Bad Company (Taylor/OC, Worm AU)

[jumboseafood]

Why was this removed from spacebattle?

 

[Eatersgrin]

Why was this removed from spacebattle?

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It's under content review due to Apparently the Sex going on in the chapter 12. Also I got a 3 day ban on sufficient Velocity from posting in my own story because I didn't tag mature on the story.

Which the SV one... Mea Culpa. I really should have tagged it.

 

[Eatersgrin]

Why was this removed from spacebattle?

Click to shrink...

Also thank you for asking. You're the first and only person to track me down to ask. I slowly freaked out because like it took me like two weeks how to even post on space battles let alone how to navigate a content review. (I am not internet savvy)

 

[jumboseafood]

It's under content review due to Apparently the Sex going on in the chapter 12. Also I got a 3 day ban on sufficient Velocity from posting in my own story because I didn't tag mature on the story.

Which the SV one... Mea Culpa. I really should have tagged it.

Click to shrink...

Sb is a strictly safe for work community. Basically from what I can tell anything more explicit than kissing or ogling is a nono.

 

[Eatersgrin]

Sb is a strictly safe for work community. Basically from what I can tell anything more explicit than kissing or ogling is a nono.

Click to shrink...

Rules says Kissing and Petting. There wasn't any thing going on beyond that in chapter 12 and the entire point of the scene was they were too messed up to do anything so Ray turns her down. It's basically supposed to be an inverse of the Endbringer fight - just a downtime moment with anticlimactic non-drama

 

[jumboseafood]

Do you plan for the story to become explicit?

 

[Eatersgrin]

Do you plan for the story to become explicit?

Click to shrink...

Nope that's about as far as is was going to get. Not really a smut writer.

 

[jumboseafood]

Nope that's about as far as is was going to get. Not really a smut writer.

Click to shrink...

Poor Taylor the enterally cockblocked

 

[Eatersgrin]

Poor Taylor the enterally cockblocked

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There will be fading to black but with power out and the city in disarray protection is not going to be easy to find.

 

[jumboseafood]

There will be fading to black but with power out and the city in disarray protection is not going to be easy to find.

Click to shrink...

Honestly I would think birth control would be included in the emergency relief. Because do you want a bunch of unplanned pregnancies' in this scenario?

 

[Eatersgrin]

Honestly I would think birth control would be included in the emergency relief. Because do you want a bunch of unplanned pregnancies' in this scenario?

Click to shrink...

If it gets more humans made who can trigger in the future and add more power to fight Cauldrons threat, yup. But I see your point.

I'm still writing the early chapters so we'll see what happens.

I really wanted to launch on Monday but if this review thing keeps up I may push it to Tuesday. I'm just waiting on the volunteer reviewer person to make a call of what needs to be done.

 

[Eatersgrin]

I stood back a bit as Taylor wanted to see the memorial. I'd had my fill of death, coming close to it so many times in so little time, so I wanted nothing to do with it. I didn't need to mourn anymore. I didn't want to.

Aegis
Fenja
Gallant
Kaiser
Manpower
Shielder
Velocity

Those are the names on the memorial I personally remembered, a name to a face or mask or whatever. I knew them or met them or was impacted by them in some way. It was crazy that there are so many voids in the world now than there were a couple weeks ago, named on this memorial or not. PRT, Police Officers and the people in the city at the time who couldn't or wouldn't evacuate died and went uncelebrated because they happen to live or work in Brockton Bay the morning death came.

With a sad vigor Taylor made her way to me to lead me by the hand and brought me closer to the memorial. I didn't resist because I'd learned to trust her instincts even in the face of my own fears.

KOOROW
BULLIT
MILK
STUMPY

The names were simple and between Bullet and Stumpy they were clearly pet names.

Dog names.

The dogs Rachel sacrificed to save Taylor. I saw some die that morning or at least their bodies. Monster dogs unmoving, quiet and alone.

I cried then and there, because they trusted Rachel. I had to remind myself Taylor had explained how Rachel's power worked and it took time for them to trust her and learn to take commands. They protected Rachel and she gave them love, care and security. She was their Mamá and wouldn't ask them anything she wouldn't do herself.

Taylor let my hand go and lowered herself closer to the memorial. I watched her run her fingers along the cold stone and her skin broke out in goosebumps. I pulled my hoodie off and draped it on her shoulders and she didn't look up as she traced each letter of the four names.

A man standing by leaned in closer as he held a child and spoke up, "Sickening-"

Immediately the tone in his voice was negative and directed towards Taylor and in an instant I snapped my head towards him, my eyes still hot from tears and a glare. He shut up and moved away.

Taylor stood back up and tied the hoodies' arms in a big knot to keep it secure on her shoulders. I hesitated a moment as she walked away from the crowd until she turned her face, and looked back over her shoulder at me. I followed after her and lightly put an arm around her shoulders.

Emotions that were raw and fresh nearly two weeks ago were back under control and we had found a rhythm to our being together that suited each of us. Taylor needed space and time to process while I wanted those quiet moments. My needs were easy and could be found in an evening walk or sharing favorite chapters from books we found or just keeping each other warm by the last embers of the dinner fire. So basically we lived more by, I guess, the tides of her needs. She'd remind me of tasks needing to be done there or around the city and I'd be off, simple as that.

She missed her dad and I missed my grandmother, but she wasn't ready to see her dad. Instead we'd visit my Abuela at the church, reporting the progress we made fixing up the house. In all truth the house was probably going to be torn down once the insurances got around to paying out, but in the meantime it was better to be ready for coming back.

It kept us busy and made us feel productive without school or work. Also it gave us some privacy and independence I didn't know I needed and that Anne craved.

We did spend time apart as I raced around town from lunch to dinner to stand in various lines getting anything from meals to disaster assistance then returning in minutes after getting the goods. Taylor would take the early morning for her jogs once I cleared her a decent path. A benefit of my power let me clean up parts of the neighborhood clearing rubble and debris from the storm drains and streets. This let the immediate flood waters recede and garbage was no longer left out to rot.

It did have the negative effect of letting looters and bad elements try to raid or set up shop in the remaining homes and mostly cleared lots. And yet it seemed Mother Nature made sure to make every minute of their short stay a special hell.

We had a helluva walk back to the house as I didn't want to leave Taylor behind but she insisted we stay in the area here at the foot of the west mountains. The cold and damp hung heavy in the air and the slightest breeze would remind the poor planner that the city's fresh water came from the snow capped piece of this mountain.

"How're you two holding up?" Lisa's voice explained why Taylor had us stay. Her critters had already spotted Tattletale and Santa Bugita was maneuvering us somewhere quiet and away from the public.

Taylor carried this conversation for us both, "Doing alright. I'm staying at Ray's house. We're cleaning up the neighborhood and mostly staying fed, warm and dry."

"And how're you doing? Raymond there getting paid for the street cleaning and lot clearing?"

"No, but we're surviving. He has cash saved from his Wards pay and I got some cash incase Coil decided slavery is better than employment."

Lisa sighed and gestured at a mostly flat, pinkish slab of stone surrounded by smaller chalk white and red fragments no bigger than a softball at their largest, "it's not slavery so much as necessary."

Taylor's patented frown and scrunch of her nose made its appearance, "Necessary? Making us complicit in his takeover of Brockton Bay is necessary, how?"

We settled down on the rock formation, with Lisa sitting in lotus position while she continued, "You thrive under pressure, you give a shit about people, plus you're about details. And Ray, turns out to be more than useless once you give his head time to heal. Is he not the least bit better since he came back?"

True but I still don't like her.

"Yes."

"Good, great. It's part of the deal Coil cut with you to keep you onboard. He's still going to be paying you because you are going to keep working with us."

"I thought The Protectorate was going to recruit Taylor?" I finally piped up.

Lisa shook her head, "Nope, that's right out the window down through a garbage chute into a dumpster fire filled with parts of the city and Armsmaster's career."

Taylor sighed not in resignation, but in relief, I think. Her eyes settled on the rocky ground beneath our feet.

"What is this? Why're you even talking to us and not just barking out Coil's orders?" I asked while Anne thought about Lisa's crap.

"It might not seem like it but I care what happens to Taylor here. Even grabbing your dumb ass off the street, violating the unspoken code between the heroes and villains, that wasn't just to fuck with you for spying. I needed to know what you knew - which was little to nothing in the end."

"Hey, I went as myself to check on Taylor. I didn't know about any of your nutso change-o robberies or crap. All that mattered to me then and now is that she is alright. And I know now she can take care of herself but why does she have to if someone out there cares?" I laid back on the slab and stared up at the sky.

"Well your crush turned obsession became a thorn in Coil's side. You fucked with his plans to the point he too messed up grabbing you. I know what he may have told you but your speed isn't useful to him", Lisa's words had Taylor look up from the ground as the thinker continued. "It's useful against him".

"How is it useful? You've made our 'boss' sound all knowing since he revealed himself and now somehow Ray here is a monkey wrench in his plan."

I sat up and put a hand on the small of Taylor's back and I rubbed her back trying to reassure her.

"If you want to know how this can all work out I need you both to agree to working with The Undersiders."

It was my turn to frown. I wanted Lisa trapped under layers of containment foam. Alec in one of those cells with electric shocks. Brian - just far away, I don't know, he's got family and I think Taylor has a crush on him so I don't know that's a mix of feelings.

That left Rachel.

Between her file and what Taylor told me. Rachel is scary if you cross her and it seems she has very simple needs. She defended Taylor and it cost her some of her dogs so - maybe Rachel isn't as bad as Taylor initially thought. Just like Taylor gave me a chance, Rachel gave Taylor a chance. Still... Monster Dogs, but they're just regular dogs deep down made strong and tough and scary to protect them.

"Work with us long enough to get out from under Coil. Then we can go our separate ways, all of us."

Taylor looked to me, our eyes meeting, isn't that what's this all been about? Taylor wanting to stop The Undersiders, and get their boss, serving him up to justice. He was planning to take the city over and he used psychos like Circus who took money and then orders to do despicable crap.

I took her hand in mine and squeezed her hand lightly.

Taylor sighed, "Alright, but Ray doesn't like any of you."

"Understandable."

"I know Brian can be professional."

"True."

"And sometimes your mouth writes checks violence decides to cash."

"Like a check cashing place in the Docks... But I can promise to try to try", the blonde shrugged.

"Then there is Alec. Who is a perpetual ass so I'm not sure he'll lay off Ray."

"Oh, he won't - especially if we tell him to. So that sound palatable, Dusty Boy? Fifty percent less annoying? Also I noticed Rachel gets off scot free there. You figured her out and so she earned some shakey good will."

I shrugged and Lisa laughed softly.

"The thinker changed her sitting position, she got to her knees and sat on her legs, "Since we're talking truths. Taylor I knew you'd be there, a cape would be there that night with Lung. Then I figured out you had a plan when you met up with us."

"That's a small nightmare I didn't know came true", Taylor admitted. "I was going to turn you all in once I had enough information. Then Ray showed up, Armsmaster pressed me, Ray got taken, and Armsmaster went nuts, and things were just-"

"Nuts."

"Yeah."

"I mean, I'm Tattletale. I'm the finder of uncomfortable truths and spitter of facts. So I did my best to play you, Taylor. I knew you were going in wanting to betray us but I also knew you needed to be needed. Dusty Boy here interfering, while good for you in a weird way, was bad for what I had planned. I'm not going to apologize just like you aren't for wanting to turn us in."

I watched Taylor remove her glasses and wipe the lenses with a bit of hoodie sleeve. I leaned up against her for more warmth as the laying on the slab had leeches a good bit of my warmth. When Taylor finished Lisa got up and made her way to the railing, we followed suit and took in the city's destruction from the hill we stood on.

Like a big kid I started pointing out sites that were underwater now or just obliterated. An Ice cream parlor, my Abuela's pharmacy, and the block the first time I got my ass kicked. Taylor picked out a shopping center she frequented and, surprising me, a bookstore she fought with Sophia in.

"Speaking of uncomfortable choices, since you're both onboard then you need to know how choice is very important when it comes to Coil..."

~~x

Lisa followed us home. With her advice we shaved at least thirty minutes of backtracking and an hour total in crossing the city coordinating our abilities. The rest was good old fashioned cardio to race home before dark and Lisa was the only one exhausted when we arrived. Taylor started the dinner fire on the grill we constructed by the porch and I unburied our coolers of drinks and water.

I can't say I enjoyed the thinker's company but Taylor seemed in a better mood. She had a hard time holding in the truth.
Having one less lie, one less barrier between her and another person let her relax that extra inch and she seemed to breathe easier. So I may not like Lisa but I was grateful Annie had some relief.

Tonight I fixed up some refried beans mixed with some dried shredded beef and some fresh onion and spices from Abuela's spice rack.

"What is this you're doing for tonight's dinner?" Taylor asked.

"I call it Villain Chili."

Lisa sniffed, "That's a lot of onions, and cumin. It's more like Hobo Chili."

Taylor nodded in agreement.

Betrayal! "This is the second time I been corrected on the difference between Villains and Hobos. If I make the meal, I pick the name."

"Brockton Bay does have an outdated rail system going up and down the coast and we have a high number of less than legal acting capes".

Dammit Lisa stop trying to save this.

I went inside and pulled out paper napkins, plastic spoons, and disposable paper bowls from the cabinet. They were party supplies from birthdays past, usually for ice cream and cake. Once food was ladeled out we ate quietly as night settled over the city. With Taylor keeping the bug population in check it was nicer to eat outside looking at the stars through the recently bare tree branches.

The wind kicked up but the ember's stoked with the broken branches and remnants of the quick start charcoal briquets kept us warm around the dying fire.

In the distance the sound of loud breathing, heavy footsteps and a woman's voice made me stand.

"Sit, sit. Don't worry, she's not here for you", Lisa insisted as Rachel atop a monster bulldog galloped straight up to my grandmother's house in the night.

Taylor gestured next door, "If Brutus needs room to stretch or lie down the lot there is cleaned up already."

Rachel grunted in acknowledgement and hopped off calling the big dog to follow. I got up and went inside. I gathered another set to serve in and by the time I came back she was standing a distance away in the yard staring at Taylor and Lisa, hands in her pockets.

"Rachel is my ride back", Lisa stated as I sat down and ladle some Villain Chili into the bowl.

"Hungry?" I asked the infamous dog master as I held the bowl out to her.

"Nngh", was her response, before she walked closer and took the food.

What was it with the women of Brockton Bay and grunting?

She squatted down closer to the grill and dug into her meal. Taylor passed her a bottle of water that Rachel jammed in her coat pocket with a strange rustling sound of plastic on weaker plastic coming from her pocket.

"Anyone want anymore? I don't like leaving food out - it attracts bears and Merchants." I asked Taylor and half the Undersiders.

Lisa waved me off, Taylor took a ladle's worth and Rachel held her bowl out which I filled until the pot emptied.

While Rachel sopped up the Villain Chili with a piece of roll she dug out of her coat pocket, Lisa started collecting her trash and spoke, "One last thing, Taylor do you have any of the three phones Brian gave you?"

"They're all dead. We've been using them for clocks and alarms."

Rachel passed her garbage to Lisa and whistled for Brutus and the big animal happily bound over from its resting spot next door. The dog master reached for a large bundle tied to the dog and undid the ropes. Rachel passed the bundle to me. It was a soft fabric case with some major heft to it and it felt expensive just from the weight alone, "What is this?"

"Portable solar power kit. Three panels, wiring, power station, and a battery bank for charging on the go. Power station can charge your mobile equipment or power your laptop or run some basic electric stuff while the sun is out."

Taylor shook her head, "Equipment? Laptop? We don't have any of - ugh, this is from Coil isn't it?"

Lisa nodded, "Doctors get pagers, Criminals get-"

Rachel pulled a second bundle from Brutus' other side. It was a gym bag, not as heavy but it too felt expensive as I took it from her.

"-a satellite internet kit, laptop, phones for Ray, spare glasses for Taylor, some meal packs that don't suck, and a new costume for Dusty Boy."

Boy I hated that name. Like hate hate, bad things happened as soon as I heard those words and to them it's the same thing as calling me dude or guy. To them I'm this generic joke, the stupid Ward who crushed on their teammate. So I'm Dusty Boy, I'm this thing they can fuck with and it's okay because Cops and Robbers bullshit.

"You should go", I tell Lisa. Rachel took that as her cue and started towards Brutus, "Rachel - thank you for coming and helping Taylor back then. I'm sorry about Crow and Bullet, Milk and Stumpy, they fought real good but they shouldn't have had to. Coil ran like a coward from the fight, a fight he left to us. Kids and dogs, even when this is all over I'm going to make him pay."

Her head turned and she scowled at me before mounting Brutus. Lisa followed her fellow Undersider and climbed on after Rachel.

"Keep that talk to yourself, Ray. It's only a surprise attack if they don't know it's coming", Tattletale warned with a grin.

"He knows it's coming so I'm not going to make this thing easy for him. If I'm aggressive all the time then he has to be ready for anything at all times. He's still just a flesh and blood guy anyway."

Lisa laughed from her seat on her high dog, "You know how to pick them, Taylor."

Taylor shook her head, "Bye, guys."

Rachel urged Brutus on and three took off into the night while I held the handles of both bags of equipment. I brought Coil's stuff inside the house and came back out to finish cleaning up.

~~x

Taylor sat on top of the bedding in the lotus position. Boy shorts, and a gray tank top kept her cool despite the growing heat of the morning. She munched on a granola bar and we split a thermos of yesterday's leftover, cold coffee.

"You sure you want to talk to them? They might have lied to Tattletale back at the hospital. They could come after you, Ray."

"I actually think this is my best shot at getting half the Wards on my side. Clearing the air with my old team and getting some goodwill. We'll be eighteen soon enough and If my future is as a rogue I might as well have some future Protectorate heroes have me in their good graces."

She sat there watching me pull on the spare PRT uniform and when I had pulled the zipper up to my neck and flattened the Velcro cover over the fastener making the suit look, well, uniform, Taylor passed me the thermos. Coffee was lightly sweetened and a bit bitter.

It kinda fit the coming mood in town.

"Can I have more sweetness to go with the coffee?" I asked with a smirk.

Taylor's forehead wrinkled, "That's the last of the sugar and pink packs."

I pointed to my lips as I leaned forward. She started looking around a little embarrassed.

"There is no one around to judge or see, Annie but it's okay. Just happy to wake up to you", I said as I passed the thermos back to her.

She reached for it and then grabbed the neck of my uniform as she pulled me to her. I lost my footing and sprawled on the bed. I laughed into the pile of comforters we used as a mattress on the box spring.

"Sorry", she said as I picked myself back up.

I looked up at her from the pile of blankets, "You don't have to be sorry with me. A for effort, we'll get there."

"Speaking of getting there. I found some - things - in some of the kits you picked up", she was decidedly vague on the things in question.

"What things?"

Taylor sighed and leaned back to the top drawer of my nightstand by the bed and pulled out a blue pouch I hadn't seen before.

"That's not mine".

It isn't. I swear.

Taylor started to laugh, "Why are you so weird? I just finished saying I found something inside of those kits you picked up. You look upset, Ray. You're - you're not in trouble with me."

I looked down at the pouch in her hand and she flipped it over. This side was transparent and it had a long press to lock the zipper thing to seal it. Inside the pouch were various vitamin supplements, medication packets, bandages, a plastic strip of candies, and a little silver tray with pills I didn't recognize.

"Uhhh, cool we got snacks and meds?" I didn't know what she was getting at.

She straightened her legs and laid back down on the bed, "You don't - Ray. Ray, You've had the talk right? Your grandfather talked to you about -"

I cocked a questioning eyebrow.

"No? Health class, you had Health before you got powers, right?"

"Nah, they dropped it from my class load so I could patrol when I joined The Wards… What's wrong, Sunshine?"

She was covering her face with her hands, "I can't believe I'm about to ask this but - do you know about sex?"

What?!?

"What?!?"

"It's okay if you don't. Don't - don't worry about it."

I'm now so very, very worried about this. Has she had sex? I thought - like - WHAT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS OUT?!?

"I- no. I mean, I'm aware. I just I - I never, wait - have you had sex? Did you kiss Brian while I was out?" I am so confused.

Taylor sat up, "Yes, I did. We were out in public - that bookstore I pointed out yesterday, where Sophia attacked me. I saw her out there and Brian was with me. She was basically eye fucking him so I kissed him to upset her. It was a spur of the moment thing, I wanted to - I needed her to - I-"

I pushed myself up and forward on the bed and on impulse I kissed my Annie. I can't stand the idea of Sophia interfering to this point like this. And I don't like Brian a single bit either. But I have to encourage her to stick it to her bullies, so my stupid pride can go to hell.

I broke the kiss and smiled, "I'm glad you stuck it to her. Your move was choice, weird for me though, but I get it."

"We didn't do anything about the kiss, and yes I am - attracted to him."

Oh.

"But I'm not with him. I just work with him. Again, it was an impulse at a weird time in life BUT in the pouch I showed you is emergency birth control and condoms. Seems the city doesn't want a baby boom after a hurricane or an Endbringer attack."

Ohhhhhhh.

"I just ruined everything didn't I?"

Taylor frowned for the bajillionth time, "No, you are honest with me and your feelings, and since I don't have to be sorry with you I can extend you the same thing."

I'm pretty sure I'm going to pay for this somehow. I know it. Her mouth frowning sure knows it.

"I care about you, too".

"Hey! What did- oh you said 'care'."

I nodded, "Yup, yup. Anyway, to uhh make up for my bout of insanity what can I do special for you, today? I mean we do have - The Pouch."

She pushed on my head and I slid away from her, "Go. Do your thing. I'll set up the electronic stuff. Maybe - you can find some DVDs out there? The laptop has a drive on it. We could watch something together, relax?"

My eyes lit up, "I have some DVDs in my closet, but it's mostly sci-fi and horror and now we live that stuff so - I'll see what I can do."

With that I pointed finger guns at my Sunshine and strutted outta the bedroom with an extra thing to do. Maybe I can swipe something from the dorms or pick up a DVD from the gift shop.

 

[jumboseafood]

So Ray joined a gang. What would his poor grandmother think?

 

[Eatersgrin]

So Ray joined a gang. What would his poor grandmother think?

Click to shrink...

This reaction is going to go over well with the kid.

 

[jumboseafood]

This reaction is going to go over well with the kid.

Click to shrink...

Gang membership a bag full of birth control and cohabitation. Every devout catholic parents nightmare.

 

[Eatersgrin]

Gang membership a bag full of birth control and cohabitation. Every devout catholic parents nightmare.

Click to shrink...

I didn't even realize that. I seriously didn't. I blame your subtle, tasteful influence.

 

[jumboseafood]

I didn't even realize that. I seriously didn't. I blame your subtle, tasteful influence.

Click to shrink...

Ray is the modern day prodigal son lead astray by a edgy bug girl and a dude in a snake gimp suit. But with all the money Ray gets from Coil he could have a few masses said for his soul.

 

[Eatersgrin]

Ray is the modern day prodigal son lead astray by a edgy bug girl and a dude in a snake gimp suit. But with all the money Ray gets from Coil he could have a few masses said for his soul.

Click to shrink...

Ray: We're getting PAID?!?
Taylor: I'm not sure if he stopped paying me.
Ray: ... I could have a sugar mama.

 

[jumboseafood]

I have to say am really looking forward too Ray meeting Brian because that going to be one hell of a conversation. Aisha and Alec are going to eat this shit up. Also does Ray still think Coil is Taylor's dad? Because that would be awkward. In general I love this fucking goofball he's just the perfect foil to Taylor's stoic grimness.

 

[Eatersgrin]

I have to say am really looking forward too Ray meeting Brian because that going to be one hell of a conversation. Aisha and Alec are going to eat this shit up. Also does Ray still think Coil is Taylor's dad? Because that would be awkward. In general I love this fucking goofball he's just the perfect foil to Taylor's stoic grimness.

Click to shrink...

I'm always tempted to ramble on about the story but I realize I'm more ahead in it than y'all so it'd be spoilers to answer the Coil question.

But So far you have seen Ray deal with Lisa and Rachel like people. Brian and Alec will be awkward and Ray is probably going to want to put a bell on Aisha.

 

[jumboseafood]

I'm always tempted to ramble on about the story but I realize I'm more ahead in it than y'all so it'd be spoilers to answer the Coil question.

But So far you have seen Ray deal with Lisa and Rachel like people. Brian and Alec will be awkward and Ray is probably going to want to put a bell on Aisha.

Click to shrink...

Put a bell on? I never heard that idiom before

 

[Eatersgrin]

Put a bell on? I never heard that idiom before

Click to shrink...

Like a cat. You put a bell on a cat's collar so you can hear it coming.

 

[jumboseafood]

Like a cat. You put a bell on a cat's collar so you can hear it coming.

Click to shrink...

He's going to give alec ideas

 

[Eatersgrin]

He's going to give alec ideas

Click to shrink...

Y u do dis?

Alright It turns out I do write smut but tastefully. I forget there are scenes in my other Ray AU story with Sophia. Definitely more graphic than anything in Bad Company so far. So we shall see what happens with The Pouch.

 

[Eatersgrin]

I know the tv and movie portrayal of Hispanic aunt's, grandmothers, and moms usually have them looking darker skinned with a really tired look to them but the bulk of the women in my family are fair to olive skinned. So when coming up with Abuela she's modelled after my Maternal grandmother and paternal great aunts.

 

[Eatersgrin]

The place doesn't look that different since I was last here but there was a copper taste to the air. I'm sitting in a conference room across from a guy claiming to be the leader of the Wards. I don't know this metal dude standing there. I could be getting pranked or something but then if it's true, if they promoted some out of towner after the losses to Leviathan, then things are really really bad.

I'm kinda getting the stink eye from him. It might have to do with me wearing the mask Rachel gave me from the bags of Coil's equipment. I mean sure it's creepy, pretty bug-like and less than friendly looking but I'm just a guy not some weirdo.

The costume Coil gave me was in two parts. A horned mask with two mustard colored bubbled lenses and the black mask itself airbrushed and stylized to look like sand and dirt speckled it. The body suit was a black zip up with built in boots also stylized much as the mask. The mustard, brown, and gray patterns looked like eddies of dirt and dust with streaks of speckled sand.

So I'm dudded out in my spare PRT issued uniform and the creepy ass mask. I almost didn't put a mask on at all because anyone that would want to screw me over in this life already knows my identity. So what do I have to lose? Nothing, right? Well I can get more enemies that's for sure, so I'm masking up.

Guy's not really asking questions. He's just standing there and now I'm pretty certain he's the one who patted Taylor - Skitter on the back before the Endbringer fight.

"I saw you at the thing a couple weeks back. They leave you here or they invited you back?" I asked curiously.

"Dust Devil, I am not allowed to speak to you until a direct Authority figure arrives to debrief you. All I can say is that I'm Weld, leader of the local Wards and you must remain in my custody."

Look what I'm working with here. People tell me I have an accent, yeah of course I speak English and Bad Spanish. This guy is from Boston, like for reals.

"I hope they're treating you alright. We - they lost good people from The Protectorate and the team that night. They're hurting so forgive them if they aren't a hundred percent with you. Usually Aegis and Gallant would be doing their best to reach out to everyone, ya know, before putting Yamada on the table. Even before that they'd be making sure Vista is included front and center. She's the Veteran Ward, she'll be the one who sees the most faces pass through the dorm. Never let her down, she's going to be your best bet to getting the rest on board to whatever your style or plan is."

I get a metal frown in response and silence. Take the time to look around the conference room, Dragon's symbol is displayed on the monitor on the wall, she's probably listening in.

"That doesn't seem fair", Weld spoke up.

I look back at him from across the table, "What?"

"Putting Vista out front like that for the others."

"I know, she's a kid but the adults have already been doing it. The focus put on her already has her head in that space. I seen a lot of sh- tuff in my months on the team. Nothing is really fair and yet she will feel undermined or being treated like a kid if she's not acknowledged", the words are coming out of me the past couple weeks like water from a broke dam. I'm used to talking a ton since my trigger but not anything close to coherent for others. I'd be making jokes or references just for me since I'd feel alone in the conversations I'd try to have.

"Still-", I interrupted the poor guy. He's already broken protocol, but I want my team treated right. Some of them are people I count as my friends.

"Her favorite person in the whole world died, man. She doesn't want to be hurt anymore than that. Trying to protect her from life isn't going to help her, she's going to feel like she's a special case on the team. Vista does more than pull her weight on the team, man. Can she be hurt more or worse? Yeah, but she already had the second worst day of her life. And not all of them can put on metal or stone to shield them from what life throws, ya know?"

Weld stared at me silently for a moment, "You are not anything like they described you."

"The team or the PRT?"

"Both. I heard you could be difficult and you had issues with your assignment but you were happy to patrol. You joke around constantly and lose focus during meetings. You had a habit of rambling and doing your own thing in the field."

I nodded my head carefully, I wasn't sure how the horns on the mask would behave, "Yeah, it's why I patrolled so much and was on babysitting duty at school, and not at Arcadia. Things have changed, my head is on straighter and I came here to be upset today, but not with you. You're a kid like the rest of us and you weren't here when I got screwed over. So, I appreciate you listening to me about the team, you broke protocols to do it but that means you care or you care about yourself enough to want the team to function at its best."

"Both."

I shrugged, "Good enough".

"Dust Devil, it is good to have you with us today", Dragon's voice came over the wall monitor's sound system.

"Hello, Dragon. It's great to finally get to speak to you. I'm a big fan of Protectorate tinkers. You and - you rock", still facing the monitor I spoke to Weld. "I always wanted to say that to her."

"Yes, I still have a couple of your letters from your social studies project back at Revere Middle School."

My eyes widened, I know this is a tactic to soften me up but dammit, it's DRAGON!

AND SHE REMEMBERS!

I gotta tell Abuela and Taylor about this.

"That's awesome! Thank you for responding to my questions. I think I got an A on it", I talked to Weld from the side of my mouth, "I don't get many A's."

"That's great to hear, unfortunately due to the circumstances of the state of the city we don't have The Director or any high level local administrators to see you at present so we called in a consultant-"

Ice rushed through my veins. No, no no no, no.

"Mr. Thomas Calvert, he's worked with the PRT for many years before becoming a consultant. I believe you have met with him."

"I'd prefer not to, Dragon. I can - I can - I can keep waiting. You can put a bunch of your drones in the room or put me in the garages with one of your suits guarding. I'll take a cell instead. I'm patient, I swear. Piggot, her assistant, Mr. Green from Image, even."

Weld looked at me strangely as I panicked, "Calm down, you're not under arrest. We're not going to lock you up."

"I'd - I'd rather be locked up than talk to Calvert. This is exactly why I came to be upset. This - this tells me no one cares, no one looked into it. I - Dragon, I'm leaving. I refuse to face that man. I don't know who he is and I don't trust him. I got the number for here. I'll call ahead next time. Jesus Christo, pinche PRT", I just muttered the last bit as I stood up from my chair.

Weld took a step forward and I tripped as I backed up into the chair. My body slipped into its weak breaker state and I hung in the air.

"Dust Devil, please return to your normal-" Dragon's voice cut out as the lights went out, the monitor went dark and smelled vaguely of burned out electronics.

Weld peeked out of one of the plastic blinds covering the conference room windows and the sound of dogs, big dogs could be heard.

I rematerialized, "You should probably get out there."

"Can't. The job is you right now", the metal hero said, still staring out the window.

"Doesn't anything I did against Leviathan count for something? I'm not a villain, at worst I'm a rogue - I'm not sure where I stand but I'm not here to do bad. I just needed the PRT to know their is bad shit coming their way and -"

The door slammed open and Calvert rapidly stepped inside and shut the door behind himself, "Weld, we're under attack. The rest of the Wards have been alerted and The Protectorate are still helping with containing the raids on the supply lines into the city. I know it's against proto-" Weld was practically out the door already.

"I'm on it, Dust Devil should cooperate and keep you safe" he cast a backwards silvery, glance at me and I shrugged. I didn't want to be in the room with Calvert let alone prevent harm to his person.

"I'm sure he'll cooperate, Weld. Now whoever crashed a van through the lobby tourists could be hurt", the consultant said and Weld was out the door.

With his back still to me, blocking the door, Calvert spoke, "So, we meet again, Dust Devil. I assume our mutual - captor has you pressed into his service as well?"

What?!?

"What?"

Calvert turned to face me and the older man reached into his pocket and held out a small plastic stick to me, "He wants data from the PRT servers. Take this distraction, ascend to the dorms, and the computer terminal for the monitor desk should be functional."

I stared dumbly at the skinny old man, he wanted me to go up to the dorms and stick that stick drive into the computer.

For Coil.

"Coil's a coward and a dick and his costume sucks. I don't know what he has on you but he's got nothing on me to make me his bitch. So I'm just going to chill here until this blows over", I picked up the chair I tripped on and sat back down.

"It's imperative you get this data, Mr Alcaraz, for all our sakes "

"No, I'm cool. Last time I trusted you I ended up getting a sledgehammer to the skull and bled all over. Not cool."

Calvert stared at me like I just crop dusted him, "Is Coil not paying you enough for your cooperation?"

"Nobody told me nothing about being paid. Slaves don't get paid and Clown girl made it clear he owned me, somehow. Besides he ran from Leviathan while I hit, fought and wrestled that monster and lived. So if he's too weak to face an Endbringer then he's not a real thre-"

"Enough! The Undersiders are here, they are your distraction to steal the data. As soon as your drive has captured a copy it will alert Skitter and the others to exfiltrate to safety", Calvert held the drive out and his ID card for me to take.

I got out of my chair and snatched it from him, "Just getting data. I'm not going to fight anyone for that skinny freak. He owes me debts and I will collect."

I swapped to my breaker state and filtered through the vent in the ceiling and entered the HVAC system. I remember being told it wasn't tinker made, instead the system was just tinker modified so it fit building regulations but also gave the place the safety of the tinker security.

Luckily, as a self declared Tinker whisperer, I got advice from Chris on how to approach tinker tech to defuse or interfere with it in an emergency. It's almost like magic that only that specific tinker, or Dragon, can muck with. Sneaking around the PRT building here with his advice was easy.

The UV lights didn't hurt my breaker form. The laser grids I could pass right through. But the viral and fine particulate filters you only really see on furnace filters were tinker made so they never needed changing. They used to keep me out until I realized how they self cleaned.

I stripped all the current build up on the filter, added it to my mass, then pushed myself against it and lined every millimeter of filter surface. After about ten seconds an arm the height of the filter armed with fine toothed brush and UV light started dragging across the surface. Since the arm that cleans is part of the frame I drop the extra mass and see the fine hairline crack the arm itself closes up. I filter through the crack and keep moving until I hit the hallway vent closest to the elevators.

I spill out of the vent and reform in front of the elevator. I swipe his Id card on the panel and luckily the elevator opened up.

The doors opened up to the dorm level and I saw no one was scrambling around the hallway. I swapped back to my breaker state and zipped to the dorms, entered through the ceiling vent and bypassed the filter again.

Since I slipped in without triggering the door the lights stayed off. Inside it was like almost nothing had changed. Almost.

A big, weird chair made out of truck tires was set at the head of the table. In Gallant's space was a lot less Glory Girl merch and a lot more Gallant and Brigade/New Wave stuff. I passed by Vista's area and some of her Gallant posters looked like they had been taken down, creased, straightened out and then tacked back up.

That feeling inside had me upset again. I missed my friends and Coil has me breaking in to steal stuff or Taylor could get caught. Was this our lives now - puppeted by the attachment we have for others?

Asshole.

The monitor desk was unmanned, made sense since they'd be back in school by now. Even with a disaster still going, the Youth Guard would go ape if they kept us from our education.

I plugged the drive into the computer and the screen showed a data transfer bar blinking at zero percent. I heard the disk drives spin up and start doing their thing and the bar started reading zero point two percent and started racing through the numbers.

This was going to take a while.

I stood up and paced around the dorm. Dennis had sketched out a poster for me, it was super generic, it could have been almost anyone's silhouette in a PRT cape uniform. But the poster had Dust Devil written at the bottom in sharpie. I found it tacked up in Chris's area.

Why'd life have to be so hard? What was wrong with wanting to do good and help people that made someone a target for the selfish buttholes that abuse their power. Alexandria and Eidolon are super powerful and they don't go around hurting people or taking advantage.

I had to remember to - oh yeah, I dipped over to the community file cabinet. During a day of patrol we each kept eyeing this tall thin filing cabinet on the curb outside an office building. Someone a long time ago had slapped an old Wards vinyl sticker that was from Miss Milita's days on the front of the second drawer. The skies were threatening to rain that day and we felt it was destiny that had us find it. Vista combined with Me and Aegis were able to sneak the thing into the building while the rest distracted the lobby crew.

Inside the top drawer, too high for Vista, was the energy drinks and energy bars. Best not to tempt our veteran into skipping sleep. Second drawer was magazines, mini posters, prototype merch not meant for the public yet. Third drawer was our media drawer. Movies, jump drives of music, CDs, audio books, actual books, and a bunch of promotional earbuds, headphones, and lots of batteries.

I tried to find a movie that wasn't horror or sci-fi. Big Trouble in Little China, yes please.

The monitor made a pinged sound like it was done. Quickly I grabbed a couple of books randomly and I took just enough stuff they'd assume someone else on the team borrowed them. Plus Taylor might appreciate the new reading material, and I strode over to the desk. The transfer bar read one hundred percent done. I pulled the data stick and unzipped my uniform, jammed the goodies inside, and breaker stated my way out.

In the conference room Calvert was typing on his phone when I dropped down through the ceiling vent.

"It's done?" he asked, not looking up.

"Yeah, yeah, I got his stupid files. Now send them away."

The keyboard on his smartphone slid up behind his screen and the consultant reached out for the drive, "Already done, Dust Devil."

I sighed and handed the drive and ID card to him, carefully he plucked them from my fingers and inspected the drive then put it into his pocket with his phone, "Now do you actually want to say something to the PRT or should you be rightly changing your mind?"

With a frown I said, "No. I'm good."

"Excellent. He will be pleased at your cooperation as I am - pleased."

I got the feeling this guy was pretty upset.

"Can I go now?"

"Oh no, you must remain until they release you. I'll find Weld and give the order and you return home and wait for further instruction", Calvert opened the door and slipped out quietly and headed back to the lobby.

~~x

Taylor wasn't home when I arrived. I wasn't sure to change or to go out looking for her or call the number for Coil programmed into the phones. I puttered around the house without my mask on and tidied up. I swapped out the comforters on the box spring and put the old ones to soak in a couple washtubs. I looked over the setup for the equipment and kitchen table looked Iike a small office space. She'd somehow ran the wiring for the solar cells to the roof through carefully cut holes in the ceiling just wide enough for the cables to pass.

The house ladder still sat on the side of the house and there the panels were installed flat to the roof. A small cloth bag of tools is still sitting by the panels. Like my Abuelo taught me I double checked the tightness of the mounting screws and Taylor had found the studs to mount the panels to. The screws were in there good and that's when I noticed a note in the bag.

'Bug Girl didn't have the time today. Took care of this for you. Keep your phones charged, boyo. - C'

The note was written in black pen but the C was done in grease paint or lipstick but it was definitely bright orange. I crumpled the note and let it fall off the roof.

Why a clown? Why not a magician or illusionist? Clowns don't do magic. They honk horns, make balloon animals, let you throw ping pong balls into buckets to win t-shirts and giant Tootsie rolls.

From the roof I saw a supply truck roll by and drop Taylor off several houses down, carrying a backpack. She started half limping, half running towards the house so I leapt off the roof and entered my breaker state and raced to her.

When I materialized she was developing a black eye, had bruises, and bits of containment in her hair.

"Are you okay?" I grabbed her by the shoulders and she winced. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Taylor dropped her bag and hugged me right there in the empty street. The heat of the afternoon Sun beat on us through the humidity of the still mostly flooded city.

"I'm sorry, Ray. I didn't know this was going to happen. He - Coil knew you were going to the PRT today and he called us in to take on the place while you got the data for him", she broke the hug and looked at me with worry on her face.

"Did you do that for him? Is that why you went?"

"No, no, I would have told you what I was up to. Not telling you something like that is just lying in my book", I leaned down and picked up her backpack. "C'mon lean on me and let's get you home. I'll explain what happened and we'll patch you up."

Taylor threw an arm around my neck and we slowly made our way inside. Every hitch in her breathing, and grunt was another dagger I was going to bury in Coil. This was beyond justice, vengeance and karma. This is the young lion killing the old lion. I'm talking old testament, cardinal sin wrath coming his way.

"Here, here the porch", she insisted.

She couldn't even make it inside, fuck.

"Alright, just be - just be okay. I'll get the stuff from the red thing",

"Pain meds I'm the pouch, too", she called out.

I had no time to realize what she asked for and just did it automatically. Red thing, bottled waters, and pouch tucked under arm I kool aid manned through the screen door and kneeled next to her.

Taylor took the pouch from under my arm and I unscrewed the bottle cap from the bottle and waited for her to take her pain meds. I watched her take two ibuprofen then two acetaminophen then downed half the bottle.

"Sunshine, I gotta check your wounds."

She held up a hand and said nothing for a few moments, "I need a bit for the pain meds to - kick in, Ray. Just... Just talk to me. Keep me, keep me occupied, please."

I settled behind her, legs spread and just kinda turned myself from a dusty boy to human recliner, I slipped my arms under hers and let her relax, "Alright, well I went to the the, ya know, the HQ. I met the lobby crew and then they pulled rifles on me and waited for Weld to get pulled out of Arcadia."

"He was in class?" She asked quickly. Seems she was going to participate in this to keep her mind off the pain.

"Yes, Annie, he was in class so it took a while to see him. He arrived and took me to a conference and then tried to-"

"Why didn't you go to Arcadia?"

That was an often considered question for me, "Good question, Santa Bugita. You see someone had to watch Sophia after your locker torture. I, being damaged in the head, figured they were using me to watch her and basically backburner me on the Wards until my brain fixed or I aged out. So why waste spots on the hardcase and charity case since one might go back to juvie and the other might get worse, right?"

"Ugh".

"Big ugh. Anyway, we wait forever for a boss to come visit and hear me out. Except something went down in the lobby."

Taylor lifted her head and rested it against my shoulder, "That would be me and the others ramming a van into the lobby with an EMP device loaded in the back. Coil called us in at the last minute after you left for the raid."

"Think you got whiplash from that, Annie?"

She shook her curls no.

"And so it turns out Dragon - oh yeah, Dragon remembered I wrote her letters back in junior high."

"Nngh, for a Project or just a fan?" Taylor asked through a wince.

"Both. You don't have a concussion do you?"

Her curls shook again, "No. Medic cleared me at Coil's base-". She yawned, "-before they drove me home. I was worried you - you were doing it for me. That he threatened me or implied something to get you to go."

"Nope, I was legit there to yell at people and check on my old team. But Calvert showed up and gave me the data drive and his badge to break into the dorms. He said you were out there and couldn't leave until I got the data. Said he was like me, being held captive. I don't trust that guy at all but I couldn't chance it with you out there."

"Mhm", she mumbled as I felt her relax.

"So I did the thing and I picked up a movie and a couple books for you from the filing cabinet. Hey, did I ever mention we had a filing cab…", and she was asleep.

I imagine the stress and whatever kind of fight Weld, the PRT Officers plus maybe Dragon put up was a helluva thing. Looking over her shoulder at her arms draped in her lap, I see scrapes and bruises. Things that made it past the costume she made.

I slowly realize that The Wards would be in overdrive right now patrolling longer and farther to make up for the disruption of the city, the desperation of people with little to no resources and the assholes out there who think they can profit from things while they can. That's probably why it was only Weld pulled immediately. If the dude is made of metal he might not tire so quickly, the rest would be barely sleeping and barely able to attend school as it is.

It was the perfect time to hit the PRT with a guy on the inside doing the easy part.

The pouch is sitting there to her right. Open, unzipped, just sitting there, and it's full of responsibilities and you have to know things to use them right. Why did nobody explain THESE THINGS AT ANY POINT!?

Seriously, I'm going to have to go online and search for this. Which is worse than asking random strangers because Coil is probably watching or monitoring everything we do on the computer. Taylor is asleep at least, that buys me time, and she's been insistent on things. Oh God, she could wake up early tonight - WITH ENERGY!

I mean, is this what my folks went through? Did - NO, NOT THINKING ABOUT THAT, NO!

Just, I don't know, people don't tell you things and life starts happening and now a whole other person who cares about you is disappointed you aren't up to speed like them. I'm sure Brian has done stuff and AGAIN I DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT!

I'm now a criminal, living alone with his girlfriend, and I'm thinking about doing - stuff. Thinking of doing stuff safely cuz otherwise I'm going to end up with a kid and am I going to do exactly like Mom? Dumping the kid the first time I visit Taylor's dad? Running off to be free with the bad crowd, Abuelo would grumble about when I was little.

She's pictures in an album I haven't seen in years. Just photos in frames that were taken down as I started asking questions. I don't even remember her anymore.

Taylor stirred and started to stand up.

"Okay, be careful, mi amor", I helped her to stand. I steadied her as we went inside, "Couch or bed?"

She grunted as I tried to lead her to the couch, and almost stumbled. I maneuvered her to the bedroom.

"Do you want me to treat your bruises and cuts or are you just a big sleepyhead?"

"Mmm", was her response.

Sleep it is.

I lowered Taylor to the fresh bedding and helped her get her shoes off. And that's all just shoes, her clothing looks fresh and clean enough. It's still day outside and it's warm in the house so I run an extension cord from the power station to our bedroom and run my box fan on low.

I head towards the living room and the screen door is propped open and a writhing mass of bugs are pulling The Pouch inside. The damn thing haunting my ass.

I pull the screen door open politely for Taylor's critters and once they're all clear I retrieve her back pack. Back inside her put her stuff on the couch and lock the screen door so a breeze can filter through.

The laptop is on the table plugged into the power station and I power it on. I open the internet browser and the search page is on the first tab.

Uhhh… 'how do you show you love someone'. Yeah that should be okay. That's not going to be so bad.

 

[MaeHartchenko]

Goddamn Coil. He really is even a bigger piece of shit from the perspective of someone as developmentally fucked up/head trauma fucked up as Ray. Seriously, the guy has to be ableist too? Get a grip Coil.

 

[Eatersgrin]

Goddamn Coil. He really is even a bigger piece of shit from the perspective of someone as developmentally fucked up/head trauma fucked up as Ray. Seriously, the guy has to be ableist too? Get a grip Coil.

Click to shrink...

To me Coil is both kinds of Narcissist since he can indulge in narcissistic behavior directly then wipe it clean without a trace and be able to function as a covert narcissist. Ray is just another cog in the machine of getting what Coil wants to the point he shows up as himself to fuck with Ray knowing the guy is confused.

 

[jumboseafood]

What does Ray's search history look like? I imagine it to be surprisingly wholesome

 

[Eatersgrin]

What does Ray's search history look like? I imagine it to be surprisingly wholesome

Click to shrink...

For a kid who gets into fights and worked some construction, he's a Grandma's boy. All sheltered and loved but insecure.