25 25 Helter Skelter

Sitting down, I cross my legs and focus on the small of my back, where my tails come from.

Closing my eyes, I try to will forth my tails as slowly as possible, trying to get a feel for the process, instead of just letting it happen naturally.

I feel the way they pierce through my skin and slowly bubble to the surface, only to rush forward like drawing air through a straw and coalesce into the pair of ribbon like tails I have grown familiar with.

Though, now that I think about it, they aren't quite like how I remember them to be. They are thicker and seem much more sturdy, or perhaps condensed is more accurate.

While they could best be described as liquid muscle when I first got them, right now they seem more like actual muscle. Actually, they seem sturdier, with a solid feel to them, even though the surface still flows like blood.

With my initial observations out of the way, I try to bring out a third tail, like I did against Jason.

It comes a lot more naturally that I had expected.

Honestly, I was expecting to have to struggle and focus to bring it out, but then again I have already done it before so perhaps it should have been expected.

However, now comes the real test.

This time, I do actually have to focus in order to keep going and push out a 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩 tail, that joins it's identical siblings in hovering around me, oddly like I am enclosing myself in a pair of wings.

Only if it was a horror movie, considering the fleshy-ness... biblically accurate wing-tails?

Whatever, I'm getting distracted.

Renewing my focus on the area of my back that seems to store my tails, I try to bring out one more tail.

Only this time, it does not come out so easily. Instead, it resists with a feeling akin to straining against plastic wrapping, like it's surrounded by a ball of cling film.

But I 𝘤𝘢𝘯 feel it there, so I know it's possible.

With that though driving me, I 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘩, flexing muscles that I didn't even know I had.

Finally, with the (not even slightly) mighty sound of bubbling and forming flesh, a fifth tail leaps out to join it's twins, dancing around me like a happy puppy.

Ok, it's more like me swaying my tails from the excitement of more than doubling their total number.

I make a half hearted attempt at drawing out another one before simply giving up, knowing instinctually that it isn't going to happen.

Still, progress!

With that done, I take some time to properly admire my freaky horror movie style blood muscle tentacles for a bit.

Sometime, I really love my power, but then I remember how I will never be able to drink apple juice ever again and then that love disappears.

Damn.. I miss apple juice.

I used to drink so much of that shit that my dentist told me to stop because the normally harmless amount of acid in them was starting to erode my teeth away since there was a time where I would drink like, four litres of it a day.

𝘏𝘢𝘢𝘢𝘩.

Whatever.

My diet aside, it's nice to know that I now have access to more tails, it will certainly be a boost to my combat capabilities, that's for sure.

After passing some more time by playing around with my new set of tails and making sure I am properly comfortable and aware of their presence, I notice that night has properly set in and check the time.

22:30

Alright then. Time to get back to work.

It only takes a few minutes to get fully dressed in what is now my only set of black military surplus clothes and mask, and it's only the work of a dozen or so more minutes before I have a bag full of stolen clothes that I drop off near the house, intent on grabbing it on my way back.

For now however, there is work to be done.

Namely finding myself a good source of information.

Now, at first I was wondering how I was going to find an information broker, assuming there is one, but then I remembered something and decided to go back to my roots so to speak.

Because while I may have been pretty stupid and reckless with how I started things out, I was right about one thing at least, and that is that criminals know how to do crime.

Thus, if I want to find an information broker, I simply have to ask someone who is already in the loop to fill me in.

Naturally, when I say 'ask' I might be underselling the experience slightly.

I don't bother calling that woman from before, since I'm pretty sure she's dead or something. Instead, I simply head on over to the seedier neighbourhoods where, despite it being the night of christmas eve, there is not a single decoration in place and thugs are still wondering about.

The only thing notably different now compared to my 'patrols' before, is that I am not actually wearing my clown mask, only covering my face with the simple domino and surgery mask that I wore below it.

The reason for that is because I am operating under the assumption that no one knows that I am alive.

Naturally, anyone who knew that the Yamori captured me might suspect that I am the reason behind their demise, however that is only suspicion.

As of right now, as far as anyone is concerned, Tear is either simply missing, or assumed dead via Fallen.

I would like to keep it that way for now, lest Equaliser decide to run or hide or something, thus no clown mask for now.

Unfortunately that also means no using my tails just yet, not that I should need to, since I don't plan on facing any capes before I kill Equaliser.

After hopping around for a while, I eventually stumble across a pair of hoodlums who seem to be up to no good.

It took me a while mostly because I actually want someone who is somewhat in the loop, so I was waiting to find someone with gang colours and gang tattoos, like this pair of unfortunate souls before me.

Walking on the rooftops beside them, I wait for them to cross a dead end alleyway, and then I jump down, landing between them both in a single bound, before grabbing both of their shirts with an arm each, and flinging them both down into the alley.

The force of my throw sends them tumbling over themselves with shouts of pain as my newly enhanced strength shows itself.

I don't bother playing the game with these two nobodies, I'm too focused on getting my revenge to even really care that much about it, at least not enough that I would bother with people who won't even be able to appreciate it.

Instead, I rush into the alley with them and grab the both of them by their throats, squeezing hard enough that they can't call out, but not so hard that they start to die.

Looking into their eyes, I see a mixture of anger and fear as well as a bunch of other emotions that I can't be bothered to identify.

Personally, I think there is far too little fear to make this a productive conversation, and really I only need one of them to talk.

With that in mind, I bring all of my tails, and let go of the guy in my left hand who is promptly speared through each of his limbs while another wraps around his mouth to hide his agonised screaming.

With him pinned to the floor in a slowly growing pool of his own blood, I drop the other guy, who immediately falls on his ass and starts trying to backpedal away from me.

I choose to ignore his pleading and begging and instead stomp down on one of his shins, breaking through it completely until the only thing separating my foot from the pavement is a single layer of his skin.

I have to bring one of my tails from the other guys' leg to cover his blood curdling scream.

Only once the both of their voices have died down to simple whimpers and cries do I speak.

"Now that that's out of the way, I will ask you questions and you will answer them. Failure to do so will result in more pain, similarly, giving me an answer I don't like will do the same. For reference, right now I like honesty. Nod if you understand."

After both of them give me their shaking, fearful nods, I release both of their mouths.

"Good. Now, first things first, if I wanted information, who in the city would be likely to have it?"

Since I am such a nice person, I give them a moment to think, since pain is no doubt clouding their minds right now.

"T-t-there's a g-guy, 𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘱, J-Jinx. H-he sells in-information"

Perfect!

Well, that was easy.

Looking down on the pair of men, I mentally shrug.

I've already got them here, might as well see if they know anything nice about their gang.

Twenty minutes later and I am back to hopping roofs, only this time with a direction in mind and honestly not all that much more information, but a much more full stomach.

It doesn't take me too long before I find myself standing in front of an out of the way bar in an empty street.

Looking up at the depilated sign, I raise an eyebrow at the name.

𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘬𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳.

Isn't that a Beatles song?

At least they have class I suppose.

As I walk up to the door, something really confusing happens.

I trip. And 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭.

On an empty street, 𝘐, a parahuman with an enhanced physique and enhanced senses, 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭.

I haven't felt so much as off balance since I got my power, meaning it was so unexpected that I didn't even catch myself and just ended up eating tarmac.

After that confusing and embarrassing moment, I make sure to watch my steps as I walk up to the building.

I ignore the 'Closed' sign hanging from the door and twist the handle, only to pull on what happens to be a push door.

The inside is a surprisingly shitty looking bar. I mean really, I wasn't expecting much, but the beige paint is peeling off of the walls and most of the wood looks like it's growing mould, not to mention the simple fact that there are only three tables taking up less than half the floor space.

Clearly, this is not an establishment going through good times.

After looking around for 'Jinx' and not finding him, I put my nose to work and check for any scents.

Luckily for me, he is actually here, simply in the room behind the counter.

So I walk up to said counter and take a sit on one of the stools, only for it to immediately break under me, making one of my tails shoot out without conscious thought to catch me from falling.

Getting my feet back under me, I feel myself smile, amused by the way so many things have gone wrong in such quick succession.

Deciding to simply stand, I knock loudly on the counter a few times until I hear the sound of someone stirring.

A moment later, and a despondent looking man walks through the doorway with a bottle of booze on hand that I can smell on his breath.

"Sorry, but we're closed." He mumbles as he walks up to the opposite side of the counter as me.

"I'm aware, however I'm in something of a hurry, and I believe you are the only one who may be able to point me in the right direction."

He leans one elbow on the counter, resting his face on his palm and puts his bottle down, only for him to put it too close to the edge, leading to it immediately falling to the floor and smashing.

I can't help it.

I laugh.

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A/N: He~llo! Dear readers!

Jinx was supposed to be Itori from Tokyo Ghoul, but oh well, OC's all the way I guess.

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