Amelia, Worm AU [Complete]

[Peanuckle]

I couldn't help but think of Taylor. The real Taylor. My best friend, who told me to fuck off and then killed herself in an absurdly visible way just to prove a point. It hurt a little, every time I saw her replacement, the girl my power said was only a few months old, running around with her personality, memories, powers and even life. Whose death I indirectly contributed to.

Click to shrink...

Ow. My feels.

This explains why Lisa has kinda backed off the Taylia issue and isolated herself from the rest of the team. Taylor, the only person she really cared about, is dead. This new thing in her place is a clone, and Lisa's power doesn't let her pretend otherwise. She has to live with that every moment.

And she's started to 'link up' in the same way with Rebecca, going down that same path. This is really sad. It's a choice between happiness and sanity/self, only you've already lost your happiness and your sanity is ebbing away already. The most they can do is find comfort in each other until the point of no return.

On other notes, I wonder what Dragon has been up to. She's kind of a background character, but all the info is about how she's basically industrializing the entire world by herself. I would like to see a Dragon PoV, explore how much she's accomplished.

 

[evildice]

The most they can do is find comfort in each other until the point of no return.

Click to shrink...

Taylor-3: "The point of no return is no barrier to our love!"

Amelia-2: "Wait, so like, not even death do us part."

Taylor-3: "Yeah, we're basically super-married already."

Amelia-2: "I must have missed the super-honeymoon."

 

[ribs]

Damn, I had known Taylor was dead but this chapter made it hit me that Taylor is DEAD. Kills any thoughts of Lisa's powers being cool.

 

[pheonix89]

Damn, I had known Taylor was dead but this chapter made it hit me that Taylor is DEAD. Kills any thoughts of Lisa's powers being cool.

Click to shrink...

Eh, I disagree that she's dead. She died, but it didn't stick.

 

[GiftofLove]

Eh, I disagree that she's dead. She died, but it didn't stick.

Click to shrink...

Of course the clone that thinks it's Taylor wants you to believe that. Can you imagine the identity issues?

 

[ribs]

Of course the clone that thinks it's Taylor wants you to believe that. Can you imagine the identity issues?

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Not sure their would be identity issues for Taylor. Sure she not mark one or even two now but she is Taylor H. created by Taylor H. too pursue their goals what ever they are or become.

 

[DbDRAKE]

Of course the clone that thinks it's Taylor wants you to believe that. Can you imagine the identity issues?

Click to shrink...

That enters into a whole weird ball of worms there.

By the Lisa Logic, Continuity of consciousness=life.

So, by that logic, you might die when you enter REM sleep. Even if you reject that, If you've ever been knocked out or anesthetized for surgery, you loose continuity of consciousness, and die.

It's basically personal opinion at this point whether Taylor 1.2 is the same person as Taylor 1.0.

In my opinion, the answer is Close Enough, and that is about as far as science or philosophy will ever take us.

Any more speculation becomes religion.

 

[TanaNari]

Sure she not mark one or even two now but she is Taylor H. created by Taylor H. too pursue their goals what ever they are or become.

Click to shrink...

You might even say she was Taylor made for the job!

... I'm sorry...

Not at all sorry.

 

[pepperjack]

She expanded her hand again. Saying that it was more than that, even. Conveying idea of broader behavior. Human beings as creatures controlled by chemistry. Thinkers, especially, as creatures influenced by their powers. She closed her hand gently. We are already caught by our powers, we might as well accept that and at least enjoy the parts that are good for us, because we're going to suffer the bad parts no matter what we do.

Click to shrink...

This is the most romantic I have seen anyone write Alexandria being, ever.

 

[cosoco]

The pair came with their own inherent sense of planning with their sibling,

Click to shrink...

This seems a little awkward. Maybe
'The pair had an inherent sense of what their sibling was planning,'

So, it looks like Rebecca and Lisa know what is going to happen, but they don't care. Eventually, they'll just stare at each other for 18 hours a day, only stopping to eat and sleep.

 

[Mr. Tebbs]

Omake? Xmas in July party

Lisa: Hey Missy, can you tangle the room, y' know, like your armor does?

Missy: Uhh, sure, gimme a second... aaaand, done.

Becky: Lisa? What's this about?

Amelia: Seriously!

Lisa: I need to have some real talk with Taylor. As much as I really don't want to talk about this... I can't keep this bottled in...and frankly this concerns all of us, and as much as I appreciate Cauldron's help with some of our joint ventures, I don't trust them as far as I can throw them, and considering that I'm the least augmented one here, that should be saying something.

Taylor: Okayyyyy....

Lisa: Taylor.. I fucked up hard.. I fucked up as hard as a friend can... In fact, I fucked up so hard you didn't want to be my friend. I- *hic*... God... You killed yourself Taylor. You... You committed suicide.

Taylor: God, Lisa-

Lisa: It was my fault. I... I convinced you, er... Amelia to break the Taylia bond, and....*sniff* God.. I can't... *sniff* damnit Amelia, you're environmental controls make the damned room too humid...

Lisa struggled to get herself under control while her audience was enraptured with her story

Lisa: ...okay, I think I have my sinuses under control.... Taylor, I noticed your empathic bond with Amelia made you behave like an addict. I thought I was helping when I tried to get you two to break it... but god was I too late. You'd each redefined your identities based on the link. and when it broke you told me to fuck off, wanted me to die and refused to talk to me.

Taylor: Jesus.

Lisa: you also refused to touch Amelia. I'm convinced you wanted to die. you'd made your backup right before you had Emma make a sexuality change for you, but hell, that was just a catalyst. And after- *sniff* -after Taylia was broken you sought your death. You wanted it so I'd ne- never try to..*sniff* try to break it again.

Taylor: God, Lisa

Lisa: SHUT UP! Let me finish. You wanted to kill yourself.. and told me that we were not friends, and never would be. And then you killed the butcher...and then activated the absolute zero grenade and killed yourself.

Taylor: Fuck.. Lisa I'm so so sor-

Lisa: SHUT UP! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP! *hic* She doesn't want to be my friend! She can't be my friend and YOU *hic* have nothing to apologize for! You're innocent! She made that abundantly clear. She made sure I knew. She...She said. she said that-

Taylor grabs Lisa in a fierce hug

Taylor: Fuck her. Fuck her hard. I'm glad she's dead, and I hope she burns in hell. I'm sorry for what she did to you

Lisa: I second triggered.

Lisa sobbed into Taylor's shoulder at that revelation

Lisa: I second triggered Taylor... *sob* it's like what happened with Grue, Only instead of Bonesaw it was you

Lisa wailed into Taylor's shoulder for a minute before Taylor broke Lisa's sobs.

Taylor: I love you Lisa. You're family to me....

Lisa, still clinging to Taylor: I... Family's always let me down... God Taylor, you hurt me so badly.... I want to, but... it hurt.. it hurts so, so bad.... I can't. I can't. I want to, but.. god help me, I can't. Every time I see you, I see her. I know it's not fair but it Hurts.

Taylor hugged Lisa tighter: Fuck you Old Me. Fuck you in your pretentious ass. Fuck you for hurting my friends. Fuck you for making them not trust me. Fuck You hard! FUCK you hard, AND I HOPE YOU BURN IN HELL!

Lisa: *Sniff* Thanks... It- It'll take me a bit to see you like we were, but I think I'll be okay seeing you... anyways, there was a point to all this. *beat* Fucked if I can remember what it- Oh right it's got to do with me and Becky.

Amelia after a second to collect her thoughts: Oh?

Lisa: Indeed.

Becky: Are you sure..

Lisa: Absolutely not, which is why I want to get an outside opinion.

Amelia: About-
Becky: Which is why you want to ask those who already have a link whether they like it?

Lisa: Ish, but I know I'm biased about this.... Alexandria and I are developing our own version of Taylia, and I have absolutely no idea whether we should continue down this path, given that I also know our passengers want us to continue down it. Missy, what do you think?

Missy: Uhh... why are you asking me?

Taylor: I mean,it's made me like I was prebully-ing so-

Lisa: I don't want to be Sarah. I don't want to be who I was. I don't want to notice things and let them fall by the wayside. I don't-

Taylor:I doubt you will... If you're worried you will.. Then don't.... If Taylia frees us from our passengers' influence, then Amelia and I are free to be who we want to be... If you and Alexandria follow a similar path, you'll be free to be who you want to be too. Which means if you don't want to be who you were, then apply what you learned to make yourself better. I think it's just a coincidence that I want to be who I was in middle school.

Lisa: maybe...

 

[pepperjack]

stopping to eat and sleep.

Click to shrink...

Stopping?

Left her pop-tart in the toaster a half-second too long, worried that we're not taking enough time to enjoy the simple things. I let my lips linger slightly on the buttered toast as I take my next bite to tell her not to worry, that this, here, is what will make us happiest. She removes the pop-tart and walks over to join me. Letting it burn her fingers, doesn't mind the pain, willing to stick this out no matter what happens.​

In their sleep, they hold hands, and the changing pulse rates in their palms let them join in each others' dreams.

 

[GiftofLove]

This seems a little awkward. Maybe
'The pair had an inherent sense of what their sibling was planning,'

So, it looks like Rebecca and Lisa know what is going to happen, but they don't care. Eventually, they'll just stare at each other for 18 hours a day, only stopping to eat and sleep.

Click to shrink...

And then Taylor will attempt to separate them for their own good. Completing the cycle.

 

[Prince Charon]

*reads new chapter*: Once again, I find myself wanting to give Lisa a hug.

*reads omake*: Thank you, Mr. Tebbs.

 

[Mastigos2]

You know, I wonder how Gemini would interact with the rest of Cauldron's powers. I mean there's the obvious Path To Victory bullshit, but beyond that Number Man is a top tier Thinker himself and I could see his power doing very interesting things when combined with Lisa's power. Adding quantification and hard algorithmic analysis/forcasting to her normal heuristic "absurdly lucky guesses".

And of course the big question would be what their interaction with Eidolon's "I could have thinker powers if I wanted too"
....
Actually, fuck that. Dinah+Lisa shove an ungodly amount of raw data into Lisa's power to be processed.

 

[VaporDeagle]

Lisa has just confirmed one of my greatest fear on this fic.

The revival tech only just make a copy of someone and print it out, not bringing someone straight from the grave.

When it was first mentioned while I was catching up to the fic, I already know what's gonna happen.

When Taylor died, I stopped reading for a day. The next few chapter only hit it harder than Taylor is a copy and everyone was just coping with it.

Things get okay eventually, then Amelia died, so do a lot of people and Taylor was dead again.

I stopped reading, then continued later anyway. Ignoring the fact that we are no longer following the real Amelia point of view because she's dead.

For the next few hundred chapters, it all about building relationship and growth of the Pantheon. It was hilarious to read about the interaction between the characters when you pretended that they are the original.

When I was reading Worm, I know damn well the story is dark as hell and so I spoiled myself on everything to minimize the impact as much as possible.

This is a ongoing fanfic, I had no idea where will it take the story to and I'm scared.

 

[Dysorath]

You know, I wonder how Gemini would interact with the rest of Cauldron's powers. I mean there's the obvious Path To Victory bullshit, but beyond that Number Man is a top tier Thinker himself and I could see his power doing very interesting things when combined with Lisa's power. Adding quantification and hard algorithmic analysis/forcasting to her normal heuristic "absurdly lucky guesses".

And of course the big question would be what their interaction with Eidolon's "I could have thinker powers if I wanted too"
....
Actually, fuck that. Dinah+Lisa shove an ungodly amount of raw data into Lisa's power to be processed.

Click to shrink...

It was already mentioned that their power doesn't work on precog's, which I would assume includes Contessa, and definitely includes Dinah.

Number Man's should work though.

 

[Mr. Tebbs]

Meh, depends on how accurate his model of the power interaction is. Hell, if he can get better at predicting power interactions than straight precogs that require an existing condition he could easily outperform Contessa in the new powers paradigm.

 

[rooster]

This is so sweet.

It brings on Cthulu sized existential crises, but the romance is incredibly sweet.

Sweeter even than Taylia.

It has actual substance. Taylia is just... mundane. They're like... just those two girls in the background.

Lisa and Rebecca are the Ensemble Darkhorse.

 

[evildice]

Lisa has just confirmed one of my greatest fear on this fic.

The revival tech only just make a copy of someone and print it out, not bringing someone straight from the grave.

Click to shrink...

If you have doubts, just use your Soul Detector. Every major religion produces one, so you've got no excuse to not stock up on several different varieties. I mean, seriously, what else would be the point of souls if not to settle exactly this sort of question?

Unless you don't believe in such things, in which case there's no functional difference.

I stopped reading, then continued later anyway. Ignoring the fact that we are no longer following the real Amelia point of view because she's dead.

Click to shrink...

Amelia and Taylor are adjectives, not nouns.

Their cells get replaced. The atoms which make up those cells get replaced. They lack continuity of consciousness because they both go to sleep regularly. Their memories are mutable, and they have both voluntarily installed new memories. They've both voluntarily modified their emotional responses and value systems. (That's over and above the "natural" changes which people undergo over time.)

They are both willfully unnatural beings.

That doesn't make them any less people than their previous versions.

 

[pepperjack]

Taylia is just... mundane. They're like... just those two girls in the background.

Click to shrink...

I was with you until you got to this part. They haven't been in the foreground much recently, but I recall plenty of substance, both earlier and in their few recent appearances.

 

[VaporDeagle]

Amelia and Taylor are adjectives, not nouns.

Their cells get replaced. The atoms which make up those cells get replaced. They lack continuity of consciousness because they both go to sleep regularly. Their memories are mutable, and they have both voluntarily installed new memories. They've both voluntarily modified their emotional responses and value systems. (That's over and above the "natural" changes which people undergo over time.)

They are both willfully unnatural beings.

That doesn't make them any less people than their previous versions.

Click to shrink...

I...

Oh forget about it, I probably need someone to punch me in the face for taking things too damn serious again.

I should just relief my stress by writing out lesbian smut fic or something.

 

[Coruscant Knave]

I...

Oh forget about it, I probably need someone to punch me in the face for taking things too damn serious again.

I should just relief my stress by writing out lesbian smut fic or something.

Click to shrink...

Your interpretation is 100% valid and reading it that way puts a huge emotional spin on it that isn't necessarily there for those of us that take the other path (that damn boat is the same boat, no matter how many of its planks you replace).

The hilarious thing about the argument to me is that both are so valid, and yet, at the end of the day, there really isn't a difference between the two. Taylor is dead. Taylor is also alive.

Well, for us here in reality where this is all still philosophy, anyway. It sure as shit is pretty damn different to Lisa.

Now, I don't recall exactly, but if Taylor and Amelia's deaths is really where the POV swtichups started happening in earnest, that is a masterstroke on Tana's part if it was intentional.

Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is: yes, write that damn Lisa/Becky hand holding smut.

 

[pepperjack]

Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is: yes, write that damn Lisa/Becky hand holding smut.

Click to shrink...

By all means, yes.

If they interlock fingers, though, you might want to include trigger warnings. The mods are pretty lenient, but some of the readers can be sensitive.

 

[VaporDeagle]

Hey man, I know you guys want Lisa/Becky hand holding smut, but I highly doubt I have the writing skill and the hand holding experience required to write out such a masterpiece.

I also noticed that my last post somehow get more likes just from mentioning future possibility of lesbian smut fic.

 

[pepperjack]

Hey man, I know you guys want Lisa/Becky hand holding smut, but I highly doubt I have the writing skill and the hand holding experience required to write out such a masterpiece.

Click to shrink...

Whoa, whoa, no one was suggesting you had hand-holding experience. I apologize for any such implication. I think we all know this is just harmless fantasy; we're well-adjusted adults who know to keep that kind of depravity purely in the realm of fiction.

I also noticed that my last post somehow get more likes just from mentioning future possibility of lesbian smut fic.

Click to shrink...

Hey, we know what we like.

 

[evildice]

Whoa, whoa, no one was suggesting you had hand-holding experience. I apologize for any such implication. I think we all know this is just harmless fantasy; we're well-adjusted adults who know to keep that kind of depravity purely in the realm of fiction.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, and seriously, Lisa is under age.

Nobody should condone real adults holding hands with actual children.

(Except when crossing the street, I guess.)

 

[pepperjack]

(Except when crossing the street, I guess.)

Click to shrink...

I hope you don't mean in public.

 

[evildice]

I hope you don't mean in public.

Click to shrink...

Public cross-walking is entirely acceptable these days.

J Edgar Hoover did it, you know.

 

[TanaNari]

Amelia, Ch 347- Rebecca


A Gaea/Khepri power interaction that resembled Lisa and myself, only significantly more potent and personality altering? That explained so much, like why Contessa's paths rarely stayed true longer than two weeks these days. We had been under the assumption that every new dimensional gateway translated to an alteration of her plans, due to the significant changes a colony world made for the inhabitants of a given nation, and the ripple effect they had on the world's political and economic landscape. In addition to new Endbringer attacks on a near monthly basis and the chaos born of that.


It had made handing over Ascalon harder to justify.


It also made our backup plans to assassinate Avalon's leadership, should that ever be needed, much less reliable. And knowing what I now knew, we needed that option all the more desperately.


I glanced back over at Lisa as she observed Gemini. We'd stressed her powers in this conversation, and she needed to keep what was left of it to continue the testing and the many other tasks that she handled for her team.


I didn't know how to comfort her, anyway. She'd accidentally confirmed that her secondary postcognitive power did not consider clones to be the original person, and the sense of loss that came with that knowledge. If it weren't for the threat that was Scion, there was every possibility she'd have left Pantheon by now.


I briefly considered offering her a place with Cauldron. It would give us more time together, her power made for an excellent balance for Contessa's, and maybe she'd even be happier with us. But I didn't want to cheapen our relationship by using it for something like that. And she already knew I was not happy with Cauldron.


When did everything become so complicated?


As I didn't have answers, I watched her and considered options. Part of my training did include psych profiling, even grief counseling, if for entirely selfish reasons. There was nothing more I could do than simply offer my support and understanding. It would have to be enough.


I shifted, moving a little closer to her, turning slightly to face her a little more. It was the most I could offer right now. Meanwhile, through my armor I started the conversation with Director Martinez that I had begged off on the premise that I was busy, and his unwillingness to claim it was an emergency.


The fact of the matter was, Pantheon making a move in a given region that involved calling in outside help like this was absolutely an emergency situation. The organization as a whole was powerful enough to constitute a Class S threat even without invoking the Endslayers or the Empresses. A priority only slightly lower than that of the Yangban, and in fact somewhat above that of the Elite or Gesellschaft.


Through my changeling, I activated the communications. "Good afternoon, Director Martinez," I spoke with a practiced, pleasantly neutral tone. I had accustomed myself to the idea that the changeling better able to fake emotion than I was.


"Chief Director Costa-Brown," he acknowledged. "I've recieved information that Pantheon is engaged in a specific mission in the LA region."


"Interesting," I replied. "I do believe you were scheduled to host a relatively short notice power interaction test involving Alexandria and one of their recruits."


"Correct," he agreed. "As per protocol, they're being carefully monitored and we're collecting all possible details of the powers. However, Pantheon appears to have a number of ulterior motives. Of less immediate concern, Minerva delivered a number of plans she claims will help rebuild the area from the damage caused by Leviathan. And she brought several parahumans belonging to the criminal organization known as the Ambassadors to carry out a separate task. Attempts to learn her plan have thus far failed. And I could not assign Alexandria to follow them, as she is needed for the power testing."


"Which Minerva no doubt planned," I confirmed. I had to admit his suspicion was merited on its face value. Alexandria was the only Protectorate hero in LA with access to a shunt drive, which meant they could easily evade any other pursuers. "As she planned your paranoia."


"Ma'am?" Martinez asked, sounding confused and surprised. I died a little inside. I didn't hire him for his intelligence. Indeed, quite the opposite. But there were limits to how dumb a single person should be, and he exceeded them.


"If she actually wanted to keep their mission a secret, she wouldn't have let you know there was a secret mission in the first place," I spelled the obvious out to him. "Whether they're carrying out an operation or not remains to be seen. I wouldn't put it past Minerva to pretend they had a mission even if they didn't, simply to keep us on our toes." I paused for a half second, then had to try not to laugh. "Or, if they do have another goal, for it to be carried out in secret while you worry about the openly stated ulterior motives."


No wonder Lisa messes with people so much, I thought as I watched Martinez pale slightly, trying to decide the right thing to say next. There are no words for how fun this is.


Next to me, Lisa faked a sneeze. "Sorry, someone must be talking about me."


"Or all that environmentally controlled Avalon air has made you soft," I suggested. Maybe a little familiar, but not everything we did in public needed to be pure business. More importantly, I was surprised at how clearly she read me considering I wasn't deliberately conveying anything to her.


Martinez had started speaking while I was talking to Lisa. "That is certainly a possibility," he agreed, not admitting he never would have thought of it on his own. "I still must report any information regarding Pantheon directly to you." His body language told me the story of how relieved he was that he didn't invoke the emergency protocols and pull me away from my supposed work. Once again, he felt rewarded for his caution, and would continue his usual trend of behavior. Sometime soon I might need to fabricate a scenario where Alexandria pushes for aggressive action and the Chief Director praises him for his quick thinking.


And as I manipulate this man, so too does my Agent manipulate me, I thought, glancing again at Lisa. Agents influence their hosts in a number of ways, rewarding them for actions that suit their nebulous and barely defined goals. Pantheon's theory of it being a sort of breeding mechanism, not unlike a mating dance or use of insects for pollination, was better than anything Cauldron had pieced together as a motive. My own Agent found whatever Lisa and I were doing to be highly desirable. Maybe even for the obvious reasons.


"Of course," I agreed with Martinez, barely giving him more than a tenth of my overall mental attention. "How Minerva behaves toward the various Directors is always important to document for future Thinker study." Analysis that won't work because of our regular use of our interaction, same reason that Gaea and Khepri were functionally immune to our Thinkers, even Contessa. "Our immediate assumption has to be that this is part of a larger game on her part. Remain observant, but don't change your routine until given a reason to do so."


"Yes ma'am, I understand," he agreed. It didn't take the changeling's boosted senses to tell me he was lying, if perhaps only to himself. "We should also coordinate a conference of local Directors and the Governor to review the recovery plans. As well as assigning some of our Thinkers to review the information. There may be a clue to her behavior therein." He was referring, at least in part, to the amount of profit they made in owning much of Brockton Bay before its annihilation. Pantheon did have a habit of benefiting greatly from their good deeds, one way or another. Martinez clearly wanted to find a way to strike back at Pantheon in whatever small way he could.


"Make the arrangements," I instructed him. "And keep me appraised of any unusual activity in Pantheon's LA chapter."


"Yes, ma'am," he agreed, turning off his phone.


Lisa knew things would go this way, or something similar to. She planned it exactly right. Martinez was now suspicious, he'd contact others and tell them to be suspicious, whether consciously or not, which would draw more attention to this recovery plan than it otherwise deserved. In addition to downplaying the significance of their mission against the Elite, it would draw attention to Alexandria's advice and the parts where it actually hurt Pantheon's supposed goals of gaining more power in the region.


I regarded the clever, difficult girl standing silently next to me. If my Agent wants me to be closer to Lisa, which it clearly does, should I trust any of my feelings toward her at all? It was not a comforting question to ask.


I prided myself on my analytical thinking, even before I got my powers. It was hard to really tell where a parahuman ended, and their Agent began, but I could at least try to answer one question. What would I think about someone like Lisa, who I wasn't able to communicate with in such a unique fashion?


I could certainly see myself respecting her intelligence, and her loyalty to those few she was willing to consider a friend. And especially her ability to cut through the lies which others built up. Respect wasn't quite the answer to my question, however.


To Rebecca, to who I was before my powers, she would have been a welcomed breath of fresh air. So much better than doctors who lied to my face as they poisoned my body, and family that forced a teenage girl to be an adult so that they didn't have to. I would have loved to have a friend like her. A shoulder to cry on. Maybe an older sister to turn to for help and honest answers that no one else would give.


To Alexandria, she was a clever and talented ally fighting stoically to find a solution to a threat so daunting that any sane human being would simply give up and accept death was an inevitability. We, better than almost any others, comprehended just how impossible it was to fight something like Scion, yet here we were trying anyway. That meant a great deal to me on a number of levels.


That only left one persona. Chief Director Costa-Brown. I had to admit my civilian self was boring in her single mindedness. As much as not needing sleep and having approximately twenty seven times the mental processing speed of a normal person afforded me an amazing ability to juggle my multiple lives, it also meant I set myself up to need to use that ability constantly. Costa-Brown existed only for her job. She didn't have many friends, merely work acquaintances and political alliances. I couldn't see her, a woman in her forties, being friends with a teenage pain in the ass like Lisa.


I did understand that Lisa had her faults... brash and argumentative, confrontational and frustrating, manipulative and emotional. No, I couldn't imagine Costa-Brown would be friends with her. However... if things had been different, if circumstances hadn't made it impossible for me to even try... I would have been very proud, to have a someone like her as a daughter.


I allowed myself a smile at my personal affirmation that, whatever our Agents may be trying, our friendship was genuine, not a matter of alien manipulation.


And then the alarms sounded. What? Now?! The automated data alert started coming into my costume, sent automatically from Dragon's instruments to our equipment. I read all of it as it came up on my HMD. Power surge, unknown source, high powered dimensional distortion. The map placed it not far outside of Los Angeles. The epicenter had the equivalent of a 7.8 on the Richter scale, though it was clearly impact damage, not a faultline shift. Flagged as clear Class A, likely Class S. Guild alerted, Pantheon alerted.


"It's not an Endbringer," Lisa stated.


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


A/N- Aww. And DRAMA!!!