"The mortal justice system continues to fascinate. I'll come up with something that will allow them to wander polite society adding nothing more deleterious than, apparently, impoliteness."

"Not arresting people for things they haven't done is a pretty basic assumption. I'm not going to say we don't have our problems, but I have to side with us mortals here."

In time more PRT and Protectorate people arrive, Alexandria among them. They confirm that there's nothing much they can do about the Slaughterhouse members (this being the Siberian) and in the absence of any better ideas set about sealing off the box in case Bonesaw has something prepared that she can release without interference from a gate. And so no one steps in a black hole, but mostly the first thing.

There are indeed no complications.

And then she tries to heal No*.

Nothing happens. Nothing continues to happen, and then abruptly stops happening as Noelle screams "RUN!" and launches her bulk at Promise.

Promise does not run, because that would be an insanely stupid thing for her to do, but she does get airborne and try the sparrow spell, ready to gate if that doesn't work either.

"Well, if this took me more than a second to do, that might be really inconvenient. Incidentally, folks, if you can find some glass, leave a window, I'll be able to do the same thing to Bonesaw sooner or later; she's doing some stuff to throw me off but it's only a delaying tactic." She addresses the sparrow. "While a sparrow with no effective powers you may act freely," she tells Noelle. "I think there is probably a better place to experiment with turning you back than here in this hospital while accompanied by Slaughterhouse Nine members, though. I am sorry you cannot talk but you can still move your head to nod, okay?"

"Well, I don't know for sure, but unless there is a strong safety reason not to leave a window it costs nothing to try. I suspect 'heavily modified mortal', even one currently under the Siberian's protection, is an easier target than 'does not have a biology', though. And Bonesaw is bothering to delay me and the Siberian is not, so at least without that protection she suspects she's vulnerable."

"Either that or I'm just hoping you'll come back to try it. I'm going to get bored waiting here until the sun burns out if I don't get at least some visitors."

"You didn't delay me that much."

"Phooey. Well, it's better than not doing it at all."

"If you actually are there that long I will probably visit you at some point anyway. It's a long time."

"Oh, I'm sure I'll figure a way out eventually. I'd rather be doing art, but this'll do if I have to."

"...Art?"

"Why not? I'm planning to stand here staring at her for a while; makes it hard to jot down notes on unrelated things or go update my photo blog. I'd been under the impression that it was all for practical purposes, not artistic ones."

"Because if you ask her, she might tell you. See those scalpels? She doesn't ask her canvases for permission."

"If I was ever squeamish it was a long time ago. Besides, if her motivation is art that's a little more hopeful than if it's purest sadism, isn't it? Unless someone's about to tell me that she's that short because of personal preference and she's actually, I don't know, ninety and set in her ways? Are there even any parahumans that old?"

"Parahumans only started appearing thirty years ago. Some of us can be expected to have extended life spans, but in general no."

"So she hasn't been doing this that long. And she's been keeping awful company too. Maybe her next hobby will be drawing, drawing is fun. That said, if and when I can turn her into something I am not planning to offer her the power of flight, although I'm undecided between the other creatures in my limited repertoire."