Sidedish #5
Nicole
Nicole was quite dazed and confused after escaping the sewer system, but even then, she had to admit that getting into the back of a windowless van with a bunch of masked strangers was probably not her best move ever. Especially as they started plying her with candy, granola bars, and even a can of Nectar almost imdiately. She was too out of it to explain that she wasnt mutating, but luckily Tofu was there to help her explain the details of what happened. Then there had been talk of dropping her off at a hospital, but there wasnt much a hospital could do at this point. The severed end of her tail had already healed over. When it was revealed that there also wasnt any ho to drop her off at (seeing as she had just escaped said ho), the minions collectively decided to bring her back to the base and decide what to do from there.
To say the car ride to said base was awkward was an understatent. Nicole hadnt been around this many people in years, and it wasnt helping how unique said characters were. The driver kept muttering under his breath about how he would soday kill everyone who didnt signal. Next to him, the man riding shotgun was loudly explaining his theory that the rat-zombie creatures were actually caused by aliens. Demonic aliens. Tofu had sohow cleaned up all the blood on himself with his power (most of it hers), and then proceeded to stare at the wall of the van silently, and the two other mutants wouldnt stop arguing with each other. Strangely their light-hearted bickering seed the most normal, as the woman covered in spikes nad Spikes, kept trying to get her to eat candies, while the man with natural armor nad Dillo kept telling Spikes to stop fussing over the poor girl before offering her granola which was healthier.
It all served to make her quite nervous, exacerbated by the fact she already felt very off-balance, ntally and physically. With most of her eyes missing she felt blind, and she kept trying to clack claws that werent there anymore. She didnt normally experience missing limb syndro when she lost a body part, but this was a bit above her normal level of injury, and the sense of loss made everything feel uneven.
She popped another candy into her mouth and chewed quickly, doing her best to just focus on the sugar and not her surroundings. The snacks were helping a bit to get her brain working again (getting fuel in yourself after an injury was mutant 101), but that also ant she was starting to think more clearly, which ant her thoughts were rapidly getting away from her like they normally did in stressful situations, and this definitely counted as one. She was in a van full of criminals!
...Who had saved her life. For so reason. Well, probably because Tofu asked them to. And Tofu was a criminal? A henchman of all things? She would have bet money he was a sidekick in training; he had been so worried about the rat-zombies attacking people. He had been so nice to her!...
Unless he was just pretending to be nice
Nicole stomped down on that thought. Hard. It was ridiculous, just her own paranoia and she knew it. There was no reason for Tofu to pretend with her. Just her own insecurities rearing their ugly heads. Okay, so maybe Tofu hung out with the wrong crowd, but that didnt imdiately an he was out to get her, or trying to swindle her or sothing.
As if I had anything worth stealing.
...It would help if he wasnt just staring at the wall like a crazy person though. He was probably just thinking about sothing, but the mask/helt made it impossible to tell. His costu had an interesting pattern that created a twisting overlap of light-gray/dark-gray, and shed love to know how the suit did that thing where it split and re-sealed itself while he was fighting, but right now the generic faceplate and his stillness made it seem creepy. Like a puppet right before it moved in a horror movie.
She reached out a hand to tap his shoulder, Um, Tofu?
Yes Nicole? he answered imdiately, turning his head to look at her. Creepy doll!
Eep! I-I-I was just wondering what your were, um, thinking about, I guess?
Protein chains.
...
...
...Protein chains?
Yes, specifically protein chains made using molyrs that bypass polyr weaknesses using amino acid molecule flex.
Oh why are you thinking about that?
Im trying to recreate several molecular structures from echo feedback analysis and filling in the blanks with predictive extrapolation.
...and youre doing that in your head?
In my liver. Synthesizing untested proteins in the brain is inefficient.
...Pfft.
Nicole dissolved into giggles, the tensions of the last hour finally dissipating. Her world was turning upside down again, but at least there was one friendly constant this ti. Maybe she didnt know everything about him, but Tofu was Tofu.
Nicole led a strange life. No one could deny that (least of all herself). Still, she had never in her wildest dreams thought it would lead to her sitting in the actual underground lair of an actual infamous super villain. Specifically, in the cafeteria of said lair. Wrapped in a blanket. Drinking hot cocoa. With a small pile of military grade energy bars that she was slowly working her way through.
She finished the one she was currently working on, washing it down with so cocoa. They tasted okay; slightly peanutty, with so kind of creamy, bitter chocolate glue to hold it all together. But then, even if it had tasted like shit, she would have been grateful. In the three years or so Nicole had lived down in the tunnels, she had been injured on nurous occasions, and recovering from the worst of them was always a miserable affair. Regenerating always left her ravenous, and trying to calmly hunt rats without the use of claws, or sotis acid, was made infinitely harder when your stomach felt like it was trying to eat itself. In comparison to that, comfortably eating energy bars in a cafeteria was heaven.
She bit into her current snack, and her thoughts drifted towards her mutation.
The incident that originally caused her mutation had amputated her original legs high on her thighs, but the new muscles that replaced her legs went up even further, anchoring to her hip bones and spine. From there downwards, the rope-like muscles fused together, and created what she would have liked to think of as a rmaids tail, but which to her eyes looked more like a giant skinned snake. At the very least, her tail was incredibly flexible, and she could bend it to sort of sit in a chair, with the rest coiled and hidden under the table. At first glance, you might not even realize she was the most mutated person in the room. Between the gray girl huddled at a table, and the diverse mass of people that loitered around the room, it was the masked people that really drew the eye, and so she was experiencing sothing that hadnt happened to her in a very long ti.
She wasnt the center of attention.
A few tables away, the man with the red mask who had co to her rescue was talking with a group of unique individuals, and thats where most of the attention in the room was focused. There was another scruffy-looking man who was obviously a tinker, judging from his plethora of tools, a well-dressed woman in a business suit, another lady with a slight mutation that had given her claws, and the man in the domino mask who had given her the energy bars (Rattlesnake? No, Rattleback).
After her rescue, it was Rattleback who had pulled out a field dics kit and seen to her injury when she arrived at the base (although there wasnt much he could do for her). He seed rather knowledgeable about mutant injuries though, first confirming it wasnt an active mutation, and then asking for an approximate weight at full health. She had been embarrassed to answer, but all Rattleback had done was raise an eyebrow, before pulling out a stack of MREs for her to eat, and warning her not to let Tofu have any.
She opened another bar, and broke off a chunk which she passed to Tofu who was sitting beside her. You could practically taste the calories in these bars; if she had these to eat the entire ti, shed be able to regenerate most of her body in a few weeks, or maybe even less hooraaay~. Nicole paused in eating her current bar to look at her tail, and gave a little sigh. If only it would stay gone.
Tofu had amputated just above her last leg segnt, leaving about fifteen feet of tail for her to use. The severed end had already fused over, and was beginning to swell as her body geared up to regrow her more monstrous half. It didnt hurt anymore (now it itched), and she needed to find a place to stay before new legs started forming. Regrowing parts was never pretty, and she desperately wanted to be sowhere private before the first few limbs developed. The only question was: where to go?
She couldnt go back into the sewers with that army of zombies currently on the loose, and even if they werent there it wouldnt be safe before she had at least a few pairs of legs regrown. If she had money, she could rent a storage unit to hide in while she regrew a few legs, if she had money. Maybe one of Tofus coworkers could drive her to E15, and she could hideout in the slums? Thats way out of the way though. Ugh, Ill have to take the subway. Just the thought of it made her stomach clench.
Is that a cold iron?
Nicole jumped as the sudden question brought her out of her thoughts. The person who had spoken was a four-ard mutant kid, at the sa table as her. He looked about twelve, and had overalls much like her own, with pockets cramd full of tools. A plate of food sat in front of him, which he had been disconsolately picking at. She had been curious as to why he was sitting in a super villains lair, but had been too hesitant to ask. Probably the kid of soone who worked there.
Um, this? Yes it is, she said, pulling the homade cold iron from its pocket.
Ive never seen that model before.
I made it myself.
No way! said the kid, eyes sparkling to life for the first ti since Nicole had sat down at the table. Only tinkers can do that!
W-well I an, I didnt make make it. I had to buy the coil-rod, and I salvaged a bunch of the other tinker specific parts. Then I just kinda put them together.
Now now, dont sell yerself short there, said a new voice, Nobody makes their own coil-rod. Not worth the trouble. Nicole looked up, only to find that it was the scruffy-looking tinker who had spoken. He had wandered over to their table.
Mind if I take a look? asked the man, holding out a hand for the cold iron.
Uh, s-sure, said Nicole, nervously handing it over to the cowl. Then she experienced a brief mont of panic as she realised she had just handed an ungrounded cold iron to soone who might resent the resulting shock.
W-wait! D-d-dont turn it on though! Its ungrounded, she yelped. Then she panicked again when she realised she was telling a cowl what to do. Her worries proved unfounded when the man cheerily began looking over the cold iron without hesitation. He seed to intuitively know how to work all the extra dials Nicole had added, and then to her surprise turned it off and on a few tis without zapping himself. His thick gloves just sort of caught the small zaps of electricity that ca off the cold iron. It was like he had built and worked with the tool for years.
Oh wait, duh, tinker.
Not a bad piece, said the man, How do you drain the feedback loop without a grounding battery?
Um, my skin is slightly more conductive than the rest of , which spreads the charge out, and I regenerate, so I just let it, um zap .
...HA! Thats practical engineering right there. Should have figured Tofus friends would be as crazy as he is. Put er there! said the tinker, passing back her cold iron and holding his hand out. Nas Socket. What dyou go by?
Ah, um, Nicole, she replied as she took back the tool, before getting pulled into an overly enthusiastic handshake.
Nice ta etcha Nicole. Hey, if you have the ti, you wouldnt happen to have recorded the arcing lengths when you use the iron wouldya? Could use so data on ungrounded-
Hey Socket? said a new voice. The lady in the business suit had walked over. Sorry to interrupt, but were you able to ask them about the rogue super?
Whoops! Almost slipped my mind. Wanted to ask you kids if you can give any more information on our rat problem.
Socket pulled a rolled-up paper out of a back pocket, and unfurled it on the table. The laminated sheet was a map of E13, an incredibly large and detailed one that displayed the sector all the way down to individual blocks. Lightly colored markings had been added here and there to denote points of interest, including large red circles drawn around what must have been the zombie attack locations. The hospital, the mall, and a few other locations Nicole hadnt known about. Socket pulled out a red pen and added a mark to the map, a block labeled TT headquarters.
TT?... Oh. Tinker Tot.
Nicole glanced at the young kid across the table. He was staring at the fresh marking, looking like he might burst into tears at any mont. The lady in the business suit patted the boys back, and Socket grumbled, Nae worries lad, well find em.
Nicole felt the pit in her stomach drop further. The Tinker Tots were more of a kids club than a gang. They got on peoples nerves with their traps and pranks, but just the thought of those things attacking children
She shuddered and put down her food. She was feeling a bit nauseous.
Now, began Socket, Here are the places that have been attacked so far. Ive been trying to find a likely location for this arseholes lair by mapping it out, but so far weve turned up diddly-squat. Any of you know of attacks I mightve missed? Might help narrow it down a bit.
Nicole and Tofu leaned over the map. Judging by the markings there was indeed a pattern of sorts, besides just attacking large concentrations of people. Most of the attacks were either on or relatively near Ashwood St, which bisected the sector neatly into a north and south. One circle was in the Red Zone on the westernmost end of the street, and another was just north of that at the hospital. Moving east along Ashwood, the next was at the mall five blocks south of Ashwood St, a bit east of the Red Zone. Then ca her spot in the sewers, quite a few blocks east and south of the mall, and finally ca the Tinker Tot base, about midway into the sector and over thirty blocks north of Ashwood St. Other than those spots were multiple small marks that Socket confird to be smaller incidents of ho invasion or confird sightings.
Nicole added her ho to the map, as well as a few small marks where she had found bodies in the sewer. Tofu unfortunately didnt know of any other sightings.
Hmm, doesnt really narrow it down much, said Socket, Ashwood is still in the middle of it all; at least it wont be too hard to do a sweep. Ill get so teams going to check where those tracers Imp planted cut out, maybe here, and here. I can probably call-
Um began Nicole hesitantly. Socket paused and made a gesture for her to continue her thought.
Its unlikely the rats use the tunnels directly under Ashwood to move around. Most of the space is taken up by the subway, and the subway tunnels get checked frequently by Central. But, theres a gap under the subway here that I use to bypass it, and another here, and here, and the area near the Red Zone has a ton of tunnels you can use to get around the subway. A lot of the smaller instances happen in the south, this gap here in the markings is probably just due to Will-o-Wisps, and there are so easily accessed tunnels here and here that can handle a lot of traffic, so that offsets the most likely epicenter to here, and she pointed to a spot close to Ashwood St, about midway between Nicoles ho and the mall.
Hmm, two of my tracers went dead in that area, said Socket, but its unlikely to be there. The only place to hide under would be ah shite.
Whats wrong? Is it no good?
No, Im pretty sure youve got it right, but the location kinda throws a monkey wrench in the mix, said Socket, rubbing at his chin with a frown. But then he broke into a grin, Ha, right good bit of detective work that was though. You a treasure hunter or sothing? Mapping the tunnels for old lairs?"
"Oh, um, a little bit? I do so salvaging, but also exploring, and a lot of hunting."
"Oh! Monster hunter are ya?"
"Well, no. I an I do hunt stuff, but not professionally or anything, mostly just for food. I don't have a license to turn in bounties, and I can't really co to the... um, to the... surface, all that often..."
Nicole trailed off, realizing what she was saying. Socket's face was scrunched in confusion, but realization was quickly dawning in his expression, and on most of the faces around her. She could practically feel their gazes boring into her. She wanted to lt into the floor. First would co the disbelief, then the questions, then the looks of pi-
"I told you the tunnels were viable Sandra," said Tofu.
The lady with the business suit blinked. "What? No. No they are not Tofu!"
"But Nicole proves-"
"I'm not having this discussion with you again!"
The two started arguing, which thankfully took attention away from Nicole. Several of the nearby minions who had been eavedropping snorted or chuckled as Tofu tried to defend the rits of living in sewers, which made Nicole blush, and made Sandra's volu rise as she beca more and more frustrated. No one seed concerned though, so maybe this was a common occurence?
"Haha. Well, I'm not exactly sold on Tofu's argunt on sewer living, but you've definitely got so guts girl," said Socket, turning away from the argunt and speaking to Nicole, "Ever think about doing so part-ti henching?
Nicole's brain froze. Then jumpstarted.
WHAT!? I-I-I cant do that!
Sure you could! Youre smarter than most the knuckleheads tha co through here, and I can always use another pair of hands in the garage.
N-n-not that! I just couldnt! That would be bad! Er, I an, not that youre bad. Of course I dont an to imply that vocation equals morality. Tofu works here and hes nice, b-but of course youve all been nice to--too-and-Im-really-grateful-but, I-I-I need-to-go-find-a-place-to-regenerate-and-and-and Why is the room spinning?
The people around her fell away, and it took Nicole a good two seconds to realize she was sliding backwards off the bench. Two hands shot out to steady her, one Sockets, the other Tofus, and they managed to grab her shoulders before she fell.
Whoa there lassie, dont blow a gasket now.
Nicole are you alright? asked Tofu.
I-I t-think I-I-I
Alright everyone, calm down now, give her so room, said Sandra. All this other stuff can wait for now, shes had quite a day. Tofu, can you carry her down to the barracks? There should be so open single rooms she can use to get so sleep.
I-I can walk. Er, slither mumbled Nicole.
Its fine Nicole, said Tofu. He stood and wrapped an arm behind her shoulders, and another under her tail, before suddenly lifting her easily from the bench. Most of her tail would drag, but Tofu walked towards the garage without a problem while supporting her.
Ack! How is he so strong!?
Nicole kept trying to protest that she could walk, while Tofu kept assuring her that it was fine. It might have actually been fine if there werent so many people around to see her getting carried around like a parade float, but she had to settle for just covering her face to hide her embarrassnt.
Why are there so many people here? Arent evil villains supposed to work alone? Or in small evil groups at least? Is that a Parcel Corp Deluxe MkIII Fabricator? So cool! Wait. No! Not cool! You arent allowed to own those! They probably stole it. Or bought it off a black market dealer. I can't be here! No one will believe I'm not with them! I'll get arrested! Or sent down to Panama! Oh my god when is Tofu going to put -
Were here Nicole, said Tofu, interrupting her frantic thoughts. He had brought her through the garage to a large room filled with cots, couches, and various other furniture not ant for permanent living. Several people were sitting in folding chairs around a table, apparently on break or sothing since they were playing a card ga. They glanced over only briefly before going back to their ga. There were several doors along the back wall with naplates, but a few were apparently extra, and it was one of these Tofu approached. Inside was just a plain bed, with an empty wardrobe in the corner.
One of the card players wolf-whistled behind them.
Omigosh Tofu, you can put down now, Ill be fine.
You displayed signs of dizziness, so its better to place you directly into the bed. Besides, Sandra said to carry you.
Tofu did exactly as he said, and placed her gently onto the covers. Then she had to swat his hands away when he tried to help pile her tail in. She wasnt that out of it, she could do it herself.
Heres the rest of your energy bars, said Tofu, handing her the bars she hadnt finished.
Oh, thank you. Whend he grab those?
Youre welco. Will it be enough to help you regenerate? There is more food in the cafeteria if its not.
Ill be fine for now. I just...*yawn*...just need so sleep. I feel like I got hit by a train. So sleep, food, and a few more weeks and Ill be back to my old self.
Good.
...
...
Why is he just standing there? I really wish hed take that mask off, it makes him look so creepy. Oh, duh. Evil villain base. Bad ti to show your secret identity but hes a shapeshifter right? Would you even need a mask? You could just change your face whenever you wanted. I wonder what hes thinking now. Why is he staring at the bed!? I wonder what he looks like right now, he seems the type to change his face even with the helt on. He plays it safe all the ti, always with the million backup plans in Gribblin Tar ugh, I need to make a plan too. I need to get out of here! I cant be roped any further into this! I cant believe they wanted to join! I cant join an evil villain group!... But they cant be all bad if Tofu is doing it...and he saved and theyre going after the frankenstein guy, so they cant be all bad... Why is this a queen sized bed!? UGH, I still cant think straight! Ill just get so sleep, and make a plan to leave in the morning. Socket and the rest of them seed reasonable enough. Ill just tell them I cant join and that-
Im sorry for lying, said Tofu.
...Bwah?
About my job. You didnt specifically ask if I was working as a henchman, but I am inclined to believe this falls under the category of a lie of omission. It was necessary for my job, but Im worried this has damaged our relationship. Please forgive ?
...Tofu you saved my life.
Yes?
Like, you fought a literal zombie army to save .
I dont think that group qualified as an army.
Thats not- look, if it makes you feel better youre forgiven I guess? But seriously, you saved my life, um thank you.
Youre welco. I think you should accept the job offer.
...Bwah?
I...think I need to think about it Tofu. Im too tired to be making decisions right now.
Right, you need to rest. We can have Sandra interview you tomorrow, said Tofu. That works out actually, I can introduce you to my friends, and then we can all get lunch together.
What?! I, um, Tofu, I cant-
No worries, Ill pay it. You already got lunch today.
Huh?! Tofu, thats not what-
See you tomorrow Nicole! Make sure to rest up and get better! said Tofu, as he left the room and closed the door behind him.
But Tofu! ...aaaaand hes gone. Great. Now what?
Well, she knew what. She really did need sleep.
And this bed is so soft! Its been forever since I used a real mattress!
She fluffed the pillow and settled in, planning to enjoy this silver lining. In the morning shed deal with all those giant problems, but she wasnt about to let them get between her and blessed, blessed sleep.
She was broke and holess.
The largest super villain organisation in the sector wanted to recruit her.
Soone was making an army of hybrid zombie monsters.
...
Tofu was going to introduce her to his friends? To his normal friends? Just the thought of it-
OMIGOD BRAIN! SHUT. UP.
...
...
*rustle rustle*
Her tail itched.
Reviews
All reviews (0)