¡°Hey, Capegirl! Watch it!¡± a volunteer called out, tone aggressive. Sweat crept down her neck as she forced an apology. She just wasn¡¯t used to weights, sweat, and the pulling of muscle work. It wasn''t heroic or feminine, people around seemed to move around it with ease. She didn¡¯t fit, like a cog in the wrong machine. She stared at her ¡®partner¡¯ in crime. Emery moved with the efficiency of cold fusion, her expression locked in place. Emery was in her element, even if Juniper hated it. Being here felt wrong. Not in the usual ¡°villainous monster attacked her¡± kind of way. But the psychological fight that was born in the moment. Her bones felt weak, disoriented, and useless. Even compared to past excursions, this camp didn¡¯t sit right with her. Though she knew that work here mattered. The camps were an important infrastructural ability. Meant to minimize the scale of the damage and ease emergency services work. Yet, deep down it felt like a facade, polish slapped white shoe, then calling the shoe black. As she handed a water bottle to a woman slumped against a tent pole, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder: What the hell am I doing here? She had powers¡ªreal powers. And she wanted to use them instead of stacking crates and planting tent poles. Would Emery be mad if she left her? Could she just walk away? Mind slipping into the fire, the heat, the panic. The people she¡¯d pull from the fire. She could be doing more of that, yet here she was. If a ¡®hero¡¯ was relegated to a social program then she wanted no part of it. A man nearby emerged like a ghost. Eyes locked on the sun girl, he started snapping pictures of her with pinpoint precision. And not with a phone camera but an actual DSLR, straight out of the early 2000s. Juniper looked away quickly, her head pounding as she edged backward. She couldn¡¯t afford to keep being caught on camera. ¡°Hey! You!¡± Juniper froze. The journalist jogged toward her, camera in his hands. ¡°Grant Harker with the Pacifica Sun! Are you with Heliogirl? Can I ask you some¡ª¡± Her mind scrambled for a response, but all she managed was a weak stammer. ¡°Uh, I-I no, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m¡ª¡± [Juniper, you idiot. That was your fifteen seconds of fame. Do you know how many people would kill for that?] She ignored Sys-chan, she wasn''t like most people. Her heart felt as if it wanted to pop out and drop on the floor. ¡°Leave me alone,¡± she uttered, cringing at how awkward she sounded. She left without another word, turning and fleeing, pretending to be busy. The Journalist hesitated, then turned his attention to Emery, who was engaged in a conversation with civilians. She exhaled shakily, the tension in her chest. Big Yikes. A firm reminder to stick to the shadows. [Well, too bad. You can¡¯t just crawl back to your little NEET cave now, can you?]Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. No She watched Emery from a distance. Her demeanor was stark. Emery was used to this, her posture radiated, the same feeling she felt from authority figures, safety and command. And she wanted no part of it. She didn¡¯t want to fake things, hide her real hair, or pose for a camera, it wasn¡¯t her. She slipped away next to a construction crew, watching as they dismantled the charred remains of a corner shop. The smell of ash and wood lingered, but as she got closer, something else. Perked in her nose. Sweet and meaty. She turned her head, searching for the source of origin. There at the edge of the camp, stood something she didn¡¯t expect. Charcoaled smoke mingled with meat sizzling in the shade, sharp, savory, sweet. It was not what she expected from a relief camp, Her eyes locked straight at the source: a grilling station. A lone woman stood at the helm, dark-skinned and broad-shouldered, hair tucked beneath a bandana. She wasn¡¯t fat or burly, yet there was a sturdiness about her¨Csomeone you respected when in her presence. She moved with practiced rigor, managing a line of workers and victims alike. Juniper kept watching. This may just be the one place she could help. The kitchen wasn¡¯t out of her expertise entirely. She ¡®smited¡¯ her own shyness, stepping forward, edging past the line. Whispers started but no one bothered her, probably because she was a cape. ¡°Excuse me,¡± she said, voice so soft it barely carried across. The woman looked up, her sharp eyes narrowing. ¡°This is an emergency station. We don¡¯t serve capes here.¡± Juniper blinked. ¡°No, uh¡ªI don¡¯t want food. I want to help.¡± Her face burned with embarrassment. The woman frowned, leaning closer and cupping her ear. ¡°What?¡± Juniper leaned in too, repeating, ¡°I want to help.¡± Her voice cracked slightly. The woman¡¯s expression shifted, skeptical yet curious. ¡°You can cook?¡± Juniper hesitated. ¡°I, uh¡­ I know how ¡®not¡¯ to cook. If that counts?¡± A short laugh escaped the woman, deep and warm. ¡°Okay. Fine. Get on those grillers, but no cape magic, you hear me? I want burgers, not atomized ash.¡± Juniper smiled, beneath the woman¡¯s gruff exterior lay a gentle heart. [+1 CHA for stepping outside your comfort zone.] Really? Now? [Progress is progress. Some people never even learn how to use a toothbrush. Perspective is key, Jun.] What! You''re not my life coach? [Only the best advice for my baby girl] Juniper sighed, stepping up to the grill. ¡°Let me cook in peace,¡± she whispered under her breath. Half to herself, half to the system. At first, it was a disaster, she fucked up. A slab of meat fell through her tongs, hitting the ground with a splat. She picked it, setting it aside, vowing not to waste it. Earning herself a raised brow from her boss. ¡°Five-second rule,¡± She mumbled sheepishly. [Oh, Lady Mimicry, reduced to a burger flipper. Truly a job worthy of her talents.] She pressed on. She wasn¡¯t ashamed, proud even being able to assist. Eyes focused on the task in front of her. The meat sizzling on the grill, a smoke trail that stung her eyes, her rhythm in sync with the time, flipping above the hot coals. Her movement was quick and confident. She even held together small snippets of conversation seamlessly with the passersby. Though it was surface level, she felt connected for once. [+1 REFLEX for attempting your first service job.] Her system could be really weird. [New title unlocked: Grill Master.] You¡¯re ridiculous, she thought, fighting back a laugh. Yet her body spoke a different tune, it was not ridiculous she was evolving, changing. ¡°Hey, are you doing okay?¡± The woman, Maria, Juniper thought her name was, spoke up, her tone almost sisterly ... Juniper nodded, though her head started hanging lower. ¡°Yeah. Just¡­ not used to this kind of work. But I¡¯m happy to help.¡± Maria chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re new to this, huh?¡± Juniper hesitated, then nodded. Maria¡¯s gaze softened. ¡°If you¡¯re worried about what¡¯s going on here, don¡¯t be. Sometimes feeding people is the best hero work there is.¡± Juniper tilted her head, listening intently. ¡°How do you keep an army marching from Berlin to Moscow?¡± Maria asked suddenly, a playful glint in her eye. Juniper frowned, thinking hard. ¡°Uh¡­ good equipment? Good morale? Vehicles?¡± Maria laughed, a deep, hearty sound. ¡°Close but no, logistics, kid. Warm bellies, rest, and recuperation. Keep those things in check, and you can keep people moving through just about anything.¡± Juniper nodded slowly, letting the words ingrain. There was wisdom in listening, this was¡ªa lesson she hadn¡¯t realized she needed. What were her logistics, what did she need right now besides rest? Besides the obvious and the emotional. Direction perhaps? ¡°You know,¡± Maria added, her tone leveled, ¡°you look like you¡¯ve seen some shit today. Is this your first time out?¡± Juniper shook her head. ¡°Second. Second time out, second time landing in deep shit.¡± She offered a faint smile. Maria smiled back. ¡°Well, keep your chin up, Ms¡­?¡± ¡°M-Mimicry. My cape name. Mimicry.¡± For some reason, saying it out loud made her feel lighter. It was like she¡¯d let go of some small, invisible weight. ¡°Ju-Mimicry!¡± She turned to see Emery/Heliogirl¡ªcalling out to her, her voice cutting through the noise of a camp like a microphone. Juniper snapped her head. Emery hurried in her direction, striding with pride. A lit fire in her eyes burned on. ¡°I¡¯ve got to go,¡± Emery said, her words coming out sharp. ¡°Paragon business. Can¡¯t disclose.¡± She jabbed a finger toward Juniper. ¡°If anything happens that you can¡¯t handle¡ªretreat. Do not play the hero.¡± Juniper blinked, her body recoiled like she¡¯d been struck. ¡°Wait, you dragged me into this, and now you¡¯re just¡ªwhat? Leaving me? What happened to ¡®keeping an eye on me,¡¯ huh?¡± Maria, glanced up from the grill, her eyes flickering between the two women like she was watching a bomb about to detonate. Emery¡¯s face hardened. ¡°I have to go, Juniper. This isn¡¯t a debate.¡± She paused, as if trying to steady herself, then added, ¡°If you¡¯re looking for something to do, go to Paragon HQ. They¡¯ll brief you on the situation.¡± The words that hit Juniper were like another slap. Paragon HQ? Seriously? Did Emery forget she¡¯d practically sworn herself into the OBB? ¡°I¡¯m not going there,¡± Juniper said firmly, shaking her head. ¡°How about I just¡ªcome with you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Emery¡¯s tone was¡­ final. ¡°You can¡¯t, Juniper. You don¡¯t have the experience for this. You could die. I¡¯ve been doing this for years. Stay here. Get something else to do.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°No means no!¡± Emery cut her off. ¡°Stay out of trouble!¡± Juniper flinched as Emery''s feet hovered off the ground, ascending with her golden grace. She hovered for a moment, still. Darting at Juniper, like she expected her to follow like a disoriented child.. Then with a woosh, she zipped away, into the skyline. Juniper stood there, watching her trail away, fists tight, her nails digging into her arms. Emer¡¯s words lingered, bitter and sharp. She went from nice to bitchy and vice versa. She could have been nicer permanently. Why was she so dismissive, and controlling? [¡°Aww, is the poor baby¡¯s feelings hurt?¡±] Juniper let out a slow breath. Maybe a little. [¡°Keep your head up, Junny.¡±] A voice behind her nearly made her jump up. ¡°Go.¡± Maria stood behind, expression at ease, hands adjusting her apron. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be stuck here, kid. So what if you can¡¯t follow her? Go do something else. Go be a big damn hero.¡± The words hit like juniper like revelation and worked like the validation she craved. Her chest felt a bit lighter, the noose loosening just a bit. She nodded, curving her faint smile into a wider one. ¡°Thanks, Maria.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, kid.¡± Maria turned back to the grill, waving her off with a spatula. Juniper skittered away, weaving through the camp as she passed the SCRA guards stationed at the perimeter. These ones were armored, carrying visors and assault rifles in their hand, they eyed her. ¡°Don¡¯t make a ruckus, newbie,¡± one of them muttered, his hand resting on his weapon as he gave her a wary look. She met his eyes for a moment, then looked away. Her introversion crept back inside like an old friend. The social energy she exerted, doubling back, weighing heavy. There. Emery had come and gone, and she was still in this damn crisis if only Evelyn picked up the damn phone. She pulled her phone out, reception was trash, probably because of the chaos. Her finger hummed and skimmed across texts. 12:57 PM: Kanako was here. 12:57 PM: Chose not to go with her. 12:58 PM: She looks spooked. 12:59 PM: Did you spill the beans? 1:01 PM: School called. Automated message. Effy should be fine. Police perimeter between and around all schools. Capes patrolling. 1:03 PM: Are you okay? Her heart settled on the second last text. Effy was safe. One less thing to worry about. Kanako being spooked was understandable, but she couldn¡¯t worry about it. She sent Remy a thumbs-up Emoji, hoping it would suffice as ¡°yes, I¡¯m okay.¡± Ignoring everything else. Shoving the phone away again, she drifted off the ground, body rising into the air, slow and with the verisimilitude of actually flying. She hovered, moving away from the camp, the noise faded away. The city a maze of chaos stretches before her. [¡°So, what¡¯s the plan, Lady Mimicry?¡±] Juniper exhaled. Nervousness, her chest heavy. Figure it out as I go. [¡°Good girl.¡±] Titania in Trouble ~ Snippet Francesca and Morrigan stood next to the annoyed driver. John looked exhausted as he stared at the pair, his eyes burned with existential deadness. There was a mild sign of sleep deprivation. Francesca waved to him, and he let out a soft sigh, Morrigan and Brutus stood impatiently waiting for an answer¨Cnot their real names, but then again, most capes weren¡¯t necessarily comfortable with using it even among close co-workers. Too many risks. There in the front seat, was a muffling young man, tied up, thick tape wrapped around his mouth. He kept on wiggling and moaning indescribable phrases. John looked at him and at them. It seemed he didn''t want to be at two places at once. John nods in defeat, as Francesca, pleads with her eyes. The trio circled about, Brutus being the first to enter the car at the side, he was the biggest, built like a fortress gate, as they were now, and the front seat was out of commission. Francesca looked at Morrigan with a polite smile: ¡°I¡¯d prefer the window seat. I don¡¯t like feeling boxed in.¡± Morrigan grinned. ¡°Is that so?¡± she pushed Francesca inside, making the petite girl crash into Brutus. Like an absolute goblin, Morrigan plopped inside the car, taking up way more space than she should have, Francesca''s frail limbs squeezing between the hulking man and her obnoxious partner. Francesca freezes, as she is squeezed, like a frozen stockpile. She stares her attacker down and her wretched manners. ¡°You¡¯re very undignified Morrigan, it¡¯s no wonder, any man wants you, you lack sweetness and elegance.¡± Morrigan scoffed.¡± please, no man wants you because They couldn¡¯t fit inside you literally, and you know it.¡± Francesca''s cheeks flamed, and she grinded her teeth together, the argument would begin here. Brutus held up his hands. ¡°If you two are going to argue, I¡¯ll sit in the middle.¡± Except he¡¯d cause more physical problems, that way. John swore. ¡°Why the fuck didn¡¯t you people just take another damn car?!¡± Francesca giggled sweetly and with innocence. ¡°Evelyn¡¯s assistants took all of them. I don¡¯t mind sharing, John dearie.¡± He twitched his eyebrows. She knew didn¡¯t like being called endearing names, much less by someone much younger than him. He groans. She found his brooding mood attractive, to be honest. The tied-up menace started grumbling again through his gag. John, hands stiff on the steering wheel, the engine started and already maneuvering away into the streets. ¡°What about Praemor? He couldn¡¯t just zap you people where you need to go?¡± Francesca, giggling: ¡°Oh, he¡¯s in China.¡± ¡°China?¡± John perked up. ¡°Evelyn¡¯s lobbying foreign capes for support,¡± Morrigan added. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°I advised her against the decision, too much bureaucracy,¡± Brutus said. John stares dead ahead. Eyes hollow. Hands gripping the wheel. The gas pedal went faster than he should have. His hands twitch uncormfortably. Then came the silence. Morrigan leaned forward, inspecting the tied-up guy, her black hair swaying and her black gothic lips bubbling and popping. ¡°He¡¯s a cutie. What¡¯d he do?¡± Francesca watched with a pang of sympathy, she hated their methods honestly, truly cruel sometimes, too despotic. No one deserved to be treated like a simple object, she reached out to him. Poking her finger against his face. Dragging his attention towards her. She held up her hands and gestured. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay. Morrigan slapped her hands away. Frowning at her. ¡°Franny, don¡¯t get attached to him. He¡¯s a criminal, not a kitten.¡± Morrigan was irritable, when she did anything, for herself and other people, as she always was. John stated monotonously. ¡°Extortion. Racketeering. Maybe, some drug trafficking on the side.¡± Morrigan grinned ominously: So why aren¡¯t we letting the Police handle this one.¡± ¡°Because he''s involved with smuggling capes into the city, and someone from the government wants him to start flapping his lips, or his head gets sent to the chopping block.¡± Francesca hated these discussions, it was immoral and harsh. There was always a better way to do a thing but OBB never gave a damn. Maybe he had reasons for doing what he did. Maybe he had a family. Maybe¨C ¡°OOh, torture,¡± Morrigan exclaimed with Juvenile excitement. ¡°Can I do It? I promise I won¡¯t be rough just a little CBT for fun¡­¡± Brutus slapped his knees, making it sound like thunder booming inside the car. Everyone went still. ¡°Morrigan, for the last Goddamn time I don¡¯t wanna hear that kinda filth, I¡¯m a devout Christian man.¡± Francesca exhaled pressing her head to her forehead. These people, they were an odd bunch. And she was odder. Morrigan still grinning, suddenly stopped moving. Her whole body when frozen. Her eyes flickered toward unseen places in time and space. She could perceive the future to a certain extent, use to move unnaturally well at times. Determine a killer from a victim, alottery number, or anything if she had a really good personal angle. ¡°John drop me off, I''ll walk,¡± she stated. No one questioned her. When she was serious, something was wrong. John doesn¡¯t question her, he decelerates, shoulders tense. She lunges out without a word. ¡°Morrigan, what the fuck are you doing, we got places to be!¡± Brutus shouts. Francesca froze. A sharp pain coiled inside of her, dread, a familiar sensation. Once a month it happened. Like a menstrual cycle but for something else. ¡°Oh no,¡± Everyone flew out of the car bar, the tied-up individual. She tried climbing out, her limbs tingling and stretching away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry guys,¡± she said. ¡°This is why I don¡¯t let you into my car,¡± John mumbled, a mask, slid on his face, as was everyone else, except her. She didn''t need to wear one in public, everyone knew at least who she was. Brutus walks slightly away, they¡¯re in the middle of the road. Her body started creaking, and expanding. It was a good thing she had her work suit or else, she¡¯d be in the news for weeks. She could already see the headline, one of these days. Giantess Titania, goes full nudist. The expandable suit could stretch beyond her mass. Making it essential. Her shoes started expanding like an inflatable toy. She tried getting out then, but her body got stuck, and she just almost made it. She wiggled he hips. She was wedged in the side of the car, firmly and tight. She grew nearly 3 times her size, John stared at her in disbelief. Brutus turned away as her legs stuck out in one end, and her upper body in the other. She was still growing. ¡°Don¡¯t worry guys it will only last a minute or so.¡± "It''s not us you should be worried about." A group fo pedestrians stopped by. Then the snaps of cameras and flashes assault her eyes. Someone was going to spread this across the internet. She whimpered. John had hastily, activated an emergency tint setting, obscuring the windows from most sides. No one would she the muffled man. ¡°Uh oh,¡± she said. ¡°Brutus, can you push me out?¡± Brutus tapped his feet in irritation. John, pinching the bridge of his nose: ¡°I¡¯m too tired for this.¡± Brutus, failing to suppress a laugh: ¡°Maybe if we¡ª¡± Morrigan giggled as Francesca tried digging out. ¡°God, I hate my powers¡± John dead inside reassured her ¡°Don¡¯t worry there¡¯s nothing to hate, You¡¯re just part-time tall.¡± Her words were comforting and then, the cameras kept rolling. "Titania, Titania, Titania, a group of kids started pointing and laughing. Francesca stuck, half reached the spurt¡¯s plateau, though she had grown taller in her past unexpected tremors. This had never happened in public before. The most humiliating day of her life, perhaps. She hated it. The unpredictable. It was convenient to become larger whenever she wanted, but it was a problem when she didn¡¯t use it became a habitual problem forcing her to impose herself on others, and when she was small and petite, she was unobstructible. She just wanted to be normal. ¡°Anybody wants to trade powers with me? ¡°Nope,¡± Morrigan said. Chapter 37 - Attention Beware of the Panzer! Juniper¡¯s feet touched the edge of the rooftop, her body tilting forward towards the wind. She hovered in the air a bit, then surged forward, leaping across the gap between buildings. The world came to a still for a moment, the smog had eased up. Sirens were still screaming but the intensity had settled, much more controlled. The calm felt even worse, like the city held its breath, waiting for the next big thing to happen. Her phone buzzed. Yanking her focus away, sharp and abrasive. She came to a halt, knees bending inwards as she landed legs crisscrossed on the rooftop floor. She pulled the phone from the phone compartment, and her fingers trembled. The suit stuck to her like a second skin, it was fine at first, but now it became suffocating. If she weren¡¯t in public, she would wear a full birthday suit. The caller was Arkangeal¨CEvelyn. It took her long enough. She swiped, pressing the phone to her ear. ¡°Yeah,¡± her voice came out raw, almost rude. ¡°Juniper!¡± Evelyn¡¯s voice was sharp, but there was more than a hint of concern ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ªit¡¯s been hell on our end. Communications were deliberately jammed. You called me earlier. Are you alright?¡± Deliberate? Juniper¡¯s brow stirred. Was she implying someone had deliberately stopped them from communicating? ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she lied, her throat heavy, the events of the day weighing its worth. ¡°Big sis.¡± The words still felt foreign, and awkward, like a borrowed jacket that didn¡¯t fit right. She cleared her throat. ¡°I, uh¡­I¡¯m in the middle of it. The chaos.¡± ¡°What? Since when?¡± Evelyn¡¯s became brittle with alarm. ¡°This morning,¡± Juniper admitted. ¡°We were just¡ªuh, just trying to do some shopping, and then the whole state of emergency thing happened.¡± ¡°We?¡± Evelyn inquired, curious. She stammered, ¡°I-I mean¡ª¡± Her face burned, and guilt clawed at her, she knew she fucked up... She didn¡¯t want to explain. Not now. Not over the phone. She¡¯d let her identity slip to Kanako, her not-girlfriend? ¡°Forget it. It doesn¡¯t matter. I just¡­I need direction. Can you help?¡± ¡°Go home, Juniper.¡± Evelyn¡¯s response was dismissive. ¡°Or come to Motherbase. I can guide you there, but don¡¯t get involved any further.¡± The words felt like shackles, she didn¡¯t want any. ¡°I¡¯m already involved,¡± she said quietly, it was the bitter truth, and here comes a surprise. ¡°I was¡­registered as a temporary cape under SCRA jurisdiction.¡± Silence. Then¡ª ¡°What the fuck?¡± Evelyn¡¯s voice rose, her shout making Juniper flinch over the phone. ¡°Every fucking time I swear. This is what happens when I¡¯m not directly involved!¡± Juniper winced, it was the first time she had scolded her, and they had only personally met once. She pulled the phone slightly away from her ear. The growing tension lingered, and Evelyn¡¯s frustration pressed down onto her. ¡°Okay. Okay. I can deal with this.¡± Evelyn exhaled sharply, the sound crackling through the line. Tickling her ears. ¡°Where are you right now? If you¡¯re dead set on being stubborn, I¡¯ll send someone to you with instructions.¡± Juniper hesitated. ¡°Near Garnet District. There¡¯s a camp here¡ªmakeshift, but functional. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll stay for¡ª¡± A woman¡¯s scream tore the air open, bloody raw. She snapped towards the source, three blocks away, she could hear it. People were scattering, running away from some kind of terror. A scream tore through the air, high-pitched and raw. Her head snapped toward the source. A block away, figures scattered like startled birds, running toward her with terror etched on their faces. Her hair stood on its ends. ¡°Sorry, I have to go!¡± ¡°Juniper, wait! Keep the ph¡ª¡± She hung up. Slipping the phone away, her heart was already pounding. She leaped off the roof, body shifting through the air, hurtling towards the chaos. The scene below looks like a mess. A building was gutted from the inside out, walls torn open, and windows shattered, like some ¡®thing¡¯ had made a hole through it. She recognized the building: it was an enforcer outpost, the SCRA used to monitor a neighborhood. People were fleeing in all directions, stumbling over one another. Then a group of young men all sporting gly buzz cuts, ran coordinated in a singular direction. Suspicious. But they didn¡¯t resemble a building thrasher. She snapped to a lone figure emerging from the rubble. He was massive. A trench coat stained against his shoulders, heavy cargo pants sagging above crude metal shins, steel-toed boots crunching on the ground underneath him. Six foot five maybe. He was a hulking man but it was his helmet that caught her eye. It resembled a cut-off steel beam, sticking out like a horn. Scrapyard punk, still very dangerous though. It glowed, faintly. Enough to know that he wasn¡¯t normal. A sudden shot rang out as a SCRA agent fired his weapon at the man with precision. The bullets hit him on their mark, but the man didn¡¯t care. The rounds bounced off like little pebbles. Then the beastman grunted, swatting the agent away, sending him crashing into a nearby car window. The agent slumped, then fainted. ¡°Shit!¡± Juniper said, mortified. The rhino-like man readied himself and with an ungodly burst of speed charged at the car. His frame makes dust and debris with every step. Juniper¡¯s fear kicked in. Was he planning to finish him off? She surged forward, energy crackling from her as the sunlight broke through the smog. Her charged and condensed power hummed with her movements. She collided with him head-on, the energy collision made a thunderclap as she felt her bones rattle. She was sent hurtling backward, her body twisting in the air as she fell on the street. She scraped her shin on the asphalt, the suit protected her from potential bleeding. Her ribs ached, but she came to her feet, coughing. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The brute had stumbled but he did regain his balance, he approached. ¡°Who dares challenge the Torque-Panzer?!¡± His roar was guttural, it left a soft echo in the air. ¡°You want a name?¡± she spat, forcing a psychotic grin. ¡°Call me bazooka, because I''m going to penetrate your ass!¡± Torque Panzer let out a vibrating laugh. "HAHAHAHHAAHAH!!!" [Quick! Insult his weight or something. He¡¯s probably insecure.] ¡°You¡¯re a brainless fat brute,¡± she added with a touch of mockery. For a moment, his expression faltered. Beneath the helm, his frown deepened. He shook his head in irritation, horn glowing like a rainbow. ¡°I, Panzer¡ªone of the Sons of Mythril¡ªwill send you to the lower realms, girl!¡± His voice rose, his words tinged with unhinged fervor. ¡°Prepare yourself!¡± Without warning, he charged like a wild animal, screaming a German phrase ¡°Achtung, Panzer!¡± His horn shot to her, barreling like a missile. She twisted out of the way at the last second. Panzer crashed into the building behind, his impact sending concrete and bricks flying in all directions. Then all for still, for a moment. The rubble shifted, and then a groaning Torque-Panzer emerged like a devil from a grave. Debris went out exploding, sending metal shards and stones flying everywhere. A piece of rebar barely whizzed past her head. ¡°What¡¯s your aim here, you fat tank?!¡± she shouted. ¡°Are you with the pyromaniacs? What do you even gain from all this senseless destruction?¡± Torque-Panzer laughed again, a sound like a lion¡¯s roar, deep and guttural. ¡°I¡¯m not with flamers. I came to free my brothers in arms¡ªunlawfully arrested by this pathetic system. The opportunity presented itself.¡± His tone was proud, his chest puffing out as he spoke. ¡°We Sons of Mythril seek only to better ourselves, yet the world and its lesser peoples would drag us down with them!¡± His body flexed, in exaggerated poses. Mocking her with an obscene show of force. There was no humor in the movements. His posture was deliberate, sizing her up like she was prey. Then his eyes focused on her, unblinking and intense. ¡°You girl, you have the potential inside you, but you chose the wrong path.¡± Did I now? He kept ranting on and on, about his morals and beliefs, then his body started swelling, muscles budging, his clothes half in tatters. The ground shook, and cracks formed on the pavement. Juniper¡¯s eyes narrowed. She could feel the energy radiating off him¡ªit was dangerous. Observe him right now.] She obeyed, scanning him as her HUD displayed his stats: [Torque-Panzer: Amped Up] [Amped Abilities] [Overclocked Bulk Amplification: Body swells; skin hardens. Durability heightened temporarily.] [Enhanced Charge: Can crush heavy structures with ease but leaves him vulnerable from the rear.] [Momentum Monster: Attacks grow stronger with continued movement.] [Reckless Engine: While amped, impervious to standard attacks. Energy rapidly depletes. Once exhausted, the body becomes fragile.] She frowned. Perhaps this was out of her depth, but if she fled, he probably was going to kill civilians or the SCRA man trapped in the window. [Calm your upperchest, Jun. This fool is easy. He¡¯ll burn out soon enough. Just keep yourself like a carrot on a stick.] ¡°I don¡¯t find that comforting, Syschan.¡± [What other choice do you have?] She locked eyes with him. The helm covered only so much, he was exposed. A risk, but she would take it. Torque-panzer stomped towards her, steps shaking the ground with a thunderous march. He was slower now that he bulked up, his breath hard and labored. She gathered what energy she could, into a radiant glow, charged it in her hands, and shot at his face with everything she had. She circled him, staying just out of reach, if he could stop moving, she had a chance to attack him from the rear. Stay sharp, Juniper. She took a shot aiming for his back, miscalculating. The beam struck him but didn¡¯t stagger his bulking state. He adjusted his stance, then his hands shook from the strain of the attack. Then Panzer closed the gap, his fist suddenly colliding with her torso like a battering ram. The impact blasted all the air from her lungs sending reeling on cracked pavement. Pain hit her stomach, spine, chest. Her vision blurred as she hit the ground, rolling in agony and coughing blood. Her mind screamed. Why did I come here? She said to herself, standing up. Her body screamed in agony. Her mind screamed even louder. ¡°Mmmnnnhhgffgg¡­¡± she moaned, disoriented, weak, and barely holding it together. [Don¡¯t give up! He already finds it hard to move without charging. You can contain him.] Panzer stood like an inflated balloon, his body growing with every breath. His muscles bulged again monstrously, veins became as thick as pipes on his exposed skin. His armor fell off, the chunks of the crushed road, cracking under him. The ground trembled as he took a step. She faltered. She had no strength left to clash blows. He was too strong, even with serving as punching weight. She swapped power sets, summoning the gravitational distortion. The effort felt like trying to lift a collapsing building with her bare hands. Her vision swam as sweat poured down her face, her muscles screaming in protest. Torque Panzer slowed to a crawl, legs buckling beneath the sudden weight of several times gravity. His face jerked like was undergoing pilot maneuvers. The ground cracked beneath forming a horrid crater. He roared, clawing at the ground trying to escape the area of effect. Each movement chipped away at the road. Gravel was sent flying. She dropped to her knees, barely holding it together. The pull of the gravity was fine, maintaining it while keeping Panzer under was straining. She was drawn closer to it, like a collapsing black hole. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t keep this up¡­¡± she whispered, her voice barely audible. Her arms shook, and her body wanted relief. Panzer sank into the ground, pinned like a cornered beast. Then he surged into the air, Rising with a guttural cry, he swung himself, lunging at her with terrifying speed. ¡°Fuck!¡± she cursed, scrambling to move. His horn glowed faintly, thrashing wildly, as he flew through the air, pointing straight at her. She put everything into her back, shifting at the last second, like lightning, dodging the attack, the move sent her into the air. Panzer hit the ground with his head first. His horn stabbed the earth. The impact shook the street, creating a mini fissure. He thrashed violently, clawing and digging, screaming to free himself, the strap helmet, kept him tight. His monstrous energy started fading. Then he let out his last defeated groan. Torque Panzer had been defeated. She actually won. [System prompt: You fucking did it. You beat your first cape.] Juniper didn¡¯t feel like celebrating. She coughed violently, blood splattering on the ground as her body swayed like a swing. [Solar-Powered Sentinel LVL 7 ¡ú 9] [Gravitational Distortion LVL 4 ¡ú 5] [Power +3 for defeating someone stronger.] [Dexterity +1 for using ambidextrous wits.] [Reflex +1 for inhuman reactions.] [Durability +3 for holding out against severe pain.] She felt the changes in real-time, like her nerves and cells were working overtime to reprogram her. Her muscles were torn apart and reformed, and her bones stretched and realigned like her whole body was being built from scratch. It was uncomfortable, painless but weird. She convulsed, clutching at debris for support, anything as her flesh reshaped itself into something stronger, faster, better. She let herself collapse on her back, breaths labored and weary. ¡°I hate this,¡± she groaned, her voice barely more than a whisper. Syschan stayed silent for a moment, the usually chatty AI unnervingly quiet. Finally, as Juniper glanced at Torque-Panzer¡¯s crumpled form lying in the crater, Syschan spoke. [¡°This was just the first. There will be more.¡±] Juniper stared at the defeated brute, her battered body trembling as the weight of those words sank in. Somehow for some reason, she was still alive. She¡¯d come out on top, stronger. But it didn¡¯t feel right. There was a toll to be paid. Something deeper. Something deeper than her skin. She flexed her fingers. Watching them tense as she balled them. Something was off, every point she gained, chipped away at something intangible. Her powers were intoxicating, but what was the price she was paying? ¡°Am I still me?¡± [Yes, I think so. -(???)] Was she? Syschan? She was part of the problem, changing her, making her alien, and inhuman. She asked herself again. ¡°Am I still me?¡± Chapter 38 - New Faces [¡°Juniper, this is your chance.¡±] She stared at the collapsed brute, panzer, in his hulking state was lodged deep into the jagged crater he made. She knew what Sys-chan was suggesting and it disgusted her. ¡°Time for what sissy?¡± she hissed, biting her tongue. Waiting for disgusting confirmation. [¡°To grow stronger. You need this. ¡±] ¡°No, Ew" This time she really was disturbed. "I don¡¯t want to touch him!¡± [Disgusting? Sure. But so is getting your face punched in by someone stronger because you weren¡¯t prepared. ] Juniper crossed her arms, shaking her head. Sys-chan kept pushing at her. [¡°Jun. Do you really want to leave yourself this vulnerable? If he had half your brain, he would''ve won the fight. Think about your siblings. Think about your future. What¡¯s one little touch if it keeps you alive? Keeps them safe?¡±] "There''s nothing sexy about this, nothing romantic, or heroic!" She threw her fists in the air. ¡°You don¡¯t fucking get it, when I started this shit I thought it could change me for the better, make a difference, steer what I have left of my family to a better future. Do you think I want to be some fucking power toolbox, I don¡¯t It sucks ass. Every time I boost a stat it feels like my fucking teratoma climbed under my skin.¡± [¡°I know it sucks, I know I¡¯m pushing you at your edge. But, you¡¯re at a crossroads, Jun. You don¡¯t need to master his power right now, you don''t have to use it now, but having it could be the difference you need 7 years from now.¡±] Sys-chan words were itching deep under her skin, and her anger flared. Her face was turning red, frustration building, she was on the verge of combusting. ¡°Fine,¡± she spat, her voice stoic. She knelt next to the larping ogre of a man. His grotesque figure made her hesitate. His back was tapping like a river, she¡¯d need at least two baths after this. Just thinking about touching him made her skin crawl. She did it anyway, her hand shaky on his sweaty frame. She shivered and her limbs felt like they were twisting apart. [¡°Mimicry skill activated.¡±] [¡°Mimicry Analysis.¡±] The less quirky system¡¯s cold demeanor did not match her raw emotions. She braced herself as her mind was flooded with streaming data. [¡°Iron Drive Level 1 ¨C Amplify strength to absurd levels.¡±] [¡°Mimic power? Y/N¡±] A whisper escapes from her voice. ¡°Yes.¡± The system reacted accordingly, its tone monotonous. Where was the line the system drew between its base state and her little AI helper? Were they the same, she wondered. Sys-chan never elaborated. [¡°Power set acquired.¡±] [¡°Iron Drive Level 1 ¨C Amplify strength to ridiculous levels.¡±] [¡°Power Emulation Level 1 has leveled up to 2. User can now use two powers simultaneously, but not combined.¡±] Usually, she¡¯d be celebrating at the moment, but right now all she felt was disgust. She pulled her hand away, stumbling as if she could distance herself. Her body recoiled on its own, her throat became heavy. The smell of the man got to her. She gagged, but swallowed the erupting bile. She swallowed, she knew she was going to be sick for days. The only thing she ate, a sausage at Maria¡¯s grilling stand¨Cthreatened to escape. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± she groaned, spitting to the side, trying to purge bits of the feeling from her. [¡°You did the right thing.¡±] ¡°No,¡± she snapped, her voice weak. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. Not this time.¡± She needed to keep moving, Evelyn was sending someone to her. They wouldn¡¯t allow her to move forward if she was acting ill. But she had to, she felt compelled. A sudden flash of light ripped through the air, zipping and zapping and then slamming into the ground. She stumbled and shielded her eyes from the blinding light. The light dimmed, and someone stood before her. Energy crackling in the air, made her hair rise on her body. The streak of light started spinning around her moving at impossible speeds, spinning around her and then the fallen brute before coming to a halt.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. A cape stood in front of her, much smaller than she was. A blue visor covered her face, she smiled, her mouth radiating chaotic energy. Her heart sank. Of course, The white sheep of the city. Giggly bubbly, and childlike. Hyperlight. A speedster, one of the original seven of Team New Hope. And the most efficient hero when it came to response alerts. And by internet accounts a manic weirdo. Hyperlight tilted her head, looking like Juniper came out of an iceberg. Then with a blur of motion, she was under Juniper¡¯s nose, then an inch away, inspecting her arm.. She lifted Juniper¡¯s arm, sniffed it, and moved her head like a little bird.¡± ¡°Did you just sniff me?¡± Juniper asked, flabbergasted. The girl ignored the question. ¡°Who are you?¡± She opened her mouth, then a heavy thudding came down the road echoing like a landfall. She turned to see another figure arrive, the ground cracking beneath him as he ran. His skin gleamed, golden coated entirely in shifting metal. Alloy. Another member of the team. ¡°Hey!¡± the metal man barked, his deep voice carrying a hint of irritation. ¡°Hyperlight! How many times do I have to tell you to stop running off ahead? This is exactly why I hate being paired with you.¡± Alloy was a powerhouse and shapeshifter, apprently he could shift his skin and his organs to liquidous metals as long as he had touched it once in his lifetime. Hyperlight grinned proudly. ¡°Looks like the problem was solved before we got here,¡± she chirped, gesturing at the unconscious brute half-buried in the ground. Juniper sighed deeply. Here it came. The endless questions. Who are you? What do you want? Are you registered? What¡¯s your cape name? How old are you? It was exhausting. [¡°More capes. More powers Juniper. Rob them, Juniper. Jump them. Steal their power. ( ¡ä?` )¡±] She flinched, the voice slicing through her tired thoughts. Was her system losing her mind? ¡°Are you fucking nuts?¡± she snapped aloud, startling both of the heroes. Hyperlight jumped away, her visor flashing. An awkward silence followed. Juniper clenched her jaw and exhaled slowly. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ve had a bad day.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t we all,¡± Alloy grumbled, crossing his arms. His metallic frame creaked slightly as she posed. Hyperlight gave her a nervous smile. ¡°Looks like we got off on the wrong foot.¡± She extended her hand, her voice laced with forced cheer. ¡°Hyperlight, but I¡¯m sure you already know that.¡± Alloy followed suit, his massive hand shifting into polished steel before extending it. ¡°Alloy.¡± Juniper took his arm, shaking it as if moving a massive lever. Juniper hesitated, ¡°Mimicry.¡± She let out a hollow laugh. ¡°OBB. Don¡¯t ask, don¡¯t comment, and for the love of God, don¡¯t start making assumptions I¡¯ve heard it all, and I¡¯m too tired to care.¡± She was on the edge. They gave each other a glance, their postures relaxed, their expression holding traces of doubt. ¡°Sure,¡± Hyperlight said, her tone inferred skepticism. She kept looking at the unconscious brute. ¡°So, you took him down all by yourself? Quite a feat.¡± Juniper didn¡¯t answer. Undeterred, Hyperlight drifted closer, nudging her playfully with an elbow. ¡°Say, that outfit of yours looks mighty familiar. You didn¡¯t steal it, did you? I have a friend who used to wear something similar.¡± Juniper stared at her, deadpanning. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not something similar. It is your friend¡¯s outfit.¡± Hyperlight froze, smile disappearing. Then she couldn¡¯t decide whether to be angry or confused. ¡°Me and Heliogirl¨C¡± Before she could explain, her body fought against her. Her muscles moved violently, bulging and tearing under her skin as her newfound power worked on its own. Her knees threatened to let her fall, her vision was blurring, and a small wave of nausea hit her. She spoke again and then, her stomach lurched, and then she vomited. The sounds were wet and revolting. Her body continued to convulse, limbs numb, as if they were rejecting the power. Her visor glinted and she leaned close. ¡°You okay there, mimicry? You need a hospital?¡± Juniper opened her mouth but couldn¡¯t respond. The air whizzed and the lamps flickered. A gravitational wave of energy washed over her, keeping her steady. She fell. ¡°Easy there,¡± She recognized the voice like a specter came to visit her. It was Annemarie, she didn''t have the energy to panic, they''d left each other on abrupt terms. Juniper blinked, her symptoms passing but her body was weak. Annemarie held her by her arms, masked and dangerous. Relief and guilt warred within her chest. There was also dormant conflict and trauma she had with her. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± Juniper muttered weakly. ¡°Yeah, well, neither should you,¡± Annemarie cooed, her grip steady. She locked her eyes with the New Hope members. ¡°Voidwaltzer!Are you taking her?¡± Hyperlight asked, earnestly. ¡°That¡¯s the plan,¡± Annemarie said affirmatively. She glanced down at Juniper, her voice softening. ¡°Let¡¯s get you out of here before this gets worse.¡± Alloy stepped forward, his skin glistening under the lights. ¡°We¡¯re not sure that¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°And why¡¯s that?¡± Hyperlight stomped her feet. ¡°She¡¯s in no shape to go anywhere except to a hospital. You can¡¯t just swoop in and play guardian.¡± Annemarie snorted. ¡°That¡¯s rich. Where were you when she got tossed around? One day The New Hope will be late for their own funeral.¡± Hyperlight got agitated, Alloy raised his arm in front of her. Calming her. His voice was measured, and calm. ¡°Stop the needless aggression Voidwaltzer, your friend is in pain, Hyperlight can get her to a hospital asap.¡± Annemarie¡¯s eyes tightened under her mask. ¡°She¡¯s not your responsibility, and knowing what she''s capable of, she''ll be fine.¡± Hyperlight stepped closer, visor stuck in the glare of Annemarie¡¯s mask. ¡°And you think she¡¯s yours? You¡¯ve got a reputation, Voidwaltzer¡ªdon¡¯t think we forget easily.¡± Juniper stirred, ¡°Enough¡­¡± They stared at her, as she stood up on her own. Annemarie let go reluctantly. ¡°Just¡­ stop,¡± Juniper rasped, her exhaustion evident. ¡°I don¡¯t care who¡¯s right. I¡¯m hungry, I need energy, I need something right now...¡± Annemarie restarted her grip on Juniper¡¯s body, slinging her arm over her shoulder. Though her expression behind the mask was softening in her eyes. ¡°We¡¯re leaving then.¡± Hyperlight hesitated, stepping back. ¡°I hope you know what you''re doing.¡± Annemarie didn¡¯t respond, focusing on lifting Juniper off the ground. The air dissipated as they turned away, bodies as light as feathers. Leaving Hyperlight and alloy staring at each other. A van with sirens blared in the back. The prickling wind teased her, as her head was slumped next to Anne''s. "Where are you taking me?" "First, we''re gonna get you patched up, then you have a meeting with big sister, and then...I was hoping to speak with you." Juniper wanted to protest but gave in. Annemarie¡¯s control was a hundred times better than Juniper''s, she admired the way the girl moved through the air, gentle like a ballerina, and wild like an eagle when she fought. "Thought I told you I never wanted to see you again." Annemarie was silent as if wondering what to think. "I know, but we''re going to be working together, I want to get something off my chest. There was a subtle nudging with her head like Anne deliberately wanted Juniper to lean on her. Juniper struggled to stay awake, but she did anyway and she''d be stronger for it. Chapter 39 - Actions have consequences Juniper¡¯s head shook as her consciousness flickered like faulty light bulbs, dragging her in and out of reality. Her legs became like heavy rubber, shaking under her own weight. She hardly registered when Annemarie took her bridal style, which seemed physically impossible for someone so petite. Juniper chalked it up to the gravity bullshit, how else could she move without being strained. The path forward blurred away. Streetlights were flickering in a narrow alley of shadows of low-light indicators, the stench of damp air, metallic decay thick. A skinny teenager leaned against the wall, looming in the darkness, his face lit by the ember of his cigarette. He exchanged a brief glance with Annemarie, muttering something she couldn¡¯t hear. Then, he disappeared into the darkness, the smoke trail following him. Her ears were drumming like moving tectonic plates. Sound dissolved away, white, brown, static. It was like she was submerged in liquid oxygen. Her [Enhanced hearing] was dysfunctional, leaving her ears bare and defenseless. Annemarie carried her through a rusty door. She shoved it open, dragging Juniper inside. The grating of the metal irritated her head like it was grinding against her skull. They limped together through a dim lit corridor, she felt herself blurring away. The rot vanished, replaced by sterilized and clean scent. Doors were line up in the hallway, faint vocies spilling out of the frames, distorted shadows standing passed them. Her strength gave out completely, she fell away. *** When she woke again, she was slumped into a metallic chair, cold and unyielding. Time has skipped and stretched forward. Her vision was hazelike, lacking clarity. She could feel herself being held down by several belts. A man loomed over her, his entire figure completely black¨Cmask, gloves, boots, all blending away. His movements were clinical and mechanical as if he¡¯d been a machine. A strange device was stuck in his hand¨Csmall and opaque¨Che hovered it near her face. The thing clicked as it started scanning. He waved it all over her body tracing her limbs. She shivered when his gloved hands touched her, The sterility of his latex took away her warmth. He pressed deep into her bruised ribs, sending streams of pain up her body. She wanted to swear, but she was too weak, the rage stayed. The man remained detached to her pain, nodding occasionally like he was checking off a list. There beside him stood a new figure. Evelyn. She was a stark contrast to the bland room. Crimson hair that flowed and glowed under the lights, her bangs obscuring her one eye. Her clothing was dark. A blazer, light blouse, high heels, and long flowy pants. Her arms crossed, she stared at Juniper stoically, observing. There was tension in the room, ready to snap. Annemarie sat in a nearby room, her legs swinging as if she weren¡¯t in a grim medical room. Her carefree demeanor was a jarring sight. Juniper¡¯s mind briefly flickered back to the day she had lured her along¨Cshe was pushing Annemarie on the swing at the park. Her laughter was childlike ringing out with joy. Annemarie had told her vulnerable story, about her brother, was it even true? Words she could barely make out were thrown throughout the room. Blood evaporation¡­low blood pressure¡­hyper starvation¡­regeneration¡­anomalous¡­imposssible¡­¡± The words settled in her head, she didn¡¯t dare try and string them together, but their weight was undeniable. She was being analyzed. ¡°Hurry it up!¡± Evelyn had said, snapping, her tone low. The man moved towards a cabinet in which, rows of vials, needles, and pills were lined up with the organization of someone, psychotically perfect. The man fingers bounced around until he settled on a syringe and something else¨Csomething glowing blue. She jerked when the blue tube was attached to her veins, the needle eating into her skin. The liquid raged through her, icy but the sensation of being burned. Time slowed, every second became an eternity as her body ate the substance. She drifted, her world spinning. The procedure was only halfway done. The man removed the tube once it was drained, replacing it with the quick succession of two fat syringes. One went into her arm, the other straight into her chest. The effects were immediate. A surge of energy tore through, setting her nerves on fire. [Iron drive] activated on its own, her body amped up slightly, muscles bulging. She ripped free of her restraints, the belts shooting away. The obscured doctor stumbled back, Evelyn stepped forward fearless. Juniper barely registered with her. Energy pulsed through her, she wanted to release it. She wanted to destroy something¨Canything¨Cto punch, kick and destroy. Then came a hard slap. Evelyn¡¯s hand cracked across her face, making it sting. The sound was like a wet blade cutting away. Juniper snaps back to reality. Her senses were normalizing. She held her hand on her burning cheek. ¡°You¡¯re out of control,¡± Evelyn said, her voice firm, almost commanding. ¡°Calm down.¡± [Iron drive] settled on its own. She felt compelled to at any rate. She focused on Evelyn¡¯s face, her words sharp. There was a strange undercurrent of authority to her voice. Her anger and frustration dissolved, leaving only clarity. She let herself breathe slowly, taking deep breaths first. Then she glanced down at herself. She was wearing a thin gown, her ¡®new¡¯ suit folded neatly on a table nearby. Suddenly being aware of her exposed state made her unforgettable. She had been undressed without her consent, it was a violation. She¡¯d been touched and examined. The doctor had left. Only her boss and her ¡®stalker¡¯ remained. Evelyn¡¯s gaze lingered, unyielding staring into her eyes. Annemarie, perched on the bed tensed up, looking away. ¡°I realize being undressed without permission is making you¡­uncomfortable.¡± Evelyn started. ¡°Though it wouldn¡¯t be happening again, if you weren¡¯t being reckless.¡± A lump started building in her throat. Why does it feel like I¡¯m on trial? [Because¡­ you are.] Sys-chan hummed cryptically ¡°um¡­Where am I?¡± juniper asked, voice groggy and disconnected. It was like waking up from a nightmare and being dropped back again. Evelyn¡¯s face remained stoic, but her eyes betrayed her. The look sent a chill down Juniper¡¯s neck, and then she spoke, calm like still waters. ¡°Safe house number fifteen. But that¡¯s irrelevant.¡± Evelyn¡¯s tone had as much warmth as a winter wind, her steps were slow as loomed closer like a predator. She yanked Juniper¡¯s hand away, cupped her hand on Juniper¡¯s cheek where she¡¯d slap, and dragged her across the face. ¡°Has no one told you how fucking reckless you are, Juniper?¡± ¡°Ow, ow, ow¡ª¡± Juniper winced, trying to remove the woman¡¯s arm, but she was afraid of using force. So she bared the pinch. Annemarie let out a giggle behind her, it was out of place, only working against her nerves. So she found me being hurt amusing pastime. ¡°Panzer could have ripped you apart,¡± Evelyn snapped, her grip tightening. ¡°Like tissue paper. He''s a dumb brute, but he is an experienced supervillain. What if it went wrong?"The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. "I...I did what I had to." "Did you? Do you want to be found dead in the street, Juniper? Do you have a death wish? Don¡¯t you have a family? Siblings who care about you?¡± The mention of her family was a sucker bunch. She bowed her head on instinct, a flicker of guilt rose to the surface. What if she really did die? Evelyn let go of her face, her words weren¡¯t entirely frosty, and there was an inch of concern. Then her anger ignited again. ¡°The SCRA registered you. When I wasn¡¯t looking. You¡¯re not invisible anymore. You¡¯re on a cape database. Do you have any idea what that means?¡± Evelyn¡¯s voice rose, every word hammering into Juniper like a fist. ¡°You can be targeted. Used. Manipulated. Especially for being an independent.¡± Is that why POP sent a heliogirl after me? Juniper eyes fell to the floor. She couldn¡¯t remember the last time someone had scolded her like this¡ªit dredged up feelings she¡¯d long buried. ¡°Look at me,¡± Evelyn commanded, her voice dropping to a deadly calm. Juniper reluctantly obeyed, turning her face but keeping her eyes downcast. ¡°Do you even know how this happened to you?¡± Evelyn¡¯s words were laced with a trap, like she was daring Juniper to have an excuse. ¡°I¡­¡± Juniper hesitated, the words catching in her throat. ¡°I was confronted by a drunk cape while escorting a civilian to the hospital. H-Heliogirl de-escalated the situation. I went along with her, she got instructions from Paragon HQ. To fetch me...¡± Evelyn¡¯s eyes narrowed as she absorbed the explanation, her mind clearly working through the implications. ¡°Heliogirl, Of course, the perfect doll,¡± Evelyn repeated, voice dripping with disdain. ¡°Did you forget she wanted to arrest you not too long ago?¡± Juniper nodded. ¡°So now you¡¯re buddies? Girlfriends, That explains the suit at least. But apparently, you can''t see the Paragons are using her to get to you.¡± Evelyn¡¯s voice turned sharper as she pressed further. ¡°And this drunk cape that was harassing you?¡± ¡°R-Renegade, I think her name was,¡± Juniper stammered. ¡°Oh, naturally,¡± Evelyn said, rolling her eyes. The way she said it made it clear Renegade had a reputation for causing trouble. "Now SIOC wants a piece of you." She summoned what little courage she had, willing herself against the woman¡¯s authority. ¡°Big sis, I have reason to believe why¡¯d you brought me here. But¡­ I was doing fine. I just needed some rest, and I feel fine now. I want to go back out there. Help people. I can¡¯t be confined to this bed.¡± ¡°No,¡± Evelyn said flatly. ¡°You feel fine because you were injected with a modified adrenaline and illegal steroids. Your powers might be anomalous, but even regeneration has limits. Your body was a day away from eating itself, the energy you expended was unnatural. You are not fine. And the answer remains no.¡± Juniper¡¯s chest tightened, frustration and helplessness bubbling up like a storm inside her. She hated that feeling. ¡°People are dying¡ª¡± ¡°People die every day,¡± Evelyn cut her off, her voice cold. ¡°And it¡¯s not your responsibility as a vigilante to clean up after the SCRA and other agencies. Your not a public servant, nor are you a superhero.¡± ¡°But I¨C¡± Evelyn cut her off. ¡°This needs to stop, Juniper. You¡¯ve been left unsupervised for far too long.¡± With that, Evelyn turned on her heel, clicking towards the door. ¡°Annemarie, get her something to eat. High calories. Anything.¡± The door clicked shut behind her, leaving a suffocating silence in her wake. [Wow¡¯s she way scarier than I remember, (¡¤?????? )] Syschan said, its tone unusually dry. [She totally just gaslit you, Are we sure she¡¯s not secretly a villain? ''Cause this feels like emotional warfare.] Juniper groaned, did Sys-chan even understand what gaslighting means? She pressed her palms into her eyes. Annemarie left as well, and when she returned she carried a tray full of greasy, sloppy food. Her stomach growled at the feast before her. She grabbed the tray her body moving on automation. She started devouring the meal. The burger vanishes one bite at a time. It was intoxicating. ¡°Hey, Don¡¯t I at least get a thank you.¡± Annemarie pouted. Juniper stopped, clearing her throat. ¡°T-thanks¡­¡± Annemarie stared at her disappointed. The taste was both revolting and intoxicating, her body demanded more and more. She chugged down a glass of cold water. It did not go well with the food. Annemarie dragged her chair closer, watching Juniper eat, her expression suddenly solemn. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry you know,¡± Annemarie said, her voice low. ¡°I know I messed up. I got carried away, and you didn¡¯t deserve that. I shouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± She trailed off, her words faltering. Juniper stared at her, skeptical. Stuck between resentment and gratefulness. ¡°It¡¯s my fault you got shot, I should have been a¨C¡± ¡°Shut up, Annemarie just shut up.¡± Annemarie complied, Juniper finished the meal, sitting uncomfortably, she wasn¡¯t used to being watched while eating, and even with her siblings she preferred eating alone, in her room. ¡°You¡¯re a weirdo, Juniper,¡± Annemarie added, her tone shifting slightly. ¡°But I told you before¡ªI like you. And I mean it.¡± Juniper¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°I¡¯m not ready for this conversation, maybe I won''t ever be. You hurt me. You used me. And this really isn¡¯t the time for fucking melodrama Annemarie.¡± Annemarie nodded slowly, her eyes cast down. Then, as if a switch flipped, her sadistic smirk crept back into place. ¡°Well, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t try to be nice, perhaps you want me to show my affection in a different way.¡± She leaned forward suddenly, her lips puckered, aiming straight for Juniper¡¯s face. Juniper shoved her back, hand in her face.Her lips smooched her skin. Annemarie tumbling sent off the chair and onto the floor. She licked her lips as if nibble of Juniper¡¯s skin was enough. Juniper starred in disgust. ¡°Oh, Juniper,¡± Annemarie cooed from her position on the ground, her voice dripping with mock hurt. ¡°You¡¯re so mean. Won¡¯t you take responsibility for your actions?¡± Juniper ran a hand through her hair. ¡°What the fuck is wrong with you, seriously?¡± Annemarie shrugged, her grin wide and unrepentant. ¡°Childhood trauma. Tee-hee.¡± I have trauma too, why does she use it as an excuse? [She¡¯s one of those. Either she¡¯ll ruin you, or you¡¯ll end up fixing her. No in-between. Good luck] Juniper wanted to respond, but the clicking of heels echoed in their direction. Annemarie sprang to her feet. Demeanor shifting in an instant. She sat prim and proper, like a schoolgirl who had just been chastised. Who am I kidding, I¡¯m the school girl. [And the teacher''s pissed. (¨®©n¨°?)?] Evelyn entered, her presence demanding attention. She threw a clipped page on the bed, and a pen next to it. A dossier followed, landing on her chest. ¡°Sign the paper. Now. Read it later,¡± Evelyn ordered, her tone brooking no argument. ¡°What is this?¡± Juniper asked, her suspicion rising. ¡°The loose page is your informal registration as a sanctioned vigilante. We can formally do it later. The law doesn¡¯t simply ignore us, and my lawyers will need every scrap of documentation¡ªyour consent included,¡± Evelyn said sharply. She tapped the stack with a finger. ¡°And the dossier? That¡¯s your first job. ¡± The weight of her scrutiny is almost unbearable. ¡° Go home juniper, or commit.¡± The tension in the room was unbearable. Evelyn was a force of nature, it¡¯s like she twisted the air into a weapon. Is she just going to throw me into the deep end like this? Her thoughts were interrupted by Syschan¡¯s familiar voice, whispering in her mind like a devil on her shoulder. [You have every right not to trust this woman. The way they took you into their care was manipulative. They¡¯ve been manipulative from the start, but¡­ think clearly. If you want to walk a better path, you could simply turn yourself into the SCRA, join POP, and live the glamorous life of a goody-two-shoes cape. Or you could accept the bitter poison this woman offers and live a more grounded reality. Seven years from now, you want to be hardened, not na?ve. I¡¯d accept if I was in your position Jun.] Juniper looked over at Annemarie, who was smirking again, her head cocked to the side as if she found the whole situation amusing. ¡°Fuck it,¡± Juniper muttered, grabbing the pen. She skimmed the form briefly, her hand shaking as she began to scrawl her name. ¡°Language,¡± Evelyn chided, her voice cutting through the moment like a whip. ¡°S-sorry, ma¡¯am¡± Juniper mumbled, finishing her signature. Evelyn nodded in satisfaction, a smile on her lips. ¡°Now read the dossier. Let Annemarie brief you on the way. You know where your suit is. And for the love of all things holy, let her help you shower before you go. You fucking reek of burned rubber and wood..¡± Juniper stared at her. ¡°Wait, right now?¡± ¡°Yes, you wanted to help, this is how we do it? You wanted to play the hero, Juniper? Here it is. No more half-measures. ¡± Juniper hesitated but nodded her resolve hardening. ¡°All you need is in there, big girl. Now get moving or get lost,¡± Evelyn said Juniper chewed on her bottom lip, her mind racing. She wanted this. She¡¯d decided on this. Evelyn made it sound like it wasn¡¯t going to get better than this, that the stakes were high. She knew that. She lifted her gaze. ¡°Can I ask something, Big Sis¡ªMs. Evelyn?¡± ¡°Ask away, but you¡¯re running out of questions,¡± Evelyn replied, crossing her arms. "I have other people to tend to." Juniper took a deep breath. ¡°If I commit to this, I want my siblings safe. I want security. Their safety is my only condition for joining. No exceptions. Can you give me that?¡± Evelyn¡¯s eyes softened, just a fraction. ¡° You ask me that, after you signed the consent form, are you dense?" Juniper tensed. "But to give you some peace of mind. Yes. That¡¯s understandable, and we can discuss more formal terms later. Don¡¯t worry about them, they''ll be safe, just fall in line.¡± Juniper nodded hesitantly, but Evelyn wasn¡¯t done. She loomed closer, her gaze piercing. ¡°I¡¯ll be clear. I don¡¯t recruit without a valid reason. Your sense of heroism doesn¡¯t belong to a group of misfits. You¡¯d fit right in with Team New Hope, wouldn¡¯t you? And I bet you¡¯ve wondered what I want, what I have planned for you. Why I recruited you. Why do I watch you like an obsessive mother?¡± Evelyn¡¯s voice lowered, her words curling around Juniper like smoke. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you, yet. I¡¯m going to give you a reason to distrust me, keep you in suspense.¡± With that, Evelyn turned on her heel and strode out of the room, her heels clicking against the floor. Juniper pretended she didn¡¯t hear all of that. Before she could process anything, Annemarie leaned in closer, her arm slipping under Juniper¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ready for our second date, partner?¡± Annemarie whispered, pseudo-sweetness. Juniper glared at her, her mouth twitching. Annemarie was mentally unstable, but she was beginning to grow accustomed to her antics. She pulled her arm away sharply. She did go through all the trouble of fetching her. Juniper sighed. ¡°You¡¯re going to learn to behave. Or I¡¯m going to teach you!" Annemarie giggled, the sound almost musical. ¡°Please do¡­¡± Chapter 40 - Caspar.A Caspar slouched over as he sat in his study, he felt the weight of the world press down on his broad shoulders. The room was his sanctuary, his escape from reality when he needed a sliver of control. Old books and yellowed paper were in every corner, the paper cracked and bindings broken. Every ''one'' piece was a handpicked choice. Sunlight sliced through the thick curtains, casting uneven stips of light across the room. On his desk, was a framed picture of him, his wife, and a much younger Emery, all frozen in carefree moments. She had a gap-toothed grin back then, it made his chest hurt. Before she took up the suit. The clock was ticking behind him mercilessly. Every ticking second was a countdown to another disaster. The SCRA was understaffed and was plagued by its own¨Ccliques, politics, and power-hungry agents too busy licking their own asses to solve a thing. And Him? He was reluctant to be their anchor; they had tried prodding him as the city''s number one hero. A position he had no interest in. His own agency, Paragons of Pacifica wasn¡¯t keen on it, whether for better or for worse sentiments. His fingers tightened around his ceramic mug. AN old declassified newspaper he had haggled from the Pacifica Intelligence Agency in his hands. The paper was crinkling and was smudged by countless flipping and decay. He scanned for patterns, anything¨Ca date, a name, a town. His legs tapped anxiously on the floor as he accidentally chipped the rim of his mug with his strength. Then he saw it. ¡°Taahoo Hollow.¡± The name hit him like a hammer, a place close to where he grew up, now dragged away from the light, and memory holed out of existence. The mug trembled in his hand. The crack spiraled outwards. He took a deep breath, putting the mug down with the sensitivity of a bomb technician, he pressed his arms on the desk. Stay calm Caspar. His powers were as much a curse as it was a gift. Super strength, super speed, durability¡ªit all felt so redundant when his own body rebelled against him. Even holding a goddamn coffee mug required him to measure his strength by a tight margin. Control, control, control. Flying and punching people was easy? His powers flowed there like they wanted him to battle. It was when he wanted to live life, that it became hard. The coffee was ice-cold when he sipped, he didn¡¯t mind. Eyes locked on passages of text. His door creaked open. Rosemarie stepped inside, her presence soothed his tension. His breathing lightened. She wore a simple sundress, the casual kind he loved, her brown hair was loosely tied back. She had a warmth around, her that cut through the unnatural anger he felt. ¡°Still obsessing over those ancient scraps?¡± she teased, leaning over him. Her voice was light and playful, but there was a thread of concern woven into it. He couldn¡¯t afford to stop. Caspar forced a faint smile. ¡°Just¡­ catching up on history,¡± he murmured, his voice low and distant. ¡°Personal history.¡± Her hand found his shoulder, kneading gently at the tension that had built up there. ¡°You¡¯re still having those dreams, aren¡¯t you?¡± He nodded, the movement barely perceptible. ¡°You never want to talk about them.¡± He shook his head, swallowing hard. ¡°I can¡¯t. I get... frustrated. You know how it is.¡± She sighed, her fingers brushing his temple in a quiet gesture of understanding. She knew better than to push when he was like this. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it, then,¡± she said softly. ¡°There¡¯s something my parents need help with later, so I¡¯ll be gone most of the day. Don¡¯t forget to eat, alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try to swing by if I¡¯m not preoccupied,¡± he said. Probably not likely, but she knew that. She stood around for a minute longer, then when she finally left, the cold crept back in, and his muscles tightened again. The warmth was gone. His attention flipped to an article, they grew up near a farm between two towns¨C one was Taahoo Hollow. The other he couldn¡¯t remember. He kept flipping through the pages with an urgent drive, switching from one paper to another. One strange case happened 25 years ago. Several ¡®gifted children¡¯ were just gone. An entire class disappeared, gone like the wind. The teacher was found dead. Parents, scared and mad. The government investigation yielded little results. A month later a quarter of the town had burned down in inferno. An unnatural fire they had called it. His mind went back to when he was a six-year-old boy, he and his brother were working on his Pa¡¯s farm. He remembered the glowing embers and the smell of town cooking. His father had forced them into the house, slammed the door shut, and rode off towards the fire. Hiding them like the fire was a monster. A monster? Juniper. Her name tickled the edge of his mind. He was afraid, for her and of her. Of what she could become. She already carried three powers to his knowledge, he knew of them through footage and Emery¡¯s accounts. She was in an unstable position for her age. Both of their parents were sent to the labor camps during the revolution. There was a chance they were still out there in the outskirts, under military supervision. The military branch of the government never eased the penalties on the prisoners. They were kept from the public eye. Perhaps if they were alive, he could use them as leverage against her. He shook his head. No, Caspar, he who wishes to fight monsters should not¡­ Hundreds of blood-soaked corpses flashed in his head. Men, women, and even ch¨C ¡°Fuck!¡± he swore silently. It was a slaughter that should never have taken place. His jaw was clenched, eyes squeezed shut, as he remembered it in detail.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He didn¡¯t believe the girl was bad, he was just scared she would end the same way the copykiller. One wrong day, and she could spiral out of control, one wrong trigger button. And another disaster for the history books¡­or lack thereof.¡± And Emery. She didn¡¯t come by as often. She was slipping away from them. His broody, bratty little sister in all but blood. Perhaps he¡¯d made a mistake in requesting she investigate Juniper. From what it looks like, she seemed ambivalent about the girl. And he hated that hesitation. Every high-ranking member of the SCRA and the Paragons has found out about her. They all told him to back off, that she was Arkangeal¡¯s little pet project. Definitely a would-be killing machine, in the OBB¡¯s devil queen¡¯s hands. His closest colleagues. Vale. Petal-lance. And M65, They said it was unhealthy, that he was being overly paranoid. But his reality was so much more grim. He saw the truth, he would speak it. He didn¡¯t want another copy killer. His eyes landed on the final line of an article, the words ate his chest. Hundreds gone, reduced to ash. The door creaked open. ¡°Cas?¡± Rosemarie¡¯s voice broke through his thoughts, pulling him back to the present. He didn¡¯t answer immediately, his mind still full of smog, smoke, and flames. ¡°Cas?¡± she repeated, stepping closer. He finally turned to her, forcing another strained smile. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here.¡± He blinked the words on the papers before him blurring into meaningless ink smears. "My ears are open, do you need anything honey?" he asked, his voice distant, still locked away in the darkness. She tilted her head smiling, but it was that teasing kind of smile, the kind she used when she wanted to coax him out of himself. "So, what do you want for breakfast?" "The usual," he replied, fingers tapping on the wooden desk. "The usual," she echoed, mocking his monotonous behavior. "How very exciting." He tried to force a chuckle, but it came out hollow. She sighs, lighthearted yet carrying something underneath. "Can you come here for a second? I have something to show you." "Give me a minute," he said, not looking up. Eyes glued. "Caspar," her voice dropped, becoming stern at once, like a teacher scolding a student "Now." His attention snapped to her, and for the first time in what felt like hours, his thoughts slowed. She rarely pushed like this, unless something was wrong. "Alright, alright," he said with exaggerated exasperation, standing. "No need to be so rude, Mommy." "Don¡¯t call me that," she said with a laugh, already pulling him close as he reached her. Her arms slid around his waist, doing her best to grab his large frame. Despite being a lean bull, he always felt amazed at how small her bubbly smile made him feel. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked, much more concerned now. ¡°You don¡¯t get agitated unless something is off.¡± She leaned back, taking a good look at him, then pressed her hand gently against her stomach. He stiffened. ¡°Rosemary?¡± Her smile faltered for just a moment, and he felt a dread well up in his chest. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you because¡­ well, with my past medical issues¡­¡± She hesitated, her hand dwelling on her abdomen. ¡°But I might be pregnant.¡± The words hit him like thunder. Time seemed to slow down, the world narrowing until all that existed was her. Her shaking body, her trembling hand. ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked, his voice cracking under the weight of disbelief, and something close to hope. She nodded and pulled a small piece of paper from her pocket. She held it up, a miniature sonogram. The image was fuzzy, barely more than a blur but to him. It was a whole new world, a whole new person.¡± ¡°That morning sickness I¡¯ve been complaining about? It wasn¡¯t just bad food,¡± she said, laughing nervously. His mind raced. The doctors had told them it was going to be hard, that his altered DNA made conceiving a child improbable, if not impossible. And yet here she was, smiling at him with confidence that just maybe¡­ ¡°What if¡­¡± he started, his voice trembling. ¡°What if something goes wrong again? What if¡­¡± She silenced him with a hand on his cheek. Her hand brushed away a tear he hadn¡¯t noticed he had. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it and just let yourself be happy. Caspar, we¡¯re going to have a baby. You¡¯re going to be a father¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± His breath stopped, and he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground as carefully as if she were made of porcelain and glass. His strength was a reminder of how much he could break, but this¡ªthis was the one thing he wouldn¡¯t let shatter. Every once of control mattered here. ¡°Caspar,¡± she whispered into his ear, her voice warm. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you too,¡± he said, his words thick with emotion. It seems that the house may once again draw some life. The silence weighed on them, the emptiness of a home too big for two. There could be more. Maybe two, three, maybe five. Then their moment broke apart. His phone vibrated on the desk, intrusive and disturbing. His eyes closed, exhaling slowly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he murmured, as reality set in. He¡¯d be raising a child in this hell world. The sirens blare in the streets outside. A red alert flashed across every screen in the house, the quiet broken by urgency. ¡°Attention all available heroes: state of emergency. Immediate response is required. Follow directives and await further instructions.¡± ¡°God Dammit!¡± he shouted. He confirmed his attendance, on his phone. Every wailing sound stopped in the house, the sirens outside still audible. His heart hammered with panic. His thumb pressed the green confirmation button, and the call to action spread throughout the house. The TV echoed with wailing alarms, flashing red across the walls like a heartbeat pounding out panic. Not now. Not today. It had only been a minute since he was told life-changing news. ¡°Rosemary,¡± he called his voice tight, already knowing what he¡¯d see when he turned. She stood in the doorway, her hands cupping her stomach. Her joy was gone, replaced by the fear he saw every day. ¡°I know,¡± she whispered. ¡°Duty calls.¡± He moved across the room, in several strides pulling her tightly, pressing his lips to hers, trying to memorize what they had in the moment, to burn it before stepping into the chaos. ¡°Do not leave the house,¡± he said, his voice shaking with urgency. ¡°Lock the doors. Contact your parents. You know where my gun is. Use it if¡ª¡± He stopped himself, choking on the thought. ¡°Just¡­ please. Until this is over. Please. Stay safe.¡± He pulled away. Responsibility settled on him like a burden, he tensed, muscles bulging, his shirt stripped off. The suit waited for him in the wardrobe of his study. It wasn¡¯t just armor or a disguise. But a reminder of how strong he had become and what he had to be. Casper was gone. Caspar smiled, Caspar deserved fatherhood and a beautiful wife. Aegysthos could have none of those things. He slipped it on piece by piece, metallic fibers clung to him like a second skin. His human vulnerability faded away, discarded almost. Rosemary waited in the doorway, observing him with pride and fear. He lingered around longer than he should have. ¡°If the SCRA did their damn job, this city wouldn¡¯t be a circus.¡± Rosemary took a step closer. ¡°Don¡¯t waste time blaming them. Go already. The people need you¡­¡± Her voice trailed off, and he turned to her. ¡°No, I need to be with you right now,¡± he said, his voice heavily amplified. ¡°This isn¡¯t right.¡± She said nothing. He slid on the helm, it was locked with a gas-powered mechanism, hissing as he unsealed it. Squeezing out the air inside. Aegysthos stood before his wife, posture rigid, muscles underneath the armor. ¡°I mean it,¡± he said, his voice vibrating through the helm. ¡°If anything happens¡ªanything¡ªcall me.¡± Her words came out brittle. ¡°You¡¯re overreacting. Go already,¡± she said, but her eyes said she wanted him to stay. He hesitated for one breath, then another, then turned and stepped out of the house. **** The city from afar was in chaos. Screams of fire. Heroes in his neighborhood were already on the move, silhouettes darting between buildings. He nodded to the few that met his gaze. Camaraderie amongst the violent storm. The notification pinged on his phone: Central Business Area. Fire. Explosions. Maniacs with flamethrowers. He launched into the air, but the cold wind didn¡¯t settle his rage. He was fighting for more than the city. He wasn¡¯t just fighting for strangers and innocents or duty. He was fighting for his wife. For his unborn child. The future was fragile, he couldn¡¯t let it slip away. Flames licked hungry at the buildings, consuming everything everywhere. Beneath the smoke of a flaming pillar. He saw a man using a flame gun, spewing fire as he ran after civilians. Aegysthos didn¡¯t hesitate. He landed with a crash, the impact beneath him forming a small crater. The man spun around, weapon raised. He spoke but Aegysthos heard nothing. Red clouded his vision. This wasn¡¯t about mercy. It wasn¡¯t about the rules or the code he¡¯d once held to so tightly. This was for his family . He rushed forward, grabbing the maniac by the throat, and lifting him as the flamethrower fell to the ground. ¡°You¡¯ve made your last mistake.¡± The man struggled, his words choked away. But Aegysthos didn¡¯t care. Not today. The world burned around him. He needed to make sure his own didn¡¯t. Chapter 41 - The First Job Their boss had sent them off quickly. Evelyn seemed more than agitated¨Cshe was pissed, her attention was drawn elsewhere, and she barely looked at them before they were sent out of the safe house. Juniper went over the dossier several times, trying to make sure she understood what lay before her. Their mission was clear: Get in, Beat up any goons, find evidence of a potential plot or conspiracy, then move out. But the way the details were phrased, unsettled her. There were several of these warehouses scattered across the city, multiple capes would be hitting them one by one. All displayed the same symptoms. Civilian security going missing, surveillance feeds are cut off, and there is strange movement in and around the building. Shipments. Unmarked at dawn, gone by midnight. She felt that someone¨Cat least within the confines of the government¨Chad known about this for a while. If the date on the report was credible, PIA and the SCRA had been twiddling their thumbs for a month. She exhaled. Conspiracy and the like, it wasn¡¯t her problem. In and out, all she needed to do, then wait out the storm. Let the other heroes handle it. A fat number was stamped at the end of the header. Credited - Operation Bell Brigade. Juniper blinked. ¡°Hey, Annemarie, are we mercs¡­of a sort.¡± Annemarie leaned against a rooftop door, She watched Juniper with a smirk. They¡¯d taken a short break as Juniper complained about hurting legs, which wasn¡¯t entirely true. She was just tired. She wanted to breathe. ¡°Sure seems like it, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Annemarie said, tilting her head. ¡°Well, get used to it. We¡¯re the dirty dogs and pigs that do the nasty work the government won¡¯t touch.¡± Juniper bit her tongue. ¡°So... murder too?¡± Annemarie broke a cruel chuckle. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that, yet, only the higher-ranked OBB members do that kind of thing. You¡¯ve met John, right? Metal Ronin?¡± Juniper nodded, recalling the man who had driven her home. He was handsome in a rugged, wild way. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s got a reputation for his kills,¡± Annemarie said, rolling her shoulders. ¡°Though to me, he just smells like cheap whiskey and aspirational regret. A sad lonely ¡®wife-less¡¯ uncle.¡± Juniper eased into the conversation as she stretched her arms only to freeze. When her muscles, started moving on their own, rippling like they were alive¨CPulsing under her skin. Annemarie caught her in her own fright. ¡°Just the roids, Jun. You¡¯ll see it today. You¡¯ll feel it tomorrow.¡± She wanted to complain, but it did start to ache a little. But she didn¡¯t ask to be pumped with drugs. Nobody seemed to ask her consent for anything, whether a kiss, an abduction, or a confrontation. [Slow regeneration.] Will keep her alive. ¡°So¡­ why does the boss seem like the boss has a little sister complex?¡± Annemarie¡¯s smirk faltered. She tightened her folded arms. ¡°She only asks that of younger girls,¡± she said, tone more cautious. ¡°I-It¡¯s not my place to talk about, something happened in her past. But... she might be a sociopathic bitch sometimes, yeah. Still, she got me out of a bad place.¡± Juniper glanced at her, and an amusing thought came to mind.¡°You went as straight as a schoolgirl the moment you heard her boots clicking our way.¡± Annemarie¡¯s face turned cherry red, and she turned away with a huff. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the only one. You do the whole ¡®you say jump, I say how high¡¯ act just as much. Show a little backbone will you prude.¡± Juniper¡¯s lips curled. ¡°Are you scared of her?¡± she teased. Annemarie¡¯s expression darkened, her face shutting off like a locked door. ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ drop the subject.¡± Juniper hesitated. Did she step too far? Annemarie jumped off the wall. ¡°Are you ready to move? We can¡¯t sit out here all day unless¡ª¡± she grinned, tilting her head, lips pursed mockingly. ¡°You wanna play a game~?¡± Juniper wrinkled her nose, scoffing. ¡°Let¡¯s just go.¡± [Inappropriate relations on the job can boost morale but are not the most optimal way to complete a mission.???? ? ????] Sys-chan advised. Juniper groaned internally. ¡®Why are you telling me this? I would never!¡¯ As she cursed her mental headmate, she caught Annemarie watching her face with curiosity. Bigger things were looming, and they needed moving. The warehouse was a few blocks away from the harbor, the silence around the place was eerie. Even from a distance, something felt off. She strained herself. [Super audition] filtering out everything from afar. She heard vermin scurrying on the ground, metal groaning under the heavy wind¨C but something rhythmic bothered her, like a leaking gas tank. [Dum dum dum! That warehouse is definitely haunted! Spooky murder ghosts confirmed. ] Ghosts weren¡¯t something Juniper believed in, but it did unnerve her occasionally, the threat of being haunted. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Get a grip,¡± she muttered. Annemarie shot her a look. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Uhh, nothing. Just¡­ imagining things.¡± ¡°riiiggghhht.¡± [Imagining me? How flattering. But also, you did let it slip once that you''ve got a voice in your head. You could tell her outright, but... that might get you a one-way ticket to the crazy school. Or an invitation to her bed.] No. None of that. She had no intention of getting locked up in a psych ward or chasing Annemarie like a buck in heat. Annemarie¡¯s hand landed on her shoulder. ¡°Well? Did you hear anything? I know those big ears of yours can do a lot of things.¡± Juniper turned furious. ¡°I do not have big ears!¡± ¡°You totally do. It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s cute.¡± She groaned, rubbing her temples. Annemarie was Hopeless. They climbed down from their scouting perimeter, boots hitting the cracked ground below. A burnt stench immediately hit them, thick and clinging. Like bodies had been burned here recently. The odor came with something else, she could only pick up as they moved closer, humming underground. Annemarie stiffened beside her.. ¡°Let¡¯s make this quick.¡± Slipping through a scattered classroom proved very easy. The sun was showing its skin just slightly overhead, giving her direct access to any output she required. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. A stray and innocent thought crept into Juniper¡¯s mind. Effy would be home soon. Safe. Innocent. Childlike, Untouched by this horrible world. She chased the thought away. As Annemarie stood next to her under the gleam of the sun, she realized that strangely¨C Annemarie was the closest thing she had to a partner. They had met under hostile terms, kissed under hostile terms, and bled under hostile terms. And yet. Juniper shook her head. It would be dumb to get attached to crazy people. ¡°Hey. Focus," Annemarie advised. Strangely she was very attentive. The warehouse was an industrial mess¨Cwelding machines, bolt cutters, modular pre-fab stations. Half-disassembled robotic arms jutted out from the wreckage like broken limbs. The tension in the air was wrong, they were being watched. A knocking sound echoed in her ears. No rhythm, no pattern. Just a deliberate, sporadic tap¡­ tap¡­ tap¡­ ¡°We¡¯re not alone,¡± Juniper stated. Annemarie¡¯s shifted. Her playful arrogance disappeared, replaced with something cold and controlled. She was on guard. Annemarie¡¯s fingers twitched, she looked like she was hesitating. Juniper saw what she was standing to look at¨Cscattered notes, crumpled and even stained with someone¡¯s dried blood. The words were scribbled like an assault, on multiple pages. PURIFICATION. ASCENSION. TO PURGE. ¡°What the fuck,¡± she whispered. Annemarie pulled her closer. ¡°Better get used to it.¡± Juniper stared at her. The way her eyes gazed at the flickering scorched patches of ground near the north end, she focused on the intention of the words. Did it affect her in some way? Was she scared? What was Juniper missing? ¡°...Alright,¡± Annemarie whispered to herself. Juniper took another step, her boots landing on torn paper. A blueprint, half cut apart, half legible. Math was scrawled across the page¡ªschematics detailing fuel compositions and safety protocols. Instructions on heat tolerances. Fuel types to use and avoid. They were weapon schematics, for flaming and explosive devices. Cape-tech. Highly illegal unless sanctioned. She barely had time to process before her ears picked up movement. Footsteps lingered, in the dozens, at all sides. Boxes moved. Metal started scrapping and the shadows shifted from the walls. ¡°They¡¯re coming at us. All sides.¡± Her pulse throbbed, her mind racing. Annemarie briefly nodded, then summoned a gravitational field. Shot in the air, rippling and distorting the air, bending it. Something Juniper had barely started to grasp. Anne moved deadlier, faster. The attackers appeared, wild and crazed. They resembled a group of workers, clad in workspace makeshift rust armor, their eyes were hollow and jittery, and they moved like a horde of goblins. [Look at their faces.--They¡¯ve been chemically altered in some way.] A surprise took Juniper from above, as a massive barrel was hurled her way. She barely registered it, but her supernatural instincts reacted. She sent out an energy beam out of her hands, firing. The beam struck it mid-air, making the barrel explode, sending two bodies flying, flames raged at the steel framework above. [Firefight mode activated! You totally made that bastard go boom! 10/10] ¡°I don¡¯t want to think about it,¡± Juniper muttered, throat tight. Annemarie moved in a fluid motion. She hit the first man like a wrecking ball, the second a knee into his face. The third landed on the ground after being kicked over the chess, a pile of broken crates, saving the fall of his head. Their manly screams made Juniper wince. One feral man, snarled in a guttural sense, snapping her back to reality. He charged at her, movements erratic. He hurled a massive metal pipe at her head. She flinched, raising her arms. [Iron Drive] activated. The metal struck her forearm but barely made an inch of a dent. Pain stung her limbs, but it was distant, numbed by the reinforcement coursing through her body. She amped up, her fist narrowing, the weight of her own strength warping in real-time, and she blasted the man backward with a concussive punch to the gut. He slammed into a rusted workbench and went limp. [Iron Drive Level 1 > 2] She had no time to rest. More of them were closing in. An explosion rocked near Annemarie¡¯s location, smoke filled the air. Juniper ignored it, focusing on punishing the attacker in front of her, She did her best to kick. The blow she delivered was far more efficient. The man fell to the ground. She could¡¯ve gone further. Be more sadistic, it would be easy but she let it go. Sudden smoke came to life. Then it ignited around Annemarie. ¡°Aaaah!!!¡± Her scream tore through the building. The fire was hard to maintain, it sent her crashing against a wall. Juniper moved without thinking. She snapped, accelerating, tackling Annemarie out of the burning flames. Just before a second firebomb had crashed where she lay. The heat licked her on the back, but the suit kept going. Annemarie gasped, dazed. Her hands trembled as she pushed herself upwards. Juniper hauled her to her feet, scanning the remaining enemies. Just about half a dozen left. A nasty idea bloomed in her mind. ¡°They¡¯re lined up perfectly,¡± she murmured. ¡°Annemarie, bring the gravity down. On them.¡± Annemarie hesitated. ¡°Why¡ª¡± ¡°Trust me.¡± Annemarie''s power flared, it dwarfed her own, the air distorting. The goons fell to the ground dragging themselves like the undead. Juniper followed, channeling her own field, doubling the length of the punishment. Their bodies hit the floor swiftly, head against concrete. Annemarie¡¯s breath hitched. ¡°Wait, Juniper¡ªthat¡¯s a surefire way to kill them..¡± Only two managed to struggle back to their feet. The rest lay unmoving. Annemarie lunged at the standing two, driving her elbow into one¡¯s jaw and flipping the other over her shoulder. Her eyes flickered over her in admiration, she moved so fluidly. Unlike Juniper, who had to invoke her power onto her body, Annemarie let the power integrate seamlessly into her form. It wasn¡¯t about creating a field¡ªit was about amplifying herself. Every action was precise, intentional, and effortless. It was a great display of art. The fight was over. The pair stood there, breathing hard, wiping sweat away, surrounded by lots of unconscious middle-aged men. Annemarie¡¯s face shifted. Her strange look returned to her face. There was a sign of something raw in her eyes. She stared at the juniper like a lost dog. Vulnerable. Wanting. Juniper became suddenly uneasy. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten so much better, Juniper.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± she mumbled. Turning her head away from Annemarie¡¯s gaze. Her look was somewhere between fascination and an unreadable thing. It made her skin prickle. Juniper whilst moving one of the alluded middle-aged men. She accidentally stepped over someone barely unconscious. He groaned, she stared at the man she blew up the barrel with. She swallowed hard, he was still breathing. Good. ¡°Annemarie¡­ what happens if I accidentally kill someone?¡± Annemarie blinked, straightening. ¡°If it¡¯s a civilian, you¡¯ll probably do some time. If it¡¯s a criminal or a hostile cape¡­¡± She tilted her head. ¡°Depends. Could get praise, could get a slap on the wrist¡ªbar you¡¯re registered, which you are now, I guess.¡± Juniper nodded, relieved She didn¡¯t like how easily Annemarie answered that. Didn¡¯t like how casual it all felt. They pushed forward towards the building, reaching the far end where a passage led underground. Thick slabs of crude concrete barricaded the entrance as if someone had tried to seal it off in a hurry. It stretched into the abyss, a tunnel choked in its own darkness. Annemarie pressed a finger to her comm. ¡°Big Sis, we¡¯re done here. Not much to see¡ªmanuscripts, blueprints, a bunch of crazies, and a weird-ass tunnel. Might be worth¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± Evelyn¡¯s voice cut through the line, sharp. ¡°You did your job. I¡¯ll inform SCRA. Hold out until they arrive. Report back to base afterward.¡± The comm buzzed out. Annemarie groaned. ¡°She never lets me do anything. I bet if we just push past the concrete, we¡¯d get to the bottom of this¡ª¡± Juniper sighed. ¡°Hey, It¡¯s not like I want to be here.¡± The SCRA didn¡¯t take long to arrive. Vans crashed through the building, flooding the space with the sudden deployment of armored soldiers. The rifles locked on the pile of maniacs. The room was swept clear with complete transparency. The tip of a barrel barely turned toward her, but she could feel her body uncoiled. [Ooooh! The special suits are here! Look at ¡®em go, all tactical and dramatic. Love the entrance.] A familiar figure stepped out of the convoy. Captain Lock. Juniper recognized him on the spot. The bastard in charge of the bank interception operation. The one who could¡¯ve prevented her from getting shot three times if he had just listened to her. ¡°Voidwaltzer,¡± he greeted Annemarie with a nod. ¡°Staying out of trouble, I hope.¡± "no, She replied. Then his gaze shifted. Settled on Juniper. His brow furrowed slightly, trying to place her. ¡°And you¡­ are you new?¡± Juniper didn¡¯t answer. When his eyes finally lit with recognition, she felt disgusted. ¡°You¡­ The girl with the balaclava,¡± he muttered. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be in the hospital?¡± She stiffened. Her curls brushed her cheek as she turned slightly away, a subtle retreat. Evelyn¡¯s voice cut through her phone. ¡°You girls stopped moving. SCRA¡¯s there. Problem?¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Juniper said quickly, hoping to dismiss any potential conflict. ¡°Then move.¡± Lock hesitated. He looked like he wanted to say something¡ªlike something was clawing at the back of his throat, demanding release. But he held back. Juniper¡¯s fingers curled into fists. If he had just listened to her that day, she wouldn¡¯t have bled out on the cold pavement. Wouldn¡¯t have been riddled with bullets. Annemarie tugged at her wrist. ¡°C¡¯mon, Mimicry.¡± They turned. Lock reached out. Just barely. Juniper didn¡¯t look back. She had more important things to worry about. Chapter 42 - Blood in the Wires Safehouse #15 was dead quiet, and the air was thick with the smell of sweat and exhaustion. There was a weight to the air, it pressed down on Juniper as she sat next to Annemarie, side by side, neither dared to speak. Evelyn, who sat across from them , looked more like a corporate worker than a vigilante leader. Her keyboard blurred as she typed with the speed of the machine. She shifted, wincing as pain flared in her arm. Though the suit protected her, the metal pipe had hit hard even when she amped up. Her muscles ached, bruising deep under her skin, leaving her hands blue. She hoped Emery wouldn¡¯t be stingy when she returned the suit. The impact had rattled her, leaving her whole arm stiff, the steroids certainly didn¡¯t help. She clenched her face, hesitating but spoke up, breaking the warm silence. ¡°So¡­ Big Sis,¡± Juniper started, her voice coming out quieter than she intended. ¡°What exactly are we dealing with?¡± Evelyn barely glanced up. The rhythmic tapping of her fingers didn¡¯t falter. ¡°A cult. Your run-of-the-mill death cult.¡± Her voice was flat, dismissive. ¡°They pop up every now and then. This one¡¯s just exploited cracks in the system.¡± Juniper frowned, fingers tightening around the dossier in her lap. Evelyn spoke like it was just another Tuesday. Something about it didn¡¯t sit right. Whole sections were blacked out¡ªredacted, wiped clean¡ªlike someone wanted them to know just enough to do the job, but not enough to see the bigger picture. ¡°This file¡­¡± Juniper said with hesitance. ¡°It kinda implies the government knew. The SCRA was ready to show up the second we wrapped things up. Why didn¡¯t they move in before it got this bad? Like a week ago.¡± Evelyn let out a sharp, humorless exhale. ¡°Because bureaucracy is a mess, Juniper. Agencies hoard information like it¡¯s a game of poker, each one convinced they¡¯re the smartest player at the table. Even if it means a family starves tomorrow, or someone grows another hand from nuclear poisoning because an ICBM got dumped in a sewer.¡± She laughed¡ªa laugh of madness. ¡°Corruption, incompetence. What else is new?¡± Juniper leaned back in her chair, slumping and relaxing her muscles... These bombers and flamers¡ªhad pulled off coordinated attacks in a city where cameras watched every street corner, where patrol drones flew on schedule. And yet they¡¯d slipped through the pinhole... ¡°So the government is just¡­ letting this happen?¡± Annemarie visibly yawned, restless, she shifted her weight, one foot, then the next, then the other. It dawned on Juniper that she didn¡¯t want to hear the conversation, she seemed to be occupied by her own inner turmoil. Evelyn the persistent typist, struggled to respond. ¡°Not quite.¡± She said letting the words dangle. This wasn¡¯t enough for Juniper The dossier was altered, an incomplete puzzle in her hands, she wanted those missing pieces, the more she read it over. The more questions formed. ¡°What if¡ª¡± Evelyn snapped together her fingers. ¡°Drop it.¡± Juniper stiffened. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± she said disappointed. Evelyn¡¯s posture hadn¡¯t changed, but her hand was clenched into a tight fist, knuckles pale. Her voice was quieter this time, but there was something behind it, something old and razor-edged. ¡°I¡¯ve been down that road before,¡± Evelyn said. ¡°And it cost me. A lot. A¡­lot.¡± Her fingers twitched against the mouse. ¡°Don¡¯t dig too deep, Juniper. You don¡¯t want a mind-numbing spook at your door.¡± Her thoughts jumbled around. Of course, Government-backed capes were a thing. The SCRA had them, PIA had them. Of course how else do you maintain control in a world run by capes, where people could shatter buildings if they had a bad day? Knowing it was just knowledge, realizing why was another. Reyes. She was powerful, and she wasn¡¯t even a cape, threatened juniper with hundreds of legal ropes, trying to rip her family apart. If she was capable of doing that with papers and a pen¡­What would a super-powered government agent do? [You fight fire with a bigger fire. One with better connections. Like the hellfire in front of you.] Evelyn. She gave her a long gaze. She was still staring at the screen, but Juniper noticed something¨Ca scar on the right side of her face, obscuring a reddish wound. It was definitely deep before it was covered, deliberate. Surgical. She tensed. She had never noticed it. It screamed age, experience, and trauma. She¡¯d inquire on a day the woman was a lot more cooled down. Juniper¡¯s phone buzzed¨Cher personal phone. She flipped through it, expecting a message from her brother or Kanako. Anything, really. Instead, her eyes threatened to pop out. Inside her bank account was a recent deposit. A large one. Four zeroes stabled behind the first transaction digit. Stretching like an optical illusion, she checked her eyes, hoping she didn¡¯t see quadruple. She looked. Her fingers tingled. First came the excitement, racing through. That was indeed a lot of money. And her thoughts immediately shift to escaping that shitty apartment, maybe even renting a house. Euphemia could go to a better school. They could leave everything else in the dust. Then reality hit her. Disbelief, guilt maybe. The deposit came from her defacto employer. Operation Bell Brigade. It was written there like it was nothing but a normal legitimate company. It was too much all at once. The money felt dirty¡­dirty. It was so much more than the government benefits. It felt like hush money. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Juniper pointed her phone at Evelyn. ¡°Wait,¡± her voice started slipping. ¡°I thought this was like uh¡­a salary thing?¡± ¡°Hazard pay,¡± Evelyn said. Juniper stared aghast. ¡°...Hazard pay!?¡± ¡°You¡¯re risking your life out in the field,¡± Evelyn said simply. ¡°You get compensation for every ¡°job¡± you¡¯re involved in. That big number you saw printed in the dossier, that¡¯s what the government pays us. You get a percentage of it. ¡± Juniper swallowed. ¡°This is a lot.¡± ¡°Not even a percentile.¡± Evelyn didn¡¯t sound proud. Didn¡¯t sound amused. Just honest. ¡°Trust me, you¡¯ll need more than that to maintain capelife. Especially if you have family. No amount of money can replace your life.¡± Juniper¡¯s insides twisted. What if the day comes, one day maybe, a job goes south? No system pulling her back from the edge. No second chances. What if she actually died out there? Evelyn¡¯s gaze flicked up as if she could see the thoughts eating at her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t send you after something you couldn¡¯t handle.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. That didn¡¯t make her feel better. [So don¡¯t die, dummy.] Sys-chan chimed in, her voice flippant. [Start snatching up powers left and right. And congratulations! You get beat up for a living now but at least you get paid for it.] Juniper groaned. The system had a point. Evelyn flipped through several folders and files, sipping black coffee, scanning, and skimming. Outside the safe house, the sun was baking the city, and heatwaves smeared the glass. A horrible day to start a fire. And Evelyn was sipping hot coffee. Her eyes were bloodshot red. Did she even sleep? Annemarie started becoming restless, Juniper wasn¡¯t used to her being quiet for so long. ¡°Big sister, We¡¯ve been sitting in this dump forever,¡± she grumbled. ¡°Are your assistants still busy with ¡®maintenance¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Evelyn said without looking up. Annemarie moaned, stretching her arms. ¡°How much longer? I want to change out of this sweaty-ass suit.¡± Evelyn¡¯s jaw tightened before she let out a slow breath. ¡°It¡¯ll take a while. We¡¯re sniffing out a rat. Until then, hold out. Besides, you''re going to have to stay in that sweat suit for at least another run.¡± ¡°Rat?¡± Juniper asked. Evelyn finally looked at her. ¡°Matriarch Base. The place you woke up after getting shot, you remember.¡± Juniper tensed. She remembered. The bullets that shot her lying against a Cold metal table. Blood and bandages. A pounding ache in her skull. The looming giant and the midnight moon. ¡°Remember when you tried to call me earlier, it didn¡¯t work?¡± Evelyn continued. ¡°Your little black phone works off a peer-to-peer network connected to a special hub. Someone snuck in. Hit us blind with a blackout.¡± Juniper¡¯s grip tightened around the device. ¡°The cultists?¡± ¡°No.¡± Evelyn leaned back, agitated her fists balling. ¡°They¡¯d rather set the base on fire.¡± She exhaled, rubbing her temple. ¡°Welcome to Operation Bell Brigade, Juniper. Everyone has it out for us. Terrorists. Criminals. Villains. And heroes alike. Your only friend is yourself.¡± She stood up and walked away without another word. Juniper froze for a second until she remembered, she had to make a call. She sends half the money¨C5000 Pacifica Dollars¨Cstraight into Remy¡¯s account. Her fingers hover over the confirmation button. The screen blinks and reappears. The transaction is done. It feels¡­really weird. Like she was moving assets that weren¡¯t her own. She stepped into the dim hallway of the safe house, gripping her phone. Pressing to her ear as the dial started to tone¨Conce¨Ctwice¨Cthrice. She waited. The smell of caffeine and something metallic stuck to the air. Adding to the tension. Click. ¡°Juno?¡± Remy asked, he sounded tired. She swallowed any form of anxious feeling she had, best to make the conversation run smoothly. ¡°Hey. Effy get home okay?¡± ¡°Yeah. Safe. Currently raiding the entire fridge.¡± Juniper let out a breath she hadn¡¯t realized she was holding, a small, tired chuckle escaping her lips. She could picture it so clearly¡ªEffy standing on her toes, yanking open the fridge door, eyes darting all over with mischief, ready to devour anything in sight. [¡°My gods, your sister is¡­she¡¯s adapting!¡±] Sys-chan gasped, ever dramatic. [¡°Soon she¡¯ll have the metabolism of a cape! Protect your rations, Juniper, or she¡¯ll consume them all in one hungry night!¡±] Juniper huffed a quiet laugh. Yeah, she was a little goblin. She leaned against the wall, closing her eyes for a second. But she was Juniper¡¯s little goblin. Even if they took their banter too far some days. Then, before she could lose herself in euphoric thoughts, she asked, ¡°Have you heard anything from Kanako?¡± Remy sighed. And that alone told her everything. ¡°No,¡± he admitted. ¡°Just what I told you. She showed up, we talked, I declined, then she left. Hasn¡¯t come back.¡± Juniper nodded, even though he couldn¡¯t see it. She¡¯d expected worse¡ªa shouting match, accusations, Kanako telling her she was insane for getting involved with Capes at all. But this? Just¡­ absence? It almost felt worse. A message would be fine as well. Her chest tightened. She wondered. Does she hate me now? She shoved the thought aside before it could dig in too deep. She liked Kanako¡¯s company. Liked her a lot, she was so silly. Maybe more than she wanted to admit. But if this was the end of whatever they¡¯d been building¡­ she wouldn¡¯t be surprised. Everything she touched just went to shit, honestly. Kanako never liked capes much anyway. A sharp gasp from Remy snapped her out of her daze, ¡°What the fuck¡­¡± Juniper tensed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You need pepper in your mouth!¡± Effy¡¯s voice rang out in the background. Ah. He must¡¯ve seen the deposit. ¡°¡­Jun, this is a lot of money,¡± he said, voice lower now, almost cautious. ¡°Hazard pay,¡± she murmured. ¡°I might be working overtime.¡± ¡°Hazard pay!¡± Remy scoffed, but it lacked any real amusement. ¡°Working? I thought you were just ¡®helping.¡¯¡± Juniper hesitated. The words sat heavy on her tongue. She knew how this sounded to him. Like she was sinking too deep. Like she was becoming one of them. ¡°I kinda got abducted,¡± she admitted. ¡°Twice by different people.¡± Silence. The weight of it pressed down on her, made her fingers twitch. Then, soft. ¡°Just¡­ stay safe, alright?¡± His voice cracked just slightly at the end. Juniper closed her eyes for a moment, something raw settling in her chest. ¡°I will.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if it was a lie. But goodbyes had to be said. Juniper turned around, only to find Annemarie sneaking up on her. Her eyes flickered¨Cnot the usual playfulness, and thank whatever god, not her smug sadism. No, she carried a mask. There was a glint of sparkle in her eyes. Hurt. Annemarie was really going to keep doing this, huh? Juniper slowed her breaths. ¡°You okay?¡± Juniper asked, voice softer than she intended. Annemarie smirked, cocking her head. ¡°¡¯ Course.¡± Her tone was breezy and casual. But it didn¡¯t match her eyes. ¡°Just a thought¡­ You¡¯re kinda sweet when you care about people, y¡¯know?¡± She moved closer. Just a simple shift, but it made Juniper feel its weight. Her pulse quickened, the last time they were this close¡­ It was a frustrating state of affairs, how could Annemarie keep doing this¨Cteasing her, playing, begging? What would trigger a sadistic response? Why did she look at Juniper for something Juniper couldn¡¯t give her? Juniper wanted to move away, but, She was caught in the moment. Her head scrambled for the most diplomatic response. How to make it clear? How to say? ¡®Anne, you¡¯re endearing and a little fucking crazy, and no matter how much you try and we stick side by, side, ¡®we¡¯ aren¡¯t going to happen?¡¯ And yet, there was a feeling¨C She didn¡¯t move anywhere. Just stared at Annemarie. ¡°Annemarie.¡± Evelyn¡¯s footsteps. Evelyn¡¯s appearance shattered the moment into pieces. Annemarie withdrew¡ªsmooth and like a drama actor, acting like nothing happened. But Evelyn had noticed. She gave a quick glance in their direction, then walked forward. ¡°Inside you¡¯re next job,¡± she said, jerking her head toward the next room. ¡°Got something for you.¡± They followed like lost penguins. Juniper took the moment to breathe, while Arkangeal was organizing things. She wanted to forget about the moment, she needed to be clear with Ms. Kamizuki before anything else could happen. Her mind shifts to stats. [Stats:] Power: 9 Endurance: 6 Dexterity: 9 Reflex: 14 Durability: 11 Energy: 9 Cha: 4 [Active Skills:] Mimicry Observation [Passive Skills:] Slow Regeneration Enhanced Hearing Power Emulation [Lvl 2] Heightened Reflexes Synchronicity Motivational Hyperdrive [Superpowers:] Super Audition [Lvl 5] Solar-powered Sentinel [Lvl 9] Gravitational Distortion [Lvl 5] Iron Drive [Lvl 2] She was getting stronger, much faster. And yet, it wasn¡¯t enough. She was still as squishy as a normal human, even though she felt twice as strong as she was. The only reason she managed to fight the panzer was because the Solar-powered Sentinel boosted her energy to insane heights. She had obtained four powers, now she could feel them all, humming under her skin, Waiting to be released. Shaping and twisting and moving her, in ways that were too different from the other. And yet, compared to the real ones¨Cto real capes, those in action¨C she was nothing, a worm. She had absorbed four powers now. She could feel them, humming beneath her skin like a second heartbeat, twisting her, reshaping her in ways she didn¡¯t fully understand. A copycat. A mimic. She didn¡¯t own any of it, bar her human strength. Maybe a skill or two. It was a gnawing thought process. She wanted more. She needed to be more. To take more. More footsteps. Her head snapped as the person entered the room. A young man¡ªscrawny, pale, almost feminine. His hair hung in messy, tangled strands, black as ink, nearly obscuring the mask that clung to his face. Something cheap, black, and functional. Meant to obscure. Something about his was fucked. She felt it. A ping of electricity shot through her skull, sharp and invasive. Neurons fired all at once. Her body tensed, her muscles contracting all at once. It made her skin crawl. Something was way off. Evelyn, however, barely reacted. She only turned, setting her eyes on him. ¡°Good. Terminal. You¡¯re here.¡± Terminal? A cape name? Juniper swallowed, throat dry. [Juniper¡ªthis freak is staring at me like I¡¯m naked. ( ? ?? ? ?? ?)] Sys-chan¡¯s voice blared in her mind, but she barely registered it. Because Terminal was looking at her. Not just looking. Studying her. His eyes¡ªdark, calculating¡ªdragged over her, not in desire, not in curiosity, but like he was scanning her. Like she was something waiting to be deciphered and cut apart, excavated and dissected... Her toes curled on the inside. Their eyes met. His brow furrowed. Then¡ª A double ping. Much louder this time. Something invasive tunneled through her head¡ªlike a mental tripwire snapping in half. [Terminal: What is this!?] A voice¡ªno, a thought. Not hers. His. Juniper¡¯s adrenalin kicked in. Sys-chan was not happy. And suddenly, she wasn¡¯t sure who was inside her head anymore. Chapter 43 - Signals and noises A foreign presence rummaged around in Juniper¡¯s head¨Cinvasive, jittery, and all over the place. It skittered through her mind point-to-point like a needle dancing in its tip, Jumping from her frontal lobe to her medulla, then over her occipital lobe, then into her thalamus. And why the fuck could she recall parts of the brain all of a sudden? She was never good with remembering anatomical parts. [JUUUNNNIIIPER!!! GET HIM OUT!!!] Sys-chan screeched. Her voice¡ªit rang in her ears, sharp and shrill. [KICK THE PERVERT IN THE BALLS OR SOMETHING!!! ANYTHING!!!] [Terminal: I¡¯m¡­ 1¡¯m n0t a P3rvert?! Wh@t¡¯s g01ng 0n in h3r h3@d? It¡¯s weird like I¡¯m stuck in a biological UI¡­ Absolutely fascinating.] Colors started bleeding in and out of reality. Blue turned red. White became opaque grey. Everyone¡¯s face leaked like melting oil paintings. Her vision tilted, forty-five degrees skewed to the side. She couldn¡¯t find her balance, Had she started going crazy? ¡°Stop it! You¡¯re hurting her!¡± Annemarie¡¯s voice cut through the static of her mind. ¡°Stop it now, or I¡¯ll cut off your fucking balls!¡± The world snapped into place. Her senses became stabilized. But the effects of it lingered, buzzing in her skull. Evelyn stood in silence, watching the scene unfolding. Eyes flicker between Juniper, Annemarie, and Then Terminal. ¡°You¡ª It¡¯s like you have a sentient computer in your head. Why? That¡¯s anomalous. That shouldn¡¯t be possible under any circumstances, unless¡ª¡± ¡°Terminal, stop.¡± Evelyn¡¯s voice was firm but edged with warning. He jerked back, blinking as if only now coming to the conclusion that he had done something wrong. He looked very ashamed. His head dipped low, hands on his sides, clenching his sweatpants. Lips buzzed and he whispered over and over again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Juniper flinched. Not from fear but from the sudden quiet. The way he said it, desperate. Annemarie, scowled at him, eyes looking to Evelyn for permission to wo-manhandle him. But she didn¡¯t. He seemed anxious, too anxious. It was atypical behavior, Neurodivergence. It was like looking in a mirror that reflected a part of her face. There was a time, she struggled to communicate, long ago. ¡°Annemarie, calm down. Terminal, focus on the job. You¡¯re not in any trouble.¡± Evelyn¡¯s said with a soothing whisper, her voice held authority, but there was something else in it. An understanding. He stiffened, like a flipped switch. His eyes refocused, sharp but distant. He was trying very hard to act normal but didn¡¯t quite know how. He didn¡¯t seem that bad. Juniper felt him staring at her. Not with hostility. But with curiosity. Just staring. She exhaled, tension easing just a fraction. ¡°This is Terminal,¡± Evelyn said. ¡°Don¡¯t be alarmed by his behavior. It¡¯s¡­ the nature of his power. He messes with any electronic system, you Juniper, I don¡¯t know how that relates to you. Well, I don¡¯t know how to explain it properly. Terminal?¡± He tilted his head. ¡°Explain what exactly?¡± She expected that answer, somehow. Juniper let out a slow breath. He wasn¡¯t a pervert. He wasn¡¯t malicious. Just someone whose brain didn¡¯t work the same way as everyone else¡¯s. ¡°By introducing your powers, you autistic twink!¡± Annemarie blurted, baring her teeth. ¡°I am not a twink!¡± Terminal shot back, offended. He shrank inwards, arms tightening around himself, suddenly smaller. His head hung low. Juniper felt a pang of guilt. He wasn¡¯t good at this. Social stuff. People. Neither was she, but she knew what it was like to be stared at like you were off, like something about you didn¡¯t click right with the rest of the world. Evelyn groaned, dragging a hand down her face. ¡°Annemarie, I told you to stop calling him that. Anyway, All of you stop acting like dumb kids.¡± She muttered something under her breath and turned away. ¡°Let¡¯s just get this going, we''re one step closer to ending this routine nightmare,¡± she continued. ¡°Juniper, Annemarie¡ªthere¡¯s no time to waste. Everyone else is in motion, and I want leverage. I requested Terminal for one reason: he¡¯s going to guide you toward a possible lead. I need to be elsewhere for a moment.¡± Juniper let her breath out. He kept staring at her awkwardly. She could tolerate it. She didn¡¯t hate him, nor did he elicit the same response from her that Annemarie did. It was ok. 1st lead¨C Abandoned Gas Station The Barren street stretches in front of them. The neighborhood is almost abandoned. It was Safe, too Safe. Thick scorch marks licked up on the side of the building¡¯s exterior, and rusty oil stains leaked into dirt and pavement. It honestly just seemed like a silent wasteland. ¡°We should skip this one, nothing to see here,¡± Juniper said, fiddling with her glove. Terminal hummed over the comms. ¡°There was definitely movement here. The scorch marks¡ªfallacious, maybe, but given who we¡¯re dealing with, it¡¯s not out of the question.¡± A brief pause, then: ¡°Juniper, as I understand, you were at the heart of the outbreak when it started. Perhaps you should smell the scorch marks.¡± She frowned. It was an interesting idea. If she hadn¡¯t already known it wasn¡¯t the flame cult¡¯s work. She peeled off a glove, her fingers grazing the wall, smearing a layer of rusty dirt between them before bringing it to her nose. ¡°Burnt rubber. Oil,¡± she muttered. It was not the same. The fire back then had smelled stronger, more chemical, and toxic in a way that clawed down her throat. This wasn¡¯t it. ¡°No. Let¡¯s move on.¡± She shuddered thinking about the office building. Those poor people, and their poor families. Annemarie jumped into the air, hovering overhead to scan the perimeter. Then, Terminal spoke to her again. His voice was even, formal. ¡°Ms. Juniper, may I ask you something?¡± She raised her brow at the ¡®Ms.¡¯ ¡°¡­Go ahead.¡± ¡°Your powers. How do they work? I¡¯d like to know more intrinsically.¡± A beat. [Nope.] Sys-chan¡¯s voice crackled in her skull [This motherfucker can inject himself like a flash drive. I do NOT want him anywhere near your head.] Juniper coughed, shifting her shoulders. ¡°Unfortunately, I¡ªI¡¯d need a modicum of trust first. There¡¯s too much happening right now. It¡¯s nothing personal¡ª¡± ¡°Understandable,¡± Terminal cut in. But he wasn¡¯t done. ¡°However, I have noticed that¡ª¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Oi, twink,¡± Annemarie¡¯s voice cut in, dry and irritated. ¡°I suggest you stop prying. Juniper¡¯s not comfortable with that. You¡¯re here to do a job¡ªact professionally. Stop harassing her.¡± She was always overprotective. Juniper didn¡¯t agree with her wording, but¡­ she didn¡¯t entirely disagree with the sentiment. ¡°Annemarie, he¡¯s not harassing me.¡± Annemarie scowled. ¡°Are you dense Juniper!¡± Terminal exhaled sharply over the comm, rustling fabric, running his hands through his hair. Juniper¡¯s [enhanced hearing] picked up every tiny motion, every shift of his weight. A blessing and a curse. She found his strange behavior cute in a manner. ¡°¡­Okay. I¡ªI understand.¡± His voice was quieter this time. ¡°I¡¯ll work hard to earn your trust, Juniper.¡± [You don¡¯t need his trust, but hey, if you wanna collect stray capes like they¡¯re limited-edition merch, who am I to stop you?] Juniper swallowed. That wasn¡¯t entirely true. Trust wasn''t evenly given. If he earned it, it would be fair. 2nd lead - The Old School The school was a corpse of its former self. Some of the walls were hollowed off, missing patches of structural decay, proving anything worth a dime was ripped off. Every step inwards sent out a creek. No signs of any activity, bar scurrying cockroaches, vines creeping through the window, thick black mold, filling up the walls. The place could be a biohazard, were it not for the suit, she¡¯d flee. Then¡ª A sound. Faint, just on the edge of her hearing. She tracked it, near the far end of the hall. Someone was moving quickly. She pointed in the direction. Annemarie maneuvered quicker, the air shifting and humming as she shot forward like an arrow. The figure¨Chunched, shrouded by layers of old rags¨Churried into a classroom. She gave pursuit, and Annemarie got there first. When she arrived, he was stuck to the floor, Annemarie¡¯s boot pressed hard against his neck. He yelped for breath, tapping the ground. ¡°No! Please¡ªI didn¡¯t do anything!¡± Annemarie ignored his work, rifling through his pockets. ¡°Have you seen any pyro freaks around here, gramps?¡± She pulled out a lighter, turning it over in her palm. ¡°What¡¯s this thingamajig? You burn buildings with it? Set families of four aflame.¡± What! ¡°No, you dumb bitch! I smoke with that¡ªnow let me go!¡± Juniper shook her head. He wasn¡¯t responsible. ¡°Annemarie. Calm down. He¡¯s not one of them. He talks normally, he acts normally. He¡¯s just¡­ homeless. ¡± Annemarie didn¡¯t budge. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure. He could¡¯ve been tipped off. Or he¡¯s working as a scout. At the very least, he needs to confess his sins before God.¡± You¡¯re not God, Annemarie. Much less a priest The man let out a bitter, hoarse laugh. ¡°What the fuck do I know? I saw the fires in the alleys¡ªthat doesn¡¯t mean I lit them. Fucking capes. My life went to shit when more of you started popping up like flies. The world would be better without you.¡± Would it? She wondered. Would my life be normal had capes not existed? Would my family be whole? Would there be a revolution? Annemarie scoffed but relented, stepping back. Juniper lingered, watching the man rub at his throat, wheezing. ¡°Ya got any spare change?¡± he asked. Juniper picked a pair of stray coins she had on her. She couldn¡¯t recall why she had it. But she gave it to the man. ¡°Thanks, you¡¯re a helluva lot nicer than that bitch!¡± he emphasized the bitch part. Why was Annemarie so needlessly argumentative? No teasing, no sadism. Just pure fucking anger. The abandoned school turned up to have nothing¡ªno signs of the pyromaniac, no scorched desks, no tampered lockers, no makeshift lab in the science wing. Just cockroaches and a miserable old man. Juniper was beginning to think they were completely wasting time. Then¡ª [¡°Shall I direct you to the third location?¡±] Terminal¡¯s voice cut in, smooth over the comm. A second later, he isolated the channel. Just her. Annemarie wasn¡¯t listening. ¡°Ms. Juniper. Excuse me.¡± His tone was measured, calculating. ¡°¡°Given the data, the SCRA has compiled on your abilities, would it be feasible for you to replicate my power? My specialization lies in system interfacing¡ªany transistor-based architecture, any network of logic gates. With even the most minimal connection¡ªa terminal, so to speak¡ªI can exert control. However, I should note that artificial intelligence, particularly autonomous cognitive models, are uniquely resistant to direct manipulation. The global prohibition on advanced LLM development has only compounded this difficulty--¡± He kept talking. Juniper understood half of what he was saying. Maybe less. And she didn¡¯t want to be rude, but he just wouldn¡¯t let it go. [You need to assert yourself, Juniper. Your agency matters.] Sys-Chan¡¯s voice was crisp, firm. [Welcome to the adult world¡ªwhere every cape you meet is their own brand of chaos. You¡¯ve dealt with a drunk. A lovable menace. A hotheaded friend. A gentle giant. And now? This overenthusiastic nerd.] [If you don¡¯t set boundaries, people will push them. And if you let them push too far, well¡­ there¡¯s always someone worse waiting in the wings.] Juniper shuddered. She was right. ¡°¡­Terminal.¡± He stopped. She took a breath. ¡°Can we continue this conversation after the crisis? I¡¯m under strict orders not to disclose too much information about my powers. Big Sis¡ªum¨CArkangeal¡ªis keeping me under wraps.¡± A calculated move. It wasn¡¯t truly a lie either. Even Terminal respected Evelyn as an authority figure. ¡°¡­I see,¡± he murmured. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s leave already!¡± Annemarie¡¯s voice snapped through the comms. She could feel the weight of the distance settling in her bones. This was only going to get harder. [Energy+1 for pushing your stamina] 3rd lead - The Junkyard On the outskirts of the city, near the oldest harbor. A decrepit junkyard lay before them, filled with rusted junk and discarded goods, there was a faint stench of biological decay. A serial killer''s wet dream for sure. The air tanged hard with its acidic rust flavor. Broken syringes and condoms scared the fuck out of her. Hidden under rusted-out cars. An STD breeding ground. It was rancid to smell, it lingered from a distance, stuck in the back of her throat. Absolutely disgusting. Annemarie stood on a stacked pile of cars, she followed, both standing and scanning the perimeter. A hum of an SCRA unit, glided over their head, its beeping sensors locking onto them. They froze as the metal contraption¡¯s voice started crackling. "Cape identified¡ªVoidWaltzer. Notorious vigilante, known for violent vigilantism and causing mayhem under good causes." ¡°Kill yourself, rustbucket,¡± Annemarie blurted out her tongue. A pause, and then the drone turned to Juniper. "Cape identified¡ªMimicry. Temporary registration. Information censored. Allegiance unknown." ¡°Hello,¡± she waved at it. It waved back amusingly with it¡¯s little antenna¡¯s I think I found you a husband. She teased her system. [Nah, too short. Also, I have standards.] The machine lingered for a moment, scanning. Then, satisfied, it zipped away into the darkening sunset. Annemarie¡¯s fingers twitched. She had that look, the one that meant she¡¯d thought about smashing something first, and cry about it later. ¡°Does that happen a lot?¡± Juniper asked, her voice casual. Both Annemarie and Terminal answered at the same time. ¡°No.¡± Annemarie scoffed. Terminal elaborated, his voice calm but informative. ¡°They''re less common than standard patrol drones. Units like that are deployed to scout potential threats, often before a raid or excursion. Contrary to popular belief, Core Pacifica, despite its military junta control over half the government, is not a police state.¡± Juniper couldn¡¯t help it¡ªshe laughed. Terminal sounded more like an AI than Sys-Chan does. [Excuse you? Rude. I could be a cold, lifeless calculator if you really wanted, but that would be so off-putting to you. And for the record, I am not a search engine or a glorified chatbot. I have more in common with you, Juniper than with some soulless pile of algorithms] She smirked. Maybe she did. It didn¡¯t make it any less amusing. ¡°Mimicry! Over here.¡± Annemarie¡¯s voice cut through the static. It felt odd being called by your cape name. Juniper hurried over. Hidden underneath a mound of junk, between the rust and filth, were abandoned shipments. Boxes stacked haphazardly, marked with registration numbers. Proof of movement. Documents. A proper lead. ¡°How do you know it¡¯s connected to the pyromaniac?¡± Juniper asked. Annemarie smirked and pointed. Among the wreckage lay a portable flamethrower, sleek, refined¡ªcustom-built. It was hard to miss. They were here recently. ¡°This, of course. Someone¡¯s been sloppy.¡± Or they didn¡¯t care. Juniper picked it up, weighing it in her hands. ¡°Have you seen any other cape tech like it?¡± ¡°No¡± Terminal spoke up. ¡°May I suggest an argument to retrieve the flamethrower for research purposes? Operation Bell Brigade¡¯s R&D team would appreciate it. Ms. Evelyn would as well. It may serve as a key piece of evidence.¡± ¡°Good suggestion,¡± Juniper said. ¡°Thank you.¡± She could hear his lips branch out into a smile. It made her happier knowing that here among the filth she made someone smile. They took photos of every document they could find, among the crates, every piece of note, forwarded through the encrypted network. Then Juniper noticed something¨C an old timey audio player. It was flickering with LED lights. She pressed play. A distorted voice shouted through the speakers. ¡°I thought I told you to burn the whole district down! How do you expect me to purge the world when you can¡¯t even purge a pile of trash?! The world needs to know purity by flame¡ªyou have done this clumsily. And you shall pay.¡± A roar of heat, the unmistakable crackle of fire. Then, screaming. ¡°Noooo!!! AAAAGGGGHHHH!!!¡± The agonizing shriek was raw, it was a real pain. It was scary. Annemarie listened, expression unreadable. She listened attentively. ¨CThere was hurt here somewhere, Juniper just needed to know what. Why was she so invested all of a sudden? Earlier she was happy-go-lucky but now, there was something personal she couldn¡¯t see. A name cracked through the com. ¡°Caldera, leader¡­¡± They locked eyes, they had a name. They had documents. They had undeniable proof. ¡°Let¡¯s wrap this up.¡± Annemarie¡¯s voice was monotonous, but Juniper could hear the tension buried in it. ¡°Terminal, can you put Evelyn on the line?¡± ¡°Yes, I can¡­It will take a while, she¡¯s taking a very important call.¡± The weight of her discovery settled into her bones. Caldera was a real piece of shit, burning and torturing people. If anyone needed a purging. She was tense. But something about Terminal¡¯s voice¡ªcalm, steady, reliable¡ªmade her feel at ease. Now, if only Annemarie could find that same peace. Chapter 44 - Running on Fumes Although the city had numbed its wailing, the aftermath was still heavy. The villain hadn¡¯t been apprehended, so it wasn¡¯t over¡ªit never was. Juniper arched forward, muscles screaming in aching protest. Her back hurt, and her legs burned with fury. Every time she moved, it felt like her bones were fighting against each other. She¡¯d been moving nonstop, ran into a flaming building, had a death fight with a mad cape, went on an hours-long journey, and kicked some pyro ass but the evening pain was creeping in. Not to mention the fact she was roided up from near death, fatigue clawed at her. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t be so bad, just for a while, to stop. Only a second, just a little breather. Have a little rest. The thought of sinking into her bed, pressing against a pillow, felt unreal. Distant and dreamy. [Beware!!!] [You have been ailed by debuffs.] Power: 9 Endurance: 5 (-1) Dexterity: 7 (-2) Reflex: 12 (-2) Durability: 11 Energy: 9 Charisma: 4 [Muscle Fatigue (-2 Dexterity, -2 Reflex, -1 Endurance)] Movements become sluggish. Coordination falters. Reaction speed slows. May lead to muscle spasms. Juniper exhaled. ¡°Uhhhh.¡± she ground as she squeezed her eyes wide and shut. Ignoring it all was the best option. Her body felt wrong¨Climbs weren¡¯t entirely moving at her command. Unresponsive. The only good thing was that Sys-chan had stopped yapping. Even she realized She was at her physical limit. [? ?? ?? (???)] The footsteps around her made her snap, out of her daydream. She blinked. The safe house was being filled up with people¨Cdozens of folk, all faceless in the grand scheme, They all wore suits and dresses. Their movements were efficient. They spoke in formal tones, almost mechanical, murmuring about logistics and data. A portable server was being set up in the lounge room she sat in. Its cables spilling like the veins of a living organism. Terminal was among them, helping and working the machines with ease. Watching him tinker with the hardware was relaxing for her. It was familiar, a safe thing. It reminded her of Remy, whenever he did any work on an electronic device that she couldn''t. Juniper sat stiffly on a worn-out coach. She felt like a complete outsider. She sank deeper into the fabric of the coach. As she finally realized. She was surrounded by dozens of strangers. Evelyn¡¯s people. Voices humming, electronics buzzing, keys clicking haphazardly. It all crammed into her mind, the space became uncomfortable. Her back tingled. A woman approached her from behind, high heels tapping against the floor, laptop under her arm. Indoor sunglasses shielding her eyes. The tightness of her face made her an uneasy figure to gauge. She seemed cold and impatient. "You," she snapped, pointing at Juniper. "Move." Juniper¡¯s mouth hung open, but not a single word came out. This woman, who probably wasn''t a cape was telling her to fuck off. Her body struggled to react. It took a while for her brain to boot up, her legs didn¡¯t obey, stalling. Half a minute of wiggling her toes inside, the boot, woke her legs. But when she finally got up, her knees buckled. She stumbled¨CTwo steps forward, then a complete misstep and her shin hit the edge of a table, sending sharp pains across her leg. She hit the floor hard. The woman didn¡¯t even stop. She slid where Juniper had sat, already working on the laptop, already pretending Juniper didn¡¯t fall in front of her. She stiffened her jaw. She felt humiliated. Forcing herself, up expecting a reaction from the crowd, nothing came. Just a quick glance, a reaction. Anything. Nothing came. The ¡°Assistants¡± kept on working hard, their gazes flickered over the screens. Mechanical, robotic almost, just distant. She shoved the moment into her list of noteworthy cringe memories and walked away. Some part of her wanted to shout at the woman, the little girl inside of her wanted to cry. She didn¡¯t have the energy to do that. *** Evelyn had summoned them into her makeshift office. They closed the door behind them, sealing them inside. The tapping of keyboards topped, leaving only the unsettling silence. The room felt even smaller. Evelyn had changed completely. Away was her businesswoman attire. She sat in tight militaristic skin¨Cwet and tactical, black suit, a flak jacket around her chest. There was a sidearm, holstered to her waist, her reddish hair yanked into a messy ponytail. It was sexy, in a femme fatale kind of way, but Juniper didn''t have time to oggle the older woman, bar the fact that it was her boss. The scent of damp fabric mixed with something very harsh. Smoke. Juniper resisted the urge to cough as Evelyn¡¯s cigar burnt acridly, crawling into her throat, and settling there. Suffocating and itching it. She hated it. Her world had slowed down. Limbs were heavy, her thoughts messy, like she was walking in a swimming pool filled with glue. The mixture of whatever the fuck Evelyn¡¯s street doc had pumped her with, was slowly draining her system. Leaving her empty and drained.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Terminal stepped forward, shoulders tense, but controlled. He shifted from screen to screen in the dimly lit room. Annemarie was on the edge, jittery, and restless. Terminal spoke up first. Voice firm, much more confident. "We have confirmation. Multiple vans rigged with explosives, prepped for deployment in high-density civilian zones." The words hit like lead in Juniper¡¯s gut. More!? More fights!? More work. Hadn¡¯t today been enough? The thought was beyond selfish. Childish even. But the exhaustion gnawed at her bones. Those bombs could be targeting her neighborhood. Her siblings. She had no reason to complain. She should have been more enthusiastic about the matter. Annemarie¡¯s whole body coiled, her hands clenched into fists, as she slammed a table, scattering papers across the room... Jaw tight. Eyes sharp and dark. "So what are we waiting for," she snapped.¡°So let¡¯s fuck them in the asses,¡± Juniper grimaced. A graphic image she¡¯d rather not have in her mind at the moment. Evelyn exhaled smoke, shaking her head. ¡°No.¡± Her voice was authoritative. Unshaken. ¡°We¡¯re underpowered here. Without my main capes, we¡¯re useless. We¡¯ve done enough.¡± The tension in Juniper¡¯s shoulders loosened, just a little. I can go home? Then she saw it. The eyes flickered in Evelyn¡¯s gaze. Satisfaction. Annemarie saw it too. And snapped completely. ¡°You mean you got what you wanted,¡± she spat. ¡°You got what you needed, and now people¡¯s lives don¡¯t matter anymore. You got your leverage, and now you¡¯ll sit on it until your next little meeting with whatever council of fuckwits you report to.¡± Her voice shook with barely restrained fury. Why was she so pressed? Evelyn didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°I won¡¯t deny it.¡± A pause. Then, with the same tone. ¡°We¡¯re capes for hire on a bad day, Anne, you know this. Vigilantes on a good day. Can you guess what day it is?¡± Annemarie turned, eyes cutting to Juniper, then to Terminal. ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± she said, voice raw. ¡°You guys are with me, right? We¡¯ve got proof of the big bad. Let''s bust him on his balls. What¡¯s one more push?¡± Juniper shook her head. What if she didn''t want to look another murderous cape in the eye? Juniper''s vision started to blur at the edges, her skull shaking like it was caught in a seismic quake. Her body felt off¡ªmuscles tightening, cramping. Then the pain hit. A sharp, seizing bolt ran up her leg, running down her spine like lightning. And then¡ª Pain ¡°AAHH¡ª!¡± Her knees buckled. The world tilted. She barely registered the fall before firm arms caught her. [BEWARE!!!] [ADDITIONAL DEBUFF ACQUIRED] [Adrenal Crash (-2 Charisma, -1 Endurance, -1 Energy)] She barely registered her arms. Everything was completely off. Her body was aching, and her vision was shifting, yet the a throb around her head. She skimmed over the message. The sensations were hardly bearable. But there was warmth anchoring her in place. Evelyn. The older woman held her securely, grip firm but careful. She had surprisingly strong muscles for the lean frame. "You¡¯re okay, Juniper. You¡¯re fine." The words hit instantly. A command, a truth. It had to be. She sucked in her breath, whatever nausea she had receded. A soothing calm settled around her, washing over her exhaustion. It wasn¡¯t physical and it wasn¡¯t just reassurance. It was her, Evelyn. She had an Aura around her, a presence¨C and it warped her mind, into something absolute. Bringing out relief in the messiest paths of her psyche. The relief she felt was real. It felt good. She could stay like this. Stay, stuck in Evelyn¡¯s arms forever. Her lips moved before she could stop them. "Big sis," she murmured... Evelyn didn¡¯t react. Something flickered in her expression, but she reacted with fright, her eyes darted away¡ªgone before Juniper could register it. Instead, the woman turned to Annemarie, stern. "She¡¯s overworked. She can¡¯t handle another run, much less a high-speed pursuit. I¡¯ve already let the SCRA know. I suggest you do something else, Annemarie, you''re obsession with fire is going to put more than your life in jeopardy." Obsession with fire? Annemarie crossed her arms. Boots tapping against the floor once, then twice, and then she stomped it. "I¡¯m going. With or without her." Evelyn sighed, glancing down at Juniper. Then glanced back at Annemarie. "Juniper you think you can do another run? " Juniper forced the words out of her mouth. "I-I don''t think so." Evelyn leaned in, whispering, "Annemarie''s, going to be reckless, with or without my input, I''d rather not see her hurt, if you can accompany her, one more time, I''ll make it up to you." Juniper swallowed. She knew she should''ve refused, but... "in this state?" she murmured. "We¡¯ll jack you up one more time. You stop one of the vans, you go home. Then you can rest." Her voice dropped lower, almost fond. "Annemarie, when''s she like this, I can''t stop her without hurting her. " Her body screamed at her, every muscle felt sluggish, and her mind caught between clarity and haze. [Jun, you can walk away. It wouldn¡¯t be wrong. It wouldn¡¯t be cowardly.] Syschan¡¯s voice rang in her mind, bright and weightless. [But tomorrow won¡¯t wait for you. The crisis won¡¯t freeze-frame just because you¡¯re tired. Even if you set aside the whole alien mind-melting disaster, you have something rare. You may very well be the catalyst, that ends this. You matter in all this, whether you like it or not. I won¡¯t command you, but I will ask you to not give in so easily] Juniper''s hands budged. "Do I really have to?" [A role exists, and you are shaped for it. This is it, the moment, where you can break those limits. Your heart¡¯s heavy, your breath¡¯s shallow¡ªYou know what you have to do.] She came back to it, reality. Her breath came out heavy. She pushed herself upright, her legs cramping, body protesting every movement, she gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stand, slipping out of Evelyn''s grasp. "Fine. One more run," she said groggy. She locked eyes with Evelyn, exhaustion carved deep into her expression. "This is not how first days are supposed to go." Evelyn smirked, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Mine was ten times worse," she murmured. "I¡¯ll tell you about it another time." Annemarie exhaled, her frustration eased, and she rubbed the back of her neck. "Alright, Let¡¯s get her back into shape." Evelyn nodded to Annemarie. "Help her into the bathroom before she collapses." Juniper didn¡¯t react as Annemarie half-dragged her through the sea of assistants, navigating between narrow spaces and dim lighting. They seemed less like assistants and more like a drone swarm. She honestly thought most of OBB would consist of capes, but it makes, sense since they were a defacto agency. Annemarie¡¯s fingers were warm around her wrist¡ªsteady, solid. Juniper¡¯s wrist. For a moment she wondered if she could used to all this touching. It felt nice being, cared for. As they stepped inside, a moment of silence played out... Then, softly, "Sorry for asking you to do this. And thank you." Annemarie whispered to her. "I''m sure you''re wondering why, I''m like this...I can''t tell you right away. Thanks" The words surprised her more than they should have. Annemarie wasn¡¯t really thankful for anything. They reached the sink. Juniper gripped the edge, steadying herself as her body rebelled against her. Behind them, Evelyn stepped into the cramped space, holding a syringe. Blue liquid. More steroids. "Hold her down," Evelyn ordered. Juniper didn¡¯t resist. Annemarie hesitated, then she did as she was told. The needle pierced her skin. Rummaging inside, then, with a sharp sting. She felt the rush flow into her bloodstream. Like fire in her veins. The fog lifted. The weight disappeared. Clarity hit like a fresh gust of wind, leaving her alive in a way she hadn¡¯t realized she was missing. She felt better than ever. [Debuffs lifted.] [Minor Buff applied] [Combat Stimulant Active] +2 Dexterity +2 Reflex +1 Endurance +1 Energy [Suppresses fatigue and pain for 3-6 hours. Temporarily boosts reaction speed and coordination. Increases stamina and energy output. Causes withdrawal symptoms after wearing off] Evelyn¡¯s voice became cool and clinical. "You¡¯ll feel serious pain tomorrow, but it should wear off in a day or two." Juniper started rolling her shoulders. Her body still felt wrong, but at least it moved how she wanted it to. A shadow passed by the door. Messy black hair peered inside. Terminal peeked in. "Is she okay?" Annemarie stiffened, narrowing her eyes. "Dude. Bathroom full of women." He had the sense to look sheepish before ducking back outside. The words registered in him longer than they should have. Juniper barely had time to register the exchange before Annemarie helped her up. "Time to move." Chapter 45 - A Spark Too Far They moved through gridlocked traffic, jogging on foot, scanning for anything out of place and out of order. Specifically, a white van that didn¡¯t belong. Evelyn had managed to wing them this one target, while the rest would be handled by the SCRA. Terminal had pinpointed several options. In all honesty, Juniper thought it was reckless, but Annemarie just had to tie her life to the issue. She wanted a long talk with her after this. The air was suffocating, because of car exhaust fumes and the humming of impatient commuters. Anne took point, peering into windshields, scrutinizing every driver who was parked with an intense glare. Traffic had come to a halt. They pushed forward, the Orchestra of honks and shouting dying down as they patrolled the line-up of cars. Then, she saw it. Odd. Out of place. A black van, Just idling ahead. Though it didn¡¯t match the white ones they¡¯d found in the evidence bust, something was wholly off¨Cthe paint on it, seemed very new, the model was similar, and the engine was ready to start racing, ready to flee. She pointed to Annemarie and relayed it over the com. ¡°Terminal, are you seeing what I¡¯m seeing? She said, her voice low and dialled down. ¡°Affirmative, Juniper,¡± came the curt reply¡­ ¡°I¡¯d advise against approaching too closely.¡± She stepped forward anyway, her heart pulsating inside her chest. The windows were tinted, opaque, and unseeable. The drone buzzed ahead, a flicker of holographic light escaping the drone. Then¨C Bang. A bullet flew past her face, just close enough for her to feel its trajectory. The sting of its wind bit her cheek. She threw herself to the ground immediately, hunkering down. The van came alive, roaring, tires slammed against the road, trekking away past the red lights. A spray of blindly fired bullets ricochets off the cars, hitting everything in the circumference of the traffic grid. Pedestrians started screaming. Car alarms safety alarms went off in recognition of gunfire. Annemarie yanked her by the arm, pulling her up. ¡°Time to move!¡± Right. Juniper didn¡¯t hesitate, they took to the air. ¡°Stay cautious¡± Terminal hummed through the comm, the drone lagging behind, as they gave pursuit. Juniper tapped into [Solar-powered Sentinel]. It was much weaker with the evening sky obscuring the moon, she had just enough to fly. Gunfire went off in the air, tearing into nearby vehicles, civilians all over were scrambling and ducking and shouting. She bit her lips. There was not enough time to strategize, there was hardly enough time to act. She burst forward, her body blurring into the air, she lost herself in the momentum, it was time to try a new trick she hadn¡¯t before¨C She tapped into both [Solar-Powered Sentinel] and [Iron Drive]. A combination of literal light. Enhanced Density, and overwhelming Strength. Her skin thickened and thrummed with power, she raised an additional energy shield to cover, doubling down on her defensives. Her flight speed had settled down with the additional strength package. The bullets struck, and it burned. It felt like hot-white, molten pebbles hitting her skin. While she could tank it, her shield was barely holding its strength, her breath became uneven as she was assaulted with hot bullets. Annemarie intervened, shifting the air. They had agreed that Juniper wouldn¡¯t use any gravitational powers, to not interfere with Annemarie¡¯s efficiency. She couldn''t keep that promise. Annemarie bent the bullets midair, and they slowly curved away, spiralling to the ground, giving Juniper time to breathe. Juniper inhaled and exhaled very sharply, forcing her body to motion. She hovered behind the back of the van, her fists tightened. She drove her knuckles against the metal. The door crunched, very loudly, under a single blow. Again Then again. The van swerved, desperate to shake her away. But she wouldn¡¯t let go. She heard shouting from the inside. The doors slammed open, a masked man was crouched inside, with an em placed gun in his hands. Not a simple gun, either. Her life flashed before her eyes. Long-barrelled, scoped optics, and a thick magazine. The barrel locked its eyes on her, lining it up with her face. [Juniper, that¡¯s not a normal gun! MOVE!] The shot cracked through the air, like the sound of bone broken. Her instincts kicked in. She amped up to her best, hard muscles welling with overwhelming force¨C too much all at once. It crammed into her thigh. A scream erupted from her throat. [iron drive-lv2>lvl3] Her leg gave in. She hit the pavement, screaming. Pain tore through¨Chot and drowning, overpowering her nerves. Blood rushed from the wound, leaking onto the concrete where she lay. ¡°Oh¡ªfuck¡ª¡± She tried to stand up. But her thigh locked up¡ªa deep, seizing, and burning sensation spreading through the muscle. Blood, thick, ran down, pooling in her boot, darkening the fabric of the suit. Annemarie skidded to a stop beside her, eyes darting between Juniper and the escaping van. Juniper shoved her away. ¡°Go!¡± Annemarie stopped to hesitate. ¡°Go, Just keep going. I¡¯ll be fine. You¡¯re meant for this.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Annemarie pursued. Juniper¡¯s vision danced, vertigo kicking in. [Juniper, it¡¯s not that deep. Pull it out, bind it, and move.] Sys-chan''s suggestions were either practical or batshit insane. Perhaps this one time she should listen to her. She clamored to her feet. Where the fuck am I supposed to find something to bind it with? A late-night coffee store was ahead. She pushed herself off the ground, floating towards it, one-legged, and the other throbbing like her heart. The wind dragged her along. Her breathing was hot and dusty. She crushes through the doors. Everyone froze. A mother tucked her child away behind her back. A man by the counter backed away, shaking his hands. She saw her reflection in the glass display-black, floating, eyes dark hidden under a mask and glowing, blood dripping. She looked like a villain. And to these people, she may as well have been one. ¡°I need bandages,¡± she rasped. ¡°Cloth¡ªanything.¡± No one moved. She could take it. She could force them. No, wrong train of thought. She clenched her jaw. ¡°Please,¡± she forced out. ¡°I¡¯m not a villain.¡± The man bolted into a back room, and when he returned, she tossed a medical kit at her like she was a wild dog. She caught it. [DO IT. RIGHT. NOW.] She clenched her glove between her teeth, ripping into it to bear the pain. Her fingers dug into the wound, pulling the elongated bullet free. Pure agony. And yet her body has adapted so much that she could bear it. The bullet came loose. Her leg convulsed. Still too weak. She wrapped a long bandage around the wound. Tight, tight, tight. It didn¡¯t matter. The blood-soaked through the binding. But she kept moving. She looked at the man. ¡°Thank you.¡± Something inside her clicked. Urgency. Adrenaline. Survival. She was becoming stronger. [Durability +2.] She turned, bursting into the street. A civilian stumbled into her path. She swerved at the last second, but he fell, hitting the pavement hard. She didn¡¯t stop. Juniper couldn''t afford to care. Her body screamed. Heat burned beneath her skin. The power wasn¡¯t meant to mix. She felt like she was tearing apart at the seams. Breaking down on a molecular level. [You are not okay, Juniper. But you can keep going, what doesn''t kill you--] So she did. It was time to try something a little different. She cancelled out [Iron Drive] The pursuit was far away, she might not catch up in time at this pace. She lowered the gravitational base around her, then zipped into the air, her body became lighter but more susceptible. She readied herself like a slingshot. Then flew forward, spending every ounce of energy she had on propelling herself. She lowered the surrounding gravity again, and then she accelerated, like super powered slingshot. She flew above the scene. She shuddered as she watched Annemarie deflect bullet after bullet with severe precision. Every one of her movements was calculated. It was like she did it a hundred times over The van doors had closed up again, she assumed it was her doing. She had a dirty idea. She needed to end it quickly. The van swerved, into a side road, lurching on its tires, wheels skidding and wobbling like it barely held itself. She zeroed in from above like an eagle. She struck the nearest wheel from the front with a Sunlight beam. It caught fire instantaneously. The van frame jerked violently as it lost control. ¡°Hold the van down!¡± she shouted. Annemarie did her best. Inside, she heard screams and fears of imminent death. Even these overzealous cults had fear, it seemed. The van tipped over. The screeching of the metal hurt her sensitive ears as it flipped over several times. Slamming against a nearby building. The windows shattered upon impact and flames started licking the wreck, as smoke curled into the sky. Then¡ªsilence. Juniper hovered over, lowering herself. Annemarie moved in first, stepping forward cautiously, her shoulders levelled. Then the driver¡¯s door was kicked open. And a pyromaniac lunged out, he shot fire from his flame gun. Juniper twisted away, as the flames barely touched her. Then the air shifted. Warping distorting, absolutely. Pressure high and sudden and dense, her knees buckled beneath her. Like the world came to a halt. What the¨C? Annemarie didn¡¯t stop. The other gunman opened fire. Bullets barely made it several feet in the air before they lost all immediate momentum, dropping to the pavement like loose coins. She turned on them. Juniper saw her shift unnaturally. The first gunman barely had time to react before Annemarie¡¯s fist slammed into his face. The crack of bone echoed through the alleyway. He crumpled over, mask snapping off as he hit the ground. The second one was still firing at her. Uselessly. She kicked his shin, twice. His leg folded inward at the wrong angle. Juniper felt something deep in her gut coil. This was grotesque, she¡¯d seen enough for the day. Death, murder, and even gore. She hadn¡¯t realized it before. Hadn¡¯t let herself think about it. Annemarie wasn¡¯t just efficient. She was one step away from killing them. She just barely left them alive. There was sudden thumping coming from the van. The doors seemed to be jammed, something was slamming against it. Annemarie stilled, her head tilting as she listened. Then, with terrifying ease, she punched a hole straight through the van¡¯s side. Someone inside screamed. The metal bent inward with a sharp groan. Juniper could hear his body tumbling backward from the force. She moved to stop her¡ªbut Annemarie was already tearing the doors open. It was hard to see from this distance. But she could hear him faintly. Crying. Begging. She swallowed, her throat tight. This wasn¡¯t a fight anymore. It was a massacre. A beeping sound. Juniper turned towards the front of the van, every nerve on edge. Someone was trying to contact the maniacs. She approached warily, her breath shallow, fingers twitching as she pressed the confirmation button on the portable comm. A voice crackled through. Smooth. Amused. ¡°That was fun to watch, I have to admit.¡± Juniper froze. A pit opened in her stomach. ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ I¡¯ve been watching you two for a while.¡± The voice cackled, but the tone underneath was calm. Measured. Juniper¡¯s throat went dry. ¡°You¡¯re Caldera?¡± ¡°Among other names.¡± The van¡¯s wreckage flickered with dying flames, but all she could hear was the pounding of her pulse. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°To clean the world, what else¡± he said eagerly. ¡°You two have come the closest. That¡¯s¡­ problematic.¡± Juniper clenched her jaw. She wasn¡¯t afraid. Caldera sighed, almost wistful. ¡°Truth is, I feel like I¡¯m at my wit¡¯s end. They promised me more men. More¡­ obedient soldiers. But I guess they lied.¡± Juniper¡¯s fingers curled into a fist. ¡°Who¡¯s they!¡± He ignored her question. ¡°I did my part.¡± His voice turned bitter. ¡°I made the best flamethrower this century has seen. I was supposed to have support. They didn¡¯t give me enough.¡± Juniper¡¯s head snapped up. ¡°What the fuck are you even on about, you fucking freak?! You ruined my fucking day!¡± Laughter. Low. Mocking. ¡°So selfish. So self-centered. You¡¯re no different¡ªjust another cog in the machine.¡± he hummed. A slow exhalation. ¡°I¡¯m desperate, Juniper.¡± Her breath hitched. Chills. Then, in a quiet, deliberate voice¡ª ¡°You have two siblings, right?¡± Everything. Stopped. Juniper¡¯s vision tunnelled, she saw bloody red. Her hand jerked toward her phone. She needed to call them. Now. Needed to¡ª ¡°Ah, ah, ah¡ªdon¡¯t move.¡± The weight in Caldera¡¯s voice sank hooks into her spine. He was in full control. ¡°Your name. Your address. What did you wear yesterday? The suit you¡¯re wearing now.¡± A pause. Then, almost gleefully. ¡°The birds. They told me.¡± Birds implied gossip or information brokering. Juniper froze. ¡°For a price. Always a price.¡± Her chest tightened. ¡°No, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not a stalker.¡± A smirk in his voice. ¡°I just paid a few hundred thousand dollars a few hours ago, and¡ªsurprise, surprise¡ªa lovely little SCRA agent folded. Everything has a price, you see. And you, Juniper? You were worth a few hundred thousand dollars.¡± Her stomach dropped. Sys-chan: [There¡¯s a high probability he¡¯s lying¡ª] But what if he¡¯s not? Her body wasn¡¯t listening. Her mind wasn¡¯t listening. ¡°District 76.¡± Her heart slammed against her ribs. ¡°That¡¯s your neighborhood, right?¡± Juniper¡¯s pulse roared in her ears. ¡°I might blow it up if you don¡¯t listen to every word I say.¡± The world blurred. She was already on the edge. Already holding herself together by a thread. She had to shut this down, now! ¡°Break all contact. Now. Your bosses, your friends, your family, She ripped out the earpiece, smashing as he crushed it with her bare hands.¡± Silicon and plastic cracked, and circuity separated like brittle bone. She threw both her phones to the ground, kicking and stomping until it was unusual. Annemarie appeared¡ªtoo late. ¡°There¡¯s no bomb on the van, you¨C¡± She saw what Juniper was doing, and her expression darkened. ¡°What the fuck are you doing?!¡± Annemarie lunged, grabbing Juniper¡¯s arm, nails digging deep. Juniper didn¡¯t stop. She kept stomping the remains into dust. Annemarie yanked at her. Trying to hold her down. Juniper slapped her. Not once. Not twice. Three times. Annemarie stumbled back, totally stunned. Juniper¡¯s voice¡ªa low, shaking snarl: ¡°My siblings¡¯ lives are at stake. Stand down.¡± Annemarie held her hand over her phone, hesitant. Juniper grabbed it. Yanked it from her grasp. Threw it on the ground and ¡®destroyed it¡¯ just enough that it was still intact¡­ Overhead, Terminal¡¯s drone caught sight of them. It surveyed the area. Juniper shot a light beam at it. Making it scramble and hit the ground injured. It crashed. Burned. Silence. Heavy. Suffocating. The comms still buzzed. Juniper¡¯s voice, cold as death: ¡°I¡¯m listening. What else?¡± Caldera smiled through the line. She could hear it. ¡°If you want to stop this, meet me on my terms. You and you¡¯re a partner. I failed anyway. Gotta salvage what I can.¡± Her heart pounded. Too fast. Too hard. She was going to find him. And when she did¡ª She was going to kill him. Sys-chan¡¯s anchor: ¡°Breathe.¡± Chapter 46 - In Flames, In Fear Juniper and Annemarie were guided underground, down a passageway and into a sewer tunnel. Juniper clenched the communicator, tightly, her fingers ached severely, she couldn¡¯t afford to let it slip. She didn¡¯t trust Anne, not to grab it from her and destroy it. The dirty walls inside the entrances were narrow, pressing them into damp tunnels, suffocating them with its extremities. It reeked of stench and decay, old piled-up filth, waste, and garbage. She could taste on her tongue, vile and rancid. It was like she was forced inside the city¡¯s intestines, slowly dying of asphyxiation. Her breathing became shallow, way too quickly. She held her face, forcing herself to breathe openly without fear, and yet the nauseating smell made it worse. Her fingers twitched, she felt a tremor in her heart, and it wouldn¡¯t stop. Hammering to her. Every heartbeat reminded her that her sibling''s lives were at stake. The worst-scenario. And it happened at the least expected time. The thing she wanted to prevent from happening, coincided and came to fruition. The bomb could go off anytime, one wrong move, one wrong mistake. [Whoa there, crisis girl! Deep breaths. Focus on what¡¯s real¡ªwhat you see, what you hear. He could be lying to you.] Or he could not, what was the point in that rationale? They could die at any moment. Perhaps they were already¨C No. No. She shouldn¡¯t think like that. She should be optimistic, logical, and diplomatic. And yet it ate at her every second. The sewer darkened as they lowered inside, swallowed deeper into the depths. She could hear Annemarie¡¯s pent-up frustration behind her, groaning and gritting her teeth. ¡°Are you fucking seriously just giving in to that creep''s whims? You didn¡¯t even try to consult me. I¡¯m more experienced, remember? Evelyn could¡¯ve sorted it out in a second, why the fuck did you concede, Juniper! Are you stupid!¡± How could she answer? She was scared, that there is a chance, that she had no experience with familial hostages, that Caldera wasn¡¯t pulling claims out of his ass. How could she answer Annemarie? She didn¡¯t. She couldn¡¯t. Furthermore, she shut herself up before she said something ridiculously reckless. Juniper hardly had enough energy to keep moving, the roids were going to kill her before Caldera did. Her throat was burning, tightening. Every decision she made up until now felt like a bad stack of dominoes slowly toppling down the mountain like an avalanche. If she¡¯d have gone to the authorities on day one, If she spoke up at the hospital¨Cthe night she thrashed the thug¨Cthe day she met Annemarie¨Cwould things be different. Would they be safe? Would things be better? [But hey, don¡¯t get too comfy, yeah? Information lies. People lie. Keep your head on straight Juniper gritted her teeth. And you need to shut up. You''ve done nothing but push me into fights since the start. I need to think. There¡¯s only room for one thinker in my head! She ignored the system and pressed onward. ¡°Keep moving, northwest.¡± a voice crackled and buzzed through the communicator. ¡°You''re a few hundred meters away. From the entrance, don¡¯t¡­disappoint me.¡± Then¡ª sudden movement. The murky canal shifted, moving beside them. Sewage shifted, parting from the dirty water like sickly broth. Something large and ugly rose from the filth, green sludge sliding down its scale. It stood bipedal on its legs like a mutated hostage, with thick front legs but stubby and clawed. Its head peeked out. Juniper forgot to breathe. Reddish eyes lit up the darkness. The hulking creature was not only scale but grotesque and reptilian, its jawline stretched with ragged, crooked, and overly long teeth. It growled¨Cits guttural vibrating roar chilled her bones. The stench coming off it was worse than the sewer. Like cutup rotted meat, absolute death. The thing, looked like it killed something earlier. She backed away against the damp wall. Her knees locking in place. [Fascinating, did the alligator undergo cape mutation too?] Shut up, shut up, shut up! Sys-chan! I can¡¯t think! The beast brought his claws, down on her. Juniper¡¯s body screamed at her to move, but she was frozen, her breath caught in her throat. She summoned a shield, hoping and bracing for the best outcome. Annemarie reacted before she could¨Cshe flipped in the air, her body slammed hard against the thing¡¯s snout, and it staggered backward, non-stopping. Claws scraped against the edge of the canal walk, its heavy bulking state falling halfway on the solid ground, the other part still in the water. Juniper''s shield flickered, she could no longer purely rely on [Solar-powered sentinel] Come on! Come on! She panicked. It was weak and unresponsive, she was far from the starlight to harvest, and her head spun. She became finicky, too much panicking, caught between not knowing what to and not knowing if she lay down and accept her fate¡­ The giant alligator stood up, and then it struck its paws at her. Juniper threw what she possessed of solar energy, launching it forward low-velocity like a volleyball. The blast hit it in the eye of the beast, Its eye winked in response, but struck in inside, lighting up before it recoiled. It hissed, rotated, and threatened to strike out its tail but stopped suddenly, its attention shifted, and It retreated cautiously watching them, reeling backward. Annemarie stood ready, just in case it would strike out again. Hopping on one leg, ready to bring her foot down¡­ The thing, it slipped away, back underwater into the canal of sewer and sludge, vanishing underneath the green-brown mucky urban swamp. The comm box cackled, assaulting her drums¡­ ¡°Oh, how¡­unexpected, I see you¡¯ve met Big Betty,¡± Caldera said purring through the comm. ¡°Such a naughty girl! I hope she didn¡¯t frighten you.¡± Juniper¡¯s blood boiled. She didn''t want to play death games. Annemarie, sprinted towards Juniper, she clutch the little box, grabbing it from Juniper¡¯s hands. Who tried holding on to it, stiffly. ¡°You have more of these things? You sick bastard!¡± she snapped. Juniper could hear the grin in his voice. ¡°Oh, no, no, no. Gutter gut isn¡¯t ours. She¡¯s the queen of these sewers. Unfortunately, you came without a tribute¡ªshe doesn¡¯t like uninvited guests. We make sure to keep her well-fed~. Though, it seems, something else caught her attention. Why else would she leave a free meal to stay.¡± She contorted her face. Does he mean¡ªhe feeds it, people? And if something that big was roaming under the city, what the fuck was the SCRA doing about it? There was no way anyone could avoid it. Caldera¡¯s voice lilted with amusement. ¡°Oh, and do be careful of any¡­ accidental traps. My men can be a bit, hmm, careless. They can¡¯t help it, but I wouldn¡¯t worry about it too much.¡± Annemarie, pushed juniper, making her staggered back, leaving the little communications device lodged in her hands. ¡°Come on then! Juniper!¡± she said with a scowl. Annemarie had every right to be angry but¨C Juniper stood up, She forced herself to keep moving, the adrenalin was fading away. She¡¯d need more soon enough if she was going to last the night. She punished her, stabbing her claws into her arm. Pain, pain was a good motivator. They walked past the canal, there was an obscure corner, dark and unassuming. They¡¯d be unbothered here.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. She inhaled deeply. She had to focus. If she screwed this up¡ªif she let the panic win¡ªher siblings were as good as dead. ¡°Caldera,¡± she said, voice on the edge of breaking but held firm. ¡°I need to speak with my friend. Do you mind giving us a few minutes? I promise¡­ I won¡¯t do anything drastic.¡± He sighed through the comm. ¡°Two minutes, Juniper, I¡¯m a crusader, not a monster.¡± Caldera giggled. ¡°I have cameras placed everywhere, dear. I can see you perfectly clearly. Try anything, and District 76 goes boom.¡± Juniper swallowed. Her fingers trembled against the comm device. Get it together. Breathe. Baby steps. She forced herself to nod. ¡°Of course not.¡± She shut the comm off and turned towards her companion¨Cwho was scowling, her arms crossed, livid. Juniper matched her glare, her exhaustion weighing down on her. This was a problem, she needed Annemarie to be in tune with her. One mind. If they were going to be at each other¡¯s throat, then Juniper may as well give up. But one thing irked her. Why did Annemarie look like she was the one who was going to lose everything? It pissed her off. She moved before she made a single critical thought, rage took over. She grabbed Annemarie and slammed her against the wall. The impact shook the tunnel, and a piece of loose mortar crumbled onto Annemarie¡¯s shoulders. She recoiled, stunned, but didn¡¯t try to pry herself loose. She let herself be at Juniper¡¯s mercy. ¡°All of this shit is your fault!¡± Juniper hissed, her breath ragged, venom spilling from her lips. Her exhaustion was a distant thing now, buried beneath the storm raging inside her. ¡°And I want it¡­and I want it to end.¡± Annemarie stood still, just stared back in silence, watching. Juniper¡¯s fists curled. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t pushed for this, I wouldn¡¯t be here. I could¡¯ve gone home. My siblings would¡¯ve been safe. From the start, if I didn¡¯t fall for your fucking whimsical games, I wouldn¡¯t¡ª¡± She swung at Annemarie¡¯s face. [Iron drive] kicked in on impulse. Her fist cracked the wall next to Annemarie. Body warping in the air, bricks cracking away. Annemarie started laughing, but her eyes didn¡¯t. Empty, no humor. Bitter, raw, all wrong. Her laugh was close to a breakdown. ¡°Do you know want to know, Juniper,¡± she rasped, her voice raw, ¡°Why I hate fire?¡± Juniper stared, seething, but she didn¡¯t move, waiting for an answer. Annemarie swallowed a lump. Her shoulders shook. ¡°My family died in a fire. A fire started by a Cape, a hero no less, no more. My mother, my father, an aunt, my grandmother. All of them. Gone.¡± The words hit hard. Juniper held onto her rage, but something else stirred in her, something uneasy. Annemarie took a shaky breath. ¡°I wasn¡¯t home when it happened. I snuck out, teenager stuff. You know how it is. But my brother was present at home. He was the only one to make it out. Alive, at least. Unscathed, unfortunately not.¡± she turned her face, refusing to meet Juniper¡¯s gaze. ¡°I saw the fires raging, this was ten-years ago, I wonder if I was a little faster, or had I not left at could I have saved them. But my brother¡­¡± Juniper¡¯s hands loosened, just so slightly. Annemarie¡¯s eyes flickered¡ªlike she was looking past Juniper, lost in the memory. ¡°You know what happened next?¡± she asked, voice small and infantile. ¡°He went into a coma. He fell badly on his head, trying to escape from the upper floor.¡± Juniper''s breath caught. She had told her about him before, when they went to the park. The anger didn¡¯t leave her¡ªit was still there, coiling in her chest¡ªbut now it fought with something else. Fear. Helplessness. Regret. Annemarie¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line. ¡°The person responsible, was a hero.¡± She spat the word as it burned. ¡°He¡¯s still out there. ¡®Collateral damage,¡¯ they called it. A tragic accident. My whole family is gone. Just another statistic. I tried suing, but the courts wouldn¡¯t see it that way.¡± A tremor ran through her fingers. ¡°I did everything I could to keep my brother alive. Before my powers triggered. Before this. I did things I didn¡¯t want to talk about. Drugs. Gangs. Things I¡¯ll never mention to you, just to afford the medical bills. Just to keep him breathing.¡± She looked away. Her jaw clenched. Juniper felt something splinter inside her. Annemarie exhaled sharply. ¡°Evelyn looked out for me. That¡¯s why I made this personal. These pyrofuckers¡ª¡± her voice cracked, raw and burning, ¡°¡ªare burning people alive. And I hate that. It pisses me off.¡± Her eyes were wet with unshed tears. ¡°If I can¡¯t take out my frustration on a hero, then can¡¯t I at least take it out on them? These useless wastes of space? I can¡¯t even legally kill one without an execution order. People are suffering out there, the same why family suffered.¡± The rage cools into something empty. ¡°I did everything I could to give my brother a chance. And a decade later, he still hasn¡¯t woken up. He¡¯s frail, sickly, I don¡¯t know if he can make it another year?¡± Her voice wavered. ¡°You¡¯re right about one thing, Juniper. I ruin everything. I always have.¡± She let out a shaky, broken giggle, her expression twisted in something that wasn¡¯t quite amusement, wasn¡¯t quite grief. ¡°If I¡¯d been home that day, maybe I¡¯d be with them. Perhaps my brother would be, too. Heaven, maybe hell.¡± She tried to hold herself together¡ªshe had to¡ªbut the weight of everything pressed down, crushing her. She couldn¡¯t cry. Not yet. Not when she had so much left to lose. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Anne,¡± she choked out. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Annemarie turned her head away. Juniper hesitated, then reached forward¡ªgrabbing Annemarie¡¯s hands, gripping them tight. ¡°Please,¡± she whispered. ¡°Just¡­ cooperate with me. I don¡¯t want to lose my family. I know it¡¯s much to ask, And if there¡¯s anything in my power I can do to help your brother¡ªanything¡ªI¡¯ll do it. Just¡­ bear with me. Please¡± For a moment, they stayed like that, their hands locked together. Then¡ª A voice cut through the silence, sing-song and smug. ¡°And I¡¯m getting sick of whatever the fuck this is, it¡¯s too late to get a fucking room. You should have thought about it before you started meddling with my business. Move, or tata, Juniper.¡± Juniper shoulders sunk. She yanked Annemarie, dragging her away from the wall. Grabbing her by the arm, dragging her forward. Her heart was pounding. The tunnels became hotter and thicker as they went lower, tunnels squeezing in. A mechanical hum buzzed in the air. ¡°Searching for dissidents, searching for dissidents, searching¡­¡± Its voice froze. ¡°For dissidents¡± It hovered in the dark with an internal flashlight. A SCRA search drone. If they got spotted, Caldera could react unpredictably. She dragged Annemarie into the darkness. Creeping as close to a crevice as they could. They waited as it passed, its dim light barely visible. But it didn¡¯t stop, cold and unfeeling, watching. The comm, crackled. ¡°Good, stay down.¡± Her pulse spiked. Annemarie, stiffened up, eyes watching the drone, silently. Caldera continued, voice eerily calm. ¡°If that thing calls for backup, and your siblings go boom.¡± A brief pause. ¡°Don¡¯t give them a reason.¡± Her whole body screamed to move, to fight, to do something, but she couldn¡¯t. Not with that threat hanging over her shoulders. She shoved everything down, her fury, her nausea, anywhere it couldn¡¯t show, for later. Annemarie was calm for once. Non-argumentative. They went lower, moving into a crevice, and the air became dusty and moldy. The drone scanned along. Then, after a moment, it passed. She didn¡¯t move until the hum disappeared. Caldera''s voice returned, murmuring. ¡°I told you, Juniper. Some battles were not meant to be fought, a lesson you¡¯ll remember for years to come, trust me. You¡¯ll remember this day, until eternity ends¡± The comm clicked off. Her head pounded, and then her hands wouldn¡¯t shake it. Annemarie grabbed them, holding them down, beckoning her to move. They were still in the trench. As they reached the maintenance tunnel, a fight to get in started. The entrance was half-buried in debris¡ªwooden obstructions splintered and spilled out, forcing them to squeeze through or blow it away. Behind that, a large steel door sat in waiting, shut tight. A valve stood to its side, stiff with rust, next to an electronic pad. A keypad input blinked¡ªan electronic gatekeeper. Caldera hovered in his voice. ¡°If you want in¡­¡± Caldera buzzed all in singsong delight. ¡°You have to play a game.¡± Juniper¡¯s teeth gritted. She was going to bite his head off. Soon ¡°Riddle me this, Juniper,¡± he purred.¡± I rise with your hunger, I fade with your rest. Born before man took his first breath, but there when he passed his first test. I roared when he spoke, a witness to time, summoned when the ancients weep in their rhyme. I am old, I am fury, I am deep. I am¡­¡± [Let me do this.] A pulse of frustration shot through Juniper¡¯s skull. No. Her hands clawed into her sleeves. You¡¯ve done enough. Her breath became shallow. Her heart was on the verge of jumping out. I¡¯m not fucking stupid, Sys-chan. He¡¯s inane. He¡¯s insane! The answer is fire. He¡¯s obsessed with it. And I¡¯m going to hurt him for it. I¡¯m going to burn him with it. [ ( ? ? ? ?) ] Be quiet. Until I need your services. She didn¡¯t need help. She required control for once. Caldera¡¯s voice slithered back in. ¡°Is your tongue twisted, Juniper?¡± A light touch¡ªAnnemarie, gripped her shoulder. Her nose was slightly red and stuffy, her eyes raw and thick. ¡°We can always storm in,¡± she murmured. Juniper swallowed the bile in her throat. She shook her head. It was a zero-sum game. And she wasn¡¯t prepared to lose.¡°No.¡± She stepped forward, shoving her hand against the pad. ¡°The answer is fire.¡± Caldera laughed, a horrible jingle ensued. ¡°Ding-a-ding, dong, dong ding!¡± he sang. ¡°How did you know?¡± She dug her nails into her skin. You¡¯re too predictable. And you need to go. ¡°Perhaps I should¡¯ve drawn this out,¡± he hummed, ¡°but no matter. I keep my promises. They¡¯re close, and I¡¯d like to leave before they get here!¡± Juniper¡¯s throat went tight. Who? The agencies? The heroes? The SCRA? Caldera giggled. ¡°Ahh, I love riddles.¡± His voice shifted, from teasing to reverent. His eyes darkened. ¡°We should write poetry, Juniper, call it, Capes and Canaries, a supernatural tour to the hearts of the most extraordinary men and women.¡± She spat on the ground.¡± But you know what I love more?¡± The air crackled. ¡°The code is 2039,¡± he whispered, like a prayer. ¡°The year the world will end.¡± Juniper froze. The year the Big Ayy¡¯s would supposedly come down. Coincidence? Did she have the luxury to care? She shuddered as she started to sing, horrid, an absolutely horrid feeling. ¡°Ooooh, look at it twirl! The flames, the lovely liars, dancing-dancing-dancing! HA! Do you see it? Prancing and prancing about! How it chews, how it gulps the world down in greedy, gluttonous bites¡ªYUMMMM~~~~¡± A hiss¡ªthe valve spun, and gas spat from the pipes. The door opened. Move! Get in! Get out! Go home. Comfort her brother. Take good care of him. Be nice to her sister. Hug her, give her something nice. For once. Sleep, and be grateful for what she had. Chapter 47 - Unholy Fire They had descended past the large metal door and went in deeper to into suffocating depths. The damp rot of the upper sewer had faded away, replaced by something much worse¨Csomething obscene. It reeked of chemicals. The walls seemed to squeeze in as they pressed inwards. Rusted sheet metal, splintered wood, and scattered debris line up in a narrow corridor. Something pulsed in the distance, but a flickery, hot brazier, inside the glow of fire. It looked uninhabitable, yet the discarded litter and plastics, and makeshift bedding in the corners told a different tale. This was a warren for Caldera¡¯s cult. A breeding ground. They turned around the corner, more fire-lights, and the shadows dancing and crackling around, shifting unnaturally. Then she saw them stare and wait. Men¨Csilent, adults. Their bodies were complete with soot, all their faces obscured by masks as if they lost any other identity. No words, no movement. Just the stares. Her pulse spiked. Her muscles cramped together and then¨C Click. Annemarie¡¯s stride halted. Juniper twisted just in time to see it¨Ca very rusty old metal clamp, its teeth glinting in the firelight, snapping up into the air, like a hungry beast, gunning for Annemarie¡¯s leg. Juniper didn¡¯t think, reacting in an instant. A burst of gravity broke the trap down before it bit down. Metal moaned and groaned as it crumpled apart. The mechanism was too big to hold its own weight against the gravitational force. Annemarie stumbled back, eyes wide. She nodded, a gesture of thanks, .but kept silent, shaken. They kept moving. They passed more ¡®Watchers¡¯. The silence was intrusive. They went down further, into the heart of the constructed place. A stairwell took them lower. A sensor peeped at them. It flickered green, green, green, then yellow. It stopped. Then came red. The wall cracked open, grinding and then something pushed through, ¨C a metal pipe, with a taxidermies dog head around its circumference. The dog''s eye, glassy and dead. Metal gleamed. Whoosh.¡­ A Jetstream of fire erupted from the pipe throat of the dead animal.. Heat came towards them in a flash. Annemarie reacted fast, bending the gravity and yanking Juniper up into the air, as the flames licked the ground beneath them. The air seared enough to make her skin sting, yet they forced their way through and around. On the other side more of these men. Waited. She must have counted at least 8 by now. In the corridor, they were lined up like schoolchildren. Watching. Waiting. The moment they moved too close, their formation shifted. Their movement becomes rigid. Then came their hands¨Cgrabbing and gripping, seizing them. Juniper did not resist. Annemarie did though there was no point. Annemarie twisted and pushed, but she grew tired of breaking free. But she didn¡¯t dare use her powers when there were stakes at play. These weren¡¯t mindless arsonists. This was a cult. Disciplined. Trained. Devoted to whatever messed-up beliefs they had. And all they worshiped was the fire. They were shoved inside. Hard. Juniper stumbled forward before they pushed inside another room. It reeked of burned metal, sweat, and something acrid¨Csomething alive. Smoke clung to the air, thick enough to be swallowed by the ends of her throat. More cultists stood around. Some sat on their bunk beds, others on crates, smoking from long pipes, strained. Their eyes seemed hollow through the mask, and the stench of narcotics was strong. Was that how they joined up? Drugs? Hypnosis? Then pushed into another door. The door behind them slammed tight shut. Trapping them inside. [Juniper, I know you don¡¯t want to hear me, but¡­] Sys-chan¡¯s voice threaded into her thoughts, hushed, almost reverent. [If push comes to shove, you might have to get your hands dirty. I know, I know, ew, but you¡¯re in a razor-thin, teetering-on-the-abyss kind of situation here. So¡­ steel yourself. No take-backsies.] No shit. No shit. She didn¡¯t need a warning to know that. She just¨C Then she saw him in the center. His body was draped in a suit, and he was waiting relaxed. A gas mask obscured his face, black glass where his eyes should have been. Right next to him stood, a figure¨C a bodyguard, unmasked unlike the freaks. He was built like concrete and bigger than the two men armed at the door flanking them. His growth was unnatural, but he didn¡¯t carry himself like a cape. On the right of him, an array of screens buzzed, shifting like a twisted slideshow. Grainy but held the city skyline. The SCRA is in the process of apprehending the Vans. And the¨C She saw a layout, all too familiar. Her home neighborhood, on open display, top down. Bloody red flooded her vision. Hands shaking before registering the movement. It left her broken and sharp in breath. She moved. No hesitation. Her fist connected with the masked bastard¡¯s face, snapping his head back. The gas mask, flew off him, revealing his face. Middle-aged man, half consumed by a burned face¨Cstreaks of gray hair were residing next to blackened strands. He grinned, and then he laughed. The sound of her fist was raw and loud. She drew her arm back for another hit. ¡°Juniper!¡± Annemarie¡¯s scream cut through her redlike haze. Something massive slammed into her. Her arms were pulled back. Pain erupted. White and tearing. Her shoulders popped a bit, too far, locked in a grip. She trashed. Tried twisting. Click. Cold metal steel pressed against her skull. A big one, a big handgun. A barrel wide enough to send her brain matter into space. Caldera exhaled, through his nose. ¡°You two really shouldn¡¯t have meddled so much.¡± Juniper swallowed. Breathe. Keep it together. He flicked his fingers in a tic-like manner before continuing, his voice was smooth, almost lazy. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s nothing personal. I saw an opportunity and took it.¡± Then, suddenly, he leaned in. Close. Too close. His breath was hot against her cheek, and she shivered. She couldn¡¯t remember the last time she had been this close to another man who wasn¡¯t her father. ¡°I made sure my tracks were covered. Sloppy, yes, but tell me¡ª¡± His tone dipped into something almost amused. ¡°What compels two beautiful young women to start sniffing around a junkyard?¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Juniper spat in his face. His expression stayed the same. But sighed, wiping the spit away.¡°I try to play nice.¡± He turned toward the screens, tapping something on the keyboard. A monitor pinged, the map replaced by grainy footage of the surrounding area. Home. Her heart dropped. He pressed a button ominously. She pivoted, the gun still aimed at her. Caldera smirked. ¡°Boom.¡± Laughter filled the space. ¡°Relax.¡± He waved a dismissive hand. ¡°I¡¯m joking. For now.¡± Annemarie growled, her voice low and furious. ¡°What the hell do you even want?¡± He strolled forward, crouching next to Anne, who had been put on her knees. They had assaulted the vans without masks, lost in the scuffle. She was exposed to him, a position no cape wanted to be in. He reached out and touched her face. Juniper¡¯s breath hitched. "Ahh, Voidwaltzer. Also known as Annemarie." His fingers trailed along her jaw, deliberately. "I read your file. We¡¯re kin, you know that? I, too, was burned. I, too, was doused in the flames, literally. But unlike you¡ª¡± His voice became reverent ¡°I embraced it.¡± Annemarie bit his hand. Caldera hissed at her but pulled away. A touch of blood on her lips bared her teeth. "Sick bastard. How did you even get that information?¡± His grin widened. ¡°Nothing is secure anymore, I¡¯m afraid.¡± His head twitched slightly¡ªconvulsing, almost¡ªas he reached for something.¡± And did you two really think I was going to let you converse without me, poor little Annemarie, how tragic.¡± Annemarie was pissed, but unbothered by his remarks. He flicked his index finger. A ring. A thick ring. He twisted it. A tiny click. Then fire bloomed. The small flicker expanded into something unnatural. A wave of flame erupted from his palm, licking up his arm, and consuming the fabric. He burnt himself. Juniper started to freeze. He didn¡¯t flinch, nor did he scream. Instead, he murmured something¡ªwords she didn¡¯t understand. A prayer? A chant? Latin? The flames burned higher and warmer his own, flesh charring, burning deep enough to smell the faint smell of cooked meat. She gagged. Caldera exhaled restlessly, then smiled. He paced, savoring the moment, like a fine wine, like he had consumed a meal. His steps were slow. "Now, what could I possibly want with a rookie cape?" His voice was almost amused, like this was some kind of game. "Leverage. Nothing more. And now¡­" He exhaled, breath rasping through his teeth. "We need to get moving in a moment." The words dripped out, but like they were too heavy even for him, he sighed again. "This place," he murmured, "is a scourge on the earth. The sins of the past must be cleansed." His head tilted, voice dropping into something reverent. "This city¡­ this rotting corpse of civilization¡ªit needs to burn. Only then can something pure rise from its ashes." Juniper forced herself to breathe, to focus on the task at hand. Stay alive, ensure her siblings were kept safe. She latched onto his words and drilled it into her head¡­ Anything to keep herself focused. A flicker of composure returned. "You''re overly zealous," she said, her voice flat. "And for what? The torture of innocent people?" They locked eyes. He smiled. "Overzealous?" He chuckled, deep and quiet. "Yeah. Yeah, I am." His expression sharpened, something almost fond flickering through the madness. "And so will you be, one day." The air shifted. His gaze searched hers, reading her like a tarot card and an open palm, beneath her bones. "There are no innocents, Juniper." His voice softened, turning almost poetic. "Do you feel it? The pull? That deep, yawning maw. The inevitable chaos that follows." She tensed. Then¡ªhe moved. Faster than she expected. His fingers brushed against her forehead, lingering, like a priest bestowing a blessing. His eyes fluttered shut, and he let out a slow, shuddering breath. "Yes¡­" he whispered, almost in awe. "You''ve been touched by it. By Heaven''s Hand." Her pulse slammed against her ribs. His grip tightened, fingers pressing in. "I can see it in you," he breathed. He started shaking uncontrollably, "A spirit persists in you." His head tilted, lips parting slightly. "You''re different." His voice wavered, a note of schizophrenic uncertainty slipping in. "You could be a messiah¡­ maybe¡­ maybe¡­" Then he switches up again. "Not unless I put a bullet in your head first." Her blood ran ice-cold. Then¡ªhe laughed. Again. The kind of laughter that didn¡¯t fit the situation, that made her skin crawl. [He knows more than he lets on.] Her system¡¯s words slammed into her like ice water. Was he a pawn in some bigger game, what did that make her, if she was lured here? ¡°Why else, Juniper?¡± He grinned, voice honeyed with something wrong. "Why else does someone like you pop up? So gifted, so multifaceted¡ª" Her fingers curled into fists. Her breath was ragged, and shallow. She closed her eyes. Pushed it down. When she spoke again, her voice was low, quiet¡ªdangerous. "Cut the shit, enough" she growled. "I''m tired. What do you want exactly?" Caldera¡¯s expression darkened, something cold and ugly curling behind his eyes. "Out," he muttered. His voice was rough, almost bitter. "I want out." He exhaled sharply, as if spitting the words from his mouth like poison. "The plan has failed." His fingers twitched. "I''ve been left for the dogs," he seethed. "Just another cog in the machine. They gave me everything¡ªmen, power, resources tailored to my needs, everything. And now?" His lip curled. "They abandoned me." Juniper narrowed her eyes. ¡°Who¡¯s they?¡± Annemarie asked. He ignored her, leaving the would be revelation a mystery. "This city¡ª" He gestured wildly at the flickering monitors. "It was supposed to burn. Anarchy should have erupted. My plans were to purge the unclean¡ª" His voice caught, and then, just as quickly, the frustration twisted into something cruel. His eyes flicked to her. Frowning, "You," he murmured. "Juniper." Something in his tone sent a spike of cold down her spine. "You like to throw punches¡ª" He snapped his fingers, and flames sparked. His hand pressed against her rips, pinning her as she was held. Then¡ªheat. A flicker. A glow. His ring ignited, fire licking up his fingers, and then¡ª Agony. She arched her body, and a sharp gasp came from her throat, as heat spread. At first, it was searing heat, but then her suit began to melt open. The fire ate through the materials. And then it touched her skin. White-hot. The ring, now a branding iron, pressed down. Juniper screamed. Her body convulsed, jerking violently against the grip of the men holding her. Her nerves shrieked. The pain was beyond anything she had ever felt. A system notification popped. [Durability +1, for enduring immense pain.] [Durability +1, for enduring immense pain.] [Durability +1, for enduring immense pain.] [Durability +1, for enduring immense pain.] Her screams tore from her throat, her voice left wrecked. He pulled away. She slumped forward, breath coming in shallow and broken. The pain was lingering, crawling through her body. And yet, she didn''t pass out. She didn''t even fall. Her head rolled slightly, her vision swimming, but she was still there. Still present. Caldera let out a breath, half-curious. "You''re still conscious." He tilted his head, eyes gleaming. "And sitting even." Her nerves screamed, and her body was trembling. But she didn¡¯t break. ¡°Amazing.¡± *** They were forced past a passage, two armored vans, plating heavy, back doors swung open. The spaces inside were tough and reinforced. Not meant for people. It was transport for goods. Annemarie scoffed. "Now what?" she muttered, struggling as the brute shoved her forward. ¡°Going to lock us up somewhere, use us¡­¡± Caldera sauntered closer, his charred suit carrying the acrid stench of old burns. He smiled¡ªslow, knowing, smug. "Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have time. I¡¯m taking a little trip," he murmured. "Off to the border. Mexico, maybe. Somewhere warm. Somewhere that isn¡¯t here." His eyes slid to Juniper, flickering. "But you¡ª" His voice dropped lower, conspiratorial. "You¡¯re my little panic button." Juniper forced herself to keep still, to not react. Caldera chuckled, adjusting his cuffs. "Ms. Pinewell, do you know how valuable you are?" She glared. "Enlighten me." "I¡¯ve been watching," he mused. "Paid good money for certain databases. And funny thing¡ª" He grinned, sharp and cutting. "You had a postmortem directive attached to your SCRA record." Juniper¡¯s heart stopped. Bullshit. He¡¯s fucking lying. He tilted his head, studying her. "Why do you think that is, hmm?" A beat. "In the event of your death¡ª" He gestured vaguely. "Plans to cut you open, send your body straight to a lab. No memorial. No grave. Just a dissection table and a bunch of eager little scientists waiting to tear you apart." Juniper clenched her fists, knuckles white. "You¡¯re so full of shit. Stop pulling it out of your ass" Caldera¡¯s grin widened. "Welcome to the cape world, sweetheart. The world of corruption, theft, debauchery, and lies. You¡¯ll be drowning in it soon." Annemarie gritted her teeth as the brutish guard pushed her towards the second van, a gun firmly on her neck. Caldera sighed theatrically. "They¡¯ll be storming this place any minute now. That drone? Didn¡¯t show up for nothing." His eyes flicked back to Juniper, gleaming. "But you, Juniper dear¡ªyou¡¯re my special little contingency plan. I¡¯m taking you over, ransom you there." Juniper¡¯s breath was slow, measured. "I hope you burn in hell." Caldera barked out a laugh. "Me too." Then he shoved her inside A Big mistake. . His fingers brushed against her skin, right at the base of her neck, the touch searing more in her mind than in reality. A system notification flashed. [Enough, Juniper. Get ready for an offensive.] Her breath hitched. Her vision sharpened. [Mimicry skill activated.] [Mimicry Analysis¡ª] [Technique: Technic Pyrokinetism ¨C Shape, control, and manipulate flames to an enhanced extent.] [User gains intrinsic understanding of incendiary weapon creation, on par with engineering expertise.] [Activate? Y/N] Juniper¡¯s fingers twitched. Caldera was climbing into the van. The doors slammed shut behind them. The engine rumbled to life, the heavy vehicle lurching forward. Her jaw tightened. "Yes," she whispered aloud. Caldera turned, watching her with vague amusement, like a cat watching a bird in a cage. Juniper exhaled, slow and controlled. She could kill him right now. It would be easy, to snap his neck but¨C Her veins thrummed with stolen power, heat licking at her fingertips, waiting¡ªbegging¡ªto be unleashed. But she didn¡¯t. Not yet. Not until he was vulnerable. Not until he couldn¡¯t stop her. Then¡ª Then she was going to burn him straight to hell. Chapter 48 - When the Smoke Clears The van rattled onward past a broken road, its tires grinding over dirt and loose stone humps, making the Van pivot constantly. Caldera swooshed the remote electronic device around, it would be as simple as a ping, and her home would go up in flames. He intended to take them along to the border, whether to sell them, to ransom them, or torture them. Leverage my ass. She didn¡¯t want to find out. Juniper¡¯s battered body felt every bruise and strain in her muscles flaring, every time the van hopped with the rhythm of their path. At the very least, It has given her some time to breathe, to let [Slow Regeneration] do its quiet work. The soreness dulled little by little, and her muscles only partially lost their tightness. She peered through the metal gaps of the soldered window, glimpsing into the moonlight¨Csoft, but it touched her through the glass, its glow settling on her. Not even the closed window kept it from reaching her. A small pulse of energy stirred within her, replenishing her strength bit-by-bit. It still wasn¡¯t a replacement for glucose or carbs. Caldera didn¡¯t know anything about me, really. How could he? If he did, he wouldn''t have dared to touched my neck. [Juniper, listen to my advice.] Sys-chan''s voice slipped through her thoughts, her eerie egocentrism halted and dead. Caldera smirked at her, his lips pulling at the edges of his half-charred face [About Technic Pyrokinetism.] She listened. [You understand how it works, don¡¯t you?] Yes. It''s more crafty than anything destructive, It can only manipulate flames that are produced. [Exactly. That fat ring on his finger¡ªit¡¯s an anchor. Without it, he has no control.] She shivered. The cold weight of heavy steel pressed against her skull. It had been a threat since she entered. But the gunman shifted uncontrollably. If she made one wrong move, her brain would be splattered on the floor. Could I survive that? Let¡¯s not find out. [The opportunity will present itself. Remember¡ªmimicry only works if the user is physically out of it, or if their mind is weaker than yours. And Caldera? His lunacy is a mask. Press him, and he will break apart.] So she had to wait? Bide her time? [Yes, then, when the moment comes¡ªspark his little finger. Burn him with his own power.] Juniper''s mind spun through the numbers, the risks, and how fast she should move from the barrel at what angle and what time. How far could she take the risk before she gave in, her ear, her neck, or her skull? [You can wield two abilities at once. I know it wrecks you. I know what it does to your body when you¡¯re tired. But you have to endure. One last time.] Her fingers curled into a fist. It¡¯s do or die. And she¡¯d be damned if she let a piece of garbage like Caldera get away with it. [I know you''re at your wit¡¯s end, but I have never lost faith in you. Even through your anger, hold on to something real. Elysium chose you for a reason. And yes¡ªit was predetermined by time. But look up. Luna has given you her favor. Your siblings will be fine.] Juniper exhaled sharply. Staring at the moon one last time. ¡°Thank you,¡± she murmured. Caldera¡¯s grin widened, and his head titled. ¡°For what, exactly, Juniper?¡± She didn¡¯t answer. Then the van lurched to a sudden stop. The engine stopped making a racket, dying and settling into the cold. The tires screech against the dusty fields. Outside, her heavy boots trampled against gravel. Someone was moving really fast. Caldera motioned a silent command to his gunman. He obeyed, pulling open the door, slow but with deliberate motion. Night air seeped inside, potent dust infiltrated the van, Juniper scrunched up her nose as it entered her nasal system, A masked man climbed inside, covered with rugged and rough rags and scarves. He moved sharply, controlled, with intent. A pistol, dangling in his hands, finger, close to the trigger. In his hand, he was clutching a crumpled-up scroll, the paper creasing from his twitchy fingers. The only reason he would have been using paper is if he wanted to hide something from digital surveillance. ¡°The route, out.¡± Caldera said impatient. ¡°Money first, or no deal.¡± the smuggler said, his voice tight, unreadable. He had an accident, likely originating from Baja California below or east from Sonora. Caldera smiled brightly, nodding. Then he reached into his pocket, retrieving something solid¨Cheavy, and golden. His fingers hesitated like he struggled to part with it. The gunman at the door tensed up, moving his gun away from Juniper and onto the chart smuggler. A silent warning. [Not yet. Annemarie could be vulnerable as you are now.] Right. She had another body to worry about. She let Sys-chan''s words settle, it unnerved her that she wasn¡¯t displaying her bubbly personality, she had grown accustomed to it. At any rate, she waited¡­ Caldera passed the slab, studying the man before him. ¡°I wonder what man lies beneath all those wrapped cloths.¡± His other hand, moved unseen, but Juniper heard it all the same, It was concealed, his pistol¨C aiming its iron barrel onto her back. Not yet, his hand was off the comm device, but¡­jumping now could be fatal. The smuggler hesitated. His hands started trembling. He started sweating down his face. He looked at Juniper briefly, her eyes meeting his, they were golden, she¡¯d find it beautiful if he wasn¡¯t some criminal creep. ¡°Lib¨¦rate de las cadenas que te atan, hermana.¡± he said to her. She didn¡¯t know what it meant, but liberate sounded very much like liberty, and liberty meant freedom. No honor amongst the dishonest? Or was he simply a friend a gold bar away. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°She¡¯s no prisoner, friend.¡± Caldera said anxiously. Whether it was her suit, the gun pressed against her back, her battered body¨Che knew neither of them shouldn¡¯t have been here. Caldera sneered. ¡°You¡¯re wasting my time.¡± He threw the gold bar on the floor of the Van. The smuggler hesitated. He snatched it, forcing the crumpled paper into Caldera¡¯s hand. He motioned but turned his head to Juniper. Then bolted. ¡°If you lied to me,¡± Caldera called after him, his voice dripping venom, ¡°When I find you I will personally scorch your balls off!¡± The smuggler didn¡¯t stop. His feet sprinted over the mini dunes. The gunman exhaled beneath his mask, he sounded tired. The barrel found its way back inside her face, staring her down. She turned back to Caldera. She closed her eyes while listening. His footsteps were fading fast, swallowed by the semidesert. Caldera sniffed in the air. Her captor frowned¡­ ¡°Untrustworthy fellow, Something smells foul¡­¡± He rapped his knuckles near the driver¡¯s seat, impatient. ¡°Hurry it up. I want to be out of this City state before tomorrow.¡± The van lurched forward, tires screaming against the sand. Dust stormed through the open door, thick, suffocating, it assaulted her throat. She coughed violently. The silent gunman slammed the door shut. The darkness of the night swallowed them whole. She pressed herself against the cold metal of the van, peering through the opposite window, staring and waiting. Twin headlights illuminated the ground through the dust, the other van, inside several figures shifted in the darkness. She saw beyond the Van¡¯s looming light, behind the other window, The big hired guard, standing in front of him, Annemarie''s head peeking out, just barely. Juniper¡¯s chest tightened. Annemarie had gone through with the plan, for her sake, she didn¡¯t need to, it was always against how she fought. But not just for Juniper¡¯s sake. Not for revenge. But for her siblings¡ªfor the sliver of hope that they might still live, and that Caldera hadn''t already done the deed¡­ Juniper had been wrong about her. She needed to make things right. [Now isn¡¯t the time for such thoughts. Don¡¯t imagine hypothetically that you couldn¡¯t possibly go off, focus on the task at hand.] The system¡¯s voice was steady, grounding. Even she switched up for her sake. She clenched her jaw. Caldera slumped against the steel wall, eyes hooded moving around, he was murmuring to himself, he was fidgeting, he was nervous. She wondered if the Sewer had been raided yet. Perhaps someone would know to pursue to rescue them. No, why would they? Hyperlight could be here in an instant, I''d also see Emery a mile away. We¡¯re on our own. Caldera started swelling in his own nonsensical monologue, ripping her from her thoughts. ¡°This city should never have existed,¡± he muttered, then turned his gaze to her, his half-charred face twisting in something almost reverent. He gave her a warm smile. ¡°People think the world just is¡ªlike an unchangeable fact. But it takes someone willing to break it down and rebuild it right.¡± His voice smoldered with self-righteous fervor. ¡°I wanted to be that catalyst. The changing of the guard. But they left me. Abandoned me in my hour of need.¡± Who were they? Seriously, who were these abandoning turncoats? [More villains, perhaps. Just keep your eye on that device. He could snap at any moment and remotely detonate it.] Juniper winced. How could she forget? The only reason she was here, the only reason she didn¡¯t beat him into the ground. She messed up and got her siblings involved. A sudden jolt rocked the van. Caldera¡¯s fingers twitched over the device. It nearly slipped from his grasp. Juniper dropped a sweat. [Wakey, Wakey] She nearly jumped forward¨Con pure instinct. No. Not yet. The van hit another deep rut, and for a moment, they were briefly lifted from their seats by a few millimeters, bodies weightless, and then gravity brought them down. There was something strange to it, normally a bump like that shouldn¡¯t be effective. ¡°Are you sure we¡¯re going the right way?¡± Caldera snapped at the masked driver. ¡°Is there a reason this terrain is so rough and jagged.¡± ¡°Yes, boss,¡± the man grunted. ¡°Unless his directions were a lie. There¡¯s a tunnel downhill¡ªour way out of the open¡­¡± She turned her head at the driver. It was the first time she¡¯d heard one of his men speak coherently. Or perhaps these men were of a different stock. No time to dwell on that. The walls of the van rattled, and minuscule things like boxes and small objects flew in the air, vibrating. She was sure of it now, Annemarie had a play in it. Juniper lacked her control and understanding. But her fingers were all over it. The gravity had been altered slightly and silently. Caldera¡¯s fingers-his bloody fingers-tightened around his little failsafe. Juniper didn¡¯t think. She lunged. She exploded. The pent-up sunlight she gathered, gathered in her center and then expanded violently with solar heat. She did it differently, like Emery did. The gunman lost his footing, panicking, a gunshot went off crackling and ricocheting inside the van. The bullet went past her head and through the driver''s window. She snatched the comm from his fragile little hands. His grip loosened. Then surging with a burst of [Iron drive], she crushed it between her palms. Brittle circuitry and plastic combust like weakened synthetic bone. His eyes went wide. ¡°You fool. I simply need to call on a com-¡± She shoved her balled fist in his face, rocking him in a daze. She grabbed him by the face. He was shouting, muffled, but furious. His breath was hot against his face. Then she blasted him point-blank. Light flared in her palms, searing into his face. He screamed. Forced his way out of her grasp, he clutched his face in agony. His rage overpowered his pain. He snarled at her, punching his fist into her gut. She doubled over, her air ripped away from her lungs. But she forced herself upright. No hesitation. No weakness. Not here. The driver peaked behind, not knowing if he was supposed to stop or continue driving. His finger snapped towards his ring, it flickered open. A small ember, a flame coming to life¨Cno larger than the width of a pointed candle. Then he snapped it again. The fire grew, leaping towards her, stretching unnaturally, aiming straight for her chest. Juniper met it head-on. Snapped her own fingers. In response. [Technic Pyrokinetism.] The flames sparked backward, what had been controlled turned into a deadly whirlwind, of uncontrollable fire. The blaze touched his face. He reeled back, screaming as the fire ate at him, licking his, already burned, face. His own fire, feeding on himself. His face contorted into disbelief. ¡°What the hell?! When the fuck did you steal it?!¡± Juniper gritted her teeth. Manipulating was one thing, controlling it without experience was a game of tug-of-war. The gunman stirred behind, shuffling. No! Simultaneously tapping into [Iron Drive] and [Gravitational Distortion]. Making herself deliberately heavier with gravity, she stomped the van floor. The vehicle lurched, and she heard one of the tires burst. Caldera fell on his ass. Then stood up, lunging at her, as he regained his balance, he came swinging at her with raw fury. His fist met her face¨Cshe snapped to the side¨Cbut it was not enough with [Iron drive] amping her physical attributes. She countered. Burying her fists in his ribs. Crack! His body slammed against the Van wall. The driver shouted in panic, his hand twitching over the wheel, he was losing control of the vehicle, and he didn¡¯t know whether to turn back or to fight. She turned on the gunman, He shot at her but misfired, due to being unbalanced. She slapped his gun away, sending it across the van floor. A knock to the stomach sent him reeling over the ground. She pivoted to Caldera, gripping his wrist. He winced. Her fingers tight. She slipped the ring from his finger. It clung stubbornly to his skin¨Cway too tight- but she twisted hard. Something snapped, maybe his finger. ¡°You bitch!¡± She didn¡¯t care. The ring was hers now. It was too big for her hand, but she used it anyway. She flicked it like a lighter, and fire erupted. It exploded, a chain reaction uncontrolled, wild. The van''s interior exploded with the sudden heat. He howled. The flame spread everywhere, they burned everything inside. His clothes ignited, hungry, and the flames devoured the fabric. She directed it to the best of her will, concentrating on lessening the arc, on him. She wanted him to burn. He deserved to suffer. But¡ª The driver panicked, and the wheel jerked. The van swerved hard. Juniper staggered backward. The gunman grabbed her from behind, his arms locking around her like iron chains. Then the air twisted, and the unstable van titled over. She could feel it clearly now. Annemarie''s work. She was helping, the van started rolling. She started levitating, her body hit the roof. And her world spun as metal screamed, the fire died. Then she hit the wall, like an orbital crashing rag doll, the van tumbled downhill rolling and then¨C An impact and the world went quiet. Silence. And some more Silence. ****** Which cover looks better? This one or the one I put up
Chapter 49 - First Light Everything was calm, still, and quiet. She stirred, moving her aching body, the seats she sat on was on the opposite end of her vision. The van laid on its head, it¡¯s creaking metal groaning in protest. Smoke thickened the air, and curled intensively. Her ears were ringing like a church bell, she forced herself to move through her swimming mess of a head. Caldera groaned, half-conscious. The driver was out cold. The van¡¯s systems were offline. Cutting off any hopes of alternative communication, the maniac had. He couldn¡¯t blackmail her anymore. She kicked the door open. It resisted and then fell off with one swift swoop. She crawled out of it. Dragging herself into the air. She struggled to breathe. The dust was thick here, and so was the smoke. Smoke? Her eyes caught flames. The other van was on fire. They had put chemicals and canisters inside before they left. Annemarie was inside that van, her mind went through several possibilities, ideas? She panicked and called out to her friend and ally. My Friend? ¡°Anne!¡± she shouted in fear, her voice physically altered, hoarse. There was no response. Nothing. Not a peep. ¡°Annemarie!¡± She turned, she couldn¡¯t stand still. Limping forward to scan their immediate surroundings, perhaps if she acted fast enough, they can avoid any gruesome fate. Something clicked¨Crecognition. She was here before, briefly passed it, it was close to the sea, the mountain pass. The border, the military base, the beach. She didn¡¯t forget. It was a great day she had then. She and Kanako, the girls she met. It was only a few days ago, yet it felt so long away. A nasty realization stabbed through her. If the military patrolled these grounds. They could be ¡®summoned.¡¯ She could call for help. Her pulse hammered. She had one shot at this. She turned her trembling hands, to the full view of the moon. Light surged from her palm, gathering into a concentrated beam. She hesitated, where exactly should she shoot it? The sky, the roads, or maybe¡­ Like a strobe light. She let it flicker, flashing unmistakable sos into the night, the entire city would be able to see it. It shone brightly into the darkened sky. Bright and desperate. Then¨C A maniacal cackle erupted behind her followed by Gunshots. She spun around. Too late. Her heart dropped. But the bullets never reached her, they lost their energy midair. They dropped to the dirt. Caldera stood there, fuming, wild-eyed, a couple of extra burns on his face. The air distorted, and a bruised figure stood behind her. Annemarie stood and watched Caldera. Silent like a guardian angel. His expression twisted. He sprinted towards her, grabbing her legs and yanking Juniper down. Then¨C A rock hit him on the side of his skull and he went limp, thrashing into the dirt. Annemarie had shot it out by means of levitation?. Since when could she do that? A heavy gun cocked. Her head snapped. The massive bodyguard stood there, his clothes in holes and tatters. Annemarie stared him down, beckoning him to shoot. Daring him. He lowered his gun, shaking his head. Then he ran away. His heavy legs burrow in the sand. He didn¡¯t make it far. Dozen''s of buzzing noices could be heard at once, approaching them. A drone came out of nowhere, zapping at him. The bodyguard fell to the ground, unconscious. Juniper recoiled. More drones started swarming, humming and buzzing, like little insects. They surrounded them in Dyson sphere formation, but did nothing. Then¡ª her ears shook as a horn started blasting. Engines started roaring from the distance¨Cthey came closer and closer still. The drones circled back, out of view. She turned. All-terrain vehicles, the insignia of the Pacifica national defense force stamped on the bonnet of the vehicles. Headlights cut through the smoldering smoke, blinding her. A military patrol. It worked. Her plan had worked, and they were so fast¡­ The convoy surrounded them all in a precise, practiced formation. They flooded out, forming tight groups, rifles trained on everyone, even her. Caldera groaned, staggering. What was left of his goons rallied behind, him, they held out their guns but waited. Caldera snapped. He screamed, voice raw, unhinged. Stolen story; please report. In one final, desperate act, he snapped his finger, concentrating on the burning wreck of the van as a flame anchor. He flung his hands toward the van. The flames contorted, rising like a living beast, creating something high in the air. The flames roared, gathering fuel and mixing with the sandy wind. A would be firestorm. She braced herself as he threatened to bring him down, grabbing Annemarie close, and hoping for the best. A few shots went out, slamming into his legs. He collapsed, and his firestorm crumbled as well. The inferno lost its controller, sputtering and collapsing into the sand. His men, fell to the ground in fear and defeat. They turned towards her¨Crifles aimed at her. Her knees buckled. She went weak. Body screaming in overexertion. She dropped to the ground. Barely able to hold herself upright. A soldier stepped forward, confusion etched in his face. He loomed over her, waving his gun and a flashlight in his hands. ¡°You¡ªcape. Identify yourself.¡± Juniper¡¯s breath hitched. ¡°I¡ªI''m¡­¡± Annemarie stood beside her, hands raised, waiting. Silent. Then¡ª Another engine roared. This one was different. Naked. Raw. Unrelenting. Smaller than their vehicles. Someone else was coming. A military buggy skidded to a stop, kicking up dust and gravel. Four figures sat inside¨C all too familiar. Except for the metallic figure at the wheel. In the back of the open buggy, stood Francesca, her curly hair blowing in the wind, relief on her face. She waved frantically. ¡°Hey!!!¡± The soldiers snapped to attention, caught between controlling the situation and confusion. Evelyn stepped out. A short capelit on her back, and a beret above her reddish hair. She moved with precision and authority, shoulders squared together, The air of command leaving her body. Terminal¨C frail and scrawny, lurked behind her. Scanning the scene until he locked on Juniper. He followed Evelyn like he was her lost little brother. She caught a glimpse of wonder in his eyes. The man in the driver¡¯s seat sat still. He was clad in black armor, cybernetic light glinting off him in the moonlight, a sword rested on his back¨Ccruel and efficient. He looked more like a ghost than a man. The soldiers froze. Then¨C ¡°Commander!¡± They saluted Evelyn. Commander? [Perhaps there¡¯s a reason more to the reason she runs a vigilante group, but don¡¯t ponder about it right away.] It made sense, she commanded authority wore, military gear, and carried a gun with her all the time, and yet¨C It didn¡¯t matter now. She was free. She stumbled toward her boss. Barely still a stranger and now a sign of relief. A soldier ran straight towards, aiming directly against her. ¡°Stop¨C¡± Evelyn said. ¡°These two are mine.¡± Juniper bolted past him, breathing raggedly as she reached her, grabbing her arms. ¡°My neighborhood¡ª¡± she panted, ¡°Is it okay? Did an explosion go off¡ª?¡± Evelyn¡¯s expression softened. ¡°No,¡± she reassured her. ¡°It¡¯s still there. We heard everything. We acted fast. Not only that, but we prioritized securing it first. Sorry, we took so long.¡± Then, did she fall into his trap for no reason? Terminal adjusted his glasses, voice sharp, analytical. ¡°My drone caught the transmission. When you blew it up, some of the internal modules survived. We were tracking you. But you moved so fast. The SCRA is actively raiding the underground compound of the arsonist cult as we speak.¡± Evelyn exhaled, her hands settling on her hips. ¡°What you did was reckless.¡± Juniper stiffened. ¡°Under no circumstances should you ever do that again.¡± A beat. ¡°But¡­ I get it. It was your first day, and you were put in a horrible position. That¡¯s on me. I shouldn¡¯t have let you go. I¡¯m sorry, Mimicry.¡± Mimicry She nearly forgot they were capes, no first-named bases. Juniper looked down, her face hanging heavy. She didn¡¯t know what to say. Then Francesca ran up to her, crushing her in a fierce, breath-stealing embrace. She rose slightly, towering over Juniper. Juniper stiffened¡ªthen melted into it. It was awkward, but Francesca had been nice enough to care for her in the past. A second later, Terminal awkwardly leaned in, making it a messy, lopsided, almost comical group hug. She didn¡¯t care. Because it was real. It was over. The cybernetic swordsman¡ªgave her a silent nod. A familiar one. He must be Metal Ronin. And Of course. It was John. The same man who had driven her home once. The same man who had silently looked out for her. Evelyn stepped past them, approaching Caldera¡¯s limp form. Francesca, still half-clinging to Francesca, muttered, ¡°So¡­ is he the big bad?¡± Evelyn spat on the ground. ¡°No. Just another pawn. Let¡¯s leave the information for debriefing,¡± Her gaze flicked to the remaining pyromaniacs, now restrained. ¡°Brainwashed fools.¡± The soldier approached hesitantly, stepping in front of Evelyn. ¡°Commander¡­ It¡¯s Arkangeal now yes, This is a weird situation,¡± he muttered. ¡°My field commander should be here soon. I can¡¯t explain this.¡± Evelyn nodded. ¡°Not a problem, Sergeant. I¡¯ll handle it. SCRA should be here soon too, a full party, I can hardly wait.¡± The soldier giggled nervously. A full party meant a mess was on your hands. Juniper looked down at her hands. Bloody, shaken, burned. She had woken up this morning thinking she would go on a shopping trip with Kanako. Now¡ª Now she was something else. A different person. A person the city had seen. She had seen dead bodies, and people being killed in real time, bonded briefly with a strange girl. The SCRA had forced her hand, she got tangled¨C [Shut up Juniper. For once, calm down. Relax. Go home.] Syschan¡¯s voice flickered through her mind like static. She was right, she wanted to see her siblings. She wanted some rest. Juniper blinked, eyes suddenly wet, and turned to Evelyn. ¡°Can I go home now?¡± Evelyn¡¯s expression softened. She gave her a small, gentle hug. ¡°Of course. You¡¯ve been through a lot. Take it easy. Metal Ronin will take you home.¡± Juniper hesitated. She pointed at the shot man on the ground, he was still breathing. ¡°He¡­ knows who I am. He implied he paid for information from some mole or government official or something. I-¡± Evelyn only shushed her. ¡°Forget about it. I¡¯ll handle everything. We¡¯ll deal with everything else, later, alright?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Evelyn brushed passed her. Turning to Annemarie. Neither of them spoke, Evelyn shoulder fell on her. Her eyes were distant, she was exhausted. Juniper watched them. The soldiers. The capes. The scattered bodies of the goons. There was no going back. She wasn¡¯t the shut-in kid she had once been. She was part of something now. And she hated that. Her freedom slipped away. A sharp ping echoed in her mind. A flickering screen appeared before her. [...The user survived against improbable odds.] [...Trajectory altered considerably.] ***** [SYSTEM ALERT: CRISIS AVERTED.] [Event: Potential Catastrophic Incident Active in Zone [Pacifica Central District].] [RISK LEVEL: HIGH. Chance of User Mortality: 47%.] [Calculating Rewards¡­] [Randomizing Rewards¡­] **** _All-purpose stat boost +1 _Enhance the passive of the user¡¯s choice A final prompt blinked at her. [Choose a Passive] She¡¯d do it later. Right now¡ª She just wanted to go home. Chapter 50 - Cold Drinks and Warm Heads [Reupload] [Fixes] Being driven around in a buggy made Juniper feel hyper-conscious of herself. It wasn¡¯t its wacky suspension or the fact that every bump nearly sent them hurtling¨Cit was the fact that the civilian populace were driving normal cars, and yet she was stuck in this thing. Out In public. Of course, she wasn¡¯t ungrateful, having to fly here would be painful. However, it was a good thing they were driving outside the inner city. She didn¡¯t want to be caught on someone¡¯s camera in this thing. The buggy smelled like oxidized iron, and gasoline, the exhaust fumes lingered in the back of her throat, barely tolerable but ever-present. She shifted in the backseat, uncomfortable, being stuck in this suit half a day. Sweat and brimstone. Francesca, hyper-casual and super friendly, reached into an isolated cooler in the back compartment and shoved a cold can of some obscure drink in Juniper¡¯s hand. The condensing liquid slid down her fingers. ¡°Try it. It¡¯s an import,¡± Francesca said with a warm grin. Juniper turned the can in her hand, trying to make sense of the brand name¨Csome energy drink from Japan filled with a neon, futuristic logo. Maybe Kanako would know. She took a hesitant sip. It was very sweet, aggressively so, like gassed-up liquid candy with a lab-made fruit she was sure didn¡¯t exist in nature. She took another chip, then another. Then it became addicting, she started chugging. The ungodly amount of sugar, and mystery chemicals, hit her system like an airliner crashing into a skyscraper. She pressed the cold can across her heated body. Onto her face, her neck, and her chest. She let it sting. Her skin flushing reddish in response. John drove with one hand, the other scratching his messy beard, there were what looked like food stains on it. His helmet was off now, and in all honesty, it made him look like less of a mall ninja, you see skulking around looking for strange trinkets at 10 AM. His expression was tight, completely irritated, like he had 1000 thousand things to do, once this was over. Terminal and Annemarie had stayed behind with Evelyn. The same Evelyn, who, despite everything, had been strangely lenient up to now. In a few days, she¡¯d have to attend a debriefing, as she was partly responsible for stopping the crisis. A gathering of god-knew-how-many capes in a single cramped hallway, and they would be scrutinizing her. [Can you imagine the chaos? A hundred capes jammed together like sardines. It¡¯s like a hydrogen bomb waiting to go off. (? ? ??) BOOM] I¡¯d rather not. I¡¯ve done enough imagination for a day. Francesca, leaned back against her seat, watching the city lights pass by under the open-frame windows of the buggy. Neon danced with the shadows. Juniper watched her expressions. ¡°Can I ask a question?¡± Juniper¡¯s voice came out more hesitant than she wanted. These people were still strangers to her, no matter what they claimed, or how much they expressed their concerns. ¡°Those soldiers¡­ they called Miss Evelyn ¡®Commander.¡¯¡± John tensed and exhaled through his nose. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Once, you should probably hear from her. But before Operation Bell Brigade existed, there was Operation Black Brigade. It was military. That¡¯s all I can say without opening a can of messy worms.¡± She furrowed her eyebrows. So, Evelyn was some kind of military commander before this. How did she end up knee-deep in cape nonsense? She also sought Juniper out. Did that mean she saw her as a soldier too? A pawn on a chessboard? She did admit, that she recruited me for a reason. [Can the cynicism, Jun. You¡¯re hurting yourself.] She shifted again, loosening the tight seatbelt. Her body brimmed with ache, muscles stiff, her skin stinging from healing mid-work. [Regeneration] was an odd sensation, sometimes she could feel hundreds of little prickles, jabbing at her, very itchy. The adrenaline had started completely fading, leaving her like a wrecked potato, thrown in a pot, and steam rolled. ¡°You know¡­¡± John spoke up again, coughing. ¡°You can¡¯t go home in that suit. Especially not unmasked. You¡¯ll stand out. Get spotted, get doxxed.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Juniper shot him a wary glance. ¡°Wait. You expect me to strip? Right here? In the car?¡± John groaned. ¡°That is not what I said.¡± ¡°Sounds like what you said,¡± Francesca smirked, chin propped on her hand. ¡°You just want to see her strip, don¡¯t you, you greasy old man?¡± John, predictably, scowled, gripping the wheel tighter. ¡°I was thinking about civilian exposure, dammit.¡± Francesca laughed, entirely unbothered, and turned to Juniper. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. John¡¯s a gentleman. He won¡¯t peek. We always keep spare clothes in the vehicles for situations like this. Now hurry up before he combusts from sheer awkwardness.¡± Nervous, but eager to be rid of the suit, she nodded. Juniper took the offered tracksuit handed to her. The fabric was cheap, but scratchy and smelled like laundry detergent and plastic packaging. [Ooh, that¡¯s a lot of skin you¡¯re showing in front of two strangers. Careful¡ªmake a habit of it, and you might start enjoying the whole ¡®changing on the go¡¯ thing.] Juniper flushed, giving Francesca small peeks, who was keeping an eye on John while simultaneously staring Juniper down. She probably had no idea how Juniper felt about women, there had been a brief flirty encounter during their last meeting but nothing serious, just pure banter. Or was that just Juniper¡¯s brain racking up dust? Did she have a problem, thinking most women who were nice to her, were gay for her? She yanked the tracksuit pants on, pulling the hoodie over her head. ¡°Issue solved?¡± she muttered. ¡°Not quite.¡± Francesca playfully covered John¡¯s eyes with both hands. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m driving here!¡± ¡°Nuh-uh.¡± she teased him. Juniper cut in before their back-and-forth could spiral. ¡°The suit¡ªcan I take it home? It¡¯s a friend¡¯s.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± John shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d advise against it, you don¡¯t want to be seen carrying a burned suit around right now, would you? And don¡¯t worry¡ªwe¡¯ll take it to R&D, patch it up, and then you can decide what to do with it.¡± Would Emery be okay with that? She exhaled, finishing off the last sip of her drink. The cold bubbled in her stomach, but did not make her feel good. She was still numb, floating somewhere in a distant universe. She stayed conscious only because she needed to get home really quick. The pavement was the other option. Dive out the car, and plant herself there for a while. Enjoy the feeling of a cold rough sidewalk, it wouldn¡¯t expect much from her, nor would it reject her. It would be nice. Without warning, whilst her guard is off. She was yanked away from her seat, Francesca pulled her close, arms wrapped around her, giving her an unobtrusive hug. She stiffened. Was Francesca the designated hugger of OBB or something? She seemed like the type. Too caring. Too warm. Too cuddly. Stolen story; please report. Juniper didn¡¯t need more ¡®sisters¡¯, and yet she didn¡¯t pull away, staying in her embrace. ¡°You okay, Juniper?¡± The now small giantess''s voice was soft, just above a whisper. She stayed still, then she realized she was shaking¨Cnot from the cold, but from everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. The fighting. The blood. The dread. The fear. The dead.Some part of her wanted to say no, but¡­ ¡°I was ready to kill him,¡± she murmured, shaky. Her voice sounded distant to her ears like she wasn¡¯t the one speaking. ¡°I thought¡ª¡± The words caught in her throat and refused to come out. John, still focused on the road, turned his head to her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t get easier,¡± he said, quiet but firm. ¡°And it¡¯s going to get a lot more dangerous.¡± He paused as if weighing his words. ¡°But you¡¯ve gotten stronger. And you¡¯ve got people willing to look out for you. You might not believe it yet, but we¡¯ll be here for you if you need us.¡± She didn¡¯t say anything. Just stayed in that spot, pressed against Francesca, who seemed perfectly content. They went under an overpass, the buggy¡¯s headlights illuminating black tar. Overhead peering down and from a bridge a group of capes hovered across the bridge, watching them pass. John lifted his hand and flipped his middle finger at them. The capes stared at him, antagonized, their arms crossed. It wasn¡¯t worth it, they flew away into the city. Francesca grinned and waved after them like they were old friends. ¡°Who were they?¡± Juniper asked, voice still a little hoarse. ¡°Just some SIOC dickheads, looking for trouble,¡± Francesca said breezily. ¡°They do that from time to time.¡± Juniper¡¯s mind settled on Renegade, the obnoxious super drunk, but she didn¡¯t say anything. John replied ¡°Don¡¯t know¡¯em personally. Too many asshats to keep track of. Say what you want about our methods, at least we do our jobs.¡± Methods, right? She kept forgetting. These weren¡¯t heroes. Though they acted like it. They weren¡¯t bound by the same rules. They did what needed to be done, occasionally, whether the law liked it or not. And John¡ªJohn was a trained killer. A known assassin. She wondered what his powers were beyond being a cybernetic killing machine. It should¡¯ve scared her more than it did. Francesca smirked, nudging her lightly. ¡°Worst day ever, right?¡± Juniper pressed her fingers to her temples. Her head felt hot. Maybe she was working up a fever, or maybe it was something worse. ¡°I guess so.¡± The city shifted around them. The towering glow of neon of the districts dimmed away, fading into sidewalks cracked and in need of repair. The traffic had all but disappeared. Petal pass- or district 76. Home. The buildings lowered themselves, windows darker, and storefronts were often shuttered closed, or abandoned. The few cars on the road made sure to steer well away from the buggy. The people in this neighborhood knew when to duck and cover, it hadn¡¯t seen a good few years in a long time. The buggy came to a grinding stop. Skidding awkwardly, Juniper bounced in the backseat, unclipping her seatbelt. ¡°Here¡¯s fine, right?¡± John asked. Juniper nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± Francesca finally let her go, smiling. ¡°Have a good night, Juniper.¡± Would she though? ¡°Y-You too, John, Francesca.¡± They waved her off, as she stepped off, the buggy did a U-turn and sped away like a speedster. Sending dust and tarbits into the air. Leaving her standing alone on a block away from home. Well. Sort of. She started walking. No fire had reached her neighborhood. No burnt-out buildings, no sirens, no acidic smoke poisoning the air. Here she was on her familiar cracked streets, near unmaintained streetlights, untouched by chaos. She walked onwards, letting her fingers grind against the fences and walls, next to the sidewalk. The air was quieter now. Calmer. The distant hums of late-night commutes are gone. The apartment complex drew nearer, unchanged over the years, like an awkward and poorly constructed puzzle. Every step forward, her tracksuit rustled in the wind¨Ca cheap, and stiff fabric which didn¡¯t quite fit her. [You¡¯re gonna need to invest in a wardrobe soon. And not just the cape kind¡ªyou¡¯ve already lost two outfits to cape fights.] ¡°Yeah,¡± she muttered. She wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk to her own head. ¡°It does feel good to be out of that suit, though. I think I need a nice warm shower.¡± [A shower, and maybe something stronger than regret in your cup afterward. Coffee. Tea. Something that doesn¡¯t taste like burnt gasoline and burnt plastic¡­] ¡°You don¡¯t have a tongue¡­¡± [Buuutt¡­ I get little slivers of sensory information from your neurons and synapses. So I know what you do with your tongue, and your hands, even when you sleep. ] ¡°Okay¡­ Okay¡­ Creepy much.¡± she said, rubbing her face. [Would it help if I promised not to judge?] ¡°Honestly no,¡± Stopping in front of the smaller gate, she instinctively reached for her phone, muscle memory. ¡°Huh¡­oh,¡± She remembered-both her phones were broken. Both hers and Annemarie¡¯s. Whether she had broken Annemarie¡¯s work or personal phone, she had no idea. In any case, she owed her more than that. She stepped forward, letting the scanner read her face. The gate unlocked with a click and then let out a metallic groan. She barely made it inside, before a familiar voice stopped her. ¡°Juniper Pinewell, late again.¡± She closed her eyes, already regretting entering at this time. Perhaps she could still turn back? Jeez, did this woman ever rest? Ms. Louise, the nosey landlord, lurked beyond the gate. Standing in a nightgown and some slippers. It seemed she had nothing else to but to watch tenants for slip ups. ¡°Where¡¯d you run off to this time?¡± Louise sniffed. ¡°Out clubbing? Seeing more strange men again?¡± Juniper forced a smile, even managed a small, breathy giggle. Actually, she did, bar the fact that she was just held at gunpoint by a strange man. ¡°Ah, not at all¡­¡± Louise didn¡¯t look convinced. Instead, she changed the subject. ¡°You know, there¡¯s been an exorbitant number of delivery drivers showing up here. All for your apartment floor. That little sister of yours kept running out to grab boxes.¡± She narrowed her eyes. ¡°Did you win the lottery or something?¡± Juniper nearly choked on nothing. Effy. Had she seriously gotten a hold of Remy¡¯s bank account? Was she ordering excessive amounts of stuff? Juniper was going to have to talk with her brother. The money was nice, and she was going to be making even more soon, but she wasn¡¯t about to let Effy go wild with it. ¡°No, Ms. Louise,¡± she said, forcing a laugh. ¡°I just got a job.¡± Louise squinted, skeptical. ¡°In that?¡± Juniper glanced down at herself. The tracksuit. Cheap, wrinkled, informal. ¡°Uh¡­ oh no,¡± she backtracked quickly. ¡°Late-night function. We did a little marathon. A Team-building exercise.¡± She gestured vaguely. ¡°They said it was good for work morale.¡± Ms. Louise raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. Juniper kept pushing through the lie. ¡°The HR department made us do it since the office was, uh¡­ unavailable, you know, because of the fires.¡± She clapped her hands together. ¡°It was¡­ fun.¡± She said it. Knowing full well she had just traded blows with a psychopathic cult leader, if that is even what he was. Got burned, nearly had her arms broken, and probably busted a shin or two. The fire. The screams. The bodies. She wanted to stop thinking about it. ¡°Office worker, huh?¡± Louise still didn¡¯t seem convinced, but her tone softened. ¡°Well, you still haven¡¯t come by to try my remedies.¡± Oh, god. Remedies more like poison made in hell. ¡°I got isotropic ginseng imported from a place called Churnabell, It¡¯s from the Russian republic I think.¡± [Sounds a lot like Chernobyl. I¡¯d stay miles away from this lady¡¯s concoction. Unless you want to wake up with a diagnosis of irradiated and radioactive queerness.] Juniper nearly grunted, but stifled a laugh. Not much, but some. ¡°Maybe some other time.¡± She politely bowed her head, and clasped her hands together. ¡°I really have to got now.¡± The woman protested, but Juniper was gone. She fled, bolting up the stairs before Louise could pitch her another experimental tea. She gives it a year before Louise gets arrested for manufacturing illegal substances. Best steer far away. Her footsteps felt heavier with every step. The elevator was an option, but she felt like if she stood still for too long, she¡¯d lurch again. When she reached her floor, she stopped in front of her door. Voices were loud and expressive. Inside, they were arguing. No¡ªbickering. She let out a slow breath. They were safe. Sure, She, Effy, and Remy fought like rabid animals over stupid things, but damn if it wasn¡¯t her anchor. The noise, the warmth, the alive-ness of it all. Her fingers found the doorknob. Then hesitated. Instead, she turned and walked a few steps down the hall, stopping in front of Kanako¡¯s door. There was a chance she was back. A small one rather. Their day had been ruined, she¡¯d like to make up for it. She did just lose her expensive car, though, she wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it more than soured her mood. She knocked. Once. Then again. Her chest tightened. She hesitated, hand hovering for a third knock. Maybe she should leave a note. But she didn¡¯t have any paper on her. Juniper might not be here in the morning. And with her phone broken. No phone to message her. Kanako didn¡¯t even keep social media. It felt like she was being punished again. Just for existing. They were just supposed to be shopping. Why didn¡¯t Juniper just run when she had the chance? If she had, Kanako wouldn¡¯t have been dragged into this. She felt responsible, in a way, she should¡¯ve done more to warn her, perhaps going as far as staying inside all day. [What about those people, Juniper?] ¡°What people?¡± [If you hadn¡¯t run into that building¡ªif you hadn¡¯t saved that agent from that brute, or carried that girl to the hospital¡ªhow many more would¡¯ve died? You¡¯re a hero. You threw yourself into the fire. And you came out stronger for it.] Yes. It was true. And it still felt unfair. She couldn¡¯t get what she wanted, right now, she wanted someone like Kanako close to her. She let her hand drop, stepping away from Kanako¡¯s door. She wanted to be pissed. She wanted to not care. So she let her feelings dwell. But even that felt exhausting. With a slow breath, she turned back to her apartment. The moment she opened the door, warmth rushed over her. The glow of the lights, the mess of voices, the comforting clutter of a home that was still hers. She stepped inside. Juniper wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake again. She couldn¡¯t lose them. Chapter 51 - Before the Next Dawn As the door creaked open, a warm, glowing golden light greeted Juniper¨Csoft, familiar, messy, and cozy, like a home that never stopped waiting for her. Something smelled very rich, and savory, it danced in her nostrils. Stuck to the air warm and moist, with an overzealous amount of pepper and salt. Heated tomato, something Italian perhaps? Like heated bread, but in abundance. She had a ridiculous thought. Did I forget to smell? Laughter bellowed before she could step inside. Euphemia darted around a dazed Remy, they were locked in some absurd game of couch tag. Call it tower-defense if you will. She skimmed over the battlefield they had left. One of Effy¡¯s shoes lay abandoned at the door, the other in a distant corner. Remy¡¯s sweater lay draped over a couch, like a makeshift flag. There were piles of paper, napkins, and a crumpled mess of who-knows-what-that-is on the floor. She¡¯d only been gone for eleven hours or so. And yet, It looked like a week¡¯s worth of trouble during her absence. Until she saw the real catastrophe or rather, household atrocity. Pizza boxes stacked. Not one. Not two. But a mountain of them. Like a fortress¨C balanced like a failed toy tower. There were some retail, heavy retail bags, brands that looked expensive, lined up on the counter. She didn¡¯t even want to know what they had bought. She¡¯d rather not be stiff about it, on the eve of her homecoming. Euphemia turned at the sound of Juniper entering, her eyes wide, a half-eaten slice of pizza dangling from her mouth. She froze like a deer caught on the road, staring at headlights. Except, Juniper was the headlights. Remy scratched the back of his head, looking guilty. ¡°I, uh¡­ wanted to spoil her a bit,¡± He said, uncomfortable. ¡°I kinda let her get to my head.¡± She blinked at both of them sternly, then at the mess, the greasy scent of fast food mixed with the stale undertone of unwashed laundry. The humming television, unchanged like it was always on. The tower of unnecessary dishes, the furniture, moved abruptly to accommodate Effy¡¯s whims. Her siblings, staring at her, unscathed, unharmed. Remy shifted again. ¡°Juno, are you¡­ mad?¡± Mad? No. She was absolutely appalled, that she missed out on this. She started laughing, the kind of laughter that bubbled up without a sign, pure and unrestrained. They gave her weirder looks, Effy stepped away slightly, fearing coming danger, lining up for danger. Then, she lunged at him before he could react¨Ccrashing into him, giving him a strangling hug. He let out a startled nose, then became stiff as he squirmed. His hands awkwardly found her back. He started patting her like she was some kind of exotic animal that he didn¡¯t quite know what to do with. ¡°A-are you okay?¡± Effy peeked out from behind her pizza box fortress, watching her with an expression Jun couldn¡¯t quite place. Like she was staring into the unknown, something strange and anomalous, like they had met for the first time. ¡°Hey, uh¡­¡± Remy cleared his throat. ¡°I was gonna tell you¡­ Effy may have, uh¡­ spent close to a thousand dollars. I hope that¡¯s not a big deal?¡± Juniper arched a brow. Right now? It wasn¡¯t. What she would get from her ¡®work¡¯ would outweigh this by multitudes. It was nothing. Effy¡¯s survival instincts kicked in a second too late. She bolted. Juniper stretched her aching limbs, then gave pursuit. Her body started protesting, but she caught up to Effy in time, grabbing the girl before she could run away. Effy let out a wounded yelp before dissolving into wild giggles as Juniper threw her into the air, making her kick her feet madly. Planting it several times in Juniper¡¯s stomach, before she restrained her. They twirled like two objects caught in orbit, a black hole of laughter and spindly limbs, then she collapsed on the couch in a breathless heap. Tickling Effy until she gasped for her air, then stopped. Time past. And she just sat there with them, feeling the weight of what she still had to fight for. When was the last time she¡¯d felt this sudden lightness and warmth? She shoved all her pain away. And let herself be happy for once. They¡¯d settle down, all three of them sprawled in front of the couch, limbs tangled in exhaustion. The TV flickered, and some dumb comedy was actively airing on the network. She didn¡¯t particularly care for the content, but the bad jokes and rehearsed laughter were comforting. She didn¡¯t realize how hungry she was until she started eating¨Cno, inhaling¨C absurd amounts of pizza. Biting and slurping, barely chewing, and not tasting it at all, just shoveling it down her throat like a processing machine. She was long overdue for maintenance. The sauce was overpowering, but she didn¡¯t care. Fuel was fuel, she needed to run an engine of a body. The duo stared at her with silent awe and outright disbelief. Effy didn¡¯t enjoy it for long, before she opened a can of badly preserved worms. ¡°Juniper, where were you all day, and where¡¯d you get that tracksuit?¡± She choked on the pizza. Washing it down with some soda, before coughing into her sleeves. Her mind raced. She could lie. She should lie. It wasn¡¯t about whether she was allowed to tell the truth¡ªshe was. But what Effy might do with that truth? That was the real problem. She¡¯d make it a public event. ¡°I, uh¡­ a friend bought it for me?¡± Effy squinted, her face full of suspicion. She didn¡¯t want the girl to speculate where she could have been. Remy, sensing danger, started fidgeting. ¡°Then why are you back so late?¡± Effy pressed. ¡°You don¡¯t usually go anywhere but the kitchen and the toilet. Did you leave with Ms. Kanako?¡± Oh dear, more holes to fill. Juniper hesitated, head dipping slightly. The truth dangled on the tip of her tongue, heavy, dangerous. If Effy started talking¡ªif she told her friends, if she mentioned it to some passing adult¡ªquestions would spread like wildfire. One turned into two. Two turned into ten. And before she knew it, people would start piecing things together. Then everyone would know a Cape lives in District 76, apartment complex B, on the second floor. She sighed. ¡°I¡­ I got a job, Effy,¡± she said, forcing the words out. ¡°Office job. Kinda thing.¡± Effy studied her face for a long moment. She could tell Juniper was holding something back, but¡ªmercifully¡ªshe let it drop. ¡°Okay, then,¡± she muttered, crossing her arms. ¡°If you want to lie about.¡± Juniper became relieved. The fewer questions she asked, the better. Dumb as Euphemia pretended to be, she was overly perceptive. Effy wasn¡¯t finished with her, however. She moved closer, scooting near her face. Her eyes narrowed and she looked close. Then she reached out, her fingers grazing the small scar below her collarbone. Juniper jerked back instantly. Effy frowned. Juniper stood abruptly, brushing imaginary dust off her sleeves. ¡°Right! Shower. I need a shower.¡± Then, turning on her heel, she dramatically pointed at Effy. ¡°And before you go to bed tonight, you¡¯re cleaning all this up. Every last box.¡± Effy gawked at her. ¡°What?! But you ate some of it too!¡± Juniper fled, already halfway to the bathroom, simply waved over her shoulder, and disappeared down the hall. Tomorrow, the scar would be gone. What will she say then? Hopefully nothing. Remy stopped her at the door before she could step inside. Standing behind her. He looked nervous. More so than normal. ¡°What was it like out there?¡± he asked, his head bowed¡­ ¡°The fires. I watched everything I could.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Juniper exhaled, resting her forehead against the door frame. ¡°It was hell,¡± she murmured. ¡°And I¡¯m just¡­ so fucking tired. Do we need to talk about it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just wondering if you¡¯re okay,¡± Remy hesitated, shifting his weight. ¡°Do you want to? You never want to.¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t pleasant to speak about, not ever.¡± She shook her head. ¡°And not tonight. I need sleep.¡± But a part of her did want to talk. To unload everything. To ask the questions burning at the edges of her mind. Did I make the right choices? Would it have changed anything? Does anything I do even matter? The words never left her lips. Instead, she asked something else. ¡°Am I a bad sister?¡± Remy didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°We¡¯ve been over this, Juniper. No.¡± An awkward pause. ¡°The money will help,¡± he admitted. Juniper glanced at him. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking into a few treatment options,¡± he continued, his voice carefully neutral. ¡°Some surgical. Some experimental. Some might work¡ªor they might cut open my brain and poke around for nothing.¡± He huffed out a dry laugh. ¡°But at least I have options now.¡± Juniper swallowed. The risk per job paycheck she was getting¡­ was good. Too good. But she wouldn¡¯t be able to access most of it for a while. Things had gotten complicated. With her abduction. She didn¡¯t want him to be hasty with the process She shifted her weight. ¡°Remy¡­¡± she started. ¡°Have you thought about moving? Somewhere safer?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ sudden,¡± he said, blinking in surprise. ¡°You could,¡± she pressed. ¡°You could join a therapy club for people with your condition, we could get Effy into a new school. I hate that she has to drive around in an armored bus every day.¡± Remy sighed, rubbing his face. ¡°Yeah,¡± he muttered. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a nice idea. But, how do you feel about it, can you afford it?¡± The tension shifted just a little. ¡°If we do leave,¡± he added, a small spark of excitement creeping into his voice, ¡°can we move to Elysium Avenue? That¡¯d be cool.¡± Juniper let out a chuckle. ¡°Maybe,¡± she said. ¡°Depends. I have to consult someone first.¡± Silence stretched between them. Then, softer, Remy asked, ¡°The thing in your head¡­ is it still there?¡± Juniper hesitated. Oh, it was here all right. Then, instead of answering, she reached out and touched his shoulder. Sys-chan hummed. [Bzzzt. Present and accounted for.] Remy startled slightly, but his expression stayed neutral. ¡°You really gotta warn me when you do that.¡± Juniper cracked a tired smile. ¡°Perhaps keep Sys-chan¡¯s existence quiet, okay? I already have the SCRA watching me. Don¡¯t want to give them an excuse to, you know¡­ dissect me.¡± Remy snorted, fanning his brows¡­ ¡°Dissection? You¡¯re being a little dramatic.¡± Juniper¡¯s smile didn¡¯t quite reach her eyes. ¡°Am I?¡± She barely had the energy to joke about it. Apparently, she was dangerous now, If Caldera was being truthful. [A deranged individual, hardly someone I¡¯d put trust in.] Inside the bathroom, hot water hit her skin, burning, but she didn¡¯t flinch, not after today. Not after being inside several defacto ovens. Tar, soot, blood, sweat, tears. She thought to herself, watching it all swirl down the drain. And yet, somehow, she still felt dirty. Staring at her reflection in the fogged-up mirror. She was different now. Leaner. Much more toned, in a place she has never been. When did that happen.? Where was the 5¡¯6 round-faced but bubbly and awkwardly depressed girl who spent days playing visual novels to feel something? When did she turn into this? [Juniper, it¡¯s been like a day since you touched a console. Let¡¯s not be ridiculous.] [You¡¯re still you. You just lost a little fat. Burned yourself out. Literally.] She sighed. Sys-chan was right, she was being overly stingy, like she was wired to nitpick, and they''re herself down. She wanted to hurt herself slightly, it was an additive feeling.. A small screen flickered into existence in the corner of her vision. [Stats:] Power: 12 (+2) Endurance: 8 (+1) Dexterity: 10 Reflex: 17 (+2) Durability: 18 Energy: 11 (+1) Charisma: 5 [Active Skills:] [Passive Skills:] [Superpowers:] [Enhancements:] Her hands went all over her bruises and the cuts that hadn¡¯t been healed yet. The place where she had gotten shot, didn¡¯t hurt as much anymore, but it felt like there was a gaping hole behind the closed skin. The persistent aching reminded her that she was indeed still alive. In a few hours, she would crash, and the stimulant would wear off. Even without the stimulant, her durability had changed her ostensibly different. She was becoming¡­something else. A screen blinked over her vision. [Passive Upgrade Pending] She groaned. Man, what even to do here? ¡°Sys-chan,¡± she muttered, tilting her head up toward the shower head. ¡°I could use your advice.¡± [Oh! Now you need me? (?????)] the system teased. She rolled her eyes. ¡°Please. I swear, I don¡¯t have some kind of thing against you. You just bully me too much.¡± [Not enough, honestly.] Sys-chan sniffed. [But for the sake of your fragile little human feelings, I¡¯ll try to be less teasing. Now! Pay attention: You¡¯re an anomaly in the cape world. I bet they already gave you a threat rating. But compared to what¡¯s out there? You¡¯re an ant in an elephant''s yard. So we should focus on keeping you alive.] Juniper frowned, tilting her head back against the tile. ¡°And what¡¯s out there, exactly?¡± [Horrors beyond man-made comprehension.] Sys-chan¡¯s tone flattened. [I promise you, the way you perceive all this? Like it¡¯s a video game? That¡¯s just a convenient simulation. If you saw what I saw, you¡¯d tear your own eyes out. Oh, by the way¡ªwhen that guy had a gun to your head? Guess whose head was also at gunpoint? Mine. So! Focus on survival.] Juniper swallowed hard. Right. Sys-chan continued. [Motivational Hyperdrive is situational. How often are you gonna be pulling people from the brink of death? Synchronicity? Only useful if the original power user is around. And that barely does much beyond giving them romantic thoughts.] ¡°Hey!¡± she complained. It wasn¡¯t her fault. Also, it just happened with Emery. [So that means Iron Drive and Technic-Pyrokinetism are off the table, too. Due to the originals being your past enemies. You¡¯re hardly a tinkerer, and for the amping just stuff you just start sleighing trucks around.] She shuddered, thinking about Caldera. Juniper nodded slowly. ¡°So that leaves¡­ regeneration or power emulation. Maybe heightened hearing or reflexes?¡± [Hyper Hearing and Reflexes? Nah.] Sys-chan dismissed it. [Power Emulation, though? You¡¯d be able to juggle three abilities at once. Maybe even merge them into something new. Could be a game-changer.] ¡°Or,¡± Juniper muttered, touching a sore spot on her side, ¡°I could just¡­ not feel like I¡¯ve been hit by a truck every time I fight someone.¡± [So, regeneration, then.] Her fingers hovered over the upgrade. Power Emulation was tempting. She had so many abilities already¡ªbeing able to combine them? That was terrifyingly useful. But¡­ pain. The last few hours had taught her something. She was going to get hurt. A lot. And if she couldn¡¯t endure it¡­ what was the point? She wanted to survive. ¡°System upgrade: Slow Regeneration.¡± [Confirm Selection? Y/N] ¡°Y.¡± [Slow Regeneration ¡ú Enhanced Regeneration] A notification flashed across her vision. [Enhanced Regeneration: Drastically improves the user¡¯s ability to recover, allowing the body to mend wounds far faster while resisting infections and blood loss. Pain fades quicker, and injuries that would take days now heal in hours. However, this regeneration comes at a cost¡ªburning through stamina and energy at an accelerated rate. If the user takes too much damage too quickly or is already weakened, the body may be unable to keep up, leaving them vulnerable for worse.] Juniper let out a slow breath. ¡°¡­Feels like an Achilles¡¯ heel.¡± [No, it means eat your veggies and carbs, or you¡¯ll turn into a husk. And maybe your organs will start eating themselves] She huffed. ¡°Great.¡± [Now tell me, ] Sys-chan prompted, [how does it feel to be stronger, faster, and tougher than the average human?] Juniper let her head fall back against the shower tile with a thunk. ¡°Like shit, honestly.¡± Sys-chan made a noise that sounded suspiciously like laughter. [Good to hear. Now that we¡¯re clear on that, you¡¯re gonna have to start training and scheming to get more powers. You didn¡¯t forget, did you? There¡¯s an alien invasion on the horizon. And you, my dear Juniper, are light-years away from being ready.] She blinked, rubbing her eyes. ¡°Yeah, about that¡ªI¡¯m still skeptical. No one else seems worried. The local guardian just straight-up bounced. There¡¯s no threat I can feel.¡± [And you have every right to be skeptical, but all will reveal itself in good time] Sys-chan¡¯s voice softened just a little. [Now, shutting down for the night. Your brain¡¯s lagging. Goodnight, Juniper.] Juniper forced the words from her mouth. ¡°Goodnight, my sweet chatterbox.¡± [?(?? ? ?)??] Juniper stood there in the shower for a while longer, silent, listening to the water run. Then slowly left it, playing with her wet wavy hair. She lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, letting the noise of the news cycle wash over her. Just waiting. A report had come in from the local news. The worst tragedy in Pacifica history. Fire-worshiping cult. 200 individuals were confirmed dead. Pacifica City Center is in a state of disorder. She felt weak. Worst tragedy? No. That title still belonged to the Revolution¡ªthe day the government rounded up her parents and sent them to a concentration camp. Second worst? Purple Pulse. That disaster had rewritten her life. She shut her thoughts off before they spiraled. The crisis earlier¡ªit should have been a 47% survival rate for her. That¡¯s what the System had estimated. Maybe it wasn¡¯t that low in reality, but she had made it through. She had. Innocent people hadn¡¯t. They had died. And from here on out¡­ things were only going to get harder. She had never cared about power before. But now? The pursuit of it didn¡¯t seem so pathetic anymore. She needed it. Juniper exhaled, sitting up abruptly. She couldn¡¯t just lie here and think about it. That was a straight shot to self-destruction. Time to dissociate. Booting up her PC, she navigated straight to her backlog of immersive visual novels¡ªsomething to pull her out of herself, even if just for a few hours. But before she could launch anything, her screen pinged. An email. [From Kanako. Her stomach twisted before she even clicked it open. Subject: No Title Dear Juniper, I assume something went wrong with your phone. It dropped dead one moment¡ªI tried to call. You¡¯ve been honest in an unexpected way. You kept your promise¡­ in the worst way possible. I suppose I need to be truthful too. Give me some time. I¡¯ll get back to you. You may not like me when we meet again. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry again. Please don¡¯t contact this email¡ªit¡¯ll be gone by dawn. Stay safe, ] Juniper read it once. Then twice. Then a third time. For good measure, she read it again. Analytically and critically. It wasn¡¯t a big deal, right? Then why was she making it one? So what if she was a cape? So what? Why was Kanako reacting like this? ¡­ So what? Her fingers curled around her phone, gripping it tighter than necessary. The screen blurred. She didn¡¯t cry. She tried typing a response. Her fingers hovered. She left it blank. Instead, she just sat there, staring at the message, overthinking. Then slumped in her chair, she fell asleep. Chapter 52 - The Dream That Watched Back Juniper found herself in the emptiness of the void. No waking, no shifting, no transition¨Cjust the sudden and absolute presence of being ¡®here¡¯ She was suspended in the still darkness, completely weightless, yet her body had persisted, and it felt like it was being crushed by the unseen. Empty¡­ Vast Emptiness. She felt something settling over her, it felt heavy, suffocating, like a tide, invisible pressing her into her place. She couldn¡¯t move, she couldn¡¯t breathe¨Cjust nothing. Her voice was all that worked, echoing through her skull, desperate and in fear. And yet her lips did not move. ¡°Sys-chan! Where am I?¡± No response. ¡°Sys-chan!¡± ¡°System!¡± ¡°Sys-chan!¡± ¡°Hello!¡± ¡°Hello!? Only silence followed. She spoke to herself. The utter silence of the void, gnawing at the edges of her mind, whispering to her the unbearable truth. Here. She was alone, Utterly, and completely alone. Her mind started reeling. Brain waltzed away, spiraling into thoughts she dreaded. Had she fallen into a coma? Something deeper? Did she die in her sleep? Was this a dream? What¨C Bloop. A sound rustled. Like a water droplet falling into a sink. It was faint, then at a distant, it dryly stirred in dead air. Then it grew louder and louder, and closer and closer¨Ctowards her. Swooshing, and tapping. Her heart started elevating. She couldn¡¯t run, she couldn¡¯t defend herself, there was nowhere to hide here. ¡°Sys-chan, help me!¡± The void shook, and something rippled through the dark. She felt the pressure inside her, it curled inside and out of her. Through lungs, her stomach, her groin. A crack of light broke into the darkness, tearing itself out of liminal space, and the world of the void frayed away. Then¨C ¡®it¡¯ formed. A head lopped out of thin air, liquid metal shaping it, pulling into a half-molded face. The face, formed itself slowly, with intentional movements, twisting with tendrils at the edges. It started forming, limbs unfurled and jittering like a flowing river. A torso pulled itself together, constructing itself out of nothing, until something stood before her¨Cvaguely human, female. It didn¡¯t move, not in a way humanly possible. It didn¡¯t walk, it didn¡¯t float¨Cit shifted like reality itself moved to accommodate its presence. She felt her lungs suffocate, but she couldn¡¯t breathe. The figure stopped in front of her, mere inches away. It had a mask-like face, very smooth, perfectly chiseled save for its deep hollow sockets for eyes, and the liquid orbs which stood there. ¡®She¡¯ was like sculpted porcelain in human form, a doll, watching her. A screen barraged her. Overloading her brain with sensory information. She lost focus. [Analysis: Failed] [Analysis: Failed] [Analysis: Failed] She wanted to swallow, thick saliva stuck on her tongue, her pulse felt as though it wanted to tear itself from her body, getting louder by the minute. Her body refused to budge. She was at its mercy. Then came the words. None spoken, but placed and transferred like a mailed enveloped. Her thoughts were not her own. Futile. Pathetic. Weakest. Harmless. Animal. Human. Non-threat. Priority target. Eliminate. Die. Her spinal cord moved on its own, shivering and rattling in her back. The figure jumped in an instant, in front of her, maybe an inch closer, a breath away. The air became frosty and carried itself like the void. Four fingers. No creases. Pale as bone. It touched her skin. Juniper twitched, she tried to scream, she tried to. Its fingers traced her jaw, going down her throat, pressing lightly, then it settled. It tightened. A pity. More words were planted in her head. Then it squeezed her. Tightly, its nails, biting into the soft skin of her body, Very sharp and surgical. She shuddered. Panicking, she forced herself, she shook, she revolted. Her mouth moved. ¡°H-h-huhu¡­.h-h-help,¡± she stammered, it came out like a weak whisper. ¡°H-h-heeheh-help me,¡± It didn¡¯t react. It watched her squirm, its gaze hollow, it wanted to dissect her, cut her apart, unravel her, explore her. Then it spoke again. With its human-like lips. ¡°What are you¡­ without the thing in your head?¡± Her voice. No, it¡¯s voice, was all wrong. Hollow, machinelike, mechanical, and yet disturbingly curious. Her body betrayed her, giving in without proper resistance. Its fingers tightened more, adding pressure to her, as it threatened, to squeeze her to death. It pulled her body forward¨Cthen impaled her. Pure agony. Pain exploded through her abdomen. Its hand had morphed and became a blade that speared her through the gut, splitting her like creased paper. She gasped, wet, and broken. The air left her lungs, she choked, wheezing, and pain bloomed like an outward hellfire. She moved. Her eyes snapped open. Then¨C Bam. She was awake. A blunt, body-breaking impact collided with her stomach. And her surroundings were unpacked, ¡°Oof,¡± she wheezed, the wind taken out of her lungs. The weapon¨Cnone other than Effy¡¯s head, Rock-hard, like a linebacker-on-steroids, had just sent her crashing. Juniper, breathless, rolled off the bed. Caught between the world of the void that clung to her head, and the gritty reality which shook her awake. [Durability temporarily reduced: -1] What? How was that possible? ¡°Ow, what the hell, Effy!?¡± The girl bounced and hopped like a bunny on the floor, grinning like she didn¡¯t just commit aggravated assault. ¡°Ta-dum! Get up, Juniper!¡± Juniper groaned in pain. Which was worse? Being impaled while in void limbo¨Cby a horror beyond her imagination? Or her 9-year-old sister¡¯s head, which could shake the Richter¡¯s scale at six in the morning. ¡°Explain yourself!¡± ¡°Well you wouldn''t wake, and I need you up, I tried calling, and even slapping, but I didn¡¯t want to waste water on your bed, so I did what ¡®Granite Heat Joe Lubbock¡¯ did with his foes in the ring, even when he sends them to sleep, he¡¯ll wake ''em up with his signature headbutt. It¡¯s very cool.¡± It was so not cool She expressed herself, fists clasped together. That¡¯s it, Juniper was going to have to cut her television time, maybe even her phone. Outright ban anything that remotely looked like a ring or squared circle. Trampolines, jumping castles, swimming pools. Anything. Sys-chan popped up in her head. [Good morning sunshine. It¡¯s 6:20 AM PST. My beautiful buttercup is scheduled to¨C] Juniper started buzzing and grating like a weed eater, lips flapping and her tongue whistling, she shook her head. Effy stared in confusion and curiosity. [Rude. And here I was considering becoming your personal secretary. Potentially even a cute one. Tsk. No flirty compliments for you.] Juniper could barely even hear her. Her eyes were locked on the pint-sized delinquent slide-hopping in her room. ¡°Is there a reason you woke me, Euphemia, my alarm doesn¡¯t go off until six-fifty.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Effy shoved Juniper¡¯s phone in her face. ¡°Juni! Check the school alert, it¡¯s important, very important. Something bad happened, very bad.¡± She made to ¡®Ok¡¯ signs with her hands. She took the phone reluctantly. ¡°If I didn¡¯t see, is it my problem?¡± She read the notification: To all guardians and parents: Be advised, that three of our school buses were hijacked by super-criminals last night. While on-route for maintenance, School will continue as usual. Preparations to amend this might take a while, If you are unable to transport your child, please make accommodations for remote classes. Hundreds of angry reactions, were in a reply box, she wasn¡¯t going to wade through that.Juniper let her phone drop on her face. She pretended to lose her heartbeat. ¡°This can not be my dilemma first thing in the morning.¡± Effy, uncaring about her anxieties, moved like a robot, twirling over her head. ¡°So, can you take me? On the scooter?¡± She sighed. It wasn¡¯t like Juniper had much of a choice. She couldn¡¯t afford to leave Effy here as she had minor plans for the day, hired transport was also out of the question when you¡¯re looking at the crime rate. ¡°Fine. Go get ready. Call me If and when you need help.¡± She shooed her away. Effy exploded into joy. ¡°Yippee! I get to drive a bike to school!¡± ¡°It¡¯s hardly a motorbike,¡± Juniper muttered. The girl already left the room. She hated driving that damn thing. ¡°It¡¯s hardly a damn scooter, either.¡± She clung to the bed, offering her head to a nearby pillow, she wiggled her feet and stretched her legs. The damn dream¨Cthe thing that impaled her¨CIt was so wrong, so vivid¨Cdifferent. Something alien, straight out of a Science fantasy novel. Eyes flicked to the wall, a sticky note was plastered to her wall, a list of unfinished tasks. Things she needed to do to improve their living situation. Things she swore to get to by all means¡­ She¡¯d get to them. Eventually. She rummaged through her drawers, looking for a half-eaten protein bar and sinking her teeth into it, then limped towards the kitchen, in socks. The smell of coffee hit her. Toasted bread too, and did someone eat a muffin? A lingering smell of meat as well. Remy was already up, it seemed. He was always a morning person, only to crash mid-way through the day like a malfunctioning night owl. Juniper started yawning, Her stomach rumbled. First coffee, then life. Rushing into her bathroom. The shower water hit her like an oasis in the desert, soaking her dried-out body, and washing her fatigue away. Steam curled against the mirror, leaving behind a foggy silhouette that reflected her. She wiped away at the mirror, impulsively, Her distorted reflection emerged, damp wavy, eyes tired, a resting case of bitch face. It had been almost a week, since the Caldera case. A week since everything in her life nearly went to certain hell. She was coming to terms with it, just very slowly. Things¡­lingered in her head. Being held at gunpoint, hurt by a man twice her size. Being threatened with the fear of losing her loved ones. Kanako, which she thought was an anchor in her new life, had ghosted her completely. That left her without close friends¡­if you can excuse the capes, she met . Who was she kidding, Emery, Annemarie, even Francesca, she didn¡¯t know them long enough? She didn¡¯t have friends, much less a lover. She chose not to shoot her shot. Now she ate the bullet. Was being a cape that repulsive? She exhaled sharply. It didn¡¯t need to problem, not now. It was first thing in the morning for god sake. She had things to do. A schedule to keep. A place to be at regularly, The school bus thing was going to put a dent in her time, but she¡¯ll manage. And yet¡­ the dream lingered on. Crawled up her nerves, refusing to go away, ¡®Implanted¡¯, permanently. ¡°Sys-chan,¡± she said, scrubbing shampoo and conditioner from her scalp, ¡°can you tell me about that dream I had?¡± [What dream? Your neurological juice didn¡¯t slosh in any abnormal ways.] Juniper paused. That wasn¡¯t right. ¡°Are you sure? I had a nightmare. Suspended in time, freaky metal lady stabbed me in the gut¡ªfelt real as hell.¡± [No logs of that! Maybe you¡¯re just going full tinfoil hat? Schizophrenia arc, let¡¯s go¡ª] Juniper glared up at the ceiling. ¡°You are so helpful.¡± [It¡¯s a gift, It¡¯s what defines me.] Her mind kept circling back. ¡°I¡¯m serious, Sys-chan. I called out to you, and the system didn¡¯t respond. The dream was lucid¡ªtoo real. Like it happened.¡± For once, Sys-chan didn¡¯t have an immediate quip. Then¡ª [Eh, you¡¯re probably just spooked. Nothing to worry about! No abyssal horrors creeping in from beyond the veil. I keep my eyes open and pray Cthulhu in the mornings, and, Yog-sothoth at night. No shadowy metal ghost ladies. Nope! Nada. Focus on the present, champ] Juniper tensed. She was behaving oddly strangely. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, something stabbed me. Metal. Ghost-like. Pinned me there until Effy tackled me awake.¡± [Nope! Your brain¡¯s throwing out false positives. And trust me, I would¡¯ve noticed if something freaky was poking around in your neurons.] A pause. [Unless¡­ oof, what if I didn¡¯t notice? I am only as good as my hardware.] Juniper snorted. ¡°Yeah, well, shitty software isn¡¯t gonna make use of any good hardware. Maybe it¡¯s time for the reset button.¡± [Wait, no, please! I was JOKING! It¡¯s my charm! You wouldn¡¯t ACTUALLY reset me, right? Right?! ] ¡°I should.¡± [I find that hardly amusing] ¡°Funny. So do I.¡± She switched off the water, and stepped out, drying her hair as she went. Reflection hazy in the mirror, she didn¡¯t look to stop at all. She was less, self-conscious for various reasons. It only hurt to judge herself too much. She wasn¡¯t happy with the occupant who stared at her. She dressed herself casually, dark hoody, flexible pants, and some new sneakers she bought. Grabbed her license, and went off to hunt the gremlin that was her sister. Halfway into the kitchen, Sys-chan chimed in again¨C [No breakfast? That old ass protein bar isn¡¯t bringing out peak efficiency¡­] ¡°I¡¯ll eat later.¡± [Uh-huh. You say that now, but give it an hour , and you¡¯ll be running on fumes, You¡¯re not a plant you can¡¯t substitute light for energy. ] Juniper sighed, grabbing a croissant from the counter and taking a bite as she walked. She barely chewed before a sharp, sudden pain flared in her gut. A spike¡ªquick and deep. She winced, pressing a hand to her stomach. [Uh-oh, is your tummy feeling queasy?] ¡°O¡­ it''s nothing.¡± The pain faded as quickly as it came. She swallowed, scowling. ¡°You''re helpless here.¡± Sys-chan hesitated. Then¡ª [Alright, fine, human. I¡¯ll bite.] Her voice lost its usual teasing lilt. [I detected no abnormalities in your neurological activity. No recorded trauma responses. No psychic interference. Nothing.] Juniper¡¯s fingers curled into her hoodie. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. It was so vivid. She¡ªit¡ªstabbed me. Held me there. Until Effy woke me up.¡± [And yet, no logs. It¡¯s like trying to Capture cut a dream¨Cwithout the dream.] Another pause. A long one. [Though¡­] Sys-chan¡¯s voice wavered. [There is one possibility. Someone targeting you in your sleep.] That made it just more disturbing. She let it settle. If someone was fucking with her, it wasn¡¯t within the confines of the apartment. A cape. Maybe a psychic freak. Something explainable. Hopefully. Because if it wasn¡¯t¡ª She had no idea what the hell it was. Juniper binned away any and all disturbing thoughts. Thinking about it now would just disrupt her day. And. The school was seriously messed up. How do you lose three whole-ass buses in a night? No Contingency? How? Why? And who wanted to steal a school bus? At least she had a license. Against her own better judgment and external pressure. She had gotten a license, the road tormented her, made her skin crawl. Evelyn was blunt about the whole thing. ¡°You can¡¯t fly everywhere, Juniper. And my people won¡¯t always be there to pick you up. You¡¯re an adult¡ªact like it.¡± Like that helped. Totally not condescending. She turned towards Effy¡¯s room and called out, ¡°Effy?¡± Her response was one of blitz. In a moment, of motion-Effy blurred towards her, shoes tapping on the floor excitedly. Juniper almost smiled. While, she never needed the prompting. When It came to getting ready for school, she was the first one up, and also the first one very eager to leave. She wagered the reason she loved school and behaved responsibly above all else. It was probably because she hated staying inside. Unlike Remy¨Cwho was forced to be confined¨CUnlike her, who had chosen to confine herself. Effy was constrained by Juniper¡¯s tribal ruling. That made it her fault. It¡¯s probably also why she had pent-up frustrations. But with how dangerous this part of the city could get. Was she wrong for doing this? Effy wasn¡¯t introverted or a recluse. If they moved, perhaps she could give her the childhood she deserved. For now. For now, though¡ª ¡°Euphemia.¡± Effy snapped into a mock salute, standing at attention like a tiny soldier. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Juniper raised an eyebrow. ¡°Did you eat breakfast?¡± Effy shrugged. ¡°Remy made me something earlier.¡± ¡°He did? Where is he?¡± It was rhetorical, but Effy had a habit of telling her things that Remy wouldn¡¯t. ¡°He said he¡¯s writing in Python 5¡ªwhatever that means.¡± Effy paused, then squinted suspiciously. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s gonna bring a snake into the house?¡± Juniper snorted. Before she could explain, Sys-chan materialized a floating screen in front of her, flickering like a neon sign. [def ??(): print("I¡¯m a sneaky snake!")\texttt{def ??(): print("I''m a sneaky snake!")} def ??(): print("I¡¯m a sneaky snake!") for s in "SSSSSSSsssss...": print(s, end="", flush=True)\texttt{for s in "SSSSSSSsssss...": print(s, end="", flush=True)}for s in "SSSSSSSsssss...": print(s, end="", flush=True)] Juniper stared blankly at the code. She conceptually understood programming, she just never had been bothered to learn one at all, she had no reason to. [¡°I am now logging a 30% probability of a reptilian infiltration. Shall I prepare countermeasures?¡±] ¡°No one''s bringing snakes into the house,¡± Juniper assured her Effy. Effy folded her arms. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡± ¡°Did you bathe?¡± ¡°Before you woke up.¡± ¡°Dressed?¡± Effy spun dramatically on her heel, twirling in place to show off her outfit. ¡°Obviously. As you can see.¡± [¡°Analysis: Her color coordination is slightly chaotic. She gravitates toward contrasting pastels¡ªbut, thankfully, within tolerable human limits.¡±] You don¡¯t need to overanalyze everything ¡°Lunch?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get something at school.¡± [Unacceptable, Juniper. Your atrocious habits have already infected her. Tragic. Based on cafeteria nutritional reports, Core Pacifica¡¯s health regulations have plummeted. The place is a carcinogen buffet.] Juniper sighed. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want me to whip something up?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Juniper stretched, wincing slightly as she held her still-aching abdomen. ¡°Then, are you ready to go?¡± Effy grinned. ¡°Yip!¡± A small warmth bloomed in Juniper¡¯s chest. At least Effy¡¯s mood was untouched. That put her at ease. When she was happy she was the morning star, coming to guide them to the light. When she was pissy, she was the dark side of the moon there to torment her. The morning cold hit her nose as they stepped outside. It always made her nose sting uncomfortably. Juniper made Effy walk ahead of her, paranoid, anything could happen. It wasn¡¯t likely, but it could. And she wanted her in her sights. Taking the stairs down to the apartment''s underground garage, their footsteps echoed in the hollow chamber. The thought of driving again made her knees jiggle. Sure, she hadn¡¯t crashed since exam day. But that didn¡¯t mean she was fit to drive. She thought back to Evelyn¡¯s words¡°You''re going to have to learn to commandeer vehicles if you¡¯re going to be working here. Anything can happen. ¡± Maybe there was a point in there. Somewhere anyway. The superhuman in her wanted to discard living like a human. She was blessed with inhuman regulations, why¡¯d she need to drive anywhere. Maybe it was unfair, though, that capes got privileges that normal people didn¡¯t. She had done her training in a single day, on the spot. She had made mistakes. So many mistakes. That she should have been banned from driving for life, and yet. They had been lenient to her. That was unfair, to normal people. Juniper¡¯s gaze drifted across the apartment garage until she spotted it, her weird white vehicle. Behind a mechanical ward, her ride waited. An Overly large, sleek, modern hybrid electric moped. A gift from Big Sis. [¡°Reminder: Your moped has a 93% chance of safe operation. Unless, of course, you pilot it like last time.¡±] Juniper groaned. ¡°That was once. And I got cut off, okay? I barely hit the curb.¡± Effy stared at her like she had grown a second head. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± Juniper exhaled. She had to get better about not slipping up and arguing with herself. ¡°Not you, Effy. Me.¡± Effy tilted her head. ¡°Are you scared of driving, Juni?¡± ¡°No.¡± Yes. She was terrified. If something happened while Effy was on board¡ª [¡°You can literally manipulate gravity and the surrounding space. You¡¯ll be fine.¡±] Juniper¡¯s fingers hovered over the keys. Dangling the chains in her fingers, Her heart pounded, but she searched for the resolute, metal in heart and some steel to go with it. She stood still, remembering the hours she studied for it, only to fuck up on the test field, the disappointed instructor. Messing up not once, not twice, not even thrice. But Effy was watching, she snapped out of it. Excited. Ready to go. Juniper exhaled. She could do this. She climbed onto the moped, adjusting her stance. Effy slid into the adjustable lower seat in front of her. Juniper reached for an emergency strap, securing Effy to her stomach. Her Hands are firmly on the handlebars. She turned the key. The moped purred softly. [¡°Calibrating¡­ Fuel efficiency optimal¡­ Route mapped¡­ Estimated danger level: High. Just kidding.¡±] Oh my god, shut up She twisted the throttle with a heavy twist. The engine hummed to life. A face popped on a small screen near the additional controls. ¡°Welcome, Juniper¡­.Pinewell,¡± the pocket intelligence in Juniper¡¯s bike spot. ¡°Calculating route based on everyday¨C¡± She tapped on the screen, making it shut up. ¡°Nope.¡± Effy threw her hands up. ¡°Yes! No silly bus today!¡± Juniper found herself giggling again¡­ She let the tension ease from her shoulders. Her day begins here. Chapter 53 - Electric wheels of destiny (with mild panic) Effy knocked on the helmet on her head, It clanged as she knocked it all over, making sure it was snug and stable. Juniper leaned over like a looming security camera, she checked the padding of the body strap. Over and over again, obsessively. Have to be thorough, have to be sure. ¡°Are we good?¡± Effy asked, jittery. ¡°Debatable,¡± Juniper hung her head over Effy. ¡°Remember to hold on tightly.¡± ¡°Yup.¡± She turned the keys, and the engine ignited. It made a small whirring noise as they left the complex. Its internal electric motor had sped up. Vibrating as the gyroscopic stabilizers, overworked itself, to keep the weight of the vehicle on its balance. Bright Neon lights flared under and above the chassis of the scooter, momentarily blinding Juniper. She held her hands in front of her eyes. Making it harder to steer with focus, and keep Effy¡¯s head in front of her chest. ¡°Effy, can you hit the red button with the flashlight on it?¡± Juniper requested. ¡°This one?¡± she pointed. Juniper glinted at the corner of her eye, squinting. ¡°Yeah!¡± The lights shut off as Effy flicked the button. ¡°Better?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Who the hell designed this thing? A raving engineer? The faint smell of gasoline mingled with the air¨Cit came from her vehicle, it was supposedly designed for reliability and efficiency, a hybrid fuel system. However, she had her doubts on the validity of such claims. Juniper, couldn¡¯t be a chooser, not that she could do much begging here. She¡¯d much rather prefer a normal motorbike. Effy latched one arm to Juniper, she gawked as the wind tickled them along the road, like a little mischievous faerie. One of her hands clung to the emergency handle, at the very least, she was listening to Juniper for once. Juniper could feel her sister¡¯s excitement. It was a contagious joy, a rare one for her. ¡°You ever crash this thing?¡± Effy had asked. Juniper raised a brow, adjusting her stance. ¡°Do you want me to?¡± Effy hesitated for a fraction of a second. She grinned. ¡°Kinda, yeah. That way, I¡¯ll end up on the news.¡± Juniper gave her a slow side-eye. What the hell? ¡°That wasn¡¯t sarcasm, was it?¡± ¡°I can say no more.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been on the internet too much lately. I guess¡± ¡°What? No, don¡¯t blame the internet, I was¡ª¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to be saying and doing weird things,¡± Juniper threatened. ¡°I might just have to detox you then, a one-week phone ban should do you good. Right?¡± Effy let out an immediate, high-pitched ¡°EEP!¡± and clutched tightly against Juniper¡¯s arm¡­ ¡°I¡¯m just joking, dude!¡± ¡°Sure, you are.¡± It wasn¡¯t above Effy to do strange things, like climbing a roof without superstition, patrolling the grounds of the apartment complex, while they were fast asleep. Do a little hack she saw on the internet, that often causes disasters. A tighter eye on her, would do them both good. The scooter slipped into the morning traffic, joining the unbearable commute. Cars stretched to the edge of the horizon. Unmoving. The roads hummed with chaotic forces¨CGas-powered trucks rumbled and dominated the streets next to fan-quiet SUVs, Two different eras forced to share a world and a road. Above them, hundreds of drones were hovering from place to place, some carried packages, their lights flickering as they were rerouted thoroughly, millions of possible efficient routes, billions of little calculations. She was always tense near them. Any could malfunction. They could glitch. Keep a surprise bomb. She turned her attention to a passing billboard, unable to look away, it drew her in. Ads changed in a blink of an eye. Commercials all over it, the latest mass-produced takeout slop ready to feed the masses, The latest state-of-the-art VR game promising and probably lying about full dive immersive functionality. A new phone you couldn¡¯t live without, with the processing power of a 2000s spaceship. Then came live streamers. Loud, obnoxious, toxic influencers. Acting like zoo animals, one trick clowns, all while referring to their parasocial audience. ¡°Chat, Chat, Chat.¡± She couldn¡¯t help herself, she rolled her eyes. It didn¡¯t feel futuristic. Just plain noisy. Total consumer dystopia. Out of the corner of her eye. Death came to her, speeding on two lanes. A commuter car swerved aggressively into the lane, nearly pinning them against the wall. Too fast. Too sharp. Unexpected. It threw Juniper off her focus. She nearly instinctively kicked into her powers, the urge to blast the aggressor into kingdom come. She withheld herself, rationalizing. [May I suggest Immediate Evasive Maneuvers.] For a split second, time-stretched backward¡­ Her grip tightened. Eyes low, She shifted her weight. Making an evasive turn as the perpetrator slipstreamed past her. She barely prevented its bumper from hitting her. A near miss. Her scooter¡¯s stabilizers kicked in, reacting to her body¡¯s slight micro-adjustments before she could react to the danger. Her bike''s rudimentary AI, hardly it was great for reacting on the road. It had veered and shifted her direction slightly. Before she could react emotionally, another car zipped past her in response, completely unfazed and uncaring, that they had nearly been in a disaster. Ready, to cause another tragedy. She supposed Effy would have been safe if she reacted with the intent to use her powers. It would probably earn her a civil suit and a leaked identity, but Effy was safe, no need dwell on wayward possibilities. Just a speeding moron, the dashcam should¡¯ve captured his plate, she¡¯ll forward it to the proper authorities. Report them. Hopefully. Someone would do something. Would they? Is this the place where she needed to conduct vigilante justice? Track the licensing plates, beat them down with the fury, of frustrated cape. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Her pulse skyrocketed and her heart sank. Her limbs numbed down as the exhilarating rush of adrenalin settled. Effy bounced against her. ¡°Holy crap, Juni, that was cool!¡± Juniper let out a dry laugh¡ªno humor in it. ¡°That was not cool. That was stress, Effy. We almost got into an accident. You totally jinxed us.¡± Effy giggled. ¡°What can I say, I have the superpower of selective luck.¡± ¡°Careful, I made hand you over to the SCRA for testing.¡± Well, she nearly had her crash. [Reflex Check: Success] ¡ª She¡¯d handled it. But her fingers ached from gripping the handles too hard. Pulling into a vacant parking lot, she killed the motor for a second. Using the air to breathe, in and out. The traffic roared around them, like a living, chaotic thing. Effy leaned backward, her voice softer. ¡°Hey¡­ are you okay, Juniper?¡±\ Juniper stared at her for a moment, letting the oxygen come through her nose. Carbon dioxide, out through her mouth. Deep breaths. ¡°I¡¯m fine. You¡¯re fine kiddo. I just need to get some air in.¡± A moment passed by. Then she restarted the scooter. ¡°Alright, Let¡¯s get you to school.¡± And with that, they slipped back into the metal river of the city. They moved from district to district, passing messed up roads and potholes. Juniper regretted taking this route. Her fingers drummed against the handlebar, scanning for any way forward. No luck. The gridlock stretched quite far, unmoving, some kind of hold up. She swore she saw a horizontally parked truck stuck on the road from an afar, angling at a snail''s pace¡­ Effy leaned against her stomach. ¡°Boy, I sure do love traffic.¡± Juniper glanced back at her. ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°It lets me embrace my inner zen.¡± ¡°Like you understand what that means.¡± Juniper narrowed her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s just your brain shutting off.¡± ¡°Same thing.¡± Effy stuck out her tongue. ¡°You need to learn some phillllo¨Cphilsofy?¡± ¡°Philosophy,¡± she corrected her mini-me. Traffic roared in her ear. She sighed, tuning the noise out completely. It was simply overwhelming with her [Enhanced hearing] If there was a way to get rid of this passive ppower,she¡¯d take it immediately. Something in the corner of her sclera had caught her eyes. A crowd had formed near a sight in an unfished industrial center. They stood around like fools, filming and murmuring¨Cyet no one was helping with whatever. She followed their cams, it was faint from here, but she saw it. A minuscule kitten. It was struggling to stay perched on a flat, slick metal pipe, tiny claws barely grasping for a grip. Its tail flapping wickedly, the height was quite the far distance. Below it, ooze and sludge dripped out of the pipe, forming an unholy chemical puddle on the ground. A few bystanders were stacking up crates, even going as far as trying to make a makeshift ladder, that looked one wrong foot away from spiraling into the ground. It was nothing a drone couldn¡¯t fix. But people never reacted rationally in a crisis. Her moped Ai started beeping, annoyingly. ¡°Traffic resuming. Caution: Obstacle detected ahead. Obstacle detected ahead. Obstacle detected ahead.¡± She ignored it. She turned the direction of the moped slightly, weaving between the stacks of frozen traffic, narrowing and squeezing between the cars. Effy clutched at her waist. ¡°What are you¡ªhey! Where are you going!?¡± ¡°Saving that cat.¡± ¡°What cat¡ªWait, Juniper!¡± Juniper ignored the honks from impatient drivers, as it weaved between them and parked beside the road. She loosened Effy¡¯s strap, tapping her lightly on the shoulder. ¡°Stay put. I¡¯ll be back in a second.¡± ¡°Wait, Junip¡ª¡± Too late. She moved. Her brain knew this was reckless. She could expose herself at any moment But her body¡­spoke a different language. She bypassed the crowd, slipping through then, helm still on her head, and a face mask concealing her lower face. She headed straight towards the unfinished scaffolding. Metal beams were hitting outwards like thin pillars. She hopped onto one beam, and then another, and then onto a ledge that was creaking concerningly. No powers, juniper! The crowd shifted her attention to her, and she did her best not to pay attention in reverse. She couldn¡¯t let societal shyness impact her performance. The helmet and the mask were her only barriers of protection here. One last push upwards, as she swung up a pipe. The time she spent with Annemarie benefitted her here. Perhaps her contradictory behavior wasn¡¯t such a bad thing. The pipe felt damp and sticky. Industrial grime clung to her biker gloves, peeling in strands of weak paint. The kitten let out a nasty hiss as she approached it. She grabbed it, taking the little critter into her hands. And its tiny claws found a way into her sleeves. Pain flared up. ¡°I¡¯m helping you, you ungrateful little imp.¡± she told the kitten, speaking in a squeaky voice. [Dexterity +1.] She gritted her teeth and scooped the kit up. It wriggled in her arms but didn¡¯t scratch her any further. Effy waved from her below, her eyes shining with excitement. The crowd had gone silent. She gritted her teeth and scooped the kitten up. It wriggled in her arms but didn¡¯t scratch her further. Below, Effy waved wildly from the sidewalk, eyes shining with excitement. Returning to the solid ground, was easier than finding her way up. She hopped down from ledge to ledge, moving smoothly and in controlled bursts. Her shoes hit the pavement. Hard, staggering her legs. The moment she stood upright, she tensed. A slow wave of claps erupted and settled on a crescendo. Juniper grimaced. Shy. Not knowing what to do. A toddler with chubby hands approached her, eyes open, big and wide, locked onto her face. What was she supposed to do here? She hesitated, then¨Cjust handed the whole kitten over, without thinking. The kid cradled it carefully, like she¡¯d been gifted the rarest jewel in the world. For a split second, she felt warmth bloom in her chest. She buried the feeling. Dusting herself off, running back to the scooter before the crowd made a bigger deal out of it. Effy crossed her arms, her head nodding slowly. ¡°Wow. Juniper. I used to think you were lame, but you got some spunk.¡± Juniper stretched lazily, cracking her neck. ¡°I contain multitudes of things hidden away. ¡° Effy squinted. ¡°You know, You¡¯ve been acting weird lately. Are you sure you¡¯re my sister, not some out-of-space doppelg?nger?¡± Juniper smirked at her. ¡°I wonder that myself.¡± For a brief moment, she almost believed it. That she, Juniper, could be gone. As they rode off, Juniper¡¯s eyes briefly turned to the crowd. A figure caught her eye, a young boy. White haired. Wearing what looked like a little telnyashka, and a little navy cap. Standing among the fawning crowd. A small sense of nostalgia crept into and under her skin. Her mind flashed back to the burning building. To what could only be him. Inquiring her insensitively. She blinked, was she hallucinating? Then he was gone again. Replaced by another child. Looking in another direction. The polar opposite. No white hair. Not even remotely similar. A hallucination, it had to be? Was she going nuts? [Might just be sleep debt, don¡¯t overthink it.] Sys-chan pulled at the stem of her brain. [Eyes on the road, sister.] She snapped back, hyper-focusing, on the upcoming lanes, she drove onwards to their destination. Maple Elementary looked like a headache. Or rather she should say, waiting for traffic to pass was a headache¨Cit wasn¡¯t a normal morning rush either. Hundreds of kids were pulling in at once¨Csome clung to their parents, others ran freely into sprints, and backpacks flopped wildly. Teachers and staff stood at the entrance, guarding the grounds from children playing with the morning chaos. They directed the traffic. Juniper sat on her scooter, watching it wall in mild disappointment. An agitated group of guardians and parents were locked into a 1-50 scuffle with a school teacher. They looked like they woke up on the wrong side of the bed, like Juniper did. It took Juniper a few seconds to realize why. It was definitely about the school buses, it explained much of the on-foot traffic. Who knew when the school would get replacements? She caught snippets of conversation as she scanned the crowd. Eavesdropping with curiosity. ¡°No, they still haven''t found them¡ª¡± ¡°Who the hell steals a whole damn bus fleet?¡± ¡°This city''s a joke¡ª¡± A whole fleet. Gone. Not broken down. Not out of commission. Hijacked and vanished. That was bad. And If they targeted the school¡¯s property, what was going to stop them from targeting the students? She needed Effy far away from this place. It was logistically unsound and far away from the apartments, perhaps she should scout for rental properties near safer schools. Start applying right away, but¨Cthere were problems in the execution of such a plan. Effy hopped off the bike, stretching her arms dramatically. ¡°Remember to pick me up! The buses will still be gone, probably!¡± Juniper¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°2:30 PM?¡± Effy nodded enthusiastically, then bolted toward the school doors, weaving through the crowd like an elusive little raccoon. Her brain was caught up in one thought. Stolen? She shouldn¡¯t be thinking about it, but it was nagging her. Who the fuck would do that, who would be so remorseless. She shouldn¡¯t even think of getting involved. This wasn¡¯t just some random crime she should ignore. Kids were going to be stranded at home¨Cthis included Effy. A familiar ping echoed in her head. [You what? Do you want to start looking for these school buses? Would be best to leave it to the authorities. You should focus on your own priorities.] Sys-chan¡¯s words rang with pointed logic. And yet. This is my priority. This is already cutting into my time. Her phone buzzed. A replacement, she got from her employer. She checked the screen. It was her boss, indeed. Juniper stared for a second. Evelyn never called for no reason. She picked up, knowing she¡¯d be dragged away half the day¡­ Evelyn¡¯s voice came through, steady but urgent. ¡°I know it¡¯s like an hour or two early. But you need to report to the base right now. We¡¯re having a minor meeting. And you have a long week ahead of you, So lets'' get some stuff over¡­¡± Juniper exhaled, her gaze settling on Effy, grouping up with three other students. At least she wasn¡¯t the loner girl she was. Hurtling near other weirdos, and being kicked out for being miserable. Looks like her day, became a lot more troublesome than she hoped it would¡­ Chapter 54 - Matriarch pt.1 Juniper drove into what her boss had ominously dubbed the ¡°Special Autonomous District.¡± It was the zone surrounding Matriarch Base, which lurked beneath the ground, sprawling outward from the outskirts of Core Pacifica. She hadn¡¯t asked too many questions before, but now the place was scratching at the back of her mind. Everything about driving here unnerved her. It was clearly a staged set¡ªa manufactured ghost town spanning thousands of hectares, filled with silent, empty houses. Plastic life. Everything was hyper-polished, with an outlandish sheen that made it look like something out of a cartoon. The roads here were smoother and better maintained than those in the heart of the city¡ªan embarrassment, to say the least. The architecture was deliberately designed as a soulless replica of a vintage 1950s aesthetic¡ªtoo perfectly uniform in some places. This place didn¡¯t seem to age. Nothing did. All it lacked were nuclear families strolling the streets. Speaking of people, a man stood in one of the ¡°yards,¡± watering what looked like lifeless plants¡ªprobably plastic. A bird zipped over his head, its claws scraping against his scalp. He barely flinched, refusing to acknowledge the nuisance. He gave her a passing smile. She looked away immediately. Creepy. But she was probably overthinking it. The whole town setup was likely just a cover for the Matriarch Base or had some strategic value. Evelyn¡¯s assistants had to be working here. She stopped at a lonely checkpoint, planting her foot down. Fatigue shot through her leg, all the way up to her thigh¡ªshe wasn¡¯t used to riding long distances. Not yet, anyway, and her scooter might not be suited for it. The gatekeeper slouched against the security booth, barely glancing up at her. His eyes were locked on the television¡ªa sports game, probably one of the new gimmick leagues, jetpack baseball. His arms were folded, and when he finally noticed her, he stretched his mouth into a nasty yawn. Kicking his feet back lazily, he doubled down on his slouching. [This is one annoying dude.] Agreed. And completely unprofessional. He¡¯s supposed to be watching the entrance? His eyes finally decided he¡¯d seen enough balls and turned to her. ¡°Do I have to spell it out for you? Clearance pass or no entry.¡± His tone was mild, but the irritation bled through. Juniper blinked. ¡°S-Sir, I don¡¯t understand. You let me in last week without a pass.¡± He snapped his fingers and leaned forward. ¡°You came with the boss. That may as well be a clearance card. I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re the fucking director of the S-C-R-fucking-A¡ªno one gets in without proper clearance.¡± ¡°O-okay, man, uhh, c-clam down,¡± she stammered. His face twisted, contorting, and his nose nearly grew as he leaned over the glass counter. ¡°Clam down!?¡± Rude. Unwarranted. Aggression. Apparently deaf too. ¡°I meant calm down! Okay? Sorry.¡± She swung herself off the scooter and clicked a small switch near the seat. It lifted with a mechanical hiss, revealing a compartment underneath¡ªpapers, cash, and some emergency supplies she¡¯d stuffed in ¡°just in case.¡± Her fingers combed through the mess, her pulse ticking up. Shit. What if I left it at home? That¡¯s half an hour away. She didn¡¯t want to turn back now¡ªnot for something this stupid. The guard shifted. ¡°What¡ª?¡± An electric buzz crackled from his computer, overriding his monitors. ¡°Mimicry?¡± A familiar voice crackled from the speaker. Terminal. ¡°She¡¯s clear. Let her through.¡± The guard clicked his tongue. ¡°Get out of my damn computer! You fucking capes are going to get me in trouble.¡± But he obeyed anyway, slamming a button that sent the heavy metal gates groaning apart. As they peeled open, revealing the hollow streets beyond, he shot her a scowl. ¡°Bring your damn card next time. Makes my job easier.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Juniper exhaled. ¡°Good day, sir.¡± [Or don¡¯t bring it. Make his job a waking nightmare. Make him question reality. Make him spiral into existential dread every time he sees your face. Reduce him to a husk, whispering ¡®clearance pass¡¯ in his sleep, waking in wet trousers.] I¡¯m not a sadist. And your imagination is off the charts at the moment. [C¡¯mon, a little spice in life! What¡¯s the point of power if you don¡¯t use it to torment the weak-willed security workforce? Stack up on those Antihero points.] I just want to go inside. [Ugh. You¡¯re no fun.] Juniper kicked into gear again, deeper into the Special Autonomous District. A downward slope lay ahead, cutting through mountain rock. She led herself gently down the cliffside. From the outside, the place had the charm of a military facility. On the inside, the scent of cold metal and sterilized air clung heavily. Sterilized air implied controlled airflow, which meant biohazard labs and such. The sound of metalwork told her that somewhere in the base, there was either maintenance or construction. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! The place was meant to be unwelcoming. The last time she had been here was very brief. The base had been moved out, emptied. Now, it was a completely different scene. Men and women clad in black suits and skirts patrolled the outer buildings, clutching tablets and portable devices¡ªanything that screamed spook or government work¡ªwithout a proper understanding of what they did. They couldn¡¯t be simple assistants if they were all doing administrative work, and there were hardly any armed guards covering entryways. They were surprisingly lax. I wonder what they really do here. They can¡¯t all be Evelyn¡¯s assistant army. [Operation Black Brigade. The former name, Not Bell. That¡¯s what that John fellow called it, ] Sys-chan mused. [I¡¯m willing to bet she¡¯s running something a little more exciting than a glorified costume party for superfreaks.] ¡°Like what? Some off-the-map black ops observation unit?¡± [Probably not. They wouldn¡¯t be in skirts and suits if they were classified individuals. Notice there¡¯s not a single SCRA patrol here. Your boss is hiding some serious shit. You should just ask her about it.] Juniper scoffed. ¡°I¡¯d rather not.¡± If It was just a personal base for her to run cape operations. Why all the extra manpower? And why was the SCRA void from operating here? She parked her scooter and locked it¡ªshe didn¡¯t trust any of these people not to mess with her things. The man at the entryway barely seemed attentive, and everybody walking around here was an unknown vector. Not too long ago, they had a mole here¡ªif they still did. Removing her helmet, she tucked it away before the rising sun started to burn her, greeting her with fury. The building entrance was nothing special. A small door. A very long corridor, though. At a basic glance, it looked like nothing more than a corporate office¡ªrows of desks, a minor reception area. Hardly crowded, but every door seemed to lead somewhere. Stepping inside, a particular woman caught her eye¡­ blonde, sunglasses perched on her nose, staring. The same woman who had ordered her to move when she had been completely exhausted during the crisis. And now? She was glaring at Juniper with enough sharpness to cut the lead. It felt like a power play, intimidation. Juniper looked away, pretending not to have stared at her¨Cher own gaze did betray her, however, as she found herself staring at the woman¡¯s bare legs, her knees. Her high heels. It was intrusive and abject. She turned away in haste, her heart heightening with every pulse. Focus, Juniper, don¡¯t let her occupy your head. [Really? A little skin, and you go supernova? What¡¯s next? Tripping over your own feet? A dramatic gasp? Maybe a swoon for good measure?] Oh, can it mind bucket? [No. In fact, I¡¯m complaining to the nearest Cape agency. My User is weak to exposed ankles. A Tragedy. Do you need a therapist? A vow of celibacy?] She kept moving, the weight of the woman¡¯s stare still prickling at her back. A voice sparked to life in her head. [Terminal: Juniper, they¡¯re waiting for you.] She nearly jumped. God, he needed to stop doing that. A door opened nearby, and a familiar figure stepped through. [Juniper, this dude¡¯s frolicking in your head again?] She sighed and responded internally. [Juniper: You gotta stop that, man.] Terminal didn¡¯t reply as he approached. His messy hair obscured his eyes as he approached, stopping just next to her. Then, he made an odd formal bow with his head and said, ¡°Apologies. I can be forgetful of mannerisms and social norms. Still, you are an anomalous person. It only makes me naturally curious.¡± ¡°Anomalous in what way?¡± ¡°From what I gleaned, you possess a multitude of abilities, yet I¡¯ve rarely witnessed you take full advantage of your powers.¡± Juniper resisted the urge to groan. Yeah, great. Love being an anomaly. Super great. She didn¡¯t make a display of it because she was constantly standing on the tip of a social iceberg. [Link me up with him.] Syschan snickered. [I want to give him a proper piece of my mind.] No. His eyes flickered with minor intrigue. ¡°You suddenly went quiet. Your gaze rotated, and your stance shifted. You¡¯re communicating with it, aren¡¯t you?¡± He sounded almost in awe. [Rein him in right, sissy.] Juniper leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. ¡°Sure, but, uh¡­ keep it a secret, will you? I don¡¯t want everyone knowing.¡± ¡°Of course. Scientific information like this could be used against you, whether in combat, battle, or warfare.¡± She nodded. He was going to be difficult to navigate, but she¡¯d manage. He did bring up a good point: what will she do in the situation where Syschan is susceptible to manipulation? Anyone with understanding and power able to grasp her mind would know what¡¯s in her head. Which reminded her of the dream she had and the entity residing in it. ¡°So¡­ are you my escort inside?¡± He bobbed his head. This, by far, was the farthest she had entered into the base. Any further in and she would be in unknown territories. They turned, near a stairless descending passage. It was sleek, modern, and futuristic. As she started walking, she caught sight of something through the glass panels. Outside, the building had looked like a hangar with depth, implying the bunker beneath. But what sprawled out below was something she hadn¡¯t expected. A vivarium. A large artificial landscape. Trees stretched out below her, leaves glowing golden under the pouring light that came from the open ceiling. The sun penetrated the thick bushes and leaves. A green atmosphere, like the forest, was brought along with you in the urban hellscape. Why hadn¡¯t Evelyn shown her this side of the base before? Why hadn¡¯t Evelyn shown her this side of the base before? Did she not trust her enough? [You were in a hurry, remember? Rushing off all ¡®I have to be responsible, wah wah wah.¡¯ No time for appreciating the finer things, like underground paradise labs and nuclear weapons of mass destruction.] Still, why build this little artificial forest? It¡¯s a controlled environment, but I don¡¯t see anything implying an experiment of any kind. Juniper let the brief moment of awe settle before speaking again. ¡°Did you find that mole yet?¡± Terminal stiffened, his usual air of detached curiosity vanishing. ¡°Unfortunately, no activity since Caldera tore the city up.¡± His tone dropped to something colder and cautious.¡°Take advisory precautions. While they may have ceased malicious activity, Ms. Evelyn fears they¡ªassuming multiple bad actors¡ªcould still be lurking about.¡± ¡°Wait, are you saying they could still be skulking about, waiting to strike again?¡± ¡°Indeed. Which is why Miss Evelyn is involving the Pacifica Intelligence Agency. I¡¯m not allowed to say anything more as I¡¯ve been partially put on the security team. And¡­ I hate to say this, but I suspect that one of these intruders may have been a cape.¡± If he was nervous, that meant there was a reason to be scared. Juniper changed the subject. ¡°Being here feels like standing inside an armed nuclear warhead.¡± ¡°Understandable. This was once a United States nuclear test site before the secession in Lower California Area.¡± She nodded slowly. That made sense. A little atomic testing ground. ¡°So what happened to the stockpile? And the radiation?¡± Terminal scratched his head. ¡°Officially, it was taken by the ¡®Americans.¡¯ Unofficially, it was taken by our leaders. As for radiation, there¡¯s no indication of additional deposits of nuclear material, as the building sensors prove that there is no radiation present.¡± Juniper couldn¡¯t believe that. Two conflicting stories probably meant there was a third. She had a sneaky suspicion that Evelyn was hiding nuclear bombs here somewhere. ¡°Shall we move along?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Chapter 55 - Matriarch pt.2 She followed Terminal down another long stretched out corridor, while the layout wasn¡¯t confusing, Juniper felt disoriented by the circular architecture, Terminal led the way with casual ease, stopping only when they reached a heavy door. He pushed it open, ignoring the suited individuals walking by. He gave her a soft smile, gestured for her to get inside. She did so, with caution. Inside the room, dozens of eyes were latched onto Juniper. She entered reluctantly, and a large group of people sat waiting eagerly. For her? Her shoulders shrunk. Oh boy. Oh boy. Why so many people? She wanted to turn back at the last second and hide behind the massive doors. Too late. Terminal shut the door behind them, his expression was unreadable under his messy bangs. She moved behind him, pretending to stroll into the room, The tactic was to try to hide behind him, except he was slightly shorter than she was. She¡¯d peek out like an ostrich. Most of the faces were very familiar. Three particular people stood out completely. Strangers to her. A few looked pleased to see her, the others¡­not so much. Interest, disinterest, some neutrality. She froze up, her nerves twitching. [Say something, or they''ll assume you''re mute. Or worse, a mime.] She had a lump in her throat that she was absolutely sure would cause her to croak at any moment. Can¡¯t she just walk out of here? Get on her scooter and never come back. [No escape now.] ¡°¡­G-good morning?¡± she forced out. The response was¡­underwhelming, a few murmured her obligatory greetings, but most didn¡¯t bother. Those that did speak, spoke over each other, voice blurring and humming like two mismatched radios. She had never seen so many capes in one room before, she felt ¡®threatened¡¯ by their presence. Even though none of them have even lifted a finger ¡°Please, Juniper, feel free to take a seat,¡± Evelyn said, gesturing to the long table. A suggestion that felt more like a command.¡°This is our briefing room, capes only, of course.¡± She snailed towards the chair, body scrunched up stiff, hyperaware of everyone¡¯s breathing in the room. Her ears heard it all, annoyed grunts, deep breaths, and at least one snort. And underneath the mouth breathing were whispers. ¡°You never said she was this meek, Francesca.¡± The voice had a playful angle. Dark lips, pigtails, pale foundation, and a smirking mouth¡ªJuniper didn¡¯t like the look of her. Whilst she appeared gothic, just almost, her expression put her on the edge. She had the aura of a mean girl. ¡°She¡¯s not meek, Morrigan. Just shy.¡± Francesca¡¯s reply was curt and assertive. Juniper, who was already tense, was on the verge of shaking. Hearing people nearly openly speak about her behind her back, irked her. Even her siblings had the decency to at least openly say what they thought about her in front of her. But she needed to get it through her head, she wasn¡¯t at home. Francesca was kind at least. Too kind, but Juniper chalked it up to her personality. ¡°Hmm, perhaps I¡¯ve found a new dress-up toy,¡± Morrigan murmured, tilting her head. ¡°Since Annemarie left my grasp.¡± Toy? Dress-up toy? [Just another freak, Jun. May I suggest asserting your dominance with a death stare.] Francesca shot her gothic friend a glare. ¡°She has superhearing, you moron. She can probably hear you from across the building.¡± Morrigan pressed a hand to her lips in mock surprise. ¡°Oh, dear. How embarrassing.¡± She flashed Juniper a wide, stretching smile¡ªone that went a bit too far for comfort, predatory. Barely a minute in, and her supposed senior was already threatening to haze her or use her¡­It reminded her of high-school, just vaguely. She always stood out, and was kept out of ingroups and cliques [The start of a toxic work environment; buckle up buckaroo] ¡°Juniper, if you, can introduce yourself briefly?¡± Evelyn¡¯s voice pulled her out of her mental session. ¡°Just your name and why you¡¯re here.¡± What. What the fuck. This wasn¡¯t a classroom? And she sure as hell didn¡¯t want to play along. Giving too much wouldn¡¯t fly. And giving too little would probably bear consequences. [Just keep it brief.] She exhaled sharply. Drawing in some locked-away energy from within. ¡°I¡¯m Juniper or M-Mimicry, my cape name, f-for now, I guess. And as for why I¡¯m here¡­¡± She hesitated, then glanced at a closed-eyed Annemarie. ¡°I¡­ got roped into this.¡± A slow turn of heads. Very awkwardly lingering and all landing on Annemarie. She stopped chewing her gum, the bubble she formed popping, looking vaguely annoyed. She started scowling and everyone turned away. ¡°Hmm¡ªwhat, no aspirations? No, I wanna break the skulls of criminals I find on the street. Not even a tragic backstory? Share a little, would you?.¡± A man leaned forward, dressed in what looked like a bird-themed onesie. Complete with fake feathers on the arms. The sheer ridiculousness of it made her do a double take. ¡°Yeah, come on, Ms. Pinewell,¡± Morrigan added, practically dripping with overenthusiastic amusement. ¡°First impressions matter, after all! This is team-building.¡± ¡°I believe Juniper¡¯s just pragmatic, I can relate to that¡± John, the metal-clad swordsman, spoke for the first time. His voice was cool and level-headed. ¡°No need to force her into something she doesn¡¯t want to.¡± Morrigan pouted dramatically and became all giddy ¡°Aww, but I wanna know how she got her powers! Tell me yours, and I¡¯ll tell you mine.¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± Francesca cut in, voice on the edge. ¡°Morrigan, that¡¯s personal. Drop it.¡± Evelyn leaned back in her chair, fingers idly tapping against the desk, neither stopping them nor encouraging them. For a leader of an organization, she was surprisingly lax and passive. Or was this the game she chose to play? Juniper swallowed. If she had to get this over with, she¡¯d do it her way. No need to amuse them the less they knew the better. ¡°¡­I got hit by a car on the way to the grocery store. Landed in the hospital, woke up with powers.¡± A pause. [Oh, you¡¯re gonna underplay it? You were literally yanked by the closest thing to cosmic destiny and thrown into the deep end. But sure, car go bonk.] I can¡¯t tell them that. I am not going to say anything about the system. Morrigan barely held back a childish giggle. The big man next to her, however, looked entirely unamused. ¡°Really? Car accident, huh?¡± Morrigan mused. ¡°That¡¯s kinda¡­ lame. No marks, you got any scars I can see.¡± Juniper¡¯s teeth clenched. This woman was annoying her to no end. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be a traumatic event, you bitch. Not a joke,¡± Francesca snapped. It calmed her at least knowing someone looked out for her. ¡°Oh, calm down, Franny. I¡¯m just trying to get to know her.¡± Morrigan rolled her eyes. ¡°I got my powers after I orgasmed during an earthquake. My future life flashed before my eyes. I was pinned against¨C¡± A wave of groans rippled through the room, cutting her off. The way she expressed it, made it seem that she fabricated responses constantly. Like she unloaded regularly. A few faces slapped, and the big man turned up his nose. Terminal looked briefly confused, but she a lit-up fire in his eyes. Calculating, accessing, working out the mathematics of the event. Even Evelyn pressed two fingers to her temple. [ ( ??? )y that¡¯s a thing I know now] Juniper, meanwhile, was trying to pretend she hadn¡¯t heard that. What didn''t bother her couldn¡¯t make her worry? Who cares how some hedonistic bitch got her abilities. She couldn¡¯t compare, her legs were broken, she whisked from the whip of death just barely. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. A man¡ªthe big man¡ªstood up. He strode over, extending a large, calloused hand toward her. ¡°Ms. Juniper,¡± he said with stoic and rigorous effort. ¡°Name¡¯s Brutus. Persona non Grata. I keep my personal life out of cape affairs.¡± She took it. His handshake was firm but not crushing. ¡°Pleasure to meet you, sir.¡± She did her best to formal because that was the vibe he gave up. Was that thing? Could she do that, did Evelyn keep that from her. No. It would a ¡°you never asked, so I never brought it¡± discussion. She¡¯d have to live with it. They were only a handful of souls in the room. She nodded, doing her best to erase the last thirty seconds from her memory. ¡°Likewise, sir.¡± Brutus turned to Evelyn. ¡°Commander, I¡¯m a minute over my clock. No overtime today. I¡¯m off.¡± Commander? There it was again, something you''d reserve for a military leader. Evelyn nodded, and just like that, he left. Was he running away, from the awkward group topic in the room? Was this too Juvenile for him? The guy in the bird onesie propped his feet up on the table, looking bored out of his mind. Slippers. He was wearing full-on slippers at ¡®work.¡¯ Ew What is this group? Evelyn coughed lightly. ¡°Right. That went completely off track.¡± She swept her gaze across them. ¡°Everyone, introduce yourselves. Cape names only. Let¡¯s keep it brief. Give Juniper something to work with.¡± One by one, they went around the table. Pointing and shifting. ¡°Titania,¡± Francesca said. ¡°Metal Ronin,¡± John followed. ¡°Voidwaltzer, but you already know that,¡± Annemarie said. ¡°This is Terminal,¡± Evelyn added, nodding to the boyish figure beside her. Then, she pointed at the goth. ¡°Morrigan,¡± she purred. ¡°Pleasure to meet you, Juniper. I do hope we¡¯ll have lots of fun together.¡± Or lots of restraining orders. [Keep her away. Recommend maintaining a six-foot perimeter and carrying a spray bottle] ¡°You may call me Praemor,¡± the bird/eagle onesie guy grunted, looking like he cared approximately zero fucks about being here. His attire said everything. He had special privileges, his power likely tied into it. Evelyn exhaled. ¡°This is Battle group C, Juniper.¡± ¡°C?¡± she echoed. ¡°There are more elusive members,¡± Evelyn said smoothly. ¡°And at least two more groups under my command. You¡¯ll meet them if and when it becomes necessary. They operate differently, if you can everyone here, they are known to do the more morally questionable things, this group wouldn¡¯t.¡± The atmosphere tensed up at their mention. Looks like a canned topic for miserable times. Francesca tightened at this visibly disturbed. ¡°These are the people you¡¯ll be working with, on and off¡± Evelyn continued. ¡°For the foreseeable future.¡± Juniper studied them. Battlegroup C not the first, not the second. What did that make them? The Brutus dude just left without A care. Which means Evelyn either didn¡¯t have much sway or control, or he was respected enough to dictate what he wanted. Francesca kept things stable by the looks of. Morrigan was being tolerated, not respected. And Evelyn, her boss, was judging without interfering. A weak link? A leader at all? Or, just an organizer. Most were tolerable. Francesca, John, Brutus. Terminal seemed okay, he needed some socialization lessons, but she was the last person who needed to offer them. Annemarie? Tolerable, and shared history. She had ¡®sapphic¡¯ affections for Juniper, and she displayed them in all the most questionable manners. Praemor? Weird. He was wearing a fucking onesie, It unnerved her. Morrigan? Hell no. A predator of some kind, better not try to dissect her at all. Best not dwell on it any further. Get to know if she was to. ¡°Truth is, this team resembles a PR group more than anything else, you do the goody two-shoe stuff when everyone is looking,¡± Evelyn went on. ¡°Others¡­ do what needs to be done.¡± More silence. Annemarie looked like she wanted to kick the wall open. ¡°Big Sis, can I go now? You did your awkward team-building thing. It failed. Right away¡± Evelyn looked emotionless as they listened to her. ¡°Alright, you got to meet her. Anybody who wants to do something else, please fuck off.¡± Almost everyone walked off. No one out of by her informal use of language. Annemarie strolled out with a knowing glance, she winked at Juniper but didn¡¯t look amused. Terminal just looked thrilled to be included, but he stood up as well. Francesca came around and gave Juniper a squeeze and a tugging hug. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯d like to show you around, but I got an errand to run.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cool, thank you.¡± Francesca walked away, her body rising in height and mass slightly with every step. Did it fluctuate at any time of the day. Morrigan, unfortunately, scooted closer. Eyes on Juniper. Juniper, unfortunately, noticed. Leaving only three of them ¡°¡­ If I can ask,¡± she said, ignoring the goth girl inching toward her, ¡°Why keep such a small roster of capes? I know you said there were others.¡± Evelyn lit a cigarette. ¡°To tell you the truth? I don¡¯t want them known, explicitly, they offer me ¡®political leverage.¡¯ They, the others, don¡¯t typically operate in the city. When they do, shit gets messy. You¡¯ll see em when you see em. That¡¯s all you need to know for now.¡± She took deep breaths through her nose, then exhaled the puffing smoke.. ¡°Now, Juniper, you have to prove your commitment.¡± Commitment? Morrigan¡¯s smile widened. Evelyn handed her a written down schedule, with important dates marked on it, some bullet points, and criteria expected from her¡­ She glanced at the paper, expecting some vague assignment but on some of it was detailed, painstakingly detailed. It even lead all the way to the end of the month. Her eyes skimmed over it, eyes moving from line to line. The whole thing was tailored to her, like someone had spent way too much time making sure every hour of her next two weeks was accounted for. What stood out was the following. Tuesday/ W: Training and diagnostics. She frowned. Blood tests?!¡± Physical examinations?! Tomorrow? Tomorrow? They were scheduled right away, even before she could settle in. They weren¡¯t just boarding her, they were setting a baseline. Going forward, her life was going to be abrupt. Juniper frowned, stomach twisting. Friday: Preliminary cape run under supervision. This was her big day, apparently, where she had to prove her ability on the field. Make easy money too. Evelyn had briefly shown her a digital request board filtered for capes. She was expected to contribute to OBB¡¯s rep by doing a few missions a month. Whatever that mission entailed. In all honesty, that was the only normal thing about this entire setup. Saturday: Half-day off. Training in the morning¡ªspecifically sparring. Oh boy. Evelyn expected her to find a training partner. Not that she minded sparring, but looking around the room, no one here seemed like a match for her. Annemarie was the closest she had to an equal in pure ability, and even then, Juniper wasn¡¯t sure if Annemarie wouldn¡¯t wipe the floor for her. Next week Wednesday: She was expected to appear for inquiries about the Caldera case. Great. Because stopping a murderous pyromaniac meant getting grilled by people in suits who¡¯d rather she hadn¡¯t interfered. Evelyn must¡¯ve noticed her expression. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about next week wednesday. The whole Caldera thing caused bureaucratic nonsense, it¡¯s a bigger mess than you think it is, you played a large role, and they, as in the SCRA board, and the eight wants to see you. Don¡¯t worry,I¡¯ll be there with you all the way.¡± ¡°The eight? Theeee eight?¡± Juniper repeated. Evelyn nodded. ¡°Yes, you have done more than caught their attention, you¡¯re a person of interest now, VIP. If there was a way to unnerve Juniper then put her in front of overly powerful and large players. These capes, were not to be trifled with. That¡¯s reassuring. The events looped for the next week, except with added jobs to do. There were no more lounge days and game days. There was no hiding from people, she was being inducted into a community, she would have a social life too. No more room for reclusiveness. A part of her wanted to complain, to point out that she wasn¡¯t officially part of OBB yet, that this wasn¡¯t some military draft. But she already knew how that conversation would go. This was a power move made by her boss. Evelyn was good at making things feel like an offer when they were just an ultimatum in disguise. Protesting would but her in a tug-of-war, a struggle. Morrigan had started arranging glasses while Evelyn retrieved a bottle from the cabinet. Containing darkened liquid that was probably expensive. She held it up. Morrigan poured with the kind of joy usually reserved for birthdays or funerals. Juniper hesitated. ¡°A gesture of respect,¡± Evelyn said, voice as smooth as the liquor looked. ¡°Please.¡± I guess, it wouldn¡¯t hurt. Juniper took the glass reluctantly, swirling the whiskey before taking a long sip.It burned. Attacking her throat, like it was set on fire. She coughed, her throat stuck, lungs briefly contemplating mutiny and evacuation... Juniper had expected more from today¡¯s call. Maybe a mission. Potentially an immediate test to prove herself. Not a clown meeting with questionable social dynamics and a side of casual drinking. But she guessed this was Evelyn¡¯s way of easing her in. Making her comfortable before the shit hit the fan. ¡°You don¡¯t drink, do you?¡± Evelyn asked, a coughing Juniper. ¡°No,¡± ¡°One day, you will, once you see all the shit you shouldn¡¯t.¡± Juniper doubted it, the thing she would possibly do if she saw the worst possible imaginable thing was climb into a hole. ¡°Well, That should be about it, If you do a successful preliminary run by Thursday, I¡¯ll give you access to the cape market, and the R&D floors,¡± Evelyn said, standing up. ¡°Cape market? R and D?¡± ¡°You''ll need a suit won''t you, a falsifiable identity. You''ll need to buy your own equipment, organize repairs, or even inventions if they are sensible enough. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t be everywhere, you¡¯re going to have to be responsible for your own activity most of the time, typically, I¡¯ll request something from my subordinates twice a month. So after week 2, I won¡¯t be holding your hand. I¡¯ll be expecting to produce results.¡± That eased juniper, she didn¡¯t want constant oversight. ¡°I¡¯ll be busy the rest of the day. Please, Let Morrigan show you around the base.¡± Juniper grimaced. She started shivering. When Evelyn walked to the door. Leaving her all alone with the gothic women. ¡°Wait.¡± Evelyn paused, glancing over her shoulder. ¡°There are a few personal things I¡¯d like to speak about.¡± Evelyn¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°Reserve them for later, or send me a private message if it¡¯s confidential. I have other work to get to.¡± Juniper scoffed, more at herself than at Evelyn. Of course. Nice enough to lure her in, then all business. Detached. Calculated. Competent. She exhaled sharply¡ªthen flinched a hand touched her shoulder. Morrigan? Her black-painted nails tapped against Juniper¡¯s jacket like she was testing the fabric. Juniper reeled back. Her eyes were bright. Smirk wide. ¡°So, ya want a tour?¡± Did she have a choice? ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Morrigan waved a hand, brushing off the earlier tension like it was nothing. ¡°Don¡¯t sulk,¡± she said, voice light but undercut with something sharper. ¡°Everyone gets their little wake-up call eventually.¡± What the hell did that mean? ¡°Sure,¡± Juniper muttered, feeling a sweat break on her neck. Morrigan hummed, pacing around her like she was appraising her. ¡°About the ¡®toy¡¯ thing,¡± she said, voice casual, ¡°I meant nothing by it.¡± She moved behind Juniper, slow and deliberate, tilting her head. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°I meant¡­ a project. A fresh coat of paint. You could be more than what you are. Appearance wise, at least, I mean? I could redo your whole broody, angsty, teen thingy you got going.¡± ¡°I honestly don¡¯t care what you think of me.¡± Juniper said under her breath. A lie. She did care. ¡°I didn¡¯t come here to gauge your approval.¡± Juniper¡¯s own patience snapped. She bit her tongue. ¡°And sorry, but I¡¯m not some doll for you to experiment on.¡± Morrigan laughed. Not an amused laugh¡ªa mocking one. ¡°I get it, Jun. You¡¯re not used to people looking at you, huh? But that¡¯s the thing. They will. Whether you like it or not. People look, they judge, and they decide what you are. And if you don¡¯t decide first, they¡¯ll do it for you. Juniper clenched her jaw. ¡°You should think about that. Perception is everything in this game. Especially when you¡¯re out in the field.¡± Morrigan¡¯s smirk widened. She grabbed Juniper¡¯s hand forcefully, dragging her out of the Chair. ¡°Hey! What are you doing.:¡± ¡°Come along¡­¡± she moaned. ¡° Let''s give you a grand tour of most of the base.¡± Juniper tried resisting, but Morrigan¡¯s grip was firm.. [GRRR¡­.WHAT ARE YOU DOING BITE HER!] Chapter 56 - Matriarch pt 3 Morrigan had dragged juniper from the corridor, hop-skipping away, like an overgrown kid on high on energy drinks and excessive sugar. Yet there was something eerie about her behavior, juniper couldn¡¯t even begin to fathom, the psych case she picked up. She hoped the Matriarch base had, a Sanatorium. She was unsure if Morrigan, that is, if Morrigan was her real name, her cape name, or both. Her grip shifted¨Cclutching too tight to Juniper, then loosening, as if her goal was to get Juniper moving. Every sway she made with her steps, was unbalanced, and erratic as if she was reacting to the air itself. Juniper doubted this was sugar. What adult played hopscotch at work. Maybe, it was the whiskey they took. Did Morrigan slip in a few chugs before Evelyn had even mentioned it? Or was this something way worse? She was off in a way Juniper couldn¡¯t pinpoint. Where Annemarie could be cruel with the precision of a needle. Morrigan wielded malice, which happened to come out of her mouth like a part of her thought process. She was giving bratty, high school student vibes, except if you give the toxic bitch too much power and let her go wild with it. And here she was, dragging Juniper along for her manic ride. An unnerving grin etched on her face. Juniper inhaled through her nose. Focus, composure, formality, goodwill. Just play along, Jun. It didn¡¯t in any way erase the way Morrigan had mocked her trauma earlier, her pain. Yes, she did downplay it to the crowd of people but for good reasons, why did it matter at all to her, a stranger? First, they entered the atrium, which lay to the west of the underground complex. It was architecturally splendid, all clean-cut concrete and thickened glass on its windows. An OBB sign was plastered over their heads, a constant reminder of where she was. Juniper honestly didn¡¯t understand what OBB was anymore. What she assumed was a massive-drilled hole, revealed the sun through space from above, bright and stark, illuminating its current occupants. Juniper stared at the ¡®suits.¡¯ How many had she seen up until now, a hundred maybe? Possibly more? Evelyn appeared to be running two different organizations under the same name. One of the vacant desks, inside, held abandoned and untouched stationery until Morrigan veered over to it. Juniper felt uneasy about her sudden movement. Click. Click. Click. Morrigan plucked the pen from its solitude, flicking it open and closed over and over. ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Morrigan asked, light, casual almost lazy. Like she was asking how her day went, not clicking the pen like a toddler on adrenalin. Juniper forced herself to respond, though she felt pretty awkward. ¡°It¡¯s cool, I guess. A lot quieter than the rest of the base.¡± ¡°Oh, wait till you see the noisy parts.¡± Morrigan grinned, flicking the pen even faster. Click. Click. Click. ¡°Makes my head feel like it¡¯s full of bees.¡± A pause, then a thoughtful hum. ¡°Kinda like this, huh?¡± Click-click-click-click-click¡ª A shiver trailed down Juniper¡¯s back, and her back wanted to contort. Why? She couldn¡¯t tell you. [God! She¡¯s annoying ?_?] I wouldn¡¯t say that. She¡¯s worse. The sight of Morrigan''s fingers moving too fast over the pen made her slightly step back, based on the way her eyes flickered¨Cit was like she was performing some occult ritual. This was voodoo and she was the doll. She slowed down her pace. Click. Click. Click. Juniper swallowed, resisting the urge to start shouting. She dug her nails into her skin, the pain, gave her a little stability. What was wrong with her? ¡°Right,¡± she said, keeping her voice even. ¡°So, these people¡­ are they all Arkangeal¡¯s assistants?¡± Morrigan snorted, moving behind her. Click. Click. Click. Then she became bored and threw the pen on the polished floor. Juniper flinched¨CThe same way one did if, someone let a glass fall on the floor. Like she had done something wrong, her body felt aftershock. She did her best to ignore it. Morrigan titled her head way too far, like a loose-strung puppet.¡°¡¯ Assistants?¡¯ That¡¯s adorable. Is that what she told you?¡± Juniper nodded, Evelyn was pretty elusive with the information she withheld from Juniper. And she wasn¡¯t keen on asking. Morrigan twitched like she missed the pen, already. ¡°Nah, it¡¯s just a bunch of stray dogs who think they owe her. Mercs, criminals, people who got in too deep. Made too much life debt. Call it a pound, call it a cult, call them slaves, whatever makes you feel better.¡± She moved¨Ctoo close now, her breath very close to Juniper¡¯s neck. ¡°But the real kicker?¡± she murmured, her voice dropping into something slow and sing-song. ¡°Evelyn likes it. Loves it. Collects people, like a child collects dead bugs in a jar.¡± A breathy giggle. ¡°She calls it a matriarchy in private,¡¯ but I dunno. Sounds kinda¡­ weird, don¡¯t you think? The whole ¡®Big sister¡¯ thing?¡± Juniper tensed. Morrigan¡¯s voice sent chills down her spine. She felt something tighten in her groin, fear, perhaps, like she was hanging on to a thread here. What the hell am I supposed to say? [Say nothing, don¡¯t comprise your position. The environment is controlled which means surveillance. Morrigan has leverage you don¡¯t.] Then, before she could rationalize anything any further. Morrigan pranced away¨Cspinning and twirling like the world was indeed a stage. Then, like she was zapped, she jumped. Then fell backwards awkwardly on the floor. ¡°Ow,¡± she muttered, rubbing at her shoulder like she¡¯d been struck. Juniper frowned at her¡­ Not unusual at all ¡°Uh¡­ are you okay?¡± She asked feigning concern. Morrigan blinked at her. Then, she laughed. Not like she¡¯d heard a joke, but like she¡¯d felt something hilarious. ¡°Oh. That¡¯s weird.¡± She flexed her hand, watching it like it was someone else¡¯s. ¡°I think my body forgot how to move for a second.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re unable¡ª¡± ¡°Pfft, shut up,¡± Morrigan interrupted, her grin returning like a mask slipping back into place. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you acquainted with the Matriarch before your little head explodes.¡± Huh! What a strange choice of words. But something about the minor event burrowed itself in Juniper¡¯s brain. Was she dreaming, stuck in limbo again? Everything happening, felt out of place. No, what am I missing? [THAT WAS OMINOUS. GRAB YOUR METAPHORICAL HELMET. STEEL YOURSELF] Creeping unease refused to let go. Juniper couldn¡¯t explain to herself, why she felt this way, why she suspected Morrigan of being beyond weird. Only that she did. Yet hadn¡¯t done anything to warrant aggression bar her insults, but¡­ She shook her head, perhaps the dream was working its way in again, jabbing at her. Who the fuck could she even consult about it. Moving on. The Cape barracks were up next. Juniper didn¡¯t expect much, but it was more than a spacious environment. Circled the massive expanse of the Matriarch, every room was doubled and designed with an open concept in mind¨Cclean, efficient, and hyper-modular. A gym area stood particularly out to her. Many of the doors were locked off, tight reinforced with steel security and a small camera. Reserved for the ¡®others¡¯, maybe. She had a gut feeling that they might be just for the absent and vacant capes, Evelyn wouldn¡¯t speak about. ¡°How many capes live here besides Group C?¡± she asked, curiosity stirring. Morrigan rolled her neck, walking ahead like she owned the place. ¡°Pretty much anyone without family stays here,¡± she said, voice breezy. ¡°Which makes you and Brutus a happy little duo.¡± Juniper went still. She didn¡¯t know, it was that bad. She felt the weight of it all press on her. It¡¯s no secret¨C due to the wild events happening in the last few years, someone, somewhere had lost someone. But¡­how many people lost everyone? ¡°Sorry?¡± Morrigan glanced over her shoulder, eyes glittering with something sharp. Mocking. ¡°For what? Reality?¡± She scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. ¡°Oh, please. Who the hell needs excessive blood relations?¡± I do. Juniper bit the inside of her cheek. She missed her parents. But without her siblings¨Cwhat was left of her family¨Cshe couldn¡¯t live without them. If Morrigan had a traumatic past, then fine. But it wasn¡¯t Juniper¡¯s burden to bear. She wasn¡¯t going to carry everyone¡¯s guilt. Was it wrong to feel this way? ¡°You may have noticed,¡± Morrigan continued, stretching her arms behind her head, ¡°the two sections are gendered and cut off.¡± A sigh. ¡°Well, Evelyn stuck the boy with us.¡± Juniper frowned. ¡°Boy?¡± Morrigan smirked. ¡°You know, the nerd that sat next to you.¡± Her mind clicked. Oh. Him. Terminal. ¡°¡­He¡¯s not exactly a boy,¡± Juniper muttered. ¡°He could be a pumpkin for all I care., Evelyn still put him in the girls¡¯ section,¡± Morrigan said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Probably ¡¯cause he¡¯s weird. Or maybe because Praemor bullied him too much.¡± Morrigan tilted her head, her smirk stretching. ¡°Me? I think he¡¯s hiding in the closet.¡± Juniper rolled her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t. I think he¡¯s just neurodivergent. His mannerisms, the way he acts¡­ And that¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Sure. Whatever. But, if you ever want to play with his feelings, call him a twink and he¡¯ll go livid. Oh! I would love to dress him up at least once. It would so much fun.¡± she giggled. How cruel, and heartless. Morrigan clearly didn¡¯t value other peoples feelings or emotions. At least it was clear to Juniper who she shouldn¡¯t trust or put her life above. Miss ¡®Every Other Sentence is a Sexual Slur or an Insult¡¯ and Captain Eagle Slippers. It was an embarrassment, but almost everyone in group C was okay, she¡¯d hate to work with the snarky bastards. Quirky in all the wrong ways. She thought of Praemor. A fucking onesie, at a semiformal team meeting. Weird as fuck. [You tell¡¯em Juniper, you tell¡¯em.] She just might. They walked what was probably half a mile, circularly. Juniper had glanced up just in time to see Annemarie staring at them. Directly at them. No. Not at them. At Morrigan. Her glare was so sharp and fueled it could have cut steel beams. Morrigan¡¯s demeanor shifted in response¨Cshe slowed but carried her own stride. Then, without speaking a single word, Annemarie slammed the door shut. Juniper narrowed her eyes. Drama, so soon. ¡°¡­ You two have issues?¡± M¨®rr¨ªgan face twisted horribly and crooked. She smirked. ¡°You wanna know a secret?¡± she murmured. She didn¡¯t give Juniper a chance to object, Morrigan closed the distance between them, her breath warm against Juniper¡¯s ear. Again. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Too close. Way, way too close. ¡°I caught her¡­ beating some scumbag for fun. Like bloody and broken¡± Juniper tensed. It sounded about in line for Annemarie, she had a no-bullshit policy. ¡°She definitely gets off on it, I¡¯ve ¡®observed¡¯ her,¡± Morrigan whispered. ¡°I swear. Her face lights up, and she starts¡ª¡± A giggle. A sick imitation of something childish. ¡°¡ªgiggling just like I¡¯m doing¡­¡± Juniper froze. She wasn¡¯t about to change her perception of a ¡®friend¡¯ because some stranger was shit-talking. She didn¡¯t want to be dragged any deeper. Before she could process the absurdity of what she¡¯d just heard, Morrigan picked up a stray baseball from the floor. And swung it, into the air¡­ Once. Too fast. Twice. Too sharp. Thrice. Too wide. [Strange. Don¡¯t you think.] Juniper¡¯s thoughts stuttered. It was like watching someone experiencing random OCD symptoms¡ªbut there was sociopathic about it. Deliberate. Calculated. Planned. What the hell is she doing? She barely had time to form questions. Then Morrigan dropped the bat. Juniper¡¯s hand snapped to her neck¨Cit itched furiously like an open wound, something had just touched her. Her body went rigid. Goosebumps slowly, prickled along her skin, like she had just touched something icky, the same feeling she got from seeing blood and gore. Something was wrong. Something was deeply, fundamentally wrong. [Pay close attention.] Sys-chan hummed. Yes. She wanted to know why she felt that way. Maybe it was the gut feeling that said. ¡°Morrigan is up to something.¡± and she didn¡¯t like it. Following up on the tour. The operations room was sprawling¡ªmulti-tiered, multi-leveled, packed with rows of desks, a constant hum of activity in the air. Juniper¡¯s eyes swept across mega big screens lining up the walls, old surveillance footage. Citywide feeds. Internal observation gadgets. Live drone footage. She hated to admit it, but¡­ This place was grander than she imagined, not some barebones hideout. A fully operational base. The more she she saw, the more it, nagged at her. Vigilante. That¡¯s what Evelyn called herself. A vigilante leader. But looking at all of this? Juniper was starting to think ¡°vigilante¡± was just lingo for black operatives. Because this didn¡¯t feel like vigilantism at all. It felt¡­ coordinated. Militarized. Controlled. She thought about how everyone knew what metal ronin did, assassinations hard-to-touch criminals. The way Annemarie patrolled at night, how Evelyn actively assisted the SCRA in doing their jobs. Now she was second-guessing everything. She glanced at her surroundings. A small group of operators were working with intense fervor¨Cprecise, hyperefficient, keyboards blaring at hundreds of words per minute. Juniper felt the vague unease creep in again. ¡°What happens here?¡± she asked, keeping her tone as neutral as possible. Morrigan stretched, rolling her shoulders. ¡°Eh¡­ I¡¯m no techie,¡± she admitted. ¡°I guess they relay, collect info, help run ops in the field. That kinda thing.¡± Juniper¡¯s fingers curled slightly. ¡°So¡­ OBB has an intelligence department?¡± Morrigan snorted. ¡°Sure, if that helps you sleep at night.¡± Juniper wasn¡¯t sure if she was being dismissive or intentionally difficult to communicate with. Morrigan wandered lazily to the side¡ªand leaned up against a big red button. Several of the operators paused, shooting her a collective look of irritation. Juniper frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Morrigan smirked. ¡°Lockdown switch.¡± A cold feeling trickled down Juniper¡¯s spine. She stared at Morrigan. ¡°Why are you standing next to it?¡± Morrigan tilted her head, all mock innocence. ¡°No reason.¡± You don¡¯t stand and stare at an emergency button like you¡¯re gonna press it for fun. [She has the hallmarks of a forest sprite, naughty and mischievous. Nymphs and fairies, and sprites are known for their promiscuity and cruel tricks. She lines up with it.] Juniper scanned the room again. It wasn¡¯t just her that was put off by it. The others in the room were visibly disturbed by her. Some inched closer, but refrained with speaking with her. It made Juniper¡¯s skin tingle. No. Those weren¡¯t tingles at all. A loud noise, sharp and ringing bells in her ears¨Clike she was hearing something impossibly loud, and yet not decibel of sound entered her earlobes. It was like hum, droning in over her head, over and over. Juniper¡¯s pulse jumped, the air suffocating, her nerves crawling on the edge. What could¨C Morrigan reeled back, surprised head tilting again. ¡°¡­ Are you okay, Juniper?¡± The words felt off. Like she¡¯d said them before. Not just once, but several times over, repeated ad infinitum, deja vu, but it felt wrong. ¡°Yeah,¡± she lied, forcing herself to stay still. Her eyes stayed locked on Morrigan¡ªwary. Calculating. Was this her power? Was she messing with her? Was she disorienting her psionically putting her on the attack? [I¡¯d have felt if it was direct attack, focus on replicating an isolated scenario again, let her take you somewhere isolated.] I¡¯d rather not deal with her weird antics. ¡°Can we speed this up?¡± She asked. ¡°I¡¯ve got a long week to prepare for.¡± Morrigan rocked back on her heels like she wasn¡¯t balancing quite right. ¡°You¡¯re, boring, juniper¡± she sighed. ¡°But¡­alright, if you¡¯re so eager,¡± She ran up to Juniper, grasping her hands together, bonding them together, Juniper¡¯s arms at her mercy. ¡°I know! She said excitement. Have you ever held a gun before!¡± She shook her head. Turning away, her head. ¡°N-no, can¡¯t say I have.¡± She did her best to avoid direct eye contact. She was physically attractive, just repulsive in a supernatural way, she couldn¡¯t explain. The armory stretched before them, a large arsenal, ready to be used, horribly and lethally. Racks upon racks of automated machine pistols and rifles. Each one was placed meticulously as if it were some holy museum. Combat knives, more sharpened katanas that a mall weaboo would know what to do with. Scopes, mods, grenade casings¡ªa gun nut¡¯s personal shrine. Juniper eyed the shotgun ammo display, set up like a museum exhibit, labels marking the differences between slug, buckshot, and incendiary rounds. Juniper wanted to ask if they were allowed, in here, but Morrigan didn¡¯t hesitate. She grabbed a pistol, twirling it in her fingers like it weighed nothing. ¡°Watch and learn, kiddo.¡± Morrigan''s grin widened.¡°You¡¯ll enjoy setting it loose,¡± She handed Juniper a protective headset. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want your ears to get hurt,¡± she cooed. Juniper took it reluctantly. Wouldn¡¯t do much against her enhanced hearing, but she played along. Morrigan strutted forward, raised the pistol one-handed¡ªand fired. Not at the target. At Juniper. Juniper¡¯s breath hitched¡ª¡± what are you¨C¡± But the bullet never came. No¡ªMorrigan had fired past her, completely off-target¡ªbut every shot had ricocheted and landed perfectly on the dummy. No sighting. No trigger discipline. Loose and sloppy shooting. Wild, erratic arm swings¡ªand yet, each bullet punched through the same exact spot. Juniper swallowed. How. How did she do it. Okay, that was actually¡ªkind of cool, for some strange reason she wasn¡¯t offended. ¡°What¡¯s your power?¡± Juniper asked, trying to ease into the strangeness of Morrigan¡¯s behavior. Morrigan grinned, tapping a finger to her lips.¡° It¡¯s a Secret.¡± She popped the magazine out, slipped in a fresh one, and offered the gun to Juniper. ¡°Your turn.¡± Juniper¡¯s hands stayed still. ¡°I-I can¡¯t,¡± she muttered. ¡°You know what¡¯s funny?¡± she whispered, voice mocking, like she was telling a joke only she understood¡± ¡°Everyone says that at first.¡± She just stared at her, eyes glittering with something sharp. Like she was waiting. Waiting for Juniper to crack. But after a long and awkward pause, she started babbling again. ¡°Relax, You just thought that was cool, didn¡¯t you?¡± She tossed her a look, tone dripping with goading amusement. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re Non-lethal ammunition, mostly.¡± Juniper¡¯s fingers curled around the grip. She took a deep breath, stabilizing her movement. She adjusted her stance¡ªfeet staggered, slight bend in the knees, weight balanced. Isosceles. She learned what it was from the net. She fired away. The shot cracked into the air. Then she wasn¡¯t in the armory anymore. She¡¯s on the road, holding a child in her arms, eyes reaching out. She puts the child down and lifts her mask. The gunfire goes off. Three shots slamming into her body. Hitting the pavement. Her blood spilled, she felt pain, shot by the authorities, she felt betrayed, she held trust for them, even if it wasn¡¯t much. She trembled. She fired again, her eyes completely shut, letting loose, wholly blind-firing. Then the gun was tugged away. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t be reckless!¡± Juniper gasped, breath gone, her head spinning¡ª Then¡ª The cold metal pressed to her neck. Juniper froze. Her pulse pounded. Morrigan¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. She didn¡¯t smile, her eyes held malice and hatred. Her eyes kept open, she didn¡¯t flinch peering into her. Just held the gun it there. Juniper¡¯s scowl deepened. ¡°¡­ What the hell,¡± she whispered. ¡°Relax. I¡¯m joking.¡± Morrigan giggled. ¡°Gotta rein you in after you went wild.¡± She pulled the gun away, spinning it effortlessly between her fingers, twirling it like a ring. ¡°These guns are wired with a smart system.¡± Her voice lilted, sing-song. Mocking. ¡°Training purposes. They don¡¯t fire on people.¡± Her smirk stretched. ¡°But you didn¡¯t know that, did you?¡± Morrigan didn¡¯t look like she was joking. Enough was enough. She was not going to be toyed with. [Observation. Immediately. Before she puts you in a casket.] Right. Observe. [Morrigan] [Power: 5] [Endurance: 8] [Dexterity: 7] [Reflex: 98] [Durability: 6] [Energy: 40] [Chrono hyper-cognition: Allows individual, to perceive and anticipate events before they are untold. Unlike common foresight functions like an advanced probability engine, granting users an innate ability to see into shifting timelines.] Most Prevalent Skills: Synchronicity Dodge ¨C Evade attacks on instinct, by moving where attacks could never land. Reserve for close-quarters and not long-ranged combat near-perfect evasion. Echo Reflexes ¨C Reaction time sharpened, she can appear to predict movements before they happen. Allows for preemptive counterattacks. Pathfinding Instinct ¨C Can navigate through chaotic environments with minimal resistance, always taking the safest or most advantageous route. Flicker Sight ¨C Briefly glimpses branching possibilities, letting her adjust actions to optimize outcomes. Works best under pressure. Juniper¡¯s chest tightened. She was practically a baseline human¡ªexcept for her reflexes, and her inhuman energy levels. But above all else. She could see into the damn future. Then¡ª All those weird motions she¡¯d been making. [She¡¯s been testing something, on you.] Sys-chan chimed, eager to speak.[I¡¯d tell you to copy her power, but if she¡¯s got some big-brain mental defenses, you¡¯ll probably just get a headache.] Juniper swallowed. Those strange tingles she kept feeling. The way Morrigan kept making small, erratic movements¡ªlike she was reacting to something Juniper wasn¡¯t perceiving. [Oh-ho-ho¡­ you think she¡¯s been ¡®killing¡¯ you in her own little reality, don¡¯t you?] Juniper¡¯s stomach knotted together. Maybe. It was just a theory. But those sensations¡ªthose tingles¡ª [Alright, hold onto that thought. Wait for the next area¡ªthen put that theory to the test.] Juniper grimaced, could she bear another walk with her? Would it be better to retreat instead? Tell Evelyn or someone. They had been chased off near the underground garage. Juniper only caught a glimpse inside¡ªrows of ordinary cars, drones, a few trucks, and autonomous stations with robotic arms running maintenance routines. A mechanic-slash-engineer at the door barely looked up before snapping, ¡°Fuck off, we¡¯re busy.¡± Morrigan had threatened him with a smile. He threatened to call Evelyn. Based on her flashing teeth, and behavior¡ª she appeared to be enjoying it. They had left. Two restricted areas later¡ªone explicitly off-limits to anyone but Evelyn¡ªthey reached an isolated chamber. A blackened room with one-way windows, there were no visible cameras¡ªat least, none obvious. Soundproofed walls. Morrigan stopped, resting a hand on the door. ¡°This is the interrogation room.¡± She stretched, rolling her shoulders. ¡°I like to have a little fun in here now and then.¡± Fun! What kind of fun. Juniper had seen enough. This wasn¡¯t a tour. It was theatrics. It was a play, to distract her. She stopped and turned to Morrigan, her expression hardening. ¡°Okay, enough!¡± Morrigan blinked. ¡°What?¡± Morrigan asked surprised. Juniper never spoke like this, but she had half a day to look forward to, and she wasn¡¯t in the mood. ¡°Cut the shit,¡± Juniper pressed, shaking her head. ¡°I know what you¡¯ve been doing.¡± A flicker of surprise crossed Morrigan¡¯s face¡ªthen amusement. She clasped her hands behind her back, tilting her head like a schoolgirl caught sneaking candy. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± she cooed. ¡°If you¡¯re accusing me of something, shouldn¡¯t we settle this in a more¡­ civilized way?¡± Juniper¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°There¡¯s no chemistry between us. No ebb, no flow. I only followed because Arkangeal asked me to.¡± She exhaled sharply. ¡°I¡¯m done with this tour.¡± Morrigan¡¯s smile thinned away. ¡°No, you¡¯re not. Juniper Pinewell, your tour has only just begun.¡± Juniper moved, but was too late. She shoved Juniper inside, tripping her in mid-air and sending her hurtling inside. The door slammed shut. Juniper hit the ground, rolling up fast¡ªonly to find herself staring at her own reflection in the mirrored walls. She banged on the door. Slamming her fist against metal. ¡°Hey! Open up!¡± No response. ¡°Open up, I¡¯m done playing you¡¯re game¡± She could break out¡ªbut not without wrecking the place, it would be so easy.Her fingers brushed against her pocket. Her phone. Who the hell did she call for this bullshit? Evelyn? Annemarie?John? The lights went out, blinding Juniper with darkness. The door opened again. Then the lights were turned on again. Morrigan walked inside, the closed behind her. Juniper whirled on her. ¡°What the hell?¡± Morrigan raised a hand, voice eerily calm. ¡°Relax, sister.¡± Juniper glared at the goth. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡± Morrigan feigned innocence, at ease. ¡°It was just a prank.¡± Juniper¡¯s hands clenched into fists. ¡°You¡¯ve been manipulating time¡ªassaulting me in the future.¡± Morrigan¡¯s smile didn¡¯t fade. She didn¡¯t deny it. Juniper¡¯s chest burned. ¡°I know what you can do.¡± Morrigan¡¯s amusement curdled into something else. Something gleeful. Juniper took a step forward. ¡°You¡¯re manipulating alternate realities. Altering futures.¡± Juniper hummed. ¡°Maybe I did.¡± She twirled a strand of hair around her finger. ¡°It¡¯s my job to assess threats.¡± Her tone was steady. Almost bored. Like they were discussing the weather. ¡°And you Juniper Pinewell is a threat to the organization we stand inside of.¡± Juniper¡¯s patience snapped. ¡°Are you the mole? The one who caused havoc a while back?¡± Morrigan giggled. And then¡ª Her energy spiked. A single accurate hit would put her down¡ªbut only if Juniper could land it. Morrigan tilted her head. Awfully remorseful holding up her hands. ¡°No, seriously. Calm down.¡± Her voice was breathy like she was holding back laughter. ¡°This was a test.¡± Juniper¡¯s blood ran cold. ¡°What?¡± Morrigan grinned.¡°Evelyn asked me to do it.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve done it with everyone to test, their reactions, determine if you¡¯re stable enough to keep around... That¡¯s why I walked you around.¡± A test. Really? As if her fight with Caldera wasn¡¯t already proof enough. Juniper stepped forward, trembling. Morrigan held up her hands, her face turned into one of boredom. ¡°Wait a minute¡ªhey, hey. It was just a little loyalty test. Don¡¯t get mad.¡± Juniper¡¯s fist clenched so hard it ached., rarely ever this she become physically frustrated. She was ready to explode¡ª Then¡ª The blackened room¡¯s door swung open again. Arkangeal steps in. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Morrigan.¡± Juniper turned, fury twisting inside her.¡°Is this some sick joke?¡± Evelyn¡¯s expression was flat. ¡°No. It was your first test of character.¡± She exhaled. ¡°Apologies for the deception¡ªyou¡¯re free to go for the day.¡± Juniper¡¯s stomach twisted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. ¡®Evelyn¡¯. But that¡¯s ridiculous. Just like that?¡± Evelyn didn¡¯t blink. ¡°Every cape member we have has undergone some version of this¡ªwith or without Morrigan.¡± Juniper¡¯s breath stilled. ¡°You¡¯re an anomaly, Juniper.¡± Evelyn crossed her arms. ¡°I needed to know if you were stable enough.¡± Juniper sighed. ¡°Was this the real reason you called me in today?¡± Evelyn hesitated. ¡°No. Yes. Maybe.¡± Then, in a tone far too casual¡ª ¡°Anyway, relax, Juniper. Go home. Tomorrow, you¡¯ll do some physical tests.¡± ¡°Alright, I guess my job here is halfway done,¡± Morrigan tapped her fingers against her leg, bored. She waved to Juniper, and blew a kiss.¡± ¡°That was fun. I hope we get to ¡®play¡¯ again soon See you later, Jun¡± She skipped away. Juniper stared after her, jaw tight. She turned back to Evelyn. ¡°Is this really necessary? This feels like a power play.¡± Evelyn met her gaze, unwavering. ¡°It¡¯s not. And I don¡¯t expect you to understand.¡± She turned to leave. ¡°Go home or stick to the barracks. There¡¯s a training field outside the base if you want to burn off some steam.¡± And then¡ªshe was gone. Juniper exhaled sharply. Maybe this is why Annemarie was always so pissed. Feeling like a goddamn pawn in someone else¡¯s chess game. Then¡ª Her skin tingled. A prickle at the base of her skull. A ripple through her muscles, like she was on the edge of stepping into oncoming traffic. Her body jerked slightly. What the¡ª? She sat down immediately. The sensation got worse. Like invisible fingers were trying to puppet her movements. Then¡ª [Rare Skill Developed] ["Phantom Reflex" - Passive Skill (Level 1)] Feel little ripples of impending danger before it happens.] Juniper stared. Then buried her face in her hands. ¡°Oh, fuck me.¡± She really couldn¡¯t understand the system sometimes, it was just so utterly. Brainwrecking. [Hey, it¡¯s the next best thing! Yay for survival?] She peeked at the air around her, half-expecting to see a tutorial pop-up. Nope. Just her fucked-up reality. Her fingers twitched. A soft tug in her gut¡ªlike something in the universe was gently reminding her: "Hey, dumbass, move to the left if you don''t wanna get stabbed!" Juniper groaned. ¡°Did I just develop a skill from being around Morrigan too long?¡± That was a thing now? What was next? Was she gonna start levitating in her sleep if Evelyn stared at her long enough? Or maybe she¡¯d wake up tomorrow with the ability to taste bullshit. Scratch that¡ªshe already could. It was everywhere. She flopped back against the cold floor, hands over her face. [At least you got something out of her harassment.] Juniper snorted. ¡°Yeah. A skill and a fresh new trauma badge.¡± She threw up her hands. ¡°I¡¯m leveling up in the worst possible way!¡± A beat. Then¡ªhorrifying realization. ¡°¡­Does this mean I have to thank Morrigan?¡± Silence. Then she groaned louder. ¡°Oh, absolutely not.¡± [She didn¡¯t seem so bad at the end.] ¡°No, she was like: alright, I fucked you over now I¡¯m out of here, nerd.¡± She rolled onto her side, staring blankly at the mirrored walls. ¡°I need a drink. Or a lobotomy. Either works.¡± [You had one shot of whiskey, and now it¡¯s gone to your head. Don¡¯t start with the alcoholism arc.] Chapter 57 - The Case of Frozen lasagna Juniper slammed her head against the dining table, rattling the structure. Her tea spilled all over the cheap wood, seeping into its cracks. Hot droplets splashed onto her face, sliding down her cheeks. She wiped them away and lifted her head, only to slam it down again¡ªharder this time, making a thud echo. Exhaustion crept under her skin, gnawing at her aching thigh muscles; it felt as though they were ready to give in. They felt loose, not stiff as they had been when she woke. The mess with Morrigan¡¯s little stunt had drained her mentally. Dealing with time distortion and chrono-peripheral-mindfuckery had her at her wit¡¯s end. Morrigan had never stated clearly whether she had actually harmed her in these alternate timelines¡ªif that was even what they were. No! She had noped the fuck out the moment Arkangeal stepped in, and Juniper basically got told that, yes, Juniper, you were just psychologically and chronologically mindfucked, but it''s okay because it comes with the job. Nonsense. There was also the issue of her temporary new route. She had developed it early this morning by driving from home to school, then work, then back to school again. A whole missing fleet of buses left her with more errands to do. She was lucky to have her own transport now; she¡¯d never trust strangers to take her sister to school. Although, someone had better done something about those buses, or she¡¯ll have to step in. [Ah yes, Juniper, the great school bus hunter. Fear her wrath, oh missing fleets!] Syschan quipped. [Very heroic. Very dumb. Let the authorities sort it out.] If it made my life easier, would it be so bad? [Pfft. Try making your life easier by actually sleeping. You¡¯re going to need it when they start poking and prodding tomorrow.] She clicked her tongue. Please. I¡¯m afraid to sleep. Honestly, you refused to believe me, but I got assaulted by a porcelain metal lady? [So you claim.] The excessive driving, work pressure, or the forced socialization, the dream¡ªit all added up. She¡¯d had enough, and it barely had begun kicking off. Effy loomed near Juniper¡¯s shoulder, picking at her back with her fingers and irritating her ears by flicking her earlobes. Her nails felt like plastic cutlery, cutting away at her. ¡°Juniper, what¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked. The vigilante, in turn, groaned in response.¡°C¡¯mon, Junie, pay some attention to me.¡± What even was the point of answering her? She couldn¡¯t understand her woes. She didn¡¯t react at first, but then Effy had started throwing her with little paper balls. She instinctively evaded them, like a game of tag ping-pong. Was it the result of her new skill, [''Phantom Reflex'']? Probably. Effy giggled, accepted her willingness to dodge as a challenge. Juniper frowned. ¡°Stop it.¡± She intensified her assault, rocketing Juniper with spherical paper missiles. Then came the mother of all paper balls, large and imposing, and she couldn¡¯t dodge this one. She still wasn''t sure if her passive skill worked in real-time or only when focused, but either way, it was getting annoying. Fast. ¡°Goddamn it Effy!¡± Juniper complained, ¡°At least wait until the food is out of the oven.¡± Effy folded her arms, shaking her head left and right. ¡°Bleh, you¡¯re grumpy again. Wait a sec! Is this because Kanako dumped you?¡± ¡°What?!¡± Juniper snapped upright, her foot tapping anxiously. ¡°What gave you that idea, you little hobgoblin?¡± Effy snapped her fingers. ¡°Remy¡¯s words not mine, I thought you plucked gold, Juniper, and she was so nice to us, too. I¡¯m going to miss her.¡± Remy giggled from the kitchen. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her, Juniper, she¡¯s taking my words and twisting them down the drain.¡± Remy¡¯s commentary was cut short as the Oven timer started dinging. Effy¡¯s head turned like jack rabbit, and she bounced. ¡°Hmm, finally, I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always starving, Effy, I swear you eat more than the average adult.¡± Juniper watched him from a distance, he turned way too fast, lowering his body and buckling inwards. He winced. Losing his breath, coughing. Juniper rushed past the nine-year-old, hurrying over to assist him as his body betrayed him. He tensed up as she approached, giving her an uncomfortable stare. She knew what his stares meant, ¡°don¡¯t treat me like a child.¡± ¡°Bro, don¡¯t push yourself too hard, let me handle it.¡± ¡°No!¡± His voice came out a lot sharper than he intended. He giggled, then eased up, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, about me, I got this.¡± A lie. She knew he was hurt deep down. He didn¡¯t want to be treated as fragile, but it was hard to just ignore him. He looked like he would snap in half, opening the oven. ¡°Did you¨C?¡± ¡°Yes, mom, I took my medication¡­¡± he mocked playfully. Juniper wasn¡¯t smiling. He brushed past her, very stiffly, searching for the nearest pair of mittens. The lasagna they had made was steaming as it was taken out, its scent potent and rich. Layer after layer of beef, cheese, onions, vegetables, and herbs. The spices were a tad too strong; they stung her nose, barely a sneeze away. Its moist smell humidified the dry room. For once, they had something nutritiously fresh¨Cnot cheap takeout. Remy started humming as he cut into it, separating their portions. Effy''s head nearly stuck in, the way of the knife, Juniper pulled her back. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Juniper¡¯s portion was the largest, and it wasn¡¯t much honestly, followed by the gluttonous Euphemia, and the smallest cut for him. I¡¯d wish he¡¯d eat more. He hardly ever ate much. I¡¯d force-feed if he¡¯d allow it. ¡°Hey! I want more.¡± Effy protested, slamming the table with her fist. ¡°Effy, if you want more, finish up first,¡± Remy said. ¡°You have a bad habit of not finishing once you start, so.¡± The little brat made a dramatic sigh and dug in. Her eyes widened in response. It didn¡¯t take long before she started gobbling up everything. Remy expressed a wide smile. ¡°See, I¡¯m a better cook, than Juniper could ever be.¡± Juniper turned her nose up, returning his smile. ¡°Debatable, I don¡¯t oversaturate everything with salt, sugar, and syrup.¡± she teased. ¡°And I don¡¯t wait until something burns, before taking it out of a frying pan.¡± ¡°You got me there,¡± she said, rubbing under her eyes. Despite Remy¡¯s struggles recently, he has been in a goodish mood. And it scared Juniper more than anything. She desperately tried to put the idling thoughts to rest, but they kept gnawing on her. His jubilant smile was the only reason she didn¡¯t press him about his illness. Occasionally he¡¯d get stingy about it, and a small argument would ensue. She waited before eating, taking in the moment. Briefly resting her chin on her hand. Juniper cut off an unusually large piece of her food, she bit and swallowed. It was creamy and had a slight umami taste to it. It was good, really good. She¡¯d need Remy in the kitchen more often than not, even If he simply gave his lax opinions. She dove in as well. This prompted Effy to smirk at her. ¡°You¡¯re going to get fat one of these days,¡± Effy spat. Juniper tried ignoring her, then felt up the width of her cheeks and the skin around her stomach. Effy stuck out her tongue, and flicked a piece of lasagna at Juniper. Her skin prickled, like she was mildly sensing the intent a mile away. She dodged it effortlessly, her reflexes were slowly becoming a subconscious endeavor. It didn¡¯t go unnoticed, however, Remy stared at her, but said nothing. Effy grumbled, daring to escalate, she hopped off her chair, looking for more paper balls to harvest, then started priming them in her hand, like an autocannon ready to fire¡­ ¡°Ow,¡± she didn¡¯t dodge, a ball hit her eye. It didn¡¯t hurt, but she feigned the pain. ¡°Effy, please stop, or I won¡¯t take you to the fair you wanted to go to.¡± ¡°Liar, you promised, you promised to take me to the circus as well, and we all know that never happened.¡± ¡°I know, I¡¯m sorry, just¡­ calm down, we can do something fun later, I promise.¡± ¡°Promises, promises.¡± Effy moaned. Remy started coughing excessively, both of their attention shifted towards him, Effy had a look of guilt in her face, she sat down. Resuming her meal. Juniper had noticed, he hadn¡¯t touched his food yet. Remy clutched his hands together, closed his eyes, and murmured to himself. He was Christian now? When did that occur? She couldn¡¯t remember him ever being concerned about religion. ¡°I don¡¯t remember you ever being religious?¡± They¡¯d always been an irreligious household, not necessarily secular. After their parents left, Juniper never found comfort in the words of Magi and prophets, no matter what tenets preached or afterlives promised. No fair god, would allow a world like this to persist, and yet she believed some overseer looked over them, and she did not mean beings like Quixis. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m religious, Just something to hold on to? ¡± he said shyly. ¡°Fair, I guess.¡± [Simulation theory is as far as I go, I¡¯m afraid, ] Syschan quipped. How fitting? Didn¡¯t you come from that Elysium place? [I have no memory of such nonsense. Constructed maybe, but I¡¯ve always been here. Lurking. Waiting. Like a very patient houseplant. You¡¯d have to ask the guardian, if you ever see him again, by the looks of it, he has abandoned us both] She buried the thought train at the back of her mind. Mid-bite, Juniper let the warmth settled into her stomach, It was just awhile ago that she thought she would lose this? When was the last time they sat around together like this? She wished her mother was here to see this, they were at each other¡¯s throat when they were younger, even a four-year old Effy was a menace. But, what more could she ask for? She took another bite, the food had hardened¡­unnaturally so. Did they put anything unprocessed inside? She doubted Remy would bake it halfway. She stared at her brother; his head was locked on his food, hands obscuring his face. Unmoving, unnaturally so. ¡°Remy?!¡± she asked in panic. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Remy!¡± She turned to Effy, the girl stood frozen in place. Her mouth full of food, in the process of chewing, she looked up, the fork was suspended midair, halfway between a launch to the roof. Effy¡¯s hands reached out, but she didn¡¯t move. Stuck, unmoving in place. Juniper blinked. There was no sound but her own movements. Using [Super audition], she listened, and she listened with focus, and there was nothing outside, she could hear her heart beating rapidly. No. No. No. No. She pinched herself, was she dreaming, again. Time sat still. Just like back in the hospital, waiting for death to catch up to her. Her heartbeat paced up, Something was seriously wrong. ¡°Quixis! Is that you?¡± she shouted out. How else could she explain, everything outside was silent too, she¡¯d never heard of a cape that could stop time. ¡°Quixis.¡± [Careful. This feels like big, ominous, bad-times energy. Like a higher power at play here? Steel yourself!] Syschan muttered. Taking Sys-chan¡¯s advice to heart, she ran over to the kitchen, grabbed a knife from the counter, and peered out the window for good measure. There, in the sky, she could faintly see drone lights and a kilometer above it, the trail of a jet engine, a plane frozen mid-air. Their reflective lights, didn¡¯t flicker, the light itself suspended in animation. Why do things keep happening to her? Knock. Knock. Knock. It came from the door. Where else could it have been? The silence shattered, she wasn¡¯t alone, something was here with her. She froze up, forcing herself to move, her body is slow, but deliberate. [I don¡¯t believe this quixis doing, Yeah, okay, I really don¡¯t like this,] Juniper gripped the knife, hesitated, then charge at the door like a soldier holding the knife like a bayonet. ¡°Who the fuck is here!¡± As she slammed the door open. There was no one outside, nothing in front of her, just vacant space. ¡°Over, here Juniper¡­¡± A young boy floated in the air above her. The same boy. The very same. The one with the white hair, the strange kid that asked her weird questions when she came out of a burning building. The same boy she saw this morning, creeping among the crowd. He wore his familiar navy-blue Russian vest, underneath a fur-lined coat, which resembled an officer¡¯s. A sailor¡¯s cap sat on his head. His stare felt ancient¨Cfar older than he should be. He stared at her with knowing amusement. Dread coiled its way into her gut, and her ribs twisted. [Ooh, it¡¯s the odd kid. I knew something was off. ] ¡°I saw you. Back in the crowd, with the cat. On the day with the burnings, you asked me questions, that you had no right to.¡± Juniper stiffened¡­ ¡°Who are you, no! What are you and what do you want?¡± He tilted his head, a smirk, on his face, ¡°I thought you¡¯d come find me. But I got tired of waiting for you to take action. If you¡¯d really like to know, then follow me.¡± [Juniper, his presence¡­it¡¯s making me uncomfortable.] Juniper gritted her teeth, peering behind her, her siblings were vulnerable, but she couldn¡¯t just let him do whatever. She shut the door. Then Juniper lunged in his direction as he floated away. Chapter 58 - Grey Goo Juniper locked her eyes unto the strange boy, tracking the direction of his flight. Leaping from the balcony of the apartment, she used the railing as a means to propel herself further. She tapped into [Gravitational distortion] midair. Hoping to make herself lighter, the surrounding air physically distorts, as she swerves through the atmosphere. She didn¡¯t make it far. Juniper fell to the ground, like a stone skipping on water, she wobbled in the air, and lost her climb. Altitude crashing and she descends and she descends. She braces herself. Her hands hurtled, firmly on the asphalt, her legs buckled. As she loses her balance, her slippers offered little stability. ¡°What¨C?¡± Something was wrong, all wrong, the effect didn¡¯t kick in. [Gravitational distortion] was seriously misbehaving, barely affecting her. No field, zero control over her power. It altered her, but only barely so. Like she was jumping on the moon but falling back down all the same. She kicked off the slipper¡¯s, there were mild creases and folds on them, they would break apart if she got into a fight anyway. Leaving her barefoot. She¡¯d worry about them later. [You know, since time is kinda, sorta, stuck? Turns out gravity gets shy when time¡¯s not moving forward, you are already pushing the physics engine here, beyond what should be possible, but let¡¯s assume it¡¯s his doing] Sys-chan stated. The floating boy, flew around the corner, giggling and waving at Juniper. He flew effortlessly, like he was swimming in the air. Out of breath, she raised herself from the ground. Just one more case of bullshit Juniper, just one more case, and you can sleep. [Quickly test, Solar-powered Sentinel] ¡°Right,¡± Juniper agreed. She wanted this creeper far away from her family, she didn''t care how old he is. [Solar-powered Sentinel] raised her into the air, but the moonlight was out and about, she¡¯d be able to tap into it, right? No! It didn¡¯t work either. Her power was fizzling away, but there was a minor reserve of energy she held within herself. It tended to fade over time. Time. It was going to be the driving force of her woes here, she needed to find some optimization. She had just enough energy to try and catch him, and not nearly enough to prepare for a fight. It was a good thing Sys-chan advised her to copy ¡°panzer¡¯s¡± ability. She chased after the boy, flying past the apartment complex, she had lost sight of him. Frozen, traffic lined up the road, as everything to her seemed to be suspended in time. A pedestrian was in the middle of jaywalking. A car threatened to plow him into the road. ¡°Shit!¡± She intervened, side tracking and stalling. She pushed the man over to the sidewalk, his expression, uncanny, unchanging. What a bastard, she hoped he¡¯d be thankful after this. [Who are you kidding, both the driver and this sorry man, will have a heart attack once time resumes.] ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t worry about that!¡± She returned to pathfinding her way towards the direction of the boy. His stuck out behind the traffic, unbothered, uncaring. He had gone on foot this time, settling a block away and running into a large alleyway. Juniper pursued. Fast. He was way too fast, for her at least. Her power flickered, on the verge of collapse. Her light expenditure was fleeing fast. She followed him inside, dropping to the ground, her landing was awkward. She stepped on littered trash below her feet, and stumbled horribly. Juniper ran after him into the dark passage of the alleyway, her visibility dimming, but her ears were sharp. He was walking ahead. He stopped, just as she did. A dead end, no way out. No balcony, no lower walls. The boy, stood against the wall, staring at vacant space, his back turned to Juniper, his hands loosely tucked behind his back. Like he was a carrier of authority. He turned, smirking at her¡­ Up close, he didn¡¯t appear to be older than 11, maybe 10 if you were pushing his age. She stopped, out of breath, hands on her knees. She was tired, and ill-prepared. The cape girl huffed. ¡°Stop!¡± she walked closer approaching him, [Iron drive] active, but she was hesitant. He looks exactly like a young boy, small and fragile. I don¡¯t know If I can bring myself to harm him. [Ohhh, no, no, no, ] Sys-chan interjected. [He¡¯s a threat. Tiny threat, but a threat. That whole ¡®I¡¯m an innocent little lad¡¯ act? Nope. Not buying it.] Her eyes didn¡¯t leave him. ¡°Who are you! Answer me! Now!¡± She stomped her right foot on the ground, cracks formed below her feet. A mild threat. The cold concrete below, chilling her foot. With a sudden zap, he disappeared from her sight. She turned her neck, awkwardly. On guard. Noise buzzed from afar. Reappearing on the rooftop behind her. He can teleport too!? He spoke, his voice mimicked a child''s voice at least. ¡°Who am I? Here¡¯s a better question¨Cwho am I not?¡± He asked. ¡°But, if you want to give my presence a name, you may call me the traveler? My names. My birth names. I threw it away centuries ago.¡± ¡°Centuries?!¡± Juniper questioned in disbelief [Traveler?? That¡¯s not even a name! And excuse me, centuries? I am throwing SO MUCH doubt at this right now] As if sneering at Sys-chan, he made a small grunt. ¡°What an impudent little thing you have in your head¡­¡± [He can hear me!?] The traveler, he ¡®jumped¡¯ through space again, and reappeared in front of her in a heartbeat. Juniper recoiled back, freaked out. She struggled to move, she wanted to punch at him. Yet her limbs wouldn¡¯t budge. He stepped forward, scowling and put his hands on her forehead, as she tried resisting. His hands were strangely soft. ¡°Let me ease your pain, Juniper.¡± he whispered. The way he spoke, it had numbed her somehow. [Ju-ni-per?] He pressed hard on her forehead, something flooded inside, and then everything went quiet. There was a hole in her brain, somewhere inside, tunneled away. Something fundamental was taken. There was no pain, she just felt hollow. She stumbled, a bit disoriented, he did something to her body, but what? He disappeared again, this time several feet away from her, and she found herself moving again. She didn¡¯t know what he did to her, but she wasn¡¯t going to allow him to do it again. She stood, and jumped into the air, flying towards him with the intent to collide. His body, warped, in an almost cartoon fashion, bending away. Just wide enough to avoid the arc of her attack. Then he jumped again, gone. Sys-chan, I¡¯m totally blind here, what do I do. There was no response, her eyes widened, at the realization of what he could have happened, just now, under her nose. ¡°Sys-chan!¡± there is no answer. ¡°Sys-chan!¡± silence greeted her. ¡°Sys-chan!!!¡± Her voiced echoed into the soundless cityscape. Her eyes widened. There was a hole in her brain, how could she forget. ¡°It¡¯s futile, I shut her up permanently,¡± The traveler boasted. ¡°I had one, just like that long ago, kept him around for a century, he drove me absolutely mad, so I got rid of him.¡± Sys-chan was gone?! No! He had to have been lying. What was she supposed to without her. ¡°You monster, what did you do to me!? What is this!?¡± she shouted. No one could hear her scream. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°If you¡¯d stop being hostile, we can converse.¡± Juniper refused. She amped up with [Iron drive] and used [Solar-powered Sentinel] to propel her forward. She launched like a missile, exhausting herself with the little light fuel she had, aiming for another charge. He anticipated the attack, dodging cleanly, Juniper slid against rough concrete, her bare feet scrapping against the rough terrain. ¡°Juniper, Juniper¡­ It¡¯s futile. I¡¯m in charge of everything that you are perceiving, I get to be a god of the world for the moment. Control everything in the world for the moment, fighting me is a death wish.¡± She stopped, before she got ahead of herself. She had to be rational about this. He could stop time, move at incredulous speed, fly, and teleport. Multiple powers, claimed to have a system by the sounds of it, yet she refused to believe. But if there was a chance, he was another system user like her, but much more powerful, then she was outmatched. She¡¯d have to bargain for whatever he wanted. ¡°Why did you stop time! Why do you come after me?¡± He ignored her, refusing to answer a single question. Then asked her a question of her own. ¡°What do you want, Juniper?¡± Her lips parted, she tries to calm down, but there¡¯s a hundred things going through her brain. She felt fragile and above all nervous, why was it this way, one situation after the other situation, she wanted some peace. ¡°Your brother? Is sickly ill, maybe even dying, and yet you¡¯ve done nothing, you promised, you¡¯d find him a cure, and yet have you even started looking?¡± Juniper winced. Where the hell did he get that confirmation, and the hell would a random child know anything about her. He continued. ¡°Kanako? Ran away from you. Because she saw you for what you really are, to her, a mutant, a freak, why would she like you? You''ve been lonely all your life, and you didn''t honestly think you had a chance at love. Did you?¡± Something inside her cracked open? That wasn''t true, was it? There''s no way Kanako was that dismissive of her. She just needed some alone time for a small period. Right? There was no Sys-chan to answer her assure her... Juniper snapped. Why was she even listening to him? ¡°Fuck you! Have you been spying on me!¡± Everyone had been spying on her. SCRA. Arkangeal. Annemarie when she got her powers. The Paragons. It was like she had no privacy anymore. No agency. Like she wasn¡¯t a person, just some file on a screen. ¡°I don¡¯t want to take your privacy or your agency, but seeing you in this state is pathetic¡± Pathetic? Juniper, you nearly let your siblings get caught in the crossfire because you¡¯ve been taking sloppy steps to project yourself as a hero¨Cyou¡¯re playing pretend, open up to it¡­¡± It was true, she''d made choices that lead her down that path. ¡°So what?!¡± she snarled. ¡°I¡¯m not in control! The world pushes me, and all I can do is push back!¡± His smirked fell away, and sad eyes, in its place. ¡°You let the world shove you around. You let them all mold you into what they wanted¡ªArkangeal, the Paragons, your past. And you wonder why you¡¯re lost?¡± She clenched her jaw. ¡°Everyone up until now has pushed you into a terrible state.¡± His voice lowered. ¡°Because you refuse to take control of your life.¡± He stepped towards her. She stepped backwards, frightened, this thing that appeared in front of her, it wasn¡¯t human, didn¡¯t feel human, it¡¯s voice distorted sporadically. The traveler tilted her head.¡°Are you happy, Juniper?¡± No, she wasn''t. The truth was she was already fed up with cape nonsense. But she fondly remembered, that her siblings were alive, and kicking. Everything could be worse, so much worse, she needed to be thankful for what she had left. She grits her teeth. Who did this fool think he was? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wrong answer and a lie to the boot¡­ How embarrassing?¡± He snapped his fingers. And her nerves twitched, her power slipped from her, her muscles shrunk. She was left powerless. She tried grasping it, activating it, but nothing happened. ¡°Your guardian abandoned you. I won¡¯t.¡± He stepped forward to her, hands behind his back, unconcerned about how she felt about this. He berated her for being vulnerable and yet, he was doing the same. ¡°You¡¯ve spent all this time stumbling. You follow, but you don¡¯t lead. You take power, but you don¡¯t understand it. I¡¯m offering you a way out. All you have to do is accept a deal. When the time comes, you do something for me in turn. Anything you could possibly want could be yours tomorrow.¡± ¡°Why would make a deal with a Devil!?¡± He laughed at her. ¡°I¡¯m no Devil, Juniper, there are so much worse things out there than little old me.¡± He offered his hand forward, holding out his palm. She slapped it away. Sending him staggering backwards. He was vulnerable, after all. ¡°I refuse! Now Give Sys-chan back now!¡± She screamed as high-pitched as she could He didn¡¯t like that, he frowned, and gazed into Juniper¡¯s face, she did the same. ¡°One last chance: Will you cooperate?¡± Juniper doesn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°No.¡± She slapped him in the face for good measure, and he fazed backwards. ¡°It''s been so long, since I let someone touch me.¡± he rubbed his face. ¡°You chose the wrong answer, again!¡± He pointed his index finger at the empty space on the opposite end of them. The air started shuddering, quaking. Reality started cracking like a warping mirror, shifting eerily. A black tear in reality opened and a ¡®paw¡¯ stuck out. Large, Furry, all hairy? What the fuck is that!? A popup appeared in front of her. [!!!] [SYSTEM ALERT: Stop the [Entity: unknown???alien wildlife] before it rampages and cause potential deaths.] [RISK LEVEL: Low. Chance of User Mortality: 11% within the immediate area] [Reward for Defeating Xeno-threat] _Unique reward: Environment relevant skill. Quest Details: Xenofauna appears to be emerging from a dimensional rift. It¡¯s nature and behavior is unknown, expect severe instability, in reality, as it threatens to level everything in its path. Act before it, affects any civilian life. Accept Y/N She froze¨Chow was she supposed to deal with that? Did she have any other choice at the moment? It started crawling out completely, it¡¯s missing parts revealing, bulky, as tall as a very large Pit bull, hairless, grotesquely malformed. However, it had six limbs, and an almost apelike posture, way too many joints on it¡¯s body. Its skin was wettish, like strands of hardened wax, hanging. It had no eyes, and it had started sniffing. ¡°Give it a few hours¡ªthings will return to normal.¡± The traveler, waved at her. ¡°I¡¯m not a monster. Consider this a push in the right direction. One of many to come, until you are able to reason with me. Use this time, preciously, to think about your actions.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get you bastard.¡± she yelled at him ¡°I have no doubt, about that, how may be the issue. Now until you¡¯ll see me again.¡± he waved at her.¡± Then disappeared into a void himself. The creature stops, turning its head to her, it stood still, constantly sniffing in her direction, she doesn¡¯t move. As the presence of the traveler went, her powers slowly came back, but Sys-chan still wasn¡¯t inside her head. She was on her own. She amped up. [iron drive], once, as it loomed closer, ready to strike at it. She crouched, waiting, whilst her heart hammered in a constant session. What else could she do? It stood in front of her, dark red wet fur, drooling near her face, the alien drool threatened to fall on her feet. Juniper sped into the wind. Her body heavy and sore. She sprinted into the streets, The beast gave pursuit, making large leaps behind her. Out in the open, it stopped¡ªbut Juniper kept running. It let out a dry howl behind, which sounded more like a whimper. Hell no! She turned her head. The hound had turned its attention on the pedestrians. ¡°For fuck sakes!¡± she shouted to herself. She turned back, circling and running at it full speed. The six legged beast tackled a time-frozen women. It lunged, claws ready to rip into the defenseless civilian. She intercepted it, throwing herself at it, slamming it away, the thing staggered into the lamppost, it glitched distorting itself inwards. Then it twisted midair and ran towards her as it already knew what she would do next. It¡¯s slashed into her. Its claws raked across her skin. It felt eerily cold. Something foreign had seeped in, juniper fell backwards. The wound around her arm made her veins darken. Her skin started crawling. Her breath was practically emptying, and her vision spun in front of her. Her ears were ringing with confusion, centered on the alien being''s insides. There were multiple things beating in its body. Organs maybe? There was a vacant car nearby, if she could pin it down there. Could she, though, she felt like she was ready to fall into a grave? No, get up, Juniper. You have a nice evening to get back to. Her powers were dim, but present once again. She amped up [iron drive] not once, but twice, her muscles ballooned several times over, inflating her figure. Unnatural strength coursed from her veins, her body pumped with adrenalin. She grabbed the hound, her muscles burning, as she felt her energy deplete rapidly. It struggled against her, wrapping its own limbs around her, four of its claws rapped around her back. She squeezed fingers pressing into his flesh, it was surprisingly fragile and squishy, just overly large. It''s hot breath against her face disgusted her. Revulsion twisted her gut. This was vile¡ªwrong. No girl or woman should have to touch something like this. She wanted to vomit, but she held out. The thing convulsed, and greyish goo came out of its mouth. She threw it, sending it flying against the car. It crashed into the car, it let out a low whined in agony, its steam ejected from its body, and it splattered in an explosion against the car, CRACK and SPLAT. Leaving strange wax fur skin and grey goo bits everywhere, the smell was sweet like a fruit, it didn¡¯t disgust her, at all. She dropped her power, her muscles sagging inwards, deflating. Juniper stumbles forward, gasping for air, her ribs were still burning, her clothes were a mess, and her feet were fucking freezing in the cold, she may as well have been standing on ice blocks. Maybe she should have work out her slippers. Time stood still for a moment, and reality set in again. At least the panic was over. [Quest update] [Success, congratulations, user Juniper.] [Stop the [Entity: unknown???alien wildlife] [Reward: [Passive Skill: Otherness Recognition] [Passive Skill: Otherness Recognition] You do not see the truth. You feel its weight. Your mind brushes against the edges of things that do not belong. The skill whatever ever she had gotten, was annoyingly vague, there was no clear-cut, instruction, all left up to interpretation it seemed more like a medium''s thing, not a cape thing. Juniper shook her head, then she started giggling. ¡°Oh my god, why do this keep happening to me. It¡¯s fucking ridiculous.¡± she kept giggling, as he watches the thing dissolve into goo. Then screams. ¡°OH MY GOD! WHAT THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO DO!¡± The alien things, body didn¡¯t vanish, its corpse stayed ever present. Its blood was leaking all over the pavement. People would be seeing this, questions were going to be asked? Its body would no doubt make national news, then the spooks will be all over the place. And then, she couldn¡¯t take responsibility for this, could she? But what if this traveler freak would come after her again, and with Sys-chan gone as well, a part of her brain was missing, she didn¡¯t know if she could bear it. She fell to her knees, hopeless. Juniper started shaking. Then she felt a ripple besides her. Another presence, heavy and imposing. It was him again, wasn¡¯t it. Should I give in, beg that my siblings be kept from oblivion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Juniper.¡± A soft, squeaky voice behind said. It didn¡¯t sound like the traveler kid. She turned her head, in anticipation. The ripple glowed, like an orb of light, It was shaping itself. A familiar cute red fox had appeared. Squishy and bubbly like he was before, the dancing flames reshaping into dynamic patterns resting on his body¡­ Quixis. His ears were flickering, and his tail stiff, golden eyes staring at her. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Juniper.¡± he said again. ¡°I failed you. ¡± Juniper wheezes, threatening to collapse on the floor¡­ Then she snapped. "¡­ Now? You show up NOW?! I¡¯ve been waiting three weeks for you to show up! You little¨C¡± Chapter 59 - Foxy Brain dump Juniper pointed at the pooling sludge of organ bits, the dead beast was slowly dissolving Into a grayish and greasy biological sludge. Parts of its torso, were still lodge into the wreckage of the car. The scent of something fruity and sweet, like apricot, escaping from it. ¡°What the hell am I supposed to do about that, I can¡¯t explain that to anyone!¡± She started hopping around, pointing at the stagnant and disabled world around her. Biting her own tongue. ¡°And this!? He said hours, hours! Can you believe that?¡± Quixis quiet, crawled closer, eyes narrowing, accessing the situation, staring at her infected arm. ¡°Ah. I never expected him to target you or interfere in this world.¡± His voice dropped, it sounded like sadness. By the sound of it, he knew what she who she was speaking of? Juniper stared at him mildly infuriated, she also knew he wasn¡¯t the cause of this. But if he held the role of guardian, as he claimed, he was at least partly responsible for this ¡®traveler¡¯s actions. ¡°And look at this too,¡± she held her arms out weakly. Her veins thick, curling and contorting in a spiral, it was becoming weaker by the second. It felt strange, instead of the direct pain she grew accustomed to, Slowly her arm was becoming numb like infantile paralysis, and it was spreading fast. Quixis¡¯ fluffy ears twitched. ¡°Don''t worry, Juniper. I''ll fix what I can.¡± He floated over to the aftermath of Juniper¡¯s first contact with an alien dog-ape. He hovered over the sludge, then waved out his limbs, in a pattern like he was drawing an invisible sign. Magic lights appeared from his nimble claws. The space around the car distorted, slowly sucking in the disintegrating body, it¡¯s alien blood slurping away, out of known existence, vacuumed up and into a single point. Leaving the pavement clean, like nothing happened here, bar the wreck car and a hanging lamppost. ¡°Unfortunately, If I fixed up the vehicle, it may end up creating a bigger time anomaly then what the traveler did?¡± ¡°So people are just going to witness the car crumpled under a second?!¡± She asked livid. ¡°The government won¡¯t be happy.¡± She wanted to yell at him as he flew towards her. But as he approached, her anger was slowly melting into a warmth, overwhelmingly soothing. She felt her new skill doing her work. [Otherness Recognition] like she physically recognized him, as something ¡®else.¡¯ She guessed it made sense, they''re wild and strange things. Her freshly picked up sickness clawed at her, blackened veins creeping through her body. She felt it grow, artery by artery. How long before it slithered its way into her heart. Quixis landed softly next to her, in his current state, he barely came up to the length of her thigh. He stretch out his white paw to her, the reddish flames around his leg contorting. She took his paw. Colorful sparkles excited her skin, and like spilled oiled, the blackened venom, fled through the pores of her skin. She gasped, and Quixis flinched. ¡°Oh dear¡­ How else did he hurt you?¡± ¡°He forcefully touched my head, and in the next moment, Sys-chan was gone, I tried resisting¨C¡± ¡°But you couldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°No,¡± she shook her head. ¡°Juniper, can you kneel for me.¡± he asked politely, looking up at her, his slender eyes, observing her. She does, bringing her legs down, half shaky. Quixis pressed his white paw against her forehead, he then muttered something, like a skill, she could hear it, sense it even. [Nujh¡¯maw¡¯en]. It was a strange word, and he was whispering it, cautiously. The word echoed in her ears, like a Tibetan chant. Is that a skill? And is he casting it like a spell? Should I inquire into it? Could I learn it? For a moment nothing, happened, and the little extradimensional fox, stared at her waiting in anticipation. What came next shocked her to the core, she felt the mass in her brain rearrange itself, fluidly. Her exhaustion had disappeared like puffed smoke. She felt energy return to her, like she had been given new life. The whole she felt in her head, had gone away as well, filling up, no longer was she hollow. [Ping!] [Ping! [Ping! [Ping!] Alert pop-ups clouded her face, and a familiar voice returned. [Juniper!!! I still exist! Like a cockroach in a server rack! Except cuter!] Juniper, falls to the ground. A strange wave of cooling relief washed over her. Sys-chan was till here, she needn¡¯t panic anymore. She hardly could hardly believe it, from passively hating the system AI to growing attached to the little annoyance in her head. You''re okay, that¡¯s great, all is still well. [ Indeed, all is still well in the grand cosmic spreadsheet!] But was it? a part of her felt bad, should she apologize for the way she feels, on the surface level, Sys-chan could feel everything she felt. [Of course! No spooky, cryptid-coded boy in a telnyashka is going to uninstall me!] Sys-chan stopped, then appeared to realize the anomaly in font of her. [Oh. Oh. LORD QUIXIS?!] Quixis clicks his tongue, lifting his mandible, ¡°Ah. The assistance subunit, System-Chan, was it? You certainly have a personality quirk, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You can hear her?¡± Juniper asked befuddled. What was she saying, of course he did. He is an extradimensional being. ¡°I can hear everything I need, or want to. I don¡¯t live in this level of existence.¡± he said, proud but not arrogant. He was cute, but the way he was smiling at her opened the uncanny valley. He was stuck somewhere between the 2nd dimensional world and the fourth. Quixis looks at Juniper, his expression grim. ¡°It would¡¯ve been better if you hadn¡¯t engaged with the Traveler. It¡¯s like shaking hands with a demon and being surprised when it takes something from you.¡± Juniper scoffs, he summoned a thing that would kill civilians, what was she supposed to do, watch and abide while the ape-dog teared into defenseless people? ¡°I acted because, people¨C¡± She stopped, and Instead of explaining herself, a strange, esoteric excitement, filled her limbs. ¡°Wait a minute, demons are real?¡± Quixis sighs, it looked like he didn¡¯t like the direction the topic was taking. He turned his face away, as if saying, don¡¯t pry about things you don¡¯t understand. ¡°Yes. But they¡¯re rare here.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t choose to fight him. He cornered me, then had the audacity to lecture me about my choices.¡± Juniper bristles, returning to the previous point of discussion. She pointed at her bare feet, ¡°look, I was in the middle of eating dinner, and then he decided to make a ruckus.¡± Quixis shakes his head. ¡°Still, You shouldn¡¯t have fought. You should have run. Now he has definitely taken an interest to you, and will certainly try dragging you into his schemes. ¡° ¡°Was I supposed to sit back and watch? You didn¡¯t exactly give me an instruction manual on how to manage, cosmic scares and ancient little boys.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. Quixis exhales, weary. ¡° The Traveler isn¡¯t a person anymore. Not unlike you, Juniper. He was selected by the System¡ªand by extension, Elysium. He¡¯s more akin to a disruptive force of nature now. A persistent small storm, but still a storm.¡± Juniper¡¯s blood runs cold. ¡°He said he''s becoming a god.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem. He isn¡¯t lying.¡± Quixis let out a short, bitter laugh¡ªmore like an exhalation of exhaustion than amusement. ¡°But I can¡¯t intervene, not yet.¡± [He felt so scary. Like¡­ like, he reached into my code and yanked me out! Juniper, I was everywhere, and then I was nowhere! It was¡­ unsettling.] Juniper turned towards the wreckage and it¡¯s remains. The SCRA will be all over it in the morning, she wondered if she should declare what happened here, or should she keep it to herself. She was just afraid someone would get hurt by this. [I don¡¯t think you should say anything. Not yet. You¡¯d just be rolling out a welcome mat for trouble, and you have enough trouble as it is.] True, they¡¯d really want a piece of her when, mysterious stuff started occurring around her. ¡°Juniper,¡± Quixis, called out to her. ¡°I assume you want this to end. Shall we relocate to where you were before time was frozen.¡± Quixis grew without warning, his muscles stretched outward, becoming much more muscular. Quite unlike her [Iron drive]. This was a noble transformation. His flaming hot spirit aura which blared, simmered and imprinted a pattern on his back. He became grander, much larger, as big as a wild bull. He asked her to ¡°hop on.¡± And she pivoted forward, imposing as he was now. She hesitated, but climbed up anyway, she had seen enough of the city for a day. Quixis took to the sky, his back felt like a fluffy pillow. It was comforting, she wanted to cling to him, but only if he was okay with it. ¡°Can I lean on you Quixis,¡± ¡°Of course, don¡¯t hug me too tight.¡± She collapsed onto the Fox''s back, arms around his neck. It was warm, soothing, like climbing into a heated bed in winter. Quixis muses as she lay on him. ¡°Juniper, I can sense that you¡¯ve become stronger, but you¡¯re growing too fast. Juniper frowns, she assumed that was the whole point, and even she felt she was doing it too slowly. ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m growing too fast?¡± She wanted to argue her case, in fact she felt she was moving too slowly. ¡°Mastery is the goal. If you keep picking up power without refinement, you¡¯ll break under the weight. Focus on mastering what you have before moving on to the next, your ability [Mimicry] wasn¡¯t meant to absorb everything all at once¡­¡± Juniper shrugs, but frowned. ¡°The System said to do it this way.¡± ¡°Would you like me to alter its personality without resetting it?¡± Quixis¡¯ tail flicks. ¡°To be more nurturing? Like a mother? [What the hell? I was simply calculating the most efficient way for Juniper to grow! The numbers check out!] ¡°Like how you threw me into fights earlier, and conveniently ¡®forget¡¯ to mention crucial details?¡± [Excuse me?! I prefer strategic immersion! If I omitted anything, it was purely in service of optimal challenge exposure! Growth spurts are supposed to be jarring!] ¡°The subset AI, isn¡¯t wrong, it¡¯s meant to encourage chosen to tackle new challenges. ¡° [See! I¡¯m just a friendly little motivator! A cheerleader! A completely trustworthy guiding presence in your head!] ¡°I¡¯d prefer a master tactician.¡± then she giggled, half because she felt silly, half because she¡¯s her life had taken a ridiculous turn¡­ ¡°No, please leave her as she is, as annoying as she can be.¡± Quixis hummed along. This was her opportunity to request the help of a higher being, she didn¡¯t when or how she¡¯ll get the chance to get an opportunity like this. ¡°Quixis,¡± she started. ¡°This morning I had a strange dream, can you help me interpret it, oh great fox of Elysium.¡± ¡°Flattery doesn¡¯t work on me, Juniper, but ask away.¡± The fox said, his deepened voice bellowing. ¡°I was trapped in a void. Endless and dark. Something appeared, alien, metallic, feminine. A Humanoid. It stabbed me in the gut, berated me, I don¡¯t remember what it said. I didn¡¯t have time to write it down.¡± She put her hands on her stomach, the pain ever present. ¡°I can still feel the wound.¡± Quixis nods. ¡°It¡¯s probably Likely a hostile alien trying to contact or test you.¡± Juniper squints, letting go of her neck, they were headed in the apartments'' direction, somehow Quixis knew when to go, and yet she hadn¡¯t told him. Her head reeled in the opposite direction. ¡°Wait¡ªyou¡¯re serious?¡± He gestures vaguely with his massive eyes. ¡°What isn¡¯t serious these days?¡± They hovered over the apartment, landing inside the complex. Some of the neighbors that were outside were still frozen, she hopped off and onto the pavement, then ran towards her slippers, they were still in the same spot. She grabbed them, and slipped them on. Instant comfort, her toes didn¡¯t feel like they want to break off like little icepicks, and her heel eased its pain. Quixis shrunk, and he follows her inside into her apartment. She enjoyed watching him hop up on the steps, it was strangely therapeutic. She led him towards her door, but something told he already knew. Likewise, she entered it, her stress dissipating. It was good to be back unscathed, and they were just as she had left. Everything was frozen exactly as before¡ªher brother¡¯s head tilted down at his food, her sister mid-motion, about to fling a piece of lasagna ¡°You need to be in the exact same spot you, were earlier, to avoid time anomalies.¡± he instructed Juniper. She responded by going to sit on the chair. The fox stared at her family members, but said nothing, just stared at them. Juniper observed his gaze, the silence growing awkward by the minute, there was a sentient multidimensional being in her apartment. Staring at her siblings. Not strange at all. Quixis, turned to speak. ¡°Before I leave and resume time, I believe I owe you an explanation.¡± he began, floating midair. ¡°Juniper, you¡¯re one of the awoken¡ªlittle life seeds we plant across planets. No matter when or where you awaken, you stay you, with a purpose and a goal.¡± Juniper snorts. ¡°I don¡¯t feel awakened. I feel hungover.¡± Quixis humors her. ¡°That¡¯s fair. I understand you''re overwhelmed, and I bet you had a rough two weeks.¡± ¡°Can you at least tell me about the Xenos I¡¯ll face?¡± she said. ¡°I fear I¡¯ll be ill-prepared.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say much beyond a name. If you learn more on you¡¯re own endeavors, I won¡¯t breach the Aeon¡¯s law. ¡° ¡°Aeons?¡± ¡°A story for another time,¡± He jabbered. ¡°The ¡°Ah-Anu¡± is probably what you saw in that dream. Maybe a scout. Probably Probing for information. Prodding where they don¡¯t belong. Assessing threats.¡± She repeated it. ¡°The Anu?¡± ¡°No, the Ah-silent A-Anu, pronounced Ahnu to be simpler,¡° She shudders. ¡°How did they know I would be one of their ¡®enemies¡¯ ?¡± ¡°They have technology that makes your latest AI computing look like a kindergarten art project.¡± She opened her mouth to speak. But was cut off. ¡°Unfortunately, I am forbidden to say anything more for now. This is your burden to overcome.¡± Of course, it was. ¡°Can you at least tell me if there are others like me around, in the present, and not creepy little 200-year-old boys. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m working with a quite the few.¡± Quixis gives a cryptic answer. ¡°Not all awoken are¡­ kind. Some let power go to their heads. They could snap, cause murders, take too much, get a god complex. And even then, I¡¯m not allowed to intervene.¡± Juniper¡¯s head lingers on the little fucker, that ruined her night. Then changed the subject while she could. ¡°Wait¡ªyou¡¯re serious?¡± ¡°Unfortunately so.¡± She brainstormed, she¡¯d like to ask another question before he fucks off who knows where. ¡°The system, what is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a tool and a method of growing your powers. You perceive it as a video game because that¡¯s your frame of reference. A monk might see it as enlightenment. The abilities change depending on the person. Their perspective, but it¡¯s almost uniform with many of the new awoken I¡¯ve met.¡± ¡°Can you explain to me about cape powers, in-depth, where do they even come from, it''s classified information, theirs a law that prohibits most of our society from knowing. I met a cape recently that can see the future.¡± Quixis smirks. ¡°That¡¯s a secret. I¡¯m not the only being that exerts an influence here, I¡¯m just preparing you for your inevitable guerilla war with the Ah-Anu¡± ¡°A word of advice juniper, try to avoid, obtaining powers that mess with reality too much, or you¡¯ll draw unwanted attention. Juniper gulped. Quixis stretches, tail curling. ¡°Follow your heart. But above all, prioritize yourself. You¡¯ve been through too much already.¡± She nodded. ¡°Take it slow. Experiment. Get your priorities straight. Grow your power. Prepare.¡± A clock rang out. And she felt herself stirring and moving, like an earthquake was occurring. ¡°Time will be resetting soon, it was probably hastened by my arrival.¡± ¡°Stay away from the traveler if you can, he¡¯ll make you a piece on a board, but I can¡¯t tell you what moves to make.¡± [Goodbye, Lord Quixis. O7] Sys-chan saluted. ¡°Goodbye, Quixis.¡± Juniper repeated, voice low, it was time for an early evening nap. ¡°Goodbye.¡± As he disappeared, time resumed like normal. She waited anxiously as things started moving again, she would prank her sister, if she didn¡¯t feel sleepy. Efffy¡¯s fork launched a piece of food in the air. It accelerated before a piece of lasagna slaps onto Juniper¡¯s face like it was 1969. Juniper sighs. She wiped away the food, she leaned back into the chair, blinking. Tomorrow she planned on taking it easy, she was going to be deliberately late for attendance, she wanted to do something nice, it wasn¡¯t like she was formally, given a job yet, she¡¯ll make excuses. Fuck those medical tests, and the training, maybe go look for Kanako, take the initiative, ask her out formally. She had money, she could influence the areas in her life she lacked in. The traveler was right, she was too passive, she wanted to do things on her own accord. Or maybe. Looking for Kanako is a bad idea, something else while she waits, perhaps? In the meantime, OBB can stick up their asses and so can the SCRA and everyone else. Effy stared at her pale, fearing backlash for her transgression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Juniper, it was an accident, she stuttered. ¡°You went quiet¡ªare you okay?¡± Remy asked her. Juniper swallows. Her [Otherness Recognition] skill activated. It was tingling, why she couldn¡¯t explain, perhaps it was a drawback, of time being stopped momentarily. Eerie and strange. She wanted out of here as soon as possible. She stood up. A worry for a day after tomorrow. ¡°I¡¯m going to bed early. Remy, lock the door, Wil you.¡± Effy jumps up. ¡° Juniper We were supposed to do something fun! Movie night?¡± Juniper shakes her head. ¡°Not tonight. I changed my mind. You did throw lasagna on my face.¡± ¡°Juniper! Come back here!¡± Effy chased her towards her room. ¡°Juniper!¡± Chapter 60 – Nuts, bolts and diners Juniper and Emery sat inside a small, underpopulated diner¨CThe kind that leaned heavily into the retro futuristic aspect. Complete with the overemphasis of drowning the customer with neon, and cheaply fabricated hologram displays. Machine waiters patrolled the dining space, from the front end to the back of the kitchen, one human coordinator was working in the back, and by the looks of it, he wasn¡¯t in charge around here. A massive sign was glowing overhead, ¡°A Taste Of The Future.¡± It was oversaturated with brightness, and light. If she was in a distressing mood, she¡¯d blow it up herself. If this is the future, I hope they ban neon from human eyesight. It¡¯s jarring. A mutual agreement between her and her little assistant was that Sys-chan would ¡®hibernate¡¯ for the majority of the day, so Juniper could get a little mental clarity. She hoped it would last. The place was recommended by Emery, Juniper would have preferred a more secluded spot, but at least there weren¡¯t many people present. She was skeptical at first, but gave in, Emery had a tight window, and she couldn¡¯t be everywhere at once. This was just a convenient spot. ¡°This place is kinda weird about portion sizes. Some guy once ordered a large and got a tray bigger than his torso.¡± So I think it¡¯s good value wise at least. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re exaggerating, no establishment would willingly dip out free meals for the hell of it.¡± Juniper jested. ¡°But¡­ talking, that¡¯s why we¡¯re here, right?¡± Juniper observed the human coordinator moving in the back, he was calibrating the machines directly on their backs. A little touchpad resided there on its rear end. She assumed he was redirecting them. The machine waiters weren¡¯t state of the art or advanced robotics, their torso was fairly humanoid bar, their lower half, which was monowheel clamped with what she assumed was hydraulics and pistons. They seem to zoom around the store, she wondered how many in-building accidents they may have caused, call it an off-road crash. Juniper shook her head, tuning out the armada of machines, and turned her attention to Emery. She looked very tomboyish today, well-put together, casual, wearing something unexpectedly refreshing for Juniper¡¯s eyes. Plaid shirt, loose shorts, mismatch socks she was sure were by accident and black sneakers. Her glasses, and short black hair however looked cute on her, really cute for Juniper¡¯s taste. Nope. Don¡¯t even think, or start this way, Juniper. Just no. ¡°Sooo~Are we doing this mute?¡± Emery asked, dragging her out of her haze. ¡°What?¡± Juniper asked. ¡°The speaking thing, you¡¯ve been as¨Cclose¨Cto¨Cquiet¨Cas¨Cpossible, since we sat down.¡± Emery said, disappointment crossing her face. Oh, sorry, I got¡­distracted,¡± Juniper lowered her head and looked up at her friend. ¡°I guess, I just need to someone to talk to one-on-one, no obligations. You¡¯re the closest thing at the moment, that isn¡¯t family.¡± ¡°We might end up stuck with each other more than you¡¯d think¡± Emery made a half-smirk, it was genuine for once, she didn¡¯t have to force herself, like she sometimes did. ¡°Honestly, okay, If you want to vent, then let it out, but if it turns into a therapy session, I¡¯m charging you by the second.¡± Juniper giggled shyly. Self-conscious about laughing in a public space. Stuck with each other? No. She didn¡¯t mean it that way, Juniper, stop with these thoughts. Bad gay, bad thoughts. Am I that touched starved? She already expressed her dissatisfaction before about this. I need to get it together. I need only one person on my mind. Juniper, dropped her hands on the table. It was hard to get it out, she didn¡¯t know where to start. She started tapping anxiously. ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll start then, you¡¯re clearly bothered by something.¡± Emery took the initiative. ¡°I heard you took down the big cult leader himself, and like a reckless, but valiant noob you thwarted his plans.¡± Juniper hesitated, Evelyn had told her to keep information tight until after the hearing, true or not, not everyone needed to know everything. Emery helped her out, she was trustworthy for Juniper at least. ¡°It¡¯s kind of true, but please don¡¯t relay this information.¡± Emery motioned to her mouth, making a zipped sign across her lips. ¡°It¡¯s closed.¡± It clearly was not. ¡°Truth is, we tracked his one of his Vans down, the SCRA took the others. We stopped the last of their transports, there was nothing inside except a threat. He threatened me on call, threats to my family, walked right off into his base, used me like live bait. Held a gun to my neck, threatened to sell me, kidnapped me, Van went off-road, and skidded upside down, I had a quick Idea to summon the military, they showed up, but I lived only thanks to my ¡®partner¡¯¡± ¡°Partner?¡± Emery perked up. ¡°Voidwaltzer, you know her, you¡¯ve met each other in combat.¡± Emery nodded in dissatisfaction. ¡°She¡¯s not all pleasant, like at all, I have nothing good to say or think. But keep talking, Jun.¡± Jun. the first time, emery had called her a nickname. ¡°Anyway, I owe her, without her help¡­ I, I¡¯d be worse off, either gone mad or I would be dead. I don¡¯t know what I would do if¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, you got thought.¡± Emery grabbed her hand, held it firmly. Juniper found it comforting but refrained from moving it, but felt incredibly awkward. ¡°The first few years, of Caping, it¡¯s going to be shit. In which case well done, you lived through a horrible day, you¡¯re a real one now.¡± Juniper felt comforted by her hand. She felt frustrated about mentioning the event of how her siblings were put at leverage, even as vaguely and briefly as she did it. Every time she brought it up, it felt like reliving her worst nightmare ¡°None of it feels real, like a long bad dream.¡± Juniper complained. Emery shook her head. ¡°Eventually, Juniper, the dream will end, and you¡¯ll find that reality ain''t so cold.¡± ¡°Speaking of, Juniper, let me give you a heads-up,¡± she started ominously, her eyes locked on Juniper, unblinking. ¡°Their speaking about you, the big heads, the big eight, the SCRA, their going to ask you a lot of questions next week, you¡¯re lucky they postponed the event. ¡°And I don¡¯t even know where to begin with that,¡± Juniper mutters. ¡°I rather climb into a little tree hole.¡± ¡°If it helps, I¡¯ll be there, I¡¯ll vouch for you if it gets too heated.¡± Juniper pulled away, Emery¡¯s hand. ¡°Thanks, I guess.¡± Her eyes staring at the table. Emery smiled wide. ¡°No problem.¡± Juniper, a little awkward, decided to tear into unexplored territory. ¡°Emery¡­ Are we friends now? Like proper friends. I know you don¡¯t have time for such silly things in your life.¡± Emery didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ve grown on me a quite a bit but through unique circumstances, but look, we got to keep it Platonic.¡± Juniper bobbed in her seat. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look, I know how you feel about girls, I felt it too, through that totally not weird-connection thing of yours. I don¡¯t mind if you¡¯re glancing at me or staring too long, but I got to make it clear, I have no need or plans for any of that in my life, not anytime soon anyway, and probably much less girls.¡± Juniper blushed, shaking her head. A part of her felt hurt, why she felt this way, she couldn¡¯t explain. There was still Kanako. And if Kanako didn¡¯t want her, well¡­ she¡¯d always have her visual novels. ¡°O-of course. Sorry for putting you in that position.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem, but let¡¯s keep things sensible.¡± Juniper veered her head a bit away, anything to ease, the cringe of the brought up the topic up. She turned towards loud television, a masked villain on display, was interviewed by a reporter. The cape was making a daring proclamation, declaring 28th district its own sovereign nation. She stared at it, a bit too long, how much time until something it becomes another crisis, if every criminal and cape declared themselves holy and regal. ¡°That¡¯s a dude who calls himself, dirtgod, he blasts sand and dust for a living. This is his third time trying this year. I¡¯m honestly getting sick of his appearances.¡± Emery expressed her dissatisfaction. ¡°He¡¯s failed every time he¡¯s pulled this stunt. I wish they¡¯d just keep him in a cell permanently. Instead, the media feeds off it with sensationalization.¡± I don¡¯t have the energy for this, why am I paying attention to some superficial cape. No cape shit, Juniper, no cape shit. Vent instead, vent to your friend. Juniper eyes went hollow and she just stopped thinking. Emery waved a napkin in front of Juniper¡¯s face, ¡°Hey, I can see your overthinking, we¡¯re going to eat soon, look up.¡± Juniper turned, breaking out of her blank stare, caught off guard. ¡°What?¡± The robot waiter rolls up. ¡°Processing order¡­ Processing¡­ Calculating optimal serving size¡± It¡¯s voice buzzed and made Juniper shiver with electronic tingles. Emery put the menu down, staring at the machine waiter. ¡°I¡¯ll have a Retro Burger Meal, large size.¡± ¡°Affirmative, human.¡± It told Emery, she didn¡¯t seem to care. That human, sounded awfully uncanny. ¡°Um¡­¡± Juniper looked through the menu, still indecisive. The machine turned, and spun around its own axis. ¡°Um¡­¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. It grew increasingly impatient, it¡¯s started jumbling and spinning faster.¡± Hurry up, human, other customers are waiting!¡± Talk about aggressively rude. ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Juniper hummed anxiously. Then sighed, she honestly didn¡¯t care about the food. ¡°I¡¯ll just have what she¡¯s having.¡± Juniper stammers. ¡°What drinks would you like with that organics.¡± It asked suspiciously, like something ready to dissect them. Emery didn¡¯t wait. ¡°Chocolate milkshake, thick and plain, no extra glitter and shit.¡± ¡°Affirmative, huu~man.¡± It turned to Juniper, ¡°And you, Miss, I can¡¯t calculate the trajectory of my life based on the miniscule decision of you being unable to order simple food in diner.¡± Juniper frowned. Emery shouted at the machine, pointing dramatically at it.. ¡°Hey, watch it, bolt bucket!¡± ¡°Said the Meat bag.¡± It shot back. Was this part of the experience too? Are service bots meant to be this hostile? It was certainly eccentric. And, he wasn¡¯t wrong, she didn¡¯t know what trajectory she wanted to go in. ¡°Drinks.¡± It chirped in mechanical rhythm. ¡°Black coffee, a couple of sugars,¡± Emery said. Juniper, overwhelmed and unsure, observed the absurd drink menu in front of her, her nerves were teetering on the deep end. Her finger¡¯s twitch rapidly on the plastic menu. ¡°Um, I''ll take the Zero-G floater?¡± She blurted. Unsure herself. It was the only Thing that stood out on the menu, everything else just seemed like premium and expensive. This seemed gimmicky, she was partly curious, like a child that saw an advert. Maybe it was a stupid item, maybe she¡¯ll regret it, but she wanted it in her mouth. The machine chirped. ''Order confirmed. Relaying to kitchen unit. ¡°Credits, Card or crypto?¡± It beeped. ¡°Card, I''ll pay.¡± Juniper said. ¡°I¡¯ll pay.¡± Emery butted in. ¡°It¡¯s least I can do for you Juniper?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll pay. I owe you.¡± ¡°I said I¡¯ll pay¡ª¡± ¡°Why are you like this¡ª¡± ¡°You were broke like a week ago, girl-¡± Their insistence on being the one to pay for it. Rattled the machine, and it started whirring its wheels loudly, drawing stares towards them. A worker peeked out, took one look at them, and noped back into the kitchen, shaking his head Juniper won the match by nearly shouting over it, she held her hand over her mouth, realizing she caused a minor scene. Juniper caught the eyes of surrounding customers, her face went red, and then she ducked her head under the table, clamping her mouth shut. ¡° No one cares. You can stop hiding now.¡± Emery complained. ¡°We could¡¯ve just split the bill but okay.¡± Juniper stayed there for a while, then slowly crawled out, whilst the impatient machine started lagging. As juniper was swiping with her card, mid-process. The thing sped away on its motor wheel. Nearly crashing into another customer. ¡°Dude, they need to put a speed limiter on that thing¡­¡± ¡° Y-yeah,¡± Juniper peeped. At that moment, Juniper notices something bizarre on The counter. A Warning Sign Stating ¡°Management is not responsible for meal-based injuries. Orders are final. No refunds.¡± Not ominous at all. Emery flicked air at her, and raised a brow. ¡°Didn¡¯t know you were loaded.¡± Juniper, vaguely replied, ¡°Hazard pay. It''s excellent.¡± Juniper shrugged, she knew it wasn¡¯t great at all. It came with a side dish of death. Emery, smirking, teased her. ¡°Uh-huh. And your taxes, you figured that out yet?¡± Juniper choked on the air. She never thought about it, another dumb thing to ask Evelyn. ¡°Yeah, you don¡¯t want to receive a tax letter from the government, they¡¯ll come for anyone.¡± ¡°Scary¡­¡± A brief moment of silence washed by. ¡° Ok, juniper, I don''t believe that was all.¡± Emery said. ¡°So, tell me what''s wrong? Why did you call me?¡± Juniper doesn''t answer straightaway. She fidgets, played with fingers, her foot tapped anxiously against the table pillar. She started focusing on the wrong things, the drink menu, the portions sizes of the other folks, the TV playing hogwash and nonsense. ¡°Juniper, talk to me?¡± What could she say to her, what couldn''t she say. She couldn''t mention Sys-chan, it would cause more problems. She couldn''t speak about the traveler, about Quixis about the alien dog ape she killed last night. She couldn¡¯t tell her a little boy ripped apart from her brain defunct, that she had dreams about creepy aliens ladies. She was backed into a corner, she wanted to vent, now she¡¯s shut. ¡°I''m stuck,¡± she leaned back, sliding down again. ¡°I don''t exactly know what my work expects from me. It doesn¡¯t see like traditional vigilantism, more like mercenary work. I''ve had weird dreams since the fire crisis, I''m tired. I have to pick up my sister from school and afterward. Not only that, but I have an even bigger issue that I won''t express. ¡°You¡¯re halfway there!¡± Emery encouraged her, ¡°Let it out.¡± Juniper gritted her teeth, settling down. ¡°There''s someone I really like, we hit off good, I formally met her when I have was stuck in the hospital. I''m pretty sure she''s corporate rich. But that all that buildup went to hell, when those fires broke out.¡± Emery listened attentively, nodding. ¡°She''s ghosting me, and after I lost my old phone, in the crossfire, I can''t contact her or rather I got an email at least, she doesn¡¯t want me to contact her yet.¡± ¡°Is that it?¡± Emery stared. ¡°She dazzled you, and now you''re feeling frustrated because she pulled a Houdini?¡± ¡°No~, it''s the implications of why she disappeared, I got outed.¡± She blurted, her face steering away with shame. ¡°My identity.¡± Emery stated with remorse, and a bit of disappointment. ¡° That sucks, happened to me a few times, did she blackmail you or something? It¡¯s nothing a little visit from a few spooks can¡¯t fix.¡± Juniper shook her head. ¡°No, she wouldn¡¯t do that, and even then it would be better than leaving me hanging on a thread.¡± Emery probed her. ¡°You absolutely sure, if she¡¯s holding you hostage, you speak to your boss.¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s not a bad person, she didn¡¯t threaten me or anything.¡± Juniper moaned with growing frustration. ¡°And I¡¯m pretty sure, they¡¯d put her in a torture chamber if that was the case, at least two people I¡¯m working with are crazy enough.¡± Emery gave her, I¡¯m not surprised, look. As if you¡¯d expect to hear more heinous things from OBB. ¡°I''m just scared it ended before it even started.¡± She whispered, voice low. Emery rolled her tongue against her teeth ¡°You came to the worst person for this¡­¡± She said. ¡°But I¡¯ll bite¡± ¡°Y-you know Hollowhand? Team new hope?¡± Emery appeared to be forcing the words out of her mouth. Like she was going to regret saying it. Juniper nodded. Who didn''t ¡°We used to date.¡± she said, her jaw clenched and she glanced away. Juniper looked genuinely surprised her mouth hung open, ¡°hollow, ¡®I say awkward things to make people uncomfortable¡¯ hand¡± had a relationship with whom? Emery noticed her expression, coughing in her hand. ¡°He¡¯s a nice guy, off duty. Anyway, when his family found out how I looked without the wig, they forced him to drop him, something about sullying their bloodline.¡± Juniper couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. She felt a tinge of disgust. She grabbed emery by their arms, and started shaking her. ¡°Are they fucking stupid. You''re a literal sun goddess.¡± ¡° Your flattery is unneeded, Juniper, but yeah, all because I''m not naturally blond. And apparently being Half blind makes me a cripple. ¡° Did they say that?¡± ¡°Not explicitly¡­no, but it was in their face. Murmuring about the genetic inferiorities of seeing double. Eh.¡± ¡°So¡­what happened, did he concede?¡± ¡°Yeah, the fucking coward caved. But it''s cool. I¡¯m over his dumbass¡± She stomped the table with her fists. ¡°I''m still kicking. But look, Juniper, don''t leave it up to chance, or you''ll never know.¡± Juniper settled down, taking the advice inwards. ¡°When you get in contact with her¡­ Ask her For her honesty If she¡¯s hiding for a reason, figure out why.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s over, it¡¯s over. But don¡¯t let it eat at you.¡± Could I live with that, don¡¯t be ridiculous, of course I can? It would hurt, though. Juniper settled down. Maybe she¡¯ll actually do that. The moment she gets to speak to her again, she¡¯d ask her properly. They did make a collective promises to tell each other their secret, Kanako was hiding who she really was. Juniper¡¯s came out at the wrong time. The robot buzzed and beeped in their direction, perfectly balanced in his hands were two large trays. The sound of metal on metal, grated her ears, like Swiss cheese. The food had arrived. It puts it down, It¡¯s absolutely massive, like absurdly massive. The machine rolled up with a tray of strange stuff. Fries, onion rings, two different salads, a mini burger, ¡°free water¡±. ¡°What the hell,¡± Juniper flips through her phone, checking her bank account. 129 CPD missing, which was absurdly expensive for two meals, but she shut up. She offered dot to pay. She never paid attention to the prices The retroburger itself was an absurd creation. Crisp bun with glowing cheese and sauce,there was a small. Amount of red pickles and blue tomatoes on it, it looks like something out of a TV show. ¡°Excuse, me, what''s in this?¡± The robot switch up its monotonous and dead tone. ¡° I''m glad you asked, this is the retroburger, the one you ordered, it had an ai-optimized synthetic beef burger, with bioengineered but perfectly edible synthetic cheese. The crispness of the bun was fine-tuned with a micro rail gun. Everything else, like the veggies, were grown on one of of the latest hydroponic farms.¡± Emery and Juniper just stared at it, then at each other. ¡°Emery¡­?¡± Emery, trying to hold back laughter. Apparently she saw it differently, to Juniper this was a conundrum. Synthetic food didn¡¯t bother her, but the excessive amounts were mind-numbing, this would have to be her last unhealthy meal for the week. ¡°Yeah?¡± Juniper, deadpan, ¡°What did we order exactly? ¡°Order Verified: the retroburger is now AI Enhanced.¡± Juniper stared at the drink. The most disappointment she felt in a long, long time. Liquid spheres hovered in and out of her drink causing the contents to shift like a tidal wave but very slowly. She takes a sip¨C failing to get it into her throat, to It. The drink nearly slips. A bit of it spills on her shirt. She puts it down. She tries wiping it off with a napkin, but it ended up floating into the air, condensing into a foamy bubble substance¡­ Then she stared at it, taken aback. She panics trying to catch it with her mouth. Accidentally shoving it into the air and onto Emery¡¯s sleeve. Emery wiped it away with a napkin. The robot watches, panicking. ¡°ERROR DETECTED. STUPID HUMAN, YOU¡¯RE SUPPOSED TO USE THE METAL STRAW¡­¡± Juniper grabs the drink as the machine tried to demonstrate, the action. ¡°Get lost, tin can. I paid, I want my privacy¡­¡± she shouted It did leave her alone. But the interaction left her stunned and embarrassed, Emery was laughing. And started digging in. ¡°¡­ Yup. Totally Normal hangout.¡± She echoed, her mouthful of food. Some people were staring at them. Juniper wanted to sink under the earth. Surprisingly, the food wasn''t terrible, just terribly expensive. She dug into the burger, it didn''t taste strange, bar something that lingered on her tongue vaguely tasting like electricity. ¡°Alright enough ¡®futuristic shenanigans¡¯, you got any plans for today? Emery asked. Juniper, moping: ¡°Medical exams at 11. Power testing at 12. Obstacles course at 13. Picking up my sister at 15.¡± ¡°Cool, they''re testing you, I remember my first test day, the needles, and the butt pinching and the people who''d come stare at your naked body and don''t even get me started about the venom test.¡± Juniper grimaced. ¡°The what pinching?!¡± The SCRA conducted these tests, which meant she''d bear the same thing, did all capes bear this? Emery giggled. Relax, I''m joking.¡± they''ll probably just draw blood, give you an isolated room to test some powers on some energy scale, rate you and leave. She relaxed. ¡° So, where''s my suit.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Juniper panicked. ¡°I forgot about, I''ll bring it around when I have the chance, it''s¨C¡± She stopped herself, how would Emery feel if she found out it was lodged in their R&D department, possibly being analyzed and altered. ¡°It¡¯s at home.¡± Emery titled her head, ¡°I hope it isn¡¯t in some rival org¡¯s lair.¡± Juniper swallowed. ¡°Don''t worry, I''m sure I just forgot to bring it around, no altercations or reverse engineering experts at work.¡± Emery gave her a side eye. Then dug into her food. Half it has already gone, she didn''t seem to get full. ¡°You don¡¯t get full?¡± ¡°I barely even need to eat, I¡¯m like a plant, mostly need water, but sunlight gives me most everything.¡± Her eyes lit up. ¡°That¡¯s neat! You¡¯d survive any apocalypse as long as you have a sliver of sunlight.¡± ¡°Eh, I miss the days I grew hungry. Still the taste of food, is still enjoyable.¡± Juniper was curious, could she test that, if she misused the [solar-powered-Sentinel] Could she be finitely full? Or was it exclusive to Emery¡¯s biology. Did she need to drive up her skill to excessive levels? Emery¡¯s phone started vibrating. She read a few lines. ¡°Shit, I''m sorry¡± ¡°Duty calls?¡± Juniper asked ¡°Yeah hostage situation in the northern Outskirts, can''t speak anything else, without getting a slap on the wrist¡­¡± Juniper hesitant didn¡¯t want to let go of this new attachment, she was forming. ¡° Could we do something later this week, Maybe a training exercise. I¡¯m kinda hitting a plateau and need some help? I can also cook for us?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Emery hummed gave her a long look then smiles,¡± yeah, why not. We¡¯ll figure it out.¡± Emery got up, grabbed what was left of her plate and stuffed it in her mouth, chomping like an alligator. She waved then ran out the store. The human worker, came to peak. Juniper guessed he was making sure it wasn¡¯t a dine and dash? The robot strolled by as she ate alone. Then mocked her as it did a drive by. ¡°That¡¯s right, meat bag. Keep grinding those molars.¡± She gave it a stare. And flipped it off. Her eyes darting left and right, hoping people would leave her alone, and not peer at her from a distance. Weird. Juniper watches emery flee, She Continues to eat awkwardly. She starts eating as much as she could stomach. She really needed to eat more, all the weight she was losing had to be unhealthy. One small Comfort before they probe her. Chapter 61 - Remys dilemma Remy sat by the door, his leg itching and bouncing about, his fingers tapping against his knee in irritation, his eyes locked on his phone, the time. It was 5 minutes past the time they said they¡¯d be here, and his legs were hurting. The air was way too still, and when his apartment went too quiet, he started hearing things. Voices, he swore it, but would never tell anyone. Other times he heard his parents screaming at him, he wondered if they were still alive, locked away in that concentration camp. He could hear her as well, through the wall, more than physically should have. Juniper, locking herself behind a closed, and crying herself to sleep. His mind wandered, as it always did. The noise outside¡ªthe hum of hover cars, the occasional neighbor knocking to check on him¡ªkept him sane. The pain. It can get too much sometimes. The pain, it never let up. Remy checked the time again. Another couple of minutes gone by. He didn¡¯t blame anyone but himself, he knew where he was buying the narcotics, he knew what risks he was taking, he knew he was putting what little clemency Juniper was given over them and putting that at risk. He knew by doing shady stuff like this, he was putting Euphemia¡¯s life at risk. Perhaps Avaree Reyes was right, they needed to be broken apart. She was threatening Juniper almost every week, every time she visits he felt vulnerable, overly polite with him, way too polite and ever pursuant into getting him to live in a medical research center. Nearly half a decade long battle with the government, and they still saw him as a child. He often wondered what happened to patients taken by their families, what happens when the curtains were pull over. He didn¡¯t trust the government, like at all. Remy has seen way too many weird shit on the internet, stuff that could get you put in a crime video. The after effect of exploring the dark side of Web 4.0. Illuminati shit. Remy moaned. The pain, it started again, sharply. Running down the edges of his forehead, then slowly traveling down his spine, aching. His nerves felt like tangled wires, sparking and misfiring with every movement. Like he had to force his half-dead, aching body to move. Every second he sat waiting here worked it away into his agony, when he could be lying in bed. Migraines, then mood swings, then his own body refusing to cooperate with him¡­ He hated existing sometimes. The pain of moving alone was horrendous. He¡¯d rather die. The government''s best medication were cut off, altered to be available only to near-death patients. Potent stuff they¡¯d offer to those undergoing brain surgery for the illness. Psionic Neural and Nerve Syndrome was a curse, one, he was convinced, the government made to experiment on its populace. One pill, and he relaxed, no different from Benzodiazepines. Two pills and the pain stops, but so does his brain. Three, and he is off to dreamland. Tomorrow, the pain would just come back. Recently, he¡¯d found a different crutch. Black-market stuff of potent medicine, produced out of the country, made him feel like a king. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it made him function perfectly, except the price of it was too damn expensive. If Juniper found out¡­ No. He couldn¡¯t even think about that. He always blamed her for not doing enough, but really it was him that was the burden. Remy barely registered the time changing again when¡ªknock. Knock. Knock.¡± A sharp, successive knock recurred on the door. Deliberate and loud. Was that them? On foot? He was expecting a drone delivery. No matter. He rushes, the pain nearly disappears. He exhales, smooths his shirt. Why was he nervous? Oh, right. The black-market dealer could probably kill him. ¡°Delivery for Mr. Pinewell!¡± A female voice called out. He panicked, his weight shifted, and he kept himself as upright as possible, the pain hurt him, but he opened the door anyway. Putting his best manners on display. The courier was hardly what he expected. No gruff, shady 40-year-old man, nor a drone. A girl¨Cno a woman around his age, stood at the door, maybe younger than her sister. Her hair was a messy dark ponytail, covered up by a flashy blue cap, heavy eyeliner on her eyes. Small piercing in her nose, and her ear. An oversized jacket making her frame trigger, though she was definitely larger than him. She flashed over him like he was an anomalous code. Eyes scanning him from head to toe. ¡°You Remy?¡± she asked rudely, holding the package under her arm. He nods, uncomfortably, his voice dried out. ¡°U-uh. Yeah. How does this¡ª?¡± She snorts, hands on her hips¡­ ¡°Wow. You''re new to this?¡± He frowns, a part of him skeptical he wasn¡¯t about to be scammed or shanked in the gut. ¡°No. It¡¯s my first, time, just¡­ never done it in person.¡± ¡°How Adorable. There¡¯s a first time for everything you know.¡± She steps inside without waiting for permission, pushing him inwards and closed the door behind him. ¡°Alright, here¡¯s how it works, preschooler, the money first, package after. No refunds, no crying later, and certainly no idiotic questions about where, what comes from. Got it?¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°I¡¯m not a preschooler.¡± he protested. ¡°And¡­you can¡¯t just barge into people places like this.¡± ¡°Could¡¯ve fooled me,¡± she muttered. Courier girl bumped against him, then flopped down on his couch like she owned the goddamn apartment, putting her legs up on a table cross-legged. ¡°H-hey!¡± he called out, taken aback by the behavior. His legs trembling. ¡°You can¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°Can¡¯t just what, Babyface?¡± Remy was desperate, but she didn¡¯t care about his desperation and his boundaries. How did he keep his dignity in this situation. He didn¡¯t want to do anything that could offend the underworld, but what if Juniper found about this, she wouldn¡¯t approve. This person was treating him like he was a boy toy, which would probably sound great to a lot of people but? He needed to step up, prove to himself he was capable of handling a situation like this. She needs to realize what¡¯s she doing is wrong. This was a home invasion. He moves towards her, She awaits as he places the money in her hands. She starts counting it, then she crossed her arms, observing him like a lab experiment. He takes the absent package from her. His frail fingers tremble as he slowly peels it open. Inside, the sleek compartment, revealed a set of vials, each with a description, a collection of pills marked with a designation. A thick label stitch to the box. ¡°For the use of Psionic Neural and Nerve Syndrome (PNNS) only.¡± He exhaled, everything he sought out was in here, it could last him a month if he used it correctly. Juniper was going to start asking questions if he splurged money like water, best to wear it out over a month. ¡°You got a good aura, twitchy boy. Shame if it got harvested.¡± She paused, then snickered at his reaction. ¡°I Could do a thing or two, you know¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Remy said flustered. Staring at her in disbelief. ¡°You always this jumpy?¡± ¡°You always this pushy?¡± he hit back. ¡°Only with guys who look like they¡¯d snap in half if I poked ¡®em. And boy do I want to poke you in half.¡± She said, taking off her cap. Letting her ponytail hang freely. ¡°Yeah, of course, make yourself, comfortable in someone else''s home.¡± Remy protested, knowing he was powerless. ¡°What Ya gonna to do about it?¡± He sighed. It would be better if she left right away. She started kicking her legs in the air. ¡°So,¡± she says, stretching her limbs. ¡°Can I crash here for a bit? Two, maybe, three hours.¡± He blinks. ¡°What? Are you serious, Hell no! You need to leave now.¡± ¡°Can. I. Stay. Here. For. A. While.¡± She repeated, She gestures lazily at him with her fingers¡­ ¡°Your couch is comfy, real comfy, it won¡¯t make me stand up, I call dibs.¡± ¡°No.¡± what does he do here? What the hell was he supposed to do? Call for help? Would anyone even take him seriously?¡± Should I call Ms. Louise to handle her? No one could weather the old Matron. No. If he did, Juniper would find out about it, then it¡¯s goodnight for him. She was in league with shadier folks. He didn¡¯t want them to grill him. She pouts. ¡°And Why not puckerbum?¡± ¡°Stop, calling me weird names. And I don¡¯t even know you? Because I expected a drone, and you just banged yourself inside.¡± ¡°Banging, huh? Didn¡¯t think we were there yet, twitchy¡­" She props her chin on her hand, smiling at him. ¡°You got no one else here?¡± Oh my god. He stiffens, a twisted part of him, enjoyed her crass remarks. But he was no health to play along with her playful banter, besides she¡¯s also a stranger moving illegal substances. He sighs. ¡°Family¡¯s gone. Why else would I buy illicit narcotics early in the morning?¡± She hums like she expected that answer. ¡°Yeah. Figured. You got that ¡®fragile cat¡¯ look. Kinda cute, actually. You need someone to take care of you.¡± ¡°Fragile what! He glares. ¡°You¡¯re messing with me.¡± ¡°A little,¡± she admits, grinning. ¡°But listen¡ªI¡¯ve seen people with your kinda condition just shake it off. Sick one day, healthy a month later, no drugs.¡± He scoffs, he steps back, crossing his arms. ¡°That¡¯s not how neurological disorders work.¡± ¡°Not normally, no¡± she shrugs. ¡°I¡¯m not very smart, but I know you don¡¯t have a neurological disorder. You got that purple pulse thingy, think the deep government is lying about. There are groups out there that deal with this kind of stuff. People who know how to fix it. My cousin had it. Now she does magic.¡± His throat goes dry. He¡¯s not superstitious, but¡ªmagic? Was she stupid? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, magic? Magic Magic?¡± He narrows his eyes. ¡°You mean, like¡­ actual spell book-and-wizard-hat magic? Or just some tech scam wrapped in glitter?¡± She wiggles her fingers mysteriously, she starts making worm like wiggles with her hand. ¡°Real woo-woo stuff. Sparkles, floating rocks, purple waterfalls, all that nonsense. Levitation and shit.¡± He gives her a flat look. ¡°You sound like an MLM manager.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She beams upwards. Remy wondered if she even knew what that meant. ¡°And if you¡¯re interested, I could introduce you to her.¡± ¡°For a price, I¡¯m guessing. Magic for a price?¡± he said, already bored with the conversation. ¡°Bing bong bingo.¡± she alliterated off her tongue Without waiting for an answer, she tugs the blanket off the back of the couch and settles in like it¡¯s hers. ¡°Excuse me!? That¡¯s sister¡¯s blanket. She¡¯s sensitive about smell, she¡¯ll smell you off it.¡± ¡°So what, I smell nice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s common courtesy, to respect people you¡¯re visiting¡¯s belongings, and you¡¯re not even a guest.¡± ¡°Whatever, anyway. Think it over, cutie,¡± she yawns. ¡°I¡¯m getting comfy now. If only some chivalrous skinny boy would come sit next to lonely old me.¡± ¡°This is inappropriate, you¡¯re home invader¡± ¡°Cry me a river, dude, I just got kicked out of my apartment, going to take me awhile to get it together. ¡± ¡°So what, you try to take advantage of the first vulnerable person you see?¡± Remy started shouting. ¡°You can¡¯t be here when my sister gets back, or I¡¯m fucked,¡± ¡°Woah there cowboy? Take it slow, let a girl settle in first.¡± Remy lost it, he clenched his fists and shook. ¡°Look I can¡¯t¨C¡± He fell over, his knees dropping to the floor, she jumped up, running towards him, right by his side, holding him together as he started coughing, rubbing his back. The pain wrecked havoc inside him, he was vulnerable, and then the stranger was holding him together. ¡°Oh Shit, I¡¯ve never seen one as sick as you, shouldn¡¯t they have taken you up in a medical thinga-ma-place already?¡± He shook his head. ¡°No, money.¡± Well, bar recent events. Still, he had no reason to go, and let them pick at his head. Juniper made a promise, to him, he hoped she lived up to it but if she couldn¡¯t¨C Remy stabilized, this ¡®tremor¡¯ wasn¡¯t as bad as the one he felt this morning, slowly taking in deep breaths, he felt the world around him slowly coming to crawl by the second. ¡°How about we call my cousin anyhow, I¡¯m serious when I say she had that purple pulse thing, she¡¯ll know how to manage it, she got a support group and all that, and you¡¯ll take me on a nice date later, how that sound.¡± He nodded, what would he have to lose anyway. Screw it. Might as well roll the dice. He didn¡¯t care about the wizardry but the allure of a support group, it was enticing. If he could move his stress away from those two, it would do him good. ¡°You have a name, invader girl?¡± ¡°Scarlet, nice to meet ya¨C¡± ¡°It''s remy, just plain old remy.¡± Interlude/snippet ~ John [Warning - graphic violence, gore] Metal Ronin sprinted across the rooftops, moving with inhuman speed. His implants accelerated his body. Every step he took sent rain flying and splattering into the air. He moved as silently as he could and, as a rule, always kept to the shadows. His blade rested firmly at his waist, sheathed and halved by the design. It was made of obsidian and reinforced with carbon nanotubes. Not ideal for cutting anything heavier than a person¡¯s bone, but it did its job. John found himself in the Shadow District. He was staring at the target¡¯s location. A private residence and a massive villa pressed between the city''s buildings. His target loomed below. Several men were unloading boxes of what he assumed could only be contraband, drugs and cash¡­ The target, a fat, obese, balding man, was shouting at the henchmen. John could hear a faint whisper of what was being shouted, only because he had an implanted machine cochlea. It was something to the gist of: ¡°Get moving, maggots! My customers are impatient!¡± Followed by: "Yes, boss." Moving crates, hauling trucks. Vaguely dressed workers. Definitely some kind of trafficking. The truck started moving. Best to let it go, and focus on the mission. He captured a picture of it with his phone and relayed it back to Matriarch Base. The truck model, the number plate¡ªwhich was slyly switched as soon the crew left¡ªthe size of the crates being transferred; it was up to the big boss to assess what would happen to what was left of the man¡¯s upstart crime empire. His target didn¡¯t know it yet, but he was already dead. Before John dropped down, he briefly hit his helmet, realigning the mask. Then, he dropped. He strode right into their security. Only a few guards were left behind, all carrying AKs. Definitely some kind of Russian connections. Not even local cartels and gang groups used that type of weaponry. John unsheathed his Katana. He had no intention of being discreet. Their eyes widened. The one closest to him started yelling¡ª¡°Cape!¡± So wrong, so very wrong¡­ John wish he was a cape. The second shot at him, a flurry of automatic bullets sent flying his way. John aligned the blade with his face, shielding his visor from the attack. The bullets did not penetrate. Instead, they ricocheted off his rolled armor. The graphene layer really kept 99 percent of small arms away. But John was stingy, as rail guns tended to penetrate him at any range. An alarm immediately rang out as the first scrambled for cover. He dashed, his speed enhanced by the suit, accelerating him to a micro speedster. He cleaved his assailant in half, who managed to creak out a cry for help at the last moment. His life had flashed before his very eyes, and John felt only numb. The gore didn¡¯t disgust him anymore. It was the futility of it. They were powerless to stop him. Only a cape could put up a quarrel with him. A wild spray of bullets slammed into the rear of his helmet. A little crack formed on the visor. John turned his head and pursued, stabbing the blade inside his attacker''s neck, killing the defenseless fool. The man didn¡¯t even look at the Ronin in his last moments. He sagged. John sighed as he looked at the slumped body. There are no innocents here, John. You kill so the world may bleed a little less tomorrow. John lifted his head. He was not in the mood to deal with small fry. Let the SCRA handle it. His target, Gregor Mirov, stared at him from the window of the building, aghast, terror in his eyes. The man turned, then sprinted away. John pursued. He didn¡¯t want to waste another second. With a burst of speed, he chased the man, scaling the exterior of the building and jabbing his head inside. The penthouse was like a shrine inside¡ªfilled with gold-coated interiors, expensive bottles of liquor lying everywhere. Luxury without the adornment of proper weight. A fool¡¯s idea of wealth. All these kingpins were a textbook case study. They want the same thing, slumdog monarchies. He heard something ping. An elevator. Someone was going up a few floors. John turned to look down the hallway. Sure enough, there was one leading up. He took the stairs, scaling them step by step, leap by leap. John paid the mooks in his way no mind, cutting away at their fragile bodies if they dared cross him. A few bodies lay strewn on his path of war. They could not deter him, it was...disapointing for him. Almost. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Reaching the top floor, he burst through a one-way room at the top. Then stopped. The kingpin hid somewhere in the back of the room. An army of guards held their rifles at him. He raised his blade, ready to cut. He charged¡ª No! Someone grabbed him from behind. Dark, muscular arms held his arms together, kicking him to the ground. He lost his grip on his katana. It fell to the ground. He looked up at his attacker. A towering bodyguard, dark skin, muscular¡ªdefinitely a cape of sorts. The enhanced man approached, bringing his fist down to punch. John evaded. A hole was ripped into the ground, and the man¡¯s hand was stuck. John delivered an uppercut to his face, sending him bleeding and flying away. He turned and ran toward the katana. A swarm of bullets shot at him, ricocheting everywhere. Idiots! John lifted his katana just in time. The bullets stopped firing. But the large man was behind him, gripping him by the torso, squeezing. This was trouble. The amount of pressure he exerted could kill John, but he was all brawn and no brains. John threw his sword in the air, flipping as he tried prying himself from the cape¡¯s grasp. The sound of flesh being cut made the big man stumble, yet he still squeezed as the blade was stuck in his head. John knocked his elbow back. Blood spurted from the man¡¯s face. John broke out of his grip, took his sword out of the man¡¯s skull, swung the blade around, and severed his head. The big man fell to the ground. What a waste of a good cape. Evelyn could have used him in one of her hit squads. A pity. ¡°You fools shot the bastard!¡± the kingpin shouted, panicking while scrambling away. Bullets were sent flying everywhere. One of the ricocheting bullets smashed through the window. Another caused a friendly fire mishap, penetrating a goon¡¯s leg. He screamed in agony. The bullets kept coming, and John walked to the center of the room. Letting them do there thing. They only wasted their ammunitions and potentially their lives. They stopped firing, staring at him with fear. ¡°You boys, go turn yourselves in, and I won¡¯t have to kill you.¡± They stared at each other in disbelief. Then, the guns started falling to the ground. One by one, they made it out of the room. Even the one that got shot by richocheting bullets limped outside. Leaving only the kingpin on the ground, groveling, defenseless. He started panicking. ¡°Wait¡­ wait¡­ Metal Ronin, right?¡± he asked. ¡°I can give you whatever you want. Offshore accounts, power, women. All the sexy women in the world, every man¡¯s dream, I can give it all to you.¡± John walked closer, and the man backed away. ¡°How dull and clich¨¦. I¡¯ve had a taste of it all before. I don¡¯t want that life. Not ever.¡± The man started praying, then started tapping his hands on the ground. He started tearing up. It was way too late for kiddy tears. ¡°Anything you want at all, within my power. Do you have vices? Illegal vices? I can import anything. Anyone.¡± Disgusting. John put his blade at his side, readying to strike. ¡°If you ever find yourself in another life, let it be known that I will hunt you down there. And should you go to hell, tell the devil to schedule an appointment for me. We will meet there.¡± ¡°Wait! Any price, name it.¡± John sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, you¡¯ve already been bought. You have nothing.¡± The ronin closed his eyes, drawing his blade. He saw nothing but cut away at the defenseless man. He could hear his limbs drop to the ground. He squeezed his eyes open slowly, making sure he was dead. Indeed he was. John walked to the window, punching a hole in it, causing the whole structure to collapse. Blood and iron. Rain and petrichor. Smoke and ash. John lit his cigar, peering below at the running fools. Their faces were marked. They¡¯d turn themselves in, or they¡¯d be running for life. He exhaled. The smoke calmed his nerves, eased his depressive thoughts. He peered at the room. Blood was stained everywhere, even on the carpet. A very expensive carpet at that. There was backup one stashed away, folded in the corner. Perhaps he¡¯d take that carpet. It was a very nice carpet, in fact. His phone pinged. Snapping him out of his head. His fingers flicked, answering on instinct. ¡°John.¡± It was his boss. Who else would call him at such an ungodly moment? She had a tendency to call him at worsts of time. She did it in a foxhole once too, years ago.. He stared at the caller ID, too lazy to speak. ¡°John!" "Joooohn!" "Joooooohn! Answer the phone, goddammit.¡± he replied, but took his time to move his lips. ¡°One irrepairable geyser made done, Commander Sheridan.¡± Evelyn mumbled. ¡°Good. Good. Report back. Got another job for you.¡± ¡°In a moment.¡± he coughed. "I''m smoking." ¡°Hurry it up. We¡¯re short on time. This city is an eternal chessboard, John. Pawns move first, and pawns are being played right now. You cut one . At least two more left tonight.¡± ¡°What does that make me? The rook." ¡°Don''t be silly. You¡¯re my knight, of course. Don¡¯t ask me stupid shit. Hurry the fuck up.¡± ¡°Yes, my queen.¡± ¡°King, logically speaking. And, flattering. However, I have a new queen in mind.¡± "oh?" "Anyway, don''t go mia. Report to me!" The phone beeped dead. "Fuck!" It was supposed to be cinema night. He loved old movies no one today would touch. Like, who even knew Kurosawa these days? All these short-clipped kids didn¡¯t have the attention span or the respect to understand great cinematography. And¡ªhe really needed to stop talking to himself. John was ready to hop out the window. Then he heard a box move beside him. A cardboard box. ¡°The fuck?¡± He held his sword, walking closer, slowly. Could be a rat inside. Could be an explosive drone. John¡¯s eyes whirred, and his brain raced. X-ray vision. A little skeleton was lodged inside, crammed together. He lifted the box instantly. A little boy stared at him with horror and fear. He didn¡¯t scream or run or cry. Just stared at him and at the carnage. ¡°...¡± The kingpin¡¯s son. ¡°Shit.¡± ¡°Are you going to kill me too?¡± the boy asked. John wiped his blade clean. ¡°No. Let''s get you to an SCRA station.¡± Metal ronin hung his head low as he realized the carnage the boy was witnessing. He took the boy by his arms, closing his eyes as he slowly walked him out of the room. Samsara? Nirvana? Such things didn''t exist for him. He was trained to kill. ANd he would keep doing. Chapter 62 - Peppy talks Juniper sat out inside the sterile room that was Evelyn¡¯s office, The air was oxygenated, heavy, the smell of strange botanic plants that happened cluttered all over her room. It smelled like a forest¨C she thought, not that she¡¯d know, she¡¯d never set foot in one. Another thing to be ashamed of, a pity you need to live like a king to freely leave the country. See could she herself, traveling Southern American shoreline, Continental Europe and even across the Asian continent. But politics were god, and they were living in a sanctioned state. She peered in front of the vivarium next to her, a floor lower, it¡¯s leaves cast dim but flickering shadows in the shape of tree leaves into the room. It felt eerily matching to the strange anxiety she was feeling at the moment. Sometimes there, sometimes gone. Juniper¡¯s leg was kicking and bouncing restlessly; she¡¯d been waiting an hour for the medical examiner¡¯s to show up, and none had shown themselves. Every tick on Evelyn¡¯s analog further drove her insane, she craved that manic NEET 3AM energy. It would be comforting. Her eyes went all over, she glanced at a framed photo, on Evelyn¡¯s the desk¨Cit looked like a much younger Evelyn, though she wasn¡¯t any less or more pretty. An older man with an eye patch was next to her, in military fatigues. His hands were around her shoulder and she was genuinely smiling. Who was he a mentor? A lover? Perhaps simply a friend? Juniper caught herself glancing too long, and then she gazed into the abyss again. The office mirror glinted, and reflected sunlight into the corner¡¯s of her eyes. She felt the weight of what he was witnessing. Her face had changed¡ªsharper cheekbones, less exhaustion in her eyes. She was different. Better? Worse? She wasn¡¯t sure. She was changing without a pause. She took a quick note to think about Quixis¡¯s advice on mastering her ability, one at a time, only nab powers unless she absolutely needed to. This week was a crucial step in that direction, it was time to establish absolute control over herself. Older memories flashed in her head, her session with emery, the flying, and even the brief touching. The two times, she had fought Annemarie, and two times she had fought with her alongside. Right, she needed to ask Annemarie to do driving to get a hang of this distortion thing. And as well to thank her, personally in private, she put her life at risk for juniper. She hoped she would accept any gift of gratitude. Her mind wandered again, it was elsewhere, the issue at hand. Needless, she vaguely didn¡¯t forget what emery had jested about when she left the diner, she did not want to get stabbed or pinched, by creepy examiner¡¯s. The door creaked open. Juniper didn''t need to look up¡ªshe knew who it was by the slow, deliberate footsteps. Evelyn leaned against the desk, cigarette smoke curling in lazy loops above her head before she finally spoke. Scrutinizing the young cape. Evelyn raised a brow at Juniper. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to wait elsewhere? Only a week under my grasp and already as stubborn as Anne.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Bigsis, I- They¨C they won¡¯t appear until an hour has passed right, and I wanted to be somewhere comfortable.¡± Juniper bowed her head, in mild shame¡­ The woman clicked her tongue. ¡°You know, there¡¯s a room reserved for you, maybe check it out, speak to one of my assistants, let them decorate it for you, and if you''re feeling unwell, why not try socializing with your peers, get to know them better, I know you and Annemarie, have a ¡®thing¡¯ going on.¡± Juniper nearly jumped out of her seat, but remained postured and stoic. ¡°We¡­don''t have a thing¨C¡± Juniper nearly snapped. ¡°She¡­just¡­her antics, it fucked me up a bit¡­ I¡­.don¡¯t know how to deal with it.¡± Arkangeal waved her off. ¡°At ease, I¡¯m just teasing you.¡± Evelyn said. ¡°Francesca seems to like you a lot, why not let her mentor you on what¡¯s going around here. No need to sit like Debby downer. Alone. In my office..¡± ¡°She''s nice but I hate socializing, I¡¯d rather not deal with excessive relationship juggling. ¡± she murmurred. Evelyn leaned in close to her, her voice seeming low and very serious. Her red hair flowing freely, and her blue eyes staring into her soul, ¡°You¡¯re going to need to get used to it. ¡° Juniper twirled her fingers. ¡°I¨C don¡¯t want to, everyone is a hassle, unreliable actors, always wanting something, pushing something.¡± ¡°Remember this, the cape world is harsh, very harsh, and it¡¯s going to tear you limb by limb eventually.¡± she says, ¡°Out there, no one gives a damn about your heart. They only care about what you can do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a scary place, big sis, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m cut out for it.¡± juniper moped. ¡°I know it is, I learned that the hard way,¡± Evelyn cradled the photo, with the one-eyed man on it. Whispering something. ¡°I can¡¯t blame you for the way you feel, as a leader, no one cares about my feelings. But everyone expects me to act a certain way. Juniper felt a tinge of regret, was this the right way to approach this conversation, she was no conversation starter, for better or for worse. Evelyn was clearly sentimental, by the way she caressed the frame. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Speaking off, it¡¯s inappropriate to heckle the boss, while she¡¯s taking a smoke break.¡± Evelyn grabbed juniper¡¯s arm and shook it. ¡°I¡¯m only holding your arm for the first few weeks, then I don¡¯t want to see your face until briefing meetings.¡± ¡°You know, I never asked for arm holding.¡± ¡°It¡¯s expected of me. You''re like a little duckling, Juniper, and I want you to be the prettiest swan.¡± It certainly was the first time she was explicitly referred to as a bird. Juniper wanted to continue an argument, but had to restrain herself from doing so. "Wait a minute, ducks and swans are diffrent right-" Evelyn tapped on the desk, slender fingers, impatient. Juniper knew what that meant but¡­ ¡°So, why did you come in here, I let no one inside¡­ unless I want them here. ¡± She braced herself. It was the unknown that ate at her, after the assessment, they would assign her rank. Make her costumed freak, have her parade around like an animal¡­ She didn¡¯t what to hurt anyone or anything. She''d be content with doing rescue work, helping people and their silly pets. Juniper looked away. ¡°I came here because I wanted to ask you something, something personal. Evelyn leaned against her wall of the door, her head peering out of the window, smoke leaving her cigarette, like a specter of whatever the conversation would become. She tapped the cigarette against a tray, the ash falling on it. ¡°Well, ask away? Little Juniper.¡± ¡°Big sis, I have two problems, one minor, one physically impossible.¡± she started, she wanted it off her chest. Evelyn¡¯s demeanor, softened slightly, and she closed the door behind them, and mounted her chair, waiting as juniper made herself more vulnerable. ¡°What do you need?¡± she asks, genuinely curious. ¡°Um¡­ Three buses disappeared from my sister¡¯s school, stolen I believe in the middle of the night.¡± She said as straightforward as possible. Evelyn raised a brow, confused but undisturbed. ¡°I recall something of the sort, And no one made a peep?¡± ¡°Nothing, I have considered tracking them down myself, but I wouldn¡¯t want to interfere in a SCRA intervention.¡± Evelyn, nodded, ¡°You want me to order someone to track down the buses? Maybe terminal, get them back by tomorrow. ¡± ¡°Yes, No, I¡¯m not really asking for additional involvement, I need a solution?¡± Evelyn. Bobbed her head, holding the cigarette in her hands. I''m listening. ¡°My sister," Juniper started pleading. "I have to take her to school every morning, as of yesterday, you can see how it can a become a problem for me.¡± ¡°You feel you can¡¯t keep up or is time the issue.¡± ¡°Both, I was hoping you might a solution for me? I can¡¯t reliably trust anyone in the city, but I know from a morale aspect, my well-being is in your best belongings.¡± she bowed her head. ¡°You do have a little cunning in you, but true, I want you in your best shape, primp, pristine, perfect condition.¡± she clicked her fingers. ¡°I was going to assign you a handler for a week, a manager so to speak, keep you healthy, on your toes, but¡­perhaps I¡¯ll have to do it early.¡± ¡°A h-handler?¡± Juniper asked, confused, excited and yet half disappointed, another person she¡¯d have to deal with. ¡°I don¡¯t want someone, to look over my shoulder.¡± ¡°Every cape here has one, we¡¯d make it easy, choose someone compatible for you, and you alone. They''d be able to take your sister to school and back, run errands for you your own personal assistant.¡± Juniper scratched her head, it would take a lot of stress away but the prospect of having to suffer other folks. ¡°This is starting to sound more like a job?¡± ¡°Well it is, you just have to deal with a little death here and there.¡± Evelyn giggled, but held her hand over her mouth. Death, was and remains a touchy subject. ¡°We can discuss details of transport tomorrow¡± Juniper let herself breathe a sigh of relief, it would be one less thing to worry about. ¡°Now, tell me about the big thing? It¡¯s not more missing buses, is it.¡± ¡°No,¡± Juniper bit her cheeks. ¡°If it really bothers me, I¡¯ll really start looking for them.¡± Junipers heart raced, she only had one proper shot at this, and she didn¡¯t want to turn into a villain. She didn¡¯t know what scared her more¡ªEvelyn¡¯s approval or rejection. ¡°My brother, he has PNNS.¡± she said, whispering. Evelyn looked partially surprised, but said nothing, Juniper wondered how much of that was fake or practiced. ¡°As you know it¡¯s particularly hard to cure, and victims symptoms often comeback after a period of a few years, post surgery. I was hoping you could help me¡­.¡± Evelyn didn¡¯t like her hesitation, ¡°Well, out with it.¡± ¡°I need a healer, a cape healer whose powers I could copy at the very least, I¡¯m hoping it could cure him. Of his illness.¡± Evelyn¡¯s face warped, turning very serious, she retracted her arms from her desk, staring Juniper down. ¡°No cape has ever cured, nor has anyone dealt with Psionic and neural nerve syndrome with any powers Juniper, It¡¯s the harsh truth, even if I get you what you wanted, it would be impossible, scientifically.¡± Juniper started shaking. ¡°I don¡¯t get it all diseases, can be cured right?¡± ¡°No, because it¡¯s really not a disease, it¡¯s¡­something else.¡± ¡°But¡­ It briefly disappeared in the past, I can recall it, we were whole back then, my family, when the purple pulse thing hit the city.¡± At the mention of this, Evelyn perked upwards. ¡°You were there, it would explain why your body has been presented with your powers are fundamentally different¡¯t. No, it didn¡¯t explain anything. ¡°You saw what it did to people, didn¡¯t you? The ones who turned? Juniper nodded, not a pleasant memory to think about, thank god their father¡¯s was there to get them. ¡°Yeah, I owe my life to my father.¡± There was a slight awkward pause, like Evelyn wanted to change the subject at all costs. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, juniper,¡± she said. ¡°Even if it was something I could help with, there are laws in place to prevent people like power mimickers, touching healers, and you are especially a special case as you seem to hold it permanently.¡± Juniper nodded. Disappointed but not defeated, she expected this outcome. ¡°On that day, a hero tried healing my brother, lady saint I believe, do you know what happened to her.¡± Her face yielded interest, at the mention of the name. ¡° Now there''s a name I haven''t heard in a long time,¡± Evelyn hands disappeared under her chin. ¡°Can''t say, she went off grid, sources believe she''s dead, you were what back then? ¡° ¡°14/15.¡± She let out, her head becoming foggier, blank. ¡°I don¡¯t remember very well.¡± ¡°If there was a way, I¡¯d tell you. But there isn¡¯t. Because¨C¡± Evelyn stopped herself. Juniper breathed a sigh of relief, perhaps she would get her hands dirty later instead. ¡°Look, whatever you do¡­¡± her voice held a hint of concern, ¡°Do not let your brother, get surgery, ten to one, It won¡¯t work, and you give him unnecessary surgical scars.¡± ¡°Wait, I don¡¯t understand¨C¡± As if being a manifestation of Juniper¡¯s woes. Evelyn¡¯s telephone rang, an old thing, uninterruptible and unconnected to the internet, likely for security reasons. She turned the thing, rolling it a few times and tapped on it. ¡°Hello?¡± Time slowed and she looked up at her prot¨¦g¨¦. ¡°Yes,¡± she paused. ¡°Alright.¡± Juniper motioned to leave, but Evelyn stopped her. ¡°The examiner¡¯s from the SCRA is here, I¡¯ll be accompanying you if you don¡¯t mind, don¡¯t want them to try anything with my newest cape. Juniper affirmed her head, she had question, she¡¯d leave for later Chapter 63 - Crossing boundaries Evelyn escorted Juniper from the Matriarch base to a remote medical facility near the ''dead town,'' a puppet town OBB had set up. It housed some of Evelyn¡¯s agents, under the guise of being a ¡®closed-neighborhood.¡¯ Inside, the facility it was cold and sterile, covered in an almost oppressive shade of blue. It was unwelcoming, sterile like a sanatorium long since abandoned, the kind of place where ghosts of the past felt more present than the living. The air was thick with a faint sting of chemicals. She¡¯d been forced to wear some hospital tunic, some utilitarian underwear which made her feel exposed and vulnerable. Juniper pulled at it, it didn¡¯t fit her, and that made it irritating. She turned to her ¡®guardian,¡¯ concerned. ¡°Is it really necessary to wear this, Bigsis?¡± She asked, voice low. Her face softened, but her eyes narrowed, like she wasn¡¯t sure whether to embrace or reject the name. Perhaps she was used to only Annemarie calling her that. ¡°Unfortunately, It¡¯s procedure, you¡¯re going into that room over there, it¡¯s airtight and controlled.¡± she pointed at the spartan medical room, glass walls everywhere, see through. ¡°The SCRA takes bio-contamination from Capes very seriously, a few outbreaks have happened, in the past. They won¡¯t do it any other way.¡± Juniper frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve been bleeding in alleyways, fighting up close. If I were a biohazard, we¡¯d know by now.¡± Juniper frowned. If I were some walking hazard, wouldn¡¯t half the city already be contaminated?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t make the rules, I tend to break them. But I assure you, if they get out of hand, and they sometimes do I¡¯ll step in.¡± she said, assuring. ¡°Three winks, just blink three times if you¡¯re uncomfortable, and I¡¯ll get you out of there grasp.¡± Now, why would government doctors get out of hand? Juniper sighed, lowered her head. ¡°Can I ask, what¡¯s the deal with you, and the heroes, why are you running an organization like this? Why cooperate with the SCRA.¡± Evelyn looked away, turning her face from, Juniper. ¡°It¡¯s a tale for another time. But the government gave us a choice: us or them. I conceded. People lived because I did.¡± ¡°Us, as in operation bell brigade?¡± Juniper prodded. ¡°No, we were more back then, different. I was¨C leave it. I¡¯ll tell you the complete tale, when you¡¯ve earned my full trust.¡± Juniper piped down. She wondered what else lay in the skeletons of OBB¡¯s past. She had many suspicions. Evelyn¡¯s eyes wandered like she was in a different place now, Juniper had a feeling she wasn¡¯t speaking about Cape affairs. She¡¯d seen that stare before, in her absent father¡¯s eyes. He had served briefly during the secession, a time still fresh in half a generation¡¯s memory. They were still culturally American, but the scars would remain. Vehicles came to a stop, doors slammed shuts. Then came the footsteps of heavy men, marching in. The SCRA detachment had arrived, trailing behind them, were two doctors in medical lab coats and a small entourage of SCRA folks. A lot more armed guards than she expected, about 4 weaponized individuals. One particular man had stood out. He was silent, completely weaponless, the other¡¯s stood well away from him. He had a particular aura about him that Juniper could sense, heavy muscles Evelyn seemed taken a back his appearance. She stared him down, eyes settling on the figure intent on accessing him as a possible threat. ¡°Lady Arkangeal,¡± the doctor held out his, gesturing for her boss to take it,¡°A pleasure to work with you again. It¡¯s not often you get new capes.¡± Evelyn scoffed, shoved his hand away, and started tapping her feet on the cold and sterile floor. Crossed her arms. ¡°Cut the pleasantries, Engelman, I don¡¯t want to engage with you anymore than you want to with me,¡± She walked forward. ¡°So, please, get this over with, and try not to do anything inappropriate.¡± Inappropriate!? She hoped he wasn¡¯t a creep, she¡¯d much rather preferred a female doctor inspect her, only because it made her more at ease. She grabbed juniper by the shoulder, wrapping her arms tightly around her. ¡°This is my newest prot¨¦g¨¦, it would be a shame if you hurt her under the guise of Medical examinations. So I¡¯ll be keeping a close watch.¡± The doctor bowed. ¡°Fear not, Ms. Pinewell, I have a daughter around your age, I promise to be gentle.¡± the mention of her own name sent a jolt up her spine. She hadn¡¯t introduced herself. Of course, they already knew. The government always knew. Even if Evelyn hadn¡¯t told them. None of his words made her at ease. The doctor lowered his head. He was frail and pale, like old crumpled paper, ready to tear in half. ¡°And of course not, Lady of the hollow nights, we come under obligation not visitation.¡± He said, his voiced raised allowed, tension amplifying in the room. Evelyn clicked her tongue at the remark. Lady of the hollow nights? Juniper became antsy, she didn¡¯t like being forced into a room with several men, a lot of men, it made it uneasy, under the loose hospital tunic she was bare and that irked her. She felt self-conscious and vulnerable, she wanted more support anchors with her. To anyone, Evelyn, was a wild card. It¡¯s just a few tests Juniper, nothing, weird, nothing a bunch of men and suits could do to you. You aren¡¯t alone. Was this absolutely necessary, though, really?¡± They couldn¡¯t arbitrarily give her a rating from drone data? Shivers went up her spine, and her body instinctively settled on the big guard, the weaponless one. Her new passive skill, [Otherness Recognition], had activated on its own. The feeling radiating from the cape in the center, fully masked and unassuming, no baton, no stun gun, no firearm. Strange. Intriguing even, the second most important point of interest in the room besides her. Sys-chan, I need you awake! NOW! The words scurried in her mind, and a like a magic word, her little ping was heard in her head. [Huh¡­ what¡¯s this?] Strange SCRA individual, feels weird, like a cape. Definitely cape-y. [Hmmm, I see it. Confirmed cape energy. You should definitely observe¡ªlike, right now, sister.] But before Juniper could, the doctor gestured to the entrance of the room. ¡°Shall we, Ms. Pinewell? I¡¯m sure eager to get this over with.¡± Engelman pointed to the bed, a hovering light hung over the bed frame. Juniper moved towards it, unsettled but in full compliance. There was no reason to resist anyway, just punished to be taken. They laid her on the a surgical bed, and her skin chilled against the bare cold of the sting. It¡¯ started out like a normal doctor¡¯s appointment. They¡¯d ask her how she was feeling, how was her day, then they started checking for blood pressure, her heart, reflexes. She breathed in and out as the doctor Engelman put a digital Stethoscope to her chest. ¡°Breath in Juniper, then breathed out.¡± he said in a whisper Oh, god, this going to take forever. [Not if I sing you a song.] Please don¡¯t [Too late. Cue ominous humming in your head. hummuuuu~~OOOOOOooooaaaaahhh~] Syschan, your throat singing! [And you¡¯re stressed, Juniper, ease up.] How? When I¡¯m practically naked in this thing. The doctor stirred next to her, relaying information to doctor number two, who remained nameless, his assistant perhaps. The assistant started jotting down notes on a little notebook, his hands scribbling all over the page. What the hell was he jotting down for? [Oh-ho¡­ they¡¯re watching you real close. Studying you. Evaluating. My guess? These freaks love poking at capes, and they¡¯ve got a ticking clock to do it.] The doctor, stroked his old beard. ¡°Your vitals are strong, Miss Pinewell. Too strong. Much stronger than they should be. Even for a superhuman¡± he looked at her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t match the hospital records after you awoke in the hospital after you were run over. Yet, somehow you also recovered nearly completely in the span of a few days¡­¡± Juniper snapped, frustrated. Her upper body took to the air, sitting upright, confused. ¡°Calm down, just accessing your abilities.¡± he held out his arms. ¡°I just want to know why your body reacts the way it does?¡± How would¨C Oh. Of course They also had access to all her records, she didn¡¯t want to think about that, the shock and the impact of the pain that day, she didn¡¯t want to think about it. She looked at Evelyn, who gave her a small nod. Permission granted to speak. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°M-my body,¡± she started, ¡°It adapts over time, to pressure,¡± She kept the fact that the effects were semi-permanent over a long time, best to keep most of the information contained. If they found out she could get stronger by simply exploiting strange activity, they¡¯d surely start making more plans for her. ¡°Yes, yes¡­ you are a transformer of a kind yes, body changes in accordance to its environment, adaptation, the purest form of evolution, able to affect you in the span of a few moments.¡± he pondered for a while, then settled. ¡°Very interesting, but let us move onwards. I¡¯m being given a small window for assessment, it¡¯s really not ideal.¡± She noticed the masked cape tense up at this statement, still hiding under the SCRA uniform, like he didn¡¯t like to hear what she was saying. His fists visibly clenched. Juniper started to actively catch him with the flick of her eye. ¡°Now, ms. Pinewell we¡¯re legally obligated to take and store a blood sample of you, as we do all capes.¡± Perhaps They¡¯ll sell her genetic material the moment they get the chance. [I think they¡¯d store it as a counter measure, say you become a problem, it would take a geneticist, and a chemist to whip out a poison, designed for your body alone.] They make more problems than fix them. Useless, government. The doctor retrieve a tourniquet and a needle, brought it around to Juniper¡¯s arm. He brought the needle around and prepared to pinch. Oh, great needles. [Relax, it¡¯s just a little pinch. In and out, like a bad date.] The needle slid in, Juniper didn¡¯t flinch, letting it slide out again, as the doctor¡¯s started wiping it away. The hole slowly closed on its own. He stares. At the blood. At her arm. At the small wound sealing itself before his eyes. Then at his assistant. Neither of them say anything, but the scribbling of the pen picks up speed. Engelman continued to exchanged glances with his assistant, said nothing, but the man was jotting down. Her unease grew. The trickled down blood was stored in a small vile not a lot, enough to make her uneasy. What are they looking for exactly. The easiest way to dissect her? [Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll scream.] Reassuring, but I can hear you. Next up, they strapped a machine to her head, like a VR headset. Meant for visual stimulus. It took her into a microscopic world. Fractals and splashes of discolored visuals appeared in front of her, in her eyes was a small moving ball, changing shapes and size. ¡°Track the ball with her eyes.¡± She did as it whizzed and whacked and zipped across the display. It was getting harder over time, and just when she thought she had lost it. A ping flashed in her ears [Reflexes +1] Her vision regained focus, attention span doubling, and she saw the little tiny object hiding behind strange visuals that looked like cholera and bacterial patches. She heard the Engelman gasped. She panicked and pulled off the headset. The two¡¯s attention were locked to a monitor. The masked cape watched her closely. Evelyn watched him from the corner, silent but unflinching. Next, they brought in a drone to scan her X-rays. It zoomed around, small and compact. Large enough to hide a 9 mm if they wanted to execute her. Blue light flashed from its beacon as its ray went up and down. Her scans were displayed over a nearby computer. The doctor lingered on it way too long, staring at her cranial compartment. Juniper noticed this, They were definitely inspecting her top to bottom. It was unnerving, she was naked under the skeleton, naked. [Oh no, they might see thiccness of your femurs] And what if they see you, joker? It was a valid point, could they detect Syschan; or was every cape brain, anatomically fucked. Every inspection was slowly irritating her, frustration was building up in her system. Engelman stopped again, ordered his lackey to write something down. Next came the perceptions and reactions. He made Juniper stand up, and ordered his assistant to throw little balls past her head, her goal was to catch this. The assistant, pitched and bowled, Juniper moved instinctively to catch the balls. Her arms, unathletic, typically let go of the ball, making them slip and slide. Next up. The hearing test. He motioned for her to listen, and clicked his fingers near her ear. ¡°I know you can selectively hear well, When you hear gunfire, turn your head.¡± Gunfire, why would she hear gunfire of all things. She activated super audition complying. He snapped his fingers, the first time, there was nothing. Just the wind of the desert plains outside. Then he did it again. She turned her head, it sounded like a long rifle going off maybe a hunting one, a .308, she didn¡¯t know much about guns. He nodded. ¡°Yes¡­yes¡­¡± The doctor moved onwards swiftly, like he had an epiphany. He went to a machine and started playing very soft beats. She could hear it, very low frequency sounds, barely audible. ¡°Can you hear the music,¡± she nodded. He took the page from the young man¡¯s hands, and started writing himself. Engelman¡¯s hands went ham on the paper. The scientist brought a cold metal instrument to her forearm. the device vibrated from afar, a small, bulky thing resembling a metal suitcase.¡± This makes it clearer and more fluid. He held it out. Thousands of little prickles tickled her. [¡°Phantom Reflex¡±] activated. And she sensed it way before it could touch her. She jerked away, but said nothing. ¡°Tell me when you feel this.¡± he said, bringing the thing closer Juniper shivered, even as the thing was a meter away, her body¡¯s reacting strangely to it moving in her direction. ¡°Please stop.¡± she pleaded. The man nodded, fascinated. Then started pulling dozens of tools out, all representing sensitive stimuli. A block of ice, pressing against her skin. He pressed it against her, and her body reacted to it, warming up, sensing danger, it melted faster than it should have. The doctor raised a brow. He zapped her with a low frequency taze gun, on the hand. Juniper twitches, hardly in a pain, more like her muscles was moving on her own misfiring. She caught the observing cape leaning, inspecting her reactions. Was he judging her for weaknesses? Two more tests left Ms. Pinewell. You might fell some pain in a moment. Of course you¡¯d need to give your consent, most people aren¡¯t comfortable with this part, but you¡¯ll get some extra repertoire from our reputation for cooperation. She tensed. Evelyn gave her a nod of approval. Juniper didn¡¯t want to feel pain. ¡°We want to test your regeneration. We are mild aware, that you seemingly can recover from most wounds overnight¡± ¡°Is this really necessary?¡± She asked skeptical. ¡°It would make our jobs, easier, of course, you¡¯d experience a little additional pain.¡± Engelman insisted. Juniper braced herself a self as a small scalpel sliced into her arm. Slow. Painful. Surgical. No anesthesia. She bore it. The pain stung, and even though she had worse wounds before¨Cthere was no adrenaline here, no Iron drive. Just her raw nerves, She gritted her teeth, refusing to flinch. But the tears came anyway. She sniffled, barely holding back the sting.¡± ¡°There, there, it¡¯s hardly thicker than a centimeter.¡± The doctor pulled away, watching as the wound stitched itself shut. Slow. Bit by bit. Juniper gritted her teeth, she just willingly let herself be cut open. ¡°Fascinating¡­¡± The cape doesn¡¯t say anything just watches, tense¡­ ¡°Alright, he motioned, one more test before we go on to the practical.¡± the Doctor said. A seemingly unassuming guard stepped forward, one of the armed ones, he gave his gun to his comrades. And walked closer, without a word, masked. The doctor turned to her. ¡°We need to see how your power interacts with others. You possess the ability to mimic powers, yes, permanently I believe,¡± Juniper observed, the man. He didn¡¯t seem like a cape nor did he feel like one. She observed. [Pvt. Zane Navarro] Power: 20 Endurance: 25 Dexterity: 24 Reflex: 35 Durability: 24 Energy: 70 [Neuro-Spike Physiology]: Activates a artificially, enhanced hyper-adrenaline state. Grants user near-instant reaction speeds and time, bullet-time precision and perception, peak agility. In this state, User can move quick enough gunfire, process sensory data faster than most humans, predict enemy movements. [Drawbacks]: Cortical Overload: Brain processing speed enhancement comes with pushing beyond safe limits, may cause intense headaches, migraines, hallucinations, micro-seizures and limb convulsion. Worsen with over use. Addition: body will crave the activation, withdrawal symptoms cause muscle spasms, paranoia, memory loss, schizophrenia. [Nuh, uh, bad news, that comes with serious drawback, I wouldn''t risk it. I think they¡¯re trying to set you up. Encourage you to use, like they did this poor man in front of you, no wonder he¡¯s mute.] Like-minded minds then. She was going to take poison, not all powers were equal. She could probably handle it better than anyone else, but the fact they try to pass this on to her irked her. Likewise, she had principals now, and self-respect. ¡°Something wrong?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t accept that, his power, it¡¯s not for me?¡± she frowned. She had to be careful what she said, she shouldn¡¯t allude that she could see powers for what they are. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I draw the line here,¡± ¡°It¡¯s just for research, his powers are fairly useful in combat¡± he whispered. ¡°We won¡¯t push you beyond safe limits.¡± The doctor persisted, and his assistant leaned inwards, the notebook held tightly. The SCRA guard, stood awkwardly, like he didn¡¯t want to be here either. shit! ¡°This is standard for power mimics.¡± he said ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know how far you can go? How strong you really are?¡± ¡°NO!¡± She shouted, a bit pissed off. She let gravity lightly distort the weight in the room, instruments and objects, slightly lifting off the ground, her hair rising into the air, shaking wildly. The SCRA soldier stood obediently peering to the masked cape. ¡°You¡¯re being disingenuous.¡± Juniper said. They¡¯d prodded her long enough, what was next, a violation of her body. The Doctor looked stress, backed away slightly, his assistant, noped the fuck out of the open room. Evelyn looked amused, but did nothing yet, accessing the situation. ¡°What makes you say that Ms. Pinewell?¡± he giggled nervously. The quiet observer moved forward swiftly, gesturing to the soldier to move back, he stood in front of Juniper then leaned forward and spoke. ¡°Cooperation would have made things easier for everyone. Every case is different, you know. You¡¯re asking to fail because you can¡¯t control yourself, all you had to do was play along? Are you sure you¡¯re making sensible choices Juniper?" He called her by her first name, like it was personal. The voice was gruff like she¡¯d heard it somewhere, Juniper tensed up, cornered. She looked at her boss, who was waiting for her signal, and winked three times and Evelyn came fast, heels hammering the floor, she didn¡¯t raise her voice but the room stopped. ¡°Enough, you¡¯re in my base, act like it.¡± she said. ¡°Juniper isn¡¯t state property. She already signed several SCRA documents stipulating her non-aggression agreement with the city and it¡¯s organizations. This isn¡¯t a forced experiment. You people have no authority to force her to absorb that power, whatever it is. You''re clearly taking advantage here, there¡¯s no need to test it, as I¡¯ve noticed that it puts my prot¨¦g¨¦ under considerable strain. You''re asking to hurt her.¡± The scientists don¡¯t argue. But they don¡¯t look happy, either. The observer¡ªstares at Evelyn. Silent. ¡°We need some kind of leverage, Arkangeal, We don¡¯t need any more capes running wildly amock, but we¡¯re in your territory so we¡¯ll play nice.¡± ¡°No, You¡¯ve confirmed what you needed to know, Shall we hurry up the practical none of us wants to be here.¡± Evelyn turned to the mask man. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Aegysthos. This is pathetic¡ªeven for you.¡± Juniper panicked, her eyes went wide. Aegysthos, the Aegysthos, the same one who taught team new hope to be capes, The very same, hailed as the hero of the city. She rarely felt frightened, but something about his presence put her off, made her weak.. She backed away slowly, moving as far away as possible. Her mind stormed, something was off. Her heart started racing away, feeling like it wanted to hop out. She relaxed her abilities, pressing herself behind, Evelyn. Tense. [Juniper, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re afraid of that dude. Pffft. You killed a fucking alien last night, what¡¯s he to you? In 7 years, you¡¯ll be a goddess, and where will he be? At your heels.] You don¡¯t get it Sys-chan, he¡¯s actually commits to what he says. They stare at her like a lab rat. He crossed his arms, and the doctors go tense. They started packing up their lightweight equipment, moving out of the way. They feel the weight of the moment. Aegysthos breaks the silence. ¡°I want to see her in the field.¡± he demanded, ¡°The Eight highly recommends it.¡± Evelyn narrows her eyes. ¡°The eight can go fuck themselves, including you. I¡¯m strictly against it, Juniper suffered enough trauma last week because the SCRA didn¡¯t clean up their little arsonist problem.¡± Aegysthos doesn¡¯t care. ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice. We have agreements signed on paper.¡± Silence ensued, but everyone started to collectively walking out. Juniper left the table, mentally exhausted. The doctors had seen something they weren¡¯t supposed to, she felt the weight of her notes as they went over it. Evelyn walked beside her. It was a calm but tense reassurance, and there was an edge to her bosses voice. ¡°Are you okay, Juniper.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± A lie. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s not allowed to harm you.¡± Chapter 64 - Evaluation They had been dashed out of the remote facility. A short drive from the fake town led to a training ground¡ªwhich look like more of a massive obstacle course. If Juniper had to describe it in one word: vast. The layout reminded her of a military base¡ªfortified, trenches scattered, sandbags piled. The air stank of dust and old blood. Death lingered here. These grounds were old, World War 2 old. Her attention had briefly settled on the disguised cape. Aegysthos. In this city, everyone knew Aegysthos. Publicly he was called a beacon of hope, to criminals, he was seen as a bringer of death. A hero who had willingly killed before, why they presumably sent him to watch her made her uneasy¨C Evelyn appeared to be beyond pissed. Juniper guessed that their unassuming guest wasn¡¯t supposed to be here. What does he even want from her? [Judging by the way he¡¯s eyeing you, I¡¯d say he wants you.] Juniper made a juvenile grunt. [Ooooh, scary cape man has entered the chat. What¡¯s he gonna do? Stare at you harder? Maybe monologue about justice? I bet he smells like overpriced cologne and regrets. Seriously chill out, you¡¯re harm free.] She wasn¡¯t in the mood. She summoned Sys-chan for assistance, not snarky commentary. [Okay, okay. Real talk¡ªThey¡¯re probably just taking precautions. You¡¯re an unknown factor, everyone knows you¡¯ve got at least two power sets, and that makes you spicy. Like, ¡°we-need-to-keep-this-one-on-a-leash¡± spicy.] No. I¡¯m not spicy at all. She didn¡¯t have the energy for that line of thought. She promised herself to keep her internal thoughts to herself or rather on the task at end. A few OBB capes had invited themselves, to stare at her, mainly two of the group she was the least acquainted with Morrigan, and Praemor. Francesca was there, waving to her carefree. Evelyn observed silently, she was stern, unreadable, quiet, eyes set on the Hero who invited himself. There was going to be a political aftermath because of this, and she was in the crossfire. Juniper groaned. Do they all have to come out and stare at me, I can tolerate Francesca but¡­ [Hey! You should be flattered! Every classical hero had an army of simps¡ªer, I mean supporters. You¡¯re basically the main character in their heads. They¡¯re probably placing bets on how many flips you¡¯ll do through the obstacle course. It¡¯s fine. Totally fine.] Their eyes crawled over her, peeling her apart piece by piece. She did not want to be examined by strangers, put under their microscope, she just had too much of it. She really wanted to this be over with already. Their stares pinned her down, dissecting her like a bug under glass, every moment was stretched out. A suffocating ordeal. Maybe she should¡¯ve gone full villain¡ªsmuggled her siblings out, ruled by fear, played video games at night. [Queue the Dark Neet! (?¡ª?¡ª) Never took you for a chuuni?] You think I¡¯m joking! [Hey, hey, hey¡ªintrusive thoughts alert! We talked about this. Maybe not with words, but I feel like we have an unspoken agreement to not spiral into Evil overlord mode before lunchtime, think of those cookies.] I¡¯m coping. [And, I¡¯m trying to keep you sane.] ¡°Ms Pinewell,¡± Engelman summoned her, directed to a closed off but smaller contained obstacle course. ¡°One lap. Go around and through the obstacle in what ever way you deem necessary. Then report back.¡± He handed her an electronic strap. Forced it in her hand, ¡°Wrap that tight around your wrist.¡± Juniper held it up. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It''s an AI-enhanced energy monitor. It tracks your training data to assign you a proper rating.¡± ¡°Rating?¡± she questioned. The head doctor nodded. ¡°Yes, no hero, operates without one, it¡¯s fundamental for the SCRA, and even your respective ¡®agency¡¯ to know what they are dealing with on the field. And vice versa.¡± She listened, she was curious, but she didn¡¯t want to ask unnecessary questions. She nodded. Then he motioned for her to start. She looked to Evelyn who sat crossed arms, staring down the masked cape. Very well, then, it shouldn¡¯t be that difficult. A part of her wondered, did normal cape tests, even go as war as this. Was it dynamic based on the individual''s abilities, or how much of a threat they represented? Was it a play to analyze her strength and weaknesses, to keep her under the wraps of the government. [Oh, it¡¯s definitely dynamic. Why else would they make you do a hearing test? Like, girl, they know.] Juniper broke into an awkward jog. The loose uniform bunched and shifted, slowing her down. Darting forward, she weaved through a small corridor of annoying barriers, She attempted vaulted over a metal plated wall, her hands loosing momentum just before she reached the top. She slipped¡ªmomentum yanking her down hard onto her ass. ¡°Dammit.¡± She shook off the dust and dirt¡­ The machine beeped nonstop, a high-pitched, grating pulse drilling into her ears. The ground lurched beneath her. Loose earth slid under her boots¡ªmud, dust, and grit caking her skin. Low hanging beams, stood in front, of her, triple stacked into the air a meter apart. The only way was under, she went prone, and crawled through it, dirtying her face in the process. The next hurdle came in one fluid motion. She hit the slide and went down fast¡ªfriction burning through her uniform, the heat scorching her skin under the relentless sun. Breathing became uncontrolled sharper, every movement became a test of reflex and endurance. Her muscles burned, raw and torn like sandpaper on flesh. Her breath came fast and ragged, chest heaving, lungs burning. She finished the circuit, returning to the note jotting professor. What the hell was so interesting! [Only you, of course.] ¡°Uh¡­ very good, Ms. Pinewell. A bit unorthodox for a cape of your caliber.¡¯ Engelman¡¯s tone carried an angle of disappointment¡­¡±. She turned up her nose as he said it. ¡°But now, feel free to use your ¡®obtained¡¯ abilities.¡± Juniper nodded reluctantly. This time, she didn¡¯t just run, making good use of her powers. She traversed the course. She warped space, slipping between the poles like they barely existed, the metal wall became as simple as pushing her feet into the air. The hanging beams were simply fled beneath them, nearly bumping her head against the next wall. She turned around the corner and sped back, over the large net, avoiding it completely. It occurred to her, that everyone were still watching her. Studying. Dissecting her every move. Juniper stopped again. She halted, locking eyes with the scrutinizing medical team. ¡°Very impressive, Ms Juniper, tell me do you believe your powers are weaker than your counterparts, the normal ones.¡± Of course. She was figuring things out as she went, still leagues behind Emery and Anne. Juniper sighed and nodded. The doctor unclipped the AI strap from her arm, replacing it with another without a word. They shoved her towards where a yard full of obstacles resided. Old vehicles, tires, broken appliances, lots of paper and trash. She stared at the doctor. "What we want you to do to is to destroy those obstacles, as much as you can muster however you can manage, you are limited, to what four power sets yes? Three being destructive?" The man asked. ¡°We¡¯re 26 percent of the way where we want to be. 26 percent oh, god, this was going to take all day¡­ She nodded, a lie. She wasn¡¯t going to expose her Pyrokinetism. No one needed to know yet. Juniper turned, as she felt an overwhelming presence move in her direction. Aegysthos approached, slow and deliberate, unreadable behind his mask, Evelyn didn''t stop him. Was he really that much of a problem? Or was everyone just too afraid of him? He snapped his fingers, turning to Engelman. "You got what you needed, didn¡¯t you?" Aegysthos¡¯s voice was flat, cutting through the tension. ¡°Yes, but¡­ the readings can be pretty inconclusive, we¡¯d like to run more tests.¡± Aegysthos answered. ¡°I don¡¯t recall my initial inspection being this extensive,¡± he said. ¡°No, every cape is different you should know this, we¡¯d need at least one more test, to establish a proper rating, if not we wouldn''t be doing our job as members of Superhuman Response Team. Ms. Juniper can transform her powers at will, we¡¯re interested in knowing why?" "You require a few more readings? A test or two?" he asked. They nodded. And he turned towards Juniper. She took a step back. ¡°Very well. Ms. Pinewell,¡± Juniper turn her attention to him, stern at the edge, waiting. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with, shall we?¡± It was a hard deal, but yes, she was done being watched like a specimen. If it could get it over, then she wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°The device on your arm should give you an accurate reading base off one, how well you can fight.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± [Ohhh nooo. Oh no, no, no. Alert! Alert! This dude will pummel you.] Strap it on. She did, jaw tight. He stepped closer, towering over her, She looked up, stomach twisting. He was too close.¡± [Juniper. Bad idea. This is a bad idea. Throw in the towel. Pull a muscle. Fake an allergic reaction. Noob versus veteran on day one?] Juniper frowned. So what this was about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s complicated, I¡¯ve been watching you for a while, ms. Pinewell, since the bank heist. You have a lot of power in your hand, power that can be misused for all the wrong things.¡± Juniper raised a brow. A lecture now? Seriously? This didn¡¯t sound related to training. ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir, but I don¡¯t need a moral lecture, I can carry myself responsibility." ¡°¡®Indulge me,¡¯ he said. "I want to see what you¡¯re capable of.¡± Evelyn walked closer, agitated, like she didn¡¯t expect this to happen. ¡°Aegysthos!¡± Aegysthos seized her by the collar and yanked her up. Effortlessly. Like she weighed nothing.¡± There was no effort to resist. He just did it, and her legs lost her weight, she soared upwards in his hands. Too fast. Too high. The world blurred, then¡ªsudden stillness. The wind slapped her face, air knocked from her lungs.¡± ¡®Come on,¡¯ he said. ¡®Hit me with everything you¡¯ve got.¡± Juniper gritted her teeth. Could she even hurt him? People called him invincible for a reason.¡± ¡°Why! What do you want from me, Sir¡± Juniper questioned, hovering on her own. ¡°People are concerned, that you¡¯re going to be a threat, snatching powers left and right, if left you''re unchecked we¡¯re afraid you''ll turn into a catastrophe.¡± ¡°What? I¡¯ve never hurt anyone. Just last week, I ran into a burning building¡ªwhy the hell am I dealing with this?¡± That¡¯s hardly the point, I¡¯m not here to gauge your heroics. It¡¯s about potential. Now, humor me¡­¡± Juniper lunged, throwing a punch. He blocked, barely shifting, then shoved her back with effortless grace. Throwing her downward, she was used to feeling the air pressure much lower. It was hard to adapt. She tapped into her light powers, stabilizing herself midair. From below, she watched everyone staring but doing nothing. He fired a beam of light¡ªblinding, searing. He walked through it like it was nothing. ¡°I¡¯ve seen that way too many times.¡± It¡¯s all too familiar to me, I know where you got that. Juniper gritted her teeth, and fled above him, tapping into Iron drive she amped up once midair and like a bomber came crashing down on him. On the poorly maintained, clothing that was his mask came. Came off, he wiped mild blood from his face. Did he not care about his identity? [Apparently not, either way you have the opportunity to kick him in the nuts.] He circled. Then collided with, sending her flailing back. Unfazed. Deadlier than ever. ¡°Is that all he shouted.¡± No! She used two powers at once, Gravity churned in her palms. Sunlight flared, bending unnaturally, snapping like a live wire. She bounced forward, fist driving into his face. The impact sent him soaring¡ªhe winced, for the first time Juniper¡¯s bones ached and her muscles seized. ¡°What the hell are you made of!¡± Aegysthos staggered. She heard it¡ªhis limbs creaking, bones groaning under the force. The blast had seared into him. Burning through his clothing. He climbed back up as quickly as he felt his boots dragging, smoke curled from the wound, raw and blistering. He stumbled, dragging himself forward through sheer will. Juniper sucked in a breath, her vision swimming. Her limbs felt like lead, gravity dragging at her in retaliation. Too much. She¡¯d poured too much into that hit. Aegysthos recovered, scowling. He shot forward at full speed and slammed into her. The impact crushed the air from her lungs, her body spiraling downward. She plummeted¡ªthen, just before impact, strong arms caught her, lowering her gently.¡± She panted, but he put her down. He yanked the device off her arm and tossed it to the doctor, who fumbled to catch it. She coughed as she tried standing up. ¡°Juniper Pinewell, I don¡¯t trust you. You¡¯re a threat. But I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a bad person. This was abrupt, I know¡ªbut after the summit next week, I want to talk. Privately. Will you?¡± She pondered, so was this the SCRA she was dealing with? The paragons? Or was it Aegysthos himself. She stared at his unmasked face. He was older¡ªten years, maybe. It made her self-conscious. Why would an older man be so pushy on her. ¡°I..I don¡¯t know sir, people expect so much from, you want to be added to the queue?¡± she asked. Her racing heart, slowly coming to crawl. He was a person of recognition, it was only normal that she treat him with greater respect, and yet, he wanted to be added to the chaos. ¡°Make my life a little harder.¡± ¡°I assure, I have no Ill intent, please, It¡¯s urgent.¡± Juniper swallowed. Evelyn interjected. ¡°You¡¯re under no obligation to accept anything, Juniper, he¡¯s more of a troublemaker than you¡¯ll ever be.¡± Aegysthos frowned, ¡°Don¡¯t let her corrupt you, Juniper Pinewell, I don¡¯t know how she got her hands on you, but trust hers is stained in blood.¡± Evelyn did not react, Juniper stared at her stoic boss. He turned to the SCRA-men. ''I¡¯m done here.¡± Then, without another word, he shot into the sky, leaving Juniper reeling. Juniper¡¯s mind raced. Did she even want answers? This felt personal, like a vendetta. He wasn¡¯t done. He was assessing her. But for what? The doctors scrambled, fingers flying over their portable computers. Machines beeped, data spilled onto screens. One of them handed her a blue slip¡ªcovered in terms she didn¡¯t recognize. Her eyes darted all over and Sys-chan started stirring in her head. Key subject: Super mimicry NOTE: Brackets indicate changing potential. [Velocity ¨C F-(D)] [Resilience ¨C E(D)] [Force ¨C F (C)] [Transformation ¨C S] [Influence ¨C N/A] [Innovation ¨C N/A] [Flux ¨C F-(B)] [Insight ¨C F (E)] [Edge ¨C F(D)] [Adaptation ¨C B] [Override ¨C S] [Veil ¨C N/A] [Distortion ¨C F (B)] Catalyst ¨C N/A] No indication of being able to cause flux states in other¡¯s. Conclusion: Noteworthy Power ratings¡ªOverride (S), Adaptation (B), Transformation (A). Threat Level: F ¨C User is calm and controlled but prone to anxiety. B ¨C When anxiety fuels their abilities, they can rapidly outpace most capes, making them a high-priority individual who should not be underestimated. Final Results Inconclusive: SCRA CENTRAL Intelligence Bot recommends further testing, preferably under duress or during real-time ability shifts, to assess full capabilities. Juniper scoured the page, she didn¡¯t exactly understand what was on the page, just that it was a loose assessment of her abilities. One thing they didn¡¯t know was that she possessed skills outside the boundaries of these power sets, as well as a little helper in her head. The doctors, returned to her computers, tapping away, administering and logging. Juniper exhausted. Looked to Evelyn, who seems to have a smug smirk on her face. ¡°You sure handled him good¡± ¡°These tests, are horrible.¡± Juniper looked away, then started to complain. ¡°None of this is pleasant, I don¡¯t want to be here any longer. Can I go, no other obligations today?¡± She just wanted this off her mind, she did what she was asked to do here, and it was done. Evelyn nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, good job, girl.¡± She held out her hand to high-five. Juniper hit it relunctlantly. Juniper went over the page. ¡°So are all capes classified this way?¡± she asked Evelyn, who nodded. ¡°Indeed. But if you grow stronger, they¡¯ll press to reassess. That¡¯s why we take precautions. Anne-Marie is an S in Distortion¡ªshe had to train hers just to keep herself in check. If she lost control, she could flatten a block. Francesca? Level A in Transformation. Could be even stronger if she wanted. But she¡¯s really gentle at heart.¡± Juniper got curious, ¡°What about you boss.¡± Evelyn chuckled, but it didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°Me, don¡¯t worry about me, my charming good looks of course.¡± Juniper narrowed her eyes, part of her wanted to observe, another part felt it was a bad idea, she let the idea go. What if she saws something she¡¯s not supposed, she knew Evelyn had this weird charisma thing going. [What are you afraid of? Look. Look.] No! She didn¡¯t feel compelled to. It might be harmful. [You know, If you let me study that page, we can totally assess our enemies weaknesses better. I¡¯m talking real-time analytics! It¡¯s way more efficient than just raw numbers! Think of the data we could gather!] Can we not do it today, I¡¯m tired? [But think about it! We''d be so prepared! Like a high-speed, fully-loaded knowledge train! Choo choo! All aboard the victory express! Come on, we need those Power sheets!] Evelyn handed juniper her phone. ¡°It pinged several times, so I grabbed it.¡± ¡°Uh..thank you.¡± Juniper¡¯s hands tapped on it, and her face lit up, and everything so far went to the trash bin. ¡°A message from Kanako, a miss call too. It was short, mysterious even.¡± Kanako: Meet me tonight. Let¡¯s clear the air, I have things I want to tell you. Let''s talk. I¡¯ve noticed¡­. You¡¯ve been busy I see, you look cute on that big scooter, if not a bit weird. ¡± Heat rushed to Juniper¡¯s face. Evelyn arched a brow, amused. Juniper quickly tried and clear the awkward air. Evelyn smiled at her. For a boss, Evelyn sure didn¡¯t act like she needed to be anywhere. She also looked like she wanted to say something but kept quiet. Juniper killed her phone, and was ready to move out. ¡°Is that it?¡± Juniper asked. ¡°The Assessment things.¡± ¡°No. ¡°It was a mock test, those two doctors are legitimate, but they were trying to see how¡¯d you react to Aegysthos.¡± ¡°What do they want from me?¡± ¡°They''re looking for problems, excuses, places you¡¯d fuck up in. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be here for you.¡± Of course, they did. Fighting a human torching maniac wasn¡¯t enough for them, they wanted her dissected if she died. ¡°I saw his face. So did everyone. He didn¡¯t flinch.¡± ¡°Because we¡¯ve all seen him unmasked before, just not the public, even members of the SCRA, knows. You don¡¯t get into large cape fights without being torn to shreds.¡± Evelyn stretched her legs. ¡°Now, juniper, if you¡¯ll excuse me. I have issues to sort out. ¡± As Evelyn walked away, three individuals walked over to her. Praemor, morrigan and Francesca. ¡°Amazing performance, Juniper, I¡¯ve never seen one of our get to hit broody boy before.¡± Coming from Morrigan, Juniper didn¡¯t know if that was a compliment or an insult. Praemor, for once out of silly uniform, slinked over like a nervous hen.¡± Nice job, I guess. But with all those flashing lights, you looked like a damn carnival act.¡± Francesca slapped across the head. ¡°Learn to treat women with respect, moron.¡± Juniper grunted. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m in a hurry.¡± Morrigan stopped her. ¡°Juniper, you want to go out with drinks with your seniors, come have a little adult''s night out, I know where all the pretty boys go at midnight.¡± Juniper giggled. ¡°I¡¯m actually¨Cuh, never mind. I can¡¯t¡± She was not going to the ¡°I¡¯m bisexual¡± but mostly gay thing. Let them figure it out. Praemor gave her a sideeye. After what Morrigan did to her, she was skeptical, but Francesca looked optimistic, she shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m Sorry, Francesca, I have¡­ a thing on tonight,¡± Francesca studied her, eyes narrowing. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding, Juniper. You want to head into base, we have tanks and tubes that¡¯ll fix that wound.¡± She rolled her shoulder. The ache screamed, but she wasn¡¯t about to show it. ¡°Thanks, but I got to go, It''s just a flesh wound, I¡¯ll catch you later.¡± Juniper turned her head away from the three, she had other things to worry about. Bigger things, like aliens and relationships. First, clean up. Then? The real fight¡ªtonight. Hydrate, a little makeup, maybe some exercise and a long bath. [She said meetup, not let''s go on a date, also are you Just not going to reflect on these tests. ] Juniper clenched her fists, gritted her teeth. This did not go unnoticed by the trio. They all shared looks of confusions. Grrr¡­let me win for once goddammit. Wait, where am I supposed to meet her. She started typing a message back. Please reply. Please reply.