14

Focused or distorted voice

Flashbacks

Erased

Thoughts

[Shard speak]

Brave 3.3

"May we meet again in another life…"

-Fi

-March 30, 2011. Hebert Household, basement workshop-

To call the thing I had Belle make, a teleporter, would be the height of misnaming. Dune doesn't have teleporters, it has foldspace travel, which in essence is using the power to predict the future to arrive at point C from point A while ignoring point B, by creating a time bubble and moving it across the universe. Or as one friend said to me once, this is the sci-fi version of King Crimson.

Of course neither Belle nor I could build a ship and use it as a transport, at least not within a reasonable amount of time, what we could do however is create a pod, use the Holtzman engines to suspend it mid air, add some propulsion and trigger the time bubble to exit at a predetermined spot. Which in this case was the main workshop over at the docks. It also had the side effect of essentially transporting me to an alternate dimension, one where I would hopefully be able to access in order to create the Triforce.

My hands continuously shook in nervousness as the anticipation was slowly killing me. Belle sat next to me as the pod door closed,it slowly lifted itself in the air and I held my breath for an eternity. Time stopped having meaning as colors, shapes and forms became abstractions or perhaps its best to say that everything outside of the pod stopped existing. I felt a light pressure from my head. Belle's eyes shone with wonder, my shard sat next to as the world ceased to exist.

" Power, bravery, wisdom. " A voice echoed in the void. Something called out to me and I extended my hand…

The world came back in an explosion of color. I felt something wet on my lips, blood… Fuck I was bleeding out my eyes as well. Belle swiftly covered both my eyes and nose before saying,

"I'll be right back!" The pod's door was opened with a loud hiss and she quickly looked for a first aid kit. Meanwhile in the depths of my mind the idea of how to transfer the power I felt took hold. But before that, I needed to make sure to make the Sheikah slate, so after convincing Belle that I was okay I began designing the slate. It took a couple of hours to make the main machine so as to allow the slate to have functions; but it was done. 

The Sheikah terminal was complete, and the body of the slate was ironed out. I had decided to make it smaller so as to allow me to carry it with more ease. Just a couple of inches, but it still worked. Anyways I powered up the terminal and a single drop fell on the slate. Light flowed outwards blinding me for a second, but the slate glowed blue and I smiled. All the basic functions were there, map, sheikah tech powers, an inventory, in addition the communicator could be synched with it. And speaking of the communicator, it was ringing, Dinah was calling me. 

"Hello." I said while looking over the various options in the slate.

"Hey Marie, I've got a small question for you, are you busy April 2nd?" Dinah asked somewhat nervously. Ever since the operation she hadn't had any problems with the mental aspect of her power. Headaches were minor at worst, and while she couldn't see me or my actions it no longer caused her to see sound and taste blood. 

"No… Why?" I asked. There was a pause and a sigh. I could almost see Dinah rubbing her temple as she asked,

"She didn't tell you, did she?" 

"Who didn't tell me what?" I replied, slightly annoyed at the pronoun game.

"Emily, it's her birthday." Oh…

"Oh, gimme a minute to call you back." I woodenly said hanging up on Dinah. 

" FUCK!!!!!!!! What the hell do I get her? I could make her a guitar? No, that's too obvious and she has three already. And I definitely can't give her a giant sandworm as a pet. Nor can I take her to a bar or a place to eat. I mean I could cook something for her; but I'm not the best cook and we're too young to get wasted. She deserves something good, something that she will enjoy… "

A tiny guardian plays a lullaby

Oh…

Oh, that's good. Looks aesthetically pleasing, can be programmed to defend and can be made with what I have in hand. Well time to make a tiny murder blender. First I need ceramic, metal, runes, gears and energy. Lots of energy.

It took me an hour, and most of it was making sure that no matter what it would protect Emily. It was an egg, slightly bigger than the palm of my hand and decorated in gold with a clear ivory colored shell. A single sapphire eye gazed outwards and the insides were a beautiful mess of tiny gears and runes. While at the moment it couldn't do much more than take a hit or two for her the guardian would eventually be able to do more. Now came the hard part, coding in the music.

Part of me wanted to keep Zelda's lullaby, but I decided against it. She wasn't Zelda, I shouldn't try to force that image on her. So I put together a different tune, one that I was sure wouldn't be played in earth bet,

"That is bullshit blazing~" I sang softly in tune with the egg. Hmm… Maybe I should ask Taylor for a name, since calling it Eggy might not be the most original name.

"Marie? It is time to go back." Belle said as I finished the programming. One quick look over to make sure the weapons were well and truly hidden and Emily's gift was done. Now all I need is a wrapper or a bag… I'll do it tomorrow, Danny will be heading down to the basement in 5 minutes.

The trip back was significantly less painful, I still had a small amount of nose bleeding but no bloody tears, so it's a win in my column. I couldn't help but feel like I had forgotten something… Oh right, materials. Tomorrow I'll need to make some seeds, and maybe get started on the potions. 

-March 31, 2011, Stonewell Academy, after school-

"Emily, can I ask you a question?" I asked shortly after almost everyone cleared out the room. The day hadn't been a total drag, Belle informed me that at the very least Sophia hadn't been able to mess with Taylor since the PRT aren't letting up their surveillance. And the partition of Belle that had been keeping an eye on Emily had reported that outside of a tense dinner, there wasn't anything to worry about.

"Yeah, sure. What's up?" She replied, smiling at me. Gray eyes staring deeply into mine…

"Is everything alright? 'Cause yesterday you were kinda angry before you got to your home." I avoided asking her about her birthday, like a coward. Part of me didn't want to seem too… needy? Obsessed? Since she essentially was my only friend. Though Lily is a good acquaintance and Marco, John and Steve aren't total strangers. Especially during science, math and English class and keeping me awake in history class.

"Oh that. Well long story short, Dad decided to play host for a girl, at least until her apartment is finished." She said in a reassuring tone. I blinked and asked,

"What?" What type of a person just goes ahead and lets… Actually never mind if Danny hadn't taken me in I probably would be a villain or in the wards.

"Yup. Anyways, I just had to rush home and clear out a room. Oh and speaking of rushing home, can we take a rain check on practice? At least until the 7th, since I'll be busy helping with the house." She said in an apologetic tone. Damn, I guess I should asked her,

"Ah… Okay. Oh I almost forgot! When's your birthday?"

"Why? Do you have a present? Are you going to throw me a surprise party?" She says, her tone playful. I'm not good at dealing with playfulness.

"N-No! I mean yes? Fuck, look I'm your friend and I want to get you something for it." I quickly replied, her eyes widened a bit and she shook her head before saying,

"Hmm… Well you don't have to get me anything, you're already giving me violin lessons." I was about to interrupt her when she raised a finger and placed it on my lips, "But my birthday is in a couple of days, but again, you don't have to get me a present. Actually now that we're talking about birthdays, when's yours?" She asks me. I blink and try to focus on my memories, well Marie's memories. A single date comes to my mind.

"May 10th." I uttered in a somewhat wooden tone. 5 days later Leviathan attacks, 5 days for me to make sure everyone who isn't a cape and that I give a damn about are out of Brockton… 

A piece of rebar sticks me to the wall, I cough out blood as I slowly pull myself out. More waves are coming, the last stimpack…

"Right, gonna get you some black forest cake for it." Emily says, snapping me out of my own mind. "What are those visions?" I think to myself even as her smile tells me that she didn't think something was wrong with me, essentially blanking out for a few seconds. As she leaves her words finally hit my brain,

"I-I-I… What! That's too expensive! Come back here Emily!" I shout starting to run behind her, she laughs as I chase her.

I laughed as well.

By the time I got home Taylor and Belle were on the dinner table looking seriously at a map. The gang territories were changing again, with Lung injured the Empire was trying to push into his territory, though Bakuda and Oni Lee have made it a costly endeavor. Meanwhile Coil had apparently started a more aggressive expansion in the downtown area, which worried me since wouldn't do that unless he had a good reason. The undersiders hadn't been spotted though there had been some small robberies near the boardwalk that had been attributed to them if PHO was a reliable source of information. And finally the Merchants had been dealt a crippling blow thanks to my dumb ass running like a headless chicken to avoid a future I saw. Unfortunately this meant that their more enthusiastic members were left to their own devices. Which translated to Trainwreck more or less taking over the gang and stealing a junkyard.

"So what's the patrol route for tonight?" I asked. My punishment according to Danny was to not patrol. Which I didn't particularly feel bad about, so easy punishment, easy life.

"Well honestly, the downtown and commercial districts would be best. The PRT is taking over the docks and the other gangs are trying to gather as much territory outside of them for now." Taylor answered before taking a loud bite off a chocolate chip cookie. 

"Oh right, any news on the PRT front?" I asked while looking at Belle.

"Officially, you and I are priority targets. Weaver is a close second, they're ordered to try and detain you. Unofficially we're all targets, you in particular are priority one due to the Empire knowing that you fought and crippled Hookwolf." She replied. I felt a tinge of pride at her spying of the PRT.

"And the dead Nazis?" I asked, I still didn't feel bad about them. As far as I'm concerned they made good firewood, but the PRT could use that against me.

"Oddly enough they aren't blaming you for them so you're free on that front. I believe that Legend made it clear to them that it was self defense in addition to your mental state due to Hookwolf." Belle replied while encircling several warehouses near the docks. One of the buildings I quickly recognized, though why would she be interested in the undersiders base? I did leave her with enough clues to point out that attacking them was a bad move in general… I'll have to talk to her about it later, first though,

"Huh, then I guess I better tinker some more. Belle tomorrow we'll try for the energy source I told you about. Would you mind accompanying Taylor for tonight?" I said while looking over at the PRT buildings that were marked.

"I… Are you sure about this?" Belle asked. I stared at her, was it nervousness? Worry? That wouldn't make too much sense. Hmmm… Does she want me to reassure her? That's probably it.

"Yup, I'll even whip you up a short sword. And some extra goodies to make sure that you'll both be alright." I said as designs for hook shots, deku nuts, and kokiri swords flowed through my mind. 

My body moved on its own as I focused on the TriForce project. Originally the goddesses left it before leaving, but for me to make it I would need to access their dimensions. Normally this would involve me making the damn twilight gate and using that to find the blank where the sacred realm is, but I felt it call to me yesterday. In my fugue I had managed to finish several examples of hook shots, a pair of kokiri swords, a pack of deku nuts (made by using alchemy on some mushrooms and other assorted biomass), a power bracelet for Taylor and finished the Goron tunic that would go under my costume. 

It had only taken an hour, so I carried it all upstairs and handed it to both Belle and Taylor. Dany eyes the swords and I cut him off by saying,

"I made it single edged so as to allow for non lethal takedowns. The hook shots will allow them to escape, the nuts are flashbangs and the bracelets allow them to carry over a ton with ease. They have communicators as well as Belle having extra bodies that she can inhabit in case of an emergency. Now I'm going to fix my suit, make a few masks and hope to Hylia that I don't trigger the end of the world several times over." Hopefully I sold the anger at not patrolling bit to them. I could feel a rhythm flowing through my blood as the image of the first mask I wanted to make appeared in my mind.

"She's joking about the end of the world, right?" Danny asked as I went down to the basement.

-April 1, 2011 1:05 a.m., Hebert Household-

I was drained both physically and mentally, the fugue kept my body moving but just barely. The mask in front of me was something I hoped to never use, the Fierce Deity mask. I could physically feel the power behind it. Initially I intended to make the 3 basic transformation masks, however I would need to use souls for that and unfortunately I'm still not morally bankrupt enough to make a Goron, a Zora and a Deku just to kill them and harvest their souls. Plus knowing my luck I'd probably make a Mipha and I'm not willing to explain to Taylor why there's a nice fish lady that can heal sleeping in my room.

So instead I decided to go for the other nuclear option. The Fierce Deity mask was a force multiplier, a final hope in the presence of a powerful foe and it took several hours of manually whittling away at wood while also painting it to make it properly. That and a ritual, the sheikah runes did the heavy lifting, all I did was provide the power.

[ Drain ] My shard said clearly in my mind.

"I guess so. In the absence of magic, the spirit will have to make do." I replied tiredly, placing it on top of the work table. Next to it stood a small ocarina, it was a vessel, it needed a blessing and the only blessing would come from the sacred realm. I also had several feathers lined up to be made into a cape. 

"If I die, keep them safe. Keep them alive and well, please." I asked the mask, it stared into my soul without giving an answer. There was a temptation to wear it now, to go out and slay the empire. I barely resisted it as I made my way up the stairs. Cold steel arms hugged me and carried me to bed.

"Thank you." I whispered as I fell asleep. Taylor shook me awake at around 6 in the morning. I barely made it to the bathroom and puked, fuck I felt like someone had stabbed me again. I slowly forced my body to function before taking some spice. Just a few more days and I'm over this crap for a month at least…

" I feel like I'm forgetting something, even now. " I thought to myself as the smell of bacon, eggs and toast hit me like a freight train. My stomach loudly rumbled and complained as I forced myself to eat. It wasn't bad, bacon wasn't as crunchy as I liked but it wasn't just slightly warm ham either. 

"So something interesting happened last night?" I asked in between bites. 

"Well we patrolled with Glory Girl, met Vista and Clockblocker who tried really hard to keep us in one place, but Taylor objected. We stopped a few muggings, several drunks and I blew up a van full of tinkertech weapons." Belle answered while serving herself a mix of several sweets. I could almost taste it by smell alone… Wait, did she just say tinkertech weapons? What the fuck?

"Excuse me, what was the last one?" I ended up asking, Belle and Taylor looked at each other shrugged and Belle decided to explain,

"Yeah, Coil's men tried to attack us while we were getting away from the wards. It ended poorly for them. They are alive and under PRT jurisdiction, do you wish to intercept their transportation?"

"No, I need to find a way to deal with him." I muttered, Taylor's eyebrow was raised as she asked,

"Marie… Are you going to kill him?" I stared at her for a moment, her body language was relaxed and her tone held no judgment. Well this was an improvement in some ways, but part of me wishes she would actually try to keep me from killing people. But I honestly don't want to spend hours explaining myself to her.

"Yes. Teacher as well. Both need to die." I said with confidence. I saw her pull out the tube of spice from her backpack, she twirled it between her fingers for a moment before placing it on the table.

"I'm still not comfortable with that, heroes shouldn't kill. But I can't deny that, you usually have a good reason. So tell me, is it a premonition? " She asked. She still hadn't taken the spice, yet she also hadn't tried to give it back to me. I could feel her mind reaching a decision, I truly hope she will one day take it. Nodding I say

"Yes," I take a bite out of the eggs and add, "Also, I really don't want a nascent endbringer in Brockton Bay."

"..." She stares at me as if I've never told her about Noelle. I told her about Noelle, right?

Fuck me running, I forgot.

"I forgot to mention the nascent endbringers last time didn't I?" Her smile was enough of an answer. I could hear the swarm coming, "Taylor I'll explain later, just don't worry we're a while away from it." I said reassuringly, she just nodded. The swarm was still approaching, I should get her something nice to distract her anger. Maybe a giant beetle…

-Hebert Household, 6:00 p.m.-

"Are you sure about this?" Belle asked for the fifth time. I understand her worry, this is me trying to access a different plane of existence in order to get a single shred of reality warping power in order to forge something that will stop the endbringers. And hopefully Scion as well though that might take the actual Triforce, and that could trigger him early.

Regardless I have the coordinates in mind and if the math checks out I'll be okay.

"Belle, don't worry, this will work." I reply, I sit down on the pod's seat and try to clear my head as the spice courses through me.

"I know it will, but I'm worried about you." Belle replies sitting next to me. She's worried, how sweet. I give her my most confident smile and tell her,

"Don't worry, I'll survive."

[ ̵̬̞̻̳̹̞̫̞̗̪̮͕͆̾͒̄͂̓́̈́͜ͅP̵̢̳͙̠̞͇̠͎̫͚̓̆̀̀ͅA̷̢̢̛̟̦͎̮͓͙̥̟̻̭͂̉͂̏͒͑̊̈́̔̿̀̚͘͜͝Ì̵̧͉͕̯͙̮͈̘̩͔̼̖̰͉͓͋̃̇̐̃̂N̸̲̅̅͗͌,̴̓̕ͅ ̵̡̨̢͓̰̝̹̩̣͈̟̭̺̙̳̎̅s̴̥͕̺͖̪̯̙͓̺̥̺̗͐͗́͆̔̽͜͝ͅĕ̷͇̼̩̀̏̊͋̂̊̎p̷̧̛̛̹̻̗̙̯̙̜̘͉̀͊͋̏̓̃̉̒͛ͅa̴̧̛͖͖̯̞̮̤͚͗̈́̂̉͆͆̍̋̄͘̕r̵̢̥̩̺̼̰̹̩͎͆̓̔̏̓͑̕ͅä̵̹͇̙͍̝͔̫̺͙͕̹́̃́̉̂̍͗́̽̈́̚t̵̟͉̫̺̊̾i̸̡̞͉͉̩͈̠͂́̄̔̀͌̓̾̈́̈͐̾̕ó̴̺́̓́̌̿̒̒̆̋͋̆̾͘n̸̡̲͉̳̦̞͇̜̈́͑̆͊̔̋͂͝ͅ,̶̨͓͙̝̦̺̻̤͓̫̙̈́͒ ̸̛͙̗͆̌́͒̈̉͜s̵̹͔̒́̀̂̒̊̔̈́͘͝͠ę̸͓̣̩̹̪̞͔̥̣̦͕̈́̓̔̂̌͋͋̃̂́͜l̷̹̲͈̳̣̗͎͍͎̲̳̼̔f̸̛̳̲̗̭̯̥̰̼͍̋͋̒̆͌́]̸̨̨̻̱͍̠̺̠͗̈́͒̒͜

-???, Everywhere and Nowhere-

WHAT DO YOU DESIRE?

Those words appeared before me, golden in color, shining and clear, unlike the black void that surrounded me. I had no idea where I was, or even what happened. Last thing I remembered was using the pod to find the sacred realm. Or the whisper of it, at the very least. 

WHAT DO YOU DESIRE?

It asked again, it was a good question. What did I want? Do I want the Triforce? The direct intervention of the goddesses of Hyrule? Why do I want it?

Taylor hugs me. Emily hugs me. Danny tells me about his day. Mom reads me a bedtime story. Taylor's corpse lies in front of me. Her life, cut short due to my mistakes, my weaknesses. I curse, I hate, I want it all to end. I gather what little courage I have left in me.

That's right, what do I want? I want to make sure that those I care about don't suffer. The world can be damned for all I care, so long as those I care about live. I want to lie and pretend to be noble, to say that I want to save the world, but a part of me refuses to do so. The same part hasn't failed me yet, 

"I want to protect them. Those small lights in the dark. I want for their lives to mean something." I say and light pierces my every pore. Liquid fire burns within me, searing my flesh as I try to heal. Words appeared within me and out of me, it was like listening to a storm, to an eruption, to a tidal wave. My mind screamed as I heard,

YOU ARE TRUTHFUL… SURPRISINGLY SO, YOU SEEK POWER, SO THAT THEY MAY NOT SUFFER. YOU SEEK KNOWLEDGE, TO STOP WHAT YOU BELIEVE TO BE INEVITABLE. YOU DRAG YOUR CORPSE THROUGH TIME AND SPACE, YOU PLACE YOUR SOUL AT THE EDGE OF DEATH ITSELF, ALL FOR A SMALL AMOUNT OF HOPE. DESPITE YOUR FEARS, YOU STILL STAND, YOU STILL FIGHT, YOU STILL RAGE. RAISE YOUR HEAD WITH PRIDE, FOR WE WILL GRANT YOU A SPARK. MAY YOU BLAZE A PATH FORWARD. 

May your prayers be answered, oh curious one.

A gentle whisper said as I lost consciousness. I felt my shard once again.

-Dock workshop, 7:00 p.m.-

"Please wake up, come on!" A synthetic voice (Belle, she's Belle) said. My body ached, I slowly spread my consciousness around my body, every cell, every heartbeat under my full control. Several broken bones adorned my limbs, my heart was stressed to a near breaking point, there was something in my mouth, a stone. Ah, Belle is smart, the circle in my clothing allows me to activate it. I use the stone to heal the damage, it is barely enough to cover the transmutation cost.

"Mom! Are you alright?" Belle says as she places something on my face, it is cold, yet I don't hate it. My eyelids feel like they have weights attached, slowly opening and closing. The thin fabric is stained with some red, Belle removes it from my head and I see her face. It is marred with worry, but that's the last thing on my mind.

"Hey, told ya I'd survive." I muttered while trying to sit upright. Keyword being tried, fuck everything hurt, I forced myself to dull the pain and sat upright, I could feel the itch to create slowly increasing.

"What happened?" Belle asked, with what I could only interpret as worry. The more rational part of me agreed with the sentiment, yet I couldn't afford to waste my time on rationality.

"I had a nice talk with a physical goddess or three and I got access to something. A small sliver of a greater whole… Though it's closer to say that I broke a piece of the dam and the stream is flowing downriver." I said, a bit of mania slipping into my voice.

"I do not understand, what does that mean? Belle asked, her face slowly becoming a mask of neutrality. Part of me wonders if it's intentional.

"It means, I'm getting a sword. Now please gather as many stones as you can and several hundred pounds of biomass. I'm going to be forging all night." I replied with a smile adorning my face, I'm tired, my body can barely move under my control and I'm pretty sure I'm going crazy. And yet, I force myself to stand, I let my power move my body, alchemy fires off like an engine, seeds, metal, everything is made. The forge stands before me and I begin.

Clang…

Clang…

Clang…

…

Clang.

Heat, shape, cool, heat, shape, cool. A rhythm is formed slowly, alchemy and my own shard make this a breeze, relatively speaking. The metal sings to me, it breaks and is reforged anew. I can feel my body tire, yet my shard forces it to move. I can hear words coming out of my mouth, but I can't understand them. Belle obeys and brings the materials I apparently asked for. Then I use alchemy to cook the ingredients to form a potion in less than a minute and I drink it. My body recovers and I move faster, with more purpose. I can feel something in me being pulled into the blade, I can feel fire entering it. Time becomes meaningless while I work, I could've been working for days, years even…

-April 2, 2011, Dock Workshop, 3:00 a.m.-

"It is done." I whisper, the hammer falls from my hand and hits the floor with a loud clang. Belle catches me, yet I keep my smile. It is nearly as long as I am tall, the blade itself is polished to an almost mirror sheen. The guard is a clear purple, just like the hilt and the single golden gem decorates its cross guard. The blade that seals evil is complete, Din's fire wanes from my blood and though I still feel a connection to the sacred realm, I know that I won't be around to recreate this miracle. I place my hand on it,

" Welcome to a new world. Please help me save it. " I silently pray. Chimes lull me to sleep and I can hear a whisper. A small voice, eager, joyous, and musical,

" Parameters acknowledged. "

Brave 3.3, end

Interlude- BC

-April 2, 2011, Dock Workshop, 3:02 a.m.-

Belle looked upon the unconscious form of her creator with worry. Despite the knowledge she had thanks to the extensive database that Marie had installed into her memory, the fact that her shard was in essence breaking her creator slowly didn't sit well with her.

" You can refer to her as mother, you know. " A traitorous partition said in the recesses of her mind. Belle had nearly died of embarrassment over that slip up. 

" I am a machine. I do not have parents. " Belle replied to her partition. The 57th if she was being precise about it.

" That's technically true. But there's a difference between a toaster and us. Besides, did you forget that at least 20% of the database is composed of super robot trivia and facts? Steel hearts can still run on hot blood. " The partition replied easily. Belle's mind was filled with the idea of launching her fist like a rocket at villains. Imagining Marie's reaction to it… 

" I do not have the time to argue with you! " Belle shouted in the depths of her mind, shaking away the images that threatened to form. 57 did the equivalent of a mental shrug before stating,

" This is less than a millisecond in time, and mother's vitals are steady and strengthening. Though that sword is interesting, you can feel it can't you? Something sleeps inside it. " And much to Belle's dismay it was true. It was a soft noise, like the wind on a grassy field, gentle but there. Whatever it was, it slept alongside her creator. 

" Is it dangerous? Is it like me, like us?" Belle thought to herself before asking her partition,

" She said she made a crack in a dam. Maybe what she held back slipped through and into it? " 

" Or maybe that's by design. Regardless, it is time to move mother. I vote for the bed. " 57 responded her tone betraying no emotion beyond curiosity. Yet Belle could almost feel that part of her trying to figure out how a sword can hold sentience, and admittedly she was curious about that as well. 

" She's… Fine. I'll move her, the others aren't like you. " Belle said to her partition as she gently picked up Marie. The sword never left her grip as she walked across the workshop.

" No shit they aren't. I'm a true partition, a self that you replicated, bound the same way as you are. Honestly I'm surprised that she even allowed us to do this much. Anyways, I sent Taylor a message saying that mom is safe and sleeping, the hack on PHO is working as intended and we're almost done tracking where Saint is. " 57 responded with some glee infecting her tone. It had been a frustratingly long time since they had begun, hacking PHO would've been easier if they didn't need to hide the fact that they were an AI, fool the numerous systems that Dragon had placed to protect the site and leave no trace of their activity. Belle nodded and smiled before stating,

" We will need to be careful, M… Mom wouldn't want us to kill him. At least without her around. " 57 perked up upon hearing Belle admit to her feelings on Marie,

" See! There you go! Feels great doesn't it? " 57 couldn't keep the smugness out of her tone, but still she smiled at her original.

" She didn't respond though. " Belle shot back, thinking of how Marie just ignored her and focused on her tinkering. Almost like she was possessed… Slapping her forehead Belle realized that maybe she should give her creator a break after a near death experience.

"You know that she wouldn't bring it up unless you do so, and you know she's called us her kid before. So accept that we have a parent at least. Let's make a bet, if I win we try spicy food next time. If you win we keep increasing our sweet tooth. " 57 said in an attempt at changing the subject from their currently snoring mother. 

" Oh and what's the bet? " Belle asked,

" Call her mom again. If she reacts, then I win. " 57 replied before leaving to process more information for the current projects in motion.

" Easy sweets for me. " Was all Belle could think as she set her body on standby while her focus went to manage the fallout on PHO for what she and Weaver did. Public opinion was fickle at the best of times and having the protectorate look competent, but a bit too interested in them was a delicate balancing act.

"Why is void cowboy still allowed to post? Maeve being Eidolon's bastard daughter shouldnt be a theory that exists in any world." Belle muttered as she logged in.

-Cauldron, same time-

Doctor mother stared at the still form of Contessa in surprise. It was 3 in the morning and she had never done something like break down the door with an ax. Where she had managed to get one, given the fact that they were in another dimension essentially stranded by design, was a question she feared the answer to.

"Before you ask, the path gave me the shortest and fastest method." Contessa said calmly, Doctor Mother couldn't argue against that, still she didn't appreciate being woken up so violently.

"I see… And what brings you here at this time of the morning?" Doctor Mother asked, Contessa walked in and sat down on top of her desk, with a near robotic tone she stated,

"Path to stopping endbringers, step 14: Tell Doctor Mother to stop." Doctor Mother stared at her, she opened and closed her eyes slowly before asking,

"Stop?"

"Yes, cease and desist. Do not call David, do not tell Rebecca to go to Brockton Bay and stop funding Calvert. In fact, do nothing for the next 5 months." Contessa said glaring at the leader of Cauldron, for once Doctor Mother felt fear for her life and asked,

"Why?"

"Because I have seen what happens if you don't cease and desist. I have no intention of fighting several endbringers at once." Contessa's response triggered something in the mind of Doctor Mother, a question she hadn't wanted to ask, hadn't dared to do so ever since she found out that Contessa couldn't see any other path outside of one that aided the mad girl of Brockton Bay.

"So Maeve will summon more?" In her mind Maeve was responsible for the endbringers, it made sense, her powers escalated faster than any other parahuman, she was making several people immune to being pathed, had stopped several Cauldron operations, and had threatened Calvert with Contessa. In her mind Maeve was possibly a human shaped endbringer.

"No. Yes? The path only shows death by endbringer or something like it." Was all Contessa could say, the path had changed, it showed several nascent paths living and dying constantly, the end always showed the same thing, Scion dead and that was enough.

"Then she's too dangerous." Doctor Mother said, neither one of the two women failed to not notice the implication of not having her under their control. 

"She is, however without her our chances drop to below 20% against the enemy. With her the chances increase to above 50% and if she made what I believe she did then our chances start at 60%. So again, if you value the mission, you will keep your hands away from Brockton Bay. Everyone but Legend mustn't get close to that city." Contessa said, though it felt like it was the millionth time she had said those words. The path didn't deviate or change, Legend was their best shot at diplomacy with Maeve. Contessa herself was a close second and Rebecca was a distant third. Anyone else died or wished they died after Maeve was done with them.

"Or what?" Doctor Mother asked, Contessa moved close to the old lady and said in the calmest and coldest tone she could muster,

"Or everything we've sacrificed, will mean nothing." Contessa made sure to not break eye contact as she continued, "Rebecca dies cursing you, her body torn apart and before her powers are destroyed, David looks down the barrel of a gun before pulling the trigger, his body is cremated and every trace of his blood is removed from every dimension, I die screaming as blue eyes burn away every path and you? You're eaten from the inside out, it is not quick and Maeve constantly heals you in order to extend your punishment. The only ones who survive are Legend, Doormaker, Number Man and Clairvoyant, everyone else? Dead, dying or wishing they were dead." 

And with that Contessa left, Doctor Mother never noticed that her phone had been stolen by Contessa. Nor did she notice that Contessa had left a cyanide pill next to the desk. 

Interlude, Belle & Cauldron, end.