Amelia, Worm AU [Complete]

Amelia, Ch 175- Riley


I sighed. Dream Girl was right. Her power, depending on how you looked at it, either did not work, or could not be turned off. It wasn't mind control, it wasn't a memory rewrite. Or, at least, her primary power worked that way. The secondary powers that detected or exploited those emotional bonds were far more active. I could break that part. I couldn't break the long term influence. She exploited feelings and emotions that already existed. Bringing them to the forefront. It was, as I said to her, a 'nostalgia' power. Lost loves, memories of happier times. Only reversible with a hard rewrite of their brain chemistry.


I doubted my friends would appreciate that plan.


They would have to recover naturally.


I would have to recover naturally.


The alterations I made to her brain were far more overt. Easier to undo, easier to detect, but far more powerful in their ability to influence the victim. I watched from a rooftop six blocks away as she casually strolled into the ocean from a deserted stretch of beach and rubble. Tracking tech confirmed everything. The hypoxia would eliminate any evidence of my manipulations. I turned off my emotions, this one time. "Goodbye mommy," I said with artificial cheer. Then I returned to my home. To a family I choose, and friends that loved me. Friends who needed my help now more than ever. Friends that I needed.


Lisa's eyes narrowed when I arrived home. I smiled, artificially. Her eyes closed. "Fuck," she muttered.


"You'd have done it differently?" I asked. There was no way to hide secrets from her anymore. I might be able to beat her 'perfect guesses' power, but there was no possible nonviolent defense against her new ability. It was easier just to work with her, instead. As my Big Sister and her fiancée put it: 'don't fight, accept and push through'. They were so smart, even if they were dumb sometimes.


"I don't know," she replied, shivering. "Had to stop looking. You're sure?"


"Completely," I answered. I had her monitored until death, then encouraged some of the scavengers to find her early. She's quite literally fish food.


Lisa read my body language. I wanted her to, which made it easier.


"Good," she said with a hard voice.


"Now what?" I asked.


She sighed. "We pick up the pieces. The power wears off naturally. Time healing wounds, and all that utter tripe. Dinah and Taylor weren't influenced enough for it to matter. No emotional investment, no notable impact. So it's the four of you. How are you holding up?"


"Not even the worst thing I've done in the last six months," I answered with absolute honesty. "Worry about the others."


"Okay," she agreed. "Theo and Zach are the big ones. Zach... tries to ignore problems. He'll pretend he's immune and do everything possible to make us believe it. We should find a suitable distraction. I'm thinking we throw Emma at him. She'll love it, and he's not gonna be feeling terribly picky."


I frowned. "That doesn't seem..."


"Don't worry," she interrupted. "I can handle that part. You are going to have to worry about Missy and Theo. Invite them somewhere after school. In person... Clarice isn't the person they should be talking to for this."


"Okay," I agreed.


....


School went by slowly, but I had let both Theo and Missy know that we needed to talk after school before it was out. Specifically, that I needed to in person. Naturally, they had my company on the way to the base, through Clarice, but I refused to say anything about it.


"Okay, Riley, you're starting to worry me," Missy said as she entered my bedroom. I set Fluffy aside, and he scuttled back to where he belonged as my pillow. Missy took it in stride- she's the one who has a flying horse made of pretty much the same material, after all.


"We need to talk about the mission in New York," I replied. Both of them fidgeted. We didn't really talk about New York. We'd been assured that we'd no longer be put on missions with Atropos, and that she wouldn't be in charge of any missions any time soon. Beyond that, we'd have to trust the judgment of others. Of course, I knew my Big Sister would do what was best. "I learned a few things about the Stranger that Theo encountered."


"Really?" Theo asked.


"Yes," I answered. "She decided to imitate Zach's dead friend."


"She was Erica, wasn't she?" Missy asked. "That's why she wasn't at school."


I nodded. "She's been caught and won't be an issue any longer."


"Did... did you develop an anti-master cure?" Theo asked eagerly.


"Sorry," I looked away. "Her power alters neural connections manually. If you have the drug already in your system, you're immune, but you can't undo what's been done without rewiring the brain. It would take Amelia's power, and knowledge of what your brain was like before."


"Theo..." Missy asked. "What's wrong?"


He sighed. "Her power... it's weird... it made me have... feelings... for Clarice."


My heart jumped in my chest. Really?


"You mean Riley?" Missy asked, sounding more worried by the second.


"No," he answered. "Clarice, specifically. I can look at Riley and it doesn't do anything like that at all." And just like that, my stomach clenched. The warm feeling had died.


"That... is really strange," Missy replied. "Sorry, that sounded worse than I meant it to. I just mean..."


"Her power works on feelings toward people we've lost," I volunteered. "Fond emotions and memories that aren't attached to anyone."


Theo offered a half smile. "Guess that explains it. I did have a kinda crush on Clarice, before finding out what she was. Before knowing about you at all, Riley. I was a little disappointed when I found out that Clarice wasn't real. But I got over it. I didn't think it was that intense."


"That's understandable," Missy said, reluctantly. "I mean... Clarice is kinda designed to be the perfect girl. And don't you dare try to pretend otherwise, Riley. She's fit, well proportioned, I'm pretty sure her face is some kind of perfect blend of human features that you spent a weeks designing. And your doll has the voice of a goddess."


"Four and a half months," I admitted. "And I... may have used recordings of Canary to mode her vocal cords. It doesn't convey any of her powers, of course, but I did pick her because I like her voice. I wish I had a chance to talk to her before she got in trouble." I really did, too.


"See?" Missy answered. "And then you got mind whammied by that bitch. It's not your fault. Any more than it was those children's fault that Valefor used them as suicide bombers. That was his fault, and I'll punch anyone who says otherwise. This is her fault. You don't have to feel bad about it."


"Thanks," Theo smiled softly at her, and I suppressed a need to whimper. "You're the best." He gave her a quick peck on the cheek.


"I know," Missy replied with a bright smile. "You just be sure to let everyone know it."


"I can do that," Theo agreed. Then he paused for a second. "So, uh... she also messed with Zach. Like... way worse than me."


"Yeah," I confirmed. "She used his dead childhood friend on him."


"I now regret letting her live after the first time," Theo replied darkly. "What are we going to do about this."


"Lisa said something about 'throwing' Emma at him," I answered.


"What?" Missy gasped. "That's awful!" Good, I thought. I'm not the only person who thinks so.


"I'm gonna go talk to Zach. Y'know, guy stuff. Maybe a good boxing match or something," Theo said to us, standing. "I'm sorry, I know I promised, but..." He is so good to his friends, I sighed inwardly.


"No," Missy insisted. "You're absolutely right. This is more important. You do that. I'm going to have a talk with Tattletale. There might be some boxing involved. It's going to be incredibly one sided. Riley, do you mind?"


"No, it's fine," I answered. "I have stuff to keep me busy."


I watched them leave, and then issued the low whistle that brought Fluffy to me. The dog sized spider shaped living stuffed animal crawled right back and wrapped itself around me. Four pairs of limbs for four times the hugging power. It was even internally heated. I flopped down on my bed, held by the delightfully comfortable pet. It purred happily at the movement and pressure as I squeezed back.


Should have added more arms, I decided as I stared at the ceiling.


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A/N- I think the saddest part of the move from SB is that I can't mock all of them for failing to see this twist coming.