Amelia, Ch 109 (former 117)- Marquis
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Amelia, Ch 109 (former 117)- Marquis
I watched on of the few televisions that still worked in this place. It was the first time I'd actually have a chance to get a look at my daughter's handiwork. She had promised to fight the Endbringer. She had promised to kill them. It was hard for me to imagine the sweet little girl from so long ago being capable of such a thing, but I believed in her in a way that only a father could.
Lung stood beside me, impassively. Teacher was there as well, along with the unfortunate once known as Valefor. One of my men approached, silently. They knew not to interrupt the broadcast. He held out a cigarette. For any other block, it would have cost more. Part of the arrangement. "Valerie, go with him," Teacher instructed, and Valefor followed the man who had taken his arm.
I still wasn't quite certain how Valefor, crippled and powerless, blinded and mute, was sent here. His crimes, much like his partner Eligos, were certainly of a nature that deserved the Birdcage. The well known bias against Master type villains was also evident in the decision, as the man was entirely harmless at this point. They could store him in any ordinary prison safely enough.
Both ended up in my cell block. An act that, in retrospect, leads me to believe Dragon felt a need to guarantee the death of both. Teacher offered to purchase Valefor almost immediately after his arrival, which I of course expressed a tentative interest in. It never hurt to hear an offer, after all, and Teacher went out of his way to be fair and honest in his dealings.
Valefor wasn't of any use to me directly, but the supply shipments were divided based upon the number of inhabitants per block. Giving up the additional resources, I was rather loath to do. However, both he and Eligos both proved... uncooperative... as members of my cell block. To the point where the latter had attacked me and Lung.
We made an example of the man. A very bloody and very public example. Out of respect, I offered the beast that was my closest companion these last few months first dibs for executing the madman, but Lung declined. Seems he didn't like killing helpless victims unless it was truly personal. So it fell to me, as I had hoped it would. Court was held, and I butchered him in the most horrific way I had managed to develop over the years. Functionally taking control of his skeleton, if crudely, and forcing his bones to peal the flesh off like climbing out of a jumpsuit.
Too difficult to do in a combat situation. In fact, the prepwork took almost an hour to make it seem convincing to others that I could do it in combat, but it was the kind of psychological message that kept others from challenging my position. As with all my executions, I bequeathed his 'fairy' to Glaistig Uaine. She would have taken it anyway, and none could stop her. Offering it as a gift kept her disposition toward me kindly, and that too was a form of intimidation. Others would not risk the ire of the Fairy Queen lightly, even if her insanity made her unreliable as an ally.
Now, I regretted not keeping him alive longer.
Teacher had learned some fascinating details about Valefor, which he of course shared with me. In part because of our agreed upon conditions, and in part a way to cultivate a pleasant relationship between us. As it turns out, Valefor had an interesting history in Brockton Bay. He had attacked a new group of heroes by the name of 'Pantheon'. I had already heard of them, of course. News reached us about their slaying of the Slaughterhouse Nine, but not their civilian names.
When I first heard, I had dismissed the news as satisfying, but unimportant. Now it filled me with pride. Thanks to Valefor, I knew that Pantheon was led by my daughter. Amelia had kept her name, and was apparently a true biokinetic, with absolute control of any living thing she touched. She had achieved what her father could not, and killed Jack Slash.
Valefor's compelled honesty forced him to describe his attack on Pantheon. Controlling Khepri's adopted children and their nanny, and using them as suicide bombers. Teacher had, quite rightfully, offered to 'sell back' Valefor. At no cost but a refund of the price he had been bought for in the first place. If he was merely a murderer of women and children, I might have accepted that offer. But I wasn't feeling so merciful. I simply requested that Teacher do something 'special' for the man who had angered me like none before in this life.
Teacher's power to control his thralls is incredibly varied and customizable. He could modify their memories and feelings, not unlike Heartbreaker. Often so subtly so that no one would realize they were controlled at all. Or he could control them more mechanically. Force them to follow a specific set of behaviors, while still having full awareness. Yet no ability to exert their will. This is what I had him inflict upon Valefor, trapped in a body he could not control, but knowing and feeling everything that happened to it.
In a show that I am certain amused Lustrum to no end, he castrated himself publicly. I didn't pretend the act would earn me any personal favors from the militant feminist, but something like this was better done with approval from multiple block leaders. Her approval added legitimacy, in as much as such a thing existed here. And that was as much support as I needed from her that day.
Teacher's surgeons did their work, and Teacher himself modified his Valefor's power, making him generate an effect through touch that caused others to perceive him as an attractive woman, the exact details of which changed to suit the desires of the viewer. He now existed to service any of the men that might want to pay for the privilege. It was a satisfactory enough punishment for the man who had tried to murder my daughter. That it also served to cement peaceable relationships between a few of the more difficult cellblock leaders, and taught everyone to fear what I would do if someone truly angered me was mere side effects.
A thunderclap drew me from my thoughts of Valefor's punishment, and back to the television.
I remained impassive, watching the display, but I was impressed beyond words. No others chose to speak up, either. Teacher because we were much alike in our desire to hide our reactions. Others because they were afraid to interrupt as I watched my daughter display her power.
Nilbog was relatively fresh in the public memory when I was captured, one of the powers that caused terror across the eastern half of the United States. Amelia, and I knew it had to be her, was wielding that same kind of power, openly and without reservation. She was hailed as a hero for it. How the world must have changed for such a thing to be possible.
"We have confirmation that the strange plant, as well as the unidentified monsters, are from the Brockton Bay hero group known as Pantheon," the reporter supplied. "Led by Gaea and Khepri, the team has claimed to have developed weapons for the sole purpose of fighting Endbringers. It appears that these monsters are the weapons they spoke of."
They cut to a clip of the plant, called Yggdrasil, consuming portions of the boat graveyard.
So they cleaned that up as well, I thought. I also considered the incredible amount of skill and control it had to take Amelia to perform these feats. Clearly, she had a team with her. Someone to teleport these beasts onto the field, at the very least. If Valefor's information was correct- and it might not be, all I could know is what he believed was true- then her partner as the leader of Pantheon could control bugs. Did that mean she was also able to control these gigantic buglike monsters? An amazing power synergy.
Big sister? I thought. I doubted a real biological relationship. Did the Dallons have another child? No, both of them were clearly very Caucasian. E88 ideal Caucasian, no less. Perhaps they got divorced and this was the product of a new spouse? I had no way of knowing from in here.
In their effort to fill in time before Behemoth's arrival, the news chose to display a few other scenes showing the girls, always together whether in costume and out. Including a few truly heartwarming shots of them sitting together under a tree at school. I recognized my daughter instantly. She had grown up beautifully, a fine blending of my features and her mother's. She also, I noted with a smile, inherited her father's taste in women.
I held my breath. This was it, I realized. The Endbringers play for keeps. If my little Amelia is half as powerful as she claims to be, then it truly is a matter of having to kill the monster. No matter what, by the end of this, either my daughter would be dead, or she'll have slain the herokiller.
Then the monster turned and dived into the ground.
He fled. Behemoth had run away.
===============
A/N- And there you have it. A day in the life of Marquis. Proud papa, Cellblock leader, classy villain, and sadistic son of a bitch when you press the 'protective father' button.
I watched on of the few televisions that still worked in this place. It was the first time I'd actually have a chance to get a look at my daughter's handiwork. She had promised to fight the Endbringer. She had promised to kill them. It was hard for me to imagine the sweet little girl from so long ago being capable of such a thing, but I believed in her in a way that only a father could.
"Thanks to the early warning system developed by the esteemed tinker Dragon, New Delhi has been almost completely evacuated. Cameras have been set up to catch what is hopefully the most complete footage of an Endbringer battle on record. Behemoth is often called the 'hero killer'. Parahuman casualties against Behemoth are, statistically, much greater than the conflicts with either of the other Endbringers, despite Leviathan and Simurgh often having greater overall casualties and other losses."
Lung stood beside me, impassively. Teacher was there as well, along with the unfortunate once known as Valefor. One of my men approached, silently. They knew not to interrupt the broadcast. He held out a cigarette. For any other block, it would have cost more. Part of the arrangement. "Valerie, go with him," Teacher instructed, and Valefor followed the man who had taken his arm.
The cameras weren't manned, so they switched between cameras to get better views, instead of adjusting camera angles. It was also clear none of the news footage was filmed for an English speaking audience, as all words and notations were in Hindi. The next scene displayed a view of the gathering first wave of capes. The Triumvirate was highly visible in the skies of New Delhi, ready to hold the line against the beast. A handful of Indian capes, in garishly flashy colors even compared to the Protectorate heroes they were mixed with, gathered together in clusters.
I still wasn't quite certain how Valefor, crippled and powerless, blinded and mute, was sent here. His crimes, much like his partner Eligos, were certainly of a nature that deserved the Birdcage. The well known bias against Master type villains was also evident in the decision, as the man was entirely harmless at this point. They could store him in any ordinary prison safely enough.
Both ended up in my cell block. An act that, in retrospect, leads me to believe Dragon felt a need to guarantee the death of both. Teacher offered to purchase Valefor almost immediately after his arrival, which I of course expressed a tentative interest in. It never hurt to hear an offer, after all, and Teacher went out of his way to be fair and honest in his dealings.
Valefor wasn't of any use to me directly, but the supply shipments were divided based upon the number of inhabitants per block. Giving up the additional resources, I was rather loath to do. However, both he and Eligos both proved... uncooperative... as members of my cell block. To the point where the latter had attacked me and Lung.
We made an example of the man. A very bloody and very public example. Out of respect, I offered the beast that was my closest companion these last few months first dibs for executing the madman, but Lung declined. Seems he didn't like killing helpless victims unless it was truly personal. So it fell to me, as I had hoped it would. Court was held, and I butchered him in the most horrific way I had managed to develop over the years. Functionally taking control of his skeleton, if crudely, and forcing his bones to peal the flesh off like climbing out of a jumpsuit.
Too difficult to do in a combat situation. In fact, the prepwork took almost an hour to make it seem convincing to others that I could do it in combat, but it was the kind of psychological message that kept others from challenging my position. As with all my executions, I bequeathed his 'fairy' to Glaistig Uaine. She would have taken it anyway, and none could stop her. Offering it as a gift kept her disposition toward me kindly, and that too was a form of intimidation. Others would not risk the ire of the Fairy Queen lightly, even if her insanity made her unreliable as an ally.
Now, I regretted not keeping him alive longer.
Teacher had learned some fascinating details about Valefor, which he of course shared with me. In part because of our agreed upon conditions, and in part a way to cultivate a pleasant relationship between us. As it turns out, Valefor had an interesting history in Brockton Bay. He had attacked a new group of heroes by the name of 'Pantheon'. I had already heard of them, of course. News reached us about their slaying of the Slaughterhouse Nine, but not their civilian names.
When I first heard, I had dismissed the news as satisfying, but unimportant. Now it filled me with pride. Thanks to Valefor, I knew that Pantheon was led by my daughter. Amelia had kept her name, and was apparently a true biokinetic, with absolute control of any living thing she touched. She had achieved what her father could not, and killed Jack Slash.
Valefor's compelled honesty forced him to describe his attack on Pantheon. Controlling Khepri's adopted children and their nanny, and using them as suicide bombers. Teacher had, quite rightfully, offered to 'sell back' Valefor. At no cost but a refund of the price he had been bought for in the first place. If he was merely a murderer of women and children, I might have accepted that offer. But I wasn't feeling so merciful. I simply requested that Teacher do something 'special' for the man who had angered me like none before in this life.
Teacher's power to control his thralls is incredibly varied and customizable. He could modify their memories and feelings, not unlike Heartbreaker. Often so subtly so that no one would realize they were controlled at all. Or he could control them more mechanically. Force them to follow a specific set of behaviors, while still having full awareness. Yet no ability to exert their will. This is what I had him inflict upon Valefor, trapped in a body he could not control, but knowing and feeling everything that happened to it.
In a show that I am certain amused Lustrum to no end, he castrated himself publicly. I didn't pretend the act would earn me any personal favors from the militant feminist, but something like this was better done with approval from multiple block leaders. Her approval added legitimacy, in as much as such a thing existed here. And that was as much support as I needed from her that day.
Teacher's surgeons did their work, and Teacher himself modified his Valefor's power, making him generate an effect through touch that caused others to perceive him as an attractive woman, the exact details of which changed to suit the desires of the viewer. He now existed to service any of the men that might want to pay for the privilege. It was a satisfactory enough punishment for the man who had tried to murder my daughter. That it also served to cement peaceable relationships between a few of the more difficult cellblock leaders, and taught everyone to fear what I would do if someone truly angered me was mere side effects.
A thunderclap drew me from my thoughts of Valefor's punishment, and back to the television.
A huge monster appeared in front of the assembled capes. It was clearly armor plated and had four thick, powerful legs. As well as a pair of equally thick arms, with wickedly curved talons extending from several joints on its body. Several more of the beasts popped into existence.
"In a startling new development, several creatures are appearing on the battlefield. Our crews are looking for better footage of them. The mysterious new arrivals don't appear hostile. They are positioning themselves ahead of the defenders. Information from local crews indicate that these monsters are controlled by heroes and meant to contribute to the fight."
I remained impassive, watching the display, but I was impressed beyond words. No others chose to speak up, either. Teacher because we were much alike in our desire to hide our reactions. Others because they were afraid to interrupt as I watched my daughter display her power.
Nilbog was relatively fresh in the public memory when I was captured, one of the powers that caused terror across the eastern half of the United States. Amelia, and I knew it had to be her, was wielding that same kind of power, openly and without reservation. She was hailed as a hero for it. How the world must have changed for such a thing to be possible.
Dozens of other, horse sized catlike beasts with six legs and fanlike wings started appearing across the field as well. Some capes climbed on their backs. And yet another type appeared in the air. They looked like nothing so much as horse sized mixtures between a dragonfly and a hornet. "It seems this organization wanted to make a strong show-" the reporter woman paused. "There's yet another development."
The camera swapped to an image of a large hospital building, if the large blue 'plus sign' above the entrance was any indication. A large mass of blue green vines were growing their way down the sides of the building at speeds that gave the impression of a banner being unfurled. It rapidly and completely shielded the building. Several people were on the roof, too far away to be identified visually. A dome rose up out of the mass and covered the roof, protecting those inside.
"We have confirmation that the strange plant, as well as the unidentified monsters, are from the Brockton Bay hero group known as Pantheon," the reporter supplied. "Led by Gaea and Khepri, the team has claimed to have developed weapons for the sole purpose of fighting Endbringers. It appears that these monsters are the weapons they spoke of."
They cut to a clip of the plant, called Yggdrasil, consuming portions of the boat graveyard.
So they cleaned that up as well, I thought. I also considered the incredible amount of skill and control it had to take Amelia to perform these feats. Clearly, she had a team with her. Someone to teleport these beasts onto the field, at the very least. If Valefor's information was correct- and it might not be, all I could know is what he believed was true- then her partner as the leader of Pantheon could control bugs. Did that mean she was also able to control these gigantic buglike monsters? An amazing power synergy.
"The group has made bold claims as to their ability to fight and kill the Endbringers," the reporter continued. "Gaea and Khepri vowing to postpone their future marriage until after the death of the monsters that have terrorized the world for decades."
The video footage switched to an obviously old recording of a young hispanic teenager.
"That's what my big sister said," the girl explained. "They won't get married while cities were still being destroyed every three months. So the Endbringers have to go. And then they can get married and have lots of babies and I'll be the cool auntie that they all love the most."
"That's what my big sister said," the girl explained. "They won't get married while cities were still being destroyed every three months. So the Endbringers have to go. And then they can get married and have lots of babies and I'll be the cool auntie that they all love the most."
Big sister? I thought. I doubted a real biological relationship. Did the Dallons have another child? No, both of them were clearly very Caucasian. E88 ideal Caucasian, no less. Perhaps they got divorced and this was the product of a new spouse? I had no way of knowing from in here.
In their effort to fill in time before Behemoth's arrival, the news chose to display a few other scenes showing the girls, always together whether in costume and out. Including a few truly heartwarming shots of them sitting together under a tree at school. I recognized my daughter instantly. She had grown up beautifully, a fine blending of my features and her mother's. She also, I noted with a smile, inherited her father's taste in women.
"We have just received word!" the reporter woman spoke excitedly. "Behemoth has been sighted." The scene shifted back to New Delhi, showing the ground splitting and smoke billowing into the air. The massive face of the Endbringer showing itself before the heroes.
I held my breath. This was it, I realized. The Endbringers play for keeps. If my little Amelia is half as powerful as she claims to be, then it truly is a matter of having to kill the monster. No matter what, by the end of this, either my daughter would be dead, or she'll have slain the herokiller.
Then the monster turned and dived into the ground.
He fled. Behemoth had run away.
===============
A/N- And there you have it. A day in the life of Marquis. Proud papa, Cellblock leader, classy villain, and sadistic son of a bitch when you press the 'protective father' button.
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