**Taylor**
Visiting the mall accompanied by Glory Girl and Panacea had been eye opening in a way. Vicky was definitely the queen bee type of social butterfly while Amy either seemed to prefer to be the tag along or had just become so used to the role that it wasn’t funny. On the other hand, she was always the one to call her sister down for letting go with her aura or flying indoors. Frankly it reminded me of Emma and myself back in the good old days. Akane, bless her, was thankfully all business and didn’t let Vicky get to out of hand when picking out clothes. That said, as we waited for the door to the Wards area to open for us, we still had to juggle half a dozen clothing bags, plus a grocery bag each.
“Are you ready for this?” Akane asked me as she settled the domino mask over her eyes.
“I guess,” I answered as I settled my own. “What about you?”
Akane smirked, “Honey, I was born ready.” Her answer didn’t surprise me, Akane had a confidence that I could only wish for. Maybe I could get there with time now that I didn’t have the trio ruining everything I did, but then again I had always been a bit of a wallflower even before Emma turned on me.
No I thought, This is the time for new beginnings, a time to become a new me. With that thought in mind I squared my shoulders and stood tall, I would master my powers and become the best hero the bay had ever seen. It was that or die trying.
**Akane**
I watched Taylor square her shoulders while pulling herself out of the slight slump that I had become accustomed to seeing in her, That’s right girlfriend, I thought, show the world you’re not some little rag doll to be tossed around. You’re the one with the badass power set that everyone is going to underestimate. I knew I didn’t need to fall, or let Taylor fall into Shadow Stalker’s mindset and become a bully, but I doubted that it would be the way Taylor would go. She had been the victim, and something in me said that she would be the first one to pull a bully up short once she had the confidence to do so.
The door to the Wards area seemed to open almost immediately at that point, so we strutted in as if we owned the place. Missy turned to look at us from the kitchen island and smiled. No, not Missy, Vista now that she was in costume, her visor hiding the upper half of her face. “A, T, you’re back.” She said rushing over and helping us with our bags.
“Yeah,” I answered. “I’m going to be here pretty much daily, and T is supposed to meet her dad here later. So where is everyone?”
“Gallant is out on patrol with Aegis and Browbeat right now.” She answered, “That just leaves me here on Console duty with these two jokers for the time being since Shadow Stalker is back in Juvie.”
“Hi, I’m Clockblocker,” one of the two boys sitting on the couch said with a wave, “and this is my good friend Kid Win.” Vista snickered slightly at that causing me to raise an eyebrow in question.
“He used to say partner in that introduction,” she replied smiling, “until one day when an older girl on the tour commented that it must be nice to have his boyfriend right there with him all the time.” She snickered again, and the two boys went a little red in the face while Clockblocker scowled at her. “He turned as red as a tomato but couldn’t do more than stammer at the comment.” Taylor and I both smiled and shook our heads.
“It wouldn’t have been so bad if the girl hadn’t pulled her girlfriend close to her and stole a kiss,” Kid Win commented softly, obviously focusing on whatever they were working on. I looked at Vista who only nodded, confirming what had been said.
“Well don’t feel so bad CB,” I said with a smile, “I’m sure someone out there will warm up to you someday.” It seemed like a good idea to change the subject, so I asked them, “What are you working on?”
“Geometry,” Kid Win answered, “I have discalculia and a distinct problem focusing on the classwork, so I have to study harder to keep my grades up.”
“Ah, I’m the complete opposite,” I answered walking over and looking at the book between the two boys. “Which one are you on?”
“Number twenty,” Clockblocker replied. I nodded and after looking at the question turned around went back to the table.
“I just happened to pick up something of a mnemonic that will cover that one,” I said reaching into one of the four bags I had set down. “Do you want it?”
“Absolutely,” Clockblocker answered, “I don’t have Kid’s problems, but math is still not one of my strong suites.”
“Alright,” I said pulling the item out of the bag and holding it behind my back before walking back over.
The boys in my absence has moved their papers and books to the coffee table, making room for me between them on the couch, “Give it to me and we’ll see if it’s something we’ve tried with Kid before.” I lifted and eyebrow at Kid Win and he nodded, so I shrugged and hit Clockblocker in the face with the cream pie.
**
Emily Piggot collapsed into her chair in shock at the assault her niece had just committed on her own future team mate. Behind her she could hear the stifled laughter of Assault and the cracks of Battery hitting him, trying to shut him up. “Dragon,” Armsmaster said calmly, “could you please show us the problem in question?”
“Certainly Collin,” the Canadian tinker replied making an inset view on the screen with a blow up of the math problem.
Almost immediately there was a pair of slaps that were not Battery followed by the thump of a body hitting the floor. Turning around to look at the assembled capes she found Assault convulsing on the floor, the act of suppressing the laughter having caused him to fall out of his seat while Miss Militia and Triumph had both smacked themselves in the face. Triumph over his mouth to contain his laughter while Miss Militia had facepalmed at the apparent joke. Collin lifted an eyebrow in a decidedly Nimoy fashion and deadpanned, “Well, she’s not wrong, the answer is pie.”
*Taylor*
Two things were happening, the first was that I couldn’t believe that Akane had just hit one of the Wards in the face with a cream pie, and the second was that I couldn’t seem to stop laughing about it. Looking over at Vista as Clockblocker swore vengeance with a very accurate mimic of Bugs Bunny saying, “You know of course, this means war.” I could see her still laughing as well while Kid Win facepalmed and wrote the answer down.
“Do I at least get to know the true name of my opponent?” he finally asked.
“Only if I get to know yours good sir,” Akane answered suppressing a snigger.
Pulling back the cowl of his costume to expose his entire head he answered, “Dennis Dynamite, and you are?”
“Akane Takamachi,” Akane answered pulling off the domino mask before looking at me.
“Taylor Hebert,” I said, pulling my domino mask off as well, “it is nice to meet all of you.”
Vista kicked up her visor to on top of her head still chuckling, “I have to get back on the console, but then you two already know me.”
Kid Win pulled his helmet off, “Chris Fairchild,” he said, “and thank you, now I know I’ll always remember that something is Pie.” Akane only grinned and walked back to me at the island table.
“So now what?” Dennis asked as I grabbed a kitchen towel from where it hung next to the stove before throwing it at him. “Are you just going to leave me to clean up this mess?”
“No,” Akane answered before grabbing a roll of paper towels out of her sack. “But I thought I should have the proper tools to clean up with as opposed to making more work with something that has to be washed.” Dennis sighed and nodded before bringing the towel over to the table
“I’ll just take this stuff back to our rooms and then go sit with Vista,” I said eyeballing the situation. “We have tests tomorrow and Thursday, and then we have to meet with PR on Friday.” Akane nodded and grabbing the garbage can, went to help clean up the mess from the pie.
Visiting the mall accompanied by Glory Girl and Panacea had been eye opening in a way. Vicky was definitely the queen bee type of social butterfly while Amy either seemed to prefer to be the tag along or had just become so used to the role that it wasn’t funny. On the other hand, she was always the one to call her sister down for letting go with her aura or flying indoors. Frankly it reminded me of Emma and myself back in the good old days. Akane, bless her, was thankfully all business and didn’t let Vicky get to out of hand when picking out clothes. That said, as we waited for the door to the Wards area to open for us, we still had to juggle half a dozen clothing bags, plus a grocery bag each.
“Are you ready for this?” Akane asked me as she settled the domino mask over her eyes.
“I guess,” I answered as I settled my own. “What about you?”
Akane smirked, “Honey, I was born ready.” Her answer didn’t surprise me, Akane had a confidence that I could only wish for. Maybe I could get there with time now that I didn’t have the trio ruining everything I did, but then again I had always been a bit of a wallflower even before Emma turned on me.
No I thought, This is the time for new beginnings, a time to become a new me. With that thought in mind I squared my shoulders and stood tall, I would master my powers and become the best hero the bay had ever seen. It was that or die trying.
**Akane**
I watched Taylor square her shoulders while pulling herself out of the slight slump that I had become accustomed to seeing in her, That’s right girlfriend, I thought, show the world you’re not some little rag doll to be tossed around. You’re the one with the badass power set that everyone is going to underestimate. I knew I didn’t need to fall, or let Taylor fall into Shadow Stalker’s mindset and become a bully, but I doubted that it would be the way Taylor would go. She had been the victim, and something in me said that she would be the first one to pull a bully up short once she had the confidence to do so.
The door to the Wards area seemed to open almost immediately at that point, so we strutted in as if we owned the place. Missy turned to look at us from the kitchen island and smiled. No, not Missy, Vista now that she was in costume, her visor hiding the upper half of her face. “A, T, you’re back.” She said rushing over and helping us with our bags.
“Yeah,” I answered. “I’m going to be here pretty much daily, and T is supposed to meet her dad here later. So where is everyone?”
“Gallant is out on patrol with Aegis and Browbeat right now.” She answered, “That just leaves me here on Console duty with these two jokers for the time being since Shadow Stalker is back in Juvie.”
“Hi, I’m Clockblocker,” one of the two boys sitting on the couch said with a wave, “and this is my good friend Kid Win.” Vista snickered slightly at that causing me to raise an eyebrow in question.
“He used to say partner in that introduction,” she replied smiling, “until one day when an older girl on the tour commented that it must be nice to have his boyfriend right there with him all the time.” She snickered again, and the two boys went a little red in the face while Clockblocker scowled at her. “He turned as red as a tomato but couldn’t do more than stammer at the comment.” Taylor and I both smiled and shook our heads.
“It wouldn’t have been so bad if the girl hadn’t pulled her girlfriend close to her and stole a kiss,” Kid Win commented softly, obviously focusing on whatever they were working on. I looked at Vista who only nodded, confirming what had been said.
“Well don’t feel so bad CB,” I said with a smile, “I’m sure someone out there will warm up to you someday.” It seemed like a good idea to change the subject, so I asked them, “What are you working on?”
“Geometry,” Kid Win answered, “I have discalculia and a distinct problem focusing on the classwork, so I have to study harder to keep my grades up.”
“Ah, I’m the complete opposite,” I answered walking over and looking at the book between the two boys. “Which one are you on?”
“Number twenty,” Clockblocker replied. I nodded and after looking at the question turned around went back to the table.
“I just happened to pick up something of a mnemonic that will cover that one,” I said reaching into one of the four bags I had set down. “Do you want it?”
“Absolutely,” Clockblocker answered, “I don’t have Kid’s problems, but math is still not one of my strong suites.”
“Alright,” I said pulling the item out of the bag and holding it behind my back before walking back over.
The boys in my absence has moved their papers and books to the coffee table, making room for me between them on the couch, “Give it to me and we’ll see if it’s something we’ve tried with Kid before.” I lifted and eyebrow at Kid Win and he nodded, so I shrugged and hit Clockblocker in the face with the cream pie.
**
Emily Piggot collapsed into her chair in shock at the assault her niece had just committed on her own future team mate. Behind her she could hear the stifled laughter of Assault and the cracks of Battery hitting him, trying to shut him up. “Dragon,” Armsmaster said calmly, “could you please show us the problem in question?”
“Certainly Collin,” the Canadian tinker replied making an inset view on the screen with a blow up of the math problem.
Almost immediately there was a pair of slaps that were not Battery followed by the thump of a body hitting the floor. Turning around to look at the assembled capes she found Assault convulsing on the floor, the act of suppressing the laughter having caused him to fall out of his seat while Miss Militia and Triumph had both smacked themselves in the face. Triumph over his mouth to contain his laughter while Miss Militia had facepalmed at the apparent joke. Collin lifted an eyebrow in a decidedly Nimoy fashion and deadpanned, “Well, she’s not wrong, the answer is pie.”
*Taylor*
Two things were happening, the first was that I couldn’t believe that Akane had just hit one of the Wards in the face with a cream pie, and the second was that I couldn’t seem to stop laughing about it. Looking over at Vista as Clockblocker swore vengeance with a very accurate mimic of Bugs Bunny saying, “You know of course, this means war.” I could see her still laughing as well while Kid Win facepalmed and wrote the answer down.
“Do I at least get to know the true name of my opponent?” he finally asked.
“Only if I get to know yours good sir,” Akane answered suppressing a snigger.
Pulling back the cowl of his costume to expose his entire head he answered, “Dennis Dynamite, and you are?”
“Akane Takamachi,” Akane answered pulling off the domino mask before looking at me.
“Taylor Hebert,” I said, pulling my domino mask off as well, “it is nice to meet all of you.”
Vista kicked up her visor to on top of her head still chuckling, “I have to get back on the console, but then you two already know me.”
Kid Win pulled his helmet off, “Chris Fairchild,” he said, “and thank you, now I know I’ll always remember that something is Pie.” Akane only grinned and walked back to me at the island table.
“So now what?” Dennis asked as I grabbed a kitchen towel from where it hung next to the stove before throwing it at him. “Are you just going to leave me to clean up this mess?”
“No,” Akane answered before grabbing a roll of paper towels out of her sack. “But I thought I should have the proper tools to clean up with as opposed to making more work with something that has to be washed.” Dennis sighed and nodded before bringing the towel over to the table
“I’ll just take this stuff back to our rooms and then go sit with Vista,” I said eyeballing the situation. “We have tests tomorrow and Thursday, and then we have to meet with PR on Friday.” Akane nodded and grabbing the garbage can, went to help clean up the mess from the pie.
Wolf wins every fight but the one where he dies, fangs locked around the throat of his opponent.
Currently writing BROBd
Currently writing BROBd