Amelia, Worm AU [Complete]

[Sir Rabby]

It's going to take one hell of a brute to actually be able to put her down, though. She's got a grab bag of powers that give her a mid to high end rating on just about everything except Tinker.

I also think that that there's something of a significant shift in regards to the unwritten rules. The majority of Pantheon's members are out, and Pantheon has the better PR machine... Now, I'm not saying that the unwritten rules are going to be completely thrown out the window, but I do think that the public perception is going to shift accordingly.

We've already seen it in action in these last chapters. Both Chevalier and his director don't really bat an eye at Victoria's casual dismissal of the status quo.

Click to shrink...

The Brute thing was a heat of the moment exclamation. With a few more minutes of stewing I have decided I'd prefer a sufficiently powerful Stranger to shiv her periodically. She'll heal but hopefully be on near constant edge for a while.

Does it show how much this is getting under my skin? Amazing fic

 

[TanaNari]

I suggest you go back to chapters 128 and 129. Pantheon went balls to the wall with that one. They took villains in their apartments. In their bedrooms. Broke the backs of entire criminal organizations. Ended crime in a city (temporarily).

To quote Amelia, herself:

The message would be sent. The old ways are no longer an option.

Click to shrink...

So, y'know, Vicky's just following company policy, a policy borrowed from New Wave. Which is that capes get no different treatment than mundanes.

As it's perfectly legal to capture a convicted felon escapee from prison while they're in the shower. That's exactly what Victoria did.

 

[dasstan]

The Brute thing was a heat of the moment exclamation. With a few more minutes of stewing I have decided I'd prefer a sufficiently powerful Stranger to shiv her periodically. She'll heal but hopefully be on near constant edge for a while.

Click to shrink...

That'd probably work, too. Except strangers that get around combat precognition are pretty rare, too. Vicky's kind of won the superpower lottery, and to top it all off, she has a supersuit that makes her even better. And then a team of people in supersuits of their own. A Stranger that goes around repeatedly attacking the sister of Pantheon's leader is only going to be a problem until they get around to dealing with it.

Does it show how much this is getting under my skin?

Click to shrink...

People don't like change. I'm sure your attitude is reflected within parts of the cape community. On the villain side, they don't want to lose their shield, and on the hero side... Well, if villains are losing their shield, the heroes are going to get hit at home, too. But in a battle of escalation, the side that has Taylor wins.

... Damn it, Tana! Stop doing that.

 

[Sir Rabby]

I suggest you go back to chapters 128 and 129. Pantheon went balls to the wall with that one. They took villains in their apartments. In their bedrooms. Broke the backs of entire criminal organizations.

To quote Amelia, herself:




So, y'know, Vicky's just following company policy, a policy borrowed from New Wave. Which is that capes get no different treatment than mundanes.

As it's perfectly legal to capture a convicted felon escapee from prison, that's exactly what Victoria did.

Click to shrink...

Alright.

Of course this won't backfire because of the overwhelming threat Pantheon presents. They're quite likely...entirely unstoppable. How fortunate that triggers don't leave people with conflict seeking behavior and/or don't mess them up in other ways. =P

Did I miss a reference to a rash of hero killings by villains that don't give a shit anymore?

 

[kenhikaru]

I suggest you go back to chapters 128 and 129. Pantheon went balls to the wall with that one. They took villains in their apartments. In their bedrooms. Broke the backs of entire criminal organizations.

To quote Amelia, herself:




So, y'know, Vicky's just following company policy, a policy borrowed from New Wave. Which is that capes get no different treatment than mundanes.

As it's perfectly legal to capture a convicted felon escapee from prison, that's exactly what Victoria did.

Click to shrink...

Basicallly, this. The Unwritten Rules were there to prevent escalation. Nobody can really escalate on the same level as Taylia, and they're so far above almost everybody else that it's not even a true fight, so the Unwritten Rules are irrelevant.

 

[TanaNari]

Did I miss a reference to a rash of hero killings by villains that don't give a shit anymore?

Click to shrink...

No. But you did miss a rash of villains who DO give a shit killing the ones who don't give a shit because they want to stay below the radar.

See chapter 200 and the ensuing Indiana arc.

 

[powerofvoid]

Fuck Victoria.

Click to shrink...

That's exactly what she wants Chevalier to do. :3

 

[Peanuckle]

I thought Victoria was flirting with Chevalier because he wouldn't respond? I guess she got over the trauma then?

 

[TanaNari]

Amelia, Ch 331- Emma


Eleven new recruits. I smiled my best smile and walked up toward my group of them. All four of the Tinker parahumans that had broken the Taboo, plus two more natural Triggers to make things look a little less suspicious.


Lisa had the Thinker group, and would be giving them a similar breakdown. This is it, this is Pantheon stepping away from its prior role as a superhero team and then later a superhero alliance, and stepping into its new, presumably permanent, role as the military leadership of an entire planet.


Or, well, two planets and likely to climb in the future. But I wasn't the one keeping score on that.


"Greetings, ladies and gentlemen," I spoke. I'd taken my 'biotinker' mode, granting me Thinker understanding of these people in front of me. Their moods, their emotions, where their eyes were tracking. Coupled with talents developed in high school and my enhanced mental abilities, I would have this crowd eating out of my hands.


"Let's start with introducing your bosses," I stated. "I'm Emma. Or, Hecate, if you prefer using my cape identity. Frankly, I prefer that we don't, but leave it as your decision. I am Pantheon's Secretary of Research and Development. For your purposes, only the Empresses and Minerva outrank me. My specialty is, functionally, integrating other Tinker technology. I can understand and work with almost any other Tinker's designs, and adjust the technology of two different Tinkers to work together. Or assist one Tinker in understanding another's work."


I gave them a second to think on that. It's why I was in charge here. Whatever they were doing in their own departments, working with other Tinkers similar to their own specialty, I was the piece of the puzzle that allowed them to all fit together. And the more Tinkers we had in the group, the more effective my power made me. I was equal to the sum of R&D's parts.


"The other departments are as follows," I spoke after a moment. "Our powers research division is headed by Clarice." I gestured at Riley, who smiled and waved, but didn't say anything. We had too much to cover in too short a time, already. I could see the level of disappointment and concern in some of our recruits, given that they averaged about a decade of age over the girl. Time to let them know she's in charge for a reason.


"She is a cybernetics specialist, and to a lesser degree a power manipulation Tinker. She's responsible for the biotech armor that gave the Endslayers the ability to kill a total of three Endbringers thus far. She created the basis of the resurrection technology, and is responsible for the majority of the work done on the remote control androids." There, they can chew on that. Any one of those accomplishments would make her top tier on the world stage. No one would underestimate Riley in this group.


"Our biotechnology division, responsible for most of our success with the anti-Endbringer monsters, is headed by Yum Kaax," I continued, gesturing at Rey. "He's a biodevelopment and artificial lifeform specialist, and responsible for most of the work done on the monsters you've seen in the Endbringer videos, as well as our foremost expert in research on the Endbringer tissue samples we've collected. Expect Clarice and I to be heavily involved in that division as well. With the exception of powers research, it is our highest priority project."


"Our conventional technology division is managed by Tir," I informed. He's one of the ones that doesn't want his identity revealed. Trevor rose his hand up, indicating who he was. "He specializes in movement and travel technology." Sorry, Trevor, you kinda got the short end here. "His department will have the widest variety of tasks, ranging from exotic power sources to advanced electronics to robotics to weapons systems. Expect to see me there a lot, finding ways to integrate your technology. His department also works closely with Dragon fairly often."


Most of them knew who Dragon was, already. The rest would learn fast. "Dragon is busy managing the development of Avalon's industrial base, and a number of our other projects. Consider her of equal rank to myself. She has provided a massive database of tinker technology she has developed or acquired over the years. All groups will benefit from it. You will all have free access to the majority of it. Note that there are restricted sections, you will need a department head or above to grant access that information. I advise you have a good reason before asking."


I watched their emotions as they considered the implications. 'Dragon's massive database'. If Zach were here, he'd probably snigger and make a dirty comment. He wouldn't be completely wrong, either. The emotional surge off these new Tinkers could easily be mistaken for erotic.


"I've already read your files, but I'll let you introduce yourselves," I continued, having determined their emotions were starting to taper down from that prior rush. "As much or as little as you like, but a name and Tinker focus are things the rest of your team will need to know."


"Anton," a slimmer boy with black hair and blue eyes spoke up first. Came from Russia. The youngest of the group, age fifteen. Also either the most confident, or he had a secondary effect that allowed him to ignore his emotions, one way or another. There was no shortage of sources for that feature. I wasn't sure how someone so young pulled the resources together for Cauldron to sell them a vial, let alone induct him into the Mass Trigger experiment, but that wasn't really a concern. "I think my specialty is in the behavior of extradimensional interaction. I... uh... may have dismantled the shunt drive you gave me. Sorry about that."


"We have more," I responded. I gave him my prize winning smile, which he was curiously disinterested in. Well, ain't that interesting? "I'll want to see what you made out of it, later." Especially since the stuff is half organic tech, which makes you far more versatile than you realize. "You'll be working in Tir's department, for the most part." For at least a couple reasons. "More advanced and effective shunt drives or dimensional portal technology is considered one of our high priority goals right now, so expect that to be your main assignment for the time being."


The boy nodded. "Thank you, Miss Secratary." A polite one, also interesting.


"I'm Elena," a woman spoke. A couple years older than me. Romanian, and vaguely mousy with medium brown hair, eyes and a light tanned skin color. Reminds me a lot of Madison. "My specialty is in analyzing and manipulating powers. Not, like, permanently or anything. But I can build equipment that will enhance or weaken or slightly alter how the power expresses itself. Maybe even temporarily disable them if given the resources to work with."


There were murmurs at that. Power manipulator and outside the Taboo. She is probably our superstar recruit and now everyone knows it. "You'll be assigned to our powers research division, obviously." Riley will have her mainly on power interactions, they're possibly our best hope to fight Scion.


"I'm Symbiosis," a mid twenties male spoke up. He was one of the natural triggers, and done in part to make us look less suspicious. Also a former Australian villain by the name of Nest. "I'm a biotinker, my specialty is symbiotic lifeforms. Think of it like organic cybernetics." The other part was because he was honestly useful. Especially if we could find a way to to merge Elena's power tech with his. Also, what was it with biomanipulators almost always being villains?


"Symbiosis, you'll be working with Yum Kaax," I informed. "Your first assignment will be based on improving the anti-Endbringer monsters."


"Cool," he agreed.


"I'm Monica," one of the other women volunteered. She was older, almost mid thirties, and one of the ones that got an unstable formula with mutations. Specifically, the same thing I purchased. She was almost solid white, including her hair and eyes. Far more human beneath the skin than I was. But visually, neither of us could pass for normal. "My specialty is energy transfer and electronics." Double specialty, I noted. No surprise she'd be similar to me considering she used the same formula in a similar way.


"You'll be assigned to the conventional tech department," I responded. It was the easiest one to work with, after all. Only a very narrow field would be able to handle wetworks or power manipulation. "I suspect Dragon will have some specific ideas for what to have you focus on."


Only two left, I noted. And the two who were theoretically least in this group, the ones who didn't want to state their specialties.


"Amanda," the teen girl volunteered reluctantly. The other natural trigger. "I create, umm, tracking and stealth technology. I don't think I can build anything good enough to fight Endbringers or anything." I felt kind of bad for the girl, and I was sure some of the others did as well. In almost any other group, she'd be a top tier parahuman, with a highly versatile powerset that others would envy. Here, on this team, she was average at best.


"I can think of other uses," I responded. "Honestly, having someone who might be able to set up anti-Stranger or anti-Thinker technology in our more delicate operations would be incredibly valuable. Our first priority is definitely to see if you can beat remote viewing Thinker powers. You'll be in Tir's group, primarily. But we'll likely assign you to projects in Clarice's department regularly, depending on the extent of your skills." Blocks against that Doormaker parahuman maker would be absurdly valuable. The more I thought about Cauldron, the less I trusted them.


"I'm George," a college age guy spoke up, the last of the people on the list and the least confident. He reminded me a lot of Taylor, after... everything I did to her. Even looked a little like her, or maybe he looked more like her dad. Beanpole figure, hunched down. Although he had sandy blonde hair. "I... think my specialty is water. Boats, submarines, fluid dynamics. It's... umm... pretty lame compared to the rest of you."


"Don't be so sure about that," I responded, switching over to my hybrid state for a minute. The extra processing power was needed to prove my point. "Aquatic tech should include pressure drives, maybe even fusion generators. Advanced fluid dynamics could likely apply to our biotech, maybe you could augment their artificial nervous and circulatory systems. To say nothing of potential medical technology applications for rapid drug delivery. Even if all you ever achieve is a cure for cholesterol, you could easily save millions of lives. You'll work with Tir's group, but I'll have you in Yum's at least once a week to work with the biotech."


"I hadn't even thought about any of that," he blinked.


I reverted to normal, and the layer of frost started to break off. "It's what I do," I responded. "It's what Pantheon does. Finding ways to harness every potential advantage, making all of us greater than the sum of our parts."


Oh yeah, I smiled. Eating out of my hand.


=================


A/N- Emma really is the logical choice for managing a wide spread of Tinkers. Possibly even better for it than Dragon.

 

[TanaNari]

I thought Victoria was flirting with Chevalier because he wouldn't respond? I guess she got over the trauma then?

Click to shrink...

YOU thought that.

Just because I didn't correct you doesn't mean you were right.

At the same time, me saying this doesn't mean you were wrong, either.

... Really, I'm just a troll...

 

[dasstan]

Yum Kaax (Blasto)- Rey

Click to shrink...

is headed by Yum Kaash

Click to shrink...

Symbiosis, you'll be working with Yum Kaash

Click to shrink...

Unless he got a name change, you goof'd.

"We have more," I responded. I gave him my prize winning smile, which he was curiously disinterested in. Well, ain't that interesting? "I'll want to see what you made out of it, later." Especially since the stuff is half organic tech, which makes you far more versatile than you realize. "You'll be working in Tir's department, for the most part." For at least a couple reasons.

Click to shrink...

Get it, Trevor. Or he could just be asexual. Who knows?

And the more Tinkers we had in the group, the more effective my power made me. I was equal to the sum of R&D's parts.

Click to shrink...

Now if we could just figure out a way to combine her and Dragon, all of the problems in the Worm-verse would be taken care of.

 

[Ghostdraconi]

Now if we could just figure out a way to combine her and Dragon, all of the problems in the Worm-verse would be taken care of.

Click to shrink...

I think Amelia has forbidden Riley from doing that.

 

[Ack]

Working off pad so can't copy/paste, but the description of the last guy has "looked more more her dad".

Nice post.

 

[Daunmi]

The only way they would get physical with each other at this point

Click to shrink...

I kind of wonder whether or not both Taylor and Amelia are just sitting back, relaxing in their relationship's current state, both thinking that they don't need to be sexually active until they're both comfortable with it, and after a year or two they suddenly realize they've both completely adjusted to not caring about it at all, and accept their current relationship as perfect?

... Really, I'm just a troll...

Click to shrink...

I knew that guy I saw the other day, sitting under a bridge and mumbling about goats, sounded familiar.

 

[rick1497]

... Really, I'm just a troll...

Click to shrink...

I'm pretty sure that we already knew that. You did delay a cauldron related interlude until April Fools Day just so that we wouldn't be able to tell if it was a prank or not.

 

[Gendie07]

Hey, I have a question. Why didn't Amelia just give Riley a new appearance like Eric instead of forcing her hide and rely on a doll?

 

[TanaNari]

Uh... she did?

Riley's now a black haired cutie instead of a blonde, and has been touched up a bit to beat out biometric scanning.

 

[doomlord9]

I kind of wonder whether or not both Taylor and Amelia are just sitting back, relaxing in their relationship's current state, both thinking that they don't need to be sexually active until they're both comfortable with it, and after a year or two they suddenly realize they've both completely adjusted to not caring about it at all, and accept their current relationship as perfect?

Click to shrink...

That's the way I see it ending up so long as Taylia doesn't decide that the current status quo isn't enough and figures out how to fully give them full telepathy.

Then they could get their jollies by thinking dirty to each other, irritating Lisandria for copying their shtick.

 

[Gendie07]

Uh... she did?


Riley's now a black haired cutie instead of a blond, and has been touched up a bit to beat out biometric scanning.

Click to shrink...

Oh. What chapter was that? I don't recall reading about it.

 

[TanaNari]

Umm... can't remember exactly. I think it was the one where they went to see Glass Menagerie where it was specifically called out. But Riley's been described as having black hair in several chapters. Also dark brown to the point of almost black eyes. "Biometric alteration", not as often, but at least once.

 

[evildice]

IIRC it was in that section where they changed Riley's DNA to make her a credible "lost half-sister" to Amelia.

 

[TanaNari]

"Of course not," I responded, pulling back a little so I could look at her. I rested my forehead on hers and looked into her now dark brown eyes. Wow, those are pretty, I'll need to ask her about her cosmetics choices later, in a less intense situation.

Click to shrink...

Most recent specific mention of Riley's alterations *as* alterations.

 

[the DragonBard]

Maybe we could have a social chapter, where Emma and Taylor are interacting? Possibly Emma trying to regain some closeness with Taylor?

 

[Simonbob]

*mails off membership card*

Click to shrink...

I could do with one of those myself.

 

[Masked Menace]

it seems a little odd that the new Tinkers know their specialties well enough to assign labels to them already. Going by Canon I'm pretty sure it wasn't a thing that was that was immediately obvious. Like I'm reasonably certain that they don't trigger and go "oh, I'm a tinker I deal in power armour" It's a thing they have to figure out over time.

 

[Hexed999]

So Following a reread, I think I got a collection of Riley's rules to date:

Rule 1 - unknown, if I had to guess I would say it's something along the lines of "listen to Amelia"
Rule 2 - If the plan starts with 'kill people indiscriminately', it's a bad plan
Rule 3 - Don't encourage/induce unwanted/(inhuman?) pregnancies
Rule 4 - No Sentient Minions
Rule 5 - Unknown
Rule 6 - Zach's plans are never good
Rule 7 - If it's a parasitic worm, no one's going to want it

Edit: I don't suppose TanaNari is going to tell us how accurate I am?

 

[dasstan]

it seems a little odd that the new Tinkers know their specialties well enough to assign labels to them already. Going by Canon I'm pretty sure it wasn't a thing that was that was immediately obvious. Like I'm reasonably certain that they don't trigger and go "oh, I'm a tinker I deal in power armour" It's a thing they have to figure out over time.

Click to shrink...

That's actually a pretty good point. Maybe they contracted out to Chevalier or another thinker that can gauge their passengers?

 

[The Shadowmind]

Wait, Symbiotic Tinker, and Power Tinker. Is the idea of Power Granting Happy Bugs, finally going to be used?

 

[kenhikaru]

it seems a little odd that the new Tinkers know their specialties well enough to assign labels to them already. Going by Canon I'm pretty sure it wasn't a thing that was that was immediately obvious. Like I'm reasonably certain that they don't trigger and go "oh, I'm a tinker I deal in power armour" It's a thing they have to figure out over time.

Click to shrink...

I'd basically assumed that Lisa had helped interview them. Emma states she'd read all their files already.

 

[TanaNari]

That and they had things like Cauldron and Glaistig Uaine pointed at them.

The artificial triggers also have the benefit of being cauldron vials, which narrows them down a great deal. The natural triggers are implied to have been around at least a little while longer.