1.6

1.6

My eyes snapped open. I just felt someone -appear- in the middle of my room. Adrenaline kicked on and useless thoughts like 'how did she get there without me feeling her moving through my aura?' fell away. I did what most normal people would do. I yelled a series of nonsensical sounds and shot her. The easiest and fastest for me to make was still the Foxfire blasts so when she mostly dodged it still knocked her off balance when it exploded. The first shot clipped her in the shoulder due to the dodge instead of where I was aiming, the chest, eliciting a grunt of surprise. The next shot followed a half second later, but was a burning bright ball of energy, I had charged it with all the mana I could pack into it in a half second - 'which' I idly thought 'was quite a bit more than I expected'. After the first shot she turned to an inky black smoke and now I could taste the smoke in my aura again. The logical part of my mind returned just in time to say 'This might have been a bad plan' when I realized just how much power that little ball had. I raised my arms as the Foxfire made contact with the inky black creature. The shell of the spell didn't break, but when the super charged mana inside it made contact with the smoky aura it went off.

It felt like a miniature concussive grenade had gone off in the middle of my room. The shockwave ripped through me and threw me against the wall hard enough that I saw stars. Debris from a myriad of little engineering projects had scattered around, some hardware had embedded into the walls, I saw the remains of a remote controlled spider embedded into my shattered door. I couldn't hear, I couldn't breathe, I could barely see and I felt like my heart was trying to play hopscotch. I started coughing and after a few moments managed to finally get some breath. When I got enough of my wits around me I looked up trying to find the smoke-person-thing. I could feel a familiar person in my aura, when I looked that direction I saw something incredibly surprising - Sophia. She was rolling on the floor and seemed to be in a similar state to me, which was a little terrifying, she was at point blank range of the blast while I was at least five feet away and braced for it. The smoke thing must have helped somehow. My mind was still sluggish, 'concussion' the thought floated through my head as I noticed two more people step into my aura. My head lolled in their direction to see my parents looking horrified. Oh, that's because I'm bleeding. Eh, probably looks worse than it is. I could see their lips moving but no sound, ears seem to be busted. I made my head roll in the direction of Sophia, holding back the nausea the action created, and attempted to speak. It came out pretty garbled so I decided to use the shortest sentence I could come up with to summarize what happened. "Oops". I think they understood since my father said something followed by my mother laughing, it lightened the mood quite a bit.

By the time I was able to focus again I realized my mother had left and come back with a stun gun. I'll admit I took some enjoyment from her casually jabbing it into the recovering Sophia. My father was holding a bar that had once been part of a table, apparently preparing to take a swing at Sophia if she made trouble. Mom had made her way over to me with the first aid kit and was fussing over my injuries and saying things I couldn't hear. Suddenly an important piece of information popped into my head. Sophia had turned into smoke, one of the bits of 'Important Information from PHO' I had caught from Taylor yesterday told me there was a cape that could turn into shadow. It was probably the same power and even if not Sophia was still dangerous. My mind was still struggling to make connections but I managed to slur out "Cape". Dad understood well enough and said something to mom then went downstairs to grab a phone.

After dad came back I could finally hear my ears ringing and started to regain some balance. I still felt sluggish but I was recovering for the most part. I made out from what bits of conversation I could hear that the PRT had sent a squad on its way. I realized we were about to have company, more people asking questions and wanting to know things like how my room exploded. I almost screamed in my frustration that I pretty much had to come up with a viable excuse as to why a bedroom would inexplicably explode when an intruder showed up, or I'd end up being labeled a Tinker for real just based on rumor and faulty evidence. I don't think 'I don't believe in handguns, I keep grenades under my pillow.' would fly. I heard a groan then a *Crackle-zap* followed by "URK!" *thud*. I think mom is just happy she finally gets to use the stun gun.

I had mostly recovered my hearing and balance by the time the PRT showed up at the door. Dad left my room to let them in. A couple of agents came up and with them was Miss Militia. I wasn't much of a cape geek, but it's different when they're -right there-. She practically glowed with the feeling of 'I stand for justice!'... of course that could just be the concussion talking. I did notice the handgun at her side had a very strange feel to it. It was like it was -made- of mana and it had a string of it attached to her. I couldn't see the mana that made it up, probably because the physical shape was in the way. Around that moment my mind decided to point out I was only in my boxers. I looked up at the sky where I'm certain Murphy with his stupid law is looking down at me, 'This is going to become a -thing- isn't it?'.

Miss Militia was about to ask me a question then stops and almost seems to stagger when she sees Sophia. Huh I guess Sophia's more dangerous than I thought if that's the reaction. She dropped her head into one hand and started shaking it. That's not right, that's the type of action you take when something is about to be a major headache, this should be a simple 'Hey, breaking and entering with super powers, lock'em up for a while!'

.... Then it clicked. "Shit."

Miss Militia gave me a wry look "I couldn't agree more. So what happened here?" She said it in a genuinely curious way, it didn't have the accusing tone I half expected since Sophia was one of theirs. I almost said 'I dunno, it just exploded. All of it.' Between my need to make a joke to calm my nerves and MM's easy to talk to aura (How does she do that without magic?) it was difficult -not- to make the smartass comment.

Instead I shrugged and said "I think I need a lawyer first. And some clothes. Actually put clothes first, lawyer second.". I figured it'd at least buy me some time to figure out what I actually wanted to say.

MM seems a little disappointed at that, apparently the 'talk to me' thing normally works. She didn't seem particularly inclined to get me a lawyer -or- clothes, but to be fair there was a plate of metal stuck in my dresser which would make it rather difficult to open any drawers and a severe lack of lawyers in my house.

MM was about to ask something else when there was a *Crackle-zap* "URGK!" *thud* that brought her up short. She turned towards the sound to see my mother, wearing a grin, standing over a re-crumpled Sophia Hess. Mom looked up at MM and blinked, her grin sliding off her face to be replaced by a look of pure innocence. "What?".

MM just sighed and shook her head saying "I'll take it from here." She goes over and tosses Sophia over her shoulder and I notice Sophia's wrists are tied with scavenged wire from around the room. Those wouldn't do much but at least I know my parents are efficient. MM carried her out of the room, the two agents upstairs followed after her. My mother just comes over and gives me a hug saying "I was hoping to get her one more time. Four shocks for four days of bullying, but I guess whatever you did will have to make up for the last day" She gives me a wink then heads out the door calling over her shoulder "Get dressed, we're taking you to the hospital."

Once I have some privacy I go over to my dresser and start prying out one of the pieces of metal that was holding a drawer closed. Now dressed, I headed downstairs to see my parents talking to Miss Militia. Three PRT agents were standing around but the two I saw before were missing, as was Sophia, I guess they're watching her. MM hands a card to my father her voice almost apologetic, saying "Give us a call, we -will- need a statement. Since the house is the scene of a parahuman related incident, particularly one involving a ward, we'll be blocking off the residence and we'll supply you with the standard fee for a place to stay until the investigation is over." My father was about to interrupt when MM held up a hand "I'm sorry Mr. Taylor, but this is just protocol."

Dad grumbles a bit but agrees. "Fine, we'll be at the hospital for now. I'm assuming the PRT will be covering costs?"

MM just says "It all depends on what the investigation brings up. I can't give you any definite answers, I hope you understand."

Dad nods "Alright, well, if this is going to be investigated thoroughly, you should know Sophia has been on some sort of war path bullying people at Winslow. Will and his friend Taylor have been the primary targets. I expect this is some sort of escalation of that."

MM nods with a hard look and promises "Thank you, I'll make -certain- this is looked into Mr. Taylor."

Everything else wrapped up nicely, I managed to run upstairs with an agent following to make sure I don't disturb the scene beyond some necessities. I grabbed some clothes, my phone, notebook and notepad then stuffed them into my backpack. The agent had asked to see the notes in case there was important information there. When I explained it was for a tabletop game and started in on how it worked as he looked over it he just shook his head with a 'I don't get that stuff, it's fine, take it'. Though he took a few pictures of a few pages just to have something for their guys to look over to make sure. Apparently MM had left instructions of 'be lenient' with them.

The drive to the hospital was pretty quiet, everyone was tired and by this point it was four in the morning. We ended up paying a doctor to tell me "Yep, you have a concussion, take it easy for a few days." There was a PRT agent at the door when we left and we had to give him an address and phone number to contact us. Apparently dad had gotten us a hotel room while the doctor was examining me.

On the drive to the hotel mom told me "No meditation, unless it's the normal kind, taking it easy includes that." to which I reluctantly agreed. She still had the stun gun after all. When we arrived there was nothing fancy, we just fell into our designated beds, they had gotten me my own room. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was out.

The morning assaulted me and I vaguely wondered if I could use magic to punch it in it's non-existent face. I let my eyes close and relaxed for a while, procrastinating the start of the day... at least until I cracked an eyelid open just enough to see it was fifteen 'till noon. "Ugh... Alright self, do you think we can just convince Taylor to come here so we don't have to move all day?" I considered it for a moment "No, I think she was looking forward to rubbing it in our face that we have to pay for the meal since she tricked us into inviting her out." I nod to me "Yep, now stop putting it off." I kept talking to myself through the morning rituals, tacking on a check of my aura to make sure nothing was giving me any pain, disorientation, nausea, etc. Luckily it seemed everything was working well enough.

Newly clean and fresh, only slightly tired (some coffee would fix that) I grabbed my notes and wallet, then let my parents know I was out for the day and headed off to Fugly Bob's to meet up with Taylor. I got there with ten minutes to spare so I loitered around the front waiting for my semi-forced date to show up. Aaaand ten minutes later still no sign of Taylor. Odd she seemed like a punctual person. I pulled out my phone and gave her a call. "Hey Ms. Suspicious Individual, where are ya? I'm out in front."

I don't know how I could tell, but I think she was smirking "Look to your left. There's someone there that's been waving and trying to get your attention for about ten minutes Mr. Oblivious." and sure enough, on the other side of the glass to my left there was a high school girl waving at me.

"So, when were you going to tell me there was a crazy person trying to get my attention?"

She shrugged, and it was a little odd to see the very slight delay between her talking and me hearing it. "When you called or I got bored."

I hang up on her before heading inside to actually place an order. We make some small talk and she waits to start the talk she wanted until I was done eating. It was kind of her, and I was starving. I also noticed the tendrils of her aura were attached to everyone in a pretty large area, she seemed to like sticking one or two bugs to each person in her immediate area. I briefly considered setting up an Astral Shield just to mess with her, but until I redesign it there's too much risk of it flaring up if something happens like bumping into Taylor. Once I finish eating I clear my throat and ask "Alright, so what's the deal, what did you want to talk about? What can you talk about here that you couldn't at school?"

She nods and I could see some increased activity from a couple of tendrils, she seems satisfied with whatever she did then takes a more serious expression and lowers her voice so it'll be hidden by the ambient noise. "Will, I think we should team up."

I narrow my eyes for a moment, try to gauge how serious she is then shake my head my voice lowering too "No. Not happening. You know how much of a pain that sort of thing is? We'd have to have a team captain, come up with a team NAME, hell I don't even know what name -I'll- take, much less one for a team."

She tilted her head "I thought you had Oblivium? I mean it fits pretty well, it almost sounds like a magus sort of name, a touch of mysterious, then halfway it stops caring. It's like 'The power of 'Oblivion'!' combined with 'Apathy Guy' She grins having actually made the stupid name fit.

I just shrug "Eh, I'll come up with something later, that was just a spur of the moment thing." I get on with the serious aspect "Really, I just want to do my own thing. Being on a team means following what the team wants to do, being on a schedule, etc. I don't want to deal with that."

She gives me a flat look "Really. That's what's going on? Grow up Will. No matter what you do you'll have to deal with that. If not in this way, then when you get a job. You'll be on a team and be expected to meet deadlines and everything. You're just saying you don't want the responsibility. You have a freaking awesome power, you -have- to use it to help. If we team up we can get some experience taking care of some low level crime and when we have a little credibility we could join the Wards. As part of the PRT you'll get -paid- to play with your power." I wince when she says 'Wards'. "Um, what's wrong? That's not exactly the expression I expected."

I drop my head into my hands, elbows braced on the table. "Oh hell, how do I say this?" when I look up she looks even more concerned, but slightly offended as if I had insulted her plan. "Can you promise me not to explode, no matter what I say in the next few minutes?" and now she's confused, but nods "Armsmaster kicks babies." no reaction, okay that's a good start. "Winslow is run by the ABB which is why cafeteria food tastes like dog." still nothing. Alright, time to see if she can handle the truth. "Sophia is Shadow Stalker." There was no reaction... until I didn't go on. It took a couple of seconds, then her eyes started getting bigger as realization after realization started making themselves known. I poke her in the forehead hissing "No explosions!" She visibly calms down, apparently the skill she developed from ignoring my shenanigans helped her set this aside for later, now she just looks pissed.

After a minute she finally asks "What happened?"

I convey my story of Friday evening, avoiding detention and the office for fear of a Sophia plot, only to be chased by strange men in a black van that I later found out belonged to the PRT. I Explained how my parents were hounded by them and how what they were doing made me think they were kidnappers. Then I got into the story of what happened that night. She had interrupted for a moment asking just how much power I shoved into the blast. I really need to make a measurement system. I guessed over ten times the standard amount of 'shockwave' force while the speed and shell stayed the same. Once that was settled I went on to explain the concussion and exploded room and all that happened after. Based on her grin at the stun gun antics I'm pretty sure Taylor likes my mom already.

When the story was finished she just sat back and gave me a -look-. "You really do have something crazy happen every. single. day."

I shrug "I got a punch card from Murphy's Law-firm, they promise a free major incident when I get each day of the week filled. So far I'm missing Wednesday."

She looks thoughtful for a moment then winces a little "Um, you don't think Sophia recognized your voice, or saw you get free in the kidnapping incident, do you?"

I shrug "I don't -think- so. I mean she would have come to rescue me if... she... erm... no, this is Sophia, she was probably going to wait until they decided to cut off fingers. Maybe wait until after I'd lost one or two - THEN enact the daring rescue of the whimpering idiot that got himself kidnapped."

Taylor rubs her temples "And since she saw what you did to them, she decided to be... well not 'nice', but at least not mean to you, since you could end up a Ward. Meaning she might have come to your house to talk, work out differences, maybe threaten you for silence, etc. And you exploded her."

A pained expression has gradually come across my face "Eh heh... I'm the type that lashes out when I'm startled... oops?"

She just shrugs like it isn't her problem then says "At least the PRT will probably talk to me and I can show the notes on the bullying thing so they can get it to just -stop-."

I nod. "That'd be convenient. What about your plans to join the Wards?"

"I... I don't know, I need to think. I still think we should make a team though, no matter what happens." When I looked like I was about to disagree she continued "Fine, just- just don't think of it as a team. It's just friends and backup. I'll call you if I get in over my head, alright? And you too, something happens you give me a call, I can watch your back."

I decide to give up, I can deal with helping out a friend when necessary. "Fine, but you're going to have to suffer the nickname, T"

She rolled her eyes.

We chatted a bit more, nothing overly important, she suggested a couple of names, one was 'Caster', I made a joke that if we did that Taylor could be 'Bugger' to match. She hit me for it, but it went in the notebook as an option. When we got up to go I got a call from my father, apparently it was time to meet with the PRT.