Amelia, Worm AU [Complete]

[Stroth]

Kinda dickish, too. Really dickish.

TanaNari should probably get that confirmed or verified somehow...

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I am perfectly okay with TanaNari breaching the boundaries of time and space in order to deliver unto me the perfect burn. Someone willing to put in that amount of effort deserves the props.

 

[fireball900]

Uh...hm. I really wouldn't have thought that the powers would have recycled that quickly, especially not in the same general area. I've been thinking something more convoluted is going on...

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Oni Lee is actually Zach's father!

Kinda dickish, too. Really dickish.

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It's TanaNari. Somehow, it wouldn't surprise me if he 'breached the boundaries of space and time' just to be dickish.

 

[Faraway-R]

Guys, let's not forget something.

This entire day is best day of Riley's life.*

No more than two hours ago she met Chevalier. She squeed in her comms.
And now she met new and improved Victoria. And she always wanted to be a mommy!

*Well, one of. She's really getting THE best life of all the Pantheon really. Apart from Dream Girl's effect, Riley does have a life that keeps getting better. Big sister, Missy and Theo, Emma the guinea pig turned lab assistant, Chevalier the promising test subject, and now Vicky the daughter!

Yeah, Riley is totally TanaNari's darling in the story.

 

[GiftofLove]

Spiderbots, Victoria 1.0

 

[The Shadowmind]

So the only know power sensors in canon are Chevalier(Protectorate) and Ingenue(Birdcage). And maybe GU(Birdcage)
The Endbringer class bodies might now be possible with Chevalier's help. They would probably use that to upgrade the armors instead of brain transplants, but it would be possible.
Still wondering who and why interrupted the transport to the Birdcage that was carrying Brian.

 

[TanaNari]

Amelia, Ch 187


The 'kids' and the tinkers were distracting Vicky with all kinds of questions and plans. Which left us 'adults', minus Crystal and Rey, to compare notes.


"We can't keep her," Lisa said the moment were were sure we were out of earshot.


AgreementRelief. I gave an unhappy glance at Taylor. SheepishConcerned. And then locked my eyes back on Lisa. "Why the fuck not? She already knows the thing we need to be most afraid of getting out. That's how Emma got a pass. Or are you saying my own sister is less acceptable than Emma?"


Lisa smiled a lopsided grin. "Really? I think there's one more secret she has yet to ferret out. I also think it's the biggest one on the list, or I think Victoria will think that it is."

RealizationDread. "Yeah, that's the one," Lisa confirmed. "She has a cool power, sure. One that'd make her top tier on most teams. But it's not one we can really augment wih our tech, and it's not good enough to be valid against Endbringers on its own. We can't use her, and she might decide to kill us someday."


I sighed. "Fuck," I muttered. Taylor put her hand on my shoulder. "We can't just tell her no," I argued. "You don't know my sister. She needs to be a hero. She'll fall apart without it. And that's without considering the whole Passenger mind fuckery."


"Then let her join the Protectorate," Lisa countered. "She's only got a few more months before she's eighteen, she can probably skip being a Ward entirely. They'd cry with joy to have her in New York or Chicago, even if the Teeth have been eliminated and the Adepts are nominally on their side now. Your dad's moving to Philadelphia, right? She can go with him. She's not good enough to be valid in the kind of wars that we fight, I don't care if she's basically Clarice on steroids, she's not good enough for this team."


I looked at Taylor. ConcernDread. "Taylor, please, she's my sister and she needs this."


"She's a security risk," Taylor said softly. "Plus she'll be an even bigger discipline nightmare than Lily. She hates me, she hates Lisa more. Maybe. She now has a thinker power and we all know how much of a pain in the ass thinkers can be when they think they're right. She remembers how you two use to be, and that means she may love you, but she sure as hell doesn't respect you. If we're lucky, she'll listen to Crystal. If we're lucky.


I sighed. "You're right," I admitted. ReliefSupport. "She's not going to be that effective. Plus, well, we don't do a lot of the kind of superhero stuff she likes. She's smarter than she pretends she is, but she's not what one would call a 'planner' in the field. We're all about spending days or weeks planning, and then a few minutes of fighting. I doubt she'd be happy with how we do things."


"Guys!" Riley spoke up through my com. "Vicky's power is awesome!"


ExasperationConcern. "Okay, what did you find out?" Taylor spoke


"She's a regenerative shapeshifter," she informed us. "Like Crawler, without all the icky bits. She's not quite on Crawler's level, but it makes her really really hard to kill. "


"And, more importantly," Emma added. "Her thinker power is 'easiest way to kill things', which is even more cool than it sounds since it applies to our bioconstructs. Seriously, she's pointing out so many weaknesses in our gear to be fixed. Especially since we also have Barghest to worry about. Proper reinforcement might make us better equipped for unit survival against it, and other Endbringers."


"And she can do the living battery thing, like Crystal," Riley interrupted. "Apparently she got my electrical attack mods, and they don't drain her batteries. But I can think of so many things we can use her for. You can totally put her on my team. Pleasepleaseplease." AnnoyanceResignation.


"No promises," I responded. I looked at the other two. "So... I don't think they're gonna give us much choice, are they?"


"Probably not," Lisa admitted. "Zach's hard to read, and Missy has finally started getting used to the idea of being more than just a child soldier. They both like Vicky a lot. Riley wouldn't push the issue, but Theo might, if prompted by the others. We know Crystal's going to argue on their side."


"Lily and Sabah are going to want to hear the reason we don't take her," Taylor added. "We could have used the discipline issue. I know they can spot how much Vicky doesn't like me, although I have to wonder if they wouldn't agree with her. After finding out about Bonesaw and Coil, well... we're going to have a hard enough time selling them on the Nilbog plan. And you know we don't have a choice but to tell them. If it were just the two of them, and if we could claim that Victoria's power wasn't good enough for us to use, we could get away with it. But strong power and we have enough members to break us up into teams and keep her away from our direct command."


"We really should consider creating dedicated teams," I agreed.


"So what do we do about your, uh, secret?" Taylor asked.


"Nothing, for now," Lisa sighed. "I think Taylia interferes with Vicky's new power. Maybe not the 'how to kill it' part, but the emotion reading side effect. She wasn't cold reading the two of you, she was reading me. Although that might have been to prove she could, quote, beat me at my own game, I'm not certain. If she starts to suspect anything, well, we can improvise. Keep it a secret as long as possible, then tell her about how her aura fucked everything up. After that, she'll probably pretend nothing is wrong and never touch the subject again. The way she's doing for both of her trigger events."


That's right, I realized. She just had a trigger, with all the trauma that comes with it.


"Fuck," Taylor muttered. "She might be even better at compartmentalizing than I am."


When you live with my family, you kinda have to be. I didn't say anything.


....


"So, you girls have fun talking about me?" Vicky asked when we walked back in. "I know I'm not quite on par with the Endslayers or the Triumvirate or anything, but put me in the field and I can beat pretty much anything else."


"Yeah," I sighed. "Kinda talking about what team to put you on. You're probably going to be with Atropos and Clotho most of the time. You don't mind taking orders from Crystal, do you?"


"Hey, wait a second," Crystal responded. "When did I agree to be a team leader? Also, when did we start creating teams?"


"I thought I'd be on the team with Zach and Missy and the rest," Vicky argued.


"Clarice has about the same powers that you do," Taylor pointed out. "It would be redundant. And given their history, there's no way in hell we can put them on the same squad together. Having a thinker that can help make our blasters more effective on the field is incredibly valuable. Plus, you're the third member on the team that has a power that can let you double as a healer. Not nearly on Riley's level, but better than most."


"I don't have blaster powers," Vicky argued. "I can't even fly."


"Armor will take care of that," I pointed out. "You'll have a custom set pretty soon, I'm sure. Right, Riley?"


"I have sooo many ideas!" Riley practically sang. "We can give you a set of Radiant's weapons, but since you don't use a forcefield and have combat intuition, we can use that space to improve your speed and stealth features. I bet if I talk to Defiant I could find a way to miniaturize the shunt tech a little, and you could have two shunt drives for quick cross dimensional attacks. Maybe include a few extra melee features. We could use more up close fighters."


"Why can't I work with my friends?" she pouted.


Because that's why, I thought. "We have to plan for effectiveness. I'm sure there will be plenty of missions where we put you together with one or more of your friends, but they can already do everything you can do. You're stronger with Crystal's team."


"When did I get a team?" Crystal asked again. "I thought Lisa was suppose to handle those two."


"Since we started getting more recruits," Lisa answered. "We have too many people to coordinate as a single unit. So now we have three. Four, if you include our tech team. We have the thinker group that stays back and coordinates. Then we have the blaster group. Then we have the frontline group. With a few people, like Riley and Taylor who do double or triple duty."


"And I get stuck with the group that can't be trusted to take care of themselves?" Crystal complained.


"Would you prefer to be the one in charge of the neurotic college kids, or the one in charge of the neurotic highschoolers?" Lisa asked.


"I'd rather not have to deal with being in charge at all," Crystal countered.


"It's cool, cuz," Vicky insisted. "You can let me handle everything and just say you're in charge. How's that sound?"


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

A/N- Vicky: I'm halping!

Everyone else: know what? Fuck it. We don't even care anymore.

 

[Snake/Eater]

Still wondering who and why interrupted the transport to the Birdcage that was carrying Brian.

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it's probably the usual suspects... The Yàngbǎn or Cauldren or worst an alliance of both.

 

[daimahou]

"It's cool, cuz," Vicky insisted. "You can let me handle everything and just say you're in charge. How's that sound?"

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This comes to mind:
[deadpan] 'Oh God, oh God, we're all going to die?'

 

[tkioz]

Oh poor Crystal, I pity you... just a little

 

[Peanuckle]

Man, Victoria really lucked out on her powers, didn't she? Canon examples of "grab-bag" capes were fairly moderate, like Circus, but Victoria can slap down just about anyone.

 

[dasstan]

"It's cool, cuz," Vicky insisted. "You can let me handle everything and just say you're in charge. How's that sound?"

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Vicky: ALL SHALL LOVE ME, AND DESPAIR. This time through planning! ;D

 

[Alterego9]

Ok, so which secret are they talking about here exactly? It's not the incest aura, and Vicky isn't supposed to care all that much about the others that they keep from each other or the outside (Taylor being a clone, Lisa's second trigger (is that even a secret?), Eidolon's performance issues, the Zion main plot, etc.)

 

[tsuknoryu2986]

Ok, so which secret are they talking about here exactly? It's not the incest aura, and Vicky isn't supposed to care all that much about the others that they keep from each other or the outside (Taylor being a clone, Lisa's second trigger (is that even a secret?), Eidolon's performance issues, the Zion main plot, etc.)

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Amelia brainwashing her after the whole thing with Bonesaw and their dad.

 

[doomlord9]

I would think it would be the fact that Glory Girl was a cut-rate Heartbreaker as far as Amy was concerned.

 

[Balatro Philologus]

Ok, so which secret are they talking about here exactly? It's not the incest aura, and Vicky isn't supposed to care all that much about the others that they keep from each other or the outside (Taylor being a clone, Lisa's second trigger (is that even a secret?), Eidolon's performance issues, the Zion main plot, etc.)

Click to shrink...

I think maybe Taylia?

 

[Alterego9]

Thanks for the three different answers, at least I feel like less of an idiot now.

Amelia brainwashing her after the whole thing with Bonesaw and their dad.

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That makes the most sense. Though in one line Amelia asked Lisa "So what do we do about your, uh, secret?" That doesn't sound like a Dallon private issue.

I would think it would be the fact that Glory Girl was a cut-rate Heartbreaker as far as Amy was concerned.

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Nope, "tell her about how her aura fucked everything up" is suggested as an acceptable diversion from the bigger deal. (actually, that also suggests that it's about Vicky's gaywashing, as the aura could be a justification for it.)

I think maybe Taylia?

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Is that even a secret to anyone?

 

[Stroth]

Thanks for the three different answers, I feel like less of an idiot now.

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That's how you know when you're part of a proper secret conspiracy group.

"We can't let her stay here, she'll discover our horrible world ending secret!"

"Wait, which one? There's so many to chose from."




Also, my money is on Cauldron being the secret.

 

[GiftofLove]

It's ok, Riley has a chart for neophytes.

 

[BlackBulletOfSeven]

So Vicky now has:

Adaptive Regen.

Low to mid Brute capabilities

"Electric Attack Mods"

Mid tier Mover ability

High tier Combat Thinker ability (still not as good as Contessa or The Number Man's)

And an aura thing (don't know what this does)

Is that it?

 

[evildice]

Is that it?

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Her statuesque body is rated as a Shaker 8/10.

Her personality is rated Brute 11.

 

[Nigel Burnelli Isaacs]

Well now, Victoria got an Improved Clarice power set via a Bonesaw Bud...Did not see that one coming, but it seems logical when you think about the time Riley spent creating Victoria's new body. Her powers really are something dangerous and potent and make her a threat to pretty much everyone.

I also liked the discussion about letting her in the team or not and the things that were pointed out in it...Too bad she got in as I am sure she is the reason of the possibilities of the Pantheon splitting seen by Dinah. Now it is interesting that the teams are split and that Crystal got to be in charge of one of the squads, although I pity her given who she is in charge of.

Nice updates, curious to see where things will go from there.

 

[tsuknoryu2986]

That makes the most sense. Though in one line Amelia asked Lisa "So what do we do about your, uh, secret?" That doesn't sound like a Dallon private issue.

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I think this is a typo and is suppose to be Taylor talking to Amelia.

 

[Slayer Anderson]

Damn, I almost thought Lisa and Taylor were going to get away with talking Amelia out of letting Vicky join the team, but nope, the DRAMA won out in the end!

Oh, poor Crystal, she's gonna' have to choke a bitch if this keeps up.

Although, I have to wonder exactly what Victoria's extra-sensory power set has in that suite? Because...if she has super-hearing, she may have just heard that entire conversation about 'the dark secret(s).'

...and, holy shit, Vicky lucked out! If she had almost anything 'less' as a power set, Amelia would have to kick her to the curb.

Amelia: "You're good, sis, but you're not a god-tier, and that's who we're recruiting."

Vicky: "Puny God! Vicky Smash!"

Amelia: "Oh for fuck's sake, fine! If you can actually stop being a bitch to my fiance for five minutes every now and then, you can join!"

 

[Alterego9]

Although, I have to wonder exactly what Victoria's extra-sensory power set has in that suite? Because...if she has super-hearing, she may have just heard that entire conversation about 'the dark secret(s).'

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It would be amusing if now Victoria started to snoop into everything to figure out the Dark Secret that she heard them talking about, and accidentally bump into all the other dark secrets that they have.

This might genuinely be a thing that happpens, it would explain why they so annoyingly avoided naming the secret: we just read what is a classic "partial overheard conversation" plot point from Vicky's perspective.

 

[GiftofLove]

Then Victoria tried to seduce Taylor to prove to Amelia that she's a scumbag.

 

[BlackBulletOfSeven]

Vicky isn't that Godmode. I can see anyone with a decent offensive Breaker/Shaker power being able to beat her. Blasters are her weakness as well.

It all sounds OP cuz she has a lot of powers, but even though Vicky is smart, she has a temper and is used to more durability than she has and will probably end up pushing her Regen to its limits.

 

[fappingtoyourpost]

Omake - Forgotten Responsibilities.

I was having a late lunch in my room, thinking about the absolute mess that Victoria joining meant for the team when I sensed Riley at my door. She knocked, so I let her in.

"What's up lil' sis?"

"I think we should put Clotho on the blaster team too. She's just as unhelpful to have around restricted info as the rest of the long range group, and I don't think she'll take well to being split up from Atropos." she said. "Besides, we've still got one too many people on the team."

"Clotho is, functionally, a blaster, so that makes sense," I replied, "but what do you mean by too many people?"

"Well, big sis" Riley answered "you didn't take over the Slaughterhouse Fourteen. It doesn't make sense to pare the membership back down and then stop at ten."

 

[Slayer Anderson]

It would be amusing if now Victoria started to snoop into everything to figure out the Dark Secret that she heard them talking about, and accidentally bump into all the other dark secrets that they have.

This might genuinely be a thing that happpens, it would explain why they so annoyingly avoided naming the secret: we just read what is a classic "partial overheard conversation" plot point from Vicky's perspective.

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Vicky: "ARGHHHH! I give up! What's the dark secret!?"

Amelia & Taylor: <AlarmShockTerror!>

Lisa: "Oh god dammit! You have super-hearing!"

Victoria: "Of course I do! I have super-bullshit everything! But I can't fucking read minds and every time I get close to figuring out what your dark secret is, I get interrupted! I mean, I've already figured out about Alexandria being Costa-Brown, Cauldron being an actual real thing that gives out super-powers, the whole Coil/Calvert brain-slug thing, Scion being an alien and potentially causing the apocalypse in a few years, the whole empathic bond thing Taylor and Amy have going on, the Nilbog plan, Emma being secretly in love with Lisa-"

Emma: "-gee, thanks Vicky, fuck you too!"

Victoria: "-Missy being the secret heir to a ninja clan-"

Missy: "-and you just blew my cover, now I have to kill you all!"

Victoria: "-Zach secretly being Oni-Lee's son-"

Zach: "Meh, I wasn't hiding it all that well."

Victoria: "-the fact that Noelle has replaced half the city with evil twins-"

Noelle: "-it was going to be a surprise for Christmas!"

Lisa: "Look, I'm just going to stop you there. This is getting ridiculous and you're upsetting the carefully hidden neurosis that keep Pantheon working."

Victoria: "I was just about to explain how your brother actually triggered with a stranger power and isn't dead, but fine, if you don't want to know, whatever!"

 

[fappingtoyourpost]

"Yeah," I sighed. "Kinda talking about what team to put you on.

Click to shrink...

 

[TatsuZZmage]

Tactical Like bomb Deployed.
edit. Ok now that its done,

Spoiler: My Thoughts on SB administrators