Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

PART 1 - POWERLESS SUPPORT

"Hi. I'm Mark and I'm powerless."

"Hi Mark." The support group answered back.

Emily watched Mark struggle. The 14-year-old began picking at his nails, clearly uncomfortable with speaking out in a crowd. Thankfully, he still felt he could speak because there was no judgment from the others. These teens were all here for the same reason.

"So, it was my birthday this weekend, and my brother did it again." Sympathetic mumbles came from all the other in the room.

Mark was the youngest of his 3 siblings, and while his older brother and sister each inherited super powers from their father, Mark took after his non-powered mother. It wasn't uncommon. Starting in the early 1700s people started being born with special capabilities from telekinesis to super strength. It was clear that evolution of the human condition was inevitable. Powered people used to be the minority, however, these days, powered people made up 40% of the world's population. It wouldn't be long before non-powered people would become the minority.

Mark was one of those kids who was proud of his family and their capabilities, but ever since his mother lost her battle with cancer the year before, he was feeling so alone. Recognizing the possibility of Mark's mental health suffering, his grief counselor recommended this adolescent Powerless Support Group for Mark.

"When Chad dropped me off at the skate park, I asked him not to come because he always makes it about himself." Chad was 16, had flight powers and was already known in their suburb for being a bit of a show-off. It had normally been tempered by his mother and older sister, but Trish had started college this year. "I thought he understood, but a little while later, he just did a fricking fly-by while Casey was trying to do a Benihanna in the air. She lost it and ate concrete!" Mark started having tears roll down his face, "She fell wrong and broke her arm. I-It was all bent, there was blood and you could see the bone!"

Emily flinched and, as Mark's shoulders began to shake, she nodded at her co-counselor, Douglas, and he immediately went to Mark and opened his arms to offer support. Mark just shook his head,

"No. I want to finish." He went on, "Of course his stupid super hearing heard her scream, and then he just shows up and says, "I'll save her!" and flies her to the hospital. Like he didn't do anything to cause it!" Realizing he was almost yelling, Mark lowered his voice, and snorted, "Casey's parents didn't even file charges because Dad convinced them Chad has a "bright future" and "it was just an accident". After I got home, I just couldn't talk to him. I can't even look at him!"

"Thank you for sharing." Emily waited for Mark to catch his breath, while she rolled her wheelchair next to him and put a supportive hand on shoulder. "Can I ask you something?"

He sniffles, "Yeah."

"A lot of your issues involves your older brother always showing up and taking over. Does Chad have friends?"

"What are you talking about? Sure, he does! The Super Douches from school, but...well I guess I haven't seen them around for a while."

"How long a while?"

"I guess...not long after mom passed." Mark's eyes widened in realization, "In fact, he is always up my ass since she... left."

"It's probably more than that. It's very possible that your powerlessness makes Chad feel connected to your mother because she was powerless too." Emily explained.

"I get that he misses Mom, but what the hell?" He exasperated.

Kristy the 12-year-old Goth girl accused. "But that doesn't explain why he's not hanging out with his own friends."

"Doesn't it though?" Emily addressed the room, "Think about it. Whether you have powers or not, everyone grieves differently. In fact, whether you've experienced it for yourself or not, grief can change you. I've seen more than my share of people whose friends have drifted away because, either they can't get through to their friend, or they can't handle their friend being in pain."

Emily turned her chair towards Mark, "What Chad did was wrong. He's so wrapped up in trying to get closer to you, he doesn't know how to listen to you. He probably regrets what happened, but there's only one way to find out."

"How?" Mark rolled his eyes.

"I think you already know." Emily said.

"Yeah. I gotta talk to him." He sighed.

"That's right." Emily made eye contact with each adolescent. "We might not have powers but that doesn't mean we love our family less because they do, or that they love us less either. We are all here to remember that being non-powered does not mean we aren't important to them. If anything, having powers makes a lot of people become detached from the human condition. Our humanity is our super power, it's what keeps those we love grounded in reality. It helps them understand and hear us. We make the world a better place when we help supers to relate to the powerless."

~

"You're really good with them Emily." Douglas said as the teens were filing out of the room of the old VFW hall. "I'm glad you were able make time. I know you are so busy at Pyre."

"No thanks necessary. I wish there had been something like this for us when we were kids. Heck, I wish my schedule allowed me to participate in the adult groups as well, but I figured this is where I would be needed most."

"You really aren't kidding. I think you are little too "Mary Poppins" for the adults though." Douglas teased.

"Seriously?"

Douglas turned serious, "Yeah. It's a tough crowd that blames their powered family for all their problems. There is a lot of bitterness to deal with, and you know how misery loves company. You're too sweet for them to "Steal Your Sunshine" he sang. "That's why this is better. Catch'em early, before they get like that."

"You know that song is going to get stuck in my head now." She laughed referring to the 90s dance hit, as she tossed the disposable container in the trash, "At least I get appreciated for my baking. I don't even have an apple muffin left to bring home to The Dude."

Douglas smiled, "Are dogs allowed to eat that?"

"Sure," Emily confirmed, "I make him all kinds of baked doggie treats. I have to be up on what he can and can't eat. Thank goodness pets aren't powered, Dude would be making a mess in my kitchen right now." She giggled to herself imagining her Golden Retriever mix telekinetically stealing all her turkey lunch meat out of the fridge.

"God help us! Can you imagine? All the cats would be Super Villains!" Douglas laughed.

"Absolutely."

Emily looked around the room, making sure nobody left anything, and that they had all put their chairs stacked in the corner. "I guess we're all done."

"Yep."

"You and Mike have anything planned?" She asked.

"Well she wants to try her hand at cooking again." He made of face in mock horror.

"Oh lord, I hope you don't end up in the ER with food poisoning!"

"Well mom is going to be helping her this time. I might be safe." He smiles, "I think she is finally ready to choose her new name and wants to make it special." Douglas and Mike had started dating while she was transitioning from male to female. It was tough because she could never see herself in how she felt on the inside, which is why she had been taking a while with replacing her dead name. Now she was finally done with her surgeries. It was a big step for her.

"Oh my goodness that is fantastic! Please text me when you know what it is. I want to send a gift." Emily said.

"Why don't you come for dinner? Just bring some antacids with you...some for me too." Douglas joked.

"I wish I could, but I have plans." Emily whined.

"Oh yeah? Got a hot date?" He asked.

Emily grimaced, "Not at all. My family is having a 50th birthday celebration for my Dad. It's a whole "thing" put on by one of the sponsors."

"Yikes."

Emily was the sole non-powered person in her family. Her parents were both from legacy families that had powers, a very well-known and famous legacy. The Skys were consisted of flyers, except for great-grandpa George who was a speedster in his day. Sky Hawk was her Dad, real name George III, Sky Dove her Mom, real name Delores, and her little sister rounded out the team as Sky Raven, whose actual name was Raven. The Skys were known all over the world for their super-sonic flight speed and rescue missions.

Emily was the first powerless offspring in 3 generations. If that weren't bad enough, at 8 years old, a car accident resulted in Emily becoming paralyzed from the waist down, leaving her wheelchair bound. Her parents and sister had been the other side of the coin when it came to having of a non-powered child: Overbearing helicopter parents. The only thing worse than having a disability, was how much her parents hovered and restricted Emily, until she was about to scream. When her little sister developed powers at 12, Emily used their distraction and asked to go live with her grandmother in the next town over.

Granna was her mom's mother. She was a flyer, but had turned her power into a delivery business, much to the consternation of her family. The tough old bird understood what it meant to want to be independent. It was that freedom, from their constant pity, that allowed 14-year-old Emily to become her own person, instead of "disabled Sky kid". She made her own power and was now one of the youngest PhDs at Pyre Corp. in research and development. Emily saved people every day by just being herself.

"I don't know how you do it." Douglas commented. "I just have a sociopath for sister."

Emily's jaw dropped, aghast, "Douglas! Your sister is a Class 8 Villain, in a Super Max prison with a life sentence! How is putting on a pretty dress and attending a birthday gala on a Saturday night in any way worse?"

"My sister isn't around to make my life miserable. After I changed my last name, the only thing people do now is give me a pity moment if they recognize me. Like, 'Family sucks, you know.'" As they were walking out of the building, he continued, "Tomorrow night you have to go through the gauntlet of waspy bitches and so-called socialites giving you the 'So tragic to have disabled family' look."

"I'm used to it. Once I get a glass of Dom in my hand and mini quiche, I'm good." As they got to her car, Emily used her remote to open the driver door and moved herself from her chair into the seat. Then she collapsed her chair and she hit the button for the harness to come down and pull it into the overhead compartment on the roof of her vehicle.

"Quiche? Where's the cake?" Douglas frowned.

Emily laughed, "The cake is totally for show, and even the edible part has an inch-thick layer of that nasty fondant. Mom always orders this monstrosity for looks. She has a blowout, hoping his birthday will become a national holiday. My dad is all smiles at the party, but the next day he calls to bitch about the cake every year."

"Well shit." Douglas closes her door after she pulls her legs into the car. "Are you sure you are going to be okay? I could probably dust off my tux and I know Mike loves nothing better than crashing a party in a pretty dress?"

"I'll be fine." She assured him, before she put her car in gear and headed home.

~

Was she gonna be fine? Emily wondered to herself as she stared at the caller ID on her cell phone. Why in the hell was Raven calling?

Sometimes Emily felt guilty about leaving her sister when they were kids, but when she saw how well Raven did with her parent's help and training, it had been for the best. Without Emily there, she became a super star of the teen hero world. Raven loved to sing and her hero work allowed her to get signed to a record deal. She had 3 albums behind her and a world tour coming up.

Emily pressed the green button to answer, "It's Friday night Chicken, aren't you supposed to be lighting the paparazzi up at some club?!" Chicken was the nickname Emily had given Raven when they were little. Raven had hated it right up until Emily stopped living with them. Suddenly, her little sister never argued about the nickname again. It motivated Emily to embrace it as a way to feel closer to Raven, instead of a childish taunt.

"Cluck, Cluck bitch. I'm actually pulling an 'Emily' tonight." Raven sassed.

"A what?"

"Yeah. You know...I've got my comfy yoga pants on, I'm watching a Netflix documentary and drinking a cup of tea. All I need is a fluffy dog in my lap, and I am good!"

"You hate hair."

"So, I'll get a poodle."

Emily laughed uncomfortably, feeling just a tad called out, as she looked around the living room of her condominium. She was sitting on her couch with her favorite cup filled with chamomile tea. The Dude wasn't in her lap, but he was passed out on the floor next to her, his soft nasal snore low-key complimented the sound, while she watched a documentary on George Harrison, the fourth Beatle. "I guess it is a bit relaxing, but that doesn't explain why you would do that on a Friday night?" She asked.

"What?! Are you saying I'm some kind of 'Party Girl'?" Raven sounded offended.

Yes. That is exactly it. She thought to herself, but Emily also wasn't fooled by her sister's stellar acting. She loved Raven, but loving someone also means accepting every part of who they were, and Emily pulled no punches. "Of course not, you are a 'Party Woman'. Girls go home after last call."

Raven laughed, "Okay, you got me, but I am schlepping it at home tonight....It's also the reason I am calling."

Oh boy, here it comes.

"I'm...kinda in some trouble." Raven hedged, "Publicly."

"What happened, did you flirt with a married guy?" Emily asked.

"Oh no, he's not married....yet."

"You got caught on camera with an engaged guy...So what?" In all honesty, Raven was every man's blonde ambition. Her green eyes, and long hair graced the form of a 5' 10" goddess with powers. Any guy would cheat on his fiancé to get with Sky Raven. Emily was sometimes jealous of her hair simply because she had a carrot top, but she also knew that she couldn't handle all that hair and her no-nonsense pixie did the job.

"Stop! This is serious!" Raven's voice raised an octave, clearly panicked at Emily's nonchalant attitude. Honestly, at 22 years old, everything seemed like a crisis for her little sister. "It was Kevin Majors! And it was on camera!"

Emily nearly dropped her phone, "Are you serious? You were caught humping Major Damage!" This was bad. Major Damage was a super strength hero who was engaged to Karen McDonough, aka, Ice Wing, a level 10 powered hero and basically America's sweetheart. She had literally just won a Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Dante Marina, one of the first super heroines of the 18th century. Everyone loved the high-profile starlet, thusly Raven had just put a moving target on her back.

"I wasn't humping him. We were just talking and I was sitting on his lap."

"Really Raven?"

"Shut up! He said they were in an 'open relationship'. We were in a private VIP room with a few other powered people. There weren't supposed to be any cameras." Raven whined.

"Well someone had one."

"Yeah, no shit." Emily could practically hear Raven rolling her eyes.

"You have a publicist. Just get Rita to bury this." Emily suggested.

"She tried, but it's still making the rounds locally."

"Why do you ..... Oh no! I am not doing that!"

"Please!? Rita said I have to do some major PR, starting at Dad's party." Raven begged.

"Ugh! Why am I your sister?" Emily grouched.

"Because I am the luckiest woman in the world?" She said.

"Yes. Yes you are." Emily gave in and sighed.

"I'll even cut you a piece of cake." Raven offered.

"Good God no!"

Raven laughed, "You and Dad with the hatred for fondant."

"You owe me Chicken." Emily said.

Raven sugar coated, "I'll throw in dinner at Rogilio's next week?"

"No press?"

"I promise." Raven assured her.

Chapter Text

As they rolled up to the red carpet in the ostentatious limousine their parents insisted they use for these events, Emily braced herself for the gauntlet of flashing cameras and shouting about to commence. The car stopped and the driver took the long walk around back as Raven exited the vehicle and posed a few times before meeting him at the trunk to retrieve the spare wheelchair.

It was a "spare" because Emily had never used the damn thing. It had a high back rest and large handles, which made it awkward to use for independent movement. Sky Hawk had bought it back when she was 11, around the same time one of his plane rescues had caused collateral damages to a children's hospital. It was made for an adult, which had made Emily look even smaller and more fragile than she already was.

At the time, Emily hated the chair, but had been thrilled to have her parents take an interest in her. The family went on public outings and got involved in the school activities—basically anywhere a photo op could be had. A few months later, Sky Team thwarted a terrorist attack and saved the President. All was forgiven by the public and 'Family Time' was no longer a priority. Emily switched back to her normal chair and started to consider the idea of living separate from her parents. Raven would be the only reason she would have allowed that dinosaur of a wheelchair out of mothballs.

Taking a deep breath, Emily shifted herself into the old leather seat. Raven must have had someone clean the old girl up for her red carpet debut because the camera flashes glinted off of the chrome arm rests. Well we all have our part to play, thought Emily. Instead of the beautiful mint green number she had planned to wear that set off her green eyes and complimented her peaches and cream complexion, Emily was wearing a high-necked, yellow pantsuit. Even Raven was shocked when she picked her up because of how the color made her look pale, sickly, and possibly one step away from liver failure.

"Where did you get that?" She asked horrified.

"You don't recognize Mom's birthday gift?"

Raven groaned, "Why does that woman think she can pick fashion?" It was a running gag that their mother could not coordinate to save her life, and even her publicist insisted she use a personal shopper for all public appearances. This did not discourage her one bit from trying to still dress her grown daughters, who were far less color blind.

"We're going for broke here, right? I look sick, you look fantastic and like my guardian angel in pale pink."

"I prefer black."

Emily shook head, "I don't think Grim Reaper is what we should go for."

"Yeah. Rita knows best."

And when a Whitehouse correspondent changes fields to advise a superhero, you listen! Shock and awe was the name of the game as Raven turned with Emily towards the crowd of onlookers and press. They both broke out the 1000 watt smiles their mother had taught them as children, and beguiled the crowd as they walked the carpet. Raven turned on the charm acting the caring, solicitous sister, while Emily played up the pitiable and grateful, disabled one.

Raven maneuvered their way into the venue hall actually surviving the hungry media and their questions about Raven's love life, with an easy, "Major and I are just friends. He's like a mentor to me. Ice Wing is so gorgeous and talented, he's lucky to have her." Which elicited a laugh because it was the equivalent of saying, "Yuck! That old dude?!" Major was only 10 years her senior, but for Raven's fan base, he was ancient.

As they cleared the entrance, Raven leaned down and whispered into Emily's ear. "Ready for round two?" She nodded towards the center of the elaborately decorated ballroom that held a giant statue of their father, with the man himself and their mother holding court with several of their cronies from their school days.

"Is..is that the cake?" Emily whispered incredulously.

Raven snorted, "Yup." She popped the p and the end, "Try not to laugh at Dad's package."

"What!?" Emily gasped and she realized the sculptor of this masterpiece must have had a huge crush on Sky Hawk. There for the whole world to see was a giant confection of their father with a crotch area that rivaled David Bowie's cod piece from the 1980s classic Labyrinth. Not even Jim Henson could make this PG. Emily did her best not to stare as Raven was already heading them straight towards the monstrosity and their parents.

"Oh! I'm so glad you made it just in time. And...is that the jumpsuit I bought you? I knew it would look fabulous Emily. It really is your color!" Delores exuberantly met them halfway to the statue cake, did her usual "fake cheek kiss" to them both, and escorted them back to their father and the cake effigy.

As usual, George III was dressed in a charcoal, Armani that was tailored and highlighted his golden quaff of hair and million dollar smile. Fifty definitely looked good on their Dad, and Emily wouldn't be surprised if he got another modeling endorsement for a clothing line in the near future. He must have been really feeling good tonight because Emily and Raven both noted his smile reached his eyes and he pulled them each into a quick hug.

"There are my girls!" In a loud whisper so anyone could hear, "You have to save me from this delicious looking cake. I might marry him." He looked at the cake and said loudly, "Handsome devil isn't he?"

The girls laughed right along with everyone else, while meeting their father's gaze, for the entirely opposite reason he made the joke. He hated these overblown cakes and he hated these pretentious gala affairs. However, he knew that the career wasn't just about saving people. It was a brand. It was an image. It was the business of being a Superhero; and as they cleared the area for the obligatory family photo shoot, the family knew it too.

Sky Dove was wearing a sparkling, red, evening gown that was probably all the rage, but honestly reminded Emily of Jessica Rabbit. To be fair, she did look fantastic for someone who had just turned 49, ahem--for the second time, but Raven and Emily's eyes met in a telepathic smirk at the irony that, if not for Raven's current situation, they definitely would not have worn pastels, which their mother had asked for.

Raven was 22 and Emily 24, but their mother was still trying to show them as her 'innocent little girls' because it made the family look good, which actually meant it made their mother look younger. Still, it was nice to see a genuine smile on her face as we took our places at their side, posing for pictures.

As the photographer was finishing up he said, "Okay, let's get a picture of Team Sky! Miss Emily, would you mind moving back..." And that was all it took. George's eye twitched, Delores' smile turned to glass, and Raven lost her smile completely.

Raven looked at their mother, "Why, you b...."

Emily grabbed Raven's hand and squeezed until she looked down at her, eyes pleading with Raven not to start anything in view of the public. Their mother orchestrated all of these celebrations and they all played along. It didn't matter to Emily about being excluded, but Raven didn't need any bad press at the moment. Emily would do anything to protect Raven from the shit storm her mother could unleash both in the limelight and out of it.

Staring at Raven, Emily gave her a supportive smile and asked, "Hey Mom, after the Team picture, can Raven and I take a few shots together? You know, just for the mantle at home?"

Delores' eyes lit up, clearly loving the idea. "Of course, that sounds wonderful! I know just where to put it too! Emily is just so sweet and smart." Raven rolled her eyes as she helped Emily move out of the shot.

She whispered in Emily's ear, "This shit isn't over. I am going to rip into that manipulating..."

"No, you are not."

"Why not? It's not right. This was a family celebration."

"The real family celebration is tomorrow. Mom has an MBA from Harvard. She may not know fashion, but she knows business. This is a calculated move to support you." Emily explained quickly.

"Ugh. Sometimes I wish it wasn't always business". Raven whined.

"Yeah, yeah. Now go push your chest out and make Mom feel old and flat chested." They both laughed as Raven walked back into photo area.

Chapter Text

Emily cursed Douglas for the tenth time in her head. She really thought she had gotten over the pitying stares of people at these public events, his reminder the night before had cracked the rose-colored glasses she imaginarily wore at these events to ignore the issue. After the photoshoot, there were people coming up to her every few minutes for the next half hour. The supers in attendance were some of the worst at making not so subtle comments about her disability and acting condescending, as if a wheelchair made her deaf and mentally ill.

Thankfully, it tapered off when she awkwardly made her way to the buffet, and then parked next to an obscuring floral arrangement at the edge of the dance floor. She watched while her family did their regular schmoozing, which she was more than glad to avoid entirely. Emily enjoyed her plate of appetizers in her lap, which did include a really good spinach mini-quiche. Delores was obviously trying out a new caterer and this one was a winner.

Next to figuring out how to engineer the next big thing in super hero assistance gear, Emily loved to people watch. She had become something of an expert at reading the drama based on the interactions she would witness while sitting on the sidelines at these boring events.

There was Senator Roth dancing with another hot new hero recruit that was half his age. He was newly divorced and scouting for wife number three. He cut a rather dashing figure with is graying temples and being in great shape. However, the girl hadn't quite been around enough to know that men his age went after younger women because of their lack of experience. Women in their 30s and 40s actually required men to not be a selfish narcissist and/or 'make an effort' in the relationship. It was the ultimate lazy move of the Senator. After all, a shiny new toy took a while to realize he was a douchebag.

Lara Lopez, a.k.a. Herald, was a scholarship student that came from a destitute background. She was a beautiful, smart, and on the path to hero stardom. Kelly, one of her best friends, had recently told her about Lara's failed attempt to put the moves on one of her instructors, Kelly's boyfriend, after graduation. The real question was whether Lara was on the rebound from her rejection, looking for a Daddy to take care of her, or was she just making a money move for maximum exposure?

Emily wasn't particularly interested in the outcome of this situation, but it made for good entertainment to alleviate the boredom. Maybe she should be focusing more on the nano-polymer that she was trying to formulate for regular citizen's apparel? A big problem with collateral damage during a super villain attack was shrapnel and fire damage to regular bystanders. A jumpsuit was currently available to help with people in high-risk positions, but an everyday fabric that could be used as regular fashion, had yet to be designed.

She sighed. It was a very serious problem that Pyre Corp. was hoping to get in on the bottom floor of, and it was her latest project. One of the most important things she learned, once she attained her doctorate, was that she needed to keep work at the job, and to occupy her mind with other entertainments outside of that. She had spent her entire adolescence working towards this goal and was damn near burned out when she got her PhD two years ago.

After defending her dissertation, Emily was waiting for the results when Granna had died of a massive heart attack in her sleep. And while it seemed like it was the best way for her grandmother to go, it had been absolutely devastating to everyone who knew the blue-haired dynamo. It seems cliché, but it was Granna's death that had been the catalyst for Emily to stop burying herself in her work and enjoy the little things. Maybe her life would never be as exciting as Granna's or Raven's, or any of her powered family, but it made her happy. The nano-polymer issue could wait for Monday morning and a strong cup of coffee.

Emily was going to enjoy this lovely flute of Pinot Grigio and another delightful mini-quiche. Due to her being wheelchair bound, she rarely allowed herself to indulge. Everything was on a schedule when it came to food, medication, and even bathroom time. At this point, Emily was an old hand at it. She knew what she could handle digestively and how her body reacted. Most people were oblivious to the importance of these things in the life of someone who couldn't really feel the bottom half of their body.

In fact, thirty minutes from now, Emily was going to need to depart. Getting home to her own bathroom was far better than any handicap bathroom most of these facilities had. Her mother didn't always remember to vet the restrooms in these places and Emily didn't want to take the chance. She didn't want to count the number of times she had ended up stuck in an improperly measured stall, or one where she had to fight with the TP bin in the wrong place.

Of course, Raven was nowhere to be seen. This cursed wheelchair was not made for a speedy exit. She really should have insisted on her streamlined model instead. Emily absolutely didn't want to do it, but she may have to ask a stranger to wheel her out. Inconvenient for her and not a great look for her "caring" sister...

"Looking for Raven?" The masculine voice asked.

Emily looked up to see Xavier Pyre himself, the CEO of Pyre Corp, staring down at her with those inquisitive blue eyes. From an objective point of view, some would call Mr. Pyre coldly handsome. He was about 6' 2", had a lean muscularity and kept his wavy, platinum blonde hair in a loose ponytail at his nape. Though he exuded confidence and his clothes reeked of style and quality, he was a scientist who had built the Pyre Corporation from the ground up to one of the leading competitors in the field of hero development products.

She didn't see him every day at the lab, but he was very hands-on in R&D and she reported progress to him regularly. The man might have looked pretty, but nothing was more attractive to her than an intelligent man. Just because her bottom half was out of commission didn't make Emily blind, nor did it stop her from having to try to control her heart rate. Emily's estimation was that, if he chose to, Xavier Pyre could be nuclear bomb devastating to any woman.

"Excuse me Mr. Pyre?" Emily damn near squeaked and mentally shook herself. Get your shit together girl!

"I noticed you were looking around. You usually duck out not long after the photos for these things." His mouth formed a half-smile. "And we're not at work. You can call me Xavier."

He noticed me at social functions? Of course you idiot. She scolded herself. You are a researcher at his company, and the only one with wheels.

"Yes, I-I am looking for Raven. Have you seen her?" When her mouth began working again.

Xavier stooped to her level and pointed in the direction of the massive cake statue of their father, "She might be a little distracted at the moment."

Standing with a wreath of plastic smiles were Major Damage, Ice Wing, and Raven. They all seemed to be playing best buddies for the cameras. Emily wanted to be relieved, but her ability to read people killed that idea. Major looked almost sad, Ice Wing was near murderous behind the eyes, and Raven was just plain uncomfortable. It didn't surprise Emily that their mother orchestrated this, and it certainly didn't surprise her when Raven promptly 'exited stage left' for the bar.

"Well, there goes my ride." Emily knew she wasn't coming back. This was more than likely sprung on her at the last minute and Raven hated surprises. The 'Party Woman' was about to have a blowout.

"Didn't you come in a limousine?" He asked, concerned.

"Yes, but unfortunately I am in the world's most ungainly wheelchair and require a push to the car." Emily could feel herself redden with embarrassment.

Xavier's eyes lit with insight. "Ah. Raven was trying to play up the 'caring sister' act, and now you're stuck." He shrugged elegantly, "No problem." To her utter mortification, Xavier Pyre, Emily's boss' boss and owner of the company proceeded to silently push her to the exit.

As they waited for her limo to come around, Emily looked up to see him staring straight ahead, his fists tight as if he were angry. Feeling her gaze, he looked down and gave her a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. The limo pulled up and he opened the door as she shifted from the chair to car. He didn't offer to help as so many tended to do, understanding that she was capable.

"Thank you...Xavier." She remembered.

He appraised her with warmth in his gaze. "Nothing to it. I'll see you on Monday Emily." He then helped the chauffer to store the chair into the trunk, and soon they were on her way back home.

With tonight's humiliation was complete, Emily stared out into the dark of the night and resolved this would be the last time she would allow this to happen. First thing in the morning she was donating that damn chair.

~

Xavier watched as the limousine pulled away from the Gala. He wondered briefly if he should have one of his men follow them to make sure Emily was assisted into her home. He shook his head and realized that, despite the family's ineptitude, the chauffer would surely be more than capable of handling it. Still, he knew she didn't live in the most secure neighborhood...he nodded to one of his men and gave the instruction anyway. Dr. Sky was one of the leading researchers on Pyre's team, they couldn't afford to let her get hurt. At least, that was what he told himself as he walked back into the venue.

Her dissertation of collateral damage and bystander safety had caught his eye before it had even been published. He knew immediately that she was what Pyre needed to grow and move into the future. Once he actually met her in person, her charming and delightful demeanor was so different from many of the serious-minded individuals in the department.

Her disability meant nothing to him, and seemed to be a factor in the way she worked with others. Many new hires had it in their heads that their ego was more important than the work itself, so certain theirs were the only way to accomplish goals. Emily had a truly beautiful mind, but didn't let it stop her from pulling the others together to create better ideas. She was on the fast track to running her own team.

Xavier scanned the dance floor for his 'date'. Lara was currently soothing the hurt feelings of Senator Roth, who had gotten the business end of Xavier's sharp tongue. He reminded the politician where his funding was coming from in regard of the upcoming vote on worker's rights. Having come from poor beginnings, it was necessary for the bill to pass and help lesser heroes be able to unionize. Too many companies took advantage of people just trying to earn a decent living, and something needed to be done before the economy began to suffer.

Honestly, Herald was just a shiny arm piece for the evening. One of the many he would take out for an evening. Seeing Em...Dr. Sky had put him off any the other entertainments Lara had been offering. One of Xavier's body guards approached and informed him that Senator Roth had, in fact, offered to take the young starlet home, and she had accepted. He doubted Lara had anything new to show him that he hadn't already experienced in his 33 years anyway. As he was turning to go himself, a flash of blond hair at the bar caught his eye.

Raven Sky was knocking back what Xavier assumed was another Tequila shot. Disgust and anger began to tighten his fist. Irresponsible and silly, Raven was certainly unworthy of the devotion her sister gave allowing herself to be used. How did a person just forget her family so easily?

Violence was easily entertained in his mind before he calmed himself. Despite his personal feelings on the incident, Xavier knew what he needed to do and approached the bar.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself." He stated.

"Yeah." Raven mumbled as she ordered a margarita. "Aren't you a little old for me. Sir."

Xavier gave a callous laugh and looked at her with hard eyes, "Hardly. I'm too mature for certain and wouldn't waste my time. I'm looking for Dr. Sky."

"Dr....Oh shit!" Raven began to frantically look around the gala for her sister. "Emily." She whispered.

"No need to worry. I put her in your limo about ten minutes ago." He answered.

"Oh. Thank God!" Clearly relieved.

"So, you do care." He snorted.

"Fuck you." She state baldly.

"Not interested. Besides is that any way to treat the owner of your latest endorsement deal?"

"What?" She blinked in disbelief.

Xavier played his card. "Your rep is tarnished, even with this little make up sesh with Ice Wing. You know how this business is. I hear some of your endorsements want to jump ship, which would defund your tour. You can't promote an album on tour without money. However... if you got a new endorsement, say with a Fortune 500 company like Pyre, you could recoup the loss and stay on track. It might even encourage your other deals to stay in the game."

"You want something?" She gulped in fear.

"Now you sound like your mother." He watched as Raven shuddered. "As I said, I'm not interested in that."

"What do you want then?" She asked.

"Stay away from Dr. Sky."

"But she's my sister!" Raven gasped.

Xavier rolled his eyes, "I see that have to spell this out for you." He leaned in with clear intimidation. "Stop using your sister as a scape goat for public scenes. She works for me and we handle very delicate projects. I don't need one of our best people distracted by your nonsense!"

"I-I can do that." She stuttered.

"Good. You're a grown woman who can stand on her own two feet and not follow in other's footsteps!" Xavier visibly calmed himself before continuing. "I'll have a similar, very clear, conversation with your parents in regard to this issue. An NDA will be included in the contract."

"An NDA?" She puzzled.

"As far as Dr. Sky is concerned, we didn't have this conversation and your endorsement is contingent on your silence. Do we understand each other?"

"Yes. I got it." Raven looked down at her drink, clearly confused, and pushed it away. "I think I'm done for the night."

"Do you need help getting home too?" He offered.

"No. I'm heading home with my parents after the party." She explained.

"Goodnight then." Xavier said and began to walk away.

"Thank you." Raven replied.

He turned, "No need. I'm protecting my investment." and heading into the crowd.

"Cold bastard."

Chapter Text

Emily twisted her mung bean noodles onto her fork, then speared a piece of turkey meatball. Ah, this was the good stuff, she thought to herself.

"Gross. How can you eat that?"

Emily gave eyed her sister as she slowly put the fork full of food in her mouth and moaned, enjoying her look of disgust as she reveled in the delicious sauce covered delicacy. "Some of us don't have hyper-metabolisms sis. I can't have full flour noodles and hard to digest meats. I have to take my pleasure where I can."

Raven looked a little ashamed as she started in on her own gigantic plate of Shrimp Fettucine "I'm sorry. I know you're right. I just forget that normies have to watch what they eat, especially in your case."

Emily shrugged, "At lease Rogilio's is nice enough to make accommodations for me."

"I always wondered about that. They are clearly an Italian place. Isn't mung bean noodle an Asian dish?"

"Yep. Mr. Tony's daughter-in-law is from Thailand. She introduced him to some of her recipes. He started experimenting and the customers liked it so much, he added some of the items to the menu."

"Nice. Doesn't hurt that he has 'super meals' on his menu too." Raven said as she wiped her mouth with a napkin, before she took another bite of pasta with the gusto of a starving five-year-old.

"You usually don't order that much. What's up?" Emily asked curiously.

"It's a two-parter."

"Okay, I'm guessing I'll hear about it on the news?"

"And probably Social Media. I saved a yacht full of trust fund babies, who complained the whole time." Raven stuffed garlic bread in her face liked it owed her money, then spoke as she chewed, "Apparently, I have to pay for this one dude's jacket who said I purposely tore it to see his abs, when I was saving him."

"If I could super roll my eyes, I would."

She snorted, "That was Bobby Gentry's super power in 6th grade. He was constantly trying to impress all the girls. He had to go to the nurse because he caused a nosebleed."

"Wasn't he your first kiss?" Raven threw a piece of bread at her. "Meanie! Don't remind me."

They both laughed for a moment, and then Emily pressed further, "So, what's the second part."

"Major texted me."

"Are you shitting me!?" Emily leaned in realizing that she was catching the attention of the other diners. "After the hoops you had to jump through to keep your rep from being shredded. After what I had to do."

"By the way I am really sorry about that."

"We're square. 'The chair' is on its way to the Walkabout Foundation in Uganda, and I'm eating Rogilio's with my favorite sister,"

"I'm your only sister."

"Well I will replace your ass with a robot, if you tell me that you have been texting that idiot back. I mean it." She wagged a finger at her sister, "You know I'm smart enough to do it."

Raven chuckled, "You don't have to worry about that."

"Really?" Emily lifted her brow skeptically.

"Yeah. Mom gave me the 'Older Guy' talk."

"I must have missed that one."

Raven raised her voice an octave and imitated their mother, "You have to be careful with the older men. They are just looking for young, dumb girls because their exes aren't fooled anymore. They're fun for play and gifts, but don't keep one because you'll end up doing EVERYTHING for them."

"Oh my God. She did not say that. 'For play and gifts'." Emily tried to hide behind her napkin.

"Yeah. I guess we know why Mom dumped that singer in his 40s before she hooked up with Dad." Raven sipped her wine.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."

"Why?"

Emily gave her a lopsided smile, "Because there was a lot Mom didn't share with me because I wasn't powered."

"You didn't know about George Rooney, did you?" she realized.

Emily shook her head. "I learned about it because they played a documentary my ninth-grade music elective."

"Oh Jesus."

"Yeah, Mom was posing with him on a red carpet. It made the next few months at school really interesting."

"Didn't help he was a fiery red-head did it?"

"Nope." Emily ran a hand through her own short, ginger curls, "But Granna was a red-head, and I'm more of a strawberry-blond, so that helped a little."

"Did it?"

"Not really."

"Kids suck."

"Yes, you do."

"Shut up, Nerd!"

"Make me Chicken Head!" They both fell into a fit of giggles and finished their meals in a companionable silence. Emily was done long before Raven, and contemplated her sister's words.

"Do you like him?" Emily asked, referring to Major.

Raven was quiet for a moment and then looked her in the eyes, "Yes. He's...a good person. He was just someone to talk to."

"He texted you though?"

"Yeah. It was just to apologize and talk. He really loves her. Honestly, if he were a cheating kind of guy, I wouldn't want him so much."

"Well crap. No wonder you are eating a mountain of fettuccini!" This mature, sad version of her was a little weird for Emily.

"Actually, this is my carb-load day?" Raven said matter of factly.

"Shut up! You diet?"

"Not really. I just eat raw veggies and grilled meats most days because it makes me feel better. I can't get liquored up every night, and expect my super powers to do all the work."

"Stop. You sound like a grown up and I don't like it." Emily groused.

"It was bound to happen. At least I know what I want in a guy now."

"Well then, let's toast to a good guy...not engaged to jealous, overpowered, Oscar winners."

Raven smiled and raised her glass to meet Emily's, "To a good guy. For both of us."

Emily snorted as she sipped her drink, "Yeah, right."

"I mean it." Raven insisted.

"You know I can't do 'stuff', right?" Emily asked.

"I know that, but not everyone does 'stuff'."

"Oh brother." She rolled her eyes. "You want me to find a guy with a matching set of wheels?"

"What? No. Maybe...but a matching brain guy? He could be a good kisser too!"

"Okay, we need the check. I am not having the handicap version of 'The Talk' with you." Emily laughed as she waved over the server.

"Well we toasted for it, so it still counts."

"Okay, Chicken."

Thunder rumbled overhead, so Raven had decided to take a ride share home. Emily chose to wait with her out in front of the restaurant. Turns out all the flight powers in the world couldn't protect you from getting your professionally styled hair wet. Lightning strikes were also a possibility, but it wasn't near as big a factor as what Raven's high dollar stylist would do if she allowed her hair to get zapped.

While they were waiting, a crowd of business suits walked out of the restaurant and the girls moved to the side to get out of their way. Emily happened to notice that it was Carlo Gianetti, known to have mafia ties. If you followed the news, you learned that he managed to avoid jail time again because the prosecuting attorneys failed to show enough evidence, i.e., papers and people came up 'missing', just in time. Unsurprisingly, he was surrounded by a few goon types and what looked to be two attorneys by the expensive suits they wore in comparison to the others. Emily elbowed Raven and motioned towards the new crowd waiting for their cars.

"Yeah, don't draw attention." Raven whispered. "I can sense two of his guys are powered and they're carrying." It was a known fact that if you developed powers, there was a natural instinct to feel your own kind in the vicinity; as if a warning that another predator of your caliber was around. This was how the rating system of supers was devised. The intensity of the feeling rated 1 to 10. Raven was a nine herself, and Emily recognized that if Raven's training told her to be cautious, these weren't a couple of twos with glocks in their pockets.

Emily was relieved to see the headlights of a Raven's rideshare coming up the drive, when there was an explosion of blue fire! Suddenly, Emily wasn't in her chair. She felt the cold concrete under her as Raven set her down across the parking lot from where they had been standing.

"I've gotta go."

"Are you crazy! That's Mania. He's off the charts!"

Raven gave her a stubborn look, "There are innocent people. I have to."

Emily nodded, resigned as Raven took off towards danger.

In the distance, she could see a dark blue cloaked figure in mid air above the crowd, a mask covered most of his head and face, blue flames surrounded this form and glowing flames sparked where his eyes should have been.

"GIANETTI! You have skated justice for the last time!"

Raven stood in front of the criminal in question "Stop this Mania."

Flames crawled up the tall form of the vigilante, his voice incredulous in anger, "You! You would defend this filth, this murderous trash?!"

"Heroes don't play judge and jury. We follow the law. We go by the book." Raven answered.

A ball of blue flame burst from his hand, "Your book is dust to me!" He threw the flame at Raven, as Emily screamed. It created an explosion that sent people flying, including Raven. She hit the wall of the brick building and landed on the pavement, limp and unmoving, like a broken doll.

Emily cried helpless tears from her space in the parking lot, cursing her inability. She watched has Mania lifted a struggling Carlo into the air.

"Lemme go you freak!" he cried.

"Freak am I?"

"Yeah, let'im go." One of Gianetti's goons scrambled to pick up a car and throw it at Mania. He created a ball of flame that met the vehicle in the air, exploding it to pieces. People cried out in pain as shrapnel flew everywhere. Mania surrounded himself and Carlo in an energy shield of some kind, as a second man started shooting, using his power to curve the bullets to hit at every angle.

"Pathetic." Mania snorted in derision.

"You want money? I can give you money." Carlo wriggled like a worm on a hook, "Anything."

"Belief cannot be bought."

Carlo looked confused, "Belief in what?"

"True Justice."

Horrified, Emily watched as Carlo Gianetti's body burst into flames, his screams echoing into the night. The flames Mania put out were so strong that it was a matter of moments before the husk broke away from his hands into dry ash that floated in the wind.

Gianetti's men were so stunned they didn't realize Mania had begun to throw fire bombs in their directions to finish them off. Bullet guy was out of bullets, looking down at his hands, he just threw his guns at Mania. The energy shield was down as one hit his wrist while aiming at the car tosser goon. It missed and exploded under a large work truck that flipped into the air.

Emily watched in terror as it flew into her field of vision, and then everything went black.

Chapter Text

In the low light of the hospital room, machines beeps and whirred quietly. Mania made sure that the nurse had left the room before he entered through the window. Two forms lay unmoving in their respective beds. Sky Raven was in the bed nearest to the door. Her head wrapped in gauze from a severe head injury. He felt no remorse for her, such was the hazard of living the hero's life. Being a super guaranteed accelerated healing written into her genetic code. But the other one...

The young woman lay battered and bruised. Her sweet face was marred by a broken nose and a lip split. Her body was in some kind of polymer casing to hold it in place and set the bones. He looked at her chart, the innocent sustained numerous breaks in her legs, ribs, two breaks in her right arm, and bruising in her spine. His grip tightened on the clipboard, leaving singe marks on the press board. Not her! He thought to himself.

Raven opened her eyes to Mania reaching out to touch her sister's ginger curls. She could barely move, but managed a gritty whisper asking, "What the fuck are you doing?!" She attempted to try and lift herself off the pillow as the dark figure quickly escaped out the window he had come. Raven weakly looked over at her sister prone form, then was forced to close her eyes as exhaustion took her, believing it to be a dream.

~

"Don't tell me to calm down! My daughter is severely injured!" Raven winced as she heard the shrill voice of her mother raised in anger. The monotone murmuring of what she assumed was the doctor seemed to be setting her mother off. Usually, calm and collected, she had never heard this tone before. There was no way Delores Skys would be seen losing her cool if there was a camera in sight. She sounded anxious, even scared?

"I'm fine Mom. It was just a knock on the head." Raven called to her as she sat up in the hospital bed. She looked to her left to see her poor sister in the "Bone Cocoon", it was a polymer gelatin that hardened around the body to set bones. Emily was one of the team who invented the medical device, but it was a whole different story to see her encased in it.

Delores walked in a hot mess, with their flustered father not far behind. Raven had never seen her Mom with a hair out of place, but today she was wearing a mismatched pants suit and fly away was the best description of that hair style she was sporting. Their Dad wasn't much better. Was that sweatpants?

"I know you're fine Raven. I meant your sister. Look what that monster did to my baby!" Their mother laid a tender hand on the forehead of her hauntingly silent sister. Raven wondered if she was hallucinating. Her mother only seemed to notice Emily when there was a way to show off for the public eye.

"Since when?" Raven was puzzled by their Mother's behavior.

Delores' lips tightened in frustration at having to explain herself. "I know we aren't close, but I'm not heartless. She's still my first born." She tried to keep her voice low. "Once we found out she didn't carry the power gene, I was terrified. I cried like a baby her first day of school. It took everything I had not to keep her home. After the accident, I thought 'We'll keep her safe.', but your sister was so damn independent. My fragile, little girl wanted to conquer the world without my help." She said wearily, "I might have powers, but Emily always made me feel... helpless."

"Mom. Is that why you let her leave home?"

Their mother laughed softly, "Do you think for one minute she 'let' me do anything?" She shook her head. "No. Her mind was made up the minute she realized you were going to require super training. 'I'll just be in the way Mom.' As if." Delores shook her head. "With her intelligence and success, I know it was the right thing, but I still felt like a failure. Just like when the accident happened. Just like now..."

Their Dad put his hand on her shoulder. "Dee, it was never your fault."

"I know that. The doctor said she could take years to recover. She's going to be in so much pain." Her mom whispered as tears rolled down her face.

"I wish we knew a healer." Dad said. "I'd pay everything we have for that."

Healers were a special class of super. Unfortunately, only about .1% of the supers in the world developed that evolution. Most of the ones who survived adolescence were used up until powers faded or their health did. In order to use the power, they had to take on the pain of the injured. The super gene would kick in shortly after to fix the absorbed injuries, but burnout or death were always possibilities. Any working healers are only available to the mega wealthy and powerful. 

Though the Skys were a legacy family, and never had to worry about who was paying the bills, their money came from short term endorsements and sponsors. Honestly, the smartest person with her money was Emily herself, she worked in the private sector for a large corporation, and held the patent on at least two products that Raven was aware of, including the ugly cocoon she was wearing.

"There is one thing we can do." Raven said with determination.

"What's that dear?" Dee said tearful.

"Find Mania and put him down for good!"

"Shhh! Calm down Raven." Her father admonished. "You sound like a vigilante yourself."

"Look what he-"

"I know." He gave her a hard look. "I know. I'm angry too. But we can't go off halfcocked. We need to work with the authorities and come up with a solid plan."

"Are you serious?" she asked incredulously.

"I seriously saw a being, with a rating that was off the scale, blow my powered daughter against the wall and take her out in one blow. That's why no one has been able to catch the guy. He's too much for five supers, let alone you and the two guys in that video."

Raven looked away ashamed to admit that he was right. Even Emily had tried to warn her before going in, and look what happened.

"Okay Dad. We'll do it your way."

~

Emily was in the parking lot again, but it was empty. No cars, no people, just him. He stood with the blue flames surrounding him.

"Are you ready to fight?" he said.

"Fight?" Emily looked down and she was standing! "How?"

"You'll never be ready." He taunted. She heard her sister's laughter in the distance.

"RAVEN!"

"You can't save her!" Mania formed a fire ball in his hand.

"Stop this please!"

"You can't save her from TRUE JUSTICE!" Blue flames burst into her vision.

"No!" Emily woke with a start and tried to move, but she was in a polymer cocoon. She must have broken several bones. Honestly, Emily was surprised she was alive at all. The 4x4 must have just glanced her as it rolled past.

She looked to her right and there was Raven lying in a adjoining hospital bed, but she wasn't asleep. She was silent, but her lovely green eyes were open, staring at the corner of the room in fear. Emily tried to move her head when she heard a deep voice.

"Don't be afraid. I just had to paralyze her system so she wouldn't call out." The old man walked toward the side of her bed. He was wearing scrubs, which probably were used to gain access to the room. His skin was dark, his hair and beard were snowy white, and his voice had a slight southern accent. "It will wear off in a few hours."

"Why are you here?"

"I owed him a favor."

"Him?"

"The blue fire man."

"Mania! Are you going to kill me?" She whispered terrified.

"Oh no my dear." He rested one hand on her ribs and another on her leg. "Quite the opposite."

Emily felt no pain, as if all of her nerve endings were cut off, not just the ones to her legs. Her anxiety rose as she heard clicking and crunching. The old man would groan every now and then, as if in pain. She watched his face as it took on bruising around the nose and eyes, then slowly faded. Then he moved his hands away.

"I did everything I could, but the break in your T12 and L3 were too old. I did take care of the nerve endings though." He said smiling. "They're much easier to repair."

"Thank you, but I still can't feel anything." Emily said fearfully.

"Like your sister, it will take a few hours."

"Do you know why..?"

"Why he called me?"

"Yes."

"No, but my debt is paid." And with that, the old man slipped from her vision and out of the door. 

Chapter Text

Apparently, being healed was exhausting because Emily had tried to stay awake until she could move and talk to Raven, but to no avail. She slowly woke to a vibrating sensation, and flinched as she also heard a distinct low hum, almost like a machine whirring in her ears. The sun was shining and it blinded her as Raven opened the curtains.

"Emily. Are you awake?"

Blinking slowly, Emily felt disoriented and tried to lift a hand, but remembered she was in the "Bone Cocoon" that held her stabilized.

"Yeah. My ears are ringing."

"What did that old man say?" Raven insisted.

"You didn't hear him?"

"No, I can't remember." She said.

"Well..." Emily concentrated, but all she remembered was his face. She looked up at Raven in shock. "I don't remember either."

"He must have done something. I felt a super in the room, but before I could react, he had already incapacitated me." Raven regarded Emily for a moment. "Hey. Your black eyes are gone and your nose looks normal under the bandage." She said as she pulled the adhesive away. Raven was less than gentle and nearly took skin off.

"Watch it! I actually kind of like my freckles."

"You're still a beauty queen, big baby."

"Oh ha, ha."

Raven stared incredulously, "No really, your face doesn't have a mark on it. Mom and Dad must have paid a Healer."

"Why did he do all the cloak and dagger stuff then? Why erase our memory?" Emily asked.

Raven shrugged, "Who knows? Maybe he was under contract to some rich dude and didn't want him to find out. I mean, that healer was pretty old and still had his powers."

"Yeah. Unusual." Emily confirmed thoughtfully.

"How do you feel?"

"Like I got a truck thrown at me." Emily retorted.

"I'm so sorry Em..." Raven began.

"Don't." She shook her head. "You can't control everything. I tell my kids the same thing at group." She continued, "I feel fine except for that humming in my ears, and my knee itches..." The realization of what she said hit Emily, "Raven! My knee itches!"

"Oh my god." Tears welled up in Raven's eyes.

"Oh good you're both awake," Their Mom said as she entered the room with their Dad. "What's wrong? Why are you crying dear?"

"Her knee itches." Raven said blankly.

"That's not funny girls. You know your Mother is sensitive about that." George admonished.

They looked at each other remembering the very evil practical joke they played as children, and both answered, "We aren't kidding!"

Their Dad's mouth opened and closed several times in shock before he said, "I'll get the doctor!" and ran out of the room.

Dee had already come to the bed side. "Are you okay? What happened to your face? How are you all better?"

"A strange old man came in the night. He healed her. You didn't hire him?" Raven asked.

"A Healer? I wouldn't even know where to find one."

Emily seemed to be flinching even harder. "Oh God, it's getting worse." The vibrations were harder to control, the humming had gotten louder, and her body was shaking all over.

"What's going on?" Her Mother's voice frantic.

"I don't know. It's weird. Like a vibration under my skin, and there's a humming in my ears." George walked in, "Ahh! It's getting worse. I feel like I'm going to explode!"

Raven and their mother shared a look. "Do you think?"

"Anything is possible." Dee looked at her husband, "George, you need to step out."

"What's going on?" George was confused.

"We think she's 'waking'."

"That's....she's too old." He said stunned.

"That can't be?!" Emily shouted in surprise as a nurse and two doctors came in.

"We don't know anything yet, but we all have to leave the room now!" Dee said sternly. Quickly everyone left the room, even Raven. The humming and vibrations subsided to a low hum again, and Emily was able to breathe calmly. She could hear her family talking in excited volumes outside.

'Waking' was the process of a super coming into their powers during puberty. The age was usually about 11 or 12. The awareness started out slow, so a kid could adjust to the changes and develop their 'predator senses'. Not long after, the power they were blessed with would develop.

It wasn't something that was a surprise or anything. Whenever any baby is born, they are given a genetic test to know if they held the super gene. Emily had been given that test at birth and was found to be negative. Her parents even had it tested twice to be certain. This is impossible she thought.

Not long after, a new doctor entered the room along with a phlebotomist and an orthopedic technician. Turns out the other doctor and nurse were both powered people, and couldn't come back in until they ran some tests. The doctor proceeded to explain that they were going to take some blood, then the orthopedist was going to remove the bone cocoon, and take scans.

Emily endured the process as the orthopedist gushed about the polymer wrap, and how honored he was to actually meet one of the creators. It was all well and good, but she had far more stressing things on her mind. He stopped in mid-sentence while looking at the scans he and raced out of the room, he popped back in long enough to let her know she could sit up if she wanted.

A nurse came in to assist her to sitting position, and then starting clearing things away from around Raven's bed and changed the sheets. None of her family were allowed to come in while they waited for the test results. She was used to being alone and on her own, but this was a little terrifying, and for once, she really wanted someone here.

Almost as if the universe was listening to her wish, Xavier Pyre walked into the room like he owned the hospital. He was in his usual navy pinstripe suit, but it was absurdly accented by the bouquet of bright red sunflowers with yellow at the tips of the petals. He had never looked so good to Emily's eyes. Blessedly, Xavier had no powers, so there would be no buzzing or vibrating, although she was quite curious to have her employer visit her.

She smiled brightly, "These are my favorite. Thank you, Mr. Pyre."

Slightly embarrassed, "Xavier", he cleared his throat "Yes. I had actually called your cell phone to inquire why you were late, and your sister answered."

"Oh. I guess she told you what happened." Emily mused.

One side of his mouth lifted into a sardonic smirk. "That, and "What kind of 'bone head' employer doesn't ask how their number one scientist is after a serious accident?"

Emily covered her face with her hands. "Please tell me she didn't say that."

She could hear his light chuckle as he set the flowers next to her bed. "It's quite alright. You are one of the best in my company. Also, it's a rare thing to have family that are as fiercely loyal as your sister." His eyes darkened with sadness as he took her hand. "Your lucky to have family that cares so much."

His sadness wasn't any mystery. Xavier was an only child. If you believed the bio the company's PR firm had published, his father passed when he was just a kid, and his mother became ill when he was barely 17. Xavier was old enough to be emancipated, and worked his way through college to become one of the strongest businessmen in the world. Without family or support, he proved he was strong enough to thrive in this world, even without powers. Emily admired his tenacity, and even his cold demeanor, but beneath all of that, she also thought that sometimes he might feel very alone.

They both seemed to be paused in the moment, and he shook himself realizing he might have been holding her hand a little too long, then stepped back. "I hope you are feeling better soon."

"I'll be back at work in no time." She reassured him.

He paused, "That is not the priority." He said stiffly, "We may have to delay the project, but your health is more important." Xavier gave her a nod and left the room.

It was well into the afternoon when the test results came back and the doctor was able to explain several of Emily's issues. Mainly, the Healer, which they profusely apologized for security being so lax, had repaired not only all of her fresh injuries, but several nerve endings and spinal injuries she had sustained when she was seven-years-old. This had reactivated her ability to feel her lower extremities.

Unfortunately, she was still unable to stand up or walk due to the bone damage she had sustained to her spine as a child. It also meant Emily was going to have to go through extensive physical therapy and strength building as she re-learned to use her emaciated lower body. Though she would never walk, she was now able to do many things with her lower body that had not been possible before. Emily was starting to realize that whatever it took, however painful it would be, she would see this as a blessing.

Next, they addressed her symptoms that seemed like "waking". Emily's genes still tested negative, but the doctor's conferred with a powered geneticist. Emily watched on a screen that a nurse was holding, as the older woman explained in a heavy Swedish accent that some regular people with powered parents or grandparents, could still develop their "predator warning" ability. The geneticist said that her childhood accident could have caused a delay in the function, only awakening when the nerve endings had been repaired.

"So why is it so intense?"

"Sometimes ze kinder will not have eet come slowly. Eet bombards all at once." The doctor explained.

"This happens to super kids during development?" Emily asked in shock. Feeling it as an adult, she couldn't imagine how horrific it would be for a young kid.

"It is diagnosed about 20% of the time. Eets not rare, just uncommon. We have a medical therapy I developed many years ago zat suppresses ze feeling. Zen we slowly ween you off until you have adjusted to your senses."

"When do I start?"

"Right now." The doctor said as a nurse moved forward and unsheathed a large needle with blue liquid in the chamber. As she breathed through watching the needle pump the fluid into her arm, the doctor on the screen continued to explain. "You will need zis treatment every 2 days for ze first 3 weeks. Zen every 4 days for 3 weeks. Finally, eet will be administered every week for 4 weeks."

"Can I give the shot to myself?" Emily wasn't a fan of needles and blood as it was, but she trusted herself before random nurses in a hurry. There was a very good reason why Emily didn't become a medical doctor...the upchuck factor. Give her a microscope and a slide full of synthetics any day.

"Ya. Not a problem."

"When will it start to work?"

"Almost immediately."

A few minutes later, after the doctors and nurses left the room, Raven and their parents burst back in the door, a wild tornado of hugs and loud chatter. Emily had never felt more grateful.

~

Mania listened through the hidden microphone attached to the window seal in the hospital room. He had hesitated to leave it, but his curiosity got the best of him, plus he needed to make sure Fabian paid his debt. For his crimes, the old man should have burned, but he was too useful to kill. No matter, he would fall again, and Mania would be there to serve him true justice.

He had berated himself for using up his favor on the woman. Called himself a fool. But She was an innocent, he reasoned. What choice did he have?

In the end his instincts paid off. So, Dr. Emily Skys had the predator sense, but tested negative?

"Not just a pretty face and quick mind after all...So very interesting..." Mania whispered into the darkness.

Chapter Text

                “Mom please stop.” Emily begged. It had been a week since the accident and her parents had insisted she come back to their ranch, just a few miles out of town. There was some serious convincing involved, but Emily conceded a few points. She was going to be in pain and dealing with new sensations with her lower body, plus their personal trainer, who was also a physical therapist, could see her daily.

Her parent’s home was a beautiful place with a few acres for their horses, mom loved to ride. It also boasted a large pool and patio in the backyard.  While it wasn’t exactly torture, Emily felt like she was 12 again, and her mother was in ‘smother’ mode, trying to make up for always spending more time with Raven, just like when she’d visit her after she moved in with Granna.

                “Stop what dear?” her mother said as she tucked the blanket around Emily’s legs. “You just finished your swim, and now we are going to keep those new, warmed-up muscles nice and safe.”

                “Mom!” Emily raised her voice where her mother actually stopped and looked her in the eyes, so much like her own. Catching her by surprise, the older woman welled up and just burst into tears.

Feeling a bit shocked, Emily urged her to sit in the lounger opposite her on the patio. It was so odd seeing her mother lose composure. It wasn’t delicate either, she was noisy, and even snorted. She watched as her mother pulled a worn handkerchief out and blew her nose then put it back in her pocket. Cringing in horror Emily began to question her own sanity. Delores Skys never had a hair out of place, and there is no way on God’s green earth, she would carry around a dirty hanky. Her mother being replaced by pod people had just become a real possibility.

                “A-are you okay Mom?” She asked cautiously.

                “Yes.” She sniffed. “No… I don’t know.” Delores studied her hands. “I just…I lost so much time with you baby. I wasn’t there because I thought you didn’t need me. Then I remembered how hard school was for me as a teen…and I was a popular girl.” Leaving the unspoken fact that high school was no picnic for nerdy types like herself. “Suddenly, there I was, ten years later, sitting next to your hospital bed…” Dee began to tear up again.  

                “Mom, I was fine. I told you…”

                “I know what you told me.” She looked at Emily, “You were so intelligent and mature that I forgot something really important.”

                “What?” Emily asked.

                “I’m the parent. I was the adult. I should have put my foot down. You were my kid, and I let you go live with my mother because it was easier. I was hurt that you didn’t want to be with us, and I let my pride keep me from spending some of the most important years in my daughter’s life with her.”

                Emily was stunned, she just assumed her mother rolled with the punches and didn’t care, as long as she knew her kid was safe. In truth, Emily knew that, at the time, she was running from her own jealousy and pain of Raven getting powers. When her Mom seemed to have no problem with her decision to leave, she tried not to show how much it had hurt her. It occurred to her that maybe Emily was more like mom than she realized. Though it was the right move for her education and future career, maybe that had been less important than knowing her mother cared and that they had both broken their own hearts with stubborn pride.

                She reached for her mother’s hand. “I’m sorry.”

                “I’m sorry too baby.”

                “We can’t go back.” Emily reasoned.

                “Oh. I know that.” Dee patted her hand, looking a little sad. “Just…old habits are hard to break.”

                “Do you know what we do have?”

                “What’s that Em?”

                “A whole lot of future.” She smiled creating an infectious answering smile in her mother. “I do have one question though.”

                “Oh?”

                “Since when do you carry around snotty handkerchiefs in your pocket?”

                Her mother’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink, “I don’t usually…blow my nose in it, but I always have.”

                “I’ve never seen you do that.” Emily answered.

                “That’s because I didn’t want you to know I was superstitious.” Dee said in a lower voice, as if someone could hear.

                “Superstitious? You? My mother who said ‘Fate’ is a hilarious joke?”

                “I know. I know.” She pulled out the hanky in question. “Your Granna made a set of these for me when I went off to college.” It was yellowed with age and her mother lovingly thumbed the hand-stitched design of pink daisies. “It was in my pocket on my first mission so I wouldn’t feel alone, and I always carry one with me. Especially now that she’s gone.” Tears started up in her eyes again. “Dammit! I hate menopause.”

                “Yikes. It’s really like that.”

                She looked at her daughter sardonically, “Oh sweetie, we both know I’m 52. Your Dad pretends to forget I’m older than him, and we lie to the press, but ‘the change’ is definitely here.”

                They both laughed. Maybe they couldn’t fix everything all at once, but real honest communication was a start. A breeze that smelled like fresh flowers passed between them. Mother and daughter looked at each other, and caught a sense that they weren’t the only ones present in this moment.

                “I love you Mom.”

                “I love you too, Emmy.”

~

                Step Left. Right strike!

                Step Right. Left strike!

                Xavier circles the bag in a systematic motion, putting the full intensity of his core into the punches that make the chains holding it up rattle. Sweat pours off his tall, lean muscular frame as he works over the bag. He doesn’t notice. All he can think about is how he’d like to strangle the idiot who hurt his Emily. No. Not his. Never his. He balled his wrapped hands tighter and punched out again. As much as he has become fascinated by her quick mind and lovely face, Xavier knew he was too damaged. His father’s legacy was proof of that.

                Only here in the dim light of the company gym, late at night could Xavier even admit it to himself.

From the moment she wheeled into the room for her final set of interviews, he had been compelled to say ‘no’ outright. Not because she wasn’t brilliant, accomplished, and qualified. Because he wanted her. Anyone would think he was sick in the head to want a disabled person, but that is not what he saw. Emily Skys was light in a dark room. Fresh coffee on a crisp fall morning. She was joy.

The reason Xavier hired her was to thwart any ideas he might have been having. His past, what he had done in his past could never be healed. He was someone who could crush her, and Xavier couldn’t allow that. In the position of power at her place of employment, it was an obscene breach of ethics in his mind; a line he would never cross. He also wasn’t a fool. Xavier couldn’t allow anyone else to have her working for them. In the first year, she had created the Polycoon for medical advancement.

However, it was a temptation having her near.  A torture he tried to assuage with pretty, vapid women and vicious workouts, but it never stopped him for long. No. Sooner or later he would be haunting the halls of his research department. Pretending to check on things just to speak with her or catch her laugh. Now he’d have to wait. The professional wall he built kept him from seeing her while she recovered. His PA had already given him a questionable look when he asked Kevin to find out her favorite flower. It would just be ridiculous for the CEO to show up at the house of an employee he barely knew, to “check” on her.

Xavier smiled as he wore himself out, “Fool” he said.  

“Yeah. I hear ya!” Xavier stopped as the lights flicked on and his trainer, Jake, made his way into the room. They had known each other for years, since before Xavier was a business man, and his friend pulled no punches. “Damn. You already overworked yourself. Ain’t nothing left of ya.”

“I’m fine.” Xavier stated.

“The hell you are! Look at your hands X.”

Xavier looked down and realize the wraps on his hands had begun smoking and turning to ash. “Shit!” He hurried into his personal rest area, wrenched open his locker, and pulled out the small metal box that held his meds. Measuring the correct dosage of the blue liquid, Xavier unceremoniously jabbed it into his thigh.

Jake had followed him in and flinched at the rough injection. “Jeez man, you know you don’t need that stuff.”

“Yes. I do.”

“I’ve seen you handle your power, you don’t need to suppress it.” Jake put a hand on his shoulder. “You’re not that kid anymore.”

Xavier shrugged him off. “No. I’m much worse.”

Chapter Text

 Raven watched as her sister swam laps in the pool, it was amazing to see her moving her legs back and forth. Though her spine would never support her to stand or walk for any length of time, the doctor’s said Emily now has full sensation and mobility of lower half. Her sister would be able to manage so much more and even activated a hereditary predator sense. Raven shook her head in disbelief.

She was so enraged at Mania and Emily being collateral damage. The very thing her sister worked to lower the numbers of during a Super doing their jobs. Then Emily woke up, and watching her smile as she worked her way across that pool…Raven didn’t know how to feel anymore. Was it weird to be thankful her sister got hurt?

Raven had wanted to cry through every physical therapy she attended, watching her sister fight through bringing back muscles that had gone unused for so many years. Being a witness when Emily had her first, random muscle spasms and her leg kicked over her mom’s coffee table while they watched Bridgerton on the couch. Her parents walked into the den, surprised at the cocoa and popcorn mess all over their Mom’s new Berber rug, while their daughters rolled with laughter, and a naughty scene played on the television in the background. Seeing Emily’s wonder of being able to use both arms and legs to mount and ride her mom’s sweet mare and slowly ride around for the first time. Honestly, her mother cried like a baby at that too.

It wasn’t just changes she saw in her big sister; it was everyone around her too. George, their father who was always kind of just followed their mom’s direction, stepped up and worked with their business brand and picked up the slack for the work Mom usually did. Mom and Emily seemed to have smoothed the tension between them and they were so much easier to be around. They all felt closer; like the family Raven always wished they could have been. More importantly, Raven saw something in her parent’s eyes she had never seen before: a profound sense of relief.

Emily was always in the background of her mind as they grew up. Mom and Dad might have been the helicopter parents, but she was no slouch in that department either. It was strange to live your life knowing you couldn’t be easily hurt, and the people around you couldn’t be hurt; and then, smack in the middle of your life, was this precious, fragile person, who meant just as much as anyone to you, but didn’t have that ability. Raven might have been the “kid sister” or the “baby” of the family, but she never felt that way around Emily.

When kids dared to make fun of her sister in school, or even mention playing jokes on her, Raven threw her weight around making sure that people left her big sister alone. She threatened Bass Hendricks to have her Godfather, Glacier, freeze his “nuggets” off. She learned through her BFF’s brother that Bass wanted to ask Emily to the Jr. High Homecoming Fall Ball on a bet, then ditch her. It was a crappy thing to do to anyone, but no one messed with Emily Skys or Raven was going to make sure they hurt.

Raven smiled to herself. If Emily had ever found out half the stuff Raven had done on her behalf, she would have been so pissed. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that the more you tried to protect Emily, the more she didn’t want that protection.

Then she just left. Emily’s room was empty and there were no more fights over the shared bathroom that divided their rooms. While Raven’s new powers were fascinating, she also kind of hated them because they also drove her big sis away. When she left to live with Granna, Raven worried constantly. It drove her crazy cause she couldn’t keep an eye on Emily at school like before.

So, She basically annoyed her way back into Emily’s life just to keep tabs on her. Raven forced her sister to deal with the fact that moving away didn’t mean they weren’t sisters anymore. She’d fly over to Granna’s without permission, doing anything she could to get in her sister’s way and make Raven apart of her life. There were a few fights, but the closer they got, the more she realized how strong Emily really was. However, it didn’t stop that worry for her powerless sister that was always in the back of her mind.

  The Predator sense or “Pred” as many called it, was a base evolutionary ability of every human being, it was a brain function that was connected to your nervous system and instinctually warned you of danger. During the time of the hunter/gathers it was essential to the survival of the species, but over time, humans lost that sense due to lack of necessary use. After all, humans had become the dominant species on the planet, the only thing they really had to fear was from their own kind.

When the first supers started to come into existence, that base Pred mutated to adapt sensing others like themselves.

Raven was angry, but at herself now, for being thankful to a madman for giving Emily the gift. Her sister getting hurt and the mysterious healer led to her nervous system becoming fully healed, allowing the dormant Pred to revive. Between muscle spasms and the painful physical therapy rebuilding muscles in her legs and core, Emily had been devouring any information she could on powerless people developing Pred. She even asked Raven to show her the meditations she was taught as a child while her own Pred had developed. It made them closer in a new way, but it had also given Raven the same intense relief she saw in her parents, knowing that her sister had, to a small a degree, a defensive ability against supers.

Did this absolve Mania? Raven closed her eyes. “True Justice” she snorted to herself. Whether he thought so or not wasn’t the point, a vigilante wasn’t a hero. Emily could have died. Someone did die! Hell no. He was a murderer. A supervillain.

 Raven might have the “Party Girl” rep, and part-timed the super gig to have a music career, but she swore her oath like every other powered person who took the mantle of Hero:

We are the strongest to protect our brethren. We are not judge, jury, and executioner. We are no more or less than anyone else in our service to others. To follow the Law is our duty. Sacrificing to protect others our creed.

Raven opened the sliding glass doors and went out to meet the physical therapist and Emily down by the pool, as she got out and started to towel off. “Look’n good out there.”

Emily smiled up at her, “I know! I don’t even feel tired.”

“But you are going to take a rest. Yes?” Yuri the good-natured old man worried.

“Of course I will.” Emily reassured him.

“Ya. Das good.” Relieved.

“So, you ready for the Emily’s Escape BBQ tonight?” Raven asked.

Emily rolled her eyes, “Yes. I am so looking forward to wearing the Luau-inspire, matching sarongs Mom bought for us that people can see from a satellite in space.”

Raven flinched, “Us?”

Emily nodded.

“Oh Boy.”

After getting in her chair, Raven and Emily started back towards the house. Raven shook off her complacent thoughts. Emily’s survival lessened the anger and helped her focus. Her father was right; cool heads would win the day. One way or another, that son of a bitch was going down.

Chapter Text

“So nice to meet you for the first time Michela.”  Emily extended her hand to the tall, beautiful woman with silky black hair and olive skin.

Michela huffed and batted the hand out of the way, “Girl! You know better than that! It’s been over a month and I need my hugs.” She bent down to embrace her friend. “I can’t believe you missed my naming party to get beat up by a super villain. I only expected that mess from your sister.”

“What can I say? I’ll check the social media meet-ups for Bad Guys next time.” Emily smiled up at Douglas and his girlfriend, happy to know that Mom hadn’t ignored her plea to have real friends at this party.

“Backyard BBQ” seem to fail miserably as a description. The entire area and pool were covered in torches, flowers of every kind, a caterer was orchestrating a massive buffet, and a was chef basting was an actual pig over a fire. The party wasn’t only a send off for Emily, but a way to slowly introduce Emily to being in a larger area of powered people. The ‘trial by fire’ as Raven had called it, had a few co-workers and friends her family knew were powered.  It also seemed to include some of George’s college buddies, Mom’s powered Instructors and trainees from her company’s mentor program, and last, but not least, Douglas and Michela.

“So. Michela? Isn’t that kind of close to your dead name?” Raven came over with a bottle of hard apple cider for Emily.

Michela nodded, “It is, but it’s also why I waffled for so long. My family told me how look to and how I was supposed to act; but in the end, I knew who I was and they learned to accept and love me anyway. Once my outside matched what I felt on the inside, the name didn’t really matter all that much.”

“My college roommate made a really big deal about his change of name.” Raven said. “I was almost afraid to ask you the question because Demarcus took my head off every time I messed up.”

“It’s different for every person.” Michela explained, “Some people have bad memories tied up with their dead name. Others wait so long to make the decision, they get super vigilant and forget people need time to adjust.”

“AND, let’s not forget all the people who have a problem with something that is none of their business, and has nothing to with them.” Douglas interjected.

“I’ll drink to that.” Emily agreed and took a drink of her cider.

“Are you supposed to be drinking that honey?” Michela asked concerned.

“Honestly, it’s got barely any alcohol in it. It’s like pretending to drink beer, but it tastes like apples.” Emily winked and then whispered, “I’m trying to make sure I can drive home tonight, I miss my own bed, my own things and my dog.”

“Oh, that’s right.” Michela popped out her bottom lip in an attractive pout. “We have to bring Dude back.” She turned to Douglas, “We need a dog!”

“Now honey…”

“Don’t honey me. You volunteered to take Dude when Ms. Dee had a fit about fur all over her house, and I’ve become attached! Coming home to someone who is thrilled to see you, no matter what the time, and getting fuzzy cuddles every night with my shows is addictive. We are ready for a dog.”

Douglas rolled his eyes and accused Emily, “See what you did?”

                Emily shrugged, “I have no control over who Dude charms. You know he’s irresistible. How do you think I ended up with him? Or how he ended up at your house?” They all shared a chuckle as Douglas grumbled, and Michela began looking up dog accessories on her phone.

                Emily smiled at them indulgently, wishing for a relationship like theirs. Her parents had a decent marriage, but it was based on their brand and almost as if they were business partners more than friends and lovers. Now that she was able to function and feel, there were things welling up inside her that she never had to identify with.

It wasn’t like she never dated, or had never kissed someone, but in reality, Emily had been living a almost asexual existence. The physical side had never really been a priority, or come in to play at all. The lower half of her body had been about maintaining a schedule, eating the right things at the right time and maintaining the status quo. Gaining muscle and learning how to exercise without straining muscles and tendons long underused had been hard enough, but a new factor had reared its head that she wasn’t quite prepared for—need.

The first time it happened was a few nights before, while watching the first season of The Witcher again. She loved Henry Cavil was played Geralt for the first three seasons. He was a big nerd just like her, and had read the books. It also didn’t hurt he was pretty to look at. She was watching the bath scene when suddenly Emily felt a little breathless and warm. She thought she might be feverish and she realized it was the sight of him shirtless that made her feel that. Seeing a man had made her want something she couldn’t describe or deny.

It was terrifying to feel all these changes. She even Googled “symptoms of arousal”. Wouldn’t you know it? Dr. Emily Skys was hot and bothered for the first time in her life. Emily shook her head at how stupid she felt for even a moment. Of course, she was going to feel these things. She was a healthy 24-year-old woman, and now all her parts worked.

Part of her was very afraid, but another was excited to know what else was waiting for her. Knowing her mind though, meant she also wasn’t going to try stuff with just anyone. When she saw Douglas and Michela together for the first time, it was like watching a moment of true light. Two people who knew each other’s good and bad traits, but accepted it all, and made each other better for it. That was real love. It was honest. It was what Emily wanted in her life even before her urges blossomed and it was what she still wanted for her future.

Well I’m not going to find it here. Emily thought to herself. George had his buddies in an old school beer pong game, much to his wife’s horror. Mom’s old mentor, Uncle Rob, also known as Glacier, was making ice sculptures for the older ladies. He was such a dog, but he also never forgot a card on Emily or Raven’s birthdays. The Chef juggling pork kabobs that he was making from the roasted animal, to entertain people, but he seemed to be distracted eyeing the bartender. The Instructors and mentors all seemed to be preoccupied. Some were showing off dance moves, and others were trying to network with the people. Emily shook her head. Supers just didn’t know how to switch off.

“Look out!”

Almost as if in slow motion, a kabob was heading right for Emily’s head. She wondered at it gleaming with pineapple, pieces of roasted pork, and onion as she moved her head to the side and grabbed it as it floated past her face.

“Wow! Nice reflexes sis!” Raven exclaimed. Douglas, Michela and a few party goers were staring in amazement.

“I-I guess all that extra physical therapy really helped.” She claimed.

“It’s ready!” Dee trilled loudly, distracting everyone as she directed the wait staff to roll a large sheet cake covered in fondant and sparklers that spelled out “Bon Voyage” into the dining area. “Come cut your cake sweetie!”

Emily shook it off and cringed as she headed toward the fondant covered monster in the dining area, throwing the kabob in the waste bin located nearby. As she watched the food fall into the can, she remembered when she caught it that it was like she saw the kabob in slow motion for moment. What was that?!

Chapter Text

Emily slowly opened her eyes, looked around the bedroom of her little condo and heaved a sigh of relief. I’m finally home. You could love your family with all of your heart, but sometimes a woman needed her own space.

Emily loved the little two-bedroom place she had hunted down in a quiet neighborhood. Of course, it wasn’t wheelchair friendly at the time, except for it being on the bottom floor of the building, but Emily used her inheritance from her Granna to renovate it to suit her. They gutted the kitchen and bathrooms, replacing the appliances, countertops, cabinets, and shelving with lower, more height friendly items. The walk-in shower had an easy seating bench and a water fall shower head with detachable sprayer.

The really fun part had been decorating her home slowly, one room at a time. The plain walls slowly began to feature local artists farmers markets. The furniture had been bought a few pieces at a time through bargains and estate sales. The second bedroom served as an office slash exercise area. Splashes of color were everywhere to excite the mind and cheer the soul. Emily’s own little piece of paradise.

She looked at the clock and realized it was time to get up and start the day. There was no reason to lay around when she would be going to the lab again in a few days. It was time to get her sleep schedule in order. Emily got out of bed and carefully seated herself, using her legs to maneuver into place on the chair. Emily shook her head, wondering if she would ever get used to the independent movement.

It had been two months since the accident, which made her think of all the things she needed to catch up on. Emily had received cards of support from her co-workers and even the resident jerk-off, Reginald, had signed a card. Emily had tried to do some theoretical work and make notes while she was adjusting to this new way of being, but it was hard to concentrate at because of her Pred, and the new spasms and sensations she was dealing with her lower half. Thankfully, the symptoms were starting to subside. The new feeling and muscles in her legs and abdomen were normalizing.

Remember this was the last day of her medication regime, Emily made her way to the vanity and took out the syringe of blue liquid that was Suppression Blue. It was a cheesy name, but marketing helped it become a household product for children with intense Pred issues. She cleaned the exposed area of her thigh with an alcohol pad, pinched the area with one hand, and inserted the needle into the fatty tissue, pushing the plunger to completion. Once she cleaned up, Emily threw the refuse away in a hazard bag and started getting dressed for the day.

Emily had learned to manage Pred, understanding the feelings as what rating another super could be. She had spent a lot of time learning about the predatory sense. There were quite a few medical papers and research on the subject, particularly by Dr. Stroud, the inventor of suppression drug Emily had been weening herself off of to manage Pred. The doctor had been the one on the monitor in the hospital explaining why Emily had suddenly developed waking.

Reading through her biography, Emily learned that Dr. Stroud was a powerful Electro-type super that suffered through an intense waking where her predatory sense came all at once. She had to be isolated from her family for over a year, while her body and mind adjusted to the change, only being seen by non-powered individuals. She had been nine years old at the time. It wasn’t unheard of for someone so young to develop early, but it was rare. Emily couldn’t image how scared that little girl had been, to be ripped from everyone you knew and loved, at such a young age.

A few years later, it happened again with Stroud’s younger brother. After watching her him go through the same isolation, Dr. Stroud devoted her study to become a doctor and help those who suffered with intense waking Pred. She knew there had to be a better way for a child to get through this horrible step in the evolutionary process of a super, or even just a genetic anomalous person, like Emily. Dr. Stroud became a biochemist and dedicated the first seven years of her career to creating what is now known as Suppressor Blue. In fact, her current research was into making Suppressor Blue a less intensive therapy with syringes, and condensing it into a pill form.

Emily went into her office and started on her home physical therapy plan, but as she worked on her reps, her mind was quizzically active. When she had woken up in the Polycoon, she had begun to consider the chemistry of the nanites used to create the bone plating. The gelatin that was pumped into the body suit, was full of microscopic little bots that received commands to solidify the polymer gel, and then go dormant. What if the nanites stayed active? Maybe there was a way for them to be programmed as sensors instead of by command.

After Emily finished her seated exercises, she went to her desk and began making notes on her laptop. Her mind filled with ideas and possible theories to create a material that could be smarter. It was all supposition at this point, but ideas waited for no one.

Suddenly, a grumbling noise emanated from Emily’s lower half. She looked down at her stomach in surprise. Since when did she make that noise? She noticed the time and realized she had completely skipped breakfast and was fast approaching Lunch. In fact, she felt ravenously hungry! She pushed away from her desk.

“Okay Emily. You can’t think properly, if you aren’t eating properly.” This was a common conversation with herself. Sometimes work superseded everything in her mind. She learned a long time ago that not following a dietary schedule caused problems. Just because her nerve endings were repaired and she could sense when it was time to take care of things, didn’t mean you threw out good habits.

Emily made her way to the kitchen. Michela and Douglas wouldn’t be dropping off Dude until the afternoon, so she had plenty of time to work after a good brunch. She turned the corner into her kitchen and stopped. All of her cabinets were open and her counters were filled with every cup and glass she owned!

Alarmed, Emily picked up her pad and checked her security cams. According to the file, there were no entries or exits, so no one had been in her home. Realizing some supers had powers that could trick a system, Emily checked the cam footage. After speeding through a few hours, Emily stopped and saw swirls of movement, like wind. The cabinets were opening and her dishware magically filling up the spaces on the counter, then just as suddenly it stopped. The time dial said 3:33 am.

Was she being haunted?

Chapter Text

“Hold still.” The frustrated man said has he strapped the child’s arms and legs to the chair.

  “Daddy, I don’t wanna give more blood.” The little boy cried. It was scary in the lab. It was overly bright and hurt his eyes. Every time he was in here, his daddy hurt him. He just wanted to go back to his room with the books his father gave him to read.

  “You’re not giving blood today.” his father said as he strapped the child’s bare torso down. “No, today we are taking some spinal fluid.”

  “Why?” the boy’s eyes filled with fear and his lips trembled, “I’m cold.”

  The man in the lab coat stilled and whispered, “So much like your mother.” He turned to the instrument tray and circled to the back of the chair.

  “This is for science, I need you to be brave.” He said sternly.

  “Okay, Daddy.” The boy stiffened up and bit his lip, he knew whenever it was ‘for science’ that’s when it hurt the most.

  “You know I prefer ‘doctor.” He corrected

  The little boy grimaced, “Yes, doctor.”

  “You are going to feel a pinch at the base of your back. I need you to be absolutely still, or you could hurt yourself.” His father explained.

  The boy flinched as the needle pierced the lower part of his spine. “Daddy it hurts!” He cried as tears rolled down his gaunt cheeks.

  “Just be still I said!” but it hurt too much, and in the next instant, the boy felt like electricity shocked his entire left side, and the little boy screamed in terror…

“STOP!” Mania screamed.

He bolted upright in bed, covered in sweat. He looked around his room and realized he wasn’t in his father’s lab anymore. He’s gone, he told himself, I’m home and he’s dead. Mania hugged his pillow and rocked to ease his anxiety. The pain was gone, but the memories remained. The nightmares had only come back when he had gone too long without doing his real job.

It was the price he paid for making a smart move. He had to lay low. There was a manhunt for the vigilante known as Mania after all. As far as the law was concerned, he had killed an innocent man, and injured bystanders.

Anyone who followed the trial knew that bastard was guilty. And the bystanders? They should have known better than to stand and watch. His actions didn’t hurt them, they’re macabre fascination did.

Mania knew the law could sometimes be wrong. After his mother died, the law justified leaving a four-year-old boy with a man the child barely knew, just because a DNA test said he was the father. Workers failed to make evaluation visits because of his wealth and status as a doctor. If they did show up, they wouldn’t stay long and never asked any questions, as money would appear in their bank accounts almost immediately.

The law failed Mania as a child and that was when he knew that he would have to find a higher law. His awakening had been painful and immediate. The good doctor had monitored the entire process, denying him medication to manage early on-set pred. He would hire powered people to test his range until Mania passed out in agony. His father was trying to accelerate the adaptation—and it worked. What usually took months to learn to control, had taken Mania only three weeks, the most tortured three weeks of his life.

Almost immediately, his powers activated, and he was a strong fire type with exploding capability. His father accelerated the experiments and training. At twelve years old, Mania had only known the inside of that lab. No school, no friends, and no understanding of the world. His only life had been his father’s ambition.

His father had been a powerless, within powered family, just like Emily Skys. Obsessed with the genome that created the mutation. He used Mania as a guinea pig for experimentation, because his son has also been born without the super gene, but not anymore. In the moment he threw that first exploding ball at his father, instead of the target, he knew what his destiny in life would be. He burned the entire building to the ground. The lab, the tiny apartment above, his father, and even the staff, were ashes in a matter of minutes.

When the emergency services arrived, Mania chose to let them find him and call CPS. It gave him an opportunity to get his file. He was put in the foster system and attended his first school. He didn’t make friends or even become close with any of the families he stayed with. Mania kept his head down and waited. Over the years Mania accomplished many things, including getting his own Phd in Neurobiology.

It wasn’t long after starting his job in the corporate world that Mania finally took action. His first mission was making the sure the case workers in that file tragically died in house fires. Then the judge who presided over his custody decision was caught in a car fire. With all of the adversaries eliminated, one would think that his vengeance was complete, but there was something inside him that was unsettled, as if he was driven to do more, be more.

One night watching the news, Mania saw the headlines that a young man, who had raped an unconscious woman, was only getting probation. The girl herself, had become pregnant from the altercation, and had a horrible miscarriage from the stress of the trial. The poor girl had nearly died in the hospital. Even the news anchor seemed disgusted by the judge’s decision, citing that there was no reason to ‘ruin a bright future’.

What about that girl’s bright future? He thought. What he saw wasn’t justice. In his father’s hubris, He had given Mania a great power to right the wrongs against him. What about those who were powerless?

Mania waited as social media tracked the college boy’s movements and where the rapist had settled. He watched as the young man walked down the dark alley from his shift at the local bowling alley. It looked as if he was trying to hide his appearance. The criminal’s hair had been colored and his clothes were baggier, he hunched his shoulders in his hoodie to put off being recognized. But Mania had studied, and knew exactly who he was.

Once he rounded the corner into a darker area. Mania struck, and as he watched the man writhe in agony and burn to ashes, he felt fulfilled. He felt righteous, Mania knew he had served a higher power: True Justice.

Realizing he was going to be late, Mania showered, washed and dressed, deciding to pick up a coffee and granola on the way to work. He put around his neck the lanyard for Pyre Corp. and headed out.

Chapter Text

Emily was a woman of science. She didn’t believe in ghost stories or folk tales, but the video of her kitchen mug tornado was a little concerning. Okay, it was a lot concerning. Then there were the holes in her pjs.

Over the last few days, holes began to develop in the thigh area of her shorts and in the armpits of her shirts, almost like resistance burn. Like she was manifesting her dreams. It was almost a tragic joke considering that she had the use of her legs, but not the ability to actually stand and walk. Sometimes in her dreams Mania was there, sometimes she was just alone on a road, but always, always she was running.

On the off chance that she wasn’t crazy, and there was something happening to her body. Emily took Dude’s leash and wrapped it around her ankle and wrapped the other end to the leg of her bed. Dude was 85 pounds of fluffy love and his leash was built for tugging. Not that he would ever do such a thing, if he hadn’t been so well trained, he would drag Emily on their walks like he was in the Iditarod sled race. Needless to say, her poor puppy had a look of confusion before he jumped on top of the comforter to sleep next to her. Great, even the dog thought she was nuts.

She groggily woke up to the taste of the carpet. Emily was flat on her face, spread across her bedroom floor. The sunlight peaked through the curtains showing her strapped leg hanging from the bed, and the rest of her on the floor. Dude stared down at her as if to say, ‘Whatcha doing down there Mom?’

Something was definitely wrong, and Emily needed to find out what it was before she started needing to sleep naked or, shudder, have to go shopping with her sister.

Emily didn’t have the tech capable of analyzing her video surveillance of the kitchen, but she knew exactly who to contact. Sitting at her kitchen table with an ice pack on her knee, from sleeping in a weird angle all night, she called Jacquetta Green. The doctor was the head analyst for Pyre’s power development team. Their sole job was to diagnose and test powered individuals, so they got all the toys for monitoring powered people and rating their abilities.

“Dr. Green speaking.” A young, albeit stern sounding voice came on the line.

“Hi.” She started awkwardly, “This is Dr. Skys.”

“Dr. Skys!” The voice changing to an excited girl talking a mile a minute, “So good to hear from you! I heard about your accident. Is it true? Do you have pred? Oh, I’m sorry. But would you submit to a blood test? I’m sorry! That’s so forward. I mean, how are you?”

Emily laughed a little, which eased her own tension, “I’m fine. Fully recovered. I was wondering if I could come by today and use your monitoring equipment. I have a video I need to analyze.”

“Oooh do you have a creeper?” she asked enthusiastically. “I thought I had a creeper once. But it turned out to be a family of raccoons. They were sooo cute I started feeding them, but then the HOA got mad at me and called them ‘vermin’. Can you believe that?”

Stunned at the Dr. Green’s rapid-fire thoughts, “No. I-I think they’re cute too.” Emily agreed.

“Right! But Mr. Johansson said he doesn’t want them in his garden and they disturb his chickens. Why would someone raise chickens in a suburb anyway? That’s what the grocery store is for! So they called a Wildlife Relocation program and Mr. Bandit and his family were sent to a forest.”

“That’s too bad. I think we kind of got off topic.” Emily trying to steer towards her goal, “My home video surveillance is showing some kind of error and I wanted to analyze it. Is it okay if I stop by?”

“Oh sure. Just come about 3:30 pm. I have a break to help you.” Dr. Green offered.

“I wouldn’t want to take up your time.” Emily tried to dodge.

“Trust me. You might have a reputation for computer nanites, but I’m the only person with clearance on this equipment.” She whispers, “Don’t worry I’m discreet. Laters.”

“No, that’s not…” Emily starred at her phone, feeling like she got run through a wringer. Dr. Green was young, a sixteen-year-old wunderkind in fact. When Emily had been accelerated in her education, she felt the need to act more mature in work environments. Dr. Green clearly did not suffer from the same self-consciousness, and it hadn’t stifled her enthusiasm one bit. This was going to be an interesting visit.

Chapter Text

Xavier Pyre had officially reached creeper status. It had been six weeks since Emily Skys’ accident and there he was suffering withdrawal, trying to console himself by sitting in her office as he hammered out correspondence on his laptop. He breathed in the sent of eucalyptus from her atomizer that was just about tapped out, and reminded himself to make sure that it was refilled and ready for her return. Maybe he should put some sunflowers in here as a ‘welcome back’ too? He considered the thought for only a moment and quickly sent a text message to his PA.

When he wandered in here last week, X told the staff in the lab next to her office that he was using going to use Dr. Skys’ office because they were doing renovation work in his on the top floor and he needed quiet. The Lab Chief stuttered consent, and they all seemed to accept the excuse without suspicion. He was the boss after all, only he knew that it was bullshit.

Just like the interminable need to push himself in all things. X needed an outlet for his need to see Emily. He would never cross the work ethic boundary that was set in place, but it didn’t assuage the want he felt to be close to her, to hear her thoughts, or to just be in the vicinity of the energy she created with her enthusiasm and wit.

Christ, I’m a fool. He thought as he rubbed a hand over his strong features. He was so damn frustrated, X started to feel unusual warmth radiating from his hands. Cursing himself and this dark gift he was given, he sent a text to Jake for a workout session. This was the fourth night in a row. Normally X only needed to exhaust his system maybe 3 times a week. It kept him fit and helped manage his power that the Suppressor couldn’t mute. However, since Emily had stopped coming to work, he was starting to need his workouts and treatment more often again.  

Seeing Dr. Skys almost every day at work, had somehow tempered him. X didn’t make the connection at first because he had kept his same routine, but then he started to notice his power wasn’t flaring up as much, he started needing the Suppressor less and less, until he was down to one treatment every other week or so.

Powers tended to react to high emotion, anxiety or stress, it was why most powered kids started their pred at puberty. With a Level 10 like X, you had to work to keep it under control. Often high powered supes were considered closed off or cold. The truth was most of them worked extremely hard to suppress flares of emotion for the safety of others. When you grew up in an abusive situation like X had, you keep a tighter reign on it in general due to triggers from trauma. While other men balked at the idea of mental health assistance, X faithfully took anxiety meds and worked with a counselor to train his mind.

Exposure to Emily’s presence created a different kind of trigger: The need to possess. She calmed his mind and spirit, and once he made the connection, it had become an addiction. Screwing his eyes shut, he knew could never let himself have her because of how dangerous he could be to normal humans. He had seen the damage he could create with just one mistake. Xavier would never inflict himself on her.  

Shaking off the melancholy, Xavier looked around her office and made sure he left it as it had been before he started using it. Emily would be back tomorrow.

Opening the door into the lab area one of the techs approached from a small group of her co-workers, one of whom he heard whisper “crazy” at her. The young woman was obviously nervous and kept swallowing profusely. She was holding a small jar that was stuffed with a few dollar bills, mostly tens and a twenty.

“Can I help you….Tina.” He read her badge on her lab coat.

“Umm...I wanted to know if you would like to contribute Dr. Skys’ ‘Welcome Back’ party. We just wanted to put up a banner and get some donuts…sir.” She trailed off under the intense scrutiny.

“Is this something you normally do for co-workers who come back from leave?” He asked suspiciously.

Tina looked around a little awkwardly. “N-normally? Not really, but Dr. Skys’ has been missed.” She cut her eyes to the current fill-in, Lab Chief Dr. Reginald Harvey. “She is a really great person to work for, and she would do the same for us.”

The right corner of X’s mouth lifted in a half-smile, not really surprised that people who worked with Emily had developed a sense of loyalty to her. “Certainly,” he said as he opened his bill fold and stuffed two hundred-dollar bills into the jar.

 Tina’s eyes bulged out at the generous donation, “Sir! That’s a bit much.”

“Guess you’ll have to get some flowers and streamers as well.” He said nonchalantly as Xavier walked out of the lab and into an elevator whose doors had just coincidentally opened up, as if to not make the CEO waste even once second of his time.

Chapter Text

Emily slowly wheeled off the elevator and onto the main floor of Pyre Corporations Research & Development Production area. She had only really been down here twice the entire time she had been with the company. In all honesty, her work was mainly done on the computer, and the output of the products were tested and created right here. The area was the size of a football stadium and outfitted with every kind of tech imaginable, including work that she and others had created to make life easier and safer for Heroes to work out in the world. It was important research and they also used the tech Pyre created to help those with less controllable powers be able to function.

The last time she had come down was for the testing of the Polycoon. It had been an immediate success for Emily’s team. She had only been with the company six months, but it was a theory she had been working on for years, and was a part of her thesis for her doctorate.

The area was open but sectioned off with dividers for safety areas that had different inventions and working models that were testing. She passed an area where the hero, Smasher, was using her superior strength to workover a new type of sheeting. The metal wall seemed to be holding, then Smasher pulled back and put all of her weight into a punch. Emily watched as it hit. Kelly’s fist not only dented the experimental plate, but also pushed the rig holding it at least 10 feet.

“I think this one has potential Jamal.” Emily heard Smasher yell over the industrial noise on the floor. Jamal nodded and was writing notes furiously into his computer pad.

Kelly was one of her better friends, but as fascinated as she was with the work, Emily wasn’t here to chat, so she wheeled past without Smasher noticing her.

Dr. Green wasn’t someone Emily had officially met—only by reputation. When you become famous for creating surgical robots before you are 12 and achieve a doctorate by 14, while working for Pyre Corporation’s R&D, you become kind of noticeable. At the far end of the floor was a row of pod-type offices with assistant’s desks just near the doors of each pod. Dr. Green’s seemed to have no assistant at the desk, so Emily just knocked.

“Come in!” said the young voice.

“Hi! I’m—”

“Dr. Skys! Oh my God! Can I call you Emily? You can call me Jacqui!” Emily barely entered the room, when a whirl of coffee colored skin in a lavender lab coat flashed past, closed and locked the door. “You have no idea do you? I mean, of course you don’t, because you don’t know what I did. But don’t worry I deleted the footage off of your server at home and I isolated my laptop, so Pyre couldn’t monitor it. This is so exciting!”

“What is?...my server?” Emily asked, clearly bowled over by the young teen’s excited blather as she sat at her desk and the girl’s fingers started flying over the keys while still talking.

“It’s like your blood says ‘no’, but your body is ‘yes’. And you’re asleep. So, we need to find the trigger. I’m mean you actually understood everything I said on the phone because of your power. And I didn’t even realize you understood me until I hung up the phone! Crazy Right?”

Emily put her hands up, “Okay, you need to slow down.”

The excited face of the teenager fell immediately, “Oh. You can’t understand me…I guess I was being wishful.” Dr. Green said sadly.

“No. I understand you fine,” Emily said as the girl’s eyes lit up again. “I just need you to start at the beginning and give me some context.”

“Oh okay. I talk so fast, most people don’t understand me, except my parents. When I was two they thought it was babble, but as they listened they realized I was just talking in full sentences really fast. Thank goodness my Dad was really into Eminem, or they would have never figured out what I was saying.”

“But you sound just fine.” Emily said smiling, “A little scattered, but fine.”

“That’s just it. I’m not fine! Most people have no idea what I say. I have to keep a recorder when I am testing, so people can slow it down to understand me. But you don’t need that because…” She leaned over and whispered,” You have powers.”

Emily leaned over and whispered back, “No. I don’t. Why are we whispering?”

“Because this is huge!” Jacqui turned her monitor around and showed two sets of DNA sequences. “This is a normal super’s DNA chain, see the highlighted mutation genes. It’s what the doctor’s see when they do the test on babies. This second chain is your DNA and it doesn’t show the gene at all, not even the pred you currently have. I can’t even feel you with my pred.”

Emily looked up in surprise, “Are you serious? I have no trace of pred.”

“Nope! Not even. It’s a little scary to think about, but you wouldn’t hurt me, so maybe that’s why.” Jacqui stated with utter confidence.

Emily snorted, “You’re super smart. I’m hardly a threat.”

“Bzzz! Incorrect! That’s not my power. I can change colors of stuff on a molecular level.” Jacqui demonstrated by changing the color of her lab coat from lavender to a bright yellow. “See. My intelligence is just good genetics.”

“Bet your parents were surprised.” Emily laughed.

Jacqui mouth twisted in a grimace, “You could say that. I turned the entire house pink for my birthday when I was 11. Dad got a complaint from our neighbors about it, and the HOA gave him a fine. When our neighbor, Mr. Johannson, realized I was a super, he started reporting anything and everything we did. My parents are talking about moving.”

Emily nodded in sympathy, “I’m sorry I know that must be hard.”

“He’s just ignorant.” Jacqui shook it off. “Anyway, after you called me and I realized you could understand me. I hacked your apartment’s surveillance and got the video you wanted to show me.”

“You know that is super illegal, right?”

“I know, but you were gonna show me any way.” Jacqui reasoned.

“Still. Don’t so that without my permission again.” Emily admonished.

“Okay.” She nodded seriously, “but watch this!” The monitor showed the scene of the coffee mugs appearing all over the kitchen again with what seemed like a blue streak swirling all over. “That’s you!” She bounced excitedly.

“What?!” Emily stunned.

“I’ll slow it down.” Dr. Green hit a few keys and slowed the video to almost stopping. “Watch the streak.” The blue light slowed to form a human body wearing pajamas. It was almost a shadow, but you could still see the slight orange from her hair.

Emily slumped back in her chair in shock. “It’s not possible.”

“Sorry. I have the latest tech, but you are sleep walking so fast, even my monitors can’t completely catch it.” Jacqui explained.

“How? I can’t walk without canes because of my spine. So, I don’t bother.”

“Good ol fashioned Physics. Your momentum is so super-fast that it doesn’t have time for gravity to come into play.“ Jacqui giggled with delight “It’s so exciting.”

“But you just said my DNA doesn’t show the signs of mutation?” Emily questioned.

“That’s why it’s so exciting, and why I was super-duper careful. I deleted the footage and isolated this laptop. You are the first normal human to develop powers. This means it’s no longer going to be a mutation. Evolution sees the imbalance and is pushing forward! Supers are reaching the crowing point with interbreeding that it will just be a natural change in all humans.”

“Why am I not showing signs of this power now?” Emily wondered out loud.

“I have a theory.” Dr. Green began. “At first, I think the Suppressor you were rationing yourself to adapt to pred was suppressing the power. Now, I think you have been in that chair for so long, you are consciously denying the power exists.”

“I’m in denial?” Emily asked skeptically.

“It’s like how I eat the same snack chips every day with my lunch, but then mom couldn’t find it at the store and said, “we need to be healthier”, so she made me take an apple instead. I only like the things I’m used to, so I was kind of a jerk about it, until I started eating the apple. A few days ago, Mom went shopping and I got my old chip brand back. It seemed wrong not to have the apple, so I started taking both because I can’t admit to my Mom that I like the apples better now.”

“We are women of science Dr. Green.” Emily doubted. “This isn’t about pride or being resistant to trying something new. It’s something that could change my whole life.”

“It’s Jacqui. Dr. Green is for those stuffy suit guys and my parents when they show off at family dinner.” Jacqui corrected. “Think about it. Your power is the new apple you don’t remember having but your body remembers. All this happened while you were asleep. The human mind is powerful and we’ve barely tapped into its potential. Maybe subconsciously your power is activating when your body is at rest. Like Super Restless Leg Syndrome!”

Emily closed her eyes. This was not happening. She and her family had found a happy medium where they loved her as she was. They had just started being less so over-protective. Her career was about to get back on track. And now, there was even the potential of starting a family of her own someday.

She didn’t need powers. She didn’t want powers. Sure, maybe when she was a child and felt left out, Emily had wished for her sister’s ability, but aside from being rolled by a truck, her life was great.

Of course, she thought to herself, that was when everything gets blown up.  It was when things are going well that the world decides you need change! Not only had she gained a power, but it was with a genetic code that could get her killed. If it’s discovered, she could spend her life being a subject, instead of the scientist who studies them.

“Are you okay?” Jacqui asked.

“I am definitely not okay.” She said.

“We need to start testing you.” Jacqui continued. “We can’t do it here, but I have a warehouse with a lot of my old robot models. My dad said I should sell them, but they are my babies and I can’t part with my work. I still have names for all of them. There’s Mr. Sticks, Do-Diddles, Captain Iron Pants, Bill…”

“No.”

Jacqui turned to look at her. “No?”

“Just no.” Emily stated firmly, “If it’s happening in my sleep, it can stay there.”

“You know that’s not how this works. It’s a physical power. You have to learn to control it.” Jacqui reasoned.

“I don’t ‘have’ to do anything.” Emily retorted as she wheeled her chair around, “Can you unlock the door please?”

“Emily this is dangerous.” Jacqui warned.

Emily gave her a sharp look, “My name is Dr. Skys. I’ve been around powered people my entire life, I can handle myself just fine Dr. Green.” She did her best to ignore the hurt in the girl’s eyes as Jacqui unlocked the door and Emily left the office.

Chapter Text

Raven flipped her blonde locks and winked at one of the guards she passed as she headed to the security entrance of the Police Plaza’s conference room. The trick to coming in late was to pretend like you did nothing wrong.

It wasn’t something she planned, but when you flew overhead, you inevitably saw things most people didn’t. She laughed to herself picturing the purse snatcher’s face when she just dropped out of the sky and clotheslined him. Some criminals just weren’t smart enough to look up before committing crime. Her Dad’s favorite expression was “rats in a maze”, basically that people never think about what’s above, if all the sides are covered.

The chief wouldn’t appreciate her efforts, but the sweet little Asian lady who reminded her of Granna did. She straight up pulled a wrapped cookie out of her previously stolen bag and gave it to Raven as a thank you. Snickerdoodles were the bomb.

Raven placed her palm on the scanner and bent to have her retina register in the system to access the door. Calling this place a ‘conference room’ was kind of a joke. In truth, it was a war room for supers to coordinate with the police on large operations or covert missions.

As she walked in, there were already several officers she knew from SWAT and a couple of other powered heroes waiting. Among them were her father, mother and the Chief of Police. Chief Jeffords was very serious about the work, she was sure the stick up his butt, that he was born with, was made of pure titanium. If she had x-ray vision, she wouldn’t even bother to check.

“So nice of you to join us Miss Skys.” Chief said stiffly. His dark flinty stare could punch holes in her head.

“Yes, it is very nice of me.” She said sardonically, “I’m so happy to be here. The purse snatcher I gave to booking? Well…not so much.” She gave him sicky sweet smile she reserved for commercial endorsement shoots.

“Well it is nice to see you do your job.” He replied. Jeffords had really no respect for Heroes like Raven. Who used their power and celebrity to promote their own businesses or brands. A pop idol was not worthy of working alongside the police on real missions.  

“That’s my girl!” Sky Hawk slapped the Chief on the back in a jocular fashion that nearly took the man off his feet. He was a decade older than her Dad, but they had been working together since the Chief had been a rookie Detective. In fact, their working relationship was so good, that Hawk got a pass on the Chief’s stalwart opinions about heroes, while everyone else got the cold look of disdain.

A look he was currently giving Raven as he said, “Now that everyone is present, we can get started.” The Chief used a remote to cause an entire wall to show visuals of crime scenes. “You know who we are looking to catch. Known as Mania, he’s a multi-powered individual, with the ability to create and manipulate blue fire balls that explode on impact.”

“What are his other powers?” A young SWAT officer raised his hand.

“He can create shields of energy, which helps him float in the air.” Glacier interjected.

“Is that all?” Sky Hawk said skeptically.

It was time for Sky Raven to speak up. “No.”

The Chief nodded and addressed the group, “We’ve only seen those two powers in the incidents he was involved in. As some of you know, Sky Raven was at the last attack on Carlo Gianetti, and I asked her to be present in order share her experience. I trust you are recovered from your injuries?”

“Yes. I think he’s super-fast.” Raven continued, “When he went after Gianetti, I didn’t feel Pred until he was on top of us. I’ve read the other encounters. Powered people who were present didn’t sense his pred until he was right there.”

“Maybe he can disguise his pred?” Suggested the young SWAT officer.

“You don’t know much about powered people do you Corporal Ross?” The Chief asked, “You were transferred from Charlottesville right?”

“Yes, Sir.” Ross confirmed. Charlottesville was a city that was known for pushing out powered individuals. They sold real estate trying to market a safe haven for ‘normal people’. It was only partially effective because what they couldn’t predict was the children being born every year that had the gene. There had been reports of young supers being sent away from their families, or harassed to the point of leaving. Oddly, it made Raven think of Emily for a moment. She wondered if that was why the handsome, young corporal was now living in town.

Raven rolled her eyes as Sky Dove gave him a charming smile that made the corporal blush, “Just for your information, powered people all have the pred sense. No one can hide their sense from another powered person, not even an invisible.” She turned to Raven, “You’re right. I think speed is the answer.”

“Add that to the list.” The Chief’s assistant nodded as they created notes in their pad.

“What we do know is that his moniker is synonymous with his profile.” The Captain of SWAT interjected.

“You mean he’s nuts.” Rockwell the earth telekinetic simplified.

The Captain smirked, “Nuts we can handle. From all accounts this guy thinks he is the judge, jury and executioner. Combined with powers, that makes him even more dangerous.”

“That’s right.” The Chief agreed. “This isn’t just someone who is mentally unstable. Mania targets people who have long histories of skirting the law. You can read from the profiles in front of you that he’s the worst sort of vigilante. He isn’t trying to save the public from supposed “bad guys”, he’s a serial murderer. Who’s to say when killing criminals will be enough for him?”

“So how are we going to take him down.” Glacier asked.

The Chief smiled. Actually smiled! “It might be old fashioned, but we’re gonna go fishing.”

“Hope you’ve got some damn good bait, Jeff.” Sky Hawk exclaims. “Let’s not forget that Mania’s level is off the charts. We’re going to need every hero we can to pacify this guy.”

“Not to worry Hawk, we have just the man for the job.” The screen shifts to the mug shot of a greasy, stringy-haired man with gray eyes, and a scraggly beard.

Raven looked over at her Mom, she had the same look that Raven felt. The feeling of horror and wanting to throw up. “You can’t be serious.” Sky Dove whispered.

“Marshall Roland is set for execution next month. He agreed to cooperate in exchange for completing his life sentence, in lieu of lethal injection, if he survives.” Chief Jeffords explained.

“He doesn’t deserve it!” Sky Dove burst out of her chair and her Dad got up to hold her back. “He’s the fucking Cradle Killer! He ate babies!” She screeched.

“I know you brought him in Dove,” the Chief tried to convince her, “But we’re going to falsify a media burst that he is being released due to contaminated evidence. Mania won’t be able to resist.”

“What if he escapes?” Sky Dove whimpered. The report of the Cradle Killer’s arrest read that, when Dove found his hideout and captured him, Dove had discovered a refrigerator of half-eaten appendages from toddlers.

“We won’t let that happen. We will have an entire team dedicated to Roland.” Chief Jeffords assured her. “The heroes will distract Mania while our SWAT snipers get an open shot to tranq him with Suppressor. Then Roland goes back to Super Max, with a new best enemy in lock down.”

“When is this happening?” Raven asked.

“We are creating a false propaganda campaign on the sites even now.” The chief’s assistant explained. “We should reach critical saturation by next week, and we are making his release date two weeks from today.”

“This isn’t right.” Sky Dove insisted, “He doesn’t deserve to live.”

“You might be too close to this Delores.” The Chief said. “I’ll understand if you both need to sit this one out.”

“But…” Hawk protested.

“I’m going to need you to support Dove.” Hawk nodded understanding that it might be necessary for George to keep his wife from interrupting the operation.

The Chief turned to Raven. “I need a flyer. You got the stomach for this princess?”

Raven understood her mother’s position. Her mother had nightmares for weeks afterwards. But Marshall Roland wasn’t the only monster that needed to go down.

“Absolutely.”

Chapter Text

For the first week Emily had managed to live in denial pretty easily. She started going back to work. Her crew had thrown a lovely “welcome back” party at the end of the day. She was really surprised at the beautiful flowers and decorations. Her lab assistants had pooled their resources and put out a spread of delicious Dim Sum, including steamed dumplings, Emily’s favorite.

Xavier had been there and suddenly Emily started feeling awkward and nervous, in a way she hadn’t had to deal with before. Damn these hormones, she thought. It was just not an appropriate time to have these feelings she was dealing with, and did her best to tamp down on it.

This did not stop her from noticing the way Mr. Pyre smiled or spoke to the other people there. The man could be very off-putting and cold at times, but he also knew that treating each employee as if they were valued, engendered loyalty and created more productive results. He would often glance her way, as if to check on her, so Emily did her best to seem nonchalant and would turn and laugh with another lab tech, who must have thought she was nuts.

In her quest not to let him find her giving him ga-ga eyes, Emily did not realize she had been stuffing her face. Katy, her best assistant, had noticed.

“Whoa! You must really love the food?” She said.

“What do you…” Puzzled, Emily looked down and her plate and realized it had been picked clean. She decided to cover her embarrassment with a joke. “It’s delicious, but there must be a dumpling goblin around here.”

Katy laughed and they went on with their conversation, while Emily was mentally freaking out.

While trying to ignore all the pitfalls of socializing and trying not to notice Xavier too much, creeping in was how hungry she seemed to be. Normally, she spent her time being conscious of her diet due to her health and mobility. However, by the end of the party, Emily realized she had put a way two plates of dumplings by herself. Oddly, she didn’t feel overstuffed or tired. The next day seemed to be even worse, where she was snacking throughout the day as she worked.

Subconsciously she knew what was happening. Her Granna would tell tales about her own Grandpa and how he could put down 15,000 calories a day easily, without a problem because of his body’s need for energy to sustain his speedster power. Emily was already dealing with fitful dreams, learning to sleep in the buff, and misplaced items all over the house; she was not going to add fuel to the engine. There had to be a way to control this situation where it wouldn’t be noticeable. She realized Granna’s stuff might be the answer.

The next evening, Emily wheeled her chair to the storage she kept after her Granna had passed away. Inside were some antique pieces she couldn’t part with, Granna’s kitty cat knick knacks, photo albums, and old memorabilia.

Ball Point was a famous Speedster during the 40s, 50s and early 60s, but Granna had called him Pop-Pop. Apparently, he was so fast that friction melted the tar on the road and he could write his name like an ink pen, hence the name “Ball Point”.

After moving a few things out of the way, Emily found the old leather trunk. It was brown with leather straps belted around it and a rusted clasp. She hoped that the items inside were still intact. Carefully she unbuckled each side and the box almost fell off her lap when it popped open. The straps made more sense when several newspaper clippings fell out because of the case being so stuffed with items.

Under the papers were a pair of old boots and a body suit that smelled of dust and moth balls. Upon closer inspection, Emily could see that the boots had been made of ultra-rubber, one of the first products created for supers. The soles were still in excellent condition and could still be used to this day. The body suit was made with what seemed to be the early version of Spandex. Remembering the fabric had been initially invented in 1958, it stood to reason that supers would have been the first people to adapt them, but how did a speedster account for the static discharge? The clothing was all in black, except for a blue lighting streak down the sides. Looks like Raven and Pop-Pop had similar tastes, she thought to herself. She set it aside and kept digging.

Emily had found all kinds of treasures. Pictures of Ball Point standing with both President Eisenhower and President Kennedy. A photo of him in a flack jacket with a group of soldiers in front of Army tents—the back read Korea 1951. The only framed picture was of the hero standing with a little girl that seemed to be at a birthday party. He looked a little older and the suit didn’t fit quite the same, but there was a huge smile on the girl's face and she realized Emily was looking at her Granna.

Water started to well up in her eyes. Damn she missed her. Granna would have loved that she had powers, especially inheriting the dormant speedster genes. But that’s not the life Emily had made for herself. She was happy and she didn’t need the complications of what powers brought on people.

It wasn’t like she didn’t have the mentality to want to help and make the world a better place. She did. In fact, that is what her research was all about. Emily just didn’t want to become like her Mom. Someone who turned their life into a media circus, and then fought to remember her humanity, neglecting her family. It’s not like she would purposefully create that for herself either. Being a Skys with powers would automatically turn her world upside down; forget the craziness of her genetic anomaly. She wasn't going to acknowledge this. 

Dashing her tears away, she put the frame off to the side to bring home. “Sorry Granna. It’s not my dream.” The frame felt loose. She could get a new frame for it and place it on her wall at home—Granna and Pop-Pop deserved a place there, not in an old box.

Looking back in, Emily realized that under the picture frame was exactly what she had needed. Reaching in she pulled out a red, leather-bound journal that said: The Adventures of BallPoint. She laughed, as she gathered up several similar journals that seemed to chronical Pop-Pop’s life as a super hero. He must have fancied himself a writer because inside the worn pages had paragraph upon paragraph of surprisingly neat penmanship that wrote of his experiences, along with the much-needed help in how to manage living with speedster powers.

She carefully put the journals and the framed picture in her back pack strapped to her chair, looked up and said, “Thanks Granna”.

The next morning was a Saturday, and Emily woke from a wonderful dream where Xavier had been feeding her a pork bun. She dressed and went into her kitchen to find Dude eating chicken out of one of the several Dim Sum boxes of food that littered the kitchen floor.

Emily yelled, “No Dude! Bad dog!”

Dude, being a very good boy, he gently put the box down and walked up to Emily with the saddest face in the history of dog faces. She covered her eyes with one hand and sighed, while petting his head. “Sorry boy. We don’t know what’s in the seasoning. It could make you sick.”

Resolved that this situation couldn’t go on any longer. Emily cleaned the mess, fed both her and Dude breakfast, pulled out the journals and started reading. 

Chapter Text

It had taken Mania half an hour to break into the prison firewall and get the secret release date of Marshall Roland, a.k.a. the Cradle Killer. It would seem easy, if he hadn’t done it a million times before. His love of computers was his only other passion, and from a young age, he toyed with the idea of taking out any number of criminals listed. He would get into the system and review file after file. It was like bedtime stories or lullabies that he recited in his head. The list of filth that would die if they ever got released.

Every news channel, every newspaper, all reeling in surprise that an infamous serial killer was going to walk. Mania watched as Social media burst to the gills with salivating, fame-hungry influencers, each with an opinion. He was addicted to watching the old news reels of the Cradle Killer’s crimes playing over and over, with the added voiceover of some new reporter acting shocked and enraged over the death row inmate’s potential release. Fiends. All of them hungry to make a name for themselves while stepping over the corpses of the victims.

Marshall Roland had spent years in lock up, a guest of the penal system who was fed bologna sandwiches and only given one hour of outdoor time in a dusty enclosed lot. It was far more than he deserved. Mania knew instinctively how wrong it was to be paying taxes to feed and house a cannibal with a penchant for the flesh of infants, as the families of the murdered children grieved and prayed to a God that did not listen.

The public watched avidly while Roland exhausted every appeal, and just when it seemed like they would be able to breathe a sigh of relief at his execution. The powers that be fumbled. Mania was never surprised by the incompetence of the police. Of course, they mishandled evidence. Not just any evidence, but key DNA that tied him to the scene of several murders. There was no God! There was no punishment for his crimes!

Our society was supposed to be “civilized”, but civility had left along with people’s hopes to see a safer tomorrow. Mobs were mobilized into an almost cult-like frenzy, planning to take the Cradle Killer out the minute he was released. Mania smiled at their enthusiasm, almost feeling a kinship with their need to end this man’s life.

Unfortunately, they were innocent to the tricks the police will play to “do the right thing”. In an effort to protect Marshall Roland from lynching, the police decided to release him in the middle of the night, at an undisclosed location on, and on an undisclosed date.

Mania wasn’t fooled and he laughed to himself as he tightened his suit into place. What the people didn’t realize was this was an elaborate trap for him. Granted, it was an irresistible bait, but he wasn’t worried. The players didn’t matter, their powers were inconsequential to his—It was the only thing he could thank his worthless father for. Some would die, but if they weren’t on his side, they weren’t on the side of what was right. After all, he was the only one who could mete out True Justice.

Chapter Text

A dirt road in the middle of the forest? Really? This was Jefford’s super-secret drop off for a serial killer release? Raven had to give him credit, the area was devoid of any other person that the swat, their team and their bait. On the other hand, would Mania even crack their firewall to find out the location? Flying over the beautiful greenery of the trees and hills was probably one of the highlights of Raven’s power, but being in the actual woods officially sucked.

It was two am on a Wednesday night, and a mosquito just bit Raven on the neck as they waited for the star of the show. Her mom should have warned her use bug spray instead of perfume. They were just loving the fragrance that Raven was considering as for her merch release, but with it making her an open buffet, it might be a poor choice. There she was hovering in some trees, with the occasional crow squawking nearby as if to say, “What the fuck are you doing here?” Wish I knew Poe, she thought to herself. She was mostly just a look out, but a part of her argued they were here for more than that. Raven wanted Mania, and she also wanted the Cradle Killer to stay in custody for her mother’s sake.

The world came into laser focus, as headlights bounced towards the supers, spread out on either side of the road, wearing covert gear. Glacier, Spikes, formerly retired hero, and Raven were camouflaged in the brush to the right. On the left it was covered by Rockwell, his protégé twins Brick & Kyle. Yeah, Raven didn’t understand their name choice either, but Rockwell explained that they were twins that rarely agreed on much, except when it came to being heroes. She’d seen video of their work and had to admit that they were a good team. Kyle would absorb matter into his body and Brick would convert it to energy and shoot it out of his chest.

Somewhere out of sight was also Spectra, a telepath, waiting with six other SWAT and dampening gear to put Mania in restraints. Once they weakened Mania down enough to drop his shields, Spectra would be able to take control of his mind, and they could safely contain the vigilante.    

From the other way, a second set of headlights appeared coming in the opposite direction.

“Cargo 1. Wagon 2 has been spotted heading our way. ETA two minutes.” Raven said into her mic.

“Roger that.” Jeffords mic responded.

This was all part of the plan. It was the illusion that someone was coming to pick up Roland at the drop off, but it was just another SWAT member in plain clothes, posing as a ride for the criminal.

Just as the vehicles were about 3 car lengths away, Raven felt a powerful pred. “CONTACT. BACK AWAY!”

“Can’t have that can we!” Mania’s voice echoed from the darkness, as trees simultaneously exploded, falling behind each vehicle trapping the men and Roland on the small stretch of dirt highway.   

Glacier immediately went into action laying down suppressive ice he converted from the water in the air to put out the flames.

“I see you brought the big ice prick. Not my type, but I’m up for a game.” Mania rose up from behind the trees, his energy shields already in place. Raven clenched her fists, this was going to be a hard fight, she thought. Mania began throwing exploding fire in Glacier’s direction as he dodged and covered the vehicles with ice shields simultaneously.

“You gonna leave me out!” Spikes shouted as he started to bombard with razor sharp spikes with precision accuracy, trying to find a weak spot in Mania’s shield. Spikes had been working for over 30 years and retired a while back to help out at home when his wife got sick. He was still strong as ever and wanted to be in on keeping Roland behind bars.

“Pathetic. I didn’t know the AARP had showed up. I don’t want to hurt you grandpa.”

“You let me worry about my age son, you might want to watch your head.” Spikes retorted.

“Wha-“ A large pile of rocks began to bombard Mania’s shield causing him to list sideways, but he was confident in his shield ability. “So, it’s a party. Well don’t worry, I’ve brought everyone a gifts!”

En mass each hero began bombarding Mania’s shields as they dodged and Glacier blocked his attacks. Even Spectra, unable to get past the shield yet, was using her telekinesis to direct SWAT bullets to every part of the shields to wear him down.

Raven wanted to join the fight, but her job was surveillance, making sure people stayed safe and their prisoner stayed in custody while they subdued the new one. She clenched her fist as Brick & Kyle began to fade, as well as Spikes. Raven watched as each part of the team ducked and dodged. Glacier covering them as best he could handle, but didn't seem like enough. She mused that they should have brought in that jealous ice queen of Damage's, but it was too little, too late now. Mania’s endurance was insane, but she could see him tire as well. It felt like hours, but her watch told her they had only been fighting for about 45 minutes. We almost got him, she thought. 

Suddenly, Kyle landed on a huge tree stump and absorbed it, he and Brick both shouted in pain as Brick blasted energy at Mania, and he was pushed to the ground. He was only down for a second, but Mania had lost his shield.

“Spectra, did you get him?” Jeffords demanded.

“No. It wasn’t enough time.” She replied

“Dammit! The boys just wiped themselves out!” Rockwell informed the team.

Mania rose off the ground a little higher and shouted, “YOU ALL KNOW NOTHING OF TRUE JUSTICE.” Changing tactics he began aiming for the SWAT with a barrage of fire, but with his other hand started building up power. Raven realized it was a fake out, just as Mania threw a power bomb at Glacier!

“NO!” Raven screamed.

“Glacier is down!” Rockwell yelled.

Enraged Raven flew down, used her family’s best kept secret: hereditary super strength. She pulled a tree out of its root. The look of shock on Mania’s face didn’t even register as she started battering the shield in a screaming, crazed rage. When the tree began splintering in her hands, she threw it down and began punching with all her might. She heard nothing. Not Rockwell joining her, nor Jeffords screaming over the coms to stand down. All she saw was her memories of growing up with Glacier as like a second dad, her godfather, her mentor. The energy shield started fading in spots as Mania began to glow blue fire throughout his form.

Raven could faintly hear Spectra over the coms, “I’m in!” then “Oh God, no!”.

Without warning Raven screamed in frustration as her body was thrown away from Mania. Her body didn’t stop as she realized it was Spectra, “What are you doing?!”

“I can’t…” Spectra’s voice cut out as Raven plummeted to the ground. A mile in front her a small mushroom cloud appeared amongst the trees of the drop site.

Tapping the coms in her ear, “Spectra? Rockwell? Anybody?”

“We’re here.” Rockwell’s voice groaned out. “I got the boys and Glacier is still breathing. Spectra threw all of us clear, including SWAT and Roland.”

“What about Spectra? Spectra do you read?”

“I-I don’t see her.” Brick cried.

“Spectra!?”

Chapter Text

“Hi, My name is Becca and I am powerless.”

The blond girl didn’t seem very old, maybe 13. From her attitude and willingness to stand up on her first night, she didn’t seem like she would need to be in a place like this, but appearances weren’t what this group was about.

“So. My Mom, Dad and sister are powered, but not in a flashy kind of way. Superior health and all, but mostly they are artists, so we are close. I’m not powered, but they are proud of me. I do great in school and I’m in band. I can’t say they hurt me…not the way they think anyway.

“What are you doing here then.” Tina an older, rough-looking girl retorted.

“Tina.” Emily admonished.

Tina had a chip on her shoulder the size of Texas, which had more to do with her family being destitute, than Becca. Her powered parents spent all their time and money on their addictions than their unpowered children. Tina was basically raising her little brother on her own, until family services stepped in. At 16, just about everything set her off, especially people more fortunate.

“What? That’s a private school uniform! She’s not hurting.” Tina claimed.

“That’s not the point of being here.” Emily explained. “Rich or poor, tall or short, we are all here because powered people affect our lives and we ALL get a chance to have our say.”

“If you are so close to your family, can’t you just tell them what’s wrong?” Tina demanded.

“No! Because THEY are what’s wrong! They told me not to be friends with certain kids because…because…” Clenching her fists Becca drew in a deep breath as tears rolled down her face. “There is a boy I like. We are both in the advanced classes. He asked me to the Homecoming Dance and they said no because…he wasn’t powered.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Doug sympathized. Being related to a villain, he was well acquainted with the purist zealotry that ran in some powered circles.

“It gets worse. I found out from my sister that it doesn’t matter who I like. We are both promised to marry powered people already. Like it’s the 1800s or something because I have strong genetics! They said…M-Mom said that they wouldn’t pay for college if I didn’t agree.”

As Becca began to cry in earnest, the room stared in shock. Even Tina could not remain unaffected and gathered her into a hug. “That’s fucked up.”

Emily shook her head in despair. Arranged marriages among the powered were illegal, but it was hard to pin down back alley contracts. It didn’t help that family tended to pressure their children in just this way, using dreams and the love for their own gains. The people that were supposed to love you the most, were more interested in their own politics and bigotry than the happiness of their kids.

After Becca felt calm enough, she sat next to Tina, who decided they were friends and kept her arm around her shoulders for the rest of the meeting. Afterwards, Emily gave Becca the number of an advocacy group that would help her, if she wanted out of what her parents had arranged.

“But I’d never see my family. They’d hate me.” Becca worried.

“My great grandma broke from her arranged marriage too.” Emily explained, “When she had her first child, her mother wanted to be a part of their lives.”

“Really?” She sniffed.

“If they really love you, family will always come back.” Emily assured her.

As Doug and Emily watched the room empty he asked, “Do you think she’ll do it?”

“I don’t know Doug. She’s so young for the burden they just put on her.”

“You know Tina exchanged numbers with her right?” He cut her a look as he went to pick up chairs.

“Her chances just went up.” Emily smiled as she began emptying the garbage bags.

“Oh yeah. How so?”

“People who grow up hard like Tina try to take on the world, and usually succeed.” She thought of Xavier Pyre. “Anyone who is a friend of a person like that, can succeed just by association.”

As they headed for the door, Emily realized, “Oh! I forgot the cupcakes.”

One moment she was in her chair, the next she was across the room in a pile of fallen folding chairs. She looked up to see Doug hurrying for the fire extinguisher as a track of flames led up to her feet and her pants were on fire!

In a matter of seconds, Doug had released the foam on her and then doused the trail across the room.

“Y-You have powers!?” His dark brown eyes showing hurt and betrayal. “How long?”

“No. It just happened.” Emily scattered.

“I knew about the Pred, but how could you not tell me? Or Michela?” Doug accused.

“No one knows! Not Raven, not Mom and Dad. I don’t want them.” She cried.

"Why?” Realizing she was upset and in shock, Doug’s instincts kicked in. He sat down next to her and put his arms around her shoulders.

“It’s not the life I want to live. I don’t want to be like her.” She sobbed.

“Having powers doesn’t make you like your Mom. It’s what you do with powers that makes you good or bad. You told those kids that in this very room.” He explained.

“I like who I am now. It took such a long time to love myself.” Emily whispered.

“You will always be you, but you need to learn control.” Doug said.

“I tried to avoid it by taking in only the calories I needed to keep it down.”

“It’s clearly not working. I don’t think you have much choice kid. Look what happened to the rec room! What if the kids had been here?”

“I’m being selfish and stupid, aren’t I?” Emily realized

Doug pretended to look around. “Who said that? Not me!”

“Are you still my friend?” Emily asked.

“Okay now I’m saying it. You’re stupid. Of course. Now let’s get you up!”

Emily looked up sheepishly, “I…actually still need the chair.”

Doug clearly confused, “How does that work?”

She huffed, “It’s a long story involving physics, dim sum and a well-deserved serving of crow I’m going to have to eat.”

“Well come on girl!” Imitating Michela, “You know I love the drama.”

Chapter Text

Raven sat next to the hospital bed, watching Spectra’s steady heartbeat and praying for a miracle. Over sixty percent of her body had been burned when they found her body. Having taken a majority of the blast, Mania had earthed himself in an attempt to obliterate a two-mile radius. All with the burns from the blast, Spectra had suffered organ failure and internal bleeding as well. They put her in a medically induced coma, but doctors weren’t optimistic she would survive the night.

When the Spectra was able to enter his mind, she must have realized what he was about to do and made a unilateral decision to save as many as she could. Even the strongest super heroes have a limit, Spectra’s ran out. She managed to thrust everyone away at the same time, except herself.

Raven had asked if she had any family, she learned Spectra’s parents passed away in a car accident when she was a kid. She had an aunt who raised her, but she was in hospice care. Raven thought about how many people who would come running to sit at her side if she got hurt, how many out there who loved and cared about Raven’s spoiled wellbeing, and she wasn’t half the super that this woman was.

So here Raven sat, holding a vigil next to someone she barely knew—a real hero who deserved to have someone care and be there for her. Afraid to hurt her, she couldn’t even hold her hand because she was wrapped up like a mummy. The nurse said to talk to her, but what could she say?

“You know…we went to school together.” She began, “I always wanted to say ‘hi’, but I was terrified you would read my mind, we all were. What were we so afraid of? Finding out that we were all just as self-conscious as the next kid.

I’m sorry I made fun of your alopecia. Those teachers sucked making you wear that helmet for tests. God, kids are assholes.” Tears rolled down her face, “I was an asshole.

“If I had become your friend, I probably would have been able to just be myself. I was popular because of my parents, and I lied about being wanting to be a hero to stay popular.

“Truth is I didn’t know what a friend was. My sister was my only real friend and only because I made her.” She chuckled to herself, “I was so lonely, I became her favorite pain in her butt.”

“You still are.” A quiet voice answered from the entrance.

“Emily?” Raven’s face crumpled and she felt the embrace of her sister.

“I was just home from a teen group session when Mom called. She was distraught and all over the place, said, ‘Raven’s fine, but she’s not fine…I can’t right now. The Cradle Killer’…a bunch of blubbering and the name of the hospital you were at. Then Dad got on the phone and cleared it all up.” She explained, then looked at the bed and all the machines hooked up to Spectra. “Did you know her?”

“No.” Raven sniffed, “I wished I had.”

“A telepath with telekinetic powers too,” Emily commented. “I hear they are equally hard gifts to control. A lot of them have very lonely existences.”

“Yeah, but she was one of the best. She managed to save everyone, even that maggot Roland.” Changing the subject, “Do you know if Glacier is okay?”

Emily nodded, “He has some burns and broken ribs, but his own power knocked him out.”

“What?!” Raven whispered incredulously.

“Glacier was diagnosed with Browne’s Sarcopenia earlier this year. He’s was planning to announce his retirement.” She explained, “He used up everything he had until it took him out about the same time Mania hit. He had just enough juice to block himself and lights out.”

Browne’s Sarcopenia was the power fading disease. It was prevalent in powered people who had the genetic markers for Alzheimer’s. Instead of the slow decent into dementia, they traded it for the loss of their abilities.

“How could he do that?” Raven raged, “He put the whole team at risk!”

“Hey, I know you think he was being foolish, but he only did it because of the nature of Mania.”

“What?”

Emily tapped her temple, “Think about it Rave. Mania’s primary power is fire. Glacier is the only qualified hero with the right power in our area, to circumvent it. They haven’t recruited his replacement yet.”

Raven leaned back and heaved a frustrated sigh, “Ugh. I can’t even be mad at him can I?”

“Not really. He did the best he could in the situation.” She reasoned.

“I can’t even be mad at Mania. The idiot exploded himself.” Raven groused.

“NO!”

Raven and Emily simultaneously grabbed their heads in pain as a voice echoed. They immediately looked toward the bed, where an unmoving Spectra still slept. Yet they knew it had been her voice.

Chapter Text

Mania fell against the door and slid a piece of panel aside to match his thumb to the security pad. The five-acre patch of land he lived on was covered in trees, but a small dirt road led to an old farm house and barn that from the outside seemed rundown and in disrepair.

After he was let out of foster care at eighteen, he learned of an inheritance that that his father held in a trust for him until he was of age. This farm was the first thing he purchased and began to fortify. The inside was meticulously maintained and had a state-of-the-art security system that ran the perimeter of the property, as well as inside the home. He had designed it himself in his spare time, and except for the occasional wildlife tripping the motion sensors, he never had anyone infiltrate his sanctuary. Not that they had an interest to, because it was owned through a dummy-corporation of the coast of the Caymans, and untraceable to his registered name.

Mania cursed as he stumbled to the bathroom to retrieve the med kit. It would take at least a few days for his skin to recover enough for it to look like a bad sunburn. As it was now, pieces of skin and blood were falling off his face and hands as he struggled with the kit.

Fucking Sky Raven nearly breached his shield. Not once in any intel since her premier as a hero, did it mention she held multiple powers, especially super strength. Not one damn time!

He calmed himself with the thought, that if it hadn't been for the bombardment of all the other supers for the duration, she wouldn't have made a dent. It was the onslaught. Mania knew it was a trap, but he didn't expect so many of them at once. It hurt as he peeled a piece of his lip off, but it still made him smile that they felt they needed so many heroes to take him down, and it still wasn't enough.

As Mania squeezed out the gel for his burns and he slapped it onto his cheek, flinching at the pain. He needed to remind himself that he was getting cocky. This wasn't a win; it was an escape that barely worked and he nearly earthed himself in the process.

Fire bomb wasn't a power he used unless absolutely necessary because of the danger to himself. He remembered the first time he tested his limits to achieve the move. He had scorched nearly his entire body and the area he lit up is still trying to regrow the vegetation and trees it lost. He remembered laying naked in a forest of burnt kindling for an entire day before feeling able to crawl back to his vehicle. He modified his suit for the flame temperature intensity while he healed. Just like before, the burns would heal quickly, as all supers heal. Though, he wasn't looking forward to all the itching when his eyebrows and hair grew back the next day.

After cleaning up and treating injuries that he could, Mania settled in his living room and turned on the television. He wasn't one for viewing pleasure, it was simply for informational purposes. Sure, he enjoyed hearing about his escapades through the filter of the media, but it was also a treasure trove of dirt and trash on both heroes and criminals alike. Just like a politician, news anchors lived to create sensationalism, which meant higher ratings. He flipped through until he got to a local network and waited for the 6 o'clock morning news to start.

It wasn't long before the intro began and the snarky brunette with the bonded teeth and plump lips started her greetings. "Good morning, this is VPN News and I'm your anchor Stacey Chalmette. Our top story this morning is the ambush of Marshall Roland's release."

Mania leaned forward in his recliner. "As you know the Cradle Killer was set to be released at an undisclosed location yesterday due to a fumble in the criminal investigation, much to the anger and protest of the public. Sources say, that it was, in fact, a sting operation to capture known vigilante Mania. The fire-powered murderer of criminals took the bait, but the heroes got much more than they bargained for."

It stung his face, but he could help but smile. He bet a dime to a dollar that the Police Chief hadn't cleared that bit of information to be released. Looks like Stacey's vying for a spot on the network news.

"In a desperate move, Mania tried to take out everyone in the vicinity. Chaos reigned as a two-and-a-half-mile piece of Adamsville Forest was completely obliterated in a pyro-technic disaster that could be seen from miles away. The entire area looked as if a bomb had gone off and was devoid of all life."

Stacey stacked her papers and took on a somber demeanor, "Thankfully, Mania only managed to kill himself. There were minor injuries to those involved, including Marshall Nelson, who is back in prison and set to carry out his life sentence.

Unfortunately, not everyone was left unscathed. Through the heroic efforts of the telekinetic hero, Spectra, everyone was thrown from the blast site; however, she was unable to evade the serious injury. Sources stay Spectra was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, and passed away a short while ago in the ICU. She sacrificed herself to move the entire team out of the line of fire. Her brave efforts..."

Mania no longer heard the news anchor drone on about that little bald, bitch Spectra. He clenched his fists in impotent anger and shaking with rage.

He was dead!

Everyone else had survived!

EVEN THE CRADLE KILLER!

INTOLERABLE!

Chapter Text

Emily knocked on the door to Jackie’s office as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders, and in a way, it was. She had to face not only her own issues with having these powers, Emily also owed the girl a real apology. Like any person, she hated confrontation, but she was going to take like a woman.

The door opened and Jackie was in a turquoise lab coat today. “Dr. Skys.” She said in her most formal voice, “I think we have said all there is to say.”

Emily hurriedly kicked one foot out and blocked the teen from closing the door. “You were right.” She ground out. “I can’t ignore it.”

Like any young person who realized she was getting an apology from an adult, a smug little smile spread across her mischievous face. “Of course, I was, but that doesn’t matter because I’m just a dumb, immature kid, right?”

“I never said that…look can we have this conversation inside your office. Please?” Emily begged.

Jackie opened her door and closed it after, locking it and pressed a few buttons on her desk console. “There we can talk without monitoring.”

“You monitor your own office?” Emily asked.

“Sure.” Jackie began, “Adults seem to have no problem finding their way into my office and try to take my ideas or files for themselves. They see me as a kid too, and unlike you, who will get credit for your work, I have to fight for every ounce of credit. I’ve actually lost two separate patents to supervisors because they thought they could take advantage of me.”

“I don’t think of you as a kid.” Jackie gave her a hard look. “Okay. Cards on the table, I think of you as a young, brilliant mind. You can trust that I have seen adult professionals with less maturity than how you handled my little tantrum,” She grimaced, “including me. I’m really sorry.”

Jackie sat in her chair and rolled it towards Emily. “I may not know what you are going through, but I do know what it’s like to be scared of yourself. I think you forgot for a moment that you are a brilliant mind too. You can totally do this.”

“Is that your professional opinion Dr. Green?”

Jackie rolled her eyes and held out her hand, “Stop, you know it’s Jackie. Let’s try this again. We have too much work to do for us to be anything but friends.”

“Emily. Em for short.” She clasped the young girl’s hand, and sighed. “This is going to hurt, isn’t it?”

“Not completely.”

~

Emily parked her sedan outside of a giant, brick warehouse. When someone tells you that they have a storage building on the docks, you immediately get picture of some mediocre, rusted building with seagull shit all over the place and homeless people using an old barrel for a fire in the alley. Ironically, this solid edifice was hiding behind three rows of those type of buildings, and the barrel on fire was two streets past. The building was obviously very old, but it was kept in pristine condition.

She turned at the sound of a small engine and smiled as she saw a purple Vespa coasting up to park by her car. The helmet Jackie wore was a matching purple with iridescent pink wings on the side. Emily had to admit, the girl was certainly a colorful spirit to match her sprite-like attitude to the world.

“What do you think?” Jackie asked, motioning towards the building.

“I think the outside might be cleaner than my condo’s inside.” She laughed.

“Yeah. It’s because of the cleaner drones I created for my mom.” Jackie explained. “I had to give them a home because I was only 10 at the time and I made them without the coding to shutdown after. So, they would constantly clean until they had to recharge.”

“How long was their battery life?” Emily arched a brow.

Jackie giggled uncomfortably, “Seventy-Two hours.”

“Three days!?” She gaped.

“Yeah, I adjusted them after, but Mom said, “’I don’t need nobody trying to change the sheets while we are sleeping in the bed at 3 am Miss!”

Emily laughed, "Your poor mom." Then she changed the subject “So do you have much room to do what you need to do?”

“What WE need to do. And yes. The whole bottom floor is now empty. I sent a command to my working bots to put everything in upstairs storage. The only thing on the bottom floor is Krom.” Jackie said.

“Krom?” Emily asked.

“He’s my security bot.” Jackie’s eyes lit with excitement. “I named him after the God of Conan the Barbarian.”

“From the movies?”

“There were movies? I read some of my dad’s books in his library. He said he loved them as a kid.”

“Well, we should have a movie night. Old films crack me up.” Emily suggested as they started toward the door.

“Maybe when we need a break.” Jackie confirmed. She opened the door with a key on a simple pad lock.

Emily knew they had to have better security than that, and her theory was confirmed when they moved into a dark hallway where Jackie pressed on a wall panel that slid away and showed a numbered key pad next to a hand print scanner and a retinal port.

“I’ll have to program you in, when we get inside.” Jackie said as she identified herself to the station.

The door at the end of hall looked like a regular office door with a brass handle, but Emily could hear the heavy movement and grind of large bolts releasing from somewhere on the other side when it opened itself like a pressure door.

Emily held up her hand and Jackie immediately slapped hers in a high-five, “That is really cool.”

Jackie was vibrating with excitement. “I know right?! Let’s get started.”