Patrons of Capes

Tattletale 1.6

Brockton Bay
January 2011

Lisa was annoyed, somehow, wherever she tried, whatever she tried, she couldn't quite escape. What was annoying was her power, started acting up, something about it changed, she could now direct it, but it was annoying cause she had tried a day in a half to figure out why this thing was able to follow her, and always find her. Was this some sort of test by Coil? Some new cape with a trump, mover, stranger, changer mix of powers? When she focused on the people, there was a constant feed of gibberish.

Looking over her shoulder, the person walked around the corner, looking around. They ran their hand through their hair and it changed. Going from a long curly mess to short straight, naturally good looking man's hair cut, well over a foot of hair just vanished. It didn't even stay the same color, going from hazel brown, to near pitch black.

The next thing it did was rub their face, and they looked completely different, the round features become slim and angular. It even looked as if they had facial hair, full goatee. Even their eye brows went from thin to bushy. Their skin even went from a warm brown to a rosy white. They then pressed their hands to their chest, and the bust they had vanished, DDs to Flat in one moment. A short hop and they gained 6 inches in height.

More annoying the clothes adjusted somewhat. They adjusted to their height, and the change in lengths without an issue. They looked themselves over in the reflection of a window, touching their face, fine tuning the appearance apparently.

"What I would give for that." Lisa told herself, annoyed.

Looking around, she spotted Alec across the road.

Looking, waiting for person matching description, can't notice, annoyed he has to but fearful that he maybe looking for someone he knows

"Come on, it should be obvious, they freaking transformed in font of you." Lisa told herself.

Shaking her head, this attempt had failed, so he was immune to being detected by Alec, maybe Rachel's dogs could sniff him out. Lisa ran down the street, the thing following behind her at some distance, keeping up. Reaching the small park, Lisa jumped over the fence and was able to reach the area Rachel was suppose to be.

She had 2 of her dogs, Brutus and Angelica, along with a bloodhound that she had on a leash. The thing entered the part and Rachel waited. They slowly walked closer to Rachel and the dogs. They didn't even seem to notice as the man looked them over along with Rachel.

They looked around, before rubbing their chin, stroking their own goatee, saying something directly to her face, and Rachel didn't even seem to notice. The dogs didn't notice.

Annoyed she's having to do this, bloodhound isn't trained to a degree to use powers. Annoyed she's away from dogs when there isn't a job. Did this in interest of protecting her dogs.

Lisa shook her head, great, they basically didn't exist to everyone other than Lisa. Was it her power letting her see them? Then why wasn't she able to get any information about them from it. It didn't make sense.

She took off running, last attempt. Coil had set up a team of Mercenaries with scanners for nearly anything that could be used to hide one self. With that wide of a net, something had to catch them, right?

Running down the road to the parking garage where the sensor net was, she passed by the 5 vans, and stood on the opposite end of the garage. The person walked over, casually strolled by the vans, and looked at Lisa.

"Are we done. I am getting tired of this, and most likely, so are you." They said, having a double layered voice, one a deep males, the other a female voice, if not a bit throaty. They pinched their throat, as if they were adjusting a tie knot, before coughing, "Sorry. Now. If you are done running. I'd like to ask some questions."

"And why would I do that?" Lisa asked.

"Cause as much as it annoys me. You seem to be the only person who knows I exist, and I want to know why that is." They said.

Lisa paused, expecting her power to confirm that as truth, or detect that as a lie. Nothing.

"Well, isn't this a bit of an annoying. You have questions, I have questions and I doubt either of us have the answers we are looking for, or willing to give up freely." Lisa said.

"What makes you think I would hide anything?" they said.

"With how many times you changed your face, body and look over the last, day and a half. I'd say you have an issue with your self perception." Lisa said, throwing a jab in the dark basically.

"Ouch, you harm me. And what of you? I'd say you.....hmmmm." they began, reaching into a coat pocket and pulling out a cane, leaning on it, to look at her, "you are trying to figure me out. You don't like a mystery. Makes you feel dumb, when there's an obvious answer to what I am."

Lisa was annoyed. If it was obvious, her power would have told her, but it hadn't.

"A cape with imposter syndrome. Try and find someone to imitate until you find something you like until it's boring, then you move on." Lisa stated

"A cape? Hah! I am a performer darling. But.....Your friend, the one with the canine flesh golems, she's rather ballsy, out in public with those, get a bunch of the type who can't leave too well alone coming after her." they explained.

Lisa looked around, options, something, what could she use. Giving up, she pulled the gun she kept on her just in case and took aim.

"Yeah, then who are you performing for?" Lisa demanded, holding the gun with both hands.

They didn't seem to really care that they were being held a gunpoint now. They got even closer, walking and spinning it as they got close.

"Oh you little child. I am not afraid of some little pepperbox gun." they said, before with a swift motion, pulled a sword and pointed the tip at her throat, "Now, lower it, and I won't have to cut your pretty little throat." they commanded.

"Cliche much? Where'd you get that from? Some sappy fanfiction or a shitty movie about a serial killer." Lisa asked, trying to remain composed, but he could feel the sweat forming on her forehead and her hands trembling.

They smiled, before they lunged forward. Lisa waited for the pain, but it never came, looking down, she saw the blade as there. She moved the gun through the blade, it swirled like a fog and formed. Lisa moved a hand through the length until it reached her throat, no damage or even catching anything.

Lisa took a step forward and waved the gun through their body, the same thing, nothing solid, just a gaseous form that just....existed.

"Ok, so now that I don't have to worry about you actually doing anything to me. How about we play a little game of 20 questions. Who and what the fuck are you." Lisa began.

The thing rolled their eyes and put the sword back into their cane, before leaning against it.

"Given I now basically am more useless than a nun in a brothel, My name is Jas. Your turn, where am I?" Jas asked.

"You didn't answer my question first." Lisa said.

"You asked two. I gave you one. Answer one for me and I'll answer the other." Jas replied, giving a smug grin.

"Fine. You're in Brockton Bay." Lisa answered.

They raised a brow at the fact he was told where he was, shrugging, Jas looked around.

"I am a Bard, a damn good one who knows, had been to nearly every city on the continent and seduced a meal, at minimum, from a sentient being in every realm, and yet I have never had this kind of annoyance. Now. What Realm is this?" Jas asked, stating the seduction thing with enough confidence that Lisa was willing to believe them about it.

"Earth Bet. Who are you working for?" Lisa answered quickly.

Jas paused at that, stroking their Goatee again, before it got longer, looking like an extended goatee as they rubbed it.

"No one. I'm more confused with how I am here. Hmmmmmm, questions and questions. It's hard to pick just one. Oh here, why can't I use my spells? My clothes are still enchanted, and I am still able to change, but anything that isn't enchanted on me, nothing." Jas asked.

Magic? Oh great, he must be a cape who thinks their power is actually magic. No.....She'd see the bullshit with their clothes and the cane was also proof, the pocket couldn't contain the cane sword without being stiff in the coat.

"No clue. How do you change everything about you physically? Is that your power?" Lisa asked.

"Darling-" Jas began.

"I'm not your darling so quit that." Lisa said.

"Fine, whatever. I'm a changeling." Jas said, raising a hand and swiping it over their fade, they went from looking like a guy, to a girl, the goatee vanishing as well as they moved their hand over their face in a quick sweep.

"Well, isn't that a useful ability. How would you like a job? Me and my friends could use someone with skills like yours." Lisa said.

"I'm stuck with you if I want anything. You might as well accept that and learn from me." Jas said, putting their cane away into the pocket that was way too shallow to fit a cane in.