The Protagonist System

228 The Next Big Thing

Normally, Clairvoyant and Doormaker wouldn't have detected me, except they had heard Rebecca talking to me and knew that I was a very high point of interest for all of Cauldron, especially for Rebecca and Contessa. Once Doormaker opened a portal for me, I received a popup to pause the world during a pivotal moment.

I did so and started going through a mental debate over how this was going to change things. I felt a presence beside me and spent some time hugging them and talking about everything that was going on and weighing the pros and cons of both the powers and if I wanted to lose my stored Karma Points to permanently help them.

After even more debates with myself and the presence beside me, I decided to go ahead and spend the Karma Points to establish a temporary telepathic connection with both Clairvoyant and Doormaker, just to see what they wanted. I also spent a few thousand points on ensuring I wouldn't be influenced or affected by any power backlash, and unpaused the world.

I immediately felt them pleading with me for help. “Of course I can help you in exchange. I can help you both.” I said and stepped through the glowing white door to end up in a small room where two young men laid on medical beds.

One of them had flat skin over where his eyes should have been and the other had a blank stare and his gaze never moved from the ceiling. They were also holding hands and I had to assume this let them share their abilities, since they both had almost complete sensory deprivation from their powers.

Clairvoyant was capable of viewing a wide area or multiple things at once, whole cities, anyone or everyone within them, and even other Earths in other universes. He could easily recognize people asking for Doormaker to open a portal to and from anywhere in the small multiverse the Worms were locked into.

They had somehow protected this section of the multiverse from anyone else invading and that was why I had so much trouble inserting to make it into a sandbox to play in. The Worms had already done that and I was kind of interfering in their playing.

Clairvoyant could also grant visions of entire alternate Earths to people he was in physical contact with. Breaking that contact would leave the recipient immediately unconscious and requiring bed rest for a week, making them dazed and weak afterwards for quite some time, because a normal mind was not capable of handling that much information being dumped into their head.

The power's effect overrode all other perception abilities and long-term exposure eventually atrophied the user's senses, too. Using Clairvoyant's power also required a degree of mental skill to handle the overload of detail. There were a few people that were immune to the power and its effects, like Contessa and now myself, and the power's use was limited to within Earth's atmosphere.

The best part about the power was that the user could choose to not observe specific areas, essentially turning the power off in those places, so they could choose to not see or hear anything there. But, Clairvoyant took his vial power way too young and his mind never developed past the age of eight, so he didn't have the mental maturity to give himself an off switch like he should have had.

Doormaker on the other hand, could open and close portals between places he had sensory awareness of, including between dimensions. He also had some degree of clairvoyance, since he could see into other worlds to an extent to establish his portals safely and anchor them to the planet's rotation.

In combination with Clairvoyant, Doormaker normally used his power to transport members of Cauldron wherever they needed to go and was effectively the gatekeeper to their facilities on multiple Earths. Unfortunately, he could perceive too many worlds at once and it negatively impacted his life. He was functionally blind and deaf at this point and it was because of too much exposure to Clairvoyant using his power on him.

That was the problem, since both they and their powers had such great synergy together. Their abilities combined made them the most versatile cape duo on the planet, on any planet, and they knew it. They also knew they could never have any kind of normal life, not with how their powers worked.

They also never slept and would have gone insane years ago if they weren't what was called a Noctis Cape, just like Miss Militia, whom didn't need sleep and could still function normally, despite their brains not getting the downtime that sleep and dreaming usually granted a person.

I walked over to them and stopped next to their clasped hands. In exchange for letting me copy your powers, I can heal you, fix your abilities, change how your powers work, or whatever you want. I thought towards them.

We accepted years ago this is how we need to live. Doormaker responded. Even if we were made normal again, we'd still be spending all our time meditating to use our powers as part of the deals we made.

I understand. I thought back.

ANIME! Clairvoyant thought quite loudly.

Doormaker chuckled mentally. Sorry about that. He can sense you know a lot of stuff that we don't have access to in our walled off section of the multiverse, even with constant access to Earth Aleph.

Ah, right. Japan was partially sunk because of Leviathan and that stopped everything from game development to animation entertainment. I thought. Well, I wasn't a huge anime fan; but, I've visited a few of their worlds and experienced a lot of things the shows and manga didn't have.

Awesome! Clairvoyant thought, happily. I don't have to keep waiting for Saturday mornings!

I had to chuckle at that. What about you, Doormaker?

I'll take any normal television shows you have seen. You wouldn't believe how saturated the nearby worlds are with shows about superheroes. Doormaker complained. It's all I've seen for years!

All right, hold on. Let me just prep myself. I thought and then added both Clairvoyant and Doormaker to my party as temporary members. I initiated the information sharing option, upon touch of course, and included only what they wanted and not everything.

I spent the Karma Points to safely enable the transfer, the ease of assimilation on both their parts, and to end the temporary party without penalties. I closed the popup and placed my left hand on Clairvoyant's hand and my right hand on Doormaker's hand at the same time.

That's so cooooool! Clairvoyant thought. You should have been a girl coming here!

Both I and Doormaker mentally laughed, because with all the information I was sharing, that I was supposed to be Taylor was what he had focused on.

I like girls with long hair! Clairvoyant thought with a mental pout.

Taylor does have great hair, doesn't she? I asked and Clairvoyant mentally nodded.

The transfer ended and I gained Doormaker's portal power that folded seamlessly into the ones I already had, reforming and refining them into a perfect version. I also felt Clairvoyant's power folding into my overpowered telepathy power to expand it into a world-encompassing power. I was really, really glad that I had bought the self-induced limiters to stop my powers from going out of control.

I can see you now. Both Clairvoyant and Doormaker said when I let their hands go. I guess having copies of their powers would let them find those copies anywhere.

You weren't watching the drone footage? I asked to distract them.

What drone? They asked and then fell silent.

Oh. Clairvoyant whispered, his mental eyes quite wide.

I didn't know a woman could bend like that. Doormaker thought, surprised.

They can be quite bendy when it's necessary... or fun. Mostly fun. I thought with a mental laugh. Enjoy your new library of shows and books.

Neither of them responded and I felt the temporary telepathic link close. I didn't have to speak to use my own powers, so I turned away from them and took a single step and I was right back in the office the Chief Director was using for the meeting.

“Atlas!” “Greg!” “DOOR!” Three women exclaimed as soon as I appeared.

I caught both Sarah and my mom as they lunged at me and saw a very relieved Rebecca step through the white door that appeared. It didn't close, though.

“What happened?” “Where did you go?” Sarah and my mom asked at the same time.

“It was a little exchange that I thought I wouldn't be able to do before it was necessary.” I said and they both gave me the same look. You know the one. It's where your mom glares at you for not telling her everything she wanted to know as soon as she told you to. “I can't explain here.”

Both women nodded and didn't ask me to put them down or to stop hugging them close.

After a few minutes, Rebecca came back through the door and she had an odd look on her face. “We need to continue the meeting.”

I nodded and carried Sarah and my mom over to the desk and sat down on the chair with Sarah propped on my left leg and my mom on my right.

Rebecca didn't even look at them as she sat behind the desk. “How did you know about the Endbringer pattern?”

“Research.” I said and she motioned with her hand for me to keep talking. “I explained it to Dragon already.”

“I want you to explain it to me.” Rebecca ordered.

“You know what I said about that to Armsmaster about figuring out how to counter her.” I said and she closed her mouth. “Since you won't do as I requested, I won't be sharing it. Next question.”

“How did you repair the Statue of Liberty?” Rebecca asked.

“I used a combination of powers.” I answered and didn't say anything else.

“You need to come in for power testing.” Rebecca said instead of asking me to elaborate. She knew I wasn't going to explain without her issuing a command to Dragon and she wasn't going to do that.

“I've done it twice and even admitted the categories I qualified for the second time and was tested for them. They are all 10 plus, too. What exactly are you going to test me for?” I asked.

Rebecca was starting to look frustrated. “How long have you been able to master people?”

“I haven't mastered anyone here on this Earth.” I said, truthfully. The ghosts of Valefor sure as hell did, though.

“You're not denying you have the power to.” Rebecca said with a hint of satisfaction.

I could not let that comment go on an official record. “Neither are you.”

“I don't have the power to...” She started to protest.

“You need to be careful about what you are lying about, Rebecca.” I cut her off and my eyes went to the blank monitor where Dragon was watching and listening.

Rebecca let out a soft sigh before she could stop herself. “Why are you making this difficult?”

“Because you have a friend of mine under such heavily restrictive orders that she can't even call me for help when she needs it.” I said and a nearly inaudible whine came from the monitor. Only Rebecca and I heard it, though.

“I cannot allow a... person like her to run rampant.” Rebecca said.

“I thought you wanted all the help you can get?” I asked without saying why.

Rebecca's eyes narrowed. “What does that have to do with this?”

That was when I knew I had her. “Do you really think she can operate at her full capacity after what you've done to her? That she will actually help you when you ask? Or will you have to order her to do so?”

Rebecca's narrowed eyes went back to normal and a flash of worry crossed her face.

“Just keep in mind that a coerced and reluctant ally isn't really an ally.” I said and patted the backs of Sarah and my mother. They stood up and I stood up with them. “Is there anything else?”

“I'm preparing an injunction against you singing anything else.” Rebecca said. “The cease and desist order will be sent to Bad Canary Productions this afternoon.”

“I don't have to ask why, do I?” I asked and she shook her head.

“I cannot have any cape influencing the population on a wide scale like that.” Rebecca said.

“What about Bad Canary herself?” I asked.

“Unfortunately, she has anti-harrassment legislation on her side and can't be prosecuted for the same crime twice.” Rebecca said.

“Her company's not covered by it?” I asked.

“I'm bypassing that by issuing it to you directly and not her company.” Rebecca admitted and stood. “Do not test me on this, Atlas. You will not affect any more people under my watch.”

“Yourself included.” I said and she nodded. “Then I'll abide by the injunction as soon as it arrives.”

“I'm glad you're going to be reasonable about this.” Rebecca said and held her hand out for me to shake.

I didn't even look at the offered hand. “Who said I was going to be reasonable?”

Her hand dropped back to her side. “You just agreed to be.”

“I said I would abide by it, not that I agree with it.” I clarified for her and took Sarah's and my mother's hands. “Have a good day, Chief Director.”

Rebecca opened her mouth to speak, probably to shout or something, and I stepped backwards with Sarah and my mother to disappear from her sight. We reappeared in Sarah's living room and both women looked startled.

“I'm sorry about that.” I said and flicked my hand to have Sarah's car appear in the driveway. “She wasn't going to do anything else except threaten you two if I don't comply.”n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

“But you are going to.” My mom said.

“I am.” I said and kissed her on the lips. “I have four hours to record as many songs as possible before the injunction arrives.”

“Oh, you brilliant bastard!” Sarah gasped and kissed me hard. “Get over to Bad Canary's and get it done!”

“Yes, ma'am.” I said and stepped forward and disappeared and reappeared in the lounge downstairs at the warehouse. Paige was in the recording booth and singing, so I went inside the control booth and used her own experience to teach me what to do. I ended the recording when it was time and Paige ran to the door to open it.

“What happened?” Paige asked me.

“No time for that.” I said and motioned to the controls. “We're recording as many songs as we can before the injunction to not sing anything else arrives.”

Paige looked angry. “As long as we get the vocals done, we can add the music later and it still counts!”

I grinned and kissed her. “Let's do this.”

I ran into the booth and grabbed an electric guitar before I sat on the stool. “This one's called Kickstart My Heart and it's hard rock.”

Paige's face went from anger to delight. “HIT IT!”

I made the guitar scream and started strumming it as if my life depended on it. “When I get high, I get high on speed! Top fuel funny car's a drug for me! My heart, my heart, kickstart my heart!”

I sang, and sang, and Paige's face went through every emotion as she listened to me belt out tune after tune, hour after hour. When the injunction finally came just after lunch and we had to stop, I was dragged upstairs to bed and ravished for many, many hours.

When Paige was done sating herself and calming down after such a huge emotional upheaval, she had the brilliant idea to use the injunction to promote my debut album collection. We included it on the cover and even named them the 'Practically Illegal' albums. It was going to take a lot of work to lay out the rest of the music tracks for them, like drums and other things, and that was okay.

Both Paige and I were wholly invested into completing them as soon as possible to rub it in Rebecca Costa-Brown's face. We would also include when the songs were recorded as proof that they were sung before the injunction. Paige saved the video in several different places, too. I even sent one to Dragon to store on a backup server, just so she could listen to them whenever she wanted.