Ravensdagger_Headpats

Chapter Twenty-Six

“So what’s it like? Your job as a hero, I mean,” Big Sis asked.Crochet looked up to her Big Sis, but she wasn’t looking at her, instead she was looking towards Amy, the girl that had helped Big Sis make Remedy, and in a weird way, the one that had sorta helped Crochet survive being shot.Crochet wasn’t sure what to think about the healer yet. She was very weird, all moody and kinda snippy with Big Sis when Big Sis had never done anything to deserve it.Amy frowned a little, as if she wasn’t happy with the question Big Sis asked. Which was silly, because all the questions Big Sis asked were important, like the ones about if her sisters had wiped their bums right or if they had taken a shower that week.“It’s not as fun as people make it out to be,” Amy said. She was talking about her job as a super cool hero. She looked around the road for a bit while Big Sis thought, as if she would rather look up and down the quiet suburban street than look at Big Sis. “Can I touch it?” Amy asked. She gestured at Crochet.Big Sis frowned in the way she did when things weren’t right. “Crochet isn’t an it,” she said. Her hand tightened around Crochet’s hand, even if Crochet was only holding on to two of her fingers because Big Sis hands were so big.Amy shrugged. “Okay, sorry.” She looked as sorry as Pop did when she apologized for threatening Cheshire yet another time.They reached an intersection and waited for a few cars to pass. Pop, who wasn’t so patient, was already on the other side and waiting. Crochet looked up at the little panel with the red hand and waited like a good little sister until it flashed and turned into a cartoon person walking.Big Sis made sure it was safe and started pulling Crochet across when Pop appeared before them and shoved her back.“What-“ Big Sis began.With a loud vroom, a big white truck roared past and thumped against Pop. She exploded across the street.With a squeal of burnt rubber that only barely drowned out the screaming from Big Sis and Amy and Crochet, the truck wobbled back to the middle of the road and shot away with a rumble and a belch of thick black smoke.“Oh God,” Big Sis said. She was squeezing Crochet’s hand so hard it hurt a little. That was okay, lots of squeezing meant that Big Sis loved her a lot.Crochet was about to explain that Pop was probably alright, and that if she wasn’t Crochet could always hug her better, then she heard someone behind her. “Onee-sama, you must look both ways before crossing.”Big Sis let go of Crochet, spun around, and gasped upon seeing Pop. She swooped down and picked her up in a big hug. “You’re okay. You are okay, right? Oh, thank you.” Big Sis said as she squished Pop.“I will not be able to avenge Big Sis’s honour if you don’t let go, Onee-sama,” Pop said, but she wasn’t trying to pull out of the hug.This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.“Does that happen a lot?” Amy asked. She was breathing hard and her eyes were really wide.“No... yes. Last time we went out we were attacked by some guys after a kid who was near us, the time before that it was Oni Lee.” Big Sis let go of Pop who pouted for just a second before she saw Crochet watching and then looked at her all smug.Crochet narrowed her eyes at her younger sister. She would save Big Sis next time, and then she would be the one getting all the hugs.“Maybe we should go back?” Amy asked.“And arrive while the house is still on fire? No thanks. We’re crossing.”Big Sis patted Pop on the head, then pointed to the other side. Then she grabbed Amy and Crochet by the hands. Crochet leaned forwards to look at Amy who looked kinda confused as Big Sis pulled her along as if she was just another little sister.“Big Sis,” she asked. “Are you holding hands with her because she’s another little sister now? Or is she going to be your girlfriend from now on?” Amy and Big Sis let go of each other as fast as Crochet would drop the hand of someone who had cooties.“It’s not like that,” Big Sis said.“I’m not gay,” Amy said at the same time.They looked at each other and flushed just like the people in the books under Big Sis’ bed. “I understand,” Crochet said with the same tone she would say ‘I don’t have the last cookie’ to her sisters.Big Sis humphed. “Grabbing someone’s hand doesn’t mean anything like that, Crochet,” she said. “I just thought Amy was my little sister for a second.” Big Sis was turned away, so she didn’t see the baffled and indignant look Amy gave her.“I would never tell Onee-Sama that she is wrong,” Pop said, “even if holding hands with someone that is not a little sister is very inappropriate. Onee-sama chose to take her hand, so it must be good. But if someone that is not a little sister takes Onee-sama’s hand, then she must die for the impertinence. As should the driver of that truck. Onee-sama, it is not too late for me to find them.”“No,” Big Sis said and she patted Pop on the head. That was a very firm no, then. “And people touching my hands isn’t a reason to kill them.”Amy was looking between Big Sis and Pop, then back again.Big Sis noticed, cleared her throat, and began walking again. “W-why do you want to touch her?” Taylor asked.“What?” Amy asked. She looked back down to Crochet and her eyes brightened. “Oh. When I touch someone I can see how their biology works, it allows me to-““I know how your power works,” Big Sis said. She flushed a little after that. “Sorry. I mean, Remedy explained already.”“Right,” Amy said rather curtly. “So, may I?”Big Sis shrugged one shoulder. “Sure. Just don’t give her cat ears or anything without her permission.”Amy paused. “What?”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Amy didn’t know what to think of the Hebert girl at first. She looked like a wide-eyed, out-of-her-depth basket-case that had stumbled into a power that could easily become a nightmare.Then she started acting like... Amy frowned, an expression she was growing used to.Taylor was with one of her little sisters, the one Amy had touched earlier. (Crochet, maybe?) She was squatting low before the girl and holding her head in place with one hand, the other pressing a napkin to her tongue. When it was nice and wet, she rubbed it over the chocolatey stains all over the girl’s cheeks.“Eww, Big Sis, no,” Crochet said as she tried to squirm away. “That’s indirect kissing.”Taylor rolled her eyes. “I won’t have the Dallons see my sisters all messy,” she warned before rubbing the chocolate away.Amy couldn’t pin exactly how Taylor was acting, not at first, then it hit her. Sometime between arriving at the cafe and ordering, as she watched Taylor coax an order out of her girls and fish out change while simultaneously holding the Asian girl back from leaving to do God-knew-what, Amy realized that Taylor was acting like many of the mothers she had seen.Was that what Taylor was? An unfortunate young mother in over her head? Did it matter? She sipped her coffee (black) and kept watching as Taylor lost sight of her own drink in favour of convincing the ninja girl that the rude waitress did not need to be encouraged to commit seppuku just because she had been rude.With almost militaristic discipline, Taylor took each girl’s hand and started walking back. She had taken a dozen steps before Amy realized that she (along with Taylor’s coffee) had been forgotten.Rolling her eyes, she picked the steaming cardboard cup up and followed. She still had to decide where she stood with the whole tiny clone thing.

* * *

Victoria poked the ear.It twitched out of the way, and the girl whose head it was stuck on looked up to her with an angry pout.“They’re so real,” Victoria said.“Of course they look real,” Remedy said. She had her arms crossed, her chest puffed out and her nose in the air. It was the least intimidating thing she had ever seen. “I made them based on a real kitty’s DNA.”“Do you even know what DNA is?” Victoria asked. She saw the tiny Amy flushing next to her, but was too busy rubbing Cheshire’s ears to care.“It’s... gene stuff,” Remedy said. She waved a hand to the side, dismissing the question. “It’s not important. You just need to know that I can do it. I’ll even do it to you... if-” the flush grew a lot worse and the girl started breathing a little harder. “If you let me touch you.”“I’m not sure that’s the best idea,” Victoria said.The ear she was holding onto went ghostly and slid out of her grip, leaving Cheshire free to nod. “Yeah. The bimbo doesn’t deserve proper predator ears. She’s just a big wuss.”Victoria felt a bit of a tic under her eye, but reined it in. She was the mature one here, after all. “I haven’t said no,” she said. “But deciding to install cat ears on your head is a big choice.”“Couldn’t your little sister remove them?” Remedy asked. “We have the same powers.”Vicky blinked. That... if that was true, then Amy had been holding back on her. Maybe after the whole discussion with mom and Aunt Sarah, they could have a bit of a chat about future Halloween costumes.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

* * *

Amy pulled her keys out of her pocket with a jingle. She had gotten rid of Taylor’s coffee a while ago, Taylor taking it from her when she had fallen upon the ingenious idea of having Crochet tie a ribbon between her wrist and the girl’s to free up a hand.The fact that Crochet pouted the entire time at the lack of contact, or that Taylor never noticed, wasn’t any of Amy’s business.Carol’s SUV was tucked up against the garage door and Aunt Sarah’s little roadster was parked next to the sidewalk. She had noticed both from around the block, but it was obvious that Taylor was only clueing into it now.“Should we have gotten them some coffee? Maybe some pastries? I hope Remedy and Cheshire are behaving... mostly Cheshire. I swear if she burnt the house down I will tan her hide, cat tail or no.” Taylor’s voice went from a worried, high-pitched babble to a low growl. It didn’t hide how nervous she was, her hands were tightening around her coffee and the Pop girl was looking ready to yank her hand out of Taylor’s.“You’ll be fine,” Amy said. It was a platitude she was used to hearing and giving. It didn’t require much thought to say it, even if she didn’t mean it at all.“You think? Your mom’s nice, right?” Taylor asked.Amy gave it an honest moment’s thought. Was Carol nice? “Yeah, sure,” she said with a shrug. No point in stressing Taylor out any more.Taylor took a few deep breaths, then tried on a smile for size. “Thanks Amy. I... I wanted to say sorry about Remedy, and I kind of forgot. Um, but yeah, thanks. You’re kind of the ideal hero, you know?”“Uh huh,” Amy said. She’d heard the obnoxiously saccharine praise before. “I’ll be in my room. Call me if you need proof that your sisters are human.”“Right, sure,” Taylor said.Amy was the first to walk in. She left the door opened behind her, not leaving Taylor much of a choice but to follow or stand outside and let the heat seep out of the house. Carol and Sarah were in the living room, both of them sitting on chairs stolen from the kitchen. Across from them sat Remedy, hands on her lap and freckled face split by a large grin. Next to her, Cheshire was bouncing on the couch, little fang poking out and plastic cat ears perched on her head.Amy slid past the entrance with a quick step and pretended not to hear her aunt’s call before she made her way upstairs. Taylor would figure it out, probably.She paused when she saw the door to her room, the door that she always closed, was halfway open. Vicky had a tendency to slip in unannounced (so many close calls) but why would she go in there when Amy wasn’t around?Cautious, and aware that all the little girls were downstairs, she moved to stand in her doorway and pushed it open with a foot.Vicky was there. Vicky was there and bent over double to snoop into one of Amy’s clothing drawers.Vicky was bent over double and her tail was wiggling behind her.“What.”Her sister’s long, fluffy blonde ears were twitching towards Amy. “Oh, hey Ames,” she said as she stood up properly. She grinned. “What do you think?”“What?”“I think it’s pretty hot, actually,” Vicky said. She raised both hands up, bent her wrists forward, winked at Amy and said “Nyaa?” while tilting her head to one side.Amy’s eyes rolled back into her head.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Taylor rubbed her knees together and clasped her hands over her stomach. Her eyes were focused somewhere on the floor between her and the two ladies and her mind was running laps around a giant panic button.“So, we should start by introducing ourselves, I think,” one of them said. Of the two she was the nicer-looking, with a gentle smile and softer features. She was leaning forwards a little on the chair they had brought in from the kitchen. “I’m Lady Photon, or Sarah Pelham. I’m the leader of New Wave. This is my sister, Carol Dallon, or Brandish.”“I’m a senior partner at Dallon and Wright,” Carol said. She had narrow, searching eyes that raked Taylor up and down as if looking for any signs of wrongdoing. “I usually represent and advise New Wave in any legal matters. Which is why your... case is so interesting. I can think of at least three cases that could be made against you. And that’s discounting the assault by a parahuman power that could be laid at your feet.”“What?” Taylor squeaked.Missus Pelham reached over and pressed a hand onto Carol’s knee. “None of that, Carol, Taylor here has been nothing but polite and helpful so far.”“If that’s the case, then she should have reported to the PRT by now,” Carol said.“I-I thought about it,” Taylor admitted. She wanted to regain some footing in the conversation and appease Carol. Worse, all of her little sisters were squeezed together on the couch next to hers. Four sets of eyes were looking at her expectantly, all of them sure that their Big Sis was up to the task of dealing with the two veteran heroines before her.She swallowed.“Thinking about it is nice,” Carol said in a tone that suggested otherwise. “But it doesn’t change much, does it?”“Well, no, but there’s a lot to consider,” Taylor replied. “The problem is that I don’t know what they would do to my sisters and I’m afraid that they would be hurt. Then there’s the attack by Oni Lee, and that kidnapping attempt.” She reached out and arm and placed it on the shoulder of the nearest sister. Pop blinked at her innocently. “They deserve to be treated well, and I’m not sure the PRT can do that.”The two superheroines looked at each other, then Missus Pelham scooted forwards on her chair. “I think I understand. It’s a big commitment, and while you should trust the PRT, it doesn’t mean that you have to. You just want the best for your girls, right?”Taylor nodded, a bit of a smile coming up as the coils around her chest loosened. “Exactly. I... I love my little sisters. They’ve made my life so much better. They’re annoying sometimes, and loud and rude and a bit expensive, but they make up for it in so, so many ways.”She heard a sniffle and turned to see four distinct reactions from her sisters. Pop was unconcerned, Cheshire had her arms crossed as was looking away from her even as a blush crossed her features and her tail whipped around behind her. Remedy was staring at her lap, lower lip trembling and fingers twiddling. And Crochet was dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.“Do you really love us, Big Sis?” Crochet asked. She lowered her tissue to reveal huge brown eyes lined with unshed tearsPop sniffed. “Of course Onee-sama loves us. We are her imouto.”Taylor smiled at them, then at the two heroines. “I don’t know what I would do if they got hurt. That’s why I made a sister from Amy. Remedy can help keep her siblings nice and healthy.”“That’s a deep rabbit hole,” Missus Dallon said. “Next you’ll be copying Lung or Kaiser to have a creature to keep the others just as safe.”“What? No!” Taylor said. She shook her head and waved her arms in denial. “I wouldn’t do something like that. Crochet was hurt, she needed the help. That’s why I touched Amy. I swear that’s all.”Misses Pelham waved her arms down in a soothing gesture. “It’s okay, Taylor, it’s okay. We aren’t accusing you of anything, right Carol?”“Not yet.”“What my sister means,” Missus Pelham said. “Is that... well, to put it simply, you have a lot of power now, and a lot of responsibility. It’s pretty clear from what Victoria has already told us that even if you wanted to be left alone life isn’t going to work out that way. You have a lot of power, which means you’ll be a target from people on both sides of the heroic spectrum. You should really consider what you want to do from here.”“Are you— are you trying to recruit me?” Taylor asked. She felt a warmth in her core that fluttered at the idea. One the one hand, being a hero of any sort was... a dream. On the other, it might mean putting her sisters in danger and that was unacceptable. But if they were going to be in danger anyway, then maybe having backup wouldn’t be bad.“We’re not recruiting you just yet,” Missus Pelham said with an easy laugh. “No, that would be a big decision. We’re merely offering you our support if you plan on doing the right thing.”“Sarah,” Missus Dallon said. “That would make us accomplices in whatever they do.”“And what they’re trying to do might not be a bad thing,” Misses Pelhem replied. “We could help, and we should. The PRT’s paperwork alone would drown them. They’re far too young to be tossed into the deep end of things, but you know how things are in Brockton Bay.”Missus Dallon seemed ready to argue, but paused when Glory Girl flew into the room, eyes wide, mouth open, ears sticking out and tail ramrod straight behind her. “Amy fainted!”Remedy was the first to move, jumping off the couch with a ‘hup’ and brushing off her robes. “I, for one, think that we had a wonderful conversation here and that we should go home now.”And then the screaming started.