The Long Night

[Maazen]

Hey guys, new story! I'm working on another Worm fic while writing this, one much more planned out. That one is already at Arc 2 with 25K words, so no worries of me not posting it. If I stop writing it, I'll still post what I'd written already. Now, this fic is much more wish-fulfillment-y and for me to express my extensive passion for Bloodborne (and my hatred for Sony for denying me an actual sequel or remaster).

No clue about any lemons, but they are much more possible in this fic than my others. The NSFW (not in this section, I'll post a duplicate version if I do decide to do any lemons) is still deserved, as I'm still including plenty of gore and some such things!

---

The Hunt, it had been so long… My knees buckle as I slam onto the ground, white flowers parting almost gently as I do. "My dear Doll…" I mutter, thinking of my only companion. My guiding Moonlight. "Are you proud..?" I had done it, the blood of a being beyond my comprehension, even more so than those that came before it, was still dripping down the decadent blade of my two weapons.

One, my trusted Saw Cleaver, the blood-letting teeth decorating its serrated edge have not dulled since all those years ago, when I first took it from the gentle messengers. Two, the Chikage, a weapon of Cainhurst and one I picked up far later into my wretched journey. Nevertheless, its increased agility and unique bloodtinge related ability have served me as well as my very first weapon had.

From beneath my mask and hunter's hat, I gaze at the corpse of the Moon Presence, the orchestrator of my torment. My effervescent revival. My hell.

Even now, the Old Blood subsumes my veins, wrestling for control in my mind. But I will not let it, I have never let it. The thought of my Doll, of an end to the hunt has carried my will, reforged it to iron and crafted into a fortress, resistant to the harrowing temptations of the beastly blood.

A cold yet gentle hand lays itself on my shoulder. "I am." Her voice, her voice.

Memories flash in my mind, horrid deaths soothed by horrid stories told by a beautiful creation. Gently cold hands caressing my crying form, my despondent form, my dead form.

Her voice.

Her voice, piercing my clouded mind in moments of true despair, when an opponent rips me limb from limb, infects my mind and body with its curses, its insight.

Ever-present and almighty love subsumes my weak form as I turn my head. "Is… Is it over?" I ask yet for naught, as I see the pristine white clouds of the Hunters Dream start to part, to give easy to something else, my own mind's clouds parting in a similar manner to reveal a clarity I've never felt before.

In the middle of this painting of a view knelt the Doll, her smile washing away the despair and anxiety building in my heart. "He…" My heart chokes, as does my throat as I feel my other eyes gaze towards the second corpse on this battlefield, lying there almost peacefully. "Why?" I grit my teeth.

"Gehrman is the dream's custodian." She replies, though I already knew. "He only wished the best for you… even in his weakest moments, he sought the strength to grant you his mercy." And mercy is a gift of the strong, I remembered my mother would say, even as I fail to remember anything else of her. But on this night, no strength can grant the tainted souls roaming Yharnam any mercy past their calling death.

"But he should've known I'd win! He saw me drag the heads of beasts beyond our very minds here!" But if he did, he did not act on that knowledge.

"He knew, Good Hunter. But his duty remained all the same." She replied as my head slumped into her chest, tears, for the first time in a decade, streaming down my face, soaking my mask and her dress.

"And… and I thought this nightmare had nothing more to take away from me…" Memories, emotions, lives and friends. The list is too long, the graveyard in my mind spanning countries. Even my soul, if one were to subscribe to my own quantification of it.

"It will be alright, Good Hunter. I shan't leave. I will remain." I cling to those words as I try my best to calm myself. It took a while, too long to measure, as I wrestled with emotions I had thought discarded.

When I gaze back up at her, I see the reflection of my dead eyes in her own porcelain ones. It is over… I should… "I told you, once, of my home… I think." Or was that another daydream of mine? Of a world where there would be no more death? No more pain…

She nodded, thankfully. "You did, dear. A place away from Yharnam, from its blood." She did not say those words with the reverence and fear that I had come to speak them with. It is neither innocence nor ignorance that makes up her lack of reverence, it is simply the way she is built. Metaphorically and literally.

Her mind is made to love, not fear, and when I proved to be the Last Hunter, as the First had named me, she had manifested that final love for me. And without it, I would be lost.

"Dear," She gently nudges me and I return to the present.

"Ah, thanks…" I reply and she nods.

She smiles, projecting love and understanding. "You tend to get lost in thought often, dear Hunter." She chuckles lightly, holding up one of her jointed hands to cover her mouth. She had gotten more emotive the more wretched Insight I gathered and, even if only for that, it was worth gathering, despite its… heavy toll.

I nodded. "Well, it is not in this dimension…" I began and that reveal lacked the gravitas I had originally thought it to have. With me traveling to hell, a nightmare realm and a city of the twisted, multiverse theory being real really wasn't that surprising.

She nodded, equally unperturbed. "I had gathered. Yharnamite children learn the language early in age, regardless if they are in poverty or not." Ah, I almost blush as I remember the week I had spent learning the yharnamite language. It feels like it's not even made for humans to speak and for all I know, that is indeed correct. English is mostly spoken anyways. Though some… spells still required the somatic and verbal component, so it was not all for naught.

"Yes, my world is… bland, boring and dull. You may read of an interesting event or entertain yourself with banal media, but in the end, there where no beast to fell, no genocide-threatening enemies of human kind to fight." I spoke and found myself with my head on her lap as we laid in a field of white flowers, spotted with red.

"It sounds like a peaceful place." I squint my eyes and eyes as I try to remember.

"No, not at all. Wars were fought, but the layman and those in the… 'richer' countries found themselves with little life-threatening hardships." I replied as I recalled as much of my original world as I could. I could no longer call it 'home', that tether of melancholic feeling binding me to it had snapped long ago. One of the first sacrifices the Hunt demanded.

She did not ask for my family, nor what I had been like back then. She knew the effects of the Hunt better than most, having seen countless examples, and knew that those pieces of one's mind are taken away during the long night. "Maybe it is not, then, but it still sounds pleasant."

"More so than Yharnam, anyways." I lacked the strength to chuckle, but even through my mask, she saw my smirk and rolled her eyes in response to it. Yes, even if it exacted a heavy price, seeing her laugh and giggle, joke and jab was worth every tortured moment of expanding my mind.

"Then how did you end up here?" She asked and I grimaced.

"Not by choice… It was a sudden thing, a stroll to work became a stroll through the Yharnam clinic in the blink of an eye… worst part was the realization…" I shuddered at the days I spent in that first room, only accompanied by the sound of tearing flesh as the nearby beast wolf feasted.

"Of what, dear?" She asked and I closed my eyes, recalling the moment my memories became clear, the moment my mind resolved itself.

"This world was not unknown to me… ah, do you have plays here? Operas?" She nodded. "Then imagine an opera show, but for one person, localized in a tiny box and to be controlled by that person through a variation of mediums." She was smart, she understood quickly.

"Like a replicated world? A tiny realm to play with?" I nodded.

"Though they are fake, just made up of numbers and lightning in complicated patterns, forming life-like imagery." She smiled and briefly looked onto the dimming horizon, pondering a concept people of her time-period would agonize over with quiet wonder.

"Before the blood was found, Gehrman once told me, there were talks of using lightning, electricity then, for wondrous things… He could not remember clearly, he was not a part of such circles, he was but a child then." That implies heavy technological stunting for this world, which makes sense. If our early renaissance encountered something like the Old Blood, we would be fighting each other with swords and maybe gunpowder weaponry, not nuclear warheads and drones.

I nodded. "It was the road to the future, though not one Yharnam ever got to wander." She returned her gentle, loving gaze to mine and my body heated up once more with a hearth. "I explained all that because, in one such 'Game', this world was portrayed. It was a simple hack-and-slash-" for lack of an easier to understand term. "-where you killed your way through Yharnam in a bit over thirty hours of time, depending on your pace."

"So, like a board game?" I made a 'so-so' motion with my hand, finding myself with strength once more as I talked with her.

"Kinda. But you can understand that when I found myself in a clinic I remember seeing, knowing what was awaiting me…" I shuddered, I had cried and despaired for many hours before dying for the first time… and oh Cos, that death, more than the ones after despite their varying levels of agony, would be engraved onto my mind for all of eternity.

She nodded but didn't speak about that much further, instead- "You have talked to me once before, then?" She smirked deviously and I wanted to groan in a loving frustration. Along with everything else, she had gained a teasing attitude. "Oh, without me knowing, even!"

"H-Hey! Don't blame me, it was just a game! A popular one, but still just a game!"

"Popular, you say? A lot of Hunters must have spoken with me then…" She nodded, then looked down at me with a small grin, her hands caressing the sides of my face. "But I suspect none found their way into my heart like this, did they?"

My breath hitched. How do I get flustered?! After everything, she can still fluster me?! Unfair! "W-W- It… It wasn't an option in the game…" I muttered.

"Then you're all the more special, love." My lips smushed together as she played with my cheeks. "My special Hunter~" She cooed in a high-pitched voice.

My eyes softened and I reached for her wrist. I groaned as I sat up. "All yours, yeah." I didn't stray far, though, as I almost dove forward for a kiss. She accepted readily and, as with every time before, I found myself surprised at the searing heat of the act. A Doll, so cold yet so hot, burning with life.

As we separated, the kiss being cut shorter than usual, I stood up, as did she. "Well, I just wanted to be honest… because I know, from that game, that I should have turned into a newly born Old One by now, having consumed those disgusting Umbilical Cords and all…" I pondered.

"Well, I would suspect that it would take a while, a full transcendence is no small matter." She commented and I nodded.

My eyes drifted to Gehrman, then to his weapon. I had used it in… New Game Plus, I think it was called. The Doll's voice came from my side as she noticed. "He would have no objection, in fact, I think he would want you to inherit it. From the First to the Last…"

I nodded with a dry chuckle. "Sounds poetic enough for him, at least."

"You've regained a lot of your early spirit, Dear." She states as we approach.

"Have I?" I blink. "Didn't notice…"

"Maybe it has returned from the box you had to seal it in, when the Hunt demanded it?" Ah, that makes sense. As to why she is in the know about my fucked-up mind metaphors? Well, we've had a good two decades to talk to each other, with the main topic being the Hunt and, with her all-encompassing care, she worried a lot about me, so my mental health came up a lot more than you would think.

As I leaned down to grip the hilt of the Burial Blade, I found myself agreeing with her. "I think that's a good sign… maybe I can be some of my old self again, now that it's over…" But… what if she won't like me, then? What if she only liked the image of the Last Hunter that I represented f-

An arm gripped my outstretched wrist and my attention was brought to her stern stare. "And I'll love you all the same, I'm excited to see a new side of you, even." Ah, of course she'd say that. What was I thinking? She loves me, all of me. In any form, wearing any mask, committing any atrocity.

The early anxieties of a relationship where always something that was suspiciously absent for me with her, in contrast to my other relationship, so I guess it's good that venting to her about how I worked regardless of trying to solve that still resulted in a 'girlfriend sixth sense' for when I'm getting into my mind about stupid stuff.

If there was such an ideal thing as understanding another person fully, then we had achieved it.

"And I'll still love you too." I nodded and returned to the task at hand, namely wrenching the scythe from the literal death-grip of my old teacher.

My breathing quickened the longer I tried, my pulls getting more and more aggressive as my mind flashed with the battle-

Strafe left, Blood Step right, slash- DODGE! Searing pain, a bullet biting into my abdomen. Another attempt…

My breathing quickened, below his hat- was he staring at me? I'm- I'm sorry, please-

Parry successful, bullet tearing into his shoulder, he staggers. Go in, bite Saw into his skin. Let him bleed, it weakens the prey…

"A-Ah…" My vision blurred, the corners of my mind started glowing an ominous red. I-I need to fight… Blood. I need Bl-

"You have it, Dear. It's fine, you got it." I… I got it? My goal… I've completed my goal. Yes, I can stop hunting.

I blinked as everything returned to full clarity. I held the folded-up scythe in my hand, though… "Why are the flowers so torn up?" I asked. "Did something else stroll through?"

She shook her head, though she grimaced as she hugged me from behind, her head on my shoulder. "You had another attack, dear."

Ah… That's why the last few minutes seem blurry. And why in crying. And why my palms are bloody.

"Thanks for the help." She nodded as she caressed my chest.

"Always." She responded and, with a cute pet on my torso, we separated once more.

I adjusted my belt a bit, making the sheath for the Chikage lie a bit lower, until I could comfortably attach the Burial Blade to the small, almost unnoticeable straps on my back, barely peeking out through slits under my cloak. I took a deep, focusing breath. "Well, it seems like we've got a bit of time, so I'll work on the blade a bit, yeah?"

"I can watch?" She asked adorably, looking at me with the cutest set of puppy dog eyes ever seen.

My cold, dead, rotted and beastly heart melted. "Of course, I know how much you like to watch me work with the Blood Rocks." And rightly so! It is damn interesting how leveling up a weapon actually works and I'm glad that I seem to be regaining my own emotions now that the Hunt is over, so I can re-experience the wonder and experimental joy I felt when I first worked on my Cleaver.

"And I'm glad you enjoy me watching… heh." Did she just-? Yes, she did, she made an innuendo. Apparently, the amazement on my face was noticeable. "What? Did you think I am unskilled in wordplay of my own?"

"My bad puns and… and that are too completely different things!" I argued.

She laughed haughtily at that. I rolled my eyes and groaned.

---

The levity of rejoining with her in light-hearted conversation was only the beginning of the first good day I've had in Yharnam. Or the Hunters Dream, at least. After dying hundreds of times against Amelia, I found myself despondent, dead to the world. I had been suffering, at least, before that, a show of my humanity, but when I realized that even that would only hinder me in the Hunt, I found myself more machine than man.

That dreaded mindset I dubbed 'The Hunter' would only retreat when I talked with the Doll, but even then, it was less a mindset and more me suppressing everything in my head not related to battle for long enough for it to become automatic, so it couldn't just go away easily. Even with her, I recall being a muted, gray version of myself. One sarcastic comment in, what, two years? Not me at all, that I can tell you.

But she still found herself loving me and I still found myself loving her, even as The Hunter.

All that is to say, now that The Hunter can retire, [] can take the wheel once more… wait. What? My.. My name. I- I- "Doll…" My breathing quickened, I hated this feeling, this pressure. A panic attack, I knew. Not the first, not the last. "I-I can't r-remember my n-name." I shook, dropping my Blood Rock onto the table, faintly registering the clank of rock hitting metal.

Tears fell, even as she reached me quickly from the chair a bit off to the side. "I'm here, love." I heard her voice but… but it was so distant. Why-?

What's my name?

What's my name?

WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER MY OWN FUCKING NAME!?

"I-I thought it h-had nothing else to take…" Tears streamed down, onto the table, then my lap, then her chest as I found myself feeling a muted comfort, the world so blurry and distant, my senses so muddled and muted.

Only an encroaching feeling of terror remained.

"It's not fair." My teeth grit as anger usurped the fear. "IT'S N-"

As anger flooded my veins, my body recognized the feeling and, with the feeling, came the associated response.

The world cleared, my breathing stilled.

---

She sighed internally as she saw him slowly walk through the garden, past the gravestones, almost aimlessly. He had another attack an hour or so ago, and she wasn't quick enough to calm him down. Now he was searching for a hunt once again.

It was fine, she told herself, he would return once he realized there was nothing left to hunt. She sat herself down on her little flowery corner, watching her love wander the garden, empty eyes staring at empty graves, a calm hand steadily gripping one weapon or another.

He had yet to speak a word.

But that was fine, these silent accompanied moments were equally cherished by her. After she realized that her Hunter started to give her true life through unconscious utilization of his immense Insight, she had found herself being able to enjoy so many more things. So many more emotions. Expressions. Manurisms. Everything that made up a life, a human, she was now capable of doing, of possessing.
Even if only he had done that for her, she would love him eternally. But it was not just gratitude that drove her love, she thought with a smile, it was everything about him. The few times she saw his actual personality, and she was glad that it was coming back now, she had found herself falling for him all the more.

She would not tell him that he gave her life, that they now shared a soul-deep connection due to that gift, as he hated the thought of any kind of mind-control, not that her mind was influenced or anything.

She knew her mind was unbound, belonging to only her. But he would not see it that way, and so, until he asked, she would say nothing. He would only hate himself more than he already does. She'd love him enough for the both of them. If he thinks himself a monster, she'll tell him she loves that monster. If he thinks himself amongst the most wretched of humanity for his deeds, she'll tell him she'd plunge into evil with him.

A love born of gratitude, bloomed by genuine connection and solidified by understanding.

Nothing less, but so much more.

But for now, she'll sit here and watch him, or read that book on Sorcery that she always wanted to read after finding herself with her own goals. Ha! If the lifeless Doll of the past could see her now…

---

I cannot leave the dream. Conclusion: The Hunt is over. I cannot find any Prey. Conclusion: The Hunt is over. Hm…

I frown and blink, memories of a good few hours of just wandering around replaying in my mind. But I can't remember what I was thinking about during any of that time, which means I was the Hunter. I groan. "Ugh, really?" Why was I searching for a Hunt if it was over? What caused…

Oh…

My… My name.

"Are you okay, dear Hunter?" The Doll asked and I turned to find her standing next to me, at the foot of the tree where… where he had offered me the ultimatum.

I felt my breathing quicken, my v- "I'm here, love. The Hunt is over, there is nothing left to fight." Her hand was gripping my own, her soft skin, somehow so very life-life in texture, covering my shaking fist.

I calmed, centering myself around her, as I had done in memories past.

"Okay…" I took a deep breath. "I can't remember my name."

"That's fine, it is an opportunity, even!" She excitedly called out. I found myself agreeing. My… A name was just that, a word, or not? Why… it shouldn't hold this much weight… I shook my head and…

Discarded my Name.

I nodded. "You're right, I'll just need a new one." She agreed readily. Before she could continue, though, I butted in. "And you need one too, while I don't mind Doll, if we are to go out into a populated Yharnam, you'll need a name."

She smiled and nodded too. "Let's decide for each other." She suggested.

"Yeah, sounds nice." I found my hand caressing my chin in thought. She's radiant, white and pristine… "Lilly?" I offered.

She smiled wide. "I like Lilly." I nodded, then Lilly it is! Her own thoughts subsumed her then, as she contemplated. After a moment, "And for you, I think Break would suit you well."

"Break?" I ask, puzzled.

"You have broken both yourself and your prey, reforging one through the other." I shrug, not that anybody in Yharnam will call me anything besides 'Hunter' or 'Lord'.

"Melodramatic, much?" Smirking, I jab at her.

She… snorts? Wow, never suspected she could make such a noise, as dainty as it was. "You are incorrigible, Break dear. Furthermore, your own favor for the dramatic cannot be understated. Remember what you told me of the battle against my template, Maria?"

I felt myself blush. Ah, I had… well, "It ended fine, didn't it?"

She nodded, her devious smile remained all the same. "But it could have concluded in that end much earlier, had it not been for your need to… 'learn that flame move'."

"I fucking hate the Sharingan sometimes…" I mutter. Oh, had I neglected to mention? Yes, apparently, some part of my blood was of Uchiha origin, somehow. Maybe a blessing from the Great Old Ones who brought me here, awoken later on in my hellish journey when I gained enough Insight to awaken it, or maybe it was something else equally fantastically cringe.

"But you did learn it, and found yourself with another maiden." I wince, that conversation had been hard. Not because I tried to hide anything, more so because of her unusual reaction to such information…Maria and I had found ourselves bearing our souls to each other in our dozens of battles, quick verbal jabs turning to long monologues before each bout.

When I spared her life, she had… well, she had kissed me for some reason, proclaiming us soulmates via a 'feeling in her chest' and 'a connection forged in battle.' Ecchi Anime bullshit at its finest, even if I barely remember what that means.

I had panicked, warped to the Dream and had immediately vented to the Doll about it. She… was overjoyed. I had never been so confused, the shock had pierced past the Hunter rather handily.

"After all, you deserve all the love in the world." That. That was her reasoning. It wasn't a self-deprecation thing, she knows that I'm as happy with her as I would ever be with her and somebody else but she just… "You suffered enough to deserve it, dear." She didn't even ask me to 'always put her first', knowing, intrinsically, that I would. For her, the world is so simple.

"I should check up on her, too." I muttered and she nodded.

"The Grave to the Clocktower is still active, unlike the others…" And wasn't that a mystery for the ages? All of the inscriptions on the Graves for the various locations the Messengers could take me to had vanished, all except the Clocktower. Why my Hunter hadn't tried to go there when he was trying to hunt? No clue, maybe he saw it as a friendly-zone, due to Maria being there.

"You go on then… I have something to try, dear. A surprise, for when you return." She suggested and I nodded, heading back to the charred, but somehow still standing, manor atop the hill in the Dream.

---

"You return." The firm nod from Maria inspires bravery and warmth now, more than the resolve it had brought during our time as enemies. The light past her, shining through the clock, was… was white? "Ah, noticed it too?"

She turned slightly from her position on the small cushion I had provided her, along with an entire tent and camping set, when I found out she couldn't return to the Dream with me. So, I made a 'home away from home' for the both of us. Books of all kinds littered her living space in a rather orderly manner, if that's even possible.

"Yeah, it seems like you're in the Dream now." I answer, recognizing that bland sky anywhere, even if rays of sunshine now replace the rays of terrible moonlight from before.

"It is as you described, though I suspect the sun is a new addition?" She plainly asks and I nod, at which she continues. "Then you have defeated this 'Final Foe' you had told me about?" She prods and I sigh. I had told her, on the last of my visits, that I would be fighting Gehrman and, after, the Moon Presence, though I had not named it as such.

Nothing went as I expected, I could not talk Gehrman down and killing his prisoner didn't turn me into a newly minted Great Old One.

"You tried to leave already?" She nodded.

"To no result, the doors do not budge, no strike nor push strong enough to let me escape." She smiles, a much smaller gesture than Lilly's own. "Though it makes me appreciate your gifts all the more."

With my lower mask taken off a while ago, my returned smile makes her own bloom all the more as I approach. "Lilly reminded me to check up on you with the Night now broken, so I thought I'd stop by."

"Lilly?" She asked, perplexed.

I awkwardly respond, "Ah, um, the Doll and I decided we would need names, where we to ever return to civilization." She did not question why I needed one. "So we came up with Break and Lilly."

She nodded, a proud smile on her face. "Ingenious, as expected of my sister." In both appearance and in the 'Harem Sister' sense, she left unexplained. She had rather quickly separated art (Lilly) from the artist (Gehrman) and accepted her as she is which is really enlightened from somebody born in the equivalent of the middle ages mixed with an even more fucked up Resident Evil plague… what the hell is Resident Evil again?

"Yeah… so, Lilly said she had a surprise for me when I returned but needed some time to prepare… wanna play Uno?" I asked as I picked out my hand-drawn Uno deck (complete with a Yharnam aesthetic!)... What are you looking at me like that for? I just had a lot of down-time on my hands and took to loner hobbies whenever I didn't talk with Lilly!

Stars lit up in her eyes. "Yes!" I smirked and she blushed. "I- ah." She coughed lightly into her closed fist. "I accept the challenge, dear." I inwardly note how they give me the same moniker. So much alike but so different, too…

 

[Maazen]

Hope nobody saw that... (I fucked up posting this and made multiple Oopsies)

I'll be posting a duplicate of this fic on an NSFW thread, where there will be exclusive chapters which will include any sexy times.

 

[UndeadLord22]

Bloodborne SI with fragments memories and potential crossover to WORM? Interesting... Watched

 

[Maazen]

Bloodborne SI with fragments memories and potential crossover to WORM? Interesting... Watched

Click to shrink...

Yeah, the crossover is in the next chapter and all the following ones. Though the way we get to Worm is very broad and allows for other crossovers too, so any suggestions are appreciated!

 

[Maazen]

This is a little info page for anybody wanting a clear definition of how I'm scaling the BB Hunter. This is taken from my own notes, so if it isn't reader-friendly, then you don't have to read. This is for anybody who's interested in what exactly Break can do.

The Last Hunter's Body
-The absorption of countless metaphysical amounts of Blood Echoes has resulted in what one might call a divine physique. His resilience is the least of his upgrades but it deserves a Brute Rating of 5 or more on its own. Bullets, if not handily dodged, are a matter of being bruised mildly. Next, his regeneration. If he doesn't surge his beastly blood with one Vial of his unlimited stock through the Messengers, he still regenerates enough to turn life-threatening blood-loss into a mild annoyance and maybe a bit of lethargy- to turn a flesh wound into a scratch. His strength is hidden but immense, while he lifts no mountains and his size prevents him for leveraging his strength well enough to do so, a full-powered punch of his will still crumble a two-story building. His reaction time, one of the two main focuses of a Hunter's physique, is almost precognitive in nature, even without his Eyes. If even a muscle twitches in the opponent, he will notice, Sharingan or not. Lastly, his overall dexterity borders on super speed. Even without a hunters Quickstep technique, which would catapult his speed firmly within 'seeming teleportation' range, he would still blitz any opponent without a decent Mover rating.
-Conclusion Rating: (Brute 6<, Thinker 3, Mover 8)

Wretched Insight
-Gaining the maximum amount of Insight a human being can and even transcending his true mind into the one of an Old One, his connection to the Arcane and the mysteries of the universe is more a suit of armor than a small tether. The minor effect of Eyes lining one's Brain is a sixth sense of the surrounding area and limited area visual awareness. Next, the summoning of parts of his True Form, resembling a God of Cuthulian mythos, through portals is as easy as breathing. tentacles, eyes and maws are all to be spawned at his whim. Their physical power is a good factor on its own but using them as conduits for further sorcery is even better. His Sorcery is of an astral kind, summoning stars, meteors and nebulas of all kinds. Anything relating to the wider universe, the cosmos, is in his reach and what that means is up to him to decide. Lastly, great mental resistances to mind-washing or penetration are in place, purely due to the fact that attempting to supernaturally engage his consciousness and wining is impossible for even the Thinker. What his true self knows and doesn't know, what he comprehends and doesn't is so far beyond what anything with a simple sapient thought-process could survive. Lastly, the Arcane can also perform feats of regular magical nature, such as rituals, blasts of fire or some such, though these will never reach the destructive potential of the cosmos, if not supplanted with another ability.
-Conclusion Rating: (Thinker 6<, Breaker 12*, Blaster 8)
*[If her ever manages to somehow bring his true self into reality]

The Sharingan (Three Tomoe)
-The Sharingan Break possesses acts much like the normal one, with enhanced visual prowess, temporary mind-control and illusionary abilities through eye contact, limited precognition and the infamous on-sight copying of external magical phenomena. But the origin of his own ocular ability makes it unique, it is through Insight that it was awoken, as his Uchiha blood was too thin to awaken through trauma, which he had admittedly enough of. Through this awakening, the copying ability has been extended to, as stated, any magical external phenomena, not just anything related to Chakra with the prerequisite of being able to utilize the ability through normal channels. Furthermore, casting illusions, or Genjutsu, no longer requires eye-contact, though stronger ones will still need it.
-Conclusion Rating: (Thinker 7, Stranger 5<, Master 7, Shaker 2, Trump 6)

The Mangekyo Sharingan (Eternal)
-After his battle with the Orphan of Cos, Break awoke his Mangekyo Sharingan and, knowing of its blinding effects, saugt to evolve it further before using it in any meaningful capacity. Through Insight and the Arcane, a sacrifice of a thousand beastly eyes sufficed. Break's EMS is capable of the normal Mangekyo abilities, such as Susanoo and the normal Sharingan enhancement. His unique abilities, connected to each eye, are as such; The Hunters Nightmare is the ability to warp himself and any people in his line of sight to any section of an imaginary Yharnam. Furthermore, both he and his unwilling companions are stripped of any supernatural power that is not physical enhancement. Any part of Yharnam will be completed with their appropriate foes and roaming bosses. Break himself has a sixth sense of where his Prey is and, for them to escape, he either needs to will them to or he needs to die. In Yharnam, he receives a boost to his physical abilities and gains the various consumable items unique to a Hunter of his status. His second ability is the Descent of the Red Moon, which brings the unbroken Moon of post-Rom Yharnam into the Real World. It consumes his arcane stamina rapidly but during this time, he can summon the beasts he had slain under his full control.
-Conclusion Rating: (Shaker 9, Master 7, Trump 6)

Caryll Runes
-Using the branding Rune kit of Caryll, Break and inscribed three runes onto his back, each granting further enhancements. Blood Rapture was the first, granting him siphoned healing each time a visceral attack is performed, meaning, that each time a debilitating attack is performed, something inherently lethal, he heals in return. The Great Lake Rune boost his overall durability, extending mild bruising from bullets to simple immunity to any low caliber. The Hunter Rune finds place on his body, too, granting him almost limitless stamina in the physical sense. The last Rune, Arcane Lake, grants him a certain immunity to magical attacks, a fireball would be but a strong, warm punch.
-Conclusion Rating: (Brute 5<)

Break, The Last Hunter.
-Overall Threat Rating (As of Chapter One): Brute 9, Master 8, Blaster 8, Breaker 12*, Thinker 8, Trump 6, Shaker 9, Mover 8

 

[Zerak]

The whole name things is weird. He would have said his name to someone at some points and the doll would remember. But while I might be wrong on this, I feel like you would forget the name Uchiha before you forget your own name.

Also why the sharingan? Insight alone is might better.

 

[Maazen]

The whole name things is weird. He would have said his name to someone at some points and the doll would remember. But while I might be wrong on this, I feel like you would forget the name Uchiha before you forget your own name.

Also why the sharingan? Insight alone is might better.

Click to shrink...

I felt that the memory loss inflicted upon you by Insight is pretty random and affects personal stuff primarily, that's why he can't remember his name but can remember what an Uchiha is. The Doll doesn't remember because he never felt the need to tell anybody his name. He was called 'Good Hunter' or some variation of it immediately and as such, he didn't know anybody well enough that, by the time he forgot it, he'd felt the need to tell anybody. But I didn't say this in the fic, so you're completely right. Also, I gave him the Sharingan because I wanted to, it's my fic after all. If you worry about overlapping powers... read the power set page I posted? It pretty much states that the only overlapping power is that they both grant some kind of visual enhancement- but Insight is more like a Byakugan with its visual prowess than another Sharingan.

Anyways, thanks for the criticism! You're right, I could have outright stated how his memory loss works but I felt that leaving some things unsaid ups the intrigue and interest. Thank you for your interest!

 

[Zerak]

I felt that the memory loss inflicted upon you by Insight is pretty random and affects personal stuff primarily, that's why he can't remember his name but can remember what an Uchiha is. The Doll doesn't remember because he never felt the need to tell anybody his name. He was called 'Good Hunter' or some variation of it immediately and as such, he didn't know anybody well enough that, by the time he forgot it, he'd felt the need to tell anybody. But I didn't say this in the fic, so you're completely right.

Click to shrink...

You know what, sure I can buy that. Insight is eldritch. It doesn't need to follow standard rules. I genuinely don't like this premise, but at least in this case it has an explanation, and the character is changed with its absence not just hand waved.

Also, I gave him the Sharingan because I wanted to, it's my fic after all. If you worry about overlapping powers... read the power set page I posted? It pretty much states that the only overlapping power is that they both grant some kind of visual enhancement- but Insight is more like a Byakugan with its visual prowess than another Sharingan.

Click to shrink...

Am more worried about edgy pink eye. The moment I read that part it made me cringe a bit, not because of anything your did, but reminded me of all the cringe Naruto fic that justify this or that character having a bung of power and a sharingan slapped on top (which also reminded me of the cringe Harry Potter fic).

Yes, this is your fic, you are free to do with it as you please. My personal advice is don't add stuff just for the cool factor, you want cause and effect. If your answer to a question is "because I felt like it" and I mean you the author not the character, becuase it's a valid justification for the character, then instead of just doing the thing and handwaving it, justify it in story.

Unless plan for their origin to be a plot line down the road, I would recommend not using them. Hell even if they are a plot line down the road, if it takes too long to explain it could also be detriment to your story.

 

[Maazen]

You know what, sure I can buy that. Insight is eldritch. It doesn't need to follow standard rules. I genuinely don't like this premise, but at least in this case it has an explanation, and the character is changed with its absence not just hand waved.


Am more worried about edgy pink eye. The moment I read that part it made me cringe a bit, not because of anything your did, but reminded me of all the cringe Naruto fic that justify this or that character having a bung of power and a sharingan slapped on top (which also reminded me of the cringe Harry Potter fic).

Yes, this is your fic, you are free to do with it as you please. My personal advice is don't add stuff just for the cool factor, you want cause and effect. If your answer to a question is "because I felt like it" and I mean you the author not the character, because it's a valid justification for the character, then instead of just doing the thing and handwaving it, justify it in story.

Unless plan for their origin to be a plot line down the road, I would recommend not using them. Hell even if they are a plot line down the road, if it takes too long to explain it could also be detriment to your story.

Click to shrink...

Don't worry. I've fallen down the 'I'm adding shit because I find it cool!' hole enough times already, I know that it ruins any tension and seriousness the fic might've had almost instantly. I do not plan to extend his powerset past what I've given him here, only copied powers (which I'm limiting far more heavily than I'm letting on) and new interesting and innovative ways of use. I know an in-world explanation is needed for shit like this but thank you regardless.

Also, I know the type of fics you're talking about and... yeah. Supplanting skill with 'cool shit' and a series of plot holes big enough to make the Swiss cheese industry wince is not what you should shoot for while writing.

I approach writing a fic (or, really, anything with a story) by figuring out what I want to tell. Is it a commentary on something I feel I want to 'talk' about? Is it something I am passionate about and want to further explore (what I partially wanted to do here)? Or do I feel like exploring a complex character type and their interaction with any world I choose?

Really, you need to have a plan or at least a feeling about what you want to write. I said I have no overarching plan for this story but by that I meant that I don't have the entire fic planned out in 10K words worth of notes. No, i still have a few notes, but they're more like 'I feel like this would progress the story or his/her character'. Core events are planned out. But sometimes, even those don't happen because when I don't plan everything out I just kinda let the fic write itself. You know, I put the characters in some situation or another and think about how they'd realistically respond and going on from there.

I hope you enjoyed reading my first chapter despite this and hope to see you comment on my next one! (It's half-way done)

 

[Tta160]

The Mangekyo Sharingan (Eternal)

Click to shrink...

Did he have susanoo ? Because in your description it didn't show it.

 

[Maazen]

Did he have susanoo ? Because in your description it didn't show it.

Click to shrink...

he... it says he has the Susanoo... like, right there??? "[...] such as Susanoo and the normal Sharingan enhancement." Don't worry about not seeing it, I did make it very reader unfriendly.

 

[Tta160]

he... it says he has the Susanoo... like, right there??? "[...] such as Susanoo and the normal Sharingan enhancement." Don't worry about not seeing it, I did make it very reader unfriendly.

Click to shrink...

Sorry i finally see it but I didn't see breaker ranking from it maybe you should put it what kind of breaker rank did susanoo have.

 

[Maazen]

Sorry i finally see it but I didn't see breaker ranking from it maybe you should put it what kind of breaker rank did susanoo have.

Click to shrink...

Susanoo isn't a Breaker power. It does not change the state or form of the user. Susanoo, by the power category definitions, is a Shaker power.

 

[Tta160]

Susanoo isn't a Breaker power. It does not change the state or form of the user. Susanoo, by the power category definitions, is a Shaker power.

Click to shrink...

Thanks for the explanation but holy shit mc is really powerful the only threat earth bet has to mc is scion, the rest are cooked if they try to fight mc.

I wonder how thinker react to mc appearing to earth bet considering he is basically cthulhu god in human form.

 

[BoofusRufus]

Dude, this sounds epic! I imagine that it won't be much longer before he awaken the Rinnegan. Perhaps he could sacrifice his Eldritch blood to awaken his Otsutsuki form? That could give him room to fuse his rinnegan into a Rinnesharingan third eye and essentially develop the hyuga eyes after the fact.

I wonder what he would do if he managed something like that! He likely could wreck at minimum the leviathan in a 1 on 1.

Hope to see the next chappy soon!!!

 

[Maazen]

Dude, this sounds epic! I imagine that it won't be much longer before he awaken the Rinnegan. Perhaps he could sacrifice his Eldritch blood to awaken his Otsutsuki form? That could give him room to fuse his rinnegan into a Rinnesharingan third eye and essentially develop the hyuga eyes after the fact.

I wonder what he would do if he managed something like that! He likely could wreck at minimum the leviathan in a 1 on 1.

Hope to see the next chappy soon!!!

Click to shrink...

Sorry to say, but the Rinnegan wont be a thing until were at least done with Worm. Like, he could probably take on Leviathan and handily win right now. Giving him the Rinnegan would put him firmly in 'Fuck you Scion' tier. I'm not ruling it out for the future but either it will cost him a lot or we're waiting until he gets to a stronger overall verse.

Still, thank you for the comment and I hope you enjoyed!

 

[Maazen]

When I returned, I found myself facing the grinning face of Lilly, a rare expression for her. "Dear, I have found us a way out of the Dream." I blinked, collecting myself quickly as I turned to where she was kneeling next to a grave, a few Messengers happily caressing her outstretched hand.

"And?" I asked leadingly.

She stood up, much to the dismay of the disfigured creatures. "I had simply utilized the warping Arcana of the Dream and connected the Grave to a place with high arcana, presumably Yharnam." I nodded, that made sense.

"Well, I'll go first. When I find the nearest Lantern, I'll be back. Could be a while though, you know how large the city is." I chuckled and she did too as I lamented the days spent traveling. Yeah, the city is much bigger in real life and when you had to be constantly on alert for sneak attacks and ambushes because the enemy 'AI' is more 'actual intelligence' than 'artificial intelligence' then it became much more exhausting (and deadly!) to traverse.

"I shall await your return, dear." I nodded at that and leaned downwards to the newest inscription.

'Jgfj13dhbwi2'

Wow. Thank you Dream, very cool. So much information to glean from that. I sighed and pressed my hand against it, feeling the prodding metaphysical tentacle reaching for me. I let it grab me and my world turned white, then grey and then-

Every color, no color. Every feeling, no feeling.

Void- then a Worm, surrounding an egg to be harvested, a despondent creature, a fallen mate.

Every emotion, no emotion.

My breath hitched as I slammed into the concrete ground. For some reason, I was crying, and laughing? As soon as I realized, I stopped and groaned as I rolled onto my back. "W-Where..?" I asked the empty air leadingly. I stood up slowly to see… a concrete floor, plastic trash bags in every corner and various kinds of discarded trash littering the ground.

I… this isn't Yharnam.

It was night but.. I felt barely any arcana in the air, no sign of the beastly Plague or the reaching limbs of the Great Old Ones. No furred creature was roaming the street I stepped out into, just modern housing- if a bit out of maintenance- and sometimes-lit street lamps.

"I'm… is this my original world?" I quietly contemplated. I felt a quick pain in my heart at the realization but nothing else, I had stopped caring for this place a long time ago. With that realization, though, came an actual problem. "How am I going to find a Lantern here?" I asked, imagining one just standing out in the open street, extracting a rough, barely audible chuckle.

But as soon as I thought of a way back home, a small bubbling mist emerged from my side and from it came a Lanter, rising up too slow to be a valid way to flee an encounter but fast enough to be practical out of combat. I felt my own arcane stamina drain slightly as I powered the connection back to the dream.

I sighed in relief, that's good. I'll be able to bring Lilly and Maria all sorts of souvenirs from here! "Heh…" I chuckled, imagining them playing Bloodborne. I shake my head, I'll figure out in what part of the world I'm in first… and how I'm going to even buy anything. I don't need food, only the Blood, so that wont be a problem but I still want to enjoy the luxury of a modern world.

I sigh, it's night, so nobody is out but judging from… ah, the sign hanging above that pizza store, 'Palace of Pepperoni Pleasure', we're in America because where else would you find somebody else naming their pizzeria that?

I sigh, well, I'm far from home then. No luck getting my old identity back, not that I look anything like my original self. First of all, I'm ripped, like a decent bit above 'swimmers physique'. Secondly, my eyes are almost always the ominous red of my Sharingan, the drain on my arcana almost negligible to me, and even if they are not, then the black pupils and bloodshot features on the white of them makes it impossible to compare them to the dull brown ones i had before.

My hair is still brown but that's basically the only thing that remains the same.

I sigh and let my neck pop as I stretch, feeling cranky after that teleport. The cold feeling I get when Lilly or Maria aren't around is handily ignored, I've been alone for years on end before, with nothing but my own deaths and killings to accompany me, I'll manage to hold out until the Lantern is lit once more.

Ah, that reminds me…

I lift up the Lantern once again and sigh as I see that it lacks the blue flame it needs to build up for me to return to the dream. Unlike the game, I cannot simply warp back to the Dream on a whim. The Lanterns have a 'timer' that I need to wait out, ranging from weeks to years, depending on… I have no clue. Never figured that out.

Good thing I have the time now that the Hunt is ov-

I see a flash of red hot flame crash into the building a bit behind me through my Sharingan.

A few seconds later, the flame I had seen connects with the building, blowing it up in a spectacular image of violet light. I don't bother flinching, the Battle with Laurence had taught me not to fear flame, as I trace it back to it's source. A… Dragon-man- thing was throwing fireballs at- I squint my eyes a bit- a costumed girl? Insects buzzed around them but the scaled and flaming monster was mostly unbothered.

I shrug and, with a small grunt of exertion, I jump halfway up the building next to me and opposite of them, and with a pull of my arm, I flung myself onto the roof almost majestically. The gravel of the roof crunches beneath my Hunter's attire and I take a deep breath, smelling smoke and ash, before lifting my face mask back up.

Another beast to slay… I guess this isn't my old reality after all, huh? Shame…

I was leaping onto their flaming arena in a second, bleeding off my momentum with a handy roll before rushing past the bug girl, who leapt away from me the second I landed. With but a thought, the Burial Blade quickly unstrapped from my back and, with a flick of the wrist, I was two-handing the scythe of my mentor- the sharp pain in my stomach at the thought going ignored in the heat of battle.

My beastly blood sang in feverous joy as I ripped through the scales on its shoulder like a hot knife through butter. It had not the time to react, barely even having seen me appear before I was ripping through its flaming form.

"What?! Another new one? You die!"

It… talks? New world, newer monsters, I guess. I ignored its demand as I dodged the painfully slow attempt to crush me with its scaled palm, only managing to crack the concrete rooftop. I noted that the bugs left me alone as I shifted my current weapon into its other form before slashing at the hand that had tried to strike me.

I frowned as I noticed my damage was already being healed, the glowing flesh beneath the scales closing up almost as fast as I could air it out. I growled in annoyance, I guess… if it's sapient, I can Genjutsu it, right? I wanted to ask a few questions anyway.

I didn't have to make it look at me with a taunt, it was already laser focused, its rage only having me in sight. So, it was easy to extend my own arcane tendrils, with the Sharingan as their medium, into its mind, quickly subsuming it and supplanted its authority with my own.

The glowing eyes, almost hidden behind scales and horns, quickly turned red as it slumped onto the roof. Then… its regeneration started reversing? It shrunk, then started retracting its scales to reveal that it… no, he was a muscular, tattooed man of- I leaned down and lifted up his face from the ground- asian descent.

Huh… something about this seems familiar. I can't quite place what but… flaming dragon man and bug girl? Definitely ringing some bells.

"U-Um…" I heard from behind me and I turned to see Bug Girl standing a good distance away from me, a swarm of various insects circling us. I noticed that she was looking at my chest rather than my eyes. Quick on the pick-up, huh?

"Yes?" I asked, my voice rough, as if it'd gone unused for weeks.

"I should… call the PRT. A-And thank you for the help." She nodded and, maybe, through the goggles she wore I could see her cheeks lift up with a small smile.

PRT…

Holy shit.

Worm- t-that Novel. I- "God…" I muttered. This was… I don't remember much, only the big things. The girl in front of me was Tracy- no, Taylor Something and was the main character. There where these things, Dawnbringers or something that popped up every once in a while and fucked shit up. A big Worm disguised as a yellow guy was also somewhere in there, I think.

Also, wasn't there a big fucking illuminati? Can, no, Witch? Ah, Cauldron!

Christ, knowing that I'm forgetting a lot of important stuff is really not good. Okay, so, PRT, those were the government Hero guys, right? But weren't they, like, kinda corrupt assholes most of the time? And… wait, aren't they called the Protectorate? Am I remembering this wrong?

"Are you okay?" She did not approach but her stance was a bit laxer as she called out to me.

I grunted and returned my focus back to the situation at hand. "I'm fine. Yes, you should call the Protectorate." I prodded the term, looking for a correction.

She nodded and took out a phone from.. Somewhere in her suit?

That gave me confirmation that, at least in casual conversation, that those were synonyms of some kind. Also, shouldn't some big ass dogs show up in this fight? Wait, those belonged to a girl called Hellhound, right? Wait, wasn't she called Bitch? Yeah, I remember chuckling at that back then. God, if people with Alzheimers feel like this then I've just gained a lot more respect for the old folks around.

Looking around- nope! No dogs and not that team that they belonged to, if it was even a team… wait, something with a snake? Some guy with fucky time powers or something… I shake my head, not important right now.

What I do know for sure is that Taylor here has some kind of bad experience with some hero- no, they're called Capes here- and joins that group instead… but that didn't end like she wanted it to, I think.

"You want to be a hero, right?" I asked and she nodded, even if she shot me a confused glance at that while dialing the PRT number. "Do you want to…" Say something smart! "...join my team?" I asked, hoping that none of my nervousness dripped into my tone.

A short silence descended onto the area like a gray cloud over the summer sun.

Then, "I'll… think about it."

I nodded… why did I say that, anyway? I don't even know what I want to do in this w- that's a lie, I know exactly what I'm going to do. I'll try to relax. I think the good guys won in the end anyways and I've gone through enough, so I think I'll make myself a home in this city, try and mentor the protagonist or at least make them stronger so that she doesn't have to rely on what was undoubtedly plot armor to somehow win against those big ass monsters and enjoy the rest of my life with my lovers.

I nod to myself, that's going to be nice… had I not just invited her to a hero team that doesn't exist. Fucking idiot.

Still, I'll roll with the punches, even if they're my own. "Your power seems impressive and versatile and my 'team' is only myself currently, so I'm searching for members. Thank you for considering it." She… staggers at that?

"I'm… I just control bugs…" She mutters.

I quirk an eyebrow. "Which is beyond useful. From reconnaissance to infiltration, your versatility will be highly sought after. With the right insects, you could have even defeated…" I search deep within my memories, coming up with nothing. "...the dragon by yourself."

"Y-... Thank you." She seems a bit off as she says that but I couldn't figure out what was up, so I simply stepped over towards her side of the roof, the body of the Dragon slumped over my shoulder, before jumping down.

Wait…

"Do you need a lift?" I asked from below. Her masked head peaked over the edge.

"Yes please?" I inwardly chuckled as I dropped the hulking body in favor of leaping back up to the roof. "Whoa…" I heard her take a step back as, in a second, I was back on the rooftop with aggressive fervor.

I gestured for her to take my hand. "Are you okay with me lifting you up?" I asked for confirmation and, with a moment of hesitation, she nodded and took my hand. I drew her towards me, went for her thigh and lifted her up in a princess carry.

It took another jump before we were both on the ground and I let her go again.

She didn't say anything, just stood there. Completely still, her swarm barely following us. Huh… wonder what that's about. Did I do something wrong?

I heard faint sirens and shook my head, I gotta focus. I sat myself down on the back of the dragon man (Let me be a bit cringe!) and waited until both the sirens and a low rumble that one might mistake for a motorbike if it was louder and rougher.

But what rolled up to us was the most silent and sleek future-bike that I've ever seen. The man in power armor with only his lower face and, due to that, beard visible completed the robo-cop feel… what the fuck is a robo cop again?

"Hand over the Cape." He demanded first and foremost as the PRT vans, judging from the big 'PRT' symbol on their side, pulled up with armored officers stepping out, some kind of hose in their hand.

I nodded, this was the local law enforcement after all and I doubted the entire PRT or Protectorate or whatever was corrupt. I stood up and, with a light grab and toss, flung the body over to the officers. I heard faint mutterings of 'poisoned' and 'insects' as two field medics checked him over and… looking him over again I saw some swellings all over his body. Was that the weird bump I felt?

I saw Taylor recoil at that. I looked over to her. "You only defended yourself or, if you instigated, did so for a good reason. I trust your judgment enough to believe that."

"I am Armsmaster of the Parahuman Response Team. I have questions." He demanded as he forced my attention back onto him. Not that I had ever let him out of my sight.

I nodded. "I am…" Make something up, quick! "The Hunter." Great. Awesome. "And I am only answering what I'm comfortable with."

He… I can't see it, but I have a strong feeling he narrowed his eyes at that. "You will answer any question I pose. As a new Rogue, your powers will need to be vetoed for safe use." He states almost robotically.

I nodded, that makes sense on paper. "Very well then, ask." I ordered, which he didn't like. Obviously. Damn, someones got problems.

"What are your powers, rogue?" I narrowed my eyes this time. I just gave you my name? Or, at least, my alias.

"Not willing to disclose." I smirked at his slight scowl.

"I'm taking you in for questioning, then. You have operated in an area of Protectorate authority without prior registration." That's a whole lot of 'for no reason' I'm hearing there.

I sigh. "So, you are arresting me?"

He didn't nod, his hand did twitch towards something though. "Yes." He stated. What kind of fucked shit is this?

I narrowed my eyes. "Try it."

I could have made myself a sandwich in the time it took him to take out his Halberd and strike at me. God, my Sharingan is bullshit. There were also a lot of openings in his attack but, seeing as I wanted to de-escalate, I didn't take any of them. Instead, I leaned backwards to dodge the horizontal strike of the sharp side of his weapon and dashed further back towards Taylor.

Before rushing after me, Armsmaster took a look at the Bug-themed Cape. "Are you associated with him?"

There was a long moment of hesitation at his question before, almost timidly, she responded. "Yes…"

I turned towards her. "If you want to be a hero, joining them is t-"

"They just tried to arrest you for helping." She pointedly responded, getting more confident in her stance by the moment as bugs started to swirl around us. "He just tried to kill you."

I cringed. It was most definitely a kill shot. He assumed I could dodge it, probably, but still… fucking hell man. "Maybe he had a bad day?" She snorted. I sighed. I guess I can't trust the law enforcement here after all.

"Well then…" I looked up at the man's eyes. My Sharingan blazed. He fell over with a metallic clank of his armor, sleeping soundly. "Let's get out of here." She nodded after registering what happened and followed me as we dashed down the street.

I faintly heard a truck blast by the alley we turned off to, but they missed us and, after holding a look out for another five minutes, I gave the all-clear and we ran off again, away from the 'crime scene'.

---

Taylor Hebert has always thought herself calm and collected… who was she kidding, that's a lie. Most of the time, she was nervous and anxiously insecure, but as a hero, in her costume, she could honestly say she's not felt this good- this confident since… yeah.

As she barely kept up with The Hunter, who was oblivious to her struggle, her head was a mess. While she hadn't had the almost zealot-like trust in the PRT that some people had, she still trusted them to keep her safe. Her father safe.

But with that display of… utter selfishness and stupidity from Armsmaster, she suddenly found herself questioning a lot of the decisions she'd seen them make. 'We cannot upset the careful balance by taking out any one gang…' She remembers Emily Piggot stating in an interview… But now, instead of invoking a reluctant understanding in her, she only scoffed at the woman's own zealotry for the status quo.

Yes, she understood what would happen if they took out one gang, but a short territory expansion or gang war ravaging the city until the PRT recovered enough to take out the next one? Well, she'd say it would be worth it. Hell, couldn't they talk with the other PRT branches for an assisted assault on two or, hell, all three of the gangs at once?

Something was wrong with the Protectorate… but she resolved herself to withhold her judgment until she gathered further evidence. But that's going to take a while and she still felt that burning passion to do good in her chest.

And she'd seen somebody that, at least on the surface, seems to want to do only good. The Hunter. He hadn't killed Lung, he hadn't attacked Armsmaster despite the PRT Cape certainly deserving it and… and he'd told her she did well, that she helped, that she was instrumental in taking down Lung of all people!

That, to her shame, was what she focused on the most. That she had gotten actual, genuine praise for her hard work… she sighed, but that wouldn't last. He'd see that she wasn't as useful as he thought she was and that she was a bother to be around. It wouldn't be his fault, he was an actual hero, he'd just see the truth then.

But that's fine.

That's how it's always been.

She can rely on herself.

He suddenly came to a stop on another rooftop, one much closer to the docks. "Everything okay?" She asked, admonishing herself. Of course everything was fine, he'd know if it wasn't. He'd tell her.

He nodded. "Yes, we're in the clear." That… sounded like they were wanted. She flinched, surely the PRT wouldn't villainize them because of this? "I just wanted to ask… Why didn't you say you were unaffiliated with me? That hero… Armsmaster would have probably let you go."

She flinched. To be honest, it was a very 'spur of the moment' thing. When the PRT Hero, the good guys in her head, attacked somebody who she also saw as a good guy basically unprovoked, then they wouldn't be the good guys anymore, right? "They…" Say something smart, quick! "..aren't the heroes I thought they were." That's… true. Huh, she didn't have to lie.

He tilted his head. "I am inclined to agree. Armsmaster certainly isn't but I'm sure the others are fine." She shook her head.

"With them not doing anything about the gangs… I'm not so sure anymore." She replied, finding herself immersed in the conversation. "The change that'd bring is… I guess it's scary to them? Unpredictable?"

He nodded with a sigh. "Ah, those kinds of people…" She heard him mutter.

She was inclined to agree with him. Piggot was seeming more like a coward than an understaffed protector. "What…" She took a prepared breath. "...is the goal of your hero team?" She asked and braced herself for outrage. She'd probably asked too much, she's not a member so she s-

"I'm trying to…" He was silent for a moment. "There are never just bad people and good people. Nuance. There is always nuance. But actions trump whatever moral beliefs somebody has. If I see somebody cross the proverbial line firmly into 'bad', then I will act." She found her breath hitching at the determination in that statement. "I can be merciful but sometimes… People say mercy is a gift of the strong and that makes sense in a normal world. By sparing somebody, you are basically saying that you can fight them again, under any circumstances with unlimited preparation on their part."

She found herself chewing on that… she'd seen the PRT spare villains that had continued on to take the lives of a lot more people: "But in a world with superpowers and Endbringers." She saw him nod at that. "The lengths somebody can go to, the suffering somebody can inflict in just one day… it's too much to afford being merciful. Imprisonment is not a permanent solution, the aforementioned superpowers make breaking out trivial and…" She saw him narrow his eyes in thought, searching for something. "...the Birdcage is a greater punishment than death, in my opinion. A prison with no guards, ruled by those with the greatest power. Canary, I think was her name, is almost certainly falsely sentenced. How will she fare in such a place?"

He shook his head and she found herself agreeing. The recent trials of the girl, while heavily edited for the public, are still out there and, by reading further into it, researching forums and law sites (she had nothing to do that afternoon), she concluded that there was absolutely no way she deserved the Birdcage for her mistake.

Other Capes who made one bad mistake went on to be Wards or, at least, only had to sit through Juvi. Then why..? Oh, because she's a Master. That… that realization brings a lot into perspective. That is some grade-A corruption. Paranoia that surpasses common sense and basic human empathy.

She resolved herself, even as she heard his next words. "I will kill those deserving. For it is the Hunters job to slay the beasts." With as cringe-worthy as that sounded, he still had a point. One she found herself… not agreeing with, but understanding.

"You have to kill?" She asked.

He shook his head. "Of course not. There are villains who are either unwillingly so or haven't done anything to deserve it. But…" He didn't have to finish that sentence, she understood.

"Then… I'd like to join your team." She asked, awaiting refusal.

"You will have to kill. If not soon, then at some point later on." He rebutted almost immediately. She dug deep within herself. Was she ready to actually kill somebody? To take a life?

Maybe… she doesn't know yet. "Y-"

"Please, don't lie to me." There was no anger there, even as her heart quickened at the way she was caught.

"S-Sorry…"

He shook his head, dismissing the apology. "It's fine. I'm asking a lot of you, I know."

She took a deep breath. "I… maybe." She didn't know yet. Again, she waited for the refusal.

He nodded. "And that's enough. I wasn't ready to kill for the first time too…" She didn't focus on the almost melancholic way he said that, no, her attention was on the acceptance.

"W-But… Thank you." She wanted to say a lot right now. Ask him if he was serious, if he wasn't just making fun of her. If he just accepted to see her fail later and laugh but… something in that soft almost comforting stare of his… despite her years of experience, trusting in the traitorous nature of those around her, she found herself hoping to make a friend once again.

---

I won't be keeping up this daily upload schedule. I'm just getting out the early writing jitters before the inspiration and excitement tapers off. But until then, enjoy some rapid chapters!

 

[UndeadLord22]

....Coil better die the moment he uses his power on our boi and Doll went in made him a vegetable

 

[Maazen]

....Coil better die the moment he uses his power on our boi and Doll went in made him a vegetable

Click to shrink...

I've got some devious plans for da snek

 

[CornCorn]

Honestly, it's decent but it feels like the character interactions are going too… fast? I'm not sure if that's the right word. Just something about Taylor being alright with going from 'strange cape I just met' to joining his team she hasn't heard of which he hasn't even named or given any real details on, Taylor being a relatively mistrustful teenager if my memory is correct just going along with this this well just feels off to me.

 

[Maazen]

Honestly, it's decent but it feels like the character interactions are going too… fast? I'm not sure if that's the right word. Just something about Taylor being alright with going from 'strange cape I just met' to joining his team she hasn't heard of which he hasn't even named or given any real details on, Taylor being a relatively mistrustful teenager if my memory is correct just going along with this this well just feels off to me.

Click to shrink...

Yes, it's very unbelievable . Half on purpose, half because I've always struggled writing Taylor- my understanding of her character being lesser than usual. But the intentional part is due to two factors, the minor one being her Shard. Shards are sentient and can recognize complex concepts such as this Hunter being strong and that the probability of conflict rises by sticking with him.

The other part is the Taylor, as far as I understand it, is very lonely, not enough to have any impact on her decision making but enough to be an influence in such a moment as this.

You're completely right, it seems unbelievable and I could- no, should've taken more time to develop their relationship. Still, it's not like she's now a devout follower of his, she has more doubts than trust and I'll try to show that clearer.

Thank you for reading!

 

[Maazen]

"Gangs, I think." I responded to Lilly's question of 'are there any beasts to hunt?' "And creatures of similar power to the Orphan or Ebrietas." She nodded at that.

I'd left Taylor to go back home, it was late after all, and promised her to be back tomorrow at whatever 'Fugly Bob's' was. I'm sure I'll figure it out.

But right after, I checked the Lamp to find it lit up nicely and I returned home.

"Then, do you intend to hunt again?" She asked from her position on the stoney knook. Meanwhile, I was picking up the charred bits of the manor that fell or collapsed onto the path, intending to continue into the manor proper to make it an actual living space again.

It'd take some materials but I can always buy some, now that I'm in a modern world.

I thought about her question and found myself nodding. "Maybe not as… intensely as I did in Yharnam but the people of that world need my help and… I'm not a good person, but I still couldn't live with myself if I let that many innocent people die." Including Taylor, who I've grown to like. Not in that way, she's Sixteen after all! Yes, I'm only eighteen (I think???) but still.

Lily frowned at me, finding something in my answer offensive. What of what I said was wrong? "Then pursuing these… charlatans should be your next objective." She finally replies.

I sigh. "I'm sure that the Dragon Man was part of some gang, people flock to the powerful like moths to light." After all, being powerful beyond measure allows one to behave outside the norm with little consequences.

I suspect It was part of the reason Taylor even decided to join up with me, as tentative as that agreement is. She barely knows me and, besides my motivations, nothing else. Careful use of Insight, as loathe as I am to use it that way, even allowed her to be more open to the concept of being in my 'team'.

I'm sure there is a world where I didn't need to use the equivalent of a Jedi Mindtrick (Ha, I remember Star Wars!) to convince her but… from what I remember of Worm, I'd rather not risk her mental and physical health due to my inaction.

No, I cannot bear more suffering of others, of innocents, especially if it were to be my fault.

"Beasts all over the shop…" A looming figure, a dead lover. When the red moon rises, its gloom suffocates all passion. "You'll be one of them… sooner or later." The crunching sound of dreaded steel against daring flesh.

A brooch, red with blood and beauty.

I failed them, an entire family slaughtered due to my inability, my inaction. Quickened breathing- my fault, every time.

Then… I deserved the deaths, the pain. I failed his wife, his daughters… he deserved to kill me, I knew then and I know now. Phantom pains of removed limbs and bullet wounds assaults me as I stumble to the ground.

The world constricts, the gray light of the Dream replaced with an ominous shine of- of the Moon.

Faint roars in the distance, people succumbed to the sickness. Failing to remove myself, I could not bear to kill fellow men, as twisted as they had become. An infinite blight in an infinite metropolis, unearned hatred and instinctual hunger suffused the air.

I could feel it as I wandered the main Plaza of upper Yharnam, the scent of blood in the air. My senses, forced into unreal realms through the same plague I was combatting, I grit my teeth as I swung around to face the ambush I had thwarted.

Three men, recognizable as such even through the wolven fur and sickened skin, lunged at me, the light of life replaced with the flame of bloodlust. Even as I slew them, blood coating myself and my weapon, I mourned. I mourned for myself, having died to them twice before in agonizing blood loss or burning flame, and I mourned for them, men undeserving of their fate.

Never to return to their families, maybe even having slain them themselves. Never to see the world through unmaddened eyes. Never to feel the safety of sanity again.

Not that I could attest to the fruitfulness of the latter myself. "Ha!" A hollow laugh echoed throughout Yharnam, rough with unuse. "Ha! Haha! HaHAhAA-" My joviality choked dead on my own blood as some form of scimitar pierced my lungs. Then an axe took my shoulder. Then I was set alight.

I was screaming, in pain and in surprise, as I was set upon by another group. Infinite agony in an infinite city. Both paths of the academy had been wrong, maybe humanity should have never dared to think of ascension.

And now we all suffer the consequences of their hubris.

Us Hunters most of all, I lament as I was crucified and burned to cinders. It was a pain unlike any other, burning to death that is. Searing, hot and most of all, everywhere and overbearingly oppressive- piercing any thought you could hope to form with pained cries, deafening yourself with your own voice. I unwillingly embraced the dreaded feeling, hating myself, hating the world, wanTINg IT To E-

"Gughck-!" My hands shook, the black gloves tainted darker with tears… and blood. My blood.

The Chikage, languidly retrieved from its sheath some time during my episode, lay pierced through my chest. It sucked up my blood greedily, empowering itself through my pain. The sanguine suffering pulled me from my baleful reminicance- had I stabbed myself?

"I-I-" I stuttered, choking on my own blood. Unlike when I used this ability of the weapon in combat, I was not suffused with active beast blood, nor had I shut myself to pain- no, I was fully aware and more vulnerable than usual.

Still, I would survive, I demanded of myself, knowing it for a certainty. No matter how much I crave it, suicide is not only not how I plan to die, it is also an impossibility for me- despite my many, many attempts over the years.

I pulled the blade out once more, my wound quickly healing, though not at an aptly noticeable pace, and I returned my focus to my surroundings- my real surroundings once more.

Lily was hovering over me, worried. Her movements were calming, stroking my back, avoiding my self-inflicted wound. "Are you okay again?" She asked and I nodded shakily.

But I wasn't okay, I'd never be okay: Not after Yharnam and the Dream.

But for now, I was fine enough. And that would have to do. I stood up- as I had been fallen to my knees some time during my episode- and took a deep breath. "You go ahead and spend some time with your sister, I'll go out and Hunt."

She nodded, worry still written clearly on her face. But she knew that fussing over me wouldn't help, well, not enough to matter.

---

I was out of my hunter's garb, dressed as casually as the clothing I had stol- borrowed an hour ago would allow. Really, if people don't want their clothing stolen, then they shouldn't make their stores so weak to Insight related tentacle portals!

Really, it's the first thing you get security installed for. Amatures, I tell you!

"Why green, though?" Taylor asked, sipping on the frankly far to vibrant soft drink.

"Neon green, Skitter." I answered. She had finally come up with a Cape name, which is somehow the same as it was in canon, and she was wearing her costume (sans a little hole for her to drink out of) while we sat in the middle of this 'Fugly Bob's' establishment. "And I have no clue why it's my favorite color, it just is."

She apparently interpreted that as an offensive rebuke and bowed her head lightly. "I-Sorry, I th-"

I interrupted her, which was probably not a nice thing to do. But Yharnam hadn't exactly cultivated my manners, despite it's british… leanings, I'd call them. "Ah, it's fine. I'm not angry, just- you can't really explain a favorite color, right?"

"I like purple, because it's what royalty would wear back in the middle ages. The dye was hella expensive and I liked that enough as a kid to make it my favorite color." She replied, smirking.

I rolled my eyes, sunken as they were, it still conveyed the desired comedic effect. "Fuckin', of course." She snorted and looked away for some reason. "What?"

She waved me off. "Nothing. Haven't heard you curse before."

I curled an eyebrow. "W- ah. Sorry, I get kinda… moody at night."

I saw her perk up at that, the smirk on her face intensifying to shit-eating proportions. "Not a night-owl, then?"

Scowling playfully back at her, I was about to rebuke when the waitress we'd ordered from before returned, still giving the costumed Cape a side glance every other moment and giving myself an entirely different brand of glances- of pity! Why?

Probably because I look like a whole Vampire without my work attire.

"U-Um…" She trailed off.

I blinked, not understanding, then I nodded in realization, taking out the cash I'd liberated from the same clothing store I'd broken into. Nothing against the workers that'd undoubtedly need to make up for my bullshit, but at the same time, fuck the capitalist machine… whatever that meant. Why did I hate the modern world so much again?

"A-And a t-t-tip?" She asked, bracing herself for some kind of reaction from Skitter.

Ah, that's why. Service industry workers have to almost sustain themselves on tips because they don't get paid enough by their bosses, who undoubtedly have enough money to pay their entire 401K twice over. Well, it's part of it but the only part I remember right now, though my hatred of capitalism (and most other flawed socio-economic structures for that matter) runs deep, I knew deep in my heart.

I shake my head, adding another ten bucks to the wad of separated cash on the table. Picking it up and handing it to her, I spoke in my rough tone; "Thanks for the service."

She fled.

I turned to Skitter. "Something I said?" I asked.

She snorted.

Shrugging, I picked up the rest of my cash, sneakily putting it into the mist of my dream storage through my gray hoodie pockets. "That big ass burger- if I can even call it that- was good, though."

Taylor nodded as she stood up, too. "Still no clue how you ate that without throwing up."

"Did you?"

"When I first ate it? Yes. That's why I didn't order the thing today, it would've ruined the whole mood." She responded.

I smirked and she narrowed her eyes at me. There was a short silence as we made for the exit, broken only by her question. "Why did you show up out of costume?" Ah, so that's what she was trying to say for the past five minutes without getting past the inhaling part of speaking a sentence.

"I don't have anybody that would be in danger from being connected to my… Cape identity." I respond as I open the door, motion for her to go first, which she gives me a thankful nod for, and start walking along the sidewalk with her, no real destination in mind.

"What about your normal life?"

I frowned. Why was this that hard to understand? Oh, that makes sense. People usually want to lead mundane lives along with their superhero ones, to cool off or to get a break from all the chaos. I shake my head. "Never cared for the mundane… not after…" I take a deep breath. "Do you want to patrol?"

"I thought that was what we were doing?" She responded, ignoring my first sentence.

I shrugged and tugged at my Insight, letting a mist envelope my form for a tense few seconds before it cleared, revealing myself in full Hunter's Attire. "Do we just walk along the sidewalk or jump along rooftops? I have no clue how this works."

She snickered, only barely and with a shy intonation but it was still a snicker. "Not everybody can just vault that distance, Break." I told her my name when we were eating, along with a few mundane facts about myself and vague philosophical views of mine. She didn't want to talk much about herself and, with my vague recollection of some bullying problem or something, I understood and didn't pry.

I nodded and took out my cleave- "Whoa! Hold up, christ!" I turned to Skitter, looking at her with a confused stare. "Y-People- Okay, do you want to be a hero?"

"I will do what I think is right."

She shakes her head. "Ignoring that non-answer; Heroes aren't usually carrying around… all of that." I lifted my cleaver up to my face, the dried blood on it does kinda feel intimidating. And villainous. And murderous, most of all.

"Then what am I supposed to use?" I asked, incredulous.

She frowned, as if it was obvious. "Punches? Like any Brute your rating?"

I really didn't like that answer but she's the local here and knows what would be best- and I want to trust my teammate. I really do. So, with a heavy sigh, I mentally wish my friend goodbye as I let it sink into the mist.

"How many powers do you have?" She asked exhaustedly.

I snorted. "Three, one just does a lot of stuff."

She frowned again at that- wow, a lot of frowning today, huh? "People only have two, at max…"

I blinked. Uh-oh. I imagine a comically large sweatdrop was currently rolling down my forehead. "U-Uh…" I fumbled mentally, hurrying to find an excuse. "I'm…"

"From another world?" She answered.

"Yes- wait, huh? How-?" I trailed off.

She sighed. "It's not common or anything, but people from other worlds- or, Earths at least- have shown up before. Judging from how you have three powers, knew little about Cape culture and took down Lung without knowing his name-" Yeah… calling him 'Dragon Man' when his name was Lung (stupid name, btw) wasn't the best of ideas if I wanted to keep my anonymity. "-it wasn't that hard to figure out."

I sigh, letting go of any hopes that I would keep that a secret. "I'm actually from another world twice over. Multiversal traveler squared." She snorted, I smirked. "My first world was basically this one without superheroes-"

"So, Aleph?" I searched my memory. Was that-? "One of the alternate Earths I was talking about?"

I blinked, then shook my head. "Ah- No…" Should I reveal my meta-knowledge? Or whatever I remember of the novel? Well, I am pretty powerful, Endrbinger tier or above and have the potential to grow stronger, and future teammates (Like Taylor here) helping goes without saying. I also have the distinct feeling that I don't like people who keep meta-knowledge to themselves despite there being little risk to their person for the reveal, which, how? It's not like my situation is common.

"...and I think I knew this place- Earth Bet, if I remember correctly- from a web-novel published back on my Earth." There was a short silence.

"W-Wha- huh?" A lot of stuttering today, hm?

I nodded. "Sorry if I didn't tell you before, I only arrived two days ago, only really thought about it right now."

She let out a big exhale, multiple emotions exiting her in the same motion. "That's… wow. So, I'm… well, I probably didn't even show up." She said with heavy self-deprecation more than evident in her tone.

The smirk on my face couldn't be bigger, not that she could see it past my mask. "You were the main character."

"That's not funny, jerk." She rolled her eyes.

…

"S-Seriously?" She asked incredulously. I nodded. "I-I don't believe you- hell, I don't believe any of this! You're lying, 'Break'." She was spiraling, that much was obvious. "Yeah, no way you're this nice- I know how this ends. I'm a new Cape and you're trying to establish yourself, some more muscle for your gang, I'm guessing?" The smirk of 'I've got you all figured out' that was on her face, as shaky as it was, irked me but I could understand.

"I'm-"

"No, you've already talked to me enough." She then- what the fuck- growled at me??? I heard the faint buzzing of insects, and I knew this was about to blow up in both our faces.

I sighed, I'll let us calm down… somewhere else. Where we can talk in peace without disturbing even more civilians. "Dream with me." I spoke, my words carrying power, as my Mangekyo spun to life and with it, the world around us.

Like a shattered glass painting, the world tore, ripped and was pulled apart to reveal Mergo's Loft- the place I chose for our talk. This was one of my Mangekyo abilities, the power to transport myself and as many people as I wished into any place in Yharnam while stripping everybody, including myself, of any superpower that had an external effect- though any super-strength or otherwise internal powers were unaffected.

Taylor would be exempt but in the NIghtmare realm, there were barely any living non-beastly beings, including bugs. She would be lucky to find a single wasp.

Said bug controller was currently running away… said escape attempt lasted for all of ten seconds before she ran into the 'border' I designated as my 'Hunting Ground', which was the space I limited for all 'players' of this 'game'. It was an invisible wall, video game style.

"Let me go!" She shouted after standing back up, furious and resolved.

I sighed once more, as I found myself tending to do a lot these past few days. "Taylor, I have yet to lie to you- besides any omissions of truth."

"Y-How do you know-? Have you been stalking me?!?" She roared, where were the cheeks of her suit dampening? Ah, she was crying… why the hell was she crying?

---

Taylor was a person who trusted nobody with anything anymore- years of betrayal and disappointment would do that.

Despite that she had found herself, if not trusting, then at least liking 'Break'.

The dinner was nice, he had helped her figure her Cape self out and she was inclined to agree with his philosophies about the modern Hero world.

But now it turns out he was just like all the others. She was barely listening, barely conscious of her surroundings and barely rational as she shouted at him- she should have expected this, how had she not?

He was stalking her, too! She wanted to release her emotions into her swarm but wherever the Hunter had transported them, there were no bugs.

"You need to calm down!" He shouted, how dare he!?

"Calm down? You're kidding, right?" She snorted, the motion only containing mirth and visceral hatred. "I wanted to trust you, you know? I usually don't do that with people anymore. You got so close, but I found you out at the last second. You disgust me."

"I just want to help you, please!" He shouted, desperate. Obviously fake.

"Really?" She rolled her eyes. She was already circling him- if she knocked him out, they'd probably return, she figured.

She saw him take a deep breath. "I'm going to approach this logically, okay?" She nodded, if only to let him keep talking while she searched for a sufficiently heavy rock. "To prove that I indeed have read about this entire world and its near future, through mostly your perspective-" She scowled, even the concept was disgusting, sending a shiver up her spine. Who would want to be her? She was depressing and uninteresting. "-by revealing a few key details that you can easily fact-check once I release us."

She nodded once more, finding a rock and starting to move towards it- it was next to a cradle… Why is there a cradle here? "Now, I could go and tell you plenty of secret identities but you can't really prove those… but one thing I clearly remember about this place from before I went to Yhranam-" Wherever that is. "-is the incestuous love Panacea has for her sister, though not through any fault of her own."

She noticed that his speech pattern was changing again, probably the moon that hung above them influencing him as he'd said, though she was doubting him on that, too…

Also, what the fuck did he just say? "What? That's… now you're trying to slander the only healer this city has? Is she your next target of manipulation?"

He shook his head. "Vicky has an aura, I think, which influences emotions and the permanent exposure Amy went through resulted in… all of that. You can prove this by just asking her and judging her reaction if you go to the hospital she slaves herself half to death at."

"I know a lot about you, too, but I think saying any of that while you're so… emotionally vulnerable wont do us any good." He said and she clenched her teeth.

But he was right, it would be ridiculously easy to prove him right or wrong on that… And it was highly inappropriate to share the secrets of others, that's one of the things her mom taught her… And now that she thought about it, why would he want to establish himself in this city with all the other gangs around? And why would he want her to be a hero- even if he can manipulate her into his 'team' by saying that- if he was a villain himself?

Why did he dissect the corruption of their Cape government so easily and vividly if he was planning on abusing it? Why would he strive for change if he would benefit from stagnation?

Why did he help her with Lung in the first place and then let her meet with the PRT (who she still resolved herself to heavily reevaluate) if he just wanted her for his own purposes?

She looked down at her hands, they were trembling. She… she-

Despite whatever she had taught herself throughout the years of betrayal and abuse, she still wanted genuine human connection, as did everybody.

She clenched her teeth. "No… you're a monster. You have to be." She scowled back up at him, digging within herself for the anger that she had been feeling so readily not a moment ago but had vanished with her realization. He was just trying to help her, wasn't he?

And now she'd ruined it.

As she did everything.

She awaited his responde, the chiding and biting curses and the punches and kicks and-

When she looked up, he had his back turned to her. His head was tilted upwards, to face the moon in the sky. "...monster…" She heard him whisper.

"I-I didn't mean it… I'm sorry." She replied. He was obviously angry at her, he had every right to be.

"...beast…"

What?

Only now did she notice that his own hands were trembling, much more than hers. "A-Are you okay?" She asked, approaching.

He turned towards her, his eyes frantic and wide. "You're right… you're so right, Taylor. I'm a monster. Do you know how many I've killed?" Her heart stopped. His head turned and as it did, so did the rest of the world.

When her vision stabilized once more, she stood within what she could only call a gothic heaven of a metropolis, spires of metal and brick rising into the sky, framing a blood red moon that made her stomach drop for whatever reason.

Faintly in the distance came roars and shouts of men and wolves- or was it both? They sounded in pain- or is it ecstasy?

"Yharnam is a city of men turned beasts, ravaged by a plague of both mind and spirit. Pain adjoined by bliss adjoined by death." His voice was steely, though his body was shaking. He pointed to a graveyard, standing in front o fa building dozens of meters down. The sheer scale of this place made her stomach drop deeper- a fear of heights she didn't have before revealing itself. "I woke up there, in the clinic."

"And I died."

What?

"And I died again."

She swallowed her questioning words.

"I would die and kill these people- beasts until I killed the source- a god." A-A god? The closest she had to a tangible god in her world was Scion and imagining the power needed to kill him…

"Y-You died?"

He nodded, tears finally streaming down his face, his tormented body contrasting his steady voice. "Thousands of times, in every way imaginable. Taylor, I came to your world and thought myself free of this feeling… but then I met another beast, scaled instead of furred and knew, humanity had once again succumbed to the folly of higher beings. And I would once again have to free it. I knew that, but I ignored it, wanting to be free so desperately, deluding myself with minor goals."

"But now I know."

She couldn't even begin to imagine how that would feel, dying so often. In a place like this? It looked as unforgiving as he was describing it and… this time, she couldn't accuse him of lying. The raw emotion, the raw suffering he was portraying could not be faked. Not by any power she knew, not by any acting skills she could conceive.

He turned to her. "I will never move on from my suffering, but you can from yours, I believe that Taylor." The conviction in his voice made her believe him, if briefly. "It can be worse-" He waved his hand at 'Yharnam'. "-but it can also be better. I had somebody to help me piece myself back together and I want to do that for you, because I like you, Taylor." She had never expected that to come out of his mouth… like, ever!

"Do you understand? You can heal, every person can." Taylor… she just nodded. If he could try and move on from the trauma he was clearly still agonizing over, then she could, too.

And with all he'd said today, she just had to trust in him- trust in somebody, at least.

 

[UndeadLord22]

Getting vibes "I'm a monster so you don't have to be" from MC to Taylor.

 

[Maazen]

Getting vibes "I'm a monster so you don't have to be" from MC to Taylor.

Click to shrink...

Audibly snorted at this. Not entirely wrong, not entirely right. You'll have to wait and see... (smirks deviously)

 

[Maazen]

I had to take heavy and deep breaths as I collected myself. I had bore open my wounds to Taylor, trusting that if she saw me at my most vulnerable, she had no choice but to trust in my sincerity. It was a gamble, a blind one even, born of my general social ineptitude, but it had worked, I concluded, as she patted my back while I calmed down on the rooftop that I had deposited us with the limited teleportation afforded by exiting that realm.

"I-I'm really sorry, I shouldn't've-"

I hold my hand up, not shaking as much anymore. "It's fine, Taylor. I think both of us needed this if we're to ever trust each other."

She reluctantly nodded, agreeing with me. "I think so too."

With a quick inhale of fresh air, I lowered my gaze back down to her, having been watching the sky for… I don't know. The moon, maybe? That it would rise over this world, too? To claim this earth, from life to death, and dust to dust.

But it was a bright summer day (if it's even summer), a clear sky giving way to the blazing sun.

I've resolved myself to a goal, ridding this world of its own share of eldritch beasts. For that, I will need more than my own power, as grand as it is, and for that, in turn, I will need both public and private support to attract allies. The favored look favorably upon the favored. A hero civilizations internal affairs.

"Step zero point one to my plan of ridding this place of its wormy overlords; Clear the air about what all I know about the future." I started.

Hesitantly, Taylor nodded. "I was wondering…" She trailed off.

"We should… relocate, though. I doubt you'd like to hear world-shattering revelations in a crusty alley." I snickered, though it was mostly hollow. Physically, I had recovered, not that I was ever injured, but my mental state was still recoiling.

Still in her costume, she sighed. "My house." I let an eyebrow raise in question. "I think we're past that point." I knew what she meant and nodded- Sure, I'll visit the house of this minor. Surely, nothing will go wrong.

---

When we arrived, I must admit, I wasn't surprised. It was a bland place for a family that had turned equally bland- depressed, even. The house was painted maybe a few years ago and never since, the garden was barely kept, weeds growing higher alongside the grass, both gone uncut.

Entering the kitchen, only a plate of half-eaten leftovers of what I suspected was lasagna denoted any hint of personality, a few drawings on the fridge aside. "This is it." Taylor, taking off her helmet-mask thingy, proclaimed as we made for the living room. "Dad isn't home, won't be for a little while." She finished. "I'll change, you do whatever." With that, she fled upstairs.

I was resigned to get used to the modern homestead once more, having only seen the Victorian insides of houses for a lifetime. I turned the TV on languidly while I plopped myself down on the couch. A few minutes later, Taylor came streaming down the stairs, brown hair framing a decently attractive face. To me, at least. Not that it mattered to either of us. Or me, at least. I think she's got self-worth problems. Would a compliment help? "You look good." I nodded and turned down the volume of the TV, keeping its white noise active, creating a more familiar atmosphere.

She stiffened for a brief moment, then she nodded. "Thanks." She sat herself down on the shorter part of the L-Shaped couch. A short silence, then;

"The big revelations first. Scion's an alien." I started, Taylor waited for me to continue. "More specifically, he's… I think he had a partner that died when they came to earth to harvest you for data by employing 'Shards'- which are mini space worm fragments in your metaphysical brain that give you superpowers- to inspire conflict. This harvest would… I think kill all of you?" I shake my head, my memory getting clearer as I let the train of thought continue. As much as it messed it up, Insight also gave heightened intelligence and memory recall, for the memories you keep, at least.

"With the death of his mate, he became depressed… okay, so Imagine you and your boyfriend/girlfriend are exterminators and are driving to a new job. Then, your partner swerves the car because they got distracted and die- you'd be in shock, right? Well, beings like Scion are past age and mortality, for him, the years he's been on earth are like a few seconds to us. He's still in shock but when he 'wakes up', he'll be pretty pissed." I explained as best I could.

"So… we're all doomed?" She was handling it pretty well. "How'd it go in the novel?" Ah, a good rationalization for finding out your world is from anothers fiction- you're real here, so it's just multiversal bullshit. Probably aided by the fact that they already had multi-dimensional dealings.

"Well, there's a secret organization that I can't name because they'd know- but you can recognize them by their symbol, which is embossed on every Case 53." Conveniently, some C-53 Hero was shown on the TV briefly, a scaled lizard man, the Cauldron symbol almost proudly standing out on his neck. "They use parts of that dead mate and put them in a vial, which has a chance to give you superpowers the normal way, or, depending on the strength of the power, turn you into a case 53 and give you memory loss."

"And these people are currently trying to save the world, though I think they were going about it pretty stupidly, cus they needed you to do it in the end."

"I-I saved the world?" She asked, incredulously.

I winced as that specific arc came back to memory. "Yeah… Taylor, I'm not sure you should know exactly how that went down. Bottom line is, you stopped Scion with some… help but a lot of people, through no fault of your own, died in the process."

She narrowed her eyes. "Tell me."

"Are you sure?"

She faltered, only briefly, but she did. Then, a nod. "Yes."

"Scion killed billions of people throughout many alternate earths after… can't remember who, but somebody provoked him into triggering early. You had your Corona Pollentia, and with it the Shard you're connected to, basically limit broken, though it lobotomized you in the process. Through that procedure, you gained the ability to fully control any sapient being in your vicinity and that… at some point led you to winning." I nodded, hoping she wouldn't investigate further.

"O-Oh my god. We have to do something!" She shouted resolutely. I nodded and she sighed, now knowing that my proclamation wasn't just to rid them of the control of higher beings but also to save multiple billions of lives. "What… What happened to me?"

I winced. She frowned, and I knew I had to say it. "They… you know that the reputation of Masters isn't really good, right?" There was no need to ask, she was the native after all. "Well… you were kind of the 'Super Master' at that point and when it was over and you were barely conscious… Well, they shot you."

The heaviest silence I've ever felt since I talked with the Vileblood Queen about her pursuer descended onto the room. "That's the thanks I got?"

"This world sits firmly within the 'Grimdark' genre."

She snorted, once more without humor. "I hate that. I hate this. I hate all of this."

I nodded. "And you'd be right to."

She took a deep breath. "Well, it could be worse, right?" She cringed and so did I, knowing she was referring to Yharnam- even if accidentally.

---

After I finished explaining everything to her (well, excluding shit I didn't remember and Cauldron's name and including the secrets of the S9, garnering interesting reactions), I went out for the night, telling her that I'll be starting my raids against the gangs. Initially, she wanted to help, but the ease with which I defeated Lung persuaded her to let me take out the Capes while she and I coordinate busts for the various illegal businesses later.

And with the lifting wind of that promise on my back, I had scurried to the area I had defeated said Dragon in. I took a breath and then let Insight course through my brain, lining it with vision.

Words more like languages themselves of eldritch nature started to claw themselves free of my lips as visions of blood, bone and cosmos flashed in front of my eyes.

But as had become custom, I was the one in control and, even as each use threatened to tear at both myself and the fabric of reality, I kept control.

With my new sight I could see intent, connections. I saw lines, drawn in the sand of this world's beach, the sea and waves of ebb and flow a thousand unspoken fates. Would it bleed red, with the suffering of billions? Or would it sparkle, in reflection of uncountable smiles?

I would decide, in the end.

But I sought out the lines that split off the sand castle of the Dragon, faint and fearful as they where, the thickest two led me to two new castles. One small and unassuming, constantly shifting positions in teleporting strides and the other possessing a moat of mines, the towers decorated- or perhaps weaponized?- with spiked balls, no doubt more explosives.

One, I recognized readily- Bakuda, apparently already recruited. Stopping her would prevent her bombings and as such, she was the first I began to track. Thankfully, her line and connection to Lung had already been nurtured enough for me to actually do that.

While my eyes kept track of the rooftops I was vaulting, my sight traced the line.

The Hunter tracking its prey- a tale older than humanity.

It didn't take long, though I was surprised to find myself near the Trainyard- which I think is the territory of that third gang of junkies I can't remember the name of right now.

It was a warehouse- who would have thought?- which was barely lit up, though two men, not wearing their gangs colors, stood guard at its rusted doors.

Both dressed as hobos, both prudently not partaking in alcohol or other drugs- a staple of the apathetic homeless life.

The line in the sand only led to this warehouse, the bomb Tinker's connection to Lung not yet strong enough for an exact pin-point of her location, otherwise I could have just sniped her with one spell or another.

But I had options, enough to lavishly enjoy my first hunt. I grinned at that thought.

---

"Why'd you think she's been on edge lately?" Jake asked and I groaned.

"If you'd actually listen instead of fuckin' the whores, you'd know that Lungs been canned." He explained, already bemoaning his stationing with the foggiest member of the gang. He'd rather also be fuckin a whore, though not in the lengths Jake would go for- his pride hates to admit.

"So-rry big bro." He waved his gloved hand. "Why do we have to wear these itchy clothes?" He complained once more.

If he continued, Xing would blow a casket. "If you don't shut up, I'll shove 'em up your a-" He was cut off when a figure descended from above, most certainly a Cape from the soft fall but that wasn't on his mind.

While Jake languidly looked up, Xing fumbled for his gun. When he finally found it, the figure- no more than a silhouette in the night- locked eyes with him.

Red eyes.

---

My new minions made their way inside, one looking down and the other wearing the cracked glasses they had on their person, to cover their Sharingan eyes.

I couldn't see through them, not without implanting them with eyes, but I didn't need to. They just needed to do what I asked them to do.

So, after hearing the not-so-hushed conversation between the totally-not-rabies-infested Tinker and her goons, I prepared myself. I told them to bring her outside by any means with priority of a verbal method.

They sure delivered, I think as I see the small, suited girl stomp holes into the concrete. "WHERE ARE YOU LEE?! I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOUR BULLS-"

I let my burial blade cleave through both her ankles, knowing of the trigger in them despite the knowledge that probably nobody has yet been implanted.

"WHAT THE F- ARG, YOU BITCH?!" She screams, fumbling for something on her back, a grenade launcher I observe, but falling to the ground and starting to bleed heavily foils her feeble attempts.

"I am punishing you for crimes you have committed and crimes you have yet to commi-"

"SHUT UP AND DIE, FUCKFACE!" She screams as she pulls out a knife from… somewhere(?) as her explosive ordinance has been picked off her back and flung meters away by yours truly.

Not that it mattered, a swift swing of my scythe, whispering promised end in an airy death whistle, saw her beheaded.

The pregnant silence after, where I awaited an explosion, was tense, even as I relaxed slowly as time passed.

There was nothing, the goons I sent in where passed out after their mission, as ordered and Bakuda was dead.

Another kill, though not an innocent person this time. But that hadn't mattered to me when I'd killed Gascoigne, right? I still felt guilty, so why didn't I now?

Hm… Gascoigne was a good person, I'd been told by Violett when I brought her to the church personally, the beast within having been the catalyst for his descent into maddened evil.

Bakuda is- or, was- just a horrible person. Foul, wretched, without morals. No hold-ups, willing to do anything to satiate her ego and delusions.

With that thought in mind, I searched the single pocket on her suit, finding her phone. I dialed a number I'd had Taylor tell me not two hours prior. "PRT ENE, how can we help?" An airy female voice asked from the other side.

"I am the Hunter, Armsmaster should have encountered me last night." I began.

A short silence, then; "A-Ah, I'll… patch you through to the relevant parties." Then, a peep emitted from the phone before a new voice replied.

"Emily Piggot, you are the Hunter?" Ah, so her name is pronounced 'Piggoh'. Always wondered… why do I get to remember that factoid and not the important facts? Like, I've got no clue if Battery was a Cauldron plant or not. I think she was connected? Wait, wasn't Dean a Vial trigger? Fuck, this is what I mean! "Hunter?"

I blinked. "Ah. Yes, I called to inform you that I have killed Bakuda, an explosives Tinker of the ABB. My single-use precognition had informed me of a mass-bombing that would have occurred had I not stopped it."

This time, the silence felt tense, not awkward. When she next replied, her tone was strained. Serious, to say the least. "I strongly urge you to inform us of this precognition, Hunter." I could almost feel the gun she was holding to my head. Exciting! The non-powered civilian wants to threaten me!

With a grin, I decided to demonstrate the gap in power that stretched between us no subordinate Cape could ever bridge, pulling on my Insight, trailing the voice to its origin.

---

"Get me eyes on him, Delta, and I want them on him yesterday." She said, tense, as her thumb held the 'mute' button on her company phone, delaying the conversation she had been having with 'The Hunter': yet another Cape thinking themselves a god for their power.

Delta Squad replied in the affirmative, already on their way to the location Collin's tracker had pointed the caller to be at. Her anger continued to grow as she switched to another number on the second phone, the pain in her body growing from the stress this single encounter was giving her. A new Cape, powerful enough to take down Lung, turns out to have precog powers!? Why not tell her Marquis was out of the cage too!

"Armsmaster, the Hunter situation has escalated well past a passing curiosity." To the stable status quo, she finished in her head.

"On my way, director." He finished, already anticipating her demand.

She returned her focus to the call that had caused all this, her mind running a hundred miles an hour, trying to figure out how to turn this to their advantage. Surely, PR could spin this as a Shadowstalker situation once they 'willingly' recruited him?

"You don't seem to understand, Director." He began and she clenched her teeth. A Cape, through and through, it seemed. Overconfidence and all.

"I don't think you are ca-"

She was about to throw the argument back at him when something strange happened. Smoke, black and blue(?) smoke started to fill her room from no discernible point of entry. Her first instincts shouted Shadowstalker, having already counted on some form of betrayal from the rash and violent girl, but with just the slightest bit of logical thought, that idea was dismissed.

Not that she didn't still press the 'CAPE ATTACK' button on the roof of her desk with fervor.

But the soldiers that should have busted through the door simply… didn't. She looked to the window at her back and… it was covered in smoke, obstructing any and all signs of the city at the coast.

The sea, oh the sea- poor child.

What? She didn't think that? "Master!" She shouted to both herself and anybody that would hear. She choked, then coughed once as the smoke had completely filled the office, the blue accents shimmering like stars. She grit her teeth as she tensed, her hand on the gun she personally fitted with her work attire, even as her body protested with pain.

Then… a gleam of red flickered briefly through the haze. As soon as she caught it, her world spun. She heard a voice as she flew through a world of disorienting colors. "I know this will not deter you. But it will teach you a lesson, Emily. As it had taught me."

Then, her shins caught wet dirt, the world returning to something tangible and standard… or not, she corrected as her mind saw… a village? It was a dusky night, the buildings all decrepit and barely standing above the water, everything flooded, reminding her of the worst Leviathan aftermaths. She stood on a hill, overlooking a vast ocean, shipwrecks dotting large cliff faces and-

That was not the moon.

It was more like a glass mosaic, shaped like a clock, looking into this world with its yellow glow. It sent a chill down her spine as she heaved, falling on herself as she contemplated the situation.

A Mover power? Stranger, or some kind of esoteric Trump?

Is this another DImension- some sort of parallel earth, like Aleph?

"Hunter!" She shouted, trying to, at least, get an explanation.

There was no response, only a howling, bitingly cold wind and the distant sound of groans and gurgles. She was not keen on finding out what those sounds are. She took a breath, she had survived Elisburg, she could survive this.

---

She had quickly found herself disillusioned of that notion, fish-men wielding butcher's tools with the rabid ferocity of a rabies-infested chihuahua had chased her more than a dozen times now, her gun- even with back-up ammunition- quickly running empty with the dreaded 'click' of an empty clip.

And her body was doing her no favors, constantly forcing her to stop and catch her breath, or bringing her to her knees in pain as one organ or another buckled under the strain of her many physical failings.

She had made it into some sort of wet, dank and damp cave system, having dodged a shadow on the wall many a time now, hoping to avoid meeting whatever cast that shadow. It didn't look good.

Her main goal- really, the only goal she had managed to set- was to find the Hunter and kill him- preferably after he brings her back to her office.

The headaches she kept getting and the strange thoughts weren't helping her concentrate on that goal, per say, but she still managed to trudge on, as she always had. Another Cape was ruining her life, not that that was a surprise.

Then, as she dragged her boots through more sludge, a voice in her mind, old and haggard, with a melancholic tone.

A bottomless curse, a bottomless sea.

She buckled as her mind strained.

Accepting of all that there is and can be.

She grit her teeth, even as her vision flickered with images of a white slug-like thing, then an ocean- then a skull, an unborn. A poor child, no mother to love it. Oh, did it not deserve praise? Should she not just g-

"STOP!" She shouted, clutching her head.

I am here, right now. My name is Emily Piggot and I am trying to return to my home world, that is my goal. I am here, right now. My name is Emily Piggot and I am trying to return to my home world, that is my goal.I am here, right now. My name is Emily Piggot and I am trying to return to my home world, that is my goal.

Once she had centered herself, she took a deep breath, smelling only salt, before she trudged on once more.

---

I smirked as I watched her tumble to the entrance to the Orphan's Boss Arena, enjoying myself. A little trauma for a horrible person, why not? Really, it's almost therapeutic for me, not killing something to solve my problems for once. Instead I'm putting the fear of god- or, me in this case- into them!

I smirk as I see her gaze travel to the corpse of Cos' physical form, and I relish the far-off stare she takes on as Insight pours into her mind, filling her with the knowledge of the unknowable, with the song of the universe.

She tumbles to her knees as the squelching of the Orphan's birth fills the coast. Out of the unliving womb crawles the emaciated form of the Orphan, whimpering pathetically as it claws itself to freedom. The bony shape, together with its size, create a dreadful silhouette.

As it takes its first steps, looking out into the wide, wide sea, the domain of its mother, Emily starts to whimper herself, overtaken by sorrow not her own. Had I not mastered myself and my Insight, I would be reduced to much the same position, as I had been for the first few attempts.

I sigh and let my power fade with a flash of red. An instant later, I was back at the trainyard, with Bakuda's corpse to my feet and my projection in Emily's office.

I could see her tumble to the ground, almost unresponsive, tears streaming down her face. I winced, maybe that was too much?

Should I have chosen something else? Maybe sending her to the Nightmare was too harsh… Well, not much I can do about that now. I write down a quick note and teleport it onto her desk. While my teleportation isn't combat viable with its slow speed and charge-up, for things like this its perfect.

The note reads as follows:

Don't stick your nose where it doesn't below, I'm out of your weightclass.

I will do only good for this city and you will let me, otherwise I will have to see to it that you do not impede my crusade.

A bit too chuuni but what can you do?

Now, the next step is to take out the actual organized crime the ABB had been perpetuating- something me and Taylor are perfect for.

---

"Children, Break! They're doing this to children!" I sigh as Taylor, now Skitter, hisses at me- or more so at the world.

I nod, looking down at the unassuming building from the rooftop opposite. "Yes, they are prostituting children."

I saw her clenched fist and could see her agitation through the swarm buzzing around us. Guards had already seen us, though a quick Sharingan Genjutsu had solved that problem.

I take a deep breath, and then let the Cleaver fall into my hands, dropping to street-level. Under my spell, the guards simply let me slice their throats open- monsters actively protecting this don't deserve a quick death, so the cuts are shallow enough to let them bleed out slowly.

And the confusion on their faces! 'What just did that?!' Haha!

I take a step inside, the rusty hinges on the door announcing my entry. The rancid smell, only comparable to the Yharnam sewers, hits my enhanced senses, making me gag. My Sharingan immediately picks out that the 'bar' is a front for the shit going on upstairs, the vibrating ceiling and the way the attendants tense at my arrival the obvious clue.

I grit my teeth, and with a metallic clack announcing death, extend my cleaver outwards.

This is a dark, dark world.

The serrated teeth of my weapon bite into, and then painfully through, the shoulder of the first goon and the nearest table. His two friends draw their guns but with an application of my most-used skill, I quicken to their sides, cleaving through their torsos in one swift motion.

Superpowers have given people power, all sorts of people.

My feet shatter the wooden floorboards as I rocket at the bartender, having deigned him the most dangerous person in the room as soon as he drew the shotgun. I can already see bugs flood the back door through the windows, killing or incapacitating any hold-outs and blocking any escape routes.

And power is the greatest justification.

Beheading him quickly, I clap my hands together as I leap backwards, avoiding the predicted bullet strom that rips the counter apart- a man with a submachine gun in hand having run down the stairs. WIth a radiant blue glow and a tap into the stars, I unleash a hail of small ice meteors, a spell taken from the Vacuous one.

If they feel justified, people will do whatever they want.

It shreds him into pieces, I barely have the time to register his gender or face before his entire upper body was a cold smear on the back wall. Still hearing a terrified breathing behind me, I turn slightly and shoot at its origin without looking, earning a satisfying thudding noise in return.

People can be monsters, to feel that justification- that control.

I take my first steps upstairs, a long hallway with three doors on each end greeting me. I enter the first, with the sounds of people suffering thousands of fire ant bites as my back drop. It's a bedroom, of course it is, with two people inside. One woman and one man, though the age of the woman is questionable to say the least. Maybe an adult, most likely a teen.

For most of those people, their justification is just self-indulgence.

Not that it matters what her age is anymore, not to the man anyways, as he was groping her feverously. She was obviously unwilling, tears streaming down her face as s- "Seen enough…" I mutter as I cock my gun, shooting him in the cheek, careful to let it fully pass through the other end. I want pain, not death. Not yet.

And for others, it's duty- though that's mostly an excuse. Didn't work for the Nazis, doesn't work for them.

He falls to the floor, crying, screaming and bleating like a goat. The woman- the girl immediately shirks back to the back of the bead, not being able to wrestle free despite her attempts because of the handcuffs around her wri- what was I expecting anymore? Decency? Ha!

'I had to do it, he'd kill me otherwise!' No, there's always an option. Run away, kill them in return. Anything.

I circumvent the bed and approach the crying foal- I lean down. "But some people don't even need a justification." I muse. He looks at me, teeth grit, then he jumps up, trying to punch my face in. I languidly catch the blow, my grip like a statue's to his fist. "And those are the worst kind." Then I kick him to the ground, and stomp on his face, marring my boots crimson.

Then I stomp again.

And again.

Until only a red smear of him remains on the floor. Huh, I thought I'd lost my rage a while ago. I guess with modern times comes more modern atrocities, not that anything like this is new to humanity. It's just more streamlined and organized- has a different feel, a different invocation of rage it causes in me. I turn to the teenager, marks of various kinds- bite, burn, scar- all over her undressed body. "Are you-" I was about to ask if she was okay, but that's stupid. "-ready to leave?"

She nods shakily, then rapidly. "P-Please!"

I nod in return. A quick swipe of my hands sees the cuffs shattered. "We will free the rest, then we will call the PRT." They will be actually useful in that respect.

I turn and leave, seeing her collapse to the ground, hugging herself. I turn to the corridor and-

Oh.

Taylor was standing at the end, five bodies laid out in the doorways of five open doors, bugs covering the ceiling like a macabre mimicry of a carpet- crawling, moving, scuttling. She wasn't panicking, she was perfectly calm. But I knew she could dump her emotions into her swarm and no doubt the children behind her in various states of undress and health had an effect on her.

I approach her, making the kids flinch as I drop a safety bullet in the heads of the men. "Stop it."

She shakes her head, somehow knowing what I meant. "I don't want to."

"I told you what you would become- stop it. Feel it." I didn't shout, didn't demand.

She clenches her fist, shaking ever so slightly now. "I-I don't want to, Break."

"Then… after the mission. We can make a deal- only on missions can you do this, okay? And only on bad ones like this." I propose and she nods at that. I take out my phone and dial the number.

 

[Maazen]

Also, I'm gonna need a few OC Capes soon and, though I could very well make my own, I like to involve my community as much as I can. So, suggestions for Powers, Personalities and other tid-bits for an OC are wanted! Though not required

 

[UndeadLord22]

Also, I'm gonna need a few OC Capes soon and, though I could very well make my own, I like to involve my community as much as I can. So, suggestions for Powers, Personalities and other tid-bits for an OC are wanted! Though not required

Click to shrink...

When I am free, I'll send you mine OC. It's a bit rusty and old.

 

[Stormbringer117]

I'll be posting a duplicate of this fic on an NSFW thread, where there will be exclusive chapters which will include any sexy times.

Click to shrink...

Can you do a notification post on this thread, when the other one is ready. So we can follow the NSFW Thread. Thanks!

 

[Maazen]

Can you do a notification post on this thread, when the other one is ready. So we can follow the NSFW Thread. Thanks!

Click to shrink...

thanks, im still figuring this site out!

 

[UndeadLord22]

Almost fking forgot to send: Here m8 @Maazen1337

These three were my RP OCs:

Crust, Jagged Rock Man, Case 34

Literally just Madness Combat Hank

Shade


AN: You can tweak their background however you like.