This took me. A full hour to crosspost.
I reread my previous post and noticed I forgot something, Kitsus' powers that I posted? I didn't include all the drawbacks, mostly to avoid spoilers, and I realized that Kitsu IS immune to master effects and I forgot. And I haven't been using her Nice-guy ability because I forgot about that too. So I'm ruling it that Kitsu just hasn't figured out how to use it yet.
And heads up, only half this chapter is Kitsus' POV.
*SPOILER* And just as all the drawbacks weren't shown to avoid spoilers, so too were all her powers, second trigger still applies *SPOILER*
Most of the threads about Kitsu on PHO are from people going bonanzas over her fight with Behemoth, Her interactions with Nilbog, and then her destruction of Eagleton. Other than that, She hasn't had much spotlight until recently.
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-Date, Time-
'Thoughts'
"Speech"
[Shard]
(text)
*Sounds/actions*
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-April 2nd, 6:30am 2010, Dallon House-
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Kitsu POV
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*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
"Kitsu! You've been in there for over half an hour! I still need a shower!" I hear Vicky yell from the other side of the door.
I usually wake up earlier than this, habit born out of sleeping in unsafe areas, but someone thought it was a good idea to have a midnight meeting with their boyfriend last night.
"I'm brushing my tail! I refuse to leave this building without it looking immaculate and shiny!" She can suffer for keeping me up.
"Just hurry up! We have to leave before seven, and I still haven't eaten yet!" She yells.
I need to get an alarm clock today; Mark and Carol are taking me to the mall after school so I'll get one then.
"I'm almost done! Just hop in while I blow dry by hair!" I say.
"You locked the door!" 'I've had my revenge, don't want to antagonize her too much.'
"Sorry! Force of habit." Putting a towel on I walk over and letting her in, she walks past me in a towel and steps into the shower, closing the curtain, she tosses the towel to the floor. I go back to the mirror and plug in the blow dryer.
'Cute, is not easy.' I think with pride.
I'm wearing my Roxie outfit and changing my hair to white, tail and ears included. Because blonde hair just doesn't work with the blues and purples of this outfit and beside that, it'll only last the day. This outfit is honestly underrated, the shirt is more of a long sleeve dress and I'm wearing black shorts underneath. Though I can see why some wouldn't like the punk rock aesthetic. But they can suck it, I look rad!
And yes, almost all my outfits are based on Pokémon characters.
Walking out of my room and heading to the table for breakfast, both Vicky and Amy just stare at me.
"What?" I ask.
"Did you dye your hair?" Vicky asks.
In response I turn my hair back to blonde, and then back to white, it feels like the world's worst case of head lice to do this, but only for a second. Enjoying the look of surprise on their faces I grab the captain crunch and pour a bowl.
"How did you?" Amy begins.
"I can alter my appearance however I want; I've said this many times." I say with a sigh.
"Well yeah but, I've never seen you- wait. So, you look like an eight year old on purpose?" Vicky says accusingly.
"No." I growl out. "One, I'm short, I don't look like a child, I don't even have any baby fat, and I'm a B-cup! That should be enough of a clue that I'm not a kid! Two! If I don't rework any changes I make, I return to my default when I fall asleep." I'm getting tired of people assuming I'm a grade schooler.
Maybe I should bite the bullet and just age. I'll talk to [Conduit] about it when I get a chance, see what I can do to avoid the ugly bits. Hair and all that I can turn off the follicles, so long as I remember every morning I'll stay as smooth as a baby's bottom, but it's the monthly cycle I'm trying to avoid. I could delay, but too much of that would lead to amenorrhea. And preventing it all together while allowing the other changes can lead to some unpredictable and nasty side effects, what with the Case 53 aspect and all.
Ugh, I wish I had Amy or Bonesaw's innate knowledge on this.
"Jeez is it someone's time of the month?" Vicky asks.
"No, I'm just upset at people constantly assuming I'm a child just because of my height. And I don't get a time of the month." I angrily take a bite of my cereal.
"Lucky." Vicky says under her breath.
"I mean, I could, but I don't wanna." I add.
"What?" Amy asks, raising an eyebrow.
"I only age, when I want to age. I don't wanna age, so I don't." I say simply.
"So, how old are you really?" Vicky asks.
"I'unno." I say with a shrug. "My first clear memory was me waking up in an alley in Boston around midday, I was about, seven-ish?" closer to six but I don't need them thinking of me as any younger. I'm chronologically 11, give or take a year, physically 12 pushing 13.
"Hold up, when was this?" Vicky asks.
"Uh, May 9th, 2005." I say.
"So twelve is the safe guess?" Vicky asks.
"Pretty much, for all I know I'm actually fourteen on a calendar. My biokinesis is what tells me I'm twelve, though I'm closer to thirteen, at least physically." I shrug.
"And what are you mentally?" Vicky snarks.
"A mess." I say seriously.
"Got that right. Hey Kitsu." I look over to Amy, who's on her phone. She looks like she's trying to piece together a puzzle.
"What's up?" I ask, finishing my cereal.
"The Parahuman wiki says you first appeared in a Wendy's parking lot in Revere, in the late afternoon, north of Boston." She says. "And Boston was under quarantine at that time."
Realization hits as I feel tears peek at the edges of my eyes, my heart racing in my chest at the memory.
'Please don't, please don't ask, don't dig deeper please.' I think in desperation, feeling the memory forcing its way through to the front of my mind.
Though I'm frozen in silence. The lump in my throat keeping me from speaking. 'Don't remember, don't think, don't think about it, think about something else. Okay, I see Amy, I see Vicky, I see the table, I see-'
"Are you sure you popped up in Boston?" Amy asks.
"Amy." Vicky says.
Amy "Panacea" Dallon POV
"Amy" Vicky says quietly.
Looking up from my phone to Vicky. Who just looks back to me, wide eyed and pale.
"What?" I ask in concern. She looks like she'd just seen a ghost.
In response she just nods her head towards Kitsu. Looking over to the munchkin I-
'Oh god.' I think.
She's shaking, pale, hyperventilating, and on the verge of tears. But most of all, I don't think I'd ever seen Kitsu this scared.
"Shit, she's having a panic attack." I spit out. 'What happened? Was it something I said? Or was this a case of a panic attack that strikes without cause? Is this a recurring issue or new?'
I go through a list of causes and effects in my head. Months of long hospital hours telling me what I need to do. The normal procedure being to get their attention, if possible. Move them to somewhere quiet, ask them what they need, and get them to slow their breathing.
Though I have no experience dealing with a pubescent powerhouse. If she turns violent, it'll look like a scene straight out of Carrie.
"Kitsu? Can you hear me?" I ask slowly. I'm not sure what to do if I can't calm her.
She doesn't respond, she's mumbling something, but I don't know what.
'Is she, counting?'
"Ames, what am I supposed to do? You're the expert and first aid didn't cover panic attacks." Vicky asks.
"Don't do anything, if we scare her, she could react violently. Don't even move out of her sight." I say. "Kitsu, can you hear me?" Her eyes snap to me so fast it was honestly alarming, her eyes constricted into needles, before slowly dilating to a more cat like roundedness.
"I need you to slow your breathing, listen to me, in, out, in, out." She starts breathing in time with my words. After a minute of this she finally speaks.
"Please, please don't ask anymore, don't talk about it." She says in a quiet voice.
"Talk about what?" Vicky asks,
And Kitsu's starting to hyperventilate again. 'God damnit Vicky.'
"We won't I promise, not a word. How about we go to school together today? Wanna pick on Dennis some more? I'll help." That gets her to slow down again. After another minute she calms down fully.
"I, yeah, can, I go with you today? And can you not mention this to anyone?" She asks.
"Sure." I need to look into this later. I won't tell Carol or Mark, but maybe someone at the hospital would know how to deal with this.
Kitsu POV
After nothing happened. We continued our morning routine where Vicky punches me at my request, adding to my energy stores. I currently have enough to last me a few days if nothing happens, and maybe a full day and a half of constant use.
I also found out that Vicky had laced all my food with hot sauce. That's what the whole deal with me forgetting my lunch yesterday was about. Failed revenge for the April fools prank I pulled.
Afterwards we find ourselves at school, Friday sees me at gym class for the first hour. And I grin at the possibilities. There is almost nothing I can't do physically!
Walking in with my book bag this time. I try and leave Vicky behind, only for her to follow me.
"Stop following me!" I jump around and shout.
"I'm going to gym class; you're walking in front of me." She says looking down at me.
Still walking, just backwards now. I see her smirk.
"What?" I ask.
"Oh, nothing." She says with a smile, stops walking and crosses her arms.
I hear someone chuckle behind me and turning towards it I bump into someone. Looking up I lock eyes with a blue haired, brown eyed boy. He's about a good head taller than me. Though that's not saying much.
"Ninja?" I ask with a tilt of my head.
"What? No. It's me, Eric? Vicky's' cousin? Technically yours as well now. Who's Ninja?" He asks.
I just look back towards Vicky. "What does a DJ name his son?" I ask with grin.
"What?" She asks with confusion, likely at the randomness of the question.
I point at the blue haired boy. "ERIC, Get it?"
Face palming with a groan she walks past me.
"I hope you never meet Dennis." Eric says.
"She already has! And she's proven to be worse!" Vicky shouts.
Eric, after hearing Vicky, just turns back to me. "Aren't you blonde? I thought you were blonde."
"I am blonde, what are talking about?" I ask with a smile.
"Your hair is white." He says.
"No it's not." I gaslight.
"Yes, it is." he persists.
"You're either crazy, or colorblind." I say and walk past him. Barely managing to hold in a laugh.
"What?" He says incredulously.
Sitting on the bleachers in our school gym clothes, baggy grey shirt and baggy blue shorts that I had to rip a hole in for my tail. I find myself sharing this class with Eric, Chris, and Vicky. I changed my hair back to blonde, just to mess with Eric. I turn to Vicky, who's just leaning forward, elbows on knees, head in hands.
"So, do they just pretend to let us play, or?" I ask, letting the question hang in the air.
"Pretty much, I'm usually goalie or referee in games. But you can turn your strength off, can't you?" Vicky says boredly.
"They don't know that." I say with a smile.
"Pretty sure that's cheating." Eric says from the other side of me, one row down.
"Hey! No eavesdropping on girls' conversations! It's creepy." I admonish him.
"Yeah Eric. You a creep?" Vicky chimes in.
"I'm not a creep! And your hair is blonde now!" He points.
"I've always been blonde. Vicky haven't I always been blonde?" I ask her with a wide smile.
"Hmm? Oh! Yeah, she's always been blonde." Vicky says with a smile.
'I'm starting to like her.'
Eric just throws his hands up in defeat.
*SHREEEE*
"MY EARS!"
Victoria "Glory Girl" Dallon POV
After Kitsu got her bearings, it turns out gym whistles hurt her ears.
'Who would've thought the girl with large fox ears would be sensitive to high pitched sounds.' I think sarcastically. At least it wasn't another panic attack, God that was terrifying.
Anyway, I made a bet with her, she can't use her powers. If she goes the whole class without using her powers once, I'll owe her some pizza. She is surprisingly easy to bribe once you gain a little bit of trust with her.
*BANG*
She sucks at dodgeball though.
"Kitsu! You're out." Said coach Hussman, though he said her name like Kit sue.
"It's Keet-sue!" She shouts. Only for someone else to take the distraction as incentive.
*BANG*
'Holy shit Eric!' That someone was Eric, and he just knocked Kitsu square in the side of her head, knocking her over.
"Oh God! I am so sorry! Are you okay?!" I don't think he intended on knocking her over, because apparently even that can be turned off.
Kitsu just sits up and levels a glare at him, I think she's trying to be intimidating, but she is failing miserably and just coming off as pouty.
"I was already out!" She shouts.
'I need popcorn.' I think with a smirk.
*brzzzt*
"Hmm?" Fishing my phone out of my pocket, I see it's a text from Dennis.
(Hey, this may seem weird but. What does Kitsu like?) -D
What?
(Pizza, Amy, Dad, messing with people, and comedy shows, not sure on the last one) -V
(Anything else?) -D
(I've knwn her for a month. What more did you xpect?) -V
(Thx anywy) –D
(Gotta ask y) –V
(Lng story short? I'm going on a date) –D
(With Kitsu? You know shes like 12 right?) -V
(I know, but, well, I dont wanna get into it) –D
(You do you, just saying, a 12 yr old and a 16 yr old? Just a little bit creepy) -V
(Romeo and Juliet Laws) -D
Googling it, I'm brought to a wiki about various laws across the U.S. Apparently so long as it's not bigger than a four-year difference it's legal.
'That's weird. But so long as it's legal' I think with a shrug. Cape lives are dangerous, hell, as unlikely as it is, I'm statistically twelve times more likely to die before I'm twenty, as compared to the average teenager, and that's not including Endbringer attacks. So if they end up together and are happy? Fuck it, leave'm be.
'When is Kitsu's birthday? Would it be May 9th?'
(How do you know about that?) -V
(My mom) -D
(OMG! Is your mom trying to set you up!) -V
(How in the hell did you piece that together?) -D
(Because I'm not an idiot who cant read contxt clues, and that is honestly hilarious, I wanna know how it goes) -V
(Pls don't make a big deal out of this) -D
(Your first girlfriend is possibly one of the strongest individuals in north America, I'm gonna make a big deal out of it) -V
(Look, I owe Kitsu a date for curing my dad's cancer) -D
(And my mom made me promise to make an honest attempt) -D
(OMG! I just realized, Kitsu got herself a Dennis just like she said! LOL XD) -V
(Pls stop) -D
(Would you?) -V
The fact that his mom is trying to set him up with Kitsu is the greatest thing I've heard all week! I kinda feel bad for him, Kitsu is gonna drive him insane!
'Wait, Kitsu doesn't age. Should I tell him? No, I am not going to be the opener to that can of worms, let Kitsu deal with it herself.' I think. 'Should I tell him about the panic attack? Make sure he's prepared in case it happens again?'
*Clap*
Coach Hussman has been clapping instead of using the whistle.
*Clap*
"Dallon! You're up!" Snapping out of my thoughts I fly down to gym floor. Landing next to Kitsu on the sidelines I just level a smug look down at her.
"What?" She asks.
"Oh, nothing." I say.
'I promised I wouldn't, besides, I'll just tag along from a distance and make sure nothing happens.'
Kitsu POV
Changing my hair to match my outfit again. I head to my next class.
After gym class I have chemistry, oddly enough Chris is here with me. Chris, otherwise known as Kid Win. Though I guess it's not too surprising, given that he's a Tinker. He'd be taking all the science classes he can, if nothing else than to figure out his specialty.
'Kinda wish I had a Tinker power. Imagine it! A jetpack! Kitsu the flying fox!'
"Kitsu, sense you have time to daydream, what is the answer to number 3 on the board." Mr. Rose asks.
Looking at the board, my head is filled with an answer, like I did this one before. Like you do two plus two often enough that don't even think of putting them together, you just think four.
"Uh, ten point eight grams of water?" I say.
There is a noticeable silence.
"Close, the answer is ten point nine. Please try and pay attention from now on." The teacher answers.
"Kay." I say simply.
"How did you get that so fast?" A skinny guy next to me asked.
"I'unno, I just knew the answer, kinda." I shrug.
I notice Chris from the other side of the table, just staring before he writes something down. That got me curious, so I get up and turn invisible, leaving a decoy and walking, making sure to carefully dodge around classmates and random stuff strewn about. Making my way over to him I look at what he is writing.
Kitsu, known A-class, possible S-class
Brute, possible Breaker, 12. Near complete invulnerability.
No applicable use
Striker 5, Can create hard light weaponry, has displayed a limit of 30 feet, and possible biokinetic. Has displayed powers similar to Amy.
Bio scanner? No, those are already a thing. Lightsaber already denied approval.
Blaster 4, Hard light weaponry does not extend past 30 ft.
Hard light weponry? Hard light guns? Could use as non-lethal long range concussive weapons.
Stranger 2, can turn invisible. Only sight and sound.
Cloaking field?
Shaker 4, Illusions, what you see, isn't always what you get.
Decoy generators? Deployable preprogrammed light constructs?
Changer 1?, Claims to be able to alter appearance at will. But has only been seen to change hair color. Could be hair dye, or more illusions.
Thinker 4, possible 5. Seems to simply "Know things" No known pattern to knowledge.
Attach a wifi connection to Google in the goggles? No, security risk.
Mover 8, can run at ludicrous speeds.
Turn hover board into Hover bike? Incorporate hover tech into suit?
Self Trump? Has consistently shown powers previously not seen.
Swapable power armor pieces? Modular battery system to divert energy as needed or to overcharge various systems?
'Oh. He's using me as a basis for inspiration on his tech.' Maybe I should tell him his specialty, the modular battery system would be awesome. Being able to swap weapons mid fight? He could be as versatile as Hero was.
Eavesdropping done and curiosity sated, I make my way back to my seat. Taking the place of my decoy I return my attention back to the teacher.
Art class sees a reprieve from any parahumans nearby. Giving me time to talk to conduit.
'So, any advice for my aging problem?'
[3]
'three options, okay, what's option number one?'
[Iteration; Age Normally, Deal With It]
'Nope, next option?'
[Data]
'Okay, still not used to that.' Option two is basically regulate my hormones manually, I'll age, not get periods, and be able to control my proportions growing up. But, it requires CONSTANT work, like, even in my sleep.
'Can't really do that. If I forget or mess up it could be ugly. Not to mention it's so much work!'
[Data]
'...'
[…]
'You're serious?'
[Affirmation]
Option 3 is to modify my body to lean more towards my fox traits, it would require no reworking, seeing as it's already a part of me, just one being covered up. Instead of a menstruation cycle, I'll have an estrus cycle. The pros? It's once a year and only lasts 3-5 days. The cons? It's more personality afflicting when it happens, it wouldn't make a sex crazed nympho or anything when it happens, just more affectionate and excitable. On top of that it'll make me genetically less human, making any chance at kids, if I ever decide I want them, nearly impossible. Also makes any blood transfusions impossible. No Jinbei Luffy moments for me.
'Out of curiosity, how human am I?'
[99.5 %]
'Really? I'd thought it'd be lower, what would I be if I chose the estrus cycle?'
[97% Correction: 95%]
'What? Why'd it go down?'
[Addition Of Secondary Characteristics And Modifications Needed To Avoid Dysmorphia]
'And it's permanent?'
[Affirmation; Data]
The process would effectively delete and replace parts of my brain and body, and the parts that are changed out would be locked in. Basically, I need to decide one or the other. Because once I start a cycle, the hormones running through me would be incompatible with the other cycle. Any attempt to change back would need to be done so with a kind of precision only Amy could do without messing up. And she refuses to do brains.
[Conduit] could do it, but the process would leave me comatose until done. And that would leave both of us vulnerable as I can't use my powers while my brain is being messed with.
This is why any shapeshifting I do reverts. My Corona Pollentia forces my body back to a static state. If I want to change anything permanently, I have to make the appropriate modifications to my brain, or my power will recognize it as something foreign.
Once a month pain and irritability alongside extra hygiene requirements, or once a year increased affection and a fidgety disposition?
'I mean, it's once a year. How bad could it be?' I think before giving my answer.
[Inquiry; Confirmation?]
'I'll take option three.'
[Inquiry; Date/Time of modification?]
'Uh, when will I, y'know, go into heat?' I think. I have to manually regulate my blood with my biokinesis to avoid the massive blush trying to force its way through.
[Response; Three Hours Upon Modification Completion]
'Never mind then, I need to think about this more.' I think.
[Confirmed]
Yeah this happened about 4 years ago when I asked [Conduit] to age me up. I can't manipulate my own brain, [Conduit] won't even let me try. There's a good reason for it. If I mess up I could cut off my connection to [Conduit]. And in the absolutely worst case scenario? Permanently kill myself.
I could modify my own brain if I really wanted to, but I see no real need to push the issue.
There's more nuance to it, but that's basically it.
"Alright class! Pencils down it's about time for lunch. you can take your drawings home or leave them here to finish later, just write your name on the back." Mr. Callies says. I like him, he's cool. He lets us do what we want so long as we stay in line with what the project of the day is. Today was to draw something you love.
I drew a pizza!
Lunch once again sees me sat with Vicky's group of popular kids. Dennis isn't here. I assume he's spending time with his now cancer free father.
Vicky spots me hopping up into Dennis's spot and hands me a slice of school pizza.
"Here." She says.
Taking it I ask. "What's this for?"
"Some pizza, as promised." She answers with a shit eating grin.
"…"
"My disappointment is great. My rage is growing. Revenge will be sweet and swift." I say calmly.
Amy just stares at me. "Did you just haiku her?"
"Validation for the grump. For you see healer. Revenge will-"
"Stop!" Amy cuts me off.
"Aww, I was getting to the good part." I pout.
"And what was that?"
I forgot what I was going to say. So I decide to test something.
Putting my hands out, palms up, I focus on enhancing my body temp, only in my hands.
"What? You wanna play patty cake?" Amy says.
"Hush I'm concentrating." I say.
"You look constipated." She says.
"I said hush!" I hiss back.
*POOF*
A small puff of fire and smoke pops in my hand and fades.
"True art is an explosion!" And I throw my hands up, creating slightly bigger explosions.
Almost everyone in the cafeteria just stares at me in silence, some with confusion, others with awe, and a few with concern.
"What?" I ask.
"Since when could you make explosions out of your hands?" Chris asked.
"I'm not giving away my secrets." I say with a huff a cross my arms, looking away from him.
"Kitsu, when did you learn to make your own firecrackers." Amy asks.
"Today during chem class, I was looking through the book and realized that if I could enhance my body temp fast enough I can, wait no! Not in front of the normies!" I lie about the first part. No way in hell am I giving any clues to [Conduits] existence.
"So she gets an answer and I don't?" Chris asks.
"You're not as cute as PanPan." I say and stick out my tongue.
"When will you stop calling me that?" Amy asks tiredly.
As she says that I hear footsteps approaching our table, turning to look who it is I see Eric marching over with a purpose, and a slimmer, slightly taller Vicky following him.
"Sis, what color is her hair?" He asks pointing at me.
He should've kept his eyes on me, instead he's looking at Crystal. So I make illusions above my head in the form of bubble letters
#SAY BLONDE# I dispel it and make another.
#IT'LL BE FUNNY#
Dispelling that I then leave a decoy and turn invisible. Only the decoy is blonde. Walking around to Eric's side, I wait.
"Uh, blonde? What's this about?" She asks, crossing her arms and leaning to one side.
"What? I! You! She just. Huh?!" he says switching between looking at my decoy and Crystal. And just puts his hands over his face and screams into them.
"Kitsu, stop bullying Eric, he's had enough." Vicky says. Though her tone implies that she is enjoying this almost as much as I am.
"Fine." I have my decoy say. And change its hair to white in front of him.
"Someone explain please?" Crystal says.
I walk over to her, dispel the illusion and decoy at the same time, and tug on her shirt.
"What the?!" She jumps back a step. Giggling at her reaction I just smile and tilt my head.
"I can create illusions and change my hair color at will." I say. "I'm naturally blonde but I changed it to white for the day."
"Okay, and the whole bit with." She gestures to her brother who is sat next to Amy, rubbing his temples. "All that just happened?"
"I just enjoy messing with people. I've been changing my hair color every time Eric looked away from me to mess with him." I explain. I go and sit back down across from Vicky in Dennis's usual spot.
"Okay, but why change your hair color in the first place?" She asks.
"Because white hair matches my outfit better." I answer simply.
Sarah just pauses and gives me a once over.
"I mean, you're not wrong. I respect it." She says with a nod.
"Yeh." I say with a small smile. This girl gets it. "I like you, can I trade you for Vicky?"
"Hey!" Said girl shouts indignantly.
"Ow!" Turning around I see Vicky had thrown a spoon at me. Luckily it was clean. "Is every Dallon going to throw a spoon at me at some point?"
"We're just trying to go for the completionist route." Amy says.
"I actually got that one." Carlos says quietly.
"I didn't!" I say. Still smiling.
"How did you hear me? I barely said that and I'm three seats down." He asks.
Vergil pipes up this time. "Man, have you seen her ears?" he gestures to me with a wave of his hand. Then looking to me wide eyed. "Oh crud, that wasn't insensitive, was it?"
"Naw, I don't mind." I say. "I take pride in my foxy features. And they're very sensitive, I can hear everything around me, even that kids stomach growling as he's getting up to go to the bathroom." I say and, without looking, point over to the kid jogging out of the cafeteria.
"I thought you were a cat." Ellie? I think her name was, just said.
"How?" I ask.
"The eyes." She shrugs.
"They're several species of animal that have slitted pupils as a means of dealing with low light environments, foxes are just one, and they're part of the family Canidae, not Felidae. So they're more closely related to dogs, not cats." I say proudly.
They all just stare at me.
"Again, with the silence? What is it this time?" I ask.
"Sorry, it's just easy to forget you actually have book smarts most of the time." Amy says in a flat tone.
"What is that supposed to mean?" I ask as I cross my arms.
"Changing the subject." Dean says, taking a break from his salad. "Is that how you know so much? You can hear things extremely well?" He asks.
"No, not entirely." I say, not knowing if his empath powers could detect lies or not.
'Wait, I lied a few seconds ago. Shit!' Here's hoping he respects my privacy and doesn't dig further. Or just wasn't paying too much attention.
"Can you elaborate?" He asks.
"I'm not entirely sure how. It's like, someone asks me something, and I always knew, I just remember as soon as they ask. Only, it's not always accurate and some details are vague. But only about somethings, not others." I answer. I'm trying to be as vague and diverting as possible without outright lying.
"I have a question, I wanna see this in action." Carlos says.
"I can't promise an answer, but sure!" I say easily.
"What is the identity of Aegis?" He asks with a grin.
Vergil groans, putting his hands over his face.
I just level a flat look at him.
"What? I'm curious, if you won't break the unwritten rules that's fine, I just want to know if you can do it." He says, not losing his smile.
In response I pull out my phone and text Vicky.
(Tell Carlos he's not being cute, I know it's him.) -K
*Brzzt*
Vicky picks her phone up from the table, reading it she raises her eyebrows.
"Uh, she knows who Aegis is, I can tell you that." She says in surprise. "What else do you know?"
I turned to her.
"I know a certain couple who needs to keep it down at night so certain people can sleep." I say with a raised brow.
At this, Vicky blushes while Dean starts choking on his salad. Amy just spits her food out and starts laughing her ass off. Eric still has his head in hands but starts laughing nervously while Crystal is chuckling behind me.
"Kitsu!" Vicky yells.
"This revenge was truly sweet. Think before you act. For now- eep!" I'm interrupted by Vicky grabbing Deans salad and throwing it at me. Ducking under the thrown bits of lettuce and carrots I slip under the table, turn invisible, and crawl away.
"Where'd she go?!" Vicky yells, but I'm already halfway to the entrance of the cafeteria.
I can hear Amy wheezing back at the table.
-Outside Arcadia, 12:38pm-
Mall time!
Waiting outside the school I see Mark pull up with Carol in the passenger seat.
'Does Carol know how to drive? I don't think I've ever seen her drive.' Even when we got back to the house after the hospital incident a PRT officer was the one to give us a ride.
Hoping in the back seat, keeping my book bag on to give me space between the back and my tail. I love my tail, I take great pride in it, but more often than not it just makes my life more difficult in the littlest of ways. Sitting down, closing doors, getting dressed, bathing.
'Still wouldn't get rid of it for anything though.' I think.
Carol just glances at me in the rearview mirror, she goes back to her phone before snapping around to look at me.
"Did you dye your hair!?" She asks.
I just revert it back and then change it to white again.
"I told you I could change parts of myself." I say, again.
She just stares at me for a hot minute.
"Put your seat belt on." She says.
"Why? It's not like a crash can hurt me." I ask.
"Even so, we don't want you flying out the windshield if something happens." Mark pipes up.
"Fair enough." I say and buckle my seatbelt.
"Why do you listen to Mark and not me?" Carol asks as Mark puts the car in drive.
"I listen to you, I'm just nicer about doing so with Mark because he's nice to me." I say.
"I gave you a bed to sleep in and roof over your head. That should be enough." She counters.
"Don't pretend Mark didn't convince you to do that."
"Hey, keep me out of this." Mark says.
"You're just gonna leave me to fend off the wolf by myself?" I ask in feign terror.
"I'll intervene if it gets bloody." He says with a chuckle in his voice.
The car ride was quiet for a bit. After a few moments I speak up again.
"Um, Carol, Mark?" I say in a small voice.
"Hmm? What's up kiddo?" Mark asks.
"Promise you won't be mad?" I say.
Carol glares at me in the rearview.
"Depends." She grits out in a low voice. "What did you do?"
"Nothing! Well, not yet, or I haven't decided yet." I say quickly.
"Kitsu, start talking." She demands.
Mark puts a hand on Carols shoulder.
"Carol." He says calmly. And she just breathes out a sigh before nodding. "Kitsu, what's this about sweetie?"
"Do you, remember when I said I don't age?" I ask.
This is something that needs to be aired out before them, or they will notice if do decide to age and call me out on it. I'm mostly scared of Carol using it as evidence that I can't be trusted and deciding to kick me out. Or turn me over to the PRT.
"Yes?" Mark says. The question of what it has to do with anything hanging in the air.
"Well, I, may have left some details out." I say evasively.
"Like what?" Carol says sternly.
Swallowing the lump in my throat I continue.
"Like, how I don't age, but only because I don't want to." I say.
"So you lied." Carol states.
"No! I just didn't elaborate." I explain.
"A lie of omission is still a lie." She points out.
"I didn't trust you!" I say desperately. "I do now, well, more than I did then anyway."
"What brought this up?" Mark interjects.
"I've been thinking, I might want to start aging normally again." I answer.
"How old are you really?" Carol asks.
Rubbing my arm I answer her.
"Calendar wise, I guess I would be turning about thirteen in a month. Physically though? I've been twelve for the past four years." Again I lie about the calendar age.
"Why did you say you were eleven when we were filing the paperwork?" She asks.
"Because I don't know exactly how old I am. Just a rough guess based on what my bio kinesis tells me about my body." I say easily.
Carol goes quiet at that. A few seconds pass and Mark breaks the silence.
"Well, Kitsu, if you decide to grow up, that's your choice. We can't stop you, I will say thank you for letting us know." Mark always knows what to say.
"Thank you." I say quietly.
Carol "Brandish" Dallon POV
That actually gave me something to think about. Not anything she said. But it was how she was acting. It was hard to see her as a possible S-class when she looked so vulnerable there. Like, the wrong word and she would've just shut down. It was easy tell what she was feeling most of the time, she is very expressive.
And her vulpine features only added to it. Narrowed or dilated pupils, position of her tail, ear movements. It made her safer than other people by virtue of how hard it was for her to hide her intentions. And she could relate to not being able to trust others.
'She's desperate for validation.' I realize. 'That's why she listens to Mark. Why she does whatever he asks, he encourages her and reassures her. Maybe the same would work If I tried. Small things here and there that would endear her to me. A pat on the back here, or a compliment there.'
It couldn't hurt to try.
"Kitsu?" I say.
"Hmm?" Her ears perk up towards me and she looks up. Her ears were what told where her attention was. She could be looking straight at you, but if her ears were relaxed at an angle, or twitched in a different direction? Then you didn't have her full attention.
"You did the right thing. Thank you for being honest." I say.
She stares for a moment before smiling, her ears relaxing and tail uncurling from her lap, wagging slightly. Or trying to seeing as it hit the back of the seat.
Mark is just smiling at me with a knowing look.
"What?" I ask him.
"Oh, nothing." He says with a smile and a small shake of his head.
"Eyes on the road." I say.
-Brockton Bay Mall, 1:20pm-
Carol "Brandish" Dallon POV
Getting out of the car Kitsu hops out, taking off her bag and leaving it behind, and starts following Mark to get a cart.
Tailing behind them making their way into the mall, Kitsu slows down and walks beside me.
"Can we stop by the clothing store?" She asks.
"Why? Don't you have an entire wardrobe of custom clothing?" I ask in return.
"Yeah, but, I still wanna see what's there." She shrugs.
"Fine, I don't have much to do today anyway." I agree.
"Yes!" She says pumping her fist. "Mark you're not allowed inside!"
"What'd I do?" The man asks.
"No boys in the girls store!" She says.
"We still need someone to carry the bags." I say with a smirk.
"Is that all I am to you? Free labor?" He says in a hurt tone, though I know he's joking.
"Of course, why else would I keep you around?" I answer.
"You wound me Carol." He says.
"I can carry the bags better than Mark!" Kitsu says with a hand raised.
"Kitsu, no. It's tradition that the man carries all the luggage." I tease Mark further.
'He's so much more attentive and interactive with Kitsu than he was with Vicky, why couldn't he have been like this fifteen years ago?' Shaking the thought from my mind. 'That's not fair to him, he was only diagnosed about ten years ago, and he only started taking meds for the last eight.' Not that he was good at remembering to do so. But Kitsu has started making a point of reminding him, even texting him just this morning.
I want to hate her, to look for a reason to kick her out. But she's been nothing but a net positive for the house. As much as I hate to admit it.
Walking into the mall, Kitsu rushes forward and points in a random direction. Running at normal speed.
"This way!" She points and then rushes off to an electronics store. To her credit she's just standing outside it, waiting for us.
"What could you possibly want in here?" I ask.
"L.E.D Lights, a laptop, um, a night light, one that projects stars! And see if they have any light bulbs that change color." She rambles off.
"May I ask why?" I say. Genuinely curious.
"Low lights are just more comfortable for me." She explains simply.
Makes sense, she has eyes that are made for it.
"And the laptop? You're aware a good one will cost most of the thousand I'm allowing you to use right?"
She stops and pauses for a second. Before her shoulders slack and her ears droop, tail dropping as well.
'So easy to read.' I think with satisfaction. 'If everyone was this easy, cases would be over in days.'
"Uhh, darn it." She says.
Slumping into the store she slowly regains her previous energy as she walks around. Grabbing a roll of light strips, an orb night light, a small radio.
"If you blast music in my house you lose it." I say.
"I'm the last person you have to worry about doing that." She says and flicks her ears about. "If someone blasts music, I'm likely to throw a fit."
"Then why the radio?" Mark asks.
She just shrugs. "I still like music, I just need to listen at very low volumes, and nothing high pitched."
"So what, no metal?" Mark says jokingly.
"Metal is actually one of my favorites, along with rock, pop, rap-rock, rap, and classical." She says exitedly.
"Oh, I prefer alternative personally. Never could get into rap though." Mark answers.
"I prefer alternative and classical, can't stand metal though, unless it's Metallica, they're okay." I say, it's a shame they stopped making music in the nineties, I hear their Earth-Aleph counterparts are still making music though, might check it out when I get the chance.
"What's your favorite band Kitsu?" Mark asks.
"Hollywood Undead." She replies.
"Sounds like a metal band, who are they?" I ask.
"Nope! They're a rap-rock band from Earth-Aleph." She says happily. "They've only released one album at this point but I can't wait for the next!" She squeals.
After buying everything and moving on, Kitsu drags us to a toy store of all things. And absolutely LOADS the cart with stuffed animals.
"Sweetie if you keep this up we'll need to get another cart." Mark points out.
"I'm okay with that." Kitsu says.
I personally don't care so long as I don't find them all over the house.
"Maybe keep it to ten or less? This is a bit much." Mark tries.
"Fine." She starts grabbing them and tossing them out of the cart. Leaving them on the floor of the store.
"Uh-uh, no way, put them back where you got them. You're not leaving this for someone else to clean up!" I say.
She stares at me for moment before awkwardly grabbing the stuffed animals, and racing around the store almost faster than I can track.
"Uh, was I not suppose to use my powers?" She asks.
"No, it's fine so long as you're being careful." I say. It'd be hypocritical of me to deny her using her powers when I let Vicky and Amy do whatever so long as they don't get in trouble.
Mark just leans on the carts handle puts his head in his hand and smirks at me.
"Wipe that smug look of your face." I tell him.
"I don't think I will." He says.
"And just why is that?" I challenge.
"Because I haven't seen you smile this much, in a long time." He says and pushes the cart to follow Kitsu.
I wasn't smiling, looking over to a glass case I see my reflection, and notice that I am.
"Can I have this?!" Kitsu shouts.
I'm snapped from my thoughts by Kitsus' excited voice.
"I don't think that's a good Idea." Mark says.
Looking over I see Kitsu pointing at a black mini car, one of those kind that kids ride in.
"Oh absolutely not! Where would you even put it?" I say as I start marching over to the two.
After a long debate with Kitsu on the pros and cons of owning an electric mini car, that being she thought it would look cool to drive it around the boardwalk wearing aviators. We head off to grab something to eat at a McDonalds in the mall's food court, Kitsu again wanted to go to a pizza place, but she finds a way to eat enough of the stuff as is.
Watching her steal Marks fries, and him pretend not to notice, she can't help but wish she had these kind of moments with Vicky.
Looking out at the passerby's I start to think.
She loves Vicky but, she got a daughter who, while she trusts her explicitly, doesn't need anything from her mother. She's just that much more independent. There are even times when she feels Vicky is more attached to Amy than her. And that hurts to think about, that she would be more attached to his daughter than her.
Meanwhile Kitsu latches onto any and all forms of affection and attention she could get with a ravenous desperation, and even returns it. It was surprisingly easy to trust her intent. She never did anything with ulterior motive. She basically ran on pure impulse.
'What happened? Should I have stayed in therapy? Should I have waited a bit longer before having Vicky? Oh God am I having a mid life Crisis?!' I think in horror.
"Are you okay honey?" Mark asks. "You've been really quiet."
Looking back to Mark in time to watch Kitsu forego sneaking his fries in favor of just swapping her empty box for his half full one.
"I'm fine." I say. "Just thinking. It's been awhile since I had a chance to just sit and enjoy the relative quiet."
Kitsu, having not even finished her burger, goes to reach for my fries as well.
I smack her hand just as she's about take them
"Don't even think about it."
"Meanie." She mumbles, rubbing her hand.
While she does so Mark takes her burger and eats a bite out of it.
"Hey! That was mine." She cries.
"Consider it payment for the fries." He says.
"I didn't agree to this!" She huffs out and goes to take it back. Going as far to stand on the bench try to reach over him and snatch it.
Mark just holds it out further away before shoving it in his mouth.
"NOooo!" She cries out dramatically. Though the way her tail is wagging tells she's not really upset.
"Alright, let's go. We've got a few more places to hit up before the Mall closes, and I'd rather get everything done today." I say.
Getting up and reaching for my tray, I feel a gust of wind and notice my tray is gone. Looking to my side I see Kitsu standing there with a smile.
"Uh, thanks." I say. Though she still just stares up at me expectantly.
Getting an idea I reach down and rub her head. That was the right move apparently as she squeals in delight and rushes to edge of food court and stands there, waiting for us.
'She's like a dog.' I think in amusement. 'Well, Vicky always did say we could do with a family pet. And hell, a therapy dog for Mark at that.'
Making our way out the of the food court we head off to the furniture store, Kitsu wants a rug.
As we're walking Kitsu slows down to walk beside me and Mark. Glancing down, I see she keeps fidgeting with her hands. Thinking nothing of it I turn my eyes back ahead of us.
Until I feel a small hand grab mine. Snapping to look at her, she looks up wide eyes and ears flat against her head.
"Sorry." She says quietly and lets go of my hand and looks away. "I just-"
With a sigh I reach down grab her hand.
"It's fine, just don't run off and try take to me with you, might rip my arm off." I relent.
She smiles diminutively walks in step with me.
"Mark, I swear, If I turn my head and see that smug look of yours. I'm going to use the indestructible child to beat you." I threaten.
Looking over I see the back of Marks head as he made a point not to look at me.
"Mark, sweetie, what are looking at hmm? Shouldn't you be watching where your pushing the cart?" I ask with a false sweetness.
Just shaking his head a little he replies. "Just looking at all the shops here, y'know, haven't been here in a while."
With an exaggerated gasp Kitsu joins me. "Mark! Are you rubbernecking? Looking at other women in front of your wife?! For shame."
"Yes Mark, are you looking at other girls? What about that one in the leggings?" I tease.
Mark just tilts his head up dramatically.
"Lookin' at the ceiling!" He says.
There's the goofball I met all those years ago.
Kitsu just bursts out laughing so hard she bumps into my leg.
"I, I, I can't, you!" She says between laughs and gasps of air.
We continue walking to the furniture store, nothing of note other than Kitsu getting a very large faux sheepskin rug, midnight blue with splotches of magenta and purple. It cost about three hundred, oddly enough the second most expensive thing she got was a large stuffed narwhal, the animal not the cape, teal with silver reflective stars all over it, the thing was a large as her and took up almost all the room in the cart. Combined with the star projector nightlight I'm starting to see the theme here.
I'm surprised she didn't get a game console or anything of the like. When she asked for a thousand to decorate, I expected her to blow it on video games for some reason. Instead she's getting things to genuinely decorate her room with.
"Are you sure I can't have any lava lamps?" She asks.
"Yes, I'm sure." I stand my ground.
"But why?" She whines.
"It's because Vicky had some when she was little and kept breaking them. We stopped getting her anymore after the third one." Mark explains.
"So I don't get one because she broke hers? That's not fair." She whines.
"Life's not fair." I say.
*Brzzt*
"Hmm?" Kitsu fishes her phone out from a pocket on her dress, shirt, whatever.
"What is it?" I ask.
"It's Vicky, she's asking me what my favorite color is." She says.
'Odd.'
"Why?" I ask.
"I'm asking that now." She says absentmindedly while texting.
A few seconds pass before another buzz is heard.
"She says shed, sed sh, see shed, blaagh!" She shouts before taking a breath. "SHE SAYS She's bored and taking a quiz online and wants to see what I'd get."
She texts some more.
"What is your favorite color?" Mark asks.
"Cerulean." She says simply.
"What's that?" He asks.
"It's a shade of blue." I answer.
"The best shade." Kitsu says with a nod.
*Brzzt*
"What now?" I ask.
"Favorite flavor of ice cream, Neapolitan."
"Chocolate." Mark says.
"Chocolate." I say. 'Might as well play along.'
"Favorite physical activity, running."
"I haven't played tennis in a while." Mark answers.
"I can't think of one off the top of my head." Me.
"Favorite desert, don't say pizza, pizza."
"Didn't she say not to say pizza?" I ask.
Kitsu looks up at me with a flat expression.
"Pizza."
*Brzzt*
Going back to her phone she furrows her brow and texts angrily.
"Fine! Desert Sushi!" She says angrily.
"Ice cream is a classic." Mark says.
"I like flan whenever I get the chance." I say.
"What's flan?" Kitsu asks.
"Caramel pudding." Mark says.
"Ooh that sounds good! Can we get some?" Kitsu asks.
"You just ate." I say.
"Not now, later." She amends.
"Maybe." I say.
*Brzzt*
"Favorite book genre, romance."
THAT was a surprise.
"I would've thought you'd enjoy action or adventure." Mark says.
"If I want adventure, I'll go on a patrol. But romance? Oh there's just something about watching two people, falling in love, their dynamic, the way they complement each other, finding meaning in each others lives. You don't see it enough in real life!" She says dreamily. I think I see a hint of a blush as well.
'Kitsu is a romantic, noted.'
*Brzzt*
Snapped from her thoughts she looks back to her phone.
"Where would you're ideal first date be? At a mall, a picnic in a field, at an arcade, or the movies?"
"That one doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the questions." Mark points out.
Kitsu just shrugs. "Eh, mall."
"I would've thought you'd prefer a picnic. After all that." Mark says.
"I would." She says.
"Then why'd you say mall?" I ask.
"Because I'm getting bored and mall is less letters to type. Besides, it's not like these questions matter." She says easily.
*Brzzt*
"Favorite candy? Suckers"
"Twizzlers." Mark.
"I don't eat candy." Me.
*Brzzt*
"Most attractive quality in a person. Humor."
"Dedication." Mark.
"Integrity." Me.
*Brzzt*
"Do you prefer men, women, or both? Uh, men I think?"
Me and mark share a look at that one. 'I'll be talking to Vicky about this "quiz" later.'
"You think?" I ask.
"I, might be bi-curious." She says quietly, ears flat. "I dunno."
"Well with how you dote on Amy I would've thought you were, PANsexual. Eh?" I slap his shoulder for that one.
"That joke was made of paper!" Kitsu says chuckling. "Because it was tear-able. Get it!?"
"I'm surrounded by idiots." I groan.
*Brzzt*
"She just says thanks. Wait, what'd I get?"
Typing on her phone she glares for several seconds.
"The Pink Ranger?!" She says offended. "I am most certainly the Green Ranger, at least the Red Ranger! That quiz is rigged." She says putting her phone away.
I look to Mark questioningly and he just shrugs.
-Meanwhile-
Victoria "Gory Girl" Dallon POV
Sitting in Dennis's kitchen I hand the phone over to his mom. With Dean and Dennis in the other room in perfect view on the couch talking.
His dad, Jason, is in his room resting and recovering. Apparently, he should be fully recovered before Tuesday.
"And there you go Dennis's mom, just about everything you'll need to know and coach Dennis on tonight." I say with a smile.
"Call me Jennifer sweetheart, and thank you." She says.
"Kill me. Just like, please man I'll give you my trust fund from the PRT. Just end me right now." Dennis begs Dean.
"You're being dramatic. What's the worst that could happen? Who knows maybe you guys'll click like me and Vicky." He says.
"Dude, you guys realize you're the picture of off again on again, right? You guys switch your status more than kid on a sugar high flicking a light switch." Dennis says.
"Dennis, you're making it really hard to want to help you." Dean says.
"Dennis! I will hurt you!" I shout over to him.
"That's what I want! A way out, please!" He shouts in desperation.
"Don't worry Dennis, Kitsu can always just heal you! She'll patch you up good as new so you two go on your date tomorrow!" Jennifer says back to him.
"Tomorrow!" He yells out.
"Kitsu tends to wake up super early and almost never has plans ahead of time, so she should be free." I say.
Dennis just groans in what I can only guess is a mix of embarrassment and frustration.
Oh, this is gonna be soooo good.
POV Returned To Carol
Finishing up our trip to the mall, with almost a hundred dollars left over, we head to the malls JCPenny. Standing in front I'm content to just let her run around in the store. So long as I don't find any lingerie or anything in her bags, I don't care what she gets.
"Well go ahead and look around, pick out some underwear or whatever if you want, keep in mind there's only about a hundred dollars left." I say.
"Not a problem, besides, I don't wear underwear." She says.
"And why the hell not?!" Seriously!? This whole time I would've thought with her obsession with looking good she'd at least have undergarments.
"The band rides up and scrapes the base of my tail!" She says defensively.
"You have an entire wardrobe that cost almost fifty thousand because you 'wanted to support a local artist and needed custom clothes for your tail anyway.' And you didn't think to get underwear with that?!" This girl.
Fidgeting in place, ears flat and tail wrapped around to her front, she looks anywhere else but at me.
"Well, I, uh, didn't think about it, and um, Mark! Help me out! Guys go commando all the time right?! It's double standards!" She pleads.
"Sorry kiddo, can't help ya, no boys allowed remember?" He says with a shit eating grin.
'Smart man.'
Grabbing her by the hand I pull her inside, heading towards the tween section.
"Mark! Mark! Help! The wolf has got me! It's getting bloody!" She cries out dramatically.
With a fake sniff and what I can imagine is an exaggerated expression Mark replies. "Poor Kitsu, gone before her time, I'll remember you fondly!"
Again, I'm left with a sense of loss and nostalgia. Wishing this was how things went with Vicky. I remind myself that while Kitsu does look superficially like Vicky did, excluding the obvious, she is not my daughter. Though for some reason that just leaves me feeling hollow.
"Come on, you can get them tailored later, for now just pick something." I say.
"Fine." She wanders around the underwear section, she takes her time rummaging through all the options before growling. Grabbing a rolled pack of striped hipsters she walks over to an employee organizing a display, a young girl with straight black hair and a thin frame. She taps her on the back.
"Excuse me?" She says politely.
"Hmm?" The girl turns around before jolting in surprise at Kitsu. "Oh! You uh, have-"
"Yes I have fox ears a tail and slitted eyes, I'm well aware. Do you have any of these in extra small?" She asks.
"I uh, are you allowed in here?" She asks.
'What is that supposed to mean?' I think.
Kitsu sighs. "Yes, I am."
"Are you sure? The sign said no pets allowed and I'm not sure, can you just turn the." She makes a circling gesture towards her with her hand. "Off? If not then I think I need to ask you to leave, can't have you getting fur on everything."
'The, FUCK?!' I feel myself boil over at the audacity. I'm aware Case 53's tend to be treated like oddities, curiosities at best, social outcasts and freaks at worse. But to see it in action is just appalling. 'And we went the whole day without issue.'
Calmly walking over I prepare my work voice.
"Excuse me young miss, is something the matter?" I ask politely from the side. Always start polite, it sets a first impression and lowers peoples guard.
Turning to me she smiles. "Nothing of the sort Ma'am, just informing this, girl, that she needs to leave." The way she said girl with uncertainty made it sound like she was trying to turn the word into a slur.
"On what grounds?" I ask.
"Huh?" She asks, clearly not expecting me to challenge her.
"Pretty sure there are laws in place to protect against discrimination. So unless there is valid reason." I point out.
"Ma'am with all due respect, I don't think she counts as human enough to-"
"Under the laws of the American EEOC it is illegal to discriminate against an individual based on eight categories, one of which is genetic information. Do I need to get a few friends involved? Here's my card."
Pulling out my wallet and fishing my business card out, handing it to the entitled little twat.
She takes it in confusion before turning ghost white.
"Oh, you, you're Brandish." She says softly in astonishment. "I, I am so sorry, I just."
"We would like to speak to someone else. Someone less, bigoted, if you wouldn't mind." I say folding my arms under my chest.
"Look I just didn't-"
"Now, before I make a court case over this." I cut her off.
She hurries off after that. No need to explain that those laws only cover employment. And that companies still maintain right to refuse service. I'm not as versed in that area though; I'd have to double check.
Satisfied, I look down to see Kitsu starring at me wide eyed, tears forming at the edges.
"What?" I ask.
In response she just slams into me, hugging me tightly.
"Thank you, thank you." She says quietly. "I've, I never had someone stand up for me like that." Her tone was so soft I almost didn't hear it.
"Yeah just, don't stain my pants." I say with a sigh.
She chuckles and turns her head to face away from me. Still hugging me.
'Maybe, adoption wouldn't be so bad, give it a year or two, see how she turns out.'
-Downtown Brockton Bay, 7:30 pm-
Kitsu POV
Sitting on a roof overlooking the city I contemplate todays events.
I've never felt as though I had a family before. I barely remember my original one, like I read a wiki page about them several years ago. I know I had a mom, and a dad. But I can't recall their names, what they look like, or anything else other than my mother was a nurse. Three sisters, or was there a brother, or, two sisters and a brother? I can't even remember that.
But after today? With Mark and Carol?
This, the Dallons, they're my family now. They're not perfect, no family is. And they're more than a little broken but, they're mine. And that's all that matters to me.
'And I'll kill everyone I have to, to keep it that way.[Conduit], you there?'
[Affirmation]
'if I go option one, what are the odds any of the children I would have get my immortality and agelessness?'
[Conduit] is quiet for a while, just when I was beginning to think he had hidden himself due to a nearby cape they speak up.
[Answer: Average Chance, Negating Outside Negative Influence, Accounting For Favorable Odds: 5%]
'What if you were to try and skew the budding process?'
[Reiteration; Accounting For Favorable Odds]
With solemn melancholy I realize that I'll never get to make my own family. Every child I'd have I'll more than likely end up burying. So any benefit to option one is weighed down by a heavy price.
So it's either never age and watch as the world delegates me to the role of child, forever limiting anything I could do. Or take option three and lock away my chance for children in the future, possibly forever, robbing myself of a possible joy unlike any other. All this assuming Gold Morning is averted or survived, but I plan on surviving if not, I'll go down with everyone else.
It's not that having kids is all that important to me. But keeping the option is still nice. Even if it comes with the additional tag of potentially losing them. I don't even think I want kids. But, it's the principle of it. It's hard to explain.
'I've made up my mind. [Conduit] I'll-
-Medhal General Hospital, 7:40 pm-
Amy 'Panacea' Dallon POV
Finally getting a reprieve from the more egregious patients I head to Dr. Ahmad's office. Finding it with a plaque on the door reading.
Doctor: Druhv Ahmad
Child Psychology Specialist
Knocking on the door I get a reply in seconds.
"Come in!"
Opening the door I see the older Indian gentleman pushing papers into a file before putting it away. Looking up through wide brim square glasses, he smiles in recognition. He had a kind look to him. Soft eyes set on a wrinkled square face with neatly combed white grey hair.
"Ah, Amy, what can I do for you?" He had a very thick accent that made it easy to place where he grew up. He knew it, and spoke slowly so people didn't miss hear him.
"I was hoping you could help me figure something out." I say.
"But of course, come, sit. Make yourself comfortable. Though I will remind you, my specialty is in the child's mind." He gesture to the two seats in front of him. "You are, well, a little bigger than my usual clientele."
Moving to sit down I wonder if this was the right thing. 'Too late now.'
"I know, it's not for me." I say.
"Ah, Someone you know, or ran into?" He asks.
"You could say that." I say.
"I understand the need for the eh, privacy of individuals. I will help as best I can, but, I will warn you, there is little I can do without speaking to the individual in question." He says. He's a good doctor, and best of all he's the kind that's not afraid to say he doesn't know something, or can't help.
"I understand, I'll just get right into it. I was talking with someone this morning and, well they started having a panic attack, and I wanted to know what I could do if it happened in the future." I say.
"Are you sure it was a panic attack?" He asks.
"What do you mean? She was hyperventilating, almost crying, rooted in place and unresponsive for the most part." I explain.
"Because, panic attacks, anxiety attacks, and various other disorders and afflictions tend to meld together in appearance, only being separated by the cause." He explains. "And the cause, is vital to the treatment needed."
"Well, how do I tell the difference?" I ask.
He looks to the side in thought, humming in contemplation before answering.
"What were you talking about, that may help discern if there was a trigger." He says.
"We were talking about their age, I guess, they said they first came from Boston in, uh, May 9th, the same year Leviathan sunk Newfoundland." I explain.
He furrows his brow in frustration.
"You're sure they said Boston?" He questions.
"Yes. She said she was there around midday." What did that have to do with it.
He turns to his laptop on his desk, opening it and typing away.
"That's not possible." He says assuredly.
"How?" 'Did Kitsu really lie?'
"Boston was under heavy PRT quarantine at the time, people were evacuated that morning." He says.
"I mentioned that, that was when they had the panic attack." I recount.
Recognition and horror spreads over his face as he brings a hand to his mouth.
"Oh, oh that poor girl. That poor, poor girl." He says softly.
"What? What is it." I feel my heart, hammering away in my chest at the tension.
"The area was quarantined, because the Slaughterhouse 9 were there." He says.
I feel my heart stop and sink all at once, and I feel like I'm about to vomit at the implication.
"She wasn't having a panic attack." I start.
"She has PTSD. And went through an episode." He finished.
'What happened to you?'
*Brrring*
The sound of my phone spooked me from my thoughts.
Pulling it out from my robes I see it's Vicky.
"Uh, hey Vicks, what's up?" I say.
"Amy? You good? You sound scared."
Calming my self and swallowing the lump in my throat I continue.
"Yeah, yeah no, just learned something, big." I say.
"What's that? Oh! Before I forget, Kitsu doesn't have your number and she's waiting for you in the lobby. Apparently the nurse at the front desk refuses to tell her where you are." Vicky says.
"Okay, I was just getting done here, uh you remember what happened this morning?" I ask.
"Yeah, I thought we promised not to talk about it." She says slowly.
"We did, we did. Just uh, google the Boston quarantine two thousand and five, kay? You'll understand " I say.
"Um, okay? Well, I'll see at home."
"Yeah, see ya, bye."
*Click*
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BONUS
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Kenta "Lung"
Sitting in his private hotel room in the docks, he stares at a photobooth photo. In it was a younger him, a blonde girl with brown eyes wearing cat ear headphones, and another Japanese man shorter than him with grey eyes, all making goofy faces at the camera.
He remembers the first time he met the small child in person. She looked so much like Ritsu had when she was young, and even had a similar name. But Ritsu was dead. When the tall woman in the hat came and killed his closest friends and gang, all that was left was his mother, and Ritsu. Being a fellow Japanese of mixed heritage. Her blonde hair and round eyes led to as much discrimination if not more than he faced being half Chinese. But she never let that diminish her spirit. Until Leviathan. He remembers the attack vividly. The flooding, the collapsing buildings, The torrential downpour. He remembers rushing off to fight. He remembers looking for Ritsu in the shelters after Alexandria brought him back to the evacuation sites. Only to find she never made it to the shelters; her apartment was collapsed in one of the first waves. She was dead.
At that he decided he needed a new start was needed, so he packed up and moved to Chaohu with his mother, the only person he had left.
'Big mistake.' He thought sourly.
His mother died under the CUI health system, and he was targeted by the Yangban, he's still not convinced the two were unrelated. With his final loved one gone, he retreated to America. Joined the AZN Bad Boys, took over the gang, and started ruling a third of Brockton Bay in his cannibalization of the other Asian gangs.
Then one day, he ran into Kitsu, literally. She had been invisible and wandering around the docks when he tripped over her in the early morning two or three years ago, he couldn't remember. She had been crouched into a ball and looking at a flower that had been growing through the concrete. At least until he barreled over her. He was ready to kill her, when she looked into his eyes and apologized for the accident. The sense of nostalgia he felt looking at her, was enough that he let her go. He couldn't take his mind off of her. And later that day he discovered she was on auction. Collected from one of their front houses.
The rage that filled him.
He would have killed the chef and auctioneer himself, had Kitsu not asked to do so herself. And she did so publicly at the auction and in front of the attendees. The Auctioneer, she ripped out his tongue and let him bleed to death. The chef she did the same, only with him she shoved it back down his throat. With that display he was able to save any reputation loss he might have acquired. And Kitsu went along with the story that they were friends.
He no longer gets that feeling of nostalgia when he sees her, it was a one time weakness. A lapse in judgement, but he will not go back on his word. And besides, she was a powerful ally to have, the one fight they had. He could do nothing.
She had thrown him into the bay, from the trainyard.
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A/N Kitsu totally tripped Lung on purpose and used her love me power to get away with it, then promptly forgot she used said power until after the auction incident. She has no issue using it in the short term on people to mess with them. It's when it's long term and lasting that she has problems with.
You thought Kitsu was over the incident with the nine? It's literally her first memory and she has not had ANY form of stable environment for her to sort out her feelings and issues until recently.
In all honesty, Kitsu having an episode would be terrifying, imagine someone scares her during one and she lashes out violently as a result.
Hot wheels' full potential is finally being unlocked!
For those who are curious about the chem class bit, I pulled out my chem notebook from college and threw in a random question, even gave the same answer I gave, even though I corrected it later. Still upset I was off by 0.1
Questions!
-For Newb-
...
-For Kitsu-
Direprophet: Thank you for clarifying. You asked If Kitsu was for Group Panpan, meaning you enjoy teasing the grumpiest person around.
Kitsu: "Yes" she says with the straightest face ever. "Though it's not just her, I enjoy teasing everyone, it's just that the grumpy ones give the best reactions!"
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And finally a minor hint and spoiler towards Kitsus' second trigger powers. There's a reason her shards most accurate designation is [Manipulator]