Already had door to Earth Gimel, second reality we knew. Had been preparing for- escape. [A faint grimace, she knows there's a better word but can't summon it.]
But Scion followed. And to other realities. Anywhere people gathered. World after world after world. Four days. Millions of millions dead.
Learned what he was. Thought he was the first parahuman. But never human at all... source of powers, Scion and another. They were aliens. Planted powers on Earths to test, devour, keep strongest. But only in pairs. Partner died... Cauldron, hive of scientists had corpse. Used to sell powers to rich. My power... came from dead partner. Strong part of her. 'Administrator.' Power to... Coordinate. Organize. Bugs limit came from me, not power. Protect myself.
We were failing. All major numbers gone, Scion hunting stragglers. Tried all force at once, empty place, failed. Died there. [That's almost added as an aside, intentionally casual as she lifts the hem of her shirt briefly, to show the strange not-scar that runs all the way around her waist, where new body meets old.] Healer, Panacea, put me back together. Tried trap him with dead partner, failed. [A gesture at her lost arm, memento of that fight.]
Scion kept body out of realities. Out of reach. Just enough in reality to use as weapon against us. Attack it, regrew from what was out of reach. Not infinite, but... larger than worlds. Had to attack all. Had to figure out how. Organize. Coordinate. Strong groups beginning to hide, not fight. Fighting group dying, leaving, shrink.
[Taylor swallows. This part is hard.]
Asked Bonesaw remove limits in me. She tried before. [She gestures with her tea cup to the scar across the top of her scalp, the one she's shown him before.] Thought could make a leader, give me the power to bring the forces together again. Thought... I thought it would be a second trigger. Make my power more what needed. Had seen that before, in others. Had thought, been told second trigger made powers more part of myself.
Bonesaw didn't do it. Panacea did. Changed my brain, so my power had no limit at all. Everything the 'Administrator' could do.
Re: spam!
Already had door to Earth Gimel, second reality we knew. Had been preparing for- escape. [A faint grimace, she knows there's a better word but can't summon it.]
But Scion followed. And to other realities. Anywhere people gathered. World after world after world. Four days. Millions of millions dead.
Learned what he was. Thought he was the first parahuman. But never human at all... source of powers, Scion and another. They were aliens. Planted powers on Earths to test, devour, keep strongest. But only in pairs. Partner died... Cauldron, hive of scientists had corpse. Used to sell powers to rich. My power... came from dead partner. Strong part of her. 'Administrator.' Power to... Coordinate. Organize. Bugs limit came from me, not power. Protect myself.
We were failing. All major numbers gone, Scion hunting stragglers. Tried all force at once, empty place, failed. Died there. [That's almost added as an aside, intentionally casual as she lifts the hem of her shirt briefly, to show the strange not-scar that runs all the way around her waist, where new body meets old.] Healer, Panacea, put me back together. Tried trap him with dead partner, failed. [A gesture at her lost arm, memento of that fight.]
Scion kept body out of realities. Out of reach. Just enough in reality to use as weapon against us. Attack it, regrew from what was out of reach. Not infinite, but... larger than worlds. Had to attack all. Had to figure out how. Organize. Coordinate. Strong groups beginning to hide, not fight. Fighting group dying, leaving, shrink.
[Taylor swallows. This part is hard.]
Asked Bonesaw remove limits in me. She tried before. [She gestures with her tea cup to the scar across the top of her scalp, the one she's shown him before.] Thought could make a leader, give me the power to bring the forces together again. Thought... I thought it would be a second trigger. Make my power more what needed. Had seen that before, in others. Had thought, been told second trigger made powers more part of myself.
Bonesaw didn't do it. Panacea did. Changed my brain, so my power had no limit at all. Everything the 'Administrator' could do.
Coordinate. Organize. Control.