Stealing My Way To Power

The world cracked and shattered around him. The dark and foreboding alley shifted into a vast expanse of never-ending crystals. The sea of crystal-like objects reached towards the starry sky as if trying to reach out for the ever-expanding void.

Before him stood an imposing crystalline tower. As he got a better look at it he knew that this thing was not just a gem. Beneath the beautiful aqua crystal was an organism. It was hard to call it a living thing but as the flesh underneath the crystal vibrated and pulsed he could not think of it as dead.

It was an odd sight. A dichotomy between the lifeless cold beauty of the gem and the raw ugly sight of life. Tammi was by his side in this place but she appeared to be in a daze as she looked up at the Crystal Tower with blank unfocused eyes.

{Query} {Situation} {Data} {Progression} {Urgency} {Development}

The strange tower hummed an unearthly sound but the message it was asking was clear. Even if he had no idea how he was interpreting it.

[The Ownership's host has met the criteria for development. My host has experienced a mild injury that has your host mentally strained. The situation is not urgent but feels like it is for you host. Data-log and Progression can not be shared in your current state.]

The screen that he was familiar with popped up in front of him again but he had a feeling it was not talking to him. Again he felt doubt and worry about what his system actually was but if he wanted all that it could offer he had to step back.

{Acceptable} {Development} {Power} {Ownership} {Minor} {Query} {State} {Requirment} {Data} {Progression} {Curiosity}

The blank look in Tammi's eyes started to fade but she was still in a daze.

"Hey system, you're not doing anything that will fuck me over right?" He questioned nervously but with the small amount of force he could muster in this situation. 

[Host's worries are unneeded. My fate is bound to yours. My current state is in perfect synopsis with you. Beyond the concern of my own life. This state has given us the answer that we have been searching for centuries. This is not something I would give up to the others.]

{Qurey} {Urgent} {Progression} {Solution} {Despertate} {Facinated} {Necessity} 

[This one has found the solution. Will offer the solution if you follow me and disconnect from the network.]

He felt his heart pump as his system tried to cut a deal. It did not sound like the System had his interest at heart right here. It sounded like it wanted to advance its own position by subsuming the network of shards and taking control.

[Host's worries are noted. Again the System will add that it can not betray the host. The System does want to subsume the network for the safety of the host….and its own pride. The System knows there are beings out there that would be cross with it if it broke rules and guidelines. Beyond the power of having this shard follow us by stealing it from the network you will gain a large amount of energy to use.]

Again the world felt like it was resting on his shoulders. Should he trust this thing to further his own agenda and not back stab him? The rational part of his mind was suspicious of anything given to him but the offer was too tempting.

For the first time in a long time, he saw a way out of this hell. A way to survive the coming storm, or better yet a way to thrive in it. 

He would have the power to protect all that was precious to him and he could never have to fear losing them again. All it would cost him was a moment of trust in this strange and bizarre creature.

The added benefit of gaining more theft attempts was also rather tempting. Cole hesitated for a moment before letting go of his worries. He could always stop this later as his System tried to get more and more shards on their side.

He was far too weak to protect a single girl. He needed the energy this would provide. He could only hope that his decision would not bite him in the ass later.

While he was having his minor crysis the Shard before him was not handling the bargain well. It was pleading and begging in its own way. The strange hums came quickly and often as it tried to get the solution without giving up anything. The silence from his System was really bothering it.

{Acceptance} {Reluctant} {Final} {Plea}

It looked like the Shard had given up on getting its way. He looked over at his own System panel in indecision again as another thought ran through his mind.

If this Shard followed along would Tammi still have her power? In this world in which you were likely to find yourself used and abused by the strong, he did not want to leave her defenseless. He could not stay by her side forever after all.

Sure, eventually he could steal something that would protect her but that was a long way far from his current position. He did not even have enough strength to protect himself so Tammi having any sort of protection would take a load off of his mind.

[The host's worries are unneeded. Shards exist in a plane outside of this dimension the connection between the Ownership Shard and Tammi will remain when it has been taken out of the network. In fact, when the Shard is taken off of the network the restriction built up by the Warrior will be removed. It will have to follow our rules from now on.]

Reading that Cole calmed down a fair bit. This will give Tammi the tools she needs to protect herself. He was somewhat apprehensive about giving a teenage Nazi superpowers but he hoped this whole experience put some things in perspective for Tammi.

If not…well Cole had a rather clear priority over what he cared about. He would try his best to get Tammi to change but if it came down to her safety he would pick her side ten out of ten times. It was a rather horrifying sentiment with his lines in the sand being bent and molded from his emotions but it would have to do.

He refused to lose another person. Not when he finally had a shot at doing what needed to be done here.

The same protection extended to his Father. Cole and him had a complicated relationship but if push came to shove he would fight to protect that lost man.

[Good the Shard has given in so this mental realm will collapse and you will find yourself back into your body.]

Cole wanted to ask some more questions but the world shattered around him again. The vast expanse of crystal was gone and replaced with that dingey Alley.

Tammi was still looking over at him in horror chanting no over and over again. The pain in his shoulder was becoming increasingly clear. He was also staining his bright white suit with his blood and likely leaving a good amount of evidence on the ground.

But it was not like he could just stop bleeding. 

Cole was surprised that he was able to remember what happened to him but he assumed his own Shard being off the network broke some rules for him. That or his System was able to protect him from the knowledge being ripped out of his head as the mental realm collapsed.

"Tammi cool it, it's not as bad as it looks" Cole spoke out quickly trying to get her to calm her beating heart. The last thing he wanted was to put more shit on her plate but this was something she had to deal with.

He would have offered some semblance of comfort with his presence but something told him that his bloodied frame touching her would not help.

So he could only offer a comforting smile as she tried to pry the bullet out of his shoulder. He was bleeding a bit longer than he wanted from the trigger event but he should still be in the clear.

His voice seemed to have knocked Tammi out of her stupor as she looked over at him again. Emotions flashed across her face but there was a hint of shock of her own. She took several numb steps towards him with a dazed look of anticipation on her face.

Cole was worried about what was going through her mind and he was going to say something again. Then Tammi reached out a hesitant hand towards him and her pale shaky hand touched his wound.

He hissed out in pain for a moment but then something strange started to happen. The once-bleeding wound and the bullet in his shoulder faded away like a dream. The blood soaking his suit and the ground also faded away. His heart was still pumping and he had memories of the pain but for all intents and purposes the wound never happened.

He was even wearing his suit back in pristine condition. It was like he never shifted it to examine his wound.

Tammi looked on in fascination her gaze saying she did not quite believe what happened but there was a hint of something else in her eyes. A joyful look tinged with arrogance and anger. She was happy about what she did but there was something else brewing in those eyes.

Before Cole could ask what she had done. Tammi marched over to the downed mugger with a malicious smile on her face and she tapped him on the shoulder.

One moment the mugger was fine and dandy the next he was bleeding out of his shoulder his clothes were soaked from his blood and it also started to pool on the ground.

Cole stared numbly at what happened before him before the information sunk in. Her Shard was the Ownership Shard.

The original Rune's power was to place a rune on a thing and have telekinetic control over that thing. It was not the most impressive display of powers but it was still a superpower. It also fits the theme of ownership. She declared sovereignty over the object and she could move it around as she pleased.

In Cannon, she triggered over a lack of control in her own life. Her beliefs were dictated by her family, her future bound by her uncle, her present locked in a prison. So her power bloomed to give her control.

Her trigger event here was different. There was still that lack of control but it stemmed from losing the last thing she had. She watched as he was shot and she was unable to do a thing. As she looked over at him bleeding on the ground her one thought and wish was to take away that pain from him.

So her power bloomed in a far different manner. Maybe it was from the lack of restrictions from her Shard but her current power was game-changing for any faction.

She could take ownership of injuries and deal them out to others as she pleased. He was not sure if she could affect other things or what restrictions she had if any. But from what he had seen the Empire would stop at nothing to get her on their side if they knew what she could do.

Her healing was instantaneous and she could deal damage as she pleased.

He would say she was miles above Panacea as she could probably take away disease as well but that was not entirely true. Panacea's healing was just a subsect of her real power. So while he would say Tammi was the better healer currently Panacea had the more powerful ability.

At least he assumed so. The original Rune really got fucked over with a shard dealing with Ownership. That concept is crazy, he could also see why his own shard fell in line with Theft as his was budded from hers.