Super (Ish)

Chapter 27: Blossoms and Battles

My knuckle stings slightly as I knock on Yue's door a little too harshly. There's a shuffle on the other side before it swings open violently. Yue looks me up and down before sniffing and stepping away from the door, not saying a word.

As I step inside, someone coughs. I look to find Carter's third. Layne, I think her name was. She stands, nodding to Yue, before pushing past me and going out the door.

"Oh, sorry," I say, pulling at the skin on the ends of my fingers. "I didn't realise she was in here. I could have waited."

"They. Layne isn't a woman," Yue corrects, not looking at me. "They were just leaving, anyway."

I nod slowly, surprised that such an old woman would agree and respect gender fluidity.

"Are you going to shut the door and sit or stand there like a dead tree?" Yue snaps, her eyes still on the table.

Jumping at the sudden change of tone, I close the door and quickly come across the room, sitting on the cushions that surround her table. She doesn't ask me if I want her cherry blossom tea, but she pours it into a cup for me anyway, passing it toward me. I give her a quick smile, letting the cup warm my hands. 

"I'm assuming you understand the situation here. And that you understand why Zeus, the head of SWW, had you drugged for seventeen years of your life." Yue tuts, shaking her head. "So wrong to drug an infant."

Looking down at the petals that float around, I answer. "Yes. Zeus assumed I would grow up with a villainous complex to end it all."

Yue looks up at me finally, a startled look on her face. "Or just make an equal playing ground for everyone, with yourself on top. Zeus was always afraid someone would take his place and took grand measures to keep himself there."

I nod slowly, bringing the cup to my lips. "Honestly, I don't know why I'm here," I say, not letting the liquid into my mouth. "It's all really confusing even though I know exactly what needs to happen."

"Well, you're in my room, so I can tell you the limitations and expectations of your powers. Percy may have been able to pull them out of you and into the spotlight, but his knowledge of powers is insignificant compared to mine," Yue responds. "Obsolescence and light aura. That's all that's been discovered. And you sound like you have a basic understanding."

"Yep."

"Obsolescence is the sub-power to omni-negotiation, also a sister power to power negotiation, but stronger. It allows you to make anything, everything, anyone or everyone useless. This power can make all laws ineffective, powers useless, or make the world useless; which, as you said, can lead to chaos and destructive. End it all," she says, watching me carefully. "Does that scare you?"

A chuckle bubbles out of me. "A little."

"There is all but one limitation. Obsolescence is ineffective on those who have omnipotence, including aspects, expressions, and specialised variations. Omnipotence is even more rare than obsolescence."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"No. It is supposed to make you understand how dire the situation is." Yue grips the teapot, her knuckles turning white. "Everyone is going to treat you like a bomb about to explode. They're either going to keep you locked away or place you in the one spot you won't be a liability."

My throat tightens. "Great."

"I can already tell you they will lock you away. I've been with the Holy Doves for enough years to know exactly which step they take every time." Yue shakes her head. "You see, villains have nothing to lose when they enter this world. They only care about the one thing that keeps them going, the one thing they're fighting for. But heroes? They're obligated to protect everyone, even if the easy way is sacrificing something or someone else."