The crunch of road dirt announced the arrival of a new vehicle, and with a questioning look at Heather to affirm she was done, Cait sat up to see a big black SUV pulling up to the scene of the accident. A stylized shield with the word AEGIS was emblazoned on the door, which opened to allow a short young man in white spandex to step out. As he exited the car, Cait recognized the outfit instantly, Eyeconic as it was stupid.
"Oh shit! Eyebite! From the news!" Cait exclaimed. The costumed young man looked slightly taken aback by Cait's outburst, the surprised expression enhanced by his glowing, pupiless yellow eyes. His white spandex outfit was shot through with thin red designs reminiscent of veins, and clung to him tight, although the body it displayed was more skinny pro-gamer than shredded pro-hero. His glowing eyes locked on Cait, then, once more, blushed and looked away.
"Right!" Heather exclaimed, jumping up and rummaging through a drawer in the ambulance, retrieving a twin of the polo uniform shirt she was wearing. "We keep extras in here, in case we get, you know, sprayed. Anyway! Here! You should probably cover up."
Cait smiled and pulled the polo on. It was Heather's size, and given that Cait had a full foot and a half and 80 lbs on her, fit her more like a racy crop top than the comfortable work uniform it was meant to be, but at least her nips were no longer in the wind. She hopped up and walked over to Eyebite, who looked much more comfortable talking to a clothed woman, ruined jeans non-withstanding.
"Uh, yes! I'm Eyebite, but you can call me Pete. I'll be the AEGIS rep for your Altered Intake proceedings. Assuming this is a new development miss….?"
"Cait!" she put her hand out, and Pete took it and shook, his grip firmer than it looked. "Cait Smith. I was at 801 Rooftop when you and Freeflow took down that Coonbeast kaiju! Shit was straight out of Rampage, love to see it."
"Thank you?" Pete looked confused, and only grew more so as he looked around the scene, noting the ruined truck, the junior ARMOR officer still being actively berated, and finally a freshly bandaged BREAST MAN. He'd discarded his blanket and juice box and was squelching towards the pair. Pete's eyes went wide at that, and he visibly tensed for attack before relaxing and muttering something under his breath.
"So, Ms. Smith. You are newly Altered, correct?"
"That is the only reason I can think of that I just survived getting hit by a truck but cut myself chopping onions last week, yeah," she answered. Pete nodded, and turned towards BREAST MAN, clearly unsure of where to look, but eventually settling on the hat.
"Ahem, and you…. Sir? Are you able to speak?"
Holy shit, I just kind of assumed he couldn't, rude of me.
Interested, she turned her attention on BREAST MAN as well. The little monster worked his toothy maw for a moment, before letting out an entirely incomprehensible gurgling hiss, followed by a remarkably human sigh. He then presented a tentacle, and repeated his version of a thumbs up, but upside down. Pete nodded, the negative gesture coming through clearly.
"Understood. I'm sorry for what's happened to you, but we have a large support system at the Blank Park AEGIS Installation." Pete gave the small creature an encouraging smile, and the glow of his eyes intensified just a little. "Don't worry, we'll get you squared away, friend."
BREAST MAN let out a pleased sounding hiss, and knotted two tentacles into a double thumbs up. Pete turned so that he was addressing both of the new Altereds.
"I am going to have to insist that both of you come with me." He said, a note of steel in his voice as he straightened his small frame. His face remained soft however, and he kept an inviting smile. For the next bit, his tone sounded a bit more rote, like he was reciting a script he'd memorized a while ago.
"You aren't in trouble, but as new Altereds, with what I deem to be notable abilities, AEGIS will have to in-process you. This will not impart any requirement of duty onto yourselves, save the requirement to undergo power counseling should your abilities be determined to be partially uncontrollable or inherently dangerous to the public. You will be granted access to all of AEGIS' resources for new Altereds at no cost to yourself, although if you choose to take advantage of AEGIS provided lodging a labor payment will be assessed based on your aptitudes. Should you prove particularly potent, you will be offered entry into assessment for the Guardian program. If your new abilities are unobtrusive, not remarkably powerful, and you do not wish to take advantage of AEGIS provided lodging, you will be able to return to civilian life shortly, provided you agree to periodic check-ins with your local AEGIS office."
Pete gasped a little as he finished his spiel, having done the last couple sentences in one breath. Cait clapped softly, and BREAST MAN smacked at her hands with a tentacle.
"Sorry, you're right, BREAST MAN, this is serious. I'm still pretty buzzed from Lynn's." Cait said, nodding towards the dive bar she'd only made it about a block away from. She shook her head to collect herself. "I won't lie, Pete, I've got a lot of questions, but I understand you're just the super powered messenger here. I assume that SUV will be our ride?"
Pete nodded, and waved them forward, but hesitated since BREAST MAN hadn't technically acquiesced yet. Turning to make sure he was following, he saw the tentacle beast sopping along, and promptly raising a thumbs up tentacle. Satisfied, he opened the door for one of them to enter the back seat. Cait went to pick BREAST MAN up again to help him into the car, but he gently slapped her hands away and shot a few tentacles up quick as a bullwhip to swing himself into the bench seat. His tentacles grabbed the seatbelt and went to buckle himself in, but to say the device hadn't been designed with his anatomy in mind would be an understatement.
Cait chuckled to herself, and used the overhead handle to pull herself into the passenger seat, next to Pete. The Guardian started the SUV, and pulled up to check in with the ARMOR officers. As he was speaking, Cait rolled down the window, and pulled herself up so she was looking over the car at the pair.
"Hey!" she said, getting the officer's attention and causing Pete's neck to crane back to look at her. "Go easy on the new guy. I mean, not too easy, he did shoot me, but I did step in front of the gun, and my dude BREAST MAN does look scary if you don't know him."
A tentacle snaked out of the window, forming a thumbs up next to her face.
"See?" she said, and swung back into the car.
Pete's conversation with the ARMOR officers finished up, and he then turned the vehicle back towards the interstate and the AEGIS installation.
Cait didn't hear the rest of what Pete said to the officers, since she'd been distracted by a crinkle from the breast pocket of her borrowed polo when she put on her seatbelt. Grinning, she pulled out a small piece of paper. Only two things were on it. First, a phone number, and second, the name Heather, with a cute little heart right next to it. Smiling wider, Cait rested her head back against the seat.
What a fucking night.