TAYLOR HEBERT IS AFRAID—
6:15 AM.
As Taylor stands at the docks in the territory of the ABB gang, she can't help but feel a surge of excitement mixed with fear… and also lots of apprehension for whatever its worth is…
She is dressed in her signature spider silk bodysuit, with armor panels made out of insect shells and exoskeletons. The suit is mainly black, with hints of gray, giving off an intimidating vibe. Taylor knows it best that her suit is not just for show; it is designed to protect her from any harm that may come her way.
From a distance, she can see two parahumans engaged in a fierce battle. One of them is Lung, a notorious member of the ABB gang known for his ability to transform into a powerful dragon-like creature. The other is a mysterious figure she has labeled as the 'helmet guy', who wears a tracksuit, can fly, and can also launch powerful blasts of kinetic energy— Taylor suspects the helmet’s power to be telekinetic in nature.
As the two parahumans clash, Taylor's heart races with adrenaline. She knows that this is not going to be an easy fight, but she is determined to prove herself as a hero.
As she watches the battle unfold, Taylor can't help but feel a sense of familiarity towards the helmet guy. She can't quite put her finger on it, but there is something about him that seems to ‘annoy’ her…
Calling her by name is the root cause of her annoyance.
Suddenly, the helmet guy turns towards Taylor and just stares. Taylor feels his gaze despite the helmet’s visor blocking his face, and shortly after, the helmet guy focuses back on Lung: the two of them tussling in the air mainly with Lung pushing forward and launching his flames, while the other glide away and dodge.
Taylor ponders on the ‘mystery helmet guy’, who has so helpfully saved her from possibly being fried by Lung. How does he know her name? She has only just become a cape, and yet, on her very first day, someone is already aware of her civilian identity. For Taylor, this is a sign of failure, and she can't help but feel disappointed in herself.
Whatever the helmet’s motivation is, Taylor sure doesn’t feel comfortable about it.
Taylor doesn't have time to dwell on her thoughts as she quickly snaps out of her daze and turns to run. Her initial instinct is to flee, but she knows that as a hero, she can't just leave the civilians in the area to fend for themselves. Taylor has to do something, just anything to get her in the right headspace.
So instead of thinking stuff, Taylor uses her powers to spread her bugs, using them to scout the area for any civilians. Luckily, the area where Lung and the helmet guy are fighting seems to be deserted, most likely due to the influence of the ABB gang… and the ‘docks’ in itself.
The docks are an unpopular place, and no one dares take residence here unless they want to be victims to the roaming thugs, and homeless people around… not to mention villains.
With a sense of relief over the lack of civilians, Taylor continues to watch the battle from a safe distance. She can't help but be in awe of the helmet guy's abilities as he flies through the air, dodging Lung's powerful flames. The two parahumans are putting on quite a show, and Taylor can't believe that she is witnessing it firsthand… and she is doing nothing about it.
She knows that she needs to do something to help, but she also knows that she isn't strong enough to take on either of these parahumans alone.
Just then, she notices something strange.
Taylor's bugs conveyed a message, alerting her to the presence of three silhouettes observing the intense battle from a nearby building. Curiosity piqued, Taylor decides to investigate, cautiously making her way towards the figures.
As she gets closer, she recognizes the individuals: a woman wearing a rottweiler mask, a man in Renaissance-era clothing, and another with a motorcycle helmet sculpted to resemble a stylized skull. They stood tense, fixated on the aerial clash.
Taylor remains hidden, close enough that she can hear the three but not let them see her.
"You see that guy? With the helmet?" the man in Renaissance attire mutters, eyes fixed on the airborne combatants.
"What?" the woman in the rottweiler mask snarls, annoyed.
"He's trouble, that's what. Look at that power," the man in the motorcycle helmet adds, he seems to be the leader judging the way he carries himself. His tone is grim as he continues, “He is strong enough to go toe to toe with Lung. We are lucky if he kills him for us. That way, we won’t need to deal with the ‘Rage Dragon’ but it will be disappointing… After all, we want the credit for ridding the dragon in order to assert dominance and gain the respect of the cape community.”
Taylor's interest deepens. So the helmet guy isn’t just a random bystander—he has plans and motivations for being here.
"What's his deal, though? And who's that chick in the suit? The one that must have sent the bugs?" the ‘renaissance-man’ interjects, pointing towards the direction where Taylor used to be.
Taylor's heart skips a beat, realizing they are discussing her. She ducks behind the cover, hoping they don’t spot her.
"I don't know, but if they're here, things are about to get real messy," replies the leader.
Taylor's mind races. If these individuals here are villains, it means more trouble is brewing, and she cannot afford to be one-upped again. She needs to act fast.
Gathering her resolve, Taylor quietly slips away from the building, her mind buzzing with plans and possibilities. She may not be able to take on Lung and the helmet guy alone, but she refuses to stand idly by while others are pushing with their own agendas giving not a fuck what it means to be a cape.
Taylor hates it when others are working behind the scenes with the goal in mind to exploit opportunities that are not meant to be exploited. Defeating Lung? Gaining fame over it? What is this, a game? And kill-stealing is now a thing?
Yeah, she has a bone to pick with the flying helmet guy, but what the ‘other’ helmet guy said has struck a chord with her— whoever those three are, there is nothing wrong with them wanting fame by fighting Lung.
Being a ‘cape’ and a ‘hero’ means making a difference so that others can have easier lives.
Taylor’s intent of going to the docks and doing vigilante justice is her hope that her father will have an easier life while working in the docks with all of the thugs and criminals cleaned up.
When Taylor has come to a confrontation with Lung, and feels the heat touching her, she feels so certain she can pull it off— teaching Lung a lesson, helping some ‘kids’ that might be gunned down, and running away successfully.
However, she does not expect another cape to suddenly come to her rescue and save her. Though Taylor has appreciated the save, she is not one bit amused by the telekinetic cape knowing her civilian identity which causes her to lose her head.
Taylor then ends up in the wrong headspace, her thoughts of ‘escape’ pounding on her head while she flees and leave helmet guy on his own. She just ditched the helmet guy in favor of her own safety, which is again, not a wrong thing to do. That’s why when she heard the ‘other’ helmet guy, she realizes just how much of an ass she is.
That’s why she is going back… she will offer support from the distance, and then she’ll repay that ‘one time’ that helmet guy saved her life.
As Taylor sticks close to the darker shades of the building, while remotely using her abilities to send bugs at Lung, her senses alert her to the clicking of a gun. The barrel is pressed gently against her skull, sending a shiver down her spine. A feminine voice calls out, commanding her not to move.
"Don't make a sound," the voice says, firm yet controlled. Taylor's mind races, assessing the situation. She remains still, her heart pounding in her chest.
The tension in the air thickens as Taylor finds herself at the mercy of the mysterious woman with the gun. The click of the firearm against her skull sends a wave of fear coursing through her veins. She remains silent, her mind racing, trying to navigate this precarious situation.
"Hello there, sweetie," the woman's voice slices through the air, the pressure of the gun against Taylor's head is mind-wracking. "So, what powers do you have? A safe guess is the control of bugs... You are the one, yes?"
Taylor's lips press into a thin line as she weighs her options. She chooses to remain silent, her instinct warning her not to reveal too much to this unknown threat. Though she is being kept at gunpoint, she continues to send bugs at Lung from a distance to help the helmet guy.
"If you think not talking is the right choice, then you are wrong," the woman declares, punctuating her words with a gunshot that penetrates the wall just adjacent to the street. Taylor winces at the sound, her eyes darting to the bullet hole now embedded in the concrete. The threat is clear.
"I want you to talk, so answer… Are you with the helmet guy?" The pressure of the gun against Taylor's neck intensifies, leaving her with no choice but to respond.
"I don’t know," Taylor admits with a voice barely above a whisper. She truly doesn’t know. For one, the other guy knows her, but she doesn’t know him. Maybe she is with him after all. The truth hangs heavy in the air, her uncertainty laid bare, yet her words seem to only confuse the woman holding the gun.
"What kind of answer is that?" The woman sounds frustrated and unsure.
Feeling the weight of the situation bearing down on her, Taylor quickly decides to bluff, hoping to sway the woman's judgment in her favor. "Fine then, I take it back… He is with me…" she takes on a more playful edge, faking her finicky choice of words as confidence.
If a cape as strong as the telekinetic helm-guy is backing Taylor, then the one holding the gun might have second thoughts on how to deal with her. “You see, helm-guy flying there knows me… That sure means something doesn’t it? Imagine what someone that powerful might do to you if you harm her girl?”
It is a fragile bluff, but a very strong one if used right.
At that moment, the ground shakes as a couple of buildings get toppled over by Lung’s gigantic dragon-ass while the flying helmet-wearing telekinetic cape pound on him brutally without holding back.
#Taylor being Complicated #Undersiders #Totally Tattletale being Confused
