Warrior of the Mind

by WhoopsMyBad

Summary:

Taylor's always taken after her mom. Her hair, stature, mouth, a love of books, her sense of justice, the list goes on and on.

And that's not even mentioning her strategic mind, fighting spirit, knack for warefare, and weaving.

wait, what?

Notes:

Mostly dialogue to start off.
I blame any poor writing on the fact that Taylor's a literal baby at the moment.

Chapter 1: Prologue 1

November 11 1995

 

“I’m surprised that I found you here.” A pause. “I thought you said we would never see each other again.”

 

That was no lie. But I wished to see her just once as a full soul rather than remember her forever as an idea.

 

Mama made an unpleasant sound and adjusted me in her arms. “There are many ways to do that, you know.” 

 

She stopped walking suddenly, but as I craned my neck every way I could, I saw no one else in the stuffy room that made my nose scrunch. Just boxes and heavy looking books stacked as high as the sky. We stayed like that for a while until Mama tutted. 

 

“Come on now, show yourself to her. It’s only fair.”

 

I let out a loud giggle as a face suddenly appeared towering over me.

 

The new person said nothing. Just looked at me and I looked back. Even from this close I couldn’t see her whole face because of her weird, big hat.

 

“She has your eyes.”

 

As expected.

 

“Do you want to hold her?”

 

That would be…unwise.

 

“Well we couldn’t possibly have that.” Mama said in a funny voice.

 

The other one—not Mama—was so tall. Bigger than anyone I’ve ever seen before in my life. Her clothes shined and there were things dangling from her shoulders that I tried and failed to reach out to grab. 

 

They both laughed after I did so I laughed too.

 

Then the stranger slowly brought her hand to one of my own. So slowly that it was confusing. My hand grasped her finger. She let out a long sigh and smiled.

 

Hello my Little Owl. I am your primary creator. Athena.

 

I tried to say it back like her but the noises that came out sounded nothing like it, causing another round of giggles from all of us.

 

Did you encounter any trouble with explaining her?

 

“Of course I did. But Danny’s patient and I think no matter what story I come up with, he’ll love her all the same.”

 

The woman took her hand away even when I tried to squeeze it tighter.

 

“Tell me this isn’t the last time.”

 

That is not how this works. Have I not been forthcoming with the limits to our connection?

 

“This isn’t about you and I anymore, this is about Taylor!” her voice started raising harshly and I didn’t like it. I whimpered to Mama hoping she’d stop. She did.

 

She changes nothing, I do not interfere with such small mortal lives. I know that you are not naive Annette. Do not disprove me now.

 

The woman’s smile disappeared a while ago. The rest of her disappeared too when Mama hugged me closer.

 

“Then why did you want to see her at all?”

 

I am fulfilling my duty.

 

They stopped talking for a bit while Mama rocked me back and forth.

 

You will not believe me but I care for the babe as much as I am able. There is not a doubt in my mind that Taylor will make something of herself when she is older. Perhaps then we can all reunite.

 

With my Mama rocking me and her soft hand rubbing my back, I fell asleep.

 

I don’t remember if they said any more words after that.

Chapter 2: Prologue 2

Notes:

Another semi-present day and semi-recalled memory for a chapter. Honestly, I don't know why I dont just pick one tense and stick with it.

October 2 1996

 

The roars of laughter that filled the room were very familiar. 

 

“There’s no way he expected to avoid alimony after saying that!”

 

Uncle Alan was the best at story time. Even though he always tells Anne that his job is boring all the time, he makes it sound so cool when he tells everyone around the table all about it. 

 

“Oh, it gets better! Remember how I mentioned that it was his second marriage?”

 

A few feet away from the adults were me and Emma. After dinner time they put us in their sitting room so that we could play with Emma’s giant pile of toys. The one in my hands right now was a hard, smooth box for guessing animal noises. It’s my favourite right now because I get all the answers right every time.

 

But I stopped playing because Emma was being really quiet. Instead of playing with the soft, pink tiger she held, she was staring at Sophia and not saying anything. 

 

She’s not being bad though, just shy. Sophia is new.

 

Her daddy works with Uncle Alan and then they learned that he had a son named Terry that was as old as Anne. And then they learned about Sophia.

 

So they joined our family. 

 

I like Sophia but I don’t hear her voice a lot. She doesn’t make a lot of noise and she waits for us to pick toys before picking one to play with. But she was the first one to walk all by herself.

 

Right now Sophia isn’t doing anything fun either. She’s staring up at Terry but he’s talking to Anne. They get to be on the couch without someone watching.

 

No one's playing now and I’m all done so I drop the box on the fuzzy carpet and toddle to a different place.

 

When I hear pitter-patter behind me, I look and see Emma coming after me and Sophia standing just behind her. I smile and try to make them follow me by saying words that I know don’t sound right. 

 

Then I keep waddling to the window door that Aunt Zoe said to leave open because she likes to feel the wind.

 

But I don’t go outside, because something already came in. 

 

A weird worm wriggles closer to us.

 

No, not a worm. A snake! A snake that slithers and says “Hiss!”, but this one isn’t green like it’s supposed to be. But it doesn’t matter because it’s coming to say hello. 

 

I sit and wait for it. It’s very slow. Emma and Sophia find me first.

 

I wave my hand at it like Mama told me to do every time you meet someone.

 

The snake waved too! It stopped and stretched its nose really high and then waved with its weird tongue. I know what it was trying to say, though.

 

But before we could all start playing together, the laughing from before turned into screaming that hurt my ears. Suddenly, we were all being picked up and carried back to the kitchen. I heard Mama yelling for someone to “pick it up and get rid of it.”

 

Later, when it was less loud, someone put me back in Mama’s arms, and I realized that she was crying. 

 

I’ve never seen her cry before, and I hate it.

 

So I did what she always does for me and gave her a hug.

 

Then for the rest of the night, I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere else, and all everyone talked about was how much they hated snakes.

 

Notes:

Will I be writing increasingly convoluted ways to get characters to meet and build the ensemble I want for this story?

maayyybbee...

Chapter 3: Prologue 3

Notes:

Me personally, I skipped straight to calling my parents "Mom and Dad" so writing someone saying anything else feels kinda weird even though she's still like a toddler

May 29 1997

 

I hated daycare at first. 

 

Mama and Daddy were both gone and the place was always so loud. Only Emma was here and she didn’t like it either. Sophia was gone too and when I said her name to Daddy, he shook his head and said, “Sophia’s family doesn’t do daycare.”

 

Then one day after lunch time, a new boy was dropped off even though everyone else is supposed to come in the morning.

 

His name is Eric and he’s a baby.

 

He can’t walk or eat by himself and he’s not even here every day. When he talks, I try to listen but I never understand his words. But no one used to understand mine too.

 

There are a lot of kids here so Miss Nat and Miss Alana can’t answer my questions all the time even when I wait my turn. So I talk to Emma and Eric even though they never have the answer. Sometimes it’s more fun because I get to find the answer all by myself but it takes forever. 

 

Now, Eric can almost say my name. But it’s not fair because he learned Emma’s quicker than mine. We were practicing after nap time and some kids were starting to get picked up. 

 

Then a lady with yellow hair tried to take Eric.

 

“No!”

 

I grabbed him and carried him to put behind me. He was really heavy so we both fell over.

 

“What is the meaning of this?” the lady started yelling at me with her hands on her hips like I was in trouble.

 

“No take!”

 

She breathes really loud and long, “I don’t have time for this nonsense. You knock it off right now.”

 

“Bad! Stranger!” I pointed at her even though Mama says it’s rude.

 

Her eyes got really big, “Excuse me!?” Lady tried to grab him again so I started screaming as loud as I could.

 

“WOAH, what’s happening here?”

 

I look and see Uncle Alan, Emma, and Miss Nat coming over.

 

I keep pointing, “Not Eric’s Mama.” I explain and nod my head. 

 

Uncle Alan laughs and pats my head, “You’re right, Taylor. That’s certainly not Mrs. Pelham.” He looks at the lady and his smile gets even bigger. “But, that is his Aunt Carol Dallon who’s picking up as a favor, I presume?”

 

Carol Dallon makes a weird, low noise and hugs herself. Miss Nat scoops up Eric and tells us that she’s going to get his stuff ready. I let her.

 

“Interesting kid you’ve got there, Barnes.”

 

“Actually this is my buddy’s daughter. My little girl is right here. Say hello Emma.”

 

Emma looks at me first while I rub my throat.

 

“Hello.”

 

“Well, as long as you only take her to ‘Take Your Daughter to Work Day’ in a couple years then I’m more than happy to move on.”

 

She still sounds mad so I reach up to tug her sleeve, “Sorry. Want to help.”

 

Another long breath from her later, she gently moves my hand off and tells us goodbye.

 

When we get to Uncle Alan’s car, I ask him if I’m gonna be in trouble for being mean.

 

He looks back at us and smiles wide, “Nope, but I’ll be damned if I’m not gonna say anything about Miss Stone Cold being completely stonewalled by a toddler at the water cooler tomorrow!”

Notes:

Side note, do you think that Earth Bet had a different phrase for "Stranger Danger" cause it could cause a panic orrr would it be too ingrained in culture by then

Chapter 4: Prologue 4

Notes:

another dialogue heavy one

November 15 1998

 

It’s always cold here and Daddy says that it’s because we live by water. But now, it’s super, super cold. 

 

Last night, it snowed for the very first time and I was allowed to stay up past my bedtime to watch. They said no playing though, so I made them promise me a special snow day today.

 

And we did! We went to the park to make snow angels and then we made drawings by walking in lines on the snow.

 

“Please? Please, stay more?”

 

When I talk outside, smoke comes out of my mouth somehow.

 

“I’m sorry sweetie, maybe next time.”

 

But Mama and Daddy get tired fast and now we have to go home.

 

“Please, please?”

 

“ Taylor —”

 

“Annette, look over there”

 

Near us there was a boy walking around, picking up some snow and then dropping it and walking away. He was talking but I couldn’t hear him or see who he was talking to. 

 

Then, he fell on his face.

 

“Oof. Here, let me help you.” Daddy said while picking him up and moving the snow off him. “What’s your name?”

 

“...Brian.”

 

“How old are you, buddy?”

 

“I’m five!” He showed us with his hand, all five fingers spread wide.

 

“And what are you doing out here by yourself?”

 

“Finding warm snow!”

 

They did the thing where they stopped talking for a bit to look at each other and only move their eyes. 

 

The boy didn’t wait for his turn, “Warm snow for Aisha.”

 

“Who’s Aisha?”

 

“My new sister! Papa says that she can’t play outside yet so I’m getting warm snow that she can hold and play with inside.”

 

“Oh! That’s very sweet, Brian. But you shouldn’t be out here by yourself.”

 

Brian looked around the park, “But there’s so many people here?”

 

“She means that you should be here with people you know. Not strangers.”

 

“Oh…”

 

Mama moved so that she and Brian were as tall as each other, “Do your parents know where you are right now?”

 

I didn’t hear him say anything, just saw him look away.

 

“Hey it’s okay. Let’s go to the entrance and then we’ll call someone.”

 

And then we were leaving even though I wanted to stay longer. Daddy even picked me up before I could sneak away. I grumbled into his neck without saying any actual words.

 

After some walking, I saw a pretty grey bird with a long tail and it looked like it was wearing a black necklace. It was flying above us for a bit and then it looked right at me!

 

“Help?”

 

“Hmm? Yes, we’re helping Brian find his parents, kiddo.”

 

The birdie lands close by on a branch, still looking at me.

“Help, please?”

 

“What? What’s wrong Taylor?”

 

I stare at the bird with big eyes and frown because it helps adults listen more. 

 

And Birdie is listening to me. It feels something kinda like excited or like when me and Sophia found all those anthills at the park. But, I just feel normal. 

 

“Taylor?”

 

“Danny what’s going on, why’d you stop walking?”

 

Birdie flew away and I got sad until—

 

“Sweetie!”

 

I’m flying. I feel my wings move up and down with the wind. I feel Daddy’s arms hug me tighter and Mama holding my face. 

 

Higher and higher, I go. I’m not moving at all. 

 

Trees look weird like this. The park has so much that it makes hide and seek with Emma and Sophia really fun even after all the leaves fell. Nobody’s hiding right now. Far away where the wind is stronger, there’s a big man who has dark skin just like Brian. Mama is so close to my face, taking turns looking at my eyes. I can see only her. I see the man close to the ground, staring at the parts of snow where little oval marks are made, but he’s going away from where we met Brian. 

 

Birdie lands on a branch for a second and then leaves. I do too. 

 

“That way.”

 

Everybody stops.

 

“What?”

 

“Brian’s daddy is there.” I push Daddy’s arms away because they make it hard to turn and point.

 

Brian doesn’t wait, “Ohh!” And then he runs the way I said.

 

“Hold on, hold on!”

 

I giggle when they start chasing after him. So many things of smoke are made while we run but it looks like we might win the race. 

 

But when we reach Brian again, Daddy doesn’t run past him. Actually, he just stops when the boy yells out and then hugs the man I saw earlier. I want to watch what comes next but I think looking for him made me tired. 

 

I close my eyes as the adults all go around and say their names. 

 

Later, when it’s bedtime again, in a soft voice; they’ll ask me, “Taylor sweetie, how did you know where to find him?”

 

I’ll tell them the truth but they won’t understand.

 

“Birdie!”

 

Daddy laughs and looks at Mama with his special smile only for her, “A little birdie told you?”

 

“Nooo. Birdie showed me.”

 

And for the next few days, I get to stay with Mama or Daddy all the time. I stay home from daycare or I get to go to work with them. They’ll put a stick in my mouth and a hand high on my face over and over. And over and over, they’ll ask me how I’m feeling. And my answer was always the same, “Great, because we’re all together!”

Notes:

I had some trouble with this one so at this point im just gonna post it and move on to the next before it drives me crazy

Chapter 5: Prologue 5

Notes:

I need to remind myself that writing this story is supposed to be fun. I intended to upload faster so I could force myself to not stress about each chapter being the best thing I've ever written but alas, I fall victim to my woes. Oh well, here's another prologue chapter (there's still quite a few left planned until we get to the meat of the story).

November 2 1999

 

“Honey, did you clean your room?”

 

“PRT Officials have refused to comment on the situation thus far.”

 

“You know Emma can’t come over again until you tidy up”

 

“In related news, it seems that the entirety of the Protectorate’s founding team has finally arrived to respond to the scene. ”

 

“Taylor, why aren't you answering?”

 

I hear Daddy’s footsteps as he comes into the room and sees me watching the movie. The monster dodges just in time to not get hit by Alexandria.

 

“He’s still there.”

 

After dinner, I was sometimes allowed to watch tv before bed. But before I found the cartoon channel, I found one with the words; ‘BREAKING NEWS’ at the top. There was a giant lizard monster in Japan and the heroes were trying to beat it. The people on the screen were talking about the small video in the corner coming from a big, strong plane made by Hero. It’s kinda shaky and hard to see because of the rain.

 

“Taylor, I don't want you seeing this. There’s nothing we can do, okay? Go upstairs and I’ll come tuck you in.”

 

I stand up but keep my eyes on the tv. Alexandria’s back to flying around the monster and I want to see it when she wins so I can tell Emma about it later. Her favourite hero is Legend but mine is Alexandria because she’s strong and smart.

 

She’s probably the strongest one too because she’s the only one getting really close to the bad guy.

 

“Why is he breaking everything?” I’m pretty sure that the giant had no mouth so no one could ask him why.

 

“I don’t know but It’ll be gone soon.”

 

He wasn’t.

 

When I woke up in the morning to get ready for preschool, Mama had the tv on while she drank her coffee. Instead of the shaky movie, they only had pictures that people were pointing at. I get to go to Emma’s house almost everyday because Mama and Daddy both go to work super, super early. Mostly, we play or nap a little bit before it’s time to go.

 

The monster’s still there. Swimming through and breaking everything in his way even though there were a lot less things to run into, he still did. There’s a lot less heroes in the movie now, they must have gotten tired. I think I see less than ten and I smile when I see the familiar black and grey suit leading the charge. But at some point another giant joined the fight too!

 

“Is that a hero?”

 

He looked kinda weird. He was a lot shinier than everybody else and had a super long neck. For some reason, none of the news people knew his name. He looked really cool and strong.

 

“I’m not so sure, kiddo.”

 

Everyone was moving around a lot but I think that the other guy was still smaller than the monster. And he was fighting the villain with the other heroes so that must make him one of the good guys. 

 

“ Danny… ”

 

Mama was using her mad voice even though we weren’t doing anything. Quickly, Daddy picked me up and sat me at the table for breakfast. From the other room, I can hear the tv being shut off.

 

“But I wanted to see them beat the monster!” I whined.

 

“No one wins when the Endbringers come, Taylor.” Daddy sounded kinda sad now, so I stopped talking until I got to Emma’s house.

 

Even later, I was still thinking about it. Most times, the adults didn’t like it when I asked about those monsters but they talked about it when they thought I couldn’t hear them. No one knew what either of them were or why they were so mean. 

 

Sophia said that they just like breaking stuff but that doesn’t make sense at all. The cities that they come to belong to the people living in them, not the monsters. Anne once said that they were villains trying to rule the world. But they never stayed in one place.

 

Before naptime, I saw a big tower of blocks that someone made and then left behind to play with something else. 

 

When I kicked the first block on the ground, all I felt was the pokey edges of the other blocks falling on my foot. It didn’t hurt but it wasn’t fun at all. 

 

I think that they’re just mean.

Notes:

So this will be a soft crossover(?) with Worm as the primary universe. For the mythological elements I will be using Epic the Musical, the Odyssey, the Percy Jackson series, and other bits of greek mythology as HEAVY inspiration.

The later plot points are gonna probably heavily reference the stories mentioned. And for Taylor's powerset I'm using most of Rick Riordan's system for children of Athena. She'll also be the only demihuman unless my plans drastically change.

Also there will be some AU elements to the wormverse but they'll mostly be covered through the prologue and don't extend far outside the events of the story if that makes any sense at all.

I wanna clarify that I am not an expert on any of these stories and I'm honestly writing this just for my target audience (me) and to fight writers block.