… Maki Zen'in
Maki didn't take long to understand why Elias kept saying that Brockton Bay was a rotten city. Every day she spent there just showed her more of what he meant.
In the world she came from, decay had a known source. Cursed energy was the root of all evil… curses were born from the buildup of humanity's negative emotions and existed to consume, kill, and destroy. They were monsters that looked like monsters.
Here, all that ugliness hid behind the façade of a normality that was already cracked beyond repair.
The trainyard was a perfect example of that… just another place abandoned by everyone. Even so, she had to admit there was a strange kind of beauty in that decay. At the very least, it was the perfect place to teach someone how to fall—and how to get back up.
And Taylor Hebert was falling… a lot.
For the eighth time during that session, she hit the ground shoulder-first with a muffled grunt. Even though she tried to hide the pain, Maki didn't say a word.
Taylor got back up quickly, with the urgency of someone trying to hide embarrassment through speed.
"Getting up fast doesn't mean you didn't fall wrong," Maki commented, crossing her arms as she watched. "Pay more attention to what your body's telling you… or you're gonna learn that the hard way."
Taylor nodded, lips pressed tight, her chest rising and falling harder with every round. They'd been there for almost two hours, and so far there were no powers involved, no tricks… just body-to-body, and Taylor hitting the ground every single time.
Maki was teaching her the way Elias had asked, since he knew this place better. Things like how to dodge without tripping over yourself, and how to land a hit hard enough to drop someone in one shot.
Apparently… defensive techniques and restraint weren't a great idea in this city, since you never knew when someone might pull a knife and shove it into your stomach.
So… dodge and knock them out as fast as possible. It was a bit limited, but Maki could work with that.
So far, Taylor had been clumsy… but also stubborn as hell. And that was good… that stubbornness. It was what made the difference between getting back up or staying on the ground.
"Again," Maki ordered, taking half a step back.
Taylor took a deep breath and moved in again. The punch had intent behind it, but her stance was still weak. Maki redirected Taylor's fist with one hand, and with a subtle shift of her foot, she knocked her balance out again.
This time Taylor fell to the side, but she rolled and got back up almost immediately.
"Now that's better," Maki said, brushing dust off her palm. "Still not enough to break some bully's nose… but at least now we can say you tried."
Taylor let out a small huff that almost sounded like a laugh. "The way you say that makes it sound like you've broken a lot of noses."
"I have," Maki replied instantly, like it wasn't even worth mentioning.
Taylor raised her eyebrows. "You… you went to a school like mine?"
"Not even close," Maki answered, having heard about Elias's school a few times already. "I'm from somewhere… different. Simpler, in a way."
Taylor chewed on that answer as the two of them stepped away from the center of the yard. She sat down on a twisted metal rail and pulled a water bottle from her backpack, drinking in silence.
Maki stayed standing for another minute, staring out at the horizon of broken concrete and rusted metal.
"And what about Elias?" Taylor asked between short sips, still trying to get her breathing under control. "I didn't see him anywhere today."
"He's checking a few places," Maki replied without turning her head.
"Checking?" Taylor repeated, suspicious.
"Gathering information, I think," Maki explained as she moved to sit down beside her. "He said he was going to prepare the ground."
"For what?" Taylor insisted.
"For our next move."
"So you guys actually have a plan?"
Maki turned to her with an amused smile. "You really thought he just walks around with that pissed-off face for style?"
Taylor let out a quiet huff, trying to hold back a smile that slipped through anyway, basically confirming Maki had nailed exactly what she'd been thinking. That was the problem with Elias... he didn't exactly inspire confidence most of the time.
Hell, even Maki still caught herself thinking he looked completely lost half the time. Or more accurately… he didn't have a clear direction.
The conversation died for a moment, but Maki kept watching Taylor… looking for that same spark Elias seemed to have seen in her. Taylor took a deep breath, elbows resting on her knees.
"Honestly… I think I'm the one without a plan. I have no idea what I'm doing," she exhaled slowly, like just admitting that already felt like some kind of defeat. "It's… hard, I guess. This whole Cape thing… trying to keep up with you guys…"
Taylor paused, forcing the words out. "I just wish someone would tell me if I'm doing the right thing…"
Maki turned to her, watching in silence before answering. "What matters is that you're trying to do something."
…And in any world, that already put Taylor ahead of a lot of people.
The wind passed between them as they sat there on the rails in silence for a few minutes. Maki had already learned that people in this city had a habit of overthinking everything. It wasn't really her style, but she was adapting.
…At least she didn't find it that weird anymore when they just fell into silence like that.
The silence lasted just long enough to become comfortable… which was exactly when Taylor broke it. "Were you always like this?"
Maki raised an eyebrow. "Like what? Badass?"
Taylor shrugged, still staring at some random point in the distance. "Yeah… I guess. You just seem so… sure of yourself."
Maki sighed, letting the air out slowly. She considered just letting Taylor keep that illusion, but decided to tell the truth instead. Her own pride wouldn't let her lie to a girl like this.
"I wasn't always like this," she said.
Taylor turned to her, surprised. "But you said—"
"I was always tough," Maki corrected, "but I spent a long time stuck in my own head, trying to be something I wasn't. Took me a while to accept what I actually am."
Maki paused, remembering her life before being dragged into this world by Elias's power. From the Zenin Clan to her time at Jujutsu Tech.
"When I was younger, my… family… basically threw me away. I hadn't even done anything wrong, but I was never useful to them," she said, adjusting her words so they made sense in this world. "I was never… good enough for them. Got called dead weight and a disgrace more times than I can count."
Taylor looked away, her fingers tightening around the water bottle. Maki wondered if she regretted asking.
"So I trained until my bones ached and my fingers bled."
Back then, Maki still imagined herself going back to the Zenin Clan as a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer just to prove to them that she had been right. It was only later that she realized that was just another way of chasing validation…
"Did all of that… work?" Taylor asked, her voice barely audible.
"Well… when I got my power, I ended up becoming really strong…" Maki explained in a way Taylor could understand. "But by then, I didn't give a damn about what they thought of me anymore."
…And then she wiped out the entire Zenin Clan, erasing centuries of tradition with her own hands, only to realize later that real freedom had never existed for her along the path of a Jujutsu Sorcerer.
But Maki didn't think Taylor needed to know those details… just like she didn't need to know Maki came from a completely different world...
Taylor fell silent again, spinning the empty bottle between her fingers like she was trying to find some kind of answer inside it.
"That's… not what I expected," she admitted after a while. "When I saw you… I thought you were amazing… and that you'd always been like that."
"That doesn't exist," Maki replied without hesitation. "Most of us just learn how to look like that."
With the annoying exception of someone like Satoru Gojo… but that was a completely different problem.
She turned to look at Taylor, studying her more closely. "What about you? How did you end up like this?"
Taylor hesitated at the direct question. Her lips parted, but no sound came out… she tried again until she finally managed.
"I used to think that if I didn't fight back…" she started, her voice fragile. "If I was patient… if I didn't give them what they wanted… then eventually… it would stop."
She let out a bitter sound that wasn't even close to a laugh before continuing, "But it just got worse."
"You still think like that?" Maki asked.
Taylor slowly shook her head. "No."
"Good," Maki nodded, satisfied. "Patience is a double-edged sword. It can help you wait for the right moment… or it can slit your own throat if you wait too long."
Maki heard the swarm buzzing nearby, reacting to the shift in Taylor's emotions.
"You're not gonna ask about my powers?" the girl asked.
"I don't need to," Maki replied.
Taylor looked up at her again.
"I already know you use them carefully, and that you hesitate more than you should," she explained. "That matters more to me than anything else."
Coming from a world where Cursed Techniques could do all kinds of insane shit, Maki had already learned that how someone used their power mattered a lot more than the power itself.
"Your power was never the problem, Taylor," she said, pushing herself up to her feet. "What's holding you back is your own insecurity."
Taylor didn't answer.
"Break's over," Maki said, naturally returning to her stance. "Let's keep going."
"Uh… before that, can I ask one more thing?" Taylor said, sounding a little hesitant.
Maki held back a sigh through sheer effort. Conversations like this weren't exactly her thing… but she gave a short nod anyway. "Go ahead."
"Um… like… you and Elias… are you living together…? How does that even work?"
…Maki instantly regretted letting Taylor ask that question.
… Emily Piggot
For the goddamn third time this week, Emily had to sit through yet another meeting. She was starting to suspect Brockton Bay had developed some kind of institutional allergy to peace and quiet.
Seated at the head of the long conference table, Emily kept her hands clasped in front of her, squeezing hard enough to turn her knuckles white.
Across from her, Armsmaster stood perfectly still, like a statue carved out of pure discipline. His gaze didn't leave the projection hovering over the center of the table, where three figures took shape amid video clips and condensed data.
Above them, the clear, artificially balanced voice of Dragon echoed through the speakers embedded in the ceiling. "As requested, Director, I've completed the preliminary evaluation of the three independent capes involved in the containment of Empire Eighty-Eight members."
Emily gave a short nod of her chin, signaling her to continue. This had technically been Armsmaster's assignment, but at this point Emily wasn't even remotely surprised to see Dragon and Brockton Bay's Protectorate leader working together.
Dragon continued, "Starting with Hoarder."
On the projection, the image of a young man in dark armor appeared, accompanied by clips captured from civilian cameras and PRT drones.
"Mover 4," Dragon stated. "Hoarder demonstrated mid-range tactical mobility through positional swapping with objects or individuals, with an apparent limit of one target at a time. Activation time is nearly instantaneous, allowing for continuous strategic repositioning."
The footage advanced a few frames, showing successive battlefield repositioning, and Emily felt the pressure at the base of her skull start to build.
"Shaker 4," Dragon went on. "We observed the use of high-resistance, wide-coverage force fields, used both on himself and across different targets. The barriers display significant stability and appear to be deployable instantly."
Emily cleared her throat, cutting in before the headache could go from annoying to permanent. "And what about the suspected Tinker classification?"
Before Dragon could answer, Armsmaster spoke. "We've confirmed that the suit used during the Empire engagement appears to be built with technology beyond current civilian and military standards… however, there are inconsistencies in the behavioral profile for a Tinker classification."
Emily narrowed her eyes. "Explain."
"A functional Tinker would not interrupt development of a project of that complexity to act as an active vigilante," Armsmaster replied without hesitation. "Especially not before completing the armor itself."
He paused briefly, displaying more projected data about the suit.
"And considering the level of finish observed… it's not plausible that this suit was started and completed within a span of just a few days."
Emily found herself agreeing, even if she didn't like it.
Tinkers tended to drop off the face of the earth once they started a project and only resurfaced when they had something finished to show. It was hard to imagine one of them just stopping mid-build to go beat the shit out of nazis for no reason, only to come back later and finish their armor.
Emily mentally reviewed everything the PRT had on Hoarder and knew there hadn't been a single recorded attempt to acquire materials during his little nightly brawls… which basically ruled out the idea that he'd been acting out of necessity.
Especially since the PRT hadn't detected any clandestine activity at the Trainyard.
"We also have not identified any external tinkertech source that could account for the Mover and Shaker aspects observed," Dragon added. "Given this, we are discarding the hypothesis that Hoarder is a Tinker."
Emily exhaled sharply through her nose, not bothering to hide her irritation. "So… either there's an unknown Tinker operating with these three, or this kid has enough funding to get his hands on tinkertech at that level."
She didn't like either option. A new Tinker meant some unknown variable with an unknown supply chain pumping out tinkertech with zero oversight. The second meant a rookie independent cape with an unknown funding source… which probably pointed to a hidden sponsor.
"We are working with both possibilities, Director," Dragon replied, confirming her line of thought. "However, current probability still leans toward the existence of an unidentified Tinker."
Emily scoffed, equally dissatisfied with that conclusion. "Of course it does… and nobody can tell me where the hell these damn capes are coming from."
She'd been in this game long enough to recognize the pattern.
There had never been a high number of Tinkers willing to sell their creations. Most got forcibly recruited into gangs and only built for them, or they already had their own groups backing them. When they did sell, it was expensive, traceable… and usually tied to known names, like Toybox.
…Which meant the simplest answer is there was a new Tinker in the city.
Already irritated enough with just the first problem on the list, Emily Piggot watched as Armsmaster moved on to the next profile. The projected figure had short hair, a body covered in burning scars, and clearly defined muscle.
"Cape identified as Scar," Armsmaster stated. "Based on the information provided by Miss Militia, we're considering the possibility of a foreign origin."
"Brute 5," Dragon added. "Confirmed superhuman strength, capable of causing high-level damage through blunt force and breaking concrete structures."
The footage advanced, showing the exact moment Stormtiger was launched into a van like he weighed nothing.
"There is no evidence of a personal force field, but possibly some level of resistance to different forms of damage, as suggested by the visible scarring."
"Mover 5," she continued immediately after. "Extreme speed and reflexes, possible with hypersonic+ range. Combat style based on traditional martial arts, reaching considerably lethal levels due to the combination of strength and speed."
Emily leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms as the pressure in her forehead kept building. Apparently the most straightforward power set… but also the one most likely to turn a small mistake into an irreversible fatality. Especially considering the damage she'd inflicted so easily on Cricket and Stormtiger… the PRT had needed Panacea just to make sure neither of them would suddenly drop dead in their cells.
And there was also the obvious preference for carrying a katana; Emily had already read Miss Militia's report and knew exactly how close Scar had come to tearing Cricket's arm off with a single strike. That pointed to a clear tendency to use that weapon, not just carry it for show.
As if that wasn't enough… the possibility of her being a foreign cape added an extra layer of political headache Emily absolutely did not need this week.
She shifted her gaze to Armsmaster, signaling for him to continue.
The third and final image appeared in the projection. Chrysalis, wearing a thematic and fairly villain-looking fantasy.
"Master 5," Dragon began. "Confirmed ability to simultaneously control multiple insect species. Observed maneuvers include real-time coordination, swarm density manipulation, and aggressive behavior control. Tactical applications are extensive, including immobilization, distraction, direct attack, and possibly surveillance."
The footage showed living clouds moving like extensions of her own body.
"Thinker 1," Armsmaster added. "We believe there is some form of sensory feedback through the insects, expanding environmental awareness and allowing for a high level of coordination."
Emily listened, but didn't respond right away. She kept watching the screen, running through possibilities. She wanted to understand how, exactly, three capes at this level had shown up almost at the same time… and worse, why they were already acting together like they'd gone through an adjustment period that normally took months.
"Officially, I want all of them in the Wards," Emily stated, finally breaking the silence and setting the goal of the meeting. "Unofficially… convince them to register, even as independents, so we can maintain some level of coordination with the PRT. Ideally, I want all of them going through full power testing."
Armsmaster nodded immediately. "I'll pass along the directives."
"I recommend maintaining a controlled approach protocol, Director," Dragon added from the speakers.
"That's obvious," Emily replied flatly. "The last thing we need right now is to trigger a chain reaction. If they screw up, it can't be because of us."
Normally, the PRT let independent capes operate freely. As long as they didn't cross certain lines, they were left alone. It was the same arrangement they had with New Wave, with whom they maintained a fairly close working relationship.
But this time a different attitude was required, not for the level of power involved... but for the intention behind their actions.
Those three (possibly four, considering the unknown Tinker hypothesis) were deliberately poking at this city's hornet's nest, and because of that, Emily needed eyes on them as closely as possible.
… Elias Mercer
The apartment door gave way under my push and I stepped inside, pulling off my hoodie and tossing it onto the couch. The air inside was colder than usual, cut by the draft coming through the open window.
I glanced to the side and found Maki sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall near the window, the wind lightly messing with her hair.
"You're back late," she commented, not even bothering to look at me.
For a second, I had a déjà vu of all the times my mom used to say that to me, but I shook my head and shoved the memory somewhere it wouldn't get in the way, focusing on what actually mattered.
"I found more stuff than I expected," I replied, dropping onto the couch with a heavy sigh, letting my body sink in while my mind kept trying to piece together the puzzle I'd been working on for the past few hours.
"The Empire's investing hard in the Docks," I started, running a hand over my face. "They're crossing the line little by little, taking more space every time."
Maki turned her head at that, paying attention now.
"I found at least three active movement points," I continued. "One near the warehouses, another around the Trainyard, and a third farther out... probably an entry and exit route for moving supplies or bringing in new people."
"Trainyard…?" Maki repeated, frowning slightly. "I heard some noise when I was there with Taylor… so that was probably them."
"Your senses really are insane," I commented, crossing one leg over the other while staring at the ceiling, still fitting the pieces together.
She let out a quiet huff, ignoring the comment like it was nothing.
"They've got fewer capes now, but that doesn't seem to be slowing them down at all," I muttered, getting back to the point. "Lung going down gave them the opening they needed to expand without resistance, so they're probably not letting go of that anytime soon."
But there was a convenient side to all this, in a way. With them focused on expanding territory… it made it easier for me to track their activity, since their movements were getting more predictable.
The problem was figuring out how the hell I was going to stop them, because there wasn't a single scenario where I'd bust my ass taking down a psychotic fire-breathing dragon just to let a bunch of white supremacist assholes use that as a springboard to grow.
"And the ABB?" Maki asked, shifting the focus.
"They've been quiet," I replied, exhaling through my nose as I adjusted my position on the couch. "Didn't pay them as much attention, but they're less chaotic than I expected."
I still hadn't forgotten Armsmaster's warning about Bakuda and the fact that Oni Lee was still active. A bomb-specialist Tinker and a teleporting ninja… that combo alone was enough to turn any part of the city into a war zone in minutes. But for some reason, they were way too quiet, even with PHO threads saying ABB thugs were clashing with the Merchants and the Empire.
Which meant… those bastards were definitely planning something.
"Still looks like the best time to act," Maki said, just putting into words what was already obvious.
"Yeah," I agreed. "With the Empire busy expanding and the ABB stuck playing defense… if someone wanted to take both gangs down, this is the timing."
"Perfect" didn't feel like the right word, but it was close enough to describe the situation.
Maki let a smile creep up at the corner of her mouth. "Then let's do it."
"…It's the best shot we're gonna get," I replied, letting my head fall back slightly as I stared at the ceiling. "But we've got a problem."
"What problem?"
"There's only three of us," I said, closing my eyes for a second. "Three capes against two entire gangs… no matter how I look at it, that's not enough to take them down in one go. It's too much work for too few people."
Trying to handle that many fronts with so few people would take way too long to finish; there was no way to wipe them all out without giving them time to react.
And giving them time to react was exactly how we'd lose the opportunity we had right now.
"Well," Maki said, pushing herself up and standing with ease, "you'll figure something out, won't you?"
I tilted my head toward her, raising an eyebrow. "Why do you think that?"
"Just a guess," she replied without missing a beat. "If you let this chance slip after all your speeches about how this world is shit… then you're just another guy who talks big but doesn't actually do anything."
I paused and stared at the smug smile on her face. It was obvious she was baiting me, but it was worse because it worked way too well.
"First of all… go fuck yourself," I shot back, letting my head drop onto the couch again with a heavier sigh than before. "But yeah, I think I know how to make this work…"
"I already knew that," Maki said, walking over to the kitchen and opening the fridge.
I ignored her, going back to the thoughts that had been building up all day.
If we wanted a real shot, we'd have to hit their base all at once. Tear down everything they'd built in a single move, without giving them any time to react.
For that… we needed an actual task force and I knew exactly who had one in this city. The problem was getting them to play along without me having to give up anything important in return.
'In that case…' I thought, the idea finally clicking into place.
I needed Taylor and her bugs… and I needed to hit the right terms to drag the PRT into this mess.