I woke up before my alarm, and pushed aside the thin covers. Padding over to the closet, I started rummaging through the limited clothes I had on hand.

My wardrobe was pathetically sparse - just a few t-shirts, a couple pairs of shorts and jeans, and some basics like socks and underthings. Clearly a shopping trip would need to happen soon if I wanted any variety. For now, I pulled on a white sports bra, sliding my arms through the stretchy fabric and adjusting it into place. A teal t-shirt went on next, the soft cotton clinging to my slender frame. Black running shorts, white ankle socks, and a worn pair of sneakers completed the simple athletic outfit.

Taylor was already waiting in the living room, huddled on the sagging couch. She had on a pair of loose blue jeans and an oversized hoody that seemed to swallow her skinny frame.

Part of me wanted to sigh at the depressing sight, but I held it in. We were still basically strangers, after all. No point in antagonizing her by commenting on her obvious self-esteem issues.

Menhir, you there? I thought as I stretched my arms over my head, arching my back. Menhir’s presence brushed against my mind.

Ever-present, child. What is your desire?

Just letting you know I'm heading out for a run with Taylor. Could you keep an eye out while we're outside?

As you will it, so it shall be.

Satisfied, I turned my attention back to the physical world, giving Taylor a bright smile. "Ready to get this run started?"

She shifted awkwardly on the couch, hands buried in the folds of her overlarge hoodie. "Uh, yeah. I guess."

Pushing herself to her feet, Taylor started for the door. I fell into step beside her as we exited onto the cracked front stoop.

"So where's your usual route take you?" I asked conversationally as we set off down the sidewalk at an easy jog. "Any good sights to see around here?"

Taylor shrugged. "Not really. I just kinda loop around near the Boardwalk area." She shot me a sidelong glance. "The other parts of the city aren't super safe to run through."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Why's that?"

"Gang territory," she said simply. "The E88, ABB, and smaller gangs all have turf wars and stuff. Safer to stick close to the Boardwalk where there's people around."

I nodded, tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear as we rounded a corner. "Makes sense to stick close if there's gang activity around. Though I have to admit, the idea of cape gangs roaming the streets is still taking some getting used to. Especially since my hometown didn’t have many capes at all."

I flashed Taylor a conspiratorial grin. "Speaking of capes though, what's the gossip? Any hot drama I should know about in this city's cape scene?"

Taylor's eyes went wide behind her glasses for a moment before she recovered. "You mean you don't know? Brockton Bay is like...capital of cape stuff happening."

We both stayed quiet for a moment as passed a drugged-out guy leaning against a wall. Taylor seemed to loosen up a bit, her words coming more fluidly. "Okay, so you've got the Protectorate heroes like Armsmaster, Miss Militia, Dauntless. They're the biggest name good guys.”

I held up a hand, grinning. "Wait, Armsmaster? As in that badass Tinker who's basically a one-man army with all his gear? I've definitely heard of him."

Taylor blinked at me in surprise, then a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Yeah, that's him. Leader of the Brockton Bay Protectorate team and kind of a huge deal. Another big hero team is New Wave – they’re… different."

Raising an eyebrow, I prompted her to continue. "Different how?"

"They don't wear masks or have secret identities," Taylor explained, her tone taking on a lecturing quality. "Their whole thing is about being open with their powers and not hiding who they are. The core team is Lady Photon, Manpower, Brandish, Flashbang, and their kids."

I whistled lowly. "Wow, that does seem incredibly brave of them. Or maybe just reckless?"

Taylor shrugged one shoulder. "I can see the arguments for both sides. By being open, they avoid all the secrecy and lies that most capes have to deal with. But it also paints a target on their backs for any villains who want to make a statement."

"Good point," I replied, brushing a few stray locks of hair away from my face as we neared the Boardwalk. The salty tang of the bay filled my nostrils.

A hesitant look crossed Taylor's features as we slowed to a walk, taking in the sights and sounds around us. "Hey, Lara? Can I ask you something...personal?"

I arched an eyebrow curiously. "Of course. What's on your mind?"

Taylor worried her lower lip between her teeth for a moment before continuing. "About what happened to your parents...are you doing okay with that? I mean, my mom also died when I was younger, so I can kind of imagine what you might be feeling."

Shit. I forced my expression into one of suppressed sadness, blinking rapidly as I allowed a few tears to well up in the corners of my eyes. "I'm...trying not to think about it too much, you know? Just taking things one day at a time." I swallowed hard, putting on my best pained look. "But I still miss them every single day."

Taylor's gaze softened with sympathy, her own eyes shining with unshed moisture. "I'm so sorry, Lara. I can't imagine losing both parents at once like that. If you ever need to talk or anything..."

She trailed off, seemingly at a loss for words. I gave her a watery smile, appreciating the gesture even if it was based on a lie. "Thanks, Taylor. I'll keep that in mind."

I could feel that familiar pulse ripple through me once again, the strange energy seeming to trace back into my mind. But before the sensation could fully manifest, it abruptly cut off.

[Mimicry - Peter Pan] - 200cp

You can perfectly imitate the cries of any wild animal on the island, or even specific people, as long as you have heard the real voice in the past. Even people who have known the person you are imitating for years on end will be fooled by your voice. You are also a master at throwing your voice such that it seems to be coming from a different direction, such that you can remain concealed and no one can determine your location unless you break cover. In addition, you can use musical instruments to mimic non-vocal sounds.

I sadly only had 100 choice points right now from the Celestial Grimoire. Mimicry seemed like a handy ability, but not one I could afford at the moment. Though I wasn't sure yet what the exact mechanism was for gaining choice points, or cp.

We weren't doing anything particularly exciting - just taking a morning jog along the Boardwalk while Taylor filled me in on Brockton Bay's cape scene. Still, I’d definitely need to pay close attention going forward in case there was some pattern to acquiring cp.

Taylor looked at me with concern clearly visible on her face. It seemed my momentary blank stare and standing still hadn't gone unnoticed. "Are you alright, Lara? You spaced out there for a second."

I shook my head gently. "It's nothing, just a small headache that comes and goes sometimes. When it hits, I can't help zoning out for a moment until it passes."

Taylor nodded slowly, seeming to accept my excuse. "Okay... let me know if you need anything, I guess? Like water or something?"

"I'm fine, but thanks for asking," I assured her with an easy grin. "Why don't you go ahead and continue telling me about these cape teams you were describing? I'm still a total newbie when it comes to all of Brockton's players."

The reminder of her apparent expertise on the subject seemed to boost Taylor's confidence. We continued jogging, and she launched back into her lecture.

"Right, so besides the Protectorate heroes and New Wave, you've got the biggest gang - the Empire Eighty-Eight. They're a bunch of racist assholes who think they're the next evolution of humanity."

I arched one perfectly sculpted eyebrow at that. "I'm guessing they're the type to cause a ruckus and start conflict then?"

"Putting it mildly," Taylor said with a grimace. "They're led by Kaisar and have territory in the Downtown area. We probably don’t have much to fear from them, though..."

She adjusted her glasses, giving me a sidelong glance. "You mentioned being new to the whole cape scene here. Any particular reason for the interest?"

I shrugged. "Call it morbid curiosity. The idea of capes is just so fascinating to me. Where I'm from, there were practically almost no capes." I’m definitely not just gaining your trust…

Taylor nodded as she continued her cape commentary. "The other major gang is the Azn Bad Boyz, or ABB for short. They're probably the worst of the bunch - dealing drugs, gambling, prostitution. Rumor is they even kidnap girls sometimes for their...operations."

She shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself. Before I could respond, a rough voice cut through the morning quiet.

"Well, well...look what we have here."

I whipped my head around to see a scruffy Asian man leering at us from a few yards away. He looked strung out, his eyes glazed and unfocused. Taylor and I exchanged an uneasy glance.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"Can we help you?" I asked politely, keeping my tone even.

The man's gaze looked me up and down in an unsettling way. "Damn, you're a fine little thing, ain't ya?" He licked his lips slowly. "Big tits on you too. You into Asians, sweetheart?"

Ugh, gross. I fought back a grimace of distaste. Clearly this creep was high as a kite. "I'm flattered, but no thanks. We'll be going now."

I went to turn away, but the man suddenly closed the distance between us with alarming speed. Up close, the reek of stale sweat and alcohol rolled off him in waves. He leered down at me, his hands twitching as if imagining running them over my body.

"Nah, nah, don't be like that, pretty thing. C'mere and give me some sugar." His gaze dropped to my chest again. "Those young titties need some attention, I can tell."

Taylor made a faint noise of shock behind me. I tensed, fighting the urge to step back. "Look, I'm really not interested, okay? Just leave us alone."

The man's eyes narrowed. "Don't be a fuckin' tease," he growled, reaching out to grab me.

Menhir! I thought urgently. This scumbag is about to-

But before I could finish the thought, the man's hands locked around my waist, fingers digging into my sides as he yanked me against his body roughly. His breath was hot and sour in my face.

I recoiled, lifting my knee to drive it into his groin. But Taylor moved first - her hand appearing from her overlarge hoodie clutching a can of pepper spray.

"Get off her!" she shouted, spraying a stream of burning aerosol directly into the man's face.

He howled in agony, reeling backwards and releasing me as his hands clawed at his inflamed eyes. I stumbled back, putting space between us while he writhed and cursed.

"Run!" Taylor grabbed my arm, pulling me into a sprint back home.

My heart pounded in my chest as we fled, the sound of our footfalls pounding against the pavement. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, fueling my legs to carry me faster, further away from that creep. Taylor's hand was vice-like around my wrist, practically dragging me along in her wake.

After a couple of minutes, we ducked into an alleyway, finally slowing to a stop. We leaned against the brick wall, our chests heaving as we gulped down precious air.

Apologies, child, Menhir's telepathic voice rumbled in my mind. We should have acted quicker to defend you.

I shook my head, still catching my breath. No, it's good you didn't respond. That would have outed me right away, and you couldn’t respond in time even if you wanted, considering how high up you are. But if you ever see a situation where I'm truly in danger and can't escape, take action regardless of the consequences.

Turning to Taylor, I met her concerned brown eyes with a grateful smile. "Thank you," I said softly. "You really saved me back there."

Taylor shrugged, averting her gaze shyly. "It was nothing. I just...I couldn't let him..." She trailed off, seemingly unable to voice the implication.

I reached out and gave her arm a gentle squeeze. "You were incredibly brave standing up to that creep like that."

A faint blush colored Taylor's cheeks at the praise. "Well, like you said, we've got to look out for each other now that we're..." She hesitated, then finished, "...family."

oo0ooOoo0oo

I was lounging on the worn couch, scrolling idly through my phone. The ancient iPhone was a relic compared to the cutting-edge tech I was used to back in 2024, but it still felt futuristic for 2011 – it seemed that the influence of Tinkertech had trickled down into everyday life.

Taylor sat on the other side of the couch, a paperback novel held delicately in her hands as she lost herself in the pages. I stole a sidelong glance at her, taking in the faint crease between her brows as she read, the slight purse of her lips.

My thoughts were interrupted by the rumbling telepathic voice of the Menhirs echoing through my mind. Child, a flying human has approached our aerial position.

I blinked in surprise, but quickly realized I shouldn't be too shocked. The massive standing stones weren't exactly invisible up there, after all. Still, a flying parahuman this close to home was worth investigating.

What do they look like? I projected my thoughts outward, keeping my expression neutral.

The flying one appears to be a young female of your species, adorned in a flowing white garment and golden tiara.

I fought back a grin as the description clicked into place. Glory Girl, of course. I immediately sent a mental command to the Menhirs.

Do not engage her unless she attacks first. Avoid her if she comes too close, but otherwise remain still and try not to attract any further attention. And make sure you aren't hovering directly over my house.

As you command, Menhir intoned, their psychic presence receding slightly.

I turned my attention back to my phone, idly scrolling through some mindless game. From the corner of my eye, I noticed the TV had switched channels - the local news now playing instead of whatever sitcom had been on before.

"...massive levitating stones first appeared yesterday afternoon on the highway just outside the city," the anchor was saying, her tone one of bewildered confusion. Grainy footage played, clearly taken from a driver's phone camera, showing the six giant Menhirs hovering ominously above the road.

Taylor glanced up from her book, brow furrowed. "What's going on?"

I purposefully widened my eyes. "Oh my god, you didn't hear about this? I was almost shocked to death when it happened."

Taylor's eyes went comically wide behind her glasses. "What?"

Putting on my best mysterious smile, I replied, "I actually saw it happen with my own eyes. I was in the car with my social worker when they just...appeared right in front of us." I shook my head slowly. "Craziest thing I've ever witnessed."

"Seriously?" Taylor stared at me incredulously. "You saw those gigantic rocks appear? What...how did that even happen?"

I shrugged one shoulder casually. "Your guess is as good as mine. One minute the road was clear, the next those massive boulders were levitating all around us. We had to swerve to avoid hitting one."

On screen, the news footage cut to a bunch of blurry stills, each one capturing the Menhirs from a different angle as they rose higher into the sky. The anchor continued her commentary.

"...floating monoliths appear to simply be hovering above the city now. So far, no word yet on what they could be or where they came from. Efforts by the PRT to make contact have gone unanswered..."

The image abruptly cut to new footage - showing Glory Girl herself streaking towards one of the Menhirs, fist outstretched. My stomach clenched as she impacted the stone full force, leaving a pretty deep fist-shaped indentation in the craggy surface.

For a brief moment, Glory Girl hung there, suspended by her embedded fist. Then she recoiled, reeling backwards while clutching her head as if struck by a massive migraine.

"Oh no," Taylor gasped, her book falling forgotten to the couch. "Is she okay?"

The flying female struck one of me with considerable force, but we were able to send a psychic wave her way. Shall we give her a permanent end?

No! I thought back urgently. Do not kill Glory Girl! Only defend yourselves if she continues her assault, and stay non-lethal.

There was a brief pause before the Menhirs responded. As you command, child. We shall weather her strikes without response unless the situation escalates further.

I breathed an internal sigh of relief. The last thing I wanted was an all-out brawl between my new psychic guardians and New Wave. Especially when Glory Girl was just a reckless girl lashing out at the mysterious threat, not truly understanding what she was dealing with.

"She'll be fine," I assured Taylor with more confidence than I felt. "Though it looked like that rock shrugged off her attack pretty easily."

Taylor bit her lip, her gaze still glued to the TV screen. There was a slight furrow between her brows, a thoughtful look in her eyes.

"Hey," I said, catching her attention. She glanced over at me questioningly. "Don't worry about it, okay? I'm sure the Protectorate has this whole thing under control."

A small, uncertain smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. "Yeah, you're probably right. Still, those things showing up out of nowhere like that..." She trailed off with a shrug.

Trying to lighten the mood, I grinned at her mischievously. "Well, if worst comes to worst, at least we've got your trusty pepper spray to rely on, right?"

To my delight, Taylor actually laughed - a bright, genuine sound that seemed to momentarily banish the ever-present cloud of anxiety hanging over her. "I guess you could say that," she giggled.

We watched in silence as the news footage showed Glory Girl backing off, finally flying away from the Menhir. As the scene cut away, Taylor turned to face me.

"Hey, my dad left some money for you in the kitchen," she said. "So you can buy some new clothes and things you need."

I perked up at that, almost unable to sit still. "Oh, that's really nice of him. I was just thinking I need to go shopping soon for a more complete wardrobe."

An idea struck me, and I flashed Taylor a bright smile. "Actually, you want to come with me? We could make a girl's day of it downtown. Get you out of the house for a bit?"

Taylor hesitated, worrying her lower lip briefly. "I don't know...I'm not much of a shopper."

"Oh, come on!" I coaxed with an exaggerated pout. "It'll be fun, I promise. We can grab lunch, hit a few stores, maybe even do a little Boardwalk exploring if you're up for it."

She seemed to consider my offer, conflict playing out behind her eyes. "Well...I suppose it could be nice to get out for a change."

Grinning, I lightly punched her shoulder. "That's the spirit! Go grab your purse, I'll go get the money from the kitchen."

As I headed for the kitchen, I opened my mind towards the distant Menhirs. Looks like things have settled down with Glory Girl for now. Let me know if anything else happens up there, but otherwise just keep a low profile.

As you command.

I found the folded bills Danny had left out and pocketed them, excitement bubbling up inside me. A chance to buy cute clothes and bond more with Taylor? This was perfect.

I froze as a strange energy pulsed through my mind, teasing me with the potential of a new ability before receding once more.

[Mage Lord (Hysh) - Warhammer Fantasy: Dogs of War] - 400cp

Through training or simply sheer talent you have risen to the rank of mage lord, and have gained the ability to perceive the hidden currents within the winds of magic, allowing you to specialize in one of the more esoteric spellcasting schools.

While those with this perk can wear magical and non-magical metal armor such as chainmail or plate mail, such equipment does make it much more difficult and much more tiring to work Spells.

The white wind of magic, Hysh is also called light, and casters able to channel it are incredibly skilled in exorcisms, their light banishing demons and shattering undead as well as shielding troops from their depredations. (CG note: requires Mage - Warhammer Fantasy: Dogs of War.)

So I now had 200 choice points accumulated? Pity about missing out on 'Mage Lord' - being able to wield actual magic would have been immensely useful, even if most of the perk seemed geared towards demons and undead, and that wouldn’t be all that useful in a world like Worm. The Entities and thus all parahuman powers were considered science as far as I knew.

Still, perhaps it was good that such an expensive perk slipped from my grasp. Building up a reserve of choice points could allow me to eventually get something truly powerful.

Walking back into the living room, I flashed Taylor a bright, toothy grin, my eyes crinkling at the corners. I bounced on the balls of my feet, barely containing my excitement. "All set! You ready for our shopping trip?"

Taylor looked up from her book, biting her lip uncertainly. She clutched the novel to her chest, her backpack slung over one shoulder. "I suppose," she said after a moment, marking her page and setting the book aside. "Though I must admit, I'm not much of a mall rat. You may be disappointed if you're expecting an enthusiastic shopping companion."

I waved a dismissive hand. "Psh, no worries at all," I assured her breezily, my ponytail swishing behind me. "I'm just happy to have the company. We can make it as chill or as exciting as you want. Maybe grab a bite to eat, hit a few stores for me to restock my sadly lacking wardrobe..."

Taylor nodded slowly, adjusting her glasses. "That does sound...acceptable. Just don't expect me to be overly enthusiastic about trying on outfits."

Laughing lightly, I looped my arm through Taylor's, giving it a gentle tug. "Come on, Debbie Downer, where's your sense of adventure? Live a little!"

Taylor stiffened slightly at the contact, but didn't pull away. Instead, her body language became rigid like a statue and she stiffly said, "I suppose you make a fair point. A little excitement could be good."

I grinned widely at her agreement, even if she was helped by her swarm. For someone so socially awkward, Taylor was shockingly easy to coax out of her shell if you applied just the right amount of friendly pressure. Not that I felt even a twinge of guilt for manipulating her insecurities - we were rapidly becoming friends out of necessity anyway.

"That's my girl!" I exclaimed brightly, squeezing her arm. "Now let's get a move on."

As we headed for the door, I opened my mind towards the distant Menhirs keeping their silent aerial vigil. Any updates up there?

All remains still and calm, child, Menhir's grinding telepathic voice resonated. The female flyer has not returned, nor have any other potential threats appeared.

Awesome, keep me posted if that changes.

As you will it.