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No...could it be?

Do not do this. Do not give me hope.

*clicked link*

IT IS!

So glad to see a new chapter of this! It's one of my favorite Worm fics. XD

I'm loving the AU element of Lisa having been less dumb and having her own little PI practice. That promises to be a whole bunch of mess waiting to happen, and I cannot wait.

Well, mostly. There was no way in hell she was telling them about her scars.
Man, I kinda forgot about those...
The Wards traded disbelieving glances before Dennis leaned in and said, "Go on."
Oh man, this will not end well. Emma does not realize she does not have nearly as much slack on the rope she's using to hang herself with as Taylor does.
"This makes us look like idiots," he hissed, ignoring that she made a good point.

"No shit," Laura said darkly. "And after doing a bit of digging on Phase's history, I'm not inclined to disagree with the label."

"That's Brockton, not us," Derek tried.

"Irrelevant, at least to Phase."
Nothing to say, just, I really liked this bit. It shows that at least someone in charge has an inkling of why Taylor is so hostile to them.
The two heroes stared at each other for a long moment after Laura's forceful rebuke, only for Derek to break his gaze away and focus his attention back onto his hands. The silence persisted for another minute before Laura spoke. "Look, we're going to let Phase have her fun. She can only cause so much damage as an independent vigilante while following the laws, and Kamil believes that Phase will eventually want a team of her own. When she does, we'll be waiting."

Derek scowled, forcing himself to unclench his hands. "And we can arrest her if she does something actually illegal. It's not like Phase can claim not to have known the rules ahead of time. Then we can force her onto the correct path with a plea deal and put this whole mess behind us."

Laura scowled right back at him, but didn't contradict his statement.

Oh, oh I'm really looking forward to Lisa getting her grubby mitts on Taylor. It promises to be wild.

Thanks a lot for the chapter! Just made my whole week.
 
I see a pissed off Taylor is still making a mess of everybody's plans.

Everybodys.

Lisa gave a sly smile. "You need a new name Taylor. Something of sufficient stature to the way you mess other people's plans up. How do you feel about, "Eris"?"

Taylor felt her lips quirking, into a smile? It's been a while since she had occasion to do that. "I don't know, where are we going to get golden apples inscribed "For the fairest"?"
 

Thanks for confirming my read on Taylor's headspace. Not that she's the only one in a bad place, Vista being a bitch about Taylor calling hell down on their team, especially since the adults in charge are not cleaning the place up.

What are the relevant laws and court decisions on the ability of the PRT to force power testing on a parahuman that is convicted, but refuses to work for them in a plea bargain? Are they still SOL in terms of getting the details on Taylor's powers? Or is there some kind of 'health and safety' that Taylor has to submit to testing, allegedly out of concerns of how to safely and humanely hold her?

Of course we see Lisa still likes to play with fire here. Poaching a Ward, even a WINO (Ward In Name Only)? Yeah, that gets you extra special attention I bet.
 
That's Brockton, not us," Derek tried
That is the problem you smooth brain! It doesn't matter if it is a different branch, she sees the PRT and Protectorate at large as hypocrites and abusers! Whataboutism isn't going to help here Nebula!
I can't believe I am actually siding with Gauss of all people.

Derek scowled, forcing himself to unclench his hands. "And we can arrest her if she does something actually illegal. It's not like Phase can claim not to have known the rules ahead of time. Then we can force her onto the correct path with a plea deal and put this whole mess behind us."
Oh yeah, I don't think that will happen unless you engineer a situation that lands her in some illegal shit.
This idiot really doesn't get it. They are in no position of winning. If they force anything at all, they lose. There is no way for them to contain her......other than the Cage, and I don't think people will take it really well if she airs her story.

On other news, the BB Wards are about to do something stupid.
Taylor is in a Grey area and her power makes her untouchable, she is a Ward on paper. She has no power testing, no costume, etc, etc, etc. If they try to do what she is doing, 1 look at how they use their powers and Piggot will have their asses.
Unlike Taylor, they are full time wards and dont really have the same problems, nor the same compelling reasons (again i cant believe i am cheering for......Wait, is Gauss a Vial Cape? Because she sounds waaaaay too rational unlike Nebula) to pull an independent like she has......and shit will also hit the fan if the YG gets a whiff of the BB Wards trying to pull a Ghost.
They are going to end up with their collective lower halves in a vice grip. I guarantee that.
 
On other news, the BB Wards are about to do something stupid.
Taylor is in a Grey area and her power makes her untouchable, she is a Ward on paper. She has no power testing, no costume, etc, etc, etc. If they try to do what she is doing, 1 look at how they use their powers and Piggot will have their asses.
That's the good outcome for them. Remember while Boston does have the Teeth, for the most part the villains there play by the rules and are smart enough not to kill Taylor. Contrast that with Lung, Hookwolf, etc...reaction to seeing a bunch of teenagers messing in their affairs, especially with a gang war brewing...
 
That is the problem you smooth brain! It doesn't matter if it is a different branch, she sees the PRT and Protectorate at large as hypocrites and abusers! Whataboutism isn't going to help here Nebula!

It's not just 'whataboutism' which is often used as a dodge for being called out on hypocricy. Nebula, and the entire Boston Department really, doesn't seem to get that if not legally, at least morally, they became accomplices after the fact by accepting Taylor's transfer once they got the full story.

Yes, they are the baddies here.

There is no way for them to contain her......other than the Cage, and I don't think people will take it really well if she airs her story.

And how do they hold her for transport to the Birdcage, much less her trial?
 
Missy thought Phase's overreaction was a load of shit, and as much as the others tried to hide it behind sympathetic words, they agreed.
This statement right here is the exact reason why Taylor will never trust the Protectorate or Wards department if this is general attitude to two Wards causing someone else's trigger event via attempted murder and abuse.
we're under enough pressure from the PRT and New York that I don't need your complaints, too!"
I have to wonder what dear old Costa-Brown and Legend are saying about this situation for Taylor's noncompliance to be such a big deal that both departments are pressuring Boston.
"I don't think so," Emma said, oddly confident. "Her dad came over to talk to my parents last week, and I heard him discussing how Phase won't go in for power testing. Well, after they were done shouting at each other, that is. The Boston director asked her dad to go down to help, only for Phase to call the guards on him."
Okay now I want to see that interaction, Danny has been quite the sad sack in this fic so it would be fun to see him actually go off one someone with that famous Hebert temper, especially someone as deserving as Alan Barnes.
It was a sign of the increasingly tense times that Dean wasn't flexing his newly minted leadership role
So the theory about Dean getting the leadership role was right after all have to wonder how that happens or if Carlos stepped down willingly or was forced to stop down.
Oh man, this will not end well. Emma does not realize she does not have nearly as much slack on the rope she's using to hang herself with as Taylor does.
Going off of the statements in this interlude I am gonna assume that this is before Taylor's tip to the Youth Guard about the Brockton Wards getting into unmentioned fights against the gangs so I imagine that Emma's plan will blow up in her face quite spectacularly even if Piggot looks the other way.
Of course we see Lisa still likes to play with fire here. Poaching a Ward, even a WINO (Ward In Name Only)? Yeah, that gets you extra special attention I bet.
From Lisa's internal monologue it sounded like she intends for a more under the table kind of deal where they don't officially work together but Lisa still feeds Taylor information in exchange for Taylor going after some of her villainous enemies, that way Taylor can still be a hero while Lisa also benefits.
 
Wait, is Gauss a Vial Cape? Because she sounds waaaaay too rational unlike Nebula).
Honestly, you could easily argue the opposite. Gauss being a natural trigger and sympathetic to Taylor's plight (that is, being forced to work for those who she believes responsible for her suffering) and Nebula being a vial cape who just can't empathize with her situation.
 
And how do they hold her for transport to the Birdcage, much less her trial?
The only way....would be for a Tinker to make some kind of Airborne sedative to knock her out. Armsmaster did have sedatives for Lung, of his own design no less.
But yeah, it would be hellish.
What I find funny is that, Taylor got a better version of Stalker's powers. Sure she cannot Glide, but unlike Emostalker she isn't weak to electrical currents.

Honestly, you could easily argue the opposite. Gauss being a natural trigger and sympathetic to Taylor's plight (that is, being forced to work for those who she believes responsible for her suffering) and Nebula being a vial cape who just can't empathize with her situation.
*Raises finger to answer......finger goes down* Holy hell, you are right.
 
Oh neat, update for this.

Anyways, lot of interesting revelations here. Lisa is apparently independent, the Undersiders have Chariot as a substitute at minimum, Missy is being quite the little twat, and the PRT is half stupid and half impotent.

And somehow Emma kinda comes off as the most reasonable person here?
 
Im losing sympathy for Taylor at this point its just bashing different groups and when that happens I start rooting for the bad guys


So going forward are you going to make Taylor gay in this fic, becoues when a writer makes a point to have a mc sufer this much its almost always to have the mc gay, and frankly Im getting bored with every female mc becoming a lesbian or growing a dick so I would like to know a head of time
 
IT LIVES

Derek, Derek, Derek. You are still assuming Taylor doesn't hate and distrust the Protectorate and Wards enough, to choose going to juvie over taking a plea deal. And can the PRT force power testing on a teenage parahuman who chooses jail time over a diversion into the Wards program?

And this assumes you can even hold her at all...

I can't see how you force her to do anything when she can just leave. You can't have a thinker figure out her weaknesses and how to hold her. Maybe you can hit her with some sort of tinker tech tranq rifle or knockout gas then keep her sedated to hold her, but that isn't viable long term.

She can also do a ton of damage to the PRT if she goes villain. Aside from outing people in Boston and Brockton Bay, she is also entirely capable of sneaking into any secured location and causing all kinds of havoc. Every time she did something it would be a reminder that the PRT are idiots and bungled what should have been an easy recruitment.
 
She can also do a ton of damage to the PRT if she goes villain. Aside from outing people in Boston and Brockton Bay, she is also entirely capable of sneaking into any secured location and causing all kinds of havoc. Every time she did something it would be a reminder that the PRT are idiots and bungled what should have been an easy recruitment.
Then the prt spend a few million on pr panting her as a nut job who made everything up, make it look like her actions killed a buch of people


Look I get it, the prt are the evil authority but if they go the world goes and frankly a organization in charge of saving a dying world from pepole with powers are being a lot nicer to her then I would, at this point I would ether explain that everyone that has powers has whent through something like what she did and she ether plays ball or gets removed as a threat
 
And somehow Emma kinda comes off as the most reasonable person here?
I think her realization about what she did to Taylor finally pushed her so far over the edge she looped back around to being sane, because you know what they say about fighting fire insanity with fire insanity.
 
Then the prt spend a few million on pr panting her as a nut job who made everything up, make it look like her actions killed a buch of people


Look I get it, the prt are the evil authority but if they go the world goes and frankly a organization in charge of saving a dying world from pepole with powers are being a lot nicer to her then I would, at this point I would ether explain that everyone that has powers has whent through something like what she did and she ether plays ball or gets removed as a threat
See the problem with this is that A: it's depressing as fuck and goes against the entire premise of the story. And B: it's just flat up wrong.

A LOT of the PRTs hold is based on precog, even if you ignore PTV and Taylor is confirmed to be a blind spot to all forms of precog. Would Taylor be able to bring the PRT down entirely? Probably not. Would she be able to cause enough chaos for her to dissaper somewhere and remain eternally hidden? Yes. And that is what would happen before she would "give up and play ball
. I'm sorry for being so confrontational but this is me being. Honest with how I see this.
 
Oh man, another one of these? Fantastic, I love it.

Also, it's wild to see that despite the last post being July last year, the post right before the update is less than a week old, and NOT a necro. Just goes to show how much people like the concept, if they kept it alive with discussion for damn near an entire year.

Personally I just hope this keeps up with her not joining the PRT, and more importantly than anything else, not giving in to peer pressure and befriending the Wards.

So going forward are you going to make Taylor gay in this fic, becoues when a writer makes a point to have a mc sufer this much its almost always to have the mc gay, and frankly Im getting bored with every female mc becoming a lesbian or growing a dick so I would like to know a head of time

Given this is in the SFW section of the forum, I feel like it's... somewhat unlikely we have to worry about her growing a dick. Unless there's an absolutely wild Blasto arc given they're in Boston.

On the other hand, I'm pretty sure she's going to be a lesbian in this, given OP's other story, which is fine imo.

I'm more comfortable with this one ending up with lesbian Taylor shenanigans anyways, since the Butcher fic just makes me leery of that via making the mad max psychopath gang 'the misunderstood good guys that can do no wrong never ever' which, when they're also seemingly 'the gay gang' has some pretty off connotations that I'm not personally all that cool with. Though admittedly been a while since I tuned into that one, so maybe it got better. /shrug.

(Also Lisa is a much better love interest (Assuming her interlude is telegraphing a meet cute, and my shipper brain rot isn't getting the better of me) than the insane murder gremlin that commenters seem to overlook the fucked-up-ness of.) :V

Though that's judging possible future directions by a writers previous works, which, while possible, can definitely skew perspectives sometimes, so take that with a grain of salt. I know that the other story definitely influenced my read of this chapter's Lisa portion, and previous Lily interactions a bit, at least.

Alternatively, there'll be little-to-no romance in this, or Taylor will be straight, who knows, given we haven't seen any romance drama hints just yet.

However, my money's totally on lesbian Taylor, with Lisa/Lily both trying to seduce her to the side of Vigilantism and "Heroism", respectively. :V

Also also, 'making characters suffer so that they can be gay' is... certainly a take. Not one I've seen a lot of, though we may just read different things. Just because a character goes through shit in a story doesn't mean the author has to make them gay. And just because a character is gay doesn't mean an author has to make them suffer. Weird correlation to make, imo.

I think her realization about what she did to Taylor finally pushed her so far over the edge she looped back around to being sane, because you know what they say about fighting insanity with insanity.

Agreed. Taylor feeling genuine shock/horror/anger/fear at the mere sight of her to the point she ran the fuck away after she was 'finally strong enough to be friends again' made Emma realise "Wait. Fuck. I'm a monster."

Definitely hit home to her that she did some genuinely fucked up things, and probably made her rethink some things.

Less "she was insane and now she's sane", and more "absolutely fucking massive wakeup call".
 
That's the good outcome for them. Remember while Boston does have the Teeth, for the most part the villains there play by the rules and are smart enough not to kill Taylor. Contrast that with Lung, Hookwolf, etc...reaction to seeing a bunch of teenagers messing in their affairs, especially with a gang war brewing...
I mean, Lung and/or Hookwolf killing them is the best case scenario for the Brockton Wards going 'gray vigilante'. Worst case is Coil and/or Taylor noticing and reporting it to the Youth Guard, thus locking them down even more; which would lead to a chain of toxic resentment that would end when one of them gives up.

.....Now that I think of it, that's a good idea for an omake.

Either way, it's simultaneously pleasing and rage inducing to see this back.
 
What are the relevant laws and court decisions on the ability of the PRT to force power testing on a parahuman that is convicted, but refuses to work for them in a plea bargain? Are they still SOL in terms of getting the details on Taylor's powers? Or is there some kind of 'health and safety' that Taylor has to submit to testing, allegedly out of concerns of how to safely and humanely hold her?

Of course we see Lisa still likes to play with fire here. Poaching a Ward, even a WINO (Ward In Name Only)? Yeah, that gets you extra special attention I bet.
There is nothing in canon to support this one way or another, but logically...
I can easily imagine that the PRT can persuade a judge to order her to submit to power testing under the grounds of needing the information in order to properly contain her should she choose jail.
This would be a proper court order, which if disobeyed carries a contempt of court charge and can let the judge throw her in jail for up to 5 years or until she complies.

I can't see how you force her to do anything when she can just leave.
She can't just leave until she's 18. She is currently 15.
That's the problem with being a minor. Choices and freedoms adults take for granted are not available to minors, but are made for them by their parents/guardians.

Honestly, you could easily argue the opposite. Gauss being a natural trigger and sympathetic to Taylor's plight (that is, being forced to work for those who she believes responsible for her suffering) and Nebula being a vial cape who just can't empathize with her situation.
Also Nebula sounds like a lot of adults I encountered as a teenager where the default is to dismiss any grievances the teenage petulant CHILD has as "making a mountain out of a molehill" and blame them for not "getting with the program" and cooperating with the decisions that were made for them against their wishes. The emphasis on child is done by the adult to show why the teen should be dismissed.
 
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Omake: Another Boston Tea Party
From Lisa's internal monologue it sounded like she intends for a more under the table kind of deal where they don't officially work together but Lisa still feeds Taylor information in exchange for Taylor going after some of her villainous enemies, that way Taylor can still be a hero while Lisa also benefits.

The thing is? I can see Lisa taking the Protectorate wanting to exploit Taylor's powers for their benefit, personally. Since that is what her parents did after her own trigger. Enough that if Taylor pulled a runner, Lisa would offer her a place to crash.



Another Boston Tea Party

Taylor was actually on a run, having left her Ghost costume stashed. Not just for cover, but she'd read the PHO boards for Brockton. The damn Wards were sneaking out of lockdown! Just like before the adults allegedly "were doing all they could" and denying their Wards were actually doing it. And they had to be helping them or at least turning a blind eye, again.

So Taylor grabbed her running sweats and pounded pavement to burn out the rage and resentment in the ache of muscles. Hell it was good prep for her hobby. Like the PHO post parodying an Aleph Zombie movie said, "Vigilanteland Rule #1: Cardio".

The familiar girl waiting on the bench pulled Taylor up short however. She tried to remember strange capes that used Thinker powers on her.

The girl on the bench put away her phone. "Right, I'm guessing two things. One, you want things straight up. And two, based on how you came up the hill you figured out the shit happening in Brockton."

Taylor folded her arms, "Verthdani."

Verthdani leaned back, "Guess that answers if you notice when someone Thinks to hard in your direction. So do you prefer Ghost or Phase?"

The taller girl flopped onto the bench, "Taylor will do."

Lisa raised an eyebrow, "really?"

Talyor waved to the slush filled parking lot across from them. "Behold the field upon which I grow my fucks." Taylor took a swing from her water bottle, "Don't really have anyone in my life to protect with a stage name."

Verthdani held out her hand, "I used to be Sarah, but go by Lisa these days. And likewise."

Taylor shook it, "So, what brings you out here?"

Lisa sighed, "Can we move this indoors? There are a few coffee and tea shops nearby. You pick. I'd have been waiting with something warm, but trust only goes so far."

Taylor considered how much this conversation would upset Armstrong, Gauss, and Weld. And decided that it was worth it. She picked a spot at random and collected their drinks that Lisa paid for. "So to repeat, what brings you out here?"

Lisa looked over her shoulder. "The way your 'host family' fucked things up probably caused you to miss some things. Like how we get powers is not something to pry into." Lisa took a sip, "There was once a family, mother, father, older son, younger daughter. Picture perfect, the talk and envy of the neighborhood. Of course it was a fucking lie. The parents were sperm and egg donors more than anything. Their offspring more props for an image than children to be loved. But you don't realize it if you grow up like that, becoming selfish and shallow like your progenitors. Then one day the girl came home, and found her brother hung himself. And she couldn't figure out why. It ate at her until one day it became too much, and she became the girl who could figure out anything. But since she wasn't lucky like Alexandria and got a flying brick's powers to go with her Thinker power, her parents decided to strong arm their surviving offspring into exploiting the stock market with said power."

Lisa sipped her coffee, "That lasted till I said fuck it, siphoned most of their accounts and left them set up to take the fall with the SEC. Drifted a while till I reached Boston and set up shop to use my powers for my own benefit. So I get adults demanding loyalty after treating you like shit."

Taylor eyed her, "And you want to offer me information to go after villains, and remove rivals for you?"

Lisa waggled a hand, "Plenty of people worse than me in this town. And the Protectorate figures you might use enough info you can only get from them to strong arm you into a plea deal. I figure you'll do more good with the info than them, and feel free to hit anything else you notice. Just... I wish I had someone give me a hand when I first started out, and figured you could too."

Taylor sipped her tea carefully, "If I let you hand me info, it will help you. I want some favors in return."

Lisa nodded, not the best result , but not too bad so far. "What do you have in mind?"

Taylor ran a hand through her hair, "The PRT is better at covering shit up than I am at telling it. I want your help to get some big dirt on them, stuff that can be released and not covered up or slander me as 'hysterical' and 'in need of guidance'."

Lisa held out a hand, "Screwing over the PRT? I can get behind that enough to offer a highly discounted rate."

Taylor took the hand to shake, then held up her cup in a toast, "Confusion to our enemies."

Lisa seconded the toast, pretty sure even without her powers that it wasn't just the local villains Taylor was including in that.

Taylor smiled, "About how you are going to pass me info..."

The smile slid off Lisa's face, "Shit, you are going to make me go running with you."

Taylor shrugged, "It's good exercise, and even my Youth Guard rep is worried about my lack of friends. So now I have my new running buddy, Lisa."

Lisa sighed, "And when they ask my last name for a background check?"

Taylor shrugged, her voice going as dry as the Sahara. "Given my last friend had a PRT background check and the shit she pulled that they missed? I don't really trust them to find threats to my person."


Edit: To avoid double posting:
There is nothing in canon to support this one way or another, but logically...
I can easily imagine that the PRT can persuade a judge to order her to submit to power testing under the grounds of needing the information in order to properly contain her should she choose jail.
This would be a proper court order, which if disobeyed carries a contempt of court charge and can let the judge throw her in jail for up to 5 years or until she complies.

Can a Juvie contempt charge keep her in jail past 18?
 
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I can easily imagine that the PRT can persuade a judge to order her to submit to power testing under the grounds of needing the information in order to properly contain her should she choose jail.
All they would have to say is the confusion coused by her powers interferd with several operations that made prt officials miss operttionitys to stop several rapes and murders
 
Lisa sipped her coffee, "That lasted till I said fuck it, siphoned most of their accounts and left them set up to take the fall with the FEC. Drifted a while till I reached Boston and set up shop to use my powers for my own benefit. So I get adults demanding loyalty after treating you like shit."
How did she get the Federal Election Commission involved? I imagine it has something to do with campaign finance, but I'd really like to hear the story there.
 
She can't just leave until she's 18. She is currently 15.
That's the problem with being a minor. Choices and freedoms adults take for granted are not available to minors, but are made for them by their parents/guardians.

No, I meant she can physically leave the building and they are literally incapable of stopping her. Legally she is stuck there, but the PRT very much have to consider the possibility of her leaving.
 
No, I meant she can physically leave the building and they are literally incapable of stopping her. Legally she is stuck there, but the PRT very much have to consider the possibility of her leaving.
She does that and she becomes at the very least a runaway.
Any cop that IDs her will attempt to detain her on sight.
She won't be able to get a legal job to support herself as that requires giving proof of identity and eligibility to work.
She's have no choice but to become a criminal to survive.
Once she turns 18, she could still be arrested for those crimes she commits, and the PRT would then jump on it to draft her into the Protectorate.
 

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