Amelia, Ch 341- Taylor
"Honestly, Boston's been wonderful. They'd probably move me out if they could, but I plan to stay for the foreseeable future," Sarah stated. I tried not to flinch. The reasons she stayed could be summed up as that's where Dad found work.
ConcernSupportAcceptanceRequest. That would be Amelia trying to convince me to be okay with their relationship, which was clearly getting more serious as time moved forward. I wanted to be okay with that, I really did. But at the same time I kinda didn't.
Sarah took a bite of her food. "Oh, wow, this tastes amazing. Kind of like a sweet potato, but with a tangy kick to it. I don't know how to describe it, but it's really good."
"Yeah, I'd never have guessed this was a vegetarian meal," Mark agreed between bites. "Man, I wish real salmon tasted this good. So I've been thinking of asking for a transfer, myself. Don't get me wrong, the vacation's been great, but I'm starting to get bored. Crystal, what's your opinion on things along the West Coast?"
"Well, Miss Militia just took over in San Fran," Crystal replied. "If you can handle a no nonsense boss, she could really use the help. I think it's starting to upset her that Alexandria or one of my people have to drop in twice a week to deal with something or another."
"Why not New York or Pittsburgh?" Vicky suggested. "They're still understaffed. Or... well, keep this to this room alone, but there's talk of me moving to Baltimore. Only for a little while, until the crime rate starts to drop. A few of the villains I chased out of Philly moved there. You get that transfer and we'll go smack villains around together until maybe they get the message and stop being criminals. It'll be fun."
"That sounds great," Mark agreed. "I don't think Armstrong will mind. They've been pushing him to get rid of a few of his people since things are running so smoothly. He's been refusing on grounds that it would disrupt the team composition. But I'm a newbie, so he won't lose any sleep over losing me to keep some of his favorites. Maybe I'll even help the ol' egghead out by setting up a few transfer conditions he'll like. Can't hurt to have a Director that owes me a favor or two down the line, right?"
"Probably not," Sarah agreed. "Hmm, maybe I'll make a discreet inquiry next time I talk to him."
"Couldn't hurt," He looked over at Sarah. "Really, he should count himself lucky that you don't officially work for the Protectorate, so they can't transfer you. His Wards program is currently the envy of the whole region thanks to you. You've always had a way with kids."
AnnoyanceLossRegret. I clenched Amelia's hand. I wasn't sure what brought that feeling on, but I was here for her nonetheless.
"It's really not like I have to do much," Sarah responded, looking a little abashed. "Fact of the matter is, Weld and Clockblocker do most of the work. They have that team running like a well oiled machine. Or as much as you can hope for in a team full of restless hormonal teenagers."
"Speaking of well oiled," Vicky added with a knowing smirk. "There's rumors all over PHO that the two of them are dating."
SurpriseSuspicionAnnoyance. It took me a humiliating couple seconds to figure out what Amelia was thinking. She's right. There was at least an eighty percent chance that it was Zach who started those rumors. We'd need to talk to that boy about his online pranks sometime soon.
"Honestly, Vicky, you already know that's just a stupid rumor," Sarah reprimanded her niece. "You tried using your healing ability on Weld, so you even know why. And Clock's got his heart set on 'the one that got away', who I'm fairly certain is a girl."
"Yeah, seriously, cuz," Crystal added. "What did poor Clock ever do to you? Y'know, except for that time he slipped glue into Gallant's armor. Or that time he spent a month using unbelievably stupid pickup lines on you. Or that time when he spent the next month using equally stupid pickup lines on Dean. Or when he photoshopped that picture to make it look like you were checking out Shadow Stalker's ass. Clearly he is as innocent as a baby and you're just being needlessly vindictive."
Huh, maybe Zach wasn't responsible for that one.
"Okay, Crystal," Sarah chuckled. "I think you've made your point. But in all seriousness, he's done a lot of growing up this year. Try not to judge him too harshly on his behavior, when he's trying so hard now."
"I'm just glad things are stable enough that people can focus on transfers, politics and rumors" Mark added. "There was a time there after New Delhi that we were afraid the whole country was going to collapse into supervillain fueled anarchy. Can't speak for the rest of the country, but the East Coast is more stable now than it's been any time in the last decade. And it looks like it's going to stay that way with the colony world generating jobs. Nice and peaceful."
"That's an understatement," Dad added. "Maybe I'm just biased, being used to the mess that was Brockton Bay, but I never would have imagined a city the size of Boston could be cleaned up so easily. I get that a lot of it is because there are actual jobs in Boston, especially with the new colony portal in the city. I'm actually having trouble finding enough people to keep up with the demand."
"The rest is mainly because of Accord and Butcher," Sarah informed. "They created a weird sort of stability that kept other supervillains from bothering the city. When Butcher was destroyed," ConcernLoss. "and the other major player changed sides, that left the city with a clean slate, an people like it that way. The first villain who tries to step in will be the only villain in the city facing down all of the heroes at once. Someone like Lung might be able to get away with it, but there aren't a lot of people with that kind of power."
"And if anyone like that does show up, Pantheon's right next door to make them regret it," Mark added. PrideEmbarrassment. "No one wants to start a fight with Endslayers and Immortal Empresses."
"That's just a bluff, though," Carol reminded. "One that won't last. Eventually people are going to come to the realization that Amy and Taylor can't actually intervene with anything on Bet, outside of the Endbringer conflicts."
"That's why the rest of us, the ones who haven't taken citizenship on Avalon, have to be so vigilant," Crystal chimed in. "Let everyone believe that the reason our heavy hitters stay out of the fight is because they're not needed, or too busy dealing with more important issues like preparing for the next Endbringer. It's a fragile kind of peace, but it still peace. Certainly better than what we had before."
"Not that fragile," Vicky insisted. "Anyone wants to break the peace, and I'll break them into pieces. Then post photos of them online as a warning to anyone else stupid enough to try and start shit."
"So, firecracker, how have things been for you?" Mark asked. I was admittedly a bit relieved to have the conversation turn away from Avalon for once. We lived it constantly, every day, and while I loved what we were achieving, it would be nice to take a break from it once in a while.
"Oh, you know me, Dad," Vicky smiled. "Forever lucky in life and love."
"Love, huh?" Mark regarded his daughter. "So, when do I meet this new boy in your life?"
"You already have," Carol informed, sounding less than pleased. "Your daughter is dating the current head of the Protectorate. Who, as I'm sure you're quite aware, is both twenty years her senior and functionally your commanding officer."
Carol's passive aggressive bitchiness took the wind out of Mark's sails admirably, and he frowned. DistasteSchadenfreudeGuilt. "Well, I can't say I was expecting that. How long have you two been seeing each other? Is it serious?"
"Oh, nothing serious, we've only been dating since two days ago," Vicky responded cheerfully. "But I have a good feeling about things." Does nothing ever faze her? Then again, she lived with Carol even longer than Amelia did, she's probably really good at shrugging off anything that her mother can throw at her.
In a way, it made Vicky part of the group with the rest of us. Carol hated that Amelia and I were dating, she hated that Dad and Sarah were dating, she hated that Mark had 'left her' for the Protectorate, and that Crystal had left New Wave for Pantheon. Really, I'd feel bad for her if she wasn't such an unbelievable bitch about everything.
"You never struck me as the type to go for older men," Mark spoke up diplomatically after a minute. He clearly wasn't thrilled about this turn of events, either.
"I'm honestly not," Vicky responded. "Things just sorta happened, y'know?"
"After she stalked him for three months," Crystal chimed in.
"I did not stalk him," Vicky argued at her cousin. "And even if you could misconstrue my actions as stalking, it would only have been for about two and a half months. You're just jealous because you're the only person at this table who's single." I caught it as Mark and Carol glanced at each other nervously for a half second.
"What the hell was that?" Victoria asked. Evidently she noticed, too, with one of her various senses. It's not like she was lacking for options.
Carol sighed. "We didn't want to say anything, not until it was finalized."
"We're legally separated," Mark stated.
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A/N- Man. This is a FUN dinner. And by "fun" I mean "there's a reason I don't go to my family reunions."
