Fics I Read 2.0

FanFiction.Net

Just In

Community

Forum

V

More

Bio Forge Master (Rewrite) by Throwaway1971

Books » Private Rated: M, English, Romance, Words: 137k+, Favs: 57, Follows: 75, Published: Dec 12, 2023 Updated: Mar 15, 2024

29Chapter 2: 02

Bio-Forge Master

Chapter 2

"Okay. I'm going to trust you, Forge." Fran said at his ad hoc surgery naked from the waist up, "I don't have a reason to trust you, but I have to. You're all that's standing between surviving and dying. So, I'm going to trust your perks, and that this mad science I'm going to commit on myself will actually work."

He wasn't entirely sure if the Celestial Forge was aware, or at least aware in a way humans could understand, but for a moment he swore that he could hear massive gears turn in the back of his head and the warmth of a forge fill him. He wasn't sure if it was just self-delusion or not, but he decided that whatever was backing his power was reassuring him.

With a steadying breath Fran grabbed a syringe filled with purple fluid, a pain suppressant to keep the pain from distracting him and injected it before he grabbed a scalpel and looked at his arm, this was the first step to helping him survive.

"Okay, okay I can do this…" Fran muttered as he double checked, more out of nerves than anything else and a desire to let his pain suppressant to spread, to make sure all the tools he'd need were within reach.

Licking his lips he took another breath, "Okay, no more stalling. This is going to be my first step to the future." He said, "I got all the knowledge on how to perform exploratory surgery and how to improve myself to peak human performance. If I had the resources, I could turn myself into a virtual Space Marine! Just fucking do it…"

With a final steading breath Fran took the scalpel and with skill and finesse he knew he would've never possessed naturally he split his skin from the base of his wrist to elbow, with his pain largely repressed he only felt an easily ignored sting. Even as he carefully peeled the skin until his entire forearm was exposed.

Moving his fingers Fran watched in fascination as his tendons tensed and released and watched his muscles flex. Any previous hesitance was the farthest thing on his mind as he his mind was filled with plans on how to improve… everything really. Strength, bone density, how to weave an organic subdermal armor, how to weave an organic mesh around his arteries, even how to increase blood flow and oxygen intake!

Honestly, he wasn't entirely sure why he was so hesitant to begin sooner! He could've already laid the groundwork for future surgeries! Well, better late than never. Still a shame though, so much lost time…

Sadly, with his makeshift tools and ad hoc surgery there was only so much he could realistically do. He could at best give himself peak human physicality but anything beyond that required better suited tools and a proper surgery. Not to mention more materials than he could realistically get from graverobbing and maintain some level of plausible deniability. Still, he supposed he needed to learn to walk before he started running.

"Hmm, good thing the security at the morgue is so shit." Fran muttered as he poked and prodded his arm, "I have plenty of material in storage, so I shouldn't have to dig up fresh graves for material. Hmm, perhaps I could use my talent at cosmetic alterations to hide my identity?"

At the comment his mind was filled with the procedures to create an entirely new face and swap it out like from the movie Face-Off!

"Hmm, perhaps a respirator for a secondary mask?" Fran mused, "Maybe later, I can just use a basic surgical mask. Well might as well get to giving myself a tune up! I'll work on my new face later… if I have enough skin in stock."

"Okay, so… peak human. Feels good." Granted it took some clever workarounds as he rather liked his femboy aesthetic though he would have to give it another run due to the hurried nature of the procedure, "Now, the last layer of my disguise." Well for now anyway as he didn't have any spare skin in storage.

The part of him that still thought this was all a fever dream and that powers didn't exist squirmed and squealed as he started to perform a Direct Laryngoscopy on himself to loosen up his vocal cords and in theory deepen his voice.

After slicing the skin, he got some small tacks to pin them open as he got to work, and as he operated on himself, he allowed himself to wonder if he should contact Aisha or not, she knew a lot more than anyone would really expect and the only thing she hated more than Merchants were Nazis. On one hand… he knew he really shouldn't call her and ask if she knew of any Merchant store houses for him to rob, mainly because she would want to take part… and Fran wasn't entirely sure if he could say no to her. She and her father had done a lot to help him adjust to Brockton Bay, and honestly… Aisha was his only friend so there is that.

Oh… and Brian was there, though he didn't do much other than stare at him judgingly. Like he was planning on abducting his sister… though it might've been because Aisha had been calling him her Twink Daddy and being all suggestive.

Yeah, thinking about it that was probably it.

Maybe she could help him loot the place? Obviously, he would go in and clear the place, and it would give them the freedom to loot at their leisure. They'd mainly take money, but Fran wasn't sure if he could resist taking anything interesting. He wasn't entirely sure he'd find anything interesting, but you never know.

But still while looting a gang was truly a net positive really, it still didn't resolve the subject of funding for his tinkering. And not for the first time he considered going to the PRT, logically he knew the whole Biotinker fear was artificially inflated and that if he just came out as one, he wouldn't get a Kill Order slapped on him if he didn't do anything to earn said Kill Order.

Yet another part of him kept reminding him that the local PRT Director is a Nilbog survivor and had all the assorted trauma that came with the title. The woman had a damn good reason to hate Biotinkers, and given her possible distaste of capes in general? Honestly, he shouldn't let his paranoia dictate what he does.

Fran shook his head to dislodge those thoughts if he wasn't currently operating on his voice box.

Instead, he decided to think on something different, perhaps he could approach the hospital and rent out his skills. He could deal with truly terminal cases when Panacea wasn't available for whatever reason for a modest profit. And eventually he could even open a clinic of his own where he would offer reconstructive and cosmetic surgeries for a fee, he wouldn't technically be fleecing the rich since his perks gave him the skill to back up all his boasts as well.

Carefully gluing the skin back in place Fran chuckled, "Testing." He said experimentally, finding he sounded vaguely similar to Barry Manalow.

Or maybe he thought that because it was the only voice he could think of? Didn't matter really, now that his operation was all complete, he could clean his tools, sterilize them, and put them up for next time! Humming to himself he got up and gathered everything before walking over to a sink to wash them up.

"Hmm, hell with it. I'll shoot Aisha a text." He decided as he finished washing his hands.

If he (and Aisha seeing as she'll involve herself despite his wishes) got a good payday from this heist he would easily give Aisha a cut. Though she'd probably demand he treat her to something or otherwise spoil her. Which… he honestly didn't have much of a problem with doing honestly. Maybe he could actually get himself an actual apartment instead of a shed… that'd be nice.

While the privacy his current living situation afforded him was very nice, he didn't like having to routinely run off idiots that thought about dicking around in a graveyard.

100 CP Gained!

300 CP Available!

Bank?

Y/N

A part of him wanted to bank the points, but it was entirely possible that the Forge would provide him an answer to his current issues… somehow. He had no idea how the Forge worked, was it something like a random number generator? Was there actually some form of sentience behind the scenes? Was some godlike entity at the helm and decided whether or not to give him a bone? Or… was it purely RNG?

Regardless, nothing ventured, nothing gained right?

"Roll…" Fran said.

Rolling…

Scions of the seventh Dawn x 3 – (free) (Final Fantasy XIV)

Success

Rolling…

The Operating Theater – (free) (Franken Fran)

Success

Rolling…

NEVER say NEVER – (400 cp) (Kamen Rider Neo-Heisei part 1)

Failed

300 CP Available

The first was… fine? Fran honestly didn't see how it benefited him unless he somehow found himself in a dimension where Final Fantasy XIV is actually reality. And the fourth one… well if the passing impression he got… it would integrate itself pretty seamlessly into his already existing knowledge base. But the second one, The Operating Theater, changed things… that changed a lot!

A fully stocked and prepared operating theater simply waiting for him in a sub-dimension? What more the Forge trickled the knowledge of how to make a 'Portable Dimensional Anchor' so in essence… he could take it with him everywhere! All he would need is a doorway to anchor the device and when he opened the door, he could walk straight into it!

What was better, he could make the anchor! It wasn't even proper tinkertech either, anyone could make one honestly. It's just that unless the creator was connected to the Celestial Forge all it would be is a neat looking paperweight!

With an eager grin he quickly shot off a text to Aisha before he got some bits and bobs and started tinkering!

He wanted his damn Operating Theater damnit! His desire to have proper tools to work with made his hands itch in an unfamiliar way.

"Is this how normal tinkers feel?" He mused as he continued to fiddle with his future Anchor only stopping when his phone buzzed, "Though this will make teaching Aisha a lot easier…" And wasn't that a strange discovery, Aisha was fascinated by surgery and medicine… and it only took a little thought to discover why that is.

Shaking his head, Fran reached over and opened it only to chuckle at Aisha's response.

Chaos_Gremlin says: OMW Babe!

"That Aisha…" He thought with a chuckle as he sat his phone aside and resumed tinkering on the Anchor.

He and Aisha's relationship was rather odd, they first met at this old boxing gym in the Docks. The first time he walked into the place Fran honestly thought he had traveled back to the Eighties or onto the set of a Rocky movie. Aisha was apparently there on 'punishment duty' for being a little shit and was running spit buckets and doing busy work. Yeah, Mr. Lebron legit didn't know how to deal with a hellion like Aisha, not that Fran blamed the old guy. He didn't know how to handle her, and she is practically his best friend!

With benefits… in her words anyway. They hadn't done anything, and not for the lack of trying on Aisha's part.

But yeah, Aisha saw him exercising and getting tips from the regulars when he worked on the punching bag. Apparently, it was 'love at first sight' if you listened to Aisha talk about it, she immediately felt attracted, and her loins ached for him to take and claim her!

Yeah, Aisha really 'appreciated' the 'femboy' aesthetic. And the only damn reason that Fran wasn't beaten black and blue, if not to death by the regulars and Mr. Laborn himself, especially after Aisha waxed poetic about them being 'star crossed lovers', is because he never engaged Aisha. He talked to her, but he stayed respectful, and his eyes never drifted to anywhere inappropriate (well… when she wasn't deliberately showing off… that ass man…), you'd think that would make Aisha lose interest.

It didn't.

Fran even to this day still found himself wondering how she snuck her PHO handle and phone number into his jogging pants. A natural born pickpocket that girl.

They actually had a good relationship on PHO, and thankfully she turned down her antics when he was at the gym. She saved them for PHO, and Fran had never encountered anyone as 'thirsty', for the lack of a better term, girl in his life! Clearly puberty didn't hit her with an eighteen-wheeler, but with an entire fleet of them! Honestly Fran could only imagine what her browser history was like… no doubt filled with femboys and twinks.

Not that he'd know, Fran wasn't brave enough to venture into her browser history. Few were brave enough, he imagined.

Shaking his head, Fran focused on his current task. He could show Aisha when she arrived… and depending on the time he possibly could smooth out his augmentations!

Her and Fran's relationship could be summed up as complicated, what with him being twenty (though he sure as fuck don't look it) and her being fifteen. Fran had to deal with people at the gym giving him a hard time on occasion, seeing as most think the two were fucking. Which wasn't true, no matter how much Aisha wished that was the case. The dude actually got her, listened to her, and actually helped her out more than any teacher in the pit that is Winslow!

Honestly it was hard not to crush on the dude, which only grew when he found out her interest in the field of medicine. And even when he learned that her fascination wasn't to help people, but was solely to help her mom kick her habit and go back to being mom? He didn't judge her, and even helped her learn the subject!

Aisha never wanted to get smashed more, though the guy had his reasons for not doing it. Though she had caught him admiring her ass often enough to know he wasn't entirely uninterested. He was a guy after all, and in all honesty.

Puberty hit Aisha harder than a pimp does his favorite hoe!

But when she cottoned on to the possibility, he was an actual Parahuman! Well, she didn't push… honestly, he had been so good to her (yeah there were rough patches when he got irritated by her playful antics) she bit back the urge to just confront him in excitement! Instead, she decided to wait, he'd tell her eventually.

He did eventually, but honestly it was kind of forced because Brockton Fucking Bay has Nazis and Aisha is a sassy black girl. She ultimately got away from the encounter, but she was fucked up herself, and instead of calling 911 she headed to Fran's place. Thankfully it was his day off, so he was there.

And what happened was Fran freaking out and sweeping her away into his basement surgery where he got to work. After injecting her with something to suppress the pain he undressed her and started operating with unnatural precision and swiftness.

After everything Aisha, as if to prove she was back to normal, acted like a blushing maiden and told him he had to take responsibility because he was all up in her guts and filled her up.

Fran just chuckled and hugged her, completely ignoring the fact that she was naked. He didn't care that he had outed himself, he was just relieved that he helped his friend.

And since that day they had been tight, though her dumbass brother always did his macho bullshit whenever Fran was around.

"God, he nearly had a heart attack when I called Fran my future Baby Daddy." She thought with a snicker.

Growing up with a junkie for a mom that whored herself out and tried to whore Aisha out herself for her next fix? Aisha is very familiar with sex and knows everything to do to have the unsafest sex imaginable. However, despite her mom's attempts Aisha never 'got the experience' herself, and her 'boyfriends' really wanted to try out the younger model. It's a good thing Aisha's always been good at disappearing and hiding out. And she really wanted to know what good sex is like, and she's hoping one day she'd wear Fran down enough to eventually make a woman out of her!

Besides who knew what kind of kinky shit you could get up to with tinker fuckery!?

Shaking her head, she opened her cheap phone and after some navigating pulled up a picture of Fran just when he got out of the shower. With a towel around his waist unfortunately but it wasn't bad. She knew some would be weirded out about it, but Aisha honestly liked how feminine and soft he appeared, and those ruby red eyes and golden hair of his?

Aisha wasn't ashamed to admit she flicked the bean to thoughts of him, she could only imagine what he was packing! Was it a monster, which stood in contrast to his femininity? Or was it a petite thing that he knew how to use very well?

Maybe it would be both somehow!

She was jerked out of her thoughts by the bus stopping, and realizing it was her stop she put her phone away and got off the bus with little fanfare. Walking up to the gate to the graveyard she didn't pay it any attention as she entered and made her way to Fran's shack.

Well calling it a shack is pretty unfair, it was a perfectly good place to live by yourself and even had a cellar-basement thing so there's that. Aisha was especially familiar with the basement as that's where Fran operated on her, it was really unnecessary but when Fran freaks, he kind of goes overboard. But aside from that he teaches her all about biology, often opening himself up and injecting some tinker shit and explaining the purpose of everything.

Like we're talking things you sure as hell wouldn't learn in high school, especially a shitty one like Winslow! Plus, whenever she asked about the reproductive system Fran would get all flustered, and oh would his eyes glaze over when she said she could lay on the table, and he could explain everything to her!

He was wearing baggy pants at the time, but Aisha was pretty sure he was harder than an iron bar.

But after a few minutes of walking she came to Fran's home, and after making sure her ass was immaculate (it's her best feature in her opinion) and making sure she was dressed to fluster she immediately decided to let Fran know she was there.

In a completely Aisha manner by kicking in the door, "THE BOOTY CALL HAS ARRIVED!"

"I'm downstairs!" She heard him call back.

Kicking off her shoes she made her way through the small house and found the stairway to the basement, actually it was something that always amused her. As there was no door at the top of the stairs but there was one at the bottom. She always thought it was an odd choice of location but what did she know about construction anyway?

Still, she trundled down the stairs but before she opened the door, she saw this odd thing pressed into the door. Honestly it almost looked like one of those emblems from a Ford, and she was pretty sure she had never seen it before? Scratching her cheek she shrugged and opened the door, ready to give her eventual boyfriend a tight and cuddly hug to ensure he knew all her curves.

(He did, but Aisha liked flustering him)

Only to stop before she could launch herself at Fran and stare… at the professional surgery table. The surroundings didn't really register, she was too busy watching Fran stitch himself close.

"Why is this hot?" She wasn't weird right? She's pretty sure she wasn't weird but… it's kind of weird that she was getting horny watching Fran stitch his chest close…

Eventually she managed to speak up and blurted "What the actual fuck!?"

Which in turn provoked a laugh from Fran, "Come in and shut the door." He said, "Would you like to close up Nurse Laborn?" He teased.

Aisha sputtered and gaped, something that rarely happened, before she stiffly went over to start scrubbing up and pulling on a surgical gown and some gloves.

"You will explain." Aisha stated as she walked over to the table.

"Of course." He said with a smile as he relaxed.

And as she took over closing Fran up, she couldn't help but groan faintly, "Goddamnit, I am weird…"

Fran didn't chuckle, no matter how much he really wished he could, and instead stared up at the ceiling mirrors and silently observed Aisha's technique. She had improved since last time, while this was the first time, he operated on himself it wasn't the first time he opened himself up. Spending time around Aisha he realized that she learned best when she was kept engaged and things did get too dull, which immediately explained why she hated studying. So, all her lessons regarding biology and anatomy were done with examples.

Usually himself and the occasional stray, and junkies that decided to hole up in a crypt but died of an Overdose.

200 CP Gained!

500 CP Available!

Bank?

Y/N

"Bank." Mainly because he didn't want to get distracted with Aisha there, besides he wanted to explain the Celestial Forge to her… though he was curious as to why it suddenly gave him two hundred instead of one hundred.

"So, did you want me to come to test my technique?" She asked with some sass and immediately Fran knew what was coming next, "I'm sure I can do a lot of extra credit to improve my scores teach!~"

Fran just grumbled, "No I didn't. That said, your technique has definitely improved Aisha." He said with a smile as she preened under the praise, "Actually I wanted you to come over because I had a few questions, and I couldn't think of anyone else to ask." He added.

As Aisha beamed and stroked his chest in a manner that had nothing to do with medical techniques, Fran acknowledged at least to himself that he fibbed a little. He could easily contact Tattletale, but that alone came with the knowledge that it would also get Coil's attention. And as much as asking the 'psychic' would make things easier, he didn't want to risk the chance of Coil asking if she learned anything interesting during her extracurricular activities.

Tattletale turned out to be something of an information broker, go figure. But then again, her powers were decidedly suited to the job, and you could make bank selling information. Especially if you're morally flexible, like Tattletale is.

"Yes, I'm a virgin! I'm very flexible. I've never tried anal but I'm curious, and I'm completely willing to swallow." Aisha said with a grin as my cheeks reddened, "Though I am not doing it raw, I'm in no way aiming to get teen pregnant. I've seen how that ruins lives from the whores at Winslow."

"I wasn't going to ask that!" Fran sputtered, getting a laugh from Aisha.

"Not yet anyway." Aisha sassed with a wink, "You can't deny my jailbait appeal forever my twinky stud!"

"Goddamnit Aisha!" Fran groaned as Aisha finished closing Fran up letting him sit up, "I was wondering if you knew any Merchant store houses, I need some money, and if I was hoping you would know of some places… and if you wanted to help me loot when I've knocked everyone out."

"Fucking A!" Aisha exclaimed in excitement, "I know so much shit! You have no idea! Like where my mom's fucking dealer gets his shit!" Though that excitement at the thought of fucking with the Merchants Fran could still see that burning hatred.

"Okay, but if we're doing this you are going to be safe." Aisha pouted but Fran didn't relent, "I'm serious. I want you to be on the lookout. I'll signal you when it's safe, I promise." Fran said.

"Fine…" Aisha grumbled, "So we're gonna burn all the drugs, right?" She asked with a grin.

"No." Aisha's eyes narrowed at that, "I can break down all the drugs into usable materials. You know I ain't interested in selling that shit." Fran said defending his choice.

"Eh, I don't like it." Aisha said with a huff, "But… I can settle with the schadenfreude that their shit's going to help people." She added with a snicker.

Fran nodded in agreement.

"So, what was the other thing you wanted to tell me?" Aisha asked sweetly, "Perhaps?~" She added coyly as she made groping motions with her as and playfully leered at him.

Fran snorted before smoothly getting off the table, got behind Aisha faster than she expected, and hugged her, and pinning her arms to her chest. He pointedly ignored the fact that Aisha ground her admittedly amazing ass into his crotch or the fact she started to moan which… was affecting him more than he liked.

Perhaps he should've thought this through honesty… and God bless jogging pants!

"So… you've got a bullshit trump power that randomly gives you out powers when you gather enough points." Aisha said blandly, "Is that about, right?"

"Essentially." Fran said, "Though I have no idea what governs when or how many points I get. Like… ten minutes ago I got two hundred points."

"Such bullshit." Aisha said with a pout, "Man… what's a girl gotta do to get cool powers!?" She whined missing Fran's wince completely.

As a rule, Fran didn't lean on his meta-knowledge as it proved unreliable as he knew little of the 'canon timeline' beyond the bare basics. Which had been hopelessly corrupted by dozens of different and conflicting fanons. However, he did know some things, such as Aisha did have the potential to gain power and the process of gaining power. And he loathed the thought of Aisha going through a Trigger event, as it would leave her irrevocably changed.

And no Parahuman ever truly recovered from their Trigger event, truly Second gen capes and Cauldron capes were lucky. And even regarding Second gens… just because they can Trigger easier doesn't mean they can't go through trauma.

Honestly Fran thought Aisha's canon power was pretty cool, though admittedly a pain to control at times but she gets used to it. He could possibly activate her power without her going through trauma, but he wasn't sure how the power would express itself; it certainly wouldn't express itself as it did in canon. So, did he really want to do that… when through his own surgical skills, he could make her superhuman?

It was definitely something to consider either way, even if she did opt for him to activate her powers, he'd still make her effectively superhuman. Especially since there is a very good chance, she'll want to work with him almost exclusively, if only to fluster him more.

He would shelve that thought for later, and instead decided to chuckle and give Aisha a squeeze which in turn made her hum happily.

"I don't know about giving you a Parahuman power… but I have other options." Fran said as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"... You don't just tell a girl that without details!" Aisha squeaked as her cheeks reddened much to his amusement.

"Well, just before you called earlier, I was in the process of giving myself peak human physicality." Fran said as he easily picked her up and sat her on the table, "But that was with shoddy equipment. With this however I was smoothing everything out, which you caught me finishing up."

"GET INSIDE ME!" Aisha demanded eagerly, causing Fran to roll his eyes, honestly, he wasn't sure if she made the innuendo by accident or not.

"Fine." Fran said with a snort, "But I don't have the time to make you superhuman, so you'll have to make due with being the physical peak of your age along with more efficient organs. That good?"

"That will do for now!" Aisha said faux-snootily, "But I expect the best efforts for your Queen! Now let me get naked so you can get all up in my guts!" Of course, she finished it with that.

Fran just sighed and shook his head in fond exasperation.

Watching her stud play around with her insides would never stop fascinating her, better her guts or his instead of a random hobo or junkie that OD'd in her opinion. And honestly after he was done Aisha didn't feel all that different, but Fran explained that he arranged everything to be gradual increases instead of an instant boost.

Which, after she gave it some thought, honestly made a lot of sense. She didn't want to imagine the questions she'd get if she went from kind of healthy to a potential Olympic participant in the span of a few hours.

Still, that left watching Fran work on his own disguise, admittedly watching him scalp himself and treat his scalp with some sort of tinkery black magic shit and put it away made her squirm and not in the way she liked. The fact that he cleaned off the blood from his skull, treated the cuts, and pulled on a beanie before wiping off the blood that covered his face?

No lying, that shit was unnerving.

He completed everything by grabbing some welding goggles to hide his very memorable eyes and a basic surgical mask. Then he looked at her and nodded, it was almost midnight by the time everything was done so it was go time.

The trek to the store house took another hour, so it was roughly one in the morning. All the junkies would be asleep by now and the guards would probably either be getting high themselves or asleep as well just made things even better!

"Thank god Winslow is such a shithole…" Though her dad and Brian would bitch about her skipping, though she bet Fran would have something to perk her up!

Besides she'd feel rotten for leaving Tay out like that… oh, there was an idea! Who says she was the only assistant Fran could have!

Though really, she was distracting herself from the boredom of having to look out while Fran dealt with the mooks. She understood really, she had a short attention span after all, but she wasn't stupid. Merchants were well known for their shoot first ask questions never approach to problems.

Especially when they were high… or any other time really.

"Though he did promise to let her help loot." Which satisfied Aisha more than he even realized.

Aisha hated the Merchants, the only others she hated more were the goddamn E88. In her opinion all the shit she's had to deal with growing up with a junkie mom is solely the fault of the goddamn Merchants and the shit they peddle. They were the reason she had the issues she had. And that's just personal shit, who knows how many lives they've ruined pushing their shit on the willing and unwilling alike!? Honestly if all the leaders suddenly came up with a sudden case of death Aisha would be the first to fucking celebrate!

Yeah, the Merchants would still exist… but not for long. Without leadership and the steady flow of money and drugs they would eventually splinter, and the gang would collapse entirely!

However, before she could start daydreaming about getting her Fran to take out the Merchant leadership and loot them for all they were worth she saw Fran come out from the storehouse and wave, which meant it was looting time!

It was a good thing she grabbed that emblem thingy! That way they could take everything and leave only unconscious junkies!

Quickly coming out of her hiding spot and jogging over she entered the store house. Honestly, she was surprised by how quiet the entire thing was. Did Fran catch everyone with their pants down? Or where they were all asleep and Fran just made sure they wouldn't wake up?

Entering the building she quickly found Fran and hugged him with a giddy giggle.

"Come on. Let's find a door to put the emblem on, then we can get to work." Fran said with a smile.

"Fran, you know how to get a girl the best presents!" Aisha said, making Fran roll his eyes.

"Just move it." He said as he ruffled her hair.

Aisha just snickered but scampered off to find a door to put the emblem on, she did poke her head in one room to confirm what her nose had told her. The entire place was basically a drug lab, and she could see a couple pallets of product just waiting to be moved.

Which it will, just not in a way that the Merchants will profit from!

Giving a maniacal laugh Aisha hurried to get the emblem in place so looting could commence.

The end results.

They got all the lab equipment and most of the drugs, oh and what money that was on site. A couple safes that they'd have to crack, and Fran decided to do some shopping, sadly with junkies' healthy organs weren't common so honestly Fran was lucky to get a few healthy kidneys (just one each, you can survive with only one after all), some healthy portions of liver, and one cold body of one of the drug makers.

It was surprisingly healthy, Fran speculated it was a new recruit with a talent for chemistry and a need for money.

"Well, it's better than to just let it rot and go to waste." Is all Fran said as he hefted the body into his surgery, which fit him to a Tee in Aisha's opinion.

The guy is very pragmatic and morally flexible, and honestly Aisha was only slightly bothered by his actions. It wasn't the first time he did shit like this in front of her, and all she had to say about it was that they were already dead. If they were still breathing Fran would go out of his way to save them, but after they're long gone? Extra materials.

Kinda cold, but then again from Aisha's understanding all tinkers had quirks depending on their specialty. And seeing as Fran was a non-homicidal version of Bonesaw, she figured his quirk was being all pragmatic with the dead. He was the same with recent burials as well, but he expressed distaste for graverobbing.

Was it odd? Yeah, but all Parahumans were pretty odd so it's to be expected.

Aisha just shook her head and looked at Fran, who was inspecting the single most blinged (and not in a good way) out gun she had ever had the misfortune of seeing! She didn't know shit about guns, but she felt if the gun could speak it would be begging to be put out of its misery! Sure, she may dress trashy, but she never once considered wearing gold chains with dollar signs or a grill on her teeth!

She had some sense of fashion after all!

"Please don't tell me you like that thing!" Aisha blurted out, and relaxed when Fran shook his head.

"It's a Merchant gun." Fran said like that explained everything, and it kind of did, "It's evidence in who knows how many crimes, plus I know nothing of gunsmithing or modification. So even if I were inclined to keep it, I wouldn't be able to do anything about its… uniqueness. Pity though… it's chambered in .50 cal… possibly more for intimidation than anything else. Maybe overcompensation could even be a symbol of status?" With that he sat the gun down on a nearby table, "Now let's go. You have school tomorrow and I have some work to do. You can sleep in my bed, lucky for you Winslow isn't far from the graveyard…"

Aisha just grumbled but didn't argue, she just went to the open door leading to his surgery and closed it then grabbed the emblem thingy.

"Fine, whatever." She said with a pout, "Though after school I expect something for all the trouble!"

"And that being?" Fran asked warily, "If it's money you know I'll give you your fair share after I get the safes open."

"No! Well, yes but that's not it." Aisha said, "What I want… is a date!" Fran opened his mouth, but Aisha soldiered on, "Not like that! I mean we go out to get something to eat at Fugly's, maybe catch a movie or just wander around the Boardwalk! Nothing smexy! Yet!"

Fran closed his mouth and considered that, "Fair enough." He said eventually, "Just try not to…. Draw attention to us, I might look like a teenager but I'm still twenty." He pointed out.

Aisha scoffed and crossed her arms, she guessed she needed to nip this in the bud. Pity honestly, she thought Mr. Smarty Tinker would've realized it! But she figured he had to focus more on not catching attention from the gangs, so of course he wouldn't notice.

"Babe, Fran hon… you do know due to the Endbringers and other S-class threats the age of consent was lowered to sixteen, right?" And boy didn't that make the Social Justice Warriors and Soccer Moms pissy, "And I'm only seven months away from being legal…" Aisha really tried to not give him a pitying look.

She ultimately failed in that endeavor as Fran just blinked before facepalming.

"... Let's get out of here. We can talk more about… this topic later." Is all he said.

The trip back to Fran's home was rather silent, mostly because Aisha wanted to give Fran some time to think about what she told him. But as they entered Fran looked at Aisha for a few moments in thought.

"I'm still not entirely comfortable with the idea." Aisha felt her heart drop at the words only for it to pick back up as he continued, "However I'll give it a chance. You said in seven months you'll be in the clear?" She nodded, "Well I'll put off my final discussion until then, now you get some sleep. I'll whip you up something to help you stay aware at school, I'll have some work to do."

Aisha just nodded, though the grin on her face showed just how much she appreciated his words, and she gave him the emblem.

As they went their separate ways, she did allow herself a snicker when she heard Fran exclaim, "A hundred and 50 points!? What the fuck?"

« Prev Ch 2 of 38 Next »

Review

Jump:

Share: Email . Facebook . Twitter

Story: Follow Favorite

Author: Follow Favorite

Contrast: Dark . Light

Font: Small . Medium . Large . XL

Twitter . Help . Sign Up . Cookies . Privacy . Terms of Service