[hr][hr][i][h1]The Foundation Woman, & The Black Hound.[/h1][sub](by [@Mr Allen J])[/sub][/i][hr][hr][b][code]Regal Square, Prince Ed-Field_[/code][/b]


Bullets rang outside a massive wooden door as they were pushed open by the frame of a thin, tall, woman.

On the other side of the door, were many stands that were occupied by various men and women of various races and genders almost like a stadium how it looped around the room. Each and every one of them were looking down at the person who just walked in.

"Hello... Elders, I've come with an offer," The Foundation Woman said, as the Hound walked into the room alongside her. Slinging his smoking machine gun over his shoulder as the Foundation Woman spoke. "You know the precious Blessed Three? Each of which you've hand-chosen and trained? They're all dead, and I think the Family isn't far behind... unless..." 

The Foundation Woman crossed her arms. "...We abandon it while we have the chance, and build up something new under [i]my[/i] leadership."

"Tabitha, what is the meaning of this?" One of the elders - an older Arabic man - said. "Just think about what your father would think of this treachery - he gave you [i]everyt-[/i]."

"Ah, ah, ah," Tabitha raised a finger up into the air. "That was the problem with the Family... you were so concerned with ascribed status, and [i]genes...[/i] too concerned. And that's why we're here... your headquarters about to be burned to the ground..."

She shook her head as she tucked that raised finger underneath her arm.

"Nonetheless," Tabitha said, "I'll give you one choice, and one choice alone - join me." Tabitha snapped her fingers and a portal swirling portal appeared not too far away from the door.

She pointed at the door.

"I don't care what reservations you have about the fall of the Family, if you have two brain cells, I suggest getting in the portal."

Each of the elders laughed in a hellish melancholy in the most mocking tone possible.

"We're fine, Tabitha," The Elder said. "We'll revive the Family on our own - we [i]always[/i] have new candidates for the Three lined up."

Tabitha shrugged, "...And that's what I was afraid of, sadly," Tabitha started off. "Okay, I tried to make you come to your senses, but it's becoming increasingly clear that the whole lot of you are beyond helping..."

She snapped her fingers, and the Hound aimed his M60 at them.

"Unfortunately, for you all... there's no way I can let you live - not with the information you hold," Tabitha shrugged. "Like you said... you can revive the Family on your own... and I cannot have that."

"Wait, Tabitha-"

Was the last word out of his mouth before the Hound sprayed the elders with a barrage of machine gun fire. It was an absolute massacre... By the time the Hound stopped firing, there was nothing left but slumped over bodies. He pressed a button on the side of his helmet and turned on a sensor, before he walked over to the bodies. He has to confirm that they're all dead, and alongside him came Tabitha.

"...Ms. Crest..." A female Elder said very weakly, as she put her hand out. "F-forgive me... I'll join you..."

"Hmph," Tabitha said. "Sorry hun."

The Hound raised his boot over the wounded Elder's head.

"...But, the offer's ran out."

The Hound slammed his boot down hard as he could and crushed the woman's head like a grape, and even damaged the floor they were standing on.


[hr][hr][i][h1][color=skyblue]Wendy Emily Lucker[/color], [color=lightseagreen]Rowan Campbell[/color], & Kumiko Fujimoto[/h1][sub](collaboration between [@Mr Allen J], [@Zombiedude101]])[/sub][/i][hr][hider=Breton - 2 Years][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb3NlJY-zAI[/youtube][/hider][hr][b][code]Regal Square, Prince Ed-Field_[/code][/b]


Wendy's group were in the distance... on top of a nearby building in full view of the Founding Family's skyscraper. They watched as the building exploded, and collapsed from a safe distance.

Wendy couldn't help but cry as the weight of Diana's death fell on her shoulders. Everything she did was in vain.

"This... this is hard..." Wendy said. "I've done so much to save her, but... I couldn't. I failed short."

It had taken some time for Rowan to process it too. Even though he'd not known Diana so well, she'd still been a friend to him, one of the only friends he had. "...That's bullshit, Wen'. You did what you could."

Kumiko could only shake her head as she embraced Wendy. "Just let it all out... it's all over." Kumiko said. "With the Blessed Three dead, and their headquarters in ruins... I doubt we'll ever hear from the Family ever again."

"Right..." Wendy said, as she pushed Kumiko away gently, and looked at the Family's headquarters as rain began to fall... it didn't bother Wendy even in the slightest, as it just enhanced this somber moment.

"So... I think it's time that I start comin' clean," Kumiko said, putting her hands on her hips as she stared at Wendy. "From here on in... I'm going to be there, for you."

Kumiko said, as she realized her own mission had distanced herself from her daughter... what she had left of a Family. Damn, the girl hadn't even met her until this day. That says something about Kumiko.

Wendy didn't know what to honestly say... all because she couldn't take what Kumiko said at face value, but as a measure of good faith, she nodded her head at Kumiko. But, had a question.

"...Why weren't you there for me?" Wendy asked. "What were you doing that was so important that you had to leave me for so many years?"

Kumiko sighed as she reached down, and played with her hooks a bit - a nervous gesture of hers - as she walked over to the edge of the rooftop. Before she dramatically looked over her shoulder.

"...Like I said, you have every reason to hate me... It was my own inability to let things go that lead me to you... so, let me start from the top..." Kumiko turned around, and faced Wendy. "...You had three brothers."

"Wait? I have [i]brothers[/i]?" Wendy asked in shock.

"Had. Had... had, that's the key word here." Kumiko raised a finger up into the air. "Let me start from the top... I was born in Japan, that was obvious enough. Daddy was a big shot in the Self-Defense force, and my big brother was the star of the family... and I was just the weird little sister. Didn't make me any difference as I just... lived. Not going to bore you kids with my life story. I went into university to become a Biomedical Scientist, met the love of my life... got pregnant during my last year." She sounded a little embarrassed when she said that, but continued.

"Needless to say; my family wasn't happy... very unhappy, they wanted me to get an abortion..." Kumiko started off, as she faced the building yet again. "But, my daddy came around after learning he would have three grandchildren, and we just agreed to keep everything under wraps as we got married, the three of em' were born, I finished university... and..."

Kumiko smiled. "Everything was great... we got ourselves a nice house, and lived happily ever after." A tear ran down her eye was hidden by the rain around them. "Turns out... each of them developed superpowers, and that was another thing that we had to keep a secret - since Metahumans aren't very fondly thought of in Japan. But, it wasn't a problem... until... she came..."

"Until what?" Wendy asked.

"Well, there was a Metahuman in Japan... one of them ancient ones that were around for awhile," Kumiko started off, trying to keep herself composed as possible. "Three of them were going to school one day... and this woman attacked them. Right there in broad daylight... she had the power to sap lifeforce out of people, so that's what she did to them. Nobody could really stop her, and she just disappeared in thin air..."

She sat down on the edge of the building, and looked down at the streetlights below them.

"When I found out what happened... I broke down for awhile... Hell, I don't even know how long," Kumiko said. "But, when I got out of that... I just... couldn't continue living in Japan, at least after what happened. So, the hubby and I decided to go our separate ways - I got a visa, and went to America to start again, so to speak. Just... forget about everything that happened..."

"And that's when you met my father?" Wendy asked... she didn't know how to really respond to Kumiko's story thus far. The shock of having Diana dying on top of learning she had siblings that were dead before her time... it was... a lot to pile on her at a time.

"Yeah, Euan... met him at a club," Kumiko laughed a little bit. "He was so dorky dancing like that I just fell for 'im, and you were the result... to be short."

Wendy nodded her head, she knew the story well. "But...?"

"I was going to settle down with Euan, start a family with him, and get back in touch with my family back home in Japan since I've been giving them the cold shoulder for ages..." Kumiko started off. "But, my brother found a lead on that Metahuman that killed them... like I said, I could have just let it go... but, there was a part of me that wanted to tear that bitch who killed them limb from limb... so I ended up heading back to Japan looking for her..."

In the middle of her speech, Kumiko reached down to her chain, and held it up by the hook. "By then, my power had developed... I went back home, and copied all my kids powers - then went for the woman. Hunting her down to the most rural parts of Japan. I confronted her... and understandably got my ass kicked by her, even with three different powers to use."

Wendy wondered if her own power was the result of Kumiko's power replication... it was an interesting concept that she would look into at another time.

"But, I wasn't the only people trackin' the bitch... these nice people called the Philosophers were also hunting her down.... they saved my ass, Wen," Kumiko said. "We de5feated her, and the nice people gave me a nice explanation as to what in the hell is going on... that's when I learned two things..."

Kumiko raised two fingers in the air.

"The existence of the Founding Family, being this big conspiracy group that ruled the world from the shadows... and the death of the triplets was [i]no[/i] random attack," Kumiko narrowed her eyes as she clenched her fist tightly. "You know that thing your sister was put under? The woman who killed my children was under the same spell... Mechanized Memories, they call it.... you see, the Founding Family had a little grudge against my daddy, because they couldn't get him to bend. So, they just went for the triplets, and did it in such a way that it would build anti-Metahuman dissent in Japan..."

Kumiko couldn't help but morbidly laugh. "...And they sure as hell accomplished that. Metahumans there are treated as powder kegs instead of people, and most don't even admit they have a power to anyone."

[i]Not that much different from America.[/i] Wendy thought to herself. "Then... let me guess... you went undercover in the Family?"

"Correct, smart girl," Kumiko said. "I went undercover to destroy the Family by any means necessary... putting on mask after mask... ugh, I rather not talk about it."

Wendy nodded her head again... then Kumiko looked up at the building.

"But now... now I guess the triplets have been avenged... It doesn't feel like it." Kumiko curled up into a ball. "It just feels like I played lacky until it was inconvenient."

"But, I got to meet you after so long, Kumiko," Wendy said as she sat down alongside her mother. "I can't possibly hope to understand everything you lost... but, I at least want to get to know you."

Kumiko smiled. "Well, that makes me feel a little better," She stood up, as she looked at Rowan. "I think it's time for us to leave... I'd rather not get caught by RAVEN wearing the IU armor."

"Ye-yeah, agreed-" Right as Wendy finished, her phone began to ring. She wondered who in the hell was calling her at this hour... before she glanced at her phone to see that it was the number of her contact. Whom she had memorized. "It's... my contact."

"Well," Kumiko said. "Might as well give it an answer."

Following Kumiko's advice, Wendy pressed answer, and she heard a woman say, "Put it on speaker, please."

Wendy did as told, and said, "You're on speaker."

"Good... good... hello Ms. Lucker, Mr. Campbell..." 

"...I know that voice," Kumiko said in a hushed voice to the two. "That's the Foundation Woman."

"I believe I owe you an explanation...?" The Foundation Woman said.

"Yeah, a long one..." Wendy said. "Your Hound said that you would give me all the answers... so if your damn goal was the destruction of the Family, and you guys are actually - what? Some misunderstood heroes? - then why did you drag me into this... why did you kidnap my sister if you hate what the Family did?" Wendy's tone was getting louder and more aggressive by the moment. If she was face to face with the Foundation Woman, she would tear the bitch's throat out.

"Truly, I would never had gotten you involved if I could help it... but..." The Foundation Woman trailed off. "... the orders to kidnap people of pure Metahuman energy came from the Blessed Three, yeah... but, the specific order to take your sister came from [i]me[/i]."

"What? Why?!" Wendy loudly shouted into the phone as Rowan's face contorted with disgust.

"You know of Deborah Javuant's ability? How it's considered one of the strongest of the Cerebral-class?" The Foundation Woman said, letting her words hang in the air for a moment, as she answered her own question. "My own ability is up there in strength... I have the ability to see possibilities, chance, casualty... and using those ability; I can deduce what is likely to happen, and what isn't."

"Using my ability, I managed to find out many people that will be instrumental to the fall of the Founding Family - I could go into who, but you probably have the slightest clue as to who they are," The Foundation Woman said. "...Two of those people were you and Mr. Campbell."

"And why us?" Wendy asked. 

"The winds of fate blow in strange and unpredictable ways, Ms. Lucker... I couldn't give you the answer to that question even if I wanted to," The Foundation Woman said. "But, think about it, will you? You two played a huge part in the fall of the Family. Just by killing Ezekiel, and keeping Blake busy. If you didn't do what you did... I doubt the destruction of the Machine wouldn't have gone as smoothly."

"But, what about my sister?" Wendy asked.

The Foundation Woman was silent for a few moments.

"...She was destined to die from the beginning, Ms. Lucker. There was no saving her." 

"Bullshit!" Rowan exclaimed, refusing to believe it.

"So, you just kidnap my sister and feed her to that Machine just to get me to end this shitshow?" Wendy asked, every word laced with venom. "From the way I see it; you're responsible for her death, and everything bad that happened to us."

The Foundation Woman was quiet yet again.

"I'm not denying that, nor am I offering any excuses," The Foundation Woman said. "I straight up used you, and your sister, to meet my own ends... I am truly guilty for killing her."

Wendy clenched her phone tightly.

"I'm going to find you, the Hound, and whoever the fuck else was involved... and bring you to justice for what you did to Diana...." Wendy hissed. 

"And she's not the only one." Rowan near enough growled into the phone, infuriated at the admission that they had been [i]used[/i].

The Foundation Woman sighed.

"...So be it."

Wendy's grip on her phone was so tight that she practically was about to break the phone.

"But, before you go, let me offer you a word of warning that you should take [i]very[/i] dearly..."  The Foundation Woman said. "Despite all of their... flaws, the Founding Family served a vital purpose in the world at large; they kept many groups in check. And now that they're gone these groups will have free reign to do as they please. The Coven, Polaris, the Philosophers... to name a few. They're going to cause some chaos in the coming years, and I strongly suggest that you watch your back. Because you could be dragged into their insane plans."

Neither of them said a word.

"That said... I know it's not going to help you get over the grief of losing your sister, but I left a little gift for you not too far away..." The Foundation Woman started off. "I'm sending you the coordinates now, whether or not you take it doesn't make me any difference... but, it'll make a homeless man [i]very[/i] happy if you take too long."

Wendy kept quiet as anyways.

"That is all, Ms. Lucker..." The Foundation Woman sighed. 

"...May we never meet again."

The line went dead as the Foundation Woman hung up the phone. If Wendy had tried calling her again, she would find out that the number was no longer in service... as the Foundation Woman wiped all loose ends. Wendy's phone buzzed, as she received a text message with the coordinates.

Much to the surprise of all three involved, it was [i]Rowan[/i] who broke the silence that came after that phone call, the frustration in his tone seemed to shift towards one of uncertainty. "So... is that it? 'Thanks - but fuck you, come again'?"

"... I'm going to find her." Wendy said, clenching her fists tightly. "[i]We're[/i] going to find her."

"Uh, Wen?" Kumiko chimed in. "The Foundation Woman is probably the most mysterious out of all of them... no one except for the Three know who in the hell she is. For all we know, she could be an AI or somethin'."

She put her hand on her hip.

"Wouldn't put it past them."

Then, Rowan recalled another matter that needed their consideration. "And look, even though she screwed with us... She said there was a 'gift' or something, right?"

"Yeah... maybe we should give it a look?" Kumiko said. "Perhaps it might be worthwhile... I doubt it's a bomb, however."

"Let's at least give it a look."

"Yeah, let's check it out."

[hr]

The three found their way over to a construction site not too far away, Rowan prying open a gap in the fencing so that they could pass through. According to the coordinates provided by the Foundation Woman, and her instructions that it was hidden in trash. They were lead to a small temporary office in the outskirts of the construction site. This part of Prince Ed-Field was practically abandoned due to the threats of the Family, even by homeless people. They found their way to a trashcan outside of the office. Opening it up, and digging through it revealed a package wrapped in brown paper.

Wendy used her paper manipulation to pry it open, and...

"Holy shit..."

Money.

Lots and lots of money. Wendy dug through it, and it was a package containing lots of twenty dollar bills. Had to be half a million in here.

And it was all for them.

"This... holy shit," Wendy said. "I can't form a sentence right now, this is... this is just..."

She wasn't the only one who'd been completely knocked to the floor by the discovery, if Rowan's reaction had been anything to go by. "It's more than I've ever seen, shit..."

"Well, this looks like the Foundation Woman's version of reparations...." Kumiko said to herself, before she had something to say. Something important to say. "... You kids know what this means right?"

"What? We have to split it?"

"No... we have to keep quiet about this... about your involvement in all of this," Kumiko said. "In case the Family does come back looking for blood... they're definitely going to want a piece of the two of you. In addition, you two showed you sure as hell were strong..."

Kumiko trailed off as she added on.

"...[i]And strength invites challenge.[/i]"

Wendy nodded her head. "Then... we should get a move on, let's worry about the money later."

"You kids been though a lot of shit tonight, yeah," Kumiko said. "How about you spend the night at my house?"

"Y-yeah," Wendy said. "Rowan, can you grab the money?"

"...You sure?" The scrawny teen paused for a second, realising that this money wasn't just his to take.

"...I trust you." Wendy quickly answered.

"Alright, sure," He nodded, before taking a knee beside the paper package and pushing the bills back inside, folding over where he could, "I'll pull it together... wish I had my bag, still..." A slight groan of discomfort slipped past his lips as he drove a palm into his knee to stand up again, reminded of just what kind of abuse he'd been dealt tonight, his leg especially. "Let's get your place, then."

"Let's jack another car!"