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I woke up with pain shooting in my forehead, my arm, and really my entire body.
My first thought was confusion over where the false pain was coming from, because while the Echidna fight yesterday was difficult for a lot of reasons, I did get healed by Scapegoat. My second thought was quickly squashed by an overwhelming rage against an idiocy I couldn't name.
It wasn't over anything I did, I feel. None of the embarrassment that had always beat out any actual anger from messing up social interactions. No, this anger was from the sheer moronic actions that very few individuals could achieve. No intentional stupidity from Regent or Imp could elicit such anger within me and they were by far the most annoying people I have interacted with and still care for.
Maybe the PRT? The Protectorate? Did they do something in recent memory? Besides the Triumvirate being revealed as suborning the PRT's purpose and profiting from human experimentation. No, in fact a majority of heroes seemed quite upset with that. To the point where they were willing to fuck over the numbers that would respond to the next Endbringer fight. But, at the end of the day that was their problem, not mine. So what was pissing me off so much?
Then, I remembered. Not everything, hell not even a small amount, but I did remember three main things.
One, a care for Dragon that I hadn't had the day before.
Two, the target of my anger being the Dragonslayers, more specifically Saint.
And three, a location being spoken by Armsmaster of all people: Toronto, Ontario. Canada. Yonge Street. Just behind a place called Greenway.
I had time traveled somehow and lost most of my memories of the future in the process. Still, it wasn't all that bad. Afterall, I had the chance to fuck over the moron who would go on to hurt one of my favorite people. Thinking of that, I couldn't help feeling a slight anger towards Alexandria, but I shrugged off that feeling. It wasn't that strong and it was probably from the whole 'secretly running the organization that was supposed to keep her in check' thing.
X-X-X-X-X
Convincing the Undersiders that I wasn't being fucked with by a person with perception altering powers took a bit of time, but eventually Lisa had to concede my stubbornness. If there was a cape who was giving me false memories and feelings, there wasn't much we could do. Convincing them that we had to take a trip to Canada to help a hero was surprisingly more difficult.
They were alright with helping Dragon, Lisa even found it ironic that we would be fucking over the guy who had helped us when Dragon had her suits in the city. I tried to ignore the guilt I felt from getting Saint’s help to fight Dragon and jumped into my second reasoning.
"Plus, while we're there we can kill Heartbreaker too."
Apparently that was a rather radical idea as the Undersider's voices overlapped telling me that was a bad idea. Something about taking on more than we could chew.
"I don't see the issue with it. I mean Aisha did it for Alec after something happened to him in the future."
"That's ominous."
Lisa narrowed her eyes, "I thought you couldn't remember anything else from the future."
"Well, I seem to remember quite a bit when it comes to Canada. It's just I never went to Canada or thought about it all that often so there's not much in my head. Also, I'm pretty sure Aisha, like, adopted all of Alec's siblings there too or something."
Aisha's eyes lit up, "Seriously, awesome! I kill one of the baddest motherfuckers in the north and right of conquest my way into his shit? Cool!"
Alec, however, did not seem to appreciate the idea. "If my siblings live here, things will get so much worse."
"In general or just for you?" Brian asked
"For me, duh! C'mon man I don't want to inherit your role of being the responsible brother."
Lisa, rubbing her forehead, said, "While Aisha's power may work on Heartbreaker without issue, taking on the Dragonslayers is going to be another thing entirely. Sure, we have their location and abilities from Taylor's future knowledge, but that does not mean it's going to be an easy takedown. Also, we still have territory to rule here. Also also, it's like a nine hour drive to Toronto and that's not including the fight or the time to throw in Heartbreaker who's location we don't know."
"Fine," I relented, "just the Dragonslayers then. They'll be fucked by not being able to run on their own two legs thanks to Regent and Grue, quickly develop a fear of bugs from me, and Bitch's dogs can takedown the suits they stole from Dragon. Tattletale you can make sure they don't pull a Coil and set off whatever failsafe they used to hurt Dragon in the future."
"They're like Coil?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah."
"Alright, I'm in."
Brian looked at me and Rachel and sighed. "I suppose if we end the day early and let our lieutenants know we're taking a brief trip out of the city, we could get back without being gone for too long. Plus, it would add to our unpredictability. Make people worry that they're not safe in other cities."
"And," Taylor said looking at Lisa, "Imagine what everyone will be thinking if it looks like we just randomly knew how and where to take down the Dragonslayers. Something even the greatest tinker in the world couldn't do."
"Alright, alright," Lisa said, "Are you sure you didn't get anything else from the future, Taylor? Cause you're being more openly manipulative."
"Er, sorry. They just really, really piss me off."
Alec looked at us and feigned shock. "So what I think doesn't come into play?"
"How about the next trip we take to Canada, I'll have my bugs eat Heartbreaker until there's nothing left but bones for you to craft a scepter with?"
For some reason, everyone looked at me like I had gone insane.
"This is what I was talking about before, Skitter. Human sacrifices."
"Is that a no?"
"Fuck no! That sounds metal as hell. I love future Skitter! You must have made an amazing villain in the future."
Aisha wrapped an arm around Alec. "So... roadtrip?"
Brian sighed, looking at me strangely. "I'll find us a van."
X-X-X-X-X
Dragon didn't know who was calling her, which was a strange occurrence given her quest to know everything and make her own panopticon in the digital world. For good of course.
Still, seeing as she and Defiant were currently failing at the PRT's order of finding and capturing Skitter in her civilian identity, she didn't see the harm in answering what may end up being a cry for help.
"Hello, thi-"
"DRAGON! Iz soo good to see you!"
Dragon blinked at what appeared to be a drunk dial, only from someone who knew her cell. The voice wasn't Narwhal, anyone from the Guild, or really anyone Dragon could identify in her memory bank, leaving her the standard method of solving the question.
"Sorry, who is this again? I can't recognize your voice."
"Itz me DraGON! Taaaaaaaay-Weaver. You won't remememember me. Time travel and shit so..."
She did not know any Weaver, but given the start of the rather long name and the time travel she could piece it together.
"Skitter, is that you? Are you drunk?"
Absentmindedly, Dragon took a look at the area code and was surprised to see it being the number of a bar in Toronto. As in Canada, not Brockton Bay. Skitter taking a random trip in the middle of her seizing power of the city was more than strange. Well, supposing time travel was involved, deviations would make sense.
"Maaaaaybe. Technically, I'm eighteen now, so you can't say shit mom."
Dragon was stunned for a moment. She began to think of the conversation in its entirety. If Skitter had recently time traveled, then in the original timeline she would have been in Brockton when Defiant and Dragon got the order to capture her. If they were successful, it's possible Skitter would accept a deal to become a Ward. Change her name to Weaver and be a hero. Maybe work with Dragon enough to where she eventually considered her a parent. Quite a flattering comparison, knowing that the death of Annette Hebert was likely Taylor's trigger event.
Deciding to play into the role a bit, Dragon said, "I imagine I ask for a bit of respect when being spoken to, Taylor."
"Aww, I'm shorry. It's just, you died and I was so sad and angry. You're great! Don't die. Stoopid Saint."
"Saint kills me?"
"Not anymore! He's bones now. Suppose to do that to Heartbreaker first, but wanted to test it out."
"You... you had your insects flay him? Alive?” No, Dragon was not gleeful at that. Not at all. Nope, definitely not.
"Naw, too much work. Grue just clocked him over the head. I did put a bullet in his brain after though. He tried to hit a big red button that would have blown up your house. So fuck Saint!"
Dragon didn't have a house...
Taylor continued, "Anyway, afterwardzzz we went to a bar and drank lots except Aishshsha. Sssshe's driving us back. Don't worry, I made her promise not to text and drink. Love you Dragon, bye."
"Love you too? Goodbye Taylor."
The phone call ended and Dragon realized she would have to explain this to Defiant. Maybe she should get drunk too.