2.2

I woke up as I normally did every day in bed. I had a blanket draped over me as I remembered it. My room was how I left it and the sun was up just like it was every morning. I brushed my hair out of habit taking great care to ensure it's appearance and health was up to my standards.

I entertained the idea of skipping school last night but only now did I really mentally commit to it. After last night it would be impossible for me to go back to my normal routine, I felt like so much more now. I knew I had to go back eventually to avoid suspicion but once a week wouldn't be too bad.

I entered the kitchen and proceeded to cook up some breakfast. I'd make some sweet rolls for dad and something that wasn't driven by my power today, eggs and bacon.

Dad soon woke up after that with a groggy expression. I greeted him with coffee to which he gratefully accepted.

"Morning Taylor!" He spoke.

"Morning dad." I answered as we dug into our food. As I finished off the last bits of my bacon I considered how to skip class today. With any luck no one would even realize I was gone and realistically it's not like anyone cared anyways. Dad would be kept out of the loop letting me scavenge more ingredients for potions allowing me to call Armsmaster.

"Someone's in a good mood today." Dad mentioned as he began washing up the dishes. I was smiling? Despite my brief panic I found that I simply didn't care. It made him happy, it was clear to see.

"I guess, just a bit randomly happy I guess." I wasn't really sure what else to say.

"Mmmm." He grunted in agreement as he nodded. "Well I'm off, you should get going yourself if you don't wanna be late for the bus."

"Oh no, I'd miss school, how terrible." I told him rolling my eyes. "I'd have to stay home and drink hot chocolate all day."

He laughed at that. "We wouldn't want that now would we, anyways I've got to go, love you sweetie." With that he we went our separate ways.

I felt minor Elation at that, my Speech skill improved? Seriously? My fucking Speech? Why didn't it grow sooner? I'd been talking with dad for months! Sure I was pretty withdrawn at school but I had gotten hit less than the amount of times I had spoken and my Light armor skill improved!

Was this one of those stupid limitation things again? The way that my Light armor skill only improved if I was wearing the steel capped boots? Or how my potion brewing skills didn't get better from me making soup? There was an element that made me get better at Speech but without dad talking to me again I couldn't analyse it.

Clearly normal conversation wouldn't cut it, I'd have to experiment.

I had technically planned to skip school to make potions and sell them but who said I couldn't just take the day off to test the limits of my powers? That wouldn't be so different right? Putting on the boots I made my way outside with my backpack.

First things first, the library. I needed to do some research on how much I could sell my Tinker Tech potions for. I doubted there would be many equivalents but hopefully I'd get a rough idea on how much I should charge Armsmaster. I'd probably start with a discount just to be friendly. Making my way to the library I found to my dismay that every computer there was filled up.

Well there went that plan.

Still, the computer wasn't my only resource, the library had books after all. I doubt any of them would tell me how much my Tinker Tech would cost but maybe I could find a guide on negotiations so that I wouldn't be pushed around too much at least.

The Librarian was leering at me as I approached her which was a bad sign considering that she usually smiled when I came around.

"Shouldn't you be in school missy?" She asked. Right, I was skipping, I couldn't exactly hide that could I? I'd have to come up with a lie, problem is I didn't look sick so I'd have to think of something else quickly.

"That's why I'm here actually." Good start but I'd have to close it off with something believable. "Class is being fumigated, something about an infestation but I don't want to fall behind in class so I'm here to study." At that I shifted my bag implying that there were books inside already.

She seemed to buy the excuse so I decided to get her help.

"Do you have any books on finances? Like buying and selling things?"

"Hmm, yes we have a few things like that, follow me young miss." Her mood seemed to have lightened up. "It's good that you're using this time to study, I can only imagine what your other classmates are doing with their newfound free time." I shrugged at that and followed her down some aisles.

"Here we are, I don't want to sound too demeaning but the 'For Dummies' section should be very helpful, it's how I learnt how to do my taxes properly after all." She smiled.

"Thank you." I replied as she left. I grabbed the bright yellow book off the shelf.

'Sales Closing For Dummies' seemed like it was very relevant to what I needed.

Opening it up I found that I felt minor Elation again for my Speech skill. My eyes widened at that. I looked back to the librarian who was already walking around the corner. The Elation was too delayed for her to be the cause of the boost. It was something else. But what?

I shook my head, I'd have to figure out the mystery later, right now I needed more books on selling things for study. Flicking through the book I put it on the table next to me. I planned to make a pile and borrow them later.

Grabbing the next book 'Selling For Dummies' I opened it up and once more my Elation flared.

The implications this time was not lost on me. Somehow books made me more powerful. I had to confirm it, I grabbed another book and another, flicking them open only to close them and move onto the next.

Again and again I felt Elation finally letting me look to the stars. So much was before me but I had practice, I focused and the shards seemingly solidified. They were still out of reach for the most part but eventually I picked one that would make my ability to brew better potions once more.

My hands were shaking, this, this was huge. I didn't have to train my powers by performing the actions! I could just read a book! Well, not even that! All I had to do was open them! I gently placed them all back to where they belonged and headed to the fiction section, my mind swam with possibilities. Ever since I came out of that locker I had never indulged myself in reading to any degree like I would normally do, I was too focused on becoming a cape I supposed.

But now?

Guides for the most part seemed to increase my power. Books about coding and such had not. So it seemed I was still limited to a degree, another arbitrary limitation. However, perhaps non-fiction books would help? I had to test this!

Grabbing a fantasy novel about magic I opened it up only to get nothing. I grabbed another one off the shelf and still nothing. Perhaps fictional magic wasn't compatible with my powers?

I changed tactics and grabbed a different sort of fantasy book off the shelf, this one was about an assassin in training and as I opened the first page I felt Elation, my Veil improved.

Right, my Veil. It would be strange to see someone grabbing books off the shelves, opening and closing them all one at a time wouldn't it? I crouched down and got to work. There were still people around and some had even left their computers but I paid them no mind. My power hid me from view, occasionally I felt my Veil become stronger but that was secondary compared to the growth I had from these books.

I was almost furious at how much power was at my fingertips! I could've had it all sooner if only I had just left the computers alone! Hours passed and I felt my stomach grumble. I hadn't realized how hungry I had gotten. I'd passed through a few shelves but I still had more to go. You'd think opening and closing a book wouldn't take so much time but there were a lot of books.

I checked the clock, it was almost twelve. I planned on contacting Armsmaster around this time, make him think I was using my lunch break from school to go see him. I knew it was a bit deceptive of me but I didn't want him to think that I was anything but a paragon of justice. I felt that I didn't need to bring any books with me anymore and left.

Getting on a bus it took some time before I was closer to the Protectorate's base. I couldn't get there directly since it was on an old oil rig but it was close enough to see the ever present force field. Finding an abandoned area I activated my Veil once more and changed my clothes.

I pulled out Armsmaster's card and approached a phone booth. Then I found the flaw in my plan.

I didn't bring any coins with me. Of all the things that could have gone wrong today it had to be that! I patted myself down for loose change and my bag but all I could find were scrunched up dollar bills here and there. I found a dime as well but that was it.

This was a disaster! I used the last of my coins in the bus ride! I planned on using the bills to get back home!

Feeling desperate I jammed my fingers into the phone booth's coin return box and to my pleasant surprise it was filled with quarters.

"Holy shit." I swore with relief. A passerby stared at me wondering what a girl wearing yellow goggles and face concealing bandanna was doing here. I waved at them hoping that I would come across as friendly. They took that as the signal to walk away at a very fast pace.

Sighing I inserting a few coins and dialled the number I was given. I waited less then a second before the call was answered.

"Armsmaster here, who is this?" He asked in a no nonsense sort of way.

While I was a bit put off by his quick reply I collected myself and pushed through.

"Uhh hi, this is Vim, just returning a call about yesterday and about selling some of my potions?"

"Good to hear from you Vim, please hold."

There was a pause, a long pause. What was he doing?

"I found your location, please wait, a PRT van will soon come to pick you up, are you in costume?" Wait he found me? Right, he was a Tinker, that explained everything. I was only a bit disappointed that he wouldn't be picking me up personally but I'd still be meeting him today anyways. Not many people could say that.

"Yeah, I'm in costume I'll see you soon, I'll be here."

"Good." He replied hanging up. I didn't have to wait long and before I knew it the van had arrived.

"This is it Vim, you're in the big leagues now." I whispered as we made our way over to a ferry.

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Edit: words!

Guardsman_Sparky said:I liked this chapter. Just a quick quibble. We don't call paper money 'notes' here in the USA. We call them 'bills.'