Rationality is a blessing. If you use it.
MageOhki
I trust you know where the happy button is?
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Rationality is a blessing. If you use it.
A voice interrupted Taylor, drawing Taylor's eyes to the person in the doorway. A grey purple body stood framed by the doorway, her iridescent eyes seeming a bit concerned,and rainbow hair to her shoulders marked the Alchemical known as Dragon framed by the door and then she began to speak.
"Mind if I interrupt?" Taylor's eyes, as well as Emma's and Lisa's were drawn to Dragon, who had shifted from her normal form that most saw her as, while coming to Taylor's house.
Sarah threw up her hands. "Sure." Getting a hint from Dragon, she grabbed Emma, and dragged her upstairs. "We need to clean up anyways."
Dragon waited for a minute, as she watched the two go upstairs, and held up her hand for a minute, until she heard water running. Turning back to Taylor, she quirked an eyebrow. "Normally I'd ask why you're upset with them, but… I see Sol Invitius did the same to you, as Autochthon did to me."
Taylor blinked. "What are you talking about?" She put her hands on her hips and stared at the Alchemical.
"Gave you memories… though I'm thinking yours aren't as complete as mine, of the Future that would not be." Dragon sighed.
Taylor paused, and sighed. "Would explain the nightmares…" The raven haired Solar muttered. The younger of the two exalts paused for a second, then spoke again. "Why would he do that?"
Dragon sat down, and gestured at a chair across from her. Taylor obeyed, feeling for some reason, maybe related to her dreams, deep respect for the heroine in front of her, and listened to what she had to say.
"I don't know for sure. Autochthon did not explain to me, nor did Sol explain to you." Dragon sighed. "I have some theories, mind you, mostly revolving around them wanting us to have an understanding of the choices we must make, and the challenges ahead of us. Especially if we want to not only save Earth Bet, but all the Earths."
Taylor tilted her head, and then sent her hair moving as she indicated her dismissal of that idea. "They could have just given us notes!" She shook her head. "Why do I have to feel that Emma is a raging bitch. Why do I feel sadness around you?"
"... Because as Sarah said, we have the memories and emotions associated with what could have been. What we are trying to prevent." Dragon nodded in affirmation. "It could have been their best way, or maybe, their easiest?" The Chosen of Autochthon sighed. "I doubt they'd answer if we asked."
"We could… pester them til they answered?" Taylor tilted her head. "Would that work?"
Dragon laughed. "Maybe. But… yes, they're right. It was what could have been."
"So, I'm stuck overcoming those memories." Taylor glared at the wall, seeing dreams and events that had not happened yet or would ever happen. "Sucks."
Dragon nodded. "Yes, it does. But… while I can help you, I can't do it for you, that is your trial." She paused. "And about your parents?" she inquired.
Taylor nodded at the first statement, then froze she continued. Dragon could see the fury return to Taylor's eyes.
"What about them?" Taylor hissed in reingited fury. "The fact that my mother abandoned us? Thinking we were dead?" The Solar shook her head. "The fact that my father wouldn't tell me anything, was soul dead for over half a year, and then became a cold bastard who'd not tell me anything?"
Dragon winced at the fury. The latter had more to it than the former, so she decided to deal with it.
"That's not the only reason you're angry at him."
Taylor nodded at that statement. "I feel that…" She stood up, throwing her hands. "That his change to what he was before Mom returned is something that isn't what should have been! But I'm happy about it!" She pulled at her hair for a second. "That finally he's DOING something, not just for the time he spent doing nothing, but far longer!"
"And you don't know why?" Dragon inquired again. Receiving a nod, she sighed. "Apparently your memories didn't show you why yet."
"... Gee, he was that way til the end of the world?" Taylor snarled. "He never got over it?"
Dragon nodded. "I wouldn't say completely that way, but…"
"RRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Taylor howled. "Goddammit!"
"Err…" Dragon was nonplussed.
"He only cared about Mom!" Taylor seethed. "So, when the PRT told him they thought someone stole her body, he got fired up, but when I needed him!" She was raging in fury.
Dragon stopped for a moment, and an idle thought crossed her mind. Maybe Jessica? Shaking her head for a second, she sighed. "Or honestly, want another possibility?"
"WHAT?"
Dragon recoiled ever so slightly, but shook herself. "Maybe it was all he knew to do? Maybe he couldn't handle the thought of you finding out someone had stolen your mother's face? Maybe he couldn't figure out how to reach out to you? And in the Future that would not be… he never got a kick to the ass enough to fire him back up." Dragon shook her head. "Just… think on it."
Taylor fumed for a moment, then drew a deep breath. "He's going to have some explaining to do." Taylor's eyes were cold and furious, but she had brought herself under some form of control. Dragon was reminded of Skitter on a mission, unpleasantly.
"That… he will." Dragon wasn't going to spare the Lunar his fate. Or the likey beating he was about to get. But, she had to divert the possible Warlord from becoming cold and nothing but a weapon. "As for your mother..."
"I'm not sure she gets to be called that anymore." Taylor's eyes were still furious, but the ice that was in her voice also shone in her eyes now.
"She is. I can't say for sure, but I am mostly convinced the Neverborn can see parts of the Loom."
Taylor was thrown off for a second… "The Loom? As in the Loom of Fate Sarah talks about?"
"Yes." Dragon nodded then continued. "If they say your death would happen if your mother came back to Brockton bay before you exalted, which, to be honest, given Abyssals and what your mother was up to… and well…"
"Brockton Bay?" Taylor inquired aciditicly.
"Again… yes." Dragon sighed. "Sol clearly wanted you as one of his priestesses. As one of his Chosen. You dying would not make him very happy, nor help the world, given everything."
"So, what, you're saying the Dead Primordials did something good?" Taylor snorted. "That sounds…"
"They've changed, or so I'm told. Apparently they're not all into destroying the world for Oblivion anymore. Why… I honestly don't know." The Alchemical shrugged. "But… that's what I think happened with your Mother. It matches what she has said, well what little she has anyways."
"Why would she simply not even mail us a letter?" Taylor plopped down and asked softly.
Dragon shook her head. "If the Neverborn said any contact could get you killed til a certain point… If she truly loves you, she'd never risk it."
"But…" The Solar looked drained. "Why would it?"
Dragon had thought about this, and sighed, knowing that Taylor wouldn't like the answer. "Because, if the various organizations, gangs, the PRT, the CUI, the Elite, and many others realized if Shadowy Wings was really a renamed Annette Herbert, they would have tried to use you and Danny against her. I have severe doubts that you'd tolerate that, or your father."
Taylor was silent for a moment. "... I didn't think of that. Mom would so go after the Nazis if she stayed in the Bay. And with the Asian gangs organizing… shit, she'd have gone after them, given that they're sexist as hell."
"Yes. Then you have the CUI, who'd love having an Exalt if they thought they could, though their techniques wouldn't work on us… or the Elite?" Dragon raised an eyebrow.
"Fuck." Dragon raised an eyebrow at that statement. "They're going to come, aren't they?"
"Yes. But now you can personally stomp most of them into the ground." Dragon smiled. "And so can your father, Emma, most of her family…"
Taylor paused. "Uncle Alan though… Wouldn't he be at risk?"
"From whom? I've already taken steps to steer Lung away, instead of him coming… not sure they'll work, but." The former AI sighed. "Even then, he's not the type to take hostages, get in your face maybe…" Dragon mused, then shook her head. "The Nazis? They're gone effectively. Elite and others, we can keep an eye on."
Taylor blinked at Dragon's clinical observation. "Who's Lung?"
"Parahuman that grows to meet the threat, I'll give you all briefings on him later." Dragon shook her head.
Taylor thought for a moment, then asked softly. "... And how would we deal with them? I got beat, so did Emma."
"By Training!" Dragon smiled. "We can train, grow more powerful, more skilled, more abilities and tricks."
"... more Sifu torture?" Taylor asked, a bit hesitant.
"And me." Dragon paused for a moment, then looked at Taylor. Dragon sighed and brought up the last topic she wanted to cover, for Taylor's sake. "Though given the Future that would not be… I can see why Sarah made the offer. So you'd know she's on your side, and is your friend." Dragon shook her head slightly, indicating her thoughts on the idea, then stated them. " I don't think it's a good idea. Trust needs to be given and kept, and developed over time, I think, not compelled by oaths that'll get you killed if you break them, even by accident."
Taylor once again thought.
[ ] Accept Sarah's Offer, and off to Yu-Shan!
[ ] If she's going to move on beyond the memories of the other time, she needs to trust.
[ ] Just start training!
[ ] Write In
AN: Sorcery path… *unlocked* For Taylor.