Chapter 8: Competition
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On the tallest building of the city of Brockton Bay, the hero Armsmaster is busying to stop whatever Horror Master is planning. For weeks now her minions have been spotted attaching devices to the many old tv broadcast towers that are still on top of many of the older buildings and satellite dishes. All connecting to one point in the city, which from what Armsmaster has figured out would allow her to cut the feed and broadcast what she wanted on a national scale.
"Ok the signal has been block," Armsmaster said on the com back to the PRT.
"Good the last thing we need is whatever Horror Master has plan for tonight from being broadcasted," Piggot said looking at a several screens with different tv channels on them, making sure the plan worked. Horror Master has been quite since the call she had with her, the former bullies have all been committed to a mental ward to handle them by their families once PRT cut their loses with them.
Horror Master had been busy as she had open up several of her businesses to the public to bring in money and give her minions some work to do. Willamette Parkview Mall is now open to the public and accepting new vendors, which is just like any other mall but has non humans running some stores.
Freddy Fazbear's Mega PizzaPlex, is a center of family fun.
Vim! Pop Factory has been shipping out crates of Vim to the regional market.
Mass Bay Medical Center is always busy, thanks to to the state of the art medical equipment and how it's actually cheaper then other hospitals.
The Block, businesses
- Faded Glory laundromat.
- The renamed Horror Bank.
- Super Duper Mart.
- Slocum's Joe.
Graygarden is providing fresh fruits and vegetables to stores and food drives.
The Four Leaf Fish Packing Plant is providing fish to the markets.
Happy's Humble Burger Farm, is doing well.
The Marsh Refinery is shipping out gold and silver bars, where the gold and silver came from is still unknown.
Sierra Madre, a casino resort is bringing in lots of people.
Castle Belli which has been made into a burlesque, has lots of people coming to the castle.
And there's Trolberg a walled city where everyone that came with it are under Horror Master's control.
Which is all completely legal thanks to Charles Foster Ofdensen and his legal team, signing all the needed paperwork to open all of those businesses up. The legal team went through everything and found nothing that could be used against any of the businesses that her minions have open, it's all nice and legal. And then there's the city of Trolberg that is still in red tape of what legal status.
The gangs of the city have all been staying clear of Horror Master and her minions. None of the gang leaders wants to deal with someone who has minions who can appear anywhere they want, or an endless army of them. The areas around the businesses are free of gangs and crime as other criminals are scared to get near them.
The agents she had posted had informed her of something happening tonight and it needing to be shown on air while it's happening. They couldn't let it be known that they know that Horror Master is up to something, or she will change her plans. So they just sat back while her minions attach devices to the broadcast towers and satellite dishes. And right before the broadcast could be sent, Armsmaster would block the signal in a way that wouldn't lead back to them.
The image of the Crypt Keeper and his co-host Slappy suddenly appeared on several of the tv screens as whatever was on ended or cut to a commercials as the clock hit 6:30.
"Armsmaster whatever you did it didn't work!" Piggot shouted at Armsmaster.
"But it did work. The signal isn't going through," Armsmaster protested.
"Dragon any idea?" Piggot ask.
"Horror Master simply brought air time on the channels," Dragon said as she looked up the air time for the channels and found that all of them had companies buying up air time all at the same time, with each being a company that she has opened or from Trolberg.
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On the tv screens -
"Hello boils and ghouls, it's me the Crypt Keeper," the undead ghoul said.
"And Slappy here to present you all watching a very special tv event,"
"For those who have been living under a rock, our boss Horror Master has the power to summon anyone or anything from anything that has to do with horror, from bloody gore to kid friendly you name it and it has something to do with horror she can summon it," Crypt Keeper said.
"But let's give the screen to our boss for her special!" Slappy said.
The camera showed Horror Master standing in front of a glowing pool of yellow liquid held in a pool. She's dress in normal clothes for someone her age. A hooded black sweater, black pants, and wearing glasses she wasn't even trying to hid who she is.
"My name is Taylor Hebert, I'm Horror Master the one who can summon any kind of monster or thing I want from horror. For those who don't know, I was triggered by Sophia Hess known as Shadow Stalker of the Wards. I know I'm breaking the rules in revealing who she is, but I don't give a fuck about her. She and her friends were allowed to torment me for years because she's a Ward. She and her friends are now committed to a mental ward, I repeatedly killed them using the methods of every single one of my minions kills in stories, film, shows, and games. I only stop after I just couldn't think of anything else to do to them. So I put them through white room torture and made it for them last for years. They're now lock in a never ending nightmare of them going through all that everytime they sleep, leaving them comatose. Needless to say, I long since lost my faith in heroes or people in power who should had done something but didn't. Funny how only when, I'm a parahuman with so much power that the very ones who allowed what happen before, are now doing what they can to kiss up to me," Taylor said as she walks to the edge of the pool.
The camera view expanded showing she's in a chamber with the only lights being the ceiling lights that are ceiling fans for some reason.
"Everyone is worried about me turning full villain, seeing how my minions are all horror theme and are horror icons known for bringing death and suffering. Well, I have my answer to that question," Taylor said.
Soft music began playing in the background.
'I'm so tired of pretending'
'Where's my happy ending?'
Taylor softly sang as she walks around the edge of the pool.
'I followed all the rules'
'I drew inside the lines'
'I never asked for anything that wasn't mine'
'I waited patiently for someone to help'
'But when it finally came'
'No one help'
'And now I feel this overwhelming pain'
'I mean it's in my veins'
'I mean it's in my brain'
'My thoughts are running in a circle like a toy train'
'I'm kinda like a perfect picture with a broken frame'
'I know exactly who to blame'
What could only be called darkness with a yellow taint, began flowing out of the pool and spread around the room. The darkness isn't touching Taylor.
'I never thought of myself as mean'
'I always thought that I'd be the hero'
'And there's no in between'
'Cause if I can't have that'
'Then I would be the leader of the dark'
'And the bad'
'Now there's a devil on my shoulder'
'Where the angels used to be'
'And they'll be calling me the queen'
The darkness covered the entire room with the only light source being the glowing yellow pool and the flashes of glowing yellow lights from the darkness. Giving Taylor a eerie background as she continues to sing.
'Being nice was my pastime'
'But I've been hurt for the last time'
'And I won't ever let another person take advantage of me'
'The anger burns my skin, third-degree'
'Now my blood's boiling hotter than a fiery sea'
'There's nobody getting close to me'
'They're gonna bow to the Evil Queen'
'Your nightmare's my dream'
'Just wait until they fall to my wicked schemes'
Taylor raised her hands as the darkness began consuming her, turning her skin dark with cracks of yellow light. She stared down at the pool of glowing yellow liquid.
'I never thought of myself as mean'
'I always thought that I'd be the hero'
'And there's no in between'
'Cause if I can't have that'
'Then I would be the leader of the dark'
'And the bad'
'Now there's a devil on my shoulder'
'Where the angels used to be'
'And he's calling me the queen of mean (calling me, calling me)'
'The queen of horror (calling me, calling me)'
'The queen of horror (calling me, calling me)'
Taylor turns around and falls over backwards into the glowing green pool with a completely blank face. The yellow liquid bubbles as something is happening down below. Floating out of the yellow liquid came an older Taylor. She is now dressed in a tuxedo fitted to her mature body, colored light blue, with a white undershirt, black shoes, a black bow tie and black tophat completed the outfit. And is holding a black hook cane in her right hand that she's tapping her fingers on. It's her eyes that caught everyone's attention as they're both have yellow coloration, with black slits for pupils. And sang in a distorted voice that echoed like two people talking at the same time.
'Something's pulling me'
'It's so magnetic'
'My body is moving'
'Unsure where I'm headed'
'All of my senses have left me defenseless'
'This darkness around me'
'Is promising vengeance'
'The price that I'm willing to pay is expensive'
'There's nothing to lose'
'When you're lonely and friendless'
'So my only interest is showing this princess'
'That I am the queen'
'And my reign will be endless (endless)'
Taylor, no Horror Master floated while glowing in yellow power. The yellow light vanished the darkness from the room.
'I want what I deserve'
'I want to rule the world'
'Sit back and watch them learn'
'It's finally my turn'
The room shifted as Horror Master using her powers rearranged the room. She created a grand throne room, with the pool staying where it is.
'If they want a villain for a queen'
'I'm gonna be one like they've never seen'
'I'll show them what it means'
'Now that I am that'
'I will be the ruler of the dark and the bad'
'Cause the devil's on my shoulder'
'Where the angels used to be'
'And he's calling me the queen of mean (calling me, calling me)'
'The queen of horror (calling me, calling me)'
Horror Master sat down on her throne smiling at the camera.
'I want what I deserve' (1)
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The Wards HQ -
The Wards had been watching some tv when Crypt Keeper and Slappy appeared followed by their boss who has in a very public manner declared herself as a villain, for the failure of the heroes and the people in power not stopping Shadow Stalker, who Horror Master has revealed her true name.
"Well we're fuck," Clockblocker said.
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Back on the tv -
"I'm now a villain of Brockton Bay and I really don't care about having competition around," Horror Master said. "So there's only one thing to do and show everyone else who is the top villain here."
Horror Master taps her cane on the floor.
"Minions, get rid of them," Horror Master said.
The screen suddenly changed to other parts of Brockton Bay.
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Around the city -
Across the city many had watched what looked to be a music video of Horror Master declaring herself as the newest village of the city with interest, the leaders of the gangs were very interested in recruiting her to their side. That was till she told them that she views them as competition and ordered her minions to get rid of them. Before they could do anything, the attack began city wide.
The Archer's Bridge Merchants suddenly found themselves being attacked by a horde of rats that burst out of nowhere. And they weren't the only ones the other two major gangs of the city, the Empire Eighty-Eight, a neo-Nazi gang and the The ABB (Azn Bad Boys) are also under attack. And not just while they're wearing their colors, no it was even while they were off the clock and at home that they suddenly found themselves being attack.
The attack is all under the control of a young man name Willard, who made friends with rats and trained them to be his attack dogs. He was gifted with the power to control rodents by Horror Master and used a flute as a tool to better focus his power with. The rats came in normal sized, small dog size, to bear size rats, who are all hungry for flesh. There are also different types of rodents also in the attacking horde. Giant naked mole rats from Fallout. Luckers, and nosalis from the Metro games. Join on the orgy of blood, attacking all the gang members of the 3 gangs all at once.
In homes and buildings gang members suddenly found themselves having a rodent biting their necks as they laid down or rested on the sofa. Or had the closest window break as something big crash through it to attack the gang member. Many times as their family watched in horror as they were attacked. The rodents would only attack the gang members and ignored anything else, leaving the shock family members of the gang to watch as their family member is eaten alive in front of them.
The only gang members who managed survived the first 5 minutes at the lucky ones or the ones who had powers. Of the Merchants, both Skidmark and Mush were stone high and didn't notice the rats surrounding them till they were covered in them.
Squealer was busy in her workshop and managed to fight off the horde of rats with a welder till she jump into her tank truck and took off.
The ABB parahumans are doing a bit better, the workshop that served as Bakuda lab suddenly blew up by a Grey Boy bomb she was making. Inside the workshop Bakuda is trying to run outside only to be body slammed from behind as a nosalis leaps at her. Then the scene replays itself.
Oni Lee is making use of his teleporting powers to escape the horde of rodents after him.
Bursting out of a building growing in size is Lung in his dragon form, slaughtering hundreds of rodents at once with his size and fire that covers his body but more and more kept attacking him.
The E88 is fairing little better. Rune is fleeing from the horde of giant rats on a piece of wood that use to be a door.
Othala and her husband Victor are fighting off the waves of rodents attacking their home, thanks to the forcefield power she gave to Victor. But the power is only last so long before going out and the horde of rats buried them in their mass.
Hookwolf and Cricket are fighting it out in their dog ring against the waves of giant rodents.
Stormtiger is creating a tornado around himself to prevent the rats from attacking him.
Menja & Fenja have become 3 stories tall and are stomping on the ground trying to kill as many rodents as they could.
Crusader was driving when several giant rats leap down from buildings, some of them managed to land on top of the car sending it out of control. And more rats swarmed into the wreck car before the parahuman could fight back.
Purity is using her light to burn the rats away from her.
Alabaster couldn't die and kept on regenerating, so the horde of rats drag him down a storm drain where he would be used as a never ending source of meat.
Krieg was fighting against the giant rats using his powers, till the floor of the building he's in caved in sending him falling into a mass of rodents.
At the Medhall Corporation building, in his office Kaiser is fighting off the number of rodents that have swarm up from the basement of the building crawling their way up and causing most of the workers to also flee up as the rodents horde rose up.
And all of it being caught on live tv.
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PRT HQ -
"Send everyone we got!" Piggot ordered as the coms are all buzzing as agents all over the city and the police are trying to get control of the scene that's happening.
Piggot was on the edge of pulling out her hair as Nilbog flashbacks hit her. The endless horde of rodents attacking all the gang members of the gangs of the city all at once. The minions of Horror Master all knew who and where all the targets were located, before hand. Even knowing who each of the capes are behind their masks, so they could hit them as well.
"Time to send in the second wave," Horror Master's said getting Piggot's attention back to the screen.
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Around the City -
Squealer in her tank truck is on the highway heading out of the city. The truck was drive bombed by Songbird, slamming into the side of the tank sending it flying off the freeway onto the road below. The wreck rolled to a stop where it was quickly covered by rodents, screams could be heard before stopping.
Oni Lee found himself suddenly unable to teleport thanks to Ophelia hanging onto the side of the dirigible that spreads ash that depowers enemies underneath it. Ophelia fired her Razorfire Boar cannon at Oni Lee as he pulled out another bomb from his belt, the fireball struck him blowing him up with all of his bombs.
Lung in his full dragon form suddenly found himself lifted up in the air as Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon combine their powers to hold him in the air. They squeezed his airway cutting him off from air, Lung struggled but compared to the combine might of two beings who can move stars, he couldn't move a muscle. The sisters finally let go when he began shrinking down. They would had finish him if it wasn't for Glory Girl showing up and telling them to hand him over to her. Not wanting to go against orders they let her have him.
Rune is clothesline by the chain that's attached to a spear that was fired in front of her. She hit the chain that sent her falling backwards thanks to her hitting it by her torso. She fall to the road and rolled to a stop only for the horde of rats that have been chasing her to dog pile on top of her. The Deathslinger reeled in his spear as he listens to the screams before they faded.
Hookwolf and Cricket are in the ring of the dog fights having killed all the giant rodents that have tried to kill them. A loud grinding sound of metal on metal suddenly filled the air and the rodents that have been attacking in waves, stop and held back. A hulking figure with a strange metal pyramid head thing, wearing a leather apron and dragging a giant butcher knife behind him. He leap into the cage and face off against the two parahumans. Hookwolf in his metal wolf form leap at Pyramid Head, seeing how slow the guy is, only for faster than he thought possible the giant knife slammed down on top of him, cutting part of his upper body in two. Cricket leap at Pyramid Head seeing his knife is stuck, only for him to grab her out of the air and tear her head off with his bare hands.
A group of assaultrons using their head lasers turn Stormtiger to dust when they all blasted him at once, while he was unable to move from his spot without turning off his power or the rats around him would eat him.
Menja & Fenja in their giant forms were fighting their way out only for their legs to give out from under them as bombs went off. Their giant bodies fell to the ground where the horde of rats swarm all over their bodies, who fought back but were now easy prey for the horde. Ryu Hayabusa and a host of other ninjas watched this, having been the ones who attached the bombs to the giants legs.
Purity is staying high in the air well out of range of the rats below. She was blindsided as she was blasted from behind by the combine blasts of Midnight Sparkle and both sisters Daydream and Sunset Shimmer who blasted her with their tri-beam attack. Sending her body falling to the streets below.
At the Medhall Corporation building, Kaiser is cutting all the rodents that came near him. Gunshots rang out as Hellboy made his appearance rushing at the nazi while firing a giant handgun, his bullets knock away all of Kaiser's sword. Leaving him open to a punch to the jaw, sending him slamming into a wall followed by his left leg being by Hellboy who swung him by his giant stone hand around the room. Hellboy used Kaiser as a wrecking ball, destroying his office, before throwing Kaiser down onto his desk and blasted him with his gun.
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On the tv screen -
Horror Master stared at the camera with a smile on her face. "All the gangs are gone and dead, all but for Lung thanks to Glory Girl. But seeing how all the gang members of all of the gangs but for him and those in jail are dead. I think, I showed what, I'm able to do. For this moment on, Brockton Bay is my turf. No villain or gangs are allowed in this city without my permission. But don't worry for everyone else, I have no desire to go around doing like what the gangs use to do. And you heroes, well I did your job for you. Let's see what you can do now that there aren't any villains or gangs left in the city."
The screen turns to black.
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Author's Notes -
1 - The song Queen of Mean but with some words changed.
2 - Willard 2003 a remake where it's even better then the original thanks to the main actor.
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Fictions that appeared -
Willard 2003
Rats: Night of Terror
The Food of the Gods
Rat Scratch Fever
Of Unknown Origin
Graveyard Shift
Ben
Deadly Eyes
Rats
The Rats
Rodentz
Nightmares
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Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone