章節 48: Meet the Team

A whole day of waiting in a room with the smallest collection of books that could be deemed 'a collection'. My room had no windows, no T.V, no access to internet, not even a puzzle to waste my time with. It was like they were trying to get a reaction out of me by keeping me waiting...

Y'know, I wouldn't put it past them to test me on my patience. See if I get angry, have mood swings, or start destroying shit for the hell of it. Well bad news for them I'll destroy whatever I want regardless of my emotional state!

Whatever, might as well practice my Projection Magecraft while I have the time, I don't intend on keeping it secret as I want to be able to use it without concealing it like a stiff sock... I had been disappointed that Armsmaster had left his halberd elsewhere during the interview, I'd wanted to see if I could analyze it with Structural Grasp. I did attempt it on the man's lie detection tech but it was either way too complicated or incompatible for me to figure out.

Again, the closer the thing was to the concept of 'Sword' the better. For example, if swords were very easy, knives would be below that, and spears below them depending on the type. Below spears would be axes, maces, and if you stretched the concept enough, shields(though I personally believe that's due to their close connection with swords that it's in any way applicable). After the obvious melee choices there were ranged weapons, bows would be easier than guns because there were fewer moving parts, and the less said about indirect weaponry like explosives the better.

Of course, if I ever figured out my personal Element and Origin I could add more items to the list, but for now I was very limited. For the rest of my time spent in confinement I practised juggling knives. When my door finally opened again the next day I'd managed to get the number of knives I could juggle to five.

Armsmaster hadn't been amused to see me armed behind the door, and only Vista's timely warping of space between us stopped him from plugging my ass with that halberd of his.

"Ahem!" I cough into my fist while trying to ignore Armsmaster's patented glare, the only evidence of my knives existence being the quickly fading blue particulates of light. "What's the word then? Execution or enslavement?"

"I'd call it paid internment but, eh." Vista shrugs, ignoring the bearded cape's audible sigh.

"Enslavement would involve a lack of choice, you still have the option of backing out, Kaibyo."

"You make it sound like the world's my oyster, ignoring the fact I'm up shit's creek without a paddle and covered in festering wounds. Either I join the PRT or you guys'll nail me to a cross."

"A choice is still a choice, it's not like you won't be compensated either. You are receiving amnesty for crimes that would see most enter the Bird Cage. It's only because of your age, circumstances, and public opinion that you have any options at all." Armsmaster states.

"Yeah, well. Lay it on me then. What's the decision?"

"Welcome to the team!" Vista exclaims before Armsmaster can get a word in.

"Not so fast. You've been given leave to meet the Wards but before you can start socializing you will need to go through our tests. We've already arranged a therapist for this afternoon. After you meet the Wards we'll be testing your abilities, especially those you've decided not to mention." he sternly says, obviously referring to my projected knives.

Vista nods, takes a single step and somehow ends up next to me. "Ignore him, the tests are easy enough and every member of the Wards goes through psychological evaluation occasionally. Just don't mention the voices in your head and you'll be good." I suspect she winked at me but it's impossible to tell behind her mask.

"Really? Because right now they're telling me to ignore you." I easily reply.

"Mine are telling me to get breakfast... You haven't eaten yet right?"

"No," I fold my arms, "Even in prison you'd get some gruel. Here I was starving all night, waiting for a hero to save me." I look to Armsmaster, "Jokes aside, I could eat..."

"Eat, as in?"

"Whatever's available." I say with a shrug. I sincerely doubted they'd secured me blood so quickly, so I'd make do with some pancakes or something.

"Well, if you promise to not run away there's a sandwich shop down the road?" Vista adds.

"Can I even run with you near?" I retort. Her power was complete bullshit, one of the few Shaker 9s that exist. Even as a preteen she could twist reality into her bitch, it didn't matter how strong or fast you were, she could make the distance between you and anywhere infinite or point blank. I was honestly surprised earlier at her casual use of her power on herself to 'flashstep'.

"No, but if you wanna try the Vista-Treadmill go ahead."

"'Vista-Treadmill'...? You really named it that?" I question.

"Clockblocker said it first, but I kept it because of how funny it is to watch crooks run in place like they're in some giant invisible hamster wheel." she snickers, "Just imagine when they're in the prison yard and someone asks how they got caught? 'Ah yeah, that damn Vista-Treadmill had me!'"

"... Why not just call it 'Hamster Wheel'? To me that's way more humiliating."

She shrugs, "Gotta keep it on brand. What better way to do that than to have my name in it."

"Are you two done?" Armsmaster's voice chimes in, the man standing at the door so rigidly you'd wonder if he actually had a stick up his ass. "We're on a short schedule, so if you wanna eat, be quick." he says before striding out of the room.

"You ever use the Hamster Wheel on him?" I ask as we catch up.

"A couple time in training, but he keeps finding ways to break out of it..." she admits.

"How? You're locking him in infinite space, surely that ends the fight?" I asked, curious.

"The first time he just flashbanged me and made me lose my concentration. My power's not strong enough to mess around with light too much... I mean, I'm sure I could do it with lots of prep but..." she shrugs, "I can't trap him since he built a laser into his equipment. Bullets I can do if I'm watching for them, but lasers? Yeah, no." she explained.

"I guess that makes sense, otherwise you could turn yourself invisible whenever you want." I frown in thought, "You'd also be blind during it without specialized equipment though?"

"I dunno, probably?"

-----------------------

One boat ride accompanied by a cheese steak later and I soon found myself on the PRT Rig, getting my fingerprints and other identifiables done for access inside. The place was abuzz with activity, PRT officers and office workers hurriedly going from one place to another, occasional small robots aiding engineers to maintain the platform, and not to mention those who simply came to gawk at me...

"Don't you have something better to do!?" Armsmaster shouts at them, prompting them all to 'remember' what they were supposed to be doing.

Sigh.

At least it wasn't the media. Useful vultures, but still vultures.

Something I did note was the many cameras that followed me closely, I was pretty sure I spotted a number of hidden turret placements as well. No doubt they were just waiting for an excuse to annihilate me.

"Chill out, if they wanted you dead they'd have done it before we got past the forcefield." Vista placates me.

"You chill when you're in the middle of a Yangban military base. That's basically how I'm feeling right about now..." I utter.

"Oh," she drawls with a grin, "Don't worry, the Yangban don't have shit on this place."

"... Thanks, I feel so much better."

...

"Here we are, the team has been gathered to meet you, so try to behave." Armsmaster warns, "You want a good first impression if you want to work well with them."

"Bit late for that, they already know me as a cannibal murderer." I look to Vista, "I'm honestly surprised you aren't freaking out as is."

She shrugs nonchalantly, "Some of us are made of sterner stuff. Besides, violence is the game, and I'm not gonna bullshit you and say some of those dudes didn't deserve it."

"Language." Armsmaster growls, "Come on." he says, pushing open the door and revealing a common room of sorts, a kitchen area placed at one side with a larger living room area at the opposite end of the room. It was all very high-tech, all except the ancient-looking coffee maker collecting dust in the corner.

Over on the coach sat the rest of the Wards, some appearing even more nervous than I expected. They'd been waiting for us, and the tension in the room was thick even over the silly cartoon currently playing on the T.V.

"A-ah, hey dude! Welcome to the Wards!" Clockblocker suddenly says, seemingly louder than he'd intended by shrinking of his posture.

Clockblocker was an obviously clock-themed cape, his glossy white armour covered in digital timepieces. A theory on PHO had been that he uses them to set timers of people he freezes. That or the costume designers here are dogshit.

Next was Browbeat, an absolute hulking dude in blue spandex with a diamond on his forehead. A relatively new addition to the Wards, new enough at least that not much had been gathered about his powers. He'd been seen to have a Brute rating in super strength and durability, but other than that I wasn't sure.

After him was Aegis, a guy in red and white lightly armoured spandex. His powers could essentially be boiled down to 'Don't die'. According to PHO and some statements from the PRT, he quotes on quote 'feels no pain' and is incredibly resistant to damage. They'd had to reveal that part of his powers after the public freaked out after seeing him shot to pieces on the street by some crooks. Again, I wasn't super sure how his powers worked but he could take gunshots through the heart and head and come out dandy.

Next to Aegis was Triumph, wearing white armour with gold accents. Especially gaudy was his golden lion-headed helmet. Not too sure what the theme was because his power was sound manipulation, sonic shrieks and all that. Maybe something to do with 'lion roar'?

Staring awkwardly at me in a full suit of what looked like power armour was Gallant, a tinker of some sort according to PHO, capable of firing a blast of 'something' that fucked up people who it hit. Also notably, the boyfriend of Vicky.

Last was the newest Ward Kid Win, the 'rad' and 'bombastic'(according to PRT toy advertisements) tinker. Not much was known about him aside from that cool hoverboard he rode around on. No one even knew his specialty, meaning it was something the PRT wanted to keep underwraps.

Obviously, no one here trusted me with their real identities, and judging by how Kid Win looked ready to book it, some never would.

"So, err..." Clockblocker uncomfortably drones at my silent analysis of them. Unbeknownst to me, my focus had inadvertently caused my pupils to contract even further into thin lines...

Aegis steps forward and his smile shows through his eyes, "Yo, I'm Aegis, Team Leader of the Brockton Wards." he holds a hand out, "It's good to meet you, Kaibyo."

"Likewise." I evenly reply, shaking the offered hand.

"Don't make a habit of calling him 'Kaibyo', he'll be given a new name soon enough." Armsmaster remarks from the door.

"What do we call him then?" Triumph questions Armsmaster, as if I wasn't standing right in front of him.

"Kieu, it's not like I can hide my identity anymore, is it?"

...

Vista steps out from beside me, "Something wrong, Gallant? Usually you've got more to say."

The armoured lets out a sigh, "I can't feel him, my power doesn't work on him."

"What?"

"Really?"

"So he's like immune to powers or something?"

"Damn!"

...

I feel a shiver run up my back from Armsmaster's gaze, "Seems like we have an early appointment to attend. Gallant, Clockblocker, Vista, if you'd come with us?"

"Uh..."

"Geez Den-Clock, grow a pair will you? You're freaking out over a kid!" Vista chides.

"I don't know if any of you noticed, but that ain't a kid!" Kid Win exclaimed, "That's a killer! Have you guys not seen the stuff he's done on PHO? The crime scenes? Am I the only one here who's sat through the morning news reports!?"

...

I knew this was gonna happen.