got the emergency 100 dollars we kept in the freezer and went there again, memorizing the numbers on the way from a backup note, destroying it before going in. I bought ten 10$ chips and waited a couple of rounds till the first number in the sequence came up, 25 Red. I placed 20$ on the next one, 28 Black, and another 10$ on Black, just to confuse things. 28 Black won as expected, and I got 20$ for the color and 720$ for the main win.
Now I needed to go over 2k or so and retreat, making sure I am not flagged or detained again. I placed 50$ on the next winner, 12 Red, and another 50$ on Black, so that I'd lose something too. 12 Red won, and I got 1800$, bringing my total at just over 2500. It was time to go home, but as I was gathering my chips, the same 2 guys came over and gave me a look. I decided to lose a bit more and placed another 50$ bet on a number I knew wouldn't win - 16 Red.
Then an unexpected thing happened: on the monitor we saw another guy coming over to the wheel operator. He told the original guy something, replaced him, disassembled the wheel, took a new one from a drawer under the table, installed it instead, took out a new ball from his pocket, and rolled it. This was clearly an anti-Thinker or at least an anti-cheat measure. These guys were good; I felt a bit bad scamming them. But I was doing it for the good cause, and I wasn't a pig about it. 2 or 3 grand won't bankrupt them.
33 Black won. Not 30 Red as my list has said. My actions have changed the timeline for real. Good thing I wasn't trying to go all in here. Then I realized something else: 33 Black was just besides 16 Red I bet on, which might still make me flagged as a Cape or a scoundrel. I will still see how this one goes, but I will have to drop this timeline and redo it in a less conspicuous way.
This time I did get up and went to cash in my winnings. My two new bodyguards followed me from a middle distance. I took the cash, tucked it in my pockets, and left quickly. My next data gathering item was finding out whether I would get mugged on the way home. I wasn't, and as far as I could tell, nobody followed me either. I still Reloaded when I was on my street.
On my final run, I started betting $20 each time from the first round I got there. I lost 3 times, including to the 25 Red, the first number I had memorized. Then I bet $20 on the winner (28 Black), got my $720. Then I lost $50 on purpose again, bet another $50 and won (30 Red was back in business). I faked a freakout when I won the 2nd time. I counted my winnings, still over 2k, so I left a $50 tip to the dealer, cashed my chips and left home. I probably still won't go back to this casino for a long time, just in case.
I got home safely again, making sure I was not followed. I replaced our emergency cash fund, hid my winnings in my room, ate a quick sandwich, and started cooking a real dinner for Dad and me, while thinking about how much I was going to share with him. I was pretty sure I didn't want the repeat of our drifting apart from the past life.
AN: a warmup chapter, Taylor gets used to her power and its limitations and gets the startup funds. No measurable "bad fic staples" this time (I think) besides maybe the casino that was half-mentioned in canon IIRC. But nobody robbed it this time. Well, besides Taylor, but it was relatively honest scamming. Right?
Next up, the Talk.Last edited: Dec 5, 2025358alkostNov 25, 2025Reader mode Threadmarks Threadmarks Chapter 3 - The Talk Threadmarks alkostNov 25, 2025#3Dad came home relatively early and asked what have I been doing with my time. I told him the truth. At least some measurable parts of the truth: I watched TV, read PHO, studied some math, thought about my future, and made dinner. I went for lasagna; it was edible but not much more.
Dad hummed along, complimented my cooking, asked whether I felt better after the morning confusion, and then asked whether I remembered some guy, Eddie, from the Union who came over for barbecue a few years back. When Mom was alive, he didn't say, but thought very loudly. I said it did ring a bell but not much more than that.
Apparently, that guy left about a year ago and became a security guard in some private club that had some gambling area, Dad said. I guessed where this was going and congratulated myself for not setting a new Save point yet, as I was making sure we wouldn't get home-invaded by the casino security team. We kind of were, but they apparently subcontracted my Dad. Just my luck.
I considered Reloading just then. But then again, I was going to start feeling my way into telling Dad some parts of my plans and maybe even bring up Powers this time around. So I decided to see where this is going and how open Dad would be for my new-old lifestyle.
Unsurprisingly, Eddie, who was probably one of the 2 burly guys, based on Dad's description, saw a girl that reminded Eddie of Dad's daughter coming in during their slow hours, betting 20 bucks at a time like some kind of high roller (yep, that was stupid of me), then somehow managed to win over 2 grand. The most surprising part for them was that the girl stopped after that, and then just left. Gambling people keep betting; they don't break such a streak, apparently. Good to know; I was never a gambler.
So this smelled like Cape to Eddie; which they had clear instructions not to mess with as long as they didn't rob too much and were quiet. But, apparently I reminded Eddie of Dad and their time in the DWA and he called his old coworker to catch up. Perfect, I was not only made but also kind of Unmasked. That was a new low in my career. Worse than losing a fight to Bambina.
I took a moment to reflect. What's wrong with me? I wasn't this reckless for a few years now, not since I grew out of Skitter mindset, I thought. What has changed? I got back in time, lost my power, got another one, got my younger body back along with its original limbs, no injuries… And then the penny dropped, I was a (much more) hormonal teenager again. I did dumb shit and thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. Like robbing a downtown bank midday or, well, like fighting Lung on my first night out. How did I even live this long? And I was calling Cauldron idiots. They still were, but I wasn't much better, apparently.
So I decided to own my fuckup and see what advice Dad would have before I Reloaded and started over.
"All right, you got me, that was me", I grudgingly said.
Dad, who was mid-lasagna bite, inhaled a few gallons of air somehow and went purple. Luckily I still remember the anti-choking maneuver from the Wards mandatory quarterly first aid classes, which I applied and managed to not kill my Dad on the first day of my old life.
"I was joking," he said after he managed to breathe again, "please tell me you were joking too. It was a good one, made me almost die and all. He said he didn't think it was you, just a girl who reminded him of you". I briefly considered agreeing that it was a bad joke, but this was a throwaway timeline anyway.
"Not a joke, I screwed up. I need money for a costume, figured it was the easiest way to get some easy cash. No worries, I can fix this though, he won't remember me when I do. Right, I need to tell you what I can do."
Dad exhaled, removed his glasses, looking a bit older than he did when he came from work. He picked up his water glass and drank. His hand was slightly shaking. I wisely shut up while he drank. No need to try to drown him too.
When he was done, I asked, "Do you want the short or the long version?"
"There're different versions to this now?", he replied, sarcastically.
"The short one, then, for now. I can set a Save point in time and then go back to it as much as I want, like in computer games? So my current Save point is earlier today before I went to the casino. I went there 3 times. First, I learned the winning numbers. Then, I tried winning just a couple of grand so I don't get caught. My before-last run was even worse. In the last one, the security guys didn't even come close to me. Guess it was still bad enough to be noticed. Next time, I will wear some disguise and will try to avoid Eddie. Also, probably need to drag the winnings over more rounds? Like, bet on groups of numbers? What do you think?"
Dad looked even older now. "You are serious, are you? What happened? Why do you need a costume all of a sudden? You did look and behave odd in the morning. You asked me what year it is?! Who are you, really, and where's my Taylor?"
He was shouting towards the end and looked ready for a fight, and he was kind of right to be.
"All right, the longer version, then. I am still me, except I made a detour, sort of. 2 weeks from now, I will go to school, get shoved into my locker by my bullies, trigger with powers, not the ones I have now, you won't find out till you see me on TV. Meanwhile, I will almost win a Darwin award a few times, become a villain and a warlord, kill a few really bad people, become a hero, sort of, live to the end of the world in two and a half years. I think you didn't make it, by the way. Then I play a key role in removing the threat to humanity, get executed for overachieving - and wake up in my bed this morning. That's the short version of the long version, I guess". I tried to proudly smile.
Dad got up and took out his bottle of Scotch and a shot glass. He scratched his head and offered me the glass.
"Nah, never started drinking or doing drugs myself, but thanks".
Dad managed to pour himself a shot almost without spitting anything and drank it in one go. He put the bottle back in its place and sat down again.
"So, you didn't tell me then but are telling me now because you were caught? Or because you're going to? Reload, you call it?" I nodded, "and then Eddie forgets you - and I forget this conversation too?"
"Well, that's part of the reason, but I was kind of thinking about easing you into this even before I realized I was made. We drifted apart then. I went out fighting at nights. You probably suspected something but didn't ask first, and then you did but I didn't want to answer. Then I left home. We have only made up when I was in prison and in the Wards. I missed you, so I thought I would use my power to check how well you would take it."
"How well am I taking it?", Dad asked.
"Well, you choked on food only once and you didn't drink the whole bottle of booze in one go, so it's encouraging. You don't look like you're developing a heart attack, though I am not sure I know how to spot it. Any weakness or pain in your chest?" I half-joked.
"I will let you know if I do. Do I want to know what you did in more detail?", he asked.
"Well, most of it won't happen the same way. I am pretty sure. Once I know where and how I am supposed to trigger with my old powers, it practically guarantees I won't be able to. People who tried to trigger on purpose almost never succeed, Bonesaw said she could force triggers, usually without much input from her test subjects, but even she couldn't control what powers people get. There was also…"
"Did you just say Bonesaw!? Like, THE Bonesaw?", Dad interrupted me.
"Ah, yeah, it was kind of a funny story, the Nine visited Brockton, we fought, she captured me, cut my head open, but she didn't have the time to mess with it, ok that part wasn't funny, then after a while, she got reformed, I think, so I asked her to cut my head open and boost my powers for the big fight, but then Panacea did it without cutting my head open, she was out of the Birdcage by then…" I saw Dad's expression and slightly green face and finally cut my words vomit, "you okay?"
"Taylor, I love you and I love it how you're back to the chatterbox you weren't for a while. I missed that, but I think I need a break. You're either pulling my leg this whole time and then you're grounded, or you've had a very exciting life between last night and this morning, but I can't take so much of it in. For me, you're still my little girl and I feel like I lost you, long before today, yet you're here, but it's not the same you anymore, is it? So go ahead and have mercy, perhaps Reload and save my sanity, please".
Great, Taylor, you managed to make your Dad hate being near you. I got up and hugged him. He was crying, I was too. It was time to cut this timeline, I thought.
"Sorry, I didn't think, I haven't talked about these things much. There were PRT therapists, but… I didn't really mean to dump this on you, not this way. I will be Reloading soon. But I need you to think and tell me, do you want me to tell you these things, slower and perhaps in smaller doses, or I can keep you out and try and be the younger Taylor? I won't judge you if you choose either path. I don't think you can help me much, but I know what's going to happen to the world longer term. I can Save and Reload to navigate the shorter term and I am going to try and save the world again, perhaps without being executed afterwards, preferably."
Dad broke our hug. After I took a step back, he said, "What kind of an asshole would I be if I chose to dig my head into the sand, Taylor?"
"A smart asshole", I murmured. He ignored me.
"I overreacted. Of course, I want to be a part of your life. I don't know how, but I want to help. I know people. I can throw a punch and I can just be there. You sound like you've been alone for a very long time. I don't want you to be. You don't have to Reload, we can keep talking and figure things out. Eddie said the girl reminded him of you, not that he thought it was you. Besides, they thought you were a cape but then you lost some money, tipped the dealer, and left. Doesn't sound like they plan on doing much about it in any case. It's small change for them. Unless you planned to come back there and clean them out?"
On the one hand, I didn't want to take this risk. On the other hand, despite my low expectations, we have really seemed to reconnect with Dad. I was afraid that if I tried to do it again, it wouldn't be natural and I would screw it up. I also felt mentally exhausted and wouldn't start this talk today again. And then I might do something stupid tomorrow again and find another reason not to. And then I will just end up alone again.
Now that Dad's said it, I really didn't want that. I decided to stay for now, but keep the old Reload point in case Eddie and his friends really come looking for their money at night. I didn't feel like doing anything else today and I didn't want to risk blowing Dad's mind with more gory details of my adventures, so I hugged Dad again, ensured him I won't rob the casino (more) during the night and went to my room.
I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow.