There were already far more press releases in my life than I ever thought there would be. The heads of the two families of New Wave put together some large upscale party to for Cheshire and I to reveal our identities, along with Dad stating that we were officially joining New Wave as a third family. It all went by rather quickly for me, especially for something was set up in just a couple of hours. Yet, despite the short notice of it, Vista, Clockblocker, Thusly, another female Ward called Self-Made were there. Armsmaster and Velocity came, though neither had approached me yet. All of the major press outlets had come too, but I was thankfully able to avoid them for the most part after Cheshire and I had made the announcement. Now comes the harder part, surviving the rest of the party.
Panacea and I separated ourselves from the main group as much as possible, but I stick out like… a magical cartoon horse at an upscale party. There was really no way to get away from the main group of people. But I was saved from answering yet another series of questions from a reporter when Thusly and Self-Made came up to me.
Self-Made was a tall girl, coming in at almost six feet and towering over Thusly. She wore a green domino mask and had strawberry blonde hair hanging loosely around her shoulders. As far as a costume went, it wasn't very creative, sporting what was basically a spandex bra and some leggings. Both of with a deep green colour.
Thusly dress far more conservatively with his costume. What he wore looked like the closest thing to patchwork power armour as Tinker tech could get. It had a steel exoskeleton but every section of it sported a different style of Tinker tech. If it was normal Tinker tech I wouldn't have even noticed it having a distinct style, but when put next to each other all the different kinds of tech he was wearing seemed completely different than what is next to it.
"Hello," Thusly said with a smile. "I was wondering if you knew were Cheshire was. We were in an interesting conversation about the actual barrier between Tinkers and humans last time when met."
"Hi there," Self-Made said before I could respond to Thusly. "Do you have both kidneys by chance?"
"Um…yes?" I said, shooting her and odd look.
"Self-Made," Thusly said, turning to face her. "We've talked about this." She rolled her eye and Thusly turned back to me and shrugged. "Excuse her, she is just a little insane, no big deal."
"Hey," she protested. "I'm not crazy, I just don't understand why people are so protective of their internal organs."
Thusly sighed.
"So," I said, trying to change the subject. "You know Cheshire?"
"Yes," Thusly said. "She called me two days ago when things start cooling down, had some questions and the like. All been very interesting for the most part."
"I think I remember Cheshire saying you were a Thinker?" Panacea asked.
"Yes, I understand things. Big things, small things, all manner of other things. So long as it is a 'thing' I can usually understand it."
Before Panacea or I could say anything else, Self-Made asked,
"Hey bro, can I put on my party face and get out my drinking liver? The wine here looks great."
Thusly sighed again. "Sure, but make sure you do it in the bathroom."
"But why?" Self-Made whined.
"Because you know how people react when you take your face off and put on a new one."
"Pfft, fine." Self-Made turned on her heels and started skipping away.
"Is she always like that?" Panacea asked once she was out of earshot.
"Pretty much." Thusly said with a nod. "My sister is very... nice to people when you get to know her, would be absolutely horrified to learn she actually hurt someone. She just doesn't quite understand why people generally dislike it when they wake up with their organs missing. She took my left lung a few years back while I was asleep. Took several days to convince her to give it back."
"That seems like it might be difficult," I noted.
"Well, it is really only a problem when people walk in while she swapping out parts. I can still remember the time Vista accidentally walked in on her tuning up her muscles. Almost everyone in the PRT building could hear her shriek."
Suddenly, a hand reached through warped space and hit him upside the head. A second later Vista and Cheshire were standing next to us, both with a mischievous grin on their faces.
"Ah, Cheshire." Thusly said, clapping his hands together and spinning around to face her. "I was just looking for you, you think you have time to-"
"Yes," Cheshire answered.
"Good, well then, right this way." Thusly gestured in one direction and they began walking. We waited for them to get out of earshot before we continued to speak.
"Hey Nova," Vista said, putting her hands on her hips. "It's been a while."
"Yeah," I answered. "Things have been a little hectic lately."
"Sure," Vista said with a shrug. "But we're going to go back doing patrols together again soon right? Now that this whole nonsense with The Sentient and the other gangs is finally cooling down things might get a little back to normal."
"Don't jinx it," Panacea said as she took a sip from a cup I don't remember her picking up.
"Right," Visita said with a small laugh. "Well, Clockblocker and I have to head back to base, we've been pulling more shifts recently because of, well, you know." She waved her hand in the air as a sort of half-gesture. "Self-Made and Thusly volunteered to stay here though, so you'll see them around."
"How are things in the Wards?" I asked. "Now that you're almost outnumbered by former criminals?"
Vista shrugged. "It's taken some adjusting. Shadow Stalker is… a massive bitch. Then there is this guy who got to keep his old cape name called Grue. He can be nice, but he is really bitter about having the join the Wards and doesn't really say why. I haven't seen much of Regent though. They say he hasn't done anything really public with that name and costume so he'll probably be able to keep it, but apparently, the therapist's haven't cleared him yet or something. I'm not sure when he'll join up, but he didn't seem like a particularly nice person."
"What about Self-Made and Thusly."
"They're…. Really weird." Vista said, a strange look crossing the bit of her face I could see. "Self-Made just doesn't understand boundaries or what normal behaviour is when it comes to her power. There was one time she was operating on her leg on the couch in common area of the Ward's rooms. Said she was fixing a small break in her quadruple jointed knee. And then she showed me why she needed a quadruple-jointed knee." Vista shuddered.
"Thusly seemed okay," Panacea pointed out. Vista snorted.
"He seems that way, but ask him about science in even the smallest capacity and he'll start talking about it at a million miles per hour, flapping his hands like crazy and whatnot. And of course, none of us really understand what is being said."
"No wonder he likes to talk with Cheshire," I stated. Vista glanced back at Armsmaster, who was waiting impatiently by the door out of the building. Turning back to me, Visita said,
"I really got to go now, see ya later."
"Bye," I said with a hoof wave. Panacea gave a silently wave after her.
Once she was gone I turned back to Panacea and asked,
"So, do you know what you want to do next?" I was hoping she would say something that let us leave the party. I wasn't as bad at social situations as I once thought, but that didn't make this party any more enjoyable. It was worse because it was one of the more up class parties people used to talk to other people about things outside of the party. I could see Carol talking to three men with a serious expression on her face. Similar to the one I saw when she helped Panacea and I make that contract with the companies for the potions, her business face.
"Actually," Panacea said slowly. "I was thinking I should go talk with Victoria. Maybe head home after the party."
"Are you sure?" I said, unable to stop the concern from creeping into my voice. "You know you don't have to go back if you don't want to."
"It is only going to get harder the longer I put it off." Panacea said sullenly. "But if things don't get much better, I can always come back right?"
"Absolutely."
She gave me a stiff nod and started walking off into the crowd to find Glory Girl, leaving me alone in a room full of people. I raised my head above the crowd to see if I could spot someone I could go talk to. It left me with an odd sensation, knowing I had people I actually wanted to see and talk to. I didn't have that for the longest time in Winslow. Things have changed.
I noticed my dad wasn't here anymore, probably left the first moment he could. This wasn't his thing any more than it was mine. Self-Made was trying to convince someone to give her alcohol. I can only imagine her trying to justify it to him. Thusly and Cheshire were walking around the edges of the room conversing. Just like Vista had said, he hands were flying all over the place as he talked with an impressive speed. He would clap, wave, and even spin completely around once or twice. It was actually kind of amusing to watch.
Suddenly, there was someone standing next to me, popping into existence out of nothing. She wore trash clothes, despite having an above average appearance otherwise. We stared at each other for a few moments before she cracked an impish grin.
"Hey," she said. "Name's Aisha, I was wondering if you could help a friend of mine out."
"Um… what?" I asked. Her impish grin grew slightly.
"She's just outside, think you can meet with her?"
"I don't normal blindly follow someone who only just popped into existence in front of me."
"Oh, don't worry so much," Aisha said, waving her hand dismissively. "Besides, all of New Wave is here. Who would want to try something with both you and Collateral Damage Girl in the same place? Come on, she's just outside the door."
She started walking off before I could protest so I decided to follow her. Just to find out what it was she wanted. People parted around us as we walked, mostly due to my presence I would guess. Cheshire and Thusly didn't seem to notice our approach though, allowing me to catch a snippet of their conversation.
"...issue of trying to get the body to accept the lobster enzymes responsible for the telomere restoration." Thusly stated.
"An artificial virus could spread the correct genetic code across the body," Lisa suggested
"A promising solution, but the DNA sequences used are too easily recognizable by CRISPR. I was thinking of using gene doping to get the…" His voice faded out into the sound of a thousand other conversations as we moved away. But I wasn't that bothered as I didn't understand what either one was saying.
Aisha nudged the door or and lazily moved aside so I could get through. I followed her out and looked around. It was an exit on the side of the building space, making it like a very wide alley. When I didn't immediately see anyone else I shot Aisha an accusing look. She rolled her eyes at me and called out,
"You can come out now."
As soon as she said it, an older woman with bright brown hair and a baby in her arms came around the nearest corner and looked at me seriously.
"Nova," she said. "I... Look, I'll just right to the point. My name is Kayden Anders and both Aisha and I could use your help. The Sentient are hunting us down."
Using my telekinesis I poured Kayden another cup of coffee. She accepted with a silent nod, taking it in one hand as her other hand was holding Aster. Aisha had one foot on the edge of the table, pushing against it so she balanced her chair on the back two legs. I had managed to pull Cheshire away from the party and Thusly to bring her with us. It was better to have her here to help vet their story. I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, but when it came to Purity it was better to not take the chance.
"Why don't you start from the beginning," I said, taking a seat on the floor and looking. Kayden took a deep breath and a sip of her coffee. She set the cup back on the table and pulled Aster closer.
"It is pretty straightforward," Kayden began. "I had left the Empire a while back. I wanted a better life for Aster. And things were stable for a long time. I might not say great, but stable. But then Industry happened and started coming after me. At first, I was able to fight off the gang but they weren't holding back. They were fighting to kill me, and it was getting hard to fight them off because of it. When the gang was revealed to be part of The Sentient, they broke into my house and attack us there. I was able to make it out with Aster, but…"
"There was another one," Cheshire stated. "Your son? No, stepson."
"Theo," Kayden said bitterly. "They were trying to kill me, but they just took him. I have no idea what they've done with him."
"And then what happened?" I asked.
"I was on the streets," Kayden said with a shrug. "Every time I tried to contact anyone, anytime I tried to do anything, The Sentient found me and attack me again. I was stuck on the street, hiding from everyone on the chance that they were Sentient. And that's when I met Aisha."
We all looked at her. She nodded and said,
"Sounds about right."
"Aisha has been attacking The Sentient on her own," Kayden supplied. "She'll follow them to their bases, steal their supplies for the two of us. But her power will cut out when they said that passcode of theirs, which is where I come in."
"The phrase doesn't work on you?" Cheshire asked.
"Not in the same way it works on Aisha," Kayden corrected. "I get a headache, and it gets hard to focus on my light beams. But I can keep going, unlike Aisha. Together we've survived the last couple of days."
"Okay," I said with a nod. "What about you," I asked, pointing a hoof at Aisha. "Why have you been out on the street?"
"It was more of a choice thing," Aisha said dismissively. "My brother went and got himself caught by the fuzz, I decided I didn't want to stay home much after that. These Sentient were easy pickings for someone like me-"
"When you're avoiding their cameras," Cheshire muttered.
"-So I've been taking their stuff when I met Luftmother and Hitler's Youth," Aisha continued, shooting Cheshire a look as she did so. "And I, being the selfless black girl I am, decided to help her out. Its helps she can go all blitzkrieg on their asses." Out of questions, I looked at Cheshire to see if she had anything to ask. She considered them for a few moments, her eyes moving back and forth between them.
Finally, she sighed and said, "They're telling the truth, for better or worse." I raised an eyebrow at her.
"For better or worse?" I asked. Cheshire shrugged.
"I think they've captured Theo to indoctrinate him into their ranks," she said. "But if what Will said about their training process was true, he'll more than likely trigger in the process. After that, it is all up in the air."
"I thought they hated capes?" Kayden said stressfully, a worry line creasing on her forehead. "Why would they take my stepson?"
"It is part of their recruitment strategy," Cheshire explained. "They pine for anyone that might have a reason to hate capes. People who have lost their jobs or loved ones because of reckless cape fights. Will was a con man that got locked up because he unwitting tried to con a Thinker, they used that in their recruitment strategy with him, tried to make him hate capes with it." Cheshire paused and looked at Kayden. "Can you think of any reason Theo might dislike the way capes has influenced his life?"
Kayden hung her head, but Aisha leaned forward, dropping back onto all legs of her chair as she said,
"Are you serious? His parents are super-powered Neo-Nazis, how can he not be a little bitter?"
"Who is Will?" Kayden asked. "You said he knows about The Sentient, can he help us get Theo back?"
Cheshire and I shared a look for a moment. After a second, Cheshire apparently decided that it was okay to share it with them.
"Will Holden is the real name of Max Clay, the man that pretended to be in charge of The Sentient in their video message." She stated.
"What?" Kayden asked, her eyes widening a little. "You mean he isn't? And how do you know-"
"We have him locked in our basement," I interrupted. Both Aisha and Kayden looked at me with a little shock.
"But if you have him," Kayden began, struggling to decide what she wanted to ask, "Why haven't you turned him into the PRT? If he knows so much then-"
"The PRT is crawling with Sentient moles," Cheshire answered. "Even if they weren't hopelessly corrupt, the PRT wouldn't be able to hand this as well as we could."
"Ah," Aisha said, nodding sagely. "The government fucking sucks, I'm shocked. Truly, and utter shocked."
"Can we see this 'Will'?" Kayden asked. "Not to be unappreciative for what you've already done and what you might do to help us, but this is a little hard to believe."
"Of course," I said, rising off the floor and stretching my wings as I did so. "Follow me, he's in the basement."
They all rose out of their chairs and moved to follow me as I trotted in the correct direction. We passed my father's old armchair on the way where I noticed an empty beer bottle sitting by itself. That reminded me, where was my father? He had already left the party both I had and I hadn't seen him here at all.
The question was answered when I heard deep laughter coming from the basement.
The scene we encountered coming down to the basement was almost comical. There were two cases of beer sitting on the floor, the first one almost empty. My dad had put a folding lawn chair next to Will's cell and was sitting in it, beer in hand. Will, on the other hand, was standing. He was leaning his full weight against the bars of the cell because apparently, he was really really drunk.
"Dad?" I asked. "What's going on here?"
"Oh, Taylor," he said standing up. "I thought I would talk to Will, us being the only two normal people in this mess. But, um, he apparently can't hold his alcohol."
"Oh yes," Will said with a drunken slur. "I am a ridiculous lightweight when it comes to this stuff. I'm tipsy with just one beer, let alone more. And trust me, drunk Will is a complete moron. Wait, am I drunk Will?" He took a step away from his cell bars and nearly fell over. He took a moment to steady himself.
"Oh yeah," he said. "I'm definitely drunk Will."
"Um, Will?" I asked. "Can you-"
"Oh god!" He said, throwing himself against the bars and pointing at me. "You don't know how hard it is to pretend to be a supervillain unable to drink. It's is, like, a requirement to be sipping on scotch or eating something. It makes you look like an asshole, with is completely necessary for the look. I had to settle for suckers and lollipops. Bloody F-ing lollipops Nova. I tried to fake the alcohols once by putting apple juice in a scotch glass, but then the ice melts and it gets all gross and stuff. I mean, why do people keep scotch and whiskey in a room temperature bottle if they're just going to put ice in it? It doesn't make any sense. Super villainy doesn't make sense."
"Jesus Christ," Cheshire said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Should have just stayed at the party with Thusly."
"Thusly?" Drunk Will asked before anyone else could respond. "Is that a boy? Do you have a boyfriend smiling cat from that one kid's book? You know, you would look really adorable with a boyfriend."
"That's not what is happening here." Cheshire protested. "I don't even like people. He doesn't like people for that matter."
"Oh, asexual Thinkers, how droll." Will said with a slur, stumbling a little against the edges of his cell. "That isn't an excuse. If he's asexual, and you're asexual, why don't you come together and form a pair of bi-asexuals."
"What- How- That doesn't make any sense!"
"Oh please," Will said, waving his hand at her. "What fun is there in making sense?"
"I'm fucking done," Cheshire said, turning around and walking out.
"Will," I said, putting a hoof to my face. "Any chance you are sober enough to tell us how we would get back someone The Sentient have kidnapped."
"Oh, that's easy." Will said. "We make Danny do it."