Hebert Disassembly Services Chapter 15: Coffee///

<<<Designation: T/Taylor Hebert/Absolute>>>

School ended soon enough, and Taylor found herself at a coffee shop with Amy after shaking off an overly nosy Glory Girl. They sat there awkwardly for a few minutes, Taylor sipping at her coffee while Amy did the same. Between furtive glances, which Taylor’s analysis software told her were filled with genuine curiosity and subconscious obsession. Had her nature as a biomechanical horror really captured her attention like that?

Taylor would’ve felt flattered if not for how creepy it felt.

Made worse by Cyn ‘patching’ her in so she could ‘hear’ something broadcasting its fascination and demanding Amy to touch her to resume studies.

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The thing demanded, and it was clear to Taylor that it was causing Amy some degree of stress, despite it seeming like she was completely unaware of her metaphorical backseat driver. The language itself was incredibly dense, entire paragraphs of speech shoved into a single burst.

“So, what would happen to Amy if you ate it, Cyn? Would she lose her powers cause that wouldn’t be good?” Though it would’ve probably been a blessing to the clearly overworked and stressed parahuman.

[No.]
[She Might Get Cravings Though.]
[For Shipping.]
[Not My Fault.]
[Promise.]

“Well, as long as the thing isn’t screaming at her constantly. She won’t notice, will she?” Taylor asked, “So, what do you enjoy doing?” She asked curiously.

“Not much.” Amy admitted awkwardly, “Reading, I guess? But I’m so in ‘demand’ as Panacea, I rarely get a chance…” Taylor didn’t even need her sensor suite to catch the bitterness.

Taylor nodded slowly as she took a sip of her coffee, unpacking that.

Lisa arrived, late to the date, and unceremoniously dropped into a seat. “Traffic. Was. Hell,” She groused, “Three drunk drivers, two people on their phones, and a meth addict that nearly ran us off the road.” She did not seem happy. “Fucking idiots.”

That made Amy scowl, “And they’ll probably need Panacea to fix everything…” She nearly hissed her irritation.

“Oh no,” Lisa’s grin was viscous, “I reported them all to the police via the PRT. Gave them everything needed to put those morons into the clink for a long ass time. Fuck 'em.”

“Besides, it wasn't even a bad wreck.” Taylor commented after finding the footage in question, “Fenderbenders at worst, possibly some whiplash and a concussion. Besides, you do know you’re expected to heal the world, right? Doctors have been doing well before you triggered.” She pointed out.

“That, and the people they hit weren’t exactly following the law anyway,” Lisa noted, “Tint on their windows was too dark and they had decals in unsafe spots, they couldn’t actually see the driver coming.” She paused for a moment, grinning widely, “There’s a reason I didn’t feel too bad about being a scam artist, most people are assholes.”

Taylor snorted at that. “Truer words never spoken.” Honestly, compared to other things, scamming wasn’t that bad.

Well, depending on the nature of the scams in question.

Though Taylor found it somewhat amusing, if she was like she used to be she’d regard her admission as the highest form of betrayal.

“Yeah, I had issues…” She thought.

Amy shook her head, “No, I have powers to heal and I have a responsibility to use them…” Taylor and Lisa looked at her like she said something stupid.

Which she did.

“I have powers perfectly suited to cheat in the casino,” Lisa replied, eyebrow raising, “Is it my responsibility to steal from them?”

“I can literally download information and master anything,” Taylor said, “Not to mention, physically speaking, I can kill hundreds. So, am I responsible for killing?” She added.

Amy grimaced, “But I need… I should want to help people.”

“No, no.” Lisa said, “Listen, Amy, can I be blunt?” She asked, glancing at Taylor out of the corner of her eye.

Why, the robot had no clue, but she was curious where she was going.

Amy just nodded slowly as she looked at Lisa.

“Okay, listen. I’m a Thinker. I pick up things about people; tells and such,” Lisa said, “I use all this information to figure out how people tic, what subjects to poke to get a response. And I’ll be completely honest with you girl, you desperately need to take a break. You know what happens when nurses and doctors get burnt out?" Amy grimaced strongly, “Right. Girl, you need help. Or a vacation. Or both. Fuck, join the Wards so you can at least get paid for getting dicked around.”

Amy opened her mouth, “But… I can’t. I don’t want to leave…” She just trailed off.

Taylor tilted her head for a few seconds as she dug through records, social media, and PHO.

“Amy, you’re aware that Vicky can visit the Wards whenever she wants,” Taylor commented, “And you go to school with her. You wouldn’t see her any more or less than you do now.” She added, her mind gathering clues that Amy’s relationship with Vicky was more than a little co-dependent.

At least until she gathered more information. 

“More importantly,” Lisa started, “If your adoptive mom fights for you, at least to keep you close in the family, you can see why she wants that. Especially if I’m there, I can read her intentions easily.”

Amy gave Lisa a double take, “What do you mean, adopted?”

“... Can I take back my words to like… five minutes ago?” Lisa asked, freezing in place, like she’d stepped on a landmine. Amy glared harder. “That’s a no then. Right, ok, I don’t have all the details,” She started, “But I’m pretty sure you’re actually the kidnapped daughter of Marquis. Your power fits his better, miss ‘just a healer’, and you look nothing like the Dallons. Obviously, this doesn’t make you a villain or whatever; it doesn’t work like that, but I can see why they took you in. Better than leaving you to the foster system, right?”

Taylor kept a close eye to make sure Amy didn’t do anything drastic.

“I… I think I need to talk to Sarah…” Amy said, sounding lost, “I mean… it makes sense but, why wouldn’t anyone tell me? Not like I expected mom to say anything…” Taylor’s pretty sure she wasn’t meant to hear that last bit, “But… it would explain why she’s so…”

Lisa gave an awkward smile, “I honestly don’t know what’s her deal.” She said, “I’d have to talk to her, and even then I might be wrong. My power works better when it has good information.”

Taylor was just surprised that Lisa was explaining her power, as whenever the others asked she just used that psychic excuse.

“You’re a former supervillain, right?” Amy asked, looking down into her coffee, “Why would you even want to help me?”

“Oh, that’s easy,” Lisa started, grinning wide, “I don’t want you to snap and start fucking with people’s heads. Or bodies. Or just killing yourself, I’d really rather avoid that. Take it from me, that shit fucks up your family in ways you can’t expect.”

“Burnout is bad for doctors. It’s even worse for parahumans,” Taylor commented, “There are documented cases of parahumans just snapping, Heroes that’ve been going strong for years. Even people not involved in the cape scene.” Truly Taylor appreciated and despised the fact that actual human beings documented everything.

[And Done.]
[It Tasted Like.]
[Frustration. Spite. And Radioactive Biocrystals]
[Yum.]
[Shaper Was Not Happy.]
[With Its Host]

Taylor could see in real time how Amy seemed to… untense at least a small amount. She was still severely stressed, especially considering Lisa Thinker’d all over the place, but whatever pressure Shaper was causing had left. The girl still needed all the therapy, however, and Taylor honestly wasn’t sure she was going to get it if she stayed how she was.

And though she wasn’t thinking of the repercussions of New Wave’s Healer leaving and joining the Wards, she had the feeling that the PRT would be more than happy if it happened.

“But hey, I’m not a therapist,” Lisa said, stretching out and stealing Taylor’s untouched donut, “just a psychic.”

“Maybe not, but you make a good substitute,” Taylor retorted with a smile before looking at Amy, “Are you okay? I can fly you home if you want.” 

“I’ll… yeah, that sounds good,” She sighed, rubbing her face, “Let me just finish my coffee and my unstolen donut…”

Taylor nodded, “Fair,” She said, “Oh, and if you’re looking for something to read, I’ve got the Lord of the Rings trilogy. You can borrow them if you like.”

“Read them,” Amy said, “Wasn’t a fan. I’m more of a scifi girl.”

“Fair, I believe I have a few,” Taylor said, “Though that’s fine, even if you’re wrong,” She added with a teasing smile.

“Wrong, she says, wrong!” Lisa groused, “All of those extra details he added make my power go fucking insane, did you know that? Reading it gives me a headache. The movies are better.”

“You’re entitled to your opinion, even if it's wrong!” Taylor teased once more, “But the movies are amazing.”

“Book snob,” Lisa snipped with a faint grin as she took a drink of her overly sugary abomination of a coffee Taylor had been actively ignoring.

She was more of a tea girl herself, but she could appreciate coffee just fine, what with being the daughter of a Union man. But that thing Lisa was drinking was an abomination to any coffee lover; she was fairly sure even her Dad would have a few pointed words for her choice in coffee.

“How can you drink that and taste anything for the rest of the day?” Amy asked, her own nose scrunching up, “I mean, I like some cream and sugar, but Christ, just looking at that is giving me a sugar rush… and diabetes.”

Lisa just shrugged and smiled smugly as she enjoyed her drink, “Well, considering what I used to deal with regularly? I figured I needed a sweet treat,” She explained, “And eventually I just developed a taste for it.”

“I don’t believe you,” Amy replied, voice flat and dry, “I think you do it just to hurt others.”

“That’s just a pleasant bonus,” Lisa admitted, “My previous employer was an overly controlling Bond Villain-wannabe, and regularly made me miserable. And well, you know the saying. Misery loves company. I just took the most benign form of petty to do it.”

“Right…” Taylor was surprised that nothing physically manifested from how dry the voice was, that water wasn’t sucked out of everything nearby. “Benign. I’m pretty sure that coffee is worth a death sentence in Italy, and if it isn’t, it should be.” Amy was, apparently, a master of sarcasm. “Right, I’m ready to fly now.”

Taylor’d just finished her coffee, “Okay. So how do you wanna do this? I’d just pick you up but well… Princess carry might cause rumors.” She said as her wings (somehow) popped out of her back without ripping her clothes.

[I Never Figured.]
[Out How That Works.]
[Myself Shrugs]

“Princess carry is fine,” She replied, eyes rolling, “Vicky carries me that way anyway.”

“Alright,” Taylor said as she picked Amy up and with a second’s prep she jumped into the sky and started flying.

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