8.1

Lung hung in the air for awhile before flying off. It was difficult for me to read people half the time and even more so for a giant dragon man. That said most of the emotions I got off him were angry and super angry reinforced by his roars and agitated posture. I don't think many people would argue with me on that point.

"Dad!" I shouted remembering him. Armsmaster saved him earlier but the truck did explode, or at least the back half did. The front part was surprisingly intact and it seemed that the ice blast was less of an explosion and more or an area that was simply turned into ice. As I came closer to the wreck I noted that there was a perfect circle where the so called 'explosion' had occurred.

Tinker tech was weird, though considering what I could do it was fairly par for the course.

I spied movement and seconds later I saw Dad's balding head and disheveled glasses as he slowly pushed himself off the ground. I ran over to help him up and it was there I saw him reach into the glove compartment to grab something.

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

"Taylor…" Dad called me as he noticed my presence. I would've scolded him for calling me that name while I was in costume but between every other non hero running away from Lung and the Endbringer sirens going off there was no one else around.

"Dad, we need to get you to a shelter!" I told him. "Me and the other Heroes are going to meet up, I'll see you soon." Before I could dash off he grabbed my arm.

"Wait!" He called and with a growing sense of dread I already knew what he wanted. I didn't wrench myself free from his grip, I merely stood there. I couldn't even stand to look at him.

"I know I can't stop you." It sounded less like an admission of acceptance and more like defeat. "But I want to…."

"Dad… I…" Seeing me fight Lung in person must've been hard on him.

"Danny." Armsmaster interjected as he approached us. "You daughter despite being a Brute would not be assigned as a front line fighter, her ability to create healing potions is too valuable to risk." He began. "It won't just be me looking out for her, every other Cape who knows what she can do will protect her. I promise."

"I…. " Dad didn't seem angry like I expected him to be. Just beaten down. "You need my permission for her to help don't you?" He asked. "You wouldn't try to assure me otherwise."

"That's not fair Danny." Armsmaster spat back and I flinched at the sudden show of emotion, where had that come from? "That's not fair and you know it." I knew they made a good impression on each other but it only clicked just now how they were actually friends. I hadn't considered it before but did they hang out with each other when I wasn't around? "I'm saying these things because you're my friend… frankly I want you to hold her back."

Wait what?

"It's better that way." Armsmaster continued. He then turned to me. "Remember what you asked back when I told you about Bakuda's bombs?" I strained my memory for what I had said, nothing specific came to mind. "You asked why we couldn't just take all your serums and distribute them to other people to use on other people…. Well at the time it was because they were untested… that's changed."

And I had been brewing potions for the entire week! I had hundreds of healing potions alone!

"Vim." Armsmaster continued. "It's better if you sit this one out, go with your father, keep him safe and make sure you make it out of here alive… your powers are invaluable, we cannot afford to lose you, not after the potential you've shown us… with your permission I will begin to make preparations to distribute the serums."

I felt Dad place his palms onto my shoulders. "Come on Taylor, let's head to the shelter." He tried to pull me away but I stood firm. "Taylor?"

"I… I can't…" I told them. "I can't stay back and just watch, I can't just stand around knowing that there's a problem." I couldn't let myself be like the teachers. They knew that I was being bullied but they let it go. "… I want to help."

"But… you are helping." Armsmaster argued. "Your potions will…"

"I'm not helping anyone!… my potions are doing all the work… I want to help! Stop talking about me like I'm just a set of powers!" It was selfish of me, I knew that but I was a person! I told Dennis that I joined the Wards to get away from my problems, I became a Hero to prove that I was better than Madison, Sophia and Emma. I did all of that just to feel better about myself. I wasn't brave, I didn't attack Lung on purpose. I was just a sham whose only claim to fame was her stupid powers, a random coincidence.

"Taylor…" My father called.

But today I was going to help people because it was the right thing to do. Not because my powers let me do it, but because I was human.

"I can help people!" I told them again, more softly this time. "I can."

"Taylor." Dad tried again.

"I need to do this!" I was practically shouting now.

"TAYLOR!" Dad shook me. I turned to him and I wrapped my arms around him, sobbing softly. I stood there hoping that he wouldn't notice my tears.

"Taylor…." He called again. "I… I want you to make you happy…. I also want you safe and I know that…. Sometimes, both of these things can't always work together." He paused at that. "But I know that you're my daughter… you have my stubborn streak and your Mother's sense of right…"

He pulled away from me.

"I want you to do what makes you happy… to do what's right.... Ever since that night where I broke down… I've been thinking a lot…. So I want you to decide."

That was the crux of the issue wasn't it?

What did make me happy?

It made me happy to have friends, to be a Ward, to hang out with Armsmaster as he guided me through the world of Heroes.

What was the right thing to do?

To help people, save them from danger and to keep Dad from being worried and keep myself safe.

Both Dad and Armsmaster were both right in the end.

It began to rain. In my mind that meant that it was Leviathan, the water controlling Endbringer.

"We're running out of time Vim." Armsmaster told me. "Either way you both have to come to a decision."

"Taylor…" My father called out to me again. He shivered and only then did I notice that bits of his clothes had frost on them. He managed to avoid the worst of the ice bomb so it didn't seem like he had been hurt. Still, seeing him like this, in danger made me understand how he saw me. "Taylor… it's up to you."

I considered things for a moment longer.

"I won't fight the Endbringer." I told them both. "I'll come with you Dad…. Just… let me talk to everyone first." He nodded in response noticing that the Wards had surrounded us.

Armsmaster spoke up first. "I'll need your consent to distribute the serums for everyone's use… a verbal agreement should be fine" I noted he hadn't sought permission when he drank the two potions against Lung. Not that I minded of course and if anyone asked I'd give him retroactive permission.

"Sure." I told him. "You can use the potions." He nodded in thanks before turning away, presumably to get said potions.

I glanced at the junior Heroes, wondering if I should say anything. The rain and the constant blaring of alarms made for a somber mood and I doubted I could find the words to cheer them up.

So instead of giving them a speech, I gave them my personal stash of potions. Healing, toughness and water breathing for everyone. More specialised potions such as 'Fortify Archery' for Shadow Stalker and 'Fortify Heavy Armor' for Gallant. We never tested if those would ever work for them but I hoped that it would be something to look forwards to in the future if they all survived.

When they survived I corrected myself.

Vista gave me a big hug, Aegis wished me luck and everyone else told me to stay safe. Quickly they dispersed as the potions they couldn't carry were stored in a PRT truck.

Only Clockblocker and Shadow Stalker remained and even they looked like they needed to go. I glanced back at Dad and despite being soaked to the bone, despite flinching at the Endbringer sirens, he stood there and nodded resolute. Standing there with me as I wore my armor, it would be easy for people to come to certain conclusions about who I actually was. But, with everything that had been going on I doubt anyone cared about secret identities now.

"Hey Hebert…." Shadow Stalker started. "I just… I just wanted to say something before…." She studied the potions I gave her before she slipped them somewhere into her cloak.

"Before I go…" Was she going to confess now? To say her piece before she regretted it? "You're…. You're stronger then I knew… stronger than you knew and when you and Lung… I don't know what to… this is hard for me to-" I hugged her then and she froze, a sound not unlike a dying animal emanated from her throat.

I eventually pulled away from her.

"It's okay." I told her. "We'll see each other again and when you're ready you can tell me anything you want and I'll still be your friend no matter what." She stood there slack jawed or at the very least I imagined she stood there slack jawed. Her mask didn't leave any room for emotions. She shook her head at that.

"I'll…. I'll hold you to that Hebert." She told me before leaving dissolving into a shadowy smoke.

That left just Clockblocker.

"I knew you both were a thing." He cheered. "Guess that means my chances are zero…. Unless you're into threesomes?" He tilted his head while making finger guns in my direction. I was glad that the rain was muffling our voices, I dreaded to imagine what Dad would say if had heard that.

"Stay safe Dennis." I told him trying my best to ignore his comment. Which considering what I had planned made it a bit more difficult. I reached over, grabbed him and kissed him on the helmet where I imagined his lips would be. He was my first boyfriend after all, my first date and it only seemed fitting that I gave him my first kiss. Even if it was a short, quick chaste one that never even touched his skin. Baby steps Taylor, baby steps.

Just like Shadow Stalker before I imagined that he would be rather shocked under that helmet. He gingerly touched the spot where I had kissed him earlier. I didn't want to fully commit, to rip off the helmet that was in the way. This wasn't a final goodbye after all, there would be time in the future to sort out our feelings, if there was any at all to begin with.

"Damn." He told me. "There goes all my shipping charts." He joked. I punched him in the arm for spoiling the mood.

"Don't make fun of me!" I told him, blushing. "I… it was spur of the moment and I…."

"Hey, it's okay I get it… maybe when this is all over we could go out on a proper date?" He asked. "I never got to actually take you to the movies and your Dad still has to give me a proper Father boyfriend speech." That's right, Dad intimidating Dennis was just a prank to begin with and we never did get to go to Fugly Bob's together either. Maybe we'd try and eat the challenger.

It never really occurred to me that Dennis actually liked me that way. I thought it was just his way of covering my identity, that he wanted to just hang out as friends, that all those fancy romantic stuff like the candles were him going through the motions of a personal joke. It may have started out like that but feelings could develop. Was this what this was? Did he actually have something for me now?

"Yeah, when this is all over we'll do that." I told him. With one last hug we went our separate ways. I could only hope that the potions I gave them would help and while I was worried about the Heroes who covered their mouths like Clockblocker, he told me that he could flip it up easily enough while having it cover his eyes anyways. I assumed other Heroes would have similar features to their masks.

If we had more time I would've rushed over to the Rig to make more. But they still had my stock pile there so if nothing else they could still give at least one potion to everyone.

That was the hope at least.

============

"Come on Taylor, we have to go this way." Dad told me as we slipped off. I noted that his left arm glowed with a bulky device clasped around it. Larger than a mobile phone but smaller than a brick.

As we ran around the corner I quickly unequipped my armor and went back to my dry, untouched and warm civilian clothes. I was of course drenched immediately.

"What's with the bracelet?" I asked.

"You don't remember?" We didn't slow down as we spoke. "Colin gave it to me, It's the Endbringer comms prototype remember?" Fitting that he'd use it now I supposed.

I vaguely recalled him talking about it, on how it was mainly given to him to keep him safe. A way to keep track of him in case the Undersiders went after him. They had after all found where he lived from their dogs sniffing out the bat I used.

That felt like such a long time ago. I remember leaving it in my room awhile back but had decided to grab it again, to try and maybe repair it before returning it to Dad. I still had that bat now that I thought about it, never had a chance to fix it.

Grabbing it by the handle I handed it back to Dad. No one was around to notice my use of powers as I pulled the weapon out of my Inventory.

"If anything happens…" I told him. "Just in case…" I didn't expect him to go up against Leviathan of course but there were always stories about looters during Endbringer conflicts. If worst came to worse I could just become Vim in an instant but if we got separated I wanted him to be safe as well.

Eventually we found our way to a shelter, one that his own bracelet had lead him to.

"Well, here we are." He told me. "According to this bracelet It's apparently mainly for PRT folks and VIP so uhh lucky us?" I shrugged as we entered. The thing about the shelters dotting the city was that they were technically opened for anyone. After all, if you were stuck somewhere when the sirens go off, they wouldn't expect you to go to the other side of the city to reach the one assigned to you. The insides were a stark contrast to what we saw before.

It was dry, quiet and if my head wasn't messing with me, also easier to breath. It struck me how well lit the place was as well, sounds of calm music and sports announcers were being played in the background. This wasn't something that I imagined a fortified shelter to be. The hallways were filled with people of course as they milled around, leading off into other rooms. Not packed enough that it would be hard to move around in but enough that it was noticeable.

Guards I noted stood at the entrance letting us through a scanner. They raised an eyebrow at the baseball bat but hadn't said anything else. I also noted that they weren't PRT troopers, their equipment was too different. More like policemen without uniforms.

"Alright people, we're at capacity!" One of the guards yelled. "We're shutting the entrance down." With a push of a button and a twist of a key the entrance we just came through began spinning shut with a series of mechanical whirs. I glanced back at Dad, silently telling him that we were lucky to have made it this far. One of the guards grinned at us.

"Technically we're over capacity by one person now but… I don't really want to separate a family." He told us. "Daughter I think is your age, maybe you'll find her in here." I nodded, grateful that he bended the rules for us. As we entered we were handed some towels and I was surprised at how prepared they were. Would they have radiation suits if Behemoth attacked I wondered? Maybe earmuffs if it was the Simurgh?

Most of the people we passed were a bit damp and it struck me that the shelter must've had one hell of a environmental control system if the air didn't feel that humid at all. It felt like less of a shelter and more of a three star hotel. Nothing too fancy but still comfortable enough to let your guard down. Awkwardly Dad pulled down his sleeve to hide the bracelet but it was too bulky to do much more than obscure the screen at best. Perhaps I should've given him my scarf from my inventory earlier.

"TAYLOR!" Someone screamed before crashing into me. I heard my Dad yell out in surprise before the offending hugger let go of me. "I'm so glad you're okay!" It was Morgan…. And Ash and Buzz?

What were they all doing here? Were they VIPs as well? The confusion must've shown on my face because a moment later Ash launched herself into one of her conspiracy filled tirades.

"We're Vim's body doubles, that's how we got in here, I'm guessing that's how you got in?" She asked and I nodded slowly. "I'm simplifying but yeah, body doubles… I was so sure you were Vim when you didn't turn up and it's a miracle that they assigned us all to this shelter, you'd think that the PRT eggheads would force us into separate shelters so that we wouldn't figure out who the real Cape was huh?"

I simply nodded to agree, afraid that any implication otherwise would set her off again.

"Or…" Buzz interjected. "They assigned us all to the same shelter because it was the closest one and they figure human lives are more important than keeping a secret identity?" She then shrugged. "Or maybe none of us are Vim and you're looking too much into it."

"Well I can cross Taylor off the list now." Ash continued. "If she really was Vim and part of the PRT her Tinker dad would have much better gear."

"Wait what?" Dad understandably asked as he tried to subtly hide his bracelet.

"Tinkers, guys who build stuff. Looks pretty basic so you must be a new trigger. I'm guessing that if Taylor really was Vim and connected to the Wards she would've introduced you to Armsmaster by now and you'd have much better funding to make…. Whatever it is on your wrist."

Uuuhhh what?

"Evidence number two!" Ash continued. "That bat you have there? Giant teeth marks, usually something you get if you're fighting giant monsters but you have no injuries! Which means you've got a way to fight them! BUT because you don't have all your equipment due to whatever reasons, you're not confident enough to go up againt the Endbringer!"

We paused at that trying to digest her words.

"You got me." Dad admitted. "New super hero guy… uhh I'm not very good yet…. Just keep it a secret… please?"

"KNEW IT!" Ash cried out. "FOR ONCE I'M RIGHT! I mean…. Super secret yes." Morgan hugged her in celebration and as much as I liked the girls I began wondering if it was too late to go outside and fight Leviathan. We were guided deeper into the shelter, presumably where the walls were thickest.

I was worried about the other Heroes, of Armsmaster, of all the Wards and of course Clockblocker. I knew what help I could render would be minimal at best. I was too weak to struggle free from Lung's grip and what damage I had dealt against him were all healed up. What could I do against Leviathan? Not much honestly. I could give potions but Armsmaster and the rest of the PRT had that covered already. No doubt they would be given to the Movers who would then deliver them to people who needed them most.

I looked over to Dad, the worry and fear gone from his face. We were in a Endbringer shelter with a city destroying monster outside and he was content.

Did he feel safe because we couldn't actually see Leviathan?

Because there was no evidence of destruction yet?

Or was it because I was here with him? He squeezed my hand and with that I knew that I was doing the right thing.

I might not be able to do much against Leviathan but here, I could help Dad be happy.

I should've known that the peace wouldn't last forever.

============

Before any of you ask where does the bracelet that Danny have come from?

He talks about it in this chapter:

A Dovahkiin without Dragon Souls to spend. (Worm/Skyrim/Gamer) | Page 44

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