A quick glance showed Thorn was still busy with his phone and for a moment Taylor was tempted to tell him what she had planned, to see how he would react. But wouldn't that also be a confirmation of her intentions? For a moment, actual doubt crept into Taylor's thoughts as she remembered that if she did this, she would have to accept whatever Cost was given by Thorn, and he wouldn't be gentle about it, Taylor had that feeling that he couldn't care less if the client was a stranger or his best friend, he'd stick to his rules.
Taylor looked up, "Do you have a pen and paper?"
"Need to do some math huh?" Thorn replied, pulling out a black notebook, "Here, the pen's on the inside of the cover." Tossing it over, Taylor easily caught it.
"Thank you." She began scribbling down numbers and names on an empty page as she considered her own feelings about what she was planning. She was excited, that was to be expected when you had the chance to literally buy powers that didn't involve becoming a Parahuman. But when she actually thought about it, Taylor knew that she was also scared of what the Cost would be if she went beyond the set limits, which she knew that she was going to be doing.
The money wasn't a concern. She'd raid the gangs and hand over the cash to pay for the powers she used to do the raids with, and since she was an unknown no-one could link her to another gang or the Protectorate.
Joining the Protectorate was likely a no-go, PR was important to them and a heroine who pretty much had to dress like a stripper because of her powers? A Ward who had to do the same? Taylor dismissed the idea as unworkable. Besides, she didn't want to be the slut in the middle of a team that did in fact have several teenage boys in it. That would be tempting fate way too much.
'And in the end it all comes down to that, doesn't it? Power in exchange for the body and tendencies of a slut along with whatever else tacked on. At least I'll get what I paid for, so it's a fair deal...' Taylor frowned as she remembered Thorn's earlier words, 'A person who can cast aside her own personal dignity for power is not only a powerful person, but a dangerous one as well. I get it, because they're willing to put it all on the line in the first place.'
Grimacing, Taylor made her decision, 'Fuck it. I've been a punching bag for Emma and her cronies for too long. I turn into a slut? Fine, I'll post videos of me getting gang-banged by people I've taken control of and if Emma tries to take this away from me, I'll just air every last bit of dirty laundry she has locked in her head!'
Nodding, Taylor stood up and walked towards Thorn, who put away his phone while turning towards her, "Made your decision or decisions?" Taylor handed over her list with all of the details she wanted in relation to the powers written down, "Okay, let's just take a look at thi-" Thorn glanced back at Taylor before back at the notebook in his hand, "Uh...Miss Hebert, what do you mean by 'all of them' for the Projection Creation power?"
Taylor held up the catalogue, "Every power here, and any that are added when it gets updated. All of them." Thorn was about to speak when Taylor interrupted him, "And yes, I know this is over the limit. So I accept whatever Cost you give me."
"It's not that, Taylor..." Thorn started to say, "It's the fact that what you're asking for has never been done." At Taylor's raised eyebrow Thorn sighed, "I...I need to make a phonecall. I'm serious, no-one has ever asked for something like this. Excuse me." He stepped away and held his phone to his ear, although Taylor couldn't tell since Thorn seemed to be perpetually wreathed in shadows around his head while she listened to one half of the conversation.
"Hey, it's me, Thorn. I got a client here asking for DSG-six-six-two-dash-E, and she wants the entire catalogue as the library...No, I am not joking, she even specified getting new powers when the catalogue updates...Number two-two-five-dot-A-dot-seven-nine-dot-D...Yes, she's standing behind me right now...Then put me through to Mikal please...My supervisor...Mikal, it's Thorn. Yeah, doing good. Listen, did that idiot in the call center tell you the reason I'm calling? Good...Yeah, that's the file...I know, that's why I'm calling...You need to send this up the chain? How far up the chain? Oh...Yeah, I can hold...Hello Ma'am...Yes, that is correct...Should I recommend-...I see...I understand...yes, Ma'am."
Hanging up the phone call, Thorn walked back to Taylor, "Okay...so apparently your file and your request caught someone's attention higher up in Head Office. I can give you what you're asking for...but there's a serious catch."
Taylor nodded, "Okay, what is it?"
Thorn sighed, "You must forgo the 14-day grace period that is typically allowed for clients, and instead gather and pay the total cost of the powers during that period. You must acknowledge and accept at Limits assigned by taking these powers. Finally, you are required to sign this form." In a flash of light, a black sheet of paper with glowing gold script appeared, "This is Form 66-D, also known as the Black Form. By signing this, you are legally giving away your right to be contacted by Head Office and Salesmen like me or contact us in turn. By signing this, you are also confirming that these are the powers you want."
Thorn sighed, "As part of legal obligations, I must ask if you have truly considered the ramifications of what you are asking, not just in the monetary cost, but in what I, as a Salesman, will impose upon you physically and mentally?"
Taylor was silent for a moment, before she looked up at Thorn's masked face, "I want power, I want to make a difference, and I want to stand out. I take responsibility for my decision." She held out her hand and Thorn handed over the form.
"You have requested Weapon Creation, Power Copying, Power Modification, Wide-Area Control, Mental Compulsion/Rewriting and Powered Projection Creation. You will owe Head Office a sum of 16,022,300 dollars in local currency, to be paid in exactly fourteen days from the completion of this transaction to me. You are free to use your new powers in order to acquire the necessary funds." Thorn motioned to Taylor's pocket, "Please prick your finger with a pin and place a drop of blood on the business card you were given when you have the funds to pay. It will contact me and I will arrive to receive the payment."
Taylor nodded as Thorn sighed, "Okay, now I tell you what Costs I'm going to saddle you with. Power Copying and Manipulation are fine. Weapon Creation, as dictated in your request, will result in a mental compulsion to wear as little clothing as possible, use the biggest weapons possible and be compelled to move and pose in public as provocatively and sexually as possible."
Taylor nodded.
Thorn continued, "Wide Area Control and Mental Rewriting will come with a cosmetic enhancement before you will receive enlarged breasts and minor mental compulsion to use both in a sexually dominating manner within reasonable limits. Since you will be showing off as much as possible, the memory-fogging effect you wanted will guarantee that people will remember your tits and little else."
Taylor flushed a little, but still nodded.
"And finally, Powered Projection Creation. Since your request was so extreme, this is the most extreme I can place upon you while still remaining within the legal guidelines for abuse of power. Taylor Hebert, since your powers will involve you building and birthing new super-powered projections on the fly, you're going to do that literally."
Taylor blinked, "Huh?"
Thorn flipped through another notebook, "It's a fetish known as rapid pregnancy and birth. To clarify, you will be giving birth to biological drones that you will control as defined in the power description, and so seamlessly you could hold a conversation on the other side of the universe while talking with your Dad. And yes, I mean that literally, because we still haven't defined the exact range of the projections yet." He shrugged, "In any case, its now your fetish."
Taylor blinked, "My...fetish?"
"Yup." Thorn replied simply, "You can still have kids the normal way, nine-months and all during which the power will be inactive to prevent miscarriages, but these drones will be born in minutes and mature in minutes, require no sustenance or sleep and are basically immortal unless they get killed. And using this power to create them will get you hornier than a slut in a Spring Break porno vid. Finally, you no longer need to sleep."
"I don't need sleep?" Taylor inquired, suddenly feeling curious.
"It's a requirement. Most who take powers with similar libido-supercharging Costs tend to be unable to sleep in the first place because they're too busy humping their pillows at night." Thorn explained reasonably, "So, we just get rid of your need to sleep, since you'll probably be using your new powers to fuck yourself silly every night."
He held out a pen, and Taylor looked at it, before looking at the form with a nervous look. Then her expression firmed and she took pen and quickly signed before her doubts crept back in. In an instant the form vanished to be replaced with a plain white pill vacuum-sealed in plastic that Taylor quickly took and stuffed into her pocket.
"Take that catalyst pill when you get home, not in the school. Part of company policy is to induce a normalizing effect when the pill is taken, so your new physical form doesn't jar anyone who knows you, but only if it happens in private." Thorn explained.
"Wait, if I'm going back, it'll be into the locker, and I'll be stuck!" Taylor suddenly exclaimed, but Thorn shook his head.
"The lock will fail in two minutes. I suggest just going home after that so you can get mentally prepared for what you've gotten yourself into." He checked his watch, "Okay, we're done here. Incidentally, the first time you use the projection creation power, you might feel a slight tingling sensation in your lower abdomen."
With that, Thorn vanished, and Taylor felt body suddenly seize up and shift itself into the uncomfortable position she had been in before this whole event started. Then the smell started to return and waft into her nose.
Even knowing what was going to happen, Taylor still screamed as the walls of the locker and the garbage contained within came rushing back at her. And then there was darkness.
At first Taylor was afraid she was going to be stuck in the locker regardless of what Thorn had said but then, as if my magic, the combination lock began to rotate and rattle until the locker door popped open and Taylor collapsed onto the floor with a retching gasp as garbage flowed around her. Carefully shifting her head to try and breath in as much clean air as possible, Taylor shakily rose to her feet, grabbed her bag and looked around.
No-one was in the halls and a quick check of her watch told her that yes, only two minutes had passed since the start of that whole, strange experience. One that Taylor wasn't sure was real until she slipped a hand into her pants pocket and felt a plastic packet with a single hard lump in the middle. Looking around while swallowing heavily to keep herself from throwing up, Taylor pressed the pill further down into her pocket and slung her stained bag over her shoulder.
She didn't look back as she left and headed home.
Getting home was thankfully fast and quiet; Taylor made sure to sit at the very back of the bus, and when she got off at her stop she simply jogged home, reaching it without any incident as she skipped over the creaky step and quickly opened the door. Dad would still be at work, so Taylor knew she had plenty of time to shower and then get ready for her new life.
After the morning she had been through, and that whole situation with those two Salesmen, Taylor was glad for the fact that her room had an ensuite bathroom like her parent's room as she stepped into the shower and for the first time since getting stuffed in that locker, let it all out under the hot water.
Leaving the shower and feeling a bit more refreshed and unburdened, Taylor padded over to the pill she had fished out of her pants pocket and placed on her desk, regarding it with a thoughtful eye. If what Thorn had said was correct, this would be how she would gain her new powers and by that same measure apparently subtly change the universe so people who knew her in any way wouldn't look twice at her.
'Well, not until I start dressing slutty and stop wearing a bra or underwear.' Taylor thought with a small giggle, 'Maybe I could get a modeling gig and show her up? Nah, that might make things worse. Right now, being sexier than her will be a victory in itself.'
Carefully tearing open the plastic and fishing out the pill, Taylor inhaled deeply, "Okay, Dad won't be home for a few hours, so here goes nothing." She quickly swallowed the pill dry, grimacing at the taste, "Yuck, I hope this wo-"
She couldn't say anything more as a wave of agony ripped through her and she was on her knees.
* * *
Part 3: Another Satisfied Customer
The agony was intense; a constant pulsing of pain that engulfed every part of Taylor's body with sensations that felt like insects and worse were crawling under her skin as she tried to breath normally than succumb to the urge to hyper-ventilate as the pulses continued to intensify as she looked down through tear-blurred eyes at her body.
And gasped as she saw what was happening. With every pulse, her breasts were steadily expanding, pushing outwards with every painful surge and growing steadily heavier as Taylor scrubbed her eyes so she could watch the change more clearly, before she noticed her hands and watched as the skin started to tan lightly.
Struggling to stand through the pain and the continual shifting of her center of gravity, wobbling slightly with every unsteady step, Taylor managed to come into view of her room's mirror. And even with the pain causing her to grit her teeth, the changes were now becoming much more obvious than her ballooning chest.
The rest of her body was slowly filling out as well. Her skinny frame was slowly filling with muscle, definition coming into view as she shifted and twisted her body, watching as her stomach flattened before lines creased down into her skin and outlined her new, developing six-pack as it pushed outwards.
Running a finger across them in mild disbelief, Taylor felt the hard muscle before testing her own arms before her hands swept down to her legs, feeling new muscle growing under the skin.
Ignoring her swollen breasts and the tingling, electric sensation that was now dominating her nipples, Taylor shifted her body to get a better look as her hips began to widen under hands before they traced to her slowly growing butt.
