Chapter Text
Memoria 1.1
I didn't want to sleep anymore.
I haven't ever since-
Nevermind.
But God, I've even started using coffee instead of tea. Caffeine pills and the like- anything to avoid closing my eyes for too long.
The reason why is... my dreams have been weird. Well, weirder. I don't see or remember much of them, just a few flashes or words that I can just barely make out, and I think- I Know, they'll be worse.
But dad knows I'm trying. I've been trying since we left the hospital. To be fair, I also did basically pass out in front of him during dinner.
One moment he was asking me about my day, the next I'm waking up to him panicking and about ready to call an ambulance. The only thing that echoed through my head after the whole affair was a voice.
cambiare
Which is why I'm currently sat at my desk. Three in the morning, book in one hand, the only soda I could smuggle up here in the other. It was one of the book's that mom used to read with me when I was younger, Guards! Guards!
I guess I'm in a nostalgic mood.
It's not working though. I can feel Morpheus clawing at the edges of my mind, trying to lull me into his embrace.
Tears building in my eyes, lids heavy.
I wonder if-
i could jus-
catch my breat-
"Spingi! Spingi!" A nurse shouted, struggling to be heard over a screaming woman, eyes clenched as she was laid on her back, while said nurse was between her spread legs. A birth?
"Di nuovo!" The nurse said to the woman, trying to keep her on track it seemed. Though said woman seemed too exhausted to appreciate the comforting tone. "Si! Si! Brava!" The nurse kept going, ignoring everything else, focused totally and completely on the woman.
It was at this moment I realized neither woman was paying me any mind.
They were going about as if I wasn't even here.
The woman let out one final throat tearing-shriek as the nurse continued giving words of encouragement, before gasping and pulling out a smallish shape from the her position by the woman's legs.
The nurse had started wiping the baby down before turning to the woman, a smile on her face that wasn't reaching her eyes. "È un maschio!"
I knew something was wrong the exact same moment the new mother did too.
The child wasn't breathing.
Wasn't moving.
Oh god.
A door I hadn't noticed opened at this point, a tall man wearing what looked like a noble's outfit from a ren-faire strode in, a frantic energy pouring out of his very being. He lit up once he made eye-contact with the mother. "Oh, mio amato!" He exclaimed, taking her hands into his. "Mi dispiace, Ero in banco quando mi hanno detto! Ho perso? Sono troppo tardi?"
Before the mother, his wife, I'm guessing, or the nurse could say anything, he finally noticed the unmoving infant.
"Dallo a me." His voice had grown cold and stern as he ordered the nurse over, who immediately gave the child to the man, holding the baby gently as his wife tried to get his attention. "Giovanni-"
"Shh, amore mio. Andrà tutto bene." He assured her before turning his attention to the infant in his arms. Bringing the baby to his lips he whispered into it's ear, a voice too soft for anyone to hear, but I understood clear as day. "Tu sei un Auditore. Tu ei un combattente. Allora, combatti!"
For a brief, terrifying moment, I thought this dream would end with this child's death. That all of this time these people had spent trying to bring this child into the world, all for naught.
Then, after a few more tense seconds, the child started moving and crying, the high pitched wails almost like a balm to soothe the past, cruel, few minutes.
The mother smiled, tired, more at ease than anyone else while the father -Giovanni?- laughed joyously, bringing the child closer to him. "Ascoltatelo! Un bel set di polmoni!"
The nurse bowed before leaving the couple to their child, leaving me with them. Not that anyone could see evidently.
Giovanni kneeled next to his tired wife on the bed. "E come lo chiameremo, amore mio?" She asked, gazing lovingly at both of them as the question tumbled out. The man paused for a second, deep in thought before he lit up, raising the child up, as if in offering to the heavens. "Ezio... Ezio Auditore da Firenze!"
The baby continued crying as the door opened up, a young boy poking his head in. "Papà? Mamma? È un bene entrare?"
"Sì, Federico. Ti piacerebbe conoscere il tuo fratellino?" The woman asked as the boy crept into the room. He rea-
I couldn't help the shriek that escaped me as I woke up, falling out of my desk chair. The book and can slamming down onto the ground next me.
I- I was home. My room.
Not in the middle of a renaissance fair.
Looking at the clock on my dresser told me it was only three-fifteen. I'd only been asleep ten minutes.
"Taylor!?" Dad's voice was muffled by the walls, but I could hear him pretty easily. More than I should be able to. I didn't even get a chance to pick myself up before my door slammed open. Dad had a terrified, almost wild, look in his eye as he came charging in. A look that got worse when he saw me still on the floor. "What happened!? Are you okay!?" He fired the questions off a mile a minute as he pulled me up hands on m shoulders.
I just about managed to shrug his hands off, holding my own up trying to placate him. "Sto bene, papà. Solo sogno strano." I just about managed to croak out. Apparently, even that little bit of sleep was turning off a bunch of higher brain functions.
What it felt like to me in any case.
Though dad just gaped at me. Surprise painting his features as he gently backed off. "What did you say?"
Are you serious? "Ho detto che sto bene, papà. Era solo un sogno davvero strano..." I trailed off once I realized what he was talking about.
It wasn't English.
How was I speaking- I'm gonna guess Italian?- Italian out of nowhere?
Dad was still watching me. The circles under his eyes told me that despite how hard he'd been getting onto me about no sleep, he had the same problem. The only difference being, he still had stuff, a job, to do.
I hadn't been back to Winslow since what happened.
Taking a breath, I could see the words forming in my mind, the Italian swapping to English. "Mi disp- I... I'm sorry, dad." It took more effort than I think it should've, like I was manually translating every individual letter. "Just un sogno strano."
"A-"
"Weird dream."
He didn't look convinced. But he was a little too used to me keeping everything closed off from him. He wasn't going to get any answers out of me, and he knew it. ".. if you're sure, kiddo."
"I am."
He wasn't happy, but he just leaned down to plant a kiss on my head. "Try to get some sleep. I'm half tempted to get a bag check for your eyes."
I was almost happy about that. It'd been a while since he'd shown any affection like that, let alone quip at me. Plus I could tell he was really doing it to calm himself down too. Dad flashed one last little smile before he closed my door, leaving me alone.
I really didn't want to go back to sleep.
But I could already feel my eyes drooping. I couldn't fight it anymore, and unless I wanted to be sleeping on the floor, I needed to get to my bed before it was too late.
Stepping towards the familiar bedding felt like I was walking through molasses, each limb heavy like lead as I smashed my ankles against the frame. the only thing I had the energy to do was let myself fall, flopping onto the bedding as my eyes closed.
I was out before I even hit the pillow, darkness taking me once again.
The dream opened onto a crowd. It was evening in the middle of a city, the buildings and people looked just like Giovanni had earlier, like it had walked out of a Renaissance painting. The gang was cheering as a teenager took the center stage before them, me.
Looking at him, I just somehow knew he was that baby I'd seen not even a few minutes ago. He was about as tall as me. Dark brown hair pulled into a low ponytail, what looked like a silk vest on top of a flared shirt. He looked like one of those bad boy rebels Emma would've been obsessed with. Turning to the crowd with a smirk, he raised a fist to the air. "WE STAND TOGETHER!"
"TOGETHER!!!" The crowd cheered in unison as it dawned on me that I understood everyone of them. The Italian from just a few minutes ago perfectly understandable, as if I'd been speaking the language my entire life.
"Silence, my friends. Silence!" He waved his arms, prompting the others around to follow his command, before he started pacing back and forth, controlling the crowd and speaking like it was second nature. "Thank you. Do you know what brings us here tonight? HONOR! Vieri de' Pazzi slanders my family's name and forces his own miseries upon us. If we-"
He -Ezio if I remember correctly?- was even getting me wired up as he spoke. The passion behind his speech riling everyone up before a rock struck the ground beside him.
Looking past him showed me another group just down the bridge, led by another young guy. All black clothes, even a cloak, with one of those floppy hats I can't remember the name of. "Enough of your nonsense, idiot!" He shouted, rage plain as day on his features, even from this far away.
Ezio turned to the guy, shit-eating grin on his face. "Good evening, Vieri! We were just talking about you. I'm surprised to see you here. I thought the Pazzi hired others to do their dirty work?"
... yeah, he was good. I almost didn't even catch he was trash talking him. For a second, neither did the Pazzi, staring for a second before his face turned red with rage. "It's your family that cries for guards when there's trouble, coward! Afraid to handle things yourself!?"
The grin on Ezio's face grew wider before he- Oh god. I could feel my face heating up against my will at the gesture. "Your sister seemed quite satisfied with the handling I gave her earlier."
"YOU SON OF- KILL HIM!" The Pazzi, Vieri, ordered the rest of his little gang, before chucking a rock at Ezio again.
I could just barely make it out before it smashed into Ezio's face. I almost felt my heart stop at the sheer amount of blood pooling out of his face. Ezio though? He looked mad. Charging the group with the rest of his buddies. Fists, kicks and blood went flying as the two sides met in the brawl.
I wasn't too surprised by the Pazzi going down first. What I remember of history told me almost no one in that family usually had a story that ended well.
"Hey! Behind you!" A new voice called his warning from the sides. A man a couple years older than Ezio had charged into the fray, throwing his own punches as he joined Ezio, who looked both surprised and overjoyed by the intrusion. "Federico? What are you doing here!?"
That was the little kid from earlier?
Made sense, actually. Ezio had gone from an infant to this. Logic said his brother would also be older.
"I wanted to see if my baby brother had finally learned how to fight." Federico teased before he dodged, throwing another punch that sent his attacker sprawling.
"Yeah? And?"
"Style is fun, but endurance is what really counts. Try and take as many of them down as possible, Ezio." Was all his brother said before the two began fighting in earnest.
I would also like to say how happy I am that this isn't one of those dreams where people notice you. I did not want to be dragged into this whole thing.
Eventually though, it seemed like everyone was winding down. And by winding down, I mean everyone had gotten whooped by the brothers, eventually forcing Vieri to give the order to retreat. Though Ezio was gearing up to go after him until Federico stopped him. "Hold on."
"What? We've almost won this!"
"Your lip is what." He gestured to the still gaping wound on Ezio's face, no longer leaking as much as it once was. Personally, I knew it really wasn't anything too bad, something Ezio seemed to agree with me on since he shrugged his brother off. "It's just a scratch."
"How about we let a doctor decide."
"I have no money for this doctor of yours." Ezio explained, a little poorly I might add.
"Wasted on wine and women?"
"I wouldn't say wasted." Ezio snarked with another smirk before pointing to Federico. "Lend me some Florins then... unless you've done the same?"
The only response Federico gave was a smattering of chuckles before he pointed to the downed thugs. "Search them, they're bound to have something."
A little mercenary of the brothers, but these guys did come here with the express purpose of what amounted to a turf war. Ezio certainly didn't seem to have a problem with it, crouching down and getting to work before Federico even finished his sentence, coming back faster than I thought possible. "Two-hundred be enough?"
"Should be. Let's get going before the guards arrive."
Ezio only shrugged before the two ran off, myself getting dragged along for the ride. To be honest, I thought the dream would end here, but I just kept going with the two, only stopping once they had arrived at a doctor and gotten Ezio's face looked at.
Once the doctor had done his work, the dynamic duo finally slowed to a stop a little ways away.
"Quite a night, little brother."
"Indeed." Ezio nodded, doing only the bare minimum to keep his stitches in place. "I only wish they were all as much fun. Wait, they are!" He finished with a laugh, Federico joining as he tossed an arm around Ezio's shoulder.
Eventually the laughs peeled off, Federico growing sober. "We should head home, Ezio. father's sure to be wondering where we've gone."
The mention of his dad was the first time since the fight that Ezio looked even slightly uncomfortable.
I couldn't help but relate.
"I... would rather avoid a lecture."
Federico must've noticed the falling mood, since he nudged his brother's shoulder with a small smile. "You up for a little race, then?"
"Where to?" Ezio questioned as he perked up.
"Uhhh-" Federico's eyes darted everywhere before pointing a little ways away. A church looming over the entire square. "Roof of that church. On three." Ezio had just gotten into place to start when Federico started running.
"What are you doing?"
"I said three!" That cheeky-
Ezio started sprinting. Where Federico had taken a scenic route, Ezio had decided to go for a straight shot up the entire building. Apparently, he hated losing almost as much as I did.
This was also what proved the dream really was following Ezio, since I was literally being dragged up the building with him, free floating alongside him.
I hadn't heard much of the trash talk at this point, but something told me I wasn't really missing much.
Ezio won, having just enough time to pretend to be lounging around as Federico came up last. "No shame in failure, brother." Ezio sounded smugger than anyone person should as he gloated.
Federico, for his part, didn't feed into it, just chuckling as he pulled Ezio further along the roof. "Come on. This way."
"Where?"
"You'll see."
The two climbed higher up. The steeple proper as Federico reached a hand to help Ezio up. The two arm in arm as they looked down upon the city.
The place looked beautiful at night. And the stars. No light pollution meant I could see everything. It was gorgeous.
"It is a good life we lead, brother." Federico said behind where I was sightseeing. "The best." Ezio agreed, coming to stand near where I had plopped down, still not even seeing me. "May it never change."
Federico had come up on my other side, standing next to his brother. "And may it never change us."
They, we, sat for a moment, just basking in the peace and beauty.
I woke up to the sound of an explosion across the city. Clearly someone had decided it had been too quiet lately. Looking at my alarm told me it was almost four in the afternoon.
I could feel it too. The gross dryness of my mouth, the weakness in my limbs from the lack of food, and generally how sweaty you usually get from a decent sleep. I stumbled from my bed, heading to the stairs to get some food.
I didn't realize I had climbed over the banister and dropped from the second floor until it had happened, somehow pulling a perfect three-point landing with a quiet thud, not even disturbing the side table and pictures I'd landed beside. Looking back up to the second floor, I realized I could picture how exactly to climb back up without using the stairs.
First the Italian, now this?
What was happening to me?
Did I...
Was I a-
No.
That's impossible.
I can't be.
I'm nobody.
Nope. Food first. Existential crisis later. It looked like dad had left enough money to order something, and there wasn't anything to eat. Looks like grocery shopping. Again. I did grab a water bottle though, help get rid of this cottonmouth.
I needed to get some actual shoes on. I really don't want to be cooped up in here anymore.
I'll see if I can just get some food out in the city. Maybe... get some exercise? Is it smart when I was literally woken up by explosions? Probably not. But I don't want to stay here anymore. Besides, I'll just avoid the place.
Could go for Bob's?
Yeah, one pitstop at Fugly Bob's.
Downing the rest of the bottle, I was out the door and on my way before I knew it.
To be totally honest, I always knew Brockton wasn't the prettiest city in the world, but after that dream? Florence? Everything just looked dull. The city was beautiful. The buildings, the color?
There was no question about it: Brockton Bay just couldn't compare.
Did find out what happened on the way though. Turns out Lung just decided he really didn't like some pawnshop anymore, and guess he decided to wipe it off the face of the earth. I just hope the poor owners got out okay.
Even if I knew they probably hadn't.
I'd just gotten to a crosswalk near the market when I felt the hairs on my neck stand up.
Someone was watching me. I knew I shouldn't look, really I did, but I dared a little peek over my shoulder to see a group of Empire guys watching the crowd. The leader caught my eye before I could look away.
I just knew they would be coming for me now.
Why did I think this was a good idea?
The crosswalk turned just in time for me to star pushing through the crowds, that same sense that told me they were watching let me know they were gunning for me, right on my heels.
I'd just broken into a run when a hand shot out from an alley I was going past, pulling me in and shoved against the brick walls. Another Empire guy. I'm guessing this was a shakedown thing that I was unlucky enough to stumble into.
"You need to be careful, girl." The bozo sneered, keeping me pinned by the shoulder. "Never know the kind of freaks you'll run into."
I'm well aware. I'm looking at one.
The sounds of boots crunching on glass and other stuff let me know the group I'd been running from had caught up, blocking the alley entrance as the leader came to take over from Bozo. "Don't you know it isn't nice to run from friends?"
"I do, but that's not what you are." I couldn't stop it from slipping out, cringing away as the leader raised a brow before pulling a switchblade. "Normally, I'd cut your tongue out for that you(I'm not listening to that. Oh my god, I didn't even know some of those slurs existed) but I'm feeling nice. You just give us whatever you got in your pockets, you get to go home to your momma in one piece. We won't deal with you anymore, capiche?"
I knew if I just gave them the money, then everything would be fine. Y'know, the smart thing. But I also didn't want to. Maybe I'd finally cracked, but Grandpa, mom's dad, hadn't gone to give the Nazis a walloping back on Normandy, just to have them take over his city. "Can't, I'm going to go deal with your mom later."
... though I could've done it without antagonizing the man holding a knife to me.
The leader swelled up in rage before rearing back the knife hand, intent on running me through.
He didn't get that far.
My leg had snapped out to smash him in the groin before he even got a chance, the other four standing in total shock as my hand jabbed out and cracked him across the jaw hard enough to send him sprawling, teeth flying out to all sides.
Also: OOOOOWWWWWW. They never tell you how much throwing a punch hurts in the movies and books.
The guy who had been holding me originally threw a punch at me with a scream, but I weaved out of the way on instinct. Hands up, legs spread, center low as I spun in place to smash him across the back of the head with a backfist.
A hand grabbed my shoulder and spun me around, a fist getting blocked and deflected by my raised arms.
I was fighting like Ezio.
The guy who had been trying to clock me was having a pretty hard time breaking through my guard, but I knew I needed to end this. Now. I kicked forwards, again, opening him up for a throat punch. All that was left was to grab his head and slam it into the brick wall beside me.
The crack echoed through the alley as he slumped. Still breathing thank god, but he wasn't getting up anytime soon.
The last guy was nowhere to be seen. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that he had vanished once he saw how bad this was going. Leave it to Nazis to be a bunch of cowards.
My arms were hurting, bruises already forming along my forearms and knuckles. My muscles were also pretty sore. Plus side, I wasn't willing to head out anymore.
I wanted to get home.
I needed to try and figure out what was going on.
I couldn't leave these guys though. Only one thing to do: I started rifling through their pockets. Apparently, what I've seen, you can find some pretty interesting things. I didn't bother with money, I-
I only bothered with the cell phone. Dialing 911, I also snatched up the fallen switchblade.
Sue me, it might be helpful.
***911, what's your emergency?***
Is that actually how they respond? A little cliche, but I can work with it. "I've got a group of knocked out Nazis that tried to mug me. Do I just give you guys the address, or...?"
***... I'm sorry, ma'am. Where did you say you were?***
"Alley of the corner of ninth, just off the market." I answered her as I pocketed the knife and made my way out. "I'm not going to stick around, but I'll keep the line on." I said, and threw the phone back down the alley before she could protest.
All done with that, I ran home.
Just ran.
I'll order a pizza later or something.
Mainly cause that was actual vigilante stuff. Granted, I didn't do it on purpose, but something told me the Empire wouldn't care too much. Plus... I don't think I can deny this anymore. I've got something weird going on. Whether it's powers or what, I don't know. But I'd rather try to figure it out back home than out here.
I got home quicker than I thought possible. I'd basically sprinted the whole way here, and I can't blame it all on adrenaline.
Thank god dad's truck wasn't here yet. I wasn't- quite- ready? Or willing to tell him about all of this. He's been better ever since... yeah. That. But something told me I'd have to tell him.
Eventually.
Not right now though.
Bolting through the front door and up to my room, climbing up the walls instead of taking the stairs, and tearing open my old laptop.
I don't know how long I was researching for, but I'd gone from the anonymous forums on the PRT's website about new Parahumans, to looking through surviving records from the renaissance. So far: Nothing. The Auditore's just weren't recorded. There was a family by that name, but they lived in Venice, not Florence. And, supposedly, they died out before the Renaissance even started.
So I don't know what the heck is going on.
I wish I knew enough about the Parahuman classifications to figure out what my... powers, were. Cause, I don't think they're dreams anymore. More like memories.
"Taylor?"
Ah crap.
I hadn't even heard him coming home. I barely had enough time to close my laptop before he showed up. He looked just as haggard as last night, but he brightened a little bit when he got a good look at me. "You feeling better, kiddo?"
"Yeah. I do." It was a surprise, but not really a lie. I can't quite put my finger on the reason, but I did feel better. More than I have in a little while; Who'd have thought that beating the snot out of a bunch of Nazis was cathartic?
"I'm glad." It looked like a weight had lifted off of him, if only slightly, before he threw a thumb over his shoulder to the stairs. "Still hungry? I picked up some Chinese. General Tso's, just for you."
The fact I hadn't eaten since yesterday reared it's ugly head, my stomach growling loud enough I could've sworn my desk actually rattled. I could just make out dad trying, and failing, to keep the goofy grin off his face as I pushed him out. "Yeah, fine. I can eat."
Dinner was... quiet. Good, companiable, but quiet. Dad tried to keep a conversation going, but I was a little too distracted to properly contribute. It didn't stop him though. Just let him be the one to do all the talking.
But, eventually, I was right back to where I was this morning: Sitting and wide awake. Though it was because I wasn't tired this time, not me trying to avoid sleep.
I knew dad was already conked out. I was the only person awake in the house now. The clock told me it was almost ten.
I don't want to stay here anymore.
I grabbed the most nondescript piece of clothing I owned before sliding my window open, I should've been worried about this, but I had my feet on the sill and was up to the roof before I knew it.
Pulling my hood up, and I was running across the tops of the houses nearby, heading into the city proper.
Now, a bright white hoodie probably isn't the stealthiest thing in the world, but everything else I could've worn just felt... wrong. I couldn't explain it. I still had the switchblade too, though that's because I didn't want to leave it where dad could find it.
Getting off track, but I finally hit the city proper. I jumped off one of the houses to a fire escape, climbing up to start running across rooftops proper.
It wasn't the best view of Brockton, but with the moon light streaming down and the almost slow crawl of traffic noise, it almost looked beautiful. Still not as pretty as Florence though. I didn't have a destination in mind to be perfectly honest. But this was as much about training as it was clearing my head.
That said, I took off into the city like a rocket.
Bolting across rooftops, it felt like my brain just kind of shut off, going entirely off of instinct as I climbed, jumped, and almost flew. The only thing I could focus on was one of the bigger buildings in the distance, the stark white exterior drawing me forwards.
Something in the back of my mind told me to go. To climb as high I as I could.
Looking back, I'm just going to count myself lucky that I didn't run into any heroes or something. Seriously, a lone girl dressed entirely in white, running across the rooftops in the middle of the night, it just screams trouble. But I'm not going to complain.
I'd hit the large building now, clambering up the sides was hard, but I wasn't stopping. Not now.
The cool autumn wind, something nice on the lower buildings, was cutting against my face and hands now. Not too bad in all honesty, just sucks when you compare it to back down below.
But I finally pulled myself up over the railing, running to a little more to find myself on the other side of the building's roof, giving me a way better view than I saw when I'd first hit the place.
My chest was heaving, a stitch in my side, my hands were all kinds of scratched and cut up, bruises still coloring my arms from earlier today, while my legs felt like jelly. My hoodie and shirt were sticking uncomfortably to my back.
I hadn't felt more alive in years. Not since mom.
jump
The thought crossed my mind unbidden. I didn't even know where it came from, but I started leaning forwards, feet on the rai-
"If you're gonna jump, can you at least wait until I'm done?"
"FIGLIO DI PUTTANA!!!" My feet slipped off as I spun around, reaching up to cover my face with an arm.
The mysterious speaker turned out to be a girl a few years older than me. Brown hair, unimpressed stare as she was smoking and wearing a white and re- is that Panacea!?
Panacea smokes!?
That's like finding out a lung-cancer specialist does!
"You done?" She asked, much snarkier than her first question, as she took another drag. "Seriously, I get enough of all the staring downstairs. I don't need it from some suicidal weirdo."
I couldn't stop the grimace from rising to my face at this, but yeah, I could see why that wouldn't be good. "Sorry."
"Oh good, you do speak English."
"... Thanks." My voice was as flat as could be as I stared at her. To her credit, she didn't seem too bothered, merely shrugging before turning back to look over the rail. Oh wait a minute. "I'm not suicidal."
"You were literally climbing the rails to jump off. Which, I'll grant you, a hospital is a decent place to do it. Either you live and get carted in immediately, or you pancake yourself and get scooped up and dropped in the morgue." She explained distantly. The breeze whipped around the two of us as she pulled another cigarette out. "What were you doing up here then if you weren't trying to bite it?" She questioned before lighting up.
"... couldn't sleep, so I decided to go for a run." I figured honesty would go over pretty well. And, I mean, she is the world's best healer, I probably shouldn't prod her too much.
Panacea just snorted, smoke streaming out of her nose as she threw a look back at me. "And your idea of a run was to go to the roof of Brockton General? In the middle of the night?"
"Something like that." I shrugged before nodding to the view before us. "Pretty sweet, right? It's no Florence, but Brockton has it's own sort of charm."
"You've been to Italy?"
"Sure, technically." I had to stop myself from smiling at her eyeroll as she turned away from me again, mumbling under her breath about how 'That Doesn't Make Any Sense'. The silence stretched for a moment before it finally crossed my mind that she could help me out. I still wasn't quite sure what was up with my head, and if anyone would know how powers and tuff worked, it was probably her. "Can I ask you a question?"
"You already did, but sure. It's not like I'm up here to be left alone or anything."
I feel that. And now I feel bad. I still pressed on though. "How do you know if you have powers?"
"Trust me," She'd given me her attention again, hitting me with some serious side-eye, like she wasn't quite sure how to take that question. "You'd know."
That didn't help me at all. "Okay. Hypothetically speaking though, how would you know if you had powers? Hypothetically of course."
"Give me your hand." She didn't sound happy, letting out a heavy sigh before holding her hand out to me.
"You can check that?"
"Yes." She ground out, voice laced with frustration as she full turned her attention to me. "Now, hand." I wasn't about to turn down a chance to get some answers about what's happening to me.
So I laid my hand in hers.
The silence stretched for a few painful, long, seconds. The only sounds being traffic and sirens, before she let out a quick huff and dropped my hand. "Told you. No powers, you'd know."
Cool, so I am going crazy then.
"Thanks for checking."
"Don't mention it." She flicked the smoldering butt off the roof as an electronic chirp came from her. A text I'm guessing. Sure enough, she pulled out a phone and checked it for barely a second before letting out the closest thing to a smile I'd seen this entire time. "Well, that was my sister. I'm out of here for the night. Try not to jump off any roofs." Was all she said before spinning on her heel and trudging to the fire escape.
I couldn't let her go without at least one more thanks. "Seriously. Thanks."
"I said not to mention it." She called over her shoulder before popping the door open. She gave one last half-hearted wave before the door closed, leaving me alone on the roof.
I don't know how long I waited up there, just watching the city carry on below me. I wasn't kidding. Earlier I said that Brockton could be a shithole, and it is, don't get me wrong, but it has a beauty to it. Especially now, the entire city bathed in moonlight, twinkling lights from apartments and signs interspersed in between the dark buildings.
But I needed to get home. I could feel an itch just behind my eyes, sleep finally catching up to me.
Besides: I wanted to get back to Ezio. Even if it wasn't actually powers, something in my core still told me it was important.
jump
... fuck it. I moved back to the rooftop exit to give me a head start before sprinting to the rail. I had put my foot onto the top bar and used it to push myself off, finding myself flying through the night sky.
I hung suspended for a second before gravity reasserted itself with a vengeance, yanking me back down with an iron fist.
Unbidden an image flashed through my mind, forcing me to follow it: Arms splayed out at my sides, before crossing across my chest, feet tucked together as I moved ramrod straight. I didn't think it's work, but I slammed feet first into ice-cold water, fully submerging in the dark before pushing myself up and climbing out of the tank.
I'd unconsciously aimed for a rooftop water tower.
I didn't even know it was open.
But man, what a rush! I didn't bother stopping the almost feral grin that spread across my face as I ran back home.
A good thing about the cool breeze was how quick it actually dried me off. Of course, flying across rooftops also helped. But I managed to climb back into my room with no problems, only bothering to kick my shoes off before collapsing into bed, darkness taking over my vision as my head hit the pillow.
I wasn't back in Italy.
Instead I was in the middle of an alley, being pulled towards a man crouched against a wall.
He was on the shorter side, heavy set with protruding ears, slicked back redish-blonde hair pulled into a tight ponytail.
He had some kind of device at his feet as he peeked his head around the corner, one hand on said device while the other silently counted down.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One-
At that moment, a woman's voice started shouting from around the corner he was peeking out from. "Right on time." He muttered to himself as he pulled up the device and unfurled it, revealing a truly massive crossbow. Four arms split into an X, with two handles on what looked like a repeating system.
He took aim and fired at man running by, the only true thing of note was that the man had... pointed ears. Like an elf. The redhead let an arrow fly, soaring through the air before embedding itself into the man's shoulder, pinning him to the opposite wall.
The -elf?- elf, for his part looked scared, but resigned. Almost like he'd known it was coming. The man smirked before folding the crossbow up, walking out of the alley and up to the elf. The buildings and street were a bright, if slightly old, stone. "I knew a guy once who could take every coin out of your pocket just by smiling at you. But you?" He was in the elf's face now as he insulted him. "You don't have the style to work Hightown, let alone the Merchant's Guild."
I think it's safe to assume he means actual Merchants. Not the ones that immediately crossed my mind.
"Might want to find yourself a new line of work." Was all the shorter man said, as he took a coin purse from the elf and clocked him across the face and ripping the crossbow bolt from his shoulder. "Off you go." He quipped while the elf dropped like a sack of bricks, running off as the short man strode over to a pair of people, a man and a woman.
They looked like they were related. The same facial structure and black hair, though they had different eyes. The man had a gray-blue, while the woman had actual purple eyes.
He tossed said purse to the woman as he walked up. "How do you do? Varric Tethras, at your service!" He introduced as he twirled the bolt, the woman looked a little suspiciously at the short guy, Varric, while the other man just looked uncomfortable. "I apologize for Bartrand. He wouldn't know an opportunity if it hit him square in the jaw. "
"And you would?" She questioned.
"Of course! What my brother doesn't realize is that we need someone like you." Varric explained as he put the bolt up. What little amount of glibness he'd been using up to now slipped out of his voice as he grew serious. "He would never admit it, either- he's too proud. I, however, am quite practical."
"So a fancy way of saying you're out of options." The lady snarked back, the other guy, her brother, he looked a little too young to be a father, just sighed before laying his head in his hands. The lady, and me, and Varric, decided to ignore him. "The way you're talking, I'm guessing you have a way to convince your brother to hire us on?"
They'd been looking for a job?
Varric's hand cut across his throat, apparently universal signs for no and the like transcend realities, as he shook his head vehemently. "No, we don't need another hireling- we need a partner!"
I might not know much about business, but I'm pretty sure the guy they're talking about should probably be here.
"See, the truth is, Bartrand's been tearing his beard out trying to fund this thing on his own, but he just can't do it."
"Which is where you want us to come in?" The lady's brother spoke up for the first time, a guarded look on his face while Purple rolled her eyes. Varric looked pretty happy about the question though. Probably saved him sometime on setting it up or something. "You'd be right. Invest in the expedition. Fifty sovereigns, and he can't refuse. Not while I'm there to vouch for you."
Now, I don't know too much about stuff like this, but typically you wouldn't go begging for a job if you could afford to finance said job in the first place. Something Purple seemed to agree with. "Sounds fine, but I don't think you realize just how flat-fucking broke we are."
"Ah, come on. You just need to think bigger, Chuckles. There's only a brief window after a Blight when the Deep Roads won't be crawling with darkspawn. The treasure you'd find down there could set you and your family up for life!" Okay, he's pretty good, I think. I mean, that might've convinced me.
I don't know what 'Deep Roads' are, but I didn't need to know everything to think that a blight or darkspawn were probably bad-
Wait.
How'd he know her family was in a bad way?
I mean sure, Purple and the other guy were definitely related, but they could've been the only family they had, and from the way he sounded, it almost felt like he knew for sure they had more.
Plus... that elf had acted like he knew what was coming.
And Varric had been waiting in the alley for this, actively counting down to Purple and her brother getting robbed.
Had he planned this?
"Come on, Marian, the dwarf makes sense. No offense." The man pleaded with Purple -Marian?- before quickly adding that last part once he'd caught Varric's eye. I thought Varric would take some offense to this, but he shrugged simply before the man continued. "We need this pay. I mean, what do we do if the Templars come back while you're home next time? It's either this or we go to the Gallows."
So, Varric is an actual dwarf. Makes sense, the guy he presumably hired was an elf. Secondly, Christianity is a thing here? I mean, Templars. And Purple is hiding from them? To the point that the family could be executed for her being there?
"He's got a point. We work together, you and I, and before you know it, you'll have all the capital you need. What do you say?" Varric held his hand out for a handshake, patient smile on his face. Purple let out a heavy sigh before chuckling to herself and grasped his hand. "Why not? Things keep up the way they are, we wont have much to lose soon anyway."
Little pessimistic, but I get it.
Varric did too, because he shook her hand before throwing a thumb over his shoulder. "Perfect. I've got a permanent spot at The Hanged Man we can discuss the gameplan at. Then, it's just a matter of getting things done. Sound fair, Hawke?" Thought her name was Marian bu- Oh. It's probably her last name. "Sounds good to me. That good with you, Carver?" She asked her brother like he hadn't been the one pushing her to accept Varric's proposition. Carver, for his part just rolled his eyes before waving both Hawke and Varric along.
"This might just be a me thing, but I think this is the start of something beautiful, Hawke. Call it a gut feeling." Varric said with an easy smile, almost radiating warmth as he talked; Something told me this was going to take a while.
"I'll bet." She chuckled before they all started making their way down the street.
And I was right there with them.
Let's see how I go crazy from this dream.
Danny wasn't sure what the hell had been going on the past few months.
He didn't even know Taylor had been getting bullied, let alone the fact that Emma of all people had been doing it. Emma.
God, he couldn't even stand to be in the same room as Alan and Zoe. Not that he blamed them for what was happening, from what they said, THEY hadn't even known what was going on.
But he couldn't help that swell of rage that built within him at the mere thought of Emma Barnes.
Things hadn't been... great, after Annette died. Danny could freely admit he hadn't been a great father in the wake of it all. In his mind, he thought that Taylor needed to understand that he needed to grieve.
He had just conveniently forgotten that Taylor was a child who'd just lost her mother. She needed help more than he did, and he shut her out. And the only reason things were even getting to a point that could be considered an improvement was when Taylor had her... incident.
It had been a week or so ago at this point. Taylor had been at school, she had taken Annette's flute for something, he didn't know what, when Emma and her band of brats had stolen it from her. They'd tormented her with it.
No one was quite sure what happened. One moment Taylor was apparently just standing there and taking it, letting their barbs just wash over her. The next, she was on the ground, not responding.
The most messed up part of it all?
Emma had been the most freaked out.
Emma had been the one to call 911.
She had been tormenting Taylor, and yet she was the first one to start panicking. Christ, when the paramedics had arrived, Emma was the one trying CPR to keep Taylor alive once her heart had stopped.
So now Danny didn't know what to feel. And he wasn't sure how to even tell Taylor any of it either.
As for what happened to Taylor? None of the doctors could agree on the incident. Some of them said it was a seizure, the others said it was a hemorrhage.
God, he could remember the sheer terror that had streaked through him when he'd gotten the call. he could remember praying to anyone who would listen, hoping and raging for his baby girl to stay alive.
And now he wasn't sure what to do.
Alan had offered to pay for her tuition to Arcadia, a form recompense, and Danny had been tempted. But wanted to let Taylor have last week and this week to herself. Fall break was supposed to be this week. It wouldn't make any sense to pull her out of school, just to mover to a new one, and immediately getting another week to herself.
He'd rather she have the two weeks to recoup.
Though the sleep had been a problem. For some reason she just fought it off. It was something he could remember well. She'd woken up a few times briefly in the hospital room, ranting and crying about odd dreams. One of them had been a dead metal world, the other about the wild west and more.
But, other than the weirdness of this morning, she'd been fine. Just setting some ground rules about her stock of canned coffees in her room and the like. Nothing major.
He was still worried though.
He just... knew. In his heart, something had changed.
He just hoped Taylor would trust him enough to share it.