《A Bunnerfly in the Desert - A Kammiverse Story》


 Chapter 1

    I am SO excited to have the opportunity to contribute to the Kammiverse! I, of course, give credit to QuietValerieand Trashlyn for creating such an awesome universe! And this chapter was proofread by the equally awesome Trismegistus Shandy! I hope that you enjoy it! (In addition to posting it here on Royal Road, I have posted this story on SoFurry.com under the name Shadow Lion, on Fictionpress.com underElite Shade, and on TGStorytime.com under the nameShadow Dragon.)


    A Bunnerfly in the Desert - A Kammiverse Story (Chapter 1)


    by


    Shadow Bunny Dragon


    Las Vegas. America''s Playground. The kind of place people flock to in droves every year, drawn in by the glamour. The bright lights blinding them to the uglier truth all around them. The day-to-day truths that the working class people who live there year round are all too familiar with. People like Brittney Adams, who was just waking up to the sound of her blaring alarm clock.


    BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP-EEP, BEEP-EEP


    "C''mon," she murmured as she fumbled around for the obnoxious device on her bedside table. Her head was underneath a pillow, attempting to drown out the incessant beeping, thus muffling several obscenities she muttered before finally finding it with her extended appendage, silencing the noise. The clock had done its job, however, as Brittney was now up for the day. With a groan, she crawled out of bed and made her way to the bathroom. She paused and looked at her reflection in the mirror. What she saw was a stretching anthropomorphic grey bunny girl, wearing a white t-shirt with a flaming skull on it, and a pair of giant emerald green butterfly wings on her back, flapping a little, looking back at her. She was just a little over five feet, and weighed around one hundred and ten pounds. Looking at her reflection sparked a memory of when she had been a six foot eight, two hundred and ten pound hulking figure of a man. Back before she had become one of the Emerged.


    Brittney shook her head to dispel the memories, not having any time to waste reminiscing. She took one last look at her reflection, the bright amethyst eyes staring back at her from the bunny face, her pink nose twitching as her long ears brushed against the ceiling, before she reached back over her wings to undo the zipper on the back of her modified shirt, and stripped to hop into the shower. She had very quickly found that the best way to clean her fur, which encompassed her entire body, not including her wings; was to use two-in-one body wash/shampoo. She scrubbed as she let the water run over her. Her fur was mostly grey, but her belly and chest and chin were all white, just like her cottontail.


    She rinsed off after finishing by gently scrubbing her wings with the wash cloth; the thin yet oddly strong membranous appendages felt rubbery to her hand-paws, but were thankfully quicker to dry than her fur was. Once dry, she then grabbed a brush to tackle the newfound fluffiness of her fur, another new aspect of her morning ritual that Brittney had long since learned to become accustomed to. She strode out back into her bedroom, rumpled pj''s in hand to be deposited into the hamper, and started to get dressed.


    Dressing in a pair of jeans, all that was left was the slipping on of a modified green t-shirt, doing up the buttons in the back, and buckling her sandals on. Her feet, while furry, were still largely the same, aside from being much more petite. But still, the fur made shoes somewhat uncomfortable after long periods of time, especially when the weather warmed up. And May weather in the Mojave Desert most certainly counted as being warm. Ready for the day, checking to make sure that she had her wallet and her name badge in her jean pockets, she made her way out the door. She grabbed her keys and checked that she had locked her apartment door before making her way downstairs and towards the sidewalk. As she started to head in the direction of the library, she passed by a chain link fence. A large German shepherd snarled and ran up, barking his head off, startling Brittney.


    A few fellow pedestrians looked in her direction as she let out a yelp, and suddenly found herself hovering three feet off the ground, her wings fluttering. She blushed, having to concentrate for a moment to flutter back down to the ground, and kept on her way. In addition to her new appearance, the Emergence had also bestowed onto Brittney some abilities of her own. In this case, it was her levitation, which more often than not was an involuntary reaction whenever she was surprised, nervous, or in some rare cases, excited. Her ears, which were perked up, took in sounds and the mutterings of some people on the sidewalk across the street.


    "More and more damn freaks showing up here every damn day," she heard a gruff voice say, which she tuned out. She had considered "fluttering" to work, but didn''t really want to go through the hassle of getting the permit for it down at the DMV. It had been a massive headache just to get her license and other information updated after her transformation. As if on cue, she spotted Lustre, soaring up above on his usual patrol. After the Emergence happened, some of the more powerful Emerged, as they had come to be known, had taken it upon themselves to don the mantle of superhero, while some others became notorious as villains. Brittney looked up at the self-proclaimed hero, surrounded by his shining gold aura that trailed behind him as he flew, matching his gold spandex costume, and rolled her eyes. Eyes which did linger a little on the well-defined abs visible from the tight outfit.


    I wonder how many people that idiot has put in the hospital this week? Brittney wondered. She vaguely remembered hearing about a lawsuit that had been filed against Lustre and the LVPD, whom he was known to work closely with. Checking her watch, Brittney started to walk at a much more brisk pace. She had to hurry if she wanted to stop and grab breakfast before her shift started. She had made it to the crosswalk when her sharp hearing started to pick up on a set of fast-approaching footsteps. She internally groaned as she recognized the heavy panting that was accompanying the footsteps of her friend Benjamin.


    "Brittney!" he called out, from three feet away, wheezing a little. She winced a bit, but said nothing as the signal changed and she started to cross.


    "What do you want, Ben?" Brittney asked, slightly irritated.


    "Phew! I had to jog three blocks to get here before you left for work!" He wheezed some more, rubbing a stitch in his side. Brittney looked sidelong at her lanky friend. Ben was of Japanese descent, with short-cropped hair, and a nose that had been visibly broken once before. He looked at her, wiping away some sweat and smiling, a sparkle in his bright hazel eyes that brought a sense of dread to Brittney.


    Oh god, please don''t have another one of your idiot ideas, she thought.


    "I came up with an awesome idea!" he said as he started to keep pace with her as they stepped onto the curb across the street. "We''ll purchase some ad space!"


    "Ben, why would I ever want to buy ad space?" Brittney asked what she knew was a rhetorical question at this point, but still asked anyway.


    "Well, most of the other heroes in town are already pretty well known, and have more or less gotten the market cornered. So you just appearing on the scene, in costume, will probably not really go over too well. But if we get ad space, maybe some billboards or something in the newspapers, we can get started garnering you a reputation!"


    "Ben," Brittney said with a sigh. Ben continued, not listening.


    "I mean, it will really just be a foot in the door for you, because, y''know, what superhero goes around buying up ad space? Aside from Mr. Miraculous, I mean. But he''s a healer, so that doesn''t really count as a superhero," Ben said, speaking rapidly.


    "Ben!" Brittney snapped at him, silencing his newest spiel, just in front of the convenience store that Brittney was hoping to grab her breakfast from. "No. The answer is no, okay?"


    "Oh come on!" Ben whined, despite being twenty-one, sounding very much like the whiny teenager she had gone to school with. "Why not? Every time I come up with an idea, you always say no?"


    "You mean aside from those ideas usually blowing up in your, and sometimes my, face? How about the tiny fact that I''ve told you before, I''m not going to be a superhero!"


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "Why don''t you want to be one though? That is literally the most awesome job anyone can have now!"


    Brittney sighed and stopped just outside the doors of the store, turning to face her friend. "Look, Ben. It sounds cool, but it''s just not something that I have any interest in doing."


    "But your potential, though! You can fly, you''ve got super hearing, plus that thing you can do with your shadow! You''d be great at it! And I''d be great as your manager!" Ben argued.


    "Ben, it''s my potential to do with as I please. And I do not want to be a superhero. Besides, waking up one day with powers doesn''t mean that I''m automatically qualified to go around as a pseudo law-enforcement official!" Brittney said. "And it also doesn''t qualify me to interfere with any other kind of emergency, like a fire for instance, since I''m not a trained professional!"


    Ben looked a little disappointed as he turned away. He turned back, opening his mouth to speak, when he was cut off by a deep throaty voice.


    "Excuse me?" Ben and Brittney both looked around confused, before they heard a throat being cleared, and thought to look up. Right there, looking down at them was Lustre himself, slowly descending, his golden aura fading. His tight gold costume was complete with golden boots and gloves and a shimmering gold cape, making him look like something out of a comic book. His perfectly tanned face, framed by honey-blonde locks, was frowning in disapproval.


    "Woah, Lustre!" Ben excitedly whispered to Brittney, who herself was checking her watch, wishing she hadn''t cut it so damn close this morning.


    "Young lady, were you just disparaging my profession?" he asked. Brittney was a little caught off guard by this whole situation, as well as the fact that he called her a young lady when he seemed to be around the same age as her, and started to feel nervous.


    Oh hell, she thought.


    "Well, no. I was just explaining to my friend here that I don''t want to be a superhero," she said, motioning to Ben, who was looking starstruck. Lustre took a moment to look her up and down.


    "So instead you would choose to take the path of the villain?" he said, making Brittney facepalm on the inside.


    "No! Look, I just want to keep going to school, go to work, get my degree, and just live as normal as a life as anyone can feasibly have. That''s all! No hero or villain paths for me."


    "That''s funny. You know, you have heroes like myself to thank for the opportunity to live a normal life. We''re the ones who clean up the streets, save lives, and generally make the world a safer place, no matter what some attorneys say." The last bit he mumbled under his breath.


    "Safer place? What about that tour bus you flipped over last month?" a scratchy voice cut in. All three turned to find the notorious villain, Gatekeeper, exiting the store, holding a blue raspberry slush drink. He was a large black man with a shaved head and a goatee, wearing a red Hawaiian shirt and a pair of jean shorts. His sunglasses shifted as he looked over Brittney, and she could see the multicolored light shining from his eyes. There was a tattoo in the very center of his forehead of an eye that seemed to blink on its own.


    "Gatekeeper," Lustre said, his voice filled with malice, "and so we meet again. And that was your fault! Luckily, I was there to save those people!"


    "I''m the one who saved them, dumbass!" Gatekeeper said. "You''re the one who endangered them!"


    "I was attempting to apprehend you!" Lustre said, his aura starting to shimmer back into existence. Brittney was slowly starting to back up, considering that breakfast was not going to be worth hanging around for this. "Don''t you dare move!"


    Brittney froze, realizing that Lustre was pointing a finger right at her. "Are you in league with this villain?"


    "What? NO!" Brittney sputtered, her wings fluttering indignantly. "I just told you that I don''t want any part of any of this crap! I''m just trying not to be late to work!"


    "I couldn''t help but overhear what you were telling your friend, and yeah, I agree wholeheartedly." Gatekeeper said, addressing the bunny girl with the butterfly wings.


    "Well, of course you would," Lustre added disdainfully.


    "Oh come on, Larry," Gatekeeper said, "you have to admit that she makes a pretty good point. Just because you''ve got powers, that doesn''t mean that you have any idea what you''re doing."


    "I was actually just referring to mysel--" Brittney tried, before being cut off by Lustre.


    "I am helping, which is more than you can say!"


    "Oh please! You were just a weed-smoking dumbass until you emerged and decided to start living a comic book fantasy. And considering how many people are suing you for all the harm that you''ve caused, it''s really more than you yourself can say, actually."


    "I was only talking about myself and how I''m not a professional trained for an emergency situation, nor do I know anything about proper procedures!" Brittney interjected, hoping to use that to bow out of the debate.


    "And there are plenty of procedures in place that are there for a reason," came a new female voice. All eyes turned to a man and a woman both wearing shirts that advertised that they were members of the Las Vegas Fire Department. The man was tall and broad-shouldered, standing there with his arms crossed, while the woman, her brown hair cut short in a pixie cut, confidently strode forward. "The reason usually being that, before such and such procedure was added, someone tended to end up dead."


    You have got to be kidding me, Brittney thought to herself.


    "Okay, well, you all seem to have this... whatever, scene all under control, so I''m just going to go to work, bye!" she said, turning to walk away, breathing a sigh of relief as the bickering continued in her absence. Ben was soon jogging up beside her, still looking starstruck.


    "Oh my god! We just met Lustre himself! And Gatekeeper!"


    Brittney let out a frustrated sigh before reaching over and punching Ben in the shoulder.


    "Ow! What was that for?!" Ben said, rubbing the spot.


    "I just wanted to stop in, grab something to eat, and then get to work before I was late. But now, thanks to you, not only am I skipping breakfast, but I might not make it there in time to not be late! And you know how much of a stickler my boss is!"


    "Uh... isn''t that a little specist? Or... uhm.. Emergenced-ist?" Ben asked, now looking uncomfortable as Brittney looked over to him in confusion.


    "Y''know, because he''s a cactus-man?"


    Brittney let out a sigh. After a few more minutes of walking, and Ben trying to float the idea to reconsider becoming a superheroine, her place of work started to come into sight. The Las Vegas Public Library. Like many things in Vegas, it was grand and ornate, if not a little gaudy. Three stories tall, large polished windows, well-kept and manicured front lawn and hedges, marble stairs leading up to the large oak double-doors. At the base of the stairs, on either side, were two polished brass lions. Brittney had never understood why they were chosen as ornaments. She recalled first seeing them and wondering Are they defending the library? From what? Brass gazelles from a brass African Savannah?


    As they approached the marble building, Ben was still subtly pushing his superhero agenda.


    "You could get famous," Ben said.


    "I don''t want to be famous, Ben," Brittney said, checking her watch. "I just want to clock in a few minutes early. And I''m pretty sure that your boss wants you to do the same."


    "But Britt--..." Ben stopped and looked confused for a moment, before his eyes went wide. He looked at his own watch, and started to take off running. "SHIIIIIIIIIIIIT!" he said as he sprinted, calling back over his shoulder. "Later, Brittney!"


    The bunny girl stared at her friend as he ran down the sidewalk, almost barreling into an elderly woman.


    "Idiot," Brittney said, no true malice in her voice. She then took a breath and made her way up the steps. She fished out her keys and unlocked the front door, closing and locking it behind herself. The interior was well-lit, allowing her eyes to adjust quickly and take in the immaculate light grey tiles, and the oak walls. She then clipped her name tag on, and walked by the front desk, which was empty. She headed past several paintings of ships in stormy seas, straight towards the employee lounge. She entered and immediately spotted Mr. Penn. He stood at easily over seven feet tall, with the waxy green skin and needles of a cactus being the only visible exposed flesh, more curled and longer yellow needles making up the hair on his head. He turned to regard her with his glowing red eyes, and nodded.


    "Miss, Adams," he said in a voice as crisp and proper as his brown sweater-vest.


    He must clip the spikes so he can wear clothes, Brittney thought to herself as she nodded back to her boss.


    "Morning, Mr. Penn."


    "Gabriel will be handling the front desk," he said, as usual not wasting time, "so you''ll be walking the floor."


    Brittney took his nod as a dismissal, and turned to leave. She knew that there were other, less strict and formal librarian positions available, especially for someone still in school. But they didn''t pay as well. She started to head upstairs to walk the floor, spotting Gabriel heading to the front door to unlock it for the public. He smiled and nodded to her. He was in his fifties and of Latin descent, and had always been friendly towards the bunny-butterfly girl. Brittney nodded back and continued on, already wishing she had gotten her quick breakfast.


    Despite what some people believe, people still regularly go to libraries, and not just for the free wifi. She assisted in helping a few people locate books they were looking for as she walked through the tall shelves of neatly stacked literature. She did get some rude glares and comments from people uncomfortable with an Emerged librarian, but Brittney let it roll off her back. There was, however, one encounter that didn''t so much as surprise her, as it had become a semi-regular occurrence, as much as it aggravated her, especially since she had such a large stack of books to restock.


    She could smell his cologne, with its weird citrus tang, just before she heard his polished leather shoes on the tile, which is saying something due to her enhanced hearing. Eyes already prepped and ready for rolling, Brittney turned to see the sly, and predatory, grin of Cheshire. Brittney didn''t know his full name, or if that was the name he took after he had emerged. All she knew was that the Indian man in the navy blue pinstripe suit, complete with fedora, was someone she did not want to have anything to do with.


    "Brittney," he said, arms wide as he came to a stop before her, "it''s so good to see you again."


    "Hello, Cheshire," Brittney greeted, keeping her voice low as it was a library.


    "Have you given any more thought about my offer?" he asked, his blood-red eyes glinting as he continued to sport his self-satisfied grin, baring his slightly too-long incisors.


    "I have and subsequently dismissed it," Brittney curtly said, turning away from him with the stack of books, double-checking the authors'' last names before putting them on the shelves.


    "Oh, come now," he said, suddenly in front of her when she had turned away. "It''s a sweet gig."


    Brittney engaged the eyeroll. "I have no interest in becoming a cocktail waitress. I get enough drunks feeling up my puffball tail as it is, I don''t need to be serving them in a skimpy outfit as well."


    "That''s only part of the job," Cheshire said, once more going into sales pitch mode, "it''s really more like security, just more aesthetically pleasing with a pretty girl like yourself." Cheshire said this with a wink, which caused Brittney to internally shudder.


    "As you have explained to me before, and my answer is still no. Besides, there are plenty of other Emerged around that you can use."


    "True... but..." Cheshire said, removing his fedora, his gold watch in plain sight on his wrist, "part of my abilities is the ability to see someone''s... potential. And you are most definitely someone my boss would be interested in having on the payroll. And the pay is very nice."


    "No, Cheshire. The answer is no, and it''s always going to be no," Brittney politely, but firmly, said.


    "Alright, I can take a hint," he said with a wink that suggested he didn''t, and left with a wave. After he turned a corner, Brittney knew that he would be back again to float the offer by her again. In Vegas, any Emerged with enhanced senses were considered valuable to casinos, to help in spotting cheaters, which after the Emergence had become a bigger problem. Of course, it was her other ability that Cheshire seemed interested in. With a huff of annoyance, Brittney focused for a second. When she opened her eyes, there was an exact duplicate of herself, but completely black, like a silhouette, with two white eyes, standing before her. Her Shade, being an extension of her will like an extra arm, took half of the books and started to put them away.


    While weak in sunlight, the Shade was stronger and faster than herself. When not in sunlight, any kind of artificial light did nothing; The Shade would grow to five times its size, and become even stronger and faster yet. Her own personal supernatural bodyguard. She made it disappear after putting away the books, and continued to work the floor. Clearing the frustration that was Cheshire from her mind, Brittney continued her work day, focusing on the tasks at hand/paw.


    Just another day, she told herself.


    Please feel free to leave a review! And thanks for taking the time to give this first chapter of a new story a read!

 Chapter 2

    A Bunnerfly in the Desert (Chapter 2)


    by


    Shadow Bunny Dragon


    "--the fact that they have been allowed to operate with impunity is nothing short of a disgrace," the speaker at the podium said. He was a Caucasian male, built like a linebacker, with blinking eyes looking out from every bit of exposed flesh, including on his completely bald head. Each eye was a different color, and all seemed to be constantly looking off in different directions, each blinking individually. He was wearing a charcoal grey suit with a green tie.


    "That is in no way to say that there is anything wrong with anyone, Emerged or otherwise, who wishes to help others. However, as we have seen time and time again, many of these so-called superheroes tend to cause damage to both property and others with reckless abandon, civilians and so-called ''villains'' alike! And they have, so far, faced little to no consequences for their actions. What''s more, the recent scandal brought about by the lawsuit has shown how far the people of the Las Vegas Police Department have failed us. Well, I am here to tell you that that is about to change--"


    "Hey, Earl!" a man at the bar said after setting his mug down, dressed in jean shorts and a white button up shirt. The bartender turned, casting his eyes which were black and showed a pinwheel galaxy, to regard the patron. "Mind turning the channel? I wanna catch the fight!" Earl nodded and smiled and picked up a remote, switching to another channel. The man at the bar, along with several other people nearby, Emerged and non-Emerged, grew excited as they watched the MMA match. It was between an Emerged fighter who was a seven-foot wall of muscle with four arms, the top two conjuring fire while the bottom two crackled with electricity; and another fighter that appeared to be a writhing mass of bright blue tentacles and eyes.


    Brittney sat in her usual booth, nursing a Roy Rogers, since she didn''t drink, waiting on her food. After working a long shift of walking around shelving books, organizing books incorrectly shelved, collecting the dropped-off books, and assisting library patrons, she enjoyed coming to Big Cat''s Bar & Grill to unwind. She enjoyed the relaxed and clean atmosphere, in addition to the cooking. As she sipped her drink, she started to become aware of a presence standing next to where she was sitting. The bunny girl with the butterfly wings looked up, expecting to see Rochelle with her order, only to see a woman standing there. The woman, whom Brittney guessed to be in her forties, with a haircut that screamed Homeowner''s Association Representative, was looking down at her, frowning. She was wearing a teal pantsuit and clutching a matching purse close to her person.


    "Excuse me, miss?" the woman asked.


    "Uh, yeah?" Brittney responded, feeling her social anxiety begin flare up a little.


    "Are you here with anyone?"


    "Huh?" Brittney asked slightly confused, but part of her thinking she had an idea of where this was going.


    "It''s just that, you seem to be a little young to be in a place like this all by yourself," the lady said. Brittney internally sighed, having been right.


    Ever since the damned Emergence... her inner monologue trailed off as she looked back up at the lady to explain.


    "Look, ma''am, I know that my features make me look young, but I''m actually twenty-three," Brittney said, hoping that the lady would accept this piece of information.


    "I''m sorry, but there is just no way you could be any older than fifteen at the most."


    Brittney groaned internally but kept her bunny face neutral, already wishing that this lady would go somewhere else. Brittney sighed as she pulled out her wallet and pulled out her license, showing it. At this point, she was used to getting carded.


    "See? Twenty-three." Brittney said, matter-of-factly as the woman bent down to look at the license. Just as she was about to put it away was when the woman snatched it from her hand-paw, to give it a closer look.


    "This must be a fake," she said, holding it out of the bunny-butterfly girl''s reach when Brittney yelled "HEY! GIVE THAT BACK!" and reached for it.


    "Sweetie," the woman said in a calming voice, "someone your age really shouldn''t be drinking. I know that it can be hard to be Emerged but--"


    "Lady, that is a REAL Driver''s License, it''s mine, I''m twenty-three damn years old, and I want you to give it back right now!" Brittney said, standing up and putting on her best serious face, which Ben once broke to her looked like more of a pout. Coupled now with her involuntary fluttering reflex, which lifted her a foot off the ground, this most certainly did not have the desired effect. Just as the woman opened her mouth to respond, a green-scaled hand darted out and grabbed the piece of plastic from her, handing it back to Brittney, who wasted no time putting it back into her wallet. She smiled in relief at the sight of Larri, one of the bouncers and an all around great gal. She had on her usual jeans and the restaurant''s uniform of a black t-shirt with the logo over the left breast pocket.


    "What seems to be the problem here?" the reptilian lady with the very large bust and the long glittery red feathers that was her hair asked in a casual voice. Brittney had wondered how she talked normally with a muzzle, but had learned to shrug it off.


    "You''ve been serving a minor alcohol!" the woman said, starting to get huffy. Brittney suspected that she was used to people just going along with whatever she said. She took a moment to compose herself and flutter back down to her booth.


    "Ma''am," Larri said, calmly, her yellow reptilian eyes focused on the woman while her long scaly tail lazily swished back and forth, "I card everyone who comes in, no exceptions. Also, I know this young lady personally, and she is over the legal drinking age. Not that it really matters, since she doesn''t drink." Larri gave Brittney a wink.


    "Well, of course it matters, because she is clearly fifteen at the most, but maybe twelve! I mean, just look at her!" The woman gesticulated with her hands in Brittney''s direction. Brittney felt the insides of her ears blushing as eyes started to turn in their direction, her social anxiety starting to get worse.


    "Ma''am," Larri said, with a slightly sharper tone to her voice, "once again, I know her personally. She and I went to the same high school. She''s older than she looks." There was a tone of finality. The woman looked the bouncer up and down and then let out a huff.


    "Fine, but I''ll have you know I''m calling to report you for serving alcohol to a minor," the woman said as she turned on her heel and left the building. Larri rolled her eyes before looking back at the still-blushing Brittney and gave her a smile.


    "I don''t think that they''re accepting calls about us for that anymore, considering..." She didn''t have to finish the sentence. This wasn''t the first time people had called just for that very reason, all of them because of Brittney''s apparently terminal case of babyface. She gave Brittney one more smile, before heading back to her post by the door, and Brittney took a seat. Soon after, Rochelle appeared, literally out of thin air, holding up the bunny-butterfly girl''s steaming order. The gorgeous black woman, also wearing the uniform shirt, set the plate of chicken enchiladas on the table, giving a silent smile before teleporting away.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    She enjoys doing that way too much, Brittney thought before looking down hungrily at her meal. She was thankful that, whatever had made her a bunny, had not also made her digestive system herbivore-only. Brittney started in on her meal, savoring each bite, since this was now technically breakfast. Her ears twitched and followed a pair of footsteps that walked right up to her table, taking a seat across from her.


    "Hey, Ben, didja get off work ear--" The words died in her throat as she looked up to see someone other than Ben sitting at her table. The person was wearing an orange pin-striped suit. They had on a pair of basic black leather gloves, a light green undershirt, with a fire brick red tie and, most notably of all, a helmet that encompassed their entire head. The helmet was pitch black with two bright white ovals and a single curved white line, indicating eyes and a smiling mouth.


    "Hello there," a chipper electronic, and decidedly male, voice said, the pixelated mouth moving in perfect sync with the words. The eyes blinked and looked at Brittney innocently.


    "Oh crap," she said aloud, having instantly recognized who it was sitting across from her, "you''re Starsinger."


    The smile grew wider and became a capital D on its side. "So you''ve heard of me? Yay!" he said, his eyes becoming cliche anime eyes, sparkling with happiness.


    Like anyone wouldn''t recognize one of the biggest Emerged performers in the world... in addition to being one of the most powerful Emerged around... as well as their style, Brittney thought but didn''t vocalize. Instead, she swallowed her current bite of enchilada before asking, "Why are you here?"


    The eyes became their regular oval shape, and the mouth became a simple line. "I''m going to be performing a concert here in the next few days, as part of my round the world tour!" He excitedly held his hands in the air at that last part, his eyes becoming sparkly anime once again.


    "I meant, why did you take a seat across from me?" Brittney asked, not trying to be rude, but her social anxiety cranking right back up.


    "OOoooh," Starsinger''s mouth became an o, "well, I decided to stop in for some local cuisine when I noticed a cute little bunnerfly girl sitting all by her lonesome."


    Brittney paused and then furrowed her brow in irritation, ignoring his coined term bunnerfly. "Please, don''t call me cute," she said, wishing that he would go away, especially before any fans of his found out where he was and flocked there in droves, as they had been known to do.


    "Oops, sorry," he said, his electronic voice sounding sincere as he sat there, smiling again. "Admittedly, I was a little curious."


    "About what?" Brittney asked, looking confused.


    "Would you perhaps happen to be a superhero?"


    Brittney sighed and rolled her eyes. "No, I''m just a college student with a day job."


    "Really? Neat!" he said, sounding chipper still. Brittney got the feeling that the person sitting across from her was the type of individual who was up for just about anything, and always genuinely excited and enthusiastic. She started to feel even more tired just thinking about it.


    "So many people find themselves with powers these days and just kinda jump right on into the whole ''superhero thing'' without really thinking about it."


    Brittney''s ears perked up at that a little. "Yeah, that''s true. I''ve got powers, sorta, but that''s just not something I really want to do."


    "Then, do you mind my asking what it is that you do want to do?" he asked, tilting his helmeted head to the side. just as Rochelle appeared with a menu for him, before disappearing once more. "Teleportation... neat!" he said again, confirming Brittney''s earlier assessment.


    "Well, to get my bachelor''s degree in computer science. I kinda hope to get a job as a game developer," Brittney said, starting to feel uncomfortable again. She didn''t like answering personal questions with total strangers. She looked up to see his mouth turn into a surprised o.


    "Oh, cool!" he said before looking around. Brittney sighed and continued to finish her meal and drink, while also answering Starsinger''s questions. She paid and left a decent tip, and quickly left, but not before Starsinger had been served his own order, a steak, and she had seen how he ate. He undid a clasp at the back of his helmet and pulled it up just a little. From inside shone a bright pink light. He quickly stuck the forkful into the light and lowered the helmet, removing the fork. The pixelated mouth made a closed-mouth chewing motion. And when he spoke while "chewing", it even sounded like he was talking with food in his mouth.


    She met Ben outside, who seemed just as pumped as he had been that morning. He was a little confused as to why she was leading him away from their usual hangout, but no less excited to follow along. Knowing how hurt Ben would be at not being told, Brittney reluctantly let him in about her impromptu meal with a certain celebrity. He was a little surprised.


    "You... met... STARSINGER?!" Ben practically screamed, making Brittney wince and tuck her ears down. "Why didn''t you call me? Did you at least get an autograph? OH! Tell me you got a picture! We could use that for the advertising!"


    "No, I didn''t get an autograph, and no I didn''t get any pictures. He just sat down at my table and ate some steak, and asked me questions."


    "What kind of questions?" Ben asked.


    Brittney opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by a familiar electronic voice.


    "Well, I was curious as to whether or not she was a superhero. And then I was curious about what she wanted to do," Starsinger said as he fell into step beside them... or attempted to, but Brittney and Ben had both halted in their tracks. Starsinger didn''t notice at first, and stopped short when he did, flailing his arms a bit as the sudden cessation of motion almost caused him to lose his balance.


    "Why are you following me?" Brittney asked, the words shooting out of her mouth, while Ben''s face brightened considerably.


    "C-can I have an autograph?!" he asked, already frantically searching himself for a writing utensil and some paper.


    Starsinger pointed to Brittney and said "Because you''re interesting," before turning his finger to Ben and saying with a wider smile on his helmet, "You got it, pal!"


    "Well, it''s weird!" Brittney said, still feeling freaked out. Starsinger''s mouth became a frown.


    "Oh... yeah, I guess that might make someone uncomfortable. I''m sorry," he said, sounding genuine. Ben looked to her like she had just kicked a puppy and, in a weird way, she felt a little bad. One thing about Starsinger that was well known was his tendency to be a little... enthusiastic... and downright cartoonish. The awkward moment quickly passed, and Starsinger, back to his chipper self, happily signed a napkin Ben found in his pocket, and took some selfies with him.


    "I just realized," Starsinger said, turning to regard Brittney, who was waiting for them to finish up so that she and Ben could head back to her place, "I never asked you your name."


    "I''m Brittney," she said, looking at her watch.


    "And I''m Starsinger!" he said, holding out his gloved hand.


    "You ask me for my name but don''t give your real one in return?" Brittney asked, the words leaving her mouth before she could truly weigh them.


    "But that is my real name," Starsinger said with his default smile, which to some looked like a blissfully unaware expression. "Starsinger Waterfall," he said with a bow.


    "Your actual name is Starsinger Waterfall?" Ben asked what Brittney was thinking, apparently being a fan yet somehow not knowing this particular piece of trivia.


    "Yup! My parents are both hippies, if that helps explain it," he said, giving a pixelated wink.


    "Huh," Brittney said.


    "I know," Starsinger said with a shrug, "it''s weird, but I love my name. Also, I like being weird!"


    "You don''t say," Brittney said with a deadpan expression.


    "Mmhmm!" Starsinger smiled.


    "Uhm," Brittney started, unsure of how exactly to proceed, "we were... uh... gunna be heading back to my place..." Her voice trailed off as she hoped he would get the meaning.


    "Oh, can I come too?" Starsinger excitedly asked, the meaning clearly having gone over his helmeted head.


    "Ohmygod!" Ben squeaked, turning to Brittney. "The Starsinger wants to hang out with us!"


    "I don''t know you!" Brittney said, ignoring Ben, who now looked speechless. "And... I''m sorry, but I''m just not comfortable with inviting someone I just met into my home."


    "Oh... m''kay!" Starsinger said, smiling once more. "Would you like to hang out at my place sometime then?"


    "Your place?" Brittney asked, confused.


    "Yup! I have a penthouse suite for my stay here for my concert, over at the Red Lotus!" Starsinger sounded excited by the idea alone.


    "Uh,... that sounds... nice..." Brittney said right before a practically frantic Ben jumped in.


    "We''d love to!"


    "Yay!" Starsinger said, not noticing the glare Brittney was giving Ben. Ben kept his eyes on Starsinger, actively avoiding her gaze. "Just head on over there whenever you feel like it and tell the people at the front desk your names. I''ll tell them beforehand!"


    "Wait," Brittney said, trying to get her bearings in the conversation that seemed to have spiraled wildly out of control.


    "I want to, but from the looks of my phone, my manager, who also happens to be my cousin, has been trying to get in touch with me," Starsinger said, looking down at his phone. "It looks like I gotta go! Bye!" And with that, he darted off, becoming a pumpkin-colored blur in the fading light.


    "That was so COOL!" Ben said, turning to Brittney. "We''re now friends of Starsinger, STARSINGER!!!"


    Brittney''s response was to punch Ben in the arm and stomp off.


    "OW!" Ben said, rubbing his arm and looking after the stomping bunnerfly girl, her wings flapping slightly in irritation.


    "What was that for?" he asked, jogging to catch up.


    "Ben, does it ever occur to you that stuff like that makes me nervous?" she asked, irritably.


    "Why would you be nervous? Starsinger''s, like, a total teddy bear?"


    Brittney let out a sigh. "Ben, you know I''m not good in situations where I have to deal with people I''m not comfortable with. And now you just went and unilaterally agreed for me to go to a major celebrity''s penthouse!"


    "Oh... sorry, Brittney..." Ben said, looking down.


    "Just... you gotta stop doing stuff like that, okay?" Brittney said, calming down, and already feeling bad about punching Ben.


    "... Okay... as your manager, I need to better understand what does and does not make you uncomfortable," Ben said, matter of factly. Brittney rolled her eyes.


    "Ben, you are not my manager, and I''m not a superhero."


    "Not yet!"


    As the two continued to walk on, neither one noticed the man known only as Cheshire, sitting on a nearby rooftop, watching them. He had his usual smirk. He pulled out his phone and started to text on it.


    A certain little bunnerfly just met herself a certain Singing Star, LOL, he typed in, his red eyes flaring brightly.


    He only had to wait a few heartbeats for a response.


    Interesting... observe and report, as usual, his employer sent back.


    Cheshire nodded to himself. "My pleasure," his voice practically oozed as he stepped into a shadow and disappeared. It was only when he was gone that a slurping sound broke the silence. Just behind the large industrial air-conditioning unit sat Gatekeeper, sitting on a lawn chair, drinking a soda in plastic cup through a straw. He poked his head around the AC.


    "Call me crazy," he said to no one, "but that guy seems like he''s up to no good."

 Chapter 3

    "Disgraced hero, Lustre, is back in the news again after an in-court meltdown. This was brought on after he had been warned that any further outbursts would result in him being held in contempt. Here we have the composite sketches, where you can see that Lustre had indeed broken down in tears--"


    "--and so you can clearly see Starsinger, world-renowned Emerged pop star, waving the asexual, or ace, flag. This picture was taken after Starsinger posted to his followers, announcing his asexuality. With us here in the studio is sociologist and psychologist, Kendra--"


    "C''mon," Brittney muttered to herself as she flipped through the channels, "I''ve got an hour before I gotta head to class, there''s gotta be something good on."


    The bunnerfly girl was presently sitting on her couch, dressed in some jeans and a faded red t-shirt. She finally found a show to watch, just as her phone began to buzz. Picking it up, she saw that it was a text from Ben.


    Found a sweet price for a commercial on public access, in the 3:15 AM time slot!!! Brittney rolled her eyes and sent back a text shooting down any ideas he had about making a superhero commercial.


    "Seriously, what the hell kind of hero would even think of making a commercial to promote themselves," she mumbled.


    "Hi there, Mr. Miraculous here," said a man on TV, dressed in an all-white spandex suit with a large gold caduceus on his chest, with a matching white spandex luchadore-looking mask with a miniature one between the eyes. Brittney sighed at the blatant answer from the universe to her question. "You may remember me as Johnathon Smith, expert injury and medical malpractice attorney. Well, I''m here today to tell you all about my new office and clinic, Miraculous & Co., located just off North Decatur Boulevard!"


    The commercial, which was apparently being shot by a person with a shaky hand, zoomed out to a building that Brittney recognized as the old Ivory Citadel that had gone out of business last year. It had apparently been repainted stark white with a giant mural of the caduceus on the side of it.


    "Just come on in for a quick healing, for a reasonable price, and a free consultation about your legal rights. Just because you''ve been healed doesn''t mean that you are not entitled to some financial compensation. So just come on down, or call our helpful hotline to receive medical transportation down here at Miraculous and Co. Our toll-free number is 1-800-MIRACLE, that''s 1-800-MIRACLE!"


    Brittney stared at the TV for a minute before picking up her bowl of late-night cocoa rice cereal and almond milk. Her show, which was a series that explored the history of the horror genre in cinema, wrapped up just in time. Brittney put her bowl in the sink and went off to brush her teeth. After getting her sandals back on, and grabbing her messenger bag with her notebooks and textbook, she checked to make sure she had her keys, and was soon out the door. Brittney smiled as the day began to cool off, the sun making its way for the horizon. She then felt her phone buzz again and pulled it out to find that she had gotten a slew of texts from Ben.


    OMG ARE YOU WATCHING THE NEWS?!?!?!?!


    Brittney?!


    Hello?!


    I never knew that about Starsinger!


    This is AWESOME publicity for you!!!


    She was puzzled by that last one and was just about to text back asking Ben for more details, when he forwarded her a link to a video. She tapped on it, and after a second to load, it started playing. She stopped in her tracks when she saw a video of her and Starsinger sharing a booth at Big Cat''s Bar & Grill. There was no audio for it, until it stopped and the video cut away to show Starsinger, now wearing a white suite with magenta pinstripes with a pitch black undershirt and tie, sitting next to some guy in a suit and tie.


    "So Starsinger, this video has been making the rounds and now has everybody asking, ''Who is this pretty new girl in your life?''" the apparent news anchor or talk show host asked, Brittney, despite her growing sense of unease, noticed how his teeth appeared to be a little too "perfect" to be natural.


    Starsinger blinked. "Oh, that''s my new friend Brittney. I met her the other night at an excellent restaurant called Big Cat''s Bar & Grill," he answered happily and matter-of-factly. The interviewer nodded.


    "And is this Brittney someone special?"


    "Oh, absolutely," Starsinger answered, making Brittney''s stomach to drop out.


    "Really? So is this a spur-of-the-moment romance, or is this something more serious?"


    Starsinger''s pixelated eyes developed a quirked eyebrow for a second. "Huh? Romance?" He pondered for a moment before a second pixelated eyebrow appeared and both rose as he came to a realization, his mouth becoming an o.


    "Ooooooh, you think I was out on a date with her. No, that''s not what happened," he said, making the news anchor furrow his brow.


    "Then what was it, if you don''t mind my asking?"


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Well, I stepped in for a bite to eat, and I saw her sitting all by her lonesome, so I sat down across from her. I thought she was pretty interesting, and as we got to talking, my suspicion was confirmed."


    "So you weren''t trying to pick her up?"


    "Huh? Oh, nope."


    "Do you think that she might be someone whom you could develop romantic feelings for down the road then?" the reporter asked, Brittney noticing him seeming confused.


    "Doubtful. See, I''m actually ace, well, ace aro to get really specific about it."


    "Uh, Acearo? Do you mean to tell me that you are not the real Starsinger? Are you some kind of professional body double?" the reporter asked, prompting the white pixelated features of Starsinger''s mask to make a -_- face.


    "No, what I mean is that I, Starsinger Waterfall, am asexual and aromantic," Starsinger said, giving a smiling wink and thumbs up to the camera.


    "So you mean that you''ve decided not to have any sexual relations?"


    "..." Starsinger''s mask made the -_- face again before he explained that it wasn''t a choice, just a part of who he was. The video quickly stopped after that, and Brittney just stared down at her phone, only now realizing that she had been fluttering a few feet off the ground, and quickly came back down. Looking around, she realized that she was almost to the campus, and continued on her way.


    Despite its small size, Dim Grove Community College had what Brittney felt was a real academic feel to it. Instead of an expansive lawn, there was gravel of different colors made into patterns in a Southwestern. Instead of topiaries, there were different flora with little plaques in front explaining all about the plants. The buildings were all clean and tidy on the outside, much like the inside. Brittney walked through the parking lot, cutting through the pavilion which was next to the library, and made her way to the building her class was going to be in.


    "Hey, Brittney!" an electronic voice whisper-called out to her. She stopped mid-stride and followed the direction her ears had swiveled in, spotting Starsinger, now dressed in what appeared to be a camouflage pinstripe suit, hiding behind a bush.


    "PSST!" Starsinger said, waving his arms. "Over here!"


    Brittney sighed and headed straight towards him, noting that he was wearing a fake mustache on his helmet itself, which actually almost brought a giggle from her, which she was quick to clamp down on.


    "Don''t worry, it''s me, Starsinger!" he whispered conspiratorially, ripping off the fake mustache, before quickly putting it back on.


    "You don''t say," she said.


    "Indeed I do! Anyways, I wanted to talk to you, and ask if you''d seen the news or perhaps a certain video that''s become popular..."


    "Yeah, Ben sent it to me a little while ago..." Brittney said, feeling awkward, as per usual.


    "Okay, well, I just wanted to tell you that I''m sorry you got dragged into that whole thing," he said with his gloved hands in his pockets, kicking a rock with his polished shoes. His face was making a slight frown.


    "Well... it wasn''t really your fault. You couldn''t have known that someone was filming you sitting at my table, or what anyone was going to infer from it," Brittney said.


    "Still, I wasn''t trying to get any kind of a spotlight shown on you. Which is what my cousin/manager yelled at me about today. She told me that you deserved an apology, and that you deserved to have it in private."


    "Well thanks, that really does mean a lot to me... wait... how did you know I would be here?" Brittney asked, suddenly remembering the previous conversation and recalling specifically that she had not told Starsinger just what school she was going to.


    "Ben told me," Starsinger answered, back to his default chipper self.


    "Of course he did," Brittney said, internally facepalming.


    "Yeah, he was really excited when I called him up. Although I think I surprised him. When I told him who I was, there was a high pitched squealing, so I think I made him step on his dog''s tail or something."


    Brittney felt her eyes automatically roll at that. "No, that was him."


    "Oh," Starsinger said, kicking the piece of gravel back to where he had kicked it from. "Uh... I was wondering something else..." he said, looking away and therefore not noticing Brittney checking the time on her watch.


    "Yes?" she asked, resolving to find a way to cut the conversation short if it dragged on longer than another five minutes so that she wouldn''t be late.


    "So you saw the video... did you see all of it?" he asked, his sudden awkwardness surprising her, as it seemed to be a big shift for him, at least based on her own personal experience with the world-renowned pop star so far.


    "You mean about you being ace aro?" she asked, seeing him bob his helmeted head.


    "Yeah... uhm... can we still be friends?" he asked, his electronic voice now sounding nervous, which further surprised the bunnerfly girl.


    "Uh... well, y-yeah... I mean, I don''t care that you''re ace aro. That''s your business, after all."


    She noticed how quickly his body language changed as he perked right up, when before he had been slumping over a little.


    "Really? YAY!" He jumped for joy, literally, with what Brittney noted was quite the impressive vertical leap. "Thanks, Brittney! I only asked because my cousin told me that telling everyone like that on TV meant that I was going to catch a lot of flak for it, even from some people whom I thought were my friends."


    "Well, again I only just met you. But, like I said, I don''t care if you''re ace or anything like that. Now, I really gotta get to class..."


    "Oh, okay... I should probably get back to my cousin. She was giving me a lecture about jumping into things without thinking about them, I think. Bye!" And with a wave, he became a camo-blur that ran off into the dimming late afternoon-light. The bunnerfly girl stood there for a moment, shaking her head and letting slip a chuckle, before she finally was able to continue on towards her destination, the reserved computer lab. She did slow down her stride as she saw a giant figure out in the desert. It was only a brief look, which she chalked up to most-likely being the Governor''s son, Happy, who just so happened to be a dragon. She failed to notice Cheshire crouching on a nearby rooftop. His blood red eyes drifted away from his current target to the massive figure in the distance.


    Are those tentacles? he wondered to himself before quickly dismissing it. His employer was concerned with the little bunnerfly girl who so far had continued to rebuff his job offers. Cheshire knew that his employer was not one to take kindly to repeated rejection, nor to employees who shirked their assigned tasks. Cheshire walked into one of the growing shadows and stepped out into a room in the very building Brittney had entered. Confident that while he remained touching the shadow he had exited, he would remain unseen, he watched as Brittney sat down in front of a computer.


    Hope no one minds it if I audit this class, he thought to himself with a satisfied smirk.


    At that very moment...


    A massive giant stood in the desert, just outside of the city of Las Vegas. The being''s exposed flesh was a sickly ashen grey. They were wearing some kind of robin''s egg blue jumpsuit, a stark contrast to their appearance. Both hands ended with long sharp blackened claws. But the head was the most terrifying. The head was a wriggling mass of tentacles that ended in a point, giving the appearance of a colossal squid having been glued to the neck of the giant body.


    Its glowing yellow eyes watched the passenger plane that was falling from the sky, one of its engines in flames. It moved position to be better in the plane''s apparent path and spread its many wriggling tentacles in its direction. The plane was then caught within all of the appendages, coming to a stop. From inside the cockpit, and soon echoing out throughout the vehicle, the being heard screams of pure terror, no doubt crew and passengers looking out their windows. Gently, while keeping the plane upright, with both hands underneath it just in case, the creature started to lower its face and therefore the plane to the ground.


    As lightly as it could, the being set the plane down, and immediately withdrew its tentacles, some of which looked burned from the fire. As emergency crews rushed to the scene, and as news helicopters circled in a fashion similar to vultures, a golden streak shot straight towards the being, slamming into its face. The being let out a low moan and fell, landing on its backside, and started to rapidly shrink. In under a minute, in the divet in the land where the creature had fallen, was a normal-sized man in a similar jumpsuit, climbing over the new sudden ridge.


    Now sporting a the beginnings of a black eye, and some burns to his upper lip and chin, he climbed over the ridge. Stumbling a little, he started walking towards the news vans and police cruisers that were heading for him. He waved at them, looking excited, before he suddenly found himself on the ground, the air knocked out of him.


    "You are under arrest, Monster Man!" Lustre said, smiling up at the cameras that were now on him.


    "For what?!" the man on the ground asked as he squirmed.


    "For... uh... being a giant monster," Lutre said, looking confused for a moment, before looking at the plane and pointing to it, "and for, uh, doing that!"


    "Saving a bunch of peoples'' lives?" the man asked, still confused about what was happening.


    "Tell it to the judge," Lustre said as he rose, pulling the man to his feet, his arms pinned behind him. The gold-glowing superhero nodded to the approaching officers.


    "Take him away, boys," he said, before noticing that the officer he was addressing was a woman.


    "We can''t," she said, shaking her head, much to Lustre''s confusion.


    "Why not?"


    "He hasn''t done anything," was her answer before Lustre pointed to the plane again.


    "What about that?!"


    "He saved that plane. This is one of the newest members of the Emergency Emerged League, Eldritch. He didn''t cause the plane''s engine to catch fire and start to go down, he was called in to try to catch it and save as many lives as he could, which he was very successful at, by the way, until you attacked him."


    "Well, it was an accident on his part," the man known as Eldritch chimed in. "I know what I look like when I transform, so a mixup like this is to be expected. My name is Humphrey, by the way," Humphrey said, now able to pull a hand away and offer it to the stunned Lustre.


    "Emergency Emerged League? What the hell is that?!" Lustre sked, having pushed the emerged before him away, knocking him over in the process.


    "It''s the new statewide organization for Emerged Emergency Responders, spearheaded by the mayor himself, with the Governor''s full support behind it."


    "But..." Lustre said weakly, only then noticing the camera crews filming him, just as an officer was helping Eldritch to his feet.


    "In fact, Lustre, I have to place you under arrest," the officer said, pulling out a set of handcuffs.


    "What for?!" Lustre demanded, his aura flaring up in his anger.


    "You just assaulted an employee of the state. That, plus your flight license being revoked pending your upcoming FUI case..."


    "...THAT DOES IT!!!" Lustre screamed, savagely. There was a sudden burst of golden light, and off he flew, still screaming in rage into the night sky. The kicked-up dust settled to reveal Eldritch in his monster-form, having used his body to quickly shield everyone in the blast-zone with his body, which was now sporting some more burns as a result.

 Chapter 4

    "But how?! How could Governor Whitehorse just pardon him?! He''s a supervillain!" whined an older-sounding male voice.


    Today was Brittney''s day off and she currently had no classes or any unfinished assignments to work on, so earlier she had decided to take a walk. It being such a nice and bright day, she elected to enjoy her walk further by listening to a podcast Ben had sent her, with a text reading OMG, I CAN''T BELIEVE IT!!! It was some sort of a gamer podcast that, oddly enough, also kept up with local superhero news. Presently they were covering the shocking news that Gatekeeper had been granted a full pardon by the governor himself. Something Brittney was pleasantly surprised to hear, though not too surprised due to the amount of footage surfacing proving his innocence on numerous occasions. Unfortunately, she was a little too preoccupied to give the commentary her undivided attention.


    Does he actually think he''s being inconspicuous? Brittney wondered to herself as she walked down the sidewalk. Shortly after leaving her house, she''d realized that someone was following her. She hadn''t caught a good look at the guy, because he kept ducking around alley corners and hedges and etc. But he appeared to be wearing a long coat and a hat, pulled down to obscure his face. Which explained why he''d walked into a lamp post a little while ago.


    Okay, that''s it, Brittney thought when she spotted an alley where the buildings cast a deep enough shadow for her liking. She made a quick turn down it and came to a stop in the dead center. Her ears listened and detected no movement or breathing coming from behind the corners or the dumpster. Watching where she had entered, she didn''t have to wait long for the person to poke their head around the corner, and quickly retreat.


    "You can come on out, I know you''ve been tailing me for a while now," she said, her Shade lying in wait just in case. Normally, Brittney preferred to avoid confrontations. However, she was starting to get tired of Cheshire constantly bugging her about the damn job offer. She didn''t think that this was him, but it still annoyed her all the same. He ears twitched at the sound of a frustrated sigh coming from the mouth of the alley.


    "Fine," said a familiar voice, one that Brittney instantly recognized and reacted to with an internal groan. "I can''t give away my identity, but I''ve been watching you, and if you think for one second--"


    "You can make your voice sound as gravelly as you want, I can still tell that that''s you, Lustre," Brittney said, her left foot starting to tap in annoyance. The blonde guy with the gold domino mask hiding behind a beige fedora, with a matching trenchcoat, stammered and yanked the hat down to conceal his appearance.


    "I-I d-don''t know what you''re talking about, missy. I''m an ex-cop turned private detective, looking to ask you some questions," Lustre said, still trying to disguise his voice.


    "You are Lustre. I''ve met you before, and I can still see your face despite pulling your hat down," Brittney said.


    "I''m wearing a mask, so clearly you are just jumping to conclusions, no doubt the paranoia resulting from a guilty conscience!" he said, removing the hat from his face in frustration, at which Brittney displayed her long-practiced skill in eye rolling.


    "You are wearing a domino mask! I can still clearly see your face. Also, when trying to lay low, it''s probably a good idea to not use something colored metallic gold, y''know, like your costume."


    "Uniform!" Lustre cried in his normal voice, indignantly.


    "Whatever. Look, you''re Lustre, and you''re stalking me. Do you wanna tell me why and then knock it the hells off or am I gunna call the police?" Brittney said, showing her phone.


    "Oh, I doubt that you''ll be calling them. You can''t go and risk that," Lustre said with a smirk. Brittney gave him a deadpan look before tapping 9 and then 1.


    "Okay wait!" Brittney paused, keeping an eye on his now outstretched hand.


    "Ever since our little altercation at the gas station the other day--"


    "You mean the conversation I was having with my friend that you went and barged in on?" Brittney interrupted.


    "... Yes... well, ever since then, I''ve been keeping an eye on you. And I''ve noticed a few interesting things..." he said, putting what Brittney felt was a weird emphasis on the word interesting.


    "Like?"


    "Like, for instance, you and your minion plotting various schemes," Lustre said, steepling his fingers.


    "I assume that you''re talking about Ben. He''s not my minion, he''s just one of my best friends, and we''re not plotting anything."


    "Then why is it that whenever he comes to see you at work, you both always speak in such hushed whispers?"


    "Because I work in a library," Brittney said with a huff, her foot still tapping.


    "Perhaps!" Luster said, holding up his right index finger as though her were making some amazing point. "But maybe that is simply where you choose to hold discussions without fear of being overheard! Furthermore!" Lustre said, effectively cutting the bunnerfly girl off from what she had opened her mouth to say next.


    "I''ve noticed how you''ve flawlessly insinuated yourself into the entourage of one Starsinger Waterfall, world-renowned pop-star extraordinaire! Someone who has an easily influenced fan club in the millions!"


    "Uh, no. You''ve got that backwards. If anything, Starsinger insinuated himself into my life," Brittney said, already having a good idea that the fallen former superhero was going to come up with his own version of an explanation for that chance encounter.


    "Which is really a simple honey trap disguised as a random encounter, a spy classic!" Lustre did not disappoint.


    "So now you think I''m a spy?" Brittney asked, confused.


    "No. I suspect that you are part of something much more sinister!" Lustre said, his eyes starting to shine with a golden light as a faint matching aura began to radiate from him.


    "And then there''s the matter of that suspicious individual who can disappear into shadows, appearing and talking to you about a job! Oh yeah, things just do not look good for you, little lady!" Brittney took umbrage at the remark on her height.


    "That jackass has been harassing me because, yeah I agree, he seems pretty shady. And no, that''s not an intended pun because of the shadow thing. He calls himself Cheshire, and he keeps trying to recruit me to work for his boss at a casino. And I keep turning him down!"


    "Well, I''ll be sure to pay a visit to this Mr. Cheshire, if that''s even his real name," Lustre said, not noticing when Brittney piped in with "I''m pretty sure it''s not," before he continued.


    "My conclusion is that I''ve scratched the surface of a major conspiracy, something that goes all the way to the top! And you''re in over your head, Missy. But if you spill now, then when I bust this case wide open and get officially exonerated, I can then use my influence to get you a lighter sentence. So what do you have to say to that, Ms. Snark?" he finished after gesticulating with his hands, still faintly glowing, and looking at her with a smug smirk.


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    "... My conclusion is that I''m dealing with someone suffering from a level of dumbass that is downright delusional, and more than a little sad. Although I''m sure I''m gunna find this all pretty hilarious later on down the road," Brittney said with a straight face. She noticed the look of confusion flit across his face, since he was only covering it with a domino mask, quickly followed by a look of anger, which Brittney surmised was due to her clearly not reading from whatever script he had in his own mind.


    His aura flared brightly, and he started stepping towards her. "Listen here," he snarled, "you''re my ticket back to being the golden boy, and you can either make it easy or hard for yourself. But regardless, I am going to get the answers I''m looking for out of you," he said, closing the gap between them and snatching the phone before Brittney could complete her call. He grabbed her by both shoulders, even more vexed by the calm expression on her bunny face. He was blissfully unaware of the gigantic clawed paw that was taking shape to his left.


    "Let me go, right now," Brittney said. Her voice was devoid of her usual sarcasm, and instead was very serene.


    "No," Lustre growled, only for the two of them to be surprised by a much deeper, more animalistic growl. They turned to find, standing there in the mouth of the alley, a large anthropomorphic wolf man, wearing a white t-shirt and jeans. His fur was a shining metallic silver, and bushed out in hackles as his amber eyes bored into Lustre''s.


    "When a lady tells you to let go," he said with a slight Russian accent, "you let go."


    Brittney and Lustre both recognized the person who had involved himself.


    "Iron Wolf," Lustre said in awe, instantly letting go of the bunnerfly girl, who was now fluttering a few feet off the ground, the clawed paw having disappeared back into the shadows.


    "Lustre," the silvery wolf spat back, taking a step. "Is this what you''ve been reduced to? Cornering young ladies in darkened alleys and harassing them? Have you truly no sense of shame left?"


    "Don''t you judge me, lapdog!" Lustre said, pointing an accusing finger at the wolfman. "You have no idea of what you''ve stumbled onto, now how about you run back to the EEL training mansion or whatever, and let me conduct my investigation in peace!"


    "That''s not going to happen, Lustre," Iron Wolf said, more composed, but his reflective hackles still raised.


    "Then I can only assume that you''re in on it too..." Lustre said, before firing a bolt of pure golden light at his new opponent. The shockwave from the impact kicked up quite a bit of dust. Lustre then turned to regard Brittney.


    "Now, where were we?" he asked.


    "RIGHT HERE!" came Iron Wolf''s snarling voice as his shiny metallic fist collided with the surprised Lustre''s jaw. Lustre spun once, his golden aura winking out, before he collapsed. Iron Wolf stood there, completely unscathed, aside from some burn holes on the front of his shirt.


    Iron Wolf snorted at the crumpled form at his feet. "The man of gold has a jaw made of glass," he quipped, his silvery tail wagging as he bent down and picked up Brittney''s phone, handing it up to her. Brittney fluttered back down and accepted it.


    "Thanks," she said, checking to make sure that the screen wasn''t cracked, smiling to find that it wasn''t. She only barely noticed the wolf''s tail wagging even faster.


    "It was no problem," he said, his accent lightly peppering his words. "I saw the light and came to investigate. I never imagined I''d find a wanted fugitive assaulting a pretty girl."


    Brittney was not expecting the compliment, and blushed, the insides of her ears a dead giveaway.


    "Uhm, well, thanks, but should I call the police now to come and get him?" Brittney then started hearing the incoming sirens.


    "No need," Iron Wolf said, his ears swiveling towards the sound as well, "We in the E.E.L. are given a special app that lets HQ know whenever we run into trouble. Just to be safe, I used it just before investigating."


    "Oh... okay then," Brittney said, feeling awkward. "So I guess that we''re gunna have to give statements then?" And this was such a nice day too... she lamented to herself.


    "Well, yes. But it shouldn''t take too long," Iron Wolf said, and he was right. The LVPD shortly arrived, and were quick to get to the bottom of the situation. He gave his statement, and Brittney gave hers. The officers, one of which was a female who was very pale and had very elfish features and glowing pink eyes, was a little curt, but otherwise polite. The officers took things from there, calling in the full situation while also cuffing the now woozy Lustre.


    After seeing him off in the back of the police cruiser, Brittney breathed a sigh of relief, and started to continue on her walk, deciding to head to Big Cat''s. She made it only a few steps before Iron Wolf called out to her.


    "Oh, wait!" He jogged to her, and she looked at him, confused.


    "Yeah?"


    "We were not formally introduced," he said, with a big goofy grin on his muzzle. Brittney noticed how his fur started to lose its silver metallic sheen, taking on a more "natural" color. When finished, it was definitely russet-colored. He then held out his paw-hand. "My name is Dima. Dima Alexeev."


    Brittney hesitantly shook his paw-hand with her own. "Brittney Adams," she said. "Uhm, aren''t you supposed to, y''know, not just give out your secret identity?"


    The wolfman named Dima shook his head. "Not in the E.E.L. We are actually required to register our identities, for the sake of accountability."


    "Oh... cool..." Brittney said, having no idea what to say and sound natural and not weird at all.


    "So... was there something else I can help you with?" Brittney asked.


    "Well..." now it was the wolfman''s turn to look awkward. "I was wondering if maybe you and I could exchange numbers? Just in case you feel like you might ever be in the need of some super assistance?"


    "Uhm... actually..." Brittney started, suddenly thinking about Cheshire and his mysterious boss. "I... guess... that maybe that''d be okay..." she said, now noticing how nervous the legal superhero before her had been looking. His ears perked right back up, and his tail became a happy blur behind him. She had to hold back a giggle at the sight, which made Dima look like a literal big puppy dog. They exchanged numbers, and he then got some kind of update on his phone from the app he had mentioned earlier. They went their separate ways after that, and Brittney headed towards the bar and grill with slight spring in her step.


    It didn''t take her long to get to Big Cat''s, where she was greeted by Larri upon entering, the lizard-lady being friendly as usual. Taking a seat in her usual booth, Brittney didn''t have to wait long for Rochelle to appear out of thin air right next to her, silently giving her a menu before teleporting away. After deciding on a plate of chicken fajitas, Brittney placed her order after Rochelle reappeared, setting a Roy Rogers down on the table with a wink. Brittney took a sip of the non-alcoholic beverage and texted Ben, feeling relaxed.


    "Brittney!" Ben exclaimed as he practically burst into the room, making a beeline for her table. The bunnerfly girl chuckled and rolled her eyes, having already been expecting Ben to literally come running upon hearing that she''d had another run-in with Lustre. Ben took a heavy seat, and opened his mouth to start talking, but instead had to take a moment to catch his breath. It took a few minutes more, which was just enough time for her fajitas to be finished and set before her, while Rochelle handed Ben his own menu, giving a silent giggle at his antics. After she had teleported away, Ben having given a quick glance at it before ordering a cheeseburger, Ben finally seemed to catch his breath.


    "So you fought Lustre?!" he asked, excitement twinkling in his eyes.


    "No," Brittney said as she let her still sizzling fajitas cool. "He was stalking me, confronted me, and grabbed me with the intent of assaulting me. It was that guy, Iron Wolf, who showed up and punched him out."


    "Woah... so in this case you were a damsel in distress who was rescued by the silver knight himself then?" Ben asked, partly teasing, partly serious, and partly jealous that he had missed the whole thing. Brittney frowned at that, which looked more like a pout.


    "While I appreciated his help, I was already set to knock that idiot out my own damn self," Brittney said in frustration.


    "What did he want with you, though?"


    "Well, ever since the day in the gas station, he''s been following me. And he somehow got it in his head that I''m involved in some kind of conspiracy, and that busting me on it would make people love him again," Brittney explained. Ben pondered that for a moment before he responded.


    "So he''s started smoking pot again, then?"


    "I think that would be giving him too much credit," Brittney answered before digging in to her fajitas.


    "And what was Iron Wolf like?" Ben asked, his sense of child-like wonder having returned in full force.


    "Oh, well, he was really nice. And totally a badass," Brittney said, her wings giving a little flutter, "and he was super serious, until it was all over and done with. After that, he just turned into this big excitable puppy dog!"


    "... It sound like he really made an impression on you," Ben cautiously started.


    Those rock-hard abs visible beneath his shirt and fur certainly did, she thought to herself.


    "A little... it''s not every day that someone gets a legal superhero''s number," Brittney let slip, immediately regretting it. She winced and tucked her ears behind her back when Ben let out an excited squeal.


    "OMG! Are you dating Iron Wolf?!" His question almost caused Brittney to choke on her bite of fajita. After a couple more sips of her drink, she set the glass down and glared across the booth at the oblivious Ben.


    "No! I just met him today, and he gave me his number just in case I continue to be stalked!" Brittney said, omitting the fact she had given him her own number. Brittney was glad her ears were out of sight, because she could feel how deep her blush was in them.


    "There is absolutely nothing going on between me and some guy I just met!" Brittney insisted just as Ben''s burger arrived.


    Meanwhile...


    Iron Wolf was standing outside of a cliche. A bank robbery in progress. Inside was a gang of Emerged individuals, one of whom was chewing his way through the bank vault. Police and S.W.A.T. were on the scene, as were a couple more members of the E.E.L. Standing next to Iron Wolf was a man wearing glossy red-plated spandex suit with a red gear symbol on his chest. He was black, with close-cropped hair, a scar across his left eye, which itself was replaced with a green mechanical eye, while the right was hazel.


    "So, Dima, what''s this I heard about you bringing in Lustre?" he asked.


    "Well, there was this girl he was attacking, so I stepped in," the large silver wolf said, his tail starting to wag, accidentally scraping some paint off a nearby police cruiser.


    "Ah, and was the girl okay?" the hero known as Gearshift asked.


    "Oh yeah. I even got her number and gave her mine, just in case," Dima said, a dreamy look on his face while a few more heroes started to arrive.


    "Oh really?" Gearshift asked, with a knowing smirk. "So you got a cute girl''s number, and now you feel like you''re on top of the world."


    "Yeah, but it''s more than that. I told you about how my sister can paint the future. Well, she one day presented me with a confusing painting and told me that that was the girl I was gunna marry. Well, it was her!" Dima said, scraping another cruiser with his wagging metallic tail as he turned to face his friend, looking like he wanted to jump for joy.


    Gearshift looked at his friend and teammate. "Maybe wait a while before telling her that. It can be kinda off-putting..."