Police Girl (Worm/Hellsing)

[akitsu91]

No worm mega thread in CrW like SB/SV.

1.1|1.2|1.3|1.4|1.5|1.6
2.1

1.1

Walking down the narrow corridor of Winslow High, I suppressed the smouldering ball of hatred growing in my chest at the murmured gossip spread by Emma's cronies.

"I heard she did the whole football team, at once!" A short, mousy girl whispered to her blonde cheerleader friend.

"Only way she'd get a guy to sniff her" Was the snippy reply.

"What's that stink!" One of the more fashionably dressed hanger-on's tittered, as I stepped past her small group. I clenched my jaw, resisting the urge to hurt someone.

Partly to practice and in part to distract myself from my anger, I focused on what I could smell through my nose. A pseudo form of meditation I started sorting through and cataloguing the plethora of scents that permeated the air. Hormones, cigarettes, leather and steel, and the heavenly scent of warm blood pumping through veins, focusing on the chaotic cesspit of odours I felt my anger recede.

At my next class's door I stopped, one of the trio, shared this class with me. Madison wasn't as effective as Sophia and Emma at hurting me either physically or emotionally, however, she was an expert at twisting the teachers to her whims, and not for the first time I wondered why I didn't just kill them all.

Because I would be the first suspected, came the silent answer. Shaking away my fantasy of revenge I opened the classroom door.

Stepping into Mr Gladly's Parahumans and World Studies class, I took in the half filled classroom. As my eyes passed Madison and her groupies their soft giggles tapered off.

"…Are you sure?" I managed to catch the small blonde offsider whisper to Madison, her mouth obscured by a strategically placed textbook.

"Gladly won't do anything," And he wouldn't, he was a teacher who wanted to be one of the cool kids. I could imagine the small smirk on her oh so innocent face. Trailing off, the bitch glanced at me, her eyes dancing with a cruel mirth.

Looking at my assigned seat, I released a frustrated sigh. No 'accidentally' spilled juice covered my seat today. Without my enhanced hearing, I would have been relieved at been spared the embarrassment of wet pants and been promptly blindsided by whatever their latest plan to cause me grief had been.

Forcibly shoving that unpleasant line of thought to the back of my mind, I pulled my notebook out of my backpack, wincing slightly as the high pitch squeak from dragging my seat on the classroom floor resonated painfully with my heightened hearing.

Listening to Gladly's droning voice I let my mind run free, if I could still sleep the monotone presentation would have had me tempted to rest my eyes.

'Badum – Badump – Budamp'

Swallowing, my mouth began to water as my suppression of the weirder aspects of my power wavered; my classmates heart's soft drumming filled my ears. Dozens of steady beats, merged into a primal song. The hunger to sample, to feed rose as I squashed the memory of the shear ecstasy that even a drop of blood provided. Sucking my finger after I slipped pealing the pota-

"-aylor!" Gladly's angry voice pulled me from my slightly homicidal musings.

"So you are paying attention now? Good!" My cheeks heated at the reprimand, tuning out the classrooms muted sniggering at my predicament. "Now, What was the effect on the worlds medical technology as a result of Mozambique's Tinker specialisation?"

Blushing, my mind blanked on the question, I felt my teeth's ragged points fade away, as I tried to weak my brain for an answer.

--​

"Damn Madison, Damn Gladly," I cursed under my breath, as I half walked and half ran from the school. They had settled on ruining my project for today's humiliation. Her bitch of a follower had flashed a smile at my assigned partner and walked off the lessons work. And had the fucking gall to present it first.

I staggered as I felt my foot slide out from underneath me. Windmilling my arms wildly I managed to catch myself against the nearby lamppost. Breathing heavy from the shock I looked around for what had tripped me up.

I started as I took in where my feet had taken me, unconsciously I had walked myself to the Docks, and all round me, dilapidated properties lined the streets, empty shopping trolleys and garbage piled under the streetlights.

This was the bad end of Brockton Bay, Merchant Territory.

Deciding on a direction at random I set off at a fast pace. I barely reached the end of the street before I heard two heartbeats that had decided to follow along behind me.

Frowning at my luck, I headed towards a small alleyway ahead, that I should be able to lose them in.

"Fuck," I swore as I saw the brickwall dead end.

"Well lookie what we have here Ed" Sneered the beanie wearing man, wiping his nose along his forearm as he walked down the alley towards me.

Ed gave me a feral grin, revealing several missing teeth, "Isn't much of a looker. Looks like she might be some fun, 'eh Dom"

Dom let out a high-pitched giggle at a joke only they understood, as I started to back away from them Ed fumbled his other hand free from his hoodie's hand pouch. Waving his hand, he flicked open his switchblade.

"Nawh, no don't you be going nowhere," I eyed the knife as long as my pinkie. I tried to judge my chances against a knife-wielding junky. I was faster than before, stronger too, but not supernaturally so, neither would really be much help against a knife, I had accidentally cut myself a few times in the kitchen, to get a tasty pick me up. I bled as easy as the next person.

"That's a nice jacket you have, Dom you reckon Angie would like it?"

"Dunno, her tit's are a fair bit bigger than scrawny here,"

While they were arguing over my less than impressive feminine assets, I scanned the alley for a weapon with some reach. The short block of wood look-

"Oi! Give it here now," Ed's nasally voice spoke up disrupting my focus, spittle shot from his mouth, agitated he gave a small wave of his knife, adding almost as if an afterthought, "Your wallet too, school girl!"

A quick glance at the wooden plank must have betrayed the direction of my thoughts. He lunged at me.

Off balanced and surprised, I tried to scramble backwards. He was faster than I thought he would be, dashing into arms range before I could react. Twisting desperately to the side of his lunge, I avoided his grasping hand. Dodging his grimy hand, I felt a flash of agony pierce my stomach. Looking down I saw the bloodied hilt of his switchblade embedded in my stomach.

As Ed ripped the knife from my stomach, I wanted to cry, all the shit piled on in the week after the locker and I get FUCKING stabbed. I couldn't help but let loose a broken and slightly hysterical laugh.

"ah AHH HA ahhAHAHAH" The louder my hysterical laughter got, the greater the urge for blood, the junkies heart pounded in my head.

"She's fucking nuts Ed!" Dom hollered over my voice.

"Fuckin' bug nu-" Fuck it, I lunged.

As I felt my teeth sink into Ed's throat, I couldn't help but note the shear bliss I felt as the hot blood poured down into my thirsty mouth, a gurgled scream tore itself from the mangled throat as I inhaled the nectar.

Dimly I felt something poke me in the back, but it wasn't important. What was important was the fire I felt coursing through my veins, I felt alive, as if I could do anything. A squelch and a faceful of grey goo turned my attention to the remains of a crushed skull between my fingers.

An optic nerve and grey matter clung to my hand. It almost gave me pause in my feeding, how did I do that, I'm positive I couldn't do that this morning?

Pulling my musing back from my mysterious strength, I noted the lack of blood entering my mouth. Frowning at the dry body. I pushed it away, the body splattered against the opposite alley wall with a wet crunch. Wow, I looked at my hand and back to the remains. "No hugging Dad until this is sorted,"

Again, I felt that poking, wasn't there two junkies? Glancing around I stared at Dom. Wide eyed he was stabbing me as fast as he could. I couldn't help but sneer at his horrified face, idly I noted the knife wounds closed as fast as he could stab me.

"Try to mug me?" I wanted him to hurt. Grabbing a hold of his shoulder, I felt it collapse like wet cardboard under my hand. "I needed something to vent at, so Dom thank you so kindly for volunteering."

His scent of overwhelming fear was delicious, I wonder if I could make him die of fright? Curiously, the buzz I'd had since my first taste of Ed surged as I felt a tingle along my arm not holding Dom, as it exploded into a writhing mass of shadowy tentacles. Transfixed I watched as my arm morphed into something that I could only describe a demon arm.

"No, pleee-ase. Le me go. I'll be good" The junky Dom cried, as I softly stroked his cheek with my mutated arm.

"Shh shh!" I admonished, grimacing as he decided to evacuate his bowls then. I gave him a small smile, that I'm sure was reassuring.

I'd like to think this time I wasted nowhere near as much blood.

--​

Sprawling on my bed covers, I noted a worrying fact, the lack of concern at killing two men bothered me more than the guilt I should have felt. I didn't feel any guilt from tearing apart the junkies, instead I found myself relishing in an unbelievable sensation of fullness and contentment. My entire body hummed with energy.

Lifting my shirt I peered at my slight paunche, I had consumed near two human bodies worth of blood, my stomach should have been the size of a beach ball. However, all I felt was a comfortable fullness, consuming those worthless dregs of society had sated a hunger. A hunger I hadn't known I had been subconsciously holding at bay with my increasingly rare steaks and the occasional sucking on a conveniently nicked finger.

A giggle burst its way out of my throat. Is this what it is like to be high?

I looked at my thin white arm, a contrast to the animalistic arm it had transformed into as I lost myself in the bloodlust. Focusing on what I remembered it looking like, I tried willing my arm to mutate. I felt something in me flexing, bubbling the skin along my arm shifted into a mass of shadow tendrils before reforming into a black and red demonic claw.

Before the biggest change I had been capable of was turning my mouth into a field of white knives. I know I hadn't been able to shift on this scale before, it had been one of the first things I tried after my teeth had changed.

The blood must be the key, I was stronger, faster and I healed in a blink after drinking the junkies lifeblood.

Dissolving the arm, I glanced at my chest.

Chewing my lip, I thought of the implications if the transformation ability was as I thought it was. A happy thought, I would be able to shed one of the more painful things the trio used against me, my body. I had nothing to lose by trying closing my eyes, I focused my mind on the one attribute I lacked.

It was a disconcerting feeling, my chest reformed with an unexpected weight, as feeling returned I let loose a wheezing laugh as I felt the now too small shirt constricting my chest.

A/N: She has at the moment the lower tier power of Seras. Her power affects her sort of like Burnscar, with the lack of empathy thing going on when she drains the blood.

 

[akitsu91]

1.2

Walking at a steady pace down the street Aegis' eyes darted around accessing the dilapidated street. Broken bottles littered the gutters, tag's from half a dozen minor gangs decorated walls and building facades. As Clockblocker's and his own boots fell with an echoed thud he snorted softly clearing his nose of the streets odour, Aegis again wished he was rostered with Kid Win or even Sophia as a patrol partner.

Flying high had its own special joy even travelling over rooftops was preferable to dredging through Brockton Bay's decaying streets, there the smell wasn't as bad.

Focusing on his partner walking beside him for the next fortnight, Carlos tried for the third time tonight to not tune out the younger boys inane ramblings.

"-'m telling you just ask Shadow Stalker out!" Clockblocker exclaimed, emphasising his point with a wild hand wave.

"What, why!?" Aegis sputtered, turning to face the younger Ward "So-Shadow Stalker? She's not exactly a people person…"

"Pfft, so what she's a little 'abrasive'" Dennis snorted, miming a feminine silhouette he continued adopting a wise tone, "But have you seen that body? Many a sin can be forgiven if they are hot enough and she is at least an 8. Compared to that a little bit of attitude, ha!"

"I'm speechless," Aegis hissed, resisting the urge to mimic Missy and slap Clockblocker, trying to work out Dennis logic train he asked, "If Stalker is such hot stuff, why are you pushing me to ask her out?"

"Ah ha, that is part of my cunning plan" Gesturing wildly, Dennis began to explain. "You see, I've run into her a few times out of costume, around the Boardwalk and that. Now she is a loner, BUT often enough she has company when I see her, a friend! She's friends with an honest to god model. A. Model. Aegis!"

Dennis paused slightly, lost in a flash back "Tall, long red head, amazing rack and legs that go for ever, at the least a 9 maybe even a 10." Nudging Aegis's armoured torso, he whispered "I figure you two get together, Bing bada boom, and you two all love doovey set up your poor single friends to put an end their lonely existence,"

Rubbing his face through his mask Aegis sighed at Dennis' enthusiasm, he replied sarcastically "I don't see how that plan could backfire at all…"

Dennis chuckled.

Sniffing the air, Aegis frowned, the stench of decay he had noticed earlier was getting stronger and more pungent the further down the street they travelled.

"Hey, Clockblocker, can you smell that?"

The masked boy nodded, pointing ahead, "Smells like its coming from that way,"

Holding his nose as they approached the alley they suspected was the cause. Turning into the alley Aegis, stumbled at the sight before him.

The alley was eerily reminiscent of imported Earth Aleph horror movies, two bodies strewn throughout the alleys centre, blood, flesh and bones scattered around the shredded bodies. Aegis struggling to hold back his rising bile, braced himself against the alleys brick wall. Clockblocker wasn't as fortunate, the lack of redundant biology not helping supress instinctive reaction, his full face mask bulged from his stomach's purge.

Dennis' fingers fumbled frantically as they scrambled to undo the Velcro latch holding his mask down, ripping off his stained mask, the now unhindered vomit splattered down his front.

Dropping to his knees, he continued to dry heave.

Stepping in between Dennis and the macabre display, Aegis peered down the dark alley past the bodies as the exposed liquids smells assailed his nose.

Tapping his earpiece, a secure line to the PRT monitor room connected, slipping into an emotionless monotone voice he reported the scene. "Aegis to Dispatch, On site two bodies heavily damaged, one body relatively intact missing a head, second has had its arms removed. Very probable parahumans cause, send a clean-up team ASAP as well a replacement mask for Clockblocker. On scene isn't pleasant."

Aegis turned slightly as a flicker of movement caught his eye, he frowned as he looked at the armless corpse, before dismissing the movement as a trick of the light.

"Dispatch to Aegis, Acknowledged police and PRT personal notified and en route to your communicators GPS location. ETA 10 minutes," Came the reply.

Nodding at the information, Carlos gave Dennis a reassuring hand on his shoulder as the younger Ward tried to compose himself.

--​

Emily Piggott, glared at the report sitting opened on her desk. Detailing the information gathered on the still living corpses discovered by Aegis and Clockblocker's patrol. Not long after the initial discovery and PRT response the body with a remaining head had risen and without warning or provocation attacked the coroner, clean biting through the man's femur.

Worse still had been the revealed infectious nature, only a stroke of luck had the coroner travel to the PRT infirmary instead of a public hospital for treatment. Barely an hour after the feral parahuman had struck, he had fallen into a manic blood rage killing the three medical staff treating his wound before the automated defences had intervened.

The small plastic speaker on the desk crackled to life, as the mousy blonde secretaries voice came through, "Director, Armsmaster and Miss Militia are here."

"Send them in" she ordered, releasing the intercom, Director Piggott hoped they had good news.

Entering the spacious office, Emily's gaze silently assessed the two parahumans in front of her.

"Report." Tapping a small spherical device pulled out of his utility belt, the Directors holographic projector began streaming a computer interface.

"The subject recovered from the alley temporarily named 'Ghoul' has shown low level brute strength in addition to a fast regenerative ability," On screen several pictures of the restrained Ghoul and the alley opened. As the different pictures showed, the ruin of the body was visibly healing itself.

"At first we assumed that the victim was simply affected by our unknown parahumans power, however, not thirty minutes ago quarantine reported whatever animated the corpse discovered by Aegis and Clockblocker is contagious," Gesturing at the holoscreen, Armsmaster initiated a security video feed.

Focused in the centre of the white room where three naked bodies, vicious red wounds appeared in stark contrast to their pale skin. As the security tape fast-forwarded through forty minutes of observation, the pronounced dead corpses began to twitch spasmodically. A finger, eyebrow or lips initially, slowly large activity began. Arms and legs braced themselves against restraints as they tried to pull free.

On screen, armed guards entered pointing foam dispensers at the struggling beds as the doctors scurried across the screen.

"Those restraints are classed to hold a straight Brute 4," Miss Militia commented in slight awe as the corpses managed to visibly stretch the restraints.

Armsmaster nodded, glancing at Director Piggott stony expression, "Tentatively, I recommend a Brute 2 for any infected individual,"

"Are they still there?" Emily waved vaguely towards her own head, "Mentally there I mean?"

Pausing the video of the struggling corpses, Colin shook his head.

"Not as far as we can determine, so far the only consistent response from any of the four is a focused desire for flesh and blood," Colin activated a new video. Heavily restrained the former doctor pushed against restraints, following both animals and human blood samples unerringly. "Similar results occurred with live tests ma'am. There is a possibility of a Thinker ability to determine nearby sources of 'food' or possibly enhanced senses to distinguish between the samples,"

"Do we have any leads on the source?"

Miss Militia grimaced softly, pulling four files from her briefcase to sit on the Directors table.

"According to the analysts, the biological nature and the effectiveness of its transmission we are looking at a bio-tinker or biokinetic." Sparing a slight frown in Armsmasters direction, Hannah opened the first file, "Proximity wise, Miss Dallon of New Wave is the closest suspect, while theoretically her abilities could accomplish this feat, I strenuously believe to do so goes against the very core of the girl,"

Ignoring Miss Militia's indignation Director Piggott turned to Armsmaster, "Work to establish a time frame, see if Panacea has had any new associates or unaccountable for large spans of times,"

Colin nodded, ignoring Hannah's annoyed glare.

Softly grinding her teeth, Hannah moved to the next folder. "Blasto, a plant based biological tinker in Boston. Reports have him as unstable prone to dangerous projects but fully capable of toeing the line,"

Piggott nodded, opened the third folder. Thin lines around her eyes tightened, the only outward sign of her worry, "Bonesaw!?"

Miss Militia nodded moving to speak, Armsmaster interjected, "Yes this is within her known capabilities, previous cases have shown she has the ability to reanimate dead capes,"

"Do we have a confirmation on her latest location?" Piggott wiped her brow, the possibility of the Slaughterhouse Nine within Brockton Bay sitting uncomfortably in her stomach.

Armsmaster shook his head.

"Christ,"

Quickly reading the summarised contents of the fourth and largest folder's contents, Piggott considered the summary of less obvious sources. A fresh trigger, a Monstrous Cape, or an outside gang or organisation looking to move on the Bay's various gangs.

Piggott tapped a fat finger on the fourth report, "Do we have a list of criminal organisations, with the oomph to pull of something like this?"

"The Nazi's?" Colin offered.

Piggott held back a snort of derision. "Don't be foolish, they wouldn't risk upsetting the precarious balance the Bay operates under, for something like this"

"We've managed to keep this from the media so far, but it's only so long before the vultures get a hold of this," Sweaty fingers circling her temple Piggott swore, "The public will eat it up, a Bonesaw-light, building a mindless bloodthirsty army in Brockton Bay,"

"It could be something much more benign ma'am," Piggott snorted at Hannah's optimism, in her opinion this was the only warning they would get before the shit hits the fan.

--​

Stepping out of Vicky's warm hold, Amy resisted the urge to frown as she felt the borrowed warmth and feeling of safety fade. Sighing she watched as Vicky floated over the veranda's awnings through her window and out of sight.

Pulling the small key from her necklace, she unlocked the front door, walking into the kitchen she glanced at the clock. Carol would be asleep by now.

Filling a glass with water, Amy sprinkled in a pinch of yeast.

Glancing around Amy waited for any witness' to burst out and catch her in the act. Smiling at the amusing imagery she dipped her finger in the water.

Under her control the yeast, exploded turning the clear water into a brown slush. As the yeast finished converting the water into a syrupy base, she twisted the microbes. The water flashed red before turning neon green.

Smiling softly at her handy work, she quickly drank it down. She couldn't use her power directly on herself to ensure a good nights sleep, but she could craft a special blend to help as well as guide her dreams to a more desirable direction.

Emptying her pockets as she felt the sleeping drug begin to kick in, she glanced at her phone. An email from the PRT, a small voice in her head said it could be important. A voice she crushed ruthlessly, if it was important they would contact Carol and the whole of New Wave.

Slipping into her bed she let sleep take her, smiling she dreamt of flying, wrapped in safe arms.

 

[akitsu91]

1.3

Sitting cross-legged on my bed, I let myself drift into a light meditation focusing on my senses, the soft rhythmic thump of dad's heart echoed through the walls, the wheeze of his lungs and squeak of mattress springs as he tossed and turned, and the mechanical tick of my alarm clock filled my ears. This was was the closest I could come to dreaming anymore.

My mind adrift I thought back to last week.

I couldn't help but cringe. I might not feel guilt about killing the junkies, but turns out, I can and still do feel other emotions easily enough, fear of discovery and shame at my lack of restraint.

Not long after I had shaken the energetic high I had found myself in afterwards, a high I'm beginning to suspect might have been a result of eating a junkie specifically and not just being high on blood, I had realised how foolish my impulsive actions had been.

Just killing them and leaving their corpses behind was unbelievably stupid, the PRT and the law would come down on me like a tonne of bricks if they could link me to it, and I had left a crime scene for them, bodies and all. Hopefully, the brutality would be blamed on one of the E88 capes getting a little carried away with their border skirmishes against the Merchants.

Too late to realise my error in leaving the bodies in that alley, I had waited with bated breath to hear on the news or newspaper the story of the investigation into the vicious destruction of Dom and Ed, I hadn't held back much venting the stress of my bad week on Dom. As the days added up with no mention, nor hint of investigation, I hadn't been able to resist walking past the alley, with a transformed face after school had finished for the day, it was empty.

Someone was covering it up, a worrying prospect. Shivering I pushed that thought and the possibility of a shadowy conspiracy into the back of my mind, there was nothing I could do about it now.

Breathing out I let myself 'wake'.

Opening my eyes, I felt a twinge of guilt, about not telling dad, crushing the fledgling feeling I looked around my room, it was still dark, streetlights shone through the window lighting my room. A glance at my alarm clock confirmed I had managed to lose myself for nearly three hours.

Still I couldn't bring myself to regret my actions, without the junkies pushing me to the edge. I would have let the pressure build and build and I would have lashed out at Emma or her groupies in a way I would never be able to conceal, nor would I have had the chance to uncover the hidden facets to my power.

Unfolding my legs, I shifted, hanging my feet over the edge of the bed.

Grabbing a hold of the small ball of play dough from my nightstand. I grimaced slightly as the blue dough deformed around my fingers. I still hadn't managed to work up the courage to hug Dad, I didn't want to risk breaking his ribs, not until I had full control of my strength. And so I used the next best thing to flesh I could find to refine my control.

Manipulating the dough between my fingers was slow going, too fast and I would over estimate my strength, more often than not, what I thought would be a soft touch ended with a deeply gouged misshapen ball.

Splitting my attention, I let my free hand slowly dissolve into a writhing cluster of tentacles, stretching the shadowy mass my former hand lengthened reaching level with my eyes, pausing in my strength exercises I focused on the design I had been working on perfecting for the last few day.

Briefly, my vision swam as my world split into two, as a small head began to take shape from the tentacles, bulging and bubbling the shadowed flesh formed into the meaty head of a red eyed Doberman.

It was odd to see the world with a tint of red, directing my dog headed tentacle to turn I looked at my own face. Eye to eye, I forced myself to breathe normally, the red eyes framed in a black dogs head were terrifying.

--​

Mrs Knott's Computer class was one of the few classes the trio couldn't sabotage, everything was graded on the computer by the computer. No assignments for them to steal, misplace or destroy.

Slipping into my favourite seat, at the back I could watch the entirety of the class, and with my back to the wall, no one could ambush me. Starting the assignment I had to type slow, working to not push too hard to either crack the keyboard or have the key stroke register as a double strike.

I tuned out the conversations of the other students.

The problem was the teachers didn't care, even now the only effort Mrs Knott made was to walk around the few teens dressed in red and green or had hair shaven extremely short, making sure not to make eye contact.

The gangs were a festering sore rotting away at Brockton Bay, untouchable the last teacher to try had disappeared, if not for them Emma and her bitches wouldn't have gotten away with the locker, maybe Dad wouldn't come home depressed from losing another few men to the gangs, maybe the teachers would fucking care.

'Crack'

The sound of my mouse starting to come apart under my hand pulled me from my thoughts, grimacing slightly I let go of the mouse. The finger grooves were faint, if anyone notices they would dismiss it as ergonomics.

Was I looking for justification? I think so. I wanted to hit back, I couldn't hit back during school but I could show the city the gangs were fallible, that it wasn't so bad.

Maybe the next Taylor wouldn't be forgotten.

'Bbbrrrriiiinngg'

Leaving the Mrs Knott's classroom, I caught sight of Sophia turning into the hallway. It was faint but I could see a small smirk on her face. Pretending to ignore her, I tried to blend into the crowd.

It didn't work, she made a beeline for me through the moving crowd, I had a good idea of what she had planned. Emma was the one to cut into me with past-shared secrets and well chosen words, but Sophia took pleasure in getting physical, knocking me off balance, tripping me, shouldering me into dropping everything was her M.O.

I could just knock her away now, but as much as it galled me, to do so would just reveal to everyone I had powers. And if anything I had learnt from Gladly's world history, cape families can and are targeted, not often but like with the death of New Waves Fleur it can happen.

The hit wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, anticipating and faking falling is harder than it looks, as I 'fall' from an 'unfortunate' shoulder check, I briefly muse over the humorous sight it must make with someone as small as Sophia knocking over someone as tall as me.

"Wow, aren't you clumsy today Herbert?" She snorted as a few of the crowd titter as I pull myself from the floor, probably pronounced my name wrong on purpose, the bitch.

--​

Standing on the rooftop, Sophia puzzled over her confusion about the behaviour of Taylor. It had looked like the worm had been about to stand up and fight, it had been brief but she had seen it, a flash of fire in her eyes that shouldn't be there.

Even after the locker Emma's ex friend had only pulled further into herself, shaking her head, she scoffed the loser was a victim no matter what Emma tried to say.

Ghosting along her solo patrol, she took care to jump over the more out of the ways alleys, looking for the scum she knew was waiting. Landing with a crouch, a groups laughter caught her attention. Peering over the roof she smiled.

Five skin heads decorated with swastika's tattoo's were following a black woman, walking behind her they were talking and loudly laughing, from the hunched posture and frantic walking Sophia could tell what was being said was bothering the older woman.

Sophia sneered, the prey would run, just letting the strong walk all over her. Ghosting behind the six Sophia kept a watch on them as they walked away from the more populated area's, all she spared for the woman decision to walk off the beaten tracks was a muttered 'idiot'.

Maybe she would fight, maybe not. She just needed to wait for the skinheads push the point where she could use 'reasonable' force to subdue them. Checking her ammo belt she smirked she had a dozen tranquiliser bolts ready for use.

As the black woman turned into an alleyway, Sophia couldn't help but feel something was wrong with the way she was walking, something subtle.

Sophia started, as realisation struck it was a trap.

Clutching her crossbow, she watched in morbid amazement as the black woman straightened, standing taller than the gang members surrounding her, she no longer looked weak or timid. A shiver of excitement shot down her back.

The E88 mooks surrounded the black woman, the lead member, tattooed with a swastika on his cheek, sneered something too quiet for Sophia to catch, but easy to deduce from the crude arm and pelvic thrusts. The black woman just laughed.

Red faced the skinhead stepped closer, his face almost touching the women. Frowning Sophia watched the woman smile, her lips peeling revealing a toothy grin, blinking her teeth seemed wrong, too sharp almost like a sharks. Parahuman?

Too fast for her to see, a slender hand shot forward clutching the closest skinhead's throat, lifting him casually as if he weighed nothing the man struggled, frantically clawing at the hand crushing his throat. The spluttered plea's came out as nothing more than a choked gasp.

Turning to the surrounding neo-Nazi's the shark like grin didn't diminish, as fast as their leader had been taken they hadn't had time to react. Now they fumbled to bring their knives to bare, and the one further back pulled a small snub-nosed revolver.

Waving it threateningly, the woman regarded it curiously her posture of superiority unchanged.

Two deafening bangs filled the alleyway Sophia was watching, flinching she watched as the two bullets shot through the woman chest in a bloody explosion. To her shock, the woman looked at the holes with curiosity, her free hand reached up to touch the blood. Licking the bloodied finger she smiled, as her finger left her mouth the blood leaking from the wounds reversed it's flow, diverting back into the woman's body leaving not a blemish.

She threw her head back and laughed a full body laugh. Shouted cries of 'cape', 'shit', 'run!' came from the now terrified gang members.

Before the free gang members took a step, five thick black tentacles pushed their way from underneath the back of the green shirt. Bulging the bulbous heads of the black tentacles unravelled into a mass of tiny tentacles before reforming into a large Doberman's head, the dog's eyes glowed a vibrant red, slobbering a black icor the dogacles lunged forward each grabbing a fleeing skinhead by the neck.

Purple-faced the neo-Nazi in her hands vice grip began to froth a bloody foam as the screams of his compatriots echoed.

Leaning forward, Sophia watched as the cape ignoring the suspended would be rapists nuzzled the struggling skinhead, before enlarged shark like teeth suck into man's collarbone. Nauseated Sophia reached for her PRT communicator, distractedly twisting to tap her comm's her crossbow scrapped against the rooftops. Three monstrous dog heads turned to stare at her hiding place, holding bloodied bodies limp from their jaws they let loose a deep growl.

Meeting the dead red eyes, she silently stared, a battle of wills. Two seconds later her nerve broke, turning she ran for the opposite edge, launching of the edge she shifted, her gaseous form clawing against the air letting her cross the gap.

Landing in a crouch she glanced behind her, "-dow Stalker?"

Jumping at the voice in her ear, she bit back a curse in surprise. Glancing back, she swore she heard the crunch of bones, focusing on the dispatchers repeated query she tried to think up a way to report her encounter without looking like she ran.

 

[akitsu91]

Police Girl 1.4 (Hellsing/Worm)

Oh, wow.

Leaning in, I burrowed my fingers deeper, shivering a wave of Goosebumps made themselves known.

Biting my lip, I fought to keep myself quiet, no wonder they like it if it feels like this, as I rubbed harder a small whine began to build in my second throat.

I jumped as my leg twitched, my foot stomping on the wooden floorboards. Pausing in my scratching, I listened waiting to hear if Dad was disturbed by the noise, one, two, three, no change in his breathing.

Giving a disappointed sigh, I reluctantly pulled my hand away from my dogacles ear.

Opening my dogacles eyes my vision of my room doubled. They weren't as scary for me now, even if they had the ability to bite through bone and flesh like wet tissue paper.

The dog eyes looking up at the ceiling and mine looking down, the dissonance was followed by a faint ache as I worked to reconcile the opposite and clashing views points. Turning the tentacle head, I watched myself look at myself. It was odd seeing through the eyes of a dog, everything was stretched and just slightly blurred in a greyscale.

Flexing mentally, the head and tentacle dissolved, fading back into my spine along with my double vision. I rubbed my remaining eyes, the improvement of the previously for-decoration ruby eyes from my first attempts, to sharing the senses of my dog heads was incredibly helpful to keep track of gangbangers, however, the feedback from processing non-human visions was irritating.

I glanced at my alarm clock. I had hours until daylight and a plausible hour for me to be up and around the house.

Opening my cupboard, I pulled the two coat hangers off the door, uncovering the hanging mirror. Propped open the cupboard door stood perpendicular to the wall, to allow me a modicum of privacy, if my Dad ever entered my room while I was changing. A few hours would be enough to practice my fine control.

I stared at my reflection in the cupboard door mirror. Tilting my head I sharpened the angle of my cheek, focusing a small black spot appeared on my cheek, like water the small black tattoo shifted to my whims. Slowly the black ink under my guidance began to spread morphing into a stylised capitol E, intricate whirls of black spiralled away from the letter.

"No, too fancy." I couldn't help but mutter to myself.

The few gang members I had seen at Winslow and in the less reputable areas, tended towards more block letters than intricate script. I felt a soft tingle as the added whirls faded back to a normal skin tone. It wasn't too blatant now, a solid E, with intricate whirls within the letter this time, anyone would pass it off as a young skinhead with too much enthusiasm or just me trying for the intimidation factor.

Nodding at my tattoo work, I began to shift the fundamentals of my face, my cheeks bones came more pronounced, my brow thickened, I widened the space between my eyes and thickened my nose. Hesitating slightly I shortened my long curly hair and shifted it to a dark blonde and my eyes to a baby blue.

Taking the transformation in, I didn't recognise myself, my thickened lips quirked in amusement. I looked odd heavyset features, intimidating tattoo and a very masculine face sitting on top of a narrow as a rake girlish figure.

Shaking my head the jowls wobbled slightly, I let loose a muffled snort of amusement.

--​

The warehouse was big, far bigger than it seemed on the outside, stepping across its threshold. I held back a reaction at the suddenness and intensity of noise and smell that assailed my ears and nose. Outside I hadn't been able to hear this commotion, I should have been able to easily hear it through the thin metal walls.

Maybe Tinker tech, was making it impossible for my senses to detect? Looking at the bare iron sheet metal making up the warehouse walls, I couldn't see anything obviously responsible for the discrepancy.

Sound of what looked and smelled like hundreds of people pushed against me, almost like a physical force. There were more nazi's or E88 sympathisers than I had thought there would be, to fill a warehouse as big as this. Pushing into the crowd, I ignored the curious looks at my facial tattoos as I tried to keep track of as many conversations as possible, nearly a dozen snatches of conversations filtered through to me.

"-anny and Tim, just gone" A nasally voice carried from my left, from the corner of my eye, I watched a leather clad man, short and pudgy and with a face that looks like he had been in a losing fight with a wall was talking to a younger boy. "The subs are trying to whittle us down, get us while we are weak-"

"Fucking Chinks" The youth chimed in, nodding along to the elder man. So my activities were being noticed by the common man, good. Drifting deeper into the crowd I made my way towards a central stage.

Decked with heavy wire, the brown elevated platform was under at least a dozen powerful spotlights. Drifting closer I could smell oxidised blood old and new, even through the heady stink of the unwashed masses already blasting my nose.

A cheer started, building and flowing away from the far wall as more people took up the cheer. I couldn't see the cause for the excitement, but under the cheers I could hear a low growl. A celebrity? A Parahuman?

Around the warehouse speakers crackled into life.

"Oi Fuckwits, get out of the way!" The amplified, tinny voice echoed throughout the room, laughs erupted across the room.

A flurry of activity at the centre stage, pulled me from my musing. Two mountains of men steped into view, dragging behind then slavering giants of dogs, well I'd be more willing to compare them to wolves than dogs, but they were massive.

"Welcome for the long awaited event, the reigning Champion 'Blood Hound' vs the dark horse 'Gristle', unstoppable creatures of death, two go in and one comes out!!" Dog fighting?

Each wolf/dog was left chained in a corner opposite each other by a clear leash that managed to hold back their respective weights, a feat belied by the leashes appearance. Leaving the chained platform, the last man out slammed the chain door shut. Leaving the two dogs tied up, with no one to untie them?

My unasked question was answered as the clear leashes dissolved, freeing the two brutes.

"Blood Hound has a hold of Gristle!!" The commentator yelled as the black shaggy dog lunged across the platform, latching its jaws onto the broad shoulders of the short shorn Gristle. Paws lashed out slicing the flanks of each dog, Gristle whined, thrashing, it threw itself bodily over the black brute, lashing out, biting at Blood Hounds hamstrings. The crowd cheered.

"Gristle, has broken free!! AND Blood Hound is limping, we might have a new champion tonight!" Boo's issued from the crowd. Limping, blood leaked from the mouth and multiple gashed over their bodies, the two eyed each other. A sub vocal growl built as they circled each other.

Lunging again the two met, biting and slashing. A moment later Gristle fell to the floor. It's stomach sliced open. Intestines steamed as they cooled in the air. Tainted by the stink of the people around me, I could still appreciate the beautiful smell of the rapidly cooling blood.

"The STILL REIGNING CHAMPION BLOOD HOUND!!!!!!" Cheers and boo's erupted, drowning out the speakers.

--​

Exhaling, a small cloud of mist swirled in front of Amy's mouth. The chilled sub-basement of the PRT's repurposed oilrig, was part of the base she had never visited, nor heard of before, grey steel decorated walls sprawled in front of her as she accompanied Armsmaster to the requested meeting room.

Falling into step behind Armsmaster, Amy ignored a shiver as the cold pierced through her clothes.

"Can I get some details yet?" Irritated, her breath as a white fog swirled as she spoke, around her face.

Armsmaster paused mid-step, tilting his head he turned to the shivering healer, "This is confidential you understand?"

Matching his visored gaze, Amy nodded.

"You are here, to hopefully provide an insight into a Class-A secret," Pausing in his speech, he turned resuming his march. "Two weeks ago, at the scene of a particularly gruesome murder, the PRT rapid response unit was called, after the Ward patrol stumbled across the corpses."

Swiping a small white card, the duo walked through a metallic door, "At the scene, one of the previously determined to be deceased, rose up and attacked the coroner working to remove the bodies."

"Aegis and a few troopers managed to separate the two, a few hours later the coroner succumbed to a manic rage attacking the attending PRT doctors." He sighed, "They too have succumbed to that same rage."

"As far as myself and our analysts can determine this 'plague' is an engineered bio plague or prototype super soldier serum that was released, we believe accidentally,"

Amy narrowed her eyes at the armoured man, glancing around at the solid steel walls, her heart sped up, small motes of frost dropped from her suddenly sweating hands, turning back to the Protectorate leader, she snapped "And I'm a suspect?"

Armsmaster helmet shook negatively, "No, you were eliminated as a suspect,"

"So I was I suspect," Amy muttered, her hackles raised, "But now, I'm here to see if my powers can affect the plague bearers?"

He nodded. "Yes"

As they approached the end of the hallway it was a dead end, about to ask Armsmaster about the dead end a small metal keypad emerged from the wall. Tapping a short numerical sequence the wall shuddered opening with a hiss of hydraulics.

"Why is it so cold?" Amy spoke up, through shuddering teeth.

Stepping through the metal doors, Armsmaster spoke, "The cold is the only method so far that has been effective in combating the plagues vector, any bodily fluid leaving is frozen locking any escaping particulates."

Ahead, Amy could see a large glass window, surrounded with computer monitors and towers. "For everything else the plague is virtually unharmed or unhindered by any tested Tinker disinfectants or antibodies. Aside from incineration or complete isolation, very little works"

The monitors were arrayed around the window, surveillance footage showed on different screens, each with a different restrained and struggling figure.

"Code Name Ghoul," Amy gave a curious glance, "Zombie was decided to have too many negative connotations and if leaked to the public could inspire panic with the general public,"

"Come on," Typing a command, a door opened to one of the holding rooms.

As she approached the groaning form of subject three, she watched as the frost hanging off the restraints shifted and fell as the Ghoul pulled itself towards her approaching form. Slavering a viscous liquid the restrained head tried and failed to face her. However, the milky eyes followed her every step.

Touching the exposed skin of the restrained arm, Amy gasped.

Instead of the biology unravelling within her mind like normal her power stuttered, to her power parts of the biology appeared and then disappeared going from alive to dead, in constant flux.

"It's different," Gathering her bearings, Amy turned to look across the room at Armsmaster, "It's like the body is dead and alive simultaneously or fluctuating between the two so fast it doesn't make a difference, it shouldn't be possible."

 

[akitsu91]

Police Girl 1.5 (Hellsing/Worm)

As soon as the cooling corpse of the losing dog and the limping winner were dragged from the platform, a pair of shirtless men made themselves known.

Entering the ring, the announcer joyously announced the fight, like a pseudo boxing match they began to dance around each other, throwing punches, dodging, while stepping over and trying to avoid slipping in the drying dog's blood.

Cheers erupted as a vicious right hook, caught the shorter man off guard, tearing open his face. A new scent emerged from the chaos of the warehouse. A bitter scent I had smelt several times before, most often whilst I was disguised luring E88 members to their deaths, lust.

Disgusting.

I needed some air, away from the freaks.

Pushing myself through the crowd to the edges of the warehouse and away from the crowd and the stench of pheromones, I caught a whisper of a scream and a shouted threat.

"-nd stay down" Someone was yelling, it was faint just on the edge of my hearing.

Definitely, a feminine voice, curious I walked towards its source, I tried to make out what was being said over the din of the fighting and cheering.

"STAY!" The voice was clearer and louder, talking to someone, commanding? "GUARD"

A door made of sheet metal stood before me, the women's voice was coming from beyond it. My foot stood in something sticky, leading to the door was a bloody trail accompanied by a set of footprints one a man's foot, the other looked like dog prints, but larger.

This must be where the dogs are being kept, the blood trail from the losing dog.

A semi trailer sat in the loading dock, from it I could hear dozens of dogs whimpering and whining from within the massive cage. The corpse of the loser was slumped at the edge of the concrete ledge. Leaning harder against the door I tried to see more of the dock.

Next to the trailer stood mountains of flesh, bigger than the dogs I had seen earlier that night or ever before.

On top of the monsters shoulder a stocky girl sat, bones and spike jutting from the monstrous flesh used as little more than handholds for the women. A whistle and wave of her hand the two riderless creatures moved away from her to stand menacingly in front of the cowering men. The only thing identifying her as a cape was the cheap dog mask on her head, none of the major gangs had anyone with a power set involving giant dogs.

They were brave taking on the empire.

"Where are the keys!?" The dog-masked woman demanded. A bearded man, blood leaking from a cut on his head whimpered as the closest monster turned to him.

"Brutus," The beast twitched as its name was called, pointing at the whimpering man, she barked "Hurt!"

As the giant moved towards him, he shouted, "Wait, Wait, Wait!"

Brutus stopped his advance at the woman's whistle.

"Here, just take it!" He all but screamed as he threw the keys at the rider.

--​

CU: BB ESE ARMSMASTER

This letter is formed for the sole purpose of response to the 'ENE – ARMSMASTER FORM 423-a' seeking permission for experimentation on subjects code named GHOUL is rejected.

At the current time, this body believes that restraint in regards to these troubling matters is prudent.

Several factors have weighed heavily on this decision, alone these factors warrant a comprehensive study, prior to any attempts to replicate and put into use.

Ethical questions to what extent the infected individuals are subsumed by the GHOUL infestation is paramount for both recovery of the lost individual to understanding the transformation.

Safety question concerning the extreme measures required to contain the spread, as well as the concerning revelation from the PANC-NW report about the manner in which the affected subjects straddle the Manton Limit.

A request for a scientific review board has been placed onto the bi-monthly policy meetings agenda, to examine the possible facets of the ramifications of replication.

We thank you for your concerns,

Katherine Fairchild,
Biological Sciences,
PRT Scientific Office,

Armsmaster held back a moan of frustration, crushing the rejection fax, he threw it into his workshop's corner bin. Turning on his armoured heel he began to pace around the cleared centre of his workshop, furiously walking to excise his frustrated energy.

It had been a stroke of fortune for his Wards to discover the infected corpses, he wasn't about to declare divine intervention but… the synergy between his own efficiency orientated armour and the fully realised potential of the GHOUL infection was impossible to ignore.

He could see the advantages the GHOUL's transformation brought, the PRT board had to as well, they were probably saving it for one of their own darling Tinkers.

Suppressing the burst of rage at the idea, his hands shook slightly. He needed the improvements it could offer. Even now, his weeks work only amounted to adding barely another 7% combat efficiency to both his armour and tools.

Nothing he could build compared to those who won the power lottery, and stood above all, worst of all it was not because of hard work but solely because of their power.

The GHOUL's were an inspiration, a completely new way of approaching the problem, effectively a mass producible Brute formula, something like that… in his hands would be truly formidable.

Power consumption of the latest armour model could be reduced to at least a tenth of its current draw by simply being strong enough to move the weighty armour himself. So many subsystems previously excluded to maximise the components he could fits efficiency, could be used to fill the space previously taken by the artificial musculature systems.

The worries in the letter were inconsequential for a tinker of his calibre to deal with, adapting the nano-thorn project's purpose would be trivial to reinforce the behaviour and memory sections of the brain, to receive both the boosted physique and retain his own mental prowess.

He glanced at the bin.

No, he needed to be stronger, and the regeneration and strength offered by the GHOUL was what he needed.

Pausing mid stride, a smile formed on his mouth.

There were hours of data from testing with broad scale analysis on everything from the insane regeneration capabilities to the infections transformation rates, and it was all still on his workstation's computer. Ready access to the GHOUL's would have hastened development exponentially. But with the data already in his systems he could make a reasonable facsimile.

Chuckling he turned, he had a project to start.

--​

Moving across the cities rooftops, my legs elongated to comic proportions and shrunk again with each step I took, crossing the gaps between buildings, I imagine to an observer I looked humorous or maybe a little creepy, a stick thin figure walking on 'stilts' across the rooftops.

They weren't trying to conceal themselves, overconfidence on their part. I could hear them blocks away.

Dropping silently I let my legs shift, absorbing the sound of my fall and the impact, I kept myself to the shadows, obscured by the shadow cast by the green garbage bin I listened to the small group of swastika wearing thug's brag.

The garbage and trash of the alley, assailed my nose, a bitter and rancid stench.

Along my spine, I formed three dogtacles, slowly growing in length they slid down my back and out the bottom of my shirt, exposed to the air the heads shifted into the stocky dog head. Opening my new six pairs of eyes my vision of the dirty alley spread, fracturing.

Conversation froze as the soft red glow from my hound heads lit up the alley.

Cursing, three of them they drew their pistols, while the fourth fumbled for something in his pocket. Something for communication maybe, calling for back up? Their fear saturated the air, drowning out the filth around us.

Ignoring the burning spikes of pain, as the bullets pierced my flesh. My dogtacles lunged forward, each head homed in on a pistol wielding hand. Maws wide the arms up to the elbow were swallowed.

Shifting the throat, thousands of spikes pierced through the swallowed arms, shredding the flesh and guns to be absorbed by me, I shivered as I felt hot blood wash over three of my tongues.

Licking my lips, I flicked the three dogtacles, smashing them and their passengers against the alley walls. With a crack, they went limp in my jaws, silencing their screams.

Pushing the three unconscious Nazis to the side of the ally, I began to walk towards the one who had a small phone in his hand. Seeing me, he started and judging from the expression on his face to his horror, he dropped the phone.

I offered him a toothy smile.

Like a spring, my hand shot forward covering half the distance between us in a second, my arm elongating like an elastic band. Taking a firm hold of his throat I reeled him back to me, my arm snapping back to normal length.

"I have some questions about your organisation," I bit down with one of the Cerberus heads, a wet crunch echoed through the alley, leaning closely I let the prisoner see my grin spread too large for my head, filled with serrated teeth, "I suggest that you answer truthfully, you won't like it if you lie,"

Eyes wide the boy nodded frantically, his chin banging against the side of my hand holding his throat.

Twitching my vocal cords, I let an intimidating reverberation fill my speech. "Good,"

Loosening my grip on his throat, he took a greedy breath his reddened face clearing. Using his preoccupation with restoring normal oxygen levels, I thought of what information I needed to know the most.

Locations of their drug and money storehouses? No, I could find those easy enough on my own.

I needed to know more about the E88 parahumans, how their hierarchy worked I the organisation, if they ever accompanied the normal thugs on their jaunts to terrorise the sub beings, and their reputations be it cruel, honest, cunning anything to get me an edge.

I had been lucky so far, I hadn't crossed paths with any parahumans muscle in my late night walks. With my limited research I knew there were capes I didn't want to come across, ABB's Lung topped my list, followed shortly by Hookwolf, neither a flaming rage dragon or a sentient mass of whirring blades was someone I wanted to face.

Focusing again on my reluctant informant the fingers of my free hand blurred, reforming into black blades.

"Pretty aren't they," Tapping the metal fingers together, a soft chime filled the air. I tightening my grip on his throat, I could feel his fear rise, "Now, listen and listen well, I want to kno-"

-nse that the trees or even the mountains were big. It was big in the way that transcended what she could even see or feel. It was like seeing something bigger than the whole wide planet, except more – this thing that was too large to comprehend to sta-

Opening my eyes, all I could see was the clouds above me and the narrow brick walls framing my vision. What?

Why am I on the ground? Last thing I remember was pressing the skinhead for information.

Squeezing my hand that was holding the Nazi I had been interrogating, I growled at the emptiness. My hand was empty, where was the skinhead?

A glimmer of movement turned my head on reflex, as I turned a blur of colour slammed into my chest.

Pain!

All I could feel was pain as something, something impossibly hard slammed into and through my chest. I could feel it as my bones broke, some into powder the hit was that strong.

Looking down I could see a red and blue glowing arm buried elbow deep into my sternum, the E88 mook was a cape?

Fuck.

 

[akitsu91]

Police Girl 1.6 (Hellsing/Worm)

His arm was still in my chest, unmoving the cape was looking at his embedded arm, an odd expression on his face.

Taking use of his distraction, I shifted my body surrounding the arm, forming thousands of microscopic spines, launching the thousands of spikes, a flash of blue light emanated from my chest, somehow stopping the attack short of the arm, burning the spikes to nothing. A force-field, shit.

Awakened from his stupor by the flash, he looked at me and with an unpleasant squelch and an unhinged grin he pulled his fist from me. Blue and red light swirled around his fist like a fiery glove. Damn it, none of the Brockton Bay capes I had researched had powers like this.

I ignored the burnt smell of my flesh and the slightly hysteric laughter coming from blue-boy, as I closed the smoking hole in my chest.

Spitting out the remains of unconscious and mauled E88 gangbangers from my dogtacles jaws, I brought the Cerberus heads to bear. So far my dogtacles had been able to chew through steel, and the force-fields were only on his hands.

"Shit!" He cursed as I swung them high, slamming the three headed tentacles like a club. My view of the alley shifted back to one person perspective as I lost vision from the tentacles, in the impact a flash of blue was the last thing I saw from those eyes before they were liquefied by the force of the blow.

My ears rung from the sound of cement cracking as the blow drove the cape into the ground, as the dust cleared around his blue embedded form the alley floor was spider webbed with cracks.

Pulling himself up from the imprint in the floor, the blue faded from his back, there wasn't a scratch on him. Automated force-field generation?

Reforming the injured heads, I attacked again using the jaws this time to pin him down. Biting down on his shoulder a blue force-field formed under the teeth. Biting down against the resistance was futile, the teeth were crushed between the shield and the jaw.

Wreathed in red light his hand grabbed the detoothed tentacle's throat. Briefly increasing in intensity the red light flashed, I felt a flash of pain as the now decapitated head dropped from his shoulder, oddly I could still see from the eyes.

"Not so tough, are you," He sneered, taking courage from his attack, stepping towards me underneath his feet lit up. Wide eyed his gait lengthened, somehow covering the ground between us, as a moving blue blur.

In close I tried a slash from my transformed fingers, it failed the same as my other attacks. His fists coloured covering shifted a vibrant red as he swung a haymaker. As the glowing fist hit my shoulder and continued through to my face I felt the flesh and bone collapse under the punch. Jumping back, I attacked again from range keeping him off balance with my tentacles to buy time to rebuild myself.

He was improving, this time he simply back-handing the leading dogtacles, his red hand mostly burned through the head, unfortunately for him he missed the second head as it veered at the last second, dodging his strike and going under his guard. Slamming into his stomach hard, the hit elicited a pained grunt.

Flung away he bounced across the ground, his body lit up in a blaze of blue. No force-field for my sucker punch but one for the ground? Ah ha, his power couldn't protect all of him at once, which was good, if he was distracted its protection was limited. Reforming my jaw I let another dozen tentacles bud from my back. Sliding across the ground I began encircling him, with a blue assisted leap he was at me again, this time a red punch pierced my lung.

Before he could get a chance to extricate himself from my body the tentacles struck. The first tentacle was eroded by the blue shield almost as soon as it wrapped around his arm, no that won't do, I reinforced them, armouring the sides of the tentacle with thicker and denser scales. In a constant state of adapting the half-shadow half-flesh tentacles secured another leg, repairing and reinforcing itself constantly as the colours shifted from red to blue.

Swallowing a mouthful of my own blood, the tentacles secured a solid hold of all his limbs. Coiling tightly around his arms and legs I ignored the smell of smoke coming from his arms. He wasn't so confident now as he struggled frantically. Behind his back I raised a final silent tentacle, striking hard, his focus on the tentacles holding him prone allowed the blow to connect with a crunch.

As my tentacle left the orange sized dent in his head, his shields winked out of existence. Letting his body slump to the ground I sighed. If he had been a better fighter I won't have liked my chances.

Idly as I reforged the unused tentacles into four Cerberus headed tentacles I looked around the alley, I winced at the destruction, our battle may have been quick, but the collateral was impressive. Walls stood with body sized dents, the concrete floor was cracked all the way through to the ground below and… I don't remember destroying that dumpster.

Where were the other three?

Oh, that was annoying, our fight had partially buried the other gang members under rubble and garbage, dragging them from the mess would take a while. Reaching across the alley, I pulled the comatose cape to my face, the pulse was weak but he was still alive.

The blow should have killed him, but it didn't matter, shrugging I bit into his neck, as the blood began to flow I felt something different than the usual euphoria of blood.

Almost like the moment before you sneeze, or the eeriness of calm before a storm. I could almost touch it, if I just reached out, but the harder I reached the more it eluded me. Everything went white. As my vision returned something felt different. A sixth sense of a sort was telling me something was different, it was a small flicker of light within me but not, I couldn't see it but I knew it was there, just waiting for someone to do something.

Glancing at the mess around me and the cape in my hand, it could wait.

Leaning against the broken dumpster crunches of bone filled the alley as the teeth and micro spikes tore apart their bodies, eliminating the evidence.

--​

As I moved across the rooftops, the little glow, like the proverbial rock in a shoe was a continuous irritant, distracting me, demanding my attention.

Stepping up onto the nearby office building, I sank into a meditative pose.

It was one thing to sense it, but how to do something with it. Visualising it glowing brighter or dimmer did nothing, willing it to change, achieved nothing except make my head hurt. I tried to push it with my mind, pulling it had no effect either.

It hung there mockingly, just out of sight.

Visualising a hand I tried to grab a hold of the spark, as the metaphorical hand closed around it, my mind was filled with fire. Images filled my mind, memories not my own but my own swam through my mind, it was a orchestra of noise and colour.

I shook my head I was 15 not 23, and I never had a sister.

-ushed her fringe back behind her ear, kissing her​

crown I ignore the indignant squawk as she pouts​

​

"Big Brother! You're embarrassing me, Stop!"​

​

She looks away, affecting a disinterested expression,​

A second of silence passes, before she turns back,​

a pleading look on her little face.​

​

"Why do you have to go?"​

​

I sigh, pulling her into a hug.​

There isn't anyway to explain it to a five year old,​

​

"Just business, something I have to take care of"​

​

Glimmering her little eyes start to water, I hug her ti-​

No, don't cry it's going to get better. I tried to pull myself away from the growing blaze, the harder I pulled the more memories of people I didn't know swept faster.

A crushing wave of sadness filled my heart as the image of the little blonde girl faded.

-ffled a scream as the belt struck my back.​

​

"I told you to fucking ditch that Kike bitch and​

when I'm coming home, from putting food on the table​

what do I see you and that whore together!"​

​

Another three lashes stick, I can feel the blood dripping​

down my legs, Dad only pauses to take another pull of beer.​

​

"Maybe, I need to have a word with her, eh sonn-"​

Shame, fear, powerlessness… Just… why don't I give up…?

No! It's not real, Dad never hit me, and he loves me.

My hands shaking, I bit down on my gag reflex. A strong​

hand patted my back, startling me from my contemplation,​

I let the pistol drop to the ground.​

​

"Congratulations and welcome to the Empire" he man behind me congratulated me.​

​

I just tried to ignore the glassy eyes of the nigger at my feet.​

I wanted to throw up, the guilt and nervousness as I held the gun to the terrified kids head. The smell of cordite mixed with the disgusting metallic tang of blood made my stomach tremble, if this was the guilt I was missing, I didn't want it not at all. Everything lurched to the side as the surroundings changed again.

-oked around at the crowd, a dozen or so groups of my​

Empire brothers were here, all looked as confused about our summons as I felt​

​

Entering from the right Kaiser flanked by two twins, their presence silenced​

the murmurings of the crowd. Behind him the twins dragged a bloodied​

man, he was somewhat familiar…​

​

"You are gathered here, to witness the fate of those who betray their brothers!"​

​

As Kaiser spoke, the twins threw the beaten man to the floor. Without​

Prompting they dropped two coins at the man's feet. They grew like a vine​

spikes grew off spike wrapping around the man's legs like a metallic rose bush.​

​

Blood spurted as the metal prison dug its way into his body,​

not for the first time I hoped to never come across a cape in a fight​

Kaiser was on our side and he was fucking terrify-​

Why aren't I running, he is a monster! Because once you're in, you're in for life the cynical part of my mind supplied. Then everything fell right, oh I recognise this alley…

-Shit, shit, shit it's the Reaper, she, he, it whatever it was terrifying,​

red eyes stared into my soul, no one had escaped that they wanted dead​

​

I ignored my guns reassuring weight on my hip, instead going for my phone​

as Johnny started shooting, if I could get back up, maybe Hookwolf would gut the bitch.​

​

I ignored John and Danny's frantic firing. Grabbing at my cell phone, I nearly​

swore as my sweaty fingers fumbled trying to open the clamshell. Glancing up to see​

why they stopped, I froze red-eyed monsters had them by the shoulders, each with an arm gone.​

​

As the phone fell from my shaking hands I held back a scream as a black​

arm shot across the alley like it was made of rubber, grabbing my throat.-​

As I returned from the fast forwarded highlights of mister blue's life, I was in the dark dry heaving, trembling I shook my head pushing the vivid images, smells and sensations from my mind. I tried to open my eyes to dispel the darkness, nothing happened.

What?

Reaching up to my face, I froze, I could smell blood on my hands…

Gingerly touching my face, I discovered the problem. Reforming my face and my displaced eyes in a burst of shadow, I looked down as my bloodied hands, they still smelled delicious nothing like I had felt at the initiation's memory.

Licking them and the crushed eyeball gloop, I tried not to shiver at the fear I had felt, or how easy it had been to claw my own eyes out.

 

[akitsu91]

2.1

Sipping his scotch, the ice afloat in the coloured spirit clinked against the squat glass. As the familiar burn of expensive alcohol enveloped his throat, Kaiser gazed out his building's massive windows, above most of the city, his unimpeded view oversaw most of Brockton Bay, his city.

Everything the light touched would be his, his rule would be absolute. Only the Asian Dragon's forces held his Empire in check, preventing his domination of the city. The insignificant gnats like the Merchants filled the unwanted space between struggling behemoths gnawing at the leftovers.

Nursing the icy glass, he turned from the panoramic view, back to his desk and the patiently waiting men arrayed opposite him. Silently he assessed the unmasked men. Victor probably using skills appropriated from a diplomat or negotiator was calm and collected and Hookwolf more used to the physical aspects was beginning to show subtle signs of fidgeting and impatience but still presented a stoic image.

Picking up a Manilla folder from the midst of the cluttered quarterly reports and various memo's, he dropped the folder on the desk's edge, gesturing with a finger he indicated for the men to take the collated files from within.

Divvying up the stapled sheets, the two lent back in there chairs reading. Watching the younger man speed read a document in a fraction of the time it had taken him, Max again wondered at the breadth of skills Victor had collected.

"We have a problem, at the moment it is small, only a few dozen men have been disappeared. We cannot afford to look weak in the face of these attack," Idly his ring finger tapped the glass, "The Ward Shadow Stalker had a brief encounter with the cape our men have so affectionately named 'The Reaper'."

The report, obtained from a PRT operative sympathetic to the Empire for a small cash donation, was sparse on actionable intel but did give a description of who had been behind the disappearance of the lower level members and an idea of their powers when they had none to go on.

"A cannibal," Victor's muttered in astonishment, silently Max raised an eyebrow. It was rare for cracks in Victor's poker face to occur.

"Shame she's a Nigger," Hookwolf spoke up, rubbing his chin's stubble. "The trick with the heads would have been good for the dog fights,"

"I would prefer this annoyance to be dealt with in-house," Setting down his glass of scotch, Kaiser paused for effect, "However, if you are unable to eliminate this problem in a timely manner. Our allies have access to a selection of useful Thinkers."

Leaning forward, his eyes sought and matched each lieutenant's gaze. Victor maintained an emotionless facade while Hookwolf sweated slightly under the gazes intensity, "I would very much like to not have to use that contingency"

Victor nodded, sitting the papers on the table, he drew on a former South African commando's liberated guerrilla warfare and urban conflict skills "It's a hit and run operation, attacking isolated individuals or small groups. They will be difficult to track down without setting bait"

Max nodded.

"Maybe their power is too weak for anything else?"

"Dog heads, fast healing and possibly super strength?" Victor mused, "But, she might be vulnerable to light and sound bursts above normal levels…"

"Flashbangs?" Hookwolf grunted, "Like Purity's blasts?"

Max's eyes narrowed minutely at the reminder, Kayden had been reticent to return to the fold.

"Yes," Victor nodded, "As well hitting the canine heads with a dog whistle might serve as a useful distraction. The report seems suggests an impressive level of coordination for the heads, it seems indicative of there being some level of shared senses,"

--​

My nose filled with the smell of frying bacon as I smiled. Every now and then Dad would wake up early and fill the house with the smell of cooking bacon and eggs, a rarity in the last few years without mum.

Leaving my room, I could hear Dad moving around the kitchen.

Stepping into the kitchen, Dad started to serve breakfast.

"Ah, I was just about to come and wake you," He pointed to the set table, "Take a seat it won't be long,"

Watching as the plates and cutlery clattered I felt a small bubble of guilt. Keeping everything from him, if he ever found out, it would hurt him, but it was better for him in the long run if he didn't know about Emma, Sophia or my patrols.

We were mostly silent as we ate, neither of us were talkative the silence was comfortable. The bacon's taste was flatter than it should have been, most 'normal foods' since my trigger tasted flat, not bad or flavourless. They just tasted different compared to what I could remember and compared to the stolen memories.

"How's school been?" He worried about Winslow, especially after the locker.

"Better, Dad…" Chewing on a mouthful of bacon and eggs I deflected giving a small smile, "Why do you ask?"

"You just seem happier these last few weeks," He shrugged, swallowing the last mouthful of eggs on his plate "I thought you might have made a new friend"

It was nice thought, since Emma I had been alone a friend would be nice, I smiled at the thought as I took my plates to the sink.

I stiffened as Dad pulled me into a hug. Cautiously I let myself lean into the hug, it was nice to have the warm arms around me. I had been terrified I would break one of his ribs before I got a handle on my strength… and I didn't realise how much I missed them.

"You'll tell me if you're having problems, right kiddo?" I nodded into his shoulder, it was a little lie. But it made him happy.

--​

Stepping left I dropped low, my invisible enemy's speeding fist sliding past my head missing by millimetres, crouched my hand began shifting into a pitch black claw, as I swiped at my invisible foe tendrils of shadowy fire trailed behind the transformed hand.

-ab the Knife!" The boys behind me call as I lunge at the idiot in front of me, I catch his arm as he swings his little switch blade at me. I tighten my grip on his green and red sleeve as I lean in, I can hear my boys have his compatriots taken care of.

"Drop it China Man" I orde-​

Dodging back I clear half the narrow room, as I evade the return swing, twisting my body to the right I step around my foe. Lashing out with leg sweep at his legs, I collapse their knees.

-lam the balding ginger man into the wall, the few family pictures we have rattle on their hooks, his boxers only managing to conceal him by the grace of god. He coughs blood as I punch his nose.

"Now I saw what you have on your computer, you sick fuck," As he whimpers I push my forehead to his, "The only reason your still fucking breathing is because you didn't touch Susie, now I'm going to be generous today. You will run and never return… if I see you again, well…"

Leaving the threat hanging the door slams behind his running form, I sigh rubbing my eyes.

Damn it mum, a ped-​

Leaping forward the downed foe I brought my transformed fist down, smashing through the imaginary opponents head, impacting with a dry crack and a small plume of dust.

Blowing my fringe from my eyes, I pulled myself from the crouch. Inspecting the damage, it wasn't too bad, a fist shaped indent was the only real indication my mock fighting had been going for the last hour in the warehouse.

I huffed. I wasn't tired or sweaty physically, a feat that made me want to slap myself for working out in this dingy warehouse in just my sports bra and bike shorts.

Instead I felt the mental fatigue from the constant mental strain of holding a miniscule tendril to the memories of the E88 cape, it was small but it was getting bothersome. The memories spark still hung at the edge of my senses and was constantly irritating like a small pitched whine or an achy tooth.

Yay for powers…

And like an achy tooth I couldn't help but poke at, which was followed by a wave of stolen memories, but nothing of the intensity I had felt the first time.

The tragic past aside, memories of fighting for my life or the unwritten rules of the streets were an information goldmine. Definitely worth the blow to my ego seeing how little my patrols had done to curb the Empire's activities, the non capes feared their leaders more than my spectre.

It was disquieting, with the experience of street fights for normals I could see the impracticalities of my Cerberus heads. They were excellent for ambush and intimidation, but I couldn't fight a cape with just them, the physics were all wrong to have me and the heads both in motion, and the tentacles themselves provided difficulties especially with the problems of close quarters and Brutes. Could I make them independent of me?

One had been decapitated in the fight and I could still see through it, maybe… Shifting my hands back to my normal hands, I sighed. Ending the connection to the spark, the fighting instincts fresh in my mind began to dull, my posture shifted subtly back to norm-

I felt my stomach roil, doubling over I gagged as I felt my stomach wrench sideways. As the pain faded, I lay on the ground gasping for air, looking at my stomach I stifled a scream.

I stared, shocked.

A head, neck and a shoulder were jutting from my stomach, fused to me like a demented carnival act. Milky white eyes stared from a slack face at the ceiling, I couldn't hear a heartbeat, nor any breathing. How did I? I didn't visualise anything to shift, and how the hell did I make clothes?

Tentatively I touched the face, I-i could feel it…

I had been touching the spark when-

Oh…

I recognised that face now… Mister Blue.

I am so sorry.

M-maybe there were more than just memories in the little spark?