Ravensdagger_Headpats

Chapter Fifty-Six

Chapter Fifty-Six “Mine needs to be cool,” Cheshire said.“Yours will be merely adequate,” Pop shot right back, her flat delivery making the words sting all the more.Cheshire huffed and spun around to walk backwards in front of Taylor. “Why can’t I be called something like... Ripper or Brutus.”“Because,” Taylor said, for the fourth time. “Those names are more suspicious, not less.” The idea had come from Tattletail and, after some thought, Taylor agreed that it wasn’t all bad. The sisters had names that were more suited to capes than proper young women. That was fine so far, but it would raise some suspicions if someone saw them calling the young girl that looked a little like a local hero by that hero’s name in public. So they needed fake names.It was probably a strange inversion of things, that a cape needed an ordinary name instead of a cape name.What she didn’t tell them was that she was plotting to send them to school. Not because she wanted them to get an education (though that was something of a factor) but because she needed a damned break.“What about Raven?” Cheshire, who had volunteered to go first, asked.“Just because you’re black doesn’t mean you should name yourself after a black bird,” Tattletail said. “Also, you’re a cat-girl. It doesn’t make sense. Also, Raven is a stupid name.”“I will find a dagger, and I will stab you with it.”Taylor groaned. Maybe it was a bad idea after all. Still, they had another twenty minutes of walking to go before reaching the Boardwalk. “No stabbing or your name will be something awful, like... Sophia.”“We could call her Tabby. Like the cat,” Remedy said.“No,” Cheshire said. “That’s lame.”“Artemis?” Alice tried. “Like the goddess of the hunt?”Alice, as it turned out, was a font of esoteric knowledge.Cheshire rolled that name around a bit, then grinned. “Yeah, I like that. I’m Artemis Hebert then.”Taylor almost missed a step. Of course Cheshire would be a Hebert, she was her sister, it had just taken her by surprise to hear it so plainly put. “Do you really like it?” Taylor asked to be sure. When Cheshire nodded with a smug grin, Taylor pulled her closer and patted her head. “Good job then, Artemis.”Taylor gave Cheshire her moment to preen and be as smug as a catgirl could be before turning to the others. There was some juggling to do with her sisters. She had to give them all their due or else one or the other might start feeling bad.“Remedy, you’re next!” Taylor said. Remedy was one of her quietest sisters, but her quiet wasn’t always a welcome thing, more brooding than introversion.Remedy jumped and looked her way. “Really? Ah, I mean, okay.” She nodded seriously.“You come from Amy, you could share her name?” Taylor suggested.Remedy made a face. “Urh, no. I want a pretty name. A beautiful one.” She hummed. “Can I be called Victoria?”Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.“I... guess?” Taylor said. “If it works for you.”The newly dubbed Victoria shuffled closer to Taylor’s side for a new-name-commemorative headpat.“My name will be Bunshin,” Pop said. She pushed Cheshire ahead and placed herself within patting range.Taylor blinked. “Bunshin? Does that mean anything?”“It means offshoot, or child,” Pop said.“Well, I guess,” Taylor replied. She soon had both hands full patting the girls next to her. Then they reached a crosswalk and it was time to hold hands to cross.There were only two sisters that needed new normal names, and one that needed a cape name. “Crochet, do you have any ideas?” Taylor asked.“Um, I’m afraid not,” Crochet said.“It’s knot always easy to find a name that fits.”Taylor eyed Alice, then refocused on Crochet. “You could go for a nice thematic name. Something about what you love.““But you’re already called Taylor,” Crochet said.Taylor turned away to hide her flush. “H-how about a princess-y name? Helen, or Penelope?”“Penelope,” Crochet said. She beamed up at Taylor. “I like it!”“It has pee in it,” Tattletail pointed out.“Do you want your name to have pee in it too?” Taylor asked.Tattletail shook her head in a hurry while Taylor got to patting Cheshire. “No no no. I’ve chosen my name already. I’m going to be Nancy. Nancy Drew Hebert.”“Isn’t that a little on the nose?” Taylor asked.“I have a tail and big fox ears,” Tattletail reminded her.That was actually a good point. There was trying to keep things nice and subtle, then there was hiding the more obvious signs that her sisters were who they said they were.“Can I get belly rubs instead of headpats?” Tattletail asked.“In the middle of the street?”“I am willing to accomodate,” Tattletail said primly.Taylor sighed and kept on walking, one hand patting Tattletail on the head until her pout went away. Next, she had to find a nice name for Alice, one that would fit a cape career. Those were tricky at the best of times. “Did you think of a cool cape name yet, Alice?”“I have,” Alice said. “How about Tic Tok, because it’s the sound a clock makes when it wants attention.”“No,” Taylor said. “Something else. Please.”“Maybe... Rewind?” Alice asked.It was a pun again, but puns and cape names went together like little sisters and headpats. “I like it,” Taylor said as she reached over, then way down to Alice’s head. “It’s cute. It suits one of my little sisters.”“Heck yeah, we’re cute as fuck,” Cheshire said with overwhelming pride.Taylor chose not to comment. They had arrived along the edge of the Boardwalk were a group of enforcers were waiting around and watching over all the tourists, many of whom turned towards her sisters and whipped out their phones. “Ma’am,” One of the guards said. “Mister Anderson is in the security bureau, between the pizza shack and the lingerie store.”“Thank you,” Taylor said.

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Chapter Fifty-Seven “You want to what?” Taylor asked.Mister Anderson grinned from ear to ear. “Oh yes. It’s nearly all set already. Initially I thought the best would be to merely have your sisters and yourself patrol around and hand out signatures, but you mentioned wanting to make a little more. Now, NEPEA-5 complicates rogue-like activities, but there are ways around it.”His grin grew even wider.“So I was talking to a colleague yesterday evening, someone from work, and we were discussing the wealth of possibilities you could bring. That’s when I had an idea. A... flash of lightning out of a clear sky, as it were. Some of your sisters have skills that are parahuman, but mostly inoffensive. Why not market these?”He gestured to the back of the little warehouse where a group of workers were... well, working on a set of little booths. One was facing them, its simple front and low counter all painted in cheery pastels. A plaque hung off the front. ‘Tattletail’s Secret Fortunes.’“Oh, I like that,” Tattletail said. She turned to Mister Anderson with a grin that was downright scary. “You want to have us show off what we can do so that people come?”“Exactly,” he said. “I don’t have booths for all of you, I’m afraid. This is all terribly last minute. But the booths will be placed in a semi-permanent fashion at a few stores that are near to each other. We won’t be announcing when you come, for security reasons, of course. And to attract more people to the boardwalk in case you show up out of the blue.”“And this will help advertise... what?” Taylor asked.“Do you know how many people show up to any event with a cape just to gawk?” Taylor shook her head. “Hundreds. More if the event is peaceful. Even more if the capes are popular. Alexandria dipping into a corner store for a can of cola will make that store the most popular one in the city for a month, and that brand’s shares will skyrocket. The enforcers will boot anyone not buying things off the Boardwalk.”“So people that want to see us need to be clients,” Tattletail said.“Exactly!”“I don’t know,” Taylor began.“A thousand dollars a day for every day you show up for at least an hour. Preferably with at least half your sisters.”“Well, what are we waiting for?” Taylor asked.

* * *

Taylor stared at the crowds and more than one eye caught hers. There was an eager, almost feverish feeling in the air, like walking into a room after hearing giggles only to find a gaggle of little sisters shivering in repressed excitement while pretending that they weren’t up to something. It kind of terrified her.Then she looked the other way and all of her fears were confirmed. Anderson had set up four stalls. The fact that they were hastily put together showed, but somehow that only added to their charm, as if they were lemonade stands made by a loving father that spent too much time on DiY sites and not enough time actually making anything.Tattletail had her secret telling booth, where for a small donation people could have her talk to them. It was going to go horribly wrong, Taylor just knew.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.Next to her was a small petting zoo built right in front of an expensive flower shop. The owner was outside, talking to Remedy and guiding her, somehow, into making cuter and fluffier flowers for people to pet and interact with. That was also going to go horribly wrong.Then there was Crochet’s Fashion Advice Booth. Set right between two stores that sold the kind of clothes that Taylor couldn’t afford in a million years.“This is going to be wonderful,” Mister Anderson said.“Yeah,” Taylor agreed faintly.The crowd cheered as Cheshire waved at them.Taylor wondered if a thousand dollars was really worth it.“Are you the one in charge of this little group?” A woman asked. Taylor turned to face her fully only to find that she was standing before an older woman in an outfit that was at once fancy and yet, strangely, not. A loose blouse, jeans, a scarf around her waist and heels so high Taylor was afraid of breaking her own ankles just looking at them. And yet the woman pulled off the look. “Well?”“Oh, ah, yes, I suppose I am,” she said.“Good. You see those two stores?” The woman pointed past Crochet’s booth. There were two stores behind her, one an older building with a stone front, the windows displaying pretty dresses. The store next to that was a whole lot more modern, with mannequins wearing the sort of thing that Emma would parade herself around in. “Those are mine. Convince that darling little fashionista of yours to send people my way and I’ll give you a cut. Call it... one percent off the top of all sales.”“That sounds rather dishonest,” Taylor said.“Three percent.”Taylor bit her lip. “B-but honesty is cheap.”“It truly is,” the woman said. She eyed Taylor up and down. “I like your costume. Purposefully ill-fitting is in right now.” And with that final verdict delivered, she walked away to the beat of her own heels clacking on the pavement.“What the heck?” Taylor muttered.“Big Sis!” Cheshire said as she ran over and pounced at her with a quick hug. “Tell the others that I can get my own booth too!” she demanded.Behind her came Alice and Pop, both at a more sedate pace, though Pop seemed nervous with all the crowds around.“And what kind of booth would you want?” Taylor asked.“I could tell people how best to kill a motherfu-fricker.”“No,” Taylor said before brushing some hair out of Cheshire’s face. “In fact... Cheshire, Pop, I have a mission for you.” Both girls stood a little taller at that. “Your other sisters will be very busy, and while there are plenty of enforcers around, they’re just normal people. I need you to keep your other sisters safe. This is the most important thing I can possibly ask of you.”“Yeah, sure,” Cheshire said, but she was unable to hide her pride at being given an important task.“Yes, onee-sama.”“What about me?” Alice asked.“I... have an idea for you,” Taylor said.Then the cordon around the crowd broke and she was too busy dealing with a surge of tourists to explain anything.

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Chapter Fifty-Eight Taylor couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment where people with powers stopped scaring her. It was probably after one of those people had an accident on her bed that woke her up at 2AM and had to be comforted back to sleep.As it was, her tolerance for parahuman bullshit had reached an all-time low. Her powers might have been horrifically unsuited to fighting in any way shape or form, but that didn’t mean that she would take anyone’s crap.So she stared at the two heroines before her with eyes that weren’t even narrowed. After all, narrowed eyes were a sign that one was annoyed or angry and she was neither. “What do you want?” she asked.Alice, who was by her side, looked up at her, then back to the two before them. Cheshire was standing a bit to the other side, arms crossed and fearsome (read: precocious) frown in place. Pop was... somewhere.Miss Militia shifted and looked to her partner with eyes that pleaded to be rescued. Battery, the woman standing next to her, sighed but obliged. “We’re just here to make sure everything is in order,” she said.“I see,” Taylor said. “Pop.”Pop appeared next to Taylor, sword out and face set in a determined scowl as she looked at the two heroines. “Shall I kill them?”“No,” Taylor said. “Can you go get Mister Anderson and tell him we need him over here, please?”Pop slid her sword away with a twirl and bowed to Taylor. “Yes, Onee-sama.” She turned to ash a moment later.“Her power is oddly similar to Oni Lee’s,” Battery said.“A coincidence, I’m sure,” Taylor said drolly. She looked around at all the tourists and shoppers and gawkers gathering around. The only advantage to having the heroes around was the large circle of free space that had appeared around them. People were watching, some holding onto signature books and photos, but none daring to rush over when there was so much tension in the air. “No Wards today?” she asked to fill the silence.She would have described it as an awkward silence, but frankly she was beyond that. She didn’t know if it was some maternal instinct (she hoped not) but something made her stand with her back straighter and her chest puffed out in the face of the two women before her.“No Wards today,” Battery said.“Maybe they needed to recharge their batteries,” Alice said.“I think it’s more likely that they don’t want to cause a scene again,” Taylor said.Alice tilted her head to the side. “Oh. I hope they didn’t lose their spark. It would be a shock to lose so many heroes.”“Are you making electricity puns?” Battery asked.“No?” Alice replied. “Why would I?”“Her name’s Battery,” Taylor explained.“Oh, that’s an electrifying name,” Alice said.Battery sighed. “Please no. I have enough with Assault following after me all the time.” She eyed Alice. “You’re new?”Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.“I’m fresh, yes,” Alice said.“More of them,” Miss Militia muttered.“Am I a problem?” Alice asked.“You’re no such thing,” Taylor said as she placed a hand on Alice’s head. “The... good guys are sometimes a bit too... enthusiastic is all.”Alice blinked at Miss Militia. “She doesn’t look all that gun-ho.”Battery placed a hand over her visor. “Great, just great,” she said. “So, little comedian, do you have a name? And could you tell us what your powers are?”Alice looked up to Taylor for permission and got a nod. If her plans panned out, which judging by the way Mister Anderson was hustling they would, then Alice’s secrets would be out soon enough.“My powers take time to work,” Alice said. “Then when they’re done working with time they make whatever I’m focusing them on rewind. That’s my cape name, Rewind.” She smiled at the two heroes, bright and cheerful.“You do what with time?” Battery asked.“She can make things move backwards through time,” Taylor said.“Do you want to be young again?” Alice asked. “I could turn you into someone that’s my age, then we could be like cousins! Only you wouldn’t remember anything anymore, which is really annoying.”“Oh,” Battery said. She met eyes with Miss Militia. “That’s a... good power.”“She’s going to use it to fix things,” Taylor said.Taylor enjoyed the confused looks on the heroine’s faces until she heard the clack-clack of shoes on pavement running up behind her. She turned to find Mister Anderson moving up to them. “Ah, hello heroes,” he said as he caught his breath. “I heard my help was needed?”“I don’t think so?” Battery said. “Who are you, exactly?”“Your help would be appreciated,” Taylor said. “I need to get back to work and check on the others, could you convince these two that what we’re doing is perfectly legal?”There was a gleam in the advertising agent’s eyes. “Of course. Right this way misses, we wouldn’t want the public to think this confrontation is... of a negative nature, would we. Let’s make ourselves comfortable, maybe give a few nice soundbites for the net.”Taylor turned around and moved back, leaving the heroes to Mister Anderson. He seemed to have things well in hand. Her sisters, on the other hand, looked a little frazzled.Crochet was smiling for the cameras with one hand while trying very hard to hold a conversation with a gaggle of teenagers. Tattletail was being very smug in her booth while a man in a business suit cried before her. There was a long line behind him and they seemed eager to be next. Remedy was wagging her finger in the face of a girl with an ‘I Love Panacea’ shirt and Taylor decided that that would probably handle itself.Yep, everything was just fine.