Voting said:
[X] [Social] Amy Dallon
[X] [Activity] Sports
[X] [Heroism] Look into types of Parahumans
My fist slammed into foam. I followed it up with a flurry of blows, exerting as much strength as I could. The self-defense class I had signed up for did not focus on fighting and instead concentrated on methods to escape and run away. That did not mean we hadn't learned the basics. Enough that I knew how to throw a punch at least.
The punching bag rocked back a scant few inches. I think it was safe to say that I did not have any sort of super strength.
I let out a sigh and used the back of my arm to wipe sweat from my brow. I had already tried a few other tests just to see if I had any physical enhancements. I measured how high I could jump, how much weight I could lift, how fast I could run. Our home's personal gym did not lack for equipment.
The only thing left was to test my durability.
I picked up a thin sewing needle from where I had left it nearby. The prospect of injuring myself was not a particularly appealing one, but this seemed the easiest way. I drew my lips tight and pressed the point against the pad of my finger. There was a moment of resistance before blood began welling up. Nothing that could not be explained by my hesitance and the needle not being quite sharp enough.
Many people were smiling.
It did not matter. I did not need powers to try and save people. It was reckless, perhaps, but… I could envision the task ahead. That which I could envision, I could make reality. There was already someone close to home who I could help, after all.
"Thank you for having me."
"Hey, I'm happy to have you," Victoria said, smiling brightly. "Can I get you anything? Snacks, a drink?"
"No, I do not require anything," I replied, glancing around the Dallons' living room. It was quite a bit smaller than our own, but it was still nice. Family photos lined the walls, the furniture was well-made, a large TV hung on the far wall. It was only on a second examination that the oddities began to stand out.
The doors had reinforced frames and heavy-duty locks. Thick curtains lined each of the windows, ready to be drawn and hide the inhabitants from the outside. A security system was primed and needed a code imputed every time the door was opened. This was a home of people who expected danger.
"Oh, okay. Well, make yourself at home. I was a little surprised that you asked to come over – I don't usually see you unless Dean brings you along. Are you doing okay, by the way?"
"I am doing as well as could be expected, I suppose. There has certainly been some need to adjust, both physically and mentally, but I have been doing my best to manage it."
"Well, if you need anything, let me know, okay? Homework advice, making friends, hanging boys from trees – whatever you need, Big Sis Vicky is on the case." She grinned brightly and winked at me, patting her bicep.
A smile played about my lips. "Well, perhaps I shall take you up on that at some point."
Victoria put a hand over her mouth and faked a gasp. "A month awake and you're already getting back into the dating pool? Who's the lucky boy?"
"Who said anything about a boy?"
"Lucky girl?"
"Yes, though not in the sense that you are thinking." I let my smile fade, the humor of the moment fading. "I was hoping to speak with Amy."
Victoria froze, her feet slowly lowering to the ground. "Really? I mean, that's great if so, I just didn't think the two of you ever got along much."
"We have not in the past. Regardless, I would like to change that."
Victoria studied me, her gaze inscrutable, before she finally nodded, tilting her head towards the stairs. "Alright, follow me. I'll try and draw her out for you."
I followed behind her, my shoes sinking into the plush carpet as I silently followed behind her. We passed Victoria's room first, her door hanging open to expose it. Passing by, I spotted a desk with a laptop sitting open and a large bookshelf with several trophies decorating it. Victoria stopped at the next door and knocked.
"Amy? You awake?" she asked, her voice soft. Hesitant.
"What is it?" A muffled voice replied.
"Could you come out? Elaine's here."
"Just tell her I'm asleep."
"Amy, it's three in the afternoon."
"Then tell her I'm not here."
"Amy, she wants to talk with you. Just come down for a bit?"
"Well, maybe I don't want to talk with her!" Amy snapped. "Just… just leave me alone, Vicky."
I pressed my lips tight. My patience with this petulance was growing thin. "Excuse me, Victoria."
"Ellie? What are you–"
My foot slammed into the door. The doors leading outside may have been reinforced, but they had not taken the same precautions here. There was a crack and the latch slipped, the door banging into the wall as it flew open. Inside, Amy sat wrapped almost entirely in a blanket, staring wide-eyed as I came through the door.
"What the hell?! Did you just break into my room? Are you fucking crazy?"
The girl was paler than I remembered, the color drained from her skin from lack of sun, leaving a stark white to contrast with her many freckles. Her brown hair had grown long and tangled, wild from lack of care. And though she wore her blanket as a cloak, it parted enough that I could tell she wasn't wearing much in the way of clothes. A large t-shirt and her underwear. I scowled down at her and she flinched back as I approached.
"Get dressed," I said, my voice as tightly controlled as I could keep it. "Your family may have indulged your cowardice, but I will not. I am taking you outside."
"I'm not going to–"
"Get. Dressed."
Amy glanced to Victoria for a moment before looking back to me. Her jaw worked, trying to say something but unable to produce the words. Finally, she bit out, "Fine. But get out of my room. I'm not going to change with you watching, you creep."
I held her gaze, not looking away until she met my eyes. The pink of anger and embarrassment slowly invaded her cheeks and I waited until it was near a tipping point before I replied, "I shall hold you to your word." With that, I walked out of the room, closing the door behind me. It failed to latch properly and began drifting open again.
"Holy hell." Victoria stared at me as though I were a stranger. "Where did that come from, Ellie?"
"...Do you believe that I went too far?"
"A bit," Victoria said dryly. "I won't complain if it works. I will leave you in a tree if you make Amy cry though, okay?"
"Well. Far be it from me to tempt your wrath. You are welcome to come along, if you wish."
"Next time, maybe. I have the feeling the two of you need to have a talk without me acting as third wheel."
"I don't think we need to have a talk, not that anyone asked me," Amy said, stomping out of her room. She'd thrown on a pair of jeans and a hooded jacket despite the summer heat outside. She hadn't bothered combing her hair.
"Your opinion is noted," I said. "However, I am choosing to ignore it in this case. Shall we?" I offered my hand only for Amy to glare at it as though it had personally offended her until I lowered it once more.
"If we must," Amy finally said.
I met Victoria's eyes and she gave me a sympathetic smile. It would seem I had my work cut out for me. "Then let's go." I led the way back downstairs. Dean had not been available to drive me today – I had needed to catch a taxi over here – but there was a bus stop nearby that ran close to where I was intending for us to go.
"Where exactly are we going anyway?" Amy asked. "If it's shopping, I'll save us the time and hard pass now. I get enough of that when Victoria decides she needs to drag me out of the house."
"We are not going shopping."
"Good," Amy said. "Maybe this won't be a completely miserable experience then."
Well, one could dream, I suppose.
A half hour later saw us at a set of batting cages down near the Boardwalk. It was part of a larger facility – there was a laser tag arena, mini-golf, an arcade, and other entertainment for children our age to busy ourselves with. Amy however, had not been happy with my choice.
"Sports? Really? I take it back, this is already worse than shopping. At least then I only have to walk."
"Just hit the ball, Amy."
I followed my own advice, only to whiff the strike as my swing came in a bit too quickly. Amy scowled but followed suit soon after, a satisfying crack echoing through the cage.
"Why did you decide on this anyways? You never struck me as the sports type before."
"I have been attempting to broaden my horizons since I woke up." I swung again, this time managing to catch the edge of the ball. The force didn't transfer properly however, and it simply bounced away. "Besides which, I had the feeling that this conversation would leave the both of us wishing to strike something."
"Well, that's for sure." Amy swung again.
Crack. Another ball went sailing back and was caught by the cage's netting.
I shifted my grip. I had never done anything quite like this before, to my memory, yet it still felt somehow familiar. I swung again – the bat hit and the ball went flying upwards before falling back down behind the plate.
"Stop."
"What?" I turned to frown at Amy.
"Widen your stance. Spread your feet apart. Square your shoulders."
I furrowed my brow. "What do you mean?"
Amy huffed and shut her pitching machine off before circling around to my cage. I shut my machine off as well, and she stepped in behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder and another on my back, pushing gently to straighten me. "I mean your stance is all wrong. You look like you're trying to swing a sword around."
Raising an eyebrow, I followed her instruction. "You are better at this than I thought you would be."
"Vicky's main sport was always basketball, but she's dragged me to places like this before. She could probably give you better advice than I could."
I hummed and glanced back at Amy. "She seems like a good sister."
"...Yeah. She is. Better than I deserve."
"True."
"Hey!" Amy scowled. "You're not supposed to agree with that!"
"Would you prefer that I give you platitudes instead?" I asked. "Perhaps about how love does not care what you deserve?"
"Ugh. No." Amy shook her head and looked away. "Forget it."
Pausing, I tilted my head back, looking out towards the sky. "I called it a platitude, but that does not make it less true, Amy. Love does not care whether you deserve it or not. Your sister loves you. That will not change. It is simply up to you to live up to that love."
"Easy for you to say," Amy scoffed.
I sighed and set my bat down. "What is it that is eating at you exactly, Amy? My brother thought you were guilty over what happened to me, but that does not seem to be the case."
"Wait, is that what all this has been about? Because of Dean? He had no right to talk about me like that!"
My eyes narrowed. "Amy. He was worried about you. Your sister is worried about you."
"Yeah, well, it's none of their business, Elaine!"
A frustrated sigh escaped me. One step forward and two steps back. "If not with them, then speak to me, Amy. Cease this tantrum and allow me to help you."
"Why do you care, even? It's not like we were ever friends."
"Perhaps not. That need not stay the case, however."
"And what, I'll just become a better person through the power of friendship?"
I stepped forward into Amy's space and drove a finger into her chest. I was shorter than she was, the top of my head only coming up to her nose. I tilted my head back so that I could look her in the eyes. "You think you are not worthy of their love? Fine. Then I will beat you into shape until you resemble an actual functioning human being again."
Amy's eyes widened. "Er, when you say beat me into shape, what does that mean exactly?"
A smile played on my lips. "I suppose that is for me to know and you to discover. To start, we will be making this sort of outing a regular thing. You are not allowed to simply hide away in your room any more. At the very least, you will join me in my self-defense classes so that you are prepared for any future trouble."
"...Fine. I can agree to that. For now."
"Good. Then let us hit a few more balls and I will buy us dessert on the way home. Is that acceptable?"
"Well, that would require you to actually hit anything first," Amy snarked.
"Oh? Those sound like fighting words to me, Amy. Were you looking to make a competition of it?"
"You know I'll crush you, right? You haven't hit a single ball yet."
"Ah, but I have received your instruction and taken it to heart. I am sure my fortunes are ready to shift."
"Well fine," Amy grinned. "If you want to lose that badly. If I win, you have to give me your serving of ice cream after this. I get both, you get none."
I narrowed my eyes. A harsh penalty indeed. "I accept."
Gamemaster said:
Gain a check to Energetic.
Gain a check to Melee.
Nearly two hours later, Amy laid sprawled across the bus seat, groaning softly. "Ugh. I can't believe how competitive you are."
I shifted uneasily and looked away. "Surely it wasn't that bad?"
"We played five games with thirty balls each game." Amy grimaced and looked away. "You sulked when I beat you and asked for another rematch, only to get mad if I tried going easy. Not even stealing your ice cream makes up for this."
"...Perhaps I was a bit overly enthusiastic."
"You don't say," she replied sarcastically.
I looked out the window and watched the city pass by, trying to ignore the heat that was burning my cheeks.
"...Still," Amy said after a moment. "I had fun. Thanks, I guess. Even if you owe me a new door."
"...I will see what I can do to replace it."
Amy laughed, a surprisingly gentle sound for how harsh her voice could usually be. Outside, the world passed by, idyllic as the Bay ever could be. Blue skies stretched as far as I could see, the Sun bright in the sky. A cloud passed and a second sun appeared.
"What–?"
A series of popping sounds came from nearby – gunfire? Amy was starting to raise herself up in response to the noise when the Sun descended and the world disappeared in light. The bus was rolling, my arm wrapped around Amy as I tried to keep us in our seats. A thunderous clap came nearby and the both of us fell down onto what had once been the bus's ceiling.
Gamemaster said:
Elaine Dexterity: 14 | 14 = Critical Success
I let out a slow breath as I slowly sat up. Amy and I were unhurt, thankfully, but I couldn't say the same for the other people on the bus. A quick scan of the vehicle showed people who had broken bones while falling. Others who had fallen on shattered glass and cut themselves. Some were unconscious. Others were groaning in pain.
Across the street I could see men dressed in garish red and green, guns aimed towards the sky. A dreadful roar shook the ground beneath me, dredging up terror from deep within my soul.
There was no time to think. I had to act.
It is June of 2010.
You have been caught in the crossfire of a Parahuman battle. You need to respond and fast.
[ ] [Battle] Attack
You should get rid of those gunmen across the street. It will be difficult to evacuate everyone if it's an active warzone.
[ ] [Battle] Rescue
Start dragging people out of the bus to try and get them to safety. This will take time and be difficult with a battle going on.
[ ] [Battle] Hide
Bunker down inside the bus and hope that help comes soon.
[ ] [Battle] Flee
Get yourself and Amy to safety. The others will have to fend for themselves.
[ ] [Battle] (Write-In)
