Stealing My Way To Power

P.O.V (Rory Christner)

He stared at his reflection, short-cropped blonde hair and brown eyes. A smile plastered on his face but it never reached his eyes. It never did, he had experience throwing this smile on his face but he could not hide the falsehood of it. All the public ever saw beneath his golden lion's head was a confident smile that promised everything would be fine.

That feeling of confidence was something familiar to him. The feeling that he had the whole world going on for him. How could he not? He was the son of the Mayor and his family was ridiculously wealthy. He had dreams and ambitions.

 He showed the world that it was not just his family he was proud of on the field...Admitally he was never the star of the pitch. Just a shadow that would never see the light. No matter how hard he pushed himself he just did not have it in him to pursue his dream. So he cheated.

He asked his father if he had any way of helping him. Rory asked expecting a private coach or dedicated training regime. Instead, his father offered him a glowing vial that he promised would solve all of his worries. He knew it was wrong but with his dream at stake, Rory thought it would be fine to cheat a little. Surely taking drugs was something prevalent in the major leagues.

So he drank out of that vial and his life changed. He was not sure if he made the right call all those years ago. If he strived and bled for what he wanted surely he could have made it. He had seen the lengths that the human spirit could push a person after all. The good and the ugly were bare to his eyes now, so he could not hide behind his lack of potential. When he decided to drink that vial the dream that he had been chasing had been pulled out of his reach.

He did not deserve to pursue an ideal not as he was.

So it was the wrong call in regards to his dream of being a famous baseball player but it was not the wrong call for Rory Christner. That vial gave him power pure and simple. It made him something more than the others a superhuman among men.

At first, that power was exhilarating. He was a walking talking bomb. Someone who could tear a street apart if he felt like it. He was stronger, faster, healthier, and simply better than a regular human. He felt like nothing could stop him.

The first stumbling block that put him on his current path was the MLB announcing they would now need MRI scans for their athletes. That meant he would be exposed as a filthy cheater. His pride could not take it not after being on top of the world for so long.

So he played for his high school team for a little longer. Showcasing his 'drive' and 'passion' for Baseball before faking an injury that would 'ruin' his baseball prospects. It was a shameful move made by a boy who did not know how hard the real world was. 

As expected everyone on the team was devastated for him and they mourned his loss. He did not know how to face those people who put it all on the line while he simply coasted on his family's money.

So he drifted apart from those friends of his despite them wanting to continue being there for him. He did not deserve to know people like that after all.

So he was left with his goal out of his hands. It was a bitter taste but it had to happen this way. The world needed people that pursued their dreams with everything they had not fools giving up because it was too hard.

He may not become Rory Chirster the famous MLB pitcher but another avenue of fame was at his fingertips. The PRT recruited all the time and while his face and name might not ring out throughout the world he would still be known as a hero to the people. He would prove that he was simply better.

Thus Triumph was born as he joined the Wards. A gilded Lion roared in defiance at all that was unfair in the world. An icon of power and glory. As he looked at this gold coated costume he felt nothing like he once did. The arrogance that had once defined him was dead and buried. Now when he wore this thing he felt the true weight of the lion resting on his shoulders.

He was not that lion roaring defiantly at the world but a kitten mewing for attention. A joke that spit upon the efforts and dedication of the real heroes.

When he joined the Wards he learned about real heroes. About how short he came up to them. That first lesson was taught to him by Vista. That small girl seemed so harmless to him. Someone who should not be doing such dangerous work. Yet, she pushed her fragile self to the limit every day. Using and abusing her already impressive power to protect those so much weaker than her.

He was not a fool. He could tell that the girl was running from something but in the same vein, he could tell she wanted nothing more than to be that hero that so many needed. She poured her heart and soul into everything she did and for the first time in his life, Rory felt inadequate.

With each addition to the team, he learned how lacking he was. Kids younger than him going through such trauma but coming out of it far better than he ever did. There was strength in them that he could never reach for. Yet, they looked up to him as a leader because that was the role he wanted to play.

The charismatic hero who saved the day. It was an image that he thought he could play but it was clear he was anything but. So he faked it even if he did not feel like he could. He refused to disappoint these children who poured their very being into everything they had.

The horrors that the various gangs did to the people taught him why heroes were needed. Why men and women could find themselves with broken limbs and blood pouring out of them but still stand in defiance to those cruel monsters. Not, just the Capes who had the ability to fight back but the everyday members of the PRT who put their lives on the line for this city.

He had it easy in comparison to those troopers who never knew when they would become just another number in the face of Lung's rage or Skidmark's machinations.

So even if he did not feel like he deserved the name he claimed or the golden crown upon his head he still strived forward. If only to ensure that when he died he could at least die with a smile. A real one knowing that he did everything he could for the world that he had finally seen.

He stopped his introspection for the day put on his helmet and headed out of his room. Piggot called for a meeting which meant that something odd was going on in the city.

 He already had an idea about what was going on. He still had contact with the Wards even if he graduated to the main PRT team. So he heard about what happened to Vicky as the team gossiped about it.

That new Cape had also made his presence rather clear with his flashy escape from Buy More. So it was likely that they were meeting to discuss that particular problem.

He arrived and greeted his colleagues. Armsmaster as always just grunted back at him too preoccupied with whatever was on his mind. If he could have gotten out of attending this meeting Rory was sure he would have done it. 

Miss Milita was friendly even if he felt a bit of distance from her. It was to be expected she was far older than him and she had been through so much. She saw him as just another child in her care even if he had already grown past that age.

Assault and Battery were chatting together and gave him a warm welcome as he sat in his assigned seat. Well, Assualt was chatting and Battery was putting up with his non-stop chatter. Velcocity was not here yet but he usually showed up rather last minute to most things. Dauntless was the same imposing sight that he usually was.

It was hard to interact with the guy as he had so much power at his fingertips. Most people in this city assumed he had a shot at being a member of the Triumvirate after all. So it was hard to look past his potential and get to know him. 

Finally, after a moment of idle chatter and Velocity coming in seconds before the meeting was being called then the Director showed up. She had a sour look on her face but that was just a regular occurrence for the surly woman. She was not a pleasant person but no one would dare to say it to her face even if it was clear how everyone felt about her.

She made her own distaste over Capes rather clear after all. No one wanted to push her too far and see when the bomb would go off. Well, Assualt usually did not care much and the Wards generally had a more outspoken outlook but the Director was not too harsh on the kids. 

There were rules and regulations for dealing with the young ones after all.

"I'm sure all of you already have a feeling about why we called this meeting," Piggot spoke out with a glare on her face as she started to motion for a PRT trooper to hand out packets of documents and the projector turned on. As expected the image coming from the projector was the new Cape on the block and the documents going around were threat assessment papers.

Rory had not really gotten a good look at the Cape before this. It was just descriptions from the Wards and some rumors going around. Sure his appearance was public but Rory figured he could wait till the meeting to get a good look at him.

This Cape was an odd one. A well-pressed suit that molded into his body and shone brightly in the night. His entire outfit was a bright white which was rather off for someone inclined for thefts. Then again Rory knew there was more than one purpose for stealing. 

Some people just get off on the thrill of it and this guy certainly looked like he fit that theme. He had a top hat and a monocle and from what Vicky said he usually had a bright white cape.

His costume was really well done for a new cape on the scene. Hell, well-established villains like Squealler and Skidmark did not have half of the style this guy had. Then again the Merchants were not exactly known for their image.

His sense of style was not what made him an oddball. The kid was not exactly hiding his face very well. The only thing covering it was that monocle and it was just the one eye.

Sharp features combined with a cocky smile. The kid was all but saying who he was to the world. Sure, masks were more of a symbolic thing as even when Capes were arrested no one took them off but this was really blatant. New Wave taught the world that showing yourself off like this drew too much attention.

Sure, the kid seemed like a small fry so most people would not break the unwritten rules and recruit his civilian identity but they would still know.

"As you can see this is the newest Cape on the scene. Watchdog is having a rather hard time getting a reading on him but that might be from a lack of information. For now, he has the tentative designation of Stagehand." Director Piggot spoke out blandly as she glared at the photo of the kid on the screen.

"I got to say Glory Girl made the right call trying to find his tailor. If I could find them I might be up for a suit change. What do you think snookums?" Assault asked Battery as he leaned on his chair haphazardly. Clearly not taking this meeting very seriously which earned him a glare from his wife and the director.

"You are not subject to image changes under your current contract." Piggot spat out trying to reign in the joker of the team. Assault just gave her a harmless smile but Battery smacked the back of his head and he looked like a chastised child.

"While Assualt is being as….. difficult as always he does make a point." Miss MIlita spoke out trying to say something else but Assualt perked up.

"See! Clearly a tailor of that skill can't be left in the hands of such villains. Even the star-spangled banner herself agrees with me." Assault spoke out energetically with a goofy smile on his face. Which earned him another smack and a sigh from Miss Militia.

"I believe Miss Militia meant that for a new Cape, this Stagehand has a remarkably well-put-together costume. Something that is almost impossible for new Capes, especially ones this young." Armsmaster spoke out as he looked over the image critically. Hanaha nodded along and Assualt gave the room a sheepish look.

That was an interesting take. Rory never really thought about it but most people did not have the resources he had. So making a proper costume on their first night out was telling.

"Yes, his put-together persona and equipment are a mark of contention on Staghand but we will get to it." Piggot shot out as she switched the image on the projector to a video.

"This video was taken from Glory Girl's suit camera," Piggot spoke out as she looked over the room making sure everyone was paying attention. She had probably seen this video hundreds of times already. She was not the type of person to leave threats unnoticed after all.

The video played out with Glory Girl sweeping down from the sky spotting the new Cape jumping from rooftop to rooftop. They exchanged banter that had Rory sighing. He understood why Vicky was so reckless but having her be so cocky on tape and then be defeated so easily was going to get around.

She was most likely going to have to deal with ribbings from the Wards for a good long while, especially from Vista and Shadow Stalker. Whatever that was not his problem anymore, he was no longer the Ward captain. It was not like he was as close as Dean was with her after all.

Stagehand would swap locations with those inflatable dolls he threw around. That was a pretty annoying power to deal with as Vicky can attest to. Well, it was annoying for someone like Vicky to deal with at least. For all her powers she was a single target kind of gal. So this match-up was horrible for her.

Stagehand appeared to have a hard time keeping up with her speed as he swapped dangerously close to being hit every time. That was the thought going through Rory's head but seeing Stagehand's unflappable attitude and relaxed stance made him realize that the kid was doing it on purpose.

Like he said there were all kinds of people in this world and it appeared Stagehand liked dancing on the edge of a blade.

Then while Glory Girl was bursting the dolls around them Stagehand swapped her with the doll he was leaning against. In a movement far too fluid and practiced Stagehand wrapped his hand around her mouth and forced something into her mouth. From what he heard from Panacea and her family it was a knockout drug that would have Vicky out for hours.

New Wave wanted that particular feat to be kept under wraps as it would give the various gangs in Brockton Ideas about her. Sadly they did not account for Vicky's own mouth as she told Dean about it which led to the Wards knowing about it which spread throughout the base. Meaning there was no point in holding back on the information.

That annoyed New Wave but that one was on Vicky. Rory could understand why New Wave was hesitant about sharing that detail with them as the PRT might as well be a sieve with information. It sucks but Rory knew that the gangs had a hold on this city and they had moles all over the base.

"It looks like Stagehand is an adrenaline junkie. The way he fought Glory Girl was too close." Rory spoke out voicing his thoughts. He tended to keep his head low in meetings but this was important.

"Yeah, I can recognize that cocky smile." Velocity spoke out with a sheepish smile of his own. Huh, Rory did not think Robin was an adrenaline junkie but you learn something new every day.

"Noted," Piggot spoke out as she glared at the video replaying. She was clearly not happy about having a wreckless teen messing around in her city.

"His movements are too fluid. Too assured of the outcome that will come about. There is not a moment in which his body language loses confidence. He might enjoy the danger but at the same time he might just not think of Glory Girl as a threat." Armsmaster spoke out as he looked over the fight with intensity.

"So we are looking at an established Cape? Most newbies would not have that type of gumption in them. I've seen grown men crack in the face of someone like Aegis let alone someone like Glory Girl. Her Aura usually rattles the kiddos but this guy was completely and utterly calm the whole time." Assault spoke out seriously instead of joking around which was surprising from him.

"Perhaps an immunity to her Shaker effect?" Dauntless spoke out gruffly. The guy was not used to speaking in these meetings but it was all hands on deck during threat assessments.

"No, during their conversation Stagehand was clearly under its effect as awe and fascination were showing in his body language." Armsmaster shot out stiffly shutting down Dauntless as quickly as he could. Miss Milita let out a sigh but said nothing Dauntless on the other hand rolled his eyes but held his tongue.

"That just might be teenage hormones. The kid is in the right age bracket and Glory Girl is rather attractive." Assault spoke out with a smile only to have the back of his head smacked again by Battery who was glaring at him.

"Attractive to a boy her own age that is. Calm down kitten you are all I want I promise." Assault spoke out quickly while leaning on Battery with puppy dog eyes. She could not see it as Assault had his helmet on but his whole body was speaking that.

"No, he showed signs of her Shaker effect working on him. Stagehand also changed his body language rather quickly when he realized what was happening to him." Armsmaster spoke out shutting down this point again but not as harshly.

"So Gallant's beams should affect the boy." Battery spoke out after pushing Assualt back into his chair with a huff.

"It should but it's not quite clear yet. So far Stagehand seems mostly harmless but throwing the Wards at him might cause the boy to escalate." Miss Milita spoke out. As always her first priority was the safety of the Wards. That was something he was familiar with even if it felt rather grating when he was one of them.

"It's annoying having another thief roaming around the city but from the profile we built on him it seems unlikely that he would be violent to the Wards or anyone in general," Piggot spoke out gruffly not happy about being on Stagehand's side but she knew she needed to share that information.

The guy had a prime chance at really harming Vicky after all.

"So far Stagehand has done two crimes that we know of the robbery last night and a breakout at the youth detention center," Piggot spoke out as she brought up more video and pictures on the screen.

Rory looked over the images with a frown on his face but not because of the severity of the crimes but what one of them was. A breakout was not exactly uncommon in the Bay but breaking out a single person like this spoke of personal interest.

The room fell into silence as the thought ran through everyone's head but no one wanted to be the one to say it. The unwritten rules were unwritten for a reason after all. Eventually, someone had to break the tension and it was left to the most suitable person.

"As noted the only person broken out of the center is one Tammi Herren. She has ties to the Empire due to her status as a Herren but she is not an active member as far as we are aware. She was charged with burglary, theft, and possession of a firearm. She has no close associates with only one exception." Armsmaster spoke out mechanically as if reading a report. Everyone knew what was going to come next but the air remained tense.

"Yes, the noted exception is one Cole Diamant. His father is a noted member of the Empire and while his own connection remains unknown the death in his family does not paint a pretty picture of his stability." Piggot spoke out as she brought out another profile onto the screen.

The boy on the screen was a far cry from the cocky person that Stagehand was. Thin and pale with gold locks and bright blue eyes. The emotions coming from the picture were absolutely zero. He had seen enough traumatized kids to recognize that the boy was not in a good place.

"Cole has been noted visiting the detention center every day since Tammi's arrest but he missed a day yesterday. The day after Tammi was broken out. He might have gotten information from the Empire but his current actions are rather suspicious." Piggot spoke out drawing more silence from the room. Again no one wanted to say what they were thinking.

"This Cole looks nothing like Stagehand," Rory spoke out trying to give an out to the tension in the room. That only drew glances from the various Capes in the room and an intense look from the director.

"This is true….considering Stagehand's face was run through the system and no known matches were established we are giving him the tentative rating of Stranger/Changer 3," Piggot spoke out as she glared at the image on the screen.

Rory could see why she was concerned about that. Strangers were a pain to deal with and it often led to weeks spent going through protocols. It seemed a bit high for a simple face swap but from the report, the cellmate of Tammi Herren saw a guard she was familiar with before she was knocked out like Glory Girl.

"We should probably put a rating down for Tinker as well. From the looks of it, Stagehand has a variety of gadgets on him. While his ability to swap locations with those dolls might not be a gadget he does have an assortment of tools for hacking and entering systems and erasing information. From his level, I would put him down as Tinker 1. Higher if his teleportation is a part of his gear." Dauntless spoke out with a frown on his face

"Considering how young Cole is it's unlikely that he has had time to establish proper resources if he is a Tinker. His theft from Buy More suggests that he is trying to desperately grab resources to work with. A common tactic with new Tinkers. So his rating should be in a state of flux until we get more information." Armsmaster shot out as he looked over the image of Stagehand.

"Mover 2 goes without saying. Although he does appear to have enhanced reflexes as well so maybe a Mover 3 is more appropriate." Miss Milita spoke out softly as she looked over at the pale blonde boy on the screen.

"While Cole is the most likely suspect for being Stagehand all of this is a little off. His suit is too well made for a new Cape and he does not have the money to pay for something like this. All of the confidence he operates off of is not something most teens his age can dole out. Even if his powers gave him the skills he needed to fight Glory Girl as he did he should not be as confident as he is with that lackluster skill set." Rory spoke out with a frown on his face. Still, not willing to play around with the unwritten rules.

"Triumph does make a point. The tools that he has shown are not something a brand-new trigger could prepare. Most new Tinkers have bulky and strangely designed items as they do not have a handle on the Tinker Fugue. From the recordings of Cole at the prison, his body language displayed despair and hopeless anger. So he did not have a solution to the problem in front of him. A likely trigger event but him having all of these things as a fresh trigger is unlikely." Armsmaster added after a moment of contemplating Rory's words.

He did not sound like he believed Cole was not Stagehand but he had to have all the facts on the table.

"....Shadow Stalker goes to the same school as this Cole have her keep an eye on him. See if his behavior and actions have taken a drastic change. Having a young Cape associated with the Empire sounds like trouble." Piggot commanded with a frown on her face. Rory felt his heart drop as that came dangerously close to crossing a line.

He did not want to be here when that line does get crossed but he could see why it was a concern.

Rory looked down at his papers and just fell silent. They had an out to this situation. They were just monitoring an Empire associate how were they supposed to know he was a Cape? It was a paper-thin line but it at least worked. Rory hoped that they could wrangle him safely and bring him into Wards. The records on his file and the look in his eyes broke Rory's heart but if Cole was going to join this mess then Triumph would face him with everything he had.

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That's everything so far. As always got more on the Patreon.