Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works; all other characters and worlds belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing with them.
Betad by
The Celestial Escalation
Chapter 08: Empire
— Melody Jurist (Cricket) —
She was no coward and never backed down from a fight. She'd lost fights before, sure, and she wore the battle scars with pride, but even against opponents that were a hard counter for her, she never backed down.
As the tendril of water whipped her in the side of the head, again, she wondered just how much her pride was really worth. Nimue closed the distance in an instant, and Cricket mentally cursed as her enhanced reflexes failed to keep up with Nimue's sheer speed and strength.
She could dodge bullets (if she was facing the gunman), but Nimue was a demon to fight in close quarters, and she'd quickly realised her mistake in accepting this fight. Nimue's martial arts training made her a danger in close range, because unlike a bullet, Nimue would adjust her attack to counter Cricket's attempts at dodging and as Nimue's open palm slammed into her stomach, Cricket let out a quiet gasp and was sent flying back from the sheer force.
By the time she'd reached the arena wall, she'd reoriented herself, her feet touching the wall first as she used it as a springboard to launch herself back into the fight, her two kamas ready to slice into Nimue.
She was no coward. No matter how much the primal part of her brain screamed to run from Nimue, she was going to fight until she could fight no more. Nimue resummoned her bo-staff, jabbing it forward as Cricket ducked under the fearsomely fast blow and slid past Nimue, her kama slicing into her side…
The lack of blood made Cricket stare in disbelief, her blades, honed to be as sharp as possible, failing to even leave more than a scratch on Nimue's waist. It was a moment of stunned realisation, and a moment was all Nimue needed as she spun her staff around and it collided with the back of Cricket's skull with devastating force.
Her vision swam, the world swirling around her as her ears rang. Her personal sonar warned her of Nimue's next move, but the reaction times she was so proud of failed her as Nimue swept her leg and kicked Cricket's feet from under her. As she was knocked horizontal, and before she could recover, Nimue's fists came down on her stomach over and over again, the rapid strikes knocking the air out of Cricket as she was sent to the ground.
She might be part of the neo-nazi group, but she knew her martial arts. Why else would she use kamas? They weren't exactly a western weapon. It meant she recognising the flurry of devastating punches as wing chun, not that it helped her much as she felt two ribs crack from the sheer force.
Nimue was doubly a bitch to fight because she swapped from using her bo staff and her fists seamlessly, dismissing the weapon when she needed to get closer and resummoning it whenever there was some distance. Cricket hadn't even noticed her dismiss it this time, gasping out in pain as Nimue's fist came down toward her head at incredible speeds. She couldn't move, couldn't dodge, and genuinely feared for her life as the fist approached.
Then it struck, and despite her love for battle, Cricket flinched and whimpered as the devastating fist of Nimue smashed into the floor beside her head, cracking it with a painfully loud bang.
"Give up."
Nimue's words were cold, confident and utterly dismissive. Her eyes seemed to almost glow from under the hood, the icy brown stare making Cricket shudder and, for the first time, back down.
Prison wouldn't keep her, it never did. Her broken ribs ached as she nodded silently. She'd lost, gotten her ass throughly beaten, but despite that she couldn't help but give Nimue a bloody grin. It was a damn good fight.
Besides, she'd already called for reinforcements, and something told her Nimue's fancy punching wouldn't be quite as effective against what was coming.
– Taylor Hebert (Nimue) –
As Mom binds Cricket with her magic, I look over the sleeping thugs. I can't deny that her sorcery is useful, because she made sure none of them got away or interfered. She's drained their life-force just enough to knock them all out, which is a dangerous spell to be playing around with but she's also using them on neo-nazi skinheads who were here to watch dogs fight to the death so…
Besides, I can't deny that she is a master at Dhar, or Dark Magic, she wouldn't kill anyone by accident. Which is the main problem, because she'd happily kill everyone here on purpose, but tonight, at least, she's shown restraint.
More than I did, honesty. I heard the ribs break under my blows. I don't know my own strength, clearly. I was holding back when I was punching her, but clearly not enough. I've gotten very fast, very quickly, and that's something I need to be careful about.
100cp granted, 100cp total (locked skill [Healing] acquired, 0cp remaining).
Feat achieved: Defeat Cricket (100cp), Defeat your first cape (100cp). 200cp total.
300cp skills unlocked. To unlock 400cp skills, you must defeat a major cape.
Making progress. Focusing, I call on my water and gently move it over Cricket's abs as she shudders before relaxing with a frown as she feels her body being healed. Combining Water Bending [Healing] and [Uisce Beatha] makes for some very effective healing waters.
"Healing an enemy? A shame that such a powerful warrior is such a soft-hearted fool. This world will eat you alive," Cricket mocks, her voice rough thanks to the damage to her throat.
I've done my research, I know about Cricket and why she's so scarred despite the Empire having Othala. She refuses to let them take away her 'trophies'. I ignore her taunt as my water moves across her body, her eyes widening as her words become curses, her precious scars fading away and her voice becoming less rough as her voice box is repaired.
'Aww, my Tay becoming so petty. I'm so proud I could cry.'
Hiding my smirk at Ems' words, I look at the seething Cricket as she struggles against her bonds futilely. Grabbing her chin, I call on [Ladies' Man] and [Tiger's Blood] as I look down at her with a look of superiority that can only be achieved with [Glorious Golden Smug Technique] and scoff.
"An enemy? A weak little bitch like you?" I ask, my tone dripping with condescension. "At your best, you couldn't scratch me. If you ever get out of prison, feel free to try again. I'll put you in your place as many times as it takes."
Cricket freezes at my quiet, almost whispered words, her warrior bravado bullshit falling to pieces as I make it clear she's not worth my time. I want to make sure she understands that she can't beat me so she doesn't get any delusions about revenge-
Why is she blushing?
Ems deafening laughter leaves me sighing as I let go of the very clearly conflicted Cricket's chin. The Empire isn't big in homosexuality, predictably, which makes the straight Cricket doubly confused as I smell her arousal.
God damnit.
'As funny as this is, we have incoming. Hookwolf has been seen heading this way. I've alerted the PRT since they're on their way to pick up Cricket anyway.'
Fuck. Hookwolf?! Cricket called for reinforcements before she started the fight. She's smarter than I gave her credit for.
"We can take him, honey," Mom says, making me pause. This is Hookwolf we're talking about. He's one of the most dangerous villains in the city. We should grab Cricket and get out of here-
'I'm with Auntie Annette. He's tough, but Armsmaster is inbound. Come on, Tay, think about how good it'll look for your rep to take down Hookwolf so early. Fortuna said that the Empire would invade Lung's former turf, and this could stop that. Losing their heavy hitter would be a hard blow to the Empire.'
I hate that Ems makes so much sense.
[Thought Acceleration] - 200cp, 0cp remaining
Source: Tsukihime
Even a human brain operating at peak capacity has its limits - it is, after all, what amounts to biological hardware with set limitations. But what if those limitations could be surpassed? You can accelerate your thought processes to twice their normal speed, allowing you to quickly multitask and react faster than your body and nervous system would normally allow. You can run calculations and strategies in a blink rather than a minute. In time, you could even accelerate this to three, four or more times in speed. However, much like overclocking a computer, this is a stressful technique that is exhausting, and if overused, can burn your brain out like an overheated engine. Practice and careful moderation may let you overcome this, but for now, be cautious in how you use this.
A useful power, no matter what. When you combine it with the body that my power has given me, it becomes even more so. Still, it's not exactly the weapon I need to take down Hookwolf. And yet, does his metal form give him any resistance to Dark Elf Magic?
Damn it all. We're fighting them.
Mom smiles darkly at my decision, and I hear Em's excitement as Mom puts Cricket to sleep and we head outside. I don't have to ask which way Hookwolf is coming from, the man is anything but subtle as the shirtless asshole storms forward.
"Cricket lost then?" Hookwolf asks, a snarl in his tone, and his face hidden by the ugly metal wolf mask. "Kaiser wants to talk with you, girl. I'd suggest you play nice and give up."
"I'll pass," I say simply, every muscle in my body tense and ready for action.
"Good," Hookwolf says, malice dripping from his words as he begins to transform, blades and hooks growing from his bare skin. I don't waste time, dashing forward at my full speed and slamming my palm into his stomach, forcing him to bend over as my knee rises up and collides with his metal mask with enough force to bend the metal and break the nose beneath it.
This is Hookwolf, I'm not holding back. His head snaps back up as an arm, already covered in blades, swings at me. I smile under my hood as a new weapon appears in my hands, blocking the arm. The blade is black, twisted and gives off a menacing purple aura as I wield… my mother.
His blades fail to break her, and he lets out a yowl of pain as my blade cuts into the arm. It's interrupted by me kicking him in the stomach, sending him tumbling back. Even still, he continues transforming as he becomes the metal wolf that has become so feared, rolling over and getting onto all fours as he snarls.
'He has a core, it's the only part of him that actually matters!'
As Ems talks, she takes over my vision slightly and I see a golden outline of the core appear on Hookwolf's body. Annette whispers into my mind, guiding me on how to use her spells as I watch him begin to charge.
Channelling her power, I cast Bladewind as I steal his boss's trick and conjure a row of menacing blades that burst from the ground in a line in front of me, stabbing into his paws and shredding the metal. It doesn't actually hurt him, but it does interrupt his charge as he stumbles forward, and I use that to dash in, honing my reflexes with Ki.
Normally, being close to Hookwolf is a death sentence, but with both Thought Acceleration and Ki-enhanced reflexes, I dance through his blades and hooks as I slide under his large form and stab my blade up into his underbelly. I don't quite reach his core, but I can almost sense his shock as I go straight for his one weak point.
I can't stay put, needing to keep moving to avoid the swirling blades, several of which barely catch me but fail to do more than leave scratches. If he hits me directly, my durability will fail me. I can take glancing blows, but not a direct strike.
Knowing where his core is and hitting it are two different matters. The metal around his core is the most dense, and even a direct stab wasn't able to pierce it. Sure, I could do it with enough attacks, but he's not exactly going to stand there and let me.
'It takes him energy to create his blades. Keep damaging him and exhaust his energy. The less he has, the harder it'll be to protect his core.'
Ems having the power to scan capes is a godsend as I do a flip to dodge over his tail, slicing it off at the same time. Tossing my sword at him, he bats it aside as I switch to my fists. That was his first mistake as Mom retakes her humanoid form and exotic words fill the street. Hookwolf stops, his head snapping to where she is standing but he's far too late as she conjures a freezing gale, his metal form becoming iced up and slower.
I don't hesitate, taking advantage of the momentary distraction to close the distance and channel my Ki into my fists as I uppercut his wolven chin. Despite his head being literally made of metal, his head snaps back, and several pieces of the metal come loose from the sheer force behind my blows. As I continue to strike, his metal bends and warps from the power, making me realise just how strong I really am.
Of course, he's been slowed by the ice, and I can see Mom launching bolts of purple energy at him, which blast entire chunks of his metal body away, but I'm literally punching Hookwolf in the face.
As his claws come down on me, I raise my arm to block the blow, channelling Ki into my muscles and bones as I block the powerful blow with my forearm and respond with another open palm strike to his body.
Despite the laughably size difference, he is the one who gets knocked away and I can see the shock, confusion and perhaps even fear in his eyes as he stares at me.
"Is that all? I expected more from the fearsome Hookwolf," I taunt, brushing off my arm where he hit me. There are cuts, but they're not deep and barely bleed. My water travels from my water bottle and up my arm, healing them in seconds before I guide it back into place.
His answering snarl makes me smile grimly, dashing forward again to meet his feral charge. His tail swishes toward Mom, several blades coming loose and flying at her, but she doesn't even flinch as she casts another spell and creates a purple shield in front of her, deflecting them.
Her hand lashes out, and tendrils of pure darkness lash out, latching onto his metal form and beginning to drain him as I move in, keeping him occupied. His fangs snap at me, but a blow to his chin closes his mouth easily enough.
While he can't do any serious harm to me, thanks to my reflexes letting me dodge or block the worst of it, I do find one noticeable problem as the fight goes on. My body can take this, my outfit cannot, as his claws shred my clothes. I don't have my outfit from Parian yet, so my clothes are made from more… mundane materials that aren't made to withstand giant metal wolf claws.
...Ems, do not post any images of me topless online. I can see you filming with Redwing.
'Come on, Tay. I have more tact than that. Armsmaster is nearby though, two minutes max.'
Frowning, I glare at Hookwolf. I need my cloak back, which means Hookwolf needs to go down within the next two minutes so I can get dressed and not flash Armsmaster.
– Brad Meadows (Hookwolf) –
Some capes were just fucking bullshit and Nimue was rapidly falling into that category as her fists bent and broke his metal form. She was so damn slippery, dancing between his claws and fangs in a way that put Cricket to shame, and each blow sent shudders through his entire form.
She was supposed to be a minor brute with healing powers. He'd seen the video of her fighting Lung, and she'd rushed him and taken the Dragon down before he'd had a chance to escalate. Nobody thought Nimue would stand a chance if Lung had escalated even slightly before being knocked out.
He'd had a laugh about it, watching the almighty Lung get knocked out so fast he couldn't even change. He wasn't laughing now as he got knocked around by a fucking teenage girl. No matter how impressive her abs were, she shouldn't be able to throw him around like this. He was sure she was young, even before she lost her top. He knew a teenager when he saw one, and that was not the body of an adult (not like that, he wasn't Victor with his child bride).
The biggest problem was the fucking whore in the skintight black outfit that kept blasting him with weird shit. She was a weird cape, and her blasts seemed to do something different every time. The link between them was exhausting him, his limbs were coated in thick ice making it hard to move, and her shots really fucking hurt. Not to mention the way she kept stealing Kaiser's gimmick and making swords grow out of the ground and stab into him. They'd come worryingly close to his core multiple times.
Something made the girl stiffen for a moment before she went fucking berserk, his tired body unable to react fast enough as she sped up even more, her fists pummelling his body as she ignored his attempts to attack her. Black chains formed, binding him as the one with the massive tits kept chanting in some fantasy bullshit like a Myrddin with tits.
The glowing black chains prevented him from even fighting back as the kung-fu bitch just kept pummelling him. Kaiser was never gonna let him live this down, since he was supposed to be keeping his head down while Sleuth was causing trouble.
She did some martial arts bullshit as she leapt back, and he watched as filthy water rose from a nearby sewer grate, her hands guiding it as it rushed toward him as a torrent of disgusting water that began to rush him as it beat against his metal form.
He didn't get it at first until the water began to circle and surround him, lifting his entire form into the air as she added more and more. He flailed helplessly as the bubble of water grew larger and larger, his eyes widening as water flooded his form. He didn't need to breathe in his metal form, but that wasn't the problem, as he heard the muffled sounds of the other woman chanting again.
The water began to freeze, his eye as he was encased in a ball of ice that floated in the air for a moment as the teen moved her hands with a look of focus on her face. The older woman started chanting again, not that Brad could hear it, frozen in a block of ice, but he could see her lips moving and a vicious smirk on her face.
He had no idea what the black orb she threw at him was meant to do, but all he knew was pain as his metal body was shredded and shattered, his core barely surviving as he felt a shudder of true fear at the blank eyes of Nimue. She didn't care if he died, his human form ejected from the core as he hit the ground with a gasp of pain.
He looked up, the topless girl marching toward him, and as he went to speak, she simply clubbed him over the head with her bo staff.
As he desperately clung to consciousness, the last thing he heard was…
"Mom, hand me the cloak. I don't want to have my boobs out when Armsmaster arrives."
…he got his ass beat by a teenage girl who brought her mom to the fight?
– Taylor Hebert (Nimue) –
Clad in my cloak once more, I take a look at the leather belts Mom is wearing in lieu of an actual outfit with a sigh. She's somehow more indecent than I am, and all I have on beneath the cloak is the rags of my black exercise outfit.
Cricket doesn't speak as she is put next to the unconscious Hookwolf, but despite the beating I gave her, I can see the reluctant respect in her eyes as the sound of Armsmaster's bike approaches.
My phone vibrates in my cloak, and Ems places the message in my vision so I don't have to answer it.
'You fought nazis and you didn't invite me?! :('
Vicky's pouty message makes me laugh, even as I make Ems bring up PHO with a long-suffering sigh. Hookwolf has been down for seconds, and Ems has already posted the edited fights. She was nice enough to not post any shots of me topless, but the tastefully edited video hints at everything and despite the fact that Hookwolf has been taken down, half the comments are people thirsting over me or my Mom.
"You have nothing to be embarrassed about, honey. You have an amazing body, you should be proud of it," Mom adds, getting nothing but a tired look from me as I watch Armsmaster arrive.
"Nimue?" Armsmaster asks, making me nod. He hesitates, seeing the unconscious Hookwolf. "Impressive work."
His tone is a little strange, almost disappointed, but I just smile slightly. I won't deny I'm a little pissed at him, since he's supposed to be in charge of the Wards and Sophia has gotten away with all her shit under his watch, but Ems helps me hide that.
"Thanks. I came here for Cricket, but Hookwolf showed up as well," I explain, seeing his eyes flicker over to where Mom is leaning against a wall, his eyes moving over her barely covered body with a disapproving frown. "She was wearing this cloak, but my outfit took… damage during the fight. I'm a durable Brute, my outfit isn't Brute-rated," I explain quickly, cutting off his comment.
He pauses, clearly dubious about what she was wearing beneath it, but he stops himself from commenting as he explains that a PRT van is inbound. He went first to assist, but wasn't needed.
"The Ward program could help you get more… suitable outfits," Armsmaster tries, but I just shrug.
"I've got an outfit being made by Parian, but it isn't ready yet," I explain, making him frown for a moment. An awkward silence falls over the street for a moment. "Has Panacea contacted the PRT about my power testing?"
"She has. It is being set up for tomorrow, after school," Armsmaster confirms.
"That's good," I say, for lack of anything else to say.
'God, this is painful. Watching introverts try to communicate sucks. Are you going to ask him about the weather next?"
Oh, shut up. It's Armsmaster. I used to have his branded underwear. But he also is partially to blame for Sophia and her bullshit. If he paid more attention to the Wards, Sophia wouldn't have been able to get away with nearly as much.
Feat Achieved: Defeat Hookwolf (200cp), 200cp remaining.
400cp skills unlocked. To unlock up to 600cp skills, you must take part in an S-class event or an Endbringer fight.
Unwilling to risk my power turning me into something else, I focus my new points into the Luck power.
[Sorcery - Fortune (Three Dots)] - 100cp (300cp total)
Source: World of Darkness: Sorcerer
For good or for ill, this path allows the sorcerer to control the fate of their target and create both blessings and curses. For reasons unknown, this path also benefits from additional assistance more than other magics would.
[3] A small group of closely linked individuals( up to four people) may spend up to a week under the effects of this spell. A major setback or breakthrough on a short-term goal. Avoiding traffic and being stuck at the DMV. Extra good or bad luck in combat situations.
(CG Note: Requires Sorcery - Fortune (Two Dots) - World of Darkness: Sorcery first.)
[Sorcery - Fortune (Four Dots)] - 100cp (400cp total)
Source: World of Darkness: Sorcerer
For good or for ill, this path allows the sorcerer to control the fate of their target and create both blessings and curses. For reasons unknown, this path also benefits from additional assistance more than other magics would.
[4] A group up to the size of a football team, and no less related than one, is affected by a permanent, debilitating injury or an equivalent advantage. Winning the lottery, bankruptcy, excellence at a critical moment( in combat or otherwise), or utter failure at the same. This luck may continue for several months.
(CG Note: Requires Sorcery - Fortune (Two Dots) - World of Darkness: Sorcery first.)
Oh my. So, this power scales rapidly. That's good to know. I'm mildly concerned about the fact that there are two levels I haven't seen yet.
As the van arrives, I let out a secret sigh of relief as I am freed from the very awkward conversation with someone I once saw as my hero, up there with Alexandria. I do give him a verbal report on what happened, along with Redwing sharing the video since Ems makes sure to record our outings. Mom admits she hasn't picked a cape name yet, and I can see his suspicion at another cape showing up in our group.
So far, there's me, Redwing, Sleuth, and now her. There's only so many capes we can pull out of our ass until the PRT gets a little too curious.
Feat Achieved: Get the Simurgh's attention. (400cp). 400cp total.
…what?
That's not good, huh?
Not good is a fucking understatement. I can't punch the Simurgh in the face.
[Law of the Labyrinth] - 200cp, 200cp remaining
Source: Stranger Of Paradise - Final Fantasy Origins
The Rift Labyrinth can have an interesting effect. Sometimes it can stop people from healing conventionally. You however, take this a step further than the labyrinth itself as you are capable of blocking all regeneration and healing that your enemies receive from both mundane and supernatural sources.
It's definitely useful. Maybe I'll have to track down Alabaster sometime to test it. I don't think Endbringers heal, right? Or I guess they do between attacks? Ugh, not going to help with the fucking Simurgh.
[Sliding Shadows] - 200cp, 0cp remaining
Source: Hades
While some beings of the void are rather sedentary in nature, others find themselves needing to cross long distances quickly to fulfil their duties. Thanatos, God of Death, makes frequent use of such a talent, ending mortal lives. Now you, too, will be able to travel through the nothingness that spawned you, or your mother, to reappear at another point known to you. The action takes but a thought to perform, but needs a short moment between each usage. Disappearing into a puff of smoke is the traditional appearance, though you may choose something similar to better suit you.
Now this? I like this. Especially since I think the visions from the Sword of Resistance could as a place I know, meaning I can bypass the daily teleport and just take myself instead of relying on the sword.
"Thanks for coming to pick these two up," I finally say, making Armsmaster nod as he loads them into the van. The chains Mom made get replaced with PRT restraints, and Cricket seems to understand that she's not fighting her way out of this one. "Until next time."
Before he can speak, I vanish in a puff of black smoke, dismissing Annette and Redwing at the same time. I've done my part, and a part of me wanted to scream at him for Sophia, so the less time I spend there, the better.
"I suppose I should go and see to your father. He's a little… tied up at the moment," Mom admits shamelessly as I sigh, wondering what I did to deserve my mom being turned into a dominatrix elf. "Oh, honey, I used to run with Lustrum. Do you really think your father isn't used to being tied up?"
"I… yes, because I don't think about what my parents get up to in the bedroom," I groan, face burning as Ems giggles at Annette's blunt admission. "Goodnight, Mom."
"You're going back out there, aren't you?" Mom asks, making me nod.
"I don't need sleep anymore," I point out. "I'm not going to go after any more capes tonight, don't worry."
"Summon me if you need me," Mom demands, a sliver of concern in her sultry tone which makes me nod.
"I will," I promise, flinching as she moves forward and pulls me into a tight hug for a moment.
"I'm proud of you, Taylor. In a single night, you've taken down two dangerous villains," Mom says, her voice softer than the teasing tone she's had this entire time. "Do kick some neo-nazi ass for me, darling."
"I will," I promise again, making her smile fondly and ruffle my hair before she heads upstairs. Pulling out the Sword of Resistance, I focus for a moment. The sound of a whip crack followed by a moan from upstairs makes me groan, disappearing as I vanish in a puff of smoke and reappear behind a Merchant thug in the middle of an attempted mugging.
"Where the fuck did you come from-"
As his gun moves from his intended victim to me, that's all the words he gets out as my fist collides with his nose, the satisfying crunch filling the dirty alleyway.
– Next Day –
Do not punch Greg in the face. Do not punch Greg in the face.
As the final bell rings, I let out a sigh of relief that I didn't know I was holding and escape the classroom. Greg Veder's loud insistence that he has the uncensored version of the Hookwolf fight and his… vocal appreciation for Nimue's body have tested my patience and mercy considerably.
It was made worse by Ems finding his PHO account and showing me some of the things 'XxVoid_CowboyxX' has been claiming.
There's a certain uneasiness around the school, focused on me. Nobody is outright saying that I'm Nimue, but my change in confidence and style and the fact that the Locker Incident was right before Nimue's appearance have led to rumours. I can't turn off [Tiger's Blood], it's just a flat aura of intimidation around me at all times.
A jock tried to shoulder check me earlier, and ended up on his ass. Sure, I can claim that I do martial arts, I can claim I work out, but people aren't stupid. Okay, people are stupid, but individuals can be smart sometimes, and the rumours are only getting wilder.
Which means they'll reach the Empire and other villains sooner rather than later. I think it's time to pull off the band-aid before my power does it for me. I am Nimue, and I don't want to hide that. I don't want to pretend to be that scared little girl I was before, and maybe the presence of an actual hero at Winslow will finally help this shithole get better.
"Hey, Taylor!" a nasally voice shouts, making me turn to face Greg with a tired expression.
"Yes, Greg?" I ask, calling on my intimidation powers to warn him of the danger he's in. Unfortunately, they are countered by his own power of social blindness, unaware of the danger he's in.
"So, I was wondering if you wanted to work out together sometime? I've been hitting the gym myself, you know?" Greg says, flexing as I look at his arm for a long moment, seeing nothing even closely resembling a muscle. "Because wow, your body is amazing."
As he speaks, he reaches out and squeezes my bicep. I stare at him in disbelief for a moment,
"I bet your abs are almost as sexy as Nimues," Greg continues, unaware that I'm considering twisting him like a pretzel.
"Thanks for the invitation, but I think you should find someone in your weight class to work out with," I say diplomatically, watching his face fall as he stares at me like I just threw his puppy out of the window.
"How do you know we're not in the same weight class? Guys are naturally stronger than girls, you know? It's science," Greg tries, my stare growing slightly more disbelieving. At Ems' insistence, I've switched my wardrobe to be more revealing so my muscles are on clear display.
He isn't out of shape, but his arms are soft and flabby.
His smile fades as my stare continues, and I hear some giggling from the remaining students. The fact that many of the ones giggling are Emma's former groupies makes me stop, sighing and running a hand through my hair.
"I'll pass, Greg. I prefer to work out alone, so I don't get distracted," I say, unwilling to bully the idiot as tempted as I am. I deeply pity the next thug I come across, because I crave violence.
"M-maybe some other time?" Greg tries, making me shrug.
"Maybe," I say, watching him perk up as I turn and leave.
'You should have shot him down harder. A maybe implies he has a chance.'
Eh, it's just Greg. I can handle him.
'Poor naive Tay…'
Oh, shut up.
– Later –
Amy perks up and calls my name as she sees me arrive, even if the puff of black smoke certainly gains some raised eyebrows.
"Hey, Nimue!" Vicky greets with a grin on her face. "Ready to have the PRT eggheads ask a billion questions?"
"It's gonna be that bad?" I ask, making her laugh.
"For people like me? Not really. For healers? Oh yes," Vicky agrees cheerfully as I approach, pulling Amy in for a kiss, which gets a whistle from Vicky at the same time. Amy goes red, but doesn't resist as she melts into it for a moment before I break it off. I'm nice enough not to bring up the way her hands immediately moved to my abs.
Taking her hand, I turn to greet the PRT agent who is waiting with them as he announces my arrival, and we head toward the Rig. The PRT providing us a ride, with Vicky gossiping about my fight last night while me and Amy humour her extroverted sister. I also ask Amy about the other healers she's helped test in the process,
"Welcome to the Rig, Nimue," Miss Militia greets as we get out of the car, her eyes crinkling as she gives us a smile hidden by her bandana. "The testing room is prepared for you, if you'd please follow me."
I have to admit, there's a much more naive voice in my head that's super excited to be in the Rig, following Miss Militia… oh wait, that's Ems.
Oh, ha-ha.
As we enter the designated room, I freeze at the sight of the woman who is fussing over some testing equipment.
"Hello, Nimue. My name is Fortuna, I'll be the researcher handling your power testing today," Fortuna says with a warm smile, unfazed by my less-than-amused expression.
— Bonus Scene — Max Anders (Kaiser)
Sometimes, he really regretted not just going legitimate when his father died. Medhall was good money, it gave him power and influence and he didn't have to deal with skinhead morons and battle-hungry psychopaths.
Sleuth had changed the game, and he was proud that his Empire was the fastest to react to the changing of the tides. He'd got them under control and decreed any of the worst crimes that Sleuth attributed to them as independent actions were going against his commands.
The ABB was barely reacting at all, a spotlight shining on their crimes as they all fought each other like the fools that they were, without Lung there to bring them in line. The Merchants? He was fairly certain Skidmark didn't even know Sleuth existed. It had been amusing to watch the Merchants get hit again and again without any idea what was going on.
No, it was the Empire that cut their violent actions almost entirely to prevent Sleuth from being alerted to their crimes.
And yet, despite his orders, Brad had continued one of his dog fights on the argument that animal abuse didn't trigger Sleuth. Brad continued to cause a scene, picking fights with ABB assets by using Sleuth to their benefit.
Well, how had that gone for him?
Nimue was becoming a problem. She was still the only lead they had on Sleuth, but the fact that she was strong enough to take down Hookwolf made her a threat. She wasn't targeting the Empire more than any other group, given that she'd started with Lung, but she'd hit the Empire hard during a time when he was already appearing weak by making his gang cease their violent actions.
As the leader, he had to look strong or he'd face division in his ranks. It was almost fortunate that it was Hookwolf who had gone down because he was the one most likely to challenge Kaiser if he sensed weakness. Stormtiger was defanged without Cricket and Hookwolf, but his job was 75% presentation. Freeing the pair would keep them in line, especially given the fact that Hookwolf was Birdcage bound. The gratitude would buy him time, but not much.
Brad had always been an animal, rabid and frothing at the mouth. His bite could hurt his masters as much as it did their enemies.
He needed a show of force and soon.
Author's Note: Oh no, I'm going to flash Armsmaster. Time to freeze Hookwolf in a ball of sewage. The Queen of Escalation strikes again.
Armsmaster was told to be on his best behaviour since they didn't want to push her away before the power testing, so it was truly the clash of the introverts.
Written: 28/04/2025