Tone: Anacrusis 1.2
The main sitting room at the orphanage was always loud. When you packed almost fifty kids into one building with only a few books to burn off energy, there was bound to be noise.
Roxy was curled up on one end of a long couch, her legs tucked close and a worksheet balanced on the arm of the chair. Around her, kids played and shouted at the top of their lungs. Two boys were wrestling or something and a group of girls were arguing over something that happened on TV. Roxy could hear one of the toddlers crying in another room, behind the wall of noise.
Roxy would have preferred to be anywhere but here, but they weren't allowed in their rooms during the day. The matron said it promoted ‘bad qualities.’ Roxy was pretty sure the old bag thought they'd start touching each other or something weird if they were left alone for more than ten minutes.
Roxy almost snorted at the thought. Just because she got up to some weird shit when she was a kid doesn't mean we will.
As usual, Roxy's music was the only thing keeping her sane. Drums of bass and distorted sound waves flowed into her ears like a river, washing away the distractions. She focused on the noises, her ears picking out each and every single frequency and pitch shift held within the wall of noise.
It was a quirk of her power, or maybe an addition. It was as if her trigger event rewired her brain, unraveling the world around her and peeling back the layers of sound until she could pick a note out at a mental glance. If she wanted to, she could hear a fly buzzing in a cafeteria, or single out a voice in a stadium of thousands. Assuming she didn't pass out from noise overload first.
It was great when it came to making her tech. Not so great when it came to getting sleep or avoiding migraines. Roxy had learned to deal with it though. Mostly.
Roxy nodded along to the beat, her pencil moving across the worksheet in short bursts as the answers came to her. She was pretty good at math, and today's sheet was easier than usual. She'd be done in a few minutes and then she could sneak out and do something that actually mattered.
Her mind strayed to last night. That crackhouse she hit had a good bit of cash in it, and an old TV that was in pretty decent condition. She cannibalized most of the parts to fix her Thumper, but there was still enough left to go towards her newest project. She might even be able to finish it today.
Roxy smiles, filling in a few more answers, already buzzing with nervous anticipation. She was almost done, when a hand on her shoulder snapped her out of her flow.
Roxy's head jerked to the side as she started. A freckled face hovered only inches from hers, sandy hair falling across a wide forehead.
Roxy glared, annoyed by the interruption. “What?”
The boy, Trevor, pointed at his ear, making a motion like he was pulling something out. Roxy stared at him for a moment, her jaw tight. She could hear him perfectly fine even with the headphones on, but he didn't know that. What he should have known was that she didn't like to be bothered.
Roxy ripped the headphone out, letting the noise of the outside world flood back in--uncomfortably loud. She stared at Trevor, her expression flat. “What, Trevor?”
Trevor was a heavy kid, but not in an unhealthy way. He was just built big, with a blocky face and a wide jaw that made him look older than he was. He was already taller than her despite being two years younger and not nearly as lanky. Roxy knew he was going to be a tank when he grew up, but right now he just looked like an eager puppy.
“I was wondering if I could listen to music with you,” he said, his voice earnest and a little too loud. He gestured at her headphones. “What you're listening to sounds really good.”
He was able to hear her music. She didn't think she had it up that loud, but maybe he just had good hearing. Either way,
“No,” she said, her voice flat.
Trevor's face fell at her immediate refusal. “Please? I promise I won't—”
“I can give you the song,” Roxy cut him off, already over this conversation. “But I need the headphones to concentrate.”
Trevor's smile turned tumultuous, his eyes dropping to the floor. “That's fine,” he mumbled, already backing away. “Sorry I bothered you.”
Roxy watched him go, his shoulders slumped as he trudged back to the other side of the room. A few of the kids nearby whispered to each other, their voices carrying clearly through the gap her headphone had left.
“She's so mean.”
“She's always like that. I don't know why he bothered her.”
“She's such a bitch. Trevor just wanted to—”
Roxy's fingers clenched around her pencil, and she stopped listening, shoving the earbud deeper into her ear.
Why should she care what a bunch of kids thought? They didn't know anything about the real world, how shit actually worked outside of here. Half of them still thought they were getting adopted, and the other half thought that this was just practice for the real world.
They didn't get it, and Roxy suddenly really needed to hit something.
The worksheet blurred in front of Roxy's eyes as she stared at it, her jaw tight. Her pencil scratched against the paper, the answers coming automatically as she forced her attention back to the work.
She finished ten minutes later and stalked upstairs. Fifteen minutes after that, she broke the newly placed padlock on the door to the roof and headed into the city with her costume shoved in a backpack.
[TONE]
That evening, Roxy retrieved the cash she'd stashed behind a dumpster two blocks from the orphanage. The smell of rotting garbage indicated that it hadn't been taken out in a few days, and her nose as she reached into the hollow space beneath a loose brick to pull out a fat stack of bills.
Eight hundred and forty-three dollars. The crackhouse had been good to her.
Radio Shack was closing when she arrived, but the bored teenager behind the counter barely looked up as she pushed through the door. She grabbed what she needed, trying not to stare too hard at the overpriced speakers lining the walls. She couldn't splurge yet.
Next time, she silently promised the head-sized subwoofer that was practically begging her to rip it apart. She almost felt teary-eyed as she left it behind and approached the register. Oh, the things she could make with that...
The total came to one-hundred and sixty-seven dollars. A bit steep, but it was worth it to not have to dig through the dump for what she was looking for.
A little bit later, she was slipping through the chain-link fence of an abandoned shipping yard, th sounds of her footsteps echoing against the hollow metal of the containers stacked around her. She'd found this spot a month ago and had been using it ever since. It was secluded enough that no one came by, and close enough to the Docks that she wasn't totally isolated.
The container she'd claimed sat at the far end of the yard, rusted orange with chipped green paint, surrounded by a hundred others just like it. She pulled open the heavy door and slipped inside, flipping the battery-powered work light she'd set up by the entrance.
The space was incredibly cramped, but as she breathed in the smell of dust and rust, she felt like she was right at home.
A fold out table acted as a makeshift workbench, covered in scavenged tools and partially finished projects. A pile of scrap and electronics sat in the corner, waiting to be cannibalized. Roxy strode up to the table and set down her bag, hovering over the half-finished project she'd been building for the past week.
It was rifle-shaped, cobbled together from random parts and the guts of three different speaker systems. The receiver was blocky and uneven, and the barrel was a mess of wires and rods with a speaker on the end. It was ugly, but looks didn't matter compared to the power this baby would pack.
The idea was basically the same as her Thumpers, only scaled up to ten. The weapon would concentrate resonant frequencies in the receiver, amplify them through the barrel, and blast them at whatever she was pointing at. In theory, it would be enough to knock someone off their feet at a few yards. In practice, it would do a lot more than that.
Her hands shook with restrained giddiness as she worked, stripping wires and soldering metal. She watched as her creation slowly took shape, weeks of work slowly coming to fruition underneath her hands.
This, right here, was where she felt most like herself, where the constant noise in her head finally made sense. Hunched over a table, digging in wires without another soul in sight, she was in her element.
She wasn't sure how much time passed, nor did she really care. Every ounce of her focus was poured into the device in her hands until finally, it was done.
“Hehe...” She couldn't help but giggle madly as she held her Sonic Lance up to the light, examining her hard work. Her hands ran over dark metal and found the dial at the side. With a click, it shifted, and the LED on the side flicked from red to blue.
Taking a deep breath, she turned, taking aim at the door of her shipping container, and pulled the trigger.
The rifle hummed in her hand, the vibration quickly picking up intensity until she could feel it in her teeth. The weapon whined then released its payload with a crack.
A wave of invisible pressure slammed into the container door and burst outward. The walls of the container vibrated hard enough to shake the entire structure, sending loose screws and debris raining down from the ceiling.
Roxy lowered the rifle, her chest heaving with excitement. A grin stretched across her face wide enough that her cheeks ached. It worked. That worked better than she imagined The container still rattled around her, the echoes of the blast bouncing off the walls in waves that only she could truly appreciate.
“Beautiful,” she whispered, listening to the rhythm of destruction as it petered out around her.
She set the rifle down on the table, running her hand along the barrel. It was warm to the touch, and the resonance rods were still vibrating, though slowing down at a rapid rate. She'd need to reinforce the casing if she wanted to really stress test it, maybe add a second power cell to extend the battery life. That shot took more juice than she thought it would.
But those were small issues. The core design was sound. She'd built something that could matter.
Roxy climbed to the roof of the container, the metal groaning under her feet as she hauled herself up. The night air hit her face as she settled onto the flat surface, and she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Above her, the sky was cloudy and thick with light pollution, but a few stars still managed to peek through.
She pulled out her phone, scrolling through the feed with one hand while the other rested on her rifle.
The screen was bright enough to make her squint in the dark as she thumbed through the usual junk on Parahumans Online. Spam, celebrity drama, news about the Teeth causing trouble in Boston. Nothing new.
Then, while scrolling the main boards on PHO, she found it.
A thread with her name on it. Well, not her name exactly--she hadn't picked one out yet—but a thread about her.
~~~
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■ Page 1 of 12
♦ Topic: String of Break-ins near the Docks? In: Boards ► Places ► America ► Brockton Bay JustADude44 (Original Poster) Posted on April 8th, 2011:
Hey hey! So I'm a native Brocktonite (lived here for all of my courtyard years) and I've noticed a lot of buzz near my area the last few months. I know it's not the best area, but this is pretty unusual. Anyone know what's going on?
► DockWorker4Life Replied on April 8th, 2011:
My buddy works the night shift at a gas station down there. He gets a ton of crackheads and apparently they've been tweaking out more than usual lately. He thinks someone's messing with their supply and crackhouses are pretty much target number one for new capes.
► JustADude44 (Original Poster) Replied on April 8th, 2011:
Wait really? A new cape? That's pretty exciting! I can’t remembr the last time I saw a new cape in the city. Do you think they’re a hero?
► DockWorker4Life Replied on April 8th, 2011:
Who know? But I’ve got a buddy over that way who says there’s been a lot of ambulances hanging around the are so… we might have Shadow Stalker 2.0 skulking around.
► SoundCheck Replied on April 8th, 2011:
Quick! Someone check the alleys for crucified skinheads!
► SqueakyWheel Replied on April 8th, 2011:
Actually does know what gang territory these places are in? Could be a sign of something bigger coming.
► SoundCheck Replied on April 8th, 2011:
Pretty sure the one near me was Empire. Saw some guys with tattoos hanging around a few days before it got hit. They weren't too happy about it either.
~~~
Roxy scrolled down, her eyebrow raised. Empire? She hadn't even considered that. She'd just seen a building with shady looking people going in and out and assumed it was a drug den. The thought that she'd hit something connected to the biggest gang in the city made her pause.
Huh.
She chewed on her lip, processing that information before ultimately deciding it didn’t really matter. It wasn't like she'd known and even if she did, they were Nazis. She'd done the city a favor.
She kept reading, eager to see what the city thought about her.
~~~
► Paranoiagent Replied on April 9th, 2011:
I think it could be a villain setting up shop. New capes don't usually go after established territory unless they're looking to make waves.
► BrocktonBrawler Replied on April 9th, 2011:
Or it could be a new independent trying to clean up the streets. Not everyone wants to join the Wards or the Protectorate.
► Vista (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE) Replied on April 9th, 2011:
We're aware of the situation and looking into it. If this is a new cape reading this, please consider turning yourself in or coming to the PRT for assessment. Untrained capes are a danger to themselves and others. We'd rather help than have to clean up a mess later.
► SoundCheck Replied on April 9th, 2011:
Damn Vista really came out just to say “turn yourself in or else” lol
► Brocktonite02 Replied on April 9th, 2011:
Lay off, she's just doing her job. The Wards do good work.
► HenryWaltzz Replied on April 9th, 2011:
Lmao imagine hitting a few crackhouses and immediately getting told to turn yourself in. This city really is a different breed huh
► WhiteNoise Replied on April 9th, 2011:
To be fair, they don't know if this person is a villain or not. Could be some psycho for all we know.
~~~
Roxy's grip tightened on her phone. She stared at Vista's comment, her jaw tight.
Turn myself in?
She scoffed under her breath, scrolling faster now. They didn't know anything about her. They didn't know what she could do, what she'd built, what she was capable of. They just saw "new cape" and immediately assumed she needed to be wrangled in like some lost dog.
Her face hot, she prepared to exit the thread, but her thumb slipped, sending her to the next page.
~~~
■ Page 2 of 12
► Gallant (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE) Replied on April 9th, 2011:
I have to agree with Vista on this one. We've seen too many new capes get hurt because they didn't have the right training or support. Punishment isn’t the goal; it’s about making sure everyone stays safe. The PRT has resources specifically designed to help new capes figure out their powers. Please consider reaching out.
► TinkerFan99 Replied on April 9th, 2011:
Always weird when the heroes show up in a thread like this. Kinda feels like when a teacher walks into the room during a test
► BrocktonBayBaker Replied on April 9th, 2011:
idk I think it's nice that they care?? Like they could just not say anything and let new capes figure it out on their own. The fact that they're offering help is pretty cool imo.
► Noise_Bracket Replied on April 9th, 2011:
What are you guys talking about? This guy is doing just fine by himself. He took down a bunch of druggies and now youre telling him to turn himself in? Whats up with that?
► Vista (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE) Replied on April 9th, 2011:
New capes are more prone to overestimating or even underestimating their own powers in dangerous situations. This is a matter of safety. It’s best for everyone if this person goes through official channels and joins the PRT where they can have proper guidance.
► Noise_Bracket Replied on April 9th, 2011:
Proper guidance sounds an awful lot like we want to control you. Just saying.
► Gallant (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE) Replied on April 9th, 2011:
I understand the skepticism, but I promise that's not our intention.
► SaltySailor (Verified Vigilante) Replied on April 9th, 2011:
This is why people don't take the PRT seriously. You show up like you're the welcome committee or something. Some of us don't want your “help.” This is why people don't take the PRT seriously. You show up like you're the welcome committee or something. Some of us don't want your "help."
► Noise_Bracket Replied on April 9th, 2011:
Not everyone wants to be coddled by the government. Some of us just want to do our own thing. And honestly? This person has done more in two weeks than half the "heroes" in this city have done in months.
► WhiteNoise Replied on April 9th, 2011:
Okay but they're also causing property damage and possibly hitting places that belong to the Empire so like... maybe not the brightest move?
► Noise_Bracket Replied on April 9th, 2011:
Its only property damage if someone cares about the property. Pretty sure junkie property doesnt count.
► SoundCheck Replied on April 9th, 2011:
Idk man you sound kinda biased. You this new cape or something?
► BrocktonBrawler Replied on April 9th, 2011:
That's a reach. They're just pointing out that the Wards are being condescending. Which they are, a little.
► WhiteNoise Replied on April 9th, 2011:
Lol could just be a fanboy. We've seen weirder.
► SqueakyWheel Replied on April 9th, 2011:
Not gonna lie, hitting crackhouses is pretty metal. Whoever this is has balls.
► Vista (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE) Replied on April 9th, 2011:
I understand the frustration, but please don't encourage reckless behavior. Vigilantism is illegal. We have systems in place for a reason.
► Noise_Bracket Replied on April 9th, 2011:
You keep saying that but I don't see those systems doing much about the Empire or the ABB. Funny how that works.
~~~
Roxy's fingers trembled as she typed out her last response, squinting angrily. She didn’t mean to get into a war with the Wards over the do’s and dont’s of parahumans, but hearing someone admonish her efforts to pull herself out of nothing pissed her off.
She powered her phone off, resisting the urge to throw it across the room and settling on chewing on her cheek instead.
Vista's comment gnawed at her. ‘Turn yourself in before you get hurt.’ Like Roxy was some amateur who didn't know what she was doing. As if she hadn't spent weeks planning, building, testing. As if her tech wasn't good enough. As if she wasn’t good enough.
She thought back up to Gallant's message and felt her temper spike. So much condescension. We just want to help. We have resources. Yeah, resources that came with strings attached and rules and probably a whole lot of people telling her what she could and couldn't do.
Fuck. That.
They didn’t think she had it. They thought she was just another idiot who goes out on their first night with powers and gets gunned down by some junkie with a nine millimeter. Roxy wasn’t stupid; she knew Tinkers were the most vulnerable in those first few weeks before they built up a solid tech base, but she also knew that to even get to that point, you needed to take risks.
Fine, Roxy thought, her jaw tight. If they want to see what I can do, I’ll show them. I’m not just another idiot who’s gonna die in an alley because she decided to poke a bigger bear.