I leaned against the cool concrete wall of the basement, my arms crossed over my chest, watching Taylor fidget with the edge of her costume. "You know," I said, tossing my head to flip my dark hair over my shoulder, "we also need to have our cape names ready before we head out."
Taylor's shoulders tensed, and she looked up at me with wide eyes. "Oh! I... I hadn't even thought about that."
I let out a soft chuckle, my lips curling into a smirk. "Don't worry, I've got you covered. I've already done some research and decided on mine." I straightened my posture, jutting my chin out confidently, then announced with a dramatic sweep of my hand, "Aletheia."
Taylor tilted her head curiously. "Aletheia? What does that mean?"
"It's Greek for 'disclosure' or 'truth,'" I explained, a sly smile playing on my lips. "I like how it sounds, and the meaning kind of alludes to how I will slowly reveal more and more of my powers as I gain them."
"That's... actually pretty clever," Taylor admitted, sounding impressed.
I beamed at her praise. "Thanks! Now, let's brainstorm one for you while you get changed." I gestured towards her costume. "Go on, suit up!"
As Taylor began to slip into her spider silk costume, I rattled off suggestions. "How about... Swarm? No, too obvious. Hive Mind? Nah, sounds villainous. Ooh, what about Arthropoda?"
Taylor wrinkled her nose as she adjusted her mask. "That sounds like a disease."
I laughed, shaking my head. "Fair point. Hmm... Oh! I've got it - Arachne!"
Taylor paused, considering. "Arachne... the woman from Greek mythology who was turned into a spider, right?"
I nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! It fits your powers perfectly, and it's got that mythological flair like mine."
A slow smile spread across Taylor's face as she leaned back with her arms crossed. "You know what? I actually really like that. Arachne it is."
Grinning, I tapped the heart-shaped pendant hanging around my neck. Brilliant reddish light enveloped my form, and my own costume materialized, hugging my curves in all the right places. I adjusted my black face mask slightly, then brought a finger to my lips, head cocked to the side, motioning for Taylor to be quiet.
We crept up the basement stairs, pausing to listen for any signs of movement. Danny's soft snores drifted from the second floor - perfect. We'd made sure he was asleep before making our move.
Silently, we slipped out the back door. The cool night air kissed my exposed skin as I grasped Taylor's hand, tilting my head back to search the sky. There - I could just make out the faint outline of a Menhir in the moonlight.
I squeezed Taylor's fingers. "Ready?" I whispered.
Before she could respond, I teleported us both high into the air. We reappeared in a flash of red, landing softly on the horizontal surface of the Menhir. Two others had positioned themselves on either side, forming makeshift barriers.
Taylor steadied herself as she took in our new surroundings. Though her mask concealed her expression, the tilt of her head conveyed her wonder.
"You okay?" I asked, watching her shift her weight from one foot to the other.
She gave a small nod. "Yeah, I'm good. This is... wow." Her gloved hands clenched and unclenched, as if itching to reach out and touch the world around us.
I grinned, drinking in her awe. Menhir, I thought, start moving towards Downtown.
We began to drift southward, and I guided Menhir lower until we hovered about 200 feet above the city.
"How's this height?" I asked Taylor.
She gave me a thumbs up, and I walked confidently to the northern edge of our stone platform. The city sprawled out below us, a patchwork of lights and shadows.
Streets snaked through the urban landscape like glowing veins, dotted with the red flicker of car lights from the night owls still out and about. Brockton Bay's skyline was a mishmash of heights, from squat buildings to the taller ones reaching up to 40 or so stories. I even spotted the Medhall building, its glass exterior catching the city's glow. It felt weird to think that it might be filled with Nazi's this very moment. Maybe Kaiser or whoever was there could see us right now?
I smiled and waited, feeling the excitement build. It didn't take long before our first guests showed up. Mosquitoes arrived in force, their annoying buzz barely noticeable over the city's background noise. Soon enough, they had company – a growing cloud of butterflies, flies, and all sorts of creepy-crawlies that come out after dark, drawn to our high-up spot like moths to a flame.
After about five minutes, I glanced up at the absolutely massive swarm overhead and couldn't suppress a shudder. Taylor's power was truly terrifying in its scope.
"I've gathered enough now," Taylor said, her voice barely audible over the din of insect wings.
I nodded, instructing Menhir to move forward at a three feet per second pace - the fastest I felt Taylor's swarm could keep up. Turning to face her, I met the yellow lenses of her mask. "I'm going to scout ahead, see if I can find any trouble. You good here?"
At Taylor's nod, I closed my eyes, focusing on my In Search of a Hero psychic ability. I directed it to locate someone talented at harming minorities - a surefire way to track down either ABB or E88 activity. A faint tug pulled at my senses, and I teleported to a distant Menhir I had stationed there beforehand.
The pull led back towards my original position. I teleported from rooftop to rooftop, homing in on my target. Finally, I found myself perched on the edge of a hotel, peering down into a dingy alley.
Three men huddled in the shadows below. Two of them loomed over a younger man who couldn't have been more than 25. I strained my ears to catch their conversation.
"...already picked out the target," one of the older men was saying. "It's not as bad as you think. Just remember, we're cleaning up the city. These people don't belong here - they're ruining the purity of our community."
The younger man shifted nervously. "I get that, but... killing? Isn't that taking it too far?"
The other older man chimed in. "Think of it as pest control, kid. We're just removing the vermin that's infesting our streets. It's not murder - it's a public service."
"I... I guess," the recruit mumbled, still sounding unsure. "But I've never actually... you know..."
The first speaker - the one my power had identified as the most talented individual nearby at harming minorities - laughed and clapped the recruit on the shoulder. "You'll get used to it. Trust me, once you've done it a few times, you'll see how much better the world is without their kind polluting it."
The younger man nodded slowly, seeming to steel himself. "Alright. So what's the plan?"
"I'll make the call now," the second man said, pulling out his phone. "Our contact will bring us the target. Do your best, because someone important will be watching."
I'd heard enough. Focusing once more on In Search of a Hero, I sought out Taylor. Like I had suspected, I was familiar enough with her that I could latch on to her directly. I teleported straight up into the sky, orienting myself mid-air before blinking to her side in a flash of crimson.
Taylor startled at my sudden appearance. "Did you find something?" she asked urgently.
I nodded grimly. "E88 thugs planning a hit. Looks like some kind of initiation ritual. We need to move fast."
Taylor's posture stiffened. "Lead the way," she urged. "We have to stop them."
Menhir, I commanded mentally, move towards the thugs' location.
A pulse of energy hit my mind, and I involuntarily froze while we glided through the night air. It seemed I had gotten another power from the Grimoire.
[Vanity's Reward - Madoka Magica: Wraith Timeline] - 100cp, 0cp remaining
Don't like your new look? That's alright. You can now change your Magical Girl form or any clothes you're wearing with a wave of your hand and a very tiny amount of magical energy being spent. No matter what design you pick for yourself, it will always look good on you.
A giddy laugh bubbled up in my throat. My first power requiring magical energy, and it was essentially an infinite wardrobe! But wait... it didn't just mention clothes. My eyes widened as the implications sank in.
"Taylor!" I squealed, grabbing her arm excitedly. "Watch this!"
I waved my hand, controlling a tiny fraction of my magicka. The straight black hair in my neat bun sparkled, transforming into a shiny golden hue.
Taylor's mask tilted, clearly confused. "Did you just... change your hair color?"
I nodded, my posture straightening with pride beneath my ornate red and black attire. "That's not all! I can shapeshift at will now. And I can alter my clothing to anything imaginable, guaranteed to look amazing on me!"
Even with her face obscured, I could sense Taylor's envy. "Are you kidding me? That's so unfair!"
I giggled, nudging her playfully. "Aw, don't be jealous! Think of all the possibilities..." I leaned in close, my voice dropping to a sultry whisper. "I could change anything you want. Bigger boobs, curvier hips... whatever your heart desires."
"Lara!" Taylor's strangled yelp was adorable. "Stop teasing! We're supposed to be focusing on the mission!"
I groaned dramatically, rolling my eyes. "Fiiiine, killjoy. Back to business, I guess."
With another wave, my hair returned to its natural ebony. My current costume was badass as it was, so I decided against any changes for now. Still, I couldn't help but let my mind wander...
Could I grow... other parts? The thought of surprising Taylor with some extra equipment sent a delicious shiver down my spine. It would definitely spice up our future sex life, though Taylor would still need a strap-on of her own.
Focus, Lara! I scolded myself, shaking my head to clear the naughty thoughts. There'd be time for fantasies later. Right now, we had Nazi scumbags to deal with.
A little while later, I stood at the edge of Menhir, my arm wrapped securely around Taylor's waist as we peered down at the alley 300 feet below.
I focused, using my psychic ability to search for the most racist person in the vicinity. A faint tug pulled my attention to a cluster of figures huddled near a dumpster.
Before I could speak, Taylor beat me to it. "I've got eyes on them," she murmured. "A couple flies just landed."
"Nice work," I grinned, squeezing her hip. "Let's hang back for a bit, see if more show up. We'll step in if they try anything."
Taylor nodded. After a few moments, she spoke again, her voice tight. "They're talking about the initiation ceremony. A superior's coming to watch, should be here in two minutes." She paused, then added coldly, "They've already got someone. Middle-aged black man, head covered."
My stomach clenched. "Shit. Okay, let's wait for their boss to show. Might as well catch the big fish while we're at it."
The next two minutes crawled by, my heart pounding in anticipation. Finally, movement caught my eye - a black SUV with tinted windows pulled up to the alley's entrance.
I watched a muscular bare-chested man step out of the black SUV, and squinted my eyes slightly. Yes… Even from our perch 300 feet up, there was no mistaking that distinctive tiger mask.
"Oh fuck," I breathed, squeezing Taylor's waist. "Taylor, that's Stormtiger."
Taylor's head snapped towards me, the yellow lenses of her mask gleaming in the moonlight. "Are you sure?" she whispered, tension evident in her voice.
I nodded. "Positive. Bare-chested, loose pants with chains, and that mask? It's definitely him."
We both knew Stormtiger's reputation from our research. An Empire cape with the ability to manipulate air - not exactly someone to take lightly. But as I watched him swagger into the alley, an idea struck me.
"You know," I murmured, a smirk playing on my lips, "he's not really a threat to us up here. As far as I know, he can't fly. There's little he could do to attack us at this height."
I gave Taylor a gentle nudge. "Why don't you start things off, Arachne? Show that Nazi scum what you can do."
Taylor nodded, staring down at the scene below. The massive swarm hovering above us began to descend, a dark cloud blotting out the stars.
Stormtiger and his thugs remained blissfully unaware of the impending attack. I could see the cape gesticulating as he spoke to the group, clearly in the middle of some sort of speech.
"I think..." Taylor said softly. "I think I heard Stormtiger saying something about the victim. He's claiming the black man is a rapist who attacked a young white girl."
I felt Taylor hesitate, her muscles tensing beneath my touch. Gently, I turned her to face me. "Hey," I said softly, "even if that's true - and it might not be - they're still Nazis about to commit murder. We can't let that happen."
After a moment, Taylor gave a sharp nod. "You're right."
Just then, Stormtiger's head snapped up. Even from our vantage point, I could see the confusion in his body language as he registered the approaching swarm.
"Now's our chance," I whispered excitedly. In a flash of crimson, I teleported down to the bound victim. My fingers barely brushed his arm before I looked up and blinked us both back to Menhir's surface.
The man thrashed in his bonds, muffled shouts coming from beneath the plastic bag covering his head. I ignored him, rushing back to Taylor's side to watch the chaos unfold.
Below, all hell had broken loose. The swarm engulfed Stormtiger and his lackeys, their panicked screams barely audible over the deafening buzz of insects. Suddenly, an explosion of air erupted from the alley. The three thugs went flying, slamming into the walls before crumpling to the ground, motionless.
Stormtiger, however, was still fighting. Air blasts scattered insects in every direction, but for every bug he dispersed, ten more took its place.
"I'm flooding his airways," Taylor said, her voice eerily calm. "Blocking his vision. He can't see to aim his attacks properly."
I blanched slightly at the brutal tactic, but couldn't deny its effectiveness. Within moments, Stormtiger's struggles began to weaken.
"Holy shit," I breathed, unable to keep the awe from my voice. "Our first patrol together, and we've already taken down a cape! Not many people can say that, Arachne."
Taylor's mask turned towards me, and I could practically feel her proud smile. "Thanks, Aletheia. But we need to get down there and call this in. The PRT needs to pick him up."
I smirked at her use of my cape name. My clever girl, making sure our "rescued victim" overheard our aliases. Speaking of which...
I turned to address the still-struggling man. "Stay put and don't move an inch," I commanded. "Unless you fancy a 300-foot fall, that is."
Menhir, I thought, keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't tumble off.
We hear and obey, child, came the deep telepathic rumble in response.
With that settled, I wrapped an arm around Taylor's waist once more. "Ready for your dramatic entrance, partner?"
In a flash of red, we reappeared at the alley's entrance. The scene before us was almost comical - Stormtiger, the feared Empire cape, lay twitching on the ground, completely covered head-to-toe by insects. He almost looked like a caricature of a man, and I had to hold in my laugh at the sight.
"Careful," I told Taylor. "Keep him alive, yeah? As satisfying as it might be, we don't want to add 'accidental murder' to our debut."
While Taylor fine-tuned her assault, I rifled through the pockets of the youngest Nazi thug. His phone was locked, but that didn't matter for what I needed. I lowered my face mask, hit "Emergency Call" and dialed 991.
The call connected, and a woman's voice came through. "911, what's your emergency?"
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. "Hi there! I'd like to speak with the PRT, please. There's an Empire Eighty-Eight cape unconscious in front of me."
There was a moment of stunned silence before the dispatcher responded. "I... of course. Please hold while I redirect your call."
"Thanks!" I chirped, tapping my foot impatiently as I waited. Taylor glanced over, her mask tilted in a questioning angle. I gave her a thumbs up.
Some seconds later, a new voice came on the line. "PRT dispatch. What's the situation?"
I straightened up, adopting my 'hero persona' voice. "Good evening! This is Aletheia, a new independent hero. My partner Arachne and I just took down Stormtiger from the Empire Eighty-Eight, along with three of his thugs."
The dispatcher's voice took on a surprised tone. "I... I see. Can you provide more details about the incident?"
"Of course!" I replied, warming to my role. "We caught them in the middle of some kind of initiation ceremony. They were planning to kill a black man, so we intervened. Oh, but just FYI, we did overhear Stormtiger claim the guy was a rapist. Not sure if that's true or not."
The dispatcher's voice sharpened. "Where are you located?"
I glanced at the entrance of the alley, spotting a street sign. "We're at 472 Chestnut Row, in an alley between the Pavilion Hotel and a little restaurant. Stormtiger and his buddies are all out cold."
"Understood," the dispatcher said, sounding much more serious now. "We're dispatching a team to your location. They should arrive within two minutes. If possible, please remain on scene and on the line."
"No problem!" I agreed cheerfully. "We'll be here!"
There was a pause, and when the dispatcher spoke again, they sounded almost surprised. "You're... willing to stay?"
I couldn't help but giggle. "Well, yeah! We're the good guys, after all. Gotta make sure these guys get picked up properly."
"That's... refreshing," the dispatcher finally said, sounding genuinely pleased. "Most new independents tend to bolt before we arrive. Thank you for your cooperation."
"Oh, it's our pleasure!" I said, flashing a grin at Taylor. "We're just doing our part to clean up this city. One Nazi at a time!"
Taylor shook her head, but I could sense her amusement even through the mask. I blew her a playful kiss before returning my attention to the call.
"So," I drawled, leaning against the alley wall, "while we're waiting for your team to arrive, got any hot gossip about the cape scene? A girl's gotta stay informed, you know!"
The dispatcher chuckled. "I'm afraid that's not really part of my job description. But I appreciate your enthusiasm."
I pouted, even though they couldn't see it. "Aw, you're no fun. Fine, keep your secrets!"
Just then, the distant wail of sirens caught my attention. I perked up, pushing off the wall. "Ooh, I think your backup's almost here!"
"Alright," the dispatcher said, their tone becoming more professional. "When the PRT officers arrive, please follow their instructions. They'll need to take your statement about the incident."
"Roger that!" I chirped. "Thanks for the chat, dispatch person! You've been a delight."
I ended the call and turned to Taylor, my playful demeanor shifting to a more serious one. "Alright, showtime. I was just having a bit of fun with dispatch, but we need to be professional now."
Before Taylor could respond, the wail of the sirens grew louder. A large van with green and white flashing lights and purple decals screeched to a halt at the alley's entrance. The back doors burst open, and four heavily armored figures poured out.
Their tactical suits were a sight to behold - all black, with multiple layers of protective gear. Bulky body armor covered their torsos, reinforced plates extending down to their upper legs. Their helmets concealed their faces entirely, and various pouches and straps adorned their suits. The acronym "PRT" was emblazoned boldly across their chests.
Two agents stepped forward, each carrying what looked like a souped-up flamethrower. Without hesitation, they aimed at Stormtiger's prone form and unleashed a torrent of rapidly hardening foam.
Once the Nazi cape was thoroughly encased, the agents turned their attention to us. I could feel Taylor tense beside me, but I kept my posture relaxed and open.
"Good evening, officers," I called out, injecting just the right amount of cheerfulness into my voice. "I'm Aletheia, and this is my partner, Arachne. We're the ones who called this in."
One of the agents, likely the squad leader, stepped forward. "We appreciate your cooperation," he said, his voice slightly muffled by his helmet. "Can you walk us through what happened here?"
I nodded, launching into a concise explanation of the night's events. As I spoke, I noticed the other agents securing the unconscious thugs.
"...and that's when we subdued Stormtiger," I finished. "Oh! And the victim they were planning to..." I trailed off, glancing up at the sky. "Well, he's actually still up there."
The squad leader's helmet tilted in confusion. "Up... where, exactly?"
I pointed skyward with a flourish. "About 300 feet up, on one of my projections. Don't worry, I'll fetch him."
Before they could protest, I vanished in a flash of crimson light. I reappeared one feet above Menhir's surface, startling the bound man.
"Sorry about the wait," I said, touching his arm. "Let's get you down to solid ground, shall we?"
Menhir, thanks for keeping an eye on him, I thought. We're heading down now.
In the blink of an eye, we teleported back to the alley, right in front of the stunned PRT agents.
"Ta-da!" I sang out, giving a little twirl. "One rescued victim, as promised!"
The squad leader's helmet tilted, and I could tell that he was exasperated by my attitude, which was good because I intended to seem as harmless as possible. My power would only increase more and more, so I hoped that by acting a bit less serious as Aletheia, people wouldn't be too scared of me.
He began to speak. "Well, Aletheia, I appreciate your... enthusiasm. Now, if we could just-"
His words were abruptly cut off by a sharp cry from one of the other agents. "Possible hostile Master! Swarm overhead!"
In an instant, the atmosphere shifted. The PRT agents they fell into what was clearly a well-rehearsed protocol. Two of them raised their confoam throwers, aiming at the sky, while another reached for his radio.
I couldn't help but admire their quick response, even as I felt a twinge of concern for how this might affect Taylor. My eyes darted to her, noting the slight stiffening of her posture beneath her costume.
The squad leader's voice cut through the tension. "Hold positions. Do not engage unless directly threatened." He turned towards us. "Aletheia, Arachne, I need you to explain the nature of this swarm immediately."
I glanced at Taylor - no, Arachne now - and gave her a subtle nod. Time for her to shine.
Arachne stepped forward, her voice calm and steady as she addressed the wary agents. "Please, remain calm. The swarm is under my complete control."
To demonstrate her point, she raised one hand. Immediately, the massive cloud of insects began to disperse, spreading out in all directions until they blended seamlessly into the night sky.
I couldn't help but grin behind my mask. My girl was just so badass.
The squad leader's posture relaxed slightly, though his voice remained cautious. "I see. And you can guarantee full control over these insects at all times?"
Arachne nodded. "Absolutely. They pose no threat to you or anyone else here unless I direct them to."
I watched as the PRT agents exchanged glances, their body language slowly shifting from high alert to a more relaxed state. The squad leader cleared his throat, clearly trying to regain control of the situation.
"Right. Thank you for that... demonstration, Arachne." He turned back to me. "Now, Aletheia, about this victim..."
I opened my mouth to respond, but suddenly froze as energy pulsed through my brain. Arachne seemed to recognize the signs, because she smoothly stepped in to take over.
"If I may," Arachne interjected. "There's something important you should know about the victim. During our surveillance, we overheard Stormtiger claiming the man was a rapist who had attacked a young white girl."
As Arachne continued to brief the PRT agents, I felt the energy pulse peak.
["Aldritch's Sapphire" - Dark Souls 3] - 50cp, 50cp remaining
"Aldrich, infamous for his appetite for flesh apparently had the desire to share with others his joy of imbibing the final shudders of life while luxuriating in his victim's screams." The counterpart of the above ring, this malformed ring revitalizes the soul a bit whenever you personally deliver a vicious, usually fatal blow to an enemy.
I felt a weight appear on my index finger beneath my thin black glove - the ring, I presumed. The pulse faded, and I breathed a quiet sigh of relief, grateful for Taylor's quick thinking.
I'd much prefer if I didn't freeze up every single damn time I received something from the Celestial Grimoire, but the pulse of energy completely disrupted my ability to do anything for those few seconds. I couldn't help it at all. Hopefully, a future power would strengthen my brain or something. Or maybe it was my soul that it affected? I had no clue.
Speaking of the soul... the ring felt pretty useless right now. I had nothing that drained my soul, but I would probably get a power that required soul energy or something similar in the future. I might as well keep it on. And I did feel that there was a major synergy involving the ring.
The Way of Life that allowed me to attack with all of my power without killing should allow me to also farm soul energy from Aldritch's Sapphire's effect if I found someone I didn't care about. They would never die no matter how viciously I attacked them, letting me revitalize my soul endlessly.
I tuned back into the conversation just as the squad leader was responding to Arachne.
The squad leader nodded, his helmet bobbing slightly. "Thank you for mentioning this, Arachne. We'll need to look into that claim."
I watched as the PRT squad leader turned his attention to the bound man, who was now being carefully examined by one of the other agents.
"Well," I said, clapping my hands together, "it seems like you fine officers have everything under control here. Is there anything else you need from us?"
The squad leader shook his head. "No, I believe we've got all we need for now. Thank you both for your assistance tonight."
I beamed at him, though he couldn't see it behind my mask. "Wonderful! Always happy to help keep our fair city safe." I turned to Arachne, giving her a playful nudge. "Ready to fly, partner?"
Arachne nodded, her posture still radiating seriousness. "Yes, let's go."
With a cheerful wave to the PRT agents, I wrapped an arm around Arachne's waist. "Goodbye, gentlemen! Don't work too hard now."
In a flash of crimson light, we vanished from the alley, reappearing atop Menhir's smooth surface high above the city. The cool night air whipped around us, carrying the faint scents of the bay and the urban sprawl below. I released my hold on Arachne's waist, taking a step back to give her some space.
My demeanor shifted, the bubbly facade I'd presented to the PRT agents melting away. "That was certainly an eventful first patrol," I said.
Arachne turned to face me, the yellow lenses of her mask gleaming in the moonlight. "It was... intense," she admitted, her voice slightly muffled. "I didn't expect to face a cape on our first night out."
I nodded, playing with my new ring. "Neither did I, but we handled it well. Your control over those insects was impressive, Arachne."
She ducked her head slightly at the compliment, and I could almost picture the blush beneath her mask. "Thanks," she murmured. "So, what now? Do we call it a night?"
I glanced at the moon - it was just past 11:30PM. We had school tomorrow, but the adrenaline from our encounter was still coursing through my veins. "Actually," I said, a slow smile spreading across my face, "I think we might as well continue patrolling for a bit longer. My power to locate people talented in crime seems to be working well. We could use this strategy to find more trouble spots."
Arachne tilted her head, considering. "Are you sure? We have school in the morning."
I waved off her concern. "We can manage. Besides, think of how much good we could do in just another hour or two." I stepped closer, lowering my voice. "Who knows? We might even stumble upon another cape."
After a moment, she nodded. "Alright," she agreed. "Two more hours, then we head home. Deal?"
"Deal," I grinned, holding out my hand. We shook on it, the gesture feeling oddly formal given our costumes and surroundings.