Chapter 16 : Plot, tests and meeting

[Author note : New Iron Lad squib chapter... Posted a little later than KoSP. Sorry about that ! Also, I'm currently posting another original story on P A T R E O N : Master of Healing. A kind of LitRPG but without the 'system' windows and stuff like that. If you're curious, the synopsis is available for everyone who visit my page !

At some point in the future, I'll do some poll over there to find out which of the stories is the most liked and you'd like me to continue. It doesn't mean that I'll drop KoSP and the Iron Lad squib though...

If you're interested in my stories or want to encourage me, please check out my Patréon : https://www.patréon.com/user?u=66371596 (replace the é by a normal e) or look for Cathbel on their website

KoSP : 2 advanced chapters

The Squib who became Iron Lad... In DC : 3 advanced chapters

AoH : Prologue + 6 chapters (exclusive)

MoH : 3 chapters/8 (exclusive)

Enjoy and please tell me what you think of it !]

In a dingy pub, in a small village, three hooded figures were speaking to each other in low voices, not paying any attention the people around them, who looked at them uncomfortably. The bystanders didn't even know why themselves, but… They felt restless around those three, anxious. As if they were looking at predators, or monsters.

With good reasons, too, though none of them knew it : those people were death eaters. Since they were 'superior' to filthy muggles, they usually would teach them their places if only because they looked in the direction of their betters without being prompted. Unfortunately, now wasn't the time to teach them a lesson. And with the unusual response time from the auror nowadays, they could only refrain with reluctance.

Besides, the reason they were here was for something infinitely more important than putting some insects in their proper place… They hoped to climb the ranks among their ilk. Currently, they were treated no better than errand boys and house elves. However, with the plan one of them had, they could hopefully be recognized !

« And how'd you figure we'd go to the US ? » One of the three asked brusquely.

The man who was addressed shrugged and pointed to the third person :

« Using his connections, obviously. As for you, you're surprisingly popular among the young generation of Death Eaters… I was hoping you could recruit some reinforcement without the Lord's people hearing about it. » The way he said 'the Lord's people' was strange : you could detect a deep admiration, bordering on fanaticism or reverence when he spoke Lord, however the next word carried a heavy amount of venom and resentment.

« Are you sure about your information ? That it's him ? I don't want to risk my contacts getting discovered for some false information ! »

The man nodded, then, as if uncertain, shrugged :

« The coincidence is a little big, don't you think ? They both call themselves 'Silver Lad', both use armor to fight and fly around in, and both are American… I mean, even if he isn't the same person, he probably has connections to him. And if not, we'd send a message to the other one and every other wannabe hero out there that they shouldn't cross the Dark Lord ! »

« And how'd you come by such information ? »

Under the hood, the man blushed in shame. He couldn't admit how… It would bring him an endless amount of jeers from his peers at best, but the worst case scenario would see him shunned or killed. He couldn't tell them that he enjoyed watching soccer and that one of his matches had been interrupted during the 'Alien invasion' in the States, and that he recognized the similarities with the person who opposed their master…

« It doesn't matter. What does matter is that we have a chance to prove ourselves ! Are you guys in ? »

And so, on this day, the group who spread the ideas of purity in another continent was born. Whether they'd live to see it was another story, however…

* * * * *

« Test for the Hoverboots number 14… Let's just call them Hoverskates, from now on ! Hoverskates test 1 : start ! »

With a whirr and a buzz, his boots shifted around his feet, adapting to a new configuration : on the soles of his boots, three small foci ran parallel to the ground, maintaining a localized cushioning charm in order not to slow his fall, but to keep him slightly above the surface he stood on. Moreover, the Anti-gravity enchantment was altered for it to apply only on the surface his feet 'ran' on and instead of canceling gravity altogether, it canceled only the one from the earth, but kept and increased the one from the surface in question. Since any mass generated a gravity field, albeit relatively minor compared to something like a planet or star, Ned wanted to use it to his advantage.

And so, he started skating… On the ground, on a flat surface, it went well. He enjoyed himself and started smiling. Finally, he practiced his former hobby again ! It was something he'd truly enjoyed at the time. Unfortunately, the reality of his situation (mainly his presence in a universe way too dangerous for normal people) had prevented him to practice leisure activities. He'd always been driven by a sense of urgency, so it was nice that he could join his hard work to prevent his own death and that of his loved ones, to a sport he loved to practice.

After a while, he stopped and sighed in contentment. Before his gaze focused and he started speaking aloud for Mel to record his thoughts :

« Okay… The initial test is successful, like the two previous ones. Onto the off-road testing, now ! »

Ned, decked out in his latest 'No-maj' armor, was currently standing on a mountain road. Although it wasn't in optimum condition, it was still serviceable and it was a good one to test his new equipment on… Especially since he was surrounded by forests and mountains. He could now see if his adjustments would let him move without restriction even on uneven terrain. And then, he'd start to see if he could skate up a cliff or something… After all, this was one of his objective.

As he was skating, the few cars that passed him by started slowing down, only to follow him a bit later. Ned clicked his tongue, annoyed at his fame, until…

« Hey, man ! You're a man, right ? » Came the loud voice of a rude driver. What he said next really pissed Ned off : « Who are you supposed to be ? Cyborg ? Or the Steel fellow ? Unless… You're his sidekick ! Steel-Lad, was it ? »

Ned turned his head sharply, wondering for a second whether to send a bombarda the car's way… But he sighed and instead, kicked off the side of the road and down the gentle slope of the forest beside. Fallen leaves, hidden roots, holes in the dirt and the rocky terrain started to shake him a bit as he advanced, but after a few seconds, his systems compensated : the cushioning charm got thicker, while the anti-gravity charm increase just a bit, to allow him to raise a bit higher. Soon, he resumed skating happily, completely forgetting the earlier occurrence with the 'moron'.

As for the 'moron' in question, he got his head back into his car and rolled up the window, muttering angrily to himself :

« What a rude guy ! Not even answering my questions… Fucking heroes and their celebrity complex ! As if they were better than everyone else ! »

* * * * *

For the first time since she started working for the young man, Jacinth stood in his workshop, waiting for her boss. She didn't mind the wait, though. At all ! She was enthralled by the armors in glass display cases, standing side by side : 3 of them, with one display empty. She guessed Ned had taken that one for a run or something…

Mel was 'attempting' to make casual conversation with her while she off-handedly responded from time to time, too taken by the armors, trying to identify its systems and how it worked… What kind of enchantments they carried, how much they were worth if he were to sell them…

Although she was studying at MIT, it seemed what Ned really needed was a commercial. And instead of looking for one, he forcibly converted her into one, giving her books and manuals, and expecting her to fulfill that role for his budding company. She would have laughed if it wasn't her being forced in this position. And the worst part of it ? She was actually good at it ! It made her wonder if she'd wasted her time all those years trying to be accepted at MIT… Or, it could be remnants of her former life and education in England. After all, her father, before anything else, was a business man !

Out loud, she pondered :

« I wonder if I'd be able to use something like this ? »

Mel's voice answered her even though she wasn't really waiting for a response :

« Theoretically, miss Noir, you could. Not with those armors, however : Ned's coded them to work only for him. He's paranoid his enemies will get their hands on them and use them against him or his loved ones. I suppose it's not completely a stupid idea, if someone somehow manages to deactivate or lock the armor somehow, with him inside, he would be at their mercy. In any case, the possibility still remains for anyone to pilot and use those armors. Its on-board operating system is finally operational and my help nowadays isn't as needed. »

Jacinth turned her head from the armor to look at… Well, the room around her, since the Tech-Spirit hasn't taken any kind of form. Seeing this, Mel materialized a miniaturized version of the Widowmaker who was her inspiration on the work desk. Jacinth's gaze zeroed in on the projection, narrowing her eyes at her appearance : a beautiful woman, albeit with bluish skin, skin-tight clothing embracing her forms and leaving nothing to the imagination… It seemed her boss was a bit of a pervert !

« It's gonna sound weird, but why do I feel like you're sad about that ? »

Playing dumb, Mel tilted her head, her French and sensual accent, reminding her once more that her boss really is a teenager, as she asked :

« Sad about what ? »

« Not being needed to pilot the armor. But you knew that… »

She sighed, a gesture so human it almost made her forget that the projection on the table was only a few inches tall… And see-through. After a short while, she admitted :

« I kind of liked piloting the armor for some reason. I know that for humans, the sensation is different : chemicals are released by your brains in stressful or/and arousing situation so when you're flying, or fighting, the sensation are probably completely different. To me, it was like… I was born to do this. Even though until now, Ned's only had me assist him. »

Suddenly, Ned's voice, slightly distorted by the speakers, resounded from the roof opening :

« But you did take the armor solo to take on bad guys when I was too busy, didn't you ? »

With a sound of wind blowing, Ned landed in a special area dedicated for it. As soon as he did, he sent a mental command for the armor to be removed. Soon, both Mel and Jacinth could see his smirking face. With a serious gaze, the Tech-Spirit commented :

« So, you knew. »

« Indeed ! I might become too absorbed when I work, but a whole armor disappearing from my workshop ? Not something I can miss. »

« And… You're okay with it ? »

« Okay ? Mel, I think it's awesome ! How many time have I offered to make you a body ? If you want, when things settled down a bit for the Company and the War in the UK is over, I'll work on making you one… Or do you just want an armor dedicated for you ? »

Mel seemed taken aback. She shouldn't have been ! After all, like Ned said, it wasn't the first time he suggested something like this. Perhaps she thought he wasn't serious ? In the end, she said :

« I'll need some time to process this. » And she disappeared from the workshop. Or, at least, her illusion did : she was still present in the building.

Ned turned his attention on the other girl in his den.

« What can I do for you, miss Noir ? »

« I told you to call me Jacinth or Jace ! Anyways, I've come to give you a report about the Company. »

« Okay. You didn't need to come here. I could have gone to the head office, directly… »

« Yes, well… I was curious about where you worked. And besides… What you offered Mel… » She seemed hesitant, unsure of herself. Finally, she bit the bullet : « Would it be possible to have one made for me ? »