After the locker incident, Taylor Hebert's life changes completely. She knows she has triggered in the locker, not only because she feels different, but she looks completely different as well. Of course, she hasn't known about the changes until her father pointed it out to her during her stay in the hospital. At first, Taylor didn't understand what her father meant when he said that she looks different. It was not until she has gotten herself a mirror and stared at her own reflection afterward that she finally understood what her father meant.

Taylor's first reaction at seeing her reflection in the mirror was complete and utter shock. The face staring back at her look completely different. Her entire facial features were altered to make her face appear asymmetrical, and dare she say, unearthly beautiful? Somehow, for some reason after she has escape from the locker, her entire face and body have undergone some physical improvements.

Although the shape of her face is the same. Heart-shape but more pronounced than ever with her big, expressive steel grey eyes set beneath a finely-arched brows and complemented by her high cheekbones, and now her naturally red, bow-shaped lips.

Moreover, it looks like she doesn't need to wear her glasses anymore because apparently her eyesight has improved as well. Even her hair and ears are altered. Her long, curly hair now appears to be silky-looking and glossy while her ears are just the right size and place appropriately on her head. As Taylor looks more closely at her reflection, she realizes that everything about her facial features were change to the point that she hardly recognizes herself. But she can still see a tiny bit of resemblance to her pre-locker self.

Well, mostly. She thinks as her gaze shifts to the rest of her body and finally notices the generous twin bumps beneath her hospital gown.

I have breasts now too? She wonders mentally as she stares at her chest area and discovers that she might have a new bra size. I might be sixteen years old but it seems I have developed womanly curves overnight after being a 5'6 in height and flat as a board teenager for most of my life. And now I look like a Victoria Secret super model! Holy mother of God!

"Everything about you is different Taylor," Danny Hebert says to her as she finally set the mirror down and looks at her father. "Do you feel…different somehow?"

Taylor hears the caution in her father's voice. She understands that her father is still worried about her after what happened.

"I don't know…" She states hesitantly. Taylor still doesn't know how to react about her physical changes. Should she be happy? Ecstatic even for her improved physical attributes? For some reason, she couldn't even bring herself to be happy about it. In fact, she feels mostly confuse, sad and angry about what happened to her. Being achingly beautiful doesn't matter to her, she couldn't even care less that she now has a body of a super model or a Goddess, not when it is entirely eclipsed with the horrible experience she faced when being shoved into her locker with a trashcan-full of biohazard by a bunch of bitches.

Taylor Hebert might be constantly bullied and have low self-esteem, but she isn't shallow. She might look different, but she is still the same person on the inside. She is still Taylor Hebert the flat-chested teen with glasses who wants to do good in the world full of Endbringers and other monsters.

She is still her no matter how she looks like at the moment.

"I don't feel different, Dad. Even though I look like I've changed overnight, but I'm still me." Taylor tells her father, trying to assure him with a smile, but ends up grimacing instead.

Danny Hebert regards her for a moment before he says, "I am glad to hear that Taylor…I still can't believe that this happen to you…I just couldn't imagine you trapped in that locker for hours screaming for help…If we finally found out who did this to you, I'm going to –"

"Dad," Taylor interrupts before her father can finish. "I know you want retribution for what they did to me. However, we can't do that unless we have physical evidence or witnesses to testify for me in court. At the moment, it will be my word against theirs if I tell the police who I suspected to be responsible for shoving me into that locker."

"So you do know who did this to you," Her father states, his eyes narrowing.

"Yes, I do Dad." She sighs, turning her face away from her father's gaze to look outside her window. "I know who did this to me."

"Who are they Taylor?" Danny demands, clearly angry at the unknown assailants that had put her in the hospital.

"They are girls in Winslow High. I call them the Trio because they have the habit of bullying me during their spare time. But that's all I'm going to say." Taylor tells him, still not looking at her father, whom she knows is getting angry by the second.

"Why won't you tell me their names?!" Danny exclaims loudly. "And if you knew who shoved you in that locker, why didn't you say anything to the police?"

"I am not going to tell you their names, because what is the point? The main reason that I didn't say anything to the police was because no one saw them do it. I have no witness to defend me if I accuse them out right. The only thing that I can do is keep my silence and survive because that's what I am good at… surviving when life gets rough."

"Taylor, please…just tell me who they are." Her father says and Taylor turns to look at him. She meets her father's sad, imploring eyes before she faces the window again.

"If I tell you who they are, what are you going to do about it?" She asks him as she looks outside, watching the adjacent buildings near the hospital.

"I'll talk to their parents and I will file a lawsuit against the school for failing to stop the bullying campaign that these three girls have on you."

Taylor sighs and says, "It won't change anything."

"Why do you say that?" Her father asks, sounding puzzled. "Why do you think it won't change anything?"

"Because I know that we won't win against them when we drag them into court." She states. "And because I am certain that the school will just side with the Trio to fight against me."

Silence follows after Taylor's statement wherein her father just simply gazes at her morosely.

"Taylor, why aren't you willing to fight them?" Danny asks. "Why won't you fight for yourself? Why are you being so…"

"Weak?" Taylor suddenly snaps, whipping her head to glare at her father. "Because I am weak Dad! Because that's the only way I survive in school by appearing weak and small and hoping I'm completely ignored! That's the only way I know how to survive the emotional, mental and physical torment that I have to endure against the Trio! I can't fight them, not when they are more of them and one of me!"

"But you aren't alone, are you Taylor?" Her father asks. "What about Emma? Isn't she your best friend? Didn't she do anything about your tormentors?"

At the mention of her ex-best friend, Taylor's face freezes and her breathing stills. She can no longer look at her father in the eye as she realizes that her father is close to discovering about her and Emma and their broken friendship.

"Taylor, what about Emma?" Her father repeats and Taylor has to grit her teeth and close her eyes to stop herself from screaming the truth to her father.

Emma-fucking-Barnes is no longer my friend Dad! She wants to yell, to cry and rage but she doesn't dare. This is the secret that Taylor can't bear to admit to her father because she knows that it will break her and her father will finally see how truly, lonely Taylor is and how she is utterly broken and lost without anyone to keep her afloat in a sea of despair.

"Dad, I am tired." She tells him instead. Her voice cold and her gaze empty as she regards him. "Can we talk about this some other time please?..."

"But…" Her father starts but Taylor just shakes her head.

"Please Dad…" She implores him with her eyes. "I promise we will talk when we get home."

"Alright," Danny reluctantly says as he stands up and gives her a tight hug. "We will talk when we get home."

Taylor simply nods her head while she returns her father's hug. Meanwhile, she is feeling slightly guilty for lying to her father about Emma.

However, after Taylor got discharged from the hospital, she is relieved when her father hadn't tried to talk to her afterwards regarding about the Trio or even Emma. Perhaps it is mostly because she has been mentally hoping about avoiding the entire conversation every time her father is in the vicinity. This is when her suspicion was confirmed that she is a cape. Three days after her discharge, Taylor Hebert discovers that she has some kind of Master power. Of course, she learns about this by chance during dinner one night.

Danny Hebert was just starting a discussion regarding about what happened when Taylor mentally wished for her father to just stop talking about it. And just like that, her father stopped talking mid-sentence and simply stared off in space for a few seconds before suddenly changing the subject. At first, Taylor was confused about what happened. However, after a couple of instances where Taylor mentally wished for her father to stop mentioning about Emma and the Trio, she finally realized what she was doing.

Despite the discovery of her new Master power, Taylor is far from happy. Being able to order and control a person is not the kind of power that Taylor is hoping for after she found out that she is a cape. Because her Master power terrifies her, most importantly, she doesn't want to use it on anyone, especially not her father or anyone she cares about. Taylor doesn't want to be the next Heartbreaker.

Nonetheless, Taylor doesn't have any choice on the matter. So as the days passes by, Taylor finally and reluctantly begins to use her power and experiment a bit, even though using her new power makes her feel guilty.

During her morning jogs, she found out that she can only order certain people mentally. Ordering vocally, on the other hand, doesn't do anything to the person at all. Meanwhile, her range for controlling other people is surprisingly versatile, and she can sense the minds of others and can start ordering people within two blocks of her.

Other than her new Master power, there are strange things that happen to her after two weeks of being allowed to recuperate before going to school again. The thing she notices as she goes to her morning jogs or go out somewhere is that she is garnering far more attention from the male species, which completely terrifies and mortifies her.

Even though she wears loose trousers and a hoodie during her outdoor activities, which hides her very feminine figure, it seems it doesn't dissuade the male population from trying to catch her attention or flirt with her. Not only that, even men far older than her have tried making a pass at her despite her young appearance. She is barely legal for goodness sake! And yet it doesn't stop these men from trying to talk to her or staring at her as she jogs or walks by.

The common thing the men always say to her as they try to start a conversation with her is that Taylor Hebert smells really good. Like heavenly good. Like good enough to have sex in public. I mean what the effing fuck?!

After being constantly harassed by strange men, even though some of them she encounters are handsome and physically fit, Taylor Hebert often decides to use her Master power to mentally wish not to be bothered while she is out doing her morning jogs or just simply out for a walk. Yet once again her scent seems to have an effect on men, some far stronger than others, as she soon finds out even after using her Master power.

.

"Hey wait!"

Taylor hears someone call from behind her as she runs. She pauses for a moment and half-turns. Immediately, she sees a young, handsome man, perhaps a few years older than her running towards her.

"Are you talking to me?" She inquires warily, watching closely as the stranger with obvious Puerto Rican descent joins her in the sidewalk.

"Yes," the young man says. He grins as he halts right in front of her.

Taylor notices that the young man is taller than her by a foot. She has to gaze up at him and meets his dark brown eyes.

"What do you want?" comes her sharp question. Taylor is not always rude to people, but she is tired of someone interrupting her morning jog despite using her Master power to make other people, especially men, ignore her. However, it seems there is a loophole to her Master power when it comes to certain men, like the young man who is currently standing in front of her. For whatever reason, her Master power doesn't seem to work on some men and Taylor is completely puzzled as to the reason behind it.

"Amm…I can't help but notice you jogging by the café a block from here." The young man says to her, his eyes intent as he gazes at her upturned face. "I was sitting outside when I saw you and well…I just wanted to talk to you for a moment."

"About what?!" She asks with a note of impatience, but the strange man doesn't seem to notice her utter lack of social niceties. In fact, the man is too busy staring at her hungrily like he wants to kiss her or lick her. Either way, Taylor is already prepared to punch him in the face if he tries.

"About how utterly beguiling you are," the man says, stepping forward and leaning closer to her.

Taylor takes a step back and glares at him. She sees him sniffing the air and she shortly knows that he must have caught her intoxicating scent when she was running pass by him earlier. She suspects it must be the reason her Master power hadn't work on him.

"And your scent…you smell so…" the young man trails off as he takes another step towards Taylor. She observes how his eyes seems to darken as he continues to advance on her.

Stop right there! Taylor mentally orders the man as she locks gazes with him. The man pauses, a look of confusion crosses his handsome features as he is force to halt.

"What is your name?" She asks in a cold voice as she allows herself to keep a safe distance from him.

"My name is Carlos," comes the man's automatic response. He still stares at Taylor like she is some kind of exotic and delectable dessert that he is so eager to taste.

"It's nice to meet you Carlos. However, I have better things to do than talk to some random stranger in the sidewalk. So I am going to say goodbye and hope that we don't see each other again." She tells him and instantly sees the hurt look that flashes across Carlos' face.

"You are going to leave without even telling me your name?!" Carlos asks in a pained voice. He looks completely devastated at the thought of her leaving without even knowing her name first.

Taylor, on the other hand, simply shrugs her shoulders carelessly and says to him, "Yes. It's been a terrible week for me. All I want is a normal day without getting harassed by men."

"I'm sorry if I appear like that to you! I swear I am not here to harass you. All I want is to talk to you!" Carlos tells her earnestly. Thankfully, he doesn't make a move to close the distance between himself and her. "Can't a guy just simply talk to the most beautiful girl he sees jogging by his favorite cafe?"

In response, she shakes her head and frowns at him. "I'm sorry but I have to go, ok? And I'm not that kind of girl who easily gives in just because a handsome guy tries to talk to her. For all I know, you might be a villain in disguise, despite your appearance."

"I'm not a Villain!" Carlos exclaims, sounding offended. "I am one of the Wards! I am the Hero called Aegis!"

Really? She thinks in astonishment as she gapes at Carlos. Did he just oust himself as Aegis just like that?!

"Shit!" Carlos curses loudly when he realizes what he said. "Pretend you didn't hear that, will you?"

"If what you say is true, then I will keep this information between us. However, for all I know, you're just telling me you are Aegis just to impress me." She tells him while she crosses her arms in front of her.

"I am not lying!" Carlos tells her in defense "I swear I am not!"

"Well, it doesn't really matter." She states, rolling her eyes. "I am still leaving without telling you my name."

Afterward, she pivots around and starts walking away.

"That is so unfair!"

Taylor hears Carlos blurt out behind her. By then, her walk turns into a jog as she calls back to him, "Life is unfair Carlos! I think you already know that, being a Hero and all!"

Not wanting for him to follow her, Taylor glances back at Carlos just in time to stop him from running after her. With all her mental prowess, she delivers one order at the powerful cape.

Do not come after me. She thinks and hopes it is enough to prevent a Hero like Aegis from stalking her home.

Taylor Hebert finally guesses the reason her Master power hadn't work much on Aegis when she had wanted to be ignored by men during her jog. Other than catching her scent, being a male cape must be the other reason her Master power hadn't work properly on the Leader of the Ward.

Fortunately, she can now make countermeasure if something like that happens again.

The day she dreaded comes and now it is time for her to return to school. Thankfully for her, Taylor Hebert has a Master power now. So at the first chance she gets, right before she enters Winslow High, she immediately sets out a mental order to the people all around her.

Ignore me and don't come near me.

It turns out having a Master power has its benefits. Taylor soon discovers to her relief as her first day of school after the locker incident goes smoothly, which she doesn't expect. The Trio completely ignores her and acts like Taylor doesn't even exist anymore.

Unfortunately, it can't be said for the teenage boys at school who have accidentally caught a whiff of Taylor's scent. She sees the intent stares and long glances from her male school mates, even from the popular boys, but thankfully, she knows that they aren't any capes among them and so Taylor's day flies by without being harass from most of the male population in Winslow High.

The next day in school is the same. Although she still can't help but feel wary about the Trio as their glances slide past her, but still nothing terrible happens to her even as the days turn into a week in school.

It is not until a week and a half that Taylor can finally sigh in relief when she realizes that her Master power is working rather well. Even the teachers in the faculty has mostly ignored her. In general, she is now relatively safe in school. Hopefully, no one will suspect anything about what she is doing, especially not the Protectorate.

But is it truly a crime to mentally order the people in her school to completely ignore her?

Taylor reasons that she is only using her Master powers to protect herself from the people who wants to hurt her.

Although later on, Taylor realizes that going to school and being ignored by mostly everyone is not enough for her. So she decides to change her mental order the next time she sets foot in her school.

From her orders of 'Ignore me and stay away from me', to 'Don't hurt me at all', Taylor Hebert's life changes once more.

From being ignored by mostly everyone for nearly two weeks, the moment she changes her mental order, Taylor finds herself the subject of everyone's stare and the school's gossip the moment she steps into her school.

"Who is she?"

"Is she a new student here?"

"Man, she is fucking hot!"

"She's so beautiful!"

Those are the things Taylor mostly hear from her schoolmates, to her utter mortification and delight. It seems her different appearance has make other people assume that she is a new student in Winslow High. But Taylor immediately squashes the rumor by saying that she is in fact, Taylor Hebert, the girl who got shoved in the locker full of tampons.

However, someone still questions her identity. A pretty girl from her Math class seems doubtful about her being Taylor Hebert.

"Are you sure you are Taylor Hebert?" The girl, Amanda, asked her the other day.

"Yes, I am," was Taylor's reply. Her gaze was cold and her tone frosty.

"But you look…so different…" Amanda said, sounding uncertain.

"Well, I may look different, but I am still the same Taylor Hebert. The school loser." She replied, giving the girl a deadly glare.

"You're not a school loser," Amanda corrected, looking confused. "Every boy in school wants to date you now and even the girl wants to be you or be your friend."

Taylor had simply snorted and shrugged her shoulders at hearing the girl's answer. "Tell those boys good luck because I'm not going to date them, not in this life or the next, after they supported the bullying campaign against me which was led by Sophia Hess. As for the girls who wanted to be my best friend, they can all go to hell alongside the bitch Trio. I think I rather be alone than suffer the presence of another Emma Barnes in my life. Thank you very much."

Thereafter, Taylor left a rather affronted Amanda to her own devices while she continued on with her day like she wasn't the next best thing that ever happen in Winslow High.

Amanda is right of course about the boys in her school. Taylor suddenly finds herself being confronted by boys who want to court her and declare their undying love for her, which is completely ridiculous. Ridiculous because Taylor hasn't even made an effort to change her rather uncool clothes or even put on a make-up. She still wears faded jeans and a hoodie that hide most of her female attributes which makes her look like a homeless hobo. Yet it seems the boys still finds her extremely attractive despite it, or it's probably because of her unique scent?

And it is only through her Master powers that she is able to stop the boys from completely throwing themselves at her and outright molest her right then and there. So for her next mental order to most of the male population in school, she commands them not to touch or go near her, which work well for her.

Two weeks and half after her discharge from the hospital, Taylor finally addresses her lack of cape-life. She knows that she can do so much more with her power and even hopes to become a known Hero someday. Henceforth, after two days of contemplation, she finally gets the courage to buy herself a mask. The mask is just made of some sturdy wood painted in white and decorated with golden accents. The mask will cover half of her face and show her grey eyes, mouth and chin. It is a start and Taylor decides to make do with just a mask on her first day as a cape in the street.

The day of her debut as a cape, Taylor had planned to scout the ABB territory and just to get a feel of the criminal gangs in Brockton Bay. She had brought some pepper spray but nothing else. She was mostly relying on her Master power to control anyone who dares attack her.

Of course, knowing her luck, Taylor's debut night didn't end up as she had planned. Instead of just scouting, she ended up doing so much more than a Hero cape normally does to a Villain on her debut night. In fact, she would have to say that she wasn't seriously right in the head when it happened.

Author's Note: This is the first time I am writing a Worm fanfiction. I haven't read the webnovel yet but I will someday. In the meantime, I am content in reading Worm fanfiction and discovering what I need to know in the Worm wiki. I am only writing this story for my own enjoyment and I am not going to second-guess myself about how I write anything in this story. The story will mostly focus on Taylor, but Lung, Kaiser, Scion and even some other characters will have a POV chapter as well.