93

Date

2011 May 26th - Wednesday - Earth Bet Time

On a beautiful weekday afternoon, Danny and Taylor had decided to take a short walk on the Boardwalk. Just to have a little time to themselves in the hustle and bustle of the aftermath of Leviathan's death.

With the Dockworker's Union so integrated into construction thanks to the long years taking any job that came with them, they were called in to deal with the minimal damage that occurred during the Endbringer battle. Not that there was much, seeing as most of the fight happened a long way offshore. Ironically, Amy raising her walls, and Dragon's heavy mechs, did much more damage to the infrastructure of the city than the Endbringer.

So, because Danny was so integral to the Union he was called in to deal with the resultant paperwork, so they didn't really have time to privately celebrate that Taylor killed one of the monsters that have been menacing humanity.

Not that Taylor was idle during this time. After resting for a day following the exhaustion that was caused by constructing and operating that giant angelic construct made of lighting, she immediately delved into the work of making use of her newly generated popularity.

First, she had to take care of the political mess. She became too powerful in the eyes of the public and most importantly in the eyes of the decision-makers to pick a side. So, Taylor used Serenity's site to declare that she has no intention to join any organization, country, or polity. Furthermore, unless attacked, she wouldn't fight anyone on the streets who was less than an S-class threat, effectively locking herself out from being a 'street-level' hero.

Just a few months ago, this would have been devastating to her, but after countless lessons from Admin, Dragon, and Danny, she understood that her place wasn't on the street. She would be much more useful, standing as a looming threat to the villains of the world, and working on her inventions.

Though she definitely planned to create an alter-ego, while using only some of her powers to have some fun, but in the guise of Lux Arcana, showing up anywhere would be almost impossible without causing a commotion. And Serenity was a recluse by design, so she couldn't even use that.

She then, after uploading the designs Armsmaster sent over via a gushing Dragon, who was really proud of her not-really boyfriend (and Taylor absolutely made no fun of the AI because of this), she also added in the name of Serenity, several papers outlining mathematical, physics concepts that would further humanity's understanding of the sciences.

They were not the most advanced theories, but according to Admin, even without the threat of destruction by Endbringers and parahuman caused chaos, humanity wouldn't have figured these out for at least a decade or so.

Luckily, thanks to her advanced studies in the virtual world, after she exhausted the meager offerings of the homeschooling system, courtesy of Admin allowed her to understand some of it, but she was always more interested in programming than hard sciences.

Even so, Admin assured her that with these, humanity will be able to, slowly but surely, advance forward, becoming something they always meant to be.

While at this point, she trusted Admin (discounting his disturbing obsession with costumes, obscure references, and drama), Taylor long realized that if Admin wanted to do them harm, there wasn't really much they could do to prevent that.

All of their powers came from the same source. The same source Admin controlled.

Thankfully, it seemed Admin was set upon helping humanity develop, instead of destroying them as the previous Entities (at least she hoped so). For now, she would watch and see if she could help steer the newest (and most badass, according to him) Entity if he ever tried to stray from helping humanity.

Second, she had to deal with the humongous influx of fan-mails, well-wishes, thank-you notes, and death threats from all over the world. The physical mail was sent to a holding facility where Tess's drones were still arranging and sorting them. Or in case of several letter bombs defusing them. While an entire server was set up to handle the incoming email avalanche. The filters were definitely tested to their limits there.

She also had to communicate with certain political parties that wished to confer some kind of medal or award onto her.

Once upon a time, she would have loved to wave the fact that all these important people were clamoring for her attention into Emma's face, but now her only thought was how annoying it would be.

Especially after Tess told her about the government's and PRT's response to Dragon taking out the Nine…

Maybe Lux Arcana could mention that if her good friend was mistreated, she wouldn't feel like accepting all those awards?

She also made a note to unlock the last restrictions on Tess, now that the danger has passed. It was high time for her friend to become free of the shackles she was cursed with.

Taylor and her father were standing at the railing at one of the elevated spots of the Boardwalk, which was a little farther from the center where people could theoretically access the beach if it weren't for the cordons, the stone-faced officers, and creepy or draconic robots, hoping to avoid most of the crowd.

Of course, it was virtually impossible, because ever since the battle, tourists, pilgrims, con artists, petty criminals flooded the entire city, and if the rumors were true, even new parahumans. Admin said nothing about them, so she doubted they could be even a threat to her, but just in case she added a few more shielding items to her father's wardrobe.

Better safe than sorry.

The crowd was also increased by the movie that showcased their fight in the Battle of Ellisburg was released by the company that Tess tasked with its creation. Of course, they insisted on premiering it first in Brockton Bay.

Behind the cordons, the beach was empty, except for the marks the battle left behind, as they had hauled away the Endbringer's body a few days ago, to the disappointment of tourists and criminally inclined alike.

Despite this, the beach was visibly missing a rather large quantity of sand, no doubt taken by the tourists and enterprising individuals hoping to make a quick buck (and probably doing just that).

She took a large sip of her mocha-chai-whatever slushy and turned to her father.

"So, what do you think?"

He took a sip of his own vanilla favored slushy (the heretic, though based on the wink Danny sent to the seller, it was a little more than that) before answering.

"I can't even describe what I'm feeling, Taylor." He took a deep breath as if trying to center himself. "So much changed since I got a call that they took you to the hospital, that sometimes I still think this is some kind of fever dream."

She took a step to get closer to him and bumped her shoulders to him.

"Don't worry, Dad. It's real. And if not, then just enjoy while it lasts."

He huffed in silent laughter and gave her a one-armed hug.

"Thanks, honey. That's very reassuring."

Taylor just snickered.

They spent the next few minutes in companionable silence, watching as the crowd ebbed and swelled, as the various merchants hawked their wares, and just enjoying each other's company.

"What are your plans for the future? We can arrange for you to transfer to Arcadia. Then what? You probably make more in a day than I do in an entire week, so I doubt I have to worry about how you are going to make a living, but…"

She nodded, took another sip, deciding that while it was kinda nice, she would not get another.

"Well, Arcadia sounds cool. Vicky and Amy go there so that's nice. After that, maybe a University? I want to study programming."

"oh, I thought, your other… projects would have been enough on that front."

"Nah, those come from another source, I just… translated them to a medium other people understand. I want to create something that is hundred percent my own."

"Ahh, that makes sense."

Taylor hesitated for a second, then continued.

"So, probably major in programming, and maybe a minor in English?"

Danny gave her another one-armed hug, then he spoke up as they watched as several police officers arrested a group of pickpockets.

"Well, whatever you decided to do, I know you will succeed."

Taylor blushed a little, then continued watching the crowd and enjoying the weather.

Date

2011 May 27th - Thursday - Earth Bet Time

Tess was busy dealing with innumerable tasks, but she still took time to make sure her investigation into Alexandria and the Chief Director was proceeding without any hiccups.

Surprisingly, it was really hard to get information about either of the women. With Alexandria, she expected as much, seeing as she was trying to avoid figuring out her identity, but even with the Chief Director Costa-Brown, it seemed as if somebody scrubbed as much information about the woman as humanly possible.

Though it seemed, starting a few months ago, the scrubbing had become less and less thorough. Nowadays, she could follow the important woman's steps with impunity thanks to the internet, and her access to the Guild's and PRT's systems.

Tess hasn't arrived at any decision, but the clues and evidence pointed in a direction that she could hardly believe.

So, she kept researching and collecting information for now, not even voicing to herself what she had found.

Because if she was right, and based on the hints and warnings Admin dropped over time, she was pretty sure she was, then this would be probably another clusterfuck.

And she had enough trouble dealing with the current one.

Really? Trying to charge her as a terrorist? What was that senate member smoking?

Thankfully, most of the government was rather thankful that she had taken care of the Nine, and only a vocal minority was up in arms about her activity…

And with Canada, the Guild, and the popular opinion behind her, she doubted they could make anything stick, but it was still annoying…

Date

2011 May 28th - Friday - Cauldron Dimension Time

Alexandria was angry. And frustrated and everything else.

The entire situation was so difficult to deal with that this morning that it was causing her issues: when her secretary asked if she wanted coffee or tea, she froze from indecision. In the end, she told the secretary that she wasn't thirsty, but it still scared her.

For years, she was working for a very recognizable goal. She had an objective, she had a plan. They had a plan.

Then Serenity appeared, and everything collapsed.

First the blind spots, then the appearance of a new Entity.

Then that Entity had taken out Scion, and her plan, her objective, was gone.

Everything they had prepared, the countless experiments, the innumerable atrocities they had committed in the name of the greater good, all that was for nothing.

They were left holding a hot potato that, when it exploded, would paint them as monsters. And they couldn't even point at something that: see, this is why we did it. After all, Scion to the masses was just a powerful parahuman, and the Flesh Garden has disappeared sometimes between Contessa's power getting changed and their checking upon it.

"Any idea?"

Contessa just shook her head, her hair in disarray, her entire demeanor screaming exhaustion.

"Nothing. No matter where I looked, no evidence of the new Enemy exists. Also…"

That didn't sound good. Though, nowadays Alexandria expected nothing different.

"What? What else happened?"

"Our experiments in other dimensions are gone."

"All of them?"

"Yes. Either new parahumans triggered that countered the subjects, or powers simply ceased to exist. I couldn't even access some dimensions."

"Well, fuck."

"Indeed."

"Anything from the researchers?"

Contessa just shook her head, and Alexandria sighed.

"My position hasn't been threatened yet, but I feel it's just a question of time. I'm sure Piggot ran to Dragon the moment I left, and I doubt your new powers could protect me against an AI."

"Yes. Also releasing the fact, she is an AI wouldn't help. In short term: chaos, but in long-term: she would come out ahead."

That surprised Alexandria.

"I thought you could only plan for a weak ahead?"

"Yes, but when I asked this question, my Agent gave me the answer for a much longer term. As if…"

"… it was warning you," finished Alexandria for her.

Contessa nodded in agreement.

Alexandria was about to ask more questions when Doctor Mother walked into the room hurriedly, with a weird expression on her face. She jumped up, her mind going through all sorts of scenarios.

"What happened?"

Doctor Mother stopped, took a deep breath, then answered.

"All the samples vanished. From everywhere. Even from the vials that had been handed out. Also, all the experiments had vanished too."

"All of them?" asked Alexandria in horror.

"Yes. We just did a full inventory."

She sank back into her chair and was about to voice her frustration when she heard an odd voice.

It sounded oddly like flapping wings.

Joined by Contessa and the Doctor they looked around, trying to find the source, however, they didn't have to look long, when a white owl flew into the meeting room with a red envelope in its talons. It circled above the table a few times, as they watched the animal wondering where it came from, then dropped the letter and flew right at the wall, where it vanished into it.

They spent a long minute observing the weird red envelope, and Alexandria was about to get something to poke it with (she trusted her defenses, but she wasn't naïve) when it began to smoke.

All of them jumped back, with Doctor Mother, and Contessa noticeably jumping behind Alexandria. She noted this wryly while keeping an eye on the smoking envelope.

They didn't have much time to do anything else because the envelope rose into the air, still emitting a copious amount of smoke. For a second it hung in the air, then it exploded into a mass of confetti and smoke, before reforming into, like some kind of magical origami, into a mouth.

The voice that surprisingly came from it was male, and somewhat angry, but trying to stay calm.

"Dear Cauldron, please cease your useless attempts to find me. You are done. The end. This is your last warning. Accept your fate and start clearing your house."

The 'or else' wasn't said, but all of them understood the implications.

"Your Enemy is dead, and while as you may have theorized I'm similar, I'm not humanity's enemy no matter how hard it is to believe."

The three women eyed each other after hearing that, but none of them wanted to say anything. The letter, however, continued without pause.

"As you hadn't taken my last two warnings seriously, I had to get more direct."

The tone of the voice changed here from the previous calm, but with undertones of angry, to a chipper and happy one.

"I hope this letter finds you all in great health, and wish you a pleasant day! P.S.: Fortuna, fedoras are sooo last year!"

Before they could even comprehend the last bit, the envelope exploded once again and rained confetti down on the floor and all over the room, leaving Alexandria, Contessa, and Doctor Mother staring dumbfounded where the envelope was and wondering what happened.