The Skittering Chaos (Worm/Hazbin Hotel)

[grzecho2222]

I dislike this chapter, but I'm having trouble saying why. So far I don't really like Annette, and this happy family bullshit with the evil clones is weird. Like, I really thought Taylor would try to kill them, or the other way around. The almost instant trust and sappy reunion feels off to me. And the whole "Look Taylor and Clones are Bi now!" thing going on. Plus Annette seems a bit too interested in Taylor's love life, it looks creepy. I dunno, maybe it's just me, because I'm not really close with either of my parents.

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Fair enough, it is a significant tone shift from how it was before, and a lot of the happy family thing is mostly due to how Taylor sees her Mom as the woman who can do nothing wrong, and while she was apprehensive before, she's far more trusting of her than she lets on. Like with herself, if her Mom turned out to be a horrible person, Taylor would likely make excuses for her just like she would herself and she's rather bias, so she very much wants to trust and will look for excuses to do that. The mastering excuse the Annette mentions is part of the reason why Taylor is less apprehensive about the clones, though I somehow forgot to make the changes to make her more confrontational and more suspicious of the clones despite her Mom trusting them.

Though the parent being interested in their child's love life is rather standard. Hell I've got my own Mom every once and a while hounding me about getting a girlfriend and suggesting that some girls are "cute" as a not so subtle hint that I should try to hit on them.

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love life talk comes off way too strong, but some people are like that
that said, Annette rises wayyyy too many red flags, something about her is very unsetteling, wouldn't turn back to her irl

It's Hazbin. Pretty much everyone goes to Hell save for literal newborn babies that die minutes after being born.

At most they'd just want to put a marker on TT's soul to easily locate her once she arrives, if she doesn't decide to just skip the whole dying bit and just move down there early because dealing with the reality of Ward sucks enough that living in literal Hell is an upgrade.

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Nope, not even them. 'Cause, you know, baptisms.

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In Hazbion Hell isn't for punishment, it's to keep the lesser souls out of Heaven.

Think of it like Heaven's septic tank but it's starting to get full since 99.99999% of all humans have gone there so they need to clear some space so the sewage doesn't overflow into the backyard of their mansions.

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not sure where this grimderp keeps coming from
we don't have any info on Heaven beyond "people are getting there and send CHERUB to try to help"
"Angel's sister is supposedly in Heaven (unless they changed it)"
"we have seen baby imps but not baby sinners demons"

Hell, it's not even the good people that go to Heaven in Hazbin, it's influential people. Like that one dog bastard who accidentally made the world a lot better while actually being a super villain, they apparently just wanted to get him because they want to have the person who changed the world.

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nope, he helped enough actual good people who ended up in Heaven that said people send CHERUB to stop him from suicide so he wouldn't damn himself with it, but even without it he is still evil bastard so he ends up in Hell
even in their commertial CHERUB says that they protect from harm, there is nothing about ensuring that someone will go to Heaven or Hell, still seems to be free will
nothing about "infuential souls"
system seems to be unbearably shitty, but nobody seems to be gaming it
also all sinner demons that we have met in the shows are evil asshats?

 

[SystemSearcher]

"Angel's sister is supposedly in Heaven (unless they changed it)"

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Very outdated as far as I know.

 

[Night Hunter]

that said, Annette rises wayyyy too many red flags, something about her is very unsetteling, wouldn't turn back to her irl

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She was in Hell for a long time and apparently works for Big L as either special forces or as death squad.

 

[VisV]

She was in Hell for a long time and apparently works for Big L as either special forces or as death squad.

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Which is odd, why would she work for the embodiment of "The Man"

 

[SystemSearcher]

Which is odd, why would she work for the embodiment of "The Man"

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That´s God. Lucifer is more of an embodiment of "The Rage against The Man", both the good and the bad.

 

[grzecho2222]

That´s God. Lucifer is more of an embodiment of "The Rage against The Man", both the good and the bad.

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more like "rage against no longer being the only child"
"uuuh, I'm so angey that I will move into basement, listen to lotd music, talk about how only darkness is tru and give shitty advice to younger sibling"
teenager prime

 

[SystemSearcher]

more like "rage against no longer being the only child"
"uuuh, I'm so angey that I will move into basement, listen to lotd music, talk about how only darkness is tru and give shitty advice to younger sibling"
teenager prime

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That is only one of the many various manifestations of "Rage Against The Man", yes. Lucifer embodies it, sure, but he also embodies every single other one, all at the same time.

 

[grzecho2222]

That is only one of the many various manifestations of "Rage Against The Man", yes. Lucifer embodies it, sure, but he also embodies every single other one, all at the same time.

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honestly?
I have seen more depicions as "The Man"
Helltaker isn't orginal with Hell's CEO
though it can be cultural diffrences, Eastern Europian media are full of it
Lenin as Antichrist too
ahh good old "we aren't biased, we hate everyone equally"

 

[Night Hunter]

Which is odd, why would she work for the embodiment of "The Man"

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Who knows?

 

[Thread Necromancer]

It's Hazbin. Pretty much everyone goes to Hell save for literal newborn babies that die minutes after being born.

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From my own POV at least it's more along the lines of society has decided to leave the values that got people into Heaven behind with an additional issue of those living in heaven are not particularly fond of the riff raff. So more along the lines of a whole society of moral busy bodies of the variety that live in gated communities and actually like their HOAs rather than despise them for infringing on their freedom while taking joy in tattling and gossiping on their neighbours for even the slightest little infraction.

So something of a double whammy on knocking down people for getting in. Great if you like that kind of stuff, Hell (both figuratively and literally) if you don't.

nope, he helped enough actual good people who ended up in Heaven that said people send CHERUB to stop him from suicide so he wouldn't damn himself with it, but even without it he is still evil bastard so he ends up in Hell

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It's likely due to Blitzo's assumption that Lyle Lipton should have gone to heaven, but then Blitz isn't the most knowledgeable on these kinds of things.

Which is odd, why would she work for the embodiment of "The Man"

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Lilith is kind of a feminist icon in some circles, and demonic things are kind of the schtick of those who oppose the church and it's overreaching hand back in the 90s and I think early 2000s. Plus, Annette did mellow out compared to her earlier uni self so it would make sense to achieve some position of power enough to try and find her family. Family first, trying to upend the status quo after.

 

[Pinklestia]

And she has three daughters to take care of, so basically she switched so social climbing mode.

 

[Terrabull]

So, what happens when they all meet up again? Is Aisha going to be called Imp when there are so many already in Hell?

 

[Thread Necromancer]

So, what happens when they all meet up again? Is Aisha going to be called Imp when there are so many already in Hell?

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I doubt she would get rid of the name. Sure it's something on the bottom of a food chain but I doubt Aisha really would care about any of that stuff. Plus she could just go with Aisha if it really bothered her.

 

[Pinklestia]

So... Aisha ends looking like a mix of Succubus and Imp?

 

[SystemSearcher]

Tfw Aisha just goes ahead and calls herself "Human" while looking like an imp. Not even in terms of species, it's just her chosen name.

 

[Pinklestia]

Tfw Aisha just goes ahead and calls herself "Human" while looking like an imp. Not even in terms of species, it's just her chosen name.

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I can totally see that. She is still gorgeous as a succubus however.

 

[VisV]

So... new episode of Helluva a boss.

Stolas is apparently less than a century old, and his life sucks something fierce.

Also Stella is a cunt and deserved everything.

Oh and Blitzo's dad was a real piece o shit.

I'm sure you can use this information somehow Thread Necromancer

 

[Thread Necromancer]

So... new episode of Helluva a boss.

Stolas is apparently less than a century old, and his life sucks something fierce.

Also Stella is a cunt and deserved everything.

Oh and Blitzo's dad was a real piece o shit.

I'm sure you can use this information somehow Thread Necromancer

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I actually already have a little bit, and the update is near completion, just have some kinks needed to be worked out.

 

[Thread Necromancer]

The Skittering Chaos Moxxie / Lisa Interlude

Massive thanks to Scheissdrauf for betaing this, this thing went through like four different drafts and wouldn't have been as good as it is now without his help, so give him a big thanks as well~!

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"Huh, these guys really know how to build shit fast," Blitzo said as we all look around at the city of refugees from Earth Bet and what they'd created here. I nod along, remembering how fast the rebuilds usually are when disaster strikes a rural imp town. Most damages are usually fixed or replaced within the week. Especially among imp settlers on the Pride ring who, have to compete with gangs of sinners roaming around in addition to the usual dangers.

"Like fuck, look at all this smoke and shit, like I can understand maybe a bunch of log cabins and shit from cutting down trees but these fuckers got concrete and factories set up," Blitzo continues, though I pipe up.

"Actually sir, I looked a bit into the city since we have some customers interested in us doing business here, mainly for layouts and other such things we could use, and turns out that a significant portion of the industrial parts of this city were built about a year or more before the apocalypses that hit a many different Earths."

"Huh, neat, where'd you learn that?"

"I looked at old news reports regarding who we are delivering to and the name Brockton Bay kept came up, so eventually I started to look into things. I will admit to getting a bit of help investigating, but I learned about the building of "New Brockton" a city made by Fortress Construction that appears to have been a front for a super villain," I say, though I can tell I lost Blitzo about half way through as he goes back to taking everything in. Classic of him really, though it would be nice if he was a bit more conspicuous with his gawking.

"Hey Moxx check out that freak," Blitzo says as he nudges my shoulder and points over to one… person that looked like someone had tried to make a spider out of human body parts, and used some necromancy to bring it to life. The thing was pretty big as well, lumbering along with four bins of some golden material being dragged behind it. "Man someone really fucked him up."

"Sir, while he is... rather... umm unpleasant to look at, perhaps you could be a little less rude about it? You're actions are drawing more attention than our obnoxious costumes," I try to complain since there are people giving us the side eye or even just openly glaring at us as we move along. Before it was just wary looks as we passed since we look like super people with costumes and everything.

Blitzo is the most eye catching of us three, though I'm a close second. His bright red cape flows in the wind just right to catch people's eyes, though the rest of him draws attention as well. His cape highlights his black, skin tight spandex outfit that with a red crown on it's front. He has even gotten himself a black metal mask with a red blush painted on it. With his weapons on display, he certainly looks like a stereotypical villain character or maybe some kind of assassin.

Of course he also picked out things for us to wear as his minions. Nothing so… edgy might be the best way to put it. For Millie and me, he has gotten some similar form hugging spandex like his that were a mix of black and colour in a checker board pattern with white cuffs at the end of each limb and a ruff around our necks. In addition, he gave us jester hats to cover our horns, or at least mine since Millie's went straight up. Each of us had different colours; Millie's was green while I got pink. Unlike Blitzo we didn't get capes, and had just domino masks on rather than a full helmet. I also have a small enchanted backpack that has my other guns in them as well as my regular armpit holsters with my pistols in each of them. Millie herself is carrying a solid metal bat on her shoulder.

If he'd just given us a heads up, we might have been able to make our own outfits as well, but of course, he only told us last minute so I couldn't even pull out the costumes Millie and I had designed back on our 37th​ date.

It was at a graphic novel convention.

"Yeah, weren't we supposed to fit in a bit? So that the you know who's don't realise we're not you know what?" Millie asks backing me up while her deliciously Wrathi accent tickles my heart and I can't help but smile a bit as she speaks. Of course, Blitzo just blows us off with a raspberry.

"Oh stop worrying you two, these guys got like four portals to other inhabited worlds open just to do business and who knows how many more they think are unpopulated just to extract resources from those places. Who cares if we are attracting attention like this, it's not the "scream and run" attention, it's the "Fuck! More fuckers coming to look at us and gawk at how shitty our lives are" kind of attention."

"To be fair Sir, that is kind of what you are doing, though to further my point, why would we want to attract that kind of attention Sir? Wouldn't it also attract reprisal?" I ask but he just shrugs.

"Who cares? We can take these chumps, also why the fuck am I smelling vanilla all of a sudden? Fuck it's everywhere," Blitzo asks as he looks around before spotting a curvaceous girl with a demonic looking mask on. Just looking at her makes the smell even more intense. I wrinkle my nose a bit, the scent is rather powerful but otherwise kind of pleasant.

"You like that Mox?" Millie asks and I can't help but smile at her.

"I certainly do Millie, maybe a bit lighter but it's still nice," I say as Millie giggles a bit before turning around to approach the girl as Blitzo swings his head back and groans at the delay.

"Howdy honey, I'm Millie and I just have to ask, where'd ya'll get that perfume from? Stuff's mighty scrumptious," she asks, all smiles, and then the girl starts to act weird. Freezing on the spot and her hand darts to a knife at her belt. By the time she does so I've already got my gun out, but I've not pointed it at her. I see her eyes glance at me for a second, though her hand doesn't slip away from her knife, and so I don't put my gun back. Millie herself however doesn't move, merely smiling at her. All around us, everyone starts to act weird, looking at Millie like she'd just grown a second head. No one even looks at the girl with the demon mask on.

"Uh," is all she says while Millie waited patiently, looking between the three of us, Millie hitting her with her irresistible puppy dog eyes that I so adore. This goes on until I take pity on the girl and come up behind Millie.

"Um, Millie, baby? I think that might be her power, you know? This is technically a refugee camp so they won't really have perfume, remember?" I tell her, and as she realises her accidental faux pass, she blushes all cute like and by Satan I want to kiss her so much.

"Oh shucks, I'm sorry, uh, I didn't mean to offend, um, I'm Millie, and this is my husband Moxxie. How 'bout you darling?" stepping in front of my darling, I jump in before she broke any more social rules among these "super hero" cultured people.

"Just your super hero name ma'am, as I understand there is a separation between super hero life and civilian life so please don't assume we are trying to inquire into your more personal matters," I say, a nervous smile on my face as people continue to whisper, someone behind the super person pointing at himself but we ignore him as we hear a kind of chuckle from the demon masked person, before suddenly the smell of vanilla falls away. People suddenly start shaking their heads, and many start to look towards the masked individual. Some kind of "notice me not gas maybe?"

"Imp, I work for Tattletale so I guess that kind of makes me a super hero around here. Also means I get to watch out for trouble," she said, her eyes looking around, scanning the situation from the looks of it. I can see her focusing on spots, and as I look to where she's looking, I can see some people moving out of the crowd. Most of them have some kind of armband with an eye on them that marks them as being all together. Some of them have guns but most have things like bats or other kinds of easy to acquire melee weapons. Looking back at her, I can see a duo walk up near her, one holding a pistol while another has a board with nails put through it. Around us, the various civilians are leaving the area; either being directed by some guys with eye arm bands or is just getting out of the way. In truth, I'm not too worried. These are mostly humans, and form the looks of them, not even trained ones, more just a few guys who were brought in to act as muscle. If things go south, we can probably kill most of them before any more supers than 'Imp' could reach us.

"Huh, ain't that a coincidence, anyways can you get us to your boss? We need to give her this package from someone, her eyes only and all that crap, you know?" Blitzo says, as "Imp" tilts her head.

"Is that so? You know I'm not just some lackey and we are pretty close, so you can hand it over and I'll give it to her when I get back to the office," she starts but I can't help but furrow my brow.

"Sorry, we don't know that ma'am, our client specifically asked us to deliver the package to Tattletale," I say and I can tell the girl is frowning inside of her mask, but seems to accept it.

"Fine, I'll take you to see Tattletale, I hope you know not to try anything," she says as she starts to lead the way through the maze of buildings, her mob of guys following us. As we walk I notice many buildings are being painted by various people on quickly constructed scaffolding, many of them not wearing proper safety equipment. Though it would make sense if corners were cut considering how fast they managed to create this industrial sector and a few concrete blockhouses. Interestingly, most of the people on the scaffolding seem to be painting nature inspired murals on the buildings, mostly just vines and flowers and stuff. It hadn't really been very present in the factory areas, but an apartment complex we passed practically was a mural of painted plants.

Eventually we enter onto what looked like the initial stages of a new street, with the beginnings of buildings being set up, but not much else. There is only one building in this part of the budding city that was even done. It looks like one of those small apartment complexes, the kind made for those who liked a lot of room and lived in suites.

"Here's the place, just head inside and ask the lady at the front desk to buzz you up, I just got to deal with something first," she says, talks to the guard, and then things start to smell like vanilla again as she walks into the building.

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With my hands on my temples, I rub at them as I close my eyes a moment, my tired brain refusing to really focus on much at the moment. There are many things to get done and so many little deals or plans here and there to finalise or get put into motion. It gets hard to keep up with everything. For example a fight broke out and turned into a full on brawl over a can of beef. There is a small gang of thieves in the tent city around New Brockton, that I had not set up to promote people paying my protection fee, who are stealing my building supplies and selling them to some of the other settlements on the cheap. Drugs were also entering into New Brockton through the trade portals, something Taylor certainly wouldn't have wanted. Granted, I won't ever really be able to stop that last one, but I might as well make the effort to reduce the amount of the harder ones available to the majority of the public. For Taylor's sake.

Besides, the softer ones are making me enough resources to cover a quarter of the budget of the enforcers I've got running around, especially when I can pay some of them in recovered drugs and food rather than in my newly minted currency. Not that I expect it to last long which is why I haven't bothered to cut back on producing "Eyes" or started preparing for any long term plans regarding it since it'll be worthless in about six months anyways. Numberman is in the game after all and over investing in any kind of monetary money scheme while he's around to manipulate the market is foolhardy at best and moronic in the extreme at worst. Not that I can't take advantage of the confusion and make a tidy little profit off of it. Thus infrastructure, drugs, and things that are required are my focus at the moment. Making myself and by extension the Undersiders indispensable from the rest of the mega city that Numberman and Citrine are planning despite how quite a lot of people are not exactly happy with me at the moment.

Then there's also someone who had started to try and unionise the workers in one of my factories, thankfully not Taylor's Dad. Thus I don't feel bad as I start to write the order to rough him up. Nothing major yet, just a warning for now to shut up and be happy he has work or else.

I don't even want to have to do it, but we can't slow down, not now at this crucial juncture. Sure worker rights and all that would nice to have right now. I'm sure many people would be glad to not have to work dawn to dusk with only a few breaks. But that can all come later. While winter isn't exactly at our door step, any kind of slowing down will lead to not enough room to house people during it. If that happens, people will panic and…

I sigh, leaning back for a moment, and just let myself breathe for a second. Okay… one thing at a time. The union thing is going to be dealt with. Now, onto the thieves that I don't have influence over. Okay, expensive targets I can clue them onto that would both benefit me and them so they fall into my reach. I look to the local map on my wall with all of my notes and all the pins in it with string connecting the notes. I already know most of them.

Roster change on Warden posts indicates a reshuffling. Miss Inscrutable and Big Bug left to join Dragon. Old posts will have unskilled guards. Good target to sell to thieves after a week. Negotiate for items to be bought at a premium.

I nod along with my power's assessment as it cuts through my stress and tiredness to help me out. New guards after a certain point get complacent if nothing happens, and places guarded by complacent inexperienced guards are always a ripe opportunity for prospective thieves, especially if the thieves are good at what they do.

I make a note of it on a piece of scrap paper and get up to stick it to one of my cork boards. This one dedicated to the various little things I have to deal with, the people I have to arrange meetings with, the things I have to plan out. Basically a "to-do" board to help me remember what I have to work on even as the headaches start eating at my ability to remember. If I don't remember them after all, they can easily go from being a small little issue to becoming a big problem that I can't deal with.

I need to make this work. For her.

Then there's a knock at my door as my secretary comes in, from beyond I can see what looks to be something red beyond the door in-

Outfit is made from unknown power made material. Costume is new; has been worn only two times, doesn't often use costume. Cape is empowered. Someone else's power. Costume is professionally done; has significant access to resources. Foreigner from post industrial society. Crown symbol; leader. Case 53, long term minion summon, biotinker creation, changer, or non human intelligent species from alternate Earth.

Then my secretary closes the door behind her and I lose sight of the strange being on the other side.

"Miss Tattletale? Some demon looking capes have come to see you, no appointment. Say they got a package for you that they need to deliver directly. Shall I get security to escort them out after taking their package?" my secretary says as I raise an eyebrow at her, mostly surprised to have visitors. Then again, I've started to rebuild my name around here as an info broker just like I had been after we took over Brockton Bay and ousted the old boss.

"No it's fine, send them in," I say as I open my drawer and pull out my pistol before laying it on the desk in front of me. In my other hand I palm a foam grenade with the pin pulled but the lever still attached.

A trio of spade tailed beings enter into my office, two smaller ones with a larger one at the head of the group. He was the cape I'd seen briefly before, only now I could observe him and the state of his dress more clearly.

High quality clothing, flame proof material. Skin is fireproof, scar tissue is white, splotches indicative of injury in the past. Dense skin, resistance to blunt force trauma and piercing. A natural at moving with horns, tails, and digitigrade legs. Created with them.

So they were definitely not changers then unless their form didn't heal after the change.

Trace stains of various reproductive substances on leader's body, smaller one in pink walks with slight lim-.

Well that's disgusting, but let's focus on more important things.

Smile isn't cruel. Smaller ones don't betray any hostile intent. Not new; veteran, scanning room for threats, sensing strong smell, focused behind you, corkboards; enhanced senses. Non military; assassins. Not target. Entwined tails between small ones; Strong bonds. Jester outfit not their choice, big one determined their costumes; history in circus. Green is far stronger than small form implies; focus on melee weapons. Size of gun; large calibre. Ranged focus. Flintlock pistol on leader; modified; ranged focus as well.

"So then, to whom do I owe the pleasure?" I ask, laying it on a bit thick with the cliché greetings of the influential, but it certainly sold the image to some people that I was more than just some kid who somehow lucked into her position as top dog.

Not that it helps with some morons. Putting the boot to those who disrespect me, however, quickly turns their opinion around enough to take me seriously afterwards.

"Hi there, I'm Blitzo, the O is silent and we're your messengers for today. As for the message, oh it's just a package toots, girlfriend of yours is all sad and sappy and shit about not being able to tap that fat ass of yours and decided to send you a gift to try and make up for being a cheating bitch," the large one says as he reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a box which really should have bulged out of his coat. The thing's wrapped up in spider web pattern gift paper like a present and even has a bow over top of it. It certainly looks similar to what Taylor would send us sometimes, though it wasn't as if those were particularly secret. One look through a log of gifts prisoners and later probationary wards sent to others would yield that information. Despite Dinah telling her not to contact us, she did send us gifts on our birthdays and for Christmas. It was a small part of the reason Bitch didn't hate her for abandoning us and was only a bit bitter, though a part of that was because I was also running damage control for her leaving us, again.

But Taylor's dead, or at least likely was. She… hadn't been in a good place, her power, and her… how it…

The thought of eventually finding her… or rather, her corpse always made me hesitate a bit when having survey teams going around checking out every new portal that they open up. There was always that hope that she'd not… but the allure of resources beat out any potential of coming face to face with the hard truth that I might one day have to face.

Though I guess there would be a little silver lining if we found… her. At least we could give her a proper burial. Aisha refuses to believe she's dead… but…

"Sir! She's not like that," the smaller demon interrupts as the larger demon groans as he looks at him.

"Yeah sure Moxxie, she's totally a friend to imps and definitely isn't trying to manipulate you guys into doing more free work for her. Stop being simps and realise she's just using you two and the rest of your family to build herself a tiny little kingdom for free before kicking everyone to the curb."

"Sir-"

"Blitz, she ain't like that. If she was she'd 'ave used us like cannon fodder and shit like that, she didn't though and was right in the thick of it, and don't try to say you suddenly care about other imps or something like that."

"Ugh, I don't care except that she's using you guys to do her dirty work when you guys should be with me helping me with my dirty work," right, one more point towards either master summon or biotinker creatures. So what about whoever is sending this?

Leading creature has interacted on different levels compared to smaller imps; largely independent. Employer unlikely to throw away lives for gain; front line fighter. Experience in leading from the front. Similarities between Taylor and creature's employers growing.

She did… does have a bleeding heart. I have no doubt that if she saw some kind of injustice; she'd try to act on it in some way, even without her powers.

Looking over the package that the cape had placed on my desk, I raise an eyebrow as I notice that on one of the sides, an "X" had been cut, and the box's lid was haphazardly thrown back on, barely fitting over it with one end sticking up a bit.

Slight indent of claws, likely perpetrators are in front of you, specifically the large one. Irreverent to employer; does not believe in privacy. Did not have privacy in home life; did not develop it.

"Is this supposed to be open?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at Blitzo as Moxxie and Millie look over before glaring at Blitzo, though the big demon looking guy just shrugs.

"Sir!"

"What? It's not like I took anything from it, and besides if she wanted me not to have me open her package she'd just have had to pay extra," I almost feel like arguing but refrain. Instead I stick the pin back in the foam grenade and pull the package out from the wrapping paper. I look up to the demon looking guy.

"I assume you didn't add anything to it?" I ask, watching his reactions as he just shakes his head.

"Nah, it's just a phone and some sappy ass letter. One of those stupid brick phones that's more battery than phone. Got nothing on it either since it doesn't even have any apps other than the default ones. Plus the brand is kind of shit since no one makes anything for it anyways other than them so all you can do is play one of their shitty cash grab games that aren't even good."

Not lying, has already read the letter, used the phone. Trap unlikely; creature still alive.

Taking that as a positive despite his snoopiness, I set the box down on my desk and turn back to the "imps", giving them a little smile.

"Thank you for delivering this to me, you can go now," I say and the three nod before walking out. I watch as they leave before heading to the window and watching the trio leave the building. With them gone, I go back to my desk and lift the top of it slowly. I peer into the box and see a small pile of papers, along with what looks like a very large electronic brick that had to be the phone. The thing was rather generic with a rubber case over it with greasy smears on it. As I pick it up and find the button to turn it on, I'm greeted by a picture of Blitzo wrapping his arm around the neck of a pissed off looking Amazonian wolf girl.

Hug is casual and for fun of it. Wolf girl is annoyed at the closeness of it. Knows him personally. Unlikely to be direct family, potentially friends? Clothing style likely points towards youth, while Blitzo is an adult. Either very young friend or potentially attempting to be some form of fatherly figure to the wolf girl.

Ignoring that for now, I wipe the screen of some of the smudges and find that the phone unlocks without need of a password. Like Blitzo said, there are not really any apps except for the phone app and a few that are just installed normally. Blitzo also took the opportunity to replace the wallpaper with him making a goofy face as well. Curious at what I might learn, I tap at the app labelled pictures to see any potential history this thing might have had. Many pictures were obviously by Blitzo. Those would certainly help me figure out what exactly it's like on Blitzo's Earth when I to look into it. Others though…

One's an eye design made of purple on a black background, with another that has the colours inverted. It almost looks like the Eye that I used to have on my Tattletale suit back before I changed the design a bit. There are some incorrect parts, but it's still recognisable. Someone was really looking into me, though it was almost like they were going off of memory rather than just looking through my costume history. Other pictures are of someone that looks a lot like Taylor. Or rather Taylor if she was a Case 53 with a moth-like form.

Also if her breasts had grown three sizes.

Okay, leaning towards the theory that Taylor was revived via cloning then by some perverted bio tinker. That or somehow Taylor got a changer power if this is her. If this is her, then how much is left of her? Is she like a Valkyrie clone, where they remember some of their previous life, but are only an impression of the person, or is this a full revival kind of situation?

Then again, perhaps if Valkyrie were to revive Taylor, because of that whole thing with Amy, maybe she'd actually come back fully, hopefully?

Drawing away from the pictures of what could be Taylor, I set the eye pictures as my background and lock screen before checking the contacts. There's only a single person set up there.

Skitter

I furrow my brow, why would she go back to using that name? Last I'd seen her she'd just wanted to be Taylor, she had been done with all of the cape stuff. Practically exhausted by it, how it dragged her down. Both being Skitter, and then finally seeing her after two years, how haggard she was, and how she didn't even realise how tired she was from being Weaver. Why would she go back to that old name? Was it because that's just what she remembered the most? Why not Weaver? She'd been Weaver longer than Skitter so if she was like a Valkyrie clone, she'd have more of an impression of being Weaver than Skitter. Was she being manipulated? Did she or someone else choose Skitter because of my connection with her while she had been Skitter?

Too many questions and not enough to go on. I'll have to call at some point and maybe work it out from there.

Then again, I also have this letter.

The envelope in the box is one of those office envelopes, nice and large, and I can already see that there's fair amount of paper in it. Pulling it out, I start to read.

Lisa,

I hope this letter finds you well.

The first thing I would like to say is thank you. Thank you for letting me join the team. Thank you for not just ratting me out, or betraying me like you should have. You knew about me from the very beginning, and despite how I intended to betray you, how I wished harm unto you and our friends, you helped me.

I know this might not mean much; you've never been one to really idolize or even care about the heroes, but, thank you. I guess I can solemnly say that you are my hero. Even if part of why you did so had been selfish, that doesn't change that you were my hero back then when you helped me. Thank you for letting me have friends for one last time before I died, thank you for everything you did for me.

I grunt a bit, pushing the letter down a second, and try to breathe a second, blinking rapidly, and keeping anything from falling in my eyes. That's Taylor. It's Taylor.

Matches Taylor's cursive. Beyond the capabilities of 90% of clones. Outside observers would not have been able to know about your knowledge about Taylor's intent. Intent hidden from all but Armsmaster. Obscured from him as well later on. Others think you'd been fooled by her as well.

Which I know and I don't need you to tell me. If this isn't the real deal, then the Taylor clone is far more complete than anything anyone right now could put together. I pull the letter back up, only to realise that I must have done so earlier. No matter.

The second thing I wish to say is that I'm sorry. I'm not the friend that I should have been. I was selfish and foolish. I should not have abandoned you, Brian, Rachel, Alec, Aisha, everyone. While I could possibly make a million and one excuses, and some of them might have even been convincing, but I don't wish to fill this with hollow justifications for what I did, for how I betrayed all of you.

I will say that if I could go back, if I could have known what I knew now, I would take it back, and have remained with all of you in Brockton Bay. I would likely have also tried to get to know everyone better than I did. Perhaps forge a connection with Alec and Aisha, or perhaps worked on pulling Parian into the fold, and tried to make peace with Foil. I don't know how I would feel about Cozen. Breaking up with Brian hurt, a lot, but despite that, maybe we could have been friends as well.

I'm sorry that I hurt you, Brian, Rachel, Aisha, everyone when I left. I don't know if I have the words to describe as I write this, the regret I feel for what I did and put all of you through.

While it might just be me projecting onto my past experiences, I might have been avoiding thinking about everyone again. It helped to distract myself from thinking about you all, and made it a bit easier. Though I think I started to do that again.

I've started burying myself in work once again. I don't know if it is habit, avoiding my troubles, or if that is just who I am, but it's taken me far too long to write this letter.

Apologies ahead of time as this letter might get a bit long, but I feel I have to describe my situation.

I'm dead. I did not survive Scion's rampage, though it was my choice. At the end there, I was losing myself, or rather had already lost myself. I could feel it. What everyone else had felt there as well. I knew what it felt like to be mastered along side everyone there, because in the end when Panacea did what she did, it wasn't me there. Not really.

But then you knew that. You knew that once Panacea was done, I'd be gone.

I let Contessa kill me. With her power she was able to speak with me. I was but a whisper inside of my own head, my power having overtaken me, thinking it was me. My conversation with Contessa was brief, and in the end, I helped her deliver that last blow.

As for how I am writing to you from beyond the grave, I have managed to contract the services of an imp company known as I.M.P. to act as a messenger for me at a cost. I will say right off the bat that the cost is, while not insignificant, manageable due to my recent bouts of ultra violence netting me a nice little nest egg to use at my leisure. I've also paid them extra to allow you to send a letter back to me through them, and they will appear to collect it in about a week's time. If you do not wish to however, I understand and do not begrudge you.

In regards to where I am, I am in Hell, though it isn't that bad. Winslow was worse.

The letter continues, and it describes a fantastical kind of "Hell" that wasn't much worse than the average big city. Only the city was far larger than even our planned "mega city" and thus holds far more people than even some countries did back on Earth Bet, along with her experiences in it. Somehow she'd ended up with the Merchants of all people. What the hell Taylor? Why would you even associate with those losers?

Just one more thing that some would be pretender could never imagine up.

Then she ends up in a…

God fucking damn it Taylor. Take a God damn break. You don't need to save, gah! I have to put the letter down for a second, this time sighing before looking out the window towards where the imps had gone. I can still see them in the distance, the lead has a phone up to his ear.

How the hell is he getting reception here? Some kind of interdimensional technology? Could be useful, and maybe I can fuck with Numberman's models a bit if I can get some outside assistance. Should keep my city on top for a little bit longer. Could even net me long term power if I can establish a monopoly, at least until the Warden's new government is up and running at an effective enough level to even be able to deal with me. Of course, a benevolent monopoly leader would keep me in power longest at least until Dragon or the Wardens finally manage to create ones that are as good as the ones I might end up pulling in.

Not to mention it could also be used to help distract people from their problems if there are games as Blitzo said there are. Hell, once we get computers running I could see if Dragon wants to design a nice little game for the thing, maybe share a bit of wealth until I can get some people to make games for the phones. I'll need to secure a supply of those phones though. Maybe call them "Eyepods" or something as a joke.

If imps are amendable to acting as a delivery service they could deliver the phones for a price which I can sell at even higher prices since there would be a monopoly on the phones. Just not too high so I don't end up accidentally speeding up the new government enacting monopoly laws too early.

Thank you Taylor~! Alright, what else does this say?

Thus, that is the extent of my tale thus far. I do hope that you reply, but I will not begrudge you for not doing so.

Your friend,

Taylor.

PS: I should have thought of this earlier but only just realised this now as I am about to have this letter delivered. I've included a phone that you can use to contact me. I've been told that it works across dimensions by the vendor and I hope you call me at some point. It would be nice to hear from you. I don't plan on cutting contact like I did when I was with the Wards in Chicago, so please call when you get the phone. However, after everything I've put you through and how I have likely hurt you Lisa. I understand if you don't. If this is the last time I hear from you. Thank you, and from the bottom of my heart I'm sorry.

"Holy shit," it was only from the fact that Aisha just loved to do things like that which kept me from jumping at how she just appeared behind me, again. There's a slight tremor in her voice that I only just barely catch. Something that will no doubt be in mine as well as I read the last part. Damn it Taylor, I don't fucking hate you. Stop being so damn dramatic.

"Imp," I merely say after a moment, my stuffed nose making it sound a bit strange but I greet her like I normally do these days when she decides to pop up behind me. I briefly glance to her and she looks over my shoulder.

"Hey can you go back to big titty Taylor? I wanna see her dobonhonkeros again," and with that I deliver a righteous smack to Aisha with Taylor's letter as she cried out in surprise. Not in the mood right now.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><>

 

[Evilreadermaximum]

That cliffhanger is evil, and call her Lisa call her right now!

 

[Night Hunter]

I was expecting more denial besides by Ward don't Lisa power evolve to tell all the negative reasons from a observation of hers?

Like should have not link her letter either as fabrication from a Echidna clone that manage to survive or "Taylor" could be mastered or hallucinating.

 

[Jaime01]

I was expecting more denial besides by Ward don't Lisa power evolve to tell all the negative reasons from a observation of hers?

Like should have not link her letter either as fabrication from a Echidna clone that manage to survive or "Taylor" could be mastered or hallucinating.

Click to shrink...

I think it's still a bit early for ward, or the author just goes 'fuck cannon' and use ward as a setting.

 

[Thread Necromancer]

I think it's still a bit early for ward, or the just goes 'fuck cannon' and use ward as a setting.

Click to shrink...

This is about a month in so Ward hasn't even started yet. It's just Tattletale and her part of the city while the other factions are only just getting started, probably a town center and a few houses at most for the other sections while Lisa has gotten a major head start. She's only just beginning to get into the actions that would morph her power to make her less liked by people and the other Undersiders so that her shard can promote CONFLICTtm​.

 

[VisV]

I was expecting more denial besides by Ward don't Lisa power evolve to tell all the negative reasons from a observation of hers?

Like should have not link her letter either as fabrication from a Echidna clone that manage to survive or "Taylor" could be mastered or hallucinating.

Click to shrink...

this is still really early on, said evolution probably hasn't happened yet, and wont now that Lisa has something to give her a kick in the ass.

 

[Pinklestia]

This is about a month in so Ward hasn't even started yet. It's just Tattletale and her part of the city while the other factions are only just getting started, probably a town center and a few houses at most for the other sections while Lisa has gotten a major head start. She's only just beginning to get into the actions that would morph her power to make her less liked by people and the other Undersiders so that her shard can promote CONFLICTtm​.

Click to shrink...

Also Lisa's Shard knows or will figure out that involving Hell will promote way more conflict that what Lisa can do on her own.

Plus having Taylor back, even if indirectly? With the ban the Heroes put on information about her?

Yeah that's way more conflict that just making Lisa be hated by everyone.

 

[The Froggy Ninja]

Which I know and I don't need you to tell me. If this isn't the real deal, then the Taylor clone is far more complete than anything anyone right now could put together. I pull the letter back up, only to realise that I must have done so earlier. No matter.

Click to shrink...

This part shouldn't be in he letter font.

I will say that if I could go back, if I could have known what I knew now, I would take it back, and have remained with all of you in Brockton Bay.

Click to shrink...

What I know now (I would have laughed and danced and lanced every sacred cow)

 

[Anor]

I know this might not mean much; you've never been one to really idolize or even care about the heroes, but, thank you. I guess I can solemnly say that you are my hero.

Click to shrink...

Oh man,that was truly an incredibly touching moment! Right in the feels.

What an amazing chapter! Thank you.

 

[Greatazuredragon]

The letter continues, and it describes a fantastical kind of "Hell" that wasn't much worse than the average big city

Click to shrink...

The wonders of living on Worm. Hell looks nice in comparison.

Awesome chapter, thanks for the update.

 

[Greatazuredragon]

I think it's still a bit early for ward, or the author just goes 'fuck cannon' and use ward as a setting.

Click to shrink...

Especially considering how Wildbow went out of his way to make fan favorite characters he dislikes unlikeable on Ward just out of spite.

 

[NotSpider]

Hey can you go back to big titty Taylor? I wanna see her dobonhonkeros again," and with that I deliver a righteous smack to Aisha with Taylor's letter as she cried out in surprise. Not in the mood right now.

Click to shrink...

Never change, Aisha.