My tongue lazily explored Taylor's folds as she ran her fingers through my hair. The gentle caress and her soft sighs of pleasure had me feeling utterly content. But then I sensed something rapidly approaching us from far below. My Space Time Distortion Sense tingled, alerting me to an incoming parahuman.
I was about to pull away when a sudden pulse of energy shot through my brain, freezing me in place.
[Magical Fruit - Thailand Mythology and Folklore] – 100cp, 50cp remaining
Some of the fruit in this world is quite magical. This one in particular, large, yellow, and juicy, extends the lifespan of those who eat it by a few years, and refine their appearance to a small but noticeable degree. You get a box with a few dozen of these fruits, but sadly, there's only so much fruit to eat for increasing your lifespan and beauty. Fortunately, it has seeds you can plant and maintain. Unfortunately, the tree for this fruit takes a thousand years to produce ripe fruit that carries any magical benefit. You do get another box of a few dozen every time you travel to a new Reality, though, so at least you have a somewhat replenishing supply.
Shaking off the momentary daze, I tried to ignore the box of fruits that had appeared out of thin air beside us. I pushed my head back, attempting to warn Taylor, but she tightened her grip on my hair and ground her pussy against my face.
"Mmph!" I tried to speak, but my words were muffled against her slick folds.
I forced myself away and teleported to our discarded clothes. Snatching them up, I reappeared next to a now-irritated Taylor.
"Someone's coming," I hissed urgently. "Quick, put these on!"
I waved my hand, expending a small portion of magicka to make my costume appear on my body. But I knew that we were too late.
Glory Girl soared up from below, coming to an abrupt halt as she took in the scene before her. Her jaw dropped at what she saw.
Taylor had only managed to pull on her mask, her legs still spread wide as I knelt between them. I tried to help her cover up, but the damage was already done.
"Oh. My. God." Glory Girl's voice was filled with shock. She covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide as she took in the scene before her.
I felt my face burning beneath my mask. "This... isn't what it looks like?" I offered weakly.
Glory Girl snorted, crossing her arms. "Really? Because it looks like I just interrupted something pretty steamy between both of you."
Taylor made a strangled noise, frantically trying to cover herself with her hands. I stood up, positioning myself between her and Glory Girl's amused gaze.
"Look," I said, trying to sound authoritative despite my embarrassment, "can you give us a minute to get dressed? Then we can talk about... whatever it is you came here for."
Glory Girl was clearly fighting back laughter at this point. "Sure, sure. I'll just... float over there for a bit." She drifted a short distance away, pointedly turning her back to us.
I turned to Taylor, who looked like she wanted Menhir to somehow swallow her whole. "You okay?" I asked softly, helping her into her costume.
Taylor nodded stiffly. Her hands trembled as she messed up with the fastenings of her costume. I gently batted her fingers away, securing the costume for her.
"Deep breaths," I whispered, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "It's not the end of the world. We'll just... play it cool."
Taylor let out a shaky laugh. "Cool? Lar- Aletheia, we just got caught with our pants down - literally - by Glory Girl. How are we supposed to play that cool?"
I winced. She had a point. Still, I put on my best confident smile. "We're heroes, remember? We've faced down Nazis and giant mutant dogs so far. We can handle one nosy flying girl."
That at least got a weak chuckle out of Arachne. Once we were both fully dressed, I called out, "Okay, Glory Girl. You can turn around now."
The blonde heroine spun to face us, an amused smirk still playing on her lips. "So," she drawled, floating closer, "you two seem... close."
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my cool despite the awkward situation. "Yeah, we're partners," I said, aiming for casual but probably missing by a mile. "In more ways than one, I guess."
Glory Girl's eyebrows shot up, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "No way! You two are..." She made a vague gesture with her hands, floating a bit closer. "So, like, are you official? Or is this more of a 'cape partners with benefits' situation?"
I felt Arachne stiffen beside me at the last statement. "Wow, you don't pull any punches, do you?" I chuckled, trying to keep things light. "But yeah, we're together. Like, actually together-together."
Glory Girl's eyes widened slightly. "Really? That's... kinda awesome, actually." She glanced between us, her grin softening. "Must be nice, having someone who really gets the whole cape thing, you know? I know most capes don't get that."
I nodded, feeling Arachne relax slightly against me. "It is," I agreed. "Wouldn't trade it for anything. Sorry about the awkward first impression though. We weren't exactly expecting company up here."
Glory Girl waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. I've seen worse." She paused, tilting her head. "Though maybe next time, pick a more private spot? You never know who might fly by."
I couldn't help but laugh at that. "Noted. We'll be more careful in the future."
Eager to change the subject, I suggested, "Hey, why don't we do something more productive? How about joining us for a patrol?"
Glory Girl's eyes lit up. "Really? You'd be cool with that?"
I nodded, feeling more confident now. "Sure, why not? We could use the company, and it'd be good to work with other heroes." I grinned, unable to resist bragging a little. "Plus, we just took down one of the Undersiders about an hour ago, working with Triumph. Delivered the guy right to PHQ."
"No way!" Glory Girl exclaimed, looking impressed. "Which one?"
"Regent," Arachne spoke up for the first time since Glory Girl arrived. "We caught him off-guard during a robbery."
I squeezed Arachne's waist gently. "Before we head out, I need to make a quick stop. Won't take more than a minute."
Glory Girl nodded. "Sure, no problem."
I focused on one of my ghostly butterflies hovering over the Boat Graveyard. Through its eyes, I spotted a suitable location and teleported in a flash of crimson light.
Landing on the roof of a crumbling warehouse, I quickly found a roof hatch. Pulling out the golden key from my belt pouch, I unlocked it, revealing the portal to the Smithy's pocket dimension.
I set down the box of magical fruits, thinking for a moment. While tempting, I didn't feel an overwhelming urge to indulge. My looks were already top-notch, and I was confident I'd find other ways to extend my lifespan in the future.
Still, I figured I should at least try one of the fruits firsthand to confirm the effects. But my real plan was to give most of them to Taylor. Her face was above average, but I knew she held deep insecurities about her appearance. She disliked her facial features and was self-conscious about her small breasts and lacking curves. I was perfectly fine with how she looked since I valued her for her personality over superficial traits, but these magical fruits could provide Taylor with a much-needed confidence boost.
Shaking off those thoughts for now, I stepped out of the pocket dimension and pocketed the golden key. Peering through one of my ghostly butterfly's eyes, I focused on the sky above Menhir. In two quick crimson flashes, I teleported back beside Arachne, wrapping an arm around her waist. The moment I reappeared, Glory Girl's voice hit my ears mid-sentence. "...so, how long have you two been together?"
I blinked, taken aback by the personal question. Glancing at Arachne, I noticed she was standing unnaturally still, probably offloading her emotions into her swarm. Glory Girl seemed oblivious, continuing on with a nervous chuckle.
"Aletheia, uh, is your girlfriend okay? She's being really quiet..."
Frowning slightly, I reached out mentally. Menhir, what's going on?
The flying one has been asking many questions about your relationship with Arachne, child. Your partner seems... uncomfortable.
Ah, that explained Arachne's stiff posture. I sighed and gave her waist a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Hey, Glory Girl? Could you maybe ease up on the personal stuff? Arachne's a bit shy around new people."
Glory Girl's eyes widened slightly. "Oh crap, my bad. Didn't mean to make things awkward."
Arachne shifted slightly, mumbling, " I... um... it's fine."
"Don't worry about it," I added, giving Glory Girl a reassuring nod. "Anyway, how about we get this patrol started? I can teleport us wherever I can see, so we can cover a lot of ground pretty quickly." I paused, a thought occurring to me. "You okay with being teleported?"
Glory Girl shrugged nonchalantly. "Sure, as long as you don't accidentally leave part of me behind or something."
I laughed at her morbid joke. "Don't worry, I've got a good handle on this power. Just hang on tight."
Keeping one arm wrapped securely around Arachne's waist, I gripped Glory Girl's forearm with my free hand. Crimson light flashed, and in an instant, we reappeared atop one of the floating Menhirs positioned over Downtown.
Glory Girl stumbled slightly at the abrupt relocation, but quickly regained her balance. She peered over the side, taking in the sprawl of city streets below us. "Man, that's intense."
"You get used to it," I said with a grin. "So, what do you think? Good location to start our patrol?"
Glory Girl nodded, her expression turning more serious. "For sure. Let's do a quick sweep, see if anything jumps out."
She lifted easily into the air, hovering a few feet off Menhir's broad surface as her eyes scanned the city streets methodically. I turned to Arachne, our masked faces mere inches apart.
"You okay?" I whispered, keeping my voice low. "I know Glory Girl put you on the spot earlier."
Arachne shifted uncomfortably. "Um... I'm fine. Just... a little embarrassed, I guess."
I chuckled softly. "Yeah, that wasn't exactly how I pictured meeting Glory Girl."
Though I couldn't see her face, Arachne's head tilted in a way that suggested amusement. Her voice carried a hint of a smile as she replied, "You and your surprises."
Pulling her close, I nuzzled the side of her mask affectionately. "I'll make it up to you later," I promised in a sultry murmur. "Maybe with some special shapeshifting?"
Arachne shivered slightly against me. Before she could respond, Glory Girl's voice cut through the air. "Hey lovebirds! I think I see something happening over on Thatcher."
I reluctantly released Arachne and turned to the blonde heroine, who was pointing towards one of the side streets downtown. "What is it?"
"Not sure," Glory Girl admitted with a frown. "But it looks like there's a small crowd gathering. Could be a cape thing, or just someone causing trouble."
Nodding, I quickly scanned the area through a ghostly butterflies' eyes. Sure enough, I saw a handful of panicked civilians near the street Glory Girl had indicated.
"Good eye," I told her. "Let's check it out. You can fly ahead if you want, we'll catch up in a sec."
Glory Girl flashed me a thumbs up before shooting off in a burst of speed. I grabbed Arachne and teleported us to a nearby rooftop overlooking the street in question. A few quick hops brought us to the edge, where we could observe the situation unfolding below.
An older woman cowered on the sidewalk, her purse gripped tightly to her chest as a young man loomed over her. He was waving something small and metallic in her face - probably a knife or gun.
"Mugging," I said. "We should-"
I was cut off as Glory Girl came streaking down from above, slamming into the would-be mugger. He went flying backwards, sprawling across the pavement in a daze as the woman's purse sailed from his grip.
"She's not messing around," I commented. "Arachne, can you have your little friends keep an eye out? Make sure there aren't any guns pointed our way."
Arachne nodded. Thousands upon thousands of insects poured out from all directions, spreading through the nearby alleys and side streets in an ever-expanding cloud.
Let me know if you sense any other potential threats in the area, I told Menhir. I'm gonna go back up Glory Girl for now.
We will keep watch, child. Be cautious.
With a brief nod to Arachne, I teleported down to street level in a crimson flash. Glory Girl stood over the groaning mugger, hands on her hips as she glared down at him.
"Nice work," I commented, giving her an approving nod as I approached. "That was quick."
Glory Girl grinned at me. "That'll teach this loser to steal. I'll call the police to arrest him."
I nodded and my gaze drifted over to the woman who had been the victim. She was clutching her purse with a white-knuckle grip as she stared between Glory Girl and me. A small crowd had begun to gather on the sidewalk, murmuring and pointing their phones our way.
As I watched the onlookers, movement in my peripheral vision caught my attention. One of the bystanders suddenly broke into a panicked sprint, shoving his way through the crowd and fleeing down the road and then into a far-off side alley.
"Hey!" I barked, my free hand dropping to the hilt of my machete. "You there, stop!"
The man didn't slow, disappearing around the corner of the alley. Gritting my teeth, I cast about with my senses, searching for a ghostly butterfly capable of looking into the alley. Finding one, I focused and-
Teleporting through the butterfly's eyes, I reappeared inside of the alley - directly in front of the fleeing man.
He skidded to an abrupt halt, eyes going wide with fear as I leveled the machete at his chest. "Stop right there," I ordered. "Why are you running? Is that mugger your friend or something?"
The man swallowed hard, eyeing the blade inches from his sternum. "N-No! No, I swear, I don't know that guy! I was just-"
I cut him off with a dismissive wave of my free hand. "Then why run?" I demanded, taking a step forward. The man was forced to walk backwards until his back hit the alley wall. I advanced on him, using my body language to reinforce an aura of dominance. "If you've done nothing wrong, you've got no reason to be afraid of us."
The man's eyes darted side to side, weighing his options. Suddenly, he bolted, trying to shove past me and escape down the alley.
"Oh no you don't!" I growled, slashing out with my machete. The Way of Life was already active, modifying my attack to be non-lethal. The blade connected with his arm, and he let out a cry of pain. But instead of dropping, his eyes went bloodshot, filled with a manic desperation.
He charged forward, slamming into me with surprising force. My back hit the alley wall hard, knocking the wind out of me. Before I could recover, his hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of my hair and smashing my face against the rough brick.
Stars exploded across my vision as pain lanced through my skull. I tasted blood in my mouth, my legs wobbling as I fought to stay conscious. The man's breath was hot on my ear as he snarled, "You shouldn't have done that!"
His fist drove into my kidney, and I wheezed, struggling to draw air into my lungs. Dark spots danced at the edges of my vision. I needed to do something, fast, or this was going to get really ugly.
The machete I'd struck him with earlier lay on the ground nearby. The man's eyes locked onto it, a crazed look entering his gaze. He scooped it up, seeming to move in slow motion as the world spun around me.
With a guttural yell, he raised the blade high over his head, clearly intending to bring it crashing down on me. His pupils were dilated, eyes bloodshot and twitching - he was strung out on something, not in his right mind at all.
The world spun as I tried to focus. Everything seemed off-kilter, like I was seeing double. I attempted to peer through a ghostly butterfly's eyes, but the image was all wrong - warped and twisted, as if I was looking through a funhouse mirror. My concussed brain couldn't make sense of it.
The man suddenly let out a startled yelp. Insects swarmed across his face, diving for his eyes and mouth. He released the machete, frantically swatting at the bugs.
I slumped to the ground, vision swimming as I watched what was happening in a daze. The man's screams grew more frantic as more and more insects poured in, covering every inch of his body. They crawled into his nose, his ears, his mouth...
Menhir, I thought hazily, come to me.
The world faded to black.
I gasped, jerking awake as Arachne forced the bottle of Lon Lon Milk between my lips. The healing liquid flowed down my throat, clearing the fog from my mind. As my vision sharpened, I froze.
"Holy shit," I breathed, staring at the half-consumed corpse sprawled in front of me. Chunks of flesh were missing, bones exposed where insects had stripped the body clean. I tore my gaze away, noticing Menhir blocking the alley entrance. "Taylor, what... why did you kill him?"
Arachne's fists clenched at her sides, her voice tight with fury. "He hurt you. Nobody gets to touch you like that."
My heart swelled at her protectiveness, even as my stomach churned at the gruesome sight. "I... I'm touched, but… we need to get rid of the body," I said, forcing myself to think practically.
I focused on one of my ghostly butterflies soaring over the Atlantic. Grasping Taylor's arm with one hand, I reached out to touch the corpse with the other. "We'll be right back," I promised.
In a flash of crimson, we appeared high above the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The body plummeted from my hand, and another teleport brought us back to the alley before it even hit the water.
That was when Glory Girl swooped down, easily bypassing the towering form of Menhir blocking the entrance. Her eyes narrowed as she took in the scene before her.
"What's going on?" she demanded, gaze flickering between Taylor and me with suspicion. "I heard screaming."
I shared a quick glance with Arachne before plastering on what I hoped was a reassuring smile.
"Just a would-be mugger," I lied smoothly. "He got away, but we're fine. Right, Arachne?"
Taylor gave a stiff nod of confirmation beside me. But Glory Girl's expression only darkened further as her eyes drifted past us. I felt my stomach drop as I followed her horrified gaze.
Bits of flesh and discarded chunks of meat littered the filthy alley floor behind us. Bloodstains painted the bricks in gruesome streaks and splatters. My heart pounded in my ears as Glory Girl's eyes widened in revulsion.
"Oh my god..." she breathed, one hand rising to cover her mouth. "What did you do?"
Before I could even try to respond, I flinched hard as an overwhelming surge of emotions bombarded me.
Terror, disgust, hatred - all directed squarely at me. I gasped, stumbling back a step as my knees threatened to buckle. Glory Girl seemed to radiate an aura of pure menace, every aspect of her suddenly twisted into something dark and terrifying.
"You..." she snarled, taking a step forward. Her voice dripped with disgust. "What have you done?"
To my surprise, Taylor didn't react at all to Glory Girl's menacing approach. She simply stood there, body perfectly still, unflinching beneath that hateful glare.
"It's none of your business," she stated flatly.
Glory Girl recoiled slightly, clearly taken aback by Taylor's lack of fear. But her shock quickly transformed into fury.
She launched herself forward, one fist cocked back to strike. I wanted to move, to teleport us away or defend Taylor somehow. But the terror gripping me was overwhelming, an iron weight pinning me in place.
Just as Glory Girl's fist was about to connect with Taylor's unmoving form, I managed to shake off enough of the dread to act. My hand closed around Taylor's wrist in a vice-grip.
Crimson light flashed, and we reappeared high atop one of Menhir's bodies, far above the city streets. I immediately collapsed to my hands and knees, gasping for air as Glory Girl's aura finally released its hold over me. My whole body trembled with lingering terror.
I looked over at Taylor, only to find her curled into a tight ball on the stone, shoulders shaking with quiet sobs. The sight of her breaking down, of the strongest person I knew coming undone, was like a physical blow to my chest.
Taylor...
I crawled over to her, wrapping my arms around her shuddering form and pulling her tight against me. She turned, burying her face in the crook of my neck as she cried.
With another burst of crimson energy, I teleported us again, this time appearing high above the Atlantic ocean.
Taylor's sobs only grew louder as we drifted through the empty sky on Menhir. She clung to me desperately, her tears soaking the collar of my coat.
"I... I killed him..." she choked out between ragged gasps. "Oh god, Lara, what did I do?"
I stroked her hair gently, rocking her in my arms as I struggled to find the right words. Reassurance felt hollow - what she had done was brutal, unforgivable even if it had been to save me. And yet, I couldn't bring myself to condemn her actions. Not when I knew she had taken that life to protect mine. If anything, I felt guilty for allowing the situation to escalate to that point, for not being able to protect her from having to take such an extreme measure.
So instead of empty platitudes, I simply held Taylor tighter and pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. "It's okay," I murmured against her dark curls. "I'm here. I've got you."
For several long moments, the only sounds were the rush of wind and Taylor's muffled sobs. Glory Girl had seen the aftermath, the gruesome evidence of Taylor's actions. There was no way she would stay silent about this.
"Shit," I muttered, more to myself than Taylor. "Glory Girl's definitely gonna blab to the PRT about this. Fuck."
Taylor's grip on me tightened. "Oh god," she choked out. "They'll come after us, won't they? We'll be labeled villains."
I grimaced. She wasn't wrong. The Protectorate probably wouldn't take kindly to a couple of new capes brutally murdering someone, even if it was in self-defense. And with Glory Girl as a witness? We were screwed.
"Maybe... maybe we could explain?" I said, not really believing it myself. "Tell them it was self-defense?"
Taylor let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, right. 'Sorry we turned that guy into bug chow, he started it!' I'm sure that'll go over great."
I couldn't help but snort at her dark humor. At least she was calming down a bit. "Fair point. Guess we're not joining the Wards anytime soon, huh?"
Taylor stiffened in my arms. "Oh fuck, Dad," she whispered. "What's he gonna think? We can't go home, Lara. What if they come for us there?"
I hadn't even thought about Danny. Shit. This was getting more complicated by the second.
"We'll figure something out," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "Maybe we could leave town for a bit? Let things cool down?"
Taylor pulled back slightly, looking up at me. Even with her mask on, I could tell her eyes were red and puffy from crying. "You'd... you'd do that? Leave everything behind?"
I cupped her face gently. "Of course I would. You're more important to me than anything else."
Taylor's shoulders slumped. "How can you say that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "After what I did? I... I killed someone, Lara. I'm a murderer."
I felt my heart break at the pain in her voice. "Hey, look at me," I said softly, tilting her chin up. "You did it to protect me. That doesn't make it right, but... I still love you, Taylor. Nothing's gonna change that."
Taylor's breath hitched. "You... you still love me? Even after...?"
I leaned in, pressing my forehead against hers. "Always," I murmured. "No matter what."
Taylor let out a shaky breath at that, some of the tension leaving her body.
I held her close, feeling her trembling subside as we drifted through the endless blue sky. Part of me knew we could actually go to the PRT and confess. They'd probably put us in the Wards, give us a slap on the wrist, and call it a day. But the thought of constant power testing and oversight made my skin crawl. Not with the kind of abilities I could potentially access. Plus, I knew Taylor would rather eat glass than join the Wards after everything that had happened with Shadow Stalker.
So I kept my mouth shut about that option. I was about to say something when a sudden pulse of energy shot through my brain, freezing me in place.
[Imposing Declaration of Title - Asura's Wrath] – Free, 150cp remaining
Whenever you do something dramatic or just something really badass, perception of you changes for a split-second. Observers see the title or high-concept description of your current state or action as awesome block characters superimposed on their vision. This applies to named attacks/combat maneuvers, legendary weapons, companions and so on.
Before I could even process that, another surge hit me.
[Agni Gandiva - Fate/Legends - Nirvana Yuga] – 100cp, 150cp remaining
A gift from the God of Fire, this ornate bow forbids the hands of any human but it's chosen wielder to lift it or draw back it's string. Taking the same form as the favoured weapon of Arjuna himself, the bow will grant great force to any arrow loosed through it and is capable of wreathing these shots in heavenly flames. A mortal man could shoot through thick castle walls and unleash fireballs that melt down dozens of men at the target point but it will only give greater results when wielded by one with already great strength or abilities relating to fire. Arrows will form at the side of the bow if none are given by the holder, pure fire solidifying into an arrow for your use.
I blinked, shaking off the daze, and found an ornate white bow had appeared beside Taylor and me atop Menhir. Gingerly, I reached out to trace my fingers along its smooth, polished surface.
This was incredible. My first true offensive capability beyond decoys and teleportation. Something I could wield without needing to resort to my Grimm transformation that was way too big for normal situations.
"Taylor," I murmured, keeping my voice low. She stirred in my arms, lifting her head to meet my gaze through her mask's lenses.
"We need to figure out what we're going to do next," I said quietly. "Maybe we could hide out in my pocket dimension for a while." I gestured to golden key in my pouch. "It's got plenty of space, and the Smithy can provide basic amenities if we can pay him Rupees somehow."
I hesitated, grimacing slightly. "But...we'd need to figure out how to get food and water for you. Lon Lon Milk helps, but it's not a permanent solution."
Taylor nodded slowly, seeming to consider my words. "And what about after?" she asked quietly. "Do we just... never go back? Leave everything behind?"
I let out a soft sigh, gently stroking her hair. "That's up to you, Tay. I know you've got unfinished business here in the Bay. If you want to stay and deal with the gangs, I'm with you one hundred percent."
She was quiet for a long moment. When she finally spoke, her voice was thick with barely restrained emotion. "I want to clean this city up first. Get rid of the Empire, the ABB, Coil's mercenaries...all of them." Taylor's fists clenched at her sides. "They've tormented the innocent for too long."
After a pause, Taylor asked softly, "Could we...pay a visit to my dad first? Just to let him know we're okay?"
I nodded, cradling her close. "Of course we can. I don't want him worrying about you."