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A Novel Approach (Worm Libriomancer system- Gamer lite OC) by MalcolmTent6730

Books » Worm Rated: M, English, OC, Words: 232k+, Favs: 743, Follows: 884, Published: Jul 25, 2024 Updated: 3h ago

223Chapter 2

January 3rd, 2011 Collins Home, Brockton Bay, New Hampshire, 6:30 PM EST -SP:700

The next two hours or so was kind of a blur. I was in shock, mostly from the murder I'd just committed. Luckily for me I wasn't enough of a dumbass to tell them what really happened, I made up some story about Stormtiger attacking me and then jumping through the window to escape.

As most cop shows tell you 'no body, no crime'. There wasn't even any blood, just a window broken outward and a distraught teen with slash marks across his chest. My silvery mesh vest was a bit eye catching, so I'd read it into the book before the door opened, but the gashes in my hoodie told a pretty compelling story.

My mother, bless her heart, was beside herself. She looked ready to tear the security guards apart, and poor Lazlo was only able to calm her down when he arrived after getting a bit of help from Kim and her mom (who was a certified grade A milf). Kim, specifically, was devastated I'd been attacked, and pulled me into a tight hug, promising to check on me tomorrow.

Amy, meanwhile, was forced to check on me immediately, though after a quick touch she was able to confirm I was fine, if slightly shaken up. Once that was done my mom insisted I go home, which was pretty convenient because I had a LOT of shit to figure out.

I got back to the house around six thirty and headed straight up to my room to check the book and figure out what was going on.

Slumping down, I went over what had happened. First up…I killed a guy. Maybe a nazi, maybe someone who deserved it. But I was a murderer. I braced myself. Waited for the horror, the shame, the guilt. And I got…nothing. I was fine.

Pulling out the book, I stared at it hard. I remembered being horrified. Remembered freaking out about Stormtiger's death. And then…I read him away. He was gone now, and I was fine.

Because he wasn't real. Not anymore. He was part of my story. Stories didn't horrify or upset you. They were just narratives people constructed to entertain. I didn't feel bad about Stormtiger like I should. I felt something, but it was muted, like an old memory I'd long since come to terms with.

I wasn't sure how I felt about that. About the idea that the book could just make me get over things. I stuffed that weirdness in a box for later though, and forced myself to focus. I had seven hundred points. An extra hundred. Stormtiger was worth a hundred points. He'd been D-class, so I'd have expected him to be a thousand, since people were a rank more expensive.

Maybe I only got the item amount for people I read in. Or maybe he counted as an item because he was dead. That was a grim thought.

Grabbing a book off a nearby end table, I flipped through the Silvertongue system book and read off the sentence mentioning it. Nothing. I grimaced and tried again. So I couldn't read it in. Maybe it didn't work on books? I grabbed a set of keys and tried again. Nothing.

Book and keys were both normal, so my only real assumption to make was that there was a rank limit. Apparently I couldn't read in F-class items. Which kind of sucked. I had thousands of them, and even if they were only worth a point it would add up. But no use crying over spilled milk I guessed.

I wanted to check if E-class stuff would work, but I didn't HAVE any. E-class was super high end normal shit. Swords forged by a master blacksmith, cutting edge non tinker tech.

As I tried to figure things out, I heard a sharp rap on my window, and I just about hurled myself over the bed in panicked shock as I spun to face the glass. I was on the second floor, and there was no convenient tree or trellis.

Of course, once I noticed who it was, I let out a long breath. Walking over to the window, I opened it to smile at the gorgeous blonde in the white skirt and top. Her beautiful face was almost hypnotic, but after a second, I felt a cold pulse from my Snowdrop and the effect melted away. Some kind of master effect?

I didn't let my surprise show on my face. "Wow. Glory Girl herself coming to visit little old me. I didn't know New Wave made house calls." I suspected they didn't and that my Snowdrop had influenced THIS little visit too. If I hadn't just seen it deflect a master power I'd be tempted to ditch the damned thing.

"Not usually." She said with a rueful smile. "But my sister called me about your little…dustup. I did a quick patrol to put the fear of me in Stormtiger so he didn't come back, but he's laying low." Yeah. Real low. Six feet under low. I didn't say that obviously, but my face must have shown something because she grimaced. "Sorry. I know that's not comforting, but I wanted to check in and let you know you might be in danger."

That was…actually really sweet. I'd probably have been mad about the master attempt, but she didn't seem to notice it had even happened. I thought it might be unconscious. Or else she just didn't have the input to feel when it worked.

"I appreciate it." I said with a reassuring smile. "I'll keep an eye out. I feel better knowing you're watching out for me." I winked at her. "I've always been kind of a fan."

She grinned. "Not the first time I've heard that, but it doesn't really get old. Glad I could help." She held out a hand. "I'm Vicky by the way. Benefits of being New Wave, I can give proper introductions."

"Simon Collins." I said as I shook her hand. "You can come in if you want. I don't know if floating out there is tiring or…"

She laughed. "I guess I can take a minute. I was on patrol, but being independent means I don't really have to stick to a schedule either. At least not unless I'm out with my mom or my aunt." She floated in through the window, touching down gently.

"So." I said as she looked around. "You're a senior too, right?" I knew that Panacea and Glory Girl were both eighteen like I was, thought they went to Arcadia, one of the nicer public schools in the city. "Any big plans for after graduation?" I was blanking on what to say because…why the fuck did I invite her in?

Ok, I knew why I invited her in. She was a walking wet dream with thighs that could crush a bowling ball. But now that I had, I realized I had no fucking clue what to say.

She seemed to pick up on that. "I'll probably go to BBU like my cousin Crystal. She really likes it there. How about you? Thinking about any specific major?" Her tone was gentle, like she was letting me off the hook for putting my foot in my mouth by playing along and she didn't want me to feel bad.

"Writing." I said easily. "I've been getting really into literature lately." I'd snapped my book closed at the knock and slipped it into my pocket, but the weight of the…what? Magic book? I didn't think it was tinkertech. It felt too…wild. But whatever it was, it weighed on me. Burning a hole in my hoodie.

Speaking of which, Vicky seemed to have noticed the damage. I hadn't had time to change. "Wow." She said with a wince. "You're lucky you didn't get gutted. Are you some kind of brute? Because I've seen Stormtiger carve through solid stone with those claws."

I shook my head. "Your sister would probably have noticed." I said with a laugh. "No, I just got stupid lucky. Threw myself out of the way and the claws only caught the hoodie. Sucks because this is my favorite one." I grimaced down at the shredded garment, sticking my fingers through the holes and wiggling them.

That got a giggle. "Better the sweater than your guts. But yeah, it's a shame to see a good hoodie ruined. I need to find a new one. I used to wear my boyfriend's, but we broke up again and I never feel right wearing his clothes when we aren't together." She shrugged. "I'll probably have to go buy something."

I considered offering her one of mine…but realized it would be weird and way too personal. I just shrugged. "Good luck. Maybe stonewash it or something so it gets that nice beat up feel."

She grinned. "That might work. Thanks for the suggestion." Looking around, she set down a book she'd picked up and headed back to the window. "Anyway sorry to drop in like this. I wanted you to know you're safe. I'm going to be patrolling the area for the next few days, just to be sure Stormtiger doesn't come after you. You have nothing to worry about." She grinned broadly, fists on her hips in a confident pose.

I couldn't help but smirk a bit. "You uh…stand like that often?" I said, gesturing to her heroic posing.

She deflated. "I'm trying it out. Our PR guy says I need a 'power pose' for branding purposes. But I can't nail anything down." She glanced at her hips. "Is this too hokey? It's the cape isn't it? Makes me look pretentious when I do the pose?"

I chuckled at her crestfallen expression. "It doesn't help. I honestly think hands on your hips is just a little…stiff. I'd keep looking."

Nodding, she floated up into the air. "Noted. I'll see you around Simon. It was nice talking to you. You're a tougher person than I expected. Most people would be freaking out after a cape attack, but you seem cool as a cucumber."

"I'm screaming incoherently on the inside." I assured her. "Stop by if you get hungry on patrol or anything. We have sandwiches."

She laughed and nodded, floating up out of the window, which I walked over and latched behind her. When she was gone, I headed back over to my bookshelf and rifled through my books. I needed something to enhance my physical abilities. It didn't have to be crazy like the Hyde serum, but I needed SOMETHING. The gun only mattered if I could survive to fire it.

I spent about an hour sifting through books. Flipping past different objects, people, and animals. There had to be something in there. I had an huge library, and I hadn't checked every book. I needed to find a solution.

Finally, I did. I found a book from an old YA series I'd enjoyed. A cape story about a girl who got tinker abilities and accidentally ended up becoming a criminal. 'Please don't tell my parents I'm a supervillain'. It was fun, if light, and I enjoyed the antics of the characters.

I flipped through the first book, looking for something the main character had made for her friends, and when I found it, I read aloud from the book, grinning at what I found. It was D-class. Barely, and only because it was kind of weak, but it was something. A good base to build off of.

Sufficient point total! D-class enhancement serum. Super Cheerleader Serum: a low level body enhancement formula that improves speed, coordination, and physical strength, commensurate to the amount ingested.

The book flashed with a bright light, and suddenly a huge punchbowl full of bubblegum pink liquid was lying on my bed. I lifted it up, bracing myself for the taste, and then tipped it back and started to swallow.

I ran out of room in my stomach after I drained the bowl halfway, and I stumbled over to open my book, reading the bowl inside before I collapsed on the bed, shaking. My muscles were prickling, like my whole body had fallen asleep at the same time. As I blacked out, I wondered exactly what kind of results I'd get. I couldn't wait to find out.

January 4th, 2011 Collins Home, Brockton Bay, New Hampshire, 5:30 AM EST -SP:800

I woke feeling…amazing. I'd slept in my clothes, if you count passing out as sleep, but I felt refreshed and energetic. I stretched widely as I stood, enjoying the feel of my muscles playing under my skin. My substantially more defined muscles. The serum had made me…bigger. Stronger yes, but also just more cut and a little bulkier. It looked good.

It wasn't just power either, the way my muscles moved was just smoother now. Like I'd been stretching to my limits every day for years. My range of motion was just out of this world. I leaned back where I stood, my spine bending easily and my body seeming to obey my orders with zero hesitation or delay.

Without any difficulty, I planted both palms flat on the ground, body bent double, then, using my arms and core only, lifted my feet clear up off the floor and slowly raised my body into a handstand. Down, then back up, then down again. A dozen or so handstand pushups all the way to my fingertips and then back up to standing, and I felt almost no strain.

Despite the new strength though, I didn't feel that different. I felt GOOD sure, but nothing I'd done just then had pushed my body enough to feel like strain. It was as normal as walking up the stairs.

This was a brute power. Not a really STRONG brute power, I wasn't superhuman as much as peak human. I was confident the Hyde serum would have given me much more in the way of raw physical ability, even if at a cost. But still, my reflexes were massively enhanced, and it would make drawing and using my plasma pistol much easier and more effective.

Putting on another hoodie like yesterday, I slipped it over my mithril shirt, making sure it was thick enough to hide any major differences in my physique, though they were thankfully minimal on terms of actual size.

My mom was sitting in the kitchen, looking tired as she waited in front of a full plate of pancakes and bacon, with another one across from her. "Simon!" she said with a nervous smile as I came down. "How are you feeling? Are you ok? Do you want to stay home today? No one would blame you after what you went through."

I smiled, hugging her lightly and kissing her on the top of the head. "I'm fine ma. Don't worry about it. I know it was scary, but there's no reason for me to skip school. You heard Panacea, I wasn't hurt at all."

My reassurance fell on deaf ears sadly, and she spent the rest of the meal fussing over me. I didn't mind. I was fine, but if it made her feel better a little attention wouldn't hurt me. I made sure to try to make it clear I wasn't upset or hurt, and just let her baby me a little so she would feel better.

Once the meal was over I made my excuses and headed for school, admittedly glad to get back to somewhere I wasn't the center of attention.

Sadly, THAT particular plan didn't work out, because I found my arms full of toned cheerleader as soon as I got out of my car. "Simon!" Called Kim as she sprinted over and tackled me. "Oh my god, I'm so glad you came today. I am SO sorry about last night. It was all my fault, I shouldn't have left you alone like that."

I didn't complain about Kim's light body pressed up against me, letting my arms fall around her as I enjoyed the sensation, but all good things must end. As she pulled back, I smiled down at her. "Hey, I told you yesterday that wasn't your fault. You're not the security guard for the hospital. I wasn't hurt anyway, I'm fine."

"Yeah, that happens when you run away and hide, isn't it Collins." Taunted a gleeful and familiar voice. I turned to see Sophia standing with Bonnie, Emma, and Madison. Bonnie's best friend Tara was there too, but she didn't participate in their bullshit, mostly just hanging back and looking unhappy.

I glanced at her flatly. "Hide? I didn't hide from anything. Also, how exactly do you know anything about what happened?" I made a fake gasping sound. "Wait…Sophia, could it be that you have some sort of cape connection you used to find out about my little incident? Or are you just running your mouth about something you have no clue about like a fucking idiot?"

She froze. My run in with Stormtiger wasn't public knowledge. I imagined the local authorities knew about it, but Sophia was ostensibly a normal person. I knew she was a cape, and she knew I knew that, but she still had to ACT like she wasn't. The unwritten rules only protected people as long as they adhered to them, even civilians knew that. If she started blurring the lines I had a feeling lots of people would want to take a shot at her.

Emma stepped in. "You can't talk to her like that, Collins. What are you doing with a loser like him anyway Kim? He's just some loner book nerd who never talks to anybody."

"Jealousy is an ugly thing Emma." I said reflexively. "I'm sure someday you'll learn how to read. After all, your good looks can't last forever." All eyes snapped to me and I winced internally. I hadn't meant to say that. It was just right there and I couldn't resist. Shit.

Bonnie's eyes narrowed. Emma was her little protege, and she rarely felt the need to get involved with her battles, but apparently me being a senior made me her problem. "You growing a spine now Collins? It's interesting to see you with your head held high for once. I would almost respect you if I didn't know what a little pussy you were most of the time."

"Avoiding your bullshit isn't being a pussy Rockwaller, and hearing you talk about holding your head up is kind of ironic, considering the amount of time I hear you spend on your knees. I'm surprised you don't have a permanent hunch at this point."

That one I wasn't as unhappy about. Bonnie was a grade A bitch, and NOT related to the girl I was trying to fuck. Admittedly, she was a bitch with a round soft ass and a nice pair of perky C cups I would sell my left nut to spend an evening with, but that was neither here nor there. Bonnie had been a bitch to me for most of my life, even when I was minding my own business.

"What the fuck did you just say?" Snapped an angry voice from behind me. I turned to see Brick Flagg stalking towards me. Apparently the big football player had heard my comment and taken umbrage.

I glanced at Kim, who was shifting in front of me protectively, and smiled, shaking my head. "I got this." I said with a nod, pushing her aside. Turning back to Brick, I gave him a cheerful smile. "I didn't say much, Brick. I IMPLIED that your girlfriend is a whore who has sucked off half the football team. But I didn't SAY it. Because that would be gauche, and I'm a classy guy."

This serum…might have done more than just make me stronger and faster. I wasn't aggressive, not specifically. I was CONFIDENT. But even being sure I could take Brick if push came to shove, I didn't really WANT to take him. I couldn't stop running my mouth though. He was such a non threat. They all were. Why not speak my mind?

With a roar, Brick rushed me, fist cocked back as he ran like some kind of bad movie villain. I didn't even need to hit him. I just stepped neatly sideways and stuck out a foot, and he tripped and went smashing into the hood of a nearby parked car. Thankfully not mine.

"No wonder you blow so many football players." I said to Bonnie sympathetically. "Your boyfriend clearly can't get the job done. Does he always finish that quick?"

She glared at me hatefully, running over to help him up. He looked dazed,and she slipped an arm over her shoulders as she helped him away. Sophia had come over, slipping under the other one, and she was giving me a suspicious look. Madison was hauling Emma away, the younger redhead looking apoplectic with rage, but still smart enough not to start shit.

And I…was kind of fucked. Not really because I hadn't done anything obviously capish, but the sudden change in my demeanor and ability was going to be noticed. People couldn't PROVE I was a cape, but I was as suspicious as Sophia now. Fuck. The serum had been a bad idea. I should have taken less of it. Or maybe taken it in doses.

Kim was looking at me suspiciously, and within a minute, had grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the parking lot, past a building and into a small equipment shed on the grounds where no one could hear us.

"Simon, what the hell was that?" She asked sharply. I winced. Yeah, like I'd thought. Obvious. I scrambled for something to say. Anything. I needed an excuse, but there was only one that really worked.

So I used it. "I triggered yesterday." I blurted. Amy had checked me, had seen my lack of a corona. I couldn't be a parahuman. But…Kim wasn't a cape expert, she was a teenage girl. I could bullshit her, and I could get her help. I clearly needed some kind of support here. Someone who didn't know enough to realize I was bullshitting. Kim fit the bill.

Her expression changed from slightly angry to horrified in an instant. "You…" She flung herself forward. "Oh SIMON! I'm so sorry, this is all my fault. I had no idea it was that bad. I'm SO SO SO sorry."

I winced. Convincing the girl that I'd had trauma so bad I'd gotten powers from it was…unfortunate, but necessary. I'd make it up to her. I had a plan. Kim was going to be all mine. She was going to help me with my powers. I needed points, which meant I needed to beat and potentially kill powerful parahumans. Which meant I needed backup. Sexy redheaded backup with buns of steel.

"Yeah." I said sadly. "I'm a tinker. I made a serum in my garage last night that gave me low level brute powers."

Tinkering would excuse basically all my abilities, at least until I got enough to bring out a person from one of my books. At that point it hopefully wouldn't matter. Kim pulled me back into a hug. "I'm so sorry Simon. I should have been with you."

She was such a sweetie. It was almost painful lying to her like this, but the guilt would make her more likely to agree to my terms. "I don't blame you." I said stoically. "But I'm really scared someone might find me out, especially after that display. I don't want anyone to know, or I might get sucked into the cape scene."

Pulling back, she looked me dead in the eyes, jaw set in determination. "I'll help you. I promise. I can tell people I've been giving you martial arts lessons. Actually, I can GIVE you martial arts lessons. That'll make sure you can defend yourself if you get into another bad situation. Ok?" I smiled gratefully at her, pulling her back into a tight hug. Well, that was one problem solved.

Next on the agenda, I needed backup who could actually help me. Lucky for me, I had two resources that made a much more useful whole. A sexy limber redhead with martial arts training and another half a punch bowl of that serum. Now, how to go about convincing Kim to drink a mysterious tinker liquid?

January 4th, 2011 Collins Home, Brockton Bay, New Hampshire, 6:00 PM EST -SP:1000

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I asked Kim cautiously. "I'm just a tinker, but as you saw, the enhancement formula I used is decent stuff. You're not a cape are you? I get wanting to teach me martial arts, but are you sure it'll work out that way?"

She smiled patiently at me, her whole demeanor shifting. Kim when she had her game face on wasn't a sweet and caring high school girl, she was a warrior, and even my lame ass instincts told me so. "Trust me. I saw how you moved, it wasn't exactly super speed. You're spry, but you have no clue how to use it. I'll be fine."

"Spry?" I said with a smirk. "Are you a hundred years old? But fine, if you think you can take me give it a sh-" Her foot blurred out before I finished talking, and my enhanced reflexes let me easily dip under it…but they didn't save me from her heel changing directions and smashing into the back of my head.

I pitched forward, landing on my face as Kim stepped nimbly off my back to land gracefully on the grass behind me. My ears were ringing.

"Nice reflexes." She complimented. "TERRIBLE instincts. Coming toward me was an attempt to show off, put yourself in my space when you thought I couldn't do anything about it, and it cost you." She circled around, holding out her hand.

My head still vibrating like a gong, I took her hand and let her haul me up. "That could be a problem." I said, checking my skull for cracks. "I think people might figure out I'm a cape after the little dust up this afternoon. I have to be ready for that." I didn't mind sharing my worries with my new teacher, I figured she might have ideas.

"I doubt it." She responded with a shrug. "It wasn't that crazy, you just tripped him. You were quick, but he also wound up like an idiot, so it wasn't out of the realm of reason. The weird behavior…well, I guess that might make some people suspicious, but it won't be enough to get them actually looking. You might have eyes on you for a while when you're at school at most."

I reset my stance, trying not to leave any openings, and probably failing because I had no fucking idea what openings I was trying not to leave. "So…my instincts. Are they a big handicap?"

"Not as such." She said as she started to circle me again. "You have good reflexes, but reflex alone doesn't make you a decent fighter. Reflex fighters are usually at a disadvantage against trained martial artists, unless they have talent and instinct to go with the speed. Martial arts are designed specifically to overcome things like reflexes."

I nodded, still watching her. "So I need skill then, since I don't have instinct? Isn't that why you're training me?"

Kim blurred again, swinging into a spinning high kick at my face. I leaned away this time, having learned my lesson, but her foot retracted as she dropped into a crouch on her back leg, continuing the spin and going from a high to a low spin kick. My feet went out from under me and I landed on my back with a cough of expelled air.

"Pretty much." She agreed cheerfully. "But you have to actually learn for that. And experience is the best teacher."

"The gorgeous redhead with martial arts training is a sadist." I grumbled as I stood back up. "Why is all my luck the bad kind?" She blushed at that, but seemed to push it aside to focus on the training. Which was fine.

I watched her closely, staring at her eyes, waiting for any sign of movement. Rather than attack though, she stopped and withdrew. "You're watching my face. Don't. The face doesn't play a role in attacking. Watch my center of gravity. No one can move without shifting their center of balance first. If you watch the core, you'll see signs before anything happens."

Nodding, I lowered my gaze, but found my eyes glued to her tight white workout shirt. Her quarter sized nipples (ok areola, but that sounded stupid so I just thought of the whole thing as a nipple) stood out against the fabric.

She blushed and covered her chest. "Ah, that's not really where I meant. Sorry, I don't usually wear a bra. I only have B-cups, so it's not too much of a hassle to go without."

Grinning, I averted my gaze. "Yeah, sorry if I was staring. Didn't mean to perv."

"It's fine." She said briskly. "Being aware of someone's body in training isn't a huge deal. Just don't do it when we're at school or anything. When we're practicing I…don't mind."

My grin got even wider, but I didn't draw attention to it. Though that brought up another question I had. "So, why are you so well trained anyway? What got you interested in martial arts in the first place?"

"I've always been athletic." She shrugged. "About two years ago though, something bad happened to my cousin. Emma…changed." Her face fell. "I know she's different. She tries to hide it from me but I'm not stupid. I see how people act around her. But I just…I miss her. The person she used to be. That bright happy kid."

Ron had mentioned she was different, and thinking back, Emma hadn't been a notable asshole (read, hadn't been on my radar) until the last year or two. "Well, what happened?"

"I don't know." Said Kim glumly. "I just know it happened over the summer about two years ago. She won't talk to me about it at all. Won't talk to anyone. My aunt and uncle didn't even notice. That's when she started hanging out with Sophia. She let something slip about danger though, I think she got attacked. I promised myself that wouldn't happen to anyone I cared about again, so I started taking classes at the local dojo. You know that guy Jake, the one in our year? His grandpa runs a place."

I blinked at that. "Wait…the one who's related to Lung? Is that safe?" If her dojo was an ABB font…

She waved me off. "That's a rumor. Kind of. Jake's aunt Cathy is married to Lung. They aren't related, though everyone kind of treats him like it. Lao Shi's place is off limits to ABB though. It's totally safe, and the old guy is a great teacher. He's crazy strong and fast for his size. Jake spends a lot of time there, doing odd jobs and stuff. Usually with that Spud guy and their friend Trixie."

"I know Spud." I said with a laugh. "He's a good guy. Smarter than he lets on." Looking up at the darkening sky, I grimaced. "Hey, you want to come in and have something to eat? I think it's starting to get dark, we can pick up the training another time if you want. It's already been an hour or two and all I have to show for it is bruises."

She smiled kindly at me. "Don't be silly. I didn't hit you in any places where it'll show."

I burst out laughing as I led her into the house, flipping on the lights in the kitchen as I started to root around in the fridge. "So…I wanted to talk to you about something." Especially after the martial arts lessons. The chances of me reaching a reasonable level of skill in combat anytime soon without blowing points on it were slim. "Have you ever wanted powers?"

Rather than the kneejerk 'oh fuck yes' that I would have responded with, Kim paused, thinking things over before finally saying. "Yes. I think I would. I'd like to be able to help people. The PRT are so overwhelmed here, Brockton is just so crazy all the time, and the gangs do so much damage. If I could help with that, I would."

"Wow…do cartoon birds dress you in the morning?" I asked bluntly.

She rolled her eyes. "It's not THAT weird to want to help people." Her face fell. "Or it shouldn't be. I guess maybe it is here. Sometimes I hate this town."

"Well why don't you do it then?" I asked with a shrug. "I do have some of that serum left. The more you drink the stronger you get. I'm probably about peak athlete level honestly, but you're already almost at that point as you are. You'd probably how low level brute powers if you drank this stuff."

Her green eyes locked on mine, wide with shock. "Are you…offering to make me a cape? You barely know me."

I shrugged. "Barely a cape. And you're already teaching me to fight. Having you stronger just means I don't have to hold back once I start to get good enough to kick your ass." I winked at her flirtatiously.

She snickered, cheeks going red, but still in that confident warrior mode. "I've seen the way you look at my ass. I don't think kicking was the activity you've been envisioning."

"Was that a dirty joke from Saint Kim?" I gasped dramatically. "You should be careful, they might revoke your unicorn. Then what would you ride on your daily outings in the candy forest while you pick tree biscuits for illiterate puppies."

She dissolved into giggles. "I'm not a cartoon princess! Also all puppies are illiterate!"

"You can't prove that." I said stubbornly. "But enough about your day job." The laughter faded from my voice. "What do you think of my offer? Honestly this whole cape thing is nuts, and I could use someone combat capable to watch my back."

That was unfair and I knew it. She felt guilty for my 'trigger' and framing it as a danger to myself was manipulative but…I needed muscle. I didn't trust any of the low level stuff I could get right now, much less any PEOPLE. Kim was basically a disney princess, and the chances of her turning on me were slim to none. Plus she was a badass with a solid steel booty and I liked having her around.

"I'll do it." She said after taking a minute to think. "If you need my help I want to be there for you. This all happened because I left you alone. And I think I can really help people. What's your tinker specialty by the way?"

"Literature." I half-lied. "It's hard to explain. Let me go get the serum. Can you throw this stuff together?" I gestured at the sandwich stuff.

She smirked. "My first day over and I'm already being told to get in the kitchen and make you a sammich. This doesn't bode well for our relationship going forward. I'm not a 'welcome home honey I made dinner' kind of girl."

"Already imagining playing house with me? Isn't that like, the disney version of third base?" I quipped as I headed upstairs, enjoying the embarrassed squeak from the toned redhead.

Of course I had the book on me, so I was able to read out the bowl as soon as I got into my room (just in case the lights gave me away). Then I brought it back downstairs. Setting it on the table, I gestured to it grandly.

"It's…pink." She said with a grimace. "Like luridly pink. Why is it so brightly colored? What does it taste like?"

I mirrored her grimace. "Spicy bubblegum." I admitted. "Not like big red either. I mean like regular bubblegum that's somehow spicy. Trust me, it's way worse than it sounds. I'd shotgun the rest of the bowl, because if you stop you won't start again."

With a nod, she picked it up, putting her lips to the rim, and tipped it back, guzzling the whole thing down. She slammed the bowl on the table, looked me in the eye, then her body locked up and she fell. I was already moving to catch her. I'd forgotten this part. Oh well, I'd leave her on the couch. I just hope she was up by the time my mom got home. This would be tough to explain.

January 8th, 2011 Collins Home, Brockton Bay, New Hampshire, 4:00 PM EST -SP:1200

Saturday. Tonight would be my first outing as a cape. I checked my gear self consciously. Armor. Check. Plasma Pistol. Check. Break vial in case of emergency aggro monster serum stuffed in with my snowdrop, check. Enhanced reflexes that make me a fucking phenomenal shot when focused? Check, check, check.

Now…I just needed to wait. I'd been training with Kim all week, learning moves, and getting better at dodging super speed attacks by virtue of getting my fucking teeth stomped in by my vicious little redhead. Or, I guessed not mine yet, but I was warming her up.

Apparently one of the big things about the cheerleader serum (still didn't love the name) was that it enhanced muscle memory retention. Along with boosting my brain slightly (I forgot things less now from what I could tell) that made learning martial arts much easier than it would be for most people. Kim was pretty impressed with how quick I was picking everything up.

Which wasn't to say she wasn't still whooping my entire ass. She was. Six ways to Sunday, and a seventh to Monday morning. Most pretzels would probably wince at the shapes she was bending me into. Her years of martial arts combined with her ALREADY near peak physical form combined with the serum put her at probably something like a Brute 3.

I was, if I was lucky, Brute 1, and that was when I was pushing myself hard. Still, I was getting better at combat every day, and Kim thought I was ready to go out and do some cape work, with her supervision.

Or, to put it another way, I told her I was going out tonight, and if she wanted to come along she was welcome, but she couldn't babysit me all the time so she better get on board or get her tight little ass out of the way.

She wasn't pleased, but she at least respected my decision, and insisted she come along for support. Still, even with backup, I wanted to check in on the local nightlife, see who was active and where, before going out. And if you wanted cape gossip in Brockton, there was only one real place to get it.

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Topic: Stormtiger?

In: Boards ►Where are they now? ►New Hampshire►Brockton Bay

WhedonRipperFan (original poster)

Posted on January 7th, 2011

So…not that I care, but has anyone seen Stormtiger? Most of the rest of the Empire has been out and about but he's MIA. They've been more agitated than normal this week, did something happen to him?

(Showing page 1 of 4)

►Bagrat (the guy in the know)

Replied on January 7th, 2011

He hasn't been seen in a bit. There was some kind of incident a few days ago I think, but no one seems to have seen him since then.

►GstringGirl

Replied on January 7th, 2011

I wonder if he's planning something. Maybe it's just me, but nazi's going missing makes me nervous.

►Point_Me_ _The_Sky (Verified Cape)

Replied on January 7th, 2011

He's gone to ground. He was involved in a break in at Brockton General earlier in the week. He injured a civilian then fled. We've been looking all over for him, but he's nowhere to be found. If we're lucky he got scared off by the search and booked it out of town. Attempted theft of hospital property is a pretty serious crime.

►RaiderDav3! (verified earthling) (how did you add that tag, dave?)

Replied on January 8th, 2011

Well if it isn't Gloryhole herself! Pretty convenient you're the only one who knows what happened to him. You sure you didn't accidentally pop his melon? Collateral Damage Barbie strikes again.

(Moderator note: RaiderDave, we've had this discussion. While not technically obscenity, crude nicknames aren't allowed on the forum. Have a two day ban.)

►St3v3_Sm1th5_a_straightupB1TC4

Replied on January 8th, 2011

Hah! Serves you right. Not that Glory Girl is much better. She's clearly spreading false rumors about Stormtiger. The Empire doesn't scare that easy.

►Bitch_in_a_hat

Replied on January 8th, 2011

Oh I pray that asshole cat is gone. It would serve those Nazi fucks right. You're next St3v3_Sm1th5_a_straightupB1TC4.

End of Page. 1, 2, 3

Well that was the fucking opposite of helpful. Because of course it was, this was PHO. I wasn't sure what I'd been thinking hoping to get useful information from that fucking dumpster fire. I got up from my computer, stalking over to my bookshelf and sifting through the books. It had become my nervous habit, sort my books and look for anything I'd missed or might be able to use.

Kim might have Brute 3 strength now, but I didn't, and suddenly thinking back on Stormtiger, my gear didn't seem quite so OP. I needed more. Needed…something. My current loadout was theoretically enough to deal with most problems, but a gun I wasn't great with and an everything proof vest wasn't going to stop most strong capes. Still, panic wasn't going to do shit, I needed to think this through.

So, as one does when one is freaking the fuck out, I made a list. Things that I needed. First up, a mask. I needed something that covered my face that could actually HELP me in some way. I reviewed all magic masks I knew of and came to something of an issue pretty quick. Masks, by and large, come in three flavors. Doesn't do shit, does too much shit, or does bad shit. If a mask does anything it's usually either evil or way stronger than I could afford.

That said, usually is not always. I dug around in the book bins in my closet. My shelves were for impressive or impactful books. My garbage stuff and guilty pleasures I kept in the boxes. Finally I found it. A three part lore series on a game from Aleph called Skyrim. Bach's got tons of Aleph books, and Aleph people loved novelizing shit. Games, movies, whatever.

Flipping through them, I found what I was looking for with a triumphant grin. A mask. Not a crazy mask, but one that did SOMETHING. Ahzidal. A relatively tame single person effect item that made you fifty percent more resistant to fire AND enhanced fire based attacks and weapons. Since fire was considered a plasma by some scientists, I had hopes it might enhance my gun. I flipped to the right page, cleared my throat, and read aloud.

Sufficient Point total! D-class mask. Ahzidal: A dragon priest mask based on one of the four named dragon priests. Attuned to the concept of fire.

I checked my points. Twelve hundred again, apparently I'd already hit a thousand today. Go figure. Next up I rifled around to find another book from the same game series. Land and lore from something called Elder Scrolls online. I flipped through, locating a passage about a pair of boots that I had been considering.

Sufficient point total! D-class magic boots. Boots of Springheel Jak: A pair of magic boots that grant the wearer amazing agility and speed, as well as excellent jumping power. Fortify acrobatics +50.

I had absolutely no idea what that meant, but putting them on, I knew I'd made the perfect choice. My serum enhanced my reflexes and agility to something like peak human. Strength too, but these boots didn't affect that. What they did effect was balance, dexterity, and my ability to jump. They affected them quite a bit.

Pushing off the ground effortlessly, I hurtled up across my room in a humongous jump, turning midair and gracefully placing my feet on the ceiling, pushing off before I got across the room and then dropping to the ground into a seamless crouch, not making a sound on landing or even feeling the impact. These were perfect. I wished I could play with them for hours, but sadly I had other items to check out.

I slipped on the mask, walking into my bathroom to stare at myself. It…wasn't a friendly face. The thing looked brutal and vicious, but oh well. I wasn't trying to become a children's television show character, I was trying to be a damned cape. I changed my clothes, switching out of my daily wear to a pair of black cargo pants, a black long sleeved shirt under my vest, and the mask and boots.

I looked pretty fucking badass, but I had one other thought to hide my identity. My hair wasn't exactly obvious, but covering it couldn't hurt. I needed a hood. Not a hoodie though, something that fit better with my power. Something more useful. I went back into the closet, grabbing some books from an old role playing game I had gotten in a big variety box I bought from Bach's on a whim.

Sufficient point total! D-class cloak. Cloak of the Bat: An enchanted cloak used to glide in dim or low light and allow one to gain the element of surprise. Once a day, the cloak allows the wearer to assume the form of a bat for five minutes.

Cloak of the bat. The game compendium actually listed other things it could do, as well as describing the details. Any bright light or losing grip on the edges would nullify the flight, which was really more like gliding. The downsides made it D-class, but combined with my boots it was pretty much all upside.

Walking back into the bathroom, I slipped the cloak on over my clothes, drawing up the hood over my mask. I looked fucking awesome. Tall and lithe, the cloak added an air of mystery and danger to me, and the mask made me seem brutal and implacable. I reached into my pocket and stroked the book, reciting the passage about my gun from memory.

The plasma pistol appeared in my hand. I didn't fire it, because I was in my house and not a fucking moron, but I did see how the mask affected it. I focused hard on the concept of plasma being fire, and with a small pulse, I felt something shift. The color of the small arc of power between the ends of the gun shifted to a dark copper, much like the mask. I felt…connected to it.

Putting my hand into my pocket, I withdrew my book, then read the description of my costume aloud. Neat as you please, it all vanished in a flash of light. Flawless. I still had my snowdrop, but everything else went into the book. Except the vial of Hyde serum. I had to manually read that in. I was loathe to get rid of it, given the power, but I didn't want to use it when I obviously didn't have to.

Pulling out my phone, I dialed Kim. "Hey." I said when she picked up. "You on your way over? Make sure you dress for you know what. Don't want to be obvious." I kept my comments vague, but I knew she got what I meant. She needed to wear a costume. I could almost feel the excitement over the phone. She was as jazzed as I was.

Hanging up I returned to the mirror and smiled at myself brightly. I was already looking different. Bit bulkier, bit more confident, nothing too obvious. Kim was right, I probably jumped the gun worrying about people knowing I was a cape.

But I was. I was a cape. And tonight was my first night officially caping. IN a cape. Or a cloak I guessed but still. I looked awesome. I was going to have so much fucking fun. I itched to put it back on. To run and jump and glide and shoot. I hoped someone was doing some villainous shit out there, because I was ready to bust some heads. Look out Brockton. Here I come.

January 8th, 2011 Collins Home, Brockton Bay, New Hampshire, 6:00 PM EST -SP:1100

Kim took a while to get to the house. When I talked to her I neglected to check what method of transport she was going to use. Apparently she came by bus. Not wanting to leave a trail to follow was smart, but…it was also annoying. I waited for quite a while before she arrived, but since she took so long I was able to set up a proper greeting.

Before that though, I had to come up with one important thing first. A name. I'd considered using Silvertongue…but honestly I didn't LOOK like a Silvertongue. I doubted anyone would know about my system, but there was no reason to tempt fate, not to mention thematically it didn't vibe with the all black and the creepy mask. Which was bronze.

So that was out. I combed my brain for anything I could use, and I came, eventually, to an interesting option.

When I was a kid I'd read a book called 'The Legend of Nightfall'. It had been about a petty thief who had accidentally inspired a series of horrifying urban legends in a medieval kingdom. His reputation got so overblown they wrote a song about him, a long one, and a verse had prefaced every chapter.

The book wasn't terrible, but the song itself had always stuck with me. It was long and have multiple verses that covered a lot of situations and were really ominous. Nightfall, the protagonists alter ego, was a feared demon that made whole kingdoms shut their windows and lock their doors when a hint of him came around.

I decided that because of my all black theme and my swooping design, I'd go by Nightfall, in honor of the fact that I was just a random bullshit artist who would hopefully be considered a true terror by people way stronger than me. I could even leave verses of the song, because it was an obscure book even on Aleph, so no one would recognize them.

That settled, I was officially ready to set out. Reading out my costume, I climbed out my window, slipping to the edge of my roof where it overlooked the yard. When She finally arrived, I waited until she was close and then flipped gracefully off the rooftop, landing soundlessly behind her thanks to my boots.

Kim didn't notice, creeping slowly toward the house, looking left and right like she was in a bad spy movie. "So do you want me to hum the pink panther theme?" I asked casually. "Or are you just doing it in your head?"

She spun on her heel, whipping a kick at my head, but I sprang back easily, pushing off with my hands to bounce to my feet outside her range.

"Holy shit!" She squeaked. "Simon is that you? What the hell are you wearing? You look so creepy." She had a hand to her chest and was breathing hard in shock. "Seriously, where did you find that costume? Under some kid's bed? Or did you have it shipped here from a Black Lagoon?"

I snickered at that. "An aleph film reference? Careful Kim, you're going to spoil your cheerleader cred if you keep making nerd comments."

Her pout was frankly unnaturally cute. "That's not an answer, and how did you move so fast?"

I bounced a few times on my toes, popping up several feet each time and clicking my heels together on the last one to bring her attention to my boots. "New footwear. They let me jump and bounce around farther and faster."

To my shock, rather than geek out, her nose crinkled up in disgust. "Oh. They're…nice I guess."

"Are you casting judgement on my tinkertech footwear because it's not STYLISH?" I asked incredulously. "I have like a twenty foot vertical in these. Who cares what they look like? Also, you're one to talk given…" I gestured up and down at her outfit. "That."

She was dressed in black cargo pants and a fitted black shirt, with a heavy black tactical vest overtop of it. Her hair was in a tight braid poking out from a hole in a ski mask, with both eyes and the bridge of her nose visible. She sighed. "I know…and I considered going the New Wave route and just admitting who I am, but I don't have the power for that to be a good idea."

"The mask isn't the issue." I chuckled. "You look like one of those Huntsclan nutbars who run with the Empire. The color scheme is different, but I think we should be careful about running into any heroes."

Realistically, I thought that anyway. The Brockton Protectorate weren't…the best people. Like there were a few okay members, but anyone who had seen Armsmaster do anything knew the guy was an antisocial dick and their policy of ignoring dangerous criminals to maintain Endbringer bodies was problematic at best.

"Alright." She said with a shrug. "So…what do we do? I know you were looking around for something capey, did you find anything?"

I shrugged. "Not really. And I don't think we need to anyway. In fact, I think we should aim for some gang members down the ladder. Hit a stash house or something. I'm not ready to take on any actual capes."

Stormtiger had been a bargain basement bitch in cape terms. His slicey air claws were an annoying but pretty pathetic power, and if I hadn't had my armor on, he would have straight up eviscerated me. I was under no illusions I could take on even the weakest cape any of the gangs could field.

What I COULD do was steal a bunch of cash and drugs from them. I was curious if drugs were rare and hard enough to make to be considered D-class, because that would definitely net me some points I could use.

Kim made an uncertain noise. "I don't know Simon." She said worriedly. "I don't mind fighting crime, but attacking a drug lab or something like that could be dangerous. We might blow something up by mistake. And what about all the money and drugs. Do we keep it? That doesn't seem right. Hand it all over to the Protectorate? We'd have to call them ourselves and we're not registered."

"I know someone who can get rid of the drugs for us." I lied smoothly. "I promise they'll never hit the streets. As for the money…well, it wouldn't hurt to have some funds. Fighting crime is dangerous, and we might need first aid or supplies."

Being the daughter of a doctor, she saw the reason in this, and eventually nodded grudgingly. "Alright. As long as the drugs are properly disposed of."

"I promise." I said, hand up like I was swearing. "They'll never see the light of day and no one will use them. Now come on. If we're hitting a stash house we should start in Merchant territory." They ALSO had the weakest capes, just to be safe.

We set off for Merchant territory, which was a pretty small area. It was also distinctive as hell, because the whole place was crawling with junkies on street corners. Despite her readiness for combat, the sight of so many people high seemed to deeply disturb Kim, and once we reached the edge of Merchant turf I took pity on her, leading her up a fire escape to the roof of one of the buildings. Given her acrobatic abilities and strength, hopping roof to roof was easier anyway, and we hadn't seen many junkies camped out up there, though there were a few.

Once we arrived, we ran into a problem we hadn't expected. Namely, because the area was so tightly packed, every house that looked like a drug den or some kind of criminal hangout was within spitting distance of a house party or some illegal orgy. I wasn't here to bust up someone's fun. I wanted hardened criminals, preferably ones with cash or stuff I could take.

I'd been doing lots of thinking, and while I wanted to lean into a mostly heroic bent, if only to keep the PRT off my back, I didn't want to be a HERO. Independents could be a bit more flexible about where they landed on the scale, and stealing from the rich and giving to my own damn self suited me fine. It was an objectively positive addition to the world to steal shit from nazis, for instance.

Finally, after combing the neighborhood, we found house on a hill, out of the way of any obvious aid. When we reached it, Kim put her fingers to her lips and then slipped up onto the trellis, vanishing into the dark.

I probably could have done it, but there was no reason not to let her contribute, plus I was saving my muscle for bashing in Merchant skulls. Or at least giving them a good knock.

After a few minutes, Kim slipped back down the trellis, silent as a mouse. Apparently her super reflexes combined with years of dedicated training made her basically a ninja. "Okay." She said as she crouched next to me. "There are six of them in there. Four men and two women. Two of the men and one of the women are passed out though. We only have to deal with three."

"Nice. You have a preference?" I was pretty much completely uncaring of who beat the shit out of who. As long as I got some drugs to write in for points and could steal some cash I was fine, not to mention my planned calling card needed to be left behind. Luckily I'd been smart enough to grab a small bottle of spraypaint from my garage.

Kim nodded. "I want the biggest one." I could practically hear the grin in her voice. "I want to see what my new powers can do."

Nodding, I gestured up to the trellis. "Alright, I'll slip in through the upstairs and get in position, when I see a shot at the other two I'll take it. You just wait for my signal and as soon as you see it bust in and hit the big guy?"

"What's the signal?" She asked cautiously.

Smiling under my mask, I drew my plasma pistol. "When a green blast of energy blows something up or punches a hole in the wall, you'll know it's time to move."

Before she could respond, I pushed off the ground. It took barely any effort to jump eight feet in the air, and my landing on the trellis was soundless thanks to the boots. Hopping across the wooden supports, I slipped in through a window, past a room where a pair of guys were sprawled out over a naked brunette and over to the steps that led downstairs.

Creeping down the steps, I looked between the slats of the railing to see two men, one huge and tattooed and the other scrawny with ratlike features, playing video games as a buff woman with a scar over her eye cleaned a gun.

I considered the room. I needed to hit the woman first, obviously, taking out the one with the ranged weapon. After that I could use my single shot with the pistol to force the other two to take cover and go straight for the little guy myself. I was confident with my body and tricks I could take him hand to hand. I was pretty sure reducing him to chunky salsa would piss off Kim AND convince the merchants I was way too big a threat, so I was avoiding blowing anyone up.

Once I confirmed they weren't looking at me, I climbed over the railing so I was standing on the outside of it, hanging over all of them. With a grin, I pushed off the bannister, letting my cape catch the air as I glided soundlessly toward gun girl. Spinning midair, I brought my heel down on her in an axe kick as the cloak resumed its fabric state.

My foot slammed into her head, which was bent over the gun, and slammed it into the partially reconstructed weapon with a crash. Without hesitating, I pushed off, and in mid-air as I was backflipping off her and back to my feet, I drew and fired my plasma pistol. A blast of green energy exploded in the middle of the floor, forcing the other two to stumble back, and it was on.

As usual pat-reon has the advance chapters at that site /malcolmtent I saw some people were unhappy with the wait time, these are compilation chapters done as an afterthought so people can binge, the original posting is on QQ on tuesdays and thursdays for anyone who wants free content more frequently. Anyway hope you all enjoy! Next chapter on here will be in 2.5 to 3 weeks, next chapter on QQ (2000 words) will on thursday.

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